Halacha Update: The Book of Women

...is now available.

Exposing the Recent Influx of Pseudo-Scholarship on John 8:58 (Great Article by Rob Vanhoff)

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Halacha Update

Book of Seasons now available in the Halacha tab.  NOTE:  the file is so large that Google doesn't allow a "preview"; rather you have to download the whole thing.

Halacha Update: The Book of Love

The Book of Love is now available.  I included a brief commentary about the "shelo asani goi" prayer.

Halacha Update

Book of Knowledge is now uploaded.  Please read through and comment as you feel led.  The goal here is to provide a place on the internet where Messianics can see what other Messianics think about each halacha.

Halacha Tab Update

So I created the "Halacha" tab which is up at the top of the screen.  I put a brief introduction and index in there and will be uploading the 14 books of the Mishnah Torah over the next few weeks.

The Goal for This "Blog": Every Halacha and Every Prayer (Interlinear and Transliterated)

There will be some updates to this blog in the not-so-distant future.  I'm compiling ALL the halachah translated in English and am partially done.  Should be able to keep it posted under a fair use exception to the copyright laws.  And after that I will compile all the (interlinear and transliterated) prayers found in the full siddur (weekdays and Shabbat).

Then I'll simply add 2 tabs on the main page, one that says "Halacha", one that says "Siddur."  

To be continued...

Blowing the Shofar Atop the Blue Ridge Mountains

This past Sunday I finally spent some quality time with a Messianic man who really loves the shofar.  We met up early in the morning at a mall parking lot.  And then together we started the long drive to the mountains.

He likes to go up to the Blue Ridge once a year, to blow the shofar and pray.  He had invited me this year after a mutual friend had introduced us.  On the way there, he told me about why likes the Shofar.  It was apparently the sound of the shofar that jarred him out of his spiritual slumber and set him on a path to learning about the Messianic faith.  Long story short, up until a few months ago he was a pastor at a Christian church but now he wants to start a Messianic ministry, the symbol for which is going to be the shofar.

He's a very interesting man.  About 60 years old, African American, and extremely charismatic (in every sense of the word).  He meets all kinds of people because he's always visiting churches and asking for permission to the blow the shofar.  And then that naturally opens up all kinds of conversations.  In fact, we were on our way to meet up with some of those people.

As we approached the foothills of the Blue Ridge, we met up with a group of Latinos who spoke very little English.  They followed us the rest of way.  When we finally stopped at the first overlook, I noticed that they had their own shofars.

At one point, my Messianic friend spoke about the importance of sounding the shofar.  And he said one thing that I've been thinking about ever since.  He mentioned the shofar blowing in the story of Jericho and said something about how the walls of Jericho were a metaphor for dark spiritual forces.

So what exactly does the shofar do?  

Here's an interesting article I came across today that provides a wealth of information and Scripture references on the subject.  The answer to the above question might surprise you...

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What About Animal Sacrifices? A Review of Chapter 3 of Tim Hegg's "Ten Persistent Questions" (Part 3)

In the previous, I was talking about how it was confusing for Hegg to say that even though the Old Covenant people used animal sacrifices, they were still saved in the same manner as the New Covenant people.

However, Hegg explains that the animal sacrifices removed sin on the basis of a promise to send the Messiah.  And so we can add to the growing list of functions of animal sacrifices:  promisory.

To recap, animal sacrifices were:

(1) Purificatory (in the temporal, not eternal sense);

(2) Revelatory in that they showed the need for an innocent version of Israel to take the punishment for all of Israel's sins;

(3) Promisory in that they remind both G-d and man of the New Covenant promises.

Beyond the Review:  Some Closing Thoughts About Atonement

Now Hegg's chapter on animal sacrifices was great for what it was--an attempt to address a common Christian attack on the relevance of G-d's law.  Hegg did not intend to write a systematic Messianic theory of atonement.  

But I've got three minutes before work so here's my nutshell view on the Messianic theory of atonement.  

Are you ready for this?  It's the same atonement theory as Christianity (for the most part).

Messianics and Christians agree that atonement is breaking down all the barriers that separate us from G-d so that we can have "at-one-ment" with G-d.  The barriers look like this:

• belonging to a different master
• possessing an evil inclination
• bearing guilt as a transgressor of the Law
• being a recipient of G-d's wrath

Full atonement then does something like this:

• purchase
• purify
• pardon
• please

So then the animal sacrifices don't really compete with Yeshua.  They offered (temporal) purification, revelation, and a promise.  They complement Yeshua's work!

Shalom,

Peter

What About Animal Sacrifices? A Review of Chapter 3 of Tim Hegg's "Ten Persistent Questions" (Part 2)

The Heart of the Matter:  Animal Sacrifices Brought You Close...But Not Close Enough

In the last post, we had just begun to look at the apparent contradiction between the book of Hebrews and the Tanak, the former saying animal sacrifices do not take away sin, the latter indicating that they do take away sin.

How does Hegg resolve this?

He makes a distinction between temporal and eternal atonement.  For the idea of temporal atonement, he cites to Hebrews:

"For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?," (Heb 9:13-14).

Animal sacrifices never really changed the heart of a person and so they could never take away sins.  In order for sins to be taken away, something would have to be done about the heart.  Yet, even though animal sacrifices didn't change the heart, they did sanctify "for the cleansing of the flesh..." and provided the temporal atonement necessary for people to participate in the Temple service.  Additionally, the sacrifices served to foreshadow that G-d would need to send an innocent representative for Israel who could bear the full punishment for all of Israel's sins.  Hegg summarizes:

"We have seen that animal sacrifices in the Tabernacle and Temple did have a valid function, namely, effecting ritual purity and thus allowing the person or object that had become ritually impure to return to an acceptable status for participation in worship at the Tabernacle or Temple.  In this sense, the animal sacrifices made atonement for the ritual impurities that separated a person from participation in the Tabernacle or Temple services.  We have also noted that the sacrifices offered divine revelation about how God would forgive sins eternally (the innocent One paying the penalty for the guilty sinner), and how a person's heart or conscience could be cleansed from the guilt of sin.  We have seen the distinction between temporal and eternal atonement, the former dealing with the earthly Tabernacle or Temple, and the latter having to do with God's declaration of a sinner as eternally and completely forgiven on the basis of Yeshua's sacrifice for sins," (pgs. 32-33 of "Ten Persistent Questions").

So really the book of Hebrews parallels Jeremiah 31:31-34 in showing the insufficiency of the animal sacrifice system.  Jeremiah, by saying there will be a new covenant in which G-d remembers sins no more, implies that under the old covenant G-d does in fact remember sins.  Thus, animal sacrifices were always insufficient to take away sins.

But then how can Hegg say the following:

"...the manner of salvation...was the same for David as it was for the [audience of the book of Romans]"

Well, actually I was confused by that statement.  But then I noticed, buried within the previous paragraph, Hegg stated:

"...[David] understood that God had actually removed his sin on the basis of His promise to send the Messiah as the sin bearer..."

So perhaps Hegg is suggesting that the animal sacrifices served yet another purpose (in addition to the purificatory and revelatory)....

Stay tuned for Part 3...

What About Animal Sacrifices? A Review of Chapter 3 of Tim Hegg's "Ten Persistent Questions" (Part 1)

"Let's face it.  For nearly two thousand years, the Law has been given a bad reputation by the Christian Church.  Not entirely, of course, but most modern day Christians, when asked about 'the Law,' will tend to respond in negative or semi-negative terms.  It is no wonder, then, that when believers in Yeshua begin to observe and appreciate Torah commandments such as keeping the Sabbath or eating kosher foods, many of their Christian friends are shocked and concerned, 'Why would anyone want to put themselves under the restrictions and regulations of a Law from which Jesus freed us?!'  It isn't long until the shock and concern fuels confrontation.  Sometimes this confrontation is sincere and meaningful.  After all, if a brother or sister really thinks that someone who is keeping the Sabbath and eating kosher foods has been deceived by the 'doctrines of demons,' they have a great motivation to rescue that poor soul from the slippery slope of legalism.
     Sometimes such confrontation, when it is sincere, comes with proof texts to show the person how deceived they really are, with the genuine hope that they will 'see the light.'  Occasionally, however, the confrontation begins by pointing out just how ridiculous observing the 'old Law' really is:  'So, where do you plan to sacrifice your first lamb?  In your backyard?'  (often accompanied by a couple of nervous chuckles).  They are quite sure that this question is the coup de gras that will halt this 'Torah nonsense' and get the person back on track.
     What throws the whole conversation into a tizzy is when the Torah-loving believer calmly says:  'Well, we obviously can't offer sacrifices when there is no Temple and no established priesthood.  But if there were a TEmple and priesthood, I'd be ready and willing to bring my sacrifice as God commands.'
     After the initial shock wears off, the stunned Christian usually retorts with something like this:  'Jesus made the final sacrifice.  We no longer need sacrifices, and anyone who would think we do just doesn't appreciate the finished work of Christ!'  This response is based upon a number of faulty assumptions:  1) that animal sacrifices were actually received by God as full payment for one's transgressions; 2) that forgiveness of sins before Yeshua came was through offering sacrifices, but that after He came, forgiveness of sins was by faith in Yeshua and sins were forgiven on the basis of His death; and 3) that to even consider offering an animal sacrifice after Yeshua died on the cross would be an affront to His finished work of paying for sins through His own death," pg. 25 of Ten Persistent Questions by Tim Hegg

Because I'm a Messianic who visits church fairly regularly (it's a testament to my self-control and maturity that they haven't kicked me out yet!), I can attest that Hegg's opening "confrontation" portrays the typical Christian attitude toward Messianic beliefs.

But we love Christians because, as Messianics, most of us used to be Christian.  So the question for us Messianics is:  how do we address the Christians concerns and explain our interpretation of the purpose/meaning of the "Old Testament" sacrificial system?

Did Animal Sacrifice Save People Before Yeshua's Atonement?

Tim Hegg points out an apparent contradiction between the book of Hebrews and various passages in the Tanak that deal with animal sacrifice.  On the one hand, the Hebrews author states:

"1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins," (Hebrew 10:1-4)

Yet the Tanak seems to same that such sacrifice did in fact take away sins.  It is written:

"Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin and he will be forgiven" (Etc)

Now, this seems like an insurmountable contradiction.  But the reality is that everything in the earthly realm is merely a poor reflection of things occurring in the spiritual realm.  The Tabernacle and Temple were not the centers of reality but rather gateways to a much deeper reality.  Likewise, the sacrifices were merely an earthly representation of the spiritual mechanism by which sins were truly forgiven.

So what was the spiritual mechanism of forgiveness?  It was always G-d's grace that offers forgiveness for sins and was never truly the blood of sacrificial animals.  Blood represents the kinship, the closeness, required for there to be true forgiveness.  However, the true blood by which we are united in kinship with our Heavenly Father is the blood offered by Yeshua.  (Yet even "blood" is but another illustration of a much deeper spiritual reality).

TO BE CONTINUED...

Free Audio Teachings on Tim Hegg's "Ten Persistent Questions"

Disclaimer:  I haven't listened to these yet.  Just noticed them online.

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"Ten Persistent Questions" Book Just Arrived...

So it just came in the mail--Ten Persistent Questions by Tim Hegg.  There's a lot in this book.  I'll try to do a complete review of each section...  Stay tuned...

PRAYERS RESUME AT KEHILAT BNEI TORAH SYNAGOGUE [VIDEO]

Synagogue Victim Descended from Hasidic Dynasty

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