Sabbath Rest

Shalom.

It has been about 3 weeks since I wrote my last post. During that time my wife and I closed on a house, and have spent the last couple of weeks, quite literally, off the grid and off line. It has been an interesting time, I would dare say a very quiet time, while we entertained ourselves with nothing more than games and books, just as our ancestors,and we did, before the age of the internet as the world went on without us.

Upon our return to the internet, I found out that an anti Semitic crazy man had shot and killed 11 Jews in a synagogue in Pittsburgh on Shabbat while they were in a baby naming ceremony. I was shocked and saddened. I and my wife practice Judaism,as much as any gentile can, and Shabbat we have found to be a very joyful and peaceful day. This is the subject of this post. I will not the forces of evil in this world discourage me from writing on the wonders and the joy of one of G-d's greatest commands to the Jewish people, nor will I ever cower in shame before those who would try to silence any of us who support the Jewish people.

To that end I dedicate this particular post to the Jews of Pittsburgh that were killed and their families, as well as the people of Pittsburgh, and the Jewish population of the world as a whole.

This past Shabbat was the first day in quite a while that my family and I had a chance to slow down and really enjoy the Sabbath in weeks. It's not that we ignored the Sabbath before, but because we had been so busy with the business of moving, when the Sabbath rolled around our minds were still thinking on the move and all that had to be accomplished. This past Sabbath however was different. We were finally in, no more searching, no more distractions by a world that does not appreciate the Sabbath and the the idea of resting. We can debate what it means to “rest” on Shabbat on another day for I know different people have differing views on just what that means. What follows is our idea of a good Shabbat.

The place that we bought a home in is in the foothills of the White Mountains. We are literally

surrounded by rather large hills so my wife and I thought we would go for a walk up our road to see where it goes. Going “up” the road would be an understatement. The road literally went up hill and we followed it up and over to the other side and back and what a worthy hike it was.

It was gray,cloudy and cold. There was a hint of snow in the air and the late fall coloring was in full plumage. In a word it was beautiful. The views from the top were breathtaking and you could see the snow falling in the distance. We ran across deer tracks and evidence of a bear passing through and myriads of birds. It was if G-d Himself was welcoming us to our new home.

On our way back down, it began to spit snow. While having lunch it picked up steam and by mid afternoon we looked like a winter wonderland. We spent the rest of the afternoon reading and resting and ended the day with a visit from our son and his girlfriend. This was one of the most restful and peaceful Sabbaths I can remember in a long time.

This, in my mind anyhow, is what Shabbat is supposed to be about. Communing with G-d,with and through, nature. Reading the Torah and quite literally resting as well as being with family. Yes there is much to be said for being a part of a religious community but when you don't have one you have to make a choice as to how you are going to do things. For us we prefer to rest and relax and let the rest of the world do it's own thing.

Consider this passage from Isaiah 56:2 “Happy is the man who does this, The man who holds fast to it: who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and stays his hand from doing any evil.”

or 52:6-7 “As for the foreigners ( some translations say strangers ) Who attach themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him,And to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants- All who keep the Sabbath and do not profane it, and who hold fast to my covenant- I will bring them to my sacred mount And let them rejoice in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be welcome on my altar;For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

The Sabbath was meant to be a blessing, it was meant to be a day of rest, a day where we become closer to G-d. If we honor the Sabbath G-d Himself says that we will be happy but, even more important, is that we will be accepted by Him and our offerings, even though we are “gentile” will be accepted by Him.

That is the ultimate for me and my family; to be accepted by G-d and to commune with Him. I hope you will strive for the same.

Shalom.

The Stars Sang

Did you know that one of the most unnatural things for people to do in this modern age is to look up? Watch people, especially as they are walking, and you will see them looking ahead or down, depending on whether or not they are carrying a device, but rarely will you ever see people looking up.

Now I admit I am a little bit on the weird side. I tend to look up quite a bit. I am a weather watcher so I look to the sky and the clouds all the time to determine what is coming. Tell me that snow is coming and I will literally spend hours watching the clouds thicken up, observing the temperature dropping, anticipating the first of the snow fall. In fact I am so fascinated by weather change that I will quite literally sit outside ( on a covered deck or porch) and watch lighting storms. I love to look up and see the changes.

But there is another reason that I like to look up. On a cold clear night,especially here in the north east, you can see the stars in all their glorious fullness and it gives you a proper perspective on just where you stand in the grand scheme of things.

I remember as a child laying outside on my grandmothers lawn and watching the stars. They were so bright ( where I grew up in Maine there wasn't much for lights to obstruct the view) that I could imagine that each star had a musical twinkle with them. I was always just a bit disappointed when I didn't hear anything, yet I was convinced that I should.

Imagine my surprise when I read the book of Job and found this particular passage. Job 38:7 “When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

This, of course, was G-d responding to Job and asking him a series of questions, that he essentially didn't have an answer for, but the fact that G-d says that “ the morning stars sang” gave me a small amount of vindication, knowing that G-d said it has happened. I suppose that we have just lost our ability to hear it.

One thing about looking at the stars ,especially if you spend any length of time at it, is that you get a much better perspective of just where you are ,and stand, in the grand scheme of the universe.

We all live on this planet. We can't escape it. None of us gets out of this alive. Yet we live our lives, thanks to the media and the world wide political class, in almost constant fear. We have threats of war and nuclear holocaust thrown at us on a daily basis, as world “leaders” play a constant game of deadly chicken with each other. Even at our own peon level we fight with each other over everything that those powers tell us we should be “outraged” over, yet nothing is ever resolved and everything remains in chaos. What is the point of all this outrage? Why should we waste our time?

Go find a quite place, preferably well away from lights, on a mountain top, lay down and look up at the stars. Just look. Don't speak, or think, just observe and consider where you are in the grand scheme of the universe. Consider that we are all minuscule dots, on a minuscule planet, in a very small region of space. It is not to say that we are not important to G-d, we are, or His plans, but the universe is so big that it defies imagination and after a while you come to realize that all these things that we are “outraged” over, actually don't mean anything in the grand design of the universe.

Now just imagine if you could get world “leaders” to do the same, to look up into the heavens and come to the realization, that all our differences are petty and that we would, as an entire planet, be better off if we would focus on what really matters, the things that unite us, rather then what, allegedly, divides us.

Perhaps then we would hear, once again, the morning stars singing, and all of the sons of G-d rejoicing as we come to appreciate the things that are truly important.

Someone one said that if we worried about the things that truly matter there would be an extreme shortage of fishing poles. I would amend that with a shortage of back backs and telescopes as well.

In A Beginning

Genesis 1:1 “In a beginning”. A very powerful set of words. Notice I did not write “In the beginning” which most English translations have. The Hebrew says “b-rashith bra” which translates to “ in beginning he created” there is no “the” and , at least in the Hebrew version I have, it suggests the use of the word “A” as being more appropriate. In other words it was a beginning of a cycle of time which is what I want to speak to you about.

Today, even as I am writing this, Jews around the world are celebrating “Simcah Torah” or the completion and the starting over of the readings of the Torah cycle. It is done with dancing and singing while the Torah scroll is brought around the congregation and the scroll is kissed. It is literally celebrating the word of G-d and His laws. And it all starts with “In a beginning.”

So whats the big deal about this? It depends on how you see “beginnings.”

Most of us are taught that everything has an beginning and an ending and a straight timeline in between. This straight line is where we have our lives lived, we live, laugh and cry, eat, drink and sleep, get married, have children and grow old all within this line of time , hence we see that we had a beginning and we know that we have an end, so logic dictates that life is a linear thing from start to finish.

I disagree.

A Rabbi once suggested to me that life is actually circular not linear. He suggested that G-d doesn't just see one day on a particular date, but rather He can see all of the days of that date at the same time. In other words, today being “Simcah Torah” He doesn't just see today, but rather He sees all the Simcah Torah's that have ever been celebrated and will be celebrated all at the same time so that even as we pass from this world to the world to come, G-d still sees us in the cycle of life celebrating His holy days on those days because we have done so. In other words He sees the cycle of life and holy days constantly. It never ends.

Nature shows us the proverbial “circle of life” every day and season.

Look at the moon. Every month it goes from being completely dark ( New moon) to a full moon and then back again, it is constant, and sailors have been predicting the tides since time immemorial because of it's consistency.

We are currently in my favorite time of the year,fall. Yet I know that fall will slowly give way to winter, which will then lead to the renewal of spring and the full vigor of summer, then back to fall. Its a cycle that continually repeats.

One last example. Go out and take a hike in the woods and look for trees that have died. Many times you will find either new shoots or young trees growing out of the stumps or at least you will find various fungi and lichens, even in death, new life begins and is renewed. It's a cycle, circular, not linear.

All of these are an example of “a beginning” and a renewal of life. It is written as In a beginning on purpose, G-d and nature show this.

Now can I prove to you that our lives are circular rather then linear? No I can't. If my soul has been in the past I have no memory( though I believe our dreams play a role in helping us to remember) but I believe that the Jewish concept, that our spirits return to G-d after we die, is true, and if so, G-d may very well put us back into play to learn more. Just my humble opinion on this.

So as we celebrate the renewal of the laws of G-d and the renewal of the reading of the Torah, remember what this is truly about, in the end, and that's the next word in the line, Elohim. HaShem ( the name) G-d. “In a beginning G-d.” After that it's all commentary.

Thoughts From The ER

It was a typical Tuesday. I was standing at my computer, just after breakfast, working on, ironically enough, on my blog, when suddenly I became dizzy. I stumbled over to the chair at the table and immediately felt my chest tighten up, like I had a heavy weight pressing on my chest, and my blood pressure shot up through the roof. I thought I was having a heart attack.

My wife brought me to the local ER where they proceeded to hook me up to a heart monitor and EKG, gave me medication to lower the blood pressure and started running tests to see what was going on.

I had a lot of time to think, as well as panic, while I was lying there, as to what comes next, wondering if I was going to live long enough to see the next day. I wanted to share with you just a little of what I was thinking while this was going on.

I wondered if I suddenly found myself in the presence of G-d what He might say to me or ask. Would He ask about my political views or my world views on politics? Would He ask about my portfolio ( or lack thereof) or if I had a 401k? Would He ask me what my favorite doctrine or religious point of view I have or even about ones that I don't care for?

I really don't think G-d will be interested in my political opinions or affiliation. I don't really believe that He is going to ask me about doctrine or my actual religious views, or about my non existent portfolio, but I do think I have a basic idea of what He would want to know ( yes He is G-d and knows all things anyhow but just bare with me) and this is what I'd like to share with you.

One of the important beliefs in Judaism is justice and charity. In fact I would guess that in all major religions that is a core belief, but in Judaism it is seen as a commandment, to do good, to love justice and mercy in fact justice and mercy were even considered more important then sacrifice.

Micah 6:7-8 “Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, With myriads of streams of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgressions, The fruit of my body for my sins?

He has told you, O man, what is good, And what the Lord requires of you:Only to do justice and to love goodness and to walk humbly with your God.”

G-d is not going to hold us accountable for stupid man made rules and regulations or political parties, what He is likely to hold us accountable for is just how much good we have done in this world.

An old time Christian singer by the name of Don Francisco put it well in a song called “the steeple song”.

“do you love your wife, for her and your children are you laying down your life? What about the others? Are you livin' as a servant To your sisters and your brothers? Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone? Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?

This is the kind of thing that I believe that G-d will hold us accountable for both individually but also as a nation. G-d isn't going to care about our politics, or our doctrines. He isn't going to care about about what country we come from or what people groups we associate with. None of that truly matters, what will truly matter, in the end, for all of us, is what we have done to brighten up the world a little bit, what good have we done in our small corner of the world. This is what matters. Everything else, that we seem to think is important is little more then window dressing in the grand scheme of life.

How do you want to remembered? As a person who held strong political or religious views, who had a great portfolio or would you prefer to remembered by you fellow man and by G-d as someone who was compassionate, who cared for the widow and the orphan?

G-d calls us to the latter, not the former.

The tests came back negative for a heart attack, but positive for high amounts of stress, I had let foolish things get to me instead of worrying about the things of G-d that were truly important.

Amazing the things you can think about when your all wired up in an emergency room.

Perspective

Many years ago ,when I first started this blog, I had a very different perspective on religion and life in general. I was a Christian, a youth and young adult pastor, and I took care of a youth camp in the foothills of the Ozarks. I thought that I had found my purpose in life and I was happy.

One thing about me though is that I am rarely content enough with the “status quo” to not ask questions and because I ask questions my perspective on everything changed.

Being a disabled veteran I found that I had a lot of time to study, history and religion being two of my favorite subjects, but in the course of my studying I found that I had questions, questions that those senior to me didn't like answering.

The very first one I asked was If Christianity was supposed to be based on Judaism ,or at least had it's roots there, why does the Christian world worship on Sunday, when there is clearly no biblical basis for it anywhere in the bible, and the second question was why don't Christians follow the Jewish holy days and customs as Jesus would have? The most common answers that I received were a vague reference of collecting money on “the first day of the week” according to Paul's writings or because it was the day of the resurrection of Jesus, and that the requirements of “the laws of Moses” were no longer required.

None of these answers was satisfying and, as I said before, there was no commandment from G-d or even the prophets anywhere validating this change and claims. This really started me down the path of questioning everything and giving me a much different perspective on all that I had ever been taught.

In all candor, many in the Orthodox community will tell you,as a Gentile, that the Sabbath and the Holy days are designated for them only, as a sign between them and G-d that they are His people, and I agree with that, having said that, because they are supposed to be a light to the nations ,I personally believe that all of us should be learning from them , The Jews, and following their example as best as we Gentiles can. Perspective.

Perspective. Sometimes all it takes is asking the one question that is lurking in your mind; What if?

What if the things that I believe aren't actually in the bible but instead were invented by man?

What do you do with it? I know what I did, I studied more and learned more and it changed my perspective on everything I had ever believed to be true, some of which I have shared with you over the last few months.

Today my perspective is very different. While I disagree with many of the doctrines of Christianity, I still believe that G-d is using all religions to reach out to the people of the world and show them that there is a better way to live in this world and in this life.

Am I wrong? I suppose I could be, but let me ask you a question,especially those of you who have been shocked by what I have written, what makes my belief in Judaism any better then the Native Americans beliefs or a Wiccan? What makes Christianity any better then Hinduism?

I grant you that some beliefs are a bit stranger then others “the church of the flying spaghetti monster” comes to mind ( yes, it's real, look it up) but all of it boils down to perspective based on what you have been taught and have come to believe, or not believe, about G-d.

I hope that many of you reading this post will have really studied what I have briefly written about in the past posts. I hope if nothing else I have given you food for thought and have given you a different perspective.

Until my next post. Shalom

The Sacrifices Return

In my last post I asked, at the end of the post, “If Jesus was the messiah and his job was to take away the sins of the world and to end the sacrificial system, why is that same system going to be put back in place?” By now most of you reading this certainly know that I don't believe that Jesus was a god or a messiah of any kind but I still asked the question because right there in the bible, the Christian version at that, it makes it very clear that the sacrificial system is going to return in the future, all this can be found in the book of Ezekiel.

The book of Ezekiel is a very interesting book. Ezekiel was a prophet that was with the people in the exile at the time of his visions from G-d. Many people have not read much of it except for a few choice passages such as the “valley of dry bones” found in chapter 37 or the UFO vision in chapter one.

The history of the Christian church even suggests that there were a number of people who didn't want the book of Ezekiel included in the Christian bible because of the visions, like the UFO incident, and because it is worded differently then the other prophets, but I would suggest to you that the real reason can be found in the last part of Ezekiel.

Starting with chapter 40, Ezekiel is taken in vision to Israel, where he is shown the dimensions of the temple that is to be built, as well as it's implements. He is also shown where and when “the prince” as well as the common people would enter and exit the temple and even who would serve as the priests.

Now some might argue and try to suggest that this is nothing more then a description of the 2^nd temple that was built after the exile but that would be wrong.

These descriptions all come after the return of the people of Israel to their ancestral homeland and after the battle of Gog-Magog (see chapter 39) neither of which has happened as of yet. Israel has not returned to the days of King David or Solomon when their nation spread over an area almost the size of the United States.

Now look at Ezekiel 47:1-12

These verses speaks of water that will run from the temple that will into the great sea and all along this river there will be abundant fishing and abundant food growing on those trees and the leaves of the trees will be for the healing of the nations. None of this has happened as of yet so it is clearly speaking of a future time.

The point I am trying to say to you is actually quite simple. The nation of Israel will be restored to it's former and better glory. The temple will be rebuilt and the sacrifices will return. It's all right there in Ezekiel, I didn't make it up.

For the record I asked several pastors what they thought of the passages in Ezekiel. I was told that they had wonderful explanations for it and that they would get back to me. I haven't heard a word.

If Christians would slow down and actually read what is written in the prophets, instead of relying on pastors or, 90 day reading plans, they might actually come to realize that much of what they have been taught isn't even remotely biblical.

I was going to quote large chunks of these chapters to make the point but I am guessing that if you are still reading this that you either have looked for yourself or your about to (and I would encourage you to do so) I am not telling you this for my own benefit, I want you to go and read it and then decide if what is written there is true. If you believe that the bible is the written word of G-d and that the prophets, including Ezekiel, were repeating what G-d told them, then you are going to have to make a decision as to what you believe.

Blessings, Shalom.

G-d The Savior

In my last post, at the end, I suggested to you that the prophets do speak of a savior. I also suggested to you that it's not the kind of salvation, or the kind of savior, as is claimed by the Christian world.

So who then is that savior? It's G-d Himself.

Isaiah 43:3 “For I the Lord am your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...”

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus said the Lord, the King of Israel,Their Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts..”

44:23-24 “...For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, Has glorified Himself through Israel. Thus said the Lord, your redeemer...”

Isaiah 52: 9-10 “Raise a shout together, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord will comfort His people, will redeem Jerusalem. The Lord will bare His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, And the very ends of the earth shall see The victory of our G-d.”

These are just a few of many verses and passages that speak of G-d delivering the children of Israel and Judah, that much is plain, but what is it that they are being redeemed, or saved from? I can tell you it's not sin. G-d pleads with them to tun from their sins and return to Him but nowhere does it suggest that He forces it upon them or that any kind of bloody sacrifice is going to be needed if they do return to His way. So what is it that He is saving them from? The exile.

Isaiah 43:5-7 Fear not for I am with you: I will bring your folk from the East,Will gather you out of the West; I will say to the North give back! And to the South Do not withhold! Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the end of the earth- All who are linked to My name, Whom I have created, Formed and made for my glory.

Even today , with millions of Jews living in Israel there are still many more living in exile and even many more who don't even know that they are Jewish or at the very least of Hebrew descent, this is what His salvation is all about , bringing all to an awareness of who they are and to bring them back to the land of Israel.

Isaiah 49:12-13 “ Look these are coming from afar, These from the North and the West, And these from the land of Sinim. Shout O heavens, and rejoice O earth! Break into shouting, O hills! For the Lord has comforted His people, And has taken back His afflicted ones in love.”

Verses 19-22 “As for your ruins and desolate places and your land laid waste- You Shall soon be crowded with settlers,While destroyers stay far from you. The children that you thought you had lost Shall yet say in your hearing, The place is too crowded for me; Make room for me to settle, And you will say to yourself Who bore these for me when I was bereaved and barren, exiled and disdained, By whom then were these reared? I was left all alone and where have these been? Thus said the Lord G-d ; I will raise my hands to nations And lift up my ensign to peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosoms, And carry your daughters on their backs.”

Over and over again and again, the theme is the same, not just in Isaiah but throughout the prophets. The people have rebelled against G-d and, as forewarned they are punished for their rebellion,but in “the latter days” G-d Himself redeems them from the four corners of the earth and brings them back home and back into an eternal covenant with Him.

You see how simple all this is when you see it in context?

Still, I am sure, there are some of you who doubt this finding, that's fine because I want you to do your own search anyhow. The biggest mistake I have ever seen is the people in the churches and I would dare say even the synagogues just blindly following what they have been taught because it's tradition.

Now for those of you who don't believe any of what I have shared I do have a question for you; If Jesus was the messiah and his job was to take away the sins of the world and to end the sacrificial system, why is that same system going to be put back in place?

Shalom.

God Is Straight Forward

I am sure that most of you at some point has heard it said that G-d works ( or moves) in mysterious ways. Usually this is in reference to something miraculous, good or bad ,that happens that no one was expecting.

I know someone, who shall remain nameless, that was supposed to be on a plane going from Miami to Boston. The car that he was in, heading to the airport, broke down, and he had to get a cab to finish the journey. He was just late enough to the airport that his flight had left without him only a few minutes before and he had to take another flight. The plane that he had been scheduled to be on crashed and all but two people on board were killed, and one of them died a few days later.

Some might suggest G-d moved in a mysterious way to save that man, yet many more died. Were they any less worthy of life? No, I think G-d is much more open and blunt.

I have also heard the term used for the bible,especially the prophets, with people, usually in three piece,expensive, suits and mega churches, trying to suggest that there are hidden meanings or things that can't be understood by someone unless they are a brain surgeon and can dig out all the nuances of the scriptures.

I would say that there are a few things, such as “a wheel within a wheel” in Ezekiel that is kind of hard because the prophet is trying to describe something that is quite beyond his expertise in describing. Or sometimes the descriptive nature of the wording can get confusing,especially when the prophet is writing in such a way that might be more familiar to the listener of his day, but for the most part the scriptures are fairly straight forward and mean exactly what it says, G-d Himself says so.

Isaiah 42:9 “See, the things once predicted have come,And now I foretell new things, Announce to you ere they sprout up.

Isaiah 43:12 “ I alone foretold the triumph And I brought it to pass; I announce it, And no strange G-d was among you. ….”

Isaiah 44:8 “ Do not be frightened , do not be shaken! Have I not from of old predicted to you? I foretold and you are my witness.”

Isaiah 45:19 “I did not speak in secret, At a site in a land of darkness; I did not say to the stock of Jacob. Seek me out in a waste land. I the Lord who foretell reliably, Who announce what is true.

Isaiah 47:10 “I foretell the end from the beginning , And from the start, things that had not occurred...”

Isaiah 48:3, 5-8 “I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.... Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, My images brought them about;my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’ You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? “From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today So you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew of them.’ You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth.”

One thing that is clear from these passages is that G-d is blunt and speaks right to the truth of the matter. He made it clear to Israel what would happen to them, for good or bad ,going right back to the days of Moses and He did just as he said. There was nothing hidden or mysterious about it.

So with G-d speaking so bluntly, and full filling prophecy just as fore told, why would He now decide hide, what would arguably be the most important of prophecies ever?

Why would he hide His “ plan of salvation” in obscure passages, that most would scan right over or even worse never hear or read in the first place?

By suggesting that it's hidden in obscure passages that can only be understood by those who study the deep mysteries and assign meanings that just aren't there or are taken out of context you are condemning billions to hell and you make G-d out to be a tyrant and a liar. Look at the this verse;

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

G-d told them then that His laws and ways were not difficult and, as the passages I shared earlier make clear, He proclaims things though the prophets and they come to pass. Nothing hidden,just straight out truth. Nothing mysterious about it.

In all fairness there is a savior mentioned in these passages but I don't believe that it means what many think it does, but that's a subject for the next post.

Shalom.

G-d is One

At the beginning of my last post I mentioned that there were two themes that were expressed over and over in the area of the servant song chapters. The first is that when the servant is spoken of it is always in reference to Israel. The second theme is that there is only one G-d and this is what I am going to address today.

Like many in the Christian world, I grew up with the idea of the trinity. The triune G-d of the Father , the son , and the holy ghost. Like many others before me, it also didn't make a lot of sense to me. Three parts of G-d separate and distinct yet somehow one all at the same time.

I once tried to explain it like this: I am a father, husband and a Marine. Three different parts of me but still one person. I came to learn however that this analogy doesn't work. Being a Marine I was obligated to do things that separated me from my family. I couldn't be a dad or a husband, I had to focus on being a Marine. If I was acting in the role of husband, I wasn't acting as a Marine or the daddy. In other words I couldn't do all three at once.

Now some might argue that G-d can do all this, be all things at once, if He wishes, and indeed, He could, however there is a problem with that idea. Lets look at Exodus 20:3-5 “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them.

Given this train of thought, if G-d “created” ( however you care to look at that idea) a son ,to be worshiped, then He in effect broke one of His own laws by making an image of Himself or a likeness there of. So if G-d does not lie, as we have read in Numbers 23, then He wouldn't have created an image of Himself to be Himself on earth and He couldn't have honestly punished Israel for doing the very same thing. A sort of “do as I say not as I do” mentality in other words.

So why would G-d be that particular with the children of Israel ? First G-d is not a man (see Numbers 23:19) He is spirit, but He also knew that the nations around them,especially where they were heading, worshiped that which was created rather then the creator. They themselves created a golden calf as a god while waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain. He knew what was in them.

G-d is One

Deuteronomy 6:4 This is probably the one verse that anyone with any connection to Judaism can recite. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” NKJV

The JPV says “ the Lord alone” meaning “the only one.”

By the time we get to the time of Isaiah the children of Israel had rejected G-d so many times and so deeply that they were starting the punishment that they had been warned about before the death of Moses in the later chapters of Deuteronomy. Yet even then G-d was trying to reach them and tell them that He alone is G-d.

Isaiah 42:8-9 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not yield My glory to another,nor my renown to idols. See the things predicted have come, And now I foretell new things, Announce to you ere they sprout up.”

Isaiah 43:3 “For I the Lord am your G-d, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Verse 10 “ Before Me

no god was formed, And after Me none shall exist.

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus said the Lord, the King of Israel, Their Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts; I am the first and I am the last, And there is no god but Me.” Verse 8 “ Do not be frightened , do not be shaken! Have I not from of old predicted to you? I foretold and you are my witnesses. Is there any god then but Me? There is no other rock; I know none.

Isaiah 45:5-6 “I am the Lord and there is none else; there is none else. Beside Me there is no god. I engird you, though you have not known Me, So that they may know, from east to west, That there is none but Me. I am the Lord and there is none else.

Israel was punished for a number of things but the worst of them was idolatry.

In my own humble view based on what I have shared with you, and other parts I have studied, there is only one G-d, and He is not divided up into separate pieces, He is alone and is unique. He is G-d of us all.

Shalom

The Servant Song

Today I am going to enter into the section of Isaiah that has been called by some “The servant song.” It is a section where two, very clear messages are relayed. The first is that Israel is the suffering servant mentioned in Isa. 53, and that G-d Himself makes very clear that He alone is G-d and there are no others.

I will start with the “suffering servant” first because so many Christians believe that this is talking about Jesus when in fact, read in context with verses and chapters that come before, it becomes quite clear that it is speaking of Israel.

Most people in the Christian world are only ever taught about chapter 53. They are told that it bears similarities of the things that allegedly happened to Jesus and that this is absolute proof that he is the messiah. Nope.

Let us go to Isaiah 41 which actually starts the “servant song” portion. Verses 8-9.

“But you Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, Seed of Abraham My friend- You whom I drew from the ends of the earth And called from it's far corners, To whom I said: You are my servant; I chose you I have not rejected you.”

First thing I have to say is that it's quite obvious who the servant is because G-d says it quite plainly, throughout this section. There is nothing hidden, G-d speaks quite plainly. He calls His servant, Jacob, Abraham, Israel and Jeshurun, which I understand to be a nick name of sorts for Jerusalem,but no where does it say that this servant is His son or anything about being the messiah as most Christians have been taught to understand it. In fact go to chapter 42 verse 1.

This is my servant , whom I uphold,My chosen one in whom I delight. I have put My spirit upon him, He shall teach the true way to the nations.

Remember that in the original Hebrew there were no brakes in chapters and verses so this is a continuation of the servant theme. Who is this servant? Israel. So what is it that this servant does? He teaches the “true way to the nations.” What is that true way? The ways of the people of Israel, in other words the laws and instructions of G-d handed to them at Mt. Sinai. See also verse 4.

Other verses:

Isaiah 43:10 My witnesses are you declares the Lord, My servant,whom I have chosen....

Isaiah 44:1-2 But hear , now, O Jacob My servant, Israel whom I have chosen...Fear not My servant Jacob, Jeshurun whom I have chosen,

Isaiah 44:21 Remember theses things, O Jacob For you O Israel, are My servant...

Isaiah 45: 4 For the sake of My servant Jacob, Israel My chosen one...

Isaiah 49: 3 And He said to me, You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory...

Do you see it? The message is quite clear. G-d is saying again and again that Israel is His servant. Now take the next logical step in thought.

What nation, what people, have suffered as much over the last 2000 years as the Jewish people? They have been hunted, tortured and killed. They have lost their homes, their families, and their nation, though they now have a small portion of the original back. They have been slaughtered whole sale by nations that no longer exist and yet some how they are still here despite all attempts to destroy them. Logically it makes no sense unless you look at it from the servant song perspective.

What I find really interesting is the response of the nations when Israel and the Jewish people are finally, openly, redeemed and blessed by G-d once again.

Look at chapter 52:13-15.

These verses lead directly into chapter 53.Verse 13 again speaks of His servant but it's verse 15 that clues you in to what is happening in chapter 53,

Verse 15 “ Just so he shall startle many nations. Kings shall be silenced because of him, for they shall see what has not been told them, Shall behold what they never have heard.”

This leads you to the opening of 53 which is the kings and nations speaking.

Who can believe what we have heard? Upon who has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

As you continue on into the chapter, it's the nations speaking of Israel, in total disbelief and shock.

There are other points to be made in chapter 53 but that will be for another day.

Just understand for now, that the “suffering servant” is not a man or demi god, it is the Jewish people, Israel.

Shalom

Comfort Together

Do you picture G-d as being compassionate? Many, particularly in the Christian world, seem to see G-d as a tyrant. Others like to give long and lengthy sermons on the wrath of G-d and the damnation that awaits your soul if you don't follow their particular brand of religion. I remember hearing a Christian band one time, back when I was still a Christian, spending their half time show, speaking of nothing but the “wrath of G-d” and essentially scaring people into “salvation.”

Truly I don't blame them for their message, after all that's what most Christians are taught, that G-d is a vengeful, wrathful G-d, who will utterly annihilate you for your sin ,without mercy, unless you believe in Jesus. Now I have stated in earlier posts that Jesus is not the messiah, and that the messiah is not coming to forgive anyone's sin, G-d Himself will do that, and he says so. Lets look at Isa. 40:1-2

Isaiah 40:1-2 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.”

As someone once explained to me Hebrew is very sparse on words. The words as they are translated really convey a series of ideas and over the years some blanks have been filled in with words to give it a more modern understanding.

Just as an example verse one reads something like this: comfort you comfort you people of me he is saying Elohim of you.

What is interesting here is that the word “comfort you” is used twice in a row. Generally if it is repeated in Hebrew is has significance and is sincerely meant. So here you have a compassionate G-d wanting Isaiah to speak the following words as a way to bring them comfort and what is it that he says?

“That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned.”

Israel and Judah sinned greatly against G-d by following other so called “gods” of the nations around them. They were, at that time , in the midst of being scattered and punished, “ she has received from the Lords hand double for all her sins” yet even in the midst of this He has compassion on His people and tells them that they have been forgiven. They had turned their backs on Him and yet He forgives them before they even turn back to Him. No sacrifices, not even a repentance on their collective parts, Yet He forgives them.

Now look at verses 3-5

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Typically, in the Christian world, these verses are used to reference John the Baptist as being the coming of Elijah before the messiah, this is far from the truth. Read it carefully and in context and you just might find something in it that you hadn't read before.

First though, in those days it was quite common for someone of royal blood that was traveling, to have a crew going out ahead of them to smooth out the roads, filling in pot holes and scaring away bandits, so that said individual could travel in safety and relative comfort.

In this context though it is speaking of a much larger and grander event. We are looking at the removal of mountains and the up raising of valleys before G-d Himself arrives, and His glory is going to be seen by everyone TOGETHER. Not individually, not just one nation or religion, but to all of us. Just as He revealed Himself to the entire nation of Israel at MT. Sinai, He will, in the end , reveal Himself to all the world.

So not only is G-d a compassionate G-d, but He promises to show Himself to us all.

Shalom.

The Deaf And The Blind

In keeping with the theme of “In that day” in the time of the Messiah and G-ds kingdom lets look at Isaiah 29:18-20.

In the JPS ( Jewish Publication Society) edition verse 18-20 reads “In that day the deaf shall hear even written words ( another version adds of the scroll) And the eyes of the blind shall see, Even in darkness and obscurity. Then the humble will have increasing joy through the Lord and the neediest of men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, The scoffer will cease to be; and those diligent for evil will be wiped out...

One of the things missing in today's world is a true understanding of G-d's words. Many people don't speak or read Hebrew so they have to rely on faulty translations and, to be quite frank, faulty opinions of so called religious people. It has always amazed me how many times someones translations or their view of G-d often reflects their own personal view. What we are missing, and I know many are looking, and longing for, is a true understanding of Him and His word. I believe that the first part of theses verses is saying that day will come.

“The deaf shall hear even written words” and “the eyes of the blind shall see.”

Have you ever taken a walk in the woods, found a nice spot to sit and just listen? I have,especially during hunting season, and I can tell you that there is nothing any louder then the water in your canteen as it sloshes around when you are trying to be quiet. Then you find a good spot to sit and you settle in and things get very quiet, so quiet that you strain to hear anything, so quiet that a Squirrel sounds like a herd of deer coming through the trees.

This is what I believe is happening to those that are “deaf” in this passage. They are straining to hear the word of G-d and they are rewarded for it.

One time, while I was in Iraq, at the beginning of the war, I had to go out to look for something at about 2am. It was pitch black and there was a sand storm so I literally could see nothing. I waited for a few minutes to let my eyes adjust but still couldn't see much of anything. I was startled by a voice behind me asking if I needed something. I told him what I was looking for and he led me to it. The reason he was able to see was because he had on night vision googles but If I hadn't been looking he would not have asked. Can you see where this fits?

This ,of course, is just my humble opinion and speaking of humble....

Then the humble will have increasing joy through the Lord and the neediest of men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, The scoffer will cease to be; and those diligent for evil will be wiped out...

Who are these humble and neediest of men? I would submit to you that it is those who were once blind and deaf who have sought the word of G-d, and in the finding and hearing, it has brought them great joy. That's you and me because we are looking for and longing for the word of G-d. Plus,as indicated by the end of these verses, the tyrants and the scoffers will be destroyed, one translation going so far as to suggest that they will be no more, they will simply cease to exist.

The deaf will hear and the blind will see. Tyrants and scoffers will be gone. G-d's kingdom will rule. What a time that will be.

Shalom.

A Celebration With G-d

A friend, who is Jewish, once said that the typical Jewish philosophy of life could be summed up this way; “our enemies tried to kill us, G-d saved us, lets eat.” and it is true.

Consider the book of Esther; the feast of Purim came from a mighty deliverance of the Jewish people from their enemies because of the faithfulness to G-d of the queen and her uncle. Today it's celebrated with costumes, lots of adult beverage, games and food.

G-d Himself even ordered the people that when they are celebrating on their feast days that they are to do it with much rejoicing.

Deut.12:7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you. See also verses 12 and 18 along with chapters 16:11, 26:11 and my personal favorite 14:26 which says; “Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.”

In the world I grew up in wine and fermented drink were taboo and the idea of “celebrating” or even showing much emotion in a service was frowned upon, so Imagine my first time gathering with a Jewish congregation in Rhode Island and having Vodka and lemonade( after the service) with the Rabbi. It was quite an experience, that's where I started to learn about “rejoicing” and celebrating G-d.

G-d is into celebrations.

Continuing with the theme of the “in those days” and the time of the messiah there is a celebration coming that all of us will participate in and I can guarantee that all will be rejoicing as well.

Isaiah 25:6-9 NIV

6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. 9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

This is a celebration of all celebrations, this is telling us that G-d is going to remove the “shroud” from all of us. What is this “shroud”? It is the end of death! All of man kind, since the beginning of time has been cursed with death, but at this feast G-d will destroy death for all time! It gets better though he will even bring back those that have died and remove death from them as well.

Hosea 13:14 JPS

“From Sheol itself I will save them, Redeem them from very Death, Where, O Death, are your plagues?Your pestilence where O Sheol....

Those that have died before us will be returned to life and all death will be removed forever! The curse of death will be gone, all of the children of G-d will have their disgrace removed and all of us will rejoice in the salvation ,from death, by G-d!

G-d likes a celebration!

Shalom.

Israel : The Center Of The World

Israel: The center of the world.

It has been said that if space aliens were to come and visit this world and go to the UN they would discover that Israel, one of the smallest nations in the world, was the center of this world, and the source of all it's problems.

The UN ,on any given day, is condemning Israel for something, usually for defending itself from it's multitude of enemies and terrorists. The fact that no other nation would sit still for continuous attacks is irrelevant and ,in fact, since the rebirth of the nation of Israel 70 years ago, they have been attacked time and again by the surrounding nations who have vowed that they would wipe Israel and the Jews off the map.

There are any number of passages that have the prophets, through the words of G-d, declaring that the nations would abhor and be disgusted by the Jewish people because they were being punished for straying after other gods, yet He also says that “in those days” he will restore Israel, both Judah and Israel, to their former glory and that they would be respected around the world. It doesn't seem possible because we can't even seem to have peace in the middle east. But what if told you that there are passages that show a very different world in the time of the messiah and the establishment of G-ds kingdom?

Isaiah 19:19-25

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a savior and a mighty one, and He will deliver them. Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. And the Lord will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and heal them.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.

In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

The first part of this passage speaks of the time of the messiah “in that day” and how the Egyptians will be saved from a great “oppressor” by G-d and that they will in turn worship the G-d of Israel just as the people of Israel do and the land of Egypt will be healed. Imagine Egypt restored to what it once was.

It is interesting to note that Egypt was the first country to make peace with Israel back in the late 70's, this despite much Arab and Islamic ugliness.

It's the second half of this passage though that really gives me some hope for the future.

It is saying that there will be a road going from Egypt through Israel and into Assyria “ in that day.”

Now some of you might be thinking that it's impossible because the Assyrian empire doesn't exist any more, and you'd be right, however it's not about the name of the nation, it's about the territory involved. That would include Jordan, Syria,Iran, Iraq,Kuwait, Saudi Arabia etc. In other words there will be peace in that neck of the woods once the time of the messiah has come. In some ways it's starting to happen,as some of the Arab nations have started to realize that Israel is not their enemy, so it is entirely possible for this to become a reality in our time.

I know for myself, I want to see that day. The thought of “peace in the middle east” no more war and a universal knowledge of G-d in the world has a great deal of appeal to this old warrior, I hope it is true for you as well.

Shalom

All Israel Will Return

Today we will go with another passage that many are familiar with but , perhaps, haven't read and understood in context. Isaiah 11:10-13

Lets start with Isaiah 11:10

In that day the stock of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

In most Christian versions the word that is used in place of “stock”, which is what the Jewish scriptures have, is “root” capitalized, again trying to suggest that it has some bearing on deity and specifically on Jesus. The word is actually “stock” and would suggest the a fore mentioned twig in verse 1 “But a shoot shall grow out of the stump of Jesse a twig shall sprout from his stock.”

Using the word root is suggesting that it is the one holding the stump, or is the base of the stump, while the verse above says that the messiah shall grow out of the stump of Jesse, a twig, as I have mentioned before. Also the words “will stand” actually translates to “that has remained standing” giving you the phrase; “In that day the stock of Jesse, that has remained standing” giving it a bit of a different meaning then the Christian translations.

Next it says that he will become a “standard for all people, nations ( the word is goyim, which is all of us of non Jewish people) will seek his counsel and his abode ( resting place or home) shall be honored.

Verse 11

In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush,[ from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.

The Jewish scriptures say, instead of the “islands of the Mediterranean” “the coast lands.” I bring this up because the point of the verse is that the G-d will bring the people of Israel back to the land of Israel and with the words “ the coast lands” would indicate world wide rather then just local, and even as we speak, Israel is celebrating 70 years and Jews have literally returned there from all over the world. However there are still many more to come, and, as we shall see, the lost tribes will return as well.

Vs 12

He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.

This verse is overlooked by many people because they assume it's only speaking of the Jewish people. It's not, it's speaking of all the children of Israel. Who are “the nations?” the goyim. As I explained earlier, goyim is speaking of anyone of non Jewish heritage. Who are the exiles of Israel? Not just the Jewish people, of whom G-d is gathering even as you read this, but those that were once a part of the lost tribes, people who's ancestry goes back to them. Whats truly amazing is that this may actually refer to you and me. When the tribes of Israel were taken away, over time they forgot, for the most part, their heritage and ancestry and moved up into various parts of Europe, and it has been suggested by many Jewish,as well as secular scholars, that the evidence is to be found in both the Hebrew scriptures as well as historical records, that if your ancestry is from Western Europe, all of the British Isles, or Latin America, that would include the USA, you may have ancestry form those lost tribes. This verse is speaking of us. For more information please check out this page http://www.britam.

How do I know this? That this is speaking of the lost tribes? Besides the link above, the next verse gives it away. Vs 13

Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.

Many times in the Hebrew scriptures, when referring to the tribes of Israel, other then Judah, the bible calls them Ephraim or Manasseh. Here we have the ending of this section which says that there will be no more jealousy between Ephraim and Judah and in later prophesies it says that the two shall become one kingdom once again and will be blessed beyond what they were in the old days, but that ,of course, is a topic for another day!

Bottom line is this; none of these things have happened as of yet, with the exception of the modern day return of the Jewish people to Israel but because it is happening, I have full faith and hope that the return of all Israel will be full filled too, hopefully in our lifetimes.

Shalom.

Lion And The Lamb

Back in the dark ages, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I still had a FB account, there were several videos posted that showed people and animals interacting together in very unusual ways. There was one of a man who raised lions and other large cats and he was so comfortable with them and them with him, that he could literally lay down with them and sleep or even play with them and they treated him like one of their own pride. It was such a beautiful thing to see.

I have also seen various videos where animals,that should be chasing each other, were playing together, such as birds and cats, or dogs and deer, totally oblivious to the idea that they are supposed to be mortal enemies.

Imagine a time when this becomes the norm rather then the exception. Animals that should be afraid of each other interacting together. People intimately involved with creatures that normally would kill them.

Continuing with Isaiah 11,and the themes of the messiah, verse 6-9 give us a picture of G-d's Kingdom, that we have only seen a glimpse of through these video posts.

Isaiah 11:6-9

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

One of my favorite cartoons when I was younger was the story of a wolf and a sheep dog. They would both be seen carrying a lunch bag and would greet each other at the clock, punch in to work, and then have at it. The wolf always trying to steal and eat the sheep and the sheep dog spent his time coming up with ways to stop him. At the end of the day they would punch out say goodnight to each other and head home.

In the verse's above we are told that in the time of the messiah the wolf will live with the lamb. Not kill and eat, not punch into the clock and get chased by a sheep dog, no, they will live together as will the leopard and the goat. The cow and bear will eat the same food ,a child will lead them and will be able to play next to a den of Cobras and not be harmed. This is clearly not the world we live in today, yes there are some notable exceptions, but this will become the norm in the days of the messiah and the kingdom of G-d.

“They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

No harm and no destruction on His holy mountain, why? Because the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d. Not just in some intellectual way but in a truly personal manner; “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:34-35

Again, universal peace and universal knowledge of G-d, in the time of the messiah. The wolf will lay down with the lamb and we shall all know G-d. Amen.

Shalom.