A simple explanation as to why I am Torah observant!

In the beginning, simple obedience to the Divine Instructions (not “laws”; rather “instructions”) from our Creator didn’t have a name.  His instructions were never considered to be a “religion”; it was never about “religion” or “religiosity!”

Whatever Yahweh spoke, happened. (Yahweh’s Name in Hebrew consists of the letters יהוה  [English: YHWH], as given to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15.)  Whatever He commanded into being, “became.” And it was “very good.” (See Genesis 1.)

Even His relationship with Adam was symbiotic; Adam knew “who” he was (Genesis 2:9), and he simply and without hesitation, obeyed the One who created him (Genesis 2:15-1), because he knew HE was GOOD.

Adam - as a created being who had a unique and special “face-to-face” relationship with ELOHIM, and had never sinned - was HOLY.   No “religion” involved; just a simple love for his Creator.

NOTE: I’m thinking that must also have been very much how Moshe/Moses felt when he was in Yahweh’s Presence for 40 days and nights; “holy” and full of love, eager to do The Creator’s Will! As evidence of that holiness, Moshe’s body shone like the sun because he had been in the Presence of pure Holiness – and the people were afraid, because of that bright light emanating from Moshe’s face when he came down from Mt. Sinai! (See Exodus 34:29-35.)

But then, “the fall” happened, because Adam and Eve abused the “free will” God had bestowed upon them, by daring to disobey His Holy Instructions concerning the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Consequently, they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, to fend for themselves. (See Genesis 2:16-17 and all of Genesis 3 which provide ample warning about how strongly ADONAI-ELOHIM feels about disobedience.)

As you know, things went downhill from there because, the “fallen world” quickly became filled with unruly, evil, sinning people who either didn’t know, or didn’t care about The Creator, and so He flooded the earth to rid it of all the evil people. According to the Torah account, everyone perished; everyone that is, except for Noah - the ONLY person on earth who actually still adhered to God’s Divine Instructions. Because of his obedience, Noah and his family were spared and allowed to live and prosper and procreate to start the human race all over again. (Genesis 6:8 through Genesis 9:1)

Living in a “fallen world,” of course, meant that God had to hand down more rules, because men always tend to stray from His Instructions… (Again – “instructions” - NOT “religion”… Sorry to keep belaboring that mantra, but I’m trying to make a point here because, today there are endless fights and arguments over everyone’s respective “religions,” “denominations” and “beliefs.”  The bottom line is, those mean nothing, because they all have, in one way or another, twisted His INSTRUCTIONS, which is the  ONLY thing that matters!)

Fast forward to Chapter 12 where we meet Avram (which means “Exalted Father”), the pagan Chaldean who accepted Yahweh’s offer to become his God, with the stipulation that he would have to leave the paganism and his home and everything behind, and head to the Land God commanded him to enter. This obedience resulted in Avram becoming our first Patriarch, adhering to the same original Divine Instructions – a body of Rules for moral, holy Living, that men would, centuries later, begin referring to as “Judaism”…

(NOTE: Men, not God, placed the label of Judaism on belief in Yahweh-Elohim and His Divine Instructions.)

Yahweh made several covenants with Avram, who was began being referred to as a “Hebrew” in Genesis 13:14; and He ultimately saw fit to rename him “Avraham” (which means “Father of a Multitude” or “Father of Many Nations”). He also promised Avraham that he would “become a great nation” (Genesis 17).

Yahweh put Avraham through many tests in order to guide and teach him to TRUST, PUT HIS FAITH IN, and TOTALLY RELY on Him – the hardest of which was the order to offer up his own son, Isaac as a burnt offering! (Genesis 22:1-19).

Of course, ADONAI ELOHIM is not, and was never, into “human sacrifice! That particular test was designed, among other things, to not only prove that Yahweh could always be trusted to “do the right thing” in every situation (i.e., at the last minute, He provided a ram for Avraham to offer in lieu of his own son); but also make Avraham realize how much he had “grown” since his pagan days; because now, he was automatically willing to obey EVERYTHING and ANYTHING the Holy One expected of him … which is a trait ADONAI desires to see in everyone who believes in Him, especially His Chosen leaders.

Avraham, naturally, passed knowledge of Yahweh and His Divine Instructions down to his son, Yitz’chak (Isaac), who would become our Second Patriarch; who then passed the same onto his son, Ya’akov (Jacob, also called “Israel”), our Third Patriarch, who fathered 12 sons, who became the heads of the twelve tribes. (Genesis 49:28 And Exodus 24:4)

VERY IMPORTANT: One of Yitz’chak’s sons was Yehudah (Judah) [a later ancestor to King David], who headed the tribe that would eventually be referred to as “Jews” whose “religion” would ultimately be called “Judaism”.

Not only would the Tribe of Yehudah later be charged with taking Torah into the world (Genesis 49:10, Micah 4:2); but Yahweh also caused His “Son” - Messiah Yeshua – to be born into the Tribe of Yehudah!

When Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, came onto the scene centuries later, he didn’t come to bring ANY “religion” either!  He was sent by the Father NOT to do his own will, or to abolish anything His Father ever commanded: but rather, to proclaim the Kingdom of Yahweh and do everything His Father commanded (see Luke 4:43 and 8:1; Acts 28:23). He was to be an intercessor between Yahweh and mankind; all while, constantly leading people back to the Source: יהוה and His Divine Instructions, known as “Torah” (consisting of the first five Books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy)

Unfortunately, regardless of what the first two-thirds of the Bible SAYS, and regardless as to what Yeshua preached, myriads today erroneously insist on believing that he came to establish a new religion, bring new rules and abolish His Father’s Torah … and they will inevitably present the much-misunderstood and mistranslated writings of Paul to “prove” it. (Never mind that Peter said Paul would be hard to understand [2 Peter 3:15-16] in his desperate attempts to explain deep Hebrew concepts to pagan mindsets. AND, never mind that among Paul’s many writings, he ALSO wrote: “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” (Romans 3:31, NIV)

Stern’s Complete Jewish Bible puts it this way: “Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah.”

(NOTE: “The law” is an inaccurate term, because God’s Divine Instructions are just that: loving INSTRUCTIONS on how to conduct our lives in a way that would prepare us to become good, holy citizens not only in this world, but also in the “Olam haBa” (World to Come); “a core Jewish concept for the afterlife and messianic era, referring to a perfected spiritual realm or the perfected world after the Messiah's coming, involving divine justice, potential soul survival, and the resurrection of the dead.”)

IN VIEW OF ALL THE ABOVE, WHY WOULD YESHUA COME TO ABOLISH TORAH, when it is our ONLY BLUEPRINT for moral, holy living? Why would he bring a “new religion” designed to detract from the things His Father taught – and that Yeshua himself, who came from Yahweh and was the “Word of Yahweh” (John 1:1,14) helped to produce? After all, doesn’t the Bible tell that Yeshua is “the same yesterday, today, and forever?" (Hebrews 13:8)

The entire Tanach (Old Testament) revolves around Yahweh and His continuous teachings and reaching out to His people. It chronicles their history and sagas – complete with their triumphs and failures (whenever they were off His Path).

His Divine Instructions are spread throughout the Torah (first five Books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) which outlines ALL of the Holy One’s Divine Instructions - including those found in Exodus 20, from which we got the Ten Commandments.

Not only has Yahweh provided us with the blueprint; but He even made a way for us to have an ongoing relationship with Him every week and throughout the year, via the commanded Seventh Day Sabbath (which is our weekly “date” with Him); and the seven commanded Feast Times (our yearly “dates” with Him), all designed to teach us about Him, His Messiah and His desires to fashion into holy vessels ALL who accept Him as their God; preparing us to spend Eternity with Him and Yeshua!

As you can see, neither Yahweh nor His Messiah gave us any “religions” whatsoever – only the Divine Instructions in Righteousness, without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living. His Son Yeshua certainly didn’t come to bring any religion! He simply reminded Yahweh’s people of the SAME Divine Instructions that we saw from the beginning and which were spread throughout the Torah; and he came to walk them out (1 John 2:3-7) and taught Yahweh’s people how to properly do them. 

And then – as you all know – he became our Redeemer by offering up his own life and shedding his divine blood in order to afford us eternal life. (Remember, since the “fall of mankind” Yahweh has always required the blood of an innocent animal to atone for men’s sins.  Yeshua was not a “human sacrifice, and nobody “sacrificed” him on any altar; he willingly martyred himself on our behalf, against which there is no law.)

THAT is why I accepted the call to become a “Torah observant believer” in Yahweh, Yeshua, and Torah – the “whole Bible” concept that teaches “the faith once delivered.” (Jude 1:3)  No “religion” nor “religiosity”; just plain obedience to the commands we today can still adhere to, such as eating only “clean” foods (as outlined in Leviticus); and keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and the Feasts.

In closing, I reiterate:  Torah observance is not now, nor ever has been about “religion”; it’s always been about simple obedience to the good and holy, DIVINE Instructions, designed to prepare us for an Eternity too amazing for us to even imagine with our limited, human mindsets!

DO YOU WONDER WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD?

We seem to be experiencing myriad things happening all at once.

For instance, consider Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine; and the Middle East being dominated by severe economic protests in Iran, where citizens are clashing with security forces over inflation.

There’s also still instability from the Israel-Hamas conflict from October 7, 2023, that has inflamed regional tensions, and persistent issues such as attacks on US forces in Iraq/Syria, Houthi activities; and internal conflicts in Yemen, all fueled by complex political, sectarian, and economic factors.

Furthermore, we were recently informed of President Trump’s brazen military assault in Venezuela that succeeded in capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, both who are now facing U.S. charges related to cocaine trafficking. Where this situation will be heading is anybody's guess!

In addition to all that, we are constantly hearing about natural disasters of “biblical proportions - fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic activities, etc. . around the world.

In other words, we are experiencing all the things that are outlined in the Bible: riots, unrest, wars and rumors of wars (i.e., terrorism and/or leaders provoking wars), racism, anti-Semitism, fights and arguments between countries and within families and among brethren; and people simply being evil and committing “mass murders” just to “make a statement”…

The Bible has warned us that these things would happen!

For starters, read the Books of Daniel and Revelation, which tells us that ALL of these things MUST happen to usher in the rise of the Antichrist (i.e., Revelation 12:1-10); and ultimately the return of Yeshua (Revelation 1:7 ("every eye will see him") and Revelation 22:12, 20 ("I come quickly"), and Acts 1:11 ("will come in the same way you saw him go"). Yeshua himself spoke of his return in Matthew 24:30 ("coming on the clouds of heaven") and Matthew 24:44.

Folks, I sincerely believe we are closer than we realize!

The one thing Believers can be assured of is that there IS hope for us; and no matter what happens – because the worst thing that can happen is that we die … and if we do, the moment we open our eyes again (not immediately, but in Elohim’s timing), we will be looking upon the Face of Yeshua (2 Cor. 5:8) and facing LIFE ETERNAL (Please see my article.)

Notes/talking points from the amazing mind of Rabbi Burt Yellin of Congregation Roeh Israel in Denver, Colorado

(Get out some tissues, because these notes will bring tears to your eyes. While they're simply just notes for Burt's profound teachings, I wish I could have heard this whole message in person...)

CHRISTMAS 2025

LUKE 2:7-14

I HAVE NOW LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE SOME PATTERNS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR

WE JUDGE OTHERS BY WHAT WE BELIEVE WE WOULD DO IN A SIMILAR SITUATION

THESE STANDARDS ARE APPLIED TO OUR CONTEMPORARIES—AS WELL AS THOSE WHO LIVED IN THE PAST

AND TO THOSE WILL COME AFTER US

THIS NARCISSISTIC VIEW TENDS TO RENDER HARSH JUDGMENTS

IT PRODUCES A LACKS EMPATHY FOR THE CONDITIONS OF OTHERS WHO LIVED THROUGH MORE DESPERATE TIMES

EACH GENERATION HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF ATTITUDES INFLUENCED BY THE CONDITIONS OF THE WORLD DURING THEIR LIFETIMES

DURING MY ALMOST 76 YEARS OF WANDERING THIS EARTH—I HAVE HAD SCORES OF CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE QUITE CERTAIN HOW THEY WOULD HAVE BEHAVED IF THEY LIVED IN CENTURIES PAST

AS WELL AS PREDICTING THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR IN THE FUTURE

EVERY TIME I HEAR THESE STATEMENTS I THINK OF PETER’S BOLD PROCLAMATION TO YESHUA

THOUGH ALL OTHERS FORSAKE YOU—I WILL BE WITH YOU—EVEN UNTIL DEATH

THE OTHER APOSTLES SAW PETER AS A MAN OF GRAND COURAGE

YESHUA SAW SOMETHING ELSE—AND REVEALS THE FUTILITY OF HIS VOW

THIS VERY NIGHT YOU WILL DENY ME THREE TIMES

THERE ARE PRECIOUS FEW—LIKE PAUL—WHO HAVE THE SELF-AWARENESS TO SEE THEMSELVES AS THEY TRULY ARE

THEIR WEAKNESSES AND THEIR STRENGTHS

THEY ARE LESS SURE OF THEMSELVES—MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT HOW THEIR BEHAVIOR WILL BE VIEWED BY GOD IN THE END

PHILIPPIANS 2:12—I WORK OUT MY OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING

PAUL’S FEAR IS—HAVING LED SO MANY TO A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH—THAT HE HIMSELF MAY LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOAL

THAT HE MIGHT BE WEAKENED BY FORCES AROUND HIM THAT SEEK TO DEPLETE HIS STRENGTH

HE IS CONCERNED HE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FINISH THE RACE

WE JUST CELEBRATED CHANUKKAH

A TIME THAT REMEMBERS THOSE WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE TYRANNY OF EVIL MEN WHO WOULD PROHIBIT THE WORSHIP OF THE ONE TRUE GOD

IN THE FIRE OF CONFLICT IS BOTH THE HERO AND THE COWARD FORGED

MATTATHIAS WAS AN ORDINARY MAN—UNDISTINGUISHED IN HIS GENERATION—UNTIL EVIL CIRCUMSTANCES PRESENTED HIM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEROIC

HE CHOSE HEROISM

THE MAN WHO WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE THE PIG TO SAVE HIS LIFE CHOSE COWARDICE

SIMILARLY—THE EVENTS ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF CHANUKKAH IN AUSTRALIA AFFORDED SOME VERY ORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEROIC

WHILE MOST RAN—THEY CHOSE TO RISK THEIR LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE

CERTAINLY—THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN THIS

THIS CHANUKKAH WAS SPECIAL FOR ME

I REMEMBERED SOMETHING I HAD FORGOTTEN

UNLIKE THE GOD’S HOLY DAYS—CHANUKKAH IS A TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION AMONG JEWS

EVERY SOCIETY HAS TRADITIONAL CELEBRATIONS THAT REMIND THEM OF SOME PAST EVENT

TRADITIONS ARE NOT BAD UNLESS THEY NULLIFY THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

MOST OF CHRISTIANITY CELEBRATES THE BIRTH OF YESHUA ON DEC 25^TH

THIS IS A TRADITION—AS THE SCRIPTURES ARE SILENT ON PRECISE DAY OF HIS BIRTH

SPURGEON DESCRIBES CHRISTMAS AS OUR “PRESENT ECCLESIASTICAL ARRANGEMENT AND CALLS IT A SUPERSTITION

FOR THE DAY OF YESHUA’S BIRTH IS NOT IN SCRIPTURE

HOWEVER—AFTER HIS INTELLECTUAL POLEMIC AGAINST THE CELEBRATION OF THE “THE CHRIST MASS”—HE THEN ACQUIESCES

“REGARDING NOT THE DAY, LET US, NEVERTHELESS, GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR THE GIFT OF HIS DEAR SON.”

THIS YEAR—SPURGEON’S WORDS PRICKED MY HEART

I WAS ABLE TO SEE PAST THE THEOLOGY AND IGNORE THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THIS DAY

GOD GAVE ME EYES TO SEE THE PROFOUND EFFECT YESHUA’S BIRTH HAS HAD ON THOSE CALLED BY HIS NAME—THOSE WITH WHOM HE IS WELL PEASED

THE ESSENCE OF THIS MOMENT IN TIME WHEN YESHUA—SALVATION—ENTERED THIS WORLD

GOD BROUGHT TO MIND AN OBSCURE FACT FROM ONE OF MY HISTORY CLASSES ABOUT DEC 25^TH

THAT MEMORY BROUGHT ME TO TEARS

1914 SAW A WORLD-WIDE—MAN-MADE CATACLYSM—WW1—AND IT WAS BRUTAL

THE WORLD BECAME A KILLING FIELD—THE LIVING AND THE DEAD DWELT TOGETHER

CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES FELL FROM MECHANICAL BIRDS OF PREY FOR THE FIRST TIME

THE BITTER COLD—COUPLED WITH LITTLE MEDICINE TO HELP THOSE INJURED OR SICK—MADE FOR HELL ON EARTH

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS EVE OF THE WAR SAW A PROFOUND MIRACLE HAPPEN ON THE WESTERN FRONT

GERMAN SOLDIERS FESTOONED THEIR TRENCHES WITH LANTERNS

THEY SET UP SMALL FIR TREES—LIT UP BY CAREFULLY PLACED CANDLES

THEY GATHERED ROUND THESE TREES AND SANG CHRISTMAS CAROLS

THEY THEN SHOUTED ACROSS THE “NO MAN’S ZONE” (DMZ) TO THEIR ENEMIES—MERRY CHRISTMAS

THE ENGLISH RESPONDED IN KIND

MANKIND TURNED HIS THOUGHTS FROM KILLING—AND WORSHIPPED THE THE PRINCE OF PEACE

THE MEN IN THE TRENCHES CARED LITTLE FOR KAISER WILHELM’S GRAND DESIRES FOR WORLD DOMINATION

FEARING THEY WOULD BE SHOT BY SNIPERS IF THEY LEFT THE PROTECTION OF THEIR TRENCHES—THEY WERE FORCED TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES IN THOSE TRENCHES

FOR THE SAME REASON—THEY COULD NOT BURY THEIR DEAD—WHO SHARED A GRAVE WITH THE LIVING

THE FOUL STENCH OF DEATH—URINE—AND FECES SATURATED THOSE PATHWAYS CARVED INTO THE EARTH BY MEN WITH SHOVELS

THE FOUL—STICKY—MUDDY CLAY CLUNG TO THEM LIKE A DEATH SHROUD—TRAPPING THE COLD AGAINST THEIR SKIN

THEY LIVED IN THE MOST DEFILED CONDITIONS IMAGINABLE

THEIR FROZEN PROVISIONS WERE A VIVID REMINDER OF THE WARMTH OF THEIR HOME HEARTHS AND KITCHENS—WARMED BY YULE TIDES—SUNG IN THE COMPANY OF LOVED ONES

THEIR DESIRE FOR PEACE WAS NOT COWARDICE—IT WAS A REBELLION AGAINST MADNESS

EVERY MOMENT REVEALED THE VIRTUES OF BEING AT PEACE WITH ALL MEN—AND HOLINESS—WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE GOD

THERE ARE NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT CHRISTMAS EVE IN 1914

ONE BROUGHT ME TO TEARS

I REMEMBERED TANNENBAUM

I DO NOT REFER TO MY OLD JEWISH FRIEND FROM BROOKLYN

TANNENBAUM IS THE GERMAN WORD FOR AN EVERGREEN TREE

IT BECAME THE NAME OF A TREASURED CHRISTMAS CAROL

A SINGLE GERMAN SOLDIER—CLIMBED OUT OF THE MUCK AND MIRE OF HIS TRENCH—AND ASCENDED INTO THE DARKNESS

HE LAID DOWN HIS WEAPON—AND ENTERED “NO MAN’S LAND” AND ERECTED A SMALL EVERGREEN TREE

HE FIXED CANDLES ON THE BRANCHES AND LIT THEM—AND PROCEEDED TO SING—GIVING GLORY TO THE SON OF GOD

THE LIGHT OF THIS TREE SHONE ROUND ABOUT HIM—AND PUSHED BACK THE DARKNESS

THAT LIGHT TRAVELLED IN ALL DIRECTIONS—TOUCHING THOSE IN THE TRENCHES OF BOTH SIDES

SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY AT FIRST—THOSE IN DARKNESS WERE DRAWN TO THAT LIGHT—AND MEN OF WAR WERE DRAWN TO THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING

ENEMIES—WHO HAD BEEN KILLING EACH OTHER EARLIER THAT SAME DAY—NOW GATHERED ROUND A SMALL TANNENBAUM—EMBRACING ONE ANOTHER AND SHARING PROVISIONS

AN IMPROMPTU GAME OF SOCCER BROKE OUT

THE LAUGHTER AND SINGING COULD BE HEARD FOR MILES ACROSS THAT FROZEN WASTE LAND

THAT SMALL GATHERING OF THOSE WHO DESIRED PEACE INFECTED OTHER SECTIONS OF THE WAR ZONE

SMALL POCKETS OF PEACE ERUPTED IN MANY OTHER PLACES

WE TEND TO BELIEVE THE MIRACLES THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST

BUT THE MIRACULOUS BIRTH OF KING MESSIAH—WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE 2000 YEARS EARLIER—COULD NOT BE CONTAINED BY THAT MOMENT IN TIME

ON THE EVENING OF DEC 24 1914—THE MIRACLE OF THAT BIRTH REACHED OUT FROM THE PAST—AND TOUCHED THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO WERE PRESENTLY ENGAGED IN BATTLE

ON THIS DAY—THE PROCLAMATION OF THE ANGELIC CREATURES WAS FULLFILLED

PEACE WAS FOUND ON EARTH—AND GOOD WILL WAS MANIFEST IN THE HEARTS OF MEN

THE BEHAVIOR OF THESE MEN WHOSE THOUGHTS TURNED TO GOD—STOOD IN STARK CONTRAST TO THEIR COMMANDERS

THOSE WHOSE MINDS WERE ON THE AFFAIRS OF MAN

LEADERS ON BOTH SIDES SAW THIS OUTBREAK OF PEACE AS FRATERNIZATION

THEY FORBID ANY FURTHER OVERTURES OF PEACE

SIDE NOTE:

ADOLF HITLER WAS A CORPORAL IN WW1

HE WAS NOT ON THE FRONT LINES WHERE THE PEACE BROKE OUT—BUT ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNTS OF THOSE WHO KNEW HIM—WHEN HEARD—HE WAS QUITE APPALLED BY THE EVENT

HIS RESPONSE WAS

“SUCH A THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN WARTIME. HAVE YOU NO GERMAN SENSE OF HONOR LEFT?”

BUT FOR THOSE WITH EYES TO SEE—THERE WAS BLESSINGS

A REAL MIRACLE OF GOD IN THE HEARTS OF MEN CAUSED THEM TO DEFY THEIR ORDERS FROM MAN

I WANT TO READ TO YOU THE WORDS OF GOD

CLOSE YOUR EYES—AND LET HIS WORDS DRENCH YOUR SOUL IN THE SOUNDS OF PEACE

LUKE 2:7-14

And Miriam gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ In the same region there were shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night.

⁹ An angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is the Messiah—the Lord.

¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger.”

¹³ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men, on whom his favor rests.”

GOD SET HIS FAVOR ON THOSE LOWLY SHEPHERDS—AND THEIR LIVES WERE CHANGED

THEY PUT UP THEIR FLOCKS AND EMBARKED ON THE JOURNEY TO BEIT LECHEM—WHICH MEANS THE HOUSE OF BREAD—FOR THEY KNEW IN THEIR SOULS—THERE THEY WOULD FIND THE BREAD OF LIFE

THESE SHEPHERDS ACTED AS MOSHE—WHO WAS DRAWN TO THE BUSH THAT BURNED WITHOUT BEING CONSUMED

THEIR REACTION TO THE DIVINE BEING MANIFEST AMONG MEN—WAS SHARED BY THOSE MEN IN THE TRENCHES OF WW1

A PEACE NOT BROKERED BY MAN—BUT BY THE REVELATION OF THE CREATOR OF MEN

THIS YEAR I LEARNED—AS SPURGEON BEFORE ME

NOT REGARDING TIMES AND SEASONS—WE SHOULD REJOICE IN THE REVELATION OF SAR HASHALOM—THE PRINCE OF PEACE

SOCIETIES DO NOT EXPERIENCE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE FROM THE TOP DOWN

LEADERS OFTEN MISLEAD FOLKS WITH SLOGANS AND GRAND PROCLAMATIONS

WHAT HAPPENED ON DEC 25^TH 1914 WAS BROUGHT BY ONE LOWLY SOLDIER—WHO SET DOWN HIS FEAR AND WORSHIPPED

EXHAUSTED AND UTTERLY DEFILED BY THE BUSINESS OF WAR—HE ROSE UP FROM THE DUNG HEAP—LITERALLY—WALKED INTO THE DARKNESS—AND LET THE LIGHT OF GOD SHINE THROUGH HIM

AND OTHERS SEEING HIS GOOD DEED—JOINED IN GIVING GLORY TO THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD

BY THIS ONE DEED HE REVEALED HIMSELF NOT AS ONE OF THE KAISER’S ARMY

BUT ONE OF THE ARMY OF GOD—WHO FIGHTS AGAINST THE DARKNESS OF MAN—REVEALING THE GLORIOUS DIVINE LIGHT

GO AND DO LIKEWISE

A close look at the one passage that has led to the division of the Messianic faith…

Take a look at the one passage that has led to the division of the Messianic faith: The erroneous "two-house" belief (started approximately 50 years ago) that all Christians who become Torah observant believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob automatically belong to the Tribe of Ephraim...and they have built an entire religion around this train of thought and some have even gone so far as to place more emphasis on their supposed "tribe membership" than on the fact that through Y'shua we are all ONE in Messiah!

Many, if not most, proponents of this movement contend that members of the "born-again" segment of the Christian church are, in fact, actual blood descendants of the ancient Israelites who were exiled in the Assyrian invasion of Israel in 722 B.C.E. Their agenda is to "prove" that Christians are the northern tribes - which actually detracts from our Savior, Yeshua.

Originally, the Messianic Jewish "movement" was all about bringing Jews to faith in Messiah, nothing more. It was NOT about separating Jews from Gentiles in some sort of a hierarchy of faith....

Below is the scripture that started it all. After reading this section (and becoming VERY familiar with your Bible, from Genesis through Revelation!), you are free to make up your own mind about whether or not "two house" means all Christians automatically somehow belong to the Tribe of Ephraim:

Ezekiel 37: 15 The word of ADONAI came to me: 16 "You, human being, take one stick and write on it, 'For Y'hudah and those joined with him [among] the people of Isra'el.' Next, take another stick and write on it, 'For Yosef, the stick of Efrayim, and all the house of Isra'el who are joined with him.' 17 Finally, bring them together into a single stick, so that they become one in your hand. 18 When your people ask you what all this means, 19 tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will take the stick of Yosef, which is in the hand of Efrayim, together with the tribes of Isra'el who are joined with him, and put them together with the stick of Y'hudah and make them a single stick, so that they become one in my hand.' 20 The sticks on which you write are to be in your hand as they watch.

21 Then say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Isra'el; and one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be two nations, and they will never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 "'They will never again defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all the places where they have been living and sinning; and I will cleanse them, so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.

24 My servant David will be king over them, and all of them will have one shepherd; they will live by my rulings and keep and observe my regulations. 25 They will live in the land I gave to Ya'akov my servant, where your ancestors lived; they will live there - they, their children, and their grandchildren, forever; and David my servant will be their leader forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give to them, increase their numbers, and set my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My home will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 The nations will know that I am ADONAI, who sets Isra'el apart as holy, when my sanctuary is with them forever.'"

DON’T TOOT YOUR OWN HORN WHILE DOING GOOD DEEDS!

The latest media hype:  Taylor Swift Donates a total of $2 million total to charities.

So, my question is: does anyone besides me have problems with people who take selfies or make videos of themselves (or even alert the media) while doing good deeds, making sure everyone knows what they did and how much money they donated?

We see that so often in our society today and it really bothers me. It’s one thing for us to donate or give willingly and selflessly to fill a need from the kindness of our heart; but it’s quite another to seek adoration by shouting it from the proverbial rooftops while doing it!

Good deeds are something we do “from the heart”; they are between us and God. Their purpose is NOT to put the spotlight on ourselves; rather, to bless the receiver, thus giving glory to ADONAI.

As a matter of fact, Scripture warns us against bragging while doing good deeds. Contrary to what some pastors teach, here is what Yeshua taught:

Matthew 6:1 “Beware of doing your kind deeds before men, in order to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in the heavens. 2 “Thus, when you do a kind deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do, in the congregations and in the streets, to be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 “But when you do a kind deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your kind deed shall be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall Himself reward you openly. (ISR)

In other words, it's NOT a good idea for givers to receive public recognition for parting with their cash!

Anyone who has studied the Bible knows that biblical principles of giving emphasize the act as a joyful, worshipful, and sacrificial performance done cheerfully and discreetly - not grudgingly, and for the right reasons (meaning, for God's glory or helping others).

God blesses those who sow bountifully, providing for needs and inspiring faith, while focusing on HIM as the ultimate receiver - not human praise. We are to give because we WANT to help others, NOT to turn our giving into a publicity stunt.

ADONAI-ELOHIM knows what we’ve done, and nothing else matters!

Proverbs 18:10 The name of Adonai is a strong tower; a righteous person runs to it and is raised high [above danger]. 11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city, like a high wall, in his own imagination. (CJB)

(For what it’s worth, I’m GLAD to know that Taylor Swift shelled out two million dollars for good causes. I just don’t appreciate that she had made it all about HERSELF!

"Hebrew," as opposed to a "Greek" mindset? What, exactly, does that mean?

The reality is, there is a major difference between the "Greek" and the "Hebrew" mindsets due to their respective ways of thinking about life, God, and Truth. Both the Hebrews and the Greeks were (and are still) "set" in their thinking about what and how they believed.

To the Hebrews (who today are more commonly known as Jews), God was an easy concept as they already believed in ADONAI-ELOHIM, who had given His Name יהוה (the Hebrew letters, Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, most likely pronounced Yah-way) to Moshe/Moses in Exodus 3:13-15! (While there are several different transliterations of the Hebrew letters of God's Name into English, I prefer the letters "YHWH".)

The Hebrews already knew YHWH was their Creator who had given them the Torah (first five Books of the Bible containing all of God's original, Divine Instructions, without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living.)

The Greeks, on the other hand, were more prone to be atheistic or agnostic. That is why Rav Shaul (the Apostle Paul) used different approaches when speaking to Greek cultures.

To reach them and their particular mindsets, he first presented a man named Yeshua (whose Hebrew name means "YHWH is Salvation") as God's Divine Messiah - who had been sent to preach and teach the Kingdom of God and His Torah, and to do everything His Father commanded; and to ultimately, martyr himself by shedding his divine blood to atone for the sins of anyone who accepted the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - who gave mankind His Divine Instructions in Righteousness, without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living...

Paul needed to teach the pagans about Messiah Yeshua in simple terms they would be able to understand. They needed to know that Yeshua, who came FROM YHWH (who had supernaturally placed him into womb of human virgin) had actually been revealed in the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 53:1, as the "arm of YHWH" and also as "the Word of God" in John 1:1 and 14!

The whole world needed to know that Messiah Yeshua was VERY SPECIAL in that he was not "just a man," but a DIVINE ENTITY, sent to earth as YHWH's Emissary who - like the little lambs in the first Passover when Moshe led God's people out of Egypt - was to become our Substitute.

In other words: Perfect "justice" demands the death of the sinner. But perfect "mercy" provided a substitute for the truly repentant sinner. (See Psalm 89:14)

Shaul presented Yeshua as YHWH's chosen Messenger - the ONLY "messenger" who had the ability to forgive sin - AND who (unlike all the other messengers) had YHWH's Name within his own name. (All other messengers [also known as "angels" in many Bible versions] have the title of "El" [short for Elohim, Exodus 23:20-22] within their own names: Gabri-el, Rapha-el, Micha-el....)
All of Paul's teachings HAD to be presented in simple terms that, to our modern mindsets, are often hard to understand. (Even Peter, in his time, wrote that Paul's teachings were often difficult to grasp - 2 Peter 3:15-16.)

Attempting to get across difficult Hebrew concepts was an extremely hard thing to do. Paul's job was NOT an easy one!

FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE "GREEK" AND "HEBREW" MINDSETS...

The "Greek" mindset imagines a tattoo or something similar on the thigh of Yeshua when he returns as "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords" (Rev. 19:11-13,16). But the Hebrew mindset sees something more in line with Torah: The tzit-tzits (braid/knots/tassels) of Yeshua's tallit (prayer shawl) falling across his thighs when He returns to earth atop a white horse!

What does that mean? Well, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value. Consequently, the knots of the tassels on the four corners of a tallit spell out the name of YHWH....(There are actually different trains of thought about this, depending on how the knots are tied.

The Sephardics tie the knots in windings of 10, 5, 6, 5 which spells out the numeric values of "YHWH" while the Ashkenazies use windings of 7, 8, 11, 13 which, adds up to 39, which is the numerical equivalent of Deuteronomy 6:4 which cites the Shema.)

Regardless, the numeric values refer to the only ONE true Name of our ELOHIM - יהוה

Another example of a Hebrew as opposed to Greek mindset can be seen in their respective calendars/timelines. For instance, according to YHWH's Torah, a "day" is from "sunset to sunset" (Genesis 1:5) as opposed to the modern "midnight to midnight".

And He called the days of the week the "first day", "second day", etc., whereas "the world" has named its days and months after pagan gods … and paganism does NOT line up with Torah! (Unfortunately, in our modern world - most of which does NOT line up with the Word of ADONAI-ELOHIM - we are all forced to use the names everyone is used to. (I mean, just try calling your doctor's office for an appointment on the "first day of the seventh month at the sixth hour, and see how far you get with that....)

While our respective ways of thinking about life, God and the Truth might differ, it is imperative to view SCRIPTURE via the "Hebrew" mindset because YHWH originally presented His Word in the Hebrew and Aramaic (a dialect of Hebrew); NOT in any other language, where much of the original, true meanings were mistranslated, misconstrued, or downright LOST.

Rampant anti-Semitism in Australia kills 11 and wounds many others at the start of the 2025 Hanukkah season…

ELEVEN JEWISH PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN AUSTRALIA, and 29 taken to the hospital after a shooting Australia’s famous Bondi Beach, where and event to mark the first day of Hanukkah was taking place!

I often wonder whether some Anti-Semites even know WHY they hate Jews, and simply hate them because they follow an anti-Semitic crowd, whose members often identify as "Christians." These hate-mongers don't even realize that, if it wasn't for "the Jews," they wouldn't even have a God, much less, His Divine Messiah!

I receive the occasional death threat to my website, and when I asked WHY they hate me (since they don't know, nor have ever met me), their response is (and I'm taking these comments from the emails I've kept over the years): "Because you're a dirty Jew! You killed Jesus," or "Jews are what's wrong with the world" ...

"Intellects" such as these anti-Semites apparently don't realize that Jews are God's "Chosen" (beginning with the pagan Avram - whom God later renamed Avraham, whose offspring became a great nation). One of the 12 Tribes (Judah - where the term "Jew" originated) were tasked with safeguarding His Torah (Divine Instructions in Righteousness) when they were dispersed into the world.

Despite the fact that they backslid (and who hasn't???), God has ALWAYS blessed them, and they have ALWAYS contributed great things wherever they were planted. (It's all outlined IN the Bible!)

Yet, they continue to be hated, and are attacked constantly for being Jews...

These hate-monger "intellects" have NO CLUE that Jews, who make up approximately 0.2 percent of the world's population, and just 2 percent of the US population, have contributed more than anyone to the scientific research fields of Chemistry, Economics, Physics, and Physiology/Medicine, the corresponding world and US percentages are 26% and 38%, respectively.

Among women laureates in the four research fields, the Jewish percentages (world and US) are 28% and 39%, respectively. Of organizations awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, 21% were founded or co-founded principally by Jews or by people of half-Jewish descent. Since the turn of the century (i.e., from the year 2000 onward), Jews have been awarded 24% of all Nobel Prizes and 26% of those in the scientific research fields. (SOURCE: Jewish Nobel Prize Winners, jinfo.org)

Anti-Semitism has been rising again over the last few decades, which surely does NOT please God! Unfortunately, mankind has NEVER been able to get along, and Jews have always been targets for various reasons.

The Bible says these things would happen - and it also tells us in Zechariah 8:23 that, in the end times ten men from all nations will grasp the hem (or "skirt") of a Jewish man's robe, saying, "We want to go with you, for we have heard that God is with you".

I hope any anti-Semite reading this will allow THAT to sink in! Read the Bible BEFORE you make anymore stupid moves against the Jews - for, if you've never read the Bible from cover to cover, you don't even know ANYTHING about those people you hate so much! You have NO CLUE what you are doing, or what is awaiting you on Judgment Day, because God promised that anyone who messes with Israel or HIS people, will be VERY sorry!

Take a look at just a few of the warnings from the Bible:

Genesis 12: - 3 I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (CJB)

Zecheriah 12:2-3 "I will make Yerushalayim a cup that will stagger the surrounding peoples. Even Y'hudah will be caught up in the siege against Yerushalayim. When that day comes, I will make Yerushalayim a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who try to lift it will hurt themselves, and all the earth's nations will be massed against her." (CJB)

Ezekiel 37: 21 Then say to them that Adonai Elohim says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land. (CJB)

2 Chronicles 6:5-6 'Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a leader over My people Israel; but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.' (CJB)

NOTE: Whether anyone likes it or not, God is WITH His people - and it's a VERY wise idea to heed God whenever He says something, because it WILL come to pass!