And it happened as the sun was setting and a deep sleep fell on Abram, and behold, a terror of great darkness falling on him Genesis 15:12 Deep Sleep – One of the principles of Hebraic interpretation is connecting thoughts based on similar words. When a word appears only a few times in Scripture, the…
“And I also have heard the groanings of the sons of Israel, whom the Egyptians are enslaving. And I have remembered My covenant.” Exodus 6:5 Remembered – What did God remember? You’ll answer, “The covenant with Abraham, of course.” You’re right, but do you realize just what this implies? What is unique about the covenant…
And Bo’az took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and YHWH granted her conception, and she bore a son. Ruth 4:13 Granted – Why is the book of Ruth even in the Tanakh? It’s about a Gentile woman. It’s filled with extraordinary, and perhaps scandalous, behavior. It seems like…
. . . remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12 Covenants Of Promise – “Come back to Me,” says the Lord. The Hebrew verb, shuv, is used more…
“Let YHWH judge between me and you.” Genesis 16:5 Judge – “What consumes the word of covenant.” How can this imagery be true of the Hebrew word shaphat (Shin-Pey-Tau)? This word picture must be wrong. Isn’t judging about restoration? Didn’t we just learn that mishpat (from shaphat) is intended to bring reconciliation? Stop. Think about…
Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. Psalm 16:1 (English text) Take Refuge – Do you really want God to give you shelter? Guess what? Unless you are Jonah, you will have to do something in order for that to happen. David doesn’t cry out and then sit around waiting for God…
“keep them in Your name; those you gave to Me, that they may be one as We are.” John 17:11 Keep – If you listened to Jesus praying in the Garden, you would have heard some very familiar words. In this verse, that familiarity could only remind you of one thing – Deuteronomy. “Keep” is…
In that day, YHWH made a covenant with Abram Genesis 15:18 Made – Today you need an attorney, but in ancient Semitic cultures, contracts between two parties were signed, sealed and delivered with sacrifice. God tells Abram (later Abraham) that He wants a contract between them. This valid contract obligates two parties to certain actions. …
remember that you were at one time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, Ephesians 2:12 Strangers – Once you and I were a strangers to God. Oh, God knew us, all right. He wasn’t a stranger…
The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Deuteronomy 5:2 Covenant – God is a God of promises kept. That’s why you can trust Him. He is not like men who give their word and then don’t do it. When God speaks, He commits His character. He never lies and He never…
