June 2026 Torah portions
Tag: Torah
This Week’s Torah Portion (Vaetchanan)
If you have been exposed to Judaism, Noahides, Messianics, Hebrew Roots, or some variant of those religious groups, then you will most likely be familiar with the weekly Bible readings known as the Torah portion, also referred to as the parashah, which simply means a passage or section of the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
This week’s Torah portion can be found in Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11. Here are some highlights for you to explore this Sabbath:
Why Asking God for A Sign Is Not Divination
May 8, 2024
When we consider one of God’s many names is El Roi, which means the God who sees me, we can expect this God who sees our ways will help us see His will or way for our lives, and often reveals said ways through the physical. It’s a brilliant juxtaposition for an invisible God to use the visible to know who God is, and to learn to trust Him and His directions for our customized lives. In fact, God often asked the prophets, “What do you see?” to convey an important message to the prophets (Amos 7:7-8; 8:2; Jeremiah 1:11-13) and just as God modeled to the prophets, the prophets frequently conveyed God’s message to the people using the physical. In the Exodus account, God used the physical manifestations to reveal Himself to the enslaved Israelites in Egypt as well as Egyptians, which ultimately prompted the mixed-multitude to vacate Egypt as they followed Moses and the Israelites throughout the wilderness (Exodus 12:38). God also used signs to answer those who sought God such as King Hezekiah. In Isaiah 37, King Hezekiah prays to God for clarity, and God immediately answers when the prophet Isaiah sends a message to King Hezekiah writing, “And this is the sign for you…” (Isaiah 37:30) to which Isaiah describes physical manifestations of agriculture within a specific timeline and the interpretation of said signs. Furthermore, the prophets are called seers in Tanakh because much spiritual insight can be perceived through what we see whether in the physical, a sign, a vision, or dream. Nearly every prophet throughout Tanakh has a visual experience (i.e. burning bush, visions, dreams); hence, the label of seer. Similarly, the Levitical priest used the signs provided through the breastplate of decision when they struggled to make an important decision such as to go to war or not. Through the story of Jonah, we see another example of using the physical for clarity as the sailors cast lots to quickly determine who the problem was as the angry seas threatened their lives (Jonah 1:7). All of these examples found in Tanakh reveal that it is not only acceptable to seek God’s will or clarity for our lives and that God uses the physical human/prophet/priest as well as physical objects and or circumstances, but that said physical beings or objects can be accurate and trustworthy resources of guidance.
And yet, if it was permissible to seek out God’s guidance through a “seer” or man or woman of God and God Himself used physical signs to guide individuals, then why do we read in various Torah commands, such as Leviticus 19:26 or Deuteronomy 18:9-12, as some examples, to not consult divination, soothsayer, ghosts, mediums, or omens? Torah teaches us there are both false prophets and true prophets, who have a spiritual gift, and both the true and counterfeit can frequently perform the same physical acts or see or read a person or interpret a dream or circumstance accurately. Ponder the Exodus story as the Egyptian magicians performed the same spells as they matched the manifestations God made through Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:22; 8:3) or how the prophets of Baal dualed the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18) or how Baalam, who was not of Israel, could also accurately see the future and was well-known throughout his region (Numbers 22) or how a different Pharoah consulted Joseph to interpret a dream (Genesis 41) and King Nebuchadnezzar consulted Daniel to interpret the King’s dream (Daniel 2) because their usual people could not do so at that time but normally could. In other words, these gifts of seeing and interpretation, or means of communication with a spiritual realm are real, prevalent, and still exist today; otherwise, there would be no need for God to document these experiences for each generation to learn from and no need to permanently command not to seek out a diviner, medium, ghost, etc. if such things weren’t real. Now that we’ve established these two groups, why is seeking out a seer or perhaps a rabbi or asking God for a sign okay, but forbidden to consult tarot cards, mediums, or psychics, to use some more modern terms?
Like all actions, it boils down to motive. What is the motive of the so-called prophet, seer, medium, psychic, or whatever label given? What is the motive of the seeker? And what is the motive of God?
First, let’s consider God’s motive in our conundrums. Why does God repeatedly welcome and encourage individuals to seek Him in Tanakh? Perhaps by allowing challenging decisions to be made, it provokes an individual to seek out and “trust in the LORD with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding” as Proverbs 3:5-6 bellows. God says in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you wonderous things, secrets you have not known.” In fact, through the prophet Isaiah, God chides the House of Israel for making plans without asking Him first (Isaiah 30:1-2). Isaiah reiterates later in 55:6, “Seek the LORD while He can be found, call to Him while He is near.” God’s motive in allowing or creating the circumstances resulting in our internal and external conflicts is to make Himself, His Name, His Sovereignty, His Voice (a.k.a. Torah, His documented voice) known to us (and others around us through our story). Subsequently, these dilemmas we find ourselves in are opportunities to build a healthy relationship of trust between the Creator and the created. But due to our days full of distraction, we often cannot see God in the chaos of our lives – we struggle to pause for anything much less to interpret the various visual clues and what God may be trying to teach us in our surroundings and circumstances. Hence, God’s love for visual reminders like the tzitzits (strings on the corners of the garment Jewish men wear), God’s words on the doorposts (mezuzah), or engraved stone tablets instructing “Remember the Sabbath”, etc. We need visual and tangible reminders because we are visual and tactile learners. Sabbath is a great day to pause and ponder all the visual clues God provided throughout the busy week as we study and learn to walk in God’s Sacred Highway, His light, a.k.a. Torah, all of which is ultimately for our benefit (Isaiah 35:8 sacred highway; Proverbs 6:23 Torah is light; Deuteronomy 6:24 beneficial). God’s motive in it all is a healthy relationship with us and loving-kindness towards us.
Second, what is the motive of the true and false prophets/seers? Throughout Tanakh, individuals failed to seek, trust, and heed God’s guidance. Hence, the role of the true prophet to reflect, correct, and direct wandering souls in God’s heart for them. No true prophet wants to be a prophet for it historically has not ended well for any prophet in Tanakh (i.e. hated, humiliated, imprisoned/captivity, cut in two, stoned, killed in other capacities). The motive of a true profit is an unadulterated love, fear, and respect for God and ultimately, the repentance of others, and ideally, the subsequent relationships others could have with God. Conversely, some prophets are motivated by profit, fame, or power, all of which is forbidden and one clear way to tell if a prophet is true or false is by if they charge for their services like psychics do, and or if they only predict good things to the seeker for they can read the idols of an individual’s heart (Micah 3:11-12; Ezekiel 13-14) whereas a true prophet is all about making God and His commands (Torah) known and that usually is not what people want to hear. In fact, the test of a true prophet is defined in Deuteronomy 13, which warns if a prophet tells you to do away with God’s law (Torah) and or worship another as if he/she/it is God, then you know that prophet is not sent by God. The fake apostle/prophet Paul, the founder of Christianity, taught precisely those violations, and I believe was sent as a test, to which many have failed. In other words, if the voice of an alleged prophet or any other source contradicts Torah, God’s documented voice, then you know that is not truth, not the correct answer. The motive of a diviner, medium, psychic, or false prophet often is rooted in self-centered objectives of financial gain, popularity, or power and control, or all of the above, and therefore, will likely provide welcomed feedback. Ponder the messages preached by mega-churches or bestselling books penned by preachers – they often propel themes of how God can serve you, not how you can serve God. Essentially, false prophets or diviners are forbidden because their motive is to profit from flattering you as they feed your soul with vain promises of prosperity. They cunningly specialize in making you feel as if you are God while they gauge your being (the visual clues you personify) and can easily mislead you into a direction not for you, but against you.
Lastly, what is the motive of the individual, the seeker, that either consults with God directly or consults a true or false prophet/seer/teacher? The seeker is motivated by wanting to avoid unnecessary suffering (healthy fear); some may be motivated by curiosity (like trying out a psychic or tarot card reading); and some may be motived by an authentic ambition to please God as they ask for God’s directions.
In conclusion, seeking God’s guidance for your life through prayer, Scripture, visual clues, or other Torah-modeled resources are not only permissible but encouraged. When seeking clarity, evaluate your motive and the motive of the source you are seeking. As for me, I have come to trust God’s answers or signs when I’ve sought Him for advice. Through it all, because of life’s conundrums and subsequent heart cries of clarity, I am grateful for and adore this God who sees, listens, and answers.
Video: Why You Always Have Been ‘Saved By Grace’
Blood Sacrifices Not Mandatory & Certainly Not A Human Sacrifice
Blood animal sacrifices are not mandatory for atonement. Review the plethora of passages revealing a repentant heart will do just fine. Understand the various forms of payment (ie animals, flour, jewelry, incense, etc.) when a temple in Jerusalem exists, is based on affordability, offense, or circumstance to teach the accidental violator a lesson so as to not repeat their violation. Our court system today is based on this concept. Moreover, human sacrifice has always been forbidden (see Leviticus 18:21, 20:3; Deuteronomy 12:29-32; 18:10; 2 Kings 3:27, 16:3, 17:17; 2 Chronicles 28:3, 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; Psalm 106:35-38; Ezekiel 16:20-21 as some examples) AND no human can die for another’s sins (see Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:1-32; 33:12-20; Jeremiah 31:29-30; Psalm 49:7). In other words, Jesus didn’t die for your sins. All you need is repentance.
When the author of Hebrews uses Psalm 40 to make the reader think a human sacrifice (Jesus) was required for atonement, he changed out what the Psalm actually says. In other words, the author lied. Intentionally deceived and still deceives unsuspecting readers. As Ronald Reagan said, “Trust but verify.” Look this stuff up for yourself.
The Consequences of Idolatry for Jew and Gentile
When an Evangelical Christian friend of ours passed away from COVID, I pondered what would become of his soul. Without realizing he was propagating idolatry, our now deceased friend had actively evangelized to others doing his best to get people to believe in and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. By all accounts, he was a “godly” guy. Subsequently, curiosity led me to research what the Hebrew Bible had to say about idolatry and potential consequences for both the apostate Jew and misinformed Gentile that perceives and worship Jesus as God.
What Is Idolatry?
According to the Bible, idolatry is defined as worshiping others, or other deities, or objects as if they are God (Exodus 20:2-4, 34:17). It’s interesting that God or other Biblical authors acknowledge there are other deities, or other concepts believed to be deities (Exodus 15:11, 20:3-4; Psalm 96:5, 97:7, 135:5). In other words, the text acknowledges the fact that mankind struggles to focus on an invisible, infinite God and instead tends to fashion finite, visual being(s) and deem them God. Remember the golden calf incident?
Additionally, idolatry is likened to adultery and considered both an abomination and even identified as hating God (Exodus 34:15-16, Ezekiel 16:15-22; Psalm 81:9-16).
These passages, however, are directed towards ancient Israelites, which now are known as Jews.
Are Only Jews Prohibited from Worshiping Anything as God or All Humanity?
Just as God instructed Jews to not worship other gods early on in the Book of Exodus, God also gave the Egyptians in the same story the opportunity to repent from worshiping their plethora of false gods and to worship the One and Only True God instead. At one point, Pharoah repented and the LORD relented in the plague (Exodus 10:16-17). Unfortunately, Pharoah repeated old patterns and refused to let the Israelite people go to worship God. Through it all, however, God’s motive was to reveal Himself as the One True God to not just the Israelites, but the Egyptians as well. Consequently, many realized the gods they worshiped were false ones and chose to enjoin themselves with the Israelites and fled alongside them (Exodus 12:38). In other words, God’s mission and subsequent use of the plagues weren’t just to relieve and rescue the Israelites from oppression but was to also make His name and authority known to thousands so that they could intimately know God and how He defines covenant relationship with Him. Essentially, God removed them from bondage to a polytheistic culture so they could know the bond of Oneness. In light of this revelation, ponder the concept that Jesus’ statements of being one with the Father didn’t mean he is proclaiming himself as God or part of a godhead, rather Jesus conveyed the bond of covenant relationship with God- oneness. Hence, praying to God that others could also be one with God (John 17). If Jesus were saying he was God, then his prayer would mean he was praying others could also be God.
Another similar opportunity of oneness with God was presented to the Ninevites, who were Gentiles, in other words, not Jewish for Ninevah was a populous capital city in the Assyrian Empire. Commissioned by God to deliver this important message, Jonah reluctantly arrived to warn the aggressive Ninevites to repent from their many sins, presumably including idolatry or there would be dire consequences (Book of Jonah). Unlike Pharoah, the Ninevites repented and God’s grace was given. He delighted in forgiving these Gentiles (non-Jews) just as God would have the Egyptians. While dwelling on God’s grace towards the Ninevites, notice no human needed to die for their sins, no blood needed to be shed, and yet, God forgave them. Tragically, the Ninevites must have reverted to their pagan tendencies because later the prophet Nahum warned of God’s judgment specifically for their idolatry (Nahum 1:1,14).
Interestingly, passages foretelling the future reveal idolatry, or worshiping anything but the One and Only God, will be forever banished from all the Earth, meaning for both Jew and Gentile (Zechariah 13:2, 14:9,16-21). It should be noted in Zechariah 14:16-21, in the future, the nations that choose not to worship God in the way He instructed, specifically by coming to the temple for the Feast of Trumpets/Sukkot, will suffer consequences. It’s interesting because that is one of the three holy holidays God taught the Israelites they must celebrate by coming to the temple. He did not command that to everybody, just Jews, and yet, in the future, everybody must participate regardless if they are a Jew or of the nations (Exodus 23:14-17, 34:18-23; Deuteronomy 16:1, 9-10, 13, 16-17). All of which validates the Israelites, or Jews, are chosen to lead the nations to God’s teachings found in Torah, which is referred to as “light” (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6; Psalm 119:105-106; Proverbs 6:23).
How Are Jews to Handle Idolatry?
- Not to intermarry with those of another faith (Deuteronomy 7:3, 20:16-18; 1 Kings 11:1-2; Ezra 9)
- To divorce those of another faith (those who worship other gods) (Ezra 10)
- To tear down, destroy, toss out, remove all evidence of idols in one’s territory (Exodus 34:13; Isaiah 27:9)
- To continue to lead in love as they guide other Jews and non-Jews to Torah’s teachings, which is God’s teachings of what He loves and hates; moreover, the faithful Jew uses God’s Torah, which means “teaching”, to teach others what love is and isn’t.
What Are the Consequences of Idolatry, If Any, for Jews & Gentiles?
Below is a list of the specific consequences for Jews, but to rephrase in a modern-day reality, Jews that worship Jesus (or any other god):
- Cursed (Jeremiah 17:5)
- Makes Jews/Israel vulnerable to physical attacks such as war and disease (sent by God as a means to discipline the Jews – Judges 8; Psalm 81:9-17; historical and Biblical siege of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria for their idolatry as well as siege of Southern Kingdom by the Babylonian Empire for doing the same. Both events were warned by the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah)
For the Gentile, the Hebrew Bible details similar consequences:
- Early death or destruction (Nahum 1:13)
- Will become like the idols they worship – mute, blind, deaf, lifeless, no breath, (spiritually) dead (Psalm 135:15-18)
Moreover, for both the Jew or Gentile, or in broader terms, all of humanity, it does the following:
- Idols of one’s heart cannot be hidden from God (Psalm 44:21-22; Ezekiel 14:1-11)
- Vexes God prompting rebuke (Deuteronomy 32:19-24)
- Makes God jealous (Exodus 34:15; Isaiah 42:8; 48:11)
- Makes God angry (Psalm 106:34-46)
- Activates TRUE prophets to advise otherwise/warn (Judges 8:7-10; Hence, prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Nahum warning Jews and Gentiles of such destructive choices)
- Cursed (Jeremiah 17:5)
- Activates severe consequences such as fire, plagues, war, aggressive beasts (Ezekiel 14:12-23- Notice the language in verse 13 “if a land”, not specifically, the land of Israel so any land that worships another god, similar to what the future prophecy Zechariah 14:16-21 conveyed)
In conclusion, while digging through these passages, it became grossly evident to me that idolatry causes God pain, severs any hope of oneness with God, and produces significant consequences as God enforces His boundaries of love. It is too late for our deceased Christian friend, but perhaps the most recent plague of COVID and its many variants along with these compelling Scriptures could invoke repentant hearts as we cast down our idols and indeed make our hands clean.
Download these Scriptures to study this important topic for yourself.
3.20.2022
Know Your Bible: Error In the Book of Hebrews
As a former Christian, all of the errors and misquotes I have found were while using my Christian Bible (old and new testaments). I did not go to some random special resource to discover this fraud. Look up these verses to see it for yourself in your own Bible.
Here in Hebrews 10 compared to Psalm 40 we can see several errors. Not only did the author intentionally replace God’s word, which it is a sin to add or subtract from Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32/13:1; Jeremiah 26:2), by subtracting the text “My ears you have opened” and replaced it with “But a body You have prepared for Me..” in attempts to deceive the unsuspecting reader into thinking Jesus’ body was the final sacrifice, but in addition to this blatant alteration of God’s Scripture, the author of Hebrews, presumably Paul, removed “You did not require” and replaced it with “you had no pleasure” to further his agenda.
As discussed in my article “Why Jesus Didn’t Die For Anyone’s Sins”, sin and trespass offerings can only transpire in the temple within Jerusalem, which no longer exists, nor existed at the time the psalm was penned; moreover, those offerings are designed to be a tangible lesson to learn God’s instructions of loving Him and others as they were exclusively for unintentional/accidental sins, not rebellion or intentional sin. When a temple is not present or should the offender be not in Jerusalem, sin and trespass offerings are not required for the remission of sins despite what Christian doctrines purport. We see in 1 Kings 8, King Solomon prays and declares that even when no temple is present or people are not in the land of Israel, God will forgive those who repent and return to His Torah. In other words, all God has ever wanted was for people to hear His documented voice, being His instructions on how to love God and others throughout the Torah; hence, the psalmist praise of “my ears you have opened”. God eagerly forgives those who repent and return to His instructions. As Scripture reveals and repeats in numerous places, all God wants is those with circumcised hearts, willing to listen, trust, and obey (see 1 Kings 8, Psalm 50, 51, 103, 119, Proverbs 3, Isaiah 1:16-17, and many more!). As if all of these intentional and deceptive misquotes weren’t bad enough, the author of Hebrews also left off a key element validating God’s Torah by removing the phrase, “And Your law is within my heart.”
Furthermore, we see in a future era, sin and trespass offerings, as well as other sacrifices, and all of Torah, will resume in God’s presence once the final temple is erected (see Ezekiel 40:38-43; 43:4-46:24; Zechariah 14:16+; Isaiah 56:6-8; Isaiah 2:3).
These errors are clearly intentional as the author of Hebrews is leading the reader to believe 1) A sin blood sacrifices were required (for atonement), 2) God doesn’t want ongoing sacrifices, but just one final sacrifice being Jesus now and 3) by leaving off Torah is within my heart it leads the reader to believe God’s laws are done away with or no longer relevant, a myth the Church has propagated for centuries in attempts to distance themselves from anything remotely Jewish. The author of Hebrews goes on to repeat his grave sin by rewriting it for emphasis in verses 8-9 AND claiming God’s Torah, part of what Christians label “OLD” Testament is removed. Out with the old and in with the new Hebrews 10:9 claims; hence, the birth of Replacement Theology. However, Deuteronomy 13 warns us that anyone that comes along and says God’s law, His Torah, His instructions, His voice is done away with, or steers others to not obey Torah is a false prophet and in dangerous error. This person or doctrine was sent as a test to see if you believe in God or man-made doctrines like Replacement Theology and the Book of Hebrews. Fascinating that the author could not even pen his name to this manuscript just as the alleged authors of the Gospels did not pen their names either.
Blessing Not A Curse
Evidently, some Apostles disagreed with Paul’s perspective taught in Galatians regarding the law is a curse if you attempt to obey it, but rather agreed with Proverbs 28:9. #BlessingNotACurse
Are the 7 Noahide Laws the Only Commands Gentiles Should Obey?
Both Judaism and Christianity typically teach that God’s 613 commands are exclusively for Jews to obey while Gentiles are only obligated to obey general moral laws such as the “Seven Noahide Laws”. For those unfamiliar with the 7 Noahide Laws, they are as follows:
1) Don’t worship any other god, but the One True Living God (no idols);
2) Don’t curse God;
3) Don’t commit murder/bloodshed;
4) Don’t steal;
5) Don’t commit sexual immorality;
6) Establish a judicial system;
7) Don’t eat the limb/flesh of a living animal.
Some of these principles are established by Noah as instructions to his sons after the family and animals exited the ark upon being the sole survivors of the great flood in Genesis 9 while other alleged laws are assumed. In this chapter of the Bible thought to be the basis for the Noahide Laws, Noah urges his sons and their wives to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:1,7) as did God to Adam and Eve; Noah also informed his sons that the animals, the birds, and fish would be fearful of man, but man has dominion over them all (vs. 2); they can’t eat meat rare (with blood in it – vs. 3); and, lastly, they can’t murder or cause blood to be shed (vs. 5-6). If we were to go strictly by Genesis 9 alone, then, technically, these four commands would be the Noahide Laws. The Jewish sages expanded on them some to establish the seven, and various sects of Christianity have their own set of laws as well.
It is my position that while these Noahide laws are a great place to start, there appear to be hints of other laws Gentiles could obey and Gentiles of the future will obey. Moreover, whether Jew or Gentile, one ought to obey God’s commands, not suggestions, to the best of their ability and understanding out of their love for God. If one devotes their time looking for excuses or develops arguments against obeying God’s commands, therein reveals much, namely one’s heart and alleged reverence for God and His authority in their life.
With that said, let us look at a few examples of Gentiles obeying what many would consider exclusive Jewish laws or laws not listed in the Seven Noahide Laws.
Sacrifices
First, consider neither Adam, Eve, their sons, nor even Noah were Jewish for the tribes of Israel and therefore, the tribe of Judah, had not existed at this point in the Genesis story, and yet, God evidently commanded or, at the very least, welcomed the first family to offer sacrifices to Him. Hence, the first case of domestic violence and homicide, sadly, as Cain was jealous of Abel’s sacrifice (Genesis 4). Second, notice that Noah understood the importance of sacrifices as he too offered sacrifices as soon as the flood was over (Genesis 8:20-22). Noah also made sure there were clean and unclean animals on the ark presumably for the purpose of making sacrifices and food (Genesis 7:2,8), instructions not yet documented until much later (Leviticus 1-7, 11). Likewise, many years post-flood, Abraham, who also was not technically Jewish, although the first Hebrew, fashioned an altar to worship God (Genesis 12:7; 13:4,18); although the text does not specifically say he also offered sacrifices, it is inferred. Later, when Abraham’s son, Isaac, was older, God tested Abraham’s devotion to God by instructing him to, you could say, lay his idol down as Abraham set out to sacrifice his son as a burnt offering on an altar. Abraham trusted God would provide a better alternative while demonstrating he loved God even more than his miracle-baby. Consequently, God indeed had a better plan and provided a clean animal instead of Isaac (see Genesis 22). Again, all of this took place well before Jews and Judaism existed or God’s commands were documented by Moses.
As another example of Gentiles making sacrifices, in the future, after God somehow physically rescues, regathers, and resurrects the scattered tribes of Israel and reigns on Earth (Zechariah 9-14), the surviving Gentile nations will be required to participate in making sacrifices for the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot in Hebrew, according to Zechariah 14:16-21. Did you catch that? It will be required of Gentiles by God Himself to sacrifice in the future – for Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles for certain! In that same time period, a temple will exist, according to the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37-47; so, evidently, Gentiles that survive the Battle of Gog of Magog will be bringing sacrifices to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as Sukkot, or Feast of Booths or Feast of Ingathering.
It should be noted that Noah offered sacrifices of praise upon his literal, physical salvation (Genesis 8:20-22) just as the future surviving Gentiles will do upon their literal, physical salvation (Zechariah 14). Likewise, Noah and the other family that survived the flood repopulated the renewed Earth just as the future surviving Gentiles will do.
Sabbath and Other Holy Days
In the previous segment about sacrifices, we briefly explored the Feasts of Tabernacles, a Feast of the LORD, and how it will be celebrated in the World-To-Come, or upon God creating the New Heavens and New Earth, in the New Covenant not yet activated. In Isaiah 66:22-24, we also see the seventh-day Sabbath and the monthly new moon celebrations (Rosh Chodesh) will be observed by “all flesh”, meaning all mankind. The Prophet Ezekiel also predicts during that era God’s Sabbaths and Feasts are obeyed as well as sacrifices by the reunited and resurrected twelve tribes of Israel (see Ezekiel 43-44). It would appear in the future because all of the once scattered Israelites will be fully restored in the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel), God’s laws will also be fully restored while Gentiles obey some additional laws such as the Sabbath and celebrate Sukkot.
Fasting
Fasting is another command not found in the Seven Noahide Laws and yet the Prophet Jonah instructs the Gentiles of Nineveh to fast as a means to demonstrate their repentance. Fasting is a central part of Judaism, particularly on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), one of God’s Holy Days found in Leviticus 23, and all about repentance. Apparently, God appreciates the Gentile who fasts as a sign of repentance as well.
Lying
Technically, lying is not one of the Seven Noahide Laws either, but according to Nahum 3:1, the Ninevites (see Nahum 1:1), the ones who fasted and repented as mentioned above, were sinning by lying. In other words, lying was one of the offenses that caused God to send a prophet announcing God’s disapproval of their behavior and their need to repent to be spared from God’s wrath.
Sorcery
Likewise, sorcery was another command the Ninevites evidently violated, according to Nahum 3:4, and yet, is not listed in the Seven-To-Heaven list, or list that deems a Gentile righteous if obeyed according to the traditions of Judaism. Sorcery isn’t even in the 10 Commandments and yet clearly, a no-no, for both Jew and Gentile (Micah 5:11-14).
Unclean Food: No Bacon For You!
The vague translations of Genesis 9 make it sound like Noah’s sons can eat anything, but just the fact that Noah brings both unclean and clean animals on board the ark indicates otherwise. God specifically informed Moses much later what is food and not food in both Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 for Israelites, but it is interesting Noah understood what animals are clean and unclean before God gave Moses such instructions inferring the knowledge of what God defines as food predated the covenant given at Mt Sinai.
Clearly, God reveals throughout various Scriptures, albeit after carefully studying, that the Seven Noahide Laws may be a great place for Gentiles to start obeying God, but Gentiles should at the very least expect some more in the future (ie. Sukkot sacrifices & Sabbath). Moreover, consider the simple fact that Jews are “chosen” to be the light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6) designed to teach the light, being Torah or God’s commands, and all its wisdom and glory to the deceived world (Proverbs 6:23; Psalm 119:18,105-106; Ezekiel 44:23-24; Jeremiah 16:19; Zechariah 8). We also can learn throughout the passages of the prophetic books in the Hebrew Bible, in the future, everyone will know who God is and what He expects (Jeremiah 31) – it will be a time when the whole world, will “learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:8-10) meaning Torah, God’s definition of light, His instructions on how to be the light, life, and love. Torah will be taught to the nations and consequently, there will be world peace (see Isaiah 2 and Micah 4).
Moreover, whether Jew or Gentile, everyone has specific responsibilities and purpose then, now, and in the future.
In conclusion, in addition to the benefits of learning Torah, it is apparent to me if certain commands were observed by Gentiles before the tribes of Israel were even established and some of the said commands will be observed by the world after all the tribes of Israel are reunited and re-established in the future, then obviously, they are neither done away with, as Christianity teaches, nor only 7 laws for Gentiles as traditional Judaism teaches. Therefore, I do not believe the 7 Noahide Laws are the only commands Gentiles should obey, but rather, it could be a good place to start.
Fear God, Not Ghosts
The craze to dress up like ghosts, goblins, or some other ghoulish costume continues to haunt Americans, including God-fearing Christians and Jews alike. The lucrative 9-million-dollar American industry tempts even the religious to celebrate the creepy time of the year. What’s more frightening is many, if not most Americans, are unaware of the origins of this spooky holiday, much less what the Hebrew and Christian Bibles say about ghosts or more specifically talking to ghosts.
According to numerous credible internet sources, Halloween essentially originated and still is considered a pagan holiday known as the most ideal day to speak to the dead and as a bonus, the dead may even predict the future for you. Even more fascinating is the Torah, the first five books of both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, specifically warn against speaking to the dead either on one’s own or through a medium/witch to learn of the future (Exodus 22:17, Leviticus 19:31, 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:10-13). The prophet Isaiah also warns not to do so in Isaiah 8:19-20. Just the fact that God states not to converse with the dead to learn of the future indicates it IS possible to do; otherwise, a command stating not to do so would not be needed. It also infers pagans have been communicating with the dead for thousands of years. Jewish interpretation of these sentiments is that it is permissible to talk to the dead, but not to ask them to reveal the future.
In fact, did you know there is a fascinating story found in 1 Samuel 28:7-25 where King Saul sought out a witch or medium to contact the deceased Prophet Samuel to get advice about what to do about a pending battle? In this story, not only did King Saul break both God’s law and his own law banishing mediums or any other form of witchcraft and sorcery to predict the future, but the medium was successful in summoning the peacefully rested Samuel. The medium was shocked to see the ghost of Samuel for it was then she realized King Saul was in costume and deceived her as he concealed his identity (since he banished such practices). So, the medium worried that King Saul would kill her as a result (see 1 Sam. 28:8 -12). Meanwhile, the ghost of the Prophet Samuel was irate that he was disturbed from Sheol, the place all dead go to (vs 15).
As if all that wasn’t remarkable enough, the Prophet Samuel could STILL prophesize to King Saul WHILE DEAD (vs 19)! Prophet Samuel accurately predicted King Saul would be joining him in death the next day along with King Saul’s descendants.
What we can learn from this Biblical account are a few things:
- We have an immortal soul or eternal life, without a belief in Jesus;
- Whether you are a righteous person or a wicked person, it appears that when you are dead, you are hanging out awaiting the resurrection to be judged on your deeds, not your mental beliefs (Job 14:10-14; Daniel 12:1-3; Ezekiel 36-37) and not instantly ushered to “heaven” or “hell” – even the Christian Bible teaches as such (see John 3:13; Acts 2:29); also, notice ancient Jews already believed in the immortal soul and the resurrection (except the sadducees) way before Jesus offered it. So, why does Jesus’ claim only followers of him can receive it? ;
- The familiar spirit also known as a ghost can be disturbed and communicated with (it’s called a familiar spirit because a ghost is likely familiar with you personally like a deceased loved one);
- Some mediums do indeed have a gift or craft for summoning and communicating with the dead;
- A ghost can inform you of things you shouldn’t know about or ask about (i.e. like when you are going to die or what tomorrow holds);
- And evidently, prophets can still prophesize even when dead! Put another way, your personality and giftings live on even after you’re dead.
In addition to God stating that ghosts exist, many individuals have experienced paranormal or supernatural events, leading them to come to similar conclusions. So, what’s the harm in wanting to reach out to your deceased parent, spouse, or other loved one for advice? After all, haven’t we gotten advice from our loved ones many times before when they were living? While it’s okay to talk to our deceased loved ones, perhaps the One True Living God wants us to seek Him instead for said matters, not the dead.
Moreover, while we are on the topic of ghosts, have you ever wondered if there is a Holy Ghost or Spirit of Holiness, or however you want to label God’s Spirit, then that would indicate there also are unholy ghosts or evil spirits. Otherwise, the adjective of “holy” would not be needed to distinguish that Spirit from other spirits. Perhaps just like there are righteous and evil people, there too are good ghosts and bad ghosts, angels, and demons. Makes sense when you ponder our personalities live on. The problem is both good angels and bad angels, commonly referred to as demons, are allegedly all around as are possibly the dead, so who do we know for certain we are talking to when consulting the dead or when a medium is communicating with them on our behalf? How do we know whatever spirit we are communicating with isn’t a demon in a costume of his own, disguising himself as Aunt Betty, hoping to lead us into destruction?
As we study the Torah, God appears to focus on life, providing little information about death; and yet, validating that the dead live on just without a physical body. Torah teaches the living to seek the Living God for guidance. Go to His instructions (Torah) for answers to life.
To summarize, even though ghosts indeed exist as the immortal souls of those gone before us, we only need to fear God, not ghosts.
👻 Updated 10.30.2023 👻