Let’s start countering the silly and vicious allegations of “Jesus rejecters” who are leading people astray!

"Rejecting Jesus" seems to be in "in thing" these days - thanks to the teachings of some former Christian-former Hebrew Roots religion hoppers like the one in the screen shot, who's been hangin' with the Jewish counter-missionary big-wigs to make videos designed to trash ADONAI's Messiah....

Unfortunately, people are falling for their antics - and they have no clue that, by rejecting Yeshua, they are making the biggest mistake of their lives! In my 20 years of being a Torah observant believer in YAHWEH and Yeshua, I've noticed that most folks who rail against Yeshua fall into two categories:

(1) They are either expert Scripture twisters; or

(2) they are completely ignorant of the "New Testament" (as well as the rest of the Bible), yet feel the need to join the "experts" who seem to spend an awful lot of time talking about the one they've rejected.

If you, or someone you know is thinking of rejecting Messiah Yeshua, please tell them to check out our Countering the Counter-Missionaries Facebook page; and our website's page with the same name.

Both sites contain common-sense counter arguments to "their" allegations, along with LOTS of "food for thought".....

Islam, a growing threat–and the world is asleep at the wheel

To illustrate a growing threat in our world, I’m going to borrow that old “boiling frog” fable … You know the story about the frog being slowly boiled alive, which is a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to or be aware of sinister threats that arise gradually rather than suddenly.

The premise of the story is that if a frog is tossed suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out; but if it is tossed into lukewarm water, which is then slowly brought to a boil, it will not perceive the danger and end up being cooked to death.

What am I getting at? Well, it has to do with something that came to mind while reading this week’s Torah portion, where my husband and I encountered the following two verses:

Exodus 1: 7 The descendants of Isra'el were fruitful, increased abundantly, multiplied and grew very powerful; the land became filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt. He knew nothing about Yosef 9 but said to his people, "Look, the descendants of Isra'el have become a people too numerous and powerful for us.

10 Come, let's use wisdom in dealing with them. Otherwise, they'll continue to multiply; and in the event of war they might ally themselves with our enemies, fight against us and leave the land altogether." (CJB)

Exodus 1:20 Therefore God prospered the midwives, and the people continued to multiply and grow very powerful. (CJB)

ADONAI commanded His people right from the beginning to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). And mankind used to do just that, before “birth control” came along….

But how times have changed!

How? Well, compare the rapid growth of YHWH’s people in Torah times, to today, where evil reigns and men have decided to take control of their own destinies, - and where most couldn’t care less about God or His Word…

Just think about what is happening globally today with the Muslim population (descendants of Ishmael, the religion that has twisted ADONAI’s words into making it appear that He made His covenant with Ishmael), and with the exploding growth of Muslims today where we see the temperature of the "water" beginning to rise.

Soon, we will all be "boiled" without ever realizing we were in danger! You see, Muslims have, for decades now, been steadily migrating into non-Muslim countries around the world … where they continue to procreate. (If you’ll recall, the flow of Muslim migrants into Europe over the last few years, has been more like a “flood” than a "flow!" Europe is still trying to figure out what to do with the millions fleeing the Middle East to seek asylum in Europe….)

According to Wikipedia:

"Adherents of Islam constitute the world's second largest religious group. A study in 2015 revealed that Islam has 1.8 BILLION adherents, making up about 24.1% of the world population. Most Muslims are either of two denominations: Sunni (80-90%, roughly 1.5 billion people)[2] or Shia (10–20%, roughly 170-340 million people).[3] Islam is the dominant religion in the Central Asia, Indonesia, Middle East, North Africa, the Sahel and some other parts of Asia. The diverse Asia-Pacific region contains the highest number of Muslims in the world, easily surpassing the Middle East and North Africa."

Compare this with the population of Jews world-wide:

According to Wikipedia:

“The world's core Jewish population was estimated at 14,511,000 in April 2018, up from 14.41 million in 2016. Demographer Sergio DellaPergola proposes an 'extended' Jewish population, including people identifying as partly Jewish and non-Jews with Jewish parents, numbering 17.3 million globally, and an 'enlarged' Jewish population figure that also includes non-Jewish members of Jewish households totaling 20.2 million.”

Now listen to this very carefully:

According to the Pew Research Center:

“In the next half century or so, Christianity’s long reign as the world’s largest religion may come to an end, according to a just-released report that builds on Pew Research Center’s original population growth projections for religious groups. Indeed, Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2015 and 2060 and, in the second half of this century, will likely surpass Christians as the world’s largest religious group.“

What I’m getting at here is this:

Isn’t it about time we woke up to the fact that Muslims are slowly “turning up the heat,” as it were? Yes, right now, it’s all quiet on the Islamic front (except, of course for Israel, where Muslims feel a need to harass and even kill Jews on a daily basis). But, Islam’s goal has always been to dominate the world and force people to “convert or die.”

Make no mistake, that IS what is happening in a world that remains “asleep at the wheel!”

As a native-born German who was brought to America as a child, and then spent over a decade (off and on) in Germany as a member of the US Army, I watched the Muslim population grow over the years. My own eyes witnessed the fact that, no matter how much time passes, Muslims absolutely do NOT integrate into their host nation! As a matter of fact, they treat the people of the host nation with raw, unconcealed contempt!

When my husband and I were vacationing in Germany back in 2004, we happened to enter a small grocery store owned and run by Muslims in Frankfurt. We might have lasted all of 5 minutes in there, as hateful eyes watched our every move ... until we could finally stand it no longer, and simply left without buying anything.

If you have ever had an occasion where you’ve “felt demons” oppressing you, then you know what I’m trying to say here. We couldn’t get out of that store fast enough!

So, yes, while there are some wonderful Muslim people in the world (we’ve had occasion to know some of them, as well), there is a huge faction who ISN’T so wonderful, and one can literally FEEL the piercing hatred in their presence….

There is no doubt that their goal REMAINS to hold the entire world hostage with the threat: “CONVERT OR DIE!” Until then, they will continue to multiply and spread their religion around the world.

Let’s pray that Yeshua will return before their ultimate plans can come to fruition and we all end up like the frog mentioned at the beginning of this article - "boiled alive."

Parashah 13: Sh'mot (Names) Exodus 1:1 through 6:1

Shabbat shalom, everyone!  As always, a synopsis of this week’s Torah portion can be found on our website.

Every Torah study seems to be more exciting than the last! This week's study was extremely interesting on several levels, as it starts off by reiterating who the Twelve Tribes of Israel were; then going on to remind us that Yosef and everyone in his generation died - which means many, many years had passed....

We also discover that a new king ruled over Egypt who "knew nothing about Yosef" (Exodus 1:8-10). This, in itself indicates that many years had passed. (For example, it's been little over seven decades ago since the Holocaust, but many today have never even heard of it, while others completely deny its existence - despite photographs and the testimony of some of those who survived, etc. So, it's not too far-fetched to discover that the new Pharoah didn't know anything about Yosef who had saved Egypt from the great famine...In this we can also see that what man does and says is easily forgotten, while the things YHWH commanded have lasted since the beginning of time as we know it.)

Be that as it may, the new king knew enough to feel threatened by the Israelites to want to contain them and remind them that they were nothing more than slaves in Egypt. He even went so far as to order the death of all Hebrew baby boys!

For more, please click on the link above.  Enjoy!

So many are looking for God in all the wrong places....

Newborns can’t even crawl yet, let alone, walk, or run marathons…. So, what makes some believe that, in order to “know God,” they need to resort to extra-biblical writings? What makes them think they will find “the Truth” in the uncanonized Books, or in Talmud or in doing some online studies of Kaballah – yet they’ve never even read the BIBLE through even one time?

What makes them think they can find TRUTH on random Facebook walls consisting of “cool-sounding” memes and proclamations reposted from other walls by people who ALSO have no clue?

People, EVERYTHING you need to know about the ELOHIM we serve can be found in the Bible! Please, please READ it, and start concentrating on doing the basics that are expected of every Believer: Repent and return to God. Read and “shema” – hear AND do His Word! Start keeping His commanded Seventh Day holy; do the weekly Torah studies so you can find out WHO He is and what He expects of His people.

(And for those who don’t know what Torah is, it is simply the first five Books of the Bible containing God’s Divine Instructions to mankind. Torah is our blueprint for moral, holy living.)

Start doing HIS commanded Feasts and stop eating “unclean” foods. Once you have a good grasp of those things, then MAYBE (if God has graced you with discernment) will you be able to read “extra-biblical” books without becoming confused, blindly accepting what they say, or believing yourself qualified to teach others HIS Truth….

So many are falling by the wayside because they are looking for God in all the wrong places....

A “new” command?

John 13:34 "I am giving you a new command: that you keep on loving each other. In the same way that I have loved you, you are also to keep on loving each other. (CJB)

Wait – what? “A NEW command?” Can that be?

No, it can’t! The “New Testament” is basically commentary on the “Old Testament” – specifically, the Torah, which cannot be changed in any way. So, let’s examine exactly what is meant in this passage by going back to the Words of YHWH:

Leviticus 19:18 Don't take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am ADONAI. (CJB)

Leviticus 19:34 “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the YHWH your Elohim.” (AENT)

Deuteronomy 10:18 “So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” (AENT)

So, obviously this is not a "new commandment”; it is simply the first time that Y'shua gave this particular teaching to his apostles.

2 John 1: 5 And now, dear lady, I am requesting that we love one another - not as if this were a new command I am writing you, for it is the one which we have had from the beginning.  6 Moreover, love is this: that we should live according to his commands. This is the command, as you people have heard from the beginning; live by it!  (CJB)

WHAT was “from the beginning?” TORAH! Look at the following passage where we see the Apostle John making an even clearer statement on how “new commandments” are actually ancient ones:

1 John 2:7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command. On the contrary, it is an old command, which you have had from the beginning; the old command is the message which you have heard before. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, and its reality is seen both in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (CJB)

As you can see, these commandments have been with us from the beginning, but their highest and truest understanding has come through Mashiyach, the light of the world!

John 1:5, 17: “In him (Y'shua) was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…For the Torah was given through Moshe, and grace and truth came through Y'shua the Mashiyach.” (AENT)

1 John 1:5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him - none! (CJB)

2 Corinthians 4:6 “For Elohim, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of Elohim in the face of Mashiyach.” (AENT)

Ephesians 3: 8 To me, the least important of all God's holy people, was given this privilege of announcing to the Gentiles the Good News of the Messiah's unfathomable riches, 9 and of letting everyone see how this secret plan is going to work out. This plan, kept hidden for ages by God, the Creator of everything, 10 is for the rulers and authorities in heaven to learn, through the existence of the Messianic Community, how many-sided God's wisdom is.

11 This accords with God's age-old purpose, accomplished in the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. 12 In union with him, through his faithfulness, we have boldness and confidence when we approach God. 13 So I ask you not to be discouraged by the troubles I endure on your behalf - it is all for your glory. 14 For this reason, I fall on my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its character.  (CJB)

I rest my case: NO “new commandment!”

Jewish counter-missionaries and their followers will go to any length to debunk Yeshua and the New Testament

Take a look at this disgusting meme, designed to show that “Jesus” is a major hoax:

First and foremost: I don’t think anyone has to “explain” anything to Jesus!  The arrogance of counter-missionaries is unbelievable!

Perhaps someone should tell these geniuses that Yeshua Mashiyach wasn't a "sacrifice" - he martyred himself, against which there is no law!

Yeshua (who is referred to as our "Passover Lamb") was "predestined" - it says so in Isaiah 53; and Matthew 16:21 shows Yeshua knew his fate. A proper reading of the Brit Chadashah (NT) reveals Yeshua's "sacrifice" did NOT cover "all sins" as Christianity teaches (Romans 6), but that redemption is only for those who accept Yeshua's gift and obey YHWH (John 17:1-17), and live by the Word.

As stated above, the "Passover Lamb" was NOT a "sacrifice" but a "substitute." During the original Passover, the "angel of death" passed over the believing Hebrews when the lamb's blood was on their doorposts.

So, though not a "sin" sacrifice, the lamb's blood was offered as a substitute, giving the Hebrew first-born males a chance to live. This is the connection: Yeshua was our SUBSTITUTE - and by believing and following YHWH's Torah to help us to lower our tendency to sin, and do our best to NOT sin anymore, we have the chance for eternal life.

And this, of course was the point: Eternal life. Yeshua did not die so we were "free to sin at will", He died to offer us (eternal) life. Indeed, this was the purpose of the animal sacrifices for atonement - a chance to be cleansed from their sins so they could be considered "clean and holy" enough to be in YHWH's Presence. When a person was atoned by the blood of an animal, they were expected to go on with their lives trying to remain sin-free. The situation is no different with the Messiah.

A little rant, just to get it off my chest….

Oh, LOL! My request to join a Facebook group was just turned down because … well, here's what the group's admin sent me in a private message - "I don't teach pagans! You're a messy-antic. We don't want you."

Uh...okay, bubba. If that's how you feel, I wish you well. Go with God.

A few days ago, I left a group because the host was constantly abrasive with the members, correcting everything they wrote and basically making himself out to look like he was sitting at the right hand of God. I left after he accused me of being "too Christian,” and tossed a half dozen scriptures at me to show why I was "dead wrong" about something, and then told me to get out of the group if I couldn’t come out of my pagan, Christian mindset.

So, I left.

Good grief - there are ways to tell someone they're wrong without verbally choking them to death – but that’s how most HR types seem to be. They are so arrogant, prideful and rude, that they’ve forgotten the basics of Scripture. (I know I'm guilty of becoming pretty "forward" myself, sometimes, because I'm very passionate about my belief; but usually only turn into a little “bull dozer” when I'm "pushed into a corner" by some arrogant loudmouth who truly doesn't know what they're talking about, and keeps "pushing my buttons.")

Regardless, that particular group host even felt the need to correct one woman's preferred spelling of "omeine" (amen) and, oh my gosh, you could literally FEEL him becoming apoplectic as he threw tons of scriptures at her to show her why she was wrong. (I HATE it when someone resorts to giving people biblical concussions in their efforts to teach people a lesson! He might as well take them out back to the woodshed and beat their butts with a stick.)

The thing is (as you’ve surely noticed), no matter WHERE you go on Facebook, you're WRONG! When you are a Torah observant believer in Messiah Yeshua, you are just plain WRONG, according to everyone else. You aren't quite Christian and you aren't quite Jewish, but both sides will absolutely pound you to pieces. Heck, you’re even wrong among supposed “like-minded believers!” You're just wrong, get used to it.

Yeah, it does irk me to get “kicked in the head” by the “holier-than-thous” – but, in the end, I’m happy to let them be “right”. I’m sure YHWH will be impressed with all their knowledge on Judgment Day, LOL!

In the meantime, I’ll continue to do what YHWH has had me doing ever since the Ruach smacked me upside the head in January 1995; and that is to pass along the knowledge HE has given me as I’ve continued to listen, learn and grow over the years. People are free to take it or leave it.

What anyone else thinks of me is really irrelevant. And if they don’t want me in their precious Facebook groups, hey – it’s THEIR loss. :)

Ever wonder why all great empires of the world have fallen?

The answer is simple: They didn’t follow ADONAI’s Torah…. (See passages such as Daniel 5:25-31; Daniel 7; 2 Chronicles 20:20 and Luke 21:36.)

In this article - an interesting little study on 5 of the world’s most powerful empires: Persian, Roman, Caliphate/Arab, Mongol, British – the author concludes with this question:

“So how does the United States of America match up with all these behemoths? The United States is certainly the world’s most powerful nation ever, militarily speaking. It combines the British ingenuity for trade with a more deeply held liberalism and continent-sized resources. Like the Romans, it has an attractive culture. Like the Mongols, it can wield total destruction. Like the Arabs, it has spread a universal ideology across the globe. Like the Persian Empires, America combines different cultures and links together regions.”

…This excellent article contains NOT ONE WORD about YHWH and HIS divine Rules! Men are all about their own prowess, their own “might, wealth and power.” Throughout history, mankind has continuously failed to realize that they could have ALL those things IF they only adhered to YHWH and His Torah….

The truth is that the United States has been in the process of losing touch with YHWH and His Messiah ever since the Ten Commandments were kicked out of schools and other government buildings.

America is filled with pride, arrogance, decadence, hatred, violence, racism, anti-Semitism, ignorance, deceivers and everything YHWH hates. Therefore, I predict that the USA will end up like every other “great empire” of the world: FALLEN!

Jeremiah 10:21 The shepherds have become stupid, they have not consulted ADONAI. This is why they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered. (CJB)

Jeremiah 10:23 ADONAI, I know that the way of humans is not in their control, humans are not able to direct their steps as they walk.  (CJB)

Galatians 6: 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself. (CJB)

James 4: 1. From where is it, that there are among you arguments and conflicts? Is it not from the lusts which war in your members? 2. You covet but do not possess; and you kill and envy, and effect nothing: and you fight and make attacks; and you do not have, because you do not ask. 3. You ask, and do not receive because you ask wickedly, that you may feed your lusts. 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. (CJB)

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.

6. For of them are they who creep into this and that house and captivate the women who are plunged in sins and led away by divers lusts, 7. who are always learning, and can never come to the knowledge of the truth. (AENT)

2 Timothy 4:1. I charge you before Elohim and our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach who is to judge the living and the dead at the manifestation of his Kingdom 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. 5. But be vigilant in all things; and endure evils and do the work of a proclaimer of the Good News, and fulfill your ministry. (AENT)

Was Yeshua really the "end of the Law?"

You've all heard that Yeshua was the "end of the Law" but did you also know that the word "end" in this case never meant "termination" of Torah?

We’ve borrowed the following explanation from an appendix entitled, "Eighteen New Testament Misconceptions" in the Aramaic English New Testament:

#8: End of the Torah

Here is an important and very beautiful phrase that is equally apparent in both Aramaic and in Greek:

“Mashiyach is the end (Gk. telos) of the Torah, so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4 (NIV)

While telos can mean, "end", it is very irresponsible to render it this way due to the flexibility of that term in the receiving language. In English, "end" has two meanings. The first is "termination" which is the majority usage of the word in English. However, we also have phrases such as "the ends do not justify the means." In this case, the lesser-used meaning is that of "goal", which applies in both Greek and English.

Rav Shaul clearly refers to the Torah itself as “perfect, righteous and good” (Romans 7:12), so it is very foolish to then think that he turns around and teaches the "termination" of Torah. Instead, and as Rav Shaul clearly teaches in Galatians 3, Torah is the tutor that instructs and brings people to Mashiyach. Then, when a person understands and accepts the fact that Y’shua is Mashiyach, he (Mashiyach) becomes Torah's goal.

This is also one of the many meanings behind the cryptic remark in Yochanan 1, calling Y'shua the "Word (Torah) made flesh." By extreme contrast, the NIV translation of Romans 10:4 is the exact opposite of what the original texts meant! NIV makes it sound like Rav Shaul is a train conductor calling out a stop--"End of the Torah! Everyone get off!"

Furthermore, in certain key Renewed Covenant passages, telos can only mean "goal":

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to Elohim, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the goal (telos) is eternal life.” Romans 6:22

“The goal (telos) of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” I Timothy 1:5

“Obtaining as the goal (telos) of your faith the salvation for your souls.” 1 Peter 1:9

In Aramaic we find these same verses have the same reading as "goal" with the word saka. Like telos, the context provides the key to realizing the intended meaning. Because Rav Shaul continually upholds Torah in every way (Romans 3:31), then "goal" is also very consistent with the rest of his teaching.

A stern warning about life on earth in these end times!

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. (CJB)

2 Peter 2: 9. Master YHWH knows how to rescue from afflictions those who fear him, and he will reserve the wicked for the day of judgment to be tormented, 10. and especially them who go after the flesh in the lusts of pollution, and despise government. Daring and boasting without cause they do not quake with awe while they blaspheme; 11. as opposed to the Messengers, greater than they in might and valor, do not bring against them a reproachful judgment.

12. But these, like nasty beasts that by nature are for slaughter and corruption, while engaging in evil speech regarding things they don’t know, will perish in their own corruption; 13. they being persons with whom iniquity is the reward of iniquity, and by them rioting in the daytime is accounted delightful; defiled and full of blemishes (are they), indulging themselves at their ease while they give themselves up to pleasure; 14. having eyes that are full of adultery and sins that never end; seducing unstable souls; and having a heart exercised in greed; children of cursing:

15. And, having left the correct path, they have wandered and gone in the way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved the wages of iniquity, 16. and who had for the corrector of his transgression a mute mule which, speaking with the speech of men, rebuked the madness of the prophet. 17. These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm, persons for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness. 18. For, while they utter astonishing vanity, they seduce with obscene lusts of the flesh, them who have almost abandoned these that walk in error.

19. And they promise them liberty while they themselves are the slaves of corruption: for, by whatever thing a man is vanquished, to that is he enslaved. 20. For if, when they have escaped the pollutions of the world by the knowledge of our Master and Redeemer Yeshua the Mashiyach, they become again involved in the same and are vanquished, their latter state is worse than the former.

21. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after having known (it), to turn back from the Set Apart Commandment that was delivered to them. 22. But the true proverb has happened to them: the dog returns to his vomit and the pig that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. (AENT)

Matthew 24:3. And while Y'shua was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples drew near and were saying among themselves and to him, "Tell us when these things will be and what is the sign of your coming and the end of the world." 4. Y'shua answered and said to them, Beware, let no man deceive you. 5. For many will come in my name and will say that "I am the Mashiyach." And many they will deceive.

6. For you are bound to hear of revolutions and rumor of wars. Watch out and do not be disturbed, for it is necessary that all these things happen, but it is not yet the end. 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and plagues and earthquakes in different places. 8. But all these things are only the beginning of sorrows.

9. Then they will deliver to afflictions and they will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10. Then many will stumble and will hate one another and will betray one another. 11. And many false prophets will arise and deceive many. 12. And because of the growth of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold.

13. But whoever has patience until the end, he will have life. 14. And this Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.... (AENT)

Folks - we can no longer pretend that everything mentioned above is NOT happening today! In all honesty, we can no longer pretend that we are NOT in the "end times" as outlined in the Books of Daniel and Revelation....

Take heed and “get yourself right” with ADONAI while there’s still time!

The Tanach is quoted throughout the Renewed Covenant. Halleluyah!

Here’s a perfect example:

Matthew 5: 1. And when the crowd saw Y’shua, he went up the mountain, and when he sat his disciples drew near to him. 2. And he opened his mouth and was teaching them and said,

3. Blessed[1] are they who are poor in spirit,[2] because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. Blessed are they who are mourning, because they will be comforted.[3]

5. Blessed are they who are meek because they will inherit the earth.[4]

6. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness because they will be satisfied [5].

7. Blessed are they who are merciful because mercies will be upon them.[6]

8. Blessed are they who are pure in their hearts because they will see Elohim[7].

9. Blessed are they who make peace because they will be called the sons of Elohim.[8]

10. Blessed are they who are persecuted because of righteousness because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.[9]

11. Blessed are you whenever they curse you and they persecute you and they say every evil word about you falsely because of me.[10]

12. Then rejoice and be glad because your reward in heaven is great for likewise they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13. You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should become bland, with what would it become seasoned? For anything not fit (is) but to be thrown outside and be trodden by man.

14. You are the light[11] of the world. It is not possible to hide a city that is built on a mountain. 15. They do not light a lamp and place it under a bushel, but upon a lamp-stand and it lights upon all those that are in the house. 16. Let your light shine like this in front of the sons of man that they should see your works and they glorify good your father who is in heaven. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The word translated as “blessed” is touvayhoon, derived from the root tov, meaning “good,” literally it is “goodness (towards) you.”

[2] Isaiah 57:15; 66:2

[3] Isaiah 61:2; 66:10-13

[4] Psalm 37:11; 149:4

[5] Zephaniah 2:3; Psalm 11:3-7; Isaiah 66:11, 12

[6] Psalm 18:25; 2 Samuel 22:26

[7] Psalm 24:4; 51:10; 15:1, 2

[8] Psalm 122:8, 9; Isaiah 26:12; Psalm 7:3

[9] Psalm 38:20; Isaiah 66:5

[10] Psalm 119:85-87

[11] Psalm 89:15

What an awesome ELOHIM we serve!

If you are among those who faithfully read and re-read their Bibles from cover to cover, you’ll surely remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three Hebrew men who were thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, for their refusal to bow down to the king’s image.

If you’ve never read this story, please take a moment to read the following passage from Daniel 3, and ponder the AWESOME power of YHWH – so loved by these three men that they trusted Him to keep them alive – or not! Regardless as to whether or not He would save them, they were willing to die for Him.

As you read, be thinking about “who” this “fourth man” might have been who suddenly appeared in the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego…..

Daniel 3:13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?

15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. (NIV)

___________________

QUESTION: Could ANYBODY besides YHWH perform this kind of Miracle? Who do you think that fourth man was?

BOTTOM LINE: We could ALL learn a serious lesson in faith and obedience from our heroes, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego!

Parashah 12: Vayechi (He lived) Genesis 47:28 through 50:26

Shabbat shalom, mishpocah/family/friends! As always a synopsis of this week’s Torah portion can be found on our website. This particular Torah portion brings us to the end of the Book of Genesis. In this Book alone we have witnessed the following:

• The Creation of the entire universe

• The creation of man

• The Fall of man and his eviction from the Garden of Eden

• The world becoming so decadent that YHWH destroyed it by flood

• The rebuilding of mankind through Noah and his family

• The acceptance of YHWH and His Torah by Abraham the pagan Chaldean

• The life stories of our three Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

• The revelation the Tribe of Y'hudah being special (Genesis 49:10 tells us "the scepter will not pass from Y'hudah"...Y'shua our Messiah came from the Tribe of Y'hudah. Micah 4:2 reveals Y'hudah would ultimately be tasked to safeguard and preserve YHWH's Torah....)

• The origin of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Please click on the parasha link above to get into the “meat” of this week’s Torah portion as we continue with the story of Yosef and see how the stage is set … and how the bloodline to the Mashiyach/Messiah is established (Genesis 49:10)! Though the story is well known, it's exciting to contemplate what lies ahead in our upcoming readings!

The genius of Rav Sha’ul/Apostle Paul

2 Corinthians 11: 1 I would like you to bear with me in a little foolishness - please do bear with me! 2 For I am jealous for you with God's kind of jealousy[1]; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in marriage to your one husband, the Messiah[2] 3 and I fear that somehow your minds may be seduced away from simple and pure devotion to the Messiah, just as Havah was deceived by the serpent and his craftiness.

4 For if someone comes and tells you about some other Yeshua than the one we told you about, or if you receive a spirit different from the one you received or accept some so-called "good news" different from the Good News you already accepted, you bear with him well enough! 5 For I don't consider myself in any way inferior to these "super-emissaries." 6 I may not be a skilled speaker, but I do have the knowledge; anyhow, we have made this clear to you in every way and in every circumstance. (CJB)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] YHWH is “a jealous Elohim” who guards all that is Righteous according to His Word. In His jealousy depicts His desire for an intimate relationship with us. Sometimes, He even leads rebellious people into a greater rebellion to make a clear demarcation between the righteous and the wicked.

2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12 “Therefore Elohim will send upon them the strength of a deception that they may believe a lie; and that they all may be condemned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in iniquity.” (

[2] This is actually an ingenious metaphor by the Apostle Paul! Here, he compares himself to the mother of a bride recommending her daughter for betrothal. You see, in First Century Israel the family of the bride to be made contractual arrangements with the family of the groom, including the dowry.

But, if she were to fall short in any way, it was a huge disaster and great dishonor to both families. Here, Paul teaches that if we (the bride) fall short of our Master-Groom (Y’shua), we will have disgraced him in the worst possible way. (Revelation 21:2) (Source – AENT)

Parashah 11: Vayigash (He approached) Genesis 44:18 through 47:27

Shabbat shalom, mishpocah/family/friends!  As always, a synopsis of this week’s Torah portion can be found on our website.

Last week we discussed how Yosef (Israel/Ya'akov's son) ended up being a very powerful man under Pharoah in Egypt. When his brothers came for assistance during the seven year food crisis that overtaken the land, they didn't recognize Yosef as the brother they had years before thrown into a cistern to die.

Pretending he did not know them, Yosef "toyed" with them for awhile before ultimately admitting who he was and demanding they fetch their father to come and live in Egypt where they would all be safe from the ravages of the famine. It was almost a reverse of the "prodigal son" story in Luke 15:11-32. This time, instead of the wayward son coming home to be accepted into the arms of a loving and understanding father, it was the son forgiving his brothers and then welcoming them and their (his) father into his world.

What’s great about Yosef is that he could have said something like, "Look what I've accomplished and what I'm doing to for you," or "Didn't I TELL y'all you would someday serve me?" No, instead, this godly man gave all the credit where it belonged: To YHWH!

Genesis 45: 4 Yosef said to his brothers, "Please! Come closer." And they came closer. He said, "I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don't be sad that you sold me into slavery here or angry at yourselves, because it was God who sent me ahead of you to preserve life."

And:

Genesis 45:8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household and ruler over the whole land of Egypt. 9 Hurry, go up to my father, and tell him, 'Here is what your son Yosef says: "God has made me lord of all Egypt! Come down to me, don't delay!

Anyway, isn't it rather odd that YHWH decided to make Israel a "great nation" while they were all down in Egypt? It was not just "the Jews" whom He made into a great nation, because the rest of Genesis 46 shows the names of all who went down to Egypt..."All" includes anyone who was born into and/or had joined, by marriage or otherwise, one of the 12 tribes! Halleluyah - proof that YHWH accepts ALL who wish to worship and obey Him!

For more – and the REST of the story, please click on the link above!

On the name of Yeshua and the “healing in his wings”

Counter-missionary comment:

You see in Scripture that the Messiah is supposed to wear a tallit and call himself Yeshua?

Our response:

Yes!  "But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings" (Mal. 4:2)

Men don’t have “wings”…. The Hebrew word for "wings" used in this passage is kanaf, which is a word that specifically means the fringe-like feathers or edges of a bird's wing, not the whole wing. All of us have seen an eagle or hawk circling in the summer sky and have seen these fringe-like feathers. This word, therefore, had two meanings and could be translated wings, or fringes.

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

What are we saying? Well, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value. Consequently, the knots of the tassels on the four corners of a tallit spell out the name of YHWH....(There are actually different trains of thought about this, depending on how the knots are tied. The Sephardics tie the knots in windings of 10, 5, 6, 5 which spells out the numeric values of "YHWH" but the Ashkenazies use windings of 7, 8, 11, 13 which, adds up to 39, which is the numerical equivalent of Deuteronomy 6:4 which cites the Shema.)

As for Yeshua’s name:

Isaiah 7: 14 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9: For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo'etz El Gibbor Avi-'Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace],

Jeremiah 23:5-6: 5 "The days are coming," says ADONAI when I will raise a righteous Branch for David. He will reign as king and succeed, he will do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Y'hudah will be saved, Isra'el will live in safety, and the name given to him will be ADONAI Tzidkenu [ADONAI our righteousness].

Proverbs 30: 4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has cupped the wind in the palms of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

His Name IS Yeshua which, in Hebrew, means "Yahweh is salvation."  Y'shua is the only Heavenly Entity who has the Name of Yud Hey Vav Hey (YHWH/Yahweh) within His own name! The angels/messengers all have the title of Elohim (God) within their names: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel....

The Name above all Names, however, is YHWH.

John 17: 11. Henceforth, I will not be in the world, and these are in the world. And I am coming to Your presence. Kadosh [1] Father, keep them by your Name [2], that which you have given to me, that they may be one as We are. 12. I was with them while I was in the world. I have kept them in your Name [3]; those whom you have given to me, I have kept. And not a man of them is lost except for the son of perdition, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. 13. And now I come to Your presence, and these things I speak in the world that my joy may be full in them. 14. I have given to them Your Word and the world hates them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world. (Aramaic English New Testament/AENT)

[1] Kadosh/Set Apart means that YHWH and His Word will never change; we can put our trust in Him knowing He will keep His Word. See Unity of the Name of YHWH in Appendix.

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

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

Challenging the counter-missionary argument that Torah insists mere men cannot atone for the sins of others!

In their efforts to prove that “Jesus” is a fake, counter-missionary Jews and their converts are constantly challenging Believers in Yeshua with the supposed "gotcha" that YHWH never expected a MAN (human sacrifice) to make atonement for the sins of others.

Well, it’s a good thing, then, that Yeshua wasn’t sacrificed!  He martyred himself, against which there is no prohibition…

A RABBI WROTE: One man could NOT make atonement for the sins of others! The prophets never instruct the Jews to worship any crucified messiah or demigod; nor does scripture ever tell us that an innocent man can die as an atonement for the sins of the wicked. Such a message is utterly antithetical to the teachings of the Jewish scriptures.

OUR RESPONSE: Well, then, how do you explain YHWH’s telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?  While Isaac wasn’t meant to be a “sin sacrifice,” the command was still to “sacrifice” him.

And how do you account for the following passages in Torah?

Exodus 28: 36 "You are to make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal, 'Set apart for ADONAI.' 37 Fasten it to the turban with a blue cord, on the front of the turban, 38 over Aharon's forehead. Because Aharon bears the guilt for any errors committed by the people of Isra'el in consecrating their holy gifts, this ornament is always to be on his forehead, so that the gifts for ADONAI will be accepted by him.

Leviticus 6: 25 "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is slain the sin offering shall be slain before the LORD; it is most holy. 26'The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. 27'Anyone who touches its flesh will become consecrated; and when any of its blood splashes on a garment, in a holy place you shall wash what was splashed on.…

Leviticus 10: 16 Then Moshe carefully investigated what had happened to the goat of the sin offering and discovered that it had been burned up. He became angry with El'azar and Itamar, the remaining sons of Aharon, and asked, 17 "Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the area of the sanctuary, since it is especially holy? He gave it to you to take away the guilt of the community, to make atonement for them before ADONAI. (CJB)

Also, read Numbers 18 to get a tiny glimpse of the weight that was placed upon the shoulders of Aaron and the other cohanim.

Excerpt from the website MessianicTorah.org:  

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!

Reader asks how we know the Bible is the inspired Word of God, while other “holy books” are not

READER COMMENT:

I always go on your website because I believe the same way you do, but how do I tell my friend that spirit of God created the Bible through man. He has an issue that MAN, still created a book that wasn’t by God, and yes we have to walk through faith but he doesn’t get why Jews, Muslims, and Catholics all believe in a higher power but a book with letters tell us to be believe in one particular book, so why not Muslim or catholic?

OUR RESPONSE:

Good question! You are basically saying "How do we know the Bible is the inspired Word of God and not just 'made up' by man?" And, "How do we know that Muslim and Catholic texts are not the inspired Word of God?"

The thing is, many books have been written about this subject, so this brief response will likely not be sufficient, but we hope you get the gist.

First, let's clarify that the Catholic texts are the same Bible as everyone else uses except that Catholicism has added significant interpretation and instruction on just what Catholics should believe, i.e., the Catholic Catechism. Muslims, on the other hand, believe in the Koran, which was supposedly given to Mohammed in the 7th Century CE, and is presumably "superior" and subsequent to the Bible.

To be fair, even Judaism, also using the same Bible (though they don't consider what Christianity calls the "New Testament"), have their own "catechism" in the form of the Talmud which is the written commentary on the Tanakh (Old Testament) by the rabbis over the centuries - given equal weight to the Torah.

So, "How do we know the Bible is the inspired Word of God and not just 'made up' by man?"

Well, it's the "test of time." The Bible, was demonstrably produced more than 2000 years ago, and (discounting edited and biased versions) contains prophesied events which have proven historically accurate ,and geographical citations which have proven archaeologically accurate. For example, some 300 prophecies of the Messiah were captured in the Bible hundreds if not thousands of years before the Messiah's appearance, yet all were fulfilled.

Moreover, in 1948, God used the Holocaust to fulfill two of Isaiah's prophecies - that Israel would become a nation once more, and that it would happen in one day (Isaiah 66:7-8). This accurately describes what happened on May 14, 1948 - when "the world" briefly felt sorry for the Jews and returned Israel to them and they were able to declare independence for Israel as a united and sovereign nation for the first time in 2,900 years! 

The Bible is uniquely authentic among ancient literary works in terms of the number of ancient manuscripts recovered and the validity of the texts precluding any alteration from the original. This indicates that the Bible has been accurately transmitted throughout the ages (again discounting edited and biased versions), far more so than any other ancient documents.

On the other hand, Islam's Koran, whose verses were supposedly given to the "prophet" Mohammed by the angel Gabriel (who is actually first mentioned in the "Old Testament" Book of Daniel 8:15–26 and 9:21–27, and in other ancient Jewish writings such as the uncanonized Book of Enoch), is relatively 'recent' - i.e. from the 7th century CE (well after the Gospels!), and many centuries after the Torah. Mohammed, who suffered from epilepsy, was illiterate, and had his followers write down his visions on whatever was handy at the time - palm leaves, etc.)

Borrowed from Wikipedia:

"According to tradition, several of Muhammad's companions served as scribes and recorded the revelations. Shortly after his death, the Quran was compiled by the companions, who had written down or memorized parts of it. The codices showed differences that motivated Caliph Uthman to establish a standard version, now known as Uthman's codex, which is generally considered the archetype of the Quran known today. There are, however, variant readings, with mostly minor differences in meaning."

Unlike YHWH's Divine Messiah, Yeshua, who was never married (because he was all about his Father's business - Luke 2:41-52), and who rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion where he was seen by at least 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:3-9), Mohammed died in the arms of his fifth wife, and he was entombed in Medina, Saudi Arabia, a place myriads have visited over the centuries and can still visit today.

Given the above, we can be pretty sure that the Koran is NOT the inspired word of God!

We hope this helps!  Thank you for trusting us with an answer!

Do we really need to label everything "pagan"?

Lately, everyone seems to be throwing around the word "paganism".... But - do we really need to label everything "pagan"?

It's true that both Christmas and Easter are steeped in paganism while at the same time, masquerading as religious holy days. Many who find their way to Torah immediately begin preaching that EVERYTHING is pagan. Christmas, Easter, Valentines, Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, Father's Day - you name it. The holier-than-thou Hebrew Roots types even insist "folding your hands in prayer" is pagan, and that your kids' birthday celebrations are pagan.

I got into a huge argument with some Facebookian once who tried to push down my throat the fact that the days of the week and Gregorian calendar months are pagan. Well, golly-gee, that happens to be what our world has adopted, and nobody is worshiping any strange gods by making a doctor’s appointment for Wednesday, the third of January, 2019! I dared him to try to use his silly argument on his doctor’s office by requesting an appointment at “the sixth hour of Yom Revi’I or “the third day” of Adar, 5779, or whatever! Good luck with that, buddy!

The thing is, if you think about it, EVERYTHING we do in life that isn't mentioned in Scripture as "good" can be considered as "pagan." But where do we draw the line? Should we all just hole up in our homes and never come out for fear that we might accidentally participate in paganism?

Life was meant to be LIVED! If you know YHWH/Yeshua/Torah, then you should be discerning enough to recognize the difference between "good and bad" and whether or not something today is "pagan". For instance, you should know NOT to attend a Hexenbrut (witch dance); or attend a "Rap" concert where you already know in advance that it's all about rebellion and hatred using the most foul and demeaning language possible.

If you truly KNOW Scripture, then you should be discerning enough to know that YHWH wants you to obey HIS Divine Rules and celebrate the Feasts HE commanded, and to live by HIS Rules (His Torah) to the best of your understanding.

But that doesn't mean you can't do ANYTHING anymore except sit around and pray all day and quote Scripture and speak in King James English. We live in a world that was meant to be enjoyed, so go watch a movie or take your kids to baseball game, or whatever. And yes, celebrate their birthdays, using some common sense (i.e., don't go into debt to do it, because that definitely goes against Torah). There's nothing wrong with celebrating the fact that YHWH gave you and your children life. After all, our “birth days” ARE all about HIM!

So, back to the idea of Christmas. Do you think you'll go to hell if a neighbor asks you to come over and join his family in their Christmas dinner? NO! Be a good neighbor and simply accept the invitation (or not, your choice); and if the conversation somehow comes around to them asking you why you don't have a Christmas tree in your house, simply explain that you only do the BIBLICAL Feasts – you don’t have to demean their celebration.

At least that way, you've sown a seed instead of turning them off by screaming, "Well, I don't celebrate Christmas because it's PAGAN!" All that does is to make them mad, turn them off, and cause them to think you're a lunatic.

After that, it's THEIR choice as to whether to investigate further the things YOU believe... If they don't, oh well. It ain't your problem. If they do ask more questions of you, chances are, they'll think you're crazy for "putting yourself back under the law" ... and that's okay. It's their choice as to whether they want to keep you as a friend once they know you're Torah observant. As you know, actually obeying God's Rules is NOT a popular thing to do in this lost world. MOST refuse to take that narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14) and they’ll pound you to death for your choice to obey….

The bottom line is, Hebrew Rooters are way too quick to become arrogant and are constantly yelling and screaming and "looking down" on everyone else. That is NOT how YHWH wants us to treat people. We cannot show them the beauty of Torah life if all we ever do is yell at them.

It took me 44 years to even become a Believer BECAUSE of the hyper religious types who were constantly shoving down my throat that I was going to hell if I didn't "believe in Jesus!" In my mind, WHY would I believe in someone who RAPED me into believing in him by threatening me with hell?

Well, the Hebrew Roots is doing basically the same thing by finding paganism under every rock and trying to force the world into compliance with Torah. It doesn't work that way!

YHWH doesn't work that way, either. He has presented His Word and we have the choice to take it or leave it. In the end, anyone who rejected it will discover what a HUGE mistake they made. But it's not up to us to FORCE them to see. They CAN'T see if their spiritual eyes haven't been opened....

In closing, if you’re interested, I’ve written an article about how to deal with relatives at Christmas time.

Is Yeshua “God”? Let’s allow Bible hermeneutics to decide!

We, at The Refiner’s Fire, do not view YESHUA – while he was on earth as a man - as "God" … simply because GOD cannot be born or die. Yeshua came from YHWH. He was His Messiah, the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14) caused to be born as a human being with a divine nature, who was placed into the womb of a virgin by YHWH Himself. (Remember, Isaiah 53 calls him the “arm” of YHWH! An arm is attached to “the whole body” and only does what the brain commands - which is exactly what Yeshua did!)

Yeshua was NOT “the seed” of a human being. He was placed into the virgin (almah) Miriyam, whose hymen was broken from the inside-out (not from the outside-in!) when Yeshua was born – for the purpose of doing YHWH’s will, proclaiming the Kingdom of YHWH and doing everything His Father commanded. He never said he was YHWH/ADONAI/ELOHIM; he said he was “sent” by the Father; and he constantly deferred to YHWH, giving Him ALL the credit and proclaiming HIS Word.  He knew he was special; he knew he was the Messiah!

Scripture confirms those facts:

Luke 4: 43 "But he (Yeshua/Jesus) said, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Luke 8: 1. And it happened after these things that Y'shua was going around in the cities and in the villages and was preaching and declaring the Kingdom of Elohim.

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,[*] 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. (Aramaic English New Testament)

NOTE: 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!

As mentioned above, Yeshua came to proclaim the Kingdom of YHWH and to do everything his Father commanded. He tore down the fences of man's legalism; and neither he nor his Apostles ever (EVER!) advocated against YHWH’s 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] (Aramaic English New Testament)

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

[2] Yeshua 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 Yeshua 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.

So, as you can see from the above, Yeshua was sent by the Father NOT as a human “god” and NOT to do His own will; but rather, the holy and perfect will of YHWH! Unfortunately, many seem to think He came to replace the Father and abolish Torah, which is a huge and dangerous misconception. He came to restore man's relationship with YHWH and remind us to totally rely on YHWH for everything.

In closing, many attempt to use Philippians 2 as “proof” that “Jesus is God” because the text says so.  Well, properly translated, here is what that passage, translated from the original Aramaic, says and means:

Philippians 2:5 And think you so in yourselves, as Y'shua the Mashiyach also thought; 6. who, as he was in the likeness of Elohim, did not regard it sinful to be the coequal of Elohim; 7. yet disinherited himself and assumed the likeness of a servant, and was in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man; 8. and he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the stake.

9. Wherefore, also, Elohim has highly exalted him and given him a name which is more excellent than all names; 10. that at the name of Y'shua every knee should bow, of (beings) in heaven and on earth and under the earth; 11. and that every tongue should confess that Master YHWH is Y'shua the Mashiyach. (AENT)

Footnote: "Name" in verse 9 is more than his literal birth name Y'shua (which was and is a common Hebrew name), and more than the perfect reputation that his name represents. Y'shua bears (reveals) the Name of YHWH, the "name above all names!" Y'shua has the Name and reputation of the Father YHWH in him (John 17:11) and the name means "YHWH is Salvation" (Matthew 1:21).

Let us examine and test our ways and return to ADONAI

A friend of mine asked the question: “Have you ever noticed that people won’t take the time to read their Bible, or study or look up information; BUT they will take a 15 minute quiz to find out what kind of potato they are?”

Truer words were never spoken! It's SO disheartening to see so many seeking "religion" and "religiosity" and trying to find God everywhere EXCEPT in the Bible. Every day I meet people on Facebook who are new or still fairly new to the Torah faith, whose posts reflect a mixture of good and bad teachings and memes copied from a wide variety of weird and/or self-proclaimed teachers who clearly have their own thing going and are busy leading people completely away from the Word.

No wonder so many people have absolutely NO discernment when it comes to Scripture! I believe the reason they don’t is because, rather than to GET INTO Scripture for themselves, they’re blindly swallowing articles and videos by a random selection of people, and just generally grazing Facebook for cool memes to copy and forward – and then THAT, in turn, constitutes what they know about God and the Bible.

How very sad!

If my words in the least bit tweaked someone’s conscience, I would ask that you search your heart and decide to stop grazing around so much, and finally get serious about the Word.

“Let us examine and test our ways and return to ADONAI.” (Lamentations 3:40)

Parashah 10: Mikketz (At the end) Genesis 41:1 through 44:17

Shabbat shalom, everyone! As always, a synopsis of this week’s Torah portion can be found on our website.  Simply put, the bottom line of this week’s lesson is: YHWH's Will was (and is) done, regardless how much we humans attempt to interfere or take matters into our own hands!

For more, please click on the link above!

A warning to Believers: Be careful!

It seems there seem to be four types of people that comprise Believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob:

(1) Those who are true, Ruach-filled Believers in YHWH/Yeshua/Torah, who KNOW the Word because they constantly study it; who are teachable and constantly learning and growing, who uncompromisingly LIVE their faith.

(2) Those who are completely lukewarm and couldn't care less, one way or the other.

(3) Those who who believe themselves to be great Bible teachers, even though they have clearly twisted Scripture to suit their own purposes; and they are, consequently, leading the gullible into the pits of hell; and ...

(4) those who tend to fall for any ear-tickling nonsense that comes their way... who don't know Scripture well enough to recognize skewed or downright false teachings, but are ready to swallow anything that's tossed at them - EXCEPT for actual Truth.

This post is aimed at the last two types, who seem to be the most dominant on the Internet:

Timothy warned YHWH's people that these things would happen (2 Timothy 3:1-7); and then he said this:

2 Timothy 4: 1. I charge you before Elohim and our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach who is to judge the living and the dead at the manifestation of his Kingdom 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. 5. But be vigilant in all things; and endure evils and do the work of a proclaimer of the Good News, and fulfill your ministry. (AENT)

As you know, we are living in some really perilous times. Be CAREFUL and be VIGILANT, for haSatan is prowling around, seeking to devour YOU! (1 Peter 5:8)

We need to know the importance of Shabbat!

With another Shabbat in our "rearview mirror," I want to make a quick comment about "Shabbat", which is the Fourth Commandment (of the Aseret HaDibrot - Ten Words/Commandments) that YHWH spoke to Israel.

The fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is DALET, the Door - and it just so happens that the Shabbat is a "door" into the Kingdom of Elohim (Matthew 16:19, Isaiah 66:2, Ezekiel 44:24, Zechariah 14:16, etc.).

Interestingly, Y’shua, the Word of the Living Elohim, is ALSO the "Door" or the "Gate" (John 10:9-16). NOBODY comes to the Father except through THAT Door! (John 14:6)

Please remember that Shabbat is "eternal" and not for "the Jews only,” but for ALL Believers (see scriptures such as Numbers 15:13-16). All true disciples of Y’shua are able to enter into YHWH’s Shabbat as the “Bride” of Mashiyach (Messiah) from Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset, according to Revelation 21:9; Hosea 2; Jeremiah 17; Isaiah 56; 58; 62; 66; Ezekiel 46; Psalm 92, etc.

Countering the anti-Jesus rhetoric of Rabbi Stuart Federow and Jason “SpiritualBabies”

Please take some time to watch this 26-minute video for a wake-up call on how cleverly counter-missionaries will twist Scripture in their attempts to “debunk Jesus.”

People like these two in this video are the reason why I created my “Countering the Counter-Missionaries” pages both on my website (The Refiner’s Fire) and on Facebook. The first thing you’ll encounter in this video is the learned Rabbi Federow starting off his teaching about Isaiah 53 with a silly and sarcastic little joke about Jesus. After a good guffaw, he and Jason then set out to present several supposed “proof texts” that Isaiah 53 is all about “Israel”; and NOT Jesus.

Unfortunately for them, their opinions fail to line up with Truth, as I’ve shown, below, where I have presented some counter-arguments for you to consider. To get the “whole picture,” I wholeheartedly recommend you read my responses AFTER you have listened to their show. In the end, you can make up your own mind as to who you believe was “right or wrong.”

While these guys clearly believe they’re doing the world a favor by making videos such as these, I would hope most people are astute enough to catch the errors, the Scripture twisting and the poorly-concealed sarcasm as they chuckle their way through this latest attempt to convince people that Messiah Yeshua is a huge hoax perpetrated upon the world.

Here are a few major points from this video that I chose to challenge:

FIRST POINT:

The insistence that Isaiah 53 is all about Israel as the “son” or the “servant”:

Just because several scriptures refer to Israel as the “firstborn son” or God’s “servant” does NOT prove that Isaiah 53 is all about Israel! Let’s employ some logic here – and if you choose to respond, please provide scriptures to back up your assertions!

· Can Israel DIE for Israel? (No, but Yeshua did! See Matthew 27.)

· Can Israel be wounded for our transgressions? (No, but Yeshua was! See Matthew 27.)

· Can people take Israel's garments and divide them? (No, but that certainly happened in Yeshua’s case! See John 19:23.)

· WHEN was "Israel" wounded for our transgressions or crushed because of our iniquities?

· Has the world been HEALED by "Israel"? Not hardly! Yeshua has filled myriads of Tanach prophecies - and people can reject it all they want, but they cannot CHANGE those facts!

Count the number of times you see the word “he” or “him” in just these two following short verses:

Isaiah 53:13 Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. 14 According as many were appalled at thee - so marred was his visage unlike that of a man, and his form unlike that of the sons of men - 15 So shall he startle many nations, kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they perceive.

Isaiah 53: 1 'Who would have believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he shot up right forth as a sapling, and as a root out of a dry ground; he had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, nor beauty that we should delight in him. 3 He was despised, and forsaken of men, a man of pains, and acquainted with disease, and as one from whom men hide their face: he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Please read the rest of Isaiah 53, while continuing to count the “he” and “him” references and ask yourself how many people the above could possibly be referring to. (The nation of Israel certainly consists of more than one person!)

Can the word “servant” refer to a plurality to denote “Israel”? Sure. But then the rest of the sentence structure would have to match….

SECOND POINT:

The duo also expressed their opinion that Matthew 21:1-7 is misleading and misinterpreted, etc. as Matthew 21:1-7 talks about “two donkeys”; while Mark 11 mentions just one. Rabbi Federow’s exact words were that, in Matthew, “Jesus is balancing on two animals” and then he went on to explain some dual meanings of certain words in Hebrew, positing that there were never “two donkeys.”

My contention is, SO WHAT?  What difference does it make how many donkeys were mentioned, or that Matthew went on to say that the donkey Yeshua rode was a foal?  Surely, Yeshua didn’t “balance” on the Momma AND her baby! That is an asinine statement – not to mention, it was also a not-so-veiled attempt to make “Jesus” look like the wishy-washy, lying buffoon that Rabbi Federow wishes to make him out to be…

Please read the following passage (paying special attention to verse 7) and see if you can visualize Yeshua “balancing” on both animals:

Matthew 21:1. And when he approached Urishlim and came to Beth Pageh on the side of the Mount of Olives, Y’shua sent two of his disciples, 2. And said to them, Go to this village that is in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey that is bound and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me.

3. And if anyone says anything to you, tell him that they are needed for our Master, and immediately he will send them here. 4. And these things happened (so) that the thing that the prophet spoke might be fulfilled, (for that prophet) said, 5. “Say to the daughter of Tsiyon, behold your king comes to you meek and mounted upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.” [1]

6. The disciples departed and did as Yeshua had commanded them. 7. And they brought the donkey and the colt and placed their garments upon the colt and Yeshua mounted upon it. (AENT)

[1] Refers to Zechariah 9:9-10.

If you are confused by the phrase in verse 7 “behold your king comes to you meek and mounted upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey”, thinking the text does imply Yeshua is “balancing” on both animals, then you should look at the way it is presented in Zechariah 9:9:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee, he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass.” (JPS)

The language in no way is meant to convey anyone is attempting to ride two animals at once, but it does make you wonder why Rabbi Federow doesn’t also bash Zechariah while he’s bashing Matthew!

And now Mark’s version:

Mark 11: 1. And when he drew near to Urishlim, towards Beth-Pageh and Beth-Anya, by the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. 2. And he said to them, Go to that village that is opposite to us, and at once when you enter it you will find a colt that is tied up which no man has ridden. Loose it and bring it to me. 3. And if anyone should say to you, “Why are you doing this?” say to him that “Our Master requires it.” And immediately he will send him here.

4. And they went and found the colt which was tied up at the door outside on the street. And while they loosed him, 5. Some of those who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing loosing the colt?” 6. And they said to them as Yeshua had commanded them, and they allowed them. 7. And they brought the colt to Yeshua and placed their garments upon it, and Yeshua rode upon it. (AENT)

Okay, so Mark 11 doesn’t mention the colt’s mother; he is writing from a different perspective, but Mark did mention something important in verse 2: That Yeshua rode upon a young donkey upon which NO ONE ELSE had ever ridden. That seems pretty important and apropos for YHWH’s Messiah….

THIRD POINT:

One of Rabbi Federow’s comments about Christians was, “They make up stories about Jesus to make it look like fulfillment of Scripture.”

My response is: Granted, Christianity is guilty of “reading into” Scripture and consequently, twisting some things; but just because the “Greek mindset” cannot comprehend the deeper things of Judaism doesn’t mean they purposely made up anything to force the fulfillment of Scripture. 

Whether counter-missionaries like it or not, Yeshua HAS fulfilled at least 300 Messianic prophecies!  (According to scientist and mathematician, Professor Peter Stoner, the probability of even just 48 prophecies being fulfilled by one person (referring to Yeshua) is the incredible number of 1 in 10¹⁵⁷ - one chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion…)

FOURTH POINT:

Jason made the comment that Luke 1:54 proves that “Israel is the servant of God.” Okay, so, Luke 1:5 says, “He has helped his servant Israel and he has remembered his mercy.”  So what?  If you’ll read that whole passage, you’ll see that it wasn’t only “about Israel”; the two women (Miriam and Elizabeth) were singing God’s praises, and listing several of His accomplishments; among them being that YHWH had been good to His servant Israel.

Let’s not forget that the tiny embryo within Miriam - God’s SON, was a JEW who would ALSO become His servant in ways “Israel” could never even pretend to be!

Let’s take a look at the context of that passage:

Luke 1:42. And she cried out with a loud voice and said to Maryam, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” 43. “How did this happen to me that the mother of my Master[1] comes to me?” 44. “For behold when the sound of your greeting fell upon my ears, the infant in my womb leaped with a great joy.” 45. “And blessings to she who believed, because there will be fulfillment to those things that were spoken to her in the presence of Master YHWH.”

46. And Maryam said, “My soul magnifies Master YHWH. 47. And my spirit has rejoiced in Elohim my Savior. 48. Because He has looked at the meekness of his handmaid,[2] for behold from now on will give me blessings to all generations. 49. Because He has done great things for me, He who is mighty and Set Apart is his Name.

50. And His mercy is upon generations for ages of those who fear Him.[3] 51. And He has accomplished victory with his arm and has scattered the proud hearted. 52. He has cast down the mighty from the seats and exalted the meek. 53. He has satisfied the hungry with good things, and the wealthy he has dismissed empty-handed. 54. He has helped his servant Israel and he has remembered his mercy. 55. As he spoke with our fathers Awraham and with his seed forever.” (AENT)

Footnotes:

[1] The Aramaic word used here, Mari, my Master, refers to Mashiyach who is Miriam’s womb, not YHWH.

[2] 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1

[3] Psalm 103:17; 111:9

So, how does Luke 1 take anything away from Yeshua, ADONAI’s “Son” with whom He was well pleased? (See Matthew 3:17, Mark 3:22, 2 Peter 1:17.) At least Yeshua – unlike the constantly disobedient and straying “servant” Israel – NEVER displeased or disappointed YHWH! He even willingly laid down his life for ADONAI. 

Can “Israel” say the same?  Hardly!

FIFTH POINT:

The duo also discussed the supposed dilemma that, if Mary is a “kinswoman” of Elizabeth (see Luke 1:36), then she (Mary) has to be a Levite, as well; and therefore, she wasn’t of Judah and therefore, Jesus wasn’t either. (Honestly, if that were the case, then Jesus wasn’t just “King” but also a “priest”!)

The nature of the kinship between Elizabeth and Mary is not provided. Elizabeth was an elderly woman (Luke 1:7, 18) and Mary a young woman (Luke 1:34) so they are of different generations.  Therefore Mary and Elizabeth may have been first cousins, or they may have been fourth cousins. All we know for sure is that they were kin. Second, Mary and Elizabeth could have been from different tribes and still have been first cousins. It may be that their mothers were sisters. Their mothers could have been from the tribe of Judah or Levi. Rabbi Federow is therefore erred insisting that Mary had to be a Levite!

However Mary and Elizabeth were related, tribal heritage among the descendants of Jacob was passed down through fathers, not mothers. Thus, Elizabeth and Mary were descendants of Aaron and David, respectively, by their fathers.

The fact is, the astute reader will recognize that the genealogy in Matthew 1 is that of Mary, from Avraham, through David, to her guardian or adopted father, named Yoseph (note: not her husband Yoseph) – who was decidedly from the line of David. We find that Mary had no brothers and there were no siblings to take care of her while she was alive since Yeshua commanded her into John's care before he died (see John 19:26-27). No brothers means Mary had full right of inheritance from her father.

Finally, while Matthew provides the lineage of Mary, Luke provides the lineage of Yoseph, her husband. Thus the two genealogies demonstrate that both of Yeshua's parents are from the same tribe and Yeshua’s right of kingship is established.

For more, please read our article on Yeshua’s lineage.

Ironically, the same people who espouse Scripture out one side of their mouths, are able to post this kind of smut:

“The Law is a curse?” What does that really mean?

Christianity insists that the Law is a curse because one cannot possibly fulfill all its requirements. It is said that, while the Law (Torah) itself is perfect and holy, those who try to justify themselves before its holy Author bring not His blessing, but His curse upon themselves.

To begin with, this “Law is a curse” thing stems from a misinterpretation of Galatians 3:10-14. The “Law” actually refers to YHWH’s Torah (first five Books of Moses, which contain all of YHWH’s Divine Instructions in Righteousness, without which we would have no blueprint for moral, holy living)

Secondly, the thing we must ask ourselves is this: Where in Scripture are we told that everyone must fulfill ALL the requirements of Torah, OR that anyone would be justified by “the Law?” The answer to both questions? Nowhere!

YHWH always required the blood of innocent animals to atone for our sins (Leviticus 17:11), accompanied, of course, by prayer and repentance (2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 3:19, etc.) along with a genuine desire to turn from our sins! After all, why bother offering a sin sacrifice if you’re not truly repentant or serious about refraining from committing that same sin in the future?

And here’s the thing about those original “613” Torah rules: They were NEVER a “curse” to mankind! They were Divine Rules for people to follow! (How could YHWH’s Divine Rules EVER be considered “a curse?”) Most were for the Levite priests; not the people. Some were only for men, and some were only for women. Consequently, nobody could, nor was ever expected to, “do all 613.” That is simply NOT what YHWH asked of us!

So, concerning the Galatians 3 misunderstandings by Christianity, to reiterate, we must understand from this passage is that the curse does not refer to “the Law.” The curse is the penalty levied for not keeping the Law! Torah points out what is good and bad, and where we fail and fall short of God’s will; but it cannot pronounce us “righteous”; that was NEVER its purpose.

The main problem here is that the Greek mistranslates as “law” the word “Torah”. The ONLY remedy is to view Scripture from a “Hebrew” instead of the “Greek” mindset.

So, let’s take a look at that pesky Galatians 3 passage, as it appears in the Aramaic English New Testament, along with footnotes designed to help you understand the Hebraic context:

Galatians 3: 10. For those who are servants of Torah are still under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not act[1] on all that is written in this book of Torah.” 11. But that no man is made righteous by Torah before Elohim is evident, for it is written, “the righteous will live by faith”.[2]

12. Thus Torah is not made by faith, but whosoever will do the things that are written in it, will live in it.[3] 13. But Mashiyach has redeemed us from the “curse of Torah”[4] by becoming accursed[5] for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”.[6] 14. That the blessing of Awraham might come to the Gentiles through Y’shua the Mashiyach; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Deuteronomy 28:26

[2] Habakkuk 2:4

[3] Leviticus 18:5

[4] See Deuteronomy 21:22-23. Y’shua committed no capital crime. Pharisees were warning Jews off Y’shua by saying that he had become a curse because he hung on the torture stake. The Pharisees tried to vilify Y’shua before the Jewish people. Paul is repeating this accusation of the Pharisees for the benefit of “Messianic Pharisees” (see Tosefta Sanhedrin IX.7).

“Messianic Pharisees” (Galatians 2:4) were likely weary of being shunned by their people (see Matthew 10:39) and wanted back into the synagogues, so they were posturing themselves as Ebionites (a Judaistic Christian Gnostic sect of the 2d century a.d. that observed the Torah in part, rejected Paul, accepted only the Gospel of Matthew, and held an adoptionist Christology).

Today “Messianic Pharisees” or Ebionites, attend Orthodox synagogues and are enamored with traditional Rabbinical Judaism; they believe Y’shua is Mashiyach, but not the Arm of YHWH or YHWH Tsidkenu revealed. Paul is using the strongest words possible to affirm the Truth by reminding certain Galatians that they are trying to dilute the Netzarim Faith with traditional Pharisaism.

In 2,000 years, little has changed; many Orthodox Rabbis still call Y’shua a bastard and a curse of the Jewish people because he “hung on the stake.” Some Rabbis will even provide a mock funeral for Jews who follow Y’shua, and teach that the family member is as though they never existed; so if one can understand the duress that certain “Messianic Pharisees” were under, then one can understand why Paul chose such severity of words!

[5] There are 12 specific curses mentioned in Deut. 28:15-26; however, one can also apply this to the entire Torah simply because if anyone knowingly or unknowingly sins but does not seek forgiveness and restitution, they are under a curse, certainly not a blessing. There is a "Y" in the road of every choice we make; one road leads to blessing, the other to a curse.

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

There is SO much more that could be added to this, but the bottom line is: Torah is NOT a “curse.” Torah shows us what sin is and sets a standard for Perfection. Torah points us to Redemption, Salvation and Deliverance and a time of reckoning when those who are dead will awake to everlasting life or everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:1-10).

As Paul wrote:

Romans 3: 31 "Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? Not at all! Rather, we ESTABLISH the Torah."