Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

The Biblical Naysayers Are Wrong Again

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Let Elohim be true and every man a liar!

Genesis 42:27–28, 35, His money…each man’s bundle of money. Some modern biblical scholars suggest a discrepancy in this account, thus ostensibly proving that this story draws from two different oral traditions and documents that have been combined to form the biblical narrative we now have.

For example, J.C.L. Gibson states that “the brothers were dumfounded when they open their sacks at a staging post, on their first return form Egypt, and find their money in them (Gen 42:27–28). It is a dramatic moment, but it is stretching our credulity more than a little to find that they were likewise dumfounded on finding the money after they had returned to Canaan” (Gen 42:35; Language and Image of the Old Testament, pp. 39–40).

There is, however, one small detail that this University of Edinburgh Old Testament professor fails to take into consideration. The Bible doesn’t say in Gen 42:27–28 that each of the brothers opened his sack as the author incorrectly states, but, rather, that “one of them opened his sack…” and that when they got home “they emptied their sacks….”

The fact is that only one man opened his sack (that had presumably been sown shut) in order to provide food for the brothers for their journey home, but when they got home, all the brothers “emptied their sacks” (v. 35) presumably to transfer the grain into more secure storage vessels than sacks were the grain would be subject to destruction by fungus, weevils, moths and rodents. So the brothers were dumfounded the first time when the one sack was opened to find the money, and then dumfounded again when all of their sacks were opened at home to find each man’s money.

Considering that grain sacks are sown shut with a large needle and small cordage, and that once a sack is open, it is difficult to keep the contents from spilling out—especially when being transported over a rough path in a jostling cart—it is highly unlikely that the brothers would have opened any more sacks than necessary except to supply their food needs along the way. This is why only one sack was opened, and not all of them, just as the biblical account tells us.

 

Genesis 42–46 Two Brothers and the Two Houses of Israel in End-Time Prophecy (Pt 1)

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Biblical Types and Antetypes

A major key to understanding biblical prophecy is to recognize the relationship between antetypes and types in the Scriptures. This means that an event or a series of events occurred once, was recorded in the Scriptures, and then at a later time a similitude of the event repeats itself, but with different characters and scene.

An antetype is a type or pattern of something that occurs before the actual event occurs (sometimes incorrectly referred to as an antitype, which means opposite rather than before). In other words, the first event predicts or points prophetically to the future event. This is a way for the Creator to give clues and hints about future events that will come to pass. Those who are ardent students of his Word and those “who have (spiritual) ears to hear” will pick up on these clues and be able to have a sense of what the Creator is going to do at some future date. In this way, those who diligently seek him are rewarded with understanding or “inside information” about what he is planning to do in the future. At the same time, his divine plans and purposes will be obscured from those who don’t have a diligent heart to seek him and his truth, and who could possibly misuse the truth, if they were to discover it, for selfish purposes if they were to learn it.

Similarly, the Gospels record that Yeshua explained deep spiritual truths via parables not to make the meaning clear to the general public, but rather to obscure it. His teachings were meant to be understood only by those whom he had called that they might know the mysteries or secrets of the kingdom of Elohim (Matt 13:10–11; Luke 8:9–10).

For thousands of years, the prophets of the Bible, as well as biblical students, scholars and sages have understood the concept of antetypes and types and it has helped them to understand Bible prophecy and future events.

Biblical antetypes are identified in three ways. First, the Scriptures themselves identify events as being ante­typical. Examples would be:

  • The life of Moses pointed to Yeshua (Deut 18:15–19; Heb 3:3–6).
  • The serpent on the pole pointed to Yeshua’s crucifixion (John 3:14).
  • The rock from which the Israelites drank prefigures Yeshua (1 Cor 10:4).
  • The manna the Israelites ate prefigures the Word of Elohim or flesh of Yeshua (John 6:32, 48–51).
  • Aaron as the high priest was antetypical of Yeshua’s high priesthood (Heb 5, 7 and 8).
  • The sacrificial system pointed to Yeshua’s atoning death on the cross (Heb 9 and 10).
  • Jonah in the whale is a prophetic picture of Yeshua’s death and resurrection (Matt 12:40).
  • Melchizedek was an antetype of Yeshua (Heb 7).
  • The first exodus (or redemption of Israel out of Egypt) was prototypical of a second exodus or redemption of Israel out of the world in the end times (Isa 11:11; Jer 23:7–8).

The Jewish sages from antiquity have also identified antetypes. Examples would be: Continue reading →

 

Addressing Rabbinic Jewish Arguments Against Yeshua’s Messiahship

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The arguments that Orthodox Rabbinic Jewish scholars make attempting to disprove Yeshua’s divinity and Messiahship may appear clever and convincing on the surface, but upon closer examination they prove to be false and are easily refuted.

When one looks through the smoke and mirrors of human deceit, one will see that these Jewish antimissionary arguments are patently false and demonstrate a major degree of spiritual blindness. At the very least, they reveal a dishonesty and disingenuousness on the part of their proponents, and at the most, a gross lack of understanding of the Scriptures. This is because a spirit of blindness has fallen upon rabbinic Jews as the Bible states (Rom 11:25)

To the naive, uninformed, misinformed and those who are either neophytes in their understanding of the Scriptures, or who have lost their first love of Yeshua and have fallen away from him spiritually, the antimessiah arguments of the rabbinic Jews seem compelling and convincing. Yet, upon careful examinations, all of their arguments have only a thin veneer of truth. Upon closer examination, it is easily proven that they do not line up with the WHOLE truth of the Bible, nor do they, in many cases, even line up with what their own pre-Christian Jewish sages taught and believed about the Messiah and the messianic prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Sadly, I have found that these blind unbelieving Jewish guides prey upon weak or disillusioned Christians who don’t know their Scriptures. They are able to draw many lukewarm and deceived Christians into apostasy, even causing them to renounce their faith in Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of Elohim and who is Elohim incarnate (John 1:1, 14). This is tragic!

Below are some of the most common antimessiah arguments that rabbinic Jews make in order to disprove the validity of the gospel message and faith in Yeshua the Messiah. My answers are short and to the point. A whole article could be written answering each point.  At the end of this brief study, I offer additional resources for those who want more information.

Rabbinic antimessiah statement: Elohim, the God of the Bible is one (Hebrew echad), not a Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches the idea of monotheism, not polytheism as Christianity teaches in the doctrine of the trinity.

Response: The word echad in Hebrew means “a compound unity—or one thing that is comprised of several units that together make up the unified whole (like a bunch of grapes).” The hidden reality is that many rabbinic Jews believe that Elohim is composed of ten component parts as pictured by the mystical sephirotic tree.

Rabbinic antimessiah statement: Countless times the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament or Tankah) declare: “I am HaShem (YHVH or the LORD) your God (Elohim), outside of me there is no other!” Everything you pray to other than him becomes a god or idol before HaShem (YHVH). HaShem forbids praying to anyone but Him!

Reponse: Actually, this isn’t a quote from the Torah, but from Isaiah. The Tanakh or OT actually teaches that there are two YHVH’s, not one—the Father and the Son. Moreover, Continue reading →

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 12-10 Through 12-16-17

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Miketz — Genesis 41:1 – 44:17
Haftarah — 1 Kings 3:15 – 4:1; Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7**
Prophets — 1 Samuel 18:1 – 24:22
Writings — Psalms 70:1 – 76:12
Testimony — Mark 11:19 – 14:52

Our annual Scripture Reading Schedule for 2017-2018 is available to download and print.

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

** A different Haftarah is read when it is a special sabbath in Jewish tradition. This week it is Shabbat Chanukah on the traditional calendar and Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7 is read. Otherwise, 1 Kings 3:15 – 4:1 would be read.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 12/10/17 through 12/16/17.

 

Down to Egypt (Hell) or Up to the Promised Land (Heaven)?

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Genesis 39:1, Down to Egypt…down there. There are more than twenty references in the Bible to “going down to Egypt,” coming “up from Egypt” or words to this gist. Egypt can be taken as a biblical metaphor for the secular world and all that is in it that is in opposition to YHVH’s paths of righteousness. Egypt represents the low spiritual way of following the world, flesh and the devil that is evil that leads to death and separation from Elohim, while the Promised land, and specifically Jerusalem, is a metaphor for the spiritual high place of truth, righteousness and godliness that leads to eternal life. This is why the Bible speaks of “going down to Egypt” and “going up to Jerusalem.”

Each person has only two choices in life on how they will conduct their lives. They must make a choice—they will make a choice purposely or inadvertently. They can choose the proverbial downward path or the highway to hell or the upward path or the highway to heaven. Everyone chooses one path or another, even if they are not aware of the conscious decision to do so. To not make a choice is, by default, to choose the downward path.

Most people are somewhere in the middle, which is a vast grey area. They neither choose one path or the other. They choose just enough of the upward path to alleviate their guilt, but not enough of it to radically change their lifestyles. They still want enough of the downward path to satiate the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride of life.

So what did Yeshua have to say about those who choose this wide, well-traveled middle road?

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. (Rev 3:15–16)

To those who find themselves on this path, Yeshua is standing outside of the door of their spiritual house and saying,

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev 3:20)

To those who respond positively to his invitation, he promises them a place in the Promised Land of his everlasting kingdom.

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Rev 3:21)

 

Jeff Foxworthy on the Bible

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Who and What (Really) Is the King of Your Life?

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Mark 8:34, Deny himself. The love of self is the greatest obstacle to following Yeshua wholeheartedly. The chief characteristic of self-life is possessiveness.

The fallen man has forced Elohim out of the center of his life and has crowned itself as its king and has given itself over to coveting of things. Such has become self-life’s main focal point and fiercest passion. Surrounding oneself with many possessions causes one to feel elevated in that it makes one the ruler of one’s own kingdom. To such a person, the pronoun me becomes the god, and the pronoun my is the purpose of the pursuit and the religion of self.

To the tyranny of things that largely monopolizes most men’s endeavors, Yesahua says “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” Elsewhere he says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3).