WND ExclusiveWND TV
Is oil catastrophe fulfillment of Genesis prophecy?
Video suggests biblical tie with U.S. treatment of Israel, rig explosion
Posted: June 23, 2010
9:47 pm Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
Is there a spiritual, biblical connection to the BP oil catastrophe?
A new video on YouTube is suggesting a possible link to the disaster due to America's recent treatment of Israel, and at least one well-known Bible analyst, Hal Lindsey, thinks there's a valid correlation.
The video was produced and posted today by Carl Gallups of the Hickory Hammock Baptist Church in Milton, Fla., and is embedded here:
"April the 19th, Israel celebrates its independence in 2010," Gallups says in narration on the video. "On April the 19th, Fox News reports that the U.S. will no longer automatically support Israel in the United Nations. The next day, on April the 20th, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explodes. Coincidence? Or the hand and judgment of God?"
The minister cites an ancient promise God made to Abraham, the patriarch of the 12 tribes of Israel, one tribe of which is Judah from which the Jews derive their name.
In the Book of Genesis, God told him, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse ... ." (Genesis 12:2-3, New International Version)
The ancient warning of catastrophies has begun! Get the book that documents disasters tied to the forsaking of Israel
The video displays a screenshot of a Fox News story titled, "Obama and Israel: Showdown at the U.N.?"
Its first sentence reads: "The Obama administration is reportedly signaling another major shift in policy towards one of its staunchest allies, Israel, and this shift could change the way it votes at the Security Council. The change would mean an end to the U.S.' use of its veto power in the United Nations Security Council when certain anti-Israel resolutions are introduced for a vote."
Gallups says while he was preparing his radio show, he wondered what else happened in the time frame of the rig explosion, to see if there was any connection to anything biblical at all.
Crude oil is seen on the surface of the water in the Gulf of Mexico near Biloxi, Mississippi on June 12, 2010, as it continues to leak from the British Petroleum underwater well after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion. UPI/Casey Ware/U.S. Coast Guard Photo via Newscom
He found the Fox News article dated April 19, and said what's significant about the date is that it's Israel's Independence Day this year.
Although Israel's original declaration took place May 14, 1948, the annual celebration actually floats from year to year in Israel, based on the lunar-based Hebrew calendar, and took place on April 19, 2010.
Upon realizing the date connection, "I looked at that and chills went up and down my spine," he told WND. "That's when I knew there was a correlation. To me, I just immediately felt a spiritual connection to it. If you have a spiritual perception at all, it really hits you hard."
Are all these major events just a coincidence or awe-inspiring signs that God is actively involved with Israel?
Referring to Israel as a "prophetic signpost," Gallups said, "It seems to me we're turning out back on Israel, and that's a very dangerous biblical or spiritual place to be."
Gallups is not alone with the sentiment America could be under a curse from God.
"I believe this is evidence that when you turn your back on Israel, especially when you've been a supporter, you're gonna see judgments come from God," said Hal Lindsey, author of "The Late Great Planet Earth."
"It's finally reaching the point where God is removing His protection from us," he said. "I believe we back away from being a friend to Israel at our peril. We need to come back to be a supporter of one who is so important in God's plan."
WAVELAND, MS - MAY 05: A dead drum fish is seen laying in the surf as concern continues that the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may harm animals in its path on May 5, 2010 in Waveland, Mississippi. It is unknown if the fish died due to the oil spill. Oil is still leaking out of the Deepwater Horizon wellhead at a estimated rate of 1,000-5,000 barrels a day. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Regarding the oil spill specifically, Lindsey said, "I think that this disaster is just one of many disasters. Our country is falling apart economically. The current government is overturning our constitutional republic, turning it into a socialist country. That's about as big a curse as you can get. We just have one catastrophe after another and then we have this big wake-up call in the gulf."
Lindsey, who at age 80 is still active analyzing Bible prophecy on his website, said in preparation for his programs, he studies current world events, taking note of calamities.
"It used to be you'd have to hunt for things, but now it's a matter of sorting out which one you're gonna use. There are just so many catastrophes and disasters," he said. "That's a not a popular view to take, by the way, as critics will say, 'There they go again.' No one wants to address true judgment from God."
WND asked Lindsey if he thought we're now in the "end time" spoken of in the Bible before the return of Jesus Christ to Earth.
"I think the prophecies are written that they encourage us to look for Christ's return," he said. "It's written so that it's imminent, that it could come at any time."
"This is not an ordinary time," Lindsey continued. "I certainly thought that He would come sooner ... but the scenario and pattern about what Bible prophecy has predicted is here. I've never said I know when He's going to come, but I believe we're in the general time."
Gallups, meanwhile, is frustrated with YouTube, for freezing the hit counter for his video at 309 views, within a half-hour of its posting. He says the company often does this to his videos, if they have a theme even remotely critical of Obama.
"It is probably going viral," Gallups explains on the YouTube page. "It will probably be at false low counts for days. You Tube will not tell me why our videos suffer from this anomaly. Our other popular vids took three or four days to start moving with any sense of 'believability.'"
He also told WND, "I've gotten notes from several posters trying to upload it to Facebook. They get a warning or denial saying the content is abusive, request denied. I can't imagine what kind of content in that video would be abusive."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Our World May Change At Any Moment!
REPORT FROM THE LONDON TIMES
From The Times
June 12, 2010
Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites
Hugh Tomlinson
*
Recommend? (343)
For full coverage, pictures and video from the Middle East, try our new website
Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities, The Times can reveal.
In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran.
To ensure the Israeli bombers pass unmolested, Riyadh has carried out tests to make certain its own jets are not scrambled and missile defence systems not activated. Once the Israelis are through, the kingdom’s air defences will return to full alert.
“The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” said a US defence source in the area. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department.”
Sources in Saudi Arabia say it is common knowledge within defence circles in the kingdom that an arrangement is in place if Israel decides to launch the raid. Despite the tension between the two governments, they share a mutual loathing of the regime in Tehran and a common fear of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” said one.
The four main targets for any raid on Iran would be the uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Qom, the gas storage development at Isfahan and the heavy-water reactor at Arak. Secondary targets include the lightwater reactor at Bushehr, which could produce weapons-grade plutonium when complete.
The targets lie as far as 1,400 miles (2,250km) from Israel; the outer limits of their bombers’ range, even with aerial refuelling. An open corridor across northern Saudi Arabia would significantly shorten the distance. An airstrike would involve multiple waves of bombers, possibly crossing Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Aircraft attacking Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, could swing beneath Kuwait to strike from the southwest.
Passing over Iraq would require at least tacit agreement to the raid from Washington. So far, the Obama Administration has refused to give its approval as it pursues a diplomatic solution to curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Military analysts say Israel has held back only because of this failure to secure consensus from America and Arab states. Military analysts doubt that an airstrike alone would be sufficient to knock out the key nuclear facilities, which are heavily fortified and deep underground or within mountains. However, if the latest sanctions prove ineffective the pressure from the Israelis on Washington to approve military action will intensify. Iran vowed to continue enriching uranium after the UN Security Council imposed its toughest sanctions yet in an effort to halt the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, which Tehran claims is intended for civil energy purposes only. President Ahmadinejad has described the UN resolution as “a used handkerchief, which should be thrown in the dustbin”.
Israeli officials refused to comment yesterday on details for a raid on Iran, which the Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has refused to rule out. Questioned on the option of a Saudi flight path for Israeli bombers, Aharaon Zeevi Farkash, who headed military intelligence until 2006 and has been involved in war games simulating a strike on Iran, said: “I know that Saudi Arabia is even more afraid than Israel of an Iranian nuclear capacity.”
In 2007 Israel was reported to have used Turkish air space to attack a suspected nuclear reactor being built by Iran’s main regional ally, Syria. Although Turkey publicly protested against the “violation” of its air space, it is thought to have turned a blind eye in what many saw as a dry run for a strike on Iran’s far more substantial — and better-defended — nuclear sites.
Israeli intelligence experts say that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are at least as worried as themselves and the West about an Iranian nuclear arsenal.Israel has sent missile-class warships and at least one submarine capable of launching a nuclear warhead through the Suez Canal for deployment in the Red Sea within the past year, as both a warning to Iran and in anticipation of a possible strike. Israeli newspapers reported last year that high-ranking officials, including the former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, have met their Saudi Arabian counterparts to discuss the Iranian issue. It was also reported that Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad, met Saudi intelligence officials last year to gain assurances that Riyadh would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets violating Saudi airspace during the bombing run. Both governments have denied the reports.
From The Times
June 12, 2010
Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites
Hugh Tomlinson
*
Recommend? (343)
For full coverage, pictures and video from the Middle East, try our new website
Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities, The Times can reveal.
In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran.
To ensure the Israeli bombers pass unmolested, Riyadh has carried out tests to make certain its own jets are not scrambled and missile defence systems not activated. Once the Israelis are through, the kingdom’s air defences will return to full alert.
“The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” said a US defence source in the area. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department.”
Sources in Saudi Arabia say it is common knowledge within defence circles in the kingdom that an arrangement is in place if Israel decides to launch the raid. Despite the tension between the two governments, they share a mutual loathing of the regime in Tehran and a common fear of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” said one.
The four main targets for any raid on Iran would be the uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Qom, the gas storage development at Isfahan and the heavy-water reactor at Arak. Secondary targets include the lightwater reactor at Bushehr, which could produce weapons-grade plutonium when complete.
The targets lie as far as 1,400 miles (2,250km) from Israel; the outer limits of their bombers’ range, even with aerial refuelling. An open corridor across northern Saudi Arabia would significantly shorten the distance. An airstrike would involve multiple waves of bombers, possibly crossing Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Aircraft attacking Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, could swing beneath Kuwait to strike from the southwest.
Passing over Iraq would require at least tacit agreement to the raid from Washington. So far, the Obama Administration has refused to give its approval as it pursues a diplomatic solution to curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Military analysts say Israel has held back only because of this failure to secure consensus from America and Arab states. Military analysts doubt that an airstrike alone would be sufficient to knock out the key nuclear facilities, which are heavily fortified and deep underground or within mountains. However, if the latest sanctions prove ineffective the pressure from the Israelis on Washington to approve military action will intensify. Iran vowed to continue enriching uranium after the UN Security Council imposed its toughest sanctions yet in an effort to halt the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, which Tehran claims is intended for civil energy purposes only. President Ahmadinejad has described the UN resolution as “a used handkerchief, which should be thrown in the dustbin”.
Israeli officials refused to comment yesterday on details for a raid on Iran, which the Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has refused to rule out. Questioned on the option of a Saudi flight path for Israeli bombers, Aharaon Zeevi Farkash, who headed military intelligence until 2006 and has been involved in war games simulating a strike on Iran, said: “I know that Saudi Arabia is even more afraid than Israel of an Iranian nuclear capacity.”
In 2007 Israel was reported to have used Turkish air space to attack a suspected nuclear reactor being built by Iran’s main regional ally, Syria. Although Turkey publicly protested against the “violation” of its air space, it is thought to have turned a blind eye in what many saw as a dry run for a strike on Iran’s far more substantial — and better-defended — nuclear sites.
Israeli intelligence experts say that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are at least as worried as themselves and the West about an Iranian nuclear arsenal.Israel has sent missile-class warships and at least one submarine capable of launching a nuclear warhead through the Suez Canal for deployment in the Red Sea within the past year, as both a warning to Iran and in anticipation of a possible strike. Israeli newspapers reported last year that high-ranking officials, including the former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, have met their Saudi Arabian counterparts to discuss the Iranian issue. It was also reported that Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad, met Saudi intelligence officials last year to gain assurances that Riyadh would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets violating Saudi airspace during the bombing run. Both governments have denied the reports.
Friday, May 7, 2010
When?
With all that is going on in the world today, one might just ask, when? Yes, I too am getting tired of all the trash that I hear, and have to put up with. But the end is not yet.....
Mat 24:6 “And you shall begin to hear of fighting's and reports of fighting's. See that you are not troubled, for these have to take place, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and reign against reign. And there shall be scarcities of food, and deadly diseases, and earthquakes in places.
Mat 24:8 “And all these are the beginning of birth pains.
Yes, I do believe it is close, and I believe we may be getting ready for the last 7 years......so what should we do?
We should stand....yes I said stand. The harvest fields are ripe, and ready for harvest......You see, we will be the reapers, we will bring in the harvest. People are getting tired of all the .... the ...stuff that is going on....From A to Z it is happening..... just read the news. Even it is beginning to be X rated....We are living in a time where we can make a stand for YAHWEH. We don't have to put up with the status quot. We may never be remembered in the history of mankind for our stand, .......but our names will be written in the "Book of Life". So what do you say, are you with me?
Mat 24:6 “And you shall begin to hear of fighting's and reports of fighting's. See that you are not troubled, for these have to take place, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and reign against reign. And there shall be scarcities of food, and deadly diseases, and earthquakes in places.
Mat 24:8 “And all these are the beginning of birth pains.
Yes, I do believe it is close, and I believe we may be getting ready for the last 7 years......so what should we do?
We should stand....yes I said stand. The harvest fields are ripe, and ready for harvest......You see, we will be the reapers, we will bring in the harvest. People are getting tired of all the .... the ...stuff that is going on....From A to Z it is happening..... just read the news. Even it is beginning to be X rated....We are living in a time where we can make a stand for YAHWEH. We don't have to put up with the status quot. We may never be remembered in the history of mankind for our stand, .......but our names will be written in the "Book of Life". So what do you say, are you with me?
Saturday, April 17, 2010
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!
This is it......The christian community is now calling abomination ...OK....I remember this girl from back in the 90's.....We even met her @ a christian book store......but to find this behavior acceptable.....it is abomination at it's highest!
(CNN) -- Rumors were rampant when Christian music artist Jennifer Knapp walked away from a successful career seven years ago.
After selling about a million records and winning at Christian music's prestigious Dove Awards in 1999, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter simply vanished in 2003 -- leaving fans wondering where she had gone. There were countless theories as to why Knapp checked out, including the possibility of illness.
But the one that raised the most ruckus among her die-hard fans was the one which proved to be true: Jennifer Knapp is gay.
This week Knapp burst back onto the music scene with news of a comeback and a coming out. Her new album will be released in May, and she has revealed that she has been in a same-sex relationship for the past eight years.
The revelation rocked the Christian music scene, where Knapp was a darling of fans and critics before her self-imposed exile. The intensely private singer said she's not at all surprised by the shock waves.
"I'm aware that the evangelical community has problems with divorce and many other facets of their artists, let alone homosexuality," Knapp said. "I really felt a strong obligation to be able to address that because for many people, it was really clear that they wouldn't participate in buying a record because it was against their beliefs."
"For many people who buy Christian music or have been familiar with me and my writings as a person of faith, I felt like it was the honest thing to do," she added. "The last thing I wanted to do was to have someone go out and buy a record and feel like they had been hoodwinked."
Knapp is not the first artist to find fame in the genre before revealing their sexuality.
In 2008, Christian singer/songwriter Ray Boltz came out as a gay man after a 20-year career in the industry. In 2009, gospel star Tonex went public with his homosexuality as a guest on "The Lexi Show," a popular program on the Christian channel The Word Network.
Lexi, who is also a gospel music artist, said that while many in the Christian music industry are aware of who is gay, "we don't talk about it, because that's the unspoken rule."
Lexi said she doubts most fans will ever fully embrace an openly gay artist, but she points to other artists who have been able to straddle the line between secular music and songs of faith.
"I think some Christians will totally avoid [Knapp] and say that she is the devil and all that, but there are some that are more open who will embrace her new material," Lexi said. "Then she will find a new audience."
Mark Moring, senior associate editor for Christianity Today, was one of the first to write about Knapp's revelation and said it has been extremely polarizing among his publication's audience. People have vacillated between anger that Christianity Today would even write the story and praise for Knapp's honesty, he said.
"There are people who will always love Jennifer Knapp, no matter what decisions she may make," Moring said. "I think the word that I've read the most often [among those commenting on the Christianity Today web site] is 'sad' as in 'I'm sad that she has made this choice, but I still love her music.' I think that has been a recurrent theme."
Rev. DL Foster is the founder of the Gay Christian Movement Watch Web site and said he believes as society has become more accepting of homosexuality, Knapp and other artists are finding it easier to go public.
"For a person to try and combine [being gay and being a Christian music artist] is not biblically correct, and I would hope that the church would reject such music because it does not represent us," he said. "To me, it doesn't matter if you are openly gay or closeted gay, sin is still sin."
Knapp is very clear that she is not marketing herself as a Christian artist, a term with which she said she has never been comfortable. She's no longer on a Christian-based record label, and her new album of folksy rock songs is described as being about "inner-conflicts, spirituality and life lessons."
Knapp quit the industry and moved to Australia, she said, because she was simply exhausted by all the performing and unprepared for the challenges being a music star brought her way.
She said she began writing music again in earnest two years ago and the music, as well as the decision to go public with her sexuality, all happened "organically." Knapp said she is no longer afraid of her gifts as a musician and now realizes that who she is as a private person can remain intact even as she shares herself with the world through her music.
"I was tired of not writing because I was afraid of what other people were going to think of me," she said. "So for me it was a really healing process."
Knapp said she realizes that some fans will now view her earlier work with lyrics about inner turmoil as evidence of the struggle between her beliefs and her sexuality. But she says she has always struggled as a person of faith to be the person she wants to be, and her sexuality was only a part of that, she said.
God has always known she would walk this path, Knapp said.
"I would rather be judged before God as being an honest human being," she said. "If I am in any way unpleasing in his sight, I can only hope and pray that he gives me the opportunity to find who I am supposed to be."
Perhaps the most telling clue to where Jennifer Knapp finds herself in life after so many years is contained in the title of her new album. It's called "Letting Go."
(CNN) -- Rumors were rampant when Christian music artist Jennifer Knapp walked away from a successful career seven years ago.
After selling about a million records and winning at Christian music's prestigious Dove Awards in 1999, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter simply vanished in 2003 -- leaving fans wondering where she had gone. There were countless theories as to why Knapp checked out, including the possibility of illness.
But the one that raised the most ruckus among her die-hard fans was the one which proved to be true: Jennifer Knapp is gay.
This week Knapp burst back onto the music scene with news of a comeback and a coming out. Her new album will be released in May, and she has revealed that she has been in a same-sex relationship for the past eight years.
The revelation rocked the Christian music scene, where Knapp was a darling of fans and critics before her self-imposed exile. The intensely private singer said she's not at all surprised by the shock waves.
"I'm aware that the evangelical community has problems with divorce and many other facets of their artists, let alone homosexuality," Knapp said. "I really felt a strong obligation to be able to address that because for many people, it was really clear that they wouldn't participate in buying a record because it was against their beliefs."
"For many people who buy Christian music or have been familiar with me and my writings as a person of faith, I felt like it was the honest thing to do," she added. "The last thing I wanted to do was to have someone go out and buy a record and feel like they had been hoodwinked."
Knapp is not the first artist to find fame in the genre before revealing their sexuality.
In 2008, Christian singer/songwriter Ray Boltz came out as a gay man after a 20-year career in the industry. In 2009, gospel star Tonex went public with his homosexuality as a guest on "The Lexi Show," a popular program on the Christian channel The Word Network.
Lexi, who is also a gospel music artist, said that while many in the Christian music industry are aware of who is gay, "we don't talk about it, because that's the unspoken rule."
Lexi said she doubts most fans will ever fully embrace an openly gay artist, but she points to other artists who have been able to straddle the line between secular music and songs of faith.
"I think some Christians will totally avoid [Knapp] and say that she is the devil and all that, but there are some that are more open who will embrace her new material," Lexi said. "Then she will find a new audience."
Mark Moring, senior associate editor for Christianity Today, was one of the first to write about Knapp's revelation and said it has been extremely polarizing among his publication's audience. People have vacillated between anger that Christianity Today would even write the story and praise for Knapp's honesty, he said.
"There are people who will always love Jennifer Knapp, no matter what decisions she may make," Moring said. "I think the word that I've read the most often [among those commenting on the Christianity Today web site] is 'sad' as in 'I'm sad that she has made this choice, but I still love her music.' I think that has been a recurrent theme."
Rev. DL Foster is the founder of the Gay Christian Movement Watch Web site and said he believes as society has become more accepting of homosexuality, Knapp and other artists are finding it easier to go public.
"For a person to try and combine [being gay and being a Christian music artist] is not biblically correct, and I would hope that the church would reject such music because it does not represent us," he said. "To me, it doesn't matter if you are openly gay or closeted gay, sin is still sin."
Knapp is very clear that she is not marketing herself as a Christian artist, a term with which she said she has never been comfortable. She's no longer on a Christian-based record label, and her new album of folksy rock songs is described as being about "inner-conflicts, spirituality and life lessons."
Knapp quit the industry and moved to Australia, she said, because she was simply exhausted by all the performing and unprepared for the challenges being a music star brought her way.
She said she began writing music again in earnest two years ago and the music, as well as the decision to go public with her sexuality, all happened "organically." Knapp said she is no longer afraid of her gifts as a musician and now realizes that who she is as a private person can remain intact even as she shares herself with the world through her music.
"I was tired of not writing because I was afraid of what other people were going to think of me," she said. "So for me it was a really healing process."
Knapp said she realizes that some fans will now view her earlier work with lyrics about inner turmoil as evidence of the struggle between her beliefs and her sexuality. But she says she has always struggled as a person of faith to be the person she wants to be, and her sexuality was only a part of that, she said.
God has always known she would walk this path, Knapp said.
"I would rather be judged before God as being an honest human being," she said. "If I am in any way unpleasing in his sight, I can only hope and pray that he gives me the opportunity to find who I am supposed to be."
Perhaps the most telling clue to where Jennifer Knapp finds herself in life after so many years is contained in the title of her new album. It's called "Letting Go."
Saturday, April 3, 2010
The New Moon and the Biblical New Year
A very good friend of mine wrote this artical......it is very good. If you would like a copy of this, e-mail me an I will put you in touch with it's author.
Be Blessed!!!
The book of Enoch reveals many of key factors regarding the new moon and the calendar year. These are essential in determining the Passover and thus the remaining feasts YHWH has instructed us to keep. Combining Enoch’s words with scientific data, the new year can be determined.
Before you respond in your mind and say “Enoch isn’t Scripture” you should realize that our Messiah, Jude, James, and Peter either directly quoted from it or issued statements that had direct parallels to the Book of Enoch. The Catholics didn’t canonize it, but that certainly does not mean it isn’t inspired scripture. We have more than two reliable witnesses in our scriptures that believed it was inspired without any contradictions. Information about these can be found following the conclusion.
The New Moon
There are currently two views as to what the new moon is. Many say the crescent moon, while others say the conjunction. After diligent searching, prayer, and the leading of the Father, we’ve found that it is indeed the crescent moon. The following details such proof as found in the book of Enoch. Let’s look at Enoch chapter 73.
73:4 It the moon rises in this manner: Its head faces the easterly direction, coming out on the thirtieth day, on that day, that is, on the thirtieth day, it comes into existence, and it appears with the sun in the gate through which the sun exits; and you have the beginning of the month.
73:5 Considering half of it to be divisible into seven parts, the whole disk of it is without light, with the exception of one-seventh part of the fourteenth part of the light of the sun, one seventh of its half light.
73:6 On the day when it receives one-seventh part of its one half, as the sun sets, it becomes equivalent to one-seventh light of one half of it.
73:7 Then when the sun rises, the moon rises together with it, taking a portion of one half of its light; that night the moon, just beginning its monthly journey on its first lunar day, sets with the sun and becomes dark, in respect to its thirteen parts that night. On that day it rises and shines with exactly one-seventh part of its semicircle.
If the new moon was on the conjunction, it would say when the light disappears, or something similar. Instead it says the first lunar day of the month is when the light shines with exactly one-seventh part of its semicircle, or as we know as the crescent new moon. For another witness in the book of Enoch, let’s consider chapter 78.
78:5 The moon comes in and goes out by the western openings, and circles via the northeast and rises through the eastern openings upon the face of the earth.
78:6 When the moon begins its cycle, it appears in the sky one half of a seventh part; it will become fully illumined from the fourteenth day;
78:7 it completes its illumination the fifteenth, becoming fulfilled according to the sign of the year and becoming fifteen parts. Thus the moon waxes in fifteen parts.
78:8 In its waning, the moon decreases on the first day to fourteen parts of its light; on the second day, it decreases to thirteen parts of light; on the third, to twelve parts; on the fourth, to eleven parts; on the fifth, to ten parts; on the sixth, to nine parts; on the seventh, to eight parts; on the eighth, to seven parts; on the ninth, to six parts; on the tenth, to five parts; on the eleventh, to four parts; on the twelfth, to three parts; on the thirteenth, to one half of the preceding; on the fourteenth, all its light decreases to one half of one seventh; and on the fifteenth, all the remaining light disappears.
Notice it says that when the moon begins its cycle it appears as one half of a seventh part, fully illuminated (full moon) after the fourteenth day, and after another fifteen days the remaining light disappears. A month is typically 30 days, so the beginning is marked by the crescent moon, middle by the full moon, and the month ends with the conjunction.
Want yet another witness? Take a look at verse 12 of the same chapter.
78:11 During all the seasons when the moon is made to run its cycle, the light is being beamed into it the moon facing the sun until the illumination of the moon is completed in the course of fourteen days; and when it is lit completely, it radiates light in the sky.
78:12 On the first day, it is called the new moon because on that day the illumination begins to set upon it.
78:13 These illuminations are completed with exactitude on the day when the sun descends into the west, and the moon simultaneously rises in the east in the evening, shining during the night until the sun rises opposite it, and it is over against the sun.
78:14 From the same side where light entered the moon, from there also it gradually wanes until all the illumination disappears and the days of the moon expire, its disk empty without light.
How can we say the conjunction is the new moon when this clearly states that a new moon is when illumination begins to set upon it? Clearly the new moon is the crescent moon.
The Biblical Calendar and New Year
We all know that our current calendar is not based on the Father’s revelations. However, to determine Passover, we need to have the knowledge He imparted long ago. Through Enoch, He revealed the amazing and perfect calendar marked by the coming and going of the luminary bodies. Genesis chapter 1 states that He gave them to us as signs for the seasons and years.
Gen 1:14 And Elohim said, “Let lights come to be in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and appointed times, and for days and years,
Gen 1:15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.” And it came to be so.
Enoch was shown information that recent scientists have patted themselves on the back for, thinking they’d found a breakthrough in science. Without going in to too much detail about that, we need to know when the new year begins. Let’s consider Enoch chapter 72 for a moment.
72:1 The Book of the Itinerary of the Luminaries of Heaven: the position of each and every one, in respect to their ranks, in respect to their authorities, and in respect to their seasons; each one according to their names and their places of origin and according to their months, which Uriel, the kodesh malak who was with me, and who also is their guide, showed me -just as he showed me all their treatises and the nature of the years of the world unto eternity, till the new creation which abides forever is created.
72:2 This is the first commandment of the luminaries: The sun is a luminary whose egress is an opening of heaven, which is located in the direction of the east, and whose ingress is another opening of heaven, located in the west.
72:3 I saw six openings through which the sun rises and six openings through which it sets. The moon also rises and sets through the same openings, and they are guided by the stars; together with those whom they lead, they are six in the east and six; in the west heaven. All of them, are arranged one after another in a constant order. There are many windows both to the left and the right of these openings.
72:4 First, there goes out the great light whose name is the sun; its roundness is like the roundness of the sky; and it is totally filled with light and heat.
72:5 The chariot on which it ascends is driven by the blowing wind. The sun sets in the sky in the west and returns by the northeast in order to go to the east; it is guided so that it shall reach the eastern gate and shine in the face of the sky.
72:6 In this manner it rises in the first month through the major gate; it proceeds through this gate which is the fourth among those six openings which are located in the direction of the east.
72:7 By this fourth gate through which the sun rises during the first month there are twelve open windows from which a flame flows, when they are opened at the appropriate time.
72:8 When the sun rises in the east in the sky, it goes out through this fourth gate for thirty mornings and descends faithfully through the fourth gate in the western sky.
72:9 During those thirty days the day daily becomes longer and the night nightly shorter, for thirty days.
72:10 On that day, the day is longer than the night by one ninth; so the day turns out to be exactly ten parts and the night to be eight parts.
72:11 The sun rises from that fourth eastern gate and sets in the fourth western one, and then it turns and comes into the fifth gate of the east for thirty days, through which it rises, and sets in the fifth gate.
72:12 At that time the day further becomes longer and becomes eleven parts and the night shortens and becomes seven parts on account of the sun.
72:13 It then returns to the east and comes into the sixth gate, rising and setting through that sixth gate for thirty one days, according to the principle of the gate.
72:14 On that day the day becomes longer than the night still further; so the day becomes twelve parts and the night shortens and becomes six parts.
72:15 Then the sun is raised in such a way that its duration shortens and night occurs; the sun returns to the east and enters the sixth gate, rising and setting through it for thirty days.
72:16 When thirty days are completed, the day decreases exactly by one part, and becomes eleven parts, and the night seven.
72:17 Then the sun, leaving the west by that sixth gate and going to the east, rises through the fifth gate for thirty mornings and sets again in the fifth gate in the west.
72:18 On that day the day decreases by two parts; so the day becomes ten parts and the night eight parts.
72:19 Then the sun, departing from that fifth gate and setting in the fifth gate, in the west, rises in the fourth gate for thirty one days according to the principle of the gate, and sets in the west.
72:20 On that day the day is aligned with the night, so that they become equal; so the night becomes nine parts and the day nine parts.
72:21 Then the sun, departing from that gate and setting in the west, returns to the east and comes out through the third gate for thirty days, and sets in the third gate in the west.
72:22 On that day the night becomes longer than the day; it becomes longer than the previous night and the day becomes shorter than the previous day, for thirty days; so the night turns out to be exactly ten parts and the day to be eight parts.
72:23 Then the sun, departing from that third gate in the west and returning to the east, comes out through the second gate in the east for thirty days, and in the same manner it sets through the second gate in the western sky.
72:24 On that day the night becomes eleven parts and the day seven parts.
72:25 Then the sun, departing on that day from that second gate and setting in the west in the second gate, returns to the east and rises in the first gate for thirty one days, and sets on that day in the western sky.
72:26 On that day the night lengthens and becomes twelve parts, whereas the day shortens and becomes six parts.
72:27 Thus the sun completes its appearances, and goes through those same cycles of appearances a second time, coming out through all the openings for thirty days and setting also in the west opposite to it.
72:28 On that night the length of the night decreases by one ninth; so the night becomes eleven parts and the day seven parts.
72:29 Then the sun, returning and entering the second gate which is in the east, resumes its appearances for thirty mornings, rising and setting as usual.
72:30 On that day the night becomes shorter, so the night becomes ten parts and the day eight parts.
72:31 On that day the sun, departing from this second gate and setting in the west, returns to the east and rises through the third gate for thirty one days, and sets in the western sky.
72:32 On that day the night shortens and becomes nine parts and the day nine parts. Then the night becomes equal with the day, and the days of the year add up to exactly three hundred sixty four days.
72:33 The lengths of the day and the night as well as the shortness of the day and the night, are determined by the course of the circuit of the sun, and distinguished by it.
72:34 The circuit becomes longer or shorter day by day and night by night respectively.
72:35 Thus this is the order for the course of the movement and the settlement of the sun -that great luminary which is called the sun, for the duration of the years of the universe -in respect to its going in and coming out.
72:36 It is that very luminary which manifests itself in its appearance as YAHWEH has commanded that it shall come out and go in, in this manner.
72:37 And neither does it diminish in respect to its brightness nor take rest but continue to run day and night. As for the intensity of its light, it is sevenfold brighter than that of the moon; nevertheless, the sun and the moon are equal in regard to their respective sizes.
We see in verse 6 that the first month enters through the fourth gate. Now, when is that? The following chart summarizes the information contained in the previous verses to give a clearer understanding of what was said.
So we can see without much difficulty that the end of the year is marked by a time when the day and night are equal in time. The vernal or spring equinox marks the end of the year, and beginning of the new. Now, we know that it must be springtime in the new year as we see from reading Exodus 9:31, the barley was in the ear during the plague of hail. Also, Enoch 82:16 shows us how the first season of the year comes after the winter.
82:9 These are the orders of the stars which set in their respective places, seasons, festivals, and months.
82:10 And these are the names of those which lead the ones that come out and go down in their appointed seasons, which lead them in their respective places, orders, times, months, authorities, and locations.
82:11 The four leaders which distinguish the four seasons of the year enter first; after them enter the twelve leaders of the orders which distinguish the months; and the three hundred and sixty captains which divide the days and the four epagomenal days, and leaders which divide the four seasons of the year.
82:12 These captains over thousands are added between leader and leader, each behind a place to stand; but their leaders make the division.
82:13 And these are the names of the leaders which divide the four seasons of the years which are fixed: Malki'el, Hela'emmemelek, Milay'ul, and Narel.
82:14 The names of those who lead them are 'Adnar'ul, 'Iyasus'el, 'Elum'el -these three follow the leaders of the orders, as well as the four which follow after the three leaders of the orders, which follow after those leaders of the stations that divide the four seasons of the year.
82:15 At the very beginning, Malkiyal, whose name is called Tam'ayen -and the sun rises and rules; and all the days of his authority -during which he reigns -are ninety one days.
82:16 And these are the signs of the days which become manifest during the period of his authority: sweat, heat, and dryness; all the trees bear fruit and leaves grow on all trees; there will be good harvest, rose flowers, and all the flowers which grow in the field; but the winter tree shall wither.
The only season and time of year that trees begin to grow leaves and fruit, is in the spring. This year, 2010, we were told that the equinox was March 20. However, we can see by the information on timeanddate.com that the true equinox was around the 16th or 17th. Below are tables showing data for Wichita, Kansas and Jerusalem. (The tables were constructed with information directly from their website). Examine the Wichita data first. Notice how the length of day for the 20th is 12 hours and 8 minutes – how can that be the true equinox? Look at the data for the 16th and 17th. With each day showing nearly 12 hour long days, the equinox occurs somewhere around these two days. Compare the data from Wichita to that of Jerusalem. How amazing is it that the 16th is 11 hours and 59 minutes while the 17th is 12 hours and 1 minute. Obviously, between these two days is the true equinox. How perfect and beautiful is this?!
Now, we know from above that the new moon is the crescent and the first new moon of the year takes place after the equinox, so the new moon should be seen around the 16th or 17th. From information gathered on the internet, for this example we used www.paleotimes.org (the specific information is listed on http://www.paleotimes.org/whatsNew/2010/mar_17_2010.htm), we know when the new moon was sighted. Of course, you could have found it for yourself. Nonetheless, across North America the new moon was sighted on March 16, 2010 (around sunset, of course), thus Passover should be the 30th (beginning sundown the 29th), with the memorial observed after sundown on the 30th, which also marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened bread.
For additional evidence, regarding the crescent moon sighting, lets consider a few more details. Remember back to Enoch 73:7.
73:7 Then when the sun rises, the moon rises together with it, taking a portion of one half of its light; that night the moon, just beginning its monthly journey on its first lunar day, sets with the sun and becomes dark, in respect to its thirteen parts that night. On that day it rises and shines with exactly one-seventh part of its semicircle.
One seventh of fifty percent (or 1/14, whichever way you look at it) is 0.071429. With a margin for human error in our calculations, and for argument’s sake, let’s just say it’s close to 1%. Look at the table below, also compiled from information on timeanddate.com.
In Kansas on the 16th, the moon was illuminated 1.00%! In Jerusalem, it appears as though the new moon could have been seen, but faintly on the 16th, however, it’s documented to have been widely sighted on the 17th.
Realizing this is a large amount of information to digest at one time, it’s still evident that everything that was revealed to Enoch to determine the new moon and first month of the year comes together beautifully.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve reviewed this plethora of information, let’s boil it down. The new year begins at the equinox, with the new crescent moon. Which happen to fall perfectly together at the spring/vernal equinox. This marks the first day of the month, so simply count fourteen days, and you’ve found the date for Passover. (Of course, remember that the biblical day begins at sundown the evening before).
One More Thing…
Let’s remember back to Enoch 72:32 for a moment.
72:32 On that day the night shortens and becomes nine parts and the day nine parts. Then the night becomes equal with the day, and the days of the year add up to exactly three hundred sixty four days.
There is no need for a leap year or an added month every now and then. Each year is perfect in its coming and going, and thus we can figure the year with little difficulty.
A parting thought from Enoch chapter 82.
82:4 Blessed are all the righteous ones; blessed are those who walk in the street of righteousness and have no sin like the sinners in the computation of the days in which the sun goes its course in the sky. It the sun comes in through a door and rises for thirty days together with the chiefs of the thousands of the orders of the stars, together with the four which are added to determine the intervals within the year, that is, the intervals between the four seasons of the year; those that lead them along come in on four days.
82:5 On this account there are people that err; they count them the four? in the computation of the year: for the people make error and do not recognize them accurately; for they belong to the reckoning of the year.
82:6 Truly, they are recorded forever: one in the first gate, one in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the sixth. The year is completed in three hundred and sixty four days.
82:7 True is the matter of the exact computation of that which has been recorded; for Uriel, whom YAHWEH of all the creation of the world has ordered for me in order to explain the host of heaven, has revealed to me and breathed over me concerning the luminaries, the months, the festivals, the years, and the days.
82:8 HE has the power in the heaven, both day and night so that HE may cause the light to shine over the people; sun, moon, and stars, and all the principalities of the heaven which revolve in their respective circuits.
May you find this information useful, and may YHWH bless you.
Be Blessed!!!
The book of Enoch reveals many of key factors regarding the new moon and the calendar year. These are essential in determining the Passover and thus the remaining feasts YHWH has instructed us to keep. Combining Enoch’s words with scientific data, the new year can be determined.
Before you respond in your mind and say “Enoch isn’t Scripture” you should realize that our Messiah, Jude, James, and Peter either directly quoted from it or issued statements that had direct parallels to the Book of Enoch. The Catholics didn’t canonize it, but that certainly does not mean it isn’t inspired scripture. We have more than two reliable witnesses in our scriptures that believed it was inspired without any contradictions. Information about these can be found following the conclusion.
The New Moon
There are currently two views as to what the new moon is. Many say the crescent moon, while others say the conjunction. After diligent searching, prayer, and the leading of the Father, we’ve found that it is indeed the crescent moon. The following details such proof as found in the book of Enoch. Let’s look at Enoch chapter 73.
73:4 It the moon rises in this manner: Its head faces the easterly direction, coming out on the thirtieth day, on that day, that is, on the thirtieth day, it comes into existence, and it appears with the sun in the gate through which the sun exits; and you have the beginning of the month.
73:5 Considering half of it to be divisible into seven parts, the whole disk of it is without light, with the exception of one-seventh part of the fourteenth part of the light of the sun, one seventh of its half light.
73:6 On the day when it receives one-seventh part of its one half, as the sun sets, it becomes equivalent to one-seventh light of one half of it.
73:7 Then when the sun rises, the moon rises together with it, taking a portion of one half of its light; that night the moon, just beginning its monthly journey on its first lunar day, sets with the sun and becomes dark, in respect to its thirteen parts that night. On that day it rises and shines with exactly one-seventh part of its semicircle.
If the new moon was on the conjunction, it would say when the light disappears, or something similar. Instead it says the first lunar day of the month is when the light shines with exactly one-seventh part of its semicircle, or as we know as the crescent new moon. For another witness in the book of Enoch, let’s consider chapter 78.
78:5 The moon comes in and goes out by the western openings, and circles via the northeast and rises through the eastern openings upon the face of the earth.
78:6 When the moon begins its cycle, it appears in the sky one half of a seventh part; it will become fully illumined from the fourteenth day;
78:7 it completes its illumination the fifteenth, becoming fulfilled according to the sign of the year and becoming fifteen parts. Thus the moon waxes in fifteen parts.
78:8 In its waning, the moon decreases on the first day to fourteen parts of its light; on the second day, it decreases to thirteen parts of light; on the third, to twelve parts; on the fourth, to eleven parts; on the fifth, to ten parts; on the sixth, to nine parts; on the seventh, to eight parts; on the eighth, to seven parts; on the ninth, to six parts; on the tenth, to five parts; on the eleventh, to four parts; on the twelfth, to three parts; on the thirteenth, to one half of the preceding; on the fourteenth, all its light decreases to one half of one seventh; and on the fifteenth, all the remaining light disappears.
Notice it says that when the moon begins its cycle it appears as one half of a seventh part, fully illuminated (full moon) after the fourteenth day, and after another fifteen days the remaining light disappears. A month is typically 30 days, so the beginning is marked by the crescent moon, middle by the full moon, and the month ends with the conjunction.
Want yet another witness? Take a look at verse 12 of the same chapter.
78:11 During all the seasons when the moon is made to run its cycle, the light is being beamed into it the moon facing the sun until the illumination of the moon is completed in the course of fourteen days; and when it is lit completely, it radiates light in the sky.
78:12 On the first day, it is called the new moon because on that day the illumination begins to set upon it.
78:13 These illuminations are completed with exactitude on the day when the sun descends into the west, and the moon simultaneously rises in the east in the evening, shining during the night until the sun rises opposite it, and it is over against the sun.
78:14 From the same side where light entered the moon, from there also it gradually wanes until all the illumination disappears and the days of the moon expire, its disk empty without light.
How can we say the conjunction is the new moon when this clearly states that a new moon is when illumination begins to set upon it? Clearly the new moon is the crescent moon.
The Biblical Calendar and New Year
We all know that our current calendar is not based on the Father’s revelations. However, to determine Passover, we need to have the knowledge He imparted long ago. Through Enoch, He revealed the amazing and perfect calendar marked by the coming and going of the luminary bodies. Genesis chapter 1 states that He gave them to us as signs for the seasons and years.
Gen 1:14 And Elohim said, “Let lights come to be in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and appointed times, and for days and years,
Gen 1:15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.” And it came to be so.
Enoch was shown information that recent scientists have patted themselves on the back for, thinking they’d found a breakthrough in science. Without going in to too much detail about that, we need to know when the new year begins. Let’s consider Enoch chapter 72 for a moment.
72:1 The Book of the Itinerary of the Luminaries of Heaven: the position of each and every one, in respect to their ranks, in respect to their authorities, and in respect to their seasons; each one according to their names and their places of origin and according to their months, which Uriel, the kodesh malak who was with me, and who also is their guide, showed me -just as he showed me all their treatises and the nature of the years of the world unto eternity, till the new creation which abides forever is created.
72:2 This is the first commandment of the luminaries: The sun is a luminary whose egress is an opening of heaven, which is located in the direction of the east, and whose ingress is another opening of heaven, located in the west.
72:3 I saw six openings through which the sun rises and six openings through which it sets. The moon also rises and sets through the same openings, and they are guided by the stars; together with those whom they lead, they are six in the east and six; in the west heaven. All of them, are arranged one after another in a constant order. There are many windows both to the left and the right of these openings.
72:4 First, there goes out the great light whose name is the sun; its roundness is like the roundness of the sky; and it is totally filled with light and heat.
72:5 The chariot on which it ascends is driven by the blowing wind. The sun sets in the sky in the west and returns by the northeast in order to go to the east; it is guided so that it shall reach the eastern gate and shine in the face of the sky.
72:6 In this manner it rises in the first month through the major gate; it proceeds through this gate which is the fourth among those six openings which are located in the direction of the east.
72:7 By this fourth gate through which the sun rises during the first month there are twelve open windows from which a flame flows, when they are opened at the appropriate time.
72:8 When the sun rises in the east in the sky, it goes out through this fourth gate for thirty mornings and descends faithfully through the fourth gate in the western sky.
72:9 During those thirty days the day daily becomes longer and the night nightly shorter, for thirty days.
72:10 On that day, the day is longer than the night by one ninth; so the day turns out to be exactly ten parts and the night to be eight parts.
72:11 The sun rises from that fourth eastern gate and sets in the fourth western one, and then it turns and comes into the fifth gate of the east for thirty days, through which it rises, and sets in the fifth gate.
72:12 At that time the day further becomes longer and becomes eleven parts and the night shortens and becomes seven parts on account of the sun.
72:13 It then returns to the east and comes into the sixth gate, rising and setting through that sixth gate for thirty one days, according to the principle of the gate.
72:14 On that day the day becomes longer than the night still further; so the day becomes twelve parts and the night shortens and becomes six parts.
72:15 Then the sun is raised in such a way that its duration shortens and night occurs; the sun returns to the east and enters the sixth gate, rising and setting through it for thirty days.
72:16 When thirty days are completed, the day decreases exactly by one part, and becomes eleven parts, and the night seven.
72:17 Then the sun, leaving the west by that sixth gate and going to the east, rises through the fifth gate for thirty mornings and sets again in the fifth gate in the west.
72:18 On that day the day decreases by two parts; so the day becomes ten parts and the night eight parts.
72:19 Then the sun, departing from that fifth gate and setting in the fifth gate, in the west, rises in the fourth gate for thirty one days according to the principle of the gate, and sets in the west.
72:20 On that day the day is aligned with the night, so that they become equal; so the night becomes nine parts and the day nine parts.
72:21 Then the sun, departing from that gate and setting in the west, returns to the east and comes out through the third gate for thirty days, and sets in the third gate in the west.
72:22 On that day the night becomes longer than the day; it becomes longer than the previous night and the day becomes shorter than the previous day, for thirty days; so the night turns out to be exactly ten parts and the day to be eight parts.
72:23 Then the sun, departing from that third gate in the west and returning to the east, comes out through the second gate in the east for thirty days, and in the same manner it sets through the second gate in the western sky.
72:24 On that day the night becomes eleven parts and the day seven parts.
72:25 Then the sun, departing on that day from that second gate and setting in the west in the second gate, returns to the east and rises in the first gate for thirty one days, and sets on that day in the western sky.
72:26 On that day the night lengthens and becomes twelve parts, whereas the day shortens and becomes six parts.
72:27 Thus the sun completes its appearances, and goes through those same cycles of appearances a second time, coming out through all the openings for thirty days and setting also in the west opposite to it.
72:28 On that night the length of the night decreases by one ninth; so the night becomes eleven parts and the day seven parts.
72:29 Then the sun, returning and entering the second gate which is in the east, resumes its appearances for thirty mornings, rising and setting as usual.
72:30 On that day the night becomes shorter, so the night becomes ten parts and the day eight parts.
72:31 On that day the sun, departing from this second gate and setting in the west, returns to the east and rises through the third gate for thirty one days, and sets in the western sky.
72:32 On that day the night shortens and becomes nine parts and the day nine parts. Then the night becomes equal with the day, and the days of the year add up to exactly three hundred sixty four days.
72:33 The lengths of the day and the night as well as the shortness of the day and the night, are determined by the course of the circuit of the sun, and distinguished by it.
72:34 The circuit becomes longer or shorter day by day and night by night respectively.
72:35 Thus this is the order for the course of the movement and the settlement of the sun -that great luminary which is called the sun, for the duration of the years of the universe -in respect to its going in and coming out.
72:36 It is that very luminary which manifests itself in its appearance as YAHWEH has commanded that it shall come out and go in, in this manner.
72:37 And neither does it diminish in respect to its brightness nor take rest but continue to run day and night. As for the intensity of its light, it is sevenfold brighter than that of the moon; nevertheless, the sun and the moon are equal in regard to their respective sizes.
We see in verse 6 that the first month enters through the fourth gate. Now, when is that? The following chart summarizes the information contained in the previous verses to give a clearer understanding of what was said.
So we can see without much difficulty that the end of the year is marked by a time when the day and night are equal in time. The vernal or spring equinox marks the end of the year, and beginning of the new. Now, we know that it must be springtime in the new year as we see from reading Exodus 9:31, the barley was in the ear during the plague of hail. Also, Enoch 82:16 shows us how the first season of the year comes after the winter.
82:9 These are the orders of the stars which set in their respective places, seasons, festivals, and months.
82:10 And these are the names of those which lead the ones that come out and go down in their appointed seasons, which lead them in their respective places, orders, times, months, authorities, and locations.
82:11 The four leaders which distinguish the four seasons of the year enter first; after them enter the twelve leaders of the orders which distinguish the months; and the three hundred and sixty captains which divide the days and the four epagomenal days, and leaders which divide the four seasons of the year.
82:12 These captains over thousands are added between leader and leader, each behind a place to stand; but their leaders make the division.
82:13 And these are the names of the leaders which divide the four seasons of the years which are fixed: Malki'el, Hela'emmemelek, Milay'ul, and Narel.
82:14 The names of those who lead them are 'Adnar'ul, 'Iyasus'el, 'Elum'el -these three follow the leaders of the orders, as well as the four which follow after the three leaders of the orders, which follow after those leaders of the stations that divide the four seasons of the year.
82:15 At the very beginning, Malkiyal, whose name is called Tam'ayen -and the sun rises and rules; and all the days of his authority -during which he reigns -are ninety one days.
82:16 And these are the signs of the days which become manifest during the period of his authority: sweat, heat, and dryness; all the trees bear fruit and leaves grow on all trees; there will be good harvest, rose flowers, and all the flowers which grow in the field; but the winter tree shall wither.
The only season and time of year that trees begin to grow leaves and fruit, is in the spring. This year, 2010, we were told that the equinox was March 20. However, we can see by the information on timeanddate.com that the true equinox was around the 16th or 17th. Below are tables showing data for Wichita, Kansas and Jerusalem. (The tables were constructed with information directly from their website). Examine the Wichita data first. Notice how the length of day for the 20th is 12 hours and 8 minutes – how can that be the true equinox? Look at the data for the 16th and 17th. With each day showing nearly 12 hour long days, the equinox occurs somewhere around these two days. Compare the data from Wichita to that of Jerusalem. How amazing is it that the 16th is 11 hours and 59 minutes while the 17th is 12 hours and 1 minute. Obviously, between these two days is the true equinox. How perfect and beautiful is this?!
Now, we know from above that the new moon is the crescent and the first new moon of the year takes place after the equinox, so the new moon should be seen around the 16th or 17th. From information gathered on the internet, for this example we used www.paleotimes.org (the specific information is listed on http://www.paleotimes.org/whatsNew/2010/mar_17_2010.htm), we know when the new moon was sighted. Of course, you could have found it for yourself. Nonetheless, across North America the new moon was sighted on March 16, 2010 (around sunset, of course), thus Passover should be the 30th (beginning sundown the 29th), with the memorial observed after sundown on the 30th, which also marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened bread.
For additional evidence, regarding the crescent moon sighting, lets consider a few more details. Remember back to Enoch 73:7.
73:7 Then when the sun rises, the moon rises together with it, taking a portion of one half of its light; that night the moon, just beginning its monthly journey on its first lunar day, sets with the sun and becomes dark, in respect to its thirteen parts that night. On that day it rises and shines with exactly one-seventh part of its semicircle.
One seventh of fifty percent (or 1/14, whichever way you look at it) is 0.071429. With a margin for human error in our calculations, and for argument’s sake, let’s just say it’s close to 1%. Look at the table below, also compiled from information on timeanddate.com.
In Kansas on the 16th, the moon was illuminated 1.00%! In Jerusalem, it appears as though the new moon could have been seen, but faintly on the 16th, however, it’s documented to have been widely sighted on the 17th.
Realizing this is a large amount of information to digest at one time, it’s still evident that everything that was revealed to Enoch to determine the new moon and first month of the year comes together beautifully.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve reviewed this plethora of information, let’s boil it down. The new year begins at the equinox, with the new crescent moon. Which happen to fall perfectly together at the spring/vernal equinox. This marks the first day of the month, so simply count fourteen days, and you’ve found the date for Passover. (Of course, remember that the biblical day begins at sundown the evening before).
One More Thing…
Let’s remember back to Enoch 72:32 for a moment.
72:32 On that day the night shortens and becomes nine parts and the day nine parts. Then the night becomes equal with the day, and the days of the year add up to exactly three hundred sixty four days.
There is no need for a leap year or an added month every now and then. Each year is perfect in its coming and going, and thus we can figure the year with little difficulty.
A parting thought from Enoch chapter 82.
82:4 Blessed are all the righteous ones; blessed are those who walk in the street of righteousness and have no sin like the sinners in the computation of the days in which the sun goes its course in the sky. It the sun comes in through a door and rises for thirty days together with the chiefs of the thousands of the orders of the stars, together with the four which are added to determine the intervals within the year, that is, the intervals between the four seasons of the year; those that lead them along come in on four days.
82:5 On this account there are people that err; they count them the four? in the computation of the year: for the people make error and do not recognize them accurately; for they belong to the reckoning of the year.
82:6 Truly, they are recorded forever: one in the first gate, one in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the sixth. The year is completed in three hundred and sixty four days.
82:7 True is the matter of the exact computation of that which has been recorded; for Uriel, whom YAHWEH of all the creation of the world has ordered for me in order to explain the host of heaven, has revealed to me and breathed over me concerning the luminaries, the months, the festivals, the years, and the days.
82:8 HE has the power in the heaven, both day and night so that HE may cause the light to shine over the people; sun, moon, and stars, and all the principalities of the heaven which revolve in their respective circuits.
May you find this information useful, and may YHWH bless you.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
ABIB VS. VERNAL EQUINOX ......... YOU DECIDE
This is a short comparison of Abib and Vernal Equinox.....very confrontational.
This was produced bu YAIY. You can go to there website for more info. Below that a brother sent me a message from Nehemia Gorden. It has some links to check out. This is must reading
Abib
Early ears (Lev 2:14) Hebrew: #24 Abib
Ex 9:31;12:2; 13:4; Duet 16:1 “observe Abib” (one calendar based on agriculture and moon: “Month of Abib,” Deut 16:1; Ex 34:18
Ps 104:19 Moon for seasons
Abib instructed as a calendar
No astrologers needed in ancient Israel to determine an equal day and night
Yahweh can change the Appointed Times (moeds) by changing the weather: Ex 9:29; Ps 135:6-7; Jer 10::13; Zech 10:1; 14:17-18.
Abib defined:
“Also if you bring a grain offering of early ripened (Abib) things (barley in the case of the new year: Ex 9:31; 12:2; 13:4) to Yahweh, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things,” Lev 2:14. NASU
“Observe the month (new moon) of Abib (early ears of barley), and keep the Passover unto Yahweh thy Elohim: for in the month of Abib Yahweh thy Elohim brought thee forth out of Egypt by night,” Deut 16:1
Vernal Equinox
Equal day and night
Suggested Hebrew word: #8622 Tequphah
1 Sam 1:20 (9-month gestation period) Ex 34:22 Cycles of Pentecost and FOT; Ps 19:6 Sun rotates and runs its coarse; 2 Chron 24:23 End or close of the year
Gen 1:14-16; Ps 136:8-9 “sun rules day, moon rules night” (one calendar based on sun and moon?
“Pagan Calendars” “Lunisolar”)
Josh 10:12-14; 2 Kings 20:8-11 Sun for signs
Nisan showed pagan influence on Judah during and after their captivity (Neh 2:1; Est 3:7)
Astrologers needed to determine spring, summer, and winter equinoxes
Unless the fixed pattern (Jer 31:35) of the sun or moon’s coarse is changed, no controlled change can be made.
Vernal equinox defined:
the time when the sun crosses the plain of the earth’s equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about March 21st.”
— Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (emphasis mine)
www.yaiy.org
YAIY Quick Study Sheet
This is the e-mail I received from Brother Y
Will the Real Equinox Please Stand Up
Last week we found Aviv barley in the Land of Israel and the new moon on Wednesday night was the New Moon of the Aviv marking the beginning of the Biblical year. I discuss the biblical evidence for the role of the Aviv barley in the Biblical calendar at:
http://www.karaite-korner.org/abib.shtml
Some people object that the true indicator for the beginning of the Biblical year should not be the Aviv barley but the Vernal Equinox, the day which marks the beginning of Spring. They base this on an anachronism in their interpretation of the biblical Hebrew word Tekufah ("circuit"). An anachronism is erroneously placing something from a later time period into an earlier one. For example, speaking about telephones in ancient Rome is an anachronism. Interpreting the Biblical Hebrew word "Tekufah" as meaning "equinox", a meaning it never had in Tanakh times, is an anachronism. I won't go into too much detail here about the word Tekufah as I have done so in the past. For more information on this topic please see:
http://www.karaite- korner.org/ abib_faq. shtml
http://www.karaite-korner.org/abib_and_tekufah.shtml
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/karaite_ korner_news/ message/220
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/karaite_ korner_news/ message/124
Today I want to point out another anachronism in the application of the vernal equinox by those who claim it has a role in the Biblical calendar. Specifically I want to ask the question: If we are really required to use the vernal equinox for the biblical calendar, then which equinox? The problem is that there was no reliable way to calculate the timing of the Vernal Equinox in antiquity. Today modern astronomers have worked out with a high degree of accuracy the exact timing of the Vernal Equinox. The prerequisite for determining the true equinox was discovering the exact length of the solar year. According to modern astronomers a solar year is 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds and this year the equinox falls out on March 21, 2010. Easy, right? Not so fast. The true value of the solar year was not known until modern times.
Fear not, say advocates of the equinox, Moses had secret astronomical knowledge learned at the court of Pharoah. This secret knowledge supposedly included the exact calculation to work out the true timing of the Vernal Equinox. If Moses had this secret knowledge it was unfortunately unknown to later Jews. The early Rabbis mention the Vernal Equinox but they did not have a way of reliably calculating it because they did not know the true length of the solar year. There were actually two contradictory opinions about the length of the solar year and both were wrong. According to Rabbi Samuel the solar year was 365 days 6 hours whereas Rabbi Ada reckoned the solar year to be 365 days 5 hours 55 minutes 25.4 seconds. The difference between these two values may sound trivial but they result in the Vernal Equinox falling out on different days, neither of which is the correct day! For example, this year the Equinox of Samuel falls out on April 8, 2010 whereas the Equinox of Ada is March 28, 2010. As already mentioned, the true Vernal Equinox is March 21, 2010 - 7 days before the Equinox of Ada and 18 days before the Equinox of Samuel. Which one of these three values did Moses supposedly use: the Equinox of Ada, the Equinox of Samuel, or the true astronomical value only worked out in modern times? If this knowledge was known to Moses then why was it unknown to every other ancient civilization including the Jews? Did God really intend for us to wait for the advent of modern astronomy to know the true timing of the biblical feasts? Or did he set out a simple system that ancient Israelite farmers could easily follow by looking at their crops as they grew in the fields? It seems to me this is what the Creator was talking about when he said: "Observe the Month of the Aviv" in Deuteronomy 16:1. No need for secret astronomical knowledge; just a simple way to track the solar cycle relevant to an ancient farming society.
As a side note, the Vernal Equinox is generally calculated today as a moment in time not as a day. This year the Vernal Equinox was March 20 at 7:32pm Israel time. In the Hebrew reckoning, the day begins at sunset and this was well after sunset presumably making March 21 the day of the Vernal Equinox. But not so fast with this either! The ancients defined the equinox as the day on which daytime and nighttime were of equal length as we can see from the following quotation from the Jerusalem Talmud (Berachot 2c 1:1): "On both the Vernal Equinox and Autumnal Equinox the day and the night are equal". So when would that be for observers in the Land of Israel, March 20 or 21 this year? Considering that they did not have accurate clocks in ancient times, this would be no small feat to figure out, which is why both Samuel and Ada got it wrong. If you look at TimeAndDate. com for the day on which the daytime and nighttime are equal in Jerusalem you get a surprising result: March 16 or 17! On March 16 there was 11h 59m 12s of daytime and on March 17 there was 12h 01m 09s. So is the "Biblical" equinox March 16 or 17 based on day lengths in Jerusalem? Or March 21 as if Moses lived at the equator? Or March 28 or April 8 based on the ancient values of the year?
Check the Jerusalem day lengths in March 2010 for yourself:
http://www.timeandd ate.com/worldclo ck/astronomy. html?n=110& month=3&year= 2010&obj= sun&afl=- 11&day=1
Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel
This was produced bu YAIY. You can go to there website for more info. Below that a brother sent me a message from Nehemia Gorden. It has some links to check out. This is must reading
Abib
Early ears (Lev 2:14) Hebrew: #24 Abib
Ex 9:31;12:2; 13:4; Duet 16:1 “observe Abib” (one calendar based on agriculture and moon: “Month of Abib,” Deut 16:1; Ex 34:18
Ps 104:19 Moon for seasons
Abib instructed as a calendar
No astrologers needed in ancient Israel to determine an equal day and night
Yahweh can change the Appointed Times (moeds) by changing the weather: Ex 9:29; Ps 135:6-7; Jer 10::13; Zech 10:1; 14:17-18.
Abib defined:
“Also if you bring a grain offering of early ripened (Abib) things (barley in the case of the new year: Ex 9:31; 12:2; 13:4) to Yahweh, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things,” Lev 2:14. NASU
“Observe the month (new moon) of Abib (early ears of barley), and keep the Passover unto Yahweh thy Elohim: for in the month of Abib Yahweh thy Elohim brought thee forth out of Egypt by night,” Deut 16:1
Vernal Equinox
Equal day and night
Suggested Hebrew word: #8622 Tequphah
1 Sam 1:20 (9-month gestation period) Ex 34:22 Cycles of Pentecost and FOT; Ps 19:6 Sun rotates and runs its coarse; 2 Chron 24:23 End or close of the year
Gen 1:14-16; Ps 136:8-9 “sun rules day, moon rules night” (one calendar based on sun and moon?
“Pagan Calendars” “Lunisolar”)
Josh 10:12-14; 2 Kings 20:8-11 Sun for signs
Nisan showed pagan influence on Judah during and after their captivity (Neh 2:1; Est 3:7)
Astrologers needed to determine spring, summer, and winter equinoxes
Unless the fixed pattern (Jer 31:35) of the sun or moon’s coarse is changed, no controlled change can be made.
Vernal equinox defined:
the time when the sun crosses the plain of the earth’s equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about March 21st.”
— Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (emphasis mine)
www.yaiy.org
YAIY Quick Study Sheet
This is the e-mail I received from Brother Y
Will the Real Equinox Please Stand Up
Last week we found Aviv barley in the Land of Israel and the new moon on Wednesday night was the New Moon of the Aviv marking the beginning of the Biblical year. I discuss the biblical evidence for the role of the Aviv barley in the Biblical calendar at:
http://www.karaite-korner.org/abib.shtml
Some people object that the true indicator for the beginning of the Biblical year should not be the Aviv barley but the Vernal Equinox, the day which marks the beginning of Spring. They base this on an anachronism in their interpretation of the biblical Hebrew word Tekufah ("circuit"). An anachronism is erroneously placing something from a later time period into an earlier one. For example, speaking about telephones in ancient Rome is an anachronism. Interpreting the Biblical Hebrew word "Tekufah" as meaning "equinox", a meaning it never had in Tanakh times, is an anachronism. I won't go into too much detail here about the word Tekufah as I have done so in the past. For more information on this topic please see:
http://www.karaite- korner.org/ abib_faq. shtml
http://www.karaite-korner.org/abib_and_tekufah.shtml
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/karaite_ korner_news/ message/220
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/karaite_ korner_news/ message/124
Today I want to point out another anachronism in the application of the vernal equinox by those who claim it has a role in the Biblical calendar. Specifically I want to ask the question: If we are really required to use the vernal equinox for the biblical calendar, then which equinox? The problem is that there was no reliable way to calculate the timing of the Vernal Equinox in antiquity. Today modern astronomers have worked out with a high degree of accuracy the exact timing of the Vernal Equinox. The prerequisite for determining the true equinox was discovering the exact length of the solar year. According to modern astronomers a solar year is 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds and this year the equinox falls out on March 21, 2010. Easy, right? Not so fast. The true value of the solar year was not known until modern times.
Fear not, say advocates of the equinox, Moses had secret astronomical knowledge learned at the court of Pharoah. This secret knowledge supposedly included the exact calculation to work out the true timing of the Vernal Equinox. If Moses had this secret knowledge it was unfortunately unknown to later Jews. The early Rabbis mention the Vernal Equinox but they did not have a way of reliably calculating it because they did not know the true length of the solar year. There were actually two contradictory opinions about the length of the solar year and both were wrong. According to Rabbi Samuel the solar year was 365 days 6 hours whereas Rabbi Ada reckoned the solar year to be 365 days 5 hours 55 minutes 25.4 seconds. The difference between these two values may sound trivial but they result in the Vernal Equinox falling out on different days, neither of which is the correct day! For example, this year the Equinox of Samuel falls out on April 8, 2010 whereas the Equinox of Ada is March 28, 2010. As already mentioned, the true Vernal Equinox is March 21, 2010 - 7 days before the Equinox of Ada and 18 days before the Equinox of Samuel. Which one of these three values did Moses supposedly use: the Equinox of Ada, the Equinox of Samuel, or the true astronomical value only worked out in modern times? If this knowledge was known to Moses then why was it unknown to every other ancient civilization including the Jews? Did God really intend for us to wait for the advent of modern astronomy to know the true timing of the biblical feasts? Or did he set out a simple system that ancient Israelite farmers could easily follow by looking at their crops as they grew in the fields? It seems to me this is what the Creator was talking about when he said: "Observe the Month of the Aviv" in Deuteronomy 16:1. No need for secret astronomical knowledge; just a simple way to track the solar cycle relevant to an ancient farming society.
As a side note, the Vernal Equinox is generally calculated today as a moment in time not as a day. This year the Vernal Equinox was March 20 at 7:32pm Israel time. In the Hebrew reckoning, the day begins at sunset and this was well after sunset presumably making March 21 the day of the Vernal Equinox. But not so fast with this either! The ancients defined the equinox as the day on which daytime and nighttime were of equal length as we can see from the following quotation from the Jerusalem Talmud (Berachot 2c 1:1): "On both the Vernal Equinox and Autumnal Equinox the day and the night are equal". So when would that be for observers in the Land of Israel, March 20 or 21 this year? Considering that they did not have accurate clocks in ancient times, this would be no small feat to figure out, which is why both Samuel and Ada got it wrong. If you look at TimeAndDate. com for the day on which the daytime and nighttime are equal in Jerusalem you get a surprising result: March 16 or 17! On March 16 there was 11h 59m 12s of daytime and on March 17 there was 12h 01m 09s. So is the "Biblical" equinox March 16 or 17 based on day lengths in Jerusalem? Or March 21 as if Moses lived at the equator? Or March 28 or April 8 based on the ancient values of the year?
Check the Jerusalem day lengths in March 2010 for yourself:
http://www.timeandd ate.com/worldclo ck/astronomy. html?n=110& month=3&year= 2010&obj= sun&afl=- 11&day=1
Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel
Friday, March 12, 2010
Passover vs Easter
This is a good article on the pagan Easter. if you would like more info from this group, there address is at the end of the article
Be Blessed.
AbiYAH
The Counterfeit Called Easter
Sunrise worship services, Easter eggs in the vestibule, Easter ham and hot cross buns at the church social. Is this honoring a resurrected Savior- or is this resurrected mystery worship. Here are some hare-raising facts about the Easter bunny, eggs, and many of the other trappings that go with a great counterfeit celebration supposedly honoring the Savior’s death and resurrection.
Most people are born into their beliefs and rarely question what they have been taught from childhood. Societal traditions themselves have a powerful pull on what the majority of people do—with the force of religious passion.
If the tradition is to watch football on Monday nights, attend Fourth of July parades, or exchange Xmas presents, that is what the majority will do. If we teach our children from infancy to look for colored eggs on Easter Sunday morning, that is what they will grow up doing and teach to their own children as well.
In addition to the secular traditions of Easter unquestionably practiced in society at large, Easter is also an orthodox belief accepted automatically by the religious sector.
This observance is one of the holiest days of the year in Christianity. Few Christians will doubt its authenticity. So let’s ask the critical question: is Easter Biblical? Is it a holiday that should be observed by a True Believer?
Easter is made to appear Scriptural in a very clever way, but when one searches into the literal and spiritual truth of the matter one finds that Easter has nothing to do with the true Messiah. Any related religious connotations are found outside the Bible and are unscriptural.
These statements may seem like blasphemy to today’s Christian, but if he truly has his heart set on proving his beliefs right out of the Bible, then he will find the ensuing study to be true. This treatise is prepared for those who are willing to prove all things, accept the truth, turn from falsehood and deceit, and hold fast to that which is true and good.
The World Book Encyclopedia under "Easter" says, "Easter is a Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of J-sus Christ. It is the most important holy day of the Christian religion. People attend churches and take part in religious ceremonies.
"In most countries, Easter comes in early spring, at a time when green grass and warm sunshine begin to push aside the ice and snow of winter. Its name may have come from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring, or from the Teutonic festival spring, Eostar [pronounced ‘Easter’].
"Christians everywhere celebrate Easter with great rejoicing. In many areas, children collect candy and chocolate bunnies, and hunt colorful Easter eggs. Many persons wear new spring clothes to church on Easter."
Easter: a.k.a. Ishtar, Astarte
Let us first focus on the name "Easter." Where does it come from and what does it mean? You may be surprised to learn that many customs associated with the Easter celebration had been observed by pagans centuries before the Savior came to earth and was put to death, to rise three days later. The worship of pagan deities continued within Christianity, but with a new meaning and a different interpretation—thus making it more palatable.
In The Roots of English, A Reader’s Handbook of Word Origins, by Robert Clainborne, we find that Easter means "to shine, whence Germanic East (where the dawn light shines from), and also Austron, the Germanic goddess of dawn; she was worshiped at the spring equinox—now the Easter season. (The first Christian Missionaries in England shrewdly combined their celebration of the Resurrection with the older, pagan festival.)" (p. 55).
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary has this to say: "Easter was originally a pagan festival honoring Eostre, a Teutonic (Germanic) goddess of light and spring. At the time of the vernal equinox (the day in the spring when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of equal length), sacrifices were offered in her honor. As early as the eighth century the name was used to designate the annual Christian celebration of the resurrection of Chr-st" (p.317).
In The Two Babylon's, Alexander Hislop says that Easter is "Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven." Her name appears on the Assyrian monuments as Ishtar, which carries the same pronunciations as that of Easter in today’s language, (Section II, "Easter," p. 103).
Ishtar was a goddess of Babylon whose consort was Tammuz. She was known in various other nations as Asherah of the Canaanites whose consort was Baal; Isis of Egypt whose consort was Osiris; Aphrodite of Greece whose consort was Adonis, and Venus in Rome whose consort was Mars.
All of these goddesses were goddesses of fertility, fecundity, love, and sensual pleasure. Ishtar was served in her temples by prostitutes with immoral rites performed by bands of men and women.
Provocative Queen of Heaven
Easter or Ishtar is also known as the Queen of Heaven. What does Yahweh say concerning this Queen of Heaven?
"See you not what they do in cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem ? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other elohim, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? Says Yahweh: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore, thus says Yahweh El, Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched," Jeremiah 7:17-20.
Yahweh was so greatly angered by the people’s service to the Queen of Heaven that He overthrew them, carrying many of the survivors into Babylon .
Some of the survivors escaped to the land of Egypt where they continued in their practice of worshiping the "Queen of Heaven." He inspired the prophet Jeremiah to warn the people away from such practices, but the people adamantly refused, saying,
"As for the word that you have spoken unto us in the name of Yahweh, we will not hearken unto you. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of your own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then had we plenty of food, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our husbands? Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people who had given him that answer, saying, The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, you, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Yahweh remember them, and came it not into his mind? So Yahweh could no longer bear, and because of the abominations which you have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an horror, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Because you have burned incense, and because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, therefore, this evil happened unto you, as at his day," Jeremiah 44:16-23.
Jeremiah went on to prophesy that all those in Egypt who had burned incense to the Queen of Heaven would be destroyed along with the Egyptians when the Babylonians invaded that country. Only a small remnant of that group ever survived to return to the land of Israel .
The worship of the Queen of Heaven brought terrible disaster and destruction to those of Judaea and Egypt . This is a warning to us today.
The worship of Ishtar (Easter) and Tammuz is none other than sun, nature, and earth worship.
Tammuz, the Resurrected Son
Tammuz was a consort of the Queen of Heaven. Who was Tammuz? The Encyclopedia Britannica, Fourteenth Edition, has this to say about Tammuz: "A Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian god, who died and rose annually with dying and reviving vegetation, originally Dumuzi, ‘the son who rises, goes forth (from the nether world),’ but generally interpreted ‘faithful son.’
"…he represents the mystery of life and death, as seen in the withering vegetation of the hot Mesopotamian summer, and the rapid renewal of its life at the season of the spring rains… .
"There is a strange inconsistency in the hymns of the wailings concerning the relaxation of the mother goddess to her lover, Tammuz. In the early Sumerian texts she (Ishtar) is his sister, but soon the Semitic view that she is his mother prevails. The two theories appear inconsistently together throughout the entire history of the cult. He is, however, invariably the husband and lover of the otherwise consistently described virgin goddess of love, Innini (Ishtar), Gestinanna, Belitseri (queen of the field of the lower world), and the cult is particularly associated with the great city Erech [built by Nimrod, Gen. 10:10], home of the cult of Anu, the heaven god, and Innini (Ishtar).
"In astrology Tammuz was identified with Aries; in the magic rituals he is symbolized by a white kid, and he is also connected with the ram, which led to this astral identification. Under the title Sibzianna, ‘faithful shepherd of heaven,’ he was identified with Orion. During the period of the deified king worship in the Dungi period of Ur, and in the time of the Isin dynasty, the deified kings habitually identified themselves with Tammuz and were worshipped as husbands of the mother goddess….He was held to be a god of healing, bestower of health, and one who, like all other deities, had power over the demons.
"It is obvious that a cult which is based upon the death and resurrection of a propitiating god, and upon the love of a divine mother who wails for her son, has direct connection with the facts and the theological views based upon them, which gave birth to Christianity. But the form occult which apparently most directly affected the origins of Christianity is that in which Marduk of Babylon was identified with Tammuz. At the Nisan or new year festival at Babylon, Bel (Marduk) was said to have been imprisoned in the lower world, and the priestess weeps at his sepulchre. A malefactor was slain with Bel and they descend together to the land of darkness. Beltis, his wife, descends to hell to seek him, and Bel’s garments are given Ishtar (mother of Tammuz). Bel was laid in a sepulchre, from which he soon comes forth. This Marduk transformation of the national Tammuz cult is only another effort of the priesthood of the capital to enlarge the worship and importance of the local cult…That the cult had direct influence upon the ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY cannot be denied, and the Greek cult of Adonis owes its essential content to the Sumerian Tammuz." (vol. 21, pp. 776-777).
Yahweh Condemns Worship of Tammuz, Ishtar
Yahweh took the prophet Ezekiel in the land of Babylon where he had been taken captive, in vision to the land of Judah to witness what was going on in the temple among the priesthood and the men and women who were worshiping there. Ezekiel was shown the image of jealousy in 8:5 and he was then taken into a room where there were images of every form of creeping thing, while abominable creatures were depicted on the walls all around (vv. 6-10).
Seventy men of the ancients of Israel were burning incense to the images (v. 11). Then Yahweh said to Ezekiel, "Son of man, have you seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? For they say, Yahweh sees us not; Yahweh has forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn yet again, and you shall see GREATER ABOMINATIONS that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh’s house, which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz," vv. 12-13.
The Israelite women were weeping for the Assyrian, Sumerian, Babylonian deity of vegetation which was a great abomination to Yahweh. Hislop identifies this period of weeping with the 40 days of the Lenten season, a time of mourning and fasting for the dead or dying god Tammuz (pp. 104-106). It was the forerunner of today’s 40-day Lenten season observed prior to Easter. Easter ends the period of fasting.
Tammuz is identified with Marduk by the Encyclopedia Britannica. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Revised) says, "Marduk’s origin was unclear. His name appears to have a Sumerian etymology (amar-utu-k) and may mean ‘young calf of the sun.’ Some have suggested Marduk was originally a sun-god" (vol. 4, p. 87).
This all coincides to reveal that the worship of Ishtar and Tammuz is none other than sun, nature, and earth worship. Ishtar was the dawn goddess. Tammuz was the young calf of the sun.
They were especially worshiped around the spring equinox when the days not only became equally divided between day and night, but a type of annual day had begun, composed of spring and summer, when the earth would spring to life and bring forth its flora and fauna, producing life-giving food. It was the dawning of the annual day. The earth’s inhabitants would rejoice at the increasing strength of the sun and its ability to produce warmth, longer days, and food.
Egg-laying Rabbits?
The Easter egg hunt is a tradition in this country and around the world. Rabbits are also historically linked with Easter. There is even a traditional egg roll at the White House every year. What is this all about?
The rabbit or hare was only one of the animals associated with the pagan goddess of Ishtar in her capacity as Aphrodite. It was a symbol of productivity and fertility. At times she was portrayed as riding on a goat, which was symbolical of wantonness (Britannica, 14th Ed., vol. 2, pp. 97-98).
The egg also was a symbol of productivity and fertility, but there are more mystical meanings assigned to this item included in her worship. Hislop says,
"An egg of wondrous size is said to have fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank where the doves having settled upon it, and hatched it, out came Venus, who afterwards was called the Syrian Goddess, that is Astarte. Hence the egg became one of the symbols of Astarte or Easter; and accordingly, in Cyprus, one of the chosen seats of the worship of Venus, or Astarte, the egg of wondrous size was represented on a grand scale" (p. 109).
Albert Pike adds even more information as to the mystical meanings of the egg in his book Morals and Dogma. He writes, "The relations of the human soul with the rest of nature were a chief object of the science of the mysteries. The man was there brought face to face with entire nature. The world, and the spherical envelope that surrounds it, were represented by a mystic egg, by the side of the sun-god whose mysteries were celebrated. The famous Orphic egg was consecrated to Bacchus in his mysteries. It was, says Plutarch, an image of the universe, which engenders everything, and contains everything in its bosom. ‘Consult’, says Macrobius, ‘the initiates of the mysteries of Bacchus, who honor with special veneration the sacred egg.’ The rounded and almost spherical form of its shell, he says, which encloses it on every side, and confines within itself the principles of life, is a symbolic image of the world; and the world is the universal principle of all things.
"The symbol was borrowed from the Egyptians, who also consecrated the egg to Osiris, gem of light, himself born, says Diodorus, from that famous egg. In Thebes, in upper Egypt, he was represented as emitting if from his mouth, and causing to issue from the first principle of heat and light, or the fire-god, Vulcan, or Phtha. We find this egg even in Japan, between the horns of the famous Mithraic bull, whose attributes Osiris, Apis, and Bacchus all borrowed.
"Orpheus, author of the Grecian mysteries, which he carried from Egypt to Greece, consecrated this symbol: and taught that matter, uncreated and informous, existed from all eternity, unorganized, as chaos; containing in itself the principles of all existences confused and intermingled, light with darkness, the dry with the humid, heat with cold; from which, it after long ages taking the shape of an immense egg, issued the purest matter, or first substance, and the residue was divided into the four elements, from which proceeded heaven and earth and all things else. This grand cosmogonic idea he taught in the mysteries; and thus the hierophant explained the meaning of the mystic egg, seen by the initiates in the sanctuary" (p. 400).
Albert Pike goes on to say that this mystic Orphic egg was held in all of the paganistic religions of the world: Greece, Egypt, Persia, Phoenicia, India, Babylon, Japan, etc.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Fourteenth Edition, vol. 16, pp. 936-937, the name "Orpheus" is possibly linked with orphne, signifying darkness. Orpheus was represented as a seer, a founder of mystic rites, particularly Dionysiac, a magician, and later an astrologer.
The mystery of the egg, as we have seen from Albert Pike, is that the creation has inherent life within itself and developed without and apart from an everliving Creator. It is the beginning stages of the evolution theory, taught in our schools and colleges as fact today, rather than the abominable lie that it really is. It turns darkness into light in a perverted twist. Is it any wonder that the egg is associated with a pagan goddess of light, which is worshiped through spring sunrise services?
Pike also has this to say about the egg on page 496, "The serpent entwined round an egg, was a symbol common to the Indians, the Egyptians, and the Druids. It referred to the creation of the universe. A serpent with an egg in his mouth was a symbol of the universe containing within itself the gem of all things that the sun develops. The property possessed by the serpent, of casting its skin, and apparently renewing its youth, made it an emblem of eternity and immortality.
The egg is a symbol of serpent worship! It is a symbol of self creation apart from Yahweh. It is symbol of darkness and deceit rather than light and truth.
According to author Ralph Woodrow (Babylon, Mystery Religion) and others, both the egg and its hatching predate the resurrection of the Messiah by more than 2,000 years, eliminating any connection between eggs, Easter, and the resurrected Savior. Mankind has taken the Biblical significance of the occasion of the resurrection and added symbols and customs that originate from ancient peoples who serve pagan deities.
Note this candid statement from the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1909 Edition, "A great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. The egg is the emblem of the germinating life of early spring…The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been a symbol of fertility."
We also find this in Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend: "Children roll pasch eggs in England. Everywhere they hunt the many-colored Easter eggs, brought by the Easter rabbit. This is not mere child’s play, but the vestige of a fertility rite, the eggs and the rabbit both symbolizing fertility. Furthermore, the rabbit was the escort of the Germanic Goddess Ostara who gave the name to the festival by way of the German Ostern" (1949 ed., vol. 1, p. 335).
Finally, the Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend notes this about the Easter egg: "The Easter egg, pagan symbol of rebirth, was given a Christian meaning when it became the practice to bring eggs, forbidden during Lent, to be blessed in church on Easter Sunday," p. 89.
The rabbit or hare was only one of the animals associated with the pagan goddess Ishtar in capacity as Aphrodite.
Easter Sunrise Worship
We all know that sunrise services are associated with Easter. Easter was the name of the goddess of dawn, and therefore would naturally be worshiped at the dawning of the sun.
Albert Pike admits that the worship of the sun became the basis of all the religions of antiquity (p. 593). He also writes, "To conceive of G-d as an actuality, and not as a mere nonsubstance or name, which involved nonexistence, the Kabala, like the Egyptians, imagined him to be ‘a most occult light,’ AUR; not our material and visible light, but the substance out of which light flows, the fire, as relative to its heat and flame. Of this light or ether, the sun was to the Tsabeans the only manifestation or out-shining, and as such it was worshipped, and not as the type of dominion and power. G-d was the PhosNeoton, the light cognizable only by the intellect, the light-principle, the light-ether, from which souls emanate, and to which they return" (p. 740).
The Jewish people of Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s day had incorporated sun worship into the worship of Yahweh. We have already read of their worship of the Queen of Heaven and Tammuz, but Yahweh also showed Ezekiel other abominations that were going on.
After showing the women weeping for Tammuz, Yahweh said to Ezekiel, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn yet again, and you shall see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of Yahweh’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east," Ezekiel 8:15-16.
As the sun rose in the east the Jewish leaders were turned to face the east, worshiping the rising sun. Judah was corrupting the true worship of Yahweh by introducing false, paganistic sun worship into their fellowship.
Yahweh’s temple was built facing eastward just as the tabernacle in the wilderness faced east. This positioning was for a purpose. As Albert Pike pointed out, all religions of antiquity worshiped the sun. The sun worshipers would begin their daily worship by facing the rising sun in the east. Yahweh’s temple and tabernacle faced the east so that a True Worshiper would turn away from the rising sun in the east to face the temple or the tabernacle in the west. This was a symbol of repentance. One had to turn away from sun worship to the True Worship of Yahweh.
Such is the status of those steeped in paganistic Easter sunrise worship today. One must turn, repent of such things, and shift to the True Worship of Yahweh.
"Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated." The Two Babylon's
Hot Cross Buns
Alexander Hislop has this to say about the traditional hot cross buns associated with Easter: "The hot cross buns of Good Friday, and the dyed eggs of Pausch or Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean rites just as they do now. The ‘buns,’ known too by that identical name, were used in the worship of the queen of heaven, the goddess Easter, as early as the days of Cecrops, the founder of Athens—that is, 1500 years before the Christian era. ‘One species of sacred bread,’ says Bryant, ‘which used to be offered to the gods, was of great antiquity, and called Boun.’ Diogenes Laertius, speaking of this offering being made by Empedocles, describes the chief ingredients of which it was composed, saying, ‘He offered one of the sacred cakes called Boun, which was made of fine flour and honey,’ " (The Two Babylon's, pp. 107-108).
The "buns" described here are the "cakes" that earlier were denounced by the prophet Jeremiah. The ingredient of honey in the "cakes" was another violation of the commands of Yahweh for He had charged the Israelites to offer neither leaven nor honey in any offering made by fire to Him (Lev. 2:11).
Because these cakes were made to the Queen of Heaven, they were marked with a cross, symbol for woman and also signifying life in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Easter Hams
Sacrificial cakes were the offering of choice for those pagans who were too poor to offer a pig at the festival honoring the Queen of Heaven.
The pig was sacred to the goddess Demeter, the corn goddess, a deity of abundance and fertility—a counterpart of Astarte or Easter. We learn this from The Golden Bough, by James Frazer:
"The pig was sacred to her; in art she was represented carrying or accompanied by a pig; and the pig was regularly sacrificed in her mysteries…originally the pig was an embodiment of the corn-goddess herself," ch.3, p.44.
Pigs and cakes of dough were traditionally thrown into the chasms of two similar gods, Demeter and Proserpine, which appear to have been sacred caverns or vaults. The heathens believed that by eating what represented and embodied their god—in this case swine—they were literally partaking of their god (Frazer, p. 45).
What does the Almighty Yahweh think of honoring pagan gods with rites like these? He inspired the prophet Isaiah to write:
"A people that provokes me to anger continually to my face; that sacrifices in gardens, and burns incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things in their vessels; Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day." (Isa. 65:3-5)
Lent: On Loan from Ancient Paganism
The word "Lent" derives from the Old English lencten, meaning spring. Today it is the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday until Easter, reserved in churchianity for penitence and fasting.
The self-denial aspect of fasting during Lent has mostly been dropped in favor of "giving up" something—which usually means a bad habit like smoking that should be given up anyway.
The True Worshiper wonders, where did this custom of Lent originate? Was it with the early "church’?
Hislop’s The Two Babylon's explains, "The forty days’ abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshipers of the Babylonian goddess. Such a Lent of forty days, ‘in the spring of the year’ is still observed by the Yezidis or Pagan Devil-worshipers of Koordistan, who have inherited it from their early masters, the Babylonians….Such a lent of forty days was observed in Egypt…held expressly in commemoration of Adonis or Osiris, the great mediatorial god," pp. 104-5.
Osiris’s counterpart is the Greek Demeter and the Babylonian Tammuz—both deities of fertility and life. As The Two Babylon's observes, "Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz, which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing…To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgameted, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands," p. 105.
How Good is Good Friday?
Held as the day of crucifixion by the Christian church, observance of Good Friday resulted from the development of the calendar in the fourth century, according to The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church, by J.D. Douglas. This reference notes, "Holy Communion was not usually celebrated on Good Friday. When weekday masses began in the sixth and seventh centuries, Friday was already a special fast day with Bible readings and prayers, and this tradition was left undisturbed," p. 422.
The problem is, in Matthew 12:40 Yahshua said just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so would He be in the tomb for three days and nights. The best one can do in counting from a Friday afternoon impalement to a Sunday morning resurrection is three days and two nights—providing one takes just a sliver of two daylight portions (late Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning).
But this does not hold with Scripture. Luke 24:1 shows that the women came to the tomb at deep dawn (Gr. Orthos bathus), while it was still dark, and the Savior had already risen, v. 3. In fact, He had already risen by sundown Saturday night, according to Matthew 28:1-6. "The end of the Sabbath" in verse 1 derives from the Greek opse, which means late in the day, at the back end. Not Sunday morning. (Write for the free booklet, He Arose…But When?)
For Him to rise by sundown Saturday, He had to have been impaled on Wednesday afternoon, not Friday.
Passover in the New Testament
Some might turn to Acts 12:4 to show that Easter is mentioned in the New Testament. Most Bibles with any good notation system at all, however, will clarify that the literal word should be "Passover" instead of Easter (the Greek means TO PASCHA, ie. the Passover).
Herod had decided to trouble some in the assembly and had James, John’s brother, slain with a sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jewish leaders, he also took Peter prisoner and was intent on treating him in the same manner once the Passover and days of Unleavened Bread were past.
This brings us to another important point. The New Testament assembly continued to observe the Sabbath and holy days just as the Jewish people did. Many historians and commentaries admit in their writings that such is the case.
Yahweh had commanded that Israel observe the Passover memorial (ex. 12, Lev. 23). (Write for our free booklet, Passover: A Memorial for All Time.)
Yahshua and his disciples observed the Passover. Yahshua was slain on the Passover, which is the anniversary of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. He instituted the bread and cup as symbols of His flesh and blood, which were sacrificed and poured out to Yahweh as our "Passover" (1Cor. 5:7). He is the Lamb of Elohim, slain without blemish (1Pet. 1:19;Rev.5:12).
Yahshua commanded us to observe the Passover in memorial of Him (Luke 22:19-20; 1Cor.11:23-25). Paul writes, "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Sovereign’s death till he come," 1Corinthians 11:26. And now we begin to get to the heart of the matter. We are commanded to observe Yahshua’s death, the Passover memorial. Nowhere are we commanded to observe His resurrection as a great celebration.
Yes, we do confess that He was slain, buried and resurrected, but it is not a matter to be celebrated after the ways of the pagans.
The resurrection is not justification for devising our own celebration, nor is it grounds for Sunday worship. The way we remember the Savior’s resurrection is through our own baptism. Paul wrote in Romans 6:3-5:
"Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Yahshua the Messiah were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the LIKENESS of his death, we shall be also in the LIKENESS of His resurrection."
Paul adds in Colossians 2:12: "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of Elohim, who has raised him from the dead" (Col. 2:12).
As we come up out of the watery grave into a new life in the Savior, we portray His rising from the tomb and changing to spirit.
Sleuthing the Counterfeit
It is freely admitted by many modern-day Christians that Christianity has been shrewdly and cleverly paganized down through the ages. The pagans worshiped through a counterfeit religion that paralleled the true religion and beliefs but in a false way. Easter is one of those counterfeits.
A counterfeiter can counterfeit a $100 bill, which to the untrained person is not easily detectable. However, someone who handles money every day, like a bank or savings and loan employee who is instructed in what to look for, can easily spot the counterfeit. Integral to their training is a laborious examining of the real thing, which will make the forgery more obvious. Let’s train ourselves to detect the counterfeit by studying the real observances and other truths directly from Yahweh’s Word.
· The first fact that should alert us to the counterfeit is the name itself. "Easter" is the obvious name of a pagan goddess. It has nothing to do with Yahweh, Yahshua, the Passover, or Yahshua’s resurrection.
· The next fact that warns us to the counterfeit is the Easter eggs and rabbits tradition. Eggs and rabbits are fertility symbols. There is no command to use them in service to Yahweh anywhere in His Word.
· Another sign of a counterfeit is revealed in the worship of Tammuz. Just as two malefactors were slain with the true Messiah, one malefactor is slain with Tammuz. This, of course, is not common knowledge, but is obtainable with a little research once one realizes that Tammuz and Ishtar are cohorts.
· Evidence of a counterfeit is also discovered through the time that the Messiah was to be in the heart of the earth or in the tomb. Yahshua said that He would be "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:38-40). The paganistic messiah of traditional Easter is in the grave only from Friday sunset to Sunday morning, a full day and two nights. That is only half of the actual time that Yahshua said would be THE proof that He was the true Messiah. Much of paganism is just like the counterfeit $100 bill, it is close, but still falls short of the actual requirements to be valid.
· Counterfeited also is the very name of the Messiah Himself. The pagan messiah is named Jesus or Hesus, while the true Messiah is named Yahshua. Even the name falls short of its true value and distinction.
· Finally, the best way to gauge a counterfeit is to compare it with the truth. No lie is of the truth (1John 2:21). If it can’t be proven Biblically, then it simply isn’t true or genuine.
The Quartodeciman Controversy
In the fourth century B.C.E. a controversy arose as to when the Passover should be observed. At first the quarrel was whether to observe the Passover on the 14th or 15th. Eusebius points out that the assemblies of Asia followed a more distant tradition of observing the Passover on the 14th of Abib. Those in favor of the fourteenth were called the Quartodecimen while those in favor of the fifteenth were called the Quintodecimen (Britannica, 14th Ed., Vol 7, p. 859).
Polycrates, a bishop of the Asian assemblies, maintained that the apostle Philip and his daughters, the apostle John and other great lights, had all observed Passover on the 14th. He himself came from a family line of bishops, being the eighth (Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, pp. 207-209).
Another scholar points out, "The churches of Asia Minor had preserved the most ancient of all methods of determining the date of Easter: they simply kept it at the same time as the Jewish passover, on the fourteenth day of the Jewish month Nisan whenever that might fall. When Easter was introduced at Rome (c. 160) the feast, as, being the eighth (at Alexandria, was celebrated on the Sunday following the Jewish passover…." The Early Church, by Henry Chadwick (p. 84).
The western assemblies, which were swinging to more Greco-Roman beliefs, reasoned that since their fast (Lent) ended on the day of the resurrection, that Easter Sunday should be the day of observance. When Victor, Bishop of Rome, saw that he could not prevail over Ploycrates, he promptly endeavored to cut off all assemblies of Asia (Middle East) and any others in the neighboring assemblies, proclaiming them to be heterodox (ibid).
Who was correct? We need only search Yahweh’s Word for the answer. When Yahshua appeared to the Apostle John giving him the Book of Revelation, Yahshua sent the message only to the assemblies in Asia, not to the west! The west cut off the Asian assemblies as being heretics for maintaining the 14th Passover, while Yahshua cut off the west for their apostasies!
The west cut off the Asian assemblies as being heretics for maintaining the 14th Passover, while Yahshua cut off the west for their apostasies!
Human Traditions Bring Yahweh’s Judgement
While Moses was yet on mount Sinai where he received those commandments on two tables of stone, the Israelites began to mix symbols of Egyptian religion with their worship of Yahweh. After collecting gold earrings from people, Aaron fashioned a golden calf. The people then proclaimed this calf to be "Your Elohim, O Israel Who led you up out of the land of Egypt."
Aaron went along with the multitude and proclaimed, There is a festival to Yahweh tomorrow. They began offering burnt offerings and sacrifices, Exodus 32: 1-6. Israel contended they were worshiping their Mighty One, Yahweh. They associated Yahweh with their golden calf. Yet, they were prancing around a pagan replica of a calf from Egypt (Apis?), claiming to worship Yahweh in a way He had never commanded.
The whole nation of Israel was in great peril for their presumptuous sins, Exodus 32:7-10. Only the intervention of Moses averted their punishment. Let us consider this account and have nothing more to do with Lent, Good Friday and Easter, none of which is based on the Bible.
The Jewish leaders of Yahshua’s day complained because His disciples were transgressing the traditions of their elders by eating with unwashed hands (Matt. 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13). Yahshua countered by saying that they were rejecting and transgressing the commandments of Yahweh by their traditions.
An example that He used was the command to honor father and mother. However, they had circumvented the command to honor and care for mother and father by proclaiming possessions as corban, or dedicated to the temple. By virtue of their mere tradition they eluded the necessity of caring for mother and father.
Easter is also a tradition—a pagan one at that—originally consecrated to the worship of the goddess of Ishtar and her son Tammuz. Yahweh had commanded that the Passover be observed (Ex. 12; Lev. 23, etc.). Yahshua observed the Passover and commanded that the Passover memorial continue to be kept in remembrance of Him. Easter had circumvented the Passover resulting in the rejection and transgression of the commandments of Yahweh.
Truly, Paul writes that we are to observe Yahshua’s death until He comes again. Easter is a shrewd blending of paganism into what is supposed to be the true faith, producing disastrous results. It is a counterfeit of the true Passover, causing those steeped in such worship to fail, to fall short of the expected goals of inheritance of the kingdom and everlasting life.
Nowhere are we told to remember the resurrection of the Savior. The Bible knows nothing about a celebration over the Savior’s coming forth from the grave. Paul tells us that Passover is to recall the death of the Savior:
"For I have received of the Savior that which also I delivered unto you, That the Master Yahshua the [same] night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He brake [it], and said, Take eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me." (1Cor. 11:23-24)
Contact us for more information on observing the Passover, the proper memorial of our Savior’s death. Passover was kept by the Savior, the early believers, and will be kept in the Kingdom (Eze. 45:21), where Yahshua will observe it again with His people, Luke 22:15-18. If it will be kept in the future under Yahshua’s command and direction, should it not be kept today—under the New Covenant in Yahshua?
Passover: The Real Communion
If Easter is one of the great holy days of the church, why can’t we find it in the Bible? The Savior and His disciples always kept Passover. He told them that He would keep Passover again with them in the Kingdom. He became the New Testament Passover sacrifice.
Isn’t it time you looked into this most important observance—one that memorializes the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice for sin? After all, if we don’t recognize the Passover, how can we acknowledge His paying the death penalty for our sins?
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The Counterfeit Called Easter
Sunrise worship services, Easter eggs in the vestibule, Easter ham and hot cross buns at the church social. Is this honoring a resurrected Savior- or is this resurrected mystery worship. Here are some hare-raising facts about the Easter bunny, eggs, and many of the other trappings that go with a great counterfeit celebration supposedly honoring the Savior’s death and resurrection.
Most people are born into their beliefs and rarely question what they have been taught from childhood. Societal traditions themselves have a powerful pull on what the majority of people do—with the force of religious passion.
If the tradition is to watch football on Monday nights, attend Fourth of July parades, or exchange Xmas presents, that is what the majority will do. If we teach our children from infancy to look for colored eggs on Easter Sunday morning, that is what they will grow up doing and teach to their own children as well.
In addition to the secular traditions of Easter unquestionably practiced in society at large, Easter is also an orthodox belief accepted automatically by the religious sector.
This observance is one of the holiest days of the year in Christianity. Few Christians will doubt its authenticity. So let’s ask the critical question: is Easter Biblical? Is it a holiday that should be observed by a True Believer?
Easter is made to appear Scriptural in a very clever way, but when one searches into the literal and spiritual truth of the matter one finds that Easter has nothing to do with the true Messiah. Any related religious connotations are found outside the Bible and are unscriptural.
These statements may seem like blasphemy to today’s Christian, but if he truly has his heart set on proving his beliefs right out of the Bible, then he will find the ensuing study to be true. This treatise is prepared for those who are willing to prove all things, accept the truth, turn from falsehood and deceit, and hold fast to that which is true and good.
The World Book Encyclopedia under "Easter" says, "Easter is a Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of J-sus Christ. It is the most important holy day of the Christian religion. People attend churches and take part in religious ceremonies.
"In most countries, Easter comes in early spring, at a time when green grass and warm sunshine begin to push aside the ice and snow of winter. Its name may have come from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring, or from the Teutonic festival spring, Eostar [pronounced ‘Easter’].
"Christians everywhere celebrate Easter with great rejoicing. In many areas, children collect candy and chocolate bunnies, and hunt colorful Easter eggs. Many persons wear new spring clothes to church on Easter."
Easter: a.k.a. Ishtar, Astarte
Let us first focus on the name "Easter." Where does it come from and what does it mean? You may be surprised to learn that many customs associated with the Easter celebration had been observed by pagans centuries before the Savior came to earth and was put to death, to rise three days later. The worship of pagan deities continued within Christianity, but with a new meaning and a different interpretation—thus making it more palatable.
In The Roots of English, A Reader’s Handbook of Word Origins, by Robert Clainborne, we find that Easter means "to shine, whence Germanic East (where the dawn light shines from), and also Austron, the Germanic goddess of dawn; she was worshiped at the spring equinox—now the Easter season. (The first Christian Missionaries in England shrewdly combined their celebration of the Resurrection with the older, pagan festival.)" (p. 55).
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary has this to say: "Easter was originally a pagan festival honoring Eostre, a Teutonic (Germanic) goddess of light and spring. At the time of the vernal equinox (the day in the spring when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of equal length), sacrifices were offered in her honor. As early as the eighth century the name was used to designate the annual Christian celebration of the resurrection of Chr-st" (p.317).
In The Two Babylon's, Alexander Hislop says that Easter is "Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven." Her name appears on the Assyrian monuments as Ishtar, which carries the same pronunciations as that of Easter in today’s language, (Section II, "Easter," p. 103).
Ishtar was a goddess of Babylon whose consort was Tammuz. She was known in various other nations as Asherah of the Canaanites whose consort was Baal; Isis of Egypt whose consort was Osiris; Aphrodite of Greece whose consort was Adonis, and Venus in Rome whose consort was Mars.
All of these goddesses were goddesses of fertility, fecundity, love, and sensual pleasure. Ishtar was served in her temples by prostitutes with immoral rites performed by bands of men and women.
Provocative Queen of Heaven
Easter or Ishtar is also known as the Queen of Heaven. What does Yahweh say concerning this Queen of Heaven?
"See you not what they do in cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem ? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other elohim, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? Says Yahweh: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore, thus says Yahweh El, Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched," Jeremiah 7:17-20.
Yahweh was so greatly angered by the people’s service to the Queen of Heaven that He overthrew them, carrying many of the survivors into Babylon .
Some of the survivors escaped to the land of Egypt where they continued in their practice of worshiping the "Queen of Heaven." He inspired the prophet Jeremiah to warn the people away from such practices, but the people adamantly refused, saying,
"As for the word that you have spoken unto us in the name of Yahweh, we will not hearken unto you. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of your own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then had we plenty of food, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our husbands? Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people who had given him that answer, saying, The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, you, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Yahweh remember them, and came it not into his mind? So Yahweh could no longer bear, and because of the abominations which you have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an horror, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Because you have burned incense, and because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, therefore, this evil happened unto you, as at his day," Jeremiah 44:16-23.
Jeremiah went on to prophesy that all those in Egypt who had burned incense to the Queen of Heaven would be destroyed along with the Egyptians when the Babylonians invaded that country. Only a small remnant of that group ever survived to return to the land of Israel .
The worship of the Queen of Heaven brought terrible disaster and destruction to those of Judaea and Egypt . This is a warning to us today.
The worship of Ishtar (Easter) and Tammuz is none other than sun, nature, and earth worship.
Tammuz, the Resurrected Son
Tammuz was a consort of the Queen of Heaven. Who was Tammuz? The Encyclopedia Britannica, Fourteenth Edition, has this to say about Tammuz: "A Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian god, who died and rose annually with dying and reviving vegetation, originally Dumuzi, ‘the son who rises, goes forth (from the nether world),’ but generally interpreted ‘faithful son.’
"…he represents the mystery of life and death, as seen in the withering vegetation of the hot Mesopotamian summer, and the rapid renewal of its life at the season of the spring rains… .
"There is a strange inconsistency in the hymns of the wailings concerning the relaxation of the mother goddess to her lover, Tammuz. In the early Sumerian texts she (Ishtar) is his sister, but soon the Semitic view that she is his mother prevails. The two theories appear inconsistently together throughout the entire history of the cult. He is, however, invariably the husband and lover of the otherwise consistently described virgin goddess of love, Innini (Ishtar), Gestinanna, Belitseri (queen of the field of the lower world), and the cult is particularly associated with the great city Erech [built by Nimrod, Gen. 10:10], home of the cult of Anu, the heaven god, and Innini (Ishtar).
"In astrology Tammuz was identified with Aries; in the magic rituals he is symbolized by a white kid, and he is also connected with the ram, which led to this astral identification. Under the title Sibzianna, ‘faithful shepherd of heaven,’ he was identified with Orion. During the period of the deified king worship in the Dungi period of Ur, and in the time of the Isin dynasty, the deified kings habitually identified themselves with Tammuz and were worshipped as husbands of the mother goddess….He was held to be a god of healing, bestower of health, and one who, like all other deities, had power over the demons.
"It is obvious that a cult which is based upon the death and resurrection of a propitiating god, and upon the love of a divine mother who wails for her son, has direct connection with the facts and the theological views based upon them, which gave birth to Christianity. But the form occult which apparently most directly affected the origins of Christianity is that in which Marduk of Babylon was identified with Tammuz. At the Nisan or new year festival at Babylon, Bel (Marduk) was said to have been imprisoned in the lower world, and the priestess weeps at his sepulchre. A malefactor was slain with Bel and they descend together to the land of darkness. Beltis, his wife, descends to hell to seek him, and Bel’s garments are given Ishtar (mother of Tammuz). Bel was laid in a sepulchre, from which he soon comes forth. This Marduk transformation of the national Tammuz cult is only another effort of the priesthood of the capital to enlarge the worship and importance of the local cult…That the cult had direct influence upon the ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY cannot be denied, and the Greek cult of Adonis owes its essential content to the Sumerian Tammuz." (vol. 21, pp. 776-777).
Yahweh Condemns Worship of Tammuz, Ishtar
Yahweh took the prophet Ezekiel in the land of Babylon where he had been taken captive, in vision to the land of Judah to witness what was going on in the temple among the priesthood and the men and women who were worshiping there. Ezekiel was shown the image of jealousy in 8:5 and he was then taken into a room where there were images of every form of creeping thing, while abominable creatures were depicted on the walls all around (vv. 6-10).
Seventy men of the ancients of Israel were burning incense to the images (v. 11). Then Yahweh said to Ezekiel, "Son of man, have you seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? For they say, Yahweh sees us not; Yahweh has forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn yet again, and you shall see GREATER ABOMINATIONS that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh’s house, which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz," vv. 12-13.
The Israelite women were weeping for the Assyrian, Sumerian, Babylonian deity of vegetation which was a great abomination to Yahweh. Hislop identifies this period of weeping with the 40 days of the Lenten season, a time of mourning and fasting for the dead or dying god Tammuz (pp. 104-106). It was the forerunner of today’s 40-day Lenten season observed prior to Easter. Easter ends the period of fasting.
Tammuz is identified with Marduk by the Encyclopedia Britannica. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Revised) says, "Marduk’s origin was unclear. His name appears to have a Sumerian etymology (amar-utu-k) and may mean ‘young calf of the sun.’ Some have suggested Marduk was originally a sun-god" (vol. 4, p. 87).
This all coincides to reveal that the worship of Ishtar and Tammuz is none other than sun, nature, and earth worship. Ishtar was the dawn goddess. Tammuz was the young calf of the sun.
They were especially worshiped around the spring equinox when the days not only became equally divided between day and night, but a type of annual day had begun, composed of spring and summer, when the earth would spring to life and bring forth its flora and fauna, producing life-giving food. It was the dawning of the annual day. The earth’s inhabitants would rejoice at the increasing strength of the sun and its ability to produce warmth, longer days, and food.
Egg-laying Rabbits?
The Easter egg hunt is a tradition in this country and around the world. Rabbits are also historically linked with Easter. There is even a traditional egg roll at the White House every year. What is this all about?
The rabbit or hare was only one of the animals associated with the pagan goddess of Ishtar in her capacity as Aphrodite. It was a symbol of productivity and fertility. At times she was portrayed as riding on a goat, which was symbolical of wantonness (Britannica, 14th Ed., vol. 2, pp. 97-98).
The egg also was a symbol of productivity and fertility, but there are more mystical meanings assigned to this item included in her worship. Hislop says,
"An egg of wondrous size is said to have fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank where the doves having settled upon it, and hatched it, out came Venus, who afterwards was called the Syrian Goddess, that is Astarte. Hence the egg became one of the symbols of Astarte or Easter; and accordingly, in Cyprus, one of the chosen seats of the worship of Venus, or Astarte, the egg of wondrous size was represented on a grand scale" (p. 109).
Albert Pike adds even more information as to the mystical meanings of the egg in his book Morals and Dogma. He writes, "The relations of the human soul with the rest of nature were a chief object of the science of the mysteries. The man was there brought face to face with entire nature. The world, and the spherical envelope that surrounds it, were represented by a mystic egg, by the side of the sun-god whose mysteries were celebrated. The famous Orphic egg was consecrated to Bacchus in his mysteries. It was, says Plutarch, an image of the universe, which engenders everything, and contains everything in its bosom. ‘Consult’, says Macrobius, ‘the initiates of the mysteries of Bacchus, who honor with special veneration the sacred egg.’ The rounded and almost spherical form of its shell, he says, which encloses it on every side, and confines within itself the principles of life, is a symbolic image of the world; and the world is the universal principle of all things.
"The symbol was borrowed from the Egyptians, who also consecrated the egg to Osiris, gem of light, himself born, says Diodorus, from that famous egg. In Thebes, in upper Egypt, he was represented as emitting if from his mouth, and causing to issue from the first principle of heat and light, or the fire-god, Vulcan, or Phtha. We find this egg even in Japan, between the horns of the famous Mithraic bull, whose attributes Osiris, Apis, and Bacchus all borrowed.
"Orpheus, author of the Grecian mysteries, which he carried from Egypt to Greece, consecrated this symbol: and taught that matter, uncreated and informous, existed from all eternity, unorganized, as chaos; containing in itself the principles of all existences confused and intermingled, light with darkness, the dry with the humid, heat with cold; from which, it after long ages taking the shape of an immense egg, issued the purest matter, or first substance, and the residue was divided into the four elements, from which proceeded heaven and earth and all things else. This grand cosmogonic idea he taught in the mysteries; and thus the hierophant explained the meaning of the mystic egg, seen by the initiates in the sanctuary" (p. 400).
Albert Pike goes on to say that this mystic Orphic egg was held in all of the paganistic religions of the world: Greece, Egypt, Persia, Phoenicia, India, Babylon, Japan, etc.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Fourteenth Edition, vol. 16, pp. 936-937, the name "Orpheus" is possibly linked with orphne, signifying darkness. Orpheus was represented as a seer, a founder of mystic rites, particularly Dionysiac, a magician, and later an astrologer.
The mystery of the egg, as we have seen from Albert Pike, is that the creation has inherent life within itself and developed without and apart from an everliving Creator. It is the beginning stages of the evolution theory, taught in our schools and colleges as fact today, rather than the abominable lie that it really is. It turns darkness into light in a perverted twist. Is it any wonder that the egg is associated with a pagan goddess of light, which is worshiped through spring sunrise services?
Pike also has this to say about the egg on page 496, "The serpent entwined round an egg, was a symbol common to the Indians, the Egyptians, and the Druids. It referred to the creation of the universe. A serpent with an egg in his mouth was a symbol of the universe containing within itself the gem of all things that the sun develops. The property possessed by the serpent, of casting its skin, and apparently renewing its youth, made it an emblem of eternity and immortality.
The egg is a symbol of serpent worship! It is a symbol of self creation apart from Yahweh. It is symbol of darkness and deceit rather than light and truth.
According to author Ralph Woodrow (Babylon, Mystery Religion) and others, both the egg and its hatching predate the resurrection of the Messiah by more than 2,000 years, eliminating any connection between eggs, Easter, and the resurrected Savior. Mankind has taken the Biblical significance of the occasion of the resurrection and added symbols and customs that originate from ancient peoples who serve pagan deities.
Note this candid statement from the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1909 Edition, "A great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. The egg is the emblem of the germinating life of early spring…The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been a symbol of fertility."
We also find this in Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend: "Children roll pasch eggs in England. Everywhere they hunt the many-colored Easter eggs, brought by the Easter rabbit. This is not mere child’s play, but the vestige of a fertility rite, the eggs and the rabbit both symbolizing fertility. Furthermore, the rabbit was the escort of the Germanic Goddess Ostara who gave the name to the festival by way of the German Ostern" (1949 ed., vol. 1, p. 335).
Finally, the Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend notes this about the Easter egg: "The Easter egg, pagan symbol of rebirth, was given a Christian meaning when it became the practice to bring eggs, forbidden during Lent, to be blessed in church on Easter Sunday," p. 89.
The rabbit or hare was only one of the animals associated with the pagan goddess Ishtar in capacity as Aphrodite.
Easter Sunrise Worship
We all know that sunrise services are associated with Easter. Easter was the name of the goddess of dawn, and therefore would naturally be worshiped at the dawning of the sun.
Albert Pike admits that the worship of the sun became the basis of all the religions of antiquity (p. 593). He also writes, "To conceive of G-d as an actuality, and not as a mere nonsubstance or name, which involved nonexistence, the Kabala, like the Egyptians, imagined him to be ‘a most occult light,’ AUR; not our material and visible light, but the substance out of which light flows, the fire, as relative to its heat and flame. Of this light or ether, the sun was to the Tsabeans the only manifestation or out-shining, and as such it was worshipped, and not as the type of dominion and power. G-d was the PhosNeoton, the light cognizable only by the intellect, the light-principle, the light-ether, from which souls emanate, and to which they return" (p. 740).
The Jewish people of Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s day had incorporated sun worship into the worship of Yahweh. We have already read of their worship of the Queen of Heaven and Tammuz, but Yahweh also showed Ezekiel other abominations that were going on.
After showing the women weeping for Tammuz, Yahweh said to Ezekiel, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn yet again, and you shall see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of Yahweh’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east," Ezekiel 8:15-16.
As the sun rose in the east the Jewish leaders were turned to face the east, worshiping the rising sun. Judah was corrupting the true worship of Yahweh by introducing false, paganistic sun worship into their fellowship.
Yahweh’s temple was built facing eastward just as the tabernacle in the wilderness faced east. This positioning was for a purpose. As Albert Pike pointed out, all religions of antiquity worshiped the sun. The sun worshipers would begin their daily worship by facing the rising sun in the east. Yahweh’s temple and tabernacle faced the east so that a True Worshiper would turn away from the rising sun in the east to face the temple or the tabernacle in the west. This was a symbol of repentance. One had to turn away from sun worship to the True Worship of Yahweh.
Such is the status of those steeped in paganistic Easter sunrise worship today. One must turn, repent of such things, and shift to the True Worship of Yahweh.
"Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated." The Two Babylon's
Hot Cross Buns
Alexander Hislop has this to say about the traditional hot cross buns associated with Easter: "The hot cross buns of Good Friday, and the dyed eggs of Pausch or Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean rites just as they do now. The ‘buns,’ known too by that identical name, were used in the worship of the queen of heaven, the goddess Easter, as early as the days of Cecrops, the founder of Athens—that is, 1500 years before the Christian era. ‘One species of sacred bread,’ says Bryant, ‘which used to be offered to the gods, was of great antiquity, and called Boun.’ Diogenes Laertius, speaking of this offering being made by Empedocles, describes the chief ingredients of which it was composed, saying, ‘He offered one of the sacred cakes called Boun, which was made of fine flour and honey,’ " (The Two Babylon's, pp. 107-108).
The "buns" described here are the "cakes" that earlier were denounced by the prophet Jeremiah. The ingredient of honey in the "cakes" was another violation of the commands of Yahweh for He had charged the Israelites to offer neither leaven nor honey in any offering made by fire to Him (Lev. 2:11).
Because these cakes were made to the Queen of Heaven, they were marked with a cross, symbol for woman and also signifying life in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Easter Hams
Sacrificial cakes were the offering of choice for those pagans who were too poor to offer a pig at the festival honoring the Queen of Heaven.
The pig was sacred to the goddess Demeter, the corn goddess, a deity of abundance and fertility—a counterpart of Astarte or Easter. We learn this from The Golden Bough, by James Frazer:
"The pig was sacred to her; in art she was represented carrying or accompanied by a pig; and the pig was regularly sacrificed in her mysteries…originally the pig was an embodiment of the corn-goddess herself," ch.3, p.44.
Pigs and cakes of dough were traditionally thrown into the chasms of two similar gods, Demeter and Proserpine, which appear to have been sacred caverns or vaults. The heathens believed that by eating what represented and embodied their god—in this case swine—they were literally partaking of their god (Frazer, p. 45).
What does the Almighty Yahweh think of honoring pagan gods with rites like these? He inspired the prophet Isaiah to write:
"A people that provokes me to anger continually to my face; that sacrifices in gardens, and burns incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things in their vessels; Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day." (Isa. 65:3-5)
Lent: On Loan from Ancient Paganism
The word "Lent" derives from the Old English lencten, meaning spring. Today it is the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday until Easter, reserved in churchianity for penitence and fasting.
The self-denial aspect of fasting during Lent has mostly been dropped in favor of "giving up" something—which usually means a bad habit like smoking that should be given up anyway.
The True Worshiper wonders, where did this custom of Lent originate? Was it with the early "church’?
Hislop’s The Two Babylon's explains, "The forty days’ abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshipers of the Babylonian goddess. Such a Lent of forty days, ‘in the spring of the year’ is still observed by the Yezidis or Pagan Devil-worshipers of Koordistan, who have inherited it from their early masters, the Babylonians….Such a lent of forty days was observed in Egypt…held expressly in commemoration of Adonis or Osiris, the great mediatorial god," pp. 104-5.
Osiris’s counterpart is the Greek Demeter and the Babylonian Tammuz—both deities of fertility and life. As The Two Babylon's observes, "Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz, which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing…To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgameted, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands," p. 105.
How Good is Good Friday?
Held as the day of crucifixion by the Christian church, observance of Good Friday resulted from the development of the calendar in the fourth century, according to The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church, by J.D. Douglas. This reference notes, "Holy Communion was not usually celebrated on Good Friday. When weekday masses began in the sixth and seventh centuries, Friday was already a special fast day with Bible readings and prayers, and this tradition was left undisturbed," p. 422.
The problem is, in Matthew 12:40 Yahshua said just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so would He be in the tomb for three days and nights. The best one can do in counting from a Friday afternoon impalement to a Sunday morning resurrection is three days and two nights—providing one takes just a sliver of two daylight portions (late Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning).
But this does not hold with Scripture. Luke 24:1 shows that the women came to the tomb at deep dawn (Gr. Orthos bathus), while it was still dark, and the Savior had already risen, v. 3. In fact, He had already risen by sundown Saturday night, according to Matthew 28:1-6. "The end of the Sabbath" in verse 1 derives from the Greek opse, which means late in the day, at the back end. Not Sunday morning. (Write for the free booklet, He Arose…But When?)
For Him to rise by sundown Saturday, He had to have been impaled on Wednesday afternoon, not Friday.
Passover in the New Testament
Some might turn to Acts 12:4 to show that Easter is mentioned in the New Testament. Most Bibles with any good notation system at all, however, will clarify that the literal word should be "Passover" instead of Easter (the Greek means TO PASCHA, ie. the Passover).
Herod had decided to trouble some in the assembly and had James, John’s brother, slain with a sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jewish leaders, he also took Peter prisoner and was intent on treating him in the same manner once the Passover and days of Unleavened Bread were past.
This brings us to another important point. The New Testament assembly continued to observe the Sabbath and holy days just as the Jewish people did. Many historians and commentaries admit in their writings that such is the case.
Yahweh had commanded that Israel observe the Passover memorial (ex. 12, Lev. 23). (Write for our free booklet, Passover: A Memorial for All Time.)
Yahshua and his disciples observed the Passover. Yahshua was slain on the Passover, which is the anniversary of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. He instituted the bread and cup as symbols of His flesh and blood, which were sacrificed and poured out to Yahweh as our "Passover" (1Cor. 5:7). He is the Lamb of Elohim, slain without blemish (1Pet. 1:19;Rev.5:12).
Yahshua commanded us to observe the Passover in memorial of Him (Luke 22:19-20; 1Cor.11:23-25). Paul writes, "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Sovereign’s death till he come," 1Corinthians 11:26. And now we begin to get to the heart of the matter. We are commanded to observe Yahshua’s death, the Passover memorial. Nowhere are we commanded to observe His resurrection as a great celebration.
Yes, we do confess that He was slain, buried and resurrected, but it is not a matter to be celebrated after the ways of the pagans.
The resurrection is not justification for devising our own celebration, nor is it grounds for Sunday worship. The way we remember the Savior’s resurrection is through our own baptism. Paul wrote in Romans 6:3-5:
"Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Yahshua the Messiah were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the LIKENESS of his death, we shall be also in the LIKENESS of His resurrection."
Paul adds in Colossians 2:12: "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of Elohim, who has raised him from the dead" (Col. 2:12).
As we come up out of the watery grave into a new life in the Savior, we portray His rising from the tomb and changing to spirit.
Sleuthing the Counterfeit
It is freely admitted by many modern-day Christians that Christianity has been shrewdly and cleverly paganized down through the ages. The pagans worshiped through a counterfeit religion that paralleled the true religion and beliefs but in a false way. Easter is one of those counterfeits.
A counterfeiter can counterfeit a $100 bill, which to the untrained person is not easily detectable. However, someone who handles money every day, like a bank or savings and loan employee who is instructed in what to look for, can easily spot the counterfeit. Integral to their training is a laborious examining of the real thing, which will make the forgery more obvious. Let’s train ourselves to detect the counterfeit by studying the real observances and other truths directly from Yahweh’s Word.
· The first fact that should alert us to the counterfeit is the name itself. "Easter" is the obvious name of a pagan goddess. It has nothing to do with Yahweh, Yahshua, the Passover, or Yahshua’s resurrection.
· The next fact that warns us to the counterfeit is the Easter eggs and rabbits tradition. Eggs and rabbits are fertility symbols. There is no command to use them in service to Yahweh anywhere in His Word.
· Another sign of a counterfeit is revealed in the worship of Tammuz. Just as two malefactors were slain with the true Messiah, one malefactor is slain with Tammuz. This, of course, is not common knowledge, but is obtainable with a little research once one realizes that Tammuz and Ishtar are cohorts.
· Evidence of a counterfeit is also discovered through the time that the Messiah was to be in the heart of the earth or in the tomb. Yahshua said that He would be "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:38-40). The paganistic messiah of traditional Easter is in the grave only from Friday sunset to Sunday morning, a full day and two nights. That is only half of the actual time that Yahshua said would be THE proof that He was the true Messiah. Much of paganism is just like the counterfeit $100 bill, it is close, but still falls short of the actual requirements to be valid.
· Counterfeited also is the very name of the Messiah Himself. The pagan messiah is named Jesus or Hesus, while the true Messiah is named Yahshua. Even the name falls short of its true value and distinction.
· Finally, the best way to gauge a counterfeit is to compare it with the truth. No lie is of the truth (1John 2:21). If it can’t be proven Biblically, then it simply isn’t true or genuine.
The Quartodeciman Controversy
In the fourth century B.C.E. a controversy arose as to when the Passover should be observed. At first the quarrel was whether to observe the Passover on the 14th or 15th. Eusebius points out that the assemblies of Asia followed a more distant tradition of observing the Passover on the 14th of Abib. Those in favor of the fourteenth were called the Quartodecimen while those in favor of the fifteenth were called the Quintodecimen (Britannica, 14th Ed., Vol 7, p. 859).
Polycrates, a bishop of the Asian assemblies, maintained that the apostle Philip and his daughters, the apostle John and other great lights, had all observed Passover on the 14th. He himself came from a family line of bishops, being the eighth (Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, pp. 207-209).
Another scholar points out, "The churches of Asia Minor had preserved the most ancient of all methods of determining the date of Easter: they simply kept it at the same time as the Jewish passover, on the fourteenth day of the Jewish month Nisan whenever that might fall. When Easter was introduced at Rome (c. 160) the feast, as, being the eighth (at Alexandria, was celebrated on the Sunday following the Jewish passover…." The Early Church, by Henry Chadwick (p. 84).
The western assemblies, which were swinging to more Greco-Roman beliefs, reasoned that since their fast (Lent) ended on the day of the resurrection, that Easter Sunday should be the day of observance. When Victor, Bishop of Rome, saw that he could not prevail over Ploycrates, he promptly endeavored to cut off all assemblies of Asia (Middle East) and any others in the neighboring assemblies, proclaiming them to be heterodox (ibid).
Who was correct? We need only search Yahweh’s Word for the answer. When Yahshua appeared to the Apostle John giving him the Book of Revelation, Yahshua sent the message only to the assemblies in Asia, not to the west! The west cut off the Asian assemblies as being heretics for maintaining the 14th Passover, while Yahshua cut off the west for their apostasies!
The west cut off the Asian assemblies as being heretics for maintaining the 14th Passover, while Yahshua cut off the west for their apostasies!
Human Traditions Bring Yahweh’s Judgement
While Moses was yet on mount Sinai where he received those commandments on two tables of stone, the Israelites began to mix symbols of Egyptian religion with their worship of Yahweh. After collecting gold earrings from people, Aaron fashioned a golden calf. The people then proclaimed this calf to be "Your Elohim, O Israel Who led you up out of the land of Egypt."
Aaron went along with the multitude and proclaimed, There is a festival to Yahweh tomorrow. They began offering burnt offerings and sacrifices, Exodus 32: 1-6. Israel contended they were worshiping their Mighty One, Yahweh. They associated Yahweh with their golden calf. Yet, they were prancing around a pagan replica of a calf from Egypt (Apis?), claiming to worship Yahweh in a way He had never commanded.
The whole nation of Israel was in great peril for their presumptuous sins, Exodus 32:7-10. Only the intervention of Moses averted their punishment. Let us consider this account and have nothing more to do with Lent, Good Friday and Easter, none of which is based on the Bible.
The Jewish leaders of Yahshua’s day complained because His disciples were transgressing the traditions of their elders by eating with unwashed hands (Matt. 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13). Yahshua countered by saying that they were rejecting and transgressing the commandments of Yahweh by their traditions.
An example that He used was the command to honor father and mother. However, they had circumvented the command to honor and care for mother and father by proclaiming possessions as corban, or dedicated to the temple. By virtue of their mere tradition they eluded the necessity of caring for mother and father.
Easter is also a tradition—a pagan one at that—originally consecrated to the worship of the goddess of Ishtar and her son Tammuz. Yahweh had commanded that the Passover be observed (Ex. 12; Lev. 23, etc.). Yahshua observed the Passover and commanded that the Passover memorial continue to be kept in remembrance of Him. Easter had circumvented the Passover resulting in the rejection and transgression of the commandments of Yahweh.
Truly, Paul writes that we are to observe Yahshua’s death until He comes again. Easter is a shrewd blending of paganism into what is supposed to be the true faith, producing disastrous results. It is a counterfeit of the true Passover, causing those steeped in such worship to fail, to fall short of the expected goals of inheritance of the kingdom and everlasting life.
Nowhere are we told to remember the resurrection of the Savior. The Bible knows nothing about a celebration over the Savior’s coming forth from the grave. Paul tells us that Passover is to recall the death of the Savior:
"For I have received of the Savior that which also I delivered unto you, That the Master Yahshua the [same] night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He brake [it], and said, Take eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me." (1Cor. 11:23-24)
Contact us for more information on observing the Passover, the proper memorial of our Savior’s death. Passover was kept by the Savior, the early believers, and will be kept in the Kingdom (Eze. 45:21), where Yahshua will observe it again with His people, Luke 22:15-18. If it will be kept in the future under Yahshua’s command and direction, should it not be kept today—under the New Covenant in Yahshua?
Passover: The Real Communion
If Easter is one of the great holy days of the church, why can’t we find it in the Bible? The Savior and His disciples always kept Passover. He told them that He would keep Passover again with them in the Kingdom. He became the New Testament Passover sacrifice.
Isn’t it time you looked into this most important observance—one that memorializes the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice for sin? After all, if we don’t recognize the Passover, how can we acknowledge His paying the death penalty for our sins?
Send for the FREE booklet, Passover, A Memorial for All Time
© 2007 Yahweh’s Assembly in Yahshua
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
New Study on Evangelism
EVENGELISM 101
I have heard many excuses for not fulfilling the great commission…….
Or you may ask……. What is this great commission?????
(Mat 28:18) And יהושע came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
(Mat 28:19) “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations, immersing them in MY NAME.
(Mat 28:20) teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Amĕn.
I can imagine that there are people getting nervous at this point and are worried about what they know, or…. how they talk or….. for that matter what to do ………
So with the scriptures as our training manual, lets take a look at the life of two men.
One is one of the greatest, if not the greatest apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher there ever was.
The other……well, you decide
(Eph 4:11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(Eph 4:12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of the Messiah:
Now this individual didn’t have any formal training,
absolutely no cemetery…or rather seminary training……
he was just a Sheppard…
in a desert………
in a land far away.
Turn with me if you would to the Book of Shemoth, or Exodus.
We will start in chapter 1 vs 6
Exo 1:6 And Yoseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.
Exo 1:7 And the children of Yisra’ĕl bore fruit and increased very much, multiplied and became very strong, and the land was filled with them.
Did you know that only about 75 people started in Mitsrayiam (Egypt) when Yoseph had all his family with him?
Exo 1:8 Then a new sovereign arose over Mitsrayim, who did not know Yosĕph,
Exo 1:9 and he said to his people, “See, the people of the children of Yisra’ĕl are more and stronger than we,
It looks like the Blessing of Abraham was working.
Here is the blessing given to Abraham
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
And of coarse it was handed down generation to generation.
To continue:
Exo 1:10 come, let us act wisely towards them, lest they increase, and it shall be when fighting befalls us, that they shall join our enemies and fight against us, and shall go up out of the land.”
Exo 1:11 So they set slave-masters over them to afflict them with their burdens, and they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raʽamses.
Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they increased and grew, and they were in dread of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Exo 1:13 And the Mitsrites made the children of Yisra’ĕl serve with harshness,
Even thou there were records of what Yoseph and his family did, They didn’t care……..
So here we are in Mitsrayim, or Egypt,
Yoseph had died, and a new pharaoh was in power,
The children of Yisreal were multiplying, and the Egyptians were becoming
worried.
They were being tough on the children of Yisrael .
It says “serve with hardness” in other words, they were being very cruel to them.
Exo 1:14 and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all kinds of work in the field, all their work which they made them do was with harshness.
Exo 1:15 Then the sovereign of Mitsrayim spoke to the Heḇrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puʽah,
Exo 1:16 and he said, “When you deliver the Heḇrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
Now we see that the pharaoh is worried about being out numbered by the Hebrews.
So he institutes a form of birth control.
Unfortunately for him the Hebrew midwives feared YAHWEH!
Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared Elohim, and did not do as the sovereign of Mitsrayim commanded them, and kept the male children alive.
Exo 1:18 So the sovereign of Mitsrayim called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and kept the male children alive?”
Exo 1:19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Heḇrew women are not like the Mitsrite women. For they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
Exo 1:20 So Elohim was good to the midwives, and the people increased and became very numerous.
Exo 1:21 And it came to be, because the midwives feared Elohim, that He provided households for them.
Exo 1:22 And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Throw every son who is born into the river, and keep alive every daughter.”
Pharaoh was relentless.
He wanted the Hebrews to stop having children,……..But it wasn’t to be so.
In all of this one must see that YAHWEH had a plan….
About 400 years earlier a young boy was sold into slavery so that YAHWEH’S people could become a nation……..
Now,………… physically, that was fixen to happen.
Exo 2:1 And a man of the house of Lĕwi went and married a daughter of Lĕwi.
Exo 2:2 And the woman conceived and bore a son. And she saw that he was a lovely child, and she hid him three months.
Exo 2:3 And when she could hide him no longer, she took an ark of wicker for him, and coated it with tar and pitch, and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the edge of the river.
Exo 2:4 And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him.
Exo 2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river, and her young women were walking by the river-side. And when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her female servant to get it,
Exo 2:6 and opened it and saw the child, and see, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the children of the Heḇrews.”
Exo 2:7 And his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”
Exo 2:8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” And the girl went and called the child’s mother.
Exo 2:9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, then I shall pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.
Exo 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Mosheh, saying, “Because I have drawn him out of the water.”
Now what is beginning to happen will set the course for all of mankind, yes even you and me!
Exo 2:11 And in those days it came to be, when Mosheh was grown, that he went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens. And he saw a Mitsrite beating a Heḇrew, one of his brothers.
Exo 2:12 So he turned this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he smote the Mitsrite and hid him in the sand.
Exo 2:13 And he went out the second day and saw two Heḇrew men fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why do you smite your neighbour?”
Exo 2:14 And he said, “Who made you a head and a judge over us? Do you intend to slay me as you slew the Mitsrite?” And Mosheh feared and said, “Truly, the matter is known!”
Exo 2:15 And Pharaoh heard of this matter, and he sought to kill Mosheh. But Mosheh fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Miḏyan. And he sat down by a well.
From most accounts, people say Mosheh is about 40 years old.
Things have become topsey turvy at this point, so lets go over what has happened to date……
He was born,
Put in the river…
Found by an Egyptian princes,
Became a prince of Egypt.
Then killed an Egyptian over serer,
And got out of town to save his own life.
Wow, what an experience to this point….
Let’s continue and see what happens.
Exo 2:16 And the priest of Miḏyan had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock,
Exo 2:17 but the shepherds came and drove them away. Then Mosheh stood up and came to their rescue, and watered their flock.
Exo 2:18 And they came to Reʽuw’ĕl their father, and he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”
Exo 2:19 And they said, “A Mitsrite rescued us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”
Exo 2:20 And he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him and let him eat bread.”
Exo 2:21 And Mosheh agreed to dwell with the man, and he gave Tsipporah his daughter to Mosheh.
Exo 2:22 And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gĕreshom, for he said, “I have become a sojourner in a foreign land.”
Exo 2:23 And it came to be after these many days that the sovereign of Mitsrayim died. And the children of Yisra’ĕl groaned because of the slavery, and they cried out. And their cry came up to Elohim because of the slavery.
Exo 2:24 And Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered His covenant with Aḇraham, with Yitsḥaq, and with Yaʽaqoḇ.
Exo 2:25 And Elohim looked on the children of Yisra’ĕl, and Elohim knew!
Well the stage is being set for the biggest show since the Flood.
And we all know how that turned out……..
Even today, in our being, we must have it ingrained in us, that Yahweh will never leave us or forsake us.
As we see here, he remembered the covenant he had with Aḇraham, with Yitsḥaq, and with Yaʽaqoḇ.
Now YAHWEH uses man to work thru….
you, me, the next guy……
HE is looking for those whom love HIM and will trust him.
There are many, many verses in the Tanach alone that talks about trust. But to me this one sums it all up.
Pro 3:5 Trust in יהוה with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
Pro 3:6 Know Him in all your ways, And He makes all your paths straight.
How can we ever doubt when we have a promise like that!
When we go out to evangelize……. (our way of life) go with this scripture in mind.
Fall back on it and know that YAHWEH is with you.
Now lets get back to our story.
Exo 3:1 And Mosheh was shepherding the flock of Yithro his father-in-law, the priest of Miḏyan. And he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to Ḥorĕḇ, the mountain of Elohim.
Exo 3:2 And the Messenger of יהוה appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. And he looked and saw the bush burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.
Exo 3:3 And Mosheh said, “Let me turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
This would be an amazing sight know matter where you were.
Put yourself there,………what would be going thru your mind!!!!
Exo 3:4 And יהוה saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Mosheh! Mosheh!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Exo 3:5 And He said, “Do not come near here. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is set-apart ground.”
Exo 3:6 And He said, “I am the Elohim of your father, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ.” And Mosheh hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim.
Exo 3:7 And יהוה said, “I have indeed seen the oppression of My people who are in Mitsrayim, and have heard their cry because of their slave-drivers, for I know their sorrows.
Exo 3:8 “And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Mitsrites, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Kenaʽanites and the Ḥittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Ḥiwwites and the Yeḇusites.
Exo 3:9 “And now, see, the cry of the children of Yisra’ĕl has come to Me, , and I have also seen the oppression with which the Mitsrites oppress them.
OK………,
Mosheh sees this burning bush and goes to investigate.
The bush is burning, but it isn’t being consumed………
As he nears this burning bush, he hears a voice to remove his shoes……
I would love to know what is going thru his mind at this point. I guess I would have to ask you…….what would you be thinking??????
Ask yourself this. What readied him for this……
How many years in intensive scripture classes did he attend……..
How long had he been in cemetery er….. seminary……
You know the answer to all these questions…….. a big fat 0, nadda, ……
Just a plain ole’ guy like you and me.
So what did YAHWEH see in him????
And what would ready him for what was ahead???
Good question, I think……….
Exo 3:10 “And now, come, I am sending you to Pharaoh, to bring My people, the children of Yisra’ĕl, out of Mitsrayim.”
Exo 3:11 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Yisra’ĕl out of Mitsrayim?”
Exo 3:12 And He said, “Because I am with you. And this is to you the sign that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Mitsrayim, you are to serve Elohim on this mountain.”
Exo 3:13 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “See, when I come to the children of Yisra’ĕl and say to them, ‘The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?”
Exo 3:14 And Elohim said to Mosheh, “I am that which I am.”1 And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
Exo 3:15 And Elohim said further to Mosheh, “Thus you are to say to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ, has sent me to you. This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance to all generations.’
Exo 3:16 “Go, and you shall gather the elders of Yisra’ĕl together, and say to them, ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, of Yitsḥaq, and of Yaʽaqoḇ, appeared to me, saying, “I have indeed visited you and seen what is done to you in Mitsrayim;
Exo 3:17 and I say: I am bringing you up out of the affliction of Mitsrayim to the land of the Kenaʽanite and the Ḥittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Ḥiwwite and the Yeḇusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’
Exo 3:18 “And they shall listen to your voice. And you shall come, you and the elders of Yisra’ĕl, to the sovereign of Mitsrayim, and you shall say to him, ‘יהוה Elohim of the Heḇrews has met with us. And now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness to slaughter to יהוה our Elohim.’
Without catching HIS breath, YAHWEH continues.
`Exo 3:19 “But I know that the sovereign of Mitsrayim is not going to let `you go, not even by a strong hand.
Exo 3:20 “And I shall stretch out My hand and smite Mitsrayim with all My wonders which I shall do in its midst. And after that he shall let you go.
Exo 3:21 “And I shall give this people favour in the eyes of the Mitsrites. And it shall be, that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.
Exo 3:22 “But every woman shall ask from her neighbour and from the stranger in her house, objects of silver, and objects of gold, and garments. And you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters, and shall plunder the Mitsrites.”
Now YAHWEH has just laid out the whole plan….
from start to finish……
What was going to happen, and how it would happen….
Makes you think that HE just might be in control!
And if you do, what makes you think that HE wouldn’t be in control now??????
Well, Mosheh didn’t quite understand this at all……
First of all, why did you pick me?
And,….. had many reasons why not to pick him…..
Exo 4:1 And Mosheh answered and said, “And if they do not believe me, nor listen to my voice, and say, ‘יהוה has not appeared to you?’ ”
Exo 4:2 And יהוה said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A rod.”
Exo 4:3 And He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent. And Mosheh fled from it.
Exo 4:4 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” – so he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand –
Exo 4:5 so that they believe that יהוה Elohim of their fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ, has appeared to you.”
Exo 4:6 And יהוה said to him again, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, and see, his hand was leprous, like snow.
Exo 4:7 And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and see, it was restored like his other flesh.
Exo 4:8 “And it shall be, if they do not believe you, nor listen to the voice of the first sign, they shall believe the voice of the latter sign.
Exo 4:9 “And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. And the water which you take from the river shall become blood on the dry land.”
Exo 4:10 And Mosheh said to יהוה, “O יהוה, I am not a man of words, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
Exo 4:11 And יהוה said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, יהוה?
Exo 4:12 “And now, go, and I shall be with your mouth and teach you what to say.”
Exo 4:13 But he said, “O יהוה, please send by the hand of him whom You would send.”
Exo 4:14 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against Mosheh, and He said, “Is not Aharon the Lĕwite your brother? I know that he speaks well. And see, he is also coming out to meet you. And when he sees you, he shall be glad in his heart.
Exo 4:15 “And you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I am with your mouth and with his mouth, and I shall teach you what to do.
Exo 4:16 “And he shall speak for you to the people. And it shall be that he shall be a mouth for you, and you shall be an elohim1 for him.
Exo 4:17 “And take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
I think that at this point Mosheh was convinced he was to go……
He may not have actually thought he was the man for the job, but at this point he was going.
I can’t see where Mosheh has show a lot of confidence in what was going on, or what was to happen.
Yet he has resigned himself to the fact that he is going to go.
Let’s continue.
Exo 4:18 Then Mosheh went and returned to Yithro his father-in-law, and
said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in
Mitsrayim to see whether they are still alive.” And Yithro said to Mosheh,
“Go in peace.”
Exo 4:19 And יהוה said to Mosheh in Miḏyan, “Go, return to Mitsrayim, for all
the men are dead who sought your life.”
Exo 4:20 So Mosheh took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey,
and he returned to the land of Mitsrayim. And Mosheh took the rod of
Elohim in his hand.
Exo 4:21 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “As you go back to Mitsrayim, see that
you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand.
But I am going to harden his heart, so that he does not let the people go.
Excuse me………you are going to what…….harden his heart!
Exo 4:22 “And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Yisra’ĕl is My son,
My first-born,
Exo 4:23 so I say to you, let My son go to serve Me. But if you refuse to let
him go, see, I am killing your son, your first-born.
Exo 4:24 And it came to be on the way, in the lodging place, that יהוה met
him and sought to kill him.
Exo 4:25 And Tsipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her
son and threw it at Mosheh’s feet, and said, “You are indeed a bridegroom
of blood to me!”
Exo 4:26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,”
because of the circumcision.
Exo 4:27 And יהוה said to Aharon, “Go to meet Mosheh in the wilderness.”
And he went and met him on the mountain of Elohim, and kissed him.
Exo 4:28 Mosheh then told Aharon all the words of יהוה who had sent him,
and all the signs which He had commanded him.
Exo 4:29 And Mosheh went with Aharon and gathered together all the
elders of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Exo 4:30 And Aharon spoke all the words which יהוה had spoken to Mosheh.
Then he did the signs before the eyes of the people.
Exo 4:31 And the people believed. And they heard that יהוה had visited the
children of Yisra’ĕl and that He had looked on their affliction, and they
bowed their heads and did obeisance.
Well, I encourage you to read “the rest of the story……”
all the way to the “Promice Land”.
In that, you will see all the heart ache, and the jubilation
that Mosheh must have felt.
You can see, that YAHWEH took an unsuspecting shepherd,
He molded and grumed him to do what he was called to do…..
Remember YAHWEH said that HE would be his mouth…….
All he needed to do was to do what he was told to do……..
And as long as he did that, he was a success.
Remember, YAHWEH also told him that pharaoh would harden his heart,
And they would go thru many plagues till he would be broken enough to let the people of Yisra’el go.
You need to remember that YAHWEH told him HE would not forsake him…….
Now, to compare that to another Evangelist/prophet. I am sure you have heard all the stories, and red the book of……”Yonah or (Jonah)”………….
Now Yonah was an interesting fellow.
Lets jump in and see just what kind of guy he was!
Jon 1:1 And the word of יהוה came to Yonah son of Amittai, saying,
Jon 1:2 “Arise, go to Ninewĕh, the great city, and cry out against it, for
their evils have come up before Me.”
Jon 1:3 But Yonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of יהוה, and
went down to Yapho, and found a ship going to Tarshish. And he paid the
fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the
presence of יהוה.
Wooooah!!!! Can you believe that!
This guy is a prophet of YAHWEH.
YAHWEH speaks to him directly, away he goes….
BUT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!!!!!
Does that sound familiar?
Has this ever happened to us?????????
Well anyway, back to the story…….
Jon 1:4 And יהוה sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was thought to be broken up.
Jon 1:5 And the seamen were afraid, and each one cried out to his mighty one, and threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Yonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, and he lay down, and was fast asleep.
Jon 1:6 And the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, cry out to your Elohim, if so be that Elohim shall think about us, so that we do not perish.”
Jon 1:7 And they said to each other, “Come, and let us cast lots, so that we know for whose sake this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Yonah.
Now Yonah is in real trouble. Not only does “he” know that he is running,……
Now everybody in the ship knows,…..what is he to do?
Jon 1:8 So they said to him, “Please explain to us! For whose sake is this evil upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And from what people are you?”
Jon 1:9 And he said to them, “I am a Heḇrew. And I am fearing יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Jon 1:10 And the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of יהוה, for he had informed them.
Jon 1:11 And they said to him, “What are we to do to you to make the sea calm for us?” For the sea was growing more stormy.
Jon 1:12 And he said to them, “Take me and throw me into the sea, so that the sea becomes calm for you. For I know that this great storm is because of me.”
Jon 1:13 However, the men rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but were unable, for the sea continued to grow more stormy against them.
Jon 1:14 And they cried out to יהוה and said, “We pray, O יהוה, please, let us not perish for this man’s life, and do not lay on us innocent blood. For You, O יהוה, have done as it pleased You.”
Jon 1:15 Then they took Yonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging.
Jon 1:16 And the men feared יהוה exceedingly, and brought an offering to יהוה and made vows.
Oh my gosh………. If this isn’t a fine kettle….LOL…. of fish to be in……..
Now what is Yonah going to do?
Then to add insult to injury, check out what YAHWEH does.
Jon 1:17 But יהוה appointed a great fish to swallow Yonah. And Yonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
I have been in some pretty tough spots in my life, but nothing compares to this……
can you imagine…….
I mean how could you even……..well…….breath in there?
Yet,………. we serve a compassionate abba.
And no mater what we have done,……
or where we are,…………
HE does hear our prayer.
Jon 2:1 And Yonah prayed to יהוה his Elohim from the stomach of the fish.
Jon 2:2 And he said, “I called to יהוה because of my distress, and He answered me. From the stomach of the grave I cried, and You heard my voice.
Jon 2:3 “For You threw me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me. All Your breakers and Your waves passed over me.
Jon 2:4 “So I said, ‘I have been driven away from Your eyes. Would I ever look again toward Your set-apart Hĕḵal?’
Jon 2:5 “Waters encompassed me, unto life, the deep closed around me, weeds were wrapped around my head.
Jon 2:6 “I went down to the base of the mountains, the earth with its bars were behind me forever. But You brought up my life from the pit, O יהוה, my Elohim.
Jon 2:7 “When my life fainted within me, I remembered יהוה. And my prayer went up to You, into Your set-apart Hĕḵal.
Jon 2:8 “Those observing false worthlessnesses forsake their own kindness.
Jon 2:9 “But I offer to You with the voice of thanksgiving, I pay what I have vowed. Deliverance is of יהוה.”
Jon 2:10 Then יהוה spoke to the fish, and it vomited Yonah on the dry land.
Hummmm………
Let”s recap this……
YAHWEH calls me…..
I run from YAHWEH……..
A bunch of guys want me dead, and throw me overboard in to a raging sea……
Then…….
A giant fish swallows me,……..
AND I’M ALIVE, IN HIS BELLY!!!!
So after 3 day’s, I pray to Abba YAHWEH…..
HE hears my cry, and this giant fish vomits me up……
On dry land!!!………
Hollywood couldn’t write a script this good……..
Now as if nothing had happened, Yonah has YAHWEH speak to him a second time………..
Jon 3:1 And the word of יהוה came to Yonah the second time, saying,
Jon 3:2 “Arise, go to Ninewĕh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I am speaking to you.”
Jon 3:3 And Yonah arose and went to Ninewĕh, according to the word of יהוה. Now Ninewĕh was a great city before Elohim, of three day’s journey.
Jon 3:4 And Yonah began to go in to the city on the first day’s walk. And he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Ninewĕh shall be overthrown!”
Jon 3:5 And the men of Ninewĕh believed in Elohim, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
Jon 3:6 And the word reached the sovereign of Ninewĕh, so he arose from his throne and took off his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.
Jon 3:7 And he proclaimed and said throughout Ninewĕh, “By decree of the sovereign and his nobles: No man or beast, herd or flock, shall taste whatever – let them not eat, let them not even drink water.
Jon 3:8 “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and call mightily to Elohim. And let each one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Jon 3:9 “Who knows whether Elohim does turn and relent, and shall turn away from the heat of His displeasure, so that we do not perish?”
Jon 3:10 And Elohim saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. And Elohim relented from the evil which He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.
Can you believe this……
Yonah gets up…….walks THRU Nineweh for 3 days……..
Preaching repentance in the streets of Nineweh,
Everybody…..I mean everybody including the King turns from there wicked ways,
And then the king makes all the people and the animals put on sackcloth and ashes.
YAHWEH sees there heart, and forgives them……….WOW! that must have been some preaching……..
Those were some inspiring words.
We see that YAHWEH forgave them and HE didn’t destroy them.
So what about poor Yonah……
What happened to him after the city repented and YAHWEH spared them.
Jon 4:1 But it greatly displeased Yonah, and he was grieved.
Jon 4:2 And he prayed to יהוה, and he said, “Please, יהוה, was this not what I said while I was in my own land? This is why I went ahead and fled to Tarshish. For I know that You are an Ěl showing favour, and compassionate, patient and of great kindness, and relenting from doing evil.
Jon 4:3 “And now, O יהוה, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
Jon 4:4 And יהוה said, “Are you right to be displeased?”
Jon 4:5 Then Yonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city, and made himself a shelter there, and sat under it in the shade, to see what would become of the city.
Jon 4:6 And יהוה Elohim appointed a plant and made it come up over Yonah, to be a shade for his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Yonah greatly rejoiced over the plant.
Jon 4:7 But as morning dawned the next day Elohim appointed a worm which attacked the plant so that it withered.
Jon 4:8 And it came to be when the sun came up, that Elohim appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun smote on Yonah’s head, so that he grew faint, and asked for his life to die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
Jon 4:9 And Elohim said to Yonah, “Have you rightly become displeased over the plant?” And he said, “I have rightly become displeased, even to death!”
Jon 4:10 And יהוה said, “You felt sorry for the plant for which you have not laboured, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.
Jon 4:11 “And should I not pardon Ninewĕh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand beings who have not known their right hand from their left, and much cattle?”
Pretty sad isn’t it……….
I told this story for a reason……..
We can never discern the motive of YAHWEH.
You see, Yonah was mad due to the repentance of Ninewwh………..
he wanted them to be destroyed………..it doesn’t say why, he just had distain for them.
Yet YAHWEH loved them…….
YAHWEH even had mercy on Yonah, and let a large plant grow over him for shade.
Yonah had more compassion for the plant than for human life………..
Then the story ends………we never hear about Yonah again………not a word……..
What is the moral of this story??????
YAHWEH IS IN CHARGE!!!!!
My friends, once we become a follower, we are not our own master.
HIS priorities have now become our priorities.
We have no right to choose our own ways or our own priorities.
We beckon to HIS callings.
We no longer serve ourselves; we become the servant of all.
Two different men, The same calling…….the same ending………….
Mosheh, after leading YAHWEH’S people for 40 years……
never entered the Promiced Land because of disobedience to YAHWEH’S word and anger toward HIS people,
Yonah, the same thing…….
Disobedience to YAHWEH’S word and anger towards HIS people.
Yonah was never to be heard of again…….put on the shelf…….taken out of the game………………
The stakes in Evangelism are high.
We are dealing with life and death.
We don’t give life, and we surely don’t take it away………..
But there is no higher calling than to lead someone to repentance.
We are just a spokesman…….
As YAHWEH said to Mosheh………
Exo 4:12 “And now, go, and I shall be with your mouth and teach you what to say.”
I leave you where we started……The words of Messiah YAHUSHUA
(Mat 28:19) “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations, immersing them in MY NAME
(Mat 28:20) teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Amĕn.
I have heard many excuses for not fulfilling the great commission…….
Or you may ask……. What is this great commission?????
(Mat 28:18) And יהושע came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
(Mat 28:19) “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations, immersing them in MY NAME.
(Mat 28:20) teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Amĕn.
I can imagine that there are people getting nervous at this point and are worried about what they know, or…. how they talk or….. for that matter what to do ………
So with the scriptures as our training manual, lets take a look at the life of two men.
One is one of the greatest, if not the greatest apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher there ever was.
The other……well, you decide
(Eph 4:11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(Eph 4:12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of the Messiah:
Now this individual didn’t have any formal training,
absolutely no cemetery…or rather seminary training……
he was just a Sheppard…
in a desert………
in a land far away.
Turn with me if you would to the Book of Shemoth, or Exodus.
We will start in chapter 1 vs 6
Exo 1:6 And Yoseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.
Exo 1:7 And the children of Yisra’ĕl bore fruit and increased very much, multiplied and became very strong, and the land was filled with them.
Did you know that only about 75 people started in Mitsrayiam (Egypt) when Yoseph had all his family with him?
Exo 1:8 Then a new sovereign arose over Mitsrayim, who did not know Yosĕph,
Exo 1:9 and he said to his people, “See, the people of the children of Yisra’ĕl are more and stronger than we,
It looks like the Blessing of Abraham was working.
Here is the blessing given to Abraham
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
And of coarse it was handed down generation to generation.
To continue:
Exo 1:10 come, let us act wisely towards them, lest they increase, and it shall be when fighting befalls us, that they shall join our enemies and fight against us, and shall go up out of the land.”
Exo 1:11 So they set slave-masters over them to afflict them with their burdens, and they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raʽamses.
Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they increased and grew, and they were in dread of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Exo 1:13 And the Mitsrites made the children of Yisra’ĕl serve with harshness,
Even thou there were records of what Yoseph and his family did, They didn’t care……..
So here we are in Mitsrayim, or Egypt,
Yoseph had died, and a new pharaoh was in power,
The children of Yisreal were multiplying, and the Egyptians were becoming
worried.
They were being tough on the children of Yisrael .
It says “serve with hardness” in other words, they were being very cruel to them.
Exo 1:14 and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all kinds of work in the field, all their work which they made them do was with harshness.
Exo 1:15 Then the sovereign of Mitsrayim spoke to the Heḇrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puʽah,
Exo 1:16 and he said, “When you deliver the Heḇrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
Now we see that the pharaoh is worried about being out numbered by the Hebrews.
So he institutes a form of birth control.
Unfortunately for him the Hebrew midwives feared YAHWEH!
Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared Elohim, and did not do as the sovereign of Mitsrayim commanded them, and kept the male children alive.
Exo 1:18 So the sovereign of Mitsrayim called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and kept the male children alive?”
Exo 1:19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Heḇrew women are not like the Mitsrite women. For they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
Exo 1:20 So Elohim was good to the midwives, and the people increased and became very numerous.
Exo 1:21 And it came to be, because the midwives feared Elohim, that He provided households for them.
Exo 1:22 And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Throw every son who is born into the river, and keep alive every daughter.”
Pharaoh was relentless.
He wanted the Hebrews to stop having children,……..But it wasn’t to be so.
In all of this one must see that YAHWEH had a plan….
About 400 years earlier a young boy was sold into slavery so that YAHWEH’S people could become a nation……..
Now,………… physically, that was fixen to happen.
Exo 2:1 And a man of the house of Lĕwi went and married a daughter of Lĕwi.
Exo 2:2 And the woman conceived and bore a son. And she saw that he was a lovely child, and she hid him three months.
Exo 2:3 And when she could hide him no longer, she took an ark of wicker for him, and coated it with tar and pitch, and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the edge of the river.
Exo 2:4 And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him.
Exo 2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river, and her young women were walking by the river-side. And when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her female servant to get it,
Exo 2:6 and opened it and saw the child, and see, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the children of the Heḇrews.”
Exo 2:7 And his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”
Exo 2:8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” And the girl went and called the child’s mother.
Exo 2:9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, then I shall pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.
Exo 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Mosheh, saying, “Because I have drawn him out of the water.”
Now what is beginning to happen will set the course for all of mankind, yes even you and me!
Exo 2:11 And in those days it came to be, when Mosheh was grown, that he went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens. And he saw a Mitsrite beating a Heḇrew, one of his brothers.
Exo 2:12 So he turned this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he smote the Mitsrite and hid him in the sand.
Exo 2:13 And he went out the second day and saw two Heḇrew men fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why do you smite your neighbour?”
Exo 2:14 And he said, “Who made you a head and a judge over us? Do you intend to slay me as you slew the Mitsrite?” And Mosheh feared and said, “Truly, the matter is known!”
Exo 2:15 And Pharaoh heard of this matter, and he sought to kill Mosheh. But Mosheh fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Miḏyan. And he sat down by a well.
From most accounts, people say Mosheh is about 40 years old.
Things have become topsey turvy at this point, so lets go over what has happened to date……
He was born,
Put in the river…
Found by an Egyptian princes,
Became a prince of Egypt.
Then killed an Egyptian over serer,
And got out of town to save his own life.
Wow, what an experience to this point….
Let’s continue and see what happens.
Exo 2:16 And the priest of Miḏyan had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock,
Exo 2:17 but the shepherds came and drove them away. Then Mosheh stood up and came to their rescue, and watered their flock.
Exo 2:18 And they came to Reʽuw’ĕl their father, and he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”
Exo 2:19 And they said, “A Mitsrite rescued us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”
Exo 2:20 And he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him and let him eat bread.”
Exo 2:21 And Mosheh agreed to dwell with the man, and he gave Tsipporah his daughter to Mosheh.
Exo 2:22 And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gĕreshom, for he said, “I have become a sojourner in a foreign land.”
Exo 2:23 And it came to be after these many days that the sovereign of Mitsrayim died. And the children of Yisra’ĕl groaned because of the slavery, and they cried out. And their cry came up to Elohim because of the slavery.
Exo 2:24 And Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered His covenant with Aḇraham, with Yitsḥaq, and with Yaʽaqoḇ.
Exo 2:25 And Elohim looked on the children of Yisra’ĕl, and Elohim knew!
Well the stage is being set for the biggest show since the Flood.
And we all know how that turned out……..
Even today, in our being, we must have it ingrained in us, that Yahweh will never leave us or forsake us.
As we see here, he remembered the covenant he had with Aḇraham, with Yitsḥaq, and with Yaʽaqoḇ.
Now YAHWEH uses man to work thru….
you, me, the next guy……
HE is looking for those whom love HIM and will trust him.
There are many, many verses in the Tanach alone that talks about trust. But to me this one sums it all up.
Pro 3:5 Trust in יהוה with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
Pro 3:6 Know Him in all your ways, And He makes all your paths straight.
How can we ever doubt when we have a promise like that!
When we go out to evangelize……. (our way of life) go with this scripture in mind.
Fall back on it and know that YAHWEH is with you.
Now lets get back to our story.
Exo 3:1 And Mosheh was shepherding the flock of Yithro his father-in-law, the priest of Miḏyan. And he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to Ḥorĕḇ, the mountain of Elohim.
Exo 3:2 And the Messenger of יהוה appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. And he looked and saw the bush burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.
Exo 3:3 And Mosheh said, “Let me turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
This would be an amazing sight know matter where you were.
Put yourself there,………what would be going thru your mind!!!!
Exo 3:4 And יהוה saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Mosheh! Mosheh!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Exo 3:5 And He said, “Do not come near here. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is set-apart ground.”
Exo 3:6 And He said, “I am the Elohim of your father, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ.” And Mosheh hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim.
Exo 3:7 And יהוה said, “I have indeed seen the oppression of My people who are in Mitsrayim, and have heard their cry because of their slave-drivers, for I know their sorrows.
Exo 3:8 “And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Mitsrites, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Kenaʽanites and the Ḥittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Ḥiwwites and the Yeḇusites.
Exo 3:9 “And now, see, the cry of the children of Yisra’ĕl has come to Me, , and I have also seen the oppression with which the Mitsrites oppress them.
OK………,
Mosheh sees this burning bush and goes to investigate.
The bush is burning, but it isn’t being consumed………
As he nears this burning bush, he hears a voice to remove his shoes……
I would love to know what is going thru his mind at this point. I guess I would have to ask you…….what would you be thinking??????
Ask yourself this. What readied him for this……
How many years in intensive scripture classes did he attend……..
How long had he been in cemetery er….. seminary……
You know the answer to all these questions…….. a big fat 0, nadda, ……
Just a plain ole’ guy like you and me.
So what did YAHWEH see in him????
And what would ready him for what was ahead???
Good question, I think……….
Exo 3:10 “And now, come, I am sending you to Pharaoh, to bring My people, the children of Yisra’ĕl, out of Mitsrayim.”
Exo 3:11 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Yisra’ĕl out of Mitsrayim?”
Exo 3:12 And He said, “Because I am with you. And this is to you the sign that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Mitsrayim, you are to serve Elohim on this mountain.”
Exo 3:13 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “See, when I come to the children of Yisra’ĕl and say to them, ‘The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?”
Exo 3:14 And Elohim said to Mosheh, “I am that which I am.”1 And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
Exo 3:15 And Elohim said further to Mosheh, “Thus you are to say to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ, has sent me to you. This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance to all generations.’
Exo 3:16 “Go, and you shall gather the elders of Yisra’ĕl together, and say to them, ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, of Yitsḥaq, and of Yaʽaqoḇ, appeared to me, saying, “I have indeed visited you and seen what is done to you in Mitsrayim;
Exo 3:17 and I say: I am bringing you up out of the affliction of Mitsrayim to the land of the Kenaʽanite and the Ḥittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Ḥiwwite and the Yeḇusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’
Exo 3:18 “And they shall listen to your voice. And you shall come, you and the elders of Yisra’ĕl, to the sovereign of Mitsrayim, and you shall say to him, ‘יהוה Elohim of the Heḇrews has met with us. And now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness to slaughter to יהוה our Elohim.’
Without catching HIS breath, YAHWEH continues.
`Exo 3:19 “But I know that the sovereign of Mitsrayim is not going to let `you go, not even by a strong hand.
Exo 3:20 “And I shall stretch out My hand and smite Mitsrayim with all My wonders which I shall do in its midst. And after that he shall let you go.
Exo 3:21 “And I shall give this people favour in the eyes of the Mitsrites. And it shall be, that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.
Exo 3:22 “But every woman shall ask from her neighbour and from the stranger in her house, objects of silver, and objects of gold, and garments. And you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters, and shall plunder the Mitsrites.”
Now YAHWEH has just laid out the whole plan….
from start to finish……
What was going to happen, and how it would happen….
Makes you think that HE just might be in control!
And if you do, what makes you think that HE wouldn’t be in control now??????
Well, Mosheh didn’t quite understand this at all……
First of all, why did you pick me?
And,….. had many reasons why not to pick him…..
Exo 4:1 And Mosheh answered and said, “And if they do not believe me, nor listen to my voice, and say, ‘יהוה has not appeared to you?’ ”
Exo 4:2 And יהוה said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A rod.”
Exo 4:3 And He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent. And Mosheh fled from it.
Exo 4:4 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” – so he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand –
Exo 4:5 so that they believe that יהוה Elohim of their fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ, has appeared to you.”
Exo 4:6 And יהוה said to him again, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, and see, his hand was leprous, like snow.
Exo 4:7 And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and see, it was restored like his other flesh.
Exo 4:8 “And it shall be, if they do not believe you, nor listen to the voice of the first sign, they shall believe the voice of the latter sign.
Exo 4:9 “And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. And the water which you take from the river shall become blood on the dry land.”
Exo 4:10 And Mosheh said to יהוה, “O יהוה, I am not a man of words, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
Exo 4:11 And יהוה said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, יהוה?
Exo 4:12 “And now, go, and I shall be with your mouth and teach you what to say.”
Exo 4:13 But he said, “O יהוה, please send by the hand of him whom You would send.”
Exo 4:14 And the displeasure of יהוה burned against Mosheh, and He said, “Is not Aharon the Lĕwite your brother? I know that he speaks well. And see, he is also coming out to meet you. And when he sees you, he shall be glad in his heart.
Exo 4:15 “And you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I am with your mouth and with his mouth, and I shall teach you what to do.
Exo 4:16 “And he shall speak for you to the people. And it shall be that he shall be a mouth for you, and you shall be an elohim1 for him.
Exo 4:17 “And take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
I think that at this point Mosheh was convinced he was to go……
He may not have actually thought he was the man for the job, but at this point he was going.
I can’t see where Mosheh has show a lot of confidence in what was going on, or what was to happen.
Yet he has resigned himself to the fact that he is going to go.
Let’s continue.
Exo 4:18 Then Mosheh went and returned to Yithro his father-in-law, and
said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in
Mitsrayim to see whether they are still alive.” And Yithro said to Mosheh,
“Go in peace.”
Exo 4:19 And יהוה said to Mosheh in Miḏyan, “Go, return to Mitsrayim, for all
the men are dead who sought your life.”
Exo 4:20 So Mosheh took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey,
and he returned to the land of Mitsrayim. And Mosheh took the rod of
Elohim in his hand.
Exo 4:21 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “As you go back to Mitsrayim, see that
you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand.
But I am going to harden his heart, so that he does not let the people go.
Excuse me………you are going to what…….harden his heart!
Exo 4:22 “And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Yisra’ĕl is My son,
My first-born,
Exo 4:23 so I say to you, let My son go to serve Me. But if you refuse to let
him go, see, I am killing your son, your first-born.
Exo 4:24 And it came to be on the way, in the lodging place, that יהוה met
him and sought to kill him.
Exo 4:25 And Tsipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her
son and threw it at Mosheh’s feet, and said, “You are indeed a bridegroom
of blood to me!”
Exo 4:26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,”
because of the circumcision.
Exo 4:27 And יהוה said to Aharon, “Go to meet Mosheh in the wilderness.”
And he went and met him on the mountain of Elohim, and kissed him.
Exo 4:28 Mosheh then told Aharon all the words of יהוה who had sent him,
and all the signs which He had commanded him.
Exo 4:29 And Mosheh went with Aharon and gathered together all the
elders of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Exo 4:30 And Aharon spoke all the words which יהוה had spoken to Mosheh.
Then he did the signs before the eyes of the people.
Exo 4:31 And the people believed. And they heard that יהוה had visited the
children of Yisra’ĕl and that He had looked on their affliction, and they
bowed their heads and did obeisance.
Well, I encourage you to read “the rest of the story……”
all the way to the “Promice Land”.
In that, you will see all the heart ache, and the jubilation
that Mosheh must have felt.
You can see, that YAHWEH took an unsuspecting shepherd,
He molded and grumed him to do what he was called to do…..
Remember YAHWEH said that HE would be his mouth…….
All he needed to do was to do what he was told to do……..
And as long as he did that, he was a success.
Remember, YAHWEH also told him that pharaoh would harden his heart,
And they would go thru many plagues till he would be broken enough to let the people of Yisra’el go.
You need to remember that YAHWEH told him HE would not forsake him…….
Now, to compare that to another Evangelist/prophet. I am sure you have heard all the stories, and red the book of……”Yonah or (Jonah)”………….
Now Yonah was an interesting fellow.
Lets jump in and see just what kind of guy he was!
Jon 1:1 And the word of יהוה came to Yonah son of Amittai, saying,
Jon 1:2 “Arise, go to Ninewĕh, the great city, and cry out against it, for
their evils have come up before Me.”
Jon 1:3 But Yonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of יהוה, and
went down to Yapho, and found a ship going to Tarshish. And he paid the
fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the
presence of יהוה.
Wooooah!!!! Can you believe that!
This guy is a prophet of YAHWEH.
YAHWEH speaks to him directly, away he goes….
BUT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!!!!!
Does that sound familiar?
Has this ever happened to us?????????
Well anyway, back to the story…….
Jon 1:4 And יהוה sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was thought to be broken up.
Jon 1:5 And the seamen were afraid, and each one cried out to his mighty one, and threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Yonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, and he lay down, and was fast asleep.
Jon 1:6 And the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, cry out to your Elohim, if so be that Elohim shall think about us, so that we do not perish.”
Jon 1:7 And they said to each other, “Come, and let us cast lots, so that we know for whose sake this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Yonah.
Now Yonah is in real trouble. Not only does “he” know that he is running,……
Now everybody in the ship knows,…..what is he to do?
Jon 1:8 So they said to him, “Please explain to us! For whose sake is this evil upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And from what people are you?”
Jon 1:9 And he said to them, “I am a Heḇrew. And I am fearing יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Jon 1:10 And the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of יהוה, for he had informed them.
Jon 1:11 And they said to him, “What are we to do to you to make the sea calm for us?” For the sea was growing more stormy.
Jon 1:12 And he said to them, “Take me and throw me into the sea, so that the sea becomes calm for you. For I know that this great storm is because of me.”
Jon 1:13 However, the men rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but were unable, for the sea continued to grow more stormy against them.
Jon 1:14 And they cried out to יהוה and said, “We pray, O יהוה, please, let us not perish for this man’s life, and do not lay on us innocent blood. For You, O יהוה, have done as it pleased You.”
Jon 1:15 Then they took Yonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging.
Jon 1:16 And the men feared יהוה exceedingly, and brought an offering to יהוה and made vows.
Oh my gosh………. If this isn’t a fine kettle….LOL…. of fish to be in……..
Now what is Yonah going to do?
Then to add insult to injury, check out what YAHWEH does.
Jon 1:17 But יהוה appointed a great fish to swallow Yonah. And Yonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
I have been in some pretty tough spots in my life, but nothing compares to this……
can you imagine…….
I mean how could you even……..well…….breath in there?
Yet,………. we serve a compassionate abba.
And no mater what we have done,……
or where we are,…………
HE does hear our prayer.
Jon 2:1 And Yonah prayed to יהוה his Elohim from the stomach of the fish.
Jon 2:2 And he said, “I called to יהוה because of my distress, and He answered me. From the stomach of the grave I cried, and You heard my voice.
Jon 2:3 “For You threw me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me. All Your breakers and Your waves passed over me.
Jon 2:4 “So I said, ‘I have been driven away from Your eyes. Would I ever look again toward Your set-apart Hĕḵal?’
Jon 2:5 “Waters encompassed me, unto life, the deep closed around me, weeds were wrapped around my head.
Jon 2:6 “I went down to the base of the mountains, the earth with its bars were behind me forever. But You brought up my life from the pit, O יהוה, my Elohim.
Jon 2:7 “When my life fainted within me, I remembered יהוה. And my prayer went up to You, into Your set-apart Hĕḵal.
Jon 2:8 “Those observing false worthlessnesses forsake their own kindness.
Jon 2:9 “But I offer to You with the voice of thanksgiving, I pay what I have vowed. Deliverance is of יהוה.”
Jon 2:10 Then יהוה spoke to the fish, and it vomited Yonah on the dry land.
Hummmm………
Let”s recap this……
YAHWEH calls me…..
I run from YAHWEH……..
A bunch of guys want me dead, and throw me overboard in to a raging sea……
Then…….
A giant fish swallows me,……..
AND I’M ALIVE, IN HIS BELLY!!!!
So after 3 day’s, I pray to Abba YAHWEH…..
HE hears my cry, and this giant fish vomits me up……
On dry land!!!………
Hollywood couldn’t write a script this good……..
Now as if nothing had happened, Yonah has YAHWEH speak to him a second time………..
Jon 3:1 And the word of יהוה came to Yonah the second time, saying,
Jon 3:2 “Arise, go to Ninewĕh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I am speaking to you.”
Jon 3:3 And Yonah arose and went to Ninewĕh, according to the word of יהוה. Now Ninewĕh was a great city before Elohim, of three day’s journey.
Jon 3:4 And Yonah began to go in to the city on the first day’s walk. And he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Ninewĕh shall be overthrown!”
Jon 3:5 And the men of Ninewĕh believed in Elohim, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
Jon 3:6 And the word reached the sovereign of Ninewĕh, so he arose from his throne and took off his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.
Jon 3:7 And he proclaimed and said throughout Ninewĕh, “By decree of the sovereign and his nobles: No man or beast, herd or flock, shall taste whatever – let them not eat, let them not even drink water.
Jon 3:8 “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and call mightily to Elohim. And let each one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Jon 3:9 “Who knows whether Elohim does turn and relent, and shall turn away from the heat of His displeasure, so that we do not perish?”
Jon 3:10 And Elohim saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. And Elohim relented from the evil which He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.
Can you believe this……
Yonah gets up…….walks THRU Nineweh for 3 days……..
Preaching repentance in the streets of Nineweh,
Everybody…..I mean everybody including the King turns from there wicked ways,
And then the king makes all the people and the animals put on sackcloth and ashes.
YAHWEH sees there heart, and forgives them……….WOW! that must have been some preaching……..
Those were some inspiring words.
We see that YAHWEH forgave them and HE didn’t destroy them.
So what about poor Yonah……
What happened to him after the city repented and YAHWEH spared them.
Jon 4:1 But it greatly displeased Yonah, and he was grieved.
Jon 4:2 And he prayed to יהוה, and he said, “Please, יהוה, was this not what I said while I was in my own land? This is why I went ahead and fled to Tarshish. For I know that You are an Ěl showing favour, and compassionate, patient and of great kindness, and relenting from doing evil.
Jon 4:3 “And now, O יהוה, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
Jon 4:4 And יהוה said, “Are you right to be displeased?”
Jon 4:5 Then Yonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city, and made himself a shelter there, and sat under it in the shade, to see what would become of the city.
Jon 4:6 And יהוה Elohim appointed a plant and made it come up over Yonah, to be a shade for his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Yonah greatly rejoiced over the plant.
Jon 4:7 But as morning dawned the next day Elohim appointed a worm which attacked the plant so that it withered.
Jon 4:8 And it came to be when the sun came up, that Elohim appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun smote on Yonah’s head, so that he grew faint, and asked for his life to die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
Jon 4:9 And Elohim said to Yonah, “Have you rightly become displeased over the plant?” And he said, “I have rightly become displeased, even to death!”
Jon 4:10 And יהוה said, “You felt sorry for the plant for which you have not laboured, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.
Jon 4:11 “And should I not pardon Ninewĕh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand beings who have not known their right hand from their left, and much cattle?”
Pretty sad isn’t it……….
I told this story for a reason……..
We can never discern the motive of YAHWEH.
You see, Yonah was mad due to the repentance of Ninewwh………..
he wanted them to be destroyed………..it doesn’t say why, he just had distain for them.
Yet YAHWEH loved them…….
YAHWEH even had mercy on Yonah, and let a large plant grow over him for shade.
Yonah had more compassion for the plant than for human life………..
Then the story ends………we never hear about Yonah again………not a word……..
What is the moral of this story??????
YAHWEH IS IN CHARGE!!!!!
My friends, once we become a follower, we are not our own master.
HIS priorities have now become our priorities.
We have no right to choose our own ways or our own priorities.
We beckon to HIS callings.
We no longer serve ourselves; we become the servant of all.
Two different men, The same calling…….the same ending………….
Mosheh, after leading YAHWEH’S people for 40 years……
never entered the Promiced Land because of disobedience to YAHWEH’S word and anger toward HIS people,
Yonah, the same thing…….
Disobedience to YAHWEH’S word and anger towards HIS people.
Yonah was never to be heard of again…….put on the shelf…….taken out of the game………………
The stakes in Evangelism are high.
We are dealing with life and death.
We don’t give life, and we surely don’t take it away………..
But there is no higher calling than to lead someone to repentance.
We are just a spokesman…….
As YAHWEH said to Mosheh………
Exo 4:12 “And now, go, and I shall be with your mouth and teach you what to say.”
I leave you where we started……The words of Messiah YAHUSHUA
(Mat 28:19) “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations, immersing them in MY NAME
(Mat 28:20) teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Amĕn.
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