Torah Today Ministries

This is the third of a four-part series about God's use of menorah patterns throughout the Scriptures. Psalm 64:11 says, "One thing God spoke. Two things have I heard." This principle is ubiquitous in the Bible and it is my desire that we all begin to look for and discover the pairs of events, stories and words that occur throughout the Bible. In this episode, we examine a sampling of these menorah patterns as they are found in the Greek ("New Testament") Scriptures. 

Join us for a delightful conversation with Beulah and Sarah Barry who were born in South Africa but now make their home in New Zealand. And joining them is Elianah MacArthur, who was born in China but was raised in northeast Ohio. These three young ladies join Robin and myself for some Q&A around God's Word.

Psalm 67 is called The Menorah Psalm. It is unique in its structure and contains many hidden features that set it apart from every other psalm. It is also recited each night during the 49 days of counting the omer between Passover and Pentecost. Come join this intriguing look into this beautiful "menorah" psalm.

This is the second of a four-part series about God's use of menorah patterns throughout the Scriptures. Psalm 64:11 says,"One thing God spoke. Two things have I heard." This principle is ubiquitous in the Bible and it is my desire that we all begin to look for and discover the pairs of events, stories and words that occur throughout the Bible. In this episode, we examine a sampling of these menorah patterns as they are found in the Hebrew Scriptures. This will revolutionize your study of God's Word. I promise!

Psalm 66 is a beautiful song of praise to God; a psalm composed to bring glory to His great name. It looks to the days of the Messianic Kingdom when the whole earth will bend the knee to Israel's King Messiah. But if this psalm praises God's name, why is His name not mentioned a single time? Come delve into this amazing and uplifting psalm.

This is introduction the first of a four-part series about God's use of menorah patterns throughout the Scriptures. Psalm 62:11 says, "One thing God spoke. Two things have I heard." This principle is ubiquitous in the Bible and it is my desire that we all begin to look for and discover the pairs of events, stories, words that occur throughout the Bible. This will revolutionize your study of God's Word. I promise!

How did David cope with the many trials described in his previous psalms? What tactic did he employ to alter his perception of all his troubles? The key lies in this beautiful song. We will also learn something about praise that may shock you!

The altar of incense seems to be the "odd man out" among the Tabernacle furnishings. Why wasn't it described earlier in the Torah when the menorah and table of showbread were introduced? And if each furnishing has a matching piece of furniture, what is the matching piece for the altar of incense? Join us as we discuss this fascinating holy object.

The previous psalm (Psalm 63) described how David dealt with physical enemies who were out to kill him. But in this psalm, David addresses the issue of hidden and anonymous spiritual enemies. A close study of this psalm can be a great boost to one's faith and peace.

If you knew that dangerous men were hunting you to kill you, what would you pray for? Protection? Rescue? Superpowers? David found himself in exactly this predicament but prayed for none of these things. What did he pray for? Join us as we explore this short but beautiful and inspiring psalm together.

In this discussion of the Tabernacle, we move out to the outer court and address the two items found there - the bronze alter and the laver. What is the significance of these two items? And what spiritual significance do they hold for a disciple of Yeshua? What makes the laver so different from all the other furnishings of the Tabernacle? And what additional item was made for the alter in the book of Numbers? Join us for a lively discussion of these and other topics related to the Tabernacle.

In this episode of our Tabernacle discussions, we examine the table of showbread and the most ornate of all the furnishings - the golden menorah. Everything in the Tabernacle is completely symmetrical except for these two pieces which stand opposite one another. What do these two objects represent and what can we learn from them? There are deep truths contained here for our consideration. So step into the Holy Place with us and let's see what we can discover.

The Torah's description of the Tabernacle begins with its first two items of "furniture" - the Ark and the Ark Cover. Though we usually think of these as being one item, the Torah treats them as two. Why is that? But this is not the first ark mentioned in the Bible (and neither is Noah's ark, which is a completely different word). Do you know what the first ark is that is mentioned in the Bible? And what is the most important feature of the Ark? And how does the Ark cover picture God's divine pattern for mankind? We...

Why is the subject of the Tabernacle with all its details such a huge topic in the Bible? In fact, no topic in Scripture receives more attention. More than 50 chapters are devoted to it and the Temple! Beginning with this episode of Bread Crumbs, Robin and I have decided to do a deep dive into the Tabernacle and try to unlock its secrets. And why do we call this one "God's Shoe Leather"? Take a listen and find out.

For one reason or another, everyone we know fades away. Every relationship will eventually fail, whether through unfaithfulness, illness, death, or betrayal. Where can we find steadfastness in this transitory world with all its transitory relationships? Only in God Himself. That is the theme of this beautiful psalm - the glorious promise of God's eternal faithfulness.

This special teaching (and its peculiar title) was inspired by watching a YouTube video in which one online preacher criticized another accusing him of preaching "Law" in his sermon. This got my mental gears turning and ...well, the result is this short teaching. I hope you enjoy it!

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In this psalm, David uses five different things to describe God's faithful protection. What are these five things? And why are they listed in this order? We will also learn about the special vow made to God and how it may have resulted in the book of Psalms itself.

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The book of Exodus contains the Hebrew word for "save" only two times.  in fact, these are the first two times the word "save" is used in the Bible. Both instances involve Moses, but in two quite dissimilar scenarios. Come with us as we take a look at these two unique passages and see what we can learn about Messiah's two comings.

Did you ever feel like you were losing even when you were winning? David felt that way at times, too. In this psalm, he expresses this confusing feeling of loss even in the midst of victory. Join us for a look into this phenomenon and why it occurs.

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Several years ago, the Babylon Bee ran a parody newspaper article "Bible Lacking Sinner's Prayer Returned For Full Refund". The point they were trying to make is that what we proclaim as 'The Gospel' is quite different from what is actually found in the Bible. So, how exactly does the Bible define 'The Gospel'? Join us for a lively discussion that, we hope, will help you realize that the Gospel is even better news that we have been led to believe.

 We are all familiar with so many of David's psalms wherein he moans about the things he is going through and expresses despair and near hopelessness. This psalm could easily have been like one of these. But Psalm 59 has a different tone. Even though David has plenty of reason to be distressed - Saul's minions had surrounded his house to kill him, after all - David seems to have a deep sense of calm and assurance. Though the context of this psalm is tragic, David exudes peace. This psalm is quite beautiful and expresses a deep stillness in the e...

What is the difference between a brick and a stone? One can be substituted for the other. Right? (This is what the builders of the Tower of Babel did.) But in the Bible, it seems that God has an aversion for bricks. And, of course, the Israelites in Egypt did, too! Join our discussion about the spiritual lessons bricks and stones hold for us, and discover the profound connection between the Tower of Babel and the New Jerusalem.

During my travels in New Zealand (Nov.19 - Dec.9, 2024), I had the privilege to meet many fascinating people, some of whom I also got to interview and record their stories. In this interview, I would like to introduce you to Joshua Barry. I met Joshua and his family in 2016 and 2018 when visiting South Africa. In summer 2023, Joshua and his oldest son (Benjamin) visited the U.S. and we enjoyed hosting them for part of that their stay. Then early in 2024 Joshua invited me to come to New Zealand to teach at a number of Messianic communities in the north...

During my travels in New Zealand (Nov.19 - Dec.9, 2024), I had the privilege to meet many fascinating people, some of whom I also got to interview and record their stories. In this interview, I would like to introduce you to Tony Sears. Tony lives in Hawera, a lovely community not far from beautiful snow-capped Mount Taranaki. Tony's is a gripping story of miraculous deliverances as he ran from God, who would not let him go! It also illustrates the power of a mother's prayers for a son. So sit back and prepared to be blessed by Tony's testimony of...

Psalm 58 is a unique psalm which I call Song of the Sociopath. It describes the intractability of certain souls who resist the righteous path and are bent on persecuting the innocent. Such a person was King Saul's counselor, Abner, who, traditions teaches, was the inspiration for this psalm. (Read 1Samuel 26.) On a different note, this psalm is one of the most difficult to translate. Hence, I present here three translations: The English Standard Version, the Robert Alter translation, and the Artscroll Publishers translation. We should not be surprised that grappling this psalm is as difficult as understanding the twisted...

This is the sixth psalm (in a series of nine) where David prays for deliverance. But in this psalm, David does something completely different. Can you discover what it is? We also learn something fascinating about the Hebrew word for "dawn". We will learn about these and many other valuable insights in this short but powerful psalm.

Everyone knows the story of Noah and the Ark. But there are some details of the story that you may have missed, like the release of the raven, and then the dove, and then the dove again, and then the dove a third time. What is this all about? And what is God trying to teach us through this account of the birds? And what connection does Noah’s ark have with the Tabernacle? Join us for a lively discussion of these and other topics.

Psalm 56 begins a series of five psalms called "Michtams". It is uncertain what this term means, but it is somehow related to fine gold, thus making these "golden" psalms, or maybe David's favorite psalms. Psalm 56 is also the second psalm inspired by the time David disguised his sanity while behind enemy lines. (See also Psalm 34.) In this psalm David expresses his loneliness while under persecution. He set this psalm to a tune called "The Mute Dove of Distant Places". But, as David's powerful psalms often do, this one ends on a high note of hope in God.

What do you do when you discover that your closest friend on earth - a friend in whom you have confided for years - has secretly turned against you and is plotting to kill you? That is what David is dealing with in this psalm, and it echoes Yeshua's emotions when He was betrayed by Judas. This psalm also introduces us to the first two aspects of Jewish prayer as reflected by Paul in Philippians 4:6. Psalm 55 contains powerful lessons in how to deal with rebellion in one's inner circle and how to cast our cares upon the Lord.

This short psalm describes David's betrayal by the Ziphites - a mob of fellow Judeans - men who should have been loyal to their brother, David. Verses 1-3 are David's prayer for help; verses 4-7 are David's words of praise and commitment to God. A short, powerful psalm that teaches us to never give up hope even when there is not hope!

The Bible uses the word tziporen only two times. The first time, it is translated "fingernail" (Deuteronomy 21:12). The second time, it is translated as a "nib" of diamond on an iron pen. What might God be trying to teach us by these two odd appearances of this unique Hebrew word? Join us in this episode of The Hebrew Key to gain a beautiful insight into God's Word.

Throughout the Bible, the olive tree, the fig tree, and the grapevine are used as symbols of God's people. But why have these three (and a few others) when one should do?! Join us for a fascinating discussion of the unique properties of these three species of plant and the lessons that each has to teach us about our own lives and walk with God.

In Psalm 52 we discussed the wicked and villainous Doeg. But in this plans we ask the question, what makes a wicked person "tick"? What makes a villain a villain? But David, too, had committed the horrible sins of adultery and murder, and yet he is considered a righteous king - a prefiguring of King Messiah Himself. So, what is the difference between Doeg and David? Psalm 53 is almost identical to Psalm 14, but with some profound difference which provide some valuable insights into this question.

Psalms 51 and 52 form a pair. Both psalms resulted from a rather involved background story involving terrible sins, but the two sinners could not have been more different! David was the sinner in Psalm 51, and Doeg was the sinner in Psalm 52. How are they alike? And how are they profoundly different? What was it about Doeg that makes him one of the most despised and reviled characters in the entire Bible?

Our relationships are the only things we take from this world into the next. In this episode of Bread Crumbs, Robin and I discuss the only three real relationships a person can have, how they relate to one another, and how to keep them healthy. Life is relational, so let's try to get it right!

This additional episode to the four-part series Body-Soul-Spirit gathers some additional scriptural insights into this important topic. Here we will discuss the process of salvation - past, present & future - and how it corresponds to the spirit, soul and body. We will also look again at the two Hebrew words for 'soul' and what they reveal about our identity. How do our physical appetites affect our ability to grasp spiritual truths? We address these and other questions in this fascinating episode.

Psalm 51 is sometimes called The Chapter of Repentance. David composed this psalm when the prophet Nathan rebuked him regarding his sins against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. As tragic as David's sin was, it did result in a psalm that provides a path to proper repentance. In this study we will answer the question: is all sin the same? Why did David say that his sin was against God alone? What good did David hope would result from this dark chapter in his life? What part of this psalm has become of the daily prayer liturgy?

Asaph was the second most prolific psalmist, coming second only behind David. Psalm 50 is the first of the twelve psalms of Asaph, but why is it separated from the other eleven? Those are grouped together as Psalms 73-83. Why did the arrangers of the book of Psalms place this psalm of Asaph right here between Psalms 49 and 51? Join us as we look into Asaph's profound words about God's judgment of His people and the two kinds of sins each of us is prone to fall into.

The Scriptures frequently mention God's destruction of His enemies. Yet God's means of destruction may not be what you think! There are a dozen different Hebrew words for 'destroy' in the Bible, and they all have multiple shadings of meanings - shadings that affect the way the Bible uses them. Join us for a fascinating and enlightening journey through this important topic.

Do you find yourself fighting clutter in your living space? This is a familiar battle for many in this modern world. But do you also find your soul equally as cluttered? You may never have paused to think about it, but thoughts, emotions, urgencies, and myriad other things can clutter our souls to the point it is difficult to think straight and to find inner peace. Robin brings her years of experience as a home stager, professional organizer and redesigner to the topic of 'soul clutter' as we discuss strategies that carry over from our external world to our...