Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

The Torah on Capital Punishment

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Leviticus 20 (entire chapter), The death penalty. In this chapter, YHVH lists the penalty for the sins that he considers to be the most abominable, grievous and ruinous to a society. He then prescribes the punishment for these sins—usually the death penalty.

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As you read through this chapter, consider the penalties for these sins in our society. That’s right…there are none (with the exception of incest with one’s minor children)! Additionally, not only are most of these sins tolerated (bestiality, incest, adultery, sex during menstruation), but many of these abominable practices promoted and even celebrated (e.g., homosexuality, abortion, witchcraft, necromancy).

In our society, there is punishment for animal neglect, failing to pay taxes, or violating a building code,while there is no penalty for the sins of abortion, witchcraft, homosexuality, etc. What’s wrong here?

Notice that the punishments that YHVH prescribes for these crimes would, in most cases, in our society be considered uncivil, barbaric, or cruel and unusual (e.g., banishment, stoning, burning by fire).

The question must be asked, if we accept the Bible as the revealed truth of Elohim, then who knows best what punishment fits a crime—man or the Creator?

Interestingly, the U.S. has the highest criminal incarceration rate of any nation in the world (743 adults per 100,000 people). By year end 2010, the U.S. had 2,266,800 people incarcerated in its prisons and jails (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States). Yet ancient Israel had no Continue reading →

 

Should men wear beards?

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Leviticus 19:27, You shall not shave around the sides of your beard. Some Torah scholars say that there is no place in the Torah, or anywhere else in the Scriptures, that explicitly commands men to wear beards. Others who are of the opinion that men should wear beards agree that while there may be no direct command to wear a beard, the Scriptures give an implied or indirect command to do so. In other words, it’s assumed that men will have a beard. I am of the latter opinion.

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Some will point to Leviticus 19:27 and 21:5 in attempts to prove that men are to wear beards — that they are not to shave their beards. In reality, this command related specifically to shaving the beard in honor of the dead according to some ritual the ancient pagans practiced. In other words, YHVH is telling the Israelite men not to shave their beards as the pagans did in honor of the dead. What exactly that pagan practice was, we don’t know for sure.

Can these two verses be taken as a prohibition against a man shaving his beard? Those who say no will say that there is no direct command in the Bible to have a beard, but if you do have one, don’t shave it in honor of the dead as the pagans did. Those who say yes will say that these two verses imply a command for men to have a beard; that is, how can you cut something that you don’t already have? There are well-meaning people on both sides of this debate.

These things we know for sure. Aaron the high priest had a beard (Ps 133:2). Yeshua had a beard or else Isaiah 50:6 was a false prophecy. Ezekiel had a beard (Ezek 5:1), Ezra had a beard (Ezra 9:3); David had a beard (1 Sam 21:13); and many Israelite men wore beards (2 Sam 10:4-5; 1 Chr 19:5; Jer 41:5). It is also a religious Jewish tradition to this day for men to have beards, and we know that this tradition is rooted in antiquity.

Beyond this, what you do is your choice.

 

Flat Earth Madness: Comments

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On the Hoshana Rabbah YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/HoshanaRabbah?feature=mhee), I have been getting a lot of comments (both pro and con) on my video entitled “Flat Earth Foolishness.” A few people are so caught up in this madness that they have even dropped their subscription to the HR channel. Personally, I could care less.

Here are some comments that I have posted on my channel pertaining to my flat earth video that you might find interesting:

First comment:

YHVH Elohim has called me to preach the gospel of Yeshua the Messiah and to connect it to the pro-Torah Hebrew roots of the faith. This is where the spiritual life and power of Elohim to transforms lives is to be found. This is the river of life, and it centers on the Written Torah-Word of Elohim and Yeshua the Messiah, the Living Torah-Word of Elohim. To me, anything else is a distracting (and sometimes a doctrine of demons) side issue. I have to be obedient to the instructions given to me from my Heavenly Commander and Chief. The only time I address side issues (like the flat earth debate) is not for the purpose of debating, but to bring people back to the centrality of the pro-Torah gospel message. This is what Yeshua and the apostles preached; this is what I preach. Period. The main purpose of this video was not to debate the pros and cons of the flat earth theory. You all know where I stand on this. I think its silliness—and I have looked into the evidence on both sides of the issue, so I’m not bigoted. My main point is that Hebrew roots teachers are to be following the example of Yeshua and the apostles and to be preaching the gospel. Flat earth vs. spherical earth IS NOT preaching the gospel. By in large, these kinds of topics distract people away from the gospel message. As Hebrew roots folks we’re to be preaching the commandments of Elohim and the testimony of Yeshua as per Rev 12:17 and 14:12. This is the mark of the true end time saints, bride of Yeshua. The gospel is what convicts of sin, redeems and saves and brings one to eternal life, and not these other side issues. Yet side issues like flat earth is what some teachers largely base their teaching ministries on. This is not following the command of Yeshua to preach the gospel or to make disciples. This is not following the examples of the apostles who did the same. I will go so far as to say that those Hebrew roots teachers whose ministries aren’t primarily gospel oriented are teaching another gospel—one that is foreign to that of Yeshua and the apostles. Unless you like to have your ears tickled with irrelevant nonsense, AVOID THESE TEACHERS LIKE THE PLAGUE. To the degree that they get caught up on these side issues, they are not doing the will of Yeshua. They are walking in disobedience and rebellion to Yeshua! That is the big point I am trying to make on this video. Those of you who don’t get this or who are so naive and ill-informed about the true message of the Scriptures that you think subjects like the flat earth are actually important, salvational and part of the trunk of the tree of biblical doctrine—sorry, but I don’t think I can help you. Nothing I say will make much difference to you.

Second comment:

I don’t care if you believe in a flat earth or not. Personally, I think it’s foolishness, but that’s your freewill choice. Whether you believe in a flat or spherical earth IS NOT a salvational issue. What I have a problem with is Bible teachers who make this a spiritual trunk of the tree issue when they should be preaching the message of the gospel and lifting up Yeshua as the path of salvation and the way to the Father and to eternal life. This is the gospel message the Yeshua and the apostles taught, and the Scriptures command us to imitate him in everything. There is no record in the Scriptures of Yeshua and the apostles DID NOT getting caught up in tangential side issues like the flat earth. They stuck to the main message of the gospel. So why do some so-called Hebrew roots teachers veer away from the truth of the Scriptures by failing to make the preaching of the gospel the main thing and get caught up in things like conspiracies, aliens, the Book of Enoch, the Illuminati and the flat earth? Is preaching the gospel message not sufficient in their eyes? Why? Do they really think that their method of winning the spiritually lost is better than that used by Yeshua and the apostles? If so, then the methodologies of these teachers need to be, at least, seriously questioned if not totally rejected as being unbiblical! Humans, sadly, are always wanting to hear something new and exciting. Sensationalism sells. It tickles the ears. Moreover, it often brings great financial profits and popularity to the promoters of it as well. The problem is that sensationalistic teachings like the flat earth can’t save you spiritually. It can’t help you to overcome sin and to walk more perfectly in the righteous ways of the Torah. It cannot deliver you from the guilt and shame of a sinful past. It cannot bring you into a right relationship with your heavenly Father. It cannot heal broken relationships and help you to overcome sinful addictions and bad moral behavior. It cannot carry you past the dark veil of death and into the glorious light of Yeshua’s immortal and eternal kingdom. ONLY YESHUA THROUGH THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE WITH THE HELP OF HIS SPIRIT CAN!! This is why the gospel message must remain the main focus of our attention. This is the apostolic message of the New Testament/Testimony of Yeshua. Those Hebrew roots teachers who don’t focus on this should be rejected as spiritual advisors, teachers, wise counselors and leaders. Period. This is my main point. I hope the reader can receive this.

 

 

New Video: Flat Earth Foolishness

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The Torah has something to say about GMOs

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Leviticus 19:19, Livestock breed with another kind…sow your field with mixed seed.

What does the Torah have to say about genetically modified organisms (GMO) or foods? This verse addresses the issue. The type of genetic modification of plants and animals that we’re concerned about is that of forcing the DNA of one species into that of another. In reality, it’s a form of man-induced macro-evolution where one species takes on the characteristics of another species. Micro-evolution is a natural phenomenon that occurs between like plant and animal species (e.g., diverse kinds of cats, apples, palm trees, etc.).This can occur through naturally (called adaptation) and through the human-induced processes of hybridization. This isn’t a bad thing, in most cases. However, there are no examples of macro-evolution in the creation despite evolutionists’ best efforts to prove otherwise. Evolutionists have failed to find the missing links between monkeys and men, or lizards and birds, or slime and amphibians—at least not until genetic engineering came along. Now they can create the missing link. This is not only an affront to the Creator, and goes contrary to the Bible, but it’s the opening of a Pandora’s box of all sorts of unintended evil consequences where man is playing God, while not knowing what the consequences will be.

The ancient biblical writings are amazingly prescient on this issue when the Torah forbids the mixing of dissimilar species (such as seeds and animal species), which were separated in the creation by Elohim, and which he established to reproduce after their own kind.

The Creator simply commands men not to mix diverse kinds (species) without giving the reasons. We are to assume that he knows best whether we understand the technical reasons or not.

Since the recent emergence of the science of genetic engineering and the negative consequences of some aspects of it, perhaps the Creator’s prohibitions against mixing Continue reading →

 

The First, Second and Third Day—Prophetic Significance

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Leviticus 19:6–7, It shall be eaten. The terms first, second and third day are often significant prophetically (e.g. Hos 6:2; Gen 22:4; Luke 13:32; Exod 19:11, 15) referring to the salvific work of Messiah Yeshua that occurred at his first coming, and which will occur in the first, second and third millennia after his first coming. Day three would correspond with the beginning of year 7000—a date we must be very near. If Torah reveals that the peace offering was not accepted on the third day, what is this prophetically telling us? Leviticus 7:17–18 says of the same offering that the portion of the sacrifice which remains until the third day shall be burnt with fire, while 19:6–8 says that the person who eats the peace offering on the third day will “bear his iniquity” and “will be cut off from his people.” That is, the peace offering will be of no avail to that person and they will not have peace with their Redeemer.

Is a day coming when the door of opportunity for salvation will be shut (as was the case when the door of Noah’s ark was shut before Elohim brought judgment upon the earth by the flood, Gen 7:16), the period of grace that we are now in will end when the wrath of Elohim will be poured out upon the unregenerate (Rev 15–16) just prior to the return of Yeshua? Are you saved by the blood of Yeshua, the Lamb of YHVH? Have you repented of your sins (violation of YHVH’s Torah-laws [1 John 3:4]), and are you walking in a righteous and obedient relationship with your Heavenly Father through Yeshua the Messiah by the power of the Ruach Kodesh (Set-Apart Spirit)?

For he says, “I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2)

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 5-8 Through 5-14-16

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Kedoshim — Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27
Haftarah —Amos 9:7-15
Prophets — Jeremiah 3:1 – 9:26
Writings — Job 20:1 – 26:14
Testimony — Acts 23:1 – 27:44

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 5/8 through 5/14/16.