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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
Friday Apr 23, 2021
Friday Apr 23, 2021
In Genesis chapter 17 we study some amazing things. First, as in the previous lesson, lesson 36, we study the NEW covenant of circumcision, in Hebrew, Brit Meelah בְּרִית מִילָה. And it is a NEW covenant but it seems to also be related to the NEW names Avram and Saree are given by Yahvay, the Lord. Avram (exalted father) is now Avraham (the father of many nations and Saree (my princess) is not Sarah (princess – she will not just be the princess of Avraham but the princess of many nations). Both of them share in the plans and agenda of the Lord.
There’s more. In this lesson in chapter 17 we now hear God update His promise to Avraham that He first made in chapter 12 …
Gen 12:2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
And then again in chapter 15 when we read …
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." (Gen 15:1-4)
God promises Avraham will have descendants. He will have many descendants. Avraham and Sarah probably thought this would happen through the accepted manner then through the maid servant, Hagar (see lesson 34) since Saree and Avram both knew they could not have kids at their age. But, God had to help Avraham and Sarah understand that His plan was Avraham and Sarah would have a son. This is a NEW plan. God didn’t specify this earlier but now we read …
Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. "I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." (Gen 17:15-16)
So, this indeed is a chapter of NEW things! It reminds us that all this leads to the NEW covenant in Jerusalem in Jesus. We are NEW creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Moreover, this chapter 17 is connected to us and we see Paul teach us a NEW perspective of who we are. We believers we are sons and daughters of Avraham as Paul teaches (Gal. 3:7 and in 3:29).
Link for background on our teacher, Rev. John Ferret - click here for teacher background
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
The Gospel According to Moses Genesis - Lesson 35 Gen. 16:14-17:27
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
In this podcast we will study the covenant of circumcision or in Hebrew BRIT MEELAH בְּרִית מִילָה. Perhaps you as I always thought that this was something unique to the Bible; circumcision was some bloody ritual God made up that was like a right of initiation to be a Hebrew. Wow, is that wrong. It seems that all this is connected to the fact that Moses wrote the Torah, the 1st five books of the Bible to the Hebrews who came out of Egypt. These former slaves were the ones who would have first heard God’s word read to them. Moreover. When they would have gotten to Genesis 17 and the covenant of circumcision, they would have immediately related it to the ritual practiced in Egypt. This was not new to them. The Hebrews knew that circumcision in ancient Egypt was thought to be a mark of passage from childhood to adulthood. The picture above is dated to 2355-43 B.C. hundreds of years before Abraham ever was alive. The alteration of the body and ritual of circumcision was supposed to give access to ancient mysteries reserved solely for the initiated. Circumcisions were performed by priests in a public ceremony, using a stone blade. It is thought to have been more popular among the upper echelons of the society, although it was not universal and those lower down the social order are known to have had the procedure done. (See Gollaher, David (February 2001). "1, The Jewish Tradition." Circumcision: A History Of The World's Most Controversial Surgery. Basic Books).
So, once again, as we put the Bible into its historical perspective, we find circumcision was a man made ritual. It may have been performed by those Hebrews who had assimilated into the Egyptian culture. This seems very likely. But now God comes and takes what they knew and changes it completely. It becomes something more. It’s not a sign anymore of a boy becoming a man. Not a special way to know the mysteries of the gods. That’s done. Now it is a sign that this baby boy is part of the covenant of Abraham and a sign to all Israel there is a new citizen born again among God’s kingdom of Israel. And, once we see what the original meaning was when God changed circumcision, we now begin to see how all this becomes a picture for us. As disciples of the Lord we have become new creatures in Messiah and new citizens of the final Kingdom of Adonai and we are “circumcised” by the Spirit as in Rom. 2:28-29. True “children of Abraham” are those who follow Abraham’s example of believing God (Genesis 15:6). Physical circumcision does not make one a child of God; faith does. Believers in Jesus Christ can truly say they are children of “Father Abraham.”
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
The Gospel According to Moses - Genesis Lesson 34 - Gen. 16:1-16
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
According to the "Inter Varsity Press Bible Commentary: the Old Testament," we read ...
Gen_16:1-4. maidservants. Slave women or bondswomen were considered both property and legal extensions of their mistress. As a result it would be possible for Sarai to have Hagar perform a variety of household tasks as well as to use her as a surrogate for her own barren womb.
Gen_16:2. contractual arrangements for barrenness. Concubines did not have the full status of wives but were girls who came to the marriage with no dowry and whose role included childbearing. As a result concubinage would not be viewed as polygamy. In Israel, as in most of the ancient world, monogamy was generally practiced. Polygamy was not contrary to the law or contemporary moral standards but was usually not economically feasible. The main reason for polygamy would be that the first wife was barren. In the Bible most cases of polygamy among commoners occur prior to the period of the monarchy.
So is it possible in this amazing account that Sarai (her name hasn't been changed yet by the Lord to Sarah) may have learned from Avram (his name too has not been changed to Abraham) that God promised them a son. Remember, the Bible says that only Avram had "heard" God tell him he'd have a son. The Bible is silent regarding Sarai at this time. Consider ...
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." (Gen 15:1-4 NASB)
It just doesn't seem probable that Avram could hold this news in and keep it from Sarai. It can't be proven but it does not seem possible that a husband would keep this amazing promise of God from his wife. So, Sarai is possibly taking matters in her own hands and using an accepted practice in the ancient Near East. She and Avram can have a son and this would be through Sarai's Egyptian maid servant, Hagar. Thus, this well known Bible "story" - I'd rather call it a Bible happening or event and not a story which implies it might be a work of fiction - is based upon real practices in the ancient Near East. Once again as we put the Bible into its historical context, the veracity of this event is totally supported.
Hagar runs away after being treated harshly by Sarai. Is this due to the fact that Avram was taken in with Hagar and the physical union they shared? We don't know. But, Hagar runs away and this pagan woman is the first person in the Torah to meet, talk to, and see the Angel of the Lord! In lesson 32 in this series I discussed the Angel of the Lord in detail. Rabbis teach it was an angel but the Torah is clear. God inspired Moses to write ...
Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. (Gen 16:13-14 NASB)
There is more we need to consider in this remarkable event in Hagar's life. Once again we will see how this may connect to Jesus' life and a certain woman He met by a source of water. On top of that this event may also be a powerful lesson for the Hebrews who came out of Egypt and were the first ones to hear this event in Torah. How might have this affected them in that God "saved" this pagan Egyptian woman and her son? God even told Hagar to name her son, ִישׁמעאל Ishmael, which means "God will hear." Is it possible God is reaffirming the verse we know so well, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son ... " in John 3:16?
I mentioned in this podcast that I would again provide the link to a powerful article. This article demonstrates clearly that the rabbis of Judaism are wrong to conclude that the Angel of the Lord is only an angel. Here's the link - click here for the article
Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? What's his background? Why should we take time to listen to him? Here's a link to check out his background - click here