I. ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (from Noach)
1) Question for Genesis 6:9-7:24:
Please give one example about how one image in these chapters (6 and 7) is applied very specifically to the fulfillment of prophecies in our future. Hint: I am NOT talking about Matthew 24, 1 Peter or 2 Peter.
Genesis 7 talks about the waters of deathRevelation 7 talks about the waters of life.
2) Question for Genesis 8:1-9:29:
Same question for these two chapters, and the answer is from the same book as answer #1, if you know what that is.
Genesis 9 talks about the rainbow that is a marker for Abba YHWHs covenant that He will never destroy man by water in a flood.
However, Revelation 8 talks about waters being poisoned, killing many and then there is this:
Instantly, I was in the Spirit: and behold, a throne was placed in heaven; and there was (one) seated on the throne. And he who sat, was like the appearance of a jasper-stone, and of a sardonyx and of a rainbow of the clouds, round about the throne, in form as the appearance of emeralds. (Revelation 4:2-3-AENT)
So we see a throne in the middle of heaventhis will be where Abba YHWH sitsand then we have our first circles around it in the form of a rainbow. This is again symbolic of the covenant given to Noah, that man would not be wiped out again in a flood
3) Question for Genesis 10:1-11:32:
Where do we find a reference to the future Roman Empire in these chapters? These are the descendants of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, to whom sons were born after the flood: 2 Japheth's sons: Gomer, Magog, the Medes, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras. 3 Gomer's sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, Togarmah. 4
Javan's sons: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, the Dananites. (Gen 10:1-4 NJB)
According to Onkelos Targum, the Kittim refers to the Italian people or the Romans. This in concert with other info we get in Tanakh as well: Isaiah 2 | P a g e
23:1,12; Jeremiah 2:10, Ezekiel 27:6 and Daniel 11:30. Number 24:24 refers to these people destroying Assyria and the people of Eber which is a very apt description of the Romans. Also Daniel 11:30-31 talks about the Kittim desecrating the Temple (or sanctuary), doing away with the daily sacrifices and setting up the abomination of desolation. That Rome definitely did in 70 CE.
4) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 54:1-55:5
When is forsaken not quite forsaken and specifically WHY is this the case?
5 For your Creator is your husband, Yahweh Sabaoth is his name, the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer, he is called God of the whole world. 6 Yes, Yahweh has called you back like a forsaken, grief-stricken wife, like the repudiated wife of his youth, says your God. 7 I did forsake you for a brief moment, but in great compassion I shall take you back. 8 In a flood of anger, for a moment I hid my face from you. But in everlasting love I have taken pity on you, says Yahweh, your redeemer. (Isa 54:5-8 NJB)
Earlier Abba YHWH through this prophet asked WHERE is your certificate of divorce? This means Israel was sent away but NOT divorced, merely thrown out of the house for a time. Since there was no divorce that means Abba YHWH can take back His bride any moment He desires because she never stopped being His bride in the first place!
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II. QUESTIONS FOR THIS TORAH PORTION (Lech Lecha)
Please NOTE:
For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not read!
5) Question for Genesis 12-13:
Where do we see proof about how old the written Torah really is, when we compare place names here that are used later in Tanakh?
6) Question for Genesis 14-15:
Abrahams servants are called something that hints at a special occasion thousands of years in their future. What is the term and what is the occasion?
7) Question for Genesis 16-17:
What do Hagar and the Apostle Paul have in common? Hint: It has something to do with what Hagar is told.
8) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 40:27-41:16
How does the prophet Isaiah hint at the fact that Moses isnt the only prophet to have an extremely intimate relationship with Abba YHWH?
9) Renewed Covenant Commentary: Romans 3:19-5:6
Romans 3:20
26) Torah sets YHWH's boundaries as to what is good or evil behavior; therefore, this cannot and does not make Torah a bad thing, but a very good thing! Rav Shaul returns to this precise point again in the seventh chapter.
Romans 3:21
27) Y'shua qualified as Mashiyach because he fulfilled all Torah and Prophetic requirements, and he became Torah. Torah is written upon the heart by the Ruach haKodesh; the Spirit of Mashiyach is Torah which is the Spirit of Mashiyach, or the Manifestation (Word) of YHWH which became flesh and dwelt among us. Therefore, if we live "in" Y'shua we also become Torah. It is evil to posture that 4 | P a g e
Rav Shaul brought Torah down, when in fact Y'shua and Paul restored and elevated Torah to be the foundation of a spiritual dialogue with Heaven.
Romans 3:28
28) The terms "works of Torah" and "under Torah" predate Paul by hundreds of years. These terms were discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls (A Sectarian Manifesto 4QMMT:4Q394-399); while originally referring to the ultra religious halakha of the Essenes, the same principles apply to the Pharisees' halakha. These two phrases are also mentioned in Rom_6:14-15; Rom_9:32; 1Co_9:20-21; Gal_2:16; Gal_3:2; Gal_3:5; Gal_3:10; Gal_3:23; Gal_4:4-5; Gal_4:21; Gal_5:18. "Under Torah" refers to the orthodox/traditional interpretation and observance of Torah. Religious halakha is clearly NOT what Y'shua or Paul followed in their observance of Torah. The Renewed Covenant promise in Jer_31:33 is to write the Torah of YHWH upon the hearts of His people, not the "Torah of men." The idiomatic expression "works of Torah" provides insight to those of a "traditional" Jewish upbringing. Paul references Jews at the beginning of this chapter; in Rom_3:19 he states "Now we know" referring to those who understand Torah and halakha.
Romans 4:7
29) Quoting Psa_32:1 the Aramaic kasiyo (covered) here is the cognate kacah in Hebrew, referring to the work of atonement and redemption.
Romans 4:10
30) Awraham confirmed his understanding and righteousness-credit by obeying YHWH and getting physically circumcised. This is evident in the very next line, that while righteousness was credited to him in uncircumcision, he received circumcision as the sign and seal of the righteousness of his faith.
Romans 4:12
31) Rav Shaul is teaching that Awraham's physical circumcision came after he believed, after he had faith, after his heart was circumcised, in opposition to a contemporary false teaching that circumcision should come first before belief or faith. At no time does Rav Shaul ever discount physical circumcision; he simply rejects false religious traditions that turned circumcision into a device to control new converts. This principle also applies to those who would hurriedly baptize new converts in an effort to show strong numbers, or practicing "forced conversions."
Romans 4:15
32) Like the Hebrew word "Torah", the Aramaic namusa can refer to the entire 5 | P a g e
corpus of work or to an individual instruction for a person or group ("torah" with a small "t"). This verse literally reads, "where there is no Torah provision against an action, there is no transgression." The KJV reads "Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." Mainstream Christianity translates this to mean that Torah is done away with, but Rav Shaul is teaching the very opposite. Wherever Torah is NOT being taught, people will do what is right in their own eyes, thus bringing the wrath of YHWH upon themselves.
Romans 4:16
33) Having Awraham as a father brings the responsibility of being honorable children, worthy of his legacy! Contrary to Christian theology; faith, while credited to Awraham as righteousness, was not the only component of his total righteousness. It is what Awraham did with his faith that brings him near to YHWH. As YHWH Himself declares: "I swore to your father Avraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Awraham obeyed Me and kept My requirements, My commands, My decrees and My laws" (Gen_26:4-5).