LIGHT OF MENORAH

Genesis - 24 - Gen. 11:1-9 The Tower and the City of Babel

The events of the Tower of Babel story are more applicable to us today than we may have imagined.  It is probably something we have not been taught or even considered.  For one thing, the people did not just build a tower.  They also built a city.  They built a city and a tower.  This is huge and must be taken into account.  What's this all saying?

Also, as the events unfold there is no mention of God.  These people probably are not evil.  The Bible does not say they are evil.  But, these people do not seem to be one's who believe in God.  Verses 1-4 they seem to be godless. God shows up finally in verse 5 when He came and saw not just the tower, but the tower and the city.  God sees both.  The tower is not the focus but the city and the tower.   Some Bible teachers will say God was angry with the people and what they did.  Huh?  There is no mention of God being angry.  But God sees that they have one language and they are one people and they will not easily be stopped from doing whatever they wish if this continues.  God is saying this is dangerous.  Huh?  Why?  Why is is dangerous.  Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that humankind never changed after the flood.  In Gen. 6:5 and again after the flood in Gen. 8:21, God tells us through Moses' pen that the imagination of men's hearts is to do evil continually.  This idea is seemingly repeated here. 

Is God warning us that mankind as one people with one language and one worldview without God will lead to uncontrolled evil?  Is this perhaps and prediction of the end of days when many will be without God and united as one people and one godless worldview?  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/scl/fi/8qth6w4e56oub9js1w1gu/BackgrndTeacher-mar-25-2020.pdf?rlkey=f14fr2wmde5fezjmnrny8cycl&st=8kag3nil&dl=0

Exodus 55 - Exod. 22:18-20 - SORCERERS SHALL DIE (We are in the world but not part of it - John 17:14-16)

We are about to study three awesome verses, Exod. 22:18-20.  All three refer to commonly accepted practices connected to the immoral and sinful pagan culture in the ancient Near East.  All three demand death sentences.  What יהוה‎ Yahvay our Lord is teaching us is His total rejection of polytheism and its associated abhorrent practices and rituals.  In essence the Lord is teaching the Hebrews then coming out of Egypt that they are to be HOLY.  Not the way the church translates holy as without sin or being righteous before God or holy being pure of heart or other ways.  The church again dismisses the Hebrew and loses the real idea as to what יהוה‎ Yahvay our Lord is getting at.  The Hebrew word used for God wanting His chosen, His elect to be holy is the word קָדֹשׁ or kadosh H6918.  It gives us the idea of being separate or ones set apart or those who are distinctly and uniquely different than others.  The Lord wants His chosen, His elect, His people to live in such a way that they are not like the pagan polytheists around them.  He wants His chosen to be His, set apart, ones who live so that all know they belong to יהוה‎ Yahvay.  We remember when He said in His word, in the Torah ...

"For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy." (Lev 11:44-45)

We are in His image and thus we are to exhibit those characteristics of our Father.  He is קָדֹשׁ kadosh and we are also to be קָדֹשׁ kadosh.  This idea carries us into the New Testament.  If we are to be disciples of Yeshua, talmideem of Rav Yeshua, then we are to be like Him.  Jesus said that He is not of the world and neither are we to be of the world.  We are in the world but we are separate, set apart, distinctly different, or not part of the world.  Jesus is only teaching from the only scripture they had when He was here, the Hebrew scriptures or the Old Testament and the תּוֹרָה Torah, the first five books of the Bible, considered the foundation of all of God's word in Jesus' day, when He said ...

"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  (Joh 17:14-16)

So as we study these verses in Exodus we see they are God's intention for them THEN and for us NOW since through the CROSS and the BLOOD of the LAMB, we have become "grafted in" to the olive tree of Israel and through Jesus have become יהוה‎ Yahvay's chosen, His elect, His sons and His daughters.  

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

Exodus 3 - Part 1 - Ex. 2:1-10 Birth of the Redeemer

This lesson is in two parts.  There is just simply too much material in these verses, Exod. 2:1-10, that I had to break it up into two sessions.

Our focus is on the birth of Moses and we will study five distinct perspectives on Moses’ birth.  In this first part we will return to the date of 1446 B.C. and use it as the date Moses and the Israelites left Egypt after the first Passover meal and the night the first born throughout the land of Egypt were killed.  As we continue with the Exodus Torah study I will provide archaeological support for the date of 1446 B.C.  We will see clearly that this date that many of you have heard in sermons, Bible studies or in your own readings, is the date of the Exodus.  You will be surprised where this date comes from and how real archaeology supports it.

We will also consider some amazing Jewish legends associated with the birth of Moses.  In Jewish thought Moses was considered the first redeemer and he prefigures the final redeemer, the ultimate redeemer, the Messiah. 

Also we will study the word “ark.”  Noah built an ark and Moses was put in an ark (see the King James and the Jewish JPS versions of the Bible) or a basket in the New American Standard and ESV versions and the ark of the covenant.  Some actually teach all three of these “arks” are related.  Matter of fact there is a Jewish website that teaches Torah and I just happened to read their lead rabbi relate Noah’s ark, the basket or ark Moses was put in, and the ark of the covenant.  We will see that they can’t be related at all.  This is proven by Jewish sources and supported by a simple solution - Hebrew.  We are dealing with the textual context of the Hebrew and NOT the textual context in English. 

I mentioned in this lesson that I would provide some links to enhance your study.  The first link is to a video showing suggested possibilities of what was the Star of Bethlehem found in Matt. 2:1-2.  The next links are to articles on the Hyksos and the New Kingdom of Egypt that starts with the 18^th Dynasty.  These I am sure will provide some insights and enhance this lesson.

Link to the video on the star –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMMkWvGz9jI

Link to the article on the New Kingdom –  https://www.ancient.eu/New_Kingdom_of_Egypt/

Link to the article on the Hyksos –  https://www.ancient.eu/Hyksos/

 

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

 

Truth Nuggets 27 - The Rapture Restored - Lesson 2 Part 1

Lesson 2 Part 1

In this video Bible study we go back 1000’s of years to investigate a prediction made by the Lord through Moses near the place called Shittim (pronounced SHH TEEM). 

It was the camping place of the Hebrews just before Moses' death and then the crossing of the Jordan.  This prediction seems to connect to Jesus’ prediction that He, Jesus, the Messiah (known as the “son of man” when He was here the first time) would gather His elect or His “chosen” in Matt. 24:29-31.  Could it be that the “rapture,” that is discussed and debated today, has been named incorrectly?  Is it possible that the rapture is really the ingathering of Israel as predicted in Deut. 30:1-5, Isa. 11:12, 27:13, 56:8 (Gentiles gathered?), 66:20 and Ezek. 20:34, 20:41, 37:12, 37:21 ?  When we study the Bible in its historical context, when we focus on the words in the ancient Greek and Hebrew, when we consider the ancient Jewish culture of Jesus’ day and Paul’s day, it seems probable that the ingathering of Israel as predicted by the Lord, יהוה Yahvay, is what is mistakenly called the “rapture” in the 21^st century. 

This begins to make sense in that God over and over again says He will gather His chosen people, Israel, in the end times into the land He promised Abraham.  It is the land Israel has never ever controlled.  Solomon was close in his rule and reign.  Once Israel is “gathered in” they will live securely in peace forever as the chosen of יהוה Yahvay, Adonai, the Lord.  Paul teaches that in the end times all Israel will be saved.  ALL.  Paul does not separate non Christian religious Jews from Jewish or Gentile Christians.  Paul even teaches we Gentile believers are “grafted in” to Israel and become joint inheritors of the promises of God.  Paul does not separate the non Christian Jews from Christians.  He says under the Lord’s inspiration, we are one family.  So does the Lord.  Jesus says in John 10 that He is the Good Shepherd and His Jewish disciples know this means Jesus is claiming to be the Shepherd of Israel as found in Ezekiel 34.  The Hebrew Scriptures was all they had.  But Jesus said there is another flock He will bring as well implying us Gentiles.  And Jesus will make them one flock with one Shepherd.  But, “rapturists” especially pre-tribbers, condemn all Israel to the horrors of the Tribulation but Christian Jews and Gentiles will be spared.  These views  go against the very words of God.  This is man’s view and not God’s. 

So, come join us.  Come and consider the real viable alternative view of the “rapture” as we restore it to its Jewish roots.  We restore the “rapture” to the INGATHERING OF THE LORD’S ELECT. 

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

Genesis 23 - Gen. 9:1-11:9 - Nimrod Bullt the Tower?? No Way.

In this podcast we return to Genesis 9 and Noah’s planting a vineyard and then getting drunk.  One asks why this story was highlighted in God’s TORAH תּוֹרָה, His instruction?  And then what about the aftermath when his son Ham sees Noah drunk and naked in the tent.  What is going on? 

This is one of several instances where the Lord our God, Yahvay יהוה, does not give us clear precise understanding.  Scholarship is all over the map in providing reasonable commentary on this event.  One concludes that there is no clear answer to all this. 

One Jewish scholar, Leon Kass, in his Genesis commentary offers his view.  Kass seems to think this is all about family.  Ham brought shame upon his dad and over and over again TORAH תּוֹרָה,  Yahvay’s יהוה instruction, has a lot to say about family.  Kass notes that in Genesis chapters 1-11 that this has nothing to do with the Hebrews or Judaism.  So this event in Genesis 9 is seemingly to teach all mankind.  Kass makes a superb added idea as to the purpose of this story.  But, once again, there are many other ideas and opinions.  Kass’ opinion, however, makes a lot of sense as you will see as you join us in this study.

We will also come to Genesis 10 and come face to face with the notorious Nimrod.  We are taught that Nimrod was pure evil was the guy who had the Tower of Babel built.  But, as we will see all this is pure fantasy.  These are legends made up by the rabbis in Rabbinic Judaism.  These legends then “slid easily” into the church as well and not we are teaching the Bible and pushing that legends and made up rabbinic views are truth.  They are not.  So, this lesson is quite important to study and consider the truth behind the word of God and the character of Nimrod and what the Bible says about him and not some rabbi who made up some fictional account since to that rabbi it seemed to fit his agenda or view.  We can not and should not teach that someone’s opinion or made up views are truth.  That is why I focus on teaching the Torah in its historical context.  We must get at what God’s original intentions were when He inspired Moses to write His Torah.  We need to focus on the words of our Lord and our God when He said …

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue (the Greek is MENO G3306 – it has the idea of relying or persevering) in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (Joh 8:31-32)

 

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/scl/fi/8qth6w4e56oub9js1w1gu/BackgrndTeacher-mar-25-2020.pdf?rlkey=f14fr2wmde5fezjmnrny8cycl&dl=0

Exodus 2 - Exo. 1:8-22 Let Your Light Shine

Is the Bible credible?  Can we trust it?  Is the Exodus more than a story?  In lesson 2 we begin an amazing journey to show the veracity, the trustworthiness, of the book of Exodus.  As we continue in Exodus chapter one we will see that we are dealing with historic events – things that actually happened.  One top of that we will begin to verify the exact year when Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt.  It’s all related to an ancient pagan calendar that the majority of archaeologists agree is accurate and can be used to date events. 

Another aspect of this lesson is WOMEN.  The Bible is the only ancient religious source that shows the real intention of God as it relates to men and women.  God made men and women both equally in His image.  Man is not above woman and woman is not above man - they are equal in God's eyes.  The Bible is the only ancient source lifting up women to their equal and lofty place in God’s creation and plan.  Men are the ones who put down women.  The problem that messed things up was sin and turning away from God.  Woman first and then her man.

Later we see that woman was “built” by God (that is the actual Hebrew – built assumes a specific design unlike man) to NOT be a “suitable helper.”  That is what men did in translation.  They did not translate the Hebrew correctly and thus put down women.  The actual Hebrew is EZER KENEGDO  עזר כנגדו or a strength in front or a strength alongside. 

Gen. 2:18.  The implication is man was incomplete without woman and visa versa.  Woman is not man’s little helper.  No way.  She is the completeness of his strength and seemingly implies that physical strength is not sufficient.  Man needs woman. 

In this lesson we will see that the great pharaohs of Egypt are of no account as compared to two pagan Egyptian  women.  We will meet real heroines, we will meet strong, brave, bold women with guts.  Not men.  Women.  The Bible cries out from 3400 years ago to teach us, men and women, what it means to be one of God's people.  

In this lesson I mentioned I’d provide links to a few articles that relate to this lesson.  The links are below. 

The first link is to an article on Roman practice of infanticide and the catacombs of Praetextatus - https://earlychurchhistory.org/medicine/infanticide-in-the-ancient-world/

The second link is another major article on the legality of ancient abortion, infanticide, and infant exposure in ancient Rome and Greece and the early Christian response - https://www.dropbox.com/s/aj2qbmm6eqc7d5f/Pagans%2C%20Christianity%2C%20and%20Infanticide.pdf?dl=0

The third article is on 4 reasons why the early Messianic Christian assembly (church) grew so fast - https://myocn.net/four-reasons-why-early-christian-church-grew-so-quickly/

Lastly is a paper I did on adoption in ancient Rome.  It relates so well to this lesson.  Link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/i0fg3wwbm9xohzq/Ephesus%20Adopt.pdf?dl=0

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

 

Truth Nuggets - 27 - Episode 1 Part 2 - RAPTURE RESTORED - Historical Context of Matt. 24:29-31

Truth Nuggets Lesson 27

Episode 1 Part 2

Have you read Matt. 24:29-31.  No?  Here it is …

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” (Mat 24:29-31)

There are so-called end-times experts, probably devout Christians, who say this verse is all about the Pre-Trib Rapture.  Here, supposedly according to the opinions of the end-times expert, Jesus will come and rescue the Church from the terrible times, the horrible times, of God’s wrath falling upon all the pagan nations before Jesus returns.  But, you can also find end-times experts who argue that Matt. 24:29-31 is Jesus teaching on the Mid-Trib Rapture.  The Church will need to go through at least half the terrible times before being “caught up” or “raptured” and taken to Jesus to be with Him forever.  But, on top of that you can also find end-times experts, again probably devout sincere Christians, who say Jesus is teaching that the Rapture will not come till after the Tribulation period.  So, we see there are three groups of end-times experts and three separate views and interpretations on this one verse.  So, who do you believe? 

In these video lessons we will again study the Bible in its historical context.  It is clear not one, no one, none of the end-times experts even addresses the Bible in its historical context nor do with focus on the Hebrew culture and language of Jesus' day.  We will go back 2000 years ago to try and grasp what Jesus’ disciples, devout Jewish believers, understood when Jesus spoke the words in Matt. 24:29-31.  But this time we will focus on the fact that in Jesus’ day there was NO New Testament.  All they had was “Jesus’ Bible” or the Hebrew Scriptures that is called today the Old Testament. 

Also, in Jesus’ day Jewish eschatology, Jewish end-times theology, was discussed and understood from the very words of God in Torah and the Prophets.  So, in these lessons we need to get to what Jewish eschatology was and the fact that Jesus NEVER came against it. 

We will also focus on the Hebrew.  Why?  There is solid strong evidence that Jesus’ everyday language was Hebrew.  I mentioned some links I’d provide so you can study this further.  Here they are …

LINK 1 – the book “Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus”

https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Difficult-Words-Jesus-Perspective/dp/B098XVRHDN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3J4OZ9IUQZ8BF&keywords=Understanding+the+Difficult+Words+of+Jesus%3A+New+Insights+From+a+Hebrew+Perspective&qid=1684698362&sprefix=understanding+the+difficult+words+of+jesus+new+insights+from+a+hebrew+perspective%2Caps%2C735&sr=8-1

LINK 2 -  Skip Moen’s article on the Hebraic foundation of the Gospels

https://skipmoen.com/subscribe/hebrew/the-hebrew-gospels/

LINK 3 – scholarly article found at “Hebrew 4 Christians”

https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Jesus_Hebrew/jesus_hebrew.html

As one studies this Rapture Controversy it is wise to consider becoming familiar with Jewish end-times views or Jewish Eschatology.  One will find great connections between what the Church believes and it source in Second Temple Judaism, the days of Jesus.  Here’s a link to an article that will give you the listener an introduction …

LINK – Jewish Eschatology

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/eschatology

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

 

 

Genesis 22 - Gen. 9:1-19 - NOAH PLANTS A VINEYARD - THIS IS A BIG DEAL

This podcast deals with two verses.  The first is …

Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you. (Gen 8:13-16)

There is a possible amazing connection of these verses to the book of Revelation.  It’s almost as if the “salvation” of the 8 people, Noah, his wife, his sons, and his daughter in laws, from the waters of the flood is a paradigm of the elect of Yahvay יהוה, the Lord our God, being “saved” as well.  In Revelation this is also related to the seas and dry land.  Wait till you see this.  It is so cool.

But, are we surprised?  The Lord our God has already shown that there is a correlation between Noah and the Messiah, Noah and Jesus.  We will recall Jesus’ own words when He made the connection between His return and the days of Noah.  On top of that check out the article at Hebrew4Christians.com.  It is amazing to see that Noah is a paradigm of the Messiah.  Here’s the link …

https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/Summaries/Noach/Noah_and_Jesus/noah_and_jesus.html

So, perhaps there is a link of the “salvation” of the remnant in Genesis to the “salvation” of the remnant in the book of Revelation.  To me it shows again that in order to understand the book of Revelation you need to first study the book of Torah and the Prophets.  Again and again we see that the Revelation depends upon the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, since that was the ONLY Bible when the Revelation was written – there was no New Testament.

The second verse we’ll focus on are …

Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. (Gen 9:20-21)

Noah lives another 350 years after the flood.  So the only event the Lord inspired Moses to record after the flood in Noah’s life before he dies is that Noah planted a vineyard and got drunk.  What?  That seems ridiculous.  So the guy plants a vineyard and get drunk.  So what?  How does that help me with my life as one of God's people, a Christian, a disciple of Jesus today?

What is amazing is Yahvay יהוה, the Lord our God, is again asking us to study this event in its historical context.  This is part of God’s TORAH תּוֹרָה, which means “teaching” and not law.  Christians have translated TORAH as law not understanding the real meaning from the Hebrew.  It means teaching.  The first rive books of the Bible are Yahvay’s יהוה, the Lord our God’s, teaching.  His first audience were the Hebrews coming out of Egypt.  So, is there a possibility that this event for the Hebrews might relate to their yeas in Egypt where they had assimilated into the Egyptian culture and religion?  Would they look upon this event differently then us?  You bet.  And once we see how this makes sense to them then it’ll become so understandable for us today, now, in the 21^st century. 

So, interested?  Come let’s go study.

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/scl/fi/8qth6w4e56oub9js1w1gu/BackgrndTeacher-mar-25-2020.pdf?rlkey=f14fr2wmde5fezjmnrny8cycl&dl=0

Exodus 1 - Ex. 1:1-8 One Story

It is amazing how God uses the major event in Judaism, the Exodus, to teach us what His ultimate redemption of all men and women will be like.  The Exodus stands alone as a major event in human history.  It is amazing that God chose one people to be His chosen people so that the world would come to know Him, the God of Abraham, the one God, the only God through Israel.   He didn't pick Israel because they were somehow better than every other people.  No.  Just the opposite.  They were a stubborn and stiff necked people and the Lord teaches them it is not that they are righteous that He is doing all this ...

"Do not say in your heart when the LORD your God has driven them out before you, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. "It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deu 9:4-5) 

And later in Isaiah 42:6 & 49:6 we learn that God has a purpose for Israel, His servant.  They are to bring His salvation (salvation in Hebrew is YESHUA יְשׁוּעָה or, in English, Jesus!) God will bring His Yeshua יְשׁוּעָה, His salvation, to the whole world through Israel.

The first redemption is the Exodus.  And God seems to teach all of us that to understand the ULTIMATE redemption we need to understand the Exodus.  If we understand the first we will understand the second; we will understand the Jesus and the Cross.  This became the major event in Christianity.  

So.  Let us dive in to the study of Exodus.  Let us ask how God brings us the Gospel and the Good News of the Kingdom to us via the pen of Moses.  Let us turn to study THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MOSES.

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

Truth Nuggets - 27 - Episode 1 Part 1 - The Rapture Restored

Truth Nuggets Lesson 27

Episode 1 Part 1

Links and session notes are found under the picture for Part 2.