Looking for Signs

by | Oct 2, 2014 | Blog

As my practice, I began my day with prayer followed by reading Torah. I deter from Torah reading, however, when specific events contained in Rood’s Chronological Gospels correspond to our Gregorian calendar date. In this case, events 114 and 115 happen to occur on this date. The passages are found in Matthew 15:39-16:4 and Mark 8:10-13. These little known passages once again point to the seemingly perpetual conflict Yeshua had with the Prushim/Pharisees and the Zadokim/Sadducees. This time, the Jewish religious leaders demand of Yeshua a sign from heaven, likely to certify Yeshua for their purposes, that He was the long-awaited Messiah. Yeshua was not ignorant as to their purpose and saw right through them. These folks were trying to trip the Master up and find more reasons to take Him down. Yeshua refused to provide any signs to them. Indeed, the Master had provided countless signs throughout His ministry that every well knowing person in the region would have heard about. The prophecies of His exploits were being fulfilled virtually every day. The Prushim and the Zadokim were experts at discerning everyday occurrences of natural and even unnatural events, yet they remained ignorant of proofs to Yeshua’s identity.

How often do we not see truths that are right in front of our faces each day? How many of us went through life as a traditional Christian, reading the same passages of Scripture year after year, and never seeing, never knowing, never understanding just who our Master was? How many of us, feeling as though we had made it in Christ looked past the words in our bible, never understanding the significance of Sabbath and the Feasts Days of Yehovah? Blinded by tradition, religion and the cares of this world.

For me, this was a very pertinent passage. It alerted me to be aware of my spiritual surroundings. We don’t need signs of what or why or who. We have the Ruach Kodesh and the Word. These two powerful entities, when used absent denominational influences, will lead us to all truths. Praise Yehovah for Messiah Yeshua. Have a blessed day in Messiah.

Torah Living 34-John the Baptist (Yochanan), Christianity and Sex

by | Sep 23, 2014 | Podcasts

My daily travels through the Torah was interrupted last week when Michael Rood’s Chronological Gospels, event 100, correlated with September 14, 2014. As has become my practice, I temporarily stopped my Torah studies to examine this passage which is found in Matt. 14:3-12 and Mk. 6:17-29. The title of this passage reads: “Yochanan’s execution is detailed-Yochanan’s disciples apprise Yeshua of his death.” The story of John the Immerser’s/Yochanan’s execution is pretty straightforward. But what I gained from the background story contained in these two passages seemed pretty pertinent to what I’ve learned is happening in the Christian Faith of late. It’s high time we discuss a crucial issue that has the potential to affect most if not all of us in one way or another.
Herodias & John Immerser's Head
Most of us know the story. John the Immerser/Yochanan was arrested by Herod Antipas–King of Judah. Actually, the Herodians were not Jews at all. They were of Idumaean, Greco-Arab lineage. Antipas’ grandfather, Antipater, came on the scene in 63 BC by abetting Roman General Pompey in his siege of Jerusalem/Yerusalayim. For his loyalty, Rome appointed Antipater as the first Roman procurator in Palestine and the ultimate arbiter of political events in the region (Eisenman-James the Brother of Jesus). Roman general Mark Anthony abetted Antipater’s son, Herod the Great as he has become known by us Bible students, in obtaining the Jewish Crown. In order to maintain absolute power over Judea, Herod the Great dissolved the Maccabean family through genocide/ethnic cleansing. Those Maccabeans he didn’t murder, he married. However, he ultimately murdered the wives as well, including Mariamme, who was the last remaining Maccabean princess, according to Eisenman, in 29 BCE. Apart from obtaining the Jewish Crown, Herod also controlled the High Priesthood, including their garments and the men who would serve in that capacity. Eisenman places Yochanan’s death at the direction of Antipas in 35-36 CE, choosing to accept Josephus’ rendering than that of the Gospel writers, Matthew and Mark. Based upon Rood’s Chronological Gospels estimations, John’s/Yochanan’s execution occurred sometime around September 18, 27 CE.
The Gospel writers Matthew and Mark record that John/Yochanan was arrested by Antipas because he, Yochanan, proclaimed that Antipas was in violation of Torah, in that Antipas had hooked up with one of his brother’s wives, Herodias. John/Yochanan stayed locked away in prison for several weeks until Herodias’ daughter, named as Salome by Josephus, entertained Antipas at Antipas’ birthday celebration. Obviously Antipas was taken by Salome’s likely provocative performance. So taken was Antipas that he offered Salome half the worth of his kingdom. Salome consulted her mother Herodias. Herodias was no doubt a scorned woman, having been chided by John/Yochanan over the improper affair she was having with Antipas. Such scorn led Herodias to suggest Salome demand the head of John/Yochanan on a platter. The Gospel record suggests that this demand on the part of Salome was not well received by Antipas who knew John/Yochanan to be a holy man and Antipas also feared John’s/Yochanan’s rather large following would revolt against Antipas’ throne. But Antipas elected to throw caution to the wind–certainly lust played a huge role in his decision to go with Salome’s demand–and he ordered John/Yochanan beheaded and his head delivered to Herodias and Salome on a platter.
Sexual misconduct, as in the days of Jesus/Yeshua and the Apostles, remains a serious problem in not only our society, but also within many of our assemblies and congregations. Sadly, most self-professing believers know that fornication/adultery violate Torah or in the very least it is spoken against by Jesus/Yeshua and His Apostles; yet sexual misconduct remains a mainstay in many congregations and assemblies throughout our nation. For whatever reason, even believers are hard pressed to resist the call of the flesh and reject Torah or at very least, their Bibles’ teachings on this issue. Why? Certainly, the issue is out there and it is not a secret. Yet most Pastors and Teachers of the Word of God are reluctant, and in many cases, outright scared to speak out against sexual immorality. I recall being part of a handful of Christian congregations throughout my youth and into my young adult and middle adult years, and hearing and knowing about questionable relationships that were transpiring between certain men and women in the congregation. Not only did I know about it, it was known by others in the congregation. I’m talking about homosexuality, premarital sex, adultery. If not overt indiscretions, there were divorces and remarriages transpiring on a routine basis it would seem and not a word–to my knowledge–was ever spoken out by the church leadership against such activity. Why? I guess it goes without saying that when church leaders step on the toes of their members–especially when addressing sensitive subjects such as adultery and fornication–they stand the chance of running those members away and with those departing members goes their offerings and tithes and whatever else they brought to the church table.
But do we who know better, especially those of us who have been placed in positions of authority, have the right to turn a blind eye to something so problematic and appalling to God/Yehovah as adultery and fornication, and allow that behavior to continue in the midst of the assembly? If left unattended, these things have the tendency of blowing up and creating greater problems for the overall assembly at some point down the spiritual road so to speak. Furthermore, the Bible’s stance on the issue of adultery and fornication can not be ignored and one must ask the question: what responsibility do we who know better and who have been placed in leadership positions in the body have when such activity rears its ugly head? We can not NOT say something. We must do our part to dissuade such behavior and offer the proper solution which is repentance, seeking forgiveness from Father, and living Torah obediently. Certainly, there may be situations where the leadership must take a stand and insist that the offending parties depart from the assembly. Regardless, we can not stand  innocently by the wayside and not sound that moral alarm (as was done by John/Yochanan), that left unchecked, such behavior will lead to certain destruction–of those involved and potentially the assembly as a whole.
God/Yehovah has established certain rules that we are to live by. Regardless where you stand on the issue of obeying Torah, no one should ever have any uncertainty within themselves over the issue of fornication and adultery. Adultery and fornication and any other sexual misconduct is absolutely not permissible outside of traditional marriage. And if you are an orthodox Christian, I must confess, that I am a Torah observing believer in Messiah. I believe those of us who claim Jesus/Yeshua as Messiah and Lord, are compelled to obey His commandments–love God and love neighbor–and Jesus’/Yeshua’s commandments are contained in Torah–that is, Torah details how we are to love God and love neighbor. Without a clear understanding of what it means to love God and neighbor, we will have 30,000 different ways to accomplish these two central commandments. Love of God and of neighbor is clearly evident in God’s/Yehovah’s laws regarding proper/improper sexual behavior–love of God because sexual misconduct is abhorrent to God/Yehovah, while sexual misconduct violates the integrity of those involved in the act and the families affected by the indiscretion.
Let’s examine what Torah has to say about this issue; and then what the Gospels and the Epistles have to say.
  • Lev. 18:6-18–Yehovah provides a comprehensive ruling on proper and improper sexual behavior in these passages.
    • Yehovah’s view of family-centered sexual misconduct was such that He assigned the death penalty to any who would violate these specific commandments
      • Lev. 20:11-17
    • Naturally speaking, most civilized nations (or what we in the west would consider civilized) have a very negative view of inter-family sexual misconduct, even though they may not be versed in Torah. Therefore, it would seem over zealous to state the obvious, but Yehovah knew that mankind is desperately wicked in all his ways and it was necessary to spell things out.
    • vs. 6–no one is to engage in a sexual relationship with a close relative
    • vs. 7–no parent is to engage in a sexual relationship with their child or children (cf. Lev. 20:11)
    • vs. 8–no child is to have a sexual relationship with his step-mother–(cf. Dt. 23:1; 27:20; Lev. 20:11–again, the offenders are to be put to death; 1 Cor. 5:1–Paul scolds the Corinthian assembly for allowing such an offense to continue in their midst–a man was known to have been having a sexual relationship with his father’s stepmother)
    • vs. 9–incest is strictly forbidden among the siblings (cf. Dt. 27:22; Ezek. 22:11; Lev 20:17–incest is deemed a shameful act, the penalty being cut-off from the nation publicly–the male will bear the consequences of this act)
    • vs. 10–no man is to engage in a sexual relationship with their grandchildren–indeed, the man will face full responsibility for this act
    • vs. 11–no one is to engage in a sexual relationship with their step-siblings because they are considered one’s sibling and the same rule applies as in vs. 9
    • vs. 12-14–no one is to engage in a sexual relationship with their aunt or uncle
    • vs. 15–no man is to engage in a sexual relationship with their daughter-in-law (cf. Exo. 22:11-Yehovah considers it to be a lewd act)
    • vs. 16–no man is to engage in a sexual relationship with their sister-in-law (cf. Matt. 14:4–this is the crux of our story resulting in the death of Yochanan at the direction of Herod Antipas in 28 CE)
    • vs. 17-no man is to engage in a sexual relationship with the children of the woman you are having the affair with
    • vs. 18–no man is to engage in a sexual relationship with a woman for purposes of establishing a rivalry between the woman he takes and her sister
    • 20:10-“‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, that is, with the wife of a fellow countryman, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. (Lev 20:10 CJB) Deu 22:22 “If a man is found sleeping with a woman who has a husband, both of them must die the man who went to bed with the woman and the woman too. In this way you will expel such wickedness from Isra’el. 
  • Obviously, such terrible sexual misconduct is generally seen as abominable within the Christian community. However, sexual misconduct overall remains a big problem in the Christian faith. The divorce rate among self-professing Christians holds steady at about 50%. Wait a minute, is not the divorce rate in America about 50%? What does that say then about Christians? Don’t Christians realize that God/Yehovah hates divorce: ADONAI is witness between you and the wife of your youth that you have broken faith with her, though she is your companion, your wife by covenant. And hasn’t he made [them] one [flesh] in order to have spiritual blood-relatives? For what the one [flesh] seeks is a seed from God. Therefore, take heed to your spirit, and don’t break faith with the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce,” says ADONAI the God of Isra’el, “and him who covers his clothing with violence,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and don’t break faith. (Mal 2:14-16 CJB) Certainly, sexual improprieties such as the ones listed above in Leviticus 18 and 20 lend greatly to the divorce epidemic in our society and likely within the Christian Faith. Certainly, God/Yehovah views sexual activity outside of marriage seriously enough to warrant the death of the involved parties. In lesser degrees, it becomes the only acceptable offense to justify divorce: But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery. (Mat 5:32 CJB) Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!” (Mat 19:9 CJB)


  • Recent research reveals that Christians are having premarital sex as much or even more than non-Christians. This study showed that 76% of evangelicals believe that sex outside of marriage goes against the teachings of their Bible. Yet, 80% of these same evangelicals say they have or had sex outside of marriage.. Furthermore, 80% of self-professing Christians in the age range of 18-29 say they have or had sex before marriage; 64% had or are having it within the last year (i.e., 2011), and 42% are in a current sexual relationship outside of marriage. Only 20% say they have never had sex outside of marriage. Still more: non-evangelicals such as the Baptists show that 53% of them in the age range of 18-29 indicated in this study that they were currently in a sexual relationship outside of marriage with only 12% claiming they had never had sex outside of marriage. I don’t know about you, but these statistics are alarming and is indicative of a bigger problem within traditional and orthodox churchianity. Clearly the Church triumphant is not doing a good job in keeping her members on the straight and narrow, nor does it appear that the members’ relationship with the Almighty is as solid and true as most of these transgressing individuals would think it to be. I’m not casting judgment here. I’m simply saying that sex outside of marriage is sinful and is not tolerated by the Father. Any and all Christians should know this and by professing Jesus/Yeshua as their Lord and Savior, their loyalty should be to Messiah and not the flesh.


  • The Jerusalem Council knew the importance of sexual purity among its growing assemblies and instructed that: Instead, we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled and from blood. (Act 15:20 CJB)


  • We should bear in mind that healthy families are central to the true Faith. When adultery and fornication creep in to the mix, the fabric of our faith–which to a goodly part is the family unit–unravels and the assembly becomes disarrayed.


  • Sexual immorality is a huge problem and it is quite prevalent in both society and as we’ve just seen, within the Christian Faith. Indeed, sexual attraction, unless controlled and spiritually dealt with, can lead to improper sexual activity, impurity and indecency (Gal.5:19). Many of us are not equipped to deal with such temptations and situations and it doesn’t take much for that line to be crossed over into the actual act. As believers in Messiah, we are called to an even higher standard than simply avoiding the act: “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mat 5:27-28 CJB) As a male believer, I’ve come to terms with myself as it relates to this whole issue of sexual misconduct. I realize that there is always a war going on in my mind and with my eyes, ears, and emotions. I know myself. I’ve come to a point in my walk with Messiah that I am honest and upfront with myself in relation to my weaknesses and shortcomings. I know where I’m weak and I know where I’m strong. I don’t have problems with sexual misconduct, but I realize that I can’t allow myself to be in a position where such a thing could possibly happen. When I’m at work (my staff is roughly 65% women), I make sure that my contact with them is professional and transparent and I limit my direct contact with them to only necessary work-related issues. Every member of my staff knows how important my Faith is to me and I believe they respect that. In fact, I openly and clearly wear my tzit-tzits each day as not only a reminder to me of my relationship with Torah and my Creator, but also as a sign to the world that I am tied to my Faith and not to the world. Additionally, it is clear that I am happily married, I wear my wedding band without fail, and I constantly stay in contact with Hilary throughout the day-via phone calls or text messages. Thus I make it extremely difficult for me to end up in an adultery/fornication situation. Furthermore, the whole concept of living Torah and being true to the commandments of Messiah who elevated Torah to a heart and spirit level, I make sure that my mind, eyes and ears are filled only with proper things. I limit what goes into my mind, eyes and ears as best I can. If I am watching a show where questionable content is viewable or even suggested, I make sure I shut that stuff down immediately. I avoid going to movies where there is filth being portrayed on the screen. I listen to clean music–mostly classical. I read only books of substance and decent content. I’m not a paragon of purity by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just cognizant of what it takes for me to live Torah each and every day and stay on the straight and narrow with the help of the Holy Spirit/Ruach Kodesh and the example of Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMaschiach.


  • As sold-out, true Believers in Messiah, we must take a stand as did John the Immerser/Yochanan, and not engage in activity and behavior that could lead to violations of Torah, but maintain proper righteous-Godly behavior. Many of us know of situations going on around us that are contrary to what our Bibles teach about proper sexual relationships. Yet many of us go so far as to support such improprieties–shacking up; 2nd, 3rd, 4th marriages, promiscuity, lewd social activities, and the like. We must stand firm in our convictions and not in any way support such anti-Biblical/Torah behavior. It’s not to say that we must “out” people in our lives who are engaging in improper sexual relationships–that would only serve to bring attention to ourselves that would not glorify our Father which is in heaven. Instead, we must live perfect lives. We must always show forth Messiah in our walk and talk and behave in such a way that is worthy of our calling to be future priests and kings. I recall a situation at work a few years ago where one of my employees (2-times divorced) entered in to a fertility program with a fellow she’d met some months earlier. She ultimately became pregnant with twins. My boss threw a baby shower for her and I attended that shower. Now I knew that my employee was living wrong and that her attempts at getting pregnant by a man that was not her husband was a tremendous moral violation. By my attending that shower, I knew that I was showing the world that I supported my employee’s behavior and chosen way of life. That was for me a learning experience that I promised myself and the Lord that I would not repeat.


  • We must always be on guard–not only for ourselves in avoiding sexual misconduct/improprieties, but also on guard as it relates to how we respond to the world’s sexual misconduct. We have unique opportunities to teach the world how the Father requires us to live. My call to action for you today is that you go back over the scriptural passages that I’ve provided in this episode (found in the show notes for your reference). Gain an clear understanding of what God’s/Yehovah’s expectations are of us as it relates to sex, and obey/comply with those expectations. Furthermore, I would ask you to make a firm commitment to live a holy life and that means taking a complete assessment of your life and throwing out those things that are stumbling blocks to your proper walk with Messiah. If you’re in an improper sexual relationship–cut it off immediately. Seek the Father’s forgiveness and repent and turn to Torah that you may live according to the way that He has required us to live. If you are unable to correct your situation on your own, seek a greater unction of His Holy Spirit/Ruach Kodesh in order to give you the power and authority to overcome the evil one. Engage in daily study of the Torah/God’s Word. Eliminate those things in your life that distract you from your calling–questionable television shows and movies, racy music, negative and lewd friends and associates and the like. Make up in your mind whom you will serve–your flesh or the Almighty. 
 

Torah Living Daily Reflections-8-The Art of Listening (from a Hebraic/Messianic Perspective)

by | Sep 19, 2014 | Podcasts

Continuing with my daily foray in to the Torah, we come to Deuteronomy 4:1 which reads as follows: “Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.” (Deu 4:1 KJV)
Since coming in to the truth Faith once delivered, which I associate directly with being a Messianic believer and with the Hebraic Roots community, I see clearly why we differ from Christianity and Christians. I submit to you that the key to understanding the differences between our two faiths can be seen in the first half of this above cited verse–“Now therefore hearken…unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you, for to do them…” We, the Netzereme; the Torah Observing–Messianic Believers of Yeshua, the Hebraic Roots community, have discovered the meaning of “hearken,” or in today’s modern translation, “listen’ as it relates to our profession and the living out of our Faith. Indeed, there is a difference between the western-Christian concept of listening to the voice of Yehovah and the Messianic-Hebraic concept of listening or hearkening.
 
The term “hearken” as found in this passage translates in the Hebrew to “shama,” which means to (1) hear, (2) to listen, and (3) to obey. The term “shama” has it’s greatest notoriety from Deuteronomy 5:1 which reads, And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. (Deu 5:1 KJV)
 
What is it that Israel was to “shama?” It is, according to the cited passage, the statutes (aka: laws) and judgments (rulings) of Yehovah. These statutes and judgments made up the entirety of the “Law.” The Law was taught by Moshe to the nation of Israel. Israel’s purpose was, as the commentator John Gill, D.D., notes in his Exposition of the Old Testament, “not bare hearing, but doing the law.” In other words, this was not a one-way agreement between Israel and Yehovah where Yehovah would simply do the work of providing, protecting and blessing the nation. Indeed, Israel was required, through her contractual agreement with Yehovah at the base of Mount Sinai when He spoke down His Words directly to the Children of Promise, to do all that He (i.e., Yehovah) had spoken to them to do. (Reference Exodus 19:8) We, the grafted in children of Israel (reference Rom. 11:17), are not off the hook, although our Christian cousins would vehemently beg to differ. Our cousins focus more on verse 19 of that same chapter of Romans where Shaul states, “So you will say, ‘branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in'” such that we perceive ourselves to have privilege over and above the Jew to such an extent that we have nothing in common with the Hebraic roots of the Faith. There is nothing in the writings of Shaul, nor in any other Apostolic writing to suggest that we, the redeemed of Yehovah, have no responsibility to “shama.” In fact, we of the true Faith once delivered, have the grace showered over us to “shama” in great style and fashion because we have the person of Yeshua HaMaschiach to show us how to live Torah in Spirit and in Truth. 
 
Our cousins in Christianity and Catholicism, on the other hand, have taken the term “hearken” to mean, specifically, to listen–essentially a passive act of sitting down (or standing if there are no chairs in the room), and hearing what the speaker has to say. Typically what goes with this is the hearer or listener does not interrupt the speaker and gives the speaker his or her full attention. Once the message is delivered, the listerner’s responsibility is complete and both parties (i.e., the speaker and audience) go their separate ways. Generally, in the Christian Church of the last 2,000-years, there is no expectation for the attendees to “shama” the Torah. However, in certain Christian sects and denominations, the attendees are required to “shama” to the words of the speaker as he or she relates to the attendees the judgments and statutes of their denomination. Still other Christian sects have taken the biblical concept of grace and developed a pagan doctrine around it such that there is no “shama-ing” required by the congregates. In fact, these sects insist that one would be remiss by requiring any believer to “do” anything as it relates to their profession  of faith and their eternal destiny, citing that salvation is achieved by grace and faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and that there is no need for Christians to do anything more…that is, one is guaranteed their salvation regardless whatever befalls them during this life. In other words, don’t worry about this life, you have a “get out of hell free card, now go and celebrate.” 
 
Consequently, there is no biblical support for the Christian style of hearing or listening to the Word of God-which generally takes the shape of a nice Sunday sermon that makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over and you leave the venue with a much nicer perspective of the world and you in it than you had before you heard the sermon.  The Creator’s worldview, which true believers should ascribe, contends that Yehovah is boss. Not only boss, Yehovah is THE BOSS. Being THE BOSS, Yehovah set sthe rules for everything having to do with living as a human being and being married to Him. Yes, our relationship with the Creator is likened unto a marriage which has definite rules around  that relationship, if that marriage is to remain viable and vibrant. Furthermore, Yehovah, still THE BOSS, has spiritual requirements or rules governing the human-God relationship and those rules are imposed upon man. You see, Christianity got it wrong a long time ago: Yehovah did not stoop down to our level in order to establish a relationship with us. Doing so would require Him to compromise or even nullify His Holiness and He is not about to do that. He didn’t stoop to our level. He implemented a process whereby we–mankind–could be elevated to an acceptable level of righteousness and have a relationship with the Almighty. That process is simply repentance from our old way of life–turning from sin–and turning to Yehovah’s stipulated way of living. That way of living was practiced and perfectly demonstrated by His Son Yeshua HaMaschiach. The life that Yehovah’s son lived was fully Torah and we, Yeshua’s disciples, are required–that is if we love Him–to follow His commandments. (Reference John 14:15) Yeshua instructed that we are to love Yehovah with all our heart, mind and soul, as well as we are to love one another as we love ourselves. (Reference Matt. 22:38 & 39) So what does love of Yehovah and love for one another look like? Why of course, it is stipulated and codified in Torah. Certainly, without Torah as the defining method, your understanding and practice of love for both God and neighbor may be grossly different than mine. Of any word in use today, especially in Western culture, the word “love” has several meanings–ranging from the obscene and grand overt acts to simply a cognitive understanding that certain individuals in our lives are to have a special place on one’s heart. But everyone knows, all things aside, that love–be it love for God or love for a fellow human being–has associated with it actions. My wife will always demand that I not simply tell her I love her, but that I show her that I love her. This same principle can be applied to other areas of life. Love of a person is realized only through actions. No it’s not always in the giving of things such as gifts. In many circumstances it is simply being there for the individual who is in need of another; speaking kind words to a person who has experienced nothing but negativity in their lives of late; physically assisting one in need of assistance; providing a meal for the hungry or even praying for someone who is in dire straits. Again, there are many ways to demonstrate love. However, the gold-standard for believers to understand and exercise love is contained in Torah and in the teachings of Yeshua and His anointed apostles. 
 
Regardless how we slice this one friends, when it comes to our relationship with Yehovah, we are required to “shama” unto His Torah (reference Deut. 4:1a). It is how we “shama” that separates us from those who would wrongly contend that they are a beloved of the Father. That being said, there is an art to listening; for by listening,  or better, by “shama-ing” (especially to the Words of Yehovah), we make things happen in both the physical and spiritual world, and those worlds around us are forever changed and changed for the good.  
 
Thus, our call to action, is to “shama.” May we be faithful to hear, listen and obey His Torah and teach others to do so as well. May you be most blessed, fellow saints in training. Shalom.

Torah Living Daily Reflections 6–The Kingdom of Yehovah (of Yahweh or of God)

by | Sep 17, 2014 | Podcasts

Continuing my daily ritual of Torah Study and incorporating Rood’s Chronological Gospels as the dates correspond to the Julian calendar–specifically on August 25, 2014, I came across the passage in Matthew 13:36-43 (recorded as event 86) where Yeshua expounds for His disciples the parable of the tares as it relates to the Kingdom of Yehovah. The passage reads as such:
 
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare [or in ancient Greek, phrazo meaning to explain] unto us the parable of the *tares [which is English for zizanion which is a darnel] of the field.
 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
  (Mat 13:36-43 KJV)
 
*Tares is zizanion or a kind of darnel, which is a Eurasian ryegrass. According to Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (if you don’t have a copy, I would encourage you to get one as it is a very handy resource when attempting to understand terms and words such as tares that are not common to our modern-day vernacular), grow in the grain fields as tall as wheat and barley. It resembles wheat in appearance. The Jews considered it degenerate wheat. Rabbis referred to it as “bastard” wheat. Tare seeds can be deadly poisonous to humans and herbivorous animals.Since it naturally tends to become intricately intertwined in the wheat and barley crop, the common practice was for wheat/barley growers to leave the separating of the two till near the time of harvest. Obviously, at the time of harvest, the tares are separated from the wheat/barley and the tares are then burned in a heap.
 
aviv barley
This agricultural situation presents the Messianic Believer with a tremendous spiritual application for the tare represents some very interesting character traits that may be applied to the Body of Messiah:
  •      the son’s of the evil one
  • false teachings
  • false teachers
  • will not be part of the Kingdom
One of the many things that I have become acutely aware of, having come in to the true Faith once delivered, is the huge disparity that exists between the Faith that I am now involved in and Christianity in all its 30,000 plus denominational iterations. In my early years in this Faith of ours, it was so easy for me to look upon my Christian brothers and sisters with pomposity and in many cases disdain and anger because of the “stuff” they believed and professed. In fact, I was more tolerable of the heathens in my life than the Christians I would run across from time-to-time. 
 
I was then fortunate to have embarked upon routine Torah studies and my studies took me on a journey with the Children of Promise as they trekked across the Sinai desert, heading for the promised land that all but a couple adults who began that journey out of Egypt would ever see. In that band of trekking nomads were those who were evil–evil in heart, mind and soul. There were also non-Hebrews who went along for the trek for purposes of simply getting out of Egypt. The evil ones and most of the non-Hebrews created nothing but problems for those few who were true to the call. I began to liken those of us in the true faith once delivered and Christians to the band of individuals crossing the desert. This hodge-podge of people who made up the young nation of Israel, were allowed to travel and live together. It was not until all was said and done and Yehovah’s Torah was set in place, that the entire party of travelers were required to make a decision and cleave to the God of Israel. Yehovah did not separate them as they traveled but let circumstances and obedience to His Word and way of life separate those who belonged from those who did not belong. 
 
As it stands, it is none of our business who professes Jesus, or for that matter Yeshua, as Messiah. Each of us is on our own individual journeys. Consequently, each of us are at any given time, at differing levels of understanding of Scripture, relationship with Yehovah and living out our lives as we believe we should. Many of the 2+ billion individuals who profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior will never come to have a proper relationship with Yehovah (as the true Faith once deliver would consider a proper relationship with Yehovah to be). Others will come close to a realization of the true Faith but fall short somewhere along the line. Still a precious few will have the light come on in their minds, hearts and souls, and they will come to understand the True Faith once delivered in all its grand and beautiful glory; and it will be these individuals who will join us in the Messianic/Hebraic Roots community as fellow Torah observing Believers of Messiah. It thus becomes our job to earnestly contend for the Faith once delivered, all the while praying for our respective family members, co-workers and friends to receive the light of the true Gospel before it’s too late. It is this mindset that we must adopt–one of hope and of compassion for our cousins who are in bondage under Christianity and Judaism. We must see our Faith from the standpoint of the tares growing together with the viable wheat–we must compassionately contend with those who are not of our Faith until such a time the Master deems is sufficient and brings all things to a close. May you be blessed in this knowledge. Until next time-Shalom fellow saints in training.

Torah Living Daily Reflections 5-When Emotions Get in the Way of Service to Yehovah (Yahweh or God)

by | Sep 16, 2014 | Podcasts

Continuing my trek through the Torah, I pick up where I’d left off–at Deuteronomy 3: 23-29. I found here a very touching and emotional passage. Despite what most scholars have to say about Deuteronomy not possibly being written by Moshe, my spirit tells me otherwise. Well, at the very least, the content of this Book was somehow relayed from Moshe to whomever for posterity sake and from there it made it to our Bibles. Obviously, we’ll never know who exactly physically penned this Book. Most scholars contend that the actual content was not codified until many centuries beyond Moshe’s death. But the Almighty’s hand was all over this particular situation and Moshe was the primary focus of this passage.

23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,  24 O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?
 25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.  26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.  27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.  28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.  29 So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.  (Deu 3:23-29 KJV)
moses_water_rock_strike
At this point in the history of the Israelite’s wanderings of 40-years, Moshe had been told by Yehovah that He would not live to see the promised land with his fellow Israelites (cf. Deut. 1:37). The reason why Moshe was denied the privilege of entering  in to the land of promise was recorded in Num. 20:12–And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. This “punishment” if you will, was confirmed later on in Num. 27:13.
So what was it that Moshe did that did “not…sanctify Yah in the eyes of the children of Israel?” The answer is found in Num. 27:13–For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. 
 
The actual incident is recorded in detail in Numbers 20. Certain scholars place this and most of the events as recorded in Numbers around 1405 B.C. The story goes that the Children of Israel had entered the Wilderness of T’zin in the Month of Aviv. (Verse one of the chapter also cites Kadesh as possibly being the same referenced region.) According to bibleatlas.org, the desert or wilderness of T’zin bordered with Judah at the uttermost part of the south as documented in the Book of Joshua (sp. 15:1). The exact location is not truly known. Others have postulated that it lies between the Dead and the Red Seas and could be about 110 miles long and upwards of 15 miles wide. It would have been a region of “waste land, terrible heat in the summer and of great drought.” Verse one also records that Miryam died and was buried in this wasteland. Certainly verse two of this chapter supports the contention of the region existing in great drought and it was as a result of this critical situation that the “edah”(ay-daw) or congregation once again gathered together against Moshe and Aharon. Once again the people complained about their plight and this time instead of wishing they were back in Egypt, the desire was that they would have died as their former associates had died as a result of the Kohath (aka Korah), Dathan and Abiram incident (reference Num. 16:1). If you recall from that incident, Kohath and his cohorts (some 250 princes to be precise) lodged somewhat of an uprising against Moshe and Aharon. Their issue? They had issue with the Yehovah appointed leadership of Moshe and Aharon, citing “…it is enough (or aka: you have gone too far–ESV; you have gone far enough–NAS); for all the assembly, all of them are holy, and Yehovah is among them; and why do you lift up yourselves above the congregation of Yehovah?” 
 
Okay–were these fools kidding? It hadn’t been that long since they were at the base of Mount Sinai and Yehovah showed the assembly His great might and wonders and gave them His commandments. It was this frightening event that prompted the assembly to go to Moshe and demand that he alone speak to Yehovah on the entire assembly’s behalf and never to talk to the assembly directly as they feared the terrible might of Yehovah (reference Exo. 19 & 20). So it goes without saying that this group was speaking out of both sides of their mouths and certainly as this story went, they would regret that demanding confrontation against Yehovah’s chosen and anointed. Well, that challenge did not end well for the challengers, for verses 31-33 of chapter 16 records that “the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that belonged to Korah (aka Kohath) along with all their property so that they and everything they owned went down alive into Sheol (aka “pit) and the earth closed over them and their existence in the assembly ceased.” So it baffles me why a group of people who are so concerned with their well being would want to suffer the same plight as their former acquaintances. But then, we’ve all been exposed to individuals in our lives who seemingly exist only to complain and challenge the status quo. What comes out of these folks’ mouths at times is nothing short of astounding. Ultimately, nothing that is ever done to fix or address their complaints is good enough and the complaints and challenges simply take on another form.
 
Well, the community’s challenge was pretty much right in line with previous complaints about their wilderness plight (reference Exo. 14:11; 16:3; 17:3; Num. 16:13). However, this particular uprising focused more on there being no water to quench the thirst of the assembly. Certainly, being in that inferno without water would have prompted even the most disciplined of the assembly to wonder why they left their former abodes to endure their current situation. We are generally creatures of the here and now. We see only what’s in front of us at each moment of our existence and it is only the most disciplined and far-sighted of us who can persevere and muddle through hardship with an eye on the grander and future picture. What was Yehovah doing to and with these people? It would seem that He was fashioning for Himself a holy nation of priests (Exo. 19:6). Yehovah’s method in accomplishing this was to put this assembly through the crucible of the wilderness where their entire being was dependent upon the providence of the Almighty. Thus the people would become a nation of individuals who’s reliance was entirely upon Yehovah: Yehovah would provide; Yehovah would teach and lead; Yehovah would bless. There would be no uncertainties within the borders of this nation; no injustices; no lack; no hurt, harm or danger. No other nation had nor to date has ever had the fullness of this scenario played out in their borders and existence.
 
Well, Moshe consulted Yehovah as to how this situation of there being no water for the assembly should be handled. Yehovah instructed Moshe to take that same rod which Yehovah had given Moshe at the beginning of his ministry and service to Yehovah (Exo. 4:17) and assemble the community along with Aharon before what is likely a great rock that was positioned in the assembly’s midst. Moshe was then to speak to that rock and upon speaking to the rock, water would come forth and fulfill the thirst needs of the people. 
 
Question: why did Yehovah instruct Moshe to take the staff (rod) with him when he went to speak to the rock? As the story goes, Moshe did not speak to the rock, but instead, spoke against the assembly as to their rebellious nature and behavior and then took the rod and struck the rock twice in apparent anger to bring forth water. The instructions of the Father were quite clear–Moshe was to speak to the rock and it would bring forth water. Yet Moshe defied that order, but instead struck the rock with the rod–not once but twice. Why? My guess is that Moshe’s emotions got the best of him. More so, why did Yehovah instruct Moshe to take the rod with him to verbally address the rock? Could it be that Yehovah sensed the anger and frustration that was welling up within Moshe and thus Yehovah was testing Moshe? This would seem to be the case since we find in verse 12 of chapter 20 of Numbers that Yehovah addressed the incident in this matter–“Because you did not trust in me, so as to cause me to be regarded as holy by the people of Isra’el, you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.” “Because you did not trust in me.” If indeed this was the case, Yehovah seemed to have been testing Moshe’s trust in him. Sadly, Moshe failed that test.
 
Part of me empathizes with Moshe. Here is a man who was thrust in to the most impossible situation that any man could ever find himself. He was leading a stiff-necked people who had no other care in the known world other than for themselves and most likely had never fully bought in to the covenant that was made between the people and Yehovah at the foot of Sinai as recorded back in Exodus 19. Certainly the people were being pushed to the limits of their physical and emotional endurance as Yehovah sought to create for Himself that holy nation of priests He so much desired. Moshe was always before the people whenever the community faced adversity and lack and it was Moshe that had to endure the brunt of the complaints and challenges. How many times did he go through the roller coaster of lack and full and lack and full as he led this crazy bunch of thankless souls? Moshe was chosen by Yehovah to fill this key position in the history of the Children of Promise. He would be the example set before the people to imitate–sort of a forerunner of Yeshua–one who was holy and a priest to Yehovah. Being such a leader is not at all easy. Despite the difficulty of Moshe’s position, Yehovah’s standards remained high and unchangeable. Yehovah required total and unyielding trust from Moshe, and any personal emotions, biases, perceptions, opinions, thoughts and the like have no place in the true service of the Father. As a consequence, Moshe lost his opportunity to lead the assembly in to the land of promise as I would imagine Moshe desperately desired to do. Of any in that group of desert wanderers, Moshe should have been afforded the blessing of entering the promised land. But that was not to be. Moshe would only see the land from a distance.
 
The realization of this punishment obviously troubled Moshe to no end. He blamed the Children of Promise for his punishment, at least in part he did. Despite Moshe’s constant pleas to Yehovah to allow Moshe to enter the promised land, Yehovah remained unrepentant and unyielding in His decision. Clearly, Yehovah can be swayed in some things, but in others He may not. I can’t blame Moshe for trying to sway the heart and mind of the Father. I likely would have done the same thing. Ultimately, Moshe plead with Yehovah over this matter one too many times and Yehovah had to finally say to Moshe: “Enough from you! Don’t say another word to me about this matter!” Oh how it must have crushed this man…this man who gave up everything to lead such a jacked-up people who could care little to nothing for him. But sometime, being in the service of the Almighty is a loner’s game–a solitary endeavor–and somehow, like Moshe, we have to find sufficiency in our relationship with Yehovah alone and not worry about anything or any body else. We can’t let emotions then rule us and cloud our judgment and actions when it comes to the service of Yah. Besides, it’s not about us…it’s all about Him. Be most blessed, fellow Saints in training. Shalom.