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Discussions Torah

Numbers 14: 12 spies ‘bad’ and ‘faithful’ reports on the Land

Not only did the people believe the “evil” report, they actually wanted to stone the two spies who brought back the faithful report.

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Appointments With God Discussions Pentecost/Shavuot Prophets and Writings

Book of Ruth and Shavu’ot: Return of and redemption for Israel and the nations

Traditionally, the book of Ruth is studied during Shavu’ot in most Jewish congregations. We have studied the surface story of Ruth in the past, but this study will dig deeper. Ruth had no right to an inheritance from God. She disregarded her birth family and follows her mother-in-law, Naomi, and Naomi’s God for the rest of her life.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

2nd Samuel 16: Chaisitic structure of betrayal: Of David, Yeshua and Israel

Ziba comes to David with some of Mephibosheth’s wealth and brought it to David on the pretext of pledging loyalty to David. Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth has purposefully refused to flee with David and stay behind to possibly gain the throne for himself. This chapter structured to highlight betrayal to show us that a particular individual, David was betrayed and that His descendant, the Messiah would be betrayed in a similar way.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 12-13: Aaron and Miriam ‘speak evil’ against Moses; spies ‘speak evil’ against the Land

Numbers 12 shows us the consequences of Miriam and Aaron’s jealously of God’s special relationship with Moses. Since they could not openly complained about God’s special treatment of Moses, they struck out against Moses’s by attacking his Cushite wife. Numbers 13 shows us the story of the first spies who went out into the land of Israel to scout out the land. God told Moses to call out one leader from each tribe to be the spies of the land.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Shabbat

Luke 6:1-11: Law vs. mercy: Does picking grain violate the Sabbath?

There are three main classes of interpretation: 1. Yeshua is heralding the “end of Torah” and the “beginning of Grace.” 2. Yeshua was simply correcting unwarranted additions to the Torah. 3. Yeshua is talking about a “higher standard” for the Torah.

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Anger Discussions Life With God

Forgiveness: God’s requirements to forgive others

Forgiveness is not a difficult biblical topic to understand. However, because humans are creatures of emotion, forgiveness becomes more complex in its application. Not all who call themselves Christians will be among the First Fruits unless they learn the discipline of forgiveness.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings

2nd Samuel 15:30-32: How does the Bible define the symbols of a covered head and bare feet?

Daniel addresses a question raised during the last study of 2nd Samuel 15 about David’s going the Mount of Olives to pray with a covered head and bare feet in this excursus. In many places in the Bible, covering a man’s head is an act of shame or mourning. Why does God command His priests to wear head coverings? Why did Paul write in 1st Corinthians 11 that a man should pray or prophesy with his head “uncovered”?