News Letter 5851-015
25th day of the 3rd month 5851 years after the creation of Adam
The 3rd Month in the Sixth year of the Third Sabbatical Cycle
The Third Sabbatical Cycle of the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Earthquakes, Famines and Pestilence
The Year of the Tithe for the Widows, Orphans & Levites

June 13, 2015

Shabbat Shalom Family, as we come to the close of this 3rd month in Yehovah’s calendar.

The Crescent Moon

This News Letter is sent out so that all those around the world can read it during the Sabbath. This Sabbath is the 26th day of the 3rd month in Yehovah’s calendar.
Sunday would then be the 27th day of the 3rd month.
Monday would be the 28th day of the 3rd month

Tuesday would be the 29th of the 3rd Month

Wednesday would be the 30th day of the 3rd month.
There is a possibility the moon might be seen from Jerusalem this Tuesday evening, but according to the charts we have provided the links to, it is going to be very difficult to see from Jerusalem although it could be seen in other parts of the world.

It is important that you take your family and go out and try to find the crescent moon to begin the month. Before you go, have each person pick the time and the day the crescent moon will be sighted then who see who will see it first. Make it into a contest if you would.

By doing this each month you will learn the true meaning of the phrase which Yehshua spoke.

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels of Heaven, but only My Father.

The day Yehovah is to come back to the earth is on the Feast day known as Yom Teruah or the Feast of Trumpets. This is the only day, the only feast that comes at the beginning of the month. It is the first day of the 7th month. And because of this simple fact, no one can know the day or the hour that the 1st day of the month begins because no one can know the day or the hour when the crescent moon will be seen. And this is exactly what Yehshua was speaking about.

Another scripture you will come to understand simply by going out and searching for the crescent moon is the one often quoted in 1 Samuel.

1Sa 20:5  And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go so that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening.

If the new crescent moon was tomorrow, then why did David have to hide in the field until the third day? Again the answer is very simple. In exactly the same way this month the crescent moon may or may not be seen on the 29th day of the month, then the 30th day is new moon day by default.

Notice what Clarkes Commentary says about this event.

To-morrow is the new moon – The months of the Hebrews were lunar months, and they reckoned from new moon to new moon. And as their other feasts, particularly the Passover, were reckoned according to this,

they were very scrupulous in observing the first appearance of each new moon.

On these new moons they offered sacrifices, and had a feast; as we learn from Num_10:10; Num_28:11. And we may suppose that the families, on such occasions, sacrificed and feasted together.

This would then be the second day from the time when David spoke to Jonathan and instead of the New moon celebrations being the first night they would now be the second night. David was determined not to be there on the new moon day whether it came on the 29th or the 30th day. So he said he would hide until the 3rd day.

Even to this very day Judaism keeps two days for the Feast of Trumpets, even though it is a calculated calendar that they use. This is because of the fact they never knew when the new crescent Moon would be sighted to begin the month so they kept two days just in case.

I, too, book two days off at this time just in case.

You can learn details about this in our article Conjunction or Sighted Which? and our other article The Return of Yehshua. The Feast of shouting, the Feast of Blowing the shofars is exactly the same thing many do today for someones birthday when they blow those birthday horns. The Feast of Trumpets is the day Yehshua was born and Yehovah made sure we were blowing the Shofars when that happened.

This is why it is important for you to practice looking for the crescent moon now, in order for you to understand this expression, That no man can know the day or the hour. And by understanding this expression then you will also know that the month begins with the crescent moon. And from this first sighting of the crescent moon we then begin to count to each of the Holy Days in the 1st and 7th month of the year.

The temple Mount Faithful are also learning how to sight the crescent moon to begin each month in preparation for when the Temple is rebuilt and they return to sighting the crescent moon to begin the month which you must do in order to count to the Holy Days of the first and seventh month.

We have shown you this video many times in the past. We do so again so you can share it with this article to others.

If you keep the Holy Days at the wrong time then you have sinned. If you keep the Sabbath on the 1st day of the week, as you all know you are sinning. By using the conjunction moon or dark moon to start your month, and not the crescent moon, this means you could be off by one two or even as much as three days when keeping the Holy Days. And as we just said it is as if you never kept them, when you do so at the wrong time.

By then adding postponement rules to the times when the Fall Feast should be kept makes this even worse.

This is one of the reasons I say that 6 Million Jews were slaughtered during WW II and why they were kicked out of so many cities in Russia and Europe in major pogroms.

They, the chosen people, who had the oracles of Yehovah did not keep the Holy Days at the proper times and Yehovah punished them for disobeying the commandments.

With the 4th curse of the sword again about to come upon the world starting in 2017, you should do some serious consideration as to whom you will follow. Yehovah using the moon as a witness, which means it must be seen to be a witness or using a man made rule using the dark moon that is not seen for as many as three days.

Psa 89:37  It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky.”

Gen 1:14  Then God said, “Let there be lights across the sky to distinguish day from night, to act as signs for seasons, days, and years,

Notice that the word for signs in ‘oth’. It is in APPEARING. It is something that must be seen to be a sign.

H226   ‘o?th    oth

Probably from H225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.: – mark, miracle, (en-) sign, token.

Let me also at this time share with you the names for the days of the week are the ordinal numbers within the week, with the seventh day called Shabbat (in Hebrew: rest).

Yom Rishon – first day – Sunday
Yom Sheni – second day – Monday
Yom Shlishi – third day – Tuesday
Yom Revi’i – fourth day – Wednesday
Yom Hamishi – fifth day – Thursday
Yom Shishi – sixth day- Friday
Yom Shabbat – Saturday

The 3rd Tithe for the Widows and Orphans

Deu 14:28  At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up inside your gates. 29  And the Levite, because he has no part nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are inside your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Some people have told me that they are only going to tithe to the widows in the 3rd year of the Sabbatical cycle, which means that this 6th year they will not tithe.

I do not care to argue with such selfish people.

We are in the second 3rd year of this 7 year Sabbatical cycle.

I had asked you before to help a sister who was recently widowed and is now looking after her widowed and aged mother. I am pleased to report a number of you have stepped up to help her. May Yehovah bless each of you for doing this.

And some of you have become friends with her as well.

I am this week reminding you of your obligations to those in the Kingdom who have lost their mates. I have this week learned of another lady who is living in a trailer with a leaking roof. One has a child who needs full care and attention after the accident that claimed his father.

And another has just moved in to an in-law suite with believers after losing her things.

Will you continue to help those in need and who are hurting; those who are struggling to get by and to those who want to obey Yehovah?

Send me no money for this. But do send me your email address and I will let them contact you. You can then help them directly with no middle men touching it.

Please do not forget the widows. We have shared with you before how Yehovah warns us what will happen if we do.

Exo 22:22  You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. 23  If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry. 24  And My wrath shall become hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your sons fatherless.

Clarkes Commentary has this to say:

It is remarkable that offenses against this law are not left to the discretion of the judges to be punished; God reserves the punishment to himself, and by this he strongly shows his abhorrence of the crime. It is no common crime, and shall not be punished in a common way; the wrath of God shall wax hot against him who in any wise afflicts or wrongs a widow or a fatherless child: and we may rest assured that he who helps either does a service highly acceptable in the sight of God.

Here are more scripture on how Yehovah watches out for the widows and orphans. Take these to heart

Deu_10:18, Deu_24:17, Deu_27:19; Psa_94:6-7; Isa_1:17, Isa_1:23, Isa_10:2; Eze_22:7; Zec_7:10; Jam_1:27

[/vc_column_text][/single_tab][single_tab title=”- 1 Widows Story – 1 Orphans Story” tab_id=”1433706889441-2-5″][vc_column_text]

One Widow’s Story & One Orphan’s Story

On Sept 29, 2001 the life of 38 year old Charles Seal was taken in an accident witnessed to by his three children and wife.

Charles Seal was fueling up their truck with horse trailer on the back on their way to a Texas Horse Posse. The children were in the pickup and Elaine Seal was in the store on her way out when a fully-loaded tractor trailer (18 wheeler) carrying silica swerved to avoid another truck and horse trailer pulling out in front of him.

The 18 wheeler then jack-knifed and slid through the gas station taking out the pumps and crushing Charles Seal to death.

You can read the evidence to this case in this report.

I have been in conversation with Elaine about this event, which took place 14 years ago. I am now going to let her explain things with her permission from the emails she has sent me. I have asked her if I could share her story and here it is.

You may use our names, my children were in the truck, I was coming out of the store and watched the whole thing.

I want people to see, this man was 38 yrs old, he did not know when he left home that morning he would never return, never kiss his children good night again, never hold his wife.

We had pulled over to get fuel, we had a horse trailer on the back of the truck. All the horses made it out that day, the next morning we woke up and mine was dead, he was insured so we had to have an autopsy done, Arianism, the horse trailer was totaled, so that night a blood clot must have gone through his heart. The other two horses, one was perm crippled, the other we still own, she was crippled for years.

Cory was 5 years old. We were pulled over getting fuel when an 18 wheeler flew off the road and into the fuel station. Truck trailer horses in come and husband gone. Coty Laine was 12, Caila was 11, both have suffered emotionally from this accident. You have to understand the noise of the wreck was like that of a bomb going off.

There was no outward injury showing on Cory, but 4 days after the accident I found him in the living room floor in convulsions. The next 7 years were pure hell, I spent 5 out every 7 days of the week in hospital watching them IV him to keep him from going into a coma. Spending at least one week out of every month, one time 8 weeks in hospitals trying to keep him alive. He started having gran-mal seizures after the accident. He was on 8 to 9 medications for many years. He cannot read or write, use a telephone, remote control play video games, hold a conversation, has the intellect of about a 4 year old. He is 19, 6ft 230lbs

Cory eventually had to have a Vargas Nerve implant put in to keep him alive along with being heavily medicated. I was still trying to work and my daughter was keeping Cory for me up until around 4 years ago. Ya’ told me to quit my job go home get my son and He would provide for us.

Two years ago He told me to start weaning Cory off of all pharmaceuticals. I have done much research on the word pharmaceutic and believe it is a form of witch craft. Currently Cory has been medication free for over a year. He still doesn’t communicate much, still can’t read YET, and it appears that he sees things. We live in an RV that I bought and paid for, so its not one of those modern $30,000 ones, but its comfortable, (except for the fact the frig quit and we have recently developed a leak in the roof lol).

There are many times when the Spirit wakes me up and sends me in the front to Cory to battle demonic forces that come against him, for at the moment his mind is not to a place where it can do this for himself. Quite honestly, of late I am weary Joe, taking care of Cory is a daily, 24/7 thing. Do not misunderstand, I love him with all my heart, but I need help, spiritual warfare help, those who really would stand in the gap for him. His life has changed since I started walking in Torah, and He has no earthly father to stand guard over him and stand in the gap for him.

I was in my second year of secular bible college when the accident occurred.  At this time I was not keeping the 7^th day Sabbath nor was I following the feast, nor did I too much regard the Torah as I was brought up to believe it was past.  After the accident I fell back on my secular beliefs, and even took an associate pastor ship for a year, having faith but not of the kind I was to learn to walk in; unshakable, faith.  My greatest fear was taking care of 3 small children and one of them I was in an emergency more nights of the week than not watching them IV him so as not to go into a seizure coma.  This went on for years, watching that baby in the hospital not knowing whether I would walk with him or not, burying him a thousand times in my mind.

I didn’t know how to be mama, and daddy, I didn’t know how to be the provider of the family.  If you told me I had such n such amount to work with each week, I could do that, however it was my husband’s role in the family to bring it home.  In the lawsuit after the accident we didn’t get much for a 38 yr old man standing on the side of the road minding his own business putting fuel in the truck being run over by an 18 wheeler that flew in off the highway.  One million, seems like a lot, I would end up with just over one years worth of his paychecks, I invested in a farm in South MS and a year later Hurricane Katrina came through and destroyed it all.

During all this time despair began to sink in and I did not continue to read the word, and so my spiritual fuel began to diminish, along with my faith.  On the outside people praised me and said things like, “Oh my we have never seen anyone with such faith”, while on the inside I was dying, and trying to die, begging God to let me die, going to bed every night wanting to die, waking up every morning mad because I didn’t die in the night.  Depression and grief clouded my judgement and I slipped further and further into the darkness.  I refused to see reality, but saw only what reality I wanted to see.

Over time I actually had what is called a nervous or mental breakdown.  No, I was not hospitalized, or on medication, my family basically called me crazy and kept their distance from me.  During this time, I told God to talk to the hand, I wanted nothing to do Him because of what He had allowed to happen.  I was sick nearly to death, wanting to die.  Several times such as when a horse kicked me in the groin I almost died, then developed peritonitis from that and almost died again.  Then when I survived was angry because I couldn’t seem to die, and dear Chuck was just putting fuel in the truck, and never came home.  Anger at Yehovah set in, bitterness resentment and anger were my companions, in all effects I was right there with Nebuchadnezzar eating grass in the field lost my mind.  I was so emotional unstable that at the end of Cory’s 13^th year my youngest daughter took Cory and kept him for me.

I eventually (running from Ya) moved out to Las Vegas with my oldest son, when Cory was almost 14.  My theory was, if I can’t get up the nerve to kill myself (for I went to bed every night and put a 357 up to my temple and tried to get the nerve to pull the trigger) then I will just move out the highest crime city in the world and let someone else do it for me.  That didn’t work either, Ya had a plan for my life, as He does each and everyone of us.

But one night while sitting out on my back porch, Yehovah called to me, and ask me was I ready to come back to Him.  My answer was, “why would you even want me?”  He told me to pack up He was sending me home to get Cory and that He would care for us.  The next morning a friend called and said he was taking a large horse trailer to Texas did I have anything that needed to go.  Cory was in Texas with Caila, I said yes, everything I own.

I went back, got my son, and started Observing the 7^th day Sabbath, and the Torah.  Was it all easy…………..no.  Many times with no income I sat and instead of worrying about what I would feed my son the next day, waited expectantly for food come, and was not surprised when it did.

We are in the process of dehydrating and putting up out of the garden for the sabbatical year.  I don’t know how Cory and I are going to be fed, I have learned its not my job to wonder………its my job to have faith, and to share with people my fall, and Yehovah raising me from the dead, and His great love for this beautiful young man name Cory whom He loves, for He spared his mother so that he might be raised in the Torah walk until such a time that he, Cory is made fully whole.

I want the brethren to know I was in secular bible college and my faith failed me, and it was not until Ya’ called me into the walk of the Torah that Ya’ returned me to my mind. I was out in the pasture eating grass with Neb, and He called to me, and brought me out of the dark place I had retreated to, and now my faith is rightly placed,!!!!! Oh I could go on and on, and that’s why I’m writing a book about it all.

There’s been times brother when Cory and I have eaten on’y grits and eggs for weeks at a time, but…………..WE PRAISE YEHOVAH FOR GRITS AND EGGS!!!! I had to learn to have faith or my son and I would not have made it, we would be one of the statistics living in a homeless shelter.

But Jehovah said, I will be the husband to the widow and the Father to the fatherless, and I had the audacity to take Him at His word!!

Without a test dear one, there is no testimony.

What is His name and What is His Son’s name?

Pro 30:4  Who has gone up to Heaven and has come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in His garments? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name? Surely you know.

The answer to this enigmatic question is quite simple.

Who has done this? Where does the scriptures tell us who did these things?

Isa 40:12  Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and measured out the heavens with a span? And who has shut up the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 13  Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, and what man taught Him counsel? 14  With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and made known the way of understanding to Him?

Hebrews 1:10 He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

 

Job 38:4  Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell if you have understanding! 5  Who has set its measurements, for you know? Or who has stretched the line on it? 6  On what are its bases sunk, or who cast its cornerstone, 7  when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8  Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as it came from the womb? 9  When I made the clouds its robe, and darkness its navel-band, 10  and set My limit on it, and set bars and doors, 11  and I said, You shall come to here, but no further; and here your proud waves shall stop.

Psalm 102:25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

Isaiah 48:13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.

Amo 4:13  For lo, He forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what his thought is. He who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth; Jehovah, the God of Hosts, is His name.

The answer to who has done these things is stated right there in Amos. Jehovah is the one who has done these things.

And who is the first born?

Exo 4:22  And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My first-born. 23  And I say to you, Let My son go, that he may serve Me. And if you refuse to let him go, behold, I am going to kill your son, your first-born.

Jer 31:8  Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the corners of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; a great company shall return there. 9  They shall come with weeping, and with prayers I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way; they shall not stumble in it, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn. 10  Hear the Word of Jehovah, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off. And say, He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd keeps his flock. 11  For Jehovah has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of the one stronger than he.

So many self righteous Christians, and myself included have used this verse in Proverbs when speaking to the Jews. We use it to justify our belief in Jesus or Yehshua as the son of God. But Israel and even Ephraim is His first born.

The Jews today as prophecied are not allowed to say the name of Yehovah.

Amo 6:10  And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he who burns him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say to him left in the recesses of the house, Are any still with you? And he shall say, No. Then he shall say, Hush! For not one shall mention the name of Jehovah.

Jer 44:26  Therefore hear the Word of Jehovah, all Judah that lives in the land of Egypt. Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says Jehovah, that My name will no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord Jehovah lives.

What are we being asked in Proverbs 30:4? The answer is Yehovah is the one who controls the winds and holds the seas in His palm. Yehovah is the one who ascended up to heaven and come down from heaven. It was Yehovah, Emmanuel, El with us, that was born of the virgin; it was Yehovah as Yehshua that calmed the storm in Luke 8:23-25 and it was Yehovah that we hung on the tree and killed.

Yehovah is our Messiah, our Redeemer and Saviour.

Yes, I know what I am saying here is going to be hard for many of you to accept. That is fine. I ask that you pray about this and think on it.

Let us now continue to understand the word Elohim as we explained in our first part last week

ELOHIM

This week once again we have had to go to a PDF format due to the number of Hebrew fonts we are using. Here is the link to the article.

“ERIKTOLOGY – ALEPH/BEYT”

“Triennial Torah Reading”

We continue this weekend with our regular Triennial Torah reading

Lev 7        Jeremiah 32-33        Prov 19        Acts 16

A Perpetual Fire (Leviticus 6:8-7:38)

This section is basically a review of the various offerings, albeit with many interesting additional bits of information. One fascinating fact we find in this passage is that the fire upon the altar was to be kept burning (6:9, 12-13). The Nelson Study Bible comments: “The fire on the altar was never to go out. This was accomplished at night with a burnt offering that was not extinguished. It could have been stoked with wood through the night to keep it burning. After being renewed in the morning [with wood] (see v. 12), the fire was kept going throughout the day for the succession of [various offerings]…. Five times in this paragraph the priests are instructed to keep the fire burning. There are at least three reasons for this: (1) The original fire on the altar came from God (9:24). (2) Perpetual fire symbolized the perpetual worship of God. (3) Perpetual fire symbolized the continual need for atonement and reconciliation with God, which was the purpose of the offerings” (notes on 6:9 and verses 12-13).

When the altar was transported, the ashes were removed and a cloth was put on top (Numbers 4:13-14). The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary states in its note on verse 13: “No mention is made of the sacred fire; but as, by divine command, it was to be kept constantly burning, it must have been transferred to some pan or brazier under the covering, and borne by the appropriate carriers.” Though we can’t be certain about this, it is plausible since sacrifices were offered every morning and evening, which may well imply that they were done even at times of transport. When tabernacle worship was later transferred to the temple at the time of Solomon, God ignited that fire too. However, it is not known whether the same fire was kept burning through periods of apostasy when temple worship was abandoned, although it certainly could have been. However, there is no indication that God ignited the fire of the altar built after Judah’s Babylonian captivity.

Jeremiah Buys His Cousin’s Field—A Sign of Hope (Jeremiah 32)

The events of this chapter occur during the 10th year of Zedekiah (verse 1), which equates to the 11th year of Ezekiel’s captivity—for even though Zedekiah’s reign and Ezekiel’s captivity began at the same time, Zedekiah’s first year seems to have followed an uncounted accession year (see Edwin Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, 1983, pp. 184, 190).

Zedekiah’s 10th year was the second year of the siege of Jerusalem (587 B.C.). As we earlier read, the Egyptian army had approached (Jeremiah 37:5), prompting Nebuchadnezzar to order his Babylonian forces to temporarily depart from Jerusalem to confront them. The Egyptians suffered a terrible defeat (see Ezekiel 30:21-22) and withdrew back into Egypt. Now the Babylonians had returned and their siege of Jerusalem was again underway. On King Zedekiah’s orders, Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard at the palace (32:2). “Zedekiah should have known by this time that Jeremiah’s message was not his own. Yet he found fault with the prophet’s predictions because they were wholly unfavorable to the country and to Zedekiah himself. In plain, unequivocal terms Jeremiah foretold Zedekiah’s fate” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, note on verses 3-5).

God informs Jeremiah in advance of the visit of his cousin Hanamel. The prophet is to agree to Hanamel’s offer to sell him his field in their hometown of Anathoth under the terms of property redemption: “Family property must not pass into the hands of an outsider (v. 7). The purpose of this law was to keep property in the family and preserve the bond between family and their property. For the seller this was duty; for the relative or kinsman-redeemer it was a right… The passage reveals that the ancient laws of land tenure were still followed in Judah in spite of its apostasy. In addition to the general law for all Israel, these land-tenure laws would in Jeremiah’s time have special relevance to alienation of property belonging to priestly families—property that should not pass into nonpriestly hands. The situation is all the more dramatic since the field Jeremiah was to buy had already been captured by the invading Babylonians” (Expositor’s, note on verses 6-7).

Expositor’s suggests that Hanamel might have been in financial straights (same note). Biblical historian Eugene Merrill, however, concludes: “Hanamel obviously believed that, whereas he would soon be exiled, Jeremiah would be left behind and, hence, in a position to care for the estate” (Kingdom of Priests, p. 465).

With the Chaldeans outside, the request would have seemed preposterous to anyone who found out about it. Yet God directs Jeremiah to go through with the transaction, which the prophet does, committing the deed scrolls to his scribe Baruch. “According to custom, one copy of a deed was sealed for safekeeping; a second copy was left open for future consultation”(Nelson Study Bible, note on verses 10-11). Jeremiah, at God’s command, tells Baruch to put both copies in a clay jar to be kept safe for a long time to come (verse 14). Interestingly, the oldest copies of the Old Testament, those among the Dead Sea scrolls, were found preserved in just such clay jars in the Judean desert—and they had been preserved more than 2,000 years!

Jeremiah relays the point of what God has told him to do: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land” (verse 15). The exiles will one day return. But the prophet then prays to God, seemingly to gain understanding of what was happening, mentioning the presently dire circumstances of the nation (verses 16-25). Some commentators “have seen a need on Jeremiah’s part for confirmation of the transaction. Still others feel that Jeremiah slipped into an attitude of doubt… Given all the circumstances and the tension of the political and military situation, such an attitude would be understandable. Jeremiah may have longed for some reconciliation of the purchase with his prophecies of Jerusalem’s destruction… Although he had explained the meaning of the episode (v. 15), [it is possible that] he was still troubled by its improbabilities; furthermore, he also longed for reassurance for the people” (Expositor’s, note on verse 16).

God then gives His reply reassuring Jeremiah (verse 26-44). Even though the situation seemed hopeless, God reminded Jeremiah that nothing is too hard for Him.

Yes, for the time being He would deal severely with Judah, destroying the very rooftops where they burned incense to idols (versed 29). Israel and Judah, in spite of God’s magnificent promises to them, had rebelled from the very beginning when they were a young nation. Amazingly, God says of the “holy city” of Jerusalem: “For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day” (verse 31). How ironic that the Jews thought that being in that city would save them! The idolatry and rebellion became so bad in the end that they even set up their idols in God’s temple. Josiah had removed the idols, but the pagan worship was still in their hearts, and it hadn’t taken long for them to revert to their old ways. God knew what human nature was like, but even He hadn’t expected Judah to stoop so low that they would actually murder their children, sacrificing them to the false god Molech (see verse 35, where He uses words He had spoken to Jeremiah many years earlier in 7:31). So again, yes, the nation would now be punished as Jeremiah had announced (32:36).

But, as God explains in the remainder of the chapter, He would, in the future, gather the exiles back from captivity and resettle them in the land. While the Jewish return from Babylonian captivity in the days of Ezra may have been in mind on one level, it is clear that this is not the primary meaning of this section. God repeats His promise from chapter 31 to make a new covenant with the people of a changed inner being. He refers to it as an “everlasting covenant” (verse 40) as in Ezekiel 16:60. And this covenant will be made with all the people, who are described as having a unified heart (Jeremiah 32:39). This is obviously describing not the ancient return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity but the future return of all Israel and Judah at the time of Yeshua Messiah’s second coming, when the Kingdom of God is established on earth. Note the nature of the Kingdom Age. It is not described as transpiring in some “heavenly” place above the clouds. People will buy land, sign and seal deeds, and through business become prosperous (verse 44). Indeed, this comes back to “the main theme of this chapter. [Jeremiah’s] transaction was an example to be universally followed in the future restoration (v. 43). What he did will be repeated by many others in that coming day” (note on verses 43-44).

Notice that Jeremiah placed this hopeful chapter right after chapter 31, the New Covenant chapter. Indeed, chapters 30-33 are sometimes referred to by commentators as the Book of Consolation, as this section looks forward to the wonderful time when Israel will at last be restored, spiritually converted and richly blessed.

National Restoration and the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 33)

This chapter concludes what some have called the “Book of Consolation,” the section containing God’s promise of national restoration, before the book of Jeremiah returns to the historical aspects of Judah’s downfall.

The inhabitants of Jerusalem were trying desperately to save their city. As had happened in Hezekiah’s day, the people pulled down houses, including some within the palace complex, to strengthen the walls (verse 4; see Isaiah 22:10). “Houses that were built along the city walls could be torn down and filled with rubble to produce a wider, more solid wall. This was one means of combating the sloping earthen siege ramparts that armies constructed opposite domestic quarters rather than at heavily fortified towers or gates” (Nelson Study Bible, note on Jeremiah 33:4-5). But this effort would prove to be in vain because it was God they were really fighting against (verse 5).

Verse 6 then switches immediately to a message of great hope, when God will bring “health and healing.” The captives of both Judah and Israel will return (verse 7), clearly pointing to the time of Yeshua Messiah’s second coming. Jeremiah was still in prison (verse 1) but God was now going to encourage him and give him an even greater insight into the wonderful world to come, revealing His secrets (verse 3).

God again tells Jeremiah about the coming new world—prosperity, peace, rebuilt cities, forgiveness, fertile pastures, peace for the flocks, safety and an example to the whole world. It would be so good that even God Himself will be made happy by it. The New Living Translation brings out the impact of this: “Then this city will bring me joy, glory and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see the good I do for my people and will tremble with awe!” (verse 9). The people will be so happy that they will again sing praises to God and offer Him their thanks. With regard to the “sacrifice of praise” or “thank offerings,” the Harper Study Bible comments: “Jeremiah seems to refer to spiritual sacrifices, not animal offerings, i.e., thanksgivings made with the mouth, or what Hosea calls ‘the fruit of our lips’ (Hos 14:2)” (note on Jeremiah 33:11).

In verses 14-16, God repeats the prophecy about the coming “Branch,” given earlier in chapter 23. “The Messiah is here called a righteous Branch, a true shoot of the stock of King David. Many of David’s descendants had become kings of injustice; now the people were looking for the coming of a righteous king who would come as the Lord’s anointed or Messiah. The phrase The LORD is our righteousness must be understood as, ‘Yeshua is our righteousness.’ The word ‘LORD’ here is ‘Yahweh’ [‘He Is Who He Is’; the Eternal]; in this context, it can only mean Yeshua the Messiah. Thus Yeshua is Yahweh, or God. And the N[ew] T[estament] refers to Yeshua our Righteousness (cf. 1 Cor 1.30). His righteousness is imputed to us [through His death atoning for our sins and His life in us helping us to obey God]. We have no righteousness in ourselves, only his righteousness (2 Cor 5.21)” (Harper Study Bible, note on Jeremiah 23:5-6). In Jeremiah 33, the name “The Eternal Our Righteousness” is given to Jerusalem (verse 16)—as God’s people bear His name and receive His righteousness.

Continuity of the Royal and Priestly Lines (Jeremiah 33)

The latter part of Jeremiah 33 is a remarkable section concerning two important family lineages. God had promised David that his royal line would continue forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). This is repeated here with the addition of a second part, the promise of continuity for the Levitical priests. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary states: “Monarchy and priesthood were the two bases of the O[ld] T[estament] theocracy. When these appeared to be in most danger of extinction in Jeremiah’s day, we find their continuance couched in sure and irrevocable terms. What is affirmed of the monarchy in v. 17 is promised the priesthood in v. 18. The Levitical priesthood is assured a permanent ministry (cf. the promise to Phinehas in Num. 25:13). As legitimate priests, they will serve the Lord” (note on Jeremiah 33:17-18).

Yet these promises have appeared to many to contradict history. Neither the occupation of the Davidic throne nor the Levitical priesthood’s offering of burnt and grain offerings has been continuous. Expositor’s explains in its note on verses 17-18: “If one sees in them a constant presence and succession of Davidic rulers and Levitical priests, then, of course, history does not validate this interpretation. But the passage claims no such thing. It says only that David’s dynasty will never cease. Temporary interruption is only apparent, not true cessation.”

Yet when would the two offices, brought down with the Babylonian conquest, resume? The physical sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood were reactivated when the Jews returned to the land of Judah in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. But a few centuries later they were again cut off for a short time under Syrian oppression in the second century B.C. After their next restoration, they continued until the Romans destroyed the second temple in A.D. 70. Since then, nearly 2,000 years have gone by and they have never been reestablished. Of course, the priestly descendants have always been there—recognized even. Many Jews today bear the names Cohen, Cohn, Kahane, Kagan, Kahn or some other variant, meaning “priest.” No doubt many of priestly descent have continued to serve in a “priestly capacity” as teachers and officiators at religious functions. In fact, some have speculated that the true ministry of Yeshua Messiah has always had descendants of the Levitical priesthood among its numbers, and that may well be. But the prophecy here specifically mentions burnt and grain offerings. Sacrifices are elsewhere prophesied to be reestablished among the Jews soon before Messiah’s return—to be performed once again, no doubt, by the Levitical priesthood. But these too will be cut off. Then, as the last section of Ezekiel informs us, sacrifices will be reinstated under Levitical priests after Yeshua Messiah returns to set up His 1,000-year reign over the earth. Indeed, this ultimate resumption appears to be the main focus of this passage in Jeremiah—or, more accurately, the continuity of the priestly line that will make this millennial resumption possible.

What then of the Davidic throne? Since the prophecy of David’s descendants is intertwined with that of the Levites, they are usually viewed as being similarly fulfilled. Based on the gaps in the Levitical service, many have interpreted this section of Jeremiah with the view of a very long gap in the occupation of David’s throne—from Jerusalem falling to the Babylonians more than 2,500 years ago until David’s descendant, Yeshua Messiah, comes to claim the throne at His yet-future return to then reign forever. But while that is no doubt the ultimate focus of verse 17, parallel with the messianic prophecy of verses 14-16, it does not fully consider the section that immediately follows, which speaks of a vast pool of Davidic descendants (verse 22) from which God will draw “rulers” (plural) to set over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (verse 26). Since this multiplicity of rulers of Davidic descent cannot logically apply solely to Messiah’s millennial rule, it must mean that David’s throne would be reestablished before Messiah’s coming to allow multiple occupants of the throne. So we see that we should view the prophecy here about the Davidic line somewhat differently from that of the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices. The prophecies are intertwined not because they are fulfilled in exactly the same way and time frame, but to show that these two bedrocks of Israelite government, both civil and ecclesiastical, would both be reestablished. God says His promises in this regard are more certain than the cycle of day and night (verses 20, 25). Of course, the ultimate fulfillment of both prophecies would come in the same time frame—when Messiah comes to rule the earth.

Again, though, it should be clear that David’s throne would be reestablished even before the coming of Messiah. In fact, Psalm 89 adds a very important detail in this regard. God there reveals that He promised to David, “Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations” (verse 4). So although there could be vacancies in the occupation of David’s throne, a generation could not pass before that vacancy was filled. This means a generation could not have passed from the deposing of Zedekiah at the fall of Jerusalem until the reestablishment of the throne. But that throne was never reestablished in Judah. So what happened?

Notice that Jeremiah 33:17 says that, from the time this prophecy was given, David would not lack a descendant to sit on the throne not of the house of Judah, but of the house of Israel. This makes sense when we recall from Ezekiel 17:22-24 the prophecy of the transfer of the Davidic throne from Judah to Israel. Jeremiah himself would be instrumental in this transfer, with his curious commission “to root out and to pull down” and then “to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). God would use him to transplant the Davidic dynasty through a daughter of Zedekiah from Judah to the Israelites in ancient Ireland, from where it would later be transferred to Scotland and then to England—eventually becoming the British royal family of today. (For more details documenting this little-understood history, see our online publication The Throne of Britain: Its Biblical Origin and Future at http://www.ucg.org/brp/materials/throne/index.html.)

Proverb 19 – a Commentary this week from Matthew Henry on chapter 19

A poor man who fears God, is more honourable and happy, than a man without wisdom and grace, however rich or advanced in rank.

What good can the soul do, if without knowledge? And he sins who will not take time to ponder the path of his feet
Men run into troubles by their own folly, and then fret at the appointments of God.
Here we may see how strong is men’s love of money.

Those that tell lies in discourse, are in a fair way to be guilty of bearing false-witness.
We are without excuse if we do not love God with all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and all the gifts of men to us are fruits of his bounty.

Messiah was left by all his disciples; but the Father was with him. It encourages our faith that he had so large an experience of the sorrows of poverty.

Those only love their souls aright that get true wisdom. Lying is a damning, destroying sin.
A man that has not wisdom and grace, has no right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly for one who is a servant to sin, to oppress God’s free-men.

He attains the most true glory who endeavours most steadily to overcome evil with good.
Christ is a King, whose wrath against his enemies will be as the roaring of a lion, and his favour to his people as the refreshing dew.

It shows the vanity of the world, that we are liable to the greatest griefs where we promise ourselves the greatest comfort. A discreet and virtuous wife is more valuable than house and riches. A sluggish, slothful disposition makes men poor; it brings them to want. And this applies both to the present life and that which is to come.

If we keep God’s word, God’s word will keep us from every thing really hurtful. We abuse the doctrine of free grace, if we think that it does away the necessity and advantage of obedience. Those that live at random must die. This truth is clearly taught in words enough to alarm the stoutest sinner.

God has chosen the poor of this world, to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom. When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves. The spared and spoiled child is likely to become a man of great wrath.

Those that would be wise in their latter end, must be taught and ruled when young.
What should we desire, but that all our purposes may agree with God’s holy will? It is far better to have a heart to do good, and want ability for it, than to have ability for it, and want a heart to it. Those that live in the fear of God, shall get safety, satisfaction, and true and complete happiness.

Indolence, when indulged, so grows upon people, that they have no heart to do the most needful things for themselves. A gentle rebuke goes farthest with a man of understanding.

The young man who wastes his father’s substance, or makes his aged mother destitute, is hateful, and will come to disgrace. It is the wisdom of young men to dread hearing such talk as puts loose and evil principles into the mind. Those are the worst of sinners, who are glad of an opportunity to sin.

The unbelief of man shall not make God’s threatenings of no effect. Christ himself, when bearing sins not his own, was not spared. Justice and judgment took hold of our blessed Surety; and will God spare obstinate sinners?

Acts 16

Sha’ul meets Timothy in Derbe and Lustra, a taught one whose mother was Yehudite and father a Greek. Because many knew Timothy’s father to be a Greek, Sha’ul had him to be circumcised because he wished Timothy to go with him teaching and preaching. They went through the Greek cities delivering to them the regulations set forth for them by the council in Jerusalem and they all rejoiced over it. The Set Apart Spirit continually forbade them to speak the Gospel in Asia.

But a messenger appeared to Sha’ul in a night vision begging him to come to Makedonia to help them. They then sailed from Troas and ran a straight course to Samothrake and then to Neapolis, from there to Philippi which is the principal city of that part of Makedonia – a colony. They went to a place where there used to be prayer and found there women, one of which was Ludia – a seller of purple dye.

She believed and was immersed and all her household and she begged them to stay with her in her house. While on their way there, a young slave girl having the spirit of Puthon in her that enabled her to do fortune-telling was harassing them along the way. Sha’ul turned to her and commanded the spirit in the Name of Yeshua to be gone from her and it left her that same hour. When her masters found out and noting that along with their money-making scheme, they stirred up the leaders and business men of that Roman city to seize Sha’ul and company. They were beaten and thrown into prison and placed under guard.

While there, Sha’ul and Silas began singing songs of praise and praying and the prisoners heard them. A great earthquake took place so that the foundations of the prison shook and immediately all the doors were opened and the chains came loose. The head guard awakened to find what had happened and was going to kill himself knowing that he would be killed by the Roman leaders for having let prisoners escape. But Sha’ul called out to him letting him know that they were still there and not to do harm to himself. For all of this, the jailer desired to be saved and he was delivered and immersed… he and all his house-hold.

After this, the leaders desired to set them free secretly, but Sha’ul would not allow it. They had been beaten and imprisoned without charge and they were Roman citizens. He requested that the authorities come to them at the jail in person and walk them out publicly before all the people – showing them to be exonerated. And they did so. From there, they went on to Ludia and when the brothers saw them, they rejoiced.