Monday, August 31, 2026

 

Weir – part 1

 

… what is a weir …

… Weir … a structure that regulates the … direction … volume … or … flow speed … of water … for a specific purpose … we feel this is a pretty good definition and good examples include … a water race for an antique water wheel … or … the spillway of hydroelectric dam … or … a fish trap set in a river or stream … from a development time frame the fish traps were probably the first thoughtful development of the weir mechanism … then what developed were various solutions which turn the potential energy of flowing water into kinetic energy like a water wheel for the grinding of grain … in our current time period … more recent solutions enabled the utilization of flowing water kinetic energy to generate much larger amounts of energy in the spillways of hydroelectric dams … our reference for weir in this bible study is this same developmental sequence as applied to God’s project plan to return His creation to its original state at the end of the sixth day of creation … Jesus tells Peter James and John … I will make you fishers of men … the dual action of the Word of God with those who have faith that Jesus Christ is God Our Lord Our Savior Our Teacher Our Pilot our Friend … is … to provide a real space that we term the Christian Church in which others can find that faith and grow in relationship with God … the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) provides the spiritual power for a new believer in Jesus Christ to live and function in what can be termed at best a world fallen away from a true knowledge of God … it is the dynamic active interaction of a believer in Jesus Christ that enables the presence of Jesus Christ in our heart and the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) in our spirit to generate the power of God within us … the power throughout this growth is the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) however it is our increasing relationship with God through our faith in Jesus Christ that permits that power to increase and manifest as we grow closer to God … an interesting concept which is one component of the return of all creation to its original state at the end of the sixth day of creation …

 

 John chapter 21, vs 1 - 14                   select verses in sequence

… Jesus Christ again showed Himself to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias ( Sea of Galilee ) … He showed Himself in this way … gathered at the shore were … Simon Peter … Thomas called the Twin … Nathanael of Cana in Galilee … James and John the sons of Zebedee … and … two others of Jesus’ disciples …  Simon Peter said  … I’m going fishing … and … they all said to Peter … we will go with you … so … they got into a boat … put off from shore and started fishing … but … that night they caught nothing … just after daybreak … Jesus Christ stood on the beach … they saw Him but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus … then Jesus said to them … children you have no fish … and … they answered Him … no … then Jesus said to them … cast the net to the right side of the boat and you will find some … so they cast their net to the right side of the boat …

  

Luke chapter 5, vs 1 - 11                       Jesus Christ speaking

… Jesus Christ was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret … also called … the Lake of Galilee … or … the Lake of Tiberius … and … there was a crowd that was pressing in on Him to hear the Word of God … Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake … the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets … Jesus got into one of the boats … the one belonging to Simon … and … Jesus asked Simon to put out a little way from the shore … then … Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat … when he had finished speaking … Jesus said to Simon … put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch … Simon answered … Master we have worked all night long but have caught nothing yet if you ask I will let down the nets … when they had done this … they caught so many fish that the nets were beginning to break … they called to their partners in the other boat to come and help them … they came … and … the fishermen filled both boats with fish so full that they began to sink …. When Simon Peter saw this he fell down before Jesus saying … go away from me Lord for I am a sinful man … for … Peter and all who were with Jesus were amazed at the catch of fish that had been taken … and … so also … were James and John … the sons of Zebedee … who were partners with Simon … then … Jesus said to Simon … do not be afraid from now on you will be catching people … when they had brought the boats to shore they left everything and followed Jesus …

 

John chapter 7, vs 37                              Jesus Christ speaking                            .

… if anyone is thirsty … come to Me and drink … for everyone who believes in Me … as the scriptures say … streams of living water will flow from within them …

 

John chapter 4, vs 13 - 14                    Jesus Christ speaking

… everyone who drinks this water ( e.g. from Jacob’s well ) will be thirsty again … but … everyone who drinks the water that I give will never thirst …indeed … the water that I give will become in them a spring of water welling up to everlasting life

 

Isaiah chapter 12                      select verses not necessarily in sequence

12:1 ואמרת ביום ההוא אודך יהוה כי אנפת בי ישב אפך ותנחמני

12:2 הנה אל ישועתי אבטח ולא אפחד כי-עזי וזמרת יה יהוה ויהי-לי לישועה

12:3 ושאבתם-מים בששון ממעיני הישועה

12:4 ואמרתם ביום ההוא הודו ליהוה קראו בשמו הודיעו בעמים עלילתיו הזכירו כי נשגב שמו

12:5 זמרו יהוה כי גאות עשה מידעת זאת בכל-הארץ

12:6 צהלי ורני יושבת ציון כי-גדול בקרבך קדוש ישראל

… I will praise you … O LORD ( YHVH ) … You have comforted me … God is my salvation … I will trust and not be afraid … the LORD ( YHVH ) is … my strength … my song … my salvation … draw water from the well of salvation and give thanks to the LORD ( YHVH ) … call on His Name … make known among the nations what He has done … proclaim … His Name … let His Name be exalted … sing to the LORD ( YHVH ) … He has done glorious things … let this be known to all the world …

 

Ezekiel chapter 47, vs 1 - 12              select verses in sequence 

47:1 וישבני אל-פתח הבית והנה-מים יצאים מתחת מפתן הבית קדימה כי-פני הבית קדים והמים ירדים מתחת מכתף הבית הימנית מנגב למזבח

47:2 ויוצאני דרך-שער צפונה ויסבני דרך חוץ אל-שער החוץ דרך הפונה קדים והנה-מים מפכים מן-הכתף הימנית

47:3 בצאת-האיש קדים וקו בידו וימד אלף באמה ויעברני במים מי אפסים

47:4 וימד אלף ויעברני במים מים ברכים וימד אלף ויעברני מי מתנים

47:5 וימד אלף נחל אשר לא-אוכל לעבר כי-גאו המים מי שחו נחל אשר לא-יעבר

47:6 ויאמר אלי הראית בן-אדם ויולכני וישבני שפת הנחל

47:7 בשובני והנה אל-שפת הנחל עץ רב מאד מזה ומזה

47:8 ויאמר אלי המים האלה יוצאים אל-הגלילה הקדמונה וירדו על-הערבה ובאו הימה אל-הימה המוצאים ונרפאו המים

47:9 והיה כל-נפש חיה אשר-ישרץ אל כל-אשר יבוא שם נחלים יחיה והיה הדגה רבה מאד כי באו שמה המים האלה וירפאו וחי כל אשר-יבוא שמה הנחל

47:10 והיה יעמדו עליו דוגים מעין גדי ועד-עין עגלים משטוח לחרמים יהיו למינה תהיה דגתם כדגת הים הגדול רבה מאד

47:11 בצאתו וגבאיו ולא ירפאו למלח נתנו

47:12 ועל-הנחל יעלה על-שפתו מזה ומזה כל-עץ-מאכל לא-יבול עלהו ולא-יתם פריו לחדשיו יבכר כי מימיו מן-המקדש המה יוצאים והיו פריו למאכל ועלהו לתרופה

I saw water … the water was flowing … and … he led me into the water … first it was ankle-deep … then knee-deep … then it was up to my waist … then it was a river that I could not cross … no one could cross … I saw a great number of trees … the water flows to the sea and makes the salt water fresh … where the river flows everything will live … fish of many kinds … fruit trees of all kinds … their leaves will not wither … nor … will their fruit fail … they will bear fruit each month … the fruit will serve as food … and … the leaves will be for healing …

 

Revelation chapter 22, vs 17 - 21                   Jesus Christ speaking

… come … let everyone who hears say … come … let everyone who is thirsty come … and … for everyone who wishes … they can take for free the gift of the waters of life … I AM coming soon …

 

Jeremiah chapter 2, vs 13                   God speaking

2:13 כי-שתים רעות עשה עמי אתי עזבו מקור מים חיים לחצב להם בארות בארת נשברים אשר לא-יכלו המים

… My people have committed two sins … they have forsaken Me the spring of living water … and … they have dug their own cisterns that cannot hold water …

 

Revelation chapter 21, vs 3 - 7                        Jesus Christ speaking

… now the dwelling of God is with humankind … He will live with them … they will be His people … and … God Himself will be with them … He will be their God … He will wipe away every tear from their eyes … there will be no more death … no more mourning … no more crying … no more pain … God says … I AM making everything new … then … He ( God Wh0 is Jesus Christ ) … said to me … it is done … I AM the Alpha and the Omega … the Beginning and the End … to everyone who is thirsty … I give without cost from the spring of the water of life … everyone who overcomes will inherit all this  … I will be their God … and … they will be My people …

 

John chapter 10, vs 7 - 18                                    Jesus Christ speaking

… I AM the gate of the sheep whoever enters by Me will be saved … and … will go in and out … and … find pasture … I came that they might have life and have it abundantly … I AM the Good Shepherd … the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep … I know My sheep … and … my sheep know me … as … the Father knows Me … and … I know the Father … I lay down My life for the sheep … I have other sheep that are not part of this fold … I must bring them also … they will heed my voice … then … there will be one flock and one Shepherd … I know My sheep … and … My sheep know My voice … they listen to My voice … they will be one …  the Father loves Me because I lay down My life to take it up again … I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again … this I have received from the Father …

 

John chapter 4, vs 23                              Jesus Christ speaking

… a time has now come when true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit … and … in truth … for … they are the kind of worshipers which the Father seeks …

 

John chapter 3, vs 16 - 18                    Jesus Christ speaking

… God so loved the world that He gave His only Son … so that … everyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life … for … God sent His Son into the world not to condemn it but that the world might be saved through Him … everyone who believes in Him is not condemned … but … whoever does not believe is condemned already …

 

John chapter 14, vs 16                           Jesus Christ speaking

… I will ask the Father … and … He will give you the Advocate ( e.g. the Holy Spirit ) … to help you … and … to be with you forever …

 

John chapter 14, vs 26                           Jesus Christ speaking

… the … Advocate … the Holy Spirit … Whom the Father will send in My Name … will teach you all things … and … will remind you of everything that I have said to you …

 

John chapter 15, vs 26                           Jesus Christ speaking

… when the Advocate comes … Whom I will send to you from the Father … this is the Holy Spirit of truth … Who goes out from the Father … He will testify about Me …

 

Romans chapter 8, vs 15                                    

… the Spirit of God (  the Holy Spirit  ) … that we received … brought about our adoption … and … it is by Him (  the Holy Spirit  ) that we cry Abba Father …

 

Galatians chapter 4, vs 6                                    

… God sent the Spirit of His Son Jesus Christ into our hearts the Spirit of God Who calls out Abba Father …

 

1 John chapter 3, vs 1                                                            

… great love the Father has lavished on us … for … we are called to be the children of God … and that is who we are … the reason the world does not know us is that it does not know Him …

 

1 John chapter 5, vs 1                                                            

… everyone who believes that Jesus Christ is God … is born of God … and … they are a child of the Father … whom the Father loves …

 

Matthew chapter 10, vs 20                 Jesus Christ speaking

… the Spirit of your Father will speak through you …

 

John chapter 12, vs 49                           Jesus Christ speaking

… I did not speak on My own … the Father Who sent Me taught Me to say all that I have spoken ,,,

 

Luke chapter 11, vs 13                           Jesus Christ speaking

… if we know how to give good gifts to your children … how much more will our Father in heaven give the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) to everyone who asks Him …

 

Luke chapter 12, vs 32                           Jesus Christ speaking

… do not be afraid … your Father has been pleased to give to you the Kingdom …

 

Matthew chapter 19, vs 14                 Jesus Christ speaking

… let the little children come to Me  … do not hinder them … for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these …

 

John chapter 14, vs 23                           Jesus Christ speaking

… everyone who loves Me … will follow My teaching ... My Father will love them … and … We will come to them … and … make Our home with them …

 

John chapter 12, vs 50                           Jesus Christ speaking

… all that I say is what the Father has told Me to say … His teaching leads to everlasting  life  with Him forever …

 

John chapter 14, vs 10                           Jesus Christ speaking

… the words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority … rather … it is the Father living in Me … Who … is doing His work …

 

Matthew chapter 3, vs 1, 2, 6, 11   John the Baptizer speaking

... repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand ... and ... they were baptized by him ... confessing their sins ... John said … I baptize you with water ... He who is coming ... will baptize you with the Spirit of God ...

 

Romans chapter 14, vs 17

… the Kingdom of Heaven ( Kingdom of God ) … is not eating and drinking … but …  righteousness … peace … and … joy … in the Holy Spirit ( Spirit of God ) …

 

Luke chapter 17, vs 20 - 21                 Jesus Christ speaking

… the Kingdom of God ( Kingdom of Heaven ) is not found with careful observation … nor … can people say here it is … because … the Kingdom of God ( Kingdom of Heaven ) is within you …

 

James chapter 4, vs 8

... let us draw near to God and He will draw near to us ...

 

Galatians chapter 4, vs 9

... now that we have come to know God … or rather … be known by God ...

 

John chapter 3, vs 5 - 8                          Jesus Christ speaking                           

… unless one is born of water … and … the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … they cannot enter the Kingdom of God ( Kingdom of Heaven ) … that which is born of flesh is flesh … that which is born of Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) is spirit … the wind blows where it wishes … you hear the sound but  you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going … so also … it is for everyone born of the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) …

 

Mark chapter 4, vs 26 – 29                   Jesus Christ speaking

… the Kingdom of Heaven ( Kingdom of God ) is like a farmer ) who scatters seed on the ground … night and day the seed sprouts and grows all by itself … and so … the soil produces grain … first the stalk then the head and then the full kernel of the head … as soon as the grain is ripe the harvest has come …

 

Luke chapter 4, vs 18                             Jesus Christ speaking

… the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me … because … He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor … He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners … to give the recovery of sight for the blind … and … to set the oppressed free …

 

Isaiah chapter 61                                      Messiah speaking                     select verse segments

61:1 רוח אדני יהוה עלי יען משח יהוה אתי לבשר ענוים שלחני לחבש לנשברי-לב לקרא לשבוים דרור ולאסורים פקח-קוח

61:2 לקרא שנת-רצון ליהוה ויום נקם לאלהינו לנחם כל-אבלים

61:3 לשום לאבלי ציון לתת להם פאר תחת אפר שמן ששון תחת אבל מעטה תהלה תחת רוח כהה וקרא להם אילי הצדק מטע יהוה להתפאר

61:4 ובנו חרבות עולם שממות ראשנים יקוממו וחדשו ערי חרב שממות דור ודור

61:5 ועמדו זרים ורעו צאנכם ובני נכר אכריכם וכרמיכם

61:6 ואתם כהני יהוה תקראו משרתי אלהינו יאמר לכם חיל גוים תאכלו ובכבודם תתימרו

61:7 תחת בשתכם משנה וכלמה ירנו חלקם לכן בארצם משנה יירשו שמחת עולם תהיה להם

61:8 כי אני יהוה אהב משפט שנא גזל בעולה ונתתי פעלתם באמת וברית עולם אכרות להם

61:9 ונודע בגוים זרעם וצאצאיהם בתוך העמים כל-ראיהם יכירום כי הם זרע ברך יהוה

61:10 שוש אשיש ביהוה תגל נפשי באלהי כי הלבישני בגדי-ישע מעיל צדקה יעטני כחתן יכהן פאר וככלה תעדה כליה

61:11 כי כארץ תוציא צמחה וכגנה זרועיה תצמיח כן אדני יהוה יצמיח צדקה ותהלה נגד כל-הגוים

… the Spirit of the LORD ( YHVH ) is upon Me … because … the LORD ( YHVH ) has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor … He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted … to proclaim freedom for the captives … and … the release from darkness for prisoners … to proclaim the year of the LORD ( YHVH )’s favor … the day of vengeance of our God … to comfort all those who mourn … to provide for those who grieve … to bestow on them a crown of joy … instead of ashes … the oil of joy … instead of mourning … and … a garment of praise … instead of a spirit of despair … they will be called the oaks of righteousness … a planting of the LORD ( YHVH ) … for the display of His splendor …                  

… note … the wrath and vengeance of God is directed at evil/sin and wickedness …

 

1 John chapter 4, vs 2

… this is how we can recognize the Spirit of God … everyone and every spirit that acknowledges that … Jesus Christ is God … Who has come in the flesh to humankind from God …

 

2 Thessalonians chapter 2, vs 13

… God chose us as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … because … we believe in the truth …

 

1 Corinthians chapter 6, vs 11

… we are washed sanctified and justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ … and … by the Spirit of God  ( Holy Spirit )…

 

Romans chapter 8, vs 14

… everyone  who is led by the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … is … a child of God …

 

Romans chapter 8, vs 9

… we do not live in the realm of the flesh … we live in the realm of the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … and … the Spirit of God lives within us … we belong to Jesus Christ …

 

Ephesians chapter 4, vs 30

… we have been sealed by the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … for … the day of redemption …

 

2 Corinthians chapter 3, vs 3

… we are a message from Jesus Christ to the people of this world … not written in ink but written with the Spirit of the living God ( Holy Spirit ) … not written on a tablet of stone but on our hearts …

 

2 Corinthians chapter 3, vs 17

… the Lord is a Spirit … and … where the Spirit of the Lord ( Holy Spirit ) is there is freedom …

 

1 Corinthians chapter 2, vs 14

… everything that comes to us from the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) is received recognized and revealed in us only by the Spirit of God …

 

1 Corinthians chapter 6, vs 19

… our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit … the Spirit of God … Who is in us … and … Whom we received from God … therefore …we are not your own … we are each a child of God redeemed by Jesus Christ …

 

Matthew chapter 6, vs 25 - 34                          Jesus Christ speaking

… do not worry … seek first His Kingdom … seek first His righteousness … and … all things will be given to you …

 

Matthew  chapter 6, vs 7 - 8                               Jesus Christ speaking

… ask and it will be given to you … seek and you will find … knock and the door will be opened to you …  for … everyone who asks will receive … everyone who seeks will find … and … for everyone who knocks the door will be opened …

 

Isaiah chapter 48, vs 17                                        God speaking

48:17 כה-אמר יהוה גאלך קדוש ישראל אני יהוה אלהיך מלמדך להועיל מדריכך בדרך תלך

… I AM … the LORD ( YHVH ) … your God … your Redeemer … the Holy One … I teach you what is best for you … I direct you in the way which you should go …

 

1 Thessalonians chapter 5, vs 15 - 24

… let us pursue what is good for both ourselves and for all others … rejoice always … pray without ceasing … give thanks to God in everything … test all things … hold fast to what is good … abstain from all forms of evil/sin … encourage the Spirit of God among us to lessen the gap between ourselves and God … for … this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for us … so … may the God of peace Himself sanctify us completely … so … that our whole … spirit … soul … and … body … will be preserved blameless … through the grace of Jesus Christ … for … the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ … for … He Who has called us is faithful … and  … He will do it …

 

Mark chapter 4, vs 11                             Jesus Christ speaking

… the secret of the Kingdom of Heaven ( Kingdom of God ) has been given to you …

 

Acts chapter 1, vs 8                                 Jesus Christ speaking  

... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you ... you will be My witnesses to the end of the earth ...

 

Ephesians chapter 3, vs 14 - 19

… I pray that the Father strengthens us through His Spirit ( Holy Spirit ) so that Jesus Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith … and so that … eachof us will grasp how … wide … long … high … and … deep … is the love of Jesus Christ …

 

1 John chapter 5, vs 6 - 8

… Jesus Christ came by water and blood … the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) testifies to this because the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) is truth … therefore there are three that testify … the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … the water … and … the blood … these three are in agreement …

 

Galatians chapter 2, vs 20

… we no longer live but Jesus Christ lives in us … the life that we now live in these current bodies we live by faith in the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us …

 

John chapter 20, vs 22 - 23                 Jesus Christ speaking

… peace be with you … as the Father has sent Me … I AM sending you … He breathed on them and said … receive the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) … if you forgive anyone their sins they are forgiven … if you retain them they are retained

 

… note that the English verb … breathed … is Greek verb … EMPHUSAO … in our modern English the noun … Emphysema … is from that verb … the roots of … EMPHUSAO … are two Greek words … the first is the Greek preposition … EN … Strong# Greek 1722 … good literal meanings include … in … or … into … or … on … or … by …   the second root word is Greek verb … PHUSAO … the best literal meaning is … to blow … therefore … perhaps a good understanding of this action is that Jesus Christ … blew into His apostles the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) …

 

… the English verb … receive … is Greek verb …LAMBANO … Strong# Greek 2983 … the literal meaning is … to take hold of … so … note that the literal meaning in the Greek defines a needed action by those who are spoken to where the passage states more literally in meaning … He blew into them and said take hold of ...

 

… the words … forgive and forgiven … are Greek verb … APHIEMI … Strong# Greek 863 … the best literal meanings include … to send away … or … to permit to depart … the root of APHIEMI is two Greek words … first the Greek proposition … APO … Strong# Greek 575 … the literal meaning is … away from … and … the second word is Greek verb … HIEMI … the literal meaning is … to send … so … perhaps a good understanding of this action is … to send away from … or … to permit to depart from …

… the words … retain and retained … are Greek verb … KRATEO … Strong# Greek 2902 … the best literal meanings include … to be strong … or … to hold fast … the root of KRATEO is Greek noun … KRATOS … the best literal meanings include  … strength … or … power …

 

… so … as a alternative translation from our review of the literal meaning for select Greek words …

 

John chapter 20, vs 22 - 23                Jesus Christ speaking

… peace be with you … as the Father has sent Me … I AM … sending you … and … He breathed into them … and … said … take hold of the Holy Spirit ( Spirit of God ) … if you send sin away so that it departs from anyone the sin will depart … if you continue to keep possession of anyone and their sin you will continue to have them …

Sunday, August 23, 2026

 

Temple

 

… this bible study has some findings regarding the temple …  

… in Jerusalem following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ …

… up to the destruction of the temple 38 years later in 70 AD …

 

 

Jerusalem Yerushalmi Yoma Talmud 6:3:6

… it was stated that during every year for the forty years before the temple was destroyed ( in 70 AD ) … every night … the Eastern light would extinguish by itself and the door of the temple sanctuary would open by itself … … and every year … the Lot for God came to the left hand and the crimson thread remained red  … they kept locking the doors of the temple sanctuary each evening and in the morning they found them open … during this time Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai asked … temple sanctuary why do you frighten us we know that you will be destroyed …

… note … Rabbi Johanan’s quote is a reference to Zechariah ch 11 vs 1 …

Jerusalem Yerushalmi Yoma Talmud 6:3:6

[תַּנֵּי.] אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא חָרֵב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה נֵר מַעֲרָבִי כָּבָה וְלָשׁוֹן שֶׁלִזְהוֹרִית מַאֲדִים וְגּוֹרָל שֶׁלַּשֵּׁם עוֹלֶה בַשְּׂמֹאל. וְהָיוּ נוֹעֲלִין דַּלְתּוֹת הַהֵיכָל מִבָּעֶרֶב וּמַשְׁכִּימִין וּמוֹצְאִין אוֹתָן פְּתוּחִין. אָמַר לוֹ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּיי. הֵיכַל. לָמָּה אַתָּה מְבַהֲלֵינוּ. יוֹדָעִין אָנוּ שֶׁסּוֹפָךְ לִיחָרֵב. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר פְּתַח לְבָנוֹן דְּלָתֶיךָ וְתֹאכַל אֵשׁ בַּאֲרָזֶיךָ

 

Babylonian Tractate Soma 39b

… during the last forty years before the destruction of the temple … the Lot for God did not come up in the right hand … nor did the Crimson-Colored Strap become white … nor did the Westernmost Light shine … and … the Doors of the Hekal would open by themselves … 

… note the Hekal is the temple sanctuary …

 

Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 31b

… during the forty years before the temple was destroyed … the Strip of Crimson wool would not turn white … rather … it would turn a deeper shade of red …

 

… so … for the 38 years following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and perhaps for the years that included His ministry among the people of Israel these are independent observations that were recorded after the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD … these four reoccurring events were known to all the folks who ran the temple at Jerusalem and who were responsible for the spiritual health of the people of Israel … they recorded these observations in the Talmud and Mishnah … written dialog and comments which are still available today …  

 

 

… the references above note that for the 38 years between the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD four reoccurring events were painfully encounterd …

 

A … each night … seven days a week … every day of the year …

 

                                1 … the Western Light would extinguish itself …

                               

2 …the locked doors of the temple sanctuary would unlock and open …

 

B … annually … observations on and just following the festival of Yom Kippur …

… note – Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement for the forgiveness of unknown sin …

 

                                3 … the Lot for the Lord would be picked up in the left hand of the

     High Priest and select the goat at the left for the temple sacrifice …

 

                                4 … the Crimson Thread would remain red and not turn white …

 

 

… so … regarding these statements which record an interesting set of historical facts regarding the temple at Jerusalem in the first century AD … first from a Christian perspective there is a frame for consideration and understanding which includes the darkness from noon to 3 PM on the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ … and … the tearing of the curtain before the Holy or Holies in the temple at 3 PM on that day … second … from a Hebrew ( Jewish ) perspective which we note from the Hebrew ( Jewish ) commentaries that we have reviewed … these verses consider these events as omens of the impending destruction of the temple in 70 AD … in our analyses we agree with both frames of reference and also see the wonderful grace of God Who following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ continued to offer a call for repentance which was speaking in directed repetitive actions to folks who might not otherwise listen to the intended meaning of the messianic messages of the Old Testament prophets or the … life … death on the cross … and … resurrection from the dead … of Jesus Christ … God … our Lord … our Savior … our Teacher … our Pilot … and … our Friend … God is good … intending that no one perish without every opportunity to turn to Him and be saved from evil and sin … the meaning of repentance in both the Old and New Testaments …

 

2 Peter chapter 3, vs 9

… the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise … as some understand slowness … rather … He is patient with everyone … now wishing any person to perish … giving time for all who are willing to turn to Him … to come to repentance …

 

1 Timothy chapter 2, vs 3 - 4

… God our Savior wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth …

 

John chapter 3, vs 16 - 17

… for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son … so that … everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life with God forever … God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him …

 

Ezekiel chapter 18, vs 23                     God speaking

18:23 החפץ אחפץ מות רשע נאם אדני יהוה הלוא בשובו מדרכיו וחיה

… I do not take any pleasure in the death of the wicked … declares the Sovereign LORD … rather … I AM pleased when they turn from their ways and live …

 

Ezekiel chapter 33, vs 11                     God speaking

33:11 אמר אליהם חי-אני נאם אדני יהוה אם-אחפץ במות הרשע כי אם-בשוב רשע מדרכו וחיה שובו שובו מדרכיכם הרעים ולמה תמותו בית ישראל

… as surely as I live declares the Sovereign LORD … I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that they turn from their ways and live … turn from your evil ways … why should you die …

 

 

… in these Talmud and Mishnah references review events that primarily reference the time frame of the 38 years between the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD … those 38 years may have been rounded off to forty years by these authors in remembrance of the famous Shimon HaTzaddik ( Simon the Just ) who served as High Priest ( Kohen Gadol ) at the Second Temple in Jerusalem for the 40 years which included the Middle East Greek invasion by Alexander the Great … Shimon HaTzaddik met with Alexander on the Mount of Olives to the East of Jerusalem and convinced him that the Hebrew ( Jewish ) scriptures had prophetically announced his reign … and so … Alexander did not destroy Jerusalem … during all forty years that Shimon HaTzaddik served as High Priest the Lot for God arose in his right hand and then from his death onward the Lot for God sometimes arose in the right hand and sometimes it arose in the left hand of the High Priest … also … each year during his tenure as High Priest the Strip of Crimson Wool that was tied to the head of the goat which was sent to Azazel turned white indicating that the sins of the people of Israel had been forgiven on that specific Day of Atonement … this belief was held by both the folks who controlled the temple and the people of Israel based on … Isaiah chapter 1, vs 18 …

 

Isaiah chapter 1, vs 18                          God speaking

1:18 לכו-נא ונוכחה יאמר יהוה אם-יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו אם-יאדימו כתולע כצמר יהיו

… though your sins are as crimson … you will be made white as snow …

 

Mishnah Yoma 39:15a          

… the Sages have taught us that during the tenure of Shimon HaTzaddik the Lot for God always arose in the High Priest’s right hand … however … after his death … it occurred only occasionally … but … during the forty years prior to the destruction of the Second Temple the Lot for God did not arise in the High Priest’s right hand at all … and so too … the Strip of Crimson Wool that was tied to the head of the goat that was sent to Azazel did not turn white and the Westernmost Lamp of the Menorah did not burn continually …

 

 

the Lot for the Lord  ( also termed … the Lot for God )

… the Lot for God also termed the Lot for the Lord and the Crimson Thread are related to the annual festival for Hebrew ( Jewish ) people termed the Day of Atonement … when there was a temple in Jerusalem … on that day … the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the temple and make a request to God for both himself and all the people of Israel to ask forgiveness from God for all unintentional and unknown sin during the previous year … the request in the Holy of Holies included the springling of blood … that blood came from a goat that was sacrificed prior to the request by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies … there were two goats selected for the Day of Atonement … the reference for this is Leviticus chapter 16, vs 8 … the High Priest would reach into a box which contained two stones … when translated one stone was marked … Lot for God or Lot for the Lord … the other stone when translated was marked … Lot for Azazel … note that in the book of Enoch Azazel is identified as the leader of the fallen angels … when the High Priest pulled the stones out of the box he would pick up one stone with his right hand and one stone with his left hand … it was interpreted that when the Lot for God was picked up with the High Priest’s right hand it was a sign of favor from God and the Atonement for the sin of the people of Israel was accepted that year … the forty years of Shimon HaTzaddik’s term as High Priest was without president either prior to or after that term because the Lot of the Lord came to his right hand during each year of his term … in the following time periods when the Lot of the Lord came to the High Priest’s left hand it was interpreted that the Atonement for the sin of the people of Israel was not accepted that year … the 38 years before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD was unprecedented over one thousand years of temple worship because the Lot for the Lord came to the left hand of the High Priest each year … as the High Priest chose these two stones there were two goats present … one on the right of the High Priest and one on the Left … the hand the stones were picked up in determined the fate of each goat … the Lot for the Lord’s goat would be sacrificed at the temple and its blood would be used for the atonement request made in the Holy of Holies by the High Priest … the other goat which was selected by the Lot for Azazel would be taken into the wilderness where from the time of the second temple’s construction to 70 AD that goat would be pushed over a high cliff to its death … not necessarily the original intent found in the TORAH but the accepted Rabbinic practice after the Babylonian captivity …

 

the Crimson Thread

… the Crimson Thread does not have a reference in biblical scripture like the reference for the Lot of the Lord in Leviticus chapter 16, vs 8 … however there is actually quite a bit of text in the Talmud regarding the Crimson Thread … originally … when the goat selected as the Lot to the Lord was sacrificed some of the blood was used to stain two strips of wool … one strip would be tied to the horns of the goat selected as the Lot for Azazel and one strip would be tied to the outer door handle of the temple sanctuary … it was interpreted that if the Crimson Thread turned white after a few days this was a sign of favor from God that the Atonement for the sin of the people of Israel was accepted that year … if the Crimson Thread remaind red it was interpreted that the Atonement for the sin of the people of Israel was not accepted that year … during the forty years that Shimon HaTzaddik was High Priest the Lot of the Lord always came to his right hand and the Crimson Thread always turned white … in the decades and years that followed the Talmud documents that the people of Israel became upset when these two validations for the success of the annual Atonement failed … the Talmud readings are interesting as there are spiritually grounded arguments which feel these negative results in the years when they occur are a communication from God with a call for repentance … and … there are more secular perspectives with arguments which seek to use red dyes that will automatically turn white after a few days  or seek to make changes in protocol so that the people of Israel will not view the Crimson Thread that was traditionally hung on the outer door handle of the temple sanctuary … one thoughtful recommendation was to hang it on the inside handle of the temple sanctuary door and lock the door … I’m not sure what they actually did but for sure there was a concern among the folks who  ran the temple and who were responsible for the spiritual health of the people of Israel …

 

 Front Doors of the the Temple Sanctuary

… at the time of Jesus Christ and up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD the temple as a building sat on an elevated thirty-six acre platform that we now call the temple mount … the temple faced East toward the Mount of Olives with two massive bronze doors that opened into the temple sanctuary on the East end before which was the inner courtyard of the temple … within the temple the Holy of Holies was at the Western end of the temple sanctuary … the temple itself was set within two concentric enclosing courtyards … an inner court where direct actions related to temple worship were performed like the slaughter of sacrificial animals and the alter of burnt offering … also … around the inner courtyard there was an outer courtyard where the interactions of the people of Israel with the temple services initiated … in this building complex for the 38 years following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross the massive bronze  doors would open between midnight and morning by themselves … this was not the custom for the thousand years since the first temple was built by King Solomon … the Talmud records dialog and considerations for actions taken to prevent this during that 38 year period however for those 38 years every night and without any previous similar occasions for over a thousand years the doors would open … they were locked watched chained however regardless of whatever remedial action was taken the doors would be open in the morning according to the documentation that we read in the Talmud … when one considers the Talmud and Mishna references which use forty years as the time period … we feel that perhaps it was forty years and the anomaly began during the ministry of Jesus Christ … alternately … we remember that the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people were sent into the desert for thirty-eight years by God however when remembered they often state it as forty years … and … perhaps they also were remembering the fourty year tenure as High Priest of Shimon HaTzaddik … whatever the case for sure the temple sanctuary doors were opening each night and we find that interesting …

 

Western Light (Ner Ma'aravi)

… the temple at Jerusalem had a Menorah inside the Holy Place … this is the name for the space inside the sanctuary of the temple … the Menorah was located along the south wall of the temple sanctuary and it had seven lamps … depending on the references which you are reading some folks believe that the Western Light was the center lamp of the Menorah and other folks believe that it was the most western lamp … the lamp closest to the Holy of Holies … so there is some question as to which lamp was the Western Light … however … regardless of its location … the Western Light was kept burning continually and the other six lamps were lit nightly from the flame of the Western Light … for the 38 years following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ … on every night and without any previous similar occasions over a thousand years … the Western Light would extinguish during the night … Talmud and Mishnah recorded text indicate remedial actions to stop this were taken … however … the references following 70 AD all record that this occurred each night of each year for that entire time period …  so … there are four observations related to the temple at Jerusalem in the thirty-eight years following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ until the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD …

 

 

each night                 … the Western Light would extinguish itself …

                                                …the locked door of the temple would open …

annually                      … the Lot for the Lord was picked up by the left hand …

                … the Crimson Thread would remain red and not turn white …

 

Mishnah Yoma 6:8

Rabbi Yishmael says … they had an indicator … the Strip of Crimson tied to the entrance to the Sanctuary … and … when the goat reached the wilderness the mitzva was fulfilled and the strip would not turn white … as it is stated … though your sins be as scarlet they will become white as snow …  

 

Talmud, Rosh Hashannah, 31b

Rav Naman bar Yitzak said … the ordinance was with regard to the Strip of Crimson Wool used on Yom Kippur as it is taught in a Baraita … at first they would tie the Strip of Crimson Wool to the opening of the Entrance Hall of the Temple on the outside and If after the sacrificing of the offerings and the sending of the scapegoat the strip turned white the people would rejoice as this indicated that their sins had been atoned for … if it did not turn white they would be sad … when the Sages saw that people were overly distressed on Yom Kippur year after year they instituted that they would tie the Strip of Crimson Wool to the opening of the Entrance Hall on the inside where only a few could enter to see it …  

                … note … the term … scapegoat … refers to the goat selected by the Lot for Azszel …

 

Talmud Soncino Tractate Yoma 39b

… during the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple … the Lot for the Lord did not come up in the right hand … nor did the Crimson-colored Strap become white … nor did the Westernmost Light shine … and … the doors of the Hekal would open by themselves … 

 

Psalm 37

37:1 לדוד אל-תתחר במרעים אל-תקנא בעשי עולה

37:2 כי כחציר מהרה ימלו וכירק דשא יבולון

37:3 בטח ביהוה ועשה-טוב שכן-ארץ ורעה אמונה

37:4 והתענג על-יהוה ויתן-לך משאלת לבך

37:5 גול על-יהוה דרכך ובטח עליו והוא יעשה

37:6 והוציא כאור צדקך ומשפטך כצהרים

37:7 דום ליהוה והתחולל לו אל-תתחר במצליח דרכו באיש עשה מזמות

37:8 הרף מאף ועזב חמה אל-תתחר אך-להרע

37:9 כי-מרעים יכרתון וקוי יהוה המה יירשו-ארץ

37:10 ועוד מעט ואין רשע והתבוננת על-מקומו ואיננו

37:11 וענוים יירשו-ארץ והתענגו על-רב שלום

37:12 זמם רשע לצדיק וחרק עליו שניו

37:13 אדני ישחק-לו כי-ראה כי-יבא יומו

37:14 חרב פתחו רשעים ודרכו קשתם להפיל עני ואביון לטבוח ישרי-דרך

37:15 חרבם תבוא בלבם וקשתותם תשברנה

37:16 טוב-מעט לצדיק מהמון רשעים רבים

37:17 כי זרועות רשעים תשברנה וסומך צדיקים יהוה

37:18 יודע יהוה ימי תמימם ונחלתם לעולם תהיה

37:19 לא-יבשו בעת רעה ובימי רעבון ישבעו

37:20 כי רשעים יאבדו ואיבי יהוה כיקר כרים כלו בעשן כלו

37:21 לוה רשע ולא ישלם וצדיק חונן ונותן

37:22 כי מברכיו יירשו ארץ ומקלליו יכרתו

37:23 מיהוה מצעדי-גבר כוננו ודרכו יחפץ

37:24 כי-יפל לא-יוטל כי-יהוה סומך ידו

37:25 נער הייתי גם-זקנתי ולא-ראיתי צדיק נעזב וזרעו מבקש-לחם

37:26 כל-היום חונן ומלוה וזרעו לברכה

37:27 סור מרע ועשה-טוב ושכן לעולם

37:28 כי יהוה אהב משפט ולא-יעזב את-חסידיו לעולם נשמרו וזרע רשעים נכרת

37:29 צדיקים יירשו-ארץ וישכנו לעד עליה

37:30 פי-צדיק יהגה חכמה ולשונו תדבר משפט

37:31 תורת אלהיו בלבו לא תמעד אשריו

37:32 צופה רשע לצדיק ומבקש להמיתו

37:33 יהוה לא-יעזבנו בידו ולא ירשיענו בהשפטו

37:34 קוה אל-יהוה ושמר דרכו וירוממך לרשת ארץ בהכרת רשעים תראה

37:35 ראיתי רשע עריץ ומתערה כאזרח רענן

37:36 ויעבר והנה איננו ואבקשהו ולא נמצא

37:37 שמר-תם וראה ישר כי-אחרית לאיש שלום

37:38 ופשעים נשמדו יחדו אחרית רשעים נכרתה

37:39 ותשועת צדיקים מיהוה מעוזם בעת צרה

37:40 ויעזרם יהוה ויפלטם יפלטם מרשעים ויושיעם כי-חסו בו

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the LORD ( YHVH ) and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the LORD ( YHVH ), and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD ( YHVH ); trust in Him and He will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the Dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD ( YHVH ) and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD ( YHVH ) will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the LORD ( YHVH ) laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD ( YHVH ) upholds the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD ( YHVH )’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD ( YHVH )’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD ( YHVH ) blesses will inherit the land, but those He curses will be destroyed.

23 The LORD ( YHVH ) makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him;

24 though they may stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD ( YHVH ) upholds them with His hand.

25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken n have I seen their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;  their children will be a blessing.

27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed and the offspring of the wicked will perish.

29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.

31 The teaching of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;

33 but the LORD ( YHVH ) will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Hope in the LORD ( YHVH ) and keep His way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD ( YHVH ); He is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The LORD ( YHVH ) helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.

 

… so … we have included the entirety of Psalm 37 because it does such a good job of defining the difference between being redeemed and in relationship with God verses not in relationship with God … in our analyses … we find that there does not seem to be a battle or war between good and evil … rather … there is the opportunity for free will choice by adults over the age of reason to choose good or to choose evil … essentially we all choose sin at one time or another and in one way or another … the choice that we have once we recognize sin in our lives is to repent and return to the truth which God has provided for us or to continue tp follow sin into the deception that results in a decent into wickedness … we find all the communications of God to be teaching … the laws of the Old Testament are teaching … all the history of the Holy Bible is teaching … we are surrounded by a physical creation which is God’s teaching … all that teaching calls us back to God … to repent from sin and avoid wickedness … the four events at the temple in Jerusalem for the 38 years from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple were a call to repentance … God says to each person … come … however after we have reached the age of reason we have a free will for which we are accountable for those decisions and their consequences … everyone who turns back to God from sin is no longer a sinner … those who do not turn back from sin are making a free will decision which leads into ever increasing deception and wickedness … in verse 22 and verse 38 of Psalm 37 we note the use of a Hebrew verb which in this English translation is given the meaning … destroyed … a good interpretation of the meaning … however … in our analysis … we would consider that in our analysis for this Hebrew verb … KARATH … Strong# Hebrew 3772 …  כָּרַת … the best literal meaning is … to cut off … in Genesis chapter 17 vs 14 we note that male Hebrew ( Jewish ) men who are not circumcised are … cut off … and throughout the book of Leviticus we note that many teachings which when not followed lead to being cut off … so while this verb translated … destroyed …  is consistent with the basic concept it does not completely reflect that it is not a cessation of existence but rather separation … separation from God and His children … another aspect of KARATH is found in Genesis chapter 15 vs 18 where KARATH is the action verb for the covenant which God makes with Abraham and his descendants through Issac and Jacob … linked with the concept of covenant associated with KARATH is the description of a mutually agreed upon action that is separation with the associated quality of permanence … in Psalm 37 vs 22 … KARATH … יִכָּרֵֽתוּ … has the prefix YOD and the suffix VAV … in our analyses the YOD provides the emphasis that it is the LORD ( YHVH ) Who will cut off the wicked and the VAV provides the emphasis that there are a lot of folks who are wicked … in Psalm 27 vs 38 …  KARATH …  נכרתה  … has the prefix NUN and the suffix TAV ,,, the NUN again provides an emphasis on the plurality of the verb’s action and the TAV provides a direct reference to a covenant that is an action initiated by the other party rather than by God … interesting …