God’s Calendar: Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)

/ / 4 Comments

Well, the Feast of Trumpets (or Feast of Shouting) is over according the Jewish calendar and the next appointed time is quickly approaching.  It is yom Kippur (the day of atonement).  According to the Jewish calendar, the day of Atonement is from this coming Tuesday, Sept. 18th, after sundown, to Wednesday, Sept. 19th, after sundown.

The day of atonement is a very solemn day in the yearly cycle of God’s appointed times.  It is the day where we reflect on the past year and repent of sins that have crept in, both in our personal lives and our corporate lives (our family, our church or synagogue, and our country).  Yes, I said our ‘corporate’ lives.  Much of what God has to say to us is directed at the whole body of believers, not just individuals.  That concept can be seen throughout the scriptures.

God gives us a couple commands for this day.  And actually, those commands are rather forceful in their presentation compared to the commands for the other feasts.  Two of the commands stand out.  One is that the day is to be treated as a very strict sabbath – no work whatsoever.  Second is that we are to ‘afflict ourselves.’  So no work of any kind – a strict sabbath of rest, and ‘afflict’ ourselves.  The only definition for ‘afflict’ in this context is that which has been understood by the Jews for millennia.  And that is to fast.  All those that can should fast.

I’m looking forward to the day.  It is a chance to really look at oneself, and one’s country, honestly.  I like reading through the traditional Jewish prayer (the ‘al Chet’ prayer) for the day as it lists all manner of sin – both physical and thought related – and really gets me to think.  There exists such ‘lists’ also in Christianity (the catechism of Westminster – the 10 commandments section – comes to mind).  If you can, find such a prayer / list / sermon and read through it thoughtfully and prayerfully.

I think that the practice of deeply reflecting once a year is quite important and of great benefit, especially as God set it up for us to follow.  He made us and knows what we need.

So, take a day (or as much as you can – not as much as you are comfortable with, but as much as you can, up to the full 24 hours) and reflect.  And repent.  And pray.  And think about any changes that you need to make in your life, or how you can affect our culture for good.  And remember what Yeshua (Jesus) has done for us!

Shalom,

  • Yosef

 

Unity or Conformity?

/ / 8 Comments

I’m different.  I know I’m different.  Why?  Because I consider all of God’s words to be living, active, and relevant to today, and I don’t think that we should add to His words, or take away from them.

But why should that make someone different?  Don’t we all think that what I just said is okay?  Unfortunately, though most will agree with that statement, when it comes to real life, actions don’t follow.

I’d been attending a Christian Bible study for the last year.  I wanted both the fellowship and the opportunity to discuss God’s word with others who follow Yeshua (Jesus).   About a week ago, before the study started up again, the leader of the study came to visit me.  We had a good chat, but his visit was not about anything good.  I was being asked to not come back to the study as there were some in the study that did not want me there.

Odd.  This is the same study where, when the topic of unity in the church came up, a couple of the people stated that they don’t see any disunity.  How can the same group then ask someone to leave?  I have ‘confessed’ Yeshua (Jesus) as Lord and salvation and have done nothing ‘wrong’, yet am asked to leave.  This got me to thinking.

Yeshua (Jesus) prayed, as recorded in the book of John, and asked the Father to ‘make us one as he and the Father are one.’  In other words, he prayed for ‘unity’ for his followers.

I realized that many confuse ‘unity’ and ‘conformity’.  Those in that group that didn’t want fellowship with me are looking for conformity.  Because I didn’t have all the same beliefs that they have, they felt justified in asking me to leave.  Very sad – for them!

Unity is not conformity!

When we restrict ourselves to only fellowshipping with those we completely (or almost completely) agree with, we deny ourselves of chances to grow; opportunities of practicing love and unity; and missing out on God’s presence.

Churches want to see themselves as unique (I don’t know why), and come up with sets of their own rules and ‘statements of belief.’  Why isn’t the Bible the statement of belief?  Why do we have to believe in one doctrine or the other to belong to a church?  I’m quite glad that, at the gates of heaven, there won’t be any questions as to what doctrine we believe (save possibly for teachers, as they are held to higher standards).

Rather, our life will be judged by and through Yeshua (Jesus).  When our lives show that we are following him, and we confess that he came in the flesh and is our Lord, that is enough.

So why isn’t that enough to warrant fellowship with one another?  What do you think?

– Yosef

P.S.: By the way, I’m used to not fitting into groups.  Christian groups don’t accept me because I’m Jewish – not Christian.  Jewish groups don’t accept me because I follow Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised messiah and my salvation.  There are exceptions.

God’s Calendar and the Feast of Trumpets!

/ / 10 Comments

Did you know that God has a calendar?  Did you know that He is still following it?  It really saddens me, though, that most of Christianity has thrown out His calendar, and in doing so, they miss out on some of the beauty and richness and grace of God and His word.

What is this calendar?  Well, it isn’t a secret.  It is written about quite a bit in both the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ testaments.  The calendar is marked by special occasions throughout the year.   They are often called the “Jewish Feasts” but that isn’t what God calls them.  He calls them His “appointed times” (this is the clear meaning of the Hebrew word used in the “old testament” when the ‘feasts’ are referred to.)

I know that many in Christianity will say that the feasts no longer apply as Jesus fulfilled them, but even the “new testament” proves that statement false.  Yeshua (Jesus) himself said,

“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass away until all is accomplished.”  Matthew 5:18 (ESV)

“Do this in in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19 (ESV) – in context of celebrating the Passover.

There are many more verses showing Yeshua (Jesus) and the apostles (even Paul) celebrating the feasts.  However, this article isn’t about that.  It’s about the next feast in the yearly cycle, the ‘Feast of Trumpets’!

God’s year begins with Passover in early spring.  Then there are a couple more, then a couple months pause.  The feasts start up again near fall time, with the first in a short series being the ‘feast of trumpets’!  For this feast we are told, among a couple other things, to blow trumpets (or shout)!

Now, considering the fact that Yeshua (Jesus) did something appropriate on each of the earlier feasts (died on Passover; gave the holy spirit on Pentecost; – are two examples), it easily follows that this is the next feast where something should happen.  I wonder, if Paul wasn’t thinking of this when he wrote,

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.”  1 Thessalonians 4:16 (ESV)

The feasts are the markers of God’s calendar, and give God’s timeline for things He has done and is yet to do!

And I must say that I am really looking forward to this coming Sunday night to Monday night (Sept. 9 to 10, 2018), which is the feast of Trumpets!  I get to take the day off work and celebrate!   In Judaism, the day is celebrated as the “Jewish New Year” and, being Jewish, I’ll celebrate that also, but that is just tradition.

I look forward to meeting God at his next ‘appointed time’, the ‘feast of trumpets,’ and hearing the shofar (ram’s horn).  And I look forward to hearing that heavenly shofar calling, announcing the end of all things!

Shalom!   – Yosef

Entitlement Extreme!

/ / 4 Comments

The USA just cut all funding to UNRWA.  BBC news (1.Sept.2018) carried this headline: “Palestinians brand US aid cut to UN group ‘a flagrant assault’.”

An “assault”?!  What?!  Behind this comment I see an entitlement mentality that is very deep rooted in their society.  Why do the Palestinians feel that we have to support them?

And, as long as I’m asking a couple questions, here are a couple more.

Why is there a UN group (UNRWA) devoted to a refugee group of a single people, while all other refugees in the world are handled by a different UN group?

Why is UNRWA still around, and continuing to expand its own charter to include more and more Palestinians?

Why is UNRWA still active in the West Bank and Gaza when both those areas are independent Palestinian controlled and run areas?

Okay, just so you know, UNRWA is an UN group devoted solely to helping Palestinian refugees.  It began formal operations on 1 May 1950, not quite two years after the surrounding Arab countries invaded the newly formed Israel (also formed by UN mandate).

Now I don’t disagree that the Palestinians need help, I just question what is really going on?  There is something really fishy (to use some slang) going on.  The above questions point out some of this, and the Palestinians suggestion that we (the USA) somehow ‘owe’ them support is beyond understanding.

The comment from the Palestinian leaders is consistent with the type of language they use to fire up the media to champion their cause.  The phrase ‘a flagrant assault’ is an emotionally laden phrase that immediately puts most people on their side.  (So why does the media fall for this and use such tactics themselves when they champion a cause?) Such emotionalism is usually used to provide a smoke screen over what is really going on.

Personally, I find UNRWA as being counter productive.  There doesn’t seem to be any impetus for any of the surrounding Arab countries to absorb the Palestinians (actually, a couple countries blatantly said ‘no’) even though this is the norm for refugees from other areas.  Neither is there any impetus for either the rulers of Gaza or the West Bank to set up and run a decent infrastructure as they receive so much international aid.

Yes, there is a problem.  But the problem isn’t that the refugees exist and how can they be brought back to ‘their’ land; the problem is why are there still Palestinian refugees and why are they being used as pawns in the push to drive all Jews into the sea?

This is a hot topic among many so I hope to see other’s commenting!

  • Yosef

 

Headlines: Scallop wars! and Deuteronomy 19

/ / 3 Comments

A recent headline on the BBC news site (from 29.August.2018) read, “Scallop war: French and British boats clash in Channel.”  Two things may come to mind when reading this.  First, what are scallops?  And second, why does this matter?

Scallops are a type of clam, and many claim they are delicious and healthy.  (Personally, I don’t see how the delicious and healthy claim can be true.)

Does this matter?  Well, yes, on a couple different levels.

The French basically chased the Brits out of a prime scallop fishing ground, claiming that the Brits were decimating the scallop fields.  Such economic crises have started wars.  But that is not my point.

Legally, the Brits weren’t doing anything wrong.  Not according to agreements between France and Britain that pertained to scallop harvesting.  Yet the French were upset, likely due to their decreasing harvests.  So, does the Bible give us, as followers of Yeshua (Jesus), any guidance about how to deal with this situation?

Actually, yes, God does have some instruction.

In the later chapters of the book of Deuteronomy we find this injunction:

“You shall not move your neighbor’s landmark” Deuteronomy 19:14 (ESV).

This may not be a case of moving a physical boundary, but the issue was over when in time that the Brits would be allowed to harvest.  A time boundary.

Yes, God wants us to respect our neighbor’s possessions.  The 10 statements (10 commandments) also covers this: ‘Do not covet’.  And the well known injunction, ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ also covers this.

Another response from followers of Yeshua (Jesus) should be one of, “Yuch! Who wants to eat scallops!”.  Okay, so that is a bit exaggerated, but God does tell us to only eat things from the seas that have fins and scales.  Scallops have neither, so should be left alone to do the job in the sea that God created them to do.

Inevitably, when the topic of restricting what one eats comes up, people will point to Peter’s vision (in the book of Acts, chapter 10) and say, “see, we can eat whatever we want.”

Two quick comments about that.  First, note that this vision occurred years after Yeshua (Jesus) was raised from the dead.  If Yeshua had called all things clean during his ministry, and this vision was restating that point, then I find it interesting that those words of Yeshua had been completely missed by Peter (and the rest of the apostles) for years.  If this is something new that God is telling us through Peter, I’m a bit skeptical for I don’t see God giving commands through one person’s visions anywhere else in the Bible.  (One person’s visions dictating doctrine reminds me of how both Mormonism and Islam started).  If I’m wrong, let me know.  Doesn’t mean He can’t; just that I’m skeptical about it.  And besides, neither Peter nor the Jerusalem church’s elders thought the vision pertained to food (read further in the book of Acts).

So, though God gave ‘all things for food’, we are called to walk in a holy manner (set apart manner).  Let them eat their scallops.  We won’t.  And if it comes to a labor dispute, before joining in, remember that God does not want us to “move our neighbor’s boundary” or covet anything of our neighbors.  This doesn’t apply just to physical things.

Be holy as He is holy.

  • Yosef

My Joy in the Sabbath! 10 Commandments Series – 4: “Remember the Sabbath Day”

/ / 3 Comments

Yes, I enjoy the Sabbath.  I look forward to it each week.  I rest from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown.  As the Sabbath is a huge topic, there will be a couple posts about it.

We are told that we are made in God’s image, but what does it mean, “in His image?”  To me, the Sabbath encapsulates two aspects of what it means.

One reason God gives for us to observe the Sabbath is that He created all in 6 days and rested on the seventh.  (See Exodus 20:11.)

I, in celebration of being ‘in His image,’ can also rest from my work on the seventh day.  What better way to honor and worship Him then to copy Him?  I take a break, for a whole day, from my usual daily routines of work, stress, and worries.

Another reason that God gives for us to observe the Sabbath is that He brought us out of the land of Egypt, out of the bonds of slavery.  (See Deuteronomy 5:15.)

I don’t have to be a slave to my daily routine or my continuous striving to earn a living.  I can choose to rest one day a week, proclaiming, “I am free!”  Once a week I can recall that Yeshua (Jesus) told us to be anxious for nothing as the Father supplies all.  Once a week I can do something no other creature on the earth can do: I can choose to obey my God and rest for a whole day!  I get to celebrate that I am not a slave, neither to my work nor to the business and activity of daily life.

“Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD (Yehovah), sanctify you.” Exodus 31:13 (ESV)

In observing the Sabbath every week, I am learning obedience, and learning how to choose what is right.

We are given two different commands regarding the Sabbath in the two places the 10 statements (10 commandments) are given.  We are to guard and we are to observe.  Guarding is a week long process; learning to order your week so that the Sabbath will be free.  Observing is then choosing to keep the day free; a day of rest.  I call this training in righteousness that has almost immediate rewards!

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 (ESV)

God made it for us to enjoy.  I’m still learning, but I won’t give up observing the Sabbath for anything!  I feel sorry for those followers of Yeshua who don’t observe the Sabbath – they are missing out on a real blessing; missing a chance to worship God through simple obedience; missing a chance to learn to choose what is right; missing a chance to be a light to the world by simply following Yeshua; …

And missing out on some simple joy and peace in this hectic world!

Shalom,

  • Yosef

<- Previous     [10 Commandment Series]      Next ->

Does God Take Anyone Back?

/ / 9 Comments

The reason I ask is because of Third Day. They are still among my favorite bands, yet as I listen and sing along with one of their songs I had to ask “is this true?”

The lyrics are line this:

how many times have I gone astray. The number is the same as the stars in the sky. Every time you’ve taken me back, I pray that you’ll do it tonight.

So, does God “take us back?”

As I think of redemption, and family, and the ways God relates himself to us, I don’t believe he does.

Think of the prodigal son. Was he taken back? Or did he simply recognize and return to whom he was. The father doesn’t say to his brother “we must take him back” but states “he has returned”.

That analogy, as with many other references and also the realization that when we are His we take his name, made me think of our redemption in terms of family. As family we are not “taken back,” for we cannot be removed. I think we recognize who we are and return. Maybe even from the dead. (Luke 15:32). Which kind of helps me understand baptism.

I will surely keep this question in my head as I read through the scripture and am open to have my mind changed on this subject, but as for now I think we go astray and return. He doesn’t take us back, but rejoices over our recognition of who we are.

Isaiah 55:6 (ESV) “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Shalom,

  • Bruce

 

Days, Months, Seasons and Years – Paul in the Book of Galatians

/ / 5 Comments

This is the first entry in the ‘Apostle Paul’ series that deals with what Paul wrote.  The earlier entries are some background information.

The apostle Paul wrote,

“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?  You observe days and months and seasons and years!  I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.”  Galatians 4:8-11 (ESV)

The above verse is often used to support a doctrine that basically states that Paul taught against keeping any of God’s “appointed times” (Sabbath, Passover, day of Atonement, Tabernacles, and other feast days or times.)  But is that really what he is saying?

Galatians is a great book – but keep it in the context with which Paul wrote it. He wrote it ‘to the churches of Galatia.’ Galatians 1:2 (ESV). In other words, gentiles. When he speaks of ‘days and months and seasons and years,’ why assume he is talking about God’s times when he is talking to gentiles who knew nothing of any times God had given?

The world in the time of Paul was full of all sorts of gods and goddesses, and they all had their special days and months and seasons and years.  It is these things that Paul is calling the ‘worthless elemental principles of the world.’  There is even a clue in the verses above where Paul says, ‘how can you turn back again.’

The gentiles never knew God or Yeshua (Jesus) prior to hearing the gospel message. They weren’t ‘turning back’ to God’s times, but to the pagan days, months, seasons and years.  The beginning of the verses above states from what the Gentiles are coming from.

Throughout Paul’s writings he has nothing but good to say about God’s law. He does, however, try to caution all the gentile believers from thinking that following the law leads to salvation. It was never meant for that purpose and Paul is trying to make that point over and over.

So, if you think that Paul is, in Galatians, telling us that God’s days, months, seasons, and years aren’t important, please do an overview of Paul’s life, teachings, and his relationship to God’s law. You will see him over and over upholding the law in his actions and words, yet also pointing to Messiah Yeshua as the one through whom salvation is given.

If, in light of the context of all his letters, he is (here in Galatians) stating that God’s times, sabbath included, are not important, then we have a schizophrenic Paul, being one thing in one letter and another thing in another. Such a person wouldn’t be worth listening to.

But he isn’t schizophrenic. 

And he is worth ‘listening’ to. 

But keep all his sayings both in the context of all his letters, and in the context of the cultures he is writing to!

Shalom

  • Yosef

<- Previous     [The Apostle Paul Series]      Next ->

Capital Punishment: Deuteronomy 19 & Yeshua (Jesus) and the Adulteress

/ / 3 Comments

God is clear.  Capital punishment is to be used for certain offenses.  This is a simple fact from the Bible.  There are, however, a few things to remember to keep this in perspective.

Capital punishment was only used when there were at least two credible witnesses.

Capital punishment was only to be meted out by the leaders.  No one was to ‘take the law into their own hands.’

The witnesses were often required to be the ones to throw the first stones.

According to Jewish history, capital punishment was rarely actually used.  I realize that many think this is not so as we see talk of stoning often in the “new testament.”  That was actually quite rare, and having a crowd rise up and try to stone someone was actually against the law.   Keep that in mind when reading about Yeshua (Jesus) and the times a crowd wanted to kill him.

Speaking of Yeshua, the incident where the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to him and asked, “…in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.  So what do you say?” John 8:1-11;  (ESV).  Most of us know Yeshua’s reply of, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”  John 8:7 (ESV).  At first glance it seems that Yeshua is saying that capital punishment isn’t the right way to go.  But is he?

First, did you note that only the woman was brought before Yeshua?  If she was ‘caught in the act’ as the passage states, where was the man?  The law states that both should be stoned (see Deuteronomy 20:10).  An interesting trap was being set for Yeshua.  If he answered, “then stone her”, he wouldn’t be following the law, so the Pharisees would accuse him thus.  If he answered “don’t stone her,” they could also accuse him of not following the law.  He could of also called them out in regards to the guilty man and the lack of trial, but instead he went to the core of the issue.

He called them out on their misuse of God’s law!  He attacked their legalism, and what better attack then to point out that there is no way to be good enough in a legalistic framework.

A sure sign of legalism is the misuse of the Law of God for your own benefit, or for control and putting others down.

Yeshua was highlighting grace over legalism, not commenting on capital punishment nor on the Law itself.

As a last comment on capital punishment, I find it interesting to read about those condemned who have been waiting for some time.  Many ask for the sentence to be carried out!  Why?  Because the jail system, keeping them locked up for years, is a cruel method of punishment in my opinion.  It can destroy a person’s mind and their dignity as a human.

God’s way called for swift carrying out of the punishment, leaving no time for the society to treat the criminal as an animal or for society as a whole to start relegating even those accused of crimes as monsters.

Personally, I’d rather we do things God’s way and retain the value and dignity of human life.  Any human life.  What do you think?

Shalom,

  • Yosef

 

Changing Words; Changing Ways; Changing God…

/ / 2 Comments

A recent article in the BBC news is about body scanners being used in some Los Angeles (USA) subways.  Subway officials apparently touted the new scanners as ‘voluntary,’  but those refusing to go through the scanner won’t be allowed on the subway.

I don’t know about you, but to me that is a complete changing of the meaning of the word ‘voluntary.’  It has been made into its exact opposite: ‘required.’

This isn’t the only example of words having their meanings drastically changed recently.  It’s happening somewhat frequently, especially by special interest groups wanting to spread their philosophy of life and its rampantly done in politics.

Isaiah 5:20 states, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, …” (ESV).

So what should believers in God and followers of Yeshua (Jesus) do about this?

First, learn to recognize when, where and how this is happening.  Then learn the truth.

Why, you ask?  Because, over time, the new definition of word will become the accepted norm, even when it is against God’s word, or at the expense of a group of people.

Take the onslaught against Israel as an example.

Israel is called ‘apartheid’, yet nowhere in Israel’s laws or culture do you find a people group discriminated against.  That is what ‘apartheid’ means, such as what one had in S. Africa where it was encoded into law that one group of people was lower then another.  We all know that ‘apartheid’ is bad, so when a group accuses Israel as being an apartheid state because of the Palestinian situation, you, as a reader, immediately associate a negative thought with Israel even if there is no truth to it.  (If you want to claim that Israel is an apartheid state because of the lot the Palestinians are in, you desperately need to read about real apartheid, such as what was happening in S. Africa some decades ago.  That was apartheid.  And also about the history of the Palestinians.)

Another example is how we redefine words in the Bible to fit what we want to hear.

Paul writes, in a negative fashion, about people observing different days, seasons and years.  A typical reader, who has heard and is perhaps even knowledgeable in Christian theology, will immediately associate this reference as Paul speaking against observing God’s sabbath or feast days.  ‘Days, seasons and years’ is changed to “Sabbath, feasts, and other ‘Jewish’ observances.”  The whole context of who the letter is being written to, Paul’s beliefs, and Paul’s actions is completely ignored.  The letter is written (mostly) to Gentiles, and the Gentile world back then was full of all sorts of observances of days and times and season.  That was a normal part of gentile life!  And Paul himself is seen observing both the Sabbath and some feast days in the book of Acts!  If he really meant to speak negatively about those things, then he disqualifies himself as someone to be listened to.

Lastly there is Yeshua’s use of the word ‘food’ in the gospel of Mark, where it is written, “…by this he declared all food clean.”  Ignored is the immediate context of what is being written about.  Ignored is also the fact that Jews back then weren’t sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for someone to tell them that pork was to be eaten!  They didn’t even consider it food, just as I don’t consider worms, ants, or insects as food even though others do.  When someone says ‘food’ to me, I don’t start thinking about those things at all.  Not even a smidgen.

In the same way, when the word ‘food’ was mentioned to the ancient Jews, their thoughts were about those things they considered food (which were those things God called clean)!  They would have immediately understood that Yeshua (Jesus) was stating that the washing of hands before eating had no impact on whether a food was clean or not clean, as the Pharisees were claiming.

So, be it in every day life, politics, or reading our Bibles, be aware of changing what words mean!

Shalom,

  • Yosef