Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

Are Ye “Gods”?

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What does it mean to become a “son of God (Elohim)? Please note the following biblical excerpts:

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (Rom 8:15)

Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Rom 8:23)

Who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises… (Rom 8:23)

To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Gal 4:5)

Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will… (Eph 1:5)

Who me???

Who me???

The word adoption is the Greek word huiothesia meaning “adoption, adoption as sons; that relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself and the Israelites in preference to all other nations; the nature and condition of the true disciples in Christ, who by receiving the Spirit of God into their souls become sons of God; the blessed state looked for in the future life after the visible return of Christ from heaven” (from the Online Bible).

The Bible must be our ultimate guide as to what we believe, teach and practice. The Hebrew word Elohim is a plural noun referring to the “Godhead” (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). At the same time, we read in John 1:12 that those who have received Yeshua are given the right, authority, or power to become the children of Elohim. This same thought is also stated in Rom 8:14–15; 9:4; 2 Cor 6:18; Gal 4:5–6; Eph 1:5; 1 John 3:1–2 and Rev 21:7. The idea that men would become children of Elohim (part of the spiritual family of Elohim) seems to have been broadly accepted by the apostles.

Just because the Protestant church doesn’t generally teach the biblical fact that redeemed men will become part of the family of Elohim doesn’t not make it a fact. And similarly, just because some cults teach a perverted twist of this biblical truth doesn’t mean we should reject what the Bible teaches about it.

Interestingly, many of the Eastern Orthodox churches (the counterpart of the Roman Catholic Church in the eastern world) have taught the concept that man will become like God in their idea of the theosis. For educational and enlightenment purposes, may I suggest that the reader look up this term online.

What is to be our spiritual destiny or inheritance after we receive our glorified bodies at the resurrection? To only be glorified angelic beings? The Bible says that man will be above the angels (1 Cor 6:3). What’s above the angels in spiritual rank? That’s right, Elohim!

I leave you with this passage from John:

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of Elohim! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of Elohim; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:1–2)

This being said,  what  does this scripture mean?

I said, “You are gods [Elohim], And all of you are children of the Most High. (Ps 82:6)

 

Food For Thought—You Are What You Eat

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What is the heart and spirit behind the biblical dietary laws? I will, in part, attempt to answer this question the following brief teaching.

The Genesis creation account records that YHVH Elohim made man in his own image (Gen 1:26). As such, the first humans, Adam and Eve, had spiritual communion with their Creator. Though man fell quickly to the temptation to sin, which separated him from a sinless, set-apart and righteous Creator, YHVH has desired to redeem man from the power of sin to be set-apart (holy or in Heb. kadosh) as he is set-apart (e.g. Lev 11:44).

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Israel was redeemed from YHVH’s judgment against sin when they sacrificed the lamb on Passover and painted the blood on the door posts of their homes. YHVH then immersed Israel in the Red Sea (a picture of baptism for the remission of sins) and led them to the foot of Mount Sinai. YHVH revealed his Torah-truth (his instructions, teachings and precepts in righteousness) to the nation of Israel from Mount Sinai so that they could become a set-apart (kadosh) kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6). He was showing them the pathway of righteousness so that after having been redeemed by the blood of the lamb—a direct prophetic picture pointing to Yeshua the Lamb of YHVH slain from the foundation of the world—they could have fellowship with him by avoiding sinning by walking in the straight and narrow path of righteousness.

Part of the walking in a loving relationship with a righteous and totally set-apart (kadosh) YHVH involves keeping his commandments as Yeshua said in John 14:15. To know and to love YHVH is to obey his commandments (1 John 2:3–6). Those who love him and back up their belief in him with the actions of obedience (faith without works is dead, Jas 2:14–26) are better off than the demons who believe in Elohim only, but do not back up their belief with obedience to YHVH’s righteous commands. Those who love and obey YHVH are called set-apart ones or saints. Scripture defines saints as those who keep (i.e., observe or do) the Torah commands of YHVH and who also have the testimony of faith of Yeshua, the Messiah, Savior and Redeemer of mankind (Rev 12:17 and 14:12). Those who obey (hear and do) YHVH’s Torah commands will be called the greatest in the kingdom of Elohim while those who disregard the Torah and its commands will be called the least—so says Yeshua in Matthew 5:19!

Keeping YHVH’s dietary laws as outlined in the Torah is a foundational aspect of living a righteous and set-apart lifestyle. If one expects to be a member of the king-priest class in YHVH-Yeshua’s future kingdom, one must begin preparing for this role by keeping YHVH’s Torah in spirit and in truth (as Yeshua taught us in the Sermon on the Mount). Continue reading →

 

THE NONEXISTENT, EVIL CHICK CALLED EASTER

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From Worldnet Daily

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

THE NONEXISTENT, EVIL CHICK CALLED EASTER

Exclusive: Joe Kovacs asks if name of holiday violates Ten Commandments


Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2010/03/127864/#khusihZ9x6FE291k.99

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3/31 through 4/6/13

Aside

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Parashat Shemini — Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47
Haftarah — 2 Sam 6:1 – 7:17
Prophets — Isaiah 54:1 – 61:11
Writings — Proverbs 26:1 – 31:31; Job 1:1 – 22
Testimony — Acts 11:1 – 15:41

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 3/31 through 4/6/13.

 

He Is Risen!—Proof of the Resurrection from Isaiah

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Here is proof from the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets & Writings aka Old Testament) that Yeshua’s resurrection was prophesied some 700 years before his death on the cross. This is found in a phrase from Isaiah 53:11 that is missing from most of our English Bibles.

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Isaiah 53:11, See the light. The Qumran Great Isaiah Scroll translates verse 11 as follow:

Of the suffering of his soul he will see light and he will find satisfaction. And through his knowledge his servant, the righteous one will make many righteous, and he will bear their iniquities” (The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, by Abegg, Flint and Ulrich, p. 360; Harper Collins Publishers, New York, N.Y.:1999).

Note the highlighted portion that is missing in the Masoretic text from which our most common English Bibles’ “Old Testament” portions are derived. The New International Version (NIV) translates this verse as follows and notes in its footnotes that this phrase originates from the Isaiah Dead Sea Scroll and from the Septuagint (LXX):

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Note the Septuagint (LXX) translation of this verse:

The Lord also is pleased to take away from the travail of his soul, to shew him light, and to form him with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins. [translated by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton (1807-1862) originally published by Samuel Bagster & Sons, Ltd., London, 1851]

Light in bible is synonymous with life. In Bible times, a late night traveller would see light in a house and know there was life therein. The phrase in this verse, “he will see the light”, speaks of resurrection from the shadows of death into the light of life. What else could this mean except that Messiah would resurrect from the grave?

 

Does Peter’s Vision Tell Us to Eat Pork?

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Many Bible believers view Peter’s vision in Acts 10 as proof that it is now permissible for disciples of Yeshua to eat non-kosher food, like pork, which the Torah (law of Moses) forbids. Is this so? Here is a short answer to this question.

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Acts 10:13–15, In Peter’s vision of the sheet covered with unclean animals the voice from heaven commanded him three times to kill and eat these unclean animals. Peter was confused by the meaning of this vision since being a Torah-law abiding Jew he knew that eating unclean meat was forbidden and in good conscience he could not do that which was contrary to YHVH’s Torah-law, for to do so was sin (sin is the violation of the law, 1 John 3:4).

Often visions are metaphorical in nature and not literal. There are many examples in the Scriptures of people receiving metaphorical visions. Just read the books of Daniel and Revelation, for example. Indeed, Peter’s vision was no exception, for no sooner had the vision ended when three Gentile men appeared at his door seeking the gospel and the Spirit of Elohim bade Peter to go and to meet them. Peter then realized that the interpretation of vision was that he should not call any man common or unclean; that is, the gospel message is for all whether Jew or those of the nations (verse 28). The Bible interprets itself in this passage and the issue is not about whether it is now permissible to eat non-kosher meat or not, but rather the Spirit of Elohim was now directing the apostles to begin taking the gospel to the Gentiles, who by Jewish standards were considered common and unclean (verse 28).

Now consider this. If Yeshua had meant to say in Matthew 15:11 and Mark 7:18–19 that it was now permissible to eat all foods including those meats that the Torah prohibits to be eaten (e.g., pork, shellfish, etc.), presumably Peter would have known this, since he was present when Yeshua made the statement (see Matt 15:15). If Peter knew that Yeshua had given the okay for his disciples now to eat unclean meat, why then did Peter so strongly object when the voice from heaven commanded him to eat the unclean animals in the vision (Acts 10:13–14)? Obviously, Peter had not changed his opinion about not eating unclean meat, since Yeshua had never annulled the Torah command forbidding the eating of unclean meats in the first place.