The Beginning of the Church

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42 NKJV

I have a more in depth overview of Acts 1-5 here
This is the first episode in a series covering the book of Acts and the history of the Church

When is the last time you heard a sermon on the book of Acts or the history of the Church?
Usually you learn the history of organizations you are part of:

• Fraternal Organizations
• Universities
• The country you live in

Small Groups

Small groups are a way to foster intimacy within large congregations. They also function as a way to disciple members and help spiritual children grow into spiritual adults.[2]

I'm not going to name the book that we used because it's simply a personal opinion that I didn't like it. While I disagree with some of the things the authors said, I don't think there was anything "dangerous" about the book that would warrant me calling it out publicly.

The book of Acts is the history of the Church. It tells what happened after Christ was crucified—what did they do, how did they try to spread the gospel, what kind of structure did they set up, and what was the expectation of the disciples to follow through with the mission Christ had given them.

The promise and deliverance of the Holy Spirit is key and leads the book.

Disciples/Apostles

• There were more than just the 12 disciples follow Christ before the crucifixion; the 12 we generally think of were the inner circle
• In the upper room there were 120 disciples!
• At this point "the 12" has become "the 11" since Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ
• 12 has Biblical significance, which is probably why they felt the need to replace Judas
  • 12 Tribes of Israel
  • 12 represents God's people or a nation
• They pray over the decision

Baptism by the Holy Spirit is more important that water baptism

Speaking in tongues

The disciples begin speaking in languages other than their own. Diverse people in the crowd miraculously hear the words in their native language. There are many controversial opinions about speaking tongues. The most important thing to remember (in my opinion) about tongues, is given in 1 Corinthians 14. You should not be speaking in tongues if no one understands it. Someone should be able to interpret it.

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:1 Corithians 12:10 KJV

Behavior of the Church

• The Church is a group of people, not a building
• They met daily—it was not a once a week occasion
• They met in each other's homes and shared meals together.
• It is mentioned 4 times that they meet daily withering the first 5 chapters (Acts 2:46-47; 3:2; 5:42)
• I googled "the significance of sharing a meal" expecting to see information on Jewish culture of Biblical references, instead I found secular sources proclaiming the importance of sharing meals. From child development sites expressing the importance of family meals to mental health sites expressing the effect of eating with others on our mental health.[3]

People sold their land and other possessions, then gave everything they had to help the group as a whole. The objective was to make sure everyone was taken care of. Behaving in this manner helped established a familial community.

Most people would give the clothes off their back for their child, but would you do the same for your neighbor? A stranger you just met? That's the type of community Christ called us to build.

References

1. Ree Hughes. "Acts 1-5: The Early Days of the Church". PSALMS to God. May 12, 2020
2. Carolyn Taketa. "Why Small Groups". Christianity Today. June 25, 2012
3. "Search: The Significance of Sharing a Meal". Google; visited March 9, 2020

What is the Bible?

⁹Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
¹⁰For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: Isaiah 28:9-10 KJV

The Bible, though often thought of as one book, is actually many books by many authors, inspired by one Holy Spirit.

What does Bible even mean?[6]

• "Bible" is from the Greek biblio
• It means "The Book"

How many books are in the Bible?
It depends on who you ask...

• Protestant: 66
• Eastern Orthodox: 79
• Catholic: 73

What is the difference between Dueterocannical and Apochyrpha?

definition

apochyrpha[1]

noun

1. : writings or statements of dubious authenticity
2. capitalized
   a: books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but excluded from the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament
   b: early Christian writings not included in the New Testament

definition

deuterocanonical[2]

adjective

: of, relating to, or constituting the books of Scripture contained in the Septuagint but not in the Hebrew canon

Why aren't these books in the "standard" Bible?

• There are lots of references online containing the arguments for or against the apocrypha.[3][4][5] Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox Bibles are all slightly different because of this.
• The primary arguments against them is their exclusion from Hebrew Scriptures and errors found within the texts (suggesting that they are not inspired by the Holy Spirit)
• Allow the Holy Spirit to discern where they belong in your heart

There are lots of books about Biblical times that are not canon
There are books that may be in the Catholic Bible but not in the Protestant Bible (i.e., 1 Maccabees), but there are also books that are not in anyone's Bible (i.e., The Book of Enoch).[4] Those that fall in to the latter are considered false writings by most scholars. Since I have neither read them in full nor done extensive research on the matter, I cannot say which side of the argument I fall on.

How did we get chapters and verses?

• The original scriptures didn't have verses or chapters
• The first Bible with both the modern chapters and verses in each book was printed in the 1500s![7]
• Even though it is convenient, we should be steadfast in countering scriptures quoted out of context. We should try to quote in context and when studying or being presented with a particular verse, we should always check the context.

Bible verses often taken out of context

• "It's not what goes in your mouth that defiles you, but what comes out" (Matthew 5)
• "Slaves obey your master"
• Relationship between wives and husband (Ephesians 5:22-23)

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.Hosea 4:6 NKJV

References

1. "Apocrypha". Merriam-Webster; visited May 5, 2020
2. "Deuterocanonical". Merriam-Webster; visited May 5, 2020
3. Matt Slick. "Errors in the Apocrypha". Christian Apologetics Research Ministry. February 27, 2018
4. "What are the Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical Books?" American Bible Society; visited May 5, 2020
5. "What are the Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical books?". GotQuestions.org; visited May 5, 2020
6. Jason Soroski. "What Does "Bible" Mean and How Did it Get That Name?". Bible Study Tools. May 31, 2019
7. Don Stewart. "Why Is the Bible Divided into Chapters and Verses?". Blue Letter Bible; visited May 5, 2020

The Purpose of Israel

And it shall come to pass
That just as you were a curse among the nations,
O house of Judah and house of Israel,
So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.
Do not fear,
Let your hands be strong.' Zechariah 8:13 NKJV

Why create a nation?

• Preserve a culture, way of life (the law), and history
• Allow for specific prophecy concerning the Messiah

Bible verses tracing "the Seed"

• Genesis 3:15 (Prophesy)
• Genesis 4:25 (Seth)
• Genesis 21:12 (Isaac)
• Genesis 22:18; 26:4 (blessing the nations)
• Acts 3:25
• Acts 13:23 (Jesus)
• Romans 1:3
• Romans 9
• Galatians 3:16,19,29
• 1 John 3:9

Significance of the Seed
In the episode, I discus the fact that this Seed is a reference to the Messiah, Who brings salvation to the world. However, there is a deeper layer that I did not get a chance to cover. Seed represents reproduction. Not only is the Messiah a descendant of Eve, as prophesied, but He sent the Holy Spirit to reproduce His character in us. We are in turn supposed to sow seed in His image. Wee see this metaphor of seed continuing in The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13).

Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ Isaiah 49:6 NKJV

Can't, Won't, or Don't?

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:16-17 NKJV

What is the difference between can(not), will (not), and do (not)? See the definitions below

definition

can[1]

verb

1. a: be physically or mentally able to b: know how to
   c—used to indicate possibility
   d: be inherently able or designed to
   e: be enabled by law, agreement, or custom to
   f: be permitted by conscience or feeling to
   g: be made possible or probable by circumstances to
   h: be logically or axiologically able to
   
2. : have permission to —used interchangeably with may

definition

will[2]

verb

1. —used to express futurity
2. —used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal

definition

do[3]

verb

1. : to bring to pass : CARRY OUT

Why is it important?
We should know if we can't do something, won't do something, or don't do something.

• Can't
  • God gives us a choice in everything. When we surrender to His Holy Spirit, we will want the same things as Him
  • There is usually time between the time we are convicted and the time we can honestly go from feeling like we can't do something and asserting that we don't do that thing
  • However, there are some things we wrestle with and say we "can't" do, that are actually man made traditions (wearing jewelry, cultural definitions of modesty, etc.). The Holy Spirit isn't convicting you, people around you are.
  • Things that we feel like we "can't" do, should be on our "to-study" list. Doing deep-dive studies on these topics can lead to clarity and help us to overcome (or embrace) that particular thing
• Won't
  • Won't means you can do something, but you simply refuse to.
  • This could be a rebellion against what God is telling us to do, or a rebellion against society—or it could just be a one time thing (like me choosing not to go to the movies with people just because)
  • We should recognize this too
• Don't
  • There are two types of actions that go here: the actions God has convicted you are wrong and moved in your heart to remove the desire to do it, and actions you simply choose not to do
  • An example of the latter for me is not wearing makeup—there's nothing Biblical about it, just a personal choice
  • Recognizing the latter helps us when we mentor others

Bible verses mentioned in the episode

• Romans 12:2 (transform yourself
• Matthew 5:17 (Christ did not come to abolish the law)

References

1. "Can". Merriam-Webster; visited April 14, 2020
2. "Will". Merriam-Webster; visited April 14, 2020
3. "Do". Merriam-Webster; visited April 14, 2020

Tithes & Offering

What does the Bible actually say about tithing and offering? I'll give you a hint, Malachi 3:8-10 is often quoted out of context. Spoiler alert: you are NOT cursed if you aren't giving 10% of your income to a man made institution.

⁸“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
⁹You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
¹⁰Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house, Malachi 3:8-10 NKJV

definition

tithe[1]

noun

1. : a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment
2. : the obligation represented by individual tithes
3. : TENTH
   broadly : a small part
4. : a small tax or levy

What is Tithes?
Why do we tithe?

Tithing before Israel

• Genesis 14:22
• Genesis 22:28

• Both Abraham and Jacob tithed
• Abraham gives a 10th of the spoils of a war to Melchizedek, priest and king of Salem
• Jacob promises God a 10th of everything he is blessed with
• Both instances are voluntary

Tithing in Israel

• There are actually 3 types of tithes
  1. Tithe for festivals (Deuteronomy 14:22-27)
     • We just talked about the feasts, the Israelites were told to contribute food to the temple which was consumed during these feasts
  2. Tithe for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-31)
     • The Levites were not given an inheritance (Deuteronomy 9:10)
     • The tithe was not because they were priests, but because they did not have land for livestock or to harvest
  3. Tithe for the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-13)
     • This tithe maintained the poor: orphans, widows, and strangers

Who are the Levites?

• Many think the tithe of the Levites is what we give to the pastor
• Levite priest is not the same as a pastor.
• The Levites represent a bloodline; most pastor's today are not from that bloodline
• The Levitical priest was rendered unnecessary by Christ, who has ascended as our High Priest (1 Timothy 2:5)
• All believers are priests in the kingdom of God (1 Peter 2:5-9)
• The reason the Israelites were tasked with giving to the Levites is because they were not given a share of the land; they had no way to harvest crops or raise livestock.

More Bible Verses on Giving

• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
• Hebrews 7
• Mark 12:32-34
• Luke 21:1-4
• Luke 18:9-14
• Acts 20:28-35

Sow a Seed?

• Prosperity gospel pastors teach this idea of "sowing a seed." You will hear people with this idea that giving money to God (re: the church) is like an investment. They believe that giving to a building will benefit them and that is why they give.
• We should not give with the expectation of receiving! That is not what God means by a cheerful giver.

Christ on tells the Pharisees that justice, mercy, and ? are more important than tithing (Matthew 23:23)

A little more on the history of modern tithing

• It wasn't made mandatory in Christianity until the 8th century (prior to that it was always offering)[3]
• Chapter eight of Pagan Christianity does a good job of summarizing how clergy salaries and how tithing became a requirement/custom in Christianity[2]
• Beyond Tithing is a book on the history of tithing (I haven't read it yet but I've seen it quoted in many places)[4]

Summary

• God command the Israelites to tithe to provide for the vulnerable people in their community
• Similarly if we love God, we will take care of His people (Matthew 25:31-35)
• Some of us have more and God may expect more from us than those who have less (Luke 21:1-4)
• God doesn't need money; He wants you to use what you have to take care of His creation
• What does it say about us if we blindly give money to a building but refuse to give to our neighbor?
• How many grandiose churches have you seen in decrepit neighborhoods? Do you think God, Who sacrificed His only Son so that the Holy Spirit could dwell in us and turn us into living temples, wants His people to suffer so that a building can be top of the line?
• Tithe in the Old Testament was food; your offering can be whatever God is calling you to give: time, money, skills, etc.

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

⁴¹“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴²for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

⁴⁴“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ Matthew 25:31-45 NKJV

References

1. "Tithe". Merriam-Webster; visited April 7, 2020
2. Frank Viola and George Barna. Pagan Christianity; visited April 7, 2020
3. Tithe. Encyclopædia Brittanica. February 9, 2016
4. Stuart Murray. Beyond Tithing. December 19, 2011

Let's Have A Feast (Part 3)

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem
shall even go up from year
to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts,
and to keep the feast of tabernacles. Zechariah 14:16 KJV

definition

feast[1]

noun

1. a: an elaborate and usually abundant meal often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment : BANQUET
   b (1): something that gives unusual or abundant enjoyment
   // a visual feast
   (2): ABUNDANCE, PROFUSION
   //an unprecedented feast of corruption, gargantuan in scale — Neil Sheehan
2. : a periodic religious observance commemorating an event or honoring a deity, person, or thing

Feast of Tabernacles

• Leviticus 23:33-44
• Nehemiah 8:13-18
• Zechariah 14

• Starts on the 15th day of the 7th month (roughly September)
• Lasts 8 days
• Description/Instructions
  • The first day is a holy convocation and a treated as a Sabbath (no work)
  • The last day is a holy convocation and a treated as a Sabbath (no work)
  • Offerings were to be made the first 7 days
  • Dwell in "booths" (tents) for 7 days
• Connection to the past
• The Israelites lived in booths during the Exodus
• Symbolic of time to commune with God
• God provided everything during this time and was bringing them to something better
• Connection to prophecy
• Symbolic of the transition between this world, and the new world in which no evil exists
• Possibly the birthday of Christ[2][5]
• Possibly representing the time during the end where God's people will have to depend on Him due to heavy persecution

Purim

• Esther 9:18-32

• Occurs on the 14th day of Adar (roughly in March)
• Commemorates the Jews triumph over Haman in Persia
• God miraculously delivered them from being killed by their enemies

definition

חֲנֻכָּה (Hanukkah)[4]

noun

dedication, consecration

Hanukkah

• 1 & 2 Maccabees (Apocrypha)
• John 10:22

• Celebrated for 8 days starting Kislev 25 (roughly the beginning of December)
• Commemorates the time when one day's supply of oil lasted for 8 days
• This is the only winter feast and thus must be the feast mentioned in John 10:22 (also, Hanukkah means dedication)

References

1. "Feast". Merriam-Webster; March 17, 2020
2. Matthew Ervin. "The Seven Feasts of Israel are Fulfilled in Jesus". Apple Eye Ministries. March 7, 2014
3. "What Is Hanukkah?". Chabad.org; visited March 31, 2020
4. "2598. chanukkah". Strong's Concordance via Bible Hub; visited March 31, 2020
5. Dan Hardin. "Was the Birth of Christ During the Feast of Tabernacles?". Gateway Anabaptist Church. November 13, 2017
6. "5521. sukkah". Strong's Concordance via Bible Hub; visited March 31, 2020

Let's Have A Feast (Part 2)

"The kingdom of heave may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, Matthew 22:2 ESV

definition

feast[1]

noun

1. a: an elaborate and usually abundant meal often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment : BANQUET
   b (1): something that gives unusual or abundant enjoyment
   // a visual feast
   (2): ABUNDANCE, PROFUSION
   //an unprecedented feast of corruption, gargantuan in scale — Neil Sheehan
2. : a periodic religious observance commemorating an event or honoring a deity, person, or thing

Feast of Weeks/Pentecost

• Leviticus 23:15-22
• Acts 2

• Takes place 7 Sabbaths after the Feast of First Fruits
  I actually confused myself about this timing after I recorded the episode. Some translations (like the NKJV) say for 50 days to be counted after the seventh Sabbath, which implies you would have the 49 days of the seven Sabbaths, plus another 50 days. However, most references just say 50 days after Passover. Using Deuteronomy 16:6-10, you can see that it was only 7 weeks (7 Sabbaths) after Passover that Pentecost was to occur. I checked a Jewish calendar to verify.[3] The Jewish calendar lists April 8, 2020 as Nisan 14 (the date of Passover) and they count 50 days from Nisan 15 to May 29, 2020 for Pentecost. While, this clears up the number of days, apparently I'm not the only one confused.[4] The Pharisees and Sadducees didn't agree on how to count the days either!
  
  The confusion here stems from the word Sabbath. Some times Sabbath means the seventh day of the week, but sometimes it means a holy day God proclaimed to be a day of rest (Sabbath) no matter what day it falls on. The Sadducees took a literal approach and counted from the first seventh day Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, while the Pharisees counted from the first day of Unleavened Bread, which was considered a Sabbath. The Sadducees were in charge when Christ was on Earth, and since He did not correct them, I think it's safe to say that Pentecost should be counted from the first seventh day Sabbath during the feast of Unleavened Bread. That would make the true Pentecost Sunday May 31, 2020.
• Description /Instructions
  • Bring 2 loaves, baked with leaven to offer
  • Offer 7 lambs, without blemish and one year old
  • Offer 1 young bull
  • Offer 2 rams
  • A grain offering
  • A drink offering
  • A Sin offering of 1 young goat
  • A peace offering of 2 male lambs in their first year
  • Treated as a Sabbath; no work was to be done.
• Connection to the past
• Possibly linked to when Moses received the stone tablets from God—Exodus 19:1 confirms that the Israelites reached Sinai in the third month, which is the month Pentecost occurs
• Connection to prophecy
• In Acts 2, the disciples received the Holy Spirit
• At this time God wrote the law in the hearts and minds of His people (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 10:16)

The long summer between the spring and fall feasts may or may not represent the wait for Christ's second coming.[2]

Feast of Trumpets / Rosh Hashanah

• Leviticus 23:23-25

• Occurs on the first day of the seventh month (1 Tishri)
• Lasts for 7 days
• Description/Instructions
  • Treated as a Sabbath; no work is to be done
  • A holy convocation where trumpets are blown is to take place
  • And offering to the LORD was to be made
• Connection to the Past
  • Nothing explicitly is stated to connect this to the history of Israel
  • Some believe it is linked to the Israel's victory at Jericho in which the walls fell when they blew the trumpets (Joshua 6); that would make this a double prophecy
• Connection to Prophecy
  • Often tied to the 7 trumpets of Revelation (Revelation 8-11)

Day of Atonement

• Leviticus 23:26-32

• Occurs on the 10th day of the 7th month (10 Tishri)
• Description/Instructions
  • Treated as a Sabbath; no work is to be done
  • A holy convocation is to occur
  • Repentance is to happen for each person (afflict your soul)
  • An offering to the LORD was to be given
  • Those not repenting and those working would be punished by God
• Connection to the Past
  • Represents coming before God in repentance
• Connection to Prophecy
  • In the final day, we will stand before God and plead the blood of Christ (our offering) in repentance

In the Next Episode

• Let's Have A Feast Part 3 (to be released on April 1, 2020)
  1. Feast of Tabernacles
  2. Purim
  3. Hanukkah

References

1. "Feast". Merriam-Webster; March 17, 2020
2. Matthew Ervin. "The Seven Feasts of Israel are Fulfilled in Jesus". Apple Eye Ministries. March 7, 2014
3. "From Passover to Pentecost". Jews for Jesus. July 1, 1995
4. Jim Franks. "Counting Pentecost When the First Day of Unleavened Bread Falls on Sunday". United Church of God. January 1, 2005

Let's Have A Feast

So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. Genesis 26:30 NKJV

definition

feast[1]

noun

1. a: an elaborate and usually abundant meal often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment : BANQUET
   b (1): something that gives unusual or abundant enjoyment
   // a visual feast
   (2): ABUNDANCE, PROFUSION
   //an unprecedented feast of corruption, gargantuan in scale — Neil Sheehan
2. : a periodic religious observance commemorating an event or honoring a deity, person, or thing

Passover

• Exodus 12
• Leviticus 23:5

• Description /Instructions
  • Select a lamb on the 10th day of the first month (Nisan => March/April)
  • 1 year old male lamb without blemish
  • Kill the lamb on the 14th day
  • In Egypt they covered the door posts with the lamb's blood
  • Roast the lamb in fire and eat with bitter herbs and unleavened bread that night
  • Nothing was to remain until morning, but if it was, it had to be burned with fire
  • The first time, they ate with haste in preparation to leave Egypt
• Connection to the past
• Represents the final plague of Egypt
• Death passed over the first borns of Israel
• This marked the Israelites' freedom
• Since this began their nation, it was considered to the 1st month
• Connection to prophecy
• Christ is our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7)
• The blood of the Lamb keeps the 2nd death from claiming us (Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 7:14)
• Christ died at Passover (Matthew 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-39; John 13:1-17:26)[2]

Feast of Unleavened Bread

• Exodus 12:15-20
• Exodus 13:6-7
• Leviticus 23:6

• Starts the day after Passover
• Lasts for 7 days
• Description/Instructions
  • 7 days of unleavened bread
  • 1st day is a holy convocation
  • No work on the 1st or 7th days (declared Sabbaths)
  • Offering given to God each of the 7 days
  • 7th day is a holy convocation
  • No leaven can be in the house or near them
• Connection to the Past
  • Represents them fleeing from Egypt
• Connection to Prophecy
  • Symbolically, leaven is sin (1 Corinthians 5:6)
  • Represents purging sin and being cleansed by the Lamb
  • Christ is referred to as the Bread of Life; since He was without sin (leaven) He would also be unleavened bread

Festival of First Fruits

• Leviticus 23:9-14

• 17th day of Nisan (During the Feast of Unleavened Bread)
• Description/Instructions
  • First sheaf of the harvest was to be dedicated to God
  • 1 year old unblemished male lamb was to be offered
  • 1 quart of wine given as a drink offering
  • 4 quarts of fine flour mixed with oil given as a grain offering
  • No bread, roasted grain, or new grain was to be eaten until that day[4]
• Connection to the Past
  • Represented their first harvest outside of Egypt, as an independent nation
  • It showed their trust in God that future harvests would take place
• Connection to Prophecy
  • Christ was also the first fruit
  • He rose on the 3rd day, the 17th of Nisan[3]

In the Next Episodes

• Let's Have A Feast Part 2 (to be released on March 25, 2020)
  1. Feast of Weeks/Pentecost (Shavout)
  2. Feast of Trumpets
  3. Day of Atonement
• Let's Have A Feast Part 3 (to be released on April 1, 2020)
  1. Feat of Tabernacles
  2. Purim
  3. Hanukkah

References

1. "Feast". Merriam-Webster; March 17, 2020
2. Frank Daniels. "The Timing of Passover". 1999
3. Matthew Ervin. "The Seven Feasts of Israel are Fulfilled in Jesus". Apple Eye Ministries. March 7, 2014
4. I assume bread here means leavened bread (see Leviticus 23:14)

Church is Cancelled

²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV

We are meant to fellowship with each other

• Hebrews 10:23-25
• Matthew 18:20
• Acts 2:42-47

We are not to be conformed to this world

• Romans 12:2
• Deuteronomy 14:2
• 2 Corinthians 6:17
• 1 John 4:4-5
• 1 Peter 2:9

We are protected

• Revelation 9:4
• Daniel 3
• Exodus 7-11
• Revelation 18:4

God did not give us the spirit of fear

• Matthew 16:25-26
• Matthew 10:39
• Romans 8:15
• 2 Timothy 1:7

definition

pandemic[1]

noun

1. : an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease

definition

epidemic[2]

noun

1. : an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time : an outbreak of epidemic disease
2. : an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development

References

1. "Pandemic". Merriam-Webster; March 11, 2020
2. "Epidemic". Merriam-Webster; March 11, 2020
3. Tessa Wong. "Shincheonji and coronavirus: The mysterious 'cult' church blamed for S Korea's outbreak". BBC. March 14, 2020
4. Choe Sang-Hun. He Blames ‘Evil’ for South Korea’s Coronavirus Surge. Officials Blame Him.". NY Times. March 2, 2020
5. "N.B.A. Suspends Season After Player Tests Positive for Coronavirus". NY Times. March 11, 2020
6. Steve Almasay. "The NCAA is canceling March Madness". CNN. March 12, 2020
7. Grace Hauck and Doug Stanglin. "Coronavirus updates: Trump declares national emergency; schools in 12 states shut down; cruise lines halted". USA Today. March 13, 2020

The Religion of the Israelites

⁴"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! ⁵You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NKJV

Surrendering to God shows us our faults and helps us not to make the same kinds of mistakes Israel was prone to.

There are 3 "types" of laws Moses writes down for the Israelites

• Commands (i.e., do not kill)
• Punishments (i.e., how to handle situations where people have broken the commands)
• Ceremonies (i.e., deal with worship)

Books used by the Jews outside of the Torah

• Midrash
• Talmud

definition

kosher[1]

verb

1. : sanctioned by Jewish law
2. : being proper, acceptable, or satisfactory

What is the difference between tradition and law
The law was dictated by God, but interpretation drives man to do other things outside of or beyond the law. Anything that is not mandated by God, but is done religiously is tradition. Hebrew vs. Israelite vs. Jew

• Hebrew comes from Eber (Genesis 10:21-25); all descendants of Eber are called Hebrews
• Israelite comes from Israel, or Jacob (); this includes all 12 Tribes of Israel
• Jew comes from Judea or Judah (); this includes the tribes that lived in the southern kingdom[2]

References

1. "Kosher". Merriam-Webster; March 11, 2020
2. The verse I referenced in the podcast about people from all the tribes settling in Judah is 2 Chronicles 11:13-17

The Beginning

⁵Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Genesis 6:5-6 NKJV

definition

sin[1]

verb/noun

1. : transgression of the Law

What did worship look like in the beginning?

• Between The Fall and The Flood, we get a limited amount of information about what was actually happening worship-wise
• No formal instructions seem to be given
• There had to be some sort of law however, because sin existed.

Examples of "law" before it was written

• Sabbath (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11) => The Sabbath was made Holy at creation and the Israelites are commanded to remember the Sabbath
• Murder (Genesis 4; 9:6) => Cain is warned that sin is at the door when he is angry at Abel and God punishes him for the murder. Murder as a sin is explicitly stated after the flood
• Food Choice (Genesis 2:16-17; 7:2; Leviticus 11) => the first law ever given
• Sacrifices (Genesis 8:2; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20

People who are descended from Abraham but not Israelites follow the Most High God. There are also people not descended from Abraham that follow God.

• Ishmael, Abraham's first son, is thought to be the progenitor of Islam. Though different than the Biblical definition, they also have clean and unclean meats and a dietary law they follow (Halal).
• Moses' father-in-law is a priest and a descendant of Midian, one of Abraham's son's from Keturah after the death of Sarah.
• Melchizedek

Remember, people raised in the same house can take different beliefs into their adult lives. Our personal experiences shape our perception along with what we are taught. This is why there are similarities (and differences) in the religions of the world. All of these people can trace their origins back to Noah, and thus Adam.

References

1. 1 John 3:4

Stolen Ideas

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I will reject you from serving as my priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I will also forget your sons.
Hosea 4:6 CSB

I wrote a post on denominations and major doctrines that divide them a while back.[1] You can read it here.

Forgive me for sounding out of it. It was a rough week at work so I had a lot on my mind as I was recording and kept getting distracted.

Did you know that halos are part of sun worship and have nothing to do with the Word of God?

References

1. Ree Hughes. "What's Your Denomination?". PSALMS to God. April 11, 2015

Misunderstandings

²¹“You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²²But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.Matthew 5:21-26 NKJV

Greek Terms
Here are rough definitions of the words I used in the podcast to help you follow along

• Reserve Dates - dates picked and reserved for a specific organization
• Founder's Week - The week in which an organization's founder's day lands; all days in this week are reserved for that particular organization
• Unofficial Week - Weeks that organizations put on events, but the days are not guaranteed
• Neo - New member of an organization; someone who hasn't brought in new members
• Prophyte - Older member of an organization who has brought in new members (older in terms of membership, not age)
• Probate/New Member Show - Show in which new members are presented/revealed to campus

“If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.Matthew 18:15 CSB

Which God Do You Serve?

"Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship יהוה. But if it doesn’t please you to worship יהוה, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship יהוה."Joshua 24:14-15 CSB

definition

worship[1]

verb

1. : to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power
2. : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion

What does it mean to worship?
The CSB uses "worhsip to describe Joshua's allegiance to God, while the KJV uses the word "serve." The original Hebrew is עָבַד, which mostly translates to "serve." This firmly cements worship and allegiance to God to actions

Biblical examples of worship/serving

• The same word is used in Genesis 14:4 and Genesis 15:13-14; here it is in reference to enslavement and bondage
• Exodus 3:12
• Exodus 20:5;9 - used to condemn idolatry and also a reference to work when it comes to the Sabbath
• Exodus 23:24-25
• Psalm 100:2 - "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing"

So, who are these other gods? How do we choose? What is the importance of Joshua 24:14-15?
To identify the idols God has commanded us to stay away from, we must first define the words "god," "deity," and "idol," so that we can recognize them both in Biblical times and in modern times. Does it have to be personified? Can one person make something a god (re: do numbers matter)?

definition idol[3] noun : an object of extreme devotion : a representation or symbol of an object of worship broadly: a false god a: a likeness of something b: obsolete: PRETENDER, IMPOSTER : a false conception : FALLACY : a form of appearance visible but without substance

definition god[4] noun a: the being perfect in power wisdom, and goodness, who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe b: Christian Science: the incorporeal divine principle ruling over all as eternal spirit : infinite Mind : a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require human worship specifically: one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality : a person or thing of supreme value : a powerful ruler

definition deity[5] noun a: the rank or essential nature of a god : DIVINITY b: capitalized: GOD sense 1, SUPREME BEING : a god (see GOD entry 1 sense 2) or goddess : one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful

Idols and false gods in the Bible

Tammuz	Sumerian god	fertility god	Ezekiel 8:14
Ba'al	Canaanite god	sun god	Numbers 25; Judges 2:13
Chemosh	Moabite god	"the subduer"; required human sacrifices	Numbers 21:29; Judges11:24
Ashtoreth	Canaanite god	consort of Ba'al	1 Kings 11:5; Judges 2:13
Dagon	Philistine god	1/2 fish; 1/2 man; water god	1 Samuel 5; Judges 16:23
Marduk	Babylonian god	fertility god; had 50 names	Jeremiah 50:2
Molech	Ammonite god	other names: Molech, Milcom, Molek	Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10
Zeus	Greek god	ruling god in Greek mythology	Acts 14:12
Hermes	Greek god	god of trade and trickery; son of Zeus	Acts 14:12
Artemis	Greek goddess	goddess of the hunt and moon; Zeus' daughter	Acts 19:24-28

Are there modern gods/goddesses that we should beware of?

• We have a tendency to make our own gods (think, The Gold Calf from Exodus 32)
• We turn objects into gods (eg., phones, jobs, etc.)
• We idolize people, specifically celebrities

Who was the first false god? Why did people start worshipping it?

Why are idols a thing?

• The first instance of man turning away from God (יהוה) is in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve listened to the serpent
• The serpent is the devil (Revelation 12:9; 20:2)
• His goal is to be like the Most high God (Isaiah 14:12-14)

definition

αντι[6]

preposition

over against, opposite, instead of, in place of

• The antichrist, mentioned in 1 John 2:19,22; 4:3 and 2 John 1:7, is taking it one step further in trying to replace God (יהוה) by taking the place of Christ.
• God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are Truth
• Satan, antichrist, and the beast are the devil's deception

Examples of things/ideas/people replacing God (יהוה) in our society today

• Thinking a man is infallible and has the power to forgive sins (eg. the Pope and priests)
• Traditions in the church
• One World Religion / Coexist ideology

Biblical warnings

• 1 Timothy 4; 6 - The Great Apostasy; deceiving spirits, doctrine of demons, lies/hypocrisy
• 2 Peter 2 - Destructive Doctrines; false teachers, false prophets
• Matthew 7:15 - False prophets compared to wolves in sheep's clothing
• Matthew 24:11,24 - False prophets/christs deceive the world
• Acts 13:6-12 - Outing a false prophet
• 2 Corinthians 11:1-21 - Warning about another Jesus being preached
• Colossians 2:18 - Worship of angels
• 1 John 4:1 - Test the spirits to know if they are true or false
• Revelation 13:14 - deception of the antichrist
• Revelation 19:20 - deception of the antichrist

My actual notes for the show

Angels and spirits are not all working for God (יהוה). Either way, we may mistake them for gods and those not on God's (יהוה) side will allow you to worship them.

References

1. "worship". Merriam-Webster Dictionary; visited December 2019
2. "Strong's H5647". Blue Letter Bible; visited December 2019
3. "idol". Merriam-Webster Dictionary; visited December 2019
4. "god". Merriam-Webster Dictionary; visited December 2019
5. "deity". Merriam-Webster Dictionary; visited December 2019
6. "Strong's G473". Blue Letter Bible; visited December 2019

Ambassador to the Kingdom of God

Season 1 Episode 43

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Galatians 5:19-23 KJV

It's the final episode of the Fruit of the Spirit Series! We often think about the benefits we reap from having the fruit of the spirit, but it's just as important to remember how these fruit benefit the world around us. The Word tells us that we will know God's people by the fruit they bear. Remember not only does a good tree bear good fruit, but good that fruit nourishes those around it and is able to be planted to create other trees that bear good fruit. Our role as an ambassador to the Kingdom of God requires that we bear good fruit, not for ourselves but for those we encounter.

References and Footnotes

1. Tim Mackie. "2. Yahweh is our God - I Am Who I Am - Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)". YouTube. August 21, 2017

The Science of the Mind

Season 1 Episode 41

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he Proverbs 23:7 KJV

When we talk about guarding our minds, we should talk about the science too! In this episode we're going to touch on the effect of music on our emotion[1][2], neuroplasticity[3], and mirror neurons[4][5].

References and Footnotes

1. Robert J. Zatorre. "Music and the Brain". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. January 24, 2006
2. Leanne C. Alworth and Shawna C. Buerkle. "The effects of music on animal physiology, behavior and welfare". Lab Animal. 22 January 2013
3. Sentis. "Neuroplasticity". YouTube. November 6, 2012
4. Dr. Shelly Richardson, "Mirror Neurons: Causing Change Within Others ". TEDx | Gull Lake. August 25, 2017
5. Lea Winerman. "The mind's mirror". American Psychological Association. October 2005

Guard the Avenues to Your Mind

Season 1 Episode 41

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 CSB

There's so much more to this concept than I could fit in to this episode. From studies showing that our brains react the same when we see an action as it would if we were to perform the action, to how difficult it is to create new "pathways" (re: behaviors) in our brain. I kept it simple in this episode, but you can expect a follow up with all the science-y stuff next week.