New Series:
A DELIGHT UNTO HEAVEN
by Web Hulon
(The remainder of this teaching series has been moved to the "Times and Seasons" page.)
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A TIME TO KILL AND A TIME TO HEAL
Ecclesiastes 3:
1 Everything is given an appointed season and a time to be a pleasure unto Heaven
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; ...
There are many times in the Scriptures that killing was a delight unto Heaven. Most are connected to idolatry. The Levites killed their idolatrous brothers after the golden calf incident. Pinchas killed Zimri for trying to introduce idolatrous sexual practices into the worship of YHWH. Yehoshua (Joshua) and the Israelites slew the occupants of the Promised Land so that their idolatry would not spread to Israel. Many people of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were slain by conquering armies because of their pagan practices. And there was one killing that may have more to do with idolatry than we first realize.
Exod 2:11-12
11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moshe was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
We can see that this killing was in a specific time. Note the beginning of the passage, "now it came to pass in those days, when Moshe was grown". It was a time to kill, but there is more going on in this passage than meets the eye. Moshe was raised as part of the royal family of Egypt. He knew the ways of the Egyptians, but because he was raised in part by his Hebrew mother, he knew that he was a Hebrew. From one point of view we can see that Moshe acted as his brother's keeper, defending him from the Egyptian. But there is something else happening here. The Scripture says that "he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one". We could take this to mean that there really were no other people there, but that the Egyptian and the Hebrew were the two minds of Moshe. Moshe rejected, or killed, his Egyptian side, left Egypt, and became a shepherd, unwittingly entering training for the awesome tasks that awaited him.
I believe that this act of Moshe reveals the following teaching of Sha'ul (Paul):
Rom 8:13
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Moshe put to death the deeds of the body (the Egyptian) and took up the deeds of the Spirit (the Hebrew).
Rom 6:4-7
4 Therefore we were buried (like the Egyptian) with Him through baptism into death, that just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (like the Hebrew).
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
In the above passage, Sha'ul teaches us that death frees us from sin, but in the next passage Yacov (James) teaches us that it is sin that brings death:
James 1:14-15
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Isn't it interesting that he said "when it is fully grown"? This is when Moshe confronted the Egyptian in himself, "when Moshe was grown". This shows us that there is a season and a time for death.
The season is when our selfish desires come, and the time is when sin is fully-grown from our desires. This is when our time of reckoning comes and we must choose which death we will partake of. The question is, will we bury the Egyptian in the sand or bury our heads in the sand and allow sin to take hold. Will we kill the Egyptian, hear from the Spirit, put off our selfishness, take up the death of Messiah and be freed from sin? Or will we kill the Hebrew by surrendering to our desires and to the ways of the flesh, bringing forth death in the Spirit?
There is only one remedy for death, and that is dying. In order for killing to be "a pleasure unto Heaven", we must die to ourselves by killing our selfish Egyptian side whenever it seeks to bring forth sin and death. This is a time to kill.
And a time to heal. The time for healing is when the Tree of Life bears fruit:
Rev 22:1-5
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of YHWH and of the Lamb.
2 In the middle of its broad, and on either side of the river, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, and yielded its fruit every new moon. The offshoots of the tree were for the healing of the nations (ethnos = race or tribe).
3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of YHWH and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
4 They shall see His face, and His Name shall be on their foreheads.
5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for YHWH Elohim gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
The Tree of Life is related to wisdom and knowledge:
Prov 3:13-29
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.
Wisdom and knowledge are found in YHWH's commandments:
Rev 22:14
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city
Now let's consider this passage:
Acts 3:1-11
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful (harayos = belonging to the right hour or season), to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yeshua HaMashiach of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising YHWH.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising YHWH.
10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.
Those who do the commandments belong to the right season, as the commandments include keeping the moedim of YHWH. It is being in the right place at the right time that brought about the healing of the man at the gate. It is being in the right place at the right time, in the right season, which will bring our healing. The season for healing is when we are seeking wisdom and understanding. The time for healing is Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon), as this is the time that the Tree of Life bears its twelve fruits, which bring our healings.
More chapters coming.
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TAPE SERIES
on the book of YAAQOV (James).
See "HELPFUL MATERIALS" page.
Diagram of the Temple
with key
on
"A Tour of the Temple" page
BRIEFING PAMPHLETS:
Basics of Hebraic roots in terms understandable to anyone with a basic knowledge of the Bible.
See "Helpful Materials" page.
EN ESPANOL...
TOMEN LA MEDIDA DE SU PLANO,
ve la pagina "Helpful Materials"
a la izquierda
NEW WEB SITES
www.torahforchildren.20m.com
includes some portions of Beth Lechem's Torah commentary geared to the kids' level. Also includes a map game and introductions to the Tabernacle/Temple and the Festivals.
Recently Beth Lechem has been studying the prophets Isaiah and Hosea in depth. Our teachings thus far are posted at
www.prophetsforthewholehouseofisrael.20m.com
Other new web sites with portions of Scripture and commentary:
www.writings.20m.com (Psalms and Ruth)
www.torahforthewholehouseofisrael.20m.com
www.renewedcovenant.20m.com
EN ESPANOL!
http://las_sendas_antiguas.tripod.com
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