Author: Jeff

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 18–22: Open your eyes when God ‘shows up’

Banner photo by Adam Jacksons/Freeimages.com.

God “shows up” all over the place in events recorded in the Bible and today, but He is not passive. Rather, the LORD is active in Earth’s affairs. 

A pattern of behavior we see in the Torah reading וַיֵּרָא Vayera (“and He appeared”) is that when people are in “fight or flight” mode, they usually make very poor decisions. Lot’s “bright idea” to give his daughters to protect his guests from a vile mob, Lot’s daughter’s “bright idea” to get pregnant by their father a mere few days after they escaped from Sodom’s flames, and later Abraham and Sarah’s decision to lie to Abimelech about the extent of their kinship, all these poor decision had consequences. 

We will see through the testimony of the words of God the interplay between the promised one, Yitskhak (Isaac), and the one born only through the flesh, Yishma’el (Ishmael).

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 6:9–11:32: Our salvation floats on a real Flood

A Full scale model of Noah's Ark in Dordrecht, Netherlands. According to wikipedia, "It is 137 meters (450 ft) long and carried on a platform made up of 25 LASH barges, this is the only full-scale Ark interpretation that is actually floating and mobile." Photo by Ceinturion from wikipedia commons.

The Flood recorded in the book of Genesis is one of the most pivotal events in the Bible. But did it happen, or is it just an allegory to teach a spiritual truth? This discussion of the Torah reading נֹחַ Noach/Noakh (“Noah,” Genesis 6:9-11:32), illustrates how the account is real history as well as real revelation of spiritual truth. 

Modern DNA studies supports the Bible’s record of a literal Noakh, his literal sons and daughters-in-law and a literal worldwide Flood. Even though Noach was “righteous in his generation,” he was not perfect. He wasn’t saved because he was perfect. He was saved because he had faith in God — faith put into action.

Noakh’s clinged to God’s words, but his generation refused to follow him into the Ark and to receive salvation. That’s why Yeshua talked about the “days of Noah” being just like His second coming (Luke 17:25–27; Matthew 24:37–38; Isaiah 54:8–10).

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Atonement Discussions Torah

Yom Kippur: Confidence before God under Messiah’s covering

When Yeshua died, the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn from top to bottom. Thanks to Yeshua, the separation between God and man has been bridged by Yeshua Himself. Photo by www.LumoProject.com via FreeBibleimages.org.

Some teach that the Day of Atonement (יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים Yom haKippurim, “Day of Coverings”) is a day when the people of God plead their case that their good will outweigh their bad on Heaven’s scale. Rather, God’s word teaches that we can have sober, humble, repentant confidence in what God’s Mashiakh (Christ) has done to cover and remove ours mistakes, disobedience and treason.

One of the key themes of the Bible book of Leviticus is the Tabernacle as Heaven’s way to bring those “far off” from God’s presence near by the spilled life of the substitute, the sin offering. This also is the key theme of the book of Hebrews, but it takes the message further in showing Who always has been doing the real work of reconciliation, with and without an earthly Tabernacle or Temple.

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Appointments With God Discussions Trumpets

Song of Moses, song of the redeemed (Deuteronomy 32)

Illustration "Sing a New Song" by Freeimages.com/Amy Burton via Creative Commons License

Being “Torah-observant” is not a “holier than thou” pursuit of perfection. Rather, it’s about listening to the Creator, observing where our lifestyles diverge from Heaven’s instructions and seeking return to the LORD’s ways. That restoration is possible by the perfect Atonement Offering, the Mashiakh (Christ). That’s the lesson of the Torah reading הַאֲזִינוּ Ha’azinu (“listen”) and a good preview of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonement).

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8: Coveting thankfulness for the LORD’s blessings

God's way to teach us not to covet is to remind us that everything we have comes from him anyway. (Photo by Freeimages.com/Hazel Bregazzi via Creative Commons license)

There’s more to “you shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) than lusting after other people’s stuff and spouses. That’s the lesson of Torah reading תבוא Ki Tavo (“when you come in,” Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8), which wraps an elaboration of the Ten Commandments that spans most of the book.

Under the hood of the instructions about the thanksgiving ceremony for first fruits of the Land’s crops and the third-year tithe is this message: We also are to be grateful for what the LORD has placed in our hands and use it to produce a “bumper crop” for the Kingdom.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9: Learn to judge life & death righteously & mercifully

Even the Supreme Court will have to answer to a higher authority someday. Photo by Freeimages.com/David Lat

There are shadows of Messiah in the Torah passage שֹׁפְטִים Shoftim (“judges,” Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9), even down to the ceremony when a community is unable to bring a murderer to justice. There are levels of investigation and a careful pursuit of justice and a balance between the rights of the “avenger” and the rights of the accused.

In Shoftim, Moshe (Moses) elaborates on practical application of the Fifth and Sixth commandments. One lesson is that if you do not have respect for your parents, you lose respect for all kinds of authority, from the babysitters to teachers, employers, police officers, judges, prophets and priests. That disrespect will go all the way up the chain of authority to God Himself.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25: Stay with the One Who brought you this far

Two children holding hands by Elizabeth Collette posted to Flickr via Creative Commons license.

We are seeing the heart of God in the book of Deuteronomy. He makes promises and follows through with them. There are those who believe that the foundation of the modern state of Israel has nothing to do with God, because the current state of Israel is largely a secular state. But what does it mean about the LORD’s promises if He were to turn them off like a light switch? What would that mean for another great promise from the LORD, the grace given us through Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ)?

Continuing with the explanation of the First Commandment (Deuteronomy 6:1–11:32), the instructions in the Torah reading עקב Ekev or Eikev (“consequence,” Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) covers the following: Follow the LORD rather than the nations 
(Deuteronomy 7:1–26). Do not forget the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 8:1–20). Do not boast in your own righteousness 
(Deuteronomy 9:1–10:11). Fear the LORD (Deuteronomy 10:12–22). Keep the commands of the LORD (Deuteronomy 11:1–32).