Parashat Ki Tetzei (D’varim/Deuteronomy 21:10-25) 5782 B”H

Prudence and Safety are prioritized in Scripture by the Guardian of Israel

Have you ever driven on a mountainous road that lacks guardrails?

Or looked off the edge of such a road to see a huge drop-off just a few inches or feet below you?

I have traveled to countries where guardrails appear to be optional!

Similarly, I have also visited churches where safety does not appear to be a top priority:

Children running wild; old and broken toys, equipment, or safety latches; and poor supervision. The amount of safety and security measures set in place tends to be directly related to the congregational community’s level of affluence and education. I know I am generalizing, but wealthier, more affluent congregations tend to implement stricter safety policies, particularly for the children’s ministry areas while less affluent (and also, typically less-educated) congregations often brush aside safety. Those who take safety less seriously usually have the faith that God will protect the children in the nursery with or without things like functioning baby safety gates.

Yes, the Guardian of Israel can protect us despite our weaknesses, lack of resources, or lack of education.

But, the LORD actually expects us to be prudent.

We should seek to be well-rounded in our education – in that we study Scripture, but we also study and analyze our safety measures!

We should make changes as we become more educated. Just as we ought to study Scripture deeply, we should seek the richness of prudence in the practical aspects of life so we can be an example to the world of what to do versus what not to do!

A “safety-first” posture should be adopted for all children’s ministries (and all ministries in general, of course!)

One of the congregations we pastored was comprised almost entirely of Central American immigrants. Most of these dear brothers and sisters in the LORD spoke different tonal dialects like K’iche’ and Chatino. Because they had grown up in remote villages, many had not mastered the Spanish language – let alone English. Some had been sent into the larger cities as children to learn Spanish and receive education, but others had not received more than about a second grade education. Our brothers and sisters had difficulty with reading the Bible, but they loved the LORD nonetheless.

As the congregation grew, it became necessary to implement a children’s ministry. We expected the people to be joyful that they had reached this important milestone as a congregation. But it was the opposite! There was resistance. Most in this congregation did not want a children’s ministry.

This is why we always say . . . pray for your pastors!

As my husband and I tried to prayerfully discern what the underlying issues were, we came to some realizations:

Worship was the only time during the week when many of these mothers of large families felt they had a break. They did not want to be responsible for a class of more children. The men and women had become so accustomed to the screaming and crying of young children that they must have learned to tune it out. They wouldn’t even attempt to quiet their children during the services, most of the time.

We had to gradually teach the importance of godly discipline and order.

Setting up a standard nursery staffed by the members of the congregation would be a challenge because both the men and the women feared things like background checks due to their immigration status. We realized we would need the partnership of documented individuals, even if they were from another congregation, in order to staff a legitimate nursery/children’s ministry. Thankfully, the LORD sent some young women to fill this role for a time.

It turns out that our situation was not entirely unique. Many ministry leaders of primarily-Hispanic congregations have faced similar issues when it comes to guiding young immigrant parents. Often, the parents are barely entering adulthood themselves and simply need some wise and caring instruction.

Safety had to be a priority. We didn’t want children bumping their heads on hard surfaces or playing with objects that could poke their eyes. And we most certainly didn’t want any infants falling out of an unsecured crib.

We had to be patient, but also firm.

The Guardian of Israel requires Guardrails for safety:

We taught our congregation what the LORD says about safety:

“When you build a new house, you are to make a guardrail for your roof, so that you do not bring the guilt of blood on your house if anyone falls from it.” Deuteronomy 22:8

I absolutely love that this provision is in Scripture.

We are to concern ourselves with the well-being of others. We must build into our homes, our lives, and our ministries safety protocols to ensure the safety of everyone.

That said, we must also concern ourselves with the mental health of our people. Those mothers who needed a break needed the reassurance that they wouldn’t be responsible every.single.week for that children’s class. A rotation needed to be implemented to ensure fairness and rest.

The Guardian of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps, but He knows we all need to rest in His presence. Ministry leaders: ensure that your nursery workers are getting time to worship, too.

Don’t slip off the edge

Ministry issues like the one I just described are enough to make pastors feel like they are going bonkers. The children’s ministry issue was just one of so many strange conflicts that we dealt with over the years. The enemy is astute and always seeking to discourage and devour! And sadly, we have heard those reports of ministry leaders who have gone off the edge, either falling into unfathomable sin or taking their own lives.

I am thankful to the LORD for the patient strength of my husband and the persistence and resilience He gave to both of us as we navigated those situations.

See, the world today is about to fall off a cliff.

And the devil wants to run as many people off that cliff as possible.

Whatever you do, don’t slip off the edge. Don’t take the bait. Wear the armor of the LORD and resist the wiles of the devil. Trust in the Guardian of Israel alone.

I heard one colleague describe it so very simply in a recent sermon: “The world has gone insane!”

D’varim/Deuteronomy speaks to the “severely disordered state of mind” of today’s world

Merriam-Webster defines “insane” as “exhibiting a severely disordered state of mind.”

The world has indeed become severely disordered.

Children are growing up being bombarded by all sorts of things we didn’t have to deal with just 30 years ago.

The author of confusion is working hard to mislead and deceive the next generations

Just recently, my two boys were enrolled in a swimming class at the local YMCA.

There was a boy in the class who was wearing boy’s swimwear but with pink goggles and hoop earrings. The child’s mother insisted that the swimming teacher use female pronouns to describe her son, and this young boy (younger than 10) was being called by a girl’s name.

It was a tragedy to witness.

Because my children are homeschooled, we have been somewhat distanced from this very real reality that has become normal outside of our wonderful little homeschool bubble.

The transgender agenda is being pushed upon children and it is a true battle being waged for the souls of the children of our nation. My children expressed great confusion at having a boy in their class who was being called by a girl’s name. Why should children be exposed to all of this nonsense? It really is so sad. I am thankful that my children know the Guardian of Israel, the Guardian of their souls and their eyes are open to what is going on around them.

The world’s agenda is (mal)aligned with the enemy of our souls, and we must be vigilant to detect how and where the enemy is trying to pull our own children toward the depths of confusion.

A few years ago, I was looking for a tie for my husband to go with a new suit. I was in the men’s section of a department store and I kid you not, practically every single tie was floral! Yes, I know some masculine guys can probably pull off a few flowers, but these were mostly all pink. It took me a long time to finally find something suitable (and masculine-looking). The world aims for the feminization of men and the masculinization of women. The reason for this is simple: the devil thrives on disorder.

I read an interesting commentary recently that rightly observed how the women’s section of stores has degraded into selling mostly things like ripped jeans and stringy tops – as though it is a competition to see who can dress the least classy, the least modestly.

I personally choose to wear skirts and it is next to impossible to find nice ones at the stores. The world of today does not want women to embrace femininity. But what does the Bible say?

“A man’s apparel is not to be on a woman, nor is a man to wear woman’s clothing—for whoever does these things is detestable to ADONAI your God.” Deuteronomy 22:5

The Word of God confirms that there are distinct roles intended for men and for women.

But the world chooses to act in defiance to God’s created order.

We see this with the way the LGBTQ+ movement has reappropriated the rainbow for their cause. The rainbow was intended for the LORD’s children – those who are truly His sons and daughters through faith in His Son, who repent of their sins rather than glorify themselves or their pride.

The severely disordered state of mind (what we call “insanity”) that is infecting the world is a mentality that has also quietly seeped into the church.

The fact that Bible-believers are defending claims of stolen elections, fake news, and practically paving the way for a future American dictator demonstrate that even the church itself has gone astray. Politics and the church really don’t mix.

Is it wonderful when we have elected leaders that care about their evangelical constituents?

Of course.

But we have too many elected leaders that use their evangelical constituents. Many don’t actually care a bit about their constituents or their viewpoints so long as they stay in power. Yet too many who claim to follow the LORD have become blinded to this, convinced the politicians actually want to defend their freedoms. Anyone can spout off propaganda that they care about your freedom, but that alone doesn’t make it true. Be discerning.

How many Christians belligerently refused to wear a mask in the beginning of the pandemic, when it was clear lives were at risk and no immunizations were yet available? It had so much more to do with political parties than actual prudence and those who participated in such behavior ought repent.

Belligerence is not a fruit of the Spirit.

Even if we personally don’t see the need for a new crib mattress or larger budget for the children’s ministry, we need to think of the needs of others so we do not act like the reckless, belligerent world.

God requires prudence, care for our neighbor, and precaution taken. In all situations.

Regardless of political affiliation and personal preferences, we must demonstrate righteousness judgment, kindness, and compassion.

We must be careful that we do not unwittingly become part of the insanity around us.

We must remain level-headed.

True believers have the mind of Messiah! We must act like it!

En guarde: Are you ready for the battle ahead?

I never had a chance to try fencing, but when I was in about the fifth grade, I got to watch a live presentation on the sport from the local university. I’ve always thought it looks like fun! Now I watch my boys with their toy swords having sword fights and I am convinced they would really love it, too.

No one near us teaches the sport, though, so I guess it is just not for us.

I did study French, though, so I know that a common term in fencing is “en guarde!”

You have to be ready, on guard, so you can win a battle.

Are you “en guarde?” Are you:

Prepared with a strategy?

In the right physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual condition?

Wearing the right armor?

Are you ready to be on the offense when necessary, but able to defend yourself?

Do you have the self-awareness to know when you are too aggressive?

Do you know when to take a step back and guard your tongue?

The world is not going to get any better, in fact, things are only going to take a turn for the worse.

How’s that for uplifting?

I do not intend to get you down today. On the contrary, I want you to be ready.

I want you to be confident and actually quite enthusiastic because the crazier this world gets, the brighter we can shine because we know our redemption is near.

“Now when these things begin to happen, stand straight and lift up your heads, because your salvation is near!” Luke 21:28

The Guardian of Israel wants to guard you and protect you

Your salvation is near if you have trusted in the Messiah of Israel, Yeshua (Jesus Christ). The Guardian of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps is ever so perfectly aware of the world we are living in and He has done all He can so we can be in the world, but not of it. The world will perpetually choose darkness and confusion, but you are placed in this world to show the Light of Messiah, that some perhaps would choose the way of salvation.

The Guardian of Israel will guard you and protect you if you will walk in His ways!

The Word of God is like our safety net:

The world rejects order and discipline.

The world chooses recklessness and darkness.

The world mocks those who would build a guardrail, deriding them by saying they worry too much.

Be a light. Yes, we have faith which triumphs over fear, but we also seek to live prudently so that we will honor the Word of the LORD.

Our homes and houses of worship must be safe places so that everyone may thrive!

Trust in the Guardian of Israel, YHWH, the LORD Most High today!

Is there something from which you particularly need the LORD’s protection today? Have you ever faced a struggle or conflict in ministry? How have you overcome those challenges? Do you have a favorite Bible verse that helps you endure? How can we pray for you or your ministry today? Do you have a testimony that you would like to share about how the LORD has protected you and your family? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment/reply below! Also, please consider subscribing to our monthly newsletter so you can keep updated and receive extra resources straight to your inbox! We promise not to overwhelm your inbox.

Leviticus and Children’s Ministry

I am a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²). As a #BibleGatewayPartner, I have received a copy of “NET Eternity Now: The New Testament Series” published by Thomas Nelson Publishers at no cost to me in exchange for an honest review here on the Adonai Shalom USA blog. #BG²

“Eternity Now: The New Testament Series” (New English Translation

The “Eternity Now: New Testament Series” comes as a boxed set of five books. Each cover is appealing and each title captures the essence of the New Testament books contained within them. The titles are creative but remain theologically appropriate. I was particularly struck by the “Now but not Yet” title for John’s writings because it reminded me of one of my seminary professors who always reminded us of this aspect of John’s record. To me, this suggests accuracy and faithfulness to the original texts while tastefully displaying the creativity of those who compiled this series.

The New English Translation (NET)

Of note, the Bible version used here is the NET, the New English Translation. This is a fairly recent translation, completed in 2019. The translators’ aim according to the series’ note to the reader was to “creat[e] an English Bible translation that could overcome old challenges and boldly open the door for new possibilities.”

I’m assuming the “challenges” may refer to moving beyond the archaic language of the King James Version, but I am unsure as to of what exactly consistent the “new possibilities” hoped for by the translators. It seems to me that the New English Translation seeks a more vernacular tone making it easier for modern readers to understand without losing accuracy.

In each book, a letter to the reader explains more about the NET translation. One thing that I found particularly interesting was this claim: “Throughout the NET’s translation process, every working draft was made publicly available on the Internet. Bible scholars, ministers, and laypersons from around the world logged millions of review sessions. No other translation is so openly accountable to the worldwide church or has been so thoroughly vetted” (Eternity Now, viii). Additionally, the NET allows ministries to use the translation freely due to “ministry-first copyright innovations” (Eternity Now, x).

That really is very unique and an awesome use of modern technology for the sake of the Gospel!

Book Review and Description

The “Eternity Now“ series is a compilation of all of the books of the New Testament/B’rit Chadashah arranged in a manner making it read more like a novel. This book set would be a wonderful gift idea for a young person in your life who might not otherwise read the Bible.

Each book contains the writings of the New Testament, still divided into chapters, but verse number superscripts are left out. Again, this makes the text read more like a novel than a traditional Bible, but the Biblical text remains the same and has not been altered. This series would perhaps not be appropriate for traditional “study” due to the lack of verse number indicators, but would work well for any type of personal devotional.

The paperback format makes these books easy to carry. Someone sitting beside another on the metro will not immediately recognize that the person with one of these books is reading Scripture. It is reader-friendly, eye-catching, and somewhat unconventional.

My recommendation:

★★★★★

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I value anything that gets Scripture out to people, especially to people who might not otherwise read the Bible for themselves. This is a useful evangelical tool that I could see placed on coffee tables at clinics and coffeeshops with the hope that someone might pick it up to read and be surprised by the wonderful Good News it contains.

I recommend the “Eternity Now: New Testament Series” and hope that you find it to be a blessing either for yourself personally or for someone who you are praying will come to the saving knowledge of and relationship with our LORD.

Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University

Book details

Title: “NET Eternity Now: The New Testament Series”
Author: Compilation
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: July 2022
Genre: Bibles/Other English Translations/Reading

ISBN-13: 978-0-7852-9127-5

PURCHASE LINKS:  Amazon | FaithGateway Store

If you are looking for another wonderful Scripture resource, check out my review of “Spurgeon and the Psalms: The Book of Psalms with Devotions from Charles Spurgeon” also published by Thomas Nelson.

#BibleGatewayPartner

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I am a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²). As a #BibleGatewayPartner, I have received a copy of “Spurgeon and the Psalms” published by Thomas Nelson Publishers at no cost to me in exchange for an honest review here on the Adonai Shalom blog.

“Spurgeon and the Psalms” Leathersoft Edition

Few devotionals truly captivate my attention. I find that many of them are full of overly simplistic stories and cutesy platitudes. Certainly, for a new believer or a young person, these types of devotional books may be suitable, but for the serious and mature believer, I often recommend simply turning to the Scriptures themselves because everything else falls short.

That is why this devotional resource is WONDERFUL! “Spurgeon and the Psalms” will get you straight into the Scriptures and focusing on the LORD. That’s the point of having a devotional time, isn’t it!?

It is essentially a “Psalter”: the Book of Psalms published in a lightweight edition. Each Psalm is appropriately prefaced with words written by Charles Spurgeon, a well-known and beloved Christian pastor who lived in England and preached during the 1800’s. His timeless commentary and exhortation will bless you.

Book Review and description

I was struck by the high quality of “Spurgeon and the Psalms” as soon as I took it out of its protective book jacket. The cover is embossed with a simple mountain/nature picture and the quality of the binding is excellent. Keeping with the mountain theme, the inside front and back covers have beautiful gray-toned mountain art.

Like any high quality Bible, “Spurgeon and the Psalms” has gold page-edge gilding.

Interestingly, near the back of the book, you will find a note on the selection of type/font.I found it to be such a nice touch that the explanation was included, as I had noticed the unique font used in this Psalter.

This definitely seems like a book that the publishers want you to treasure. I’m quite certain of that because there is a guarantee printed on the back of the book jacket: Thomas Nelson guarantees their Leathersoft “Spurgeon and the Psalms” for life!

The book contains all 150 Psalms with unobtrusive devotional commentary preceding each Psalm. There are also blank “notes” pages at the back.

The selections from Spurgeon’s own writings help connect the Psalms to the Gospel narrative. If you are unfamiliar with Spurgeon, you will find his writing to be eloquent, detailed, yet exceptionally applicable. There is no doubt he sought the LORD because his writing reflects that type of close relationship with the Father.

My recommendation:

★★★★★

Rating: 5 out of 5.

If you are looking for a Psalter, this is your book. As Spurgeon laments in the Preface, God’s people don’t know the Psalms the way they used to – and he was saying that well over 100 years ago! I encourage you to take the opportunity to truly meditate on and learn the Psalms, and this book will truly help you to do that.

If you are looking for high-quality devotional material for yourself or as a gift, you will very likely enjoy the newly published

I wholeheartedly recommend the newly published “Spurgeon and the Psalms” book to everyone! It is appropriate for believers at all stages in life, and quite honestly, is the type of book every follower of our Messiah should own.

This would make a wonderful gift for anyone you love and care about.

Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University

Book details

Title: “Spurgeon and the Psalms”
Author: Compilation
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Genre: Bibles/NKJV/Devotional

ISBN-13: 978-0-7852-5343-3

PURCHASE LINKS:  Amazon | FaithGateway Store

I am always a fan of books that primarily use the Scriptures! Check out my review of the Word for Word Bible Comic’s Gospel of Mark! There are so many wonderful resources that directly refer us back to God’s Word, and I love to recommend them so you can grow closer to the LORD each and every day!

I have treasured Your word in my heart, so I might not sin against You.  Psalm 119:11, TLV

Do you read the Psalms as a daily devotional? Let us know! Leave a comment below!

Parashat Kedoshim (V’yikra/Leviticus 19-20) 5782 B”H

The Leviticus Holiness Code

The Holiness Code found in Leviticus 19 tells the people of God that they are to be holy, for ADONAI is holy.

The term in Hebrew is קְדֹשִׁים q’doshim (also spelled, kedoshim) – you shall be among those who are holy; the holy ones.

The instructions here are meant for the entirety of Israel, not just the priests and leaders.

"Speak to all the congregation of Bnei-Yisrael and tell them: You shall be kedoshim, for I, ADONAI your God, am holy."  Lev.19:2, emphasis added

Though the Torah was written so very long ago, there are 15 points that are still completely relevant to us today.

These points contain important instructions to help us live in holiness (another term for “sanctification.”)

“This is the will of God — your sanctification.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3

We have been made holy through what our Messiah did for us on the cross at Calvary (Col.1:20-22). We cannot be holy on our own or achieve holiness by doing good works. However, once we have received the gift of salvation, we are to continue to live as sanctified people:

"Therefore, since we have these promises, loved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."  2 Corinthians 7:1, emphasis added

The fruit of our salvation is that we choose to live rightly. We choose holiness.

Here are instructions on how to do it!

Related post: The Leviticus 11 Controversy

Major points of the Leviticus Holiness Code:

1. Holiness requires that we must respect our father and mother (Lev.19:3).

"Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God."  Leviticus 19:3 (NKJV)

“Each one of you is to respect his mother and his father, and keep My Shabbatot. I am ADONAI your God."  Lev.19:3 (TLV)

This seems so basic, yet look around us. How many people truly respect and honor their parents? Are you training your children to be respectful?

We must be cautious as to what we allow our children to watch. Many shows and movies targeted to young people today encourage aloofness and rebellion. We must oversee their usage of technology and encourage positive, godly friendships. Our job is harder than generations past – children today are truly inundated by information – both good and bad, and are targeted for their innocence.

How about grown up children? If their parent is in an assisted living facility, do they visit? Sadly, I have seen far too many of our elders in this country practically abandoned by their adult children, left to be cared for entirely by health professionals. I am thankful for the professionals, who give so much love, but it is never the same as the bond that ought to exist between a parent and their child.

The denigration of traditional family by modern society is ha-satan‘s way to attack this basic, fundamental principle.

To live in holiness, we must be respectful of our parents.

2. We are to keep God’s Shabbats (Sabbath Days) (Lev.19:3)

Notice that in the same verse that we are instructed to care for our parents, we are also instructed to keep God’s Sabbath days. That is because these concepts go hand-in-hand. If we love our families, we will want to spend time with them, and we will honor our LORD. Sabbath is about spending time with the LORD and with our families, resting and enjoying the presence of the LORD and our loved ones as well as our brothers and sisters in Messiah.

Assuming that our parents taught us to keep Shabbat (which many didn’t, because this has been lost over time), we then keep the Shabbat to honor their teaching to us, as well. Shabbat is ultimately about family and keeping our generations on the right path.

The wording of this verse catches my attention. “Keep my Shabbatot.” “Keep my Sabbaths.” God tells us the Sabbath belongs to Him – consistent with our Messiah’s teaching that He is the LORD of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). It is an important day to our LORD, so it should be important to us, too. Sabbath was established after creation – God rested on the seventh day and sanctified it (Genesis 2:3). Sabbath, according to the Bible, is Saturday, rather than Sunday.

This point is so important to the LORD that He reiterates it just a few verses later in Leviticus 19:30. “You are to keep My Shabbatot, and reverence My Sanctuary. I am ADONAI.” We must take seriously the command to rest.

What does rest have to do with holiness? Spending time at rest allows us to minister from a place of restoration.

We cannot help others if we don’t care for ourselves.

3. We are to not turn to idols (Lev.19:4)

A few years ago, we drove from the Texas border down to south central Mexico. During our trip, we saw many handmade shrines along the dusty paths bordering the Chihuahuan desert. The conditions in some of these desert regions are so harsh and desolate that the improvised, crude nature of these altars seemed to aptly reflect the difficulties of life in these places.

Why do people turn to idols? When do people feel inspired to build their own high place?

When they long for a relationship.

When they want answers to life’s hard questions.

When they genuinely seek, but have not yet found.

When they are trapped in a generational cycle of idolatry.

There is true hope in the LORD, but some people have not yet heard. And some who hear will reject the Truth, in favor of their idolatrous traditions and customs. But the stronghold on their lives is rooted in the idolatry of generations before, pagan traditions passed down with the hope of finding a better life, but missing the mark.

In several different villages in southern Mexico, we witnessed processions of people walking down the roads carrying wooden idols they had made.

I had never seen idolatry in such a pure and unabashed form. Sure, I had seen statues and carvings, but never entire communities of people parading these objects for purposes of worship.

In a sense, we are blessed in the United States because this isn’t something we “see.”

But we are also blind because we don’t realize that idolatry is just as rampant here, it just takes other forms.

You see, ha-satan is astute. Historically, our Protestant-influenced culture did not make easy room for idolatrous religious images and carvings. Holiness was taken more seriously. So the devil has found ways to lure people into less obvious forms of idolatry. Worship of self, materialism, obsession over celebrities, the love of money . . . there are so many forms of idolatry. It is sinful to look to these things as though they are deity.

We are clearly told in the Bible’s Holiness Code that in order to be holy as the LORD is holy, we mustn’t have idols of any sort.

4. We are to provide for the poor. (Leviticus 19:9)

Did you know that Ruth was able to glean from the fields of Boaz (Ruth 2) because of the law found in the Leviticus Holiness Code of Leviticus 19:9? It’s true!

Those who owned land were obligated by the Word of God in the Torah to intentionally leave the corners of the field unharvested and not to glean the leftovers of their crops in the fields. Specifically, landowners were not even to pick up fallen grapes from their vineyards (Lev.19:10). These remnants were to be left for the poor and the stranger.

There is always a lesson about hospitality to be found in the Word of God. We are to love and help the poor with kindness.

True holiness embraces abundant, radical hospitality.

5. We mustn’t steal, lie, or deceive. (Leviticus 19:11)

Stealing, lying, and deception all go together. We must be careful, especially those of us in ministry positions.

Peter warned that judgment begins in the house of the LORD. How many ministries have brought embarrassment and shame upon themselves for lying and deceiving people or stealing tithe money?

Resist all temptation to participate in schemes that will harm the LORD’s flock!

You are responsible to set an example for believers by living in true holiness, according to the Word of God.

"For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God. If judgment begins with us first, what will be the end for those who disobey the Good News of God?" 1 Peter 4:17

6. We must never swear by YHVH’s Name falsely. (Leviticus 19:12)

Swearing by YHVH’s Name falsely profanes the Name of your God, according to this Scripture.

I don’t know about you, but I shudder at the thought. We must live in holiness and honor the Name of the LORD.

This is written, though, because it is inevitable that certain members of the house of the LORD will fall into error. We must not follow suit.

7. You are not to oppress your neighbor nor rob him.

We need to learn to live in peace with everyone. We must be honest and good to our neighbors.

Many of the commands in the Leviticus Holiness Code sound like the Aseret HaDibrot: The Ten Words (i.e., the Decalogue or “Ten Commandments“). They are rules to live by, for our own good and the good of our communities.

If you truly want to live in holiness, find ways to bless your neighbors.

8. If you are a day employer, you are to pay your hired worker at the end of their work day, not hold the money overnight. (Leviticus 19:13)

The Leviticus Holiness Code provides for workplace fairness as well as the proper handling of money.

Day laborers are usually at a disadvantage, lacking their own land or company.

Day employers who obey the LORD will not take advantage of their workers or cheat them and will compensate them fairly and at a reasonable time.

I knew a wealthy man, who claimed to be a devout Christian, who thrived off of cheap labor. He would hire unskilled laborers and pay them the very least amount possible to retain their services. His workers would come and go because they were paid so little they would try to find work elsewhere. To his credit, I heard that he did pay his workers fairly quickly, but a person truly living in holiness will not take advantage of people or try to intentionally maintain them at poverty level. If you are in a position where you have financial advantages, find ways to bless those who work for you. Your team will stick with you and you will prosper, as well.

9. We must care for the rights of those with disabilities. (Leviticus 19:14)

Specifically, the Torah here is concerned for those who are deaf or blind.

We are not to curse anyone who has a disability nor make their lives difficult (putting a “stumbling block” before them).

Related post: A Cure Changes Everything.

If you truly seek to live in holiness, look for ways to help and befriend the disabled. You will be blessed.

10. We must be impartial in our judgments. (Leviticus 19:15)

When you are in the position to make a decision that will affect others, you need to show impartiality. These verses deal with justice. We must seek justice, whether it is in the workplace or in our neighborhoods. We cannot allow political preferences to cloud our judgment, either.

In all things, we must be fair. If you are a judge or someone in authority, you mustn’t show favoritism to others in similar positions. All cases must be dealt with fairly, regardless of financial or social status.

"You are not to be partial toward the poor nor show favoritism toward the great . . ."  Leviticus 19:15

We need godly judges and lawyers who seek to live in holiness! Pray for those who are studying law, that a new generation of godly lawyers would be raised up. That they would make rulings that honor the Word of God and that they would not be swayed by either political party, but rather make all decisions based on God’s Word.

11. There is no place for slander or hatred. (Leviticus 19:16-17)

The Bible clearly teaches that we mustn’t go telling tall tales about people. In our day of YouTube and social media, so many horrible TikTok “challenges” and slandering occurs. Leviticus 19:16 says, “You are not to endanger the life of your neighbor.”

We are not to hold grudges or take revenge or do anything that could harm another human being.

If we want to live in holiness, we must use social media with caution. We should use the power of technology to spread the Good News of our Savior rather than slander and hatred.

12. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18)

Yeshua (Jesus) told us that the second greatest commandment is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31

He got that from the Torah, you know! He wanted us to understand the heart of our Father as revealed in the entirety of the Scriptures.

How do we love our neighbors as ourselves? We learn to love ourselves, not in an idolatrous way, but seeing ourselves as God sees us. He loves us and He has made us worthy by the blood of His Son, the Lamb of God. If we love ourselves, we can love those around us, most primarily our families, and that love extends to our neighbors.

True holiness requires us to learn to love.

13. We must “rise up in the presence of the gray-haired and honor the presence of the elderly.” (Leviticus 19:32)

Just as we must honor our parents, we are to honor the elderly. They have lived long lives and have much wisdom to share. Our family has been watching a Korean series on Netflix because my children are learning about Asian culture and we have all been struck by the amount of deference to elders depicted. This type of respect truly is foreign to American culture and we could learn a thing or two.

As discussed above, we will live in holiness if we respect and honor our parents and elders.

14. We must show love and hospitality to the immigrant (Leviticus 19:33-34)

Immigration is a controversial subject…. yet another overly-politicized issue of our day.

While our nation must have laws and borders, we also must demonstrate kindness to immigrants. There is no place for racism if we are living in holiness.

Some of the very best people I know are immigrants to our country!

If you want to live in holiness, be welcoming of those who are newcomers to our nation.

15. Honesty is the best policy (Leviticus 19:35-36)

The Scriptures are clear that we must be honest in all things. All items used for measurements, weights, and balances must honest according to the Leviticus Holiness Code.

Here, the LORD reminds Israel that He brought them out of Egypt.

God’s people were brought out of Egypt so they could live differently from the Egyptians. I would expect that dishonest measurements were probably used in ancient Egypt to take advantage of the Israelites living in bondage. Surely the freed people of God should be expected to demonstrate honesty in all matters which is a way of showing gratitude as well for all the LORD has done.

A person who lives in holiness is honest.

Are these points still relevant to us today as followers of our Savior Yeshua (Jesus)?

Each of these points help us to live in kindness, with righteousness, putting others ahead of ourselves. There are more instructions found in Leviticus 19, but they deal with more specific situations such as if a man lies with a slave girl or if you are planting in the land of Israel. Perhaps they don’t seem “as relevant” to us, but if we read them carefully, we can see how applicable even these remain even to this day.

For example, it remains prudent not to “eat any meat with the blood still in it,” (Lev.19:26) and it certainly remains forbidden for disciples of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) to practice any type of “sorcery” (Lev.19:26). It is in this same passage we find the prohibition against tattoos (Lev.19:28). I know my view is unpopular today as many try to justify “Christian” tattooing, but Biblically-speaking, it does not make sense to pick and choose what we like and don’t like if it is all in the same portion of Scripture, in the Holiness Code.

A few years ago, when we pastored a church in Tennessee, one of the sisters in the congregation got a tattoo around her wrist. She came to show it off one day, and I fear I offended her when I was not nearly as excited about it as she was. I should have sat her down and spoken more gently to her, but my initial reaction was that she had made quite a mistake! We have an obligation to protect the Temple, not put graffiti all over it.

"Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Ruach ha-Kodesh who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body."  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Interestingly, it has become cultural. Our congregation was comprised of both English-speakers and Spanish-speaking Hispanic immigrants. Our Hispanic members were very wary of the sister’s tattoo, while the English-speaking folks raved about it. It really caused a controversy between the groups! In this case, I believe the Hispanic folks knew the darker undercurrent of tattooing from their experiences with the occult in their home countries.

Ok, time to change the subject! I know that not everyone will agree on this!

In all things, seek the LORD in all His Holiness

Allow the Holy Spirit to illumine your understanding. He will show you the incredible connections made throughout the entirety of God’s Word; how the Bible’s text is so interwoven and contains no error. When I first went to undergraduate school to learn theology, I went there with the intent of disproving the Scriptures. I didn’t think it was possible for the Bible to be faultless. But the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the Truth and I was able to continue my studies, fully convinced of the inerrant nature of the Bible.

If He could do that for me, He can do that for you.

Ask Him to show you His will and His ways, and your life will be forever changed!

Be encouraged today, that He can help you to walk in holiness and in the fullness of His love and grace!

Please leave a comment and subscribe today! We all need encouragement to live holy. Which of these points would you like to work on, in your personal life? I would love to hear from you!

Preparing a simple Passover meal does not have to be complicated. But if you google Passover seder ideas, you may get overwhelmed!

Because Passover is such a central celebration, many wives and mothers love to focus on a beautiful table setting complete with fresh flowers and an exquisite meal.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

I’ve done my share of elegant Passover meals.

But this year, I’m going simple.

Post-Resurrection Passover

What does Passover mean for us, now, post-resurrection? Should we still celebrate the Passover meal?

Of course!

Miraculous things have happened during Passover. Not only does Passover commemorate the Israelites receiving freedom from Pharaoh, the Lamb of God – Messiah Yeshua (Jesus the Christ) was our paschal offering. We have been freed from bondage to sin and death!

Even after the resurrection, Passover remained a central celebration.

In the book of Acts, we see that the believers continued to recognize the various Biblical feasts.

In Acts 12, Peter was captured during Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread, but the LORD sent an angel to break the chains and free him from Herod.

It was yet another sign to the believers that the LORD was with them. They would have clearly understood the connection that Peter was set free during the celebration of their collective freedom.

So yes, we absolutely should have a Passover meal, but Martha, dear, we absolutely don’t need to stress out over it.

Now while they were traveling, Yeshua entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. She had a sister called Miriam, who was seated at the Master’s feet, listening to His teaching.  But Martha was distracted with much serving; so she approached Yeshua and said, “Master, doesn’t it concern you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Then tell her to help me!”

But answering her, the Lord said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and bothered about many things; but only one thing is necessary. For Miriam has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

Remember, Messiah Yeshua took our stresses for us.

Teaching our children

Everyone I know uses a hagaddah for Passover. Hagaddahs are Passover reading guides. They contain lots of Scripture and explanations of why we celebrate Passover at all. The hagaddah can be especially useful for explaining the Messianic fulfillment of Passover to young believers. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it but as the years go along, my little family is getting tired of it. (It is quite lengthy!) Now I know, I know, just because you find something to be (gasp!) a bit redundant or boring doesn’t mean it should be abandoned. But, on the other hand, why do something if you aren’t finding it to be refreshing to your soul? It is ok to take a break!

We are mandated by God to remind and train our children – to teach the generations of the victory won. So we do not abandon Passover! We will still gather and we will still have a wonderful meal together. But we don’t “have to” use a hagaddah.

This year, we plan to do a more simplistic explanation and just enjoy our time together as a family. When we hold congregational seders, I believe using a hagaddah is appropriate, and we have done that many times in the past. If we don’t use it this year, quite possibly we would next year, but give yourself permission to change it up a bit. We don’t want to become “religious” about this. Be led by the Spirit of the LORD – allow Him to help you to teach your children and honor the specialness of the Passover.

Now when it happens that your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’  You are to say, ‘It is the sacrifice of ADONAI’s Passover, because He passed over the houses of Bnei-Yisrael in Egypt, when He struck down the Egyptians, but spared our households.’” So the people bowed their heads and worshipped. Then Bnei-Yisrael went and did it. They did just as ADONAI had commanded Moses and Aaron.” Exodus 12:26-28

The important thing is to ensure that everyone seated at the table understands the purpose and meaning of the seder meal as well as related Scriptures.

Some suggestions for a simple Passover meal

1. Set a simple table setting. Use a table runner or tablecloth that you already have. There’s no need to go out and spend extra money (especially with all the inflation right now). Some people like to use a blue runner that reminds of the Red Sea. Be creative! I have an Amazon link below for the table runner I bought this year. (I’m an Amazon associate and I do get a small commission if you decide to buy something, but it won’t cost you extra)
2. Don’t have a seder plate? You honestly don’t need one. Use any large platter, and just put each symbolic item on there. We choose not to use the boiled egg because of its similitude to Easter’s fertility symbology. We do have a seder plate which does make it seem special.
3. Make a simple grocery list ahead of time. If you would like to use the traditional seder meal items, you will need a package of matzah (unleavened bread), parsley, apples, horseradish, and a shank bone, if you can find one. There are a million different versions of charoset, but here is one recipe I’m considering trying this year. Charoset is designed to remind you of the mortar used by the Israelite slaves. Decide what your main dish will be, and get everything a few days before Passover so you don’t have to worry about it. I usually find matzah at local grocery stores like Kroger/PickNSave or Publix. If you need it in bulk for a congregation, Amazon sells it that way, too.
4. Plan when and how you will pray and read Scripture. We love to sing many of the traditional songs, like Dayenu and Eliyahu haNavi. Focus on the continuity of the Gospel, that salvation has come!

Do our Passover observances as followers of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) differ from that of traditional Judaism?

Some time I will write about the significance of each aspect of the traditional seder meal.

As followers of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ), we are able to understand the seder in a more profound way than a nonbeliever. We can see the parallels between the striped and punctured matzah and His bruised and broken body. We can observe that the 3 pieces of matzot represent the unity of the Godhead – the Oneness of Elohim. The seder meal consists of 4 cups of wine. Our Savior drank the cup of judgment/deliverance for us – we do not partake of this. He will drink the fourth cup – the cup of praise and ultimate redemption with us, in the Kingdom.

We have a significant difference in terms of the understanding of Yom HaBikkurim, the Day of First Fruits. You see, this refers to the glorious day of the Resurrection!

Unbelievers certainly would not value the significance of Resurrection Day, but we should be testifying to Jewish people who do not yet know their Messiah that He has fulfilled this important feast!

I long to travel to Israel just to see that empty tomb with this sign on the door: “He is not here – for He is Risen!”

You see, I was raised in a pluralistic environment. I was taught the lie that Jesus was no different than Mohammed or Buddha, and I believed it for a long time.

But you see, you can go visit Mohammed’s tomb.

Same with the Buddha.

Their remains are marked at their burial place.

But if we go to visit the tomb of Messiah Jesus. . . there is no body there. No remains.

For He is not there! He is Risen! He is Alive!

Our Passover observances are filled with this great joy!

I’ve seen some churches hold seder meals that seem kind of solemn. That is totally the wrong way to go about it.

Passover is a true celebration of freedom and salvation!

It should be joyful!

Give joyous witness to the fact that our Savior lives. Just like the early believers went to tell everyone what they had seen and heard, may you be inspired to do the same. Reach out to your friends, family, and neighbors with the Good News of the Resurrection of our LORD!

How will you be celebrating Passover this year? Leave a comment below, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter! Shalom, and Chag Pesach Sameach (Happy Passover!)

Parashat Tzav (V’yikra/Leviticus 6-8) 5782 B”H

Last week, I posed the question of whether or not you would list Leviticus among your top favorite books of the Bible.

Don’t feel bad if it didn’t make your top 10.

It’s tough to compete with the comfort of David’s Psalms,

the passion of the Gospel writers’ testimonies,

or the intensity of fire falling from heaven.

You realize fire falls from heaven quite a bit in Scripture.

Fire 🔥 at Sinai, fire 🔥 when Elijah prayed, fire 🔥in the Upper Room.

But here is a new question.

A great question for parents and children’s ministry leaders.

When introducing a young child to the Bible, would you start with Leviticus?!

I know I haven’t started with it.

I’ve always focused on the Gospel stories and the Psalms and the power of Pentecost (Shavu’ot). I love to share with them stories of Messiah Yeshua’s (Jesus’) miracles and ministry. The first verse my children memorized was Genesis 1:1. You can’t go wrong with starting at the beginning!

But did you know that it is actually fairly common in Jewish households to begin a child’s spiritual education with Leviticus?

The rationale is that because a child is pure, they ought to be taught the laws of purity. Not bad logic.

Who needs Noah’s ark sing-alongs when you can toss a list of burnt offering requirements at your three to six year olds? 🤨🤔😬

All joking aside, there’s a reason I’ve always respected the studious nature of Judaism. They don’t shy away from the hard topics. They don’t pretend that those tough passages aren’t in the Torah. And rather than run from them, they delve straight in, head-first. Master that which is difficult, and the rest will be a piece of cake. Speaking of cake, we will get to that in a moment.

There’s something we all can learn there.

Finding salvation in the pages of Leviticus

Introducing children to the concept of the sacrificial system at a young age might seem counterintuitive. Often, we want to protect children from the harsh realities of life such as sacrifice, suffering, and death. But sheltering them from these difficult concepts may actually do more harm than good. If a child gains understanding from the outset that death and life are both very much real, they can, also at a much younger age, begin to understand just how valuable the sacrifice that the LORD made for us through His death on the cross really is.

That is the goal, right? That our children would be saved, from an early age! Not through any type of manipulative techniques, but rather through honest engagement with the Word of God and related thoughtful, age-appropriate discussion.

Children ask all sorts of interesting questions. Let their curiosity be your guide.

Make connections with things your children already know. Like bread!

Bread? 🥖

Yes! Bread!

Every child in every nation eats some form of bread. From baguettes to flour tortillas to naan, bread is a staple to most people’s diets.

That’s why Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) told us He is the Bread of Life in John 6:35. He spoke in ways that are relatable! We know we need sustenance.

Kids understand the importance of eating when they are hungry. They also know they are supposed to say “please” and “thank you.”

So when you reach a passage like Leviticus 7, explain to your children how the LORD expected people to be thankful! And when they wanted to express their thankfulness and have peace with God, they would bring a special offering to the LORD – bread. And lots of it. Unleavened cakes, flour cakes, (yes, CAKE! 🎂) and leavened bread. It would be eaten by God’s representative and his family – Aaron the priest and his sons.

Leviticus 7:11-14a, Tree of Life Version

 “Now this is the Torah of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings which may be offered to ADONAI. If he brings it for a thanksgiving, then he is to present with the sacrifice of thanksgiving matzah cakes mixed with oil, matzah wafers anointed with oil, and fine flour cakes mixed with oil. He is to present his offering with the sacrifice of his fellowship offerings for thanksgiving along with cakes of bread with hametz. From each he is to offer one out of every offering as a gift to ADONAI.“

You may be more familiar with a version like the New King James Version which reads:

“This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which he shall offer to the LORD: If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil. Besides the cakes, as his offering he shall offer leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offering. And from it he shall offer one cake from each offering as a heave offering to the LORD.” (Leviticus 7:11-14a, NKJV)

Leviticus teaches honor

Leviticus 8 describes the consecration of the priests and their ordination. The offerings were brought to them – so ultimately, people were expected to honor these leaders of the Israelite community.

Romans 12:10 says, “Be tenderly devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in giving honor.”

In American culture, the concept of “giving honor” isn’t something we talk about much.

Things like deference, submission, and putting someone else’s needs above our own aren’t real popular in a culture that emphasizes individual achievement and personal prosperity.

We don’t think to “honor” anyone who doesn’t “deserve” it.

To make matters worse, we hear of scandals in churches involving clergy and we determine that congregational leaders can’t be trusted and should not be honored. Listen, I know there is a ton of hurt there and a lot of evil that has been perpetrated in the name of faith, but we must not allow our faith and judgment to be clouded by the sinful examples. We must be wise and make sure there is accountability in every church position and structure, but we must not become overly cynical or disrespectful.

We must learn to honor, in a godly and safe manner. We must teach our children how to honor their teachers – all of those wonderful people who pour time and encouragement into their little hearts. Instead of always having to “win,” it is important to instill the value of kindness which naturally leads to honoring others.

The Bible clearly teaches that honor is something we must not only value, but give.

You can’t give something you don’t have, though.

Surely you know that you were awesomely and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). God chose to create you, and in so doing, He honored you so that you could in turn honor Him.

So you have to know that you are honorable. Before sin enters the calculation, your form was perfect and you have a deep inherent worth!

If you have that confidence, you should have no difficulty in submitting yourself to another with love and with kindness without losing your sense of self-esteem.

The Word of God shows us we are each responsible to learn to honor our brothers and sisters in the LORD. Children should be taught to respect and to honor their elders. Likewise as believers grow in faith, it is our duty within the family of faith to honor each other. Honoring another should not mean losing one’s autonomy and should never result in abusive relationships. Honoring ought be mutual, but we must be willing to serve even those we would rather not serve.

If we learn to honor one another, then we genuinely gain the ability to give honor to Adonai.

The fight for the souls of our children

Children’s ministries must take into account the fact that children come from so many different backgrounds and walks of life. If we water down the message and shy away from the more difficult subjects, we could be missing huge opportunities to help children. Whether a child’s perception or reality of a problem is large or small, if a ministry is there to guide them with love, kindness, and the unfailing Truth of the Word of God, the child will be receptive to the message about our wonderful Savior.

Today’s world is full of conflicting messages, ideas, philosophies, and religions. The devil is hard at work to rob our children, in so many ways. False religions work very hard to instill their values and beliefs into young people, so as believers in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) and disciples in His Truth, how much harder ought we be working to bless our children with the knowledge of His Glorious Truth.

I’ve grown tired of the repetitive nature of most children’s ministry programs that seem to simply seek to entertain the children.

I’d rather arm them for the real world with the real armor of God. Children are smart! Let’s give them a deep and strong foundation!

Maybe even start with . . . your new favorite, Leviticus!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what you think! Is Leviticus growing on you, my friend? Please consider subscribing so you can stay up-to-date on our latest posts!

Looking for additional resources?

Looking for children’s resources?

Here are some resources that might make your personal study time more enjoyable for you or your children! I am an Amazon affiliate which means I earn a little from your purchase, but it won’t cost you more.

Check out these Adonai Shalom blog reviews of several recently published books! Each image below is a link to the review!

Review: “Mysteries of the Messiah” by Rabbi Jason Sobel

Review: “Witness at the Cross: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Friday” by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine

Review: “The Difficult Words of Jesus” by Amy-Jill Levine

Review: Gospel of Mark: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV

Would you like to know when the next book review is up? Stay informed and up-to-date by subscribing to our newsletter today!

Abington Press has generously provided me with a copy of Witness at the Cross: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Friday by Dr.Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School in exchange for my honest review. Thank you both to Abington Press and to Audra Jennings for the arrangement.

Last September, I had the privilege of being asked to review Dr. Amy-Jill Levine’s book, The Difficult Words of Jesus (here is a link to that review, if you are interested).

Now, as of December 2021, Dr.Levine has released a new book titled, Witness at the Cross: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Friday and once again, I have the privilege of reviewing it for you! It is timely with Passover and the celebration of Messiah’s resurrection coming up so soon.

Background

Witness at the Cross reads like an advanced Bible Study – something aimed at first or second year seminary students, but accessible to anyone willing to look deeply at the Scriptures.

I found the book’s topic intriguing because there are few authors willing to focus specifically on the events of the crucifixion day, since all of us want to jump past that to the magnificent victory of Messiah’s Resurrection. Dr. Levine does not avoid discussing the somewhat unpleasant details related to Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) death and subsequent burial. For example, she explains the significance of when Pilate granted the “corpse” released to Joseph of Arimathea rather than the “body” (Levine, 119) and the Roman tradition that “corpses of people executed by the state could be returned to friends and family as part of the celebration of the emperor’s birthday” (Levine, 120).

As I clarified in my review of The Difficult Words of Jesus, Dr. Levine is a Jewish feminist theologian who teaches New Testament at Vanderbilt. I point this out because Witness at the Cross is aimed at Christian readers, yet Dr.Levine denies the divinity of Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. She offers up some certainly unique and interesting considerations, but there are some serious matters that would need to be addressed if this book were being used in a congregational setting.

Book Review

In the introduction to the book, Levine jumps right into some heavy topics like ethnic cleansing, matters of conscience, and credibility. But she does so in her characteristic style that makes it totally accessible. If her classes are anything like her writing, I’m guessing Levine is a very popular professor with her students! She introduces the reader to the idea of looking to each of the witnesses of the crucifixion to gain greater perspective into the Gospel accounts.

Throughout the book, Levine consistently compares the different Gospel accounts and helps clarify some of the differences between the Synoptic Gospels and John. Levine gives voice to those who often get ignored such as the bystanders and the scoffers who witnessed the events on Calvary’s hill. She begins chapter 2 describing classes she teaches at a prison in Tennessee and talks about the different perspectives of criminals, victims, and the reality that one person might call someone a terrorist who for another is a freedom fighter. Chapter 3 is focused on the soldiers, 4 on the beloved disciple, and 5 on the women.

Chapter 6 discusses Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Most of what Dr.Levine shares here is very interesting. However, let me quote her so you will get a sense of her own attitude toward discipleship. Dr. Levine writes, “Once again, Nicodemus does the right thing, and once again he does not become a disciple. I am liking him more and more” (Levine, 133).

I have sat in Divinity School classes where a comment like this might make us laugh (albeit uncomfortably) and to the right audience, Dr.Levine’s humor and conversational style is attractive. But, as I suggested earlier, a book like this would have to be used with care and in the right context.

My recommendation:

★★★★

If you are looking to supplement your Bible study time with a book that will get you focused on the witnesses of the crucifixion and their roles in the unfolding of history, you will enjoy this book. I would recommend it to mature, discerning students of the Bible.

Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University

About the Author: Dr.Amy-Jill Levine

Title: Witness at the Cross: A Beginners Guide to Holy Friday
Author: Amy-Jill Levine
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Release Date: December 28, 2021
Genre: Religion/Holidays/Easter&Lent

ISBN-13: 978-1-7910-2112-2

PURCHASE LINKS:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Books-A-Million

Thank you for taking the time to read this book review! Have you had a chance to read Dr. Levine’s book yet? What did you think? Leave a comment!

Review: “The Difficult Words of Jesus” by Amy-Jill Levine

Review: Gospel of Mark: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV

Review: “Mysteries of the Messiah” by Rabbi Jason Sobel

Rethinking holidays and the resistance we got from pastoral colleagues

When our children were born (they are close in age), my husband and I started really thinking about the Biblical feast days. We thought through the types of holidays and traditions we would want them to grow up with. We were familiar with the Jewish holidays and had participated in Passover seders and church-sponsored Feast of Tabernacles events, but we still celebrated Christmas and Easter. We were good about keeping the celebrations as focused on the LORD as possible – never incorporating santa claus or Easter eggs, but we definitely enjoyed the Christmas Eve candlelight services and the Easter sunrise services. We are both pastors, so of course we loved these events! We were trained to lead them!

Sometimes we were met with resistance from our colleagues. They wondered why we always refused to host Easter egg hunts. Pastors in the community would invite us to host joint activities of this type and we would never participate. Many would ask questions like, “Why would you turn down an opportunity to get extra visitors into your church?” They’d move from questioning us to judging us: “This is a great church growth model, and you are not taking advantage of it.” Sorry, but we have always cared much more about Truth than numbers. And we’ve been blessed because of it.

Sadly, when we tried to share what we knew about the Biblical Feast Days, most of our pastoral colleagues made it clear they’d rather just keep the status quo. Today, few church leaders want to embrace anything that might mess with the Sunday morning offerings.

So, we decided to be different. And it has been an awesome adventure!

Choosing to celebrate Biblical feasts rather than Christmas/Easter

Colored eggs inspired by the Ishtar or Eostre’s fertility cults never seemed to make sense to us as a positive testimony of the Resurrection victory of our Savior. (For consistency, let me inform you we do not use the boiled egg on our seder plate as is also customary in Jewish tradition). If the Messiah, the Son of God, rose from the dead in victory, is that not enough of a powerful message? Why do we need the help of rabbits to tell the Good News in a compelling way? The Resurrection really doesn’t need embellishment.

Similarly, “everybody” knows that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25. So why continue to perpetuate this day as Jesus’ birthday? Instead of giving the world ammunition to accuse Christians of being delusional and embracing idolatry, why not learn how Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) birth fits into the holy-days given by God Himself? Christmas trees have nothing to do with a baby in a manger. Bunnies don’t lay eggs nor do they rise from the dead. My question has become a simple one: Why, my dear Christian brothers and sisters, why do you participate in these traditions?

We decided that our children should be raised with the holidays given to us by the LORD and described in detail in the Bible. We began to realize there are so many of them that they wouldn’t be missing out on anything! The LORD has given us so many wonderful feast days that help us see His handiwork in our lives throughout the year.

2022 list of Biblical Feast Days, traditional Jewish holidays and other dates of interest for the year

Here is a list of the Biblical holidays, traditional Jewish holidays, and other notable dates for 2022. The appointed times described in Leviticus 23 have exact specifications as to their dates so some people attempt to more closely align the dates using lunar calculations. I respect this attempt since the Gregorian calendar does not perfectly match, but our family uses the commonly accepted dates of the Jewish calendar.

Each of them has major significance to any believer who recognizes that they are part of Israel. The appointed times (moedim) are, of course, set feasts that our LORD established as “appointments” with us. He wants us to gather, to assemble, and He wants to meet with us and celebrate with us! He wants us to understand the fullness of the salvation reality – that our Passover Lamb has come, has been sacrificed, and has been raised again as the Firstfruits of the Resurrection harvest!

Some believers choose not to celebrate Purim or Hanukkah. I find there is great value in both, and will write about that another time. Similarly, one might wonder if you are not living in Israel, why care about Yom HaShoah or Israel’s independence day? But remember, whether you were born ethnically Jewish or have been grafted into the community of Israel, Israel’s victories are your victories, just as Israel’s sorrows are our collective sorrows. We weep with those who weep and we rejoice with those who rejoice.

Dates for your calendar

Here is a listing of the Biblical feast days. If you would like a FREE downloadable PDF, subscribe to our newsletter, and you will receive it straight to your inbox!

March 16 Purim

April 15 Passover/Pesach

April 16-23 Unleavened Bread

April 17 Firstfruits/Yom HaBikkurim/Resurrection

April 27 Holocaust Remembrance Day/Yom HaShoah

May 3 Israeli Memorial Day/Yom HaZikaron

May 4 Israel’s Independence Day

May 28 Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim)

June 4 Shavu’ot

September 25 Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets/Rosh HaShanah

October 4 Yom Kippur

October 9-16 Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot

December 18-26 Hanukkah

May your year be most especially blessed!

If you are new to celebrating the Biblical feast days and need some help or encouragement, please don’t hesitate to reach out. It can be a lot of information to take in when you are new to it all! We’d be happy to guide you or give you some pointers! Shalom!

Looking for a gift or home decor?

Here are some ideas. I remember when I was given the Bible Hebraic Stuttgartensia by a congregation I served as a student pastor when I was in undergrad. I still use it today, one of the most thoughtful and useful gifts I have ever been given! I am an Amazon affiliate so I do earn a little when you purchase something, but it won’t cost you anything extra.

Simon Amadeus Pillario, author/illustrator, has generously provided me with an ebook copy of the Word for Word Bible Comic (NIV) in exchange for my honest review. This was made possible through the Bible Gateway Blogger’s Grid. Here is a link to his blog: https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/blog

Book Review

The Gospel of Mark: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV is available in both in English or Spanish (NVI). Since my husband and I have pastored Spanish language and bilingual congregations, the fact that this is available in both languages right from the start is very appealing. In other words, there’s no need to wait for a publisher to finally get around to offering it in Spanish. My first reaction to seeing the cover was, I need to show this to my tweens and see what they think! So I did. And as expected, they said, “Looks cool, yeah, we’ll read it.”

Getting kids that age interested in the Word is a challenge, so that was a win. This looks to be a very appealing format for many tweens and teens to be introduced to the Gospel of Mark!  ¡Excelente!

I love that the Word for Word Bible Comic series is straight from the Gospel text. I could easily see this book (and others in the series) being used for youth ministry in both English and Spanish language congregational settings.

Cultural accuracy and relevance

I also love the Hebraic-styled font on the cover. Anyone who follows my blog won’t be surprised! I love anything that reminds today’s believers of the Jewish roots of our faith. The illustrations inside the book are tastefully done and colorful and it seems very apparent that care was taken to ensure cultural accuracy and relevance.

Additionally, the faithfulness by the part of the author to provide teenage readers the actual Gospel text should be commended. I personally am not a huge fan of the NIV (New International Version) translation. Nevertheless, I am aware that it is popular, especially for outreach. I would be even more impressed by this effort if a version comes out that uses something like the TLV (Tree of Life Version)! Why the TLV? It restores the Jewishness of the Scriptures, most obviously the name of Yeshua which is Jesus’ Hebrew name. But in the meantime, this graphic novel series is more than adequate to express Gospel Truth.

Age Rating

The Gospel of Mark Word for Word Bible Comic is rated for ages 12+ due to infrequent “bloody violence” and “mild alcohol use.” Given the violent world around us and the images kids are bombarded with every day online and on tv, I don’t think many children would be startled by the illustrations in this book. The author included several pages on how he made his designs which I think would appeal to any young person, especially those with artistic interests!

My recommendation

★★★★★

The Word for Word Bible Comic has the potential to greatly increase the Biblical literacy of young people, and the young-at-heart. This book makes the Good News accessible to those who might not otherwise pick up a Bible. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

PURCHASE LINK:  https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/buy

Matthew, Mark, and coming soon: Luke!

Matthew is available, now Mark, and the creators of this Bible comic are currently in the process of crowdfunding $20,000 for their forthcoming title The Gospel of Luke on Kickstarter.

Here is the link if you are interested. Moreover, if you are able to support this important work, you can give here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/word4wordbiblecomic/the-gospel-of-luke-word-for-word-bible-comic-niv-and-nvi?ref=424wph

It is very exciting that there will be another book available for the Gospel of Luke!

_{*Note: at 45-49 seconds into the promotional video on the Luke project, I do want to alert my readers that I was initially concerned about the use of sacred heart/Marion imagery in the video, though I had not come across anything like that in the Mark volume.}

_{Mr. Pillario was kind enough to send a picture of the page in question (at right) and personally responded to me, which I also thought was very kind of him. To clarify, Pillario writes: “. . . it is in the context of Mary prophesying that she will be called ‘Blessed through generations.’ It’s an artistic representation to highlight the fact the prophecy is true: you see there’s white Mary and black Mary and even Japanese Mary.” It is certainly true that regardless of our cultural and denominational backgrounds, the prophecy is indeed true. I find Mr. Pillario’s explanation sufficiently reasonable to continue to fully recommend this book.}

Title: Word for Word Bible Comic: The Gospel of Mark (NIV)
Author:  Simon Amadeus Pillario
Publisher: Word for Word Bible Comics
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Genre: Religion/Christian Education/Teen

ISBN: 9781914299063

Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University

Additionally, if you enjoyed this book review, you may want to check out these other reviews. I have reviewed Rabbi Jason Sobel’s, “Mysteries of the Messiah” as well as Dr.Amy-Jill Levine’s “The Difficult Words of Jesus.”

Review: “Mysteries of the Messiah” by Rabbi Jason Sobel

Review: “The Difficult Words of Jesus” by Amy-Jill Levine