"Cleanse your hands, ye sinners"
Ja 4
there's no such thing as not being allowed to ask why.
'authorities' are quick to command to 'not question God', where in fact there are remarkably few such instructions in the Book, and they don't state don't ask why, but that the answer is in our current state incomprehensible to us or never to be comprehended.
to not question God is to not presume to have a better idea of how things should be, not to not ask why.
so, why the instruction to refrain from strangled animals?
i had a look at what people say, and most (sort of sensible) answers tie it to the (noahide) instruction to refrain from the blood.
which is correct in a way, but it's a derived answer, and where it's derived from is not clear.
quite simply because one can still drain the blood from a strangled creature, - to quote steve hollander (can't refrain, steve) 'duh!' -
i then looked at the Word, and to my surprise there are very few references to strangling. and no direct command to not do so, until it pops up in acts.
excluding a couple of catholic translations insertion of the word referring to david, what comes up is talk in nahum 2 of a bad pride of lions, in job 7 of his despair being so great he'd rather be strangled,
and the twin cases of ahithophel (2 sam 17) and judah (mat 27) strangling themselves.
plus a really interesting take in the aramaic of 2 cor 4.
(for completeness, the unforgiving servant nearly strangled his fellow servant in matt too).
now deut 21 talks of hanging bad guys, but note it is AFTER they are executed.
then there are diverse instances of people actually being hanged, but the curse a person hanged is under, refers to his dead body being hung up, there's no command to strangle anybody by hanging that i know of.
so, while waiting for someone to supply more info, let me talk of what came to my mind.
see, elsewhere we've been talking about the Spirit of the Father, amongst other aspects of Him. and though i only once briefly touched upon the injunction not to blaspheme the Spirit, for it will not be forgiven, which matthew, mark and luke all mention, it got me thinking.
because genesis 2 makes clear it is the Spirit (in His Neshamah function) that breathes life into us, continuously btw, for we perish the moment He departs from us.
now against the Father or the Messiah things can be forgiven, but not the Spirit. the answer to why that is can be found in the Spirit's function. He is fully a servant, not doing things of His own will.
the Father, and Messiah, choose what they will, but the servant just serves.
and that first physical primary service is simply to keep us breathing. breathe in, breathe out.
so when we kill, which is bad enough, we end that creature's life, but when we strangle, we hinder the Spirit Himself in doing His job, akin enough for me to tie strangling to blaspheming against the Spirit, dangerously close to being also something unforgiven.
and now we get to the life being in the blood, and why it needs to be drained, not consumed. because that breathe of the Spirit enters and invigorates us exactly through the blood, HE, or HIS breathe, the source of life, is in the blood.
therefore, eating the blood is in some way eating the Spirit's breathe, again, dangerously close to being also something unforgiven.
(ooh, blood sausage people.)
so, if i'm correct here, it would indicate those apostles had a deeper understanding of the Spirit, and based their injunction on that, not the noahide laws, which only mention the blood.
now, it looks suspiciously like i've answered my own question, but i'd like other takes, and more specifically, does anyone know of texts i've missed that talk around this?
Thought for Today: Wednesday September 24
Some people have a wrong idea of living the believer’s life. Seeing talented, successful believers, they tend to imitate them; But when they discover that their own gifts are different or their contributions are more modest. They collapse in discouragement and overlook genuine opportunities that are open to them. The key is to realise that you are here to serve YHVH, not yourself. He does not call His children to a playground, but to a battleground. In the midst of it all, when we serve the Moshiach, we truly discover that: “the joy of ADONAI is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10)
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9/23/2025
This evening is the beginning of Yom Teruah (the “Day of Blowing”)
Yom Teruah is also known as Rosh Hashanah, head of the (civil) year. This day begins the fall Festival season and The Ten Days of Awe.
Traditionally on this day, as many as 100 blasts of the shofar are sounded as an alarm that the time has come for Yisrael to meet her Master and Messiah.
It is the day when kings are crowned.
It is also known as Yom Hadyn, the Day of Judgment, the great and fearful day of wrath upon those who do not fear YHWH.
For those who do love and reverence Him, it is sometimes called Yom Hazikaron, the Day of Remembrance, reminding us that He is not a mechanical lawgiver, bent only upon our destruction for every sin we commit, but He is a great and merciful Father who desires that we return to Him as obedient sons and daughters.
Readings for the day are:
B’reishyth 21 & 22; Bemidbar 29:1-6; Shemu’el Aleph 1:1-2:10 and Yirmeyahu 31:1-20.
L’shana Tovah Tikatevu!
May you be inscribed for an excellent year!
For all the Christians who were expecting the Rapture today, we must apologize for not saying our goodbyes yesterday. It was very thoughtless on our part, but thankfully you are all still here and so we can say sorry. And we will try to remember for the next predction…then again there’s another one called for tomorrow so for all those getting ready for this one, best wishes, happy trails, and soft landings. And if nothing happens again, don’t feel too bad: there will be another prediction coming soon.
All the Best,
Sincerely,
Your Calvarian Cousins
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