Shalom! Each Yom Sheniy/Monday, from 7pm – 8pm (1900 – 2000), we are hosting a weekly Bible study from a Hebraic perspective. The location is 2814 NW Sheridan Rd, next door to where we meet on Shabbat. The current theme is: “The Hebraic Origins of Your Faith.” Hope to see you there! But, if you can’t attend, we plan on having a live broadcast in our Facebook “chat” group as well on on our YouTube channel.
Here are our study notes from Torah portion Qorach/Korach (Korah).
Shalom, everyone – it’s almost Shabbat! Here is today’s omer count for 5/22/2020.
Baruch atah ADONAI, Eloheynu Melech HaOlam, asher qideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al sefirat ha-omer.
Blessed are You, ADONAI our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.
Today is the 1st day of the 7th shavua (week) in the counting of 7 weeks (shavuot), 7 Sabbaths and 50 days to Shavuot. We have now counted 43 days, 6 Weeks, and 6 Sabbaths!
Shalom — here is our updated study on “Why We Count the Omer Like Paul,” and explains why we start the omer count on 4/10/2020 this year (instead of this coming Yom Rishon/Sunday like the majority of Nazarene/Messianic congregations).
Feel free to reply with comments or questions!
If you only have a minute or two, here is the summary/conclusion:
•1. The Karaites are correct to count seven Sabbaths, and the Rabbis are wrong to ignore them.
•2. The historical understanding of this verse dating from before the time of the Maccabees begins the count on the day after 15th of Aviv/Nisan.
•3. The Ruach HaQodesh validated what became known as the Pharisaic counting method in Acts 2:4.
•4. The Rabbis are wrong to change “sabbaths” in vs. 15 to “weeks” or the same change in vs. 16, but…
•5. The Rabbis are right to reckon the count to Shavuot from the 16th of Aviv/Nisan
•From historical writings, then, we see that in the 2nd Temple period, the Temple operated using the counting method of the Pharisees (counting the ‘omer from Nisan/Aviv 16). •When the Ruach came in Acts 2 on Shavuot, the “converts” or exiles in Jerusalem on Shavout would have been associated with the Pharisees.
•By the Ruach coming on Shavuot when the talmidim and converts were in the House (i.e. the Temple), I conclude that the Ruach confirmed the counting method then in use. Remembering that Paul identified himself as a Pharisee, he would have used that counting method when he says that he is trying to get back to Jerusalem in time for Shavuot (Acts 20:16).
The literal interpretation, including all the mems, supports the Pharisee’s method of counting
The followers of Yeshua called the first day of Unleavened Bread a high (or great) Sabbath
Paul’s method of counting has Scriptural support
•There is strong evidence that the Ten Words were given on Sabbath
•No matter how good an argument that the Karaites, Boethusians, Sadducees and modern Messianics might make, YHWH seems to have validated the Pharisaic method by sending the Ruach HaQodesh on the believers, the Netzarim, in Acts 2 on Shavuot according to their counting method
•Thus, I conclude from Scripture that Nazarene Shavuot = counting from Aviv/Nisan 16
•In the 2nd Temple period, the omer count was always conducted in the morning
•Thus, for 2020, if we start with Passover corresponding to either the Hillel II “fixed calendar” or the New Moon sighting from Israel, and use the historical counting method at the time of Acts 2, Day 1 of the omer count is on the morning of 4/10/2020. The 50th day of the count will be reached on the morning of 5/29/2020.
•The 50th day is Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks
Here is the link to the full study: (a pdf reader is required):
“Shabbat Shalom” is just around the corner. Since we are not able to meet this week due to COVID-19 issues, this week’s study notes are posted below. Please enjoy a nice, restful Sabbath!
The third movie in the Patterns of Evidence: Exodus series comes out later this month on 2/18/2020. The full title for the latest offering is Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle. It is part I of a two part mini-series within the Patterns of Evidence series, with part II scheduled for 5/5/2020. As with the previous movies, this one will be in theaters for a one-night special event. DVDs should be available for purchase at a later date.
The first two movies were very well done, and we recommend them highly. If Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle is playing in a theater near you, we recommend that you make plans to attend. The link to find a theater and purchase tickets is below, and the YouTube trailer is at the bottom of the page.
Trailer for The Red Sea Miracle
Do you plan to see the movie?
Does the Tanakh or the Ketuvim Netzarim (Nazarene Writings) endorse polygamy (having more than one spouse) or polygyny (a man having more than one wife)? The video link below is from 119 Ministries, and attempts to answer this important question. It is not our video, nor do we necessarily concur with every teaching from 119 Ministries. However, this study seems quite timely, and although this new teaching is part of their “Answering Atheists” series, proponents of polygyny seem to be becoming vocal from within the Messianic/Ephraimite/Netzarim community.
If you don’t have time to watch the video and just want to know if 119 Ministries if for it or against it, here is their conclusion:
In conclusion, with regard to the question, “Does the Bible Endorse Polygamy,” here is what we’ve learned:
– We’ve established that polygamy is a clear deviation from God’s original design for marriage as established in Creation, to which Yeshua and Paul agree.
– We’ve established that Paul clearly interprets the Torah to instruct against polygamy, going as far to say that a man is not above reproach unless he is married no more than just one wife.
– We’ve established that the Bible does, in fact, appear to explicitly prohibit the practice of polygamy in Leviticus 18:18, which justifies Paul’s position.
– We’ve established that polygamy is painted in a negative light and discouraged throughout the Bible.
– And finally, we’ve established that the passages in which polygamy might seem to be approved by God have been misunderstood.
– Therefore, we believe the answer to this question is an obvious NO. Polygamy was never endorsed, not then and not now. Our conclusion is, for whatever it is worth, that the Bible prohibits it, and it is contrary to God’s will and design for marriage.
I thought one of the most important points of the study was 119’s exegesis of Vayiqra/Leviticus 18:18, and the interpretation of the Hebrew phrase transliterated at ishah el-achotah that occurs in that passage, and several other places in the Tanakh.
You may watch the full video at the link below or download a copy of the transcript in pdf format here.
This week at Beit Tefillah we discuss the big controversy in Bereshiyt/Genesis chapter 18. How many individuals does Abraham the patriarch encounter at his ohel (tent)? Who, exactly, does Abraham encounter? Why is this encounter so important in understanding the rest of Scripture?
Last fall, I had the opportunity to defend against a disjointed and highly speculative attack against the Biblical account of the Exodus from Egypt in a live discussion/debate with the proponent of a theory that might be short-titled “Djehutymose = Yehudah Moshe.” Some of the basic assertions of this theory are that Moshe/Moses was trying to restore the “Aten Revolution” (of Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s father, Aten), that the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle were modeled after Tutankhamen’s burial chamber, and that King Hezekiah’s newly found Seal proved that he was laying claim to the throne of Egypt centuries after the Exodus.
Some highlights:
“Mn-Kpr-Re” is not the root of “Menorah”
“Mn-Kpr-Re” doesn’t mean “symbol of divine light,” but “enduring form of Ra/Re”
The proponent for the theory tried to “Joseph Smith” Egyptian symbols. Of note, he asserted that a certain symbol was the basis for the Tabernacle menorah. It is actually indicative of the Egyptian game of reaching the afterlife. One such game was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb.
You may never encounter such a theory contested. You might be caught off guard and fooled by a “just so story.” However, this pdf at the link (below) of the slide show used in the debate to utterly debunk this theory should help you do the same. Check it out.
https://www.beittefillah.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Exodus_defended_2018.pdf
The attached slide presentation the consolidation of slides discussed over a period of several weeks (hence the reference to “Week 2,” etc., in the presentation). The study shows how Nazarene Judaism would be squeezed from those seeking to squeeze the Judaism out of the followers of Yeshua of Nazareth, and how the religious authorities sought to squeeze the followers of Yeshua of Nazareth out of Judaism.
One of my favorite parts of the study is when we discuss the question: HOW MANY TIMES WAS THE ONE TRUE FAITH GIVEN?
Reading from the translation of the Peshitta Aramaic text of Ephesians 4:4-6 we find: 4 That you be one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. 5 For Marya (Master Yah, YHWH) is one and the faith (or trust) is one and the immersion is one: 6 And one Eloah (Elohim) is the Father of all, and above all, and through all, and in us all.
Jude 3 (translation from the Peshitta Aramaic) reads:
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you, concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you, exhorting that you should earnestly contend for the Faith (or Trust), which was once for all delivered to the Set-Apart-Ones.
There is only one true faith:
And the one true faith was only given once:
And, according to Paul (or whoever wrote Hebrews 11): Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and David (among others) are counted as faithful.
Thus, the one true faith already existed on the Earth before the events recorded in the gospels took place.
Since the one true faith already existed on the Earth before the events recorded in the gospels happened…..
It may be an anachronism to call the faith of Abraham “the Way” (haderekh) or that of “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Nazarene Judaism), but it is functionally accurate….if the one true faith was only given once, and Abraham had that faith.
Here is the link for the slides to Nazarene 101: Know What You Believe