Tag: dedication

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

How to live a worthwhile life, rather than as a ‘worthless person’ (Judges 11)

How to live a worthwhile life. The sacrificial and Messianic obedience of Jephthah’s daughter. (Judges 11)

Judges 11, a parallel passage to the Torah reading חֻקַּת‎ Chukat (“statute of,” Numbers 19–21), focuses on Yiftakh (Jephthah), a judge/ruler of ancient Israel. The account doesn’t portray him or his friends in a kind light. It underscores a key lesson that Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) taught that Heaven calls many to serve the good of the world, but those who aren’t transformed on the inside will only serve like did Yehudah Ish Kariot (Judas Iscariot).

https://hallel.info/chukat-2022-judges-11/

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Chanukah Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Chanukah: Dare to be a Daniel, Joseph, Judas Maccabeus

Lighting the Chanukkah lights at Chabad Hanukkah lighting in Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, Calif., on December 26, 2016. Photo by Tammy Quackenbush

Yosef (Joseph) a betrayed brother turned slave turned prime minister in Mitzraim (Egypt). Daniel a war captive turned wise man turned second to an emperor in Babylon. יהודה המכבי Yehudah ha-Makabi (Judas Maccabeus) a priest of Yisrael turned leader of a successful insurrection against the Seleucid empire’s campaign of forced conversion. Yeshua ha-Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) in the Temple during the Festival of Dedication. These four accounts may seem to quite disjointed, but the conjunction of the Torah reading מקצ Miketz/Miqetz (Genesis 41:1-44:14, “from the end”) and the celebration of Chanukah/Hannukah helps underscore that ongoing lessons from both help us understand what Yeshua meant by “the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13 NASB).

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Appointments With God Discussions Gossip and Slander Life With God Passover Torah

Numbers 8–12: The LORD calls, but will we answer?

The President of the United States reaches to answer a call. Official White House photo by Pete Souza. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

As the Torah reading בהעלתך Beha’alotcha begins, the menorah and the Levites are dedicated to God’s service, and the Tabernacle is ready for business. However, this reading is permeated with all sorts of ingratitude and complaining, from the people complaining about the manna to Miriam and Aaron complaining about Moses. God doesn’t put up with any of it. Whether it’s sending down a consuming fire or a plague, God doesn’t put up with people grumbling about His provision.

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Appointments With God Chanukah

Chanukah drama: Conquering compromise

Kari briefs Rose on the role of Antiochus IV.
Kari briefs Rose on the role of Antiochus IV.

Similar to the dramatic reading and play that Hallel Fellowship puts on to teach the text and themes of Purim, the festival in the biblical book of Esther, the congregation presented a play about Chanukah, the Festival of Dedication, aka the Festival of Lights.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

A Legacy of Mercy: Solomon’s Prayer and Our Role as God’s Living Temple (1st Kings 8:22-53)

King Solomon built a structure for God’s presence to occupy in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), but Solomon’s prayer points toward God’s people’s being the dwelling place of God.

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Appointments With God Atonement Discussions Prophets and Writings Tabernacles

1st Kings 8:1-21: Shadow of Yom Kippur, Sukkot in dedication of first Temple

The lessons of God’s covering His people’s rebellion and moving His dwelling among His people, symbolized in the appointed times of Yom Kippurim and Sukkot, were acted out on a human level during the dedication of the first temple.

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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.