Update: January 22, 2025
Be like a disciple from 2,000 years ago... Connect your life with the Bible.
Some people today that consider themselve a disciple think that the Tanakh, aka the Hebrew Bible is old. Some also say the Torah, God's teaching and instruction has been done away with.
They call it the law of Moses, when what he did was write down what he was told to write by Almighty God. He was the scribe.
The original disciples didn't think anything was old or done away with, that fact is embedded in "The Gospels."
In fact, two disciples on the Emmaus road learned a big Bible lesson as they were schooled on the Hebrew Bible like a window into the Word of God.
Luke wrote about that journey saying "Jesus explained and began at Moses and all the prophets... and expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself." (Luke 24:27)
King David set the stage when he wrote: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your Torah." (Psalm 119:18)
It seems that a man named Augustine of Hippo may have considered those two verses when he wrote this:
“The New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.”
You may have never heard of Augustine, after all he likely wrote that c. 396-430 AD, but the quote summarizes his wide eyed understanding of the Newer Testament’s integration of the promises and first trip Messianic prophecies of the Hebrew Bible.
Open your eyes to a just a few of many examples from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John:
| Gospel References | |
|---|---|
| Matthew 1:23 | Isaiah 7:14 |
| Matthew 2:6 | Micah 5:2 |
| Matthew 2:15 | Hosea 11:1 |
| Matthew 2:18 | Jeremiah 31:15 |
| Matthew 3:3 | Isaiah 40:3 |
| Matthew 4:4 | Deuteronomy 8:3 |
| Matthew 4:6 | Psalm 91:11; 12 |
| Matthew 4:7 | Deuteronomy 6:16 |
| Matthew 4:10 | Deuteronomy 6:13 |
| Matthew 4:10 | Deuteronomy 10:20 |
| Matthew 4:15-16 | Isaiah 9:1; 2 |
| Matthew 4:15-16 | Isaiah 42:7 |
| Matthew 5:5 | Psalm 37:11 |
| Matthew 5:21 | Exodus 20:13 |
| Matthew 5:21 | Deuteronomy 5:17 |
| Matthew 5:27 | Exodus 20:14 |
| Matthew 5:27 | Deuteronomy 5:18 |
| Matthew 5:31 | Deuteronomy 24:1 |
| Matthew 5:33 | Exodus 20:7 |
| Matthew 5:33 | Leviticus 19:12 |
| Matthew 5:38 | Exodus 21:24 |
| Matthew 5:38 | Leviticus 24:20 |
| Matthew 5:38 | Deuteronomy 19:21 |
| Matthew 5:43 | Leviticus 19:18 |
| Matthew 5:48 | Genesis 17:1 |
| Matthew 7:23 | Psalm 6:8 |
| Matthew 8:4 | Leviticus 14:2-3 |
| Matthew 8:17 | Isaiah 53:4 |
| Matthew 9:13 | Hosea 6:6 |
| Matthew 10:35-36 | Micah 7:6 |
| Matthew 11:5 | Isaiah 35:5 |
| Matthew 11:5 | Isaiah 29:18 |
| Matthew 11:10 | Malachi 3:1 |
| Matthew 11:14 | Malachi 4:5 |
| Matthew 12:3 | 1Samuel 21:6 |
| Matthew 12:5 | Numbers 28:9-10 |
| Matthew 12:7 | Hosea 6:6 |
| Matthew 12:18 | Isaiah 42:1 |
| Matthew 12:18-21 | Isaiah 42:1-4 |
| Matthew 12:40 | Jonah 1:17 |
| Matthew 12:42 | 1Kings 10:1 |
| Matthew 13:14 | Isaiah 6:9-10 |
| Matthew 13:35 | Psalm 78:2 |
| Matthew 15:4 | Exodus 20:12 |
| Matthew 15:4 | Deuteronomy 5:16 |
| Matthew 15:4 | Exodus 21:17 |
| Matthew 15:4 | Leviticus 20:9 |
| Matthew 15:4 | Proverbs 20:20 |
| Matthew 15:8-9 | Isaiah 29:13 |
| Matthew 16:4 | Jonah 1:17 |
| Matthew 17:10 | Malachi 4:5 |
| Matthew 18:15 | Leviticus 19:17 |
| Matthew 18:16 | Leviticus 19:15 |
| Matthew 18:16 | Deuteronomy 19:15 |
| Matthew 19:4 | Genesis 1:27 |
| Matthew 19:5 | Genesis 2:24 |
| Matthew 19:7 | Deuteronomy 24:1 |
| Matthew 19:18 | Exodus 20:12 |
| Matthew 19:19 | Leviticus 19:18 |
| Matthew 19:26 | Jeremiah 32:17 |
| Matthew 21:5 | Zechariah 9:9 |
| Matthew 21:9 | Psalm 118:26 |
| Matthew 21:13 | Isaiah 56:7 |
| Matthew 21:13 | Jeremiah 7:11 |
| Matthew 21:16 | Psalm 8:2 |
| Matthew 21:33 | Isaiah 5:1 |
| Matthew 21:42 | Psalm 118:22-23 |
| Matthew 21:44 | Isaiah 8:14 |
| Matthew 21:44 | Zechariah 12:3 |
| Matthew 21:44 | Daniel 2:34-35 |
| Matthew 22:24 | Deuteronomy 25:5 |
| Matthew 22:32 | Exodus 3:6 |
| Matthew 22:37 | Deuteronomy 6:5 |
| Matthew 22:39 | Leviticus 19:18 |
| Matthew 22:44 | Psalm 110:1 |
| Matthew 23:35 | Genesis 4:8 |
| Matthew 23:35 | 2Chronicles 24:21-22 |
| Matthew 23:38 | Psalm 69:25 |
| Matthew 23:38 | Jeremiah 12:7 |
| Matthew 23:38 | Jeremiah 22:5 |
| Matthew 23:39 | Psalm 118:26 |
| Matthew 24:15 | Daniel 9:27 |
| Matthew 24:15 | Daniel 8:13 |
| Matthew 24:15 | Daniel 11:31 |
| Matthew 24:15 | Daniel 12:11 |
| Matthew 24:21 | Jeremiah 30:7 |
| Matthew 24:29 | Isaiah 13:9-10 |
| Matthew 24:29 | Joel 2:10 |
| Matthew 24:29 | Joel 3:15 |
| Matthew 24:29 | Ezekiel 32:7 |
| Matthew 24:35 | Isaiah 51:16 |
| Matthew 24:37 | Genesis 7:4 |
| Matthew 25:41 | Psalm 6:8 |
| Matthew 26:24 | Psalm 22:1-31 |
| Matthew 26:31 | Zechariah 13:7 |
| Matthew 26:60 | Psalm 35:11 |
| Matthew 26:67 | Isaiah 50:6 |
| Matthew 27:9-10 | Zechariah 11:13 |
| Matthew 27:35 | Psalm 22:18 |
| Matthew 27:43 | Psalm 22:7-9 |
| Matthew 27:46 | Psalm 22:1 |
| Matthew 28:18 | Daniel 7:14 |
| Mark 1:2; 3 | Malachi 3:1 |
| Mark 1:2; 3 | Isaiah 40:3 |
| Mark 1:44 | Leviticus 14:2 |
| Mark 2:25-26 | 1Samuel 21:6 |
| Mark 4:12 | Isaiah 6:9 |
| Mark 7:6; 7 | Isaiah 29:13 |
| Mark 7:10 | Exodus 20:12 |
| Mark 7:10 | Deuteronomy 5:16 |
| Mark 7:10 | Exodus 21:17 |
| Mark 7:10 | Proverbs 20:20 |
| Mark 9:11 | Malachi 4:5 |
| Mark 9:44 | Isaiah 66:24 |
| Mark 10:4 | Deuteronomy 24:1 |
| Mark 10:6 | Genesis 1:27 |
| Mark 10:7 | Genesis 2:24 |
| Mark 10:19 | Exodus 20:12; 13-14 |
| Mark 11:9 | Psalm 118:26 |
| Mark 11:17 | Isaiah 56:7 |
| Mark 11:17 | Jeremiah 7:11 |
| Mark 12:1 | Isaiah 5:1 |
| Mark 12:10-11 | Psalm 118:22; 23 |
| Mark 12:19 | Deuteronomy 25:5 |
| Mark 12:26 | Exodus 3:6 |
| Mark 12:29-30 | Deuteronomy 6:4-5 |
| Mark 12:31 | Leviticus 19:18 |
| Mark 12:33 | 1Samuel 15:22 |
| Mark 12:36 | Psalm 110:1 |
| Mark 13:5 | Jeremiah 29:8 |
| Mark 13:12 | Micah 7:6 |
| Mark 13:14 | Daniel 9:27 |
| Mark 13:14 | Daniel 8:13 |
| Mark 13:14 | Daniel 11:31 |
| Mark 13:14 | Daniel 12:11 |
| Mark 13:24 | Isaiah 13:9; 10 |
| Mark 13:24 | Joel 3:15 |
| Mark 13:31 | Isaiah 40:8 |
| Mark 14:27 | Zechariah 13:7 |
| Mark 15:28 | Isaiah 53:12 |
| Mark 15:34 | Psalm 22:1 |
| Luke 1:10 | Leviticus 16:17 |
| Luke 1:17 | Malachi 4:5; 6 |
| Luke 1:32 | Psalm 132:11 |
| Luke 1:33 | Micah 4:7 |
| Luke 1:33 | Daniel 4:3 |
| Luke 1:55 | Genesis 22:18 |
| Luke 1:55 | Genesis 17:19 |
| Luke 1:73 | Genesis 22:16 |
| Luke 1:73 | Genesis 12:3 |
| Luke 1:78 | Numbers 24:17 |
| Luke 1:78 | Malachi 4:2 |
| Luke 1:79 | Isaiah 9:2 |
| Luke 2:21-22 | Leviticus 12:3; 4 |
| Luke 2:23 | Exodus 13:2 |
| Luke 2:24 | Leviticus 12:8 |
| Luke 2:34 | Isaiah 8:14; 15 |
| Luke 3:4-6 | Isaiah 40:3; 4; 5 |
| Luke 4:4 | Deuteronomy 8:3 |
| Luke 4:8 | Deuteronomy 6:13 |
| Luke 4:8 | Deuteronomy 10:20 |
| Luke 4:10-11 | Psalm 91:11; 12 |
| Luke 4:12 | Deuteronomy 6:16 |
| Luke 4:18-19 | Isaiah 61:1; 2 |
| Luke 4:25-26 | 1Kings 17:1; 9 |
| Luke 4:25-26 | 1Kings 18:1; 2 |
| Luke 4:27 | 2Kings 5:14 |
| Luke 5:14 | Leviticus 14:2 |
| Luke 6:3-4 | 1Samuel 21:6 |
| Luke 6:24 | Amos 6:1 |
| Luke 7:27 | Malachi 3:1 |
| Luke 8:10 | Isaiah 6:9 |
| Luke 10:4 | 2Kings 4:29 |
| Luke 10:27 | Deuteronomy 6:5 |
| Luke 10:27 | Leviticus 19:18 |
| Luke 10:28 | Leviticus 18:5 |
| Luke 11:30 | Jonah 1:17 |
| Luke 11:30 | Jonah 3:1-10 |
| Luke 11:30 | Jonah 4:1-11 |
| Luke 11:31 | 2Kings 10:1 |
| Luke 11:51 | Genesis 4:8 |
| Luke 11:51 | 2Chronicles 24:21-22 |
| Luke 13:27 | Psalm 6:8 |
| Luke 13:35 | Psalm 118:26 |
| Luke 13:35 | Jeremiah 12:7 |
| Luke 13:35 | Jeremiah 22:5 |
| Luke 14:8 | Proverbs 25:6 |
| Luke 14:26 | Micah 7:6 |
| Luke 17:3 | Leviticus 19:17 |
| Luke 17:27 | Genesis 7:7 |
| Luke 17:29 | Genesis 19:16 |
| Luke 17:32 | Genesis 19:26 |
| Luke 18:20 | Exodus 20:12 |
| Luke 18:20 | Deuteronomy 5:17-18 |
| Luke 19:46 | Isaiah 56:7 |
| Luke 19:46 | Jeremiah 7:11 |
| Luke 20:9 | Isaiah 5:1 |
| Luke 20:17 | Psalm 118:22; 23 |
| Luke 20:18 | Isaiah 8:14 |
| Luke 20:18 | Zechariah 12:3 |
| Luke 20:18 | Daniel 2:44 |
| Luke 20:28 | Deuteronomy 25:5 |
| Luke 20:37 | Exodus 3:6 |
| Luke 20:42-43 | Psalm 110:1 |
| Luke 22:37 | Isaiah 53:12 |
| Luke 23:29 | Isaiah 54:1 |
| Luke 23:30 | Hosea 10:8 |
| Luke 23:46 | Psalm 31:5 |
| Luke 24:46 | Isaiah 53:5 |
| John 1:1-5 | Genesis 1:1-5 |
| John 1:23 | Isaiah 40:3 |
| John 1:51 | Genesis 28:12 |
| John 2:17 | Psalm 69:9 |
| John 3:14 | Numbers 21:8-9 |
| John 4:37 | Micah 6:15 |
| John 6:31 | Psalm 78:24 |
| John 6:31 | Exodus 16:15 |
| John 6:45 | Isaiah 54:13 |
| John 6:49 | Exodus 16:15 |
| John 7:22 | Leviticus 12:3 |
| John 7:38 | Isaiah 55:1 |
| John 7:38 | Isaiah 58:11 |
| John 7:38 | Isaiah 44:3 |
| John 7:38 | Zechariah 13:1 |
| John 7:38 | Zechariah 14:8 |
| John 7:38 | Proverbs 18:4 |
| John 7:38 | Isaiah 12:3 |
| John 7:39 | Isaiah 44:3 |
| John 7:42 | Psalm 89:4 |
| John 7:42 | Psalm 132:11 |
| John 7:42 | Micah 5:1; 2 |
| John 8:5 | Leviticus 20:10 |
| John 8:5 | Deuteronomy 22:21 |
| John 8:17 | Deuteronomy 19:15 |
| John 9:31 | Psalm 82:6 |
| John 10:34 | Psalm 82:6 |
| John 12:13 | Psalm 118:26 |
| John 12:14-15 | Zechariah 9:9 |
| John 12:34 | 2Samuel 7:13 |
| John 12:34 | Psalm 89:30; 37 |
| John 12:34 | Psalm 110:4 |
| John 12:34 | Isaiah 9:7 |
| John 12:38 | Isaiah 53:1 |
| John 12:40 | Isaiah 6:9 |
| John 12:49 | Deuteronomy 18:18 |
| John 13:18 | Psalm 41:9 |
| John 15:25 | Psalm 69:4 |
| John 15:25 | Psalm 109:3 |
| John 15:25 | Psalm 35:19 |
| John 17:12 | Psalm 41:10 |
| John 17:12 | Psalm 109:8; 17 |
| John 19:24 | Psalm 22:19 |
| John 19:28 | Psalm 69:21 |
| John 19:36 | Exodus 12:46 |
| John 19:36 | Psalm 34:20 |
| John 19:36 | Numbers 9:12 |
| John 19:37 | Zechariah 12:10 |
| John 20:9 | Psalm 16:10 |
| John 20:17 | Psalm 22:22 |
Update: January 19, 2025 which is Tevet 19
It's said by some Bible scholars that the meaning of 19, revolves around God's perfect order concerning judgment in the Bible. The number 19 can also be seen as a number of transition and change.
The Hebrew Bible is alive and engaged, it's not old.
I can’t imagine to joy of the families of the first of three Israeli hostages released today under a cease-fire agreement in Gaza. On October 7, 2023, the war in Gaza ignited when some 3,000 Islamic Jihad Hamas terrorists violently stormed into southern Israel. Those Amalek-like Hamas madmen viciously murdered some 1,200 Jewish civilians and abducted 251 people.
Today's three freed hostages are Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher. You can read their report at The Times of Israel.
It just so happens that the Haftarah (The Prophets) portion of the ages old reading for this week just so happens to be וארא "Va'era" which means "and I appeared." The reading includes the Ezekiel 28:25-26 prophecy that will be read aloud in homes and synogogues all around the planet this week.
Ezekiel wrote …
Thus says the Lord YHVH “When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob.And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards.They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt.
Then they will know that I am YHVH their God."
Who are the neighbors?
Hamas.
There are others too and they all have a big judgment to come problem.
February 22, 2025: Today is Shevat 24 and it is believed that the last of the known six living hostages that have been held as slaves since October 7, 2023 have been set free in liberty today after over 70 weeks by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, but today they are in Israel.
According to the Times of Israel:
"Hostages Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Eliya Cohen, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed were released from Hamas captivity and returned to Israel on Saturday, in the largest single day of releases since the current hostage-ceasefire deal took effect. They are believed to be the final living hostages scheduled for release in the current first phase of the deal, with only four more hostages, all believed to be dead, set for release on Thursday.
The terror group paraded five of the six freed hostages on stages in propaganda-filled ceremonies in two locations in Gaza, handing them over to the Red Cross, while al-Sayed was released separately to the humanitarian organization later in the day, without a ceremony.
The men all looked frail and many had noticeably suffered dramatic weight loss.
Shoham, Shem Tov, Wenkert and Cohen were all taken captive on October 7, 2023 during the Hamas-led attacks and massacres, and had been held as hostages in Gaza for over 500 days.
Mengistu and al-Sayed both entered Gaza on their own accord in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and had been held captive by terror groups in Gaza for around a decade each.
The releases came hours after Hamas finally returned the body of Shiri Bibas; Israel said she had been brutally murdered by her captors along with her two small sons, Ariel, 4, and baby Kfir, whose bodies were returned on Thursday."
Is it any wonder that the Haftarah portion on this Sabbath from Jeremiah 34:8-10 reads in a simliar way to today's headlines? The situation was different in
"The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother.And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again.
They obeyed and set them free."
The last of the living hosatges were held over 70 weeks, but I could not help to be reminded of what Daniel recorded:
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression..."
Once again The Hebrew Bible is alive and engaged, it's not old.
