FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – CHUQQATH:

“And the people spoke against Elohim and against Moshe, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our being loathes this light bread.’ And YHWH sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people. And many of the people of Yisra’el died. Then the people came to Moshe, and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against YHWH and against you. Pray to YHWH to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moshe prayed on behalf of the people. And YHWH said to Moshe, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole. And it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’ So Moshe made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole. And it came to be, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”

“As Moshe lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of Aḏam has to be lifted up, so that whoever is believing in him should not perish but possess everlasting life. For Elohim so loved the world that He gave His only brought-forth Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life. For Elohim did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only brought-forth Son of Elohim. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. For everyone who is practicing evil matters hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But the one doing the Truth comes to the light, so that his works are clearly seen, that they have been wrought in Elohim.”

“Thy Torah is Truth”

Thought for Today: Tuesday June 24

We are not hypocritical just because we do not meet a person’s every demand. Would we really be helping them if we met their every demand, no matter how selfish? Instead, we might just be encouraging greater self-centredness on their part; and that is not YHVH’s will. Sometimes love says no, because that is what is best for the other person. If you can fulfil someone’s request however, do so even if it involves sacrifice on your part. The Bible says: “let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth” (1 John 3:18)

Care for a swim? https://thekingdomnetwork.us/2....025/06/16/swimming-l

Not too accurate, but quite fun!

...Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus.
Romans 16:11 ESV

As with Aristobulus, Paul greets the family of Narcissus, but apparently not Narcissus himself. There was a wealthy freedman named Tiberius Claudius Narcissus in the court of Emperor Claudius. Nero’s mother Agrippina forced him to commit suicide after the death of Claudius, shortly before this letter was written.

It’s remotely possible that Paul was addressing believers within this man’s house, but the name Narcissus was probably common, being derived from Greek mythology. Believers were likely a minority in his house and Narcissus was probably not among them, since Paul greets “those in the Lord who belong to the family”.

If this Narcissus truly was the same as Claudius’ advisor, then Paul might have worded the greeting in this way because giving specific names could have put their lives in danger.

...Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
Romans 16:10 ESV

Aristobulus himself is not greeted, but his household is. This could include Aristobulus, but it more likely refers to believers within his household, which could have included family members, slaves, and hired servants.

There was an Aristobulus who was a grandson of Herod the Great. Although he died in 7 BC, he had been educated in Rome, and some of his descendants lived there during Paul’s ministry. In Roman custom, families often adopted the name of a famous ancestor as a surname, so It’s possible that this is the household being greeted, but by no means certain.

If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.
Proverbs 29:9 ESV

There's no reasoning with a fool, which is why Solomon says several times that the only reason a fool understands is pain. He must be controlled by force or everyone will suffer.

If a woman murdered someone else's baby, would she not be tried for murder? But then if she murders her own baby, she is protected?

This is pro-abortion.

I've added slides with verse citations to the sermon archive for First Fruits Ministries' sermon on the Sabbath for 6/21/2025, called "Judge Not? 'There Is A Time For Everything'": https://firstfruits.cc/blog/20....25/06/23/judge-not-t

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/cDBACZMQDe8

Transcript: https://storage2.snappages.sit....e/ncm201u3w4/assets/

The sermon was delivered at the Porcupine Freedom Festival 2025 in the Liberty Ecclesia tent and recorded live from there.

The Torah Portion reading for this week is now up! Take a look.