Before we dive into our text study, as is usually the case I wanna kick things off with a couple of appetizer or intro articles.
So let me start by reminding you of a key principle that’s been central to this blog from its very inception.
This is a principle that desperately needs to be brought back from the dead within the gentile church.
What am I talking about?
I’m talking about the idea that the “Old” Testament is NOT old, it’s not done away and it’s not obsolete.
Keep in mind that among the Hebrews today, the “Old” Testament IS the Scriptures.
The “Old” Testament is called the TANACH and it was the ONLY Bible Yeshua, his disciples and even Rabbi Shaul (the Apostle Paul) knew.
There wasn’t any so-called New Testament around when they were preaching the gospel.
They all preached the gospel from the Hebrew Bible.
When Paul said “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”, he wasn’t talking about some New Testament man…
Because it didn’t even exist when he said those words even though gentile believers love to quote those verses to substantiate their gospel preaching from the NT.
So let’s get this straight.
The so-called “Old” Testament IS the rock-solid foundation necessary to understanding ANYTHING that comes after it…
ESPECIALLY the New Testament.
In fact, this Book of Ruth should be read and studied BEFORE a believer even takes a peek at the New Testament…
Because it contains so many foundational principles about how a gentile is grafted into the commonwealth of Israel.
For this reason alone, Ruth should be at the top of your list of Bible books to study before jumping into let’s say the Kabbalistic gospel of John for instance.
I’ll tell you right now, if you haven’t studied Torah, you’re at an enormous…almost an incomparable disadvantage over those who do possess a strong Torah foundation.
Ironically, a Jew who has undergone a proper Jewish education OR a Yeshua-denying Rabbi would be miles ahead of understanding the NT gospel accounts…
ESPECIALLY compared to some new gentile believer who is trying to play fiddle with the Book of John or any other book in the New Testament for that matter.
I find it unbelievable that it’s still normal for Christian pastors to warn their flock to stay away from the “Old” Testament because it might cause them to lose their faith.
Well, actually they’re right…
The “Old” Testament will cause their flock to lose faith…
Faith in false doctrines that is…
Doctrines that say “the Law has been nailed to the cross of Christ” and other such nonsense.
So thorough is the brainwashing received that your modern churchgoer doesn’t even question the false premise that the Mosaic Law has been done away with and replaced by the New Testament.
Never mind the fact that the New Testament IS the “Old” Covenant written on hearts of believers.
Or never mind the fact that a lot Christian churches in a weird twist of hypocrisy display the 10 Commandments (really the 10 Words in the original Hebrew) in their worship halls.
Don’t they realize the 10 Commandments is the pillar that the entire Mosaic Law hangs on?
Each one of those commandments (actually DABAR or “words” in the original Hebrew) are a gateway leading to a whole bunch of other in-depth laws contained ONLY in the Mosaic laws homie.
Anyways, gonna finish up here.
To close, let me just say this.
If you have a strong Torah foundation, you’re in for a real treat and I think you’re gonna get a lot out of this study.
Many principles, patterns and just downright fascinating topics that started even all the way back from Genesis are gonna be fleshed out and brought to light.
But a little warning here.
We’re gonna get into a lot of technical stuff that will require your FULL focus and concentration.
But you’ll be rewarded for your effort big time.
And at the conclusion of this four chapter study, your faith will be much stronger than ever…whether you’re a Jew or Gentile.
See ya all next time.
So true, Rich. Trying to understand what Yeshua was teaching, and to be able to see past the pollution of Paul’s letters that Christianity has taught as
“the Gospel of Jesus” isn’t possible without a knoledge of the Torah, as well as the rest of the Tanakh.
If Imay, for those not familiar with the name “Tanakh”, it is an acronym of the three main sections of the Old Covenant writings:
Torah (teaching), Neva’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (writings).
T-N-K, pronounced Tanakh.
My thoughts exactly Steven. Telling the new born-again believer to begins his or her Scripture studies from the New Testament IS CRAZY. It’s like watching a movie from the halfway point.
Thank you for your heart! Really enjoy reaping nuggets from your in depth studies!
Glad you find these studies both inspiring and edifying. Be approved through the study of His Word…and be blessed!
Here’s another aspect of this story that I don’t think many people realize: Ruth was a Moabite, but when she converted to Judaism, and showed such tremendous faith (remember- loyalty is a part of being faithful) and humility, she was blessed by God, in that she became an ancestor of the Messiah!
Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed, who was the father iof Jessie, who was the father of David, from whose descendants we reveive the Messiah.
Such a Great Reminder to study the OT before the NT… The NT did NOT replace the OT… The OT is irreplaceable. YESHUA says so HIMSELF especially in Matthew 5:17-20 … And again : “For the SON OF MAN is LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH” – MATTHEW 12:8… What is the SABBATH? It is clearly stated in GENESIS 1:5 that the DAY starts in the Evening at SUNDOWN… not at midnight… 6 x the WORD says that there was EVENING and there was MORNING – the major difference between JUDAISM & CHRISTIANITY is that the Christian Calendar does NOT follow GOD’S precise Calendar as HE asks of all of MANKIND… I discovered this over 20 years ago – but put it to the side – too big a problem to fix (till now)… Back to RUTH: The LORD lifted me UP to RUTH in 1997 when I studied the BOOK OF RUTH for the first time & I followed HIS prompting… Then when HE sent me to learn in HIS FATHER’S HOUSE, the Orthodox Synagogue, I did not understand, but had to “DO” what HE said, even so I argued that “they” – the Jews – don’t love YOU -YESHUA/JESUS- . But HE insisted that I enter the Orthodox Synagogue – with much trembling and prayers on my lips – on that Friday Night during the Rosh Hashanah Festival, although I did not know anything about the Jewish New Year at that time either… I was allowed to join their Friday Night service; I was the ONLY WOMAN present… Somewhat intimidating, actually really intimidating. I skipped out as soon as the Scrolls were put back… Then the LORD sent me back for my very first Hanukkah Festival on 12.13.1998, then my first Sabbath – Saturday morning – Service – surrounded by Orthodox Jews, I tried to fit in, wearing the proper head covering. Ezekiel 37:16-28 was the Haftarah reading that day (12.26.98) of which Ezekiel 37:22 is MOST Important – the LORD had lifted me up to this passage in the Summer of 1999 when I was without a job and without income, studying HIS WORD daily for hours. Ezekiel 37:22 : TWO KINGDOMS becoming ONE KINGDOM… (Jews & Christians)… ONE KING (YESHUA) reigns… This was also the Saturday that the LORD revealed the Breaking of the Bread and the Drinking of the Wine in the Synagogue after the Rabbi prays the prayer and then everybody partakes of the Bread & Wine. Immedietely the LORD said one WORD to me on that Saturday Morning 12.26.1998 : “COMMUNION”! I have never forgotten that Earth shattering Message which brings us back to JOHN 6:48-51, but especially 6:66 – “Do you want to go away also” ? The True Antichrist is described in his number #666 – JOHN 6:66 !!! I was obedient and followed the LORD’S prompting, walking and talking with HIM every day. The LORD was gracious and SAVED my House on Lake Minnetonka / MN from foreclosure 5 hours before it was gone FOREVER. I owed $8000 & attorney fees; today the House is worth over $800,000. I DID EVERYTHING THE LORD ASKED OF ME and HE had MERCY on my dilemma of losing my House, the only house my 2 Children (Dean 14 & Angelique 8) lived in… Thus I call my House “GOD’S HOUSE”… ISAIAH 49:16 = my House number… It is HIS PLAN not mine. Learning about Judaism & following the various Fasts, Feasts & Festivals on the JEWISH CALENDAR, I suffered some persecution after Passover 1999 with some negative reactions from the Orthodox Members, but the LORD asked me to return for SHAVUOT 1999… The Book of RUTH is read – it was on page 804 in their Prayer book. In my Bible it was on page 408… But the LORD had removed MY VOICE. I entered dressed in WHITE (the color of SHAVUOT), found a seat and sat down. The Sanctuary was filling up with many women that I had never met before. The entire Scroll of RUTH is being read in Hebrew, then the woman next to me said: “Are you a FOREIGNER or are you ONE OF US?” Since the LORD removed my VOICE I could not say a WORD… GOD/G-D works in mysterious ways… Later on I got very sick which gave me time off to study the Scroll of RUTH in detail…(Follow this to Shavuot 2000 below… ) 1999 – I continued to attend till after ROSH HASHANAH which was on 9.11.99. The LORD gave me two verses for that Festival : AMOS 9:11 and PSALM 119:119, one positive and one negative… I repeat 911 – two years before our 9/11 – PSALM 119:119 did away with the RAPTURE as it clearly states : “AND THE WICKED OF THE EARTH SHALL BE REMOVED LIKE DROSS; LORD I LOVE YOUR TESTIMONIES”… The wicked are removed, the Righteous stay on GOD’S GREEN EARTH! Early November 1999, I was kicked out of the Synagogue with threat of arrest if I returned according to Police Chaplain Tony who gave me that message from the Rabbi. The reason: I asked RABBI CHAIM GOLDBERGER to accept YESHUA / Jesus. I knew that was BOLD but how else does one get the GOLD? I knew it might cost me and it did ; it was upsetting to me because I fell in love with Judaism keeping up on the various Fasts, Feasts and Festivals since 1998. One Year later, again for SHAVUOT 2000, the LORD sent me back again dressed in WHITE … The Rabbi was pulled from the bimah & he escorted me to the door without saying a word. Humiliated again ! The reason ? I realized that an Angel pushed my Cross – which I had hidden behind my clothing in the back of my neck – to the front, where it was clearly visible although sitting sideways on my neck… The CROSS is so offensive to the JEWS that they cannot stand the sight of it… I keep praying for all the JEWS, all the CHRISTIANS and ALL the MUSLIMS & through these 3 LEGS (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) for ALL OF HUMANITY… Philippians 2:10-11 It is GOD’S WILL that NONE should perish but ALL should come to REPENTANCE, IN HEAVEN,ON THE EARTH and BELOW THE EARTH… Dear Family of Believers: Keep Praying for all of Mankind – Made in the Image of GOD – to Love your Neighbor as yourself and to KEEP GOD’S SABBATH HOLY – which is actually the LUNAR SABBATH rather than FRI/SAT SABBATH… That nugget opens the door to all of mankind worshiping on the same DAY – Check it out – ISAIAH 66:1 – Heaven is my Throne, the Earth is my FOOTSTOOL – what HOUSE can you (Mankind) build for ME (GOD/G-D) – then in verse 22-23 THE WORD stipulates From New Moon to New Moon, from SABBATH to SABBATH…. The LUNAR SABBATH always falls on the 8, 15, 22, 29 of the month; the NEW MOON is on the first of the MONTH on the Jewish Calendar… That is the KEY the LORD is using to save ALL OF MANKIND… I am like RUTH, a foreigner, however after 24 YEARS of walking and talking with YESHUA, the LORD revealed to me that I am not a foreigner, but my origin is from the smallest Tribe : BENJAMIN.. JUDAH & BENJAMIN compose the Southern Kingdom. EPHRAIM is from the Northern Kingdom… More on that later… Shalom on this day 9.29.22 – Archangels Michael, Gabriel & Raphael’s Feast Day – A documentary on Archangel Michael is shown across USA today, 9.29.22, in select theaters. ONLY THIS ONE DAY ! Ready – set – go ! SHALOM to JERUSALEM
Amen