DON’T PARTICIPATE IN HALLOWEEN! God commands that we abstain from all manner of evil…

HALLOWEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! How can we honor a holiday that honors evil, the occult, demons, fear and death, when YHWH commanded His people to avoid those things, and Yeshua died to remove our past sins for catering to those things?

Let's examine what ADONAI said about "abominable practices":

Deuteronomy 18:9 "When you enter the land ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to learn how to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through fire, a diviner, a soothsayer, an enchanter, a sorcerer, 11 a spell-caster, a consulter of ghosts or spirits, or a necromancer.

12 For whoever does these things is detestable to ADONAI, and because of these abominations ADONAI your God is driving them out ahead of you. 13 You must be wholehearted with ADONAI your God. 14 For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners; but you, ADONAI your God does not allow you to do this. (CJB)

Leviticus 18: 1 ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. 3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. 4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. 5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI. (CJB)

1 Thessalonians 5: 19 Don't quench the Spirit, 20 don't despise inspired messages. 21 But do test everything - hold onto what is good, 22 but keep away from every form of evil. 23 May the ELOHIM of shalom make you completely holy - may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach. (CJB)

Galatians 5: 19 And it is perfectly evident what the old nature does. It expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency; 20 involvement with the occult and with drugs; in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry; in selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue 21 and envy; in drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you now as I have warned you before: those who do such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God! (CJB)

Revelation 9: 20 The rest of mankind, those who were not killed by these plagues, even then did not turn from what they had made with their own hands — they did not stop worshipping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.[a] 21 Nor did they turn from their murdering, their involvement with the occult and with drugs, their sexual immorality or their stealing. (CJB)

Revelation 21: 8 But as for the cowardly, the untrustworthy, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those involved with the occult and with drugs, idol-worshippers, and all liars — their destiny is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, the second death.” (CJB)

Ephesians 5: 11 Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14 since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says, “Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you!” 15 Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16 Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is. (CJB)

DON'T ADHERE TO ANY "HOLIDAYS" THAT MAKE YOU STRAY FROM ADONAI's PATH! Listen ONLY to the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) that resides in you, for it - like Yeshua/The Word - is a part of YHWH, that helps to keep us on His Holy Path.

1 Corinthians 2:10-11, we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Ruach: 10. But Elohim has revealed it to us, by his Spirit; for the Spirit explores all things, even the profound things of Elohim. 11. For what man is there, who knows that which is in a man, except it be the spirit of the man, which is in him? So also, that which is in Elohim, no one knows, except the Spirit of Elohim.

12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from Elohim; that we might know the free gifts, which are given to us by Elohim. 13. Which things we also speak; not in the teaching of the words of man’s wisdom, but in the teaching of the spirit; and we teach spiritual matters to those with spiritual focus.

14. For a man in his natural self does not receive spiritual concepts; for they are foolishness to him. Neither can he know them; for they are discerned by the Spirit. 15. But he that is spiritual, judges of all things: and he is judged of by no one. 16. For who has known the mind of Master YHWH, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Mashiyach. (AENT)

Reader comment: “There is NO PROOF Jesus ever existed, or that any of the NT writings are real. There is only the Torah and the rest of the Tanak. PROVE ME WRONG!”

Comment from someone who has rejected YHWH’s Divine Messiah and “crossed over” to join the Jewish “counter-missionary” Rabbis and their converts – and now spends his time trying to convert others.  He wrote:

“I no longer believe in the New Testament or your Jesus!  There is NO PROOF Jesus ever existed, or that any of the NT writings are real.  There is only the Torah and the rest of the Tanak.  PROVE ME WRONG!”

OUR RESPONSE:

Thank you for the opportunity to “prove you wrong!” 

Let’s begin by mentioning Messiah’s actual, given, Hebrew Name, “Yeshua” (also spelled as Y’shua, whose name means “Yahweh is Salvation”).  Catholicism came up with the name “Jesus.” 

Secondly, before we attempt to “prove you wrong,” we’ll pose a few questions for you to ponder about your dogged belief in the Tanach, in hopes that you will ask yourself how you can possibly believe that the same God who performed all of the miracles seen there, was somehow incapable of causing His own Messiah to come to earth in a form humans could recognize.

Please read the following (and consider passing it along to your friends - the Jewish “counter-missionary” Rabbis and their followers who spend enormous time and energy bashing Messiah Yeshua, the writings of Paul and the entire New Testament and calling it a myth) and ask yourself, “WHY do I blindly believe these things, since neither I nor my Jewish Rabbi friends and their hangers-on were NOT there to witness them:

1. God created the entire universe and everything in it, including man whom He made from the dust of earth. 

2. God flooded the earth, killing everybody except Noah and his family – who started mankind all over again.

3. Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, and later on, Lot's daughters got their father drunk so they could have children. 

4. God sent ten plagues who show Pharaoh who was boss; and later he caused the sea to part, allowing only the Israelites to pass through, while basically wiping out all the Egyptians who followed in hot pursuit. 

5. God supernaturally clothed and fed six million people wandering in the wilderness for 40 years – all while leading them via pillars of cloud and fire. (How was THAT possible, and were you personally there to witness all that? Did YOU eat any of the manna or place any items into the Ark?)

6. God saved from a fiery furnace thee men who went INTO the furnace (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and a fourth person “who looked like the son of man”). 

7. Elijah ran faster than a chariot and was fed by Ravens. (Hmmm … was that even kosher, and were you personally there to witness that event?)

8. Jonah spent 3 days and nights in a whale’s stomach and lived. (Were you in there with him?)

There are literally TONS of other examples, but since you insist there is no proof for YHWH’s Messiah or any of the NT texts, then explain WHY you BLINDLY believe all of the above - just because these stories were "handed down" by word of mouth...

Now, to the proof that Yeshua existed:

By demanding PROOF, are you suggesting that his Father, YHWH (also transliterated as “Yahweh”) was lying when He said He would send a prophet who was to do everything He ordered him to do?

Deuteronomy 18: 15 "ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him, 16 just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested ADONAI your God, 'Don't let me hear the voice of ADONAI my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!' 17 On that occasion ADONAI said to me, 'They are right in what they are saying. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him.(CJB)

By the way, Yeshua himself said He came to do HIS FATHER's will; not his own!

John 6: 35. Y'shua said to them, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will not hunger. And whoever believes in me will not ever thirst. 36. But I have said to you that you have seen me, and you do not believe. 37. All who my Father has given to me will come, and whoever comes not to me I will cast outside! 38. For I came down from heaven, not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39. And this is His will, that of Him who sent me, that all that He has given to me I do not lose even one. 40. For this is the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him, will have life that is eternal. And I will raise him up on the last day. (AENT)

How do you explain away all the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s life, which were written down by people who would have been alive to know him or the people who knew him personally; or the mention of the "dead in Messiah" who rose from their graves when Y'shua died (Matthew 27:51-53)? How about the letters of the Apostle Paul and the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus who lived around AD 47-100, who referred to our Messiah in his history of Judaism “Jewish Antiquities” from AD 93.

How do you explain away all the Gnostic writings (The Gospel of Truth, The Apocryphon of John, The Gospel of Thomas, The Treatise on Resurrection, etc.); along with all sorts of other writings that mention Jesus? Despite limitations, a few decades following Jesus’s supposed lifetime, mentions of him started to crop up in the writings of Jewish and Roman historians, as well as in dozens of texts by Christians.

And let’s not forget that an entire “religion” was formed around his life, death, burial and resurrection. Those are FACTS! How many other people do you know who managed to affect the ENTIRE WORLD in the way Yeshua did?

Some argue that Yeshua wasn't an actual man; however - within a few decades of his lifetime, he was mentioned by Jewish and Roman historians! Even the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) confirms his crucifixion on the eve of Passover and the accusations against Messiah of practicing sorcery and encouraging Jewish apostasy!

Since you insist Yeshua is a myth, then explain why he is foreshadowed throughout the Tanach, especially in Isaiah 53, and also in every one of the Biblical Feasts. We're also told that the Messiah would be both divine and human; the "seed of a woman" as promised in Genesis 3:15; and his virgin birth was to be a sign to Israel of his Messiahship.

BEFORE WE GO ON, we already know from experience with other “Jesus-rejecters” that you are thinking, “Isaiah 53 is all about Israel.”  But ponder this:  Can Israel DIE for Israel? (No, but Y’shua did! See Matthew 27.) Can Israel be wounded for our transgressions? (No, but Y’shua was! See Matthew 27.) Can people take Israel's garments and divide them? (No, but that certainly happened in Y’shua’s case! See John 19:23.) WHEN was "Israel" wounded for our transgressions or crushed because of our iniquities? Has the world been HEALED by "Israel"? Not hardly!

Yeshua has filled myriads of Tanach prophecies - and people can reject it all they want, but they cannot CHANGE those facts!  (For more facts on Isaiah 53, we would ask you to check out our article.)

And let’s not forget, Yeshua has fulfilled at least 300 Messianic prophecies! We are told of his many miracles in the Renewed Covenant, including turning water into wine, raising the dead, walking on water, etc. He came to earth to represent YHWH (his Father), to teach us how to worship Him, to teach us how to treat each other, and to be our final sin sacrifice. He willingly went to the cross, and then He bodily resurrected and ascended, and the Bible tells us he would return in the future to establish His kingdom upon the earth…

He DIED for you, and has fulfilled many prophecies (with more to be fulfilled in the future – see Matthew 16:21; John 2:19); and yet you want to sit behind your keyboard to bash and trash him?

Yes, it is true that throughout Scripture we see over and over again that YHWH is the ONLY God/Elohim. That Truth CANNOT be denied! Examples:

Deuteronomy 4: 39 ...know today, and establish it in your heart, that ADONAI is God in heaven above and on earth below - there is no other.

Isaiah 45: 5 I am ADONAI; there is no other; besides me there is no God.

In view of the above, can you not see that Yeshua was the MESSIAH; he wasn’t sent to overthrow YHWH and bring a new “religion” – but to proclaim the Kingdom and to do everything his Father commanded? He even PRAYED to his Father (Luke 22:42, Mark 14:36)!

HOWEVER, the Bible ALSO goes on to tell us, that Messiah Yeshua was co-equal of ELOHIM (Philippians 2:6-11; John 10:22-39); yet, at the same time we are NOT told that he was “YHWH” … rather, he was The Word who came from, and has always been WITH YHWH; and thus, he was an indelible PART OF YHWH.

He and YHWH are therefore an “echad” – ONE! But, while walking on earth for a short time, he was a human with a divine “qnoma” (nature) who came to show mankind the Kingdom of God, and illustrate by personal example how to “walk inTorah.”  He came to do everything his Father commanded … and then to “die” and be resurrected to take his place at the “right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55–56)

Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo'etz El Gibbor Avi-'Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace], 7 in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of ADONAI-Tzva'ot will accomplish this. (CJB)

Micah 5: 2 But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times. (CJB)

John 1 tells us: ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness not has suppressed it. (CJB)

Luke 2: 10. And the Messenger said to them, "Do not have fear, for behold I announce hope to you! A great joy which will be to the whole world. 11. For today is born to you in the city of Dawid the Savior who is Master YHWH, the Mashiyach.[1] 12. And this is a sign to you; you will find an infant who is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." 13. And at that instant the great host of heaven appeared with the Messenger, glorifying Elohim and saying, "Glory to Elohim in the highest, and on earth peace and good hope to the sons of men. (AENT))

John 17:1-3: After Yeshua said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ²"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Yeshua Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began .(CJB)

Matthew 1: 23...they shall call his name EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US. (CJB)

And then Yeshua said: 

John 8: 24 This is why I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not trust that I AM [who I say I am], you will die in your sins.” (CJB)

Now take a look at this comment by Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul), who said Yeshua was seen by more than 500 people AFTER His death! Considering the discussion Rav Shaul just had about his followers not being spiritual babies, this is a very humbling statement! His point is, of course, that many people saw the risen Yeshua before him; and, even more than that, countless others heard him speak, face-to-face.

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you from the first, as I had received it; that the Mashiyach died on account of our sins, as it is written: 4. And that he was buried and arose on the third day, as it is written: 5. And that he was seen by Keefa; and after him, by the twelve: 6. And after that, he was seen by more than five hundred Brothers at once; many of whom survive at the present time, and some of them sleep. 7. And subsequently to this, he was seen by Ya'akov; and after him, by all the Shlichim. 8. And last of them all, he was seen by me, as if I were an unborn fetus.(CJB)

Timothy 3: 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)

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 יְהוָֹה  (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:(*) 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. (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).

For more “proofs” check out a couple more of our articles, which are replete with more Bible passages about our Divine Messiah and Confess Yeshua…

Bottom line is, there is no “real” proof in photos or videos.  IT’S ALL BY FAITH! Unfortunately, people have always, and will continue to twist Scripture to suit their own needs. None of us were there “in the beginning” to personally witness ANYTHING, so ALL we really have is what was passed down and/or witnessed by men! 

It’s up to us to believe it, or not!  But remember:  By refusing to believe in Yeshua, you are guilty of blaspheming the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) which comes straight from YHWH to provide us HIS TRUTH!

Matthew 12:30. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever did not gather with me, scatters. 31. Because of this I say to you that all sins and blasphemies will be forgiven to the sons of men, but blasphemy that is against the Spirit will not be forgiven to the sons of men. 32. And anyone who says a word against the Son of man, he will be forgiven, But anyone who will speak against the Ruach haKodesh, he will not be forgiven - not in this world or in the world that is to come. (AENT)

Why did Avram say that God would provide a lamb instead of a ram?

QUESTION SENT TO OUR WEBSITE:

In Genesis 22:8 Avraham replied, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son"; and they both went on together.

We know that HaShem spoke to Avram and the above demonstrates Avram’s understanding of what HaShem would provide, yet HaShem provided a Ram? Might Avram have misunderstood or heard?

Or might Leviticus 16 have something to do with the atonement HaShem will provide in a future scenario?(Yom Kippur?) and how does the providing of Yeshua fit in with this?

Leviticus 16:3 "With this Aharon should come into the Set-apart Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:5 "And from the congregation of the children of Yisra’el he takes two male goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering.

Note that the Ram is only mentioned twice in this whole scenario of Leviticus 16, why?

OUR RESPONSE:

In Hebrew the "lamb" is SEH (shin-hey), and it happens to be in MASCULINE form with MASCULINE verbs. Therefore, the "lamb" IS a "ram", rendered from AYIL (alap-yodh-lamed).
Now here is where it gets interesting. When the male lamb is just part of the flock it is called SEH, but when it is set apart for sacrifice (as a male lamb) it then "graduates" to the word AYIL. Thus, once the ram was designated after being caught in the thicket, he went from SEH to AYIL.

Hebrew Word: Lya

Transliterated Word: 'ayil

Genesis 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

Genesis 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Genesis 31:38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

Genesis 32:14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

If that doesn't make sense to you, then we also have to remember that God Himself never said on that particular day He would provide anything whatsoever, let alone a lamb. Abraham and Isaac said it! Abraham trusted YHWH to provide a sacrifice, which is we need to focus on.
While we're on the subject of sin sacrifices, we also must remember that YHWH was merciful enough to accept not just lambs or bulls, but various kinds of sin sacrifices, depending on what the person could afford (i.e, Leviticus 5:7 and 11; Leviticus 12:8; Leviticus 14:22 and 30).

Some interesting tidbits…

DID YOU KNOW: There were no Hebrews before Abraham, no Israelites before Jacob, and no Jews before Judah? Therefore, nineteen generations of humans were simply the elect of Elohim, following His Torah. How can anyone suggest that the Torah is no longer relevant today, since it has been "relevant" since Adam was given the very first command to "“Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28).

ADONAI's every command has ALWAYS been "relevant" - and it is downright wrong (and even evil) to suggest that His Messiah came to abolish them all, and replace them with the man-made doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church...

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. (AENT)

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." (CJB)

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. (AENT)

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

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

John 6: 35. Y'shua said to them, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will not hunger. And whoever believes in me will not ever thirst. 36. But I have said to you that you have seen me, and you do not believe. 37. All who my Father has given to me will come, and whoever comes not to me I will cast outside! 38. For I came down from heaven, not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39. And this is His will, that of Him who sent me, that all that He has given to me I do not lose even one. 40. For this is the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him, will have life that is eternal. And I will raise him up on the last day. (AENT)

As you can see, Yeshua never, ever suggested he came to bring any "religion" nor abolish any of His Father's Divine Instructions – yet, somehow, humans have decided to “cherry pick” Scripture and twist it into their own dogma…

A "Jesus rejecter" cites Leviticus 4:32 as "proof" that Yeshua couldn't be our sin offering...

 

 

 

THIS MEME WAS DISCOVERED ON THE WALL OF SOMEONE WHO HAS REJECTED YESHUA ... so let’s examine what the BIBLE says:

Many have allowed themselves to reject Messiah Yeshua because they don’t know the “whole” Bible, from Genesis through Revelation.  They have picked and chosen verses to support their own beliefs (which they usually found while grazing around on social media).  

SO HERE’S MY QUESTION TO THEM:

If atonement was only by a female lamb and since "Jesus was not female, he cannot qualify” then why, in Exodus 12, for the preparation for the one-and-only original "pass over", does it say the following:

Exodus 12:3 ...On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household - 4 except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it. 5 Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. "'You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra'el will slaughter it at dusk. (CJB)

So here we have that the Passover offering was NOT a "female" and we read in verse 6 that the animal is not sacrificed; but, rather, killed. Additionally, it's not a correct statement, citing only Leviticus 4:32 that a sin offering must be a female animal because we see throughout Torah that atonement for sin is not so much the sex of the animal; rather what animal is required for the person or group or sin being atoned. (Leviticus 4:23 - a bull for a Cohen; Leviticus 4:13 - a bull for the entire community; Leviticus 4:22 - a male goat for a "leader", etc.)

And in Leviticus 5:7, we learn that if a person can't afford a lamb, two doves or pigeons can be substituted! And, as we see in Leviticus 5:11, YHWH is even willing to accept from those who can't afford even a bird: "two quarts of fine flour for a sin offering"....

Leviticus 5:11 "'But if his means are insufficient even for two doves or two young pigeons, then he is to bring as his offering for the sin he committed two quarts of fine flour for a sin offering; he is not to put any olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering. (CJB) 

AND LOOK AT THIS:

Leviticus 12:8 If she can't afford a lamb, she is to take two doves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; the cohen will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'" (CJB)

As is clearly evident when read in context, the "female lamb" is not the point! Yes, Leviticus 4:32 says a female lamb, for an individual's sin; but 4:28 says a female goat instead, for an individual's sin. When the Cohen sinned inadvertently, or the entire community sinned inadvertently, a male animal was used for atonement! (See Lev 4:1-4; 4:14; all the sin offerings for the clans in Numbers 7:12-87, the sin offerings of Numbers 28, to mention a few).

So the use of the word "lamb" for the Messiah is entirely metaphorical. His substitution was for all, so it is appropriate that he was male, as the lamb of the original “pass-over” was a male.

About the "without blemish" issue:

Again, this is metaphorical. "Jesus" was "without blemish" in that He was SINLESS. Yes, He was beaten bloody, but even in the animal sacrifice, the "unblemished" animal is slaughtered, bloodied, and cut apart!  So, by this reasoning, doesn't that "disqualify" the animal as it is now no longer "without blemish"?

And, oh by the way, let's not forget there was a "ram" in the thicket at the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22). That ram was a "male" which was the foreshadowing of the redeemer.

Let’s also NOT forget that NOBODY “sacrificed”  Messiah Yeshua!  He martyred himself on behalf of all those who accept him as YAHWEH’s Mashyiach (Messiah) – against which there is no Law!  The earth was his altar, to make atonement for us – to remove our PAST sins!  (Not intentional, ongoing sins…)  

Please check out our indepth article:  https://www.therefinersfire.org/life_eternal.htm )

 

Some thoughts on “Grace”

Many seem to believe that "grace" is a "get out of jail free" card, and feel that, since they “believe in Jesus,” they’re never guilty of sinning.

Well, having diligently and prayerfully studied Scripture for the last 30 years and learned who ADONAI is, and how Messiah Yeshua taught us to obey His Word, I have concluded that "grace" in modern English, has been severely misunderstood.
To me, "Grace" is only "undeserved favor". It's God’s blessing on the unworthy. I believe that when Yeshua said his words in Matthew 5:19 he was talking to the obedient, those who accept (or will accept) YHWH as their Master and Yeshua as His Divine Messiah; and live by His Torah.

Yeshua himself tells us He came NOT to abolish but to fulfill - which did NOT mean "put an end to":

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

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

Has everything happened that must happen? Have heaven and Earth passed away yet? Since when does the word "complete" (or "fulfill) mean "abolished"? Why would YHWH abolish His own original divine teachings which He said were to last forever? Did Jesus come to make a liar out of His Father?

Indeed, we can see the following powerful passage, along with much more explanation in the rest of chapter 5, 6 and 7:

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

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

We are redeemed from our sins by the blood - the undeserved favor - of Messiah. But Scripture is clear that if we continue to live in intentional sin, we risk losing that redemption (Isaiah 5:16-18 for example.)

The bottom line is: Yeshua taught "walking in the light" and so did Paul:

"Let your light shine like this in front of the sons of man that they should see your works good and they glorify your father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16); "For we are His creation who are created in Y’shua the Mashiyach for good works which Elohim has before prepared for us to walk in" (Ephesians 2:10).

Those who believe in grace but reject Torah, in my opinion, serve only themselves.

SHEESH, "ARMCHAIR EXPERTS" SO ARE TIRESOME!

Many people seem to view themselves as experts in everything concerning the Bible, and they will argue till you’re blue in the face to hang onto their own viewpoints! They don’t care to discuss or perhaps LEARN anything; they just always want to “be right.” (Honestly, I’m ashamed to admit it, but those types can truly “bring out the carnal” in me…)

I’m especially incensed by those who clearly don’t know what the heck they’re talking about; yet, will bash and trash those who do, with one of their favorite lines being, “Provide me with Book, chapter and verse for that!”

Truth is, we don't always have specific scriptures to back up certain things (such as, for instance, calendar or astronomical issues), because the Bible isn’t specific on every little thing; it doesn’t provide an explicit and complete map of the universe, or lay out indepth teachings on astrophysics, biology and other fields of science.

But, we DO have science and astronomical signs, modern equipment and technology, and, hopefully, common sense to use in our efforts to learn and grow. (Unfortunately, there are those who will rip your face off for mentioning the word “science”…)

Anyway, I’m just venting here; and have decided that, from now on, whenever I encounter these “armchair experts,” who demand “Book, Chapter and Verse” for every little thing, I am going to respond with the following:

“Dear brother and/or sister, the Bible tells us to be kind to one another. (Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 7:12; 1 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 3:12; Galatians 5:22-23; etc.) While I appreciate your opinions and zeal for Truth, I would ask that you chain your sarcasm and show a little respect for my viewpoint, as well.

“If you cannot do that, then my challenge to you is to “provide Book, Chapter and Verse” for the wearing of socks or pants, employing the transportation of jets, trains, tractors, buses, cars or motorcycles, or mention the use of computers or cell phones.

“If you cannot find the pertinent Bible passages, then - unless YOU are a calendar expert or an astronomer, or a (fill in the blank); then perhaps you need to toss out of your life ALL of those things BEFORE you write another word designed to diminish my own knowledge/viewpoint/opinion/education. Thank you in advance for your understanding.”

“If you’ve broken one commandment, you’re guilty of breaking them all…”

“NO ONE CAN KEEP THE LAW PERFECTLY! And if you’ve broken one commandment, you’re guilty of breaking them all…”

How many times have you heard that from those who don’t believe in Torah obedience?  As “proof” they’ll quote James 2:10. (Perhaps these “intellects” don’t realize that the Ten Commandments originated in Torah? Shall we chuck those, too? After all, if we break one, don’t we break them all?)

People who cherry-pick Scripture instead of digging for the context, can be VERY dangerous! (It is the very reason why we have myriad “denominations” and various cults both in Christianity and Hebrew Roots. Unfortunately, there are gullible people who will follow any “ear-tickling” doctrine or “teacher,” without ever bothering to check and see what the BIBLE actually says.)

But honestly, folks - in the case of James 2:10, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the entire chapter explains itself!

Let’s examine James 2 for the context, using simple Bible hermeneutics. That way, the next time someone attempts to give you a “biblical concussion” regarding James 2:10, you can simply tell them to READ the entire chapter for context first, BEFORE making any more outrageously ignorant accusations which reveal their lack of knowledge when it comes to the Bible!

JAMES 2: 1. My Brothers, do not hold to the faith of the glory of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach with double-minded hypocrisy. 2. For if there come into your assembly a man with rings of gold or splendid garments and there come in a poor man in ragged and stained garments; 3. and respect is shown to him who is clothed in splendid garments, and you say to him, Be honorably seated; while to the poor man, say, Stand way over there, or sit here (in low prostration) before my footstool; 4. are you not showing double mindedness among yourselves and becoming advocates of evil thoughts? (AENT)

See? Already in the first few sentences of James 2, we can see that it is a warning to guard ourselves against hypocrisy, which is an act of sinning. You’re not being a good follower of the Word if you show prejudice toward any one people group. (In this case, why would you be unkind to a poor person who enters your congregation, just because they’re poor? They may be poor, but rich in spirit, and they have just as much right to enter an assembly of God-fearing people, as anyone else. Scripture tells us to treat our brothers and sisters/fellow believers with kindness.  After all, kindness is one of the ways we show our love for God and our fellow man.)

Moving on:

JAMES 2: 5. Hear, my beloved Brothers; has not Elohim chosen the poor of the world, the rich in faith, to be heirs in the Kingdom which Elohim has promised to them that love him? 6. But you have despised the poor man. Do not rich men exalt themselves over you and drag you before the tribunals? 7. Do they not hate that worthy Name, [1] which is invoked upon you? 8. And if in this you fulfill the Torah of Elohim, as it is written, You will love your neighbor as yourself, you will do well: 9. but if you have partiality towards persons, you commit sin; and you are convicted by Torah as breakers of Torah. (AENT)

FOOTNOTE 1: The Name invoked upon you is YHWH.

Now - moving on to that pesky passage, James 2:10 that our detractors love to use against us:

JAMES 2:10. For he that will keep the whole Torah and yet fail in one aspect of it, is an enemy to the whole Torah. 11. For he who said, "You will not commit adultery," said also, "You will not kill." If then you commit no adultery, but you do murder, you have become a defiler of Torah. 12. So speak and so act as persons that are to be judged by the Torah of perfect freedom. 13. For judgment without mercy will be on him who has practiced no mercy: by mercy, you will be raised above judgment.

14. What is the use, my Brothers, if a man say, I have faith; and he has no works? Can his faith resurrect him? [2] 15. Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16. and one of you say to them, "Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full;" and you do not give them the necessities of the body, what is the use? (AENT)

FOOTNOTE 2: Literally "restore life", not "save" as often translated.

Call me crazy, but doesn’t that passage plainly explain itself? If you don’t commit adultery but murder someone, you have DEFILED Torah… So what about that passage suggests we are guilty of “breaking all commandments” and shouldn’t bother to obey ANY commands at all?

Moving on:

JAMES 2:17. So also faith alone, without works, is dead. 18. For a man may say, you have faith and I have works; show to me your faith that is without works and I will show to you my faith by my works. 19. You believe that there is one Elohim; you do well; the demons also believe and tremble. 20. Would you know, O weak man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Awraham our father, was not he justified by works[3] in offering his son Yitz'chak upon the altar? 22. Do you realize that his faith aided his works, and that by the works his faith was rendered complete? 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says: Awraham believed in Elohim, and it was credited to him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of Elohim. 24. You see that by works a man is justified[4] and not by faith alone. 25. So also Rahab the harlot, was she not justified by works when she entertained the spies and sent them forth by another way? 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Some theologians allege this teaching to be opposite of the Pauline Epistles, such as Galatians. The reality is that Paul was grossly misquoted whereas Ya'akov was not. Rav Shaul did not accept empty ritual devoid of proper spiritual focus. He was Torah Observant; he kept the Moedim (feast days), the Shabbat, and took one or more Nazirite vows; he fasted on Yom Kippur, ate "clean" food and lived a Set Apart life in Mashiyach Y'shua. The fact is that Romans 7:12 totally harmonizes Galatians with, and complements, Galatians and Ya'akov.

[4] The Hebrew word for a righteous soul = tsadiq; righteousness = tsedeq; justified = tsadaq; notice they are the same word. A soul without righteousness can never be "justified" regardless of what theologians claim. The original root word for justified relates to righteous action. However, mainstream Christianity teaches that a person is "justified" solely on the merits of belief in Y'shua, and that observing Torah is impossible.

Even in Ya'akov's (James) day, some individuals wanted cerebral belief to "justify" themselves, which is impossible. Y'shua's person (example) and Spirit is meant to literally be imparted into us; this must be evidenced by our actions, otherwise we do not belong to him. Theological, or cerebral "belief" without works, is dead religion; but active literal Faith comes to life in Mashiyach. Torah Observance/obedience is clear evidence that we have passed from death to life. See John 5:29, Matthew 7:23.

AND SO THERE YOU HAVE IT – James 2, in a nutshell.

Brothers and sisters, remember, we are but fallible humans and, yes, of course we can’t perfectly keep what is erroneously called “the law” (referring to YHWH’s Torah)! All we can do is try our best via our limited, human understanding of ELOHIM’s Word. That’s all YHWH is asking of us, anyway – and it is what Yeshua taught!

Our amazing ELOHIM has graciously given us the privilege of repenting and receiving forgiveness for whenever we fail (see Isaiah 54:7-10; Psalm 51:1-7; Luke 3:3; 1 Peter 3:18-22, etc.). So gracious and full of love and mercy was He that He sent us the gift of His Divine Messiah, Yeshua, whose death on the cross/stake removed our past sins! What more could we possibly ask of Him?

BOTTOM LINE: Don’t allow the detractors to lead you away from Torah with their distorted view of Scripture! The least we can do for ADONAI is to do our best to BE wholehearted in our desire for a true relationship with Him – through OBEDIENCE. Even Yeshua, the Word Made Flesh who came from, and has always been a part of YHWH, OBEYED the Father!

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." (AENT)

John 6:38 “For I came down from heaven not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me... (AENT) (See also Deuteronomy 18:15-18)

IN CLOSING, ASK YOUR DETRACTORS THIS ONE QUESTION: Since even Yeshua was obedient to his Father, what makes YOU think you don’t have to bother?

What did people see in the "Upper Room?"

 

We will never know, at least in this life, just what people saw in that upper room two thousand years ago. Was it really pieces of fire shaped like tongues that rested on the head of each individual? What did they see?

The word tongue in Aramaic is leshana which really means language. The word cloven is peleg which means separate and divide. So there appeared to them separate languages that rested upon them? What does a language look like? Then it says it was like fire. Both Greek and Aramaic uses the preposition like or as so it wasn’t real fire. Jewish sages such as Alshich taught that fire was a symbol of God’s love and passion. Moses saw a burning bush but it was not really burning in the sense of consuming the bush. He saw God’s love and consuming passion. What does love and consumming passion look like?

-Chaim Bentorah Ministries