LIGHT OF MENORAH

Exodus 69 part 1 - Exod. 29:1-20 - Ordain - Fill the Hands

This is another one of those chapters in the Bible that is not necessarily inspirational or having meaning for us as disciples of Messiah Jesus as we read it.  It is interesting for sure, but it seems only God's details to Moses for how to conduct the induction of (I'm using the Hebrew pronunciation of the names) Ah-aron as high priest and his sons, Naydav, Aveeoo, Elahzar and Ithamar as priests.  But, then we put this text in its historical context and everything changes.  It is clear this is about God's intention to continue to separate His chosen people, the Hebrews, from Egypt.  The had assimilated into the Egyptian culture and now the Lord was doing all things necessary to get Egypt out of Israel.  And it is not as easy for Him as taking Israel out of Egypt.  I did a podcast on showing that indeed the Bible implies that Israel had indeed integrated into the culture of Israel and perhaps assimlated.  Check it out ...

Exodus 4 part 2 - Exod. 2:11-25 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/the-gospel-according-to-moses-lesson-4-part-2-exod-211-25/

Now we ask the question how did those Hebrews who just came out of Egypt (it had only been no more than 3 months since they left Egypt) possibly understand this ceremony and the sacrifices.  When we put this text back to the year 1446 B.C. we understand that to know the symbolism of this induction of Ah-aron as high priest and his sons, Naydav, Aveeoo, Elahzar and Ithamar as priests we need to understand Egypt, the Egyptian gods, the Egyptian pagan religion, and the Egyptian culture.  

One scholar that the Lord provided me was Dr. John Currid.  He is a reputable and proven archaeologist, Egyptologist, and proven theologian.  I highly recommend two of his books.  Check out the pictures below.  Both are available for reduced price at www.Thriftbooks.com.  Get them.  You won't be sorry.  To know the Torah you need to know Egypt.  Amazing stuff.

In this lesson we talked about a number of awesome topics.  Here's more on those topics.

* OUR BODY LIKE A TENT

Rabbis plus Greek scholars of Paul's day teach that the human body is like the Mishkan (Tabernacle) or a tent, symbolizing a portable dwelling for God's presence. This concept primarily found in 2 Corinthians 5:1 and the Wisdom of Solomon 9:15. This concept emphasizes the mortality of the physical body and the anticipation of an eternal, heavenly, and "not made with hands" body to replace it. along with Greek philosophers plus later in mystical Jewish tradition (Kabbalah) and midrash, sees the body as a sacred space housing divine sparks. 

 

[1] https://www.berotbatayin.org/why-do-we-need-to-know-all-these-details-of-the-mishkan-tabernacle/

[2] https://medium.com/@coulter.daniel/bible-study-exodus-26-269ea6d7b466

[3] https://biblehub.com/study/psalms/15-1.htm

* APIS BULL - sacred diety of ancient Egypt - https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/bullcult/

* AMUN RE  https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/amun/

* LEAVENED BREAD DISCOVERED IN EGYPT - https://youtu.be/LlipgR0sWqY?si=9sJuGuX9WTytqc0C

* LIVERS AND DIVINATION

https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-practice-of-divination-in-the-ancient-near-east

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret - on Tel el Safi or ancientGath Israel)

What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background

SHABBAT ZACHOR - AN AMAZING CONNECTION??

Rabbi Jonathan Cahan, a Messianic Jewish rabbi, famous throughout the world, did a video released today.  It came one day after mine.  I did not know this.  Jonthan, my dear brother in Yeshua, confirms what I taught in my video but adds to it; he adds things I missed. 

The Bible is true brothers and sisters.  God is real.  He made promises and predictions 1000's of years ago.  Promises that are true and prove we can rely on Him. We are seeing this happen before our eyes now.  Check it out ...

Link - https://youtu.be/UUKstmztpoE?si=yElRPzFbsI4rsubT

Truth Nuggets 15 vidcast Purim - Not By Chance But By Design

 

In this vidcast (video) we focus on a small detail the Lord inserted in the book of Esther.  For all my years I have never heard anyone teach on it - it was mentioned but no one took it deeper.  This small detail we all have read it.  But, it seems it doesn’t jog our minds to perhaps pursue what the small detail means and why it is there.  But, when we do.  WOW!!

So, some say God is not in the book of Esther. That’s right!  There is no mention of God or of faith or religious Jewish practices.  But, this is God’s inspired book.  Thus, call it His TORAH תּוֹרָה which does not mean law but instruction or the Lord's teaching.  What is the Lord trying to get at in the book of Esther?  Some things are very very obvious.  But, we miss things.  Why? We are so disconnected for studying the Bible in its historical context.  When we do this small detail in the book of Esther will lead us to places that will blow us away.

So, in this inspired book of the Lord, He is teaching us.  He is giving us His TORAH תּוֹרָה.  Could it be He is connecting us to the Gospel and the Messiah and His redemption plan?  Could it be that the book of Esther is part of His design and plan but we have failed to see it since that small detail is something we’ve ignored?  The answer is YES.  Watch the video.  All this is not my theory, opinion, or view.  It is The Very Word of God and wait till you see where this takes us.  Amazing.

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

Truth Nuggets 14 - Purim (Pooreem) - NOT BY CHANCE BUT BY DESIGN

The Jewish feast of Purim פּוּרִים‎ (pronounced in Hebrew Poo Reem) commemorates the deliverance by Esther of all the Jews from annihilation.  It has been glamorized recently in the movie called, “One Night With the King.”  It is also celebrated among the Jewish people annually.  But, the book of Esther has always been problematic for the rabbis.  It is totally secular in that God is never mentioned nor any aspects of the Jewish faith or ritual.  This is one reason why the book of Esther nearly didn’t make it into the Jewish canon, the accepted books of the Hebrew Scriptures.  It is also possibly why no portions of the book of Esther were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

The other issues in the book of Esther, her being in the pagan harem of king Ahasuerus, better known as Xerxes, or spending one night with the king sexually, were also very problematic with the rabbis and they tried to make up new made up interpretations to make Esther the Bible’s Cinderella; to make Esther a pure, devout, Godly, young lady.  These rabbinic views have affected the way both Jews and Christians understand the story to such an extent that the real meaning of these events has been lost amidst Jewish tradition and legend.

In this podcast we will put the book of Esther into its historical context.  We will not ignore the difficult aspects that are presented in The Very Words Of God.  And as we do we will come to see and understand the bigger picture of the book and what it means.  For me after studying these events in their historical context, I have been overwhelmed by the glory of the Lord in this book.  For me I will not be surprised to one day see Esther (she’ll probably being using her Hebrew name then, Hadassah) in the wedding party on the day of the wedding feast of the Lamb. 

In this podcast I mentioned a paper detailed the harems of ancient Persia.  The link is shown below. 

Link –  https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/harem-i

Also, some of you may like to see the archaeological site of ancient Susa.  Check out this short video on ancient Susa and the remains of the palace of Darius the king before Ahasuerus or Xerxes, the king in the book of Esther.

Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwkTCPELkvI

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

SPECIAL NEWS - the time of Purim and Passover - video schedule

Truth Nuggets - 3 Part 2 - 1 Cor. 3:16 WHO’S IN THERE?

This is session 3 part 2.  We continue with the verse 1 Cor 3:16 and 1 Cor 6:19.

In part 1 (see link below if you've not listened to part 1) we saw that in Greek when we read in 1 Cor. 3:1 "YOU are a Temple of God" it does not mean just you as one person.  In Greek there are more forms of the word "you."  In 1 Cor. 3:1 it is plural meaning "all of you" or "you all" to mean we as one, all of us together, are ONE Temple of God.  Each person is NOT a temple but all of us together as the "church" are ONE Temple.  If you haven't checked out part 1 to enter that study, here's the link to part 1 that you should listen to before this one.  Link - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nuggets-lesson-3-part-1/  

Everyone when asked who dwells in us answers immediately that the Holy Spirit dwells in us.  The Bible says it.  For sure.  But, there's more, much more.  When we go deeper into the Biblical Greek we find an awesome concept from the Hebrew scriptures that is so important for us to grasp is times we are living through today.  

In this session I mentioned two links I would provide.  The first link is to an awesome website that will give you an amazing first hand tour of the Tabernacle Model in Timnah Park in Israel.  Some of you may have visited a tabernacle model here in the states.  But, to visit this one in Israel is to likely be in the area where the Hebrews actually camped overnight - right where this tabernacle model is located.  It is roughly 7 miles from Yovatah on the north and roughly 7 miles or so from Avronah on the south (see Num. 33:34).  The head of the park and I discussed this at length when Robin and I took a group there several years back.  He was a Jewish Bible historian (named Moses!!) and we both knew that the Hebrews traveled about 7 miles per day (that is why M. Sinai could never be in Saudi Arabia!!).  This means when you visit the tabernacle model in Timnah Park you are probably close to their camp sight between Yovatah and Avronah.  Here's the link - https://www.holylandsite.com/timna-tabernacle

The second link is to an archaeological website.  This site will provide you will a first hand look at the discoveries by Eilat Mazar of Solomon's palace complex just below where the Temple he built for the Lord.  This is an awesome resource for your further study - http://templemountlocation.com/eilatMazar-SolomonicWall-RoyalComplex-SolomonPalace.html

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret on the Sea of Galilee)

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

Genesis - 74 - REVIEW: a problem looking for a solution

LESSON 74 GENESIS - AUDIO ONLY

Time to take a break.  Time to assess where we’ve been, where we are, and where this is going.  We have over 250 podcasts/vidcasts.  The main focus has been detailed study of the TORAH for Christians with an emphasis upon studying the word in is historical context.  So, after all these lessons where are we and where is this all headed?  Amazingly, it is headed for the truth in THE VERY WORDS OF GOD that Yeshua is the ONLY way to the Father.  If you do not study the TORAH ad reconnect to our Jewish roots, you could say Jesus is a way back to the Father.  But, after this review, after this look back and after this look forward, after seeing the direction of the TORAH we see that the Bible, the VERY WORD OF GOD, unequivocally shows that Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father.

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret - at the ancient site of Pergamum)

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 - 3 Part 1 - 1 Cor. 3:16 WHO’S IN THERE?

Truth Nuggets episode 3 is in two parts.  The first part focuses on the meaning of how we are the Temple of God as in 1 Cor 3:16-17.  Is every Christian a temple?  Is my body a temple?  If there are 2.5 billion Christians in the world does that mean there are 2.5 billion Temples of God in the world?  Or have we missed something since we are not dealing with Biblical Greek.  Are we being too self-centered to say we alone are a Temple of God?  Yup, we missed something.  And we will find what we think is a brand new Christian idea is actually a concept found all the way back to Genesis.  

In this session I mentioned two links I would provide.  The first link is to an awesome website that will give you an amazing first hand tour of the Tabernacle Model in Timnah Park in Israel.  Some of you may have visited a tabernacle model here in the states.  But, to visit this one in Israel is to likely be in the area where the Hebrews actually camped overnight - right where this tabernacle model is located.  It is roughly 7 miles from Yovatah on the north and roughly 7 miles or so from Avronah on the south (see Num. 33:34).  The head of the park and I discussed this at length when Robin and I took a group there several years back.  He was a Jewish Bible historian (named Moses!!) and we both knew that the Hebrews traveled about 7 miles per day (that is why M. Sinai could never be in Saudi Arabia!!).  This means when you visit the tabernacle model in Timnah Park you are probably close to their camp sight between Yovatah and Avronah.  Here's the link - https://www.holylandsite.com/timna-tabernacle

The second link is to an archaeological website.  This site will provide you will a first hand look at the discoveries by Eilat Mazar of Solomon's palace complex just below where the Temple he built for the Lord.  This is an awesome resource for your further study - http://templemountlocation.com/eilatMazar-SolomonicWall-RoyalComplex-SolomonPalace.html

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

 

Exodus - 44 - Exod 17:15 - Our God, Our Banner, Our Standard

In our day one might say our times are chaotic and evil.  Today Christians and the church are even called evil and we are accused of being the source of all that is wrong.  It’s too difficult to deal with.  It seems that evil so controls our country, our society, and that we have no power over this at all.  Nothing works.  We try and solve it via politics and legislation and the vote.  In my view the USA is on such a downward slide, it’ll never recover.   This is not very hopeful.  Without the Lord there is no hope.  

Israel coming out of Egypt faced death and disorder as God led them into the wilderness of Sinai.  The Hebrews had assimilated into the Egyptian culture slowly after Joseph died.  For the Hebrews they understood and held to the Egyptian understanding that the wilderness of Sinai was a land of death, disorder, and evil.  It was a place not conducive to good life.  They called it the land of CHAOS.  Their gods had no power over chaos.  Their king, we call Pharaoh, must be the one to maintain order, life, prosperity, truth, and goodness, called Ma’at in Egyptian.  Pharaoh had to battle against Chaos.  The gods of Egypt had no power for Chaos, no power over the wilderness of Sinai.   In Egypt they relied on a man to provide truth, justice, goodness, and order.  It's like today.  Reminds me of CLIMATE CHANGE.  Many say WE humans must solve the problem.  We must spend money and make laws to save the planet.  I don't believe there is a climate crisis.  It is simply not scientific.  This reminds me of ancient Egypt and a worldview that lifts up mankind and has turned away from the one God, the true God, the one who made it all and the one who controls and rules over nature.  

However, Yahvay, God, God alone, created the wilderness.  He fed His chosen in the wilderness of Sinai.  He gave them water from rocks in the Sinai.  And He helped the Hebrews defeat the Amalekites in the Sinai at Rephidim.  Moses was so in awe of Yahvay, the Lord, that he sets up an altar to remember the victory and he names the altar יהוה נסי - Yahvay Neesee, The Lord is My Banner. 

Today many say this phrase says JEHOVAH NEESEE.  The word Jehovah is shown to be a translation error of a Franciscan monk in the 16^th century.  Here’s a article by a renowned and proven scholar, David Biven, on this translation error.  Link –

https://shamar.org/articles/jehovah-misunderstanding.html

We ask, how did those Hebrews perhaps understand this?  Did it somehow connect to something in Egypt?  What did it say to them then? 

It is interesting to note that the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol meaning GOD is a banner, a flag.  Check out the article about the word NETJER in ancient Egyptian and the use of the flag to write this word for GOD –

https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/terminology-netjer#:~:text=The%20Egyptian%20word%20that%20is,flagpole%2C%20often%20shown%20in%20green.

Finally, we recall Jesus’ word in John 5:39 that all scripture testifies of Him. 

“And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. "You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”(Joh 5:37-40)

Is it possible this verse, Exod. 17:15, also connects to Jesus?  Of course it does.  Jesus teaches us this truth.  Come and let’s go see.

Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? 

(Ferret - teaching at Tel Gezer in the Shefelah of Israel)

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

 

Exodus 68 part 3 - Exod. 28:1-43 - Urim, Tummim, AnkleRopes, and Bells

We come to the end of chapter 28 in Exodus but there's a few more things that need to be covered in this chapter.  One is we need to study the Ureem and Thummeem in more detail.  The reason being is there is teaching from the orthodox rabbis that turns the Ureem and Thummeem into objects that are more related to science fiction that reality.  So what did those rabbis teach?  What was it based upon?  Once we see that there teaching is their view, their opinion, not based upon fact, we see their views are more fantasy than something that we'd say is real. 

A popular rabbinc view is that the Ureem and Thummeem were related to the stones on the breast piece of the High priest.  It seems possible that this comes from the rabbinic view that the Ureem for instance are lights since they said Ureem is nothing more than the plural for the Hebrew word for light.  See the pictures below.

These are summaries of the two Hebrew words.  The top picture is for the word Ureem and the one below is for the Hebrew word Or.  The word Ureeem is masculine and the Hebrew word Or, meaning light, is feminine!  This is just one problem with saying that Ureem is the Hebrew word for lights or the plural of Or.  The second issue is the spelling.  The top picture sows that Ureem's first two letters are אוּ and notice the location of the "dot" or what is known as a dagesh - וּ.  The picture below shows the first two letters of the Hebrew word Or and notice the position of the dagesh אוֹ.  The dagesh is in a different location as one can see - וֹ.  The difference is the first gives the sound UR and the second gives the sound OR.  The spelling is different and the pronunciation is different.  Ureem is NOT the plural of the Hebrew word OR meaning light.  The letters are the same in both words but the dagesh, the "dot" used for specific vowel sounds is different.  It seems that the rabbis dismissed these galring differences, concluded that Ureeem was the plural of Or, and then seemed to say the stones were used as "lights" on the breastpiece.  Understanding the Hebrew shows that is likely fantasy and can not be the truth.

The Ureem and Thummeem were real.  They were put in the pocket of the linen breast piece of the High Priest.  The wording implies they were physical objects.  The Torah and the words given to Moses to write down about the Ureem and Thummeem seem to contradict what the orthodox rabbis came up with.  It is part of their midrasheem (what they got from study); it is views and ideas made up by these rabbis to try and explain something that is enigmatic, something hidden, something difficult to understand and know.  I urge you to listen to the podcast I did on Rabbinic Midrasheem or the man made views and ideas the rabbis came up with that in many cases are unbiblical and not based upon reason or fact.  It was their attempt to try and make sense of those things in Torah and seemingly have no answers or are totally beyond our understanding.  Here's the link to that podcast -  https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/the-gospel-according-to-moses-genesis-lesson-47-special-what-is-rabbinc-midrash/

Another issue is to discuss another rabbinic fantasy that the rabbis made up.  "There is a mystical Jewish tradition (in other words a MIDRASH or something a mna made up to explain something) that the high priest of Israel would enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle or temple with a rope tied to his foot. The purpose of the rope, according to the tradition, was to retrieve the high priest’s body in case he died in the course of his duties within the Holy of Holies."  (See the article, "Did the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies?" found at the Bible study website www.GotQuestions.org or https://www.gotquestions.org/high-priest-rope.html)

This is totally false and it is something that the rabbis made up and has stuck with us ever since.  We need to see that this "tradition" is antibiblical and refutes THE VERY WORDS OF GOD as to how the High Priest is to dress when he enters the Holy of Holies once per year on Yom Kippur. 

I found it amazing as to how many Christians believe this to be true.  It is clear that most Christians are poorly trained in the Bible.  It is even taught in the Creation and Earth History Museum just outside of San Diego.  The false tradition is portrayed as true and in their description they even go against the Bible and God's word and instruction.  

Here's an awesome scholary article on this issue that I believe will only add to your study - "That Rope around the High Priest’s Ankle," by Todd Bolen at this link https://www.bibleplaces.com/blog/2009/01/that-rope-around-high-priests-ankle/

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret - on the Pergamum acropolis in Turkey)

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