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The Apostle Paul used the term 'the scriptures' in 2 Timothy 3:15 as being synonomous with the Torah of Moses and to explain to us that its the scriptures that are profitable in that they are able to make us wise as to the salvation that comes through faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

Its strange to us that many Christians are still taught by churchmen that the Torah (the scriptures) are not profitable to the New Testament believer. Paul saw no conflict between that what had been revealed to him by the Spirit and which is now part of the Apostolic Scriptures and the Torah of Moses. This is why the NT writers quote from the Torah or 'Law', especially Deuteronomy, over 80 times to reinforce their theology!

In Paul's time there was no 'New Testament' - that came some 300 years later. All Jesus and the Apostles had was the Tenak or Hebrew bible which consists of the the Torah, Writings, the Prophets. The Torah of Moses was widely held as the most important component of the scriptures because any prophet that contradicted it was to be considered a false prophet, even if his prophecy came to pass and especially if he worked signs and wonders to back up his new revelations. (Deut.13v1-11) Its the scriptures (in essence the Torah) that are inspired or God breathed and is profitable for teaching about righteousness or right living and its the scriptures that are able to equip the man of God for every good work. Jesus Himself said that the scriptures cannot be broken even before there was a New Covenent , John 10:35. Therefore we should not expect the Old and the New to contradict each other or that the one should supercede the other. There is a unity and a harmony within all of Adonai's Word that is seldom appreciated today.

It's very important to note at the outset, that when we speak of the Torah we are refering to the first 5 books of Moses (Moshe) and never to the Talmud, Midrash, Kaballah or other Rabbinical or esoteric writings. These books are in the Christian Bible as well as the Hebrew Bible as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Worldwide, all Jewish synagogues, Messianic congregations, study halls and prayer groups use either an annual or 3 yearly cycle of Torah readings. In this way, we all cover roughly the same material each week, along with many believers from all over the globe. There is a sense of being part of something that is bigger than the individual and there is a real sense of being united.

At Grace of Life Fellowship we will read the Torah through once a each year and we also encourage believers in Jesus as the Messiah in addition to read the Apostolic Scriptures through once a year. An excellent bible reading schedule for 2007 that covers the Torah, Writings, the Prophets as well as the New Covenant Scriptures can be accessed courtesy of the Seed of Abraham site, by clicking here.

One may suppose that such an approach is far too stayed or 'static' or that it would in some way impede being Spirit Led in our individual study of scripture. Far from it! In fact we never cease to be amazed at how powerfully relevant these timeless portions are and how Lord uses it to speak freshly to our hearts through it!

On this web page you can read the weekly passages themselves, studying them alongside the excellent teaching notes from Tony Robinson of Restoration of Torah Ministries. There are, of course, many other commentaries available on the internet - please contact us if you require more information.

An excellent older children's activity accompanyment can be found at the Calvary Chapel Children's Ministry.

Chaye Sarah - "Life of Sarah"

22 November 2008 (Cheshvan 24)

Read Restoration of Torah Ministries' commentary: HTML PDF

Genesis 23:1-25:18

^23:1	Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah's life.
^23:2	Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
^23:3	Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
^23:4	"I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
^23:5	The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
^23:6	"Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead."
^23:7	Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
^23:8	He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
^23:9	that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."
^23:10	Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
^23:11	"No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead."
^23:12	Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
^23:13	He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."
^23:14	Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
^23:15	"My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead."
^23:16	Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants' standard.
^23:17	So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
^23:18	to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
^23:19	After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
^23:20	The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.
^24:1	Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
^24:2	Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.
^24:3	I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
^24:4	But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
^24:5	The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"
^24:6	Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.
^24:7	The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
^24:8	If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."
^24:9	The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
^24:10	The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master's with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
^24:11	He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
^24:12	He said, "The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
^24:13	Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
^24:14	Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, 'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'--let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
^24:15	It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
^24:16	The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
^24:17	The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."
^24:18	She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.
^24:19	When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking."
^24:20	She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
^24:21	The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
^24:22	It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
^24:23	and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"
^24:24	She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
^24:25	She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."
^24:26	The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD.
^24:27	He said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master's relatives."
^24:28	The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words.
^24:29	Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
^24:30	It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
^24:31	He said, "Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."
^24:32	The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
^24:33	Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."
^24:34	He said, "I am Abraham's servant.
^24:35	The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
^24:36	Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
^24:37	My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
^24:38	but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.'
^24:39	I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
^24:40	He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.
^24:41	Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'
^24:42	I came this day to the spring, and said, 'The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go--
^24:43	behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
^24:44	and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"--let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.'
^24:45	Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'
^24:46	She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.
^24:47	I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
^24:48	I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
^24:49	Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."
^24:50	Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from the LORD. We can't speak to you bad or good.
^24:51	Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the LORD has spoken."
^24:52	It happened that when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD.
^24:53	The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.
^24:54	They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."
^24:55	Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."
^24:56	He said to them, "Don't hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
^24:57	They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."
^24:58	They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."
^24:59	They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.
^24:60	They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them."
^24:61	Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
^24:62	Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
^24:63	Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.
^24:64	Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.
^24:65	She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil, and covered herself.
^24:66	The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
^24:67	Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
^25:1	Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
^25:2	She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
^25:3	Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
^25:4	The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
^25:5	Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,
^25:6	but to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts. He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country.
^25:7	These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years.
^25:8	Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
^25:9	Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre,
^25:10	the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife.
^25:11	It happened after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.
^25:12	Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.
^25:13	These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
^25:14	Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
^25:15	Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
^25:16	These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.
^25:17	These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.
^25:18	They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.

1 Kings 1:1-31

^1:1	Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he couldn't keep warm.
^1:2	Therefore his servants said to him, "Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm."
^1:3	So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
^1:4	The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn't know her intimately.
^1:5	Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
^1:6	His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, "Why have you done so?" and he was also a very handsome man; and he was born after Absalom.
^1:7	He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
^1:8	But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
^1:9	Adonijah killed sheep and cattle and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants:
^1:10	but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he didn't call.
^1:11	Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Haven't you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn't know it?
^1:12	Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.
^1:13	Go in to king David, and tell him, 'Didn't you, my lord, king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?'
^1:14	Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words."
^1:15	Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.
^1:16	Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance to the king. The king said, "What would you like?"
^1:17	She said to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your handmaid, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'
^1:18	Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don't know it.
^1:19	He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn't called Solomon your servant.
^1:20	You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
^1:21	Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders."
^1:22	Behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
^1:23	They told the king, saying, "Behold, Nathan the prophet!" When he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
^1:24	Nathan said, "My lord, king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?'
^1:25	For he is gone down this day, and has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, 'Long live king Adonijah!'
^1:26	But he hasn't called me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.
^1:27	Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven't shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
^1:28	Then king David answered, "Call to me Bathsheba." She came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
^1:29	The king swore, and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
^1:30	most certainly as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place;' most certainly so will I do this day."
^1:31	Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, "Let my lord king David live forever!"