Let’s discuss the Apostle Paul from a Hebrew viewpoint

Paul is, in all honesty, the most misunderstood person in the Bible. Christianity seems to be based solely upon the MISUNDERSTOOD writings of Paul, who was a Torah observant Jew attempting to convey complex Hebrew ideas to the Gentiles in their own language. Somehow, his writings were twisted into being anti-Torah; but nothing could be further from the truth because Paul was – for instance - seen being Torah observant 29 years after Y’shua’s death (Acts 21:23-24)! And, contrary to popular belief, he never suggested that Jesus came to bring a new religion that was to veer from YHWH’s Divine Instructions in Righteousness.

Paul’s extensive training under Rabbi Gamliel prepared him to serve the Jewish people as an itinerant rabbi and teacher, and he would also have learned the skills of a mohel to perform brit milah (the covenant of circumcision), because he performed the circumcision for Timothy so Timothy would be recognized and honored as shomer mitzvoth (observe the Commandments).

From the time Paul first began his ministry (circa 37 CE) until he was beheaded in 67 CE, it was his custom to attend synagogues wherever he traveled. Many came to know Y’shua and entered into the Kingdom of Heaven because of his boldness.

Yet many people accuse Paul of not being a Jew.

Someone who wrote to our website recently insisted that Paul was a Christian because he "believed in Jesus." Well, truth is, Paul never even heard of "Jesus." He was an Apostle of the Torah observant, seventh day Sabbath and feast-keeping, tallit-wearing Y’shua. He was never a "Christian." To insist he was a Christian is to suggest he ignored the commanded Mo'edim/Feasts and began to keep the man-made holidays of Christmas and Easter; and that he stopped keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and resorted to eating unclean foods....

As a matter of fact, check out some of Paul’s passages:

Romans 1: 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of Elohim for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Acts 21: 39 Paul answered, "I AM a Jew (PRESENT TENSE!), from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people." 40 Having received the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them IN ARAMAIC:

Acts 22: 1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 "I AM A JEW (PRESENT TENSE AGAIN!), born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for Elohim as any of you are today.

Romans 3: 1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of Elohim. 3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify Elohim's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let Elohim be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

Romans 3: 29 Is Elohim the Elohim of Jews only? Is he not the Elohim of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one Elohim, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the Torah by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we UPHOLD THE TORAH!

Does that sound like Paul was a Christian? If so, which of the 40,000 different denominations did he belong to?

In order to truly understand Paul, one must stop viewing the Bible and Paul's writing through the Greek mindset....

Got enemies? Ignore them!

Let’s face it, we all have enemies on Facebook and other social media. Just post something – anything – and watch these serpents crawl out of the woodwork to berate, besmirch and “yell” at us in all caps. You know exactly the types I’m talking about … those who build themselves up by tearing others down in hopes of making them feel like the biggest, most worthless losers on the planet.

The truth is, what they post reveals who they really are: arrogant, loudmouthed, impertinent, vitriolic, ungodly and, often, very ignorant and uneducated people who have no regard for anyone except themselves. They’re a waste of our time, really, and I suggest that, rather than to waste OUR time defending, explaining ourselves to no avail, and generally catering to someone’s need for negative attention, we need to just learn to ignore them.

If you find you can’t ignore them, then simply delete or block them to shut them out of your life. NOTHING says you have to take abuse from somebody sitting behind a keyboard in their underwear!

Most importantly, learn to “turn them over to YHWH.” He says vengeance is His (Deut. 32:35, Lev. 19:18; Prov. 20:22; 24:29; Psalm 94:1).

Romans 12: 17. And repay to no man evil for evil: but let it be your study to do good before all men. 18. And if possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with every man. 19. And be you not avengers of yourselves, my beloved: but give place to wrath. For it is written: If you do not execute judgment for yourself, I will execute judgment for you, says Elohim.

20. And if your adversary be hungry, feed him: and if he be thirsty, give him drink. For if you do these things, you will heap coals of fire on his head. 21. Do not be overcome by evil; but overcome evil with good. (AENT)

There are no directives from Genesis to Revelation that counsel anyone to take vengeance upon their adversaries. NONE! YHWH clearly says that vengeance belongs to Him. He will judge and resolve all matters according to His Righteous Judgment. The idea of taking vengeance upon others (i.e., as in jihad or holy war against the infidels), is rooted in fear and paganism/heathenism by those who put their faith in self rather than in Elohim.

If you have an enemy who wishes to cause your downfall in some way, just read Psalm 94 to remind yourself about WHO is in your court and will be YOUR defense! You don’t have to “do” anything but rest in the assurance that YHWH’s got your back. Halleluyah!

In the meantime, don’t forget that YOU are an advocate for YHWH, someone who is expected to behave in a set apart/holy manner at all times.

2 Tim 2: 14 Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before our Master (Y'shua) not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! 15 Do all you can to present yourself to Elohim as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth. 16 But keep away from godless babbling, for those who engage in it will only become more ungodly, 17 and their teaching will eat away at people like gangrene. (CJB)

A mini study of Romans 3:10-31 explaining “under Torah”….

Romans 3:10. As it is written: There is none righteous; no, not one: 11. And none that understands, nor that seeks after Elohim. 12. They have all turned aside together and become reprobates. There is none that does good; no, not one. 13. Their throats are open tombs and their tongues treacherous; and the venom of the asp is under their lips. 14. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; 15. And their feet are swift to shed blood. 16. Destruction and anguish are in their paths: 17. And the path of peacefulness they have not known: 18. And the Fear of Elohim is not before their eyes.

19. Now we know, that whatever Torah says, it says to them who are under Torah; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be guilty before Elohim. 20. And so it must be that, by the deeds of Torah, no flesh is justified before him: for, by Torah, sin is known.[1] 21. But now, the righteousness of Elohim without Torah, is manifested; and Torah[2] and the prophets testify of it.

NOTE 1: Torah sets YHWH’s boundaries as to what is good or evil behavior; therefore, this cannot and does not make Torah a bad thing, but a very good thing! Rav Shaul returns to this precise point again in the seventh chapter.

NOTE 2: Y’shua qualified as Mashiyach because he fulfilled all Torah and Prophetic requirements, and he became Torah. Torah is written upon the heart by the Ruach haKodesh; the Spirit of Mashiyach is Torah which is the Spirit of Mashiyach, or the Manifestation (Word) of YHWH which became flesh and dwelt among us.

Therefore, if we live “in” Y’shua we also become Torah. It is evil to posture that Rav Shaul brought Torah down, when in fact Y’shua and Paul restored and elevated Torah to be the foundation of a spiritual dialogue with Heaven.

Continuing with Romans 3:

22. Even the righteousness of Elohim, which is by faith in Y’shua the Mashiyach for every one and on every one that believes in him: for there is no distinction; 23. For they have all sinned, and failed of the glory of Elohim. 24. And they are granted the status of being righteous by grace and by the redemption which is in Y’shua the Mashiyach 25. Whom Elohim has ordained in advance a propitiation by faith in his blood, because of our previous sins 26. In the space which Elohim in his long suffering gave to us for the manifestation of his righteousness at the present time, that he might be righteous, and might with righteousness make him righteous who is in the faith of our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach.

27. Where then is glorying? It is completely unmade. By what Torah? By that of works? No! But by the Torah of faith. 28. We therefore conclude, that it is by faith a man is being made righteous, and not by the works[3] of Torah. 29. For, is he the Elohim of the Jews only and not of the Gentiles? No, but of the Gentiles also. Because there is one Elohim who makes righteous the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision by 30. the same faith. 31. Do, we then nullify Torah by faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish Torah. (AENT)

NOTE 3: The terms “works of Torah” and “under Torah” predate Paul by hundreds of years. These terms were discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls (A Sectarian Manifesto 4QMMT:4Q394-399); while originally referring to the ultra-religious halacha of the Essenes, the same principles apply to the Pharisees’ halacha.

These two phrases are also mentioned in Romans 6:14, 15; 9:32; 1 Corinthians 9:20; 21; Galatians 2:16; 3:2, 5, 10, 23; 4:4, 5, 21; 5:18. “Under Torah” refers to the orthodox/traditional interpretation and observance of Torah. Religious halacha is clearly NOT what Y’shua or Paul followed in their observance of Torah. The Renewed Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:33 is to write the Torah of YHWH upon the hearts of His people, not the “Torah of men.”

The idiomatic expression “works of Torah” provides insight to those of a “traditional” Jewish upbringing. Paul references Jews at the beginning of this chapter; in verse 19 he states “Now we know” referring to those who understand Torah and halacha.

A passage from Psalm 119

What an awesome, amazing, extraordinary passage! May we all live by this….

Psalm 119:41 May your grace come to me, ADONAI, your salvation, as you promised; 42 then I will have an answer for those who taunt me; for I trust in your word. 43 Don't take away completely my power to speak the truth; for I put my hope in your rulings; 44 and I will keep your Torah always, forever and ever.

45 I will go wherever I like, for I have sought your precepts. 46 I will speak of your instructions even to kings without being ashamed. 47 I will delight myself in your mitzvot, which I have loved. 48 I will lift my hands to your mitzvot, which I love; and I will meditate on your laws.

49 Remember your promise to your servant, through which you have given me hope. 50 In my distress my comfort is this: that your promise gives me life. 51 Though the arrogant scorn me completely, I have not turned away from your Torah.

52 ADONAI, I keep in mind your age-old rulings; in them I take comfort. 53 Fury seizes me when I think of the wicked, because they abandon your Torah. (CJB)

Parashah 35: Nazo (Take) Numbers 4:21 through 7:89

Shabbat shalom, mishpocah!  This week’s Torah study is Parashah 35: Nazo (Take), Numbers 4:21-7:89.

This parashah covers a multitude of commands. If you have already read it, you surely saw the magnitude of the undertaking of 600,000 Israeli men, plus the women, and the "mixed multitude" totaling more than 2 million people attempting to do YHWH's will!

This parashah not only outlines the census and the respective tasks to be carried out by YHWH’s people, but we also get a glimpse of the urgency of YHWH’s standards for cleanliness, both inward and outward; along with a whole host of other subjects, including some dire warnings concerning adultery and jealousy. 

For more, please click on the link above.

Pope tells gay man “God made you like this”….

It's truly sad that a "man of the cloth" would say something like this.  YES, God loves His creation, but it's highly doubtful that He would deliberately "make someone gay," and then call that person’s sexual preferences an ABOMINATION! It seems as if the Pope is deliberately watering down YHWH’s Word for the purpose of enticing people into the pews of Catholic churches…

Leviticus 18: 22 - You are not to go to bed with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.

Deuteronomy 22:5 "A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.

Revelation 22:14-16: How blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they have the right to eat from the Tree of Life and go through the gates into the city! 15 Outside are the homosexuals, those who misuse drugs in connection with the occult, the sexually immoral, murderers, idol-worshippers, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3: For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality....

According to Scripture, YHWH places sexually active homosexuals on the same level as murderers and liars:

1 Tim 1:9-11 - 9 We are aware that Torah is not for a person who is righteous, but for those who are heedless of Torah and rebellious, ungodly and sinful, wicked and worldly, for people who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral - both heterosexual and homosexual - slave dealers, liars, perjurers, and anyone who acts contrary to the sound teaching 11 that accords with the Good News of the Glorious and blessed God.

Romans 1: 22 Claiming to be wise, they have become fools! 23 In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles! 24 This is why God has given them up to the vileness of their hearts' lusts, to the shameful misuse of each other's bodies. 25 They have exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, by worshiping and serving created things, rather than the Creator - praised be he for ever. Amen. 26 This is why God has given them up to degrading passions; so that their women exchange natural sexual relations for unnatural; 27 and likewise the men, giving up natural relations with the opposite sex, burn with passion for one another, men committing shameful acts with other men and receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion.

28 In other words, since they have not considered God worth knowing, God has given them up to worthless ways of thinking; so that they do improper things. 29 They are filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and vice; stuffed with jealousy, murder, quarreling, dishonesty and ill-will; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God; they are insolent, arrogant and boastful; they plan evil schemes; they disobey their parents; 31 they are brainless, faithless, heartless and ruthless. 32 They know well enough God's righteous decree that people who do such things deserve to die; yet not only do they keep doing them, but they applaud others who do the same.

Counter-missionary asks: “If Y'shua is Mashiyach bin Yosef, how can he have been born of a virgin?”

COUNTER-MISSIONARY COMMENT:

If Y'shua is Mashiyach bin Yosef, how can he have been born of a virgin?

In order to be descended from David through Yosef, Y'shua would have to have been a son of Yosef, not just of Mariam. The two genealogies (in Matthew and in Luke) both trace through Yosef, but do not agree even as to Y'shua's paternal grandfather.

How can Y'shua be a son of David, a descendant of David, if he was not, as Paul says, naturally descended "according to the flesh" from David? (Romans 1:3).

OUR RESPONSE:

The careful Bible student is likely to conclude that Matthew and Luke present two different genealogies. Following through the genealogies, one will notice that there are some names which are common to both, but also, a great number of differences.

Matthew begins at the patriarch Abraham, and works his way to Yeshua the Messiah. Luke begins at Yeshua, and works his way back to Adam. There are two genealogies, with two distinct purposes. Matthew, it appears reveals the genealogy of Joseph, and Luke, presents the genealogy of Mary.

Matthew, penning his gospel with the Jews in mind, sets out to establish Yeshua's qualifications to be the Messiah through Joseph's genealogy. Thus, beginning with Abraham, he maps the Lord's genealogy through David, and the kings which followed. He presents Jesus' royal lineage (through the males) through "...Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Yeshua..."

Luke, writes to the Gentiles with a view toward the humanity of Messiah. The concept of one being both God and man would seem strange and foreign to those accustomed to Greek and Roman gods. Thus, Luke begins at Yeshua, and follows the genealogy of Mary, passing through the patriarchs, ending with the very first man, Adam.

If Luke is tracing the genealogy of Mary, why does he cite Joseph's name? Today, it would be politically incorrect to map a woman's genealogy through her husband, however, in Luke's day, it was proper and correct. Luke follows Mary's genealogy, beginning with the name of Joseph, her husband, Heli's son-in-law (in legal terms, his son by marriage).

How can Yeshua have a genealogy without having a biological father? Very simply, in legal terms, Joseph was Yeshua's father (look at it as a step-son who has all the rights and privileges of an adopted son). Thus, the genealogy of Joseph was legally applied to Yeshua.

See a more indepth response at Yeshua's qualifications.

Also, please read these articles:

Yeshua is Messiah

Yeshua’s lineage

Parashah 34: B'midbar (In the desert), Numbers 1:1 through 4:20

Shabbat is just around the corner again, mishpocah! This week’s Torah portion can be found on our website. This weekend also kicks off Shavuot (some believe it starts at sunset Saturday evening, others, on Sunday evening). Regardless as to when you choose to observe Shavuot, it is an awesome High Holy Day, depicting the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, and later, the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit). Please see our explanation.

Anyway, the first chapter of Numbers is one most of us would probably rather skip over, because the thought comes to mind: "Who cares how many people there were in each of the tribes and who begat whom? This is boring!"

But, mature believers ultimately come to understand that Numbers, Chapter 1 is extremely important because YHWH is about to announce His Divine "seating chart!"

Remember when you were in school and, on the first day you quickly grabbed the desk next to your best friend, or some cute guy or gal, or some "popular" kid, in hopes that they would notice you and include you in their clique? And then in came the teacher with a seating chart and rearranged everybody - and consequently you had to spend the rest of the year sitting next to the class clown or some "geek"....

Well, this is pretty much what YHWH did to the Israelites. Why? Because it was time for His people to discover exactly who they were and what He wanted them to do! You see, in Egypt they were nothing but slaves, "worker bees" for Pharaoh. They did whatever Pharaoh wanted. Their value was found in what they could produce with their labor. They were stonemasons, bricklayers, shepherds, domestic servants and nannies....whatever the Egyptian taskmasters demanded.

Consequently, in Egypt their sense of identity came not from within or who they were created to be, but from external sources - whatever they could do well enough to keep Pharaoh and his taskmasters satisfied.

They were bought and sold in the marketplace, then grouped and herded and moved from place to place according to serve whoever purchased them. They were separated from their families because family obligations and loyalties only interfered with their work.

So, over the generations as Pharaoh's slaves YHWH's people had lost their sense of lineage and family heritage. The Hebrew families were scattered all across Pharaoh's vast North African kingdom. But after 400 years in captivity, they had gotten used to this way of life, even comfortable with their situation.

For more, please click on the Torah portion link above!

What an idiotic presentation of the news by the New York Times!

What an idiotic presentation of the news by the New York Times!  SHAME on them! I've got news for the New York Times: If the the pathetic "Palestinians" hadn't rioted and provoked and antagonized Israel, NOBODY would have died! Israel isn't bothering anyone; but everyone around the world is certainly bothering Israel! Gee, wonder why that is?

NEWS FLASH! Jerusalem has NEVER been a "holy city" for the Muslims - EVER! Their "holy site" is Mecca. Israel belongs to the Jews - period! YHWH gave it to them. It's in scripture! (Please see our article.)

In 1948, two of Isaiah's prophecies came true when Israel was returned to the Jews and it she became a nation again "in one day!" (Isaiah 66:7-8, also see our short article on this.)

Muslims were squatters in the Land, and Israel should have kicked their butts out back in 1948. Instead, Israel has made WAY too many concessions, and even gave those demons the Temple Mount! The Muslims don't want to "share" Israel - they want the Jews dead and gone. They're descendants of Ishmael - the one who was prophesied to be a "great donkey of a man whose foot would be against everybody, and vice versa. (See our article about the origins of the Middle East Conflict.)

A short lesson about forgiving

I’ll be honest with you – Mothers’ Day always depresses me because I hated my mother! I hated her for being a chain-smoking, alcoholic prostitute who caused me to have an ugly scar on my nose in her attempt to abort me with a knitting needle.

I hated her for giving me up at birth and then jerking me out of my foster home at the age of 9 to live with her and her new, American Army sergeant husband - a raving pedophile who sexually abused me for many years. (The law said she couldn’t leave Germany unless all the children she had given away were adopted, and my foster parents were unable to adopt me).

I hated her for giving me away when I was only six weeks old, to a dirt-poor, middle-aged couple on welfare, who lived in a three-room shack without electricity or running water. I hated her for ultimately ending up marrying and divorcing 8 times, causing endless uproar and chaos in the lives of me and my younger half-brothers who were forced to change “fathers” and schools at the drop of a hat. I hated her for sleeping with my first husband on the night before my wedding….

I HATED my mother for myriad reasons, until the day she died at the age of 45, when it finally dawned on me that, “mistake” or not, without her, I wouldn’t be here.

It was at that point that I began to miss her and wished we could have figured out a way for us to close the gap and communicate. The couple attempts I had made at communication, failed miserably because she was appalled at the idea that I harbored some ill feelings toward her. In her mind, she was the only person on the planet who was allowed to have feelings.

While I was able to admit that “I actually DID love her because she was my mother,’ I could NOT bring myself to let go of the anger, disappointment and endless misery her life’s choices had caused me.

But all that changed the day the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) got a hold of me at the age of 44, and taught me how to forgive. Not to forget, but to FORGIVE so that the past could no longer hold me captive. Everything changed when I discovered that we are to honor our mothers and fathers. (Not necessarily to “love” or even “like” them, but to HONOR them – Exodus 20:12.)

That’s when it hit me that I – a sinner like my mother – had no right to judge her or wish her in hell; for we all make mistakes and poor choices along life’s many paths, where especially the “unsaved” tend to take all the wrong turns.

Yes, things changed when the Ruach opened my eyes and I was able to admit that I, too, had been living aimlessly with the consequences of some poor choices and decisions I had made over the course of my life. Things changed exponentially the day I accepted יהוה as my God and realized Y’shua had died to redeem me and to show me a “better way”….

If you are among those who, for whatever reason, has a hard time with the concept of Mothers’ Day, then I would urge you to turn your feelings over to ADONAI and “just let go,” because He cannot do anything with those who refuse to drop their “baggage.”

Allow the Ruach to show you how to forgive and thus free yourself from the demons of your past. You are HIS child, fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and you deserve to be freed from captivity. He did it for the Israelites and He can certainly do it for you! All you have to do is ask.

Psalm 51:2-5 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. (ESV)

Isaiah 43:25 25 I, yes I, am the one who blots out your offenses for my own sake; I will not remember your sins. (CJB)

Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (ESV)

1 John 1:9. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our iniquity. (AENT)

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and turn back, for the blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Master, 20 and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you, 21 whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old.

22 “For Mosheh truly said to the fathers, ‘יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear according to all matters, whatever He says to you.

23 ‘And it shall be that every being who does not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ (ISR; see also Deut. 18:18-20.)

Are we required to eat a lamb on Passover?

READER QUESTION:

I have a question on the Passover lamb and its been troubling me for a while.  Are we required to eat lamb on Passover?

I see it’s one of the seven feast days and 4 of them have been fulfilled. Maybe eat lamb in celebration of messiah in remembrance of him on that day?  Or do we acknowledge that he is our passover lamb and remember what he has done for us by breaking bread together?

OUR RESPONSE:

Thanks for the question.

Nothing says we must eat a lamb for Passover.  They did, of course, in the first Passover (Exodus 12), because raising, killing and eating the lamb was all part of the ritual that led to spreading the lambs' blood on the doorposts, which in turn saved the Hebrews. 

Y'shua's divine blood was spilled 2,000 years ago, covering all our past sins. Therefore, today,  nobody is required to actually kill an animal for Passover, or to spread its blood on our doorposts, as that would negate our belief in what Y'shua did by martyring himself to redeem us.  As you mentioned in your last sentence, "we acknowledge that he is our Passover lamb and remember what he has done for us by breaking bread together."

Remember to follow His precepts….

Warning about the revival of the old Babylonian spirit

The Bible warns us of the revival of the old Babylonian spirit in the last days, described in the 17th and 18th chapters of Revelation. In Jeremiah 51:7, we find a perfect description of the very condition of the days in which we are now living:

Jeremiah 51:7 Baḇel was a golden cup in the hand of יהוה, making drunk all the earth. The nations drank her wine, that is why the nations went mad! (ISR)

Zephaniah 1:18 - Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of יהוה. And by the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed, for He makes a sudden end of all those who dwell in the earth. (ISR)

Mark 13:7. But when you hear of wars and rumors of revolutions, do not have fear. This is bound to happen, but is yet not the end. 8. For nation will arise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be earthquakes in various places. And there will be famine and uprisings. These things are the beginning of sorrows. (AENT)

So, what can we do about it? Well, nobody is immune from wars and man-made or natural disasters, so the only thing we can really do is to pray and get ourselves “right” with YHWH, because Believers ARE guaranteed eternal life in the “olam haba” (world to come)! We can see examples of the promise of “eternal life” in both Torah and throughout the New Testament:

YHWH put the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:9. And in Tanach we see that people are “gathered to their people,” for instance in Gen. 25:8 (Abraham), 25:17 (Ishmael), 35:29 (Isaac), 49:33 (Jacob); Deuteronomy 32:50 (Moses and Aaron); see also Daniel 12:2 and Nehemiah 9:5.

In the New Testament we see eternal life through Y’shua, whose shed blood redeemed us, thus offering eternal life to any obedient Believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: Romans 3:23-26; 6:23; John 3:16; 11:25, 3:36, 6:47, 17:3-6 etc.

Parashah 33: B'chukkotai (By my regulations): Leviticus 26:3 through 27:34

It’s Thursday evening and Shabbat is just about 24 hours away! Time to get serious about this week’s Torah portion: Parashah 33: B'chukkotai (By my regulations): Leviticus 26:3 through 27:34.

These Torah portions, when read in context, reveal the remarkable social pattern our Elohim set up - with the underlying message being: Fair treatment and honesty, with everyone obeying the rules so that everyone is "on the same sheet of music; and, more importantly: everything belongs to YHWH! Whenever we borrow from what has been consecrated to Him, it must be returned with with an additional (one-fifth). In this way, the society of our Creator is self-sustaining.

Compare this to today's world governments which oppress the poor with high costs, punish the productive with great taxes on their productivity, and emphasize massive debt and double-digit growth over self-sustaining growth which renews itself every 50 years! Oh! If only we would all obey YHWH's guidance! (For more, please click on the link above.)

"With what can I come before ADONAI to bow down before God on high?” (Micah 6:6)

Micah 6:6 "With what can I come before ADONAI to bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with burnt offerings? with calves in their first year? 7 Would ADONAI take delight in thousands of rams with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" 8 Human being, you have already been told what is good, what ADONAI demands of you - no more than to act justly, love grace and walk in purity with your God. (CJB)

Many seem to believe that the verse in Micah 6 means that ADONAI isn't looking for sacrifices or offerings. However, when taken in context with many other verses, we see that the true meaning of Micah 6 is this: If you don't love Him, then don't bother offering sacrifices or offerings, or even prayer - because they mean NOTHING unless you do it out of sheer LOVE and RESPECT for Him!....

Here are just a FEW examples:

Matthew 22:36. "Teacher, which Commandment in Torah is the greatest?" 37. And Y'shua said to him, that "You should love Master YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and with all your mind." 38. This is the first and the greatest Commandment. 39. And the second is like it. That "You should love your neighbor as yourself." (AENT)

Psalm 40:7 Sacrifices and grain offerings you don't want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don't demand. Instead, you have given me open ears; 8 so then I said, "Here I am! I'm coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about me. 9 Doing your will, my God, is my joy; your Torah is in my inmost being. (CJB)

Isaiah 56: 2 Happy is the person who does this, anyone who grasps it firmly, who keeps Shabbat and does not profane it, and keeps himself from doing any evil. 3 A foreigner joining ADONAI should not say, "ADONAI will separate me from his people"; likewise the eunuch should not say, "I am only a dried-up tree."

4 For here is what ADONAI says: "As for the eunuchs who keep my Shabbats, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant: 5 in my house, within my walls, I will give them power and a name greater than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name that will not be cut off. (CJB)

6 "And the foreigners who join themselves to ADONAI to serve him, to love the name of ADONAI, and to be his workers, all who keep Shabbat and do not profane it, and hold fast to my covenant, 7 I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples." (CJB)

Proverbs 28:9 If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination. (CJB) (See also 1 Peter 3:12, Proverbs 15:29, James 5:16, Isaiah 59:2, James 4:3-8, James 1:6-7, John 15:7, Revelation 21:8, etc.)

Please pay special attention to this one:

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Elohim remains on him.” (ISR)

If you don't do with joy and gladness and appreciation the things you do for YHWH, then don't even bother with “burnt offerings,” because it will only disappoint and anger Him, in the end. Think of it this way: If your spouse realizes you only do something nice for them (i.e., cook their favorite meal or bring them flowers or some other present) out of "obligation," then that's not true love; it's hypocrisy.

In the same way you can't fool your spouse, you also can't fool our Maker - so either stop the hypocrisy and become "real" - or stop pretending you're holy and belong to Him, because, in the end you will realize: There will be no "lukewarm" in Eternity.... (See Revelation 3:16.)

Sound familiar?

Sound familiar? We are guilty of doing the exact, same thing! The outcome won't be pretty, because if you take on ELOHIM, guess who wins?

Jeremiah 7: 17 Don't you see what they are doing in the cities of Y'hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim? 18 The children gather the wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and, just to provoke me, they pour out drink offerings to other gods!

19 Are they really provoking me," asks ADONAI, "or are they provoking themselves, to their own ruin?" 20 Therefore, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "My anger and fury will be poured out on this place, on men, animals, trees in the fields and produce growing from the ground; and it will burn without being quenched."

21 Thus says ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el: "You may as well eat the meat of your burnt offerings along with that of your sacrifices. 22 For I didn't speak to your ancestors or give them orders concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.

23 Rather, what I did order them was this: 'Pay attention to what I say. Then I will be your God, and you will be my people. In everything, live according to the way that I order you, so that things will go well for you.'

24 But they neither listened nor paid attention, but lived according to their own plans, in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, thus going backward and not forward.

25 You have done this from the day your ancestors came out of Egypt until today. Even though I sent you all my servants the prophets, sending them time after time, 26 they would not listen or pay attention to me, but stiffened their necks; they did worse than their ancestors.

27 So tell them all this; but they won't listen to you; likewise, call to them; but they won't answer you. 28 Therefore, say to them, 'This is the nation that has not listened to the voice of ADONAI their God. They won't take correction; faithfulness has perished; it has vanished from their mouths.

29 Cut off your hair, and throw it away, take up a lament on the bare hills, for ADONAI has rejected and abandoned the generation that rouses his anger.' 30 "For the people of Y'hudah have done what is evil from my perspective," says ADONAI; "they have set up their detestable things in the house which bears my name, to defile it.

31 They have built the high places of Tofet in the Ben-Hinnom Valley, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, something I never ordered; in fact, such a thing never even entered my mind!

32 Therefore, the days are coming," says ADONAI, "when it will no longer be called either Tofet or the Ben-Hinnom Valley, but the Valley of Slaughter - they will put the dead in Tofet, because there will be no space left [anywhere else].

33 The corpses of this people will become food for the birds in the air and the wild animals; no one will frighten them away. 34 Then in the cities of Y'hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim I will silence the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of bridegroom and bride; because the land will be reduced to ruins.  (CJB)

Hollywood sickos make a mockery of God at the Met

I don't like to use the word "hate" except in some extreme circumstances. But I want the world to know that I literally HATE Hollywood and the demons who exert their influence on the world - the entertainers of all flavors - who are idolized and adored by "the world" in spite of what they do and say, and how they behave! Take a look at these blasphemers; these pathetic excuses for human beings who dare to make a mockery of ADONAI with their sick and twisted nonsense.

How I wish Y'shua had been there to drive them out of the Met and onto the street where these demons belong - every last one of them ... especially the sicko who dressed up as "Jesus Christ" in Gucci garb.

HOW DARE THEY?

While part of me feels sorry for them because they are completely lost, I simply cannot bring myself to "pray for them," as some would have me do. These are NOT our brothers and sisters! They are self-centered, self-serving megalomaniacs who belong to Satan. Their goal is to be famous in a world that clearly adores them and basically kisses the ground they walk on. Their goal is to part YOU with your money as you beg for more of their vile form of entertainment, whatever it might be...

Jeremiah 7:16 As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you.

Jeremiah 11:14 Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster.

Jeremiah 15: 6 You have rejected me," says ADONAI. "You are heading backward. So I am stretching out my hand against you; tired of sparing you, I am destroying you. (CJB)

James 4:4. You adulterers, don’t you know that the love of the world is hatred towards Elohim? He therefore who chooses to be a lover of this world is the enemy of Elohim. (AENT)

Titus 1:15. For to the pure, everything is pure; but to them who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but their understanding is defiled, and their conscience.

Ephesians 5:11-13: Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Acts 20: 29. For I know, that after I am gone, fierce wolves will come in among you, and will have no mercy on the flock. 30. And also, from among yourselves, there will rise up men speaking perverse things, that they may turn away the disciples to go after them. 31. Therefore be vigilant;

2 Timothy 3: 1. But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: 2. and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of grace, wicked, 3. unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, 4. treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of Elohim, 5. having a form of respect for Elohim but wide from the power of Elohim. Them who are such, repel from you. (AENT)

Proverbs 6: 16 There are six things ADONAI hates, seven which he detests: 17 a haughty look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet swift in running to do evil, 19 a false witness who lies with every breath, and him who sows strife among brothers. (CJB)

Leviticus 20:7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am Yahweh your God.

Reader question: Does science disprove the existence of a pre-existent outside force that launched the universe?

READER QUESTION: In chemistry, we understand the most complicated reactions among atoms and molecules, and in biology we know how the living cell works and have mapped out our entire genome. But does this vast knowledge base disprove the existence of some kind of pre-existent outside force that may have launched our universe on its way?

OUR RESPONSE: In our consideration, no, it does not disprove a pre-existent outside force (which we would call the creator.) In our understanding, science only "describes", it does not create.

Even the complicated reactions between molecules and atoms is only described. Science as yet can't even tell us what these things (atoms and fundamental particles) are; only that they understand how they react with each other.

Same for biology. Science only describes what "is" and much about how biology works. But no scientist has ever assembled molecules and atoms and created a tree, or an insect, or even a single-cell animal.

Science believes the universe began at a single spot and there was some input of energy which caused all that matter to explode. They can even tell us what they think happened just fractions of a second after the explosion. But they can't tell what happened before that moment, or in the time before.

Do you know why? Because their descriptions, their mathematics break down at the moments before the explosion; and consequently, they can't explain the origin of this original mass of matter!

Please take a look at an article I wrote a number of years ago and let me know what you think.

Reader question about John 6:47-51

Someone asked a great question of me recently. They wrote:

Is John 6:47-51 saying that, verse 49, the fathers who ate the manna would not see eternal life?”

Our response:

GREAT question! Our forefathers ate manna - the food YHWH provided to sustain them here on earth. That’s not to say, they DIDN’T have “eternal” life, because they surely did, for they ALL “believed” in YHWH ELOHIM whose miracles they witnessed first-hand for 40 years. (Those who rebelled against YHWH and His chosen prophets and leaders, such as Korach and others [Numbers 16:1 through 18:32] obviously did not receive eternal life.) YHWH is, after all, the giver and taker of life.

The thing is, in the wilderness, the “bread” our forefathers ate could not save anyone from death. That “bread” was merely daily food to sustain them. It was never meant for eternal life. But ultimately, after YHWH’s people entered the Land, and as people kept becoming more disobedient and doing their own thing, and the Roman government got in the way, He sent The Word - Messiah Y'shua (John 1:1, 14) - to earth to teach His people face-to-face concerning YHWH and the Kingdom; thus giving a chance at eternal life to ANYONE who believed in YHWH and His Son who martyred himself for us.

Remember, YHWH has always required a sacrifice for sin...And, contrary to popular belief, "prayer and repentance" are NOT all that's required to enter the Kingdom.

Leviticus 17: 11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for our souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement."

If nothing more than prayer and repentance were required, then Adam and Eve could simply have repented and mankind wouldn't be living in fallen world right now! A sacrifice was always required, which is why we are told in Genesis 3:21 that it was YHWH Himself who made the sacrifice of an innocent animal to clothe their nakedness.

The answer to your question about John 6:49 can actually be found a few verses earlier, beginning in verse 31:

John 6:31. Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness as it is written that He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” 32. Y’shua said to them, Amen, amen I say to you that it was not Moshe that gave bread to you from heaven, but my Father gives true bread to you from heaven.[1] 33. For His bread is that of Elohim, He who has come down from heaven and gives life to the world. 34. They said to him, “Our Master give this bread to us at all times!” 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,[2] 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[3]. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Psalm 78:24; Nehemiah 9:15.

[2] 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.

[3] Y’shua reiterates that eternal life begins after the resurrection, otherwise known as the “First Resurrection” (Revelation 20:5-6) or the “Resurrection of the Righteous” (Daniel 12:1-2; Luke 4:14; Acts 24:15), not at the time of a person’s death. This event will occur within a time span known as the acharit hayamim (the End of Days), which is just prior to Mashiyach’s return (compare Revelation 20 & 22).

Some Hebrew Roots “big-wig” teachers are severely lacking when it comes to “class” and professionalism

Some Hebrew Roots “big-wig” teachers are severely lacking when it comes to “class” and professionalism. A thread in which I was recently involved was discussing whether or not Y’shua was YHWH (in the flesh), and this guy commented: “If they do not believe Yeshua is LORD YHWH, they have no faith and believe nothing!”

EXCUSE ME? I’m sorry, but unless someone died and made this guy GOD, he isn’t qualified to make that kind of judgment!

Here’s the thing – and please humor me for a minute: While I personally DO believe Y’shua was divine, I don’t believe he was “God in the Flesh” because YHWH, Elohim – the One who created the entire universe and everything in it; who breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life and caused him to be a living creature (Genesis 2: 7), CANNOT be born or die! (Ex 15:18; Dan 4:3, 6:26; Psalms 9, 10, 48, 90, 93, 145, 146; Lam 5:9; Micah 4:7; 1 Tim 1:17, 6:16; 1 Peter 5:11;Rev 11:15).

YES, Y’shua had a divine nature and the Ruach haKodesh (Isaiah 11:1-2; 63:1-11; Psalm 51:1-11; Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32); otherwise, he couldn't have been the Messiah, the sinless lamb who martyred himself on our behalf as redeemer. Nor could he have walked on water, healed the sick, raised the dead, or turned water into wine, OR considered himself to be co-equal with YHWH. (Isaiah 53:11-12; Zechariah 12:10; Philippians 2:5-11; John 5:18; Mark 16:19.)

But he wasn’t “God” per se! In the Gospel of John, Y'shua directly denies the charge that he has elevated his HUMANITY to YHWH. In fact, the Aramaic always differentiates between RUACH (Holy Spirit) and NEFESH (soul); and not once does Y'shua ever say his NEFESH was YHWH. He says, in fact, the OPPOSITE - that it can die; that he will die….

And please don’t misunderstand … I’m NOT saying Y’shua was “lesser” than the Father. I’m just saying, he wasn’t the Father while in his human state. We must remember that Yeshua, the “arm of YHWH” (Isaiah 53:1) who was human during the time he walked the earth, constantly "submitted Himself" to the Father (John 17:4) – BUT that did not necessarily make Him "lesser.”

For instance, when we were submitting ourselves to learn from our parents, teachers, bosses, it didn't necessarily make us "lesser" human beings. Neither did Yeshua's submission to "God the Father" make Him "less." He was here to proclaim the Kingdom and do everything his Father commanded (Luke 4:43; 8:1).

YHWH spoke through the Spirit of Mashiyach (Messiah) here on earth, because Y’shua was not only His "arm" (Isaiah 53:1), but also “the Word” (John 1:1, 14) who went back to being who he always was “from the beginning ” – to “sit at the right hand of God” after his human body died and was resurrected by YHWH. (Psalm 110:1; Psalm 118:16; Matthew 22:44; Psalm 110:1; John 1:1-5.)

Y'shua believed his own nefesh was mortal. Zechariah 12:10 says the Spirit of YHWH is "pierced" but they mourn for him (Y'shua) as an only begotten son. YHWH cannot literally be "pierced"; therefore, this refers to Mashiyach who had the Spirit of YHWH in him.

Furthermore, it seems to me that if Y’shua was YHWH, then anyone who looked upon him would have DIED! (Gen. 3:8-10; Exodus 33:17-33) If Y’shua was YHWH, then you would also have to say that the burning bush was YHWH, and that the pillars of cloud and fire were YHWH (Ex 13:17 – 14:29) as was Baalam’s donkey (Numbers 22:21-39). No, these were all manifestations of the presence of ADONAI; but they were NOT YHWH!

I never have liked the term, “God in the Flesh” because GOD cannot die. I believe (and I don’t need to be berated for it because YHWH gave us the freedom to have opinions!) that Y’shua was a perfect, holy and divine Representation of YHWH while he walked this earth.

Y’shua wasn’t YHWH – HOWEVER, we COULD say YHWH “was Y’shua,” because YHWH – THE Creator who is able to do and be and see and know everything – was the One who placed His “Son” into Miriam’s womb to become to the perfect, holy, sinless human being who would grow up to proclaim the Kingdom and do everything His Father commanded (Luke 4:43; 8:1) and end up so far fulfilling, at least 300 prophecies.

(According to scientist and mathematician, Professor Peter Stoner, the probability of even just 48 prophecies being fulfilled by one person (referring to Y'shua) is the incredible number of 1 in 10^157 power – one chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion…)

The truth is, our limited, human mindsets CANNOT properly understand or comprehend the concept of YHWH – period! NOBODY has the market cornered on Truth. We’re all just TRYING, and we don’t deserve to be harangued or harassed for it.

Parashah 32: B'har (On Mount) Leviticus 25:1 through 26:2

Shabbat shalom, everyone.  Time for another awesome Torah portion.  This week’s parasha is Parashah 32: B'har (On Mount) Leviticus 25:1 through 26:2.

This lesson is absolutely terrific as it consists of YHWH's instructions to Moshe which underscored, in no uncertain terms, man's need for obedience. YHWH made it perfectly clear that life devoid of the understanding of, and obedience to Him will result in sheer hell on earth....

Parashah 32 basically is all about the following: Set something right. Restore someone’s property. Give something back. Fix something that was broken. Trust YHWH....It starts out with YHWH discussing with Moshe (Moses) everything from commerce to land, and home and slave ownership.  For more, please click on the link above!

When you have a PhD in stubbornness….

This little cartoon is well worth a couple minutes of your time as it reveals the relationship many (if not most) have with our ELOHIM who is constantly reaching out to us....

When you have a PhD in stubbornness.

Let’s discuss the term “godhead”

I keep seeing the term "godhead" cropping up all over the place these days. "Godhead" reminds me of the Baptist idea that "God is three persons" - which I find ludicrous because Scripture tells us that "God" is a Spirit (Genesis 1; Exodus 31:1; Judges 3:10; Jeremiah 23:23–24; 1 Samuel 10:10; Joshua 3:10; Psalm 139:7; John 3:5, 4:24, 14:17; Romans 8:26-30; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, 12:3-12).

The only part of the "trinity" concept that was a "person" was Y'shua! The Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) is not now, nor ever was a "person" because there's no way for a "person" to reside within a human being....

The ONLY reason some are pushing the "godhead" and "trinity" idea is because King James ADDED a line to make it seem as though John was defining the Father, Son and Spirit as three separate beings in one. Take a look:

1 John 5: 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (KJV)

But a more careful look reveals something strange. All the other versions completely omit everything after the word "heaven" in verse 7. For instance check out the NIV: 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. This is TOTALLY different from the KJV...

Here is a footnote from the NIV referencing 1 John 5:7-8:

"Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven, the Father, the Word and Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that testify in earth--not found in any Greek manuscript before the sixteenth century."

This shows that both verses are late additions. Obviously, 5:7 is an addition post-397 CE, after the Council of Carthage and 5:8 is so late as to be meaningless. This is true because trinity was never, and is not, an original Biblical doctrine. It was a formulation of Constantine, Eusebius and others.

Here is the same passage from 1 John 5 translated directly from the Aramaic:

1 John 5: 6. This is he who came by the water and the blood. Y'shua the Mashiyach; not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit testifies; because the Spirit is truth. 7. (Verse 7 is nonexistent in the Eastern Peshitta!) 8. And there are three witnesses, the Spirit and the water, and the blood: and these three are in union. (AENT)

The bottom line is: Trinity is wrong on many levels. It is NOT found anywhere in Scripture! The only acceptable form of "Godhead" in Scripture might be found in Isaiah 53:1 which says: "to whom has the arm of YHWH been revealed?" This is clearly not a trinity of three separate beings (or persons), because the arm is not a separate entity from the rest of the body and has no independent will.

The "arm" moves only with the power and control from the mind. In the same way YHWH's nature is manifest as an occurrence within the Son that is separate but side-by-side with his human nature. These two natures then communicate with one another; thus explaining why Y'shua is not talking to himself when he prays to his Father.

This fact is also why sometimes Y'shua says things like, "My teaching is not my own" and "I can do nothing without my Father" on the one hand but on the other he says, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father" and "I and my Father are one of the same."

This indicates a 100 percent divine nature that exists in a 100 percent human soul and flesh, where one or the other talks through Y'shua. But the human is subject to the divine (again, "Not my will...") which is the only way the Scripture cannot be broken. It is not trinity but neither does this deny the divine aspects in Y'shua himself. It is also the real meaning behind, "No one comes to the Father but by me." See also John 5:26. (Reference sources, Aramaic English New Testament and The Refiner’s Fire website.)

What does "written on our hearts" really mean?

Having the Word "written on our hearts" means we are to obey it. Action is required because just "having it written on our hearts" doesn't do us any good if we don't DO something with all that knowledge. Yes, Torah can certainly dwell within, but since it is the guiding force of our life, it "dwells within" only if LIVES within us. It doesn't "live in us" if we deny that it applies to us! YHWH's Word was never meant to lie dormant. We know it, understand it, respect it, love it; AND practice it willingly. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7; 11:18; 30:11-14; Psalm 119:11-12;Proverbs 7:1-3;Jeremiah 31:31-34, etc.)

Paul NEVER suggested that if you become circumcised, you are suddenly bound to the whole law.....

Ever taken a close look at Galatians 5 through the lens of the Ruach (Holy Spirit)? If you did, then you know that Paul does NOT suggest that if you become circumcised, you are suddenly bound to the whole law.....

Let’s take a look at that entire passage in context via the Hebraic mindset:

Galatians 5: 2. Behold, I Paul say to you, if you are circumcised,[1] then Mashiyach is a thing that has no benefit for you. 3. I testify to you again (return to my testifying),[2] that every circumcised man is obligated to act on the entire Torah. 4. Those of you who are in Torah and who are seeking justification (from it),[3] you have ceased to be from Mashiyach, (and therefore) you have fallen from grace.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] If a person is immersed (baptized) or circumcised to please the status quo, it profits them nothing. Paul is referring to traditional, religious, Pharisaical, peer group circumcisions that are required before acceptance into status quo religious organizations. Christians who have been baptized into the name of a denomination can likely relate to this as well. Many Christians choose to be re-baptized after realizing their former baptism was into a denominational religion, rather than into the Kingdom of Elohim.

[2] The word tob has multiple meanings; the root means “to return” and this covers several related ideas. Semitic thought has always viewed morality as a straight path (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3). An evil person is one who is lost or has taken a crooked path, but if he repents he is said to have “turned back.” That is why a variant on this word, teshuvah means “to repent.” In this case, Rav Shaul is literally “returning” to his main point.

[3] Some seek “justification” through observance of Torah, others seek it by not observing Torah; both pursuits are based on man’s religion. The answer is to observe Torah in YHWH and His Mashiyach and live righteously as Y’shua did. Put trust and Faith in YHWH, not in works or religion, but as co-laborers with Mashiyach!

Galatians 5:5. For we, through the blessings of the Spirit, which is from faith, abide in the hope of righteousness. 6. For in Mashiyach Y’shua, circumcision and uncircumcision are nothing, but faith is completed through love. 7. You were progressing beautifully! Who confused you to not obey the truth? 8. Your persuasiveness was not from him who called you. 9. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

10. I am confident with you in our Master (Y’shua),[4] that you will not consider anything else, and that he who troubled you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11. My brothers, if I then preached circumcision,[5] why was I persecuted? Why? Has the stake ceased to be an offense?[6]

FOOTNOTES:

[4] Maran, always refers to Y’shua as “our Master” and is a common narrative term throughout the NT.

[5] In other words, if he went back and preached salvation through physical circumcision in the context of tradition, rather than Torah. Rav Shaul clearly indicates that religious tradition, which overruled Torah, was the majority view within the religious welter of his day.

Therefore, if he preached the “party line” he would no longer be persecuted. But persecution came about because he exposed religious tradition and taught that Torah requires understanding and a circumcised heart before physical circumcision.

[6] The upright “stake” brings to mind the “pole” which YHWH instructed Moshe to hold up in Numbers 21:8. A brass serpent was put upon the pole and when the people looked upon it, they were healed from the bite of the snake.

So it is, that when people are bitten by the “serpent” (Genesis 3:15), they must look to Mashiyach for healing and deliverance. The cross was introduced by pagans; it was formerly a symbol of the Babylonian sun god as cruciforms indicate. Later, Julius Caesar and his heirs struck coins with symbols of the cross (solar wheel) to commemorate the sun god.

The Roman Emperor Constantine was a sun worshipper who became a Christo-Pagan and advanced Hellenized Christianity, making his “version of Christianity” the official religion the Roman Empire. The Greek “stauros” also denotes an upright stake; the verb stauroo means to drive stakes.

The Greek “xulon” denotes a timber or a log or any piece of dead wood. Bullinger’s Companion Bible notes that, “Our English word “cross” is the translation of the Latin crux ; but the Greek stauros no more means a crux than the word “stick” means a “crutch.”

Galatians 5:12. Oh that those who are also troubling you would be expelled![7] 13. You who are called to liberty, brothers, do not use your liberty for things of the flesh, but in love serve each other. 14. For the entire Torah is properly understood in one Word/Manifestation,[8] “You will love your neighbor as you would yourself.” 15. But if you bite and devour one another--beware!--or else you consume one another.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] Or, literally “cut off” which, given the subject matter, has an ironic and almost dark humorous twist.

[8] Greek translations have logos, which is translated into English as “fulfilled.” In sources like Philo and the Greek NT this is rendered as “word”; in this verse the Aramaic “miltha” can also mean “manifestation,” “emanation,” or “substance.”

Therefore, Torah (The Word) was fulfilled by the Manifestation (also Word), which is why John says “grace and truth came from Y’shua the Mashiyach.” Therefore, if one is to read “fulfilled” here, then it must be understood that the correct interpretation of Torah is given according to what Mashiyach Y’shua elucidated. This can in no way be construed that Mashiyach brought an end to Torah.

Galatians 5:16. I say then: you should walk through the Spirit and the lust of the flesh will not subdue you. 17. For flesh desires a thing that is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires a thing that is against the flesh, and both of these are opposed to one another so that you are not able to do as you wish. 18. If, then, you are led by the Spirit, you are not under Torah;[9]

19. For you know the works of the flesh, which are these: adultery, impurity and lasciviousness, 20. idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, treacheries, heresies, 21. Envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry and all like things. Those who do things like these, they will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim.

22. The fruits then of the Spirit are these: Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, self-control. Against these there is no instruction[10] put in place. 24. And those who are of Mashiyach have put to death their flesh with all its passions and lusts. 25. Let us therefore live by the Spirit and surrender to the Spirit. 26. And let us not be of vacant glories that cause us to ridicule one another and envy one another. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[9] The idiomatic expression “under the Torah” refers to a false teaching that has never been true. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that this phrase “under the Torah” refers to strict religious halacha, not obedience to Torah itself.

Torah has not at any time saved anyone! YHWH saves when His people demonstrate a sincere obedience to His Righteous Instructions (Torah). Blind ritual (or religion) alone without the love of YHWH profits nothing. YHWH is “the Spirit” of the Renewed Covenant that writes Torah upon the heart. =

[10] In this context, namusa, the Aramaic cognate for torah, is better understood at its root level, meaning “to instruct,” rather than as a formalized title. Otherwise, Rav Shaul might be construed as saying that these “Fruits of the Spirit” are not taught in Torah, when (the fact is) they are. His point is that there is no instruction against fulfilling these fruits of the spirit.

A word to Christians who believe Torah is just for the Jews; and for Jews who agree…..

For those who insist Torah is "just for the Jews" (and for the Jews who insist Torah is only for the Jews), please consider the following, straight from Scripture:

The very first instruction (Torah) that YHWH gives to MANKIND (Adam and Eve weren't Jews!) is to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. YHWH does not just instruct Jews or even just Hebrews to do this. It is for all humanity - Jew and Gentile alike (Genesis 1:27-32).

After "the Fall" sin and death did NOT relate just to proto-Hebrew-Semites. ALL of humanity suffered, right? If all of humanity suffered, then ALL of humanity is bound by YHWH's instructions. No one gets a free pass! Everything from the prohibition against slaying Cain on forward relates to ALL RACES.

Check out Genesis 6-9 where we see ALL humans sinned. All humans except Noah and family were wiped out in the flood - which obviously means that ALL humans were held accountable for their behavior....

Okay, after the flood. Nimrod in Genesis 10 defied YHWH and YHWH punished him and all his people. There was not a Jew or Hebrew among them - yet they were ALL held accountable!

YHWH then waited 10 generations for the pagan Chaldean Abram (later Abraham) to be born. Note that Abram had to give up his idolatry as a member of the nations BEFORE being counted as a Hebrew. He and all his Chaldean Ur family and friends had to journey with him and get circumcised, etc. Even people who want to do business with Abraham - like the Shechemites - had to be circumcised.

This reveals that the whole Gentile circumcision thing did not just come up in Acts 15! (For that you can also read verses in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah chapter 9.) Through Abraham ALL NATIONS are/were blessed ... that is a continuous theme:

Genesis 18:18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.

Genesis 24:1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way.

Genesis 25:11 After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

Genesis 48:15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

Isaiah 51:2 look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.

Acts 3:25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'

Galatians 3:8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."

Galatians 3:9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

...Can you see where I'm going with this? Same God, same rules!

What many Christians tend forget is WHY they can be blessed through Abraham who, in a way, was a Gentile too before he was counted as Hebrew. In the New Testament, we are told over and over again that Abraham believed YHWH and that it was counted to him as righteousness. But, what gets lost is HOW Abraham believed and HOW his faith was proven - that is by ACTION and OBEDIENCE:

Genesis 26: 5 because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws."

In other words - KEPT MY TORAH!  If it's good enough for Abraham, it's good enough for ALL the nations who get blessed by him on that same basis!

Genesis 22: 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

“Okay,” you counter, “but what about Moshe? Surely that whole Exodus thing and those rules were just for the Hebrews!”

Really? Let’s check out what the Bible says:

Exodus 12: 37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people (Hebrew: ereb rab = MIXED MULTITUDE, MANY NATIONS) went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves. 40 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord's divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.

43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the regulations for the Passover: "No foreigner is to eat of it. 44 Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him, 45 but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it. 46 "It must be eaten inside one house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones. 47 The whole community of Israel must celebrate it. 48 "An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord's Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. 49 The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you." 50 All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.

Note that, by "foreigner" YHWH means the uncircumcised. But an "alien" who is circumcised may eat the Passover, because the same Torah applies to BOTH OF THEM. This statement "one Torah for Jew and foreigner" or "one Torah for Israelite and foreigner" appears many times. Many nations came out of Egypt and many nations were bound with Israel, but the covenant comes from YHWH THROUGH Israel.

“Okay,” you say, “so after Moses and Joshua many prophets come and the monarchy is established and eventually, the Temple is built for YHWH …. and who was it built for?  Certainly not the Gentiles!”

Well, hold on, now! Let's investigate this, using Scripture to interpret itself:

Psalms 86:8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

14 The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life-- men without regard for you. 15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Isaiah 2:2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

Isaiah 52:10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 56:7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Isaiah 66: 20 And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord--on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says the Lord. "They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.

Jeremiah 3:17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

Jeremiah 29:14 I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Ezekiel 5:5 "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.

Zephaniah 2:11 The Lord will be awesome to them when he destroys all the gods of the land. The nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its own land.

Haggai 2:7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord Almighty.

Zechariah 8:23 This is what the Lord Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'"

Zechariah 14: 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacle.

Mark 7: 15 On reaching Jerusalem, Y'shua entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? 17 But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

GET THE PICTURE?  Same God, same rules.  We are all ONE in His eyes! (Genesis 1:1; 26-27; 3:22; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:39; Isaiah 43:10-15; 44:6; Psalm 8:4; Malachi 2:10; Ezekiel 18:4; John 3:16; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Timothy 2:5; Galatians 3:26-28; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:8; Revelation 20, etc.)

Note the wording in the following passages; specifically, the word “all”; “whole habitable world” and “nations”….

Ezekiel 18:4 Look, all lives belong to me - both the parent's life and the child's life are equally mine - so it is the person who sins, himself, who must die. (CJB)

Revelation 20:1. And I saw a Messenger that descended from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the Deceiver and Satan, who seduced the whole habitable world: and he bound him a thousand years. 3. And he cast him into the abyss and closed and sealed upon him; so that he might deceive the nations no more until these thousand years will be completed: but after that, he will be released for but a short time.

4. And I saw thrones, and (persons) sat on them, and judgment was given to them, and to the souls that were beheaded for the testimony of Y’shua and for the Word of Elohim: and these are they who had not worshipped the beast of prey nor its image; neither had they received the mark upon their forehead or on their hand; and they lived and reigned with their Mashiyach those thousand years. (AENT)

Revelation 20:7. And when these thousand years will be completed, Satan will be released from his prison; 8. and will go forth to seduce the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog; and to assemble them for battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. (AENT)

Revelation 20:11. And I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it; from whose presence the earth and heaven fled away, and this their place was not found. 12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is (the book) of life. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds. 13. And the sea gave up the dead in it; and death and Sheol gave up the dead in them. And they were judged, each one according to his deeds. (AENT)