LIGHT OF MENORAH

LEVITICUS – INTRODUCTION – PART 1

I mentioned a podcast that relates to the phrase in Luke’s gospel that Jesus was laid in a manger.  Did God inspire Luke to use this word?  Of course the Lord did – the Bible is God’s inspired word.  What is a manger?  What is it used for?  It is not a word used today. Is God using it to shows us some spiritual meaning that we missed since we do not understand the historical context of the birth of Yeshua near 2000 years ago.  Hint – Jesus born in Bethlehem.  Bethlehem means the house of bread.  Bethlehem was an agricultural village and their main crop was wheat and barley.  This was used for making bread and bread was considered the primary staple of the diet then.  Bread meant life.  And, a manger was for feeding; feeding sheep.  Now with those hints check out the podcast …

https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nuggets-8-he-was-laid-in-a-manger/

I did an A.I. search on the phrase “Leviticus a Difficult Book,” and these are the results that agree with both Jewish and Christian Bible scholars.  See below.

The Book of Leviticus is often considered one of the most difficult books in the Bible because it contains dense legal codes, intricate sacrificial rituals, and ancient purity rules that feel very distant from modern life.

Most agree that reading Leviticus feels dry and repetitive due to the heavy focus on ancient Israelite law.  There are some very basic reasons why Leviticus is hard to read and study and understand.

• Ancient Context: The rules were written for a specific bronze-age culture with customs very different from our own.
• Detailed Rituals: Long descriptions of animal sacrifices, skin diseases, and dietary laws slow down the narrative.
• Unclear Modern Application: It is hard for readers today to see how ancient priestly rules apply to daily life.

In part 1 of our introduction to Leviticus I used quotes from “The Archaeological Study Bible from Zondervan,” “The Archaeological Study Bible from Crossway” and “The JPS Torah Commentary on Leviticus.”  These quotes are shown below.

The first is from “The Archaeological Study Bible from Zondervan.”  It supports the fact that Leviticus is difficult to read and begs the question what do we get from reading it?

 

Another quote was from the “The Archaeological Study Bible from Crossway.”  Here the scholars emphasize Leviticus must be studied in its historical context.  We need to understand the book was written to the people THEN and NOT to us NOW.   For them then animal sacrifice was an everyday common ritual among the pagan nations of the ancient Middle East and not something strange or unfamiliar.  And God uses these familiar concepts to THEM THEN and NOT us NOW  to teach them how to be His people and follow His ways to make Israel the light to the nations and to bring His salvation to the ends of the earth (Isa. 49:6)

 

One final quote is from “The JPS Torah Commentary on Leviticus.”  Dr. Levine, the awesome Jewish scholar who wrote the commentary, shows that sin, intentional sin, did not have a sacrifice or a ritual so that one could be forgiven.  In the Hebrew Scriptures there were two types of sin, UNINTENTIONAL and INTENTIONAL.  Christians only understand sin as INTENTIONAL and are never taught that the Bible teaches are Unintentional sin.  Thus, these a major problem for Jewish believers.  How can they be forgiven if their sin was intentional?  These was not solution in the Bible just what the rabbis made up.  And that is exactly what they did, they made up ways all sin could be forgiven that are unbiblical and not found anywhere in scripture, just their own opinions or views.  Rabbis are just men.  Who gave them the right to make up rituals and methods that God never detailed or specified?   But, if there is a way for intentional sin to be forgiven, that would be extremely good news.  That would be the Gospel! 

Here's the quote from “The JPS Torah Commentary on Leviticus.” 

The key is this.  Leviticus is a tough book to read and study.  But, once we study it in its historical context we will see the GOSPEL.  We will see where the Gospel comes from and that the book of Leviticus is a witness to the coming of the Messiah and His sacrifice to complete the Torah and to make a way for us to have our intentional sins forgiven so we could be His righteous disciples. 

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?

(John & Robin somewhere in the Middle East)

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

 

 

 

 

In lesson 7 we focus on the phrase of Matt 6:11, "Give us this day our daily bread."  Was Jesus teaching His disciples, His talmideem תלמידים in Hebrew, something new?  As Dr. Brad Young states in his amazing article, "The Lord's Prayer," (see the link below to Jerusalem Perspective, a scholarly website of Christian and Jewish Bible scholars presenting the Jewish background of the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke) ...

"Too often, the importance of the Jewish background of the prayer and of the language that Jesus used has been overlooked or minimized. Jesus was a Jew, speaking Hebrew to his Jewish followers during the difficult days of the Roman occupation of Israel in the Second Temple Period. A modern Christian has a quite different understanding of prayer, Scripture, and faith than a Jewish teacher like Jesus, not to mention the great differences of language, culture, and history. One easily can miss the great depth of Jesus’ message, even while believing in him. Here we will try to rediscover something of the original Jewish atmosphere in which Jesus taught his followers how to approach God in prayer."

So we will reconnect again to the historical context of this prayer that Jesus taught to His disciples, His talmideem תלמידים and we will see that awesome meaning behind the simple phrase of Matt. 6:11.  It will help us again pray this prayer with a new expanded understanding of this central prayer for any disciple of our Lord Jesus.  Our walk as disciples of Yeshua HaMasheeiachk, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Christ will be enriched and strengthened.  

The Lord’s Prayer 1: Introduction.  Brad Young.  (Note: this is part 1 of 10)

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2229/

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

What's his background? 

Ferret and his wife Robin at the airport on their way to Israel

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

 

In part 1 we learned that the Kingdom of God was a concept in Second Temple Judaism, the religion of Jesus' day, that was understood by the Jewish people.  We saw that Moses states that God will reign forever and ever (Exod. 15:18).  Thus, if God reigns, He is king.  If God is King then He has a Kingdom.  But, His Kingdom does not have a territory or borders or a palace or castle.  In Jesus' day the Kingdom of God meant only that God rules and reigns over His creation, the heavens and the earth, the universe.  It is like what the Jewish people say in their daily blessings that Adonai is King of the Universe.  Here's the blessing over bread ...

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, KING of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.

So, in the first century A.D. in Israel, God's Kingdom was and is and will always be.  So, as we continue to study the phrase in Matt. 6:10, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," we ask then if His Kingdom was and is and will always be why are we praying that His Kingdom should come? Are we missing something?  Again, we are.  We are disconnected from how the disciples of Jesus understood the Kingdom of God 2000 years ago when Jesus taught this prayer.  We need again to reconnect to those days to expand our understanding of the Lord's Prayer and what it all means to them and to us today.

I mentioned I would link several articles that are examples of my resources that I have accessed to develop these podcasts on the Lord's Prayer and on the Kingdom of the Lord.  These links are shown below.  The links that have a "*" before them will take you to the website www.JerusalemPerspective.com

which has an annual fee to access the entire article and the remaining 100's of articles available from highly credible Christian and Jewish scholars.  I highly recommend this website for any of you who are serious students of the Bible.  This is one resource that is worth paying the annual fee for real scholarship and study.

* The Kingdom of God: God’s Power Among Believers. Robert L. Lindsey

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2445/

* Literary Languages in the Time of Jesus.  Shmuel Safrai

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2563/

* Jesus and the Oral Torah: The Unutterable Name of God.  David Biven.  

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2087/

* The Lord's Prayer.  David Biven.

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/769/

* The Lord’s Prayer 1: Introduction.  Brad Young.  (Note: this is part 1 of 10)

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2229/

The following articles are accessed for free at the amazing website www.EnGediResourceCenter.org

including articles by Lois Tverberg on the Lord's Prayer and the Kingdom of God.  

Articles on the Lord's Prayer - https://engediresourcecenter.com/tag/lords-prayer/

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

In lesson 6 part 1 of this podcast series we now focus on the phrase ...

Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. (Mat 6:9-10 NASB)

Once again we will reconnect to the Jewish culture of Jesus' day so as to learn how His disciples (talmideem in Hebrew) understood the words of the prayer Jesus taught them; the prayer He also taught us since we too have been "grafted in" to the olive tree of Israel and we too must strive daily to live and serve as true disciples of the Lord.  

So what did they hear when when they prayed, "Your Kingdom come?"  Certainly in those days all Jews were longing for the Messiah to come.  They were longing for Him to restore Israel as a Jewish nation free from Rome.  So, did the disciples "hear" these words and think of the Messiah's coming kingdom under the reign of Adonai?  Or when they prayed these words did it mean something else, something more, something more profound? 

We may be like other Christians who pray these words in English and think it has to do with the return of Jesus, the return of the Messiah, to bring His Kingdom to earth.  But, if we are supposedly to dwell with the Lord in heaven forever and ever why bring His Kingdom to earth, right?  We are all going to heaven right?  So, Jesus would have a Kingdom with no subjects since we are all gone, we're all in heaven!  

So, today for many in the church we have so many diverse ideas of the Kingdom of God.  We may even think there are three Kingdoms - the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus' Kingdom when He precisely teaches about His Kingdom.  This concept in English with no connection to the Jewish culture of Jesus' day causes confusion and disagreement and does not satisfy us with a precise understanding.  But, if we return to Jesus' day and hear as His disciples did, and see as His disciples did, and understand like them, then we too will grasp the meaning of the Kingdom of the Most High, the Kingdom will make sense and it will eliminate all the diverse opinions, the Kingdom of God will be something part of our lives so we are be able to walk with Jesus in a deeper and more passionate way.

In this session I mentioned an article about Peter.  Remember he asked Jesus if he could leave the boat and join Jesus walking on the water.  This is so critical to understand the meaning of a disciple in Jesus' day.  Here's the link to the article - https://www.dropbox.com/s/wtgmaph65t3inl8/Walk%20LIke%20the%20Rabbi%20%26%20Pray%20Like%20the%20Rabbi.pdf?dl=0

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

Ferret teaching at Tel Gezer in the shephelah of 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

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 who is called THE FIRST REDEEMER by the rabbis.  Consider ...

The concept of a future redeemer similar to Moses is common in rabbinic literature dating to the seventh century. The rabbis who compiled the Talmud and other key Jewish texts in the Middle Ages assumed the final messianic redeemer or the ultimate redeemer would follow the pattern of the first redeemer, Moses. Thus, not surprisingly, they noted a multitude of patterns between the two. Here are a few examples:

Pesikta 5:8 reads, “As the first one appeared among Israel and then disappeared from among them, so the last redeemer will appear among Israel and then disappear from among them.” In other words, just as Moses had “two comings” to Israel, the Messiah will have a first coming and a second coming. 

Just as the first redeemer caused manna to come down for the people of Israel, so too the last redeemer will cause manna to come down (see Psalm 72:16). 

As the first redeemer caused the well to give water (Numbers 20:11), so the last redeemer will cause water to spring forth (see Joel 3:18).

These examples show how the concept of a Messiah “like Moses” is relatively common in rabbinic Judaism. Admittedly, the connection between Moses and a future Messiah may not be explicit within Deuteronomy 18:15. Still, it probably has its origins there: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.”

(See the website https://chosenpeople.com/a-redeemer-like-moses/ for a more indepth study)

So, 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? 

(Ferret - leading a study tour in Israel - Tel Azeka in the Elah Valley - the site of the battle between David and Goliath)

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

 

This lesson will focus on Gen. 1:1-5.  We will address the question, "What is this light that God created on day one?"  Is it related to Einstein's theory or what some Creation Science scholars call the Big Bang?  Or is it something else?  Might it be related to Yeshua the Messiah?   It says God created light on DAY one.  Was it 24 hours?  The Hebrew word translated into English as "day" is the word YOM.  How long is a YOM?  24 hours?  What is the picture God is painting? Finally, we will study an amazing correlation between the 1st book of the Bible and the last, the book of Revelation. 

Genesis 1 deals with God creating a new heaven and a new earth.  Then we read in Rev. 21:1 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea."  Both deal with a new heaven and a new earth.  Both books deal with a beginning.  Is there more?  Just wait and see!!

What is most important Bible verse?  What Bible verse should be ranked number one in God's Word?  Can you guess?  A recognized scholar and a man devoted to the God of Abraham, Dennis Prager, has a cool audio lesson where Dennis brings up his view.  He is a devout religious Jew but his Torah teaching is meant for both religious Jews of Judaism and religious Christians.  Here is the link - Dennis Prager - Prager University - The Most Important Verse in the Bible - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BqWdu1BnBQ  

Hey!  Who is this guy, John Ferret?  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

 

This is part 2 of the Lord's Prayer series as we focus on the phrase, "hallowed be Your name."  In this episode we turn to the Ten Commandments and to commandment #3 (commandment 2 if you are a Catholic) or "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain."   How is this related to us today?  If we reconnect to the Hebrew and the Jewish culture of the 2nd Temple Period, the days of Jesus, it is connected to being a true disciple of Yeshua, but how?  How is this related to the Lord's Prayer and "hallowing?" 

 

There are many links I mention in this podcast.  They are all listed below.  At this time I want to recognize these scholars and for their amazing credible Bible resources to help us reconnect to the Jewish culture of Jesus' day so we can have our understanding expanded and enhanced.  These amazing scholars are Lois Tverberg, Dennis Prager, Joseph Shulam, Dr. Brad Young, and David Biven.  This is just a few of the many scholars and teachers I have learned from.  I just needed to make sure I gave them the credit and recognition for most of what I present.  I don't teach my own opinion and try to teach with the backup of such great scholars as these.

 

Link - Lois Tverberg' article, "What Does It Mean to Hallow God's Name? - https://engediresourcecenter.com/2019/06/06/what-does-it-mean-to-hallow-gods-name/

 

Link - Lois Tverberg's website - https://ourrabbijesus.com/

 

Link - Dennis Prager's video "Misusing God's Name" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=nI8OtOfzUDE&app=desktop

 

Link to Dennis' website and in the "store" you will find his 25 years of Torah lessons on a flash drive - https://www.dennisprager.com/

 

Link to Joseph Shulam's ministry website - this is a great learning resource - https://netivyah.org/

 

Check out the free "journals" you can access at Netivyah - https://netivyah.org/library/

 

Link to David Biven's awesome article on the Lord's prayer found at Jerusalem Perspective - https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/769/

 

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

When was the last time you hallowed?  Is it allowed in your church?  Where you work?  Did you learn how to hallow in Sunday school?  Why aren't more 21st century Christians hallowing?  But, perhaps they are!  

 

In the 2nd Temple Period, the first century A.D. or Jesus' day, Jesus' talmideem, Hebrew for disciples, knew exactly how to hallow!  Jesus' fellow rabbis helped all know how to hallow the name of Adonai.  So when Jesus teaches His talmideem HaTehfeelah Adonai, the Lord's Prayer, and gives it to them so it becomes, HaTehfeelah Talmideem, the Prayer of the Disciples, the disciples understand clearly what all this means.  It was part of their culture and probably taught in their בֵּית סֵפֶר - pronounced  Bait Sefer, elementary school, so the Jewish kids right from the get go would know how to "hallow the name of Adonai." 

 

Now it's our turn - let's learn what they did.  Let's try and understand how they understood so that HaTehfeelah Talmideem, the Prayer of the Disicples, becomes that much more meaningful for us today.

 

Once again there are links I bring up in the podcast.  See below for the links for this lesson.

 

Link - Lois Tverberg' article, "What Does It Mean to Hallow God's Name? - https://engediresourcecenter.com/2019/06/06/what-does-it-mean-to-hallow-gods-name/

 

Link - Lois Tverberg's website - https://ourrabbijesus.com/

 

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

We continue with the words of the Lord's Prayer, HaTehfeelah Adonai.  Our focus is now on the words, "...who is in heaven."  This begs the question where does God live?  Where is His abode, where does He dwell 24/7?  Isn't heaven the sky above and space with the moon and sun and planets and galaxies?  If so does God live out there behind a nebula or a galaxy hidden from our eyes?  Or, does the English language cause some issues?  We have put the Lord's Prayer into its historical context and we see that it was first taught in Hebrew to a specific group of people, the religious Jewish disciples, and in a specific culture and time; He taught it sometime between 24-30 A.D. to those who practiced Second Temple Judaism and who only had the Old Testament, the Hebrew scriptures, as their only Bible.  So, let's jump in.  Let's see what they knew and understood in Hebrew.  Let's find out where God lives and dwells 24/7.  

Once again here's links I mentioned in the lesson.  Check them out as they hopefully will add and enrich your study of HaTehfeelah Adonai, the Lord's Prayer which He gave to us, His disciples, and we can now call it, HaTehfeelah Talmidim, the Prayer of the Disciples.

Link Gethsemane 1 - https://www.facebook.com/lightofmenorah/videos/229720674906046/

Link 2a - Dr. Brad Young's videos on the Hebrew background of the Lord's prayer - https://www.bradyoung.org/index.php/videos/40-dr-young-s-youtube-links-on-god-s-learning-channel

Link 2b - Dr. Brad Young's scholarly work on the Jewish background of the Lord's prayer - click here to access all his books in the bookstore  

Link 2c - Dr. Brad Young's article on the Lord's prayer at "Jerusalem Perspective" - https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2229/

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