Podcasts about for yahweh

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

In this study we will finish this great book of Jonah. In the previous chapter, Jonah finally obeyed Yahweh and delivered the proclamation to Nineveh regarding their impending destruction by Yahweh. Nineveh repented just as Jonah feared they would, and Yahweh forgave them and spared Nineveh also just as Jonah feared He would.It must be pointed out that Yahweh had never asked Nineveh to repent. He simply sent word to them through His Prophet Jonah that He had had enough and was to destroy them in forty days. The show of great faith by the heathen of Nineveh no doubt touched the Lord's heart; and for the sincere change of the heart of one's who were before such great heathen, Yahweh turned away His wrath from them. Yahweh was no doubt pleasantly impressed by the new-found faith that these once heathen people had in Yahweh's willingness and ability to forgive and show mercy.Then Yahweh reminds Jonah about his love for the animals. Jonah loved a plant, so he should respect Yahweh's love for the animals. Those animals would suffer too if Yahweh permitted some great trouble to destroy the city.So, now Jonah must decide whether Yahweh was right to forgive Nineveh's people and to save their city.But many will have an opportunity in the thousand year period in to be taught. Yahweh will judge no one to eternal perdition in their ignorance, all who perish will perish by their own doing, having heard the truth and rejecting it.Yahweh loves all His children the same. He doesn't like what many of them are doing, but he still loves them all the same.  For Yahweh loves all His children, both good and evil, and he wishes that all would come to repentance and everlasting life:2 Pet 3:9 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.We sometimes forget that Yahweh has emotions, but we were created in His image and we have emotions. We know through the Bible that Yahweh does have emotions, but we seem to only pay attention to Yahweh's emotions of wrath and anger. Yahshua Messiah is Yahweh manifest in the flesh, and in the shortest verse of the entire Bible we see:John 11:35 35 Yahshua wept.But the saddest thing of all is that Yahweh will have to eternally destroy many of His beloved children whom He created to love Him and give Him good pleasure by their company in the eternity:Rev 4:11 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.How about you friend? Have you given Yahweh any pleasure lately? All He really wants is your love. He tells us how to be approved by Him, He wants us to study His Word, to learn of Him, so that we will not be sidetracked into perdition by the wicked one Satan. In the Bible, Yahweh has written us a letter of love, caution, instruction, and direction, but how many of us refuse to even read it? We are either too lazy, too busy, or we just don't care. 2 Tim 2:15-16 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto Yahweh, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.Matt 11:28-30 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com 

For Yahweh, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.- Psalm 47:2 This Episode's Links and Timestamps:00:00 – Scripture Reading01:33 – Introduction16:53 – Commentary on Psalm 4740:08 – About Trump's First Speech to Congress of His Second Term1:14:15 – To Those Who Don't Want Me to Talk About Everything

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

7. Messiah's Leadership Zechariah 10:1 - 5 10:1 Ask of Yahweh rain in the spring time, Yahweh who makes storm clouds, and he gives rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field. 10:2 For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd. 10:3 My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats; For Yahweh of Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle. 10:4 From him will come forth the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. 10:5 They shall be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Yahweh is with them; and the riders on horses will be confounded. During the time of Zechariah, the Temple was being rebuilt. The Temple was central to Jewish worship. But who would help give advice and solve the multitude of problems they were facing? Who cared about them? Well, Zechariah speaks into their situation with wise words. He has already likened the nation of Israel as being like sheep, and that God is their shepherd (Zechariah 9:16) "Yahweh their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land. ". Throughout Chapter 10, it is repeated again and again, that God will care for and bless them. But in order to receive the blessing and care, the nation of Israelites must seek, turn and follow. Seek God If the people need advice and help in times of trouble and need, the first place they should look, is to the Lord their God. They must seek and ask of Him! (10:1)! God can provide all things! He can control the weather, but these people need to stop being so independent, self-sufficient and start to rely on God and His infinite wisdom and resources. Turn to God In 10:2, Zechariah reminds the people of Israel, that following idols and false gods is foolishness. These idols are self-seeking, liars and deceivers. Israel needed to turn back to the One True Almighty God! Instead of following the glory of the Almighty God, they were turning to idols for worship, advice and listening to superstitious nonsense. And of course idols and false gods are mute! They cannot speak or give advice because they are not Gods at all!! The sin of idolatry particularly broke the second commandment! The people were to turn away from false gods and return to worship the One True Almighty God. They were also to listen to the true prophets of God instead of the false prophets who deceived by speaking words they wanted to hear. Follow Me These sheep, the nation of Israel were to follow God. Instead of wandering around aimlessly, they were to follow and obey God Almighty. The Jewish leaders and teachers were supposed to be leading the nation in worship of Almighty God, but were not doing so. Hence God in 10:3 being enraged at those who were in positions of trust who were deceivers, liars and only looking out for their own interests. Ezekiel 34 expounds this out in much further detail! So who were the people of Israel to follow? They were to follow the coming Messiah. Not only was the Messiah a King, Prophet Servant and Disciple but He would also be a Shepherd: the Good Shepherd! From the lowliest tribe of Judah, will come this Good Shepherd "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2) The Messiah Cares This Good Shepherd will be utterly reliable, responsible, faithful and being the sure foundation that the people of Israel need, particularly in a time of crisis. In 10:4 God will send this Good Shepherd to also be a cornerstone, nail or tent peg, battle bow and a source of all ruling authority. Cornerstone: all ancient buildings needed a chief cornerstone to ensure a sure foundation so that the building could not fall down easily. It held two walls together. The imagery fits in well with the building of the Temple. If you want to continue worshipping God, then you must get the foundations right. The chief cornerstone of the building holds the building together. Not only that, it gives the building shape, strength and all other stones are adjusted by it. Nail: Another translation is that of tent-peg. Just as the chief cornerstone holds the building together, so does a tent-peg ensure that the tent stays fastened down during storms! This Good Shepherd would ensure that everything is held together if they stick to Him. Battle-bow: Probably referring back to 9:13, Zechariah now likens this Messiah Shepherd to a battle-bow! This Good Shepherd will fight to keep the wolves from harming His sheep. He will battle for them. This Good Shepherd will be brave, courageous and strong as he leads his people to victory! How is Jesus this Messiah? Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened." In other words, ask of God your heavenly Father and your needs will be supplied! That was how Jesus lived and obeyed, by being in constant communication with God the Father. That is how he could live a life of utter obedience to God, because He always asked, sought and knocked. What is more, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, hence Him saying in John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Again in John 10:14-17 "I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I'm known by my own; even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again." Jesus is the Good Shepherd only through the sacrifice he must make for His sheep. Here Jesus is looking ahead to the sacrifice He makes on the Cross. His love for all of humanity compels Him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Just as all shepherds will endanger themselves for the safety of their sheep, so too will Jesus endure the pain and suffering of the Cross, so that people can be led into safety of God's kingdom. It is in this role of the Good Shepherd, that Jesus exhibits true leadership, which is self-less and sacrificial. E zekiel 34:11 tells of God searching out for his sheep among all nations, and this is fulfilled through Jesus. Through His perfect, obedient and voluntary sacrifice on the Cross, not only will salvation be available to the Jews but also to those of other nations. And Jesus is willing to fight for His people! He gives spiritual armour for all those who follow Him to wear. Christians are in a spiritual battle reminds Paul in Ephesians 6, and as the Good Shepherd, Jesus will fight and battle for us through His indwelling Holy Spirit! For as the Bible says in 1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." Jesus Christ is, as Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 2:8, the Cornerstone of faith - referring back to Isaiah 8:14. Jesus Christ is the dependable, sure foundation that all faith is to be ground upon. All Christians are living stones, but should be living on the dependability of Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone alone! It is only Him, who can give direction, assurance and be relied upon. It is Him that calls all people everywhere to seek for, turn to and follow obediently. Jesus Christ, Servant King, Servant Prophet, Servant Disciple, Servant Shepherd. Follow Him as the great leader He is and victory is assured! Whatever you are struggling with today, turn it over to God and ask for His help! He has promised to help! Remember that the battle belongs to the Lord! Amen! Just as Jesus said to Peter in John 21:19 "Follow Me!", so Jesus calls all those willing to follow Him, to follow Him for life. Follow and be led by Him and Him alone, regardless of what and where that might be. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

For Yahweh is righteous;   he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. - Psalm 11:7   This Episode's Links and Timestamps: 00:00 – Scripture Reading 01:28 – Introduction 08:04 – My Commentary on Psalm 11 27:55 – The Woman Who Fears the LORD – Proverbs 31, Logos Bible Study 55:16 – Wives, Submit to Your Own Husbands – Ephesians 5, Logos Bible Study 1:19:34 - ‘Good Wives: Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England, 1650-1750' by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich – Goodreads 2:05:07 - Liberal Justice Dismisses Risks Of Trans Surgeries For Minors: Aspirin Has Side Effects, Too – Virginia Kruta, DW

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

  Wisdom comes from above.Listen to what the Bible says, from Proverbs.(click for podcast)par Yahweh gives wisdom. Out be kaysh mouth comes knowledge bal understanding.For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.Online BibleListen to the Word, it reaches even to galaxies far, far away

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Comparing the Hebrew of Isaiah 9.6 to most popular English translations results in some serious questions. Why have our translations changed the tense of the verbs from past to future? Why is this child called “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father”? In this presentation I work through Isaiah 9.6 line by line to help you understand the Hebrew. Next I look at interpretive options for the child as well as his complicated name. Not only will this presentation strengthen your understanding of Isaiah 9.6, but it will also equip you to explain it to others. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts —— Links —— See my other articles here Check out my class: One God Over All Get the transcript of this episode Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read Sean’s bio here Below is the paper presented on October 18, 2024 in Little Rock, Arkansas at the 4th annual UCA Conference. Access this paper on Academia.edu to get the pdf. Full text is below, including bibliography and end notes. Abstract Working through the grammar and syntax, I present the case that Isaiah 9:6 is the birth announcement of a historical child. After carefully analyzing the name given to the child and the major interpretive options, I make a case that the name is theophoric. Like the named children of Isaiah 7 and 8, the sign-child of Isaiah 9 prophecies what God, not the child, will do. Although I argue for Hezekiah as the original fulfillment, I also see Isaiah 9:6 as a messianic prophecy of the true and better Hezekiah through whom God will bring eternal deliverance and peace. Introduction Paul D. Wegner called Isaiah 9:6[1] “one of the most difficult problems in the study of the Old Testament.”[2] To get an initial handle on the complexities of this text, let's begin briefly by comparing the Hebrew to a typical translation. Isaiah 9:6 (BHS[3]) כִּי־יֶ֣לֶד יֻלַּד־לָ֗נוּ בֵּ֚ן נִתַּן־לָ֔נוּ וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה עַל־שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ פֶּ֠לֶא יוֹעֵץ֙ אֵ֣ל גִּבּ֔וֹר אֲבִיעַ֖ד שַׂר־שָׁלֽוֹם׃ Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Curiosities abound in the differences between these two. The first two clauses in English, “For to us a child is born” and “to us a son is given,” employ the present tense while the Hebrew uses the perfect tense, i.e. “to us a child has been born.”[4] This has a significant bearing on whether we take the prophecy as a statement about a child already born in Isaiah's time or someone yet to come (or both). The ESV renders the phrase,וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ  (vayikra sh'mo), as “and his name shall be called,” but the words literally mean “and he called his name” where the “he” is unspecified. This leaves room for the possibility of identifying the subject of the verb in the subsequent phrase, i.e. “And the wonderful counselor, the mighty God called his name…” as many Jewish translations take it.  Questions further abound regardingאֵל גִּבּוֹר (el gibbor), which finds translations as disparate as the traditional “Mighty God”[5] to “divine warrior”[6] to “in battle God-like”[7] to “Mighty chief”[8] to “Godlike hero,”[9] to Luther's truncated “Held.”[10]  Another phrase that elicits a multiplicity of translations is אֲבִיעַד (aviad). Although most versions read “Eternal Father,”[11] others render the word, “Father-Forever,”[12] “Father for all time,”[13] “Father of perpetuity,”[14] “Father of the Eternal Age,”[15] and “Father of Future.”[16] Translators from a range of backgrounds struggle with these two phrases. Some refuse to translate them at all, preferring clunky transliterations.[17] Still, as I will show below, there's a better way forward. If we understand that the child had a theophoric name—a name that is not about him, but about God—our problems dissipate like morning fog before the rising sun. Taking the four pairs of words this way yields a two-part sentence name. As we'll see this last approach is not only the best contextual option, but it also allows us to take the Hebrew vocabulary, grammar, and syntax at face value, rather than succumbing to strained translations and interpretational gymnastics. In the end, we're left with a text literally rendered and hermeneutically robust. Called or Will Call His Name? Nearly all the major Christian versions translate וַיִּקְרָא (vayikra), “he has called,” as “he will be called.” This takes an active past tense verb as a passive future tense.[18] What is going on here? Since parents typically give names at birth or shortly thereafter, it wouldn't make sense to suggest the child was already born (as the beginning of Isa 9:6 clearly states), but then say he was not yet named. Additionally, וַיִּקְרָא (vayikra) is a vav-conversive plus imperfect construction that continues the same timing sequence of the preceding perfect tense verbs.[19] If the word were passive (niphal binyan) we would read וַיִּקָּרֵא (vayikarey) instead of וַיִּקְרָא (vayikra). Although some have suggested an emendation of the Masoretic vowels to make this change, Hugh Williamson notes, “there is no overriding need to prefer it.”[20] Translators may justify rendering the perfect tense as imperfect due to the idiom called a prophetic past tense (perfectum propheticum). Wilhelm Gesenius notes the possibility that a prophet “so transports himself in imagination into the future that he describes the future event as if it had been already seen or heard by him.”[21] Bruce Waltke recognizes the phenomenon, calling it an accidental perfective in which “a speaker vividly and dramatically represents a future situation both as complete and independent.”[22] Still, it's up to the interpreter to determine if Isaiah employs this idiom or not. The verbs of verse 6 seem quite clear: “a child has been born for us … and the government was on his shoulder … and he has called his name…” When Isaiah uttered this prophecy, the child had already been born and named and the government rested on his shoulders. This is the straightforward reading of the grammar and therefore should be our starting point.[23] Hezekiah as the Referent One of the generally accepted principles of hermeneutics is to first ask the question, “What did this text mean in its original context?” before asking, “What does this text mean to us today?” When we examine the immediate context of Isa 9:6, we move beyond the birth announcement of a child with an exalted name to a larger prophecy of breaking the yoke of an oppressor (v4) and the ushering in of a lasting peace for the throne of David (v7). Isaiah lived in a tumultuous time. He saw the northern kingdom—the nation of Israel—uprooted from her land and carried off by the powerful and cruel Assyrian Empire. He prophesied about a child whose birth had signaled the coming freedom God would bring from the yoke of Assyria. As Jewish interpreters have long pointed out, Hezekiah nicely fits this expectation.[24] In the shadow of this looming storm, Hezekiah became king and instituted major religious reforms,[25] removing idolatry and turning the people to Yahweh. The author of kings gave him high marks: “He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel. After him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah nor among those who were before him” (2 Kgs 18:5).[26] Then, during Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib sent a large army against Judea and laid siege to Jerusalem. Hezekiah appropriately responded to the threatening Assyrian army by tearing his clothes, covering himself with sackcloth, and entering the temple to pray (2 Kings 19:1). He sent word to Isaiah, requesting prayer for the dire situation. Ultimately God brought miraculous deliverance, killing 185,000 Assyrians, which precipitated a retreat. There had not been such an acute military deliverance since the destruction of Pharaoh's army in the sea. Indeed, Hezekiah's birth did signal God's coming deliverance. In opposition to Hezekiah as the referent for Isa 9:6, Christian interpreters have pointed out that Hezekiah did not fulfill this prophecy en toto. Specifically, Hezekiah did not usher in “an endless peace” with justice and righteousness “from this time onward and forevermore” (Isa. 9:7). But, as John Roberts points out, the problem only persists if we ignore prophetic hyperbole. Here's what he says: If Hezekiah was the new king idealized in this oracle, how could Isaiah claim he would reign forever? How could Isaiah so ignore Israel's long historical experience as to expect no new source of oppression would ever arise? The language, as is typical of royal ideology, is hyperbolic, and perhaps neither Isaiah nor his original audience would have pushed it to its limits, beyond its conventional frames of reference, but the language itself invites such exploitation. If one accepts God's providential direction of history, it is hard to complain about the exegetical development this exploitation produced.[27] Evangelical scholar Ben Witherington III likewise sees a reference to both Hezekiah and a future deliverer. He writes, “[T]he use of the deliberately hyperbolic language that the prophet knew would not be fulfilled in Hezekiah left open the door quite deliberately to look for an eschatological fulfillment later.”[28] Thus, even if Isaiah's prophecy had an original referent, it left the door open for a true and better Hezekiah, who would not just defeat Assyria, but all evil, and not just for a generation, but forever. For this reason, it makes sense to take a “both-and” approach to Isa 9:6. Who Called His Name? Before going on to consider the actual name given to the child, we must consider the subject of the word וַיִּקְרָא (vayikra), “and he called.” Jewish interpreters have and continue to take אֵל גִבּוֹר (el gibbor), “Mighty God,” as the subject of this verb. Here are a few examples of this rendering: Targum Jonathan (2nd century) And his name has been called from before the One Who Causes Wonderful Counsel, God the Warrior, the Eternally Existing One—the Messiah who will increase peace upon us in his days.[29] Shlomo Yitzchaki (11th century) The Holy One, blessed be He, Who gives wondrous counsel, is a mighty God and an everlasting Father, called Hezekiah's name, “the prince of peace,” since peace and truth will be in his days.[30] Jacob ben Isaac Ashkenazi (16th century) “For a child is born to us.” A son will be born and this is Hezekiah. Though Ahaz is an evildoer, his son Hezekiah will be a righteous king. He will be strong in his service of the Holy One. He will study Torah and the Holy One will call him, “eternal father, peaceful ruler.” In his days there will be peace and truth.[31] The Stone Edition of the Tanach (20th century) The Wondrous Adviser, Mighty God, Eternal Father, called his name Sar-shalom [Prince of Peace][32] Although sometimes Christian commentators blithely accuse Jewish scholars of avoiding the implications of calling the child “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father,” the grammar does allow multiple options here. The main question is whether Isaiah specified the subject of the verb וַיִקְרָ (vayikra) or not. If he has, then the subject must be אֵל גִבּוֹר (el gibbor). If he has not, then the subject must be indefinite (i.e. “he” or “one”). What's more, the Masoretic punctuation of the Hebrew suggests the translation, “and the Wonderful Adviser, the Mighty God called his name, ‘Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace'”[33] However, Keil and Delitzsch point out problems with this view on both grammatical and contextual grounds. They write: [I]t is impossible to conceive for what precise reason such a periphrastic description of God should be employed in connection with the naming of this child, as is not only altogether different from Isaiah's usual custom, but altogether unparalleled in itself, especially without the definite article. The names of God should at least have been defined thus, הַיּוֹעֵץ פֵּלֶא הַגִּבּוֹר, so as to distinguish them from the two names of the child.”[34] Thus, though the Masoretic markings favor the Jewish translation, the grammar doesn't favor taking “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God” as the subject. It's certainly not impossible, but it is a strained reading without parallels in Isaiah and without justification in the immediate context. Let's consider another possibility. His Name Has Been Called Instead of taking אֵל גִּבּוֹר (el gibbor) as the subject, we can posit an indefinite subject for וַיִקְרָ (vayikra): “one has called.” Examples of this outside of Isaiah 9:6 include Gen 11:9; 25:26; Exod 15:23; and 2 Sam 2:16. The phenomenon appears in Gesenius (§144d) and Joüon and Muraoka (§155e), both of which include our text as examples. However, the translation “one has called his name” is awkward in English due to our lack of a generic pronoun like on in French or man in German. Accordingly, most translations employ the passive construction: “his name has been called,” omitting the subject.[35] This is apparently also how those who produced the Septuagint (LXX) took the Hebrew text, employing a passive rather than an active verb.[36] In conclusion, the translation “his name has been called” works best in English. Mighty Hero Now we broach the question of how to render אֵל גִּבּוֹר el gibbor. As I've already noted, a few translations prefer “mighty hero.” But this reading is problematic since it takes the two words in reverse order. Although in English we typically put an adjective before the noun it modifies, in Hebrew the noun comes first and then any adjectives that act upon it. Taking the phrase as אֵל גִּבּוֹר (gibbor el) makes “mighty” the noun and “God” the adjective. Now since the inner meaning of אֵל (el) is “strong” or “mighty,” and גִּבּוֹר gibbor means “warrior” or “hero,” we can see how translators end up with “mighty warrior” or “divine hero.” Robert Alter offers the following explanation: The most challenging epithet in this sequence is ‘el gibor [sic], which appears to say “warrior-god.” The prophet would be violating all biblical usage if he called the Davidic king “God,” and that term is best construed here as some sort of intensifier. In fact, the two words could conceivably be a scribal reversal of gibor ‘el, in which case the second word would clearly function as a suffix of intensification as it occasionally does elsewhere in the Bible.[37] Please note that Alter's motive for reversing the two words is that the text, as it stands, would violate all biblical usage by calling the Davidic king “God.” But Alter is incorrect. We have another biblical usage calling the Davidic king “God” in Psalm 45:6. We must allow the text to determine interpretation. Changing translation for the sake of theology is allowing the tail to wag the dog. Another reason to doubt “divine warrior” as a translation is that “Wherever ʾēl gibbôr occurs elsewhere in the Bible there is no doubt that the term refers to God (10:21; cf. also Deut. 10:17; Jer. 32:18),” notes John Oswalt.[38] Keil and Delitzsch likewise see Isa 10:21 as the rock upon which these translations suffer shipwreck.[39] “A remnant will return,” says Isa 10:21, “the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.” The previous verse makes it clear that “mighty God” refers to none other than “Yahweh, the holy one of Israel.” Without counter examples elsewhere in the Bible, we lack the basis to defy the traditional ordering of “God” as the noun and “mighty” or “warrior” as the adjective.[40] Mighty God-Man Did Isaiah foresee a human child who would also be the mighty God? Did he suddenly get “a glimpse of the fact that in the fullness of the Godhead there is a plurality of Persons,” as Edward Young thought?[41] Although apologists seeking to prove the deity of Christ routinely push for this reading, other evangelical scholars have expressed doubts about such a bold interpretation.[42] Even Keil and Delitzsch, after zealously batting away Jewish alternatives, admit Isaiah's language would not have suggested an incarnate deity in its original context.[43] Still, it would not be anachronistic to regard a king as a deity in the context of the ancient Near East. We find such exalted language in parallels from Egypt and Assyria in their accession oracles (proclamations given at the time a new king ascends the throne). Taking their cue from the Egyptian practices of bestowing divine throne names upon the Pharaoh's accession to the throne, G. von Rad and A. Alt envisioned a similar practice in Jerusalem. Although quite influential, Wegner has pointed out several major problems with this way of looking at our text: (1) the announcement is to the people in Isa 9:6, not the king; (2) Isa 9:6 does not use adoption language nor call the child God's son; (3) יֶלֶד (yeled), “child,” is never used in accession oracles; (4) the Egyptian parallels have five titles not four as in Isa 9:6; (5) Egyptians employ a different structure for accession oracles than Isa 9:6; and (6) we have no evidence elsewhere that Judean kings imitated the Egyptian custom of bestowing divine titles.[44] Another possibility, argued by R. A. Carlson, is to see the names as anti-Assyrian polemic.[45] Keeping in mind that Assyria was constantly threatening Judah in the lifetime of Isaiah and that the child born was to signal deliverance, it would be no surprise that Isaiah would cast the child as a deliberate counter-Assyrian hero. Still, as Oswalt points out, “[T]he Hebrews did not believe this [that their kings were gods]. They denied that the king was anything more than the representative of God.”[46] Owing to a lack of parallels within Israel and Isaiah's own penchant for strict monotheism,[47] interpreting Isa 9:6 as presenting a God-man is ad hoc at best and outright eisegesis at worst. Furthermore, as I've already noted, the grammar of the passage indicates a historical child who was already born. Thus, if Isaiah meant to teach the deity of the child, we'd have two God-men: Hezekiah and Jesus. Far from a courtly scene of coronation, Wegner makes the case that our text is really a birth announcement in form. Birth announcements have (1) a declaration of the birth, (2) an announcement of the child's name, (3) an explanation of what the name means, and (4) a further prophecy about the child's future.[48] These elements are all present in Isa 9:6, making it a much better candidate for a birth announcement than an accession or coronation oracle. As a result, we should not expect divine titles given to the king like when the Pharaohs or Assyrian kings ascended the throne; instead, we ought to look for names that somehow relate to the child's career. We will delve more into this when we broach the topic of theophoric names. Mighty God's Agent Another possibility is to retain the traditional translation of “mighty God” and see the child as God's agent who bears the title. In fact, the Bible calls Moses[49] and the judges[50] of Israel אֱלֹהִים (elohim), “god(s),” due to their role in representing God. Likewise, as I've already mentioned, the court poet called the Davidic King “god” in Ps 45:6. Additionally, the word אֵל (el), “god,” refers to representatives of Yahweh whether divine (Ps 82:1, 6) or human (John 10.34ff).[51] Thus, Isa 9:6 could be another case in which a deputized human acting as God's agent is referred to as God. The NET nicely explains: [H]aving read the NT, we might in retrospect interpret this title as indicating the coming king's deity, but it is unlikely that Isaiah or his audience would have understood the title in such a bold way. Ps 45:6 addresses the Davidic king as “God” because he ruled and fought as God's representative on earth. …When the king's enemies oppose him on the battlefield, they are, as it were, fighting against God himself.[52] Raymond Brown admits that this “may have been looked on simply as a royal title.”[53] Likewise Williamson sees this possibility as “perfectly acceptable,” though he prefers the theophoric approach.[54] Even the incarnation-affirming Keil and Delitzsch recognize that calling the child אֵל גִּבּוֹר (el gibbor) is “nothing further…than this, that the Messiah would be the image of God as no other man ever had been (cf., El, Ps. 82:1), and that He would have God dwelling within Him (cf., Jer. 33:16).”[55] Edward L. Curtis similarly points out that had Isaiah meant to teach that the child would be an incarnation of Yahweh, he would have “further unfolded and made central this thought” throughout his book.[56] He likewise sees Isa 9:6 not as teaching “the incarnation of a deity” but as a case “not foreign to Hebrew usage to apply divine names to men of exalted position,” citing Exod 21:6 and Ps 82:6 as parallels.[57] Notwithstanding the lexical and scholarly support for this view, not to mention my own previous position[58] on Isa 9:6, I'm no longer convinced that this is the best explanation. It's certainly possible to call people “Gods” because they are his agents, but it is also rare. We'll come to my current view shortly, but for now, let's approach the second controversial title. Eternal Father The word אֲבִיעַד (aviad), “Eternal Father,” is another recognizable appellative for Yahweh. As I mentioned in the introduction, translators have occasionally watered down the phrase, unwilling to accept that a human could receive such a title. But humans who pioneer an activity or invent something new are fathers.[59] Walking in someone's footsteps is metaphorically recognizing him as one's father.[60] Caring for others like a father is yet another way to think about it.[61] Perhaps the child is a father in one of these figurative senses. If we follow Jerome and translate אֲבִיעַד (aviad) as Pater futuri saeculi, “Father of the future age,” we can reconfigure the title, “Eternal Father,” from eternal without beginning to eternal with a beginning but without an end. However, notes Williamson, “There is no parallel to calling the king ‘Father,' rather the king is more usually designated as God's son.”[62] Although we find Yahweh referred to as “Father” twice in Isaiah (Isa 63:16; 64:7), and several more times throughout the Old Testament,[63] the Messiah is not so called. Even in the New Testament we don't see the title applied to Jesus. Although not impossible to be taken as Jesus's fatherly role to play in the age to come, the most natural way to take אֲבִיעַד (aviad) is as a reference to Yahweh. In conclusion, both “mighty God” and “eternal Father” most naturally refer to Yahweh and not the child. If this is so, why is the child named with such divine designations? A Theophoric Name Finally, we are ready to consider the solution to our translation and interpretation woes. Israelites were fond of naming their kids with theophoric names (names that “carry God”). William Holladay explains: Israelite personal names were in general of two sorts. Some of them were descriptive names… But most Israelite personal names were theophoric; that is, they involve a name or title or designation of God, with a verb or adjective or noun which expresses a theological affirmation. Thus “Hezekiah” is a name which means “Yah (= Yahweh) is my strength,” and “Isaiah” is a name which means “Yah (= Yahweh) has brought salvation.” It is obvious that Isaiah is not called “Yahweh”; he bears a name which says something about Yahweh.[64] As Holladay demonstrates, when translating a theophoric name, it is customary to supplement the literal phrase with the verb, “to be.” Hezekiah = “Yah (is) my strength”; Isaiah = “Yah (is) salvation.” Similarly, Elijah means “My God (is) Yah” and Eliab, “My God (is the) Father.” Theophoric names are not about the child; they are about the God of the parents. When we imagine Elijah's mother calling him for dinner, she's literally saying “My God (is) Yah(weh), it's time for dinner.” The child's name served to remind her who her God was. Similarly, these other names spoke of God's strength, salvation, and fatherhood. To interpret the named child of Isa 9:6 correctly, we must look at the previously named children in Isa 7 and 8. In chapter 7 the boy is called “Immanuel,” meaning “God (is) with us” (Isa 7:14). This was a historical child who signaled prophecy. Isaiah said, “For before the boy knows to reject evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned” (Isa 7:16). In Isa 8:1 we encounter “Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,” or “The spoil speeds, the prey hastens.”[65] This child has a two-sentence name with an attached prophecy: “For before the boy calls, ‘my father' or ‘my mother,' the strength of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off before the king of Assyria” (Isa 8:4). Both children's sign names did not describe them nor what they would do, but what God would do for his people. Immanuel is a statement of faith. The name means God has not abandoned his people; they can confidently say, “God is with us” (Isa 8:10). Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz does not mean that the child would become a warrior to sack Damascus and seize her spoils, but that God would bring about the despoiling of Judah's enemy. When we encounter a third sign-named child in as many chapters, we are on solid contextual grounds to see this new, longer name in the same light. Isaiah prophecies that this child has the government upon his shoulder, sits on the throne of David, and will establish a lasting period of justice and righteousness (Isa 9:5, 7). This child bears the name “Pele-Yoets-El-Gibbor-Aviad-Sar-Shalom.” The name describes his parents' God, the mighty God, the eternal Father. Although this perspective has not yet won the day, it is well attested in a surprising breadth of resources. Already in 1867, Samuel David Luzzatto put forward this position.[66] The Jewish Publication Society concurred in their 2014 study Bible: Semitic names often consist of sentences that describe God … These names do not describe that person who holds them but the god whom the parents worship. Similarly, the name given to the child in this v. does not describe that child or attribute divinity to him, but describes God's actions.[67] The New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV) footnote on Isa. 9:6 says, “As in many Israelite personal names, the deity, not the person named, is being described.”[68] Additional scholars advocating the view also include Holladay (1978), Wegner (1992), Goldingay (1999, 2015), and Williamson (2018). Even so, Keil and Delitzsch eschew “such a sesquipedalian name,” calling it “unskillful,” and arguing that it would be impractical “to be uttered in one breath.”[69] But this is to take the idea too literally. No one is going to actually call the child by this name. John Goldingay helpfully explains: So he has that complicated name, “An-extraordinary-counselor-is-the-warrior-God, the-everlasting-Father-is-an-officer-for-well-being.” Like earlier names in Isaiah (God-is-with-us, Remains-Will-Return, Plunder-hurries-loot-rushes), the name is a sentence. None of these names are the person's everyday name—as when the New Testament says that Jesus will be called Immanuel, “God [is] with us,” without meaning this expression is Jesus' name. Rather, the person somehow stands for whatever the “name” says. God gives him a sign of the truth of the expression attached to him. The names don't mean that the person is God with us, or is the remains, or is the plunder, and likewise this new name doesn't mean the child is what the name says. Rather he is a sign and guarantee of it. It's as if he goes around bearing a billboard with that message and with the reminder that God commissioned the billboard.[70] Still, there's the question of identifying Yahweh as שַׂר־שָׁלוֹם (sar shalom). Since most of our translations render the phrase “Prince of Peace,” and the common meaning of a prince is someone inferior to the king, we turn away from labeling God with this title. Although HALOT mentions “representative of the king, official” for the first definition their second is “person of note, commander.”[71] The BDB glosses “chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince” as their first entry.[72] Wegner adds: “The book of Isaiah also appears to use the word sar in the general sense of “ruler.””[73] Still, we must ask, is it reasonable to think of Yahweh as a שַׂר (sar)? We find the phrase שַׂר־הַצָּבָא (sar-hatsava), “prince of hosts,” in Daniel 8:11 and שַׂר־שָׂרִים (sar-sarim), “prince of princes,” in verse 25, where both refer to God.[74]  The UBS Translators' Handbook recommends “God, the chief of the heavenly army” for verse 11 and “the greatest of all kings” for verse 25.[75] The handbook discourages using “prince,” since “the English word ‘prince' does not mean the ruler himself but rather the son of the ruler, while the Hebrew term always designates a ruler, not at all implying son of a ruler.”[76] I suggest applying this same logic to Isa 9:6. Rather than translating שַׂר־שָׁלוֹם (sar shalom) as “Prince of Peace,” we can render it, “Ruler of Peace” or “Ruler who brings peace.” Translating the Name Sentences Now that I've laid out the case for the theophoric approach, let's consider translation possibilities. Wegner writes, “the whole name should be divided into two parallel units each containing one theophoric element.”[77] This makes sense considering the structure of Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which translates two parallel name sentences: “The spoil speeds, the prey hastens.” Here are a few options for translating the name. Jewish Publication Society (1917) Wonderful in counsel is God the Mighty, the Everlasting Father, the Ruler of peace[78] William Holladay (1978) Planner of wonders; God the war hero (is) Father forever; prince of well-being[79] New Jewish Publication Society (1985) The Mighty God is planning grace; The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler[80] John Goldingay (1999) One who plans a wonder is the warrior God; the father for ever is a commander who brings peace[81] John Goldingay (2015) An-extraordinary-counselor-is-the-warrior-God, the-everlasting-Fathers-is-an-official-for-well-being[82] Hugh Williamson (2018) A Wonderful Planner is the Mighty God, An Eternal Father is the Prince of Peace[83] My Translation (2024) The warrior God is a miraculous strategist; the eternal Father is the ruler who brings peace[84] I prefer to translate אֵל גִּבּוֹר (el gibbor) as “warrior God” rather than “mighty God” because the context is martial, and  גִּבּוֹר(gibbor) often refers to those fighting in war.[85] “Mighty God” is ambiguous, and easily decontextualized from the setting of Isa 9:6. After all, Isa 9:4-5 tells a great victory “as on the day of Midian”—a victory so complete that they burn “all the boots of the tramping warriors” in the fire. The word פֶּלֶא (pele), though often translated “wonderful,” is actually the word for “miracle,” and יוֹעֵץ (yoets) is a participle meaning “adviser” or “planner.” Since the context is war, this “miracle of an adviser” or “miraculous planner” refers to military plans—what we call strategy, hence, “miraculous strategist.” Amazingly, the tactic God employed in the time of Hezekiah was to send out an angel during the night who “struck down one hundred eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians” (Isa 37:36). This was evidently the warrior God's miraculous plan to remove the threat of Assyria from Jerusalem's doorstep. Prophecies about the coming day of God when he sends Jesus Christ—the true and better Hezekiah—likewise foretell of an even greater victory over the nations.[86] In fact, just two chapters later we find a messianic prophecy of one who will “strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked” (Isa 11:4). The next phrase, “The eternal Father,” needs little comment since God's eternality and fatherhood are both noncontroversial and multiply attested. Literally translated, שַׂר־שָׁלוֹם (sar-shalom) is “Ruler of peace,” but I take the word pair as a genitive of product.[87] Williamson unpacks this meaning as “the one who is able to initiate and maintain Peace.”[88] That his actions in the time of Hezekiah brought peace is a matter of history. After a huge portion of the Assyrian army died, King Sennacherib went back to Nineveh, where his sons murdered him (Isa 37:37-38). For decades, Judah continued to live in her homeland. Thus, this child's birth signaled the beginning of the end for Assyria. In fact, the empire itself eventually imploded, a fate that, at Hezekiah's birth, must have seemed utterly unthinkable. Of course, the ultimate peace God will bring through his Messiah will far outshine what Hezekiah achieved.[89] Conclusion We began by considering the phraseוַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ  (vayikra sh'mo). We noted that the tense is perfect, which justifies a past-tense interpretation of the child who had already been born by the time of the birth announcement. I presented the case for Hezekiah as the initial referent of Isa 9:6 based on the fact that Hezekiah’s life overlapped with Isaiah’s, that he sat on the throne of David (v7), and that his reign saw the miraculous deliverance from Assyria's army. Furthermore, I noted that identifying the child of Isa 9:6 as Hezekiah does not preclude a true and better one to come. Although Isa 9:6 does not show up in the New Testament, I agree with the majority of Christians who recognize this text as a messianic prophecy, especially when combined with verse 7. Next we puzzled over the subject for phraseוַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ  (vayikra sh'mo.) Two options are that the phrase פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ אֵל גִּבּוֹר (pele yoets el gibbor) functions as the subject or else the subject is indefinite. Although the Jewish interpreters overwhelmingly favor the former, the lack of definite articles and parallel constructions in Isaiah make me think the latter is more likely. Still, the Jewish approach to translation is a legitimate possibility. I explained how a passive voice makes sense in English since it hides the subject, and settled on “his name has been called,” as the best translation. Then we looked at the phrase אֵל גִּבּוֹר (el gibbor) and considered the option of switching the order of the words and taking the first as the modifier of the second as in “mighty hero” or “divine warrior.” We explored the possibility that Isaiah was ascribing deity to the newborn child. We looked at the idea of Isaiah calling the boy “Mighty God” because he represented God. In the end we concluded that these all are less likely than taking God as the referent, especially in light of the identical phrase in Isa 10:21 where it unambiguously refers to Yahweh. Moving on to אֲבִיעַד (aviad), we considered the possibility that “father” could refer to someone who started something significant and “eternal” could merely designate a coming age. Once again, though these are both possible readings, they are strained and ad hoc, lacking any indication in the text to signal a non-straightforward reading. So, as with “Mighty God,” I also take “Eternal Father” as simple references to God and not the child. Finally, we explored the notion of theophoric names. Leaning on two mainstream Bible translations and five scholars, from Luzzatto to Williamson, we saw that this lesser-known approach is quite attractive. Not only does it take the grammar at face value, it also explains how a human being could be named “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father.” The name describes God and not the child who bears it. Lastly, drawing on the work of the Jewish Publication Society, Goldingay, and Williamson, I proposed the translation: “The warrior God is a miraculous strategist; the eternal Father is the ruler who brings peace.” This rendering preserves the martial context of Isa 9:6 and glosses each word according to its most common definition. I added in the verb “is” twice as is customary when translating theophoric names. The result is a translation that recognizes God as the focus and not the child. This fits best in the immediate context, assuming Hezekiah is the original referent. After all, his greatest moment was not charging out ahead of a column of soldiers, but his entering the house of Yahweh and praying for salvation. God took care of everything else. Likewise, the ultimate Son of David will have God's spirit influencing him: a spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of God (Isa 11:2). The eternal Father will so direct his anointed that he will “not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear” (Isa 11:3). In his days God will bring about a shalom so deep that even the animals will become peaceful (Isa 11:6-8). An advantage of this reading of Isa 9:6 is that it is compatible with the full range of christological positions Christians hold. Secondly, this approach nicely fits with the original meaning in Isaiah’s day, and it works for the prophecy’s ultimate referent in Christ Jesus. Additionally, it is the interpretation with the least amount of special pleading. Finally, it puts everything into the correct order, allowing exegesis to drive theology rather than the other way around. Bibliography Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament. Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2012. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 1917. The Jewish Study Bible. Edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler. Second ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014. Net Bible, Full Notes Edition. Edited by W. Hall Harris III James Davis, and Michael H. Burer. 2nd ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2019. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Edited by Carol A. Newsom Marc Z. Brettler, Pheme Perkins. Third ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. The Stone Edition of the Tanach. Edited by Nosson Scherman and Meir Zlotowitz. Brooklyn, NY: Artscroll, 1996. Tanakh, the Holy Scriptures: The New Jps Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text. 4th, Reprint. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 1985. Translation of Targum Onkelos and Jonathan. Translated by Eidon Clem. Altamonte Springs, FL: OakTree Software, 2015. Alter, Rober. The Hebrew Bible: Prophets, Nevi’im. Vol. 2. 3 vols. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2019. Ashkenazi, Jacob ben Isaac. Tze’enah Ure’enah: A Critical Translation into English. Translated by Morris M. Faierstein. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2017. https://www.sefaria.org/Tze’enah_Ure’enah%2C_Haftarot%2C_Yitro.31?lang=bi&with=About&lang2=en. Baumgartner, Ludwig Koehler and Walter. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Edited by M. E. J. Richardson. Leiden: Brill, 2000. Brown, Raymond E. Jesus: God and Man, edited by 3. New York: Macmillan, 1967. Carlson, R. A. “The Anti-Assyrian Character of the Oracle in Is. Ix, 1-6.” Vetus Testamentum, no. 24 (1974): 130-5. Curtis, Edward L. “The Prophecy Concerning the Child of the Four Names: Isaiah Ix., 6, 7.” The Old and New Testament Student 11, no. 6 (1890): 336-41. Delitzsch, C. F. Keil and F. Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Finnegan, Sean. “Jesus Is God: Exploring the Notion of Representational Deity.” Paper presented at the One God Seminar, Seattle, WA, 2008, https://restitutio.org/2016/01/11/explanations-to-verses-commonly-used-to-teach-that-jesus-is-god/. Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Gesenius, Wilhelm. Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar. Edited by E. Kautzsch and A. E. Cowley. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910. Goldingay, John. “The Compound Name in Isaiah 9:5(6).” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 61, no. 2 (1999): 239-44. Goldingay, John. Isaiah for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2015. Holladay, William L. Isaiah: Scroll of Prophetic Heritage. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1978. III, Ben Witherington. Isaiah Old and New. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2017. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1ggjhbz.7. Luzzatto, Samuel David. Shi’ur Komah. Padua, IT: Antonio Bianchi, 1867. O’Connor, Bruce K. Waltke and Michael P. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake, IN: Esenbrauns, 1990. Ogden, Graham S., and Jan Sterk. A Handbook on Isaiah. Ubs Translator's Handbooks. New York: United Bible Societies, 2011. Oswalt, John. The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-39. Nicot. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986. Péter-Contesse, René and John Ellington. A Handbook on Daniel. Ubs Translator’s Handbooks. New York, NY: United Bible Societies, 1993. Roberts, J. J. M. First Isaiah. Vol. 23A. Hermeneia, edited by Peter Machinist. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2001. Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Walter Bauer, Frederick W. Danker, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Wegner, Paul D. “A Re-Examination of Isaiah Ix 1-6.” Vetus Testamentum 42, no. 1 (1992): 103-12. Williamson, H. G. M. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Isaiah 1-27. Vol. 2. International Critical Commentary, edited by G. I. Davies and C. M. Tuckett. New York: Bloomsbury, 2018. Yitzchaki, Shlomo. Complete Tanach with Rashi. Translated by A. J. Rosenberg. Chicago, IL: Davka Corp, 1998. https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Isaiah.9.5.2?lang=bi&with=About&lang2=en. Young, Edward J. The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 1-18. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1965. End Notes [1] Throughout I'll refer to Isaiah 9:6 based on the versification used in English translations. Hebrew Bibles shift the count by one, so the same verse is Isaiah 9:5. [2] Paul D. Wegner, “A Re-Examination of Isaiah Ix 1-6,” Vetus Testamentum 42, no. 1 (1992): 103. [3] BHS is the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, the standard Hebrew text based on the Leningrad Codex, a medieval Masoretic text. [4] In Hebrew the perfect tense roughly maps onto English past tense and the imperfect tense to future tense. [5] See NRSVUE, ESV, NASB20, NIV, NET, LSB, NLT, NKJ, ASV, KJV. [6] See translations by Robert Alter, James Moffat, and Duncan Heaster.  Also see Westminster Commentary, Cambridge Bible Commentary, New Century Bible Commentary, and The Daily Study Bible. [7] See New English Bible. [8] See Ibn Ezra. [9] See An American Testament. [10] “Held” means “hero” in German. In the Luther Bible (1545), he translated the phrase as “und er heißt Wunderbar, Rat, Kraft, Held, Ewig -Vater, Friedefürst,” separating power (Kraft = El) and hero (Held = Gibbor) whereas in the 1912 revision we read, “er heißt Wunderbar, Rat, Held, Ewig-Vater Friedefürst,” which reduced el gibbor to “Held” (hero). [11] See fn 4 above. [12] See New American Bible Revised Edition and An American Testament. [13] See New English Bible and James Moffatt's translation. [14] See Ibn Ezra. [15] See Duncan Heaster's New European Version. [16] See Word Biblical Commentary. [17] See Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917, the Koren Jerusalem Bible, and the Complete Jewish Bible. [18] In the Dead Sea Scrolls, 1QIsaa 8.24 reads “וקרא,” the vav-conversed form of “קרא,” translated “he will call,” an active future tense. This reading is implausible considering the unambiguous past tense of the two initial clauses that began verse 6: “a child has been born…a son has been given.” [19] “Here the Hebrew begins to use imperfect verb forms with the conjunction often rendered “and.” These verbs continue the tense of the perfect verb forms used in the previous lines. They refer to a state or situation that now exists, so they may be rendered with the present tense in English. Some translations continue to use a perfect tense here (so NJB, NJPSV, FRCL), which is better.” Graham S. Ogden, and Jan Sterk, A Handbook on Isaiah, Ubs Translator's Handbooks (New York: United Bible Societies, 2011). [20] H. G. M. Williamson, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Isaiah 1-27, vol. 2, International Critical Commentary, ed. G. I. Davies and C. M. Tuckett (New York: Bloomsbury, 2018), 371. [21] Wilhelm Gesenius, Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar, ed. E. Kautzsch and A. E. Cowley, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910), §106n. [22] Bruce K. Waltke and Michael P. O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake, IN: Esenbrauns, 1990), §30.5.1e. [23] John Goldingay takes a “both-and” position, recognizing that Isaiah was speaking by faith of what God would do in the future, but also seeing the birth of the son to the king as having already happened by the time of the prophecy. John Goldingay, Isaiah for Everyone (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2015), 42. [24] Jewish authors include Rashi, A. E. Kimchi, Abravanel, Malbim, and Luzzatto. [25] See 2 Kings 18:3-7. [26] Unless otherwise noted, all translations are my own. [27] J. J. M. Roberts, First Isaiah, vol. 23A, Hermeneia, ed. Peter Machinist (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2001), 153. [28] Ben Witherington III, Isaiah Old and New (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2017), 95-6, 99-100. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1ggjhbz.7. [29] Translation of Targum Onkelos and Jonathan, trans. Eidon Clem (Altamonte Springs, FL: OakTree Software, 2015). [30] Shlomo Yitzchaki, Complete Tanach with Rashi, trans. A. J. Rosenberg (Chicago, IL: Davka Corp, 1998). https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Isaiah.9.5.2?lang=bi&with=About&lang2=en. [31] Jacob ben Isaac Ashkenazi, Tze’enah Ure’enah: A Critical Translation into English, trans. Morris M. Faierstein (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2017). https://www.sefaria.org/Tze’enah_Ure’enah%2C_Haftarot%2C_Yitro.31?lang=bi&with=About&lang2=en. [32] Square brackets in original. The Stone Edition of the Tanach, ed. Nosson Scherman and Meir Zlotowitz (Brooklyn, NY: Artscroll, 1996). [33] Net Bible, Full Notes Edition, ed. W. Hall Harris III James Davis, and Michael H. Burer, 2nd ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2019), 1266. [34] C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 249-50. [35] As mentioned above, the Hebrew is not actually passive. [36] The LXX reads “καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ” (kai kaleitai to onoma autou), which means “and his name is called.” [37] Rober Alter, The Hebrew Bible: Prophets, Nevi’im, vol. 2, 3 vols. (New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2019), 651. [38] John Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-39, Nicot (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 247. [39] Delitzsch, 252. [40] The אֵלֵי גִבּוֹרִים (eley gibborim) of Ezek 32.21 although morphologically suggestive of a plural form of el gibbor, is not a suitable parallel to Isa 9:6 since אֵלֵי (eley) is the plural of אַיִל (ayil), meaning “chief” not אֵל (el). Thus, the translation “mighty chiefs” or “warrior rulers” takes eley as the noun and gibborim as the adjective and does not actually reverse them. [41] Edward J. Young, The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 1-18, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1965), 338. [42] Translator's note A on Isa 9:6 in the NET states, “[I]t is unlikely that Isaiah or his audience would have understood the title in such a bold way.” Net Bible, Full Notes Edition, 1267. [43] “The Messiah is the corporeal presence of this mighty God; for He is with Him, He is in Him, and in Him He is with Israel. The expression did not preclude the fact that the Messiah would be God and man in one person; but it did not penetrate to this depth, so far as the Old Testament consciousness was concerned.” Delitzsch, 253. [44] See Wegner 104-5. [45] See R. A. Carlson, “The Anti-Assyrian Character of the Oracle in Is. Ix, 1-6,” Vetus Testamentum, no. 24 (1974). [46] Oswalt, 246. [47] Isa 43:10-11; 44:6, 8; 45:5-6, 18, 21-22; 46:9. Deut 17:14-20 lays out the expectations for an Israelite king, many of which limit his power and restrict his exaltation, making deification untenable. [48] Wegner 108. [49] See Exod 4:16; 7:1. The word “God” can apply to “any person characterized by greatness or power: mighty one, great one, judge,” s.v. “אֱלֹהִים” in Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament.. The BDAG concurs, adding that a God is “that which is nontranscendent but considered worthy of special reverence or respect… of humans θεοί (as אֱלֹהִים) J[ohn] 10:34f (Ps 81:6; humans are called θ. in the OT also Ex 7:1; 22:27,” s.v. “θεός” in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. [50] See Exod 21.6; 22:8-9. The BDB includes the definition, “rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power,” s.v. “אֱלֹהִים” in The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon [51] Thayer points this out in his lexicon: “Hebraistically, equivalent to God’s representative or vicegerent, of magistrates and judges, John 10:34f after Ps. 81:6 (Ps. 82:6)” s.v. “θέος” in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [52] Net Bible, Full Notes Edition, 1267. [53] Raymond E. Brown, Jesus: God and Man, ed. 3 (New York: Macmillan, 1967), 25. [54] Williamson, 397. [55] Delitzsch, 253. See also fn 40 above. [56] Edward L. Curtis, “The Prophecy Concerning the Child of the Four Names: Isaiah Ix., 6, 7,” The Old and New Testament Student 11, no. 6 (1890): 339. [57] Ibid. [58] Sean Finnegan, “Jesus Is God: Exploring the Notion of Representational Deity” (paper presented at the One God Seminar, Seattle, WA2008), https://restitutio.org/2016/01/11/explanations-to-verses-commonly-used-to-teach-that-jesus-is-god/. [59] Jabal was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock (Gen 4:20) and Jubal was the father of those who play the lyre and the pipe (Gen 4:21). [60] Jesus told his critics, “You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires” (John 8:44). [61] Job called himself “a father to the needy” (Job 29:16) and Isaiah prophesied that Eliakim would be “a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Isa 22:21). [62] Williamson, 397. [63] For references to Yahweh as father to the people see Deut 32:6; Ps 103:13; Prov 3:12; Jer 3:4; 31.9; Mal 1.6; 2:10. For Yahweh as father to the messiah see 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chron 7:13; 28:6; Ps 89:27. [64] William L. Holladay, Isaiah: Scroll of Prophetic Heritage (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1978), 108. [65] See NRSVUE fn on Isa 8:1. [66] והנה המכוון במאמר פלא יועץ וגו’ הוא כי האל הגבור שהוא אבי עד ואדון השלום, הוא יועץ וגוזר לעשות פלא לישראל בזמן ממלכת הילד הנולד היום, ואח”כ מפרש למרבה המשרה וגו’. ולפי הפירוש הזה לא לחנם האריך כאן בתארי האל, כי כוונת הנביא לרמוז כי בבוא הפלא שהאל יועץ וגוזר עתה, יוודע שהוא אל גבור ובעל היכולת ושהוא אב לעד, ולא יפר בריתו עם בניו בני ישראל, ולא ישכח את ברית אבותם. ושהוא אדון השלום ואוהב השלום, ולא יאהב העריצים אשר כל חפצם לנתוש ולנתוץ ולהאביד ולהרוס, אבל הוא משפילם עד עפר, ונותן שלום בארץ, כמו שראינו בכל הדורות. Chat GPT translation: “And behold, the intention in the phrase ‘Wonderful Counselor’ and so on is that the mighty God, who is the Eternal Father and the Prince of Peace, is the Counselor and decrees to perform a wonder for Israel at the time of the reign of the child born today. Afterwards, it is explained as ‘to increase the dominion’ and so on. According to this interpretation, it is not in vain that the prophet elaborates on the attributes of God here, for the prophet’s intention is to hint that when the wonder that God now advises and decrees comes about, it will be known that He is the Mighty God and possesses the ability and that He is the Eternal Father. He will not break His covenant with His sons, the children of Israel, nor forget the covenant of their ancestors. He is the Prince of Peace and loves peace, and He will not favor the oppressors whose every desire is to tear apart, destroy, and obliterate, but He will humble them to the dust and grant peace to the land, as we have seen throughout the generations.” Samuel David Luzzatto, Shi’ur Komah (Padua, IT: Antonio Bianchi, 1867). Accessible at Sefaria and the National Library of Israel. [67]The Jewish Study Bible, ed. Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, Second ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 784. [68] The New Oxford Annotated Bible, ed. Carol A. Newsom Marc Z. Brettler, Pheme Perkins, Third ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 991. [69] Delitzsch, 249. [70] Goldingay, 42-3. [71] Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, ed. M. E. J. Richardson (Leiden: Brill, 2000). [72] See s.v. “שַׂר” in The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon [73] Wegner 112. [74] Keil and Delitzsch say the sar of Dan 8:11 refers to “the God of heaven and the King of Israel, the Prince of princes, as He is called in v. 25,” Delitzsch, 297. [75] René and John Ellington Péter-Contesse, A Handbook on Daniel, Ubs Translator’s Handbooks (New York, NY: United Bible Societies, 1993). [76] Ibid. [77] Wegner 110-1. [78] The main text transliterates “Pele-joez-el-gibbor-/Abi-ad-sar-shalom,” while the footnote translates as indicated above. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 1917), 575. [79] Holladay, 109. [80] Tanakh, the Holy Scriptures: The New Jps Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (4th: repr., Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 1985), 634. [81] John Goldingay, “The Compound Name in Isaiah 9:5(6),” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 61, no. 2 (1999): 243. [82] Goldingay, Isaiah for Everyone, 40. [83] Williamson, 355. [84] An alternative is “The warrior God is planning a miracle; the eternal Father is the ruler of peace.” [85] For גִּבּוֹר in a military context, see 1 Sam 17:51; 2 Sam 20.7; 2 Kgs 24:16; Isa 21.17; Jer 48:41; Eze 39:20; and Joel 2:7; 3:9. [86] See 2 Thess 2:8 and Rev 19:11-21 (cp. Dan 7:13-14). [87] See Gesenius § 128q, which describes a genitive of “statements of the purpose for which something is intended.” [88] Williamson, 401. [89] Isaiah tells of a time when God will “judge between nations,” resulting in the conversion of the weapons of war into the tools of agriculture and a lasting era when “nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa 2:4).

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

A few weeks ago the pastoral team, along with our wives, had our annual fall retreat. This is something that we've been able to do every year since we were first planted, and it's usually a time of team soul care. We pray for one another, and invest in our unity and health — which is all good and important — but this most recent retreat was more like a recalibration of purpose. We wanted to come back to the questions:Why do we exist? What are we mainly all about? So we discussed that and prayed about that, and it's all pretty simple. This shouldn't be a surprise to you. It's not new — The purpose of this church is to delight in and display the glory of God in Jesus Christ. That's why we exist. Our mission and vision as a church … and everything we do as pastors in service and accountability to you; everything about our staff; everything about our band and all those who serve in children's ministry and Sunday Welcome; and space set-up and A/V support; everything about our Community Groups and Life Groups — everything about our work and ministry to these cities in the places where you live, work, and recreate — everything ultimately terminates on this purpose: we delight in and display the glory of God. We enjoy and exalt God in all his glory.This means that as a church we worship him and we want others to worship him because we want his glory to magnified above all things … because he's God. He is more important than anything else there is. And we love him for that. We love God for being God. That's the thing we can't get over.And I need to take some lessons from my son, Nate, on this. He always brings things back to God. The other day he and his brothers and me were talking, and I think the question was about their favorite holiday — but I've heard Nate say this before whether he's talking about his favorite food, his favorite sport, his favorite movie — he might tell you about his favorite whatever, but then he'll say, “But God is better, right Dad?” He says it all the time. And I say: Yeah, that's right. God is better … and bigger and more important than anything else you can imagine. And we exist for him — we as individuals, we exist for him, and this church exists for him. That's what our passage is about today. We're looking at Hebrews 12:12–29, and this is a long passage; there's a ton of Old Testament allusions and quotations; there's a mixture of practical exhortation and doctrinal explanation — I spent a long time on this text this past week, but I'm gonna try to summarize the overall meaning of this passage in one sentence. This is one sentence, divided up into three points:Keep running again,Because we have what is better, Therefore, worship God. Keep running again because we have what is better, therefore, worship God.Let's pray: Father in heaven, please help us now as we set our attention on your Holy Scriptures. Give us open and receptive hearts to receive what you have for us, in Jesus's name, amen!1) Keep running again (verses 12-17, 25–27)Now the reason I'm saying “again” is because we've already heard this. We've been hearing this for the past two Sundays:Verses 1–2 — run with endurance the race set before usVerse 3 — don't get weary or fainthearted (which implies: keep running)Verse 12 this morning — “Therefore” [because we now understand why the running is hard, because of God's fatherly discipline in verses 5–11], “therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.”There's two things going on here in verses 12–13: The first thing to see is that the writer continues the running metaphor he started in verse 1. Now I don't pretend to know much about proper form when it comes to running, but I did verify this with some real runners, so allow me to demonstrate.When you're running, you want your hands up here, by your chest, moving. If you see somebody running, and their hands are drooping down here, what would you think is going on? They're tired — if you're running and your hands are down here, that's like the universal sign that you're struggling.Now add to that “weak knees” — drooping hands and weak knees — and you've got a runner who is about to drop. So the writer of Hebrews is still working in the running metaphor.Now notice in verse 12 that verb “lift” or “strengthen.” In the original, it's actually only one verb that applies to both the drooping hands and weak knees. The word means, basically, to restore, or to re-strengthen — which is something you gotta do if you're gonna keep running. Also, verse 13, “make straight paths for your feet.” If you're gonna keep running, you have to stick to the path, run straight — so that whatever is lame, won't be. It's easy to see here that the writer is saying what he's been saying: again, keep running. Old Testament Allusions (verses 12–13)But there's something else the writer is doing. Verses 12–13 allude to at least two Old Testament verses. First, listen to Isaiah 35, verse 3 — and the context of Isaiah 35 is full of joy and hope. Isaiah has been talking about God's future salvation. He says, Isaiah 35:3, “Strengthen the weak hands,and make firm the feeble knees.4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,‘Be strong; fear not!…'” Now listen to Proverbs 4:26, “Ponder [or make straight] the path of your feet;then all your ways will be sure.” So that's Isaiah 35:3 and Proverbs 4:26 — and it sure seems like the writer of Hebrews is echoing these verses in 12 and 13 — the early Christians who first heard this book would have absolutely made the Old Testament connection — and what's brilliant about this by the writer (I just want to point out!) is that he is simultaneously quoting Old Testament verses and keeping it within the running metaphor. He's saying: Again, keep running (like I've been saying) and here's support from the Hebrew Scriptures. This is amazing.Peace and Holiness (verse 14)Then he gives us another command in verse 14: “Strive [or pursue] for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Pursue peace and holiness. This is part of the running. And one important thing to know about peace and holiness is that peace and holiness are the fruit of the gospel for all things horizontal and vertical. Peace, horizontal. Holiness, vertical.In the death of Jesus, he demolished the walls of hostility that stood between us and others, which means, at a personal level, the world has become our neighbor. Our default orientation to everyone is peaceableness. And, holiness means that we are maturing as God's sons and daughters. We should be increasingly living in congruence to who God has made us to be, is making us to be. There is a “holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” That's what verse 14 says. It means the only way we're going to see Jesus face-to-face one day is if we are made like him. We must be holy like him. That's something to remember as you imagine the day you're going to see Jesus. I try to think about that moment a lot, especially in worship. I look up there at that window and remember that Jesus is a real person, and I've said this before … he probably doesn't look exactly like that, but he looks something like that! Because he has a face. He's got hands. He has eyes. And one day I'm going to see him. And I wonder what I'm gonna do. I can get kinda nervous thinking about it. But what helps me is that fact that in that moment when I see Jesus I'm going to be completely holy — that's how I know I won't say anything dumb. I'll see him and I'll be like him.And the holiness that I will have in that moment, and the peace that I have horizontally with others, are both realities that I have received in the gospel. I don't earn any of these things. They are gifts given to me through my union with Jesus. That's true for all Christians. And therefore, we pursue peace and holiness — we pursue them not to earn them, but to fulfill them. That's basically the Christian life. That's what the running is — we are increasingly becoming who we are in Christ — and there are some warnings here. … in verse 15 and verse 25. A Word on Warnings (vv. 15ff, 25ff)These warnings are part of the running, so I'm going to combine them together — we're not going to spend a ton of time on this — I wrote to you about this in the email on Friday, called it two mistakes to avoid in discipleship — but notice that verse 15 and verse 25 both begin with the word “see”.Verse 15, “See to it that no one fails to obtain [or falls short of] the grace of God…” Verse 25, “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking …” And in both cases the writer refers to a negative example from the Old Testament. There's Esau as the negative example in the first warning, and then Israel at Mount Sinai as the negative example in the second warning. Don't be like them. Don't be short-sighted like Esau who failed to think about the future; and don't be fearful like Israel who failed to obey God speaking in the present. When it comes to running with endurance, we need to have the long view and we need to know that every step matters. These warnings are part of the running; running is still the major theme of the chapter; it's our first point: “Keep running again.” Now here's the second point, the second part of our summary sermon sentence. Keep running again…2) Because we have what is better (verses 18–24)This is verses 18–24, and this section is just incredible. I'm going to read the whole section again, but let me tell you what's going on. The writer is going to do another contrast here, basically between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. And he's done this contrast before, but what makes it different in Chapter 12 is that this is a contrast of our experience.It's riveting. The writer starts by describing the experience of Israel at Mount Sinai (in Exodus 19), and he describes this like a play-by-play commentator. TV and video have basically ruined us, but imagine for the first hearers what it would have been like to hear this play-by-play! It's all sensory language. Listen to this, and see if you can track with the senses evoked. Verse 18: 18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” It's all touchable, smellable, hearable, seeable. Old Covenant Israel came to that at Mount Sinai and it terrified them. But we have not come to that. Instead, we've come to something different — something better. Now we've talked before about the “Jesus is better” theme in the Book of Hebrews overall, and well, here is that theme again, and it's an absolute fireworks show. Verses 22–24 remind me of the grand finale of a fireworks show when a bunch of fireworks get shot out together … That's what this is. There were seven descriptions of Mount Sinai in verses 18–21, and now in verses 22–24 there are seven descriptions of the glory of Mount Zion. This is what we have come to. So listen to this, and Christian, know that this is yours. You have not come to Mount Sinai …22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel!This is stunning. We have come to this. It's like the writer is saying: Do you know where you are? Yeah, you can't see all of this right now, but you have it. You can have the assurance of things hoped for. You can have the conviction of things not seen. They are yours.And I'd love to go into detail about each one of these descriptions, but that would take all day, so I'm just going to comment briefly on each one …Mount Zion, the city of the living God, heavenly JerusalemThis is home. In Chapter 11 it's called the homeland, the better country, the city that God has prepared for us. It's the unshakable kingdom there in verse 28. It's the city that is to come in Chapter 13:14. The New Jerusalem is our future in that one day we will stand in that city come down from heaven (Revelation 21:2), but we are its citizens now. It's our home now, although we're not there yet. And we should say about New Jerusalem what Psalm 137 says about Old Jerusalem: “5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,if I do not remember you,if I do not set New Jerusalemabove my highest joy!” We should think more about Heaven, y'all. And we should live as a witness to it. Jesus is coming back and he's bringing a city.2. innumerable angels in festal gathering,Another way to say this sentence is “party with the angels.” In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us about the joy of the angels over one sinner who repents (see Luke 15:10). So imagine here thousands and thousands of angels — too many to count — and they are all gathered together to celebrate. We are part of that celebration. 3. the assembly [or church] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heavenThe word there for “assembly” is the word for “church”, and this is a way to talk about the universal church. It's the whole communion of saints — every Christian who has ever lived across all time and place. It includes those who have died in faith, like the cloud of witnesses in verse 1, and it includes all true believers across all denominations today. It's whoever has their name written in heaven. We are part of that membership. 4. We have come to God, the judge of allThis means what it says. God. We have come to God. Jesus died to bring us to God. We have him, and he is “the judge of all,” which speaks to his supreme authority. There's nobody above him. There's nobody to get to after him. And so you might wonder, like me: Why put God at #4 here in the list? If God is most ultimate, shouldn't he come last?Well, remember these Christians know that it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (that's from Chapter 10:31). They've just been reminded about Mount Sinai and how frightening is was when Israel encountered God. So how can the writer ensure us that our coming to God the judge will be different?He starts by telling us about those who have already faced the judgment of God. …5. to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,This refers to all those who have died in faith — those who have finished their race and faced the judgment of God. Hebrews 9:27, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Saints who have died have experienced that, and they were not incinerated. Why?Because of …6. Jesus, the mediator of a new covenantWe've come to Jesus. This new covenant that is better than the old is mediated by a Savior who is better than all — he is a better priest, a better prophet, a better king — and we have come to him. There's a great story here from the life of John Bunyan. After he became a Christian against all human odds, after he was mentored by his pastor John Gilford, after he started preaching, after he wrote his first book — Bunyan was being used by God — but then he got really sick. A grave illness.And through this sickness, he said that Satan continually assaulted his soul with doubts and fears. Eventually he recovered from the physical sickness but then came under “a great cloud of darkness.” He struggled with debilitating depression and what he called spiritual apathy. He wrote, “I could not feel my soul to move or stir after grace and life by Christ.”And this continued on until one night, he was sitting by the fireplace with his wife, Mary, in their small 17th-century English home, and suddenly a verse flashed into his mind. He thought “I must go to Jesus.” And he said to Mary: “Wife, is there ever such a Scripture as ‘I must go to Jesus'?”And Mary, of course, didn't grab her phone and google it, but she thought about it and she searched through their Bible, and finally she said, “I can't tell. Can't find it.” And then, Boom!, Bunyan said I got it! Hebrews 12:24, “But ye are come unto … Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant.”He said that joy flooded his soul and he wanted so badly to tell people about it. He wrote, “Christ was a precious Christ to my soul that night … I could scarce lie in my bed for joy and peace and triumph through Christ.”How bout that?!Church, we have come to this Jesus. And he's just better. His new covenant is better. We keep running, again — we keep running — because what we have in Christ is better …3) Therefore, worship God (verses 28–29)Skip to verse 28. What do we do, then, with all this? In light of all that we've come to. In light of this unshakeable kingdom that is ours in Christ, verse 28: 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. Because what we have in Christ is better, we run with endurance the race set before us, and we keep running, and ultimately it's all about worship. We exist to worship God. That's the purpose. To enjoy and exalt God in all his glory. And that worship, the writer says, is to be acceptable (or pleasing) worship, “with reverence and awe … for our God is a consuming fire.” And isn't it interesting that the writer ends this whole section with those words? That image? God, a consuming fire. That's a quote from Deuteronomy 4:24, “For Yahweh your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Why does the writer end the chapter with this? In the passage just before this (we saw last week) the writer tells us that God is our father who loves us, who treats us as his children. Why end here with “consuming fire”?Well, we don't know precisely why, but we know it's connected to the Mount Sinai reference in verse 18, and I think it's because the writer wants to remind us that our God, the God we worship, our Father, is the same God we read about at Mount Sinai. … the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, the God who revealed his terrifying glory to a fearful Moses and faithless Israel. That God is our God … same God, but better covenant. Same God, but better promises. Same God, but better hope in Jesus … We have a better everything in Jesus — so we should give God thanks. And God is the same God he has always been so we know that he is not to be trifled with. And we worship him in light of that … we remember that God is full of stunning grace, and the grace is stunning because it's the grace of a consuming fire.And when we understand this, we're overcome with gratitude. Reverence and awe is just what happens. It's what can't not happen.It's not teddy bear grace. It's consuming fire grace …That's only possible because the sprinkled blood of Jesus speaks a better word than Abel.This is what brings us to the Table. The TableWe see in verse 24 that we have come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and that last description in verse 24 emphasizes the how.We have come to Jesus who by his blood — by his high priestly sacrifice of himself — has made the way for us. Through his death, Jesus has given us blessings world without end. His blood is our boast. His empty tomb is our hope. Jesus is our everything. And give him thanks for that at this Table. We worship God because of him at this Table.

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

How do you respond when life troubles you? “Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.” — 1 Samuel 18:12 “But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.” — 1 Samuel 18:16 “Then Saul said to David, ‘Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD's battles.'” — 1 Samuel 18:17a “For Saul thought, ‘Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.'” — 1 Samuel 18:17b “And David said to Saul, ‘Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?'” — 1 Samuel 18:18 “But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.” — 1 Samuel 18:19 “Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. Saul thought, ‘Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.'” — 1 Samuel 18:20-21 “The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.” — 1 Samuel 18:25 “David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins…” — 1 Samuel 18:27 “Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.” — 1 Samuel 18:29 1. In times of trouble, we can run to God. “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted, a refuge in times of trouble.” — Psalm 9:9 “He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.” — Psalm 103:4 “For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.” — Psalm 149:4 “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” — Psalm 116:7 “All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.” — Psalm 145:14 “Our Lord is great, vast in power; his understanding is infinite.” — Psalm 147:5 “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires.” — Psalm 37:4 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart. My portion forever.” — Psalm 73:26 “He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. He brought me out to a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” — Psalm 33:17, 19 “Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you, and you forgave all my sins.” — Psalm 32:5 2. In times of trouble, we can trust in God's sovereignty. 3. In times of trouble, remember God has zeal for His own glory. “For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.” — Isaiah 48:9-11 4. In times of trouble, know that rest is found not in your own understanding; rest is found in trusting the Lord. You will not find rest turning inward. You'll only find rest when you turn to Him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” — Proverbs 3:5–8

Psalm 149 (As read by Anne) 149:1 Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. 149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp! 149:4 For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation. 149:5 Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds. 149:6 May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand; 149:7 To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 149:9 to execute on them the written judgment. All his saints have this honor. Praise Yah! Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file

Psalm 11 Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file For the Chief Musician. By David. 1 In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? 2 For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? 4 Yahweh is in his holy temple. Yahweh is on his throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men. 5 Yahweh examines the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and him who loves violence. 6 On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For Yahweh is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright shall see his face. World English Bible As read by Sharona Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file Click or Tap here to visit our page to download all 150 Psalms as mp3 files

Led by Apostle Sydney Quaye, Global Lead Pastor of Shekinah Avenue Church Using Psalm 118:14-15 (TPT)  Lord, you are my true strength and my glory-song, my champion, my Savior! The joyful songs I now sing will be sung again in the hearts and homes of all your lovers. My loud shouts of victory will echo throughout the land. For Yahweh's right hand conquers valiantly! And many other scriptures, Apostle leads the congregation in shouts of victory to declare our triumph in these twenty days of fasting in the name of Jesus.

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For Yahweh your God is testing you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul." - Deuteronomy 13:1-3   This Episode's Links: (All timestamps offset by 24-seconds) 00:00 – Deuteronomy 13 03:41 – Thoughts on the Reading 18:28 – Facebook Community Standards, Account Warning 26:55 - Glenn Greenwald Torches Wray For Failure To Define ‘Disinformation' – Virginia Kruta, DW 35:34 - The Rundown: Congress Shreds FBI Chief, But What's The GOP's End Goal?  – Tim Meads, DW 45:38 - MSNBC's Mika tells Biden handlers to "do a better job" covering up Joe's age: "You can't have these video images of the president tripping or the president, like, going the wrong way!" – Harris Rigby, NTB 52:52 - Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union – Wikipedia 1:05:35 - Whitlock: Pearl Davis and the ‘manosphere' cash in on the failures of the church – Jason Whitlock, The Blaze 1:46:44 - Can you tell which of these two has XY chromosomes? Guess who was just crowned Miss Universe Netherlands? – Holly Ash, NTB 1:49:46 - "Can men get pregnant?" Watch the replies from Columbia University students vs. normies in Harlem – Cardinal Pritchard --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-ashley-mullet/message

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For Yahweh had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. - Numbers 26:64-65   This Episode's Links: (All timestamps offset by 24-seconds) 00:00 – Numbers 26 10:58  – Thoughts on the Reading 27:00 - International study shows birth-control pills dramatically increase risk of depression in women... – Harris Rigby, NTB 48:42 - Planned Parenthood CEOs among the highest-paid in nonprofit sector... – Candace Hathaway, The Blaze 1:01:09 - Fox Corp. Encourages Employees To Support Radical LGBTQ Organizations, Uses ‘Woke AI' To Track... – Zach Jewell, DW --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-ashley-mullet/message

Christianity is a team sport; a corporation of believers. This is all centered around the love of God. He has not demanded love without setting forth the perfect example of love. We must understand this love of God to better be able to love each other. Then we will see that to love each other is to love God and Christ. #God #HeartofGod #Love Zechariah 2:7-10 “‘Come, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.'  (8)  For Yahweh of Armies says: ‘For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.  (9)  For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they will be a plunder to those who served them; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me.  (10)  Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for, behold, I come, and I will dwell within you,' says Yahweh.”Watch The Videohttps://youtu.be/FAV3PeQdTPU(BrotherLance.com) Free Music, Bible Studies, Videos & More!(Weshallbelikehim.com) Download Our Free 45 Day Devotional Book Today!

 Proverbs 24:16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.Our heavenly Father is in the saving business. No matter our sin, He came to seek and to save that which was lost... He says, "For Yahweh sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" John 3:17Are you burdened down with a load of sin like Mary in this sermon? Come unto Yeshua to Son of Yahweh. Give your burden to Him and He will give you rest. Episodes are also available on our own radio station Proclaim Gospel Radio! Visit us! https://proclaimgospelradio.comIf you have been blessed by this broadcast please write to us at P. O Box 336, Road Town, Tortola, Virgin IslandsTelephone: 1284 547 4601.Email:proclaimgospelvi@gmail.com

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

FOREHAND - like cylinders of gold filled with chrysolite (beryl). From dream today “I will place his hand over the sea, (Yacht) his right hand over the rivers.” (Riverboat) Psalms‬ ‭89:25‬ ‭NET‬‬ IDIOM Everything he touches turns to gold… BIBLICAL HISTORY Joseph's stone in the breastplate of the High Priest is chrysolite also known as beryl and he has the birthright of inheritance. PLENUM 1. POLITICS an assembly of all the members of a group or committee. "the bill will be presented for a preliminary reading at the plenum on Wednesday" 2. PHYSICS a space completely filled with matter, or the whole of space so regarded. "so long as things move simultaneously into each other's places, motion is possible in a plenum" 3. ORIGIN late 17th century: from Latin, literally ‘full space', neuter of plenus ‘full' FOREHAND For a right-handed player, the forehand is a stroke that begins on the right side of the body, continues across the body as contact is made with the ball, and ends on the left side of the body. It is considered the easiest shot to master, perhaps because it is the most natural stroke. ETYMOLOGY ירשׁ 1 yrš take possession of; be heir; dispossess BDB take possession of, inherit, dispossess CHALOT press DBL Hebrew TLOT to inherit NASB Dictionaries to take possession of; inherit; dispossess THEOLOGY The joyful songs I now sing will be sung again in the hearts and homes of all your devoted lovers. My loud shouts of victory will echo throughout the land. For Yahweh's right hand conquers valiantly! The right hand of Yahweh exalts! The right hand of Yahweh will never fail. Psalms 118:15-16 TPT “He handed the territory of nations over to them, and they took possession of what other peoples had produced,” Psalms‬ ‭105:44‬ ‭NET‬‬ Decrease time over target: PayPal.me/clastronaut or Venmo @clastronaut

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”] The Writings (Ketuvim) – Third division of the Old Testament books in the Hebrew Bible: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 and 2 Chronicles. —-Yahweh is WISE—- Wisdom is knowing the right way to act. In human terms, it is the path of right living—living according to the authority and rule of Yahweh. Human flourishing results from living with wisdom. For Yahweh, wisdom means possessing perfect knowledge and full understanding of everything. No decision or action can be superior to or preferred to what Yahweh has done and will do. Proverbs 2:6; 3:19; Job 9:1-4; 12:13; Daniel 2:20-22; Psalm 104:24-26 —-Yahweh is full of COMPASSION—- Having compassion means showing affection and care, being favorably disposed to someone. It includes being able to understand the suffering and struggles of others and to show concern toward them. Yahweh knows what life is like for us and desires to help us in our weakness. Psalm 86:15; 103:13-14; 116:15; 25:6; 40:11; 51:1ff —-Yahweh is the KING—- Yahweh is the rightful ruler of the universe. He is the one governing and overseeing the affairs of His creation, and He is the one that all people owe their allegiance to and should submit to His will. Psalm 145:1-2; 24:7-10; 5:2; 10:16The post God According to the Writings first appeared on Living Hope.

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

For Yahweh your God is a compassionate God; he will not abandon you, and he will not destroy you, and he will not forget the covenant of your ancestors that he swore to them (Deuteronomy 4:31). Happy Sunday family. Be blessed!

Messiah's Promise 54:1 "Sing, barren, you who didn't bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife," says Yahweh. 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; don't spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. 54:3 For you shall spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 54:4 "Don't be afraid; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shall not be disappointed: for you shall forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more. 54:5 For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. 54:6 For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," says your God. 54:7 "For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you. 54:8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting loving kindness will I have mercy on you," says Yahweh your Redeemer. 54:9 "For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. 54:10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my loving kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed," says Yahweh who has mercy on you. 54:11 "You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 54:12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. 54:13 All your children shall be taught of Yahweh; and great shall be the peace of your children. 54:14 In righteousness you shall be established: you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not be afraid; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. 54:15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall because of you. 54:16 "Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 54:17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me," says Yahweh. (Isaiah 54:1-17) God fulfils every promise made! You may recall back on Day 4 in Isaiah 52, Isaiah started talking about a great homecoming for all those who believed.  Then on our Day 5, Isaiah gave a picture regarding the sacrificial suffering of the Messiah Servant.  Now in Isaiah 54, we see the reason for the suffering.  We see that because of this coming Messah's suffering and subsequent exultation and vindication, that God will make a New Covenant with all the peoples of the world! God has always kept the promises He made with people!  Promises to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David were also kept by God!  God is ever faithful and always true to His word!  And here God reminds them through Isaiah of three promises or covenants He has made: Abraham, Moses and Noah. Past - Covenant with Abraham Here in Isaiah 54:1-3 God reminds the people through Isaiah, that God has always kept His promises to His people!  If they looked back at the covenant promises made to Abraham, they would see this!  When they go into exile, keep hold of the promises of God and be obedient to Him!  God is always faithful and wants their total obedience to Him! How are these verses of Isaiah 54:1-3, are meant to be a reminder of the covenant with Abraham?  The mention of the barren woman (1), tent (2) and descendants (3) would all bring to mind God's promises to Abraham... The barren woman, would be a reminder that Abraham and Sarah were aged and childless.  The tent would act as a reminder that Abraham was a tent-dweller in an alien land.  The descendants would remember that they themselves are descendants from Abraham!  And God has promised in 54:3 that they will return to the land of Abraham and populate there once more. The Abrahamic covenant is a link to all of God's activities and programs until the end of time, when Jesus returns to gather His people to Himself.  That is how important it was, particularly to Israel!  The covenant had aspects for Abraham personally, as well as aspects that applied to all nations. Past - Covenant with Moses Now in Isaiah 54:4-8, God moves to the covenant He made with Moses (Exodus 19v5-8).  When as a young nation, Israel was in exile and slavery in Egypt - it was an embarrassment to her.  Now as a nation she was like an aged widow, she was due to be in exile again, but in Babylon this time. But just as God made the covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai after escaping from Egypt, so too would God restore her to Himself once again and be her husband and Redeemer. The covenant with Moses begins with a stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." (Exodus 19v5).  This covenant was to Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham would know how to live righteously and obediently. Past - Covenant with Noah Next God talks about his promise to Noah (Genesis 9v1-19)! Now instead of just a covenant with Israel, this is a covenant with the whole world!   After the flood, Noah and his descendants spread throughout the world, bringing new life and God's blessing to all parts.  The flood is symbolic of the coming period that Israel will spend in exile, and all of the people of Israel are likened to the family of Noah and their descendants.  God will protect them in exile, just as He did Noah and his family through the flood. God has always kept his promises to Israel!  But Israel has not always been faithful! New Covenant of Peace - the promised New Covenant Future - Promised New City Now the Lord talks about the future - the now but not yet.  A great city is built to house all those who are God's people as a reward for their obedient faithfulness despite trials, sufferings and persecution!  Here Isaiah links also to the coming Messiah!  Remember the Messiah was also a Disciple taught by God (Isaiah 50:4), then so were they (54:13)! Just has He had suffered (Isaiah 53:4), so have they (Isaiah 54:11)!  Just as He was justified (Isaiah 50:8), so would they be (Isaiah 54:17).  Those who serve God Almighty with faithful obedience will share in the sufferings of the Messiah King but also participate in His glory, because they are His children.  Because of the Messiah Servant's sacrificial suffering they will be able to live in the city of God forever! God is going to make a new Covenant with people - and He can be trusted to keep His promises! How is Jesus this Messiah? Starts the New Covenant Both the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel talk about the promise of this New Covenant that God will have with all of humanity.  What is this New Covenant that God is making? Four features of this covenant are: Regeneration -God will write His law on the hearts of people. (Jeremiah 31v33) Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be God's people. (Jeremiah 31v33) Promised Holy Spirit - God will indwell people and they will be led by Him (Jeremiah 31v 34) Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed eternally (Jeremiah 31v34) What does all this have to do with Jesus?  This New Covenant is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross as spoken of in Isaiah 53:1-12.  His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant.  His death pays the penalty for the sins of all people who say yes to God and His New Covenant. This New Covenant is contrasted with the Old Covenant or the Mosaic covenant (Jeremiah 31:32; Hebrews 8:6-13) because this New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a righteous life conforming to God's holy character.  In this way, Jesus is also the redeemer of the Church and the redeemer mentioned in Isaiah 54:5 & Isaiah 54:7!  He is the redeemer spoken about by Job (Job 19:25)! Husband of the bride - the church Jesus Christ is the head of the church!  The church is married to Jesus Christ and is frequently described as a bride! Just as the people of Israel were in Isaiah 54!  How are the church linked to Jesus Christ? The Church is the Body of Christ and is a living organism and not merely an organization (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 4:15-16).  We are all baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13) and this body is made up of many parts or believers. Each believer has a vitally necessary and important function (Ephesians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 12:13). The Church is the Bride of Christ, which suggests the purity, holiness and faithfulness of God's people. Furthermore it suggests the great love that Jesus Christ has for His Church, the Bride (Ephesians 5:25-32; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Rev 19:7, 22:17) The Church is the Temple of Christ - Christ is building a spiritual temple with Himself as the Cornerstone or foundation. As Christian Disciples we are living stones and God dwells within the temple, filling it with all His fullness (Ephesians 2:22; 1 Peter 2:5) God keeps His promises - Jesus is proof of that! Right mouse click to save/download this Podcast as a MP3 file

Messiah's Leadership 10:1 Ask of Yahweh rain in the spring time, Yahweh who makes storm clouds, and he gives rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field. 10:2 For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd. 10:3 My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats; For Yahweh of Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle. 10:4 From him will come forth the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. 10:5 They shall be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Yahweh is with them; and the riders on horses will be confounded. (Zechariah 10:1-5) During the time of Zechariah, the Temple was being rebuilt.  The Temple was central to Jewish worship.  But who would help give advice and solve the multitude of problems they were facing? Who cared about them?  Well, Zechariah speaks into their situation with wise words.  He has already likened the nation of Israel as being like sheep, and that God is their shepherd (Zechariah 9:16) "Yahweh their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land. ".  Throughout Chapter 10, it is repeated again and again, that God will care for and bless them.  But in order to receive the blessing and care, the nation of Israelites must seek, turn and follow. Seek God If the people need advice and help in times of trouble and need, the first place they should look, is to the Lord their God.  They must seek and ask of Him! (10:1)! God can provide all things! He can control the weather, but these people need to stop being so independent, self-sufficient and start to rely on God and His infinite wisdom and resources. Turn to God In 10:2, Zechariah reminds the people of Israel, that following idols and false gods is foolishness.  These idols are self-seeking, liars and deceivers.  Israel needed to turn back to the One True Almighty God! Instead of following the glory of the Almighty God, they were turning to idols for worship, advice and listening to superstitious nonsense. And of course idols and false gods are mute! They cannot speak or give advice because they are not Gods at all!!  The sin of idolatry particularly broke the second commandment!  The people were to turn away from false gods and return to worship the One True Almighty God. They were also to listen to the true prophets of God instead of the false prophets who deceived by speaking words they wanted to hear. Follow Me These sheep, the nation of Israel were to follow God.  Instead of wandering around aimlessly, they were to follow and obey God Almighty.  The Jewish leaders and teachers were supposed to be leading the nation in worship of Almighty God, but were not doing so.  Hence God in 10:3 being enraged at those who were in positions of trust who were deceivers, liars and only looking out for their own interests.  Ezekiel 34 expounds this out in much further detail!  So who were the people of Israel to follow?  They were to follow the coming Messiah.  Not only was the Messiah a King, Prophet Servant and Disciple but He would also be a Shepherd: the Good Shepherd!  From the lowliest tribe of Judah, will come this Good Shepherd "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2) Messiah Cares This Good Shepherd will be utterly reliable, responsible, faithful and being the sure foundation that the people of Israel need, particularly in a time of crisis. In 10:4 God will send this Good Shepherd to also be a cornerstone, nail or tent peg, battle bow and a source of all ruling authority. Cornerstone:  all ancient buildings needed a chief cornerstone to ensure a sure foundation so that the building could not fall down easily.  It held two walls together.  The imagery fits in well with the building of the Temple.  If you want to continue worshipping God, then you must get the foundations right.  The chief cornerstone of the building holds the building together.  Not only that, it gives the building shape, strength and all other stones are adjusted by it. Nail: Another translation is that of tent-peg. Just as the chief cornerstone holds the building together, so does a tent-peg ensure that the tent stays fastened down during storms!  This Good Shepherd would ensure that everything is held together if they stick to Him. Battle-bow:  Probably referring back to 9:13, Zechariah now likens this Shepherd Messiah to a battle-bow!  This Good Shepherd will fight to keep the wolves from harming His sheep.  He will battle for them.  This Good Shepherd will be brave, courageous and strong as he leads his people to victory! How is Jesus this Messiah? Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened."  In other words, ask of God your heavenly Father and your needs will be supplied!  That was how Jesus lived and obeyed, by being in constant communication with God the Father.  That is how he could live a life of utter obedience to God, because He always asked, sought and knocked. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, hence Him saying in John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Again in John 10:14-17 "I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I'm known by my own; even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again." Jesus is the Good Shepherd only through the sacrifice he must make for His sheep. Here Jesus is looking ahead to the sacrifice He makes on the Cross. His love for all of humanity compels Him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Just as all shepherds will endanger themselves for the safety of their sheep, so too will Jesus endure the pain and suffering of the Cross, so that people can be led into safety of God's kingdom. It is in this role of the Good Shepherd, that Jesus exhibits true leadership, which is self-less and sacrificial. Ezekiel 34:11 tells of God searching out for his sheep among all nations, and this is fulfilled through Jesus. Through His perfect, obedient and voluntary sacrifice on the Cross, not only will salvation be available to the Jews but also to those of other nations. And Jesus is willing to fight for His people! He gives spiritual armour for all those who follow Him to wear.  Christians are in a spiritual battle reminds Paul in Ephesians 6, and as the Good Shepherd, Jesus will fight and battle for us through His indwelling Holy Spirit!  For as the Bible says in 1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." Jesus Christ is, as Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 2:8, the Cornerstone of faith - referring back to Isaiah 8:14.  Jesus Christ is the dependable, sure foundation that all faith is to be ground upon.  All Christians are living stones, but should be living on the dependability of Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone alone!  It is only Him, who can give direction, assurance and be relied upon.  It is Him that calls all people everywhere to seek for, turn to and follow obediently. Jesus Christ, Servant King, Servant Prophet, Servant Disciple, Servant Shepherd.  Follow Him as the great leader He is and victory is assured!  Whatever you are struggling with today, turn it over to God and ask for His help!  He has promised to help! Remember that the battle belongs to the Lord!  Amen!  Just as Jesus said to Peter in John 21:19 "Follow Me!", so Jesus calls all those willing to follow Him, to follow Him for life.  Follow and be led by Him and Him alone, regardless of what and where that might be. Right mouse click to save/download this Podcast as a MP3 file

Isaiah 30:18 The Passion Translation - 18 For this reason the Lord is still waiting to show his favor to you so he can show you his marvelous love. He waits to be gracious to you. He sits on his throne ready to show mercy to you. For Yahweh is the Lord of justice, faithful to keep his promises. Overwhelmed with bliss are all who will entwine their hearts in him, waiting for him to help them. James 4:5-6 The Passion Translation - 5 Does the Scripture mean nothing to you that says, “The Spirit that God breathed into our hearts is a jealous Lover who intensely desires to have more and more of us”? 6 But he continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, “God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.” Your sin, mess, and brokenness are no match for God's graciousness.

Isaiah 30:18 The Passion Translation - 18 For this reason the Lord is still waiting to show his favor to you so he can show you his marvelous love. He waits to be gracious to you. He sits on his throne ready to show mercy to you. For Yahweh is the Lord of justice, faithful to keep his promises. Overwhelmed with bliss are all who will entwine their hearts in him, waiting for him to help them. James 4:5-6 The Passion Translation - 5 Does the Scripture mean nothing to you that says, “The Spirit that God breathed into our hearts is a jealous Lover who intensely desires to have more and more of us”? 6 But he continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, “God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.” Your sin, mess, and brokenness are no match for God's graciousness.

A terrible, bloody battle is described, for Yahweh is enraged against all the nations. "For Yahweh has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion." Only wild animals will dwell in the places made desolate. But another place is described that will be like the blossom of a rose. The fearful are told to be strong because "God will come with vengeance and save you." A safe highway is described that will be called "The Holy Way." The redeemed will walk there. Then Yahweh's ransomed ones will return and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Read from the World English Bible.

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

November 18, 2021 Daily Devotion: "Change Your Mind For The Better..." Isaiah 30:18 The Passion Translation 18 For this reason the Lord is still waiting to show his favor to you so he can show you his marvelous love. He waits to be gracious to you. He sits on his throne ready to show mercy to you. For Yahweh is the Lord of justice, faithful to keep his promises. Overwhelmed with bliss are all who will entwine their hearts in him, waiting for him to help them. You can think about what you think about! So many people's problems are rooted in thinking patterns that end up producing the problems they experience. Remember that your actions are the direct result of your thoughts. And although the enemy offers wrong thinking to everyone, you don't need to accept his offer. Isaiah 30:18, If you will meditate on it, it will begin to bring you great hope… and great power. In it, God is saying that He is looking for someone to be gracious (good) to, but it cannot be someone with a sour attitude and a negative mind. It must be someone who is expecting for God to be good to him or her. The more you change your mind for the better, the more your life will also change for the better. When you begin to see God's plan for you in your thinking, you will begin to walk in it. The mind is the leader or forerunner of all attitudes and actions. You can always expect good things from God. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gerzon-etino/message

Speaker: Pastor Andy Searles Scripture Focus: Psalm 100:1-5 Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations. Sermon Notes Bring Your "Service" & Your "Song" (1-2) • Your attitude of gratitude is not just important because of what it does for you, but how it aligns your heart with Christ. • As you surrender to God's kingship you share in His kinship. • Our worship is both in service and song. Both are ways of expressing our gratitude to God. Offer Your "Who" & Your "Why" (3) • We are not just made BY God, we are made FOR god. It is impossible to be fully you without knowing Him. Give Him Your "Now" & Your "Next" (4-5) • Gratitude moves us towards God. Ingratitude pulls us away. • A thankful spirit is a triumphant spirit. • We have no need to worry about the future because we know who holds it.

Wisdom comes from above.Listen to what the Bible says, from Proverbs.(click for podcast)par Yahweh gives wisdom. Out be kaysh mouth comes knowledge bal understanding.For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.Online BibleListen to the Word, it reaches even to galaxies far, far away

For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He's so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation! Psalm 100:5 (TPT) Connect with us […]

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, 2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.* 6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, 16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, 17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. 20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. Listen Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

On this week's episode, I got to interview my fellow label-mate, Micah Tyler. He is a CCM artist, signed to Fairtrade Records, and has had many songs on the radio which is awesome... but more importantly, He like actually loves Jesus!!! We talk about his journey and his Jesus Happened moment(s) but the main theme we kept hitting on was God's faithfulness. The Lord has been faithful to us since before the beginning of time and now we, as believers, are called to live faithful and obedient lives unto Him; not because we HAVE to but because we GET to!!! The verse that seemed to put a big pretty bow on the entire conversation was Psalms 100:5 which says: "For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He's so loving that it will amaze you - so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation." (TPT) Glory to God in the highest always! Enjoy

Psalm 95 (read by Carol) 95:1 Oh come, let's sing to Yahweh. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation! 95:2 Let's come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let's extol him with songs! 95:3 For Yahweh is a great God, a great King above all gods. 95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth. The heights of the mountains are also his. 95:5 The sea is his, and he made it. His hands formed the dry land. 95:6 Oh come, let's worship and bow down. Let's kneel before Yahweh, our Maker, 95:7 for he is our God. We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep in his care.Today, oh that you would hear his voice! 95:8 Don't harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 95:9 when your fathers tempted me, tested me, and saw my work. 95:10 Forty long years I was grieved with that generation, and said, "It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known my ways." 95:11 Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They won't enter into my rest." Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file Please click the Donate button below to donate to Partakers for this service! Thank you. You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site! Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Proverbs 2 World English Bible (WEB)My son, if you will receive my words,    and store up my commandments within you,so as to turn your ear to wisdom,    and apply your heart to understanding;yes, if you call out for discernment,    and lift up your voice for understanding;if you seek her as silver,    and search for her as for hidden treasures:then you will understand the fear of Yahweh,    and find the knowledge of God.For Yahweh gives wisdom.    Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.He lays up sound wisdom for the upright.    He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,that he may guard the paths of justice,    and preserve the way of his saints.Then you will understand righteousness and justice,    equity and every good path.For wisdom will enter into your heart.    Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.Discretion will watch over you.    Understanding will keep you,to deliver you from the way of evil,    from the men who speak perverse things,who forsake the paths of uprightness,    to walk in the ways of darkness,who rejoice to do evil,    and delight in the perverseness of evil,who are crooked in their ways,    and wayward in their paths,to deliver you from the strange woman,    even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,who forsakes the friend of her youth,    and forgets the covenant of her God;for her house leads down to death,    her paths to the departed spirits.None who go to her return again,    neither do they attain to the paths of life.So you may walk in the way of good men,    and keep the paths of the righteous.For the upright will dwell in the land.    The perfect will remain in it.But the wicked will be cut off from the land.    The treacherous will be rooted out of it.World English Bible (WEB)by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.

Psalm 95 (read by Carol) 95:1 Oh come, let's sing to Yahweh. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation! 95:2 Let's come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let's extol him with songs! 95:3 For Yahweh is a great God, a great King above all gods. 95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth. The heights of the mountains are also his. 95:5 The sea is his, and he made it. His hands formed the dry land. 95:6 Oh come, let's worship and bow down. Let's kneel before Yahweh, our Maker, 95:7 for he is our God. We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep in his care. Today, oh that you would hear his voice! 95:8 Don't harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 95:9 when your fathers tempted me, tested me, and saw my work. 95:10 Forty long years I was grieved with that generation, and said, "It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known my ways." 95:11 Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They won't enter into my rest." Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

2008-01-26 Cleansing Yahweh's Way Starting With The Heart And Mind And Fasting #03 - Fasting And Praying For The Work To Continue; For Yahweh's Plan To Be Carried Out

Psalm 37 37:1 Don't fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness. 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 37:3 Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture. 37:4 Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 37:5 Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this: 37:6 he will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice as the noon day sun. 37:7 Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him. Don't fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don't fret, it leads only to evildoing. 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land. 37:10 For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there. 37:11 But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 37:12 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. 37:13 The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming. 37:14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright in the way. 37:15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken. 37:16 Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked. 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh upholds the righteous. 37:18 Yahweh knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever. 37:19 They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 37:20 But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish- vanish like smoke. 37:21 The wicked borrow, and don't pay back, but the righteous give generously. 37:22 For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off. 37:23 A man's goings are established by Yahweh. He delights in his way. 37:24 Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Yahweh holds him up with his hand. 37:25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread. 37:26 All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His seed is blessed. 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever. 37:28 For Yahweh loves justice, and doesn't forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. 37:30 The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice. 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. 37:32 The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him. 37:33 Yahweh will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 37:34 Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. 37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil. 37:36 But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 37:38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 37:40 Yahweh helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they have taken refuge in him. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.   You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site! Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Mark and Eric riff on how Yahweh is different from the other gods of the ancient Near East. Against a backdrop of angry and violent divine councils, the god of the Bible is an unchallenged creator God who prizes his creation; most of all humankind. For Yahweh, we are made in his statue as divine art.

This is episode three in our series outlining the development of the character of God in the Bible! In this show, Tim and Jon walk through the big ideas of the “Divine Council” and spiritual warfare. In part one (00:00-23:40), Tim outlines a strange story in 1 Kings 22:19 about the prophet Micaiah. Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left." Jon asks what a “host” is in the Bible. Tim explains that "host" is used to describe an army or a set of advisers. Tim says the point is that God is depicted as a military captain with a set of lower ranking officers. This theme continues in other passages like Job 1:6 and 7:6. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and the satan also came among them." "The Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” Jon asks who are the "sons of God are. Tim explains that it is a turn of phrase used to represent a class of spiritual beings. Followers of Old Testament prophets were often called “sons,” not to demonstrate physical sonship, but to demonstrate a sort of relationship where the greater power was in a position of authority over a lesser power. Tim says the point is that the Bible portrays God as having a sort of staff team, or mediators, that do his bidding in order to interact with the world. This is God’s “divine council.” In part two (23:40-49:48), Tim outlines a very strange section in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 32:8-9 When the Most High [Yahweh] allotted the nations, and set the divisions for the sons of humanity, He fixed the territories of peoples According to the number of sons of God [Heb. sons of elohim] For Yahweh’s portion is his people Jacob his own allotment. Tim says there is a large biblical scholarship debate over the interpretation of this passage. To explain this passage, Tim quotes from Jefferey Tigay: “Deuteronomy 32:8-9 refers to an early tradition, that when God was allotting nations to the delegated authority of other divine beings, he made the same number of nations and territories as there were such beings. Verse 9 implies that He then assigned the other nations to those divine beings, and states explicitly that He kept Israel for Himself. This seems to be part of a concept hinted at elsewhere in the Bible and in postbiblical literature. When God organized the government of the world, He established two tiers: at the top, He Himself, “God of gods (ʾelohei ha-ʾelohim) and Lord of lords” (Deut 10:17), who reserved Israel for Himself, to govern personally; below Him, seventy angelic “divine beings” (sons of ʾelohim), to whom He allotted the other peoples. The conception is like that of a king or emperor governing the capital or heartland of his realm personally and assigning the provinces to subordinates.” Jon seems flabbergasted. God put other gods in charge of other nations? Jon asks how this view can be reconciled with actual knowledge of world history and human development. Tim says this is a theme in Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy 4:16-19, Moses says to Israel, “Don’t act corruptly and make a image for yourselves in the form of any figure… And don’t lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you...to be a people for His own possession, as today." Tim says this hints at a concept in Hebrew culture that portrayed a spiritual rebellion against God that coincided with a human rebellion. Tim says the human rebellion is told in detail in the Bible, but the spiritual rebellion is only hinted at. The complex story of the “sons of God” sleeping with human women in Genesis 6 could be viewed as them going into rebellion and crossing a line. Tim says this theme reaches its culmination in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel and the story of the Prince of Persia. In part three (49:48-1:01:26), Tim says the Jesus carries these themes of other elohim forward into the New Testament. The greek word for “demon” in the New Testament is connected to the word “daimonion” (δαιμόνιον). Demon is a word that means “demi” or lesser god. In Hebrew categories, it would be a son of elohim. Tim says he has a tough time reconciling this with a western “rational” worldview. He says Jesus and the authors of the New Testament clearly believed in a world that included unseen spiritual forces. Tim says that the New Testament passage in Ephesians 6, referring to the "armor of God," shouldn’t be appropriated as passages about spiritual warfare of demonic attack; rather, they should be seen as warnings against elevating differences above unity in the body of Christ. The point of Ephesians is for the church to learn how to live in unity with a group of diverse people. Therefore a spiritual warfare attack is when Christians are not living in unity. In part four (1:01:26-1:07:18), Jon asks how to interpret all of this with a modern view of human development. Tim says the purpose of the Bible is not to tell me about the origins of the physical universe, but to be a unified story that leads to Jesus. Tim says that attempting to place spiritual and human rebellion narratives into a chronological order that makes sense to modern people can be dangerous because you lose the context of the original stories. Jon says his temptation is not that, but to think that there is no spiritual realm, not that there is a complex one ruled by a divine council. Tim agrees and says that all of the same idols that existed in other cultures exist in our culture, but modern people worship money, sex, and power, not as named deities like Mammon, but just as objects in themselves. In part five (1:07:18-end), Tim previews the next part of the – God’s complex relationship with the world. If God is portrayed as having a set of staff, these staff interact with the world consistently throughout the Scriptures. One example is how the Angel of the Lord appears many times acting on behalf of God. Next episode we will have a Q+R. Send us audio recordings of your questions to info@jointhebibleproject.com. Please mention your name, where you're from and keep your questions to about 20 seconds. Thanks! Resources: “The Divine Council,” The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Larry Hurtado: Books: "One God, One Lord: Early Christian Devotion and Ancient Jewish Monotheism" and "Ancient Jewish Monotheism and Early Christian Jesus Devotion" Interviews: "Early High Christology on Trinities Podcast" Michael Heiser: Books: The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, and Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches about the Unseen World and Why it Matters Podcast: The Naked Bible Podcast Videos: "The Divine Council" and "Divine Council Introduction" Produced By: Dan Gummel. Jon Collins. Matthew Halbert Howen. Music: Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Music Moments: Tae the Producer

In a traditional messianic Sabbath service, the Torah scroll has been brought out of the ark, and the blessings are spoken before and after the reading of the Torah portion, the HafTorah portion and the Brit Hadashah portion. After the reading of the scriptures, the Aleinu prayer is spoken. After the scripture readings comes the Aleinu prayer. The service concludes with the Aaronic blessing: The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’ Numbers 6:24-26 Yahweh HID his face from the exiles of Israel because they did not hearken to His voice, or keep His covenant or follow His Torah. For Yahweh’s face to shine upon you, this is a blessing. This means you have intimate relationship with Him. It means you are face to face with Him. It means you have returned to following Yeshua and His Torah! In this session we also look at this question: What is the prophetic significance and meaning of why Yeshua healed on the Sabbath day? *blind man told to wash in the Pool of Siloam ~ he was healed on the Sabbath *paralyzed man beside the Pool of Bethesda told to pick up his mat and walk ~ he was healed on the Sabbath. What is the deeper spiritual meaning of this? Listen in and find out! For more Eddie Chumney teachings and beautiful worship music, visit us at our internet streaming radio station; http://hebrootsradio.com Visit our home page at http://hebroots.com Are you being blessed by these teachings? Please consider making a donation at http://hebroots.com and click the donate button. Thank you for listening!