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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
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
After the three introductory videos we now begin the study of Exod. 20:1-17 – the exact words of the Lord or as is known in the original Hebrew, עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem, the Ten Words or better is the Ten Statements. We found in the introductory videos in Lesson 1 Part 1 and Part 2 there is no such thing as Ten Commandments in the original Hebrew. It was a mistranslation of the church in the late 1500’s.
In Biblical Hebrew, the Ten Commandments, called עשרת הדיברות (transliterated aseret ha-dibrot), are mentioned at Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and Deuteronomy 10:4. In all sources, the terms are translatable as "the ten words", "the ten sayings", or "the ten matters".
In the Septuagint (or LXX), the "ten words" was translated as "Decalogue", which is derived from Greek δεκάλογος, dekalogos, the latter meaning and referring to the Greek translation (in accusative) δέκα λόγους, deka logous. This term is also sometimes used in English, in addition to Ten Commandments. The Tyndale and Coverdale English biblical translations used "nine verses". The Geneva Bible used "ten commandments", which was followed by the Bishops' Bible and the Authorized Version (the "King James" version) as "ten commandments". Most major English versions use the word "commandments".
(Taken from Wikipedia)
But the idea of Ten Commandments stuck and now we have at least three official versions; the Jewish version, the Catholic and Protestant. All three are different and are subject to the view of the translator and NOT the actual words of the Bible. Shown below are the three versions.
(From Hebrew4Christians.com)
In these lessons we will study עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem with the understanding that the Ten Commandments are embedded in the Ten Statements. Our goal is to study the Ten Commandments in their textual context; study the commandments in the Aseret HaDevareem. So, in this lesson we consider Exod. 2:1-2 or …
Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exo 20:1-2)
The Catholic and Protestant versions do not have the phrase “who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Why? Why did they leave God’s words out? So as we study verses 1-2 we will see that if you are a Catholic or if you are a Protestant or some type of non-Catholic, the missing phrase is critical. We can not study whatever version of the Ten Commandments and not understand how this relates to us as Gentile believers in the 21st century. This also goes for the phrase “out of the house of slavery.” Once again this is left out of the Christian list. By doing this we miss what God might be probably to teach His chosen one then and us, us who have been grafted in to the olve tree of Israel. We must study עשׂרת הדברים Aseret HaDevareem and thus to understand the Ten Commandments in their context.
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
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Monday Jun 19, 2023
There are four goals in this series, "The Gospel According to Moses: Genesis." The first is to see how scripture testifies of Jesus that He taught in John 5:39. At the time He taught this all they had was the Hebrew Scriptures. So, how does the Torah testify of Jesus? The second goal is how did the Hebrews just coming out of Egypt understand the "Books of Moses." The third goal is to understand how Jesus' first disciples understand the words of Torah. The fourth is how do the words of Torah make sense for us today. In this podcast we will see how Jacob's coming to Canaan to the ancient city of Shechem testifies of Jesus, promised by God for us through Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3. We will also see how this portion of the text of His Word helps us understand the Exodus! Once again the Lord puts real facts and history in His book to again and again validate the veracity of His word and the truth of the events in the Bible.
With respect to helping us understand the Exodus, here are several links for your further study. These links will provide more study material on the location of Mt. Sinai.
DR. WOOD (Associates for Biblical Research) – THOUGHTS ON MT. SINAI
SINAI WHERE?? Map study of the Exodus
https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-39-exod-141-4-where-s-mt-sinai/
Another topic is how does Jacob coming to Canaan with his two wives, eleven sons, and one daughter to the ancient city of Shechem testify of Jesus? The "Books of Moses" must relate to Jesus since the Lord inspired Paul to write ...
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Rom 10:4
If one knows the Greek it is better understood as ...
For Messiah is the one to whom the TORAH (God' instruction) points to for righteousness to everyone who believes. Rom 10:4
From the first verse of the Bible (Gen. 1:1) to the last (Rev. 22:21) it is all about He who is to come to be the promise through Abraham for all of us, Jew and Gentile. So, we should not be surprised that the events we will study in this podcast at the ancient city of Shechem testify of Jesus from Abraham, to Jacob, to Joshua, and to Jesus. Shown below are links to further resources for your more complete study.
SHECHEM AND GOD’S PROMISES - chapter from Rev. Ferret's class book related to the ancient city of Shechem - https://www.dropbox.com/s/v126xqgaev4jp1j/SHECHEM%20AND%20GODS%20PROMISES.pdf?dl=0
LINKS TO 5 MINUTE VIDEOS … Geography and the Bible - Shechem and Jesus
VID 1 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-11-gen-121-geography-and-the-bible-shechem/
Lastly, I mentioned in this podcast that the word JEHOVAH is a mistranslation of the name of God. It crept into the church in the Middle Ages as a mistake by Catholic monks translated the Hebrew Bible into Latin. Shown below are links to scholarly resources for your further study.
GOD'S NAME IS NOT JEHOVAH
https://alwaysbeready.com/gods-name-jehovah-by-charlie-campbell/
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2610/
https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/4373/
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
Tuesday May 23, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Jacob wrestles with a man. This is what it says in the Hebrew in Gen. 32:24. Who is this "man?" The rabbi say it is the devil himself, HaSatan - the adversary. Some Christian scholars say it is Jesus! Others say it is the Angel of the Lord. But, what does the Bible say? Are there strong hints in the text that give us an idea of who this "man" is?
Come and join us in the Torah study. Come as we put the Bible into its historical context and discover things that are hidden but are now being brought to light by Ruach HaKodesh - the רוח הקודש Holy Spirit, our teacher given to us on Shavuot after Jesus' Resurrection.
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
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Monday Apr 24, 2023
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
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
In lesson 4 part 2 in the Exodus series of podcasts it is seen that the Hebrews, probably starting after Joseph died in the last chapter of Genesis, assimilated into the culture and customs of ancient Egypt. They bought into the wrong “story.” I said I’d link you to the lesson in the Exodus series. It is critical that you listen to that podcast and understand the truth of the fact that the Hebrews assimilated into the Egyptian culture. It is so critical since it helps us understand the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, even from Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. Here’s the link - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-wdzur-f82194
And one aspect of the mythology of ancient Egypt has everything to do with ladders! In the ancient Pyramid texts dated to 2500 B.C. and still used in the days of Moses in 1446 B.C. there was the idea of the pharaoh needing a ladder to get to heaven. The ladder was provided by the gods so that the pharaoh could have a way to be with the gods in Egyptian paradise. Shown below is a picture found in one of the temples in ancient Egypt showing the ladder concept.
So, you are a Hebrew. You are free and not a slave any more. You hear that Moses is writing the books of God’s instruction; God’s instruction means תורה Torah. Torah means instruction and not law. You’ll be one of the first to hear what he wrote. It was perhaps understood then that Yahvay, the LORD, was somehow inspiring Moses to write these documents. So, what would you think when you came to the story of Jacob’s dream and the ladder to the heavens? You’d remember it from Egyptian mythology. But this time, the one, the true God, the only God, is helping you understand it is HE who gives us the way to Himself and not the Egyptian gods or pharaoh. It is the Lord who provides the WAY back to Himself since you probably heard the 1st book Moses wrote. Genesis. In that book you heard that the way to paradise, the way back to the Father was closed. But now, as you hear about Jacob’s dream it is as if God is trying to say there is good news, the “gospel.” It is as if God seems to say that one day the way back will be provided by the Lord.
The dream of Jacob is an awesome and powerful lesson. As we put it back into its historical context it even gets more profound. Come. Join us. Let us return to that ancient place that Jacob named בֵּית אֵל Bayt El, Bethel, the dwelling of God.
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 Apr 08, 2023
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
This is lesson 38 part 2. In Exod. 13:1-21 we find certain Jewish traditions that come out of these verses. One is related to the verses below.
"And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.” (Exo 13:9)
"So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt." (Exo 13:16)
"You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” (Deu 6:8)
"You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” (Deu 11:18)
From these verses comes the use of תְּפִילִּין TEFILLIN or the boxes with straps that are used in Jewish prayer. Ancient tefillin were found in the Qumran area on the northeast shores of the Dead Sea. They are dated to Jesus’ day. So, the use of tefillin certainly go back to Jesus’ day; we have archaeological proof. Thus, it is likely that Jesus wore them as a Jewish sage (rabbi). He is never accused in the Gospels of NOT using them. It is clear Jesus wore the four tassels (ציציות tzeetzeeot) on the corners of His garment since this is what the woman who had a bleeding disease for 12 years actually touched as was healed. Jesus was doing what religious Jewish men did then; they wore the tassels and used the tefillin.
The second tradition comes from the verses below.
"You shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' “ (Exo 13:8)
"And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' then you shall say to him, 'With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.” (Exo 13:14)
"And when your children say to you, 'What does this rite mean to you?' you shall say, 'It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.'" (Exo 12:26-27)
"When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the LORD our God commanded you?' then you shall say to your son, 'We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand.” (Deu 6:20-21)
The old tradition is the part in a modern Jewish Seder where a child of the family asks the four questions as related to the verses above. The four questions are shown below.
- Question 1: Why on all other nights do we eat either leavened bread or matza, but on this night only matza?
- Question 2: Why on all other nights do we eat different types of vegetables, but on this night only bitter herbs?
- Question 3: Why on all other nights do we not dip our food once, but on this night we dip it twice?
- Question 4: Why on all nights do we eat either sitting upright or reclining, but on this night we recline?
It is said that each question was asked by a certain type of child.
- The Wise Son: “What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the laws that G‑d, our G‑d, has commanded to you?”
- The Wicked Son: "What is this service of yours?!"
- The Simple Son: “What is this celebration about?”
- The One Who Doesn't Know How to Ask: "As for The One Who Knows Not How To Ask — you must open up [the conversation] for him."
The main point in all this is the Exodus is the key Biblical event establishing the Jewish people, Israel as a nation, and Judaism. It only happened once and will never happen again. It even changed their calendar - the month of Nissan, the month f Passover, is the first month of the year and Nissan 1 is God's New Year.
God had engineered history and orchestrated all these events and He wants His people never to forget. So the use of tefillin is a tool to help remember. And the tradition of the use of the four questions in the Seder is to teach the next generation so that they too will never forget.
What does all this have to do with Jesus? How does this relate to our experience as Christians in the 21st century? In this lesson we will see the amazing and awesome connections to Jesus. He said that salvation is from the Jews. The Exodus was a God orchestrated event not to rescue slaves, or to give freedom to Israel. No. It was an event marking a new era with a new people who are given a new task. In Isa. 42:6 and 49:6 they, Israel, are the LIGHT OF THE WORLD to bring the salvation (Jesus’ name – Yeshua H3444 יְשׁוּעָה ) of God to the “ends of the earth.” On top of that He took bread (unleavened?) at His Passover Meal of the Messiah (the Last Supper) and said it was Him, His body. This takes us right to Exodus 13 and this chapter takes us to the CROSS - a one time event that will never happen again and it too changed our calendar. You won’t believe how these lessons are proof of Jesus’ words in John 5:39 that all scripture testifies of Him. He said it between 24-30 A.D. and all they had was the Hebrew Bible. Again His words are true to them then and to us now.
If you missed lesson 38 part 1 check it out. Here's the link - https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-fuv7b-11e242c
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 Apr 07, 2023
Friday Apr 07, 2023
In lesson 38 we focus on Exod. 13:1-21. There are amazing connections to this chapter and to Yeshua, His death, and the new life He provides through the cross. In this session we focus on the first born of Israel, animals and men. All belong to the Lord. All first born male animals must be sacrificed but all the first born human males, except for Levities, are redeemed; a price is paid of 5 shekels. The key word is redeemed. How might this relate to Jesus. On one hand He is human, and the first born son of Mary. On the other hand He is God, He is Divine and He is the only first born begotten son of the Father and is the Lamb of God. But all male first born lambs must be sacrificed. Hmmm, yes, the Lamb of God is sacrificed. Seems to be connected to all this.
We will also study UNLEAVENDED BREAD again. But this time the Torah gives us a picture. The UNLEAVENED BREAD is a picture of the Torah of the Lord, the Written Word. The Written Word is the Bread of Life. But I thought Jesus is the Living Word. He said He is is the Bread of Life. Huh? How can this be? Is Jesus the Written Word and the Living Word? Are they the same? Are they different? Did Jesus erase the Written Word? How is this all related to the Cross? You won’t believe this once you get into this. Come and study with us and go deeper in your understanding of the Passover and the Great Redemption of the Lord, יהוה, Yahvay (not Yahway - there is no W sound in Hebrew!!).
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
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
In part 2 of lesson 37 we study the numbers in Exodus 12 and Numbers 1-2. It says that 600,000 men left Egypt in the Exodus. It is estimated that this is probably 2,000,000 people total and perhaps even 3,000,000. The Bible goes on to say in Num. 1-2 that the army of Israel in 1444 B.C. numbered 603,550 men. This is ridiculous. Consider the chart below from the Encyclopedia Britannica. (To view the chart click on this link -
If this is the case Israel had the largest army in the world of all ancient nations and empires including Rome! This makes no sense. But, this also implies that if there were 603,550 men in the army this means perhaps 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 total people left Egypt in the Exodus. If that is the case, if it is 2,000,000, the line of these people traveling out of Egypt would be 100 to 200 miles long and it would take more than a day for them to cross the sea. The numbers DON’T ADD UP.
Is the Bible wrong? Why would the Lord give us numbers that make no sense? Or perhaps, there is something we can’t see? Perhaps it has something to do with the Hebrew word אֶלֶף ELF H505. Today, it means 1000’s. But back then it could also mean …
And he said to Him, “O ????, with what do I save Yisra’el? See, my clan (אֶלֶף ELF H505) is the weakest in Menashsheh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Jdg 6:15)
Perhaps there is a reasonable explanation for these improbable numbers that maintains the veracity of God’s word. Perhaps? Not perhaps. But, definitely. There is a realistic solution.
Check out the links that were brought up in this lesson.
- Check out this website that discusses the issue with the number 600,000 men leaving Egypt in the Exodus. Link - https://www.thetorah.com/article/recounting-the-census-a-military-force-of-5500
- Another website that also presents a very complete discussion on the improbability of the numbers used in Exod. 12 and Numb. 1-2 – Link - https://sharedveracity.net/2016/10/15/did-an-army-of-600000-israelites-conquer-the-land-of-canaan/
- Here’s a link to the chart above - https://www.businessinsider.com/this-ambitious-graphic-shows-the-size-of-standing-armies-from-antiquity-to-the-present-2014-11
- Light of Menorah video entitled “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
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
In part 1 of lesson 37 we will learn about the father of the gods. He is Amun Ra. He was the head god in the 18th dynasty at the time of the Exodus in 1446 B.C. We read in TORAH the following …
Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle. (Exo 12:29)
Amun Ra had an only son, the moon god Khonsu. One can say that it is like the father of the gods lost his only begotten first born son on the first Passover on the night of the full moon. This strikes really close to home for a Christian. What is the Lord God teaching us?
Here’s links to study the Egyptian Trinity of Gods. Link 1 is on Amun Ra and link2 is on his wife, Mut, and his only begotten son, Khonsu.
Link 1 – https://www.memphis.edu/hypostyle/meaning_function/amun-re.php
Link 2 - https://www.memphis.edu/hypostyle/meaning_function/mut-khonsu.php
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