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. 

THANK YOU FOR READING BIBLE 101! MAY OUR LORD YESHUA BLESS YOU! FEEL FREE TO LIKE THE ARTICLE, SHARE IT ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES, SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO THEY CAN ALSO RECEIVE THIS BLESSING!

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. 

THANK YOU FOR READING BIBLE 101! MAY OUR LORD YESHUA BLESS YOU! FEEL FREE TO LIKE THE ARTICLE, SHARE IT ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES, SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO THEY CAN ALSO RECEIVE THIS BLESSING!

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.

THANK YOU FOR READING BIBLE 101! MAY OUR LORD YESHUA BLESS YOU! FEEL FREE TO LIKE THE ARTICLE, SHARE IT ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES, SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO THEY CAN ALSO RECEIVE THIS BLESSING!