Wisdom in Colossians, Chapter 1

Okay, goosebumps!  I don’t care how many times we read through the Bible, our eyes will ALWAYS find something to remind us of our ELOHIM’s awesomeness!  While searching Scripture for an answer to someone’s question today, I “happened upon” the following passage that I “just had” to share…but the more I read, the more of the passage needed to be shared, until I copied almost the entire first chapter of Colossians.  Please read through this and see if you don’t get some “holy” goosebumps, too!

Colossians 1:4. For behold, ever since we heard of your faith in Y’shua the Mashiyach, and of your love to all the Set Apart believers; 5. because of the hope that is laid up for you in heaven of which ye heard before in the Word of Truth of the Good News  6. which is announced to you as also to all the world; and which grows and yields fruits as it does also among you from the day you heard and knew the grace of Elohim in reality:[1]  7. As you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant who is for you a faithful minister of the Mashiyach;  8. and who has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 

9. Therefore we also, from the day we heard (of it), have not ceased to pray for you; and to ask that you may be filled with a knowledge of the will of Elohim in all wisdom and in all spiritual understanding;[2]  10. That you may walk as is right and may please Elohim with all good works, and may yield fruits, and grow in the knowledge of Elohim;  11. and may be strengthened with all strength, according to the greatness of his glory in all patience and long suffering;  12. and may, with joy, give thanks to Elohim the Father who has fitted us for a portion of the inheritance of the Set Apart believers in light; 13. and has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son  14. by whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins: 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[3] 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.[4]  21. And also to you, who were before alienated and enemies in your minds because of your evil deeds,  22. to you he has now given peace by the body of his flesh and by his death; that he might establish you in his presence, Set Apart, without blemish and without offense;  23. provided you continue in your faith, your foundation being firm, and do not be separated from the hope of the Good News of which you have heard, that it is proclaimed in all the creation beneath heaven; of which (Good News) I Paul am a minister. 

24. And I rejoice in the sufferings which are for your sakes; and, in my flesh, I fill up the deficiency in the afflictions of the Mashiyach, in behalf of his body which is the assembly;  25. of which I am a minister, according to the stewardship[5] of Elohim which is given to me among you, that I should fulfill the Word of Elohim,  26. (namely,) that mystery which was hidden for ages and generations, but is now revealed to his Set Apart believers;  27. to whom Elohim would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which (mystery) is the Mashiyach who in you is the hope of our glory;  28. whom we proclaim and teach and make known to every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect[6] in Y’shua the Mashiyach.  29. And for this also I toil and strive with the aid of the strength that is imparted to me.  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  This verse showcases two deep poetic features. First, another meaning of sebar is in an implied wordplay with the word keroz (preach). Interestingly enough, “preach” is also a synonym for sebartha (Good News)! In fact, the Eastern traditions have always referred to the Good News as karazuta, or “the preaching” of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Second, there is the use of the word alma. Generally, this word is translated as “world.”

However, alma also has another meaning, that of “age” or “eternity” and this speaks to a very Jewish pattern of describing the “the world to come” the olam haba. In this case, most Jews knew all too well that there was a wordplay between alam (world) and ahlam (forever), and so apparently did the student of Hillel’s grandson, Rav Shaul, the Apostle Paul. Therefore Paul’s point, which is completely lost in Greek, is that what is being preached throughout the world is the true revelation of Elohim from eternity past.  

The irony is that Greek has a term that comes very close to this understanding, yet it was not used. In Matthew 28:20 Y’shua says, “And behold I am always with you, even unto the end of the aion.” This word also has a dual meaning of “world” and “age” and this is more than reflected in the varying English translations from that source, where the rendering is effectively split between the two.

However, in this case the dual meaning of alma is not used by Greek redactors, who instead opted for the meaning that kosmos provides. Kosmos can also mean “world” or “universe” but its definitions do not extend to mean “age” like aion does.  Much more about the revelatory (mystical) aspects of Colossians is available in Ruach Qadim by Andrew Gabriel Roth, which is available online at www.ruachqadim.com. 

[2]   Recall that the first attribute (sefira) – Keter – literally means “crown” but is also given the added title of “will.” Paul’s usage here, however, with the word tzebinah, is most significant because he is both referencing and superseding the mystical traditions in one stroke. This is because it is this exact same word that Y’shua uses to describe the Divine Will in the Master’s Prayer; so here Paul is substituting that term for Keter, even as many mystics interchange the Hebrew da’at with Keter.

If this were not yet powerful enough, da’at also finds its own interchanging with Paul’s revelatory writings in the form of its Aramaic cognate yadata. In the case of the latter, what proceeds from the Divine Will is “knowledge” (da’at/yadata); this form is considered pure, coming straight from the mind of YHWH. Another way of accomplishing this same goal can be achieved by taking chokhmata and adding to it through description, a higher level of power that turns it into da’at/yadata. 

[3]  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 Y'shua emerges as the Word from YHWH's breath and command and, as such, was with Him in the beginning (John 17:1-11).

[4]  Here is one of the most stunning mystical parallels in all of Paul’s writings! Not only does Resha perform the exact same function of Keter by being the attribute (sefira) that has all the others inside of it (before they emerge), hence, “by whom the whole body is constructed”; but Resha dovetails with Keter in another amazing way.

By “standing with the joints and members” Paul is showing a very clear understanding of the sefirotic tree forming the spiritual blueprint of man, or Adam Qadmon. It is no coincidence, then, that this same title applies to Mashiyach, whom Paul upholds as the maker of all things. However, as other attributes fold out of Keter, we find the lower but also important spheres of learning in terms of wisdom and understanding. 

[5]  The term “dispensation” was erroneously inserted to bolster “dispensationalsim” or “replacement theology.” The deception of “dispensationalism” plays an important role in the “mystery of the Evil One” (2 Thess. 2:7); by making void Torah it is impossible to exit paganism. 

[6]  Noah was “perfect” B’resheet/Genesis 6:9; Avraham Avinu was “perfect” 17:1; All of Israel is called to be “perfect” D’varim/Deut 18:13; Solomon prayed that Israel would be “perfect” 1 Kings 8:61; Hezekiah walked before YHWH with a ““perfect heart” 2 Kings 20:3; the men who upheld David as King had a “perfect heart” 1 Chron. 12:28; the Israel of Elohim in the time of Dawid had “perfect hearts” 1 Chron. 29:8; 9;  2 Chron. 16:9 “For the eyes of YHWH run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him; Job was “perfect” Job 2:3; Y’shua instructs his followers, “You therefore be perfect as your Father in heaven who is perfect.” 

Matthew 5:48. 

“The Torah of YHWH is perfect, converting the soul,” Psalm 19:7  Every perfect man in Scripture observed the Torah of YHWH, Y’shua and Paul included.  The work of anti-Mashiyach is anti-Torah; therefore, “the Church” has a formidable task ahead: Christians will either repent of their shameful violations against Torah, or face the wrath of YHWH when His Mashiyach returns. 

Mashiyach’s true followers don’t spend their time finding creative “theologies” with which to break the Word of YHWH; all followers of Mashiyach are called in Grace to live righteous “perfect” lives that are pleasing to YHWH.  This is the continuum that Mashiyach brought to humanity, but it is being trodden asunder by all manner of false religion and “one-up-man-ship.”

A message for atheists

Atheists consider everything to be “coincidence.” I always love to ask them if it was a “coincidence” that YHWH used Hitler to make two prophecies come to pass - when (1) Israel became a nation again, and (2) it happened in ONE day, exactly asIsaiah prophesied!

I also love to ask them how much of a coincidence it is that the Books of Daniel and Revelation and myriad Bible passages are unfolding before our very eyes.  Front and center is the prophecy in the Book of Revelation which tells us that many believers in YHWH/Yeshua would be beheaded for their belief. Not stabbed, shot or hanged, but BEHEADED:

Revelation 20:4 - Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them received authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for testifying about Yeshua and proclaiming the word of God, also those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands. They came to life and ruled with the Messiah for a thousand years. (CJB)

Who are the ONLY people in the world who still behead? It's the Muslims! The Koran tells its followers to kill the "infidels" (anyone non-Muslim who refuses to convert). See passages such as Q. 2:193, 5:34, 8:65, 9: 5, 9:123, 14:17, 22:9, to mention a few.

Yeshua himself predicted the rise of false prophets and messiahs, wars and “rumors of wars”, famines, plagues and earthquakes, and people turning against each other etc.

Matthew 24: 3. And while Y'shua was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples drew near and were saying among themselves and to him, "Tell us when these things will be and what is the sign of your coming and the end of the world." 4. Y'shua answered and said to them, Beware, let no man deceive you. 5. For many will come in my name and will say that "I am the Mashiyach." And many they will deceive. 6. For you are bound to hear of revolutions and rumor of wars. Watch out and do not be disturbed, for it is necessary that all these things happen, but it is not yet the end.

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

Yes, my dear atheist friends – go ahead and try to explain away the things that are (as the Bible tells us) causing major, simultaneous problems – for instance, the crumbling infrastructure in the USA (aging bridges that are no longer safe to cross; aging gas lines that are blowing up entire neighborhoods; aging water pipes producing poisonous drinking water)…

And just take a look at what’s happening around the world right now! We have unrest everywhere. We have the entire country of Syria fleeing its evil dictator, which has caused a huge influx of millions of migrants trying to force their way into Europe. How fortunate for terrorist groups to be able to infiltrate and take over Europe in this manner! After all, their Koran tells them to KILL all infidels who refuse the command to "convert or die!"  (Has it ever occurred to anyone that if Abraham and Sarah had trusted YHWH to keep His promise that they would have a son in their old age, we may not have had Islam today?  After all, the son Abraham had with his wife’s maid servant Hagar, is the forerunner of today’s Muslims.  Read the whole story about Ishmael and Isaac.)

Coincidence? How many “coincidences” can there be? And these are just a FEW examples out of hundreds….

Still, many people refuse to believe that the Bible is REAL! Too bad for them….Read the following passage and see if it doesn't give you goosebumps:

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)

Debunking the comments of some "scholars" concerning the Apostle Paul

I recently heard a couple of anti-missionary "podcast hosts" (who spend most of their time "debunking Jesus") discussing the Apostle Paul with some Christian professor. NONE of them had any real clue about Paul, and were making all kinds of ridiculous statements including this one: “Yes, we agree, Paul consistently taught that Gentiles don’t have to bother with Torah!”

 
REALLY, people? Then why do we see passages such as these throughout Paul's writings? 

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

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

Acts 15: 19 "Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from the earliest times, Moshe has had in every city those who proclaim him, with his words being read in the synagogues every Shabbat."

Note verse 19 which says: "Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God!" Read in context Acts 15 plainly states that the expectation of the non-Jewish converts was that they would learn Moshe (Torah) as they grew in their relationship with Mashiyach and his people. Read in context, Acts 15:20-21 shows there is one Torah for Israel and the Gentile who dwells with her - yet, many try to use it as "proof" that Christians don't have to keep Torah. That is because they don't realize that Acts 15 is referring to man-made laws and not the Torah itself....

Why would God have different rules for His natural and adopted children? Are only “the Jews” expected to be holy? There were 12 tribes (not just “the Jews”) standing at the foot of Mt. Sinai…12 tribes AND the pagan Gentiles who had followed Moshe out of Egypt! YHWH made it clear FOUR TIMES IN A ROW in Numbers 15:13-16, that ALL who accept Him were to do exactly as HIS people do. And His people have always obeyed His Divine Instructions! (For more, please see Should Gentiles be Torah Observant?)

The race for US President - why can't Americans quit voting for evil?

I was truly shocked to discover that Ben Carson (the candidate I actually liked the most because of his quiet, common-sense demeanor and his wise, extremely intelligent comments and seemingly broad knowledge of Scripture) has endorsed Donald Trump. (Chris Christie endorsed him a couple of weeks ago, but that really wasn’t any great surprise, for Trump and Christie seem to be cut from the same mold. But Carson surprised me. I guess he and Christie are going to compete for the Vice-Presidency…) 

So, here’s my bottom line upfront: If Dr. Carson (whom I erroneously believed to be a godly man!) or any other believer can honestly find redeeming value in a megalomaniac narcissist who cusses, bullies people, incites fights and arguments and pokes fun at women and invalids and generally proves he has noclue about God and the Bible – that “believer” had better double check to see WHOM he or she actually worships, for YHWH constantly commanded HIS people to stay away from evil! (Here are just 20 verses to remind us.)

It’s no secret that America has been in trouble for many years, mainly because we have gotten so far away from God, that we resemble nothing of the spotless Bride He is looking for - the one Yeshua purchased with his own blood. (Please see Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:12-14, Ephesians 5:21-33, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and 1 Peter 1:18-19.) Most seem to be “lukewarm” and “wishy-washy” at best, going with whatever flow tickles their particular fancy. It is becoming more and more obvious that most are simply NOT serious about God and the Bible.

And most, it seems, have opted to take that WIDE gate (Matthew 7:13-14) that leads to destruction. It seems their own will/desire to see our country dug out from under the muck of the last 50 years of “so-so” and downright “bad” leadership (except for maybe Kennedy and Reagan), has caused them to lose their ability to see the “bigger picture”.... What "bigger picture?" The one where YHWH (who is surely beyond sick and tired of being ignored, as most don’t seem interested in OBEDIENCE) causes Yeshua to return as the Lion of Judah – who will be vomiting out all the “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:16) …those who insist on kicking God in the face and using human logic and determination to make their decisions. Who today, is truly living for HIM? Very few….

Trump has single-handedly turned the American race for the White House into a three-ring circus! Gone are the days where mature adults ran for President - those who stood on their merits and achievements to win constituents rather than stooping to rude and childish behavior and ad hominem attacks. (I’ve noticed a huge increase in this type of behavior during my lifetime – especially since the Sixties when Americans allowed a few atheists to oust God from schools and government buildings, etc. This particular Presidential race has been a roaring witness of how far Americans have strayed from YHWH in just the last 50 years!)

I don’t see a good outcome for us at all, especially since so many so-called “believers” today cannot be differentiated from unbelievers…Myriads of believers today are tolerant of sin; they pick and choose what to believe of Scripture, and they certainly don’t seem to see anything wrong with promoting or voting for EVIL! They cannot see that the Books of Daniel and Revelation have literally been unfolding before our eyes for many years now BECAUSE of our endless rebellion against YHWH’s Divine Rules. Instead of running toward YHWH and His Kingdom, they have closed their hearts and minds toward Him and are taking matters into their own hands. …The same thing happened in Noah’s day – and we all know THAT ended!

A discussion of the arrogance of the "religious"

I’ve been thinking of the many “anti-missionaries” who have sprung up lately, thanks to the works of some anti-missionary rabbis (such as Tovia Singer, Michael Skobac and a host of others who make their living taking people away from Yeshua).  There was a time when only the Jewish anti-missionaries were busy doing this, but today, they have the support of their converts from “the nations” – most of whom are mean and vicious in their attempts to help those rabbis.  They insist Christianity, Hebrew Roots/Messianic Judaism are all FALSE and that only THEY have the Truth.  Well, I’m here to say they are all DECEIVED! 

How often throughout Torah and Tanakh was YHWH upset with His people for their stubbornness and refusal to obey and behave themselves?  My goodness, after witnessing YHWH’s miracles upon their escape from the bondage of Egypt (including the parting of the sea and being supernaturally kept alive by the regular appearance of manna), they ultimately – led by Aaron the High Priest! – made a golden calf to worship (Exodus 32) while Moshe was in the Presence of YHWH, receiving the Ten Mitzvot!  (And Aaron, when confronted by Moshe, basically goes:  “DUH!  The people made me do it.  They gave me all their gold and I threw it into the fire, and poof! – out came this golden calf!”)

Exodus 32: 21 Moshe said to Aharon, "What did these people do to you to make you lead them into such a terrible sin?" 22 Aharon replied, "My lord shouldn't be so angry. You know what these people are like, that they are determined to do evil. 23 So they said to me, 'Make us gods to go ahead of us; because this Moshe, the man that brought us up from the land of Egypt - we don't know what has become of him.' 24 I answered them, 'Anyone with gold, strip it off!' So they gave it to me. I threw it in the fire, and out came this calf!"  (CJB)

A HIGH PRIEST was guilty of catering to the whiners and loudmouths – and they're STILL doing it ... only now, they're busy taking “the nations” with them…those who used to “believe in Jesus” and have allowed themselves to be sucked into a vortex of untruths because they never knew or understood Scripture in the first place!  They are the same people who have been led around by the nose by Christian pastors of the myriad “denominations” – and now they’re angry about how they were “deceived” – never mind that they would NOT have been deceived had they actually READ the Bible from cover to cover WITH the aid of the Holy Spirit!

If you or someone you know is thinking of kicking Yeshua in the face to follow these rabid anti-missionaries, I urge you to think twice, for if you deliberately deny Yeshua and thereby trample YHWH's Son, you will have sold your soul to haSatan!

Matthew 10:32. Whoever, therefore, that confesses me before the sons of men, he also I (will confess) before my Father who is in heaven. 33. But whoever denies me before the sons of men, he will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. (AENT)

1 John 2:22. Who is false but he that denies that Y’shua is the Mashiyach? And that person is a false Messiah. He that denies the Father denies also the Son. 23. And he that denies the Son also does not believe the Father. He that confesses the Son confesses also the Father. 24. And what you heard from the first, let that remain with you. For if that which you heard from the first remains with you, you also will remain in the Father and in the Son. 25. And this is the promise which he has promised us: (even) life eternal. 26. And these things I have written to you on account of those who seduce you. (AENT)

Anti-missionaries and their converts seem to spend all their waking hours bashing those of us who believe that Yeshua is Messiah, while building themselves up as the most righteous and misunderstood people on earth. Well, I urge you to reach the very short chapter 3 of Malachi, which reveals just ONE of the many times YHWH was disappointed in, and angry with His people - not to mention, it is a huge Messianic prophecy!  Here are just a few passages from Malachi 3:

Malachi 3: 1 "Look! I am sending my messenger to clear the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Yes, the messenger of the covenant, in whom you take such delight - look! Here he comes," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot. 2 But who can endure the day when he comes? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like the soapmaker's lye. (CJB)

Malachi 3:6 "But because I, ADONAI, do not change, you sons of Ya'akov will not be destroyed. 7 Since the days of your forefathers you have turned from my laws and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot. "But you ask, 'In respect to what are we supposed to return?' 8 Can a person rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How have we robbed you?' In tenths and voluntary contributions. 9 A curse is on you, on your whole nation, because you rob me. (CJB)

Malachi 3:13 "You have spoken strongly against me," says ADONAI. "Yet you say, 'How have we spoken against you?' 14 By saying, 'There is no point in serving God. What good is it to obey his orders or to walk about as mourners before ADONAI-Tzva'ot? 15 We consider the arrogant happy; also evildoers prosper; they put God to the test; nevertheless, they escape.'"  (CJB)

Malachi seems to speak of two messengers- one who will prepare the way for YHWH - Yochanan the Immerser who is foretold in Isaiah 40:3-4. He is, “The voice crying out in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Matthew 11:10 quotes this as a confirmation of Yochanan the herald of Yeshua Mashiyach. “For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'

Notice also that Malachi explains that YHWH himself, the one who made covenant with Israel in Torah will come to visit his temple personally. Matthew states to prepare His way - Isaiah says God will come to them. When did this happen? Many times in Yeshua's ministry! He did his ministry on the steps of the Temple, and even healed the people in the temple (Matthew 21:23;26:55). Not to mention, he drove out those who were desecrating the Temple on Shabbat!  He said, “It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.’”(Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:17; Luke 14:23; Mark.11:11). The Temple was His own possession and he had a personal interest in what was taking place – so WHO are the Scripture-twisting anti-missionaries to “debunk” who he was and what he did?

Anti-missionaries don’t seem to understand that Yeshua never, ever spoke against Torah!  He was the LIVING Torah, the WORD of YHWH (John 1:1 and 1:14, John 14:6).   As a matter of fact, Yeshua and his apostles upheld Torah at every turn:

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

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

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

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

It is at once both sad and maddening to see people on all sides TWISTING Scripture to force it to fit into their own, limited understanding!  I’m afraid this won’t stop until the Second Coming, when Yeshua haMashiyach will put an end to our stupid human nonsense….

In the meantime, we have on the one hand, Christians who take Scripture out of context to suit their respective "beliefs"; and on the other hand we have anti-missionary Jews and those they've managed to entice onto their side, who are doing the exact, same thing!  Christians concentrate only on the "New Testament" - twisting its passages and basing their beliefs on the very much misunderstood writings of Paul; while anti-missionary Jews and their converts (those who hate Jesus and live every second of their life to "disprove" him) ALSO concentrate on the New Testament, poking fun at passages they, too, have misunderstood and are trying to “put in a box”....

But this is exactly WHY we can know we are IN the end times!

2 Timothy 3: 1. But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: 2. and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of grace, wicked, 3. unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, 4. treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of Elohim, 5. having a form of respect for Elohim but wide from the power of Elohim. Them who are such, repel from you. 6. For of them are they who creep into this and that house and captivate the women who are plunged in sins and led away by divers lusts, 7. who are always learning, and can never come to the knowledge of the truth. (AENT)

Discussing "Let the dead bury their dead"

AN ANTI-MISSIONARY SUGGESTED “Jesus” was wrong in commanding a disciple to “let the dead bury the dead.” The anti-missionary went on to say: “It’s downright disrespectful directing him to break the command regarding burial within 24 hours. Ignore Jesus!” A second anti-missionary chimed in: “I think it's ridiculous to think that a man's father just died and he was wandering around the city listening to a preacher. It should be obvious that he wanted to wait until his father had aged and passed on. Jews, especially, bury their dead immediately, typically the very next day after they die.”

OUR RESPONSE: If only these people knew Scripture in context, they would have realized “let the dead bury the dead” was NOT instructing dead people to bury anyone, nor was it breaking any Torah command – nor did Y’shua suggest the man couldn’t MOURN his dead or dying father! Let’s take a look at this issue:

Matthew 8: 21. And another from his disciples said to him, “My master, allow me to first go bury my father.” 22. But Y’shua said to him, Come follow me and leave the dead to bury their dead. (AENT)

In the middle of a busy “teaching frenzy” (read all of Matthew 8), Y’shua was referring to the SPIRITUALLY dead – those who didn’t know YHWH and were mired in man-made traditions and ideology. Y’shua never said the man couldn’t mourn his father, but suggested that other family members (who were still "spiritually dead") could take care of and/or bury him because this "enlightened" disciple had more important things to accomplish!

Y’shua taught Torah at every turn; he never, ever veered away from Torah! However, he DID correct the man-made instructions of the Pharisees. If someone is spiritually dead, NOTHING you can say to them will matter, because they don't and can't understand (see 1 Cor. 2:14). In other words, "My dear disciple, leave those people alone to tend to the worldly things, and move on. Let the dead bury their dead. I don’t have much time left in this world to teach, so heed me and learn quickly…." (Please see our video teaching, Number 29, which also speaks to this issue.)

Have you ever tried to "get through" to an atheist?

Have you ever tried to "get through" to an atheist? It's not easy, and the bottom line is, they can't "see" what you're saying, anyway, unless YHWH opens their eyes. The angle I usually try with atheists is to tell them the following:

More than 300 Bible prophecies have already been fulfilled, with just a few more to go (some of which are foreshadowed in the final three biblical Feasts that Yeshua/Jesus will fulfill.

God actually made one of His major end-time prophecies happen in 1948 (and it happened in ONE DAY, just as the Prophet Isaiah foretold [Isaiah 66:7-8]) when the world briefly felt sorry for the Jews because of the Holocaust ... and consequently Israel was returned to them. Yes, God used the idiocy of HITLER to make one of His end time prophecies happen!

Anyway, since more than Bible 300 prophecies have come true, what makes you think the last FEW won't? Time is running out, so why are you gambling with the eternal life that He freely offers?