LIGHT OF MENORAH

Shavuot (Pentecost) 4 - Archaeology 3 - One Flock & One Shepherd

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 4

Adonai is connecting Passover to First Fruits (Bikkureem) and First Fruits to Shavuot or Pentecost.  It is so clear.  When we put these events into their historical context of 1446 B.C. or the time of the first Passover, and in 30 A.D., the probable time of Jesus' death an resurrection, ascension, and the feast of Pentecost in Acts 2, we see how the missing pieces of Pentecost are filled in.  Our understanding is again enriched and enhanced and we ask ourselves, how did we miss so much?  Why isn't Pentecost Sunday a big deal in my church? 

In this lesson I hope you will become as passionate as I in terms of the fact we in the "church" need to bring back Pentecost Sunday and make it a big deal again.  It is more, much more, than what some say is the "birthday of the church."  Shavuot, its Hebrew name, is integrated into the special season, the season of God's ways of deliverance, salvation, redemption, and renewal. 

Hear the words of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, 

"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep (us Gentiles), which are not of this fold (Israel); I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they (Jew and Gentile) will become one flock with one shepherd." (Joh 10:14-16)

This is the gathering in of His believers as one flock, one people, or one assembly - in Greek ECCLESIA which is translated as CHURCH.  The gathering of His assembly seems to begin in John 1 when two followed Jesus.  One was Andrew, Peter's brother.  More were added as Jesus came to them and said, "Come. Yes, come.  Follow me."  Shavuot is when the Lord poured out upon us POWER to be His witnesses to GO and make disciples and take God's Salvation (Yeshua - Jesus' name in Hebrew - means salvation!) and take God's Yeshua to the ends of the earth.  Our POWER day is PENTECOST.  

Here are the links referenced in this lesson.

Ray Vander Laan's audio lesson on Shavuot - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/shavuot

Tutorial of the feast of Shavuot presented by the Temple Institute in Jerusalem - http://templeinstitute.org/shavuot/

Rev. Ferret's lesson from his book entitled, "The Spring Feasts: the Shadows of the Messiah" - https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rs9dwl481eb9s1/Chapter%204%20-%20The%20Spring%20Feasts%20-%20the%20End%20of%20the%20Beginning.pdf?dl=0

Here's the link to the awesome commentary on Psalm 67 - a Psalm with 49 Hebrew words that many religious Jewish people recite each day of the count of the omer.  But, it is an awesome psalm that is so related to Jesus, His resurrection, ascension, and Shavuot.  Christians should be saying this everyday from the day of resurrection to Pentecost Sunday.  Check this out - https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sigdosytw78ejs/psalm67%20and%20omer%20and%20jesus.jpg?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

 

 

Shavuot (Pentecost) 3 - Archaeology 2 - In the House

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 3

Where did the the events of Acts 2 happen?  In the upper room?  Some say it had to be since the disciples were all frightened to be jailed and persecuted like Jesus.  But, were they frightened by the time Shavuot comes around?  Remember, Jesus rises from the dead in the 1st day of the Omer (listen to lesson 1) - He rises from the dead on the feast of First Fruits, Bikkureem.  Forty days pass - over 5 weeks - and Jesus ascends to the Father.  Were those disciples cowering in the upper room for 40 days and 40 nights?  Absolutely not.  The Bible is clear and precise on this.  Moreover, on Shavuot where would be the only place to find a  large crowd of religious Jews?  Where is the ONLY place you'd find a large crowd of 3000 who wanted to be baptized after they heard Peter's sermon?  Where?  

The important point of all this is just as God chose the 40th day for His Son to return (the Ascension) God also picked a precise location for the coming of the Holy Spirit ( רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh) upon the 120 disciples.  The 40th day was full of meaning if you were a Jew in 30 A.D. a disciple of Jesus witnessing the ascension.  Likewise, the location of the events in Acts 2 is chosen by God since it makes the connection of Passover to Pentecost.  

Here are the links I mentioned in this podcast.

Link to Rev. Ferret's article on Bikureem and First Fruits and the count of the Omer - https://www.dropbox.com/s/vca81ywpv8nu900/Article%20from%20book%20BIKKUREEM%20final.pdf?dl=0

Link to the Shavuot tutorial at the website for The Temple Institute - https://templeinstitute.org/shavuot/

Link for an article on where is Mt. Zion - https://www.seetheholyland.net/mount-zion/

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

Shavuot (Pentecost) 2 - Archaeology 1 - Day 40 of the Omer

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 2

The feast of Pentecost is a day many Christians say is the "birthday" of the church.  That's right!  It is also the time God sends His Holy Spirit upon us.  That's right!  But there is so much more.

In this first lesson we will put this feast back into its historical and cultural context of the 1st century in Israel.  We will again ask how Jesus' 120 disciples, who saw Him ascend on day 40 after His resurrection, understood this time and these events.  For them, Jesus ascending on day 40 had a meaning we don't get since we are not Jewish followers of Jesus back then.  That Jesus rose on day 40 is explosive to those 1st believers and it will be to us as well.  God chose this day on purpose.  Forty has major significance to those Jewish disciples of Jesus then. 

In this lesson we will clearly establish the connection between all these feasts - Passover to First Fruits to Shavuot or Pentecost.  Jesus' ascension is intimately connected to Passover and Pentecost.  When we "walk" those paths and streets like the 120 disciples by our study in this class, may we obtain a deeper and more enriching understanding of the feast of Shavuot.  Perhaps it will inspire many in the church to return the services on Pentecost Sunday into the joyous and powerful time of remembrance it was intended to be by the Lord but has  been mostly neglected by the church.

Here are the five links I mentioned in this lesson.  This will add to your study.

1) My article on the Feast of First Fruits, the Omer Count, and Shavuot - https://www.dropbox.com/s/dv38j7tx1qos4ue/d%20Lesson4..COUNTING%20THE%20DAYS...2019..107..136.pdf?dl=0

2) Link to the Light of Menorah podcasts, "Archaeology of Passover" - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/?s=archaeology

3) Link to pictures of the Chapel of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/AscensionChurch

4) Link to pictures of the Russian Church of the Ascension on the Mt. of Olives - https://www.biblewalks.com/russianascensionchurch

5) Link to pictures of Augusta Victoria and the German Lutheran Church of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/augustavictoria

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

 

 

 

Archaeology of Passover - Lesson 5 - Resurrection Sunday: the End of the Beginning

In lesson 3 we will focus on Resurrection Sunday.  In session 2 we reconnected to our Jewish roots and found an amazing "picture" that relates the 1st Palm Sunday to the events of the 1st Exodus.  The 1st Palm Sunday - if it was a Sunday happened in 30 A.D. - would have been Nissan 10.  The day in Exod. 12:1-3 when the fathers of each household would pick the Passover lamb.  We learned that the Father, our God, chose His son Jesus on the 1st Palm Sunday, on Nissan 10, as His LAMB OF GOD.  What an amazing picture.  And, when we go to the next Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead, we will see another "picture" from the foundation of Christianity, our Jewish roots, that will add to and enhance our understanding of this explosive event in the doctrine of all Christian believers, the Resurrection of Jesus the Bread of Life and the First Fruits of those who will also rise from the dead. 

Links for this lesson ...

Rev. Ferret's video - where is Gethsemane? - filmed on location in Israel -  

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mh36zp9i5ta7g74/Gat%20Sheminim%20Real%20Story%20v6.mp4?dl=0

Joel Kramer's video - the location of Jesus' trial - filmed on location in Israel -  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx3qtmik_Fg&list=PL0xmKFdTYCJUBPesnN4vK9_uFyf540NsB&index=10&t=0s

Ray Vander Laan's article on the New Tomb - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/a-new-tomb

Pictures of tombs in Jesus' day - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h79kcqbbeb7vf65/AADxSidFpnf0jn3aHSXfZaJpa?dl=0

Dr. Barkey - video of Dr. Barkey proving that the Garden Tomb is not the tomb of Jesus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dndRgZGvNNM

Rev. Ferret's video - THE MIRROR OF PASSOVER - 

https://youtu.be/ipaeu7AQZ8Y

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

Archaeology of Passover - Lesson 3 - The Ram of God and the Last Supper

In session 4 (this session is in two parts due to the tremendous amount of material to cover) we will focus on the Last Supper.  We will see how knowing ancient Egypt enhances our understanding of not only the Passover meal of Israel but how it helps us see the Last Supper, the Passover meal of the Messiah, in a deeper and more intense way.  

Another concept we will study is the Jewish Seder.  What is a Seder and when did it develop?  You will be amazed to see that Jesus NEVER did a Seder and, even the Jewish people prior to 70 A.D., never did a Seder.  Again, we are dealing with real history and we will see that the Jewish Seder that we know today had its beginnings in Jesus' day and before.  But, Jewish sources show clearly that the Seder was established after 70 A.D. as a response of the rabbis to figure out what to do now that the Temple was destroyed and they could not do the Passover meal as commanded by God in the place He commanded, in Jerusalem.  After 70 A.D. Passover and the Appointed time of Unleavened Bread was not a pilgrimage event any more.  Now the rabbis sad you could do it in your house anywhere to keep the feast alive.   On top of that we will also see that Jesus did not do a Passover meal as commanded in Exodus 12.  His meal was something unique and distinct but it was only understood in light of the Passover meal. 

Here's the links for articles and a video that will enhance your studies in this 4th session.

LINK - article on the Egyptian god Amun -  https://www.worldhistory.org/amun/

LINK - article on the Egyptian god Ra - https://www.arce.org/resource/ra-creator-god-ancient-egypt

LINK - article on the location of the upper room - https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/jesus-last-supper-tomb-of-david/

LINK - article on the origins of the Seder - https://schechter.edu/the-origins-of-the-seder/

LINK - video lesson entitled "The Mirror of Passover."  This takes this series and expands upon it even further.  The Passover of Adonai is an amazing event that seems to provide a mirror the Lamb of God and the Passover Lamb and the new creation in Genesis and the new creation in the book of Revelation - https://youtu.be/ipaeu7AQZ8Y

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

 

Archaeology and the Passover - Lesson 2 - Palm Sunday: The Palm and the Lamb

Session 2 - we continue our focus on the 1st Palm Sunday probably in 30 A.D.  We ask why did the Lord pick this day to ride into Jerusalem?  Was it just the day that was convenient or was it part of a plan?  Is there something about this Sunday that they understood almost 2000 years ago but we don't since we are not Jewish and we did not live then.  And what's the deal about the palm branches?  In those days the palm branch to the Jews was not a symbol of victory like Rome or Greece - that's a pagan meaning and devout religious Jews would never use such a pagan meaning.  For the Jews then it was the symbol of the land of Israel.  If you waved a palm branch in Jesus' day as they did it's like us raising the American flag today like after 9/11 and shouting out, "USA, USA, USA!"  Waving palm branches was a patriotic gesture in those times in Israel.  So, let's delve into our continued study and walk those ancient streets and paths to try and grasp what they knew, what they understood so that the Bible's meaning for us is enhanced and our walk with Rabbi Jesus becomes more passionate and committed.  

Here's links to some awesome articles that will enhance your study ...

The article from Jerusalem Perspective on Jesus' last ride into Jerusalem - https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/1402/

Rev. Ferret's graduate paper on the archaeology of the Passion of Jesus - https://www.dropbox.com/s/28fu8ay951lwy3u/NWC%20Paper%20Passion%20Week%202020%20revised.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

Archaeology and the Passover - Lesson 1 - Palm Sunday: 33 or 30 A.D. and Doctrine vs. Tradition

 

Palm Sunday is a key holy day in the church.  It marks the start of Passion Week.  It also is a remembrance of Jesus' "triumphal" ride into Jerusalem.  But, did this happen on a Sunday?  It seems from the resources we have that the earliest date of the celebration of Palm Sunday is from the 4th century.  That is close to 300 some years after Jesus ascended to heaven.  That is a big gap.  

This session will show that there is evidence to suggest a real possibility that Jesus did ride into Jerusalem on a Sunday.  If this is the case, however, putting this event back into its historical context may challenge our long held traditions.  However, as we examine the archaeology, the history, and the ancient customs of those days we will find it strengthens our doctrine - it strengthens our walk of faith.

This is session 1 of a four part series on archaeology and the Passover.  Watch for the other three lessons coming soon.

One of my teachers and now a friend, Dr. Carl Rasmussen, professor emeritus of Bethel University, scholar and Bible historian extraordinaire, has an awesome website called Holy Land Photos.  I am linking you to one of 100's and 100's of collections he has gathered of pictures of religious and archaeological sites across the Middle East.  Here is the link to the collection of pictures of the Mt. of Olives.  I know you'll love and it'll add to your study in this four part series.

Link - https://holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,19,451

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 - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Session Two coming soon

"The Palm and the Lamb"

Why did Jesus ride in on a Sunday?  What's the big deal?  What does it mean for me today?  Just wait!!

Exodus - 5 part 1 - the archaeology of the Exodus

EXODUS – Did It Happen? When?

The next two lessons are critically important for everyday Christians to finally separate hype from truth and fantastic outlandish claims regarding the Exodus to see and learn of the real evidence that again shows the truth of the Bible and that it is God’s inspired word. 

Lesson 5 is in two parts.  In part 1 we will focus on real archaeology, real evidence, not patterns of evidence, or hints at evidence, about the Exodus.  There is no need for me to re-teach or re-present that which has already been researched and completed.  In this lesson you will learn about the Associates for Biblical Research (I will use ABR for the name of this ministry), a Christian ministry made up of Christian evangelical Bible historians and archaeologists.  Their website is https://biblearchaeology.org/

This is a must “go to” internet resource for everyday Christians to learn about the veracity of the Bible – the Bible is true, credible, and can be depended upon from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22.  These proven Christian professional archaeologists have a mission to show via real archaeology the evidence of the truth of the inspired word of God, the Bible.  In addition these archaeologists using the truth that comes out of archaeology want to spread the gospel of the Kingdom to all.  There are stories of people who were agnostic or total unbelievers who came to be followers of Jesus Christ because of ABR and their awesome scholarly work in Biblical archeology.

In this podcast, part 1 of lesson 5, I mentioned an amazing video TV series that is free to all on the website for the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) called, “Digging for Truth.”  There are over 100 episodes from proving Daniel is a real prophet of the Lord and that he gave his accurate prophecies in the early 5^th century B.C. to showing that the resurrection of Jesus is true.  Again and again as you watch these TV programs (most about 30 minutes in length) you will see all the crazy ideas and theories available on the internet are completely proven false. 

Here’s the link to the complete list of episodes for “Digging for Truth” – https://biblearchaeology.org/mediainfo/digging-for-truth/digging-for-truth-episodes

The links below are to access the three-part series by Dr. Bryant Wood of ABR on the real archaeology that shows Israel was in Egypt; it shows the real probability they were there also just before the time of the Exodus in 1446 B.C.

Video 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT6giGYerx4

Video 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJn09u8cYRA

Video 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EMecjtl-MA

The links below here are for the two-part series by Dr. Scott Stripling of ABR on the archaeology, the real evidence of the date of the Exodus in the 15^th century B.C. or 1446 B.C. 

1^st episode – https://biblearchaeology.org/mediainfo/digging-for-truth/digging-for-truth-episodes/4538-digging-for-truth-episode-43-archaeological-evidence-for-the-early-date-of-the-exodus-part-one

2^nd episode - https://biblearchaeology.org/mediainfo/digging-for-truth/digging-for-truth-episodes/4544-digging-for-truth-episode-44-archaeological-evidence-for-the-early-date-of-the-exodus-part-2

Here’s the link to the article at ABR that shows that Dr. David Rohl’s theory of his new Egypt chronology that is used as the ONLY proof of the date of the Exodus in the DVD video “Patterns of Evidence” is only a theory; it is highly criticized by Egyptologists, and creates more problems than it solves.  Dr. Rohl an agnostic tries to make up a theory to prove the date of the Exodus.  A theory that is unproven with any degree of completeness.  But, we are not interested in theories but real evidence of the Exodus.  Link – https://biblearchaeology.org/research/chronological-categories/conquest-of-canaan/3196-david-rohls-revised-egyptian-chronology-a-view-from-palestine?highlight=WyJkYXZpZCIsImRhdmlkJ3MiLCJkYXZpZCciLCInZGF2aWQncyIsImRhdmlkJy4iLCJyb2hsIiwicm9obCdzIiwiZGF2aWQgcm9obCJd

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

 

Archaeology of Passover - Lesson 4 - The Passover Seder and the Last Supper

This is part 2 of session 4.  Here we will ask why unleavened bread?  Christians say that leaven represents sin.  Well, yes and no.  We are not ancient Hebrews.  We never lived in ancient Egypt 3500 year ago.  If we did we'd see something totally different.  Why?  Because the Bible was written to those Hebrews who were slaves in Egypt and prior to their slavery had adopted the ways and the gods of Egypt.  We need to hear what they heard and see what they saw and try and understand a they did so we can rightly understand what God is teaching us and telling.  This has a direct impact on the bread Jesus took and said that it was HIS body.  This is too amazing.

And we will get into the issue of what day did Jesus have His Last Supper, the Passover Meal of the Messiah?  If you read Matt 26:17 and say that it is correct then Jesus died on a Saturday if you think Jesus died in 33 A.D. - it results in us contradicting the Bible!  And what about the Last Supper - did Jesus do a Seder?  He never did!!  He couldn't have.  Why?  He is God and He gave us the Torah and He never changes and will never go against His own commands.  Just because some in Jesus' day did the Passover meal on days they decided were right, we don't listen to their ideas that are not connected to God's word.  So hang to your seats.  This session will blow you away.  

Here's the links for articles and a video that will enhance your studies in this 4th session.

LINK - article on the Egyptian god Amun -  https://www.ancient.eu/amun/

LINK - article on the Egyptian god Ra - https://www.arce.org/resource/ra-creator-god-ancient-egypt

LINK - article on the location of the upper room - https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/jesus-last-supper-tomb-of-david/

LINK - article on the origins of the Seder - https://schechter.edu/the-origins-of-the-seder/

LINK - video lesson entitled "The Mirror of Passover."  This takes this series and expands upon it even further.  The Passover of Adonai is an amazing event that seems to provide a mirror the Lamb of God and the Passover Lamb and the new creation in Genesis and the new creation in the book of Revelation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipaeu7AQZ8Y&t=836s