Fulfilling Torah Ministries

April 27, 2013 Shabbat Midrash

©2013 Mark Pitrone and Fulfilling Torah Ministries

April 27, 2013 – Year 1 Sabbath 7

Genesis 8:15 – 9:17 – Isaiah 42:5-21 – Psalm 7 – 2Timothy 2:8-19

Links:

http://tzion.org/Tree_Sefiroth.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Kangaroo+court

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/starchamberproceedings

 

Genesis 8:15-22 – I open with the prefatory overview in Schottenstein’s Chumash, pp.  42-43[1]. Now don’t let the uses of different Names for the Almighty confuse you. Elohim and Y’hovah are the same El Shaddai, the Almighty Creator of all that is. Elohim is the Name that he uses to emphasize his Righteousness, while Y’hovah is the Name he uses to emphasize his Mercy. You will often see these Names used in conjunction as Y’hovah Elohim. There both his Righteousness and his Mercy are working together. If you look at the graphic illustration of the Tree of Sefiroth[2], you will see that there are 3 pillars represented. On your left; the tree’s right; you will see that that pillar represents the Father, Wisdom and Mercy and manifests the Goodness of the Almighty. On your right; the tree’s left; you will see that the pillar represents the Mother/Ruach haKodesh, Understanding, severity and manifests the Righteous Judgment of the Almighty. In the Center, you will see the pillar represents the Son, who blends the left and the right pillars, which manifests the Knowledge of the Almighty, which culminates on the top of that pillar as the Crown of the King. I see this center pillar as the King Moshiach. I think Sholiach Sha’ul, the Apostle Paul, saw it that way, too. In Romans he wrote

17 … if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if Elohim spared not the natural branches, [consider that] lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of Elohim [El Shaddai]: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for Elohim is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural, be graffed into their own olive tree? (Rom.11.17-24)

The ‘goodness’ = Y’hovah’s Mercy and Grace; the ‘severity’ – his righteousness and judgment. Yeshua is the center pillar of the tree and beautifully blends the left’s severity and the right’s goodness into true compassion due to his sinless life in flesh like our own. He knows the trials we endure and has lived them all, right up to Yeshua’s death on the tree.

Only in the passage where Noach offers a thanksgiving offering to Y’hovah does this parsha use the Name of Y’hovah. When Elohim is the source of the action it is that Name that he uses. I think that the purpose of this is to let Noach and his sons and all their wives know that they are dealing with the righteousness of Elohim and not the mercy of Y’hovah. The offering is to thank Y’hovah for his mercy towards them and it is accepted, but they understood that now that his mercy was received, they were expected to prove their love and gratitude by their obedience. The Chumash’s note on v.20 has an interesting thought (pg.43, top right column). Y’hovah said ‘in his heart’ that he would not curse the ground or destroy all life on earth in response to man’s sinful heart. I think that the reason he did that in the first place is that he had given man dominion over the whole system through Adam in the Garden, and man had almost entirely turned its collective back on Y’hovah Elohenu; much like the earth today. As was the case with Noach, not everyone had done so, but the remnant was exceedingly small, even as it has become today; even among professing believers who at least SAY they love him and do his Word and will. Again, the Chumash’s note on v.21 is excellent (pg.44, top left). The truth of that comment goes to the heart of passages like

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15)

Then Y’hovah makes a further promise that while the earth exists, the cycles that he started working during the year of the flood would continue. Having no evidence in scripture that it isn’t so it is my opinion that of the things he mentions in v.22, only the diurnal cycle existed before the flood, and that the earth was a closed system and a veritable hyperbaric greenhouse before the fountains of the deep broke up and the rain fell; the waters above the firmament joined the waters below and the water cycle began to work. As a result of whatever catastrophic event Elohim used to start the flood going, the cycles he enumerates in v.22 started with that event and they will continue until he decides to dissolve this Creation and do it again (a very good “Steely Dan” song of the 70s), this time with a race of men without the evil inclination/OSN and a Creation wherein righteousness dwells.

10 But the day of Y’hovah will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 then all these things shall be dissolved, what manner ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of Elohim, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2Kefa3.10-14)

Q&C

 

B’reishith 9.1-17 – “Be fruitful and multiply’, here in v.1 is a blessing on Noach, his family and all of the animals so that they would once again repopulate the earth. The word ‘multiply’ means exactly what it meant in ch.1, that they would have multiple births, at least for a while. As the Chumash says, when Noach and his fam ‘de-arked’, they were probably dismayed and perhaps frightened by what they saw. The blessing Elohim placed on them may have helped to assuage their fears and encourage them. He then told Noach that the animals that they’d been near for the year afloat would be made fearful of man and under normal circumstances would keep their distance. To this day, animals have a natural fear of man, and they only attack men if they are old and cannot kill their natural prey, or they are frightened, cornered or they think the man is threatening their young or their food.

In v.3 Elohim granted to man the right to eat clean flesh. I know that the scripture doesn’t actually say it, but if Noach killed and ate the female dog, an unclean animal of which only 2 females were brought aboard, how would dog-kind be fruitful and replenish the earth? Now, if he took a female deer and cleaned it and cooked it, there were still 6 female deer to be fruitful. Of course, it was likely that the animal Noach used for the offering was a male and that they only ate male animals until the females had had enough time to replenish their numbers a bit. Males can impregnate numerous females, but usually, once a female is impregnated she will not be again until she has borne the young of the present pregnancy. And, again, the animals were a part of the blessing of physical multiplicity, too. They generally bear at least 2 young per pregnancy, truly ‘multiplying’. Animal gestation periods are generally shorter than man’s, as well, so that they ‘replenished the earth’ much faster than did mankind.

V.4 has the first mention [of 4 total] of the flesh’s life, or soul (nefesh), being in the blood. So, man was given the OK to eat the flesh of clean animals, but must be careful to remove the blood before he ate the flesh. This requirement has never been rescinded. Even if the animal is clean to eat, if you eat the blood with it you are in violation of this commandment to ALL mankind given through Noach and his family. No one is exempt. I seriously doubt that anyone has ever drained every drop of blood from an animal before he’s eaten it; not Noach, not Avraham, not anyone. But it is possible to get pretty darned close and then by cooking it until it is done, with no pinkness showing, you can cook the remaining blood out. Before I understood that this commandment applied to me I would tell the waitress at Outback or Texas Roadhouse to walk the cow past the fire, then walk it past in the opposite direction, then butcher it and bring me my steak. Now, I can’t handle any pink in my meat; it MUST be well done or it goes back to the kitchen. And I have sent my steak back more than once, and sometimes for the same steak, and then never returned to that place. If it’s pink, there’s blood in it.

V.5-6 talk about murder or manslaughter and the man who sheds innocent human blood shall, upon conviction of murder, have his own blood shed by men in authority. If a man kills another man and contrives to have no witnesses, Elohim will see to it that his iniquity will find him out. Elohim will ensure that the man receives the just punishment for the crime he commits. It is Elohim’s image that is being destroyed when one man kills another. In v.7 Elohim repeats the admonition to be fruitful and multiply, the 3^rd use of the identical phrase p’ru ur’vu. In v.1 it was a blessing, but this time it is a command to go and perform.

Vv.8-17 speak of the New Covenant Elohim makes with mankind through Noach and the rainbow as the sign of that covenant with Noach to never again destroy all life on earth by a flood. Chumash again has excellent comments on pg.46. He does NOT promise to not flood localities or regions, but to never again flood the entire earth. And it has never happened, and never WOULD have happened except that Elohim created special circumstances, ‘miracles’, to bring it about. Understand that ‘miracles’ are such only to our minds, but are not miraculous to the mind of Elohim. They are just ‘business as usual’ for him; he speaks and it happens.

The rabbis think that the Egyptians knew of the Noachic covenant [and why shouldn’t they since Mitzraim was his descendant, too], but misapplied it, thinking that Elohim would not destroy anything by flood again. Either they misapplied the covenant or were taught that way by the priests of Mitzraim. Either way, Paroh found out differently.

The rainbow is a sign of the covenant. When an Yisraelite sees a rainbow, he recites this blessing; “Baruch atah Y’hovah Elohenu, Melech haOlam, zocheir hab’rityh une’eman biv’riytho v’kayam b’maa’maro; Blessed art thou Y’hovah, our Elohim, King of the Universe, who remembers his covenant, is trustworthy in his covenant, and fulfills his Word. Amein v’Amein!” That blessing to Y’hovah from us is absolutely true and if we are not blessing him now when we see this sign, perhaps we ought to begin.

According to the Chumash’s commentary, a majority of the sages believe that this covenant is to never destroy the earth again at all, not just to destroy all air breathing life by a flood. They also believe that the rainbow was not a new thing after the flood, but was seen in the skies before the flood. To my mind, scripture directly contradicts that opinion. Rain had never fallen on the earth before the 17^th day of the 7^th month in AM1656. Rainbows do not appear in the sky without there being enough water in the atmosphere to diffract sunlight (or moonlight in winter in the form of a ‘halo’) prismatically. Without rain (or ice in the upper atmosphere, which would be impossible if the atmosphere was an hyperbaric greenhouse) and the sun striking it at exactly the correct angle (42 degrees to the viewer) there can be no rainbow. Therefore, the rainbow could only occur post flood[3]. Q&C

 

Isaiah 42:5-21 – The Targum ascribes this whole chapter to THE Moshiach [not just ‘a’ moshiach], to whom it applies the Servant’s office. Y’hovah, the Creator, has called Moshiach in righteousness, guides him and guards him and gives him to his people, Yehudah, for a covenant and to the nations as a Great Light.

Then spake Yeshua again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5)

The S&P should have understood his message that he was Moshiach, if they knew the Tanakh. In v.7 there’s another clue about Moshiach that even Yochanan haMatbeel seems to have missed

4 Yeshua answered and said unto them, Go and shew Yochanan again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. (John 9.4-5)

Every thing that he told those talmidim of Yochanan was a recognized ministry of Moshiach in that day, as it is gleaned from numerous prophetic passages. ALL of those maladies are metaphors for exile from either the land, Y’hovah or both. And it’s Moshiach’s ministry to bring the exiles back to their King, his land, and their inheritance.

V.8 says that Y’hovah will not give his glory or his praise to another, and yet he gives it to Moshiach. So, either he is a liar or Yeshua is who he claimed to be. As the prophecy goes on the speaker seems to change from Y’hovah to Moshiach and back again and again. The context of v.9 seems to indicate that Y’hovah is speaking to Moshiach. Vv.10-12 seems to be Moshiach commanding his people to sing Y’hovah’s praise to the world’s inhabitants. The isles there, by the way, are thought to mean Great Britain and the Americas. And it is the inhabitants of the isles that are being commanded to praise Y’hovah. But in v.13, Y’hovah goes forth to draw those same isles’ inhabitants to rebellion and war against Moshiach to be soundly defeated in battle, which I think means the ‘big show’, Armageddon pre-millennially or Gog uMagog post millennially or both. V.14 says he has restrained his wrath much longer than was necessary, but will really let it fly when he finally lets it go. This is another aspect of his mercy; that he withholds his wrath while there is a chance that men will repent, but when it is evident that they are given to their rebellion he will loose it in a quick and terrible manner, allowing the consequences to be felt as quickly and painlessly as possible.

In vv.16-21, while he brings swift and final destruction on his enemies, he takes mercy on his exiled children, leading the blind by paths they did not know. This implies that he is leading them while they are still in self-imposed darkness/blindness. Y’hovah does not forsake his people, even if they are temporarily blinded to something. He brings them along until they see that they are blind and repent, asking his forgiveness. Remember that when Y’hovah forgives, he forgets what he forgave, so that the slate is clean in his eyes. It is as if the sin never was. I think vv.16-17 may allude to the blind of Yehuda being awakened to Moshiach Yeshua, while the blind of Ephraim are awakened to Torah. He as much as says so in v.21 where he opens their eyes to Torah. In vv.18-19 it is obvious that he speaks of Yehudah and Ephraim and their myopia, seeing only what their elders have taught them, probably in the integrity of the elders’ hearts, but failing to see the truth taught by their estranged brother. Yehudah has 2 things to which they are blind; Moshiach and the primacy of written Torah over their traditions. Meanwhile Ephraim is also blind to 2 things; Torah, which is the Word of Y’hovah, and its primacy over OUR oral traditions.

The conclusion of the matter is that Y’hovah, in v.21, is “well pleased” for his Righteousness’ sake. What is Y’hovah’s Righteousness? I think it is his Torah, which is his Word, which was incarnated in the flesh of Moshiach Yeshua (Yochanan 1.1-3, 14).

Do you remember Hillel’s 2^nd law of biblical interpretation, gezerah shavah? It’s the idea that there are connections made between seemingly unrelated passages of scripture by the use of like phrases. We looked at a couple of instances last week. Gezerah shava is likened to a special thread that’s in the background of an intricate tapestry; that thread popping up to the surface briefly and then diving back into the background. Here we have the phrase ‘well pleased’. This is the first use of this phrase in the KJV, but it is used a total of 9 times, one of which is the quote of this verse in Mat.12, where Matthew says this prophecy is fulfilled in Yeshua. The other 7 uses are all in the Apostolic texts. Of those 7, 4 are in the gospels; 2 are at Yeshua’s birth and 2 are in the accounts of the transfiguration. All are the voice of Y’hovah telling humans to take notice of Yeshua in whom he is ‘Well Pleased’. 1 of the 3 in the epistles is in Peter’s account of the transfiguration, so that refers to Yeshua, as well. Do you suppose that there could be a gezerah shava that links this prophecy of the Moshiach and his ministry and Moshiach Yeshua being revealed to people? I think it very likely. Q&C

 

Tehellim 7 – David is singing a song to Y’hovah about Cush ben Yemini, David’s enemy. This may be a template for us to use when speaking to Y’hovah about our enemies. From what I gather in the opening verses, Cush was making unfounded accusations against David and David was making his need known to Y’hovah. I think the structure of this psalm is as follows

Vv1-2 David’s hallel of Y’hovah

            vv.3-5 David’s innocence of any wrongdoing

                        vv.6 Y’hovah rises to David’s defense

                                    vv.7-8 Y’hovah’s people respond in trust of Y’hovah

                                                v.9 sea change to Y’hovah’s response to the wicked

                                    vv.10-11 Y’hovah defends his people who trust him

                        vv.12-13 Y’hovah defeats the enemies of his people and himself

            vv.14-16 the mode of the wicked’s defeat was of his own making

V.17 David’s hallel of Y’hovah for his defense of his people.

David’s actual opening sentence to Y’hovah is in v.1a-2, where he tells Y’hovah that he is placing all his trust in Him to deliver David from his persecutors. The way things are progressing in America and the world, beloved brethren, it will be increasingly important to remember how David approached Y’hovah here, for He will be the difference between a fair trial and a kangaroo court or a star chamber proceeding under color of Law. The term ‘kangaroo court’ is “slang for a court of law in which the violations of procedure, precedents and due process are so gross that fundamental justice is denied[4]” – refers originally to American West circuit judges who ‘hopped’ from town to town and were paid by the number of cases adjudicated and the amount of the fines imposed – like most traffic courts today. A star chamber proceeding is “any judicial or quasi-judicial action, trial or hearing which so grossly violates standards of ‘due process’ that the party appearing in the proceedings (hearing or trial) is denied a fair hearing[5]” – based on British courts where the outcome was pre-determined by the judge in favor of the King or his peers against the commoners or even one peer who was in less favor than another. In this world’s wicked judicial system, it will only be by the favor of Y’hovah that we ever get a fair hearing before an impartial judge and jury. This is the MAIN reason that it is important that you serve on a trial jury if you have the chance. YOU may be the only person there who will save the innocent from persecution. 1 juror decides in criminal proceedings by hanging a jury from ‘railroading’ a defendant. See the movie Twelve Angry Men with Henry Fonda, Lee K Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Martin Balsam, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman and Ed Begley – a truly GREAT movie and cast.

In vv.3-5 David maintains his innocence before the Supreme Shophet of the Universe, but submits to his decision, knowing that Y’hovah will bring a right ruling. In v.6 David quotes Moshe [kinda]

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moshe said, Rise up, Y’hovah, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. (Numbers 10:35)

When the people see in vv.7-8 that Y’hovah has come to David’s defense and judged according to David’s righteousness, they will also resort to him in their righteousness. I take it from these verses that if we want Y’hovah’s protection in the face of our enemies, they must be His enemies, as well. David relies on his own right relationship with Y’hovah, which strongly implies that he is blameless before Him. Blamelessness means that he is in obedience to his commands and has repented when he has transgressed asked for and received forgiveness. V.9 shows the contrast between how Y’hovah deals with the righteous and the wicked.

In vv.10-11 David shows how Y’hovah defends the righteous against the wicked and as a result is angry with the wicked for their persecution of His people. If the wicked do not repent in vv.12-13, they are in for it because Y’hovah’s sword has been sharpened and his bow (Yehudah) has been loaded with arrows (Ephraim).

12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; 13When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. (Zechariah 9:12-13)

In vv.12-13 ‘he’ refers to Y’hovah, but in vv.14-16 ‘he’ is the persecutor. You see that when we are persecuted or prosecuted for our integrity and righteousness in his Torah, Y’hovah uses us as his figurative arrows and bow to take them down. He will defeat them with their own machinations if we trust him and rely on him to fight for us. Q&C

 

2Timothy 2:8-19 – What does Sha’ul mean when he says ‘MY gospel’? Does he teach a different gospel than the gospel of Shalom w/Y’hovah? Has he become the same kind of heretic that he proclaimed as anathema in

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Moshiach unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Moshiach. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)?

Not on your life, he didn’t. His gospel was no different than Kefa’s of Ya’acov’s or Yochanan’s; to trust Y’hovah Yeshua’s finished and propitiatory work on the tree as ransom for our lives and then to follow the example that he set for us by the power of Ruach haKodesh in our hearts and lives.

Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. (I Corinthians 4:16

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Moshiach. (I Corinthians 11:1)

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (Philippians 3:17)

5 giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yeshua Moshiach. (2Kefa 1.5-8)

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness [I love that phrase; ‘unending flow of adikeios – wrong ruling’], and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (Ya’akov.1.21-25)

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of Elohim perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 Yochanan 2.4-6)

And Yeshua walked in complete obedience to his own Word – Torah instructions. And so did Sholiach Sha’ul. And so ought we.

Now Paul says that he suffered for the sake of the gospel of Shalom. He tells us elsewhere that those who are causing his suffering in the flesh are ‘of the CC’

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of Ruach haKodesh. (Acts 10:45)

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: (Titus 1:10) [not an exhaustive listing by any means]

And they are causing his imprisonment in Rome, whence this letter was written around 65-67CE. Had it not been for the CCers, who thought that only the CCd were ‘saved’ and in order for a gentile to be CCd, he had to go through a long and rigorous conversion process, which process Yeshua criticized (Matthew 23:15), Sha’ul would never have gone to Rome. Though Paul is in bonds, the Word is not bound at all.

In v.10 it is because he has liberty to teach Torah (v.9), even while under house arrest, that he is able to go on for the sake of the elect of Y’hovah, that they may find safety in Moshiach Yeshua amidst everlasting honor. When we are in Moshiach, who intrinsically has all honor, we are found smack dab in the middle of that limitless honor, or glory. If we are dead (to ourselves) in him, we will be found alive in him (v.11); if we suffer with him, we will also reign with him (v.12) and if we deny him, he will deny us. He told us this with his own mouth

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 10:33)

If we go still further and disbelieve (v.13), decide to abandon our trust in Y’hovah, he will be true to himself and allow us to go – he will not deny himself. He will be faithful and true to Torah and El Elyon, even if it means losing us, whom he has proven he loves more than his own physical life.

Up to v.13 Shaul is reinforcing things that Timothy already knows, but in v.14ff he turns to giving instruction to Timothy in how to pastor the flock. I think that Paul apprenticed Timothy to take his place upon his decease, as Gamaliel had groomed Sha’ul 30-40 years before. I think most of the supplied by the translator words in this passage are in context. They don’t seem to take away or change the meaning of the actual text. The italicized word that repeats itself a few times, them, actually keeps the flow and context going. The them being supplied refers to the ‘elect’ of Y’hovah, and the context would indicate that the addition is proper to disambiguating the translated passage.

“These things” in V.14 refers back to the ‘faithful saying’ of vv.11-13. The phrase faithful saying means that you can take what it says to the bank and draw interest on it. If you make that saying a part of your regular thought process, you will profit greatly. And not just to your own profit, but also to the profit of those whom you exhort to the same truth. So exhort the elect to remember these things; if they reckon themselves dead in him, they will find themselves living in him; if they suffer persecution in him, they will also reign in him; if they deny him, he will deny them; if they leave off trusting Y’hovah, he will allow them to walk away like the father did the prodigal son, for he cannot and will not abandon his Word on which the whole Creation depends. Paul further instructs Timothy to warn the elect about strife over words or concepts that are unprofitable to the spiritual growth of the elect.

THIS is something the church and the Messy believers have completely overlooked. We are constantly on about words to the detriment of the unity of believers, ‘to the subverting of the hearers’. What I am about to say will likely cause anger in some. Please try to understand that it ought not to be so. I am only trying to unpack this passage and help to bring understanding that our strife in due to our own lack of humility before Y’hovah; that when we strive over these things it is because “it’s either my way of the highway”.

When we dispute over things like whether his Name is Y’hovah or Yahweh or YaHuWaH or whatever to the point of angrily separating over what is obviously a ‘doubtful’ thing (Rom.14.1, if it were not doubtful there would be no dispute), we are playing haSatan’s game

16 These six doth Y’hovah hate: yea, seven an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Prov.6.16-19)

Allowing ourselves to get angry over the proper pronunciation of a Name from a language that was DEAD for 15 centuries and just revived in the last 100 years is the essence of this exhortation. The proper pronunciation of the Creator’s Name is important, but it is NOT so important to HIM that he expects us to divorce ourselves from people whom we disagree with about it. The guy who says it MUST be pronounced this way or spelled that way and will not fellowship with any who disagrees with him is prideful in the extreme. He will end up with about 2 people to fellowship with, and even THEY will separate over some other even LESS important thing later on. What is important is what Y’hovah has very clearly spelled out for us in Torah (in the most basic sense – instructions lying between the Title page of B’reishith and the last period of Rev.22.21). Men’s interpretations of what falls in that range are ALL doubtful and should NOT subvert our echad fellowship. Enough about that.

In v.15 Sha’ul instructs Timothy to study Tanakh to show himself an approved workman who can separate the truth of scripture from the meaningless, empty words (v.16) of the Gnostics and other heretics, because they will lead to even greater ungodliness than the aforementioned ‘doubtful disputations’. The vain babblings of v.16 are exemplified in Hymenaeus and Philetus (vv.17-18), who taught that the resurrection had already occurred and undermined/subverted the faith of many who were on the path toward trusting Y’hovah. It would be better if a millstone were hung around their necks and they were thrown in the depths of the sea (Matt.18.6, Mk.9.42, Lk.17.2).

In v.19, Sha’ul makes the point I made above; that the Word of Y’hovah is the only sure thing about which believers should have no meaningful dispute. Y’hovah knows his own sheep

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. … 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be Moshiach, tell us plainly. 25 Yeshua answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave me, is greater than all; and no is able to pluck out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and Father are one. (Yochanan 10.14-18, 24-30)

Not only does Y’hovah know his own, but his own depart from iniquity. Iniquity is legal and moral wrongness. To use a single word, Torahlessness. Torah, the instructions of Yeshua to his people, is the foundational truth on which the rest of scripture is built. Moshiach’s given Name is Yehoshua, which means Y’hovah is salvation or deliverance. Salvation or deliverance from what?; From blindness, from sickness, from physical disability, from the 2^nd death, from that which is the cause of all those maladies, the spiritual exile that is ours as a result of our sin, our Torahlessness. Q&C

End of Shabbat Bible Study