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I put together a table for use in studying the Book Of Revelation and the Seven Assemblies.
I encourage you to chart them out, using this helpful chart. This will be a unique way to see the different segments of the instructions laid out in a visually helpful way. Please give me some feedback and share, if you found this helpful.
YHWH is a miracle working God.
It’s my dream that Hanukkah should become a regular time of harmony between Jews and Non-Jewish people.
Paul Bass – A Grafted-In Follower of The Jewish Messiah
In the same way that we can forget the true meaning of our favorite holiday, Hanukkah can suffer from losing focus. If you are a follower of Jesus, you will recognize the phrase, “Jesus is the Reason For The Season.”
Would it surprise you if I told you that He is also the reason for the season of Hanukkah? I think you would agree that we were created by a miracle working God. If you have ever read the Gospels you were treated to many miracles throughout the life of the Savior.
There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.
John 21:25
I know that most Christians do not celebrate Hanukkah. I also know that, for those who do, there is much to learn. There is so much that many of your Jewish friends do not get through all the miracles that surround the celebration of eight nights that comes along every winter (Kislev 25).
Do a YouTube search for Hanukkah videos and you will no doubt find a few “explainer videos” and puppet videos (including Sesame Street muppets) that tell you about the tradition of the “Miracle of Oil.” This pertains to a supernatural burning of oil for eight days while someone was traveling to get replacement oil for the newly dedicated Temple lamp.
Well…
The earliest recorded account of the oil miracle appears in the Talmud, about 600 years after the events described in the Books of the Maccabees. The Talmud is a collection of rabbinic discussions, debates, insights, historical accounts and legends. It is not the inspired Word of God. Some Talmudic teachings can be spiritually edifying but others clearly are not. Therefore, while traditional Judaism generally regards the Hanukkah oil story as accepted fact, it should not be given the same weight as Scripture. What Scripture does strongly suggest about Hanukkah (“Feast of Dedication”) is that Yeshua observed it along with the other Jews of His day. The direct reference to Messiah at Hanukkah reflects a degree of New Covenant significance for believers today. (John 10:22-23)
LightofZion.org
So, the story is nice and all… but there is some real meat in the books of I and II Maccabees, and some pretty big miracles. There are good miracles, like Gideon-like victories, and judgement related miracles, like Miriam’s sudden leprosy. They may not take up all the books on the shelf, but there is definitely room for more discussion on the Real Miracles of Hanukkah.
It’s my dream that Hanukkah should become a regular time of harmony between Jews and Non-Jewish people. I think it’s time. I can point you to the testimonies of Jesus (which would be His miracles) and you can decide from there. You can determine whether the Festival of Dedication, which is important for every Jewish person in existence, can be equally important for you if you love God AND His chosen seed of Abraham.
Make a special note of themes which actually connect the religious observance of the Advent and birth of the Messiah. You will hear of prophecy, angels, signs and more.
Join me next for the first of the Eight Real Miracles of Hanukkah.
Manger Zone
This past Tuesday, the daughters and I had a little movie date. We watched the new film, “Journey To Bethlehem” at the theater.
I am often conflicted about Bible movies. Sometimes they are good. Sometimes they are bad (Noah Movie with Russell Crowe). However, they are never perfect. How can they be, right? For instance, I have never seen “The Chosen.” Don’t judge. I simply haven’t seen the need. I hear good things about it. I don’t campaign against it, but I may be fine without it.
“Journey to Bethlehem” is a good film. My family enjoyed it. We have been playing the music in the house throughout this past super-long weekend. That is why I must share the music with you. Today, I am sharing an entire playlist. If you intend to see the film, you can thank me for this preview. You can get a jump on the music so you can sing out loud and annoy all the people in the theater. Enjoy.
The Playlist can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqWIm_koLmA&list=PLi3TM32-7ZIKanIZ-ndDbryGMWsUimQYC
Have a blessed Hanukkah season.
We don’t like to talk of the Judgement of God. We often dispensation-ize it. We sing songs that tell us that judgement and wrath were for times like the Old Testament Sodom and Gomorrah… “BUT mercy and grace He gave us at the cross,” as if setting the old testament apart from the new is easier to gulp down.
We often forget that the judgement would have been withheld if there were only 10 people who were righteous. The grace of God was alive in 2000 BC as well as 2000 AD. As a matter of fact, ALL of scripture speaks of the judgement at the end of this age. This grace was what kept Yah from destroying the nations who inhabited Canaan while Israel awaited return to their promised land.
Judgement is not simply a punishment, it is a vengeance.
The wicked people of the nations do wicked things.
Wicked people do unmentionable things to the “least of these.”
Wicked people fight for the rights of people to do those wicked things. Judgement is, in a real sense, God’s answer to the prayer of the persecuted.
We often ask why so much evil is allowed to exist. “How can a loving God…”
Our loving Savior will come for the very purpose of executing judgement over evil deeds and the people who do them. He will also be setting the captives free and rescuing the little ones who have seen pain and distress at the hands of the wicked.
LORD is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not intending any to be lost, but all to come to conversion,
II Peter 3:9 (LSV)
He really does love us. You and I were outside His Way for too long. We can be so grateful that He is so graceful in his judgement.
Not everyone will be saved.
But Yah wants them to.
When will he deal with the sins of the world? These sins bring death, disease, war, and all types of pestilence. At some point, He will blow the trumpet and take action. There will be weeping, there will be gnashing of teeth. There will be a world of people who say…
At some point, it will be too late. At this point, many of us say,
“Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.”
Numbers 10:36
I pray that you are “in that number” when Yeshua returns to reward the faithful with glory and to judge others with the end of their story.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven. You are great and most wise in your actions. Thank you for your patience with mankind. Keep me in your shalom as I wait for the promise. Keep me in your provision as your enemies seek to take away our life.
Your promise will be fulfilled to your perfection, in your perfect time. Help us lead people to the light and away from the dark as we wait for your Hosannah! Amen.
Simply put, the pull of Torah is a lifeline to keep us from destruction.
Torah gives us a hope. Torah gives us something to cling to. Will we go through the life of a disciple without a rope, without a lifeline?
If it was so wretched, I would not crave it.
If you’ve been told that Torah is burdensome, you’ve been lied to. The scripture says that His commandments are NOT a burden. They are to be loved. As Jesus is to be loved, we are to love His instructions.
It is because of that love, we are sustained during affliction, famine, disease, and destruction. We can be held up from the death of the sinners.
Cling to that central root of the olive tree. If you were grafted on, do not push off. Do not be as one who is pruned off the tree. Live and learn from the Yeshua (salvation) of your soul.
Prayer:
Thank you Oh Father of fathers. Thank you King of kings. You have sent me a lifeline. You sustain me in persecution and distress. Keep your servants in your Way. Help us cling to your lifeline. Help us wander not away. Give us strength to pursue the truth. Thank you that there is joy, and not pain in Torah. Amen.
Check out stickers like this.
For those of us who have added the honoring of Torah to our Christian walk, we understand.
Christians, in general, are targeted all around the world, but try being Jewish. Yep. Jews have been persecuted since there was such a thing. What is that? Well, it can be a long discussion, but the point I want to bring out is that anyone, Christian or Jewish who honors “real Torah” will find themselves as a subject of scorn.
The one who honors Feasts and Torah is dishonored by friends and family. The main-stream Christian often speaks of Torah followers as “too Jewish.” On the other hand, the Orthodox Jewish person looks to one who simply follows the living Messiah as a threat. Messianic believers in Israel are often discriminated against.
It takes tremendous humility to look deeper into our own lives and make a huge change. Most Christians live under the construct of a Jewishness out there that threatens the very cross and resurrection of Messiah. Much wind is expelled in fighting Judaism in the church. My friend, Judaism in most forms and Jews themselves are not a threat to your Jewish Messiah.
Arrogance can be a real problem. Arrogant atheists can join hands with Muslims, we are watching that in a significant way right now in this world. But many, many Christians are doing the same; making themselves busy laying traps for the Torah followers. The zeal can be misplaced when one nestles into his religion with a sword and a machine gun.
We only have to look at the pride displayed in the Nazi war machine of the 30’s and 40’s Europe.
If you press against children of Abraham, you instantly accept a curse. This curse was a forever promise. Why not seek the blessings and reject that curse. That’s one of the easiest blessings to add to our being. At the very least, honor children of Abraham. Support Jewish organizations, ministries, and individuals.
Another way to receive the blessing is to lay ahold of, embrace the nature of your Salvation (Hebrew word YESHUA) as being from “the Jews.”
You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.
John 4:22
At the very least, we can say, according to today’s scripture, that those who are laying a trap for the people of God’s kingdom are without Torah, and arrogant.
Perhaps we should humble ourselves in the sight of YHWH. Perhaps we should realize that if we follow God’s true Torah (not the so-called torah of the Babylonian sages) we are on the winning side.
Instead of being in a hole. And more than simply standing on level ground, we will be lifted up.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Jacob (James) 4:10
In more ways than one, we will be exalted… By King Jesus. Lifted up in authority as His ambassadors, plus lifted up in the sky to join Him in Jerusalem.
In more than one way, as well, the wicked will be brought low. They will fall into disease and death. They will also be judged guilty, and places physically into the pit with Satan and the evil angels.
We all broke Torah by sinning. We all need a Savior. May the world repent of evil against others. Through God’s grace, I have been saved. I now walk (and sometimes run) the very path that God has set out for me in Torah (God’s instructions for righteous living).
If you are a Christian who has bounced back and forth with a desire to please God (natural) and serve Him. I urge you to humbly look at your inheritance as being more than a Salvation from hell. I offer to you that Torah has always been part of our discipleship learning. And we are always learning.
The arrogant will scheme their plot. But, thanks to our blessings, they will receive their own curse.
Prayer:
Father we love you and lift you up. We ask that you save us from the snare of the evil one and the arrogant ones. Please grant us safety under your wings. Send your angels to provide guard over your righteous ones. May all the world know your true Torah. May there be no false Torah or false sense of a new gospel that is void of Torah. Thank you for bringing me to the humble place where I saw what I was missing as a Christian. Give me endurance as a runner in the race. Let me obtain the prize laid before me. Blessings for your kingdom are many. I receive in the name of Yeshua. Amen.
Some people delight in their riches, in their Feasts, in their pretend kingships. We are so blessed to have the richness of Messiah and His Torah.
Their heart is covered with fat,
Psalm 119:70
But I delight in Your Torah.
And he replied: Go and say to this people: Listen carefully, but do not understand! Look intently, but do not perceive! Make the heart of this people sluggish (literally: fat), dull (literally: heavy) their ears and close (literally: blind) their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart understand, and they turn and be healed.
Isaiah 6:9-10
In this passage, I believe fatness of heart is contrasted again, with an obedient spirit to God’s Torah.
What is a fat heart? Well, as I understand, it’s not like a heavy heart. It’s one that is satisfied and not in need of any nurishment. Self satisfied or even self-satiated.
We would not want a fat heart because we wouldn’t see that we need the Bread of Life. The Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well did not have a fat heart. She was hungry and she found Messiah face to face.
If you have been where she was, with a hungry heart, you likely had that moment where you realized, “I need a Savior. I need Messiah. I need Him to open my eyes as well.”
Then, you invited Him in. How amazing. We are so blessed to not have a fat heart. We are so blessed to hear from the mouth of God through His Torah. What a delight it is to partake.
Communion is a visual representation of our receiving of the Bread of Yeshua and the saving blood. Next time you have kiddish (communion) think about the fruit of the vine (grape juice) first as a representation of his washing of sins. Then the bread which sustains us as we walk in His Way. Halleluyah!
Here is a long (really long) study of this term as well as “hardened heart” and more. By the way, it’s long. Can you tell I have ADD (or AMG attention multiplication gift)?
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1010-99192017000100009
Here’s a quote which is shorter.
John Oswalt writes: “The faculties of perception and response (eyes, ears, and heart) will be dulled and apathetic,” and “A ‘fat heart’ speaks of a slow, languid, self-oriented set of responses, incapable of decisive, self-sacrificial action.”
Scielo.org
Don’t let your heart get fat. You have Torah. Let it be the lamp that leads your path as you follow Messiah the true King.
Prayer:
Father, King of my heart, creator of the world. I worship you. Thank you for the delight of Torah. You have given it to your chosen seed. Thank you Father for your matchless grace, for saving me through the blood of Yeshua. Bless your Name. Please feed me with the bread of Messiah.
Let the world do what they do. Let it not bring pain to my family. I pray for the famine. Let them see that they need Messiah. Amen.
Torah Is 