American Torah

Nabal was a very wealthy man and an ungrateful jerk. Everyone knew that David was anointed to be the king of Israel and that, despite the violent opposition of King Saul, he was doing his best to keep the frontiers safe from marauders. His men had kept Nabal's herds and shepherds safe from brigands all year long. When Nabal called them home for sheering time, David sent a few men to ask for some token of support, a little food to keep his fighters going. Nabal repaid David's kindness with insults, and his next encounter with king-to-be would have been fatal if his loyal wife, Abigail hadn't intervened. She pleaded with David on behalf of her worthless husband and his children. David relented, but God didn't. God repaid Nabal's ingratitude with a fatal stroke. Remember Nabal and show a little gratitude for the good deeds others do for you. From Jay Carper at American Torah (http://www.AmericanTorah.com). Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth... Genesis 19:1-11 If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes [God] condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment... 2 Peter 2:6-9 Lot gets a lot of bad press in Christian teaching, but Peter clearly wrote that Lot was a righteous man. Despite his frequently foolish choices, the prelude to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah shows that Lot had some qualities that God values very highly. He was proactively hospitable, humble, generous, and protective of those who took shelter under his roof, even to the point of sacrifice himself and his own daughters for their sake. For holding so lightly his life and his daughters' in comparison to the lives of his guests, God rewarded him by sparing them and making them into two nations. From Jay Carper at American Torah (http://www.AmericanTorah.com) Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

In Genesis 24, Abraham sent his trusted servant, Eliezer, to find a bride for Isaac. Eliezer, who knew the heart of Abraham and of YHWH, asked God for a sign: "When I ask her for a drink of water, she will also offer to water my camels." Rebekah did exactly that in spectacular fashion, and she didn't stop there! This story reveals three important character traits of Rebekah, traits that God wants to see in ALL of his people. From Jay Carper at American Torah (http://www.AmericanTorah.com). Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

On the basis of Abraham's faith and character, God made a covenant with him and promised to preserve his descendants forever. All of Scripture emphasizes his great character, even calling him the Friend of God! The story of Abraham entertaining three men in Genesis 18:1-8 reveals five important characteristics that God values in his people. From Jay Carper at American Torah (http://www.AmericanTorah.com). Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17 What did Yeshua mean when he said he must be baptized to "fulfill all righteousness"? He didn't mean that being baptized would make him more obedient or more pleasing to God. He meant that there is a proper order for everything and this baptism was part of a pattern that God established from the very beginning. From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Matthew 3:1-3 Before Yeshua (aka Jesus) had even begun his ministry, John the Baptist was preaching the Gospel. Isn't the Gospel, "Jesus died for your sins?" How could John, Yeshua, and the Disciples have preached the Gospel before the cross? That's part of it, but it's much more than that. As soon as John was imprisoned, Yeshua took over where he left off... Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 Isaiah 40, 52, 60, and 61 all talk about the Gospel, or the "Good News", and define it as God's presence among his people Israel, the repentance and restoration of the nation of Israel to righteousness and the land, the healing of the sick and the liberation of the oppressed. All of these things are just as much a part of the Gospel as the death and resurrection of Yeshua. From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com . Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Matthew 2:13-16 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Hosea 11:1 In Matthew 2:15, Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1, "out of Egypt I called my son." The original text was a prophecy about the people of Israel, but he attributes it to Jesus, aka Yeshua. Once you understand the nature of Biblical prophecy, you can see why Matthew's application of Hosea was legitimate and perfectly aligned with how prophecy works throughout the Old Testament. From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. Matthew 1:18-19 If Joseph and Mary were only engaged and not married yet, how could Joseph divorce her? In modern American culture, when two people get engaged to be married, either one of them can change their mind at any time and call the whole thing off. Biblical Hebrew culture is different. Betrothal is not the same as engagement. In fact, God treats engagement almost the same as marriage. If a man has relations with a woman who is betrothed to another man, the penalty is the same as if she were married: death. The only way to end a Biblical betrothal is through divorce. From Jay Carper at American Torah, http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

The Gospel of Matthew begins with a clear reference to Genesis 5, but you can only see it in the Greek. One of the lessons we can derive from these two genealogies is that God knew we would fail from the very beginning and he planned for our redemption, telling us all about it through his interaction with mankind in history. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Genesis 5:1 From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

The Old Testament took over one thousand years to write and a few hundred more years to finalize. On the other hand, the entire New Testament was written in less than 50 years and the books that were to be included were probably finalized within a century after that. Even so, there's a lot of confusion about why we have certain books in the New Testament and not others. The New Testament canon (the list of books) was set by consensus among congregations all over the Roman Empire and beyond. Despite their very different cultures and traditions, the twenty-seven books that we have now are the ones they all agreed on long before Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicea Additional note: There was some controversy about a few of the NT books, like 2 Peter and Hebrews, but the vast majority of Christians in the second and third centuries were in agreement. From Jay Carper at American Torah (http://www.AmericanTorah.com) Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

There are 3 things you need to know about a Bible book before you can really begin to understand its contents.... I'll talk a lot more about this topic in my Common Sense Bible Study course when it's ready. http://www.commonsensebiblestudy.com

Three things you need to know about a Bible passage before you can really understand what it means: 1. Context 2. Content 3. Connections

How did we get the Old Testament canon? part 2 How did the Israelites decide which books were divinely inspired Scripture, which were inspiring, and which were merely interesting? How can we tell today which books the Jews of Jesus' day considered "canonical"? There's a lot more on this topic that I would like to have said, but I'm sure I'll cover it later in some form. Part 2 of 3 from Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. In this video: 1. Many Bible books support each other. 2. Content indicates age and authenticity. 3. Ezra and the first Jewish canon. 4. Five divisions of Hebrew and Jewish literature. 5. The Septuagint. 6. The Apocrypha. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

How did we get the Old Testament canon? part 3 How did the early Christians decide which Jewish books were divinely inspired Scripture? How can we tell today which books Jesus and the Apostles trusted? There's a lot more on this topic that I would like to have said, but I'm sure I'll cover it later in some form. Part 3 of 3 from Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. In this video: 1. Traditions inherited from the Jews. 2. More on the Septuagint. 3. The Bible of Jesus and the Apostles. 4. Jude and Enoch. 5. The purpose of a Biblical canon. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

How did we get the Old Testament canon? part 1 Why do Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, and Coptic Bibles have different books in them? Why were some books included in the Old Testament and others not? There's a lot more on this topic that I would like to have said, but I'm sure I'll cover it later in some form. Part 1 of 3 from Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. In this video: 1. Introduction to the canon, the measuring stick of all theologies and religious texts. 2. Why different groups have different lists of books in their Bibles. 3. How the Old Testament was formed. 4. How we didn't get the canon. 5. Four useful criteria used to determine if a book should be included in the canon. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

Most of us are comfortable praying for healing or a new job--sometimes even a reasonable parking space--but we're comfortable with these prayers because if we don't get what we ask for, then maybe it just wasn't God's will. It gets a little dicier when we start asking God open ended questions, like "What do I do now?" in a really difficult personal situation. When we do send a prayer like that, we might read the Bible and meditate, but how seriously do we expect God to answer? I am convinced that God wants to talk to us. Moses and Paul both said that they desired all of God's people to prophesy, which is to be a conduit for messages directly from God. But how are we to prophesy if we never hear God's voice? One of the defining characteristics of Shavuot (aka Pentecost) is direct communication between God and people. I think we can learn something about God's instructions to Israel and the Apostles before this great feast day about preparing ourselves to hear his voice.

Canon is a Greek word meaning "measuring stick". When theologians refer to the Bible as "the canon" they mean that the commonly accepted books of the Bible are used as a measuring stick to judge all other texts. If any prophecy or religious text doesn't measure up to the Bible, meaning it contradicts the Bible, then it should be rejected. We say that the Bible is a "closed canon" because, like any other measuring stick, if we keep changing it, nobody will have an objective standard they can use to evaluate extra-biblical works. In this video, I'm going to tell you why a having a closed canon is a very good thing. Jay Carper from American Torah http://www.AmericanTorah.com Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. Proverbs 31:23 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:31 Why is this statement about a man in the gates placed in the middle of a chapter about the ideal wife? Because without her, he wouldn't be there. A man's reputation and standing in the community is directly related to his wife's competence, wisdom, and support. Be very careful in your choice of a mate. A good woman can make your life amazing. A bad woman can make your life miserable. From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

The Bible was written by dozens of people from widely different cultures and personal backgrounds over more than 1500 years, yet it tells a consistent story of God's relationship with mankind. The end of God's plan and the ultimate redemption of those who trust in him was told from the very beginning and reiterated throughout. Kings, fishermen, priests, and soldiers told their story from their own perspective and in their own languages, but they all told the same story of a patient, loving God and a promised Redeemer. From Jay Carper at American Torah, http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:10-12 ESV The Hebrew word used to describe this wife and translated variously as "excellent", "of valor", and "competent" is "chayil". It most often refers to an army or a might warrior. Do you want an excellent wife? Then look for a woman with strength, competence, and intelligence coupled with humility and a desire to serve her husband.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. Nobody is the best at everything and nobody is the worst at everything. We need to support each other to make up for our weaknesses and we need to focus on our strengths to be the best we were created to be. There are four matters Which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; The rock badgers are a weak folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; The locusts have no sovereign, Yet they all go out in formation; A spider takes hold with two hands, And is in sovereigns' palaces. There are three matters That are going well, And four are good in walking: A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from facing all; A greyhound, and a male goat, And a sovereign whose army is with him. Proverbs 30:24-31 TS2009 From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/

The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough": Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, "Enough." Proverbs 30:15-16 "Moving the goalposts" is a logical fallacy and a means of manipulating people into giving far more than they intended. If a person is never satisfied with their original request, and always demand a little bit more, then a little bit more, and you never seem to reach the final goal, they're moving the goalposts on you. Once someone has revealed themselves to be a post-mover, there's only one real solution.... From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. Proverbs 29:25 People can hurt you. If you don't fear the consequences of offending people, you could lose your job, your family, even your life, but this is a trap. There is more to your existence than your job and your physical body. There are much greater consequences for being faithless to God, like losing eternity. On the other hand, if you trust in God and stand up for what's right, even when the immediate consequences could be severe, the long term rewards are far greater than anything you might lose. From Jay Carper at American Torah. http://www.AmericanTorah.com Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/

A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge. Proverbs 29:7 A righteous man truly understands what it means to ensure justice for the poor, the widow, and the orphan, but a wicked man, even though he might toss out a lot of fine sounding words, doesn't have a clue what justice even means. So, in order to know who understands justice, we need to know who is righteous and who is wicked? What is the standard for righteousness according to Scripture? God. A righteous man can be known by how closely his behavior and attitudes align with God's instructions. From Jay Carper at http://www.AmericanTorah.com. Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://mewe.com/i/jaycarper Follow me on Parler at https://parler.com/profile/JayCarper/ Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/

When the wicked rise to power, people hide, but when they perish, the righteous increase. Proverbs 28:28 TLV Today's cancel culture is an in-your-face example of Proverbs 28:28. The wicked dominate every institution, every industry, and every branch of government. If you dare to stand up and speak the truths that are glaringly obvious to every rational person, you risk being canceled from everything. So-called "social justice warriors" will attack you relentlessly. They will try to get you fired from your job. They will run you out of business. They will try to get you arrested and even killed simply because you make them aware of the sickness in their own souls. God hasn't abandoned us, though. Sometimes he allows the wicked to rage so that nobody will be able to deny that their destruction is true justice.