WHY DO WE NEED YOM KIPPUR FOR ATONEMENT, SINCE YESHUA DIED TO REMOVE OUR SINS?

Yeshua died to remove our "past sins" - not so that we could continue sinning.  Problem is, we humans do have a tendency to commit inadvertent sin, sometimes, and that's where Yom Kippur comes in.  Any sins we commit today, no matter how inadvertently, are not covered by Yeshua's death, as he died to remove our PAST sins. 

Here's proof:

Numbers 15: 30 "'But an individual who does something wrong intentionally, whether a citizen or a foreigner, is blaspheming ADONAI. That person will be cut off from his people. (CJB)

Hebrews 6: 4. But they who have once descended to immersion and have tasted the gift from heaven and have received the Ruach haKodesh 5. and have tasted the good Word of Elohim and the power of the world to come, 6. cannot again sin and a second time be renewed to repentance; or a second time execute him on a stake and insult the Son of Elohim.

7. For the earth that drinks the rain which comes often upon it and produces the herb that is of use to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from Elohim. 8. But if it should put forth thorns and briers, it would be discarded and be approaching closely to a curse, and its end would be a conflagration. (AENT)

NOTE: Huge contrast between Aramaic and Greek. The Greek reads: "once having been enlightened..." This "enlightening" seems logical until we look at Aramaic: "But they who have once descended to immersion..." The difference is acute, since baptism is clearly a subject being introduced just two verses earlier. The reason for the Greek redaction to "enlightenment" may well have been due to early Gnostic influence that stressed Mashiyach's knowledge over his actual power and incarnation of Deity. See also Hebrews 10:32.

Hebrews 10: 26 For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but only the terrifying prospect of Judgment, or raging fire that will consume the enemies. (CJB)

The above Scripture is not referring to those unclean bondages that dwell in our flesh but to the conscious choices believers make. It refers not to our unintentional sins but to those we pursue knowingly and willingly.

Yom Kippur 2023 is around the corner!

YOM KIPPUR/DAY OF ATONEMENT - THE HOLIEST OF GOD'S APPOINTED TIMES - is once again on the horizon. Celebrated on Tishri 10 (which, this year on our Gregorian calendar begins at sunset on September 24), this "Fall Festival" High Holy Day always falls in the September/October time frame.

Leviticus 16:29 tells us: "It is to be a permanent regulation for you that on the tenth day of the seventh month you are to deny yourselves and not to do any kind of work, both the citizen and the foreigner living with you. For on this day, atonement will be made for you to purify you; you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins. It is a Shabbat of complete rest for you, and you are to deny yourselves. This is a permanent regulation." (CJB)

NOTE: This COMMANDED High Holy Day is not just for the Jews; it is for ALL who have accepted YHWH (can also be written as Yahweh) as their God Most High, and His Divine Son, Messiah Yeshua. (See Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 10:12-13.)

On this solemn day we are to "deny ourselves" (i.e., fast, refrain from work of any kind, and repent and bare our souls to YHWH, asking Him to forgive us anything we may have done throughout the year that was not pleasing to Him).

Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins will not succeed; he who confesses and abandons them will gain mercy. (CJB)

1 John 1:7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other and the blood of Y’shua his Son cleanses us from all our sins. 8. And if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our iniquity. 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not with us. (AENT)

This mo'ed (Appointed Time) also represents the need for the sacrifice/sin offering that must be made for the sins of the nation. As the Bible tells us, Messiah shall descend to put to an end the sins of Israel (Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21) .

At that time the Jews will mourn for the "One who was pierced" and FINALLY recognize that Yeshua was the Messiah, all along! This day will be fulfilled upon the Second Coming of Messiah to the Earth (Matt. 23:37-39, Hos. 5:15 thru 6:1-3, Zech. 13:8,9 Zech. 12:10, Zech. 13:1, Ezek. 16:61-63).

(TO REITERATE: "Israel" includes not just the Jewish people; but ALL who believe in and follow the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And yes CHURCH, this includes you, as well. Jesus did not put an end to YHWH's Torah; he offered himself on the cross to remove our "certificate of sin and debt" so that we could enter into the Presence of YHWH.)

IN SHORT - this mo'ed signals the call for "Teshuva" - repentance - for the time is short and Judgment is coming upon the Earth, whether people are ready, or not! (See the Books of Daniel and Revelation.) Teshuvah basically allows us to erase our sins through a four-step process:

ONE: Leave the Sin. Leaving the sin consists of stopping the commission of the sinful act. You cannot do teshuvah if you continue to do the sin - period!

TWO: Regret. Regret is sincerely regretting one's wrong action. You must be genuinely ashamed and embarrassed over your sins. (This is where "God knows your heart" comes into play...)

THREE: Confession Before Yahweh. Confession before Yahweh means confession spoken out loud, in which you formulate in words the commitments and attitudes you have reached in your heart. It should go something like this: "I have sinned, I have done such and such; I deeply regret my actions, and I declare before Yahweh, Who knows my innermost thoughts, that I will never do this sin again."

(Note that this confession is directly to Yahweh. No one needs to confess to an intercessor as Catholics are told.)

FOUR. Acceptance for the Future. Acceptance for the future consists of resolving in your heart never to commit the sin ever again.

PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT these 4 steps are only for sins committed against Yahweh! For sins committed against a person, you must first ask forgiveness from that person and then ask Yahweh to accept your teshuvah.

And - these four steps are only valid if you do teshuvah AFTER an unintentional sin. You cannot say: "I can do this sin, then do teshuvah and He will forgive me..." It simply doesn't work that way! The Bible tells us that the sin offerings of Leviticus were for unintentional sin. There never was atonement for intentional sin, and there still is no atonement for deliberate sin...

Hebrews 10: 26 "For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." (CJB)

The good news is, Torah tells us that no matter how far we stray or how many times we sin, Yahweh will wait for us to return to Him.

Make sure YOU are ready! Your eternal life depends on it...

Yom Teruah/Rosh HaShana is on the horizon once again…

ANOTHER GLORIOUS HIGH HOLY DAY IS ON THE HORIZON: Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashana (Feast of Trumpets/New Year)! This year (2023) Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashana begins at sunset on September 15 and ends at sunset on Saturday, September 16.

The biblical name for this holiday is actually “Yom Teruah” ("day of shouting/blasting"). It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days known as "Days of Awe" as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25, kicking off a ten-day period of penitence culminating in the holiest of High Holy Days, known as Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

Why is it so important and what, exactly, makes this day so special?  Let’s begin with this passage, where God Himself commanded it to be observed:

Leviticus 23:23-25 says: And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a rest, a remembrance of blowing of trumpets, a set-apart gathering. 25 ‘You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.’” (ISR)

Rosh Hashana denotes the Jewish Civil New Year … the creation of the world, according to tradition; the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and their first actions toward the realization of man's role in the world; of the first sin that was committed and resulting repentance; a day when YHWH takes stock of all of His Creation, which includes all of humanity.

It is also a rehearsal for the day when the bridegroom will come to claim us, his bride, who are betrothed to Him … when Yeshua will return to earth as the “Lion of Judah!”

1 Thessalonians 4: 16. Because our Master (Y'shua) will himself descend from heaven with the mandate and with the voice of the chief Messenger and with the Qarna (trumpet/shofar) of Elohim; and the dead who are in the Mashiyach will first arise; 17. and then we who survive and are alive will be caught up together with them to the clouds to meet our Master (Y'shua) in the air; and so will we be ever with our Master. (AENT)

Matthew 24: 27. For as the sunshine comes out from the East and is seen even in the West, thus will be the coming of the Son of man. 28. Wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles gather. 29. And immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shine its light. And the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

30. And then will be seen the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the land mourn, when they will see the Son of man who comes upon the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. 31. And he will send his Messengers with a large trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. (AENT)

According to tradition, during this time YHWH's people are to concentrate all their efforts into making amends with their brethren and apologizing for past offenses – in preparation for the next Feast, which is Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement.

It is important to note that, judging by the fact that Yeshua has so far fulfilled the first four Appointed Times in sequence, Yom Teruah/Trumpets will be the next one to be fulfilled, because when the trumpets sound, those who have accepted YHWH as their God (along with His Divine Messiah, Yeshua) will be gathered/resurrected (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, I Cor. 15:50-54).

Halleluyah!

An important message from Bill Bullock, “The Rabbi’s Son”

I am sharing below some shocking truths and words of wisdom from Texas Attorney, Bill Bullock ("The Rabbi's Son"), on Torah portion - Parashah 48: Shof'tim (Hebrew for "Judges") ; Deuteronomy 16:18 through 21:9 – which features the  "Last Will and Testament" of Moshe (Moses)- the words he spoke the day he departed from the Israelites as they were making their Exodus through the desert, headed towards the Promised Land.

In the following teaching, Mr. Bullock reveals how the doctrines and ideas of men via their carnal mindsets, have skewed YHWH's Divine Instructions (handed to the Israelites via Moshe who spoke with YHWH “face-to-face”), turning them into critical errors into which both Christianity and Judaism have wandered:

Are the Words of the Holy One 'Commandments' – or Prophetic Empowerments?

The words which Moshe will speak in this second speech are usually described in English as “commandments” and “ordinances” and “laws”. But those terms do not describe them accurately at all.

Alas, the translation of the Holy One’s declaration at Sinai into English and other Western language as ‘commandments’, ‘ordinances’ and ‘laws’ lies at the root of the most critical errors into which both Christianity and Judaism have wandered.

By and large organized Christianity has erred in rejecting Torah’s “commandments, ordinances, and laws” as “unspiritual” – indeed considered to border on being demonic.
Most of Christianity has thus over the centuries devolved into a King-less, Constitution-less, Kingdom-less, Love-less, Law-less blob of prudish, angry religious people who try to process glorious spiritual mysteries through the filter of fleshly, carnal minds, who spread hate-filled opinions instead of truth, who expose people to dull, repetitive sermons instead of flowing in vibrant words of life, who pass off cute marquee one-liners as revelation, and who promote models of church growth and bean-counting instead of any real, substantive message that could lead to freedom, destiny, and purpose.

Organized Christianity today thus has virtually nothing of value to offer either the world or its own adherents, and both groups are rejecting it in droves.

Many modern forms of organized Judaism on the other hand have committed the exact opposite error, focusing almost all their attention on the letter of Torah’s instructions, drawing all the wrong lessons from the Holocaust and therefore instilling in upcoming generations the paranoia that everyone who is not Jewish is anti-Semitic, dangerous, and inferior.

Indeed since the Holocaust the mantra of organized Judaism seems to have unofficially changed from Sh’ma Yisrael! to ‘Never Again’! As a result mind-numbing sets of extra-Biblical rules designed to keep people away have been promoted in the guise of ‘building a fence around the Torah’.

There is indeed now a fence around the Torah in many forms of Judaism – and that fence is so high, is laced with so much razor wire, and is strewn with so many IEDs that the beauty of Torah – if not of the Holy One Himself -- has become hidden behind the carnage.
Father Avraham would weep. Moshe would be appalled. David would hang his harp in the willows. Sh’lomo would scratch his head in bewilderment. Eliyahu would rend his mantle in twain and start thrashing.

Fragments of the Messianic Judaism are alas falling into the same traps as organized Christianity and Judaism. Labels such as ‘Sacred Namers’, ‘Two-Housers’, ‘Lunar Sabbatarians’, and ‘Sabbatical Year Followers’ have become modern ‘Shibboleths’.

Swords are drawn and waving, ready to strike off the ear, cut out the tongue, or lop of the head, of anyone and everyone who fails to adopt the specific phraseology the ears of those bearing one’s chosen label itch to hear.

Brethren, these things should not be so. What in Heaven’s Name are we doing? How can we continue to misrepresent the Holy One’s character so horribly?
The Sinaitic covenant is not “law” - at least in any sense that term is used today. Nor are the mitzvot, mishpatim, and chukim “commandments” or “ordinances”.

They are Divine Energy.

They are a sweet fountain of life, health and peace.

They are substantive words of Divine empowerment and activation.

They are loving instructions, given in the context of an abiding covenant relationship, prophetically and creatively reshaping the soul and spirit of the recipient, transforming her from a redeemed slave into the Betrothed Bride-to-be of the Holy One.

Are mushrooms considered “clean”?

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SOMEONE WRITES TO OUR WEBSITE TO ASK ABOUT MUSHROOMS ARE CONSIDERED "CLEAN" FOOD.

Great question and the simple answer is "Yes"- because YHWH gave no prohibition on fungi.
While Scripture is very clear on many issues, it isn't replete with every little detail concerning all aspects of life, and so sometimes we're left to figure things out on our own ... using our knowledge of Scripture and some common sense.

For instance, the scriptures of Genesis regarding food are very general, not intended to be a complete, thorough, and solid reference of do's and don'ts. There are no other mitzvah (instructions/rules) presented in the Bible narrowing down what green plants can be consumed and which can't. In that, we have to use our own brains. So, while YHWH doesn't prohibit the eating of any plants, some plants will hurt or kill us - and therefore, we must choose wisely!

In the story of Elisha's miracle in 2 Kings 4: 39-42, the words of verse 39 translated as "wild squash" (Sterns) or "gourds" (NIV), in Hebrew is "paquot sade" or "fungi of the field". So it seems we have a story in the Bible which gives credence that fungi, which includes mushrooms, are not expressly forbidden.

According to this logic, mushrooms are edible. (As a matter of fact, Chabad.org, insists that mushrooms are kosher.) Some have even argued that manna was a sort of fungi.  As a matter of fact, Talmud Bavli, in Shabbat 30b, gives the following opinion about the miraculous fruitfulness of the land of Israel in the Messianic age:

"Come, and I shall show you their equal in this world," [Rabbi Gamaliel] replied. He went forth and showed him morels and truffles.

Another Jewish view of them is that they were not included in the curse of the ground that applied to plants, since they are not vegetation. (Source:  The Avnei Nezer - Avraham Borenstein, the first Sochatchover Rebbe, who claimed such in Orach Chayim 111. His claim is that they do not officially come from the ground like plants so they legally were never cursed.)

Additionally, many are highly medicinal, from immuno-modulators to cancer-fighting properties, and some (lion's mane and psilocybin types) exhibit distinct neuroplasticity (the ability for the brain to make new neural connections), and thus are being used for patients with Alzheimer's and similar dementia-like issues.

As further evidence in our “mushroom debate,” we must discuss the yeast cell, which are fungi, and they are critical to making chametz.  Yeast cells are not prohibited by YHWH either! We'd be in big trouble if fungi were prohibited as we breathe yeast cells constantly. In most cases, what yeast we consume is already dead (in both bread and wine), but we do ingest live yeast cells just by breathing. These are promptly killed by our immune systems.

Regardless, for those who consider themselves to be mushroom foragers, it would be wise to make sure you only consume culinary mushrooms from reputable sources, or educate yourself extensively before trying anything you find in the wild, as some will give gastrointestinal distress that would be unpleasant, and a few others can actually shut down vital organs, and so must be avoided at all costs…

Having said all the above, the eating of mushrooms is basically a decision each individual must make on their own.

(NOTE:  My gratitude to author, scholar and Amazon Associate, Jeremy Chance Springfield for his learned input to this article! Please check out his website!)

WAS TORAH REALLY ABOLISHED AT THE CROSS?

Check this out and decide for yourself.

To begin with, let’s take a look at Romans 3:31 in several different Bible versions:

Romans 3:31 Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah. (ISR)

Romans 3: 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid*: yea, we establish the law. (KJV)

Romans 3: 31 Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah. (CJB)

Can you really SEE and understand what that passage says? Paul is adamant in that passage about YHWH’s Divine Instructions remaining forever! That is reiterated in Romans 7:12, which says, “So the Torah is holy; that is, the commandment is holy, just and good.”

Let’s check out what James wrote:

James 2: 21 Wasn’t Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz’chak on the altar? 22 You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete; 23 and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, “Avraham had faith in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.” He was even called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone. (CJB)

Faith without action (or works) is DEAD! (See James 2:14-26.) That is because the lack of works/action reveals an unchanged life or a spiritually dead heart. How we live reveals what we believe and whether the faith we profess to have is a living faith.

Back to Paul:

Romans 15: 4. For everything written of old was written for our instruction; that we, by patience and by the consolation of the Scriptures, might possess hope. (CJB)

This is one of the clearest pro-Torah statements in all of Romans! Paul believes that "everything written of old" is for the instruction of the Gentiles, this clearly indicates Paul's intent.

So, again – do you believe Torah was abolished at the cross?

IS THE COVID VACCINE THE “MARK OF THE BEAST?”

SIGH!  Once again we are seeing the rise of religious zealots who are trying to push their unbiblical ideas down the world’s collective throats.  One of these ideas is that those who take vaccines (i.e. COVID), are “taking the mark of the beast.”

Please bear with me as I attempt to allow Scripture to debunk that silly conspiracy theory via the BIBLE – the instruction manual for human beings, handed down by God Himself. 

To begin with, let’s check out the following scriptures and ask ourselves if the COVID vaccine (and/or any other man-made concoction or device) could possibly refer to the “mark” outlined in the Bible:

• Revelation 14:9. And another, a third Messenger followed them, saying with a loud voice: If any man will worship the beast of prey and its image, and will receive its mark upon his forehead or on his hand, 10. he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured undiluted into the cup of his indignation and will be tormented with fire and sulfur, before the Set Apart Messengers, and before the throne. 11. And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever; and there is no rest, by day or by night, to those that worship the beast of prey and its image. 12. Here is the patience of the Set Apart believers who keep the commandments of Elohim, and the faith of Y’shua. (AENT)

• Revelation 13: 15. And it was given him to put life into the image of the beast of prey; and to cause that all they who would not worship the image of the beast of prey, should be slain: 16. and to cause that all, great and small, rich and poor, bond and free, should receive a mark on their right hands, or upon their foreheads; 17. so that no one might be able to buy or to sell, except those who had the mark of the name of the beast of prey, or the number of his name. 18. Here is wisdom: let him that has intelligence compute the number of the beast of prey; for it is the number of a man: and its number is six hundred and sixty and six. (AENT)

A few points to consider and questions to ask concerning the scriptures above:

1. What does the COVID vaccine have to do with the ability to “buy or sell?”

2. Does the COVID vaccine contain “the name of the beast or the number of his name?”

3. Vaccines are normally given into the muscles of the upper arm, or perhaps the buttocks.  Nobody gets them in their forehead or on their hands…

Now, check this out:

Revelation 20:4. And I saw thrones, and (persons) sat on them, and judgment was given to them, and to the souls that were beheaded for the testimony of Y'shua and for the Word of Elohim: and these are they who had not worshipped the beast of prey nor its image; neither had they received the mark upon their forehead or on their hand; and they lived and reigned with their Mashiyach those thousand years. (AENT)

Question:

Conspiracy theories aside, how could the taking of a vaccine designed to help prevent illness of death during a deadly pandemic, be considered “mark of the beast?”  I took the vaccine and didn’t get COVID; I’ve never worshiped “the beast of prey” or ANY “image”; nor have I received any “marks” on my hands or forehead that could be construed as evil!  Furthermore, I haven’t been sent by God to the pits of hell for taking the vaccine … matter of fact, He has kept on blessing me in myriad ways…

So, using Bible-only hermeneutics, let’s get real and try to figure out what that “Mark of the Beast” could be.  To do so, we have to understand that YHWH also has a “mark” –  often mentioned as “signs” or “seals.”  Here are just a few examples:

• Genesis 4: 15 ADONAI answered him, "Therefore, whoever kills Kayin will receive vengeance sevenfold," and ADONAI put a sign on Kayin, so that no one who found him would kill him. (CJB)

• Ezekiel 9: 4 ADONAI said to him, "Go throughout the city, through all Yerushalayim, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and crying over all the disgusting practices that are being committed in it." (CJB)

• Ezekiel 9: 6 Kill old men, young men, girls, little children, women - slaughter them all! But don't go near anyone with the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." They began with the leaders in front of the house. (CJB)

• John 6: 27. Do not labor for food that perishes, rather for food that endures to life that is everlasting, that which the Son of man will give to you, for this man Elohim the Father has sealed. (AENT)

• 2 Corinthians 1: 21. Now it is Elohim who establishes us, with you, in the Mashiyach, and has anointed us, 22. And has sealed us, and has given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts. 23. Moreover, I call Elohim for a witness on my soul that it was in order to spare you that I did not come to Corinth. (AENT)

• Ephesians 1: 13. In whom you also have heard the Word of Truth which is the Good News of your life, and have believed in him; and have been sealed with the Ruach haKodesh who was promised; (AENT)

• Ephesians 4: 30. And do not grieve the Ruach haKodesh of Elohim, whereby you are sealed for the day of redemption. (AENT)

• 2 Timothy 2: 19. But the firm foundation of Elohim stands and it has this seal; Master YHWH knows them who are His: and, Let everyone who invokes the name of our Master (Y'shua) stand aloof from iniquity. (AENT)

From the above scriptures we can see that God uses "marks", signs and "seals" to separate the Godly from the ungodly. If you've read the Bible in its entirety, you know that the "godly" are not only those who believe in Yeshua HaMashiyach (whom Christians call Jesus Christ), but also those who follow the teachings and instructions contained in Torah (first five Books of the Bible) - without which man would not know who YAHWEH is, nor who His Son is; nor how to behave towards God and each other!  (Proverbs 4:2 "I give you good instruction: Do not forsake my Torah"; Proverbs 28:9 “If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.”)

Moving on…

In Exodus 13:9 we see YAHWEH speaking to Moshe (Moses):  "Moreover, it (the festival of Passover) will serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder between your eyes, so that YHWH's Torah may be on your lips; because with a strong hand YHWH brought you out of Egypt." (CJB)

Compare the above with this:

Revelation 13: 15. And it was given him to put life into the image of the beast of prey; and to cause that all they who would not worship the image of the beast of prey, should be slain: 16. and to cause that all, great and small, rich and poor, bond and free, should receive a mark on their right hands, or upon their foreheads; 17. so that no one might be able to buy or to sell, except those who had the mark of the name of the beast of prey, or the number of his name. (AENT)

SEE THE DIFFERENCE? 

The "mark of YAHWEH" is our obedience to His Divine Instructions. The Mark of the Beast is what YAHWEH is ALLOWING Satan and the Antichrist to do in the end times, to kick off the process of separating the sheep from the goats!   In Revelation we find that the beast is “borrowing” that SAME “hand and forehead” concept to put his own "mark" on the gullible  - those he can draw away from YAHWEH! 

Now take a look at this powerful verse:

Deuteronomy 6: 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (CJB)

Sound confusing?  Does God really expect us to tie and/or bind anything on those parts of our bodies?

No!

Logically, we can surmise that “binding” things on your forehead means to “remember” them (something the brain is designed to do); and that “tying them as symbols on our hands” means, we are not only to remember and DO His commandments, but also to implement, do them, put them into operation.  And how do we implement something?  With our hands!

Our brains send signals to all parts of the body.  Our hands cannot grasp, and our feet cannot move unless they receive a signal from the brain. The part where we make decisions to take action on a thought and which handles our behavior is called the prefrontal cortex.  The thought comes into the frontal lobe (forehead) and then goes through the unique process of order and duration in the different parts of the brain, which sends the signal for action to the various parts of the body.

Returning to Deuteronomy 6:6-8 above, we see that God commanded us to keep his word both in our hearts and brains/minds (prefrontal cortex) to keep us holy/from sinning. When we sin, how do we typically commit those sins? With our hands! A thief does not steal with his ear. An angry man does not strike another with his hair. A man does not kill another with his nose. It’s usually our HANDS that do “good” or “bad” according to what they received from the prefrontal cortex…

In the majority of cases, we commit our sins with our hands. Keeping God's word "on our hands" would mean that we proceed through life NOT allowing them to commit a sin. (There’s a more indepth explanation in my article about the “forehead and hands” mentioned in the Bible.)

The Bible-prophesied end times are inevitable, and MANY bad things are on the horizon.  It’s a battle between “good and evil” (YHWH vs. haSatan) and it is imperative for us to recognize the signs, and NOT make up what those “signs” or marks mean!

So, here is the bottom line:  We don’t know for sure what the mark of the beast is.  However, if it’s a man-made invention of some kind, beware – especially if it is to be placed on your hand and/or forehead and is required for buying or selling. 

I hope you can see now that it’s all about GOD and the spiritual behind-the-scenes battle for our souls; NOT man-made things, thoughts or personal opinions.

Be careful to NOT fall for lies or outlandish ideas!  Yeshua himself gave us a warning:

Matthew 24: 4. Y'shua answered and said to them, Beware, let no man deceive you. 5. For many will come in my name and will say that "I am the Mashiyach." And many they will deceive. 6. For you are bound to hear of revolutions and rumor of wars. Watch out and do not be disturbed, for it is necessary that all these things happen, but it is not yet the end. 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and plagues and earthquakes in different places.

8. But all these things are only the beginning of sorrows. 9. Then they will deliver to afflictions and they will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10. Then many will stumble and will hate one another and will betray one another. 11. And many false prophets will arise and deceive many. 12. And because of the growth of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold. 13. But whoever has patience until the end, he will have life. 14. And this Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.... (AENT)

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN OSTRACIZED FOR YOUR FAITH?

 

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN OSTRACIZED FOR YOUR FAITH?

I have – many times.  For instance, I have a half-brother in Germany with whom I had lost contact in 2006, because his wife hated Israel, the Jews, and my Messianic lifestyle. 

I called my brother in 2020 to offer my condolences when I heard she had died, and one of the first things he said to me was, “Do you still adhere to that weird religion?” His response - when I told him that I am still now, and always will be Messianic - was a few seconds of silence followed by a sarcastic snort…

Needless to say, the rest of the conversation was very chilly, and I haven’t heard from him since.

People simply don’t get that Torah observance is not a “religion” – rather the lifestyle God commanded for His set-apart people … a beautiful lifestyle that is amply outlined in the Torah (first five Books); yet ignored, discounted, and even shunned by those who choose to adhere to only the last fourth of the Bible called “The Gospels” which they insist relieves them from any responsibilities to actually LIVE the holy lifestyle that YHWH Himself decreed in the beginning of the Bible… 

People simply don’t get that both the “natural” and the “grafted-in” children are provided every opportunity to CHOOSE to obey His Divine Instructions (i.e., keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath Rest, and the seven yearly festivals). 

 They don’t get that we eat “clean meats” and keep His festivals, not only because He commanded them to be kept; but because they each have historical and prophetic significance, AND they ALL foreshadow Yeshua!  They don’t get that YAHWEH’S weekly and yearly Sabbaths provide us with a deep, ongoing personal relationship, and perpetual connection to Him and His Divine Messiah. They simply don’t get it…

That is why we are constantly ostracized and bombarded with comments such as, “That old stuff doesn’t pertain to us, it’s only meant for the Jews!”; “You have put yourself back under the law, making grace unavailable to you!”; and, “You are guilty of trying to earn your salvation through works!”

Oh, if only people would READ and STUDY Scripture to see what is actually written…

Yeshua himself said the following, which reveals that he knew that belief in YHWH/Yeshua/Torah would cause division:

Luke 12: 51. Do you think that I have come to place tranquility on earth.  I say to you, No, rather division  52. from now on:  For there will be five in a certain house that will be divided three against two, and two against three.  53. For a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter, and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. [See Micah 7:6]  (AENT)

“Yeshua the Mashiyach (Messiah) is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” What does this mean?

Hebrews 13:8 tells us “Yeshua the Mashiyach (Messiah) is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

What does this mean, exactly?

Rav Shaul (Paul) knows Yeshua as the Word of YHWH who is Messiah, as the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all things were created by the Word of YHWH from the beginning of time.

It was Mashiyach who spoke with Noah and Abraham and gave the Torah to Moshe … which is why it is very wicked for anyone to speak evil of Torah, and suggest that Israel could not keep the Torah which was given them; when YHWH Himself said the following:

Deuteronomy 30: 10 “However, all this will happen only if you pay attention to what Adonai your God says, so that you obey his mitzvot (words/ commandments) and regulations which are written in this book of the Torah, if you turn to Adonai your God with all your heart and all your being. 

11 For this mitzvah which I am giving you today is not too hard for you, it is not beyond your reach. 12 It isn’t in the sky, so that you need to ask, ‘Who will go up into the sky for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?’ 13 Likewise, it isn’t beyond the sea, so that you need to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?’ 14 On the contrary, the word is very close to you — in your mouth, even in your heart; therefore, you can do it!

15 “Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil — 16 in that I am ordering you today to love Adonai your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers…

… 19 “I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, 20 loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov” (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). (CJB)

A BITTER-SWEET MESSAGE FOR AMERICA

For those who didn’t know this, I am a German-born, naturalized American citizen. I’ve loved America since I first moved here in the Sixties, at the tender age of 10; and I even served 22 years in the US Army as a journalist/public affairs specialist, because I wanted to serve this great country.

But, as much as a I hate to say this, I’m not in love with America as I used to be – for myriad reasons – and I find myself constantly asking the question: WHY? Why should He bless America?

Why should He bless a country that keeps getting further and further away from Him?

Why should he bless a country that allowed an atheist to bully the government into making prayer illegal in schools and government buildings – a nation that was FOUNDED “under God”?

Why should He bless a country that embraced the ideals of “sex, drugs and rock and roll” and “if you’re not with the one you love, love the one you’re with” … a movement that started right after the “birth control pill” hit the market and permitted promiscuity and relieved women of the fear of unwanted pregnancies?

Why should He bless a country where most believe (and keep fighting for) a “woman’s right” to murder her unborn baby?

Why should God BLESS a nation whose government is forcing the idea that it’s normal for same-gender people to marry … a country that declared a special MONTH to CELEBRATE something God calls an abomination?”

Why should God BLESS a nation that keeps catering to every “fringe element” including those pushing the sick notion of “gender fluidity”; while allowing the "gender confused” to dictate that all public restrooms should be made “gender neutral”?

Why should He bless a country that has turned racism, violence, decadence and hatred into an art form?

I could go on and on, but here’s my bottom line:

I want to know WHY God should bother BLESS ING a country over-flowing with hypocritical Scripture twisters who are ready, willing and able to “forgive” whoremongering adulterers, liars, bullies and cheaters; while at the same time, chastising and harassing those who wish to follow His Divine Instructions in Righteousness? (I’m referring to Torah – the first five Books of Moses that contain ALL of YAHWEH’s original Divine Instructions, which He instructed ALL to follow.)

WHY should He bless a country that refuses to even keep the commanded Seventh Day Sabbath holy – which is a SIGN between YAHWEH and His people! (Genesis 2:1; Exodus 31:16-17; Ezekiel 20:11-12)?   A country that, instead of demanding morality and calling for repentance, condones and endlessly seeks forgive DELIBERATE sin? A country that INSISTS everything God ever considered BAD is now GOOD; and everything “good” is now “bad”?

People, I fear for America. Every great nation has fallen BECAUSE of their decadence – and I fear we are quickly approaching our demise as well. YAHWEH is surely NOT happy with us anymore.

So, WHY should He bless America?

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who change darkness into light and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter! 21 Woe to those seeing themselves as wise, esteeming themselves as clever.

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, men whose power goes to mixing strong drinks, 23 who acquit the guilty for bribes but deny justice to the righteous! 24 Therefore, as fire licks up the stubble, and the chaff is consumed in the flame; so their root will rot, and their flowers scatter like dust; because they have rejected the Torah of Adonai-Tzva’ot, they have despised the word of the Holy One of Isra’el. (CJB).

1 John 2: 15. Love not the world nor anything in it; for whoever loves the world has not the love of the Father in him. 16. For all that is in the world is the lust of the body and the lust of the eyes and the pride of the world, which are not from the Father but from the world[*] itself. 17. And the world is passing away, (both) it and the lust thereof; but he that does the pleasure of Elohim abides for ever. (AENT).

*NOTE: “The world” refers to pagan, Torahless, humanistic, evolutionary, relativistic, materialistic, sensual, unrighteous lifestyles that haSatan used to seduce mankind away from YHWH. This certainly does not refer to the earth which YHWH made according to His good pleasure.

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

Another false meme leading people astray....

 

I hate to say it, but whoever created this meme is leading people astray. How I wish people would actually READ and STUDY the Bible, and stop playing these stupid “blame games!”  

The bottom line is, our SIN is what killed Yeshua, who HAD to die in order to become our Final SIN Sacrifice/Offering! If he hadn’t died, we would still be forced to kill innocent animals to atone for our sins.  Humanity, as a whole, is to blame for his death.  He died for ALL of us, because that is one of the major reasons he was sent...

Reading Scripture in context is key – and the truth is, that the JEWS kicked it off (Matthew 26), by going to their High Priest Caiaphas to discuss how to dispose of this man they felt was a danger to their faith. (Remember, it was a sin for the Jews to commit murder (Exodus 20:13,6th Commandment); and so they were trying to find someone else to do it.

But let's get real:  For those who feel the need to blame someone, blame the Roman PAGANS who actually nailed him to the cross; NOT “Christians,” as there really weren’t any “Christians” back then. The original followers of Yeshua of Nazareth were called Netzarim (or "Natsarim" - however people wish to spell it).

Let’s investigate this issue a little further by starting out with what Paul wrote:

I Thessalonians 2: 14 For, brothers, you came to be imitators of God’s congregations in Y’hudah that are united with the Messiah Yeshua — you suffered the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Judeans who 15 both killed the Lord Yeshua and the prophets, and chased us out too. They are displeasing God and opposing all mankind 16 by trying to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles, so that they may be delivered. Their object seems to be always to make their sins as bad as possible! But God’s fury will catch up with them in the end. (CJB)

(The passage above was obviously one that helped to fan the flames of anti-Semitism, as most of Paul’s writings were - and still are - taken out of context!)

So, let’s look at what actually happed before Yeshua was crucified:

Matthew 26: 1 When Yeshua had finished speaking, he said to his talmidim, 2 “As you know, Pesach is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to the execution-stake.” 3 Then the head cohanim and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of Kayafa the cohen hagadol. 4 They made plans to arrest Yeshua surreptitiously and have him put to death; 5 but they said, “Not during the festival, or the people will riot.”

Matthew 26: 14 Then one of the Twelve, the one called Y’hudah from K’riot, went to the head cohanim 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I turn Yeshua over to you?” They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to Y’hudah.[a] 16 From then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray him.

Again - note, the people involved were Jews, not "Christians." If the Jews hadn't kicked it off, then the pagans wouldn't have bothered to kill Yeshua, as they had no reason to. Read on:

Matthew 26: 47 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y’hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a large crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim and elders of the people. 48 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want — grab him!” 49 He went straight up to Yeshua, said, “Shalom, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Yeshua said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they moved forward, laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him.

51 At that, one of the men with Yeshua reached for his sword, drew it out and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear. 52 Yeshua said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs, for everyone who uses the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you know that I can ask my Father, and he will instantly provide more than a dozen armies of angels to help me? 54 But if I did that, how could the passages in the Tanakh be fulfilled that say it has to happen this way?”

55 Then Yeshua addressed the crowd: “So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion? Every day I sat in the Temple court, teaching; and you didn’t seize me then. 56 But all this has happened so that what the prophets wrote may be fulfilled.” Then the talmidim all deserted him and ran away.

(QUESTION: We’re not told, but one has to wonder WHO the “crowd” consisted of … surely not just the Jews, but also Netzarim (the original followers of Yeshua’s teachings) and, of course, pagans…)

Continuing with Matthew 26:

57 Those who had seized Yeshua led him off to Kayafa the cohen hagadol, where the Torah-teachers and elders were assembled. 58 Kefa followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the cohen hagadol; then he went inside and sat down with the guards to see what the outcome would be.

59 The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin looked for some false evidence against Yeshua, so that they might put him to death. 60 But they didn’t find any, even though many liars came forward to give testimony. At last, however, two people came forward and said, 61 “This man said, ‘I can tear down God’s Temple and build it again in three days.’”

62 The cohen hagadol stood up and said, “Have you nothing to say to the accusation these men are making?” 63 Yeshua remained silent. The cohen hagadol said to him, “I put you under oath! By the living God, tell us if you are the Mashiach, the Son of God!” 64 Yeshua said to him, “The words are your own. But I tell you that one day you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG’vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 At this, the cohen hagadol tore his robes. “Blasphemy!” he said. “Why do we still need witnesses? You heard him blaspheme! 66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty,” they answered. “He deserves death!” 67 Then they spit in his face and pounded him with their fists; and those who were beating him 68 said, “Now, you ‘Messiah,’ ‘prophesy’ to us: who hit you that time?”

Again, while "the Jews" didn't actually kill Yeshua, it was "the Jews" who kicked off the series of events that caused his death! So, what gives anyone the right to produce a meme such as the one above, placing all the blame on "Christians" and finishing it off with the arrogant comment, "Let that sink in!"?

He willingly martyred himself on behalf of all YHWH's people.  He HAD to die in order to become our Final SIN Sacrifice/Offering!  If this hadn't happened, we would all be hosed.  So, instead of wasting time trying to lay the blame on someone, REJOICE that it happened!

I copied the following from Got Questions which provides an overview of this whole issue:

"When the Jewish leaders had Jesus arrested at Passover, they first brought Him before Annas (John 18:13). After he had questioned Jesus, Annas sent Jesus to his son-in-law Caiaphas, who as the high priest would be the one to rule on Jesus’ fate. When Jesus stood before Caiaphas and the entire Sanhedrin, many false witnesses were brought forward, but nothing was found to warrant a death sentence (Matthew 26:59–60).

"Finally, Caiaphas stood up and addressed Jesus directly, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God” (verse 63). Jesus replied just as directly, “You have said so. . . . But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (verse 64).

"Caiaphas had what he was looking for; he tore his robe and cried, “Blasphemy!” (verse 65). The result of the sham trial was that Jesus was pronounced “worthy of death” and beaten and mocked (verses 66–67). However, since the Jews could not legally execute prisoners, Caiaphas sent Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

"Jesus endured another series of trials that night under Roman jurisdiction. Caiaphas and the other religious leaders stirred up the crowd against Jesus. When Pilate attempted to release Jesus by giving them a choice between Him and the convicted felon Barabbas, “the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed” (Matthew 27:20). Pilate acquiesced, and Jesus was sentenced to die, beaten, led outside the city, and crucified (verses 26–35).

"It’s what Caiaphas wanted all along. It’s important to note that these things did not happen at the whim of Caiaphas, the priests, or Pilate, for it was all part of God’s plan to save the world through the death of His Son. As Jesus had said, “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18)...."

BOTTOM LINE: Three days later, Messiah Yeshua rose again from the grave, fulfilling prophecy, defeating death, and emboldening His followers to share the good news of salvation throughout the known world. Caiaphas continued to persecute the Netzarim, being present at the trial of Peter and John (Acts 4:1–22), but his opposition did absolutely nothing to stop the spread of the gospel.

In view of the above, it becomes very clear that there are many misleading memes and articles on the Internet that can lead people astray!  I doubt YHWH is very happy with those who keep focusing on, and bringing others' attention to, all the WRONG things...

WHEN WAS YESHUA BORN? WHEN WAS YESHUA BORN?

There are myriad thoughts and studies on this issue, so let’s see what Scripture itself reveals about Yeshua's birth:

Luke 2: 1. Now it happened in those days that a decree went out from Augustus Caesar that the names of all the people of his dominion should be written down. 2. This census first happened during the governorship of Qurinius in Syria. 3. And everyone went in his own city to be registered. 4. And Yosip was also going up from Nasrath, a city of Galeela into Yehuda to the city of Dawid, which is called Beth-Lekhem, because he was from the house and from the clan of Dawid, 5. With Maryam his bride while she was pregnant, that there they might be registered.

6. And it happened that while they were there, her days of pregnancy were fulfilled. 7. And she bore him a firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room where they could lodge. 8. At this time shepherds were there in that region were they were lodging and keeping watch there at night over their flocks. (AENT)

So … Miriam was forced to give birth in a stable because there was no room at the inn - because people from all over had gathered in Jerusalem for the census! (In those days you returned to your native home to be registered.) Not to mention, as we'll see later, it was also the festival of Sukkot - Tabernacles - when many pilgrims came to celebrate in Jerusalem ... which meant the inns were full....

Bethlehem is only about 5 miles from Jerusalem and so Y'shua was born there because there was no room at any of the inns in either Jerusalem or Bethlehem. Yeshua had to be born in Bethlehem because the name Bethlehem means "House Of Bread", with the strong connotation of House Of Battle. And as we all know, Y'shua is the Bread of Life" (John 6:43-51).

There are 7 historical anchors to the date of the Messiah's birth which narrow the range of the birth to the first two weeks of September, 5 BCE (Gregorian proleptic calendar). This article does not provide the details but here are the 7 anchors:

• Both Matthew and Luke agree that Yeshua was born in the last days of King Herod the Great
  No significant astronomical events were observed prior to 7 BCE which would direct the Magi to the birth of the Messiah
• The "shepherds" were living in the fields, (Luke 2:8), so it was not yet winter
• The purification period of Yeshua's mother Mary for the birth of a boy required 41 days. Herod does not order the slaughter of the male infants till this purification period has ended and Mary and Joseph must stay in the area the whole time.
• Three references in the Gospels about astronomical events reveal the time Herod was told of the birth which led Herod to kill infant boys two-years old and under Jupiter, the "King Star" was observed rising in the east in late May, 5 BCE "There was no room at the inn" reveals more than commonly known. The "inns" are filled because there was a census and observant Jews were preparing for the annual Sukkot celebration.

All of these historical events narrow the date of the birth to the first two weeks of September (Gregorian), 5 BCE.  Please click here to read more about this very interesting topic. 

If God’s Eye is "on the sparrow," just think about how much He loves YOU!…

One morning, as I was hosing off the front porch, I noticed high up on a corner wall, what I thought was a hornet’s nest.  But upon closer inspection, I realized it was a bird’s nest, as it had a few little branches sticking out of the sides.  Googling the oddly designed nest revealed that our house had apparently been adopted by a pair of Barn Swallows getting ready to raise a family.

A couple days later, I noticed a tiny little, fuzzy bird on the concrete, directly below the nest.  Of course, I wanted to help it out somehow - perhaps try to put it back into the nest - but then I quickly came to realize that its Mom was not only eye-balling, but actually dive-bombing me, and so I decided to leave it alone and let nature take its course.
 
The next day - lo and behold! - we had TWO little ones on the front porch floor, huddled together for comfort.  This made us realize that the parents were apparently pushing them out of the nest, for whatever reason, and so we simply checked on them throughout the day, watching in fascination how they were being fed and cared for by both parents.  Mom and Dad were always close by, either sitting somewhere on the porch ,or the front lawn near the little ones, and taking turns flying around to gather food for their babies. 

Once, when a fox tried to investigate the front porch for a quick snack, it was aggressively dive-bombed and driven out by Mom and Dad and at least a dozen of their Barn Sparrow friends!  (Tom and I prayed for God’s protection of these sweet little ones, as there are lots of foxes in our neighborhood – two of which seem to like to sleep in our back yard sometimes.) 

Anyway, as the tiny pair kept growing over the next couple of days, they began to venture out onto our walkway, away from the porch.  We were very worried that evening, when they chose not to return to the porch, opting instead to spend the night several yards away in the middle of that walkway. The next morning, to our great dismay, we discovered one of the babies gone, and the other sitting quietly all alone on the front porch, with the parents hanging out nearby.

That evening, that poor little thing had to endure a second trauma via a major hailstorm that blasted us with some baseball-sized hail. We didn't have to rescue the birdie, though, as it was smart enough to hunker down behind one of the pillars on the front porch. Afterward, we saw Mom and Dad hovering nearby to to calm their quaking baby.

Several days have passed, and that baby has never again ventured out onto the walkway, so apparently it realized that the world can be a very dangerous place…

We’ve been “birdie hosts” for about a week and a half now - and our front lawn really needs mowing, but we’ve asked the lawn guy to wait until the little one takes flight, because we don’t to risk upsetting our little feathered family anymore than necessary.  They've already endured enough. 

So far, so good.  That baby is no longer a little fuzz ball, as it has grown feathers and is even able to fly an inch or two off the ground now (it’s been trying REALLY hard).  It shouldn’t be much longer before the family “flies the coop” for “greener pastures” – and honestly, we can’t wait because our front porch needs a good hosing down!

It’s been a fun adventure – and all I could think of this whole time is, "what an amazing ELOHIM we serve!"  He has instilled in each animal, fish and bird, and all living creatures, the know-how to do and be exactly what they were designed to do! These tiny birds “just knew” how to raise a family; to take care of, and feed and teach their young.

You could truly see His Divine Hand in all this.  You could tell that He knows and loves each one - even though, in our “fallen world,” they don’t all make it to adulthood. That's just how "nature" is, and we have to deal with it...

Regardless, that being the case, just think how much more He loves us humans - the ONLY ones to whom He gave Free Will ... and the innate knowledge to yearn for Him,  learn of Him, to KNOW Him, and to CHOOSE to become like refined silver that reflects His Perfect Image!  What an AWESOME God we serve - Halleluyah!

HE LOVES US:

Job 12: 7 “But ask the animals — they will teach you — and the birds in the air — they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth — it will teach you — and the fish in the sea will inform you: 9 every one of them knows that the hand of Adonai has done this! 10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the spirit of every human being. (CJB)

Matthew 6: 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (AENT)

Matthew 10:29 – 31: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (ESV)

HE KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS, AND HE TAKES CARE OF US:

Luke 12:4. But I say to you my friends, do not have fear of those who kill the body and after that they have nothing more to do.  5. But I will show you whom to be afraid of.  He whom, after he has killed, has authority to throw into Gehenna.  Yes, I say to you have fear of him. 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two coins, and yet not one of them is lost before Elohim.  7. But even the individual hairs of your head are numbered.  Therefore, do not have fear because you are more valuable than a multitude of sparrows.
  
8. And I say to you that whomever confesses me before men, the Son of man also will confess before the Messengers of Elohim.  9. But whoever denies me before men will himself be denied before the Messengers of Elohim.  10. And anyone who says a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him, but he who blasphemes against the Ruach haKodesh will not be forgiven him.

11. And when they bring you into the assemblies before chiefs and authorities, do not be anxious about how your breath should depart, or what you should say.  12. For the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) will teach you at that moment what is worthy that you should say.  (AENT)

Psalm 84:3 the sparrow finds herself a home and the swallow her nest, where she lays her young, [so my resting-place is] by your altars, Adonai-Tzva’ot, my king and my God. (CJB)

Let’s take another look at that “lunar Shabbat” idea…

For those who have never heard of “Lunar Shabbat”, there are certain Messianic/Hebrew Roots types who insist that the weekly Shabbat (Sabbath) does NOT fall on the Seventh Day of the week; rather, that it is determined by the New Moon each month.

They believe Shabbat always falls on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the month, and claim that ALL instances in the Bible where a Shabbat can be dated or the date inferred, it is always the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the month - and cannot be proven otherwise!

Well, that is totally untrue – and my late husband, Bill Welker, proved it both biblically and scientifically.  (Here is his whole article, if you are interested in doing a deeper study on this issue: Lunar Shabbat – NOT! )

So, let’s begin by checking out some of the basic “Sabbath” scriptures that seem to be ignored by the lunar sabbatarians:

In Genesis 1:1-31, and Genesis 2:1-3, we see that YHWH Himself established, blessed, and separated the Seventh Day as “holy”:

Genesis 2: 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. (CJB)

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. (CJB)

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.'" (CJB)

Leviticus 23: 3 " 'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD. (CJB)

Do you see any mention of the "new moons" in any of the scriptures above?

Here is the bottom line: ADONAI told His people to count SIX DAYS, and the Seventh would be the Sabbath.

Exodus 16:16 Here is what ADONAI has ordered: each man is to gather according to his appetite - each is to take an 'omer [two quarts] per person for everyone in his tent." 17 The people of Isra'el did this. Some gathered more, some less; 18 but when they put it in an 'omer-measure, whoever had gathered much had no excess; and whoever had gathered little had no shortage; nevertheless each person had gathered according to his appetite.

19 Moshe told them, "No one is to leave any of it till morning." 20 But they didn't pay attention to Moshe, and some kept the leftovers until morning. It bred worms and rotted, which made Moshe angry at them. 21 So they gathered it morning after morning, each person according to his appetite; but as the sun grew hot, it melted.

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two 'omers per person; and all the community leaders came and reported to Moshe. 23 He told them, "This is what ADONAI has said: 'Tomorrow is a holy Shabbat for ADONAI. Bake what you want to bake; boil what you want to boil; and whatever is left over, set aside and keep for the morning.'" 24 They set it aside till morning, as Moshe had ordered; and it didn't rot or have worms.

25 Moshe said, "Today, eat that; because today is a Shabbat for ADONAI - today you won't find it in the field. 26 Gather it six days, but the seventh day is the Shabbat - on that day there won't be any." 27 However, on the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather and found none. 28 ADONAI said to Moshe, "How long will you refuse to observe my mitzvot and teachings? 29 Look, ADONAI has given you the Shabbat. This is why he is providing bread for two days on the sixth day. Each of you, stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day." (CJB)

The above passage makes it abundantly clear that something happened to the manna every day except on the sixth day: It would stink and breed worms if it was kept longer than a day! However, on the sixth day, whenever a double portion was gathered to last them through Shabbat (the Seventh Day) the manna did not spoil. On Shabbat Israel was instructed to remain in their tents and not attempt to gather manna because there would be none. Those who tried to gather on the seventh day were admonished.

Lastly, author and Aramaic and Hebrew scholar, Andrew Gabriel Roth, uses John 7 to completely squash the “Lunar Shabbat” argument:

John 7: 19. Did not Moshe give you Torah, yet not a man among you kept Torah?[1] 20. Why do you want to kill me? The crowd answered and said, “You have a demon! Who wants to kill you?” 21. Y’shua answered and said to them, One work I have done and all of you marvel! 22. Because of this, Moshe gave circumcision to you. It was not because it was from him, Moshe, but from the patriarchs; yet you circumcise a man on the day of the Shabbat. 23. If a man is circumcised on the day of the Shabbat so that the Torah of Moshe not be loosed, why do you argue against me because the man I have made whole on the day[2] of the Shabbat? 24. Do not be judging by hypocrisy, rather judge with a just judgment. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The Pharisees face a very stern rebuke here from Y’shua for not keeping the Torah of Moshe; his language could not be stronger. Y’shua’s teaching comes from the “divine” side (qnoma) within him. It is YHWH who is speaking through Mashiyach Y’shua. By contrast, “not a man among you,” not one Pharisee, is keeping Torah. The message is clear; Y’shua in effect is saying, “who are you to judge me when you don’t practice what you preach?” Even as a child from Galeela, Y’shua had a flawless understanding of Torah. Y’shua never lived one standard for himself while teaching another to the Pharisees, and another to his Jewish followers, and yet another for non-Jews. See Matthew 5:20.

[2] This event is in active participle form in Aramaic, indicating that it is unfolding into the immediate present. As a result, this verse clearly invalidates the false theory of a lunar Shabbat. This cannot be referring to a miracle on any other time but, rather, at that moment on that day – since that selfsame moment is called the Shabbat day!

Y’shua states that a day between the first and last days of Sukkot is the Shabbat. That being the case, the Shabbat is by definition, falling on a day other than the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd or 29th day of the month! This imperative clearly nullifies the lunar Shabbat falsehood; it is validated by Aramaicists and authoritative Aramaic grammars of both Christian and Jewish persuasion. Neither is there any historical documentation among Netzarim followers of Y’shua regarding the observance of a lunar Shabbat.

Nor do Jewish historians such as Yoseph ben Mattathias (Josephus) support the theory that Y’shua’s talmidim observed a lunar Shabbat. Had Y’shua or his talmidim adopted lunar Shabbat observance, the Rabbinical world would have raked them over the coals, but no such thing is evidenced in Jewish writings.

And so there you have all the proof you need about the SEVENTH DAY Sabbath! 

(By the way, the "seventh day" on the Gregorian calendar falls on Saturday and it's the same 7th day observed since at least the time of Moshe! Please check out our article: Origin of the Seventh Day)

That pesky 2 Corinthians 3…

Someone recently challenged me on this passage to “prove” that Torah was abolished at the cross:

2 Corinthians 3: 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (NIV)

See how the New International Bible version changed it to suggest that “Christ” somehow removed the need for the entire “Old Covenant?” Other “Greek” Bible versions do the same thing! (The “Old Testament” reveals WHO God (YHWH) is and what He expected of His people. Anyone who accepts Him as their God is HIS people – and those who are His, ARE expected to obey the Divine Rules designed to set them apart from the world…)

Anyway, let’s take a look at this passage through the “Hebrew” as opposed to the “Greek” mindset:

2 Corinthians 3:12. Seeing therefore we have this hope, we the more, speak with boldness; 13. And are not like Moshe, who threw a veil over his face that the children of Israel might not behold the termination of that (condemnation) which was abolished. 14. But they were blinded in their understanding because until this day, when the Ancient Covenant is read, the same veil rests upon them; nor is it manifest (to them), that it (condemnation) is abolished by the Mashiyach.

15. And to this day, when Moshe is read, a veil is thrown upon their hearts. 16. But when any of them is turned to Master YHWH, the veil is taken from him[*]. 17. Now Master YHWH Himself is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of Master YHWH is, there is freedom. 18. And we all, with uncovered faces, behold as in a mirror the glory of Master YHWH; and are transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by Master YHWH the Spirit. (Aramaic English New Testament/AENT)

Let’s put on our thinking caps and view this through the Hebrew, instead of the “Greek” mindset:

First, the context of this passage marked by the asterisk (*) does NOT suggest that Torah “blinds”; nor does the reading of the “Renewed Covenant” bring Grace. The context is that in each, one must “turn to Master YHWH with their hearts” to remove the veil.

Secondly, in verses 16 through 18, the use of the word “Lord” in the Greek versions makes it look as if it is referring to “Christ” (Messiah). However, the Aramaic actually uses the term “MarYah” meaning “Master YHWH” (the Father)!

Rather than people constantly turning to “Jesus” as the deciding factor (i.e., insisting he removed the need for Torah - the first five Books of the Bible that contain YHWH’s original Divine Instructions, designed to show us how to “be holy” - along with the rest of the “Old” Testament, people need to start viewing YHWH ELOHIM as our ancestors KNEW Him during the 4,000 years BEFORE Messiah ever came onto the scene. (YHWH handed down all kinds of instructions to mankind in Genesis 1 and throughout the rest of the Torah.)

If they would only STUDY the “Old Testament” in context, they would eventually discover that the “New” Testament” was NOT to show that “Jesus came to bring grace and abolish His Father’s Divine Instruction in Righteousness,’ with no other responsibilities besides “believing in Jesus.”

The “Hebrew context” (which began some 2,000 years ago, when men began to translate and MIS-translate the original manuscripts), reveals that YHWH sent His Messiah to return His people onto HIS Path of holiness, without all the additions and changes that men had begun to teach each other.

Yeshua’s task was to do His Father's will and NOT his own; that he would do everything His Father commanded, and then to martyr himself and thus become our Redeemer who – as we all know - substituted his nephesh/soul for ours so that we could TRULY come to know and follow YHWH’s ways and be “set apart” (instead of only “lukewarm” in our religiosity spawned by our limited, human mindsets) and ultimately receive eternal life.

NOTHING suggests that Yeshua came to bring a new religion or “abolish” His Father’s Divine Instructions OR anything else in what we call the “Old Testament!”

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.

The bottom line is that Jews (who accept only the "Old Testament" while vehemently denying Yeshua's sacrifice on the stake) and Gentiles (who cling to the erroneous "Jesus abolished all that old stuff on the cross" and "it was only for the Jews" mindset) must learn to see “the whole picture” in context, instead of using prayers or certain passages (often taken out of context) to pretend that God doesn’t mind “opinions” or outright Scripture twisting to make us feel good.

Throughout the Gospels we see Yeshua giving Glory to the Father, and teaching men to turn hearts unto YHWH. It was never about himself; it was about the whole concept of ADONAI/ELOHIM God, and how to please Him so that we could learn to be holy and set apart, and thus gain eternal life instead of risking eternal separation from God.

It's heartbreaking to see the damage mankind has done to the Bible throughout the ages! Scripture reveals in several places that this would happen:

Ezekiel 22:26 Her pastors/priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them."

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of ADONAI is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

28:4 Those who abandon Torah praise the wicked, but those who keep Torah fight them.

James 3:15 For this wisdom comes not down from above; but is earthly, and from the devices of the soul, and from demons. 16. For where envy and disputation are, there also is confusion and everything wrong. 17. But the wisdom which is from above is perfect and full of peace, and mild and submissive, and full of compassion and of good fruits, and without partiality and without respect of persons.

People can argue all day long about how they have the truth...but this gets us nowhere! In the end, there is only one truth - and that is YHWH's Truth! If we don’t adhere to it, then WHOM are we truly worshiping?

The importance of reading Scripture in context (using Galatians 3:19 as an example)

One example is Galatians 3:19 which myriads use to prove that Torah isn't necessary. That is truly an unfortunate train of thought, brought on by the fact that most will stop at verse 19, without reading the rest of the passage:

Galatians 3:19. Why then Torah? It was added because of apostasy, until the coming of the heir to whom the promise was made, and Torah was given by Messengers, by the hand of a mediator. (AENT)

See the problem? It looks as if Rav Shaul (Paul) is anti-Torah! However, Paul - as Peter explains in 2 Peter 3:15 - often had a hard time explaining deep Hebrew concepts to pagan audiences:

2 Peter 3:15 And think of our Lord’s patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Sha’ul also wrote you, following the wisdom God gave him. 16 Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. (CJB)

(WOW! Isn't it interesting to discover that Peter, way back then, was already warning people that Paul's letters would often be misinterpreted or misunderstood? 2 Peter 3:15 reveals that Paul's writings had already been turned into a Torahless fiasco, even in Peter’s day! We must also understand that it was not the Pharisees who were renouncing Torah Observance, but the humanist, pagan and materialist, “modernists” who were attempting to renounce anything that smacked of Judaism.)

Returning to the REST of the passage in Galatians 3 - let's read that whole passage, in context:

Galatians 3:19. Why then Torah? It was added because of apostasy, until the coming of the heir to whom the promise was made, and Torah was given by Messengers, by the hand of a mediator. 20. Now a mediator does not represent one alone, but Elohim is one.

21. Is the Torah we received against the promises of Elohim? Elohim forbid! For if Torah had been given, which was able to give life, then truly righteousness would have come as a result of Torah.[1] 22. But the Scripture has encircled all things and put them under sin, that the promise in the faith of Y’shua the Mashiyach might be given to those who believe.

23. But before faith came, Torah[2] was guarding[3] us while we were confined from the faith about to be revealed. 24. Torah was therefore a tutor for us, going towards the Mashiyach that we, by faith, might be made righteous. 25. But since faith came, we are no longer under tutors.[4] 26. For you are all the children of Elohim by faith in Y’shua the Mashiyach.

27. For those who have been immersed in Mashiyach have been clothed[5] with Mashiyach. 28. For there is neither Jew nor Aramean, nor slave nor free, nor male nor female, but you are all one in Y’shua the Mashiyach. 29. And if you are of the Mashiyach then you are seeds of Awraham and inheritors by the promise. (AENT)

Please take a moment to check out these important footnotes for the passage above:

[1] Torah is a very big deal in the Rabbinical Jewish world from which Rav Shaul (Rabbi/Apostle Paul) came. The point that he makes over and over is that while Torah is a very big deal, the giver of Torah is even bigger, meaning the following:

YHWH gave Torah as a Faith component of Covenant (terms and conditions) between Him and His people, so don’t disregard YHWH and put Him on the shelf because you think yourself a Torah scholar.

Worse yet, don’t put up fences and traditions that become more important to yourselves than YHWH and His Mashiyach (Messiah). Sadly, most will ask others extremely important questions about YHWH and Yeshua, long before they even consider going to YHWH Himself. Faith demands a person enter into an active relationship with YHWH and His Mashiyach, regardless if a person is Christian or Jewish.

[2] In this regard “Torah” can be compared with any righteous values a soul voluntarily imposes upon himself. However, as a spiritual relationship is established with YHWH and Yeshua, one is elevated to much higher levels of spiritual awareness and accountability. Therefore, it is a complete farce when people claim to follow Mashiyach, yet willfully violate Torah according to their denominational authorities. (See Matthew 7:23.)

[3] Most Greek translations have “kept in(ward) under the law” which is indicative of popular anti-Torah theology. However, many fail to understand that without the Torah of YHWH, there would be NO Standard with which to prove Mashiyach; therefore NO Mashiyach...

[4] In the most ancient manuscripts in the Peshitta, taraa is ‘tutors’; however, it was translated as the singular ‘tutor’ in Greek. Although the word taraa has the same spelling for both singular and plural, there are times such as here, when the grammar of the sentence does not directly reveal whether it is singular or plural. To correct this problem, the earliest scribes of the Peshitta inserted two dot plural markers called a syame above such words, as in this case.

A Greek redactor could easily miss these and mistake a singular word for a plural, or vice versa. Aramaic texts are unanimous for when the syames appear, making these readings highly reliable.

That being so, what we have here is the true tutor, Torah, being contrasted against false tutors, the Pharisees, who put their oral tradition above the written code of Moses and the Prophets. Such is a common refrain of Y’shua as well in places such as Matthew 15. Unfortunately, this passage was twisted into a “proof text” by anti-Torah types who wanted to distance themselves from the Faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

[5] That is, as a garment wraps a person inside, which is a very common idiom in both Hebrew and Aramaic. Paul uses it elsewhere in Ephesians when talking about putting on the armor of Elohim and the breastplate of righteousness. A very similar idiomatic usage, “clothed with zeal like a cloak”, is found in Isaiah 59:17.

...In closing, you can surely see that it's a huge mistake to take one single part of a particular passage, and attempt to prove your own theology. In the case of Galatians 3:19, many read just this and conclude Torah is a BAD thing. But when you look at the REST of of Galatians 3, you can see that the opposite is true: Torah was NOT abolished and it was never a "bad thing!"

Some “New Testament” passages revealing that the keeping of the “Old Testament” commandments did NOT end with the coming of Yeshua (Jesus)...

The following are some “New Testament” passages revealing that the keeping of the “Old Testament” commandments did NOT end with the coming of Yeshua (Jesus)...

John 14: 15. If you love me, keep my Commandments. 16. And I will ask of my Father and He will give you another Redeemer[1] who will be with you forever. 17. The Spirit of Truth, He who the world is not able to receive because it has not seen Him, nor does know Him. But you know Him for He dwells with you and He is in you.

18. I will not leave you bereaved. For I will come to you in a little while. 19. And the world will not see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20. In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you. 21. He who has my Commandments with him and keeps them, he is who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my Father. And I will love him and reveal myself to him. (AENT)

[1] "Redeemer" or "One who ends the curse." By the indwelling of the Ruach haKodesh, our fallen nature is redeemed from the curse of Adam. By ending the curse, Mashiyach as savior, more literally fulfills the office of Mashiyach as the "giver of lives."

John 15: 10. If you keep my Commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept the Commandments of my Father, and I abide in His love. 11. I have spoken these things with you that my joy may be in you and that your joy might be full in you. 12. This is my Commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. (AENT)

NOTE: The "Commandments of my Father" always refers to Torah; see also John 15:5. Y'shua and his Talmidim (disciples) keep his Father's Commandments, but mainstream Christianity is not only anti-Torah; they turned rebellion against Torah into a "fashionable" form of lawlessness. See Daniel 7:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; 2 Timothy 2:19; Titus 2:14; 2 Peter 2:21; 1 John 3:4; Hebrews 2:2-4; Romans 4:15; Matthew 7:23; 13:41.

Note in the above that Yeshua was Torah observant; He kept the commandments of Torah! He said, "If you keep my Commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept the Commandments of my Father, and I abide in His love." Note that Yeshua said “YOU”…Those two facts ("love" and "commandments") cannot be separated! To "love one another" is to share with each other the keeping of the commandments!

God LOVES us, and He WANTS to have a true relationship with Him. Our “traditions” and simply “going to church” are NOT a “relationship.” He demands that we obey His commands, so that all will go well with us.

In Deuteronomy 27:26 He said: “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!'" (Also, please read Deuteronomy 28:1-15.) These things didn’t then, and don’t now, pertain “only to the Jews.” …
If you’ve read the whole Bible, you can see from start to finish how adamant He was and is - all the way through to the end of the “New Testament”:

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

7 Blessed is the man who trusts in ADONAI; ADONAI will be his security. 8 He will be like a tree planted near water; it spreads out its roots by the river; it does not notice when heat comes; and its foliage is luxuriant; it is not anxious in a year of drought but keeps on yielding fruit. 9 "The heart is more deceitful than anything else and mortally sick. Who can fathom it? 10 I, ADONAI, search the heart; I test inner motivations; in order to give to everyone what his actions and conduct deserve." (CJB)

Revelation 22: 14. Blessed are they who do His (Master YHWH's) Mitzvot (words/commands), that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. 15. Without (will be) dogs (idiom for male prostitutes; those who are evil/pagan) and sorcerers, and whoremongers and manslayers and idolaters, and everyone that loves and does falsehood. 16. I Y'shua have sent my Messenger to testify to you these things before the assemblies. I am the root and offspring of Dawid: like the splendid star of the morning.

17. And the Spirit and the bride say, You come. And let him that hears, say, You come. And let him who thirsts, come; and he that is inclined, let him take the living water freely. 18. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, that if anyone will add to them, Elohim will add to him the plagues that are written in this book.

19. And if anyone will take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Elohim will take away his portion from the tree of life and from the Set Apart city, which are described in this book. 20. He who testifies these things, says: Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Y'shua! 21. The grace of our Master (Y'shua) Y'shua the Mashiyach, (be) with all the Set Apart believers. Amen. (AENT)

Remember who was standing before Him on Sinai? It wasn’t just “the Jews”; it was the 12 tribes, AND the foreigners who had followed Moshe and the Hebrews out of Egypt. Those of them who wished to accept YHWH as their ELOHIM, were told to do exactly as HIS people did! (Exodus 12:38, Numbers 15:13-16)

YHWH was making His oath not only with those standing before Him, but with all future generations of those who have accepted Him as their Elohim! (Remember, as believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, YOU are part of Israel - Halleluyah! He made this oath with YOU as well as those standing before Him at Sinai: Obey Him and all will go well with you; disobey and you will be cursed....)

Deuteronomy 29: 19 If there is such a person, when he hears the words of this curse, he will bless himself secretly, saying to himself, ‘I will be all right, even though I will stubbornly keep doing whatever I feel like doing; so that I, although “dry,” [sinful,] will be added to the “watered” [righteous].’ 20 But ADONAI will not forgive him. Rather, the anger and jealousy of ADONAI will blaze up against that person. Every curse written in this book will be upon him. ADONAI will blot out his name from under heaven. (ESV)

A FINAL NOTE TO PONDER:

The death of Yeshua didn't remove our need to have a true and holy relationship with YHWH; he came to free us from our past sins. If things aren’t “going well” with us and we aren’t feeling blessed, it’s either because YHWH is loving us enough to chastise us for something, and He is trying to get us back on track; OR, because WE deliberately continue to ignore His commands – at which point we will receive His curses.

Can Scripture contradict itself?

To all those who believe that Paul negated the Torah by interpreting Colossians 2:14 thusly...

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (KJV) to mean that the Law is nailed to the cross so there is no need for Christians to keep the Torah, and Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (KJV):

...then please answer one question:  Can Scripture contradict itself?

If it (or Paul) appears to contradict itself, then there is only two possible conclusions. 1) Your interpretation of at least one of the verses is incorrect and you should be open to alternate interpretations, or 2) This invalidates all the Scripture. Is Yahweh the one that is incorrect? Or is it much more likely that it is our interpretation that is incorrect and should be adjusted.

I offer the following verses: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God, and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.” (TLV)

Does your interpretation of these verses (Colossians and Galatians contradict 2 Timothy 3? It seems to me that if the Torah is done away with, does not apply to Christians, and therefore is not to be followed, then the inevitable conclusion is that Torah is not useful for teaching, reproof, restoration or for training in righteousness. If it is true that Torah is invalid for Gentiles, then what parts of the Tanach, (Old Testament) are valid for teaching, reproof, restoration and training in righteousness? Psalms? Then what about Psalms 119? Proverbs? What about Proverbs 7 “My son, keep my words and treasure my mitzvot within you. Keep my mitzvot and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.” Or do we just throw out the entire Old Testament? Just what is the “word” if we do that? If we do that then indeed, Paul contradicts himself and the Scriptures.

There are just so many places within the Tanach (Old Testament) and the New Testament that affirm Yahweh’s instructions first for the Hebrews, and then for all men to follow. In fact, the Torah is the foundation upon which all the New Testament is built.

Paul also said “So what room is left for boasting? None at all! What kind of Torah excludes it? One that has to do with legalistic observance of rules? No, rather, a Torah that has to do with trusting. Therefore, we hold the view that a person comes to be considered righteous by God on the ground of trusting, which has nothing to do with legalistic observance of Torah commands. Or is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, he is indeed the God of the Gentiles; because, as you will admit, God is one. Therefore, he will consider righteous the circumcised on the ground of trusting and the uncircumcised through that same trusting. Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah. (Romans 3:27-31). 

So by doing Torah we are not boasting, we are honoring and affirming Yahweh’s word and the living word, Yeshua.

And. “Therefore, what are we to say? That the Torah is sinful? Heaven forbid! Rather, the function of the Torah was that without it, I would not have known what sin is.” (Romans 7:7).

And, “For it is not merely the hearers of Torah whom God considers righteous; rather, it is the doers of what Torah says who will be made righteous in God’s sight.” (Romans 2:13)

Why wouldn’t all Christians wish to be righteous in God’s sight? Why wouldn’t all Christians desire to DO the Torah, eat Kosher, keep the 10 commandments, keep the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday), and celebrate the feasts of Yahweh, especially since they claim that Yeshua (Jesus) is their example, and He kept all the Torah. Is it logical that Yahweh sent His only Son into the world to do His Torah just so His followers would have no reason to honor His Father likewise?

Search for another interpretation whenever there appears to be a contradiction in Scripture. The whole book, Old Testament and New Testament are one book, with one message of repentance and restoration, with multiple examples for our edification. It is all true. “Be holy as I am holy.”

Remember Yahweh’s character of compassion, graciousness, slow to anger, abundant in lovingkindness and truth, showing mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished. (Exodus 34:6-7). We must adopt attitudes that are consistent with His character. Is it possible that He does not desire that all His people, including Gentile believers in His Mashiach, follow His guidance? Heaven forbid!!!

The bottom line is: if you are a Christian were you grafted into Israel? If yes, then the Torah applies to you. See Romans 11:17-24…. If no, then Yeshua did not come for you. See Matthew 10:24 where He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el.” He came for His children (Isra’el), whether or not they are adopted (believers in Yeshua that are grafted in). 

I am sorry, but Yeshua said: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On that Day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness” Matthew 7:21-23.

His Father, Yahweh, gave all His children His instructions for righteousness (holiness), to both His Hebrew children, and His adopted children, and He expects all of us to obey and trust in Him to the best of our abilities, by doing all of His commandments (mitzvot) that apply to us. Do not exclude the Father and His instructions just because you accept the restoration with the Father that Yeshua offers! 

We serve both Father and Son in Spirit and Truth. It’s only logical. 

- Thomas R. Leannah