Genesis 23:1–25:18
Haftarah:
1 Kings 1:1–31
New Testament:
John 4:3–14
Genesis 25:19-28:9
Haftarah:
Malachi 1:1–2:7
1 Samuel 20:18–42
New Testament:
Matthew 10:21–38
Luke 3:1–18
Comments Off on October 30, 2021 – Torah Portion #5
Posted in Announce
Genesis 18:1-22:24
Haftarah:
2 Kings 4:1–37
New Testament:
Luke 17:28–37
Genesis 23:1–25:18
Haftarah:
1 Kings 1:1–31
New Testament:
John 4:3–14
Comments Off on October 23, 2001 – Torah Portion #4
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When God visited Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, He said that he would return in one year when Sarah had a son. Did you ever think of this as a physical manifestation of God like the year prior?
Continue readingAfter the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham left Mamre and moved south to Gerar. Abraham told Sarah to tell the people that she was his sister, just like he did in Egypt. Had he not learned his lesson the last time he tried this?
Continue readingLot had fled north of Sodom to Zoar for safety. Lot’s two daughters were the only ones with him. Things didn’t work out so well with this situation.
Continue readingWhen morning came, the angels were still urging Lot to leave the city. Why was Lot still hesitant? Was he hoping that his two future sons-in-law would change their minds and come with them out of the city? But the angels wouldn’t wait any longer. They said, “Get up and take your wife and your two daughters that you have, and get out, so you are not destroyed by the lawless acts of the city.” (19:15). But not all arrived in safety.
Continue readingSodomy is a homosexual act. We get the word from the story of Sodom, where the typical understanding is that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality. But that’s just one sin, and God said the sins were great in number. Did God remove Sodom and Gomorrah because of the repeated acts of one transgression or because many different sins were happening?
Continue readingComments Off on Genesis – TP #4.2 – The Destruction of Sodom, part 2
Posted in Addendum, Torah Portion
Tagged Ashteroth, Baal Peor, Balaam, blood, children, commandments, false gods, fertility, homosexual, innocent, Law, Molech, Raphaim, rebellion, sex, sexual, sin, transgression, worship
Everyone has heard of Sodom and Gomorrah. Was it an actual event or just a metaphor? Was it about the sin of homosexuality or the absence of hospitality? Everyone has an opinion about what it is all about. You can read the story without interruption in Genesis. But here, we’ll break down the elements of what is happening and throw in some archeological evidence.
Continue readingAfter telling Abraham and Sarah that they would be parents in one year, God turns to leave and contemplates whether to tell Abraham what He is about to do to Sodom and Gomorrah. Other than the fact that Lot lives in Sodom, why should God inform Abraham about the judgment to come? It may have more to do than just with Abraham’s nephew Lot.
Continue readingComments Off on Genesis – TP #4.1 – God Visits Abraham, part 2
Posted in Torah Portion
Tagged angels, Dead Sea, destruction, God, Gomorrah, Hebron, Lot, Mamre, Sodom