More about Messianic Era

Will the dead be raised before the Messianic Era or after the Messianic Era? This teaching on Revelation 20 distinguishes between the Days of the Messiah and the World to Come and between the first resurrection and the second resurrection. Important information for sorting out New Testament eschatology.

Inheritance of Jacob

The Sabbath Keeper is promised to "feed on the heritage of Jacob your father" (Isaiah 58:14). What is the "heritage of Jacob" and what is the relationship to Sabbath keeping? This teaching, a discussion of Isaiah 58:13-14 from Shabbat Vayeitzei 5777, wanders like a strange dream in many directions.

Let No One Judge You

Colossians 2 is often cited to prove that the Torah’s commands—especially dietary laws and calendar observances—are not incumbent upon a follower of Yeshua, whether Jew or Gentile. But abolishing the Torah would have a devastating effect on the Jewish people. Learn the true context of this apostolic teaching and find out how the Sabbath, Rosh Chodesh, and holidays foreshadow the coming Messianic Kingdom.

Back to the Future

Does the book of Revelation describe the future, the past, or the future of the past? Why did many people in the early church want to reject the book of Revelation? This teaching summarizes different interpretative approaches to the book and examines the early church's theological objections to the kingdom of heaven.

Fire on the Mountain

Is the God of the New Covenant a lot friendlier than the God of the Old Covenant? Conventional Christian teaching depicts the revelation of New Covenant in terms that contradict the image of a stern and fearsome God speaking from Mount Sinai. Was that the intention behind the comparison between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion in Hebrews 12?

Protos and Deuteros

Bible teachers often use Hebrews 9 as proof that the disciples of Yeshua abandoned the Old Testament rituals of Temple worship and sacrifices as vestiges of an old covenant that had been replaced by a new covenant. A closer look reveals an entirely different message. Hebrews 9 uses the layout of the Temple to present a mystical illustration of the passage from this world to the World to Come.

For more on sacrifices and the New Testament, see the First Fruits of Zion audio-teaching What About the New Covenant?.

The Resurrection of the Dead

What's the difference between the resurrection and going to heaven?

According to Hebrews 6:1-2, the resurrection of the dead is one of the six basic doctrines of Messianic faith. In this teaching, D. Thomas Lancaster takes a look at the apostolic hope in the resurrection, distinguishing between the resurrection of the righteous and the general resurrection. This is teaching number 25 in the Hebrews series and number 10 in special series on the elementary teachings of the Messiah.

Ten Testimonies

In the first two chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews, the writer of the epistle employs ten proof texts drawn from the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings to make his case that Messiah is more exalted than angels. In this teaching, D. Thomas Lancaster connects the dots between the ten passages to reveal the larger message.

A fast-paced, crash course weaving all over the Bible as we follow an apostolic midrash. This is a fun exploration of New Testament Era methods of Bible interpretation.

Enter My Rest

Three possible interpretations of Psalm 95:11 prepare us for understanding the discussion in Hebrews 3:7ff regarding the generation in the wilderness that did not enter into God's rest. An important preface to the Sabbath discussion of Hebrews 4.

Psalm 95:11 says, "Therefore I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" The Book of Hebrews quotes this verse and interprets it in three possible directions:

Better Promises

Does the New Covenant really have better promises than the old? What are the better promises? How well do you really know the new covenant?

The book of Hebrews says that the Messiah has obtained a more excellent priesthood than the Aaronic priesthood because he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). This discourse takes a closer look at the better promises of the new covenant as described in the prophecies of Jeremiah.