An Israeli, with a sense of humor, was at United Nations recently and
set the historical record to the Land of Israel straight. An ingenious
example of speech, humor and politics occurred in the United Nations
General Assembly and made the world community smile.
The representative from Israel began: "Before starting my talk I want
to tell you something about Moses: When he struck the rock and it
brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a
bath!'
"So Moses removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered
the water. But when he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had
vanished. A Palestinian had stolen them!"
At this point, the Palestinian representative at the UN jumped up
furiously and shouted, "What are you talking about? The Palestinians
weren't there then!"
The Israeli representative looked at him, smiled and said, "Thank you.
And now that we have made that fact clear (that there were no
"Palestinians" in the Land back then), I will begin my speech..."
This Blog was created to give people a basic understanding of what scripture is all about. It is by far NOT advanced teachings, but rather basic foundational points. This blog will also expose many false teachings and false doctrines that were/are created by men which does not appear in the Scriptures, Hebrew culture or source documentation
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
The Attributes of the Sabbath
Now there are so many misconceptions about the Sabbath, especially in the Christian faith. This is due to a lack of knowledge and listening to mans interpretation of Scripture instead of going to the Scripture itself. Though The Christian faith is not the only faith that has misconceptions about the Sabbath.
The Christians believe that the “Jewish Sabbath” is not relevant to them anymore, or that it does not matter which day you keep as the Sabbath, as long as you keep it once a week. Also they do not keep to the rules of the Sabbath as Scripture commands us to, as I have seen the majority of the church members and even the pastors and ministers in the Shopping centers on their so called “Sabbath day” (the first day also known as Sun-Day), then having a barbeque with friends etc. This is clearly not allowed according to the Word of the Almighty.
One of the biggest reasons why the Christians do not keep the Sabbath, or at least do not keep it on the Seventh Day, is because the Seventh Day is a day of sport and leisure in the world. If they were to obey the Scriptures, they would have to give up watching or even doing their favorite sports and activities, as that is usually the only time that the sports are played! And likewise, that is usually the only day they get to visit with certain friends, and it is too much of a burden to loose such friends.
There is a church that does have their sermons on the Sabbath day instead of the first day (Sun-day), The Seventh Day Adventists. The problem with this is that just changing the day you go to church to the Scriptural Sabbath Day is NOT keeping the Sabbath.
On the other extreme, let us look at the Jewish Sabbath. When I talk about the Jewish Sabbath, I am referring to the Rabbinical rules concerning the Sabbath. Now if you go to Israel today, the most shocking thing that you will realize is how many Jews do not observe the Sabbath anymore. This is because of all the EXTRA laws that were added to the Sabbath by the Rabbi’s that makes it literally impossible to keep all these laws of the Sabbath.
These Rabbinical laws were present even in the days of Y’shua Mashiyach. When the Pharisees tried to accuse Y’shua for breaking their traditions of the elders, Y’shua rebuked them for nullifying the Word of YHWH by their traditions (see Mark 7:1-8).
So it is very clear that we are still to keep the Sabbath of YHWH according to what the Scriptures teach us, as we will see below, nothing more and nothing less! So let us have a look at what the Scriptures (the Word of YHWH) teach us about the Sabbath:
Sabbath on the Seventh Day
“Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה (YHWH) in all your dwellings” (Lev 23:3)
“but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, so that your male servant and your female servant rest as you do” (Deut 5:14)
The Sabbath is a Commandment
“Guard the Sabbath day, to set it apart, as יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim commanded you” (Deut 5:12)
“nor take a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work. And you shall set apart the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers” (Jeremiah 17:22)
The Sabbath is set apart
“For in six days יהוה (YHWH) made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה (YHWH) blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart” (Exodus 20:11)
“Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart” (Exodus 20:8)
“And they are to stand as judges in a dispute, and judge it according to My right-rulings. And they are to guard My Torot (plural of Torah) and My laws in all My appointed festivals, and set apart My Sabbaths” (Eze 44:24)
You do no work on the Sabbath
“but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates” (Exodus 20:10)
“Work is done for six days, but on the seventh day it shall be set-apart to you, a Sabbath of rest to יהוה (YHWH) Anyone doing work on it is put to death” (Exodus 35:2)
“Six days work is done, and on the seventh is a Sabbath of rest, set-apart to יהוה (YHWH). Everyone doing work on the Sabbath day shall certainly be put to death” (Exo 31:15)
No food is to be prepared on the Sabbath
“And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am raining bread from the heavens for you. And the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, in order to try them, whether they walk in My Torah or not.
And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily” (Exodus 16:4)
“And when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath” (Mark 15:42)
Do not kindle a fire on the Sabbath
“Do not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” (Exodus 35:3)
Do not do your own pleasures on the Sabbath
“If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’ the set-apart day of יהוה (YHWH) ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words” (Isaiah 58:13)
The Sabbath is a set apart gathering
“Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה (YHWH) in all your dwellings” (Lev 23:3)
The Sabbath is a sign
“And you, speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘My Sabbaths you are to guard, by all means, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, to know that I, יהוה (YHWH), am setting you apart” (Exodus 31:13)
“And I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, to know that I am יהוה (YHWH) who sets them apart” (Eze 20:12)
“And set apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, to know that I am יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim” (Eze 20:20)
Do good on the Sabbath
“Then יהושע (Y’shua) said to them, “I ask you, is it right to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” (Luke 6:9)
“And He said to them, “Is it right to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent” (Mark 3:4)
“And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, shall not take hold of it and lift it out?
Mat 12:12 “How much more worth is a man than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the Sabbath” (Mat 12:11-12)
What happens if you profane the Sabbath
“And you shall guard the Sabbath, for it is set-apart to you. Everyone who profanes it shall certainly be put to death, for anyone who does work on it, that being shall be cut off from among his people” (Exodus 31:14)
“And while the children of Yisra’ĕl were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day
And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Mosheh and to Aharon, and to all the congregation.
And they put him in under guard, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
And יהוה (YHWH) said to Mosheh, “The man shall certainly be put to death, all the congregation stoning him with stones outside the camp.”
And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, as יהוה (YHWH) commanded Mosheh, and he died” (Num 15:32-36)
“In those days I saw in Yehuḏah those treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Yerushalayim on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day they sold food
And men of Tsor dwelt there, bringing in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Yehuḏah, and in Yerushalayim.
Then I contended with the nobles of Yehuḏah, and said to them, “What evil matter is this that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
Did not your fathers do the same so that our Elohim brought all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Yisra’ĕl by profaning the Sabbath” (Neh 13:15-18)
Who is the Sabbath for?
“And when the Yehuḏim went out of the congregation, the gentiles begged to have these words spoken to them the next Sabbath” (Acts 13:42)
“So there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of Elohim” (Hebrews 4:9)
“And pray that your flight does not take place in winter or on the Sabbath” (Mat 24:20)
The Sabbath is a rest day
“For in six days יהוה (YHWH) made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה (YHWH) blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart” (Exodus 20:11)
“Work is done for six days, but on the seventh day it shall be set-apart to you, a Sabbath of rest to יהוה (YHWH) Anyone doing work on it is put to death” (Exodus 35:2)
“Six days work is done, and on the seventh is a Sabbath of rest, set-apart to יהוה (YHWH). Everyone doing work on the Sabbath day shall certainly be put to death” (Exo 31:15)
“Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה (YHWH) in all your dwellings” (Lev 23:3)
Now, as you can see, the Sabbath is a delight for the children of YHWH. It is a day of rest and replenishment in Scripture. It is also a sign that we are the Children of YHWH. Do you really want to profane it?
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
My El! My El! Why have You spared me?
Matthew 27:46
Perhaps no Scripture evokes more emotion than the cry from the stake in Matthew 27:46. How is it possible that these powerful words have been misunderstood for nearly two millennia? For many, Y’hoshua’s last utterance was either understood as a cry of desperation or a declaration of his Messiahship from Psalm 22:1 “My El, My El, why have you forsaken me.” Greek versions attempt to translate the Psalm as Eli, Eli lama sabacthani. However the Aramaic Peshitta NT reads: “Eli, Eli lemana shbakthani,” while Hebrew Psalm reads: “Eli, Eli lama azbatani.” Greek transliteration reflects the Aramaic word as does the Peshitta. However, there is a key difference between azbatani, which only means “to forsake” and its Aramaic counterpart Shbakthani which has multiple meanings but also includes the same concept.
Even so, does this mean Y’hoshua is quoting Psalm 22? To answer that question, consider these verses: “And from that time onwards, Y’hoshua began to make known to his disciples that he must go to Yerushalayim and suffer much from the elders and from the chief priests, and scribes. And he would be killed, and on the third day would rise up” (Matthew 16:21). “Behold, we are going up to Yerushalayim, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes. And they will condemn him to death. And they will deliver him to the Gentiles, and they will mock him, and they will beat him, and they will execute him on a stake. And he will rise on the third day” (Matthew 20:18-19). When Peter prepared to fight Y’hoshua replied, “…don’t you think that I am able to ask my Father to raise up twelve legions of Messengers? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled. Thus say that it must be” (Matthew 26:53-54).
Y’hoshua informed his disciples that his death was inevitable, and that it would be fulfilled according to Scripture. Anyone who tried to prevent his death, even a loyal disciple like Peter, was referred to as being of haSatan! Y’hoshua knows that he is laying down his life as a voluntary offering according to John 10:11-18, but he can also take it back. He is referred to as the “lamb of Elohim” because the lamb submits his life unto death; a key requirement of Mashiyach according to Isaiah 53:7. Therefore, when Y’hoshua is suffering on the stake, he is fulfilling the very reason he came into the world – the suffering he could end in the blink of an eye, according to John 10. In this context then, with full power in him, the blessings of the Father, and YHWH’s Messengers with him, he could not have, even for an instant, been forsaken.
When Y’hoshua was praying in the garden just before being betrayed, his prayer was immediately answered by YHWH sending a Messenger, in Luke 22:43, “…a Messenger appeared to him from Heaven to strengthen him.” This being the case, we must look at the final words that come out of Y’hoshua’s mouth; let’s examine the Aramaic word shbakthani. As mentioned above, it shares the “forsake” meaning with the Hebrew word used in Psalm 22. However, the root of the word shbak has several other meanings including: 1) reserve 2) keep 3) spare 4) forgive. In Luke 23:34, Y’hoshua uses the exact same word to say, “Father shbak (forgive) them for they know not what they do.” This multiplicity of meaning in Aramaic, naturally groups related concepts under the umbrella of the same word. In this case, reserve, keep and spare all are variations from the same concept of setting aside. The same can be said idiomatically of forgive, where offenses are metaphorically also “set aside.” Conversely, the rabbis throughout the centuries have always translated the Hebrew azbatani in Psalm 22 exclusively as “forsaken.” That is not to say the other meanings of shbak do not exist also in its Hebrew equivalent, because they do in other verses of Scripture. In the end only one solution reveals itself, which is that another meaning of shbakthani is intended. The context safely eliminates forgive as a possibility as it makes no sense; therefore, the highly similar concept of reserve, keep or spare are left to investigate.
Some scholars have suggested that lemana could be interpreted as a statement and that would allow the first two definitions as possibilities with readings like, “My El, My El, for this you have reserved/kept me.” However, traditional understanding of this verse has always affirmed lemana only as a question. Therefore, what remains as the most viable reading is: “My El, My El, why have you reserved/kept/spared me.” While all these possibilities will clearly work, the choice of Paul Younan (a foremost Aramaic scholar) is the wording, “why have you spared me” because reserve or kept has a continuation of a wider question that Y’hoshua is clearly not asking. Furthermore and in concordance with the other Scriptures mentioned, Y’hoshua is clearly aware of the reasons for his death, and therefore to use the other options would allow for inadequate options like, “why have you kept me around” or “why have you reserved me for this purpose”. Since he fully knows the reasons for his suffering, the preferred choice is “why have you spared me” or, “I’ve been here for six hours and will die for this cause, but how much more time will this take?” in response to this question Scripture tells us that Y’hoshua dies shortly thereafter, thus validating the context.
Finally, there is very good reason why tradition has been so strong on linking this utterance to Psalm 22. While Y’hoshua himself may or may not be quoting the Psalm, the rest of the narrative is clearly referencing it. This section of Matthew is a Midrash, or dramatic story rendering of Psalm 22. the very rebukes found in the Psalm are on the lips of the Pharisees as they taunt Mashiyach (Psalm 22:6-8; Matthew 27:39-40). The Psalm references his “hands and feet pierced” and having “enemies gamble for his clothing” (Psalm 22:16, 18; Matthew 27:34). Even the probable condition of Y’hoshua hanging on a stake is described with phrases like, “I am poured out like water and all my joints are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax and has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.” With all this Psalmic imagery, it’s no wonder many have concluded with apparent logic that Y’hoshua is quoting Psalm 22:1! But we must also consider other factors; for instance: Y’hoshua was also experiencing brutal physical trauma, which is know to cause impairment of speech. Secondly, we do not have concise evidence to know whether Y’hoshua was speaking Hebrew or Aramaic at that moment, so even in the best of circumstances those who stood by listening may not have clearly heard what he was saying. In this matter, Hebrew speaking witnesses at the site of the execution thought he was calling on “Eliyah” as opposed to “My El.” Perhaps it was only an exhalation of pain (Eli-ah). Altogether these criteria presents a compelling case for determining how two similar phrases were transposed. In the end what we have here is another section of Matthew which “represents” rather than “quotes” from Scripture.
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Christmas
This might seem like an odd time to post this article here. The reason I am doing so is to point out the lies that we have been taught and that certain things that seems good to us are in actual fact of the occult world. We are to learn from the Scriptures ourselves and stop listening to men to make decisions for us as to what is right and wrong. We must learn the Way of YHWH, not the way of man.
The vast majority of Christians insist on celebrating the “Christmas holiday” as though it has something to do with the birth of “Jesus” – even though most realize that “Jesus” wasn’t born on December 25th and even that the roots of “Christmas” go deep into paganism and nowhere to be found in the Bible. YHWH never suggested we celebrate birthdays, let alone the birth of the Savior.
The Word of YHWH foretold that the “seed” of woman would come the Savior of all mankind, and by this seed “the Serpent” would be destroyed: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
After the flood when the human race was centralized on the plains of Babylon , haSatan began to turn mankind away from YHWH’s plan of redemption by producing a counterfeit Messiah. HaSatan found an ambitious woman named Semiramis, the widow of Nimrod, he was of course “the mighty hunter before YHWH” (Genesis 10:9) who met with a violent death. Nimrod had been defied as the deliverer from the menace of wild animals. His widow sought to perpetuate his worship while also retaining the power of his kingdom, and she deceived people into believing that she gave birth, through a miraculous conception, to a son she named Tammuz (branch) whom she purported to be the reincarnation of Nimrod. 2,000 BCE saw haSatan’s counterfeit to the promised “Seed.” Semiramis was thenceforth worshipped as “the mother of god” (Madonna) or “the queen of heaven,” and her illegitimate son also became a deity. This is where the ancient Babylonian mystery religion originated, the fountainhead of all idolatry. Every idol, whether mentioned in the Set Apart Scriptures or in Mythology, can be traced to these beginnings.
Alexander Hislop, in his monumental work “The Two Babylons” has shown that papal worship is based on none other than the worship of Nimrod and his wife, disguised in a garb of Christianity. Concerning the Christmas festival Hislop writes: “That Christmas was originally a pagan festival is beyond all doubt. The time of the year, the ceremonies with which it is celebrated, prove its origin. In Egypt , the son of Isis , the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time, about the time of the winter solstice. The very name by which Christmas is popularly known among ourselves – Yule day – proves at once its pagan and Babylonian origin. “Yule” is the Chaldee name for “infant” or “little child”; and as the 25th of December was referred to by Anglo-Saxon ancestors as the “Yule-day” or “the child’s day”, and the night that preceded it, “Mother night”, long before they came in contact with Christianity, that sufficiently proves its real character. Far and wide in the realms of paganism was the birthday observed.” (The Two Babylons; Alexander Hislop, pg 93)
As mentioned above, it can be clearly demonstrated from Scripture that Y’hoshua Mashiyach was not born in the winter. Since YHWH in no way authorized the celebration of Christmas, not to mention birthdays, what would posses Christians to fabricate a birth date for our Savior? As early as the First Century Rav Shaul rebuked Gentile followers of Mashiyach for attempting to incorporate paganism into the True Faith: “Then, for when you did not know Elohim, you served those things who, by their very nature, are not Elohim. Now that you have knowledge of Elohim, and especially have knowledge from Elohim, that you have returned to those weak and poor principles, wishing to come under their bondage. You have observed days and months and times and years, I am afraid that perhaps my being among you has been in vain” (Galatians 4:8-11). Rav Shaul’s letters, of course, were not heeded by the Church.
In the year 230 CE the Christian Church founder Tertullian wrote: “By us [Gentile Christians] who are strangers to (Jewish) Sabbaths, and new moons, and festivals, once acceptable to G-d, the Saturnalia, the feast of January, the Brumalia, , and Matronalia are now frequented, with gifts being carried to and fro.”
Moving on, Tammuz was worshiped as “god” incarnate which implied that he was an incarnation of the “Lord of the heavens.” Since the sun grows stronger after the 25th of December, this date came to be known as the rebirth of Nimrod and of the Sun. in ancient Rome this day was known as “Natalis Invicti Solis,” the birthday of the unconquered sun. lights were kindled then to burn until the 6th of January (Epiphany). The week-long feast of Saturnalia was held at the time of the winter solstice, accompanied with much evil revelry and debauchery. HaSatan managed to find masses of gullible and willing men to seduce into believing the lie that these pagan festivals were acceptable to the Almighty, and various “religious men” were instrumental in incorporating them into the Catholic religion. As a matter of fact, it became policy for the papacy to amalgamate heathen festivals with Christendom. Pope Gregory wrote to Augustine the first missionary to the British Isles (CE 597): “Do not destroy the temple of the English gods; change them to Christian churches. Do not forbid the ‘harmless customs’ which have been associated with the old religions; consecrate them to Christian use.” The Vatican views paganism as “harmless customs” which is why the church is rife with paganism that was syncretized into Greco-Roman Christianity.
Sir James Fraser in “The Golden Bough” writes: “Thus it appears that the Christian Church chose to celebrate the birthday of its founder on the 25th of December in order to transfer the devotion of the heathen from the sun to him who was called the sun of Righteousness. If that was so, there can be no intrinsic improbability in the conjecture that motives of the same sort may have led the ecclesiastical authorities to assimilate the Easter festival of the death and resurrection of their Lord to the festival of the death and resurrection of another Asiatic god which fell in the same season.” To be appealing to the masses, the early post-apostolic church founders asserted their political and immoral relativism against the Word of YHWH, thus making void the Commandments of YHWH by their pagan traditions.
The term “Christmas” first appeared around 450 CE when Pope Julius decreed that all Catholics must celebrate the birthday of Christ at the same time that the heathen were celebrating the pagan Saturnalia feast. It was designated as “Christe-masse” or Christ’s mass. Sadly, there are precious few Christians who recognize that the origin of the “Christmas tree” is from Babylon mystery religion as many believe the tree originated among Christians in Europe . But there are even fewer Christians who know this and will actually dare to speak out to warn others against the pagan origins of Christmas.
The decorated tree represents Tammuz (which means a branch); it is haSatan’s counterfeit of the true “Branch” – Hebrew: NETZER; a shoot; or sprout. Mashiyach was prophetically called “The Root out of dry ground” (Isaiah 11:1, 53:2, Jeremiah 23:5). “Behold the man whose name is The Branch” (Zechariah 6:12). Ancient Babylonian coins pictured a tree stump which represented dead Nimrod and a small tree growing nearby which represented Tammuz. The Egyptians used the palm; the Romans a pine tree. The “X-mas tree” as once worshipped by idolatrous Israelites is described in Jeremiah 10. Mistletoe and holly figured prominently in the early Anglo-Saxon and Druidic tree worship.
“Hear ye the word which YHWH speaks to you, O house of Israel: Thus says YHWH, learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workmen, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be born, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good” (Jeremiah 10:1-5).
Clearly Jeremiah records a vivid depiction of a tree that is cut down from a forest, erected and decorated for a religious celebration. Ezekiel also shows how YHWH’s people sorely grieved Him by adopting the “imagery” of Tammuz which now has become the decorated Christmas tree. “Then said He unto me, Son of man, have you seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? For they say, ‘YHWH does not see us; YHWH has forsaken the earth.’ He said also unto me, turn yet again, and you shall see greater abominations that they do. Then He brought me to the door of the gate of YHWH’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8:11-14).
Part of Tammuz worship was to place golden balls on the tree which were representative of his testicles, as he was also considered a god of sex. The women weeping for Tammuz was a pagan ritual that continued long after he died because his sexual services were no longer available. As one can plainly see, the whole hearted Believer would not contribute to the perpetuation of Christmas in any manner; he or she will withdraw from all pagan-born celebrations revered by the same evil spirit that tried to slay the infant Messiah by Herod’s sword. The blood of the slaughtered babies of Bethlehem cries out against the diabolical hatred toward the infant Savior whom the world hated. Sadly, the world is now racing towards the fulfillment of YHWH’s Word his witness shall be slain and “they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry and shall send gifts to one another” (Revelation 11:10).
Christians and all who would follow the Elohim of Awraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov, would do well to act upon Rav Shaul’s teachings, a man of truth! “And have no commerce with the works of darkness which are unfruitful, but reject them” (Ephesians 5:11). Torah reminds us: “You shall not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exodus 23:2). Many think that Christmas isn’t a big deal, even though they know it has pagan origins; but Mashiyach states, “That which is highly esteemed among men is abominable in the sight of Elohim” (Luke 16:15). Rav Shaul writes, “And be not conformed to this world; but be you transformed by the renovation of your minds: and discern you what is the good and acceptable and perfect pleasure of Elohim” (Romans 12:3). All children of Elohim have an obligation to love each other and warn each other against delving into pagan rituals, because this is NOT a light matter, it’s impossible to serve two masters.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Rapture
I am posting this article in the light of what happened recently with Harold Camping predicting that the rapture was going to take place on the 21 May 2011. This rapture did not happen. Many people were left confused or just plainly ignorant on this topic.
The “rapture theory” teaches that “the saints” who are alive on the earth will miraculously fly to heaven either before, during or after a time of great tribulation on Earth. The main body of the rapture theory was invented by Ribera, a Catholic Jesuit theologian who published his work shortly after the Massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572. The blood of that horrific Catholic inspired massacre of French Protestants was still being washed off the streets of Paris when the Jesuits presented their rapture theory, designed to take pressure off the Catholic Church system that was being fingered as the Antichrist, the Beast, and/or the Whore of Revelation. To excuse themselves from this embarrassment the Catholic Church developed a “futurist” theology that suggested they could not be the Harlot Church who sits on the Seven Hills of Rome , they began posturing that Revelation speaks of “futurist” prophecies that are not yet fulfilled. (The head of the Vatican was so delighted with his massacre in Paris that he struck a coin to commemorate it.) Ribera wrote: “None of the wicked shall understand,” yet thousands of “Bible teachers” today maintain that Ribera’s idea of a future personal Antichrist is the right interpretation, and that the Reformers’ view of the papacy as the Antichrist was wrong. From 1580 to 1830, the official teaching of the Church of Rome was that an individual personal Antichrist would appear in the future; while the Protestants held that the reign of Antichrist extended all through the Dark Ages, from the Fourth Century onward.
In the mid 1700’s Emanual Lacunza, a Chilean Jesuit of Spanish descent wrote a book entitled, “The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty,” which launched a theory that Mashiyach was to come TWICE; once for his saints at the rapture and then again with an army of his saints. But he also wrote that the priesthood of the Catholic Church would apostatize at the coming of the Antichrist and that the Antichrist himself would take over the Roman Catholic Church and persecute Catholics. However, Lacunza also yielded to one of the main contentions of the Protestants that the Antichrist was not a man but a system or body of men animated by one spirit. Lacunza had taken the Reformers’ perspective and melded it with Rome ’s but, of course, this publication was immediately put on the Vatican ’s list of prohibited books – so, for whom was it written? It came with a commendation of being condemned by the Pope.
Lacunza also wrote his book under the name of “Rabbi Ben Ezra” claiming to be a learned Jew who became a Christian who was out to convert his Jewish brethren to Christianity. “Ben Ezra: became famous among Christians under the cloak of the converted Jew. Did Lacunza really expect to reach Jews by pretending to be an ex-Jewish Rabbi? No, because he was aiming at the Protestants. Lacunza was found dead on June 17th 1801. There was no record of what caused his death, but after his death his book found its way to Oxford and Cambridge and into the library of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the official head of the Anglican Church and the people of England . In the course of time, the librarian to the Archbishop, Dr. Maitland, became smitten with the teachings of “Rabbi Ben Ezra the converted Jew,” and the ideas of Lacunza the Jesuit rose from the dead and “ministered” to Protestants everywhere.
The Beast
For most Bible students it comes as no surprise that Protestant Christians fingered the Roman Catholic Church as the Antichrist Church of Revelation; especially when the Vatican extended extreme cruelty, torture and death to independent Christian minorities who refused Catholic “conversion.” The Church of Rome continues to provide asylum for criminals and boasts extreme extravagance at the expense of the poorest of the poor while also being found to cover up/minimalize the wicked sexual perversion of priests who’ve raped the most vulnerable of society: children. The Vatican, which puts its official “Christification” on images of the sun placed behind the heads of many a “saint,” epitomizes the marriage of paganism with Christianity, lavishly pouring condemnation and guilt upon its adherents and then selling cash pardons for “forgiveness.”
Anyone visiting or viewing photos of the Vatican has likely noticed a massive obelisk at the center of St. Peter’s square, which is dedicated to sex/sun worship. The massive eight-rayed sun wheel around the obelisk is the ancient symbol of Ishtar (Easter) who was a goddess of sex. The obelisk itself is a phallic symbol (penis) that was brought to the Church from Heliopolis Egypt by the Roman Emperor Caligula. Ancient pagan civilizations believed that the fellow who sported the largest penis was sent from the gods; therefore, Protestants pointed to the Catholic erection as evidence that Catholicism is in bed with paganism.
Caligula, according to historical sources, was a man of extreme cruelty, extravagance and sexual perversion who considered himself a deity. For public meetings he dressed up as various gods and demigods, such as Hercules, Apollo, Venus or Mercury, and he demanded that both the senators and people worship him as a physical living god. Similarly, the head of the Vatican also prides himself as “Vicar Christi” (in place of Christ) and operates under the title of “Holy Father” – which is much like the spirit of Caligula and a rather wicked thing in the light of Mashiyach’s warning; “And do not call yourself Father for your Father is one who is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9).
The Catching Up
“And then we who survive and are alive shall be caught up together with them to the clouds to meet our Master (Y’hoshua) in the air; and so shall we be ever with our Master.” (1 Thess 4:17)
Here Rav Shaul teaches that the first resurrection and the “catching up” will occur at the return of Mashiyach. The survivors of the great tribulation are they who “survive and are alive” which was also witnessed (2 Peter 3:10-12) at the end of what is known as Jacob’s Trouble.
Mashiyach says, “Blessed are they who are meek because they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). (See also Psalm 37:11, 149:4.) Isaiah wrote: “And one cried unto another, and said, Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, is YHWH of hosts: the whole earth is full of His esteem” (Isaiah 6:3), which was echoed by Rav Shaul: “For the earth is MASTER YHWH’s, in its fullness” (1 Cor 10:26). Certainly the Earth is headed towards catastrophe of unimaginable proportion; but regardless of what man does to destroy it, it is YHWH’s property and He clearly intends to redeem every molecule of it.
“For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHWH blessed the Shabbat day, and Set it Apart” (Exodus 20:11). YHWH calls tov (good) all that He created; therefore, fallen man’s plans to destroy the Earth will come to an end long before the Earth does – which is why Mashiyach says, “For then will be great suffering such as has not been from the beginning of the world until the present, nor will ever be again. And if those days were not shortened, not any flesh would live, but because of the chosen, those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).
Although the rapture theory has gained wide recognition and acceptance in the Christian world, the word “rapture” like the word “trinity” is not found in Scripture. It is much more important for those who follow Mashiyach to focus on donning the garments of righteousness instead of supposing they already have all their facts straight. A future rapture is nothing but a clever deception of the enemy to make Christians think they’ve “got it in the bag,” when in fact they are giving authority to the Anti-Christ Church by disobeying Mashiyach and Torah. It should also be noted that the “rapture theory” never penetrated the Church of the East; it is of Western origin.
The Promised Land
A very integral part of the Covenant YHWH made with Awraham included a “Promised Land.” Undoubtedly, there is going to be a lot of scorched earth between now and when Mashiyach returns, but YHWH isn’t nervous and Mashiyach isn’t fearful. HaSatan knows that his days are numbered; therefore, it is utterly foolish to play religious games with “the Devil.” We are told by the Prophet Isaiah that haSatan will be destroyed after he makes the Earth tremble and has shaken kingdoms and destroyed cities; but the irony is: “They that see thee (haSatan) shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth tremble, that did shake kingdoms? “ (Isaiah 14:16) In other words, people will be amazed at how pathetic the chief of doom really is and they will realize the utter foolishness of even thinking that evil would triumph.
Rapture Not the Goal
The goal then is not the Rapture (or religion) but Spiritual Regeneration. Mashiyach Y’hoshua was put to death on the merits of religious tradition, but so is religion (false Christianity) putting Y’hoshua to “death” by turning their backs on Torah, which is Mashiyach preincarnate. The post-apostolic Western Church (inspired by haSatan) has always been at war with the true followers of Mashiyach but: “Judgment begins in the house of YHWH” (1 Peter 4:17-18), so as the One World Government continues to rape and pillage the Earth of righteousness, one can expect even more false prophets to advertise cheap religious travel packages into the clouds.
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The Voice of YHWH
This past weekend that just past was a double rest day, the weekly Sabbath and then Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) the next day. It was so lovely to gather with fellow believers and to learn out of the Torah of what YHWH has given us. I would like to share with you something that really shook me. Let us read some of the Scripture to see what I am talking about (I have highlighted the parts that are relevant to this article):
“And now, if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples – for all the earth is Mine
and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
And Mosheh came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה (YHWH) commanded him.
And all the people answered together and said, “All that יהוה (YHWH) has spoken we shall do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to יהוה (YHWH).
And יהוה (YHWH) said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה (YHWH).
And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go to the people and set them apart today and tomorrow. And they shall wash their garments,
and shall be prepared by the third day. For on the third day יהוה shall come down upon Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
“And you shall make a border for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.
‘Not a hand is to touch it, but he shall certainly be stoned or shot with an arrow, whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, let them come near the mountain.”
And Mosheh came down from the mountain to the people and set the people apart, and they washed their garments.
And he said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not come near a wife.”
And it came to be, on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain. And the sound of the ram’s horn was very loud, and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
And Mosheh brought the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
And Mount Sinai was in smoke, all of it, because יהוה (YHWH) descended upon it in fire. And its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.
And when the blast of the ram’s horn sounded long and became louder and louder, Mosheh spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.
And יהוה came down upon Mount Sinai , on the top of the mountain. And יהוה called Mosheh to the top of the mountain, and Mosheh went up.
And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go down, and warn the people, lest they break through unto יהוה to see, and many of them fall.
And let the priests who come near יהוה (YHWH) set themselves apart too, lest יהוה break out against them.”
And Mosheh said to יהוה (YHWH), “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai , for You warned us, saying, ‘Make a border around the mountain and set it apart.’ ”
And יהוה said to him, “Come, go down and then come up, you and Aharon with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest He break out against them.”
And Mosheh went down to the people and spoke to them.
And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying,
“I am יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim , out of the house of slavery.
“You have no other mighty ones against My face.
“You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth,
you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.
“You do not bring the Name of יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim to naught, for יהוה (YHWH) does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.
“Six days you labour, and shall do all your work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
“For in six days יהוה (YHWH) made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה (YHWH) blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.
“Respect your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged upon the soil which יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim is giving you.
“You do not murder.
“You do not commit adultery.
“You do not steal.
“You do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
“You do not covet your neighbour’s house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”
And all the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain smoking. And the people saw it, and they trembled and stood at a distance,
and said to Mosheh, “You speak with us and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.”
And Mosheh said to the people, “Do not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and in order that His fear be before you, so that you do not sin.”
So the people stood at a distance, but Mosheh drew near the thick darkness where Elohim was.
And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Say this to the children of Yisra’ĕl: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens.
You do not make besides Me mighty ones of silver, and you do not make mighty ones of gold for yourselves.
Make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall slaughter on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause My Name to be remembered I shall come to you and bless you.
And if you make Me an altar of stone, do not build it of cut stone, for if you use your chisel on it, you have profaned it.
Nor do you go up by steps to My altar, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.” (Exo 19:5-20:26)
This is a very powerful piece of Scripture. The things that really got my attention is that the Almighty Creator YHWH descended from Heaven and came to earth and spoke in an audible voice to the people. These things that YHWH spoke to the people must have been important that He would verbally speak to the entire male population of Israel . These words just happen to be the Ten Commandments.
Another important thing to point out is that the men who were to come within a certain proximity to YHWH had to cleans themselves and set themselves apart, they were not even to be with their wives for these few days. This is because no uncleanness can EVER come near to where YHWH is. That in this time and day we have to do a daily evaluation of ourselves and repentance for any transgression of the Commands of YHWH so that we too can be clean.
Also notice that the men of Israel agreed to do all that YHWH told them before YHWH told them what it is that He Commands. This is because they understood that it was not about them, but rather all for the esteem of YHWH. What ever YHWH said, they would do.
Now this was an awesome sight. The mountain was rumbling, there was a thick cloud over the mountain with thunder and lightning coming from it. YHWH descended onto the mountain like fire and there were rams horns sounding from the heavens. And then YHWH spoke. Now try and picture this and think for yourself if you too would tremble in your boots just like the Israelites did on that day. Now YHWH did this in order to install fear into the peoples so that they do not sin. Do we have this same fear of YHWH as we should so that we do not sin either? Or has this been driven out of us by religious bullying?
Now the Ten Commandments are very important and still just as relevant today as it was when YHWH spoke these words and wrote them down on stone tablets. What then about the rest of Torah? Well, the rest of Torah teaches us how we can keep to the Ten Commandments. Without the rest of the Torah, we would not understand or be able to keep the Ten Commandments. So we are to diligently guard to do all of the Torah which is the Instruction of YHWH.
Now if we are to be part of YHWH’s treasured possession above all other peoples. Then we are to diligently obey his voice and guard His covenant.
You have to decide for yourself if you are going to do what YHWH requires from you so that you may be saved, or to do what you want to do and not guard to do the Commandments of YHWH unto death.
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