Tag: The Shema – Hear O Israel

Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11: What’s on God’s heart is to be on ours

Post author By Daniel
Post date August 20, 2016
No Comments on Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11: What’s on God’s heart is to be on ours

Photo Credit: Heart in my Hands by Freeimages.com/Chelsee Tysoe. Creative Commons License.

This week’s Torah reading, ואתחנן Va’etchanan (“and I pleaded,” Deut. 3:23-7:11), includes the beginning of Moshe’s elucidation. Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell to the people of Israel.

This section in particular focuses on how to love God, what is idolatry and how to avoid idolatry. We don’t make statues and bow to them but we still struggle with idolatry in our own day. How? We worship our stuff, the works of men. We create a lot of things, most of them don’t honor to God.

Moses has seen the people backslide over and over again for the past 40 years and he knows human nature enough that this pattern is not going to end. He knows they will do things they should not do, because they are humans and they do what humans do. This book offers both hope and warning.

Tags Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy 03, Deuteronomy 04, Deuteronomy 05, Deuteronomy 06, Deuteronomy 07, eternal life, First Commandment, Parashat Ve'etchanan, salvation, The Shema - Hear O Israel

Discussions Torah

Leviticus 26-27: Get a Heavenly transplant before following your heart

Post author By Jeff
Post date June 4, 2016
No Comments on Leviticus 26-27: Get a Heavenly transplant before following your heart

As Leviticus ends with the Torah reading בחקותי Bechokotai (“in My statutes,” Leviticus 26-27), we should remember the point of this book seen at its beginning: The LORD wants Israel in His presence, but each must be transformed to make that journey. That’s the lesson of the Tabernacle, offerings, priesthood, appointed times and years, distinguishing between clean and unclean, etc.

As promised in the New Covenant prophecy (Jer. 31:31–34; Ezek. 36:25–26), the LORD will give us a “new heart,” written upon with His laws and empowered by His Spirit.

Tags Leviticus, Leviticus 26, Leviticus 27, Parashat Bechukotai, Parashat Behar-Bechukotai, Recordings, The Shema - Hear O Israel

Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 20:41-47, part 1: Yeshua vs. ‘actors’ as leader of Yisra’el

Post author By Jeff
Post date January 18, 2014
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In the fourth round of questioning involving Yeshua in the Temple between Lamb Selection Day and the Passover of His crucifixion, Yeshua becomes interrogator, challenging the leaders of Yisra’el on the identity of the Mashiakh (Messiah). Yeshua then fully shows His role as The Prophet, accusing the leaders of the people of really being hypocrites — literally, “actors” — leading the people away from God.

This study will also tackle the assertion in recent years that a Hebrew version of Matt. 23:2–4 says to listen to Moshe (Moses), rather than leadership. A survey of the Hebrew documents involved is explored.

Tags Good Samaritan, Gospel of Luke, greatest commandment - love the LORD your God with heart and soul and strength, Hebrew Matthew, hypocrite, second-greatest commandment - love your neighbor as yourself, The Shema - Hear O Israel

Apostolic Writings Discussions

Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37: Do the greatest and second-greatest commandments dissolve the Torah?

Post author By Jeff
Post date January 4, 2014
No Comments on Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37: Do the greatest and second-greatest commandments dissolve the Torah?

Which is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34) is the third of the four great questions the leaders of Israel asked Yeshua, scrutinizing the chosen Lamb of God leading up to one great Passover. The pinnacle of all these discussions is about the purpose and goal of the Law.

There isn’t a directly parallel “greatest commandment” passage in Luke, but there were earlier passages (Luke 10:25-37; 18:18-27) in which Yeshua was questioned about which commandments are connected to “eternal life.”

A distillation of the Law is meant to focus one’s attention on the “weightier matters of the Law,” rather than replace even the seemingly insignificant ones.

Tags Gospel of Luke, Greatest Commandment, mezzuzah, second-greatest commandment - love your neighbor as yourself, tefillin, The Shema - Hear O Israel

Apostolic Writings Discussions Life With God Prayer

Lessons in Communicating With God: Lesson 2, part 1: Learn how to pray from Messiah (Luke 11:1-13)

Post author By Jeff
Post date July 7, 2012
No Comments on Lessons in Communicating With God: Lesson 2, part 1: Learn how to pray from Messiah (Luke 11:1-13)

Effective communication requires attentive listening and confirmation a message is received, perhaps via a reply or acting on the information delivered. The passages in Luke 10:38–11:13 and Matthew 6 contain lessons in effectively listening to God and talking with Him.

Building on our first discussion of lessons in communicating with God, we will explore the second lesson: Get the will-ies when asking for God’s will to be done in forgiveness and ways God is re-establishing dominion on Earth.

Tags 'ahav - love/like - Strong's H157, agape/agapao - selfless love/charity - Strong's G25, Gospel of Luke, Lessons in Communicating With God, Lord's Prayer, The Shema - Hear O Israel

Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 10:25-37: ‘What shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Who is my neighbor?’

Post author By Jeff
Post date June 9, 2012
No Comments on Luke 10:25-37: ‘What shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Who is my neighbor?’

“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “Who is my neighbor?” At first these questions seem contradictory. Some even accuse the questioners of attempting to entrap Yeshua. However, honest seekers of truth regularly challenged rabbis with tough questions, as did Abraham, Moses and others.