LIGHT OF MENORAH

Short Video - SHAVUOT (PENTECOST) be a disciple - be like Jesus - be filled in the POWER of the Spirit

Today is Shavuot (Pentecost) ... by God's own word in Acts 1:8 this feast is the Power Feast of the Lord. Jesus did not say to stay in Jerusalem till you receive tongues ... Jesus did not say to stay in Jerusalem till you receive spiritual gifts ... NO!! He said stay till the Holy Spirit comes to give us POWER to go and bring HIM to the ends of the earth.

Shavuot (Pentecost) 6 - One Flock & One Shepherd

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 6

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

 

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

Ferret teaching in northern Israel at Tel Omrit

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) 5 - In the House

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 5

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? 

Ferret someplace in the Jordan Valley south of Beth Shean

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) 4 - God's Chosen - Hebrews and Us at the Mountain

Shavuot – Episode 4

In the previous episode we established the real possibility that the Hebrews arrived on the 3rd day of the 3rd month.   If this is the case then it seems as if יהוה Yahvay, the Lord, God, lead His people to His mountain to receive a new covenant at His mountain, Mt. Sinai, 50 days after Passover, after the first day of Unleavened Bread.  The Hebrews enter a new covenant relationship with the Lord.  This is an amazing event in that a new nation is born, a chosen people, and it's like a new beginning, a new start.  It reminds me of the Year of Jubilee - every 50 years it is the year of Jubilee.

The Year of the Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness (Leviticus 25:23-38) and all types of bondage (vv. 39-55). All prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. (Like a new start) In addition, all labor was to cease for one year, and those bound by labor contracts were released from them. One of the benefits of the Jubilee was that both the land and the people were able to rest. (Accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jubilee.html July 25,2022) 

In this session we will see the awesome connection this has to the feast of Shavuot (Weeks) or Pentecost in Jesus' day.  Jesus rose from the dead on a Biblical feast, the feast of first fruits, the Sunday after Passover.  Then 50 days later the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit and these 120 as the "light to the nations" spoke in tongues of the Salvation of the Lord, the "Yeshua" of יהוה Yahvay.  It was the New Covenant of the Lord at the mountain of the Lord, Jerusalem.   Peter became so inspired, he does a short sermon in Acts 2 and as a result 3000 were baptized on the 50th day, Shavuot or Pentecost.  Did he received the promised power to be the witness to the nations?  You better believe it.  So, the number 50 even takes on even more significance.  Now it seems to be related to the days of Messiah and the coming of the רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit.  

The Jubilee presents a beautiful picture of the New Testament themes of redemption and forgiveness. Christ is the Redeemer who came to set free those who are slaves and prisoners to sin (Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1; 3:22). The debt of sin we owe to God was paid on the cross as Jesus died on our behalf (Colossians 2:13-14), and we are forgiven the debt forever. We are no longer in bondage, no longer slaves to sin, having been freed by Christ, and we can truly enter the rest God provides as we cease laboring to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own works (Hebrews 4:9-10). (Accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jubilee.html July 25,2022) 

God has clearly done something on purpose.  He has connected the New Covenant at His mountain, Mt. Sinai, to the New Covenant at His mountain, Jerusalem.  The giving of the Ten Commandments is intimately connected to Pentecost or Shavuot.  

I taught this as a class.  Here's a link to the chapter from my class book.  If you need the bibliography email me and I will get it to you. 

Link to the article from Light of Menorah on Shavuot - https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rs9dwl481eb9s1/Chapter%204%20-%20The%20Spring%20Feasts%20-%20the%20End%20of%20the%20Beginning.pdf?dl=0

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? 

Ferret - someplace just north of Eilat, Israel in the Wilderness

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 - The Mountain of יהוה‎ The Lord - Sinai & Jerusalem

Shavuot - Episode 3

They made it.  The Hebrews led by Moses by the hand of Yahvay, the Lord, finally arrive at the Mountain of God.  Here they will receive the Ten Commandments which the Lord says is His Covenant as we read …

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exo 34:27-28)

Israel comes to the Mountain of God in the Sinai and there they will enter a New Covenant - nothing like this ever happened before – and become a chosen people, a holy nation, and nation of priests.  But, wait a minute, that sounds so familiar.  It reminds us of Jesus and His lifting up His cup at His Last Supper – the cup of the New Covenant.  This happens in Jerusalem. 

There’s more.  It so happens that the Mountain of God was Mt. Sinai as can be found in Exod. 3:1 and 3:12 and 19:1-3.  We got this.  No problem.  But then we see that God moves His mountain to a new location.  Just consider a few proof texts …

Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isa 2:2-3)

"I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. "Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. (Isa 66:19-20)

And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Mic 4:1-2)

He moved His mountain.  It is now the Temple Mount in Jerusalem also known as Mt. Zion.  (The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew Bible first for the City of David (2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5; 1 Kings 8:1, 2 Chronicles 5:2) and later for the Temple Mount, but its meaning has shifted and it is now used as the name of ancient Jerusalem's Western Hill)

And, this is where the New Covenant of God is given through Yeshua HaMashiach, Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  On top of that we read the following …

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1Pe 2:9)

Wow.  What an amazing connection between the New Covenant at the Mountain of God Mt. Sinai and the New Covenant at the Mountain of God Mt. Zion - a Biblical name for the Temple Mount.  God is connecting these covenants.  He is not replacing the latter with the former.  They are intimately related and you can not have on New Covenant without the other. 

Is there more?  You won’t believe it.  This is another awesome chapter in Torah that meets the goals of this podcast series.  Here are those goals.  

So come and join us in this study.  This is another awesome example that there is ONE book, ONE Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, ONE God, ONE Lord, with ONE goal, Jesus! 

Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? 

Ferret teaching on the Baja Mexico

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

 

 

 

Shavuot (Pentecost) 2 - Resurrection (1st Fruits Barley) Pentecost (1st Fruits Wheat)

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 some 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 pictures of the Chapel of the Ascension - https://www.biblewalks.com/AscensionChurch

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

4) 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? 

John & his wife Robin teaching in Mexico

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) 1 - Passover to First Fruits to Pentecost

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 1

So few Christians really understand that there is a God ordained connection between Passover and Pentecost, between פֶּסַח Paysak and שָׁבוּעוֹת Shavuot.  So few churches today even celebrate Pentecost.  We have lost so much, we have become so disconnected from our roots, שׁוֹרָשִׁים SHORASHEEM.   The emphasis has not been in the best but the least.  

One connection between Passover and Pentecost is "geographical."  Passover is the time of the barley harvest.  Pentecost is the time of the wheat harvest.  Two harvests and both times the Torah calls them times of the First Fruits. Interesting.  Paul calls Jesus the FIRST FRUITS.  Is there something Paul understands that we don't.  You bet. And there is so much more.  

God commands a COUNTDOWN starting, in Jesus' day, on the Sunday after Passover (Resurrection Sunday!).  That was day 1 and the count is to continue for 7 Sabbath weeks - 49 days.  The 50th day God commands in His Torah is the feast of Pentecost (which means 50) or שָׁבוּעוֹת Shavuot meaning weeks.  God is telling us there is some awesome connection between Passover and Pentecost so much so that we are to count each day till Pentecost.  

In the past religious Jews started using Psalm 67 as they did the countdown.  Many still do it today.  Why?  In Hebrew Psalm 67 has 49 words.  ON top of that Psalm 67 has only 7 verses like the 7 weeks between the start of the Omer count and Pentecost or Shavuot. You can see this in the picture below.  (Note - you'll see perhaps a hyphen used in the text.  That does not mean one word but actually two in the original Hebrew which never used hyphens).  So each day the Jewish people say a blessing to the Lord, state what day of the count it is, and recite out loud Psalm 67.  

In this lesson I make the case that this is something we Christians should be doing.  Why?  Wait till you hear the lesson.  Psalm 67 seems to have been inspired by the Lord to His ELECT, Israel, and now to us.  The psalm used between Passover and Pentecost is connected to Jesus in amazing and surprising ways.  It's all about Jesus and it always has been. We should do the countdown and look to the awesome feast of Pentecost.  All churches should now, during the countdown, teach about Pentecost and Passover, the 1st harvest and the 2nd harvest, the 1st blessing and the 2nd blessing, the giving of the Laws of the Lord and the giving of that which completes the Law, and the coming of the Teaching of the Lord (Torah) and the coming of the Teacher, רוח הקודש, RUACH HAKODESH, the Holy Spirit.  Let us return and learn we are to focus on the best and not the least.  For more on all this check out these links that can be found after the picture of Psalm 67 below.

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

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

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

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? 

(Rev. Ferret - teaching on a mountain)

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 - 47 - VIDEO Lesson 10 Part 3 - Ten Commandments/Sabbath - Jesus & the Sabbath

We continue with part 3 on the lesson on how is Jesus connected to Shabbat (Hebrew for the Sabbath). Jesus said all scripture testifies of Him. He said that between 24-30 A.D. and they did not have the New Testament. That means the Old Testament is all about Jesus by His own word, the very words of God. So that means the Shabbat is a feast that testifies of Yeshua. Come and join us as we study part 3 and see that Jesus is like a Shadow over the Sabbath. Maybe Sabbath will become a "bigger deal" once we see what God thinks about this.

Exodus - 47 Lesson VIDEO 10 part 2 - Ten Commandments/Sabbath - Jesus & the Sabbath

We continue with part 2 on the lesson on how is Jesus connected to Shabbat (Hebrew for the Sabbath). Once you understand this it'll change your practice of the Lord's Shabbat totally. This is NOT about going to church on Sunday or your Messianic congregation on Saturday. Shabbat is about TIME, a 24 hour period we are to make HOLY. And, it is all about Yeshua.

 

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 - 47 - VIDEO Lesson 10 part 1 - Ten Commandments/Sabbath - Jesus & the Sabbath

Over the last 5 to 10 years I have noticed Christians becoming interested in the Jewish Passover Meal – the Seder.  Many say they see how it connects to Jesus.  Christians also see how Jesus is also related to Passover.  The lambs were sacrificed on the same day the Lamb of God was sacrificed or Jesus was crucified.  Matter of fact I teach a course on the feasts of the Lord found in Leviticus 23 and how they testify of Jesus.  Paul teaches us this.  Consider the text …

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. (Col 2:16-17)

The feasts are shadows of something.  Something is casting a “shadow”over the feasts. What? Who?  Jesus of course.  He is the substance of the shadow or that which makes up the shadow.  But, as we have seen in previous lessons, the greatest of all the Lord’s feasts, actually, appointed times set by Him, is the Sabbath, or in Hebrew, שַׁבָּת Shabbat.

God has created an appointed time called the Sabbath on the 7th day of each week.  It is a holy TIME; it is 24 hours long and not about just going to church.  During this set aside time, or holy time, the Lord commands us to have a special separate meeting during this 24 hour holy time as in Leviticus 23:3.  The Jews do a synagogue service and from this the “church” followed suit and did a church service.  But Jesus said …

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me.” (Joh 5:39)

Jesus said this between 24-30 A.D. and all they had was the Hebrew Scriptures – a.k.a. the Old Testament. So, the Sabbath must be a SHADOW of things to come.  And the Sabbath MUST testify of Jesus.  But how?  It is easy to “see” Jesus in Passover.  It is easy to see how the Jewish Seder relates to Jesus.  But שַׁבָּת Shabbat?  How?  How is Jesus connected to this special, set aside, or holy 24 hour period?  Let’s go study this in the next three lessons.  So, ready?  Come let’s go. 

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