Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

“Let there be light” in your life…

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Psalm 67:1–2, Face to shine…that your way. In analyzing this biblical passage, let’s apply some mathematical logic and discover the wonderful place to which it leads us. It’s a place that’s higher and better than any other! Here we go…

YHVH’s face or countenance shines like the sun in its full strength (Rev 1:16). He is the Sun of righteousness (Mal 4:2). The sun is the greater light that shines in the darkness of this world (Gen 1:16). The physical sun points to and is a representation of Yeshua who isn’t the greater light, but the Greatest Light that shone on this earth before the physical sun was created on the fourth day, and will shine once again on the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:23) as he shone on the first three days of creation (Gen 1:3). 

Presently, Yeshua is the Light of the world (John 8:12) that is contained in his Torah-Word, which is truth, and which is revealed by the Spirit of Elohim (John 16:13) to those who humbly and repentantly seek it like little children (Matt 18:3–4). 

Moreover, Yeshua is the Word of Elohim that was made flesh (John 1:1, 14), and he is a spiritual light that shines in the darkness of this world to show men the way out of the darkness and to his Father in heaven (John 1:4;–5; 8:12, 9:5 cp. 14:6) who himself dwells in supernal light (1 Tim 6:16; Dan 2:22; 1 John 1:5; Jas 1:17). 

Light in the Scriptures is also a metaphor for truth (John 3:21) and the Torah (Prov 6:23 cp. Ps 119:142, 151). Light is also a metaphor for the Word of Elohim (Ps 119:105). Yeshua was and is that Word (John 1:1, 14). 

Now let’s go back to Psalm 67:1–2. When Elohim causes his face to shine on us, we will be blessed and receive his mercy (verse 1). The result will be that we will know his ways and his salvation, which is Yeshua (salvation is the Hebrew word Yeshua in verse 2). 

Can the truth of Elohim’s word be any clearer than this? When we understand these simple biblical truths, and humbly submit ourselves to them and walk in the light of this glorious truth, our lives will be in perfect alignment or in sync with the plumb line of YHVH’s laser light-like truth. This puts us on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life, and it places us in the middle of YHVH’s river of life (Ps 1:3) that flows from his throne and a tree of life (Prov 3:18 cp. Ps 1:3, read vv. 1–6 for context). 

This spot is where it’s at—the sweet spot of life (see Ps 1:1–6)! Yet men are so hard-hardhearted, stiffnecked, rebellious and arrogant that they refuse to see these simples truths because they love the darkness of their sin and refuse to come to the light of Yeshua (John 3:19–20). 

Those of you who are privileged to have the light of YHVH’s countenance shining on you, give him the glory he deserves for his wonderful merciful grace in your life, and take a moment to offer up a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving!

 

Avoid Sectarianism: An Us Vs. Them Attitude = PRIDE!

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In my many years as a Torah-minded disciple of Yeshua, I have observed a most destructive attitude among those of us who view the Bible from a more Hebraic perspective including valuing the Torah as a lifestyle guide. It is this: to view others (especially those who are still in the mainstream Christian church) as inferior spiritually to us. This is not a good thing, and is contrary to the teachings of Yeshua, as you will see from the following study.

When I was a pastor, I continually warned people against this attitude. An “us versus them” mentality creates pride, Phariseeism, strife, division, self-righteousness and a whole host of other evils. Yeshua warned his disciples against this, and continually admonished them to be humble and grateful, and not arrogant about the truths they had been given.

As you can see from the following study, sectarianism is a most destructive mindset and attitude that needs to be uprooted from of our thinking and repented of. It not only hinders us in our spiritual growth, but prevents us from reaching out in love to our brothers and sisters (the lost sheep of the house of Israel) and from gathering them in, as Yeshua commanded his disciples (and us) to do.

Mark 9:38–41, Yeshua forbids sectarianism.What can we learn from Yeshua’s instructions in this passage? Simply this. Though another person may not be in our particular spiritual camp, if they are doing good and are not against us, we’re to give them credit for the good that they are doing. This is the high road of love, mercy and grace that Yeshua expects his disciples to follow in regards to those of other congregations, denominations, sects or ministries.

Mark 9:38–50, Avoid strife and contention. This is a very enigmatic passage that commentators struggle with trying to explain, since Yeshua links together so many seemingly disparate concepts. I say “seemingly,” since there is nothing average about the Master’s intellect, or his deep and insightful knowledge and understanding of spiritual Truth. Our inability to comprehend his sayings should only spur us onward to dig all the more into their heights and depths of meaning, thus uncovering the nuggets of truth from within the transcendent intellect of our Master and Creator!

Yeshua the Master begins his discourse by discouraging sectarianism. “Those who aren’t against us are for us.” He then promises rewards to those who are kind to his disciples, implying that his disciples should in turn be kind to others who, though they may not be a part of your particular group, they may not necessarily be working against you, for they may also be kingdom workers but with a different assignment than yours (vv. 38–41).

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Genesis 37–41: The Life of Joseph—A Foreshadow of Messiah Ben (Son of) Joseph

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The spirit of Antimessiah (Antichrist) is on a dramatic rise in our day. It is even rampant among those who are returning to the Hebraic, Torah-centric roots of the Christian faith where some people are losing their faith in Yeshua the Messiah. A few are even converting to Rabbinic Judaism, which denies the messiahship and deity of Yeshua and the divine inspiration of the Testimony of Yeshua. Some of the blame for this can be laid at the feet of a few of the modern-day descendants of the non-believing Pharisees (i.e. the Rabbinic Jews), who use clever arguments to beguile unstable and unlearned souls into humanistic reasoning devoid of a living faith in Yeshua their Savior and the Redeemer of man. Because of a spiritual blindness that Scripture prophesied would come upon the Jews producing a hardness of heart toward Yeshua the Messiah, unbelieving Jews ignore the numerous prophetic shadow-pictures pointing to Yeshua the Messiah contained in their own Tanakh.

May the following study strengthen your faith in Yeshua the Messiah, in his divine origination in the very heart, mind and essence of Elohim, and in the fact that he was foreordained to come to this earth to reconcile sinful man to his Heavenly Father through his self-sacrifice on the cross. All this was prophesied long ago in the Tanakh. The ancient Jewish sages speak of a messianic figure coming called Messiah son of Joseph (Mashiach ben Yosef), the Suffering Servant, whose life and ministry would parallel that of Joseph, yet these same Jewish sages fail to see the connection between Joseph’s life and that of Yeshua. Let’s now chronicle the striking and uncanny parallels between Joseph and Messiah the son of Joseph, the Suffering Servant. (Many of these comparisons come from the book, Gleanings in Genesis, by Arthur W. Pink ).

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Please take this survey

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Dear Friends and Readers of this Blog,

I have a friend who is a pastor, a Torah-keeper and a lover of Yeshua who is conducting a survey of Hebraic-minded folks. She is trying to ascertain the effect that the Torah has had on people’s life, on their relationship with Yeshua, on their spiritual walk and on their understanding of the Bible. The more people that respond to this survey, the more accurate the data will be. The survey will take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. I’ve asked her to share the results with us. Please consider taking the time to respond to this survey, which will help us to understand better the spiritual state of those folks who are a part of the so-called Hebrew Roots Movement. Thank you.

Here is the link to the survey. It is completely anonymous.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GeneralP8W659T

 

Here’s how to have a “religious” experience

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Psalm 63:2, Looked…sanctuary. To see is the Hebrew word chazahi meaning “to see as a seer in an ecstatic state, to perceive with intelligence, to prophesy, to perceive with inner vision, to see a vision (see also Ps 27:4). 

Sanctuary is Hebrew word kavod and refers to the holy of holies in the Tabernacle of Moses where the glory of Elohim abode and was an earthly representation of Elohim’s throne room. 

Glory is the Hebrew word kavod and refers to the manifest, weighty presence of Elohim, which can be experienced by humans. 

With the meaning of these words in mind, this verse is bursting with a full treasure chest of meaning. What can we learn from this verse? Simply this. When we thirstily seek Elohim as if we were trekking through a waterless desert (v. 1), and come into his throne in a spirit of worship and prayerful surrender (v. 4), while recognizing YHVH’s lovingkindness and seeking him first above anything else in life (v. 3), we can expect a divine revelatory and supernatural experience (v. 2).

 

Take you your cross—the way down is the way up

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Mark 8:34, Deny himself.The inordinate love of self is the greatest obstacle to following Yeshua wholeheartedly and to becoming great in his kingdom. The chief characteristic of a life dominated by self is selfishness, pride, self-righteousness, self-centeredness and possessiveness. Such a person, to one degree or another, has forced Elohim out of the center of their life and has crowned themselves as their own king and has given themselves over to the coveting of things and the exaltation of self. 

To a person who has placed themselves at the center of their lives instead of Yeshua and his Word, self-life has become their main focus and fiercest passion. Such a person tends to be extremely self-invovled, self-centered, self-focused and selfish. They tend to always be talking about themselves, always wanting attention, always wanting people’s approval, their feelings are easily offended or hurt, they tend to be possessive, and they want to be in control of people and situations around them, that is, they’re bossy.

Possessiveness can take on several forms. One example is surrounding oneself with many physical possessions, which causes one to feel elevated in that it makes one the ruler of one’s own kingdom—the kingdom of stuff and self. Such people have a hard time giving their physical possessions away, even if they no longer need or use them. Physical things are an extension of themselves, and because they’re self-absorbed, their also selfish in that they have a hard time giving what belong to them to others.

With such a person, the pronouns I and me are constantly heard from their lips, and they have, to one degree or another, become their own god and the leader of their own religious sect—the religion of self. 

In response to the tyranny of self and material possessions that largely dominates and even monopolizes the endeavors of most self-centered and carnally (fleshly) minded people (which to one degree or another includes all of us), Yeshua says “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” Elsewhere he says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). Finally, our Master leaves us with these words to ponder.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. (Mark 8:35)

In Yeshua’s kingdom, the way down is the way up; to give is the way to riches; to become a servant is the way to greatness. These all involve self-negation, not self-exaltation. How Yeshua lived and what he taught is diametrically opposite to what this world teaches us. Observe, learn from and follow his example.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 12-15 Through 12-21-19

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Parashat Vayeshev — Genesis 37:1 – 40:23
Haftarah — Amos 2:6 – 3:8
Prophets — 1 Samuel 11:1 – 17:58
Writings — Psalms 63:1 – 69:36
Testimony — Mark 8:1 – 11:18

Our new annual Scripture Reading Schedule for 2019-2020 with daily readings is available to download and print. If you are still working through 2018-2019’s Scripture Reading Schedule, the link will still be available on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links”. If you are using a mobile device or tablet, the link may be below, meaning you’ll need to scroll down instead.

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 or the “share your thoughts” box 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 12/15/19 through 12/21/19.