I
promised to give you a powerful example of the Hebrew teachings of Jesus and
the Hebrew texts he interpreted. Keep in mind that this is a wisdom text, not a
religious text. It is not about the afterlife. It contains instructions for
living the best lives possible on earth. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/6397f863d28d/creating-loving-kindness-loyalty-and-mercy-on-earth
What
is the relation of the individual to society? A denomination is a religious
society. It has a Statement of Faith or Creed, which reflects the identifying
beliefs of the members. Those beliefs are backed by institutional authority which
elevates many of them to the status of institutional truths -- many of which
are set in stone and unchangeable. What happens when a member challenges an
institutional truth? Continue reading at – https://mailchi.mp/b71438f9e779/ancient-wisdom-values-for-living-today
200
Christian denomination institutions in America and 45,000 Christian
institutions globally exists today. It is very clear that Christianity is not
one giant religion. It is an umbrella term that identifies independent
religions which have a variety of “institutional truths.” But Luther was not
the primary driver of what ultimately happened. 460 miles from Luther, Nicolaus
Copernicus was living in Frombork, Poland. He was making astronomical
observations. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/cfdbadac08b9/discovering-and-presenting-the-best-available-evidence
Christianity
is “an umbrella term” that is used by many independent groups. Christianity is
a monotheistic religion – one God is the source of truth.
Are the truths of all Christian denominations and churches the same truths? Rabbinic
Judaism and Islam are also monotheistic religions. Where do beliefs and facts
fit in religions? Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/1a013be52078/truths-beliefs-facts-and-biology
We
all know what happened in Genesis 3:1-6. The serpent spoke twice, the woman
spoke twice, and the man did not say or do anything! Then she thought about the
forbidden fruit, took a fruit from the tree, took a bite, handed it to the man,
and he ate it! But most Bible readers do not know what happened at the end of
the story. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/b751a359fffa/the-correct-story-of-two-humans-vs-one-serpent
In
the First Story in Genesis Elohim created the ADAM in His image and then He
immediately made the ADAM a male and a female. In the Second Story Yahweh
Elohim formed the ADAM, and 16 later, He made a female and a male. For 16
verses an “undivided ADAM” existed. See what happened during
those 16 verses. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/5b389b73756f/what-is-yahweh-elohim-trying-to-communicate-to-us
In
previous emails I discussed the two dominant power structures in the ancient
world. You probably don’t realize it, but these models were hot discussions in
corporate board rooms in the late 1990s. Some radical entrepreneurs had been
experimenting with them and one was generating unbelievable profits far beyond
the other model. Before
I will be able to discuss the power structure of Yahweh Elohim, you must
understand important differences between Elohim and Yahweh Elohim – the First
ADAM and the Second ADAM. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/9e42142fc586/yahweh-elohim-and-the-undivided-adam
Kings of the Assyrians, Egyptians, and
Babylonians took what wanted from their enemies and then destroyed them and burned
things to the ground. Persian kings had the people they conquered bring tributes
to them. Elohim is the king of His kingdom. What does he want members of it to
bring Him? Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/41f38735a8dc/bringing-elohim-our-shalom
The
day began with messages saying Iran will attack Israel today. One message said,
“Three additional aircraft squadrons - F-15E, F-16, and A-10 - are arriving in
the region with one squadron having already arrived.” Speculation about the intensity
of the attack was circulating. Then I received this message – “Hundreds of
missiles are in the air heading towards Israel. I turned on news channels and my
wife started checking on friends in Israel. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/87b0e717ae7c/seeing-the-alliance-of-elohim-and-the-covenant-of-noah-today
The
scribes of Jerusalem were taken as captives to Babylon, but they became part of
the most complex networks of temples, gods, and scribes, as well as part of one
of the most powerful empires in the history of humankind. The scribes from
Jerusalem brought their divine mysterious scribal arts with them and sent the
Wisdom of their Elohim back to the new Temple in Jerusalem. Continue reading at
- https://mailchi.mp/1cfe17222a11/seeing-what-is-beautiful-and-pleasing-to-the-creator
Exploring
the Bible and Biblical Heritages emerged from my second career, which began when
I was ordained as a minister. My first career was banking and finance. As you
probably have noticed, the world seems to have suddenly gone crazy and is
becoming a more dangerous place. I worry a lot about my grandkids. I want them
to understand the dangers of financial panics, changes in currencies, splits in
churches, political issues related to Israel – and living without strong
relationships between family members. I think I have finally found a way.
Continue reading at – https://mailchi.mp/ac0b683365d5/common-ground-that-my-ancestors-and-grandkids-share
The
silence and complicity of the Christian hierarchy, both Catholic and
Protestant, during the Holocaust, and the complicity of millions of Christian
bystanders and perpetrators, is a vexing issue. I probably have over 25 books
about the Holocaust in my library in which Christians are often
categorized as Perpetrators or Bystanders. But David
A. Rausch’s book, A Legacy of Hatred: Why Christians Must Not Forget the
Holocaust, describes another group that must also be remembered. Continue
reading at - https://mailchi.mp/ed3cc0a6bcd2/the-righteous-of-the-nations
The
members of the Yeshua Kingdom of Elohim movement understood the Alliance they
have with Elohim the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. They had been
taught by Yeshua how to be Elohim’s Co-Representatives and Shepherds to their
fellow human beings. As long as the society we live in is running
smoothly and people have their basic needs met, “believing” seems to be
popular. But, today, we are facing cascading waves of intense and unexpected
political, economic, and religious conflicts. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/68c850f2269a/the-political-importance-of-understanding-the-original-yeshua-movement
The
sixth day corresponds with the third day. On the third day the Dry Land brought
forth vegetation and fruit trees. On the sixth day the Dry Land brought forth living
souls for creatures with appetites, longings, and desires linked to those things.
Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/aee65483a38b/day-six-large-small-and-wild-animals-with-souls
In the ancient world the cosmic seas were populated with large
water creatures. There are many stories about them in other ancient cultures. Whether
antithesis or enemy, they were viewed as threats to order, because they operated
against the ordered system. They were aggressive participants in cosmic wars. But
in this story things are very different. Continue to read at - https://mailchi.mp/663ef2f08c13/day-five-the-creation-of-water-and-flying-creatures-with-a-soul
In
the power structures that had dominated Near Middle Eastern societies for
thousands of years, the lights in the skies were viewed as the gods and goddesses.
They controlled every aspect of human lives and the world around them. Humans
only existed to serve gods! But suddenly Elohim changed all of that! Continue
reading at - https://mailchi.mp/2632267df5ca/day-four-the-emergence-of-a-new-power-model
There
is a huge “shoreless body of water” called the Deep.
We know It has a “top” because of references to the surface. We
don’t know how much space there is on each side. The solid plate is located beneath
the surface, and there are waters beneath it, which “have been separated from
the Deep waters.” In the ancient Hebrew culture, “setting
something apart for a divine purpose,” means it is “holy.”
Continue at -
https://mailchi.mp/431667384264/day-three-holy-space-water-and-food
“In the beginning Elohim created the Skies and the Dry Land” is the title of this story. The title also reveals the main character and tells us what to expect. “God” is an “umbrella term” that is used to refer to a wide variety of divine entities. It is essential for Bible readers to use the transliterations of the words that appears in the ancient Hebrew or Greek manuscripts, instead of “God.” Just doing this one thing will increase your accuracy of understanding of the ancient messages exponentially! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/7f0f4c02994c/the-first-day-of-the-creation
This
is like hearing “fingernails scratching on a blackboard” to me (older people
will understand this) – “good works do not save people.” Do
bad works save people? Do no works save people? Did Elohim stop caring how
people treat each other? The answer is found in the Torah, the
teachings of Yeshua (the Jesus of history in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
the Book of Acts), and the Declaration of Independence. Continue
reading at - https://mailchi.mp/a6be8085e886/should-people-do-good-works
“And
God made two great lights; the great light to rule the Day and the lesser light
to rule the Night; and the stars.” The words from Genesis meant “the sun, moon,
and stars” to me. When the members of many ancient societies looked up at the skies,
they saw gods and goddesses. I can’t imagine what life in that reality would be
like. What do you think their reaction would be to a sky without gods and
goddesses? Continue reading at – https://mailchi.mp/67cc25c2114e/when-elohim-replaced-the-gods-of-the-nations
I
want to remind readers with Christian Biblical Heritages that the translation
you are reading is much closer to what Jesus read, interpreted, and taught his
disciples. This will help you understand his message and movement much better.
This email contains the story of Day 2 and Day of the Creation Story in Genesis
1. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/9aff7827cdbb/the-story-elohim-part-2
I will share
the entire Biblical Heritage Center translation of the First
Story Genesis in my next few emails. We believe it reveals ancient
wisdom that was lost for a very long time – “Elohim’s path of Shalom.”
Billions of people around the world are linked together through the Bible and
are familiar with this story. However, for many centuries it has unknowingly
been taught in ways that have not produced Shalom. “In the beginning Elohim
created the Skies and Dry Land.” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/fde3449792fb/the-story-of-elohim-part-1
In my previous email I explained how archaeology and scholars paved the way for the “Alliance of Elohim and all humans” to be discovered in the first story in Genesis. But, long before we knew those things, we knew something very important was embedded in that story, because we learned it from Jesus! Continue reading at – https://mailchi.mp/c00cc07cfa7c/the-creator-presents-his-wisdom-to-humankind?
The Israelites were steeped in an oral culture and
their world was one without books. To the ancient public at large, the body of
knowledge contained in the Torah scroll was accessible only through the oral
instruction presented by scribes. The text of the Hebrew Bible was not part of
the popular culture. Scribes wrote for scribes and only for scribes. The
thought of an untrained person reading those words silently and alone would
have seemed like blasphemy to the ancient scribes. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/fb3dd3bb3a77/a-temple-and-kingdom-large-enough-for-all-people
Today,
I want to tell you more about the groups in the events related to the Torah
Scroll, the three Gospels of Yeshua (Jesus), and the Declaration of
Independence of the United States. Then I want to apply that information to what
we are facing in America now. The groups in the events above all shared a
common challenge – surviving traumatic events, losing their institutions, and creating
new institutions for their God and their government. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/063e01351423/another-option-for-solving-americas-problems-today
The discovery of Babylonian, Egyptian, and
Persian writings reveal why similar words and stories appear in the Torah
scroll. The Torah is written in a way that made it easy for the Israelites to
compare their legal collections and wisdom to the tablets of other people. And
when they were compared, it was easy to distinguish the Israelite way of
thinking from the nations around them – and the differences between Yahweh and
their gods! Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/8d16cab1d123/the-hidden-wisdom-of-the-torah-and-much-more
Our
Linguistic Model revealed numerous links in the Torah to the
writings of the ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, and Persians. The Torah contains
the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Why are
links to these writings in the Torah? Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/56b079a89ace/the-missing-piece-of-the-torah-puzzle
Over
the past months I have written about the original Jesus being a master teacher
and interpreter of the Torah and the Prophets
(sections of the Hebrew scriptures). Only people who have studied the ancient
scribes will be able to fully grasp the meaning of the previous sentence. In
Matthew 25, Jesus revealed the Kingdom of Elohim (Genesis 1). Soon after the
destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the information needed to understand the
words of Matthew 25 was lost. It wasn’t discovered again until very recently.
Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/d2d4c82a4836/rediscovering-the-lost-wisdom-of-jesus
The
first story in Genesis revealed that humans are created in the image of an entity
that is unlike them, and compared with all else, is incomprehensible. (You
should read that sentence again a few times.) And Elohim made humans His
representatives over all life on Earth. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/000e2232b4e1/experiencing-life-through-the-words-of-genesis
This
article is about the paradox in the title. A paradox is “a logically
self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's
expectation.” “And Elohim created the ADAM in His own image; in
the image of ELOHIM He created him; male and female He created them.” The
contradictory terms are Elohim and ADAM. Continue
reading at - http://mailchi.mp/f7b93c4566bb/the-great-paradox-the-key-to-discovering-the-bibles-ancient-wisdom
A
family structure begins when the male and female choose to remain connected to
each other in order to raise their offspring. The urge to have a family is also
an instinct -- a very distinct drive that has little to do with sex. The
element of permanence, which remains even when the partners are no longer
occupied with sex or with raising offspring, is one mark of the family. Families
are the building blocks of our society. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/daff036b775b/family-and-the-alliance-of-elohim
The ancient scribes placed this word first for
a specific reason. It signals that this is “the head of the story.” They
highlighted the importance of understanding the “order of things” in this
story. In today’s confused and polarized political environment, I will call
“the Family” in this story an “Organic Family.” “Organic” means this is a
family with two humans who have the reproductive functions to create a new
human life. “The problem is that “we are HUMANS!!! An entire nation of humans cooperating? What are the odds?” Continue
reading at – https://mailchi.mp/5221a96ef46c/the-order-of-the-creation-organic-families-and-our-sacred-inheritances?
The
Torah
(first five books of Christian Old Testament) is a very unique document. It was
assembled, copied, and read to the public by a group of scribes who were some
of the greatest scholars in the history of writing. Most of those involved in
the making of the Torah left neither a name nor biography. We do not know them individually. We can
identify their scribal milieu as that of the scribal elite, and it is that
milieu that holds the key to the origins of the Torah. Ike, Jeffrey, and I wrestled with the challenge of dealing
with a Source (author) that was a group, not an individual. Our research made
it clear that “scribes wrote for scribes and only scribes.” Continue
reading at - http://mailchi.mp/c744cdecf6d5/discovering-the-secrets-of-the-ancient-scribes
People
have been disagreeing about things that are found in their Bible for many
centuries. So, I will begin with something every person I have ever taught
agrees on: Every Bible is a book filled with words. Before we can
accurately discuss anything that we disagree about, we must know how words
work. I will teach you how to use BHC Linguistic Models to help you work with
the words in our Bibles. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/13631f91d368/knowing-how-words-work-reveals-lost-meanings-of-key-words
The
Alliance with the Creator in Genesis revealed that humans are meant to join the
Creator as partners in creation, doing our part on earth to confer dignity and
caring on others and alleviate human suffering. This is a “core Jewish value
today.” It is one of the reasons that the Creator created humans. This was not
a religious belief, because Jesus did not teach “religious beliefs.” The original
Jesus taught that what you do is more important than what you believe. Continue
at - http://mailchi.mp/628b84205aaa/wrestling-with-life-to-perfect-ourselves
In the world in which Jesus lived and taught,
everyone had a vocabulary of words linked to kings and kingdoms. Therefore,
when Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Elohim is here;” members of his Jewish
audiences understood what that meant. There were no democracies. Kings issued
decrees and expected people to obey them. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/12bc468f1a18/great-day-of-judgment-or-death-be-prepared
The answer Jesus gave was very clear: “Unless your tzedaqah
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the
Kingdom of Elohim.” Those who enter “The Kingdom of Elohim”
will be the ones that “enter eternal life.” Chances are very good that you have
never heard or been taught this before. This is the only answer that Yeshua,
the original Jesus taught his students. He repeated this many times in his
teachings. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/c78cbf5d5a4c/the-only-requirement-for-membership-in-the-original-jesus-movement
A
well-known fact is Jews and Christians have sacred scriptures that contain the
same books – Tanakh and Old Testament. However, a
point that doesn’t usually get discussed is that they interpret characters
in their shared books through words of other books. In addition to
this, interactions between Jews and Christians also affect the ways they both
view Abraham. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/bb1d0927cd6a/exploring-three-views-abraham
The
week before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, thousands of Christians and
groups of other Jews had travelled to Jerusalem all expecting an apocalyptic
event. Hamas had been planning for years to make their apocalyptic event a
reality. They are the world’s three monotheistic religions – Jews,
Christians, and Muslims. They have something very
important in common – they have all reinterpreted the Story of Abraham. For
all its chaotics, the history of Abraham as a cultural figure over the last
four thousand years because Christians, Jews, and Muslims have been retelling
their unique interpretations. Continue reading - http://mailchi.mp/7be4ff1d4285/exploring-the-oldest-abraham-stories-and-their-evolving-interpretations
Jesus
clearly revealed the foundational requirements for being a member of his original
Movement. They are found in his interpretations of Deuteronomy 6, Leviticus 19,
and Isaiah 58. His interpretation of Isaiah 58 reveals a link to “life after
death.” However, as far as I know, no
Christian denomination, church, or group teaches those requirements. Continue
reading at - http://mailchi.mp/6e97239f0ae7/the-message-of-the-original-jesus
A
basic awareness of the Hebrew alphabet is essential for an accurate
understanding the teachings of Jesus. It also proves that Jesus was speaking in
Hebrew to people who understood Hebrew. The linguistic evidence to support this
position add up as we explore other teachings of Jesus. However, Hebrew idioms
are nightmares for English translators. Think about an ancient Hebrew trying to
figure out the meaning of this American idiom - If that happens, I will eat
my hat. Continue reading at – http://mailchi.mp/0ffaf530d3f3/do-you-have-a-good-eye-or-evil-eye
“On these two commandments hang all the Torah and
the Prophets.” What did
“hang” mean to his ancient Jewish audience? In order to
understand this, we need to know how the ancient scribes wrote Hebrew words on
the scrolls. After they prepared the material to be written on, they drew
lines. You can see the lines on the picture. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/c75ae987bb34/love-is-the-foundation-of-the-torah
“Hear,
O Israel: Yahweh (is) our Elohim (God). Yahweh (is) one! You shall love Yahweh your
Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” The
context began with the words, “Hear, O Israel,” which means, “Listen
up and obey!” This is followed by a
clear declaration of who the Elohim (God) of Israel is – It is Yahweh!
Next is the command, “You shall love!” I have two questions for you,
now. 1. Is love a concrete action or an abstract notion?
2. Do you do love or do you feel love?
Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/2dc65388a9f0/love-your-god-concrete-actions-or-abstract-notions
The
other night I was working on a translation of the parable of Jesus about
“destroying the Torah.” A CNN Breaking News announcement caught my attention.
Students on university campuses were shouting “death to Israel,”
“applauding what Hamas did to the Israeli citizens,” and shouting
“death to America.” What I was seeing made absolutely no sense!
Were they “crazy”? Or could their brains have been hacked? Continue reading at
- http://mailchi.mp/5117490d648d/concrete-actions-or-abstract-notions
For I say unto you, that unless your
righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall
in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. This English translation
completely fails to reveal the words that the original Jesus spoke to his
disciples. What does
Elohim, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth value the most? Continue
reading at - http://mailchi.mp/0e2a40489036/pursuing-opportunities-to-demonstratetheir-loyalty-and-faithfulness
People have been arguing about who
Jesus was, what he believed, what he taught, or even if he ever existed, since
24 CE (AD). So, the minute you saw the word “Jesus” your brain connected what
you believe about “Jesus” (your bundles of associations). If you haven’t read
articles I have written about Jesus (Yeshua), I know that you will not
accurately understand this article. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/f2a2d5f85ba2/correcting-the-translation-of-one-word-can-make-a-big-difference
The
cultures of the Arabs, Phoenicians, Aramaeans, Babylonians, and Assyrians
shared the following. An ordered cosmos focused on the world of the gods.
Organization had been brought to the divine realm through the birth of
deities and assignment of roles in the ordered world. The gods lived
in society with hierarchical structures. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/1ef2195389c2/this-is-what-makes-the-hebrew-culture-different
Now
I am going to focus on “the bundles of associations” connected to the words in
the Bible. A key skill in working with words is anchoring them to specific
times and places. (1) None of the Bible was originally addressed to you. None
of us was involved in the original communication events as either senders or
receivers. We are, in a sense, third-party intruders and suffer from
third-party perspectives. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/e81db8972012/increasing-your-accuracy-in-reading-the-bible-part-1
