Parashah 26: Sh'mini (Eighth) Leviticus 9:1 through 11:47

Shabbat shalom and Chag Pesach Sameach, mishpocah! A synopsis of this week’s Torah portion can be found on our website where we begin to experience the Spring moedim (Festivals/Appointed Times) - Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and the Counting of the Omer that takes us into Shavuot/Pentecost.

In the course of the celebration of these awesome appointments with the Creator each year YHWH, invites us to experience the great miracles He performed in the past, and will continue to perform in the future. During these celebrations we reflect upon (and testify to the world) His people's deliverance from oppression, the liberation from forced labor, the salvation through Yeshua who was our Final SIN Sacrifice/Offering and the redemption from bondage of all kinds.

Countering the ““Biblical Proof that the Law was Nailed to the Cross” nonsense

Okay, so now we have someone espousing another false teaching that some are swallowing, hook, line and sinker. Greg Widener insists he has “Biblical Proof that the Law was Nailed to the Cross.”

First, what was "nailed to the cross" was our past SINS, not God's Torah/Divine Instructions in Righteousness! He nailed to the cross our certificate of debt for breaking the Law.

Secondly, Y'shua's human FLESH was "nailed to the cross": NOT "The Word" (John 1:1, 14) nor YHWH's "arm" (Isaiah 53:1), nor any part of YHWH's TORAH!

YHWH's "Word"/His Torah never once "died" - not even for a nanosecond. His human Messiah's FLESH died. The essence of Y'shua never died, and that is what "rose from the dead." Human, sinful flesh doesn't get to enter YHWH's Presence....

So, NO, "the law" (an erroneous term referring to TORAH) was NEVER "nailed to the cross!" Yes, Y’shua said he was “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6), but NONE of those things “died” when his FLESH was “crucified.” Isaiah 40:8 says: “Grass shall wither, the flower shall fade, but the word of our ELOHIM stands forever. (See 1 Peter 1:24-25.)

FOREVER didn't end the day Y'shua was crucified! Therefore, it is preposterous to think that TORAH "died" for three days and then rose again, because it would mean that the world was completely without YHWH and His Divine Rules for three days!

Please re-read my last paragraph so you can comprehend the gravity of what Mr. Widener is teaching.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: It’s confusing enough that many are under the erroneous impression that “God Himself died for us. They never stop to think, “Can GOD be born or die?” Y’shua was YHWH’s MESSIAH who was 100 human. He had a divine Nature because he was the Son of God, but YHWH Himself didn’t “die on the cross"; that would have been IMPOSSIBLE! Yeshua came to proclaim the Kingdom and do everything His Father commanded! (For scripture references and clarity, please read my article on this: https://therefinersfire.org/proclaiming_torah.htm

Is the resurrection justification for Easter instead of Passover?

There was an interesting discussion on Facebook recently.  Excellent actually.  Two people were passionately making their respective points on the question:  Why is “Easter” celebrated when it is not mentioned in the New Testament?

One, a Christian, attempted to justify the abandonment of Passover for Easter on grounds that “the resurrection is more important.”  He went on to say that in the New Testament, Passover "appears to be so much less in importance to the Church than the resurrection" – which, in my opinion, was an absolute slap in the face of YHWH’s original “pass-over” that served to redeem His people from 400 years of slavery in Egypt!  And I couldn’t help but recall that at the time of the Messiah’s crucifixion and resurrection - there was no “Church”!

The Messianic believer, on the other hand, defending Passover, revealed a more solid grasp of the whole Bible, countering that “God himself instituted Passover, not Easter, as one of his appointed times” and “that it is to be perpetually remembered." And only the Messianic believer understood that it was the blood redemption that was the more important part of the Messiah’s crucifixion. Unfortunately, this person seemed to have misinterpreted 1 John 1:7, quoting "the blood of the Lamb of God washes all our sin."  (Well, that’s not quite true, as I’ll explain, below.) 

Anyway, the Christian acknowledged 1 Corinthians 5:7 that the Messiah is the Passover lamb, but continued to provide only scriptures supporting “reurrection” while at the same time, admitting that “Easter” is nowhere mentioned in scripture….

So, while reading both sides of this particular Facebook “thread” I felt like posing the question:  Okay, what is the truth here?  Are Christians even partially right that Easter replaces Passover because the resurrection is the important part? 

Well, there’s a reason you don’t find “Easter” in scripture…

Celebrating only the resurrection misses the entire point of Yehsua’s death at Passover. The point is this: His blood to redeem the souls of those who accept it, in the same manner that the blood of the lamb at the original Passover redeemed the firstborn of those who accepted it. Yeshua's death did not negate Passover; rather, it enhanced the importance to remember and celebrate Passover as the time of our redemption as YHWH commanded (Exodus 12:14 & 12:27).

How did Yeshua’s death “enhance” Passover?  Before Yeshua's death, any remembrance meant nothing to us because no one today was present at the pass-over – Jew and Gentile alike.  It (the pass-over, death of the first-born) did not happen to us; we can only remember it as “history”.  But since Yeshua's death, Passover applies to all of us, because it was for all of us!  But contrary to popular opinion in the Church, Yeshua's death did not cover "all" our sins!

It covered all your sins to the point you accepted His redemption of you. To retain your right to the gift of everlasting life, you must not intentionally sin again!  The first part of 1 John 1:7 says IF we "walk in the light, as he is in the light...the blood of his Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin." That "IF" means we must – (in fact, we are obligated to) - live in obedience, and not intentionally sin thereafter. Indeed, Hebrews 10:26 says "For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,". Yeshua does not keep returning to die again and again to atone for our new sins. 

Intentional, willful sins after our acceptance of Yeshua’s gift puts us at peril!

So the resurrection is only a part of this important gift. Yeshua was resurrected to everlasting life, yes - He was first of the promise.  But it is through His redemption for our lives that believers expect and have faith that they, too, will one day be resurrected as He was – to receive the promise. So if you are going to “pick apart” the whole Passover meaning and Yeshua’s connection to it, the “more important part” (if this is necessary) is the redemption by HIs blood.  The resurrection only proves that as He, himself went from death to life, which is promised as well to us. 

But wait, someone argues! Romans 10:9 says: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Doesn’t that clearly say the resurrection is more important?”  Well, not so fast. If you are going to design a faith around a single verse, why not use Romans 10:13 instead?  It reads “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’”!  That seems to indicate the name of the Lord is more important to be saved.  Okay, the truth here is that you actually need to go to the beginning of the letter to the Romans and discover to whom Paul was writing. Here it is: Verse 1:7 “To all who are in Rome, beloved of Elohim, called, set-apart ones…”, (or, in many English versions “called to be saints”). These are the “obedient faithful”, followers of Torah. In Paul’s day, “set apart” only meant Torah obedient, holy ones.  Hence “set apart.” (See for example, Deuteronomy 7:6, CJB).  And if you will just keep reading in Romans, you’ll find that the letter is all about the conduct of your life in your new-found faith in the Messiah's death for your sins! Read all of Romans, and you can’t fail to see this.

Therefore, all things considered, do we abandon all YHWH's commanded feasts to celebrate only the resurrection?  Did we need a "new" holy day called "Easter" that focuses only on the resurrection?  No, we did not.  The Feast of Passover is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, including the First Fruits offering and Yeshua’s resurrection happened during that commanded feast week! (In fact, the whole week of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are so connected, that the entire week in our time is simply referred to as “Passover”.)  What is more appropriate than that!?  Passover celebrates the ENTIRE purpose of Yeshua’s death! People preparing themselves by ridding sin from their lives (leaven), Yeshua’s redeeming blood shed for their souls, and His resurrection to be presented as the Firstfruits, demonstrating everlasting life.  Without the blood redemption we have no hope for eternal life.

Yeshua is the whole Passover story!  Seems to me, the whole purpose of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread fit like a glove with what Yeshua did for us. Yet the "Church" throws it all away to fly banners emphasizing “He is Risen” and watch the sunrise on Sunday morning, then go hunt eggs. 

In the end, it was obvious that the Messianic believer in the Facebook discussion was closer to the truth than the Christian.  YHWH commanded HIS Feast times be celebrated and commemorated.  He never said that humanity should make up its own “holy days”, even if for His sake!  The Christian involved in the discussion had clearly been blinded by years of Christian mantras and failed to see that the gift of the Messiah was far more than just the resurrection. 

How very sad that the Church keeps missing the mark.

Reader question: “I’ve heard that a non-Jew cannot do Passover. Is that true?”

No, it’s not true.  Nothing in scripture says a non-Jew can’t do Passover. Quite the opposite, everyone should be keeping Passover.  In Numbers 15:13-16, YHWH says four times in a row that ALL who accept Him are to do exactly as HIS people do!   Whether we’re “doing it right” or not is irrelevant.  By “doing” we are obeying and from there, we can ultimately learn “how” to keep His Feasts.

When you get a chance, please read this article, which will help, in part, to answer your question  We need to remember, we are ONE in Messiah today.  There is no Temple, there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free (Ephesians 2:15; Galatians 3:28, etc.); and “Israel” as a people, is spread all over the world.

See also Revelation 7:4-10 … especially verse 9, which says: “And after these things, I looked, and lo, a great multitude which no one could number, from all kindreds and nations and tribes and tongues; who stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands; 10. and they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our Elohim, to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

ALL tribes, kindreds and nations were standing before YHWH; it was not just the Jews!   And get this, during the original Passover, when Moshe led God’s people out of Egypt, all those who had killed a lamb and spread its blood on their doorposts were saved from the death of the firstborn.  We’re not told that any Egyptians did this, but was YHWH really angry with the Egyptian people or with the Egyptian gods and people worshiping Egyptian Gods? Exodus 12:12 tells us "For that night, I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both men and animals; and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt..."

Had an Egyptian turned from the gods of Egypt, they too could have had their firstborn spared.  Moreover, YHWH said as much that the people of Egypt, including Pharaoh, would be accepted if only they turned from their gods and accepted Him!

Exodus 9:15 "By now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with such severe plagues that you would have been wiped off the earth. 16 But it is for this very reason that I have kept you alive — to show you my power, and so that my name may resound throughout the whole earth." 

YHWH is ready and willing to accept all who accept him1 His favor was not intended only for the Hebrews!  This is YHWH.  Even in Jeremiah 25:5-6, we see YHWH's message has always been to turn only to Him: "25:5 The message was always: 'Every one of you, turn back from his evil way, from the evil of your actions. Then you will live in the land Adonai gave you and your ancestors forever and ever. 6  Don't follow other gods by serving and worshipping them. "Don't provoke my anger with things your own hands have made; then I will do you no harm."  

And we are told in Exodus 12:38 that a “mixed multitude” followed Moshe out of Egypt – which included those Egyptians who had obviously been convinced about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and wanted to join Him and His people. We read: Exodus 12:38 "A mixed crowd also went up with them, as well as livestock in large numbers, both flocks and herds."

Once they followed Moshe and lived under YHWH’s rule for 40 years, you can be sure they knew who He was and kept many commands! This perfectly ties in with Numbers 15:13-16, which says:

Numbers 15: 13 "'Every citizen is to do these things in this way when presenting an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. 14 If a foreigner stays with you - or whoever may be with you, through all your generations - and he wants to bring an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI, he is to do the same as you. 15 For this community there will be the same law for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before ADONAI as yourselves. 16 The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you.'" (CJB)

Please re-read the above in case you missed it: Any Torah-less non-Jew/Hebrew/Israelite who does not yet believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is an "alien"/foreigner. However, if they do wish to accept Him, then they are to do exactly as those who are already belong to Him!

So, in Exodus 12, a mixed multitude had gone out of Egypt with Moshe and were ultimately absorbed into one of the Tribes. Eventually, YHWH had to bring the entire group back toward righteousness. In Exodus 12:43, the command was that no foreigner is to eat the Passover lamb; but Exodus 12:44 provides an expanded guidance that those "in your house" - that is, those whom are bound to you (such as slaves)- must then "do as you do" - and they should be circumcised.

Verses 45 and 48 make this even clearer as (45) "neither a traveler nor a hired servant may eat it" and (48) "If a foreigner staying with you wants to observe ADONAI's Pesach, all his males must be circumcised. Then he may take part and observe it; he will be like a citizen of the land. But no uncircumcised person is to eat it."

In Joshua 5, all the people who came out of the exodus and crossed the Jordan celebrated the Passover (Joshua 5:10), this included the descendants of the mixed multitude who departed Egypt all those years ago. All the males of the "children of Israel" were circumcised (Joshua 5:2-8). This was one body, and it included Jews and Gentiles alike - ALL who accept YHWH as their God.

Well, in the meantime, Messiah Yeshua died on our behalf, removing all the divisions, and today, there is no reason why a non-Jew who has accepted YHWH as their God and Yeshua as His Messiah cannot keep the Feast of Passover!  (This is NOT to say that once someone has accepted YHWH, he shouldn’t become circumcised, because circumcision IS a sign of His covenant! (Please see our article )

But, while still learning, there is nothing saying an uncircumcised man, today, cannot partake of the Passover seder or commemorate the Exodus. The sign of circumcision, we have learned from the Messiah, is only meaningful when the individual's heart is committed.

Hebrews 10:19. We have therefore, my Brothers, assurance in entering into the sanctuary by the blood of Y’shua and by a path of life  20. which he has now consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh. (AENT)*

*And on the other side of that “veil” is the Ruach haKodesh, (Isaiah 11:1-2, Zechariah 12:10).

So, by all means, yes, we must all, Jew and Gentile, keep Passover to the best of our ability to honor the memory of the event as commanded (see Exodus 12:14, 26-27).  Get rid of all your leavened products and clean out your toaster (Exodus 12:19), and if you can manage it, do all your Passover meal preparation before sunset, and eat, and celebrate.  You can still be dining after sunset, making sure to include matzah and maror (bitter herbs, i.e., horse radish) as part of the remembrance (Exodus 12:6-8).

One more thing:  Celebrating via a Passover seder is both fun and rewarding!  The best thing to do, if you are brand new at this, is to attend a Passover seder in your area, so you can learn the basics.  If you cannot do that, you can always Google “Passover seder” and get some ideas from the various websites.  In the meantime, we would recommend you obtain a copy of Barney Kasdan’s “God’s Appointed TImes” which contains historical background, traditional Jewish observance, relevance to the New Testament, prophetic significance, and a practical guide for believers, including recipes, songs, and crafts.

A word in support of police doing their jobs

It's always sad to see someone shot and killed, but isn't ironic that when someone is killed (in this case, another young black person), people only scream and holler about the "bad cops" who shot him? They always act like only the cops are to blame when they catch someone in the act of committing a crime, and the perp ends up dead. As a final slap in the face of the police whose job is to protect citizens, people gather to HONOR the dead criminal while bashing the cops!

For instance, the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics wore shirts honoring Stephon Clark who was recently killed in his grandmother's backyard, where he had fled to after being observed vandalizing neighborhood cars. He apparently had a cellphone in his hand, and the cops, in the darkness and chaos thought it was a gun, and shot him. Why didn't Stephon DROP the danged phone and take the now famous "hands up, don't shoot" pose to give himself up?

And we’re supposed to feel sorry for him because he “was a father of two.”  Well, I’m sorry, but WHAT is a father of two doing running around his neighborhood, breaking car windows?

Now, I'm not condoning killing anyone, of any race, in ANY form, but if someone commits a crime and then runs from, resists or fights the police, he needs to expect that he might just end up shot! Instead, this keeps happening, and the cops always end up with a bad rap. (That is NOT to say they are "never" at fault, because sometimes they are. It's a case-by-case basis.) But today, it seems, criminals are the "good" guys to be honored in death. Does anybody see anything WRONG with this picture?

I want to know how come the media only talks of what the cops did wrong, never mentioning that the perp was committing a heinous crime and therefore, it was his own fault. I want to know why nobody ever says, "Well, if the guy hadn't been in the process of committing a crime, and if he hadn't been trying to escape (and/or fighting) the police, he would likely still be alive!"?

Or, how come people will march in the streets for the dead person, yet they NEVER march to carry signs that read something like: "Crime doesn't pay; as a matter of fact, you could DIE while committing a crime, stupid!"

Or "Don't become a thug; make something of yourself!" Or "Being a good, godly, upstanding citizen is more rewarding than robbing your neighborhood store!"

Our country's values are absolutely upside-down today, and that is just plain sad!

Countering anti-Yeshua arguments

Counter-missionaries Jason and Jono pose the question in their video: “Where is this in the Tanach and who is this talking about?” – in their attempt to show that Hebrews 1:5 can't possibly refer to Psalm 2:7 because, God surely wasn’t referring to “Jesus” in Psalm 2:7; rather, they insist, YHWH was referring to David and Solomon….

Well, let’s check to see if that is true!

Psalm 2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar, the peoples grumbling in vain? 2 The earth's kings are taking positions, leaders conspiring together, against ADONAI and his anointed. 3 They cry, "Let's break their fetters! Let's throw off their chains!" 4 He who sits in heaven laughs; Adonai looks at them in derision. 5 Then in his anger he rebukes them, terrifies them in his fury. 6 "I myself have installed my king on Tziyon, my holy mountain." 7 "I will proclaim the decree: ADONAI said to me, 'You are my son; today I became your father.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance; the whole wide world will be your possession. 9 You will break them with an iron rod, shatter them like a clay pot.'" 10 Therefore, kings, be wise; be warned, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve ADONAI with fear; rejoice, but with trembling. 12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish along the way, when suddenly his anger blazes. How blessed are all who take refuge in him. (CJB)

So, where do Jason and Jono get that Psalm 2 refers to some earthly king, when none is named? Well – get this! - Jono’s cross-references are Acts 4:25 and 2 Samuel 7:12-13. (Yes, these men who insist the New Testament is a MYTH, use an NT scripture in their attempt to help them prove their point!)

Let’s dissect Acts 4, and go BEYOND verse 25 to discover the actual context:

Acts 4:25. And You are He who spoke through the Ruach haKodesh by the mouth of Dawid your servant: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plan worthless (things), 26. The kings of the earth have risen and rulers have deliberated as one against Master YHWH and against His Mashiyach. (See Psalm 2:1-2) 27. For truly in this city were gathered Herodus and Peelatos with the Gentiles and the assembly of Israel against the Set Apart One, Your Son Y’shua, He Whom (you), you have anointed, 28. to do everything that Your hand and Your will foreordained to be. 29. And even now Master YHWH, look and see their threats and give to Your servants, that they be boldly preaching Your Word, 30. while You extend Your hand for healings and mighty works and signs to be in the name of Your Son, the Set Apart One, Y’shua.” (AENT)

Note that that David is mentioned in verse 25, but only as the "mouth" of the Ruach. But the context is clearly about a future son, Yeshua, not David because, looking back at Psalm 2, we see that YHWH is not saying these thing TO David, rather, He is telling David what is to be and David is speaking the words. In Psalm 2:7, YHWH says "I will proclaim a decree," meaning it is yet to happen (most translations agree in this). So, as the verse continues, YHWH is clearly NOT saying David is His son! Rather, He is saying that a coming king will be His son.

Now, to 2 Samuel 7:12-13 … actually, let's go all the way to verse 16 with this!

12 When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set up his rulership. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. 14 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me. If he does something wrong, I will punish him with a rod and blows, just as everyone gets punished; 15 nevertheless, my grace will not leave him, as I took it away from Sha'ul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Thus your house and your kingdom will be made secure forever before you; your throne will be set up forever.'" (CJB)

So, using the two passages above, they insist Psalm 2 refers to David and Solomon! Please re-read the entire passage of 2 Samuel 7 and think really hard about WHO David’s descendant is... verse 12 says "one of David's descendants...one of his own flesh and blood". Now, ALL David's descendants; sons, grandsons, great grandsons, and on and on, are "of his own flesh and blood."

But this descendant will be someone to whom YHWH Himself “will be a father” and he a “son for me.” AND whose "throne will be set up forever!" (HINT: Neither David nor Solomon are the Son of YHWH and David and Solomon are both dead; they are no longer on their thrones, and their kingdoms are no more.) If you still haven’t concluded that Yeshua holds the credentials to be YHWH's son and king, then please read our short blog article on Yeshua’s lineage, which contains passages that counter-missionaries LOVE to twist.

Now, just for fun, let’s try to view the CONTEXT of Hebrews 1, and then decide whether it pertains to Yeshua, or – as Jono and Jason suggest – to David or Solomon:

Hebrews 1: 1. In many ways and many forms, Elohim anciently conversed with our fathers by the prophets: 2. But in these latter days,[1] He has conversed with us by His Son whom He has constituted heir of all things, and by whom He made the worlds; 3. who is the splendor of His glory and the exact image of His nature, and upholds all by the power of His Word; and by his Qnoma[2] he made a purification of sins and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.[3] 4. And he is altogether superior to the Messengers, as he has also inherited a name which is superior to theirs.[4]

[1] Acharit-hayamim (latter days) is mentioned throughout Torah and the Prophets beginning in B’resheet Genesis 49:1. See also James 5:3; 2 Peter 3:3. This era culminates with the Day of YHWH which is foreshadowed by Yom Kippur when all the earth shall be sanctified.

[2] Occurrence of the singular Divine Nature.

[3] HaG’dulah BaM’romim, Psalm 110:1.

[4] All the names of the messengers have EL in them, the shortened form of Elohim. Only Y’shua as a messenger (e.g. Exodus 23:20-22, Jeremiah 23:5-6) has the name of YHWH in him; YAH is salvation.

Hebrews 1:5. For to which of the Messengers did Elohim ever say, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you [Psalm 2:7]? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son? 6. And again, when bringing the first begotten into the world, He said: Let all the Messengers of Elohim worship him [Psalm 97:7]. 7. But of the Messengers He thus said: Who made His Messengers a wind and His ministers a flaming fire [Psalm 104:4]. 8. But of the Son He said: Your throne, O Elohim, is for ever and ever; a righteous scepter is the scepter of your Kingdom. Hebrews 1: 9. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you with the oil of rejoicing more than your associates.

10. And again, You have from the beginning laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands: 11. they will pass away, but you endure; and they all, like a robe, wax old; 12. and like a cloak, you will fold them up. They will be changed; but you will be as you are, and your years will not be finished. 13 And to which of the Messengers did He ever say: Sit you at My right hand until I will place your enemies a footstool under your feet? 14. Are they not all spirits of ministration who are sent to minister on account of them that are to inherit life? (AENT)

“The Sound of Silence”

Art Garfunkel once summed up The Sound of Silence as "the inability of people to communicate with each other." The group “Jew in the City” discovered "the sound of silence" in 2017 and in collaboration with “The Maccabeats” will show you just how prophetic this nearly 50-year-old song is.

Why is everyone so enamored with the song "Hallelujah?"

Why is everyone so enamored with the song "Hallelujah?" Google it. Yes, it has a hauntingly beautiful melody, but it's about sex and carnality, not YHWH. It always makes me cringe when a beautiful word like "Halleluyah" (which means "YHWH be praised") is associated with anything or anybody else. To me, it's blasphemy utter that word for anything outside worship of YHWH.

The totality of His being, and especially His glory are reflected in His name (Psalm 8:1). Psalm 111:9 tells us His name is “holy and awesome,” and the "Lord’s prayer" begins by addressing ADONAI with the phrase “hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9).

The third of the Ten Commandments forbids taking or using ELOHIM's name in an irreverent manner because that would indicate a lack of respect for God Himself. A person who misuses His name will not be held “guiltless” (Exodus 20:7).

This song, "Hallelujah", in my opinion, is completely blasphemous BECAUSE of its MISUSE of YHWH's Holy Name - the very Name He gave to Moshe:

Exodus 3:13 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?" 14 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.' "

15 God said further to Moshe, "Say this to the people of Isra'el: 'Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh ( י ה ו ה ) [Adonai], 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. (ISR)

Countering a counter-missionary’s idea about being “washed in the blood”

The only appropriate answer to this misleading quote from William Hall, below, is: “How insanely wrong is your comment?” Anyone who can make a comment like that does not know the Bible!

First of all, the "sin offering" (hattat), is central to the life-granting forgiveness of an individual for someone's inadvertent sins! The blood of the sacrifice was necessary to render a person "purified".

In Leviticus 4:1-6 we learn that the sinless animal (in this case a bull), is slaughtered and the blood is sprinkled in front of the curtain as a substitution/redemption of the person's sin. The blood does not make the person unclean, as William Hall is proposing; rather, it is offered FOR the sinner instead to "cleanse" them!

Hall, apparently only sees that "washed in the blood" means that the blood of the Messiah would be sprinkled on YOU, and that would render you "unclean". But that is sheer ignorance. The redemptive blood is not "sprinkled on you"; and the term "washed in the blood" does not mean that at all. Rather, it is sprinkled on the ALTAR as a substitution for your blood (i.e., your life). What is too hard to understand about this concept?

Secondly, let’s get something straight here: Yeshua MARTYRED himself, against which there is NO Torah prohibition. (See the story of Isaac’s near sacrifice.) Yeshua, as YHWH’s Divine Messiah who was supernaturally placed into the virgin womb of Miriam (whose hymen was broken from the inside-out when Y’shua was born), was sinless, never recorded as having sinned in any way. Even as a 12-year-old child, he knew who he was, and he was already teaching the teachers in synagogue, which he called “my Father’s House!” (Luke 2:41-52)

We know from experience that the Jewish counter-missionary rabbis and their followers have attempted to twist into other meanings all the pertinent Tanakh scriptures concerning Yeshua, but that doesn’t make them right. For instance, Isaiah 53: can only BE about Yeshua!

(See our article https://www.therefinersfire.org/isaiah_53_and_yeshua.htm, which asks the questions: Can Israel DIE for Israel? Can people take Israel's garments and divide them? WHEN was "Israel" wounded for our transgressions or crushed because of our iniquities? Has the world been HEALED by "Israel"? The world will only be “healed by Israel” once everyone accepts YHWH as their ELOHIM and obeys His Torah; and once the world accepts His divine Messiah who was our final SIN sacrifice/offering!)

An excerpt from the website MessianicTorah.org explains more:

Priests were established to help the people live in an intimate relationship with the Eternal. Many times people would, by mistake, enter the sanctuary being impure which generated guilt among the people. That guilt had to be removed in order for the people to keep enjoying the Eternal's presence without being exposed to the danger of His anger against sin.

In order to eliminate that guilt, they had to burn on the altar part of the animals destined for this purpose and then eat the rest. So, on the one hand, part of the sin that was transmitted to the animal that bore the guilt of the people was burnt on the altar; and on the other hand the priests ate the rest of the animal and the sin within it. Through these two ways of consuming the animal, sin was removed from the people who, thus, were atoned before the Eternal.

In the Torah this offering is not called "sin offering" but just "sin" chatat – חטאת. In other words, it is written in this verse that the priests had to eat the sin. Since the people's sin was transmitted to the animal through hand imposition, sin was in the sacrifice itself, so it is then called "sin". So when the priests ate from the sacrifice, sin entered in them, and in that way it decomposed in their intestines in the natural way and then got disposed of.

This teaches us that a priest may introduce the sin of the people in his own body, in the form of meat. This makes us think of the Messiah who took the sin of the people of Israel and the world in his body so the Eternal could forgive our sins and cleanse us to be sacred dwellings for Him and also to be able to enter the heavenly tabernacle without danger.

"...who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter. 2:24 NKJV)

"In a loud voice they sang: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" (Rev. 5:12 NIVUK)

Blessed be the Eternal for having given us Yeshua as heavenly priest who took our sins in his body and eliminated them! And blessed be Yeshua for his faithfulness as priest becoming responsible for our sins and taking them away to give us everlasting hope! And blessed are those who believe in the Messiah's sacrifice!

A unique way of looking at the Book of Leviticus

The Book of Leviticus is a hard one to read and comprehend via our modern mindsets; but here’s a new and unique way of looking at it, as described by author Everett Fox in his chapter entitled, “On the Book of Leviticus and its Structure”; pages 501-502 (The Schocken Bible, Volume I, The First Five Books of Moses):

In sum, the world of the priestly strain in the Torah is a realm of desired order and perfection, a realm in which wholeness is to reign, in which anomaly and undesired mixture are not permitted, and in which boundaries are zealously guarded.

The human body becomes symbolic of the cosmos: its life/death boundary is marked, and troublesome flows from it are carefully regulated. The land of Israel becomes symbolic of the cosmos: too much evil-doing pollutes it, to the point where it can do naught else but “vomit out” its settlers (as it vomited out the previous ones).

The animal kingdom, from which humans are allowed to take life under carefully prescribed circumstances, becomes symbolic of cosmic values, through heightening awareness of predator and victim, and careful avoidance of blood, the symbol of life.

Indeed, in the system of Leviticus, it is no wonder that death is the major pollutant, and that blood of acceptable animal sacrifice is the agent through which human beings find atonement for minor pollutants.

If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’re GOING to keep getting what we got!

Exodus 20:18 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.” (ISR)

We’ve all experienced difficult and even terrifying circumstances. (Many are experiencing them right now!) The outcome, however, always depended on what kind of relationship we have with YHWH/Yeshua. If we’re “lukewarm” toward Him, then chances are, we’re mainly “fence straddlers” (with one foot in the spiritual and one in the carnal – which does NOT work!) who will continue to reap “carnal” results because we constantly “sowing carnal seeds.”

YHWH has given us a perfect outline for moral, holy living via His Torah, and most of us have already learned “the hard way” that veering outside Torah ALWAYS serves to distance us from Him.

Stepping outside the boundaries of Torah is dangerous because it keeps us in the realm of the Enemy. Out there, we are subject to all manner of “carnal” enticements and desires and pleasures. This doesn’t necessarily mean sex, drugs or alcohol; it can also mean idol worship, such as the constant pursuance of “more.” More money, more possessions, more “stuff”. Nobody in pursuance of “more” has ever reached that point of “enough”….

“More” - for us Americans - naturally includes excessive use of credit cards - which are nothing more than plastic money-eating monsters that devour your time and energy as you attempt to feed their little bottom-less pits which seem to get pregnant and multiply and nip at your empty wallet because their high interest rates prevent you from ever paying off the principal.

Sure, you realize you can’t get ahead, even though you have three jobs and work long, hard hours - but gosh, it’s just plain HARD not to use those handy-dandy pieces of plastic that provide the instant gratification you so desperately crave!

But, of course, when you finally realize you’ll never pay those cards off, instead of deciding to cut up those hideous little beasts that are clearly ruining your life, you call on YHWH to get you out of your jam! “God, I TRUST you to meet my financial needs! Please give me a miracle!”

His response? “You should have trusted my Word to show you how NOT to end up in this mess, in the first place! It’s up to YOU to change your lifestyle and start following ME!”

...The thing is, Torah TELLS us NOT to go into debt (or do ANYTHING to excess)! Scripture is replete with passages about debt and how the borrower is a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7)! Torah contains everything we need to know about conducting our lives as stress-free as possible, at every level - including the fact that YHWH's people should never cheat each other. We are to use “equal weights and measures” when buying and selling and anything that involves a transaction of some kind (Leviticus 19:36, Proverbs 11:1 and 20:10), etc.

But “the world” doesn’t necessarily do this, does it? Our world is “dog eat dog” and if what I do hurts you, well, too bad, so sad! It’s YOUR problem….

If people would only begin to realize that YHWH’s Word holds the “key” to our happiness and success! (Happiness and success doesn't necessarily mean we will all supernaturally become millionaires; it means we should "bloom where we are planted.")

We need to learn to recognize that the trials in our life are usually self-induced due to our own, flawed reasoning, lack of understanding and/or self-control! WE are our own, worst enemies! If we could all start learning to "let go of ourselves" and begin to seek HIS ways, what a better life WE would have, and what a better world this would be!

If we could only learn that, if we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’re GOING to keep getting what we got!” It’s true! We will stay in our self-dug ruts if we don’t start learning to look to YHWH for the answers, and that the trials and tribulations of life are often constructive tests to build dependence on, and faith in Him!

This is why He had His people wandering in the desert for 40 years…to TEACH them to trust Him and begin to do things HIS way, because HIS ways are perfect! Everything we need to know about life and living in ways that cause Him to smile upon us, can be found between the pages of the Bible! TRY it; you'll like it!

Parashah 25: Tzav (Give an order) Leviticus 6:1 (6:8 in some versions) through 8:36

Shabbat shalom, everyone! A synopsis of this week’s Torah portion can be found on our website. In this week's parashah we will be studying the various offerings Israel was to make for YHWH: Burnt, grain, sin, guilt, consecration and peace (see Leviticus 7:37-38). Try to put yourself in the desert with YHWH's people who were doing their best to obey the commands He was relaying to them through Moshe. What a horrible sight it must have been to see hundreds of innocent animals sacrificed; how awful it must have been to hear their screams; how powerful the overwhelming stench of blood - and being reminded again that we are NOT to eat blood....

Leviticus 7: 26 You are not to eat any kind of blood, whether from birds or animals, in any of your homes. 27 Whoever eats any blood will be cut off from his people.'"

Leviticus 17: 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for yourselves; for it is the blood that makes the atonement because of the life.

We today, can only surmise why YHWH ordered the killing of these animals, while literally putting Israel through some strange gyrations! The people (and remember, they numbered in the MILLIONS at that point!) were constantly reminded how powerful these sacrifices were, and that they were to be taken VERY seriously. Case in point:

Leviticus 7: 19 Meat which touches something unclean is not to be eaten but burned up completely. As for the meat, everyone who is clean may eat it; 20 but a person in a state of uncleanness who eats any meat from the sacrifice of peace offerings made to ADONAI will be cut off from his people. 21 Anyone who touches something unclean - whether the uncleanness be from a person, from an unclean animal or from some other unclean detestable thing - and then eats the meat from the sacrifice of peace offerings for ADONAI, that person will be cut off from his people.'"

For more, please click on the link above!

A word about false teachers and prophets

2 Timothy 4:3-4: For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (CJB)

What does Scripture say concerning false teachers and their teachings? Do YHWH, Yeshua or any of the Apostles ever tell us to hang onto the coat tails of false prophets or teachers, just because they have "some" good teachings? NO! So, why do some people insist we should “chew the meat and spit out the bones?” Those “bones” aren’t necessarily always discernable (especially for those who aren't that familiar with Scripture!) and could fool us into swallowing completely FALSE doctrines!

The Bible tells us to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11-13);; and to "rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith" (Titus 1:13) ...

The problem is, people who fall into the habit of swallowing false teachings, will turn right around and teach them to others ... thus leading others straight into the pits of hell. YHWH allows those who refuse Truth to remain in their ignorance. As a matter of fact, He even sends them deceiving spirits so that they CAN'T discern Truth!

Jeremiah 17: 5 Here is what ADONAI says: "A curse on the person who trusts in humans, who relies on merely human strength, whose heart turns away from ADONAI. 6 He will be like a tamarisk in the 'Aravah - when relief comes, it is unaffected; for it lives in the sun-baked desert, in salty, uninhabited land. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in ADONAI; ADONAI will be his security. (CJB)

2 Corinthians 11:13 The fact is that such men are pseudo-emissaries: they tell lies about their work and masquerade as emissaries of the Messiah. 14 There is nothing surprising in that, for the Adversary himself masquerades as an angel of light; 15 so it's no great thing if his workers masquerade as servants of righteousness. They will meet the end their deeds deserve. (CJB)

2 Timothy 4: 2. Proclaim the Word and persist (in it) with diligence, in time and out of time; admonish and rebuke with all patience and instructiveness. 3. For the time will come when they will not give ear to sound teaching; but, according to their lusts, will multiply to themselves teachers in the itching of their hearing; 4. and will turn away their ears from the truth, and incline after fables. (AENT)

The Word teaches that if we seek after a false teacher or prophet, YHWH will put a LYING spirit in the mouth of that false prophet and cause us to believe the LIE and then God will judge us for that; and He will judge the false prophet for speaking the LIE. It is actually a judgment by YHWH against those who seek a false prophet, instead of seeking Him.

2 Thessalonians 2: 9. For the coming of that (Evil One) is the working of haSatan with all power and signs and lying wonders 10. and with all the deceptiveness of iniquity in them that perish; because they did not receive the love of the truth by which they might have life. 11. Therefore Elohim will send upon them the strength of a deception that they may believe a lie; 12. and that they all may be condemned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in iniquity. (AENT)

Romans 16:17. And I plead with you, my Brothers, that you beware of them who cause divisions and stumblings apart from the doctrine which you have learned: and that you stand distant from them. 18. For they who are such do not serve our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach, but their own belly: and by bland speeches and good wishes, they bedeceit the hearts of the simple. (AENT)

The price for not receiving the "love of the truth" is to become overly self-confident in false religion. The "love of the truth" is the spirit of truth which must be sanctified by thought and action. One cannot "love the truth" and, at the same time, break the Commandments.

What is Truth: John 17:17 tells us: "Father sanctify them by your Truth, for Your Word is Truth."

This principle is also taught here:

1 Kings 22: ADONAI asked, 'Who will entice Ach'av to go up to his death at Ramot-Gil'ad?' One of them said, 'Do it this way,' and another, 'Do it that way.' 21 Then a spirit stepped up, stood in front of ADONAI and said, 'I will entice him.' 22 ADONAI asked, 'How?' and he answered, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' ADONAI said, 'You will succeed in enticing him. Go, and do it.' 23 So now ADONAI has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; meanwhile, ADONAI has ordained disaster for you." (CJB)

The problem is, many get their "Eureka!" moments from off-the-mark websites or teachers with “cool-sounding” teachings, and suddenly, we have the blind leading the blind! What’s sad is that, when confronted, neither the seeker nor the teacher is willing to listen to reason, no matter what you say or do, because they are totally blinded to YHWH’s actual Truth.

1 Corinthians 1:17-31: But Elohim has chosen the foolish ones of the world to shame the wise; and He has chosen the weak ones of the world to shame the mighty; and He has chosen those of humble birth in the world, and the despised, and them who are nothing, to bring to nothing them who are something: So that no flesh might glory before him.. And you, moreover, are of him in Y'shua Mashiyach; who has become to us wisdom from Elohim, and righteousness and separateness, and salvation: According to that which is written: "He that glorifies in himself, let him glory in our Master (Y'shua)." (AENT)

Here are just a few more scriptures concerning false teachers and prophets:

Matthew 24: 24. For false Messiahs and lying prophets will arise and they will produce signs and great wonders in order to deceive if possible even the chosen. 25. Behold, I have told you beforehand. (AENT)

Jeremiah 14: 14 YHWH replied, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I didn't send them, order them or speak to them. They are prophesying false visions to you, worthless divinations, the delusions of their own minds.... (CJB)

Deuteronomy 18: 20 "'But if a prophet presumptuously speaks a word in my name which I didn't order him to say, or if he speaks in the name of other gods, then that prophet must die.' 21 You may be wondering, 'How are we to know if a word has not been spoken by ADONAI?' 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of ADONAI, and the prediction does not come true -that is, the word is not fulfilled -then ADONAI did not speak that word. The prophet who said it spoke presumptuously; you have nothing to fear from him. (CJB)

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (ESV)

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (ESV)

2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (ESV)

Matthew 22: 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. (CJB)

America the Tolerant, Decadent and Godless

Every day, I'm left shaking my head over America, the Tolerant! Now we have a "gay bunny" story selling like the proverbial hotcakes.

What's truly upsetting about this nonsense is that animals aren't "gay." They simply act on instinct. That's why they are "sinless." They don't deliberately decide that they are attracted to the "same" sex.

Stupid, decadent, disgusting America! Keep messing with YHWH and see who wins.

Refuting the Jewish counter-missionary argument, “Jesus can’t be Messiah because there was no Nazareth in Biblical times!"

Posting what I said a few years ago in my video, "Reality Check #28," when refuting the Jewish counter-missionary argument, “Jesus can’t be Messiah because there was no Nazareth in Biblical times!" ....

Today we are continuing with our challenge to some of the teachings of Jewish Rabbis who loudly proclaim that Yeshua and the New Testament are myths. As believers in Yeshua know, our Messiah was always about Master YHWH. Always! He was ONE with the Father, never veering from Torah – YHWH’s Divine Instructions.

Yet, counter-missionary Jews will fight you to the death to prove otherwise – and if you attempt to show scriptures of ANY kind, they adamantly reject them. One of their assertions is that there is no scripture suggesting the Messiah would be from Nazareth, or that the Messiah would be referred to as a Nazarene. “There is none,” they insist, often with a chuckle.

Well - not so fast! Bear with me now! Matthew 2:23 tells us Messiah would be called “Nazarene” and the prophet Isaiah gave us a hint about this. Isaiah 11:1 says: “But a branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai, a shoot will grow from his roots.”

Aramaic scholar and author Andrew Gabriel Roth explains that the word netzer is Hebrew for “young shoot” or “sprout” and it does refer to the Messiah because Isaiah 11, verses 2 through 4 go on to reveal the “spiritual branches” of the Menorah as attributes of Messiah! Even in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a, recognizes Isaiah 11:1 as a prophecy of the Messiah and renders the word netzer as a branch – netzer being the key to this whole mystery.

Without going into a deep word study – because I personally am not qualified in that department - other prophets reveal Mashiyach, Messiah, as the “Branch” but use the Hebrew term tzemach, thus eliminating the obvious wordplay by Matthew. The prophet Daniel uses the word netzer, but not in the context of Messianic prophecy. Still, netzer is the basis for the name Nazareth, which at that time was a very small village in the Land of Israel.

Here is what Roth wrote concerning this issue:

Y’shua (as opposed to "Jesus") means "Yahweh is salvation". It is the shortened form of YEHOSHUA (Joshua in English, again, not "Jesus"). Moshe told the nation that THE PROPHET would come after him that the people must listen to, so is it any coincidence that THE PROPHET has the SAME NAME as Moshe's successor? In Zechariah 6:1-12 we are told (actually starting in chapter 3, and then into 6) that the high priest and his colleagues are "symbols of things to come" and of the high priest, "here is the man WHOSE NAME IS THE BRANCH", not that he IS the branch, but his NAME is the branch.

Well, it so happens that Messiah is from "Branch City", NETZER-ET (Nazareth), and Messiah is called the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH (see Isaiah 11:1-2 and Jeremiah 23:5-6). So the name of the branch and the name of the Messiah are ONE AND THE SAME, and the name of the high priest? YEHOSHUA! Fast forward 500 years later and the Hebrew dialect changed to shorten the name to Y'shua.

This is an integral part of Messianic prophecy. In Exodus 23:20-22 YHWH warns the Israelites of a messenger who will lead them. He gives a proviso for this messenger: He will NOT forgive your sin. Now why say this? Has any “messenger” EVER been able to forgive sin? No, but as Y'shua said, "Which is easier to say? That your sins are forgiven or to the paralyzed, "Arise and walk, take up your pallet and go home? BUT SO YOU WILL KNOW THE SON OF MAN HAS THE AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS, I say, Arise and walk." (See Daniel 7:1-14). In Hebrew the word for MESSENGER--malakh--can also be pointed to mean MELECH (king). This is a remez (a hint).

So, understanding all that, also understand that since only YHWH can forgive sin, Y'shua must be God to do so also, and it is this role conducting YHWH's Ruach that Messiah filtered through his human voice to proclaim YHWH's kingdom on earth. (In other words, the Son of Man/Messiah, is given authority on earth to forgive sin by His Father in a way no angel, prophet or other messenger was. Such is apparent from Daniel chapter 7 and the two thrones. Y'shua comes in the Name and therefore in the power of his Father but his authority is NOT independent from his Father.)

This messenger/king then COULD forgive sin (or why warn that he won't?), and the reason he can is that, UNLIKE the ANGELS who have only the TITLE of ELOHIM within their own names (such as Gabri-EL, Rapha-EL and Micha-EL), Y’shua HAS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES within HIS Name - Exodus 23:20-22 says clearly 'FOR MY NAME IS IN HIM". Yahweh has ONE NAME and there is ONE NAME under heaven by which men are saved, as seen in Acts 4:12.

Messiah Y’shua comes in the NAME, and therefore POWER, of his Father YHWH. As the Word of YHWH, He was with the Father in the beginning (John 1:1, 17:5 and Revelation 19:13). The Father gives life to the Son (John 10) and the Son then has the power to lay that life down freely and pick it up again, thus allowing the rest of us access to eternal life.

Y'shua came to bring glory to his Father YHWH, to show the proper interpretation (fulfillment, if you will) of the Torah and to bring Pharisee and tax collector alike back to the WRITTEN CODE of Moshe and away from Oral Law, making statements such as: "You have heard that it was SAID, but I SAY TO YOU....If you believed Moshe, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me, but if you do not believe Moshe, how will you believe what I say?--Did not Moshe give you the Torah? Yet not ONE MAN AMONG YOU KEEPS THE TORAH!")…(That ends Andrew Roth’s quote).

So, the Jewish anti-missionaries and their converts can argue against Y’shua and the New Testament all they want, but that won’t change the context of what the WHOLE of the Bible says. I can certainly understand why Judaism rejects the Torah-less “Jesus” described by most of Christianity; but I cannot understand why they would reject “Y’shua!”

Consider Exodus 23 verses 20 – 23 where YHWH talks about a special messenger who has HIS Name residing within his own. This can only be referring to Y’shua because Y’shua is the ONLY Heavenly Being who has YHWH’s Name within His own name! All the angels/messengers only have His Title (ELOHIM) within their names: Micha-EL, Rapha-El, Gabri-El….)

The bottom line is, the Yeshua-rejecters can espouse and teach their opinions as much as they want, but it won't change YHWH's Truth! That is why we at The Refiner's Fire believe our promised Messiah has already come, and here's part of the reason why:

Zechariah 6:12 "...and tell him, 'Yahweh-Tzva'ot says: "There is coming a man whose name is Tzemach [Sprout]. He will sprout up from his place and rebuild the temple of Yahweh. 13 Yes, he will rebuild the temple of Yahweh; and he will take up royal splendor, sitting and ruling from his throne."

That is the connection to Yeshua - the man whose name is "the branch" - the righteous branch (Jeremiah 23:5), who was predicted 500 years before his birth. See also Isaiah 53 where you will see Yeshua was the "arm" of ADONAI!

Since they insist there is "no proof" for Yeshua, we offer the following: (Please also check out our short video clips designed to "talk back" to the rabbis who are out there, actively all over the Internet, "debunking" Yeshua and the entire New Testament!)

Ever wonder why there are two Jewish new years?

In Exodus 12:1-2, Yahweh tells Moshe that the year from then on will begin "this month", but it is not for the purpose of counting years; rather, it is in commemoration of the momentous transformation, from slavery to physical liberation from Egypt.

Passover, on the other hand (which many call the beginning of the New Year) is celebrated in its own right as the pivotal event which led to the Exodus. Therefore, the 1st day of Nisan became the date for the first month of the Hebrew/Jewish calendar.

In other words, months in the Hebrew/Jewish calendar are numbered beginning with the month of Nisan as explicitly stated in the Torah. In fact, the title "First of the Months" ("Rosh Hodashim" in Hebrew) is reserved in the Torah for the month of Nisan (Exodus 12:2).

Then there is also the "civil year", the point in the year from which the years are counted. This is the historical date agreed upon by the sages that was the date of the creation of man. Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashana (in September 2010), kicked off the year 5771 from the creation of Adam.

Counting years from Tishri (Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashana) is also the date for calculating the release year (i.e., the "Sh'mittah" year, which means "Sabbatical" year, which is every 7th year in the 49-year cycle that governed the Kingdom of Israel [10th century B.C.E. to 8th century B.C.E.] and Kingdom of Judah [10th century B.C.E. to 6th century B.C.E.] in biblical times), and the date for calculating the Jubilee year (a Jubilee year or "Yovel" year in Hebrew is the year after the 49-year cycle that governed the Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah in biblical times, i.e., the 50th year).

The 1st day of Tishri was also the date that determined the beginning of the year when it came to the three years that the fruit of a tree must be left unpicked (Leviticus 19:23). The 1st day of Tishri was also the date for the "tithe of crops" for the Levites and the Priesthood ("Cohanim" in Hebrew), whose dedication to holy service prevented them from working on the land like the other Hebrews.

For the “rest of the story” please check out our indepth article!

Can I store my leavened products in my garage or barn until after Passover?"

Another question people ask about Passover is: "Can I store my leavened products in my garage or barn until after Passover?"

Our response:

Only if you want to return your symbolic sin to your home. At our house, we don't wish to bring our symbolic sins back into the house after Passover, and so we simply start using up our bread and other leavened products, beginning approximately a month before Passover.

In our early years of Torah observance, we used to give our leavened products away to those who don't keep the biblical feasts. But then, one day it dawned on us that we were symbolically giving them our "sin".... Since then, we just make sure to use up all our leavened products before Passover arrives.

Rid our homes “yeast” or “leaven”?

Reader question: Why are some teaching we are rid our homes of yeast on Passover, while others insist it's “leaven?"

Answer: Scripture commands us to rid our homes of LEAVEN. You can’t get rid of yeast because yeast is everywhere. Take a deep breath... You've just inhaled millions of yeast spores! Natural, wild yeast is all around you, including in your homes; you can't avoid it and you can't get rid of it. Please read our indepth article, Yeast or Leaven.

Parashah 24: Vayikra (He called) Leviticus 1:1 through 5:26

Shabbat shalom, everyone! As always, a synopsis of the week’s Torah portion can be found on our website at https://www.therefinersfire.org/parashah_24.htm. This week's parashah is another hard to grasp study as it's all about the offerings of various kinds, to include sin, guilt, peace and burnt offerings.

While it can be boring, confusing and downright hard to read about these offerings with our modern mindsets, we must always remember that the idea was for people to learn to obey and please YHWH with their whole being … to recognize the horrible consequences of sin … to appreciate that His desire for people was to be HOLY in every aspect of their lives.

Holiness begets holiness; while sin begets more sin and leads to death (eternity away from YHWH). YHWH simply wanted (and still wants) His people to be CLEAN from the inside-out and to keep Him constantly in mind in all things.

For more, please click on the link above!

A mini-teaching on 2 Corinthians 4

Many of the New Testament passages are used by Christians to show that Torah was “abolished at the cross”; and by Jewish “counter-missionaries” and their adherents to “prove” that the New Testament is full of myths and anti-Torah rhetoric, and that Y’shua couldn’t possibly be the Messiah.

However, when read in context, we can see that the Apostles constantly referred to YHWH’s Torah (Divine Instruction in Righteousness without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living).

Take, for instance, the entire chapter of 2 Corinthians 4, which reveals Paul’s love for YHWH, Y’shua and Torah!

2 Corinthians 4: 1. Therefore, we are not weary in this ministry which we have received according to the mercies that have been upon us: 2. But we have renounced the concealments of dishonor, and we walk not in craftiness, nor do we treat the Word of Elohim deceitfully; but by the manifestation[1] of the truth we exhibit ourselves to all the consciences of men before Elohim. (AENT)

NOTE 1: The word here for “manifestation” – galiyota – also means “revelation.” Furthermore, it is from the root of this word that we get the name “Galeela.”

2 Corinthians 4: 3. And if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled to them that perish; 4. To them whose minds the god of this world has blinded, in order that they might not believe, or else the light[2] of the Flame (Good News)[3] of the glory of the Mashiyach (who is the likeness of Elohim)[4] should dawn upon them. 5. For it is not ourselves that we preach, but the Mashiyach, Y’shua our Master;[5] and, as to ourselves, that we are your servants for Y’shua’ sake. (AENT)

NOTE 2: An Aramaic wordplay between “blinded” (aeor) and “light” in Hebrew (aur), which can also become the Aramaic word for “Torah,” i.e. aurayta, since Torah certifies the Good News. Also, in mystical thinking when the aleph is replaced by an ayin (as in the word for blind), even though both have a potential silent or “A” sound, the ayin is said to drain power; so from light to blindness.

NOTE 3: Or, flame, which given the imagery in the previous verse may be a better reading.

NOTE 4: [Damota d’Alaha = likeness of Elohim. This is an interesting word choice because damota denotes likeness but not equivalence. As in the book of Hebrews the earthly Temple vessels are representative of the heavenly; in this case Y’shua is the human face of YHWH. However, Hebrews 1:3 also tells us that Y’shua is “the radiance of His glory” – with a synonym to damota, tzemya – “and the exact representation (tzelma) of His (YHWH’s) nature.”

Tzelma is a much closer idea of the spiritual blueprint of man, which is also the reflection of YHWH. It is not representative like damota, but is almost like reflection in the sense of a cloned image that is the image itself. The word “copy” should be avoided as that would denote two natures of YHWH, which is not supported in the Peshitta text.

NOTE 5: Just as Y’shua spoke in his Father’s Name, so does Paul speak in the name of Y’shua Mashiyach. Paul’s authority was not on the basis of his own name. Neither was Paul given any authority to do away with Torah; this is simply a Pagan or Hellenistic ideology that is projected upon Paul.

2 Corinthians 4: 6. Because Elohim, who commanded the light to arise from darkness, has Himself shined in our hearts, that we might be illuminated with the knowledge of the glory of Elohim on the face of Y’shua the Mashiyach.[6] (AENT)

NOTE 6: This verse strengthens the idea that the glory of Elohim is “reflected” in Y’shua’s face.

2 Corinthians 4: 7. But we have this treasure in an earthen vessel that the excellence of the power might be from Elohim, and not from us. 8. And in every thing we are oppressed, but not suffocated; we are corrected, but not condemned; 9. We are persecuted, but not forsaken; we are prostrated, but not perish. 10. For we bear in our body, at all times, the dying of Y’shua; that the life also of Y’shua might be manifested in our body. 11. For if we are delivered over alive to death, for Y’shua’s sake, even so also will the life of Y’shua be manifested in this our mortal body.

12. Now therefore, in us death is active, but in you, life. 13. Having therefore the same spirit of faith, (as it is written, I believed, therefore also have I spoken,) we also believe, and therefore speak; 14. Knowing that He, who resurrected our Master Y’shua, will also resurrect us by Y’shua, and will receive us, with you, to himself. 15. For all things are for your sakes, that while grace abounds by means of many, thanksgiving may abound to the glory of Elohim.

16. For this cause we do not faint; for though our outward man perish, yet the inner (man) is renovated day by day. 17. For the affliction of the present time, though very small and light, prepares for us great glory, without end, for ever and ever; 18. While we look not at these seen things, but at those not seen; for these seen things are temporary, but those not seen are eternal. (AENT)

To reiterate:  Paul’s teachings didn’t “abolish” one yud or stroke from the Torah!  He constantly spoke in the name of Y’shua Mashiyach; never in his own name. As a mere human, Paul didn’t have the right to teach anything except what YHWH commanded and what Y’shua taught.  It is mere  Pagan or Hellenistic ideology to suggest that Paul enlightened us to believe in the erroneous “Jesus plus nothing” theology.

A mini-discussion about 2 Corinthians 3

2 Corinthians 3:1-8 is often used by Christians to show that Torah was “abolished at the cross”; and by Jewish “counter-missionaries” and their adherents to “prove” that the New Testament is full of myths and anti-Torah rhetoric, and that Y’shua couldn’t possibly be the Messiah.

Yet, the astute person who is able to view this chapter in context, recognizes that Paul constantly refers to YHWH’s Torah (Divine Instruction in Righteousness without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living!).

It’s truly way past time for both Christians and Jews to start recognizing that maybe – just MAYBE – they have misunderstood the writings of Paul!  Contrary to popular belief, Paul – a mere human - didn’t “change” YHWH’s Torah or attempt to negate the teachings of Mashyiach Y’shua! He merely tried to interpret into plain language the deep and often hard-to-understand Hebrew mindset and concepts.

Unfortunately, he didn’t always succeed. Peter even warned of this (2 Peter 3:15-16) by explaining that Paul’s letters had already been turned into a Torahless fiasco, even in Peter’s day! Certainly it was not the Pharisees who were renouncing Torah Observance, but the humanist, pagan and materialistic “modernists” who operated under “Christian” labels…

Having said that, let’s check out 2 Corinthians 3 in context, using the footnotes from the Aramaic English New Testament:

2 Corinthians 3:1. Do we begin again to show you who we are? Or do we need, like others, that letters of recommendation from us should be written to you? Or, that you should write recommendations of us? 2. You are our epistles, written on our hearts and known and read by every man. 3. For you know that you are an epistle of the Mashiyach, ministered by us; not written with ink, but by the Spirit of the Living Elohim; not on tablets of stone, but on the tablets of the heart of flesh.[1]

NOTE 1: Paul is clearly referencing Jeremiah 31:33, indicating Torah is being written upon the heart. See also Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26-28.

2 Corinthians 3:4. And such confidence we have in the Mashiyach towards Elohim; 5. Not that we are sufficient to think anything, as of ourselves; but our efficiency is from Elohim: 6. Who has fitted us to be ministers of the Renewed Covenant[2] not in the letter, but in the Spirit; for the letter kills[3] but the Spirit gives life. 7. Now if the ministration of death was engraved upon stones in writing, and was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look on the face of Moshe[4] on account of the glory upon his face which vanished away; 8. How then will not the ministration of the Spirit be still more glorious?

NOTE 2: Again, a reference to Jeremiah 31:33. See also Matthew 26:28.

NOTE 3: The “letter” and “Spirit” are not opposites. In verse 1 Rav Shaul begins by explaining how a “letter” in itself is not sufficient for his purposes, and how those in Corinth are not epistles written with ink, but in the Spirit of Elohim. The letter points out flaws. When we study the letter, sins of the weak flesh are exposed; our “natural” man is condemned to death to create a new birth according to YHWH’s Spirit.

Christian theology, however, teaches the “letter” refers to Torah, and that Torah is contrary to the spiritual man (which is a rather evil theology considering that mainstream Christians are already keeping over 60 percent of Torah)! Torah contains righteous directives of how to live and love, as well as the Covenant of promise that necessitates Mashiyach.

In this discourse Rav Shaul is juxtaposing condemnation as a function of the letter; he is most certainly not discrediting the Torah of YHWH as it pertains to the Spiritual Man (Romans 7:14; 8:4). Torah is the Word of YHWH: “For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this WORD you shall prolong your days in the land.” Deuteronomy 32:47

NOTE 4: Shemot/Exodus 34:29 “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.”

2 Corinthians 3:9. For if there was glory in the ministration of condemnation[5], how much more will the ministration of righteousness excel in glory? 10. For that which was glorious was as if not glorious in comparison with this which excels in glory. 11. For if that (condemnation) which is abolished[6] was glorious, much more must, that which abides be glorious.

NOTE 5: Ministration of death is also the ministration of condemnation which comes against the sins of the carnal man. If a man steals he is condemned; if he commits adultery or lies, he is condemned when he reads the Letter.

NOTE 6: Condemnation is abolished when the Ruach haKodesh writes Torah upon the heart, which brings the end of breaking Torah! However, Christian theologians twist this verse to teach that Paul brought an end to Torah itself.

2 Corinthians 3:12. Seeing therefore we have this hope, we the more, speak with boldness; 13. And are not like Moshe, who threw a veil over his face that the children of Israel might not behold the termination of that (condemnation) which was abolished. 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[7]. 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)

NOTE 7: 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.

Proof that Yeshua is both Jewish and also a son of David!

How often have you heard that Yeshua couldn't possibly be YHWH's Messiah because he didn't have an earthly father; and consequently, he didn't have any tribal affiliation, which means he could NOT have been a Jew, nor have come through the Davidic bloodline?  Jewish counter-missionary rabbis constantly attempt to use that hackneyed excuse to show that Yeshua was not the Messiah....

Well, so let's employ some Bible hermeneutics and allow Scripture to explain itself:

According to the Bible, adoption in Biblical times was an accepted practice among the Hebrews. Please read the following from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary: 

ADOPTION:

Greek: huiothesia, the "placing" as a "son". The admission of a person to some or all of the privileges of natural kinship. As the practice of adoption was confined almost exclusively to sons - the case of Esther being an exception - it probably had its origin in the natural desire for male offspring. This would be especially true where force, rather than well-observed laws, decided the possession of estates.

Hebrew: Abraham speaks of Eliezer (Gen 15:3), a house-born slave, as his heir, having probably adopted him as his son. Jacob adopted his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, and counted them as his sons (48:6), thus enabling him to bestow through them a double portion upon his favorite son, Joseph. Sometimes a man without a son would marry his daughter to a freed slave, the children then being accounted her father's; or the husband himself would be adopted as a son (1 Chron 2:34).

Most of the early instances of adoption mentioned in the Bible were the acts of women who, because of barrenness, gave their female slaves to their husbands with the intention of adopting any children they might have. Thus Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham, and the son (Ishmael) was considered the child of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 16:1-15). The childless Rachel gave her maid, Bilhah, to her husband (30:1-7) and was imitated by Leah (30:9-13). In such cases the sons were regarded as fully equal in the right of heritage with those by the legitimate wife. (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)

Here's more from another source:

ADOPTION: The taking of one as a son who is not so by birth. (I) Natural: As Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses; Mordecai Esther; Abraham Eliezer (as a slave is often in the East adopted as son) (Gen 15:2-3); Sarai the son to be born by Hagar, whom she gave to her husband; Leah and Rachel the children to be born of Zilpah and Bilhah, their handmaids respectively, whom they gave to Jacob their husband.

The handmaid at the birth brought forth the child on the knees of the adoptive mother (Gen 30:3); an act representative of the complete appropriation of the sons as equal in rights to those by the legitimate wife. Jacob adopted as his own Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, on the same footing as Reuben and Simeon, his two elder sons (Gen 48:5). Thereby he was able to give Joseph his favorite son more than his single share, with his brothers, of the paternal heritage.

The tribes thus were 13, only that Levi had no land division; or Ephraim and Manasseh were regarded as two halves making up but one whole tribe. In 1 Chron 2 Machir gives his daughter to Hezron of Judah; she bore Segub, father of Jair. Jair inherited 23 cities of Gilead in right of his grandmother. Though of Judah by his grandfather, he is (Num 32:41) counted as of Manasseh on account of his inheritance through his grandmother.

So Mary, being daughter of Heli, and Joseph her husband being adopted by him on marrying his daughter, an heiress (as appears from her going to Bethlehem to be registered in her pregnancy), Joseph is called in Luke's genealogy son of Heli. (From Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998 by Biblesoft) 

Soooo ... let's discuss Mary and HER rights!

Mary should be disqualified to transfer the rights of her lineage to her son Yeshua - except for a little known exception to the rule....

In Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38 we are presented with two genealogies of Yeshua. On the surface these different listings would appear to be a contradiction in the scriptures. The genealogy found in Matthew's gospel is the lineage of Yeshua's earthly father Joseph, while the genealogy found in Luke's gospel is the lineage of Yeshua's mother Mary. Conventional "wisdom" suggests that Matthew's lineage is Joseph's and Luke's is Mary's - but this is BACKWARDS.  Matthew's Gospel -- as the Aramaic exclusive reading of Matthew 1:16 and 1:19 PROVES--is MARY's Gospel, and she is descended from Solomon.

Once you have established that the line is indeed Mary's you must deal with a second difficulty: The rights of the line are not passed through the mother, only the father. Even though Mary, through her lineage, was of the Davidic bloodline, she should be excluded from being able to pass those rights of the bloodline because of being a female (Deut 21:16).

So it is not enough to prove that Mary was an unblemished descendant of David; she also had to be a male to transfer the rights. Therefore she would be disqualified to transfer the rights to her son Yeshua, except for a little known exception to the rule!

In Numbers 26 we are introduced to Zelophehad. Zelophehad, we are told, had no sons, only daughters. In Numbers 27, following the death of Zelophehad, the daughters of Zelophehad came before Moses and argued their plight. Because their father had died with no sons, all of their rights of inheritance were to be lost and they felt this was unfair. So Moses prayed to God and God gave Moses an exception to the rule.

YHWH told Moses that the inheritance CAN flow through a female, IF they fulfill two requirements: (1) There must be no male offspring in the family (Numbers 27:8) and (2) if the female offspring should marry, they must marry within their own tribe (Numbers 36:6).

Now we come back to Mary. On the surface she should be unable to transfer the rights to her Son. But when you research you find that Mary had NO brothers, AND Mary did indeed marry within her own tribe to Joseph. What an awesome God we serve Who set in order the requirements to allow the virgin birth to take place 1,400 years in advance!

A footnote to Matthew 1 from the Aramaic English New Testament (AENT) says this:

The word gowra designates a protector-male or guardian; the context of this verse determines its specific meaning. Y'shua elsewhere says "which one of gowra, if he has a son...."; obviously "father" is intended. "Gowra" also applies to other forms of protector-male type relationships depending on the context, such as "husband", "son", and so forth. Ancient Aramaic Matthew ends at verse 17, not verse 25.

The text not only establishes the subject, but shifts from "background history" into the present, from intro to body. This means that the Yosip in verse 16 (the guardian or adopted father of Miriyam (Mary)) is not the same Yosip as the husband of Miriyam in verse 19.

There is no reason for Matthew to use two different words for the same individual, whereas gowra sometimes means "husband" but can also mean "father". The other term baalah can only mean "husband". On the other hand, there would most definitely be a reason to differentiate two men named Yosip, one being the adopted father, the other the husband of Miriyam. With this differentiation we now have three full sets of 14 generations, which satisfies the demands of verse 17.

Furthermore ... When you read thoroughly the details of Zelophedad's daughters it is clear that is exactly what it is about: Females inherit the assets of their father when there is no male heir. This is stated DIRECTLY:

Numbers 27:7 'Zelophehad's daughters are right in what they say. You will indeed give them a property to be their heritage among their father's kinsmen; see that their father's heritage is passed on to them. 8 Then speak to the Israelites and say, "If a man dies without sons, his heritage will pass to his daughter.

9 If he has no daughter, the heritage will go to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, his heritage will go to his father's brothers. 11 If his father has no brothers, his heritage will go to the member of his clan who is most nearly related; it will become his property. This will be a legal rule for the Israelites, as Yahweh has ordered Moses."' (NJB)

Proof of this is also indirectly stated with Joseph and Mary returning to Bethlehem. Mary is attached to that inheritance through her husband but she also inherits from her family without there being a male heir.

And let's not forget, Talmud says a child is considered Jewish if his MOTHER is Jewish....And Torah says land can only pass WITHIN THE TRIBE it is allotted to. YHWH calls it an INHERITANCE. And with the Levites YHWH says, "I am their inheritance"...so obviously being from a tribe is an asset if you inherit YHWH....

Since God created the entire universe, then what makes you think He couldn’t present Y’shua as His Messiah?

A question for Counter-Missionaries:

Knowing that G-d created the universe and everything in it, and that He devised a way for mankind to be reconciled with Him via blood sacrifices after Adam and Eve sinned ... and knowing that He destroyed the entire earth except for one righteous man and his family (Genesis 5 - 9) whom He allowed to start mankind all over again ....

… And knowing He ultimately made a "great nation" out of one pagan Chaldean named Avram (Genesis 12);

… And knowing that He arranged for a man named Moshe to be born in to a Hebrew family and raised by Egyptian royalty, who would eventually lead His people out of bondage in Egypt after speaking to Moshe through a "burning bush"; 

… And knowing that He, parted the Red Sea for His people to cross via dry land ... and that He kept those people supernaturally fed and clothed for the next 40 years while He taught and coached and divided them into "12 tribes" before allowing them into His Holy Land, all the while leading them via "a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21….

… Yes, knowing all that, WHAT makes you think He couldn't possibly place the embryo of His Messiah into the womb of a human virgin to bring forth a sinless human being with a divine nature who would grow up to teach and preach the Kingdom (Luke 4:43; 8:1; Acts 24 and 28:23) and willingly martyr himself to substitute his nephesh for yours - all designed to fulfill the Divine Prophecies of G-d's Grand Plan for mankind? (See the Gospels.)

YHWH said HE would send a prophet who was to do everything He ordered him to do:

Deuteronomy 18: 15 "ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him, 16 just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested ADONAI your God, 'Don't let me hear the voice of ADONAI my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!' 17 On that occasion ADONAI said to me, 'They are right in what they are saying. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him.

And Yeshua said He came to do HIS FATHER's will; not His own!

John 6: 35. Y'shua said to them, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will not hunger. And whoever believes in me will not ever thirst. 36. But I have said to you that you have seen me, and you do not believe. 37. All who my Father has given to me will come, and whoever comes not to me I will cast outside! 38. For I came down from heaven,[1] not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39. And this is His will, that of Him who sent me, that all that He has given to me I do not lose even one. 40. For this is the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in Him, will have life that is eternal. And I will raise him up on the last day. (AENT)

[1] As in the context of Miltha (the Word) or the "Manifestation" or the "Will of" YHWH coming down from heaven to do the Will of YHWH upon earth; his Spirit is of YHWH but his nephesh (soul) and body are human and temporal. This shows that Yeshua was NOT in charge; HIS FATHER WAS!

Yeshua came to proclaim the Kingdom of YHWH and to do everything His Father commanded. He tore down the fences of man's legalism. Neither He nor His Apostles ever advocated against Torah!

John 12: 44. But Y'shua cried out and said, He who believes in me, it is not in me he does believe, but in Him who sent me. [1]45. And he who sees me sees Him who sent me! 46. I have come as the light into this world that all who believe in me might not remain in the darkness! 47. And he who hears my words, yet does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I have not come to judge the world but to give life[2] to the world.

48. He who rejects me and does not receive my words, there is something that judges him. The word that I have spoken, it will judge him on the last day. 49. For I have not spoken from my soul, but the Father who sent me. He gave a Commandment to me what I should say and what I should speak. 50. And I know that His commands are eternal life. [3] Therefore, these things that I speak just as my Father told me, thus I speak.[4] (AENT)

[1] Y'shua does not bring a new Faith, but reveals the original Faith of YHWH the Father.

[2] Y'shua proclaims that he came to give life, then he declares that His father's Commands are eternal life! The Father's "Commands" are instruction in righteousness; this is Torah which contains Commandments, Judgments, Testimony and Witness regarding the Kingdom of Elohim. Those who enter into Covenant with Mashiyach are entering into Covenant with his Father YHWH; therefore, it is evil - an outright lie - to teach that Torah is done away with and replaced by a new theology!

[3] The Commands of YHWH bring eternal life. YHWH's "Commands" refers to all of His Commandments; these are one and the same as every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of Elohim. These are not Commands only between Y'shua and His Father but they are universal for all souls who will enter into the Malchut Elohim.

[4] Y'shua speaks the Word of YHWH, not his own words; therefore, he conveys the revelation of YHWH according to the Ruach haKodesh without the baggage of man's religious tradition. Religion has a propensity to reinvent or interpret the Word of YHWH to make it "acceptable" to man's standards; whereas Mashiyach came not to please men, but to honor and bring Glory to his Father.

….Yes, knowing all that, why do you keep trying to put G-d into a box?  What makes you think YOU have the right to limit Him?

“His blood is on us and on our children”….

Ever wondered why the crowd standing before Pilate said, "His (Yeshua’s) blood is on us and on our children" and why Christians would have twisted that phrase into a “blood curse” against the Jews?

Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "My hands are clean of this man's blood; it's your responsibility." 25 All the people answered, "His blood is on us and on our children!" 26 Then he released to them Bar-Abba; but Yeshua, after having him whipped, he handed over to be executed on a stake. (CJB)

Digging into this a little further, one can begin to see that Exodus 20:4 is being referenced here, which suggests YHWH visits sins up to the fourth generation. You see, in Matthew 27:25, above, some of the Sanhedrin were concerned that if Yeshua was innocent; the “worst case scenario” would bring a curse on them that would last for four generations.

However, if he was guilty and if the Romans were angered, the fear was that Israel would be completely wiped off the face of the earth - hence, not just four generations but ALL future generations would be affected (an idea, by the way, that was also echoed by the high priest in John 11:47-53, as you will see below.)

So, Matthew 27:25 has ended up being perhaps the most famous "anti-Semitic" line in the entire New Testament, because it appears that "all the crowd" is said to have invoked an eternal curse upon all the Jewish people.

But, let’s get real: Matthew was certainly NOT pronouncing a curse upon himself and his own people! The problem was simply that the religious elite feared for the entire destruction of Israel at the hands of the Romans; and not just their own personal loss of power.

John 11 provides insight:

John 11: 47 So the head cohanim and the P'rushim called a meeting of the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? -- for this man is performing many miracles. 48 If we let him keep going on this way, everyone will trust in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both the Temple and the nation." 49 But one of them, Kayafa, who was cohen gadol that year, said to them, "You people don't know anything!

50 You don't see that it's better for you if one man dies on behalf of the people, so that the whole nation won't be destroyed." 51 Now he didn't speak this way on his own initiative; rather, since he was cohen gadol that year, he was prophesying that Yeshua was about to die on behalf of the nation, 52 and not for the nation alone, but so that he might gather into one the scattered children of God. 53 From that day on, they made plans to have him put to death. (CJB)

As you can see, in reality, they were trying to deal with two Scriptural possibilities:

Since they recognized that Yeshua was performing miracles, they obviously knew it was possible that he just MIGHT be the Messiah! And if that were true, then the Messiah’s main purpose was to die for Israel and be a substitutionary sacrifice for the nation (Isaiah 53:1-12)….

That could very well be why Kayafa (Caiphas) even said that Yeshua would die either way! If Yeshua was indeed the Messiah, then he was supposed to die; and if he wasn't, then his death might still prevent the deaths of tens of thousands of others should Rome decide to destroy Israel (which they ultimately did, anyway – just as Yeshua had predicted). On the other hand, if they were to kill an innocent man to save the nation, Kayafa still believed Israel would benefit.

You see, if they made this horrible mistake, the worst that would have happened is that their sin would be carried to the fourth generation (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18, Deuteronomy 5:9), but Israel, as a whole, would survive. Yet, if they did NOT act, the fear was that there would be no Israel ever again, for hundreds of generations.

So, the bottom line was, Yeshua HAD to die (which, was his mission, as he well knew). YHWH’s Will was accomplished and, ironically, His Son’s blood IS upon us!