The Blood of the New Covenant

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a person examine himself, and in this way let him eat from the bread and let him drink from the cup. For the one who eats and drinks, if he does not recognize the body, eats and drinks judgment against himself. Because of this, many are weak and sick among you, and quite a few have died.

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), 1 Co 11:27–30.

We sometimes hear it said we should examine ourselves before we partake in communion. Paul also gives us the result of taking communion in an unworthy manner by saying, “Because of this, many are weak and sick among you, and quite a few have died.” How do we ensure we do not incur death and sickness by being unworthy? What does it mean to take communion in a worthy manner?

We have to look at the new covenant and the significance of the bread and wine. The covenant that Yeshua came to repair, refresh and make shiny new is the covenant Israel had with Yahuah at the base of Mount Horeb when all the people agreed to the Ten Commandments that they heard God give in an audible voice. They also agreed to the words God gave to Moses after they realized they could not bare to hear any more from Yahuah directly.

Exodus 24:3–8 (LEB)

3 And Moses came, and he told the people all the words of Yahweh and all the regulations. And all the people answered with one voice, and they said, “All the words that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote all the words of Yahweh, and he rose early in the morning, and he built an altar at the base of the mountain and set up twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men from the Israelites, and they offered burnt offerings, and they sacrificed sacrifices as fellowship offerings to Yahweh using bulls. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and he put it in bowls, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the scroll of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do, and we will listen.” 8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and he said, “Look, the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

In order to get an idea of what it means to partake in communion unworthily, all we have to do is see what happened a few short days after Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar and the people, sealing the covenant the people made with God. They broke the covenant by taking His name in vain, idolatry and sexual immorality. The blood sealed the covenant which gave the people “His name”. They took this name in vain as soon as they made the golden calf and “rose up to play”. Yahuah was ready to destroy the people and make a new nation from Moses. Moses interceded for the people, but there was a price to pay.

Exodus 32:7–20 (LEB)

7 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go, go down because your people behave corruptly, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt. 8 They have turned aside quickly from the way that I commanded them; they have made for themselves a cast-image bull calf, and they bowed to it, and they sacrificed to it, and they said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ” 9 And Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and, indeed, they are a stiff-necked people. 10 And now leave me alone so that my anger may blaze against them, and let me destroy them, and I will make you into a great nation.” 11 And Moses implored Yahweh his God, and he said, “Why, Yahweh, should your anger blaze against your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning the disaster for your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by yourself, and you told them, ‘I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens, and all this land that I promised I will give to your offspring, and they will inherit it forever.’ ” 14 And Yahweh relented concerning the disaster that he had threatened to do to his people. 15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the testimony were in his hand, tablets written on their two sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 And the tablets, they were the work of God; and the writing, it was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. 17 And Joshua heard the sound of the people in their shouting, and he said to Moses, “A sound of war is in the camp.” 18 But he said, “There is not a sound of shouting of victory, and there is not a sound of shouting of defeat. I hear a sound of singing.” 19 And as he came near to the camp, he saw the bull calf and dancing, and Moses became angry, and he threw the tablets from his hand, and he broke them under the mountain. 20 And he took the bull calf that they had made, and he burned it with the fire, and he crushed it until it became fine, and he scattered it on the surface of the water, and he made the Israelites drink.

After this, there was essentially a show down and the tribe of Levi stood with Moses. Three thousand people died that day, and sin had entered the camp. The tabernacle was moved out from amongst the people. Moses was an example of the first high priest trying to atone for the people breaking the covenant, after they said they would do all Yahuah commanded.

Exodus 32:30–35 (LEB)

30 And the next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 And Moses returned to Yahweh, and he said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin and made for themselves gods of gold. 32 And now if you will forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me from your scroll that you have written.” 33 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot him from my scroll. 34 And now go, lead the people to where I spoke to you. Look, my angel will go before you, and on the day when I punish I will punish them for their sin.” 35 And Yahweh afflicted the people because they had made the bull calf that Aaron had made.

We can see how the people were unworthy before God. They committed intentional, rebellious sin. The result of this type of sin is listed in the curses caused by being disobedient. Deuteronomy 28:15 (LEB), “And then if you do not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God by diligently observing all of his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today, then all of these curses shall come upon you, and they shall overtake you:”. Paul short listed the curses for taking the bread and wine unworthily.

1 Corinthians 11:30 (LEB)

30 Because of this, many are weak and sick among you, and quite a few have died.

The concept of a “new covenant” is exemplified with the children of those who rebelled in the desert. This should be a road map to understanding the new covenant with Yeshua. This covenant was made with new people, but with the same stipulations, blessings and curses. The Creator’s side of the covenant never changes because He doesn’t change. He doesn’t expect one thing one day and something different the next. He keeps giving new people a chance at it. One has to read Deuteronomy chapters 29 and 30 to understand completely, so I am only going to quote the highlights.

Deuteronomy 29:1 (LEB): These are the words of the covenant that Yahweh commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab besides the covenant that he made with them at Horeb.

Deuteronomy 29:9–15 (LEB): 9 And you must diligently observe the words of this covenant, so that you may succeed in all that you do.
10 “You are standing today, all of you, before Yahweh your God, your leaders, your tribes, your elders, and your officials, all the men of Israel, 11 your little children, your women and your aliens who are in the midst of your camp, from the choppers of your wood to the drawers of your water, 12 in order for you to enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God, and into his oath that Yahweh your God is making with you today, 13 in order to establish you today to himself as a people and so that he may be for you as God, just as he promised to you and just as he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
14 “Now I am not making this covenant and this oath with you alone. 15 But with whoever is standing here with us today before Yahweh our God, and with whoever is not standing here with us today.

Yahuah tells the second generation at Moab that they too will break this covenant and then be scattered among the nations. Then He goes on to say that they will return and remember to do His commandments and He will write them on their hearts. This is speaking of the new covenant with Yeshua (Jesus). This is the gospel or “good news”.

Deuteronomy 30:4–16 (LEB): 4 “Even if you are outcasts at the end of the heavens, even from there Yahweh your God shall gather you, and from there he shall bring you back. 5 And Yahweh your God will bring you to the land that your ancestors had taken possession of, and he will make you successful, and he will make you more numerous than your ancestors.
6 “And Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your inner self so that you may live. 7 And Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, on those who harassed you. 8 And you will again listen to the voice of Yahweh, and you will do all his commandments that I am commanding you today. 9 And Yahweh your God will make you prosperous in all your undertakings, and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground abundantly, for Yahweh will again rejoice over you, just as he rejoiced over your ancestors. 10 He will do this if you listen to the voice of Yahweh your God by keeping his commandment and his statutes written in the scroll of this law and if you return to Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your inner self.
11 “For this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too wonderful for you, and it is not too far from you. 12 It is not in the heavens so that you might say, ‘Who will go up for us to the heavens and get it for us and cause us to hear it, so that we may do it?’ 13 And it is not beyond the sea, so that you might say, ‘Who will cross for us to the other side of the sea and take it for us and cause us to hear it, so that we may do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, even in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it.
15 “See, I am setting before you today life and prosperity and death and disaster; 16 what I am commanding you today is to love Yahweh your God by going in his ways and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his regulations, and then you will live, and you will become numerous, and Yahweh your God will bless you in the land where you are going.

Paul even references this in Romans. Paul knew this was speaking of the covenant Yeshua would renew, just as in Moab. We are able to do our part through faith in Messiah and a circumcised heart. In other words, the Spirit of grace guides and convicts us if we listen. Confessing “Jesus is Lord” or Lord Jesus, as some translations say, means to be in agreement and covenant, not just believing that He exists. The demons believe He exists. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology says this about the Greek word homologeō, which is translated “confess”: “The legal connotation is dominant. A man agrees with another’s statement, concedes or confesses something (e.g. his guilt before a judge), agrees to something (e.g. another’s wish) and so promises. This agreement expresses itself in an act of commitment, promise, or confession in a court or legal contract.”. It is an oath we are taking part in when we take communion.

Romans 10:5–11 (LEB): 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: “The person who does this will live by it.”  6 But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), 9 that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

The new covenant was new in the sense that it was ratified with Messiah’s blood instead of the blood of bulls, and once again, made with a new generation. The heart becomes circumcised through faith in Messiah and the Spirit. The terms of the covenant really are no different than the covenant originally ratified at Mount Horeb then renewed at Moab with the children of those who came out of Egypt. The people broke the covenant continually, and Yahuah promised he would make a new covenant with the house of Judah and the house of Israel, as found in Jeremiah. This is where he writes His commandments on the people’s heart instead of solely relying on the tablets of stone, or the written code. The good news, or gospel, in part, is that He opened this agreement up to the whole world due to Israel’s dispersion and seeding. When speaking of Moses sprinkling the blood on the people that we read about in Exodus, the writer of Hebrews then goes on to show how Yeshua (Jesus), sprinkled the blood on the heavenly tabernacle. Moses made a copy of what God showed him on the mountain. Yeshua went to the actual temple in heaven that Moses merely copied.

Hebrews 9:21–28 (LEB)

21 And likewise he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the utensils of service with the blood. 22 Indeed, nearly everything is purified with blood according to the law, and apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the sketches of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf, 25 and not in order that he can offer himself many times, as the high priest enters into the sanctuary year by year with blood not his own, 26 since it would have been necessary for him to suffer many times from the foundation of the world, but now he has appeared once at the end of the ages for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this, judgment, 28 thus also Christ, having been offered once in order to bear the sins of many, will appear for the second time without reference to sin to those who eagerly await him for salvation.

Many are confused due to the eagerness of teachers to want to be able to “rise up and play”. Yeshua (Jesus) made the final sacrifice to atone for anyone who will repent and follow Him; however, He did not “nail the ten commandments to the cross” as many falsely teach. The commandments are what are written on our hearts through the Spirit of grace Messiah sent to those who repent and believe. Currently, there is no high priest on earth to go into the inner part of the tabernacle once a year on the day of atonement. It is not needed now because Messiah performed this once and for all, “at the end of the age”, in the heavenly tabernacle. Our part to play in the new covenant is to keep the commandments. Do you suppose that when we drink from the cup it represents the sprinkling of blood on us whereby we are then connected to the heavenly tabernacle and the Father through the connection of the blood of the Messiah? I believe this is the image we see. We are “washed in the blood”.

Hebrews 10:19–25 (LEB)

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence for the entrance into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for the one who promised is faithful. 24 And let us think about how to stir one another up to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging each other, and by so much more as you see the day drawing near.

Before anyone could enter the tabernacle on earth, or meet with God, they had to wash. Hence the need for immersion (baptism).

Exodus 40:30–32 (LEB)

30 And he placed the basin between the tent of assembly and the altar, and he put there water for washing. 31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet from it. 32 At their going into the tent of assembly and at their approaching the altar, they washed, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

We see that the writer of Hebrews follows up with a serious warning against deliberate, rebellious sin. What is sin defined as other than breaking the commandments of God? Under the old covenant, with sacrificial law, rebellious sin witnessed by two or three people, such as adultery, murder, idolatry or Sabbath breaking, was a cause for stoning and death. “How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace?”.

Hebrews 10:16–29 (LEB)

26 For if we keep on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that is about to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace?

John tells us sin is transgression of the law, or lawlessness, but which law? All through the Bible we are told how to live a life in God’s righteousness. We receive blessings not curses when we love His righteous instructions.

1 John 3:4–6 (LEB)

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.

Does this mean we stone our children when they are rebellious or sacrifice a bull in our back yard? Of course not. The system of sacrificial law is not on earth currently, and those laws were for leaders and priests. It was only added because of sin.

Galatians 3:19–22 (LEB)

19 Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now the mediator is not for one, but God is one. 21 Therefore is the law opposed to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, certainly righteousness would have been from the law. 22 But the scripture imprisoned all under sin, in order that the promise could be given by faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe.

Through faith in Messiah we are able to confess our sins, be forgiven and walk in the light. If we keep returning to intentional sin, or continually live with rebellious sin in our lives, we are walking in darkness and show that we do not know the Son or His Father that sent Him.

1 John 1:5–2:6 (LEB)

5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our* sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 2 My little children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one, 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 The one who says “I have come to know him,” and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. 6 The one who says that he resides in him ought also to walk just as that one walked.

The bread and the wine are symbols of sealing the covenant we now have through Messiah. It is made with a better sacrifice. John 6:56, “The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me and I in him.”. His flesh is the living Word, and His blood sealed the covenant.

Hebrews 13:20–21 (LEB)

20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, carrying out in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

Should we not listen to Messiah and keep the terms of the eternal covenant as He taught? So that, “the God of peace…equip you to do his will…what is pleasing before him through Jesus…”. It does not get any more clear. Yeshua helps us understand and do the will of the Father, which are His laws, statutes and precepts. He also gave us His Spirit to bring to remembrance everything He said. This is the beginning of writing the commandments on our hearts! Therefore, repent and believe the gospel!

The featured image is by Gabriel Tovar on Unsplash

The Test Results are in
The Blood of the New Covenant
Understanding the Law of Christ
The Importance of the Sabbath
Demons Confess: “Jesus is Lord”
The Great Day of the Lord Yahuah
Where is the Church in Prophecy
Mixing Iron and Clay

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If this is your idea of the law of Christ that Paul is speaking about, I strongly suggest that you reconsider the matter. The Holy Spirit is the only one that can convict your heart though.

We have been deceived and handed over to a strong delusion. It starts with blending the worldly festivals of other gods, such as church sponsored egg hunts for the spring goddess Easter, trunk or treats or putting groves (Christmas trees) in the church at the festival of the winter solstice (Christmas), then eventually, over several years, leads to a “Drag me to church” event.

Is this the “law of Christ” or is this what it looks like to be “unhitched” from the Old Testament as mega-pastor Andy Stanley teaches? No, this is not the “law of Christ” in action, and yes, this is what the doctrine of throwing out the Old Testament, that is God’s instructions how to conduct ourselves to be pleasing to Him, appears when brought to its end. Let’s look at the “law of Christ” and what it means.

Here are the verses from Galatians in context, Galatians 6:1–5 (LEB):

6 Brothers, even if a person is caught in some trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of humility, looking out for yourself, lest you also be tempted. 2 Carry the burdens of one another, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something although he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in someone else. 5 For each one will carry his own burden.

Understanding the law of Christ is understanding this: “Brothers, even if a person is caught in some trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of humility”. This is loving your neighbour as yourself.

Also, Yeshua (Jesus) removed the need for sacrificial law. I am talking about the part where someone who is caught in a trespass of sin requiring stoning under the law. The apostles all still brought their offerings to the temple long after the death and resurrection of Yeshua. There were offerings for uncleanness, unintentional sin and for feast days, but there were no offerings for such things as murder, adultery or idolatry. The collective sin that the high priest made atonement for on the day of atonement, had to be done each year. Even if a person never committed any of these sins and was righteous according to the law, that person would still die and be guilty due to the sin of Adam. Yeshua made one sacrifice, forever, that took care of this sin and conquered death.

Hebrews 7:11–22 (LEB)

11 Thus if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for on the basis of it the people received the law, what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not said to be according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood changes, of necessity there is a change of the law also. 13 For the one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. 15 And it is still more clear, if another priest according to the likeness of Melchizedek arises, 16 who has become a priest not according to a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is testified,

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

18 For on the one hand a preceding commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), but on the other hand there is the introduction of a better hope through which we draw near to God. 20 And by as much as this was not without an oath (for these on the one hand have become priests without an oath, 21 but he with an oath by the one who said to him,

“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,

‘You are a priest forever’ ”),

22 by so much more Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

The confusion lies so often with the changing of the Levitical priest system and people teaching that this is the whole of the law of God that “has been nailed to the cross”. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear, and one has to study that letter to understand sacrificial law is temporarily (“set aside”) removed, but the righteous instructions of Yahuah still stand and are our part of the covenant. I say that sacrificial law is temporarily removed because Yeshua is only a priest in the heavenly tabernacle and will not be a priest when he rules as king on earth during the Millennial reign with the future temple Ezekiel describes.

Hebrews 7:14 (LEB)

14 For it is evident that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests.

As I mentioned, Yeshua reminded us of the second greatest commandment for a reason. He knew that He was going to give the final offering as an atonement for sins that normally required stoning, by giving His life. Just as Paul stated, if someone is found in a trespass, that is breaking the commandments of God, one who is spiritual, the opposite of carnal or fleshly, should restore that person in humility.

Matthew 22:34–40 (LEB):

34 Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled at the same place. 35 And one of them, a legal expert, put a question to him to test him: 36 “Teacher, which commandment is greatest in the law?” 37 And he said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

The first greatest commandment according to Yeshua was called the Shema, and it is found in Deuteronomy chapter six.

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 (LEB)

4 “Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique. 5 And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your might. 6 And these words that I am commanding you today shall be on your heart. 7 And you shall recite them to your children, and you shall talk about them at the time of your living in your house and at the time of your going on the road and at the time of your lying down and at the time of your rising up. 8 And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as an emblem between your eyes. 9 And you shall write them on the doorframe of your house and on your gates.

The second greatest commandment quoted by Yeshua is found in Leviticus chapter nineteen.

Leviticus 19:15–18 (LEB)

15 “ ‘You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not show partiality to the powerless; you shall not give preference to the powerful; you shall judge your fellow citizen with justice. 16 You shall not go about with slander among your people; you shall not endanger your neighbor’s life; I am Yahweh.
17 “ ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall surely rebuke your fellow citizen, so that you do not incur sin along with him. 18 You shall not seek vengeance, and you shall not harbor a grudge against your fellow citizens; and you shall love your neighbor like yourself; I am Yahweh.

Yeshua was upholding the words given to the entire church that was at the base of Mount Horeb when Yahuah spoke the Ten Commandments in an audible voice. The people told Moses they could not bare to hear the voice of God and they thought they were going to die. So, Yahuah told them to go back to their tents and he gave Moses the rest of the instructions. This is important to understand.

Deuteronomy 5:22–33 (LEB) 22 “These words Yahweh spoke to your whole assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire and the very thick cloud with a loud voice, and he did not add anything, and then he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 And then when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, and as the mountain was burning with fire, and all the heads of your tribes and your elders approached me, 24 you said, ‘Look, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice from the midst of the fire; this day we have seen that God can speak with a human being, yet he remains alive. 25 And so then why shall we die, for this great fire will consume us if we continue to hear the voice of Yahweh our God any longer, and so we shall die? 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire as we have heard it and remained alive? 27 You go near and hear everything that Yahweh our God will say; and then you tell us all that Yahweh our God tells you, and we will listen, and we will do it.’
28 “And Yahweh heard the sound of your words when you spoke to me, and Yahweh said to me, ‘I have heard the sound of the words of this people that they have spoken to you; they are right with respect to all that they have spoken. 29 If only they had such a mind’; that is, to fear me and to keep all my commandments at all times, so that it will go well for them and for their children forever. 30 Go! Say to them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you stand here with me, and let me tell you all of the commandments and the rules and the regulations that you shall teach them, so that they may do them in the land that I am giving to them to take possession of it.’
32 “So you must be careful to do just as Yahweh your God commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left. 33 In exactly the path that Yahweh your God has commanded, you must go, so that you may live and it will go well for you and you may live long in the land that you will take possession of.”

When Yeshua recited the Shema, “Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique. And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your might”, He was referring to what Yahuah gave to the people at Mount Horeb in an audible voice and through Moses. These were the instructions to live a good life in the presence of Yahuah.

The second commandment involves how we treat people and what to do when they transgress the instructions from the first greatest commandment. Rebuking your brother when they sin is much different than bringing them to be stoned as one of the two to three witnesses. Sin is transgression of the law as explained in the letters of John. Yeshua showed us this with the woman caught in adultery. However, they did not have the man, which is required, or two to three witnesses. This is how they were testing him. He could have said get two or three witnesses and the guilty man, but he didn’t. He shut the whole scene down quite easily by reminding everyone there was no one without sin. He showed us the “law of Christ”.

John 8:3–11 (LEB)

3 Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery. And standing her in their midst, 4 they said to him, testing him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery! 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 (Now they were saying this to test him, so that they would have an occasion to bring charges against him.) But Jesus, bending down, began to write with his finger on the ground, taking no notice. 7 And when they persisted in asking him, straightening up he said to them, “The one of you without sin, let him throw the first stone at her!” 8 And bending down again, he wrote on the ground. 9 Now when they* heard it,* being convicted by their conscience, they began to depart,* one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone—and the woman who was in their midst. 10 So Jesus, straightening up and seeing no one except the woman, said to her, “Where are those accusers of yours? Does no one condemn you?” 11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” So Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

The theme of these commandments is “mercy not sacrifice”. Yeshua told us to go learn what that means, and He said this in a couple places. First when the Pharisees accused him of dining with sinners, and second, when the Pharisees accused him of breaking the Sabbath.

Matthew 9:10–13 (LEB)

10 And it happened as he was dining in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners were coming and dining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when they saw it, the Pharisees began to say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 And when he heard it, he said, “Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:6–8 (LEB)

6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here! 7 And if you had known what it means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Yeshua was quoting the prophet Hosea.

Hosea 6:1–7 (LEB)

6 Come, let us return to Yahweh; because it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck us down and will bind us up. 2 He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us know, let us press on to know Yahweh;
his rising is sure like the dawn.
He will come like the showers to us,
like the spring rain that waters the earth.
4 What will I do with you, O Ephraim?
What will I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that goes away early in the morning.
5 Therefore, I have hewn them by the prophets;
I have killed them by the words of my mouth,
and my judgment goes forth like the light.
6 Because I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
7 But like Adam, they transgressed the covenant;
there they dealt faithlessly with me.

The Hebrew word for “steadfast love” means joint obligation, mercy, faithfulness, loyalty, and kindness. Yeshua would likely be quoting using this Hebrew word. Church father Origen tells us the gospel of Matthew was originally written in Hebrew. Everyone needs to take time to “go learn what this means”.

Loyal love and mercy

Yeshua was referencing the chapter in Hosea referring to raising Him up on the third day so that we can live in the presence of Yahuah! This is the law of Christ! Show steadfast love for the Father, Yahuah, by the knowledge of God and His instructions, which is the Shema, and have mercy, loving your neighbor as yourself. Yahuah does not desire burnt offerings and sacrifices, such as the endless cycle, sin, sacrifice for sin and repeat. He wants us to learn not to sin, and Yeshua came to give us the means to do this. Acts 3:19–20 (LEB), “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ appointed for you—Jesus”.

Yeshua also reminded us not to sin in our minds either. When we have the Spirit of grace convicting our heart, it makes this easier. This is an old commandment elevated to a place of importance by Yeshua.

Deuteronomy 30:1–3 (LEB)

“And then when all of these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse that I have set before you and you call them to mind among the nations there where Yahweh your God has scattered you, 2 and you return to Yahweh and you listen to his voice according to all that I am commanding you today, both you and your children, with all your heart and with all your inner self, 3 and Yahweh your God will restore your fortunes, and he will have compassion upon you, and he will again gather you together from all the peoples where Yahweh your God scattered you there.

This prophecy is speaking of a time in the future when the scattered tribes would return to Yahuah and things will be restored. It is Millennial kingdom language because all the tribes have clearly not been gathered from all the peoples where they were scattered yet. We have some from the tribe of Judah in the nation state of Israel, but there are many more still scattered from all of the tribes. Yeshua explains what listening to His voice with the inner self means.

Matthew 5:17–23 (LEB)

17 “Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place. 19 Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people of old, ‘Do not commit murder,’ and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’ will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’ will be subject to fiery hell.

Clearly “fulfill” does not mean “end” as some try to tell us. Fill up, complete and accomplish are other meanings for the Greek word translated “fulfill”, Strong’s G4444. Murdering someone in our heart carries the same penalty as literal murder. If we were to read further, we would see the same theory applies to adultery. “All your inner self” is serious business.

Concerning the law of Christ, we should also define grace properly. It is through the Spirit of grace that we are able to have our heart influenced by God. It is not a blank check for rebellious sin. Salvation is a free gift, through divine favor, that makes it possible to be in covenant with the God of Israel, creator of the universe, through the offerings of our high priest, Yeshua, in the heavenly tabernacle. Therefore, we don’t want to make the same mistakes of sin, sacrifice and repeat. A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament defines grace as follows:

χάρις (in early Greek literature, gracefulness, graciousness; favour; a favour; gratitude; χάριν as above: in LXX especially of the favour which an inferior finds in the eyes of his superior), (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, John 1:14-17.

Alexander Souter, A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1917), 281.

John 1:14–17 (LEB)

14 And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about him and cried out, saying, “This one was he about whom I said, ‘The one who comes after me is ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ ” 16 For from his fullness we have all received, and grace after grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ.

Therefore, grace is a gift of divine favor through Yeshua. The Spirit of grace is this favor influencing the heart of the believer. We see the same word “fullness” (G4444) used in John 1:16 as in Matthew 5:17. Yeshua’s fullness is like that of someone manning a ship, bringing it to its full potential. As the writer of Hebrews states, we cannot treat this gift as something ordinary, by living in rebellious sin, which insults the Spirit. For example, if someone gave you a beautiful furniture set because they knew your living room was empty, then they came to your house to find the furniture sitting outside in the cardboard boxes, ruined from the weather, we would expect them to be insulted. The expectation was that the furniture would be put to good use. It is not that they were looking for repayment, or anything in return for the furniture. It was a gift; however, it was treated with disdain.

Hebrews 10:26–29 (LEB)

26 For if we keep on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that is about to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace?

This grace from the Father through Yeshua is the ability for us to be part of a covenant with the Father. It is a gift because there is nothing we can do of our own doing to be part of this covenant. The expectation is that we take the terms of the covenant seriously.

In my many years belonging to evangelical, protestant churches, the formula was to say a prayer then be “saved”, when it should be a lifestyle of commitment to the Father’s wishes, not necessarily to the church’s traditions. We were given this gift, why not bring it to its fullest potential?

Ephesians 2:12–13 (LEB)

12 that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ.

The covenants of promise that we are “brought near to” were given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yahuah is allowing outsiders to be part of His big plan to restore the kingdom, and He did it through Yeshua. This is more than being just “saved”, it is being adopted as sons and daughters of the most High.

Revelation 21:5–8 (LEB)

5 And the one seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new!” And he said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water from the spring of the water of life freely. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards and unbelievers and detestable persons and murderers and sexually immoral people and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their share is in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.

Learn the law of Christ, be imitators of God in all righteousness and truth, and how through His spirit, we can learn His righteousness in our lives. Repent, and “go and sin no more”.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

The Test Results are in
The Blood of the New Covenant
Understanding the Law of Christ
The Importance of the Sabbath
Demons Confess: “Jesus is Lord”
The Great Day of the Lord Yahuah
Where is the Church in Prophecy
Mixing Iron and Clay

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“Remember the day of the Sabbath, to consecrate it. Six days you will work, and you will do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God; you will not do any work—you or your son or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your animal, or your alien who is in your gates— because in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore Yahweh blessed the seventh day and consecrated it.

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Video of blog post

I am amazed how Christendom has fulfilled prophecy by forgetting the Sabbath. When the Creator said, “Remember the day of the Sabbath”, by default He was telling us we would forget. The church has not only forgotten the Sabbath, but they abhor it! Listen to mega-pastor, John MacArthur misrepresent the ten commandments by saying there really are only nine. He is telling us God did not mean what He said when he spoke to the church at Mount Horeb in an audible voice. This is apostasy at the highest level.

https://www.gty.org/library/questions/QA37/do-the-ten-commandments-apply-to-christians-today

I do not mean to single out John MacArthur for any other reason than he provided us with a perfect sound bite for the purposes of this blog post. It is representative of the belief systems in much of Christianity. We know this belief is completely wrong, even though it is very popular, because Yahweh told us how to recognize a false prophet. Also: Matthew 7:14 (LEB), “Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the road that leads to life, and there are few who find it!”. Telling us there are only nine commandments and the day sanctified by Yahuah is no longer holy, is the definition of a false prophet.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (LEB)

13 “If a prophet stands up in your midst or a dreamer of dreams and he gives to you a sign or wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes about that he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (those whom you have not known), and let us serve them,’ 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer, for Yahweh your God is testing you to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your inner self. 4 You shall go after Yahweh your God, and him you shall revere, and his commandment you shall keep, and to his voice you shall listen, and him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast. 5 But that prophet or the dreamer of that dream shall be executed, for he spoke falsely about Yahweh your God, the one bringing you out from the land of Egypt and the one redeeming you from the house of slavery, in order to seduce you from the way that Yahweh your God commanded you to go in it; so in this way you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Under the Levitical priestly system of government and sacrificial law, people convicted of telling us to do something other than the commands of Yahweh, would be executed. Yahusha brought attention to the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” and rebuke the person not to incur sin. This is the way we must handle these false prophets now, by rebuking them. The system of government that uses the Torah for a constitution simply does not exist, and we are thankful that we do not get executed now for breaking these commands and have a way to repent through the Messiah.

Leviticus 19:17–18 (LEB)

17 “ ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall surely rebuke your fellow citizen, so that you do not incur sin along with him. 18 You shall not seek vengeance, and you shall not harbor a grudge against your fellow citizens; and you shall love your neighbor like yourself; I am Yahweh.

The ark of the covenant holds the tablets on which the Creator wrote the ten commandments with His own finger. The ark Moses made was a copy of what he saw in the heavenly temple, or the pattern he was shown on the mountain, as everything else Moses constructed for the tabernacle.

Deuteronomy 10:1–5 (LEB)

“At that time Yahweh said to me, ‘Carve for yourself two tablets of stone just as the former ones, and come up the mountain to me, and you shall make for yourself an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you smashed, and you must put them in the ark.’ 3 And so I made an ark of acacia wood, and I carved two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. 4 And he wrote upon the tablets according to the first writing, the ten words that Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly, and Yahweh gave them to me. 5 And I turned, and I came down from the mountain, and I put the tablets in the ark that I had made, and they are there, just as Yahweh commanded me.

Exodus 25:40 (LEB)

40 And see and make all according to their pattern, which you were shown in the mountain.

In the Revelation of John, we are shown that the curtain is pulled back and the ark of the covenant is revealed in the heavenly tabernacle. According to John MacArthur and most of Christianity today, if we could look in the heavenly ark of the covenant, it will either be empty, or it will have the fourth commandment crossed out on the tablets inside. Does this not sound ridiculous considering the sovereignty of God? This takes place at the time the kingdom of God physically merges with the world. The ark of His covenant did not go anywhere. This is the covenant Yahusha reinstated and refreshed with the bread and the wine, his body and blood. It did not go away and everyone will see this on the day of the seventh trumpet.

Revelation 11:15–19 (LEB)

The Blowing of the Seventh Trumpet

15 And the seventh angel blew the trumpet, and there was a loud voice in heaven saying,“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God fell down on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God All-Powerful, the one who is and the one who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give their* reward to your slaves the prophets and to the saints and to the ones who fear your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”19 And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple, and there were lightnings and sounds and thunders and an earthquake and large hail.

This shows that the ark of the covenant is going to be present at the judgement. It is the theme of the whole Bible. Mark 1:15, “and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”. The gospel, or good news, is that we can repent and be forgiven. We have to repent for breaking the covenant, then stop breaking the words of the covenant. In other words, stop sinning.

Who has the authority to erase a commandment and change the mode of worship to a different day? Man does not and it is replacing the commandment of God with the tradition of men. The idea of tradition being equal to scripture is a tenant of the Catholic church and obviously Protestant churches as well. The following excerpt is proof from The Catechism of the Catholic Church. This book was written to explain the doctrine of the Catholic church by Pope John Paul II.

81 “Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.” (113)

“And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound, and spread it abroad by their preaching.”

82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, “does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”

Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Ed. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 26.

Did everyone know this about the church? I realize this is the Catholic statement of doctrine, but John MacArthur essentially said the same thing in the audio clip I played. Yahusha addressed the problem of replacing the commandments of God with the traditions of men. He upbraided the Pharisees for the same error the church has committed by doing this.

Mark 7:1–8 (LEB)

7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered to him. 2 And they saw that some of his disciples were eating their bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ⌊ritually⌋, thus* holding fast to the traditions of the elders. 4 And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions* which they have received and* hold fast to—for example, the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unclean hands?” 6 So he said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far, far away from me. 7 And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men.”

The explanation about how there are really only nine commandments is common in Christianity today. Celebrating the “Lord’s Day” on Sunday and ignoring the Sabbath commandment is exactly the same as the Pharisees upholding their traditions over the commandments of God. James tells us if we break one commandment, we are guilty of breaking them all. There is absolutely no scripture telling us that we can ignore one of the commandments of the covenant and replace it with something different.

James 2:10–12 (LEB)

10 For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point only has become guilty of all of it. 11 For the one who said “Do not commit adultery” also said “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 Thus speak and thus act as those who are going to be judged by the law of liberty.

The Lexham Bible dictionary has the following to say about the Sabbath day:

In Mark 2:27, Jesus utters the phrase “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” The phrase brings two primary points into focus:

  1. The Sabbath regulations, as interpreted by the Pharisees, had lost the intent of the Sabbath prescribed in the Old Testament. Therefore, the rules they observed were human made, not God made, and able to be broken.
  2. The Sabbath proclaimed at creation was intended to serve mankind as a holy day, giving blessing, and observing God’s rest/restoration.
    Nothing of Jesus’ or His disciples’ actions were contrary to the purpose and intent of the Sabbath observance. As such, Jesus was not rewriting the law, but fulfilling and clarifying the original law as described in the Pentateuch, Historical Books, and the Prophets.

What if the tradition of the “Lord’s Day”, not spoken about in scripture, and the forgetting of the Sabbath is completely wrong, as I maintain that it is? “Did God indeed say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” This is the same type of deception that the serpent was able to turn the cosmos back to chaos.

Not only is the Sabbath one of the ten most important instructions given to us by the Creator, Yahuah; it is also a sign between Him and His people. Do you consider yourself one of God’s people?

Exodus 31:12–18 (LEB)

12 And Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 13 “And you, speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, because it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, in order to know that I am Yahweh, who consecrates you. 14 And you must keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you; defilers of it will surely be put to death, because anyone who does work on it—that person will be cut off from among his people. 15 On six days work can be done, and on the seventh is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy day for Yahweh; anyone doing work on the Sabbath day will surely be put to death. 16 The Israelites will pay attention to the Sabbath in order to fulfill the Sabbath throughout their generations as a lasting covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever, because in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh he ceased and recovered.” 18 And when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave to Moses the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with the finger of God.

When you come into covenant with the Creator through the blood of Messiah Yahusha, you are grafted in to the commonwealth of Israel. The only way this is possible is by Yahusha having taken away the enmity between us and the Father. The law was written against us and we had no hope of reconciliation with the Father.

Ephesians 2:11–22 (LEB)

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the so-called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands, 12 that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh, 15 invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus* making peace, 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself. 17 And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near, 18 because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Yahusha, commonly referred to as Jesus, gave us instructions about the Sabbath. The religion of Judaism, practiced by the Pharisees, had heaped many burdens on people concerning keeping the Sabbath. It was no longer a day of spiritual and physical rest, but it became a checklist that had to be strictly adhered to by the people. Why would Messiah clarify the proper way to keep the Sabbath if it was no longer something to be concerned with? Why does John MacArthur falsely say that the Sabbath commandment was not restated in the New Testament? Does Messiah instructing us on what is permitted on the Sabbath not contradict this statement? Why do people not read about it themselves and let false teachers lead them astray?

Matthew 12:9–13 (LEB)

9 And going on from there he came into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him. 11 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it* out? 12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand,” and he stretched it* out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one.

The writer of Hebrews tells us there is still a Sabbath rest for us. The word which means “Sabbath rest” is almost always translated as simply “rest”, but we have the tools available to us now to look at the original languages to see what is really being said.

Hebrews 4:8–13 (LEB)

8 For if Joshua had caused them to rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things. 9 Consequently a sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered into his rest has also himself rested from his works, just as God did from his own works. 11 Therefore, let us make every effort to enter into that rest, in order that no one may fall in the same pattern of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom we must give our account.

The word used for “Sabbath rest” is a Greek word that means “Sabbath rest”. It is clear that we are to be obedient, not as the ones who were disobedient, gathering sticks on the Sabbath. Usually a Greek word has several translations and can mean the same as a few related words. This word for “sabbath rest” has no alternative meaning and to translate it simply as “rest” is misleading.

The Greek word that means “Sabbath rest”

Who could be the one behind the trickery of making God’s people think that the Sabbath is no longer valid? It must be someone who does not want Christians to reap the benefits of a day of rest. Someone who wants to drive a wedge between Yahuah and His people. Unfortunately, there are many willing accomplices with the adversary called satan in the Hebrew language.

Ezekiel 20:10–14 (LEB)

10 And I brought them out from the land of Egypt, and I brought them to the desert, 11 and I gave my statutes to them, and my regulations I made known to them, which, if a person does them, then he will live by them. 12 And also my Sabbaths I gave to them to be a sign between me and between them ⌊so they would know⌋ that I, Yahweh, am the one sanctifying them.13 “But in the desert the house of Israel rebelled against me; they did not walk in my statutes, and they rejected my regulations, which, if a person does them, he will live by them, and they greatly profaned my Sabbaths, and I decided to pour out my rage on them in the desert to destroy them, 14 and I acted for the sake of my name, that it not be profaned before the eyes of the nations before whom I brought them out.

Yahusha gave us more teaching about the Sabbath. Again, why would the Messiah clarify the proper actions on the Sabbath if there are only nine commandments? How does this not count as the Messiah upholding the Sabbath commandment?

Luke 13:10–17 (LEB)

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, a woman was there* who had a spirit that had disabled her for eighteen years, and she was bent over and not able to straighten herself up completely. 12 And when he* saw her, Jesus summoned her* and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability!” 13 And he placed his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, answered and* said to the crowd, “There are six days on which it is necessary to work. Therefore come and* be healed on them, and not on the day of the Sabbath!” 15 But the Lord answered and said to him, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you untie his ox or his* donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it* away to water it?* 16 And this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound eighteen long years—is it not necessary that she be released from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?” 17 And when he said these things, all those who opposed him were humiliated, and the whole crowd was rejoicing at all the splendid things that were being done by him.

There is so much we could say about the importance of the Sabbath and the time the Messiah took to restore the day as it is intended. The ones who think a day of rest is a burden of outdated “Jewish” law are being deceived and robbed of a blessing. I am afraid for people who speak against the Sabbath and try to replace it with something the Creator did not sanction. Will their ignorance be overlooked? Messiah Yahusha told us that anyone teaching against the commandments would be considered least in the kingdom.

Matthew 5:17–19 (LEB)

17 “Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place. 19 Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

One must ask what it means to be least in the kingdom of God. It is not something I would strive for, and Yahusha tells us exactly how to get there. It is by abolishing and teaching people to abolish even the least of the commandments. Is this not what the church is doing by abolishing the Sabbath and teaching others it is abolished?

Mark 9:42–48 (LEB):

42 “And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it is better for him if instead a large millstone⌋is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than, having two hands, to go into hell—into the unquenchable fire! 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life lame than, having two feet, to be thrown into hell! 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished.’

Is causing someone who believes in Yahusha to sin the same as teaching them to break the commandments? If I were teaching those who believe in Messiah to abolish the commandments of God, I would seriously consider these verses. It makes me wonder why anyone would consider teaching people to break the commandments, even if they thought they were right. No one is required to teach against the commandments, so why do it and risk being the “least in the kingdom”? Yahusha is quoting the verses in Isaiah speaking about the coming kingdom. Is it possible the least in the kingdom are described in the following verses? I would take this very seriously!

Isaiah 66:22–24 (LEB):

22 “For just as the new heavens and earth that I am about to make shall stand before me,” declares Yahweh, “so shall your descendants and your name stand.
23 And this shall happen: From new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh shall come to bow in worship before me,” says Yahweh. 24 “And they shall go out and look at the corpses of the people who have rebelled against me,
for their worm shall not die,
and their fire shall not be quenched,
and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

The Sabbath is hardly the least of the commandments! It is in the top ten! Why do Christians hate the Sabbath? It is a day of rest! What is there to hate? I suggest people who are concerned about what Yahusha said should study these things for themselves and not let false teachers teach them that commandments are abolished.

Featured photo by Tarang Dave on Unsplash.

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Die by the Sword If You Wish

If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity will go into captivity. If anyone will kill with the sword, he must be killed by a sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:9-10

The crusader mentality is alive and well in western Christianity. Read the history of the crusades for the finer details, but the folks who took part in the crusades were essentially told they could break all the commandments of God on the way to their war because “God” was with them. The “church” gave these mercenaries these instructions. They stole, plundered and ravaged everything in their path.

Eze 33:25 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “You eat blood in your meat, and you raise your eyes to your idols and you pour out blood, and yet you want to take possession of the land?
Eze 33:26 You rely on your sword, you do a detestable thing, and each man defiles the wife of his neighbor, and yet you want to take possession of the land?”‘
Eze 33:27 “Thus you must say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “As I live, surely whoever is in the ruins, by the sword they will fall, and whoever is on the surface of the open field, I will give him to the animals to eat him, and whoever is in the stronghold and in the cave, they will die by the plague.

Yahuah is telling the people they are breaking the commandments of God; such as, eating blood, doing pagan feasts and going after their neighbour’s wife. Then, they are relying on their sword to “take the land”. Taking the land this way is similar to us forcing the kingdom of God on an evil world, or making our causes we are fighting for in the flesh on par with God’s work. Is this not what is happening today?

Mat 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place! For all who take up the sword will die by the sword.
Mat 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot call upon my Father, and he would put at my disposal at once more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 How then would the scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen in this way?”

We must not take the battle into our own hands. Events are happening to fulfill prophecy. There is no earthly kingdom worthy of us taking up arms on their behalf. We are part of a different kingdom, with a different future. Authoritarian, totalitarian leaders are in place right now to punish the people breaking the covenant. It is going to get worse and fighting back will not help. The only cure is to repent and do what Yahusha told us to do, which is to stop sinning.

Rom 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God.
Rom 13:2 So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance which is from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a cause of terror for a good deed, but for bad conduct. So do you want not to be afraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it,
Rom 13:4 for it is God’s servant to you for what is good. But if you do what is bad, be afraid, because it does not bear the sword to no purpose. For it is God’s servant, the one who avenges for punishment on the one who does what is bad.
Rom 13:5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.
Rom 13:6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, busily engaged in this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Pay to everyone what is owed: pay taxes to whom taxes are due; pay customs duties to whom customs duties are due; pay respect to whom respect is due; pay honor to whom honor is due.

Doing good always means doing what Yahuah commanded. There is nothing else that is good. God uses the overlords to punish his people doing evil in his sight. That’s all that we as believers need to take from these words of Paul. Peter echos these words.

1Pe 2:13 Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority,
1Pe 2:14 or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good.
1Pe 2:15 For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
1Pe 2:16 Live as free persons, and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God.
1Pe 2:17 Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.
1Pe 2:18 Domestic slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unjust.
1Pe 2:19 For this finds favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
1Pe 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this finds favor with God.

If we do good and are punished for it we find favour with God. What is good? Every word that comes from the mouth of Yahuah.

Deu 12:28 Be careful to obey all these things that I am commanding you, so that it will go well for you and for your children after you forever, because then you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

We are in the middle of Matthew 24. “Watch out that no one deceives you!”, means that there will be people deceived.

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you!
Mat 24:5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many.
Mat 24:6 And you are going to hear about wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Mat 24:8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
Mat 24:9 “Then they will hand you over to persecution and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of my name.
Mat 24:10 And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another,
Mat 24:11 and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many,
Mat 24:12 and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold.
Mat 24:13 But the one who endures to the end—this person will be saved.

If someone comes to you and tells you “Jesus” said you could break the commandments of God, that is a false Christ. It is likely the same one who has a birthday during the celebration of the Saturnalia (Christmas) and rose on a Sunday after only spending a day and a half in the grave. This false Christ uses fertility symbols such as eggs and rabbits to honour the queen of heaven. His name is really Tammuz or Mithras, but many have confused him with the true Messiah. Matthew 24:12, “and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold.“. This “lawlessness” is not talking about breaking civil law. It is the total abandonment of righteousness through the law of God. The false prophets are not deceiving people who do not regard the Creator as anything, they are deceiving followers of Christ to abandon the covenant by breaking the commandments shamelessly.

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is at work already; only the one who now restrains will do so until he is out of the way,
2Th 2:8 and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth, and wipe out by the appearance of his coming,
2Th 2:9 whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved.
2Th 2:11 And because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie,
2Th 2:12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.

Yahusha told us to worship the Father in spirit and truth, not as the nations worship their gods. Untangle yourself from these worldly things that are masquerading as if they are from God. Accept the fact that evil governments are in power through God to punish us for our sin. The solution to this problem is to stop sinning against the covenant we have through Messiah Yahusha.

Joh 8:10 So Jesus, straightening up and seeing no one except the woman, said to her, “Where are those accusers of yours? Does no one condemn you?”
Joh 8:11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” So Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

Anytime truth is spoken about, such as, “in spirit and truth”, or “they love not the truth”, we must understand the definition of truth as the writers understood it. Truth is not yours to define. Truth is defined by scripture.

Psa 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is truth.

Psa 119:151 You are near, O Yahweh, and all your commands are truth.

Psa 119:160 The whole of your word is truth, and your every righteous judgment endures forever.

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you know him and have seen him.”

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth—your word is truth.

Do you hate his commandments, law or word? Are you a suppressor of the truth, which is any of these defined by scripture? This is what it means to not believe the truth and delight in unrighteousness! Your Christian theology that promotes lawlessness and idolatry is causing a multitude of problems. It attracts demons, and puts you under the curse of the law.

The featured image is by K. Mitch Hodge on Unspalsh.

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(πάσχα, a Greek form of the Hebrews פֵּסִח, and so Latinized by the Vulgate pascha), i.e., Passover. Easter is a word of Saxon origin, and imports a goddess of the Saxons, or, rather, of the East, Estera, in honor of whom sacrifices being annually offered about the Passover time of the year (spring), the name became attached by association of ideas to the Christian festival of the resurrection, which happened at the time of the Passover: hence we say Easter-day, Easter Sunday,, but very improperly; as we by no means refer the festival then kept to the goddess of the ancient Saxons. So the present German word for Easter Ostern, is referred to the same goddess, Estera or Ostera.

The name Easter became associated with the resurrection, but “very improperly”. Even the world “Passover” was a well meaning word coined by William Tyndale in the first English translation of the Bible. These words were not used by the early church. The early church also had no part of the fertility rites associated with the goddess Easter, whose counterpart would have been Diana or Artemis in the first century.

Act 19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

Does it make sense to celebrate a festival with eggs and rabbits associated with the goddess of the Ephesians which Paul was preaching against? The Jerusalem church council wrote a letter to the new converts of paganism, very likely to those celebrating the festival of Easter or Diana.

Act 15:19 Therefore I conclude we should not cause difficulty for those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
Act 15:20 but we should write a letter to them to abstain from the pollution of idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.
Act 15:21 For Moses has those who proclaim him in every city from ancient generations, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

The early church most definitely celebrated Pasach, or what is called Passover in English. The controversy that arose was on which day to celebrate, not what was being celebrated. The Eastern churches followed the example set by the Apostles John and Philip.

The following is from the Nicene and Post Nicene Series 2, Book 1, Chapter XXIV.—The Disagreement in Asia.

  1. But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him:
  2. “We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate.
  3. He fell asleep at Ephesus.
  4. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna.
  5. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius,or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead?
  6. All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven.
  7. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ‘We ought to obey God rather than man.’”

It is a weighty witness to have the proper day to celebrate handed down by the Apostles John and Philip. We can only speculate why the church at Rome was celebrating a different day, but it could be their disdain for anything remotely Jewish as the emperor made clear in the letter to the bishops around the time of the Council of Nice.

From the Letter of the Emperor to all those not present at the Council.
(Found in Eusebius, Vita Const., Lib. iii., 18–20.)
When the question relative to the sacred festival of Easter arose, it was universally
thought that it would be convenient that all should keep the feast on one day; for what could be more beautiful and more desirable, than to see this festival, through which we receive the hope of immortality, celebrated by all with one accord, and in the same manner? It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom [the calculation] of the Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom, 113 we may transmit to our des-cendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter, which we have observed from the time of the Saviour’s Passion to the present day [according to the day of the week]. We ought not, therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Saviour has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and more convenient course (the order of the days of the week); and consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without their direction we could not keep this feast. How can they be in the right, they who, after the death of the Saviour, have no longer been led by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness and repugnance to all im- provements, they frequently celebrate two passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the passover twice in one year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such wicked people [theJews]. Besides, consider well, that in such an important matter, and on a subject of such great solemnity, there ought not to be any division. Our Saviour has left us only one festal day of our redemption, that is to say, of his holy passion, and he desired [to establish] only one Catholic Church. Think, then, how unseemly it is, that on the same day some should be fasting whilst others are seated at a banquet; and that after Easter, some should be rejoicing at feasts, whilst others are still observing a strict fast.

Even if a person decides to abandon the pagan practices of Easter and celebrate the feast on the same day as the Aposltes John and Philip, one has to determine which day is the fourteenth day of the passover “according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith”. Many people, trying their best to watch the Biblical signs for the first of the year, have created many calendars. Some reckon the full moon as the start of the month, where others use the new moon. Some use the sliver sighting of the moon and others use the conjunction of the moon. The best explanation I have heard is that the Biblical authority to set the calendar comes from the Levitical priesthood and high priest. There is no longer a Levitical priest system or temple, so we use the last calendar they had, the same one used in the first century. Here is a copy of the calendar we use for the most part:

I do not believe I have the authority to make up what day the fourteenth of Nisan falls on. Also, do not be confused, we are doing this feast as a memorial. The Pasach lamb is now on the throne.

Deu 16:5 You are not allowed to offer the Passover sacrifice in one of your towns that Yahweh your God is giving to you,
Deu 16:6 but only at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, to let his name dwell there; you shall offer the Passover sacrifice in the evening at sunset, at the designated time of your going out from Egypt.

There is no way to do this feast as commanded in the Torah. There is no temple and no Levitical priest system. Paul tells us how we are to keep the feast.

1Co 5:7 Clean out the old leaven in order that you may be a new batch of dough, just as you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.
1Co 5:8 So then, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven or with the leaven of wickedness and sinfulness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

On the fourteenth of Nisan, we will have our memorial supper. We also remove the leaven and eat unleavened bread for the feast as it tells us to do.

Lev 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth of the month at the evening is Yahweh’s Passover.
Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of this month is Yahweh’s Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
Lev 23:7 On the first day there shall be a holy assembly for you; you shall not do any regular work.

Once a person understands these feasts and leaves the pagan traditions of the church, it will be easy to see how the Messiah was not crucified on a Friday and did not rise on a Sunday morning. There are two Sabbaths in the week of Passover. Yahusha was crucified on Passover, which means the next day was the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread. Leviticus 23:7, “On the first day there shall be a holy assembly for you; you shall not do any regular work.”.

This corresponds with John’s account. That Sabbath was an “important day” because it was the first day of Unleavened Bread.

Joh 19:31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.

This means Yahusha was buried on a Wednesday before the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread. He rose three days and three nights later at the end of the weekly Sabbath. Sorry you have been lied to about the whole Friday and Sunday scenario.

2Ti 4:3 For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, because they have an insatiable curiosity,
2Ti 4:4 and they will turn away from the hearing of the truth, but will turn to myths.

Pasach is one of the main feasts celebrated by early Christians. Thankfully, we have a record from early church leaders to make clear how the Apostles continued to celebrate this feast after the death and resurrection of Messiah Yahusha. Leave behind the myths of foreign gods that the church has handed us through hundreds of years of corruption and let’s celebrate the feast “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”.

The featured image is by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash.

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Who is Your Father?

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Luke 12:1-3

We see a lot of confusion in the 40,000 plus versions of Christian denominations. How can there be so many different views and doctrines of the one truth? Obviously there cannot be. What we are seeing is leaven.

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
Gal 5:7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
Gal 5:8 This persuasion is not from the one who calls you!
Gal 5:9 A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.
Gal 5:10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will think nothing different, but the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.

Doctrines of men have been raising the lump for literally thousands of years if one considers the leaven of the Pharisees. It’s something like space junk that has been added to the truth by manmade doctrines.

Mat 16:11 How do you not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”

Some of the leaven has corrupted our understanding of the Father himself. Christianity has distorted our view of the Almighty Creator, Yahuah. He is not an obsolete “Jewish” God that was replaced by a Roman god who they call Jesus. The Messiah, Yahusha, came in His Father’s name teaching only what the Father taught Him. In order to understand what Yahusha taught, we need a firm foundation in what the Father’s word says. After all, Yahusha is the living Word of Yahuah. What does everyone think this means?

Deu 4:15 “So you must be very careful for yourselves, because you did not see any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,
Deu 4:16 so that you do not ruin yourselves and make for yourselves a divine image in a form of any image, a replica of male or female,
Deu 4:17 a replica of any animal that is upon the earth, a replica of any winged bird that flies in the air,
Deu 4:18 a replica of any creeping thing on the ground, a replica of any fish that is in the water below the earth.
Deu 4:19 And do this so that you do not lift your eyes toward heaven and observe the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of the heaven, and be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that Yahweh your God has allotted to all of the peoples under all of the heaven.

Yahuah specifically said we are not to have any image of Him, male or female. Why was I raised with a picture of a random man, who was supposedly Jesus, on our book shelf? Who is this guy with the weird symbolism, such as, the sun disk around his head? It is not Messiah Yahusha. This picture is from Museums Victoria on Unsplash.

What did Yahusha say about His Father? He told us to worship Him in spirit and truth.

Joh 4:22 You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But an hour is coming—and now is here—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for indeed the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers.
Joh 4:24 God is spirit, and the ones who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Joh 4:25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (the one called Christ); “whenever that one comes, he will proclaim all things to us.”
Joh 4:26 Jesus said to her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.

Moses told us the Father would send someone in the future that everyone must listen to. Peter identifies this prophet with Messiah Yahusha.

Deu 18:15 “Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your countrymen, and to him you shall listen.
Deu 18:16 This is according to all that you asked from Yahweh your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘I do not want again to hear the voice of Yahweh my God, and I do not want to see again this great fire, so that I may not die!’
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said to me, ‘They are right in what they have said.
Deu 18:18 I will raise up a prophet for them from among their countrymen like you, and I will place my words into his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything that I command him.
Deu 18:19 And then the man that will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I will hold accountable.

Act 3:17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
Act 3:18 But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way.
Act 3:19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,
Act 3:20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ appointed for you—Jesus,
Act 3:21 whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things, about which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times.
Act 3:22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.
Act 3:23 And it will be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed utterly from the people.’
Act 3:24 And indeed, all the prophets from Samuel and all those who followed him have spoken about and proclaimed these days.
Act 3:25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.’
Act 3:26 God, after he had raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning each of you back from your wickedness!”

The people heard Yahuah deliver the Ten Commandments at Mount Horeb in an audible voice. They were frightened and thought they were going to die. One purpose of Messiah was to come teach the people what the Father said at Mount Horeb. The righteous commandments are life giving water. This is why Yahusha quotes Hosea, Matthew 9:13, But go and learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Also Deuteronomy 18:19: “And then the man that will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I will hold accountable”.

People do not understand the covenants today and think that a relationship with Jesus just means to believe he existed and died for our sins. Maybe that is how it works in the religion of Christianity, but it is not what Messiah Yahusha taught. Act 3:23, And it will be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed utterly from the people.

Yahusha calls himself the door. It is through Him we have access to the Father. The Father is not a different or new god than the one taught by Moses. This leaven comes from teachings as far back as the second century and have been woven into Christianity. We cannot “unhitch” from the Torah, prophets and writings as mega pastor Andy Stanley falsely claims. This is part of a strong delusion, and it is so strong that most of Christianity believes it. They can only believe such a lie by not reading scripture. Yahusha told us what to do and we must listen.

Joh 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, in order that he may be with you forever—
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see him or know him. You know him, because he resides with you and will be in you.

Yahusha also quotes Psalms in His priestly prayer defining truth.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth—your word is truth.
Joh 17:18 Just as you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 And for them I sanctify myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in the truth.
Joh 17:20 “And I do not ask on behalf of these only, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word,
Joh 17:21 that they all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they also may be in us, in order that the world may believe that you sent me.
Joh 17:22 And the glory that you have given to me, I have given to them, in order that they may be one, just as we are one—

Yahusha is one with the Father and He prays that we are all one with each other, also residing in them! How can we all be one if we all believe something different? The only way to be one with the Father and Yahusha is to do what they do and believe what they believe. It is time to cast away the leaven of religion with their pagan feasts and false Messiahs. Who is your father? Do you do what He told us to do?

Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message.
Joh 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Joh 8:45 But because I am telling the truth, you do not believe me.
Joh 8:46 Who among you convicts me concerning sin? If I am telling the truth, why do you not believe me?
Joh 8:47 The one who is from God listens to the words of God. Because of this you do not listen—because you are not of God.”

Yahusha came to show us how to fulfil the covenants of promise. He showed us the difference between commandments of men and commandments of God. For example, He showed us how to honour the Sabbath, not take it away from us. The Sabbath is a huge blessing, both spiritually and physically. The enemy wants to make it burdensome or take it away completely, calling it “outdated Jewish law”. We have been handed a lie.

Mat 12:10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him.
Mat 12:11 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
Mat 12:12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”
Mat 12:13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand,” and he stretched it out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one.

Similarly, we have been tricked into worshipping new gods our ancestors did not know. One of them being the picture of the guy that is supposedly Jesus. Who is this Jesus that my parents had a picture of on our bookshelf? If he is an image of a new god that is not “one” with the Father, Yahuah, then he is in the same pantheon as Woden, Santa and Eostre. This is not the Messiah who the Father sent to His people. It is a lie and a strong delusion. The Jesus in the picture is a reprehensible replacement of the Word of Yahuah that came in the flesh to show us the righteous path. Yahusha means the salvation of Yah.

Joh 5:43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me. If another should come in his own name, you would accept that one!
Joh 5:44 How are you able to believe, if you accept glory from one another, and do not seek the glory which is from the only God?
Joh 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father! The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have put your hope!
Joh 5:46 For if you had believed Moses, you would believe me, for that one wrote about me.
Joh 5:47 But if you do not believe that one’s writings, how will you believe my words?”

Yahusha prophesies that we will accept another with a different name. It is not just “the name” meaning what we call the Saviour. “Name” is about fame and reputation. Yahusha also points out that if we do not believe Moses, we won’t be able to believe Messiah’s words. Without believing Moses, we are not one with the Father. We have accepted a new god. The song of Moses is speaking of today.

Deu 32:16 They made him jealous with strange gods; with detestable things they provoked him.
Deu 32:17 They sacrificed to the demons, not God, to gods whom they had not known, new gods who came from recent times; their ancestors had not known them.
Deu 32:18 The rock who bore you, you neglected, and you forgot God, the one giving you birth.

The thought of doing the things Yahusha told us to do angers many Christians. Perhaps the reason for this is that Christians are following the one Messiah prophesied would come in his own name. That is the one who shares a birthday with Mithras, has teachings contrary to the Father and permits lawlessness. The real Messiah told us this would happen.

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?’
Mat 7:23 And then I will say to them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!

How are these words of Yahusha so easily ignored? It is because people have accepted the spirit of deceit rather than received the spirit of truth!

1Jn 4:6 We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

Breaking free from deception takes an inordinate amount of work, but it is worth the struggle. It is great to be set free as in, “the truth will set you free”; however, it is sad to watch an apathetic world truly believe that the person who is free is actually now somehow in bondage to something they call “the law”. The bondage comes from continually breaking the law because this is what “under the law” means.

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The Fullness of the Gentiles

But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ…

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The Name of God

 And he said, “Because I am with you, and this will be the sign for you that I myself have sent you: When you bring the people out from Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.” But Moses said to God, “Look, if I go to the Israelites and I say to them, ‘The God…

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Salvation and the Sinner’s Prayer

 As many as I love, I reprove and discipline. Be zealous, therefore, and repent! Revelation 3:19 (LEB) What must one do to be saved? Most of us were taught to say a prayer and “ask Jesus into our heart”. Where is this method found in the Bible? Did we see altar calls in the New…

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Do You Know God?

 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for her; in order that he might sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; in order that he might present to himself the church glorious, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but…

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Are We Able to Earn Our Salvation?

 And we all have become like the unclean, and all our deeds of justice like a menstrual cloth, And we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities take us away like the wind. Isaiah 64:6 Are we able to save ourselves by performing the correct acts at the appropriate times? What is the formula…

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Where are we Headed?

And the dragon was angry at the woman, and went away to fight against the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and who hold to the testimony about Jesus. Revelation 12:17 (LEB) There are many views in Christianity on the afterlife and eschatology. The two most common views I am…

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Living in Liberty

But be doers of the message and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves, because if anyone is a hearer of the message and not a doer, this one is like someone staring at his own face in a mirror, for he looks at himself and goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one…

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Weeping and Gnashing

And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here, not having wedding clothes?’ But he could say nothing. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’  For many are called…

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Called to be Holy, Sanctified and Set Apart

Therefore, when you have prepared your minds for action by being self-controlled, put your hope completely in the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you used to conform to in your ignorance, but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, “You will be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:13-16

Peter is telling his readers not to return to their former ignorance and to be holy, then quotes Leviticus chapter eleven. What message is he trying to convey? What does it mean to be “holy”?

“Holy”, as quoted in Leviticus, is from Strong’s H6918. “Set apart” is an easy definition to understand. It means one is different.

H6918
קדשׁ / קדושׁ
qâdôsh
BDB Definition:
1) sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart
Part of Speech: adjective
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H6942

The seventh day of the week was “set apart” from the other six at creation. Does any man or organization have the authority to make common what the Creator set apart as special?

Gen 2:1 And heaven and earth and all their array were finished.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and he sanctified it, because on it he rested from all his work of creating that there was to do.

“Sanctified” is the same root word as H6918 for “holy”, but instead of an adjective it is the verb form.

H6942
קדשׁ
qâdash
BDB Definition:
1) to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be set apart, be consecrated
1a2) to be hallowed
1a3) consecrated, tabooed
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to show oneself sacred or majestic
1b2) to be honoured, be treated as sacred
1b3) to be holy
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate
1c2) to observe as holy, keep sacred
1c3) to honour as sacred, hallow
1c4) to consecrate

We have to ask ourselves what “former ignorance” was Peter talking about, and why did he quote Leviticus chapter eleven? He was referring his readers to the context of the chapter, not making up his own definition of “holy” or “set apart”.

Lev 11:43 You must not defile yourselves with any swarmer that swarms, and you must not make yourselves unclean by them and so be made unclean by them,
Lev 11:44 because I am Yahweh your God, and you must keep yourselves sanctified, so that you shall be holy, because I am holy. And you must not make yourselves unclean with any swarmer that moves along on the land,
Lev 11:45 because I am Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be for you as God. Thus you shall be holy, because I am holy.
Lev 11:46 “‘This is the regulation of the animals and the birds and all living creatures that move along in the water and concerning all the creatures that swarm on the land,
Lev 11:47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean and between the animal that is to be eaten and the animal that must not be eaten.'”

Does holiness and sanctification have to do with what we eat? Why would Peter refer back to these scriptures otherwise? Did he think it was just a cool quote and did not consider the context? Perhaps he was quoting Leviticus chapter nineteen.

Lev 19:1 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev 19:2 “Speak to all the community of the Israelites, and say to them, ‘You must be holy, because I, Yahweh your God, am holy.
Lev 19:3 Each of you must revere your mother and your father, and you must keep my Sabbaths; I am Yahweh your God.
Lev 19:4 You must not turn to idols, and you must not make for yourselves gods of cast metal; I am Yahweh your God.

Well that doesn’t help; not only is holiness associated with eating set apart animals, but in chapter nineteen it points to sabbath keeping, honouring your mother and father and staying away from idolatry. Being holy and not turning back to our former ignorance sounds a lot like keeping the commandments of God.

Now, we need to discuss the god Tammuz. Tammuz is spoken about in scripture and is the basis for many newer gods. This is what the Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, in part, has to say about Tammuz:

The Syriac lexicographer Bar- Bahlul (10th century) gives the legend as it had come down to his time. “Tomuzo was, as they say, a hunter, shepherd, and chaser of wild beasts; who, When Belathi loved him, took her away from her husband. And when her husband went forth to seek her, Tomuzo slew him. And. with regard to Tomuzo also, there met him in the desert a wild boar and slew him. And his father made for him a great lamentation and weeping in the month Tomuz and Belathi, his wife, she, too, made a lamentation and mourning over him. And this tradition was handed down among the heathen people during her lifetime and after her death, which same tradition the Jews received with the rest of the evil festivals of the people, and in that month Tomuz used to make for him a great feast. Tomuz also is the name of one of the months of the Syrians.”

One of the traditions handed down from the legend of Tammuz was eating “wild boar” or ham during the spring festival of Easter. Easter is the Anglo Saxon version of the springtime fertility goddess who would “weep for Tammuz”. The forty days leading up to Easter, “weeping for Tammuz”, is still practiced by many Christians today.

As you celebrate the festival of the goddess Easter, complete with a ham feast this year, consider Peter’s plea: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you used to conform to in your ignorance, but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, ‘You will be holy, because I am holy.’”. Also, consider the words of the Apostle Paul:

1Co 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

Just as Peter wanted his readers to read the context of the quote, “be holy for I am holy”, please read the entire tenth chapter of first Corinthians.

1Co 10:21 You are not able to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You are not able to share the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
1Co 10:22 Or are we attempting to provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than he is, are we?

As Passover approaches, consider celebrating this feast as the early church and our Saviour did, rather than the unclean, Sunday ham dinner in honour of the rival, resurrecting sun god Tammuz.

The featured image is by Sofia Borrego on Unsplash.

Previous blog posts:

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Jesus and the Prophet Like Moses

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Christianity without Hanukkah? Not Possible!

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Are You Satanic?

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When did the Church Start?

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Fulfilling Prophecy Poorly

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The Age of Grace

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Demons and You

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Can Our Righteousness Exceed that of the Pharisees?

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What if it is True?

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To Be Like Jesus

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (LEB) Remember the old chorus we used to sing in church, To Be Like Jesus? “All I ask is to be like…

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Are There Antisemitic Roots in Christianity?

Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision? Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. Romans 3:1–2 (LEB) Erasing history is not a new phenomenon, and there is a considerable amount of history erasing happening in real time today. Our…

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What Heresy?

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth in order to draw away the disciples after them.

Acts 20:29-30

The controversy started in the early church, and we find Paul caught in the middle. Today, scripture is twisted to make Paul appear to be against the law of God, when he has quite a history of being just the opposite. When one searches deep into the scripture, along with church history, the true essence of the faith can be found beneath all the prophesied apostasy and lying that has been done throughout Christendom. John tells us who will endure:

Rev 14:12 Here is the patient endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus.

Christianity teaches “faith in Jesus” only, while Judaism focuses on the “laws of God”, despising Jesus. Both religious systems are actually polluted with the traditions of men, and Paul understood the balance perfectly. This is one of the charges brought against Paul early in his ministry:

Act 24:5 For we have found this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
Act 24:6 who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested him.
Act 24:8 When you yourself examine him you will be able to find out from him about all these things of which we are accusing him.”

The people brought false charges against Paul saying he was teaching against the Torah. In his own words he denies this.

Act 24:14 But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things that are in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets,
Act 24:15 having a hope in God which these men also themselves await: that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

I read the letters written between Jerome and Augustine several years ago, but I never picked up on the relationship between Paul and the sect of the Nazarenes. Augustine’s letters are very interesting, and shed light on the early church.

Paul was called the “ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes”, and did not deny this label. The Nazarenes were known for keeping the commandments and having the faith of Jesus. The following is a letter from Jerome to Augustine, fifth century church fathers, discussing this subject.

Augustine letter 75. A response from Jerome:

The matter in debate, therefore, or I should rather say your opinion regarding it, is summed up in this: that since the preaching of the gospel of Christ, the believing Jews do well in observing the precepts of the law, i.e. in offering sacrifices as Paul did, in circumcising their children, as Paul did in the case of Timothy, and keeping the Jewish Sabbath, as all the Jews have been accustomed to do. If this be true, we fall into the heresy of Cerinthus and Ebion, who, though believing in Christ, were anathematized by the fathers for this one error, that they mixed up the ceremonies of the law with the gospel of Christ, and professed their faith in that which was new, without letting go what was old. Why do I speak of the Ebionites, who make pretensions to the name of Christian? In our own day there exists a sect among the Jews throughout all the synagogues of the East, which is called the sect of the Minei, and is even now condemned by the Pharisees. The adherents to this sect are known commonly as Nazarenes; they believe in Christ the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary; and they say that He who suffered under Pontius Pilate and rose again, is the same as the one in whom we believe. But while they desire to be both Jews and Christians, they are neither the one nor the other. I therefore beseech you, who think that you are called upon to heal my slight wound, which is no more, so to speak, than a prick or scratch from a needle, to devote your skill in the healing art to this grievous wound, which has been opened by a spear driven home with the impetus of a javelin. For there is surely no proportion between the culpability of him who exhibits the various opinions held by the fathers in a commentary on Scripture, and the guilt of him who reintroduces within the Church a most pestilential heresy. If, however, there is for us no alternative but to receive the Jews into the Church, along with the usages prescribed by their law; if, in short, it shall be declared lawful for them to continue in the Churches of Christ what they have been accustomed to practise in the synagogues of Satan, I will tell you my opinion of the matter: they will not become Christians, but they will make us Jews.

Somewhere early in Christianity, the leaders left the true faith. Peter warned us that people would twist Paul’s words to their own destruction.

2Pe 3:14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him.
2Pe 3:15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him,
2Pe 3:16 as he does also in all his letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures.
2Pe 3:17 Therefore, dear friends, because you know this beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position because you have been led away by the error of lawless persons.

Jerome, as most early church fathers, hated the Jews and anything considered Jewish. Unfortunately for them, the Messiah was Jewish and came teaching the truth that was given by the Creator for them to be a light to the world. Stephen reinforces this concept in the speech he gave before he was stoned. The irony here is that Paul watched in approval as this stoning took place.

Act 7:51 “You stiff-necked people and uncircumcised in hearts and in your ears! You constantly resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so also do you!
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand about the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,
Act 7:53 you who received the law by directions of angels and have not observed it!”

The quote, “for history is written by the victors and framed according to the prejudices and bias existing on their side”, is said to originate from various people, and it holds true in the case of the church fathers. Many of the church fathers viewed heresy as anything that disagreed with their belief system. It is clear the majority of church fathers hated the idea of keeping the commandments of the Creator, the people group whom the Creator set apart and established the covenants, as well as anyone who would say, (Psalms 119:97), “How I love your law! The whole day it is my meditation.”. There is an exception with the church father Irenæus, however. His creed included keeping the commandments. This is from book one, chapter ten of Against Heresies.

“but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course], and others from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory.”

Epiphanius was a fourth century father whom I was not familiar with until recently. He devotes a section of his writings to write against these people who were hated by the Jews and Christians for their beliefs, that is the Nazarenes.

Epiphanius Panarion 29

7,2 They use not only the New Testament but the Old Testament as well, as the Jews do. For unlike the previous sectarians, they do not repudiate the legislation, the prophets, and the books Jews call. “Writings.” They have no different ideas, but confess everything exactly as the Law proclaims it and in the Jewish fashion-except for their belief in Christ, if you please! (3) For they acknowledge both the resurrection of the dead and the divine creation of all things , and declare that God is one, and that his Son is Jesus Christ.
7,4 They are trained to a nicety in Hebrew. For among them the entire Law, the prophets, and the so-called Writings-I mean the poeticbooks, Kings, Chronicles, Esther and all the rest-are read in Hebrew, as they surely are by Jews. (5) They are different from Jews, and different from Christians, only in the following. They disagree with Jews because they have come to faith in Christ; but since they are still fettered by the Law-circumcision, the Sabbath, and the rest -they are not in accord with Christians. (6) As to Christ, I cannot say whether they too are captives of the wickedness of Cerinthus and Merinthus, and regard him as a mere man-or whether, as the truth is, they affirm his birth of Mary by the Holy Spirit.
7,7 Today this sect of the Nazoraeans is found in Beroea near Coelesyria, in the Decapolis near Pella, and in Bashanitis at the place called Cocabe-Khokhabe in Hebrew. (8) For that was its place of origin, since all the disciples had settled in Pella after they left Jerusalem-Christ told them to abandon Jerusalem and withdraw from it because of its coming siege. And they settled in Peraea for this reason and, as I said, spent their lives there. That was where the Nazoraean sect began.

Note where this sect supposedly originated: it was Beroea, also known as Berea. Anyone familiar with the book of Acts should see a correlation.

Act 17:10 Now the brothers sent away both Paul and Silas at once, during the night, to Berea. They went into the synagogue of the Jews when they arrived.
Act 17:11 Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. They accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day to see if these things were so.
Act 17:12 Therefore many of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Greek women and men.

I find this all very interesting. Is “Christianity” the heresy for not accepting the commandments of the Almighty Creator, Yahuah, labeling anyone who did as a heretic?

What is more interesting is that this sect of the “Nazarenes”, which Paul was called ring leader, has a name with prophetic ties. It is often dismissed as just being a place name, Nazareth, because Jesus was from Nazareth. However, the “town” of Nazareth is scarcely mentioned in the New Testament, and not mentioned at all in the Old Testament. Here is some of what the Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature has to say about Nazareth:

Ναζρέθ Ναζαρέτ; usually thought to be a Graecized derivative from נֵצֵר, a sprout, Aram. נצראת, see Hengstenberg, Christol. 2, I sq.; comp. Keim, Gesch. Jesu [Zur. 1867], 1:318; but Hitzig, in the Heidelb. Jahrbichern, 1870, page 50, conjectures somewhat wildly an original form, נָזְרִת, with the signif. “goddess of success”), the place of residence (but not the birthplace) of our Lord. In the following account we bring together whatever is known respecting this interesting locality.

Scripture Mention. — Nazareth was the town of Joseph and Mary, to which they returned with the infant Jesus (εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἑαυτῶν) after the accomplishment of the events connected with his birth and earliest infancy (Mat 2:22). Previous to that event, the place is altogether unknown to history. In Old Testament Scripture it is never once named, though a town could hardly fail to have existed on so eligible a spot from early times. Josephus, though personally familiar with the whole district in which it lies, is equally silent regarding it. The secluded nature of the spot where it stands, together with its own insignificance, probably combined to shroud it in that obscurity on account of which it would seem to have been divinely chosen for the rearing of God’s incarnate Son. As his forerunner, John the Baptist, “was in the desert,” unnoticed and unknown, “till the day of his showing unto Israel,” so the great Messiah himself, till his public ministry began, was hidden from the world among the Galilaean hills.

There are references to the branch or branches in the prophecies concerning the Messiah. Just as Nazareth was thought to be the Graecized form of netser, which is a sprout or branch, it is also what the Saviour was called.

Isa 11:1 And a shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from its roots will bear fruit.
Isa 11:2 And the spirit of Yahweh shall rest on him—a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.

“Branch” is Strong’s H5342.

H5342
נצר
nêtser
BDB Definition:
1) sprout, shoot, branch (always figuratively)
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H5341 in the sense of greenness as a striking colour

The related word is Strong’s H5341.

H5341
נצר
nâtsar
BDB Definition:
1) to guard, watch, watch over, keep
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to watch, guard, keep
1a2) to preserve, guard from dangers
1a3) to keep, observe, guard with fidelity
1a4) to guard, keep secret
1a5) to be kept close, be blockaded
1a6) watchman (participle)

In Hebrew we can have the same three letters having different meanings with different vowel sounds. It is this way in English too. For example, mp could be mop or map, depending on the vowel. In Hebrew, often times there are closer relationships to the root words. It is a more complex language.

We see that the three Hebrew letters, nun (n), tsadi(ts), and resh (r), can be pronounced “netser”, or “natsar”. One is a noun that means sprout or branch, and one is a verb that means to watch, keep and guard. Therefore, we could say that the “netsarim”, plural for “netser” could be considered branches that watch, keep and guard. Yahusha references both these things. The best example of this is in the Gospel of John.

Joh 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Joh 15:2 Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit.
Joh 15:3 You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
Joh 15:4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.
Joh 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything.
Joh 15:6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.
Joh 15:8 My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples.
Joh 15:9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.
Joh 15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

In case anyone thinks that Messiah’s words are different than the Father’s, He cleared that up in the previous chapter.

Joh 14:24 The one who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

We have this idea of branches guarding the words and commandments. Is this the true meaning of “the sect of the Nazarenes”, or does it just mean a group of people that follow a guy from Nazareth? Is this why the town of Nazareth is such a mystery, or at least, extremely obscure in history? Here are examples in Psalms of “natsar” regarding keeping covenant and statutes:

Psa 25:10 All the paths of Yahweh are loyal love and faithfulness for those who keep his covenant and statutes.
Psa 25:11 Also, for the sake of your name, O Yahweh, forgive my sin, because it is great.

Psa 119:2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies; they seek him with a whole heart.
Psa 119:3 They also do no wrong; they walk in his ways.

There is at least one more reference to this idea that true believers are branches. Paul makes reference to this in his letter to the Roman church.

Rom 11:17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although you were a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and became a sharer of the root of the olive tree’s richness,
Rom 11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you boast against them, you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
Rom 11:19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off in order that I could be grafted in.”
Rom 11:20 Well said! They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand firm because of faith. Do not think arrogant thoughts, but be afraid.
Rom 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
Rom 11:22 See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity upon those who have fallen, but upon you the kindness of God—if you continue in his kindness, for otherwise you also will be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And those also, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, because God is able to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

The idea of Yahusha being the shoot, believers the branches or watchmen of God’s commandments, Nazareth, and the sect of the natsarim is not coincidental. It is clear that church fathers hated the people who were part of the sect, which Paul was called the ring leader. This sect of the “Nazarenes” guarded the commandments of God through faith in Messiah Yahusha, and were hated by Jews and Christians alike.

This is why Christians today get very angry when discussing commandment keeping. Through this blog and social media I am able to have these discussions with many from different sects of Christianity. They can turn ugly quickly, because just as the early believers were hated by Jews and Christians, anyone who dare tries to bear the fruit of His commandments, is quickly ridiculed. Mega pastors such as John MacArthur and Andy Stanley are no different than Jerome and Epiphanius in this regard.

Paul told the church of Ephesus that false teachers would arise from their very leaders!

Act 20:28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son.
Act 20:29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth in order to draw away the disciples after them.

My conclusion is that in the first and second century, fierce wolves rose up as prophesied by Paul. They took the church away from the truth and perverted it into a new religion that embraced lawlessness and pagan traditions, becoming haters of anyone who fit this description by Epiphanius: “They use not only the New Testament but the Old Testament as well, as the Jews do. For unlike the previous sectarians, they do not repudiate the legislation, the prophets, and the books Jews call. “Writings.””

I hope this is as disturbing to many of the readers of this blog post as it is to me. Welcome to the “strong delusion”.

Previous blog posts:

Sukkot: The True God’s Week Long Festival

And then every survivor from all those nations coming against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the king, Yahweh of hosts, and celebrate the Feast of Booths. Zechariah 14:16 (LEB) Most Christians have no knowledge of the week long festival the Creator gave to His people to enjoy called Sukkot. However, most…

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Should Christians Regard Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement?

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Should Christians Follow the Instructions of Their God?

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Happy Yom Teruah!

The Feast of Trumpets Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you must have a rest period, a remembrance of the trumpet blast, a holy assembly. You must not do any regular work, and you shall present an offering made by fire…

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The Eternal Covenant

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Futurism and the Pretribulation Rapture

And he also told them a parable: “Surely a blind person cannot lead the blind, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? Luke 6:39 (LEB) Many Christians believe in a pretribulation rapture happening before a seven year period called the “tribulation” where the “church” is taken off the Earth before the so-called…

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The Fall Feasts of Yahuah

And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth. John 1:14 The fall feast days start soon and what better time to celebrate the birth of our Messiah? There are many reasons to believe…

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The Burden of Yahuah

By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome 1 John 5:2–3 (LEB) People have reminded me at times that teachers and instructors will be held accountable…

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What Now?

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith without hypocrisy, from which some have deviated, and have turned away into fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the law, although they do not understand either the things which they are saying or the things concerning…

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Counterfeit Religion

“So you must be very careful for yourselves, because you did not see any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,  so that you do not ruin yourselves and make for yourselves a divine image in a form of any image, a replica of male or…

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Stone Pillars and Other Things That God Hates

You shall not plant for yourselves an Asherah pole beside the altar of Yahweh your God that you make for yourselves. And you shall not set up for yourselves a stone pillar, a thing that Yahweh your God hates. Deuteronomy 16:21-22 The obelisk, which is an ancient stone pillar, is used in church architecture and…

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Choose Life

The earth dries up, it withers; the world languishes, it withers. The elevated of the people of the earth languish, and the earth is defiled beneath its inhabitants. For they have transgressed laws; they have passed by statutes; they have broken the everlasting covenant. Isaiah 24:4–5 (LEB) Life is full of decisions and there are…

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The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is in the Bible

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The pre-tribulation rapture subject has been a point of discussion in the Christian community for many years. For some reason, it can be quite a contentious topic. Those who hold to this doctrine, and those who don’t, usually are not very open to further discussion. It appears that this doctrine is actually spoken of at least two times in Scripture.

I am going to start with the places in scripture which are not referring to a pre-tribulation rapture. There are verses that many people string together to create a narrative that just does not exist against the entirety of scripture. Paul’s letters are often the main source of the confusion.

1Th 4:13 Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve as also the rest, who have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.
1Th 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The key take away from these verses is that the dead will rise. The only time the dead rise are at the resurrections, one of which is at His coming. This is not a different event, or a so-called “secret rapture” of the “church”. Yahusha spoke of this event as well. Notice Yahusha, commonly called Jesus in English, said that people will rise from their tombs. No one is sitting in a place called hell yet, and there is no mention of non-material bodies of good church people coming down from heaven to meet their material bodies. Egyptian, Babylonian and Greek mythology have been embedded into Christian theology to cause people to believe these myths.

Joh 5:28 “Do not be astonished at this, because an hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear his voice
Joh 5:29 and they will come out—those who have done good things to a resurrection of life, but those who have practiced evil things to a resurrection of judgment.

Yahusha was simply quoting the prophecy Daniel was given. Again, we see “those sleeping in the dusty ground” waking up at the resurrection before the judgement of Yahuah is carried out.

Dan 12:1 “Now at that time, Michael, the great prince, will arise, the protector over the sons of your people, and it will be a time of distress that has not been since your people have been a nation until that time. And at that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written in the scroll.
Dan 12:2 And many from those sleeping in the dusty ground will awake, some to everlasting life and some to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 But the ones having insight will shine like the brightness of the expanse, and the ones providing justice for the many will be like the stars forever and ever.
Dan 12:4 But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and seal the scroll until the time of the end; many will run back and forth and knowledge will increase.”

Paul speaks about the resurrection of the dead in one of his letters to the Corinthians. Again, he is speaking of people “asleep” in their graves, and people who are alive at his coming. This is all about the dead rising from the dust of the earth.

1Co 15:50 But I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood is not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruptibility.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
1Co 15:53 For it is necessary for this perishable body to put on incorruptibility, and this mortal body to put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 But whenever this perishable body puts on incorruptibility and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

Yahusha talks about this event in another way. Many will say that the people taken away are done so through a secret rapture, but the pattern is that the wicked are the ones who are taken away. This is much like the flood story. Noah and his family remained, while the rest were swept away by the flood.

Mat 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone.
Mat 24:37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark.
Mat 24:39 And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be.
Mat 24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left.
Mat 24:41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
Mat 24:42 Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming!

To emphasize the pattern, we can look at the parables.

Mat 13:47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind,
Mat 13:48 which when it was filled they pulled to shore and sat down and collected the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw out.
Mat 13:49 Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the righteous
Mat 13:50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

Mat 13:40 Thus just as the darnel is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
Mat 13:41 The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all the causes of sin and those who do lawless deeds,
Mat 13:42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Mat 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear!

So those who are “the causes of sin and those who do lawless deeds”, are to be taken away and burned. Would it not be important for one to learn the Father’s definition of “lawless deeds”, “sin”, and “righteous”?

1Jn 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure.
1Jn 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
1Jn 3:5 And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
1Jn 3:6 Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil.

Those who practice sin, practice lawlessness. Lawlessness is having no regard for the commandments of Yahuah. Like: “Yeah, whatever. I don’t need to be concerned with all that. I will do what my Pastor said, or what Billy Graham said, or whatever I see fit to do”. Are you leaving your eternal fate to your best guess, what someone else told you and what you heard on television, or are you diligently seeking His ways? Being on the other side, I realize there is a huge difference.

Even though no one knows the day or hour of this event, it will not be a secret exodus of the “church” where people are going to wonder why all the good church people disappeared as the books and movies portray the event. Everyone will know what is happening. Revelation 1:7 , “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even every one who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Yes, amen.”.

Mat 24:29 “And immediately after the tribulation of those days, ‘the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’
Mat 24:30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other end of it.

Both the event and the timing is clear. Everyone will see Him, after the tribulation, when He gathers His people. This is before He pours out His wrath on the earth. The tribulation, or time of trouble, is not the wrath of Yahuah. 1Thessalonians 5:9, “because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

However, in the pre-tribulation view, where Messiah’s coming is the “blessed hope”, to secretly snatch the church away from the clutches of the mean old antichrist, is actually also found in scripture. Unfortunately, the writers do not discuss this view in a positive light. The first place is in the book of Amos. Apparently, Amos was told of the time in the future when people would ignorantly be wishing for that day.

Amo 5:18 Alas, those who desire the day of Yahweh, why is this for you the day of Yahweh? It will be darkness and not light!
Amo 5:19 It will be as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him; or he went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall and a snake bit him.
Amo 5:20 Is not the day of Yahweh darkness and not light, and pitch dark with no brightness in it?

Peter also speaks of this day. Does the “church”, which does not even believe in keeping the commandments of Yahuah, really want to hasten this day?

2Pe 3:1 Dear friends, this is already the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder,
2Pe 3:2 to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,
2Pe 3:3 above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires
2Pe 3:4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued just as they have been from the beginning of creation.”
2Pe 3:5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God,
2Pe 3:6 by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by being inundated with water.
2Pe 3:7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
2Pe 3:8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed.
2Pe 3:11 Because all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they are consumed by heat!

Peter tells us to be “in holy behaviour and godliness”. This means guarding His ways and truth. The only truth is the word of God. Today’s church, which mocks people who are trying to live by the word of God, has no business looking forward to this day!

Why do people not understand this? Why are people breaking every commandment given by Yahuah wishing for their secret rapture? Paul also tells us about this.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The only way to understand scripture is to read it, then do what it says. These words by Amos and Peter are not written to people unfamiliar with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are written to believers. Do not believe a lie and have pleasure in unrighteousness! It is all through the Bible that God’s people will be duped into believing lies. What could be a bigger lie than that of the people who ignore the instructions of Yahuah believing they are going to be whisked away to be with Jesus in a secret rapture? Repent while there is time, and believe the good news!

The featured image is by Thomas Ehling on Unsplash.

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Who is Going to Mow Your Lawn When You’re Gone?

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Can a human make for himself gods? Yet they are not gods!” “Therefore look, I am about to let them know, this time I am going to let them know my power and my might, and they will know that my name is Yahweh.” Jeremiah 16:20–21 (LEB) There are many gods that we see in…

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Walk in the Spirit: Keep the Commandments Like Paul

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Neighbourly Love

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The Feast of Weeks; Pentecost

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And why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and does them—I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid the foundation on…

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Vines, Branches, Sticks and Trees

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Meaningless Works and the Instructions of God

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

James 2:10-11

Many use these verses from James in the above quote to say we, as Christians, no longer need to be concerned by the instructions given to us by Yahuah. If we break one commandment, we have broken them all, so there is no need to try. Jesus did all the commandment keeping for us, and now we do not need to, nor should we even attempt it. This is how the narrative in many dispensational type churches is presented.

It may help us understand these verses if we look at them in context. We must also keep the context of the whole of scripture. James isn’t going to tell “the twelve tribes in the dispersion”, to go ahead and sin, and the more the better; however, there are people who hold on to this teaching.

Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Jas 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Jas 1:20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Jas 1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Jas 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
Jas 1:24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
Jas 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Jas 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
Jas 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Where does James get the idea of a perfect law of liberty? It is actually the theme of all of scripture. Martin Luther wanted to toss out the writings of James because he could not reconcile them with his hyper-grace theology. He would also have had to remove Psalms and many other books.

Psa 19:7 The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving life. The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The precepts of Yahweh are right, making the heart rejoice. The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa 19:9 The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether,
Psa 19:10 more desirable than gold, even much fine gold; and sweeter than honey, even honey in the comb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover, your servant is warned by them; in keeping them is great reward.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked; nor does he stand in the way of sinners; nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers.
Psa 1:2 Instead, in the law of Yahweh is his delight, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psa 1:3 And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water that gives its fruit in its season; its leaf also does not wither. Therefore all that he does prospers.
Psa 1:4 Not so the wicked. Instead, they are like the chaff that the wind scatters.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
Psa 1:6 for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

James chapter two, where we get our quote for this blog post, goes on to explain the perfect law of liberty. How can something that is perfect in Psalms 19, hundreds of years before James, be improved upon?

Jas 2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
Jas 2:2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
Jas 2:3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,”
Jas 2:4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Jas 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
Jas 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
Jas 2:7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
Jas 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Jas 2:9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
Jas 2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James’ point was that if we show partiality to a rich man over a poor man, we have sinned and transgressed the law. We are guilty. This is not a reason for us to stop pursuing righteousness. The logic that we are to forsake Yahuah’s law because we break one, we break them all, is faulty. What if we break five? Ten? One hundred? Is it better to break one hundred commands because the guilt is the same as for one? Is this really what James was trying to convey?

Some confuse “good works” with their own definition of good. The Pharisees were guilty of this as well. For example, “good works” are not how many times one attends church services in a week, volunteers for fundraisers, abstains from habits deemed inappropriate by religious groups, etc.. “Good works” are defined by the commandments of Yahuah. Deuteronomy 12:28, “Be careful to obey all these things that I am commanding you, so that it will go well for you and for your children after you forever, because then you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.”.

Mat 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

We know the rest of this story where the man tells Jesus he has kept all the commandments from his youth. In the writings of the church father Origen, there is another version of this story told in a book called the Gospel of the Hebrews, where Jesus rebukes the man and says that he hasn’t kept the commandments because his neighbour is without clothes and clad with dung. That gives us more insight than “sell everything and give it to the poor”.

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.1
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

“Ye that work iniquity” are those who cast aside the commandments of God, which are the works we should be doing, rather that our own “good works”. Faith without works is meaningless. Works are the perfect law of God.

Repent, read the Bible and do what it says.

The featured image is by Steve Knutson on Unsplash.

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