Shalom, all praises ❤️

Fear is a fundamental element of the human condition. Too often, our fears paralyze us, or leave us vulnerable to the manipulation of others. What happens, though, if we view our fears as instruments in our Creator's hands? Could He possibly make something beautiful out of them?

https://thebarkingfox.com/2023..../01/14/the-steppings

 

thebarkingfox.com

The Steppingstone of Fear - The Barking Fox

Fear is a fundamental element of the human condition. Too often, our fears paralyze us, or leave us vulnerable to the manipulation of others. What happens, though, if we view our fears as instruments in our Creator’s hands? Could He possibly ma

SERIES E --- YHVH’S LAWS --- LESSON 06

A SPECIAL VOW

THE NAZIRITE VOW

From Numbers 6

When a man or a woman takes a vow to become a Nazirite, separating himself to Adonai, he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, Adonai Instructed Moses. During the period of separation to Adonai, the Nazirite must not eat or drink anything from the grapevine; no wine, grape juice, grapes or raisins; not even the skins or seeds of the grapes. During the period of separation, the Nazirite will not cut his hair, but will let his hair grow to show his holy vows to Adonai. During the time of his vow, he will not go near a dead body, even though it is his father, mother, brother or sister. If someone dies suddenly in his presence and defiles him in that way, the Nazirite shall shave his head seven days later, on the day of his purification. On the eighth day, the next day, he will bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the door to the tabernacle. To atone for the man’s defilement, the priest will offer one bird as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. On that day the man will let his hair grow again and renew his vows. The vows will begin again, for the previous days of the vow do not count. The man must also bring a year-old male lamb for a guilt offering because the man’s separation was defiled. When the period necessary for consecration has ended, the Nazirite will offer a flawless year-old lamb as a burnt offering to Adonai at the entrance to the tabernacle. He will also offer a flawless year-old ewe lamb as a sin offering and a flawless ram as a peace offering. Along with a cereal and drink offering, he will present a basket of unleavened bread, cakes made with fine flour mixed with olive oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil. At the entrance to the tabernacle the Nazirite will shave the hair which he grew as a sign of his consecration and then burn this hair in the fire under the peace offering. Then the priest will place the cooked shoulder of the lamb, one unleavened cake from the basket and one unleavened wafer in the hands of the Nazirite. He will lift the man’s hands with all these things in them and wave them back and forth before Adonai as a sign that they are offered to Him. These are a holy portion for the priest to keep, as well as the breast of the wave offering and the shoulder of the heave offering. When this ceremony is finished, the Nazirite may drink wine again, for he has fulfilled his vow. These are the Laws for a Nazirite and his ceremony at the end of his period of consecration. He must also bring any other offering which he promised when he vowed to become a Nazirite. Adonai also said to Moses, tell Aaron and his sons this blessing with which they are to bless the people of Israel. This is what they shall say,

[Adonai bless you and keep you. Adonai make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. Adonai look favourably upon you, and give you peace.]

Aaron and his sons will call My Name and blessings upon the people of Israel and I will bless them.’’

COMMENTARY

THE NAZIRITE VOW

People often make promises and take vows they never keep. That was just as true thousands of years ago as it is today. For as short a time as thirty days or for as long as a lifetime, a person could take the Nazirite vow and devote himself to YHVH by swearing three things.

1 -- He promised not to eat grapes or anything made from grapes; wine, juice, grape vinegar or raisins. He was also to avoid all strong drink.
2 -- Every Nazirite could not cut his hair or shave for as long as the vow lasted. That made him very easy to recognize.
3 -- No Nazirite could come near the body of a dead person, no matter who it was; not even his own mother and father.

If a Nazirite accidentally came into contact with a dead body, he had to make a sacrifice, cut off his hair and bury it and start the period of his vow all over again. If his hair was cut accidently, he was set back thirty days in his vow. Only accidentally drinking a product of the grape brought about no penalty. But if a Nazirite deliberately broke any of the vows, he was whipped once for each one he broke. When the set time period was over, the end of the vow was marked by a special offering at the temple. A sacrifice had to be made of two rams, an ewe, ten unleavened cakes of flour and ten unleavened wafers sprinkled with oil, along with other meat and drink offerings. The head and beard would be shaved and the hair burned in the fire with the meat offering. A person could take the Nazirite vow for a lifetime. A father could make it for his son before he was thirteen. Samson’s mother gave him to YHVH before he was even born. As the story is related in the Bible, he broke the vow three times.

First, Samson killed thirty men; and made himself unclean by contact with their bodies.
Secondly, he drank wine at his own wedding feast.
Thirdly, after telling the secret of his YHVH-given strength to Delilah, his hair was cut and he lost his sight, strength and freedom.

The prophet Samuel and John the Baptist were two other life-long Nazirites. Even the apostle Paul was a Nazirite for a brief time.

What We Teach about Humanity | #anthropology #hamartiology #soul #annihilationism #soteriology #salvation #atonement #death

Sin and Sinful Nature

What We Teach about Humanity

This article explains what we teach about the origin of humanity, the cause of sinful human nature, and our ultimate destiny.

Thought for Today: Shabbat January 14:

Pour all of you energy into trusting Elohiym today. It is through trust that you stay connected to Him aware of His Presence. Every step of your life-journey today and your future can be steps of faith. Even baby steps are easy and can almost be taken with unconscious ease. Giant leaps are another matter altogether, leaping across chasms in semidarkness, scaling cliffs of uncertainty, trudging through the valley of shadow of death. These feats require sheer concentration as well as utter commitment to YHVH. Each of Elohiym’s children is a unique blend of temperament, giftedness, and life experiences. Something that is a baby step for you, maybe a giant leap for another person and vice-versa. Only YHVH knows the difficulty or ease of each segment of your journey. Beware of trying to impress others by acting as if your giant leaps are only baby steps. Never judge others who hesitate, in trembling fear, before an act that would be easy for you. If each of Adonai’s children would seek to please Him above all else, fear of other’ judgements would vanish, as would the attempts to impress people. Focus your attentions on the path just ahead of you and on Adonai Elohiym Who never leaves your side.

SERIES E --- YHVH’S LAWS --- LESSON 05

PURITY

A TEST FOR UNFAITHFULNESS

From Numbers 5

Remove unclean people from the congregation, Adonai Commanded. Move them outside the camp so they will not defile the congregation of the people among whom I dwell. Unclean persons include men and women who are lepers, those with running sores or those temporarily defiled by touching a dead body. The people did what Adonai had Commanded them through Moses. Adonai also Commanded, whoever does something unfaithful to Adonai commits sin. That person must confess his sin and repay what he has stolen to the person he wronged, adding an extra fifth with the repayment. If the wronged person has died and there is no close relative who can receive the repayment, it must be given to a priest as though it were given to Adonai. The person must also present a ram for atonement to remove the guilt of his sin. All sacred gifts to Adonai shall be brought to the priests and they will belong to the priests. Adonai also gave Instructions to the people concerning suspected adultery. If a husband is jealous or suspicious of his wife and has reason to believe that she has committed adultery, but there are no witnesses, the husband must bring his wife to the priest with an offering. This offering shall be a tenth of an ephah {about a tenth of a bushel} of barley meal, with no oil or frankincense on it. It will be a cereal offering to confirm or deny the husband’s suspicions, to cause the woman to remember her sin if she is guilty. When the priest brings the woman before Adonai, he will mix in a clay jar some holy water with dust from the tabernacle floor. The priest will let down the woman’s hair and place in her hands the cereal offering of suspicion. While the priest holds the muddy, bitter water, he will stand before the woman. The priest then makes the woman take an oath, saying, ‘If you have not committed adultery, you will be free from the effects of this bitter water which brings a curse. But if you have committed adultery, then let your thigh shrivel and your body swell when you drink this bitter water.’ The woman takes an oath saying, ‘Amen. Let this happen as you have said.’ After the priest writes the curses in a book he washes the writing off into the bitter water. Later, when he makes the woman drink the water, it causes bitter pain within her if she is guilty. The priest removes the cereal offering of suspicion from the woman’s hand, waves it before Adonai and brings it to the altar. Then he burns one handful on the altar, representing the entire offering. After that the priest makes the woman drink the bitter water. If the woman is guilty, the water will cause bitter pain in her, her body will swell and her thigh will shrivel. Then she will be a curse among her people. If she is innocent however, these things will not happen to her and she will be able to have a child. This is the Law to use when a husband is suspicious that his wife has committed adultery. When the husband is jealous and suspicious, he shall present his wife to Adonai so that the priest may judge her according to this Law. If the woman is guilty and her body is cursed, she alone will pay for her crime. The husband will not be considered responsible for the terrible things that happen to her.

COMMENTARY

LIFE THEY LEFT BEHIND: BANQUET AND PARTY SCENES

The life the Israelites left behind them in Egypt was one of slavery, toil and suffering. They did not take part in the wealthy Egyptians’ custom of giving parties and banquets almost every night. For the Egyptians, any holiday and there were many, was a reason for great celebration. Guests at such a party would be greeted by pretty servants, who would fit a flowered collar around their necks. The men were then anointed with perfumed oil. The women had wax-and-perfume cones placed on their heads, which melted in the warmth of the room and dripped scent down on their rich wigs and elaborate party gowns. Sometimes the men and women would remain together, but sometimes they separated and went into different rooms. After the perfuming, another servant poured water over the guests’ hands to wash them and gave each a flower to hold and sniff for the evening. A figure of a mummy was displayed as a reminder of the shortness of life. Each guest was urged to enjoy himself as much as he could before death overtook him. The tables were heaped with many different kinds of breads and honey cakes, the cakes covered with cut flowers. Platters were piled high with elaborate dishes of geese, duck, chicken and pigeon. Roast beef or lamb appeared on very important occasions. Onions, leeks, cucumbers, watermelon, papyrus shoots and nuts were available, as well as a large selection of fish dishes, eggs and cheese. Figs and melons made up the dessert. Wine and beer were poured from large jars. Black barley beer was particularly popular. Drinks often came in cups with pointed bottoms that could be set down on their sides only after they were emptied. Served by maids, each guest would be told, [Drink this and get drunk.] He might answer, [I would love to be drunk.] For entertainment, a harp player or orchestra with dancing girls performed. Acrobats, actors, storytellers and magicians might also take part. Inevitably some of the guests ate and drank too much and got sick or fainted. If the host was thoughtful or wealthy enough, he provided strong-armed slaves to carry them home. The upset stomach and aching head of the next morning was called a {geb-tet,} which in Egyptian meant {half a head.} The life which the wealthy Egyptian lived at these parties was quite different from that of the Hebrew slave, especially one who tried to live for YHVH.

Shabbat Shalom everybody

I'm delighted to present to you a fresh, dramatised recording of the first chapters of one of my favourite books of the Bible, wherein the wise King of Israel presents his ironic conclusion about this mortal life...