#balaam son of beor

[quotesfromscripture]

For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

Deuteronomy 23:4-5 NIV (2011)

#bible verse #God's love #blessings #curses #enemies of God #rejection #sharing #balaam son of beor #God saves #strangers #foreigners #deuteronomy 23 #new international version

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

God's Love & Justice Because nothing says just and loving like sending babies straight to Heaven, after mercilessly butchering them and their mothers, and letting their virgin sisters live, so they could be 'married' by their killers.

Numbers: 31:1-18

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts. And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

#christianity #judaism #bible #bible study #god of war #god's love #god's justice #god is love #god of love #bible horrors #book of horrors #religion of war #religion of violence #religious violence #religion #religion is a mental illness

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Deliverance from False Prophets

Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly; and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings. Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.

These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed. The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness.

They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you. Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” — 2 Peter 2 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 6:8-9; Genesis 13:13; Genesis 19:5; Genesis 19:24-25; Exodus 15:16; Exodus 22:28; Numbers 22:5; Numbers 22:21; Deuteronomy 32:35; Job 21:30; Psalm 73:8; Psalm 85:8; Proverbs 5:6; Proverbs 26:11; Jeremiah 12:3; Ezekiel 33:13; Mark 7:22; John 8:34; Romans 13:13; Hebrews 11:4; Jude 1:6; Jude 1:9; Jude 1:12-13

#deliverance #false prophets #empty words #appeal #flesh #slaves to sin #2 Peter 2 #The Epistle of Second Peter #New Testament #BRB #The Reader's Bible #Berean Reader's Bible #Bible Hub

[childofchrist1983]

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. - NumberS 24:15-17 KJV

As we look at this Bible passage from The Book Of Numbers, Balaam is mentioned in Apostle Peter's second letter as a man who loved being paid for wrongdoing but was stopped on his journey by an angel who appeared to him. However, he did not see the angel, but his ass did. Only because God allowed his donkey to speak, were Balaam's eyes opened to see the angel. Those who were waiting for Balaam wanted him to curse the Israelites, but God only allowed him to speak God's words. After three tries to get him to do what they wanted him to do, they let him go and Balaam returned to the camp.

Although this passage is not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament, it is considered a Messianic prophecy. It is thought that the Messiah is the star that will come out of Jacob and the scepter that will rise out of Israel. I'm sure that this is why it is included in the Advent readings. In reading about Balaam and his oracles, it made me wonder how often our eyes are closed to the actions of God and what must it take for us to finally see. I doubt that we will have an animal speak to us to let us know what God wants us to do, but I do believe that He sends people into our lives to open our eyes and hearts, waking us up to the presence of God in our lives. I know that there have been times when a chance meeting or a brief conversation has stopped me in my tracks and made me reexamine what I thought I knew. We always need to be open to see and hear the messages God wants us to know, or that God wants us to share with others. God sent an angel to Balaam and changed the course of his life. May we be open to God and the angels He sends to us so that we may follow the destined path He has in mind for us. May He help us to come to Him in true repentance and with faith in Him and His grace and merciful nature. May He give us the grace, courage and strength we need to walk with Him and do His will daily. May He teach us to watch our words when we pray to Him and to speak reverently and rightly. May we continually ask God to transform our hearts and make us faithful and humble as we walk with Him daily. We must come to Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ with honest, humble and repentant hearts. We must seek Him and His will and choose to follow Him all the days of our lives. May He help transform our hearts, help us to seek and live for Him above all else and to grow spiritually and build our faith and relationship with Him with each passing day. May He forgive our sinful nature and help us always make Him and our relationship with Him top priority.

As true and born-again Christians, we choose to walk in His righteous path and lead a life that is pleasing to Him. We desire Him and His will above anything else. We desire to walk in accordance with the love and light He has shown to us through His Holy Word and Spirit. We long for a deeper relationship with Him and a deeper fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. When we fall into temptation and sin, we must turn to Him for forgiveness, strength and guidance. When believers learn to walk in accordance with God's Holy Word and Spirit, they have deeper fellowship with both God and one another. And the sin that could threaten to destroy that fellowship, if confessed (1 John 1:9), is covered in the blood of Jesus Christ and no longer a barrier between us and God. May we ask Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ to forgive us for any sins we have sinned this day or in days past. May we be faithful to Him and His Holy Word always. May He help us to walk more consistently in the light and to not neglect long to confess and forsake any sins that hinder our walk with Him. May He lead us in the direction He wants us to go so that we may seek and serve Him faithfully. God is holy and almighty and deserving of all praise honor and glory. We rejoice in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, knowing He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8). May our hearts always be filled with thanksgiving and rejoicing. May He help us to praise Him freely and honestly like all believers who came before us. May we live a life that showcases our love and trust in Him and His Holy Word and Spirit as He uses us draw others to Him and His soul-saving Gospel Truth daily. May He continue guide, correct and protect us, so that we continue to grow in Him and not weaken and stray. May we all remain faithful to Him and to this duty and purpose He has called us to. Seek and put your faith and trust in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ and let Him do the rest. May He humble our hearts and help us focus on following and serving Him daily and helping others with joy and happiness. We lift our voices in praise to Him for His love, mercy, peace, faithfulness and grace - For EVERYTHING!

It is vital that we remain rooted in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit and that we live and walk as a beacon of His light and love and share and spread the Gospel Truth daily, so that the lost souls in this world can come to know Him and be saved. The more we focus on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, growing spiritually by building our relationship with Him, leaning on Him and His Holy Word and Spirit, the better off we will be. Thanks to this and our faith in Him, we know that everything will be alright. And we will forever be grateful to Him. As true and born-again Christians, we believe in Him and His Holy Word and we strive daily to walk in His Holy Spirit. We know though our mortal bodies should die, He will raise us up and into new and glorious bodies (The Rapture). We who are truly His and alive at His second coming will never die, and our bodies will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so shall we ever be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This is one of many promises given to us by God Himself. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin and temptation. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives daily according to His will.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven (John 3:5, 14:6), the ONLY way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9) and He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). Jesus Christ the LORD of lords, the KING of kings, the GOD of gods (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16) - He is the Living, Almighty and Everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:8, John 3:16, John 3:36, Jeremiah 10:10). There is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5). We MUST humble ourselves before Him, turning our backs on false teachers, false gods and idols and our sinful ways. We MUST repent and turn back to God and recognize who He is and love Him in return for His great love for us. We MUST make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.

Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.

With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

18th August >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Friday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green: A (1))

First Reading Joshua 24:1-13 I gave you a land where you never toiled, vineyards and olive-groves you never planted.

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem; then he called the elders, leaders, judges and scribes of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Then Joshua said to all the people:

‘The Lord, the God of Israel says this, “In ancient days your ancestors lived beyond the River – such was Terah the father of Abraham and of Nahor – and they served other gods. Then I brought your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan. I increased his descendants and gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountain country of Seir as his possession. Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron and plagued Egypt with the wonders that I worked there. So I brought you out of it. I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, and you came to the Sea; the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen as far as the Sea of Reeds. There they called to the Lord, and he spread a thick fog between you and the Egyptians, and made the sea go back on them and cover them. You saw with your own eyes the things I did in Egypt. Then for a long time you lived in the wilderness, until I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan; they made war on you and I gave them into your hands; you took possession of their country because I destroyed them before you. Next, Balak son of Zippor the king of Moab arose to make war on Israel, and sent for Balaam son of Beor to come and curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam; instead, he had to bless you, and I saved you from his hand. ‘“When you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho, those who held Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites and Perizzites, the Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I put them all into your power. I sent out hornets in front of you, which drove the two Amorite kings before you; this was not the work of your sword or your bow. I gave you a land where you never toiled, you live in towns you never built; you eat now from vineyards and olive-groves you never planted.”’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 135(136):1-3,16-18,21-22,24

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

Through the desert his people he led.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

Nations in their greatness he struck.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

Kings in their splendour he slew.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

He let Israel inherit their land.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

On his servant their land he bestowed.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

And he snatched us away from our foes.

R/ Great is his love, love without end.

Gospel Acclamation Psalm 110:7,8

Alleluia, alleluia! Your precepts, O Lord, are all of them sure; they stand firm for ever and ever. Alleluia!

Or: cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Alleluia, alleluia! Accept God’s message for what it really is: God’s message, and not some human thinking. Alleluia!

Gospel Matthew 19:3-12 Husband and wife are no longer two, but one body.

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ They said to him, ‘Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?’ ‘It was because you were so unteachable’ he said ‘that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’

The disciples said to him, ‘If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry.’ But he replied, ‘It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[pistol247]

But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. II Peter 2:12‭-‬17 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/2pe.2.12-17.NKJV https://www.instagram.com/p/ClgVx0HuKqq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[torais-life]

Hartarah Parasha Balak

I share with you the haftarah(conclution) of this very interesting parasha!. You have to read it at the end of the day. The verses from the book of the Prophet Micah ''fit'' perfectly with what we have been studying all week

Enjoy the last moments of this beautiful Shabbat kodesh!

Micah 5:6 - 6:8

Micah Chapter 5

6And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples-like dew sent by the Lord, like torrents of rain upon vegatation that does not hope for any man and does not wait for the sons of men.

7And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples-like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, if it passes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and no one [can] save anything.

8Your hand shall be raised above your oppressors, and all your enemies shall be destroyed.

9And it shall come to pass on that day, says the Lord, that I will cut your horses out of your midst, and I will destroy your chariots.

10And I will destroy the cities of your land, and I will break down all your fortresses.

11And I will destroy sorcery from your hand, and you will have no soothsayers.

12And I will destroy your graven images and your monuments from your midst, and you shall no longer prostrate yourself to your handiwork.

13And I will uproot your asherim from your midst, and I will destroy your enemies.

14And in anger and fury I will execute vengeance upon the nations who have paid no heed.

Micah Chapter 6

1Hear now what the Lord says; Rise; contend with the mountains, and may the hills hear My voice.

2Hear ye, O mountains, the controversy of the Lord; and you mighty ones, the foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with His people, and with Israel He shall contend.

3O My people, what have I done, and how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.

4For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab planned, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him. From Shittim to Gilgal, may you recognize the righteous deeds of the Lord.

6With what shall I come before the Lord, bow before the Most High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?

7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly with your God.

#shabbat shalom #prophet Micah #haftarah #weekly parasha #shalom #torah #simchat torah #elohim #baruchhashem #torah study #studyingthebible #la torah es vida #english post #jumblr #parasha balak #prophecy

[craftylovegentlemen]

Joshua

Chapter 24

1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. 3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. 8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

11 And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. 13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. 14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; 17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: 18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God. 19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. 22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. 23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. 24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 28 So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. 29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. 31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel. 32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. 33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Joshua 24

Diane Beauford

[yes-bernie-stuff]

Michée 6:1-8

1 Écoutez donc ce que dit l'Éternel: Lève-toi, plaide devant les montagnes, Et que les collines entendent ta voix!...

2 Écoutez, montagnes, le procès de l'Éternel, Et vous, solides fondements de la terre! Car l'Éternel a un procès avec son peuple, Il veut plaider avec Israël. -

3 Mon peuple, que t'ai-je fait? En quoi t'ai-je fatigué? Réponds-moi!

4 Car je t'ai fait monter du pays d'Égypte, Je t'ai délivré de la maison de servitude, Et j'ai envoyé devant toi Moïse, Aaron et Marie.

5 Mon peuple, rappelle-toi ce que projetait Balak, roi de Moab, Et ce que lui répondit Balaam, fils de Beor, De Sittim à Guilgal, Afin que tu reconnaisses les bienfaits de l'Éternel.

6 Avec quoi me présenterai-je devant l'Éternel, Pour m'humilier devant le Dieu Très Haut? Me présenterai-je avec des holocaustes, Avec des veaux d'un an?

7 L'Éternel agréera-t-il des milliers de béliers, Des myriades de torrents d'huile? Donnerai-je pour mes transgressions mon premier-né, Pour le péché de mon âme le fruit de mes entrailles? -

8 On t'a fait connaître, ô homme, ce qui est bien; Et ce que l'Éternel demande de toi, C'est que tu pratiques la justice, Que tu aimes la miséricorde, Et que tu marches humblement avec ton Dieu.

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Joshua 24: God Reminds The Israelites What He Did For Them And Promises Fulfilled That He Made To Their Ancestors

1 Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.

2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. 

3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, 

4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.

5 “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. 

6 When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. 

7 But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

8 “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. 

9 When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. 

10 But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. 

12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 

13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 

17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 

18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 

20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. 

26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

Buried in the Promised Land

29 After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 

30 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

31 Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

32 And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

33 And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

#Lord God Jehovah #Holy Bible #Joshua ch.24 #Joshua #Eleazar #Israelites #Assembled #Tribes #Reminds Them #Ancestors #Promises #Fulfilled #No Curses #Inheritance #No Idolatry #Forsake #Wickedness #Satan #Choose #Wisely #Knowledgeable #Covenant #Laws #Decrees #Died #Only Him

[jeremiah-33-3]

2 Peter 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of (Bosor), (who loved the wages of unrighteousness);

Bosor is Greek for Beor

1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Who was Balaam ? Son of Beor to Pethor

Numbers 22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.22:2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.22:5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the (son of Beor to Pethor), which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

What did Balaam do ?

Numbers 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of (Peor), and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.25:3 And Israel joined himself unto (Baalpeor): and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.25:5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;25:8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

What happened to him ?

Joshua 13:22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

2 Peter 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

#holy bible #bible scripture #bible verse #jesus christ #faith in jesus #bible #biblical scripture #sermon

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

The Tribes Renew the Covenant

1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac, 4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in its midst, and afterward I brought you out. 6 When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 When they cried out to the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them, and your eyes saw what I did to Egypt. Afterward you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan; they fought with you, and I handed them over to you, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then King Balak son of Zippor of Moab set out to fight against Israel. He sent and invited Balaam son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you, so I rescued you out of his hand. 11 When you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you, as well as the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I handed them over to you. 12 I sent swarms of hornets ahead of you that drove out before you the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant.

14 “Now, therefore, revere the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed, 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. 26 Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 Joshua said to all the people, “See, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you if you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances.

Death of Joshua and Eleazar

29 After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred ten years old. 30 They buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

31 Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel.

32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the portion of ground that Jacob had bought from the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money; it became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

33 Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of his son Phinehas, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim. — Joshua 24 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 12:1; Genesis 14:10; Genesis 15:19; Genesis 25:25-26; Genesis 31:34-35; Genesis 33:18; Exodus 4:14; Exodus 14:2; Exodus 14:9-10; Exodus 23:23; Leviticus 19:2; Numbers 22:2; Deuteronomy 5:27; Deuteronomy 6:10-11; Deuteronomy 7:20; Deuteronomy 23:5; Joshua 19:50; Joshua 22:13; Judges 2:6; Judges 6:10; Judges 10:16; 1 Samuel 7:3; 1 Samuel 7:12; 2 Kings 11:17; Psalm 119:173 Luke 3:34; John 4:5; Acts 7:42; Acts 7:45

#Joshua #review #Israel's history #God's work on Israel's behalf #serve God only #Joshua 24 #Book of Joshua #Old Testament #NRSVUE #Holy Bible #New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition #od's great work on Israel's behalf

[monsooninn]

Berakhot 7a:11. "The Passages."

Balak, whose name means "the destroyer" was the King of Moab, "Father's Water." Your father's water is no good, you need your own, AKA Moses, "Water of Es" or the "Water of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil."

So for the sake of the knowledge of the creation and by understand how we know what we know, AKA Ha Shem, we must experience life on our own. To experience life independently in legal ways is the essence of how we force the Black Pillar to lift.

11. And when a prophet to Israel said to him: "My people remember, please, what counsel Balak, king of Moab, and others." May "for the sake of the knowledge of God's righteousness"?

May, from mayim is a nickname for Moses used by the Mishnah. It specifically means to go in search of water in order to see the Spirit of God hovering over its surface, also called Ha Shem, to see the Self, the Knower of All. Our daddies cannot do this for us.

The Value in Gematria is 8077, חאֶפֶסזז‎‎‎, hafeszaz, "the Passage."

So which Passage in the Torah will grant us immediate recess into Ha Shem? And how does this contrast with the conversation Balak had with Balaam? First, from Chukat: Balak "The Destroyer" Summons Balaam "the Devourer of the People."

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab "father's way of life" and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. [to cross the Jordan is to grow up, it refers to losing one's virginity. After this, one can enter Jericho "the fragrant place". ]

2 Now Balak "to lay waste" son of Zippor "the bird or the goat" saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.

-> Stupid people naturally fear the intelligent. Especially those that are advocates of freedom and human equity.

4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian "place of strife", “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

-> The Greenest Grass is found on Horeb, the Highest Place. Oxes that eat the grass, who are capable of deduction, are also capable of outgushing great things:

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor "the consuming" , who was at Pethor "interpreter", near the Euphrates River "the gusher", in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

-> Parshas Korach and Chukat are all about overcoming this thing called "midian" or strife: Strife between oneself and virginity, others and virginity, leaving home, wanting to leave home, want leave and wanting to stay.

The Torah says strife gets washed away through an enhanced vision of reality, brought about by consumption of the Israelites by the Levites, and their consumption by the Canaanites. Consumption of young people by the Egyptians, Talkers, tyrants violence and whore mongers, AKA Moabites, however, is clearly not acceptable. Read on:

7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balaak had said.

8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”

13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 They came to Balaam and said: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”

18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

-> A Moabite is the son of an animal that did not learn to stand upright or teach his children how to behave just as his father failed to do with him.

=The Self-Destroyer, the son of a bird or a goat, King of a Land of Strife, a prisoner to Father's Water, says to a wizard, "destroy these people who have just come out of Egypt. They are numerous and "distinctive", they have been marked. And I hate them out of fear they may mark me as well…"

The Passage is actually a series of Torah passages that explain why the phenomenon that is Israel is exhilirating and terrifying to the world:

Imagine you were given the task of selecting from all Jewish holy books a number of passages that summarize the essence of Judaism. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a man of extraordinary wisdom and vision, in fact the greatest Jewish leader of our generation, did just that. The Rebbe selected 12 Torah Passages — or 12 Pesukim, from the entire range of Jewish literature and suggested that every child learn these pesukim by heart.

תּוֹרָה צִוָה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַת יַעֲקֹב

“The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov.” [Deut. 33:4]

The Torah was given to us through Moshe, G‑d’s most faithful servant. Every single Jewish boy or girl inherits the Torah for his or her self. Imagine how happy a person would be if he just received news that he had inherited 10 million dollars! So too should we be happy on realizing that we have the Torah which is worth far more than money.

The Torah does not just belong to the rabbis or scholars, but to every Jew. Every Jew has his portion in the Torah. In fact, the soul of every Jew is like a letter in a Sefer Torah — The Torah is only complete when all letters are present. Every Jew must study Torah to the best of his ability.

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֶלֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד

“Hear O Israel, G‑d is our L‑rd, G‑d is One.” [Deut. 6:4]

The Shema teaches us that G‑d is One and that He is everywhere.

The word Echod, אחד, meaning “one” is made up of three letters. The ’ד represents the four corners of the earth, the ח' represents the seven heavens and the earth [7 + 1 = 8]. Both the ד' and ח' have their source in the א' — the One Creator.

This teaches us that not only do we believe there is only one G‑d [unlike some religions who believe in many gods], but more than that. We believe that everything in the universe is created afresh every single second by G‑d. Just as your heart pumps blood around the body, so too does G‑d pump His creative energy into the universe every single second by bringing the whole world into existence. [If G‑d were for one second to withdraw this energy, we would cease to exist].

Since G‑d is a “hands-on” Creator, we may therefore understand that everything that happens in the world is by Hashgocha Pratis— by Divine Providence. The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, taught that even if the wind turns over a leaf in the street, it is by Divine Providence. G‑d has a master plan for creation.

בְּכָל דוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָיב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִצְרָיִם

“In every generation one must look upon himself as if he personally had gone out of Egypt.” [Pesachim 116b]

Some 3300 years ago, G‑d delivered the Jewish people from Egypt, from slavery to freedom. As the Haggadah tells us: “If G‑d had not taken us out of Egypt, then we would still be slaves there now.”

We thank G‑d every day for our freedom, and we promise in our heart to use our liberty in the best possible way, chosen servants of the King of Kings.

There is a deeper explanation. The Hebrew word for Egypt — Mitzrayim — can also mean a “limitation”. Our Yetzer Hora often tells us that we can’t do a certain mitzvah. Going out of Egypt in the spiritual sense, means breaking away from our own biggest enemy — our Yetzer Hora.

The most powerful weapon we have to combat the Yetzer Hora is the Torah. The Talmud says: “G‑d says — I created the Yetzer Hora and I have created the Torah as an antidote.”

In every single generation, and in fact, every single day, we must all make the greatest effort to break out of our own personal Egypt, accept the Torah and draw closer to the Holy Land — to serving G‑d properly.

כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לָהֶם חֵלֶק לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנֶאֱמַר וְעַמֵךְ כּוּלָם צַדִיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר

“All Israel have share in the World to Come, as it is stated [Isaiah 60:21]: ‘And Your people are all Tzaddikim [righteous].’ They shall inherit the land forever. They are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, in which I take pride.” [Sanhedrin 90a]

G‑d takes special pride in each and every Jew. He created us, and He cares for us, and watches over us like a gardener who watches over a tender plant. And as we grow, learning His Torah, and doing the wonderful mitzvot in it, G‑d prepares for us a place in the World to Come.

The Rabbis tell us that the pleasures of the World to Come are unimaginable. Even if we were to add together all the greatest pleasures of this world, they would not equal one hour of the pleasure in the World to Come.

However, being here on earth is the purpose of creation and the World to Come is only a reward. We should not serve G‑d in order to get the reward. The Rabbis tell us: “Better one hour of Teshuvah and good deeds in this world than all of the World to Come.”

כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָבָר מְאֹד בְּפִיךָ וּבִּלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ

“It is within your close reach to follow the Torah in speech, feeling and deed.” [Deuteronomy 30:14]

One should never think that the Torah is too difficult to keep. G‑d never asks a person to do something without giving him the ability to do it. G‑d asks every Jew to keep the Torah and this posuk tells us that it is within our reach to fulfill the mitzvot.

וְהִנֵה ה' נִצָב עָלָיו וּמְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כּבוֹדוֹ וּמַבִּיט עָלָיו וּבוֹחֵן כְּלָיוֹת וָלֵב אִם עוֹבְדוֹ כָּרָאוּי

“G‑d stands over him, and the whole earth is full of His glory and He searches his mind and heart [to see] if he is serving Him as is fitting.” [Tanya ch. 41]

We have previously spoken of G‑d as a powerful Creator. However, this passage from the Chabad classic Tanya teaches us that G‑d is a very personal G‑d. He is not at all removed from us, too busy with universal affairs to care about us. On the contrary, G‑d is concerned for every individual and searches our mind and heart to see if we are serving Him properly. In every circumstance and at any given moment, a person should be aware that G‑d is standing by him and watching his thoughts, speech and action. This though should fill a person with feelings of Yirat Shamayim — fear of Heaven.

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֶלֹקִים אֵת הַשָׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ

“In the beginning G‑d created the heavens and the earth.” [Genesis 1:1]

The opening verse of the Torah tells us that G‑d created the heavens and earth. Our Sages of blessed memory comment on the world Beraishit — “in the beginning” — that it is made of two words, Beit and Raishit literally meaning two firsts. They explain that in fact, the world was created for Torah and the people of Israel, both of whom are scripturally referred to as Raishit [first]. The purpose of creation is that the Jews fulfill the directives of the Torah.

Bearing this in mind, we must take everything in the world and use it for a mitzvah purpose. Even when we do simple things such as eating, we should eat for a holy purpose i.e. to serve G‑d with the energy produced by the food. In short, we should serve G‑d in all our ways.

וְשִׁנַנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ

“And you shall teach the Torah to your children and you should speak about it when you are at home and when you travel, before you lie down to sleep and when you wake up.” [Deuteronomy 6:7]

The Torah instructs us to teach the words of Torah to our children and students. Learning Torah is one of the greatest mitzvot and what one learns one should teach to others.

This posuk further instructs us that our daily conversation should be filled with words of Torah, both at home and away from home. We should refrain from idle chatter.

“When you lie down and get up” is the Biblical source for reading the Shema in the evening and morning.

יָגַעְתִּי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי אַל תַּאַמִין לֹא יָגַעְתִּי וּמָצָאתִי אַל תַּאַמִין יָגַעְתִּי וּמָצָאתִי תַּאַמִין

“If someone says: ‘I have worked hard but I have not been successful,’ don’t believe him. If someone says: ‘I have not worked hard and I have been successful,’ don’t believe him. If someone says: ‘I have worked hard and I have been successful,’ believe him!”

“Man was born to toil [work hard].” [From the book of Job].

G‑d is good and wishes to give us good things. However, He wants us to earn what we have. We will feel much more fulfilled if we know we have worked hard and deserve a reward. True success therefore comes only if a person has worked hard.

וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעַךָ כָּמוֹךָ – רַבִּי עַקִיבָא אוֹמֵר זֶה כְּלָל גָדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה

“Rabbi Akiva says: ‘you should love your fellow as yourself’, is a basic principle of the Torah.” [Leviticus 19:18, Midrash]

The 613 mitzvot can be divided into two categories: mitzvot between man and G‑d, e.g. prayer, Tefillin, Mezuzah; and mitzvot between man and man. One may not neglect either mitzvot between man and G‑d or between man and man. In fact, if one is lacking in the mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael — Love your Fellow Jew — then there is something missing in one’s love of G‑d. As our Father in Heaven, G‑d is happy with us when we love each other and live peacefully. Thinking about another and doing a favor for another is a basic principle of the Torah.

וְזֶה כָּל הָאָדָם וְתַכְלִית בְּרִיאָתוֹ וּבְרִיאַת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַּחְתּוֹנִים לִהְיוֹת לוֹ דִירָה זוֹ בְּתַּחְתּוֹנִים

“The purpose of the creation of every Jew and of all the worlds is to make a dwelling place for G‑d in this world.” [Tanya Ch. 33]

This quote from Tanya teaches us that the reason why G‑d made each Jew and why He created the whole world is so that by following the Torah and mitzvot we can make ourselves, and our homes and the world around us, a dwelling place for G‑d where He will live, just as we live in our own homes.

יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹשָׂיו פֵּירוּש שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מִזֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לוֹ לִשְׂמוֹחַ בְּשִׂמְחַת ה' אַשֶׁר שָׂשׂ וְשָׂמֵחַ בְּדִירָתוֹ בְּתַּחְתּוֹנִים

“The Jews should rejoice in their Maker. Every Jew should share in G‑d’s joy, who rejoices and is happy in His dwelling in this world.” [Tanya Ch. 33]

Every Jew, no matter what sort of background or learning he has had until now, even until a minute ago, so long as he is a Jew, is a member of the Jewish people; and he should be happy and proud that Hashem has given him the special and greatest mission he could have — to make himself, make his home and make the world around him, a place where G‑d is at home.

Wherever Jews go, wherever there is conscious footprint of this thing called Israel, all human beings will have a safe place to go and to call home. This is why the Talmud emphasizes the fact Jews must be the ones to incite the onset of Mashiach so all the world understands why God gave the Torah to Moses and not to fear Him or being Jewish but to try and catch up to us instead.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

18th August >> Mass Readings (USA)

Friday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time.

(Liturgical Colour: Green: A (1))

First Reading Joshua 24:1-13 I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River; I led you out of Egypt, I brought you to your land.

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: In times past your fathers, down to Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, dwelt beyond the River and served other gods. But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River and led him through the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir in which to settle, while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and smote Egypt with the prodigies which I wrought in her midst. Afterward I led you out of Egypt, and when you reached the sea, the Egyptians pursued your fathers to the Red Sea with chariots and horsemen. Because they cried out to the LORD, he put darkness between your people and the Egyptians, upon whom he brought the sea so that it engulfed them. After you witnessed what I did to Egypt, and dwelt a long time in the desert, I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power. You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them, the two kings of the Amorites, before you. Then Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, prepared to war against Israel. He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you; but I would not listen to Balaam. On the contrary, he had to bless you, and I saved you from him. Once you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, but I delivered them also into your power. And I sent the hornets ahead of you that drove them (the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites) out of your way; it was not your sword or your bow.

“I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22 and 24

R/ His mercy endures forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the God of gods, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the LORD of lords, for his mercy endures forever.

R/ His mercy endures forever.

Who led his people through the wilderness, for his mercy endures forever; Who smote great kings, for his mercy endures forever; And slew powerful kings, for his mercy endures forever.

R/ His mercy endures forever.

And made their land a heritage, for his mercy endures forever; The heritage of Israel his servant, for his mercy endures forever; And freed us from our foes, for his mercy endures forever.

R/ His mercy endures forever.

Gospel Acclamation cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Alleluia, alleluia. Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, the word of God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 19:3-12 Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[xianofchrist]

Arete

Everything about Christianity is that it's about the divine, about affection and peace, about truth and justice, about decency and morality, etc. To say the least, the Vatican doesn't follow those churchly precepts; the biggest point of that is them and Isabel of Spain cleansing the "savages" of the New World. To the same extent, none of the Trinitarian branches constitute what is Christian. As is already known, Christianity is religion, Christ is Buddha, and christos means 'one anointed by Pantheon' or 'one under Heaven's favor'. It is the distinction of this and the Nazarites that is why I proclaim Heaven and not the man that Jesus is. If Nazarites want to use the word truth, then their actions are only going to be under truth and their profanity is going to be wiped from it. It is because of this, that concepts are not changed by actions or intent of those proclaiming them, that I have edited the Nots'rim Ketuvim and, will, make the Tanakh show history and Kena'anite mythology (for instance, Balaam, son of Beor, is prophet of Shamash; or, how Adam and Chava involves the Elohim, not a single deity, least of all a monad whose followers pretend is a deity). People do not get to claim truth, justice, etc.; there is only one, ergo it's either followed or it's not. There is no "their version" nor "they're hypocrites/liers"; the word may come from their lips, but it's obvious whether or not they're under it. So, if any place says liberty, freedom, truth, etc., then it shall be under those concepts and anything not about the terms is simply not part of the group. The terms are τιμαι and the group has αρετη with it; therefore, it is not that everything is X, as a tautology, it's that the group is only X and anything that is not truth, etc. gets shunned and re-appropriated.

#religion #sermon #christianity #pagan #paganism

[torais-life]

7th portion- Parasha Balak (english)

7th Portion: (Numbers 24:14 - 25:9)

¡Shabat Shalom!. I share with you the last portion of this parasha that has been very good to study again. Let us stand firm, with emuna in the Creator so that nothing makes us waver from what we really are: children of the Eternal.

Numbers Chapter 24

14And now, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you...what this people will do to your people at the end of days."

15He took up his parable and said, "The word of Balaam, son of Beor, the word of a man with an open eye.

16The word of the one who hears God's sayings and perceives the thoughts of the Most High; who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes.

17I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth.

18Edom shall be possessed, and Seir shall become the possession of his enemies, and Israel shall triumph.

19A ruler shall come out of Jacob, and destroy the remnant of the city."

20When he saw Amalek, he took up his parable and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, and his fate shall be everlasting destruction."

21When he saw the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, "How firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in a cliff.

22For if Kain is laid waste, how far will Assyria take you captive?"

23He took up his parable and said: Who can survive these things from God?

24Ships will come from the Kittites and afflict Assyria and afflict those on the other side, but he too will perish forever."

25Balaam arose, went, and returned home, and Balak went on his way.

Numbers Chapter 25

1Israel settled in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of the Moabites.

2They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and prostrated themselves to their gods.

3Israel became attached to Baal Peor, and the anger of the Lord flared against Israel.

4The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and hang them before the Lord, facing the sun, and then the flaring anger of the Lord will be removed from Israel.

5Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you shall kill the men who became attached to Baal Peor.

6Then an Israelite man came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren, before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

7Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen saw this, arose from the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.

8He went after the Israelite man into the chamber and drove [it through] both of them; the Israelite man, and the woman through her stomach, and the plague ceased from the children of Israel.

9Those that died in the plague numbered twenty four thousand.

#shabbat shalom #torah #hebrewmind #shalom #jumblr #bible study #bible reading #biblestudy #english post #weekly parasha #have a great shabbos #enjoy shabbat #shabat live #keep shabbat #shabbos #baruchhashem #la torah es vida #torah is life #simchat torah #torah portion #torah lovers #torah study #chabad #bible blog #blog post #blogger #amisraeljai #am israel jai #am israel #israelites