Archive for February, 2009

Ready to Print!

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

A Commentary on Marriage in the Bible, Volume I: the Torah is ready to go to print. This book has been more than ten years in the making. Self-promotion has never been one of my strong points, so please forgive the apparent lack of enthusiasm. I really have been looking forward to this for a very long time!

Here is a draft of the reverse cover blurb:

A Commentary on Marriage in the Bible is a multi-volume work analyzing the treatment of marriage and family in the Bible. It begins with Genesis 1:1 and progresses to Revelation 22:21, picking out nearly every pertinent verse along the way. It is the result of a layman’s research project that has spanned more than ten years so far, as well as countless hours of study and prayer. Although, the author has attempted to set aside bias, whether religious, cultural, or merely personal, in order to convey accurately what the prophets of God actually recorded and what their words mean for us today, his Messianic Jewish theology and devout evangelical Christian upbringing, has infused this work with a unique perspective. The contents are controversial, and every single reader is certain to find something on which to disagree vehemently. Conversely, readers of every theological persuasion, Jewish, Christian, or other, are also certain to find much of value as they read with an open mind and heart.

Volume I comments on the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, and provides an essential foundation to the information in later volumes.

Read the Introduction.

Posted in Books, Marriage, Theology | 2 Comments »

T’ruma 5769 – A Balanced Spirit

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

Exodus 25:35-36
…one beaten work of pure gold. The six side branches of the Menorah were assembled in sets of two, one on the left and one on the right. The pairs of branches were made out of a single piece of gold with a ring in the center connecting it to the stem. Each pair represents a pair of inextricably linked character traits (See verse 32.), and each side balances the other. The fear of God is balanced against knowledge of God’s promises and love. Understanding of God’s creation is balanced against wisdom in its proper use. Strength is moderated by good council. These spirits only engender a right relationship with God if they are in proper union and order. If strength is not complemented by council, then they separately beget tyranny and manipulation. If worldly understanding is not united with wisdom, then they separately beget pride and foolishness. If fear is not united with knowledge, then they separately beget legalism and licentiousness.

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Posted in Keeping Torah, Parsha 19 - T'ruma, Theology, Torah | Comments Off

USB Drives Spontaneously Disconnect

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

If you try to transfer a large amount of data to a usb device and the device keeps spontaneously disconnecting or if your iPod/iPhone errors out while syncing (Attempting to copy to the disk “YOURDEVICENAME” failed. The disk could not be read from or written to.”), there are two probable solutions:

  1. In Device Manager, open the properties for the USB Root Hub. Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” on the Power Management tab.
  2. Switch the device to a USB 2.0 port. Older USB ports are too slow to handle the transfer rates required for gigabytes of data. If your computer is like mine and doesn’t have any 2.0 ports, you can install a PCI to USB card. They’re cheap (<$10) and well worth it for the extra speed and reliability.

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Monte Judah Audio Files

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

In case I haven’t mentioned it before, Monte Judah has some interesting audio files available for free on his web site at http://lionlamb.net. Listen here. RealPlayer required.

Posted in Keeping Torah, Messianica, Theology, Torah | Comments Off

Messianic Music

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

99% of the Messianic music on the market is only on the market because there’s nothing else. Sugarcane and cellophane or worse. Some of it is very worshipful and I’m sure God loves to hear it. He can probably stomach just about anything if it’s done appropriately and with a right heart. Unfortunately, my tastes are a little more dependent on the quality and genre than are God’s. There are a few very talented individuals out there (e.g. Marty Goetz, Jonathan Settel, Ted Pearce, and Sue Samuel), but they aren’t producing anything I’d listen to on a regular basis. My parents would probably love them.

Here are a few that I like so far:

  • Oleg Gitlin and Genady Shlapobersky – No vocals, but some very nice music.
  • Les Morrison – Ditto.
  • Michelle Gold – Definitely not within my usual genre purview, but I’m making allowances for the paucity of material.

Umm…Well, that’s it. I wish I could say there was something on which I’d spend money in hard times, but I haven’t heard it. There is some good Jewish music out there, though. David Gould and Matisyahu both do Jewish reggae, for example.

Posted in Messianica, Music | Comments Off

A Temple of Gas

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

When I first picked up William H. Gass’ A Temple of Texts at the library, I thought it was a collection of essays by various authors on other authors. It’s actually a collection of essays by Gass, including introductions he has written to other people’s books. He’s very good at stringing together pretty sets of words, and every now and then he says something interesting. Mostly, though, this is a book full of hot air and a writer full of himself. If justice truly is the default position of the universe, then Alfred A. Knopf lost a ton of money on this book, and the editor who agreed to publish it got fired.

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Mishpatim 5769 – Slavishly Hitched

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

Exodus 21:3-6

If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. I see three levels of meaning in this law.

  1. P’shat: If a man buys a Hebrew slave who is married, the slave’s wife does not become the master’s slave along with her husband, and the slave will take her with him when he leaves the master’s employ. If the master gave the slave one of his female slaves as a wife, she does not cease to be his slave when her husband goes free. She must stay behind unless her master allows her to be purchased or otherwise redeemed.
  2. Drash: Prior claims are not automatically superseded by more recent claims. If God delegates authority over a nation to a king, that does not mean the nation no longer belongs to God. If the king decides to leave his homeland or if he is removed from the throne, God will grant authority over it to another.
  3. Sod: The slave is a believer and the master is Yeshua, our Messiah.
  • There is an unbeliever who converts and then falls away again. If he was unmarried when he converted and remains unmarried when he falls away, then he is only harming himself. It is an unfortunate thing, but still simple.
  • There is a married couple, and both of them are sinners. One of them comes to believe in God and repents, but the other does not. If the believing spouse then falls away again, he leaves God’s congregation with his wife. This is still relatively uncomplicated.
  • There is an unbeliever who converts and then falls away again. In the meantime, however, he married a fellow believer. Their marriage remains valid, sanctified by God, so long as the unbeliever is willing to stay in it. He continues as one of God’s people, only in a state of rebellion. If the unbeliever chooses to leave his spouse and children, then the marriage is dissolved as if he had died.
  • Finally, there is an unbeliever who converts and marries another believer. He dedicates the remainder of his life and his family to serving God and his kingdom. His marriage and family will be blessed.

Posted in Marriage, Men's Rights, Parsha 18 - Mishpatim, Theology, Torah | Comments Off

Yitro 5769 – Men Who Fear God

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Exodus 18:21

…able men… The word used here for man is ish and not adam. It implies that males are intended and not mankind in general. In accordance with God’s example, Jethro advised Moses to choose men as leaders of the people, and that is what he did. All of Israel’s anointed leaders were men. (Prophets are not leaders so much as they are messengers. Their office is honorable and certainly carries authority, but it is not the authority required for leading a nation or a congregation.) Maleness is not the only requirement for leadership in Israel. These men were to be “able” or chayil. They must have proven their ability by success in business or war. Paul included more detail in his letters to Timothy and Titus, but his requirements were essentially the same as Jethro’s.

Paul (1 Tim 3) – “…the husband of one wife…apt to teach…one that ruleth well his own house…not a novice…he must have a good report of them which are without…”

…such as fear God… Ability alone is not enough to make a great leader of God’s people. He must also be a man of God.

Paul (1 Tim 3) – “…blameless…sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality…patient, not a brawler…”

…men of truth… Not men who are apt to deceive their way into office. The ineptitude of the vast majority of modern politicians is obvious to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear. That we continue to elect such men and women into leadership is proof of the old adage, we get that government which we deserve.

Paul (1 Tim 3) – “…blameless…vigilant, sober…not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient…he must have a good report…”

…hating covetousness… It is a good thing to desire to lead God’s people, but not to desire it overly much. Remember Yeshua’s words: The first will be last, and he who would lead must serve.

Paul (1 Tim 3) – “…the husband of one wife…given to hospitality…not greedy of filthy lucre…not covetous…”

Download the book here: A Commentary on Marriage in the Bible

Posted in Leadership, Men's Rights, Parsha 17 - Yitro, Theology, Torah | Comments Off

Beshalach 5769 – Whither Thou Goest

Friday, February 6th, 2009

Exodus 13:18
But God led the people about… The people did not go where they wanted, and God did not lead them by the easiest route. He led them where he needed them to go. Israel, God’s bride, was not in charge. She could make requests of him, but she could not issue demands without risking her own destruction. Following the example of Israel and her Husband, wives should follow their husbands even if that road leads into the wilderness or through the territory of giants.

Posted in Leadership, Marriage, Parsha 16 - Beshalach, Theology, Torah | Comments Off