Shabbat Shalom from “the Garden of Eden!”
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Category Archives: Scripture
What are “Jewish fables?”
Many people in churchianity are content to dismiss the Torah merely as Jewish fables having little or no relevance to Christians. Yet, the same preachers will passionately promote Christmas trees, Santa Claus and Easter bunnies. So what’s wrong with this picture?
Titus 1:14, Jewish fables. Many Bible teachers in the mainstream church teach that this verse refers to the Torah. They use it in attempting to prove that the commandments of the Torah are no longer valid for believers. Is this correct? In reality, Paul can’t be referring to the Torah here without contradicting himself elsewhere. In numerous places, he strongly upholds and defends obedience to the Torah (Rom 3:31; 7:7, 12, 14; 13:8–10; 1 Cor 7:19; 9:21; Gal 3:10; 6:2; 2 Tim 6:14; Tit 2:14) and even claims to follow it himself (Acts 21:24; 24:1425:8; 28:17; 1 Cor 9:21). He must be talking about the Jewish traditions of men, which Yeshua said in Matthew 15:3–9 and Mark 7:7–9 make of non-effect the word of Elohim.
In fact, this is exactly what Paul is referring to here in this verse when he says “Jewish fables and commandments of men.” This is not a reference to the Torah the commandments of which came from YHVH Elohim, and not from men. In the same verse, Paul contrasts these commandments of men with “the truth” from which men have turned away. What is this truth? The Bible defines its own terms. Elohim is the source of truth (Deut 32:4 cp. Pss 86:11; 89:14; 117:2), he is truth (Ps 25:10; 31:5; 33:4), and his Torah is truth (Ps 119:142, 151).
One example of a Jewish fable and a commandment of men would be the idea that one can’t be saved unless they’re first circumcised, which was the subject of the Acts 15 council. Paul vehemently fought this Jewish fable, and the whole Book of Galatians, for example, largely deals with this issue. If Paul had meant the Torah when mentioning “Jewish fables” then this makes Paul into a schizophrenic liar (since he promotes and lauds the Torah and claims to follow it elsewhere), and it makes the word of Elohim contradict itself, and it puts Paul at odds with Yeshua who upheld the Torah (Matt 5:17–19) and with himself when he said to imitate Yeshua the Torah-keeper as he himself did (1 Cor 11:1).
72 Commandments in Five Chapters
Deuteronomy 21–25
This section of the Torah (Deut 21:10–25:19) contains 72 commandments, which is more than in any other Torah portion. In this passage there are rules pertaining to all aspects of human relations showing that the “Torah deals with the real world. It does not present a world where all people get along with one another or rush to take care of one another’s property. Instead, it ‘takes into account the grim reality that people do not achieve the desired observance of “you shall not hate others in your heart”’” (A Torah Commentary For Our Times, vol. 3, p. 150). In studying this portion, one can easily miss the point of a particular command if one views it strictly in its pashat (most literal) meaning. For these commands to have relevance in our day, one must view them as principles that have a broad range of application. The specific examples Torah gives are merely representative of one of but many life situations to which the principle behind the example could apply. Keeping this in mind, this Torah portion will give you much to ponder pertaining to your day-to-day walk (or halakhah).
In these chapters we see a plethora of laws concerning many seemingly small details regarding human life. Many people in the church have the tendency to broadly sweep away these commandments with such dismissive cliches as, “We’re now under grace …” or “We’re not under the law anymore …..” But please observe how many of the civil laws of our nation regulating actions between various members of society are based upon YHVH’s laws found in the Torah. As we make our way back to a more biblically-based lifestyle and orientation, we begin to see that (a) YHVH cares about the details of our lives and (b) these laws, while sometimes hard to understand, are for our own well-being and blessing. Do you still nurse a “pick and choose” or “have it your own way” mentality with regard to YHVH’s biblical commandments choosing to follow the ones you want and making excuses why you can’t (or don’t want to) follow the rest? By doing so, what blessings are you depriving yourself of, and how are you hindering your love relationship with YHVH?
Some of the laws in these chapters may be hard to observe nowadays. With others, due to our church background, we may have the tendency to spiritualize them away, thus, in essence, rendering them of non‑effect in our lives and thereby placing ourselves above YHVH’s Torah-law and thus becoming a law unto ourselves. Is this not humanism: every man doing what is right in his own eyes instead of obeying YHVH whatever the cost? Who is the Master of your life? You or YHVH?
How do you view laws about women wearing men-type clothing, wearing fringes on the corners of your garments, mixed certain types of fibers in clothing, lending without interest, caring for the widows and orphans, personal hygiene, family purity laws (e.g. men not having sexual relations with their wives during their monthly cycles), removing blood from all meat before eating it, men wearing beards, faithfully tithing, following the biblical dietary laws, and observing YHVH’s Sabbaths (weekly and annual), etc.? These are lifestyle-changing laws, many of which go contrary to the mores of our society.
Are we not called to be a kadosh, set-apart, special and peculiar (i.e., treasured) people before YHVH? What progress are you making to bring your life into conformity to his standards of righteousness?
We’re in an End Times Spiritual Famine
Many people hear the word of Elohim, but few do the word of Elohim. There is a big difference between the two. In Hebraic thought, if you don’t do it, you didn’t really hear it!
Amos 8:11, A famine…of hearing. Hearing is the Hebrew word shema, which has the compound meaning of both hearing and doing. In our modern world, the word of Elohim is more proliferated than ever before, especially with the advent of the internet. Many people have access to Elohim’s word and hear it, but very few actually do it. There are many people who are religiously active following the traditions and doctrines of men, but very few who actually read, study and then actually bring their lives into conformity with the actual word of Elohim. To do so is the biblical definition of hearing.
Amos 8:12, Run to and fro. Not only is there a famine “of hearing the words” of YHVH, but the prophetic word of Elohim is also scarce, and people are running to and fro seeking it.
Earlier in the Book of Amos, YHVH promises to do nothing except that he reveals it first to his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). The prophet throughout his little book rebukes the people of his day for their greed, idolatry, injustice, pride and their refusal to repent of their errant spiritual ways. Perhaps it was because of Israel’s state of spiritual apostasy that prophets were so scarce in that day, which is why people were having to run to and fro over long distances seeking a true prophetic word from Elohim.
We read in Proverbs that without a prophetic vision from Elohim that is based on a solid foundation of Torah, YHVH’s people perish or become spiritual unloosened or unrestrained (Prov 29:18). There are plenty of carnal or profane prophets in the modern church who prophesy out of the dictates of their own hearts without any understanding of the Torah and do little good for the spiritual well-being of YHVH’s people (see Jer 23; Isa 28; Ezek 13; 28).
In addition to that, when a true prophet would speak, Amos complained that the people hated hearing such a prophet (Amos 5:10). The same is true today. People are people. Why should YHVH send one of his prophets to such people? The people won’t hear him anyway.
It’s ironic how YHVH’s people have this strong yearning to hear a prophetic word from YHVH (probably because of the human yearning to divine the future), but when he sends one of his true prophets to deliver it, the people refuse to hear it (because with future predictions of YHVH’s prophets comes the message of repenting of sin,which people don’t want to hear).
Ezekiel noted this proclivity of YHVH’s people and complained about the problem (Ezek 33:30–33). The people want to hear the prophet’s words, but they don’t want to obey the word of YHVH because it goes against their carnal desires (Ezek 33:31). Ezekiel goes on to predict that eventually, though each generation tends to reject the prophets YHVH sends to them, once the prophets are dead, subsequent generations would recognize them as true prophets (Ezek 33:33).
Indeed this was the case, for later generations of Jews accepted those rejected prophets as divinely sent and put their writings into the canon of Scripture. Yeshua noted this phenomenon in the Gospels (Luke 112:46–51 cp. Matt 23:31–36). That generation now accepted the prophets of old that their forefathers had rejected, but following in the same path as their forefathers,and in their own day, they rejected Yeshua — the greatest Prophet of all.
New Video: Galatians Chapters 4 to 6 Explained Hebraically
What is Paul really saying in his Epistle to the Galatians? Is he advocating the abrogation of the Torah (the law of Moses), or is there another issue he is addressing? What is the larger and loftier message in this amazing epistle? Watch this video to find out.
For the study notes that I used while giving this teaching, go to http://hoshanarabbah.org/blog/2016/09/03/galatians-chapters-4-to-6-explained/.
A Prophet Like Unto Moses…
Deuteronomy 18:10, One who causes his son or daughter to pass through the fire. This was done in honor of the Canaanite deity Molach (see Lev 18:21 and 20:1–6). The name molach/lKN/mem-lamed-chaf sofit in Hebrew means “king” with the root of the word meaning “to rule or reign.” Child sacrifice (the ancient form of modern abortion/infanticide), though a pagan practice that YHVH abhorred, was practiced by both houses or kingdoms of Israel as they drifted into syncretism with the heathen cultures around them (see 1 Kgs 11:7; 2 Kgs 16:3; 21:6; 23:10,13; Jer 7:31; 19:5; Ezek 16:20; 23:37). Baal appears to be a synonym of Molach (see Jer 19:5 and the Ency. Britan. eleventh edit., vol. 18, p. 676). The dead bodies of sacrificed children were thrown into the garbage dump of the Valley of Hinnom or Tophet just below the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (Jer 7:31; 19:5–6). Apparently, the children were not burned alive, but were slain (by knife) like any other sacrifice before being thrown into the fire and then into the garbage dump (Ibid.). The ancients sacrificed their children to appease their bloodthirsty gods of prosperity, sensuality and fertility (The Story of Civilization, vol. 1, by Will Durant, pp. 66–67, 297).
What can we learn from these random pieces of information concerning the ancient practice of child sacrifice? It was done in honor of their deity; in other words, their idol was the king that ruled their lives. What is the chief deity in Continue reading
Dealing With Matters of Controversy In the Local Congregation
Deuteronomy 17:6 (and 19:15), By the testimony of two or three witnesses. One could not be accused of a crime without the testimony of two or three eyewitnesses. This admonition is repeated in the Testimony of Yeshua:
But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (Matt 18:16)
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2 Cor 13:1)
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. (1 Tim 5:19)
He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. (Heb 10:28)
Most gossip and slander would stop if this commandment were followed, and thus much division and strife within the congregation of believers. How many times have you repeated hearsay and gossip without checking the source? Even if you know it to be true, is it beneficial and righteous to repeat it to others? One Jewish sage goes so far as to say that Messiah has not come back because of all the gossip and slander of the people of Israel. Perhaps. At the very least, the Spirit of Elohim is greatly grieved, our intimacy with Elohim is diminished, and our marriages, families, friendships and congregations are fractured, hurt or destroyed because we speak things that should not be uttered.
How often do we accuse, slander and gossip about other people through use of the “evil tongue” (lashon hara) without going through proper channels and following proper biblical protocols to resolve interpersonal conflicts as Yeshua instructed in Matthew 18? How often do we attack others and spread our evil reports and accusations about others when we were not even eyewitnesses to what occurred or were not involved in the matter? How often do we attack YHVH’s leaders and accuse them of evil when there are no other witnesses (1 Tim 5:19)? YHVH hates those who sow discord among brethren and lying false witnesses, and calls this practice an abomination (Prov 6:16–17, 19). So let’s all be careful with our mouths!
Deuteronomy 17:8–13, Matters of controversy. How respectful and obedient are you to the spiritual leaders YHVH has placed over you? Or do you follow their wise counsel only if and when it suits you? Nowadays if we don’t like a leader we simply leave our congregation and find a new one. In ancient Israel, this was not an option, nor was it an option in the first century. There was one congregation in each town, and if there was a disagreement, people had to learn to work out their differences. What if we were in that situation today? How would that change your method of operation if you couldn’t just “cut and run” whenever things didn’t go your way or you got offended?