Podcasts about jewess

Acts 16 speaks of a disciple named Timothy – meaning “of value to God”. He was well recommended by the brethren. Timothy's mother, Lois, was a Jewess, but more importantly a faithful believer. Likewise, Timothy's – grandmother, Eunice, was also faithful – 2 Timothy 1 verse 5. As Timothy's father was a Greek Paul thought that it would be best for Timothy to be circumcised before travelling with himself and Silas. They visit the Galatian believers to strengthen their faith. Whilst attempting to preach the gospel in the province of Asia they were prevented from doing so. God had urgent work for the missionaries to do in Macedonia. They were given a vision of a man from Macedonia asking them for help. Many believe that the man in the vision was doctor Luke, since the pronouns in the chapter change when Luke joined them- see chapter 16:11. It is also interesting to think that Alexander the Great was a Macedonian who claimed to have a vision of the high priest of Israel and the 24 elders coming to meet him (see Zechariah 9). In Philippi, the capital of Macedonia, there were so few Jews that the city had no synagogue. It was by the riverside that Lydia, a lady from Thyatira, believed and was baptised. She was the first convert from that city. “Whose heart the Lord opened” describes the timeless operation of the spirit of God. It's a lovely description. Verses 16-24 describe a demented girl, said to be possessed by the python of Delphi, who follows Paul and Silas and claims that they are the servants of the most high God. After the girl was healed her owners, losing their source of income, had Paul and Silas arrested, beaten, placed in most uncomfortable stocks and cast into prison. Paul and Silas sang hymns of praise to the amazement of the prisoners and their jailor. The response of the Almighty was to a produce a strong earthquake that was felt throughout the city. It also released all the chains of the prisoners. The jailor fearing his prisoners had fled was about to take his own life. Paul called upon him to stop. He took Paul and Silas to his home and bathed their wounds (with their stripes he was healed – see Isaiah 53). The jailor and the believing adults of his household were baptised – the ecclesia was growing. In the morning the worried magistrates tell Paul and Silas to go. Paul says they have beaten the Apostles who are uncondemned Roman citizens. This made the magistrates even more fearful; but must have provided the ecclesia with a measure of protection. Acts 17 tells of Paul, Silas coming to Thessalonica (Luke seems to have stayed in Philippi for the next 7 years), where the preaching had some measure of success until the jealous Jews stirred up the rabble of the city and attacked the house of Jason where Paul and his companions were lodged. Jason is beaten, but the multitude want Paul's blood. The enraged mob claim that Paul has turned the Roman world upside down with his preaching – and indeed he had done that. After taking money for security Paul and his company are allowed to depart. In verses 10-12 we hear that they next come to Berea where the people of that city are more noble of heart as they daily search the Scriptures to see whether what the Apostles claimed was in fact what the Scriptures taught. But sadly, true to form, the unbelieving Jews from Thessalonica come and bring persecution with them. Paul is hurried away from the hostile Jews and brought by sea to Athens. Whilst waiting for Timothy and Silas Paul is stirred by the extent of the idolatry of the city. Paul speaks to the philosophers of the Epicurean and Stoic persuasions about Jesus and the resurrection – the Greeks supposed he was talking of Jesus (a male god) and Anastasis (a female god). Paul is taken to Areopagus (also called Mars Hill) and placed on trial for blasphemy (a charge that carried the death sentence if he is found guilty). Paul commences to preach to them based on an altar that he finds with the inscription “to the unknown god”. He says that they are ignorantly worshipping this god. From the Greek poets Paul tells them that this God made the world and everything in it. He quotes from several of their poets – including the well known Hymn to Zeus (their chief god). But his primary appeal was for them to forsake idolatry and polytheism and embrace the One True God by believing that this God will judge those who do not repent and turn to Him. The majority response is to dismiss Paul's claims as they compare the Apostle to a seed picking bird, which gathers bits and pieces from everywhere. Nonetheless one Dionysius, an Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and a few others become believers. Some said they would listen to Paul another time – but they missed the opportunity for Paul never returned to Athens: compare Ephesians 5 verse 16.

A novel approach to the story of Megilas Esther

  In this episode of All Things Legion, host Mary Stenson looks at the conversion of Hilde Firtel, a Jewess who wrote a book on the life of Frank Duff – ‘A man for our time'. L'articolo E274 | All Things Legion – Mary Stenson – Hilde Firtel proviene da Radio Maria.

In this session, we explore the dramatic story of Esther, a secret Jewess who becomes Queen of Persia. Amidst an existential crisis threatening genocide of the Jews, Esther must risk her life to save her people. We delve into the character of Mordecai, Esther's cousin, who uncovers a plot to assassinate the king, and Haman, the villain who holds an ancient grudge against the Jews.Bible ReadingsEsther 2:5-23Esther 3:1-15Esther 4:10-17Jeremiah 29:4-7Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgOur sessions use various translations including the ESV, BSB, CSB, NASB,...

In fantasy Germany a fantasy Jewess and her fantasy Aryan forest princess must go up the river to save the cat, or something.  Not as much blood as you'd expect in this one but there's plenty of soil.

In this episode, we explore the dramatic story of Esther, a secret Jewess who becomes Queen of Persia. Amidst an existential crisis threatening genocide of the Jews, Esther must risk her life to save her people. We delve into the character of Mordecai, Esther's cousin, who uncovers a plot to assassinate the king, and Haman, the villain who holds an ancient grudge against the Jews.Readings: Esther 2:5-23, Esther 3:1-15, Esther 4:10-17, Jeremiah 29:4-7Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App!Support the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgThis episode primarily uses the ESV Bible translation, but may also use CSB, NASB, and NKJV.Search Tags: bible, beginner, bible verse, god, verse of the day, prayer, jesus, bible study, scripture, learn, bible introduction, introduction, intro to the bible, introduction to the bible, beginner bible, bible overview, how to read the bible, what is the bible about, bible story, bible stories, what is the bible, ...

ACTS 24:22-27 22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. 24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. 27 Two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but Felix because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.  FROM THE LESSON Felix the Governor: The Roman historian, Tacitus wrote about Felix that he “practiced every kind of cruelty and lust, wielding the power of a king with all the instincts of a slave.” Drusilla the Jewess: Her mother was a Jew, however her father was Herod Agrippa, the one who killed the apostle James, the brother of John in Acts 12. Her great-uncle was the one who had John the Baptist beheaded, and her great-grandfather was the one who had tried to kill Jesus in Bethlehem. Three Reasons for Faith in Christ Jesus: 1 Because of righteousness What are you going to do about yesterday's sin? The answer is to have faith in Christ Jesus as your Savior. The answer is to trust Him with your past. 2 Because of self-control What are you going to do about today's struggles? The answer is to have faith in Christ Jesus as your Lord. The answer is to trust Him with your present. 3 Because of the judgment to come What are you going to do about tomorrow's scenarios? The answer is to have faith in Christ Jesus as your Judge. The answer is to trust Him with your future.  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1 If someone had asked you last week to give them a compelling reason as to why you have faith in Christ Jesus, how would you have answered the question?  2 Discuss with your group the deal of eternity: the exchange of your sin for His righteousness. How does the reality of this exchange transform the way you live? 3 The only way to have self-control is to be under His control. Discuss the importance of relying on the Lord through the Holy Spirit when life seems out of control.  Are you going through any struggles today that the group can be praying about? Share with the group.  4 Do you worry or get anxious about the future? What kinds of things do you worry about? We often talk about having faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, but what do you think about having faith in Him as your Judge?  5 The answer to all three faith questions is to have faith in the person of Jesus Christ. Which of the three do you find most difficult: to trust Him with your past, your present, or your future? Why?

Send us a textThe story of Esther is a story of the Emperor of ancient Persia, who married a beautiful Jewish girl named Esther who had been raised by her cousin, Mordecai. The latter two persons were captives, taken from the city of Jerusalem and brought over into the kingdom of Persia.In the court of this Emperor was a very slimy character named Haman who became the Prime Minister of the kingdom. As time passed, antagonism had developed between Haman and Mordecai. Haman, wanting to rid the empire of Mordecai, created a fiendish plan to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom. What he did not know was this: Esther, the queen, was a Jewess. Mordecai became aware of the plot and prevailed upon Queen Esther to brave the disfavor of the king by going to him without invitation, to plead the cause of her people.The whole story becomes of fascinating interest and meaning to us when we discover that this is not merely a story of the ancient past, but is also a divinely inspired, magnificently accurate portrayal of what is going on in each of our lives at this very moment. Each of us is a king over a kingdom; the kingdom is each of our lives. The spirit persons of each of us who have been born again have been made alive in Jesus Christ. This is the queen that has come into your life. Mordecai, in this story, is a figure of the Holy Spirit moving to preserve the fruit of the Spirit in our kingdom. And slyly at work in us is Haman -- that which the Bible calls the flesh, the SARX, tricking us into believing that the only way we will ever get what we want is by choosing our own way and ignoring the life of Jesus Christ within us. This will be our Pastor's sermon for today.Support the show

Send us a textIn this series of sermons, our Pastor has introduced us to four characters that play a role in the book of Esther. The first was Emperor Ahasuerus of Persia. He was a young man of about eighteen years of age when the events recorded in the book of Esther begin.The second was the Queen of Persia, a woman named Vashti. The Emperor deposed her and for the next three years he lived without a queen. But, when the Emperor was twenty-one, he married our third character, a young Jewess by the name of Esther. The fourth character, the one we introduce today, her cousin, Mordecai, was a judge in the city of Susa, the capital of Persia. In the course of his duties, Mordecai uncovered a plot against the king's life. The culprit is the fifth character in our drama, a villain named Haman. He represents our spiritual enemy Satan, as we shall see. This is more than a story from the long forgotten past! It is the story of each of our lives. The Emperor represents each one of us. Like him, each of us have great influence in the empires we rule, our lives. We are the emperors of our kingdoms, which means we, too, have found a new queen. This happened when our spirit person was made alive in Jesus Christ.We now have the influence of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly Mordecai, working in us. But today, Pastor will point to the fact that like Haman, our spiritual enemy, Satan, has launched a plot against each of our lives. You will see today how the story of Esther retraces our spiritual journeys.Support the Show.

"A City of Galilee named Nazareth”   Luke 1:26-33 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."   Only the Gospel of Luke gives us a detail account and description of the angel appearing to the virgin Mary with the announcement of her miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit of the Son of God. Neither Mark's or John's Gospels mentioned it in their introductions to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Matthew's Gospel simply says, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).   In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Gabriel brought a second birth announcement, this time to a young virgin in Nazareth named Mary. The people in Judah disdained the Jews in Galilee and claimed they were not "kosher" because of their contacts with the Gentiles there (Matt. 4:15). The fact that Herod had raised pagan temples and held pagan sports activities in Galilee increased their scorn They especially despised the people from Nazareth.   Nazareth was located where Greek merchants, Jewish priests and Levites, troops of entertainers, and people from all parts of the great Gentile world passed by. The population was probably some fifteen thousand. The city of Nazaret had a reputation for corruption. Remember Nathanael's question when he was invited by Philip to come and meet “Jesus of Nazareth"? He asked, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Nathanael came from nearby Cana, so he was in a position to know all about Nazareth.   Galilee! The very word was one of scorn to the Jews in Jerusalem. The whole region was overrun by Gentiles whose very accent grated on the ears of the sophisticated Judeans. In Matthew's Gospel, it is called “a place of darkness”, and the “region and shadow of death…” (Matthew 4:17). But God in His grace chose a girl from Nazareth in Galilee to be the mother of the promised Messiah!   When it comes to Mary, people tend to go to one of two extremes. They either magnify her so much that Jesus takes second place (Luke 1:32), or they ignore her and fail to give her the esteem she deserves (Luke 1:48). Elizabeth, filled with the Spirit, called her "the mother of my Lord" (Luke 1:43); and that is reason enough to honor her.   What do we know about Mary? She was a Jewess of the tribe of Judah, a descendant of David, and a virgin (Isa. 7:14). She was engaged to a carpenter in Nazareth named Joseph (Matt 13:55), and apparently both of them were poor (Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24). Among the Jews at that time, engagement was almost as binding as marriage and could be broken only by divorce. In fact, the man and the woman were called "husband" and "wife" even before the marriage took place (compare Matt. 1:19 and Luke 2:5). Since Jewish girls married young, it is likely that Mary was a teenager when the angel appeared to her.   Isn't it amazing how our God choses the most unlikely places and people to do the most awesome things! God is still at work in this dark world, and who knows how He might use you in the place you are right now!   God bless!

King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) sponsors a beauty contest to pick a new queen. Esther the secret Jewess is chosen, and her cousin Mordecai foils an assassination attempt on the king. The enemy Haman rises, and he launches a plot to exterminate the Jews.Read along with the story. Today we're reading Esther 1-3.Thank you to our generous patrons who makes this show possible. The Bible Brief is listener-supported and brought to you by the Bible Literacy Foundation, dedicated to helping people like you learn the Bible. Looking for more? Check out our website at biblelit.org.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Support the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the PRISM Bible App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWebsite: biblelit.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgThis episode primarily uses the ESV Bible translation, but may also use CSB, NASB, and NKJV.Search Tags: bible, beginner, bible verse, god, verse of the day, prayer, jesus, bible study, scripture, learn, bible introduction, introduction, intro to the bible, introduction to the bible, beginner bible, bible overview, how to read the bible, what is the bible about, bible story, bible stories, what is the bible, bible study, walkthrough, bible walk...

CD 1636 “FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS”Happy Mother's Day 2024Introduction: Polling finds that 94% of people become Christians or decide on the faith they will follow (or lack of faith these days) before the age of 18 — and most them much younger and research shows that parents are #1 in forming their children's spiritual lives, followed by church.To think that children decide on their faith for a lifetime so early on is a major incentive to develop a plan. *Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Train up (to discipline) a child in the way he should go (mouth- to speak): and when he is old, he will not depart from it.*Text:Acts 16:1-5 (KJV)  Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.*Read 2 Timothy 1:1-6 (KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,  according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, [2] To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [3] I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; [4] Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; [5] When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. [6] Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.*Read 2 Timothy 3:13-17 (KJV) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, koowhich are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.*Read 1 Timothy 4:11-16 (KJV) These things command and teach. 12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.Closing illustration: The Story of “Awful Gardner”Support the Show.

The Book of Esther presents a compelling narrative of God's providence, unfolding how an ordinary Jewess was positioned to save her people from annihilation. Though God's name is famously absent from its text, His presence is vividly seen through the orchestration of events that save His people. The story encapsulates the essence of divine timing, echoing the phrase "for such a time as this" as a testament to God's orchestration. This sermon delves into three pivotal moments where Esther's courage, combined with God's providence, demonstrates how faithfulness in the moment can shape the destiny of many. YT: https://youtu.be/gn-IxZe5DR4 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/support

Rabbi Isaac LichtensteinOCTOBER 4, 2012 BY HENRY EINSPRUCH D.D.From Rabbis meet Jesus the Messiah – a collection of 24 biographies and testimonies of Rabbis encounters with Jesus the Messiah© Messianic Good News.He was not yet twenty when he became a Rabbi, and after officiating for several years in different communities in northern Hungary, Isaac Lichtenstein finally settled as District Rabbi in Tapio Szele, where he remained for nearly forty years, labouring ceaselessly and unselfishly for the good of his people.Early in his ministry a Jewish teacher in the communal school of his district casually showed him a German Bible. Turning the leaves, his eye fell on the name “Jesu Christi.” He became furiously angry and sharply reproved the teacher for having such a thing in his possession. Taking the book, he flung it across the room in a rage; it fell behind others on a shelf where, dusty and forgotten, it lay some thirty odd years.About that time a fierce wave of anti Semitism broke out in Hungary, culminating in the now historic “Tisza Eslar affair”. In that picturesque little Hungarian town, situated on the Theiss, 12 Jews and a Jewess were thrown into prison, accused of having killed a Christian girl in order to use her blood for ritual purposes the most tragic part of the case being that a little Jewish boy, who had been kept some time from his parents by the police commissary, was prevailed on by threats and cruelties to appear as the chief witness against his own father (the synagogue sexton) and recite a concocted circumstantial tale of the supposed murdered girl.As in every other case in which this diabolical charge was ever brought against the Jews, the blood accusation in Tisza Eslar was ultimately demonstrated to be false and baseless. It remains to the glory of true religion that a number of prominent Christian men, notably Dr. Franz Delitzsch, of the Leipzig University, rose to the occasion not only to defend the Jews, but also to tear the mask from all who by their acts scandalized Christ in the eyes of Jewry.The mental state of Rabbi Lichtenstein at this time is best revealed in his Judenspiegel (Jewish Mirror):“Often have they oppressed me from my youth, may Israel say” (Psalm 129:1). No long explanation is needed to show that in these few words the Psalmist sums up the bitter experiences and sorrows which we, at least of the older generation, have suffered from our youth up at the hands of the Christian populations surrounding us.“Mockery, scorn, blows, and all manner of humiliation, have been our portion even at the hands of Christian children. I remember still the stones which were thrown at us as we left the synagogue, and how, when bathing in the river, and powerless, we saw them cast our clothing, with laughter and insult, into the water.“Once with sorrow and weeping,, I saw my father felled to the ground without the least hesitation by a nobleman, so called, because he had not quickly enough made room for him on a narrow path. But these sad experiences are known well enough to need no dwelling on; and would to God that such persecution of the Jews by the Christians were altogether a thing of the forgotten past!“As impressions of early life take a deep hold, and as in my riper years I still had no cause to modify these impressions, it is no wonder that I came to think that Christ Himself was the plague and curse of the Jews the origin and promoter of our sorrows and persecutions.“In this conviction I grew to years of manhood, and still cherishing it I became old. I knew no difference between true and merely nominal Christianity; of the fountainhead of Christianity itself I knew nothing. Strangely enough it was the horrible Tisza Eslar blood accusation which first drew me to read the New Testament. This trial brought from their lurking places all our enemies, and once again, as in olden times, the cry re echoed, ‘Death to the Jew!' The frenzy was excessive, and among the ringleaders were many who used the name of Christ and His doctrine as a cloak to cover their abominable doings.“These wicked practices of men wearing the name of Christ only to further their evil designs aroused the indignation of some true Christians, who, with pen on fire and warning voices, denounced the lying rage of the anti Semites. In articles written by the latter in defense of the Jews, I often met with passages where Christ was spoken of as He Who brings joy to man, the Prince of peace, and the Redeemer; and His Gospel was extolled as a message of love and life to all people. I was surprised and scarcely trusted my eyes when I espied in a hidden corner the New Testament which some thirty years before I had in vexation taken from a Jewish teacher, and I began to turn over its leaves and read. How can I express the impression which I then received?“Not the half had been told me of the greatness, power and glory of this Book, formerly a sealed book to me. All seemed so new, and yet it did me good, like the sight of an old friend who has laid aside his dusty, travel worn garments, and appears in festive attire, like a bridegroom in wedding robes, or a bride adorned with her jewels.”For two or three years Rabbi Lichtenstein kept these convictions locked in his own breast. He began, however, in his synagogue to preach strange and new doctrines which both interested and astonished his hearers. At last he could contain himself no longer. Preaching one Saturday from Christ's parable of the whited sepulchre, he openly avowed that his subject was taken from the New Testament and spoke of Jesus as the true Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel. Ultimately he embodied his ideas in three Publications appearing in rapid succession which created a tremendous sensation among the Jews, not only in Hungary, but throughout the continent of Europe. And no wonder; for here was an old and respected Rabbi, still in office, calling upon his people in burning words to range themselves under the banner of the long despised Jesus of Nazareth, and to hail Him as their true Messiah and King.As was inevitable, no sooner did official Jewry realise the significance of Rabbi Lichtenstein's position and writings than a storm of persecution broke loose upon him. From the Jewish pulpit and in the Press anathemas were hurled at his head, and he who but a few weeks before was classed among the noblest leaders and teachers was now described as a disgrace and reproach to his nation, all because he dared pronounce the hated name of Jesus.The calumny was spread that he had sold himself to the missionaries. Some even asserted that he had never written the pamphlets himself, but had only been bribed to affix his name to them. He was cited to appear before the assembled rabbinate in Budapest. On entering the hall he was greeted with the cry, “Retract! Retract!”“Gentlemen,” said the Rabbi, “I shall most willingly retract if you convince me I am wrong.”Chief Rabbi Kohn proposed a compromise. Rabbi Lichtenstein might believe whatever he liked in his heart, if he would only refrain from preaching Christ. As to those dreadful pamphlets which he had already written, the mischief could be undone by a very simple process. The Synod of Rabbis would draw up a document to the effect that the Rabbi wrote what he did in a fit of temporary insanity and all that would be required of him would be to add his name to this statement. Rabbi Lichtenstein answered calmly but indignantly that this was a strange proposal to make to him seeing that he had only just come into his right mind. Then they demanded that he should resign his position and be formally baptized, but he replied that he had no intention of joining any church. He had found in the New Testament the true Judaism, and would remain as before with his congregation, and preach it in the synagogue.He did so, and this in spite of many persecutions and reproaches which were heaped upon him. From his official place as District Rabbi he continued to teach and to preach from the New Testament. This was a touching testimony to the strong attachment of his own community, which alone had the power to make request for his dismissal, Judaism being a State religion in Hungary. As a matter of fact much pressure was brought to bear upon them, and some members of the congregation and the relatives of his wife were completely ruined by loss of trade, but still they clung to him.By this time Rabbi Lichtenstein and his writings had become widely known, and different church and missionary organizations sought his services. The Papacy, too, soon learned of the existence and significance of the man, and a special emissary from the Pope visited Tapio Szele with tempting offers if he would but enter the service of Rome. To all he had but one reply: “I will remain among my own nation, I love Christ, I believe in the New Testament; but I am not drawn to join Christendom. Just as the prophet Jeremiah, after the destruction of Jerusalem, in spite of the generous offers of Nebuchadnezzar and the captain of his host, chose rather to remain and lament among the ruins of the holy city, and with the despised remnant of his brethren, so will I remain among my own brethren, as a watchman from within and to plead with them to behold in Jesus the true glory of Israel.” At last, however, after losing his all in the endeavour to save some of the members of his congregation from ruin, and with his health much impaired by the many trials and sorrows which fell to his lot in consequence of his bold stand for the truth, he voluntarily resigned his office as District Rabbi.He settled in Budapest, where he found ample scope for his talents, but the opposition to him was relentless. He was shadowed and even physically attacked on the street. His barber was bribed with 50 kronen to disfigure his beautiful beard. His landlord kept a close watch on everyone who visited him and reported to the rabbinical authorities. But as a stream stemmed in its course forces for itself new channels, so he was continually interviewed and drawn into discussion by Jews from every walk of life. “Wisdom cries without and causes her voice to be heard in the street,” he wrote to his friend, David Baron.“Doctors, professors and officials, as also educated ladies, come to my house. Many families of position also visit us who condemn the harsh conduct of the rabbinate here in relation to me. Many foreigners also visit me. I have often very grave, important discussions with Talmudists and Rabbis from a long distance, who wish to bring me to a compromise; and it is worthy to note that many who had formerly no knowledge of the New Testament and stared blankly and incredulously at me when I quoted its sublime doctrines, have afterwards begged to possess one.”For over twenty years it was given to Rabbi Lichtenstein to witness in many parts of the Continent to the truth as he saw it in Christ. At last the storms of controversy, of misunderstanding and antagonism, began to tell on him. His spirit, however, remained undaunted. About this time he wrote: “Dear Jewish brethren, I have been young, and now am old. I have attained the age of eighty years, which the Psalmist speaks of as the utmost period of human life on earth. When others of my age are reaping with joy the fruit of their labours, I am alone, almost forsaken, because I have lifted up my voice in warning, ‘O Israel, turn to the Lord thy God, for thou has fallen by thine iniquity. Take these words and turn thee to the Lord thy God.' ‘Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way.'”“I, an honoured Rabbi for the space of forty years, am now, in my old age, treated by my friends as one possessed by an evil spirit, and by my enemies as an outcast. I am become a butt of mockers who point the finger at me. But while I live I will stand on my watchtower, though I may stand there all alone. I will listen to the words of God, and look for the time when He will return to Zion in mercy, and Israel shall fill the world with his joyous cry, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!'”Quite unexpectedly he was taken ill and lingered only a short while. As he realised that his end was approaching, in the presence of his wife and the nurse, he said:“Give my warmest thanks and greetings to my brethren and friends; goodnight, my children; goodnight, my enemies, you can injure me no more. We have one God and one Father of all who are called children in heaven and on earth, and one Christ who gave up His life on the cursed tree for the salvation of men. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”The day was dismal; it was eight o'clock in the morning of Friday, October 16, 1909, that the hoary Rabbi entered into the presence of his Lord.From:When Jews Face Christ. Copyright by Dr. Henry Einspruch.Reprinted by permission.Excerpts from letters by RABBI I. LICHTENSTEIN“By His divine providence I accidentally took in my hand a New Testament which for many long years I had left unnoticed in a corner. From every line, from every word, the Jewish spirit streamed forth: light, life, power, endurance, faith, hope, love, chastity; limitless, indestructible faith in God; kindness to prodigality; moderation to self denial; content to the exclusion of all sense of need; pity, gentleness, consideration for others, with extreme strictness as regards self; all these were to be found pervading the book. Every noble principle, every pure moral teaching, all patriarchal virtues with which Israel was adorned in its prime, and is still to some extent adorned as heir of the community of Jacob, I found in this Book of books refined and simplified, and that in it there is balsam for every pain of soul, comfort for every sorrow, healing for every moral hurt, renewal of faith, and resurrection to a new life well pleasing to God.”“I had thought the New Testament to be impure, a source of pride, of overweening selfishness, of hatred, of the worst kind of violence: but as I opened it, I felt myself peculiarly and wonderfully taken possession of. A sudden glory, a light, flashed through my soul. I looked for thorns, and I gathered roses; I discovered pearls instead of pebbles; instead of hatred, love; instead of vengeance, forgiveness; instead of bondage, freedom; instead of pride, humility; instead of enmity, conciliation; instead of death, life, salvation, resurrection, heavenly treasure.”The Jew has been sick for 2000 years; in vain has he sought healing and help of his physicians; in vain has he spent all his substance. By faith alone, and by contact with Jesus, by the power which goes forth from Jesus, can he find healing. l would point him to Jesus in His heavenly glory, in His divinity, exalted and great as eternity, as the Redeemer, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace.”“I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding” (Job 32:7,8.) When the Council and the high priests at Jerusalem considered means to silence Peter and the Apostles, a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, greatly esteemed by all the people, stood up in the Council, and said: “Let these men alone, for if this council, or this work, be of men, it will come to nought, but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it.” (Acts 5:34-39.) The work was of God, for it has not perished in the course of time; the holy fire has neither been suppressed nor extinguished by the many storms which have raged against it, but it has kindled the more, and during eighteen centuries has shone even brighter and more clearly, filled with the most ennobling thoughts, and ever extending its dominion with the forward movements of the times.The Gospel has outrun Alexander, who stopped at the Indus; it has outrun Crassus, who stopped at the Euphrates; it has outrun Varus, who stopped at the Rhine; it has outrun every world conqueror, and will only come to a stop when it has reached Israel. The sun arises, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arises. The holy breath goeth toward the south and turneth about unto the north, and returneth again to its circuit. (Eccles. 1:5,6.)Rabbi Lichtenstein went from being a well respected Rabbi to a despised and rejected figure among the Jewish community after God opened his eyes to see that Yeshua was indeed the promised Messiah, Redeemer and Holy One of Israel. Anathemas were hurled at him, and he who was but a few weeks before classed among the noblest leaders and teachers, was now described as a disgrace and reproach to his nation – all because he dared pronounce the hated name of Jesus. He left us with these encouraging words:“My troubles are great, but in Messiah I have no fear. ‘I am sitting under His shadow with great delight and I feel His fruit sweet unto my taste.' He is soothing every sorrow and filling the soul with ever increasing joy. The Jewish system is wholly external; its laws, rites and ceremonies do not touch the inner man, and do not reveal the heart of God. I never knew God until I knew Messiah. God to me was only a stern judge. Now in Messiah I know him as an unspeakably mercifully and infinitely loving Father. Through Messiah I throw off all care as a bird after a dip in the river shakes off the drops of water from its wings. My enemies have in mockery called me ‘a missionary,' and I have replied: ‘Yes, I am a missionary in the sense in which Abraham was a missionary; in the sense in which everyone is a missionary who seeks to lead men into and along the right way. If I strive to lead men into the Truth as it is in Yeshua, I am a missionary.' And so a Rabbi wrote to me lately: ‘You have shown us the ladder that leads up to heaven.' That is my mission. Surely we have ten thousand promises in the firmament of Scripture, bright as the stars on the brow of night, to kindle and sustain our hope that the Jews will soon come in great numbers to the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the great and good Physician, and that they will touch the hem of his garment, and receive from Him all the healing, all the strength and all the joy that they need for their magnificent mission on earth and ministry in heaven.”“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

“Modern Judaism the Essentials”, is an interview series produced by the Department for Modern Jewish History and Culture and the Institute for Israel Studies at the Ludwig Maximillian University in Munich. In this podcast, we speak with scholars about texts, we think are essential for Jewish modernity. The question “What makes a book or a text essential or canonical” is difficult to answer. Therefore, we suggest thinking about this podcast more as a textual mixtape representing a specific intellectual taste. For the third episode of this podcast, we invited Professor Barbara Hahn to speak about Hannah Arendt's book Rahel Varnhagen: The Life of a Jewess. The interview was recorded in February 2023. Speaker: Ghilad H. Shenhav

For the Jews of Tripoli, times were good because the ruler's favorite advisor was a Jewess, known as "Queen Esther". Her husband Mordechai was the Pasha's Finance Minister. But when Crown Prince Burgel rebels against his father, Ali Pasha, the situation becomes grim until the Jews remember that it's best to trust only in Hashem.

Thursday, 15 February 2024   And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Acts 24:24   In the previous verse, it was commanded that Paul be given certain liberties while he was incarcerated in Caesarea. Now, the narrative continues, saying, “And after some days.”   This period was probably not very long. If the days were delayed to any extent at all, Luke most likely would have noted this. Regardless of the timeframe, however, it says, “when Felix came with his wife Drusilla.”   Drusilla was the third daughter of Herod Agrippa I and the sister of Agrippa II. Agrippa I was the king who spoke before the people of Tyre and Sidon in Acts 12 and who, failing to give glory to God, was struck by Him and was eaten by worms. Agrippa II is the king whom Paul will speak before in Acts 26.   This royal family was aware of the Christian movement, as Acts particularly describes. Of Drusilla, it next says, “who was Jewish.”   This is a point Luke felt was necessary to include to remind the reader of the status of those Paul spoke to. It could be deduced from a careful study of Acts that she was Jewish, but Luke especially notes it anyway.   As for her situation, at one time, she was engaged to be married to Antiochus Epiphanes, but because he wouldn't get circumcised, she was married to Azizus, king of Emesa. This is recorded in Josephus Ant. xx. 7. 1.   After this, and with the supposed help of a sorcerer named Simon, she was estranged from him and eventually was married to Felix. It is not certain if this was the same as the person mentioned in Acts 8. Barnes says the following concerning this –   “Felix was governor of Judea, he saw Drusilla and fell in love with her, and sent to her Simon, one of his friends, a Jew, by birth a Cyprian, who pretended to be a magician, to [endeavor] to persuade her to forsake her husband and to marry Felix. Accordingly, in order to avoid the envy of her sister Bernice, who treated her ill on account of her beauty, ‘she was prevailed on,' says Josephus, ‘to transgress the laws of her forefathers, and to marry Felix' (Josephus, Antiq., book 20, chapter 7, sections 1 and 2).”   Her recorded life, including her marriage to a Gentile indicated that she wasn't a strict adherent to Jewish ways. As for Felix's return with Drusilla, Luke next records that “he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.”   The news about how the Jews opposed Paul's teaching may have made both her and Felix eager to hear what he had to say concerning the message of Jesus. Luke specifically focuses on the fact that Paul's message was centered on “the faith.”   Life application: Felix was a Gentile, and Drusilla was a Jewess who was not obedient to the law. Both of them stood outside of the acceptable parameters of the Law of Moses. And yet, they were willing to hear about Paul's doctrine concerning faith in Christ.   Even though Felix was a Gentile, he would have had a good understanding of what Judaism taught. As such, it was probably surprising to both he and his wife that Paul spoke of faith rather than works.   In the coming verses, Paul will explain what the faith in Christ should entail, but the things he mentions are points of doctrine that come after salvation. Salvation is not contingent on those things, nor is continued salvation contingent on those things.   The saving message of Jesus is one of faith in what He has done. Personal merit is entirely excluded. Be sure that when you present the gospel to others, that this is clearly understood. If people are told they must merit salvation through works, you are not presenting the true gospel.   Jesus! He has done it all. We need to believe this by faith. Upon belief, we are saved. After belief, we should endeavor to live in a holy and upright manner because of the salvation God bestowed upon us by His grace.   Lord God Almighty, what could we place before You and say, “See, this is why You should save me?” We are stained with sin and incapable of doing anything that could remove that. But You, O God, have made it possible through the giving of Jesus. We can now boldly proclaim, “See, this is what God has done to save us all!” Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

t's been a few weeks but we're back! My guest this week is the brilliant Katie Bogen. In her own words, Katie is a clinical psychology PhD student, a trauma therapist, a sex researcher, a rad Jewess, a queer activist, and a cottagecore rabble-rouser. Katie is truly a wonderful soul. Over the past few months, ever since this horrific genocide began, she has been one of the most helpful voices on social media. She has made loads of content to share the truth about Zionism at its goals, to give a clear headed picture about what's actually going on in Gaza, to debunk bullshit lies floating around on the internet, and so much more. And she does it with such clarity, intelligence, passion, and grace! If this is your first time encountering Katie and her work, I hope you'll begin following her on Instagram and TikTok immediately. Also, if you want to read more about her professional work and to read her dozens of published papers, click here. Katie is a certified badass.  ---

Correct thinking leads to correct action! 1 Timothy 1 Introduction I am sure that some people here when they heard I was preaching tonight were expecting some obscure passage from the Old Testament or even something from that wonderful book of Leviticus. I know that Chris and Sue Cook were! But no! A change! Did I catch you out? Our passage tonight, wonderfully read for us, is found in the New Testament. The little letter of 1 Timothy, where the aged Paul is reminding and instructing Timothy, his much younger disciple, who is probably about 40 years old now. The whole of the New Testament church is growing and spreading far and wide away from its starting point in Jerusalem. Most scholars agree that this letter was written about 64AD, so it is now about 8 years after Paul's 3 year stay in Ephesus came to an end. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be a first century Christian. The original followers of Jesus, the apostles have either died or will be soon, so who will ensure that good teaching and guidance will be given to me and others around me? Who will ensure that sound doctrine of salvation through Jesus alone by grace alone through faith alone will be preserved? Some of these concerns are met by the apostle Paul in what we call the Pastoral Epistles - 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul is getting on in age now. He is in Macedonia, but his representative, Timothy, was left in Ephesus, and by all accounts was undergoing a particularly torrid time. The church in Ephesus was still made up of small groups of believers and each group had a leader with some experience, knowledge and therefore influence. So you can imagine the turmoil if their understanding of the Gospel would become twisted, contorted and infected with false teachings and myths. The turmoil would act like a virus going from group to group, person to person. The records we have of the early church show that when false teaching had been encountered elsewhere, it had usually come from outsiders to that local church. However, here in Ephesus, the false teachers had come from within the church in Ephesus. Even some of the house leaders setup by Paul! Was Paul surprised? Not at all! Paul had predicted this would occur. We read in Acts 20, written much earlier than this letter, Paul saying "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." So Paul has delegated his authority to Timothy, his personal representative in Ephesus. Timothy is encouraged to counter with sound doctrine any false teaching, particularly in regards to the Mosaic Law. It seems from this letter, that the leaders were mixing Jewish ideas and pagan myths into Christian thought. We read about those things in v3 and 4. These things were distracting the church from doing God's work and were instead promoting fantasy, controversies and meaningless talk. So Paul writes to Timothy. He had already written his letter to the church in Ephesus - that was a few years ago now. This letter is a personal one. He didn't write to the church itself again. He did this in order to bolster Timothy's authority and position against those who were spreading false teaching. That's probably why Paul puts forward his credentials at the start. Paul is saying to the church in Ephesus "I, Paul, am an apostle because God has commanded me to be so! Timothy is my ambassador, my man, so wise up, church - you Ephesians! Listen to him and you won't go astray from the truth." Timothy would have shared this letter with the church there. Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Sermon as a MP3 file ----more---- The church (1 Timothy 1:4-11) Let us start with the church in Ephesus, before moving on to Timothy, Paul and ultimately, God! Some leaders inside the church of Ephesus were teaching doctrines contrary to that of Paul. They were being troublemakers - causing rebelliousness and dissent. This NIV translates it as "false doctrine" but another translation puts it as "a different doctrine", as in different from apostolic teaching. These people were mixing myths and legends in with the true doctrine of solid apostolic faith. It led them to teach a different Jesus - making a Jesus who was different from the Jesus of Paul and the other Apostles. Just as the Corinthian church had been urged by false teachers to follow a different Jesus, so was the church in Ephesus. There was also desire of these troublemakers to inflict a form of Judaism upon the church, whereby a number of Jewish ceremonies were seen to be still binding on Christians - making a gospel of works rather than a gospel of grace. For the Jewish people, genealogies were important, particularly linking back to Abraham, because by doing so, their salvation was guaranteed. A kind of false gospel, in the light of Jesus Christ and His salvation work. But Paul says here that any reliance on genealogies is useless and unreliable! Genealogies don't promote good work and a good conscience! To rely on genealogies for salvation is a gospel of works, as opposed to salvation through Jesus Christ which is salvation based on grace alone given by God in faith alone. This teaching, combining myths and genealogies was promoting controversy and speculation rather than unity and morality. They were being contentious for the sake of arguments and quarrels. Whereas the goal of apostolic teaching was to be borne from love, and to result in love. Love issuing forth from a good conscience and an uncontaminated faith in God. Love of God and love of others is the product of teaching true doctrine, says Paul to Timothy - as opposed to the dissension, bitterness and contrariness of the false teachers. Timothy! Do not touch! Do not taste! These false teachers from inside the church were promoting nothing but their own glory, rather than seeking the glory of Jesus Christ alone. They were leading people out of a secure salvation by grace alone through faith alone and into a insecure salvation based on works. These people were without a sincere faith, a pure heart and a good conscience and had wandered from the true Gospel. They were abusing the Law rather than teaching it. Instead, Paul explains to Timothy about the Law and that the Law is indeed good! He explains that the proper use of the Law is to restrain people from doing evil. That rules and laws are not for those who are obedient but to correct and train those who are disobedient. The Law cannot save anybody, but only reveal their need of a Saviour. In v9-11 Paul gives some examples of those who are breaking the Law willfully. Into this mix, Timothy, is thrown! Timbo! (1 Timothy 1:18-20) Timbo to those of us who are Australian, and Timothy for the rest of you! Timothy's mum was a Jewess and his father a Gentile. Timothy was converted to Christianity early on in his life and was taken by Paul to assist him in his work for the Gospel. In particular to encourage the new churches sprouting up! So Timothy was basically an assistant Apostle! Paul, without a doubt, had taught Timothy in private as they travelled and conversed. Paul endearingly calls Timothy "his son" even though he probably didn't bring Timothy to faith. Here, Timothy is instructed by Paul to keep fighting the good fight, battling the false teachers (Read v18-19). Timothy, and therefore the church in Ephesus has a choice to make. They can keep following Paul and accept his wisdom. Or they can succumb to the wiles and whims of the false teachers. Timothy has been instructed to silence the troublemakers yet he would also be feeling the pressure to conform to the whims of those very same troublemakers. What is Timothy to do? He has a choice to make! Timothy is instructed to remember what was told to him in the past. We don't know what those prophecies were but it does seem when they were uttered, Timothy was set apart for ministry. Much like Adam was at his baptism. Timothy is to keep going and persevering in the true faith and doctrine of Jesus Christ. He is commanded! He is to have a moral obligation and duty to do as Paul has instructed and he is to fight and defend the truth against the error filled agitators. Timothy has 2 things of great worth: the objectivity of an apostolic faith and the subjectivity of a good conscience. Apostolic faith is belief and a good conscience is action. If he holds on and uses both of them, Timothy will have fought the good fight of faith. By preserving a good conscience, Timothy will keep the faith. By remembering what he believes as apostolic truth, Timothy will be reminded to behave correctly. Belief and behaviour are co-joined. What is truly believed, will affect behaviour. That is where the two blasphemers in verse 20, Alexander and Hymenaeus had gone wrong. Their apostasy and behaviour was so bad, that Paul had to exert church discipline against them, just as he had excommunicated somebody from the Corinthian church. Radical as it seems to us today, remember the church is still in an embryonic and formative state. This excommunication, was it permanent? It seems by the use of the word "taught" that they could be welcomed back into fellowship if they were willing to truly repent, to learn and then be restored. So that is Timothy but what do we learn here of Paul? Paul (1 Timothy 1:1-3 & 12-14) Paul we know is an apostle, a church leader! He has been set apart for this role by God and by Jesus the Son. He is impassioned here in this deeply personal letter to Timothy. You can almost imagine Paul writing imploringly to Timothy. What ever Paul does for the glory of God, its because God Himself is strengthening him. Paul - once an opponent and oppressor of Christ and His church - now commanded to be a dynamic servant of this Jesus. This Paul, who was a blasphemer and persecutor of the church has been transformed! Paul cannot forget what he had done to the early church, persecuting it and thereby also persecuting Jesus Christ. Paul cannot forget how he was transformed from a violet sinner into a servant of Jesus Christ! How did this come about? Not through his own doing but through the inexhaustible patience and work of Jesus Christ, transforming him via the twin wellsprings of grace and mercy. God's amazing grace and mercy, so abundantly poured out upon him. Paul's faith and love are in and for Jesus Christ and Him alone. When Paul says he is the "worst of sinners" in verse 16, is that not a very personal statement to make? Because when each of us confesses our sin to God, we all feel as if we are the worst of the worst. Or at least I know I do! So Paul is compelled and thrust forward - not by his own inner strength - but solely by the love of God and of Jesus Christ. God (1 Timothy 1:15-17) Now let us come to Paul's God! The true God, as opposed to the "different" god which was being proposed by the false teachers. The first thing we see about Paul's God is in verse 1! God is a saving God and is also the saviour - Jesus Christ! This God is our hope, exclaims Paul! Forget the "different god" being proposed by the miscreants - God alone is to be our hope exclaims Paul! This saving God of hope, is imbued with grace, mercy and peace! Because of God's grace and mercy, Paul was now saved and one of God's servants and apostles. Mercy springs forth from grace, because from God's mercy there is forgiveness of sins. Without grace and mercy, peace with God is unobtainable. A God of mercy, means that the follower of Jesus, the Christian, has a throne of grace to run to with boldness in order to seek the help of the great King of Majesty! WOW! This sound doctrine conforms to the blessed Gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ rather than opposing it. In verse 15, Paul sums up the Gospel "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"! WOW, isn't that good news! Because of Jesus Christ, eternal life is granted to those whose hope and faith is in Him alone! Just as Jesus was immensely patient with Paul, so he was with each of us who are Christians. Just, as He is patient with those still outside His church, and not following Him. This God is a personal God! WOW! Do you know these truths of God for yourself? This great and awesome King is still calling people to follow Him. He is still calling people to accept the free offer of salvation through Jesus Christ alone, by grace alone through faith alone. Are you one of His followers yet, or are still exercising Jesus' great patience with you, just as Jesus did with Paul? Now Paul explodes into a line of utter and complete adoration about God! This God, this King, is eternal, immortal, invisible, the only One! This God is before time, outside of time, and after time! WOW! Amazing! This God entered time in the person of Jesus Christ to save humanity which was thoroughly incapable of saving themselves. Forget genealogies, you trouble makers, and remember God's salvation by grace alone through faith alone! Paul ecstatically exclaims that God is King - a mighty ruler, majestic sovereign over all! This God has established a Kingdom through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who lives within His people! This King is eternal, the King of all Kings and the King of all the ages - past, present and future - and not bound by the unstable ebb and flow of time's fluctuations. God the King eternal, He of the ages, and beyond the ages, is often called so in Old Testament worship. This King is immortal, beyond the ravages and decay of time! This immortal King is incorruptible, imperishable and unchanging! This King is invisible, beyond the scope of vision of mere mortal humanity! Yet humanity had once glimpsed His glory, when the God who is outside of time and space, entered time and space in the God-man Jesus Christ. This King is also the One and Only God who is the One and Only great King! This King is unique, majestic, and without rival or parallel. Because this King is eternal, immortal, invisible and the Only, He alone is worthy of honour and glory. WOW! God the King of Holy Majesty! Moreover, this God is personal! Look again at the personal pronouns Paul uses to describe relationship with God! Verse 1 - our Saviour ... our hope, Verse 11 - he entrusted to me. ... Verse 12 - our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Verse 14 - The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly along with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Verse 16 - I was shown mercy so that in me, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. So what? So there you have it. It is 64AD. The church in Ephesus is in a mess. Timothy is drowning under the pressure to conform. Paul has heard about it and is writing to encourage Timothy. Timothy has a choice to make. Succumb to the pressures thrust upon him by the false teachers, trouble-makers and miscreants to follow a false God, a false Jesus - or continue to follow the true God - the eternal, immortal, invisible and only King and the apostolic doctrines as taught to him by Paul, the Apostle by command of God. What about us today? In a lot of churches today, the word 'doctrine' is unfashionable. I have had people say to me just this last week, that doctrine belongs to a time gone by, and that what is needed is new experiences of God and miracles from God! That is the way forward for the church, they say. Or don't go to that service, it might be a bit too heavy or too light for you. We are starting a new thing - come along! Is that new thing or new way of thinking about God, really of God or is it the result of human pride or even a trick of the devil? I am sure that you are aware that's how the cults started. Jehovah Witnesses & Mormons starting something new as a supposed continuation of biblical Christianity. Doctrine is for all those who consider themselves Christians, regardless of the level of academic achievement (or none);·regardless of the length of time they have been a Christian; and regardless of their status in the church they attend, whether as a church leader or an ordinary church member who sits in the congregation. Let us not be afraid of doctrine. For every Christian, doctrine matters. If we have solid, biblical doctrine being practised in our life, then we will be seen to be living a life of total submission and obedience to Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to the praise of God the Father. As the mind is renewed and transformed with teaching about Jesus Christ, and the Christian puts into practice what the mind learns, the very life of the Christian is seen to be transforming into the image of Jesus. Then people will ask questions. Questions regarding the reason why you and I are being transformed and the reason for the hope we hold onto. That way the Gospel and Good News of Jesus Christ is spread, for doctrine in practise is also evangelism - telling others about this wondrous one and only King who is eternal, immortal, invisible yet made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Another reason, learning solid doctrine is important is so that we can discern solid Apostolic & biblical teaching from the false teaching of heretics and those who want to lead Christians astray. By knowing good doctrine, we will be enabled to start discerning true beliefs from false beliefs and ultimately engage biblical doctrine into living a life worthy of Jesus Christ. Did Steve Chalke's recent missive about homosexuality not being sinful, have its origins in his changing of the doctrine of atonement a few years ago? After all if Jesus sacrifice was not an atoning sacrifice, how then could the Old Testament atoning sacrifice for sin be fulfilled? Did Mr Chalke's diminished view of the atonement inevitably lead to a diminished and dumbed down view of sin? Just as Timothy had a choice to make - succumb to the troublemakers or submit to God via Paul, we also have choices to make in our daily life. Do we conform to the world or to Jesus Christ? We are to be in the world but not to take the values of the world. That is a command of Jesus Christ who is our master. Finally, and it is hard to ask these questions, but they have been laid on my heart. I asked God if I could skip asking them, but as usual I was told to behave and just do it. Several times. Questions like... Which Gospel are we showing and telling others? Is it the gospel as explicitly given by Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15 or do we deliberately or inadvertently live and tell another gospel - a false gospel, just as the Ephesian troublemakers were doing. Which God do we tell others about? Is it the God of the Bible who is Tri-unity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - of whom humanity is made in the image of? Or is it some kind of false God made in our own image? Which Jesus do we confess and live for? Is it the Jesus who said in Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened, and I will give you rest! Put on my yoke and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Is it the Jesus who was welcoming to all but made demands on them in order to transform them -such as the rich young man who left distraught at the demands made upon him by Jesus or the woman at the well who had her sins forgiven but was told by Jesus to stop her lifestyle of sin? Or is the Jesus we share some kind of modern day Jesus who makes no demands at all? And some churches do indeed preach and teach that kind of insipid, powerless, nodding-head Jesus. Are we wanting to enjoy all the benefits of being a Christian? Things such as our salvation, our sins being forgiven, access to that glorious throne of grace - without enjoying the Joy-giver who wants to transform us willingly into the image of Jesus Christ the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. It is simply idolatry to want to enjoy these benefits without enjoying and submitting to the benefit giver, the Majestic King who is the only true God. It is idolatry because those other things are taking precedence over worship to the King. Why do we take for granted our salvation and our meeting together with other Christians when we can? Why do our prayer meetings and services not fill with Christians wanting to worship, be taught and to pray for this church, this town and the mission work around the world? And finally, you will be glad to know, why are there people coming into this church who are not Christian, and there are, and yet are not going on to follow Jesus and be baptised? There hasn't been a baptism here for over a year. Why not? Again if you are here and haven't been baptised, and you would like to be please do go see Bruce! He would welcome you with open arms! Or perhaps you are not yet one of His followers, still exercising Jesus' great patience with you to accept Him as Lord of your life? If that is so, please don't leave here tonight without talking to somebody about how you can start following this Jesus. Don't leave it too late. You wont regret following Jesus but you may regret it if you don't start. Finally, for the rest of us, we have a great opportunity on February 14 to gather to reach out into town along with other churches in the town, to tell about a God of love on the day of love. Let us go out of here, making a choice to submit to the power of the Holy Spirit, follow Jesus closely to the praise and honour of God the Father. Let His light shine out from us into a town that is in spiritual darkness, dying to know personally our majestic King who is God. Let His love shine out of us as we learn and submit to him - loving others, loving each other to reflect a God of love. Put your thinking and doctrine of God into practise which is evangelism. If the God we serve is the God of 1 Timothy - a majestic King who is personal, ageless, without decay or corruption, invisible and the only God - then we are duty bound to tell and show others about Him. After all, each of us who are Christians here tonight have had somebody tell us about the offer to succumb to the fathomless patience of Jesus and accept Him as master of their life. Let us go! Are you ready? Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Sermon as a MP3 file

‘Then came he to Derbe and Lystra:  and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:‘Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.'—Acts 16:1, 2

Cindy Grosz is an award winning media personality, brand ambassador and proud Jewish activist. She is the host of the "Jewess Patriot" radio show on multiple AM and FM stations throughout the USA. For years she has been backstage, front row and on the red carpet sharing exclusive interviews. Her columns appear regularly in the Times of Israel, Israel National News and other outlets. A former teacher, she has been a voice for minority students in failing public schools; and in 2016, she helped write legislation on the curriculum oversight. Join our conversation as Cindy and I covered topics of the importance of being involved in politics; the importance of knowing your local congressmen and how politics affects our Jewish communities; her take on our response to the tragedy of October 7th and her role in promoting Israeli businesses. Liked what you heard? Tap 5 stars and send this episode to three others who will enjoy it as well. Want to connect with Cindy directly? Find her on Instagram @cindy_grosz. I'll catch YOU in the next episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/devora-goldberg/message

Shownotes and Transcript The question 'who is indigenous' comes up a lot while discussing demographics and immigration.  And no country has this been asked more than Israel. Brian of London joins us to discuss a Twitter/X post and article titled "Israel Palestine: Who's Indigenous?". For some reason this question is contentious. Brian breaks it down (according to anthropologist Jose R Martin-Cobo) under a series of headings of Land, Culture, Common Ancestry, Language, Religion and Blood. Basically we are looking at a historic continuity. Brian uses these headings to look at whether it is the Jews or the Palestinians that fit this indigenous definition  Brian of London completed a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics just as the Web was emerging. But then he left academia to do management consulting and eventually moved to Israel to do business. Brian's working on the cutting edge of the new Podcasting 2.0 to make sure this relic of the early web, stays free from capture by the centralising forces of Web 2.0 and their dangerous desire to turn us all into dairy cows. Brian was also the admin on Tommy Robinson's Facebook account that had over a million followers before it was nuked! In his spare time, he assists with a gigantic class action lawsuit in Australia on behalf of the entire crypto industry. Interview recorded 2.1.24 Connect with Brian... X                        https://x.com/brianoflondon?s=20 Connect with Hearts of Oak... WEBSITE            https://heartsofoak.org/ PODCASTS        https://heartsofoak.podbean.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA  https://heartsofoak.org/connect/ Support Hearts of Oak by purchasing one of our fancy T-Shirts....  SHOP                  https://heartsofoak.org/shop/ *Special thanks to Bosch Fawstin for recording our intro/outro on this podcast. Check out his art https://theboschfawstinstore.blogspot.com/ and follow him on GETTR https://gettr.com/user/BoschFawstin and on X https://twitter.com/TheBoschFawstin?s=20  Transcript (Hearts of Oak) And it's wonderful to have Brian of London join us once again. Brian, thanks so much for your time today. (Brian of London) Well, thank you very much for having me on.  Not at all. There's lots to discuss in your neck of the woods, as they would say in the Brits, in your part of the world. And obviously we have had, we have a Tera Dahl who was just back from Israel. She'd been there three, four weeks for Real America's Voice reporting. We had Bridget Gabriel on actually discussing. But I think we want to go on a slightly different tact, and it was one of your tweets looking at, and I think part of it was from another article, Israel-Palestine, who's indigenous? and I've always had a very firm understanding because of biblical history and where I come at this from a Christian but even there's confusion amongst parts of the Christian world and community but that may mess this conversation up even more. But let's, Israel-Palestine, who's indigenous? Maybe tell us why this was of interest to you, and then we can go with some of the categories and how you define this term indigenous. Yeah, and I just realized I've got my window open. So if you're hearing background noise, tell me, otherwise I'll leave it open. I'm in my bomb shelter, which everyone should know. And fortunately, we actually haven't been in it for about 10 days now and the last major barrage of rockets was just to the south of us on midnight on new year's eve obviously they did the fireworks for us and that.  We we had our Muslim mayor, Sadiq Kahn do the fireworks for us as well in London but it was different firework.  Different and the thing with that was actually it was, they fired them. They always fire them at exactly on the hour. In fact, there's a joke that the guy controlling the missiles, his name is Abu Dekar. Dekar means on the minute. So we say, oh, Abu Dekar is firing again. Because they fire at exactly 12, so then the alarm goes at sort of 12.01, and the missiles arrive at sort of 12.01 or 12.02. Anyway, I didn't hear an alarm because it was south of me. I just heard the booms when we intercepted.  But yeah, I'm in my bomb shelter. But what I sent you, I sent you an article which actually was published in 2014 by a friend of mine. And I helped get this published because Israeli Cool, the blog that it's on, the guy who runs that and me both found this guy who is a Métis Canadian indigenous person. Or they call them First Nations in Canada. That's the politically correct term. He doesn't mind being called an Indian. He's quite happy with that or whatever terminology, but he's Métis, which is a tribe that its original area was sort of somewhere in Canada. But he put out this article in a very obscure kind of place, and I just grabbed it and I said to him, can you just say all of this stuff again for the Israeli audience? And that's what we did. And because he has studied properly the way the UN came to regard what an indigenous person was. Because indigenous means something completely different from people than it does for plants and animals. Plants and animals are indigenous when they've been in the same place for thousands or millions of years. But people is a totally different beast. We have moved around the world ever since we were people. Vast migrations out of Africa. The term indigenous just doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean the same thing for a person as it does for a plant. The kind of way that this is seen in the academic literature, and remember, this is infused with leftism, so we're picking and choosing here a little bit. And this guy, Jose Martinez Cobo, he came up with this definition. And this has stuck. And this really is the way the entire field looks at indigenous. And I'll just read or direct from the summary of his work what these rules are. Self-identification as indigenous peoples at the individual level and acceptance as a member by the community. Okay, so you have to actually feel that you're indigenous, okay? Historical continuity with pre-colonial and or pre-settler societies, okay? I'll read them off and then we'll sort of go through them and what they mean for Jews and Israel and what they mean for Palestinians, for example, and then we can sort of look at this in relation to Brits and Irish people and, you know, English, Welsh, Scottish, and, strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources, distinct social, economic, or political systems, distinct language, culture, and knowledge. I'm going to skip one, and then I'm going to say resolve to maintain and reproduce ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities. Okay, this is anthropology language. But the basics are, and my friend summarizes them like this, land, language, culture, spirituality, and the last one is blood. And we'll get back to that because that's actually that's the one that's just the least important actually for Jews, especially for Jews. So Jews self-identify this is obvious it's like, we've been three and a half thousand years or so I mean the the numbers claim there's a book to my right, if you go full screen there's a book the atlas of Jewish history just behind me. And in that, this one here, the Atlas of Judaism, okay, we can go back to. If you go back to that, if you start looking for dates, Abraham kind of is dated at about 4,000 years ago, to 2,000 BC. He walked from Mesopotamia all the way down across the Middle East, Iran, Iraq. It's mixed up because none of those are real. Well, Iran and Persia became real soon, you know, later. Basically, none of it is what is there today. And he walked across that. And then he walked down through Israel. And he walked on a road that we have in Israel today called Highway 40. It's the road that runs down the backbone of what we call Judea-Samaria, what the Jordanians renamed the West Bank, that road follows the path that Abraham took and is described in the bible as the path that Abraham took and when you when you drive quickly down that road today you see the road signs in the order in which they appear in the bible. It's as real as that and that is 30 or 40 kilometres that way I'm pointing off to the east, the sea is that way that's my west, this stuff is real. Now, whether you believe the story of Abraham was real or not to the Jewish people, it is foundational. It is our ethnogenesis. It's the start of what led to being Jewish, but that's really. But I just want, actually, when you say it, it depends what you believe is real or or not, the level of documentation to actually prove that actually the Old Testament story and New Testament story is more documented than nearly any other historical event. And yet the world believes parts of history, but you've got this mountain of evidence and they say, oh no, that's just fables. So when you say, if you want to believe it or not, actually, it's there staring you in the face that there is no more evidence for the biblical events than there is for anything else in the world. Correct. And it's even more than the biblical events. It's that the book that was woven around it, the Hebrew Bible, it was something that Jews preserved through an enormous act of preservation that I don't think has a parallel in the world. Okay. The Torah, as we call it, the way it is passed down is we write it out by hand. And the people who write the Torah, they write it without making a mistake. And if they make a mistake, they throw it away and start again. And there's no tippex and there's no scratching it out and there's no backspace key. This is and this document is so unbelievably well preserved that when you dig up the dead sea scrolls that were that were, you know in the caves of Qumran for three thousand years or two and a half thousand years when you dig those up, actually I don't know they might be a bit more modern than that but when you dig them up I can go and look at them and my Hebrew is not great but I can read the words. Biblical Hebrew is different from modern Hebrew, but I recognize the words. And if I open a modern Torah, they are the same. The transcription errors down the Torah is… We have this record. Abraham ends up in Hebron. He buys a cave to bury his wife in. That purchase of the cave in Hebron again. It doesn't matter whether you believe it happened exactly. That purchase forms the basis of our property rights in the modern world. That purchase of a cave is the oldest recorded land transaction that follows the modern form of transactions, offer, consideration, acceptance. Our whole edifice of modern contract law is built around that cave purchase. And that's part of Judaism. Judaism, then, of course, and I'm no biblical scholar, but Joseph goes to Egypt, the children of Israel become numerous, they leave Egypt in a hurry, which is also a story of the emancipation of slavery. Again, Jews led the way in that. What's interesting about our civilization today is not that we had slavery. It's not that the Americans had slavery. It's that it was abolished, and Jews abolished slavery within their own systems a millennia before. What's interesting about the West is not having had slavery. What's interesting is having got rid of slavery. I'll put forward that that's a Jewish. You get that because eventually, and it took the South Africans a lot longer than anyone else to realize this, but when you read the Bible and you read all men are created in the image of God, you just have to get rid of slavery. It doesn't work. Again, a Jewish thing. All of these stories, and then the Jews come back to Israel, and yes, there's wars and stuff, and there's Canaanites and Philistines and battles and Jericho, and the walls come tumbling down. All of these phrases I can just throw at you. The majority of a reasonably educated Western populace, they just understand those cultural references in a way. I don't need to explain Jericho. You know, I don't need to explain a lot of this stuff. David and Goliath, that's David the Jew versus Philistine Goliath. It happened actually near Gaza. Well, in the hills, sort of inland from there. But Samson, Samson and Delilah, that story is in Gaza. All of these foundational stories for Jews, which Christianity also adopts, the whole of the Hebrew Bible is basically part of the Christian canon. That happens here. Those are place names. Into the New Testament, Armageddon is Megiddo. It's 80 kilometres that way. I can drive there. Yes, I think I can still drive there. It's not closed. We have such ties. We have our ancestors buried. The reason why Hebron is special today and why Jews want to live there is because there's a massive building that Solomon built. It's the same era as the famous Western Wall, the Temple Mount. That building is built on top of this cave that Abraham bought. That's why it's there. That's where we buried our matriarchs and our patriarchs. This is a, and you know when when Martinez talks about historical continuity and strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources, the strongest link you can have is ancestral burial sites, you know everybody sort of knows the kind of, from America, the you know, how, oh this is this is ancient burial lands, well Hebron is the burial site of Abraham's family, basically. Nablus, who is the modern name. The old biblical name is Shem. That's actually closest to me. That's literally inland from me now. That's the burial site of Joseph. There's a building there called Joseph's Tomb. Now, the Muslims sort of revere it because they stole our prophets and stuff. But they only revere it because we do. The site of the temple in Jerusalem is the site on which Abraham was supposed to sacrifice Isaac, where the whole story of the ram and the burning bush, the.. sorry, the ram caught in the bush, not the burning bush, that's Moses. That story happens on what is now today the temple mount. That was the position of the high holies. That's why we built the temple there, twice. That's why the Romans destroyed it. That's why the Muslims came along when they conquered it and built a mosque and a mausoleum on that spot, because it matters. Those are elements of colonization. These other components like distinct language, culture, and knowledge. Now, yes, we revived Hebrew as a modern language. That was controversial because some very religious Jews would say that Hebrew is the language of prayer. It's the language of the Torah. are we shouldn't use it for day-to-day stuff when we're going to be obscene and tell jokes and in fact what tends to happen is we use Arabic for the worst stuff but um, that was controversial but it was also hugely important that there is continuity that any Jewish child living in Israel, any Israeli child, can pick up an ancient scroll that was buried in the desert, and all the letters look familiar. That's amazing. Nobody reads hieroglyphics. The Roman Catholic Church teaches their clergy to read Latin, but it's not a day-to-day language anywhere. Hebrew is a day-to-day language, and it has biblical continuity back 3,000 plus years. Now, when I read through this list, which we'll post later, I missed one. I said I was going to miss one. In the UN, they've got this one line, status as a non-dominant social group. I can't help, and I've discussed this with Ryan. Ryan Bellerose is the Métis Canadian. That's almost like they had to put that in to try and find some way to make Jews not indigenous in Israel. Because we are, Jews are now the dominant social group in one place in the world, Israel. It's like we we won, we're the only ones actually, we're really the only indigenous people that lost our land and got it back and that is essentially, Zionism is that, it is the return of Jews to Zion, you know, by the rivers of Babylon, where, you know, that psalm, that's, what, 600 years BCE? That's Zionism. We've been trying to get back to Zion, Jerusalem, Israel, for thousands of years, ever since we were cast out by the Romans. I think the last time Jews really ran the place was up until when we revolted too much and the Romans kicked us out on 135 or 132 or whatever it was, and changed the name. And again, this is colonizer versus indigenous. What do colonizers do? They bring a new language, they try to crush whatever markers there are of indigenousness. And then they destroy, they build their new stuff on top of old stuff. They try and erase indigenous identities. And that's what's actually happened all over the world. You know, Native Americans cling on in America. Across Europe there are sort of lots of indigenous identities that were crushed by the Romans that never reappeared. I would say that the EU itself was trying to do this, it's it's trying to sort of flatten Europe and you all become Europeans in a horrible Marxist sense and I think that's one of the reasons why Israel is so hated by this globalist elite type thing, is that we are just this total exception. We are the indigenous people that came back, made it work, and made it work. And it doesn't mean, and let's just sort of circle back to the blood, and then I'll let you get a word in edge ways. Blood. This is the bit that gets thrown at us all the time on the internet. Okay? Every time I post indigenous, oh, you're from Europe. Well, actually, I was born in South Africa, so I'm African. You know, bite on that, you chumps. I'm second generation. My parents were born in Africa. I'm second generation African. So I don't know where you think I should go back to. I grew up in London. Yeah, that's true. My accent is London, but I never felt English actually. I've got my British citizenship, but am I English I don't think so. I'm Jewish, Jews belong here, so blood is uniquely unimportant to Jews for one good reason and the reason is Ruth, the story of Ruth in the bible is the story that actually to this day means that Jews accept converts. As soon as you accept conversion, it means blood doesn't matter. Now, we do not have an easy conversion process, okay? And in fact, you know, whenever I've, and I know some of my best friends here are converts, and they're more orthodox than me, more, you know, they observe of Sabbath, Shabbat, more than I do. And in many ways. But there's no hint or there's no feeling for me personally, or you don't find it anywhere in Israel, that if somebody has gone through the process of an Orthodox-recognized conversion, nobody here looks down upon them. In fact, many of us realize that's a lot harder than just being born. So blood. I don't know where his blood is from. In fact, I think the two converts I know the best, Australians and both, I think, from Catholic families, doesn't matter. So I don't care about blood. Now, it turns out I actually am Kohanim, and you can check, but there's DNA markers. But that's not what makes me Jewish. What makes me Jewish is self-identification, keeping the rituals, doing Shabbat dinners. And it doesn't even matter the level of observance. It's some level of observance and some recognition that it means something to be Jewish. So when they throw at you this Khazar crap and go back to Europe, and I mean, even that is ala panim, on its face. That doesn't mean the same thing. On its face, it's just ridiculous, because more than half the Jews in Israel are of Middle Eastern backgrounds. Algeria, Morocco, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Syria. All of these places is where Jews came from. Right now, and Ethiopia, of course, we've airlifted them. All of these things mean that we're just a mongrel mix these days. And our kids are all meeting and intermarrying between different... There really isn't a level of racism that I can certainly recognize in America. So blood, what does blood mean? It doesn't... It's important. It's one of the markers. But it is not who makes you a Jew. Well, I think, yeah, there are a lot of points to pick up. For me, actually, it's the history. Abraham 4,000 years ago, David 3,000, establishing Jerusalem as the capital. So you've got 2,000 years of history on the land, in effect, before the Romans took over. The renaming of that land as Palestine to remove Israel off the face of the earth, just like Iran want to do..  That's deliberate.. Just exactly. Syria, Palestina and yeah of course the word came from the Greek from palash invaders from the sea, you can, it's like you can get you can get locked in all that crappy silly detail, it doesn't matter and it doesn't matter if it's Israel or the kingdom of David, it was or Judah or Samaria. Today it's Israel because when you form a modern nation, within the framework of modern nations that arose in the 1850s onwards. I can't remember the philosophical name for this, but Israel slots in within modern nationhood as the land of the Jews. Should there be a Kurdish nation? Yeah, sure. I just want to tell you something else about this. indigenous status is not zero sum, because there are indigenous people does not mean that nobody else is indigenous. Now, and I'm not coming to the Palestinians by any means next. We have Aramaic Christians living in the Galilee region. They are following a kind of Christianity that emerged very soon after Jesus died. And they are speaking Aramaic, or they're doing their liturgy in Aramaic. I've met one. There's a famous picture of Tommy Robinson standing next to a bearded guy with a big hat wearing his Mossad t-shirt. That's Father Nadav, and we went to meet him in Nazareth. That's in Nazareth. He lives there. There's a community of Aramaic Christians. The only place you can be an Aramaic Christian safely in the whole Middle East is Israel. And then we've got Druze. Druze is a kind of, it's wrong to call them completely Muslim. They're something else entirely. And their geographic region encompasses Syria and Lebanon and Israel. But where are they best off? Most of them, realize, in Israel. We've got some Baha'is who came from Iran, settled here. They're up in Haifa. We have Samaritans, actually. That's very close to me. This town of Nablus, okay? What's the Palestinian town of Nablus? Well, it comes from Neopolis, the Roman for new city. So even their name in Arabic of Nablus, it's a corruption of a Roman word. It's not Arabic. And you know this because Neopolis, anything with a P is not Arabic.  So the P gets converted to a B. It's just like the Palestinians, when they say it, they call it a phalestini, because they can't say P, so they change it to E. So Nablus, which is the place of Shem, again, Romans, they knew Shem is in the Bible many times, but they have to rename the place Neopolis to assert Roman dominance, and that's what you do. The Samaritans live on a place called Mount Gruzine, which overlooks that. They're there. We've got Bedouin Arabs who have lived here for a long time, but Bedouins have moved across the whole Middle East for centuries. To call them indigenous, they have parts of their culture here, but it's not unique to Israel. That's the point, the Bedouin culture is across the whole of the Arab peninsula all the way out. So did any part of their culture arise in Israel? Not really. But they have something called rights of longstanding presence, for sure. And they serve in our armed forces, and we have all sorts of internal political disputes over where they live and how they live and what their place. But again, that's stuff we can deal with. It's not sort of virulent hatred all the time. But this point of, is Islam indigenous to Israel? No, nothing of it. The only bit that they talk about is the farthest, there's a passage in the Quran that talks about the farthest mosque, and that has been reinterpreted. And there's a very famous clip from Al Jazeera from years and years ago. Professor Mordechai Kadar, he went on Al Jazeera in Arabic and he asked the host, how many times is Jerusalem named in the Quran? And the Quran was written 700, 800 years after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Everybody in the whole world, the known, educated world, knew the name Jerusalem. But yet it does not appear once in the Quran. Not once. There's an oblique reference to a night journey by Muhammad to the furthest mosque. And he tied his horse up outside and ascended to heaven. That is the entire basis for Islamic claim to Israel and Jerusalem. Other than the fact that they assume everything. They're a replacement theology. So they brought in all of Christianity. They brought in all of Judaism. They then tell us we forged it to take out Muhammad. And they write their book, the Quran, which they then say, we're the corruptors of. Jews are worse than Christians because we went astray. Jews are the ones who went astray. Christians are the ones who were just led astray. You followed us instead of the Muslims so we're both cursed but Jews are cursed a bit more. But that's that's not the claim, that's the claim, that's what we're fighting over. And of course well yeah and of course you'd, you've got the period of the Romans and then the period of Arabs or Muslims from what 600... And crusaders, Sala in the Kurd, This history just goes, but all of it, the constant theme throughout is, one, there were Jews always here. Jews never left. There were Jews in Sfat. They came back in 1200 and 600. The only people who ever regarded this land as the place of genesis of their entire civilization is Jews.  Yeah. And then you go through, you're right, all those histories with the Ottoman Empire, whatever morphing of Arabness or Muslimness there was on there. And then you're right that Muslims tie Jerusalem to a story about a flying donkey, but we'll not even go into that. We'll not have to base what you believe in that. But the issue, I guess, you have now is that the clash between Romans and the Jews living there was a land grab and dominance. It's something much deeper in terms of Islam, and I 100% believe that Islam was started. One of the main reasons is to eradicate who Jesus is. You can't say Jesus, son of God. You cannot, that he was simply a man. And at its heart, and that means at its heart is also hatred of the Jews and the Jewish people, because without Judaism, you do not have Christianity. It's impossible. But that hatred we have seen over the whole time, and 1948, it is an absolute miracle to see what happens. I think maybe the hatred is from, one, the hatred that Islam has against Judaism. That's one. But also there's a second hatred that I think the miracle of modern-day Israel, that many people cannot accept that, and they look for something darker. You know, Israel being the centre of everything, being in control. And they come up with this idea to remove any understanding that actually you can't explain. 1948, when you read about what happened, I've read it in 67, 73, and all of those, it is a miracle. It could not happen, should not happen. And yet Israel stands there as a proud country, hugely successful in the midst of basket cases of countries. But yeah, talk to us about that level of vitriol against Israel and against the Jewish people that exists not only in the Middle East, but actually exists in the media and across the world, really. Well, I, you know, every Jew does, you know, I guess my kids are starting to do it now. You start, you know, when you're brought up Jewish, eventually at some point you understand that this thing called the Holocaust happened.  And what it does to a lot of us is you go through a phase where you try and, why? What's with the hatred? Why the hatred? And Islamic Jew hatred, I can see that in the Quran. I can see the hundred and whatever verses it is that mention Jews. And whereas we start off a little bit favourable in the early stuff, once Jews reject Muhammad and say no you're not a prophet we're done with our era of prophets, that was a thousand years ago, you're not one of them, once that happened he really then just goes on a the rest of his life is like, how can I f these Jews? And you know he kills a lot of Jews in Khaybar he takes their wives, their daughters, their and then also in Khaybar this other story, this very pivotal battle, after the battle when he kills all the men and he's got the women and one of the stories that's not well, it pretty authoritative, but again this doesn't matter whether it happened or not, it matters whether Muslims believe it, is that he was poisoned by this Jewish woman that he'd taken prisoner before he rapes her and that he died five years later from the poison he was was given then. Now, again, you get all sorts of scholars saying this is unlikely and it probably didn't happen. It doesn't matter. Do Muslims teach their children that a Jew killed Muhammad? Yes, they do. In large numbers, very large numbers. And so Jews rejected the prophet Muhammad. We don't call him a prophet. He isn't a prophet. He's their prophet. He's not our prophet. We rejected that. He fought lots of battles against us. He killed a lot of Jews, and eventually he was poisoned by a Jewess. These are not good things to teach your kids for coexistence. That's what they do. That kind of antisemitism, I understand that. That's ancient and it really hasn't changed. It can be dialled up or dialled down depending on the authoritarian rulers. UAE today might be dialling it down a lot. Great. In two or three generations, I'll feel a lot happier. Now, Nazi anti-Semitism, European anti-Semitism, again, Christianity had its creation stuff, and Christianity for a long time said that Jews killed Jesus. Despite Jesus being one of us, we, you know, and it took until, when did the Catholic Church change that? I mean, it was like in 1960 something or other, was the papal, you know, it's like, okay, thanks. It was the Romans. We can all agree on the Romans, but yes, Jews are stood accused of killing Jesus. That was one thing. Jews are successful. I don't know what it is. I personally have come to believe that Intel, the guy who founded Intel, Andy Grove, his autobiography was called Only the Paranoid Survive. I think Jews have been bred to be paranoid. There's other reasons which are genetically passed down. Whereas the Catholic Church, for a lot, makes its priests celibate, they become the most highly educated members of society, but yet they don't procreate. Jews did the opposite. You become a rabbi, the town supports the rabbi, and the smartest people who become rabbis then have 18 children. Perhaps that's the reason why we've got higher IQ. I don't know. We certainly value, as a culture, we value learning. We value books. We value, the fact that we've got troops in Gaza. What do they do at the weekends? Some of them, they drive armoured personnel carriers into Gaza with a gigantic Torah scroll so that they can stand in some house with bullet holes all around and do the Shabbat service with a real giant Torah scroll. First, they take in little ones, but once the roots are secure, what are we doing? Are we taking a book? This is the most ridiculous. And then what we do is, we do Talmudic rituals, as the Nazis and the anti-Semites would say. We're not doing it. It's not because, we're not out looking for the blood to drink and make my matzah. That's just utter crap. We're doing it because we value these traditions. We passed them down, and the continuity of Jews as a people has depended on us revering those words. That's why copying the Torah accurately for 3,000 years by hand, that's an astonishing cultural achievement that no culture on earth has managed. You know, Aborigines in Australia might have told stories orally, and that's a great sort of pass down. But we wrote it in a book, and the story of Abraham buying the cave becomes the root of Western civilization. So, you know, you can argue Judeo-Christian civilization for sure. And, you know, some people will say that democracy comes from the Greeks or whatever.  Much more of our morality comes from the Jewish Hebrew Bible, the Ten Commandments, than any other foundational thing. And again, the Americans, I'll criticize the Americans and I'll criticize the West in a very specific way. Rights versus responsibility. Okay? If you read the Ten Commandments, what you are reading is not a charter of rights. You do not have the right to life. You do not have the right to property. You do not have the right to your wife. You read a responsibility. You read about honouring your parents. You read about not murdering people. You read about not coveting the other guy's ox or wife. Those are responsibilities. You follow those responsibilities within your tribe. Your rights are implied. And I think America and the whole Western notion of human rights and stuff, it puts the cart before the horse. What are your responsibilities? Your responsibility is not to lob rockets at civilian areas on midnight of new year's eve, your responsibility is not to break out through a fence and go murder and rape people in the most horrible way, if you follow the responsibility of not being complete and utter bleeps then you can have a right to life, we are going to remove we, you do not have a right to life when you commit those acts against us. That's what we're seeing now. We're not Christians, and the whole turn the other cheek thing, it's not in our book, and quite rightly. There's too much of that, and the modern Western Christianity has gone too far. Yeah. Yes. That's an interesting. Here, I'll not go down that route, but actually, I want to finish off with, I'm sure you've had, well, you face, I'm sure, a lot of abuse. And if you are a Zionist Shill, maybe you can share some of that, Brian, because I'll happily be a Zionist, but never get paid for it, which is a bummer.  None of us get paid for this. It costs me a fortune living here.  I know it would be much easier if we did get paid, but that's not how life works. But it's interesting what's happened. Maybe the backlash you get whenever you talk about Israel's existence and the history and that clash, and also what we are seeing at the moment. It's interesting, what's the term? Proportionality is the term that's used. And I always wonder, what's proportional to rape or murder of children? Do you really want to go down that? Because that's a very perverse path if you want to go down that. But yeah, tell us about that, the backlash, but also then Israel doing what it has to do to exist. And if other countries want to be peaceful, then that makes life a lot easier for everyone, including the Arab countries around. Well you know the backlash, first of all, hurty words on the internet doesn't doesn't hurt me, you know I'm very much a bit of a free speech absolutist, I'll block and I'll mute if they're boring. I mean but mostly I like, you know and I'll spar with a few of them you know. I'm just looking to my left, I've got a screen here, sort of one of these things that kicked this off was because someone said, so I get that a lot of Israeli Jews are scared right now. So here's an idea. Why don't we offer them refuge in our own countries? Invite them to Britain, the States, and Canada. It's a win-win. Israelis get to live somewhere they feel safe, and the locals get their land back. Now, after everything I've just said to you, firstly, we've tried living in other people's countries. It doesn't always go so well. You know, German Jews felt great in 1929, and Polish Jews felt great also. This was not a long-term, tenable solution. And so what I replied was, lol, no, we're home. When you dig up London, you find Roman stuff. When we dig up Jerusalem, we dig past that crap to the city of our Jewish King David. Pithy, short, you can't put all the history of the Middle East in a tweet or an x-post or whatever we're supposed to call it. Praise be to Elon. Now, so I get this back. This isn't how the world works. Just because you've owned something thing doesn't mean you always will. Also, the Celtic tribes inhabited London long before the Romans, and Canaanites existed in Palestine long before Israel. Well, as and when some Canaanites show up, and as long as they're not still doing the child sacrifice shit, we will give them a nice little bit of the country, and they can live and practice their whatever Canaanite religion. But the point is, there is no continuity of Canaanites, because probably because Jews genocided them, whatever, I don't care. Canaanite was absorbed into the Jewish tribes. That's what happened. There's nobody doing Canaanite today, so they don't exist. The Palestinians are not Canaanites. They're not Philistines either. They don't know anything about Canaanites or Philistines. But, you know, you get all of this stuff. David, this is a good one, actually. Chrissy, David was a corrupt criminal whose family came from Iraq. That's the Koran version of David. I was wondering. I missed that. I know. I know. That one's just brilliant. And it's just very simple. And it's with a little Canadian flag. And Chrissy is the name. Compassion, confidence, something about a sire. 170,000 followers.  You kind of and then you know you get from sama Lebanese when you check your DNA it's east European, okay my yes yes my DNA did come a bit, because before South Africa we were somewhere in northeast Europe but again and then you know when I look through all of this telling me that I don't belong where I know I belong. Look, I came to Israel when I was 39 years old. I married my Israeli wife some years before that, tried to learn Hebrew in London. I'm crap at Hebrew, okay? I can barely read. I can sort of read, but more often than not, I'm copy-pasting into... Oh, Apple. Apple does not translate Hebrew by default. It's like not not one of their default languages. It's like, get with this. Anyway, I arrive in Israel as a 39-year-old PhD physicist, basically illiterate, but I feel more at home than I did in London. Explain that. I can't explain that. There's this woman, Eve Barlow, she's here visiting right now. She lands and she immediately feels at home. She lives in LA, She's a writer or she wrote, and writes about music. Why does she feel at home? And so many Jews you talk to, and this is a funny thing, when non-Jews come here and feel at home, they then start looking through their family tree and discover that four generations back, they are Jewish. And they start questioning their self. There's something that I can't explain to you that is is magical about being in Israel. Because it's tough. It is more comfortable to live in America and Britain. It really, it wasn't the easiest place to move to, but it just felt better. 100%. I think we'll finish it there. I think it's good to get a short conversation about this in Israel. And of course, you could take it wider into other countries. But that makes it very convoluted. And I think this perfectly fits to this current time. But, Brian, thank you so much. All the links for these will be in the description and our social media posts so people can follow the article and your post on it and have fun at the replies, which is sometimes the best part of Twitter posts. It certainly is. Anyway, yeah, we can do updates about the whole situation another time. But, yeah, thank you. This was really good. This is stuff I like talking about. This is positive. This is the reasons that people need to understand why Israel's not going anywhere. And that's the other. The last thing I'll say is this. You know, for 75 years, the Arabs have fought the correct, well, since 67 in particular, and through the 60s, basically, with the rise of Arafat and the PLO, which was a creation of the Soviet Union, the whole Palestinian identity. That's another point, but I'll just finish with this. They fought the correct battle to remove a colonial occupier from land. They fought the right battle that would have got the British out of India. Or the French out of Algeria, or half a dozen European countries out of bits of Africa. They fought the correct guerrilla warfare tactics, sort of terrorism, murders, all of this stuff. And it spectacularly fails to move Jews out of Jerusalem and Israel, because we are not colonial settlers. We will never be colonial settlers. The mindset, you know, and that's the other thing is, you know, when the Americans come here and tell us that we're not fighting the ground war in Gaza the correct way, and they're going to tell us how well they did in Iraq and Afghanistan, they were fighting thousands of miles from home. Our soldiers can actually stand at the top of a building with binoculars and see their homes. They go home, you know, if they're released at the weekend, they get taken to the border and they're home in 25 minutes. We are not projecting power as an imperial conquering army trying to make Iraqis be Democrats. It's not that. And so that the whole way in which the Palestinians are fought, encouraged by the entire world, encouraged by people shouting free Palestine from the river to the sea. When you do that, you encourage millions of poor Arabs to fight a war that they will never, ever win by the methods that they're fighting. They will never, ever win. They will never commit an act so atrocious that I will wake up in the morning and say, because believe me, October 7th was that act, that I will wake up in the morning and say, you know what? I think I'm going to go live in Berlin. That's not going to happen. You're not going to force me off my land with these acts. They don't work. it's wrong it's just totally the wrong approach, killing us doesn't matter, how many you rape, how many you kill, the only thing that will happen is the scale of our response and the sheer biblical nature of the response will come out, go read the story of Dinah, the men of Shechem, that's the story that's what's going on in Gaza right now, go read that story if you don't know your Bible. One woman was raped in the Bible. Dinah, go read that. Well, maybe those who live in Gaza, the Muslims or the Arabs, if they took this indigenous rights, then maybe they can move the refugee camp to Mecca. I'm sure it would be wonderful and they can enjoy that.  Here's a little bit about Yemen. Yemen is Arabia, Arabs to Arabia. 

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Acts 16 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. ...

While Lucy is off gallivanting in Europe this week, spreading hetero cheer to the needy, we invited our dear friend, Rachel Joravsky, to talk about a fascinating, but oft-overlooked group: Ancient. Jewish. Lesbians. Rachel is a TV writer, comedian, activist, educator, and self-acclaimed power Jewess, so naturally we took a gay look together at The Book of Ruth (shout out to all the Ketuvim) to discuss what could possibly be so gay about two women living together and raising a baby on their farm. We also delve into the medieval Rabbinic scholars' views on how to deal with lesbians (hint: flogging). And we cap it all off with the story of a modern day Ruth and Naomi in honor of our guest's Jewish Socialist tendencies. Pauline Newman and Frieda Miller raised their daughter together in Greenwich Village in the 1920s and were fundamental to the US Labor movement's inclusion of women's rights. As always, come for the fabulously sexy history and stay for the jokes about Jewish pu$$y ("It's Chosen.")For more, follow us at:www.historicalhomos.comwww.instagram.com/historical.homoswww.tiktok.com/@historicalhomosThis episode was written and researched by Bash, hosted by Bash and Lucy Hendra, and edited by Alex Toskas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) sponsors a beauty contest to pick a new queen. Esther the secret Jewess is chosen, and her cousin Mordecai foils an assassination attempt on the king. The enemy Haman rises, and he launches a plot to exterminate the Jews.Read along with the story. Today we're reading Esther 1-3.Thank you to our generous patrons who makes this show possible. The Bible Brief is listener-supported and brought to you by the Bible Literacy Foundation, dedicated to helping people like you learn the Bible. Looking for more? Check out our website at biblelit.org.Support the showSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Learning Emails: Send them to me!Listener Survey: Survey LinkWebsite: biblelit.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgThis episode primarily uses the ESV Bible translation, but may also use CSB, NASB, and NKJV.Search Tags: bible, beginner, bible verse, god, verse of the day, prayer, jesus, bible study, scripture, learn, bible introduction, introduction, intro to the bible, introduction to the bible, beginner bible, bible overview, how to read the bible, what is the bible about, bible story, bible stories, what is the bible, bible study, walkthrough, bible walkthrough,...

1 He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in number. (NIV 84) ABOUT THE LESSON "The Dechurching of America" - we are currently experiencing the largest and fastest religious shift in the history of our country, as about 40 million formerly regular Christian worshippers have decided they no longer desire to attend church at all. This accounts for around 16 percent of our adult population.   Definition of spiritual formation - the process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others (Invitation to a Journey: A Roadmap for Spiritual Formation, Robert Mullholand). Agape - this is the highest form of love. It is the love modeled by Jesus to his disciples. It is a selfless, sacrificial, and serving love. In the KJV Bible, the word is translated as "charity" when it refers to one Christian showing it to another Christian.  WHY GIVE CHURCH A SECOND CHANCE? Because of the need for community: give people a second chance.  Because of the life of conformity: give the process a second chance.   Because of the outcome of charity: give the possibility a second chance.  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What do you think about this movement in our country that has been called the "dechurching of America?" Have you experienced hurt or had negative experiences in the church? Have you had to give church a second chance?  Humans are created by God with a need for community. How have you seen this to be true in your life? Discuss both the difficulty and the importance of community.  What do you think about the above definition of spiritual formation? Discuss specifically the phrase "for the sake of others."  Jesus says that we should love each other as He has loved us. It is the highest form of love. What are some examples of how you have experienced this kind of love through the church?

SEASON 5: EPISODE ONE - PUBLISHING GURUS, heavyweights Katherine Armstrong (Deputy Publishing Director - Simon & Schuster), Miranda Jewess - (Publishing Director Viper) and David Headley (leading literary agent - Goldsboro Books, DHH Literary Agency) join Victoria shedding light on the role of the advance in a book's success and what makes a publisher snap up a title.Recommendation:Publishing Rodeo PodcastThe Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe - CS LewisGoodnight Mr. Tom - Michelle MagorianDanny the Champion of the World - Roald DahlVICTORIA SELMANSundayTimes bestselling author of ALL THE LITTLE LIARSAmazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3xmvMeSWebsite for news and giveaways: http://www.victoriaselmanauthor.comTwitter: @VictoriaSelmanWe love to hear from our listeners! Find me on Twitter @VictoriaSelman and join in the chat using #OnTheSofaWithVictoriaProduced by Junkyard DogMusic courtesy of Southgate and LeighCrime TimeProduced by Junkyard DogMusic courtesy of Southgate and LeighCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023CrimeFest 2023&CWA Daggers 2023

Paul was to and from Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium. Now Paul meets Silas,  Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:  Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

German officers being helped by the Jews continued to hate the Jews. Such is the hardness of man's heart until God deals with it.

Friday, 14 April 2023   Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. Acts 16:3   The words now continue to refer to Timothy who was introduced in Acts 16:1. Of him, it next says, “Paul wanted to have him go on with him.”   Nothing says how this came about. It could have been Paul wanting to take more people as assistants. It might be Paul recognizing Timothy's character and ability to share the gospel. It even might be Timothy who initiated the idea, asking if he could accompany them on their journeys. The reason is less important than the fact that Paul agreed with Timothy's character and that his presence would benefit their journey. Because of this, Luke next records, “And he took him and circumcised him.”   This seems to fly in the face of Paul's letter to those in Galatia. In that letter, Paul completely dismisses the necessity for circumcision. He says –   “Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.” Galatians 2:3   “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” Galatians 5:1-6   This event appears to contrast with the decision of the council recorded in Acts 15. The entire point of calling the council was because the Judaizers wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised according to Moses and to observe the law. That was rejected by the council. As these things are true, there must be a reason for the circumcision of Timothy. And sure enough, that reason is given in the next words, “because of the Jews who were in that region.”   The Jews were opposed to Paul every step of the way. Timothy being uncircumcised would only exacerbate the problems Paul faced. Timothy, and in turn Paul and those with him, would be faced with more strife and hostility than would otherwise arise because of the enmity of the Jews. The precept follows with Timothy as it was stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 –   “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23   Paul's thoughts concerning the circumcision of Timothy while leaving Titus and all other Gentiles uncircumcised came down to the issue of Timothy's maternal heritage, being a Jewess. This would mean nothing in and of itself “for they all knew that his father was Greek.”   Timothy was not circumcised because of this. His father was a Gentile and Timothy was raised without being circumcised. And yet, he was raised knowing the Scriptures, customs, and ways of the Jews. Paul's modus operandi was to always go to the synagogue of the Jews first. This would not have been possible for Timothy, and indeed the entire cohort, if Timothy was uncircumcised.   The whole thought comes down to, “What is the most productive way of evangelizing the people we meet?” As Charles Ellicott rightly says, “The act was spontaneous, and men may rightly concede as a favour, or as a matter of expediency, what they would be justified in resisting when demanded as a matter of necessity.”   Timothy's Jewish mother offered him an exceptional chance to be a participant in the evangelization of the Jews. But without circumcision, that could never occur. On the other hand, Paul completely resisted the circumcision of Titus because there would be no benefit for him, for Paul, for the sake of the Jews, and most importantly, for the preaching of the gospel. In fact, it would negate the gospel. Such is not the case with Timothy. There was nothing of harm and everything to be gained from this performing expedient measure upon him.   Life application: The key point of what is seen in this verse is the furtherance of the gospel. Even today, there are males born to Jewish mothers that have not been circumcised. They have a right to perform aliyah, moving to Israel, because of their maternal heritage, but if they were not circumcised, this would be a problem.   The same would be true with that person being a believer in Christ and wanting to evangelize the Jews. This is his burning desire, but if he were not circumcised, it would immediately put up an almost impenetrable wall between him and the Jews he talked to. And so, without ever considering law observance, being circumcised would be the natural course of action to take in order to meet the Jews he was evangelizing on their own level.   The fact is that Timothy was saved already. He had not observed the law. He was admitted into the fellowship of believers. He surely participated in the Lord's Supper. He was probably baptized upon belief (though this is not stated, it can be inferred). Therefore, his uncircumcised state has nothing (zero, zip, nada) to do with his salvation or continued salvation. That alone tells us all we need to know.   Now that he is going out into the mission field with Paul, an expedient measure is taken to help with their evangelistic efforts. It is this, and for no other reason, that Timothy is now being circumcised. Don't be led astray by people who use this verse (and they are out there) to “prove” you must be circumcised in order to be saved. Timothy was already saved. Nothing can be added to the fully efficacious work of Jesus Christ in making that happen – not in him and not in you.   Heavenly Father, may we think clearly and rationally about our state in Christ. May we never attempt to “add” to our justification through our own works. Help us to stand on the purity of the gospel that we are saved by grace through faith in the finished, final, full, and forever work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

She's no normal antisemite; she's an anti-Jewess because she's a Muslim Phantom Nation 08FEB2023 - PODCAST

Chanukah is here and Jen and Derika are back with a very special Chanukah edition! Lots of love and life has happened the last few months and the ladies are here to share the holiday light with this shiny new episode. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jewess-the-blonde-edition/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jewess-the-blonde-edition/support

It's time to strap on those safety goggles again, Weirdos, because we're doing SCIENCE MAGIC again this week with more ALCHEMY! This time around Lauren and Ashley are going back through time and highlighting some famous (and not so famous) alchemists who changed the world... for better or for worse. Ashley brings us Mr Gravity himself Sir Isaac Newton- a secret alchemist and occultist who used this mysterious magical science in a lot of his research that helped him develop theories we STILL use today.  Along with honorable mentions Doctor Sex Magic Aleister Crowley and even, believe it or not, Joseph Smith- the founder of the LDS church. Lauren is all about the ladies, taking it back to ancient Egypt and studying the works of Mary the Jewess and her student Cleopatra the Alchemist (not to be confused with the other Cleopatra) and how without them our skin would be awfully saggy and happy hours would be awfully boring. Don't forget to follow us on social media @keepitweirdcast and please consider donating to our Patreon at www.patreon.com/keepitweirdpodcast to help us produce the show!

This episode is also available on our YouTube channel as a full video episode! Watch it hereThis week, our series of industry episodes continues as we chat with Miranda Jewess, Publishing Director of Viper Books, the crime and thriller imprint of Serpent's Tail, which I launched in November 2019. Viper Books are the publishers of the award-winning (and previous podcast guests) Janice Hallett and Catriona Ward, alongside acclaimed books such as Five Minds from Guy Morpuss.We loved chatting with Miranda and hearing about how she became an editor and then Publishing Director at Viper, and what she looks for when she is commissioning books. We also talk about the importance of marketing, what qualifies as a "success" insofar as a publisher is concerned, and much more!Links:Visit Viper Books websiteFollow Miranda on TwitterPage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acts 24:23-27 23 And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him. 24 But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him […]

24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter. 24:23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 24:26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. 25:1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 25:2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, 25:3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. 25:4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. 25:5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. 25:6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. 25:7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. 25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. 25:9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 25:10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. 25:11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. 25:12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

In Esther 1-2, we see the Silent Sovereignty of God play out as the saga begins inside of the Persian kingdom, and a young orphan Jewess finds herself made Queen of Persia. We can be reminded that God is active in the ordinary. Esther Chapters 1-2

To learn more, please visit the website for Ms. Sliwa.Show Notes:2:45 inspiration for her career as a historian of the Holocaust and Polish Jewish history4:30 American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)6:50 Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (the Claims Conference)8:00 Claims Conference's work on behalf of elderly survivors10:00 current issues blocking claims that she's encountered and how they differ between countries12:00 history of the plunder and anti-restitution approach/laws in Poland16:00 definition of who is a survivor for restitution purposes, e.g., exclusion of Jews who were in hiding during WWII from receiving pensions17:45 lack of understanding and education about the gravity of the theft and restitution issues from WWII19:00 claims like Menachem Kaiser 20:20 attitudes and behaviors towards Holocaust survivors and why claims are still ongoing23:00 heirless property24:00 JUST Act report's findings on Poland about archives 26:00 It Is Still Night authors Historian Jan Grabowski and Professor Barbara Engelking30:00 pursuit of the ‘Politics of Memory' by the current government in Poland, Law and Justice as a distortion of Holocaust history35:00 example of how Holocaust history is distorted: Poland's commemoration of a Polish railway worker who is said to have given water to Jews in boxcars en route to Treblinka versus acknowledging Poles who robbed Jews in boxcars in exchange for water41:00 Jewish Childhood in Kraków: A Microhistory of the Holocaust43:45 historical drama film Schindler's List45:45 Children With a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe by Deborah Dwork47:00 Counterfeit Countess: The Jewish Mathematician Who Rescued Poles during the Holocaust co-authored with Dr. Elizabeth (Barry) White, expert on Majdanek Concentration Camp52:00 genealogy methods supplemented research for Counterfeit Countess56:15 The Beginning of the Holocaust in Poland 1939-1941? Other upcoming projects?59:15 how Dr. Sliwa defines justice and how she sees her work facilitating justice 1:30:00 Dr. Sliwa's hope for her legacy: to educate and inspire future scholars of all genocideTo view rewards for supporting the podcast, please visit Warfare's Patreon page.To leave questions or comments about this or other episodes of the podcast, please call 1.929.260.4942 or email Stephanie@warfareofartandlaw.com. © Stephanie Drawdy [2022]

Day 113 Today's Reading: Acts 24 Recently I read a quote about being good stewards of our time and made me sit back and really think about what I do with the time God has given me: Each new day brings us 24 hours, 1440 minutes, 86,400 seconds, each moment a precious gift from God . . . each calling for us to be good stewards, mindful that one day we must give an account for how we spent the time God loaned us, how effectively we “bought up” the opportunities He provided. William Penn once said, “Time is what we want most, but what, alas! we use worst.” Acts 24 is about a man who did not use time effectively. The man, Felix, was a king, and he heard a three-point sermon preached by one of the best, the apostle Paul. It was a sermon that made a king tell the preacher to stop: Some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. (Acts 24:24-27) Listen to an old Methodist preacher, Halford Luccock, and what he makes of Felix's mistake: There is a unique characteristic about time which we overlook: We can lose time, but we can never find it. We have to make it. Felix found lots of moments for what he wanted to do—to satisfy his curiosity about Paul and open the way for a bribe. We read that he would send for him “pretty frequently” (Acts 24:26), but he found no moments to face the big issue squarely and render a judgment. Such moments are never found. They must be made.” And what we conclude from the passage is that Felix never found time to deal with the most important issue of his life—eternity. Here is how it reads in The Message, and it's raw: As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment, Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him. “That's enough for today. I'll call you back when it's convenient.” (Acts 24:25) To say, “I don't have time,” is like saying, “I don't want to” or “I'm not interested.” I read something that is only too true: “Time is a strange commodity. You can't save it, borrow it, loan it, leave it, or take it. You can only do two things with it—use it or lose it.” Felix lost it. A. W. Tozer said it like this: “When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection.” Felix heard a sermon that keyed in on righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. And he got frightened. I know that feeling. It happened to me. I was twelve years old and picked up a comic book at a youth camp, called The Late Great Planet Earth. It was the kid version of the book by the same name by Hal Lindsey, that dealt with the end times and the judgment to come. I was struck with such conviction and fear that I was not ready for the rapture that I sought out my counselor to get things right with God. What I learned was this, when you don't do something about the conviction of the soul, the intensity does not get stronger. The opposite happens and it lessens. The more we ignore the voice of God toward obedience, the more difficult it is to act. When God speaks, respond. When you feel convicted about something, do something. Felix got convicted and all he did for two years was listen to Paul but would not respond. It seems he never felt that way again, and by verse 27 he was out and another king came in.

While not typically considered in terms of drinking, the practices concerning menstrual impurity are a topic not yet explored in this show. For the 104th episode, The Jewish Drinking Show considers how physical distancing regarding a menstruating Jewess intersect with drinking.  For this episode, we welcome first-time guests Yamit Alpern Kol and Dr. Alon Kol.Yamit Alpern Kol (she/her), LMSW, has worked in social services since 2005, has been in practice as a Licensed Master Social Worker since 2012, and is currently the Program Director for Geriatric Mental Health Clinics at JASA. Alon Kol (he/him), DPM, has been in practice as a Podiatrist since 2009, and is currently an Attending at NYC H+H Bellevue Hospital. Yamit & Alon have also been kallah and chatan teachers since 2015 after taking The Chatan and Kallah Teacher Training Workshop.Yamit & Alon have been living in Washington Heights, New York City, since 2006. They are members of Mount Sinai Jewish Center, where they, combined, have served as trustees for eight terms, from 2014 to present. For recreation and self-care, they enjoy spending time with Hondo, their retired racing greyhound, cooking and cocktail-making, watching Jeopardy, meditation, The Great Courses, Call of Duty, photography, playing guitar, urban indoor farming, yoga, boxing, travel, and scuba diving.Support the show

Welcome to Post Passover, Post Spring Break Episode 66! Jen and Derika reminisce about the recent Passover holiday in Miami where matzah and coconut macaroons exist on every corner. The ladies also chat about the Fred and Ethyl (I Love Lucy reference) dynamic that seems to have encompassed their lives. In pop culture news, we chat about the on-going Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, and did you know Mike Tyson punched a fellow passenger in first-class on a recent flight? Who knew! Make sure to rate, review, subscribe and share. We love you guys! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jewess-the-blonde-edition/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jewess-the-blonde-edition/support

Join us and life coach, Taly Nahshoni from WellBee Coaching as we talk about life's most common challenges, misconceptions, and fears. We cover topics about relationships, life goals and everything in-between. This is a can't miss episode! Subscribe, like, rate and share. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jewess-the-blonde-edition/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jewess-the-blonde-edition/support

"One becomes two, two becomes three, and out of the third comes the One as the fourth.” That's the most famous axiom attributed to Mary the Jewess, who, it's said, is the first known alchemist of the Western world. She is known to have invented processes and apparatus that went on to be used for centuries, both in and out the scientific community – in fact one of them, you may have used in your home kitchen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Subconscious Realms Episode 35 - Alchemy - The Mad Hatter. Ladies & Gentlemen, it's a true Honour indeed that we have such an Incredible opportunity to have the Phenomenal - The Mad Hatter, an Extraordinary Individual For Sure. Now, Hands-Down Alchemy has to be one of the most Fascinating subject's Period. Alchemy encompasses several philosophical traditions spanning some four millennia & 3 continents. These traditions' general penchant for cryptic & symbolic language makes it hard to trace their mutual influences & "genetic" relationships. One can distinguish at least three major strands, which appear to be mostly independent, at least in their earlier stages: Chinese alchemy, centered in China; Indian alchemy, centered on the Indian subcontinent; & Western alchemy, which occurred around the Mediterranean & whose center has shifted over the millennia from Greco-Roman Egypt to the Islamic world & finally medieval Europe. Chinese alchemy was closely connected to Taoism & Indian alchemy with the Dharmic faiths. In contrast, Western alchemy developed its philosophical system mostly independent of but influenced by various Western religions. It is still an open question whether these three strands share a common origin, or to what extent they influenced each other. The start of Western alchemy may generally be traced to ancient & Hellenistic Egypt, where the city of Alexandria was a center of alchemical knowledge & retained its pre-eminence through most of the Greek & Roman periods. Following the work of André-Jean Festugière, modern scholars see alchemical practice in the Roman Empire as originating from the Egyptian goldsmith's art, Greek philosophy & different religious traditions. Tracing the origins of the alchemical art in Egypt is complicated by the pseudepigraphic nature of texts from the Greek alchemical corpus. The treatises of Zosimos of Panopolis, the earliest historically attested author (fl. c. 300 CE), can help in situating the other authors. Zosimus based his work on that of older alchemical authors, such as Mary the Jewess. Pseudo-Democritus, Agathodaimon, but very little is known about any of these authors. The most complete of their works, The Four Books of Pseudo-Democritus, were probably written in the first century AD. Alchemy, in particular this episode, basically get your Mind deep into that Cosmic Dimension, have it wide open & Embrace the Oncoming Onslaught. The info alone will Bend your Mind Inside-Out for sure. * Mad Hatter - IG # @hatter_will_happen * "It all makes sense now. This place is magnification, concentration, purification. Now the world goes black. I see my reflection in a pool of blood. I kiss it all goodbye" *Email - subconsciousrealms@gmail.com Twitter # @SubconRealms33 Instagram # @subconscious_realms33 https://anchor.fm/subconscious-realms/subscribe   Discord @-subconscious-Realms!

This month we look into the history of alchemy and the worldview and aims of early alchemists.  Find out how metal gets married, why poisons are good and how humans reflect the entire universe.    Transcript: ‘From a man and a woman make a circle, then a square, then a triangle, finally a circle, and you will obtain the philosopher's stone.' Hello, welcome to the History and Folklore podcast, where we look at different folk beliefs through history and how these beliefs shape people's perceptions of nature. In this episode we will be looking at alchemy, what alchemists were hoping to achieve, and what alchemical theories can tell us about how people perceived the natural world. Alchemists are often depicted as eccentric men in dark rooms conducting strange experiments with toxic and expensive chemicals with the aim of living forever or of turning lead into gold. Their experiments are often seen as being haphazard, illogical and dangerous, a stereotype that goes back a long way as seen in a legend regarding Roger Bacon and Thomas Bungay, thirteenth century friars who apparently blew themselves up in an alchemy experiment. This story was later adapted to the stage in a comedy written by sixteenth century playwright Robert Greene. However, alchemy has a complex history and the observations and experiments of alchemists around the world have helped shape our understanding of chemistry, metallurgy and medicine. It is believed that the origins of alchemy stretch back to ancient Egypt, with Plutarch describing alchemy as ‘the Egyptian art'. It has been argued that the ‘chem' part of the word alchemy derives from the Egyptian word ‘km', which meant the black land, a term used to differentiate between the black fertile soil of the Nile valley and the barren desert sand that surrounded it. Assuming this origin, the arabic word ‘al-kimiya' was claimed by Egyptologist EA Wallis Budge to mean ‘the Egyptian science', however this origin has been refuted by others who claim that there is no evidence of the word ‘kmt' ever being used for anything resembling alchemy in Egypt, and it is therefore likely that this supposed translation is a case of folk etymology, where a well-known similar sounding words are erroneously linked. Others point toward alchemy having a Greek origin, arguing that the ‘chem' portion of alchemy originates from the Greek word ‘chemia', which first appeared in the fourth century and was used to refer to the art of metalworking, particularly the creation of gold and silver from base metals. It is clear that the influences of alchemy are varied, and draw from a mixture of technology, philosophy and science from areas and cultures as wide ranging as Iran, India, Egypt and Greece. Metal workers in Egypt were highly skilled and were known to be able to create alloys that mimicked the appearance of gold and silver. They also created a body of knowledge that grouped metals according to their external characteristics which was built on their experience of working with them. As well as this, the city of Alexandria became an intellectual hub and, following the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 330BC, attracted scholars from across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, allowing different ideas to develop and merge. Two theories that developed during this period were particularly influential in the formation of later alchemical practice. The first was Aristotle's theory on the composition of matter, which adopted an older idea that everything was made up of the four elements of earth, air, fire and water, and built on it by hypothesising that these elements could be changed by the application of heat, cold, wetness or dryness. The second was a philosophy that originated in Persia and claimed that the human body was a smaller version, the microcosm, of the larger universe, the macrocosm. The microcosm-macrocosm theory claimed that the study of the universe would give direct insight into the workings of the human body, and vice versa. Therefore techniques that worked for the manipulation of metal could be applied in the same way, and to the same effect, on the human body. As the universe was a macrocosm of the body it followed that it must also be alive and in possession of a soul. This is interesting as, as we will see later, the process of transmutation of metal was often described and understood in human terms of birth, marriage and death. Alexandria's influence eventually waned with the disintegration of the Roman Empire. The destruction of many texts from this period mean that none of the original Egyptian writing regarding alchemy survives from this time. However, at least some of the theories and practices developed by alchemists and philosophers during this period did survive and were translated into Arabic by scholars and alchemists such as Ali Ibn Sina, Jabir Ibn Hayyan and Abu Bakr Al-Razi, who built on these existing ideas to create a thriving body of alchemical work and thought in the Middle East. This eventually made its way to Spain, and from there to the rest of western and central Europe, with the first alchemical text titled ‘the book of the Composition of Alchemy' being translated into English in 1144 by Robert of Chester. Despite these wide ranging origins, a legend concerning the origins of alchemy was particularly tenacious. This concerned an emerald tablet, apparently found by Alexander the Great himself in the tomb of a god named Hermes-Thoth, Hermes Trismeditus or Thrice-great Hermes. This emerald tablet, also known as the Smaragdine Tablet, was seen by alchemists to be the foundation of their craft, leading alchemy to become known as the ‘hermetic art' after the god that created it. While this would be an amazing origin story, the text that was apparently found on the emerald tablet actually seems to appears much later. It was first seen in Arabic sources in the late eighth century and eventually came to be translated to Latin in the twelfth century. This text outlines the philosophy of alchemy through an overarching metaphor of the creation of the world, saying: ‘Truth! Certainty! That in which there is no doubt! That which is above is from that which is below, and that which is below is from that which is above, working the miracles of one. As all things were from One. Its father is the Sun and its mother the Moon. The Earth carried it in her belly, and the Wind nourished it in her belly, as Earth which shall become Fire. Feed the Earth from that which is subtle, with the greatest power. It ascends from the earth to the heaven and becomes ruler over that which is above and that which is below.' This text is significant, as it highlights the underlying concepts of alchemy - that of the microcosm and macrocosm and of the interconnectedness of all things. It also uses common metaphors for certain metals and alchemical processes that were used in the written codes of later alchemists, as we shall touch on later. In the West, alchemy had two main aims, to purify and transmute base metals into gold and to purify and transform the individual into a physically healthier, enlightened being. These two apparently disparate goals were believed to be entirely achievable through the same processes due to the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm. . While some alchemists strove to achieve both of these goals, in England most alchemists were predominantly concerned with transmuting base metals into gold and silver, partly because the discovery of gold in the South America by the Spanish, combined with the need to fund ongoing wars against Europe drove a desire to find a more easily accessible source of wealth. This led to a number of fraudsters covering small amounts of gold with a substance that would dissolve in a demonstration, giving the appearance of true transmutation. This became so much of a problem that the Crown restricted the conducting of alchemical experiments through a system of royal licences. Those hoping to achieve actual transmutation tended to use the work of eighth century alchemist Jabir Ibn Hayyan, particularly his theory on the qualities of the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. He claimed that each element had two for four basic qualities which he stated was hot, cold, dry and wet, so fire was hot and dry, air hot and wet, earth, cold and dry and water cold and wet. He went on to analyse different metals, claiming that every metal had a combination of these four principles, two being interior and two being exterior. Therefore, if someone was able to change these qualities, they would be able to change the metal itself. The basis of all metals was believed to be mercury. In its perfect state mercury was known as ‘philosopher's mercury' and was said to be the first metal to ever have existed. Sulphur in its purest state was called ‘Philosopher's Sulphur', a substance said to be related to elemental fire. When combined, it was believed that the Philosopher's Sulphur would act as fire, working like a blacksmith's furnace to transform the Philosopher's Mercury, which would imbue its metallic essence into the gold. The idea that fire was the element needed to achieve transmutation came from observations of fire's effect on mercury, as it caused the metal to dull and turn light red in colour. As nothing was known about oxidation at this time, it was logical to conclude that  fire was responsible for the change. It is clear that many of the overarching beliefs surrounding the transmutation of metals comes from experience, observation and experimentation. The Liber Sacerdotum, translated from Arabic into Latin described how a lead ore known as Galena, loses sulphur when heated, leaving the more malleable and fusible lead. As in this experiment heating the metal produced a more useful and superior metal, it would be logical to assume that heating it further could lead to the production of silver and even gold. Interestingly, Galena also tends to contain a significant amount of silver, which did actually separate from the lead upon further heating, thus supporting the theory of transmutation. It was believed that transmutation of base metals into gold could only be achieved through the mean of an elixir which when added to Philosopher's Mercury and Philosopher's Sulphur would work to rearrange the properties of these two metals. The master elixir that alchemists were working to create through a process often referred to as the ‘Great Work' was the Philosopher's Stone. Zosimus, in the sixth century, described it as ‘a stone which is not a stone, a precious thing that has no value, a thing of many colours and shapes. This unknown that is known to all.' Descriptions of the Philosopher's Stone vary but it was most commonly said to appear as a red powder that had the ability to transform base metal into gold, common gemstones into diamonds, heal all illnesses, strengthen morality, increase wisdom and prolong the life of any who consumes a small quantity of it. As well as purifying metals, it was believed to be able to purify people, spiritually, physically and intellectually, transmuting an imperfect human into a perfect being. -> There were many theories and descriptions regarding the process of creating a Philosopher's Stone. Some believed that it could be created through the purification of an ordinary substance, such as hair, eggs, plants, rocks or metals. Others believed that certain mythical elements such as alkahest or carmot. Descriptions of the creation of the stone include a series of colour changes, or a series of up to twelve chemical processes that included calcination, dissolution, putrefaction, fermentation  and multiplication. There have been a number of claims that the Philosopher's Stone has been discovered by different people through history, the most famous being the French scribe Nicolas Flamel, whose wealth led to rumours that he was a successful alchemist. The earliest alchemist rumoured to have discovered caput mortuum, a substance believed to be the first step to the creation of the Philosopher's Stone was an individual known as Mary the Jewess or Miriam the Prophetess, said by later historians to have lived in Alexandria some time between the first and third centuries, and one of the twelve sages of alchemy. None of her original work survives, leading to questions as to whether she was a real or mythological individual, or a combination of different figures in the study of early alchemy, but she is credited with the creation of a number of inventions including the bain marie, which she gave her name to. The Greek historian Zosimos referenced Miriam extensively, often directly quoting her in his work. In this, Miriam often describes metals as living beings with bodies, souls and spirits. She regarded metals as having a sex and believed that joining together metals of two different sexes would lead to the creation of a new metal, stating ‘join the male and the female, and you will find what is sought. Alchemists often imbued inorganic matter such as metals with human or animal qualities, which is entirely understandable within the microcosm-macrocosm worldview. The joining of substances was often depicted as a marriage or coupling, while the creation of a new metal was seen as a birth. The Philosopher's Stone was seen as being similar to a seed or an egg, the starting point of growth and creation. Alongside the idea of the birth of metals, there was a co-existing concept of transmutation being the death and resurrection of metals, which linked to popular beliefs of the afterlife. Humans had to die and undergo pain and torture, often by fire, in purgatory, before they could be born again as perfect humans into eternal life. These concepts are most obvious in the codes used by alchemists to conceal their work from outsiders, both to protect their research and to protect untrained individuals from the dangerous processes of alchemy. In these the combination of sulphur and mercury is expressed as a marriage or union. As in the text of the emerald tablet, Philosopher's Sulphur is often depicted as the sun, while Philosopher's Mercury is the moon, and these are often shown as being the father and mother of the philosopher's stone. Celestial symbols to refer to metals and processes were very common, as it was believed the movement of stars and planets had a real impact on events and actions of people on earth. A common symbol referenced in the quote at the start of this episode was a circle drawn around a man and a woman, symbolising the union of feminine and masculine. This would be surrounded by a triangle to depict the three primary principles of sulphur, mercury and salt, a square to represent the four elements and finally a circle to represent the universe or the Philosopher's Egg, another name for the Philosopher's Stone. Given that humans and metals were considered to be a reflection of each other it is unsurprising that people started to turn towards alchemy as a means of medicine. The Swiss Physician Paracelsus was one of the first medical professionals to argue that a knowledge of chemistry was essential to the development of medicine, stating ‘many have said of Alchemy, that it is for the making of gold and silver. For me such is not the aim, but to consider only what virtue and power may lie in medicines.' Paracelsus built on the concept of the human body as the microcosm of the macrocosm universe  to argue that humans needed a specific balance of minerals to survive, and that illnesses could be cured by chemical remedies. He rejected the popular theory of medicine that had been introduced by Galen, that the body relied on a balance of the four humours of phlegm, balck bile, yellow bile and blood and that disease was caused by an imbalance of humours. Instead, he drew from medieval alchemical practice to argue that the human body actually needed the correct balance of three humours, changeable mercury, stable salt and combustible sulphur. These three elements were also reflected within the makeup of humans - salt represented the body, mercury the spirit and sulphur the soul. Paracelsus argued that disease was caused by the separation of one of these elements from the other two due to contaminating poisons. Instead of trying to balance internal humours to treat disease, he argued that like was needed to cure like and the poison that caused the disease could be used to cure it. This theory was incredibly controversial with those who followed the humoural theory of medicine who saw the ingestion of metals and minerals as being extremely dangerous. Paracelsus, however, was adamant that it was the dosage, and not the substance, that made the poison, and that the aim was to use these to purefy the body. Although this explanation of disease proved to be ultimately incorrect investigation, Paracelsus' use of alchemy marked a shift away from humoural theory of medicine and natural remedies to practices that are still used to this day including chemical medicines, an emphasis on dosage of medicine and chemical urinalysis to diagnose disease. Paracelsus' inventions and discoveries are a just few examples that have been gained through the study of alchemy. While some of the assumptions of alchemists seem irrational and superstitious to modern audiences, such as animism, the interconnectedness of the universe and the belief that a single substance can help achieve both gold and immortality, many of these beliefs stemmed from a lack of knowledge or technology that was eventually filled with the aid of the work of alchemists. There is a consistent logic that runs through the process of alchemy, making it difficult to argue that alchemists were entirely irrational. Although flawed, it is clear that the work of alchemists through the centuries has shaped modern scientific methods and have helped build current understanding of medicine, chemistry and the natural world. Thank you for listening to this episode of the History and Folklore podcast. I hope you enjoyed it and found it interesting. Special thanks goes to my patreons Andrew, Ryan, Morganu, Joseph, Robin, Becky, Eugenia, the Fairy Folk Podcast, Louise, Ben, John and David. Patrons help pay towards the cost of running the podcast and are hugely appreciated. If you would like to support the History and Folklore Podcast by becoming a patron tiers range from £1 -£3 and gets you early access to episodes, voting rights for episode topics and a monthly zine. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram at history and folklore, twitter at HistoryFolklore and Facebook at the History and Folklore podcast where I post hopefully interesting history and folklore facts pretty much daily and answer any questions or feedback.

1) Feedback on using חמר מדינהfor Kiddush on Friday night:[1] 2) Feedback on discussion of the Hebrew vowels:[2] 3) At Maariv, the 10th man left during Shmoneh Esrei. Do we say the later Kaddish?[3] 4) Can we count in for Minyan a man who's married to a non-Jewess?[4] 5) Can we count in for Minyan a man who was baptised (in order to marry to a non-Jewess)?[5] 6) We won't give an Aliya to two brothers consecutively, nor to a father and son, and not even to a grandfather followed by his son's son. What about his daughter's son?[6] 7) When is the earliest that one could say a brochofor a Tallis?[7] 8) Does a bread-bin need to be toivelled?[8] 9) I use a crock-pot for Cholent. When it is off the base, may I stir it?[9] 10) The instructions in a Chanukah leaflet included that on Friday afternoon, the flames have to last for 1½ hours. Where does that figure come from?[10] 11) I happened to be present when a Minyan was saying Kedusha for Mincha after I had already davened Maariv. Do I join in and answer Kedusha?[11] [1] לשמע אוזן סיפורים מד ו-סג . [2] פרדס רימונים (להרמ"ק) שער כח פ"א. התוועדויות תשמ"ב ח"ד ע' 2121 ואילך, שם ע' 2194 ואילך. [3] שוע"ר סי' נה ס"ד. וכ"כ משנה ברורה שם ס"ק כב, ובשעה"צ כתב דהיינו דלא בהחיי אדם [כלל ל ס"ב]. [4] ספר 'ומקרב בימין' ח"א סו"ס ב. וראה גם דברי הגרש"ז אויערבך זצ"ל שהובאו במשנ"ב מהדורת דרשו סי' נה מס' 58. [5] משנה ברורה סי' נה ס"ק מו. [6] שו"ע או"ח סי' קמא ס"ו; משנ"ב שם ס"ק יט; פסקי תשובות שם ס"ק ד; שערי אפרים שער א סל"א. [7] שוע"ר סי' יח ס"ו. [8] שו"ע יו"ד סי' קכ ס"א; ס' טבילת כלים פ"א סעיף ???. [9] בשוע"ר סי' שיח ס"ל מביא דעה להחמיר, אע"פ שהעיקר להקל. במשנה ברורה ס"ק קטו סתם להקל. אבל בס"ק קיז הביא הסברא להחמיר. [10] ראה שו"ע או"ח סי' תערב ס"א; פרי חדש שם; ספר המנהגים-חב"ד ע' 71. [11] ראה שיחת כ"ק אדמו"ר זי"ע בניחומי אבלים להאדמ"ר מבאבאוו זצ"ל.

Many people wonder if God is biased and doesn't care about other people besides Christians. And then, Jesus once told a woman from Canaan that He wasn't sent to help her daughter because she was not of Israelite descent. And I wonder what does GOD have to say about it?For full show notes go to hopesharbor.netHope's Harbor Gritty Bible DevotionsEpisode #17 Title: GOD's Goodness - Is God Biased? Date: July 26, 2021Contact: info@hopesharbor.netKey verse(s): Matthew 15:24 – ‘But he answered and said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”' Intro: Why did Jesus tell this mom He was not sent to help her, but only the people of Israel? When I wrote that question as part of the episode notes, I intended to write about why Jesus said what He did in Matthew 15:24. But then I hesitated and wondered, what does the Lord have to say about it.So I prayed, asking Him. Now, I don't hear GOD's voice actually, but it's more like an impression upon or thought in my mind that sometimes I attribute to GOD.It's difficult to tune out previous teachings I've heard or read previously concerning this passage, but I'm going to try.This episode has the results from that time in prayer.Devotion focus: Is GOD biased?·         - Matthew 15:21-28Matthew 15:21 – ‘Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Matthew 15:22 – ‘And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is demon-possessed.” Matthew 15:23 – ‘But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries out after us.” Matthew 15:24 – ‘But he answered and said, “I was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:25 – ‘Then came she and worshipped him, saying, “Lord, help me.” Matthew 15:26 – ‘But he answered and said, “It is not good to take the children's bread, and throw it to the little dogs.” Matthew 15:27 – ‘And she said, “Yes, Lord: yet the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.”She literally said, “Truth, Lord.” From the Strong's concordance, it means ‘Yes, even so…' Matthew 15:28 – ‘Then Jesus answered and said unto her, “O woman, great is your faith: let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”' There are several lessons contained in this passage. The first I see is Jesus' reputation preceded Him to this foreign region.When the woman in this account heard Jesus was close by she sought Him out.And here is where the Lord led me in answer to my request He reveal an answer to the question of whether He is biased against those not of the Jewish people.While studying this passage in e-sword.net, a Bible study program, a corresponding commentary off to the side of the page caught my eye.Listen to a description of this passage in Matthew 15, from that commentary:I'm going to paraphrase a little for ease of understanding denoted by ( ):·         “It is important to realize that this woman was not a Jewess, but a Gentile. She was descended from the Canaanites, an immoral race which God had marked for extinction. Through Israel's disobedience, some had survived the invasion of Canaan under Joshua, and this woman was a descendant of the survivors. As a Gentile, she did not enjoy the privileges of God's chosen earthly people. She was (a foreigner), having no hope. (In that position) she had no claim on God or the Messiah.

Episode four, presented in collaboration with The Contemporary Jewish Museum, explores two murder pamphlets, "The Murdered Jewess Sara Alexander: Life, Trial and Conviction of Rubenstein the Polish Jew" and "Rubenstein, or The Murdered Jewess: Being a Full and Reliable History of This Terrible Mystery of Blood.” Published in 1876, both pamphlets tell the tale of Pesach Rubenstein, a Jewish immigrant who was convicted of killing his cousin, Sara Alexander, and disposing of her body in a cornfield. The case was a sensation in the press and took hold of the popular imagination.Dr. Eddy Portnoy, Academic Advisor and Director of Exhibitions at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and author of Bad Rabbi and Other Strange but True Stories from the Yiddish Press (Stanford University Press 2017), discusses the story behind the pamphlets as the first significant intersection of Jews, the local and national press, and the American judicial system.

You know her. You love her. You either want to kill her OR makeout with her, but you haven't decided yet... and that's okay. Neither have we! Either way, the voice haunts you at night. It's the one, the only, our favorite honorary guest-host.... Hayley Tess Jackowitz! The Jewess herself is back to talk about graduating cosmetology school, the presidential/vice presidential debates, and other insanely niche stuff that you'll love or hate. Don't forget to check out her Winstagram (Woman Instagram) to follow her hair styling journey, and reach out if you want a style/cut! @hayleytesshair --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/clayton-bathiany/support