In this teaching we are reviewing the Biblical holiday system that God established in Leviticus 23. Often referred to as God's Appointed Feasts. We are going to take a closer look at an aspect of the 4th holiday - Feast of Weeks. In Hebrew the holiday is called Shavuot which is the Hebrew word for 'weeks.' God says in Leviticus 23: "you are to count off seven full weeks" Lev. 23:15 The very next sentence then says: "You shall count off fifty days until the day after the seventh Sabbath" Lev. 23:26 "Fifty days" in Greek is Pentecost. Many Christians believe that Pentecost is only a Christian holiday because we find the Greek translation in Acts 2. Not true. The holiday was started with Moses and continues on till today in Jewish synagogues around the world under the Hebrew name Shavuot. The Jewish custom is to celebrate God delivering his Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai on Shavuot. Today's teaching will compare Moses and God's Torah with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Holiday ResourcesFree: Our Daily Bread, Discovery Series (download PDF): "The Holiday's of God: Spring Feasts"
Free: Our Daily Bread Discovery Series (download PDF): "The Holiday's of God: Fall Feasts" Books: "God's Day Timer" - Mark Blitz "God's Appointed Times" - Rabbi Barney Kasden "The Feasts of the Lord" - Howard & Rosenthal
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In this final video on the idea of Covenant, we'll look at the use of covenant language in an ancient Near East marriage proposal.
Throughout Israel's history, they have viewed the events at Mount Sinai after the Exodus from Egypt as a "wedding" between them and God. God, of course, is the Bridegroom and Israel is the Bride. The metaphor for the covenant relationship established between the people and God is that of a marriage. This symbolism is carried throughout the Hebrew bible and right through the New Testament as the early Jewish disciples are describing the new covenant relationship between their community and Jesus as the Messiah. Hence, in the Book of Revelation, John describes the church community as the 'bride of Christ.' Additionally, as we will see in this video, Jesus uses the cultural language for a marriage proposal during the final Passover meal with his disciples. This language comes from the Mount Sinai covenant story in Exodus (Ex. 24:8). Jesus uses the metaphor of a marriage proposal and the Bridegroom going back to the 'father's house' to prepare a new room for his bride. The disciples would understand that one day, when all was prepared, the bridegroom would return to get them and the marriage would be complete. When you engage in the sacrament of communion and raise the cup of wine to your lips, you are, in cultural language, saying to Jesus, "I do." And once you commit to that relationship, you must remain faithful. In this lesson we look at symbolism used during the covenant with Noah and then some issues surrounding covenant language.
After God destroys the earth with a flood he makes a covenant of peace with Noah which he says "I will not destroy the earth again with a flood." Then, God memorializes this covenant with a sign which will remind people for all time of his promise. In this video we take a closer look at the symbolism from the view point of the ancient Near East culture. Finally, we look at the language Jesus used during his final Passover meal with his disciples. Jesus inserts language used in Exodus as the people are ratifying the covenant with God. Using the imagery of covenant ratification we can look deeper into the sacrament of communion to see that we too, are once again, ratifying the covenant to say "We will obey!!" In this teaching we take a closer look at the covenant ratification ceremony between God and Abraham.
The story is told in Genesis 15 and is full of symbolism. For many Christians - since we do not understand the symbolism of the story - we miss the deep meaning of the ceremony. Covenants are woven into the fabric of the ancient Near Eastern culture where the Biblical stories take place. The Bible as a whole is structured around covenants and covenant mediators: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. Covenants are a legal mechanism to create a relationship where one did not exist previously. God then uses the cultural concept of covenant to communicate his relationship with his people. Given the prominence of covenants in the scripture, it is quite helpful for Christians to understand the basics. The concept of a covenant will help you to deepen your understanding of the Bible. For further study on this subject an excellent starting point is the book The Epic of Eden by Dr. Sandra L. Richter. This book is very accessible to non-scholars and provides a solid foundation of the structure of the text.
God establishes a system of seven holidays - appointed feasts - which are all outlined in Leviticus 23. Understanding the depths of these holidays - and how Jesus fulfills them - is a goldmine for Christians. With the Passover holiday approaching, we decided to do a review of all of the holidays, and how the writers of the New Testament weave them into the biblical text. See the files below help with the information:
If you are not familiar with God's Holidays - which we review in this video - a great resource is from RBC Ministries: Discovery Series which are linked here:
The Holidays of God: Spring Feasts which cover Passover, Unleavened Bread, and the Festival of Weeks The Holidays of God: Fall Feasts which covers the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Day of Atonement, and the Festival of Tabernacles. Creation and the Renewal of Time (pt. 2 of 2)Genesis & the Cycle of RenewalThis is a continuation of our first video about the "Renewal of Time" and how human beings long to have time renewed. In the creation narrative of Genesis 1 - 3 - we find a series of seven symbols. These seven symbols are then repeated throughout the biblical text at major points of transition - or renewal. We can follow this pattern from the creation, to Noah, to the Exodus, to Joshua, and finally all the way up to Jesus. This pattern also seems to play out in our lives as we are continually renewed along our path of spiritual growth. Class Handout:
Creation and the Renewal of Time (pt. 1 of 2)Within the depths of humanity lies an innate yearning to rejuvenate time, or in biblical terms, to redeem time. Time becomes old, it seems wasted. The mistakes and missteps of the past begin to pile up and we crave a release from the past and a new beginning going forward. This profound concept is not confined to the traditions of Israel alone but resonates throughout the rich tapestry of ancient cultures in the Near East, echoing through millennia (for further insights, refer to "Man and Temple" by Patai). Moreover, the very pages of the Bible bear witness to this enduring theme. In our inaugural video, we delve into the biblical holiday known as the "Festival of Trumpets" and traverse the passages of the Gospel of John to illuminate this timeless notion. In our upcoming sequel, Part 2, we embark on a journey through the symbols embedded in the creation narrative of Genesis 1-3. These symbols continue to resurface throughout the biblical narrative, marking pivotal moments of renewal, culminating in the profound significance of Jesus himself. Join us as we unravel the profound depths of these ancient truths and their enduring relevance! Some resources to dig deeper into this topic: Man and Temple: In Ancient Jewish Myth and Ritual by Raphael Patai Myth of the Eternal Return: Cosmos and History by Mercea Eliade Finally.. Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N.T. Wright If you are not familiar with God's Holidays - which we review in this video - a great resource is from RBC Ministries: Discovery Series which are linked here:
The Holidays of God: Spring Feasts which cover Passover, Unleavened Bread, and the Festival of Weeks The Holidays of God: Fall Feasts which covers the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Day of Atonement, and the Festival of Tabernacles. A Jewish-Christian putting their faith on display by carving an anchor-cross into the menorah etched into this marble column. The column was found in the ancient city of Laodicia. The menorah reflects a traditional Jewish depiction with the candelabra flanked by a shofar (upper right) and a lulav (palm frond) (lower right).
The owner of the marble marble column - to a shop? or house? - put their faith on display for the world to see. How much more should we do the same today. What makes this particular Menorah-Cross so special is that the flames of the candelabra are still burning bright! "He will be like an Arar in the desert" Jeremiah 17:6 Who will be like an Arar in the desert? The one who "trusts in man" Jeremiah 17:5 The desert "wasteland" east of Jerusalem is brutal. Very little if any rain falls. It's hot and dry year round. The Dead Sea - pictured above in the background - is at an elevation of -1400 feet. Needless to say, not much grows. It is easy to imagine walking in the heat of the day - no water, no food, and the sun beating down. Suddenly you notice something green ahead of you. It looks so lush!! The leaves are huge and green!! How can it be? In the midst of nothing but rocks and sand is an amazing green plant. Is there fruit on it? It looks as though you can see some... You move closer. You see a fruit like object hanging from below the wide green leaves. You're thirsty and hungry. Your mouth waters thinking about taking a bite of this juicy fruit. You pick it off the plant. It feels plump! You squeeze it to break through the skin to get to the watery fruit inside!! Pffft...nothing but air and dust. That feeling of plumpness was only the air. What's on the inside? No nourishing, life-giving pulp - just strands of nothing and a seed. It looks so good on the outside, but when you got close enough you realized it is an empty shell. "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. " "He will be like a bush (arar) in the wastelands" Jeremiah's metaphor suddenly becomes clear: the person who "trusts in man" may look "full of life" on the outside - like this arar growing near Massada. They may appear to bear delightful fruit. But when you get closer - that fruit that looked so good from a distance - turns out to be emptiness and a mirage. Maybe you recognize these qualities in yourself. Maybe you know someone in your life who is an arar. On the outside they appear to be life giving - but after you got close to them you realize they are an empty shell. After teaching this lesson in a large church class a young man - mid-twenties - approached me. He appeared to be quite moved. He said, "That was me. I was an arar. On the outside I was put together. People thought I was successful. I selfishly used this appearance to take advantage of people, particularly girls my age that I manipulated into a sexual relationship. They placed their trust in me quickly." "But in the end - I was a destructive force. I would manipulate and then move on to the next victim. In the end - I brought death, not life." "The good news though," he said, "is that an arar is not beyond the power of God to restore. When I turned to God I was deeply convicted and began to see - like God sees - how destructive my behavior was. I repented. I am being transformed on the inside. I see others - particularly women I am friends with - as full human beings, with wants and needs and emotions and desires. Not as an object to be used. I have hope that God can restore me further in the future." He was correct. Jeremiah continues... "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him, They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." |
Teacher Scott Broberg - I have a Masters of Divinity (MDiv) from Bethel Seminary - San Diego - Biblical Studies with and emphasis on the Old Testament. Categories
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Favorite Websites:
- Ladder of Jacob
- Our Rabbi Jesus - That the World May Know - Early Jewish Writings - Early Christian Writings - Abarim Publications - Hebrew 4 Christians - Holy Land Photos - Biblical Archaeology Society - Ancient Hebrew Research Center - First Fruits of Zion - Jerusalem Perspective - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks - Flavius Josephus.org - Bible Archaeology Report - Hebrew Streams - Biblical Resources Archives
July 2024
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