LIGHT OF MENORAH

Some people think that the word "fornication" means sex outside of marriage. Some say that this is what it means in the Bible.  NOPE.  Sorry folks.  God never states specifically that pre-marital sex or sex outside of marriage is a sin.  But it is.  How does God teach us this in His Torah, His "instruction?"  How did He get this across to His chosen people the Hebrews coming out of Egypt?  How did God do this to His people in the 1st century A.D. when He, Yeshua HaMaschiach, Jesus the Messiah, God Himself, how did He teach this THEN?  We missed it.  He did teach it.  But, once again we need to put the Bible into its historical perspective.  One needs to understand how God taught them THEN 3400, 3000, 2500,  or 2000 years ago, so we can understand NOW.  Sex outside of marriage is a sin and, on top of that, it looks as if it is something God hates.  Wait till you see.

Here's a number of links I promised in the podcast you many find very enlightening.  

Link 1 - the practice of sex outside of marriage, abortion, and infanticide in ancient Greece and Rome - https://soc.history.ancient.narkive.com/DIO506S4/world-before-christ-infanticide-and-abortion-in-ancient-pagan-world

Link 2 - the 613 laws of Maimonides - https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/756399/jewish/The-613-Commandments-Mitzvot.htm

Link 3 - Jewish scholarly site showing that pre-marital sex is NOT brought up in the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament) - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-views-on-premarital-sex/

Link 4 - Ray Vander Laan's article on ancient pagan religion and practices - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/fertility-cults-of-canaan

Link 5 - Josephus' statement that abortion is considered murder - https://lexundria.com/j_ap/2.202/wst

Link 6 - my research article for my master's degree in Biblical history.  The focus is on adoption in ancient Turkey (Asia Minor) but relates to infanticide in ancient Rome.  The bibliography is invaluable - https://www.dropbox.com/s/i0fg3wwbm9xohzq/Ephesus%20Adopt.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

Recently an associate of mine asked me about the Parable of the Talents in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 25.  There are some who say that God is teaching us concepts regarding investing our money.  This is highly doubtful once we consider the textual context (the words before and even after the parable) and the historical context.  A highly credible archaeologist, Dr. Ben Witherington III (an American New Testament scholar. Witherington is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church), said that TEXT with no CONTEXT is a PRETEXT for what we want the words to mean.  Thus, no context means you can make up your own meaning.  This is dangerous and is  frequently done in the church today and in many seminaries who have abandoned the study of the Bible in its historical setting.

The parable of the TALENTS is in context.  It is similar to what has come before and after.  It starts in Matt. 24:36 and the context ends in Matt. 25:46.  Jesus is teaching about His return.  As you study these verses you'll notice there are always two groups or two types of individuals.  There will be two men or women in a field and one will be left behind and the other taken.  There will be a faithful servant and an evil servant or there will be 5 sensible virgins and 5 foolish or sheep and goats.  There will be good and faithful servants who act on faith and an unfaithful servant who did not do anything but lived in fear.  The parable of the TALENTS falls right in the middle of all this.  That's the context.  It has nothing to do with your abilities, your "talents," your God given blessings or the proper way to invest.  It has everything to do with the Kingdom of the Lord and who were are in His Kingdom now and before He returns.

Jesus taught this parable 2000 years ago to His disciples.  That Jesus ONLY taught His disciples is clear as this parable, and the parable of the Wise and Foolish virgins, is in a section that begins in Chapter 24 of Matthew's Gospel when Jesus was on the Mt. of Olives.  His disciples came to Him and started asking Him about the end times.  The Parable of the Talents is taught to His disciples; it was Jesus and His 12 only.  For those disciples raised in Judaism of Jesus' day they heard this parable in ways that differ with how we look at it as Christians in the 21st century.  Let's return to HEAR what they heard THEN so that we can have the Spirit of the Lord expand our understanding NOW.  Once we do we can then understand that from this parable we should ask daily, in every circumstance, in all situations, מה ישוע היה עושה‎, Mah Yeshua Hayah Osay - what would Jesus do.  Thus, we are like our "rabbi" and thus we are true disciples doing the works He gave us after being saved by grace. (Eph. 2:8-10)

One of the great teacher/scholars I had the chance to study under in my masters program was Dr. Brad Young.  His website link is https://www.bradyoung.org/  He wrote a book entitled, "The Parables," which gives us the Jewish 1st century context of many key parables of Jesus.  I highly recommend this book and you can easily obtain it at Dr. Young's website or at Amazon and other book outlets.  Below is a link to an article that Dr. Young wrote that will enhance your study ...

Link - https://www.bridgesforpeace.com/letter/what-did-that-parable-really-mean/

Another awesome view of this parable in its 1st century Jewish context is found at a Messianic scholarly site called TorahClass.com. They show that the parable is related to another famous parable about the characteristics of disciples in the Kingdom, the Parable of the Four Soils.  Here's the link - 

https://www.torahclass.com/lessons/new-testament/matthew/lesson-86-ch25/

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

Did you know that there is no prohibition in the Old Testament or New Testament against abortion or premarital sex?  In the Old Testament there is NO law against abortion.  There is no statement that sex before marriage is a sin.  Yet, as followers of Jesus, as Christians, and His disciples, we all agree that abortion is murder, a terrible sin, and premarital sex is immoral and a sin.  Even Josephus in his work Apion says that abortion is murder.  Huh?  Where does that come from?  Where does God in His written word directly come against abortion and premarital sex?  

When we put the word of Adonai into its historical context, back into the days of Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and then into the days of Jesus and the early church, there seems to be an answer that we miss.  God does seem to state quite clearly to the Hebrews just out of Egypt and later to the Hebrews in the Promised Land, Canaan, and then to the Jewish people in the 2nd Temple period (500 B.C. to 70 A.D.) that abortion and premarital sex is an abomination to the Lord.  This podcast suggests an alternative view based upon the historical context and the Jewish culture.  

However, once we see that this is a real likelihood we also see that God seems to be teaching about something broader and more extensive then just a focus on abortion and sex outside of marriage.  What He teaches relates to the days we live in now.  God seems to emphasize we are to be a special observable peculiar people - distinctly different.  

Video link 1 - Tel Meggido - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVUKKU6Xi8&t=193s

Video Link 2 - Bible study at the archaeological site of ancient Corinth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK4C44yuIBU

Video link 3 - "drone" fly over the Corinth reconstructed - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEHPfMIyLfc

Link to key articles for further study - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q2tltmkswqbtxg5/AAB1eOA3NDhrNhyM-TURn80Da?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

 

The Hebrews cried out but they did not cry out to the Lord.  The Bible is crystal clear on this. The Hebrew word for "cry out" is H2199 זעק pronounced ZA-A-KA.  According to the Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon it is more a shriek of terror or a loud cry of total despair.  Their ZA-A-KA made it to God's ears and then He remembered what's going on.  Huh?  Did God forget?  Your Bible in English implies that  God forgot!  This is crazy.  The Hebrew word for remember also means "constantly aware" so that we see it is always on the Lord's mind.

It is very interesting that Moses chose H2199 זעק  ZA-A-KA to use.  Is it possible that the Hebrews cried out and it had something to do with the fact that the pharaoh died and a new pharaoh, his son, will now ascend to office?  The Hebrew grammar and the archaeology says yes but there is even more.  It looks as God Himself had a hand in all this.  It could be the Lord needed to do something to His people to give them a good reason to leave Egypt.  I mean, come on gang, why leave Egypt, the world's most powerful and richest kingdom then, and go back to Canaan?  How do you get the Hebrews to want to leave and follow some 80 year old shepherd out of Egypt into the snake and scorpion infested deadly wilderness?  

Moses enters the scene.  He is the chosen redeemer of the Lord to get His people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.  One of the first things that happens is Moses comes to "The Mountain of God."  It is so cool that this mountain moves - it's like God's RV.  Yup, "The Mountain of God" moves from one place to another.  Did you know that? It is a picture of the ultimate plan of God.  And it's all right there, in the Bible, as plain as day.  How do we miss it?  

(Rev Ferret on the ancient acropolis of Pergamon)

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

 

We will continue with the verse Gen. 2:3.  The Hebrew - not the English - suggests that God stopped creating works that were still yet to be done!  Huh?  Works yet to be done?  Works created but had not even started or were completed? Works for the future? This is too awesome since this implies that we, made in His image, are to go and work just like Him.  Hmmm, does the Bible teach that? It suggests right from the "get go" we were created for a purpose.  But, did God specify it in His Word and not imply or suggest?

It seems clear also that this implies Jesus as well.  He said that He is doing the works given to Him by the Father.  He tells those listening to Him then in John 5 that He will even do greater works than what they just saw (He had just healed a man lame for 39 years).  On top of that Jesus tells us on the night before He died in John 14 that if we are His true talmideem - His true disciples - that the works the Father gave Him Jesus gives to us and we also will even do "greater works."  It is as if Gen. 2:3 is God's first prediction of the good news coming in the future.  Now the verse Eph. 2:8-10 makes sense.  Yes!  We are saved by grace but at the same time we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus (that means we the ones called by His name, we are the ones who state that Jesus is our Lord, our Savior, God, we are His true disciples) for GOOD WORKS created BEFORE HAND!! 

This is an amazing connection of Eph. 2:8-10 to the Torah.  But, why should it surprise us.  When Paul wrote the letter to Ephesus the only Bible they had was the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament.  

This lesson will also address the Documentary Hypothesis - a theory that states that Moses never wrote the Torah.  We will study this anti-Bible theory and show that it is false.  It comes against Jesus' own words when Jesus states clearly many times that the Torah is of Moses or the Torah are the "books of Moses."  Below is a link to a deep scholarly article from the Associates for Biblical Research that shows the Documentary Hypothesis is wrong and should be buried forever.   Here's the link ... https://www.biblearchaeology.org/research/topics/biblical-criticism-and-the-documentary-hypothesis/2328-the-documentary-hypothesis

On top of that, the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת Shabbat in Hebrew) testifies of Messiah Yeshua, Jesus the Christ.  Check it out from one of the chapters in one of the class books from Light of Menorah.  Here’s the link - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/owszf7iszt7wkykkonggs/SHADOW-OF-MESSIAH-OVER-THE-SHABBAT.pdf?rlkey=axyzu36d3x1457cmp5z823xrw&st=m5flxovt&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

 

Truth Nugget 4 Part 2

The name of God is so special and so holy (kadosh קדוש) - meaning set apart, special, distinct.  The rabbis in Jesus' day and even before even made up a new law - don't say God's name so you won't break the commandment that says do not take HIS name in vain.  Therefore, in Jesus' day the tetragrammaton, yud hay vav hay יהוה, was not said.  Other words were substituted like Adonai meaning ""Lord" or HaShem meaning "the Name."  So one might say God's name, יהוה, I pronounce it "Yah Vay," is a name so above other names, so beyond other names, separate and set apart or kadosh קדוש - God even says this about His name.  

This is the historical context we need to understand when we read the New Testament.  Religious Jews who followed Jesus as Lord, as Savior, as God, knew this.  It was part of their everyday culture.  Thus, the verses Phil 2:5-11 take on a whole new meaning.  We then ask Jesus, "What is your name?  What is your REAL name?"  

Here are links to the articles I referenced in these podcasts.  

Judaism 101 - Jewish law or halakah (one's walk) - http://www.jewfaq.org/halakhah.htm

David Biven's article - "Jesus and the Oral Law: the Unutterable Name of God." - 

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2087/

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

This podcast is broken into two separate parts.  Part 1 sets up the historical context and part 2 applies it to a special verse about Jesus.

The name of God is so special and so holy (kadosh קדוש) - meaning set apart, special, distinct.  The rabbis in Jesus' day and even before even made up a new law - don't say God's name so you won't break the commandment that says do not take HIS name in vain.  Therefore, in Jesus' day the tetragrammaton, yud hay vav hay יהוה, was not said.  Other words were substituted like Adonai meaning ""Lord" or HaShem meaning "the Name."  So one might say God's name, יהוה, I pronounce it "Yah Vay," is a name so above other names, so beyond other names, separate and set apart or kadosh קדוש - God even says this about His name.  

This is the historical context we need to understand when we read the New Testament.  Religious Jews who followed Jesus as Lord, as Savior, as God, knew this.  It was part of their everyday culture.  Thus, the verses Phil 2:5-11 take on a whole new meaning.  We then ask Jesus, "What is your name?  What is your REAL name?"  

Here are links to the articles I referenced in these podcasts.  

Judaism 101 - Jewish law or halakah (one's walk) - http://www.jewfaq.org/halakhah.htm

David Biven's article - "Jesus and the Oral Law: the Unutterable Name of God." - 

https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2087/

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

 

Exodus - 1446 B.C.

In part 1 we focused on real archaeology that shows 1) the Israelites were in Egypt prior to the Exodus and 2) that real archaeology supports the date of the Exodus to the 15 century B.C. or 1446 B.C.  In part 2 we will deal with the dates. 

In Exod. 12:40 the sons of Israel (Jacob) lived in Egypt 430 years till they left with Moses.  Where does that number come from?  Why doesn't anyone explain it?  Also it is taught to us that the early date of the Exodus was 1446 B.C. and no one ever justifies this date.  It is just stated.  Why won't anyone help us understand that this date of 1446 B.C. is supported by REAL archaeology and not someone's opinion or speculation.  Well, I will.  This lesson is to show that the early date of the Exodus, 1446 B.C. is very likely considering the archaeology supporting it and the study of the events in their historical context.  

I mentioned I will provide a number of resources and links to help you study further.  These links and resources are shown below.

You'll need these slides below to help you put all this together as you are listening.  

Link 1 - an article on Edwin Thiele that shows how he connects the Assyrian King List (calendar) to 1 Kings 6:1 - https://www.dropbox.com/s/m9au2fpr9suktj8/Dating%20Old%20Testament%20History%20Thiele.pdf?dl=0

Link 2 - an article by Dr. Bryant Wood on setting of the date for the Exodus - https://biblearchaeology.org/research/chronological-categories/exodus-era/3288-recent-research-on-the-date-and-setting-of-the-exodus

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

(Ferret ... resting in God's shade in His city, Yerooshalayeem)

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

God does something so very interesting.  First, God is out side of time.  Time only is created when we have the sun and the moon.  So, there is no time before the creation.  And in Genesis 2:1-3 we see that God makes time kadosh קָדוֹשׁ - which is translated as holy.  From the Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon we find that kadosh means to be set apart, to be set aside, to separate as special, to be distinct.  Time is the first thing that God makes kadosh or set apart.  Pagans make statues holy.  Pagans make trees or animals holy.  Pagans make buildings holy.  Yet, the one God, the only God, He makes time uniquely special.  One day per week there is a 24 hour period that we enter into that is special and unique.  Why? More than that we read in English that God rested.  Rested?  God needs a nap?  God needs to kick back and "take a load off?" Huh?? 

Did God rest in the 7th day?  Later in Exodus does He also command us to rest on the 7th day, to lay back, to take a nap?  The answer is NO!!  Absolutely not.  Curious?  Come join us in lesson 7 and reconnect to those ancient days and to the Hebrew of the Torah and come and learn the Gospel written by Moses under the inspiration of Adonai.

On top of that, the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת Shabbat in Hebrew) testifies of Messiah Yeshua, Jesus the Christ.  Check it out from one of the chapters in one of the class books from Light of Menorah.  Here’s the link - שhttps://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/owszf7iszt7wkykkonggs/SHADOW-OF-MESSIAH-OVER-THE-SHABBAT.pdf?rlkey=axyzu36d3x1457cmp5z823xrw&st=m5flxovt&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

 

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