Category: Discussions

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 9-10: Israel must remember her rebellious acts before ridding the Land of its rebellious peoples

Studies in Torah

God required Israel to fear Him, walk with Him, love Him and serve Him with all their hearts and souls. Notice we have to fear Him first, then walk in His ways, then we love Him and serve Him and others. Many Christians teach that the first thing we need to do to respond to God is to love Him, but that is not what God tells us. Our first response to Him should be fear. Loving God comes later, after we have cultivated an appropriate fear of God and have learned to walk in the ways He calls us to walk.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

2nd Samuel 21: Messianic parallels in Gibeonites’ demand for David to atone for Saul’s Nob massacre

Daniel Agee

The stated cause of the drought-caused three-year famine was David’s failure to deal with the wrongs done to Gibeonites by the late ruler Saul. This chapter contains a number of details that uncannily parallel the life of Yeshua.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 7-8: God’s tough love

Graphic design featuring the phrase 'God's tough love' in red, distressed font, placed over a shattered heart symbol in shades of gray. The text 'Deuteronomy 7-8' appears in bold white letters on a red banner at the top, with a logo and website address 'hallel.info' in the bottom right corner.

The Torah has a reputation of being offensive, but it is always truthful. The words in Deuteronomy center on God’s statutes, judgments and commandments. When we come to understand and hear God, we start to ask God why? He says, “because I love you.” Why does He punish us? Because He loves us.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 7:1-27: Newfound trust in God vs. aging faith

Jeff

Deep trust in the God of Israel by those new to that trust and separated from God by their former lives is the thread weaved through the accounts of the healing of the Capernaum centurion’s servant, the raising of the Nain widow’s only son, Yokhanan’s message of repentance and the woman who anointed Yeshua with her tears and expensive ointment.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 6: Teaching children to respect, follow the LORD

Studies in Torah

We are told to follow the LORD’s commandments, the statutes and judgements. The commandments, statutes and judgements are written down so that we will “fear” the Lord and that we will teach that fear to our children and grandchildren.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 5: Moses elaborates on the 10 commandments

Studies in Torah

Yeshua told the devil, “We are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” The words of God are not limited to the “New Testament,” as a number of Christians assume. Yeshua said, “If you love me keep my commandments.”

We believe with all our hearts that Yeshua and the Father are “one.” We understand that the words of the Torah are Yeshua’s words, just like the Sermon on the Mount/Plain are Yeshua’s words.

Deuteronomy is not just repeating the prior books like a parrot but adding and elaborating on prior teachings. It shows us not just the words of God but the heart of God. When you love someone you want to know what is in their heart.

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Chanukah Discussions

Chanukah: ‘Perfect’ in dedication to God

Chanukah: 'At that time the Feast of Dedication ... Jesus was walking in the temple' (John 10:32-39)

“You are to be perfect, just as your Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48) seems like an impossible goal until we understand the meaning of the word translated as “perfect.” Luke’s parallel — “be merciful” (Luke 6:36) — helps us understand perfect and shows us a deep meaning under the Festival of (Re)Dedication of the Temple, or Chanukah. To be mature believers, to be righteous, we must dedicate all of ourselves — devotion and weakness — to God.

Yeshua pointed to the actions He was doing through His Father’s power as evidence that He and the Father were “one,” that His “temple” — His body — was whole dedicated to God’s purpose (John 10:22–30). Our “temples” should be wholly dedicated to God as well.