Tag Archives: Bible Study

APOLOGETICS- WEEK 2 – FEEDBACK and STUDENT RESPONSES, Part 1

Original DUE DATE : THURS 021926

original survey questionnaire closed.

We are accountable before GOD as Watchman on the Walls, Leaders and Teachers to teach right things, and to do everything we can to educate GOD’s People so they are equipped to behave themselves wisely.

Don’t be afraid to stand up for the WORD of GOD. Be afraid not to.

  • What Did You Learn From This Exercise?

Their is always something to learn from opposing viewpoints.

  • Allow the opposition (if that is what they are…) to cover their points. Some people are long winded so this requires patience. You have to develop patience. Here is the strategy when you’re a person of little patience…
  • (1) Consider the conversation practice for a future debate. Don’t listen as a critic or a judge. Don’t listen in order to leap at the first opportunity to disagree. Just Breathe and Listen.
  • If you are speaking with (listening to) someone who is very close – this is an opportunity to practice self discipline. Family, friends and your loyal opposition, can be the most difficult to engage with, especially when you are on opposites sides of a conversation. They know you and that’s valuable information they can utilize. So, know yourself, and stay calm.
  • Family and friends can help you recognize your triggers. That’s extremely useful- although annoying. Let them reveal as many as they can! Be a student, not an adversary and learn. If nothing else, learn how they see you as a conversationalist. There’s always something to learn.
  • This can be the hardest part of the conversation. I understand that. However… this is about practicing self-discipline. So just listen.
  • (2) TAKE NOTES: Note the time they begin speaking and make a brief outline of the points they are making – Whether you agree with them or not- is not the point. Taking notes helps you stay focused on their conversation, as well as allowing you a visual on the way in which they order their thoughts.
  • Consider it a mission of reconnaissance. Let them lay out/map out the territory for you. If you are in an impromptu conversation in which you discover you are at opposite ends of the spectrum – be patient and let them map out the territory for you. (a) Do they know where they are going in this conversation? (b) What points do they value? (c) What points are they constantly revisiting? (d) What’s the agenda of this conversation? (e) What is it that they want to persuade you on? (f) Regardless of what they are saying, what is it they believe? Are you able to tell? (g) How many walls or booby traps did they set up? (h) Is this a hunting expedition? Is your opponent attempting to extract more information from you than they are willing to give? (i) What is their real agenda?
  • This is a debate, right? Remember, you have to be wise as the serpent. People instinctively desire to be clever. It’s a victory for them to attempt to either, charm you, out-smart you, impress you, silence you, manipulate, overpower you, control you, dominate you, etc. Some people just want to win. Others, desire to replace your thoughts, beliefs and convictions with their own. There is always an agenda. No matter how circuitous the conversation becomes, look for signs of the agenda.
  • As People of GOD, be aware of all of the above (at minimum) and locate the source of pain, brokenness, disappointment, insecurity or the facade. (That’s why you are allowing them the time to map it out for you). People just seem OK and appear as if everything is altogether lovely. Don’t just listen to the words heard on the surface, nor focus solely on the picture they are painting with their words. Contentions with the WORD of GOD, are signals that there is more going on beneath the surface than most people want you to realize. Listen more than you speak.
  • Make an Assessment: What are you really dealing with? Ego, arrogance, envy, jealousy, strife, self-aggrandizement? Modesty, humility, grace, genuine interest, questions or concern?
  • (3) Let them speak for at least 5 minutes (maximum) or at least until you have 5-10 points. Here’s the reason for that investment:
  • Now they owe you the same time and courtesy. You have the right to hold them to it. You got your practice in- You held your peace, you took good notes, you know what you need to address and you earned the right to go about it as you see fit.
  • Announce how many points you need to address based upon what they stated. Announce where you will begin. Be clear that you will need time to address each point they have made before you have offered a complete response. Ex: “In the 5 minutes you were speaking, I’ve noted 5 primary points that I would like time to respond to. I have them here as…”
  • Don’t allow interruptions. Respond fully. If interrupted, pause and wait for them to stop talking. Don’t get into a battle or back to back exchange of “You interrupted me.” If politely requesting adequate time to respond is not honored, opt to exit the conversation until such a time as you can be given time to speak and respond to all of their statements, questions or challenges. This is placing a demand on them to operate with polite and professional speaking etiquette.
  • You are not just placing a demand on them, but you are placing a demand on yourself for the same and exercising self-discipline. Usually at this time, the other speaker may be silent. Use the time to make note of your responses- on the note pad. Don’t offer any verbal continuance of the conversation until they verbally concede to respect your time to respond.
  • If you are dealing with an undisciplined speaker, you will need to repeat this behavior until you can have a polite conversational exchange of thoughts, ideas and/or scriptural proofs. This is the hard part.
  • If you are unable to control yourself, just stop the conversation. Figure out what went wrong on your behalf. Don’t finger point. Self-assessment, self-examination is in order here. This is the hard part.
  • It get’s better with practice!
  • In the future when I send you other videos to watch and evaluate, make note of the words and behaviors that you find ‘triggering or distasteful.’ How would you handle them in real life? Practice the good behaviors that you desire.
  • NOTE: I have a lot of things that I do not like to occur in a debate. I wrestle with my own flesh on what they are and struggle to improve myself. We all have to. The lesson here is in how well we can actually ‘die to self’. This is where we take the concept and idea of “dying to self” and actually have to put it in to application. The good news is that you have an opportunity to make a self-assessment of how good you are at it, in the performance of the little things.
  • When you die to self– you give them the opportunity to “hear themselves
  • You may be judged, criticized, blamed, or talked about behind your back – So What! Your opponent needs you to be the bad guy, so they can see themselves as the more virtuous. Several of them need this to be the case. Why? Because they need or are prone to gossip, gain-saying, etc. Some people need to be right about something, and they need it badly. If the only voice they want to hear is their own – on any given subject matter. Let them have the win. I could be all they have wrapped up in their self-esteem. Is that the situation?
  • Keeping ‘self’ out of the conversation is one of the best things you can do as a Christian. It’s the most instructive and the most effective in releasing the Power of GOD over the situation.
  • As a Christian, if you really want the WORD of GOD and the Power of GOD released over the situation, “Die to Self.” How bad do you want it?
  • If the conversation devolves into a confrontational debate– that’s where we have failed as Christians. You have the option, opportunity and responsibility to control how you respond and conduct yourself.
  • If the person you are speaking with is behaving in a way that clearly signals they have no intention of allowing you to respond… That alone speaks volumes without you saying another word, and they will hear that loud and clear all on their own!
  • Sun Zsu Amendment: Know the enemy and Know yourself (and Control Yourself) and in every battle you will be Undefeated!

Every observation provides valuable insights. Hear what the person is saying… listen to their wordsand their body language –and listen fully to both.

But then you might ask, “What about defending the faith? Just let them have the last word? Let them have the last word and the wrong thinking about what scripture is saying?

This is where your life of prayer, discernment and perception has to come in to the argument at hand…

What is the weightier matter at hand? Is it the original question that was on the table? Or are you really addressing some need to care for some form of damage to their soul?

Rule of Thumb: We don’t fight banned battles but we do stand and deliver the most essential message they need to know- at that time.

As His Ambassador, you decide what that will be.

Disclosure: When I say ‘Fast’ I mean being mindful of your health needs when you fast.

1 Timothy 5:1-4 King James Version

  • 1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
  • The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
  • Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Fast and Pray for the discernment to know the difference.

Matthew 7:12King James Version

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Romans 12:10King James Version

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Philippians 2:3 King James Version

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

1 Peter 2 King James Version

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

LINK TO: Apologetics Week 2 Assignment.

Continue to Week 2 – Part 2 (Posting Soon!)

Leave your comment or questions below. To enroll in this trial course, just complete the next questionnaire in this series. (Week 3- which will be released soon).

Apologetics Prep – Week 2 VIDEO PRESENTATION, Part 1

This week, listen to the attached Facebook post….

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1154907729887594/?referral_source=external_link&surface_type=tab&in_reels_tab_context=TRUE

then complete the questionnaire!

https://s.surveyplanet.com/bxdjtx0n

The Questionnaire closes on February 21st MIDNIGHT, Pacific Standard Time.

PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS and FEEDBACK:

If your are just joining in and would like to participate in this free series.. just click this link for a quick review of the purpose and plan for this online series and exercise in studying the art of apologetics.

GOD BLESS

The Rabbi’s teach us that Torah Study is the Highest form of Worship…  (cf. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 30a)

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES and See if these things be true!

THE LORD LOVES A GOOD DISCUSSION! Proverbs 2 (ALL)

Apologetics Prep – Week 1 – Student Responses

Below you will find the responses that were received from the questionnaire sent out Monday, February 9th. (Week 1 Prep)

Even the Word of GOD includes a question by our LORD and Savior asking us if we know what His Word is teaching us AND at the same time He is asking us if we understand it and are able to expound “accurately” as to the meaning of His Word. What is His Torah Teaching us?

A quick review of the purpose and plan for this online series and exercise in studying the art of apologetics.

Here’s how it works…

You will be given a scripture to investigate – Basic Level investigation. Using the Interlinear and Biblegateway.com, answer the questions as best you can.

For those of you who did not attend the class, try present day skills out and see what you find – and hopefully learn!

At the end of the week, I will post the answers and provide snapshots of the interlinear pages so that you will be able to follow the information presented and gain a few – hopefully new insights.

Either way, see how well you do!

Leave me a “code name” for your self in the summary” Question #4 what did you learn? – and I will post all results with code names only so you can see how well you did.

If there are more responses than expected, just keep note of your answers and I will post ALL RESPONSES without names and you can see how you did in comparison to your peers. In any case, responses will be anonymous.

NOTE: THE LINK TO THE ORIGINAL EXERCISE FOR WEEK 1 IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED: Questions and Student Responses posted below.

Interesting fact: In the last week approximately 400+ people have stopped by to check in to this site.

As you will see, ONLY 2 of them took me up on the challenge; 1 is a previous student (Betty) and the other (I won’t give their name without permission) is a first time participant in studying with us. I’m very surprised about this! While at the same time, very pleased that these brave souls accepted the challenge and made the spiritual declaration that they want to uncover MORE in the Word of GOD.

I will do as much as I can in this series to help you by outlining a process and plan for your personal study time.

The WORD of GOD is very meticulous and GOD is very specific. We love saying things like, “GOD is in the Details.” Now we are going to apply that principle consistently every time that we open our Bibles to study.

We are going to examine the details! To do this effectively, we have to be able to answer some questions. For Example:

  • Always be certain that you know who is speaking in the text you are studying; Verify who is speaking and who they are speaking to.
  • Is the Speaker GOD, JESUS or the HOLY SPIRIT?
  • Is the speaker named or unnamed, i.e., “There was a certain man…”
  • Is the speaker friend or foe?
  • What is the speaker doing? Are they aligned with GOD?
  • Are they saying one thing and doing another?
  • Are they for GOD or against GOD? Is this His loyal opposition speaking?
  • Does the speaker have an agenda? What is the agenda of the speaker?
  • What is the prophetic agenda of the author of the Book? i.e., the passage we briefly examined in week #1 was John 4:24. Later I we will gravitate to understanding the prophetic agenda of the author and to identify various points to consider as we do that.

The study of Torah is about asking questions. Along with our list of questions that we need to ask…this is what we need to avoid.

  • Make No Assumptions or rush to Snap Judgements (John 7:4).
  • No jumping to conclusions (John 7:4)
  • Never read your “presuppositions or biases” into the text. Be aware of when you are doing that. Stay vigilant and watchful on this point. It is very easy to do if you are not careful.
  • Cast down every vain imagination and high thought that creeps in attempting to exalt itself above the knowledge of the Most-High. (2 Cor 10:5).
  • If you came to learn of Him… (Matthew 11:39) allow the voice of GOD to speak without interruption. You can speak afterwards. (After fully examining the text).
  • Tip: As we move forward, write down what you think you know about the passage or the verse- before you study it. Write down what you’ve been told; What you think or believe it means or what you think or believe it is teaching… list them as bullet points in your journal. Label them your ‘Preconceived Notions or Ideas.” Then set your preconceived notions, biases, judgements, assumptions, etc., aside until you have completed your study of the verse or passages of scripture. Once you have completed your studies, come back and review them. then do as Luke 10:26 instructs… ask yourself, ” What is written in the Torah?” Now, what sayest thou?

Then answer the question waiting for you at the end of every investigation… What did you learn in this exercise? (see below)

By incorporating the Interlinear into your studies this one simple act– can take you to a higher level of understanding the Biblical Text. It will be a major step in your education. Stay with me in the next few weeks and I will show you what I mean. You need to learn how to extract essential information from the interlinear bible. We will use the online resources so that we can all see the same information from the same source. Eliminating any confusion and taking ALL of our personal opinions out of the dialogue.

The discrepancies that I am speaking of result from the differences between the definitions, meanings and application of words in the English Language verse the original definitions, meanings and application of words in the Biblical Hebrew or Greek.

Suffice it to say -for now- that Biblical Hebrew and Greek are meticulous languages – FAR MORE SO than English.

As you stick with this, you will begin to see the way in which we lump our terms together in English. That does not occur in the Biblical Hebrew.

There is a precision in Biblical Hebrew and Greek that does not exist in English.

NOTE: I am emphasizing BIBLICAL Hebrew and Greek, because this is an important distinction.

BIBLICAL Hebrew and Greek are not the same as Modern Hebrew or Greek.

Scripture Confirms Scripture.

Scripture does not go off on rabbit trails. The message is consistent throughout. The New Testament echoes and reinforces the Hebrew Scriptures. The test of accuracy in our understanding is whether or not our understanding/observations in the Word are in sync with the consistency of scripture…. meaning, “Are we going off in the wrong direction? Do you understand what GOD is saying?

Should we discover something that “appears” to be a contradiction… (an accusation that is being tossed about a great deal lately – in apologetics), we have more work to do, because scripture does not contradict itself.

It’s easy to blame the scripture for our lack of understanding, rather than do the work and search the scriptures as we were told.

I plan to show those who want to learn… how to search the scriptures for themselves. If for no other reason than this… to identify false teachers and false teaching.

I am approaching the topic a completely different way than the norm, so bear with me. I am confident you will grasp the art of apologetics much faster by following the steps that I will outline for you in this process.

Amen.

You learned 3 basic simple steps in examining scripture. We will build on this foundation as we move forward, but at all times – no matter which verse of scripture you are studying – employ these steps every time.

Ask the same essential key questions – every time. With practice they will quickly become automatic and they will help you stay focused on the essential elements of the conversations and the teachings.

A friend of my showed me a video just yesterday of a young lady who left the faith because she felt so lied to and no one had answers for her. She was so sick of the rhetoric and falsehood, that she threw her hands up- took her bat and ball and went home- walked out and said, “Never mind.”

She felt betrayed and that everything she ever learned was wrong. No one had the tools to show her how to study. Being a Christian is about studying to show yourself approved… a workman, worthy of his craft.

We have to search the scriptures for ourselves and we need to know how to do that. I regret that she trusted in man more than GOD in her attempts to learn His Word. She wound up (temporarily, I pray) walking out on the faith because of it. But she’s young and I’m believing she will recover her faith.

For this reason alone, the equipping of the saints is one of my highest priorities.

You have 3 key steps in your arsenal now in your quest to search the scriptures. Practice them.

Remember this phrase. I will say it often:

  • ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT POINTS:
  • Remember what time zone you are operating in... We are studying in the 21st century, examining text from the 1st Century and beyond. Whenever we treat the scriptures as if they are from the 19th, 20th or 21st Centuries, we disrespect the message and the messenger. The Scriptures speak into our centuries, the centuries do not speak into them!
  • Your objective is to see the scriptures through the lens of the culture, history, times and traditions from which they emerged. When studying the New Testament, if you lose your focus on the fact that ‘Jesus was a Rabbi” you will begin to drift toward. the 21st Century mindset and take Him out of his culture, history and times and strip Him of His Identity.
  • Jesus is Jewish. Something we ought to be proud of! and we hopefully desire to get to know Him as a “person” in His Jewishness. When we read His Words from His Jewishness, we recapture important aspects of our Jewish roots and heritage in the Word. If we blot out His Jewish heritage, we do violence to the text and we’re automatically reading in bias, judgment, assumptions, etc.

What justifies the above statement? Let me ask you this… If I say I want to get to know you, but I want to get to know you without any knowledge of or references to your history, culture, family traditions, customs, heritage, roots and how they have shaped you into the person that you are…. would you even want to get to know me?

The people that gravitate to the teachings that I present here in this site, want to know the authentic Jesus, in His Character and Nature as the Messiach of Israel. As we study together our primary goal – MY AGENDA- is to add Him back into His Message and to remove all they various ways that our history, culture, traditions and times have misrepresented Him and show anyone who wants to know Him, how to get to know Him much better. This begins with dispelling the rumors and innuendo that contribute to the misidentification of Jesus.

I hope you found this information useful and interesting. I will post the answer key to the questionnaire #1 at the same time I send out the Apologetics Questionnaire #2.

GOD BLESS

The Rabbi’s teach us that Torah Study is the Highest form of Worship…  (cf. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 30a)

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES and See if these things be true!

THE LORD LOVES A GOOD DISCUSSION! Proverbs 2 (ALL)

Apologetics Prep – Week 1

For all those interested in continuing your studies in Bible Research Techniques, I am rolling out this New Beta Series on Apologetics Preparation Studies.

Welcome to this TORAH CHALLENGE!

Here’s how it works…

You will be given a scripture to investigate – Basic Level investigation. Using the Interlinear and Biblegateway.com, answer the questions as best you can.

For those of you who did not attend the class, try present day skills out and see what you find – and hopefully learn!

At the end of the week, I will post the answers and provide snapshots of the interlinear pages so that you will be able to follow the information presented and gain a few – hopefully new insights.

Either way, see how well you do!

Leave me a “code name” for your self in the summary” Question #4 what did you learn? – and I will post all results with code names only so you can see how well you did.

If there are more responses than expected, just keep note of your answers and I will post ALL RESPONSES without names and you can see how you did in comparison to your peers. In any case, responses will be anonymous.

This will be fun! Enjoy.

THIS IS THE LINK TO THE EXCERCISE FOR WEEK 1:

https://s.surveyplanet.com/fp8n8057

If You enjoyed the survey and would like more, just send me a like!

Preview – Question #1 Lesson: Always Know Whose Speaking!

TalkTorahToMe.CAFE -The 15th Psalm of David

DAY 2 –Entering the Month of Elul and the Sanctuary of GOD.

Prayer Schedule: ELUL, OUR 29 DAY BANQUET OF PRAYER…TO HONOR THE KING OF GLORY!

PSALM 15

15 Lord, who shall abide (guwr, dwell as a new-comer, someone without original rights) in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

LOOKING A LITTLE CLOSER THROUGH THE HEBREW….

1 Lord, who shall abide (guwr, dwell as a new-comer, someone without original rights) in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell (settle down) in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly (tah-meem, blameless) and worketh (paw-al, do or make) righteousness (tseh’-dek, justice, what is right), and speaketh (de-var, speaks) the truth (eh-met) in his heart (bil-va-vo) .

He that backbiteth (raw-gal, walks around by foot) not with his tongue (law-shone), nor doeth evil (rah) to his neighbour (ray-ah, friend, companion), nor taketh up a reproach (cher-pah, disgrace) against his neighbour (kaw-robe, near… from the Hebrew root word kaw-rav, meaning to draw near).

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned (ma’as, to abhor); but he honoureth (yaw-ray, awe, reverence) them that fear (kaw-vad, heavy, weighty, weight of the Glory) the Lord (YHVH) . He that sweareth (shaw-bah, keeps their word, oath) to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward (bribe or present, gifts) against the innocent (naw-kee, clean, free from guilt, blameless). He that doeth these things shall never be moved (mote, be brought down, made to shake or slip).

Who shall abide in they tabernacle? Who shall dwell in they Holy Hill?

He who mirrors the character and nature of YHVH. He who meets the moral and ethical requirements of Holiness to enter the sanctuary. Psalm 15 spells it out in the very beginning of the initial psalm… “Those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked.”

At one point in time, we were all new-comers to GOD, strangers who dwelled outside of the covenant. The word choice is interesting. The prayer reminds us that we each had no original rights or privilege to occupy the dwelling place of GOD.

Today, we each have an open invitation into the sanctuary. But who is qualified to enter?

Those who worship GOD speak truth. Liars do not abide alongside the anointing.

Truth is a big word in Hebrew. The word for truth is emet. Emet is spelled with the 1st letter of GOD’s Name, the aleph (a). The middle letter of the Hebrew Alphabet is the men (m) and the last and final letter is the tav (t). aleph – mem- tav; representing the entirety of the Word of GOD.

GOD (Aleph) – the Core (Mem, the people, the nations) and His Covenant (Tav). Emet is truth, beginning, middle and end. There are no adjustments, no personal points of view or versions of truth.

Truth in Hebrew can not be expressed without including GOD, His People and His Gift to us of His Covenant. The dictionary definition of truth, does not capture truth to its core… GOD, His People, and Our Covenant.

In our culture, we have excluded GOD from our definition of truth. The world believes that GOD is not a consideration in the existence of truth.

By removing GOD from the equation, we have the Hebrew Word moot, (men- tav), meaning death. Cutting GOD out of our lives and language and understanding, etc means we are working with something absent of truth.

They that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

David is trying to tell us

that among other things, lying will completely destroy our power in prayer. Slander and backbiting will disqualify us from destiny. The worshiper of GOD does not enter the sanctuary full of gossip and walking about maliciously spreading slander.

Psalm 15 is David’s prayer spoken over the generations delivered to us so that we may know that there is a protocol for entering the tent of GOD. The first step is to recognize that the degree to which our character and nature and ability to abide in truth and speak truth, will determine our ability to enter into the presence of GOD in prayer, study and worship.

There must be an important reason for that, don’t you think?

ELUL, The Month of The Search… Praying The Lord’s Prayer IN HEBREW & ENGLISH

Practice reading The Lord’s Prayer in Hebrew (Matthew 6:9-15). Use the transliteration key in BLUE in order to practice reciting the prayer daily. You can incorporate the prayer before, during or after praying the Psalms.

Flow with these prayer strategies during the month of Elul and watch the power of GOD fall on your faithfulness.

The Month of Elul: August 20th – September 18, 2020. -29 Days of Elul

We learned this as children, and it has devolved for some as a “patty cake” type of prayer. It’s been relegated to the place of a nursery rhyme for far too many Christians.

Over the next few months I hope to demonstrate the revelatory power in this sweet, clear, concise, precious message to every believer on how to pray. It’s more than a simplistic pattern of prayer.

Let us press in for a new level through speaking the prayer in the Hebrew tongue and stand the watch.

Note: Click on the Attachment below in order to enlarge the picture. In Hebrew you read from right to left. Begin with… ah-vee-new she-bah-sha-my-eem

For Heather and Renae! Attached is a recording just for you!

If any of you have trouble printing out a copy of the prayer, send me an email to torahbythesea@gmail.com and we will forward you a copy as soon as possible. Thank You.

Recording #1 The Lord’s Prayer read in Hebrew only – very slowly
Recording #2 The Lord’s Prayer read in both Hebrew & English – very slowly –all verses

Over the next 33 days, remain faithful to Praying the Psalms with us and rehearse the Lord’s Prayer in your own ears, over your own spirit. Don’t be critical over your pronunciation, don’t be discouraged. GOD rewards your diligence in pursuit of Him and His Holy language.

Understanding will come. You never had to be perfect, we only need to be faithful in the little things.

During this Elul, we are taking a huge step towards GOD, through increased consecration and dedication, and GOD is Faithful!

May revelation and insight abound in you over the next 33 days, like never before! Amen.

The 611 of torah

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Timothy 3:14-15

Why does this matter and how can this help our spiritual condition?

If we are going to learn anything from the Book of Genesis at all, one of the first things we want to understand is that:

  • The Spiritual Realm is always created 1st, even in our actions, and especially in our words. Our strategy / tactics must be patterned after the strategy / tactics of GOD.

Reasons for Why We Study From the Hebrew Perspective

  • What we miss in our English translations, we recover in our reading of the Scriptures from the Hebrew language.
  • Acquire the tools we need to pull down the man made barriers erected between us, GOD and His WORD.
  • Dismantle Falsehoods.
  • Fall in Love with the Language of GOD, the native language of mankind.
  • Insert GOD back into our understanding of HIS Language.
  • Make God’s language our 1stlanguage.
  • Identify Key Words that are common to Christian thought and relearn them from their Hebraic Roots.   
  • Look at word origins further back than our customary Christian thinking.
  • Train our minds to understand a detailed and mathematically perfect language – that exist in no other language or form.
  • Torah Teaches us the secrets of how to separate Good from evil, and the sacred from the secular.  
  • There is man’s technology (the secular), and God’s technology (the sacred). Our assignment is to separate the sacred (Holy, clean) from the secular (profane, unclean).

Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel 44:23
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

Starting from Part 5 of the Message in the Letters of torah, you were provided with an example of the application of gematria in scripture. The 611 of torah, will extend this example by providing insight into three words that connect numerically to torah; daw’ber’rath, daw’ber and dah’ber’rah.

We have leanred that, the letters of torah; tav – vav – reish – hei, equals 611. What other words equal 611 in torah, that you would have not been able to see, without looking at gematria?

For now, let’s see what information we can unlock in the scriptures by connecting the dots in the word for torah itself.

What does torah teach us about the connective fabric that exist between GOD’s Words torah; daw’ber’rath, daw’ber and dah’ber’rah, that shed more light on His Teachings?

Remember: Hebrew Letters are read from Right to Left.

The first word we will look at is ‘daw’bear’rath

dalet (4) beit (2) reish (200) tav (400) =606

dalet – beit – reish – tav; spells daw’bear’rath

daw’bear’rath (Strong’s #1705) appears in the scripture ONLY 3 times. Joshua 19:12, 21:28, and 1 chronicles 6:72.

Jos 19:12 = The demarcation points of the Territory of Zebulun are being outlined in detail.

D’bear’rath, a Levitical City

Jos 21:28, 1 Chron. 6:72, daberath, a Levitical City that bordered the City of Refuge at Kedesh, out of the Tribe of Issachar. The City of Refuge was a place the children of Israel, or the stranger that dwelt among them, could go for safe haven, in the event of causing the accidental death of another person.

In the event of causing the accidental death of someone, you would dwell in the City of Refuge until the death of the High Priest, which made atonement for your sin. This is a prefiguring of the atonement our High Priest, Yeshua has made for us.

A BRIEF INSIGHT: Kedesh means to sanctify, set apart, or to consecrate, which makes someone or something holy. kuf – dalet – shin;

kuf bears a strong resemblance to the English letter, P. Kuf is the Hebrew letter that represents Holiness of GOD and man. kuf is formed by combining 2 other Hebrew letters, the vav and the kaf; which also equate to 26, the same as the 4 letter name of GOD, YHVH [yud (10) -hei (5) -vav (6)-hei(5)].

There were a total of 6 Cities of Refuge, 3 on each side of the Jordan, 3 East and 3 West, surrounded by 42 Levitical Cities. Each City of Refuge bears a Characteristic of Christ, the Messiach. Kedesh, (holiness), Shechem (burden bearer), Hebron (to Join/Fellowship), Ramoth (to be High/Exalted, Golan (Remove, Deliver).

History tells us that the surrounding Levitical cities became cities of refuge in their own right, more so, in a supporting role.

Daberath was one of those Levitical cities.

Today, we will focus on it’s name and discover another layer of truth and purpose symbolized by the torah.

dalet (4)

dah-let = Door, path, pathway, access, The WORD,

dat (dalet/tav) in Hebrew means religion/decree. Read in it’s Hebrew Pictograph form, it reads, “door to the cross”. The Levitical city of d’ber’rath, begins with the dalet and ends with the tav, which shows us a path from, “the door to the cross”.

However, before you can arrive at the door of the cross, you have to pass through the tabernacle, (the beit) to become a Leader (the reish), only then can you access the cross/covenant.

beit (2)

Tent, Tabernacle, House, Sanctuary. The tabernacle is the dwelling place of GOD requested, the meeting place between GOD and man.

reish (200)

Headship, First, Head, Leader. The reish conquers their passions. Should reish reject their birthright, they become like the wicked who turns away from GOD and abandons the torah, an intentional non-believer. It is our faithful devotion to GOD, that makes You the rosh, i.e. the Head (Deut 28:13). However, Our disobedience to GOD’s Word, will have the devastating effect of making our enemies the rosh, instead (Deut. 28:44).

REPEAT: Our disobedience to GOD, will elevate our enemies above us. Our behavior elevates the enemy. Obedience is our most powerful weapon of choice.

tav (400)

Covenant, Cross, Truth (emet, as in Truth stands firm and prevails), Mark, Sign, Seal of GOD, is a guarantee that can never be nullified. Malachi 2:6, Torah is Truth. tav is the symbol of repentance and perfection.

Let’s put all the letters together again…

Remember: Hebrew Letters are read from Right to Left.

dalet, beit, reish, tav = d’ber’rath = 606

d’ber’rath is a Levitical City, bordering a city of Refuge, whose name is equivalent to ….torah

Let’s read Joshua 19:12 while inserting the meaning of each cities name…

12  And turned from Sarid (survivor), eastward toward the sun rise unto the border of Chislothtabor (foolishness), and then goeth out to Daberath (Word of torah), and goeth up to Japhia (to shine forth, or cause to shine).

12  And turned from being a survivor, eastward toward the sun rise unto the border of mountains of foolishness, and then goeth out to receive the Word of torah (ha d’bear’rath), and goeth up to shine forth, or to cause someone else to shine.

POINT BEING: The Names of these cities and places have meaning…

hei (5) dalet (4) beit (2) reish (200) tav (400) = 611

Remember: Hebrew Letters are read from Right to Left.

With hei, added before the word daber, you have…

The letter hei, when prefixed to a Hebrew word, means “the’. When the letter hei, “the” is added before the word, ‘d-bear-reth’ we have “The d-bear-rath” meaning, The WORD of the Covenant.

hei (5) dalet (4) beit (2) reish (200) tav (400) = 611 / torah

Read this again…

Jos 19:12  And turned from being a survivor, eastward toward the sun rise unto the border of mountains of foolishness, and then goeth out to receive the Word of torah or the WORD of the Covenant (ha d’bear’rath), and goeth up to shine forth, or to cause someone else to shine.

What message are you seeing between the lines?

There’s More…

the ROOT word in daberath, is d-b-r, daw-ber.

Remember: Hebrew Letters are read from Right to Left.

dalet (4) beit (2) reish (200)

Every word in Hebrew is formed from a 3 or 4 letter root word. The root word in d’ber’rath is d’ber; and dalet – beit – reish, which means, ‘WORD’ in Hebrew.

In order to say, ‘WORD’ in Hebrew, (d-b-r, da’ber [1696]) – it must be formed with, and begin at, the Door (Messiach), lead to – the tabernacle (the Sanctuary, Dwelling Place of GOD & His People) and produce/develop the reish (Christ our High Priest and You).

ha daw’bear or ha daw’bar means, ‘The WORD’

Remember: Hebrew Letters are read from Right to Left.

The Word

hei (5) –dalet (4) beit (2) reish (200)

ha daw’bear’rath means, ‘The WORD of The Covenant’

hei (The) dalet-beit-reish (WORD) tav (Covenant)

Remember: Hebrew Letters are read from Right to Left.

When hei, added to and precedes, d’ber’rath, it’s numerical equivalency shifts/moves from 606 to 611, torah.

ha daw’bear’rath reads, The WORD of the Covenant. It’s not just an innocuous name of a city. In Hebrew, names convey messages about the character and nature of a place, person, or a thing. Names reveal a great deal of information about the spiritual condition of the people and places identified in scripture. We have been reading over this type of information forever, almost as if we didn’t need any further revelation or information.

(The) ha

(WORD) dalet, beit, reish

(COVENANT) tav

ha d’ber’rath, is a place where the WORD of GOD Dwells.

The WORD, begins with recognition of Messiach, who stands at the Door. Anything that we say, repeat or honor in the WORD of GOD, begins with Messiach.

Look at the scripture again…

Plot out the boundaries / borders of the territory of Zebulun…

Jos 19:12  And turned from being a survivor, eastward toward the sun rise unto the border of mountains of foolishness, and then goeth out to receive the Word of torah or the WORD of the Covenant (ha d’bear’rath), and goeth up to shine forth, or to cause someone else to shine.

Between Survival and Foolishness and the Covenant and the Light.

Summary:

Every letter in torah has a corresponding numerical value. You have seen that torah is equivalent to 611.

611 is also the numerical value of ha d’ber’rath, one of the Levitical cities that lies between the borders of Zebulun and Issachar.

ha d’ber’rath is not just a physical place, it is a spiritual place. A place of torah, a place where the WORD of the Covenant resides. ha d’ber’rath is the alternative, between two destinations; survival and foolishness, a place that allows you to shine or to cause someone else to shine.

The root of d’ber’rath is da’ber, meaning WORD. ha d’ber’rath is founded upon the WORD. ha ‘ber’rath is a place where the WORD of GOD can be found. A place of Covenantal relationship.

There are no superfluous words in scripture. Every word, letter, jot, title, oilve, fish, tent, jar of wine, and piece of bread, is divinely placed into the torah. GOD was not writing a fairy tale, bedtime story, nor sprinkling words around like abstract decoupage. Every word has purpose and intention and deserves more than anyone’s literal and superficial focus and attention.

Torah teachings are not about learning a bible story. torah contains the meat of the Word of GOD.

“And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us…full of Grace and Truth.” John 1:14

“In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD.” John 1:1

(Word in Greek is Logos. Word in Hebrew is da’ber).

BRIEF TORAH INSIGHT:

Deborah, is spelled dalet-beit-reish-hei

Deborah, a Prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth (Judges 4-5), is one way to read the preface to this teaching. There is another translation from the Hebrew.

Judges 4:4 Deborah, a woman, a seer (a prophetess), a woman of fire!

ish’shah appears twice in this verse; once as woman and the second time as wife.

For consistency sake, let’s translate it with the same each time; We could read this as, Deborah was a woman, a seer, a woman of lappidoth or, Deborah was a wife, a seer, a wife of Lappidoth.

Which sounds more reasonable?

Lapidoth is from the root word, lappid meaning torches. Some versions report that Deborah was married to a man that provided torches/candles for the sanctuary and was called by the name of her husbands trade.

Alternatively, we have the option of reading the text to understand that Deborah was a woman on fire for GOD. The actual letters of her name read, ‘what comes out of the Word”, ‘What comes out of torah!’, [hei = ‘what comes out of’]. Ref: The Message In The Letters of Torah, Part 4 for information on the letter hei.

Deborah has become a common name in the English language. So when we hear, Deborah, we think of a woman. However, being that deber means WORD, and deberah means, ‘What comes out of the WORD’, the scripture might be placing greater emphasis on the fact that Deborah is a woman, more so, than her marital status.

It is my personal belief, that what comes out of torah, is Fire for the WORD of GOD!

What came out of a life spent in the WORD, was a woman, a seer, a prophetess, a woman of fire.

Deborah’s name means WORD, which she taught and judged the land and people of Israel with. She is the living embodiment of what comes out of a life of torah… Deborah is a Judge of Israel, a teacher, leader, the spiritual guide to the Children of Israel. She is what comes out of the WORD, she is a product of the WORD.

Deborah’s name is prophetically and intentionally given. On the pages of scripture, GOD is doing more than just calling her Deborah (d-b-r-h). He could have called her by any other name. Even with GOD providing such a huge distinction, to provide us with clear evidence of her importance in scripture, we still miss this crucial piece of information, because we do not know that GOD is even calling her the WORD.

In addition, notice that Barak refused to go to battle unless Deborah went with him/them. Barak, God’s General, was not like-minded with the world, i.e., as the world is about women standing in the place of authority/leadership in the Church. Barak understood the dangers inherent of going into battle without a WORD (Deborah). He took his Word with him… Barak took da’ber, and da’ber was a woman.

GOD calls her Deborah, intentionally. But, without the benefit of any knowledge of Hebrew, we will miss the message, completely and be unable to connects the dots as we should.

Deborah is one of those rare individuals on the pages of scripture, whose name prefigures Christ. The character and nature of Deborah bears a clear connection to the Messiach, by virtue of her name.

Who has ever pointed out the women in scripture who were a prefiguring of Christ? To date, ONLY GOD.

Her name clearly identifies her as personification of the WORD. (As mankind should exemplify themselves to strive to become, to this very day). She is called the WORD. More specifically, she is what comes out of a life in the WORD. Deborah is a product of the WORD of GOD.

By any other name, her role would be and has been questionable. As a spiritual leader of Israel, as a Judge, Counselor or Teacher, even warrior of GOD, her role bearing the headship and leadership of the House of GOD has been diminished.

For generations, we have taught that Deborah was just a small once in a lifetime, exception to the role of women in the Church. The entire time, being oblivious to the force, effect and import of her name, Deborah, which places her at the forefront of the list of all those whose ministry and service to GOD was a prefiguring of Christ, the Messiach.

In no uncertain terms, GOD calls her the WORD. A foreshadowing that GOD knew of the entire time, but man has yet to perceive, acknowledge, address, respond, and per his usual customs and traditions, attempt to refute.

In Hebrew, the meaning is obvious. In English, we can’t even see it.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness –2 Tim 3:16

All scripture, down to the shapes and forms of the letters, to the letters used to form words, phrases, including the very words and names themselves, are designed to tell us something.

If all scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, then ALL scripture is profitable… end of story. Everything in the scripture is relevant and pertinent for our teaching and instruction, reproof and correction.

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now” John 16:12

So my original question stands…When will we be able to bear the meat of the Word?

It’s very true that the women of GOD do not dominate the pages of scripture. GOD lifts up the names of the women sparingly. This has caused people for centuries to teach, preach or even feel, that women are insignificant or ignored in the totality of scripture.

But that is not the case. I hope to demonstrate this to my readers numerous times through our studies together, that Women are like a secret weapon of Heaven. Arguably, women appear to be kept on the backside of the mountain, but their entrance is decisively powerful whenever GOD calls them forth to intervene on the stage of human destiny.

GOD has never watered down the role of women in scripture. The role of women has been critical to divine history, legacy and prophecy.

The information we are accustomed to reading right past, contains manna we need. But even if we aren’t there yet, and can’t see Deborah as a WORD carrying Prophetess who judged the people of Israel, and who was a spiritual and military leader, just remember this… Understanding will come. In the meantime…

Never go to battle, without the WORD.

Notation:

Spiritual Notation: tav is the 22nd Letter in the Hebrew Alephbet, The Last and Final Letter of the Hebrew Alephbet. “Esther is the last of 22 GODLY Women in Scripture who took decisive steps to heighten the spiritual level of the Jewish People”. Talmud, Yoma 29a. The WORD of GOD is connecting One Woman, One Matriarch for every letter in the aleph-bet.

God Bless You,

This teaching is dedicated to Adrian “The Tzaddik”… who knows that GOD’s plans for us are revealed to us by the spirit…and covets earnestly the best gifts… 1 Cor 12:10, 14).

Posts Included in This Series:

In order to access more teachings of this kind on the Hebrew Letters:

NOTE: There is NO WRONG WAY TO SPELL A HEBREW WORD IN ENGLISH. By that I mean, the process of transliteration requires that we use one of our English letters to represent the sound that a letter/word makes in Hebrew. Example: The Hebrew letter tav for instance, is equivalent to the sound that the letter ‘T’ makes in English.

Because we are using the English letters to substitute for the Hebrew letters as we transition from Hebrew to English, the goal is to convey the sound that the letters make. The primary goal is to reproduce the sound corectly.

For instance, stated another way, let’s say the word pony was a Hebrew word. If I wanted the English speaking world to say, ‘pony’ properly in Hebrew, I would attempt to reproduce the sound using English letters by spelling it out, ‘poe – knee’. In this way, the English speaking community would know how to best replicate the sound of the word ‘pony’ in Hebrew.

It is understood, that ‘poe-knee’ is not an English word, so it is not possible to spell it wrong in English. The object is to convey the proper pronunication.

As you continue learning a little Hebrew, remember this important point. You will see slightly differing spellings/transliterations of the words as you read and research further in your studies.

It is OK to Spell the Hebrew word using English letters, how ever you want to, as long as your goal is to duplicate the sound, it is fine. There are nuances in how we each will transmit the spelling, and that is alright. Our primary goal, is to ensure that you can say the word properly when speaking out loud!

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