"Jesus the Messiah Returns"
ISBN 1-59196-730-9 at Barnes and Noble .com

JESUS GROWS UP

  So Joseph and Mary settled down to raise a family in Nazareth. Jesus and His brothers, Joses, James, Judah and Simon no doubt helped at the carpenter shop as Jewish boys are required to learn a trade. His sisters may have cleaned up the shavings. It must have been a little crowded in their home as there were at least nine people living there at one time. "And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them" Luke 2:51A...When Jesus and His siblings reached the age of 3, their mother began to teach them Scriptures from the Old Testament. At age 5 the children went to Synagogue school.in Nazareth. The boys were expected to memorize the entire Old Testament Scriptures and in particular the 613 commandments in the first 5 books by the age of 13. At age 12 on a pilgrimage to the Temple with His family Jesus tested His skills with the Bible professors in Jerusalem....;.. Daily Bible study was not optional. Mary and Joseph were commanded to see that their children studied the Bible at home and school,.Deuteronomy 6:4-7...

 "We have piped unto you and you have not danced"

 "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplace and calling unto their fellows, and saying, "We have piped unto you and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented." Matthew 11:16-19a

  Jesus and His brothers and sisters played games much like our children play today. Instead of doctor and nurse and cops and robbers they played mock wedding dance and mock funeral procession, possibly having a service for a dead baby goat or a pet. Jesus referred to the use of the popular shepherds pipe or flute to create the proper mood. (Children in that day also played ball games in teams where a ball was tossed in the air and players tried to catch it.)

  
The Mezuzah

  Near the top of the righthand doorpost of the house Jesus lived in was fastened a Mezuzah. A small case containing the words of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. "And Thou Shalt Write Them Upon The Post Of Thy House, And Thy Gates" ....The first passage is known as the Shema (Hear, from the first word of the passage). In that passage, God commands us to keep His words constantly in our minds and in our hearts, by (among other things) writing them on the doorposts of our house., the Hebrew letter "Shin" is written on the outside of the case). The Bible verses are arranged so that the word "Shaddai" (almighty) appears through a small hole near the top.

 Devout Jews to this day display the Mezuzah on their doorpost; whenever entering or leaving the home they touch the mezuzah and then kiss the fingers that touched it, expressing love and respect for God and his commandments. and recite Psalm 121:8 "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." The case and scroll are nailed or affixed to the right side doorpost on an angle, with a small ceremony called Chanukkat Ha-Bayit (dedication of the house ). It is proper to remove a mezuzah when you move. If you leave it in place, the subsequent owner may treat it with disrespect.

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