Archive for ‘Challenging Judaism’

The Trouble With Pslam 110, ‘The Day Of Wrath’ And Melchizedek

By LaVrai, 6 June, 2009, No Comment

I was going through Psalm 110 today (in the NKJV) and thought about the Judaic interpretation of so-called Messianic prophecies. Psalm 110 is oft cited by Christians as telling of Jesus the Christ being told by the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY that HE would share HIS throne. Scholars who practice Judaism, however, refute this claim, saying instead that Psalm 110, titled “A Psalm of David,” is indeed about GOD’s promise to King David (the second “Lord” in the passage).

Based on the “Christianized” translation I was reading (NKJV), I found the Judaic interpretation unsatisfactory. I have written on this passage before, but focused more on the inconsistencies of the JPS use/translation of “Lord/lord/LORD.” This time, I am more concerned with what the passage says about Melchizedek, whom I will explain below.

Looking at verse 4 of Psalm 110 as translated by the Jewish Publication Society, it seems impossible that the passage is about King David, a man blessed by GOD.

Video: ‘Jews For Jesus’ Branded As Cult In Israel

By LaVrai, 3 February, 2009, No Comment

This a rather interesting news piece from an Israeli television program (called HOT TV, I believe) in which the Jews for Jesus campaign in Israel is pretty much branded as a cult (so much of objectivity and fairness). The director of the Israeli chapter and another gentleman are interviewed after the presentation.

I thank GOD for the Christian men and women who put themselves on the frontlines to spread the Good News — Salvation in Christ Jesus alone.

That Same Mutter Upon Mutter, Murmur Upon Murmur, Now Here, Now There!

By LaVrai, 20 January, 2009, No Comment

From Challenging Judaism.

The color-coding does serve a purpose. I pray it helps convey the meaning and does not hamper you.

Tanakh the Holy Scriptures (JPS translation):

The drunkard priest and prophet’s reaction to Isaiah’s reproof about the Day of the LORD -

Isaiah 28:9Isaiah 28:9
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. doctrine: Heb. the hearing?

WP-Bible plugin“To whom would he give instruction? / To whom expound a message? / To those newly weaned from milk, / Just taken away from the breast? /10.That same mutter upon mutter,/ Murmur upon murmur, / Now here, now there!”

11.Truly, as one who speaks to that people in a stammering jargon and an alien tongue 12)is he who declares to them, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest, this is the place of repose.” They refuse to listen. 13To them the word of the LORD is:

“Mutter upon mutter, / Murmur upon murmur, / Now here, now there.” / And so they will march, / But they shall fall backward, / And be injured and snared and captured.

New King James Version:

Jesus praises the Father -

Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit, and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in Your sight.

Tanakh the Holy Scriptures (JPS translation):

David writes of the LORD -

Psalm 78:1Psalm 78:1
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
78 Maschil of Asaph. Maschil...: or, A Psalm for Asaph to give instruction ¹ Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

WP-Bible plugin Give ear, my people, to my teaching, / turn your ear to what I say. / 2)I will expound a theme, / hold forth on the lessons of the past, / things we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

New King James Version:

Jesus teaches the people -

Matthew 5: 21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. …

27″You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. … 31″It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

33″Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all… … 38″You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. … 43″You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

New King James Version –

Matthew 13: 10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

13This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ” ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.‘ 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

New King James Version:

Jesus Cries Over Jerusalem -

Luke 19:37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

… 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

As ONE who speaks to that people in a stammering jargon and alien tongue is HE who declares to them… the things that make for your peace.

Some Of Us Like To Read The Bible Wearing Sunglasses

By LaVrai, 20 September, 2008, 2 Comments

Credit: Will Burgess/Reuters

I was reading John 9 one night, and the LORD opened my eyes — ironically enough — to understanding HIS Word. In John 9 we read of the man born blind whom Jesus gives special sight — not only is his physical sight restored, but this man was blessed with spiritual insight. The LORD Jesus Christ gave him a manifold blessing.

The story really begins at the end of John in chapter 8 verse 59, in which we read about how “the Jews who believed HIM (John 8:31John 8:31
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

WP-Bible plugin″ responded when Jesus the Christ told them HE IS GOD:

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
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Judaism And ‘The Angel Of The LORD’

By LaVrai, 14 September, 2008, 1 Comment

I pray that this post speaks to whomever it needs to, in the name of the LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ.

My aim with this post is to re-examine the Judaic belief that GOD cannot appear as a man (as if one can put restrictions on what GOD can or cannot do, as if the LORD declared in HIS Holy Word that HE cannot appear as a man — quite the opposite! One thing is for certain, as the LORD tells us, HE cannot lie).

I seek to examine this ‘person,’ the Angel of the LORD as presented to us in the Holy Bible, by using the Tanakh, of course, and only the Tanakh. I do, however, cast the Tanakh translations against a so-called Christian translation (NKJV) to provide a basis for where this post is going. All Bible verses listed are as they appear in the The Jewish Bible, the Tanakh, by the Jewish Publication Society (JPS); the links go to the NKJV translation.

I ask – If this ‘angel of the LORD’ speaks as GOD and people, as shown in the Tanakh, react to him as GOD, then isn’t it quite possible that the LORD was showing that yes, it is indeed possible for HIM to literally physically appear as a man and still remain divine? Since no man can see GOD’s face and live, isn’t it possible that HE makes a way for us to behold HIM visually without being overwhelmed with HIS glory, or having to die (seeing how sinful we are)?

The Angel of the LORD: the heavenly messenger whose presence is evidence of GOD HIMSELF (Thomas-Nelson concordance)

The LORD recently revealed an area of HIS Holy Scriptures to me, leading me to question, again, the choice of translations and wording in the Jewish Tanakh.

In the so-called Christian translation of the Holy Bible, all throughout the Old Testament we read of the ‘Angel of the LORD’, while in the Tanakh we read of ‘an angel of the LORD.’ This is notable because the so-called Christian translation acknowledges the importance of this Angel of the LORD… HE is no ‘ordinary’ angel, if you will. While in the Tanakh, although HIS importance cannot be veiled due to what HE declares and does, the translators seem to refuse to acknowledge that this is not just ‘an angel’ but a very specific angel.

Just as the ‘Commander of the Army of the LORD’ (NKJV) or the ‘captain of the LORD’s host’ (Tanakh) is very much a specific angel, so is the Angel of the LORD. And we know these two are not like the other angels, like Michael or Gabriel, for example. For these two demand reverence, unlike the other angels — who never speak as GOD or demand reverence, as the Angel of the LORD does.