Category Archives: Weekly Scripture Readings

On Blood, Goats, Demons and Yeshua

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Leviticus 17:7, Sacrifices to demons. Sa’ar, the Hebrew word for goat, refers to the Egyptian goat gods, or goat demons that were believed to inhabit the wilderness (The ArtScroll Tanach Series Vayikra Leviticus Commentary, p. 313; Keil and Delitzsch, p. 593). In several places, the KJV and NAS translate this word as satyr (e.g., Isa 13:21; 34:14), which, in Greek and Roman mythology were associated with Pan, the half goat and half man-like creature. These demonic forces were believed to be destructive causing fear and turbulence, murder and mayhem (Ibid., ArtScroll Tanach Series Vayikra). Interestingly, sa’ar and Se’ir as in Mount Seir, the home of Edom (Num 24:18), share the same Hebrew consonants and derive from the same root word. From this, the Jewish sages deduce that Edom, the descendents of Esau­—Israel’s perpetual enemies down through the ages (even to the last days)—was the embodiment of evil (Ibid.). Additionally, in occult lore, there exists a creature called Baphomet, which is represented by a horned goat’s head inside of an inverted star or pentagram. The origins of this symbol are debated as to whether it goes back to the satyr or is more recent origination. However, it is well-documented that the use of blood (in sacrificial and cannibalistic rites) and its veneration is an important aspect of Satanic rituals even into modern times. This is one reason why YHVH forbad the Israelites from eating animal blood (verse 10).

From this passage in Leviticus (and the surrounding verses), it should be clear that YHVH not only expected the Israelites to respect blood (see verse 11), but to properly dispose of it in a way that would preclude them being tempted to engage in idolatrous and demonic rituals. In our notes under verse 11, we will see why YHVH valued the blood so highly. 

Leviticus 17:11, The life of the flesh. Long before modern science confirmed this in the seventeenth-century, YHVH revealed in the Torah that the life of flesh is in the blood.

Leviticus 17:11 is a crucial scripture theologically regarding the blood atonement. Presently, the Jewish religion offers no hope for its followers in light of this passage. For believers in Yeshua, the message of Messiah and him crucified addresses this issue. The importance of the blood of the Lamb in the atonement for sins as well as in overcoming sin, sickness (1 Peter 2:24) and the powers of hell (Rev 12:11) cannot be over emphasized. How thorough is your understanding of the power of the blood? Do you appropriate this power on a regular basis in your life? The power of the blood is central to the efficacy of the communion elements and specifically to the concept of redemption. The concept of the blood of Yeshua is central to the gospel message with some 50 references to it in the Testimony of Yeshua. Such terms are used as “blood of the Lamb,” “blood of Messiah,” “precious blood of Messiah,” “blood of the everlasting covenant,” “redemption through Messiah’s blood,” “blood of His cross,” “communion of the blood of Messiah,” “faith in his blood,” and “purchased with his blood.” Is the reality of the blood of Messiah central to your faith walk? How so? If not, why not? (Read and ponder Matt 26:28; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:12,22; 10:19; 12:24; 1 Pet 1:2, 19; 1 John 1:7; Rev 1:5; 7:14; 12:11.)

 

Blog Scripture readings for 4-13 through 4-19-14

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashah — No reading this week** 
Haftarah — No reading this week**
Prophets —Isaiah 55:1 – 61:11
Writings — Job 6:1 – 12:25
Testimony — Acts 15:1 – 18:28

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.

**There are no Torah or Haftarah readings this week due to the Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread holiday. Chag Sameach (Happy Feast)!

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 4/13 through 4/19/14.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 4-6 through 4-12-14

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Achrei Mot — Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30
Haftarah — Malachi 3:4–24**
Prophets —Isaiah 48:1 – 54:17
Writings — Proverbs 30:1 – 31:31; Job 1:1 – 5:27
Testimony — Acts 10:1 – 14:28

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 Shabbat is traditionally known as Shabbat HaGadol and Malachi 3:4–24 is read in place of Ezekiel 22:1 – 22:19.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 4/6 through 4/12/14.

 

On Family Purity

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Leviticus 15 discusses the family purity laws. This is a tough subject that spouses should discuss with each other and ask YHVH for wisdom on how to implement them. Holiness and purity is very important to YHVH in all situations. Men, at the very least, are to refrain from all physical relations with their wives during her monthly flow. Any man who has a problem with this needs to repent of selfishness, uncontrolled passions and failing to give his wife space during a difficult time in her life. Sin has consequences, whether we understand what they are or not, so why risk it? YHVH takes his laws seriously and blessings or curses befall us vis-à-vis our relationship to them. Check your heart attitude here. Are you serious about obeying YHVH? Or at this point, are you content to ignore his Word and, in effect, rip pages out of the Scriptures arrogantly saying, “It doesn’t apply to me”? Didn’t the serpent say something like this to Adam and Eve at the Tree of Knowledge about the Word of Elohim?

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Leviticus 15:1–33, Regarding bodily emissions, what lessons can we learn from these verses on how YHVH views us as being the temples of his Set-Apart Spirit? How are we to treat our bodies with respect and to care for them in a way that glorifies YHVH?

Leviticus 15:19–24, The laws of niddah apply to a women in her menstrual cycle. This is an area that many take for granted, but not YHVH in his Torah. A woman’s body produces life or death depending on whether an egg has been fertilized or not during her monthly cycle. There are many spiritual ramifications to this, and YHVH does not treat this matter lightly. While her egg is passing from her body she is in a state of impurity since, in a sense, death is occurring (an unfertilized egg is passing out). It is a time of grieving and emotional turmoil for the woman. This is NOT the time for a man to approach his wife sexually. To do so, as already noted, is strictly forbidden (Lev 18:19).

Consider the benefits to the marriage of the husband and wife separating themselves sexually and emotionally at this time each month, and how it can benefit and enrich a marriage. The man learns self control and selflessness in that he is given the opportunity to be extra solicitous of his wife’s needs without expecting anything in return. What’s more, how much sweeter their time of intimacy will be when the do come back together intimately. The old adage, absence makes the heart grow fonder, could apply here.

The Torah considers a woman to be unclean for at least seven days, even if her flow lasted only one day. So at the minimum a man is to be separated from his wife (giving her an emotional break) for at least seven days, if not longer. On the eighth day (at the minimum) or the next day after her flow has stopped, she is no longer considered unclean (The ArtScroll Tanach Series Vayikra, p. 247). Eight is the biblical number signifying new beginnings. In this case, eight relates to the new cycle of life that begins as the woman’s body begins to produce a new egg with the potential for new life to occur.

 

The Holy Spirit: Male, Female, or It?

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Acts 8:16, For as yet He had. In most of our modern English Bibles, this verse supports the notion that the Holy Spirit is masculine by using the third person singular of the verb in reference to the antecedent Holy Spirit, which is found in the preceding verse. Is this a correct translation? First, the Greek word spirit pneuma/pneuma is a neuter noun. To be grammatically correct, therefore, our verse should read, “For as yet, It….”

However, the Bible reveals that the Holy Spirit is a Person, so it has to be either masculine or feminine. In our text, the English words “he had” are the one Greek word ehn which is the active, indicative, imperative, third person singular of the verb eimi meaning, in its infinitive state, “to be,” or in its imperfect tense, “was.” In this verse, the verb eimi in this form can mean either, “he was, she was, or it was” (Basics of Biblical Greek, p. 59, by William Mounce).

So how do we determine what the gender should be of the Holy Spirit?

In the Tanakh, the Hebrew word for spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is ruach, which is in the feminine gender. Since the concept of the Holy Spirit originates in the Hebrew language of the Tanakh, and since Elohim (the plural Hebrew noun indicating the plurality of the Godhead) reveals himself as both male and female (Gen 1:26–27), it is, therefore, illogical to refer to the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender in Acts 8:16.

Therefore, in Acts 8:16, referring to the Holy Spirit as he is a blatant example of scribal gloss, and is an example of the translators bowing to the Catholic doctrine of the third person in the Godhead being male in gender even though the linguistics of this verse don’t support it, and something the Bible as a whole doesn’t support.

This now begs the following question: If the Holy Spirit isn’t male, but is part of the Godhead, then what other gender is there for the Holy Spirit to be?

 

New Video: A Tree Expert on “I am the vine, you are the branches.”

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In John 15, Yeshua likens abiding in him to branches being attached to a tree. A branch is attached to the trunk and the life of the tree just flows into it automatically, so it an produce good fruit. The same is true with us if we know how to abide in Yeshua. This video explains this wonderful process. Yeshua is the tree of life!

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3/30 through 4/5/14

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Metzora — Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33
Haftarah — 2 Kings 7:3–20
Prophets —Isaiah 41:1 – 47:15
Writings — Proverbs 23:1 – 29:27
Testimony — Acts 7:1 – 9:43

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 3/30 through 4/5/14.