Author: Jeff

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Appointments With God Discussions Lamb Selection Day Passover Prophets and Writings

Psalm 113-118: The Hallel and the Passover

Every day is a good day to sing Hallelujah but Passover is an especially relevant time to sing this praise. (Banner by Freeimages.com/Billy Alexander)

As we prepare ourselves for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, let’s focus our attention on the group of Psalms that are called “The Egyptian Hallel.” The phrase “Hallelu Yah” — praise the Lord — shows up frequently in these Psalms. That is why they are nicknamed “the Hallel.” These are the Psalms that Jews in New Testament times commonly sang during the Passover seder and we see in the Scriptures that Yeshua and the Apostles sang “The Egyptian Hallel” with Him for the last time before His death.

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Atonement Discussions Lamb Selection Day Passover Prophets and Writings Torah

Of Lamb and Goats: God’s salvation memorialized in Passover Lamb Selection Day and Day of Atonement

Newborn spring lamb (Petr Kratochvil / PublicDomainPictures.net)
Newborn spring lamb (Petr Kratochvil / PublicDomainPictures.net)

Lamb Selection Day is closely connected with Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonement). Both occur on the 10th day of their respective months: first month for Lamb selection day and seventh month of Yom Kippur.

And the words of the herald for the Mashiakh (Messiah), Yokhanan the Immerser (John the Baptist), that Yeshua was “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn. 1:29) further connects these two memorials of God’s salvation plan.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 21:1-4: Widow’s big little Temple gift reveals major lapse in obeying God

Jeff

We only know of the poor widow in Luke 21:4, because Yeshua made note of her in a “teachable moment” with His key students. Both Mark and Luke record Yeshua’s testimony of her as an example of a faithful giver. Her faithfulness was not in the amount of her gift in terms of monetary value but in terms of the percentage she gave in proportion to what she had. She did not give just 10 percent or a portion from surplus but everything.

She may have already spent all the rest of her means just to get to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) in the first place. But if those rich people had truly had a heart for the Torah, she would have come there in comfort, not in desperation and extreme poverty (Deut. 16:9–15; 24:19–20; 26:12–13).

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 20:41-44: Yeshua is one with YHWH

Jeff

In the fourth encounter between Yeshua and the Temple leaders before His death on Passover then resurrection, Yeshua became the questioner (Luke 20:41-44). Quoting Psalm 110:1, Yeshua asked how the Messiah could be David’s son if David called Him “Lord” (Luke 20:41-44). In this study, we explore what Scripture has to say about the identity of Yeshua and YHWH (“the LORD”).

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 20:41-47, part 1: Yeshua vs. ‘actors’ as leader of Yisra’el

Jeff

In the fourth round of questioning involving Yeshua in the Temple between Lamb Selection Day and the Passover of His crucifixion, Yeshua becomes interrogator, challenging the leaders of Yisra’el on the identity of the Mashiakh (Messiah). Yeshua then fully shows His role as The Prophet, accusing the leaders of the people of really being hypocrites — literally, “actors” — leading the people away from God.

This study will also tackle the assertion in recent years that a Hebrew version of Matt. 23:2–4 says to listen to Moshe (Moses), rather than leadership. A survey of the Hebrew documents involved is explored.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37: Do the greatest and second-greatest commandments dissolve the Torah?

Jeff

Which is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34) is the third of the four great questions the leaders of Israel asked Yeshua, scrutinizing the chosen Lamb of God leading up to one great Passover. The pinnacle of all these discussions is about the purpose and goal of the Law.

There isn’t a directly parallel “greatest commandment” passage in Luke, but there were earlier passages (Luke 10:25-37; 18:18-27) in which Yeshua was questioned about which commandments are connected to “eternal life.”

A distillation of the Law is meant to focus one’s attention on the “weightier matters of the Law,” rather than replace even the seemingly insignificant ones.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 20:27-40: Yeshua reinforces hope in the resurrection

Jeff

Following Lamb Selection Day of the 10th day of the first month of God’s calendar, Pharisee and Sadducee leaders were closely examining Yeshua, the Lamb of God, without even knowing it by putting some very tough questions to Him (Lk. 20:27-40; Matt. 22:23-33; Mk. 12:18-27). Sadducees challenged Yeshua on the reality of the resurrection by lobbing a gotcha question at Him, and Yeshua responded by pointing to the hope God provides of a world made new.