Study Desk

"For I hate divorce," says Adonai the God of Isra'el, "and him who covers his clothing with violence," says Adonai -Tzva'ot. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and don't break faith.

"Look! I am sending my messenger to clear the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Yes, the messenger of the covenant, in whom you take such delight — look! Here he comes," says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

"Then I will approach you for judgment; and I will be quick to witness against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers; against those who take advantage of wage-earners, widows and orphans; against those who rob the foreigner of his rights and don't fear me," says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

By saying, ‘There is no point in serving God. What good is it to obey his orders or to walk about as mourners before Adonai -Tzva'ot?

Then those who feared Adonai spoke together; and Adonai listened and heard. A record book was written in his presence for those who feared Adonai and had respect for his name.

"They will be mine," says Adonai -Tzva'ot, "on the day when I compose my own special treasure. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.

Avraham was the father of Yitz'chak, Yitz'chak was the father of Ya‘akov, Ya‘akov was the father of Y'hudah and his brothers,

Salmon was the father of Bo‘az (his mother was Rachav), Bo‘az was the father of ‘Oved (his mother was Rut), ‘Oved was the father of Yishai,

Yishai was the father of David the king. David was the father of Shlomo (his mother was the wife of Uriyah),

Yoshiyahu was the father of Y'khanyahu and his brothers at the time of the Exile to Bavel.

Here is how the birth of Yeshua the Messiah took place. When his mother Miryam was engaged to Yosef, before they were married, she was found to be pregnant from the Ruach HaKodesh.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means ‘ Adonai saves,'] because he will save his people from their sins."

When Yosef awoke he did what the angel of Adonai had told him to do — he took Miryam home to be his wife,

and asked, "Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Upon entering the house, they saw the child with his mother Miryam; and they prostrated themselves and worshipped him. Then they opened their bags and presented him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

After they had gone, an angel of Adonai appeared to Yosef in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave. For Herod is going to look for the child in order to kill him."

So he got up, took the child and his mother, and left during the night for Egypt,

and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to Eretz-Yisra'el, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead."

So he got up, took the child and his mother, and went back to Eretz-Yisra'el.

However, when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Y'hudah, he was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he withdrew to the Galil