News Letter 5848-053
12th day of the 12th month?5848 years after the creation of Adam
The 12th Month in the Third year of the third Sabbatical Cycle
The Third Sabbatical Cycle of the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Earthquakes Famines, and Pestilences
This is also the end of the Forty Eighth week of this the Third Tithe Year for the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow?Deuteronomy 26:12

February 23, 2013

Shabbat Shalom to the Royal Family of Yehovah,

In the News this week was a report about the Avian Flu. Please read this special report to your family. It is that important.

Some 200 dead crows were found near Jefferson, IA , and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu.

A bird pathologist examined the remains of all the crows confirmed the problem was definitely not Avian Flu, to everyone’s relief. However, he determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, and only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.

The State then hired an ornithological behaviorist to determine the disproportionate percentages for truck versus car kill. He determined the cause in short order.

When crows eat road kill, they always set-up a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger.

His conclusion was that all the lookout crows could say was “Cah”, but none could say “Truck.”

Have a nice day…

I found this funny and each time I read it I laugh. And I have read it over a dozen times.

This has been a rough week trying to get people not to fall victim to this Daniel Time line lie. I have been called many things this week. And it has taken a toll and I have not included those emails from brethren that are vulgar. Yehovah knows what you have sent. Some Messianic Leaders want me to keep quiet, to stop saying things and to stop scaring the brethren. I will not say any more on that but I could say a lot. But being silent is not something I am going to do.

Brethren there three things that make me livid. That push my buttons and get me upset.

One is the Lunar Sabbath Lie. I have had many debates about this with many people over the years. One of those I had midrashed with many times wrote me to apologize this past month. He said he and his assembly in Australia had quit keeping the Lunar Sabbath and were now keeping the 7th Day Saturday Sabbath. He wrote to apologize in case he had said things to me that were not proper.

Apologies were not needed. Most in the west have no clue how to have a good midrash. At least two parties must come to the table with passion and have differing views on a subject in torah. I do this often and back my position with biblical facts and historical facts. It is fast and hard hitting and feels like a brawl. But when done right both parties leave as brothers whether they agree or not.

But here in the west they often leave hating each other and never talking again.

This was demonstrated with my post this week about those packing up. If you have a sound position then state it and back it up and prove it. I will do the same. But to resort to calling me vulgar names does not help your position.

The Second thing that sets me off is as most of you already know are the conspiracy lies and Illuminati and Jesuit and Masons and Chem trails, Aliens and all this sort of thing that some mix in with their Torah understandings.

I have seen too many who preach this go off the deep end with asinine reports mixed in with Torah teachings. They bring great discredit to the Torah when they mix it together and then no one takes their testimony seriously.

The third one is the Daniel Timeline lie. All three of these are lies. If it was a theory and stated as such and discussed as a theory, then this would be different. But too many take it as fact and that it must come true. I have argued with those who do this and unless you agree with them then you’re not going to be considered.
So because it is believed as fact I came out and spoke this week. Because people will get hurt by this deception. I do not regret it.

Now we have seen the 20th and the 21st if this is the day you use, go by with nothing happening. This weekend Purim will pass and we will see if this holds water. But it is not over yet, we must wait until the Days of Unleavened Bread 30 days from now before they might concede. Some are already distancing themselves from this.

Once our brethren have settled down and gotten over being upset I hope you all will share with them the Sabbatical and Jubilee years cycles so they too can know Yehovah’s Time line, not Daniels but Yehovah’s.

Here are some other comments sent in this week. Some I will not share.

Hi Joseph,

Thanks for the heads up here. I am very familiar with Monte Judah’s teachings and turned away from it all just a few months ago. I didn’t realize there were other groups following in the same path. I checked out both the websites you listed in your newsletter. I found it interesting that the person behind them is not readily revealed. After a cursory exam of the websites, I still did not learn who. That is telling something to me.

Just a comment. I studied under Avi ben Mordachai for two years and still stay in touch. I was delighted to learn that you have spent the last two Sukkot’s with him in Israel. Good man!

Keep up the good work.

“B.J.”

Have a great day!

You will notice the next email like many of them that I get has incorporated in the conspiracy teachings. This is what is called mixed seed from the tree of good and evil.

Br Joseph,

I’m indebted to you for the understanding of fleeing during the Feast of Unleavened Bread as they did from Egypt because this spring, America will be like Egypt at the time of 2nd Passover “as in the days of Noah” when destruction came in the 2nd month with Passover timing (Noah entered the ark on the 10th day, same day the sacrifice was selected in Exod 12:3) and “like a man traveling to a far country” (Matt 25:14 cites the provision in Num 9:10:11) for late Passover because Y’shua was taking the far journey and will return according the law still in effect (Matt 5:18) at 2nd Passover. Not a visible coming–He wasn’t visible in Egypt either, but very real destruction from which we should flee as martial law will be set up after they use HAARP to make a huge earthquake (Joel 2:10,11; 1Thess 5:1-3)

Please give me your candid response to the attached page

Shalom
Ruhling

My candid response can’t be repeated off the construction site. Brethren do you see how deprived of the truth some people get when they use the conspiracy teachings. There was one leader who used a distorted picture of one of the cardinals inline for the Popes job and compared him to an Alien. Is this what keeping Torah is all about? Has the leadership become so far removed from the truth that they have to invent it? Is the unknown prophetic events not open to discussion and reason or have they become the main doctrines of certain group written in stone which we have already identified?

If it is then I am out of here.

If you study the Prophecies of Abraham and look at the Sabbatical cycles you will see exactly when Noah went in the ark and exactly when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. You will see exactly when Israel was destroyed and how it matches up with other events in Abraham’s time. You will also see how the 7 years of plenty and the 7 years of famine line up from Joseph’s time, according to the Sabbatical cycles and even the two witnesses.

But to continue to ignore the Sabbath as many Christians do and then to not keep the Holy Days as the Christian do not nor the SDA leaves you just plain ignorant of what is coming. And to not even look at the Sabbatical cycles and to choose not to want to keep them as many in the Messianic groups choose to do is slapping Yehovah in the face for these are His Appointments and unless you keep them you do not and cannot understand prophecy and all you do is guess at best. And it is this guessing that leads people to believe those teaching it and they get hurt.

So has this guy above sold his house and moved out of the USA or does he not believe his own writings that the end is this second passover?

Dear~brother~Joseph~I~read~this~mail~with~concern~in~my~heart~for~u~dont~upset~urself~so,

You~have~warned~many~times~let~those~who~choose~to~disbelieve~be~free~to~make~their~choices.

Us~who~are~left~behind~will~work~and~pray~with~u~Yah~willing,

May~Yah~bless~u~abundantly.

Shalom

Mahdokt

Joe

I was wondering how long it was going to take before people started to panic once I saw those videos on Monte’s site. It is also too bad that they are so set and not open to other perspectives. Then again you knew this was going to happen especially once this got closer.

Take care.

James

Dear Joseph,

I agree. This is most unfortunate.
If only our people would do their homework and understand Daniel’s future 70th Week and understand that the abomination of Desolation comes at the midpoint of those final seven years and 3.5 years after the Daniel 9:27 confirmation of the covenant then we might not see this foolishness.

Blessings,
Gavin

Grandpa Joseph;

VERY GOOD!! Thank you for this post. I watched the guy, and he has not changed much. You are absolutely correct. knowing the Jubilee cycles, even though they are not precise as far as exactly when a prophecy is going to occur, if we know what cycle they are usually occurring, then we know when to watch. Thank you for the admonition to be doing our Fathers business where ever we find ourselves (my interpretation). I just called some friends who are hook line and sinker with the wrong accounting of Jubilee cycles. I explained briefly and got the “well I feel we are much closer, there can’t be another 20 years”. These are scriptural literate people believing a “ministry”. Reason has never had much to do with our opposing view points.

If I may, one of you greatest assets in the Prophecies of Abraham” for me, is that you relate that all these occurrences happened generally within these cycles, Curses of Lev 26 being the point. I did not come away with you saying this will occur on or in the cycle, necessarily, but if history tells us anything, I would expect )——-. If I am not mistaken I recently read you stating that Yeshua would come in 2033. It sounded very definite and to me reverses some of your strength of simply saying by what has happened previously, I would expect —- thus and such. Joe, if you are wrong, you have done just what these other guys are doing. I suggest you leave things as you stated in the Prophecies of Abraham. Close is the best anybody has and you have blown the Shofar as accurately as possible. That is good enough. Specific dates and promises, puts you in a whole different league, I for one hope you don’t change leagues and join the crowd. You do your best when you only related what your research shows. Unless of course Yah has revealed that 2033 is the year. Be blessed my brother. You are doing Yah’s work.

Opa Jim

The Prophecies of Abraham show us that in 2033, Satan is to be locked away. That will be the end of the 3 ½ years of Tribulation. But do not assume you are clear until then. There is the coming war in which the USA is defeated between 2017 and 2023 and the captivity that you will be in from 2023 -2030.

If I understand the scriptures correctly and this is something we can argue over for the next millennium. But I feel the Messiah will come back at the beginning of the 8th Millennium and that King David will rule for this 7th Millennium.

This is not my great concern at this time. My concern is having the brethren keep the Sabbatical year in 2016 and get ready for the war and captivity. Not so much about pinpointing when the Messiah arrives.

I have gone back and fourth between 2033 and the 8th millennium as to when the Messiah comes. It is not my main concern though.

Another sister wrote in to say;

Praise and glory to the Creator of heaven and earth, YHWH! You did a mighty witness for Avinu, Joseph! I pray with all my heart that the majority of people will listen to you. You know, if this thing turns into an uproar, it may be the opportunity of a lifetime to witness and witness big time! We know our wise King turns all things for good! I have faith that this is what will happen. It is time to put on the whole Armour of YHWH! My goodness I have to study more now and learn to respond better to people asking questions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a faithful servant. I am glad you exposed this… the people deserve the truth!

Shalom, shalom!
Illinois

Hi–

Thank you very much for this email. In it were truths that I had never before heard explained. I know that it must be difficult to stand up to other groups, but we must stand up for the truth. There are so many out there leading Yah’s people astray. My family and I have done the whole “fleeing” prematurely thing and now understand that we must watch, wait and work while we wait for Yah to deliver us. Thank you for warning the sheep. Sometimes we can be pretty dumb and trusting.

Thanks again,
Jessica

Joseph, I may not know much about Torah, but I am learning, and I have many shortcomings. I bought your Abraham Prophecy book and found it to be most informing.
Thank you 🙂

The purpose of this short encouragement is as follows:

1. Tale-bearing
2. “Preface” and “Disclaimers”

You have studied for many years to put this information together, and I am grateful to be able to see what took you thousands of hours to put together. In my discernment, and it is just what I am sensing; Monty may have spent many hours too, but it seems you are being more ‘Hebraic’ in a fuller and cyclical-“wheel-within a wheel”understanding in my opinion. However, it appeared to me, and I clarify, (no offense intended) that you are showing impatience with one of your brothers, and you are not choosing your words carefully. I saw Monty’s video last week in an email I received from his Computer. Must say, the first thing I looked for was Prefaces and Disclaimers. Monty expressed this many times in the outset of his teaching. If someone less discerning then I am gets your “warning” about your brother they might share this distaste with someone else, and so on and so forth.
If I had a voice, I would shout it from the mountain tops: “Yahisrael”! DO NOT FORGET THE BLESSINGS OF YOUR FIRST LOVE, AND HOW IT HUMBLED YOU!”

Joseph, we cannot forget where we came from. We should always be giving thanks for the fact that we have SO much more understanding then most at this ‘ point.
In my humble opinion and that’s all it is. I believe it would be constructive brother, if you re-word your heading to say: “Rehearsing at the right Season for the right reasons” Because This is what Monty is doing whether he holds to your understanding at this point or not. And I will be doing it with a congregation here in Salem as well. And still holding to what I have gleaned from your book too. I believe we are to rehearse the fleeing part too.

I am not offended, I am just angered at how cleaver SA-TAN can be.

Shalaum-Shalom (Perfect Peace)

Gordon

Grandpa Joseph,

It’s Happened Before
Reading a timeline in the Book of Daniel, thousands in the US became convinced Yeshua was would return on October 22, 1844 to cleanse His sanctuary (the Earth). On that date, Christ would cleanse the earth with fire, the righteous dead would be resurrected and along with the righteous still-living, meet Jesus in the air to join Him for a thousand year Sabbath in heaven. When Jesus (Yeshua) did not return thousands who had sold their homes and failed to harvest their crops were devastated. This is what was know as the Great Disappointment. As a former SDA I’m familiar with the scenario. Those about to repeat this folly, might want to educate themselves about the Great Disappointment.

Peter

Another sister wrote;

Well today is the day that they should start putting up the altar on the temple mount according to Monte Judah. So, we will watch and see what happens. Will the enemy take advantage of this date? We will see.

I don’t know if you know this but 119Ministries has tomorrow, Feb 21/22 as the day that the daily sacrifice/prayers of the saints stop (yes, they do teach that the sacrifice is prayer). Then they have Mar 22 as being the date for the abomination of desolation and the start of the great tribulation. They also have July 9, 2013 – the start of Ramadan as being the date that the anti-messiah will be waging war. Sep 1, 2016(Feast of Trumpets) is their date for Yahshua’s return with the rededication of the temple being on Nov 23, 2016(Hanukkah). Those are the dates I wrote out on a timeline after watching their video 🙂

So, we have dates to watch out for and opportunities to share the Sabbatical Years & Jubilee Cycles and the Prophecies of Abraham to help our brethren remain balanced and not be deceived into acting rashly 🙂

Hope you have a good day!
Shalom

Do we go by Ripe Barley of by the Equinox?

Well, I have to tell you that I did get an ear full after last weeks News Letter. I am hated for exposing the Daniel lie, and for telling people about the Purim lie, which they are going to be keeping today and I was also told off for telling you about he Chanukah lie. Lies, lies and more lies, and yet they continue to teach you how all these lying teachings they invent are connected in prophecy. Who was the father of lies? Yes Satan is.

My friend Jim, after telling me the week before to get off the self pity party I was having and to get back to work, wrote this week to tell me some more.

Grandpa Joseph; Now that is more like it!!!! Great teaching. The Prophecies of Abraham are perhaps not exact, but by far they are the best effort to date. I realize that most of what you are talking about this week, I don’t pay any attention to, be they whom ever they may be. They are looking to be the first with the most, to reap the tithes of the sheeple. Good to hear you full of confidence again. chanukkah and purim are part of the separation that has occurred between me and my son. Those who by some miracle (tongue in cheek) have suddenly come on the scene as great Messianic teachers, with some of the grandest choreography of any known Messianic “teachers”, claiming the false celebrations are really true, have made me “unaccountable” to those closest to me. That grand  teacher, would not even respond to my email challenging his claims. I have long proclaimed that chanukka is a pure dilution of the Feast of Tabernacles, to include the 9 branch “menorah”, the 8 day celebration, etc. To me they are counterfeits of Tabernacles and dilute the preciousness of the “keeping” of what Yah intended. Who can “remember” the marriage ceremony when an “equivalent” celebration is just around the corner? Who is it that is the author of confusion? Not Yah that is for sure. Celebrate what you want, but don’t dilute Lev 23.

You are again functioning in your place. Keep on keepin on Joe. By the way I am so happy you get to see your grandchildren. You have no idea how empty things get when you are denied that opportunity.

Opa Jim

Last week we addressed the proper chronology of Passover.

And once I did this I was assaulted with those claiming that what I had said was not right and that it does not depend on the barley being Aviv at all. The only thing that needs to happen is for the New Crescent Moon to come AFTER the Spring Equinox.

Those who claim this do so to justify their current position and so they do not have to change and they hold this position after reading a book about the wheel of Stars. They totally rely on the Equinox and we all know this is told to us in Lev 23. No it is not spoken of there; do you understand this? The Equinox is not told to us or apart of the teachings of Lev 23. Then what is the Equinox; it is an invention of men and not Yehovah.

Yehovah tells us to make sure we have ripe barley for the Days of Unleavened Bread. And He states this in Lev 23. Yes it is stated right there in Lev 23 yet denied by those who will not and refuse to follow Yehovah’s instructions.

So here we have a direct command in Lev 23 to keep and some refuse to keep it and instead they wish for you to follow them and keep something that men have invented. Hmmm, does not seem kosher does it.

Let us examine this and make sure I am not making this up.

Lev 23:10 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah to be received for you. On the next day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And you shall offer that day when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering to Jehovah. 13 And its food offering shall be two-tenths part of fine flour mixed with oil, a fire offering to Jehovah for a sweet savor. And the drink offering of it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin. 14 And you shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor green ears, until the same day, until you have brought an offering to your God. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

This Sheaf that is being spoken of here in Lev 23 is a sheaf of Barley. I do not see anything here in Lev 23 about the Equinox. But we do read about the Barley. Hmmm.

We have shared this before and it that time of the year when we review and those of us who are new are taught the truth.

The Biblical year begins with the first New Moon after the barley in Israel reaches the stage in its ripeness called Abib. The period between one year and the next is either 12 or 13 lunar months. Because of this, it is important to check the state of the Barley crops at the end of the 12th month. If the barley is Abib at this time, then the following New Moon is Hodesh Ha-Aviv (“New Moon of the Abib”). If the barley is still immature, we must wait another month and then check the barley again at the end of the 13th month.

By convention, a 12-month year is referred to as a Regular Year while a 13th month year is referred to as a Leap Year. This should not be confused with Leap Years in the Gregorian (Christian) Calendar, which involve the “intercalation” (addition) of a single day (Feb. 29). In contrast, the Biblical Leap Year involves the intercalation of an entire lunar month (“Thirteenth Month”, also called “Adar Bet”). In general, it can only be determined whether a year is a Leap Year a few days before the end of the 12th Month.

Where is Abib Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible?

The story of the Exodus relates “This day you are going out in the month of the Abib.” (Ex 13,4).

To commemorate that we left Egypt in the month of the Abib, we are instructed to bring the Passover sacrifice and celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot) at this time of year. In Dt 16,1 we are commanded:

“Keep the month of the Abib and make the Passover (sacrifice) to YHWH your God at night, because in the month of the Abib YHWH your God took you out of Egypt”.

Similarly, we are commanded in Ex 23,15:

“You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you will eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded you, at the time of the month of the Abib, because in it you went out of Egypt.”

The same is commanded in Ex 34,18:

“You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you will eat unleavened bread, as have I commanded you, at the time of the month of the Abib, because in the month of the Abib you went out of Egypt.”

What is Abib?

Abib indicates a stage in the development of the barley crops. This is clear from Ex 9,31-32 which describes the devastation caused by the plague of hail:

“And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv’ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot).”

The above passage relates that the barley crops were destroyed by the hail while the wheat and spelt were not damaged. To understand the reason for this we must look at how grain develops. When grains are early in their development they are flexible and have a dark green color. As they become ripe they take on a light yellowish hue and become more brittle. The reason that the barley was destroyed and the wheat was not is that the barley had reached the stage in its development called Abib and as a result had become brittle enough to be damaged by the hail. In contrast, the wheat and spelt were still early enough in their development, at a stage when they were flexible and not susceptible to being damaged by hail. The description of the wheat and spelt as “dark” (Afilot) indicates that they were still in the stage when they were deep green and had not yet begun to lighten into the light yellowish hue which characterizes ripe grains. In contrast, the barley had reached the stage of Abib at which time it was no longer “dark” and at this point it probably had begun to develop golden streaks.

Parched Abib

We know from several passages that barley which is in the state of Abib has not completely ripened, but has ripened enough so that its seeds can be eaten parched in fire. Parched barley was a commonly eaten food in ancient Israel and is mentioned in numerous passages in the Hebrew Bible as either “Abib parched (Kalui) in fire” (Lev 2,14) or in the abbreviated form “parched (Kalui/ Kali)” (Lev 23,14; Jos 5,11; 1Sam 17,17; 1Sam 25,18; 2Sam 17,28; Ruth 2,14).

While still early in its development, barley has not yet produced large enough and firm enough seeds to produce food through parching. This early in its development, when the “head” has just come out of the shaft, the seeds are not substantial enough to produce any food. At a later stage, the seeds have grown in size and have filled with liquid. At this point the seeds will shrivel up when parched and will only produce empty skins. Over time the liquid is replaced with dry material and when enough dry material has amassed the seeds will be able to yield “barley parched in fire”.

Abib and the Harvest

The month of the Abib is the month which commences after the barley has reached the stage of Abib. 2-3 weeks after the beginning of the month the barley has moved beyond the stage of Abib and is ready to be brought as the “wave-sheaf offering” (Hanafat HaOmer). The “wave-sheaf offering” is a sacrifice brought from the first stalks cut in the harvest and is brought on the Sunday which falls out during Passover (Hag HaMatzot). This is described in Lev 23,10-11:

“When you come to the land which I give you, and harvest its harvest, you will bring the sheaf of the beginning of your harvest to the priest. And he will wave the sheaf before YHWH so you will be accepted; on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest will wave it.”

From this it is clear that the barley, which was Abib at the beginning of the month, has become harvest-ready 15-21 days later (i.e by the Sunday during Passover). Therefore, the month of the Abib can not begin unless the barley has reached a stage where it will be harvest-ready 2-3 weeks later.

NOTE THIS: READ IT ONCE AGAIN; Therefore, the month of the Abib can not begin unless the barley has reached a stage where it will be harvest-ready 2-3 weeks later.

That the barley must be harvest-ready 2-3 weeks into the month of the Abib is also clear from Dt 16,9 which states:

“From when the sickle commences on the standing grain you will begin to count seven weeks.”

From Lev 23,15 we know that the seven weeks between Passover (Hag Hamatzot) and Pentecost (Shavuot) begin on the day when the wave-sheaf offering is brought (i.e. the Sunday which falls out during Passover):

“And you shall count from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day you bring the sheaf of waving; they will be seven complete Sabbaths.”

Therefore, the “sickle commences on the standing grain” on the Sunday during Passover, i.e. 2-3 weeks after the beginning of the month of the Abib. If the barley is not developed enough so that it will be ready for the sickle 2-3 weeks later, then the month of the Abib can not begin and we must wait till the following month.

It should be noted that not all the barley ripens in the Land of Israel at the same time. The wave-sheaf offering is a national sacrifice brought from the first fields to become harvest-ready. However, the first-fruit offerings brought by individual farmers can vary in ripeness anywhere from “Abib parched in fire” to fully ripe grain which may be brought “crushed” or “coarsely ground”. This is what is meant in Lev 2,14:

“And when you bring a first-fruit offering to YHWH; you shall bring your first-fruit offering as Abib parched in fire or crushed Carmel” (Carmel is grain which has hardened beyond Abib to the point where it can be “crushed” or “coarsely ground”).

All of the above passages have been translated directly from the Hebrew and it is worth noting that the King James translators seem to have only understood the various Hebrew agricultural terms very poorly. In Lev 2,14 they translated Carmel as “full ears” and “Abib” as “green ears” whereas in Lev 23,14 they translated Carmel as “green ears”!

In summation, barley which is in the state of Abib has 3 characteristics:

It is brittle enough to be destroyed by hail and has begun to lighten in color (it is not “dark”).
The seeds have produced enough dry material so it can be eaten parched.
It has developed enough so that it will be harvest-ready 2-3 weeks later.

Q: Doesn’t Genesis 1:14 show that the Vernal Equinox, not the barley, determine the holy day seasons?

We read in Gen 1,14:

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide between the day and the night and they will be for signs and for times (Moedim) and for days and for years.”

From this verse it is not clear what is dependent on what. Certainly no mention of the Vernal Equinox is made. Perhaps the year is dependent on the moon or the stars? If the year is dependent on the sun, then what about the sun effects the beginning of the year? Gen 1,14 does not specify these things and we must turn to other Biblical passages to get a more precise understanding of the Biblical calendar. In Dt 16,1 we read:

“Keep the month of the Abib and make the Passover (sacrifice) to YHWH your God at night, because in the month of Abib YHWH your God took you out of Egypt”

Similarly we read:

“You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you will eat unleavened bread, as have I commanded you, at the time of the month of the Abib, because in the month of the Abib you went out of Egypt.” (Ex 34,18)

The word “Abib” refers to barley which has reached a certain stage in its development. This meaning of Abib is preserved in the verse:

“And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv’ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot).” (Ex 9,31-32)

To keep the Passover Sacrifice in the Month of the Abib requires taking the Abib (ripening barley) as an indicator of the beginning of the year. This is entirely consistent with Gen 1,14, for the ripening of the barley is dependent on the seasons of the year and therefore indirectly is controlled by the sun. Central factors, which cause the barley to ripen, are the lengthening of the days and the increasing sunlight, changes in humidity, and other factors which affect the environment. Therefore, it is the sun, which indirectly causes the barley to ripen, and thereby acts as an indicator of years. It is this indirect effect which causes the barley to become Abib which Gen 1,14 is referring to when it says the sun and moon will be for years.

It should be noted that the equinox is never mentioned in the entire Hebrew Bible. Gen 1,14, which has often been cited as proof of the equinox theory, does not mention the equinox either. On the contrary, the use of astronomical calculations for determining the time of the equinox, was in this period synonymous with the idolatrous practice of fortune telling and was certainly not practiced in ancient Israel (Isa 47,13).

Vernal Equinox and Tekufah
Q: Is the equinox (Tekufah) mentioned in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible)?

The claim has been made by proponents of the equinox calendar theory that the word equinox actually appears in the Tanach. They are referring to the word Tekufah or Tequfah which appears in the Hebrew Bible four times. Tekufah is in fact the post-Biblical word for “equinox”, however, it never has the meaning of “equinox” in the Tanach. In Biblical Hebrew, Tekufah retains its literal meaning of “circuit”, that is something which returns to the same point in time or space [from the root Nun.Quf.Pe. meaning “to go around”]. To claim that Tekufah means equinox in the Tanach, just because it had this meaning in later Hebrew, is an anchronism. This would be like saying that there were handguns in ancient Israel because the word EKDACH, the post-Biblical Hebrew word for handgun, appears in Isaiah 54:12. Let us consider another example of this anachronistic use of language: Before the invention of the electronic computer during World War II, the word “computer” referred to a man who sat at a desk calculating (computing) mathematical equations. Imagine if we found an 18th century document mentioning “computers” and proclaimed to the world that there were really electronic computers in the 18th century. This is exactly what the equinox-followers are doing with the word Tekufah. To better understand this, let us consider the four appearances of Tekufah in the Tanach.

Tekufah in Exodus 34:22

The first appearance of Tekufah is in the list of Pilgrimage-Feasts (Hagim) in Ex 34:22 which refers to the agricultural character of the Feast of Booths (Sukkot):

“And the Feast of Ingathering at the circuit of the year (Tekufat HaShannah).”

Being mislead by the Post-Biblical Hebrew meaning of Tekufah, some have interpreted “circuit of the year” anachronistically to refer to the Autumnal Equinox (it is doubtful whether the ancient Israelites even knew of the equinox and they certainly had no way of calculating when it would be). This anachronistic reading leads to the suggestion of fixing the beginning of the year so that Sukkot (The Feast of Ingathering) falls out at the time of the Autumnal Equinox. However, a closer investigation shows that “circuit of the year” has nothing to do with the equinox. The list of Pilgrimage-Feasts also appears in a parallel passage in Ex 23:16 which describes Sukkot as follows:

“And the Feast of Ingathering at the going out of the year (Tzet HaShannah), when you have gathered in your work from the field.”

Exodus 34 is actually an almost verbatim paraphrase of Exodus 23 and it is important to compare and contrast these two passages; the differences are often very enlightening. Comparing Ex 34:22 and Ex 23:16 it is clear that the “going out of the year” and the “circuit of the year” refer to the same time. The “going out/ circuit” of the year is described in Ex 23:16 as “when you have gathered in your work from the field”. This agricultural ingathering is also described in Dt 16:13:

“You shall keep the Feast of Booths for seven days, when you have gathered in from your threshing floors and from your wine presses.”

The Feast of Booths/ Ingathering is described as the “going out of the year” because it takes place at the end of the yearly agricultural cycle of planting, harvest, threshing, and ingathering. At the same time, Sukkot is described as taking place at the “circuit of the year” because once the agricultural cycle ends it then immediately recommences (making a circuit, returning to the same point in time) with the planting of the fields after the first rains (sometimes during or shortly after Sukkot itself).

Tekufah in Psalms 19:7

The term Tekufah (circuit) appears in Psalm 19 in reference to the sun, but here too it has nothing to do with the equinox. Psalm 19 describes the heavens and sun, which from their unique vantage point are witness to all things in creation, and thus (metaphorically) testify to the incomparable glory of God. Verses 5-7 describes the sun:

“(5)… He [YHWH] placed a tent among them [the heavens] for the sun. (6) Which is as a bridegroom going out of his chamber, and which rejoices as a strong man running a race. (7) From the end of the heavens is its [the sun’s] going out and its circuit (Tekufato) is to their [the heavens] ends, and none is hidden from its heat”

Verse 6 describes the sun as a bridegroom that bursts forth out of his chamber and as a hero that runs along a path. Verse 7 then describes the “going out” of the sun at one end of the heavens and the “circuit” (Tekufato) of the sun at the other end. Clearly what is being described is the daily path of the sun which rises at one end of the heaven (its going out) and sets at the other end (its return), “and none is hidden from its heat” during the course of the day. What has confused some readers is that the going out or exiting of the sun refers to sunrise, but this unusual terminology is used throughout the Tanach. For example, we read in Judges 5:31:

“Thus shall all the enemies of YHWH be destroyed; and all those whom he loves shall be as the going out of the sun (KeTzet HaShemesh) in its might”. (Jud 5,31)

Those loyal to YHWH shall shine forth with glory as the “going out of the sun”, that is sunrise. It may seem strange that sunrise is referred to as the “going out” of the sun. After all, in Exodus we saw that the going out of the year was the end of the year, whereas the going out of the sun is the beginning of the day. However, this is consistent with Biblical usage and in fact the common Biblical way of saying sunset is the coming in or entering of the sun. This is related to the ancient Israelite conception of the sun which at night was thought of as metaphorically dwelling in a celestial chamber (Ps 19:5). At dawn the sun goes out of this metaphorical chamber and the earth is lit while at night the sun comes into the metaphorical chamber and it is dark. This is also the thought behind the comparison of sunrise to a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber. Ps 19:7 refers to the going out of the sun (sunrise) at one end of heaven and its circuit (return to the same place, to its nightly chamber) at the other end, that is sunset (for a similar thought see Ecc 1:5). We see that here too Tekufah (circuit) has nothing to do with the equinox.

Tekufah in 2 Chronicles 24:23

As seen above the “Tekufah (circuit) of the year” in Exodus referred to events in the autumn (the time of the ingathering). The same expression (circuit of the year) is also used to refer to events which take place in late spring as we see in 2Chr 24:23:

“And it was at the circuit (Tekufah) of the year that the army of Aram went up and they came to Judah and Jerusalem…”

In this instance the “Circuit (Tekufah) of the year” comes in place of the common expression “Return (Teshuvah) of the year” which appears several times in the Tanach as “the time when kings go out [to war]” as in:

“And it was at the return (Teshuvah) of the year, and Ben-Haddad counted Aram and went up to Afek to war with Israel.” (1Ki 20:26).

“And it was at the return (Teshuvah) of the year, at the time the kings go out [to war] and David sent Yoav… and they smote the Amonites and besieged Rabbah…” (2Sam 11:1)

The time that the kings went out to war was the late spring before the oppresive heat of summer and after the winter rains which made the mud roads in the Land of Israel impassable. We see here that Tekufah (circuit) of the year is used interchangeably with the more common Teshuvah (return) of the year. Whenever this annual set time for kings to go out to war comes around it is a “circuit of the year”, returning to the same point in time as last year.

Tekufah in 1Samuel 1:20

The term Tekufah (circuit) also appears in 1Sam 1:20 which says:

“And it was at the circuits (Tekufot) of the days, and Hannah conceived and bore a son…”

Here the “circuits” of the days refers to “the same time the following year” [or possibly to the completion of the term of pregnancy?]. It is worth noting that Tekufah is plural in 1Sam 1:20 as tekufot “circuitS”. If we apply the anachronistic meaning of Tekufah as equinox then we get the absurd translation: “And it was at the equinoxes of the days, and Hanah concieved and bore a son…” This emphasizes how important it is to understand Scripture in its historical and linguistic context.

None of the four appearances of Tekufah in the Hebrew Scripture have anything to do with the equinox. Instead, this term is used in Biblical Hebrew in its primary sense of a “circuit”, that is a return to the same point in space or time. Only in Post-Biblical Hebrew did Tekufah come to mean “equinox” and to read this meaning into the Tanach creates an anachronism.

Doesn’t Josephus say that the New Year is determined based on the “1st of Aries”?

The “1st of Aries” is a reference to the Vernal Equinox and as seen above the Pharisees determined the New Year based on 3 factors, one of which was the Vernal Equinox. In his autobiography, Josephus himself informs us that he is a Pharisee, so it is not surprising that he should quote the Pharisee practice of intercalation. As is Josephus’ practice he only gives the details of a lwhich would be comprehensible to his pagan Greek readers. In this case Josephus does not mention the agricultural indicators of the New Year [according to the Pharisees the Abib and the Fruits] and only refers to the astrological indicators which his pagan audience would have been able to relate to. Josephus’ repeating the Pharisee position on intercalation does not give it any more credence.

Now that we have proven our case that we need barley for the wave offering in the month of Abib, next week we will show why this is so important. It is so important that it blows me away each year as I think about it. Absolutely stunning, and to those who say we do not need to have barley and do not need to postpone the month if the barley is not ready, well they just have no clue how the plan of Yehovah is being worked out both in the past and in the near future.

Triennial Torah Cycle

We continue this weekend with our regular Triennial Torah reading

Deut 6       1 Chron 1       Gal 3

Obeying God’s Commandments (Deuteronomy 6)

We are then introduced to one of the two great commandments in the law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5; compare Matthew 22:36-38). Christ made clear that this is “the first and great commandment,” but that the second (“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”) is “like” it (verse 39, quoting from Leviticus 19:18). He explained that God’s entire law is summarized by these two commandments (see Matthew 22:40). This is understandable, as the first four of the Ten Commandments explain how to love God, while the last six tell us how to love our neighbor. The statutes and judgments, in turn (compare Deuteronomy 4:13-14), expand on and set forth in more detail the practical application of the Ten Commandments in our daily lives. And Christ’s teachings in the New Testament—a magnification of the law (see Isaiah 42:21)—expand on the Ten Commandments, statutes and judgments even further, by showing us how to live according to their spiritual intent. (For instance, in Matthew 5:21-22 Jesus stated it is not only wrong to actually murder someone, but it is wrong to even hate someone, as uncontrolled hatred can ultimately lead to the physical act of murder.)

Verses 6-9 emphasize the urgent necessity of teaching children the truths of God, giving parents the primary responsibility here. Too often, parents are negligent in this responsibility and children grow up uncertain about what they know. Conveying confidence and certainty in the Word of God is a vital role parents are commanded to fulfill. The laws and ways of God should be taught daily. Regarding “Thou shalt teach them diligently” in verse 7, Adam Clarke’s Commentary notes that the Hebrew means “‘to repeat, iterate, or do a thing again and again’; hence to whet or sharpen any instrument, which is done by reiterated friction or grinding” (emphasis added). This points to the great value of family Bible study and prayer. And biblical principles should be talked about informally as often as opportunities present themselves—whenever there is a way to connect daily living and attitudes with the teachings of the Bible. An opportunity is whenever you are together—sitting, walking, riding in a car, eating together, etc. An opportunity is when a question or problem arises and the parent can point to the Bible for understanding and solutions. And it’s valuable for families to start and end each day talking about and praying to God.

Since Israel was a carnal nation, God commanded that they write the commandments on the doorposts of their houses (Deuteronomy 6:9). Although it would not be wrong for a Christian to do so today, it is not obligatory, as the law of God should be inscribed in a far more important place—on our hearts. God desired this for ancient Israel, too (verse 6), but He knew that this would not be the case without His Spirit within them (compare 31:21, 29; 29:4). Of course, while adults may feel no need for physical reminders and visual aids, as illustrated by verses 8-9, they are often helpful for children.

In verse 15, God describes Himself as a “jealous God,” as in Exodus 34:14. He demands our absolute loyalty and fidelity to Him. But this is not for Himself—because He just soaks up our adoration. Putting other things before the true God in our lives is harmful and destructive to ourselves and others. God knows that all too well. If everyone instead set their affections on Him—the God of love—above all others, there would be perfect peace and happiness throughout the world. So God is jealous not for His own sake—but for ours.

Some today say that all we need is the “righteousness of faith”—that is, as long as we believe in Christ, we are justified or “made right,” regardless of how we live. But Moses told Israel something different. In Deuteronomy 6:25, we read, “Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.” Psalm 119, an ode to keeping God’s law, which is traditionally attributed to King David, defines all of God’s commandments as righteousness (verse 172). After all, faith without works is dead (James 2:14, 20). We will be rewarded in accordance with our works, and we are to practice “obedience to the faith” (Romans 1:5; 16:26). When we sin, Christ forgives us upon repentance and justifies us or makes us righteous (1 John 1:7-9). But we are told not to sin—this must be our foremost goal (Matthew 6:33; Romans 6:15; 1 John 2:1). Since “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, KJV), we remain righteous unless and until we sin. But no one can keep God’s law on his own—we need the help of the living Christ in us to conquer sin. That is why we read, “He condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit… Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His… For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:3-4, 9, 14).

1 Chronicles 1

The Genealogies (1 Chronicles 1)

Our readings now concentrate on the third division of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Ketuvim or “Writings” (often referred to by the Greek name Hagiographa, meaning “Sacred Writings”). Jesus referred to this section as the Psalms (Luke 24:44), as the book of Psalms opens the section in the traditional Hebrew arrangement. We have already read a number of books and passages from the Writings in chronological harmony with the books of the Prophets. We now pick up those we have not yet covered.

We turn first to the first nine chapters of Chronicles, which contain genealogies from Adam to the post-Exilic period. The story flow of Chronicles, which we have already covered, begins in chapter 10 with the end of Saul’s reign and the commencement of David’s rule. Yet there is much information preceding the story flow in the book.

Recall that Ezra is the likely compiler of the book of Chronicles and that, in arrangement order, the book appears last in the Hebrew canon. Halley’s Bible Handbook states in its notes on chapters 1-9: “These genealogies seem to have had for their immediate object the resettling of the land according to public records. Those who had returned from the captivity were entitled to lands formerly held in their own families…. [Just] so, the priesthood was hereditary in families…[And it was the same] with the kingly line of David. The most important and precious of all promises was that the world’s Savior would come in David’s family. The central interest of these genealogies is their tracing the descent of David’s line…Most of the genealogies are incomplete, with many breaks in the lists. But the main line is there. They were probably compiled from many records which had been written on tablets, papyrus or vellum, partly copied from preceding Old Testament books.”

Indeed, the information in chapter 1 can be found earlier in different parts of the book of Genesis: Adam to Noah (1 Chronicles 1:1-4; see also Genesis 5); the descendants of Noah (1 Chronicles 1:5-23; see also Genesis 10); Shem to Abraham (1 Chronicles 1:24-27; see also Genesis 11:10-26); the family of Ishmael (1 Chronicles 1:28-31; see also Genesis 25:12-16); Abraham’s descendants through Keturah (1 Chronicles 1:32-33; see also Genesis 25:1-4); and the family of Esau (1 Chronicles 1:35-54; see also Genesis 36).

Beyond the reasons mentioned above, is there more to the scriptural incorporation of these incessant lists that go on for nine chapters at the beginning of the book of Chronicles? The Bible Reader’s Companion states in its notes on 1 Chronicles 1-3: “At least eight different purposes of O[ld] T[estament] genealogies have been suggested. (1) To show relationships between Israel and neighboring peoples. (2) To show relationships between elements in the story of Israel’s origins. (3) To link periods of time not covered by other material. (4) As a means of organizing Israel’s men for warfare, by tribe and family. (5) To demonstrate the legitimacy of a person or family’s claim to a particular role or rank. (6) To preserve the purity of the chosen people and/or its priesthood. (7) To affirm the continuity of the people of God despite expulsion from the Promised Land. (8) To demonstrate progress toward achieving God’s revealed purposes; to show that the Lord is sovereignly shaping history in accord with His own plan. The genealogies of the O[ld] T[estament] play a vital role in maintaining the integrity, and showing the continuity, of Scripture’s story of salvation” (Lawrence Richards, 1991).

Halley’s Bible Handbook concludes in its notes on 1 Chronicles 1-9: “These 9 chapters of genealogies form the generation-to-generation tie up of all preceding Biblical history. They need not be read, for devotional purposes, as often as some other parts of Scripture. But in reality these, and similar genealogies, are the skeleton framework of the Old Testament, the thing that binds the whole Bible together, and gives it unity, and makes it look like real history, not legend.”

Galatians 3 (http://www.hebroots.com/galatians.htm)

In Galations 3:8-13 it is written:??8 “And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify (make righteous ?/ justify or save) the heathen through FAITH preached the GOSPEL unto ?Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. ??9 So they they which be of FAITH are blessed with faithful Abraham. ??10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it ?is written, cursed is every one that continues not in all the things which ?are written in the book of the law to do them. ??11 But that no man is justified (made righteous / justified / saved) ?by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith ?(Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38). ??12 And the law is not of faith: but the man that doeth them shall live ?in them (Lev 18:5, Ezekiel 20:11, 13, 21)??13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a ?curse for us: for as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on ?a tree (Deuteronomy 21:23)?? ?

When reading the text, it is important to read the text in ?CONTEXT. Secondly, we need to read the text with a Hebraic mindset ?and understanding.??#1) What is the setting of these verses of scripture? The issue is ?HOW is a person justified or saved in the eyes of God. Paul quotes ?from the JEWISH scriptures to make his point in the matter. ??In Galations 3:8, Paul quotes from Genesis 12:3.?In Galations 3:10, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 27:26?In Galations 3:11, Paul quotes from Habakkuk 2:4?In Galations 3:12, Paul quotes from Leviticus 18:5?In Galations 3:13, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 21:23??First, notice that Paul is NOT establishing new doctrine. He uses the ?Jewish scriptures and mostly the first five books of Moses to prove ?his position. Therefore, the Apostle Paul (Rav Sha’ul) is making a ?Torah based argument for his position. Rather than invalidating the ?Torah through the work of the Messiah, the Apostle Paul (Rav Sha’ul) ?shows how the Torah teaches that a person is justified in the ?eyes of God not by works but by faith (and the grace/mercy) of God.?Therefore, his doctrine is not new but it is Torah based and centered ?in the Jewish scriptures. ??

While Abraham was justified by faith in the eyes of God (Galations ?3:9), he KEPT the Torah of God (Genesis 26:5). ??James uses Abraham as an example to show us that he was justified by ?God by faith but his faith was made perfect (complete / full stature) ?by his works because Abraham acted on his faith because faith without ?works is dead (James 1:20-23).??The issue being discussed in Galations 3 is HOW is a person SAVED in ?the eyes of God? Paul answers the question by quoting from the Jewish ?scriptures including the Torah and stating that a person is SAVED by ?God through faith in the work of the Messiah and not by his own ?works.??

Christians often get confused and equate law (Torah) with salvation. ?This issue should become clear when we examine two Hebrew words, ?Law (TORAH) and Jesus (YESHUA). ??Jesus (YESHUA) means “salvation” (Matthew 1:21)?Law (TORAH) means “instruction”. ??When I think of “salvation”, I think of JESUS (YESHUA).?When I think of “instruction”, (how God wants me to live my faith ?AFTER I am saved by YESHUA / Jesus) then this is TORAH.??The Hebrew word, TORAH (Strong’s 8451) comes from the Hebrew word ?YARAH (Strong’s 3384) which means “to teach, to point out as aiming ?the finger”. INSTRUCTION is what a father (our heavenly father) ?gives to his children (those who are saved by faith in Messiah) in ?living a life which is pleasing to the father. ??

Torah DOES NOT save us but it was given by God to INSTRUCT us how ?to live our life AFTER we are saved. Yeshua / Jesus was/is the living ?Torah / Word of God made flesh. When He lived his life on this ?earth, He INSTRUCTED his followers how they were to live their lives ?on this earth in a way which would be pleasing to our heavenly father.??One of the Messiah’s most memorable instruction sessions is called ?within Christianity, the “sermon on the mount”. In Matthew 5:16, it ?is written:??”Let your light (Psalm 119:33,97,111 … TEACH (YARAH — 3384) me, O ?Lord, the WAY (Strong’s 1870 — (Derek) — a course of life or mode ?of action) of your statues and I shall keep it unto the end … O how ?I love thy TORAH … thy word (Torah) is a LAMP (light) unto my feet ?and a LIGHT unto my path)(Proverbs 6:23 … For the COMMANDMENT is a ?LAMP : and the TORAH is LIGHT) so shine before men (by keeping the ?commandments of God) that they may see you GOOD WORKS and glorify ?your Father which is in heaven”??So, Jesus / Yeshua said that keeping the commandments (Torah) of God ?is LIGHT and GOOD WORKS (not talking about salvation). ??

In Matthew 5:17, Yeshua/Jesus continues by saying:??”THINK NOT that I have come to destroy the TORAH (a Jewish idiom ?which means to wrongly interpret and apply the meaning of the Torah ?to your life) but I have not come to destroy (wrongly interpret and ?apply to your life) but to fulfill (a Jewish idiom which means to ?correctly interpret and apply the Torah to your life) …”??In John 14:15, Yeshua/Jesus said:??”If you love, keep my commandments”??In Revelation 22:12,14 it is written:??”And behold, I come quickly; and my REWARD is with me, to give every ?man according as his WORK (good works) shall be …. BLESSED are they ?that DO his commandments (walks by love and keeps the Torah) that ?they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the ?gates of the city”??Therefore, the first issue is to read the text in context. The ?context of Galation 3 is HOW is a person saved? The answer is that ?salvation does not come by TRUSTING in keeping the Torah for your ?salvation but by the work of the Messiah through his death on the ?tree.??#2) When we interpret this text from a Hebraic mindset, the CURSE of ?the law was NOT KEEPING the Torah. Messiah redeemed us from the ?CURSE of NOT KEEPING the Torah (for salvation sake).??

The greatest commandment of God is given in Deuteronomy 6:3-7 ?as it is written:??”HEAR (SHEMA) therefore, Israel and observe to DO it (keep the ?commandments and statutes of God) that it may be WELL with thee (a ?blessing) that you might INCREASE MIGHTILY … Hear (SHEMA), O ?Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: and you shall love the Lord thy ?God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy ?might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in ?thine HEART (the Torah written upon the heart) and you shall TEACH ?them diligently unto thy children …”??Yeshua/Jesus said that these words in Deut 6:4-5 is the GREATEST ?commandment (Matthew 22:36-38, Mark 12:28-30).??So, therefore, Yeshua/Jesus said that the GREATEST commandment is to ?love God and you show your love to God by keeping his commandments ?(Deut 6:3-7, John 14:15). ?

In Deuteronomy 28:1-14 is the BLESSING for KEEPING the commandments ?of God. In Deuteronomy 28:1-2 it is written:??”And it shall come to pass that if you will HEARKEN (SHEMA) ?diligently (Deut 6:4-7) unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to ?observe and to DO ALL His commandments which I command you this day ?that … all these BLESSINGS shall come on thee and overtake thee ?…”??In Deuteronomy 28:15-68 specifies the CURSES for BREAKING the ?commandments of God. In Deuteronomy 28:15 it is written:??”But it shall come to pass, if you shall NOT hearken (SHEMA) unto the ?voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to DO ALL his commandments and ?his statutes … that all these CURSES shall come upon thee and ?overtake thee …”??

In Deuteronomy 30:15-19, God reiterates that BLESSINGS will come upon ?his people for KEEPING His commandments and CURSES for NOT keeping ?His commandments as it is written:??”See, I have set before thee this day LIFE and GOOD and DEATH and ?EVIL. In that I command this this day to LOVE the Lord they God (the ?greatest commandment … Matthew 22:36-38, Mark 12:28-30) to walk in ?his ways (1870 = Derek … which is a course of life or mode of ?action) and to KEEP his commandments and his statutes and his ?judgments, that thou mayest LIVE and MULTIPLY … BUT if your heart ?turns away, so that you will NOT HEAR (SHEMA) … I will DENOUNCE you ?this day … I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, ?that I have set before you LIFE (keeping the Torah and the ?commandments of God) and DEATH (breaking the Torah and the ?commandments of God) BLESSING (for keeping) and CURSING (for ?breaking): therefore CHOOSE LIFE (keeping the Torah and the ?commandments of God) that both you and your seed may live”??Therefore, the CURSE was for BREAKING the commandments of God.

The ?BLESSING was for KEEPING the commandments of God. But, KEEPING the ?commandments of God DOES NOT SAVE you in the eyes of God. The Torah ?POINTS you and sets the standard of God to show your need for the ?Messiah while at the same time reveals and INSTRUCTS us how to live ?our lives in a way which is pleasing to God. ???

THE TORAH IS THE TREE OF LIFE

In the Garden of Eden, there were two trees. One tree was ?called the TREE OF LIFE (Genesis 2:9). In Proverbs 3, we see that the ?TORAH is called a TREE OF LIFE. In Proverbs 3:1,17-18 it is written:??”My son, forget not my TORAH but let thine heart KEEP my commandments ?… her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. ?She is a TREE OF LIFE to them that lay hold of her: and happy is ?every one that retaineth her”??But one may say, isn’t Proverbs 3 also talking about wisdom? In ?Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-6 it is written:?”Now therefore HEARKEN (SHEMA) O Israel, unto the statutes and unto ?the judgments which I TEACH you for to DO them that you may LIVE … ?Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my ?God commanded me … KEEP therefore and DO them: for this is your ?WISDOM (keeping the Torah/commandments of God) and your understanding ?in the sight of the nations which shall hear (SHEMA) all these ?statutes and say, surely this great nation is a WISE and ?understanding people”??

In Revelation 22:12,14, Jesus/Yeshua says that those who DO his ?commandments may have right to the TREE OF LIFE”??In Revelation 22:1-2, there is a pure river of water of life ?proceeding from the throne of God. And on either side of the river ws ?the TREE OF LIFE which bare 12 manner of fruits and yielded her fruit ?every month and the LEAVES of the tree were for the HEALING of the ?nations.??Did you know that the PAGES of the Torah scroll are called LEAVES? In ?Jeremiah 36:21,23 it is written:??”So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the ROLL … and Jehudi READ it in ?the ears of the king … And it came to pass when Jehudi had read ?THREE or FOUR LEAVES …”??So, the “leaves” on the “tree of life” is a reference to the pages of ?a Torah scroll.

Revelation 22:2 is a quote and reference from Psalm ?1:2-3 which describes a person who KEEPS the Torah of God as it is ?written:??”But his delight is in the TORAH of the Lord: and in his TORAH does ?he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a TREE planted by the ?RIVERS OF WATER, that bringeth forth his FRUIT in his seas and his ?LEAF also shall not wither and whatsoever he does shall PROSPER”??Therefore in conclusion in understanding Galations 3:13, we need to ?understand that Paul is NOT making a new doctrine but he quotes the ?Jewish scriptures to validate that one is justified (saved) by faith ?and not by trusting in your own righteousness through the keeping of ?the Torah/commandments of God.??

However, by understanding and viewing the scriptures from a Hebraic ?mindset, the above truth does not negate the roll of the Torah in the ?life of a believer in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah because God’s word ?states over and over and Yeshua/Jesus himself states that the ?GREATER BLESSING that God will give to His people (apart from ?salvation) will be unto those who keep the Torah of God. ?

Galatians 3:13 begins,

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law…”
What could be clearer? The Torah is a curse and Christ has redeemed us from it. Isn’t that what it says?
Nowhere else in the Bible is the Torah called a curse. On the contrary, the very first Psalm begins,
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Torah of YHWH, and in His Torah he meditates day and night.”
And Shaul/Paul, even when writing about how sin had used God’s commanding of the Torah to deceive us, nevertheless says,
“Therefore the Torah is holy…” (Rom 7:12)
The Torah of the Lord cannot be both holy and a curse, so what is Galatians 3:13 saying?
Throughout the Torah there are descriptions of the blessings which result from obedience, and the curses which are the consequence of disobedience. In a general sense, Galatians 3:13 is saying that Messiah has redeemed us from all of the curses. Specifically, it is referring back to the curse mentioned in verse 10, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” (Deut. 27:26)

In other words, if there is a Torah instruction I am not yet able to perform, or not yet aware of, or if I used to walk in God’s ways but have fallen away, or I’ve never walked in God’s ways, then I am under a curse and in need of redemption.

Yeshua took the punishments for our sin upon Himself. He redeemed us from the curses which are the consequence of our disobedience. But He never took away the blessings that result when we are obedient.
Yeshua has redeemed us from the curse, but not from the blessing, of the Torah!

For many believers in Yeshua / Jesus as the Messiah, one of their major stumbling blocks to embracing their Hebraic heritage in Messiah is trying to understand the meaning of the book of Galatians.

For many believers in Yeshua / Jesus as the Messiah, GALATIANS IS THE BIBLE. In other words, what they THINK what Paul is saying in Galatians supercedes what is written in the Torah and the Prophets, supercedes what Messiah said in the Gospels and supercedes Paul’s testimony in the book of Acts that he himself kept the Torah (Acts 21-26).
In a previous HHMI newsgroup article, we saw how the phrase “works of the law” gleaned from the dead sea scroll writings referred to the “Oral Law” and MAN’S interpretation of how to follow the Torah. “Works of the law” did NOT mean following the WRITTEN Torah based upon the insights from the dead sea scrolls where this phrase was used.

In this article, we are going to try and study the meaning of the phrase: “… the law was added …”
KJV Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
This verse is traditionally interpreted to mean that the “Law” was given at Mount Sinai until the coming of the Messiah. After the death of the Messiah on the tree, the “law” loses its purpose.
Is this really what Paul was trying to explain in Galatians 3:19 ??

WAS THE LAW ADDED BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS?

In order to understand whether is makes sense to interpret these words to mean that the LAW was ADDED because of TRANSGRESSIONS, we need to realize several things.
Is is possible for the law to be added because of transgressions?
WHAT IS TRANSGRESSION?
KJV 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
SIN = TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW
IF the LAW was ADDED BECAUSE of TRANSGRESSION then it is NOT possible to sin! You can’t ever transgress / sin if the law didn’t exist prior to Mount Sinai because sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). Therefore the LAW could NOT have been added BECAUSE of TRANSGRESSION because the law needs to exist in order to sin which is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4)

THE TORAH IS ETERNAL

KJV Psalm 119:44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
KJV Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
KJV Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
TORAH = WORD OF YHVH
Many in traditional Christianity view that the Torah is separate from the Word of YHVH. Biblically, the Torah and the Word of YHVH are synonymous terms.
KJV Psalm 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
KJV Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light…
WORD = LAMP = Psalm 119:105?COMMANDMENT = LAMP = Proverbs 6:23
WORD = LIGHT = Psalm 119:105?LAW = LIGHT = Proverbs 6:23
KJV Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

ZION = JERUSALEM
TORAH = WORD OF YHVH
ABRAHAM KEPT THE TORAH OF YHVH

KJV Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
MESSIAH HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW
KJV Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
If Messiah redeemed us from the CURSE of the law, what is the curse of the law? The curse of the law is the PENALTY for DISOBEYING the Torah.
.KJV Deuteronomy 27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

CURSED = NOT DO THE TORAH
DISOBEDIENCE TO TORAH BRINGS DEATH
What if we don’t obey the Torah? We deserve death.

KJV Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death …

For the wages of sin = transgression of the law (I John 3:4) is death.

MESSIAH DIED ON THE TREE TO FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS

Messiah died on the tree to pay the penalty for NOT obeying the Torah.
Because Messiah died on the tree to pay for the penalty of our sin, should we continue sinning (disobeying the Torah) ???

KJV Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
KJV Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

WORKS OF THE LAW VS HEARING OF FAITH

KJV Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
SPIRITUAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
PHYSICAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = WORKS OF THE LAW
KJV Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all (SPIRITUAL) Israel, which are of (PHYSICAL) Israel:
KJV Romans 9:7 Neither, because they are the (PHYSICAL) seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac (SPIRITUAL PROMISE) shall thy seed be called.

SPIRITUAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

KJV Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
KJV Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
BEFORE FAITH CAME
KJV Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law
Christians usually interpret this verse to mean that the law came first and faith came after the law was given. Is this really what Paul was saying?
If faith didn’t come until after the law was given then how could Abraham be justified by faith if faith hadn’t come yet?
KJV Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
KJV Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
So FAITH DIDN’T COME AFTER the law was given since Abraham was justified by faith.

THE WORLD WAS CREATED BY FAITH

KJV Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
ABEL WALKED IN FAITH
KJV Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
NOAH WALKED IN FAITH
KJV Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
MOSES WALKED IN FAITH
KJV Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
BEFORE FAITH CAME ????
KJV Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law
Is Paul really trying to say that faith didn’t come until after the law was given when the world was created by faith, Abel walked by faith, Abraham walked by faith, Noah walked by faith and Abraham walked by faith?
CONTEXT …. CONTEXT ….. CONTEXT

WORKS OF THE LAW VS HEARING OF FAITH

KJV Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
SPIRITUAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
PHYSICAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = WORKS OF THE LAW
SPIRITUAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = CHILDREN OF PROMISE
WORKS OF THE LAW (MAN’S interpretation of the law / Oral Law) = CURSE OF THE LAW
KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law?to do them.
THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH?
KJV Galatians 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Did Paul really mean that the LAW is not of faith?
CONTEXT …. CONTEXT ….. CONTEXT
Works of the law = Not of faith
KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the WORKS of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
KJV Galatians 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

FAITH = BELIEVING THE WORD / TORAH OF YHVH

KJV Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
THE PROMISE WAS MADE IN THE TORAH
KJV Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
KJV Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
MOUNT SINAI CAN’T ANNUL THE PROMISE IN THE TORAH MADE WITH ABRAHAM
KJV Galatians 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

THE PROMISE = JUSTIFIED BY FAITH THROUGH THE MESSIAH

KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
KJV Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
INHERITANCE = PROMISE = JUSTIFIED BY FAITH THROUGH MESSIAH
KJV Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
THE PROMISE IN THE TORAH WAS MADE WITH ABRAHAM AND THE MESSIAH THAT THE SEED OF ABRAHAM WOULD BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH JUST AS ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
KJV Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
KJV Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
KJV Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made …

SO WHAT WAS ADDED?

As mentioned earlier, the LAW wasn NOT ADDED BECAUSE of TRANSGRESSIONS because the law has to exist in order to sin / transgress (Sin = Transgression of the law) (I John 3:4)
What is the TRANSGRESSION that CAUSED something to be ADDED that didn’t exist in the time of Abraham?
WHAT IS THE TRANSGRESSION?
It was the sin of the golden calf.
WHAT GOT ADDED AS A RESULT OF THE SIN OF THE GOLDEN CALF?
The Levitical priesthood.
KJV Exodus 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
KJV Exodus 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
CONTEXT …. CONTEXT ….. CONTEXT

WHAT SERVES THE LAW?

KJV Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law?
Law = Levitical Priesthood
KJV Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions …
The Levitical priesthood was added because of the sin of the golden calf.
THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD WAS OUR TUTOR TO BRING US TO MESSIAH
KJV Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The law = Levitical Priesthood which was added because of the transgression of the golden calf
MESSIAH IS A PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHEZEDEK
KJV Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
KJV Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed …
KJV Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
KJV Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
KJV Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
THE NEW COVENANT IS THE TORAH WRITTEN UPON OUR HEARTS
KJV Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS GIVEN TO HELP US TO OBEY THE TORAH
KJV Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

SUMMARY

WORKS OF THE LAW VS HEARING OF FAITH
In the book of Galatians chapter 3, Paul is comparing and contrasting being justified by “works of the law” (understood from the dead sea scrolls to mean MAN’S INTERPRETATION of the Torah (Oral Law) versus being justified by faith.
ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
SPIRITUAL CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM = JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
WORKS OF THE LAW = CURSE OF THE LAW = NOT OF FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
THE PROMISE IN THE TORAH WAS MADE WITH ABRAHAM AND THE MESSIAH THAT THE SEED OF ABRAHAM WOULD BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH JUST AS ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
MOUNT SINAI CAN’T ANNUL THE PROMISE IN THE TORAH MADE WITH ABRAHAM AND MESSIAH THAT THE SPIRITUAL SEED OF ABRAHAM ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH JUST LIKE HOW ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
KJV Galatians 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD WAS ADDED BECAUSE OF THE SIN OF THE GOLDEN CALF
KJV Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made …
KJV Exodus 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
KJV Exodus 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD WAS OUR TUTOR TO BRING US TO MESSIAH
KJV Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The law = Levitical Priesthood which was added because of the transgression of the golden calf

MESSIAH IS A PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHEZEDEK

KJV Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
KJV Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed …
KJV Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
KJV Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
KJV Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
THE NEW COVENANT IS THE TORAH WRITTEN UPON OUR HEARTS
KJV Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS GIVEN TO HELP US TO OBEY THE TORAH
KJV Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
SHOULD BELIEVERS IN THE MESSIAH FOLLOW TORAH?
Therefore was Paul teaching in Galatians 3 that once Messiah came that we are no longer to keep the Word of YHVH / Torah? No.
Paul was teaching in Galatians 3 FROM THE TORAH that Abraham was justified by faith just as all believers in the Messiah and that the Levitical priesthood was added because of the sin of the golden calf to be our tutor to bring us to the Messiah so that we no longer would follow and trust in the “works of the law” (MAN’S INTERPRETATION of the Torah (Oral Law).