Tag: Luke 17

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

What’s seen can’t be unseen: Noah shows us how to keep our humanity in a violent world (Genesis 6–8)

What's seen can't be unseen: Noah shows us how to keep our humanity in a violent world (Genesis 6-8)

This study on Torah section נֹחַ Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32) explores Noah’s flood, its meaning in Jewish tradition and its relevance today. It details how Noah brought an end to the curse on the earth brought about by Adam’s sin, which led to rampant violence in the world. The Flood allowed for the flourishing of agriculture.

We further discuss the impact of violence on society, its use as a tool for self-defense and how humanity has become desensitized to it. Via the prophecy of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) about partying and weddings on the Day of the LORD like what happened before the Flood (Luke 17:20-37), we can learn to balance our reactions to violence with wisdom and love, and maintain our humanity and compassion despite exposure to violence and evil.

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Discussions Torah

Watch for dangers lurking in our spiritual blindspots (Genesis 19)

Watch for dangers lurking in our spiritual blind spots (Genesis 19)

The account of Lot is one of the most salacious tragedies in the Torah, but from it we can learn precious lessons about the things that can sneak up and destroy us when we’re not paying attention. We are told in the reading וַיֵּרָא Vayera (“he appeared,” Gen. 18:1–22:24) that he was a righteous man, but he was incapable of teaching his own wife, family and community how to walk uprightly with God and with their neighbors.

Abraham, on the other hand, was also a righteous man, but Abraham stood out in God’s eyes. Abraham was righteous and he also had the gift of teaching, and successfully taught his children how to choose to walk in righteousness and avoid evil. The zenith of this gift was in Isaac’s complete trust in Abraham as he prepared to sacrifice his son on an altar to God, because God asked him to do so.

This is why Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) taught that we must “remember Lot’s wife.”

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Choose a selfless life for the salvation of the world (Deuteronomy 29–30)

Choose a selfless life for the salvation of the world (Deuteronomy 29-30)

Moses said effectively, “Choose life, not death” (Deut. 30:19-20). It sounds like such an easy thing to do. But the truth is that it’s easier to walk the path of death than it is to walk the path of life. Our “flesh” drags us to follow our own inclinations, what we think is right rather than what God thinks and what He has taught us is right. In the Torah portion נִצָּבִים Nitzavim (“standing,” Deut. 29:9-30:20), Moses tells us that the Torah is not too hard for us, but it can be immensely difficult for us if we are not following through in letting the Spirit of God lead us.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Luke 17: How the ‘days of Lot’ prepare us for the Day of the LORD

XX-34 BADGER (yield 23 kt) - an atmospheric nuclear test performed by the U.S. on 18April 1953 as part of Operation Upshot-Knothole at the Nevada Test Site. (Photo taken in 1953 by the US Government in the public domain)

The Torah reading Vayera (“and He appeared,” Genesis 18–22) aptly describes how the Creator of the Heavens and Earth shows up “in the fullness of time.”

We will see messianic parallels between the “days of Lot” in Sodom, the “days of Noah” and the Day of the LORD preceding the return of Yeshua (Jesus), the Son of Man (Matthew 24; Luke 17).

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Matthew 24; Luke 17: ‘Days of Noah’ teach us how to be ‘born again’

A (Egyptian) Coptic icon of Noah's Ark by Tasony Sawsan

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. … That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'” (John 3:3, 6 NASB)

The Torah reading Noakh, covering Genesis 6:9–11:32, is a testimony of the origin of Abraham and Israel, of different people groups and of languages. This is real history, not legend or allegory. That is important, because it’s a testimony about the intentions and actions of the Creator.

And the “days of Noah” (Matt. 24:36–44; Luke 17:22–37) teach us how we become “born again” via the Mashiakh (Christ) of God.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 17:20-37: The Scandalous Verses, part 2: Israel must purge its pride and put it upon the Messiah

Title page of a Bible showing the title "The Gospel According to St. Luke" in sepia with a dark vignette

Many look to the apocalyptic Matthew 24, also touched on in Luke 17:20-37, for signs of the “end times.” But the context in both books suggests the real message is a call for Israel to purge itself of pride in anything other than God and offload that rebellion upon the Messiah.