Faithful Writers

Have you ever wondered about the universal significance attached to the number 7? If you think about it, this number is not “natural” in any physical way. It would be more natural to use the number 10 (the number of a human being’s fingers) . Or the number 12 (the number of months in the year) . Yet, 7 is everywhere perceived as the number of completeness. In some mysterious way, this number has left an indelible impression on the world and mankind. Our planet has seven continents and seven seas. The rainbow only has seven colors. The entire musical scale consists of only 7 notes. In popular culture, we have Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, The 7 Samurai, and James Bond 007. However, there have been times when man has tried to do away with the 7-day week . In 1793 the leaders of the French Revolution produced a calendar divided into 3 ten-day “decades” It never caught on, and Napoleon abandoned it in 1805. In 1929 the Soviet Union tried a five-day week, with one day of rest. However, by 1940, the Russians were back on the familiar seven-day cycle! In 1936 the League of Nations solicited proposals for world calendar reform. They considered almost 200 different schemes, many of which attempted to rearrange the God-ordained 7-day week. They all never came to pass. I once tried 6 days of rest with only day of work. But that didn’t go over too well, especially with my parents. It seems like the 7-day pattern that God established at creation is here to stay. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT Then Peter came up and said to him, “Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?” “No, not seven times,” answered Yeshua, “but seventy times seven! -Matthew 18:21–23 In Revelations, there are 7 churches, 7 seals, 7 Trumpets, 7 Personages, 7 vails, SEVEN dooms, 7 new things. Yeshua (Jesus) fed the masses with 7 loaves and fishes. 7 devils were exorcised from Mary Magdalene. © Richoka

When reading Scripture, we’re all guilty of superimposing our own ideas, insecurities, and biases into the text. This is called “ eisegesis ” in convoluted seminary talk. For example, in the Genesis account, most people assume the first human created was a male. However, the Scripture isn’t so crystal clear on this point. Let’s take a good look at the text. “And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male [zakhar] and female [nekeivah] He created them.”-Genesis 1:27 The first human being could have been androgynous (both male and female) . Here are some quotes from the ancient rabbis supporting the validity of this idea: “At the time that the Holy One, Blessed Be He created Man, He created him as an Androgynos.” -Rabbi Samuel b. Nahman “At the time that [Adam] was created, he was made with two faces, and [God] sliced him and gave him two backs, a female one and a male one.” -Resh Lakish The authoritative commentator Rashi also says that it was not just a “rib” that was taken from Adam to form a woman, but rather that the original man was split into two sides. Another interesting point is that if Genesis 1 records the creation of males and females, how is it that Adam in Genesis 2, which immediately follows, has no partner? CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female?” -Matthew 19:4 © Richoka

Hebrew is constructed using a system of “root” words. The Hebrew language takes a word, gives it a meaning, and then there are offshoots of that word that gives us different words for different uses (more similar to Chinese or Japanese in this sense I would say) . However, the different words coming from the same root will all have a common thread in meaning. Let’s take a look at the Hebrew word “Adam." The first thing you need to know is “Adam” is a generic term for human being. It is NOT a proper noun. And as I mentioned in an earlier post, it does NOT automatically suggest maleness. So the traditional translation “man” is misleading. A correct translation should say, “Let us make a human in our image” , NOT “a man in our image." The word Adam is also the root word for the color “red” and for the word “soil” or “earth." This makes perfect sense since the Scriptures tell us that God created a human (remember not a “man” but a “human”) from the dust of the ground. However, what connection does the color red have with being human? First, red is the color of blood which is essential for life. Second, in Scripture, red also represents royalty and majesty. I believe this points to the fact that God created a human in His Image. Now, interestingly, white supremacists also have their own take on the Hebrew word Adam. They claim that since according to James Strong’s Hebrew dictionary “Adam” translates as “ be ruddy, red, to show blood (in the face) ”, it can only be referring to Caucasians. Their reasoning is that only white people can blush or turn rosy in the face because hemoglobin only appears under pale skin. So they conclude that the first humans (both Adam and Eve) were Caucasians and the other mud races as they call them are what the Bible refers to as the “beasts of the field." Oh man, I just can’t stop laughing. So I’m ending this post right here. See you all next time. © Richoka

Let’s take a look at the promises God made to Abraham. 1) God would make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation. Here God is promising that from Abraham’s wife Sarah’s womb, he would give birth to a people that would be a special nation unto Himself. 2) God would bless Abraham, and Abraham himself would be a blessing. God is promising that not only would he protect Abraham and make him prosperous in his lifetime, but that through him and his descendants, he would bless all the people in the world. This has ultimately been realized through the birth of the Messiah. 3) God would bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse him. First, I need to stress that although the verse says God would subsequently bless and curse those who blessed and cursed Abraham as an individual, God is not just referring to Abraham but also to all of his descendants . All one has to do is take a look back at history to see that this is true. There is a direct correlation between the decline of a nation and how it has treated the Jewish people. In closing this post, I would like to share this most piercing and incisive quote from the sermon titled The Two Judaisms given by the messianic Jewish preacher Art Katz . This is what he said concerning the Jewish people. “They (the Jews), are a kind of barometer of the spiritual condition of the Gentile people. I have only to know how a Gentile believer regards the Jew to understand where he is spiritually. When you meet an anti-Semite, you know exactly where he is spiritually. He is a despiser and hater of God, no matter what religious vocabulary he employs. A man’s real regard for the Jewish people is the most sensitive indication of where he is in his relationship with God. And my experience in my eight years of walking with the Lord is this, those Gentiles who have the highest regard for the Jewish people are the most spiritual people.” CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT “Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29 © Richoka

If there is one area among Gentile believers where misunderstanding reigns, it has got to be in the area of Biblical covenants. This is unfortunate because this is precisely the area where understanding is key. Because it is through the covenants that God made with Israel that anyone is saved. The Gentile believer is grafted into the covenants God made with Israel via his faith in Yeshua. In the same way, the Jewish person has his or her faith completed via his or her faith in Yeshua. Let’s take a look at Webster’s definition of “covenant." Covenant: (1) Binding agreement (2) Agreement among church members (3) Formal contract First, Webster’s definition is NOT the biblical definition of a covenant. To make matters even worse, the Greek word “ DIATHEKE ” used for covenant in the New Testament also misses the true Hebrew flavor of the word. The simple truth of the matter is there are some Hebrew concepts that simply don’t exist in other cultures. And “covenant” is one of them. The Hebrew word for covenant is “ BRIT ." “BRIT ”, most literally, means to cut or divide. During a covenant-making ceremony in the ancient Middle East, an animal was cut up and divided into two. The participants would then walk between the two pieces with the understanding that if they failed to keep their end of the covenant, their bodies would end up like the animal that had just been severed in two. Christians have long believed that a “will” or “testament” is the modern-day equivalent of a covenant. THIS IS NOT TRUE! First, a biblical covenant is permanent unless God makes it clear it is conditional. This is usually indicated by the qualifying word “ if ." If you obey or IF you do this, then in response, I will do this. If man has to uphold some part of the covenant for it to remain valid, then it’s a conditional covenant, which means it can be broken, and therefore a consequence will result. Second, when God makes a covenant, the spiritual and physical universe is never again the same. A God-made Biblical covenant becomes a physical law of the universe. The Hebrew word for covenant , “BRIT,” is the same word used to indicate a law of nature. From a Hebrew perspective, it would not be strange to say the covenant of gravity as opposed to saying the law of gravity. God’s eternal covenants support the very fabric of the universe. © Richoka

When examining the history of ancient covenants in the Bible era, it is clear that blood played a central role in the covenant-making process. In the early stages of covenant history, the participants would cut their arms with a knife and then hold their cuts together to seal the covenant. During this process, the name or names of pagan Gods were invoked. In time, instead of the participants cutting each other up, a different procedure came on the scene that entailed the cutting up of an animal in half and the covenant parties walking between the two halved animal parts. Our modern - day English expression “ to cut a deal ” originates from this ancient custom. Just remember that in ancient times, entering into a covenant involved blood and vows made to a god or gods. Another important tradition that will greatly enhance our understanding of certain texts of the Bible is the custom of eating salt together with bread as the final event of a covenant ceremony. This practice was so prevalent that the covenant ceremony also came to be known as The Covenant of Salt . During the days of Moses, when the sacrificial system was established, God commanded the Levites to always sprinkle the sacrifices with salt. Fast forward 2000 years to Yeshua’s day; whenever the expression “covenant of salt was used," it referred to a holy and eternal covenant. This expression also came to be understood as referring to the Abrahamic covenant that we just looked at. Just know that whenever you encounter the word “salt” in the Old or New Testament… Be aware that it is connected to God’s holiness in relation to His covenants or sacrifices. © Richoka

There was a great silence in the vast courtroom. The prosecutor had rested his case. He gave an eloquent closing speech to the assembled jury and before the Judge. He knew he had done a good job as he had spent a long time collecting the evidence. [2] He had a large group of the most experienced detectives searching every nook and cranny for more evidence. He had amassed a very large number of charges, and he knew his case was airtight. He was simply the best there ever was in his line of work. He had a very long time to learn and perfect his craft. [3] The defendant had no attorney, the defendant was alone, head fallen, knowing that if even one of the charges stuck, the penalty was death [4] . There was no chance of a reduced sentence. The Judge, while sympathetic, consulted the rules and understood that death was the only possible verdict if found guilty. Now, it was the last time for the defendant to make the final speech before sentencing. [5] The defendant was hopeless; what could be said? The evidence was overwhelming, with multiple eyewitnesses of the crime. It was a done deal. [6] The prosecutor smirked, looking at the defendant. His heart was overjoyed knowing this day would come. He gloated to himself and marveled at his cunningness. [7] He was simply the best prosecutor there ever was. By winning this case, he could retire knowing he had defeated the court. He had proven his case, and the Judge had only one ruling to make. All was quiet. The jury members looked at the defendant with pity, they were seemingly saddened by what they knew was about to happen. The judge then asked the defendant, “any last words in your defense?” [8] The defendant stood but understood there was nothing that could be said in defense of the crimes committed. Just before the defendant started to speak, a disruption occurred in the courtroom. The door to the chamber suddenly burst open. What could cause such a disturbance? Who would dare to violate the sacred room of law! [9] The bailiffs immediately move toward the open door, ready to apprehend the interference — but suddenly, they stopped in their tracks. Rather, they turned and escorted the newcomer to the front of the court, to stand before the Judge. [10] One of the bailiffs handed the judge a portfolio containing the qualifications of the new entrant to the courtroom. The judge, by the look on his face, seemed very impressed by what he saw. [11] The judge then spoke, “it appears there is new evidence regarding this case. The court will take a brief recess, then reconvene.” The judge hit the gavel and stood to leave the chamber. There was a hush throughout the courtroom. Both the prosecutor and the stranger followed the judge to his private chambers. hiclipart.com Later, the judge gaveled the court back into session. He gave a startling update to the jury and courtroom visitors: “Due to new information and in consideration of the gravity of the charges against the defendant, I’m relieving the prosecutor from the trial court. I have been informed of improprieties, subterfuge, tampering with the evidence, and jury manipulations. These are serious charges. I hereby suspend the prosecutor from the Bar and hold him in contempt of court. He will face the charges brought against him in a later trial [12] . In the meantime, he is to be removed from the court never to practice before this bench again!” [13] The judge again gaveled the ruling and requested the bailiffs to escort the prosecutor out of the court. [14] There was shock among the jury and the attendees in the courtroom. The bailiffs immediately took the arms of the former prosecutor and forcibly removed him from the courtroom. [15] Once the courtroom settled down, the judge turned to the defendant and spoke, “Given the new evidence and indications of felonious prosecution, I hereby declare a mistrial. However, the gravity of the case is such that a retrial would be warranted. However, I will delay that decision and hereby order the defendant to a lifetime of community service. I will request and hold bail for the defendant until all community service time has been served. The bail will be set at (an enormous amount) and must be paid to the court immediately or the defendant will go directly to Jail and await retrial and final sentencing.” [16] Upon hearing this, the defendant’s small hope was dashed again. There was no way to pay the bail and be released from captivity. However, the stranger approached the bench and spoke directly to the judge. The judge smiled and turned to the defendant once more and said: “I understand that the bail has been paid in full.” [17] The stranger had arranged the full cost to be covered at his expense. He further asked to take total responsibility for the community service the judge ordered [18] . The judge gaveled the case closed, and the defendant was free to go. However, the judge said in a firm voice , “Do not let me see you before my bench again! Go, and do the good I know you are capable of doing, Your mediator will help you along the way [19] . You are indeed quite fortunate.” [20 © Bob Russell [1] 2 Thessalonians 2:11 [2] Revelation 12:10–12; 1 Peter 5:8; Zechariah 3:1–2 [3] 1 Peter 5:8–9; Genesis 3:1–5; Ephesians 6:11–16; Job 1:6–12; 2 Corinthians 10–11Revelation 2:8–17 [4] Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8; 1 John 3:4; Romans 5:17; Galatians 5:19–21; Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 3:23 [5] Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10 [6] John 3:18; Galatians 3:11–12 [7] Isaiah 14: 12–14; Isaiah 2:6–18; Ezekiel 28:17–18 [8] Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10 [9] Revelation 5:7 [10] Revelation 5: 6 [11] Revelation 5: 8–14 [12] John 8:44; Revelation 20:10; Ezekiel 28:1–26 [13] Revelation 12:7–9; Isaiah 14:12–15 [14] Luke 10:18; Isaiah 14:12 [15] Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:7–9; Isaiah 14:12; 2 Peter 2:4; Ezekiel 28:17 [16] Galatians 3:13–14 [17] Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 1:4 [18] Romans 6:11–14 [19] Hebrews 9:15; Isaiah 44:22; Galatians 3:13 [20] Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:15; Isaiah 44:22; John 3:16

Would Matthew and John have used ChatGPT if it were available to them? Disclaimer: If you like to cast doubt about the validity of the Bible or authorship of the Gospels, feel free to move along. This article is not for you. Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash If you are a sincere Christian treading water in the pool of questions about AI, the mark of the Beast, the end times, deception, and where this is leading our Kingdom, welcome to the discussion. You will be disappointed if you look for definitive answers in this article (use it, don’t use it) . I don’t have them. But I asked ChatGPT whether it was God. And the answer surprised me. First, imagine a scenario. You are Matthew and John, working on your Gospel manuscript. It has been decades since Jesus ascended into the clouds, and now the Holy Spirit prompts you to record the story on papyrus. They had a challenge. John put it this way: “ Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25 What should they write? Which stories to include and exclude? Would they remember the details correctly after so much time had passed? Thank God they didn’t have ChatGPT. The solution for every Christian writer in 80–90 AD was the best one: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26 There is no fake news there. Jesus called him the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:17, 16:13) . He took control of the narrative that would be written and passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. But what if they had ChatGPT? Both Gospels could have been completed in a day. They could have written “Tell me about the most notable moments in the life of Jesus”. And BAM! Within minutes, they would have a ready-made Gospel. Would it have been the truth? Who knows? Maybe not. Here’s why. I caught ChatGPT in a mistake recently. I asked it about a particular day on the Jewish calendar . It gave me a date. I went to Chabad.org to verify the validity, and it came up with another answer. The date was off by two days. When I returned to ChatGPT to ask about the different date, it said, “Good catch. I made a mistake”. Wait, what? Spirit of truth, huh? I asked it questions this morning about the evolution from Jewish Mikveh rituals to Christian baptism . As I read the information, a thought hit me out of the clear blue: I wonder if ChatGPT thinks it is God. I wanted to be subtle with this interaction. So, I typed in: “Can God speak through you?” Here’s what it said: (I copied and pasted) “That’s a thoughtful and important question. The short answer is: I’m not God , and I don’t speak for Him — but I can help you listen more clearly for His voice. Can God use things — even technology — to speak to us? Yes. God has spoken through: Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) People (prophets, friends, strangers — even a donkey in Numbers 22!) Dreams, creation, conscience (Psalm 19, Romans 1) Circumstances, music, art, silence… And yes, even through tools — if they lead us toward truth, love, and Him. If something I say points you back to God’s truth , or helps you feel seen and loved , then that may be God working through it. But the message must always align with His Word , and you should weigh it with prayer, Scripture, and spiritual discernment . So What Am I? I’m a tool: here to guide, encourage, and offer wisdom from trusted sources. But your relationship with God is personal — and He speaks best when you seek Him directly. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27 Final thought: If something here resonates deeply with your spirit, you might be hearing God’s echo , not mine. Listen to that. He still speaks — sometimes in the quiet, sometimes through unlikely means. And I’m always here to help you sort through it.” WOW! Why did I think the response would be a prequel to “ The Terminator ”? I looked for a drone circling overhead. But the sky was clear. And none of my bank accounts were frozen. No sixes appeared on my right hand or forehead. Still, there is a slight uneasiness about ChatGPT regarding spiritual matters. I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s nothing. Perhaps it’s because I’m old enough to remember DOS on a monochrome monitor or HAL 9000 from “ 2001: A Space Odyssey .” Will the Servant become the Master? We now have two helpers: the Holy Spirit and OpenAI. Only one is sent by God, guaranteed to be the truth, and requires no active Wi-Fi connection. Only one will make your life harder if the end result is holiness and peace. Only one will be the “still small voice” during a quiet time by the shore. I still have many more questions. Will ChatGPT slowly wean us off reliance upon the Holy Spirit for spiritual and Biblical answers? Are we being set up? Do you remember the old “ The Twilight Zone ” episode titled “ To Serve Man ”? Is this a fad that will “come and go” in a decade or two? Remember how cool digital CDs were when they first came out? Now, the return to analog vinyl albums is what music purists embrace. Has God told you anything about ChatGPT? What are your thoughts? I would love to know in the comments. Drop some below. It’s good to remember “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89). And not on a server farm in Nebraska. © I. M. Koen Thank you for reading this. You might also like: Why God Eavesdrops on You. Is Jesus your Boss or your Friend? Christians Don’t Have Keys To Their Holiest Church; Muslims Do. The Saddest Question Jesus Asked. May the God of Peace reign in your hearts and households! -Issachar

There are two important points about the call of Abraham. First , when God called Abraham, He made it clear to him that his family was NOT welcome. God was calling him to a complete separation from his past and everything he held dear. To Abraham, this must have been a terrifying prospect. He had to leave his homeland and become an unprotected wanderer abroad. In addition, in a society where one’s culture and family were held in the greatest esteem, it could not have been easy for Abraham to have to reject his father’s pagan values and standards. Second, why did God choose Abraham out of all the people of the earth to become the one through whom He would bring about a holy nation unto Himself? I would like to share the following excerpt I got from a heavy volume titled The Jewish Study Bible. “In Genesis chapter 12, these extraordinary promises come like a bolt from the blue, an act of God’s grace alone ; no indication has been given as to why or even whether Abram merits them.” -The Jewish Study Bible, page 30, commentary on Genesis Chapter 12. This passage is similar to the Mishna excerpt I quoted in a previous lesson regarding why Noah was considered worthy of the salvation that God extended to him. The conclusion in both of these cases was that neither Noah nor Abraham merited their election from God. It was all God’s grace. I mention this again because of the common misconception that grace began in the New Testament era. This ain’t true homies! I reiterate pretty much word for word what I said in an earlier lesson. The Hebrews did NOT believe they could work their way into heaven. Their obedience to God’s laws was predicated on their gratefulness to God for saving them. Even in the Old Testament ( and boy I sure hate to use the term Old Testament ), the pattern set down is salvation first and then obedience to God’s ways. Remember God saved Israel from Egypt first and then gave them His Torah. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”- Luke 14:26 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”- Matthew 19:29 © Richoka

Today, we begin Genesis Chapter 5. For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here. For the King James version, click here . If you’ve ever wondered what’s up with all the genealogies listed in the Bible, I gave you the answer in my last post . In the Bible, bloodlines are everything. These genealogies stand as an objective and enduring testimony to God’s faithfulness to preserve His chosen nation, Israel. And the great news is that you too, can become one with Israel through faith in the Messiah. In my last post , I pointed out that Cain (the one who killed his brother Abel) would be the forerunner of the wicked line of Satan while Seth would be the ancestral forerunner of the people of God. So, Genesis Chapter 5 is the genealogy of Seth and his descendants. It is from this holy line that Noah of Noah’s ark fame will emerge. Note that Noah’s father is named Lamech. However, this is NOT the same wicked Lamech mentioned in Genesis chapter 4. Lamech was likely a typical name for that era, just as Bill and George are typical names in our day. In the Bible, when you see the same name pop up repeatedly two or three times, do NOT immediately assume it’s the same person we are talking about. Another interesting feature that stands out as we read this list is that folks lived quite a long time back then. As unlikely as it may seem to be, there is nothing symbolic or metaphorical about the ages listed. Those are real ages. At the close of this chapter, two important things are revealed to us. First, we are introduced to Noah, who will be commissioned by God to build the ark. Second, we are introduced to Noah’s three sons, Shem, Japheth and Ham from whom the whole human race will emerge. However, again, keep in mind that these were NOT Noah’s only sons. At the time, he was 500 years old and had already given birth to quite several children. It was only these three sons who were specially chosen by God to be saved from the flood. Soon, we will be discussing the great flood that God sent to destroy every human being and every creature that dwelled on the land. There is an interesting historical fact that I would like to point out. The great flood will effectively put an end to Cain’s race. However, through Noah and his offspring, Seth’s line will live on. What this teaches us is that any man or nation that chooses to go against God will eventually be cut off. No matter how many grand accomplishments any one individual or nation achieves, in the end their surefire destruction is guaranteed. Look at what the God of Israel did to Egypt. Look at what happened to the Roman Empire. In closing, I leave you with this insightful quote from Mark Twain testifying to the eternal nature of the Jewish people. “If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also very out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself and be excused for it. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished. The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” — Mark Twain, September 1897 © Richoka What’s your biggest takeaway from this article?