The Wedding Feast (~19.49) - Moriel Ministries

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Moriel Japan 2009 Geoff Toole moriel japan Greetings in Jesus name from Moriel Japan, We are grateful to God that our son Baruch, who was born at 780 grams, is now 5 kilos and doing fine. Thanks to everyone for your prayers. Our first newsletter is completed and we have begun mailing it to all the churches which are listed in the directory around Hyogo and Osaka. Thanks to some good advice from Phil Cavanaugh in Queensland, we were able to buy a good laser printer which has saved us a lot of money on ink and is making the job a lot easier. We are planning to send the second newsletter in early 2010, and hopefully from that some churches will open their doors to Moriel in the near future. Earlier this year in August, Daisuke (our Moriel Japan Translator) and I went to Mindoro in the Philippines. A local pastor and area supervisor for the Foursquare Churches, and a pastors fraternal from various denominations invited us to speak on midrash and discernment. At some risk to his standing in the denomination, this pastor gave us platform to speak clearly on not only midrash but the purpose driven agenda, ecumenism, the faith prosperity gospel, modern ‘spiritual warfare’ and what scripture teaches on these topics. The hearts and minds of many were opened to see the truth after so long believing in many popular errors. Question time was vibrant (and long). All together perhaps fifty or so pastors attended representing perhaps thirty churches. Some were offended, some were challenged and some stood up and made a public stand against many of the false doctrines popularly taught in that area. It was encouraging to see people so interested in the bible through Moriel teaching, but a little disheartening how widespread the error has become. One comment which has stuck with me was that many were impressed in that they could attended a seminar based on no books, but the bible. Something which they are apparently not used to. As a result of this seminar we have plans to establish some mini libraries (courtesy of David Lister) in different towns where pastors or lay people can have free access to Jacob’s books, audios and DVDs. I feel that a simple concordance in each church would serve a greater purpose than anything. Most pastors there are relying on the condensed concordance in the back of their bible. The same pastor recently invited us, or any Moriel speakers, back next year, to give the seminar on the next island. If anyone feels the call, let me know! I am planning to get back there in 2010 if possible. Here in Japan life goes on. We are still slowly making our way through the translation of the sermons on the Moriel website, homeschooling and running our small fellowship. Now (November) the cold weather is coming and our time to street witness is limited. One homeless man has accepted a weekly bible study under his bridge. Praise the Lord. Your prayers are always greatly appreciated. Pray with us that the newsletter and Moriel Japan website will find open hearts and open doors for Jacob and David when they come next time. In Christ. Geoff Geoff does Bible studies with him . . . Geoff, Fumie and Kids in garden Daisuke (Moriel Japan translator) a teaching trip in the Philippines Yutos River baptism Hiroshi (homeless) Keikos Beach baptism 36 Moriel Quarterly • December 2009
Hanukkah Story wikipedia.org The Feast of dedication ... John 8:2 – Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Hanukkah Hanukkah (Hebrew: hkwnj , pronounced [‘χanuka], also spelled Chanukah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash (Hebrew: “guard” or “servant”) is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting the others, and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The Story Around 200 BC Jews lived as an autonomous people in the Land of Israel, also referred to as Judea, which at that time was controlled by the Seleucid king of Syria. The Jewish people were originally granted religious freedom but after their revolt against the Hellenists, Epiphanes was angered. By 175 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign, the Temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167 BC Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. As was the normal practice of the Hellenic religion when sacrificing to the Greek gods, pigs were sacrificed on the altar to Zeus. Antiochus’s actions proved to be a major miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi (“Judah the Hammer”). By 166 BC Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BC the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated. The festival of Hanukkah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this event. After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud, olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle. The version of the story in 1 Maccabees, on the other hand, states that an eight day celebration of songs and sacrifices was proclaimed upon rededication of the altar, and makes no mention of the miracle of the oil. A number of historians believe that the reason for the eight day celebration was that the first Hanukkah was in effect a belated celebration of the festivals of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. During the war the Jews were not able to celebrate Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret properly; the combined festivals also last eight days, and the Sukkot festivities featured the lighting of lamps in the Temple (Suk. v. 2-4). The historian Josephus mentions the eight-day festival and its customs, but does not tell us the origin of the eight day lighting custom. Given that his audience was Hellenized Romans, perhaps his silence on the origin of the eight-day custom is due to its miraculous nature. In any event, he does report that lights were kindled in the household and the popular name of the festival was, therefore the “Festival of Lights” (“And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights”). It has also been noted that the number eight has special significance in Jewish theology, as representing transcendence and the Jewish People’s special role in human history. Seven is the number of days of creation, that is, of completion of the material cosmos, and also of the classical planets. Eight, being one step beyond seven, represents the Infinite. Hence, the Eighth Day of the Assembly festival, mentioned above, is according to Jewish Law a festival for Jews only (unlike Sukkot, when all peoples were welcome in Jerusalem). Similarly, the rite of brit milah (circumcision), which brings a Jewish male into God’s Covenant, is performed on the eighth day. Hence, Hanukkah’s eight days (in celebration of monotheistic morality’s victory over Hellenistic humanism) have great symbolic importance for practicing Jews. December 2009 • Moriel Quarterly 37
Page 1 and 2: "MORIEL" GOD IS MY TEACHER December
Page 3 and 4: State of Moriel 2009 S T A T E O F
Page 5 and 6: of wedlock. How dishonoring to Jesu
Page 7 and 8: There was a book written in the 197
Page 9 and 10: …they paid no attention and went
Page 11 and 12: dinner guests, he saw a man there w
Page 13 and 14: ‘For I will pour out water on the
Page 15 and 16: The third day always alludes to a r
Page 17 and 18: Danny Isom Guest Author M a t h e w
Page 19 and 20: Paul M c Guire Guest Author DEATH O
Page 21 and 22: FYI PERTINENT “ ” October 4, 20
Page 23 and 24: Hebrew Lesson The water of life is
Page 25 and 26: Hebrews 6:1-2. This week he was tea
Page 27 and 28: who does a good job with a lack of
Page 29 and 30: 68:6 tells us that God places the s
Page 31 and 32: culture, food and people - but she
Page 33 and 34: Ruth Nessim Israel Update from CJFM
Page 35: urgency? The news we get from Israe
Page 39: The Town Halls: This is a Spiritual

The Wedding Feast (~19.49) - Moriel Ministries

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