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Discussions Torah

Numbers 13: A bad report, a promise delayed

Instead of facing their fears about the “giants” in the Land, the spies ancient Israel sent into Canaan after the long journey from captivity in Mitsraim (Egypt) cowered and backed away and encouraged most of the people to do likewise. They lost their prize when they refused to walk forward where God told them to walk. The same is true today: We will lose out on many blessings if we don’t move forward when God tells us to.

When the Israelites doubted God’s word and refused to enter the Land, He took the blessing away from the majority of that generation of forever. They never entered into the promise. But for Caleb and Joshua, the promise was delayed to them for 40 years. Joshua and Caleb paid a price for the cowardice and unbelief of their peers.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

John 15:25–16:11: Tag-team Comforters of Israel

It is not a slip of the pen that the apostle Yokhanan (John) uses the same Greek to describe Yeshua as our Advocate and the Holy Spirit as our Helper. Both know our deepest anguish. Yeshua lived it Himself, and the Holy Spirit experiences it in us. They work as a team.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 12: Lift yourself up and be cast down

The overall lesson of Numbers 12 is not to lift yourself up above or at the expense of others. Miriam and Aaron presumed that their younger brother, Moses, had the same type of relationship with God as they enjoyed and complained that he was ruler over them. They had no idea how intimately God spoke with Moses until now.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 11: Everyone likes to complain sometimes, even Moshe

People have a tendency to murmur for two reasons: hoping they won’t be heard and hoping they will. If we complain, God will hear it. If you hear people complaining, don’t join in. If we do, particularly about what God is doing or not doing, the consequences may be grim. God may be working in ways and through people unexpected.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

John 15:16-24: Bear ‘fruit’ via agape love for one another

Spirit-minded believers are to be ekhad — one — with each other and with God. Believers must agape love each other, in other words, to esteem others the way Yeshua did us — selflessly. Apostle Paul advised believers to avoid division and strife in the “body” of Christ. Those who cause divisions are “worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.”

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 10:11-36: When God says move, you move

When the cloud moved as God led Israel from Mt. Sinai to the Promised Land, the people were to follow it. Where the cloud rested, they rested. Similarly, we should not move anywhere unless God moves us. God knows our weaknesses. He knows how far we can move.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

John 1:17 and Rom. 3:28: Two-faced scriptures on law and grace?

What is “grace” in the New Testament of the Bible, and who gives it? Did Yeshua’s grace replace or usurp God’s grace? No, God gave us grace when he gave mankind the Torah and then He gave us even more grace when He gave us Yeshua. One does not replace the other. Works of Torah obedience are only of use to the believer after one trusts in God for salvation — not before — because salvation cannot be earned.