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Matthew 16.1-4:

What did Yeshua mean with the statement, “But you cannot understand the Signs of the Times”? Here is the apparent answer from the Qumran texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls:

The words appearing in the Hebrew text are “sefer machlakot haetim” - scroll of the divisions of the times. This points us to the Book of Jubilees retelling of the Day 4 Genesis creation story. Therefore, to learn Yeshua's lesson on the Signs of the Times OR the Divisions of the Times, our best understanding comes from Day 4 of the creation narrative in Genesis 1:14-19. This is a biblical metaphor about the purpose of the Sun and the Moon.

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The Hebrew word chesed is most often understood and translated to mean “mercy.” The problem is that chesed does not at all carry this meaning in biblical Hebrew.  Any respectable scholar of the Hebrew language will tell you the word's true meaning. But, putting academic respectability aside, if we simply allow the precise meaning of ancient paleographic or pictographic Hebrew to define chesed, it will show us the term is about fidelity, faithfulness, and covenant loyalty.

Within the context of Yeshua’s dialogue with the Pharisees and Sadducees comparing the loyalty of his disciples with the loyalty of David in Matthew 12:1-8, Yeshua quotes Hosea 6:6, “Idesirefidelity, faithfulness, and covenant loyalty and not sacrifice.” However, the religious separatists who condemned Yeshua’s disciples for unlawful violations of the Sabbath, referring to the oral interpretations and traditions of the Sabbath, were functionally embracing a double standard. They were acting with covenant disloyalty, and Yeshua was not at all bashful about saying so.

Join us for this final episode in Matthew 12:1-8 and the story of Yeshua's disciples plucking heads of grain from a grainfield on the Sabbath and the Pharisees accusing them of lawlessness.  But it was not Yeshua's disciples, and it was not even David in 1 Samuel 21 who sported disloyalty. In the eyes of Yeshua, covenant disloyalty was at and in the heart of the Pharisee and the Sadducee. 

Real Israel Talk Radio Episode 111 and Part 15. 

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A deeper look into Matthew 12:5-7. 

• ...Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless

It was not Yeshua’s disciples who were lawless; that is, they were not disloyal and covenant breakers with Yehovah. In fact, just the reverse. The Pharisaic Religious authorities and the Sadducean Cohanim in the Jerusalem Temple were the true lawless ones. The whole lot of them were effectively illegitimate and Yeshua had something to say about it.

The Pharisees were illegitimate as a religious separatist movement of the Jewish nation. They began ruling the nation in the late 1st Century B.C.E. following the years of the post-Hashmonaim period of the Maccabees as Judaism was becoming more and more Hellenistic. The Pharisees began to establish themselves as the only Jewish national-religious body authorized to interpret and teach the Mosaic Law.

As for the Sadducean Priests, they too were illegitimate. They earned a reputation among the Jewish people as Temple usurpers through their political appointments to the office of Rulers and Judges NOT divinely approved from the House of Tzadok through Aaron, the brother of Moses. It was this House of Tzadok priesthood who preserved so many of the Dead Sea Scrolls for us.

Yeshua insinuated that the Pharisees took on a spiritual role that was not theirs to take. And as far as the Sadducean priesthood was concerned, they had no authorization or rights to function as the nation's Judges and to eat from the Temple sanctuary table loaves of bread referred to as Lechem haPanim (the Showbread). 

To appreciate the Truth of this lesson from Yeshua one must turn to the story of the Cana’an woman from Tzur and Sidon in Matthew 15:21-28. 

• ...“It is not good to take the Son’s Bread and throw to the little dogs...Yes Master, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table”

Also, we must look at Acts 23:1-5. 

• Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

Also, we must look at Acts 4:1-3  and 18-20. 

• Now as they (Peter and John)  spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Yeshua the resurrection from the dead...But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge."
  
  

This is Real Israel Talk Radio Episode 110 and PART 14 in the DSS series. 

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On today's episode of Real Israel Talk Radio, I will seek to unravel Yeshua's lessons on loyalty. This is program episode 109 and Part 13 on the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls and their link to the story of the Pharisees and their accusations against Yeshua and his disciples about Sabbath unlawfulness.

Generally, it seems to me that when the Bible expositors unpack the story from Matthew 12:3-4, which is part of the overall context in the eight verses of this narrative, the takeaway lesson is not all about showing mercy and compassion. Although showing compassion and mercy is something to cultivate, it is NOT the takeaway lesson from this New Covenant story.

When the Pharisees accused Yeshua's disciples of their Sabbath lawlessness, Yeshua then brought up the story of David in 1 Samuel 21 and what he did when he was given the old loaves of sacred bread on the Table inside the Tabernacle; that is,  the "Lechem haPanim" - the "showbread" of the priestly "Bread of the Faces."

First, we must ask, what exactly did David do or not do? We'll get the backstory on this program and tie it together with another of Yeshua's encounters in Matthew 15:25-27. We'll learn what this means: 

• He (Yeshua) answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs. And she said, “Yes, Master, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table."

Join us for this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio. 

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When Bible expositors unpack Matthew 12:1-8, they often conclude that showing someone compassion and mercy overrides the Sabbath's biblical laws and many other laws. In other words, a focus on demonstrating the love and compassion of the Almighty Eternal One for every soul is more important and not getting bogged down in the minutia of biblical laws.

I want to show that the story's conclusion is not about Sabbath laws. It is not about showing compassion. It is not about showing mercy. Of course, we should naturally show compassion and mercy to those around us. However, we should not draw the lesson from this text. Because this is NOT what the plot is all about. We will see the true lesson unfold, diving deeper into the eight verses of the narrative.

To summarize, the storyline is about legalizing double standards. Biblical and societal laws are there for someone else to observe, but they are NOT put in place for me to observe. With this program, Episode 108 and PART 12 in my DSS series, it is a deep dive into the teaching that Yeshua presented in Matthew 12:1-8.

The lesson appears as a demonstration that Yeshua and his disciples DID NOT submit to the Pharisaic authorities. They did not submit to their interpretations or religious practices. Instead, Yeshua considered the Scribes, Pharisees, and Temple priests as self-appointed spiritual Teachers, Interpreters, and Judges of the Mosaic Law (collectively the “Torah”). One point of the story defines Sabbath work while addressing covenant loyalty. Let's look into this together.

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A conclusion of my views on the 50-Day and 7-Sabbaths Count of the Omer in the  New Covenant narrative from Acts 20:6-12.  Specifically, I will address details on the following points:

1) Acts 20:7.  "Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight." In biblical Hebraic thought, we learn that midnight means an hour of judgment, salvation, and resurrection. The midnight definition is also the middle second watch of three watches of the night; that is, about 10:00 pm - 2:00 am (towards 3:00 am).

2) Acts 20:9 "…as Paul continued speaking, he (Eutychus) fell down from the third story [loft] and was taken up dead." The biblical Last Day resurrection model in Ephesians 5:13-14: "But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the Light, for whatever makes manifest is Light.  Therefore, He says: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead and Messiah will give you Light.'"

3) Matthew 28:1.  "Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb." Unpacking the Greek grammar to help us to accurately understand Yeshua's Third Day resurrection. Also, helping to understand the biblical sunrise-to-sunrise day instead of the traditional Rabbinic sunset to sunset paradigm.

Join me for today's podcast. This podcast concludes my presentation on the Book of Acts Chapter 20:6-12 - DSS Episode 107 and PART 11 in the New Covenant biblical chronologies.

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With today's program, I will address the following points:

A) When does a biblical day begin and end in the Bible? Sunset to Sunset OR Sunrise to Sunrise?

B) In 2 Chronicles 3:1-2, why did King Solomon begin his work with the House of Yehovah on the First Sabbath of the Seven Sabbaths in the 50-Day Count of the Omer? And did he actually violate the Creator's Sabbath work prohibition of Exodus 31:15-16?

C) What is the actual significance of the 50-Day and 7-Sabbath Count of the Omer?  

Previously, we studied the following points: 

1) But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread. We learned that Sha’ul and his physician friend Dr. Luke left the sailing port belonging to Philippi on the 22nd Day of the first Chodesh or first month. 

2) In five days joined them at Troas. We learned that Sha’ul and Dr. Luke arrived in the Roman City of Troas in time to join the believing community there for the 26th Day of the first Chodesh or month. On that 26th Day of the first Chodesh or first month, they began their 50-Day Count of the Omer, the same day that the Qumran House of Tzadok taught their followers based on the Book of Jubilees.

3) We stayed seven days. Here, we learned that Sha’ul, Dr. Luke, and the whole Yeshua-believing community of Troas waited until Day 7 in the Count of the Omer, and then on that Seventh Day, which was a weekly Sabbath, they all came together to break bread as we learn from the narrative in Acts 20:7.

4) Now, on the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread. Here, we learned from this passage that the English translation from Greek is distorted. Literally, from the Greek text, it says: “Now on the One of the Sabbaths, the disciples came together to break bread.”  We learned that this is clearly saying that the Troas community of believers in Yeshua, on that Sabbath, began to number Seven weekly Sabbaths according to the divine command in Leviticus 23:16: “Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to Yehovah.”

5) Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. This tells us that Sha’ul delivered a very long drash or lecture until about 2:00 or perhaps 3:00 in the morning. This is why Acts 20:8 says, “There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.”

Join us for our biblical study today which is a continuation of my series on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumran Community House of Tzadok. This is Real Israel Talk Radio Episode 106 and Part 10. 

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As you likely know, the annual 50-Day Count of the Omer is one of many controversial issues between those who observe the traditional rabbinic lunisolar calendar and those who observe any one of several other counting traditions. The point that I am going to make on this program today is that Sha'ul and his ministry companions were all observing the Dead Sea Scrolls Qumran House of Tzadok 364-day solar calendar.

Jewish oral tradition teaches that the 50-Day Count of the Omer begins on the day after the first day of Unleavened Bread or the first day of the Festival of Matza. Since Unleavened Bread always starts on the 15th day of the first month of the biblical new year (see Exodus 12:2), therefore, the 50-Day and 7-Sabbaths Count of the Omer always begins on the 16th day of the first month.

Today, we will take a deep dive into Acts 20:2-12 and learn from the narrative that Sha'ul (Paul) and his ministry companions were not observing the official and traditional rabbinic reckoning of the festival seasons. If they were, this would require them to observe the sighted moon as a counting system. Instead, they observed a 364-day solar calendar reckoning, which is pretty evident in the narrative's chronology.

To follow the details of this biblical study here is a First Chodesh ("Month") Tzadok calendar link to help you follow along with all the details that I am speaking about.

---> https://zadokway.com/full-calendar-monthly-breakdown/
---> https://www.cominghome.co.il/tzadok-solar-calendars

Today, join us for our biblical study in the 50-Day and 7-Sabbaths Count of the Omer in Acts Chapter 20 according to the Dead Sea Scrolls Qumran Community House of Tzadok teachings from the Book of Jubilees. This program is Real Israel Talk Radio Episode 105 and Dead Sea Scrolls Program Part 9 in the Dead Sea Scrolls series. 

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Today, we will look at the testimony of Sha'ul or Paul and his spiritual transformation on the road to Damascus from a rabbinical student of Gamaliel to a Sent One of Mashiach Yeshua and the House of Tzadok.

In the Book of Acts chapters 9 and 22, Sha'ul or Paul was sure of what he saw and what he heard while he was traveling down from Jerusalem on the road to Damascus; the desert settlement of the Qumran Community House of Tzadok situated along the northwest shores of the Salt Sea or the Dead Sea. Four known biblical personalities knew the place well: the Prophet Jeremiah, Yochanan (John), the Immerser (the "Baptizer"), the Prophet Isaiah, and the Apostle Paul.

Join me on today's program Episode 104 and Part 8 in my Dead Sea Scrolls Qumran Community series, and we will learn more about this place called Damascus, known for the writing of the Dead Sea Scroll Covenant of Damascus CD-B, 4Q267.

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What does Damascus have to do with the desert wilderness of Qumran on the northwest shores of the Dead Sea? 

Damascus in Genesis 14:15  is more than just an ancient city in the Land of Aram ("Syria"). In the previous episode in this Dead Sea Scrolls series, I presented one possible reason why the infamous Qumran Community of the Dead Sea called their settlement "Damascus." In Hebrew, it is uniquely likely to join the two Hebrew words  1) doleh = he who draws out and  2) mashkeh = a water source from a well to quench one's spiritual thirst. When put together, the two words give us a concept that relates nicely to the biblical theology of salvation and the Water of the Word. But, I think there is more to this ancient term, and we'll have a look at another reason why the Qumran Community referred to their settlement as "Damascus."

We will take a deep dive into the biblical prophecy of Amos 5:27, "Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond* Damascus, says YHVH, whose name is Elohei Tzva'ot."  

The Hebrew text is profound because the biblical idea of Damascus relates to captivity and exile, and I think that the Scribe or Scribes who wrote the Scroll of the Covenant of Damascus (CD-B, 4Q267, Fragment 2) and Rule of the Community (the Manual of Discipline)  had some deeper insight into this matter. They had eyes to see Damascus and captivity as a Death and Resurrection prophecy of the coming Messiah. A spiritual dimension of captivity remains unseen to the human eye. Nevertheless, it is still a real place of deep darkness and death. 

The concept of Paul's blinding  Damascus Road experience was not unique to him in Acts 9. Others have traveled that road, including Abraham, who went through one in Genesis 12:1. Also, Jacob walked that road in Genesis 32. In the days of Yeshua, Cephas (Peter) also traveled that road in Matthew 26:75. Indeed, every one of us must have our own Damascus Road Experience if we ever hope to expect to cross over from captivity to freedom, from death to life, from slavery to redemption. 

Join me on today's program, and we will study this out together. In the next episode, I will continue with the ideas that I present here. 

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