Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

The first exodus is past, the second exodus is coming

Posted on by
3

Exodus 12:31, 33, Rise up, get you forth. YHVH was leading Israel out of Egypt, while Egypt was, at the same time, thrusting Israel out of that nation.

This verse marks the beginning of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The later biblical prophets speak about end times Israel being scattered and enslaved in the nations of the world (i.e., Babylon the Great). However, as a result of a series of miraculous events and YHVH’s judgments against their captor nations, end times Israel is finally set free. Released, they will return to the Promised Land of Israel where Yeshua the Messiah will rule and reign over them. Many biblical prophets predict this glorious event happening, and the Jewish sages have tenaciously clung to this hope for two millennia. This event (actually, a series of events) has euphemistically been referred to as “the second exodus.”

Many scriptures (e.g., Isa 11:1012:6; Jer 16:14–15; 23:7) refer to this when they prophesy of another exodus of Elohim’s people to occur in the last days which will be much larger in scope and will involve many more nations than the first exodus from Egypt.

 

Who is the One who killed the firstborn of Egypt?

Posted on by
Reply

Exodus 12:23, 27 cp. 6:6 (also Deut 5:15; 7:19), The destroyer…who passed over…he smote the Egyptians cp. Will redeem you with an outstretched arm. Who is the outstretched arm or YHVH? It is Yeshua (Isa 53:1 cp. Isa 52:10; 40:10; Ezek 20:34–35) who is at the right hand of Elohim (e.g., Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; etc.). We know that the preincarnate Yeshua, the Malak (mistranslated in most Bibles as Angel) or Messenger of YHVH led Israel through the wilderness. Likely, the preincarate Yeshua was the arm of YHVH’s judgment against Egypt’s firstborn, even as he will be the hand of Elohim’s judgment against the wicked in last days and at his second coming (Rev 19:15, 21).

 

The Passover Seder: When Is It and What to Do

Posted on by
2

Passover Header

Exodus 12:14, You shall keep it a feast. The key elements of the Passover celebration or seder which memorializes the exodus were (a) eating lamb (Exod 12:8), (b) eating bitter herbs (Exod 12:8), (c) eating unleavened bread (Exod 12:8), (d) telling their children the story of the exodus (Exod 10:2), (e) celebrating (Passover is a chag or celebratory feast, Exod 12:14), and (f) keeping the day set-apart (Passover combined with the first day of Unleavened Bread is a set-apart convocation or a time when YHVH’s people are to gather together, Exod 12:16).

This verse also tells us when the Israelites actually ate the Passover meal: It was called a feast (Heb. chag). Passover day (the 14th day of the first month on the biblical calendar) technically is not a chag. However, the Feast (Chag) of Unleavened Bread is a feast and it starts on the 15th day of the first month (Lev 23:6).  Therefore, the Israelites slaughtered and prepared the Passover lamb on the 14th day of the first month and ate it at the beginning of the 15th day, which is the evening portion of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

 

Resources to Study to Understand the Ancient Biblical Calendar

Posted on by
Reply

Exodus 12:2, This month…first month of the year. The biblical month in which Passover occurs (March-April) marks the beginning of the biblical new year. It is also the time from which all biblical feasts are calculated. This is why it is important to understand the biblical calendar, so you will know when to celebrate YHVH’s feasts.

To learn about the ancient biblical calendar, we provide these free resources for you to study:

The Biblical Calendar and the New Moon at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/new_moons.pdf

The Biblical Calendar Demystified at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/cal_demyst.pdf

The Biblical Calendar: New Moon or Conjunction?

http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/vis_moon.pdf

Calendar 2 22171142

 

When is the Passover meal? At the beginning or end of the 14th?

Posted on by
1

Exodus 12:6, At twilight [Heb. erev, or between the evenings]. This phrase can have several meanings.

Passover 2

Loosely speaking, according to first century Jewish tradition, this would have been the time from high noon when the sun is at its zenith when it starts to descend toward the horizon until approximately 6 PM when it disappears behind the horizon (The Life Time of Jesus, by Alfred Edersheim, p. 813; Hednrickson, 2002). From 12 noon onward is not the literal meaning of the Hebrew word erev though.

According to The TWOT, erev means “dark or evening and refers to sunset or evening” and applies to the actual darkening of the skies at twilight as the sun is beginning to sink behind the horizon. Therefore, between the evenings can also mean “between the evening of the 13th day of the first month going into the 14th day of the first month and the 14th day going into the 15th day.” That is to say, the entire daylight portion of the 14th day or Passover day could be the period between the two evenings.

With this understanding, it is not difficult to see how Yeshua and his disciples keeping the Passover or Lord’s Supper at the beginning of the 14th day is still called “the Passover” in the Gospels, even though the majority of the Jews traditionally ate the Passover meal at the end of the 14th going into the 15th.

 

The Proud and the Mighty Will Fall!

Posted on by
1

Exodus 10:3, Thus says YHVH Elohim of the Hebrews. What Moses did would be similar in our day to going to the president of the U.S., who is the head of the most powerful and advanced nation on earth, and saying, “The God of the people of El Salvador says to you…” How much impact would such a demand have on the president? However, when YHVH deputizes a person for a divine mission, YHVH, the Creator of the universe, and just one person make a majority!

X1.Jatuh.daritangga.18042015

How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? The sovereign Creator ultimately demands that everyone submits to his will and purposes. Those who refuse to do so imperil themselves. The Scriptures record that YHVH held other leaders accountable for exalting themselves against him—for refusing to humble themselves: Nebuchanezzar (Dan 4:19ff), Belshazzar (Dan 5:22), Zedekiah (2 Chron 36:12), Lucifer (Isa 14:13ff) and Herod (Acts 12:21–23).

Furthermore, those who put their trust in false gods will come under the judgment of the one supreme and true God or Mighty One whom the Bible calls Elohim. As Elohim judged the false gods of Egypt one by one and brought that arrogant nation down, he will do the same in the end days with Babylon the Great and the gods of this world. We see a striking parallel between the plagues YHVH brought upon Egypt and those he will bring upon the rebellious inhabitants of earth just prior to Yeshua’s second coming. For example, the seventh plague of the seventh vial is an ultimate expression of the fierceness of Elohim’s wrath upon a rebellious and still blaspheming world (Rev 16:17–21). Seventy five pound hailstones will fall from heaven and the earth will quake beneath. There will be no hiding place from Elohim’s wrath. Additional end-time plages that replicate those of Egypt include grievous sores to come upon men (Rev 16:2), the seawater and fresh water turning to blood (Rev 16:3–4), and darkness upon the earth (Rev 16:10). After this, Babylon the Great will fall (Rev 18:2), even as ancient Egypt fell under the mighty blows of YHVH’s judgment.

Psalm chapter two summarizes the rebellious arrogance of men, and their conspiracy against the Creator to keep control of their kingdoms. Elohim will laugh at them from heaven and will send his Son to judge them and to break their kingdoms in pieces with a rod of iron. Kiss the Son now and worship him if you expect to escape these judgments (v. 12)!

What gods do we have in our lives that we are holding on to? Each of the plagues against Egypt was a direct strike against one of the many gods of Egypt (Exod 12:12; Num 33:4). (See notes at Exod 7:14.)

 

Beware of Blind Leaders Leading Many Astray

Posted on by
3

Luke 6:40, Perfectly/fully trained. Those disciples of Yeshua the Master-Teacher who are properly trained, fit out, prepared or equipped can become like Yeshua the Master-Teacher. Those who aren’t properly equipped or trained to teach are like the blind leading the blind and will cause others to fall into a spiritual ditch (Luke 6:39). Those who aren’t properly trained not only will be like a blind man, but will also be hypocritical in his judgments and assessments of things. This is because he lacks the experience, wisdom and skills to be able to point out the faults of others because he still inexperienced and has too many blind spots and is still like the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:41–42).

Blind Businessman

This is why Paul very carefully lays out the qualifications for those in spiritual leadership in the local congregation. A spiritual leaders was not to be an inexperienced individual, a new convert or a novice (1 Tim 3:6), but well-discipled in YHVH’s truth before hand (Tit 1:9). Paul says that it is good thing for a man to desire to be a spiritual leader (1 Tim 3:1), but it isn’t a good thing if he doesn’t meet the criteria or qualifications, which Paul then lays out (1 Tim 3:2–13).

The problem is that in our day, there are many individuals who desire to be leaders and teachers, who are self-appointed, and who have not been perfectly or fully trained. Since the advent of the internet, such people now have an easily accessible pulpit-platform from which to influence others. Sadly, they are like the blind hypocrite in Yeshua’s parable leading many astray and causing many to stumble and fall into spiritual ditches. Just because someone has a website, a YouTube channel, has published a book, spoken at a conference, has academic credentials or been on radio and television doesn’t mean they have been perfectly equipped or fully trained for such a vocation. We may not always know what a person’s background or qualifications are, but the spiritual fruit they produce, whether good or bad, can be an excellent indicator as to what type of spiritual tree they are, as Yeshua goes on to say in the next verses (Luke 6:43–45).