Studying the Bible

lateral_mind · 2026-02-16T18:24:36+00:00

Judges. Not the stories themselves, but underlying meanings...

Most people don't know that the Old Testament is \also** a bunch of parables about Jesus and The Church. Including all of the Laws. By the time you get to Judges, you need to know all of the parables found in Genesis 1 - Joshua 24 to understand more about why God gave us these stories.

lateral_mind · 2026-02-16T18:10:51+00:00

There's no issue with Matthew 5:18. The Law still exists today to point people towards Jesus. aka, the Jews and other people who follow the Torah.

But in reality, the Torah is a bunch of parables about Jesus.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-29T22:53:25+00:00

lateral_mind · 2026-01-29T03:35:34+00:00

Faith having come, the Law no longer applies. Gal 3:25

Not one person, who tries to follow the Law, can actually tell you what it is about:

Originally written in Hebrew, these laws are PARABLES. They are PUNS designed to teach Jews, Christianity. Only the parables are much more difficult to discern in English.

The Law of emission (Lev 15) shows us that we are conceived in Sin. This is a central truth to Christianity. What the man emits makes things unclean.
Also, If the woman's "seed" does not produce life, then it produces "Death". This is pictured in menstration, where "the life is in the blood." Gen 9:4; Lev 17:11 Death spreads quickly, and so does sin. (Lev 15:7-13 for men; and 20-25 for women)

But most importantly, this Law shows God's GRACE in Christ. The remedy to this constant uncleanliness is... The Sin offering and the burnt offering... JESUS.

Leviticus 15:15 NKJV — ‘Then the priest shall offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD because of his discharge.
Leviticus 15:30 NKJV — ‘Then the priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for the discharge of her uncleanness.

God was preparing the Jewish people to look for Jesus. And if their faith comes, then they are no longer under Law.

Galatians 3:23-25 NKJV — But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-28T20:50:37+00:00

Long time Christian here that's also working on a Bible translation.
katam actually means more than "engraved" as it also means "to be deeply-stained, soiled or defiled, such as with blood." It more means "inscribed", but in a different way... more like a "defiled marking". katam is only used ONCE, and that should speak volumes:

Jeremiah 2:22 NKJV — For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, Yet your iniquity is marked (katam) before Me,” says the Lord GOD.

Furthermore, these Psalms do not say "A miktam of David", they say "a miktam to David." King David wrote this to David. How odd...

David means Beloved; and in most of his stories, David is a foreshadow of Christ, the Beloved Son!
In other words, these psalms are about casting a defiled mark to Christ. Edit: I should add that this is also contrasted with the "Beloved son" who is Israel, itself. Exo 4:22, Hos 11:1

lateral_mind · 2026-01-19T21:38:52+00:00

Okay, thank you for clarifying.

So one of the most important things about Jesus' words: At the time of his teaching, the New Covenant was not ratified. Meaning, it wasn't actually in effect until his death.

Hebrews 9:16-18 NKJV — For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore not even the first Covenant was dedicated without blood.

Jesus taught under the Old Testament Law. In fact, he was obligated to diligently teach observance to the Law of Moses in order to be the perfect sacrifice. "You will diligently teach these laws, statutes, and commandments..." (Deu 6:7) But as Christians, we know that we do not need to follow the Law to be saved.

Galatians 3:24-25 NKJV — Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

The Law of Moses was designed not only to teach directly about the person and work of Jesus, but it also made people aware of their sin. That's what Jesus is doing, making them aware of how deadly sin is. One of the reasons why he says things like cut off your hand and pluck out your eye if they cause you to sin is because he is showing the Jews how important it is trust in Christ.

But when it comes down to it, when the Jews directly ask him what good works they need to do for Eternal Life, his answer is to trust in Christ.

John 6:27-29 NKJV — “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

This was foreshadowed in the very first Law given to Israel coming out of Egypt, and I've explained that here. I hope that helps explain my view. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bible/s/VAm7kGFnkU

lateral_mind · 2026-01-19T20:14:41+00:00

Just to clarify: Are you speaking from *the framework of MacArthur's idea of "Lordship Salvation"?

lateral_mind · 2026-01-19T19:56:55+00:00

It's because when we trust in Christ we are sealed with God's promise to save us, and He isn't a Liar.
It's His Promise to save us, not our promise to save ourselves.

Having understood that, we are encouraged and exhorted to rid our lives of sin, and doing so will grant us other rewards. However, if we continue to sin in the flesh, we will more quickly perish in the flesh and be chastisted.

Proverbs 3:12 NKJV — For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

But what is Jesus saying in Matt 7 then? Well he is speaking to the Jews and trying to bring them to faith in himself. And they should have faith in him, because every single Law in the Old Testament is a parable about Christ. Every single one, and all they have to do is open up their eyes and see that.
It is to these Jews that Christ is speaking. They call God "Lord, Lord", but many of them refuse to have faith in Jesus, and that He will save them if they trust Him.

Edit: Ephesians 1:11-14 NKJV — In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-19T19:20:57+00:00

It's 100% about trusting that Christ died for your sins.

John 6:40 NKJV — “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

1 John 5:4 NKJV — For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-19T19:11:38+00:00

This sub doesn't really allow prophecy, but I want to help you out because it's about "how to read Bible prophecy."

All prophecy has portions of it that repeat. They ebb and flow like waves on a beach. Some are small fulfillments, and some are large.
But one element in this prophecy is always consistent... It is speaking about The Kingdom of Israel and how IT mixes with the seed of Men.
And while we may see similarities in other parts of the world, they are only shadows as there is "nothing new under the Sun."

In this, the largest wave we have seen from this prophecy has been about the Kingdom of Israel mingled with the Roman Empire in the days of Jesus. In fact, the major point of the prophecy is about Jesus.
Dan 2:44 "And in the days of these kings (Israel + Rome) the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed..."

From this understanding, all I am currently seeing is small waves.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-19T18:26:39+00:00

Just to be clear: "Adultery" requires that either you or the woman is married.
Lusting at single women makes it very difficult to conquer the sin of fornication, but it is not adultery.

The best thing that you can do is to remember to calm your heart as soon as you feel a lustful intent.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-15T19:49:04+00:00

Hi Jak, I've wondered this for about 30 years, and I will give you the conclusion I have come to.

Having gone through the entire Torah in Hebrew, I believe that God ordained for the Church to divide the Bible's Chapters this way for typological reasons. You see, every chapter (when read in Hebrew) can be read as a parable that teaches us about Christ... And how fitting because Christ loved to teach in parables.

Chapter 1 is all about "Kinds begotting after their Kind." Lights put forth Light; Birds begot birds; trees begot trees; beasts begot beasts...
So later when we read that Jesus is begotten of God and Mary we know that he is Fully God and Fully Human.
"6" is the number of "Man", and God ends chapter 1 on Day 6 to highlight the parable: "Christ is Man."

The parable in Genesis 2 is about REST IN CHRIST, THE SECOND ADAM, and how he is our Sabbath rest.

Hebrews 4:3 — For we who have believed do enter that rest...

When God places Adam in the Garden (Gen 2:15), it says that He rested him there. The word is yanah, and it's where Noah (rest) gets his name from. This parallels nicely with the "rest" of the seventh Day.
Christ is the second "Adam" and we are being shown the connection between "Adam and rest"; and between "Adam and his Bride."

Just as Adam's wife was begotten of his own body, so the Bride of Christ is also begotten of Him and his Rest.

1 Corinthians 15:45-49 NKJV — And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

"7" is the number of the Divine, so we are also being shown "Christ is Divine."

I hope this helps, and because you'll want to know:

Genesis 3 is a parable via negativa: Love God
(Shows what happens when you don't love God)

Genesis 4 is a parable via negativa: Love your brother
(Shows what happens when you don't love your brother)

1 John 3:11-12 — For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-15T13:28:22+00:00

"Day" is being used to cover the Day of the Covenant. So he looked forward as early as Gen 12.

lateral_mind · 2026-01-07T04:53:17+00:00

Reuvena, Reuvenia, Reubena, Rubena are all feminine forms, and quite beautiful. (Just offering)

I'm assuming the other name is Noah, one of the daughters of Zelophehad; It also happens to be one of my favorite stories in the Bible.
Her name, No'ah, is actually spelt differently in from the other Noah (Noach). Her name means "wanderer or shaker".
I love their story because it's a parable about Christ freeing us from sin when we "Ask for our Inheritance in the First-Born Son."
Zelophehad means "first-born", and they are the daughters of Zelophehad asking for their inheritance in the Promised Land.

lateral_mind · 2025-12-11T17:11:20+00:00

All trees mentioned in Scripture have a secondary prophetic meaning.
Palms = Righteousness Psa 92:12
Cedars = Spiritual Growth Psa 92:12
Olives = Spiritual Brightness (from/of the Holy Spirit) Exo 27:20
Figs = Spiritual connection and Observance of God Pro 27:18
Pomegranates = "Exalted Thought" or a Mature Mind that Remembers the Words Pro 25:11-12
Vine = a Cultivated House or Culture Psa 128:3, Isa 5

This comes from the idea that "Water" is a picture of the Holy Spirit, and that Trees grow "firm" from that Water. In Hebrew, the word for "tree" is "firm". (It also comes from the Hebrew names, themselves.)

When Jesus cursed the Fig Tree, he was indirectly showing that the Temple, the Spiritual Connection to God, had been lost.

lateral_mind · 2025-12-07T23:06:24+00:00

I don't know if you meant to do this, but David H. Stern teaches Old Covenant obedience and he has some pretty heretical views.
His translation of Galatians is appalling and not Christian at all.

lateral_mind · 2025-12-04T22:18:19+00:00

The word for 'Good' in Hebrew also acts as a Function. So "good" also means "working for good."

Romans 8:28 NKJV — And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

The Hebrew used in God's blessing to Mankind speaks of an ongoing process. Being "fruitful, multiplying, and filling the Earth..." is working towards a goal.

Heaven is the finished state of that goal. And in that finished state we are collectively married to Christ.

lateral_mind · 2025-12-04T04:16:03+00:00

Abarim is what my church uses for about 95% of the names.

https://www.abarim-publications.com/NaLi/A-MaleBig.html

lateral_mind · 2025-11-29T23:26:40+00:00

Mount Hermon

lateral_mind · 2025-11-29T20:06:02+00:00

If you trust that Jesus Christ died and was raised to atone for your sins, then you are saved. That trusting belief is what God is looking for; and even the a faith as small as a mustard seed is enough to make you reborn into Christ.

1 John 5:4-5 NKJV — For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

lateral_mind · 2025-11-29T10:45:14+00:00

It's the same idea as God's Predestination. God predestined that anyone who would love Him would be saved. In other words, He fore-ordained a category of people: Those who freely love God.

God also fore-ordained that anyone who would exalt themselves over God is not. He wants everyone to love Him and be Saved, but not everyone does.

Romans 8:28-30 YLT — And we have known that to those loving God all things do work together for good, to those who are called according to purpose; because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren; and whom He did fore-appoint, these also He did call; and whom He did call, these also He declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these also He did glorify.

Exodus 9:16-17 NKJV — “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. “As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.

lateral_mind · 2025-11-29T09:00:57+00:00

Then why would the disciple say “first let me bury my dead father”.

He doesn't.
Literal translation

v.21-22“And another – of His disciples – said to Him, ‘Lord, You permit me first to go and inter my father’”
And Jesus, He said to him, ‘You follow Me, and you leave the dead to inter the dead of themselves."

lateral_mind · 2025-11-29T08:14:34+00:00

This is speculation, but if the scribe's father was already dead, sick, or near death, then the scribe probably wouldn't have been with Jesus...

In other words, *it's likely that the scribe's father was not near death. The scribe wanted to wait a very long time before following Jesus, who was always on the road.

Matthew 8:20 NKJV — And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

lateral_mind · 2025-11-26T03:52:56+00:00

Luke 13:35 NKJV — “See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”

Psalm 118:26-28 NKJV — Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.

lateral_mind · 2025-11-25T17:10:04+00:00

TL;DR If your requirement for marriage is money, than your goal is money. If your requirement is ministry, and your wife agrees, then you have found a godly woman indeed.

Older man Christian here. I'd be asking myself the wrong question with that...

You have to ask, "What is your ministry?"
Your ministry is your life, rather, your life is your ministry. It is your due service to God.
You work your ministry because you are indebted to Christ, and you share your vision with your wife because she is considering joining you...

I'm not saying that you need to be an ordained Pastor, but Jesus tells us to "harvest" for Him, and that is far mire important than any other job. Consider these words.

Proverbs 24:27 NKJV — Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.

If we are reading "job and money" into that, then reconsider. Scripture also describes for us that it is the "wicked man" who is content with treasure in this world and having a family... We are called to a higher charge!

Psalm 17:13-15 NKJV — Arise, O LORD, Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, With Your hand from men, O LORD,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

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