WALKING The COVENANT WAY: PART 6 of 8: the LAND (Palestinian) Covenant

~ by James Fire

When you’re reading a book or any printed instructions and you come across words or sentences that are underscored, you know that this is information you need to pay close attention to; that it’s something of vital importance.

GOD had already established His covenant with Abraham, which entailed three aspects:

1) His descendants would be as vast as the stars of heaven and the sands of the seashore.

2) That he and those of his kin with like faith would inherit “the land” (GEN 12 and GEN 17).

3) And that all the nations of the Earth would be blessed through his seed (specifically, that being Christ Jesus, the Messiah of Israel.

The Abrahamic Covenant as we know is an unconditional one – it was all left to GOD to fulfill; Abraham only needed to believe Him.

Having made these precious promises GOD decided to underscore one aspect of this covenant at the time when Moses had led the people of Israel to the eastern shore of the Jordan river, just on the other side of Canaan land. GOD wanted to make absolutely clear that this land was given by Him to His people – to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the nation of Israel.

Thus the term “Land Covenant” or more widely known (though it’s a misnomer) as the “Palestinian Covenant”. Some Christians unknowingly use this term, not understanding that Palestine was a name given to that land by Roman Emperor Hadrian as an insult, wanting to divest the Jewish people from having any identity to the land GOD had given to them.

The Land Covenant underscores GOD’s unconditional promise to give this land specifically to the Jewish nation.

In this article (6th of 8), we’ll take a close look at what the LORD has underscored for Israel, and for our learning, what He would have us (and the unbelieving world at large) pay close attention to!

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DEUTERONOMY 15: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez, and James Fire

DEUTERONOMY 15: “DEBT PAID IN FULL” by Albert Lopez check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: According to research online, if you ever had a debt it goes into “collections” it stays on your credit report. A credit report is a system that I think we all at one point or another get familiar with because we need good credit to possibly get a car a house or some other type of loan.

What happens when you don’t’ pay a loan? Debt collectors report accounts to the credit bureaus, a move that can impact your credit score for several months, if not years. ... Collector Calls. ... Credit Report Marks. ... Unfavorable Interest Rates. ... Job Hunting. ... Lawsuits. ... Collections are a continuation of debt owed and can stay on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date the debt first became delinquent and was not brought current.

There is much more to say on this subject; I’m sure some of you have much more knowledge on this but I say this to show you that it’s a possibility that maybe the seven years a debt is connected to and individual and their credit report; can somehow help us see what we are about to read.

The big difference is that this system that we will read about is not set up by any man-made financial institution or government. No, this system is set up by God himself for his people to remind them how they must treat each other and how they must Trust God!

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TTUF Presents: The BEREAN CALL - FLOCKING TO FABLES–PART 2 of 2

FLOCKING TO FABLES–PART 2

February 1, 2023

T. A. McMahon

The biblical basis for this two-part article is:

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

In this part, the focus will be on a significant cause that is turning Christendom away from “sound doctrine,” away “from the truth,” and “turned unto fables.” It’s called mysticism.

As we noted, mysticism is the obscurity of biblical doctrine. It is a process of taking the truth of God’s Word and distorting it so badly that it becomes devoid of reason, logic, and common sense. It is a completely subjective process that rejects the objective truth presented in the Scriptures.

Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, defines the doctrine of the mystics as “a religious sect who profess to have a direct intercourse with the Spirit of God.” The communication however, is with demons, all of whom reject God’s truth. Yet it’s good for us as believers to be continually reminded of what God's truth entails.

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DEUTERONOMY 14: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez, and James Fire

DEUTERONOMY 14: “YOU ARE A SPECIAL TREASURE” by Sonny Islas, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: As we continue in the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses continues to remind Israel what God expects from them before entering the Promised Land.

DEUTERONOMY 14:1-2
1 "You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. 2 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Because death and mourning are inevitable, The LORD makes it clear that He didn’t want Israel to mourn for their dead in the same way pagans did or the Canaanites did.

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TTUF Presents: A Two Part article from The BEREAN CALL: FLOCKING TO FABLES—PART 1 of 2

FLOCKING TO FABLES—PART 1

January 1, 2023

T. A. McMahon

“Flocking to Fables” has to do with great numbers of people being overwhelmingly drawn to things that have no basis in reality. They have been bewitched by myths...or what the Bible calls "fables." Hopefully, that will be made clear as we proceed.

As we wonder what we may be facing in the year 2023, there are indications from Scripture that give us some good ideas. Actually, one is really good, and the others are not so good. The really good one is that our Lord and Savior may return to this earth to catch up His bride, His church, taking believers with Him to Heaven in the Rapture (1 COR 1:5-7; 15:51-54)! That might happen soon, and nothing could be better.

There are also a number of not-so-good things that will take place should the Rapture not happen as soon as we'd like. Knowing them is not a matter of special prophetic insight, but simply reading what the Bible declares lies ahead and checking to see if any of it has, or is, taking place. The primary prophecy for our consideration is:

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
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DEUTERONOMY 13: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez, and James Fire

DEUTERONOMY 13: “SHUN IDOLATRY OR SHUN GOD?” by Albert Lopez, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: To shun something is to avoid or reject someone or something. To steer clear of; to forsake or abandon.

That word may not be a word that you or I use very often but it was very important for the children of Israel to hear and understand what it meant, who said it, why He said it as well as what would happen if you listened to this command/warning or what would happen if you didn’t listen to it. Through Moses God told His people how dangerous idolatry is and what the consequences of partaking in it are. God is also going to instruct on what to do to shun idolatry.

We may say that we don’t participate in idolatry but if we are honest with ourselves, we are as guilty at times and perhaps more so than the children of Israel were of Idolatry and shunning God’s voice and commands. As we have preached before, putting anything or anyone before God and giving it more value than God is by definition, idolatry. Giving our time, energy, and resources to that something is taking away from what He deserves from us. Not reading God’s Word and not having a prayer life and possibly even not being interested in the things of God; are good indications that there is some danger of idolatry in one’s life. Moses discussed three ways in which temptation to idolatry was likely to come to Israel:

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TTUF PRESENTS CALVARY TUCSON’s 2023 Conference on APOLOGETICS

The go to verses for Christian apologetics are:

1 PETER 3:14-15
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

The word “defense” elsewhere in other translations is “answer” and in the Greek it’s apologia, which means: “a plea, an answer, a clearing of self-defense”. In this sense, it carries the same idea as a witness taking the stand in court and providing a testimony with the objective of clearing someone of an accusation, and, or to state a record clearly so that the truth is known in any given matter.

And notice the context in which this is given:

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STUDY In The Book of NEHEMIAH – Part THREE TRIUMPH by TRANSFORMATION

INTRODUCTION: Just as Jerusalem was taken in three sieges by king Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon, she was eventually, fully restored with three visitations: by Zerubbabel (EZRA 2:1-2), Ezra (EZRA 7:1-6), and lastly by Nehemiah (NEH 2:11) and the rebuilding of the wall around “the city of GOD”.

As we will see, the first part of this book involves the formidable task of removing the wreckage of the old wall and rebuilding it. This takes place in chapter 1 to 3; remarkably, this only took about fifty-two days to accomplish! Then the even more formidable task is attended to from chapter 8 to 13: the restoration of the people.

To see both the city as well as the people transformed from what they had become – the walls physically ruined, the people spiritually ruined – to once again become a GOD fearing people who love the LORD truly and prove it by their devotion and obedience to His commandments within the restored, strong walls and bulwarks that separated the Jewish people from the Gentiles who desired to see them fail. This entire work was commenced in 444 B.C. and was completed in 425 B.C. – totaling 19 years of toil and effort. The LORD saw to it that His people were restored politically as well as spiritually.

We see how the deeds of Nehemiah were in alignment with the promises and purposes of GOD:

Nehemiah proved himself as a true servant who prayed for his people (NEH 1:4) because GOD preserves His covenant (NEH 1:5).
Nehemiah planned for his people (NEH 2:6-8) because GOD placed those ideas in His servant’s mind (NEH 2:12).
Nehemiah persevered against Israel’s enemies (NEH 4:9,23) because GOD perverted these enemies plans (NEH 4:15,20).
Nehemiah pleaded for unity among his people (NEH 5:10-11) because GOD is pleased with unity (NEH 5:9,13).
Nehemiah perceived falsehoods but remained faithful (NEH 6:2,8,12) because GOD proclaims His Name among the nations (NEH 6:16).

*The above section comparing the servant of GOD with the LORD GOD was taken from a chart in NELSON’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts; pg. 163.

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