LIGHT OF MENORAH

Genesis - 63 - Gen. 25:29 - 26:7 - WHAT’S WRONG WITH ESAU?

Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. One was chosen by the Lord to be the child of promise.  This happened again.  Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob.  The Lord has already chosen Jacob and not Esau.  It seems that Esau and his natural born character did not qualify him to be the one through whom the promises made to Abraham for the entire world would be given.  It was Jacob.  In the events of their lives we begin to see this – the Lord seems to want us to see the boys and their character.  Jacob, the 2^nd born and not the 1^st born, was the one. 

One event so many of us recall is when Jacob was cooking the red delicious stew and Esau comes back from some adventure in the wild.  But, there is something we don’t see – God inspires Moses to use a chiasm in the telling of the tale.  If we don’t know what a chiasm is we miss the expanded ideas that the Lord is trying to teach us.  The chiastic structure is used by the Lord to make a very clear and specific point.  It is the crux of the entire matter of Esau and Jacob and why the Lord picked Jacob. 

Links to articles and videos to learn about CHIASTIC LITERARY STRUCTURES:

Great website to learn the basics of chiastic structures -

https://www.bible-discernments.com/joshua/whatisachiasm.html

A website that contains many examples of chiasms -

https://www.chiasmusxchange.com/explanatory-notes/

A short video discussing chiams - well done and good "picture" description -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn2pIkmOKpY

Link to the Light of Menorah video entitled “The Mirror of Passover.”  The video addresses CHIASMS at 28 minutes 5 seconds.

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-2zqcj-11e731b

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

ANNOUNCEMENT - MAY 1 2022 - HOW DO I DO THAT??

Exodus - 39 part 3 - Exod. 14:13-31 - THIS TESTIFIES OF JESUS

Lesson 39 Part 3 – ALL SCRIPTURE TESTIFIES OF ME – Jesus says this sometime between 24-30 A.D. and we read it in John 5:39. All they had then was the Hebrew Scriptures.  So those who first heard Jesus, who did not have the New Testament, it was clear Jesus was saying that the Torah and even Exodus 14, the chapter we are studying in lesson 39, testify of Jesus.  How?  Get ready.  Get your seat belts on.  The rescue at ים סוף Yam Suf – the sea of Reeds – connects us to Jesus and the final victory of His over death.

Also, we again encounter the ANGEL OF GOD or the ANGEL OF THE LORD.  In lesson 32 in Genesis we dealt with this in detail and showed how the Angel of the Lord is GOD, a manifestation of God to us in the flesh so that we will not die yet "see the Lord."  Here’s the link to lesson 32 in Genesis dealing with the Angel of the Lord. Link - https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zfndi-fd62d0

In part 2 of lesson 39 we will study how this relates to the dogma of the Trinity.  We say there are three PERSONS in one God.  Once again we are reading it in English when it was actually written in Greek almost 2000 years ago.  The Greek word that we translate as PERSON today is not what the Greek word means then and in the New Testament.  It means FACE or mask.  Just like when Jesus said to Philip in John 14 that if we SEE Jesus, one might say see His face, then we have SEEN the Father.  We have seen the face of the Father.  And, we did not die.  God told Moses that we can’t see Him or we will die.  God actually said in the Hebrew that we can not see His FACES!  We can see a face of God, like Jesus.  We can see another face of God like the Angel of the Lord.  But, we can’t see His FACES – like all of them together.  The Greek word we translated as person, if we keep it in its original meaning as FACE, the dogma of the Trinity becomes a concept we can perhaps begin to grasp.  Jesus is God.  He is one with God.  He is one of the faces of God.  When we see Jesus we see God, a manifestation of God Himself. 

Who is the Egyptian god of the wind?  This god is named Shu.  Shu is the awesome god in Egyptian mythology, the wind, who held up the sky. 

Did Pharaoh think that it was Shu, the god of the wind, that blew all night to create a path through the chaos of the sea so he could then capture the Hebrews and Moses and return them to slavery.  Did Pharaoh think his gods were fighting for him?  It seems likely and it fits so well in this narrative.  To read more about this Egyptian god here are a few good links …

Link 1 - https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/shu/

Link 2 - http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/shu.htm

 

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

 

 

Exodus - 39 part 2 - Exod. 14:4-12 - HEART AND GLORY AND KNOW - Hebrew not English

In part 2 of lesson 39 we return to Exod. 14 and study Pharaoh’s heart, God’s glory, and how to “know” the Lord.  We read the Bible in English and we read the words heart, glory, and the phrase “to know.”  If we stay in the English we miss so much as to the actual Hebrew.  God wants all Egyptians "to know" Him and it connects us to Jesus when He said ...

 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'  (Mat 7:21-23)

 

Jesus, God, is saying the same thing to us.  He wants not just for us to believe in Him but to know Him.  But, what does it mean?  What did it mean in Exod. 14?  What did Jesus mean?  He is God and He doesn't change as in Mal. 3:6.  So, we need to grasp what God wants when He say He wants all Egypt, all Israel, and all nations to KNOW Him.

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 - 39 part 1 - Exod. 14:1-4 WHERE’S MT. SINAI?

There is simply so much to learn and study in Exodus 14.  The main event is the unbelievable crossing of the sea and how God rescues Israel.  I will split lesson 39 into three parts.  Shown below is a brief idea of the concepts taught in each part.

Part 1 – where is Mt. Sinai? Does the Bible assist us in our pursuit of Biblical archaeology?  Does it provide facts and real evidence to help in archaeological discovery?  Eilat Mazar used the Bible to begin her dig to discover David's palace.  In her own words ...

"There can be little doubt that King David had a palace. The Bible tells us that Hiram of Tyre (who would later help King Solomon build the Temple) constructed the palace for David: 'King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David, with cedar logs, carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a palace for David' (2 Samuel 5:11). Nine years ago I wrote an article in BAR suggesting where, in my opinion, the remains of King David’s palace might lie. I proposed looking in the northern part of the most ancient area of Jerusalem, known as the City of David." ( “Did I Find King David’s Palace?” by Eilat Mazar originally appeared in BAR, January/February 2006. The article was first republished in Bible History Daily on September 7, 2012.  )  This is so amazing that the Bible led Eilat Mazar to the place to dig to find David's palace.  In part 1 we will see how once again God in His word gives us enough details that helps us as we try to find Mt. Sinai.  

Part 2 – Pharaoh’s heart, God’s glory, and how to “know” the Lord.  We read the Bible in English and we read the words heart, glory, and the phrase “to know.”  If we stay in the English we miss so much as to the actual Hebrew.  God wants all Egyptians "to know" Him and it connects us to Jesus when He said ...

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'  (Mat 7:21-23)

Jesus, God, is saying the same thing to us.  He wants not just for us to believe in Him but to know Him.  But, what does it mean?  What did it mean in Exod. 14?  What did Jesus mean?  He is God and He doesn't change as in Mal. 3:6.  So, we need to grasp what God wants when He say He wants all Egypt, all Israel, and all nations to KNOW Him.

 

Part 3 – ALL SCRIPTURE TESTIFIES OF ME – Jesus says this sometime between 24-30 A.D. and we read it in John 5:39. All they had then was the Hebrew Scriptures.  So those who first heard Jesus, who did not have the New Testament, it was clear Jesus was saying that the Torah and even Exodus 14, the chapter we are studying in lesson 39, testify of Jesus.  How?  Get ready.  Get your seat belts on.  The rescue at ים סוף

Yam Suf – the sea of Reeds – connects us to Jesus and the final victory of His over death.

Also, we again encounter the ANGEL OF GOD or the ANGEL OF THE LORD.  In lesson 32 in Genesis we dealt with this in detail and showed how the Angel of the Lord is GOD, a manifestation of God to us in the flesh so that we will not die yet "see the Lord."  Here’s the link to lesson 32 in Genesis dealing with the Angel of the Lord. Link - https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zfndi-fd62d0

In part 2 of lesson 39 we will study how this relates to the dogma of the Trinity.  We say there are three PERSONS in one God.  Once again we are reading it in English when it was actually written in Greek almost 2000 years ago.  The Greek word that we translate as PERSON now is not what the Greek word means then and in the New Testament.  In the New Testament and for the early church fathers it means FACE.  Just like when Jesus said to Philip in John 14 that if we SEE Jesus, one might say see His face, then we have SEEN the Father.  It's the Greek word we translated as person.  But if we keep it in its original meaning as FACE, the dogma of the Trinity becomes a concept we can perhaps begin to grasp.  Check it out.

In part 1 I mentioned a map that might help you in the complex discussion we will encounter.  The map is shown below.  I highly recommend you use the map for this podcast.  It’ll be very helpful to grasp the details and the specifics presented.  Here’s the map.

Also, in this lesson, I mention the journey of Ezra as he and about 6000-7000 Jews return from Susa in ancient Babylon to Jerusalem.  The map of that journey is shown below.  Again, this will be a good resource to give you a better understanding of the lesson.  Here’s the “Ezra Journey” map.

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

 

SABBATH - lesson 3 part 3

SABBATH - lesson 3 part 2

SABBATH - lesson 3 part 1

Does the Bible, specifically the New Testament, prove that Jesus changed everything?  Did Jesus do away with the old law, the TORAH, and start a new Sabbath on Sunday?  It seems that if you study the New Testament in ENGLISH and separate it from the historical and ancient cultural context the answer would be yes.  However, the Bible was clearly meant for those first disciples like John and Mark and Matthew and Paul and Mary.  God gave them His word so they understood it and passed it down to us.  So, one might say they are the first audience.  But, they are all Jewish, even Luke.  There is a strong argument that Luke was Jewish.  It isn't conclusive but very strong.  Check it out at this link - https://www.levitt.com/essays/luke

Thus, these Jewish believers lived in a Jewish culture 2000 years ago and they perhaps saw things and understood things a lot differently than us.  For on thing we have proof that the early church, those first believers, met for the Sabbath on Friday evening to Saturday evening. Paul F. Bradshaw and Lawrence A. Hoffman, The Making of Jewish and Christian Worship (Notre Dame, 1991).  And,

CHRISTIAN HISTORY, "When did the Christian church switch the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?" Link: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/search/?query=issue%2037  ELESHA COFFMAN

 

In Video 3 we will again put the Bible in its historical context.  Once again we will study His word taking in account the ancient Jewish culture of those first disciples, the first Messianic believers.  When we do and study the GREEK and not the English, we find there is a compelling alternative understanding to verses that supposedly suggest Jesus changed everything.  The three verses we will study are shown below take from the NASB version.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 
(1Co 16:1-3)

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him." When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. 
(Act 20:7-12)

 

I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 
(Rev 1:9-11)

This is only a short introduction.  It is a deep and expansive subject that can not be completely addressed in a 40 to 60 minutes video.  Thus, to continue your study on the Sabbath I strongly recommend the following books and resources ...

 

Kiesz, John. "A History of the Sabbath and Sunday."  The Bible Sabbath Association (January 1, 1983).  Free download at this link -

http://www.truthontheweb.org/KieszHistory.htm

 

Nichols, J. T. “The Origin of the Hebrew Sabbath.” The Old and New Testament Student, vol. 12, no. 1, 1891, pp. 36–42. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3157542

 

Hay, Malcolm. "THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIAN ANTI SEMITISM." Available at Amazon.

 

Dr. Shumel Safrai, “The Jewish People in the First Century: Historical Geography, Political History, Social, Cultural and Religious...Vols. 1 and 2.”

 

Bacchiocchi, Samule.  "From Sabbath to Sunday.  (1977)." Rome, Italy. Pontifical Gregorial University Press. Free download at this link - http://www.anym.org/pdf/from_Sabbath_to_Sunday_samuele_bacchiocchi.pdf

 

Encyclopedia Judaica. 1972.  Keter Publishing. Jerusalem:Israel.

 

"Feasts and the Holidays, the Mo’edim."  https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/holidays.html

 

Flusser, David.  "Judaism and the Origins of Christianity." 1988.  Magness Press.  Jerusalem.

 

Hayyim, Schauss. "The Jewish Festivals." © 1938

"The Jewish Encyclopedia."  www.jewishencyclopedia.com

 

Levine, Lee.  2005. "The Ancient Synagogue: the First Thousand Years." 2nd Edition.  New Haven: Yale University Press. 

 

Stern, David. Jewish New Testament Commentary.  1996.  Jewish New Testament Publications. Clarksfield:Maryland.

Stern, David. The Complete Jewish Bible. 1998. Jewish New Testament

 

Wilson, Marvin. Our Father Abraham. 1989.  W.B. Eerdman’s. Grand Rapids:MI.  Contours of Hebrew Thought. 

 

Finally, here's a link to a chapter of one of my books I did for my classes.  The content is based upon the sources above.  Link -

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdycam9yad7ekax/e%20Lesson5..signbetweenus..2019..137..188.pdf?dl=0

A second link is related to Paul meeting in Troas on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.  Here's the link -  https://www.dropbox.com/s/rmkqxbq18k3cmeq/SABBATH%20IN%20TROAS%20AND%20REVELATION.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

 

 

SPECIAL PASSOVER ONLINE BIBLE STUDY

Genesis - 62 - Gen. 25:19-34 THE BET AV AND THE FIRSTBORN

Esau is not the man for the job.  Yes, he is the first born.  But, just because he is the first born, theבְּכוֹר Bekor H1060, he has tasks and responsibilities even before his dad passes away.  He becomes a teammate with his dad.  They together work to help the family with all its needs, they stand together to protect the family, they make sure all are safe and healthy, and the first born and the dad do all they can to make sure the family stays together.  Esau, however, is seemingly focused only on hunting, the outdoors, adventure, fun, and not the day to day family business.  It must’ve been a big job to stay home and take care of the massive holdings that Isaac was blessed with as we read.

Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy; for he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. (Gen 26:12-14)

In this lesson we will delve into this more.  I bring up Ken Baily’s book, “Jacob and the Prodigal.”  Ken is an awesome Biblical scholar with many books and articles he has written.  One I highly recommend is, “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels.”  Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus' relationship to women, and especially Jesus' parables. Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead us into a deeper understanding of the person and significance of Jesus within his own cultural context.

But, in his book, “Jacob and the Prodigal,” he shows us amazing connections between the parable of Jesus and the story involving Jacob and Esau.  For example, here are 15 connections between these two.

• In both stories there are three major players: a father and two sons
• The blessing/inheritance is a critical part of both stories.
• In both stories the younger son seeks advantages from the father using dishonorable methods and succeeds
• In both stories the younger son is estranged from both the father and the older brother.
• In both stories the younger son goes to a far country.
• The older son remains at home in both stories.
• The younger son becomes a herder in the far country in both stories.
• In both stories the younger son decides to return home, but is afraid of how he will be received.
• Both younger sons show no remorse.
• In both stories there is a divine visitation – the man who wrestles with Jacob and the father who symbolizes God.
• In both stories the younger son receives the three-fold welcome of running, falling on the neck and kissing (In all of scripture this trilogy only appears in Gen 33:4 and Luke 15:20!)
• In both stories the older brother is angry about the return of the younger.
• In both stories the younger son is reconciled to the family.
• In both stories there is a concern that the younger son return in peace (Gen 28:21; Lk 15:27)
• Each story is critical for the community that remembers and tells the story.

For us we will consider this parable and other sources to study two major concepts.  The first is the first born, or the Bekor, and the Bet Av, the house of the father.  One great resource is Ray Vander Laan's  lessons from Israel and the Middle East.  Here is a "free" video where Ray focuses on the concept of the Bet Av - the father's house (pronounced bate av).  Here's the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm7S101cyJM

As we study these we will gain a deeper and more expansive understanding of the Jacob and Esau story.  We will perhaps even gain a deeper appreciation of why Rebecca did what she did to have Jacob deceive Isaac to get the blessing of the first born. 

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