The special relationship between YHWH and His Son

Yeshua speaks to His Father…How can anyone NOT see their special relationship?

YOCHANAN—Chapter 17 

1.  Y’shua spoke these things and he lifted up his eyes to Heaven and said My Father the hour has come.  Glorify your Son so that your Son might glorify you.  2. Just as you have given him authority over all flesh that whomever You have given him, he will give to him life that is eternal.  3. Now this is life that is eternal, that they might know You, that You are the Elohim of Truth, and he alone whom You have sent, the Mashiyach Y’shua.  4. I have glorified You on earth.  The work that You have given to me to do I have finished it.  5. And now glorify me my Father with You in that glory that I had with You from before the world was.

6. I have made Your Name known to the sons of those men whom You had given to me from the world. They were Yours and You have given them to me, and they have kept Your Word.  7. Now they have known that everything that you have given to me I have given to them and they received them.  8. And they know that I have truly proceeded from your presence, and they believe that You have sent me.  9. And I plead for them. It is not for the world I plead; rather, for those whom you have given to me because they are Yours.  10. And everything that is mine is Yours, and Yours is mine and I am glorified by them.

11. Henceforth, I will not be in the world, and these are in the world.  And I am coming to Your presence.  Kadosh[1] Father, keep them by your Name,[2] that which you have given to me, that they may be one as We are.  12. I was with them while I was in the world.  I have kept them in your Name;[3] those whom you have given to me, I have kept.  And not a man of them is lost except for the son of perdition, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.  13. And now I come to Your presence, and these things I speak in the world that my joy may be full in them.  14. I have given to them Your Word and the world hates them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world.  15. It is not that I plead You take them from the world, but that You might keep evil from them.  16. For they are not from the world, as I am not from the world.

17. Father sanctify them by your Truth, for Your Word is Truth. 18. As you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  19. And I fear for their sakes.  I sanctify myself so that they may also be sanctified by Truth.  20. And it is not only for the sake of these I plead, but also for the sake of those who will believe in me by their word.  21. That all of them may be One; as You my Father are in me and I in You, that they also may be One in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent me.  22. And the glory that You have given to me I have given to them that they may be One as we are One.

23. I in them and You in me, that they may be perfected into One and that the world may know that You have sent me, and that You have loved them as also You have loved me.  24. Father, those whom You have given to me, I desire that where I am they might also be with me that they might see my glory that You have given to me because You have loved me from before the foundations of the world.  25. My Just Father, the world has not known You, but I have known You.  And these that You know You have sent me.  26. And I have made Your Name known to them.  And I will confess it so that the love with which You have loved me might be in them, and I might be in them.  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  Kadosh/Set Apart means that YHWH and His Word will never change; we can put our trust in Him knowing He will keep His Word. (If you have an AENT, see Unity of the Name of YHWH in Appendix.)

[2] A very key passage. Aramaic literally reads that YHWH gave His Name to Y’shua; therefore, he has the Name of his Father within him.

[3] Y’shua keeps them in YHWH’s name so when we call upon YHWH in Y’shua’s name, we are calling on YHWH for Salvation.  As the Name of YHWH is in Mashiyach, so are we to have the name of Mashiyach in us, which means that as followers of Y’shua we are to walk according to his righteousness, observe Torah and walk in the anointing of the Ruach haKodesh as Mashiyach demonstrated to us.

A mini-study on Galatians 3:2-14

I recently saw a meme on Facebook that read:  “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:2)” - a blatantly anti-Torah message designed to go into the face of Torah keepers.  So, let’s let Scripture explain itself, in CONTEXT! 

Galatians 3: 2. Only this do I want to know from you: did you receive the Ruach from the works of Torah, or did you receive the Ruach from hearing of the faith? [1]    3. Thus you are foolish ‑ that the truth you had in spirit has ended in the flesh with you. [2]    4. All of these vanities you endured. Oh that it might not be for no purpose.  5. He therefore, who gives you the Ruach, and works miracles (power) [3]  among you, does he do things by the works of Torah or by hearing (and obedience) [4] to faith?

6. Just as Awraham believed Elohim and it was credited to him as righteousness.[5]    7. You must therefore know that those who trust in faith are the children of Awraham;  8. Because Elohim knew beforehand that the Gentiles would be declared righteous through faith that he first preached[6]  to Awraham, as it is said in the Set Apart Scriptures, “In you will all the Gentiles be blessed.” [7]    9. Then the believers are blessed by Awraham the faithful one.  10. For those who are servants of Torah are still under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not act[8]  on all that is written in this book of Torah.” 

11. But that no man is made righteous by Torah before Elohim is evident, for it is written, “the righteous will live by faith”. [9]   12. Thus Torah is not made by faith, but whosoever will do the things that are written in it, will live in it. [10]   13. But Mashiyach has redeemed us from the “curse of Torah,” [11]  by becoming accursed[12] for us, for it is written:  “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”.[13]  14. That the blessing of Awraham might come to the Gentiles through Y’shua the Mashiyach; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  Notice the hearing of “the faith”, as ONE Faith, a singular righteous belief system and way of life in YHWH as demonstrated through Mashiyach Y’shua.  Rav Shaul discards religiosity as a substitute for the indwelling of the Ruach haKodesh.  The point is that it doesn’t matter whether it’s Jewish or Christian tradition that makes void the Word of YHWH in favor of one’s own “works of the Torah”!

Christians who think they are exempt from this rebuke are only fooling themselves.  Those who attend church on Sun-Day, erect Tammuz (Christmas) trees, paint Easter "eggs", or follow other pagan rituals have heaped up their own “works of Torah” (religious works) unto themselves.  Did these receive the Spirit by attending church meetings? believing in a theology? being part of a local religious status quo? 

[2]   This is one of the most difficult Aramaic passages to translate, as an attempt to read just the words without the parentheses will reveal.  What we see is that there is a definite juxtaposition between spirit and flesh, and that the Galatians’ error leads to the latter.  The word meshelmin that is translated as “end” can also mean “complete”, and to “complete in flesh” means to terminate after life with no redemption afterwards.  A variation of meshelmin is said by Y’shua on the stake as meshalam, or “it is accomplished!”

[3]   Or “miracles”, since the word khaila is used as “power” in the Prayer of Our Master (kingdom, power, glory) and the power of the kingdom is to literally do miracles.

[4]   The word shemaia (Heb. shema) means not just “hear” but also “to obey.”  Probably the latter meaning is better, but both can equally and simultaneously apply to the point Rav Shaul is making.  This word is not to be confused with shmaya (heavens) which sounds similar but is spelled differently.

[5]   Genesis 15:6

[6]  “Preached” as in the hope, or the Good News (Gospel).

[7]   Genesis 12:3

[8]   D’varim/Deut. 27:26

[9]  Habakkuk 2:4

[10]   Leviticus 18:5

[11]   There are 12 specific curses mentioned in Deut. 27:15-26; however, one can also apply this to the entire Torah simply because if anyone knowingly or unknowingly sins but does not seek forgiveness and restitution, they are under a curse, certainly not a blessing. There is a “Y” in the road of every choice we make; one road leads to blessing, the other to a curse.  (If you have an AENT, please see Eighteen New Testament Misconceptions #4: Curse of the Torah in Appendix.

[12]   Y’shua was “accursed” by his accusers, but Christians teach that YHWH and Torah accused Y’shua.  However, Y’shua was the Perfect Lamb.  He never broke Torah; therefore could never come under any curse of Torah.  We come under the curse when we sin and refuse to turn to YHWH!

[13]   See Deuteronomy 21:22-23.  Y’shua committed no capital crime.  Pharisees were warning Jews off Y’shua by saying that he had become a curse because he hung on the torture stake.  The Pharisees tried to vilify Y’shua before the Jewish people. Paul is repeating this accusation of the Pharisees for the benefit of “Messianic Pharisees” (see Tosefta Sanhedrin IX.7).  “Messianic Pharisees” (Galatians 2:4) were likely weary of being shunned by their people (see Matthew 10:39) and wanted back into the synagogues, so they were posturing themselves as Ebionites (see footnote Titus 3:9). 

Today “Messianic Pharisees” or Ebionites, attend Orthodox synagogues and are enamored with traditional Rabbinical Judaism; they believe Y’shua is Mashiyach, but not the Arm of YHWH or YHWH Tsidkenu revealed.  Paul is using the strongest words possible to affirm the Truth by reminding certain Galatians that they are trying to dilute the Netzarim Faith with traditional Pharisaism.  In 2,000 years little has changed; many Orthodox Rabbis still call Y’shua a bastard and a curse of the Jewish people because he “hung on the stake.”  Some Rabbis will even provide a mock funeral for Jews who follow Y’shua, and teach that the family member is as though they never existed; so if one can understand the duress that certain “Messianic Pharisees” were under, then one can understand why Paul chose such severity of words!

Are we really "holy" - or are we just kidding ourselves?

SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT: This morning I awoke with dread for humanity, recognizing for the first time, how badly we ALL sin against YHWH. Even as “believers” we are not righteous! We still gossip sometimes, we still tell lies sometimes when it suits our purpose, we allow a cuss word to slip when we’re angry, or laugh when someone tells a dirty joke. We still harbor hatred in our hearts for certain people.

We still fight and argue and allow pride to get in the way of reason. We still divorce our spouses, turn a blind eye to the various evils in this world, and lust after people or things we wish we had. No matter how rich we are, we’re still after “more” of that “almighty dollar.” We still covet, commit adultery, lie, steal and cheat in one way or another. We even “use the Lord’s Name in vain” sometimes – attributing things to YHWH that He never said…

Of course, we don’t do those things all at once (or necessarily in a conscious way), and some of them we never do. But think about it and be honest with yourself: You DO still sin in some way. You can’t get around it – because you’re human.

Contemplate this for a moment and try to think of all the times in Torah where YHWH warns His people about being “set apart” and remaining pure for Him; how often He said things like, “Obey Me and all will go well with you!” (Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:1-32; 12:28; Proverbs 3:5-6, and myriads of other scriptures including in Luke 6:46 where Yeshua asks: “Why do you call me ‘My Master, my Master,’ and not do what I tell you?”)

Most of us believe ourselves to be “holy” and in the mindset that, no matter what we do, we are forgiven. (BIG mistake, because we are NOT necessarily forgiven for INTENTIONAL sins!) Yeshua died for us ONCE to forgive our PAST sins; not for all future intentional sins…

Take Moshe (Moses), for instance. He was YHWH’s “chosen”…the most holy man on earth at the time – but he didn’t get into the Promised Land! Why not? His infractions weren’t THAT bad, were they? (According to our human mindset.) Well, YHWH obviously felt otherwise! So, what did Moshe do that was so bad? It's outlined in this short article.

The thing is, if Moshe wasn’t allowed into the Promised Land, what makes US think we’re so innocent that we can get away with ANY of the things listed above? Yeshua didn’t die so that we could CONTINUE to sin! We ARE receiving “grace and mercy” at every turn, and the key is to recognize when we have sinned and repent, and do our best to never commit that same sin again. YHWH is a gracious God, but we’d best not “push our luck!” We must strive to be like the publican in the following passage – because YHWH is NOT kidding around! (Yeshua tells us that he will vomit from his mouth all of those who were lukewarm toward him - Revelation 3:16).

Luke 18: 9. And he did speak this parable against those men who relied upon themselves, that they are righteous and they despise everyone. 10. Two men went up to the temple to pray one a Pharisee and the other a publican. 11. And that Pharisee was standing by himself, and he would pray this way, “Elohim, I thank you that I am not like the rest of the people, extortioners, and covetous, and adulterers, nor like this publican. 12. Rather, I fast two times a week and I tithe everything that I earn.

13. But that publican was standing from afar and did not even desire to raise his eyes to Heaven, rather, he was beating upon his breast and said, “Elohim have compassion on me a sinner!” 14. I say to you, that this man went down to his house more so righteous than that Pharisee. For every man who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted. (AENT)

The following passage sums it all up:

Matthew 7:21 21. It will not be that just anyone who says to me “My master, my master.” Will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me in that day, “My master, my master. By your name, have we not prophesied? And by you name have we cast out demons? And by your name have we done many miracles?” 23. And then I will profess to them that from everlasting, I have not known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity! (AENT)

The Silly Attacks on the Star of David

It amazes me the extent to which people will go to discredit or deny Israel. The latest jaw-dropper I encountered is the "Pagan Origin of the Star of David" and how "evil" Israel must be for adopting such a symbol into Judaism! Facebook, that world of high intellect, is awash in how "evil" the Star of David is, presumably admonishing "true believers" to not use it.

How sad.

Here are a few examples of this vitriol:

“I see a post on "the star of David" and needed to ask ... Have you Studied to show yourself Approved on this? A six-pointed star is in reality a “hexagram” From Wikipedia @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexagram”

“A hexagram (Greek) or sexagram (Latin) is a six-pointed geometric star figure with the Schläfli symbol {6/2}, 2{3}, or {{3}}. It is the compound of two equilateral triangles. The intersection is a regular hexagon.”

“Bill Schnoebelen, a former Satanist, tells us, “To the sorcerer, the hexagram is a powerful tool to invoke Satan.” In fact, the word “hex” -- as to put a “hex” or “curse” on people -- comes from this word.”

“Exo.23:13 Be CAREFUL TO DO Everything that I have said to you, & DO NOT INVOKE of the names of mighty ones [HEXAGRAM: FlagSymbol of Israel >star-god KIYYUN /MOLOCH /REMPHAN /ZEUS/JESUS -Amos 5:25-27; Acts 7:43,14:8-28]. Let it NOT BE HEARD from your MOUTH.”

“A Masonic book called The Second Mile, an Eastern Star book, reveals that the “six pointed star is a very ancient symbol, and one of the most powerful.” The hexagram is used in magic, witchcraft, sorcery and occultism and the casting of zodiacal horoscopes by astrologers. “It was considered to possess mysterious powers,” says A Concise Cyclopedia of Freemasonry.”

I tried to ask these Internet intellectuals just what they were trying to say and boy did I get blasted!

Well, here's the deal: None of us have any right to challenge Israel's right to use the Magen David (Shield of David/Star to David)! No one knows the true origin of the Magen David in Israel, and even Jewish scholars openly admit it is a relatively recent symbol adopted into Judaism. But they don't "hide" the fact that other cultures also use the 6-pointed star, and that some cultures employ the symbol nefariously. So if Israel adopts the symbol and applies to it a noble meaning - the use of the symbol is in no way tied to any "pagan" origin!

Consider the "cross" in Christianity. It is actually a symbol of a Roman torture and death device! Even Satanists use the upside-down cross in their rituals. Many denominations in Christianity make an effigy of the Messiah hanging from the cross (prohibited in Exodus 20:4), yet I don't see these same Facebook intellects going after Christianity or Catholicism because the "cross" has "pagan origins"! But they don't hesitate to go after Judaism!

Consider the names of the days of the week! Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. They all have ties to pagan roots, names of planets, or names of "gods". Yet I don't see the Facebook intellects attacking the world demanding they change the weekday names to numbers!

Well, here is something you can hang your hat on: In Judaism, the Magen David has significant scriptural and spiritual meaning. Get over it. Here is a very nice meme which makes the point:

The verses in the image are from Joel 3:16 (4:16 in some versions) to verse 18.

The Magen David gained popularity as a symbol of Judaism after it was adopted as the emblem of the Zionist movement in the late 1880's. When the modern state of Israel was founded, there was much debate over whether this symbol should be used on the flag. Today, the Magen David is a universally recognized symbol of Judaism. It is no more "pagan" than the universal days of the week are today pagan, and all the armchair Facebook experts have no right to challenge it. The Magen David simply represents Israel - and they earned it. Let it go.

For more on the Star of David, without the "occult" and "it's evil" nonsense, here is a short but informative article about the Star of David on The Refiner's Fire.

Jewish rabbi refers to transliterations of God's Name as "nonsense" and insists "Yeshua carries enough offense already"....

A rabbi recently made these comments:  “I am asking kindly: No YHWH, YAWEH, YHVH, YAHASHUAH, YAHSHUA or any other nonsense. I am a Jewish Rabbi and this is a Jewish organization and the terms like the one above are confusing and disturbing our mission as an organization. If you choose to unfriend us that is ok too, but these are our guidelines as an organization We need to be sensitive towards the Jewish people and not to add more confusion as the name.  YESHUA carries enough offense already, let us not add to it. Thank you.”
 

While we at The Refiner's Fire understand why this rabbi does not want “The Name” used on his wall, we are at the same time offended that he added the phrases, “…or any other nonsense” and “YESHUA carries enough offense already, let us not add to it.” 

In our opinion, it is blasphemy to refer to the “The Names” of YHWH or Y’shua as NONSENSE or to suggest those names are OFFENSIVE, especially in view of the fact that YHWH gave His Name to Moshe!  (See our article:  God revealed His Name to Moshe)  Moshe didn’t find YHWH’s Name “offensive”, so why do the Jews?

By refusing to use His Name at all, traditional Jews are actually guilty of obliterating His Name!  (They have even gone so far as to refuse to use His TITLE of GOD, forcing out the “o” and inserting a hyphen.)  Yet, according to Torah, Jews are to "eliminate the name (of other gods)..."  BUT, they are not "to treat YHWH your God that way".  That is EXACTLY what they have done by prohibiting His Name from being written or spoken -  so they have literally broken Deuteronomy 12:4! 

Deuteronomy 12:3  Break down their altars, smash their standing-stones to pieces, burn up their sacred poles completely and cut down the carved images of their gods. Exterminate their name from that place. 4  "But you are not to treat Adonai your God this way. (CJB)

Let’s take a closer look at this issue, beginning with Exodus 3 where we see YHWH giving His Name to Moshe:

Exodus 3:13-15 Moshe said to God, "Look, when I appear before the people of Isra'el and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you'; and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?" God said to Moshe, "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh [I am/will be what I am/will be]," and added, "Here is what to say to the people of Isra'el: 'Ehyeh [I Am or I Will Be] has sent me to you.'" God said further to Moshe, "Say this to the people of Isra'el: 'Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [יהוה - YHWH, Yahweh], the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz'chak and the God of Ya'akov, has sent me to you.'This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered generation after generation. (CJB)

So, God Himself revealed His Name to us, and man has had access to it all along. Ironically, traditional Jews refuse to utter his Name for fear of mispronouncing it or misspelling it, etc, (and on the other end of the spectrum, you'll never hear the Father's Name in most Christian churches as they are all concentrating on "Jesus" whom they think came to replace the Father and abolish all his original Divine instructions/teachings)....

YHWH is our Creator's Name; "God" is just a title.  There was never a ban on using the Name; there was a ban on CURSING in the name or abusing it in some way (i.e., attributing something to Him that He never said or did). There are at least 300 incidences in Tanakh where we are COMMANDED to use the Name of YHWH, who accepts NO substitutes!

Furthermore, Y'shua called His Father MarYAH (Master Yah) in Tanakh quotes like Psalm 110 and in regular conversation. Y'shua was squarely against the Oral Law that included the ban (Joshua 23:7, Isaiah 42:9)!

So, why do we use the tetragrammaton?

• Noach built the ark in the Name of YHWH, not G-d.
• Avraham declared the Name of YHWH to his 318 trained men.
• Moshe declared the Name of YHWH to Pharaoh.
• King David and all the Prophets declare the Name of YHWH.
• Mashiyach Y'shua and his disciples declared the Name of YHWH.
• The Prophets of YHWH revealed that all the Earth is going to Fear the Name of YHWH.
• But the Pharisees, who insist that the Name of YHWH is too Kadosh (holy) to pronounce, devised a big cover-up conspiracy scandal to hide the Name of YHWH from the world. Rabbinical Judaism uses Elokim, HaShem, Adonai and other “knock-off” substitute titles in violation of the Third Commandment: "You shall not take the Name of YHWH in vain" or distort, or bring it to nothing.

Some thoughts on Ted Cruz's "New York values" comment

In the recent Republican debate, Ted Cruz made this comment:  “Well, look, I think he may shift in his new rallies to play ‘New York, New York’ because Donald comes from New York and he embodies New York values.”  Of course, Trump was all bent out of shape over that one and Cruz did catch a lot of heat for the comment, with people jumping down his throat to force him to elaborate.  In his elaboration he “tap-danced” around what he REALLY meant, but diplomacy kicked in and held him back.

Well, since Cruz didn’t say it, I will, because I’ve experienced New York at its worst!

I was married to a New Yorker once, and let me tell ya, the sparks flew ALL the time because I don’t back down when someone tries to push me around and constantly tell me what to do!  But my first experience with “New Yorker values” was when, as a young soldier (who did NOT make much money in those early days!), I was returning to the US from a tour in Germany, and I had to travel between airports in New York to catch a flight to my final destination.  (The Army had paid for my travel from Germany to the US, but because I was taking vacation en route to my new duty station, I had to pay for my own fare to Missouri, and was short on cash.  I didn’t have a credit card in those days....)

I remember that the cab fare between airports was $19, and because I had only a $20 bill cash left to my name, I gave the cab driver the $20 and refused the change, apologizing for the tiny tip, and telling him I couldn’t help it because it was all I had on me.  Well, while I realize they enjoy their tips, nothing on earth says we HAVE to tip them.  But instead of just letting it go, this illustrious cabbie, after retrieving my suitcase from the trunk, sauntered over to another cabbie who was parked behind us and shouted loud enough for me to hear:  “Hey, look man, this SOLDIER (in those days we had to travel in uniform) here gave me a whole dollar tip on a $19 fare!  Isn’t that just so special?” To which the other cabbie replied equally as loud, “Wow!  Why don't you take it out in trade and make her give you a b--- j--!”  And then they stood there and cackled like a couple of moronic hyenas.

Honestly, I was so floored by that comment that I just stood there rooted to the spot and burst into tears.  It was late at night and I was dead tired after having traveled for 24 hours with no sleep, and this lack of compassion absolutely devastated me.  It was then and there I decided New Yorkers were all rude and crude and hateful and I would never show my face in New York again – ever!  (Unfortunately, I did, because I eventually married a loud-mouthed New Yorker with his New York accent and his New York “values” - which ultimately became the death of our marriage.)

Regardless, although I’m absolutely positive that NOT every New Yorker is a manner-less Troglodyte, what I learned from this was that many New Yorkers' "values” are: Every man for himself, and don’t forget to be as rude and crude and loud-mouthed and pushy and snotty as possible to get your way, because everybody else in the world is stupid and nobody matters but you! 

So....as far as I’m concerned, nobody can deny that Trump, like those two New York cabbies, makes MANY off-color, childish, inappropriate, rude and crude schoolyard bully comments – and YES, I DO agree with Cruz that Trump DOES embody “New York values!

Sarah Palin took YHWH's Name in vain!

The Third Commandment tells us we are not allowed to take YHWH’s Name in vain. This means, don’t attribute something to Him that He never said, or swear by His Name, or use it as a cuss word, etc. His name is holy — “hallowed be thy name”; it is NOT to be taken lightly! YHWH is our ELOHIM; He is HOLY! Yet, most of the world has no clue about YHWH or Scripture.

On this morning’s news we saw a clip where Sarah Palin was endorsing Donald Trump and immediately after a cuss word dropped from her lips, out of the same mouth she said with a grin, “Can I get a Halleluyah?” THAT was “using the Lord’s Name in vain! I realize that neither Palin nor Trump know YHWH, but I truly resented this remark.

I also resented Trump’s use of Two Corinthians 3:17 the other day and his comment, “That’s the whole ballgame, right?” Ballgame? What the heck was he talking about? My guess is, Trump honed in on the word “freedom” and thought it meant we are free to do whatever we wish. I don’t know; it’s only a guess. All I know is that that verse was taken out of context.

Let’s take a look at the CONTEXT of 2 Corinthians 3:17 – something neither Trump nor Palin will ever understand:

2 Corinthians 3:14. But they were blinded in their understanding because until this day, when the Ancient Covenant is read, the same veil rests upon them; nor is it manifest (to them), that it (condemnation) is abolished by the Mashiyach. 15. And to this day, when Moshe is read, a veil is thrown upon their hearts. 16. But when any of them is turned to Master YHWH, the veil is taken from him.[1] 17. Now Master YHWH Himself is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of Master YHWH is, there is freedom. 18. And we all, with uncovered faces, behold as in a mirror the glory of Master YHWH; and are transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by Master YHWH the Spirit. (AENT)

FOOTNOTE: The reading of Torah does not blind, nor does the reading of the “Renewed Covenant” bring Grace: but in each, one must “turn to Master YHWH with their hearts” to remove the veil. MarYah/YHWH is used here, rather than Y’shua. Rather than people turning to Y’shua as the deciding factor, the point is that both Jews and Gentiles must be truthful, and not just use prayers or Scripture readings as some sort of magical incantation, but to turn their hearts to YHWH. In many places Y’shua teaches that he came to bring Glory to the Father, and to turn hearts unto YHWH.

Neither Trump nor Palin have been transformed into YHWH’s likeness, yet they have the audacity to try to pull Him into the muck of their life! I suggest that politicians who have never read the Bible nor ever shown any understanding of it, simply NOT attempt to use it to further their agendas. Unless they are going to LIVE by YHWH’s Word, they need to stop “using His Name in vain!”