Wish you were here! I’ll be uploading the video of my teaching soon. Stay tuned.
Dr. Joseph Dombek Jr. giving an overview of the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost.
Joseph Dombek Sr. teaching on being a bond servant of Yeshua.
Natan Lawrence helping with the bread waving ceremony.
Natan Lawrence ministering the bread as Sandi Lawrence gets ready to enter the chuppah.
Prayer ministry in the chuppah.
Parashat B’ha’alatkha — Numbers 8:1 – 12:16
Haftarah — Zechariah 2:14(10)* – 4:7
Prophets — Jeremiah 26:1 – 32:44
Writings — Lamentations 3:1 – 5:22; Ecclesiastes 1:1 – 3:22
Testimony — Jude; Romans 1:1 – 6:23
Our full Scripture Reading Schedule for 2016-2017 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.
* Verse numbers in parenthesis refer to the verse number in Christian English Bibles when they differ from Hebrew Bibles or the Tanakh.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 6/4/17 through 6/10/17.
Parashat Nasso — Numbers 4:21 – 7:89
Haftarah — Judges 13:2-25
Prophets — Jeremiah 19:1 – 25:38
Writings — Song of Songs 8:1-14; Ruth 1:1 – 4:22; Lamentations 1:1 – 2:22
Testimony — 1 John; 2 John; 3 John
Our full Scripture Reading Schedule for 2016-2017 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.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 5/28/17 through 6/3/17.
Divide-and-conquer the enemy is a well known and often used offensive military strategy. The enemy may be too large and powerful for a direct frontal assault, so the idea is to break up the enemy’s army or defenses into bite-sized pieces and then to conquer the enemy one smaller piece at a time. This same tactic is employed wittingly or unwittingly by those who don’t want to follow all of the Torah.
Perhaps you’ve seen this tactic used, but haven’t identified it for what it really is; it is a satanic method to undermine or to destroy the validity of the whole counsel of YHVH Elohim’s word. Why do I call it satanic? Because this is the same strategy Satan the serpent used at the tree of knowledge to undermine the clear instructions of Elohim to the first humans. Satan called Elohim’s word into question when he asked Adam and Eve, “Hath Elohim [really] said…?” He caused the first humans to question the word of Elohim, and then from this false narrative platform of doubt and unbelief, he launched his attack against the word of Elohim, and he lured Adam and Eve into committing humanity’s first sin. And, as the saying goes, the rest is history. All of the problems in the world from then till now can be traced back to this one incident.
From that time until now, rebellious and sin-prone men have been trying to find a way around obeying the clear words and instructions of Elohim. Man’s nefarious strategies and philosophies to accomplish this are endless. This human proclivity, however, can be explained by two terse verses in the Bible.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jer 17:9)
Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim; for it is not subject to the Torah-law of Elohim, nor indeed can be. (Rom 8:7)
For nearly 50 years I have been observing and studying this phenomenon to parse the Torah along artificial and ungodly lines. It’s nothing more than a carnal attempt by rebellious men to divide and conquer the Torah, so men can justify themselves in not having to obey it. At one point in my spiritual journey, for a brief period of time—about six years—I even fell prey to this same false divide-and-conquer concept that mainstream Christianity has subscribed to for some 1900 years to diminish the validity of YHVH’s Torah-law. So I know this tactic well from personal experience. I had to repent of the sin of allowing myself to be duped into questioning the Creator and his Word.
First we must know the truth. What does the Word of Elohim really say? As a bank teller must know what real money looks like before they can identify counterfeit money, the same is true with the truth of the Bible. The righteous and dutiful disciple of Yeshua must know the Word of Elohim to be able to identify the counterfeit. This only occurs through personal and copious study. As such, one will discover that nowhere does the Bible divide Continue reading
To understand the context of what is written below, it is essential to read the previous parts of this series. — Natan
What can the saints do in response to this tidal wave of evil that is sweeping across the planet and engulfing everything, or descending that is descending upon the earth like a giant, sticky spider web?
First, the saint must recognize the enemy and the problems we face. Ignorance is not bliss! Ignorance of what is going around us is still ignorance! It is folly to simply pull the covers over our heads and go back to sleep hoping it will all go away. Denial doesn’t change the facts on the ground.
…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Cor 2:11)
Second, we must resolve to stand and to fight. This is something each of us must determine to do based on a deep and committed resolve. Most people defer to others. This is cowardice and dereliction of the duty Yeshua gave us when he commanded us to stand and to fight for him.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:11–12)
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1Tim 6:12)
What would YHVH have you to do? What part in the battle do you play? Ask him, and he will tell you. Doing nothing is not an option. He’s not looking for capability; he’s looking for availability. He’ll take our weaknesses and inabilities and turn them into abilities and strengths for his glory. He’s looking for a willing heart to obey him. A slothful and unprofitable servant is not a servant of Yeshua!
Third, we must know what we’re fighting for. In a war, soldiers are fighting for an objective: a hill, a city, a country, an enemy stronghold or an ideology. If they don’t know what they’re fighting for, they will lose morale and the resolve to continue fighting. The saint is fighting for the advancement of the kingdom of Elohim—for the light of his truth to be spread across the earth. He is fighting for truth and righteousness. Anything that is opposed to that is the enemy of YHVH and the saint. If this is not clear in the mind and heart of the saint, then he, like the ancient apostate Israelites, will fall prey to the allurements of the demon-gods/elohim of the heathen nations around them.
This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other elohim to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. (Jer 13:10)
And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, “Why has YHVH pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against YHVH our Elohim?” then you shall say to them, “Because your fathers have forsaken Me,” says YHVH; “they have walked after other elohim and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My Torah-law.” (Jer 16:10–11)
Fourth, fortify your faith with the following promises from the word of Elohim. In these perilous times, the Word of Elohim will be our rock and fortress! We must know it well and have it deeply entrenched in our minds and hearts. Now, not then, is the time to prepare ourselves spiritually in this regard. Here are some wise instructions and promises from the Word of Elohim to the last days saints that will strengthen and encourage us in the dark days just before the second coming of our Messiah.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:33–36)
Seek YHVH, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of YHVH’s anger. (Zeph 2:3)
But now, thus says YHVH, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. (Isa 43:1–2)
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for YHVH your Elohim, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. (Deut 31:6)
Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which YHVH has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. (Deut 31:7)
And YHVH, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. (Deut 31:8)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Ps 23:4)
For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. (Ps 32:6)
YHVH of hosts is with us; the Elohim of Jacob is our refuge. Selah (Ps 46:7)
A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave. Be merciful to me, O Elohim, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. (Ps 57:1)
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. (Ps 91:15)
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. (Lu 21:12–18)
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. (1 Pet 4:12–13)
Here is what the saints must do to prepare for the end times. It is imperative that you take these admonitions seriously; your physical and spiritual life will depend on it. Preparedness is essential to not only surviving, but to thriving in the final days of this age. Now is the time to saddle for battle! Don’t allow yourself to fall into a false sense of secure, apathetic complacency as most will do. Peter warned us against this natural human tendency.
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Master and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of Elohim the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. YHVH is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of YHVH will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of Elohim, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless… (2 Pet 3:1–14)
Here are some practical things each saint must do in light of the perilous times we are now facing.
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt 10:28)
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of Elohim, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. (Heb 10:35–39)
Heed the threefold message or the everlasting gospel of the three angels of Rev 14:6–12.
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth–to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, “Fear Elohim and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the [Torah] commandments of Elohim and the faith of Yeshua.
Parashat B’midbar — Numbers 1:1 – 4:20
Haftarah — Hosea 2:1 (1:10) – 2:22 (20)*
Prophets — Jeremiah 12:1 – 18:23
Writings — Song of Songs 1:1 – 7:13
Testimony — 1 Peter 2:1 – 5:14; 2 Peter 1:1 – 3:18
Our full Scripture Reading Schedule for 2016-2017 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.
* Verse numbers in parenthesis refer to the verse number in Christian English Bibles when they differ from Hebrew Bibles or the Tanakh.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 5/21/17 through 5/27/17.
To understand the context of what is written below, it is essential to read the previous parts of this series. — Natan
Why are Satan and his demons so murderously opposed to the saints of Elohim? This is, in part, because Elohim also refers to his people as el and elohim or mighty ones. Yeshua confirms this when quoting this scripture in John 10:34–35 as he applies the term elohim to YHVH’s own saints.
God [elohim] stands in the congregation of the mighty [el]; He judges among the gods [elohim]. How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked. They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable. I said, “You are gods [elohim], and all of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” Arise, O God [elohim], judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations. (Ps 82:1–8)
This is an amazing truth! YHVH Elohim who created man in his very own image (Gen 1:26) wants his redeemed saints to become like him as children of Elohim (1 John 3:1–3; John 1:12), although they will never be equal to him (Isa 43:10–11; 41:4; 44:6–8). This is an honor and a position that he will not hand out willy-nilly to anyone and everyone who self-identify as “saints.” At this point, we most soberly consider the words of Yeshua in Matt 7:21–23.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Before YHVH confers upon his saints the gift of immortality as sons of Elohim, he will first test and judge his people—his righteous elohim who are part of his congregation—(“judgement begins first at the house of Elohim”; 1 Pet 4:17) to determine their level of righteousness (“the righteous are scarcely saved”; 1 Pet 4:18) to determine if they are worthy of the honor of being called “the sons of Elohim.” In the days prior to the second coming, he will even send his saints strong delusion to determine how loyal they are to his truth (2 Thess 2:11–12). Many so-called saints who haven’t placed a high enough value on YHVH’s truth will fall away spiritually (2 Thess 2:3) becoming victims to the deluding and lying signs and wonders of the spirit of lawlessness (or Torahlessness) of the satanic end times Man of Sin (2 Thess 2:5–10).
Elohim will use the idol-gods/elohim in the heart and minds of his people to rise up in judgment against his saints. That which they fear other than Elohim will be their testing point (Isa 66:4 cp. Jer 5:19 and 2 Thess 2:11, 2–12 for context). Will they fear, obey and trust Elohim and fear their idols more?
In the mean time, YHVH Elohim is currently knocking on the door of the house of the saints both collectively and individually to awake them out of their spiritual slumber in an effort to incite them to repent of their lukewarmness (Rev 3:20 and verses 14–21 for context). Those who refuse to awaken from their spiritual lethargy he will spank with the spiritual paddle of the demon-gods, false elohim through persecution and tribulation of the saints. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken (Heb 12:25–29). The Bible refers to this as the Great Tribulation (Matt 24:21; Rev 7:14 cp. 2:22). Many of these sleeping saints will repent and be spiritually refined and brought back to him “out of [the] great tribulation” of the last days (Rev 7:13–14).
As YHVH Elohim used the demon gods or elohim, evil Baal spirits of ancient Babylon in the past to punish his people for their spiritual lassitude and declension, he will use the demonic entities of Mystery Babylon the Great to do the same in the last days as a giant paddle applied to the collective posteriors of his lukewarm and backslidden saints. He will then brake the paddle of Babylon over his knee and destroy that antichrist system (Rev 18:2, 21), even as he raised up and then destroyed ancient Babylon in the past.
Even now, the evil spirits or demon-elohim are being loosed on this earth in these last days to bring about an antichrist world system and to torment and persecute YHVH’s saints who oppose this system and who will be the righteous elohim to replace the demonic and rebellious elohim.
We see the manifestation of these false demon elohim being loosed on the earth and manifested clearly in front of our eyes in the following areas:
What can the saints do in response to this tidal wave of evil that is sweeping across the planet and engulfing everything, or descending that is descending upon the earth like a giant, sticky spider web?
Stay tuned for part 5 of this series.