Roots of Faith

Largely as a result of the sensational best selling book The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, many have begun to believe that Jesus of Nazareth had children. Dan Brown is not the first to put forth this theory. I recently responded to someone on this very subject and will post that response here. I have intentionally been somewhat Cryptic so as to stir the discussion a bit. I make some claims in this post without referencing the passage to which I allude. The statements in this post can be backed by a careful reading of Jeremiah, and there are other points that can be made as well.

My belief is that Jesus was not married and had no children. Jesus has much in common with Jeremiah. There are many interesting correlations between the “ministries” of the two prophets:

• Both lived 40 years before the destruction of the Temple.
• They both often refer to God as Father
• They both refer to their people as those that have eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear
• They (and other prophets) seem to have a skeptical view of the Temple and the sacrificial cult
• They are both compared to “a lamb led to slaughter”
• They are the only prophets who use the precise term “lost sheep of the house of Israel” to refer to the northern tribes.
• They both speak of fishing for men
• They both speak of a New Covenant

There are many others, but these are just a few. It is obvious that Yeshua was familiar with Jeremiah’s words. In Jeremiah 16 we read of the coming redemption and that this redemption is conducted in two distinct stages. The first is a stage that involves “fishing for the tribes” (see verse 16ff). That Yeshua makes reference to this when choosing disciples makes me think that he saw other things here as well associated with his own ministry. An example may be the opening words of this same chapter.

I have added some features to the site that I feel will be helpful to my guests.  The web is an incredible tool and there are many gifted people out there that have created some wonderful “gadgets” for web site builders like myself (even those without great talent for these sorts of things:).

One such gifted individual is Michael J. Radwin.  His site is www.hebcal.com. This web site is worth a look and I encourage you to check it out. I added some content on my site from his work.  On the splash page and welcome page I added a script that enables you to see the Hebrew calendar date. Also on the welcome page I added a script that shows holidays, the week’s Torah portion and candle lighting times for my own zip code. This display gives the name of the Torah reading, but you can click on the link to learn more.  This site is realy great and I am confident that you will use it often.  I know that I will.  I realize that the script for the Hebrew month does not contain the Torah readings though it does show the festivals.  I need to dig into this a bit..but not tonight.

Another gifted individual is David Rose. I got the moon phase display from his site - http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases/moon_phases.phtml

A proper understanding of the Bible requires an aquaintance with the way that the Hebrew calendar works and one cannot begin to understand the Hebrew calendar without keeping an eye on the moon.   

I am hoping to add more content to the site as I am made aware of things such as these that will aid all of us in our quest for Biblical truth.

Check back often and be sure and email me if you have ideas that will make my site more helpful in your studies.

Several weeks ago, I was hit with a thought that I simply cannot quit thinking about.  It was brought on by a fresh reading of the Gospel according to Matthew.  At the close of that book the writer records a charge from Jesus to his disciples that is often referred to as the Great Commission.  In that final charge, they are told to do three things; (1) Go and make disciples, (2) Immerse them, (3) and teach the newly made disciples all that Jesus commanded them.

I could not help but think that these words have been virtually ignored by all followers of Jesus. Immersing, or baptizing is something that the Church has done its share of, but as for the rest of the commission, we have dropped the ball.

It is time that we begin to make disciples and then to teach them to obey what Jesus commanded.

What has been called the Great Commission would be better defined as the great omission.

I have encouraged the members of Roots of Faith Congregation to recite the Shema twice daily.  The Shema is the foundation of Biblical Faith and is contained in three sections of text from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41)..  I have a couple of articles on my web site on these important texts. We read this aloud every Sabbath in synagogue before we do the weekly Torah and Prophets reading.

I recently did a study on a phrase found within Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 11.  In both of these passages we are told to do something with all of our heart and all of our soul.  This led me to look for other things that we should do with all of our heart and all of our soul.

That the Biblical writers were inspired to use these strong words should make us take note.  Check out what the bible says that we should do with all of our being.

1. Seek the LORD (Deuteronomy 4:29)
2. Put the words of the LORD in your Heart and soul, bind them as a sign on your hand and fix them as an emblem on your forehead, etc (Deuteronomy 11:18ff)
3. Love The LORD your God (Deuteronomy 13:3; 6:5; 30:6) - This in connection with the command to circumsise your heart and the heart of your descendants - See Deuteronomy 30:6)
4. Return to God / Repent (I Kings 8:48; 2 Chronicles 6:38; Deuteronomy 30:2)
5. Serve the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 10:12)
6. Observe the statutes and ordinances - Guard and do them (Deuteronomy 26:16)

It is also interesting that the Bible mentions one thing that God Himself will do with all of His heart and all of His soul.

Jeremiah 32:41 I will rejoice over them in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart and all my soul.

Take some time to reflect on these things that we should do with all of our heart and all of our soul.  They are rarely emphasized by Bible teachers today, and yet they represent the very essence of what Biblical Faith is all about.