I often search my heart as to why I have this blog. Do I do so to be able to show others how good my theology is? I certainly hope not. Do I do so because I am such a good writer? Hardly.
I have been doing this for awhile, partly because I am a technical guy and I am interested in the technology. I like having a page that is pretty technically savvy, that has things like the embedded video, the polls, bible verses, etc. It is all pretty cool from a technical standpoint, and that is enjoyable. However when I decided to focus on Spiritual things for my posts, I also decided to continually search my heart and make sure I am doing it to glorify G-d and not for my own pride.
I look at the statistics for this site and know that there are very few readers and hardly any subscribers. Am I touching any lives with what I write? In the end it really doesn’t matter, as the results belong to G-d. Maybe something I write will touch someone else, or encourage someone else. Maybe someone will decide to search the Scriptures mor, either to see what I am saying or to try and prove me wrong. Maybe some seeds will be planted and that would be a good thing. Or maybe not, but that is out of my hands.
I think the main reason I have determine as to why I do this, is for myself. I changed the subtitle for the blog from “Ramblings on Yeshua HaMoshiach” to “working out my faith with fear and trembling… and a blog!” because I am working out my salvation here online. A blog can basically be an online diary, basically my feelings, thoughts and revelations in my walk with G-d. So, I have come to understand that I do this as part of my walk with G-d. Hopefully it also serves other purposes and others can come away touched, not by me, but by Him that created me.
If you have been touched and blessed by this site, praised be the Name of G-d, if not, please keep coming back.
B”H
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7 responses so far ↓
1 J. // Jun 26, 2007 at 7:21 pm
I found your blog while searching for info on the Shabbat. I enjoyed your discussion with a commentor on May 4th. I hesitate to comment, as I am not the leader of my family, but I am very thirsty for information on the true Sabbath…..we have been so very duped in this society. All that to say…thanks for the information you posted.
2 B Z // Jun 26, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Thanks for your kind comments. I am glad you enjoyed the information that I posted.
I am not sure of your background or anything in your search about Shabbat, but I certainly hope G-d reveals His answers to you regarding this Holy Day. I am a little unclear as to your hesitancy to comment, but I will respect it.
Thanks again for the kind comments. Be well, peace to you.
3 Jenn // Jun 27, 2007 at 9:34 am
Could you explain why so many spell
G-d and L-rd this way yet spell out Yeshua? Sorry if this is elementary to you, but I would like to know.
4 B Z // Jun 27, 2007 at 12:24 pm
A good explanation is found on wikipedia in the topic of Names of G-d in Judaism. Here is the relevant section:
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, the Torah exhorts one to destroy idolatry, and from here it is understood not to erase the name of God. However, since this is in English, it is often considered unnecessary since only the Hebrew name is considered God’s actual name, but since God is God’s name in English, it is often done out of a sign of respect and just an extra precaution. There is a dispute to the degree of holiness that the word “God” is. The common rabbinic opinion on whether this applies only to Hebrew names of God—or to the English word “God” as well—is that “God” written in any language other than Hebrew has no holiness and can be erased. So while considered unnecessary, it is still often written with a hyphen as to give the Name proper respect. It is considered necessary by some, a minhag (custom) by most, and not done at all by others. Most Orthodox Jews and many Jews in general will write G-d in this manner. The Orthodox Jewish information website, Aish.com, uses God instead of G-d. They cite the reason that many users coming to the Aish HaTorah website are unfamilar with Judaism and would be initially unfamilar with the spelling G-d, so since it is not required that G-d is written, only preferred, they do not do it. According to their website, spelling it G-d is not according to halacha (Jewish law), so according to “leading Torah scholars”, non-Hebrew names can be erased.[2] Other Jewish websites, such as Chabad.org, spell it G-d, and this is the version commonly found on most Jewish publications.
The words God and Lord (Adonai) are often written by many Jews as G-d and L-rd as a way of avoiding writing a name of God, as to avoid the risk of the sin of erasing or defacing the name. Any Hebrew name of God is forbidden to be erased. In Deuteronomy 12:3-4
With writing on the computer screen, technically the words are actually erased and rewritten 50 or 60 times a second (“refreshed”). This is no different to erasing the word God or shutting the computer off. Nonetheless, many Jews still write G-d on the computer as a sign of respect, to demonstrate a reference to God is being made.
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So basically, it is a tradition, a show of respect, certainly not an issue of biblical accuracy. I do it out of tradition, since to me it seems reverent. I am not offended by those who do not.
Actually the whole subject of the name of G-d is an interesting one as there are groups that feel it is very important to use the actual name. Most use Yahweh. To me, it that is not the definite correct pronunciation, so I continue to just use L-RD, Adonai, HaShem, etc. I would rather approach someone who I do not know the actual pronunciation of and called them sir or madam until I get the actual correct way to say the name. To me that is a respectful way to approach the name.
As to Shabbat for Gentiles, it is certainly a subject that there could be much debate on. Firstly is what I discussed in May with the other person, where we both agreed in the importance of Shabbat, he just saw some Scriptural evidence that the day was changed, which was, and is something I do not see in Scripture. Then there are those that feel that it just doesn’t matter, that New Covenant faith does not have any day set apart as special. And, of course there are the Gentile groups that feel the seventh day sabbath is very important, mainly because of it’s place in the 10 Commandments, groups like Seventh Day Adventist.
What I see in Scripture is that there are those Gentiles who pitched their tent in the camp of Israel, and there are those that seemed to remain outside the camp, but still put faith in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I do see Scriptures like Numbers 9:14
which indicate one way for both the Israelite (native) and the Gentile (sojourner).
One thing to keep in mind is that this is not a salvation issue. Whether one celebrates Shabbat on the 7th, 1st or not at all does not earn one any salvation points. However, I see it as good to study Scriptures and to work to see what Scripture tells us to do. To me, there are definitive verses calling out a seventh day sabbath rest, and, as mentioned, no verses changing or revoking that.
I also have seen many quotes indicating that the Church changed the date as a show of their authority (You can see a bunch of them here; http://www.cchowe.com/SabbathQuotes.pdf, from the Calvary Christian Fellowship in Howe, Indiana. They are a church that is finding much of what you are searching for. They have discovered that much of the modern day church is missing something by ignoring Torah and the Commandments of G-d. I have been very impressed with much of what I have heard from them. They have mp3 files of past messages from a radio show they host, called “In Search of Manna”. There is even a series on the sabbath. You can find it at http://www.cchowe.com/index_035.htm.
One of the elders of that church has a blog and he is a very nice and knowledgeable believer who might also be able to provide a Gentile perspective on the Sahbbat. His site is http://yeshuasword.blogspot.com/index.html. You might want to get in contact with him and ask some questions.
Hopefully I have been able to provide some answers to your questions.
5 Jenn // Jun 27, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Wow, thank you for taking the time to go over so much! I am thankful to know that I am saved (2 years ago) and do not need to work in order to attain/keep that. That is a big relief!
Thank you for pointing that out/acknowledging that since one never knows when someone may not know this.
At the same time, I want the full truth. I feel like we’ve been tricked, and I’m not willing to settle for it anymore. I love the church we attend (Baptist) yet the Sabbath is one issue that keeps coming up for me. I leave it alone, and it pops back up. Over and over again. Even in my simple mind (LOL) I can see that the Seventh day is not Sunday.
While I want the real truth, and am knocking for it, I also do not want to be in error of taking over the reins from my husband. I just pray that G-d will show it to him and put it on his heart if he chooses. (afterall, Eve thought she was right, too…)
At the least, I am going to prepare ahead to have a restful Friday evening-Saturday evening, even if it is not formal, even if we go to church on Sunday.
Thanks again~
6 B Z // Jun 27, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Of course once salvation is received then from there what do we do. Scripture indicates that we should not keep sinning (Romans 6:1-2
) and that if we love G-d we keep His Commandments (1 John 5:3
), which are not burdensome.
As to discussing this topic with your husband, my Rabbi always says that there needs to be a proper perspective in this regard. The husband should be the leader there is no doubt, but the wife should be at his side. He shows that Eve was taken from Adam’s rib, which is on the side, and that the woman should not be behind, nor in front, but at the side.
As such, I would think it OK to discuss the issue. I would think a good analogy would be discussing an issue with your boss at work, or the head of the company. You state the issue and what you see as a possible solution. Then the boss makes a decision based upon that. A good G-dly boss (or husband) would no doubt go to G-d in prayer about it, consult Scripture, perhaps get counsel from other G-dly men and make a decision.
A good Scripture example of that is Queen Esther in the book of Esther. She went to not only her husband, but the king, and if one brought unpleasant news to the king, they could lose their life, so Esther was a very brave woman. But she did approach the king and let him know of what Haman was plotting, which was the extinction of the Jewish people. It was the Holocaust that never happened because of the bravery of Esther. It is a great story, and is celebrated in Jewish tradition as the holiday of Purim, which usually takes place in the February-March time frame. It is a joyous holiday with costumes, nosiemakers and the reading of the book of Esther, booing the name of the bad guy, Haman and cheering the name of Mordechai, Esther’s uncle and caretaker.
Anyway, keep reading your Scripture, pray and work with your husband as one. In Hebrew the word used for when a man and a women marry and become one (Genesis 2:24
) is echad. There is another Hebrew word that means a solitary one, so echad is a word that can indicate a compound unity, like one team, made up of many members. The same word is used in Deuteronomy 6:4
, and many feel that word was used since G-d is one, but He is more than that as well, one with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Be blessed. B”H.
7 Jenn // Jun 27, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Good points. I have my work cut out for me. I want to present the best of what I have found for info backed by scripture and prayer and leave it to him. I appreciate your thoughts!
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