Tom Steele - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Tom Steele

Recently a quote from the late Dr. Michael Heiser was shared, attributed to his podcast, that cla... more Recently a quote from the late Dr. Michael Heiser was shared, attributed to his podcast, that claimed no argument can be made that we should be keeping the dietary laws found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 today. Now, the quote was slightly different from what was actually said in the original podcast message, titled Naked Bible 74: Leviticus 11, which I listened to in its entirety. So, I want to provide for you the original quote as stated by Heiser in his podcast, where he said: "This is Israelite. This is Semitic culture. This is the Ancient Near East, the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean, that kind of thing. At least part of Leviticus 11 needs that culture to make sense. It's also a ritual setting. That takes us into the whole theocratic mentality, the theocratic rationale. And since we aren't living in ancient Semitic culture and we no longer have a theocracy, my view is that these food laws are not meant for us today. They are culturally isolated and they are theologically isolated because of their attachment to the cult of Yahweh, the rituals of Yahweh. For those who missed earlier

The more I have looked at what The Bible says and compare it with what "Christians" do in their c... more The more I have looked at what The Bible says and compare it with what "Christians" do in their churches and even their daily lives the more I have a lot of questions I want to ask them. So, I began to think: Why not just ask? And that is what I want to do with this message. I want to write an "open letter" of sorts to all "Christians"-especially pastors-who would be willing to read this with an open mind and a heart that genuinely hungers for The Bible. As you read through these questions and my own commentary on them you may be challenged to examine the things that you have been taught or teach others as a "Christian" and inquire whether or not your current beliefs are true.

When it comes to various forms of "Bible codes" the most popular today is commonly referred to as... more When it comes to various forms of "Bible codes" the most popular today is commonly referred to as Hebrew Word Pictures, which appears to originate from a book by the same name published by a man named Frank Seekins. In this message I will examine more closely this idea that claims to find "hidden messages” in the biblical text through taking original Hebrew words and applying “pictograph” meanings to the letters, which are then used in combination to create a phrase out of the word. If you are unfamiliar with this concept it will be explained more as you read through this study.

When it comes to the term Molech, also sometimes spelled Moloch and Molek, there is no shortage o... more When it comes to the term Molech, also sometimes spelled Moloch and Molek, there is no shortage of theories about the religion, cult, and practices associated with this name. In fact, it is even debated as to whether or not this word represents the proper name of an ancient pagan god or merely a title or even simply the name of a ritual called mulk. The word Molech or Moloch is used ten times in Scripture (based on the Tree of Life Version) in the following passages:

The secret things belong to Adonai our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our child... more The secret things belong to Adonai our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever-in order to do all the words of this Torah.-Deuteronomy 29:28 (TLV) Have you noticed that so much of what people are teaching in "Christianity" today, including-perhaps even especially-in Messianic and the more controversial Hebrew Roots Movement circles, is some type of secret code or hidden mystery? Many of the most popular "Christian" books published today have the words "code" or "mystery" in the title. Now please don't misunderstand me here, some of those books do provide good insight into a variety of topics. But is there a need to spin them as revealing some type of "code" or "mystery" or any other type of esoteric knowledge? Really, as you will see through this message, many of these things are nothing more than Gnosticism revived and divination blended with Scripture. In this message I am going to evaluate several methods used by people who claim to find "hidden codes" and "secret messages" in the text of The Bible. As I do you will see that they simply do not hold up to actual scholarship and certainly were not anything that any ancient Israelite, including and especially the earliest followers of Yeshua, would ever have used.

A Biblical View Of "Races" And "Racism Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "I truly understand ... more A Biblical View Of "Races" And "Racism Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "I truly understand that God is not one to show favoritism, but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. ~Acts 10:34-35 (TLV) He made from one blood all nations who live on the earth. He set the times and places where they should live. ~Acts 17:26 (NLV) It seems that more and more frequently some particular societal event takes place that puts the "issue of race" at the forefront of headline news stories and the sermons of preachers. My question, however, in the year 2022 and beyond is a little different and quite simple: Why is this even an issue at all? Now, I realize this is a hot-button topic and there are those who express great emotion anytime it is discussed. My goal in this message is certainly not to upset or offend anyone, but

Periodically I will ask someone in modern "Christianity" a simple question: Why do you celebrate ... more Periodically I will ask someone in modern "Christianity" a simple question: Why do you celebrate Christmas? The answer is always the same, the modern "Christian" will claim that the reason they celebrate Christmas has to do with "the birth of Jesus".

Does The Bible tell us not to eat meat and dairy together, as modern-day Judaism teaches? Is pork... more Does The Bible tell us not to eat meat and dairy together, as modern-day Judaism teaches? Is pork used in making cheese? Are dairy products bad for your health? Was cooking goat meat in milk an ancient pagan religious ritual? Why put any time into studying something like what The Bible has to say about dairy foods instead of sharing the Good News of Yeshua? These are the type of questions that this article seeks to answer.