Category: Apostolic Writings

These studies cover the writings by the closest shelakhim (apostles) of Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ). Commonly called the “New Testament,” this standard canon includes the four Gospels, the letters and the Apocalypse (Revelation).

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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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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah Trumpets

Judgment Day: Day of the LORD is a day of awakening

Darkness falls over Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo by Marcelo Gerpe/Freeimages.com via Creative Commons License.

Yom Teruah (Day of Blowing [Trumpets]) has a number of nicknames, such as Rosh haShanah (New Year). Regardless of what you call it, Yom Teruah has a special purpose in God’s calendar. It’s a day of remembrance, a day of gathering, a day of awakening and a day of offerings. But mostly, it’s the Judgment Day. It’s a day when the wicked are judged and the righteous are vindicated by the Mashiakh (Messiah).

Apostles Paul and Yokhanan wrote a lot about this day, as did the prophets.

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Anger Apostolic Writings Life With God

Receiving judgment: Learning from the struggles God sends

A narrow road in Corsica. Photo by FreeImages.com/Steven Dunn

There was a small group from another region who called me a few months ago. The person kept asking for advice. After several phone calls, I told this person that God would now put a test on your group. When He is finished, you will have a great loss. I knew then that this would happen to Hallel Fellowship too.

That is what has transpired. I have looked back and asked God why? How did it happen? Did the Devil do it? No, the Devil is feeble and weak. The Devil only has the authority that God gives him. God can and does protect us from the Evil One.

What is it that God has in mind? For the past couple of weeks, I have been deeply meditating, asking God over and over what to do. I have sought God’s wisdom and understanding and yet something is missing.

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Apostolic Writings Atonement Discussions Torah

Leviticus 16; Hebrews 4–10: ‘Because we have a great High Priest…’

Mosaic from the church of Sant'Apollinare in Clase, Ravenna, Italy, circa mid-6th century AD. Photo by Dick Stracke via Wikipedia Commons.

Here’s the lesson of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonement): The LORD wants us to enter His “rest.” He wants our old way of life to be covered over and the guilt taken away, so we can enter His presence.

This study of the combined Torah reading אחרי מות Acharei Mot (“after the death”) and קדושים Kedoshim (“holinesses”), covering Leviticus 16–20, will be focusing on Hebrews 4:14–10:39. This which dives deep into the role of Yeshua (Jesus) as our High Priest, so we can learn Heaven’s lessons in the parables of the Tabernacle and Yom haKippurim.

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Torah Unleavened Bread

Exodus 14:1–15:21: Seventh day of Unleavened Bread teaches repentance, salvation and righteousness

Crossing the sea in the 1956 movie "The Ten Commandments" (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)
Crossing the sea in the 1956 movie "The Ten Commandments" (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)

The seventh day of Chag Matzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) is a memorial to the crossing of the Red Sea. It’s not only the zenith of most movies about Israel’s flight from Egypt but also a parable about every believer’s path to repentance, salvation and righteousness.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Become clean and holy from the inside out (Leviticus 9-11; Mark 7; Acts 10)

"Peter's vision" by Julius Schnorr, circa 1909.

The people of Yisrael had a long history of forgetting what made them Holy. It was God who made them holy. They didn’t make themselves holy. They also lost sight of the fact that being declared tame or unclean doesn’t make one sinful or wicked either.

Yeshua’s frequently argued with the Pharisees over their emphasis on their man-made traditions over the plain word of scripture and how their man-made traditions were doing more to keep people away from God than brining them into God’s embrace.
Even after Yeshua’s death and resurrection, these false ideas about the inherent holiness of the Jewish people and the inherent wickedness of the Gentiles was hindering God’s goal to lift up, bring near, make clean, declare holy believers from the nations in the same way Heaven does for the “native-born.”

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Genesis 28:10-32:3: Is it better to learn through mistakes?

Ya’akov had to flee his family because of how he deceived his father to obtain the blessing that was his in the first place and he meets with God at Bethel. From there, he becomes even more acquainted with deception at the hands of Laban, but as the victim, not the perpetrator. During this time, God humbled Ya’akov, brought his flesh low so he could live in the Spirit. It’s a pity that the descendants of his grandson Ephraim chose to live by his fleshly example rather than his spiritual example.