Categories
Discussions Prophets and Writings

1st Kings 17 part 2: Three women on the edge and God’s mercy through Eliyahu and Elisha

I love the Shunammite woman’s story the most because her story shows us that this picture of a prophet is not just any one. It’s a shadow of the Prophet, the Messiah. She went out to seek him every time. She asked for nothing in return when she gave him a place to stay, she didn’t even ask for a son.

We can see parts of our own walk in the walk of all three women in 1st Kings 17 and 2nd Kings 4, and we are supposed to.

Categories
Discussions Torah

Exodus 1-2: Moshe arises as the fulfillment of God’s promise

Try your best to ignore the cartoons and movies that purport to tell the account of Moshe (Moses). They take many liberties with the real record, imposing their own story lines on him. Important elements at the beginning of the book of שְׁמוֹת Shem’ot, also called Exodus, are God’s faithfulness to the promise made to Abraham that his descendants would face hardship but become a numerous people and blessing to the nations.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

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

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.

Categories
Discussions Prophets and Writings

Job 38-42: God speaks for Himself; Iyyob repents and is restored

What are the lessons of the book of Job? ’Iyyob (Job) needed to understand how to judge rightly and justly. Our focus should be on God’s wisdom and knowledge, not on the work God is doing in someone else.

Categories
Discussions Prophets and Writings

1st Kings 17, part 1: Messianic messages in Eliyahu’s miracles for the widow

This chapter recounts a beautiful example of a woman who trusted God. She was not a part of Israel, yet she trusted the God revealed by Israel. She spoke to Eliyahu (Elijah) about “the Lord your God” and she knew that this drought was due to the God of Israel.

Categories
Discussions Prophets and Writings

Job 32-37: Elihu prepares Iyyob to meet God

There’s a tendency to discount what the friends of ’Iyyob (Job) have to say, because God corrects them at the end of the book. Yet, significant portions of counsel from one friend, Elihu, actually prepare ’Iyyob’s heart — for example, hope of a mediator with God and resurrection — for the epic encounter with God in the closing chapters of the book.

Categories
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?

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.