Would you like to learn how to respond to Christian barbs against your Torah faith?

Would you like to learn how to respond to Christian barbs against your Torah faith? Well, then, allow me to show you how!

It is truly a never-ending battle to be a Torah observant Believer in Messiah Yeshua! On one side you’re being bashed by family and friends and people on Facebook you’ve met and never will meet, who accuse you of being under the law, and do their level best to extricate you from it; and on the other, you’re viciously attacked by Jewish counter-missionary Rabbis and/or their followers and converts for your belief in YHWH’s Divine Messiah.

You can’t win, right?

WRONG! You can do one of two things: You can either IGNORE everybody and quietly live your Torah observant life; OR you can  fight back, using the Word … and as you do, become a true witness for ADONAI (Isaiah 12:4; Jeremiah 26:2; Psalm 96:3; Matthew 28:19-20, etc.)  As you all know, I have chosen the latter – which is why I wrote my books, and created my website and a couple of Facebook groups….

Having said that, I wanted to share just one of the latest comments from a new Christian Facebook friend who clearly wishes to “educate” me – not by arguing, but by bombarding me with various New Testament scriptures designed to show that “Jesus abolished the need for Torah.”  Below is just one example:

CHRISTIAN COMMENT:

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NKJV

MY RESPONSE:

You are correct! 

But my question is:  What did Jesus teach? A new religion called Christianity? (Please provide chapter and verse for that one!) That His Father's Divine Instructions in Righteousness (Torah) were moronic - even a CURSE! - and that His Word in NO WAY applied to the Gentiles who claim to believe in the same God as the One Jesus prayed to - except somehow these people who called themselves "Christians" were to be exempted from obedience to that God?

Since you’ve also claimed that those Old Testament rules only pertains to the Jews, did Jesus teach hat only the JEWS were to follow His Divine Instructions for holiness?  Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and all his offspring weren’t Jews, yet we see all of them obeying God – even paying a stiff penalty whenever they didn’t!  I mean - let's be realistic: Mankind is IN this lost world BECAUSE Adam and Eve (who weren’t Jews) DISOBEYED just ONE of His commands....

Yet, now you insist that somehow Christians have NO rules to follow just because Jesus died; and you focus ALL your attention on Jesus – a MAN who was born and died! – by suggesting that he replaced the Father (without whom we wouldn’t even have our Divine Messiah!).

Did Jesus also teach that this "new religion called Christianity" (that he did NOT bring) would be allowed to not only call the Messiah Yeshua (his given, Hebrew name which isn’t that hard to pronounce!) by a different name, but also that they should ignore the dates of his actual birth, death and resurrection, and come up with their own "holy days" of Christmas and Easter - neither of which are included in God's seven COMMANDED Festival times?

If he DID teach ANY of those things, wasn't he going directly against His Father's WORD which specifically stated that ALL who accept the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are to do EXACTLY as His Chosen People do? (See Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, and Romans 10:12-13 which all confirm our need for Torah.)

Brother, I pray that God would open your eyes to HIS Truth, and I highly suggest you re-read the WHOLE Bible, starting in Genesis, all the way through to Revelation.  Once you’ve done that, then we can continue this conversation.

About God making Pharaoh “hard-hearted”

Some have attempted to use the biblical plagues to "prove" the idea of predestination  because YHWH made Pharaoh “hard-hearted - insisting that before the creation “God determined the fate of the universe throughout all of time and space.”

HOWEVER, we find something very interesting when viewing Exodus 7 through 12 through the “Hebrew mindset.” Let’s take a look:

In Exodus 7:3, we read that God will "harden" Pharaoh's heart, but did you know that the word used in the first five plagues translated as "harden" has nothing to do with hardness? Each time a plague comes and breaks Pharaoh's will, the original Hebrew as used implies God "strengthened" Pharoah's heart or that he "made Pharoah's heart heavy." It actually is a significant difference from the meaning of the English word “hardened”.

This understanding reveals it is less a situation of Pharaoh's decisions being controlled against his will; rather, with each plague Pharaoh's will was broken. YHWH then strengthened his heart (gave back to him the strength he had before the plague) and thus, Pharaoh chose defiance of his own free will. (Read carefully the 6th plague, Exodus 9:12 which specifically involves YHWH. Most English versions still use the word “hardened” and it sounds the same to the English reader. But in the Hebrew another word is used meaning “strengthen”.)

Pharaoh was thought to be a god in Egyptian theology, so YHWH was determined to show His glory over pharaoh, the elements, nature, and so on - all designed to prove that YHWH was in charge. Could pharaoh have repented?  Did he have that choice?  Sure, if he had renounced his crown and the spiritual claims that came with it and given his life to YHWH. But, he never did that - YHWH knew all this beforehand....

And so the plagues revealed a true tug-of-war between YHWH and man - and guess who won! Every time Pharaoh attempted to challenge YHWH, he caused his people (who blindly and apparently unbegrudgingly followed/obeyed their leader) severe grief (as is the case of many leaders today who manage to deceive people into thinking they are perfect and have the answers to everything). Cases in point can be found in the first seven of the ten plagues YHWH sent to Egypt: Blood, frogs, lice, insects, death of livestock, sores and hail (Exodus 7:1 - 8:25).

My final word about Christmas this year

On the news this morning, we saw a list of the ten most popular Christmas songs of 2019 - and not one of them was about Jesus - who is THE supposed "reason for the season." They are all about "me" and "what I want" and "gift giving" and "feel good" stuff that has nothing, whatsoever to do with the Kingdom of YHWH....

And since Christmas doesn't have anything to do with Jesus (which it actually doesn't, but that's a whole 'nuther story), WHAT is its purpose? WHY has Christmas been allowed to masquerade as one of YHWH's High Holy Days, when it has NOTHING to do with the birth of His Son?

According to every Christmas song we're bombarded with in stores for a least two months before Christmas, it's all about "Santa Claus" (who knows whether you've been bad or good) coming to town"....

And, let's get real here: You KNOW young children are believing the lies they're told, as evidenced by one 5 year old boy who recently called 911 to enlist help in arresting the Grinch who is trying to steal Christmas ... and the cops obliged him!

My question is: While it's good to nurture a child's imagination, what makes it okay to LIE to innocent little human beings who absorb your every word as Gospel Truth? And WHY do we do it ESPECIALLY at a time when the child is supposed to be learning about God's SON?

According to what we see and hear for two full months or more BEFORE Christmas, it's all about BUY, BUY, BUY! Go into debt, debt, debt so you can place those gifts under the tree. (NONE of which happened during the actual birth of our Divine Messiah....)

So, why am I writing this?

I'm writing this because I've belonged to YHWH hook, line and sinker since the day He opened my eyes in January 1995, and it pains me VERY much to witness that most "believers" in this world seem to be only half-hearted types who "look the other way" when it comes to YHWH and His Word.

They don't mind that Christmas is about everything EXCEPT God! Oh sure - many run to church on Christmas Eve and believe themselves to have fulfilled their duty to God. But the reality is, you don't hear them lamenting about the LIES surrounding this "holiday", or the fact that so many DO go into debt to buy gifts - which clearly goes against Scripture (2 Kings 4:7; Proverbs 17:18; 22:7; 22:26-27; Nehemiah 5:3-5; Matthew 6:24, etc.)

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that, if believers don't mind the things I mentioned above, it reveals that they're only good at "talking the talk" because "walking the walk" is a foreign concept to them.

THAT is what irks me about Christmas - the HYPOCRISY!

And that's the last thing I have to say about this sickening fake of a "holiday". I hope and pray that anyone reading this, who sees nothing wrong with Christmas, will re-examine where they are spiritually, get INTO the Bible to see what God actually expects of HIS people, and then begin to DO it. He has a weekly Sabbath (a weekly "date") just for us; along with seven amazing High Holy Days - spread throughout the year (our "yearly dates" with Him) - each of which has a special meaning tied directly to Jesus (whose actual given Hebrew name is Yeshua - which means, "YHWH is Salvation".

Unfortunately, most of the world is blind to that.

How sad!

NORAD and “Santa Claus” are stealing YHWH’s thunder….

Well, as always, NORAD is "tracking Santa Claus as he travels around the world in his sleigh" today.

Whether it's "just make-believe" or not, billions of little children over the centuries have been led to BELIEVE the lie, and that's whats NOT okay. It's NOT okay for several reasons, including the fact that this lie deliberately "steals YHWH's thunder" - because this mythical being does NOT know "who's been naughty or nice!" YHWH does.

And since "God" is supposedly the "reason for the season," then WHERE IS HE? In most homes during Christmas time, how often is HE actually mentioned?

I'm sorry to be coming across like a "wet blanket" here, but truth is truth. Our world is falling apart at the seams, and most are blind to the fact that Scripture is unfolding before our very eyes! We NEED to stop playing around and get serious about God's Word!

Start reading it today, to see what HE actually said and expects of HIS people for, when Yeshua returns, he won't be displaying "love" and "tolerance". He's coming to take control of the world - the world MANKIND keeps attempting the destroy! (See Revelation 3:16.)

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ...when the Master Yeshua is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in a fiery flame. Then he will punish those who don’t know ELOHIM, that is, those who don’t listen to the Good News of Master Yeshua and obey it. 9 They will suffer the just penalty of eternal destruction, far away from the face of ADONAI and the glory of his might..

Let's take a look at just a FEW scriptures that show how ADONAI feels about those who deliberately lie:

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Proverbs 19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.

Psalm 101:7 No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.

Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Luke 8:17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

1 John 2:4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

A word for those who call Messiah Yeshua a myth and fraud

To those who insist Messiah Yeshua is a myth and a fraud, I challenge you to explain THIS:

Isaiah 9:6 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], 7 in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of ADONAI-Tzva'ot will accomplish this. (CJB)

In the history of the world, who else besides YESHUA has ever qualified to be called "Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace?"

Yeshua was and is YHWH's "Arm" and His Word (Isaiah 53:1; John 1:1, 14). In the history of the world, nobody has ever accomplished the things he did in his short time on earth!

You can attempt to debunk it all you want, but the fact remains that more than 300 Messianic prophecies and scripture references match Yeshua!

What are the odds of that?

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

Challenging a Christian woman who bashes Torah observance and insists Christmas can be found in Scripture

I recently discovered a woman on Facebook bashing Torah observance while insisting Christmas could be found “throughout the Bible”….

Below are my responses to this nonsense.  For the sake of space, I have simply separated her rant into numbered paragraphs:

NUMBER ONE:

She wrote:

It never ceases to amaze me how some people who call themselves “Torah Keepers” bashes Christians because of their spiritual walk. These people think they are so righteous because they keep the Old Covenant Feast Days and Shabbats. While they talk about the ‘speck’ in the Christian eyes, they have a ‘log’ in their own eyes.

MY RESPONSE:

Since when is it “bashing” when you lead people to God’s WHOLE Truth?  Scripture is clear that ALL who accept YHWH as their God are to do exactly as HIS people do.  (See Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, and Romans 10:12-13 which all confirm our need for Torah.)  Let’s take a look at Numbers 15:13-16 wherein ADONAI said it FOUR TIMES in a row that ALL who accept Him are to do exactly as HIS people do:

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

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

"Living among" means not necessarily physically, but rather, it refers to all those who have accepted the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They MUST be Torah observant, just like the Houses of Israel and Judah were with whom God made His New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:32)!

Romans 10: 12. And in this, it discriminates neither Jews nor Gentiles. For there is one, Master YHWH, over them all, who is abundantly generous towards every one that calls on him. 13. For everyone that will call on the name of Master YHWH, will have life.

NUMBER TWO:

In fact, the Eternal Father hated and despised their Feast Days, burnt offerings, meat offerings, and peace offerings {Amos 5:21,22; Isaiah 1:11}. He stated He would put an 'END' to it ALL and make a NEW COVENANT with Israel and Judah (the Jews)...of which He did {Jeremiah 31:31}. He stated that, "I will stop all her celebrations: her YEARLY FESTIVALS, her New Moons, her SABBATH DAYS--all her appointed festivals" {Hosea 2:11}.

MY RESPONSE:

First of all, I don’t understand WHY this woman refers to YHWH’s Feast Days as “THEIR FEAST DAYS,” as if it doesn’t pertain to her or anyone but "the Jews" (whom she clearly seems to hate, as she continues throughout to spew the term "the Jews” as if it's a dirty word).

Perhaps she doesn’t realize that Christianity originated in Judaism.  OR perhaps she doesn't realize that “Jesus” didn’t come to bring any religion called “Christianity”…. He came to proclaim the Kingdom and do everything HIS FATHER commanded.  Don’t take my word for it – look at what the Bible says:

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.

Acts 28: 23 "From morning till evening the Apostle Paul explained and declared the Kingdom of God and tried to convince people about Yeshua from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."

Acts 24: 14. But this indeed I (Paul) acknowledge, that in that same doctrine of which they speak, I do serve the Elohim of my fathers, believing all the things written in Torah and in the prophets.

Secondly, she proudly presents scriptures that supposedly show YHWH putting an END to His COMMANDED Mo’edim!  WHY would He do that, when each one is significant in the grand scheme of things?  All the scriptures she presented, when READ IN CONTEXT, reveal that He wasn’t abolishing His Mo’edim; He was angry with His people for constantly straying and doing His festivals NOT because they loved Him, but out of mere obligation….
 
NUMBER THREE:

He condemned their Holy Festivals {Hosea 9:4,5} because He found fault with the way they were doing things and made a New Covenant {Hebrews 8:8}. "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah (the Jews): NOT ACCORDING to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt..." {Jeremiah 31:31,32}.

MY RESPONSE:

Yes, let’s do take a look at Hebrews 8:8 and Jeremiah 31:31,32 – both of which say, “…‘See! The days are coming,’ says ADONAI, ‘when I will establish over the house of Isra’el and over the house of Y’hudah a new covenant.”  (CJB)

Jeremiah 31: 31 "Here, the days are coming," says ADONAI, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra'el and with the house of Y'hudah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them," says ADONAI.

33 "For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days," says ADONAI: "I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more." (CJB)

Many don't seem to realize that Jeremiah 31:30-34 is NOT talking about "Gentiles" or "Christians"; it says God is going to make a "new covenant" with the Torah observant Houses of Israel and Judah! So, where are "Christians" in this? As "grafted in to the Olive Tree" Christians are "one in Messiah" (Galatians 3:28)...But that never meant Gentiles would get to change the rules or live under separate rules. YHWH was clear about that!

(See also Numbers 15:13 -16, above….)

So, please be SURE to notice with WHOM He made His “New Covenant” – it wasn’t with the Gentiles!  It was with the TORAH OBSERVANT Houses of Israel and Judah!

Where do we EVER see YHWH making any covenants with GENTILES?  (Remember, the term “Gentiles” originally referred to the pagan nations which YHWH often ordered to be wiped out in Torah!)

And by the way, everyone, right from the beginning with Adam and Eve on down, was TORAH OBSERVANT - and NONE of them were "Jews"!  There were no "Jews" until Jacob had a son named Yehudah (Judah) where the term "Jew" and the Tribe of Judah originated. Adam and Eve weren't "Jews"; and neither were Cain and Abel or our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Yet, they were ALL "Torah observant" - meaning, they obeyed God as He continued to coach and teach His people throughout the millennia.

As for Hosea 9, let’s take a look at it IN CONTEXT:

Hosea 9: Don’t rejoice, Isra’el! Don’t enjoy yourselves as other peoples do; for you have gone whoring away from your God, you love being hired as a whore on every grain-floor.2 Threshing-floor and winepress won’t feed them, and new wine will disappoint her.3 They won’t remain in  the land of ADONAI; instead, Efrayim will return to Egypt,and they will eat unclean food in Ashur. 4 They will not pour out wine offerings to ADONAI; they will not be pleasing to him.
Their sacrifices will be for them like mourners’ food — everyone eating it will be polluted.
For their food will be merely to satisfy their appetite; it will not come into the house of ADONAI.
5 What will you do at a designated time, on a day which is a festival for ADONAI? (CJB)

Hmmm – where does it say YHWH hated His OWN FESTIVALS?  This is all about how ANGRY He is with Israel for constantly straying away from Him.  Since they did that, what good did it do to bother with His mo’edim?

Hosea 9:17 confirms this:

Hosea 9:17 My God will cast them aside, because they wouldn’t listen to him, and they will become wanderers among the Goyim. (CJB)

HELLO!?! "Because they wouldn’t LISTEN to him..."  This whole chapter is about the fact that YHWH is UPSET with Israel for constantly straying.  He doesn’t once suggest that His own, commanded Feast times were bad!  (If He did, then that would suggest that YHWH is capable of making mistakes….

NUMBER 4:

It was Israel's "treacherous sister Judah (the Jews) who continued in the festivals and celebrations..." after the Father put an end to them (Jeremiah 3:10). They bound themselves to an oath and entered into a curse in order to continue in a corrupt law (Nehemiah 10:28,29). This is why the feast days are called "Jewish Festivals" (John 2:13; 5:1; 6:4), and not Israel's Festivals. Jeremiah prophesied that, “At that time [when the NEW COVENANT is established-Jer. 31:31] young women will dance and be glad. Young men and old will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in the place of their sorrow", {Jeremiah 31:13}.

MY RESPONSE:

Could this woman get any MORE anti-Semitic?  She constantly refers to “the Jews” as if it’s a dirty word!

“They entered into a curse in order to continue in a corrupt law???”  Oh yes, YHWH’s Divine Instructions in Righteousness, according to this Christian anti-Semite, was HORRIBLE – so awful that He HATED His own rules and abolished them - just to please the Christians who apparently have to do NOTHING except "believe in Jesus?" 

To find the actual context of that passage, please read that whole passage on our blog.

Again, the New Covenant was NOT made with Gentiles or Christians because “Jesus” didn’t come to bring “Christianity” or any other NEW “religion”.  As shown above, YESHUA came to proclaim the Kingdom and do everything His Father commanded!

NUMBER FIVE:

Jesus/Yeshua instituted the LAST FEAST DAY and said, “Do this as often as you will in remembrance of Me.” If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a NEW CREATURE, the OLD THINGS (Old Law) are passed away and behold ALL THINGS, are become new.”

MY RESPONSE:

WHAT “last feast day”?  NONE of YHWH's Seven Mo'edim/Feast Times suggest the phrase “Do this as often as you will in remembrance of Me.”  ALL the Feast Days were established in Leviticus, NOT in the “New Testament”…  They are outlined here in our website's article.

NUMBER SIX:

The Messiah’s doctrine is the Bread of Life, and his Spirit is the Wine of Salvation. We must seek the transmutation of the natural into the Spiritual. If we don’t eat His Body (doctrine/bread) and drink of His Blood (spirit/wine), we cannot have eternal life. What is His body/doctrine? The New Covenant, the Gospel (Glad tidings of comfort and joy!) And What is His blood/spirit? LOVE (goodwill towards men) that brings forth Salvation. And THIS is why we celebrate CHRISTos/MAShiach (ChristMas) Day; the Day of the Anointed One in remembrance of Him!

MY RESPONSE:

How ironic that she contradicts herself by saying, “If we don’t eat His Body (doctrine/bread) and drink of His Blood (spirit/wine), we cannot have eternal life” – when all of her comments above speak AGAINST keeping YHWH’s Divine Instructions … which were first written in the TORAH and then reiterated in the New Testament! (Not the other way around….)

His “body/doctrine” she suggests is “eternal life”... EVERYTHING Yeshua said and taught came straight from TORAH, not from something “Jesus” made up in “New Covenant” times.

The last couple of sentences are totally bizarre, because they’re complete FICTION!

“And What is His blood/spirit? LOVE (goodwill towards men) that brings forth Salvation. And THIS is why we celebrate CHRISTos/MAShiach (ChristMas) Day; the Day of the Anointed One in remembrance of Him!”

You won’t find ONE SCRIPTURE to support that – NOT ONE!

Unfortunately, people like this have followers who blindly believe their concocted theology.  Let's pray that YHWH will open the eyes of those mired in "New Testament" only doctrines and give them the desire to start READING the Bible instead of just listening to someone pontificating opinions on Facebook.

Reader question about the Midianites and Ishmaelites

READER QUESTION:

I have a question about Gen 37:28. I’m reading from The Five Books of Moses. Why would the foreign travelers be described as Midianites and Ishmaelites?

OUR RESPONSE:

In general, "Ishmaelites" was used generically to describe the entire group of nomad traders in or from the vast area of Gilead (37:25). These people were a "blend" of the descendants of Avraham - not just the descendants of Ishmael. (True "Ishmaelites" descended from Hagar (Gen 16:15), while those known as Midianites descended from Keturah (Gen 25:1-2).)

So the caravan of traders of 37:25 was likely a large group of traders, consisting of "clans" of men identified by their common ancestry and common "trade". Within this caravan of "Ishmaelites", we know, were some Midianites because they are named in 37:28, and probably other "clans" also descendants of Avraham were present though they are not mentioned.

But the Midianites were singled out as the caravan passed because the Midianites did not just trade in "goods", they also traded in slavery (37:28). It would seem Joseph's brothers were quite aware of that. We can conclude that the traders, as a whole, were referred to as "Ishmaelites" because we see in 37:36 that the Midianites sold Joseph to Potifar in Egypt, while in 39:1 this same group is referred to as Ishmaelites.

Just respond with a “Merry Christmas!” and move on…

Around this time of year, I get many people asking me how to deal with store clerks or other strangers wishing us a “Merry Christmas!”

Well, for the sake of politeness and brevity, I personally just say it back to them. There's no sense in being rude to, or starting a theological debate with, those who are just being nice and haven’t got a clue about the “real reason for the season.”

Some stranger in a Department store doesn’t need know “what you believe”; and responding with a “Merry Christmas” won’t kill you and doesn't mean you're dishonoring YHWH or worshiping satan (as some HR types would have you believe). It simply means you're being polite to your fellow man who’s trying to be polite to you.

Now - if, for instance, you get into a conversation with your over-talkative, friendly Walmart Greeter, and they ask you about your plans for Christmas this year, THEN you can either simply say that you do Hanukah (to which they’ll usually reply, “Oh, okay then – happy Hanukkah!”) -

OR - if you want to risk getting into a deeper discussion, tell then you don’t “do” Christmas because you follow God’s commanded Festivals. At that point, you’ll probably get “the look” and a confused “Oh…” because most haven’t got a clue as to what you’re talking about, and the conversation will probably end right there.

But if it doesn’t, THEN be prepared to discuss and give them an outline of the seven Mo’edim and how Yeshua has so far fulfilled the first FOUR….

If you don’t want to risk being held up for the next thirty minutes, just say, “Merry Christmas!” and move on.

Have you been “at that mountain” long enough?

In both Deuteronomy 1:6 and 2:3, YHWH tells His people they have lived long enough by this mountain!

I encountered some MAJOR changes in my life when I heard the Ruach/Holy Spirit use those words on me, back in 1996. Although I knew not what lay ahead, and I didn’t always like what was happening (some of which left me wondering if I had truly heard the Ruach!), I persevered because, down deep I KNEW that this was what YHWH wanted me to do.

Looking back on it all now, I can clearly see that I had a choice to stay or leave “that mountain.”

Had I stayed, I would not be where I am today, physically, mentally, intellectually or financially! I would still be in that same rut asking God “WHY? Why can’t I find true happiness? Why is my life always in the toilet? Why can I not find a great job or good, godly man who loves me just the way I am? Why, why, why?”...

But I chose to OBEY because I was a middle-aged “baby Christian” who was smart enough to be cognizant of “where I had been,” and had made up my mind that I NEVER wanted to return to my “old life.”

Well, that decision – to sell my house and all my possessions and move to another state (as the Ruach has directed) has resulted in countless blessings as YHWH guided me along HIS Path – a Path I didn’t always care for, but which was necessary for graduation to the “next level”….

I believe that some of our friends  “out there” are also standing at a “fork in the road” trying to decide “which road” to take. My advice is: If you know YHWH is trying to DO something with you, come out of your rut and take the unfamiliar road; the road "less traveled" (that one you've NOT traveled a dozen times before, only to end up in the same ol' boring rut). Take that unfamiliar road – no matter WHERE it leads, because you’ve been at "that mountain" long enough!

YHWH can't do anything with someone who refuses to sh'ma - hear and do....

How many out there will support my cause to defend Yeshua’s honor against the Jewish “counter-missionaries”?

ATTENTION “counter-missionary” Yeshua-hating Jewish Rabbis who are actively lobbying to gather followers out of the Christian and Messianic population:

Why do you speak against the one you tell everyone to avoid; the one you hate and even despise (Isaiah 53:3); the one your ancestors pierced and crushed (Isaiah 53:5)?

You hypocrites! You brood of vipers who sit around pounding your chests and building yourselves up while bashing the Mashiyach already sent by אֵל שַׁדַּ – all in the Mighty Name of “G-d” (whose real name, יהוה. you refuse to utter, even though He gave it to Moshe! See Exodus 3:13-15; Matthew 3:7-12; 12:34-37; 23:13-23; John 8:43-44.)

You KNOW Isaiah said that אֵל שַׁדַּ intends to “give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. for he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12) – yet, you keep insisting Isaiah 53 is “all about Israel”….

Before you open your mouths to speak against Yeshua again, ask yourselves these questions:

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

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

· Can people take Israel's garments and divide them? (No, but that certainly happened in Y’shua’s case! See also 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!

Y'shua has filled myriads of Tanach prophecies - and people can reject it all they want, but they cannot CHANGE those facts!

And you also cannot change the fact that Yeshua WILL return – and when he does, EVERY KNEE (including YOURS) will bow! (See the Books of Daniel and Revelation, and Philippians 2:5-11).

Let’s discuss that “love your neighbor as yourself” mantra….

Matthew 22:36. “Teacher, which Commandment in Torah is the greatest?” 37. And Y’shua said to him, that “You should love Master YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and with all your mind.” 38. This is the first and the greatest Commandment. 39. And the second is like it. That “You should love your neighbor as yourself.” 40. On these two commandments hang Torah and the prophets. (AENT)

Some people are so hung up on that “love you neighbor as yourself” mantra, they forget that the FIRST and GREATEST command is to “Love God” – which comes straight from Torah. Take a look:

Deuteronomy 6: 4 "Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one]; 5 and you are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. (CJB)

Deuteronomy 11: 1 "Therefore, you are to love ADONAI your God and always obey his commission, regulations, rulings and mitzvot. (CJB)

(See also Luke 10:27.)

Okay, take another look at Matthew 22:36-40, above.

QUESTION: Does verse 40 in any way imply that all of God's original instructions were replaced or abolished somewhere along the line?

ANSWER: NO! Verse 40 tells us the Torah and the Prophets HANG/ARE DEPENDENT ON those two commands!

So, as you can see, there's more to it than just "loving God and loving your neighbor!" Those who DO the Commandments, are they who love YHWH (Matthew19:17; 1 John 5:2 and 3). Without love, observance of Torah is vanity, and without Torah one’s “love” is vanity.

In other words, SIN is still sin (sin is “transgression of the Torah – Romans 4:15; 1 John 3:3-6) and God still expects His people to adhere to His Divine Standards for moral, holy living! So, it is important to keep in mind that Torah HANGS on those “two commandments”...

Got misconceptions about “clean and unclean” meats?

It seems that some people have a few misconceptions about "clean" and "unclean" meats. They're having a hard time understanding why YHWH's people are not allowed to eat certain meats - and the simple answer is: because He SAID so, and we comply because we love Him.

The more detailed answer is this:

Leviticus 11:1 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, 2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘These are the living creatures which you may eat among all the land animals: 3 any that has a separate hoof which is completely divided and chews the cud — these animals you may eat. 4-6 But you are not to eat those that only chew the cud or only have a separate hoof. For example, the camel, the coney and the hare are unclean for you, because they chew the cud but don’t have a separate hoof; 7 while the pig is unclean for you, because, although it has a separate and completely divided hoof, it doesn’t chew the cud. 8 You are not to eat meat from these or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you. (CJB)

And then He goes on to explain which of the birds and fish are considered "clean and unclean", and why....Take a really close look at these verses and ask "What is it about these animals which differentiates them?"

Do you see it? Clean edible animals only eat grasses! They are distinguished by a completely split hoof and chewing the cud! All others eat meat (or junk - the pig for example)! Same goes for carnivorous birds and sea life designed to clean the ocean or river floors....

Yahweh was clear from the beginning about what we could and couldn't eat. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 provide a list of animals that are not to be eaten as food; and included in this list of "unclean" foods are some of man's favorites: pork, shrimp, lobster, crab, catfish, squid, rabbit, squirrel, etc. - things that were meant to be the "garbage disposals" of the world! The New Testament, on the other hand, seems to indicate that God changed His mind somewhere along the line:

But then we see the below and go, "Ooops! Doesnt't this say...."   Well, NO, it doesn't; not when read in context!

MARK 7:18 And he said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) (CJB)

This chapter showcases one of the greatest discussions of oral versus written Jewish law that exists in these writings of the Renewed Covenant. In many ways this presages the heated exchanges that would be recorded in the Talmud some 200 years later.

However, a major misunderstanding of this verse found its way into the modern translations with the parenthetical comment "in so doing Y'shua declared all foods clean."

Neither Aramaic nor early Greek manuscripts include this in the text, which is clearly an attempt by Gentile or Christian editors to abandon Torah's dietary laws. The point being established is that if you plot things like murder, lies, adulteries and so forth, then why be concerned about the food you eat, when weightier things are making you much more unclean than your food?

Even if a person kept a perfectly kosher diet, but had such unclean thoughts, such a one would rank among the most unkosher of people. See Luke 11:40.

Please understand, this is simply a mini-study about the overall picture concerning "clean and unclean". However, if you still have some doubts, please take a look at what Paul wrote here:

2 Corinthians 6:16. Or what agreement has the temple of Elohim with that of demons? For you are the temple of the living Elohim; as it is said, I will dwell among them, and walk among them, and will be their Elohim, and they will be my people. 17. Wherefore, you come out from among them, and be separate from them says Master YHWH; and don't come near the unclean thing, and I will receive you; 18. And will be to you a Father, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says Master YHWH the Almighty. (AENT)

It would be unwise to eat something unclean if you wish to be a son or daughter of YHWH!

Those who don't know their Bibles very well will argue that, since the death of Jesus, we can eat whatever we want. But, since Malachi 3:6 declares that God does NOT change, why would He have changed his mind about what constitutes "clean" and "unclean" foods? Why would the foods listed in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 now be okay to eat?

The bottom line is, YHWH is perfect and holy. He is our Creator, and when He commands something, our job is not to question, but simply obey.

How many more ways can humanity be told that YHWH’s Torah pertains to all of us?

How many more ways can humanity be told that YHWH’s Torah pertains to all of us? Here is just a sampling from the various Bible versions:

JPS Tanakh 1917

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Proverbs 28:9 If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English

Proverbs 28:9 He that shuts his ears that he will not hear the Law, even his prayer is defiled.

New International Version

Proverbs 28:9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.

New Living Translation

Proverbs 28:9 God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law.

English Standard Version

Proverbs 28:9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Berean Study Bible

Proverbs 28:9 Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.

New American Standard Bible

Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

New King James Version

Proverbs 28:9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

King James Bible

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Christian Standard Bible

Proverbs 28:9 Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law--even his prayer is detestable.

Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 28:9 God cannot stand the prayers of anyone who disobeys his Law.

Good News Translation

Proverbs 28:9 If you do not obey the law, God will find your prayers too hateful to hear.

International Standard Version

Proverbs 28:9 If someone quits listening to the Law even his prayer is detestable.

GOD'S WORD® Translation

Proverbs 28:9 Surely the prayer of someone who refuses to listen to [God's] teachings is disgusting.

World English Bible

Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Have you lost any friends over Torah?

Well, I've lost a few Facebook, and even real life "friends" recently, including one Christian lady I've known since 2009, when we worked together. We used to get together occasionally and got along just fine, even when discussing Scripture. But eventually, she started backing away until we finally fizzled out.

It's sad that people don't want to be friends with those of us who are Torah observant. It's as if Torah observance is some sort of deadly disease, and they don't want to risk being infected. (Perhaps that's the whole problem: Torah observance requires one to DO something for God - and hey, Christianity has its adherents convinced that they're "under grace" and NOTHING is required of them except to "believe in Jesus.")

Oh, if only they would actually STUDY "that Old Testament Stuff" they so quickly dismiss; and read the New Testament in CONTEXT, they would see MANY instances where Gentiles who accepted YHWH as their God and His Divine Messiah, were told to do exactly as HIS people do! (Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, and Romans 10:12-13)

...And HIS people have ALWAYS obeyed - and reaped the consequences of disobedience, since the day YHWH created humankind. But somehow, "obedience" has become a thing of the past, and hardly anyone is even asking WHY!

Obedience to YHWH's Torah didn't magically disappear just because His Messiah died for us! Yeshua came, in part, to abolish the need for animal "sin sacrifices" and make it easy on humanity to turn their life around. His death didn't abolish YHWH's Torah! Why would it have, since they're our ONLY Divine Instructions on how to live our love for YHWH? EVERYTHING in the Renewed Testament reflects the "Old Testament".

How sad that hardly anyone is grasping that simple concept.

Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Deuteronomy 27:26 '"A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.' All the people are to say, 'Amen!'

Matthew 5:17 Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah – not until everything that must happen has happened.

19 So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P'rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven! (CJB)

I'll leave you with these questions to seriously ponder:

Has everything that "must happen" happened yet? Has "forever" already ended? Have "heaven and earth passed away? Since when has "fulfill" ever meant "put an end to." I've been married for 20 years and I have, and am still "fulfilling" my duties as a wife....

A stern warning for all those who hate the Jews and Israel

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

Genesis 49: 10 The scepter will not pass from Y'hudah, nor the ruler's staff from between his legs, until he comes to whom [obedience] belongs; and it is he whom the peoples will obey.

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people set apart as holy for ADONAI your God. ADONAI your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his own unique treasure. 7 ADONAI didn't set his heart on you or choose you because you numbered more than any other people - on the contrary, you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 Rather, it was because ADONAI loved you, and because he wanted to keep the oath which he had sworn to your ancestors, that ADONAI brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from a life of slavery under the hand of Pharoah king of Egypt.

Micah 4:2 Many Gentiles will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of ADONAI, to the house of the God of Ya'akov (Judah's father)! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim. (CJB)

The anti-Semitism that's on the rise around the world is proof that the Books of Daniel and Revelation are unfolding before our eyes. These things MUST come to pass. After all, Daniel 8:25 and 9:27 makes it clear that a very charismatic but unsavory person WILL succeed in making that seven-year peace treaty with Israel ...with the first 3 1/2 seemingly wonderful years, and the second 3 1/2 showing his "true colors".

Yeshua will be returning at the end of that seven year period to kick off his Millennium rule. The question remains: Where will YOUR heart be on that day .... when EVERY knee will bow and every tongue will confess YHWH/Yeshua/Torah? (See Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10–11; Isaiah 45:23)

Isaiah 28:So listen to the word of Adonai, you scoffers, composing taunts for this people in Yerushalayim: 15 Because you said, “We made a covenant with death, we made a contract with Sh’ol. When the raging flood passes through, it will not touch us. For we have made lies our refuge and hid ourselves in falsehoods” — 16 therefore here is what Adonai Elohim says:  “Look, I am laying in Tziyon a tested stone, a costly cornerstone, a firm foundation-stone; he who trusts will not rush here and there.

17 I will make justice the plumbline and righteousness the plumb-bob; hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, water will overflow the hiding place, 18 your covenant with death will be annulled, and your contract with Sh’ol will not stand. When the raging flood passes through, you will be trampled down by it.  19 As often as it passes through, it will take you, for it will pass through every morning, day after day, night after night; understanding the message will be sheer terror.”

It is important to highlight several realities established by the text. The “covenant of death,” or the “pact with Sheol” is (1) made by the rulers of Judah, (2) made with “death”, (3) instead of trusting in Messiah, the “tested stone” they rely on the covenant, (4) they enter into the covenant specifically for the purpose of avoiding “the overwhelming (flooding) scourge”, yet (5) the covenant “will be cancelled” or broken. And so, (6) instead of providing Judah with deliverance from the flooding scourge, they will be “trampled” by it.

This passage in Isaiah literally contains every element of the view that Israel will the Antichrist will enter into a “covenant” or security alliance with the Antichrist (death). The result will be a broken covenant and the overwhelming military “flood” of the Antichrist will sweep into the land. The specific element of the covenant being seven years of course is not found in this passage, but is seen in Daniel 9 and in Jesus’ exposition of that passage in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24).

Elsewhere, Isaiah prophesies that in the Messianic Kingdom, after having been scourged and trampled, Israel will repent of their misplaced trust. No longer will they trust or rely on the Antichrist (which this passage in Isaiah refers to as “the Assyrian”) for their security. Instead “in that day” they will rely solely on the Lord:

Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 10:20)

BOTTOM LINE: If you hate the Jews and Israel, it's a sure bet, he will be "vomiting you from his mouth" (Revelation 3:16) - and you will have ensured your eternal SEPARATION from ADONAI....

Challenging the Christian idea that God’s Sabbath is NOT on the Seventh Day….

Here’s a response to a Christian’s false assertions in an article he calls The Sabbath:

He starts his article called, The Sabbath, with the following two paragraphs:

"If God instituted the "Sabbath" before the "Fall of Man," it seems strange that the fact is not recorded in Genesis, and that Adam was not told to observe it. Nowhere in the Book of Genesis do we read of Adam, or any of his descendants, or Noah, or Abraham observing the Sabbath.

"The first place we read of the Sabbath is in Ex. 16:23-26, in connection with the gathering of the manna-"Six" days ye shall gather it; but on the SEVENTH day, WHICH IS THE SABBATH, in it there shall be none."  Here we have the "SEVENTH" day designated as "THE SABBATH."

MY RESPONSE:

Sorry, but that article was written by someone who clearly wishes to go against GOD's Divine Instructions. This guy didn't once think through that not every Word God said is written into those first few chapter of Genesis - which is an overview of the Creation. Fact remains, God SEPARATED it as HOLY! You can argue that all you want, and you won't find anywhere in Scripture where HE changed His HOLY day to SUNDAY!

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.

Exodus 31:16 The people of Isra'el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the people of Isra'el forever; for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and rested.'"

Ezekiel 20:11 I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them. 12 I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy.

Exodus 20:8 "Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for ADONAI your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work -not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, ADONAI made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why ADONAI blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself.

Isaiah 56: 2 Happy is the person who does this, anyone who grasps it firmly, who keeps Shabbat and does not profane it, and keeps himself from doing any evil. 3 A foreigner joining ADONAI should not say, "ADONAI will separate me from his people"; likewise the eunuch should not say, "I am only a dried-up tree." 4 For here is what ADONAI says: "As for the eunuchs who keep my Shabbats, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant: 5 in my house, within my walls, I will give them power and a name greater than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

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

Isaiah 58: 13 If you hold back your foot on Shabbat from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call Shabbat a delight, ADONAI'S holy day, worth honoring; then honor it by not doing your usual things or pursuing your interests or speaking about them. 14 If you do, you will find delight in ADONAI - I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya'akov, for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken."

Isaiah 66: 23 And it shall be that from one New Moon to another New Moon and from one Sabbath to another Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord.

Jeremiah 17: 21 Here is what ADONAI says: "If you value your lives, don't carry anything on Shabbat or bring it in through the gates of Yerushalayim; 22 don't carry anything out of your houses on Shabbat; and don't do any work. Instead, make Shabbat a holy day. I ordered your ancestors to do this, 23 but they neither listened nor paid attention; rather, they stiffened their necks, so that they wouldn't have to hear or receive instruction. 24 However, if you will pay careful heed to me," says ADONAI "and carry nothing through the gates of this city on Shabbat, but instead make Shabbat a day which is holy and not for doing work;

WHERE IN SCRIPTURE does GOD tell us to ignore the original, seventh day Sabbath - the day He Himself blessed and made holy (Gen 2:1-2)?

ANSWER: You won't find anything in the Scriptures that references the changing of the Sabbath to Sunday. Some argue that it's because "Jesus rose on a Sunday" - but you need to ask yourself: Why would that, in itself, change the seventh-day Sabbath that God ordained "in the beginning"? (First of all, please see our article which proves that Jesus did NOT rise on a Sunday!) Some argue that Constantine was responsible for changing the Sabbath because he hated the Jews.

No matter who instituted Sunday worship, in Yeshua's time, both Jews and Gentiles alike, regularly attended the synagogue for worship on the seventh day - which, on our Gregorian calendars falls on Saturday), and the fact that interested Gentiles in Antioch requested further instruction of Paul "on the next Sabbath" is irrefutable evidence that no separate Sunday (1st day) meetings were being held there by those early Christians: The Gentiles were willing to wait an entire week, till the next Saturday, for a meeting because they knew that Paul and his companions did not normally meet for worship on a Sunday. Acts 13:42-44 tells us that, on the next Sabbath (Saturday) almost the whole city arrived for the meeting.

Some insist that Acts 20:7 reveals Sunday worship, but this is not true. Fact is, Jewish believers in Yeshua continued meeting at synagogue (or the Temple) for Sabbath. Common practice would be havdallah - meeting in homes after sundown on Saturday to continue discussions and praise from the Sabbath, which explains Paul "preaching until midnight" in Acts 20:7. The first day of the week for Jews (like Paul) began at sundown at the end of the Sabbath - Saturday evening - not "Sunday."

Furthermore, the fact is, neither the Father nor the Son has ever claimed the first day as His own in any higher sense than He has each or any of the other laboring days. Neither of them has ever placed any blessing upon it, or attached any sanctity to it. The Bible tells us God expressly reserved the seventh day to Himself, placing His blessing upon it, and claimed it as His holy day. (Genesis 2:1-3.) Moses told Israel in the wilderness of Sin of the sixth day of the week, "Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." Exodus 16:23.

BOTTOM LINE: You can worship any day you want; but YHWH's Sabbath - His commanded day of rest - always was and will continue to be the Seventh Day! That is, after all, what sets us apart from the rest of the world! No "religion" including Christianity, can claim they have the right to change YHWH's Sabbaths/Feasts - His Appointed Times. After all, it's the "anti-christ" who does these things:

Daniel 7: 25 He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. (The "holy ones" are those who obey His Torah!) He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Ever heard of “Planet X”? Well, it’s nonsense!

Okay, apparently that silly “Planet X” thing is rearing its ugly head again. Have any of our readers actually fallen for it?

For those who don’t know what it is, it's just another conspiracy theory that's been around for years, suggesting there are physical connections between "Planet X", the sky darkening at the Messiah's crucifixion, and "Wormwood" from the Bible, and that this planet is suddenly going to appear and cause the end of the world!

To gain some sanity on this issue, please check out our article.

Let’s get real about those "Santas" in our malls

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning YHWH created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of Adonai the heavens were made, and their whole host by a breath from his mouth. 7 He collects the sea waters together in a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear Adonai! Let all living in the world stand in awe of him.

9 For he spoke, and there it was; he commanded, and there it stood. 10 Adonai brings to nothing the plans of nations, he foils the plans of the peoples. 11 But the counsel of Adonai stands forever, his heart’s plans are for all generations.

12 How blessed is the nation whose God is Adonai, the people he chose as his heritage! 13 Adonai looks out from heaven; he sees every human being; 14 from the place where he lives he watches everyone living on earth, 15 he who fashioned the hearts of them all and understands all they do. (CJB)

Why do people insist on the LIE that is the mythical Santa who climbs down the chimneys of all “good” children?  Why do people insist on giving presents to each other on a man-made holiday that long ago lost its purpose, which represents the FALSE birthday of Messiah … a day we're not even commanded to celebrate … a time where many go deeply into debt to buy those presents (which is actually ANOTHER thing that goes against Scripture - Romans 13:8, Psalm 37:21, Proverbs 28:8; Matthew 25:27, Leviticus 25:35-38)?

Let’s just cut to the chase and ask ourselves this question:  What, exactly, does this mythical being called "Santa" have to do with the birth of the Messiah?

Answer:  Nothing.

“He brings presents,” you say?  “Yes, just like those three wise men.” 

Okay, so … did the “three wise men” give presents to each other?  (More on that, in a moment. Right now, let’s stick to the topic at hand….)

The bottom line is, “Santa” – as presented to our children at Christmas – is a farce!  MAN, in his self-perceived infinite wisdom, factored into this bogus “Jesus’ birthday” the idea of of an old, bearded fat man who shimmies down the chimneys of only the “good” children to deliver presents around the world (all in one night, I might add) – and who completely USURPS the supposed “reason for the season.” 

Come on!  Do you really think YHWH our ELOHIM approves of this IDOL called Santa Claus?  Do you really think He sees nothing wrong with the LIE about the birth date of His Son?

Christmas – although, completely MAN-MADE, is supposed to be ALL about the birth of Jesus (who - according to Scripture – was NOT born in December, but on the first day of Sukkot/Tabernacles, which happens in the Sept/Oct time frame on our Gregorian calendar – a fact that, all by itself, makes the whole idea of “Christmas” a huge LIE).

Yet, choosing to completely ignore what Scripture says about lies and idols, most INSIST that this MYTHICAL entity "knows whether you've been naughty or nice." (Check out WHO TRULY knows:  Psalms 33:8, 34:15, 121:8, 141:3; Proverbs 15:3; Deuteronomy 32; Job 29:2; Jeremiah 1:2, etc.)

Ignoring what Scripture says, we insist on telling our littles ones that "Santa won't bring you any presents unless you've been good."  That is not only another LIE, but it’s a HORRIBLE thing to do to children - to have them keep in the back of their minds all year long, that they have to be "good" in order to get “Christmas presents” because some mythical entity is watching their every move!

Where does that leave YHWH, our Creator?  What does HIS WORD say about “idols” and “other gods?” (Leviticus 21:6, Ezekiel 16:20, 36; 20:24; 23:30, 2 Kings 17:12, 41, etc.)

SIGH….

Anyway, let’s get back to the idea of those "three wise men":

Truth is, the Gospel of Matthew is the only one of the four Canonical gospels to mention the Magi. It reveals that they came "from the east" to worship the Mashiyach, "born King of the Jews." Although the account does not tell how many they were, some scholars suggest the three gifts led to a widespread assumption that they were three men. In the East, the magi traditionally number twelve, but their identification as kings in later Christian writings is probably linked to Psalms 72:11, "May all kings fall down before him".

And here’s the kicker:  Those "three wise men" weren't even there when Yeshua was born - and they certainly didn't stand around a decorated tree to exchange presents; they brought them ONLY for the little Messiah – which didn’t happen until TWO YEARS AFTER HIS BIRTH, when they finally reached him!

So, the question remains: WHY do people insist on the LIE of the mythical Santa?

Please check out the following scriptures to get just a tiny clue as to WHO is really in charge and what HE thinks of our man-made customs:

Ezekiel 14:3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity Should I be consulted by them at all?

Jeremiah 1:16 "I will pronounce My judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.

Isaiah 2:8 Their land has also been filled with idols; They worship the work of their hands, That which their fingers have made.

Psalm 106:36 And served their idols, Which became a snare to them.

Revelation 9:20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.

Question about Jacob being renamed Israel

READER QUESTION:

When Jacob is renamed Israel, why is he still referred to as Jacob in subsequent passages?  What, if any, is the difference between Jacob and Israel?

OUR RESPONSE:

Shalom and thanks for the question!

YHWH changes the names of important people to suit his new role for them.  Jacob means "supplanter" and YHWH changed his name to "Israel" which means "having power of God" (Genesis 32:28), because Jacob had "wrestled" with YHWH and won.  So that's the difference between "Jacob" and "Israel."  As we know, Jacob (Israel) went on to produce the twelve tribes of Israel (the nation).

Why is he still referred to as "Jacob" in subsequent passages? The name change did not mean that Jacob lost his given name and from then on would be called "Israel".  It's unfortunate that the verse in English reads "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel..." because the Hebrew word used is "shim'cha" is not necessarily "name", rather, it means "mark", or "honor/authority/character". 

In other words, Jacob was given more of a title - "Israel".  So in the following scriptures we typically see "Jacob" used when he is referred to as the man, Jacob, and as "Israel" when he is referred to has his new role.

This "renaming" is also seen in the New Testament. In John 1:42, Yeshua gives Shim'on a new "name" - Kefa - which means "rock". Later, we see him identified in Matthew 16:16 as "Shim`on Kefa" and Yeshua still refers to him as Shim'on (Matthew 16:17; 17:25; Mark 14:37; Luke 22:31; John 21:15-17).  So, again, a "name" change is mostly a title due to some importance of that person, but it does not mean they no longer had their old name.

Let’s do a little in-depth study of 1 Corinthians 10:31….

1 Corinthians 10:31 Well, whatever you do, whether it’s eating or drinking or anything else, do it all so as to bring glory to God. (CJB)
 
What a beautiful, meaningful verse!  So many seem to fail to realize the importance of being “wholehearted” and “doing EVERYTHING for the love of YHWH/Yeshua”….

If we truly belong to ADONAI, then we take into consideration everything we do:  We keep a close eye on our own behavior (guided by Torah) and teach our children to do the same.  We start cleaning our homes of any “other god” (i.e., statues or pictures of Buddha, Kokopele, Egyptian “gods” etc.) 

We double check restaurant menus for any “unclean” meats, and constantly remember to thank Him for our life, our families, homes, food … EVERYTHING  – because we know that we would have NONE of those things without Him!  After all, HE is the reason our universe and everything in it, exists!
 
So, let’s take a closer look at 1 Corinthians 10, to see what Paul meant in this passage, and discover another side of what it means to be holy, whole-hearted and pleasing to YHWH:
 
1 Corinthians 10:29. The conscience I speak of is not your own, but his who told you. But why is my freedom judged of, by the conscience of others?   30. If I by grace partake, why am I reproached for that for which I give thanks?  31. If you therefore eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do all things for the glory of Elohim. (AENT)
 
Notice the word “conscience”?  As you know, it refers to the discernment of right and wrong, based on Torah as the Word of YHWH. (NOT on our own opinions or desires; but by TORAH!) “Conscience” includes a “group conscience” of YHWH’s “Kedoshim” (Set Apart people).  As Torah is being written upon the heart (Jeremiah 31:33), each soul is to recognize and support the work of the Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit within the Body. 
 
As you can see in this particular passage, Paul was not at “liberty” to break the Word of YHWH and eat meat sacrificed to idols, and he never suggested that anyone should.  Here, he was addressing the frail and immature “conscience” of those who struggle to leave paganism.  When a Believer voices Torah conscience, the rest of the body of believers is obligated to support them, even if some think otherwise.
 
Paul referred to the Believers in Corinth as carnal babes who couldn’t digest solid “spiritual” food and who are struggling to receive truth; they are contentious and walking in the flesh (1 Cor 3), much the same as the modern Christian church which uses these verses to endorse denial and violation of Torah, which is simply a poor attempt to “justify” the weak carnal flesh….
 
So, referring back to my initial comment about verse 31, to truly “do all things for the glory of Elohim,” it is imperative to UNDERSTAND what He commanded, what His Messiah and the Apostles taught, and how to apply it to our own lives.
 
Let’s take another look at that verse and allow it to permeate our soul:

1 Corinthians 10:31. If you therefore eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do all things “for the glory of Elohim” or to “bring glory to God".

Depart from me, you workers of iniquity!

Does the Bible say, “Depart from me, you who practice the law”?

NO! It says the following:

Matthew 7:22. Many will say to me in that day, “My master, my master. By your name, have we not prophesied? And by you name have we cast out demons? And by your name have we done many miracles?” 23. And then I will profess to them that from everlasting, I have not known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity! [1]

24. Anyone, therefore, who hears my words, these, and does them, will be likened to a wise man who built his house upon a stone. 25. And descended the rain, and came the rivers, and blew the winds, and they beat on the house and it did not fall, for its foundation was laid upon a stone.

26. And anyone who hears my words, these, and does them not, will be likened to a foolish man that built his house upon sand. 27. And descended the rain, and came the rivers, and blew the winds, and they beat on the house and it fell, and its fall was great. 28. And it happened that when Y’shua finished these words, the crowds marveled at his teaching. 29. He would teach for them as an authority, [2] and not as their scribes and the Pharisees. (AENT)

[1] Psalm 6:8, 9 ‑ “workers of iniquity” is a common phrase in the Tanakh. Iniquity is lawlessness (without Torah). “Horror has taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Your Torah.” Psalm 119:53. Each and every teaching of Y’shua is based on Torah. To be anti-Torah is to be anti-Mashiyach; therefore every “authority” will be judged according to whether they uphold Torah or not. According to Y’shua, Torah is “the will of My Father.” Matthew 7:21;12:50. Torah means instruction in righteousness.

[2] The Pharisees and scribes both appealed to the authority of oral traditions that were handed down from their teachers of the past, eventually these traditions became codified as the Talmud. However, Y’shua’s authority as the Son of Man was squarely on the Written Torah and YHWH’s Prophets. Y’shua clearly encouraged the great rabbis of his day to study and apply Torah as a lifestyle (righteous conduct).

Had the Pharisees studied Torah and the Prophets with and through Mashiyach, it would have brought them around to the same halachic, or legal positions Y’shua taught his disciples. Contrary to religious opinion Y’shua taught the Government of YHWH (righteous spirituality and conduct) rather than a new or different religion.

QUESTION: Does the passage above sound like God's original teaching and instruction were somehow abolished?

Yeshua's intent was not to abolish or weaken or emasculate the Laws of YHWH, revealed in the Old Testament, but to expand and magnify them to their full spiritual intent and conclusion; to show their full meaning, purpose, and relevance; to reveal their spiritual and supernatural nature and basis; to show that the commandments lead us by necessity to FAITH in him as the Messiah.

We do not earn salvation by works, but by Faith in Yeshua the Messiah, who died for our sins, and who now gives us his spirit to enable us to fulfill the righteousness of the Law (Acts 2:38; 5:32; Gal.2:20).

The Messiah did not replace the Law of YHWH with Faith alone; but rather gave us inward Faith, through his spirit, to enable us to observe the holy commandments of God! Yet, unfortunately, with the advent of other “religions”, Torah (YHWH’s Divine Instructions in Righteousness) and the rest of the "Old Testament", basically became null and void because people mistakenly believe "Torah" equates to "law", and that the death of Jesus negated the law….

The apostle Paul knew this truth and wrote to the believers in Rome:

Romans3:31 Do, we then nullify Torah by faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish Torah.

Not one yud or stroke ("jot or tittle") was abolished from the Torah … and won’t be, until everything that must happen has happened.  (See Matthew 5:17-20.)

A time that “no man knows”

Here’s an example of another erroneous concept being blindly passed around on the Internet. The article says, in part:

“Many of us have read the famous quote of our Messiah in the gospels when he declared that his second coming would be at a time that “no man knows.” Yet, how many of us knew that he was actually making a reference to “The Feast of Trumpets” when he spoke this Hebrew Idiom?

“What is an idiom? An idiom is an expression that does not make sense in other languages other than the one being spoken.

Here is an example of an idiom in English: 'Its raining cats and dogs outside!'
“Everyone knows when this expression is being used, there are not actually cats and dogs falling out of the sky. It is an expression that means it is raining very heavily, and only those who speak English would understand this. However in any other language, it does not make sense. And such is the case with the Hebrew Idiom for the Feast of Trumpets.

“The Feast of Trumpets was known by those in ancient Jerusalem as 'The Day That No Man Knows.' And why was this feast nick-named by this Hebrew Idiom? It is because this is the only feast that is determined by the sighting of the new moon, therefore, 'no man' can calculate the exact day nor the hour of when it begins.”

Here is why this message is wrong:

First, only Christian and Messianic/Hebrew Roots writers make this claim that the Feast of Trumpets is "the day that no man knows"; therefore, it is only Christians, Hebrew Rooters and Messianics who "connect" it to Matthew 24:36-37. We have seen absolutely no Jewish writer making the claim that Yom Teruah is "the day that no man knows!"

Yom Teruah is the 1st day of the 7th month, so it is determined the same as the 1st day of all the other months of the year.

Second, it is argued that the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashannah is the only 2-day holiday - which they claim bolsters the idea that it was because it was "the day that no man knows".

That is bogus! It is a two-day holiday because it evolved in Judaism as a two-day holiday. We see this in Nehemiah 8:2 and 8:13:

Nehemiah 8:2 "Ezra the cohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which consisted of men, women and all children old enough to understand. It was the first day of the seventh month."

Nehemiah 8:13: "On the second day, the heads of fathers' clans of all the people assembled with the cohanim and L'vi'im before `Ezra the Torah-teacher to study the words of the Torah."

So, you see, they knew full-well the 1st day of the month (verse 8), but they assembled for two days (verse 13). Hence, it became a two-day holiday. There's nothing about it being "not known".

Ready to do an in-depth study of John 1:1-14 in context?

Most English Bibles, in John 1:1, read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God", and most people who read that, know nothing more than what the English words convey. Below, via scriptures and footnotes from his Aramaic English New Testament, Andrew Gabriel Roth reveals that when John 1:1-5 is read with an understanding that the original Aramaic conveyed, it carries a much deeper meaning!

He writes:

While reading this, be sure to keep in mind that the “Word” (Aramaic: Miltha) was a PART of YHWH/ELOHIM – “one” with ELOHIM (Hebrew: Echad)….

John 1:1. In the beginning[1] was the Miltha[2].  And that Miltha was with Elohim.  And Elohim was that Miltha.  2. This was with Elohim in the beginning.[3]  3. Everything existed through his hands,[4] and without him, not even one thing existed of the things which have existed.  4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.[5]  5. And that light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.[6] (AENT)

[1]   The phrase B’resheet aytohi hwa miltha breaks a most basic rule of Aramaic grammar by combining a feminine noun (miltha) with two masculine verbs for “to be” (aytohi, hwa).  This is unheard of in Aramaic literature other than right here in this passage and in 1 John.  This shows YHWH has male and female “images/spirits” even though YHWH remains a He.  It may also be a midrash on Isaiah 11:1-2, which describes the Spirit of YHWH descending on Mashiyach using both masculine and feminine suffixes. This is not something easily translated, let alone when it occurs within the first four words.

[2] Miltha has no direct English equivalent. It can mean ‘Word’, ‘Manifestation’, ‘Instance’ or ‘Substance’ among other things. In this context, it may best be left untranslated.

[3]   Fulfilling Messianic prophecy: Mashiyach (ruler of Israel) is to have origins of the ancient past Micah 5:2; Isaiah 48:16. Bear in mind that Micah is referring to the spiritual “Israel of Elohim,” those of the Kingdom of Heaven according to the circumcision of heart.

[4]  Literal Aramaic reading; “through his hands” indicates the Word as a creative force, like a sculptor working under the orders of a king.  See Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 44:24; 66:1, 2.

[5] Another possibility is that “life” refers to eternal life after death. Aramaic uses the word paroqa for “Savior” in this very sense, of a Life-Giver of “living waters” as Y’shua describes elsewhere in John 4.

{6]  Aramaic wordplay.  Nohra b’chashokha menhar (light in the darkness that shines) is a deliberate mirror-reversal of menhar-nohra (menorah), which marks the conception of the light of the world at Hanukkah.  This puts the birth of Mashiyach nine months from Hanukkah, during the fall feasts; many point to the first day of Feast of Tabernacles for the date of Y’shua’s birth.

In the verse 1, according to Aramaic and Hebrew scholars, the phrase B'resheet aytohi hwa miltha, breaks a most basic rule of Aramaic grammar by combining a feminine noun (miltha) with two masculine verbs for "to be" (aytohi, hwa).

This is unheard of in Aramaic literature other than right here in this passage and in 1 John!

Continuing with our study:

John 1:6. There was a man who was sent from Elohim whose name was Yochanan. 7. This man came for a witness that he might testify concerning the light that all might believe through his hand. 8. He was not the light; rather that he might bear witness concerning the light. 9. For the light was of truth, that which shines on all who come into the world.

10. He was in the world, and the world existed by his hand and the world did not know him. 11. He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. 12. But those who did receive him he gave to them authority that they might be the sons of Elohim, those who have believed in his name.

13. Those who neither by blood nor by the will of the flesh nor by the will of a man, rather were begotten by Elohim. 14. And the Miltha[7] became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory,[8] the glory as the Only-Begotten[9] who is from the Father who is full of grace and truth. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[7] Miltha refers to the “Manifestation” of the Ruach haKodesh within Mashiyach. The physical body of Mashiyach is not the Word of YHWH, but his words and actions demonstrate the Will and Word of YHWH, which upholds observance of Torah. However, Christo-Pagans like Marcion and Constantine taught that Y’shua’s body and spirit manifest a different “word” that did away with Torah. The Word of YHWH was substituted with dispensational and replacement “theologies,” which are very popular among Christians.

[8] Isaiah 42:8; 48:11

[9] Ekhadaya is a beautiful term used among Eastern theologians and poets; it literally means “THE ONE”

Where is the scripture that tells us we can’t buy or sell on the Sabbath?

READER COMMENT:

Just wondering exactly where I can find the scripture that supposedly tells us we can’t buy or sell on the Sabbath.

OUR RESPONSE:

While you will not find anything in Torah that specifically addresses "buying or selling" on the Sabbath, it was clearly understood by Israel as being taboo. Let's check Nehemiah 10 where we see the people of Israel swearing an oath that included NO COMMERCE on Shabbat:

Nehemiah 10: 28 The rest of the people, the cohanim, the L'vi'im, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Torah of God, along with their wives, sons and daughters, everyone capable of knowing and understanding, 29 joined their kinsmen and their leaders in swearing an oath, accompanied by a curse [in case of noncompliance], as follows: "We will live by God's Torah, given by Moshe the servant of God, and will perform and obey all the mitzvot, rulings and laws of ADONAI our Lord. 30 "We will not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land or take their daughters as wives for our sons.

31 "If the peoples of the lands bring merchandise or food to sell on Shabbat, we will not buy from them on Shabbat or on a holy day. "We will forego [planting and harvesting our fields] during the seventh year and collecting debts then. 32 "We will impose on ourselves a yearly tax of one-third of a shekel [one-seventh of an ounce of silver] for the service of the house of our 33 for the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering, for [the offerings] on Shabbat, on Rosh-Hodesh, at the designated times and at other holy times, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Isra'el, and for all the work connected with the house of our God.

34 "We, the cohanim, the L'vi'im and the people, will cast lots in connection with the wood offering, so that it will be brought to the house of our God according to our fathers' clans, at specified times, year by year, and then be burned on the altar of ADONAI our God, as prescribed in the Torah. 35 "Every year we will bring the firstfruits of our land and the firstfruits of all fruit from every kind of tree to the house of ADONAI. 36 "We will also bring the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as prescribed in the Torah, and the firstborn of our herds and flocks, to the house of our God, to the cohanim ministering in the house of our God.

37 "We will bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of every kind of tree, wine and olive oil to the cohanim in the storerooms of the house of our God, along with the tenths from our land for the L'vi'im; since they, the L'vi'im, take the tenths in all the cities where we farm. 38 The cohen the descendant of Aharon is to be with the L'vi'im when the L'vi'im take tenths. The L'vi'im will bring the tenth of the tenth to the house of our God, to the storerooms for supplies. 39 For the people of Isra'el and the descendants of Levi are to bring the contribution of grain, wine and olive oil to the rooms where the equipment for the sanctuary, the ministering cohanim, the gatekeepers and the singers are. We will not abandon the house of our God." (CJB)

Pay special attention to verse 29, where we see that the people are talking about entering into an oath/vow, to walk in Torah. The things listed that they were vowing to change included the fact that they would no longer buy nor sell anything on the Sabbath!

The above passage (along with Nehemiah 13:15-21, below,) are very clear indicators revealing that Israel KNEW that buying and selling on the Sabbath were breaking ADONAI's divine rules.

Let's take a look at another passage, that discusses the prohibition against commerce on Shabbat:

Nehemiah 13:15 During this time I saw in Y'hudah some people who were treading winepresses on Shabbat, also bringing in heaps of grain and loading donkeys with it, likewise wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads; and they were bringing them into Yerushalayim on the day of Shabbat. On the day when they were planning to sell the food, I warned them not to.

16 There were also living there people from Tzor who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on Shabbat to the people in Y'hudah and even in Yerushalayim.

17 I disputed with the nobles of Y'hudah, demanding of them, "What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat? 18 Didn't your ancestors do this, and didn't our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you are bringing still more fury against Isra'el by profaning Shabbat!"

19 So when the gates of Yerushalayim began to grow dark before Shabbat, I ordered that the doors be shut; and I ordered that they not be reopened until after Shabbat. I put some of my servants in charge of the gates, to see to it that no loads be brought in on Shabbat.

20 The merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Yerushalayim once or twice, 21 until I warned them, "Why are you spending the night by the wall? Do it again, and I'll use force against you!" From then on they stopped coming on Shabbat. (CJB)

How sad that countless millions of “Christmas” trees are chopped down every year … and for what?

I don't know about anyone else, but it always saddens me to see all these amazing, regal spruces being chopped down just so people can decorate and gawk at them for a few weeks, before discarding them.

And for what?

Originally, it was to celebrate a man-made holiday designed to honor the birth of Jesus (who was actually born on the first day of Sukkot/Tabernacles, which falls in the September/October timeframe!) - yet Christmas is about everything EXCEPT him.

Oh, sure, churches put up trees, discuss the birth of Messiah and offer special Christmas Eve services for the pious to attend (including many who claim to be believers and take time out to be seen once a year...).

But mostly, Christmas is a holiday with a purpose that's long been forgotten. The fact that many can't even be bothered to spell out CHRISTMAS - preferring instead to use "X-mas" - is PROOF positive that "Christ" isn't in this celebration....

Anyway, in America alone, we destroy around 16 million trees each year for this bogus holiday designed to get people to reach deep into their pockets and buy, buy, buy ... things they go into debt for, without thinking twice. (After all, MOST Americans have credit cards, many of whom are literally slaves to their lenders because they don't have sense enough to STOP using them, get OUT of debt and regain control of their lives....)

Christmas saddens me on many levels, and I'm pretty sure that our Creator feels the same way.

Jeremiah 10: 1 Hear the word Adonai speaks to you, house of Isra'el! 2 Here is what Adonai says: "Don't learn the way of the Goyim, don't be frightened by astrological signs, even if the Goyim are afraid of them; 3 for the customs of the peoples are nothing. They cut down a tree in the forest; a craftsman works it with his axe; 4 they deck it with silver and gold. They fix it with hammer and nails, so that it won't move. 5 Like a scarecrow in a cucumber patch, it cannot speak. It has to be carried, because it cannot walk. Do not be afraid of it - it can do nothing bad; likewise, it is unable to do anything good!" (CJB)

For all the reasons why Christmas isn't biblical, please check out just a couple of my articles: The pagan origins of Christmas; and Christmas isn’t biblical.

There IS a way to drop that “baggage” you’re carrying around….

In keeping with my earlier post about "strongholds" - here's a perfect example once told to me by a wise old pastor who noticed I was carrying a lot of "baggage"....

A mother fox once had her babies in a farmer's barnyard and then promptly abandoned them. Naturally, the farmer took pity on them and raised each one, himself. They were playful and adorable, and he loved them all. Once they started growing, they began to banter and play by grabbing a hold of the farmer’s pant legs and allowing him to drag them around the barnyard on their bellies.

While this was cute and a lot of fun, the farmer noticed that as those little foxes got bigger, they were harder to drag along. Eventually, after just a few months, he couldn't move at all anymore when they descended upon his pant leg....

The above example can be likened to the "baggage" in our own lives. The baggage is hardly noticeable at first, because we feel confident that we’ve dealt with it; but as time goes along, we begin to realize that those “bad memories” we thought we had squashed, keep returning to haunt us.

In other words, the “baggage” starts getting heavier and heavier; and pretty soon, it bogs us down altogether to the point where we can hardly function in our daily life.

The key to "getting rid of our baggage" is first begin to realize that we have some! Then, we need to start dropping it - and the best way to do that, is to hand everything over to YHWH ... tell Him you're tired of it and don't want it anymore.

After that, every time you start feeling depressed or bogged down in any way, recognize it for what it is: an attack by the enemy, who will try - until the day you leave this earth - to return that baggage to you ... for, without that "baggage" he has LOST control of you!

Whenever you feel attacked, do what Yeshua did when "tempted" by Satan: Quote Torah passages that remind the enemy (that mere CREATED being!) as to WHO is in charge. Don't argue with him - just hand it all to YHWH, for He is the only One who has the power to fight the evil spirits "behind the scenes."

One day you'll realize that your load is constantly getting lighter, or even gone, altogether ... but still, never let your guard down, because the enemy is VERY sneaky....

Some advice for those wishing to destroy their strongholds

Here are some suggestions for those wishing to destroy their strongholds.

First – remember that YOU know to whom you belong - and it's NOT haSatan!  Halleluyah! YHWH chose YOU to be His. The enemy has no grip on those who belong to YHWH - unless we allow it. (And, as you know, it's EASY to slip back into our "old" habits.) YHWH allows us all the freedom to choose,...

Remember, we have the free will to to obey HIS commands – or not.  But if we refuse, WHOM are we serving? (See Deuteronomy 30:19, 20)  Instead of forcing us to do what He says, He warmly appeals to us:

Isaiah 48:17 Thus says Adonai, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Isra’el: “I am Adonai, your God, who teaches you for your own good, who guides you on the path you should take. 18 If only you would heed my mitzvot! Then your peace would flow on like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (CJB)

Yeshua identified the problem of some unbelievers when He told them, “You refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:40). Clearly, they could have come if they wanted to; their problem was they chose not to. “A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7), and those who are outside of salvation are “without excuse” (Romans 1:20-21).

So, here's my personal advice, a few things you can do in your quest for freedom from the pain: ... freedom from any past or present strongholds or "family curses".. (I do it every time I feel myself falling into the pit of despair for whatever reason):

ONE:

Even as Believers, we tend to sin once in a while. This is why there is a constant need to repent and turn to YHWH for forgiveness. Once you've truly - body, mind and soul - turned yourself over to ADONAI, try a mikvah:

A "mikvah" is an immersion in water that can drain away (shower, bath, river, creek, ocean) which symbolically allows your "baggage" to wash away. It is consciously and intentionally "doing something" with your hands that will help your mind to recognize and remember your goal of getting rid of past hurts.

During your mikvah, repent for any and all sins you've committed, and tell YHWH you are His now, and you want to do whatever His will is. Yeshua's death covered all your past sins, but as humans, we are prone to continue to sin at some point, and so we have the option of going to our gracious and merciful God and asking for forgiveness and help in overcoming our frailties.

YHWH knows we're prone to sinning and being stupid and carnal, and yet He STILL loves us. All He asks is that we love Him back - to obey His commands so that we can be truly "set apart" for Him. He will take care of the rest.

TWO:

If you have some really deep down "stuff" bothering you that you might not even be aware of, try writing about parts of your life with your non-dominant hand (not necesarily all at once, but over the course of a few days or weeks, or longer). For instance, use your non-dominant hand to write about the day you discovered your parents hated you and write about how you felt about it. Next time, write about something that hurt you in your childhood (i.e., perhaps your father always beat you and made you feel as though you weren't good enough). Pick different times in your life and just write.

Although it sounds weird, it often works! It works, partially, because you are concentrating so hard on making the letters (it also hurts the hand after awhile!) that it somehow allows your subconscious to remove the self-defense mechanisms that keep you from remembering the core issue which started all the pain in the first place. Try it; it will either work for you, or not. It can't hurt....

THREE:

Go somewhere where you can be totally alone for at least 15 minutes and write on a sheet of paper the name(s) of the person(s) who hurt you. Holding the paper over an ash tray or sink, take a match and set it on fire. While watching it burn, think to yourself: "I hereby let you go. You no longer have ANY hold over me!"

And then sit quietly for awhile and pray to YHWH and thank Him for bringing you to this point, and ask Him to help you keep this person in the PAST where they belong - because satan WILL attempt to bring that person up again and again. It is up to you to learn to become strong enough to put a stop to it. With YHWH's help, you have been released and you have the power to let go of the past and get on with your new life!

FOUR:

Make a list of your "tormentors" and identify them as specific spiritual forces that are/were trying to abuse you, or make you feel lonely or insecure, or to hurt yourself. This is simply a list of those that made you feel betrayed in some way, or who attempted to "steal your joy" somehow, thus thwarting an abundant life. Once you've made the list, you can do whatever you want with it - including setting it on fire to represent the fact that "old things are passed away" and this is a new beginning for you.

These things are only suggestions of some of the things you can "do with your hands" to "show your mind". (For instance, this is why we are to clean our homes of all leavened products during Passover, as "leaven" represents "sin". It's YHWH's way of having us DO something with our hands so that our minds get the message of how adamant He is concerning His people BEING holy/set apart. We can ONLY be holy IF we're willing to rid ourselves of ALL sin.)

So, DOING something physically to help us "drop the baggage" tells our minds we are serious; no more kidding around! The enemy does NOT get to control you or your daily moods! Halleluyah!