Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) is on the horizon again!

 

Sukkot is on the horizon!

Did you know that our Messiah was NOT born on December 25th? It's true! Yeshua was born on the first day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), which falls in the September/October time frame on our Gregorian calendars, and circumcised on the 8th day. (The first and last days of Sukkot are High Holy Days.)

As a matter of fact, my late husband, Bill Welker, discovered some time ago that the day of Yeshua's birth was 15 Tishri (September 13th (Gregorian proleptic)), 5 BCE, under the "sign" of a total lunar eclipse. 

This year (2024), Sukkot starts at sunset on September 17; and the last day ends at sunset September 25.  The first and last days are High Holy Days!  For more, please check out our indepth article.   
 

 

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)!

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!

(This year (2024) Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashana begins at sunset on Tuesday, September 3 and ends at sunset on Wednesday, September 4. (The readings for Yom Teruah/Roash HaShana are: Leviticus  23:23-25, Numbers 29:1-  6, Matthew 24:30-31, 1  Thessalonians 4:16-17.)

It seems most simply do not want to “Shema”…

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT MOST PEOPLE ONLY WANT TO HEAR "HOW GOOD" OUR GOD IS - They don't ever want to see the "whole picture."  They don't seem to want to hear that He doesn't provide endless "feel good religion"; but, rather, some "tough love," because He is "all in" - ADAMANT! - about His relationship with us...

Many ignore the "curses" He said He would send on those who refuse to obey His Word. (See Deuteronomy 26:1 through 29:8.)

Most only want to hear what all God will "do for them" - simply because they "believe in Jesus" ... which means, they haven't grasped the whole picture!  They didn't read, much less study or understand the first 3/4 of the Bible to find out who ADONAI (God, "the Father") is or what is expected of THEM in this two-way relationship. 

They concentrate only on what they THINK they know from the *last fourth* of the Bible, which they believe consists only of the idea that "Jesus brought love and grace" and that "Old Testament God was mean, and all that old stuff doesn't pertain to us"...

Somehow, it escapes them that Yeshua tried to make people realize he did NOT come to bring any "religion"; rather, he taught the "old one that was brought to us from the beginning; and that we have to SHEMA (which means "hear AND do"); and if we don't we're not going to see the Kingdom!  

Please read the very carefully:

1 John 2:7 My beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but the old Commandment which you had from the beginning; and the old Commandment is the Word which you have heard. (AENT)

John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commands; (CJB)

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

Matthew 13: 1. Now on that day Y'shua went out from the house and sat by the side of the sea. 2. And large crowds gathered around him, so that he went up to sit himself on a boat, and all the crowd was standing on the shore of the sea. 3. And he was speaking much to them in parables, and said, Behold, a sower went out to sow, 4. and while he was sowing, there was some that fell upon the side of the road, and a bird came and ate it. 5. And some others fell where stony ground was, and there was not much soil there. And at once, it sprouted because there was no depth to the ground.

6. When the sun came up and it became hot, and because it had not rooted, it withered. 7. And some others fell into a thorny place and grew up thistles and choked it. 8. And others fell on good ground and bore fruit: some a hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.

9. He who has ears to hear let him hear. 10. And his disciples approached and said to him, "Why do you speak in parables to them? 11. And he answered and said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. 12. For to him who has, it will be given to him and it will increase to him, and to him who has not, even that which he has will be taken from him.

13. Because of this, I will speak in parables with them because they see, and they see not, and they hear and they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14. And is fulfilled in them the prophecy of Yesha'yahu which said that, "Hearing, and you will not understand what you will hear, and seeing you will see not know what you see."

15. For hardened is the heart of this people, and with their ears they were hard of hearing, and their eyes are blinded that they should not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand in their heart and return and I heal them. 16. But blessed are you. You have eyes that see and ears that hear.

17. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men have longed to see the things that you see, and they did not see, and to hear, and they did not hear. 18. But you hear the parable of the seed. 19. Everyone who hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand it comes the evil one and snatches the word, which was sown in his heart. This is that which upon the side of the road was sown. 20. And that which was sown upon stony ground is he that hears the word and accepts it at once in joy. 21. But he has no root in him but is temporal. And when trouble or persecution comes, he is quickly offended because of the word.

22. And that which was sown into a thorny place is he that hears the word and the cares of this world and the deception of riches choke the word, and it becomes without fruit. 23. But that which was sown upon good earth is he that hears my word and understands and produces and bears fruit, some a hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty. (AENT)

ROMANS 11:8 tells us: "As it is written: Elohim gave them a stupid spirit and eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, to this very day." (CJB)

Honestly - from what I've been able to discern, many simply do NOT want to bother with God's Truth; they simply want their ears tickled - never mind that Scripture provided this stern warning:

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

Needing some words of encouragement?

FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT NEED A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT:

Don't ever give up! Even though it might not seem like it sometimes, Yahweh knows what you're going through. But remember, everything that happens to us is for a reason that only HE knows; He allows it to happen!

The Destroyer cannot do anything to you that YHWH doesn't allow, because YOU ARE HIS Creation! (And so is Satan, whom He allowed to continue living - and who is being used to separate “the sheep from the goats” on Judgment Day…)

The bottom line is, there is no easy answer as to why God allows "bad things to happen to good people!" But we CAN know that YHWH does some of His best work in and through "broken vessels" - those who have suffered pain and loss and grown stronger in their faith BECAUSE of their suffering. (Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; Proverbs 3:5-6, etc.)

We must learn to recognize that "bad times" are part of our growing process. We cannot truly understand "good times" UNLESS we've suffered through "bad times.

"Part of an old Oak Ridge Boys' song says: "Where the sun always shines, there's a desert below” – meaning, we sometimes HAVE to endure trials and tribulations in order to learn and grow in our relationship with God, who created the entire universe and everything in it; and who is totally in charge. (See, for instance, Daniel 4:17 and Psalm 33:10-15.)

ADONAI Elohim KNOWS what is best for us; yet affords us the liberty and the latitude to “do our own thing.”

He ALLOWS us to choose to stray from His Path in order to teach us life lessons designed to recognize His perfect ways. How long that lesson continues is completely up to us and our willingness to “let go” of self (ego, pride, selfishness and everything else that tends to keep us from being holy/set apart for Him).

He LOVES you and WANTS you to succeed!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know what plans I have in mind for you,’ says Adonai,‘plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. 12 When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. 13 When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly; 14 and I will let you find me,’ says Adonai. (CJB)

1 Peter 5: 5 Likewise, you who are less experienced, submit to leaders. Further, all of you should clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, because God opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace. 6 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the right time he may lift you up. 7 Throw all your anxieties upon him, because he cares about you. 8 Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

9 Stand against him, firm in your trust, knowing that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kinds of suffering. 10 You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. (CJB)

TO REITERATE: YHWH LOVES you and WANTS you to succeed! (That’s one of the many reasons He gave us Messiah Yeshua!)

Luke 12:6. 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. (AENT)

2 Corinthians12:9. And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is perfected in weakness.” Gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Mashiyach (Messiah) may rest upon me. 10. Therefore I have pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in afflictions, in persecutions, in distresses, which are for the Mashiyach’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (AENT)

Debunking Kenneth Copeland’s “God is six feet tall” nonsense

HERE IS WHY "RELIGION", "RELIGIOSITY" AND “DENOMINATIONS” ARE DANGEROUS: ADONAI Elohim gave His very Words to Moshe/Moses via those first five Books of the Bible known as “Torah.” Those words teach us who “God” is and what He expects of us – which is why we MUST be very careful about what we read, see and hear, because the Destroyer does a lot of "ear-tickling" and skillful word-smithing designed to subversively lead us away from God!

For instance, back in 1995, when I was a "baby Christian," I once watched the tongue-talking televangelist Kenneth Copeland standing on stage telling his "sheep" that "God looks just like us; he's beautiful, six foot tall and walks among us."

While unable to locate that exact particular preaching, I found this short clip of one of Copeland’s videos wherein he says something similar, where he insists that God (referring to Jesus) is a "six foot tall being" who commanded the universe into existence! See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPUCL5qDmkM

I'm sorry, but I refuse to swallow that nonsense!

First of all, check out how Isaiah 53 describes YHWH’s Messiah:

Isaiah 53:1 Who believes our report? To whom is the arm of Adonai revealed? 2 For before him he grew up like a young plant, like a root out of dry ground. He was not well-formed or especially handsome; we saw him, but his appearance did not attract us. 3 People despised and avoided him, a man of pains, well acquainted with illness. Like someone from whom people turn their faces, he was despised; we did not value him. (CJB)

Scripture tells us that God cannot be described or compared to anything! Isaiah 40:18 says: “With whom, then, will you compare God? By what standard will you evaluate him?”

Numbers 23:19 discusses God’s essence by contrasting Him with mortal men: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

Genesis 1:2 “…and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.”

A “six foot tall” human being’s spirit wasn’t hovering over the oceans, and Yeshua was NOT standing in the darkness of the universe as a “six-foot-tall human being,” commanding everything into existence! Yeshua is a part of whatever constitutes YHWH, who was on earth for barely more than three decades, sent here to do His Father's will and spread the good news of the Kingdom, and ultimately to die for our past sins, and be raised after three days to return to YHWH…

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.

Yeshua was and is the Divine MESSIAH – the Word (John 1:1, 14), someone who came straight from the Father, who supernaturally placed him into a human woman to ultimately emerge as a man that mankind could identify with. Yeshua didn’t say he “was” YHWH; he said he and his Father are ONE, while – in his human form - constantly DEFERRING to, and praying to his Father throughout his entire life on earth.

God doesn’t pray to God! Yeshua, YHWH’s “Son” and Messiah with a mission, is NOT what Kenneth Copeland espouses!

Philippians 2:5 And think you so in yourselves, as Y'shua the Mashiyach also thought; 6. who, as he was in the likeness of Elohim, did not regard it sinful to be the coequal of Elohim; 7. yet disinherited himself and assumed the likeness of a servant, and was in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man; 8. and he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the stake. 9. Wherefore, also, Elohim has highly exalted him and given him a name which is more excellent than all names; 10. that at the name of Y'shua every knee should bow, of (beings) in heaven and on earth and under the earth; 11. and very tongue will avow MarYah - that is, Yeshua the Messiah - to the glory of YHWH His Father. (AENT)

FOOTNOTE: More than his literal birth name Y'shua (which was and is a common Hebrew name), and more than the perfect reputation that his name represents. Y'shua bears the Name of YHWH, the "name above all names!" Y'shua has the Name and reputation of the Father YHWH in him (John 17:11) and the name means "YHWH is Salvation" (Matthew 1:21). (The angels, for instance, only have YHWH's title of ELOHIM within their names: GabriEL, MichaEL, RaphaEL....)

Colossians 1: 15. …who is the likeness of the invisible Elohim and the first-born of all creatures: 16. and by him was created everything that is in heaven and on earth, all that is visible and all that is invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; everything was through him and was created by him:(1) 17. and he was prior to all, and by him every thing exists. 18. And he is the head of the body the Assembly; as he is the head and first-born from among the dead, that he might be the first in all things. 19. For it pleased (the Father) that in him all fullness should dwell; 20. and by him, to reconcile all things to himself; and through him he has pacified, with the blood of his stake, both (those) on earth and those in heaven.(2) (AENT)

Footnote: The literal Aramaic reading is "by him," whereas Greek and English texts have "for him." Mashiyach is the creative Word through which everything was made (Psalm 33:6, John 1:1-5, Hebrews 1:1-5). The common Aramaic idiom here and in John is "through his hands" meaning as the Word, Mashiyach crafted all things according to YHWH's blueprints. Mashiyach Yeshua emerges as the Word from YHWH's breath and command and, as such, was with Him in the beginning (John 17:1-11).

Who cares about an ancient Book containing ancient rules that don’t apply to us … right?

THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE END OF ANOTHER YEARLY TORAH CYCLE, the clearer it becomes (through much repetitiveness of YHWH’s Divine Instructions) that ELOHIM is VERY adamant about the Rules that show mankind how to be holy/set apart from “the world.”

Unfortunately, our world is anything BUT holy/set apart. That is, in part, due to the fact that some of His Rules are difficult to understand with our “modern” mindsets; and therefore, many simply choose to ignore them. After all, who cares about an ancient Book containing ancient rules that don’t apply to us, right?

Truth is, "the modern world" – as everyone can surely see – is out of control, with sin running rampant. Societies around the world reflect hardly anything that YHWH commanded, or what Yeshua taught.

Here’s just one small example:

In reading Torah Portion 49 (Deuteronomy 21:10 through 25:19) we see YHWH giving His people thorough rules for sex and marriage (among many other things) and even remarriage; yet modern man is completely oblivious! Sex ranks among THE most powerful drives in humans, and these days, it is treated as if it’s no big deal.

Case in point, even today's young people are allowed to watch movies that show explicit sex of all kinds (including homosexual sex), as if these things were completely normal. Instead of being taught the sanctity of “sex” and practicing abstinence until they are married, many parents encourage their children to “experiment” and allow them to "date" completely unsupervised, while suggesting they "practice safe sex" in case they can't control themselves. Responsibility and self-control is no longer part of the equation.

After all, this IS the 21^st Century, and the growing trend is that actual dating relationships seem to be a thing of the past. Many don't even bother "dating" anymore, preferring to employ the contemporary "buzz words" of "hooking up" and having "friends with benefits." (Ironically, some of those same people run to church to warm the pews on Sunday....)

…Folks, times may have changed but the rules for maintaining our purity in every aspect of our lives NEVER changed, regardless of what Hollywood says! Psalm 102:26-28 tells us God lives forever and never changes. Psalm 90 shows us that He IS God Almighty is eternal and all powerful:

Psalm 90: Adonai, you have been our dwelling place in every generation. ² Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, from eternity past to eternity future you are God. ³ You bring frail mortals to the point of being crushed, then say, “People, repent!” ⁴ For from your viewpoint a thousand years are merely like yesterday or a night watch. ⁵ When you sweep them away, they become like sleep; by morning they are like growing grass, ⁶ growing and flowering in the morning,but by evening cut down and dried up. (CJB)

The Torah contains many rules that seem outdated or don't make sense to us today, but when viewed in context, we can certainly see why YHWH put them in place. The death of Yeshua didn't change the context of those rules; it merely freed us from our PAST sins and the "stuff" we used to do before we found our way to God.

Once we accept the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His Divine Messiah who died to remove our past sins, we are expected to be "set apart" for Him, just as our forefathers were; putting off our old ways and living a clean, decent and HOLY life for God, so that we won't be considered "lukewarm" on Judgment Day.

Alas! – as mentioned earlier - many (if not most) have chosen to ignore the awesome commands of our Creator; and, consequently, our world is anything BUT holy/set apart.

What a sad commentary on mankind…

Romans 1: 22 Claiming to be wise, they have become fools! 23 In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles! 24 This is why God has given them up to the vileness of their hearts' lusts, to the shameful misuse of each other's bodies. 25 They have exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, by worshiping and serving created things, rather than the Creator - praised be he for ever. Amen.

26 This is why God has given them up to degrading passions; so that their women exchange natural sexual relations for unnatural; 27 and likewise the men, giving up natural relations with the opposite sex, burn with passion for one another, men committing shameful acts with other men and receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion.

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

Praying for children under a tallit

SOME YEARS AGO, I ENCOUNTERED SOMEONE ON FACEBIIJ who was bashing Messianic and Hebrew Roots congregations for "praying for their children under a tallit.” He insisted that this custom was silly and "pagan."

The truth is, praying for our children is not and CANNOT be wrong! Anyone who suggests otherwise is of satan! Prayer with and over our children is all part of the rearing-process.

Psalm 127:3 Children too are a gift from ADONAI; the fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 The children born when one is young. are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. 5 How blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them ...(CJB)

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, don't irritate your children and make them resentful; instead, raise them with the Lord's kind of discipline and guidance. (CJB)

Proverbs 22: 6 Train a child in the way he [should] go; and, even when old, he will not swerve from it. (CJB)

Deuteronomy 6:6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates. (CJB)

Below is the prayer we all sing to those precious gifts from God - and if the counter-missionaries wish to make fun of it and accuse of of "being pagan," so be it. (This kind of thing actually serves to reveal that the Ruach leaves those who reject YHWH's Messiah....) They can expect to explain themselves to God on Judgment Day!

May the Lord protect and defend you.

May He always shield you from shame.

May you come to be

In Israel a shining name.

May you be like Ruth and like Esther.

May you be deserving of praise.

Strengthen them, Oh Lord,

And keep them from the strangers' ways.

May God bless you and grant you long lives.

(May the Lord fulfill our Sabbath prayer for you.)

May God make you good mothers and wives.

(May He send you husbands who will care for you.)

May the Lord protect and defend you.

May the Lord preserve you from pain.

Favor them, Oh Lord, with happiness and peace.

Oh, hear our Sabbath prayer. Amen.

Nothing "pagan" about that, folks!

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

AS THIS TORAH CYCLE BEGINS TO WIND DOWN, with the Final FALL Feast (Sukkot/Tabernacles)  happening in the middle of September (according to the Eternal Torah Calendar, based on the sun, moon and stars), we cannot help but remember the final words of Moshe (basically his "last will and testament")  before he passed, as he reiterated the need for, and importance of, adherence to YHWH's Torah.

Although some of the rules sound archaic to today's "modern world," we CANNOT ignore the fact that they STILL pertain to us for, without them, we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living.

One of my favorite teachers, Bill Bullock (The Rabbi's Son), wrote the following about YHWH's Words:

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.

Jewish symbolism and hidden meanings in a handful of words: A brilliant explanation of Messiah Yeshua in from the Aramaic viewpoint!

1 Timothy 3:

1. It is a faithful saying that if a man desires the eldership, he desires a good work. 2. And an elder should be such that no blame can be found in him; and he should be the husband of one wife, with a vigilant mind and sober and reliable (in his behaviors), and affectionate to strangers, and instructive, 3. and not a transgressor in regard to wine, and whose hand is not swift to strike; but he should be humble and not contentious, nor a lover of money; 4. and one that guides well his own house and holds his children in subjection with all purity. 5. For if he knows not how to guide his own house well, how can he guide the assembly of Elohim? 6. Neither let him be of recent discipleship, or else he be uplifted and fall into the condemnation of Satan.

7. And there should be good testimony of him from those without; or else he fall into reproach and the snare of Satan. 8. And so also the assembly servants should be pure and not speak double, nor incline to much wine, nor love base gains; 9. but should hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10. And let them be first tried and then let them serve if they are without blame. 11. So also should the wives be chaste and of vigilant minds; and they should be faithful in all things; and they should not be slanderers. 12. Let the assembly servants be such as have each one wife and guide well their children and households.

13. For they who serve well (as assembly servants), procure for themselves a good degree and much boldness in the faith of Y’shua the Mashiyach. 14. These things I write to you while hoping soon to come to you; 15. but if I should delay that you may know how you should to conduct yourself in the house of Elohim which is the assembly of the living Elohim. The pillar and the foundation of the truth, 16. and truly great, is this mystery of righteousness which was revealed in the flesh and righteous in the spirit, and seen by Messengers, and proclaimed among the Gentiles, and believed on in the world, and received up into glory. [*] (AENT)

*FOOTNOTE: Note the brilliant poetry here: (1) And truly great (w’sherirayt rab) (2) Is this divine mystery of righteousness (haw arza hela d’kanota); (3) It is revealed in the flesh (d’atgli b’besra), (4) being Righteous in the Spirit (w’atzaddaq b’rokh), (5) Seen by messengers (w’atkhazi l’malaka), (6) Preached to the Gentiles (w’atkeraz beyt ammah), (7) Believed on in the world (w’athaymin b’almah), (8) And received up into glory (w’astalaq b’shubkha). Note the bold italicized words in 1, 2, 4 and 5. To begin with, two words for “righteousness” are used; one in the last word of line 2 (kanota) and the other in the first word of line 4 (atzaddaq).

However, kanota is clearly reminiscent of kahna (priest), even though their roots are slightly different (kan and kahn, respectively). Furthermore, the last word of line 1 is rab (great/high), and so the way the text lines up when broken out by phrases is rab kanota/kahna (high priest)! The other word, atzaddaq, is also deliberately placed in the same manner since right below it is the word malaka. Now, in this case malaka means “messenger” (angel). However, it is almost identical to malak (king). Reverse the words and we get: Malak + atzaddaq = Melchisedec.

Here are deep poetic patterns contrasting the rab kahna (high priests) of the Levites with that of Melchisedec, the priestly line that Mashiyach represents! In line 3, Atgli b’besra (revealed in the flesh), contains some terrific parallels as well. Not only does the word gali mean “reveal”, but it is also a homonym for Galeela where Mashiyach was “revealed in the flesh”!

Italicized words in lines 5, 6, 7 and 8, carry rhymes which are not by accident or coincidence. First, there are four lines in a row that end in “ah”: w’atkhazi l’malaka w’atkeraz beyt amah w’athaymin b’almah w’astalaq b’shubkha. Other word matches are equally striking: Atkhazi (seen)/Atkeraz (preached); Beyt ammah (house of Gentiles/peoples)/B’almah (in the earth/land).

The last word pair is also noteworthy because of this prophetic passage: “I am going to take the Israelite people (ammah) from among the nations (Goyim/Gentiles) they have gone to and gather them from every quarter and bring them back to their own land (almah). I will make them a single nation (goy) in the land (almah).” Ezekiel 37:21-22.

Granted, there are some dialectical differences between the Tanakh and the Aramaic Peshitta (ammah = am; almah = eretz), but for all intents and purposes, the exact same words and concepts. And finally, the last four lines also flow together in an almost melodic fashion, as even a rudimentary attempt to sound them out reveals: w’atkhazi l’malaka w’atkeraz beyt amah w’athaymin b’almah w’astalaq b’shubkha.

In the end, we are left with an amazing composition in two parts. The first half of this line shows us that Paul is very capable of packing a great deal of Jewish symbolism and hidden meanings in a handful of words. Once this significant feat is accomplished, he moves onto delivering a Masterpiece of rhyme, diction and meter for the remainder of the verse.

Remember: Just because we “believe” doesn’t mean we can’t be guilty of sinning anymore…

MARK 7: ²¹ For from within, out of a person’s heart, come forth wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²² greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, foolishness…. ²³ All these wicked things come from within, and they make a person unclean.” (CJB)

IF WE ARE HONEST WITH OURSELVES, I BELIEVE WE CAN AGREE THAT WE CAN ALL BECOME GUILTY OF SOME OF THESE THINGS, ON OCCASION. We humans are prone to “fall” sometimes, and both the Torah and New Testament tell us that the soul that sins SHALL die. However, the GOOD news is that we have an awesome Elohim who promises to forgive those who repent and turn from their sins.

(This, as you know, used to be done via animal sin sacrifices; but YHWH sent us His Divine Messiah to remove our “past sins” – Halleluyah!)

Let’s check it out:

Romans 1:28. And as they did not determine with themselves to know Elohim, Elohim gave them over to a vain mind; that they might do what they should not. 29. Being full of all iniquity and lewdness, and bitterness and malice, and covetousness and envy, and slaughter and strife, and deceit and evil machinations 30. and backbiting and slander; and being haters of Elohim, scoffers, proud, vain-glorious, devisers of evil things, destitute of reason, disregardful of parents. 31. and to whom a covenant is nothing, neither affection, nor peace, and in whom is no compassion…

THE ABOVE PASSAGE GOES ON NOT ONLY TO WARN US ABOUT OUR OWN TRANSGRESSIONS, but it goes on to tell us that we are to WARN anyone who even associates with the wicked!

Romans 1: 32. These, while they know the judgment of Elohim, that he condemns those to death who perpetrate such things, are not only doers of them, but the companions of such as do them.  (AENT)

But all is not lost because YHWH gave us the GOOD News:

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)

HALLELUYAH! What an awesome ELOHIM we serve! All we have to do to “walk as Yeshua walked” is to be really honest with ourselves and admit that we Believers CAN still sometimes be guilty of transgressions, and make sure we repent and turn from them so that we can continue to be “right with God.”

1 John 2:5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. 6 He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked. (CJB)*

*NOTE: Remember, just because Yeshua “walked” in Torah doesn’t absolve us from doing the same. Our salvation is up to each of us…

Philippians 2: ¹² So, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey now when I am away from you: keep working out your deliverance with fear and trembling ¹³ for God is the one working among you both the willing and the working for what pleases him. ¹⁴ Do everything without kvetching or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may be blameless and pure children of God, without defect in the midst of a twisted and perverted generation,^[c] among whom you shine like stars in the sky, ¹⁶ as you hold on to the Word of Life. (CJB)