STUDIES IN MARCH 06!
Sabbath Shul 25th of March, Reading Location, 1:00-5:15PM Torah Parsha 22 Vayachel 35:1-38:20 Haftarah Melechim Alef 7:40-50 Brit Chadasha Ivrim 9:1-14 This Shul the portion was read and discussed, regarding the making of the tabernacle implements and Kadosh articles. The Haf Torah portion was the making of the implements during Solomon's reign. Most of the discussion revolved around periphery subjects like the prophetic time line of Yahshua, and the blindness of Brother Judah, unbelieving as many are still today. Some other discussions on the celestial bodies and their alignments along with important events in history. Great dinner and fellowship time ensued and the meeting was closed in prayer.
Sabbath Shul 18nth of March, outside Hillsdale, 1:00-4:30PM Torah Parsha 21 Ki Tissa 30:11-34:35 Haftarah Melechim Alef 18:1-39 Brit Chadasha Qorintyah Bet 3:1-8 Parsha 21 was read during this Shul and several issues in the Parsha were discussed including the Shekel that each first born male had to have brought for himself to the temple door. The amount was the same for every male whether rich or poor, no difference. A queston of the census also was discussed as it was commanded about the time of the giving of the atonement shekels for the first born male. David got in trouble for taking a census, with the reason being, as we surmised, his motivations or timing was wrong, or there was no atonement for it, that it was done out of order. The etymologies of Betzaleel commented on, coming from the word bezel, a type of setting that holds a gem stone. And Jewelry, a form of Judah, stemming from the concept of Betzaleel. Finally, Sapphire stones and pavement on the mount where YHWH came down to meet Moses was hypothesized about to even some ore extreme thoughts on the subject. Excellent dinner and fellowship ensued.
PURIM!! 12th of March Yom Rishon at the Olson's 4:00- 8:00PM Excellent evening of festivities marked by great fellowship, games, and activities for the kids, all designed to help them understand Purim, and its important not only to the house of Judah, but to the house of Israel too. Purim Jeopardy was played, and the noise makers were constructed, the story of the evil Haman related, with the groggers shaken with every mention of his name, was told with great enthusiasm. Some more detailed notes regarding the many parallels between Purim and the Nazi attempt to exterminate the Jews was told to the group. Some of the information included that fact that the News fellow who was chosen to cover the executions was chosen by lot, or by Pur. There were 12 Nazi war criminals, paralleled with the number executed and hung during Purim. The infamous Julius Stryker, one of the worst Nazi criminals, uttered the famous words "Purim-Fest 1946!" as he was led up to gallows to be hanged to death. Some other interesting information included some bible codes found in the book of Esther.
Shabbat Shul 11nth of March , Jackson Location from 1:00-5:00PM. Parsha 20 was read and discussed. A note was made that the Aviv Barley is a mere one day apart from the Rabbinical calculations, of which some of us have decided will still no doubt cause controversy. The high priest breastplate was shown in a picture but the comment was made that this picture was the prototype for the real breastplate that will be made that is estimated to be worth around 600,000 in gold, not to mention the other costly materials. Some comments on the priesthood, its lineage, and how there was a change in the priesthood sometime after the return from the exile. More thoughts on the distribution of the orders of priests in the temple, each having their duties to perform, in lockstep fashion. Some geopolitical talk regarding the last war against Iraq, where thirty nine scuds were launched at Israel, in keeping with the torah punishment of forty lashes minus one, according to the rabbis in Israel. Some question regarding the sin offering, and whether it is eaten by the priests, or not as well as the question as to whether Yahshua was a Shalom offering, and not a sin offering. Some various opinions on this topic. A very interested comment in regards to why the priest anointed with the blood or the oil, as the case may be, on the ear lobe top. right thumb, and large right toe. The idea that this was because of the pine4al gland and its regulations of emotions are all connected by nerves in those three places. Implication that it washes away memory or pain of sin.
Yom Shabbat 4rth of March, special speaker Doug Trudell 10:30 to 12:30, then 2:00 to 4:00 in Haslett Doug Trudell came wearing no beard or tzit tzit and made a point to say that people who questioned that could ask him after the teaching. He also made a point of saying that he was comfortable using not only the Kadosh names, but also the Greek ones as well, depending on the audience. He made at statement initially that he at least hoped that no matter if anyone agrees with him or not, it will spur them on to open their bibles and learn. After the initial comments , he went on to discuss the reason for why people should be aware and learn about the things that are going on in the Heavens. Various scriptures were quoted from psalms, and Amos 5 as well as other places to make the case the the appointed times are calculated and observed from the alignments in the heavens and that this grand grandfather clockwork is the Master's design and way of communicating to His creation His appointments. The ongoing debate in the Messianic circles last year was commented on and Trudell seemed to suggest he had special direction on this from his study of the stars. Doug discussed the 12 signs of the Zodiac and gave the Hebrew names for them, all the while apologetically explaining that they have been misused by soothsayers and astrologers to pervert what YAH really intended for them. The talk as a whole was somewhat disjointed and a bit loose in presentation. Several other topics were interwoven, with several rabbit trails that only gave the audience a glimpse of his position on things, leaving them most times unsatisfied. One such rabbit trail was one regarding the two houses, and the inference that Judah who denies "Jesus" are not true Israel and therefore cannot be relied upon to determine the times and the seasons. He believes however that the church is Israel. Another Rabbit trail amidst the slides and comment of the constellations, was the notion of the Second Adam and the idea that the Messiah purchased immortality for us, even so much as the idea that escaping physical death is possible. He did not elaborate further on this curious idea. One other rabbit trail that he ventured down had to do with the destination of souls after death. Trudell seemed to make some statements that left us with the impression that eventually, everyone was going to be saved and given a place in the Kingdom to come. He expanded briefly on this citing that Yah is interested in restitution, not retribution. He does not believe in people going to hell and burning forever. This was quite ecumenical in many respects as he quoted some scriptures that could be used to make such an argument. None of these side bar discussions were elaborated on more than his initial mentioning. An interesting story was related about the woman who had internal bleeding , and how she touched the Messiah's Tzit Tzit and was healed. Genesis six was used, that being the sun created on the fourth day and the prophetic apocalyptic parallel of how the Messiah came on the fourth day, as well as another scripture - MALACHI 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. The idea is that the woman with bleeding knew these scriptures, recognized that Yahshua was the Messiah, and went through the crowd to touch the "wings" of Yahshua's tallit, and was healed instantly. Trudell's hermeneutic for the scriptures to wholistic harmonization, a creed we adhere to as well at HMI. One of the more notable statements that Trudell made was that Torah was not about what we do, but was in fact, far more about what YHWH is doing in the universe carrying out His Torah. Doug is a firm advocate of people understanding how the Almighty runs His universe through the signs in the Heavens. Four books that Doug had on his table are listed as follows :
The Gospel of the Stars by Joseph A Seiss
Signs in the Heavens by Avi Ben Mordecai
The Witness of the Stars by E.W. Bullinger
A Voice crying in the Heavens by Robert Scott Wadsworth
After a very large group meal we enjoyed, the second part of the talk resumed. Doug gave some of his resources such as a couple of books that he wrote , his website, and another website called ancient paths. He spent several minutes from there expanding on his view of the messianic movement, citing that it is not the "end all" movement, and that he sees relationship as trumping obedience to commands. Hearing Elohim was a great concern of his I gathered in his talk, in contradistinction to simply obeying the commands. Hebrew names for the planets were discussed, and the idea that Jewish calendar is exclusively lunar based, as well as Doug's opinion that he is not sure the Jewish calendar , with its 7 times 19 years intercalation is correct. Another unfinished rabbit trail is Doug commenting on the birth time of the Messiah, but he never finished the point, as seemed to be his custom. The final section of his talk was dominated by some of the things that have happened in history in conjunction with the celestial alignments , such as Halley's comet foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, signs foretelling Masada, and the signs that showed that the temple was not functioning even up until the destruction of Jerusalem. Doug out lined three of these signs such as the massive doors no longer opening by themselves, the Menorah would not stay lit continually as it did before this time, and the red cord no longer turned white that was tied to the sacrificial lamb for Yom Kippur. All of these signs denoted that the favor of Yah was no longer in the temple after the Messiah was crucified. Two separate comets were observed traversing through Mars constellation during the Exile of the northern kingdom and the later exile of the southern kingdom. These are a bad omen. Hal Bop passed through Orion, and the Jewish sages say that this is a sign that the earth is to be destroyed very soon. These comets happened in 1882, 1948, 1997 each bearing a distinct historical happening that relates to Israel. April 11nth, 1966 denotes the Hyataki coming through the head of medusa, which suggests the devil will have his day, leading up into the six day war, which Israel was victorious in. In 2001 the Heavenly Menorah constellation was seen on the may the 7nth, which relates to the rebuilding of the temple, that same one that came through and was seen when Zerubabel rebuilt after the exile. Doug also discussed the Argo and ark concept, of the protection of Yah over His flock during this time, and the judgements that will be seen in the skies, poured out on humanity that is Torahless and wicked in the end of days. One final note, Trudell seems to think that spiritual circumcision is the only requirement, and that physical circumcision is replaced by the spiritual. These and other ideas were discussed during the teaching by Trudell on the 4rth of March, Yom Shabbat.