The following is continuation of the Flood narrative based on the research I have been doing for the Torah I am writing. If you have ever wanted to know more than was available with a simple reading of the Scripture, this will help.
Genesis 6 – The Purpose of the Flood
Genesis 7 – The Deluge
Genesis 8 – The Flood abates
Genesis 7 is lacking in details, so Biblically endorsed – extra biblical sources are needed. These include, but are not limited to, the Book of Jasher (“written in the book of Jasher” – 2Samuel 1:18 and Joshua 10:13); The First book of Enoch (referred to as 1Enoch); and the Book of Jubilees.
John Henry
Though they are not considered canon, they contain details and stories that the Hebrews would have known and understood, much like early American folklore. Those that know the story of John Henry do not believe a lone man dug a tunnel through a mountain, faster than a machine invented for that purpose, only to die as he finished. They do understood and are disquieted by the idea of man being replaced by a machine.
Dennis Prager has a good commentary (Rational Bible: Genesis), but he doesn’t dig deep into the Flood story. His analysis is more notable in other areas of the Word.
I also borrowed (down-right stole, baby!) material from Jon McPherson’s commentary on Genesis located at his website, Berean Breadcrumbs. I marked where Jon made me dig deeper because his analysis using the shortcut, [BBC].
And Yahweh said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Genesis 7:1
“Righteous” – tsaddiyq / tsad-deek’ [H6662] just:–just, lawful, righteous (man). see H6663 – tsadaq / tsaw-dak’ [H6663] a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):–cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).
Yahweh reminds us, again, that Noah was righteous . . . he did not make himself righteous.
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
Genesis 7:2-3
7:2 Clean and unclean animals were already understood to be a thing before they were annotated in the Law by Moses.
Many are amazed to find out that Noah was commanded to take more than two of certain animals unto the ark. He needed more than two of the clean beasts, because he made a sacrifice to Yahweh when they all disembarked after the Flood (verse 8:20-21). This would have led to the extinction of most of the clean animals if he had only taken two.
7:3 One might surmise that any multitude of birds would have found their way onto the ark once the waters buried their roosting places, but the ark had only one window and it stayed closed the first forty days during the worst of the storms. The birds could have landed on the ark, but they would have been unable to get to the food stored inside.
For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Genesis 7:4
This reads that ‘the destruction begins in seven days’ and corresponds with verse 10. Speculation is that Methuselah died and Noah’s family mourned for seven days. Another supposition is that Noah’s sons married their wives immediately before the flood and the seven days were necessary for the couples to “fulfill the [wedding] week”.
“forty days and forty nights” – like the expression, “the evening and the morning” speak to a specific number of day – in this case, forty (see the note at verse 7:17-18).
And Noah did according unto all that Yahweh commanded him.
Genesis 7:5
One of the reasons Noah was called righteous.
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as Elohim had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Genesis 7:6-10
7:6-10 repeat of some of the earlier information.
7:9 This is not a contradiction of verse 2. It is not saying ‘only’ two of every animal, but rather that each animal had a mate. This also reiterates Yahweh preference for monogamy. Polygamy is never banned, but it is never seen as an ideal relationship in all the references to it in the Word.
7:10 Water is a cleansing agent. Moses is told that when the people become unclean, or impure, that washing themselves with water was part of the ritual for restoring the person back to an unpolluted state.
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Genesis 7:11
Water beneath the crust of the Earth (Psalms 33:7; 136:6) is under intense pressure. The results are seen in numerous springs that spew forth worldwide. The further underground that the pockets of water reside, the greater the pressure because of the weight of the ground above it.
A large meteor collision in Greenland, like the one in Chicxulub, Mexico (could they have been two chunks of the same meteor?) could have broken up the ice layer around the Earth as well as split the crust of the Earth to such a degree that the water underneath would have burst free from their deep basins. This combination of the fountains of the great deep and the sub-zero ice could be responsible for the flood and the ice-age (Walter Brown, Fountains of the Great Deep – Hydroplate Theory).
And on that day, the Lord caused the whole earth to shake, and the sun darkened, and the foundations of the world raged, and the whole earth was moved violently, and the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared, and all the fountains in the earth were broken up, such as was not known to the inhabitants before; and God did this mighty act, in order to terrify the sons of men, that there might be no more evil upon earth.
Jasher 6:11
Yahweh rained down judgment on man, at His choosing, in several recorded incidents: Sodom and Gomorrah – Genesis 19:15-25; grievous fire and hail – Exodus 9:22-25; Elijah and the contest with the prophets of Ba’al – Exodus 18:30-39.
Something sudden and catastrophic would have been required to produce flash-frozen Mammoths that were both still standing and that had food in their mouths (Did the Frozen Mammoths Die in the Flood or in the Ice Age?), and animals fossilized at the moment of giving birth (Stunning Fossils: Mother Giving Birth). These types of phenomenon (along with many others)the ones mentioned in the introduction of the Torah I am writing) could not happen naturally and are lasting evidence of the great Flood (Anomalies and Misplaced Fossils).
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:12
The “rains” lasted 40 days and nights. The flood created by the rains lasted nearly a year. The seventeenth day of the second month (verse 7:11) through the first day of the first month (verse 8:13).
13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
Genesis 7:13-15
7:13-15 One again, the animals are referred to as “after their kind” unlike the animals that are outside the ark, many of which would have been hybrids.
And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as Elohim had commanded him: and Yahweh shut him in.
Genesis 7:16
Elohim, himself, shuts them into the ark.
17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. 18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 7:17-18
“The flood was forty days upon the earth” – the number forty is not always an exact number, but it denotes a time of significance (e.g., Israel wandering in the wilderness; Christ in the wilderness). This is probably the literal number of the days that the waters continued to rise based on the use “forty days and forty night” in verse 4. Whenever the Word uses ‘day and night’, it is being definitive.
The ark “went upon the face of the waters.” It only needed to float and not capsize. It did not need to steer – there was no where to go.
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
Genesis 7:19
All the high hills were covered – the great mountains probably did not exist, yet. When water vapor condenses into rain droplets, it releases heat in a process referred to as ‘latent heat of condensation’. If the flood had been high enough to cover Mount Everest, it would have cooked everyone in the ark, causing their death.
The great mountains would have been formed by the shifting tectonic plates that had been forced by the violence of the waters escaping their deep basins. Most mountain ranges run generally North and South, as do the great trenches in the ocean.
Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
Genesis 7:20
Fifteen cubits equals 262.5 feet (80 meters).
It is unclear whether the water was 262 feet above sea level (one would still be able to see the torch held aloft by the Statue of Liberty had it existed, then) or 262 feet above the highest hilltop. I believe the latter since the great pyramid is 481 feet tall – it is reported to have been built 200 years before the flood (Brian Handwerk – National Geographic – Pyramids at Giza).
Josephus writes that “a great pillar” (the great pyramid) was built to store special wisdom (the many writings of Enoch? – 1Enoch 82:1-3) and protect it from a predicted flood (Flavius Josephus – The Antiquities of the Jews: 1.2.3.). Isaiah also refers to the Great Pyramid as a pillar (Isaiah 19:19).
21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
Genesis 7:21-22
The ark would have been known to everyone (it was the largest wooden ship ever built), so when the rains continued and the flooding began, 700,000 men and women descended on the ark and demanded admittance.
The animals still surrounding the ark (the ones not chosen to be admitted to the ark) were probably also trying to get in the ark. With the window sealed, none could get in, but the commotion of the animals and men clamoring over the vessel must have been unnerving. The frustrated animals proceeded to attack the frustrated men and drive them off (Jasher 6:16-25).
And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Genesis 7:23
When we choose to be baptized, we symbolically end our old life and begin anew with Yeshua (the living waters – John 7:38) as our Lord and Savior. [BBC]
And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
Genesis 7:24
The waters quit raising after forty days but the slow abatement of the flood water meant the Earth remained covered for another 110 days.
The Hebrew calendar has twelve months, each with only 28 days. Leap Months are added at different intervals to correct for the seasons.
Next week I plan to expound upon Chapter 8 – The abatement of the Flood waters.
Why does Yahweh drown the world, destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and swallow up large groups of Israelites during the wilderness wanderings? Were these incidents worse than what the Nazis and Communists committed in the last century?
What was it that inflamed the anger of Yahweh to personally extinguish these ancient miscreants and why doesn’t He act accordingly, today? Is He different, today?
If Yahweh is righteous, then He must judge. A judge may have mercy, but if they exercise only mercy, then there is no justice.
Elohim judges Adam and Eve and evicts them from the Garden. He does not do this in anger, rather He judges it is better for man to die and be resurrected in a new body than to live eternally in a sinful body. Adam and Eve must be separated from the Tree of Life for their own good (see my blog Tree of Life vs Everlasting Life).
Righteous judgment can only be made from an established standard and the equal and uniform enforcement of the standard is a measure of justice. We enter into contracts and treaties – demanding that the conditions of these instrument be adhered to, but not all standards are agreed upon arrangements.
A child does not ask to be born and it is not consulted when the parents decide upon the guidelines that must be followed in their home. When a parent judges that a child has broken the rules, then the parent disciplines the child to re-enforce them to the standard to be obeyed.
When a child plays in the street or with an electric socket, the parent may scold the child. Repetition of the offense may require more stern measures be taken – not out of anger, but out of a desire to ensure the child does not suffer serious injury or death.
Yahweh created life and set a standard for living it. We were not consulted, but as adults we are given the opportunity to embrace a covenant with the Creator. He has set a standard for life and for salvation and there is a consequence for refusing to follow those standards.
Not every bad thing that happens is Yahweh’s ‘righteous repercussion’. Many falsely blame the Father for the consequences of their own actions.
It was often said (and is probably still repeated) that, “HIV is God’s judgment on homosexuals”. This claim is ridiculous for several reasons:
Some people who have never committed homosexuality have gotten HIV,
Not all homosexuals get HIV, and
Not all who get HIV die of AIDs.
If HIV is ‘god’s judgment’, then He is a poor and arbitrary judge.
Some desire an adrenaline rush by parachuting from a plane. To others, that’s not enough of a rush, so they BASE (Buildings, Antennas, Spans [bridges], and Earth) jump. BASE jumping is forty-three times more likely to result in death than is jumping from a plane (most-dangerous-sports-in-the-world). We have the freedom of our actions, but not of the consequences of them.
In the same way, promiscuous, homosexual behavior is the largest contributing factor to getting HIV, so the disease is largely conditional on human behavior rather than a heavenly transmitted judgment.
Driving a car has perils associated with it . . . driving drunk has numerous additional hazards. Our bad behavior has consequences, but not every time and not always to the same level.
When Yahweh destroyed the world by flood, the consequence was the same for all. He didn’t, however, decide one day that He needed to destroy the Earth and start over.
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Genesis 6:5-7
The Word tells us, in Genesis 6:3, that Yahweh will flood the Earth 120 years after He has rendered His judgment. Yes, time was needed for an ark to be built (estimated at 70 – 75 years), but it was also a time for mankind to repent of their wickedness if they so desired . . . which they did not.
Abram was promised that the land of Canaan would be given to his ancestors, but not for many hundreds of years. Why so long?
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Genesis 15:13-16
Yahweh did not condemn the Amorites to extinction, yet. They were given time to repent, which they did not do.
The same verses speak to the judging of Egypt (which is not named here). Yahweh decreed numerous plagues before he stuck down the first born. They had numerous opportunities to repent and did not.
One nation that did repent was Nineveh. Jonah was commanded by Yahweh to preach in Nineveh, but he didn’t want to because he knew of the prophecy that in the future, Nineveh would become great and defeat Israel.
Jonah boarded a ship that would take him away from Nineveh, believing he could hide from Yahweh and Nineveh would be destroyed because of their wickedness. When the ship he was on was besieged by a huge storm, Jonah convinced the folks onboard that he was the reason for the storm and that it would end if they threw him overboard – so they did.
The storm ceased and Jonah was swallowed by a whale that swam to Nineveh and vomited him up unto the beach three days later. Unlike the story of Pinocchio, it is impossible to survive even fifteen minutes inside a huge fish. Yeshua alludes to this when he refers to Jonah in Matthew 12:40.
4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Jonah 3:4-5, 10
The consequence of sin is everlasting death, but, if you are still alive (hard for you to be reading this if you weren’t), then your sentence has not been finalized, yet. There is time, but no one knows how much time they have.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 18:21-23
Sin (lawlessness) hurts the sinner and, collaterally, the believers. This is why Paul tells the believers to excommunicate unrepentant sinners in their community (1Corinthians 5). Failure to judge signals that the community acquiesces to the sin, making it more likely to be repeated by others.
His anger against those that violate His Law will not be restrained indefinitely. Repent while there is time (see my blogs, Born Again? and Born Again, Part 2).
If you love people, do not encourage them to sin. It is not “courageous” to commit sin. It is not okay to premeditatedly kill ‘a clump of tissue’. It is not praiseworthy to celebrate pagan festivals by claiming they are somehow linked to Jesus (see my blog, Really Awful Worship).
We are to judge each other (anyone who tells you, “only God can judge me”, is ignoring the numerous scriptures that command us to judge and is probably doing something they know is wrong) to the standard of the Word – not for condemnation, but to reclaim a lost soul.
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Ezekiel 18:24-28, 32
Turn – live.
If you are unaware of Yahweh’s standards (unfortunately, an overwhelming number of Christian churches do not teach the Torah in favor of a blasphemy called “dispensationalism”), I have written an easy reference guide that you may find useful.
GRAFTED: Embracing Torah is not a substitute for you delving into the Word for yourself, but it can kick-start your studies.
Christians claim that Paul ‘clearly writes that the Law is done away with through Yeshua.’ If fact all of Christianity is based on the ‘clear’ understanding that Paul taught there is a new doctrine and a new covenant.
Yet Peter (who got the same revelations) tells us that Paul’s letters are “hard to understand” and that ignorant and unstable people twist his words to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:15-17). Peter lived at the same time as Paul – they shared the same language, customs, and faith, so we can assume that he knew Paul better than we do, so if Peter said that Paul’s words on the law of God were difficult to understand, then his words on the law of God are indeed difficult to understand.
We have no reason to doubt Peter’s first hand testimony about Paul’s letters in the first century. Peter obviously read those letters and knew the subject matter intimately. Who are we to say anything different 2,000 years of history and culture removed? Paul certainly did not become any easier to understand. So using Paul to say that “we are not under the law of God” is nothing new . . . Peter already warned us some 2,000 years ago about that error, and in fact, he called it the error of lawless people. So let us begin examining some of the reasons Paul is so difficult to understand.
We should want to be very careful in understanding Paul in matters of the law of God. It is very easy to make Paul appear as though he is contradicting himself. Thus, there are at least six problems we all should attempt to avoid in our reading of Paul. Meaning anytime we read Paul, to take Peter’s warning into consideration, we want to make sure that we do the following to avoid the six common problems in understanding him.
1) We need to examine the back of the Bible in light of the front of the Book. The Bible constantly reuses Biblical terms that are already defined for us if we are willing to seek them out. We need to examine the Bible holistically, and not ignore what was already written in the Word. Remember, there was no “New Testament” in the time of Paul.
2) We need to make sure that we are not verse plucking out of Paul’s letters. Paul’s teachings bring in the wealth of knowledge he acquired over decades of learning – he did not dabble in sound-bites. We also need to remember that a letter is a letter and is intended to be read from front to back. We also need to recognize that the letters are not to us, but to a specific group of people with specific problems.
3) We also need to not place so much trust in man. Just because our favorite teacher, pastor, etc., gives their own opinion on how to understand Paul, that does not mean you should not challenge that perspective and Test Everything. Even in the first century, Peter mentioned that self-proclaimed teachers and experts were making the same mistake of using Paul to teach against the Law of God. We do not want to fall into the same trap, especially since Peter specifically warned us beforehand.
4) We also need to realize, that just like there are popular debates today, there were popular debates that were occurring in the first century. There were Jewish sects and denominations each with their own corrupted views of the Scriptures. Many times, Paul is teaching against a particular Jewish sect, and their doctrine, not the Law of God. This is revealed using historical evidence, and even Paul’s own letters.
5) All of us have a past, preconceived ideas and glasses that we use to read the Scriptures. We need to be aware of those glasses, and be willing to take them off to see the Scriptures with our own eyes, to understand what the Bible really says. Sometimes this involves goings slow and taking a deep breath. Sometimes the best approach is to assume nothing, and Test Everything.
6) Lastly, we need to understand that Paul uses the word “law” in many different contexts and ways, at least six different ways:
(1) the Law of Sin (Romans 7:23-25)
(2) the Law of Sin and Death (Romans 8:12)
(3) the Law of Faith (Romans 3:27)
(4) the Law of Righteousness (Romans 9:31)
(5) the Law of God (Romans 3:31; 7:22-25; 8:17)
(6) the Law of Christ (Romans 8:2; 1Corinthians 9:21)
We need to understand which “law” Paul is writing about; use context to define these laws; and understand how they relate, or don’t relate to us in the faith.
119 Ministries has a wonderful, multi-video, in-depth examination of Paul and his writing entitled, “The Pauline Paradox”. Make the time.
This is the draft I promised. I am very giddy with excitement. Yes it needs a lot of polishing, but the info is what is important.
I had to break the work into two parts because it is over 400 pages and WordPress is balking at its size. I plan on getting it onto Amazon as soon as possible, even though it is a draft, because many people want to feel the pages of a book
Feel free to lovingly make suggestions and report grammatical corrections. This is a labor of love and I want to do it the justice it deserves. Thanks
I said ‘goodbye’ to a brother in Christ, yesterday. I had known him for years and he was a fellow workman in the ministry I used to be a part of.
When I left the ministry (though not the faith), I tried to maintain contact with my denominational family. I was often asked why I left because the minister was charismatic and popular. I confided with a few, but I declined to explain to most because it was personal to me and I did not want to set up a situation where people felt they had to choose one of us over the other (make no aversions, I was not the choice they were going to make), like what happens when a married couple divorces and their friends find it awkward to remains friends with both parties even though they were close with both.
Then, my awakening happened. I’ve spoken of my revelation before and my renewed and energized study of the scriptures.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Timothy 2:15
There is nothing quite as cute (and irritating) as the zeal of a convert. There is also nothing quite as ugly as the persecution of the apostate (a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.) that has left the church. Muslims go as far as demanding the killing of apostates (Why is the Apostate to be Executed in Islam).
I have not left the faith though I no longer teach the dispensational doctrines associated with my former ministry. I still teach salvation through faith in Christ, which is (or should be) the bedrock of all Christian dogma.
No one that I know of has demanded my death (the closest has been my wife, who, with good cause, has fantasized about it for decades), but I have been the subject of false claims of heresy.
It is common to try to marginalize the outcast so that others do not follow in their path. My previous minister (the one I broke from) was earlier compared to a child molester when he was fired from the ministry he had started. There was no accusation of child abuse, but the comparison was an intentional smear to marginalize him and shrink the number of people from moving to his new ministry.
The Apostle Paul was falsely accused of crimes against the faith. This begs the question of why would they have to ‘falsely’ accuse him if Paul was actually teaching against the Jewish faith? They should have been able to actually accuse him if he was speaking against the Torah.
The more years one spends in a denomination, the harder it is for them to conceive that their doctrine could contain error or that any other denominations may contain a greater understanding in some aspect of their faith. This is made easier by the construction of simple adages that aid in avoiding examination of any perceived (or real) contradictory belief held by others.
Been there – done that.
I remember when the Roman Catholic church taught us that Catholics were the only ones going to heaven. That made for some interesting conversations with my HS sweetheart who, as a Baptist, was taught only the Baptists were going to heaven. We both thought we could convert the other over time. Ahhhh, the presumptiveness of religions and teenagers.
I said ‘goodbye’ to a brother in Christ because of his continued misstatements (yes, lies) about what I was saying and teaching.
The issue concerned my teaching that once someone has accepted Christ as their savior, the believer should follow the whole Bible (including the Law of Moses). His interpretation of this was that I was teaching people that they had to follow the Law to be saved.
This is a blatant lie, told knowing, since I asked which of my dozens of blogs and hundreds of memes ever advocated a works’ salvation. I have never taught that obedience to the Law was required for salvation since the Word clearly states that nothing we can do will save us.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
I formerly taught, as he still does (and as 97.3% of the Christian world teaches) that the Law of Moses no longer applies to us because of the death and resurrection of Yeshua. I have come to understand that this is not true, which I would have understood sooner if I had embraced the Old Testament.
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Malachi 3:6
Most Christian churches embrace Malachi when he speaks to bringing in the tithes (Malachi 3:8-10), but not when he counters their dispensational belief that Yahweh treats us differently at different times in history.
The books of James and 1John consistently state that we manifest our faith through obedience to the Word.
Teaching that the ‘first half of the book’ no longer applies does not leave us with a Godly standard we can apply in order to manifest our faith. It leaves us with a personal interpretation of what “loving one another” looks like.
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mark 12:28-31
The Scribe understood that Yeshua was placing the ten Commandment into two groups – one group that dictates our relationship with Yahweh (no idols, Sabbath, taking His name in vain, etc.) and one that dictates our relationship with humans (no lying, stealing, murder, etc.).
The Scribe would not have responded, “thou hast said the truth”, if Christ had given some nebulous answer that did not tie itself to the Word.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34-35
What defines “loving one another” if it is separated from the Word? What if someone else defines it differently?
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 5:13-14
What defines “love thy neighbour as thyself” if it is separated from the Word? What if someone else defines it differently? What if they are a narcissist or a self-loather?
Yeshua, walked, talked, and ate the Scriptures. He never veered from the Law of Moses. He was controversial because he refused to follow Talmud (Jewish traditional ordinances) when it contradicted Moses and the prophets. This made him increasingly unpopular with the ruling religious leaders and led to his execution.
My book and my blogs examine what it means to follow Torah, since I had no idea of what that looked like because of my many decades of erroneously believing and teaching the Torah does not apply to Christians. I posted the first chapter of my book to help clarify what works are (Faith Without Works?).
Following Torah in the absence of faith in Christ is okay, since the Law of Moses is a great standard for living in a civil community, but it does not lead to salvation. Being a ‘good’ person is good, but it is not the standard of the Word for salvation.
Conversely, faith in Christ without works is dead (James 2:17, 26).
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 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 God 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. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1John 2:3-7
Following Torah does not require one become a Hebrew. Jews welcome converts, but Yahweh does not require conversion for salvation. Many non-Israelites left Egypt, also, after Yahweh had devastated the land and proved their gods to be impotent.
48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Exodus 12:48-49; see also Numbers 15:15-16
I said ‘goodbye’ to a brother in Christ and it saddens me – even as the separation of death hurts my soul. I pray for a reconciliation, but it is better to separate than to bring strife into the family.
I am open to debate and welcome it, because I will never believe that I fully understand scripture. I will not contest with someone that requires I argue and defend a position that I do not hold so that they do not have to examine a position that they do hold.
Check out my blogs at WordPress.com and decide for yourself.
As a side note, you will occasionally see a photo of me wearing a fuzzy hockey puck (a shtreimel – pronounced shtry-mull). I created this photo in response to the many people who have asked if I am a Jew or referred to me as a “Judaizer”. The photo makes me laugh . . . not only because it is such a bad example of photoshop, but because I enjoy taking a jab (in jest) at my friends who believe following the Law of God is impossible and burdensome. Yahweh says that neither is the case.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:20
Christianity teaches that Yeshua’s sacrifice freed us from sin and that Yahweh does not see our sins because they are covered by Yeshua’s blood. Once we “confess Yeshua as Lord” and “believe Yahweh raised him from the dead” (Romans 10:9-10), then we are guaranteed everlasting life. Living a good life afterward is nice but not necessary.
What does it mean to “confess someone as Lord”? I break down the criteria of “confessing” and “believing” at my blog site on WordPress.com (Born Again and Born Again – Part 2). This is not just an utterance of the right words (like an incantation), it is a deliberate commitment.
Joseph Stalin was a seminary student before joining the Communist Party in Russia. He later ruled the Soviet Union and oversaw the deaths of tens of millions of his own citizens as well as financing revolution throughout the world. Christianity teaches that if “Uncle Joe” (as FDR called him) was born again at some point before his venture into Communism, then he will be with us in paradise.
Christians often cite Galatians 2:16-21:
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Or Romans 8:1-4:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
I agree that salvation is through faith (not that it matters whether I agree or not – it is what the Word proclaims), but Scripture states that works are the evidence of our faith:
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? canfaith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not thosethings which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James 2:14-24; emphasis added
Paul continued to keep the Law throughout his life and was not shy to let people know: “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets” (Acts 24:14).
When we stand before the Judgment Seat (bema), we will be judged “least” or “greatest” in the kingdom (or somewhere in between):
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Romans 14:10-12
If faith in Christ is all we need, then what is the “account we must give” to Yeshua? Of course, we will be judged by our actions!
And what standard do you think he will use? No doubt the standard that Yeshua followed perfectly. Aren’t we called on to be like Christ? “Be ye followers of me [Paul], even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul admonishes the local church for allowing a man guilty of incest to remain within the body of believers:
1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Corinthians 5:1-5
The believers in Corinth knew of the sin, appeared to be ignoring the sin, and thereby acquiesced to the sin. The sinners were emboldened rather than chastised. They should have been counseled to reject their sin as the Word instructs (Matthew 18:15–17).
By neglecting to confront the sin, the community had (through omission) told the sinners that their behavior was acceptable and set an example that others might have followed. When we accept the unacceptable because of community standards or even praise the sinners as being “courageous,” we reinforce sin and condemn our brothers to destruction rather than redeem them to life.
Paul instructs that the man guilty of committing incest to be “delivered unto Satan for destruction.” This is more powerful than you might think. Being outside the religious community in a Roman-occupied land was very dangerous. Excommunication would force one to face the perils of everyday life alone until they eventually succumbed to the perils.
By removing them, it would force the sinners to reconsider their behavior and send a clear signal to the rest of the community that unrepentant sin would not be tolerated. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” but unrepentant sin can never be acceptable.
The “grace of God” that Paul speaks of in his epistles is not a blank check. It is not a “get-out-of-hell-free card”. Yahweh has not suspended His Law, and neither has His Son (as evidenced by the Word and by the lifestyles of the apostles). The Law (those aspects of it that can be followed today) is still necessary to navigate through this fallen world.
What Yahweh says about His Law:
It blesses and curses if it is done or not done (Deuteronomy 11:26–28; see also James 1:25).
It defines sin: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20; see also Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4).
It is perfect: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7).
It is liberty or freedom: “44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. 45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts” (Psalm 119:44–45; see also John 8:31–32).
It is Truth: “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth” (Psalm 119:142; see also John 8:31–32).
It is instruction on how to live or behave: “And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do” (Exodus 18:20; see also 1 Kings 2:1–3).
It is instruction on how to love Yahweh and others: “2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:2–3; see also Deuteronomy 6:5–9).
It is a light or the way of life: “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23; see also Psalm 119:105).
It is for both Jew and the Gentile who dwell with you: “15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you” (Numbers 15:15–16; see also Romans 11:16–27).
It is Yeshua: “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13; see also John 1:14).
Psalm 119 has 176 verses, and every one specifically mentions a word synonymous with the Law. His Commandments are pretty important to Him.
What Yahweh says about obedience to His Law:
It is our purpose or the whole duty of man: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
It is wise: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever” (Psalm 111:10; see also Psalm 19:7).
It is evidence of our faith: “3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 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 God 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” (1John 2:3-6; see also James 2:18).
It is how we love Yahweh and others: “5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” (2John 1:5-6; see also 1John 4:19; 2:3-6; 5:3).
It is not sinning: “1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1John 2:1-3; see also John 5:14; Romans 8:6).
It makes us His “peculiar” people: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine” (Exodus 19:5; see also Titus 2:14; 1Peter 2:8–9).
It is our delight: “1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2; see also Psalm 119:35; Proverbs 29:18).
It is instruction in righteousness: “16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2Timothy 3:16-17; see also 1John 3:7, 5:17).
It brings blessings and rewards: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:12; see also Psalm 119:1-2, 128:1).
Yahweh created life, and then He gave that life a code of conduct so that it could survive and prosper in a fallen world. We are still in enemy territory, and it would behoove us to continue in the ways that many of Yahweh’s greatest warriors swore by. He does not change, and neither does His desire for us to obey His guidance (Malachi 3:6-7).
Works do not bestow salvation. Faith plus works do not bestow salvation. Faith bestows salvation and is evidenced by works. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).
Back to our “friend” Joe Stalin (he’s my poster boy for losing salvation). The Word states that we have all “sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This is why we have the sacrifice of Yeshua to cover our misdeeds. Willful and rampant trespass is not the same thing. In fact, it is evidence that one is not saved through “grace”:
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:26-31
This would appear to imply that one can lose their salvation, and I am okay with Yeshua making Stalin take a swim in the “fiery lake,” even if Joe was “born again” in his youth. Is grace conditional? I find no place where we are encouraged to violate the Torah because sin no longer touches us.
In fact, Paul adamantly states, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Romans 6:15).
Does Yeshua allow himself to be mocked by the person who is “born again” and does whatever filthy act they desire? I don’t have the answer to this, but then, if you are reading this book, you are probably not seeking to treat salvation dishonorably. Do your best with what you know, then seek more knowledge.
You have a written record of what Yahweh has said is important. You also have the sacrifice of Yeshua to save you from eternal damnation. If you are thankful for life and life everlasting, why not show your thanks and do what you are commanded to do?
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 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 God 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. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Many believe and teach that the Bible is a collection of made-up stories (“many” include Christian leaders who do not believe in the divine authorship of the Word). Believing that the Word is a man-made construct ignores the many proofs the Torah contains that argue for its authenticity (The Bible: You Can Believe It! – John Schoenheit). Click on the link to read it online or on the book to purchase it at Amazon.
The God of the Bible is so revolutionary when compared to the gods of the pagans (and even the gods worshiped today – e.g., Allah is a contradiction of the God of the Torah, not another name for Him), that human progress could not have happened without His identification and adherence to the Word He gave to His people.
Here are over a dozen reasons why the God of the Torah is the most important “idea” in the history of the world:
1. The God introduced by the Torah is the first god in history to have been entirely above and beyond nature. One of the first things God tells humans is to exercise dominion over nature.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:26-28
This liberated humanity from believing it was controlled by nature, a revolution that made moral and scientific progress possible. Man was able to understand that he could study and ‘control’ nature, not worship and be vulnerable to its extremes.
A second consequence of God being above nature is humans are not part of nature – meaning that just as we are to control the natural world outside us, we are to control our own human nature within us as well. We are to govern our lives by moral law, not by human nature. Animals and nature have no concept of morality, only of existence. We are to do more than just exist.
2. The God of the Bible is not identified as a sexual being. Though identified as, “He”, this is a neutral term in the same way that “man” or “mankind” may refer to men and women. Neither sex is more closely identified as “Godlike” as it is in pagan religions.
If God were referred to as “she”, this would instantly assign God a gender, where the term, “He”, does not. Pagans regularly assign their gods a gender and also introduce a whole bevvy of sexual entanglements and intrigues between gods and goddesses, and even between gods and humans.
Genesis 6 introduces the narrative of renegade angels cohabitating with human woman, but God puts a stop to it, destroys the off-spring (the Flood), and severely punishes the angels responsible.
3. The God introduced by the Torah brought universal morality into the world. Pagan religions depict gods that are restricted to a people (tribe) or to a territory.
Only if a moral God is universal (encompassing all of humanity and the entire world), is morality universal. Morality was no longer local or individual. Cultures do not need to be universal. The world can be enriched by multiple cultures, but morality must be universal. Morality that is not universal is a local custom.
4. The moral God introduced by the Torah means morality is real. “Good” and “evil” are not merely individual or societal opinions, but objectively real.
5. The God introduced by the Torah morally judges every human being. There had never been a concept like this. And it became a major reason for Jew-hatred. People do not like to be judged, and the people who introduced the idea of a God who morally judges people have paid a terrible price for bringing the idea into the world. The social psychologist Ernest van den Haag wrote:
Fundamental to [anti-Semitism] though seldom explicit and conscious is hostility to the Jewish belief in one God. . . . [The Jews’] invisible God not only insisted on being the one and only and allpowerful God-Creator and Lord of everything, and the only rightful claimant to worship – He also developed into a moral God. . . . No wonder [the Jews] are the target of all those who resent His domination.
The Jewish Mystique, 1977
No doubt, some of the current aggressive atheism is due to an animosity toward the idea there is a God Who will judge all of us by a code they find too restrictive. The Satanic church advocates “Do what thou wilst.” It is a better fit for those who abhor moral conduct . . . and consequently seek destruction.
6. The just and good God introduced by the Torah gives humanity hope. One of those hopes is there is ultimate justice. We witness scores of instances of injustice on a daily basis (especially if you watch the news) and few ever face just consequences for their immoral behavior.
The belief that God judges humans means both the good and the evil will get what they ultimately deserve is the basis for belief in life after death. Even though justice is rarely served in this world, there is a good God who will ultimately set things right, though maybe not in our lifetime.
7. The God introduced by the Torah introduced holiness – the elevation of human beings from animals to creatures created in the divine image.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
8. The God introduced by the Torah gives every individual unprecedented self-worth. Since all humans are created in God’s image and the Earth was created for man, each of us is infinitely valuable. Every person has the right to say, “For my sake was the world created.”
Remind yourself of this when you are feeling despair. There is some special mission and task only you can accomplish.
9. The God introduced by the Torah is necessary for human brotherhood. Since we all have the same Father, we are all brothers and sisters. As the Prophet Malachi asked:
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Malachi 2:10
10. The God introduced by the Torah began the long journey to belief in human equality – solely as a result of the Torah statement that each of us is created in God’s image. The thinking that some humans are inferior to others is what makes slavery possible.
Slavery was abolished on a wide scale first in the Western world by Christians who were rooted in the Torah and the rest of the Bible and who specifically cited the Torah doctrine that all humans are created in God’s image.
11. The God introduced by the Torah is incorporeal (no body; not physical). This opened the human mind to abstract thought by enabling humans to think in terms of a reality beyond that which is accessible to our senses.
It also negates the image at the beginning of this blog – God as depicted on the Sistine Chapel by Michaelangelo.
12. The God introduced by the Torah teaches us the physical is not the only reality. Consequently, there can be non-physical realities such as a soul, an afterlife, and morality.
13. The God introduced by the Torah means there is ultimate meaning to existence and to each of our lives. Without this Creator, existence is random and purposeless.
People making up meanings for their lives can be a good thing (at least, when that meaning is moral). Many things – evil ideologies are the most obvious example – that give people meaning are not moral. Still, these made-up meanings are nothing more than artificial constructs if they are not tied to a universal morality (like the one of the God of the Torah).
An atheist professor once summarized the work of another atheist philosopher:
Ultimately, our lives are meaningless. Evolution is blind and serves no intrinsic purpose; in a cosmic sense, we each live for an insignificant amount of time. . . .
[David] Benatar, a professor of philosophy at the University of Cape Town, argues that humans can enjoy “terrestrial” [earthly] meanings – nurturing children, fighting for the rights of refugees, composing a symphony or making a delicious breakfast, for example. . . . Nevertheless, we are each but a “blip in cosmic time and space.” Mr. Benatar insists that most of us are terminally anxious about this lack of cosmic meaning. . . .
I [Joanna Bourke] did a very unscientific poll of my friends. None of them believe that there is some wider purpose to human existence.
14. The God introduced by the Torah gives human beings free will. If we are only material beings (like the dust of which we are composed), everything we do is determined by our genes and by our environment. Only if we have a non-material soul can we rise above our genes and our environment and act autonomously.
The secular denial of anything beyond the physical deprives human beings of free will. That is why Clarence Darrow, one of the most famous criminal defense lawyers in American history (as well as America’s most famous religious skeptic), opposed all punishment of criminals:
All people are products of two things, and two things only – their heredity and environment. And they act in exact accord with the heredity which they took from all the past and for which they are in no wise responsible, and the environment.
The just and good God introduced by the Torah gave humanity hope that we are not subjects, locked in a chaste system, and that there is ultimate justice.
15. The God introduced by the Torah teaches might is not right. It is God Who determines what is right, not displays of strength and force.
“Survival of the Fittest” has been the unofficial motto of every tyrannical regime. Since they wield great might, they have the ‘right’ to rule in any way that they see fit. Your survival is of little consequence to them, but it is to the God of the Torah.
16. Finally, the God introduced by the Torah made human moral progress possible. Indeed, the Torah invented human moral progress.
In the words of New York University historian Henry Bamford Parkes,
Judaism [starting with the Torah] repudiated the cyclic view of history held by all other ancient peoples and affirmed that it was a meaningful process leading to the gradual regeneration of humanity. This was the origin of the Western belief in progress . . . .
Henry Bamford Parkes, The Divine Order: Western Culture in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (New York: Knopf, 1969
What was “the cyclic view of history” referred to by Professor Parkes? In ancient civilizations, life was a cycle, meaning nothing changed from generation to generation. Every generation essentially repeated what came before it. There was therefore no such thing as moral progress – indeed, the word “progress” would have been meaningless. Then came the Torah and its God and life was no longer to be a cycle, but a line – a line moving forward toward a moral goal.
Man’s attempts to create a system of moral laws, with the Torah as their basis (like the early American legal system), to rule himself rather than the whims of monarchs or dictators more closely resembles the moral progress envisioned by Yahweh in the book of Judges.
Man’s recognition of, and identification with, the God of the Torah is the most essential idea in World history and especially in our lives today. As the world continues to plunge headlong into tyranny and hedonism, we must personally know and embrace the God of creation (the God of the Torah) and His son.
Ignoring His identity has dreadful consequences today, and in the world to come.
NOTE: I borrowed heavily from Dennis Prager’s Rational Bible: Exodus and added my own analysis. Click the link to read online or the book to purchase from the Prager Store.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
I have repeatedly exhorted you to “make the Word your own,” and that sounds both difficult and scary. It is neither. I want to share some simple tips on reading the Scriptures with understanding.
You must first believe that the Bible is a manifestation of Yahweh and not a book of fables. It was written for believers. The scoffers who cite Scripture out of context to belittle Yahweh do not have faith or understanding. You want both.
Yes, there does not appear to be any original copies of the text in existence, and yes, it has been copied and translated numerous times, though this is actually a positive point. So many of the translations were painstakingly copied, and learned men were used to translate the various versions, but the differences between them are generally minor, and there are multiple study guides that illustrate the differences where they exist.
In many cases, human history is charted by few texts that were recorded centuries after the fact. The Bible has thousands of versions and translations, many that are not based off each other (e.g., the Dead Sea scrolls were found 1,900 years after they were written, and they verify much of what we use today), and they substantially agree with each other.
For all intents and purposes, the Bible is complete.
If you believe that Yahweh exists, then you should also believe that He would find a way to preserve His Word. He did not share His Thoughts for just a few generations.
A majority of my understanding has not come from cracking open the book and delving into the Hebrew or the Greek. Much of my conviction has come from listening to the work done by others (like most, my first tutors were my parents, teachers, and priests or pastors), and then cracking open the book and delving into the Hebrew or the Greek to verify what I have been taught.
If I don’t understand a passage, I will use the Internet to find what other people have discerned. If something sounds profound to me, I check their work using the following techniques:
1. Pray for understanding. Yahweh gave us His Word. He does not want us to be ignorant of it (Hosea 4:6). It is crazy to think that Yahweh would commit His thoughts to writing but to do it in a way that no one could understand.
The Word is divinely inspired. Men wrote it down, but Yahweh gave them the inspiration. He will inspire your mind if it is what you desire.
2. Understand the common meaning of the words used. Most of the Bible is not confusing. When it says, “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15), there is no real confusion about what Yahweh is telling us.
“Jesus wept”; “Paul went to Damascus”; “David slew Goliath”; and other simple statements we can literally understand what Yahweh is telling us. The details may be a little strange, but the underlying message is generally clear.
3. Use scripture to interpret scripture. If you feel a phrase is not clear, it may have been used elsewhere in the Word and may be clearer there. This is a common practice in literature, even today.
If you are reading an article in a magazine and come across an acronym (e.g., SOS), you may not know what it stands for. By finding the first usage in the article, you will generally find an interpretation.
For example, early in the article it may mention, “The radio operator received an emergency message (SOS),” or the article may refer to “the office of the secretary of state (SOS).”
Obviously, SOS can have multiple meanings. In the second example, the writer put the initials in parentheses after the phrase. From then on, the writer may only use SOS through the rest of the document instead of repeatedly spelling out the whole title.
If you start reading the article in a place other than the beginning (something that frequently happens when reading the Bible), you may have to go back to find the first usage for clarity.
Let’s use an example from the apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians:
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7)
There are some very imaginative interpretations of “thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan” in this verse – illnesses or temptations or demons – to name a few. One could suppose that modern teachers are suffering from something, and they believe the apostle Paul probably suffered from it also.
Let’s look at three similar phrases in the Bible:
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
Numbers 33:55
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
Joshua 23:13
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
Judges 2:3
Notice how all three are in the context of Israel going into the land of Canaan and destroying the inhabitants. If they do not (and they did not), the inhabitants would be a painful problem for them.
We can see from this that Paul was saying non-believing people were being inspired by Satan to inflict his ministry.
Another example:
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Matthew 27:46
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani is Aramaic and should attract attention because of the infrequent use of that language in the Scriptures. The verse gives the translation in the verse, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Why use the Aramaic? Why both Aramaic and Greek (the New Testament was originally written in Greek)? Why not just use the translation? I have heard preachers state that “Jesus cried out to his Father because he felt abandoned by God when he became our sin, so God could not look upon him.”
I have real problems with this explanation:
• If my child committed a crime punishable by death, I would be there for him. Not because I thought he was innocent but because I would want him to know that I still loved him despite what he had done.
• If I knew he was innocent, I would definitely be there so he would know that he was not abandoned.
• I know I am not a more loving father than Yahweh.
The expression, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” is actually used in Psalm 22:1. If you read the first half of Psalm 22, you will see it is a rather detailed description of the crucifixion of Yeshua (the second part concerns when he returns in glory):
“Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round” (Pharisees were referred to as bulls.)
“I am poured out like water” (Water poured out when his side was pierced [John 19:34].)
“All my bones are out of joint” (This was one of the results of crucifixion.)
“My tongue cleaveth to my jaws” (Yeshua cried, “I thirst” [John 19:28].)
“For dogs have compassed me” (Romans were referred to as dogs. There would have be a detachment of Roman soldiers present to ensure no one interfered with the imposition of Pilate’s justice.)
“They pierced my hands and my feet.”
“I may tell all my bones” (Have you ever physically exerted yourself to such an extent that it feels like you can feel every ache in every muscle and every joint? Now think of the one who was tortured all night, scourged with barb-tipped whips, forced to carry a large wooden cross through the streets of the city to a hill outside of town, and then was nailed to that cross and lifted in the air so his weight would exasperate his nailed limbs. The pain in every muscle, every joint, every breath, and every movement would flood his brain.)
“They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (John 19:23–24).
Yeshua’s final words are, “It is finished,” which is how Psalm 22 closes. Even the centurion (who would know some of Judea’s culture in order to be a more effective adviser to the Roman governor) recognized the evidence from Psalm 22 and stated, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54).
Based on the earlier usage of “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” in Psalm 22, I assert that it makes more sense – and is consistent with Scripture – to believe that Yeshua was not using his last breath to condemn his Father, but rather he was witnessing to the people watching his crucifixion.
They had to be demoralized to see their Savior beaten and crucified. He called their attention to a psalm of David, written over four hundred years earlier to remind them that all this was prophesied. I believe even the centurion got the reference.
4. Interpret difficult verses in light of clear verses. If there are many “clear” (understandable) verses on a subject but one or two difficult verses seem to contradict them, then the interpretation of the difficult verses must be understood in light of the many clear verses. Yahweh cannot lie (Numbers 23:19), so His Word cannot contradict Itself.
Apparent contradictions are generally caused by the following: a. Our failure to understand the original meaning of what is written. b. An error in translation because translators attempted to reproduce the meanings from one language into another or, c. An error resulting from the transmission of the text, as scribes who copied each manuscript made various mechanical mistakes or intentional theological alterations to the text.
When having trouble understanding one verse, one can look to the truth of the clear verses relating to the same subject. Matthew17:1-3 is a good example:
1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and [Elijah] talking with him.
Matthew17:1-3
Moses and Elijah were known to have died hundreds of years earlier. How can they be talking to Yeshua if they were in the grave?
Let us examine the clear verses concerning death:
2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Psalms 146:2-4
We can praise Yahweh while we are alive because we have thoughts; but the dead have no thoughts. When their breath goes forth, their thoughts perish.
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Ecclesiastes 9:5–6, 10
“The living know that they will die: but the dead don’t know anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” Those no longer alive do not have any thoughts; no memory of life; nor do they interact with the living.
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Isaiah 38:18
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
Psalm 115:17
These verses are unambiguously clear that death is a cessation of life – physically, spiritually, and mentally. Some folks came back to life shortly after their death (e.g., Lazarus, the boy in the home where Isaiah was hiding, the man who fell from a window in Acts), but not hundreds of years later. These and other “raisings” from the dead took place before the physical body could decompose.
Having looked at these clear verses on the subject, we can now study the difficult verse in light of these. For Moses and Elijah to be alive in the gospel time would contradict many other scriptures. There must be more to this single occurrence in Matthew 17:3 than what appears from a cursory reading.
The key lies in the word “appeared”:
“And, behold, there appeared [optomai: “envisioning”] unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
They saw this phenomenon in their minds. Ordinarily, the Hebrew word blepō – meaning “using the eyes to look at” – would be used.
In addition, verse 9 tells us that this phenomenon was a “vision”:
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Matthew 17:9
It appears, therefore, that Moses and Elijah were not seen physically by the eyes of Yeshua and his companions, but rather the appearance of these men was a vision given to Yeshua, Peter, James, and John. Yahweh communicated to them by revelation.
5. Interpret verses in their context. Ever notice that the genealogies of Yeshua in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 are different? I don’t mean minor discrepancies; I’m talking about vast dissimilarities. Both claim to be the family record through his father, Joseph.
Let us look at two important differences and one important similarity: • The lists are in different order. Matthew starts with Abraham and moves forward to finish with Joseph. Luke starts with Yeshua and moves backward to finish with Adam. • Luke 3:23 tells us, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli” (emphasis added). We know that Yahweh was his father. Luke makes it clear, and Matthew does not. • The genealogies match up harmoniously between Abraham and David. After David they are wildly divergent until Joseph.
Yeshua had to fulfill all the prophecies about him, and one of them was that he would be “a king” of the lineage of David (Jeremiah 23:5–6). The problem is that Yahweh is not in the lineage of David.
Joseph (Yeshua’s guardian) being of the line of David is immaterial; if Yeshua is going to be of the lineage of David, then his mother would need to be a descendant.
The list in Matthew is a “kingly” list, showing the first patriarch with granted rights (Abraham [Genesis 12]) and coming forward to show an uninterrupted right to sovereignty. This is done by all monarchs to justify their right to sit on their throne.
The list in Luke is a personal one. Common people start with their parents and then list their grandparents, then their great-grandparents, then their great-great-great-great…grandparents.
Reading the two genealogies is not enough to resolve our problem, but if we continue reading in Matthew, the author gives us more information:
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Matthew 1:17
All these events are listed in Matthew 1:1-16. One can literally count the generations and see that there are fourteen between Abraham to David, and fourteen between David and the carrying away into Babylon (the phrase is actually used in Matthew).
However, there are only thirteen generations from the carrying away into Babylon unto Yeshua.
Joseph would also have to be the name of Mary’s father to give us the proper number of generations. Mary’s genealogy, not her husband’s, would be vital.
I will be discussing study guides shortly, but the Greek word translated as “husband” in Matthew 1:16 is aner and literally reads “man.” It is generally translated as “husband” but not in every instance. The verse reads, “And Jacob begat Joseph the [aner: man] of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”
This is why we have two genealogies. People would have naturally looked at the father’s lineage to assess kinship with David, but the prophecy could not be fulfilled through the lineage of Yeshua’s guardian.
A different study shows the vantage point of the four gospels (an interesting study of the word “branch” that you can do when you are ready). Matthew is written from the perspective of Yeshua as “king” (Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15), Mark is written from the perspective of Yeshua as “servant” (Zechariah 3:8), Luke is written from the perspective of Yeshua as a “man” (Zechariah 6:12), and John is written from the perspective of Yeshua as the “son of God” (Isaiah 4:2).
Mark does not have a genealogy because one does not concern oneself with the lineage of a servant. It is said that John does not have a genealogy either, but I contend that it does:
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
“Only begotten of the Father.” As Stan Lee would say, “’Nuff said.”
Here is another example:
Scripture literally reads, “There is no God.” I recommend reading the entire verse to get the context:
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14:1
Don’t be a fool and take Scripture out of context.
6. Distinguish between identical things and similar things The books of Kings and Chronicles relate much of the same information, but the perspective of the tales are often different (man’s perspective versus Yahweh’s perspective). The four Gospels also relate many of the same tales; at times, there are differences, and it may be for good reason.
Yeshua feeds five thousand in Matthew14 (verses 13–21) and four thousand in Mark 15 (verses 32–39). These are two similar incidents, but they are not identical – they are two separate events.
Here is another example:
After being baptized by John the Baptist, Yeshua went into the wilderness and fasted for forty days. The narrative of his temptations by Satan are relayed in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The problem is that the narratives are similar, but they are not identical.
There does not seem to be a second occurrence where Yeshua goes into the wilderness, so let’s examine the Scriptures.
Matthew 4:1–11 temptations: • Command stones to become bread (verse 3) • Cast yourself down from the temple (verses 5–6) • I will give you all the kingdoms (verses 8–9)
Mark references the time in the wilderness (Mark 1:12–13) but gives no details on the temptations.
Luke 4:1–13 temptations: • Command stone to become bread (verse 3–4) • I will give you all the kingdoms (verses 5–8) • Cast yourself down from the temple (verses 9–12)
Very similar but not identical: “stone” versus “stones,” and the temptations are in a different order.
Luke 4:13 is important: “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” This tells us that he returned. At the end of the narrative in Matthew, the Word tells us, “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
The devil tempted Yeshua at least six times, possibly more (not all would have necessarily been recorded): three recorded in Matthew and another three recorded in Luke. Throughout the biblical narrative, Satan often uses the same temptations with different people because they generally, eventually work. The devil has been very successful at screwing up humanity with a relatively small, but effective, bag of tricks.
People may not succumb to his temptations the first time, but he can tell if repeated enticements are wearing down a person’s resolve.
A third example for you to study: Each Gospel talks about two people crucified with Christ. Every narrative is different (e.g., different crimes, crucified at different times, remarks made by the crucified; etc.). See if having four crucified with Christ (two earlier and two later) doesn’t bring the Scriptures into alignment.
7. Know that no chapters, capitalization, or punctuation are in the original Chapter headings are for ease in reading, nothing more. Finding a specific scripture in the original scrolls was much more difficult. Even the headings “Old Testament” and “New Testament” have no real meaning.
Nothing really changed until after Christ was resurrected from the dead. Yeshua fully followed the Torah of the Old Testament.
The expression “holy ghost” can be translated in numerous ways based on the context (e.g., Yahweh, the gift, an angel). Just because the translators capitalized the words does not necessarily mean that it is referring to Yahweh. The vice versa is applicable also.
All punctuation was added by the translators also. One misplaced comma can completely change a verse. Let us look at Luke 23:39-43:
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:39–43
Verse 43 is the object of this example. How was the malefactor supposed to be with Yeshua in paradise on that day? Yeshua prophesied that he would be in the “heart of the earth” for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40). The first resurrection of the dead is not slated to happen until Revelation 20:4–6.
The problem with verse 43 is the comma before “To day.” If it is placed after “To day,” then there is no contradiction with the rest of the Word.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee to day, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:43, revised
One of the reasons I like the KJV is that the translators italicized the words they added (with a few notable exceptions like 1 John 5:7-8, which we will examine shortly). The Hebrew language did not have the verb “to be” (I was stationed in Hawaii and found that the Hawaiian language does not either. I would say “There is a car,” but a local might say “There one car”), so the translators added the verb where they thought it necessary, and then italicized it to let us know what they did.
The translators’ additions of certain verbs and other words often help in the reading of the verse but is not “God-breathed.” In the genealogy of Luke 3, each generation has the words “the son” added.
“Joseph, which was the son of Heli, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna . . . .” literally reads, “Joseph, which was of Heli, which was of Matthat, which was of Levi, which was of Melchi, which was of Janna…”
Nothing is wrong with all these additions – until you get to verse 38:
Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Luke 3:38
Adam was not “the son” of God. Adam was “of” God.
8. Use study guides Not knowing the biblical languages makes serious study difficult. It does not, however, greatly impede one from being able to verify research done by others.
There are any number of books and study tools one can use to assist in studying the Word. Many have been published online, which makes searching even easier than having the book in front of you. (I’m old-fashioned and prefer to have several volumes of yellow-faded page tomes open in front of me, with my reading glasses at the end of my nose).
a. Interlinears These are word-for-word transliterations of the Greek and/or the Hebrew texts. The Bible you use is a “translation.” There is a difference.
Here is a guide I found that can be useful. It is not an advocacy for any particular version:
A good interlinear is essential for good research.
I studied German in high school (well, maybe studied is too strong a word), and I learned the difference between transliteration and translation. The German phrase “Ich verstehe nicht” (a phrase I needed to use often) is translated, “I do not understand.” If it is transliterated word-for-word, it would read, “I understand not.” They mean the same thing, but the translation is used to make it easier to understand in English.
The following is a portion of a page from the Interlinear Greek- English New Testament by George Ricker Berry:
The KJV is printed in the margin. The Stephen’s Greek Text (1550) is printed word-for-word on the main portion of the page. Beneath the Greek is the English transliteration of each Greek word. Look at an example from verse 10 in the page above.
In some cases, numbers are placed by the English words to show the order the words would be in if translated directly from the Greek (the order of the words is often different in other languages; German verbs are often at the end of the sentence, while in English we like to place them in the middle).
George Berry went to a lot of trouble so I would not have to. But wait! It gets even better from here!
This is not just one Greek text. Berry references seven other Greek New Testaments that were in common usage in 1897. He places superscript letters next to some of the Greek text to reference footnotes at the bottom of the page to illustrate the differences between these individual texts:
Let us do a quick demonstration with 1 John 5:7–8. The KJV is in the left margin of the page:
The Greek text and the English transliteration fill the right side of the page:
Notice the superscript “z” at the right edge of the page on the line where verse 7 starts? This refers us to the footnotes at the bottom of the page:
Let me expand the pertinent portion so it is easier to read:
The “z” identifies the correct footnote. The minus sign tells us the phrase that follows is not in some of the other Greek texts. It repeats the Greek phrase from above to show specifically where the phrase starts and stops. Finally, it identifies which Greek texts do not have this passage.
The KJV reads as follows,
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
1 John 5:7–8
Six of the eight texts do not include the phrase “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth.”
Two things can be surmised from this:
• The original text in 1 John 5 probably read, “7 For there are three that bear record, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”
• The authors of the Stephen Greek text (1550) and the Elsevier Greek text (1624) probably added the phrase (Elsevier may have just copied Stephen) to add verbiage promoting the Trinity, since the Scriptures have very little to say about this concept that has become the cornerstone of mainstream Christian theology.
Don’t feel you have to remember all these steps. My interlinear has all this info in the introduction, and it stands to reason other interlinears would have similar guides to help you use them.
b. Bible dictionaries, lexicons, and concordances These are quite numerous, and they all have a similar purpose, though they use different methods to achieve their goals.
What you use will be a personal preference, and I recommend that you accustom yourself to the books in your local library (or a friend’s library) before you purchase several volumes that may never leave your shelf after you have become comfortable using one format over the rest.
Bible dictionaries are similar to regular dictionaries. They have definitions and maybe a picture to help explain the word.
The words included in a Bible dictionary are limited to what the author thinks is important, and the definitions often do not have a link to an actual Bible verse. When they do, it is generally just one or two verses even though the same word might be used dozens of times in the Word.
These are good if you are curious about what a word means but you are not necessarily in the midst of biblical research (e.g., you are listening to a teaching on television and the instructor talks about the apostle Paul in Iconium).
Lexicons are similar to Bible dictionaries, but they are more inclusive. Lexicons are normally limited to either the New Testament or the Old Testament because they reference every word in whichever testament they are listing.
The following is a page from E. W. Bullinger’s Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (1877). Let us examine the word godliness.
The lexicon gives the two Greek words that are translated as “godliness” and their definitions. It also lists every verse that uses either word, identifying which word is used in those verses.
This is a far-better tool for actual research. Greek and Hebrew are both more descriptive than English because we tend to use the same word to describe different ideas (e.g., I “love” my wife, and I “love” ice cream. Different sentiments are being portrayed, but the same word is used).
English is so bad (“how bad is it?”) the word cleave is also its own antonym (cleave unto someone versus cleave off an arm in battle).
Lexicons are also good because if a Greek word has different English translations, they will still appear in the list (i.e., if “godliness” – eusebeia – was translated as “holiness”, it would appear under “holiness,” and the verse would also appear in the listing of verses containing eusebeia under “godliness”).
Bullinger was a prolific writer and published dozens of study aides on a variety of subjects (e.g., Figures of Speech, Numbers in the Bible, The Witness of the Stars, Customs and Manners, and many more). His Companion Bible is full of notes and references. If you are serious about studying the Word, you should check out his body of work.
Concordances list all the words (OT and NT) of the Bible alphabetically (like a dictionary), and then they list all the verses where that word appears. Small segments of the verse appear in the list to help identify a specific verse the researcher is looking for.
With the lexicon, one has to look up each verse to ascertain whether it is pertinent to the work you are doing. However, the Strong’s Concordance (pictured above) uses a numbering system to link to definitions listed in the rear of the book.
We are revisiting the word “godliness” that we used with the lexicon. The Greek words are numbered so that similarly related Greek words are grouped together (see #2150 below) in the dictionary.
Strong’s has allowed others to use its numbering system so it is a universal study aid across many study texts.
c. Commentaries These are collections of teachings by an author or by several writers who share a denomination. They can be good, but the authors generally bring their own personal bias to their work.
This is a situation where you may need a starting point for your research. For example, you read an article at bereanbiblesociety.org that states (among other claims), “Even the Jews do not practice tithing today because there are no Levites, priests, or temple worship in Jerusalem” (Ken Lawson – Facts on Tithing).
The author of this article makes several claims about the tithe that are in direct conflict with the authors of other prominent articles and the leaders of different denominations – who all disagree with each other. Are their assertions based on logic? Opinion? Or are they based on Scripture? You can use the tools you now have to discern what is of Yahweh and what is of man.
d. Websites There are many websites that simplify biblical research (e.g., blueletterbible.org and biblegateway.com). Some of them require a monthly subscription. All of them have software that was written by people who are inherently biased (just like the writers of all the study books I just shared).
This is why reading one article or using just one source is not a recommended way to study the Word. You may stumble onto great truth, but you won’t know. Questioning your doctrine is a good thing. Your study can reinforce what you already know, or it can shift your beliefs to a better understating of Yahweh’s Word.
As you become more savvy, you may want to take language and history classes. You will want to invest in a Bible atlas so you can follow everyone in their wanderings. You will want to understand the customs of the time. You will want to learn the idioms and figures of speech used four thousand years ago (trust me, they are not the same today). Yahweh does not expect you to figure it all out in one sitting.
Nearly every church in nearly every denomination now has a website with teachings on any number of subjects. Some are very good, but others tend to be suspect. The best teachings are referred to by other teachers; humility about someone else’s work is a good sign.
I highly recommend the teachings of 119 Ministries (once again, I do not receive any form of compensation for an endorsement). There are equally good teachers on the Internet that share a Total Bible position, but I found that 119’s Torah based teachings were very helpful as I began to navigate the Word after my revelation.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Yeshua warns us that there is a selection process for salvation, and most will not make the cut – even many that think they ‘good people’.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
This is a hard truth that most do not want to believe. There are qualifications we must meet for admittance and many will fail to meet the standard – including people we love dearly, but are as lacking as ourselves.
We can assume that following the consensus is no guarantee for success since Yeshua tells us ‘many will take the broad way to destruction’.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:15
There are pious people who proclaim they have the secret to salvation, or to leading an abundant life, or . . . whatever the new craze is.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:24
There are obvious charlatans among the many gospel preachers of today, but there are also many that are sincere in their beliefs and teachings (I could be one of them!). How can someone tell whether truth unto salvation is being taught or not?
First, we are commanded to “Test Everything”.
21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.22Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Thessalonians 5:21-23
When was the last time you ‘proved’ the tenets of the church you attend? Do you know how to prove what they teach?
There is what is referred to as the “Deuteronomy 13 Test”
1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
If someone instructed you to worship Horus or Ishtar, that would be rather obvious. Stay away from that nut case. We are warned, however, that it is possible to “deceive the very elect”, so the false instruction must be much more deceptive in order to lead the majority towards the wide gate of destruction.
“Buddy Christ”
Christ is always protrayed as all-inclusive and that no matter what you say or do, he has your back . . . he is your buddy and would never be judgmental concerning your words or actions. This is not the Christ of the Bible – he is going to separate the wheat (good) from chaff (bad) and throw the chaff in a fire!
It might be good for you to know what he professed and how he lived, rather than rely on what others say he is.
Yeshua continues warning about false prophets and gives us a way to spot them.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:16-20
“Good Fruit” – that is what we need to look for. But how do we define “good”?
If only there was an objective standard.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Psalm 12:6
Here is the rub. Christian leaders, today, tell us that the entire Word of God no longer applies to us. Why would they do that? Yahweh wrote one book and men claim it no longer applies to us? On what basis?!?
Obviously, there are some men that teach this because they do not want to follow the rules that Yahweh gave us (instructions that best allow us to live among men with relative peace). They do not want to have consequences for lying, and stealing, coveting and murdering (sounds like most politicians, doesn’t it?).
These are your wolves, because they are open in their desire to destroy you. There are others, which claim to be believers, who teach that large sections of the Word no longer apply on the basis of a misunderstanding of what Paul shares.
Peter warns us that
the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.
2Peter 3:15-18
So, when you read in several places that the Word of God is perfect and lasts forever . . .
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Isaiah 40:8
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:89
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Psalm 119:160
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
1Peter 1:25
. . . and then you read, and are told by religious leaders, that Paul tells us
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:14
Then to reconcile this contradiction, you need to apply the Deuteronomy 13 test.
Taken out of context, this verse not only makes it sound like we are no longer bound by the Law of God (which is what the wolves want to be true), but if it is read grammatically, it states that the law is sin.
Does anyone really believe the Law of God is sin?
Paul (the guy who wrote Romans) doesn’t
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Romans 7:7,12
[In case you are curious, the “law” referred to in Romans 6:14 is the “law of sin”, which he mentions several times in several letters – this is easy to see when looking at the context.]
Paul was falsely accused of teaching “all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs” (Acts 21:21). If the Law was actually done away with and Paul was actually teaching that, the Jews would not have needed to falsely accuse him of speaking against the customs.
The misapplication of Paul’s letters is not the purpose of this blog. Many people have addressed this (as have I, in several of my blogs), but you must test what you have been taught and “hold fast that which is good.”
Does it matter whether the person is teaching ‘the Law does not apply to us’ has good or bad intentions? No, because the end result of believing either one of them takes us from the Law and leads us down the path to destruction.
Remember, few are saved. When Yeshua judges us at the Bema (judgment seat), what standard do you think he will use? Surely he has an objective standard that he will apply, fairly, to all of mankind.
Can you claim that Yeshua is your Lord and believe you are not bound by the “perfect” Law his Father gave to man and that Christ lived perfectly?
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 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 God 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.
1John 2:3-6
Yeshua was the Word made flesh (John 1:14). Can you proclaim him as Lord and deny him, also? He speaks of those who will confess him Lord.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:21-23
Proclaiming Christ as Lord and teaching the Lord’s Laws do not apply is the same as taking Yahweh’s name in vain (the third Commandment – Exodus 20:7). It is likened to taking someone’s name in marriage but denying that the marriage vows apply to you or anyone else.
One’s ability to preach a dynamic sermon or sing an inspirational worship song does not overcome the FATAL flaw of denying the Word and teaching others to deny it, also.
On the Pentecost after Yeshua died on the cross, and was resurrected, 3000 souls of the people attending the festival at the Temple became believers (Acts 2:41). Why did several thousand believe then and few are transformed today?
Maybe they do their own Deuteronomy 13 test.
Maybe Peter didn’t teach that Christ’s resurrection did away with the Law, like most teach, today.
Maybe they recognized that Yeshua kept the whole Law and never taught against it.
Embrace the entire Word of God. It is what Christ did (“Not my will but thine be done” – Luke 22:42b); it is what the Apostles did; and if we are to be followers of our Lord Messiah, it is what we should be doing, also.
Let us finish Matthew 7:
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Matthew 7:24-29
Hear and do.
Hear and do.
Your eternal life depends on your hearing and doing.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:14
Christians have been taught that believers are no longer under the Law of God (Torah) because we are now under “Grace” because of Christ’s sacrifice.
Believers are not under the law. They are not under –
(1) The curse and condemnation of the law (Galatians 3:13; Colossians 2:14; Romans 8:33, 34).
(2) The law is “the covenant of works” – a dispensation in which he is taught to look for acceptance with God as the consequence of his own merits. (Biblehub.com)
Reasons Christians are not under the law: 1. The law was destroyed – The main purpose of Jesus death was to destroy the law and save man. (more at ChristianTruthCenter.com)
What Paul says is surprising. I expected the apostle to say that “sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under sin.” Instead, he says we’re not under law. Why bring up the law? As a believer, you’re not under law, but grace. That is, as Cranfield explains, “believers are not under God’s condemnation pronounced by the law but under His undeserved favour” [Cranfield, Romans, p. 140]. (FaithAlone.org)
Christians are not under the Law. In other words, Christians are not obligated to keep the Law so as to be saved from God’s righteous judgment so they don’t go to hell. Christians are freed from having to please God and be saved by keeping the Law of God. We are not under the Law. We are not under its authority. It has no power over us. (CARM.org)
“Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly …. No sin will separate us from the Christ, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day.” (From Martin Luther’s letter to Philip Melanchthon, August 1, 1521)
The Administrations proposed by most Dispensational teachers
Most churches preach some form of “Dispensationalist” philosophy that teaches that God deals with Man differently in different ages and that we are currently in the 6th Dispensation which is known as the “Church Age” or the “Age of Grace” which has replaced the Law (the 5th Dispensation – Moses to Jesus).
Grace: From Pentecost to the Rapture – the Church Age
No longer requiring righteousness through works, God granted a righteousness by grace through faith in the completed work of Christ to all who accept, whether Jew or Gentile (Romans 3:21-24). Most will not accept and will be punished through eternity.
Note: It’s important to realize that Grace didn’t replace Law, it just interrupted it. Law has another 7 years to run, called Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:24-27), which fills the time between the Rapture and the 2nd Coming. During this time all the nations to which Israel has been scattered will be completely destroyed and Israel will be disciplined in preparation for receiving the Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:4-11). (GraceThruFaith.com)
The idea that Yahweh is different is in stark contrast with His proclamation that he does not change.
For I am the LORD, I change not
Malachi 3:6a
So, if He does not change, what is this new thing called “Grace”? Or is it new?
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6:7-8
Noah found “grace” (Strong’s 2580. chen, (pronounced – khane); graciousness, i.e. subj. (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty):-favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured.
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Exodus 33:12-14
Moses found “grace” (Strong’s 2580)
Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
Jeremiah 31:2
The nation of Israel found “grace” (Strong’s 2580)
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. 34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace [Strong’s 2580] unto the lowly. 35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
Proverbs 3:33-35
Other’s, not specifically named, were given “grace”. A few names that probably fall in this category might be, David, Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, Samuel, John the Baptist, and many more.
Can we really believe that we can sin with reckless abandon and will still enjoy paradise because we happened to be born during a certain time (the Age of Grace), yet these Champions of the Old Testament will not because of when they were born?
Maybe if we look at Romans 6 in context:
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Romans 6:11-12
We are asked to not let sin reign inside us – we therefore have a choice between acting sinfully or righteously (Galatians 5:25; 1John 1:6)
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Romans 6:13
We are made alive from the dead because we confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9), therefore, we should honor him as Lord by walking righteously, “even as he walked”. (1John 2:6)
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:14
Sin is not to have dominion, so we are to choose righteous actions, but then we are also to ignore the Law of God? When did the Law of God become unrighteous? Or maybe the law we are not to be under is a different law.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Romans 7:22-23
Peter warns us that Paul is hard to understand (2Peter 3:16) and that “they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Paul writes of at least six different “laws” in the book of Romans:
the Law of Faith (3:27)
the Law of God (3:31; 7:22-25; 8:17)
the Law of Sin (7:23-25)
the Law of Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (8:2)
the Law of Sin and Death (8:2)
the Law of Righteousness (9:31)
the Law of Christ (1Corinthians 9:21)
It is vital to know which “law” Paul is speaking about throughout the entire letter to the Romans to avoid confusion and destruction.
The first half of Romans 6:14 is the context for the second half of Romans 6:14. This is re-enforced in the next two verses:
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:15-16
If you accept Yeshua as your Lord and savior, then act like it. Choose to obey the law of sin unto death, or to obey the law of righteousness through faith (Romans 9:31). Committing sin with impunity is not the way you manifest your faith in the one who died for your sins.
Christ did not go to the cross so you could “commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day.”
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:17-18
Try not to be confused by the dichotomy of the Law that Paul is expounding upon. The Law speaks to what is good and what is bad – It is not the means to salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), but it is the fruit we should want to manifest since Yahweh told us this was the good way He wanted us to live.
Without the Law, nothing is bad or evil.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Romans 7:7
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1John 3:4
Faith unto salvation is not a license to ignore the instructions (Torah) of Yahweh.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:11-14
How are we to live righteously if we don’t know how to act righteously? How are we to know how to act righteously unless someone tells us and/or shows us what righteousness is. How are we to be zealous of doing good works if we do not have an objective standard of good and bad?
Yeshua led a sinless life. He taught and followed every jot and tittle of the Torah.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-19
Heaven and Earth have not passed, yet, so do not break God’s Law and don’t teach others that it is okay to do so. Don’t ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD?) . . . rather, “Do What Yeshua Did!” (DWYD!)
Grace is not a new concept that allows for any type of behavior with no consequences (“Do What thou Willst” – Church of Satan). Grace is the favor that is bestowed on believers of all generations that was paid for by the sacrifice that Christ freely made to save us from the consequences of sin, which is eternal death.
Choose life! Choose Yeshua, and act like you did.
My book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, is a quick and easy guide on the Instructions of Torah (e.g., wear this, eat that, do this, don’t do that). I highly recommend you research it yourself, but this can be a good starter for you.
The book is at the printer but I don’t not have a date of when it will be available. Amazon has a few copies of the original draft left (at a third of the price that they will be – sorry, I do not control the printing process or the supply chain), so get it now, while it is more affordable.
