Welcome to The Crimson Thread. the teaching web site of Jon Behrens, pastor of Restoration Messianic Fellowship in the Boulder/Longmont area of Northern Colorado. You will find here articles on various Scriptural subjects as well as Bible studies that have been recorded at RMF.
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The Covenant made as Sinai was defective in that one of the parties - Israel - was unable to live according to its terms. That made a New Covenant necessary. Although God's terms are the same for both covenants, the new one is to be written on the heart instead of on tablets of stone. The New Covenant like the one at Sinai must be ratified with the blood of a sacrifice. In this case, the blood was that of the Messiah.
Psalm 94 perfectly describes the current relationship between the government and the people. It should be on every believer's lips.
When the Tabernacle in the wilderness was completed Moses had the Levites present an accounting of all the gold, silver and bronze used in its construction - down to the shekel. Moses was perhaps the most powerful and trusted human in the world because he spoke with God face to face. The fact that such a man as Moses felt it necessary to give a public accounting sends a strong message that it is vital for all those in positions of public trust to be honest and transparent in their handling of public funds. This speaks to the corruption being uncovered in our government today.
When we read the Bible, we tend to interpret words according to our own language and culture. This often leads to a misunderstanding of what Scripture is trying to convey. In English the meaning of 'love' is very much context dependent. To love ice cream means something different that loving your spouse. So what is being said when Moses or Y'shua says to love God and your neighbor?
In this set of Luke parables, Y'shua contrasts the Kingdom of God as it existed in first century Israel with what it should be. Healing on the Sabbath, the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven.
It is impossible to use the power of God if you don't realize that you have it.
Having established that Christ is not an angel, but is the human son of God, and that He is able to understand our frailties, the writer then goes on to establish His priesthood. In this, since He is not a descendant of Aaron, the writer must use a different priestly order; that of Melchizedek.
Symbolically, the firstborn represents a link between one generation and the next. In Exodus, that intergenerational link is broken by the tenth plague. Thus the Egyptian system is cut of and God's firstborn carries His Word and ways to the rest of the world.
Being made in the image of God, people have the ability to be creative. In building the Tabernacle in the wilderness, many things were specified by God because deviation would have compromised His message. Other things, however, were open for interpretation by the artisans who worked on the project. In allowing this, Israel became more than passive recipients of God's provision. They could now be active contributors to God's purposes.
Gratitude is the antidote to envy, self pity, malice and covetousness. When cultivated, this soul trait can become a stream of living water that makes the field of life blossom.
Leviticus 1:1—6:7
Isaiah 43:21—44:23
Matthew 28:1—19
Thus said the Lord:
"Stand by the crossroads
and consider,
Inquire about ancient paths:
Which is the road to happiness?
Travel it, and find tranquillity
for yourselves."
(Je 6:16)