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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
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
Moses does not want to return to Egypt and do what the Lord God wants him to do. In this lesson we study Exod. 4:1-12 and hear Moses’ second, third, and fourth objections. In the next lesson we will finally get to Moses’ fifth objection and it will be clear in his own words that he does not any part of this. Would you?
One objection Moses brings up on this lesson is he can’t speak very well; it seems Torah is implying he may have a speech problem. It can not be proved if Moses did have a physical impairment or stuttered. Those are only opinions. Putting aside speculation we see Moses has an excuse but God has the answer. What is significant about this part of the events we are studying is at this exact part of the events at the burning bush, Moses is declared God’s prophet.
At this point I wanted to make sure we study the real definition of a prophet of God. Today Christians say a prophet is one who foretells the future only. I hear this over and over again on the TV or the radio where we here about the end times, the rapture, and that prophets predict the future. This is not Biblical. A prophet, if one studies the Bible very carefully is simply God’s spokesman, one who proclaims God’s word. Better is to say a prophet as per the Bible is one who PROCLAIMS the words given by God or one who PREDICTS if God commands the prediction. So a prophet will predict and foretell the future. It is NOT their major duty as God's spokesman (or woman!). Consider the answer to the question of who or what is a prophet from Judaism 101 …
What is a Prophet?
(Accessed 4/18/2021 @ https://www.jewfaq.org/prophet.htm)
Many people today think of a prophet as any person who sees the future. While the gift of prophecy certainly includes the ability to see the future, a prophet is far more than just a person with that ability.
A prophet is basically a spokesman for G-d, a person chosen by G-d to speak to people on G-d's behalf and convey a message or teaching. Prophets were role models of holiness, scholarship and closeness to G-d. They set the standards for the entire community.
The Hebrew word for a prophet, navi (Nun-Beit-Yod-Alef) comes from the term niv sefatayim meaning "fruit of the lips," which emphasizes the prophet's role as a speaker.
A prophet is not necessarily a man. Scripture records the stories of seven female prophets, listed below, and the Talmud reports that Sarah's prophetic ability was superior to Abraham's.
According to some views, prophecy is not a gift that is arbitrarily conferred upon people; rather, it is the culmination of a person's spiritual and ethical development. When a person reaches a sufficient level of spiritual and ethical achievement, the Shechinah (Divine Spirit) comes to rest upon him or her. Likewise, the gift of prophecy leaves the person if that person lapses from his or her spiritual and ethical perfection.
The greatest of the prophets was Moses. It is said that Moses saw all that all of the other prophets combined saw, and more. Moses saw the whole of the Torah, including the Prophets and the Writings that were written hundreds of years later. All subsequent prophecy was merely an expression of what Moses had already seen. Thus, it is taught that nothing in the Prophets or the Writings can be in conflict with Moses' writings, because Moses saw it all in advance.
The Talmud states that the writings of the prophets will not be necessary in the World to Come, because in that day, all people will be mentally, spiritually and ethically perfect, and all will have the gift of prophecy.
So here in Exodus 4 Moses is told he will be given words to speak to Israel and to Egypt. Moses is now a prophet. It isn’t what Moses is but what he does that makes him a prophet.
For the most part Moses is the greatest prophet ever in the Hebrew scriptures. However, God gives his spokesman, Moses, words to speak that are a prediction. Moses influenced by the Lord predicts the coming of the Messiah in Deut. 18:15-18. Messiah will be like Moses and Moses will be like the Messiah. We have a mirror image.
A great website to study our Jewish roots is www.Hebrew4Christians.com. At this website one can find an awesome detailed article that the Bible relates Moses and the future Messiah. The Jewish rabbis caught it and we learn from them. Here’s the link to the article. Link - https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Like_Moses/like_moses.html
In this lesson I mentioned a picture I found on the internet which is a great way to show how the Bible connects the first redeemer, Moses, to the ultimate redeemer, Messiah Jesus, to each other. See the picture below. The verses verifying each of the statements are easy to find and is a worthwhile task for you.
I also mentioned a vidcast available from Light of Menorah. This video lesson entitled, “The Mirror of Passover,” a video lesson going into this connection in a deeper and more complete way. It is clear, God is saying to us that the Exodus and the Passover and the Lamb of God and the Cross are intimately connected. We can not have one without the other. Here’s the link to the video - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nuggets-21-mirror-of-passover/
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -
Saturday Mar 22, 2025
Saturday Mar 22, 2025
In Genesis chapter 17 we study some amazing things. First, as in the previous lesson, lesson 36, we study the NEW covenant of circumcision, in Hebrew, Brit Meelah בְּרִית מִילָה. And it is a NEW covenant but it seems to also be related to the NEW names Avram and Saree are given by Yahvay, the Lord. Avram (exalted father) is now Avraham (the father of many nations and Saree (my princess) is not Sarah (princess – she will not just be the princess of Avraham but the princess of many nations). Both of them share in the plans and agenda of the Lord.
There’s more. In this lesson in chapter 17 we now hear God update His promise to Avraham that He first made in chapter 12 …
Gen 12:2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
And then again in chapter 15 when we read …
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." (Gen 15:1-4)
God promises Avraham will have descendants. He will have many descendants. Avraham and Sarah probably thought this would happen through the accepted manner then through the maid servant, Hagar (see lesson 34) since Saree and Avram both knew they could not have kids at their age. But, God had to help Avraham and Sarah understand that His plan was Avraham and Sarah would have a son. This is a NEW plan. God didn’t specify this earlier but now we read …
Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. "I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." (Gen 17:15-16)
So, this indeed is a chapter of NEW things! It reminds us that all this leads to the NEW covenant in Jerusalem in Jesus. We are NEW creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Moreover, this chapter 17 is connected to us and we see Paul teach us a NEW perspective of who we are. We believers we are sons and daughters of Avraham as Paul teaches (Gal. 3:7 and in 3:29).
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? Why listen to him?
Link for background on our teacher, Rev. John Ferret - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Thursday Mar 20, 2025
Thursday Mar 20, 2025
In this podcast Bible study we are on Exodus 24. This chapter in Exodus is not filled with amazing events or miracles. It is not a chapter that is necessarily memorable like chapter 20 and the giving of the Ten Commandments or like Exodus 40 when God actually came down the first time to dwell among His people in the Tabernacle. But, Exodus 24 is amazing in its own right. For example there are two verses that challenge us right from the “get go” and seem to provide contradictions to the Bible. They are …
and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. (Exo 24:10-11)
They saw God? Huh? This is impossible. God says …
But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" (Exo 33:20)
Or what about these two verses written by the disciple John …
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (Joh 1:18)
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. (1Jn 4:12)
So in Exodus 24 the word says that they saw God but by God’s own words this can’t be along with the words in John’s Gospel and in his letter of 1st John. So, what is going on? How can this be?
In this lesson we will again consider the Hebrew of Exod. 24:10-11. We will find that there are two separate words that are translated as “they saw.” Taken together and the fact that Hebrew words have no definitions like English words, the result is they did NOT SEE God. What they experienced as a VISION. The Hebrew is exact and precise. We will get into this in detail in the lesson.
These verses in Exodus 24 are a clear example that simple Bible reading does not make us “BIBLE LITERATE.” I have heard one pastor say to me that he urges his congregation to read the Bible using the schedule of reading the Bible in a year. You can find this as this link - https://bibleinayearonline.com/ This pastor’s goal was to help his congregation become Bible literate. In his church there are no Bible studies. The only teaching is just the pastor’s sermon on Sunday for 40 minutes or so. The problem is just reading the Bible once or twice completely and listening to a sermon once a week does NOT make one Bible literate. As one trusted scholarly source has commented …
- Knowing how to study the Bible is important, because determining the meaning of Scripture is one of the most important tasks a believer has in this life. God does not tell us that we must simply read the Bible. We must study it and handle it correctly (2 Timothy 2:15). (From GOTQUESTIONS.org link https://www.gotquestions.org/study-the-Bible.html)
- The Bible is a book that is not merely for reading. It is a book for studying so that it can be applied. Otherwise, it is like swallowing food without chewing and then spitting it back out again—no nutritional value is gained by it. (From GOTQUESTIONS.org link https://www.gotquestions.org/why-read-Bible.html)
So the real definition of BIBLE LITERACY is … (numbers relate to the links o the references below)
Biblical literacy refers to a person's ability to understand and apply the Bible, including its overarching story, key characters, events, themes, and literary elements. It's about comprehending the Bible's message and how it relates to one's life and faith. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Here's a more detailed explanation: [1, 3, 4]
- What it entails: Biblical literacy involves more than just knowing Bible stories; it's about understanding the Bible's core message, its historical context, and its relevance to contemporary life. [1, 3, 4]
- Why it matters: It's seen as a crucial aspect of Christian discipleship, equipping individuals to engage with their faith more deeply and to understand God's character and will. [2, 4, 5]
- How to cultivate it: Biblical literacy can be cultivated through consistent Bible reading, study, and reflection, as well as engaging with trusted resources and teachers. [2, 5, 6]
- Beyond the basics: It also involves understanding the different literary genres and forms within the Bible, such as poetry, prophecy, and history, and how they contribute to the overall narrative. [3, 7]
- Examples: The Bible Literacy Project provides a course that uses a textbook, "The Bible and Its Influence," to teach the Bible narrative and its impact on history, literature, art, and culture. [8]
- Current trends: The Church of God International reports a decline in Bible reading engagement in the United States, with statistics showing a drop from 50% in 2011 to 38% in 2024. [9]
[1] https://www.logos.com/grow/biblical-literacy/
[2] https://youthministry360.com/blogs/all/cultivating-biblical-literacy-in-student-ministry
[3] https://women.lifeway.com/2022/07/07/the-reference-desk-unpacking-biblical-literacy/
[4] https://bibleengagementproject.com/en/Blog/Why-It-Matters/Biblical-Illiteracy
[5] https://www.crossway.org/articles/lets-talk-about-our-bible-literacy-problem/
[6] https://www.worldimpact.org/blog/4-simple-steps-to-increase-your-bible-literacy/
[7] https://e360bible.org/blog/understanding-literary-context-in-the-bible/
[8] https://www.bibleliteracy.org/
[9] https://www.cgi.org/news-and-events/2024/8/8/decline-in-bible-reading
There is no problem with urging people to read the Bible. I congratulate that pastor I knew to urge his congregation to read the Bible. However, this pastor as all pastors are to GO and make disciples. This means Bible reading and study as a necessary component of any discipleship program.
I try and read the Bible regularly, especially the book of Psalms. But, that is not the end of the process. We as Christians, we as true disciples of our Lord Jesus, MUST live our lives with the constant focus of increasing our BIBLE LITERACY as outlined above. Rabbi Jonathan Cahn brought this up in his book, “The Book of Mysteries.” These are short 5 minute devotionals for each day. Here’s one on what it means to be a disciple …
(“The Book of Mysteries,” Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, Frontline Publishers ©2018)
The message is simple. Are you a disciple of Jesus? As a Christian you must be His disciple which means you are to learn – learn from Him, learn His word. A disciple is to be striving to be Bible literate.
If you remember God’s last command when He was among us was to GO and makes disciples. A disciple (talmeed in Hebrew from the Hebrew for learning) in Jesus’ day was a learner from their rabbi, their Torah master. Jesus said to go make disciples not converts. Make us into TALMEED, learners. The implication of Jesus’ words is that we are disciples of Jesus, we are His talmeed and He is our RABBI, our Torah Master. We want to be like Him and want to live to teach others what He taught us. We are to be BIBLE LITERATE. We are to be like those who modeled it for us 2000 years ago, the first. TALMEDEEM (plural) or disciples of Jesus.
(Check out this excellent article by the renowned Bible historian Ray Vander Laan on what is means to be a disciple in Jesus' day - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim)
For them in Jesus’s day STUDY OF GOD’S WORD was considered the HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP. One great scholar of our Jewish roots of Christianity was Dwight Pryor. He has gone on before us to be with his rabbi, his Lord, our Lord Jesus. But Dwight Pryor was an awesome teacher and a highly credible and recognized Bible historian and scholar. He wrote an article on Bible study in Jesus’ day. Here’s the link to that article - https://webbpage-hnpv.com/yavo/1_4_Pryor_HighestWorship.html On top of that here’s a link to his audio series THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP - https://www.jcstudies.store/the-highest-form-of-worship/
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 Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
The Hebrews experienced a difficult life under a powerful pagan government, Pharaoh and Egypt. Pharaoh as king was looked to by the everyday common people as the one who is responsible for maintaining a good life, order, harmony, and prosperity. This was the sole purpose of the king's life - to provide government answers and solutions for the people under his authority. See the article on this historical fact - Pharaoh must maintain Ma'at - order, harmony, prosperity, good living conditions, peace - link - https://www.thetorah.com/article/pharaohs-divine-role-in-maintaining-maat-order
Hmm, sounds like our day and our times. Is God teaching us that we too live in "Egypt" and many are turning to the government, the secular non-religious leaders in Washington, and in "big tech," to provide us with a good life, order, harmony, shalom, and prosperity? All we need do is "toe their line" and obey their man made rules and dismiss our heritage and worldview. But, just as God is all powerful over Pharaoh and Egypt, the Lord is the one who is in control over us. Just as God brought His wrath upon Egypt, it seems likely He will continue to bring wrath upon this nation - a nation that has murdered 60 million babies in the womb and now says there is no such thing as a man or a woman and thus contradicting the creation of God and common sense truth.
In these four short verses we also encounter a major translation error. A renowned Jewish rabbi shows conclusively that the translators, Jew and Gentile, made this error. It changes the entire meaning for the Hebrews toward their Egyptian neighbors from hate to love. It is amazing. Once we see this error as Christians we would say "of course, that is what God is like." Imagine, God teaching His people to love and be gracious to the everyday Egyptian who probably were perceived as the enemies of the Hebrews. Didn't the Egyptians enslave them and kill their boys by drowning them? And, once again, in these four short verses, we find a powerful and impacting lesson for us today. True Christians today are being taught again and again what we are to be like in these awful days of disruption and chaos. It goes right back to Jesus when He told us what a true disciple of His is like in Matt. 5:43-45.
Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link -
Friday Mar 14, 2025
Friday Mar 14, 2025
WHITE AND RED AND BLACK AND GREEN
THE FLAGS OF THE BEAST
REV. 6:1-8
HAVE THE HORSES ARRIVED
(Image above is public domain - accessible at Wikimedia)
(NOTE - to watch the video click on the white arrow above
in the orange circle on the left)
There is an amazing connection between the Four Horses of the Apocalypse and the nations coming against Israel. This video podcast delves into this connection. It is recommended that you also check into the video Bible podcast on the Jewish feast of Purim entitled, "Purim: Not By Chance But By Design." It also shows an amazing connection of Purim and to the enemies of Israel and to the color of the End Times - the color RED or in Hebrew Edom אֱדוׄם.
Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? 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
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
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
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
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
Friday Mar 07, 2025
Friday Mar 07, 2025
In this podcast we will study the covenant of circumcision or in Hebrew BRIT MEELAH בְּרִית מִילָה. Perhaps you as I always thought that this was something unique to the Bible; circumcision was some bloody ritual God made up that was like a right of initiation to be a Hebrew. Wow, is that wrong. It seems that all this is connected to the fact that Moses wrote the Torah, the 1st five books of the Bible to the Hebrews who came out of Egypt. These former slaves were the ones who would have first heard God’s word read to them. Moreover. When they would have gotten to Genesis 17 and the covenant of circumcision, they would have immediately related it to the ritual practiced in Egypt. This was not new to them. The Hebrews knew that circumcision in ancient Egypt was thought to be a mark of passage from childhood to adulthood.
The picture above (public domain and accessible at Wikimedia) is dated to 2355-43 B.C. hundreds of years before Abraham ever was alive. The alteration of the body and ritual of circumcision was supposed to give access to ancient mysteries reserved solely for the initiated. Circumcisions were performed by priests in a public ceremony, using a stone blade. It is thought to have been more popular among the upper echelons of the society, although it was not universal and those lower down the social order are known to have had the procedure done. (See Gollaher, David (February 2001). "1, The Jewish Tradition." Circumcision: A History Of The World's Most Controversial Surgery. Basic Books).
So, once again, as we put the Bible into its historical perspective, we find circumcision was a man made ritual. It may have been performed by those Hebrews who had assimilated into the Egyptian culture. This seems very likely. But now God comes and takes what they knew and changes it completely. It becomes something more. It’s not a sign anymore of a boy becoming a man. Not a special way to know the mysteries of the gods. That’s done. Now it is a sign that this baby boy is part of the covenant of Abraham and a sign to all Israel there is a new citizen born again among God’s kingdom of Israel. And, once we see what the original meaning was when God changed circumcision, we now begin to see how all this becomes a picture for us. As disciples of the Lord we have become new creatures in Messiah and new citizens of the final Kingdom of Adonai and we are “circumcised” by the Spirit as in Rom. 2:28-29. True “children of Abraham” are those who follow Abraham’s example of believing God (Genesis 15:6). Physical circumcision does not make one a child of God; faith does. Believers in Jesus Christ can truly say they are children of “Father Abraham.”
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? 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
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Moses is still in an intense conversation with the awesome God of the universe at the burning bush. Moses learned of His name - he was the first human to encounter the Lord and be given His name. But, the Lord tells Moses that He picked Moses to go up against Pharaoh to get Pharaoh to let God's people go; the give freedom to Israel. Moses starts objecting. Wouldn't you? He is to return to Egypt. Yes, the Lord said He'd go with him. But, don't forget Moses killed an Egyptian and he faces death if he returns for this act. But, on top of that this shepherd, this lowly man of the wilderness, is to go up against the most powerful king of the most powerful nation on earth at the time, and convince Pharaoh on letting the Hebrews go. Moses knows this is futile. He wants out. Moses is thinking what is the matter with this God? There is NO WAY Moses wants any part of this.
In this lesson we hear Moses' first two objections of five as he continues his intense dialogue with יהוה Yahvay אֱלֹהִים Eloheem, the LORD God.
Come join us as we continue as we have a front row seat to this amazing meeting at the bush that didn't burn.
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 Feb 28, 2025
Friday Feb 28, 2025
According to the "Inter Varsity Press Bible Commentary: the Old Testament," we read ...
Gen_16:1-4. maidservants. Slave women or bondswomen were considered both property and legal extensions of their mistress. As a result it would be possible for Sarai to have Hagar perform a variety of household tasks as well as to use her as a surrogate for her own barren womb.
Gen_16:2. contractual arrangements for barrenness. Concubines did not have the full status of wives but were girls who came to the marriage with no dowry and whose role included childbearing. As a result concubinage would not be viewed as polygamy. In Israel, as in most of the ancient world, monogamy was generally practiced. Polygamy was not contrary to the law or contemporary moral standards but was usually not economically feasible. The main reason for polygamy would be that the first wife was barren. In the Bible most cases of polygamy among commoners occur prior to the period of the monarchy.
So is it possible in this amazing account that Sarai (her name hasn't been changed yet by the Lord to Sarah) may have learned from Avram (his name too has not been changed to Abraham) that God promised them a son. Remember, the Bible says that only Avram had "heard" God tell him he'd have a son. The Bible is silent regarding Sarai at this time. Consider ...
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." (Gen 15:1-4 NASB)
It just doesn't seem probable that Avram could hold this news in and keep it from Sarai. It can't be proven but it does not seem possible that a husband would keep this amazing promise of God from his wife. So, Sarai is possibly taking matters in her own hands and using an accepted practice in the ancient Near East. She and Avram can have a son and this would be through Sarai's Egyptian maid servant, Hagar. Thus, this well known Bible "story" - I'd rather call it a Bible happening or event and not a story which implies it might be a work of fiction - is based upon real practices in the ancient Near East. Once again as we put the Bible into its historical context, the veracity of this event is totally supported.
Hagar runs away after being treated harshly by Sarai. Is this due to the fact that Avram was taken in with Hagar and the physical union they shared? We don't know. But, Hagar runs away and this pagan woman is the first person in the Torah to meet, talk to, and see the Angel of the Lord! In lesson 32 in this series I discussed the Angel of the Lord in detail. Rabbis teach it was an angel but the Torah is clear. God inspired Moses to write ...
Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. (Gen 16:13-14 NASB)
There is more we need to consider in this remarkable event in Hagar's life. Once again we will see how this may connect to Jesus' life and a certain woman He met by a source of water. On top of that this event may also be a powerful lesson for the Hebrews who came out of Egypt and were the first ones to hear this event in Torah. How might have this affected them in that God "saved" this pagan Egyptian woman and her son? God even told Hagar to name her son, ִישׁמעאל Ishmael, which means "God will hear." Is it possible God is reaffirming the verse we know so well, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son ... " in John 3:16?
I mentioned in this podcast that I would again provide the link to a powerful article. This article demonstrates clearly that the rabbis of Judaism are wrong to conclude that the Angel of the Lord is only an angel. The Bible is clear, crystal clear, the angel of the Lord is God but the rabbis made up their own version. Here's the link - https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/who-is-the-angel-of-the-lord.html
Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? 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