Author: Daniel

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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.

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Discussions Torah

Turnaround plan: Why a blessed land gets cursed (Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8)

Turnaround plan: Why a blessed land gets cursed (Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8)

If the United States of America are in decline as a superpower, it is not the fault of the Communist Chinese, the Russians or the European Union. It is our own fault. The diagnosis and the remedy of this decline are the Torah portion כי תבוא Ki Tavo (“when you come in [to the Land],” Deut. 26:1–29:8). 

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Discussions Torah

How to respect authority the Bible way (Deuteronomy 16:18–18:22)

How to respect authority the Bible way (Deut. 16:18-18:22)

The practical application of the Fifth Commandment to honor one’s mother and father (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16) goes far beyond our parents. In the Torah passage שֹׁפְטִים Shoftim (“judges,” Deut. 16:18–21:9) and via the teachings of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ), we learn that this instruction also applies in our we interact with and respect those who have power over us.

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Discussions Torah

Don’t you forget about Me: How to remember God, Who never forgets you (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)

Don't you forget about Me: How to remember God, Who never forgets you (Deuteronomy 7:11-11:25)

Torah reading עקב Ekev/Eikev (“consequence,” Deut. 7:12-11:25) us how to keep the first of the 10 Commandments. God is telling the children of Israel to remember Him when they enter the Promised Land. He is bringing them into the Promised Land because of the promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Remember the Promised Land; remember the Promise Giver.

It’s good to know God’s commands, but it’s also good to have examples of how those commands were either kept or broken as a lesson for us. The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20) give us knowledge, but Deuteronomy has been given to us so we can exercise wisdom in how keeping them.

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Discussions Torah

Why promises to Heaven are a big deal (Numbers 30–36)

Why promises to Heaven are a big deal (Numbers 30-36)

When we make a vow to God, we must be willing to keep it even if it’s hard. Yet God also extends grace and forgiveness when we make vows rashly without informed consent.

We also learn that although God’s law protects women who make rash vows through the agency of their fathers or husband’s but when they act with evil intent, their deeds will not go unpunished.

We also learn from the prophet Jeremiah that when a nation is evil and rotten at the top, at the people follow their leaders on the path of evil, not only does the nation suffer the consequences, but even nature suffers.

This is the lesson of the Torah passage מטות Matot / מסעי Massei (“tribes” and “journeys of,” Numbers 30-36).

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Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

How to know if there’s a leader worth following (Numbers 25–29)

How to know if there's a leader worth following (Numbers 25-29)

A peaceful transfer of power is worthless if the former leaders and the new leaders ignore God’s commandments. The only leaders who are worth following are those who inquire of God and lead the way He wants. That’s a key lesson of the Torah reading פינחס Pinchas (“Phinehas,” Numbers 25:10-30:1).

When we look for leaders, we need to see if they have the humility of Moses and Jeremiah or if they have the arrogance of the rebellious leaders who Moses and Jeremiah confronted.

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Discussions Torah

Marginal prophet: Balaam reveals Heaven’s future for Israel and the cause of his fall (Numbers 22–24)

Marginal prophet: Balaam reveals Heaven's future for Israel - and the cause of his fall (Numbers 22-24)

The account of the talking donkey is one of the best known parts of Torah reading בָּלָק Balak (Numbers 22:2–25:9), but it’s only part of the critically important warning for the people of God looking for the coming of the messianic era.

Pagan king Balak and proto-televangelist Bilam (Balaam) tried to marshal higher powers to push back on Israel. Their offering of seven rams and seven bulls did not help them win points with the Holy One of Israel. Bilam had some favor with God — until his intentions and actions turned to evil.