#tenach

[nordseehexe]

Die Kabbala (auch Kabbalah), übersetzt „das Überlieferte“, ist eine mystische Tradition des Judentums und bezeichnet sowohl bestimmte („kabbalistische“) überlieferte Lehren als auch bestimmte überlieferte Schriften.[1] Sie steht in einer jahrhundertelangen mündlichen Überlieferung, deren Wurzeln sich im Tanach, der Heiligen Schrift des Judentums, finden

Die Basis kabbalistischer Traditionen ist die Suche des Menschen nach der Erfahrung einer unmittelbaren Beziehung zu Gott. Es gibt verschiedene kabbalistische Schriften und Schulen, aber keine Dogmatik oder abprüfbare Lehrinhalte, also keine allgemeingültige kabbalistische Lehre.

Des Weiteren gibt es eine reichhaltige schriftliche Überlieferung zum Teil gegensätzlicher kabbalistischer Strömungen (beispielsweise die ekstatische und die theosophische Richtung in der älteren Kabbala). Als bedeutendstes Schriftwerk der Kabbala gilt der Zohar, ein pseudepigraphisches Werk aus der theosophischen Richtung der älteren Kabbala.

Die schriftliche Überlieferung und Produktion der Kabbala enthält auch gnostische, neuplatonische und christliche Elemente. Seit Pico della Mirandola[2] (15. Jahrhundert) wird die Kabbala auch in nichtjüdischen Kreisen fortgeführt (vgl. Christliche Kabbala, Hermetische Kabbala).

Entsprechungen von Oben und Unten: Nach kabbalistischer Ansicht hat Gott alles, was er im Universum geschaffen hat, auch am Menschen geschaffen. Hieraus ergibt sich ein Weltbild der wechselseitigen Entsprechungen von Oben und Unten. Hierin wird der kabbalistische Grundgedanke von Mikro- und Makrokosmos deutlich. Die ganze „untere“ Welt wurde demnach nach dem Vorbild der „oberen“ gemacht und jeder Mensch an sich ist ein Universum im Kleinen. Der körperlichen Gestalt des Menschen kommt hierbei eine universelle Bedeutung zu, denn Gott selbst wird in der Tradition der jüdischen Mystik mit letzter Konsequenz anthropomorph gedacht. Die Vollkommenheit des göttlichen Makrokosmos personifiziert sich hierbei im Menschen, welcher als Mikrokosmos zwar unvollkommen, aber dennoch ein Abbild des himmlischen Urmenschen ��ָדָם קַדמוֹן (Adam Qadmon) darstellt. Gott als das Grenzenlose und Ewige benötigt das von ihm geschaffene Mittlerwesen des Menschen, um durch die „zehn geistigen Kräfte“ (סְפִירוֹת Sephiroth) seine göttliche Allmacht wirken zu lassen.

Der Weltenbaum: Die zehn Sephiroth sind die göttlichen Urpotenzen, welche in der Form des kabbalistischen Weltenbaumes alle Ebenen des Seins durchragen. Dieser Weltenbaum mit dem darin verbundenen Menschen stellt den verkörperten Organismus des Universums dar. Diese elementare Verflechtung des Menschen in ein göttliches Universalsystem verdeutlicht nach kabbalistischer Ansicht auch das gegenseitige Beeinflussungspotential der göttlichen und der menschlichen Ebene. – Der Mensch steht unter dem ganzheitlichen Einfluss universaler Kräfte, kann diese aber seinerseits beeinflussen.[5]

Überwindung des gewohnten Alltags-Ich: Wie häufiger in der Mystik geht es dabei um den bewussten und selbst gesteuerten Übergang in eine Ekstase, also um einen Weg, über das gewohnte Alltags-Ich hinauszugehen, dessen Beschränkungen zu transzendieren. Dazu gibt es verschiedene Techniken, die sich als Geheimlehren, die studiert und erfahren werden, überliefern. Diese initiatorische Erfahrung vermittelte sich anfänglich in einer zunächst rein mündlichen, später schriftlichen Überlieferung. In der Kabbala wird auch heute noch die Beziehung zwischen Lehrer und Schüler als wesentlich gesehen. Kabbalistische Erfahrung soll die Grenze zwischen Subjekt und Objekt aufheben können. Ein Kabbalist durchbricht demnach eine Mauer „härter als ein Diamant“ und erfährt die All-Einheit.

Stufen der Weisheit: Nach jüdischer Tradition gelangten nur vier Weise zu Lebzeiten ins Paradies und von diesen kehrte allein Rabbi Akiba unversehrt zurück. Den meisten gelingen nur ein paar Tritte auf der Himmelsleiter (hebräisch סֻלַּם יַעֲקֹב sullām jaʿakow) oder das Öffnen einiger weniger Tore. Jedoch behalten, so die kabbalistische Lehre, alle Suchenden und Lernenden ihre besonderen erlangten Fähigkeiten und sollen sie nach außerbiblischer Tradition sogar vererben können (deuterokanonisches Buch Ben Sira: "Wenn er auf sie (die Weisheit) vertraut, wird er sie erben, und seine Nachkommen werden an ihr Anteil haben." Sir 4,16 EU). So soll der Segen – בְּרָכָה Bəracha – entstehen.

Die Träger der kabbalistischen Überlieferungen werden בַּעֲלֵי־קַבָּלָה Baʕalē Qabālā (auch בַּעֲלֵי־הַקַּבָּלָה Baʕalē Haqqabālā) oder מְקֻבָּלִים Məqūballīm genannt. In Məqūballīm schwingt die Bedeutung „von Gott aufgenommen“ mit.

Ältere Kabbalisten trugen unspezifische und blumige Namen wie יוֹדְ��ֵי חֵן yōdəʕēy ḥēn ‚Kenner der Gottesgnade‘ oder einfach יוֹדְעִים yōdəʕīm ‚Wissende‘, eine Bezeichnung, die auf Nachmanides zurückgeht, מִשׂכָּלִים miśkālīm ‚Vernunftbegabte‘ und חַכמֵי הַלֵּב ḥachmē hallēv (auch חַכמֵי לֵב ḥachmē lēv) ‚Weise des Herzens‘. Das Objekt ihrer Bemühungen war die חָכְמָה נִסתָּרָה ḥåchmā nīstarā ‚verborgene Weisheit‘ (auch חָכְמַת הַנִּסתָּר ḥåchmath hannīstār).

Vorkabbalistische Zeit

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Die Merkaba-Literatur war ab dem ersten vorchristlichen Jahrhundert eine mystische Strömung innerhalb des Judentums. Im dritten Jahrhundert nach Chr. entstand das magisch-mystische Buch Sefer ha-Razim.

Gegen Ende der talmudischen Zeit entstand in der Tradition vorhandener Text-„Komplexe kosmologischen und sprach-spekulativen Charakters“[6] das vorkabbalistische Sefer Jetzira, welches die Lehre der Sephiroth (Sphären, Ziffern) entwirft. Diese Lehre entspricht noch nicht ganz dem späteren kabbalistischen Verständnis, wird aber unter Kabbalisten entsprechend gedeutet.[7] Die Entstehungs- und frühe Wirkungsgeschichte des Sefer Jetzira ist noch nicht sicher erforscht. Der Text blieb „nicht selbstständig, sondern so gut wie nur im Zusammenhang mit Kommentaren erhalten“.[8]

Entwicklung im 12. Jahrhundert

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Die Anfänge der Kabbala liegen in Südfrankreich, wo Geheimlehren angeblich ältester Tradition aufgezeichnet wurden; die Autoren nannten sich meqûbballîm ‚Empfänger‘, ‚Angenommene‘. Sie führten ihre Inhalte auf die Weisheit Adams zurück. Diese seien durch Auserwählte weitergegeben worden; tatsächlich basierten sie auf einer „(zumeist populär-) neuplatonische[n] Sicht der Welt und des Menschen“, wobei die Stellung auf ein neuplatonisches Weltbild wohl oft unbewusst geschah.[9] Zur Bekräftigung der Behauptung, auf die ältesten Traditionen zurückzugreifen, wurde „so gut wie alles von der reichen biblisch-rabbinischen Überlieferung aufgegriffen und in ihrem Sinne verarbeitet. Und zwar mit derartigem Erfolg, dass auch viele älteren Vorstellungen für Laien als ‚kabbalistisch‘ erscheinen, was den Blick für die eigentlichen kabbalistischen Anliegen verstellen kann“.[3] Die ersten Kabbalisten nutzten die „Bearbeitung und Kommentierung älterer Texte als Vehikel für ihre Lehren“; das erste Buch, das einen nach dieser Verwertungsmethode entstandenen kabbalistischen Text enthält, ist das Sefer ha-Bahir, das gegen 1180 fertig redigiert war und „lange Zeit Hauptgrundlage der danach allmählich verschriftlichten kabbalistischen Geheimlehre“ war.[10]

Das Klima in der Entstehungsregion war „stark geprägt durch [innerhalb des Christentums] oppositionelle und dualistisch orientierte Tendenzen, wie sie vor allem in den Katharer- und Albigenserbewegungen zur Wirkung gelangten, Machtkämpfe auslösten und auch die offizielle Kirche zu direkten Gegenaktionen veranlassten“. Ein direkter Zusammenhang zwischen diesen Tendenzen und der frühen Kabbala konnte nicht hergestellt werden. Während diese Bewegungen jedoch im Konflikt zur offiziellen Auslegung des Christentums standen, war die Kabbala keine Protestbewegung gegen die Auslegung des Judentums, „im Gegenteil, die Kabbalah erwies sich für die jüdische Religion trotz spekulativer Neuerungen von bislang kaum bekanntem Ausmaß als wirksamste Kraft zur Bewahrung und Vertiefung traditioneller Torah-Frömmigkeit“.[11]

Ausbreitung im 14. Jahrhundert

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Die klassische Kabbala verbreitete sich „gegen Ende 1300 von Nordspanien aus vor allem durch die Werke des Josef ben Abraham Josef Gikatilla und durch die (teilweise anonymen und pseudepigraphischen) Schriften des Mose ben Samuel de Leon“.[3]

Grundsätzlich hatten sich die Kabbalisten des 12. und 13. Jahrhunderts wie die jüdischen Philosophen nach Saadia Gaon einen spiritualisierten anti-anthropomorphen Gottesbegriff zugelegt, doch sorgten sie für eine dialektisch zugeordnete Kommunikationsgestalt, die dem nicht zur Kommunikation fähigen Gott der Philosophen zur Seite gestellt, erneut die Menschen mit ihm in althergebrachter Weise kommunizieren ließ. Ohne hinter philosophisch-theologische Errungenschaften zurückzutreten, kamen alte biblisch-rabbinische Ansichten wieder zur Geltung, allerdings führte ein meditativ-theosophischer Einschlag bei der Gebotserfüllung ihre Neuerung an den Rand der Häresie.[12]

Im hohen Mittelalter waren die Zentren kabbalistischer Bewegungen der Deutsche Chassidismus im Rheinland (Mitte des 12. bis Mitte des 13. Jahrhunderts), der das Werk Sefer Chassidim hervorbrachte. In Spanien entfaltete sich die so genannte „Prophetische Kabbala“, deren bedeutendste Vertreter Abraham Abulafia und Josef Gikatilla waren.

Der Zohar

Aus der Tradition des spanischen Judentums entstand gegen Ende des 13. Jahrhunderts die bedeutendste kabbalistische Schrift überhaupt: der Zohar (Sefer ha Zohar, hebr. ‚Das Buch des Glanzes‘). Als Autor seines Hauptteils gilt der spanische Kabbalist Mosche de Leon[13] († 1305[13]). Der Hauptteil des Zohar wurde in einem künstlich altertümlich gestalteten Aramäisch verfasst und von Mosche de Leon ab etwa 1275 „als angeblich altes Werk des Rabbinen Shimʿon bar Jochaj“ aus dem frühen 2. Jahrhundert verbreitet. Unter Kabbalisten gilt der Zohar „bis heute als ‚Midrasch des Simon bar Jochaj‘ […] und als ein heiliges Buch“.[13] Der Zohar enthält in verschiedenen, teils sehr umfangreichen Abhandlungen Auslegungen der Tora, Erzählungen zu mystischen Gestalten des Judentums, insbesondere zu Rabbi Schimon ben Jochai und seinen Schülern, sowie Spekulationen zu Zahlen und Buchstaben als den Fundamenten der Welt.

Der Zohar genoss „schon innerhalb kurzer Zeit ein hohes Ansehen“ und wurde auch in der Neuzeit „wie ein ‚heiliges Buch‘ behandelt“. Entsprechend umfangreich ist auch die kommentierende Tradition zu diesem Werk. Während der Zohar „so etwas wie ‚kanonische‘ Geltung erlangte“, wurden die übrigen kabbalistischen Schriften „dadurch in den Hintergrund gedrängt“ und gingen teils verloren.[14]

16. Jahrhundert: Lurianische Kabbala in Safed

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Nach der Verfolgung und Vertreibung der Juden aus Spanien im Jahr 1492 wurde Safed in Galiläa zum Zentrum kabbalistischer Lehre. Hier wirkte vor allem Isaak Luria (1534–1572), der wesentliche Beiträge zu der kabbalistischen Auffassung von der Schöpfung der Welt entwickelte. Dazu gehören Vorstellungen vom אָדָם קַדמוֹן (Adam Qadmon) und einem „Sich-Zurückziehen“ (צִמצוּם Tzimtzum) Gottes, um der entstehenden Welt Platz zu schaffen, dem ‚Zerbrechen der Gefäße‘ (שְבִירַת הַכֵּלִים Schvirat ha-Kelim) bei der Schöpfung und dem Freiwerden der göttlichen Lichtfunken, Spekulationen über das Unendliche (אֵין סוֹף En Sof) und eine Lehre über die Seelenwanderung (גִּלגּוּל Gilgul). Ziel aller Bemühungen des Menschen ist es danach, in einem Prozess der Reparatur der Welt (תִּקוּן עוֹלם Tiqqūn Olam) den ursprünglichen heilen Zustand der Welt aus göttlicher Existenz wiederherzustellen.

Entstehung einer christlichen Kabbala

Im 15. Jahrhundert eigneten sich auch Christen kabbalistische Lehren an.[15] Giovanni Pico della Mirandola gilt als erster Vertreter der christlichen Kabbala,[16][17] Anhänger der christlichen Kabbala waren eher an der Suche nach griechischer Philosophie und christlichen Inhalten in der Kabbala interessiert als an dieser selbst, und „[d]ie Unwissenheit mancher Autoren ist sogar horrend“.[18] Vertreter einer als okkulte Philosophie bezeichneten Strömung, wie Agrippa und Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, versuchten, Philosophien zu entwickeln, die hermetisches, hebräisches und klassisches Wissen assimilieren, und dies dann mit der christlichen Theologie zu vereinigen.[19] Trotz ihres esoterischen Charakters wurden die der okkulten Philosophie zugrundeliegenden hermetischen und kabbalistischen Ideen im Europa der Renaissance anfangs positiv aufgenommen. Die Historikerin Frances A. Yates betrachtete die okkulte Philosophie sogar als zentrale Triebkraft hinter der Renaissance selbst.[20] Gegen Ende des 16. Jahrhunderts wuchs jedoch als Teil der Gegenreformation auch die Reaktion gegen den Renaissance-Neuplatonismus und die damit assoziierten okkulten Strömungen. Die christliche Kabbala, die zunächst die Legitimation okkulten Denkens beförderte, wurde nun deswegen abgewertet und mit Hexerei in Verbindung gebracht.[21]

17. bis 19. Jahrhundert: Chassidismus, Bedeutungsverlust

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Die in Safed entstandene Kabbala des Isaak Luria (lurianische Kabbala) gewann erheblichen Einfluss. Viele Elemente dieser Lehre wurden auch im osteuropäischen Chassidismus des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts wirksam. Unter behutsamer Einbeziehung messianischer Elemente und einer gewissen Vereinfachung des ursprünglich sehr differenzierten Lehrgebäudes konnte die Kabbala große populäre Bedeutung in den chassidischen Zentren des Ostjudentums entfalten.

Die jüdische Kabbala verlor bis zum 19. Jahrhundert an Einfluss und erfuhr Geringschätzung durch die jüdischen Gelehrten dieser Zeit.[15][22] Die Gegner der Kabbala unterstellten dieser, synkretistisch, voller christlicher Einflüsse und damit nicht jüdisch zu sein.

Entstehung der hermetischen Kabbala

Hauptartikel: Hermetische Kabbala

Im 18./19. Jahrhundert entstand die hermetische Kabbala, eine Strömung mit Wurzeln in der Gnosis, dem Neuplatonismus, der Hermetik,[23] sowie der christlichen Kabbala,[24] die hierbei von großer Bedeutung war.[25] Die hermetische Kabbala entfernte sich jedoch vom Christentum, mitunter bis hin zu einer antichristlichen Ausrichtung[17] und nimmt gegenüber der ursprünglichen jüdischen Kabbala einen universelleren Ansatz an.[26]

Im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert erschienen mehrere Werke des französischen Okkultisten Éliphas Lévi, der kabbalistische Lehren und die Werke anderer Autoren verfälschte,[27][28] während sich Arthur Edward Waite um eine korrekte Darstellung der Kabbala bemühte,[29] jedoch nicht des Hebräischen und Aramäischen mächtig war und daher Fehler aus Jean de Paulys verfälschter Zohar-Übersetzung in sein Werk The Secret Doctrine in Israel übernahm.[30]

20. Jahrhundert: Systematische Lehre, „Hollywood-Kabbala“

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Als einer der bedeutenden Kabbalisten des 20. Jahrhunderts gilt Yehuda Ashlag mit seiner systematischen Lehre der Kabbala. Losgelöst von jeglicher Mystik erklärt er die Kabbala als Erkenntniswissenschaft, die jedem Menschen – ungeachtet seiner Herkunft – als Lehre dienlich sein kann, um Schöpferähnlichkeit bzw. Dwekut (Anhaftung) zu erlangen.[31] Diese Schöpferähnlichkeit soll durch Überwindung der egoistischen Absichten zueinander erlangt werden. Dazu sei die Enthüllung der Weisheit der Kabbala an alle Menschen in der Welt erforderlich und das jüdische Volk hätte als Beispielfunktion für Nächstenliebe eine systemische Rolle für alle Nationen.[32] Er deutet 'Israel' und die 'Völker der Welt' als spirituelle Konzepte, die in jedem Menschen vorhanden sind. Dabei ist 'Israel' ein Synonym für die Innerlichkeit bzw. das Streben nach Altruismus und 'die Völker der Welt' ein Synonym für Äußerlichkeit, das Streben nach Egoismus in einem Menschen.[33] Er lehrt die Weisheit der Kabbala als notwendiges Mittel zur Korrektur der egoistischen Beziehungen zwischen Menschen und zur Erlangung von Weltfrieden.[34]

Zu seinen Schülern zählte unter anderen Baruch HaLevi Ashlag (1907–1991), der seinen Weg fortsetzte. Baruch Ashlag beschreibt in praktischer Weise in seinen Schriften Shlavei HaSulam (Die Sprossen der Leiter)[35] die stufenweise Erkenntnis der Eigenschaft zu geben, um Schöpferähnlichkeit zu erlangen. Nach dessen Tod setzte sein wichtigster Kabbala-Student Michael Laitman seinen Weg fort und unterrichtet heute Millionen Menschen weltweit.

Ein weiterer Schüler von Yehuda Ashlag war Yehuda Brandwein. Sein Schüler war Philip Berg, welcher in den 1970er-Jahren[36] das sogenannte Kabbalah Centre gründete und anfing, die Lehre, die traditionell nur männlichen Juden über 40 zugänglich war,[37][36] auch Frauen und Nichtjuden anzubieten.[36] Bergs New-Age-Version[37][38] der Kabbala, die unter Prominenten wie Ashton Kutcher, Madonna[36] oder Britney Spears[36] populär ist, wird auch als „Hollywood-Kabbala“ bezeichnet[38] und von Kritikern als Antithese zur echten Kabbala angesehen.[37][39]

Vor allem in den chassidischen Gemeinden der USA und in Israel wird die originäre jüdische kabbalistische Tradition auch in der Gegenwart noch gepflegt und weiterentwickelt.

[malrie]

and I didn’t say anything but we just got thru the song of psalms stuff omgggggg what a crazy time. and people are really out there rn saying all that’s just about god and the people! absolutely nothing else! amazing

learning abt the bible in a completely secular way is actually super fun as im learning classic literature because what do you mean in the old testament all the 17 prophetic books spend their time on is “condemnation of foreign nations” which is just dear god please kill everybody we hate please please please! 😭

[mydysfunctionalvampirefamily]

The beginning of the end. 😭 I'm not ready!

It's interesting what time can do. In the two weeks it has been since the last episode any sadness or horror I felt over Miles draining that human has disappeared and all thsts left is the eh it kind of had to happen, he was at 0 blood and that it was kind of hot.

At least we get Ira back!! That makes me feel a little better immediately.

I don't know who this woman is but we are at a point where I cannot distinguish npcs I should know from those I have no business knowing.

Ira caring about all the apprentices and mortals who did nothing wrong. He might actually be too pure for this world.

Britta: Don't be mad at me about it! 😂 Genuinely made me giggle out loud. Absolute perfection.

The fact that Miles says it's most important to protect both Eden and Jessica. I know it's delusional but it made my little shipper heart go awww.

😂😂😂 When you have to be dads the end of the world becauce the rest of your coterie has lost their shit. I'm glad we can still laugh in all this horribleness.

OH MY GOD!!!!

Out of all the things that could happen, Wynn asking to complete the bloodbond when the world ends was not on my bingo card.

Oh my God!!! The fake out?!?! Miles! 😭 "You won't forgive me. I made some choices." don't play with my emotions like this. I didn't come here to fucking cry! I came for a badass fight.

Poor angry, hurt Wynn.

Johnny nodding in approval at Miles because he thinks it's judt about the bloodbond, and Miles feeling horrible, because he knows Johnny wouldn't be sitting there next to him if he knew the real reason.

Uhm mm mm what???? No not only the fucking play but the stupid Mushroom fungus is also there and involved??? Fuck me. Each time when I think shit can't get any worse.

Fuck you Nara. Go love somebody else, you piece of fucking shit.

Wait do we want to complete the ritual? I mean, I guess we do aparently.

Fuck yes Neil!! Finally stand up for yourself, accept that you being you is a good thing. We need you.

Lmaooo courage roll, good luck Neil. Peer pressure peer pressure pressure peer pressure. Is this the first courage check Neil ever passed in his life?

Omg of course his sire would have made himself the king. Good god can his ego get any bigger?

Uhmmm Lex this is not the time to describe to Johnny how sweet and delicious his daughter's blood smells.

The gang is back together!!! Or well the podcasters from this world are back together in that world.

Jessica has so much of Johnny in her. The obstinate sass, it's beautiful.

Wait. Is Tenach (???) from the TMR? (you wot trick me in spelling that after I've seen people using this abbreviation).

Lmao you hate this girl Miles. Wait what??? He has to roll willpower not to immediately kill her?? What the fuck?? This is rough. Thank god Miles is willfull. He wants to diablerise Arrabella? At some point that fact would have been so stressful, now it just makes me laugh.

Lmao Eden can heal the girls??? They're fucking lucky she's there or stuff would have gone real crazy and bad.

Johnny all happy and proud seeing his girls hug, and then turning to Miles who goes full *hiss* the light it hurts me, clutching Arrabella.

I wanna give Miles a hug, not wanting to tell his friends what he has done because he knows this will be the last battle anyway and he wants to feel their love for as long as he possibly can if he is going to die tonight anyways. So selfish, so human.

Lmao we're going to babybjorning someone at last? I'm sad it's not gonna be Neil, but I'm glad it's at least someone.

Oh never mind, it's not gonna happen.

Yippie! Werewolves!

I'm a little sad Miles is not just gonna eat Arrabella, but I guess reviving is fine.

Lmaoooo squeezing his ass. Oh man I miss how funny and selfish Arrabella is.

"I'm going to do this right, because I'm going to do a lot of things wrong."

Ugh! The idea of Miles and Arrabella skipping into the sunset upsets me so much more than Miles dying or ending up alone and miserable.

I still have no idea what's going on with Malkav.

Nooo he failed? Goddamn I wanted to know this ritual, even if I don't know what it does exactly.

Wait so Neil is just gonna die by gross flesh monsters? Oh nvm!

Ohhh week of nightmares!

Okay so salvation and damnation. Is Neil asking for his friends to live somehow? 😭Oh Neil baby, let me hug you!

No! His stupid sire?!? Why is he such a ruiner? A RUINER!!!!

Johnny and Miles smoking a cigarette together.

Even now he cannot outright say it to Johnny.

Miles still after all of this choosing hope, that protecting Eden might save some people.

"If we're ever gonna do anything right, if -I- am ever gonna do anything right, you guys have done plenty." Miles!! 😭

"Whatever you did, friends to the end." stop😭

Of course she misses Neil. 😭 He would be there, like he wanted to.

Awww another smoking scene. Ira is such a good guy. Can't get over it. He probably rues the day he met the coterie. 😂

Awww Britta that is such a sweet thing to say. About wanting to spend your worst moments with the coterie.

Goddamn this was super sweet. 😭

Okay yes Tenach is from the TMR confirmed.

Wait who is she talking about? Ghost with a lantern?

Romeo has found his path? What does that mean? Has he moved on?

The anticipation of waiting and watching these three guys spray painting. Knowing these are the last moments before it goes crazy.

SHE CAUGHT THE ROCKET?!?! That is crazy. But somehow as it explodes in her hand the best outcome? Lol.

Fucking Neil!!! Roll good my dude!!! YESSSS SASS FUCK YOU STUPID SIRE! Neil is king.

The amount of concentration I must muster to understand Malkav is high. My fault for listening today when my brain is fried.

Noooooo not the sire again!!! Goddamnit. He's like that chicken that got it's head cut off but lived for like another year and a half.

NOOOOOOOOOO goddamn 6 successes. Whyyyyyyy.

Ohhhh we are in Neil's blackout. That's interesting.

Come on Neil! You can do it! Yessss!!!! Fucking hell, so stressed!!!

Oh no! The fleshy flesh has gotten Neil. That's it, isn't it. It's done.

He wishes for the end? What does that mean.??

Okay so they need to win this fight? Okay that's all fine and good, but we already knew that. Please tell me we get something useful from this.

Well aparently not. Goddamn. Neil is gonna die. All alone, knowing stuff he can't tell anyone.

You know the graphic imagery does not really help. 😔🤢

I cannot believe he's just dead.

There was only one thing he wanted, one thing, and that was to die with his family. And he didn't get it, he died alone, with only his abuser for company.

Noooooo don't say that!!! I was doing fine! Read single teardrops down my cheeks. But you can't go saying that the coterie will thibk he was just running away. Now I'm absolutely sobbing!!!

His last thoughts being of his friends and how they deserve redemption, and then Wynn specifically.

Trying to put who Wynn is into the network so he keeps his promise.

And he is at rest for once.

[ponyartistbrainiac]

something something fallout equestria pathfinder game. your planning on making a comic, do y'all have anything else? have you uploaded an actual play anywhere?

After the games over Nick wants to do a sort of radio show of just random citizens recounting the things they saw when "the circus" was in town

We are nearing the end of this campaign it's been a wild ride

Once it's over more things can be made

The comic I am slowly currently working on is a fight between doctor scorp and a villain called Tenach (I think that's how it's spelled its 6 am and I'm barely awake) we found out that scorp was a "spare parts" clone made to help save Tenach from alot of cancer and injuries but after he was made he somehow gained a soul and Lunas favor so the doctor (Zephyrus) who made him didn"t feel right killing and taking him apart so he got a scorpion tail like the real one and then escaped. Scorp always had a hard time remembering his past due to head trauma but his original body went insane from the pain and came after him

Due to some insane rolls they managed to kill eachother with a double nat 20 which granted scorp an audience with Luna

She gave him his original body with his new younger soul

This has alot of spiritual implications for the paladin that's currently being explored

It was the highlight of the story so far especially since Scorp was notorious for rolling horribly through the whole game

So far I have just the script done.

[yhwhrulz]

Worthy Brief - August 2, 2024

Understand Israel!

During the past two weeks, I’ve received numerous emails responding to our understanding of Israel in the Bible, clearly indicating a need for a more comprehensive explanation of my point of view. This will require a bit more space than usual. Here's my Biblical perspective:

Paul's letter to the Romans addresses the issue directly. He uses the term, "Jew" 8 times, and "Gentile", 18 times, establishing distinct definitions which require clarification. Early in the letter Paul explains that these individual identities are now subordinate to one which is far greater, the believer's primary identity in Messiah, Jew or Gentile, no difference. Romans 3:9-26 reveals the hopeless spiritual condition of all humans, Jews and Gentiles, pointing to our justification by faith in Yeshua (Jesus) which provides every soul with a new identity in Christ.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians further reveals that this equality in spirit between Jew and Gentile was a hidden mystery, now revealed to form a new entity called the "ekklesia", [Ephesians 3:10] or "one new man";[Ephesians 2:15]. This truth has been sadly misunderstood to virtually eradicate the individual identities of Jew and Gentile, and confer upon the newly formed church or one new man every prophetic promise given to the nation, Israel. Paul addresses this issue in chapter 11 of his Roman letter, warning Gentile believers, especially, not to ignore or condescend to Israel and the Jewish people as a nation with a distinct, enduring identity, and an irrevocable gifting and calling; [Romans 11:11-31].

This calling of Israel and the Jewish people is irrevocable, Paul asserts. As such it behooves us to understand and appreciate it. We know from the entire testimony of the Tenach ("Old Testament") that Israel's calling has always been as a nation which reveals God to the world, points to His Messiah, and receives a kingdom of righteousness which never ends. Paul's longing for the salvation of his Jewish people, [Romans 9:1-3] rests on the awareness that, "…theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!" [Romans 9:4-5].

A paradox of Israel's history is how the nation has both succeeded and failed in its calling up until now. The nation has revealed God to the world through her miraculous history, in both obedience and disobedience, also as a vessel of God's word through Moses and the prophets, and especially through the revelation of Messiah in the New Testament. Still the irrevocable purpose of God is for Israel to endure until every calling and promise to them are fulfilled; [Jeremiah 31:35-36]. So what remains of this?

Scripture affirms the expectation for a righteous Kingdom led by a righteous King from David's line as a future destiny for His chosen nation; [2 Samuel 7:16]. We understand that this kingdom begins in seed form with the first Advent of Messiah, the King, who came announcing that the Kingdom was at hand; [Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; Luke 17:20-21;], but would not be fulfilled until a future time; [Mark 14:25; Luke 13:28-29; Luke 19:11; Luke 22:16-18;] in a "Millennial Kingdom" of 1000 years, [Psalm 2:6-9; Isaiah 11; Isaiah 65:19-25; Revelation 12:10; 20] when the King comes a second time. It's also clear that the promise of Israel's Kingdom will include innumerable Gentiles who are given the opportunity to participate with authority and blessing, both now in its seed form, [Luke 13:28-29; Acts 8:12; Ephesians 2:12-22], and later in the establishment and governing of the Millennial Kingdom when the King returns to establish it; [Luke 19:17; Revelation 12:10].

It is our conviction that those who share God's heart and understand His love and commitment to Israel and the Jewish people recognize the promises He has made to them, and they also realize that His commitment to Israel powerfully exemplifies and confirms all of His other promises to us NT believers. "Who shall separate us from the love of God?", Paul writes in chapter 8 to the Roman believers. He continues then to demonstrate God's unswerving faithfulness to us using Israel, the present Jewish nation in disobedience and unbelief, as the prime example of His enduring love; [Romans Chapters 9-11]. Paul's almost shocking conclusion emphasizing the paradox of Israel, "Concerning the gospel they are ENEMIES for your sake, but concerning the election, beloved for the sake of the fathers"; [Romans 11:28]. Israel's gift and calling will not be revoked, and neither will yours if you belong to Him.

What does this love for Israel involve? We see clearly from both covenants that the "promises" include the resurrection of Israel as a nation, first physically, [Ezekiel 37:8; Jeremiah 30:3; Amos 9:13-16; Isaiah 43:5-6;], and then, spiritually; [Ezekiel 37:9-14; Jeremiah 30:18-22; Romans 11:26-27]. The physical resurrection has been underway since the late 19th century when the first wave of "aliyah" (Jews returning to the Land) began, and has accelerated since the rebirth of the nation in May, 1948 after the Holocaust. The spiritual resurrection has begun, highlighted by the birth of the Messianic movement of Jewish believers in the mid 1960s of the 20th century, and will continue until the fullness of the Gentiles when "all Israel is saved"; [Roman 11:25-26]. In light of these unequivocal historical developments we come to the present time with our exhortation to all believers to respect and appreciate God's promises to Israel and the Jewish people. God's blessings are assured to those who do; [Genesis 12:3], and our heart's desire is for every believer to enjoy them.

And we see even now that the modern nation of Israel is becoming a litmus test for the entire world because of God's calling upon them and His promises being fulfilled:

"I will also gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat And I will enter into judgment with them there on account of my people My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations They have also divided My land", says the prophet Joel; [Joel 3:2].

Nineteen hundred years after the Jewish people have been scattered throughout the Earth (in 70AD), then restored to their ancient homeland, the prophet Joel speaks of a last days judgment in the valley which divides the modern city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (known as the Kidron Valley, or Valley of Tears). God's covenant promise of the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, [Genesis 13:15; 17:8; 24:7; 26:3; 28;4; 35:12; Psalm 105:8-12] is prophesied to be threatened and nullified by the nations of the world at that time, by dividing the land and bringing His judgment upon them. This judgment has never taken place in history, but the modern division of Israel established in international law by the United Nations in 1947, may be consummated in some near future covenant yet to be revealed, and Joel is warning the nations of a coming judgment which will result from this action. There is a "controversy of Zion" developing with increasing intensity in our time, which will eventuate in the day of the Lord's vengeance; [Isaiah 34:8]. Much is written in the prophets concerning this terrible "Day".

There are those now from the nations, Gentiles, Arabs, and Jews, who favor and marvel at the modern "miraculous" restoration of this tiny nation, which well they should, in light of the worldwide dispersion of the Jews in 70AD and the unrelenting history of antisemitism throughout this age. And many are unaware that among the over 100 nationalities represented in the returned Jewish population of roughly seven and a half million, there are also two million Arab Israelis (20% of the population) who enjoy citizenship in Israel, living in peace together with their Jewish neighbors. But a far greater number among the nations and within the land (and even some Jewish people) are incensed and even outraged that the Jews should dwell in their (well documented) ancient homeland, chanting along with the Islamic world, “From the River [Jordan] to the sea [Mediterranean]…” insisting that Israel must be destroyed and replaced by "Palestine". We believe this opposition to Israel's restoration has its origin in the realm of spiritual darkness.

So, consider the facts and the scriptures together, and decide. Is there sufficient evidence for God's providential faithfulness to the Jews in restoring the nation and land of Israel to them? How in fact could Yeshua say to the Pharisees and to Jerusalem itself, "You will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHVH' [Matthew 23:39; Luke 13:35], if the city and people whom He addressed were not back in the Land? The word of God is true, and those believers, churches, congregations and fellowships, who acknowledge it are full of amazement, joy and expectation, especially those who have been able to visit here. This is because Israel is a sign, once again, pointing to our Blessed Hope, Yeshua and His soon return. Believers who miss this are losing something most precious, the blessing of those who bless Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem [Psalm 122:6] as they await their Savior's second coming.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Missouri) (Baltimore, MD)

Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. - https://t.me/worthywatch/ Be sure to check it out!

Editor's Note: We are planning our summer Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.

[lyricsssdotin]

Heart Di Beat Te Lyrics

Singer:Nikhita GandhiLyricist:Kumaar Shake your legs sohniye move hips heeriyeShake your legs sohniye move hips heeriyeShake your legs sohniye move hips heeriye Nach le tu feat pe heart di beat teNach le tu feat pe heart di beat teDe maza pyaar ka le le dil yaar kaDe maza pyaar ka le le dil yaar ka Ishq tu sikh le heart di beat teIshq tu sikh le heart di beat te Ek tu ek main mil gaye raat…

[monsooninn]

Berakhot 4b: 11. "The Little Wolf."

11. And Ibait Ima read, and they both recited the same text, saying "When you lie down and when you get up."

=

"And the Paternal Mother read, and they both recited the same text, saying "When you lie down and when you get up."

The Code of Jewish Law clearly states that a child of a Jewish mother is Jewish, regardless of the father’s lineage (or whatever else may show up in a DNA test), while the child of a non-Jewish mother is not Jewish.1 Matrilineal descent has been a fundamental principle of Torah since the Jewish people came into existence.

(If your father is Jewish, but not your mother, please see To a Child of a Jewish Father.)

Some aspects of Judaism, like the priesthood, are clearly patrilineal (see Patrilineal Descent in Judaism, below). But the entry line into Jewishness has always been through the mother—or conversion.

The Value in Gematria is 7162, זא‎וב‎‎, zeub, "the little wolf."

Ze'ev-Wolf is not the only name after an animal. Aryeh-Leib (lion), Zvi-Hirsch (deer), Dov-Ber (Bear), are other well-known Jewish names.

Also other live creatures serve as Jewish names; for example, Jonah (a dove), Rachel (a sheep), Zipporah (a bird), Devorah (a bee). The prophetess Huldah, who is mentioned in Tenach, carried the name of a weasel. King Josiah had a secretary called Shafan (a hare, rabbit). The last two names are not in use nowadays.

A Jewish custom is sacred because it is based on the Torah, and so is the case with the above-mentioned names.

Generally speaking, one cannot speak of animals as being "bad." They are what they are because the Almighty created them in such a manner.

He gave them a certain nature which they cannot change; they have to live according to their instincts; just as a machine has no willpower, but functions according to the way it was made, mechanically. An animal always performs the will of its Creator!

Angels are, therefore, referred to as "Holy Beasts" (Chayos Hakodesh), be cause angels also do not have their own willpower, and cannot change their nature.

A human being is greater than an angel, because a human being can change his/her nature by means of that wonderful divine gift that the Almighty gave to man alone, among all of G‑d's creatures, namely a "free will" and "free choice."

A human being has the choice of living according to the laws of the Almighty - in which case he is good and performs good deeds; on the other hand, he may choose to do just the opposite of the Almighty's will - in which case he is wicked. Therefore, the Almighty gave the Torah to human beings and not to angels; and by means of Torah and Mitzvos a person is able to reach a high plane of understanding G‑dliness, and drawing near to it.

On the other hand, if he acts contrary to the will of the Almighty, he is lower than the lowliest creature, which does nothing contrary to G‑d's will.

For the benefit of the "Chosen One" of G‑d's creations - man - the Almighty created the animal kingdom, and instilled in them a fear of human beings.

Our Sages declared that a wild animal will never attack a human being (unless the person is sinful and had lost his true image, thus reducing himself to the Ä status of an animal in human form).

Animals can serve Almighty as a lesson to human beings in many ways.

Our Shulchan Aruch (Code of Laws) - the practical guide in our daily life begins with the Mishnah - Yehuda ben Temah says: Be courageous as a leopard, light as an eagle, fleetfooted like a deer, and strong as a lion, to perform the will of your Father in heaven."

The Baal HaTanya comments thereon: "courageous as a leopard" - not to be ashamed of the scoffers; "strong as a lion" - with the true strength of heart to conquer the evil inclination, etc.

When our father Jacob blessed his children, the holy Tribes, he compared a number of them to certain animals: Judah, the ancestor of King David, was compared to a lion, king of the forest; Issachar, from whom descended great Torah scholars, was compared to a donkey, which is known for carrying great burdens unflinchingly - a hint at carrying the yoke of Torah; Naftoli, whose land in Eretz Yisroel produced fruits much quicker than any other part, was compared to a deer; and Benjamin to a wolf.

The Divine prophecy that rested on Jacob caused him to bless the Tribes according to their different traits.

The holy Zohar explains that Benjamin was compared to a wolf because in his portion of Eretz Yisroel the Altar was built; the place where sacrifices were offered in the morning, and in the evening. The Altar "devoured" meat and fat, which was offered up to G‑d, reminding the human being to devote his best energies and abilities to the service of the Almighty.

Actually, this is the lesson taught us by the laws of the "sacrifices," in the Book of Vayikro (Leviticus).

The Hebrew word for "sacrifice," Korbon, means also "drawing near." The Service of the "sacrifices" in the Bais Hamikdosh was in order to draw the Jews nearer to G‑d. Today, in the absence of the Bais Hamikdosh, prayer takes the place of "sacrifices" and brings the person closer to G‑d.

It is no coincidence that the Hebrew word Zev has the numerical value of 10. It is explained in certain holy books (also in the Tanya) that the Divine soul in man has ten properties, or powers. Three of them are in the mind; they are Chochmoh (wisdom), Binoh (understanding) and Daas (knowledge), the initial letters of which make the word ChaBaD, which is the name of the school of thought and way of life of the "Chabad Chassidim."

The other seven powers are in the heart; they are Chesed (kindness), Gevuroh (strength), and so forth. These ten powers in man correspond to the ten Divine powers by means of which G‑d has created and rules the world.

In addition to the Divine soul, a human being possesses also an "animal" soul, with ten similar powers. But while the Divine soul constantly strives for G‑dliness, finding pleasure only in spiritual and holy matters, the "animal" soul is interested only in "earthly" pleasures.

This creates a conflict. However, when the ten Divine powers in man "devour" (conquer and master) the ten animalistic powers, the "animal" or "beast" in man is not only "tamed," but it, too, becomes good and holy. Then there is no longer any conflict, and the person attains inner harmony and peace of mind, for the whole man becomes G‑dly.

The duty of a Jew in his daily life is, therefore, to see to it that his spiritual powers should master his material and physical powers and thus put all his powers in the service of G‑d.

Flesh, blood and fat are the physical makeup of the human being. They are the "fuel" that give man energy to keep him going as a living human being, who thinks, speaks and acts.

We must use these energies in accordance with the Will of our Maker, by exercising our thoughts, words and deeds in accordance with the Torah and Mitzvos which G‑d commanded us. In this way, the "wolf" in us becomes a spiritual "wolf," in the sense that our father Jacob blessed his beloved son Benjamin as a "devouring wolf," as explained in the Zohar."

In addition, Benjamin means "Son of the South":

The noun בן (ben) means son, or more general: a member of one particular social or economic node — called a "house", which is built upon the instructions of one אב ('ab), or "father" — within in a larger economy (hence: the "sons of the prophet" are the members of the prophet-class; the prophets). This noun obviously resembles the verb בנה (bana), to build, and the noun אבן ('eben), stone.

Noun ימין (yamin) means right, i.e. right hand, side or the right of other parts of the body. Adjective ימיני (yemini) meaning on the right. Verb ימן (yaman) means to go or choose the right or use the right hand. Adjective ימני (yemani) meaning right hand or right. Noun תימן (teman) meaning south.

The mention of the wolf cub son of the Paternal Mother in the Mishnah after our discussion of "the hasty expression" means the continuation of the faith depends on more than just a genealogical connection one's Jewishness but on the connection of others, similar to how one cell in a honeycomb depends on the entire hive for its meaning and value.

[itsjustcommon]

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭‬‬

Jesus didn’t have to specifically mention a sin by name to make it sin. Jesus affirmed his bible, the Hebrew Bible(the Old Testament).

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." —Jeremiah 1:4-5

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalms 139:13-16

I will say to God: ... "Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me? Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again? —Job 10:2, 8-9

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

—Psalms 127:3-5

Jesus believed that children were a blessing from God, that they were created with love and for a specific purpose. Killing an unborn baby was a crime in Israel because they knew that it is murder. They knew what we’ve forgotten, that life is precious.

“I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

Ronald Reagan

[forbidden-sorcery]

It is important to note that one crucial element seems to be conspicuously lacking from the polemics of the Antique Christian authors: that of the intentional veneration of Satan. I am not aware of one author from this period who accuses heretical groups of consciously and deliberately venerating the devil or demons. Epiphanius of Salamis, whose extensive work on heresies is nevertheless not sparing of diabolizing labels and general terms of abuse, refrains from mentioning explicit devil worship among the many evils that he detects among heretical groups—even in cases that may have particularly invited this, such as certain currents of Gnosticism that were involved in forms of extreme anti-exegesis. The Ophite Gnostics, for instance, held that the Serpent of Paradise was a divine messenger, and they worshipped actual snakes as its representatives. In a similar vein, the Cainites held that Cain and other figures vilified in the Tenach, like the Sodomites and Esau, should in reality be held in esteem because of their opposition to the evil demiurge who inspired the Jewish scriptures. In neither of these cases, nor in regard to most other heresies he describes, does Epiphanius speak of direct worship of the devil. The only time that he does mention a group that explicitly venerates Satan, it is lumped together with a group of religious movements he describes as “altogether pagan.” The section Epiphanius devotes to these enigmatic “Satanians” (Σατανιανοί) is surprisingly short and largely devoid of picturesque detail:              “But others in their turn thought of something still more crafty and said, as though consulting their own intelligence in their simplicity, “Satan is great and the strongest, and does people a great deal of harm. Why not take refuge in him, worship him instead [of God], and give him honour and blessing, so that he will be appeased by our flattering service and do us no harm, but spare us because we have become his servants?” And so, again, they have called themselves Satanians.”

Ruben van Luijk - Childen of Lucifer

[lisagintexas]

Is God’s law bondage?

I met a lady recently who had grown up in a Protestant church, but started having questions about some of the teachings. She started reading the Bible from the beginning on her own to find answers to her questions. She began to find different conclusions about what the Bible said compared to what she had been taught her whole life.

Some of her conclusions were that she should be keeping the Sabbath on the seventh day as the commandment says. She also concluded the law of God given through Moses to Israel was not done away as she thought, but still the law for all believers to follow.

As she became convicted of this she spoke with other Christian friends thinking if she shared her newfound knowledge with them, they would agree and be just as excited as she was about these outlooks.

However, this is not what she found. In fact, she had one friend tell her she was returning to bondage in following the laws of God. Is this what the Bible teaches? Are the laws of God bondage? What does the Bible say concerning bondage?

Exodus talks about the cruel bondage that the Israelites were suffering under as slaves to Egyptians. Exodus 1:15 says, “And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.” Exodus 6:5 says, “And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.” This example reveals bondage is slavery. If you are a slave you do not have freedom to do what you want, whether your desires are good or bad, you have no freedom to make choices. God also remembers the covenant he made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and has compassion for Israel in their groaning.

The phrase “house of bondage” is used in Exodus 20:2 saying “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for over 400 years. Slavery was bondage to a way of life contrary to Gods way (filled with worship of pagan deities) and God freed them from Egypt and the house of bondage so that they could serve Him. Moses continually told Pharaoh, “Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.” Freedom from Egypt, bondage and slavery was so the Israelites could serve God.

Bondage is referred to in Ezra, Nehemiah and Isaiah speaking of the bondage they experienced under the Babylonians and the Persians. God freed them also from this bondage bringing them back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and the temple.

In the New Testament the first place bondage is referred to is John 8:31-34 when Jeshua says “to those Jews which believed on him, if you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. They answered him, We are Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You will be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin”. Now Jeshua is speaking of bondage as being one who is a slave to sin, not to a man. He is accusing them of being in slavery because they were living sinful lives. Sin is disobedience to God’s law. Paul says in Romans 7:7 “Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law.” And John says, “whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of God’s law.” (1 John 3:4). God’s law teaches what is sin, but if we disobey God’s law, if we sin, we are now in bondage according to Jeshua. When Paul speak of the law, he is referring to the Torah (Hebrew for law), the first five books of the Bible. The Torah is where God gave all his instruction on how to live, and therefore what is sin. So sin is disobedience to the Torah, the written law of God.

In Acts 7:6-7 Stephen recalls Israel’s bondage to the Egyptians, and God bringing them out to serve him. Egypt is a type or parallel of sin. Egypt was bondage to other gods and their ways, and coming out of Egypt gave Israel the freedom to serve and obey the one true God.

Paul says, “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Rom. 8:15). The spirit of bondage is the fleshly man who does not desire to obey God. Paul says in Romans 8:7-8, “the fleshly man is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be...but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you.” We are given the spirit of adoption, this is the spirit of God which leads us to obedience to God’s laws, and thereby we are called the sons of God. (Romans 8:9-17). Paul also explains this in Romans 6 teaching we are not to continue in sin but we are to be slaves of righteousness. We are therefore set free from sin, we are slaves or servants of God. Our fruit is holiness and our end is the gift of eternal life. (Romans 6:22-23)

So far we have established the scriptures teach bondage is to Egypt, to sin, to the fleshly desires. God’s law is not bondage; serving and obeying God is freedom. The spirit of God leads us to that freedom and to be obedient to God’s laws thus becoming the children of God.

Galatians 4:9 is the scripture used in which my friend was accused of returning to bondage. It says, “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?” Let’s look at the letter Paul wrote to the Galatians to try to understand what he is talking about. Paul initially says believers are turning to a perverted gospel of Christ. (Gal. 1:7). In Galatians 2:4 he says “false brethren secretly came in to spy out our liberty in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us to bondage”. What was this bondage? He mentions in Gal. 1:3-5 that Titus, being a Greek was not compelled to be circumcised, saying “the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

To understand what Paul was talking about one needs to understand Judaism. Judaism is not just the teaching of the Tenach, (the Old Testament) but also includes the oral Law which is what Jews believe was given to Moses and passed down from generation to generation orally and compiled in the 200-220 AD called the Mishnah. This is often referred to by Jeshua as the traditions of the elders. Jeshua sometimes spoke against their traditions saying, “for laying aside the commandments of God, you hold to the traditions of men...you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.” (Mark 7:8-9).

In Galatians 2:11-13, Paul blames Peter who would eat with the Gentiles until other Jews came and then he withdrew. Why would he do this? The oral law, or traditions, did not allow Jews to eat with Gentiles. However, there is nothing in the Tenach teaching this. Even Jeshua went against their traditions when he ate with tax collectors and sinners and was questioned by the Pharisees, his fellow Jews. (Matthew 9:9-13). Many of the accusations against Jeshua was because he was not following the oral teachings.

Paul spoke to Peter saying “why do you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as Jews, compel the Gentiles to live as Jews? We, who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles...”. What is he talking about? Both Peter and Paul were Jews, by nature, born Jews and raised in Judaism. However, through the teaching of Jeshua, they rejected many of the traditions of the elders, the oral law, recognizing at times it was not according to the law of God or was additions to God’s law. God’s law (the Torah) defines sin, not the oral traditions of the Jews. But as Paul says, they are not sinners of the Gentiles. They are obedient to the law of God, not sinners like the Gentiles, but they were not in bondage to the oral law of the Jews.

Paul talks about “works of the law” verses “justified by faith” and says, “But that no one is declared righteous (justified) by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’” This is quoted from Habakkuk 2:4. He also quotes Leviticus 18:5 saying “the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’” No works will justify you, make you right, forgiven of your sins, before God. That is not the purpose of the law. The righteous or just live by faith. But what is faith? Belief in God is evidenced by obedience to His law. James says, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). So although works do not justify you, if you don’t have works you are not living by faith. And Paul says, “if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!” (Gal. 2:17) So we can’t be justified by Christ, forgiven of our sins, and continue to sin, be disobedient to God’s law.

Paul says, speaking to the Galatians who were Gentiles, when they were children they “were in bondage under the elements of the world” (Gal. 4:3). Of course they were, as they did not know God, and they lived as all other Gentiles, a sinful life. He says, “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods” (Gal. 4:8). He is speaking of paganism, the worship of other gods. He continues, “but now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire to again be in bondage? You observe days, and months and seasons and years” (Gal. 4:9). Why are they wanting to turn back to idolatry, paganism, and a life of sin...bondage? These days, months, etc are not God’s feast days as instructed in the Torah (Lev. 23), but pagan practices of which are many holidays associated with gods that are not the one true God. He was correcting them for sinful practices they were going back to. Christianity has adopted many pagan days like Christmas which is based on the pagan celebration of Saturnalia, and pagan gods like Mithra, the sun god, whose birthday was considered December 25. Also, Easter, based on the goddess of fertility, with eggs and rabbits. These are “weak and beggerly” days, not holy days like God’s feast days, which He calls His appointed times. They are based on the worship of Him and what He says to do. He does not approve of his people adopting pagan, idolatrous ways from the nations to worship Him. (Deuteronomy 12:29-32)

Paul’s final exhortation is “stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage...every man who becomes circumcised is a debtor to keep the whole law” (Gal. 5:1-3). Why is he saying this? Because Judaism required you to be circumcised and keep the whole law (written and oral) to be righteous before God. God’s law does not teach this. The liberty we have is freedom from sin through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It writes the law of God on our hearts and minds (Heb. 10:16-17). Paul says at the end of Galatians, “for not even those who are circumcised keep the law...for in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” (Gal. 6:13-15). Paul is critical of the Jews who do not even obey God’s law. Circumcision therefore is meaningless, since God’s desire is that they obey. A new creation is God’s desire. We are to become holy as obedient children, no longer walking in sin as we did before we knew God. (1 Pet. 1:13-16).

Paul’s letter to the Gentiles is quite relevant for today. There are Christians recognizing the pagan, idolatrous ways that are a part of Christianity. They are also understanding we should be obedient to God’s law, no longer believing that it is done away. Christianity mixed paganism with the worship of God as the religion developed in the 2nd-4th centuries. It also turned from obedience to God’s law, just as Israel did. Judaism places many burdens on people which God did not instruct in His written Torah. God’s Torah is a blessing to mankind and should not be added to or taken away. (Deut. 4:2) Traditions are often not a problem, but are man made, not God’s instruction. Let’s make sure as Christians we are not involved in idolatrous pagan practices. Instead we should study the Torah so that we may live by it, and walk in the Spirit so we are faithful and holy to our God.

[nowitisnews]

THE MESSIAH CODE 

THE MESSIAH CODE Did God hide the identity, name and mission of the Messiah, in the Tenach, the Old Testament? Purposely bypassing the normal reading, and hiding it in an ancient code beneath the surface text, including the events in the lives of people such as Abraham, Isaac and Joseph? Yes he did!! Read THE MESSIAH CODE. UK: shorturl.at/ehjyR   USA:   shorturl.at/bdBD1

[yhwhrulz]

Worthy Brief - July 5, 2024

Rest in His sacrifice!

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

One of the sacrifices mentioned in the Tenach (Old Testament) is mentioned as a Peace sacrifice or sometimes translated as the Thanksgiving sacrifice. It is known as the ‘shalem’ sacrifice. The root behind this word is the word ‘shalom’ whereby we get the word, peace.

This sacrifice foreshadows the perfect peace and restoration that a believer has with God through a perfect sacrifice of peace, the Lord Yeshua, who offered himself 2000 years ago. The root of "shalem" is the word "shalom", which means peace, completeness, prosperity, safety, contentment, health, blessing, and rest.

Since we are complete in Him and have peace with God, we need not entertain spirits of discontent, desperation, unhappiness, self-ambition, regret, etc … but can rest in His ‘peace sacrifice’.

Over the past year, the world has plunged into chaos with multiple major wars erupting globally and the onset of economic uncertainty. Inflation has reached historic highs worldwide. Headlines are dominated by news of ongoing conflicts and threats of further unrest. Given these turbulent times, finding peace seems nearly impossible.

Nevertheless, the Lord who is called Sar Shalom, who dwells within us, is our PEACE… He is our Prince of Peace!

It's truly a matter of focus. And though it may take some internal discipline these days, the reality of our identity, our completeness in Yeshua, is a totally valid and real foundation for resting in His peace, a peace, in the midst of real threats and serious turmoil, that passes all understanding!

Shabbat Shalom and have a great weekend!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Missouri) (Grantham, PA)

Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. - https://t.me/worthywatch/ Be sure to check it out!

Editor's Note: We are planning our summer Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.

[jeanschoonbroodt]

De Verleiding...

https://twitter.com/jmpschoonbroodt/status/1567453802768252929?s=20&t=MvWmreM0pXWm02SNcLH3gQ

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/jeanschoonbroodt/673997275443445760?source=share

https://jeanschoonbroodt.vivaldi.net/2022/08/18/serious-words-of-god-to-israel-the-nations-and-the-global-elite/

Bovenstaande boodschappen zijn zeer nodig in deze dagen van de "wolven en wolvinnen" die oprukken en wolfspinnen en de slangen en schorpioenen, en dus de machten van het kwaad die ook actief zijn in de intermenselijke betrekkingen en die via het Beest 1 en het beest 2 en het beest 3 en hun VANGNET / VISSERSNET en via de Hoer Babylon werden / worden uitgeworpen... en waarin biljoenen gevangen zijn, zodat de Grote Spin hen allen gevangen heeft in haar WWW. 666-barcode-Mammon//geld/handels-banken Beest-systeem/NWO, om ze met het net en het web naar de tweede dood te slepen, nadat ze hen hebben gedood, onder God's toestemming, omdat men God en zijn Zoon en Geest en profetiën en openbaringen en woorden/Thora en Tenach en apostel-en-profetenleer / ware evangelie met alle gaven en diensten van de Geest en 7-voudige werkingen niet meer aanvaardde, maar men het volksrecht/Laodicea/democratie en Mammon/geld/luxe/weelde/sex en dus de wereld en haar begeerten en zorgen om het wereldse meer lief had dan GOD. Paulus zei door de Geest : In het einde der tijden/laatste dagen zullen er mensen opstaan, die een schijn van godsvrucht hebben, maar God's kracht verloochenen/ontkennen/niet meer geloven/niet meer belijden/niet meer ten volle aanvaarden zoals deze in de totaliteit van de schriften en door de Geest geopenbaard werd , is... en zal zijn. Men heeft een sociaal evangelie gebracht / wolven zijn heel sociale dieren onder elkaar... maar doden wanneer zij hun prooien zoeken... en werken zeer goed samen om ze te jagen en te bespringen en te doden en te verscheuren en te verslinden. Humaan betekent menselijk. Jezus wees Petrus terecht, toen deze hem, door de Satan geïnspireerd, ervan af wilde houden te gaan lijden in Jeruzalem voor de verlossing van Israel en de schepping, door tegen hem te zeggen "Petrus, gij denkt niet goddelijk maar menselijk. " Vaak is in God's heilige ogen menselijk denken Satanisch denken en redeneren. Zie, ook Paulus werd op gelijke wijze gelijk Jezus verzocht door medegelovigen, toen hij hen vertelde dat hij naar Jeruzalem moest wegens de vervulling van een belofte, die hij gedaan had. Agabus, de profeet had hem door De GEEST onheil aangekondigd/gevangenschap, de Geest hem zelf ook. En de broeders en zusters drongen op hem aan niet naar Jeruzalem te gaan. Maar Paulus was op de wil van GOD uitgericht... en niet op die van zijn "goed"-bedoelende broeders en zusters, die door Satan beïnvloed werden/waren op dat moment. Vaak willen "goed"-bedoelende mensen andere toegwijde heilige mannen of vrouwen God's ervan af houden om de weg des lijdens om Christus wil... of om der gerechtigheid wil ... te gaan. Wie echter voor Christus Jezus gekozen heeft... en om Hem te volgen tot het einde toe ... en die door God tevoren daartoe uitverkoren was/is/blijft, die zal zijn eigen kruis op zich nemen... en Jezus/Jeshua volgen... ook en vooral in het lijden om Zijnentwil en Zijn evangelie wil... en omwille van het Koninkrijk van God en Zijn gerechtigheid wil en ook Tempelbouw / Tabernakel- bouw / Ecclesia-bouw / Gemeente-bouw. Amen. Hallelu-YHWH. Amen. Jezus zei : “Wie Mij volgen wil, die neme zijn kruis op zich... en verloochene zich zelf elke dag.” 

Niet meer mijn wil noch onze wil geschiedde, maar UW WIL... VADER... GESCHIEDDE... tot Uw eer en heerlijkheid en de heerlijkheid van Uw genade en liefde en trouw en waarheid en heilswerken... in Uw naam en die van Uw verheerlijkte en geliefde heilige Zoon en Erfgenaam van alle dingen en Koning aller koningen en Heer boven alle heren ... Jeshua / Jesjoea / Jesous / Jezus HaMashiach / Christos / Christus / De Ware Gezalfde GOD's, het vleesgeworden Woord van GOD/ De LOGOS. Amen. Hallelu-YHWH. Amen.

God’s zegen is over alle ware heiligen IN Christus Jezus / Jesjoea/Jeshua HaMashiach volgens : 

Ef. 1 ; 3. + 2 Kor. 13 ; 13. + Hebr. 13 ; 1-8. + 20+21. + Rom. 8.

Hartelijke groet... in de liefde van Christus’ Geest,

Jean Schoonbroodt.NL.EU.

07.09.2022.

[eksbdan-blog]

New Post has been published on https://passingbynehushtan.com/2020/01/07/what-is-the-word-of-god/

What is the Word of God?: A Prophetic Think Tank

What is the Word of God? A very dangerous question.

“This is a very simple question, and one to which a Calvinist, it would seem, could give a very simple answer. And yet that simple answer would hardly be adequate for an occasion of this kind, since the query to which a reply is sought involves such questions as these: Is it a natural or a supernatural Word? Is it a communication of truth, addressed to the intellect, or a behest or command, addressed to the will? Is it a written or a spoken Word or both? Does it represent a verbal or a factual revelation, or one that is both verbal and factual? Is it a Word spoken in the past, and now a finished product, or is it rather a continuous speaking of God? Is it wholly or only in part identical with the divine revelation? Is the Bible the Word of God or is it not?”1

The novelist Thomas Pynchon said, “If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers.” Not that the question “what is the word of God?” is the wrong question. I would say that this question to Christians, and the World, is probably the most critical possible. But it’s the wrong question because we don’t use it to get an honest answer. We use it to stand for a pious intention for which no answer warrants unless it leads us into another red herring ever further from the Messiah.

Of course, it’s mere rhetoric if you are asking it to a people who already claim to know its answer. Rhetorical queries are fine for the great and most consequential questions, but only if the answer you wish to receive reflects reality. If it’s not, they are careless and empty, haughty, platitudinous,  pretentious, and misleading of where we really are want to be in having real knowledge.

“Is it true that scientists said on Foxnews that in one week a two-kilometer asteroid is going to hit the earth and all life will dies.” “Yes, and our saviors, the spacemen, will land their rescue ships on Tuesday and will start to load passengers for the trip to Zeta Reticuli.”

That’s not really a serious question. Its meant to be funny by pretending to be serious, knowing that the answer you get can only be a funny retort or one of a serious but funny panic attack. What makes it the wrong question for a real searcher of truth and a real possessor of truth is that its meant to be a kind of ruse, prepared for an emotionally motivated disarming of the whole idea of spiritual threat by discharging it into something inert and harmless. “What is the Word of God” is asked today for no other purpose than misleading not for comedy, but feelings of piety. Asked so that a certain answer is forced, so that the implied threat about that Word, which is well known subconsciously, gives up a Holy turd instead of a Holy, but very uncomfortable truth.

That’s how it’s the wrong question. Not for the question itself but because of a wrong asker and receiver. What you need is the same question formulated so that the crucial, eternal, potentially deadly, and potentially saving answer cant be avoided and lost in manipulable conceptual generalities.

As Berkhof unintentionally demonstrates above, some questions, like what is a thing essentially, should not even be asked if the answer is too obvious.  It’s like asking, “what kind of car do you have?” You answer, of course, a particular kind of Chevrolet sedan.  But in Christianity, we don’t like the deepest exclusivist claims in our exclusivist faith. So, we then have to veer down into a rabbit hole and ask  in our purely rhetorical, dissociative faith, “is it made of metal or wood?” “Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?” “Is it objective or only subjective?” We never do get to taking on directly “Chevrolet sedan” in our philosophy and theology.

Another way is that of the common pew sitter. “What kind of car do you have? The answer is “Car.” In such a manner do we ask “what is the Word of God”: something demanding a certain model, but we get either “the whole Bible” or “a document purported to be from a supernatural source developed over time by a certain culture in the ancient Middle East.”

We know and believe there are all kinds of claimants to “the Word of God” type of scripture in the world. Their unattested version is very attractive when the idea of supernatural proofs scare us, or we just can’t accept them in any case. But if you think you’re in a religion that is represented primarily by its whole instead of its miraculous part,  like in our Christian “culture war” idea of us against the World, you will be inclined to circle the wagons and want to defend the whole instead of allowing its leading edge to defend itself. To us, “go to the ant, thou sluggard” and “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” are both the Word of God, and so they are. But for what reason in our consciousnesses do we dare to think we are obligated to choose something else as this leading-edge of the Word of God when Christ and the apostles certainly, unequivocally, demonstratively, all day and all night, made it messianic prophecy?

Talk about a  dissociate disorder.

The question is not crucially whether the Word of God is spoken or written, or whether it is that which was spoken in the past or spoken now. They are misleading questions, especially the one about whether the Word of God is historical or contemporary. Such genera of questions about the Word of God will not give you the answer to what is the Word of God because this is asking for only for its exterior categorical qualities. What we want to do is construct a question that forces an answer that goes to its particular content, and that content in which the New Testament writers, particularly Jesus, took for granted as being at its heart.

Here is our question: “what of/in the Word of God is required to use as a collective symbol of the whole thing?”

We all do it. We all have a conceptual point of contact in our minds with the idea “Word of God,” so this question is appropriate on a lot of levels if we ask honestly and are willing to answer honestly. But let’s not excuse ourselves for the corrupt natural tendency of defer-deny-misdirect-reconceive when the results of our natural tendencies are supposed to be 180 degrees opposite from what we are supposed to love.  It’s about the single superior thought or impression we get when we ask or think about the Word of God and if it aligns with Christ as he revealed himself.

The far better question, again, is “what in the Bible, what scriptural stream of revelation, regardless of who is speaking, whether it is addressed to the will or the intellect, verbal of factual, is that which the New Testament writers took as what best represents the credentials of Jesus as the Messiah.” I beg you to remember that if Jesus is not Messiah, there may be some god out there, but he’s not Jehovah, and there is no indication that he cares about us or is not more inclined to come down and start plunking us with his cosmic pellet gun. If he’s not Messiah, then you’re still in your sins. If he’s not messiah, there is no Christianity, only another podunk world faith. This question for the Church is perfect because the “Messiah” is an exclusive propriety possession of the Bible. If you were to pick one name for “Bible,” that would be it.

Since it is Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2), what about Jesus makes him the Christ to our faith is what should also first be treated as the Word of God in the capacity of an informational gatekeeper to our faith, without which knowledge and faith we miss in Jesus, the person. So, it’s not even about whether something in the Bible might not be the Word of God, but to what extent can we say what we first give attention to in the Word of God is Jesus.

Along this line, here are some questions to consider that will give us our answer.

1. What was the only possibility for the “phrase “Word of God”  being used as one-part-of-the-whole according to the NT writers by the historical timing of their writings?

This one is easy, and we all know it.

We use “Word of God” as the whole of the Bible, but it’s not used that way in the Bible.

To the extent that the New Testament is primarily about merely reporting on the operational success of messianic prophecy in fulfillment and through that the clarification of previously unsettled questions, this is the extent to which the Word of God is single stream, namely, messianic prophecy. In other words, the extent to which it can be said the New Testament is following these prior prophecies instead of creating out of whole cloth new ones for own truth narrative is the extent that we can say that “the Word of God” is a single stream. Quintessentially, the words of the prophets fulfilled by Christ.

For the NT writers, the corpus of the NT was not written yet and established canonically. For all the writers of the NT, when they spoke of the Word of God, they were speaking about the Old Testament. The New Testament does not much explicitly quote itself. When the NT writers and Jesus quoted, they quoted the Old Testament, and they overwhelmingly quoted Messianic Prophecy. They referred not to its own unattested authority, neither does Jesus (John 5:31-32, 37, 39) to His own, but to the ability of the Tenach to prove their reports are not self-serving and their faith as divinely inspired by the worlds of the prophets.

2. What of this Word of God is quoted, and does it align with our operational definition of the Word of God?2

Bring up my web page here. Look at what of the Old Testament was quoted, and for what purpose was it quoted.

254 separate NT verses citing 231 OT verses

190 Combined OT quotations in the NT, conflating repetitions

137 OT verses are marked clearly prophetic, 30 are used in a strong prophetic argument, making a total of 167 out of 231 OT verses strongly prophetic.

Bring up this web page here. This page is a collation of Jesus’s words in the Gospel of John, giving an example of the pattern also found in the other gospels. Here is a more meaningful interpretation of the true NT prophetic content (Note: “PW” in the document, as I used it, stands for Prophetic Word, an appellation I give as a more instructive alternative to “Bible” or “Scripture,” or even Word of God if it is used in a sense too general to make messianic prophecy its heart).

“In John, there are 879 verses. Jesus speaks in 423 verses. Jesus cites OT prophetic scripture 33 verses. He states or implies a fulfilled prophecy in 120 verses.  In other verses, he speaks eschatologically or speaks of prophecy yet to still set for fulfillment. This is 209 verses of the 423. The total is 362 of the 423.  The total is 85.5%. The missing collation is in the verses where he expounds on a prophetic theme, explains how it works to faith, speaks of its importance, or generally where it is the root topic of discussion. In this category, all can fall into. All are essentially about Christ, His Word, its fulfillment, its application to faith, and its future.  Speaking conservatively, these verses alone are at least 345. Most of these verses combine one category with another, making every verse in the service of the prophetic subject.

For example, in John 6:44, Jesus says: ‘No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ This combines the M category with the F category since it speaks of the future resurrection and also that no one will take part in it but those who believe the PW/Person of Christ.

The next verse, 45, we have: ‘It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” Jesus cites OT prophecy and states that this faith in the word of the prophets is the way to Him, meaning that it is in the M-S category. To this could easily be added the F category as well, since he still speaks of future fulfillment by future believers.

John 3:14 combines all four categories:  It refers to Numbers 21:8 (S), cites it as prophetic and fulfilled by Christ (E), speaks of the supreme present and  future importance of the PW and faith requirement in the PW (M and F)”

Now, this is my own work following my perspective, but I ask you to use the same model and come up with your numbers.  Any way you do it, the Word of God, whether OT or NT, is the messianic, prophetic phenomena of God.

What is more than natural is that the Person of messianic prophecy would put it of first importance, found all his arguments on it, predicate all His theology on it, speak it almost exclusively and then die to fulfill it? That is because the Word of messianic prophecy is Christ.

That is what the NT writers called the Word of God. Unlike our view of the Word of God, it’s not pithy proverbs, philosophical principles, motifs and themes, stories, an instruction manual about how to pray, or even mainly about how to treat your fellow man or a dictionary of theological ideas. It’s not mainly about  “Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.” It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus, but not about the Jesus we want Him to be or even only about the person of Jesus. It’s about Jesus the Messiah, and if it’s about Jesus Messiah, it is about how the prophets foretold Him and how he fulfilled that Word of God.

Every verse in the New Testament, including “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), is recorded for some kind of teaching of that truth long before we apply it to our own lives. An example of the deprioritized interpretation is this one: “Jesus Christ tenderly and deeply sympathizes in human sorrow” (Family Bible Notes). I don’t mean that the Bible is not for us, that it’s not showing Jesus demonstrating a mandatory capacity for human emotion or care for us, I mean that “Jesus wept” is for the main purpose of recording Jesus’s fulfillment of Isa 53:3 and Jer 9:1; 13:17; 14:17. The spiritual power of fulfilling Isaiah 53:3 and the implications for our faith through it is far more important than “Jesus Christ tenderly and deeply sympathizes in human sorrow.” But this kind of thing is what we like to call the main meaning of the “Word of God.”

3. In the NT, what kind of texts are used, and from where are they taken for positing theological arguments?

The better question is, “what of the fundamental theological NT propositions don’t come from Old Testament prophetic texts?” The answer is none. We will use an example from the Book of Romans.

For example, there are about 41 direct OT quotations in Romans (Romans 3:10-18 quotes directly eight total OT texts). There are many doctrines, but a good way to divide it by “righteousness needed” (Sin), “1:18–3:20; righteousness provided” (Faith), “3:21–8:39; righteousness vindicated” (The Cross, Atonement), “9:1–11:36; righteousness practiced” (Sanctification), “12:1–15:13.”3 If not prophesied, then it’s not theology.

1:18-3:20 Righteousness needed (Sin)

Paul established the doctrine of sin and what cure is needed. Paul here seems to be making a statement about the sin problem without stating what this sin is. Perhaps he is speaking of sins of performance? But that is not what he is talking about as the most important kind of sin.

Overlooked is that Paul opens the letter with a scriptural predicate that is to remain to establish his doctrine of sin by contrast. In Romans 1:1-4, we read, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures). Concerning his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” That is a wholly, unabashedly prophetic statement.

He even says that the gospel was prophesied, and is, therefore, a prophetic gospel. It defines the basis for the new righteousness through a prophetic knowledge that sin is against (knowing and believing is righteous, not knowing, and not believing is the opposite).

Starting in 1:18, being that holding this knowledge of the truth unrighteously is the real sin, the baseline example for this sin against revelational knowledge is a sin against natural revelation “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” In man’s religious history, this led to a fundamental corruption of something so basic as the knowledge of the divinely established form of sex between men and women, effectively what we might call a kind of intellectual and biological inbreeding (as opposed to looking outside the human sphere for knowledge).

Paul continues not to talk about sin as ultimately against natural revelation, but by its example talking about the sin against Christ and his prophetic revelation.

In Vss. 29-31 Starts to talk more directly, using examples closer to home. He lays out a list of sins that flow from, as indicative symbols, of the great one. The problem is those deceived into thinking that they will not be judged by the Law when they are religious (circumcised). Not judged according to the law, but who judge those who are committing the same sins they are. But those who are not circumcised will be counted as righteous who keep the law these people are not following, which is true “the righteousness of the law” in v.26.

What is this? There is the false righteousness that comes from bodily movement around religion and natural affections and the true righteousness of the Law that is spiritual and faith in the prophetic revelation of Christ. Here is the whole of the thing Paul is talking about, that spiritual one, not any other primitive form.  Its opposite is, again, quintessential sin, not the basic sins that Paul mentioned against the basic knowledge of God. (In Romans 8:4 he says the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who live not according to the flesh but to the Spirit)

He says that this righteousness is not carnal but spiritual: Romans 2:29: “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” The advantage between the gentile and Jew is that the Jew is superior in that “unto them were committed the oracles of God” (3:2). The Jew has a better foundation upon which to be properly instructed. That is, by fulfilled messianic prophecy. Now we know what this inner, essential, righteousness of the Law is.

Continue to the next page…

Paul answers some questions that obviously raised in his time about how this righteousness of God can be effective to salvation if some of the Jews did not believe. About how God’s grace can abound more to His glory the more sinful we are, suggesting that more sin is better to show God’s grace and why we who believe are still considered sinners. He says everyone is a sinner (3:9) without having the righteousness of the Law. The Law of works (v.27) only shows how sinful we are and how impossible it is by our effort to satisfy it (3:19-20).

Paul cites the Old Testament scripture between vss. 11 and 18 to define sin eight times. This is not an enumeration of only carnal sins, but spiritual ones (not righteous, of no understanding, none that “seeks God,” “out of the way,” “unprofitable,” “none that do good.”). Paul cites the OT that applies to the present time in a way that it could never apply to the past because Christ fulfilled the law and the prophets, therefore using Old Testament passages that we would not consider prophetic as prophetic texts. It suggests that we might be wrong in our consideration of what scripture is prophetic and what is not.

This spiritual righteousness of the Law “without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (emphasis mine). Justification by faith without the deeds of the Law is through “faith in his blood” (v.25), “to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (v26). What is clear is from where the knowledge of this sin and curative righteousness comes: Christ and the Old Testament scriptures that speak of the Messiah. Faith in Jesus is through His oracles and in their fulfillments; faith in His blood is not a faith in His actual blood, but the blood represents His prophesied, propitiatory death.

We establish something quite different than our operational conception of this sin as a sin primarily of physical works and the reason why we would commit such sins, or for that matter what righteousness means, how we can have it and why we would follow it. In our way of thinking, sins are primarily of physical expression, and the reason we sin is that we don’t believe in “God” or “Jesus” or the “Bible” like we should. Or, it’s because we don’t know or understand the propositional “doctrines” and apply them. Perhaps because we don’t recognize that we are sinful. But if sin is spiritual, it is sin of spiritual activity. If it is so, it is a sin of not knowing, having no confidence in, relegating, misappropriating, obfuscating, or being primarily unmotivated by or denying the oracles of Christ. Any conception of righteousness coming through the performance of the law is the opposite.

3:21–8:39. Righteousness provided (Faith)

Romans 3:21: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.”

Paul uses 5 OT texts to establish Abraham as the prototypical man of faith, starting in 4:1. What was the basis of Abraham’s faith?

Romans 4:13: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” This promise was prophetic that he would be the father of many nations (v.17 and 18).

Romans 4:21: “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” He was convinced of God’s faithfulness to fulfill the prophecy.

Not intended just for Abraham but for us, who also believe in God’s promises concerning Jesus, who is the one that Abraham believed would come to establish such faith: Romans 4:24-25: “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.”

Romans 5:6: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” “In due time” refers to the oracles.

All of Paul’s arguments use this understanding of prophetic faith as the basis of why it is superior to the law, why there is now no condemnation for those that are in the law of faith in Christ. Why it makes us dead to sin but alive to God, and how God can give us eternal life though we are sinners.

Again, all of our theology comes from the messianic stream of scripture.

9:1–11:36: Righteousness vindicated” (The Cross, Atonement)

“So this section is an attempt to explain God’s dealings with Jews as a vindication of righteousness. Paul does it by a clear exposition of the Scriptures. He will show that Israel’s rejection is related to the spiritual pride of the Jews (9,10), that Israel’s rejection is not complete because some are being saved (11), and that Israel’s rejection is not final because it will be reversed before the coming of the Lord (the end of chapter 11).”4

The problem with the above interpretation is there is no effort to define the scriptural basis of this “rejection” by the Jews. What did they reject, precisely, and what were they arguing was not true scripturally that these Christians believed? Well, their interpretation of the oracles of Messiah as applying to Jesus, of course. We can’t talk about “righteousness vindicated” without knowing what righteousness is and what it is not.

Romans 9:7-8: “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”

Paul uses no less than 20 Old Testament scriptures in this section. Ishmael was from Abraham as well, but Isaac was a prophetic type of all righteous Israel. Not all the Jews are saved, but only those of the promise. Paul is using a prophecy of these righteous Jews to argue that all those in Christ are among them. Christ is not merely telling them, “don’t’ worry, I say on my own authority you’re saved” or “if you have confessed your sins and say you believe in me to save you, you will be saved.” Paul used an exclusively prophetic argument that righteousness is through belief in what the prophets said would come in Jesus of Nazareth. You have to know it to believe it, and the more you know it, the more you believe it.

12:1–15:13. Righteousness practiced” (Sanctification)

Now, this is a no brainer after the preceding. What sanctifies? Why?

Everything about how we should behave is because of the kind of scriptures above. We are not honest if we say it’s because of anything else. We are not honest if we say the Word of God has anything else in it to accomplish this.

4. What of the Word of God is to be used in NT evangelism?

Again, easy.

In John 1:15 and 5:33, John and Christ use the phrase that John the Baptist “bare witness” of Jesus, the Truth.

We don’t interpret this witnessing just as gushing about how much Jesus loves us, how logical Christianity is, how it is compatible with science, that we had a dream or that we speak in tongues, or simply that “I believe in Jesus.” That is not biblical witnessing. Biblical witnessing is quoting the words of the prophets and proclaiming and explaining how Jesus fulfilled them. Quite a different kind of evangelism we preach today.

John’s witnessing is like this in John 1:23: “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 40:3-5. It’s not his biblically and supernaturally disconnected theological proposition. He did not say, “I am John, and I am…” he equated himself with an Old Testament oracle. This Jesus also did:

John 5:31-32: “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.”

John 5:39: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

John 5:46: “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”

The Book of Acts is the best place to see 1st-century evangelism at work. Nineteen verses use Old Testament texts. There is not a glimmer of a case to be made out of a single evangelistic encounter where Paul used our bromidic form of evangelism.

5. What of the Word of God is used as the symbolic meaning of Jesus so that when we talk of one, we talk of the other and nothing else?

We need only to make one point to bring this home. By far, the most obvious and hardly even worth trying to defend.

John 1:1-5: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

It is interesting how close this statement is to the opening of Hebrews:

Hebrews 1:1-8: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

What does this tell us? In John, Jesus is the Word. What is this Word? Hebrews clarifies it. Jesus’s place is at the right hand of the Father, the Son of God, not as some angel, but because he fulfilled Psalms 2, Psalms 97:7 and Psalms 45:6-7. He adds in 1:13: “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” That the fulfillment of Psalms 110. That book of John says explicitly that Jesus is the Word of God should close the question. Still, it’s closed even further, if that were possible, when Hebrews says the same thing by quoting the Word of God instead of just making the statement (which, by the way, John subsequently and consistently does throughout his gospel). If Jesus is the Word of God, he is the Word of the prophets quintessentially.

What is the Word of God? Why is it so important?

I beg you to please meditate on this question very, very carefully.

If you are a believer and are at least of the mind to think that apologetics is important, I ask you this. Is occultism, adultery, murder, and any other form of sin you can think of coming anywhere near the importance of one which would allow them to be falsely claimed as ultimate examples, and hide as the mother-of-all-apostasies? Can you think of one more qualified as this one for that title, which allows you to have a relationship with Christ, but only by a useless half?

“But all sin is sin?” Yes, surely, but some represent, indicate another, far more profound and damning one of which there is no forgiveness. Because it’s a sin against the Holy Spirit, that that Spirit is sort of a non-threatening abstract, do you think that it’s rare and you are not a part of it until you know what it is, and before its too late?

If you use the phrase “the Word of God,” be careful that what is demonstrably and unequivocally and emblematically Christ is the same as what you know, or maybe he will say “I never knew you.”

Salvation is not only a matter of Christ knowing you, but you knowing him.

Christ and the Norming of Transcendence: Passing by Nehushtan

Prophesying, Preaching, and the Prophetic: Passing by Nehushtan

Matthew 5 and the Adultery of the Heart: Passing by Nehushtan

http://www.bible-researcher.com/berkhof1.html ↩

http://www.bible-researcher.com/nicole.html ↩

http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Romans.html ↩

https://bible.org/seriespage/vindication-or-god%E2%80%99s-righteousness-his-relationship-israel-romans-91-1021 ↩