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The study of the Bible in its historical context - with a focus on the archaeology, history, geography, customs , culture, and even the languages of the ancient Middle East. WE ask what did they understand THEN - the original intent of the Lord - so that we can expand and enrich our understanding NOW and thus become true disciples of Adonai Yeshua as in John 8:31-32.
Episodes
3 hours ago
3 hours ago
We are now in the 6th lesson in this special podcast series on the Ten Commandments. In this lesson we will focus on Exod. 20:4-6 …
"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exo 20:4-6)
One thing to observe is in context all this deals with the sin of idolatry. It is important to keep than in mind especially when one takes in the phrase “…visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me…” since this does not mean for all sins. This phrase is only related to the sin of idolatry. This will become clear in the study itself.
A second thing to consider is ONLY the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments is related to these verses. The Jewish and Catholic versions do not include any of the words from verse 4-6. Once again here is the list of the three versions of the Ten Commandments.
This is a clear example that if one studies the Ten Commandments dismissed from the textual context one loses a lot of what God wants us to understand. We will never get the full idea of what God is teaching us, His instruction, His TORAH, about a commandment if it is taken out of context. Thus we need to study ASERET MITZVAOT עשרת מצוות (Hebrew of Ten Commandments which is not found in the original Hebrew) in the context of ASERET HADEVAREEM עשרת הדברים (Hebrew for the Ten Words or Statements of the Lord, in other words, verses 1-17 of Exodus 20).
I mentioned the teachings of the great Bible scholar, Dwight Pryor. He did a series on the divinity of Yeshua. It can be found at the link below. Studying Dr. Pryor’s lesson will help any Christian to be able to answer the question, “Is Jesus God?” I highly recommend this audio series. Here’s the link - https://www.jcstudies.store/one-god-one-lord-the-shema-and-the-divinity-of-jesus/
In this lesson we confront one of the key dogmatic differences between Judaism and Christianity. Judaism believes that God is only spiritual and is not physical and can never appear in the physical. Christianity believes that God became a man. To a religious Jew this seems then to come against these words of God in Exod. 20:3-4. Also, they would bring up …
"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Num 23:19)
This shows there is a huge barrier between the beliefs of Judaism and that of Christianity. I urge you to 1st study the lessons from Dwight Pryor mentioned above. 2nd, check out this article on GotQuestions.com – a evangelical Bible study website. Here’s the link - https://www.gotquestions.org/God-is-not-a-man.html
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
2 days ago
2 days ago
Our focus in this lesson is verse Exod. 20:3 …
“You shall have no other gods before Me.”
This is the 2nd commandment in the Jewish list of the Ten Commandments. But, it is part of the 1st commandment for Catholics and Protestants. See the list of the Commandments for Jews, Catholics, and Protestants below.
One thing we notice is the Catholics and Protestants both left out the phrase “who has taken you out of the land of Egypt.” We will find in this lesson that for Catholics and Protestants this will show that the verse Exod. 20:3 can not be clearly understood. It can be, however, if one studies it in textual and historical context. This lesson will bring that out quite clearly. It is another glaring example that one must study the Ten Commandments in their textual context and not “stand alone” as in the Catholic or Protestant lists.
Just consider the lists below. In the first is the Protestant Ten Commandments highlighted within the all the words of verse 1-17. The second is the Jewish list of the Ten Commandments (they are underlined). If one wants to truly understand the Commandments and their interpretation one must leave them in the original textual context.
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, a Christian rabbi or Messianic rabbi, is quite famous for his books, “The Harbinger” and “The Harbinger II.” He has written another fascinating book I highly recommend, “The Return of the Gods.” His premise is that there is evidence in our society today that the reasons why the ancients revered and bowed down to ancient gods have returned. It is as if those ancient page gods are back among us. AS a Bible historian I find Rabbi Cahn’s writings very convincing and totally disturbing. See the picture of the rabbi below and the book, “The Return of the Gods.”
The reason I bring up this book is it so relates to Exod. 20:3 …
“You shall have no other gods before Me.”
We will see that this verse properly interpreted from the ancient Hebrew shows that a false god is more than some idol of ancient days. It seems as if the TORAH defines what a false god is and thus God’s INSTRUCTION, His תּוֹרָה Torah, shows that this is applicable to today. Jonathan Cahn suggests this in his book makes a clear and convincing argument.
Not only him as a Christian, but Dennis Prager as well. He brings it up in his Torah commentary, “Exodus: the Rational Bible,” but also in his excellent 5 minute video on Exod. 20:3.
You will see how Dennis Prager, a true scholar and deeply religious Jew, shows us what are modern false gods. Here’s the link to the video that is found at PragerU.
Link - https://www.prageru.com/video/no-other-gods
Once again I say thank you to Jonathan Cahn and Dennis Prager. Each man has given us excellent teaching on the false gods in our day. However, the Torah shows what is behind all this. God’s word is clear and precise and quite basic and simple. Taken all together we find that this statement of the Lord in Exod. 20:3 is so awesome and so terrifying as it relates to our day. You’ll see what I mean as you study along with me in this lesson.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background
3 days ago
3 days ago
After the three introductory videos we now begin the study of Exod. 20:1-17 – the exact words of the Lord or as is known in the original Hebrew, עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem, the Ten Words or better is the Ten Statements. We found in the introductory videos in Lesson 1 Part 1 and Part 2 there is no such thing as Ten Commandments in the original Hebrew. It was a mistranslation of the church in the late 1500’s.
In Biblical Hebrew, the Ten Commandments, called עשרת הדיברות (transliterated aseret ha-dibrot by the rabbis but the actual is aseret ha-devareem), are mentioned at Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and Deuteronomy 10:4. In all sources, the terms are translatable as "the ten words", "the ten sayings", or "the ten matters".
In the Septuagint (or LXX), the "ten words" was translated as "Decalogue", which is derived from Greek δεκάλογος, dekalogos, the latter meaning and referring to the Greek translation (in accusative) δέκα λόγους, deka logous. This term is also sometimes used in English, in addition to Ten Commandments. The Tyndale and Coverdale English biblical translations used "nine verses". The Geneva Bible used "ten commandments", which was followed by the Bishops' Bible and the Authorized Version (the "King James" version) as "ten commandments". Most major English versions use the word "commandments".
(Taken from Wikipedia)
But the idea of Ten Commandments stuck and now we have at least three official versions; the Jewish version, the Catholic and Protestant. All three are different and are subject to the view of the translator and NOT the actual words of the Bible. Shown below are the three versions.
(From Hebrew4Christians.com)
In these lessons we will study עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem with the understanding that the Ten Commandments are embedded in the Ten Statements. Our goal is to study the Ten Commandments in their textual context; study the commandments in the Aseret HaDevareem. So, in this lesson we consider Exod. 2:1-2 or …
Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exo 20:1-2)
The Catholic and Protestant versions do not have the phrase “who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Why? Why did they leave God’s words out? So as we study verses 1-2 we will see that if you are a Catholic or if you are a Protestant or some type of non-Catholic, the missing phrase is critical. We can not study whatever version of the Ten Commandments and not understand how this relates to us as Gentile believers in the 21st century. This also goes for the phrase “out of the house of slavery.” Once again this is left out of the Christian list. By doing this we miss what God might be probably to teach His chosen one then and us, us who have been grafted in to the olve tree of Israel. We must study עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem and thus to understand the Ten Commandments in their context.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
4 days ago
4 days ago
This is the final lesson in the introduction to the Ten Commandments. We will discuss two more topics.
- Is the Sinai Covenant only for Israel? Are the Ten Commandments meant only for them or everyone?
- Is God’s religion a significant component of our lives or is it something bigger?
Our religion that comes from the religion of the Jewish people prior to Jesus’ day encompasses all of life. There is nothing of life that is not affected by our religion. This is in direct contrast with the Greek philosophical concept of life components and the balance of life as taught by Aristotle. His teachings deeply influenced the church after it separated from Israel and centered itself in Rome and abandoned its Jewish roots.
There is one last topic that forms the conclusion of this lesson. The topic is both Jews and Gentiles recognized that the Sinai Covenant had a missing piece. The Ten Commandments, God’s covenant statement was not meant to do it all. It was incomplete. It was missing something – it was missing a blood sacrifice to cleanse a sinner from INTENTIONAL sin. There were blood sacrifices required for UNINTENTIONAL sin, mistakes, lapses in judgment. One can read about this in Leviticus 4 or Numbers 15:22-31. If one sins defiantly, if one sins willingly and openly, if one sins with a high hand of rebellion, in other words INTENTIONALLY there is NO blood sacrifice in the Sinai Covenant to cleanse the sinner. The great Jewish rabbis, Akiva in the early 2nd century A.D., and Maimonides in the late 12th century A.D. both discussed this. They agree with the writer of Hebrews and Paul himself. So, what was the solution. What was the missing piece. Whose blood is the blood needed by the covenant? This is a major concept that we end with before we start studying the individual verses in Exodus 20:1-17.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
5 days ago
5 days ago
In this lesson we continue the introduction to the Ten Commandments. This is God's Covenant and He shows us that the life of His people, the life of those He enter the covenant, is a life far different than perhaps what we may have learned. We may have learned that we need to live a balanced life. We need to put things in their proper perspective and not anything in our life should become so high a priority that it tilts the balance. The church of Rome after it disconnected from its Jews roots, seemingly incorporated aspects of Greek philosophy. Aristotle was the big proponent of a balanced life. He said if you live such a life you will be happy. This is not what the Lord wants. When He gave Israel and us the Ten Commandments, actually עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem, the Ten Statements (words), He was also teaching us that if we are truly a disciple of Jesus we will NOT live a balanced life.
So, God gives עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem, His Ten Statements. Who was the targeted audience? Just the Hebrews only? If so why has the church taken them on? We are taught that Jesus did away with the "old" covenant. Huh? That means according to God's word, the very words of God Himself, that the Ten Commandments are null and void. Why? God said they were His covenant.
So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
(Exo 34:28)
This lesson like the previous lessons take us deeper into our understanding of this significant event in human history. Join me on this amazing journey into the very words of God and to study His עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem - His Ten Statements - and see how this testifies of Yeshua Adonaynoo, Jesus our Lord.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
6 days ago
6 days ago
Jacob wrestles with a man. This is what it says in the Hebrew in Gen. 32:24. Who is this "man?" The rabbis say it is the devil himself, HaSatan - the adversary. Some Christian scholars say it is Jesus! Others say it is the Angel of the Lord. But, what does the Bible say? Are there strong hints in the text that give us an idea of who this "man" is?
Come and join us in the Torah study. Come as we put the Bible into its historical context and discover things that are hidden but are now being brought to light by Ruach HaKodesh - the רוח הקודש Holy Spirit, our teacher given to us on Shavuot after Jesus' Resurrection.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?
(Ferret ... near ancient Bethel in Israel)
What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Wednesday Apr 29, 2026
Wednesday Apr 29, 2026
Our study on עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem - the Ten Statements - of the Lord continues. In this lesson, lesson 2 part 2 of the introduction to the Ten Commandments, we ask how does the Ten Commandments witness of the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus. Jesus said it in John 5:39 ...
"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me." (Joh 5:39)
... and all they had was the Hebrew Scriptures then, the Old Testament. How might these verses Exod. 20:1-17 testify of Jesus. Come on. Let's go see.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Our study on עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem - the Ten Statements - of the Lord continues. In this lesson, lesson 2 of the introduction to the Ten Commandments, we see the difference between simply studying the Ten Commandments as opposed to all the words God spoke as recorded on Exodus 20:1-17. In other words not only are we again putting the Bible into its historical context but putting the Ten Commandments back into their textual context. Quite simply you can not study the Ten Commandments without understanding the rest of the words God spoke that surround the Ten. This will be clear as we look at three topics.
The 1st is the fact by God's own words that the Sinai Covenant never was replaced! Christians say it was replaced. We will see something far more amazing and powerful.
2nd, we will look as the organization of the Ten Commandments. This we know ...
"It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed." When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God. (Exo 31:17-18)
God wrote them on two tablets. On both sides as well (Exod. 32:15). But, what was written on the front? The back? Were the two tablets copies of each other? Some say the Ten Commandments are in two groups. Group 1 is commandments 1 through 4 and the 2nd 5 through 10. I call it 4 by 6. Others say the 1st group is 1 through 5 and the 2nd 6 through 10. I call that 5 by 5. So what is it? The Torah is silent on all this. All we can do is consider some amazing possibilities.
Lastly, how did the Hebrews coming out of Egypt understand the words of Adonai in these verses. Or how did the disciples of Jesus understand them nearly 1500 years later. And how does this witness of the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus. Jesus said it in John 5:39 ...
"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me." (Joh 5:39)
... and all they had was the Hebrew Scriptures then, the Old Testament. How might these verses testify of Jesus. Come on. Let's go see.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Monday Apr 27, 2026
Monday Apr 27, 2026
In part two we continue are introduction to the Ten Commandments - Aseret HaDevareem or the Ten Statements. God says these ten statements are His covenant as in Exod. 34:28. But, is it a contract? Is is an agreement? Is this covenant like a treaty?
The Lord gives us what He means by a covenant. It is like nothing ever seen in history then or now. The prophets of Israel are inspired by Yahvay, the Lord, to help us understand this unique and very special covenant. We realize that this is a NEW Covenant given at the mountain of God, Mt. Sinai, to His special chosen ones, Israel, who are led by Moses, the shepherd. All this seems to relate to another NEW Covenant given by the Lord - our Yeshua - at the mountain of God, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, to His chosen ones, His disciples, who are led by God's chosen one, Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The connections are too amazing. This must've been done one purpose. What is the Lord getting at? He is showing us that the 1st covenant, an integral part of God's redemption plan, needed to give birth to another New Covenant that brought completeness to His redemption plan. It was all related to the very words of God when Jesus said that all scripture testifies of Him in John 5:39.
So as we study the 1st it gives us an intimate connection to the 2nd. The 2nd finished what the 1st didn't address.
I mentioned other lessons you might consider studying. The first is Lesson 46 parts 1 &2 n this Exodus series. It sets the stage for the giving of the covenant at Sinai. Here's the link ...
Part 1 - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-uhhag-1...
Part 2 - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7uqgr-1...
Another series that even goes into this deeper are the podcasts entitled "The Archaeology of Pentecost/Shavuot." It is clear the Lord God is making an amazing connection between the first Passover and Pentecost and the 1st covenant and the 2nd covenant. Here's the link for this series.
Link - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/?s=shavuot
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Sunday Apr 26, 2026
Sunday Apr 26, 2026
Bible study on the Ten Commandments. This is not a study to re-teach the Ten Commandments. But as we put the Bible into its historical context, as we put the Bible back into its textual context, we begin to see things in a new light. This simply enriches our understanding of the Ten Commandments.
In Part 1 of lesson 1 we will ask if there are ten commandments or are they something else? And ten? Could there be 12 or 15 or 17 commandments? What is God's purpose in all this?
It is recommended that you listen to lesson 46 parts 1 & 2 first before jumping in to the extensive study of Exod. 20:1-17. Here's the links to lesson 46 parts 1 & 2.
Part 1 - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-uhhag-127e43f
Part 2 - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7uqgr-1281e42
Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? What's his background? Why should we take time to listen to him? Here's a link to check out his background ... - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0