Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.
Proverbs 19:8 ESV

If you love your life, you will cultivate logical, clear thinking. I think "sense" and "wisdom" are a poor translation of Hebrew leb. "Sense" is closer, but it's really referring to the ability to think. Studying philosophy and practicing logic are ways to cultivate leb.

Once you have understanding, you have to guard it by putting it to use and guarding against irrational thought processes. If you do this, you will "discover good" because you will continually discover new truths by observing and analyzing the world around you.

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 15

SERIES U --- THE EARLY CHURCH

WHAT YHVH HAS CLEANSED

THE CAPTAIN OF THE ITALIAN REGIMENT

From Acts 10:1-23

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a captain of a part of the Roman army known as the Italian Regiment. Cornelius and his whole family worshiped YHVH and did many good deeds for the Jewish poor people. He also had made prayer a habit. About three o’clock one afternoon, Cornelius had a strange vision in which an Angel of YHVH came and spoke to him. [Cornelius!] the Angel said. [What is it, sir?] Cornelius asked, staring at the Angel in terror. [YHVH is aware of your prayers and your acts of kindness,] the Angel said. [Now send some men to Joppa, to a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of a leather worker, a man known as Simon, the tanner, who lives there beside the sea.] When the Angel had left, Cornelius immediately called two of his servants and one of his faithful soldiers, a personal attendant who was also a godly man. He told them what the Angel had said and sent them to Joppa. By noon the next day these men had almost reached Joppa. While they were approaching the town, Peter went up on the rooftop of Simon’s house to pray. Since it was time for lunch, Peter was hungry and wanted something to eat. While lunch was being prepared, he had a strange vision. In his vision, Peter saw the sky open and a great sheet come down toward the earth, lowered by the four corners. The sheet was filled with all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds, the {unclean} kind which the Jews could not eat. A voice spoke to Peter. [Get up, Peter! Kill something and eat it!] [Never!] Peter answered. [Never have I eaten any forbidden food. Our Laws consider these things unclean.] Then the voice came a second time to Peter. [Nothing is unclean if YHVH says that it is clean.] This same thing happened three times. Peter was frustrated, trying to understand what YHVH was telling him through this vision. By this time Cornelius’ men had reached the gate of Simon’s house, asking if a man named Simon Peter was staying here. While Peter was still wondering about the vision, Ruach HaKodesh spoke to him. [Three men are downstairs looking for you,] Ruach HaKodesh said. [Go with them wherever they say, for I have sent them.] Peter went immediately and met the men. [I am the one you have come to see,] he told them. [What do you want?] [Cornelius, a captain in the Roman army, a man who worships YHVH and is highly regarded by the Jewish people, was told by an Angel to send for you, so that you might come to his house and bring some word from Moshiach,] they answered. Peter immediately invited the men into the house and had them spend the night there.

COMMENTARY

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS

Blood pudding is often served in Germany, the French enjoy snails and frog’s legs, and in many modern homes breakfast is bacon and eggs. But all of these dishes are forbidden in the homes of Jewish families who keep Kosher -- who follow the Old Testament Laws of {kasrut.} These Laws separate all living creatures into two divisions: [clean] and [unclean.] The word [unclean] had a very different meaning for the people of Bible times. It did not mean simply [dirty.] No matter how clean an animal might seem to be, it was considered {unclean} if YHVH bad forbidden the Israelites to use it for food. A {clean} animal was any creature that Moshiach permitted His people to eat. Rats, bats and many other unclean animals often carried disease which could be given to humans, so the Laws of kasrut protected the Jews from several very real dangers. YHVH also forbade His people to eat the meat of the animals used in the worship of pagan gods. [For I am Moshiach your YHVH,] He declared, [and you are My holy people. You must not follow the customs of the heathen nations.] The danger of idol worship was even greater than the fear of disease. YHVH gave the Jews a set of guidelines to help them recognize the clean animals from those that were forbidden as food. [You may eat any animal that chews the cud and has a divided hoof,] Moshiach declared. That meant that the Israelites could eat the meat of cows, goats and sheep; but pigs, horses and camels were prohibited. A second rule helped the Jews separate the clean fish from the unclean creatures that lived in the water. Only those that had both fins and scales were permitted for food. They could not eat shark meat, squid, eels, or any shellfish like shrimp, oysters and lobster. Dividing the clean from the unclean was simpler with reptiles and amphibians. All animals in these two classes were unclean because YHVH forbade the Israelites to eat any creeping creature. YHVH named several species of birds that were unclean in His sight. Hawks, ostriches, and all birds that ate the corpses of dead animals, like vultures, were strictly forbidden. Quails, ducks and sparrows were fit for food. But even the animals YHVH had declared clean could become unclean if they were not properly prepared. [You must not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk,] YHVH Commanded. The rabbis interpreted this to mean that milk and meat should not be eaten together. Because dairy products could not be served in the same dishes that held meat, every Jewish home had two complete sets of dishes and utensils for use every day. The meat of any creature that died of disease or attack by another animal was also forbidden. Animals killed by Israelite hunters had to be carefully drained of blood before they could be cooked and eaten, because blood was life and all life belonged to YHVH. During Bible times, the Jewish people considered all others, the Gentiles, as unclean, not acceptable by YHVH. But Peter’s rooftop vision showed Peter and his friends that YHVH will accept anyone who comes to Him in faith.

Matthew 23 Bible Study is up!

And they set out from Marah and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
Numbers 33:9

Twelve springs and seventy palms are like the twelve patriarchs who became the seventy persons of Jacob who entered Egypt, except that in this verse, Israel encountered them while leaving Egypt. It was sort of a chiasm in time. 12+70 going in. 12+70 going out.

Numbers in Scripture are frequently intended to mean more than just a count of something.

https://soilfromstone.blogspot.....com/2020/12/the-bib

Here's a list of #newtestament passages to study alongside #torah Parsha #masei ("Journeys", #numbers 33:1-36:13), plus links to related commentary and video: https://www.americantorah.com/....2021/05/12/parsha-ma

Mark your calendar! Sunday, August 6, 2023, at 9 PM Eastern...
https://www.youtube.com/live/Y....DBBN3kUZdM?feature=s

The evidence that I spoke of over two years ago is being revealed to the public as fact even though I was called a tinfoil hat wearing. Well, oddly enough, they are filling their viens with aluminum and mercury. Taking vaccines means you support abortion.

On this date in history, 07/13/1812: American General Hull issues a warning to the inhabitants of Canada to remain neutral in the war with Britain or face extermination. #otd #tdih #warof1812

"Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the pureness of mine hand he recompensed me:
Because I kept the ways of Yahweh, and did not wickedly against my God."

Ps 18