BIBLE STUDY LESSON 04

SERIES S -- THE SON OF YHVH

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

From John 10:1-21: Luke 10:1-24

[When you see someone climbing over the wall of the sheepfold, instead of walking through its door, he is a thief and a robber,] Yeshua said. [The shepherd goes through the door which the doorkeeper opens for him. The sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice, for he calls each one by name and leads them. The shepherd walks before his sheep and they follow after him, for they know his voice. They refuse to follow a stranger, and will run away from him, for they do not accept the voice of strangers.] The people did not understand the hidden meaning in what Yeshua was saying, so He explained it this way, [I tell you for sure that I am the Door for the sheep. Others came before Me who were thieves and robbers, but the sheep refused to listen to their voice. I am the Door through which the sheep enter to be saved, and through which they go in and out to green pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I come to bring life at its best. I am the Good Shepherd, Who lays down His life for His sheep. A hired man, who is neither shepherd nor owner of the sheep, runs away when a wolf comes, leaving the wolf to pounce on the sheep and scatter them. He runs because he merely works for money and not because he loves the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, Who knows My sheep, and they know Me, in the same way that My Father knows Me and I know Him. I lay down My life for My sheep. I have other sheep in another fold whom I must bring. They, too, will hear My voice so there will be one flock with one Shepherd. The Father loves Me, for I lay down My life so that I may raise it up again. No one takes My life from Me, for I lay it down Myself. I have the authority to lay down My life and to take it up again. The Father has given Me this authority by Command.] When the leaders heard what Yeshua said, they were divided in their opinions concerning Him. Some said, [He has a demon or is insane, so why listen to Him?] Others said, [No demon-possessed man could say such things, nor could he open the eyes of the blind.] About this time Adonai chose seventy disciples to go in pairs to towns and villages where He would come later. [There is a rich harvest, but few laborers to bring it in,] He told them. [Pray to Adonai of the harvest to send others to help you. Go, but remember that I send you as sheep among wolves. Take no money, bag, or sandals, and don’t linger along the way with customary greetings. When you enter a house, pronounce a blessing upon it, such as ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a person lives there who is worthy of your blessing, it will stay with him. If not, it will return to you. Stay awhile at one house, eating and drinking what they give you without embarrassment, for a labourer is worthy of his wages. When a town welcomes you, eat what they offer, heal their sick and tell them that YHVH’s Kingdom has come near to them. But when a town refuses you, go into the street and make a public announcement that you are wiping their dust from your feet as a symbol that YHVH’s Kingdom is not near them. It will be better for Sodom on the Judgment Day than for that city. [O Chorazin and Bethsaida, what great judgment awaits you, for if Tyre and Sidon had seen the miracles you have seen, they would have repented long ago in great sorrow. Tyre and Sidon will be better off on the Judgment Day than you. Capernaum, instead of being lifted to heaven, you will be brought down to hell. Whoever listens to you, listens to Me; and whoever refuses you, refuses Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One Who sent Me.] The seventy returned later with great joy. [Adonai, even the demons submitted to us in Your Name!] [I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning,] Yeshua answered. [I have given you authority to stamp on scorpions and snakes, and to exert power over the enemy. Nothing will harm you. But you should not be as pleased to see demons submit to you as to know that your names are written in heaven.] The joy of Ruach HaKodesh filled Yeshua at that time and He lifted His voice in prayer. [I praise You, Father, Adonai of heaven and earth, for You have hidden these things from those who claim to be wise and revealed them instead to those who come simply to You as children. Yes, this is the way that pleases You. My Father has committed all things into My care. Only the Father truly knows Me; and no one truly knows the Father except I and those to whom I reveal Him.] Then Yeshua spoke privately with His disciples. [Your eyes are richly blessed to see what you have seen. Many prophets and kings would have been delighted to see these things, but did not. And how delighted they would have been to have heard what you have heard, but did not.]

COMMENTARY

THE SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP

The job of the shepherd was an ancient and respected one in Israel. Jacob, Moses and David tended sheep before they were called to be leaders of YHVH’s people. The work of a shepherd today is not very different from what it was thousands of years ago. The shepherd is responsible for the care and protection of his flock. Sheep are not able to search for their own food, so the shepherd leads them to grassy areas where they can graze. They are equally unable to find their own water, so each day at noon they are led to the nearest stream. In dry areas, this can mean a trip of many miles. If the water is down a slope or rocky incline, the sheep cannot be trusted to find their way back up, and the shepherd must fill and carry water back to the sheep. Most animals know the way back home or can find shelter on their own, but sheep must depend on the shepherd. During summer months, they are gathered into a fenced outdoor area called a {sheepfold.} There they are protected both from wild animals and from thieves. The shepherd sleeps at the entrance, waking every few hours to make sure that no sheep has wandered off. Shepherds give special attention to the injured and the new-born. An injured sheep is carefully tended, and carried on the shepherd’s shoulders until it can walk again. A new-born lamb is often carried in the folds of the shepherd’s tunic until it is strong enough to keep up with the older members of the flock. Every morning and night, the shepherd counts his sheep. If only one lamb is missing from the flock, he will go out and search for it. He is watchful of each animal in the flock. Yeshua called Himself the Good Shepherd. The care and concern of the shepherd toward his flock is a reflection of Yeshua’ care and concern for those who believe in Him.

One thing that I really like about being a Torah follower in Yeshua is that I no longer have to believe in the trinity doctrine. It is a very confusing doctrine. I don't know why mainstream Christianity makes it a requirement to believe in it in order to be a "true" Christian. But in the Torah community as a whole, the trinity doctrine is not essential to believe in, so I'm glad about that.

This week’s Torah portion is tied to Revelation 14. There is coming a moment when it will be too late. The generation that died in the wilderness were used to make another generation who did not know Egypt. Only two from that generation were allowed to enter the land, Caleb and Joshua. This is a remnant message in the extreme. The next time there is a call to make the choice, there will be no buffer generation. It will be in or out. Our challenge is to not fear Babylon while living in Babylon. The wilderness generation was excluded from the kingdom because they loved their lives more than they trusted Yahweh to fight for them, even after He showed them His power. Let’s learn this lesson today, brothers and sisters, and not forget while we wait for those final trumpet blasts.

The spies in Numbers 13 got to taste fruit and wonderful things before the rest of the people. They were given a preview into the kingdom. This is very much akin to us who are called to Torah. We are given a glimpse of the kingdom. We get to sample the goodness of Yahweh and His Son. All the spies but two said it was too hard to actually get into the kingdom. Do you think it’s too hard?

Atheists who say the Bible is nothing more than a book of superstition, haver never really read the Bible. What they think the Bible says comes mostly from listening to other atheists, fictional entertainment or watching believers focus more on traditions and man made doctrine than living the way we are designed.

Shabbat Shalom Dear Torah Family.

#shabbatshalom

#shabbatrest

#torah

#messianic

#michaelrood

#michaelroodurdu

#urdu

#god

Thought for Today: Shabbat June 17:

When you are with someone you trust in, never needing to pretend, someone who helps you know yourself... you know you are with a true friend.

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 03

SERIES S --- THE SON OF YHVH

BORN BLIND

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

From John 9

[Teacher, why is that man blind?] the disciples asked Yeshua as they passed a man who had been born that way. [Is it because of his sin or his parents’ sin?] [He is blind so that YHVH’s power can be shown,] Yeshua responded, [not because he or his parents have sinned. Each person must do YHVH’s work while the opportunity is there, for the time comes when he cannot do it; just as people must work while there is light, for the coming of darkness ends their work. As long as I remain in the world, I am the Light of the World.] Then Yeshua spat on the ground and made mud with it, placed the mud on the man’s eyes and told him, [Go, wash your eyes in the Pool of Siloam.] The word {Siloam} meant {Sent.} Before long, the man returned, but now he could see! [Is this the beggar?] his friends and neighbours asked. [Yes,] said some. [No,] said others. [It just looks like him.] [But it is!] said the man himself. [How then do you now see?] they asked him. [The man Named Yeshua made some clay, put it on my eyes, and told me to wash in the Pool of Siloam. I did, and now I can see,] he told them. [Where is this, Yeshua?] they asked. [I do not know,] the man answered. The people brought the man to the Pharisees, who began to question him closely, for Yeshua had healed him on the Shabbat day. [He put clay on my eyes, and when I washed, I could see,] the man told them. [This Yeshua is a Shabbat breaker,] the Pharisees complained to the man. [He can’t be from YHVH, so how does a sinful man do such things?] With that, the Pharisees became divided in their opinions. [What do you think of this man?] the Pharisees asked the one who had been blind. [He is a prophet,] the man replied. Then the Pharisees began to question that this man had been blind, so they called his parents to them and found that he certainly had been blind from birth. [Is this your son?] they asked. [If he was born blind, how is it that he can now see?] [This is our son, and he was born blind,] they answered. [But we do not know how he sees, or who opened his eyes. He is of age, why don’t you ask him, for he can speak for himself.] The parents were afraid, for the leaders had given orders that anyone who claimed that Yeshua was the Moshiach should be put out of the synagogue. So that was the reason why they told the leaders to ask their son, for he was of age. The Pharisees again called before them the man who had been blind. [This Yeshua is a sinner!] they argued. [Say that YHVH healed you.] [I don’t know if Yeshua is a sinner or not,] the man replied. [But I do know that while I was once blind, I now see.] [But how did He do it?] they asked. [I have already told you, but you wouldn’t listen,] the man answered. [Why should I repeat it? Do you want to become His disciples?] [You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples,] they snapped back at the man. [YHVH spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this Man came from.] [That’s amazing,] said the man. [Here is a Man Who opened my blind eyes, but you do not know where He came from. YHVH will listen to those who please Him, but He won’t listen to sinners. Who else since the beginning of time has given sight to someone born blind? Yeshua certainly could not do such a miracle unless YHVH was with Him.] [How dare you teach us!] the Pharisees shouted. [You are just an ordinary man born in sin.] Then they forced him out of their presence. When Yeshua heard that, He found the man. [Do you believe in the Son of Man, the Moshiach?] He asked. [Who is He?] the man asked. [I want to believe.] [You are looking at Him and talking with Him,] Yeshua said to the man. [Adonai, I believe,] said the man. Then he worshiped Yeshua. [I came into the world to help the blind see,] Yeshua said. [But I also came to show how those who think they see clearly are often blind.] Some Pharisees heard what Yeshua had said and asked Him, [Are You suggesting that we are blind?] [Not exactly, for if you were truly blind, your actions would not be sinful,] Yeshua replied. [But since you claim to see clearly what you are doing, your actions are sinful.]

COMMENTARY

JERUSALEM’S WATER SYSTEM -- HEZEKIAH’S TUNNEL

Hezekiah’s tunnel was built to meet the emergency need for water during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. Seven hundred years later, during the time of Yeshua, the tunnel still made up an important part of Jerusalem’s water supply. Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, had captured every city that lay in his path as he marched toward the capital of Judah. Hezekiah gave orders to prepare Jerusalem for a long battle. Storerooms were filled with food, men and weapons made ready for war, and the digging of the tunnel began. Jerusalem’s main water supply, the Gihon Spring, lay outside the city walls. A way had to be found to bring the water inside the safety of those walls. Hezekiah ordered two groups of men to begin digging at the same time -- one group at the spring, the other inside the city. Digging away at the hard rock of Mount Zion above them, they laboured until they met in the middle. When the last barrier of rock was removed, the water was free to flow through the tunnel into the city, safe from the invading Assyrian troops.