Category Archives: Weekly Scripture Readings

How does a red flag, sin and the mouth correlate?

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Woman waving red flag

Leviticus 13:45, Cry, “Unclean, unclean.” A skin disease was like a red flag, which if a person had it was regarded as a judgment from Elohim for the sin of slander, gossip, murder with the mouth, false oaths and pride as well as sexual immorality, robbery, and selfishness. That person was considered to be physically and spiritually contagious and so was put outside the camp of Israel until the disease was gone. According to Samson Hirsch, quarantine was a means of shocking the sinner into recognizing his moral shortcomings and his need to repent (The ArtScroll Chumash, p. 613).

What if each time we sinned with our mouth we were quickly struck with a visible sin disease for all to see resulting in our being quarantined and shunned? Perhaps the incidences of lashon hara (the evil tongue) would greatly diminish. If you received heaven’s judgment each time you misspoke, how would you change your speech habits and heart attitude toward others? Now live your life from this point on as if the next time you spoke evil of someone (without a righteous and biblically justifiable reason) you would be instantly judged by YHVH in a visible and public way.

What is the connection between Leviticus chapters 11 and 13? Both involve the mouth. The former Torah passage deals with uncleanness that goes into the mouth through what we eat. This defiles the man from within. The latter passage deals with what comes out of the mouth and how the man with a defiled heart corrupts society through the wrong use of his mouth. What did Yeshua say about this in Mark 7:14–23? What were the penalties in the Torah for eating unclean meats? (Read Leviticus 11.) Though the Torah calls eating unclean meats an abomination and declares that doing so defiles a person, interestingly there are no stated penalties for doing so. Now what are the penalties for speaking gossip and slander? It is a skin disease and required excommunication from the camp of Israel. Both eating unclean meats and speaking gossip and slander are sins to be sure, but the penalties for the one is much greater than for the other indicating the seriousness YHVH places on the right usage of the mouth. Ponder this for a moment: How easy it is for us to overly focus on what goes into our bellies, while at the same time ignoring the raw sewage spewing out of our mouths at times.

In conclusion, lest anyone think that clean and unclean meats is not a serious issue, YHVH clearly states in Isaiah 66:17 that in the end times during the day of Elohim’s wrath (referred to as the great and terrible day of the YHVH), those who are found to be eating swine’s flesh and other abominable foods will be consumed by the fire and sword of YHVH Elohim. We can infer from this that by then (presumably, the Millennium or Messianic Age) if people still have not repented of their sins and are refusing to turn to YHVH and obey him, they probably will deserve to die because of the perennial rebellious state of their hearts. This all the more underscores the fact that the mouth—what goes in and what comes out of it—are difficult issues for humans to deal with, but YHVH demands that we take personal responsibility for the use of our mouths. Let us not forget the warning admonition of Yeshua,

But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  (Matt 12:36)

 

What is “the restoration of all things”?

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Acts 3:19–26, Who is the Prophet and what is “the restoration of all things?” The flow of the context (vv. 16–22) clearly points to Yeshua and not another person as being the prophet of Deut 18. This is the opinion of the NKJV Bible translators as well, which take the liberty of capitalizing capitalize the word Prophet in verse 22 — an obvious reference to Yeshua. A quick check of several respected Christian commentaries corroborates this view. In fact, Beale and Carson (Commentary on the NT Use of the OT) point out that Peter’s reference to the seed (singular) of Abraham through which all nations would be blessed is an obvious reference to Yeshua, and Paul concurs with this idea and develops this theme in Gal 3:8, 16–17.

When Peter speaks of the “restoration of all things” before Yeshua’s second coming, he may be using hyperbole here, which was a common biblical literary device to emphasize a point. Will we have a new heaven and a new earth along with the New Jerusalem at the second coming, or does that come at the end of the 1000 year long Millennium as the chronology of Revelation seems to indicate? It seems unlikely that everything will be totally restored at Yeshua’s return. However, the regathering of the exiles of the lost sheep of the house of Israel will be certainly finalized around the time of his return or shortly thereafter. This process began with the coming of Yeshua as he states in Matt 10:6 and 15:24, and was to continue as he commanded in Acts 1:8. Truly, Paul, as the apostle to the Gentiles, played a key role in this process, and it has continued to one degree or another to this day in the preaching of the gospel by the church around the world.

It seems that the restoration of Israel to its kingdom is what Peter is referring to in Acts 3:21 when he refers to the “restoration of all things” (v. 21), since this issue was of paramount importance in the disciples’ minds. After all, it was the last question they asked Yeshua before his ascension in Acts 1. This point isn’t lost by Christian commentators like Craig S. Keener and Adam Clarke either.

Interestingly, Yeshua uses this same terminology in Mark 3:12 where he prophesies that Elijah will come to restore all things. He says that as John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, others will come in the same spirit of Elijah to complete this work in the last days before his second advent. Paul, as the apostle to the Gentiles, helped in fulfilling that mission, but he didn’t complete it. He didn’t even live in the last days just before the second coming! Will a single Elijah figure (like John) arise in the last days to help complete this task, or will there be many who will come in the spirit of Elijah to help regather the tribes of Israel? That’s a hard question to answer at this time. Yeshua indicated that it would be a single person, but at this time, there are many who are preaching the regathering of Israel. So it will probably be a combination of both.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 4-3 Through 4-9-16

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Tazria — Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59
Haftarah — Exodus 12:1-20; Ezekiel 45:16-18**
Prophets — Isaiah 34:1 – 40:31
Writings — Proverbs 16:1 – 22:29
Testimony — Acts 2:40 – 6:15

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 when it is a special sabbath in Jewish tradition. This week it is Shabbat HaChodesh on the traditional calendar. Otherwise, 2 Kings 4:42–5:19 would be read.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 4/3 through 4/9/16.

 

Videos: The Bible on Clean and Unclean Meats

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This video presents the heart and spirit behind the biblical dietary commandments. A free study guide is available at http://hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/food_for_thought.pdf.

In this video, Natan discusses controversial passages in the New Testament that many Bible teachers use to invalidate the Old Testament dietary laws, and he shows how their arguments are illogically invalid.

 

The Heart & Spirit Behind the Biblical Dietary Law

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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 (kadosh) as he is set-apart (e.g. Lev 11:44).

kosher brown stamp isolated on white

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 Continue reading →

 

What is it worth to you?

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Leviticus 10:13, Because it is due. In the days before coinage, a mans’ wages were weighed out in silver bullion or bartering occurred. In the case of the Levites (including the priests), they were given a portion of the offerings and sacrifices as their wages for serving the people. It is often the attitude of those in congregations that ministers should serve the people for free—without pay, and they therefore refuse to give. This is contrary to the Torah, which commands the Israelites to remunerate the Levites for their services (see Lev 27:30, 32). YHVH even calls the tithe to his ministers “their inheritance” (Num 18:21, 26).

Although the Testimony of Yeshua doesn’t uphold the concept of tithing per se, it does teach the Torah principle of giving to the ministry. For example, Paul instructed the believers in Philippi about giving. He addresses the issue of supporting his ministry and that by their faithfulness in giving to him it is in effect giving an offering (a sacrifice) to YHVH, and that the Philippians would be blessed for this (Phil 4:16–19). He goes on to say that we are to give to those who spiritually feed us (1 Tim 5:17–18). Paul backs up this assertion by quoting a Torah principle here.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn,” and, “The labourer is worthy of his reward.”

What’s more, the Scriptures tell us that great blessings from heaven accrue to those who tithe to YHVH’s spiritual work on earth (Mal 3:10–11).

To not tithe, according to the Scriptures is called “robbing Elohim” (Mal 3:8–9). Those who refuse to tithe bring a curse upon themselves (Mal 3:9). Paul rebukes the congregation in Corinth for not supporting him financially, and states that he has “robbed” other churches who did support him, thus forcing him to use their offerings to pay his ministry expenses in Corinth (2 Cor 11:8–9). Corinth was not the only stingy congregation in the first century. The problem seemed to be widespread then (Phil 4:15) as it is today.

 

YHVH’s Lightning Bolt of Judgment

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Leviticus 10:1–7, Nadab and Abihu were executed by the fire of YHVH for not following his commandments. This disobedience was induced by the consumption of alcohol, which impaired their ability to following YHVH’s protocols for the tabernacle service (Lev 10:9). Likewise, at the end of the Messianic Age (Millennium) unrepentant sinners will be executed by the fire of YHVH in the lake of fire (Rev 20:15) because they have been made drunk by the false religious teachings of the whore system of religious spiritual Babylon (Rev 18:3–4).

lightning 9

We are now living in an age where, thankfully, most of our sinful actions are not met with instant divine judgment (the case of Ananias and Sapphira in the Book of Acts would be a notable exception). Does knowing that YHVH will not instantly “zap” us with the proverbial lightning bolt from heaven when we sin cause us to become lax and even calloused toward sin in our lives? Do we truly walk in the fear of YHVH? Do we fear the consequences of sin even though the results may not be immediate? How loose is your spiritual walk? How many hidden sins that no one knows about do you have that you are failing to deal with?

The path of righteousness is becoming narrower and ­narrower. There are levels of rewards in Yeshua’s kingdom. Not everyone will be “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”. Some will be the least, and many will not even be there at all (Matt 5:19). Remember that the tares that were mixed in with the wheat were culled out and burned (Matt 134:24–30). This is a picture of true versus false converts coexisting together to the very end!