Shabbat Sabbath

Those who bear fruit are, by definition, God’s chosen people (“My people”). In Romans 11, Paul calls them the elect, chosen, or the remnant of grace.

In Exodus 5:1, Moses told Pharaoh, “Let My people go,” without specifically defining who “My people” were. Earlier, in Exodus 4:22, God said, “Israel is My son,” but again, God did not specifically define who Israel was. Most have defined these terms genealogically, as I did for many years, having grown up in the church among those who taught this.

Since the days of Moses, the Israelites enjoyed a clear advantage over other nations in that they were “entrusted with the oracles of God” (Romans 3:1, 2). Those, for instance, who lived in China or the Congo had no such revelation for many generations over thousands of years. For this reason, most believers prior to the Great Commission were Jews and Israelites—even though only a “remnant” of Israel and Judah actually had Abrahamic faith.

Presenting the first two chapters of Zechariah, we saw that the prophet began writing around the start of the building of the second temple in the days of Zerubbabel, about 520 BC. While his prophecy had a meaning with an immediate application in his own time, regarding the building of the temple, it also has far-reaching implications related to the very purpose of the 70-weeks kingdom, which is what we call Judaea as it was in the inter-testamental period. We hope to further establish the proofs of that assertion here, presenting Zechariah chapter 3.

Having presented the first three chapters of Zechariah, we hope to have established the fact that there are two perspectives to fully interpreting the words of the prophet and realizing the fulfillment of his prophecy. These we have termed the near vision, which is the immediate application of his prophecy to the rebuilding of the second temple and the initiation of the 70-weeks Kingdom, and the far vision, or the transcendental fulfillment of the prophecy to the birth and ministry of the Christ and the building of His House, which is both His temporal body and the body of His collective people Israel. We would also assert that the entire purpose of the 70-weeks Kingdom was to realize the fulfillment of the far vision, as the Word of God establishes for us both here and in Daniel chapter 9.

Yoga is an international exercise phenomenon, evolving to become an integrated part of many people’s fitness routines. But the physical activity has also emerged as a point of debate among some believers who see it as far more sinister than mere stretches and poses. Jenn Nizza, an ex-psychic who spent years doing readings and communicating with what she believed were the dead loved ones of her clients, is among those speaking out. Nizza is now a Christian who shares her story of leaving the occult, and she recently told CBN’s Faithire why she believes yoga isn’t just “stretching and breathing.” “Yoga is a Hindu spiritual practice, and the word ‘yoga’ is rooted in Sanskrit. It means ‘to yoke to’ or ‘to unite with,’ and what they’re doing,” she said. “They have deliberate postures that are paying tribute, honor, and worship to their false gods, and they have over 330,000,000 false gods, which are demons, and they’re honoring them with these postures.” Nizza specifically spoke about Christians who use yoga to stay fit, explaining why she believes participating in the fitness phenomenon can be spiritually perilous…

The Book of Enoch is one of the most well-known examples of biblical Apocrypha, being an ancient Hebrew text dealing with the apocalypse, demons, angels and the Nephilim. Historically, the author of the text is unknown, but they are dated to around 200 BCE and evidence exists showing that ancient Jews and early Christians were very much aware of it. Today, it is considered apocryphal by Jews and Christians alike, though Ethiopian Jews and some Ethiopian Christians consider it canonical. But what is the Book of Enoch and what does it tell us about heaven, angels and demons? Why was it removed from the Bible and is now apocryphal? What did Jesus say about it? Here’s what you need to know. The Book of Enoch consists of five sections: The Book of Watchers, the Similitudes of Enoch, the Astronomical Book, the Book of Dreams and the Epistle of Enoch. The first book details the birth of the Nephilim, the giants, following the fall of the angels known as the Grigori, or Watchers. The second book is about the Messiah and the end times Despite the fact that the Book of Enoch would have been known in his lifetime, Jesus Christ never mentions or references the Book of Enoch in the New Testament [though he accomplished many things that would have mirrored what his disciples were looking for in the Messiah as based on the book of Enoch or “the Enochian worldview”]. However, some of his apostles do, and references do exist in the New Testament…

In November, the Paris-based fashion brand Balenciaga released back-to-back ad campaigns featuring blatant references to child pornography, violence, and sadomasochism. One featured a toddler holding a stuffed animal dressed in sexual clothing. In another, a child lies on a couch surrounded by wine glasses. To remove all doubt about Balenciaga’s intentions, a final photo featured a purse partially covering a printed Supreme Court opinion from United States v. Williams, a case that dealt with child pornography and the First Amendment. To say that Balenciaga is an important player in the fashion industry is an understatement.