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Be My Burning Guest I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, friends; drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers.” Last week, we learned: "Of all the righteous ones of Scripture, Avraham and Sarah were the best known for hospitality to strangers, especially when they received the three angels. (So 5:1) Good gardening is good hospitality to the voice of Adonai, His holy Presence. Because human beings, particularly believers walking in the Way of Yeshua, are in His image, practicing hospitality toward people of faith is an especially sweet fruit of the Ruach HaKodesh." Hospitality prepares us to be a part of the Garden of Eden conversation in the Scripture above. We can both invite the Bridegroom hospitably and remain in the Garden because we possess the vital character of hospitality without which a human cannot remain in the Garden. We can be a worthy guest...and friend...who will bless the Garden. To get a better handle on this trait, let's take a careful look at what hospitality is. What does the word mean? Hospitality: Middle English hospital, "residence for pilgrims and travelers, charitable institution providing residence for the poor and infirm," "guest accommodations" (probably by ellipsis from hospit?le cubiculum "sleeping room for guests"), noun derivative of hospit?lis "of a guest, of hospitality, hospitable” The Hebrew word for “guest” is kara ????? The KJV translates Strong's H7121 in the following manner: call (528x), cried (98x), read (38x), proclaim (36x), named (7x), guests (4x), invited (3x), gave (3x), renowned (3x), bidden (2x), preach (2x) Outline of Biblical Usage to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim (Qal) to call, cry, utter a loud sound to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) to proclaim to read aloud, read (to oneself), read to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint to call, name, give name to, call by The Book of Leviticus is "Vayikra" ["and called"], a book of holies, our calling to create a sanctuary of holiness for YHVH. This hospitality “preaches” His Presence to the earth and His desire to dwell with us. The Torah describes to us our holy "calling." Not only that, Adonai listens to the cries / proclamations of human beings, especially the poor and distressed. Somewhere in this world, your name can be proclaimed to Heaven, either in frustration, agony, and pain, or in gratefulness, relief, and consolation. How this works is that the needy “give name to” the situation in that home or community. A guest can “summon” Adonai's attention for blessing or chaos. He will actually come investigate the call for Divine help or proclamation of gratefulness! • Now the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by. Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree; and I will bring a piece of bread, so that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant.” (Ge 18:1-5) Avraham understood what a special opportunity he had. Without a guest, who would bless? Righteous guests are given a Divine mandate to bless or destroy a home. It's an apocalyptic opportunity symbolic of the end of days. Washing feet and providing a safe place to rest with food is the ancient practice of hospitality to guests, especially honored guests. Yeshua told his disciples to honor one another, not a new commandment, but an affirmation and demonstration of an old pattern of hospitality.
Wer ist dieser Ashtar? Wer sind die Starseeds? Außerirdische und ich? Never ever! Lange Zeit hatte ich mich dagegen gewehrt und mein Verstand grätschte mir ständig dazwischen. Ufos, die um die Erde positioniert sind. Sowas gibt es nicht. Das kann nicht sein. Und viele viele andere Gedanken tummelten sich in meinem Kopf. Aufgestiegene Zivilisationen, die der Erde und der Menschheit helfen? Ich nannte es den „Starseed-Hype“ und sah mich nicht als einen Teil dieser Mission. Über Meditationen kam ich dann doch zu Ashtar. Adonai Ashtar Sheran, der Leiter der Friedensmission. Weitere, tausende an lichtvollen Helfern stehen der Menschheit und allen Zivilisationen, wo es des Friedens bedarf zur Seite und unterstützen diese durch das Weiterleiten lichtvoller Energien, die für ihre Entwicklung und den Aufstieg in höhere Dimensionen wichtig sind.So merkte ich schnell, dass es für mich keinen Sinn machte, mich noch weiter gegen die Zusammenarbeit mit den Sternengeschwistern zu wehren, denn meine Seele hatte schon längst der Friedensmission zugestimmt. Der Gedanke daran, meinen Beitrag zum globalen Frieden leisten zu dürfen und damit ein Beitrag zu unserem kollektiven Aufstieg zu sein, erfüllte mich immer mehr mit Freude! Doch wie genau arbeiten die Starseeds und wer sind sie?Höre dir die heutige Folge an und erfahre, ✨ wer die Starseeds sind und welche Aufgaben sie haben✨ was Adonai Ashtar Sheran zum Thema Weltfrieden zu sagen hat✨ wie dein innerer Krieg entsteht und wie du ihn beendest✨ warum die Ablehnung deines Selbstes eine Einladung an die Schattenseite darstellt✨ warum es so wichtig ist, deine männliche UND deine weibliche Seite anzunehmen und zu leben✨ wie auch du ein Beitrag für die Friedensmission sein kannst.Dieses Channeling ist für mich eine große Freude und Ehre gewesen. Ich durfte Ashtars Energie fühlen und diese vermittelt Präsenz, Klarheit, Mitgefühl und Ausgerichtetsein in Einem. Verbinde dich gerne in deiner Meditation mit Ashtar und den Sternengeschwistern und bitte sie um Unterstützung und um Antworten auf deine Fragen. Mittlerweile weiß ich, dass es stimmt, dass sie echt sind. Dazu hat mir auch nochmal das Channeln die Augen geöffnet und meinen Horizont erweitert, was die Geistige Welt angeht. Ich freue mich, diese wunderschönen Erfahrungen mit dir teilen zu dürfen. Alles Liebe und bis bald! Deine Maja „REIKI DEEPDIVE - Be part of the process. BE US!“ LINKS ZU DIESER EPISODE : LITIOS Lichtkristalle: https://litios.com/shop/LITIOS Onlinekurse: https://litios.online KONTAKTIERE MICH GERNE :
A Leaning Lady I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, friends; drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers.” Of all the righteous ones of Scripture, Avraham and Sarah were the best known for the hospitality to strangers, especially when they received the three angels. (So 5:1) Good gardening is good hospitality to the voice of Adonai, His holy Presence. Because human beings, particularly believers walking in the Way of Yeshua, are in His image, practicing hospitality toward people of faith is an especially sweet fruit of the Ruach HaKodesh. “Given to hospitality” is not a light characteristic to the righteous. It is integral. It was incorporated into the believers' daily habits in the Books of Acts, and it is a vital quality for an elderwoman of the congregation... The number 60 is signified by the Hebrew letter samekh, which means to support, sustain, to lean upon, ordain: • "Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses." (Nu 27:22-23) ??????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ????????? ??????? ??????????????????? The appearance of the letter samekh is round, like a wheel. A burden may be moved more easily in a wheeled cart than dragged or carried, and to ordain someone for ministry is to infuse them with the spiritual strength to be that person who eases the burdens that others must carry for the Kingdom. The anointing of the ordination is to help that servant bear the suffering for that ministry in the Kingdom. As those who ordain must lean their hands upon the one receiving the ordination, so others will lean upon him or her to ease their suffering. Those who plead for an anointing may not understand exactly what they're asking for. With the anointing comes the suffering! By the age of 60, the individual is considered to have committed his or her best physical years to the royal priesthood, slightly different from the Levites, who formally served from ages 25 to 50 (Nu 8:23-26). This did not preclude them from assisting their younger brothers, serving as mentors. The holy Mishkan/Mikdash work was physically demanding as well as exacting. At the age of 60, a righteous woman has achieved an age where she needs physical support as her due for devoting her life as a royal priestess to the support of the righteous community and her family. She is still a teacher and mentor to the younger, but as others have leaned upon her, now she must lean upon others for physical support: • “A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.” (1 Ti 5:9-10) The age of 60 suggests that she has fulfilled the days of her ordination to every good work. Just as Levites were still entitld to portions from the Temple gifts after retirement, so a righteous elderwoman is entitled to eat from the common fund of the congregation she's served. Paul defines for Timothy the behaviors that are elderwoman good works according to the Word: 1 bringing up children 2 showing hospitality to righteous strangers 3 washing the feet of the righteous (extended hospitality as in #2) 4 recognizing and assisting those in distress A reputation is a “name,” and Ruach-filled women who demonstrated this vital attribute of a good name were entitled to full benefits from their congregations in old age. It was NOT the responsibility of the government, but her congregation if her family was unable to provide.
Rabbi Gary continues to teach about the Holy Spirit. He is a Divine Person. He is eternal, powerful, omniscient, omnipresent, emotional. His works include convicting and prosecuting unbelievers for their sins, and for their lack of God's righteousness. He works through believers to spread the Good News of Messiah Yeshua.YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/17OmpwXW4EESend us a text
Send us a textGrace and peace to yallToday we discuss Mark 5, the man of the tombs, the healing of the woman with bleeding and the raising of a little girl form death to life. All stories of Gods love, compassion and healing power shown through three miraculous stories. All of which resemble us and our life and our desperate need for you.May we stand firm and obedient to you Adonai and to your Torah, old covenant and renewed covenant with us all grafted in as we aman ( believe) All for your GloryIn Yeshaus name we prayAmenSupport the show
Lord, Adonai our dwelling place. For more resources on reading through the Bible in a year, visit my church's website at this link or text us at 888-644-4034. God bless - Doyle See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
*Listen to the Show notes and podcast transcript with this multi-language player. This is different times of worship in the awesome presence of the Lord. Our hearts give HIm all praise, worship and glory! * A special shout out to Elijah Oylade for his contribution of the song "Adonai" and to Donna Ostrander for her version of "In The Presence Of Angels."
The Gospel from the Hebrew ScripturesActs 28:23 (ESV) When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.A young Jewish woman, Rachel, has been depressed and counseling as well as medications from physicians have not helped. She has questions about God and seeks out Rabbi Mordechai Klein to answer her questions.This is an imagined conversation. Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible.Rabbi Klein, thanks for meeting with me. I feel a burden constantly on my shoulders. I don't know where it's coming from. Could it be coming from God? I've been reading the Torah and I see judgement in some sections, especially in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Am I seeing things correctly, Rabbi?Hi Rachel, it is a pleasure to meet you. Let's talk about what concerns you. Adonai spoke to us through Moses several thousand years ago and warned us, the Jewish people. He told us what would happen to us if we obeyed Him and what would happen to us if we disobeyed Him. There is no statute of limitations on these warnings. Let's read together. I see that you have your Tanach with you.Leviticus 26:2-5 You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD. 'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.Leviticus 26:14-18 'But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. 'And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.But Rachel, even as Adonai pronounced all these judgements against us He told us that He will never break His covenant with us. He still loves us.Leviticus 26:44-45 Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.' "Now, Rachel, you know that the vast majority of our people have been disobedient. And we have suffered greatly. We have gone through the crusades, the inquisition, pogroms, Hitler's Holocaust, and more. Since our Nation was reborn in 1948 we have been through multiple wars and intifadas. And most recently the October 7 massacre by Hamas. More Jewish people lost their lives on that day than on any other single day since the Holocaust. And of course it isn't over. War continues and hostages are still held by Hamas.OK, Rabbi. You've explained a lot. But hasn't God made a way for this endless cycle of judgment to stop?Yes, He has. But first, God must forgive the sins we have committed against Him and we must obey His Law. Here is a summary of the Law:Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJVYou shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.andLeviticus 19:18 NKJVYou shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.But Rabbi, how can I do these things? I don't always feel love for God and I often bear ill will toward my neighbor. What can I do?A change deep within yourself must occur, Rachel. But you cannot do it. Only God can do it. Your heart must change. You must become a new person. It's as if you must be born again. You can't do this on your own. It's a supernatural thing. Listen, please:Deuteronomy 30:6And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.Ezekiel 36:26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.And Rachel, when God gives you this new heart you will immediately recognize that you are a sinner, a terrible sinner, and you will repent and ask God to forgive you. Rachel, I think the burden you are carrying now, the heavy weight you feel on your shoulders, is the knowledge of sin. God can relieve you of this burden and your depression will lift.But Rabbi, as an orthodox Jew, I know that there must be a payment, a sacrifice, for my sins to be forgiven. We no longer have a Temple in Jerusalem where sin offerings can be made. How then can payment for my sins be made?Rachel, we must look at another passage from the Hebrew Scriptures.Isaiah 53:3-5 NKJVHe is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.Rachel, there was a Man to whom this passage applies. An actual historical figure. He told us that He was the Messiah, sent by God. He told His followers that He would lay down His life for His friends. And He did. He sacrificed His life and shed His blood on a Roman cross 2,000 years ago. That blood is paying for our sins today.Rabbi, you don't mean Yeshu, do you? Yeshu is an acronym of contempt, Rabbi. Surely you don't believe that He was the Messiah, do you?I do, Rachel. Our Scriptures are clear. He fulfills all of the prophecies about our Messiah. And His name is not Yeshu. It is Yeshua which means salvation. Rachel, this Man was and is the Son of God, the Messiah. You see, some of our Rabbis think there are two Messiahs: the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 and the conquering mighty One of Isaiah 9. Let's read from Yeshayahu:Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.Rachel, there is one Messiah and two comings. Isaiah 7:14 tells of the Messiah's first coming. Immanuel means God with us, and that is exactly what He was. He came to die to pay the debt for our sins. This already happened. And now, listen to this passage:Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.This passage has not been fulfilled yet. Yeshua will come a second time and He will reign on earth from Jerusalem for a thousand years. Notice that in Isaiah 9 He is called Mighty God. There is only one Messiah. Rachel, the Messiah is the Son of God. He is divine and equal to God. That's why His sacrifice on the cross - His shed blood and death - provides once and forever atonement for all of our sins, provided that we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.But Rabbi, are you saying that God loves the Jewish people so much that He sent His Son to die for us on the cross? That's a criminal's death.Yes, Rachel. It is. He died as a criminal on a cross and not just for us, but for all people. Rachel, listen to the words given to the prophet Jeremiah.Jeremiah 31:31-34 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."Rachel, God couldn't make this New Covenant with us without giving us a new heart first. And He will do that; He will circumcise the heart of every living Jewish person at the end of a time of terrible trouble for the world, and then the entire Nation of Israel will be saved. This terrible time is called the Time of Jacob's Trouble or The great Tribulation.Jeremiah 30:4-7 Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. "For thus says the LORD: 'We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.But Rabbi, isn't there anything I can do now? I want my heart to be circumcised now and I don't want to go through the time of Jacob's Trouble.Yes! I believe that God has already circumcised your heart, Rachel. Listen to the prophet Joel:Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.Rachel, Joel is speaking of a future time but I believe that the Lord has a blessing that is in place for us now. And that blessing is this: if we call upon the name of the LORD He will save us. That applies to individuals. It applies to you, Rachel.May the Lord bless you, Rabbi. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com
Send us a messageIn Part 3 of “THE GLORIOUS NAMES OF GOD” we will move on with the Names of God and the Majesty and Power that they reveal in glorious revelation of the Great I Am – the One and Only True God of all Creation.So far, we have gleaned from His Names: “Abba, Jehovah, Jehovah Elohim, Adonai, El Elyon, El Roi, El Shaddai, and Jehovah Jireh. And today, we pick up with Jehovah Rapha. We will then, God willing, move on to Esh Okhlah, Ruach Ha'Emet, and Adonai M'kaddishkem.As we grow in the true knowledge of our Lord and Savior, we will gain fuller understanding of Who He is, and who we are now in Him, with renewed dedication as His ambassadors of Salvation's Truth, and fiercer contenders for the true Faith that alone guarantees Eternal Life.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/
This week we return to the story of Joseph and his arrival as the slave of Potiphar. We look at how this is the first time that Adonai speaks into the life of Egypt by blessing his household through Joseph. We also speak about some of the hidden connections of Joseph and Yeshua and Joseph's conduct when falsely accused.
Hi Mordechai. I know that you want to know why Yeshua had to be fully God and fully Man. Right?Yes, Art. I am most interested in this. In fact, I think it is more accurate to say that I have a deep hunger to know the answer to this question.OK. Let me try my best to explain this. Remember the Fall that we talked about last time? And remember how Adam, the first human, was given dominion by Adonai over everything on earth? And how sin entered into Adam and Eve when they disobeyed Adonai and ate of the forbidden fruit?Of course, Art. I understand these things.And Rabbi, I asked you to trust me last time and to consider what the New Testament or Brit Hadasha had to say about these things.I remember. And I still trust you.Thanks, Rabbi. I think it's important to understand that the Tanach and the Brit Hadasha are one book. They are both the Word of God and each of them, the Old and the New, is in a way a commentary on the other. Some people say that the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed and that the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. There is much truth in that statement.Art, does the New Testament show us that Adam's dominion over the earth was transferred to someone else when Adam sinned?Yes, Rabbi. Indeed it does. Let's read what the Brit Hadasha says about this.2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.John 12:31 NLT:31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.Luke 4:5–6 NKJV5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.Rabbi, Satan is the god of this world. That's god with a small g. He is the ruler. That happened when Adam sinned. He lost the dominion of the world. But Art, isn't Adonai the supreme Ruler of the entire universe? And that includes all of the earth. Right?Yes, Rabbi. Adonai is still the supreme Ruler. But He is allowing Satan to be the ruler of the earth, for the time being, and up to a certain point only. Satan can only go as far as God allows him too. The book of Job, verses 1:1 and 2:6, make that clear. But God has allowed Satan great power and the ability to do great harm. We'll have to talk about that another time.OK, but let's get back to Yeshua. He is fully God and fully Man. Why did Adonai bring that to pass?Adonai brought that to pass because the catastrophic results of the Fall had to be reversed. And God in His infinite wisdom and power determined that because a Man broke the law and sinned and gave over the dominion of the earth to Satan, a Man had to take the dominion back, at a time determined by God. A Man who fulfilled God's Law perfectly including the payment of a sin offering, a perfect blood sacrifice. Let's read from the Brit Hadasha again.Galatians 4:4–5 NKJV:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.And Yeshua, Himself, said this:Matthew 5:17 NKJV17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.And here is the sin offering, Rabbi:2 Corinthians 5:21 TLV21 He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.Mordechai, Yeshua was sinless. He fulfilled God's Law perfectly because He could obey the Law, all 613 mitzvot. He could do this because He was and is fully God. In fact, Yeshua is now our High Priest. He is the only priest.OK, Art, that is profound. He is our High Priest? How did that happen?More about that later, Rabbi. We'll talk about that.OK, but why did Yeshua have to be fully Man?Rabbi let's look at a few more verses. First from the Tanach:Leviticus 17:11 NKJV11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'And also from the Brit Hadasha:Hebrews 10:1–2 NLT1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.Hebrews 10:12–14 NLT12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.Rabbi, Yeshua had to be fully Man so that He could die. He had to be able to die in order to be a perfect blood sacrifice. The only perfect blood sacrifice. And the final blood sacrifice. This perfect and once for all blood sacrifice provided the atonement for all sins, past, present, and future. This sacrifice was and is never to be repeated. The Son of God, fully God and fully Man, died for you and for me, Rabbi. All that is needed is to accept what He did. On the cross. For you and for me. All that is needed is to believe.Art, again, this is too fantastic. I don't know what to say. This is too good to be true.Rabbi, this is the Gospel, the Good News. If it was not too good to be true it would not be the Gospel. But it is true. God tells us that in His word.Rabbi our conversation started a few weeks ago with your question, “How can I have eternal life”? Rabbi, this is how. Believe that Jesus Christ, Yeshua Ha Mashiach died to to pay the price for your sins and mine. Just believe, Mordechai. Do you believe?Yes, I believe. Thank you Lord. Thank you for dying for me. Thank you for giving me eternal life.Praise God, Mordechai. The angels in heaven are rejoicing!Let's meet again soon. We'll talk about how Yeshua is now our great and ultimate High Priest. OK?Yes!! Thanks Art. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com
Shalom Aleikhem!שלום עליכםPeace be upon you, my dear listeners, believer and nonbeliver alike! The silence is broken! A voice in the wilderness is shouting once again "make straight the way of ADONAI!" The Manic Messianic cannot stay quiet for too long and has returned to you yet again!Please excuse my long absence! I have a VERY valid excuse, this time! You try recording a podcast whilst having a massive cavity on your wisdom tooth and then proceed to shatter your neighboring molar, right next to it!
This is a continuation of the Summer in the Psalms series.Kevin begins by discussing the fact that in the old testament, names carried great meaning. An example he used was 'Jacob' and how the name means to ‘take hold of'. Jacob took hold of many things that was not his such as Esau's birthright.Kevin then discusses example about the significance of our name and God's name.One example is: Psalm 8 starts by saying LORD our Lord, how great is your name? And it is repeated in the final verse. The first Lord was YHWH and the second refers to Adonai, and this points to His position in our life.The three names for God that Kevin focused on are:Jehovah-Jireh - The ProviderJehovah Rapha - The HealerJehovah-Nissi - The Banner
Art: Hi Folks. We're going to pick up where we left off last time in the conversation between Art (that's me) and Rabbi Mordecai Klein. Once again, this is an imagined conversation.Art: So Rabbi, the Bible tells us that this child, the Son of God and Messiah, was fully man and fully God. He was and is the God-Man.Rabbi: But Art, why would God allow such a thing?Art: As I said last time, God didn't just allow this. He brought it to pass. He ordained it.Rabbi: But why?Art: Rabbi, please turn to Genesis 2 and read verses 15-17.Rabbi: Sure. That's in the Torah and I know it by heart.Genesis 2:15–17 NKJV15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”Art: Rabbi, wasn't this instruction or teaching given to Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil the only law that Adonai gave Adam in the garden?Rabbi: I believe so. I know of no other prohibitions that Adonai gave to Adam at this point.Art: Please go back to chapter one in Genesis and tell me what verse 26 says.Genesis 1:26 NKJV26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”Art: So, Adonai gave Adam dominion over all the earth. The LORD, Adonai, made Adam ruler of the earth and all that was in it. Agreed?Rabbi: Yes, Art. That is the truth.Art: Now, the Torah tells us that Adam needed a helper, a helper comparable to him. So what did Adonai do, Rabbi?Rabbi: The Torah tells us.Genesis 2:21–22 NKJV21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.So, Adonai made a wife for Adam. And something else is to be noted here, Art.Genesis 2:25 NKJV25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.Art: That is an amazing statement, Rabbi. Adam and Eve had no shame at being naked.But something bad happened after that. A deceiver comes into the picture. Let's read Genesis 3:1Genesis 3:1 NKJV1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?”You know what happened after that, Rabbi. The serpent tricked Eve into going against the will of Adonai. She ate from the forbidden tree and she gave of this forbidden fruit to her husband, Adam, and he also ate of it. And what happened then?Rabbi: Their eyes were opened, Art.Genesis 3:7 NKJV7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.So now they knew they were naked. And they must have been ashamed because they covered themselves.Art: Yes, Rabbi. They disobeyed God and something fundamentally changed in both of them. Sin entered into them. We're talking about the Fall of mankind here.Rabbi: How do you know that, Art?Art: I need you to trust me now, Mordecai. At this point we need help from the Brit Hadasha, the New Testament. It will provide the answer to your question.Rabbi: OK, Art. I trust you. Let's go to the Brit Hadasha.Art: Let's read from Rabbi Paul's letter to the Romans.Romans 5:12 NLT12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.Art: So, we know sin entered the world when Adam sinned. There was no sin in the world before that. Sin entered Adam and sin entered Eve. Because of this, every human being ever born is born with sin in them. It's as if sin was and is an inherited disease just as if it was an inherited form of cancer transmitted by faulty genes. The difference is that cancer and faulty genes are physical and sin is spiritual. Because sin was in Adam and Eve, our first parents, they have passed this spiritual disease on to each and every one of their descendants, including you and me. No one is born without indwelling sin. Absolutely no one.Rabbi: That makes perfect sense, Art. Adonai said not to eat of the forbidden fruit. Our first parents disobeyed, they sinned against Adonai and something fundamental and profound entered into them both: sin. It's almost as if sin is a substance.Art: It's a spiritual substance, Rabbi. A spiritual substance that causes both spiritual and material havoc.Rabbi: But Adam and Eve didn't die that very day, as Adonai promised, did they?Art: Yes, they did. They died that very day spiritually. They were separated from God and had to leave the Garden. Again, the Torah tells us.Genesis 3:24 NKJV24 So He (Adonai) drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.Rabbi: And what about that mamzer, the serpent? Was he punished for what he did?Art: The Torah tells us. God speaks to the serpent.Genesis 3:15 TLV15 I will put animosity between you and the woman— between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel.Art: Rabbi, here is where God first shows us what is going to happen to the person who inhabited the serpent. He is Satan, the devil, also know as the Adversary. The Seed of the woman, the Messiah, is going to send him to hell for all eternity.Rabbi: But, Art, you still haven't told me why the Messiah has to be fully man and fully God.Art: This is heavy stuff, Rabbi. We'll do it next time. Thank you for your patience and for bearing with me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com
Send us a textGrace and peace to yallToday we go through Mark 4. "He who has ears, let them hear" The word in Hebrew is Shema, which means to both "hear and obey" to put into action the revelation, grace and gift Adonai gives us over and over again.We are meant to shine brightly that Adonai will give us even more light for His Glory. Enjoy, Go and Do.In Yehsuas nameAmen Support the show
This week we continue our discussion about the introduction of Joseph. We discuss perception and how it influences our understanding of our circumstances and how Adonai sees all.
In this study, we explored the call of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) to store up treasures in heaven, not just earthly wealth. It's about living with discernment, generosity, and integrity — practicing righteousness both privately and publicly. We're encouraged to regularly take spiritual inventory, ensuring our hearts align with God's purposes. True reward comes from sincere faith, not public applause. Let's invest in what lasts: our relationship with Adonai, our character, and blessing others in the Messiah's name.
Gil Green is a renowned film director from Miami, Florida, whose work is deeply rooted in music. Growing up in a culturally diverse community, Gil's early exposure to Southern Hip Hop and Jamaica's Dance Hall scenes, ultimately led him to pursue filmmaking as a tool to showcase the compelling stories of these subcultures. While studying at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Gil directed his first music video for the Miami Hip Hop group BACKLIVE. The video, created as his thesis project, earned widespread attention by airing on national music networks like MTV and BET—a remarkable achievement for an unsigned group. This breakthrough moment paved the way for Gil to become a mainstream music video director. Throughout his career, Gil has directed over 300 music videos received multiple awards for his work, including an MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip Hop Video for Lil Wayne's “Lollipop.” Other prominent artists under Gil's resume, include DMX, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Sting, Bon Jovi, Wyclef, DJ Khaled, Jason Derulo, Snoop Dogg, J Balvin, Ludacris, Camila Cabello, Sean Paul, and Pitbull. Gil views music videos as "mini-movies" and has recently embarked into the narrative format as a director. In 2025 he directed a hidden chapter for the Disney film franchise, “The Descendants” which premiered on Disney Plus. More recently Gil has directed the short film, “Ride To Daytona”, slated to premiere at the 2025 Miami Film Festival. Other short films, such as Who Is Lou Gherig? and ADONAI, tackle significant social issues like ALS and mental health and have garnered critical acclaim on the festival circuit. Gil founded the production company, 305 Films, expanding his creative pursuits into commercial work for major brands like Budweiser, Norwegian Cruise Line, Boost Mobile, and the Miami Heat. His commitment to giving back to the community led to the creation of LOVE, CAMERA, ACTION, a non-profit that provides free film workshops for underserved youth in Miami. Through this initiative, Gil continues to inspire the next generation of filmmakers while cementing his reputation as a visionary director and cultural leader. Screen Heat Miami Screen Heat Miami (SHM) is hosted by veteran Miami based producers Kevin Sharpley and JL Martinez and each week covers the latest trends in the film, tv, and entertainment industry, including interviews with global and local industry leaders, all told from a "Miami" point of view.
U.S. Army Veteran and Muslim American, Dan Khan, joins the Goy You Will Enjoy season to share his powerful story of building bridges between Muslim and Jewish communities.Together, we explore big questions: Has Islam been hijacked? When is it worth forming coalitions with people you fundamentally disagree with? And what does it really take to create understanding across deep divides?Follow Dan on Instagram: @its_dankhanWhat We Discuss: 00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda03:27 On Dan's upbringing, career & interfaith marriage12:03 Has Islam been hijacked? 16:26 Dan's experience serving in the U.S. Army23:10 What is American Peace Committee? How do we build bridges with non-Jews? 30:15 Some people are just lost causes31:38 Demoralization of society & positive reinforcement 35:35 Building coalitions with those you don't agree with 41:08 Dan's question to Margarita about anything Jewish 48:11 Closing Remarks
Good Evening, Folks.The following is an imagined conversation between an Orthodox Rabbi and a Jewish believer in Jesus. Before I read the conversation to you, let me define a few words for you in case you don't know what they mean. The Torah is the 5 books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy); the Tanach is the entire Old Testament comprised of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings; the Talmud or Oral Law is comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, which is a commentary on the Mishnah. Orthodox Jews believe that the Oral Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai along with the Tanach. The Brit Chadasha is the New Covenant, or New Testament.Here is the conversation:“Good evening, Rabbi Klein. It's an honor to be seated with you,” said Art. “Isn't it nice that we can attend a Night to Honor Israel together?”“I agree. It is nice. I can see from your place card that you're a doctor. Are you an MD?”“Yes, Rabbi, although I'm retired.”“So what do you do now, Dr. Wolinsky?”“I study the Bible, Rabbi.”“Well that's interesting. I understand that you're Jewish. Is that right?”“Yes, Rabbi. I'm Jewish.”“So what do you do as a student of the Bible? Do you study Torah, or Tanach? Do you study Talmud?”“Rabbi, as a student of the bible, I mostly try to answer questions for people. Or sometimes I will ask questions. In order to answer these questions, I study Torah, Tanach, and the Brit Chadasha.”“So you study the New Covenant too. But you don't study Talmud? Are you a Messianic Jew?”“Yes, Rabbi, I'm a Messianic Jew. I believe in Yeshua, or Jesus. I don't study the Talmud. I may look something up in the Talmud, but not regularly. I don't study the Mishnah and the Gemara, because I don't believe the Talmud is divinely inspired.”“So you don't believe that the Oral Law is from Adonai?”“I don't, Rabbi.”“So, what kind of questions do people ask you that require you to study the Bible?”“A very common one is “What must I do to have eternal life?”.“And what is your answer, Dr. Wolinsky?”“I answer like this: “Believe in the Son of God and you will have eternal life”.“What do you mean by the Son of God, doctor?”“He is the Messiah, Rabbi. His name is Jesus, or Yeshua, which as you know means salvation. In the New Testament He is usually referred to as the Son of God or the Son of Man. When He walked this earth 2,000 years ago he most often referred to himself as the Son of Man.”“Is there anything in the Tanach about Him?”“Definitely, Rabbi. If you have a Tanach with you, let's turn to Daniel, chapter 7:Daniel 7:13-14 (TLV) “I was watching in the night visions. Behold, One like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days, and was brought into His presence. [14] Dominion, glory and sovereignty were given to Him that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will never pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.Rabbi, the One like a Son of Man approaches the Ancient of Days. In other words this One like a Son of Man is approaching God. And He is then given dominion, glory, and sovereignty permanently so that all peoples should serve Him. There is simply no question that this Son of Man has divine qualities. He isn't an angel.”“Doctor, are you saying that the person calling Himself the Son of Man in the New Testament is the same person as the Son of Man in this Daniel passage?”“Exactly, Rabbi.”“Then are you also saying that there are two Gods, the Ancient of Days and the One like a Son of Man?”“No, Rabbi. I am saying that there is one God but He is a complex God. He is one God made up of three persons. I've told you about two of them today: the Ancient of Days who is the Father, and the Son of Man who is the Messiah. I haven't told you about Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, who is the third person of this triune God. He is God also.”“Doctor, I have to admit that what you're telling me is fantastic. My head is exploding. You see, I want to have eternal life too. Can you tell me more, please?”“Rabbi, let's meet next week. OK?”“I wouldn't miss it, doctor. By the way, what's your first name? Mine's Mordechai.”“My Hebrew name is Yitzhak, but you can call me Art. I'll see you next week, Mordechai”.Folks, let there be conversations like this one at Israel Galas and elsewhere. I believe that there are some Jewish people who are as open to the truth and to their need for eternal life as Rabbi Kline is. Let us pray that the Lord would ordain numerous conversations like this one by divine appointment.Thanks for listening, folks. This is Art Wolinsky. See you next time! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com
“The Jewish voice must be heard, not because it's more right or less right, but it's there. The suffering is there, the grief is there, and human grief is human grief.” As Jews around the world mark Tisha B'Av, we're joined by Columbia University professor and award-winning poet Owen Lewis, whose new collection, “A Prayer of Six Wings,” offers a powerful reflection on grief in the aftermath of October 7th. In this conversation, Lewis explores the healing power of poetry in the face of trauma, what it means to be a Jewish professor in today's campus climate, and how poetry can foster empathy, encourage dialogue, and resist the pull of division. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod: Latest Episodes: An Orange Tie and A Grieving Crowd: Comedian Yohay Sponder on Jewish Resilience From Broadway to Jewish Advocacy: Jonah Platt on Identity, Antisemitism, and Israel Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: The Dinah Project's Quest to Hold Hamas Accountable Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Owen Lewis: Overheard in a New York Restaurant. I can't talk about Israel tonight. I know. I can't not talk about Israel tonight. I know. Can we talk about . . . Here? Sure. Let's try to talk about here. Manya Brachear Pashman: On Saturday night, Jews around the world will commemorate Tisha B'av. Known as the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, the culmination of a three week period of mourning to commemorate several tragedies throughout early Jewish history. As a list of tragedies throughout modern Jewish history has continued to grow, many people spend this day fasting, listening to the book of Lamentations in synagogue, or visiting the graves of loved ones. Some might spend the day reading poetry. Owen Lewis is a Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics at Columbia University. But he's also the award-winning author of four poetry collections which have won accolades, including the EE Cummings Prize and the Rumi Prize for Poetry. His most recent collection, A Prayer of Six Wings documents in verse his grief since the October 7 terror attacks. Owen is with us now to talk about the role of poetry in times of violence and war, what it's been like to be a Jewish professor on the Columbia campus, and a Jewish father with children and grandchildren in Israel. And also, how to keep writing amid a climate of rising antisemitism. Owen, welcome to People of the Pod. Owen Lewis: Thank you so much, Manya. Manya Brachear Pashman: So you opened with that short poem titled overheard in a New York restaurant. I asked you to read that because I wanted to ask whether it reflected how you felt about poetry after October 7. Did you find yourself in a place where you couldn't write about Israel, but yet you couldn't not write about Israel? Owen Lewis: Among the many difficult things of that First Year, not only the war, not only the flagrant attacks on the posters of the hostages one block from where I live, 79th and Broadway, every day, taken down every day, put back up again, defaced. It was as if the war were being fought right here on 79th and Broadway. Another aspect that made this all so painful was watching the artistic and literary world turn against Israel. This past spring, 2000 writers and artists signed a petition, it was published, there was an oped about it in The Times, boycotting Israeli cultural institutions. And I thought: artists don't have a right to shut their ears. We all need to listen to each other's grief, and if we poets and artists can't listen to one another, what do we expect of statesmen? Statesmen, yeah, they can create a ceasefire. That's not the same as creating peace. And peace can only come when we really listen to each other. To feel ostracized by the poetry community and the intellectual community was very painful. Fortunately, last summer, as well as this past summer, I was a fellow at the Yetzirah conference. Yetzirah is an organization of Jewish American poets, although we're starting to branch out. And this kind of in-gathering of like-minded people gave me so much strength. So this dilemma, I can't talk about it, because we just can't take the trauma. We can't take hearing one more thing about it, but not talk about it…it's a compulsion to talk about it, and that's a way to process trauma. And that was the same with this poetry, this particular book. I feel in many ways, it just kind of blew through me, and it was at the same time it blew through me, created this container in which I could express myself, and it actually held me together for that year. I mean, still, in many ways, the writing does that, but not as immediately and acutely as I felt that year. Manya Brachear Pashman: This book has been praised as not being for the ideological but for the intellectually and emotionally engaged. So it's not it's not something that ideologically minded readers will necessarily be able to connect to, or is it actually quite the opposite? Owen Lewis: Well, it's very much written from the gut, from the experience, from in a sense, being on the ground, both in Israel and here in New York and on campus, and trying to keep a presence in the world of poetry and writers. So what comes from emotion should speak to emotion. There are a few wisps of political statements, but it's not essentially a politically motivated piece of writing. I feel that I have no problem keeping my sympathies with Israel and with Jews. I can still be critical of aspects of the government, and my sympathies can also be with the thousands of Palestinians, killed, hurt, displaced. I don't see a contradiction. I don't have to take sides. But the first poem is called My Partisan Grief, and it begins on October 7. I was originally going to call the bookMy Partisan Grief, because I felt that American, Jewish, and Israeli grief was being silenced, was being marginalized. And I wanted to say, this is our grief. Listen to it. You must listen to this. It doesn't privilege this grief over another grief. Grief is grief. But I wanted ultimately to move past that title into something broader, more encompassing, more humanitarian. Manya Brachear Pashman: And did that decision come as the death toll in Gaza rose and this war kept going and going and the hostages remained in captivity, did that kind of sway your thinking in terms of how to approach the book and frame it? Owen Lewis: Yes, but even more than those kind of headlines, which can be impersonal, the poetry of some remarkable Palestinian poets move me into a broader look. Abu Toha was first one who comes to mind Fady Joudah, who's also a physician, by the way. I mean his poetry, I mean many others, but it's gorgeous, moving poetry. Some of it is a diatribe, and you know, some of it is ideological, and people can do that with poetry, but when poetry really drills down into human experience, that's what I find so compelling and moving. And that's what I think can move the peace process. I know it sounds quite idealistic, but I really think poetry has a role in the peace process here. Manya Brachear Pashman: I want to I want to unpack that a little bit later. But first, I want to go back to the protests that were roiling Columbia's campus over the past year and a half, two years. What was it like to be, one, writing this book, but also, teaching on campus as a Jewish professor? Owen Lewis: Most of my teaching takes place up at the Medical Center at 168th Street. And there I have to say, I didn't feel battered in any way by what was happening. I had a very shocking experience. I had a meeting that I needed to attend on, or that had been scheduled, I hadn't been quite paying attention. I mean, I knew about the encampments, but I hadn't seen them, and I come face to face with a blocked campus. I couldn't get on the campus. And what I'm staring at are signs to the effect, send the Jews back to Poland. I'm thinking, Where am I? What is this? I mean, protest, sure. I mean we expect undergraduates, we expect humans, to protest when things really aren't fair. But what did this have to do…why invoke the Holocaust and re-invoke it, as if to imply the Jews should be punished? All Jews. And what it fails to account for are the diversity of Jewish opinion. And you know, for some Jews, it's a black or white matter, but for most thinking Jews that I know, we all struggle very much with a loyalty to Israel, to the Jewish people, to the homeland and larger humanitarian values. So that was quite a shock. And I wrote a piece called “The Scars of Encampment,” in which I say, I can't unsee that. " And I go to campus, and, okay, it's a little bit more security to get onto campus. It's a beautiful campus. It's like an oasis there, but at the same time, I'm seeing what was as if it still is. And in a way, that's the nature of trauma that things from the past just roil and are present with almost as much emotion as when first encountered. Manya Brachear Pashman: So did you need to tune out those voices, or did that fuel your work? Owen Lewis: No, that fueled my work. I mean, if anything, it made me feel much more, a sense of mission with this book. And a commitment, despite criticism that I may receive, and no position I take is that outlandish, except to sympathize with the murdered on October 7th, to sympathize with their families, to resonate with what it must be like to have family members as hostages in brutal, brutal conditions. Not knowing whether they're dead or alive. So I really felt that the Jewish voice must be heard, not because it's more right or less right, but it's there. The suffering is there, the grief is there, and human grief is human grief. Manya Brachear Pashman: Owen, if you wouldn't mind reading another poem from the collection. Of course, many of us remember the news out of Israel on Thanksgiving Day 2023, right after October 7th. And this poem is titled, “Waiting for the Next Release, Reported by the New York Times, November 23 2023”. Owen Lewis: Waiting For the Next Release, Reported N.Y. Times, Nov. 23, 2023 Maybe tomorrow, if distrust doesn't flare like a missile, some families will be reunited. How awful this lottery of choice; Solomon would not deliberate. Poster faces always before my eyes, Among them, Emma & Yuli Cunio. Twins age 3, Raz Katz-Asher, age 4, Ariel Bibas, another four year old. What do their four year old minds make of captivity? What will they say? What would my Noa say? What will the other Noas say? Remembering Noa Argamani, age 26, thrown across the motorcycle to laughter and Hamas joy. I have almost forgotten this American day, Thanks- giving, With its cornucopian harvests, I am thinking of the cornucopian jails of human bounty. (What matter now who is to blame?) Manya Brachear Pashman: Really beautiful, and it really captures all of our emotions that day. You have children and grandchildren in Israel, as I mentioned and as you mentioned in that poem, your granddaughter, Noa. So your grief and your fear, it's not only a collective grief and fear that we all share, but also very personal, which you weave throughout the collection. In another poem, “In a Van to JFK”, you talk about just wanting to spend one more hour with your family before they fly off to Israel. And it's very moving. But in addition to many of the poems, like the one you just read, they are based on and somewhat named for newspaper headlines, you said that kind of establishes a timeline. But are there other reasons why you transformed those headlines into verse? Owen Lewis: Yes, William Carlos Williams in his poem Asphodel, says, and I'm going to paraphrase it badly. You won't get news from poems yet, men die every day for wanting what is found there. And I think it's a very interesting juxtaposition of journalism and poetry. And I mean, I'm not writing news, I'm writing where my reflections, where my heart, goes in response to the news, and trying to bring another element to the news that, you know, we were confronted. I mean, in any time of high stress, you swear off – I'm not watching any more TV. I'm not even gonna look at the newspaper. And then, of course, you do. I can't talk about Israel today. I can't not talk about it. I can't read the paper. I can't not read the paper. It's kind of that back and forth. But what is driving that? And so I'm trying to get at that next dimension of what's resonating behind each one of these headlines, or resonating for me. I mean, I'm not claiming this is an interpretation of news. It's my reaction, but people do react, and there's that other dimension to headlines. Manya Brachear Pashman: That seems like it might be therapeutic, no? Owen Lewis: Oh, totally, totally. You know, I'm very fortunate that having started a career in medicine, in psychiatry, and particularly in child and adolescent psychiatry. I always had one foot in the door academically. I spent, you know, my life as, I still teach, but I'm very fortunate to have, maybe 10+ years ago, been introduced to a basically a woman who created the field of Narrative Medicine, Rita Sharon. And now at Columbia in the medical school, we have a free-standing Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, of which she's chairman. So I've had the fortune of bringing psychiatry and medicine and writing together in a very integrated way. And yes, writing is therapeutic, especially, I could say in medicine, which has given itself over to electronic medical record keeping, but our whole society is moving towards the electronic. And what happens when you sit and write, and what happens when you then sit and read, you reflect. Your mind engages in a different way that is a bit slower than the fast pace of electronic communications and instant communications and instant thinking. And now with AI, instant analysis of any situation you want to feed data from. So that's sorely lacking in the human experience. And the act of writing, the act of reading has huge therapeutic values, huge salutary benefits for humans in general, but particularly in times of stress. In a lot of work on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, finding an outlet, an artistic outlet, it doesn't have to be writing, but that's often a way of transcending the trauma. And medicine is filled with trauma. People trying to come to terms with acute illnesses, chronic illnesses. Doctors and caregivers trying to come to terms with what they can and can't do. And you know, we're coming up against limitations. But how do you make peace with those limitations? And it's not that it's a magical panacea, but it's a process of engagement, not only with the subject, but with yourself in relation to the subject. Manya Brachear Pashman: I mean, I imagine dialogue is really the healthiest way of conversation and speaking through and interacting with a topic. And so I would imagine poetry, or, as you said, any art form, responding to news reports, it makes that a two way conversation when you're able to process and it's not just the headlines shouting at you, you're actually interacting and processing it by writing and reaction, or painting and reaction, whatever you choose to do. Owen Lewis: Exactly. Manya Brachear Pashman: You have said that poetry can serve a purpose during times of war. Is this one of the purposes to to be therapeutic or are you talking more in terms of what statesmen could learn from it? Owen Lewis: Well, yes, of course, what statesmen could learn from it, but it's human nature to want to take sides. I mean, that's kind of just what we do. But I think we can always do better than that. So I'm really talking about the people. I mean, there are also many Jews who are so angry at Israel that they can't listen to the story of Jewish grief. They should be reading mine and others poetries from this era. I wish the Palestinian poets were. I wish the Palestinian people. I mean, of course, in their current situation, they don't have time when you're starving, when you're looking for your next glass of fresh water. You don't have time for anything beyond survival. But once we get beyond that, how long are these positions going to be hardened. I mean, I think when the people of all sides of the dilemma really listen to the others, I mean, they're, I mean, if, unless as Hamas has expressed, you know, wants to push Israel into the sea, if Israel is going to coexist with the Palestinian people, whether they're in a nation or not in a nation, each has to listen to the other. And it's, you know, it's not one side is right, one side is wrong. It's far too complex a history to reduce it to that kind of simplicity. And I think poetry, everyone's poetry, gets at the complexity of experience, which includes wanting to take sides and questioning your wanting to take sides and moving towards something more humanitarian. Manya Brachear Pashman: You said earlier, you recommend Abu Toha, Fady Joudah, two Palestinian poets who have written some beautiful verse about– tragically beautiful verse–about what's happening. But there have been some really deep rifts in the literary world over this war. I mean, as you mentioned before, there was a letter written by authors and entertainers who pledged to boycott Israeli cultural institutions. Some authors have refused to sell rights to their books to publishers in Israel. So why not reciprocate? And I know the answer. I think you've already addressed it pretty well. What's wrong with that approach? Owen Lewis: In any conflict, there are at least three sides to the conflict. I mean, claims to nationhood, claims to who shoved first, who. I mean, you don't entangle things by aggressively reacting. I mean, if we learned anything from Mahatma Gandhi, it's what happens when we don't retaliate, right? And what happens when we go the extra mile to create bridges and connections. There are a host of people in Israel who continue to help Palestinians get to medical facilities, driving them back and forth, working for peace. I mean, there's a Palestinian on the Supreme Court of Israel, and well, he should be there. You know, that's the part of Israel that I am deeply proud of. So why not retaliate? I think it entrenches positions and never moves anything forward. Manya Brachear Pashman: So have you gotten any negative feedback from your writing colleagues? Owen Lewis: Some cold shoulders, yes. I mean not nothing overtly. I haven't been slammed in a review yet. Maybe that's coming. But when I publish pieces, I tend not to look at them. I had an oped in the LA Times. I've had some other pieces, you know, that precipitates blogs, and I started to read them. And the first blog that came off of the the LA Times oped was, God, is he an opportunist, just taking advantage of having a daughter in Israel? And trying to make a name for himself or something. And I said, You know what, you can't put yourself out and take a position without getting some kind of flack. So occasionally, those things filter back, it's par for the course. Manya Brachear Pashman: Right, not really worth reading some of those. You included Midrash in this book. You also spelled God in the traditional sense in the poems. Why did you choose to do that? Owen Lewis: Well, I felt it honors a tradition of Jewish writing. It mean we have yud, hey, vav, hey, you know, which in English comes down as Yahweh, but it's unpronounceable. The name of God is unpronounceable. And, you know, yud, hey, vav, hey is just a representation. It isn't God's name. And there's a tradition that the name of God, when it's written down, can't be destroyed. And it's a way of honoring that tradition. Millennium of Jewish writers, you know, it's similar to say Elokim, instead of Elohim when the text is written. To sort of substitute. We know what we're talking about, but really to honor tradition, to pay respect and sort of to stay in the mind frame that, if there is a God, he, she, they, are unknowable. And somehow it creates, for me, a little bit of that mystery by leaving a letter out. It's like, G, O, D, seems more knowable than G-d. It's leaving that white space right for something bigger, grander, and mysterious, for the presence of that right in the word itself. Manya Brachear Pashman: And what about including Midrash? Owen Lewis: That's a very interesting question. You know Midrash for me, when you steep yourself in traditional Midrash, there's stories that exemplify principles and they fill in gaps. I mean, some of the most important. I mean, we have this notion of Abraham breaking the idols of his father before he left. No. That's Midrash, thats not in the Torah. And yet, nine out of ten Jews will say that's in the Torah, right? So, it kind of expands our understanding of the traditional text. But it also very much allows a writer to creatively engage with the text and expand it. It's like a commentary, but it's a commentary in story, and it's a commentary in terms that evoke human responses, not necessarily intellectual responses. So frankly, I think it's every Jews' responsibility to write Midrash. That reinvigorates the stories, the texts, and the meanings, and then we write midrashes upon midrashes. And you know, we get a whole community buzzing about a single story. Manya Brachear Pashman: Which is very much what you've done with this collection, you know, writing poetry in response to news stories and engaging it in that way. It's very Jewish response, I would argue. Do you observe Tisha B'av? Owen Lewis: You know what I do. You're gonna laugh. My grandmother always warned us, don't go in the water on Tisha B'av, the sea will swallow you up. So I'm a big swimmer. I love swimming. I don't swim on Tisha B'av, because I hear my grandmother's voice, I'm going to be swallowed up. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you could please wrap up this conversation by sharing a poem of your choice from your latest collection. Owen Lewis: A poem I love to read again starts with a headline. 2000 Pound Bombs Drop, Reported N.Y. Times, Dec,, 22 2023. In Khan Younis, the call to prayer is the call of a dazed Palestinian child crying baba, standing at the brim of a cavernous pit of rubble biting his knuckles–baba, baba . . . It's so close to the abba of the dazed Israeli children of Be'eri, Kfar Azza. There is no comfort. From his uncles he's heard the calls for revenge– for his home and school, for his bed of nighttime stories, for his nana's whisper-song of G-d's many names. His Allah, his neighbor's Adonai, cry the same tears for death and shun more blood. No miracle these waters turning red. Who called forth the fleets of avenging angels? By viral post: Jewish Plagues on Gaza! A firstborn lost, then a second, a third. What other plagues pass over? Hail from the tepid sky? From on high it falls and keeps falling. Though we've “seen terrible things,” will you tell us, Adonai, Allah, tell us– do You remember the forgotten promise? From the pile once home of rubble stone, a father's hand reaching out, baba, abba crushed by the load. We know the silence of the lost child . . . G-d “has injured us but will bind up our wounds . . .” Mothers Look for us, called by the name yamma, calling the name imma. Our father of mercy, not the god of sacrifice. Our many crying heads explode. Manya Brachear Pashman: Owen Lewis, thank you so much for talking to us about how this book came about and for sharing some of these verses. Owen Lewis: Thank you so much. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to listen to my conversation with Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2025. Hear how his Jewish identity shapes his work, how his comedy has evolved since the Hamas terror attacks, and what he says to those who try to silence him.
Revisiting Jezebel, the Trad Con Artist - The Pillar of ChurchianityWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.youtube.com/@_battle4freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2021%3A25&version=CJB1 Kings 21:25Truly, there was never anyone like Ach'av. Stirred up by his wife Izevel, he gave himself over to do what is evil from Adonai's perspective.Remember to identify the Churchianic response vs the Messianic response.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-3486017/Video-CCTV-captures-disturbing-moment-man-abducts-three-year-old-girl.htmlStranger swoops on little girl at busy mall and ABDUCTS herhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14959037/Boy-beaten-Christian-Camp-South-Carolina.htmlTerrified boy savagely beaten by THREE football player bullies at Christian summer camp while fourth filmedhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14960589/Children-Christian-summer-camp-separated-families-hours-poisoning-Police-quizzing-76-year-old-man.htmlChildren at Christian summer camp 'were separated from their families for hours after poisoning': Police quizzing 76-year-old manhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207&version=CJBProverbs 7:1 My son, keep my words, store up my commands with you. 2 Obey my commands, and live; guard my teaching like the pupil of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister"; call understanding your kinswoman; 5 so that they can keep you from unknown women, from loose women with their seductive talk.Proverbs 7:6 For I was at the window of my house, glancing out through the lattice, 7 when I saw among the young men there, among those who don't think for themselves, a young fellow devoid of all sense. 8 He crosses the street near her corner and continues on toward her house. 9 Dusk turns into evening, and finally night, dark and black. 10 Then a woman approaches him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. 11 She's the coarse, impulsive type, whose feet don't stay at home; 12 rather, she stalks the streets and squares, lurking at every streetcorner.Proverbs 7:13 She grabs him, gives him a kiss, and, brazen-faced, she says to him, 14 "I had to offer peace sacrifices, and I fulfilled my vows today. 15 This is why I came out to meet you, to look for you; now I've found you. 16 I've spread quilts on my couch made of colored Egyptian linen. 17 I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. 18 Come on, let's make love till morning; we'll enjoy making love. 19 My husband isn't at home, he's gone on a long trip; 20 he took a bag of money with himand won't be back till the moon is full."Proverbs 7:21 With all her sweet talk she convinces him, enticing him with her seductive words. 22 At once he follows her like an ox on its way to be slaughtered; like a fool to be punished in the stocks; 23 or like a bird rushing into a trap, not knowing its life is at stake till an arrow pierces its liver.Proverbs 7:24 So now, children, listen to me; pay attention to what I am saying. 25 Don't let your heart turn to her ways; don't stray onto her paths. 26 For many are those she has struck down dead, numerous those she has killed. 27 Her house is the way to Sh'ol; it leads down to the halls of death.Desperately Seeking Christianhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202%3A24&version=CJBGenesis 2:24This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh.The Nagging War Continues https://youtu.be/WMG8y1uOmGU
Thanks to Mitch for the prayer last week. This year I realized some important lessons that have always been present but I was unable to understand. You may not hear what I am trying to say either but I know you will in time. If you have an ear, please hear. the stuff that happens to us from the cradle to the grave not only shows us the presence of God but that we are connected like a piece of fabric to each other. Our lives are intertwined. Imagine a loom potholder you made in summer camp with those big loops. It was of many colors and the patterns change the older it gets. The stains that we have don't come out always but make a pattern we don't see. Sometimes others can see it clearer. The stains are the things that happen to us. All of us go through some of the same things even if we don't share the extent or the facts. Why it happens is that we belong to the same maker who knows what each of us represent better than we do. He knows that what happens to you, will give you the opportunity to either curse or bless. You have a choice. If you bless, it won't erase what you are going through but will take you through more loops. You are an influencer if you are connected to His will. Even our tragedies, give us the opportunities unknowingly usually. I recently found out that a friend of mines brother attempted to kill himself. He blew a massive hole in his head. For as much as I know, he suffered his whole life from addictions, schizophrenia, and a every mental malady you can name. He is still alive. Horrific right? What in the world could God be thinking? I don't know. I don't know but I am watching. I am observing what is happening from afar. My friend is publicly questioning God. He has written so. He is now asking for prayer for his parents, that I don't think were together. His mother has flown from somewhere to be by her son. Her son is able to respond to her touch. The doctors have closed up "Rauls" skull and he is doing better than I would have expected seeing the before photos. But guess what? I am not in control of anything. My friend is the founder of a large international motorcycle club. Believers are calling, praying and donating money he asked for in his GoFundMe appeal to help with his elderly parents travel expenses. I never heard of his brother before. He is sorrowful for how he treated him in the past. If you can look pasted the horrific event, look at the people that this has touched. and continues to touch. In detective work, that is called a clue. god is working, we just don't always see it. personally, I had a member of this podcast ministry welcome me into their home for some R&R. Another, flew all the way here to take me to see me, and another let me drag him to church. God inspired these folks to think it not robbery to help me. I didn't and don't even know what I need. look at your life. Look at who you touch. Who you bless. Who is blessed by your help, your encouragement, your prayers to God. Look at me, at times I felt like I am all over the place. Guess that put me in the perfect position to have you talk to your heavenly Father on my behalf. You unselfishly won't even pray for yourself but you prayed for me, a stranger, a rogue pistol packing preacher, a dude with more issues than Field and Stream. Oddly enough, just as many talents and gifts it seems. WHO would that come from, Jehovah, Yahweh, Adonai, Elohim, the Most High, the Holy One of Israel, the A and O, we are all in this together, all of our life isn't tragedy and tears, there are good times, and fun in there too. but its life. the good and the bad. the sunny days and the cloudy ones. And we are not supposed to try to do it alone. You are part of this Loom. This ugly ass potholder only a Father could love. You don't understand why stuff happens like it does. I don't know why. I just know that HE is. He doesn't need you to believe in Him but He wants you too. We do a lot of unnecessary crap and call it church. Church isn't the problem it is us. You and I are the church. that is why it is raggedy. We are looking for escapes, entertainment and ethos. (good feelings) Ain't none of that a biblical requirement. We make up stuff and get comfortable with it. And then we wonder why the golden plates, holy water, scented candles, chants, pendants, rocks, numbers, astrological signs, alcohol, dope, sex, work, and retail therapy doesn't work. In the midst of my mess there is a message. in the midst of my conundrum I am becoming something more than I was. I am changing. I am growing. Not only my feet and hat size has increased. I am not the same guy I was 4 years ago. I have a sneaking suspicion, I ain't by myself. the Loom is bigger. you are connected to more people, or if not more, someone important to God. you matter. What you are going through brings others to loop in with you. What you have makes the pattern complete. Your stains color the design. It's an intelligent design by the way. just like there are bacteria in your mouth that help break down the French fries you left in there, there is reason known only to God for the stuff in yours, ours, my life. and what is the purpose of a potholder anyway? it helps protect your hands from getting burned. Throughout the Bible, fire is often used as a metaphor for testing and refinement, purifying individuals or situations. It can also represent the intense passion and zeal that believers should have for God and His Word. Fire holds significant symbolic meaning in the Bible. It represents purification, judgment, and the presence of God. In Hebrews 12:29, it is written, “For our God is a consuming fire.” This verse highlights the power and holiness associated with fire. And you know you can't handle that Fire on your own. We need Jesus.
The Rage and Age of Gog and Magog Let's start with our familiar text: Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!” (So 4:16) This call to “Awake, O North” is thought to encompass three distinct calls recorded in 1. Jeremiah 31:7-8 (exiles of Israel), 2. Isaiah 41:25 (Messiah) 3. Gog and Magog (Ezek 38:2) Why are all three being called to "Awake" simultaneously? To awake in Scripture can have a few connotations. The contextual explanation is that there has been a period of inactivity, and the prophetic call is to arouse each group to action. Messiah will begin to gather the exiles who have aroused from a period of spiritual apathy, and simultaneously, Gog and Magog will awaken in that generation to create the chaos and darkness necessary to awaken Israel from spiritual "sleep." Because the gematria of Gog and Magog is 70 [Gimmel-Vav-Gimmel Vav-Mem-Gimmel-Vav-Gimmel, 3+6+3+6+40+3+6+3], they are thought to represent the symbolic 70 nations of the world, which will gather against both 1. Adonai and 2. Israel. Various commentaries make oblique references to Gog and Magog, but it will not be understood fully until the day arrives. Some say it is the descendants of Amalek among the nations. Amalek, from which King Agag arose, is the murderous spirit of Edom, or Rome, the fourth beast, headed by Babylon. In that sense, Gog (chief person) and Magog (his nation, people) has arisen in every generation to provoke the Holy One and people who trust in Him and obey Him. The Scriptures cited below reiterate that Gog and Magog are not a single ruler and nation, but a wicked remnant embedded among all nations. In some generations, they will rise up with enough strength and cunning to marshal huge numbers of the population to join their murderous schemes. The pre-millennial war will bring Israel to repentance, and Adonai Himself will destroy Gog and Magog with confusion, thunder, hail, blood, and lightning (Ezek 38-39). In other words, an amalgam of Egypt and Assyria's judgments. Psalm Two is traditionally associated with Gog of Magog: Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,“Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” (Ps 2:1-6) The commentators note that in this attack of Gog, it revisits an important precedent in Babel: at the tower of Bavel, the united conspirators agreed to attack Heaven itself. As a result, YHVH confused them, and the 70 languages of the nations were born. This is the traditional location of Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue. Amalek in the Torah portion Balak is referred to "first of the nations," in other words, the first to openly rebel against Heaven itself by attacking Israel in the wilderness; this "first" attack was also the first direct attack against Heaven since the "nation of mankind" attempted to penetrate it rebelliously at the Tower of Bavel. At the final attack of Gog from Magog, the nations will once again undertake to assemble and attack YHVH and Messiah DIRECTLY, thinking the Holy City Jerusalem has a “Patron” who will defend it. They believe this was the wicked Amalekite Haman's fallacy, attacking the Jews first instead of their God. Something will cause them to believe they have the wherewithal to wage war directly against YHVH and King Messiah. What do Gog and Magog have to do with the third “awakening” of the winds?
Sermon notes
Exit stage right - The Chief End of ManWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.youtube.com/@_battle4freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2012%3A14&version=CJBEcclesiastes 12:14For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad.[Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.]The Westminister Shorter Catechism asks the question, "What is the chief end of man?” Many of us know the answer. "Man's chief end is to glorify G_d, and to enjoy him forever.Genesis 49:1 Then Ya`akov called for his sons and said, "Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the acharit-hayamim. 2 Assemble yourselves and listen, sons of Ya`akov; pay attention to Isra'el your father.Genesis 49:3 "Re'uven, you are my firstborn, my strength, the firstfruits of my manhood. 4 Though superior in vigor and power you are unstable as water, so your superiority will end, because you climbed into your father's bed and defiled it — he climbed onto my concubine's couch!Genesis 49:5 "Shim`on and Levi are brothers, related by weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let my honor not be connected with their people; for in their anger they killed men, and at their whim they maimed cattle. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce; their fury, for it has been cruel. I will divide them in Ya`akov and scatter them in Isra'el.Genesis 49:8 "Y'hudah, your brothers will acknowledge you, your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father's sons will bow down before you. 9 Y'hudah is a lion's cub; my son, you stand over the prey. He crouches down and stretches like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to provoke him? 10 The scepter will not pass from Y'hudah, nor the ruler's staff from between his legs, until he comes to whom [obedience] belongs; and it is he whom the peoples will obey. 11 Tying his donkey to the vine, his donkey's colt to the choice grapevine, he washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.Genesis 49:13 "Z'vulun will live at the seashore, with ships anchoring along his coast and his border at Tzidon.Genesis 49:14 "Yissakhar is a strong donkey lying down in the sheep sheds. 15 On seeing how good is settled life and how pleasant the country,he will bend his back to the burden, and submit to forced labor.Genesis 49:16 "Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Isra'el. 17 Dan will be a viper on the road, a horned snake in the paththat bites the horse's heels so its rider falls off backward. 18 I wait for your deliverance, Adonai.Genesis 49:19 "Gad [troop]— a troop will troop on him, but he will troop on their heel. 20 "Asher's food is rich — he will provide food fit for a king. 21 "Naftali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.Genesis 49:22 "Yosef is a fruitful plant, a fruitful plant by a spring, with branches climbing over the wall. 23 The archers attacked him fiercely, shooting at him and pressing him hard; 24 but his bow remained taut; and his arms were made nimble by the hands of the Mighty One of Ya`akov, from there, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Isra'el, 25 by the G_d of your father, who will help you, by El Shaddai, who will bless you with blessings from heaven above, blessings from the deep, lying below, blessings from the breasts and the womb. 26 The blessings of your father are more powerful than the blessings of my parents, extending to the farthest of the everlasting hills; they will be on the head of Yosef, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. Genesis 49:27 "Binyamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey, in the evening still dividing the spoil.”Genesis 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Isra'el, and this is how their father spoke to them and blessed them, giving each his own individual blessing. 29 Then he charged them as follows: "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my ancestors in the cave that is in the field of `Efron the Hitti, 30 the cave in the field of Makhpelah, by Mamre, in the land of Kena`an, which Avraham bought together with the field from `Efron the Hitti as a burial-place belonging to him — 31 there they buried Avraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Yitz'chak and his wife Rivkah, and there I buried Le'ah — 32 the field and the cave in it, which was purchased from the sons of Het.”Genesis 49:33 When Ya`akov had finished charging his sons, he drew his legs up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.Credit to:https://unsplash.com/photos/an-empty-road-in-the-middle-of-a-wooded-area--YV0Zkh2jRMhttps://unsplash.com/photos/a-yellow-road-sign-sitting-on-top-of-a-sandy-beach-__HDU6msgQ4https://unsplash.com/photos/black-flat-screen-computer-monitor-uGqrMOHlkl0https://unsplash.com/photos/white-printer-paper-with-black-text-1UDjq8s8cy0https://unsplash.com/photos/red-theater-curtain-WW1jsInXgwM
DaVon Alexander false No 35:39 892
Jesus gives His final testimony: "Yes, I choose to now come quickly." He chooses to invade our now giving us the opportunity to come to know Him better and to understand WHY we can trust ourselves to Him and HOW to trust ourselves to Him. He is the one who gives grace to all, not just to some, but to all, for He is the Adonai, the only Lord God. By His grace, He provides us everything that we need for life and godliness. He is the source, and the source matters the source is everything! Amen.Download Transcript
We are proud to introduce the 3rd podcast in the Judaism Unbound family of podcasts: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness, hosted by Jericho Vincent. "We are the ancestors of the future." This new podcast offers a spiritual home for listeners seeking to connect Jewish ancestral, feminist wisdom with their own svara: moral intuition. Each episode of this limited series delves into a different story of our ancestor Miriam, illuminating her mystical teachings and offering practical tools for navigating and flourishing in personal or political spiritual wildernesses. We're thrilled to periodically feature episodes of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness here on Judaism Unbound. But we don't only feature those episodes alone. Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman, two members of Judaism Unbound's team, supplement each episode with some gemara (commentary) as well. We hope that our ideas will help spur you to form your own gemara, and channel your unique teachings -- about this podcast and beyond -- into the world. Subscribe to Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness anywhere that podcasts are found!------------------------------------Amid pain and fear, joy can sometimes feel like betrayal. Yet, the mystics point out that Miriam's joyful song at the Red Sea is a major liberatory act. In this episode of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness (with Judaism Unbound Gemara/commentary from Lex and Rena Yehuda), our teacher Miriam has some sharp and clear advice. We also dive into the subject of tambourines, somatic experiencing, the mystical power and gender politics of a circle, bell hooks, and a practice for bringing Miriam's living Torah into our own lives.
Numbers 19:1-22:1Judges 11:1-33JOHN 3:1-21lets humble ourselvesbefore ADONAI .... YES BE GRATEFUL!
FRUIT LOOPS This week is a review of our mini-series of Walking on Water as a prophecy of the Greater Exodus. Walking on Water has been a mini-series full of encouragement and hope. It grew from this verse in the Song of Songs: "Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!” (4:16) To wrap up our series, let's review some key points. First, the walk through the Reed Sea is connected to the separation and gathering of waters at the Creation in Genesis One as well as the Tree of Life and the River of Life in Revelation. That's quite a swim, so Baruch HaShem we can walk on water! What those Creation and Revelation bookends have in common is fruit trees along the water. This fruit symbolism appears in natural cycles, which reflect fruit cycles in their spiritual cycles. The natural world is merely the parable of the spiritual world, but by studying the creation, we can see the spiritual fruit cycles to which we will be in perfect tune in the millennial kingdom of Yeshua. This is one reason it is so important to study and practice the feasts of Scripture, which are themed around agricultural themes. Israel works the fields to produce natural fruits which are offered as tithes, firstfruits, and offerings. The natural is elevated to the spiritual realm where it is perfected, just as those resurrected from the dead will be planted mortal, yet raised immortal, fully equipped to function in either the natural or spiritual world. The feasts of Adonai loop year after year, offering believers an opportunity to be nourished by His fruit loops. No artificial dyes, added sugar, or whatever else it is that makes Froot Loops bad for you. This is fruit for those entering the Kingdom as little children, needing nourishment for maturity when they emerge from the water: Bahya writes. When they were walking in the sea and their children cried, the mother took an apple or a pomegranate and gave it to the child. There were apple trees and other fruit in the sea. The Holy One made them grow quickly and had fruits in the sea. *Bahya, Exodus, 14:22. [Tze'enah Ure'enah, Beshalach] *The Bahya text is a reference to Midrash Rabbah to Shemot 21§10 (Exodus 14:21-22) The trip over the water-and-earth-bridge of the sea provided a taste of Eden. Not a complete transition to the Garden, but a brief experience, like their everwear clothes and sandals, food, and water. What did the water bridge provide? It lifted their feet from the natural earth, supplying a cushion of purifying water for the swift journey. Things that ascend to the Garden in a physical body must pass through fire or water to purify them for holy use. “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If we sanctify ourselves on earth, Adonai sanctifies and perfects us in heaven. It is our duty, and it allows the world to be enticed by our odor of holiness instead of despairing that a holy walk is impossible or not even a fruitful one. We die to the sin slavery of the natural body, yet we live according the resurrection spirit of Yeshua. We have available the washing of water by the Word. This might explain Yeshua's washing of the disciples' feet...they would experience the supernatural, like Philip's rapid translation after he witnessed to the Ethiopian. Our immersion in the water of the Word in the Torah cycles and feasts is like walking in Fruit Loops. As the mothers of Israel took fruits from the walls of water in the Reed Sea on the journey, so we enjoy the fruits of the Ruach when we enter the Kingdom as a little child. As we mature, we also bear fruit to give to others who are maturing by the River of Life, for we are a part of the Tree of Life. The crossing of the Reed Sea recalled the Creation, yet according to the Song of the Sea,
Hunger from hubris - Condescension`s CostWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.youtube.com/@_battle4freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022%3A2&version=CJBProverbs 22:2Rich and poor have this in common — Adonai made them both.Genesis 47:1 Then Yosef went in and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers have come from the land of Kena`an with their flocks, livestock and all their possessions; right now they are in the land of Goshen." 2 He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" They answered Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and our ancestors," 4 and added, "We have come to live in the land, because in the land of Kena`an there is no place to pasture your servant's flocks, the famine is so severe there. Therefore, please, let your servants live in the land of Goshen."Genesis 47:5 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Your father and brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt lies before you. Have your father and brothers live on the best property in the country — let them live in the land of Goshen. Moreover, if you know that some of them are particularly competent, put them in charge of my livestock."Genesis 47:7 Yosef then brought in Ya`akov his father and presented him to Pharaoh, and Ya`akov blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh asked Ya`akov, "How old are you?" 9 and Ya`akov replied, "The time of my stay on earth has been 130 years; they have been few and difficult, fewer than the years my ancestors lived." 10 Then Ya`akov blessed Pharaoh and left his presence.Genesis 47:11 Yosef found a place for his father and brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the country, in the land of Ra`amses, as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Yosef provided food for his father, his brothers and all his father's household, taking full care of even the youngest.Genesis 47:13 There was no food anywhere, for the famine was very severe, so that both Egypt and Kena`an grew weak from hunger. 14 Yosef collected all the money there was in Egypt and Kena`an in exchange for the grain they bought, and put the money in Pharaoh's treasury. 15 When all the money in Egypt had been spent, and likewise in Kena`an, all the Egyptians approached Yosef and said, "Give us something to eat, even though we have no money; why should we die before your eyes?" Genesis 47:16 Yosef replied, "Give me your livestock. If you don't have money, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock." 17 So they brought Yosef their livestock; and Yosef gave them food in exchange for the horses, flocks, cattle and donkeys — all that year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.Genesis 47:18 When that year was over, they approached Yosef again and said to him, "We won't hide from my lord that all our money is spent, and the herds of livestock belong to my lord. We have nothing left, as my lord can see, but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we and our land will be enslaved to Pharaoh. But also give us seed to plant, so that we can stay alive and not die, and so that the land won't become barren." Genesis 47:20 So Yosef acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, as one by one the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine weighed on them so severely. Thus the land became the property of Pharaoh. 21 As for the people, he reduced them to serfdom city by city, from one end of Egypt's territory to the other. 22 Only the priests' land did he not acquire, because the priests were entitled to provisions from Pharaoh, and they ate from what Pharaoh provided them; therefore they did not sell their land.Genesis 47:23 Then Yosef said to the people, "As of today I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you to sow the land. 24 When harvest time comes, you are to give twenty percent to Pharaoh; eighty percent will be yours to keep for seed to plant in the fields, as well as for your food and for that of your households and your little ones."Genesis 47:25 They replied, "You have saved our lives! So if it pleases my lord, we will be Pharaoh's slaves." 26 Yosef made it a law for the country of Egypt, valid to this day, that Pharaoh should have twenty percent. Only the property belonging to the priests did not become Pharaoh's.Genesis 47:27 Isra'el lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. They acquired possessions in it and were productive, and their numbers multiplied greatly.Genesis 47:28 Ya`akov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; thus Ya`akov lived to be 147 years old. 29 The time came when Isra'el was approaching death; so he called for his son Yosef and said to him, "If you truly love me, please put your hand under my thigh and pledge that, out of consideration for me, you will not bury me in Egypt. 30 Rather, when I sleep with my fathers, you are to carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried." He replied, "I will do as you have said." 31 He said, "Swear it to me," and he swore to him. Then Isra'el bowed down at the head of his bed.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%208%3A14-16&version=CJBEcclesiastes 8:14-1614 There is something frustrating that occurs on earth, namely, that there are righteous people to whom things happen as if they were doing wicked deeds; and, again, there are wicked people to whom things happen as if they were doing righteous deeds. I say that this too is pointless. 15 So I recommend enjoyment — a person can do nothing better under the sun than eat, drink and enjoy himself; this is what should accompany him as he does his work for as long as God gives him to live under the sun. 16 When I applied myself to gain wisdom and to observe how people occupy themselves on earth, that people's eyes don't see sleep either by day or by night,Credit to:https://unsplash.com/photos/person-holding-brown-leather-bifold-wallet-3aGZ7a97qwAhttps://unsplash.com/photos/blue-and-black-truck-near-brown-building-during-daytime-3jej1kT20Q4
I have chickens. They are not my chickens. They belong to the neighbor. He already had chickens in a chicken coop. Now he has ten more chickens. They are not in the chicken coop. They are in my yard. My flowers. Digging holes in the yard and around the foundation of the house. Pooping on the porch. Hanging out. I tried playing red-tail hawk sounds really loud. I tried taking watermelon rinds and veggie scraps over to their property, but they still lurk in the shady spots and follow me around every time I go outside to work. They just stick around. It took me a whole day to lay chicken wire under the flower bed mulch to keep them from destroying my carefully designed and freshly-planted flower beds. We let the neighbor know, but so far, we still have sticken' chickens. I even told them the story of when Billie Idol went missing, but while they enjoyed story time, they don't connect Billie's demise to their current situation. Chickens are like that. When I was four years old, my first pet was a chicken named Slicker. Grandma's cat Fuchsia ate it. I didn't connect a cat to Slicker's current situation. I was telling a good friend about our sticken' chickens yesterday, and we were chatting about the danger of Moses' forty days of absence on the mountain. The Israelites and mixed multitude pretty much gave up on his return. In spite of every miracle they'd seen, they couldn't wait forty full days for the next one. Not only that, they started breaking the Big Ten. An idol. Sexual immorality. You know the story. They'd been delivered from slavery in Egypt; they'd been immersed as a congregation in the Reed Sea; they'd witnessed the glory of Adonai and agreed to His covenant at the mountain…and yet, they had sticken' chickens from Egypt. They went right back to feeding slavery to sin. “For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea...” (1 Co 10:1-2) The tunnel of the Reed Sea was like a birth canal. Immersion has always been a symbol of a resurrection that is more than symbolic. On the Third Day of Creation was a birth of life from the water to fruit trees. On the dawn of the Seventh Day of Passover, the Israelites completed a supernaturally fast, effortless journey through the Reed Sea. Likewise, immersion (mikveh) is undertaken as a rebirth. The pattern is this: • Water represents spirit (as does fire) • The earth is the substance of mankind, adam • When YHVH turns the sea into dry land as a way of escape, that which was spirit became substance/flesh in order to provide a new beginning for Israel/mankind, a resurrection from the sin decay of mere earth to earthly life with the spirit, a promise of wholeness and perfections completed from above • New life follows a mikveh in Messiah, the Great Hand of YHVH. This is the mystical picture of the Reed Sea. When YHVH turned the sea into dry land, he figuratively resurrected the Israelites. When the natural body dies, it returns to the earth. In Messiah Yeshua, the bared arm of YHVH, mankind is resurrected from earth through water. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with,
As we enter our "journey" studying the details of the Mishkan KaKodesh Yahvay, the Holy Dwelling of the LORD, known as the Tabernacle, we find just reading the details is not inspiring or exciting reading. All this detail, however, must have its purpose. We again recall Jesus' words ... "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me" (Joh 5:39) So for us, as aspiring disciples of Adonai Yeshua, would conclude these chapters related to the Holy Dwelling Place of the Lord will testify of Jesus. Just like He said. Thus, we need to pay attention to the words carefully and get help. We need access to excellent and credible Christian Bible scholars or Messianic Jewish Bible scholars to help us "see" Jesus in these texts. We need to make sure that what they present is solid and Biblically based and simply not their imagination or opinions of crazy flights of fancy. For me, I will put the Bible back into its historical context and seek the help of archaeology, geography, history, the customs and the cultures of the ancient Middle East (in the case Egypt), and even the languages of the ancient Middle East to help us see the connections between the specific aspects of the Tabernacle. I will access key scholars like Dr. John Currid or Dr. Craig Keener and his, "Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible," or such resources as the "Archaeological Study Bible" from either Zondervan or Crossway publishers. I too want to "see" Jesus but I want to do it in such as way that it makes sense and connects us with the earthly dwelling tent of the Lord and all its rituals to give us a picture so we can be better able to understand the hidden spiritual concepts of the Lord and His redemption plan. I mentioned several links I would provide. The first is a very special video podcast I did entitled, "The Chiasm of the Light." It is a Bible study of a concept called CHIASMS. It is a literary structure used again and again in the Bible. It is amazing that this literary structure seems to be used by God to show us absolutely that from Genesis 1:1 (the 1st verse in the Bible) to Revelation 22:21 (the last verse in the Bible), that it is all about Yeshua HaMaschiack, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Tis implies as we read on into Exodus and the details the Lord provides on His Holy Dwelling Tent, then we are trusting these verses will testify of Jesus as He said, as God said, in John 5:39. Check it out. Link - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-18-the-chiasm-of-the-light/ Another fun resource is from the website "Free Bible Images." This link will provide you with amazing pictures of the Ark of the Covenant of the Dwelling Tent of Adonai (the Tabernacle). I will be using this link again and again as we focus our study on a specific item in God's Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Dwelling of the Lord. Link (pictures - look for with box on the upper right that says VIDEO LINK to also access an awesome video)) - https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/bs-tabernacle-ark-covenant/ I study and rely on professional archaeological journals. One is "Bible and Spade," a publication from the Christian archaeological group called,"Associates for Bible Research." The second is the journal called, "Biblical Archaeology Review," from "The Biblical Archaeology Society." If you are serious about Bible study, if you are serious about getting the best resources available to help you go deeper, these two journals are a must. A few pastors who have attended my classes now subscribe and have told me it has changed their sermon prep immensely. In this podcast I access an awesome article from "Biblical Archaeology Review" addressing the Ark of the Covenant. It is clear tha archaeology shows us that the Lord told Moses of specific things Moses was familiar with in Egypt to use as a model or a pattern for what the Lord wanted in the Beit HaMikdash, His Holy Dwelling. In this way the people, the Hebrews would be able to easily make the connection as to God's purposes since they are seeing things that resemble things they saw in their 400 some years in Egypt. Here's the link to the article. Link - https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/artifacts-and-the-bible/ark-of-the-covenant-in-egyptian-context/ In this podcast we dealt with CANOPIC JARS. The jars contained specific body organs of a pharaoh that are removed from the pharaoh's body before mummification. These organs are put in the canopic jars and are buried with the pharaoh in his tomb. Below is a picture of canopic jars I bought in Egypt on one of my several study and research trips. Many of us are familiar with King Tut. His actual name is Too-tank-ham-moon. Canopic jars were found in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings across from Luxor Egypt. His jars were put in a special box, a special "ark" if you will, called the chest of Annubis. This was found in King Tut's tomb along with the canopic jars. Annubis is the Egyptian god of the underworld. Annubis is to guard the four body organs of the deceased, the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines as they are removed from the body of the deceased so the body can be mummified or preserved to meet with the gods after death. Supposedly then the four organs, the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines will be replaced into the body when the body is resurrected to live forever with the gods. The Hebrews in the days of Exodus would have known this. They would have understood the special nature of this box, the chest of Annubis. Here is a link to an awesome video about Canopic Jars. It is made for kids but, for me, it is done so well I think you'll enjoy this wonderful scholarly video about these jars and the ancient Egyptian culture. Link to video - https://www.historyforkids.net/canopic-jars.html So archaeology and history gives us added insight into what those Hebrews coming out of Egypt probably understood. Yahvay, the Lord, God, wanted to give them something concrete, something they knew and understood, something physical that they could then be able to begin to grasp the Spiritual concepts of what God is teaching or things in the heavens. God does not need box like the Ark of the Covenant. He dies not need a tent or a Holy Dwelling Place where He is beyond the heavens and the earth. But, His people need them. Moses neds them. We need them. We'll see in this lesson the Spiritual aspects of God wanting to "camp out" with His people. He needed a "TENT," that we call a tabernacle, to give His people a concrete object to grasp that the Lord was with them. And, Yahvay used it again in John 1:14 in that He came to "camp out" with us again in His human tent. God creates physical things for us to picture those difficult Spiritual concepts or things that are in heaven, or the places above. He did this right from the get go in His Torah in the first verse of Genesis. If you haven't studied these podcast Bible study lessons now is the time before you go on in these chapters on the "Beit HaMikdash" (בית המקדש), the Holy Dwelling Place. Here's the links to these awesome lessons ... LINKS TO GENESIS LSS5 – CHOAS TO ORDER – PART 1 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/genesis-5-part-1-gen-11-2-god-creates-the-heavens-and-the-earth/ PART 2 – video - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/genesis-5-special-gen-11-2-polemic-theology-from-chaos-to-order/ Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret? Ferret someplace near the Jordan River 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
A Preplanned Detour - Groundwork for RedemptionWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2043%3A11&version=CJBIsaiah 43:11I, yes I, am Adonai; besides me there is no deliverer.Genesis 46:1 Isra'el took everything he owned with him on his journey. He arrived at Be'er-Sheva and offered sacrifices to the G_d of his father Yitz'chak. 2 In a vision at night G_d called to Isra'el, "Ya`akov! Ya`akov!" He answered, "Here I am." 3 He said, "I am G_d, the G_d of your father. Don't be afraid to go down to Egypt. It is there that I will make you into a great nation. 4 Not only will I go down with you to Egypt; but I will also bring you back here again, after Yosef has closed your eyes."Genesis 46:5 So Ya`akov left Be'er-Sheva; the sons of Isra'el brought Ya`akov their father, their little ones and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry them. 6 They took their cattle and their possessions which they had acquired in the land of Kena`an and arrived in Egypt, Ya`akov and all his descendants with him — 7 his sons, grandsons, daughters, granddaughters and all his descendants he brought with him into Egypt.Genesis 46:8 These are the names of Isra'el's children who came into Egypt, Ya`akov and his sons: Re'uven Ya`akov's firstborn; 9 and the sons of Re'uven — Hanokh, Pallu, Hetzron and Karmi. 10 The sons of Shim`on: Y'mu'el, Yamin, Ohad, Yakhin, Tzochar and Sha'ul the son of a Kena`ani woman. 11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, K'hat and M'rari.Genesis 46:12 The sons of Y'hudah: `Er, Onan, Shelah, Peretz and Zerach; but `Er and Onan died in the land of Kena`an. The sons of Peretz were Hetzron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Yissakhar: Tola, Puvah, Yov and Shimron. 14 The sons of Z'vulun: Sered, Elon and Yachle'el. 15 These were the children of Le'ah whom she bore to Ya`akov in Paddan-Aram, with his daughter Dinah. In sum, his sons and daughters numbered thirty-three. Genesis 46:16 The sons of Gad: Tzifyon, Haggi, Shuni, Etzbon, `Eri, Arodi and Ar'eli. 17 The children of Asher: Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, B'ri`ah, and their sister Serach. The sons of B'ri`ah were Hever and Malki'el. 18 These were the children of Zilpah, whom Lavan gave to Le'ah his daughter; she bore them to Ya`akov — sixteen people. Genesis 46:19 The sons of Rachel Ya`akov's wife: Yosef and Binyamin. 20 To Yosef in the land of Egypt were born M'nasheh and Efrayim, whom Osnat the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On bore to him. 21 The sons of Binyamin: Bela, Bekher, Ashbel, Gera, Na`aman, Echi, Rosh, Mupim, Hupim and Ard. 22 These were the children of Rachel who were born to Ya`akov — in sum, fourteen people.Genesis 46:23 The sons of Dan: Hushim. 24 The sons of Naftali: Yachtze'el, Guni, Yetzer and Shillem. 25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Lavan gave to Rachel his daughter; she bore them to Ya`akov — in sum, seven people.Genesis 46:26 All the people belonging to Ya`akov coming into Egypt, his direct descendants (not counting Ya`akov's sons' wives), totaled sixty-six. 27 The sons of Yosef, born to him in Egypt, were two in number. Thus all the people in Ya`akov's family who entered Egypt numbered seventy.Genesis 46:28 Ya`akov sent Y'hudah ahead of him to Yosef, so that the latter might guide him on the road to Goshen; thus they arrived in the land of Goshen. 29 Yosef prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet Isra'el his father. He presented himself to him, embraced him and wept on his neck for a long time. 30 Then Isra'el said to Yosef, "Now I can die, because I have seen your face and seen that you are still alive."Genesis 46:31 Yosef said to his brothers and his father's family, "I'm going up to tell Pharaoh. I'll say to him, `My brothers and my father's family, who were in the land of Kena`an, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds and keepers of livestock; they have brought their flocks, their herds and all their possessions.' 33 Now when Pharaoh summons you and asks, `What is your occupation?' 34 tell him, `Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth until now, both we and our ancestors.' This will ensure that you will live in the land of Goshen — for any shepherd is abhorrent to the Egyptians."Credit to:https://unsplash.com/photos/pathway-between-trees-74TufExdP3Yhttps://unsplash.com/photos/black-and-white-arrow-sign-Vckq-heaypghttps://unsplash.com/photos/gray-wall-paint-taO2fC7sxDU
Congregation of the Living Word, a Messianic Jewish Congregation
The Journey To The Feast Of Shavuot Part 4: Understanding The Shema At Pentecost - English and Spanish. The greatest commandment begins: Hear, O Israel, Adonai our God is One. How is the Shema related to the Feast of Shavuot? Recorded May 10, 2025. El Viaje A La Fiesta De Shavuot Parte 4: Entendiendo El Shema En Pentecostés - Inglés y Español. El mandamiento más grande comienza: Oye, Israel, Adonai nuestro Dios es Uno. ¿Cómo se relaciona el Shemá con la Fiesta de Shavuot? Grabado el 10 de mayo de 2025.
We are Family - Reunited and it Feels so good!https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20106%3A47&version=CJBPsalm 106:47Save us, Adonai our G_d! Gather us from among the nations, so that we can thank your holy name and glory in praising you.Genesis 45:1 At last Yosef could no longer control his feelings in front of his attendants and cried, "Get everybody away from me!" So no one else was with him when Yosef revealed to his brothers who he was. 2 He wept aloud, and the Egyptians heard, and Pharaoh's household heard. Genesis 45:3 Yosef said to his brothers, "I am Yosef! Is it true that my father is still alive?" His brothers couldn't answer him, they were so dumbfounded at seeing him. 4 Yosef said to his brothers, "Please! Come closer." And they came closer. He said, "I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don't be sad that you sold me into slavery here or angry at yourselves, because it was G_d who sent me ahead of you to preserve life. Genesis 45:6 The famine has been over the land for the last two years, and for yet another five years there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 G_d sent me ahead of you to ensure that you will have descendants on earth and to save your lives in a great deliverance. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but G_d; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household and ruler over the whole land of Egypt. Genesis 45:9 Hurry, go up to my father, and tell him, `Here is what your son Yosef says: "G_d has made me lord of all Egypt! Come down to me, don't delay! 10 You will live in the land of Goshen and be near me — you, your children, your grandchildren, flocks, herds, everything you own. 11 I will provide for you there, so that you won't become poverty-stricken, you, your household and all that you have; because five years of famine are yet to come."' Genesis 45:12 Here! Your own eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Binyamin, that it is my own mouth speaking to you. 13 Tell my father how honored I am in Egypt and everything you have seen, and quickly bring my father down here!" 14 Then he embraced his brother Binyamin and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck, 15 and he kissed all his brothers and wept on them. After that, his brothers talked with him.Genesis 45:16 The report of this reached Pharaoh's house: "Yosef's brothers have come"; and Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Tell your brothers, `Here is what you are to do. Load up your animals, go to the land of Kena`an, 18 take your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you good property in Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.Genesis 45:19 "`Moreover — and this is an order — do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little ones and your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Don't worry about your stuff, because everything good in the land of Egypt is yours.'"Genesis 45:21 The sons of Isra'el acted accordingly; and Yosef gave them wagons, as Pharaoh had ordered, and gave them provisions for their journey. 22 To each of them he gave a set of new clothes; but to Binyamin he gave seven-and-a-half pounds of silver and five sets of new clothes. 23 Likewise, to his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with the finest goods Egypt produced, as well as ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread and food for his father to eat on the return journey. 24 Thus he sent his brothers on their way, and they left; he said to them, "Don't quarrel among yourselves while you're traveling!"Genesis 45:25 So they went up out of Egypt, entered the land of Kena`an and came to Ya`akov their father. 26 They told him, "Yosef is still alive! He is ruler over the whole land of Egypt!" He was stunned at the news; he couldn't believe them. 27 So they reported to him everything Yosef had said to them; but it was only when he saw the wagons which Yosef had sent to carry him that the spirit of Ya`akov their father began to revive. 28 Isra'el said, "Enough! My son Yosef is still alive! I must go and see him before I die."
How can being sick be a blessing?
Knowing God as Adonai changes us. Receiving Him as sovereign leads to a vulnerable transparency between God and his children, where we recognize our total inadequacy but move forward with a bold trust of His strength in us.
Psalm 130: The God Who ForgivesAndrew and Edwin consider the joys of having a merciful master like YHWH. He doesn't simply mark iniquities, He forgives them.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here. Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org. Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here. Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=21081The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/
Sovereign. Ruler. Master. All these define Adonai (Lord). We use this name for God a lot. But like Abram, we often don't fully appreciate its meaning until we find ourselves in difficult circumstances we can't manage on our own.
Nightmare Day One - Things Getting Out of HandWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos%208%3A11&version=CJBAmos 8:11"The time is coming," says Adonai Elohim, "when I will send famine over the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of Adonai.Genesis 42:1 Now Ya`akov saw that there was grain in Egypt; so Ya`akov said to his sons, "Why are you staring at each other? 2 Look," he said, "I've heard that there's grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there, so that we can stay alive and not die!" 3 Thus Yosef's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt, 4 except for Binyamin, Yosef's brother. Ya`akov did not send him with his brothers, because he was afraid something might happen to him.Genesis 42:5 The sons of Isra'el came to buy along with the others that came, since the famine extended to the land of Kena`an. 6 Yosef was governor over the land; it was he who sold to all the people of the land. Now when Yosef's brothers came and prostrated themselves before him on the ground, 7 Yosef saw his brothers and recognized them; but he acted toward them as if he were a stranger and spoke harshly with them. He asked them, "Where are you from?" They answered, "From the land of Kena`an to buy food." 8 So Yosef recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.Genesis 42:9 Remembering the dreams he had had about them, Yosef said to them, "You are spies! You've come to spot our country's weaknesses!" 10 "No, my lord," they replied, "your servants have come to buy food. 11 We're all the sons of one man, we're upright men; your servants aren't spies." 12 "No," he said to them, "you've come to spy out our country's weaknesses." 13 They said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Kena`an; the youngest stayed with our father, and another one is gone." Genesis 42:14 "Just as I said," replied Yosef, "you're spies! 15 Here's how you can prove you're not lying: as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave here unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother. Meanwhile, you will be kept in custody. This will prove whether there is any truth in what you say. Otherwise, as Pharaoh lives, you are certainly spies." 17 Then he put all of them together in prison for three days.Genesis 42:18 On the third day, Yosef said to them, "Do what I say, and stay alive, for I fear G_d. 19 If you are upright men, let one of your brothers remain incarcerated in the prison you're being kept in, while you go and carry grain back to relieve the famine in your homes. 20 But bring your youngest brother to me. In this way your statements will be verified, and you won't die." So they did it. 21 They said to each other, "We are in fact guilty concerning our brother. He was in distress and pleaded with us; we saw it and wouldn't listen. That's why this distress has come upon us now." Genesis 42:22 Re'uven answered them, "Didn't I tell you, `Don't wrong the boy'? But you wouldn't hear of it. Now comes the reckoning for his blood!" 23 They had no idea that Yosef understood them, since an interpreter was translating for them. 24 Yosef turned away from them and wept; then he returned and spoke to them. He took Shim`on from among them and put him in prison before their eyes. 25 Next he ordered that their containers be filled with grain, that every man's money be put back in his pack and that they be given provisions for the journey. When these things had been done for them, 26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys and departed.Genesis 42:27 But at camp that night, as one of them opened his pack to give fodder to his donkey, he noticed his money — there it was, just inside his pack. 28 He said to his brothers, "My money has been restored — there it is, right in my pack!" At that, their hearts sank; they turned, trembling, to one another and said, "What is this that G_d has done to us?"Genesis 42:29 They returned to Ya`akov their father in the land of Kena`an and told him all that had happened to them. 30 "The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us. He took us for spies in his country. 31 We said to him, `We are upright men, we're not spies; 32 we are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is gone, and the youngest stayed with our father in the land of Kena`an.' 33 But the man, the lord of the land, said to us, `Here is how I will know that you are upright men: leave one of your brothers with me, take grain to relieve the famine in your homes, and go on your way; 34 but bring your youngest brother to me. By this I will know that you aren't spies, but are upright men; then I will return your brother to you; and you will do business in the land.'"Genesis 42:35 Next, as they emptied their packs, there was each man's bag of money in his pack; and when they and their father saw their bags of money, they became afraid. 36 Ya`akov their father said to them, "You have robbed me of my children! Yosef is gone, Shim`on is gone, now you're taking Binyamin away — it all falls on me!" 37 Re'uven said to his father, "If I don't bring him back to you, you can kill my own two sons! Put him in my care; I will return him to you." 38 But he replied, "My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he alone is left. If anything were to happen to him while traveling with you, you would bring my gray hair down to Sh'ol with grief."Credit to:Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/depressed-homeless-man-8078474/Photo by Thais Cordeiro from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/egyptian-pyramids-during-sunset-3873681/
Introducción¿Cuántos aquí creen en Dios? y ¿Cuántos le creen a Dios? estas son dos cosas totalmentediferentes el creer y creerle. Creer en Dios casi todo el mundo cree que existe un Dios, pero creerlea Dios en una cosa diferente.Santiago 2:19 “Tú crees que Dios es uno; bien haces. También los demonios creen y tiemblan.”¿Qué es creerle a Dios? Creerle a Dios es confiar en Él, en su Palabra, en sus promesas. Algo difícilpara el ser humano es creer en lo que no se puede ver, en lo que no se puede tocar, en lo que notenemos enfrente de nosotros.(Mencionar tema y hablar de la imagen: miedo, confianza, seguridad, seguridad)A diario estamos expuestos a situaciones incómodas que nos desalientan y nos llenan de temor, ypreocupación, pero allí en medio de lo que está aconteciendo en nuestras vidas debemosagarrarnos del evangelio y avanzar creyéndole a Dios.Pero cuando la situación adversa viene una vez, y otra vez más y nuevamente nos golpea sinavisar, quizás nuestra reacción no sea la misma aunque ya hayamos escuchado el mensaje de Diosen más de una ocasión…Cuántas veces venimos escuchando la Palabra de Dios y en el momento decreerle a Él, se nos olvida lo escuchado. Nuestra humanidad a flor de piel.La palabra de Dios nos enseña mediante este pasaje de 1 Reyes 17 uno de los escenarios dondeDios se manifestó en gran manera usando al profeta Elías. Quien no dudó en ningún momento enobedecer el mandato de Dios.En aquellos tiempos Israel había sido desmoralizada ya que sus antiguos reyes llevaron al puebloa la idolatría, ya estaban rindiendo cultos a dioses paganos como Baal, por lo que no había ningúnsacerdote íntegro que llevara la Palabra de Dios al pueblo, por esto fue Elías elegido por Dios asícomo a otros hombres.Elías como sacerdote de Dios vivía en Fe y hacía como Él le ordenaba. Luego de haber traído laprofecía de la sequía al rey Acab 1.estuvo escondido en el arroyo de Querit y al cabo de unos días2.por ordenanza de Dios partió a Sarepta a encontrarse allí con una viuda y 3.un milagro.***El Señor traía a mi corazón el otro día una Palabra que primero fue para mi y luego meencomendó se la impartiera a alguien de aquí…llegó en un momento de adoración.Y hoy se la comparto a todos: “Si tu problema tiene un nombre, el Dios que servimos tambiéntiene nombre: Yahweh, Rapha, Elohim, Shaddai, Jireh, Adonai, El Roi.***Support the show
Dream Believin' - Those with Ears to HearWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2023%3A28&version=CJBJeremiah 23:28"If a prophet has a dream, let him tell it as a dream. But someone who has my word should speak my word faithfully. What do chaff and wheathave in common?" asks Adonai.Genesis 41:1-7 At the end of two years, Pharaoh had a dream: he was standing beside the Nile River; 2 and there came up out of the river seven cows, sleek and fat; and they began feeding in swamp grass. 3 After them, there came up out of the river seven more cows, miserable-looking and lean; and they stood by the other cows at the edge of the river. 4 Then the miserable-looking and lean cows ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. At this point Pharaoh woke up. 5 But he went to sleep again and dreamt a second time: seven full, ripe ears of grain grew out of a single stalk. 6 After them, seven ears, thin and blasted by the east wind, sprang up. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven full, ripe ears. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it had been a dream.Genesis 41:8 In the morning he found himself so upset that he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one there could interpret them for him. 9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today reminds me of something wherein I am at fault: 10 Pharaoh was angry with his officials and put me in the prison of the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker. 11 One night both I and he had dreams, and each man's dream had its own meaning. 12 There was with us a young man, a Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the guard; and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us — he interpreted each man's dream individually. 13 And it came about as he interpreted to us — I was restored to my office, and he was hanged."Genesis 41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned Yosef, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh.15 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "I had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; but I've heard it said about you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it." 16 Yosef answered Pharaoh, "It isn't in me. G_d will give Pharaoh an answer that will set his mind at peace." 17 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "In my dream, I stood at the edge of the river; 18 and there came up out of the river seven cows, fat and sleek; and they began feeding in the swamp grass. 19 After them, there came up out of the river seven more cows, poor, miserable-looking and lean — I've never seen such bad-looking cows in all the land of Egypt! 20 Then the lean and miserable-looking cows ate up the first seven fat cows. 21 But after they had eaten them up, one couldn't tell that they had eaten them; because they were as miserable-looking as before. At this point I woke up. 22 But I dreamed again and saw seven full, ripe ears of grain growing out of a single stalk. 23 After them, seven ears, thin and blasted by the east wind, sprang up. 24 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven ripe ears. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me."Genesis 41:25 Yosef said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are the same: G_d has told Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain are seven years — the dreams are the same. 27 Likewise the seven lean and miserable-looking cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted by the east wind — there will be seven years of famine. 28 This is what I told Pharaoh: G_d has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Here it is: there will be seven years of abundance throughout the whole land of Egypt; 30 but afterwards, there will come seven years of famine; and Egypt will forget all the abundance. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the abundance will not be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, because it will be truly terrible. 32 Why was the dream doubled for Pharaoh? Because the matter has been fixed by G_d, and G_d will shortly cause it to happen.Genesis 41:33 "Therefore, Pharaoh should look for a man both discreet and wise to put in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Pharaoh should do this, and he should appoint supervisors over the land to receive a twenty percent tax on the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should gather all the food produced during these good years coming up and set aside grain under the supervision of Pharaoh to be used for food in the cities, and they should store it. 36 This will be the land's food supply for the seven years of famine that will come over the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish as a result of the famine."Genesis 41:37 The proposal seemed good both to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 Pharaoh said to his officials, "Can we find anyone else like him? The Spirit of G_d lives in him!"39 So Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Since G_d has shown you all this — there is no one as discerning and wise as you — 40 you will be in charge of my household; all my people will be ruled by what you say. Only when I rule from my throne will I be greater than you." 41 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Here, I place you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Yosef's hand, had him clothed in fine linen with a gold chain around his neck 43 and had him ride in his second best chariot; and they cried before him, "Bow down!" Thus he placed him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "I, Pharaoh, decree that without your approval no one is to raise his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt." 45 Pharaoh called Yosef by the name Tzafnat-Pa‘neach and gave him as his wife Osnat the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On. Then Yosef went out through all the land of Egypt.Genesis 41:46 Yosef was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt; then he left Pharaoh's presence and traveled through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance, the earth brought forth heaps of produce. 48 He collected all the food of these seven years in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities — the food grown in the fields outside each city he stored in that city. 49 Yosef stored grain in quantities like the sand on the seashore, so much that they stopped counting, because it was beyond measure.Genesis 41:50 Two sons were born to Yosef before the year of famine came; Osnat the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On bore them to him. 51 Yosef called the firstborn M'nasheh [causing to forget], "Because G_d has caused me to forget all the troubles I suffered at the hands of my family." 52 The second he called Efrayim [fruit], "For G_d has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortune."Genesis 41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt ended; 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Yosef had said. There was famine in all lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 55 When the whole land of Egypt started feeling the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Yosef, and do what he tells you to do." 56 The famine was over all the earth, but then Yosef opened all the storehouses and sold food to the Egyptians, since the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover all countries came to Egypt to Yosef to buy grain, because the famine was severe throughout the earth.Creditshttps://unsplash.com/photos/parked-white-bicycle-V83v-MYB_Z8https://unsplash.com/photos/sea-of-clouds-LtWFFVi1RXQ
It's difficult to have faith when we're surrounded by a faithless world, and yet that's not uncommon for God's people. Today we're looking at 1 Kings 17 and the account of Elijah and Ahab. We'll see how Elijah stands for the Lord and how the Lord blesses him and those around him. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. According to the podcast, what happened to the nation of Israel 55 years earlier? Which kingdom did Elijah preach to? 2. Although King Ahab was a king over the northern kingdom, by his mode of life, which God did He really worship? How did this come about? 3. The podcast mentions that the name “Baal” meant “master”. How might this have been a temptation for God's people who often referred to the Lord as “Adonai” which also meant “Lord, master”? 4. The podcast mentions that “Baal” was the god of nature and fertility and rain. How important were these elements to the Jewish agrarian economy? Why might this have been tempting for the Jewish people to worship Baal instead of the Lord? 5. Into this scene came Elijah. Elijah's name meant “The Lord is God”. Why was this message so radical in Elijah's day and age? 6. What does the Lord tell King Ahab in verse 1? What kind of intestinal fortitude did this take, given the situation of the Northern Kingdom at this time? How was this taking on the false god Baal? 7. What does the Lord have Elijah do after this, in verses 3-7? How does the Lord provide for Elijah in these verses? How do you think that would have strengthened his faith? 8. Where does the Lord send Elijah in verse 9? Was this a region inhabited by Jews? Whose hometown was this? Why would that have been a problem for Elijah? 9. What does the widow say to Elijah about the Lord in verse 12? What does this indicate about her faith in the Lord? What miracle does the Lord provide for her an answer to her faith? 10. What happens to her son in verse 17? What does the Lord do through Elijah in verses 19 to 22? What did the podcast say about why this is a “resuscitation” rather than a “resurrection”? 11. Look up Malachi 4:5. What does this verse say about Elijah? How did this verse factor into Jesus's ministry in the New Testament? 12. What does Elijah's life show the people of the Northern Kingdom regarding God's covenant with them during this time? Why is this surprising given the spiritual climate of Elijah's day? 13. In Luke 4, verses 26 and 27, Jesus refers to the events of this chapter. What was His point in saying what He says about what happened here? 14. Finally, James 5:17 refers to these events as an example of prayer. What was James's point about Elijah? How does that relate to us today? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
The Geography of Wrath Part Two Before the LORD Destroyed Sodom Last week, we looked at The Geography of Wrath, a preface to this lesson on the danger of the last watch of the night. “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.” (Ge 13:10) When Lot “lifted up his eyes,” he saw prophetically. Before their destruction, the five cities of the valley enjoyed an Edenic-like climate and prosperity, yet the prophetic phrase “lifted up his eyes” predicts a restoration of that area, which sits in the Arava. Revelation predicts a great miracles of the two witnesses, which helps us to understand "Sodom and Egypt": "And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." (Re 11:8) What Sodom and Egypt have in common is that those who were saved and set on a path of righteousness (Lot and the Israelites in the wilderness) looked back at what at enslaved them as more to be desired than the Garden of Eden, the authentic Promised Land, that lay before them if they would walk in their salvation. When the bodies of the two witnesses are caught up from Jerusalem, it is a witness to be understood as a last warning to believers who, in those last days, continue to cling to the cargoes of Babylon, who persist in begging to go "by way of Zoar to Egypt" instead of repenting and returning to the righteous walk of salvation epitomized by Avraham. The night is far spent by then. The commercial success of the five cities lured Lot in. The deception was that its fruitfulness “like the Garden” was to be desired over the fruitfulness of the stars promised to Avraham. Lot's wife preferred the deception of luxury with wickedness over the promise of good gifts from above.The Midrash concerning Sodom details how travelers were lured in, then maimed or killed and their goods confiscated. “When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.'” (Ge 19:15) The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the valley, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace. (Ge 19:24-28) Before Adonai destroyed Sodom, he sent warning of the wrath to come. Lot was aware of the blessings promised to Avraham, but he was also aware of the righteous life required for such eternal blessings. Lot chose precarious salvation over a life of obedience and teaching his children after him: “For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” (Ge 18:19) Lot was troubled by the wickedness of Sodom, but not enough to forfeit living in it: “and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men…” (2 Pe 2:7) It took the wrath of Adonai to remove him, not to abundant life, but bare salvation. “Insignificance” is the meaning of the small city Zoar in which Lot requested to live, and so was his contribution to the Kingdom of Adonai compared to Avraham. Avraham viewed the valley of Sodom and saw the smoke of the cities ascending like the smo...