Category Archives: Weekly Scripture Readings

Blog Scripture Readings for 8-16 Through 8-22-15

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Shoftim — Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9 
Haftarah — Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12
Prophets — Hosea 10:1 – 14:9; Joel; Amos 1:1-15
Writings — 1 Chronicles 16:1 – 22:19
Testimony — 1 Timothy 3:1 – 6:21; 2 Timothy 1:1 – 3:17

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 8/16 through 8/22/15.

 

Will your excuses pass muster with Elohim?

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Deuteronomy 16:1ff, Keeping the biblical feasts. How important are YHVH’s feast days (annual set-apart times or moedim) to you? The Israelites and first-century Messianic believers planned their entire year’s schedule around them. That’s how important YHVH’s annual festivals were to them. Do we travel halfway across the country to take a vacation or to go to a conference, and yet do not set apart the time to obey YHVH’s voice by keeping his appointed times? Do we let our jobs, school or other secular activities dictate how and whether we keep the feasts or not? If so, what does this say about the status of our spiritual priorities? What does Elohim think about our excuses about why we can’t keep his feasts has he has commanded us to do?

The feast days are the skeletal framework of YHVH’s entire plan of redemption (salvation) of Israel. One cannot in good conscience keep the weekly Sabbath without keeping YHVH’s annual Sabbaths. They stand or fall together. What plans are you making to keep the upcoming fall appointed times of YHVH: Yom Teruah (Day of Shouting/Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Covering/Atonement), Hag HaSukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and Shemini Atzeret (The Eighth Day)?

In the final analysis, jobs, schooling, friends and the praises and acceptance of men will all pass away, but our relationship with Elohim will determine our eternal destiny. Isn’t it time that we got serious about putting him first in our lives?

 

The 18 Benefits of Torah Obedience

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Both the Old and New Testaments show the blessings and benefits of Torah obedience. After learning about these benefits that will positively affect our life here and now, and eternally, why would anyone not want to love Yeshua the Messiah (John 14:15) by following his example and obeying YHVH’s instructions in righteousness also known as the Torah? This video explains this and more.

 

When Is the Rapture or the First Resurrection and Who Will Be In It?

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1 Thessalonians 4:17, Be caught up. Do I believe in the rapture? Yes, but not as many in the Christian church teach it. For them, the resurrection of the righteous dead occurs before the great tribulation — called the pre-trib rapture.

As you probably know, the word “rapture” is from a Latin word for being “caught up” (or resurrected) as found in 1 Thess 4:17 — “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air …” Therefore, a better question to ask would be, do I believe in the resurrection of the dead? Most emphatically I do. The only question is when do I believe the resurrection will occur? As far as I can tell, there are only three obvious answers to that question: before the great tribulation (as much of the Christian church teaches), after the great tribulation, but before the wrath of Elohim is poured out on the earth (what I believe) or after the great tribulation and the wrath (which is what some believe, including some Messianics), which is called the “post trib” position.

The word “caught up” is the Greek word harpazo (Strong’s 726/TDNT 1:472) which is used 13 times in the NT (Matt 11:12; 13:19; John 6:15; 10:12,28,29; Acts 8:39; 23:10; 2 Cor 12:2,4; 1 Thess 4:15; Jude 23; Rev 12:5) and means “to seize, carry off by force, to snatch out or away.” It is found in the NT 13 times and is translated in the KJV as “catch up, take by force, catch away, pluck, catch, pull.”

Of the 13 places this word is found in the NT here are the places where its usage is analogous to that of 1 Thess 4:17—

  • Acts 8:39, The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip…
  • 2 Cor 12:2,4 Paul is caught up to the third heaven/paradise in a vision …
  • Rev 12:5, The child (Yeshua) is caught up unto God … This is speaking about Yeshua’s bodily resurrection after his death.

So yes, I believe in the “rapture” or more accurately, being caught up to heaven, or resurrected. The only question is the timing of the resurrection. That’s what I explain in my teaching entitled, “The Tribulation, the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of Elohim,” which you have.

The Resurrection of the Dead — A Fundamental Doctrine of the Gospel

The concept of the resurrection of the dead is a fundamental biblical concept and one of the main doctrines underlying the gospel message as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews states:

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward Elohim, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Heb 6:1–2)

What Is the Rapture?

The concept of the rapture has bandied about in the church quite a lot in recent years. Continue reading →

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 8-9 Through 8-15-15

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Re’eh — Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17 
Haftarah — Isaiah 54:11-55:5 | Numbers 28:9-15; Isaiah 66:1-24**
Prophets — Hosea 1:1 – 9:17
Writings — 1 Chronicles 9:28 – 15:29
Testimony — 1 Thessalonians 4:1 – 5:28; 2 Thessalonians; 1 Timothy 1:1 – 2:15

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 is Shabbat Rosh Chodesh (for the 6th month, called “Elul”) on the traditional calendar

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 8/9 through 8/15/15.

 

What Are the 15 Enemies of Torah-Obedience?

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In the Book of Deuteronomy, YHVH through Moses lays out the wonderful blessings that will come when YHVH’s people obey his Torah commandments. In stark terms, he also lays out the curses that will come as a  result of disobedience. Throughout Deuteronomy, it’s almost as if YHVH is pleading with his people to choose to obey him, so he can outrageously bless them. What a deal for the people! At the same time, he clearly shows that ultimately it is the choice of each person to choose which path they will follow: the path of obedience and righteousness that leads to blessings and life, or the path of disobedience and sin that leads to curses and death (Deut 30:15–20).

Monstruo en la oscuridad

With the two paths so clearly laid out before men, you’d think that men would choose the path of blessings and life. Yet this isn’t the case. Most men will choose the path of sin and rebellion. Why is this? This is because man has several enemies that are working against YHVH to draw men away from him into a path of sin and rebellion. Who and what are these enemies?

Enemy Number One: Our Flesh Nature

The fallen nature, carnal heart of man (Jer 17:9; Rom 8:7). Man’s heart is naturally rebellious, stiffnecked and hard-hearted toward anyone or anything that tells it to do something it doesn’t want to do. The rebellious pride and stubborn hard-heartedness of the human mind, will and emotions is the greatest force working against one to obey YHVH’s commandments. What makes this enemy so lethal is that he’s inside of us — in our heart (how we feel) and in our mind (what we think). This enemy is very hard to detect, since it is so well camouflaged within each of us.

Enemy Number Two: The World

The influences of the world are a snare to us (Exod 34:12; Deut 7:16). The allurements of the pagan practices of the surrounding nations was ancient Israel’s downfall. The ways of the heathen are enticing because they appeal to and satiate the carnal nature within each man. This is why it is so hard for us to resist. The enemy outside of us is seducing the enemy within us and together they are warring against word or truth of Elohim in our spirit man (our conscience).

Enemy Number Three: Satan

Satan the devil, the adversary, is YHVH’s arch-rebel and is seeking to undermine everything that is good, true and righteous (1 Pet 5:8). He’ll use the world to draw man away from Elohim. He’ll use demonic, and lying spirits to tempt man to sin against YHVH. He’ll shoot fiery darts into man’s thinking (Eph 6:16) to deceive man and to lead him astray spiritually (Rev 12:9). He is the original sinner (1 John 3:8). He is the father of all lies (John 8:44) and he lies about and rebels against the truth of Elohim.

Enemy Number Four: Church Traditions

Church traditions or doctrines of men by which make the word of Elohim is made of non-effect is a major force keeping man from obeying all of YHVH’s Word including his Torah-commandments (Matt 15:6–9; Mark 7:8–9).

Enemy Number Five: Family and Friends

Family members and friends who are opposed to obedience to the Word of Elohim is a strong deterrent to one’s keeping YHVH’s commandments. After all, what will they think? How will that affect my relationship with them?

Other Reasons Why People Refuse to Obey YHVH’s Torah

  • They think it’s too difficult to do.
  • It requires lifestyle changes.
  • They’re afraid of what others may think.
  • They’re afraid they might lose their friends.
  • People have become a victim of spiritual complacency. They don’t want to leave their spiritual comfort zones.
  • They’re too busy with the cares of this life to want to make any major spiritual changes.
  • They’re really not in love with YHVH enough to want to obey his Word.
  • They lack the fear of YHVH, and therefore obeying his Word isn’t really that important.
  • They don’t take the Word of Elohim seriously enough.
  • They have succumbed to a faith of easy-believism when it comes to obeying YHVH’s Word where actions don’t have to back up one’s belief or fatih.

Does one really think that any of these reasons and excuses will pass muster with YHVH Elohim on judgment day when he’s determining a persons level of rewards in his kingdom?

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:19)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10)

And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Rev 22:12)

 

New Video: Deuteronomy — the Heart and Spirit of Torah

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This video explains how the Book of Deuteronomy reveals our loving Heavenly Father’s heart for his people, and his desire for them to follow his instructions in righteousness, so they will abide in his river of life and experience great blessings.