SCRIPTURES
FROM THE TANAKH.
These verses are
used throughout the articles on
‘HATIKVAH
FOR SECULAR JEWS’
They
are taken from the ‘New International Version’,
close
to other English Tanakhs.
First, you may like to check out this address for Scriptures taken from the Tanakh in Hebrew and English with 1-line explanations. These are just great!
Second, these are only a few verses from the Holy Scripture, the Tanakh, that you need to check out.
Remember that Scripture is often written in a poetic way – but the meanings are quite clear.
There is NO reason you cannot read and understand these for yourself. The Tanakh was meant to be actually read or heard ~ by all the people. Jeremiah gave instructions to his ‘secretary’ Baruk, “Read to all the people.” [36: 4 – 10.] Many people memorised them!
Third, These Scriptures we have listed here, are to match the statements and promises in the first seven articles, especially.
Some Scriptures are given within the actual article called 'Why You Are Here'.
You will find another set of Scriptures for the Future, 'For Jews Only' ~ but the exciting part is that they are different from the ones given at the end of this list! Plenty to think about!
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NOT ‘RELIGION’ – BUT A HEART ATTITUDE ~
See
article ‘Do
You Hate Religion’?
“But
the LORD said to Sh’muel/ Samuel, ‘Do not consider his
appearance… ADONAI does not look at the things man looks at.
Man looks at the outward appearance, but ADONAI looks at the heart.“1
Samuel 16: 7. Our heart attitudes matter most.
There is no actual evidence that Abraham ‘The
Father of the Jewish race’ was told to keep any of the
Commandments, given much later on by God to Moshe. You see, God spoke
directly to Abraham with both His promises, [Genesis 12: 2 and 3] and
His first instruction. “Leave your country… people…
and Father’s house, and go to the Land I will show you.”
Then in verse 4 ~ “So Abram left, as the LORD told him.”
Later, in Genesis 17: 1, “ADONAI appeared to him and
said, ‘I AM God Almighty’ [Hb. El-Shaddai] ‘walk
before Me and be holy’.” It would not be like the God
of Abraham, not to make what that meant clear perhaps in words,
(which are not recorded in the book of Genesis) or even by a deep
impression in his mind and heart. God knew He would make the specific
commandments known to the whole NATION at the right time and place!
Our heart attitude of Trust in God
is shown by taking God at His word. That is why when Abram was
given the promises of the birth of Isaac, it says, “Abram
believed the LORD, and He credited to him as
righteousness.”
Genesis 15: 6. Over and over in the
Tanakh God takes more notice of the heart attitude of people even
when they have done very wrong things, like King David in Psalm
51.
For a list of 40 Beliefs any Jew
can adopt for themselves, see: 'Good
Foundations are Best'.
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ABOUT ISRAEL AND BEING JEWISH ~
See
‘I’m
Glad I’m Jewish, but….’
and,
‘What’s
So Special About being Jewish’.
ISRAEL
CHOSEN –
Moshe said to Israel: “The
LORD… Is He not your Father, your Creator, who made you and
formed you? …. For the LORD’s portion is His People,
Jacob, His allotted inheritance”. From Deuteronomy ch 32,
Moshe's last address before his death. Sometimes God talks through
him. This is very important chapter, to read as if Moshe was writing
to you personally as a Jewish person!
ISRAEL,
GOD’S TREASURE! –
“The
LORD your God has chosen you to be His treasured *
possession. The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose
you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were
the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you
and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers…. Know
therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God,
keeping His Covenant of love to a thousand generations of
those that love Him and keep His commandments.” From
Deuteronomy 7: 6 – 9. *This is very rare word in the
Tanakh!
ISRAEL ‘COMMISSIONED’
This was a VERY special event in the life of Jacob,
grandson of the founders of the race, Abraham, and Isaac – born
by a miracle. No-one had ever heard the Name of ‘ISRAEL’
until this special night when Jacob found himself wrestling with a
Special Man representing God. “So Jacob was left alone. And
a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. And when the Man saw He could
not overpower Jacob, He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip…
Then the Man said ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak’. But
Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless You bless
me’. The Man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ -
‘Jacob’ he answered. Then the Man said, ‘Your name
will no longer be Jacob, but Isra’el, because you have
struggled with God and with men and have overcome’.”
Genesis 32: 24
[Note this was one of a number of
times, God had contact with people (like Moshe and Gideon, etc) in
the form of a human man. God can do anything He thinks is right and
holy, we just have to trust Him.]
CALLED
‘JEWS’ –
From the time of the exile
in Babylon around 460 BCE as the story of Esther, (Hebrew: Hadassah)
shows. “Do not think that because you are in the king’s
house, you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you
remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews
will arise from another place… And who knows but that you have
come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther
4:12 –14. See also reference to Jews in Nehemiah 4:1.
NOT
MEANT TO BE LIKE ANY OTHER NATION
God spoke prophecies
through a man called Balam “I see a People [Israel] who live
apart, and do not consider themselves to be one of the nations.”
Numbers 23: 9. Inside every true Jew is this understanding, that
they are ‘different’, because ‘chosen’. Moshe
included in his final blessing to the Nation the words, “So
Israel will live in safety –alone.” Deuteronomy
33: 28.
ISRAEL WILL ALWAYS
EXIST!
After
listing the sun, moon, stars and sea waves made by ADONAI El Shaddai,
He says, “’Only if these decrees vanish from My sight…
will the descendants of Israel, ever cease to be a nation before Me…
Only IF the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the
Earth below searched out ~ will I reject all the descendants of
Israel, [inspite of] all they have done’, declares the LORD”.
Jeremiah 31: 35… [See similar verse below*]
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ABOUT GOD ~
See Discussion paper about God,
here.
GOD
OF ISRAEL.
It is interesting that 100’s of times
in the Torah the phrase “The LORD your (or our) God” is
used, yet only 3 times in Exodus does it refer to ‘the God of
Israel’. Yet once the people were in the Land (with other
nations around) 13 times in the 1st 22 chapters of Joshua,
comes this name, ‘The LORD GOD of Israel’, then later in
Judges, and of course in other places. For Jews to not know about the
privilege of having the God of the Universe, as their special God, is
very sad.
King David knew exactly Who His God was. Psalm 68
is a one of many songs he wrote and ends with the words, “Sing
to God, O kingdoms of the Earth, sing praise to the Lord, to Him Who
rides the ancient skies above… Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel… You are awesome, O God, in your
Sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His People.
Praise be to God!”
HOLY ONE
OF ISRAEL –
This title is also in the Tanakh a
number of times. Isaiah uses this name as in 54: 5. “For
your Maker is your husband, the LORD Almighty is His Name – the
Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the ‘God of
all the Earth’.” That is wonderful!
*GOD
WHO NEVER LIES – ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD.
“God
is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should
change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He not promise
and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19, and in Malachi 3:6, “I,
ADONAI, do not change. So you, oh descendants of Jacob, are not
destroyed.”
GOD NEVER GIVES
UP ON ISRAEL –
"Because
of the LORD’S great love, we are not consumed, for His
compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your
faithfulness.” Lam. 3:22 and 23.
GOD
PLEADS FOR JEWS TO LOOK TO HIM –
“This
is what ADONAI says – Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I
AM the LORD your God, Who teaches you what is best for you, Who
directs you in the way that you should go. IF ONLY you had paid
attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river…’.”
Moshe foretold about the Diaspora, but he said; “If
from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you look
for Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Deuteronomy/D’varim. 4: 29 ~ See next verse below.
BUT
GOD IS THERE FOR YOU -
This is the verse next to the
one above – ready for when a bad time comes. “When you
are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in
the later days”, [now – in the 21st C for
the nation of Israel], “You will return to the LORD your God
and obey Him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not
abandon or destroy you or forget the Covenant with your
forefathers, which He confirmed to them by an oath.” Jews
sure are a blest people!
GOD WANTS
PEOPLE TO SEEK HIM [12 times] FOR BLESSINGS!
Here are
2: “Those that seek the LORD, lack no good thing”
Psalm 34:10
Also: “If My People who are called by My
name, [Isra’EL] will humble themselves and pray and seek My
Face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven
and will forgive their sins and will heal their Land.” 2
Chronicles 7:14.
GOD WILL DO GREAT
THINGS FOR ISRAEL!
“’For I know the
plans I have for you’ declares ADONAI, ‘Plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then
you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen. You
will seek Me and find Me when you seek for Me with all your heart’.”
Jeremiah 29:11 – 13. And this is only one of many great
promises for Jewish people!
ISRAEL
WILL ALWAYS HAVE HIS LOVING CARE –
Isaiah 43: 1
and 5 –7 “But now, this is what ADONAI says, He Who
created you, O Jacob, He Who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not
for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name; you are Mine’.”
[Note; God uses ‘Jacob’ and ‘Israel’
often.] God said [in Zechariah 2: 8], “Whoever touches you,
touches the apple of His eye.”
ONLY
THE GOD OF ISRAEL KNOWS AND TELLS THE FUTURE.
Isaiah
46: 10. "I AM God, and there is no other; I AM God and there
is none like ME. I make known the end from the beginning, from
ancient times, what is still to come. I say 'My Purpose will stand
and I will do all that I please. Listen to Me you stubborn-hearted,
you who are far from righteousness. I AM bringing My righteousness
near. It is not far away and My salvation will NOT be delayed. I
will grant salvation to Zion, My splendour to Israel'."
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ISRAEL AND FORETOLD EVENTS ~
As
in article; ‘What’s
So Special about being Jewish?’
PAST
AND PRESENT PROPHECIES FULFILLED FOR ISRAEL AND JEWS.
Many
of these are in Ezekiel 34 and 36, and Jeremiah 31, and scattered
through the Prophetic books.
THE
‘BIRTH’ OF MODERN ISRAEL, IN ONE DAY.
“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth;
before the pains [of war] came upon her, she delivers a son. Who has
ever heard such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a
Country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a
moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her
children. ‘Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give
delivery?’ says ADONAI.” This is from Isaiah 66, but
you should read from chapter 60. It’s great!
BACK
IN THEIR LAND AFTER 2,500 YEARS –
Ezekiel wrote
this in chapter 36. “I will take you out of the nations; for
I will bring you back into your own Land.” Amos
9: 15 says, “’I will plant Israel in their own
Land, never again to be uprooted from the Land I have given
them’, says the LORD your God.”
*RETURNED
FROM THE ENTIRE WORLD.
Isaiah
41:9, “I took you from the ends of the Earth, from its
farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have
chosen you and have not rejected you.” [There are more
Scriptures in the Tanakh that emphasise this!]
ISRAEL
TO BECOME PROSPEROUS.
Ezekiel
36: 8 – 11. " But you, O mountains of Israel,
will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will
soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you
with favour; you will be ploughed and sown, and I will multiply the
number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns
will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number
of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become
numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make
you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the
LORD.
HEBREW LANGUAGE
RESTORED.
“Then
will I purify the lips of the peoples that all of them may call on
the Name of the LORD and serve Him, shoulder to shoulder.”
Zephaniah 2:9, and it also has 2 meanings – clean and
respectful words to and about God. “The remnant of Israel
will do no wrong; they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found
in their mouths.” Verse 13. [This is a cute little book to
read!]
Most people believe that the meaning of the words is
that the Hebrew language would be revived! [‘Chai’ for
sure!]
ISRAEL WOULD BECOME A
BURDEN (bother) FOR OTHER NATIONS ONE DAY! [Like now.]
“The
LORD Who stretches out the Heavens, Who lays the foundations of the
Earth, and Who formes the spirit of man within him, declares: ‘I
am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding
peoples reeling’. [Drunk!]… “I will
make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the other nations. All who
try to move it will injure themselves’.” Zechariah
12., we believe this is exactly what is happening now and has since
the 1967 war if not before!
ENEMIES
WOULD VOW TO ELIMINATE ISRAEL.
“They
plot against those You cherish. ‘Come’ they say, ‘let
us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no
more’. Psalm 83.
GOD
WILL DEAL WITH ALL ISRAEL’S ENEMIES.
Psalm
76 is only one place of many Scriptures that this is
described. “He broke the flashing arrows [missiles?] …
the weapons of war. Let all the neighbouring lands bring gifts to the
One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers; He is feared by the
kings of the Earth.” This has happened, perhaps far more
than Israel knows, but it will be far truer in the future.
[We
will be writing a paper about future military
actions against
Israel later. Israel will not lose!]
Again, we emphasis these
verses we have
given you, only represent so many more!
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ISRAEL’S FUTURE ~
These
Scriptures go with the article: ‘For
Jews Only’
FUTURE
PROPHECIES FOR ISRAEL and JEWS, ONLY.
[See paper on this
topic here]
ALL
JEWS RETURN TO ISRAEL.
“I
will take you out of the nations; I will gather you back from all the
countries and bring you back into your own Land.’ Ezekiel
36:24 and 39: 28, “When I have brought them back from the
nations and gathered from the countries of their enemies… Then
they will know that I AM ADONAI their God… I will gather them
to their own Land NOT leaving any behind.” Time
to pack?
A NEW EXODUS MIRACLE. –
“’The days
are coming’, declares ADONAI, ‘when people will no longer
say ~ As surely as the LORD lives Who brought the Israelites up out
of the land of Egypt ~ BUT they will say ~As surely as the LORD
lives, Who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of
the North and out of all the countries where He had banished
them. Then they will live in their own Land’.”
Jeremiah 23: 7 and 8.
LAND SIZE
DOUBLED –
Isaiah
61: 7. “Instead of their shame, My people will receive a
double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their I
heritance; so they will inherit a double portion in their Land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs!” Many people
place this in the ‘Olam ha ba’ – the ‘world
to come’, but as Israel has NEVER actually owned ALL the Land
God promised to them several times, [Joshua 1: 4 is one], it seems
this would bring great glory to God, HERE in this world like it
is!
ISRAEL WILL TAKE OVER THE
LANDS OF THEIR ENEMIES.
Isaiah
54: 3. “For you will spread out to the right and to the
left; your descendants will dispossess nations, and settle in their
desolate cities.” [Since this was written about 2,500 years
ago, and it has never happened before now, it is possible today’s
Jews will fulfill this promise. It also fits in with other prophesied
events.]
NO
OTHER NATION TO SHARE THE LAND.
“This
what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘In My burning zeal I have spoken
against the rest of the nations… for with glee and with malice
in their hearts they made MY land their own possession so that
they might plunder its pastureland’.” Ezekiel 36:
5.
SECURITY.
“The people will
be secure in their Land. They will know that I AM the LORD, when I
break the bars of their yoke, [Fear] and rescue them from the
hands of those who enslaved them. They will no longer be plundered by
the nations… They will live in safety and no one will make
them afraid.” From Ezekiel 34: 27 and 28, but
there are many other prophecies like this in the Tanakh.
FAMILIES
WITH ROOM TO LIVE! –
“But
you O mountains of Israel… I will multiply the number of
people upon you, even the whole House of Israel. The towns
will be inhabited and the ruins, rebuilt. I will increase the number
of men and animals upon you and they will be fruitful and become
numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make
you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I AM the LORD.
I will cause people to walk upon you, they will posses you, and you
will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their
children.” Ezekiel 36: 8 – 12.
NO
MORE ABORTIONS OR ACCUSATIONS FROM ANMESTY, ETC.
“This
what the Sovereign LORD says, ‘Because people say to you, “you
devour your men and deprive your nation of its children”
therefore you will no longer devour your men [in wars] or make
your nation childless. Ezekiel 36:13-14.
NO
MORE COMPLAINTS FRON THE UNO.
“No
longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations and no longer
will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to
fall’, declares the Sovereign LORD. From Ezekiel 36:
15.
PROSPERITY
IN EVERY WAY.
“The
LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all
her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like
the garden of the LORD.” Isaiah 51: 3. Also read the
whole of Isaiah 54! It covers all the above.
ISRAEL
IN GLORIOUS LIGHT, WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD IS IN DARKNESS and
TROUBLE!
“Arise
[Israel] Shine! For your Light has come and the Glory of the LORD
rises upon you. [But] See darkness covers the Earth, and thick
darkness [of terrible trouble] is over the peoples, but the
LORD rises upon you, and His glory rises upon you!” Isaiah
60: 1 – 3, and this entire chapter flicks between events in
this world and the next one – ‘Olam ha ba’. [Se
next note below.]
ISRAEL
A BEAUTIFUL HAPPY and HOLY NATION.
Isaiah
‘paints’ a lovely picture in chapter 62. We give some
here.
“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for
Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, until her
righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing
torch… No longer will they call you ‘deserted’, or
your Land ‘desolate’, but you will be called ‘My
delight is in her’ [Hb. Hephzibah] and your land ‘married’
[Beulah] for ADONAI will take delight in you, and your Land will be
‘married’.
ABOUT
A SERVANT LEADER FOR ISRAEL TO BE A BLESSING TO THE WORLD!
Isaiah
42; 6. "I, ADONAI have called You in righteousness; I will
take hold of Your hand. I will keep You and make You to be a covenant
for the people and a Light to the Gentiles."
THEN
ISRAEL WILL JOIN WITH OTHER NATIONS ALSO TO BE A BLESSING TO THE
WORLD.
Isaiah 19: 25. "In
that Day, Israel will be the third along with Egypt and Assyria a
blessing on the Earth. ADONAI Almighty will bless them,
saying, 'Blessed be Egypt My People, Assyria My handiwork, and Israel
My inheritance." Now that will need an Almighty God, to make
it happen, won't it?
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Please
note that all the above Scriptures may also
be relevant to other
articles on this web site.
ALSO
WE HAVE PREPARED A SPECIAL ARTICLE OF FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS FOR
SINCERE JEWISH PEOPLE, NOT ASSOCIATED WITH OUTWARD RITUALS IN ANY
WAY.
THEY COULD BE THE START OF YOUR SEACH FOR REAL TRUTH,
IN
THE TANAKH, SPECIFICALLY.
You can find it here.
As
always with any of these ‘Discussion Papers’ you are
welcome to contact
us
with your comments or questions.