I have a really difficult time reading parts of the Old Testament. A lot of it just feels so outmoded and dry. But every now and again, I’ll come across a set of verses that just really resonates with me. This is one of them.
“When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.” (Deuteronomy 6:20-21 ESV)
I’ve personally never been enslaved in Egypt, but I’ve been a slave to a lot of other things.
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1) Good for you that you have your own domain – I came from your blogspot. May I ask how much? And can you select any page layout?
2) The Torah (what christians call the O.T.) is outmoded and dry to you because you have never learned it from a Jew. Do visit my website. Click any of the sites “Torah is Here” might I suggest chabad.org that is a great start. They have audio and videos on a simple level. Great stuff. The Torah will come alive like you never learned before. IT WON'T BE OUTMODED AND DRY for you if you learn from a Jew
Zechariah 8:23
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Hey! Thanks for dropping by my blog and suggesting some resources for me to help learn the O.T./Torah. I really don't think there's anything that could possibly make the book of Leviticus exciting, but I will definitely check that stuff out.
My site is currently hosted through DreamHost and my blog is powered by Wordpress. I took the plunge because I was offered a deal I couldn't resist (I'll link it below). And yes, you can select from a variety of page layouts. Wordpress is pretty simple stuff, but I have a habit of making things sound more complicated than they are, so I'll leave it up to you to consult your local IT nerd.
http://human3rror.com/2009/02/19/the-human3rror...
Good stuff Vy. The hidden irony is that they turned around and made the statutes and rules sort of a new master instead of God himself.
peace|dewde
I reckon it's a bit of a vicious cycle.
dewde -G-d gave the commandments for His chosen nation to keep. Keeping the commandments is not a burden to religious Jews.
Psalm 119:155
Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
Ezekiel 18:21
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Leviticus 20:22
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
Leviticus 25:18
Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.
Unfortunately, our secular Jews do not keep Shabbos and the commandments. Soon though.
1 Kings 9:6
But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
Malachi 4:4
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
So as you can clearly see = Torah – G-d's commandments is what religious Jews cling to. When we cling to the commandments we cling to the Almighty our Creator.
TidbitsofTorah:
Thank you for taking the time to reply! I appreciate being able to see the Torah, and G-d, through your perspective. I am (clearly) not a Jew (ethnically) nor am I religiously Jewish. Please know that I did not intend for my view on this topic to be offensive.
As a Christian, I also believe that clinging to G-d’s commands is not a burden. Actually, I feel burdened when I do not cling to his commands. We may disagree on many (most?) of the finer details, but I hope we agree on that.
peace|dewde
Shalom dewde – yes, we certainly can agree on that.