Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

This amazing prophecy describes Israel’s relationship with God’s Word during her wanderings among the nations. It is a perfect description of Talmudic Judaism which has buried God’s Word under layers of vain tradition.

The Talmud is composed of two parts:

1. First, there is the Mishnah, which is the Rabbinic commentary on the Torah (Pentateuch). It is filled with debate and argument. Nothing is concrete and settled. The rabbis argue about such things as whether meat and cheese can be on the same table and how much water validates a ritual bath.
2. Second, there is the Gemara which consists of rabbinical comments and debates about the Mishnah. Thus the Gemara is a commentary on a commentary.

The Talmud is basically a massive encapsulation of the very Pharisaical teaching that the Lord Jesus Christ condemned (Mt. 13:14-15; 23:1-33; Mr. 7:5-13; Joh. 12:37-40). The Talmud is filled with nonsense, such as angels as best men at Adam’s marriage and the serpent lusting after Mary.

The famine for hearing God’s words was further deepened with the spread of Kabbalah. This is supposed to be a third or “hidden” Torah that was revealed to Moses, together with the Torah (Pentateuch) and the Mishnah. It is based on an allegorical interpretation of Scripture that finds secret and “inner” meanings in the words and even letters of Scripture. It borrows heavily from pagan occultism, such as astrology and numerology.

Kabbalah consists of a bewildering variety of doctrine and practice. It is esoteric (secret teaching) and mystical (emphasizing intuition and feeling over reason). Hasidic Judaism is permeated with Kabbalah.

The geographic focus of Kabbalah is Mt. Meron in northern Israel, where Hillel the Elder, Shammai, Shimon Bar Yochai, and other influential rabbis are buried. Mt. Meron is a major Jewish pilgrimage site where practitioners go in search of spiritual power and “good fortune.” On the anniversary of Shimon’s death, called Lag BaOmer, the day on which he was supposed to have revealed the deepest secrets of Kabbalah, an estimated 250,000 people visit Mt. Meron seeking blessing and mystical enlightenment.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. [Mat 15.7-9]

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. [Mat 13.14-15]

Source: Friday Church News Notes, April 11, 2025