Breaking Down: The History

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

The ending of the book of Deuteronomy tells us of the death of Moses as the Israelites arrive at the borders of the Promised Land. While the overall length of this period is debated - with some saying that the historical books end with Esdras or any other book - it’s important to know the history of the people of Israel. Within those historical books is almost an entire millennium worth of stories, lessons and practices that still need to be studied and understood to grasp the person of Yeshua at His arrival and the love of Yahweh, the Father, for the sons and daughters of Jacob. 

A quick summary of the historical books begins with the aforementioned death of Moses; Joshua takes over the reigns of leader in Israel (Joshua 1:1 - 9), leading them to conquering the promised land. They then proceed to be led by a series of Judges, who bring them back to the Father whenever they start to stray away. It won’t be long before they demand to become a kingdom and to have a king (1 Samuel 8), bringing forth a period of great prosperity but also of great troubles. Rulers, both great and horrible, would take the throne and slowly bring the Israelites further away from God, leading them to being separated and dispersed from the land (2 Kings 17), a realization of the curse that would befall upon them if they ever strayed away from the Father and His commandments in Deuteronomy 28:64. The historical books would eventually lead us to the lands of dispersion, where we encounter those who keep hold to the faith and the commandments such as Nehemiah, Daniel and Esther. In all, the historical books are rightfully that: history, lessons and morals meant for us all to keep and to understand. 

The relationship between Israel and the Father is something that is central and key to the historical books of the Bible. The Father has given them “this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18), a land that they are able to call home. More than just that, He shows them His love by continuously providing them with everything that they would want or need in their lives. This happens, even though the children of Israel continue to disobey Yahweh, the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. David would say in the Psalms that the children of Israel did not remember “the day he redeemed them from the oppressor” (Psalm 78:42) as they continued to sin against him, themselves and their nation. It’s through the seemingly endless sins that the Father disperses them from the Land that was given to them by Him. Some would return to the land - under oppression of many different invaders - to praise Him and to establish families, but not all of the twelve tribes. In truth, the historical books allow us to understand how the Israelites gained and lost their promise, all the while setting up the background to the world when Yeshua arrives.

The historical books allow for a lot of understanding of the person of Yeshua. Those who had access to the Holy Scriptures at the time and who studied it day and night just like it was commanded to Joshua (Joshua 1:8) must have known the small details in many of the patriarchs that led to Yeshua. David was a shepherd like Yeshua is (1 Samuel 17:34 - 36; John 10:11). Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish so as Yeshua did (Matthew 12:40). A final example can come from the Job, a man who was righteous before the Father but who suffered through no fault of his own, but persisted with the Eternal One for it was His will. When Yeshua said that the Old Testament talks about Him (John 5:39), He meant every part, from the Torah to the Historical books and the Prophets, as He is the Word of God. 

In conclusion, there are many secrets that are hidden in the historical books of the Bible. Certain secrets that we haven’t even begun to discover, whether that be here on Bible 101, at Viens et Vois la Cité des Merveilles or even in the entire world. But that is why we must continue to pore over them and to truly study them and understand the time and the world in which they lived in, to better understand our own, our God YHWH and the plans of peace and prosperity that He has for those who follow Him in spirit and in truth. 

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Feast of Tabernacle: Pilgrimage (Part I)

You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. (Exodus 34:22 - 23)

It is the time of the year in which we see the three final feasts of YHWH. Divine celebrations made to be celebrated at their appointed times, the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Atonement have been covered in previous articles of Thinking Twice, Devos and Bible 101. In association with Thinking Twice, we will cover the final feast, a week long celebration of the Tabernacle!

Last year, we covered the Feast extensively in another two week event with Thinking Twice. This year, we will focus on an aspect that we did not cover as much in the previous crossover event: pilgrimage. 

Before we enter entirely into the subject of today’s readings, there must be a quick reiteration of the Feast of Tabernacles as a whole. The term “tabernacle” isn’t the only term used for the Feast; it’s interchangeable with terms such as “booths” and “shelters”. The book of Leviticus presents why this feast is lived, saying: 

You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt

- Leviticus 23:42 - 43

While this was held in memory of all of the good that the Father had done for them by saving them from slavery, it was meant to remind them as well of their forty years in the desert - a punishment for their unwillingness and lack of faith (Numbers 14:30). Finally, this also served a basic agricultural use of celebrating the harvesting of what were essential things for the Ancient Israelites, which included  the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook (Leviticus 23:40).

The children of Israel continued to live this feast for many years, when they followed the Laws of the God of their fathers (Nehemiah 8:13–18, Zechariah 14:16–19 and Leviticus 23:34–44).

When YHWH talks about the Feasts that we are supposed to have in His honor, He presents three feasts in particular that we are supposed to go present ourselves to Him: those being Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacle (Exodus 34:22 - 23). This pilgrimage was made to the temple, in Jerusalem, as understood by a reading of Isaiah 33:20. This was their duty and responsibility if they wanted to live this feast in its entirety. 

Read the Thinking Twice article next week to know more and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacle with us!

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The Mystery of the Feast of Trumpets

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’  (Leviticus 23:23 - 25)

As we draw near to the last few Feasts of the Year, our eyes must be focused upon the person of Yeshua and His Father. These are holy appointments that all believers of the Father and true followers of Christ are called upon to live at their appointed times. The fall season - also called the back season - has through of those festivities lined up. The first of these is the Feast of Trumpets. 

Last year, we spoke about the Feast and the little information that the Bible presents upon it. 

During that article, we presented the very little that is known as to what this Feast is supposed to represent for followers. The theory that was presented was that of the biblical Rapture, as presented in the following reading: 

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. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

However, that stands as only being theory. The reasoning is because there is little said about the Feast in the book of Leviticus. Within the three verses - which span from Leviticus 23:23 to Leviticus 23:25 - there is little mention as to why we celebrate this Feast. Some say that it’s because of the aforementioned theory, others out of love for the Father, YHWH, who created us and loved us. 

While reading the passages of Leviticus, there is a word that should capture your imagination and curiosity: memorial. While the word changes from one version of the Bible to another, it holds weight. The celebration of this feast is meant to remember something or an event that maybe wasn’t written. Maybe the Ancient Israelites knew exactly what they had to remember and it was lost to the hands of time. Another theory could be to remind the Father of His promises, through the usage of trumpets to declare the time: 

“Remember Your word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise gives me life.” The Psalmist says that God's promises give him hope in the midst of affliction and urges us to remind God of His promises.

- Psalms 119:49 - 50

Frankly, there is not a single person that knows the exact answer.

But it is with cries of triumph that we can say that the Father, YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, does not forget. More than not forget, He is not a subject to time. Therefore, He has the answers that we are all searching for. Therefore, with the basis of the verses used, in addition to that James 1:5, which encourages us to ask Him for wisdom when we lack it, ask Him to clarify this mystery so that you may serve Him properly and humbly. 

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Breaking Down: The Torah

“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:32)

Breaking down the Bible requires us to go to the very beginning. That entails that we must examine and elaborate upon the first five books of the Bible. It has had many names throughout the centuries, but it has mainly called the Torah, which means “law”. These are the laws and stories that YHWH, the Father, told Moses to write and to give the children of Israel. But what does it entail and include?

The Torah, to be brief, is from the book of Genesis to the book of Numbers. These are the direct teachings of YHWH to the children fIsrael. The book of genesis, while it explains the beginnings of the world, we must also understand that it is the beginning of the relationship between the FAther and Israel. That’s seen through the genealogical lines, and the connections between figures such as Adam, Seth, Noah and Abraham, who are all in a direct line to the nation of Israel. 

Once they go to Egypt and eventually leave slavery, the children of Israel are given these laws to live by. The Lord God of Israel did this with no other people: He set them apart (Psalm 147:19 - 20; Deuteronomy 6:7). The way that they lived was in accordance with those Laws; while they faltered due to their human nature, they knew that YHWH was their answer and salvation and that within the Torah, there is life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

To understand the Torah, for us modern believers who’ve lived after the arrival of Yeshua, it’s quite simple. The doctrine that tells us that Yeshua abolished the law is false. The Torah is still in vigor. In fact, He says it  himself in Matthew 5:17 - 20:

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

- Matthew 5:17 - 20

Yeshua says that this law will not pass away. He adds to this concept in Luke 24:44, saying that everything about Him in what we call the Old Testament must be fulfilled. The key concept, one that He is explicit about, is the Law of Moses. This spans from the middle of Exodus to well into the book of Deuteronomy. He fulfills it through His death and resurrection (Matthew 5:17 - 20) for He is the Law personified, as presented by a plethora of verses, which include Revelations 19:13. He cannot abolish the Law as many would speculate, for it would be abolishing the authority given to Him by the Father.

To add, if anyone says that Paul abolished the law in any way, you can ask them: who is your Lord, Paul or Yeshua? 

Forget not that the Lord told Joshua to practice and to meditate these laws day and night (Joshua 1:8) and was able to accomplish great things, such as taking the Promised Land for YHWH and His people. The Torah could never be abolished, for without that Law, there is no grace through Yeshua. 

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Breaking Down: The Old Testament

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44)

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1). The reason why we know this is because we have access to what we consider the Old Testament. Depending on your version of the Bible, there are many books that it contains. It generally begins with the book of Genesis and ends with the book of Malachi. Yet, when we look at this very extensive series of books, there are certain things that are revealed to us as believers. 

The beginning is what the Ancient Israelites call the Torah. They are the first five books of the Bible, which we will cover in detail further on. It’s then followed by the historical books, followed by the prophetic books. Each of these books present the Father, YHWH in different ways. But while that is true, one thing that cannot be denied is that it is centered on the people that He chose: the Israelites. 

The Israelites are chosen and remain to be the center of the story from the beginning to the end. That can be seen by understanding it as a genealogical study. Adam was the first man (Genesis 2:20, 1 Corinthians 15:45), ancestor of Noah, who was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. Shem would be the source of all Semites, which Abraham was (Genesis 5, Genesis 10:1-7, 20, 22-23, 31-32, Genesis 11). Most people understand that He was promised to be the Father of many nations (Genesis 15:1 - 21) and would have Isaac and Jacob as children, whose descendents would become the nation of Israel and the twelve tribes. The realisation that the entire Old testament gives perspective to the importance of the New Testament and certain key verses. 

The centralization of the people of Israel as the chosen people of The Lord God (Deuteronomy 14:2) shows us what is right and wrong. They were chosen to be the Fathers people. Modern theologians use Israel as to what not to do or who not to be, when in fact, we should follow the positive things that they did. They followed the Father and attempted to do the best that they could. We are not to follow the Achab’s and the Jezabels, nor the David’s and the Nehemiah’s. We are supposed to follow YHWH and His commandments (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3). If we disregard the Old Testament, then we separate ourselves from the Israelites, from whom comes salvation (John 4:22).

Should we call it the “Old Testament”? This series of texts lead us to the person of Yeshua through the history and the prophets that speak of His life and eventual death and resurrection. This is what the book of Hebrews repeatedly calls the “First Covenant”; it’s not imperfect by nature, but because of the people who attempted - and failed - to abide by it. This second covenant, that we call the New Testament does not abolish it, but fulfills it through the person of Yeshua (Matthew 5:17).

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Breaking Down

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

The truth of the matter is that the world in which we live isn't perfect. There are things that surpass us and bewilder us; frighten us. Startlingly enough, one of those things that we fear the most is the thing that the Yeshua said that He was in John 14:16: the truth. It’s something that is understood in what we consider to now be the Bible. We have often read it, but never took the time to understand it for ourselves, preferring to hear what someone else takes from it. Those are our Pastors and our Prophets.

This is why we need to start breaking down. 

In the next series of articles, which will span from Genesis until the end of biblical canon, will explore what these books mean, section per section. It will dive into the shared history of these sections of the Bible and why each is important in the grand scheme of Salvation. Topics at hand will include the Torah, the Historical books and many more.

The reasoning behind this series is to explain what the Word of Yahweh means to us: how does everything center around the person of Yeshua. At the same time, it is meant to dispel certain false doctrines that have found themselves within doctrine today. Paul the Apostle said that: 

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

- 2 Timothy 4:3 - 4

As believers and children of the one true GOD in Yahweh, we cannot afford to fall to false doctrines, knowing that the road to perdition is large and the way to salvation is narrow (Matthew 7:13 - 14). There is no time to waste because none will know when the Son of Man will return (Matthew 24:36). The situation is dire and the fate of many rests in the balance of proper knowledge and proper worship of the Father. 

Therefore, we invite you to join us on our newest mini-series, titled Breaking Down, which will begin in two weeks.

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Being Christ-Like?

Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:6)

Every church and denomination within the christian faith utters a certain variation of the following sentence “You need to be Christ-like”. It’s a good sentiment and a good catch phrase. It gives people hope and something to aspire to everyday. However, when one analyzes that sentence closely, it creates more questions than it answers. Where do we find this concept of being Christ-like? What did Christ do that I have to imitate? How do I attain the level of Christ and be righteous? 

The search for what is Christ like is something that begins with a search of where Christ is. The accounts of the life of Yeshua can simply be found in the Gospels of Matthew, Marc, Luke and John. It’s a seemingly easy and simple answer to a difficult question. It’s that way because it’s not complete. We must account for every prophetic book and book of wisdom to gather information of Christ through the more than 300 hundred prophecies written about his life. The historical books are also important, noting the story of the people of Israel - Yeshua’s people - and explaining the socio political climate in which he finds himself in His lifetime. Finally, we must read the Law within the first five books of the Bible, as Moses wrote about Him in them (John 5:46, Revelations 19:13). In truth, the word of Yahweh is where we must find everything about His life. 

To understand what He did during His lifetime in detail, a thorough reading of the Gospel has to be done. When that is done, there are certain things that come about that many don’t realize. Firstly, Yeshua celebrated Sabbath (Luke 14:6), a thing that many people don’t do today. Yeshua abstained from unholy foods such as pork, preferring to eat fish and lamb (Mattew 14:19, Luke 22:15), while many people consider these foods to be delicasses today. Finally, Yeshua was sinless (1 Peter 2:22) and sin is transgressing the law as written in 1 John 3:4. Yet, many churches claim that the law is abolished. Eating pork is right. Celebrating Sabbath is wrong. How would they therefore be like Christ, if they refuse many of the things that He did in His lifetime? 

To be able to Christlike is to be able to live the law in its entirety, just like Christ did. Yeshua lived them all and accomplished them all, from the feasts to the smallest iota. Modern believers, who follow the ways of Christ, are accompanied by the Holy Spirit who will be with us if we love His commandments and live by them (John 14:15 - 18). It’s an attainable thing for all of us, as the Bible presents many who are considered as being righteous. That list is extensive, and it includes Noah (Genesis 7:1), Abraham (Genesis 15:6) and Job (Job 1:8) to name but a few. All of them lived in a way that we would consider today to be Christlike, for they followed the law and understood that the Father would send them a savior who would save them.

In finality, is being Christlike an attainable goal? Yes. However, to attain that goal, the modern believer needs to examine to follow the torah and what Christ did in His lifetime. All the while, they must be vigilant, as there are many churches that will claim they want to be Christlike, but not the one of the Word of Yahweh (2 Corinthians 11:4). Examine your doctrine and examine your salvation: is it in Christ or is it not? 

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