The Bible Jesus Read

[Blood Bought 1953]

5 hours ago, SisterActs2 said:

Hi Neighbor

Thank you for this thread.  Wonderful.

I think this is spot-on Jayne.  I love the OT too.  I guess you have all heard that saying "The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed and the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.  My first ever pastor told me that.  Hallelujah!  It's half-way through Good Friday here, and we have heard and sung a wonderful church service praising our wonderful Lord.

 

I had heard that the New Testament was Infolded in the Old Testament......To read the Old Testament and actually see it for yourself is a real treat....... Neighber mentioned Zola Levitt—boy, do I miss that man—- he was a great teacher!

[Heleadethme]

3 hours ago, Justin Adams said:

I posted this in a couple places already. Might serve to post it here as well. Yeshua's scriptures were far more than we have today. This is born out by the apostles who also quoted from books that are 'verboten' by our modern RCC offshoot church's dictates and dogmas. We pretend we are reformed and protestant, but I see that we still carry the torch of the Roman Church.

Yahweh Created order. He created His representatives somewhat like Him. He gave them freedom within the powers that He also gave them. He has always wished for obedient followers - citizens if you like - rather than automatons or subjects. The animal kingdoms are largely programmed in their sphere of influences and do not have the same freedom that His intelligent, self aware creations do.
There is a strict hierarchy in all Yahweh's intelligent creations. There are angelic beings for His  council to assist Him in the running of the creative order and then His creation of human beings - "made just a little lower than the angels".
Yahweh was not surprised when disobedience occurred. His Persona in the form of Yeshua was not an afterthought. His work and miracles can be seen all down thru Genesis to Joshua and on for the rest of our scriptures. Yeshua can be seen in the various meetings and covenants made with early Israel. The fire passing between the animal halves, the exodus of Lot, the pillars of fire and smoke, the stopping of the Red sea waters and later, the the Jordan as the priests carried the ark part way so the Israelites could pass on dry ground. The sun and moon stood still at Joshua's request, water flowed out of a rock at Moses request. Manna and good health for the tribes as they wandered around for forty years. Hail was sent to aid Joshua and sometimes hornets were sent before the armies.
Yeshua was ever present in an almost day-to-day interaction with the early tribes of Israel as God sought to turn them from their tendency to go astray after other gods. The other gods  often represented real entities. These were either fallen angels that loved the worship of mankind, or the dismal failures of Yahweh's High Council. (see psalm 82). In the book of  Judges we see He had to contend with their back and forth kind of waywardness of a. The book of Judges describes people that are NOT the ones often erroneously assumed to be mentioned in psalm 82. 
Take a look at Gideon in Judges. It is quite clear that the Lord mentioned there is Yeshua. Gideon's account switches back and forth between his descriptions of Messenger, Angel and finally Lord (Yahweh). Gideon lays out a feast for Him and the Lord uses His staff to consume it with fire. Gideon builds an altar there to Yahweh. It is obviously The Most High God in His Human-like form that is present there with Gideon. The Lord's first task for Gideon is to destroy his father's idols. Yeshua is God after all, so He is seen many times in the scriptures such as in the furnace as a form described by the king as, "one like unto the son of man".
What modern christian tend to do is tone down spiritual entities and even some will  disallow the Holy Spirit's works today and are in danger of the unforgivable sin. That is, attributing Holy Spirit Power to the mere work of mankind's excesses, or worse, to the action of demons. Unfortunately, removing the study and understanding of the 'unseen real' as C.S. Lewis puts it, has hamstrung believers and is happily encouraged by our fallen enemies.
Yahweh chose for Himself a people since the ones in charge of the nations (gods or fallen council members) had fallen so far short of His desires. These entities had misled the nations and demanded worship for themselves. They are still under Yahweh's ultimate authority, but there is still a very real battle raging in the heavens. See Daniel to get an idea of an angelic conflict that rages between the good and the bad unearthly forces.
The OT shows us that some members of Yahweh's high council preferred disobedience and poor performance along with setting themselves up as gods. There are so many parallels in most early religious and pagan practices that speak to the worship of deities other than Yahweh. Take a look at Semiramis, Tammuz and Nimrod. 
These Archons (false deities) were a very real counterfeit and Yahweh despised them. Their followers sacrificed children and all kinds of terrible rituals to curry favor. This is why Yahweh was so adamant that the Israelis not do this kind of thing. The idols of wood and stone represented Yahweh's enemies. They are a real power and cause humanity untold suffering. As in the case of Job's suffering. Job also mentions that Yahweh distrusts His angelic host.
Miracles abound in the OT so it can be seen that the advent of Yeshua very adequately leads up to the events of the NT and a continuation of His feast days and days to remember. The seasons taught about in the OT are not winter, spring,summer and fall, but the seasons of the Most High God. These seasons are to be taken vary seriously since they foretell the future as well. Such are many of the laws and most importantly the law written by the hand of God. Yeshua. This is reinforced by the meeting on the mount of the transfiguration. Yeshua had met Moses before. The seasonal Feast Days are of pivotal importance.
Yeshua (Yahweh is Salvation) can to set to rights the three issues: 1) angelic disobedience and the perversion of all creation; 2) regather the peoples that had to be scattered at Babel; 2) the redemption and salvation of mankind in order to elevate their status to be sons of the Father as the Bride of the Son.
This has been going on for a long time, but not as long as evolutionists would like you to believe. It is a plan with various opportunities and variances depending on the actions of the Lord's freedom loving nature. It is foolish to think that all is set in stone since that would abrogate Yahweh's intent of a free creation. That he overcomes in the end is a very sure thing, but how He will finally bring it to a close is hinted at strongly within certain parameters, but by no means certain as to the time of their occurrences.
Remember this: "if the Archons had really known what Yeshua's plan was, they never would have killed the King of Glory". (this is a paraphrase of what Saul (Paul) wrote). That is why the OT prophesies were a little shrouded and also why much of future prophesy is likewise hard to determine exactly. Yahweh's masterful planning will not be readily telegraphed to His enemies. That is why we TRUST in Him and not in the doctrines and the dogmas of men.
However, the Lord has something in His top pocket He is just waiting to show us all. 
One day He will pluck it out and present us with His New Jerusalem - just as He has planned from the very beginning. His enemies will be confounded and done away with. Then He will walk amongst His Beloved People.
I do not have any credentials, just a life of experience. If we read the OT and look down our noses at the Israelites, let me remind us of our 'going after foreign gods' and generally we are often prone to being victims of our foolish pride. Ask yourself: why all the denominations? They cannot all be correct can they? What about flat-earthers? A burgeoning belief.

Now we approach Ishtar. Renamed Easter by the RCC. (read about Semiramis). 
March 31st is Passover this year, 2018.

These Passover events are sadly misrepresented in some churches that still hold to Roman doctrine.
Passover in 30 0r 31 AD was Wednesday Nisan 14. [depends if the day inclusive calendar is used]
Yeshua ate the Passover that eve and later before dawn came he was taken to be crucified.
He died about 3 pm the same day and just before sundown was laid in the tomb.
Then the Feast of Unleavened bread continued with its Sabbath.
On the third evening after being laid in the tomb, on the 7 th day of the week (the weekly Sabbath), Yeshua arose. It was exactly 72 hours since He was laid there.
On the first day of the week at break of day, Mary arrived at the tomb with spices to find it empty. Yeshua rose on the weekly Sabbath. God's Eternally Proclaimed Sabbath.

Agree Justin......we tend to ignore the powers and principalities, especially here in the west, having our heads in the sand and more concerned with earthly things........when in fact that is what Jesus came to do:  destroy the works of the devil.   That is what the battle is all about really, angels have their larger part and we have our little part here on earth.  Jesus went around healing all who were oppressed by the devil.....loosing the captives....we just don't do that nearly enough.  And learning to take authority over them in prayer, authority that He delegates to us, so to speak......"through us" would be more precise.

Amen, Yeshua is still Lord over His creation.....over demons, powers.......and miracles also involving water and rocks, sun and moon, etc.

You make a very good point about the danger of blaspheming the Holy Spirit......since all power in the universe is His, ultimately.  We just need to be careful how we talk about those things, especially where there is mixture I believe...part holy and part not.  As well as not speaking evil of dignities.....whose gifts and calling are without repentance even though they have rebelled....this is why the Lord suffers Satan to approach His throne and make requests (Job, Peter), which He answers according to the counsel of His will.  We just need to be careful and humble about these things.

We celebrate Passover every time we have communion......the bread and wine.....no lamb needed now, as the Lamb of God was slain once for all.

There is wisdom to be mined from your post brother, thank you.

[Alex2165]

You are absolutely right Neighbor in your assessment.

There will be no New Testament without the Old Testament. Actually English names of the two major parts of the Bible are not correct. There are no “Testaments” but are Covenants, Old and New Covenant.

In the Old Testament very often was mentioned a certain “New Covenant” which is the Covenant of Jesus Christ, and between two practically no any difference.

And the New Testament also called in the Old Testament as GOOD NEWS, which if translated from Greek means GOSPEL.

(Isaiah 40.9, 41.27, 42.6, 49.8, 52.7, 54.10, 60.6, 61.1) (Jeremiah 31.31-34, 32.37-41) (Ezekiel 16.59-60.62) (Nahum 1.15) (Malachi 3.1) (Matthew 26.27-28) (Luke 1.19, 2.10, 4.18) (Acts 8.12, 13.32) (Hebrews 4.2.6, 8.6-13)

When Jesus teach people, every His statement directly or indirectly related to the Old Testament. He Himself came from the Old Testament, and has been mentioned in it a number of times.

(Genesis 22.11-12, 31.11-13) (Exodus 23.20-23, 32.34, 33.2) (Numbers 20.16) (Judges 2.1-3, 6.12-16, 13.19-20) (Daniel 3.24-25.28) (Acts 27.23-24)

The Old Testament can be considered as the high school for humanity, to learn the very basics about GOD and of the life in spirituality and holiness before Him. For this reason beside Spiritual Instruction of the 10 Commandments and the rest, the physical ritual ceremonial customs have been introduced as well in order to keep people of GOD spiritually and physically fit, holy and clean. “Be holy because  am I Holy, I am the Lord.”

GOD resided among people of Israel and required certain level of holiness so He can abide in the midst in close proximity to them. His Charges, Commandments, and Instruction concerning everything He ever gave to Israelites designed to keep entire nation on the level of holiness acceptable to Him.

When Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself as a Guilt Offering for the sins of humanity (Isaiah 53.10) (Romans 8.3) (Ephesians 5.2) (1John 4.10), He fulfilled entire Law of the Old Testament, its rituals and its Spiritual part in full.

Matthew 5.17-19

17."Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets. I have come not abolish but fulfill.

 18.Truly I say to you, until heaven and Earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law until all is accomplished.”

So the New Covenant (New Testament) of Jesus Christ became as the college for humanity of the Earth, because it introduced much more refined Spirituality based on the Spiritual Commandments of the Old Covenant (Old Testament).

Because Jesus already sacrificed Himself fulfilling the entire Law, the rituals of animals’ sacrifices and the rest of the physical customs no longer valid and needed, all of it came to pass.

Above all, the Temple will be destroyed shortly after Jesus’ sacrifice, about 40 years later, and all physical ritual will be firmly absolute.

Concerning Gentiles, they are always been on the top of the GOD’S concern. Every word mentioned aliens and foreigners usually referred to Gentiles who passing by or who settle in Israel, and according to the Law they shall be treated as native citizen of Israel, with all respect and the humanity.

Leviticus 19.18.34

18."You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

 34.The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you, you shall love the alien as yourself, you were aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your GOD."

 (Verses 18 and 34. Love your neighbor, alien, stranger, and love one another: (Leviticus 19.18.34) (Deuteronomy 10.19) (Proverbs 25..21-22) (Matthew 5.43-44, 19.19, 22.39) (Mark 12.31.33) (Luke 10.27-28) (John 13.34, 15.12-13) (Romans 13.9-10) (Galatians 5.14) (James 2.8) (1John 3.10-11, 4.7-8.11.21) (2John 1.5)

GOD treats Gentiles as a “younger son” to His older first-born son Israel, and He does teach and punish both without any prejudice.

Exodus 4.22-23

22."Then you shall say to pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord. Israel is my first-born son.

23.I said to you, let My son (people of Israel) go that he (Israel) may worship Me. But if you refuse to let him (Israel) go, I will kill your first born son."

So the point is, that without knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament it is impossible to understand the New Testament. And you pointed correctly that Christians have lock of knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament because they rejected it as obsolete, and because of it they are constantly stumble even on the simplest passages and statements of the New Testament.

Who reads the book starting from its middle? And who prefer watch the move from its end? And who writes his own biography starting from the old age? Be surprise! Christians do this!

The New Testament is the extension of the Old, and the Old Testament is the beginning of the New Testament, it is one continues line of the history of human kind and everything what related to GOD. Separating these two Testaments it just like torn the Book in two, very foolish action on the part of the Christianity.

Reading the New Testament and ignoring the Old, will eventually lead, literally, to the Dead End.

 

[SisterActs2]

14 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

 Neighber mentioned Zola Levitt—boy, do I miss that man—- he was a great teacher!

Hi Blood Bought 1953

I have heard of Zola Levitt, but have never seen his teaching.  I will look him up.  Thank you.

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

Sister act.......His show still runs in many areas and there is still a monthly newsletter you can get on- line.There is a place at that site where you can view some of his older, classic teachings.I think you will enjoy them.The television show is not near what it used to be,  but is still of some value.God bless you!https://www.levitt.tv/media/series/VTM......” go tell it on the mountain”. Check it out first in the video section of the newsletter

[Justin Adams]

Good thoughts thanks.

I refer to a man that said the following:

"It is no good reading the back of the book if you ignore the front."

It is a pity we even delineate the books we have and ignore much else that Yeshua and the apostles read.
We have a very ancient 'canon' concocted by a bunch of fearful guys that were quite used to burning heretics and those that did no tow the party line. They even used horrible torture instrument that would make a normal person sick to see - and this was for actually just owning a set of scriptures.

I am afraid we have allowed HaSatan to keep us in the dark ages regarding scripture - keeping us in that fearful RCC mind-set of ascribing demonic power to scriptures the Coptic Church holds as canon. Why some of the church really believes that you can only be a 'Christian' if you follow only the 66 books is reprehensible.

So to answer the OP again: we would be shocked to really find out what scriptures Yeshua read as truth.

[Heleadethme]

The New Testament does teach us how to approach the Old Testament......because Jesus is the Key of David who unlocks the word, just as David saw through the Law to the Lord of it, the Spirit of the Law......this Jesus who speaks to us in parables.  It's not that it's a competition between the two.......but remember that Jesus did come to show us a more excellent way than the Law - in terms of how it was originally kept -  so that now we serve in the new way of the spirit rather than the old way of the letter......that is a vital difference between the old and new covenants.  We approach the old testament differently now.....not that we are to throw it out, no, but that we must approach it in the new way.

[Neighbor]

 Thanks  all for the thoughts to date.

As I envision  or try to put flesh on the bones of the Bible. I see my Lord the creator of the Bible reading it, teaching it, referencing it, and adding his "commentary" and stepping up the requirements of it,plus sharing with some and  refusing to share with others, all for the purpose of fulfilling it's reveal of Him to  blind, unbelieving and unsaved world.

Jesus when responding and teaching and even rebuking the orthodox leadership ( of Israel) referred to Moses their prophet declaring to them that if they believed Moses they they would honor him ( Jesus) too. See John 5:46, and even there one will be better served to look at the fuller immediate context of John 5:30-46.

Jesus  it seems did not consider the old testament as simply symbolic for he lived what had been written as factual guides, literal guides for walking with God. He declared as did Jonah so will he. And he quoted Noah, And he declared the pictures of the kingdom to come, as is found throughout the old Prophets declarations, repeating the those prophetic scriptures.

In trying to keep my own posts short as well as in my own appreciation of the posts of others, may I encourage more  of the thoughts of others on the opening  post?  

(If there are discussions or great differences among us as we go, perhaps we each may take our  own differences or questions of one another's approach  and or precept and premise to  new threads leaving this one more for the opening up of how and if we might include the OT in our sharing of our Lord 's good news.. and if not, hey have at it. I'll try to abstain  here and go to another starting or joining separate threads for any contrary  presentation that I might see as interesting, or contrary, to what  I  presently understand and therefore likely beneficial to me for my own fuller consideration.)

[OldCoot]

How should be view the Tanakh, or OT?  

Acts 17:10-11 (NKJV) Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

All the Bereans had was the OT to check out to see if what Paul taught them was true. And they were commended for doing so.  That illustrates that virtually everything in the NT can be found in the OT.  I actually see the NT as merely the condensed version, with the OT being the expanded version.  The basis of every theological construct in scripture has it's foundation in the OT. 

The Torah (Law) requires that for anything to be established, it requires the testimony of a minimum of two witnesses.  We have those.. the NT and the OT.  For any doctrine to be established, it must be supported in both the OT and the NT.  Both of these must "testify" that a particular doctrine is true.   Following the Torah mandate would resolve so many theological positions that take up so much time and a debate.

[Willa]

The OT is great, but too many people get discouraged trying to pronounce names such as in genealogy or borders of the Promised Land.  So I still direct people to a few NT books to start reading.  Thankfully, my first Bible was simply a New Testament.  My reading disabilities would have sunk me had I started in the OT.