A meditation on "Meditation"

There is a great difference between Eastern meditation and Biblical meditation.

The simplest way to highlight the difference is to say that Eastern meditation is an inner journey to find the center of one’s being, while Biblical meditation is the concentration of the mind/heart upon an external Revelation.

For Eastern revelation/insight/illumination occurs when the inmost self (which is also the ultimate Self, the one final Reality) is reached by the journey into the soul, while Biblical meditation comes as a result of encounter with God in and through his objective Revelation, of which the Holy Scripture informs us.

Eastern meditation, whether Transcendental Meditation or various forms of New Age meditation, is to be avoided. But Biblical meditation should not be feared. On the contrary, it should be fully embraced as a vital means of knowing God, growing in grace, being transformed into Christlikeness, and fulfilling God’s purposes for our lives.

What Does the Bible Say about Meditation?

Keep this Book of the Torah always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, But their delight is in the Torah of ​YAHWEH, And on His Torah they meditate day and night. They will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever they do, they prosper. For YAHWEH knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish. Psa 1:1-6

Make me understand the way of Your precepts, And I will meditate on Your wonders... How I love Your Torah! It is my meditation all the day.''Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your Torah is truth...My eyes anticipate the night watches, So that I may meditate on Your word. Psa 119 (know the Truth and it shall set you free John 8:31-31; Mat 4:4)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15

And raising His eyes to heaven, Jesus said,..."Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Jhn 17:17

and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Ti 3:15

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty--and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psa 145:5

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luk 5:16

Jesus and the Apostles memorized lots of OT Scriptures and could pull them to mind and apply them in all circumstances. They meditated deeply to understand their meaning. That treasury of truth enabled them to use God’s Word in an accurate way in whatever situations they encountered.

J.I. Packer says "Meditation is like chewing. It is slow and thorough. Write notes about what you see in this passage. Make connections between the various sections. Ask yourself, “What do these words from God say?” “What do they mean?” Place who you are and what you do next to this passage and ask God to examine you. Continue to write your findings."

Blaise Pascal said “all the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our room.” He echoes the Psalmist David, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him” Ps. 62:5

 In the Bible YAHWEH is described many times as a strong rescuing ally an "ezer"[H5828] . Guess who else is? 

And YAHWEH God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make ('build') him an help meet ('ezer') for him. Gen 2:18 KJV

Seven times in Gen 1 it says "and God saw and it was good". 

But In Gen 2 we come to God saying, for the first time, something  "is not good" and what was not good, was Adam was alone. Alone and in a place of vulnerability and unable to fulfill what God has told him to do. 

God formed Adam out of dirt. That word "formed" is the word for like when a potter forms clay. But God uses the word "build" when it comes to Eve.  He splits Adam (translations say rib, but word is closer to “takes a side, or side chambers) and for Eve He uses the word that means build or fashion, - build a city or fashion jewelry or build the universe.  And He called Eve an “ezer" which means “strong ally, conquering ally, deliverer.”

Incredibly the only other person besides Eve who is consistently called an "ezer" is YAHWEH (see verses below) and GOD calls Eve the same thing. Many English translations give the rather meek and subordinate "helpmeet" as a translation. In Biblical context, it's a rescuing army, it's a strong ally, its help and deliverance by YAHWEH.

God looked at Adam and said I know exactly what he needs to be safe, strong and able to fulfill the mission, he needs a strong delivering conquering ally, an "ezer". 

Sin twisted the hearts of men and women and the enemy constantly uses that to separate these 2 great mighty allies that God made to carry out His mission. Insecure men feel the need to dominate and control women. Societies became male-dominated and oppressive towards women. Women are born into societies and cultures that are permeated with messages that they are not as useful or worthy as men and are second class humans to men.

But the Bible teaches that a woman is the strong rescuing ally YAHWEH has made so that together men and women can accomplish God's will in this world. Without women, men are vulnerable, alone and unable to accomplish God's will, as allies they can fulfill their destiny to bring the whole earth back to God.

If Russia attacked England or the U.S., we would probably become allies to fight back . In Hebrew we would say the other party is our "Ezer".

Throughout the Bible there are examples of women being the strong delivering ally in all kinds of circumstances (Miriam, Deborah, Esther, Lydia, Priscilla, see more below). In marriage, in Church, in government, in war, in business, in reaching this world. Women cannot accomplish God's will in these arenas alone and neither can men. God did not make women subordinates, He made them Allies, Strong, Conquering, Rescuing Allies.

Miriam - saves Moses life and arranges for him to be raised safely and for his mother to be with him. Also the first prophetess.

Deborah -Prophetess, Judge, Strong Military Leader for about 60 years

Esther  - with humility, brains and courage she becomes Queen and rescues all of Israel and is celebrated still today.

Mary - teenage mother of Jesus, caregiver, teacher, companion, disciple, mourner, and eventually church leader, mentioned in the Pentecost accounts.

Lydia - Successful Businesswoman. leader and host of the first Philippi church 

Priscilla - multi-talented business woman, always named first, is a strategic leader whose business enables her to set up house churches and to give instruction at crucial points, as with Apollos, correcting an incomplete message.

Phoebe -  Paul’s trusted proxy in Rome, not only carrying the letter to the Romans but, as letter carriers did, reading and interpreting the intent of the letter.  Interpreting his most challenging letter.

Junia - is called an Apostolos.  bold in testimony as she endured imprisonment.

Elizabeth, and Anna, Mary Magdalene, Sarah, Ruth, Hannah, Hagar, Abigail, Rahab and many others 

Besides describing Eve, here are some other verses the word : עֵזֶר ʻêzer, ay'-zer; H5828 is used:

And this was regarding Judah; so he said: "Hear, YAHWEH, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them and may You be an "ezer" against his adversaries." Deu 33:7

"Blessed are you, Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by YAHWEH, The shield of your "ezer" and He who is the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will trample on their high places." Deu 33:29

Our soul waits for YAHWEH, He is our "ezer" and our shield. Psa 33:20

But I am afflicted and needy; Hurry to me, God! You are my "ezer" and my savior; YAHWEH, do not delay. Psa 70:5

Israel, trust in YAHWEH; He is their "ezer"and their shield. Psa 115:9

House of Aaron, trust in YAHWEH; He is their "ezer" and their shield. Psa 115:10

You who fear YAHWEH, trust in YAHWEH; He is their "ezer" and their shield. Psa 115:11

Blessed is he whose "ezer" is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in YAHWEH his God, Psa 146:5

 Do I see Treasure or silliness? Do I seek or do I ignore?

From childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Ti 3:15

Many people, including Bible scholars that I respect, object to following the instructions of our Heavenly Father by acting like it’s silly to take Him seriously. “Are you really not going to eat pork?” “How silly are you?” Are you going to wear fringes?”  You really think God doesn’t want you to wear something of wool and linen or stone rebellious children or Sabbath breakers? Or even stronger, some think God’s instructions on how to live in this world represent bondage and slavery.

Did Yahweh and His prophets and His Messiah not know they were going to get rid of the Torah? Did He not care to give a hint about it nor even mention it. Did Paul, with practically no discussion, just decide the Fourth Commandment, the Sabbath, was not valid, and that circumcision was useless and that God was being silly and should have never told us what food His creation should and should not eat. Did Paul abruptly and unceremonious abolish all of God’s instructions and declare His Torah was no longer useful or needed in a few offhanded remarks?

Does God say things He really does not mean? Like when He says His commands (dabar/words) will last forever. Or did Jesus not mean it when he said that nothing in the Torah would change until heaven and earth pass away or that He did not come to abolish the Torah? YAHWEH was very careful to let us know that there would be changes in the Temple and the Priesthood and that there would be a New Covenant. All of that was prophesied. As it says in Amos 3:7 “For the Lord YAHWEH does nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.” But there are no prophecies that YAHWEH’s commandments and precepts found in His Torah (Instructions) would be done away with. In fact, the prophecies about the New Covenant say the New Covenant will give us a new heart and a new spirit so that His people will want to and can keep His commands and precepts. (Eze 36:26-27; Jer 31:31-33)

I don’t have an answer for what all these commands mean, I know some, but still meditating on others. But just because I cannot understand some things does not mean God’s instructions are silly or capricious or to be ignored. Because His Words were given thousands of years ago, in an ancient language, we can’t take at face value what our modern English translations say, it requires study, prayer, meditation and community to understand. In fact, just about everything that God has made valuable in this world, is covered up and hard to see or find.

For example:

1. Where can you find diamonds? • In the ground, covered and protected.

2. Where are the pearls? • Deep in the ocean, covered and protected in a beautiful shell.

3. Where can you find gold? • Underground, covered with layers of rock, and to get there you have to work very hard and dig deep.

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom; Incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of YAHWEH, And discover the knowledge of God. For YAHWEH gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, and He watches over the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness, justice, and integrity, and every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be delightful to your soul; Prov 2:1-10

Have I searched for God’s wisdom in His words and commands with as much effort as it takes to find hidden treasure?

For all practical purposes Christianity has cut itself off from the wisdom that comes from YAHWEH by not taking the time to test a few words of Paul but instead, automatically with little thought or research, twist and take out of historical or narrative context a few of his sentences and end up abolishing and negating the sacred writings.

How can unsaved Gentiles or Jews take Christianity seriously when we casually dismiss or even contradict the words of our own God and Savior.

There has never been as many resources so readily available to any previous generation that makes searching, digging, gathering the treasures in God’s sacred writings than what is available to us. But the enemy has effectively caused us to quit looking for God’s treasure.

One of YAHWEH’s instructions says to celebrate Shavuot. Over years of meditation Shavuot became associated with not just the first harvest but also the time when fire came down on Mt. Sinai and God gave Moses the Torah. It became an annual celebration of God giving His Word. Interestingly, it was also at Shavuot that the Holy Spirit was given, inauguration of the New Covenant and fire came down in the upper room. These first followers in the New Covenant only had what we call the Old Testament. This was their only sacred writings. They used those scriptures for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, and it equipped them for every good work. They followed the Torah, its commands, precepts, festivals and Sabbath. They saw no contradiction between the prophesied New Covenant and the Torah. In the beginning was the Word (dabar), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. For the Torah was given through Moses; and grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. John 1:1, 17.  It was only in the generations after the Apostles died out; when in 70 Ad and especially 135 AD the Romans destroyed and burned every fortified city in Israel, killed over 1 Million and sold into slavery over 100,000, prohibited people from following the Torah and the Biblical Hebrew calendar, executed all Torah scholars, burned the sacred scrolls of  Scripture at the large Temple complex for Jupiter which they built on the Temple Mount and banned all Jews from living in Israel and renamed it Syria Palestina; then Greek philosophy infiltrated and interpreted the New Covenant as getting rid of the Torah. From there, an ongoing effort to distance Gentile Christianity from any connection to the Torah. There was a reinterpretation of Scriptures to get rid of any influence of the Torah and excommunication of any Christians who followed it. Eventually Gentile Christianity merged with Rome and adopted Greek philosophy as its heritage and got rid of the Hebrew heritage of the Torah.

"I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves’ men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.” Act 20:29-30

Father, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word (dabar) is truth.  John 17:17

It is challenging at this time in history because it is rare to find a fellowship of believers dedicated to following all of YAHWEH’s words. It’s comforting knowing it’s in God’s hands and His timing. I have attached a large video I just found this week that has to be downloaded to watch. It’s encouraging to see people in it from all over the world wrestling with some of the same questions I have. I personally do not ascribe to everything that comes up in the video but that will always be the case with all of us. On Sundays I go to a Christian fellowship that, because of their incorrect view of the Torah, believes following the Torah is bondage. However, in their preaching they are very rules oriented. It would be scary for them to decide they had found 600+ more rules to follow. I do not believe God’s Words are a rule book. They are wisdom given to us by God to know how to act towards one another and towards Him. Words to give us wisdom of how to live in this fallen world and teach us about Him. Do I believe God wants us to honor His 7^th day Sabbath and rest from work? Yes, because He said so. But I am still figuring out what all that means. I know some of it, but I am still plumbing the depths of that instruction from YAHWEH. Pretty certain it’s a journey that never ends and only gets deeper and better. I want to learn and understand all His commands and precepts. I am not trying to follow His commands to be saved, any more than I got baptized to be saved. I am saved through faith in the atoning work of the Messiah. I got baptized because I got saved, I want to follow God's Torah, because I got saved. Also, would I be happier if I had a fellowship to share this treasure hunt with, of course I would. But I am still incredibly excited every time I start a treasure hunt for what is in YAHWEH’s Torah. 

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares YAHWEH, 'plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 'And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13

My prayer is that when people are searching for YAHWEH, they will not close off their heart to the treasures found in His Word.

 

May YAHWEH bless you and keep you.

Shalom

(copy and paste the link below in your browser to get to the page to download the video) 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HHrjLQfPzzqbWWgLVo3ss7KpiNSZ4C3E/view?usp=sharing

 What Mitzvot has God prepared for you today?

After standing in crowded lines it was now my turn at the concession stand. (Went to see the movie "The Sound of Freedom" which I highly recommend!). As I started to order this lady skipped past the line, walked up and interrupted and said they forgot to give her a drink she ordered. The guy said he was sorry but he missed that and did not charge her. She was going to have to get back in line. I thought "I can order and pay for her drink". Which I did. It moved the line along with no real delay and she was very happy. And so was I. It's amazing that God has made it so that we feel good when we do good. Biblical Hebrew thought feels that way about all of God's commands (mitzvot) 

Paul, a trained Rabbi, wrote the Ephesians that we are created to do mitzvot (good works) . The New Testament is Biblical Hebrew thought brought to us in the Greek language.

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (mitzvot), which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10 

That's an amazing thought, that God prepared long ago, for me to be able to buy that woman her drink. And He has prepared many good works (mitzvot) for me to do in this life.

Mitzvot is the plural form of mitzvah, a Biblical Hebrew word that roughly translates to “commandment.” (מִצְוָה mitsvâh, mits-vaw'; from H6680; a command)  It appears in various forms with that meaning about 300 times in the Five Books of Moses. It generally refers to the Divine commandments, things He wants us to do or not do. It is also commonly interpreted  as “a good deed.” The term mitzvah comes from the root word tzavta, which means “connection.”  In this sense, a mitzvah bundles up the person who is commanded and the Commander, creating a relationship and essential bond. The three meanings can themselves be bundled together. “Good” is defined as that which the Creator of the Universe wants done with His universe, and by doing that which the Creator wants done, we are bound up with Him in body, mind and soul.What makes a mitzvah a mitzvah is its emphasis on action. 

The  Hebrew word mitzvah is commandment, but as noted, the general Hebrew understanding is that of a good deed. The emphasis is on deeds—not on positive thoughts or wishes, but on conscious acts of empathy and kindness. A mitzvah is a decisive act that embodies empathy and kindness while bringing us closer to others. Positive thoughts and wishes, while always welcome, are not mitzvot. Mitzvot are more than a creed—they’re about doing deeds. As James (Yakov/Jacob)  wrote "a true faith has actions" (James 2:17-26)

Biblical Hebrew thought, see's God's commands as bringing us life. As we do as He instructed us, we enjoy life and bring life. 

Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will find life through them. I am YAHWEH. Lev 18:5 . 

Jesus also reiterated that we find life through every word that comes out of the mouth of YAHWEH.  (Math 4:4)

God did not give us arbitrary “make-work” schemes. Mitzvot have a practical benefit for the person who does them as well as for the entire world.

Mitzvot are integral to serving God. The Torah, for example, references 613 mitzvot. Several of these could only be done in very ancient times under very specific circumstances, such as worshipping at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. However, most mitzvot are relevant throughout the ages, and continue provide a compass for life—yes, even today.

The Bible says to  celebrate the holiday of Shavuot on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan,  During this holiday, we celebrate the moment that God, through Moses, gave the Israelites the gift of the Ten Commandments and the Torah—and in doing so, bringing YAHWEH's mitzvot into the world. Thousands of years later, many  people continue to practice mitzvot (good deeds), such as observing Shabbat, eating clean, and celebrating YAHWEH's feasts. And other very important mitzvot like being honest, treating others respectfully, honoring parents, visiting the sick, and caring for animals.

The enemy has twisted western thought into thinking that God's Law (Words/Instruction) brings bondage and is a burden. The enemy has taught western Christianity that getting rid of God's commands brings freedom. It's the same lie he told Adam and Eve - "Don't be in bondage to what God tells you. Get rid of that kind of thinking. Be free and eat of any tree, especially the forbidden one." Western Christianity has interpreted the Freedom Christ has given to mean we are free to ignore God's instructions for life. 

We have indeed been set free - from the curse of the Law, which is death and separation from God. We have been freed from sin so that we might use our freedom to do good. Peter and Paul say we were freed so that we could become servants/slaves to God. (Rom 6:15-18; 1 Pet 2:16) Paul tells us that God's commands are holy, just and good and he quotes directly from Lev 19 to illustrate that the purpose of the Law is to teach us how to love one another. (Rom 7:16 ; Gal 5:14)

All good things come from God (James 1:17). We must go to God to find out what is good. Our own judgment of what is good will fail us.  How do we know what good deeds God has prepared for us to do? We must meditate on His Torah and then we will know. As Jesus said, find life from every word that proceeds out of the mouth of YAHWEH. 

So, what good works (mitzvot) has God prepared for you this month? (Eph 2:10)

Shalom

May YAHWEH bless you and keep you!

Resources for Mitzvot with Children
One of YAHWEH's most important charges to us is to make sure we teach our children and grandchildren His mitzvot. Deut 6:1-2 I have been looking for material to help do that and of course there is not much in modern Christian publishing geared towards learning YAHWEH's words. So I have been looking at some resources from Jewish websites to help me know how to actively and meaningfully perform them with the children in our care. Every child is different, and so is every family. Therefore, this journey is unique to you—age, interests, culture, and personality all come into play. Nevertheless, children of all ages can (and should) participate even toddlers show kindness to others, read body language, and know when someone’s seeking affection. For them, even something simple like giving a hug, a flower, or saying kind words all count. ( I credit my daughter for helping me understand this) 

Older preschoolers and elementary-age kids can help create a list of important values for your family and find mitzvot they can do to reflect those values. Letting the children choose a task they enjoy can help make doing good feel more natural. If a child likes to draw or write, they can send a card to brighten a friend’s day. Children who love animals can walk a neighbor’s dog. Every action, no matter how small, helps make the world a better place.

Below are some of the books I found. I have not had the chance to use them myself, but will give feedback as I do. Would love to hear from you in the comment section about how you are doing this with your children and any resources you find useful.

• Giving food or clothing to those in need: Respecting those in need, in Bagels from Benny
• Passing along cherished toys or games: Do not covet, in One Good Deed
• Recycling or composting: Do not destroy needlessly, in Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
• Cleaning up a public park: Care for our planet, in It’s a Mitzvah, Grover!
• Reuniting a lost game: Returning lost objects, in Sara Finds a Mitzva
• Sharing toys or food with a friend or sibling: Peace in the home, in The Mitzvah Magician, and Esti the Mensch
• Making soup for a neighbor with a cold: Visiting the sick, in The Bagel King. Caring for the sick, in Bear Feels Sick
• Inviting a new classmate over for a playdate: Welcoming guests, in The Mitten String
• Walking a dog or feeding a cat: Being kind to animals, in The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street

When one person does a good deed, others can see and be inspired to do the same. Creating these ripple effects of kindness can build and sustain communities over time, and showing children how we can all make Jesus' world a little better is profoundly empowering—for them and for you!

 

Have I made Paul greater than Jesus?

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers through the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us through His Son “Paul”  Hebrews 1:1-2

"Jesus said: Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine “Paul” and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine “Paul” and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. Mat 7:24,26

In my journey to understand why I and mainstream Christianity have jettisoned the Torah I discovered that I was clinging to my understanding of the words of Paul even if they contradicted the clear words of Jesus, the clear word of YAHWEH or Paul himself. Whenever I read the words of Paul and they seem to contradict the Torah, the Prophets and Jesus who are all in agreement, I always chose to believe the contradicting words of Paul and ignore or reinterpret everything else. I simply believed that Paul had some kind of direct revelation, that Jesus chose not to teach, and it changed everything. The details and effect of this direct revelation were codified later in Christianity from cross referencing writings of Paul. At its most basic, it goes like this. If I accept Jesus, If I love others, I have fulfilled the Law and if the Law is fulfilled I do not need to really know, really understand or really follow God’s Law as long as I love others. The problem is, that is not how God described His plan, or how the Prophets presented it nor how Jesus presented it.

Jesus says:

Man shall live by every word that comes out of the mouth of YAHWEH.  Mat 4:4

Whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:19

Nothing in the Torah will pass away until heaven and earth pass away Mat 5:18

He specifically says He did not come to abolish the Torah. Mat 5:17

Pay special attention to the more important parts of the Torah but do not neglect the smallest parts Mat 23:23

He will reject those who are Lawless. Mat 7:23

If you love me, you will keep My commandments and I always have the same words (commands) that my Father has. John 14:10,15

The Torah of YHWH is perfect, restoring the soul; Psalms 19:7

Forever, YHWH, Your word stands in heaven.  I will never forget Your commandments;  How I love Your Torah! It is my meditation all day. Psa 119:89,93,97

You are near, YHWH, and all Your commandments are truth. From long ago I have known from Your testimonies That You have founded them forever Psa 119:151-152

The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. Psa 119:160

"God is not a man, that He would lie, Nor a human, that He would change His mind; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Num 23:19

Certainly, YWHW GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret plan to His servants the prophets. Amo 3:7

The Prophets say.

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” Eze 11:19-20

"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares YHWH. I will put my Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Jer 31:33

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the commandments (word) of our God endures forever. Isa 40:8

The other Apostles say.

By this we know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commandments. 1John 2:3

The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 1John 2:4

Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with Him, and He with them. 1 John 3:24

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1John 5:3

To this you were called, because the Messiah suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. 1Pe 2:22

Many times, the Apostles, including Paul, quote the Torah when they want to show that they have authority to say what they are saying. There are about 342 OT quotes in the NT. They appeal to the Torah’s authority to validate what they were writing. Paul quotes the Torah as authoritative, but does Paul then say the Torah is no longer needed, fading out of sight, been abolished, replaced, or set aside? Especially when the Torah he is quoting says it will not be abolished, replaced, or set aside. That would be contradicting the very thing he says is his authority.

Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 1Co​r.​ 9:8 

Peter warns against taking Paul's words and making them mean lawlessness. 

There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 2 Peter 3:15-17

 So, was Paul a hypocrite in what he taught compared to what he lived?

Are my Christian teachers and preachers correct that Paul had revelations that overrule YAHWEH’s words and contradict Jesus and even Paul himself. 

Luke records how noble people received Paul’s teachings.

Now these Jews (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Acts 17:11

What were the “Scriptures” that the Bereans examined to compare Paul’s teachings to?

The only Scriptures the first Christians had was the Old Testament.

So, for the Bereans, everything Paul said HAD to be in 100% agreement with the Old Testament. Such as...

You shall walk after the YHWH your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. Deut 13:4

Otherwise, they would have considered Paul a false prophet.

The Bereans show me that Paul preached in agreement to the Law of God. As mentioned in Acts 17.

The New Testament scriptures testify that Paul lived in accordance to the Law of God.

take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus, all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. Acts 21:24

Paul lived God’s Law and he taught God’s Law.

Why does my pastor interpret Paul’s teachings as doing away with the Law of God? ... even though the Bereans proved he was in agreement with it?

Is my pastor making Paul out to be a hypocrite by implying that Paul was saying “Do as I say and not as I do”. Paul told the Church in Corinth, those who were born as gentiles, to ..

Be imitators of me, as I am of the Messiah. 1 Cor 11:1

Paul also says:

You know what God wants; you know what is right because you have been taught His Law. You are so proud of knowing the ​Torah, but you dishonor God by breaking it.​  Rom 2:18,23

through the Torah comes knowledge of sin.​ Romans 3:20​

Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?  Yes, there are great benefits!​ ​ Rom 3:1-2

​Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.​ Rom 3:3​1​

What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?​ ​ Rom 6:1-2

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the Law. Rom 7:7

​Paul said “I love God's Law with all my heart.”​  Rom 7:22

So then, I myself, in my mind am a servant to God's Law, but in my sinful nature a servant to the law of sin.​​ Rom 7:25 

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's Law, nor can it do so. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  Rom 8:7,13,14

(OT prophesied that God would give us new hearts and new spirit that would want to obey his Laws Eze 11:19)

The Bereans show in Acts 17, that Paul taught in accordance with the Old Testament. And Acts 24 testifies he lived by God’s Law and Paul’s own testimony was that he loves and follows God’s Law.

Maybe people who take Paul’s letters and interpret them that God no longer wants us to follow His instructions (Torah), have become those of who Peter warned me. If I listen to them Peter says “I will lose my own stability”

Which do I follow? The Eternal word of God or the excerpted words of Paul? Words quoted many times devoid of any historical or narrative context but repeated so much they seem normal to me. Even though, they contradict the rest of the Bible.

The whole of God’s word does not teach that, If we love God, we do not and will not obey His commandments. God’s Word constantly says “IF I truly love, Then I will truly keep His commandments”. It does not say, IF I keep His commandments, Then I will love. It says, only when I truly love God first will I want to obey His commandments. Obedience does not bring Love. Love brings obedience. God loves me and when I accept His free love and forgiveness and love Him in return, I want to obey my loving parent. Not out of fear, not to win acceptance, but out of love and respect, trusting what He tells me to do (even if I do not understand) is for my best interest.

 

Blessed is the one whose delight is in the Torah of YAHWEH, and who meditates on His Torah day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers. Psalms 1:1-3

Those who love Your Law have great peace (shalom), And nothing causes them to stumble. Psa 119:165

I hope for Your salvation (Yeshua), YHWH, and do Your commandments. Psa 119:166

 

May YAHWEH bless you and keep you!

 

The Sabbath is a weekly committment to Gods Ideal of Eden

In Eden, God provided trees that bore fruit. The humans did not have to toil to make things produce fruit. Everything just produced. Every day, all humans had to do was "tend the garden. Not sure what that was, but the garden did not need much. As I learned later in the Bible, on the sixth day in Eden we would have gathered double, so on the 7th, no need to gather. The humans trust God to provide all security, all health and a wonderful environment and He dwells with us in the garden. Tragically,  Adam and Eve rebelled and lost the eternal Sabbath. God commanded that we remember the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the practice of trusting God. If on the 7th day ,I do not work, God will provide, If I do not gather on the Sabbath, God will provide, if I do not sow, God will provide. 

The Sabbath's  fulfilment  looks forward to the time in the future of the end of the age. Living in the present, I practice what I believe the whole story is moving towards the future. Preparing myself for something that is so important. The weekly Sabbath is a foretaste and practice of the New Creation.

The weekly Sabbath, the 7th day (in Hebrew the words Sabbath, Rest and Seven all share the same letters)  is what God has given us for the rhythm of time and also the key to understanding the other festivals and the pattern for understanding the mission of Jesus. The Sabbaths are the timetable for the year of Jubilee which is a more detailed description of the restored Eden life, which is what Jesus initiated. Everything Jesus did was to launch the eternal Jubilee, the super Sabbath. (Luke 4:16-21)

Of course there is a lot more, but these are my thoughts this Sabbath morning. 

What does the Sabbath mean to you?

What Does Shavuot/Pentecost have to do with the birth of the CHURCH?

I have been taught that that the “Church” was birthed in the New Testament, specifically in Acts 2 at Pentecost. Jesus had arrived and He promised a new entity - "His Church". Now there would be something other than "Israel". Israel will still have its own path to take but now a brand new thing is happening and Acts 2 kicks it off. But is that really the story the Bible tells? I found a very different story in the Scriptures. 

When I say “Church", I mean the Greek word “Ekklesia” (ἐκκλησία Strongs G1577) that is used in the Greek New Testament. There are a couple of theories, but no one knows exactly why we translate “Ekklesia” as Church. A more accurate interpretation of “Ekklesia” would be “assembly” as the word means “a called out assembly, but it’s much too late for that. At this point in order to have any meaningful discussion we have to use the word “Church”. The English word “Church" has 2 meanings – The People of God or the place that they meet. I will only be using it in the sense of “The People of God, specifically The People of the only true God, YAHWEH and His son, Jesus or Yahshua, His Hebrew name, which means “YAHWEH Saves”.

Using the Greek word “Ekklesia” I searched the Septuagint*¹, (the Greek Old Testament) translated about 300 years before Jesus was born. The Jewish scribes that translated the Old Testament into Greek chose the word “Ekklesia" to describe the “Assembly” of  YAHWEH. The New Testament authors chose the same word when describing the Gods People. It would be helpful if translations stayed consistent throughout the Bible. For instance, the Bible translates the Hebrew “Yahshua” into Joshua in the Old Testament but translates the exact same name in the New Testament as “Jesus”. That is why it is very important to study the original languages. And when I study the Greek word for Church “Ekklesia” I find that God’s Church is throughout the Old Testament. Also when I study the Hebrew text I find the word “Qahal” ( קָהָל H6951) is used to describe the “Assembly” of YAHWEH. And “Qahal” also means "an assembly that is called out”. So, the Hebrew text also shows that YAHWEH’s Assembly/Church is throughout the Old Testament. It’s not the Greek word “Ekklesia or the Hebrew word “Qahal” that is significant. In the Bible the words “church or assembly” are not special. They are quite common. It’s the context and modifiers that tell me when they are significant. Its YAHWEH’s church/assembly, the church/assembly of YAHWEH, Jesus’ church. Whose “ekklesia” or “qahael” / “assembly/church” are we talking about. That’s what makes it special. Whe I see that, I can  see YAHWEH’s Church throughout the Bible and not just in the New Testament.  

When I look for the birth of Church, I find that the Scriptures reveal that YAHWEH birthed His Church “Ekklesia” when He rescued the Israelites out of Egypt. The Ekklesia, the Church, the Assembly of the LORD/YAHWEH, was created at the first Covenant at Mt. Sanai (Ex 19:5-8 & Ex 24:3)*². This is all part of YAHWEH’s plan to restore Humanity to Himself and bring us back into fellowship with Him. The fellowship we lost in the Garden. When we rejected fellowship with God, YAHWEH began His plan of bringing us back to Him. God called Abraham and promised him that through his descendants God would bring all nations including Gentiles back to Him. When God rescued Abraham’s descendants and a large number of Gentiles out of Egypt*³ He made a covenant with them. However, because of the peoples hard rebellious hearts they were not able to keep their side of this Covenant. Jeremiah and Ezekiel both prophecied that YAHWEH is going to give a New Covenant that will enable people to stay in fellowship with Him. 

 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances”. Eze 26:26-27

"Behold, days are coming," declares YAHWEH, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares YAHWEH. "For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares YAHWEH: "I will put My Torah within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Jer 31:31-33

There is a beautiful Feast of YAHWEH called The Festival of Shavuot//Pentecost that happens at the same time of year that this First Covenant was given.  It is no coincidence that at this same Festival, Shavuot, in Acts 2, the Church/Assembly of YAHWEH, which had broken the first covenant, was given the New Covenant.  Both events had similar sounds and symbols - wind, fire, smoke, voices/languages (the Hebrew word translated thunder in Exodus is “kolot” Strong’s H6963, which means voices or languages).  At the first Shavout/Pentecost YAHWEH gave His Words written on stone tablets. At Shavout/Pentecost in Acts He wrote His Torah on hearts. At Mt. Sinai, God's presence was symbolized by a cloud and fire, which led the Israelites out of Egypt. Later, God moved His presence into the Tabernacle and then the Temple. (2 Chron. 5:7-8, 13-14). When that temple was rebuilt there is no record of God moving His presence into that temple. Then in Acts 2 during Shavuot, God's presence moved into a "new temple," the followers of Jesus (1 Cor 3:16;Rom. 8:9)*⁴.

In Acts 2, the people were in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot and remember the time long ago when God showed up in fire, wind, smoke and voices/thunder at Mt. Sinai.  Suddenly, it looks like God is showing up again in the same way that He came before. They see fire and smoke and hear voices and the place is shaking violently. God is back! At Mt. Sinai, 3000 were killed as a result of them breaking God's Torah. In Acts 2, 3000 were added to God's Church as He wrote His Torah on their Hearts. Looking at the history of Shavuot and what God did there makes the story of Acts 2 so much deeper and increases my faith in the God of the Bible. His plans were made since the beginning of time and are exact down to the last detail. What a mighty God we serve! 

At Shavuot in Acts 2 God enters His New Temple. This is not the final restoration act of renewing the fellowship that He had with humanity in the Garden but it’s a very big step. Humans rejected and broke fellowship with God in the garden. Humans lost the garden and are on a journey of God bringing us completely back to Him. In this journey God is teaching us important things about Him and important things about ourselves. The giving of the New Covenant in Acts 2 is not an unexpected something new, it’s the anticipated promise of how we can get past our constant failure to keep our side of the covenant. We lost God’s presence in the Garden, so God presented us a way to get a piece of His Holy presence in  the Tabernacle/Temple. As God knew we would, we failed to keep that small piece of His presence in the Temple. But God has now made us to be His temple. We are now the place that YAHWEH has chosen to put His name*⁵. Each of us can now experience a piece of His presence inside us and when 2 or 3 of us gather together we become the Temple and He is in our presence corporately. God’s People, God’s Elect have been there from the beginning and He has been rescuing them and restoring them to Himself. There is no Church that is God’s Elect that is separate from the Israel that is God’s Elect. Gentiles were in Exodus 19 at the first Covenant and birth of the Church and it has always been the plan to save the whole world. God chose to do it through Abrham’s descendants, of which I am grafted into and have become a citizen of God’s Israel*³. Through the Messiah, male or female, Jew or Gentile can all become children of Israel and all heirs of the Promise. 

Followers of Judaism celebrate Shavuot/Pentecost as the giving of the Torah but do not believe the New Covenant has been given yet. Christianity teaches that the Church is something different than Israel and many times teaches that the Church is an entity that has replaced Israel in God’s plans and that the New Covenant has done away with YAHWEH’s Torah. Christianity does this by cobbling together what I have found to be vague out of context random New Testament scriptures or using manmade doctrines. But to me, the Scriptures themselves present a consistent connecting message. The stories of Eden, the Flood, Exodus, wilderness, The Covenant, are not just historical background stories. These are the foundational context for everything Jesus did and everything that happens with the Church. The New Testament plugs into, not replaces or does away with, the story line that began in the Torah and Prophets. The Torah and the Prophets is the Bible of Jesus and the Apostles. They had no other Scriptures. They did not see themselves replacing it. They revered it, honored it, trusted it, followed it. They were raised on it, praying and singing and memorizing from a young age. I experience and understand God in a much more powerful beautiful compelling way, when I see myself plugged into the story line from the Torah and Prophets and take the time to understand Jesus’ and the Apostle’s Bible. 

NOTES

1.
When I read the scriptures in their original language, I can sometimes see what translations have unintentionally hidden from my view and sometimes have forced an interpretation on me that was not originally intended. In the scriptures below I have consistently interpreted “Ekklesia” as “Church” in the Old and New Testament. As stated before “Assembly” would be a better choice but western history has bypassed that so I will stick with “Church”. It takes context to know when it is talking about a people chosen by God and are His people or just a more general assembly. I have capitalized where I think the context clearly means God’s People. 

Ekklēsía/CHURCH  in the Greek New Testament

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my CHURCH and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Mat 16:18 

"If he doesn't pay attention to them, tell the CHURCH. If he doesn't pay attention even to the CHURCH, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you. Mat 18:17 

Then great fear came on the whole CHURCH and on all who heard these things.  Act 5:11 

"He is the one who was in the CHURCH in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors. He received living oracles to give to us. Act 7:38 

The church. was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. Act 19:32 

If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal church. Act 19:39 

After he had said this, he dismissed the church Act 19:41 

He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the CHURCH, I will sing your praises." Heb 2:12 (Psa 22:22)

Ekklēsía/CHURCH in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint (LXX) 

YAHWEH gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which YAHWEH had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the CHURCH. Deu 9:10 

"No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the CHURCH of YAHWEH; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the CHURCH of YAHWEH Deu 23:3 

"The sons of the third generation who are born to them may enter the CHURCH of YAHWEH. Deu 23:8 

Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the CHURCH of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete: Deu 31:30 

Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, CHURCH; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of YAHWEH and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. 1Ch 28:2 

I also shook the folds of my robe and said, "May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn't keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing! " The whole CHURCH said, "Amen," and they praised YAHWEH. Then the people did as they had promised. Neh 5:13 

The whole CHURCH that had returned from exile made shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy. Neh 8:17 

At that time the book of Moses was read publicly to the people. The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the CHURCH of God, Neh 13:1 

I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters; I will praise you in the CHURCH.  Psa 22:22 

I will give praise in the great CHURCH because of you; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear you.  Psa 22:25 

I hate a church of evildoers, and I do not sit with the wicked.  Psa 26:5 

My foot stands on level ground; I will bless YAHWEH in the CHURCH.  Psa 26:12 

I will praise you in the great CHURCH; I will exalt you among many people. Psa 35:18 

I proclaim righteousness in the great CHURCH; see, I do not keep my mouth closed -- as you know, YAHWEH.  Psa 40:9 

YAHWEH, the heavens praise your wonders -- your faithfulness also -- in the CHURCH of the holy ones.  Psa 89:5 

Hallelujah! Sing to YAHWEH a new song, his praise in the CHURCH of the faithful.  Psa 149:1 

The adversary has seized all her precious belongings. She has even seen the nations enter her sanctuary -- those you had forbidden to enter your CHURCH.  Lam 1:10 

Gather the people; sanctify the CHURCH; assemble the aged; gather the infants, even babies nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber.  Joel 2:16 

Therefore, there will be no one in the CHURCH of YAHWEH to divide the land by casting lots.  Mic 2:5 

2.
 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." So, Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which YAHWEH had commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, "All that YAHWEH has spoken we will do!" And Moses brought back the words of the people to YAHWEH. Exo 19:5-8 

Then Moses came and reported to the people all the words of YAHWEH and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which YAHWEH has spoken we will do!" Exo 24:3 

3. 
And I will make you into a great nation (גּוֹי gôwy, Strongs H1471- nation, usually of Non-Hebrew people) , And I will bless you, And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. Gen 12:3 

No longer shall you be named Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations[H1471]. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations[H1471] of you, and kings will come from you. Gen 17:5-6

Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock. Exo 12:38 

But if a stranger resides with you and celebrates the Passover to YAHWEH, all of his males are to be circumcised, and then he shall come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised male may eat it. "The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who resides among you Exo 12:49 

Praise YAHWEH, all Gentiles/Nations ; Sing His praises, all peoples! Psa 117:1 

When YAHWEH has compassion on Jacob and again chooses Israel, and settles them on their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. Isa 14:1 

Don't let foreigners who commit themselves to YAHWEH say, YAHWEH will never let me be part of his people.  And don't let the eunuchs say, 'I'm a dried-up tree with no children and no future.' For this is what YAHWEH says: “I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy and who choose to do what pleases me and commit their lives to me.  Also, the foreigners who join themselves to YAHWEH, To attend to His service and to love the NAME of YAHWEH, To be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it, And holds firmly to My covenant Even those I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples." YAHWEH GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, "I will yet gather others to them, to those already gathered. Isa 56:3- 8

Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man (G444- All Humanity), and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 (Jesus did not say Sabbath made for only Jews but for All Humanity) 

Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ..So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household. Eph 2:12,19

For he is not a Jew (of Judah) who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God. Rom 2:29

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,  Rom 11:17

4.
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1Co 3:16

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Rom 8:9 

5.

Where does YAHWEH put His Name? 
YAHWEH manifested Himself in various times and situations but sometimes He would specify a place that He had placed His name there, meaning His presence was there. 

YAHWEH says "But you shall seek YAHWEH at the place which YAHWEH your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His Name there for His dwelling, and you shall come there. Then it shall come about that the place in which YAHWEH your God will choose for His Name to dwell, there you shall bring everything that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice vowed offerings which you will vow to YAHWEH.” Deut 12:5,11 

YAHWEH sometimes moves where His name is to dwell.

Places YAHWEH has chosen to dwell
1.       The Garden of Eden

2.       Mt Sanai
3.       The Tabernacle
4.       The Temple
5.       Jesus/Yahshua (Emmanuel)
6.       Where 2 or 3 are gathered (now)
7.       The New Jerusalem (future)

The glory of YAHWEH dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. Exo 24:16

You shall sacrifice the Passover to YAHWEH your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where YAHWEH chooses to establish His NAME. But only at the place where YAHWEH your God chooses to establish His name, you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt . You shall rejoice before YAHWEH your God, you, your son and your daughter, and your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger, the orphan, and the widow who are in your midst, at the place where YAHWEH your God chooses to establish His NAME. Deut 16:2,6,11

you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground which you bring in from your land that YAHWEH your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place where YAHWEH your God chooses to establish His NAME. Deut 26:2

Go and tell David My servant, 'This is what YAHWEH says: "You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another.  "In all places where I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' 1Ch 17:4-6

But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My Name dwell at the beginning, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. Jer 7:12

Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, andyet You will raise it up in three days?" But He was speaking about the temple of His body.  John 2:19-21 

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?   "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.  Mat 18:20

Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL AMONG THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 2Co 6:16

So, then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in YAHWEH, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Eph 2:19- 22

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, I saw no temple in it, for YAHWEH God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  Rev 21:2,3,22  (finally back to the Garden)