Author: Daniel

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Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Lifeline for the world: Blessings of Israel’s 12 tribes, Solomon and the 12 disciples (Genesis 49; 1Kings 2; John 13–17)

Lifeline for the world: Blessings of Israel's 12 tribes, King Solomon and 12 disciples (Genesis 49; 1Kings 2; John 13-17)

One of the key lessons from the blessings of the 12 founders of the tribes of Israel in Torah reading ויחי Vayechi (“he lived,” Gen. 47:28–50:26) is that ancestry doesn’t mean much if each generation doesn’t carry on the legacy handed down. We can learn from these blessings and from the final messages of King David for Solomon (1Kings 2:1–12) and of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) for the Twelve (John 13–17) what Heaven wants us to pass on to our children and to the world.

We all have to choose spiritually and physically (belief in action) to follow what is right to receive the blessings that God has for us to further the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

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Discussions Torah

Joseph & Messiah reveal what true repentance looks like (Genesis 42–44)

Joseph & Messiah reveal what true repentance looks like (Genesis 42-44)

The strange imagery of seven emaciated cows and seven fat ones in Pharaoh’s dreams that Joseph interpreted — with Heaven’s help — grab one’s attention in the Torah reading מקץ Miketz (“from the end,” Gen. 41:1–44:17).

But beyond the lessons of Heaven’s supreme wisdom and the importance of preparation for lean times is the key teachings from Joseph’s intrigue-filled reconciliation with the brothers who sold him into slavery. In this we see key attributes to look for when Heaven’s Son, Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) seeks to reconcile with His people — and the world.

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Discussions Torah

Why the Way to the Kingdom of God is both open-armed and divisive (Genesis 32–33; Romans 8)

Why the Kingdom of Heaven is both open-armed and divisive (Genesis 32-33; Romans 8)

One would think that a direct encounter with Heaven would have made Ya’akov (Jacob), an ancient founder of Israel, more bold in how he acted in life. But what we see recorded in the Torah reading וַיִּשְׁלַח Vayishlach (“and he sent,” Gen. 32:3–36:43) looks more like fear than faith. After all, he sent his stuff and those closest to him on ahead in a meeting with his enraged brother Esau.

But one key lesson from this division and many others in the Bible is why God separates the righteous and the wicked. Yet we learn from the Prophets, Gospels and Apostles is that this separation is more about what’s happening with development of the open-hearted character than on external appearances.

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Discussions Torah

Will the real people of God please stand up? (Malachi 1; Romans 9)

Will the real people of God please stand up? (Malachi 1; Romans 9)

Why does God let evil things happen? Why do people who supposedly are close to God do evil things? Just as all who profess to be of Abraham aren’t actually truly descendants of him (John 8:39–47), so too, those who claim to be in Messiah (Christ) are not actually in Him (Matt. 7:21–24; Romans 9). These are some of the tough questions tackled in the Torah reading תולדות Toldot/Toledot (“generations,” Gen. 25:19–28:9).

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Discussions Torah

Watch for dangers lurking in our spiritual blindspots (Genesis 19)

Watch for dangers lurking in our spiritual blind spots (Genesis 19)

The account of Lot is one of the most salacious tragedies in the Torah, but from it we can learn precious lessons about the things that can sneak up and destroy us when we’re not paying attention. We are told in the reading וַיֵּרָא Vayera (“he appeared,” Gen. 18:1–22:24) that he was a righteous man, but he was incapable of teaching his own wife, family and community how to walk uprightly with God and with their neighbors.

Abraham, on the other hand, was also a righteous man, but Abraham stood out in God’s eyes. Abraham was righteous and he also had the gift of teaching, and successfully taught his children how to choose to walk in righteousness and avoid evil. The zenith of this gift was in Isaac’s complete trust in Abraham as he prepared to sacrifice his son on an altar to God, because God asked him to do so.

This is why Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) taught that we must “remember Lot’s wife.”

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Appointments With God Atonement Discussions

Why fast on Yom Kippur?: How it’s essential to Messiah’s total restoration of us

Why fast on Yom Kippur?: How afflicting our souls is essential to Messiah's complete restoration of you and me

If Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is merely a time to fast, and get your ticket punched with your messianic family and friends, you are wasting your time and theirs. 

This time is not just a time to afflict one’s body by abstinence from food and water, but more importantly, a time to afflict one’s soul by facing up to your sins, transgressions and iniquities and giving them over to the Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus), so He can heal your heart and soul. 

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah Trumpets

Wake-up call for the coming meeting between mankind and God

Feast of Trumpets: Wake-up call for the coming meeting between mankind and God

Blowing a trumpet is meant to draw attention to a particular event. Whether it’s a call to arms or a call to remembrance, when one hears a trumpet or shofar blast, it’s a sound that cannot and will not be ignored.

Yom Teruah — the Feast of Trumpets — the first of God’s fall appointments is a call to repentance and to prepare to face God in judgment, which is memorialized 10 days later on Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement.

One can’t help but connect Trumpets to the seven trumpets of Revelation. And in this study, we will see more deeply the connection between this festival and God’s preparation of the Commonwealth of Israel (Eph. 2:11–22) to face the final judgement.