LIGHT OF MENORAH

Jesus teaches His disciples that they are the BRANCHES and He is the TRUE VINE.  On top of that these branches are "clean" because of what they learned from their rabbi, Rabbi Jesus.  Clean?  You mean somehow Jesus' words gave them a bath?  Huh?

He was teaching Jews in Israel about 2000 years ago.  We are so disconnected from those days that much of what Jesus taught simply escapes us.  So, if you thought you understood everything in John 15:1-11 wait till you watch this vidcast!  The church has abandoned understanding the Bible in its ancient historical and cultural context.  There are so many misconceptions that we are taught mistakenly and without the knowledge of the teacher.  It is time once again to reconnect to those days and study His word in context and grasp the original intended meaning by the Lord.  Ready?  Let's go.

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret ... taking a break in Jerusalem)

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 #8

Mary gave birth to her son, Jesus, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and He was laid in a manger.  This is so familiar to any and all Christians from and early age and throughout our lives.  It is part of the “Christmas” story so much a part of our lives every year. 

But, is there more that we can’t see?  Is the manger and Jesus in the manger, does this relate to something more; something so common to our Christian experience? 

This vidcast from Light of Menorah takes us back to ancient Israel to understand what a manger is and what it is used for.  It takes us to Bethlehem to locate where mangers are found.  This video takes us back 3400 years to ancient Egypt and the words of Adonai given to Moses in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible just before they left Egypt.  And as we study the archaeology in Jesus’ day and the Torah, as we remember that Jesus said all scripture testifies of Him - He said this 2000 years ago when all they had was the Hebrew scriptures (a.k.a. the Old Testament) – this along with the picture of Jesus just born and lying in a manger explodes with meaning.  We missed it since the “church” has been disconnected from its Jewish roots for hundreds and hundreds of years.  

Are you ready for this?  Let’s go.

I mentioned in the video that I would provide scholarly links to study the events and the archaeology of Jesus’ birth from the Associates for Biblical Research.  These are a must if you want to come to grips with the reality of His birth and to expand your understanding of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Link 1 to an article by Dr. Ken Bailey entitled, “The Manger and the Inn.”  -  https://biblearchaeology.org/new-testament-era-list/2803-the-manger-and-the-inn?highlight=WyJtYW5nZXIiLCJtYW5nZXInIl0=

Link 2 to a video by Gary Byers entitled, “Away in a Manger but Not a Barn.” -

Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YveeRv50lmg

Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzRG6jIVGoY

Part 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I-YhXcx0qU

Link 3 to an article by Gordon Melish, “There Wasn’t an Inn.” - https://biblearchaeology.org/research/devotionals/3643-there-wasnt-any-inn?highlight=WyJtYW5nZXIiLCJtYW5nZXInIl0=

Link 4 - Joel Kramer's video on the archaeology of Bethlehem - https://sourceflix.com/our-video/born-in-bethlehem/

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

 

There are 52 occurrences of the phrase "the angel of the Lord" in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament.  You can see the verses starting in Genesis to Exodus 3 which is the focus of this lesson.

Gen_16:7  Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.

Gen_16:9  Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority."

Gen_16:10  Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."

Gen_16:11  The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.

Gen_22:11  But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

Gen_22:15  Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven,

Gen_24:7  "The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I will give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.

Exo_3:2  The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.

Moses sees the burning bush and in the bush is this enigmatic character, the Angel of the Lord.  Who is this?  What is it?  What do the rabbis say?  Some Christian scholars say it is Jesus!  How can that be if one studies and asks the question what does the Bible say?  No where in the Bible does it even hint at the fact that the angel is Jesus.  

Once again we need to BRING OUR BRAIN  to the Bible.  We all agree this is the inspired word of God.  In short we say the Bible is God's word.  If so and God never said the angel of the Lord is Jesus, then how do some of our so called Christian scholars say it is Jesus?  It is dangerous to put words in the Bible that are not there.  I would rather it be taught with words like "is it possible that the angel of the Lord might be a manifestation of Jesus.  Perhaps some Bible verses suggest this might be true."  But there are many that seem to say they know the answer and it is their way or the highway.  Not a good way to teach God's word. 

In this lesson one question I pose, and I will again and again, who do you believe?  Do you believe the orthodox rabbis?  Do you believe so called Christian scholars?  Or do you believe in THE VERY WORDS OF GOD?  I suggest to you it must be the latter.

An excellent article on this topic can be found at this link.  

Link - https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/who-is-the-angel-of-the-lord.html

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret ... leading a Bible study tour in Egypt)

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

God creates whales and seals and sharks and lobsters and walleye and catfish and cows and dogs and lions and tigers and pigs ... He creates all the "living creatures."  In Hebrew the word is נֶפֶשׁ nephesh.  But, God also "forms" man and man is called נֶפֶשׁ nephesh.  Are animals and man the same?  Today some say this is the case.  Today some say animals have the same rights as humans since animals and humans are the same.  How can this be?  Moreover, Jewish and Christian translators translate נֶפֶשׁ nephesh as soul!  For example in Deut. 6:5 it says we are to love God with are whole heart and soul or נֶפֶשׁ nephesh.  So, the Bible in English could be used to justify the crazy world view that animals and humans are the same.  They are living creatures and they have souls! 

How does God distinguish man from the animals?  Is there something we are missing?  You bet.

Another thing we will study in lesson 9 is that God uses His Torah as a polemic against Egypt.  Again, a polemic is a strong truth claim attacking an opposing truth claim.  God is inspiring Moses to write a polemic against Egypt.  An example is in Egypt there is a god called Khum.   See the royalty free picture below of the god Khum from CLKER.com.

He is a creator god and in one of the creation stories in ancient Egypt, Khum is called the POTTER in that Khum formed all creation, stars, planets, sky, the earth, the oceans, and all animals and plants and man and woman and all the gods on his potter wheel.  Here is a link to an article about the Egyptian god Khum that you may be interested in as an addition to your study -  https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/khnum/

But the Bible says that the God of the Bible is the potter and we are the clay.   But now, O LORD, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand. (Isa 64:8) How does God come against Khum?  How does God inspire Moses to help the Hebrews coming out of Egypt see that Khum is not the potter, not the creator, and a false god?

 

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

THE MISSING SIN OFFERING

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

In lesson 4 parts 1 & 2 we were able to see the foundation of the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Gospel of Messiah Yeshua, Jesus the Christ.   As I mentioned in this video I will give you links to other podcasts that provide additional learning with respect to the fact that the Gospel totally comes out of the Torah and it is totally Jewish.  For the Jews in Jesus’ day with the only Bible available to them, the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament, were more likely to grasp the “Good News” and how it related to them then.  They knew about the two types of sin God told them about in Torah, and they knew the Gospel was all related to Intentional sin and the fact that through Jesus, through the blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God, only then are one’s Intentional sins cleansed and forgiven and only then is the Torah complete, finished.  So, here’s the links to study this in more depth.  And remember, please.  For each audio or video make sure you check the “Comments” section for even more resources.

Link to Exodus Lesson 76 – WHO CARRIES OUR SINS? – Many times in the Hebrew it is said that God carries our sins.  Translators said that meant that God forgives sin.  But, there is a word in Hebrew for forgive or forgives.  So God carries away our sin.  It doesn’t say the sin is forgiven.  It is carried someplace.  What might this mean?  You’ve got to check this out (it starts at minute 22 in the podcast) -  https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-76-exod-3312-349-who-carries-our-inquity-transgression-and-sin/

Here’s the link to Truth Nuggets Lesson 28 part 2.  Great review of what is the Gospel and its Jewish roots foundation.  Once again God teaches about two types of sin, UNINTENTIONAL and INTENTIONAL and that He always meant to provide a means so that the WAY back to the Father is again open - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-1-part-2-the-living-word-and-the-written-word/

What is Atonement? What is Forgiveness?

In parts 1 &2 of lesson 4 I mentioned that atonement and forgiveness are not the same.  Atonement means "covering" or "satisfying" the penalty of sin. It operates in the realm of justice. Leviticus shows that atonement required a sacrifice—an innocent substitute whose blood was offered to pay the debt of the wrongdoer. But forgiveness means wiping away a debt and choosing not to hold an offense against someone anymore. It operates in the realm of mercy. God only grants forgiveness to people, but for us Christians it is legally and morally anchored in the atonement of Christ.

Check out the links below to go deeper.

[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/forgiveness-without-sacrifice.html

[2] https://biblehub.com/topical/a/atonement_and_forgiveness.htm

[3] https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-atonement-and-forgiveness

Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Maimonides on Forgiveness

Rabbi Akiva and the early Sages taught that physical Temple sacrifices were inherently insufficient to atone for deliberate, intentional sins Under Biblical law, standard individual sacrifices were strictly reserved for unintentional mistakes caused by carelessness or ignorance. When the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, it created a massive spiritual crisis because the Jewish people could no longer offer any sacrifices at all. Through this, Rabbi Akiva emphasized that direct repentance (teshuvah), a broken heart, and an unmediated relationship with God are what truly cleanse a person. While a sacrifice could never fix an intentional sin, true teshuvah has the power to transform even intentional malice into an opportunity for divine forgiveness. While several sages expanded on this concept, Rabbi Akiva specifically revolutionized how Judaism views the mechanics of forgiveness, purification, and the human relationship with God.

Rabbi Maimonides (the Rambam) also teaches that sacrifices are explicitly designated for unintentional sins rather than willful, defiant acts of rebellion. In his legal code, he clarifies that the standard biblical sin-offering is strictly reserved for those who violate a commandment by mistake or lack of awareness. Maimonides emphasizes that a physical sacrifice has no magical or automatic cleansing power on its own. In He  outlines that sincere repentance (Teshuvah) - consisting of remorse, ceasing the sin, and verbal confession - is the only mechanism that truly cleanses a person from intentional sin. If a person brought a sacrifice without inner repentance, it was entirely useless—even for an unintentional sin. Conversely, if a person commits a severe, intentional sin, they cannot simply bring an animal to the altar to wipe the slate clean; they must undergo a deep, internal transformation.

Teshuvah is a multi-step process that involves: Feeling sincere remorse.

• Making verbal confession (vidui).
• Correcting the wrong (such as making financial restitution to a victim).

Committing to never repeat the act when faced with the same temptation.

The rabbis were certainly on the path of truth when they said Teshuvah (repentance) is critical to the Lord forgiving us of our Intentional sin.  The problem is there was no blood sacrifice in the Torah for Intentional sin.  But, Jesus is the Blood Sacrifice and now the Sinai Covenant and the Torah are finished in Jesus.  Now through Jesus and His sacrifice we can return to the Father since the WAY (Jesus is the WAY) back to the Father.

Check out the links below to go deeper.

[1] https://jewsforjudaism.org

[2] https://rabbisacks.org

[3] https://outorah.org

[4] https://rabbisacks.org

[5] https://www.thetorah.com

[6] https://www.chabad.org

[7] https://www.derekhlearning.com

[8] https://www.betemunah.org

[9] https://outorah.org

[10] https://www.thetorah.com

[11] https://www.thetorah.com

[12] [https://henryabramson.com](https://henryabramson.com/maimonides-on-teshuvah/)

[13] [https://reformjudaism.org](https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/torah-commentary/err-human-forgiveness-bring-sacrifice)

[14] [https://rabbisacks.org](https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/vayikra/the-dimensions-of-sin/)

[15] [https://jewsforjudaism.org](https://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/weekly/demystifying-the-paradox-of-animal-sacrifices)

[16] https://www.thetorah.com/article/does-an-intentional-sinner-attain-atonement

[17] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-jewish-view-of-sin/

 

House of Hillel (Beit Hillel) and the

House of Shammai (Beit Shammai)

GREAT RABBIS WHEN JESUS WAS A TEEN

The disciples of a rabbi are said to be the ones who make up the House of the rabbi. So all the disciples of Rabbi Hillel and said to be the House of Hillel.  The disciples of Rabbi Shammai are the House of Shammai.

In classical Jewish thought, intentional sin and the mechanics of repentance (Teshuva) expose a fundamental philosophical divergence between the House of Hillel (Beit Hillel) and the House of Shammai (Beit Shammai).

While biblical law dictates that sacrificial offerings atone almost exclusively for unintentional sins, forgiveness for intentional sins have different solutions if you are of the House of Hillel or the House of Shammai.

• Beit Shammai (Erasure to the Baseline): Shammai’s school operated on the principle of strict justice and rigorous cosmic truth. For them, the goal of Teshuva is to painstakingly erase the sin, scrub away the spiritual defilement, and return the soul to its original, neutral state before the sin occurred. Shammai ruled that they must descend into Gehenna (purgatory) to be refined through suffering before they can arise cleansed. He said argued it would have been better if humans were never created, because the stakes of intentional sin are too high, and human failure is devastating.
• Beit Hillel (Transformation into Merit): Hillel’s school operated on the attribute of loving-kindness (Chessed). They championed the expansive view later echoed throughout the Talmud: when a person repents out of profound love for God, intentional sins are actually transformed into merits. Hillel viewed the energy and passion used to commit the sin as a powerful raw resource that, when redirected toward good, elevates the person to a higher spiritual standing than they occupied before they fell. Hillel said it was better that man was created, focusing on the potential for good deeds and the beautiful capacity for human growth.

Check out the links below for further study.

[1] https://rabbisacks.org

[2] https://diasporayeshiva.com

[3] https://www.chabad.org

[4] https://www.sefaria.org

[5] https://pasyn.org

[6] https://www.sefaria.org

[7] https://pasyn.org

WHAT IS MIDRASH?

Midrash can indeed be unbiblical from a strict, literal historical standpoint because its goal is imaginative moral storytelling and legal reasoning rather than modern historical-grammatical reporting. It is used to …

* Filling in Gaps: Midrashic sages often invented backstories—like Abraham smashing his father's idols—that do not appear anywhere in the literal text of the Hebrew Bible.  In some cases like in Mark 7:1-13 the Pharisees taught that eating "clean" food while being unclean can make the clean food unclean.  This is make up.  This is not biblical.  God never made up that law.  It was a law of the "tradition of men" and not God's Torah.  We think it has to do with Jesus making all foods clean.  That was added into the text of Mark and was not part of the original  Jesus was not making all foods clean but coming against the Pharisees who made up their own laws that were not commanded by His Father.  

* Recontextualizing Verses: Rabbis linked completely separate verses or twisted context to generate new ethical rulings or theological lessons, which modern biblical critics recognize as departing from the God’s intent.

* Parabolic Purpose: Traditional Judaism views Midrash as homiletical teaching, metaphor, or oral tradition designed to start a conversation and extract deeper moral truths, not as a ledger of literal events.

In the Gospels, Jesus is highly critical of certain Pharisaic interpretive traditions, which would later form the foundation of Rabbinic Judaism and its classical literature (such as the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash). However, modern historical-critical scholars note that Jesus did not reject the interpretive method of midrash itself; rather, he rejected specific hermeneutical priorities and the inflation of oral traditions over the written word of God.

Did Jesus Use Midrash?

Ironically, while Jesus was deeply critical of Pharisaic/proto-rabbinic conclusions, he frequently used the midrashic method itself to expose their logical flaws. Midrash involves probing the text creatively, using wordplay, parables, and juxtaposing separate scriptures to draw out deeper dynamic meanings.

* Sabbath Controversies: When criticized for letting his disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath, Jesus responds using a common midrashic technique (comparing texts) by citing David eating the consecrated showbread (1 Samuel 21) and the priests working in the Temple on the Sabbath. He uses these examples to build a thematic argument: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).

* Jesus used midrash in this verse -

"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Mat 5:27-28)

He was "building a fence" around the Torah law not to commit adultery.  He's saying if you can refrain from looking at a woman to lust after her, you will avoid committing adultery.  

* The Heart of Torah: When asked to summarize the law, Jesus links Deuteronomy 6:5 (loving God) with Leviticus 19:18 (loving your neighbor)—a brilliant bit of associative midrash that was actually highly aligned with the lenient, compassionate approach of the famous Pharisaic sage Hillel.

[1] [https://jewinthecity.com](https://jewinthecity.com/2023/07/was-jesus-a-rabbi/)

[2] [https://sharperiron.org](https://sharperiron.org/article/jesus-teaches-old-testament-part-4-midrash-gospels)

[3] [https://www.fbcthomson.org](https://www.fbcthomson.org/post/jesus-calls-the-pharisees-hypocrites-a-study-of-traditions-and-laws-from-matthew-15-1-20)

[4] [https://wholestones.org](https://wholestones.org/2509-2/)

[5] [https://www.gotquestions.org](https://www.gotquestions.org/scribes-and-Pharisees.html)

UNINTENTIONAL AND

INTENTIONAL SIN

An intentional sin is a conscious, deliberate choice to disobey God, whereas an unintentional sin is committed out of ignorance, weakness, or mistake.

The Bible makes a clear distinction between these two types of actions based on the attitude of the heart.

Intentional sin is a planned or willful act against God's commands. The Bible sometimes calls this sin done "with a high hand" or in proud defiance. Examples are: Lying, stealing, or committing murder when you clearly know it is wrong. In the Old Testament law (like in Numbers 15), there was no specific animal sacrifice provided to pardon a defiant, intentional sin. In the New Testament, Christ's sacrifice covers all sin, but intentional sin still requires genuine repentance and a changed heart.

Unintentional Sin is an act that breaks God's law, but is done without full awareness, by accident, or through spiritual weakness.  Examples are: forgetting a religious rule, making an error due to ignorance, or failing to realize an action was harmful.  The Book of Leviticus set up specific rules and offerings—like bringing a female goat or a young bull—for unintentional sins. Ignorance of the law did not mean the person was guilt-free, but God provided mercy and a way to seek forgiveness once the mistake came to light.

 

[1] https://biblehub.com

[2] https://www.gotquestions.org

[3] https://biblehub.com

[4] https://ebible.com

[5] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org

[6] https://biblehub.com

 

YOMA 86.B – Rabbis Views on

Teshuvah and Intentional Sin from the Talmud (2nd to 4th century A.D.)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁדּוֹחָה אֶת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לֵאמֹר הֵן יְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָלְכָה מֵאִתּוֹ

וְהָיְתָה לְאִישׁ אַחֵר הֲיָשׁוּב אֵלֶיהָ עוֹד הֲלֹא חָנוֹף תֶּחֱנַף הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא וְאַתְּ זָנִית רֵעִים רַבִּים וְשׁוֹב אֵלַי נְאֻם ה׳״.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Great is repentance, as it overrides even a prohibition of the Torah. How so? As it is stated that God said: “…Saying: If a man sends away his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But you have committed adultery with many lovers; and would you yet return to Me, said the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:1). Indeed, the Torah states: “Her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she has been made impure” (Deuteronomy 24:4). The relationship between the Jewish people and the Holy One, Blessed be He, is compared to that between a husband and wife. Just as it is prohibited for an adulterous wife to return to her husband, it should be prohibited for the Jewish people to return to God from their sins, yet repentance overrides this prohibition.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה (שֶׁמְּקָרֶבֶת) אֶת הַגְּאוּלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״, מָה טַעַם ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל״ — מִשּׁוּם דְּ״שָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״.

Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which hastens the redemption, as it is stated: “And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20). What is the reason that a redeemer will come to Zion? It is because there are those who repent from transgression in Jacob.

אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁזְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כִּשְׁגָגוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ בַּעֲוֹנֶךָ״, הָא ״עָוֹן״ — מֵזִיד הוּא, וְקָא קָרֵי לֵיהּ מִכְשׁוֹל. אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁזְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כִּזְכִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה עֲלֵיהֶם (חָיֹה) יִחְיֶה״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן מֵאַהֲבָה, כָּאן מִיִּרְאָה.

Reish Lakish said: Great is repentance, as the penitent’s intentional sins are counted for him as unwitting transgressions, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity” (Hosea 14:2). The Gemara analyzes this: Doesn’t “iniquity” mean an intentional sin? Yet the prophet calls it stumbling, implying that one who repents is considered as though he only stumbled accidentally in his transgression. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Didn’t Reish Lakish himself say: Great is repentance, as one’s intentional sins are counted for him as merits, as it is stated: “And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby” (Ezekiel 33:19), and all his deeds, even his transgressions, will become praiseworthy? The Gemara reconciles: This is not difficult: Here, when one repents out of love, his sins become like merits; there, when one repents out of fear, his sins are counted as unwitting transgressions.

אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁמַּאֲרֶכֶת שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ (חָיוֹ) יִחְיֶה״.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which lengthens the years of a person’s life, as it is stated: “When the wicked man turns from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will preserve his life” (Ezekiel 18:27).

(From the website www.Sefaria.org - https://www.sefaria.org/Yoma.86b.6?lang=bi&with=Tosafot%20Rabbi%20Akiva%20Eiger%20on%20Mishnah%20Yoma&lang2=en)

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?

(John - on the Nile at Luxor Egypt)

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

 

What would you say if someone asked you what was the Gospel?  More than likely we'd say something like, "It is the 'good news' that Jesus Christ died for human sins and rose from the dead to offer eternal life to all who repent and believe."  What would say if you're then asked what's the background behind the Gospel?  Like me, before I got my masters in Bible History and delved into the Jewish roots of Christianity, we'd probably have no idea how to respond.

But, Jesus taught the Gospel.  What did those Jews in His day hear when Jesus told them of the Gospel?  What did they understand?  Was it something brand new or was it something they understood? 

In this lesson we will study the Sin Offering.  Every Jew in Jesus' day knew what this offering was and what it did and what it did not do.  Every Jew also knew about Yom Kippur as the day of atonement for their sin.  The Sin Offering was a critical part of that day. 

So, were their sins atoned for?  Were they forgiven? On top of that are atonement and forgiveness the same?  If Jews are forgiven of their sins on Yom Kippur, a feast of the Lord, why did Jesus have to come and offer His life so our sins are forgiven?  He's the Lord.  He gave the Jews the appointed time of Yom Kippur.  So, if the offering on Yom Kippur took care of the sins of the Jews, then become a convert to Judism.  

So much is not taught in the "church" today.  The "church" has abandoned the historical context of the Bible and have separated itself from our Jewish roots.  Few pastors know Greek or the Hebrew or the cultural aspects of Israel in Jesus' day.  All they know is teaching from the New Testament without understanding that it is all Jewish and comes from the Jewish culture of Jesus' day and before and God's foundational books, the Torah.  

So, come and join us to understand the Sin Offering.  Come and join us and understand what God says sin is and isn't.  Come and join us and understand that once the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. the Jewish people felt they were in deep trouble without the Temple and the rituals God and ordered and designed.  It was as if no Temple then no Judaism.  Come and join us and grasp the foundational concepts of the Gospel that only makes sense in the Jewish culture and it comes out of God's Torah, His instruction (not law), the first five books of the Bible.  If you do not study Torah, the Bible in Jesus' day, you'll not have the understanding of the Gospel of the Kingdom.  You'll not get it out of the New Testament.  The New Testament comes out of the Old Testament.  For Jesus the only Bible He had was the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures with the Torah as the foundational books of God's word; the foundational books of the Gospel.

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?

(John - on the Nile at Luxor Egypt)

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

LEVITICUS LESSON 2 PART 2

If you haven' listened to Lesson 2 Part 1 here's the link - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/leviticus-2-lesson-1-lev-1-2-burin-it-all-up/?token=4e58b98c5da23e559726199bf8d9c9b0

 

Why the bull then the goat/sheep and then a turtledove or pigeon?  As we study further into Leviticus we’ll see that God is clearly doing something awesome.  He is making it easy for anyone, rich or poor, to participate in a Burnt Offering to “come close” to the Lord.  One can do a search on the internet and find the following.

• The Bull (Most Expensive): for the rich or more powerful people of the community.
• The Lamb / Sheep (Moderate Cost): The standard offering for an average household or individual guilt/sin offering.
• The Pigeon or Turtledove (Least Expensive): Designated specifically as a gracious provision for the poor. If a person could not afford a lamb, God permitted them to bring pigeons or doves.  Pigeons could be freely caught in the wild. For example, Mary and Joseph offered pigeons (or turtledoves) at the temple during Jesus' dedication because they lacked the funds for a lamb.

Historical Estimates

Modern historians and biblical economists have estimated relative values in ancient Near Eastern currency to modern equivalents:

• Bull / Ox: Highly valuable capital asset; modern equivalent estimates up to $1,200.
• Lamb / Sheep: Worth a fraction of a large bovine; modern equivalent estimates range from $150 to $300.
• Pigeon / Dove: Plentiful and cheap (or able to be caught wild); modern equivalent estimates range from $5 to $10.

[1] https://biblehub.com/topical/o/offering_of_birds.htm

[2] https://heartstounderstand.com/2022/09/27/animal-sacrifices-by-value/

[3] https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-sacrifices.html

[4] https://weirdanimalworld.com/animals-sacrificed-in-the-bible/

 

The Role of Pigeons and Bread and Honey

Bread and honey were sacred, daily offerings laid out on temple altars to sustain the gods and nourish the souls of the dead in ancient Egypt.

See https://www.agricultureforlife.ca/post/food-offerings-in-ancient-times-honouring-gods-and-ancestors

• The Foundation of Life: Bread (called aish, meaning "life") and beer formed the literal and symbolic core of the Egyptian diet and offering rituals, representing the very first items presented to deities.
• The Sweetness of the Gods: Honey was highly prized and associated with nefer—the concept of goodness, beauty, and perfection—making it a fit luxury for temple ceremonies.
• Divine and Funerary Offerings: Pharoahs and priests daily placed fine loaves, beer, and honey-sweetened cakes (sometimes made with tiger nuts or dates) before gods like Amun-Ra. Similar provisions and honey-baked bread were placed inside tombs to feed and preserve the ka (soul) in the afterlife.

In ancient Egypt, thousands of pigeons and doves were used as temple offerings and ritual sacrifices to feed the gods, symbolize fertility, and serve as pure provisions for the afterlife.   The sheer volume of pigeon sacrifices is documented in historical texts. According to the Great Harris Papyrus—the longest surviving papyrus from Egypt—Pharaoh Ramses III donated 6,510 doves and 57,810 pigeons to the Temple of Amun alone. Ironically, while tens of thousands of pigeons were funneled into temples every year to appease the gods, Egyptian priests were strictly forbidden by religious decree from eating pigeon meat. Because pigeons were viewed as sacred symbols of fertility and love, the living clergy had to maintain purity by abstaining from eating them, keeping the birds strictly reserved as a "food of the gods".

Finally, here’s some final thoughts on Jesus and the Hebrew word, Qorban קָרְבָּן which is a Hebrew word that means “something brought near.”  It comes from the Hebrew verb karav (קָרַב), which means "to draw near" or "come close".  So, a Qorban קָרְבָּן is something we bring near as a "closeness gift" meant to bring a person into closer fellowship with God.

Jesus was our true Qorban.  He was the final sacrifice.  Instead of temporary animal offerings, Jesus offered Himself on the cross.  In Him we are brought near just as Paul wrote in Eph. 2:13.  Paul wrote that we believers who were once far away are brought near through Christ's blood. 

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korban

[2] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7133.htm

[3] https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/Summaries/Vayikra/Korban/korban.html

[4] https://eitan.bar/articles/hebrew-word-study-sacrifice-qorban/

[5] https://readingacts.com/2014/10/25/jesus-and-purity-part-2-qorban/

[6] https://biblehub.com/topical/k/korban.htm

[7] https://www.gotquestions.org/corban.html

[8] https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Mark%207%3A11

[10] https://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ-our-approach-offering

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?

(John - on the Nile at Luxor Egypt)

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

LEVITICUS LESSON 2 PART 1

It is strongly suggested you listen to lesson 1 parts 1 & 2 first.  Lesson 1 is an introduction to Leviticus and will give you perspectives on this book since Leviticus can be very irrelevant to us in the 21^st century.  I mean all this about sacrifices and blood and entrails and bulls and sheep seems like the book of Leviticus was only for them then with no connection for us.  However, Jesus said 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.” We will see that these sacrifices and offerings do testify of the coming Messiah, the Christ, our Jesus.  Just like He taught.  Makes sense right?  He is God, the only God.

Here's the links to lesson 1 part 1 and part 2.

Lesson 1 part 1 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/leviticus-lesson-1-part-1-introduction/

Lesson 1 part 2 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/leviticus-lesson-1-part-2-introduction-holiness-repentance-revival/

Doing searches on the internet one finds that the Hebrews just out of Egypt were very comfortable with animal sacrifices as it was a widespread religious practice across ancient near east in their days.  The pagans used them for various reasons. 

• Gifts or food of their gods.
• Communal Meals: sacrificial meat was shared between worshippers and their community. Very similar to the Peace or Fellowship offerings in Lev. 3. 
• Atonement and Appeasement: Rituals served to appease divine anger, secure favor for individuals, tribes, or entire nations.

The ritual practices were common among the nations of the ancient near east.  One would find …

• Complete Burning vs. Sharing: Near Eastern traditions sometimes placed the entire animal on the fire or buried it, though sharing portions was also common.
• Selection of Animals: Archaeological faunal evidence shows a strong preference for young or juvenile livestock, such as sheep and goats.
• Divination: priests examined internal organs—especially sheep livers (hepatoscopy)—to read omens and discern the will of the gods.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_sacrifice

[2] https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/sacrifice-in-ancient-israel/

[3] https://reknew.org/2019/09/why-did-god-require-animal-sacrifice-in-the-old-testament/

[4] https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/the-origins-of-sacrifice/

I mentioned the important books I use as a foundation set of resources in my studies.  They become critical to develop the Bible study podcasts since, as I have said, I do not teach my own opinion, but teach what recognized real scholars teach and have discovered.  So here are the key books in my Torah study resources.  I have many others that round out my extensive library, but the ones below and my foundation.

 

We will be delving into the Bible concept of sin and atonement and forgiveness.  It has to do with the Sin Offering in Leviticus 4 and the appointed time (moed – not feast) of the Lord of Yom Kippureem, the Day of Atonements.  In Lev. 1:4 it says the Burnt Offering or the Korban (something brought near) Olah (rising) קָרְבַּן עוֹלָה is for atonement.  This has nothing to do with sin.  But it was at this point in the study I brought up UNintentional and INtentional sin.  This is God’s word and He teaches that there are these two types of sin.  Suffice it to say for us in the church of the 21^st century who are not taught the Old Testament or have teachers who know the Hebrew or Greek, that INtentional sin is what we understand sin to be.  We don’t recognize mistakes or sinful things done unknowingly as sin.  But God does.  We will be getting into this more as we study Leviticus 4 and 16.  But for now. Check out these two podcasts that will help you understand this concept given to us by Yahvay, the Lord, the God of the Bible.

Five minute video/it is finished - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-9-rom-104-it-is-finished/

YOM KIPPUREEM – It is Finished - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/fall-feasts-of-the-lord-yom-kippureem-episode-1-it-is-finished/

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?

(John - teaching at the Great Pyramids Giza, Egypt)

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

Some people think that the word "fornication" means sex outside of marriage. Some say that this is what it means in the Bible.  NOPE.  Sorry folks.  God never states specifically that pre-marital sex or sex outside of marriage is a sin.  But it is.  How does God teach us this in His Torah, His "instruction?"  How did He get this across to His chosen people the Hebrews coming out of Egypt?  How did God do this to His people in the 1st century A.D. when He, Yeshua HaMaschiach, Jesus the Messiah, God Himself, how did He teach this THEN?  We missed it.  He did teach it.  But, once again we need to put the Bible into its historical perspective.  One needs to understand how God taught them THEN 3400, 3000, 2500,  or 2000 years ago, so we can understand NOW.  Sex outside of marriage is a sin and, on top of that, it looks as if it is something God hates.  Wait till you see.

Here's a number of links I promised in the podcast you many find very enlightening.  

Link 1 - the practice of sex outside of marriage, abortion, and infanticide in ancient Greece and Rome - https://soc.history.ancient.narkive.com/DIO506S4/world-before-christ-infanticide-and-abortion-in-ancient-pagan-world

Link 2 - the 613 laws of Maimonides - https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/756399/jewish/The-613-Commandments-Mitzvot.htm

Link 3 - Jewish scholarly site showing that pre-marital sex is NOT brought up in the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament) - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-views-on-premarital-sex/

Link 4 - Ray Vander Laan's article on ancient pagan religion and practices - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/fertility-cults-of-canaan

Link 5 - Josephus' statement that abortion is considered murder - https://lexundria.com/j_ap/2.202/wst

Link 6 - my research article for my master's degree in Biblical history.  The focus is on adoption in ancient Turkey (Asia Minor) but relates to infanticide in ancient Rome.  The bibliography is invaluable - 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

Recently an associate of mine asked me about the Parable of the Talents in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 25.  There are some who say that God is teaching us concepts regarding investing our money.  This is highly doubtful once we consider the textual context (the words before and even after the parable) and the historical context.  A highly credible archaeologist, Dr. Ben Witherington III (an American New Testament scholar. Witherington is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church), said that TEXT with no CONTEXT is a PRETEXT for what we want the words to mean.  Thus, no context means you can make up your own meaning.  This is dangerous and is  frequently done in the church today and in many seminaries who have abandoned the study of the Bible in its historical setting.

The parable of the TALENTS is in context.  It is similar to what has come before and after.  It starts in Matt. 24:36 and the context ends in Matt. 25:46.  Jesus is teaching about His return.  As you study these verses you'll notice there are always two groups or two types of individuals.  There will be two men or women in a field and one will be left behind and the other taken.  There will be a faithful servant and an evil servant or there will be 5 sensible virgins and 5 foolish or sheep and goats.  There will be good and faithful servants who act on faith and an unfaithful servant who did not do anything but lived in fear.  The parable of the TALENTS falls right in the middle of all this.  That's the context.  It has nothing to do with your abilities, your "talents," your God given blessings or the proper way to invest.  It has everything to do with the Kingdom of the Lord and who were are in His Kingdom now and before He returns.

Jesus taught this parable 2000 years ago to His disciples.  That Jesus ONLY taught His disciples is clear as this parable, and the parable of the Wise and Foolish virgins, is in a section that begins in Chapter 24 of Matthew's Gospel when Jesus was on the Mt. of Olives.  His disciples came to Him and started asking Him about the end times.  The Parable of the Talents is taught to His disciples; it was Jesus and His 12 only.  For those disciples raised in Judaism of Jesus' day they heard this parable in ways that differ with how we look at it as Christians in the 21st century.  Let's return to HEAR what they heard THEN so that we can have the Spirit of the Lord expand our understanding NOW.  Once we do we can then understand that from this parable we should ask daily, in every circumstance, in all situations, מה ישוע היה עושה‎, Mah Yeshua Hayah Osay - what would Jesus do.  Thus, we are like our "rabbi" and thus we are true disciples doing the works He gave us after being saved by grace. (Eph. 2:8-10)

One of the great teacher/scholars I had the chance to study under in my masters program was Dr. Brad Young.  His website link is https://www.bradyoung.org/  He wrote a book entitled, "The Parables," which gives us the Jewish 1st century context of many key parables of Jesus.  I highly recommend this book and you can easily obtain it at Dr. Young's website or at Amazon and other book outlets.  Below is a link to an article that Dr. Young wrote that will enhance your study ...

Link - https://www.bridgesforpeace.com/letter/what-did-that-parable-really-mean/

Another awesome view of this parable in its 1st century Jewish context is found at a Messianic scholarly site called TorahClass.com. They show that the parable is related to another famous parable about the characteristics of disciples in the Kingdom, the Parable of the Four Soils.  Here's the link - 

https://www.torahclass.com/lessons/new-testament/matthew/lesson-86-ch25/

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