Last Night's Study

Just want to start by saying my weblog here may not be your typical homemaker fare. I don't have any new wisdom or ideas to add to how to keep a home than what's already been shared out there. I do know that I enjoy reading and studying my Bible and also to share what comes to me as I do.

We started with Sh'ma. Then the lighting of the candles and Kiddush and then a welcome Shabbat song and then blessing before reading Torah.

Then we read "round robin" style and in between each section of verses discussed.

Here's some of what we talked about and my further thoughts upon having more time to think it over.

Numbers 5:21-22
21Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;
22And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.

ok so it's cleaned up in the KJV because it's not thigh but rather nether region. someone commented that knowing even if your DH thought you were unfaithful it could result in becoming barren due to this practice.

Even the dake ((have I mentioned how absurd this guys notes are? must be a chrischun)) says that this may not have ever had to be done because no woman would want to put herself thru that curse so if she was guilty she'd just confess rather than get the curse.

more verses
27And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.

sometimes I wonder if this could be a case of a woman early in pregnancy and the hubby thinks the child might not be his so he has her go and drink this water knowing that if the child is not his she will miscarry yet if the child is his, she will be fine and will continue to remain pregnant.
((deep thoughts, eh?))

Numbers 6 describes the nazirite vow and we know some who had that: Samson ((who will look into his story shortly here)), John the Immerser, and some say Samuel. And will look at a passage where even Paul participate in the vow.

Numbers 6 ends with the Aaronic Blessing .... which many chrischuns fail to realize it says this is how you shall bless the children of Israel --- that word being key.

Numbers 7 describes the items offered at the dedication of the altar. We commented on the fact that each tribe was mentioned even though the offering was the same from each one. I was thinking but didn't ask because it may be total chrischun mentality that ya know G-D doesn't need our monetary possessions, after all Psalms says HE owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but this offering was a way of placing their trust in HIM and not in their so called wealth. I mean all that stuff could fetch a cool price or items when they eventually came upon other people. And rather than keep it for themselves they gave it.

Judges 13 tells of Samson's conception and that he will be a nazirite from the womb until death. And you'll notice that before his mom even conceives him, that she too is told to abstain from wine((even grape juice)) or strong drink or fermented sustanance. Thus making Samson a nazirite even before he comes from the birth canal. Oh and did you notice the angel would not give his name....KJV says it's a secret but other translations say Wonderful or Glorious or beyond understanding.

Then we read Acts 21:17-25 and here I'll place a verse with some of the erroneous dake commentary.

verse 20 - And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

dake - many Jews got saved but were slow to give up the law of Moses ((why it's not Moses' law ... it's G-D's law, duh))

dake - mixing law and the gospel ((taken out of context, the gospel is found in OT, NT just tells us who Messiah is)) makes a corrupt form of chrischianity. Judaism and chrischianity can not work together for they are opposites ((what's wrong with this guy...who does he think the first CHRISTIANS were?)) at this time G-D had not completely abolished all sacrifices and all the law in Israel as a national program. HE tolerated the Jews continueing with all their rituals until the destruction of Jerusalem. ((do you really think HE allowed the Temple to be destroyed so the Jews wouldn't follow the law anymore? What about just spreading seed or Go Ye into all the world.... diaspora))((oh and does anyone else wonder if the desolation thing is already on the Temple Mount, "let the reader get the reference")) From that time on it was impossible for them to observe these things. Thus HE abolished the Mosaic dispensation ((ugh what ugly stuff dispensationalism....making G-D's statutes appear to be for only a time until something "better" comes along)) by rendering the observance of the law impossible...

verse 21 - And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

dake - Paul did not tell the Jews to apostatize just said the furch agreed gentiles didn't need to be under the law ((ok gentiles are unsaved people ... so do you still call yourself a gentile? I know I don't)) reference for the furch's agreement on this point is Acts 15 but let's look at verses
19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
((ya see, when the Gentiles turn to G-D they've got some basic stuff to start off with but then they attend synagogue every Shabbat and hear/read the words of Moses, thus learning them in babysteps))

dake - Paul didn't tell the Jews they shouldn't circumcize their children, just that it was not a point of salvation so non-Jews don't have to do it. (( I see this point, but if we've embraced our Hebrew Roots, wouldn't we want our sons to be circumcized? don't brow beat me but my son is and no not for a salvation issue, although for some it could be an identity issue, and of course anymore that's just what they do to baby boys, course it's day 2 and not day 8, which should we ever be blessed with another son(s) I'd like to have the 8th day ceremony))

dake -- Paul never said Jews should forsake their customs, only that they were mere forms and not destructive, unless one depended upon them for salvation. ((sounds good except the calling them mere forms ... how can something be a mere form, if it is a custom, like the Feasts, instructed by G-D for us to do for ever??))

dake- apostasy if far from Paul's aim

verses 22-27 talk about the end of Paul's and the other 4 men's nazirite vow ((which see 18:18 for the time they are saying Paul first took the vow)) and you'll remember Numbers 6 talks about the vow and what to do after the end of the 30 day vow....the shaving of the head and offerings. That's what is going on here and dake is adament on verse 25 that it's emphasizing again that gentiles don't have to make these vows ... don't have to sure, but the nazirite vow is voluntary unless of course G-D tells you to and then you'd be disobeying if you didn't.

Romans 2:28-29
28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

see Young's which I learned last night is a good translation, spoken of by a person who can read/write/speak Hebrew (and not the Hebrew that's spelled out so we can pronounce only, but the drawn kind as well)