The Messianic Torah Observer

Rod Thomas
  • 3.9 (27)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

The Messianic Torah Observer is an online ministry designed and intended for Torah Observant Believers in Y'shua Messiah. Thus we encourage Torah Living --but Torah Living Y'shua-style. Additionally we provide our listeners with the happenings and goings on in and around the Hebrew Roots communities. We accomplish much of this through Rod Thomas' discussions on his personal life journey as a Hebrew Roots--Disciple of Y'shua Messiah. The True Faith--the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith--profoundly affected and changed forever Rod's life and in turn he shares his thoughts and perspectives with you so that you too will experience the tremendous and untold spiritual riches available to each of us who answers the call to true discipleship. We disavow and reject denominationalism at any and every level. The Bible forms the basis of his perspectives and thoughts. Shalom.

  1. 2d ago

    What the Torah Can and Cannot Do for Us, Part 3 Torah Cannot Justify Contempt for Israel

    Greetings saints of the Most High. In this installment of the Messianic Torah Observer, I offer a needed clarification regarding Israel, the Jewish people, and the broader discussion from this teaching series, "What the Torah Can and Cannot Do for Us." In this episode, I examine what Scripture says about Yah's everlasting covenant with Israel, Paul's teaching that God has not rejected His people, and the reality that we as non-Jewish believers are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel rather than replacing it. I also address the misuse of passages such as "neither Jew nor Greek" and explain why Torah can never be used as a justification for contempt, condemnation, or arrogance toward our Jewish cousins.   If you have ever wrestled with the relationship between Torah, covenant, Israel, grace, and the calling of Gentile believers in Messiah, this teaching will help ground that discussion in the plain witness of Scripture. My prayer is that this message leads us all toward covenant humility, truth, prayer, and love rather than pride or hostility. Key themes in this teaching include: Yah's everlasting covenant with Israel God has not rejected His people Grafted into the commonwealth of Israel The meaning of "neither Jew nor Greek" in context The oracles of God entrusted to Israel Why Torah does not sanction contempt

    23 min

  2. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie

    Introducing Midlife Isn't a Crisis - It's a Metamorphosis w/ Chip Conley from No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie. Follow the show: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie Chip Conley was driving to the Golden Gate Bridge to jump when a phone call with a friend and a song on the radio made him reconsider ending his life. He was in his late 40s, a time in which data shows we are generally at our unhappiest. Now, the former hospitality entrepreneur runs the Modern Elder Academy, which has helped more than 7,000 people embrace getting older. He and Blake discuss the happiness curve and Chip reveals the greatest longevity hack there is: changing your mindset on aging gains you seven and a half years of life! In this conversation you’ll learn: – What midlife means and why it’s a chrysalis moment – What an ego death is and how to go through one safely – How to move from facts to stories to the essence of who you are – How to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset – How to build male friendships that are eye to eye rather than shoulder to shoulder – The importance of curating the five people closest to you You can learn more about Chip Conley and buy his books at https://chipconley.com/my-books/.  Enough Foundation's mission is to spread reminders in every form — bracelets, messages, actions, community — until feeling ENOUGH becomes the cultural default. To learn more, visit weareenough.co. Produced, Directed, and Cinematography by Wubetu Shimelash / IG: Wubetu Shimelash Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Visit http://www.weareenough.co/rules for full terms. More information on Blake’s other projects here:  Morning Water  Morning Water is a daily hydration formula that restores energy, balance, and performance with essential electrolytes, minerals, and nutrients in one simple routine.  To learn more, visit morningwater.co and use code NOMAGICPILL for 25% off your first order. SONIA  Sonia is a conversational AI companion designed for emotional support. Through voice and text, it offers guided wellbeing sessions, including meditations, journaling, personalized recommendations, and practical exercises. To learn more, visit www.soniahealth.com and download it on the App Store. MOOVLAB At MOOVLAB, we bring health and wellness to your workday.  MOOVLAB - the answer to sitting is moving.  To learn more, visit www.moovlab.com Follow Blake on Instagram and stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com. Subscribe to Spotify Premium to watch ad-free video. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical questions or concerns you may have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. May 20

    Torah as our Constitution and God's Culture What the Torah Can and Cannot Do for Us Part 2

    In this teaching, I unpack why Torah serves as the constitution and culture of Yah's people, while also showing what Torah cannot do for us apart from true, trusting faith in Yeshua. We'll examine Judaism's oral tradition, the Church's man-made culture, and the urgent need to return to Yeshua-focused Torah living.

    49 min

  4. May 15

    Saved by Faith, Guided by Torah: What the Torah Can and Cannot Do for Us Part 1.

    Come and explore with me what the Scriptures tell us that Torah can and cannot do for us. We will cover the essential concepts of faith, salvation, Paul's stance on Torah-keeping, James' stance on Torah-keeping, Acts 15's relationship to Torah-keeping, and the Torah's role in the Netzer's life.

    56 min

  5. May 9

    Sabbath, Jubilee, and the Kingdom A Yeshua-Focused Journey Through Behar–Bechukotai

    Join me for a Yeshua-focused journey through the double Torah reading of Behar–Bechukotai as we reflect on Sh'mittah, Jubilee, covenant faithfulness, obedience, blessing, discipline, redemption, and the call to Kingdom living. Together, we will explore how these timeless instructions reveal Yah's heart for His people and point us toward the deeper rest, restoration, and discipleship found in Messiah Yeshua.   n this installment, I invite you to walk with me through Behar–Bechukotai as we examine Sabbath rest, Jubilee, covenant obedience, and the redemptive Kingdom life that Torah points us to in Yeshua.

    1h 4m

  6. May 2

    Parashah Emor (Speak!). An Ancient Framework for Walking in Kingdom for 2026 Messianics

    Come and explore Parashah Emor (Leviticus 21:1–24:23) with me, Rod Thomas, through a Messianic lens—holiness standards for priests, honoring Yehovah's Name, and the Moedim (Feasts of Yehovah). Learn how Emor's Torah framework guides Spirit-and-Truth Kingdom living for 2026 believers.

    1h 5m

  7. Apr 25

    What Does Walking with God Look Like from a Yeshua-focused Torah-Living Perspective

    What does "walking with God" actually mean—biblically—and what does it look like for a disciple living a Yeshua‑focused, Torah‑faithful life? In this teaching, we explore the Hebrew concept of "walk," why Scripture highlights Enoch and Noah as men who walked with God, and how covenant relationship forms the foundation for moral uprightness (yashar), holiness (set‑apartness), and spiritual fruit. We also connect "walking in the light" (1 John 1) with kingdom living (Matthew 5–7), the enabling work of the Ruach HaKodesh, and Yeshua's warning about the narrow gate and Torahlessness (Matthew 7). Listen through and consider: are we merely professing faith—or truly walking in covenant loyalty with YHVH?

    45 min

  8. Apr 18

    Clean or Unclean? The Torah's Call to Set-Apart Living. My Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading Tazria-Metzorah

    In this installment of the Messianic Torah Observer, I reflect on Torah Reading Tazria–Metzorah (Leviticus 12:1–15:33), exploring the Torah's purity standards and how they point beyond the physical to enduring spiritual principles. Using the themes of childbirth, tzaraat ("leprosy"), and bodily flows, this teaching highlights how holiness is protected, how cleansing and restoration work, and how Yeshua refocuses defilement from external ritual concerns to the heart (Matthew 15:10–20). I close this episode with practical encouragement to pursue both physical stewardship and deeper spiritual cleanness as temples of Yehovah's presence. In this episode: Overview of Tazria–Metzorah and its three major sections (childbirth, tzaraat, bodily flows) Why purity standards matter: holiness, community, and access to Yehovah's presence Hygienic and ritual purposes: not mutually exclusive The priesthood's role: examining, diagnosing, declaring clean/unclean, mediating restoration Quarantine, "seventh day" separation, and "eighth day" restoration as a pattern of new beginnings Cleansing, atonement, and water immersion as recurring Torah themes How to apply "out-of-commission" Torah instructions today through spirit-and-truth principles Sin as the deeper parallel to impurity; protecting the set-apart community from "leaven" Yeshua's teaching: defilement proceeds from the heart (Matthew 15:10–20) Practical encouragement: maintain the body as a temple and pursue spiritual, emotional, mental cleanness Scripture references mentioned: Leviticus 12:1–8 (childbirth and purification) Leviticus 13:1–14:32 (tzaraat / "leprosy") Leviticus 15:1–33 (bodily flows) Exodus 19:5–6 (treasured possession; priestly kingdom; holy nation) Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16 (be holy as He is holy) Isaiah 55:8 (His ways/thoughts above ours) Matthew 5:18; Matthew 5:20 (Torah enduring; righteousness) Matthew 6:33 (seek first the Kingdom) John 4:23–24 (worship in spirit and truth) 1 Corinthians 6:19 (body as temple) Hebrews 9 (Messiah's priestly work; atonement themes) 1 Corinthians 15:46 (natural first, then spiritual) 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (all Scripture profitable) Hebrews 12:1 (sin as weight; running the race) 1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9 (leaven principle) Matthew 15:10–20 (what defiles a person) John 8:12; 1 John 1:7–9 (walk in the light; confession and cleansing) 2 Corinthians 5:21 (righteousness in Messiah) Reflection questions: Where do you most often treat "cleanness" as merely external rather than a heart issue? What patterns of separation and restoration ("seven" then "eight") do you see in your own walk? How can you pursue set-apartness in practical ways while keeping the focus on spiritual cleanness? Are there "leaven-like" compromises that need to be addressed for the health of your fellowship/community? What does it look like this week to walk in the light and practice confession and repentance?

    45 min
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3.9
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

The Messianic Torah Observer is an online ministry designed and intended for Torah Observant Believers in Y'shua Messiah. Thus we encourage Torah Living --but Torah Living Y'shua-style. Additionally we provide our listeners with the happenings and goings on in and around the Hebrew Roots communities. We accomplish much of this through Rod Thomas' discussions on his personal life journey as a Hebrew Roots--Disciple of Y'shua Messiah. The True Faith--the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith--profoundly affected and changed forever Rod's life and in turn he shares his thoughts and perspectives with you so that you too will experience the tremendous and untold spiritual riches available to each of us who answers the call to true discipleship. We disavow and reject denominationalism at any and every level. The Bible forms the basis of his perspectives and thoughts. Shalom.

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