When Yeshua the Messiah returns to this earth, the Bible says that he will defeat all his enemies and together with the resurrected saints will rule over this earth for 1000 years. This is called the Millennium or the Messianic Age. What will this time be like? What will the saints be doing? What about the physical nations and people who will be alive on earth during this time? This video answers these questions and more.
Parashat Lekh L’kha — Genesis 12:1 – 17:27
Haftarah — Isaiah 40:27 – 41:16
Prophets — Joshua 15:1 – 21:45
Writings — Psalms 18:25 – 25:22
Testimony — Matthew 12:1 – 15:39
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 10/26 through 11/1/14.
As in the military, you don’t make yourself an officer. You can desire to be an officer, and even go to officers’ training school. But you have to first go through training and then those above you in authority elevate you to the status of an officer.
The same is true in Yeshua’s spiritual army.
In the church system, many have the desire to become officers in Yeshua’s army, but are really self-appointed hirelings who haven’t gone through Yeshua’s discipleship training school and haven’t been commissioned as officers.
In the scripture passage below, we see how Yeshua’s training and commissioning program works.
Matthew 10:5ff, Yeshua sent out. The Commissioning of the Twelve Disciples.
There are several notable aspects to consider when Yeshua commissioned his disciples. As modern-day disciples of Yeshua, we need to take these into consideration when assuming a ministry role. These are the requirements of his laborers who will work in his harvest field (see Matt 9:37 for context).
Yeshua calls one into the ministry (Matt 10:1). Some people go into the ministry as a career like any other job by their own choice. This is unbiblical. Involvement in Yeshua’s ministry is by his invitation only.
After calling one into the ministry, there is a time of training. This is the biblical norm. For some, it was five years (e.g., the Levites), or forty years (Moses and Joshua). David had a period of training before becoming king, as did Paul the apostle and Elisha. For Yeshua’s disciples, it was three-and-one-half years. The Matthew ten account is part of the disciples’ training program.
After calling them, Yeshua gives his disciples their marching orders by telling them where to go and not to go (Matt 10:5–6). They were to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, although, later on Yeshua instructed them to go the Gentiles. Paul even taught in several places that the lost sheep of Israel were to be found among the Gentiles, as the ancient biblical prophets predicted they would be.
Yeshua then instructs them what their ministry was to be (Matt 10:7–8). They were to do exactly as Yeshua himself did: preach the gospel of repentance and the kingdom of Elohim, and to heal the sick.
He then gives them instructions pertaining to travel arrangements — what they were to take on their journey, where they were to stay, and how to act when encountering resistance (Matt 10:9–15). This includes lodging, food and financial remuneration. On the latter point, today many itinerant evangelists flagrantly violate Yeshua’s strictures in this regard and have become nothing more than travelling salesmen and peddlers always with their hands out for financial gain. They have simply become merchandisers of the gospel, sadly.
Next, Yeshua warns his disciples against persecution (Matt 10:16–26). He assumes that persecution would be a natural result of preaching the gospel. Conversely, it could be assumed that something is out of spiritual order when one preaches the gospel and persecution doesn’t occur.
Yeshua then instructs his disciples about fear — who to fear and not to fear. They are to fear YHVH, not men (Matt 10:27–31). This is an important point, since preaching the gospel to the lost can be intimidating, which is why so few do it. Yeshua promises divine protection for his disciples who preach the gospel as he has instructed (Matt 10:29–30).
The workman is worthy of his hire. Yeshua promises spiritual rewards to those who preach the gospel (Matt 10:32–33).
For those who are called into Yeshua’s ministry, he demands total commitment. One must put Yeshua first above all other human relationships. For this, expect rejection from family and friends (Matt 10:34–39).
Again, Yeshua holds out the promise of spiritual rewards for those who heed his call to become a disciple who works in his spiritual harvest field (Matt 10:39 cp. Matt 9:37).
Matthew 10:6, 23, You will not have gone through all the cities of Israel regathering all the lost sheep before the son of man comes. The sheep of Israel will not be totally regathered before the return of Yeshua. John 11:52 says that this is where the lost sheep of Israel were—abroad in that nations. Only recently, thanks to modern communications and travel, has Yeshua’s prophecy been fulfilled that the gospel would be preached to all nations before his coming (Matt 24:14).
What is the kingdom of Elohim or heaven and why was it the fourth most talked about subject by Yeshua? why doesn’t the church talk about it? How does the kingdom of Elohim relate to the millennial reign of Yeshau on earth after his second comin, and how does it all relate to you? This video answers these questions.
In 1 Peter 3:18–22, we learn that the story of Noah is also a picture of salvation and water baptism. Noah is a prophetic type of Yeshua. Let’s talk a little about baptism for the remission of sins.
The Scriptures give us no guidelines how to conduct a baptism service, only that we are commanded to be baptized for the remission of sins. Yeshua instructed his disciples when giving them the great commission to baptize new believers (Matt 28:19–20; Mark 16:16–18). If you’re a disciple of Yeshua, then you have his authority to baptize someone you have led to Yeshua or have spiritually mentored. As we shall see later, ordained elders are to lay hands on the baptism recipient, anoint them with oil and pray for them to receive the Holy or Set-Apart Spirit (Heb. Ruach HaKodesh).
The following is a suggestion on how to conduct a baptism service:
A Divine Calling — A Divine Choosing
The reason you are being baptized today is not because you chose to do so, but because you are simply responding to a divine call or invitation to follow and serve your Creator — Yehovah Elohim and his Son, Yeshua the Messiah.
[Elohim] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in the Messiah Yeshua before the world began. (1 Tim 1:9)
That ye would walk worthy of Elohim, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. But we are bound to give thanks alway to Elohim for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because Elohim hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (1 Thess 2:12–13)
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Pet 2:9)
Prophecy Is Being Fulfilled
This day, the prophetic word of Elohim is being fulfilled upon your life. You are one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel who is returning to the Elohim and the faith of his ancient fathers.
Thus says YHVH: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people — the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words, Nor My Torah, but rejected it. (Jer 6:16–19).
“Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of YHVH. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” (Mal 4:4–6)
Explanation of the Baptism/Immersion Ritual
Immersion in water is an ancient Hebrew custom signifying spiritual or ritual cleansing. It goes back to the Tabernacle of Moses rituals where YHVH required the Levitical priests to Continue reading
Parashat Noach — Genesis 6:9 – 11:32
Haftarah — Numbers 28:9-15; Isaiah 66:1-24 **
Prophets — Joshua 8:1 – 14:15
Writings — Psalms 11:1 – 18:24
Testimony — Matthew 7:1 – 11:30
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 on “Special” Sabbaths in Jewish tradition. This sabbath’s haftarah readings is for when Rosh Chodesh coincides with the Sabbath. The standard haftarah that would be read is Isaiah 54:1–55:5.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 10/19 through 10/25/14.