Musing -- What if you only had One Book to read?

Hebraic Musing -- What if you only had One Book to read?

If you only had one book to read, would you choose a mystery novel; war story; love story; history reference; self-help guide; medical reference; psychology text; child-rearing guide; ancestral history study; warfare; futuristic & visionary; legal library; comedy; gore; trickery; or … ? 

May I suggest the obvious?   Let’s read and study the bible, the Word of God, which has all the above and more!   Our Hebraic Roots are based on the lives of a people that lived, studied and died by the Torah, the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Writings – the TaNaK.  Their books included:

War Stories - Dt 20:1   When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, …   Dt 20:20…build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Love Stories - SS 1:13-14  My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.  My lover is to me a …  1 Jn 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Mystery Novels - Da 2:18-19  He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men . . .

History Reference - Ezr 4:19-20  ...it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.  Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them....

Self-help guide - Pr 1:1-3  The proverbs of Solomon ...:   for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;  for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, . . .

Medical Reference - Lev 15:13-14 he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean.     Lev 16:28  The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water;   Dt 23:12   Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself.  Lev 12:3-4  On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. (When clotting is at maximum level!)

Psychology Lessons -   Dt 4:6-7  ... for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear … and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

Trickery - Joshua 9:12-14  This bread … was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is … wineskins … see how cracked… clothes… are worn out . . ."  The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.

Gore & Comedy - Jdg 3:22-24  Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in …. the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house."

Sarcasm – Mt 23:27  Woe to you, teachers of the law …, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones…

Humorous Exaggerations - Mk 9:43-47  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off … if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off… if your eye … pluck it out.  Or the Camel through the eye of a needle!

Futuristic & Visionary – Dan. 2:45  "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy."  10:14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come."

Legal Library - Dt 5:1  Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today…    (Ten Commandments)   Remember the 613 Mitzvot (good deeds) in the OT and 1,000+ in the NT?

Child-rearing guide – Pr 23:13-14  Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death. 

Ancestral history – Remember all the lineages and ‘begats’!?!?  

Spiritual warfare - Eph 6:12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but ...against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Points to ponder

Do we need sections other than for ‘BIBLES’ in our Christian bookstores? 

Is reading the Bible like reading 15 books at one time?!?!

♫  Read your Bible. Pray every day. And you’ll grow, grow, grow!
  (v.2)   Don’t read your Bible. Forget to pray. And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd              August 18, 2026

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Originally Hebraic Insight #49 – “What if you only had One Book to read? Dec. 23, 2009 - 

Musing – Have we become Kings and Priests?

 Hebraic Musing – Have we become Kings and Priests?

The priesthood was a divinely instituted office in the O T providing someone to serve as a mediator between God and His people, primarily through offering sacrifices, teaching the Law and leading spiritual worship.  Hmmm… Has that become the role of us believers today if and when Jesus Christ is our Lord? 

A prophetic message from Zechariah says Jesus is the Priest and King who builds His temple and rules.  “Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.  It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne….” Zechariah 6:12-13 NIV   Isn’t this also our role today?!?!

What was Paul trying to tell us in this passage about us as followers and disciples of Christ?  What is our role?  "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit… “ 1 Corinthians 6:19   If that’s the case, could our places of business also be temples?   

In the business world a branch office has the same authority and provides services delegated from the main office, with the benefit of being nearer to those who need to be served.  If we recognize our work as ministry, then we can build our temples of worship as kings and priests – kings who have been given free will and authority to choose life, and priests who minister to/from God and to/from the people.  Might our personal and our corporate bodies be the temples of the Holy Spirit with the authority to act as kings and priests?

CEOs and owners of companies possess authority, while managers and team members are an extension of that authority within their organization to participate with Jesus who said He would build His church.  He is building His temple, adding to it and strengthening His church/organization.  “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV   And previously in vs 9 we’ve been reminded.  “For we [Paul and Apollos] are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.”   In God’s field, we are “a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:3   Since Jesus is the Branch, then might we be Branch Offices?!?!  His building?  His field?  And we get to touch and minister as a branch office closer to the people!

Is our “branch” bearing fruit?  Isaiah 11:1 says “A shoot (branch) will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”     We get a hint of how the Branches build through the spirit of wisdom – “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.” Proverbs 9:1 NIV   When building an organization (like a church) the Spirit moves on us at the beginning to build it on seven righteous values that become the pillars that give purpose to our enterprise, the church.  When we esteem the effervescent essence of Christ’s character reflected in our values, we take our place in the building of the Lord, His temple, His church.  “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” Ephesians 2:19-21.   

What is a priest?  “1. A person having the authority to perform and administer religious rites; 2. A person ordained to act as a mediator between God and man in administering the sacraments, preaching, blessing, guiding, etc.”  As faithful believers in Jesus Christ as our Lord, are we to be fulfilling the role of Priest?

What was Jesus trying to tell you and I?  “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:” John 17:21-22

Points to ponder

Can you picture your role as a King or a Priest in God’s Kingdom?

Is a person ordained with priesthood responsibilities when they accept Jesus as their Lord?

Are we “branching” out as “the planting of the Lord.”?   Isaiah 61.3

“In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd              August 11, 2026 
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note - Inspired by Mark Stern’s “Tues w/ Papa” July 13, 2026 message: “Branch Offices”

Musing – Does the Bible have different roles for Men versus Women?

 Hebraic Musing – Does the Bible have different roles for Men versus Women?

Are there differing roles for Men and Women (and/or for Husbands and their Wives) according to the Bible?  This topic is currently in the news as the Southern Baptist Convention is trying to clarify the office and function of the pastor regarding whether being a pastor might be a role for women.  Is societal pressure at odds with Biblical teaching?  And how might this also apply to the role of “Elders”?  Biblically, the offices of Pastors and Elders is uniquely reserved for qualified men.  That position is certainly unpopular in our culture and is becoming increasingly unpopular, but popularity has never been the measure of biblical truth.  “An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.” Titus 1:6 NIV

What else does the Bible say on this topic?  “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”  Don’t stop reading because then the husbands get a command.  “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Eph.5:22-25 NIV   These are differing roles and responsibilities; the Husband’s role is Sacrificial; whereas the Wife’s role comes more naturally for her. 

I wonder why Paul wrote this for women?  “If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” 1 Cor. 14:35 NIV   Who did Paul hold responsible for the Spirituality of the home?  “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” Eph.5:23   Also in 1 Peter 3:7 – “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner.”

The order of creation for Men and Women is explained in Gen 2.  Who was created first – the Man or the Woman?  In Genesis 2:18-23 – “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ … v21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,' for she was taken out of man.’”

It is understood that the LORD was addressing the Israelite men when He said this to them – “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you…” Deut.6:6-7     And he also said – “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Eph.6:4   Who does God say He will be hold responsible for training and instructing the children?

In Genesis 3:6, was the first sin committed by a man or a woman?  God had warned the man not to eat the fruit of the tree, so he should have known better.  Eve had not heard that eating the fruit was forbidden.  So who knew better and disobeyed God by eating the apple and thus needs redemption?

Is gender confusion a valid reason/excuse for today’s world to default to non-Biblical roles?  God views men and women as equals; but that does not mean they are the same? 
   “Equal” - being the same in quantity, size, degree, or value.    
   “Same” – Identical; not different.

Is our Christianity better or worse now than when we were founded?  Or better than we were 80 years ago? 

Points to ponder

Does the Bible ever encounter confusion between definitions and/or roles of men and women?

Is Christianity and church attendance growing or declining in America today?  Why? 

Have men been abdicating their God-ordained responsibilities?

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal.3:28

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                            August 4, 2026         

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

P.S.  Are trending roles of men and women in today’s society counter to Biblical fundamentals?

·      America was founded as a Christian nation, so why was the First Continental Congress all men?  No women!  But now, 28% of Congressmen currently are women.

·      In my 80+ years in this world, I’m surprised to see the number of corporate CEO roles filled with women; that was unheard of in my early years!

·      There is a significant difference between Men and Women.  Dr. Emerson Eggerichs points out that Women need and seek Love; while Men need and seek Respect.  This difference is thoroughly explained in his book “Love and Respect”.  Does our society understand and support these God-given natures?

·      Since only about 10% of schoolchildren go home to both of their original parents, what’s the impact on them of the parenting roles in broken homes?  Or for the roles of Husbands and Wives?

·      Recent surveys show that children are much more likely to continue in church if the Father is involved.

These are some of the role shifts I’ve observed in recent years.  Do these trends fit the spirit of the Bible?  How are these trends impacting our businesses, government, and family lives?