[YHVH] raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes—with the princes of His people. (Psalm 113:7–8)
Acts 27:1–44, Sail to Italy. With Elohim, all things are possible if we keep our eyes on Elohim and are led of his Spirit! Even a shipwreck can be a blessing and help expand the kingdom of Elohim…
When one is in the perfect will of Elohim, things work out if we hear and obey the Word and Spirit of Elohim.
At the beginning of the voyage, in the eyes of the secular leaders onboard the ship, Paul was merely another typical prisoner. By the end of the trip, he was now, in fact, advising the leaders and had become the de facto captain of the ship. [YHVH] raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes—With the princes of His people. (Psalm 113:7–8)
This is because Paul feared, heard and obeyed the Spirit of Elohim, was neither timid nor ashamed to share his faith and what the Spirit had revealed to him with those around him. As a result, Elohim promoted Paul and gave him respect and credibility in the eyes of the secular leaders putting Paul and Elohim in charge of the situation. In this way, the reality and Presence of Elohim was witnessed to the world around Paul, and Elohim was glorified.
From Paul’s example, we learn how YHVH can turn a difficult situation in a secular setting and use it as a witnessing tool for his glory. Because Paul heard and obeyed the Spirit, he and the others were spared death.
This story shows how YHVH Elohim is able to promote his servants from a nobody to “captain” overnight bypassing and ignoring all of men’s protocols and methods all for his glory and the expansion of his heavenly kingdom.
Leviticus 20 (entire chapter), The death penalty. In this chapter, YHVH lists the penalty for the sins that he considers to be the most abominable, grievous and ruinous to a society. He then prescribes the punishment for these sins—usually the death penalty.
As you read through this chapter, consider the penalties for these sins in our society. That’s right…there are none (with the exception of incest with one’s minor children)! Additionally, not only are most of these sins tolerated (bestiality, incest, adultery, sex during menstruation), but many of these abominable practices promoted and even celebrated (e.g. homosexuality, abortion, witchcraft, necromancy).
In our society, there is punishment for animal neglect, failing to pay taxes, or violating a building code,while there is no penalty for the sins of abortion, witchcraft, homosexuality, etc. What’s wrong here?
Notice that the punishments that YHVH prescribes for these crimes would, in most cases, in our society be considered uncivil, barbaric, or cruel and unusual (e.g. banishment, stoning, burning by fire).
The question must be asked, if we accept the Bible as the revealed truth of Elohim, then who knows best what punishment fits a crime—man or the Creator?
Interestingly, the U.S. has the highest criminal incarceration rate of any nation in the world (743 adults per 100,000 people). By year end 2010, the U.S. had 2,266,800 people incarcerated in its prisons and jails (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States). Yet ancient Israel had no prison system whatsoever. Criminals were either banished from society, were publicly punished, killed, or had to pay the victim restitution for their crimes.
From this brief discussion, several realization should come to light:
What YHVH considers to be sin, man often either tolerates or celebrates.
Men’s order of priorities when it comes to the level of sin and the penalties that meet those crimes is different from that of YHVH.
Men’s justice systems deal with criminals very differently than does YHVH’s Torah.
What divine judgments must be meted out on a society that tolerates or revels in the sins that YHVH calls abominable, unclean, abhorrent and perverse?
The following scripture passage comes to my mind:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith YHVH. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa 55:8–9)
Leviticus 20:1, On capital crimes. This chapter contains a number of Torah laws that when violated carry capital punishment. In 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, several of the same crimes are mentioned (i.e. adultery, fornication, homosexuality, idolatry), but the violators were forgiven and received salvation (verse 11). Why were these sins punishable by death in ancient Israel, but not later on? The Leviticus 20 directives apply to Israelites or those from foreign nations who had attached themselves to Israel (verse 2) who are held to a higher accountability and thus should know better not to commit these sins in the first place. On the other hand, the believers in Corinth had practiced these sin before they came to a knowledge of the truth, and were thus held to a lower level of accountability because of their ignorance.
What about the Corinthian believer who that was sleeping with step mother (1 Cor 5:1–5)? In Leviticus, in the nation of Israel, this sin would have been punishable by death. In the first century, the Jews didn’t have their own nation, but were under Roman law and were thus not able to execute people for capital crimes. The next best thing to do apart from capital punishment was to put the sinning man out of the congregation, which is what Paul did, which was tantamount to spiritual death. These are the exact discipline protocols Yeshua advised be carried out within the body of believers (Matt 18:15–20). Such an individual was to be excommunicated and treated as a heathen and sinner (verse 17). And how are heathens and sinners to be treated? They are to be evangelized and brought to repentance, which is what happened to the sinner in Corinth (2 Cor 2:5–8).
Now David committed adultery and murder in his affair with Bathsheba, but was not sentenced to death. Why? Why was the Torah not carried out fully in David’s case? Surely he knew that he was sinning beforehand. For one thing, he repented bitterly (see Ps 51) and was forgiven. He never again committed these sins. In his case, mercy of Elohim rejoiced over or trumped his judgment (Jas 2:13 cp. Ps 85:10; Jer 9:24; Ezek 33:11; Mic 7:18; Exod 34:6–7).
Though Leviticus 20 records capital punishment for a variety of crimes, in Israel’s long history, the Jewish sages inform us that very few executions ever occurred for violating these laws. Mercy and grace seemed to be more the rule than the exception, and this modus operandi carried over into the era of the New Covenant as well.
Leviticus 19:27,You shall not shave around the sides of your beard.Should Men Wear Beards?
Some Torah scholars say that there is no place in the Torah, or anywhere else in the Scriptures, that explicitly commands men to wear beards. Others who are of the opinion that men should wear beards agree that while there may be no direct command to wear a beard, the Scriptures give an implied or indirect command to do so. In other words, it’s assumed that men will have a beard. I am of the latter opinion.
Some will point to Leviticus 19:27 and 21:5 in attempts to prove that men are to wear beards — that they are not to shave their beards. In reality, this command related specifically to shaving the beard in honor of the dead according to some ritual the ancient pagans practiced. In other words, YHVH is telling the Israelite men not to shave their beards as the pagans did in honor of the dead. What exactly that pagan practice was, we don’t know for sure.
Can these two verses be taken as a prohibition against a man shaving his beard? Those who say no will say that there is no direct command in the Bible to have a beard, but if you do have one, don’t shave it in honor of the dead as the pagans did. Those who say yes will say that these two verses imply a command for men to have a beard; that is, how can you cut something that you don’t already have? There are well-meaning people on both sides of this debate.
These things we know for sure. Aaron the high priest had a beard (Ps 133:2). Yeshua had a beard or else Isaiah 50:6 was a false prophecy. Ezekiel had a beard (Ezek 5:1), Ezra had a beard (Ezra 9:3); David had a beard (1 Sam 21:13); and many Israelite men wore beards (2 Sam 10:4-5; 1 Chr 19:5; Jer 41:5). It is also a religious Jewish tradition to this day for men to have beards, and we know that this tradition is rooted in antiquity.
One could also ask the question why would YHVH create men with facial hair if only for the purpose of shaving it off?
I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35)
Leviticus 19:23–25, You shall count their fruit. We are to honor YHVH and give him his due in all areas of life including our fruit trees. This principle of reaping and sowing and giving YHVH a portion of that which is his anyway is a universally applicable principle in the Scriptures. This principle applies NOT only to agricultural increase, but to every area of our lives in which we prosper, for the earth is YHVH’s and the fullness thereof (Ps 24:1), and everything belongs to him anyway. YHVH is simply lending everything to us (including our very lives) that which belongs to him, and we honor this fact by giving back to him a tenth of our increase.
There are some believers who say that giving YHVH the first fruits of our increase applies only to those involved in agricultural enterprises. If this were the case, then how do we account for Abraham’s tithing to Melchizedek from the spoils of war (Gen 14:20)? Furthermore, Solomon taught that we are to honor YHVH with the first fruits of all our labors (Prov 3:9). Moreover, Malachi taught that to not tithe is to rob YHVH and to invite the destroyer to ravage our finances (Mal 3:8–11). Yeshua taught the blessedness of giving (Luke 6:38), and Paul taught that we reap what we sow, and that if we sow nothing we will reap nothing (Gal 6:7–10). This universal principle doesn’t apply just to finances, but to all areas of life.
Do you have an attitude of honoring YHVH whenever possible by your giving of not only your treasure, but your time and talent as well? Giving is a lifestyle practice motivated by a heart attitude of love and gratitude, and a desire to please and honor your heavenly Father.
There are two kinds of people: givers and getters. Which one are you? Yeshua said that it’s more blessed to give than to get (Acts 20:35).
Leviticus 19:19, Livestock breed with another kind…sow your field with mixed seed.
Thousands of years ago, the Bible contained instructions that were predictive of end times scientific “advancements” and warned people against them. Some of these commandments in the Torah made no sense until recently. This is the case with the Torah’s prohibition of genetically modified organisms or GMOs.
The ancient biblical writings are amazingly prescient on this issue when the Torah forbids the mixing of dissimilar species (such as seeds and animal species), which were separated in the creation by Elohim, and which he established to reproduce after their own kind.
What does the Torah have to say about genetically modified organisms (GMO) or foods? This verse addresses the issue. The type of genetic modification of plants and animals that we’re concerned about is that of forcing the DNA of one species into that of another. In reality, it’s a form of man-induced macro-evolution where one species takes on the characteristics of another species. Micro-evolution is a natural phenomenon that occurs between like plant and animal species (e.g. diverse kinds of cats, apples, palm trees, etc.).This can occur naturally (called adaptation) and through the human-induced processes of hybridization. This isn’t a bad thing, in most cases. However, there are no examples of macro-evolution in the creation despite evolutionists’ best efforts to prove otherwise. Evolutionists have failed to find the missing links between monkeys and men, or lizards and birds, or slime and amphibians—at least not until genetic engineering came along. Now through genetic engineering they can create the missing link. This is not only an affront to the Creator, and goes contrary to the Bible, but it’s the opening of a Pandora’s box of all sorts of unintended evil consequences where man is playing God, while not knowing what the consequences will be.
The Creator simply commands men not to mix diverse kinds (species) without giving the reasons. We are to assume that he knows best whether we understand the technical reasons or not.
Since the recent emergence of the science of genetic engineering and the negative consequences of some aspects of it, perhaps the Creator’s prohibitions against mixing dissimilar species now makes more sense.
Here are the scriptural prohibitions:
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. (Lev 19:19)
Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. (Deut 22:9)
Here are some excerpts from some Bible commentaries on Leviticus 19:19 pertaining to this subject:
These practices might have been considered as altering the original constitution of God in creation; and this is the view which the Jews, and also Josephus and Philo, take of the subject. (The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on Lev 19:19)
God in the beginning made the cattle after their kind (Gen 1:25), and we must acquiesce in the order of nature God hath established, believing that is best and sufficient, and not covet monsters. Add thou not unto his works, lest he reprove thee; for it is the excellency of the work of God that nothing can, without making it worse, be either put to it or taken from it, Eccl 3:14. As what God has joined we must not separate, so what he has separated we must not join. (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Lev 19:19)
By these laws the observance of the natural order and separation of things is made a duty binding on the Israelites…as a divine ordinance founded in the creation itself (Gen 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25). All symbolic, mystical, moral, and utilitarian reasons that have been supposed to lie at the foundation of these commands, are foreign to the spirit of the law. (Keil and DelitzschCommentary on the OT on Lev 19:19).
God created the world with certain distinct species, and His wisdom decreed that these species remain intact and unadulterated. For man to take it upon himself to alter the order of Creation suggest a lack of faith in God’s plan. Moreover, each species on earth is directed by a Heavenly force, so that the earthly species represents profound spiritual forces. To tamper with them is to cause harm that earth-bound man cannot fathom. (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash on Lev 19:19)
…God’s Creation should be permitted to function according to the laws of nature that He instituted, without tampering by man. It should be noted that these laws of mixture are limited to specific matters [i.e. cross-mixing of species], and do not limit the infinite number of alloys or combinations that are so much a part of modern life. To the contrary, man is duty bound to improve the world and, in a sense, “complete” the work of the Creation. (The ArtScroll Tanach Series Levticus Commentary on Lev 19:19)
With regard to GMO foods, there is also the issue of what is biblically kosher or not. If foods are genetically altered, who knows if what one thinks he is eating actually is totally that. Within the milk you’re drinking or the steak that you’re eating, for example, there may be genes from an unkosher animal.
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 5/5/19 through 5/11/19. This week is the second week of seven complete weeks of the count of the omer.
