Noah – A Patriarch’s Curse

by Brian S. Somers

Some years have gone by after the flood waters receded and Noah’s family exited the ark. They had adapted to the post-flood climate, and it was harsher than in the antediluvian period. With eight people to provide for, and more on the way, food was a necessity, and Noah became a farmer. We are not told what occupations Shem, Ham and Japheth took, but, undoubtedly, the younger men helped their father. By the time of our story, Ham and his wife had at least one child, Canaan, who was apparently the youngest male (Genesis 9:24). In addition to food crops, Noah also planted a vineyard.

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‘You don’t own me…’

The sultry voice of Lesley Gore gets me every time. I can’t help but sing along. I grew up with my father’s music. Loved it…

Still do, but now older and wiser I see and hear things that shock me. Things that answer questions about how our culture went so wrong.

In December of 1963, Lesley released a single titled ‘You don’t own me’ that rocketed to #2 on the Billboard chart and went on to be a million copy seller. While she did not unseat the Beatles for the top spot, she daringly struck a violent blow near the beginning of the 1960’s sexual and feminist revolution. Her contribution to the assault on Biblical gender roles is unmistakable, and all couched in a catchy radio tune.

An American Foster Father and a blind Moroccan Orphan

This article appeared in the Daily SouthTown yesterday. I found it fascinating because it perfectly captured the points of what we teach here at 113 Restoration, namely, the power and responsibility of the father to care for his family, and those he is directly responsible for, as well as how YHVH is the judge of widows and orphans. Beyond this, He commands us not to put a stumbling block in front of the blind.

He executes justice for the orphan and the widow
Deuteronomy 10:18a

Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.
Job 29:12

You shall not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:14

The original article can be found at: https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-morocco-blind-student-fulbright-20200228-czfvsjwzh5ghtdruigggso4mkq-story.html

A Moroccan orphan finds the American Dream is also accessible

By ITTO OUTINI | CHICAGO TRIBUNE | FEB 28, 2020 | 2:32 PM

Itto Outini stands in the Bell Engineering Center at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. (Wendy Echeverria)

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Training Kingdom Warriors…

The young men in our fellowship embraced a unique opportunity over the last 24 hours. One of their numbers has been struggling with a particular issue regarding anxiety and racing thoughts. Our young men decided to follow in their fathers’ footsteps and covenant for a day of fasting and prayer!

The respective fathers joined in and eight of us assaulted the Throne on behalf, unknown to him, of this young brother. As the fast neared completion, I received a text from his father saying that the young man had cited multiple times through the day how awesome he felt. ‘Best day in a long time…’

It is not uncommon in our fellowship for the men, most heads of houses, to do a two day fast on behalf of each other, particular issues, etc., but this was the first time the aspiring ‘young bucks’ joined us. In hindsight, I wonder why we haven’t invited them before. Nevertheless, it was Yah’s time and He showed up!

Exposing the ‘mutual submission’ fallacy in marriage

A common Christian error concerning marriage is ‘mutual submission.’ The fallacy is usually built on,

Ephesians 5:21 …and be subject to one another in the fear of Messiah.

The very next verse delves into marriage relationships, therefore, the two must be connected, right?

Well…. not so fast!!

Simple logic and a reading of the next few verses in context will quickly dispel the ‘mutual submission applies to marriage’ fallacy. Continue reading “Exposing the ‘mutual submission’ fallacy in marriage”

‘Orphan,’ according to Scripture…

Common culture tends to believe that an orphan is a child that has no parents, i.e., father or mother, but is this Biblical?

In exploring this topic, the first consideration one should have is, ‘to whom do the children belong?’ Again, common culture tends to believe that children are jointly the possession of father and mother, but, is this Biblical?

In fact, when one understands proper Biblical authority structure, it becomes evident that Continue reading “‘Orphan,’ according to Scripture…”

Does God HATE Women?

It is not uncommon to hear the charge, or at least the undertone, when discussing what Scripture has to say concerning male and female roles that God must hate women. I mean, He requires that they submit to their husbands, desires that they be under male headship and seems not to have a problem with polygynous marriages. At the same time, men appear to have much more freedom and self determination. What gives? Does God indeed hate women? Is He a misogynist?

The complete paper in pdf format:

Does God HATE women?

“..I do not allow a woman to teach…”

Few things Paul said will set people’s teeth on edge faster than 1 Timothy 2:12. We live in a western culture that has become so feminized that patriarchy is hated, masculinity is considered ‘toxic’ and breathing some passages of Scripture in the wrong audience might get you shanked! This passage is one that requires a fire retardant suit, even in some Torah circles! But, truth is truth.

¹²But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
1 Timothy 2:12

The obvious immediate question is, ‘Where does that come from in Torah? Show me the commandment that says ‘thou shalt not’, or ‘thou shalt’…’ And, this is true, there is no such command, but there is ample instruction that is quite clear. Let’s dig in…

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Adam – The Second Patriarch Part 1 – Creation of Patriarchy

This is the first entry in the series of patriarchal vignettes drawn from the stories about different men throughout biblical history. The second part is Adam – The Second Patriarch: Part 2 – A Patriarch’s Fall.

It was a beautiful day in the morning of the world. Just a few days earlier on Days Two and Three, the world had been spoken into existence by the Word of YHVH, given light on Day Four, populated with plants and all manner of beasts on Days Five and Six. Finally, in great and deep joy, YHVH made man in His image and put him in the Garden of Eden, then He rested on Day Seven. All was perfect. YHVH smiled and the Heavenly Host sang for joy (Job 38:4-11, esp. v.7).

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Dear Son-in-law:

Recently a friend of mine (Zec) sent me and several other men a video and asked for feedback before it went public. It was absolutely stunning.

Men, this fits with the focus we have had over the last few months in our Restoring Kol Israel series. It’s a bold message with a lot of challenging truth packed into it that all men, especially fathers, need to hear. Here are a couple of the responses from that conversation:

Beyond incredible.
You have packed so many concepts into a short video.
I’ve listened to 2 hour sermons that haven’t had 1/4 the content.
Steve Turner

Wow Zec. Awesome. Rivetting, gold…What I just saw is the fruit of a hard won education and the heart of a warrior for the Kingdom. You are a man I want my boys around, one I am glad to call a brother and fellow sojourner. Have always had Hugh respect for you, but it grew this morning!
The world may not receive it well, but men who do will be better men.
Pete Rambo