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The study of the Bible in its historical context - with a focus on the archaeology, history, geography, customs , culture, and even the languages of the ancient Middle East. WE ask what did they understand THEN - the original intent of the Lord - so that we can expand and enrich our understanding NOW and thus become true disciples of Adonai Yeshua as in John 8:31-32.
Episodes
9 hours ago
9 hours ago
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
2 days ago
2 days ago
Many times in this series or in the series on Exodus I bring up rabbinic commentary commonly called in Judaism midrashim (מִדְרָשִׁים). In many cases these comments by the rabbis are unbiblical and are non-historical and sometimes change the meaning of the text of God’s word. A case in point is in lesson 46 of this series it was shown that there is no mountain called Moriah and the Temple Mount was not the place of the binding of Isaac. It is impossible historically, geographically, and etymologically (ie. Moriah in the actual Hebrew of the Bible is not even proper name if one understands the grammar rules of Hebrew). And yet, so many Jews and Gentiles still hold to the notion that there is a mountain called Moriah and it is the Temple Mount. This is how the rabbis change the meaning of the text of God’s word by their opinions and conjectures. This is why adding "fictional aspects" to the text of His word misleads and distorts the truth God is trying to convey.
Another example is the miracle of the oil on Chanukah. It never happened. Once again we are dealing with rabbinic midrash that appears hundreds of years after the events stated by a rabbi with no proof or backup. This “fiction” is then carried down to us and so many hold to the fictional addition to the God’s word.
This is why I am opposed to the new popular video series, “The Chosen.” It is taking the true Bible text and adding fictional stories that change the meaning of the His word. A scholarly writer of historical fiction will never warp the historical event and the historical facts of the event as they add to a fictional account related to the event. This is not the case for the creators of "The Chosen."
So, what is a Midrash? What is their purpose? How do we deal with Midrash? How do we begin to stop believing that everything some Jewish rabbi says is not “the gospel?” This lesson will explore these topics. It is important for you, if you continue in this series or the series on Exodus to understand.
I promised I give you some links to articles and other sources to expand your understanding on certain things brought up in this lesson. Here they are.
Link about the midrash of the tzeetzee-ot or tassels – https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-tallit-spiritual-significance/
Link to an article on the mysterious land of Moriah - https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-mysterious-land-of-moriah
Link about the midrash, the “fake news” about the miracle of the oil at Chanukah – https://www.thetorah.com/article/uncovering-the-truth-about-chanukah
Link to my article on Jesus’ marriage proposal during His “last supper” at the mountain of God or Jerusalem – https://www.dropbox.com/s/uecgilxp6qz908e/Last%20Supper%20_%20The%20Amazing%20Proposal.pdf?dl=0
Link to the article on the Jewish ritual of “washing the dead” or as in 1 Cor 15:29, “baptizing the dead - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tahara/
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?
What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
4 days ago
5 days ago
5 days ago
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
6 days ago
6 days ago
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
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
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
Friday Jun 27, 2025
Friday Jun 27, 2025
Where is Mt. Moriah? In this lesson we find that the actual Hebrew in the Bible implies that Moriah is not a proper name; it's a noun but not a name. It is like the word lake. One can say there are lakes close to where I live in Minnesota. However, there is one lake called WHITE BEAR LAKE that is the main lake in our town. So lake means a body of water surrounded by land. Minnesota is the land of 10,000 of them. But, there is on lake, LAKE SUPERIOR, that describes a very specific lake. The word MORIAH in Hebrew is like the word lake. The word itself is ancient and disappeared from use as we get closer to the Second Temple period, 600 B.C. till 70 A.D. In the “JPS Torah Commentary – Genesis” the etymology of the word is unknown but the trusted scholar like Nahum Sarna suggest that Moriah (מֹרִיָּה) might come from the Hebrew word “to see” or râ'âh (רָאָה). So, this could then result in the two places in the Hebrew Scriptures where Moriah occurs to have an equivalent meaning. See below.
Gen. 22:2 (original) - He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
Gen. 22:2 (alternative) - He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land where it‘ll be seen, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
Then we go to 2 Chron. 3:1 where our translations say based upon rabbinic tradition that Solomon built the 1st Temple on the mountain called Moriah. That's how we read it in English. Let’s look at both the original and the alternative.
2 Chron. 3:1 (original) - Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah (the Hebrew actually says “on the mountain in the Moriah”), where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
2 Chron. 3:1 (alterntative) - Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in the place where it’ll be seen on the mountain where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
The Hebrew is precise. Moriah is not a proper name. Thus, there is no mountain that is named Moriah. On top of that it says it took Abraham 3 days to walk from the area of Beer Sheva to Jerusalem. That is over 50 miles on good trails and roads. It has been shown this is a 5 day trip at least. In other words, the mountain where we study the Binding of Isaac is likely not the Temple Mount.
In his JPS Genesis excursus 16, Nahum Sarna surveys several suggestions for the etymology of the word “moriah”:
- The Lofty Country – Septuagint
- The Land of Worship – Aramic Targum / Ramban
- The Land of Vision – Vulgate /Samaritan Targum
- The Land of the Amorites – Peshitta / Rashbam
- The Land that I will show you – Genesis Rabba 55:9
- The Place from which fear of the Lord emanates – R. Jannai in Tanchuma
- The Place from which teaching issued to the world – b. Taanit 16a / Rab. 55.9
These multiple creative suggestions highlight the difficulty of assuming that the land of Moriah was meant to reference a particular place. The simple fact of the matter is, we cannot be sure of the actual place meant when the Torah describes Abraham taking his son into the Land of Moriah. For a detailed study on this refer to the “JPS Torah Commentary – Genesis,” by Nahum Sarna.
I was thinking about this and I offer this idea – God seems to pick special unique places where His covenant and His agenda is seen. This relates to the possible meaning of Moriah (מֹרִיָּה) – a place of vision, a place where it’ll be seen, a place where God’s covenant is seen.
So, Abraham passes the test on a mountain Yahvay (the Lord) took him to. In Gen. 22:16+ God tells Abraham that all the promises he made to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 He will honor and they will happen since Abraham passed the test; Abraham showed is allegiance to God by being willing to sacrifice his own son that he loved. Matter at this place we read that Abraham says …
Abraham called the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide,” as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided." (Gen 22:14) Problem! It does not say that. The word used is “to see” or râ'âh (רָאָה). God took Abraham to a land where it’ll be seen, perhaps the root of Moriah. And, indeed, it was seen. God provided the ram as a substitute for Isaac and this is clearly a special mountain, a special place, for a special event, and a special man, Abraham.
There is another mountain someplace in the Sinai where one might say the Lord led His people to a mountain in the moriah, in the place where it’ll be seen, in the place of vision. There God established His NEW covenant with all Israel, at His mountain, with His handpicked leader and prophet, Moses. It was hear that the people SAW the evidence of God’s presence on the mountain. So, we have a different mountain for a special event involving a special man, Moses.
But, the mountain of God moved. The Temple Mount became the “Mountain of God.” This is easily seen in the book of Isaiah chapter 2 and many other places. And at this place of vision, at this place where it’ll be seen, we see the establishment of a New Covenant with Jew and Gentile, this happens at this special mountain, and involves a special man, the manifestation of God Himself in Messiah Jesus.
Amazing. Could this be what’s going on? Is this what God wants us to understand and know? I am not sure but it sure makes more sense than the unbiblical, non-historical, and non-geographic views of the rabbis.
Here’s a great Jewish scholarly website that has a fantastic article on this issue. The site is called "The Torah" and here’s the link to the article - https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-mysterious-land-of-moriah
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?
Ferret somewhere near the ancient site of Bethel in Israel.
What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
* NO BLOOD SACRIFICE FOR INTENTIONAL SINS
As we saw in this lesson the sin sacrifice is only for UNINTENTIONAL SINS (Lev. 4:1); those sins committed mistakenly or in error or with no understanding by the one doing the act. The Hebrew word used is Shag-ah-ga שְׁגָגָה (H7684) which means a mistake or inadvertent transgression, and error, a act of sin done in ignorance, an act done with the "sinner" unawares, or a sinful act done unwittingly.
This is not our understanding of sin as Christians. To us as Christians we have been taught that all sin, every sin is an act disobeying the Lord on purpose or INTENTIONALLY. No one teaches in the church today that in the Hebrew scriptures there are two types of sin UNINTENTIONAL and INTENTIONAL. And it is so clear, so precise, so exact that יהוה Yahvay, the LORD, our God teaches in His TORAH in Leviticus that the sin sacrifice is ONLY for UNINTENTIONAL sin.
I have done a number of lessons on this and have gone more in depth. I will again come back to this again and again especially when we reach Exodus 34 and Leviticus 16. So, you may not want to wait till I get there in this podcast series. So, below are links to resources to help you dig deeper into this Torah concept of sin; that is, sin that is unintentional and intentional. You'll be able to see that Jewish theologians as far back as 100 years or so after Jesus said there was NO ritual, no sacrifice, no atonement for intentional sin. One might say the תורה Torah which brings us the NEW COVENANT at Sinai was incomplete. How is it made complete? How will it be FINISHED? Ready? Here's the links.
Link 1 - a podcast on unintentional and intentional sin as it relates to the Lord's special appointed time of YOM KIPPUREEM - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/fall-feasts-of-the-lord-yom-kippureem-episode-1-it-is-finished/
Link 2 - a short 5 minute video that gets into this topic and shows the connection of the Sinai Covenant and that Yeshua completes the covenant at the cross - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-9-rom-104-it-is-finished/
Link 3 - this is a chapter from one of my class books that focuses on the Lord's special day of Yom Kippureem and the issue of unintentional and intentional sin - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/za1ss9s0gcmp7evzp5ops/Lsn2-Fall-Feasts-2019-31-...74.pdf?rlkey=0tt9vhgfl50joiaskt2tzjqea&st=86mkwjfd&dl=0
* ATONEMENT, FORGIVENESS, PROPITIATION, EXPIATION - Jesus and Yom Kippureem
This is an appropriate place to go into the definitions of these words. I have heard sermons on these words but never did I understand what they meant. I was never taught the subtle nuances of these critical words as they relate to our salvation the very words of the Lord.
In this lesson about the "mercy seat" and how it connects to Leviticus 16 and the Lord's special appointed time of Yom Kippureem, it seems appropriate to explain these words in some detail.
* ATONEMENT - it is an act(s) done by the guilty party, the sinner, to appease or satisfy the one you sinned against. If I have hurt someone - whether it is unintentional or intentional - and I want to regain my relationship with that person I hurt I will atone for my "sin." I will do things that hopefully will be enough for the one I hurt to accept my actions that I do to prove I am atoning and thus make things right again. But, between us and God things are different.
In the rituals of Yom Kippureem the atonement to make ourselves "right" before the LORD, the actions, are not done by the people but by Aaron the KOHEN HAGADOL כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל - High Priest. This was only for unintentional sins since God commanded the use of a bull and a goat for the sacrifices as one can read in Leviticus 16. When we consider Jesus we find He did the atonement for us. He did the act - His sacrificial death on the cross - to do what was necessary as an act of atonement for us. As Christians we do not atone for our sins, our INTENTIONAL sins. As the Hebrew Scriptures shows there is no ritual, no sacrifice, that can be used as the act to bring us back in righteousness before the Lord. It is only the act of Jesus, His death, that is the act of atonement. Yes, we should confess our sin. Yes, we should realize our guilt and bring this to the LORD in a prayer of admittance or contrition - contrition is not just a recitation of words; it's a personal act that involves both the heart and will. It expresses a sincere desire to be forgiven and to change one's behavior. And. yes, we should know that by GRACE the LORD has given us the blood sacrifice, the crucifixion of the LAMB, as the act for our atonement.
* FORGIVENESS - this is an acceptance of the atonement of the sinner by the one sinned against and an act by the one sinned against to show that the sinner is once again in good standing. Atonement is done by the sinner. Forgiveness is done by the person who was sinned against.
Yom Kippureem the atonement is done by Aaron the KOHEN HAGADOL כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל - High Priest. Again this is only for unintentional sins since God commanded the use of a bull and a goat for the sacrifices as one can read in Leviticus 16. And in Leviticus 4 and 16 we read the actual words of the Lord that the UNINTENTIONAL sins of Israel are cleansed, done away with, or, in other words, forgiven.
But, there is NO act or acts that one can do as our personal atonement to be forgiven for our INTENTIONAL sins against the Lord in the Torah and in the New Covenant, the Sinai Covenant, we are studying. The Sinai Covenant was "incomplete" and it is FINISHED only in Jesus and this is proven in the very words of God ...
- 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." [2, 3, 5, 6]
- Acts 2:38: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." [7]
- Ephesians 1:7: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." [8]
- Colossians 1:14: "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." [4]
- Luke 7:48: "Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”" [1]
* PROPITIATION - this is the act of appeasing the one who was sinned against. In other words it is an act that the one sinned against agrees is sufficient to erase the debt of the sin and the guilt of the sinner and restore the sinner and the one who was sinned against. So, atonement is an act done by the sinner to again be restored to the one who they sinned against. But the one who atones may not d the right thing to appease the one sinned against. The one sinned against says what the price is to be paid - the propitiation is determined by the one sinned against not the one who atones. We want to be forgiven by the LORD and so we atone. But, the propitiation is beyond our doing. The only act to appease the Lord is the death of His Son, the sacrificial death of Yeshua for us. Yeshua then takes our sin upon Himself and He does the act of atonement. His atonement results in His obedience to go to the cross and die as the act, the only act, the only blood sacrifice, or the propitiation for our sin.
* EXPIATION - this definition is quite simple. It is the process which erases the guilt and the debt. One of the best explanations I have read on the difference between EXPIATION and PROPITIATION is from Ligonier Ministries. Here it is.
Let‘s think about what these words mean, then, beginning with the word expiation. The prefix ex means “out of” or “from,” so expiation has to do with removing something or taking something away. In biblical terms, it has to do with taking away guilt through the payment of a penalty or the offering of an atonement. By contrast, propitiation has to do with the object of the expiation. The prefix pro means ”for,” so propitiation brings about a change in God‘s attitude, so that He moves from being at enmity with us to being for us. Through the process of propitiation, we are restored into fellowship and favor with Him.
(https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/two-important-words-good-friday-expiation-and-propitiation)
In this podcast lesson I mentioned that the KH ROO VEEM (in English Cherubim) are a familiar concept in the 15 century B.C. Here are some pictures of various winged creatures used to guard and prevent access to that which they are protecting ...
All these images are used by permission. They are easily accessed at Wikimedia.
I had mentioned that one of my resources was Dr. Craig Keener. He is a proven trustworthy source as we study the Bible in it historical context.
- Genesis and the Garden of Eden: Keener highlights the cherubim stationed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, tasked with guarding the Tree of Life after Adam and Eve's expulsion. He connects this to the broader theme of humanity's stewardship and the consequences of disobedience. [2]
- Ezekiel's Vision: Keener also explores the cherubim in Ezekiel's visions, where they are described as composite beings with four faces (man, lion, ox, and eagle) and multiple wings. He notes that these faces can be seen as representing different aspects of God's rule and creation. [4, 5]
- Ancient Near Eastern Context: Keener emphasizes that understanding cherubim requires considering their context within the ancient Near East. While some aspects of the cherubim are similar to imagery found in other temples, the cherubim in the Bible also have unique characteristics. [1, 2]
- Gradation of Holiness: Keener suggests that the cherubim's placement and the materials used near the ark in the tabernacle reflect a gradation of holiness, emphasizing the reverence for the divine presence. [1]
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?
Ferret somewhere near the ancient site of Bethel in Israel.
What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
In this lesson we start our study of the exact words of the Lord's prayer. This lesson will focus on the first two words, "Our Father."
Is Jesus teaching something new? Is Jesus bringing in a new idea? Were the disciples of Jesus amazed at the start of the prayer when they heard the words, "Our Father?"
Again, we return to 24-30 A.D. - the time when Jesus was here as a rabbi, as a Torah teacher. Torah does not mean law but instruction. Jesus was teaching the Father's instruction and not laws. That makes sense when you understand what Torah means and that all the had in Jesus' day was the Hebrew Scriptures that we call the Old Testament. There is nothing OLD about it. And, as we reconnect to those days we find that these two words, "Our Father," show that the Lord's Prayer that He gave to His disciple, and therefore to us, is a prayer coming out of a Jewish culture; we can therefore more fully appreciate the prayer when we understand its Jewish background and foundation.
I said I'd supply some links. The links in this lesson are referenced below.
Dead Sea Scrolls Link 1 - https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/
The Tobit fragment - Link 2 - https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/search#q='4q200'
Gethsemane - Link 3 - https://www.facebook.com/lightofmenorah/videos/229720674906046/
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?
Ferret near the ancient site of Bethel
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