Stumbling Blocks

We are being called - we have been told to come out of 'Babylon' - we have read that our Creator wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth and not get wrapped up in traditions of man.

Since discovering the Hebrew origins of Scriptures -- beginning with Abraham the Hebrew and continuing through the descendants of Jacob in which the Hebrews became known as the House of Israel -- many have be led to align themselves with today's Jews, completely ignoring the other eleven tribes, a serious side-effect of many Hebrew Roots teachers and those they teach.

Jude 1:3 ... while I take all pains to write to you of our common life, it is needful for me to write to you, encouraging you to maintain a conflict for the faith which was once delivered to the Set Apart believers, for some have obtained entrance who, from the beginning, were registered beforehand under this condemnation: wicked men who pervert the grace of Yahweh to impurity and deny him who is the only MarYah Elohim and our Master, Y'shua the Anointed One. And I wish to remind you, though you all know it, that Yahweh, after once rescuing the people from Egypt, again destroyed them who did not believe.

I want to touch on the subject of religion because I know there are still folks coming out of Churchianity as they seek the truth of Yah's Word and have gotten too comfortable with the Hebrew roots of things. I know, I was there once upon a time. It is, however, one of the best stepping stones we have leading us in the right direction. But that is where many people take the rabbit trail leading them into another religion instead of the faith once delivered.

Yahweh's Word has been messed with for a long time:

Mark 7:5 ~ The scribes and the Pharisees ask Y'shua, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? His short answer is: "You hypocrites... You have left the Commandment of Elohim and have embraced the tradition of men. ... And you despise the Word of Elohim because of the tradition that you have handed down..."

Matthew 15:3 records the same... the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem ask Y'shua why his disciples transgress against the traditions of the elders. He asks them, "Why do you transgress the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?"

Written Torah was pitted against the oral traditions of the Pharisees who were nullifying the Word of YHWH by those traditions and Yahshua would not instruct his followers to do likewise. What we have ended up with is a term, "Judeo-Christian", which is a mix of Jewish Tradition and Christianity with all of its denominations.

Isaiah 48:17 ~ Yahweh our Redeemer, the Set Apart One of Israel said:
I am MarYah your Elohim, instructing you for your own benefit. Guiding you in the way you should go.  If only you would heed My commands!  Then your prosperity would be like a river, your triumph like the waves of the sea. Your offspring would be as many as the sand, their issue as many as its grains. Their name would never be cut off or obliterated from before Me. Go forth from Babylon, flee from Chaldea! Declare this with loud shouting, announce this, bring out the word to the ends of the earth! Say: "Yah has redeemed His servant Jacob!"  They have known no thirst though He led them through parched places; He made water flow for them from the rock; He cleaved the rock and water gushed forth.  There is no safety, said Yahweh, for the wicked.

In Jeremiah 4 we read that Yahweh told His people:

If you return to Me.... If you remove your abominations from My presence and do not waver, and swear "As Yah lives," in sincerity, justice and righteousness (you shall be a blessing to others).  He tells us we should not plant seeds among thorns and to open our hearts to Him.

This rings true as I realize that there is no getting through to some 'believers' who hold strong to man's opinions about our Creator and His Son. We should be able to discern falsehoods by now and stop trying to 'save' those who adamantly refuse the truth. Salvation is not our job but spreading the Good News of the kingdom to come is one of our requirements. 

These folks who claim to be 'believers' begin to embrace traditions as they adorn themselves with prayer shawls, colorful braided clip-on tzitzits, they collect shofars, menorahs and Israeli flags, wear pins and star of David jewelry, keep the 7th day rest every sat-day and keep Yah's feast days according to Jewish traditions. They follow the herd as they 'stand with Israel' not knowing today's modern day state of Israel is not Biblical Israel and they believe that today's Jews are God's chosen people who were gathered back to their land in 1948.  Some even go as far as to submit their DNA for analysis to see if they are blood relatives of the Jews. Sadly, they don't realize how much has been added to the Word via man's imagination; Christianity and all its divisions; and Judaism which includes the writings in the Talmud and the mystical Kabbalah. It's as if Satan is throwing one last big stumbling block out there for those of us seeking YHWH. We came out of the Babylonian religious systems but many are in danger of being snared by Judaism and all its customs.

Let's come back to the first five books of the Old Testament - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy - long before Judaism or Christianity were invented - folks were either Set Apart believers in Yahweh or they were pagans. Folks either chose to obey His Instructions or follow after all the pagan traditions. Recorded in these writings are YHWH's plans for His people and the precise instructions to follow in order to live in a just and righteous fashion. They are called Torah in the Hebrew language and translate as Instructions in the English language. Christianity likes to call all of them Laws and put them under the heading of Legalism which makes it easier to promote the belief that Jesus 'nailed them to the cross' and did away with them (which is not true). Also, today's religion of Judaism likes to color Yah's Instructions with a paintbrush full of man-made traditions. Neither of these these religions honor our Creator by following His Instructions = choosing the Blessing of Life eternal. Both have mixed and mingled lies and deception with bits and pieces of Scriptures, perverting the Word of Yah.

Faith and not religion is what Y'shua asked about, wondering if any will be found on this earth when he returns (Luke 18:8). He spoke this parable against men who relied upon themselves thinking they were righteous, while despising everyone else.  Time and again while discussing 'religion', when I get to the part about Yahweh never being about 'religion', that His Instructions are the perfect guide for our governance, health and well being, this is the response:

"But - Jesus was a Jew!"

What is meant by this? Was he a Jew by birth? by heritage? or a Jew by religious tradition? Is he a Jew because some rabbi on TV says he is? If you read Scriptures you learn that he certainly did not practice Judaism. In fact he taught against it! As I mentioned above, Judaism is a religion spun off the Word of YHWH, mixed with man's own imagination, just as so many other religious belief systems which 'divide' people instead of bringing us together as One. Being a Jew would mean one is of the tribe of Judah and later referred to one who lives in the territory called Judah.

Quote: In the Bible the word "Jew" means a resident of the land of Judea regardless of their tribe, race or religion, just as an Australian or Englishman may in fact be a Chinese, Negro or an Eskimo, or perhaps a member of the tribe of Judah. (end quote)

I'm an American by location, a Michigander by birth, a Texan by choice and a Set Apart believer in the Creator and His Son. Religion has nothing to do with it other than being one of the biggest rabbit trails ever and I thank Yah for His patience waiting for me to see His Truth. I pray the same for anyone else still teetering on the edge.

Remember, the House of Israel began with Abraham the Hebrew. His offspring were Hebrews. His son, Jacob, carried on the Hebrew line. His name was changed to 'Israel' and his offspring were the House of Israel made up of his twelve sons and their offspring and all were descendants of Abraham the Hebrew.

In the days of Y'shua few of the citizens of Judea were 'Yehudeans'. Some belonged to other tribes of Israel, and many were descendants of Esau (Edomites) who had assimilated and become co-religionists with the Judahites and remnants of the other tribes in the hybrid religion of Pharisaism developed during the captivity in Babylon. This religion of the Talmud is called Judaism today.

In today's world, most people think of Jews as the people of Israel, but that is not correct. An Israelite was one who had descended from Jacob. In Y'shua's time individual Jews may or may not have descended from Jacob, but they did recognize Pharisaism and not the Instructions Yah had given, recorded in Genesis through Deuteronomy.

The point is that one who is called a "Jew" in the Bible is not necessarily a chosen man of God, or a member of the tribe of Judah, an Israelite, or even a Semite, but one who is a resident of Judea. A Judean. In my studies I learned that over time a "secondary meaning" for the new word "Jew" came about, which is not the understanding intended by the Scripture of truth. Those who call themselves Jews today falsely imply they are somehow descendants of the tribes of Israel and chosen of God. Yet few of them are Jews as they are not "Judeans," or residents of Judea. And let me remind you, this is not hate speech or antisemitism... it is fact and you can always research this topic for yourself, keeping Scriptures as your base of operations.

Consider this: 

Y'shua was a "Jew" by location only -a resident- born in Bethehem, Judea. He was not a Jew by birth nor by religious affiliation. He was a Levite by blood (his mother was cousin to Elizabeth who was descended from Aaron - a Levite [Luke 1:5]) and from the House of Judah by adoption. All of this qualifies Y'shua to be King and High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. What a wonderful revelation!

Genesis 14:18- And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of Yahweh Elohim. He blessed Abram.

Isaiah 9:6- In token of abundant authority and of peace without limit upon David's throne and kingdom, that it may be firmly established in justice and in equity now and evermore.

Psalm 110:4- Yahweh has sworn and will not relent, "You are a priest forever, a rightful king by My decree after the order of Melchizedek.' 

Hebrews 6:19- which is to us as an anchor that retains our soul so that it stays fixed; and it enters into that within the veil where Y'shua has previously entered for us and has become a priest forever, after the likeness of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:14- For it is manifest that our Master Y'shua arose from Yehuda, from a tribe of which Moses said noting concerning a priesthood. And this is further manifest from his saying that another priest will stand up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who was not according to the Torah of physical requirements, but according to the power of an indestructible life

To proclaim that 'Jesus is a Jew' is very misleading to many people who haven't read Scriptures for themselves. It is, however, in our obedience to The Creator, having the testimony of His Son, Y'shua the Anointed One, and our sharing the Good News of the kingdom that ensures our being gathered together when that day comes. We are grafted in, adopted just as Y'shua was adopted, into the House of Israel.  We become one people of one faith with one Master whom we worship in spirit and in truth.

There is more I could point out on this subject, but will wrap it up with this:

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Aramean, nor slave nor free, nor male nor female, but you are all one in Y'shua the Anointed One. And if you are of Y'shua then you are seeds of Abraham and inheritors by the promise.

All praise belongs to Yahweh, our Father in heaven, whose Name is Set Apart. His Kingdom is near - let us desire to do His will, as in heaven so shall it be on earth. Father, give us understanding and forgive us our wrongdoings as we have forgiven those who have done us wrong. We know You test us to reveal what is truly in our hearts, but please protect us from the Evil One; for we know that Yours is the power and the glory forever and ever.

We still are in His learning curve. Let's get rid of those snares and stumbling blocks thrown in our way by the Adversary and keep our focus on Yahweh and the Instructions He provided for us.

Inalienable Rights

Quote: The word 'inalienable' refers to a natural right that cannot be revoked by an outside force. In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson (using the un- variant) wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Thomas Jefferson described the term liberty in the Declaration of Independence as “unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others".

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary definition: A right is “conformity to the will of God, or to his law, the perfect standard of truth and justice. In the literal sense, right is a straight line of conduct, and wrong a crooked one. Right therefore is rectitude or straightness, and perfect rectitude is found only in an infinite being and his will.” Webster defines a right as conformity to the law of God.

Scripture tells us about some of our "God Given Rights" :

John 1:12 ~ But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God

Revelation 2:7 ~ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of Elohim.

Revelation 3:21 ~ To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.

Revelation 22:14 ~ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.

If you spend time reading Scriptures you will see that our Creator did give us His complete set of Instructions for our health and well being, about living and working together in our communities; and as a result of our obedience we were given some rights. Our liberty and freedom come from loving the truth of His Word. We are not to be so self absorbed that we pursue happiness but should be learning from our Creator's Instructions why we should choose The Blessing and how to receive it which is for our well being, thus resulting not only in happiness while we are still upon this earth, but eternal life afterwards. Has mankind been conforming to the will of our Creator and to His Teachings which are the perfect standard of truth and justice?  I don't think so.  The rights given us by YHWH depend on our following His Instructions (not man-made laws) and the rights given by Him are not 'inalienable' and He can revoke them according to the terms of His Covenant. We are not 'once saved always saved'.

John 14:6

Y'shua said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me.

Those who founded the government of this country may of had good intentions by stating that God gave men rights that they wished to uphold but they did not incorporate the whole Word of Yahweh in forming the government, nor did they uphold any of them. They said enough to spawn unity and get the support needed.  No one was really keeping the laws of the Creator then - man had long since taken over, back when they chose a man as king (president; leader) instead of continuing to trust YHWH to rule over them; and He told them beforehand what would happen if they were to do so.  This is evident in today's world as well.

1 Samuel 8:7 ~ Yah replied to Samuel, "Heed the demand of the people in everything they say to you. It is not you they have rejected, it is Me they have rejected as their King. Like everything else they have done ever since I brought them out of Egypt, to this day - forsaking Me and worshiping other gods -  they are doing to you. Heed their demands but warn them solemnly, and tell them about the practices of any king who will rule over them."

Samuel reported back to the people everything Yah had said and gave them the warning. This will be the practice of the king who will rule over you: 

He will take your sons and appoint them as his charioteers and horsemen and they will serve as outrunners (those who run ahead of or beside) his chariots. He will appoint some as chiefs of thousands and of fifties; others will have to work in his fields plowing and reaping the harvests, and they will have to make his weapons and the equipment for his chariots.  He will take your daughters and put them to work as perfumers, cooks and bakers.  He will take your choice lands and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his courtiers (those who attend his royal court as companions or advisers).  He will take a tenth of your grain and vintage and give them to his eunuchs and cronies.  He will take your servants, your best young men, and your beasts of burden and put them to work for himself.  He will take a tenth of your flocks and you shall become his slaves. The day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen and YHWH will not answer you.

Let's interpret that warning and bring it into the modern age comparing the deeds of today's world leaders to the kings of days gone by: 

• They draft young men into military service where they will be workers in the various departments of the industrial military complex
• Young women will be employed to serve personal needs of those in charge, and ensuring the continued feeding of the war machine
• Private property will be taken under the law of Eminent Domain whenever it serves his purpose
• The best of what you've worked for will be taken and given to his cronies per the IRS and/or the act of taking by force your assets (or by legal action) aka: Search and Seizure: a procedure used by police or other authorities and their agents, who, suspecting that a crime has been committed, commence a search of a person's property and confiscate any relevant evidence found in connection to the suspected crime. (Do a little research on the Patriot Act)
• The best of your people will be taken to work for him and his cause
• We all become slaves once again to the New World Pharaoh

Man gave up his "God Given Rights" when he turned his back on the Creator and started ruling for himself. The rights we read of in Scriptures never really made into the Declaration of Independence: just words and not deeds resulted in the death of faith.

Obedience is Discipline

Obeying the Creator

By observing Torah, which is obeying the laws God gave all mankind, we demonstrate our love for Him. Most Christians are following Torah without knowing it! They keep about 1/3 of the commands simply by living moral, upright lives. We have the testimony of Messiah AND the choice to follow God's commands. If we've got Messiah and follow him and we allow the Holy Spirit to work inside us, YHWH will reveal Truth every step of the way.

If you continue to study Scripture then Knowledge and Understanding will increase, baggage falls away, the narrow gate opens and the straight path is revealed. Halleluyah! and praise Elohim for His steadfast love that all would have the chance and choose to turn from sin and return to Him - the One who created us! 

This is the path we journey along towards our real home. We come across many stepping stones as well as stumbling blocks, but our Faith keeps us steady. Satan's goal is to knock us off that path of righteousness. Our goal is the Heavenly Kingdom YHWH told us about through His servants, the prophets of old.  Messiah confirmed all that God had commanded as it is written in the renewed covenant.  The message has been preserved and handed down through the ages. We are the lost sheep of Israel and those other sheep that have heard our Shepherd's Voice. That doesn't mean we stop learning and become content where we are, but we let the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter Y'shua gave us after he died, continue to guide us, teach us and reveal the Word of God to us. That is why he calls it A Path - we move along his path so as not to stagnate in a perceived comfort zone.

Torah reveals right from wrong. It is a set of instructions necessary for the behavior of mankind, not a tool to use to find favor with God (that's what hypocrites are guilty of). It is just as much a part of our lives today as it was in the days of Moses, and Abraham and Noah.

There is evil in the world today just as there was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding towns. The world we live in today is much as it was in the days of Noah. And it's going to get worse. Our heavenly Father's laws reveal sin and keep us from evil as we walk through that shadowy valley of Death. We recognize right from wrong because we have the definition of both good and evil described in the 1st five books of Scriptures.

Y'shua Messiah was killed and his blood of atonement 'justifies', or absolves us of the guilt of sin. This act 'sanctifies' or sets us apart unto Elohim. We trust and obey God and this will be credited to us as 'righteousness'. (Galatians 3:6)

Y'shua Messiah did not put an end to what our Creator began.

The Spirit is continually teaching us and God is testing to see what is in our hearts. That was the purpose of the 40 years in the wilderness after Moses led that mixed multitude out of Egypt - YHWH knew what was in their hearts yet tested them to see if they would obey Him like they said they would. Well, as you know, only 2 of the original generation made it to the promise land of Canaan - Joshua and Caleb.

Keeping Torah in today's World

Torah is not a religion but God's perfect governing system for all mankind. Of the 613 commandments, 221 apply only to the temple, priesthood and their duties, sacrifices and ritual purity. Since the the physical temple and all associated with it does not exist today these laws do not apply and no law is 'broken' if some thing doesn't exist.  That leaves 392 'laws', which are divided among the rest of us, according to our station in life.

For example: Over 50 laws apply to you if you are a farmer or running a business. Over 60 laws apply to  judges or those  involved in the judicial system. There are 45 laws that apply to us in regard to social behaviors, community and family affairs, and some of those are for just men, and some just for women.  
 

The laws of God YHWH are not a burden and they are able to be kept.  He would not give us anything that we could not bear.  His rules and regulations bring order to the affairs of man and teach us how to handle our own daily affairs. You and I don't lie, cheat, steal or murder but there are many who do. Yahweh protects us, gives us a legal leg to stand on, if these wrongdoings befall us.  He takes into consideration laws regarding 'Involuntary Manslaughter' as well as 'Premeditated Murder'.

Torah is not complicated and is provided for everyone. It represents the character of YHWH our Elohim and His values according to His will - it elevates human life by establishing justice and equality for everyone.

John 14:15 - Y'shua said if you love me keep my commands. 14:21- He who has and keeps my commandments is he who loves me and will be loved by my Father. 15:10 - If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as I have kept the commandments of my Father (Torah) and I abide in His love.

Revelation 22:14 - Blessed are those who do His commandments for they shall be given the right to the Tree of Life and will be allowed to enter into the city (New Jerusalem).

The Law is the Word of YHWH our Elohim, and His commandments are found in the first five books of Scripture. His Son confirms this by obeying the will of his Father. Throughout Scripture we are told to show we love Him by keeping His commandments then He will be our Elohim and we will be His people. God would not tell us to do something if we weren't able to do so.

Definitions from Webster's

Justification = the condition necessary for salvation; of being absolved of the guilt of sin.
Sanctification = set apart, consecrated, made free from (bondage to) sin, purified, dedicated.
Righteousness = acting in a just, upright manner, doing what is morally right.

Torah is the Hebrew word for Instruction; instructions for discerning what is morally right, and teaches us how to live in a just manner, advising us on how to be justified and become sanctified - it is the instructions which point us to the Promised Land.  God Himself chose His people to be Set Apart as He is Set Apart... this happens by obeying Him, everything He commands.

New Covenant, Old Covenant, is Torah a covenant?

Right off the get-go we are being gently led astray by a bad translation, the word 'New'. The original Hebrew word 'chadash' means to re-new or to make new or repair. It was never a New covenant but a Renewed covenant. Theologians have long used this term to steer the 'church' away from the rules and commands by God written in Genesis through Deuteronomy, aka Torah.

In the research of Andrew Gabriel Roth, he found that " post-apostlic church founder, Marcion (110-160 AD), who was considered a heretic by the early church, coined the terms 'Old Testament' and 'New Testament' suggesting that the old was done away with, replaced with the new.  His false anti-torah theology is still believed by most Christians today."

A covenant is a contract, a promise, a firm agreement, a pact, made in faith by which the parties involved are trusted to uphold their end of said contract. In every contract there is an exchange of value. In the Renewed contract/covenant Y'shua Messiah offers redemption for our lives but we must reciprocate (hold up our end of the contract) by being obedient.

Torah contains the Terms and Conditions of Yahweh's covenant between Himself and mankind. Torah demands the element of Faith to bring mutual benefits between the parties involved.
  
John 15:10 - IF you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as I have kept the commandments of my Father Elohim and I abide in His love.

In reality, the new covenant (NT) is a renewal of the older covenant God had formerly made between Himself and His people. Y'shua Messiah and his apostles obeyed the Father, they were Torah observant. It is not a burden and it is not impossible to live by God's Commands.

Short Definition

A short definition of what is commonly called The Law:

Torah is the Hebrew word for Instructions pertaining to the rules, laws and teachings YHWH Elohim put in place for His People to set them apart from the pagan traditions which permeated the world around them.

As Creator, He included the Instruction Manual. (Most people don't read the instructions until all other attempts fail). Then He let us choose to obey or disobey, giving examples, throughout Scriptures, of what happens as results of those choices. He painted a clear picture of His expectations for living a righteous life. He did not lay a burden on us.

In order to be Set Apart believers in YHWH Elohim we must choose to follow His Instructions which set us apart from the traditions of man in this world. We then realize what Y'shua meant when he said we would be hated because of his name (by following him who was sent by the Creator/Father/Elohim as the example of Perfection). 

It's not about the Jews or the modern day state of Israel... it's not about all the diverse religions of the day... It is about Yah's perfect governing system for His Chosen. His Chosen People are the Set Apart believers, anyone of any background, who turn from their sinful nature and those pesky pagan ways (man made traditions handed down through the generations) and have Faith in the one true living Elohim, YHWH, and His Son, Y'shua haMashiyach, those who keep His Commands and have the testimony of Y'shua.

ONE is not a Lonely Number

Quotes from the AENT and Andrew G. Roth 

and composed by yours truly.

-_-_-

In the beginning was the Miltha, the instance of the manifestation of the Word in its substance: Yahweh.

In Him was Life and the life was the Light of men: Yahshua.

The Light was of Truth that shines on all who come into the world, but not all receive him or believe in his name.

The Word is the Manifestation of the Ruach haKodesh (Spirit of Elohim) within Y'shua.

This Light of Truth is the substance of Yahweh which He caused to become flesh, born of a pure woman.  Yahweh is full of Grace and Truth and His Glory is seen in His Son. Torah (Instructions given to us from Yahweh) is the Word of Yahweh but Grace and Truth revealed in Y'shua are the impelling forces that uphold all righteousness and keep the Word of Elohim positioned in our hearts;  these are complimentary, not opposite, nor does one replace the other.   It is according to the Grace of the Father that Messiah is revealed in a person's heart.

Yahweh keeps us by His Name (YAH) which He gave to His Son (YAHshua) that we may be One as they are One.  

When we call upon YHWH in Y'shua's name we are calling on YHWH for Salvation.  Y'shua pleads for us because YHWH gave us to him, those who have kept the Word of Elohim.

As followers of Y'shua we are to walk according to his righteousness, observe the Father's Instructions and walk in the anointing of the Ruach haKodesh as Mashiyach demonstrated for us.

Father, sanctify us by your Truth, for Your Word is Truth.

John 16:27 ...the Father loves you because you have loved me and you have believed that I have proceeded from the presence of the Father... and have come into the world and will return to the Father.  :31 ... Believe. For behold the hour is coming... :33 I have spoken these things to you that (you may find peace in me).  In the world will be affliction but take courage, I have conquered the world.

John 17: Y'shua says, " My Father the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son might glorify You." 

Elohim has given all authority to Y'shua by which we gain life that is eternal.  Verse 3 tells us that Life that is Eternal is that we come to know YHWH the Elohim of Truth and know that He alone set Y'shua  who has glorified YWHW on earth.  The Work Yah gave His Son to do is finished.  Through Y'shua Messiah we come to know YHWH Elohim and if we choose to follow Y'shua, love the Father and obey His Commandments, we gain Life Eternal.

Yahweh created all things.  Part of His plan of salvation was to send Y'shua to do His Work.  The Father is telling His Son, "I am going to give you My People who are lost - they have forgotten Me and the promise I made to Abraham.  I give you these people, and I want you to show them who I am, teach them My Ways and remind them where they came from and where they are  going .  Reveal the Truth by shinning Light in to the darkness."

I am inspired to write my short summary from these related writings found in:

Numbers 1:1- 4:20; Hosea 2:1-11 and Revelation 7:1-17.

We, in order to function as one people, are designated, each to our abilities, duties ascribed by our Creator, that we may live as Set Apart people (to Him) and be an example to the nations/world; a light showing the Way as we follow His Son.  When we function in an orderly way we move according to His Will.  His shalom/peace is apparent through our harmonious behavior.

YHWH is at the center of our lives just as the Tabernacle, His Tent of Meeting, was at the center of the camp during the 40 years the Hebrews spent traveling the wilderness. Everyone knew their place and their responsibilities. They trusted YHWH, His instructions given through Moses, and obeyed out of reverence and love.

In this day many still want their ears tickled instead of hearing the harsh truth and many have gone a-whoring after false gods, idols and follow the doctrines of men. YHWH our Elohim will end all our rejoicing, our festivals, new moons and sabbaths, all our festive seasons because of it.

We must become as little children, void of worldly pollution, mind altering ways, and man made distractions, if we desire to see His Way, know His path, trust His Word and choose to follow His Son.

YHWH will coax us back, guide us through this wilderness and eventually restore all things. We will be, once again, His People, lovingly accepted. It's His promise but our choice.

The Perfect Government System

My sister and I have been discussing the term 'legalistic' as it is used by Christians against keeping Torah.  My conclusion is that it is not about legalism but rather a free will choice: 

Obey His Commands or Don't obey His Commands, simple as that.

 

'Torah' is the Hebrew word and translates to the English word 'Instructions'.

Christians seem to think it is impossible to keep the Dos and Don'ts provide by The Father; His laws, rules and regulations, and would rather follow man made church traditions.  Without knowing it, most Christians keep about 200 of the 613 Commandments.  Of the 613, not all apply to you and me.  Some apply only to the Temple and Priests (n/a today because the Temple doesn't exist). Some apply only to Judges or agriculture, some for just men and some for just women.

Yah provided His Owner's Manual, His set of instructions in righteous living for His created.  It contains the terms and conditions of His Covenant between Himself and mankind - a contract.  His Instructions are found in Genesis through Deuteronomy and are meant for everyone.  It is YHWH's perfect system of government.  Spiritual guidelines make up His Faith conditional covenant which, through the observance of Messiah, brings blessings.  Reading Scriptures reveals the mystery of His Kingdom; provides a spiritual connection with Y'shua; provides prophetic discernment and is pleasing to YHWH our Creator and His Anointed One, Y'shua.

Yah's Instructions reveal sin as we learn right from wrong.  It specifies what is good and acceptable conduct according to our Creator and provides guidelines for righteousness and repentance.

Andrew G. Roth, in his Aramaic English New Testament, breaks down the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) into categories: The 248 Positive (Dos) and the 365 Negative (Don'ts).  I will list those categories here for you.

There are 248 Positive Commands as they pertain to these categories:

• YHWH
• Torah
• Temple and Priests
• Sacrifices
• Vows
• Ritual Purity
• Donations to Temple
• Sabbatical Year (Jubilee)
• Animals for food
• Festivals
• Community
• Idolatry
• War
• Social
• Family
• Judicial
• Slaves (bondservants)
• Torts

There are 365 Negative Commands and they pertain to:

• Related practices to idolatry
• Prohibitions resulting in historical events
• Blasphemy
• Temple, Sacrifices and Priests
• Dietary Laws
• Nazarites
• Agriculture
• Loans, Business, Treatment of Slaves
• Justice
• Incest and Forbidden Relationships
• The Monarchy

Yah's Commandments are common sense law for our health and well being.  We will experience this system after the return of Y'shua during his thousand year reign on this earth.  By reading and studying Scriptures now we will know what is expected of us.  He has shown us the End from the Beginning!

It is not up to us to decide how we should honor our Creator - it is about what He wants, not what we think and feel is the right thing.  If we love Him we keep His Commandments.  Even Y'shua said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)  Also, "He who has my Commandments with  him and keeps them (obeys the Word of God) is he who loves me and will be loved by my Father."  (John 14:21)  And, "If you keep my Commandments you will abide in my love, just as I have kept the Commandments of my Father...: (John 15:10).  Y'shua kept Torah.

 Our Father in heaven gave us free will.  He is long-suffering, waiting for us to choose to love Him and by keeping His Commandments we show that love.

Armageddon

You have more than likely heard the term “Armageddon”  used by news reporters or have read it in the headlines.  Some people think Armageddon means the end of the world, and it does, in a way.  I want to share with you a little research I have done in regards to prophecy and current events. There is a Damascus, Syria prophecy (Isaiah 17) and an Egypt prophecy (Isaiah 19) that look like what is going on today.  When Damascus ends up in a heap of ruins and ceases to be a city you’ll know that this particular prophecy has been fulfilled.

There will be a final 7 year time period (of life as we know it) that will begin when a rich political figure/world leader makes a "firm agreement with many". This is the guy referred to as the Antichrist and his 'peace treaty' that happens (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24). The fighting will stop and the first 3-1/2 years will seem peaceful and good.  At the midway point is when Satan takes full possession of this world leader, puts an end to all that seemed good and goes after (to kill) anyone who believes Jesus/Y’shua is the son of God, YHWH.  At the end of this 7 year period is when the battle at Meggido/Armageddon occurs.

It just so happens that the last battle at Meggido, Israel was during WWI when the Allied troops battled the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) which is an Islamic country.  That is another study to share at another time!

This coming battle at Meggido will happen after the 6th Cup of Wrath is poured out (Revelation 16:16). The beast/Antichrist and the kings of the earth assemble to battle against Y’shua, Messiah, who has returned with an army from heaven to claim his rightful kingdom on earth.  Messiah wins. The beast and false prophet are tossed into Fire Lake and Satan is bound in a chain and locked in the abyss for 1,000 years.  He will not be able to deceive mankind during this time. (Revelation 19:19)

It is the elect, the Set Apart Believers, who have been caught up in the air with Y’shua Messiah on a cloud just prior to the final 7 plagues. (1Thessalonians 4:16-17).  We are changed at the last trumpet - the last shofar of seven that are sounded by Angels of Elohim.  We will be here to witness the final 3-1/2 years leading up to The End but we will not be physically on earth to experience the Wrath of Elohim: the final 7 Plagues.

After Messiah and his army defeat Satan and his army, we will be planted on our soil (set back down after the cloud episode), in the promised land, the land of Canaan (the original boundaries that go beyond modern day Israel) where we will live with Y’shua as our King and High Priest for 1,000 years!

This is the condensed version of the end of this age as I just wanted to let you know the events that lead up to "Armageddon". 

If we love Yahweh, keep His Commandments and believe in His Son Y'shua, we won’t be on earth to experience the final 7 plagues, the Cups of His Wrath, but we will go through those trying times know as The Tribulation.

After the thousand years will be the battle of Gog of the land of Magog... stay tuned.

Light of Torah Design

In That Day

Blessed are You, Yahweh Elohim, King of the universe, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to engross ourselves in the words of the Torah. 

I admit that I do fall short of engrossing myself in the words of the Torah but ask to be forgiven my weakness. I love Yahweh Elohim, King of the universe and strive to remember the sabbath and keep it Set Apart because He is Set Apart.

By reading Scriptures and including His Instructions for us in our daily affairs, we build a solid foundation on which to stand when we face adversity. For there are those who will hate us because we love Yahshua, son of Yahweh.

"The great day of Elohim is approaching, approaching most swiftly. Hark, the day of Yahweh Elohim! It is bitter"  (Zephaniah) 

That day will be bitter for those who do not call upon the Name above all names. It will be a day of sadness and joy for those of us who are still alive and bear witness to His Return. It is easy for me to visualize the anger of our Elohim- just look at the behavior of humans everywhere -lack of morality, love of self, materialism, just to name a few.

It is not easy to visualize His day of trouble and distress, calamity and desolation, darkness and deep gloom (Zephaniah) for those people who refuse to repent and return to Him. The fairness of Yahweh Elohim, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is evident even in these end times. He wants even the sinners of that day to Seek Him and to seek righteousness and humility. Even then they may find shelter on the day of His anger.

Our Elohim will cause all the false gods on earth to shrivel. In that day we shall no longer be ashamed for all the deeds by which we have defied Him because the follies of our youth He will not remember.

How I thank and give praise to Yahweh for His loving-kindness! For His patience to wait for me to turn to Him for salvation! I rejoice in His long suffering that we should All turn from our sins and embrace Him. Rejoice and be glad with all your heart all who have found peace in Y'shua as King of Kings. He is the Truth, the Light and the Way.

Quoted from Mike Clayton

B'resheet is the Hebrew word for
"In the beginning"

The account of Genesis begins with how the heavens and the earth were created. Scripture tells us that it took six days for all the work to be done. At the end of those six days, Our Creator gave everyone a day off, including Himself. The world, the creatures and even the people were perfect in that day. It was a life you and I can only dream of, but never fully understand. It is a time we long to be restored to.

Into perfection came a lie from the enemy which when accepted by Eve brought doubt into her mind. Until this time she had never wondered for a moment if Yahweh really had done what He had said. In those cool-of-the-evening conversations she had just accepted the how and why He had created everything. Why should she have any doubts, because after all He was the only one she knew who had been there and witnessed these things.

When satan came to Eve his trickery was not about getting her to eat a piece of fruit, it was to plant a seed of doubt in her spirit. It was to make her doubt the words of her Creator. The words, "Did Elohim really say?" would not only cause her to eat of forbidden fruit, they would cause her and all her descendants to forever ask the question, "Did He really say?" It is a question which still plagues His family today.

No other passage of scripture has been picked apart and ridiculed as much as Genesis One. In this chapter we read of the creation of the heavens, the earth and all that is in them. We read the order of creation and the astounding words that it was done in six days. We then count from this time period using subsequent scripture and find all this was accomplished about six thousand years ago! Could that really be so? Could He really mean it as He states it here? Is this not merely code language for six million days or maybe six billion years? Did He really mean what He said? "Did He really say?"

Men have done their best through the years using junk science and fuzzy logic to ridicule and prove wrong the words of Genesis One. They have come up with evolution (which makes a monkey out of them), big bang theories and any number of ridiculous thoughts to place doubt in the words of Scripture. This so called teaching has produced a generation of Godless thought and Godless actions in the world around us.

Now you can call me simple if you desire, but I choose to read Genesis One the same as I do all of scripture. I choose to read it and believe it just as it is written. I am of the opinion that if Yahweh had meant six thousand or six billion years that is what He would have written. If He had chosen to bring us from slime ponds and monkeys that is what He would have said. If He had used a big bang, He would have told us so.

But “What is the difference?” you may ask. “Is it really important to believe Genesis one the way it is written?” “What about science today?” Let me take these one at a time.

Does it make a big difference how we treat the words of Genesis One? I believe the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” The attitude you take toward the first chapter is the attitude that will direct your thoughts through the rest of Scripture. If you have doubts about the first chapter, it would be safe to say you are still walking in that same doubt when you get to the words of Revelation. The only difference is the seed of doubt will have now been able to grow into a full size tree of doubt.

What about science today? Scientists today break their own rules when it comes to the creation of the world. In order for a scientific principle to be called true, it must be observed by the scientist. We do have some old scientists around today, but not one of them is six thousand years old. The only One we have Who was around at the time of creation states the world was created in six days and records it as being about six thousand years old. He is the only eyewitness we have. I choose to believe the One Who was there!

Through the years scientists have changed their theories and books every few years. Every time they are proven wrong, they simply come up with another theory to get them through to the next blunder. The Word of Yahweh has never been proven wrong nor has it ever needed a revision. What He said has always proven the test of time and always will.

Today, we may not understand all that went on during the days of creation, but one thing we have a choice in. We have a choice to begin our time in scripture with faith or with doubt, with faith in His Words, or with doubt based upon man’s words. The choice we make today will affect us from the very first chapter to the very last. (End Quote)

Update 09/11/2018 ~ I am keeping this quote because it is a great lesson, but I no longer follow the teachings of Mike Clayton.  He has gone the way of many other popular teachers who, after realizing that Torah was for everyone and reveals the Hebrew Roots of our Faith, have gone 'Jewish' by following the traditions of man.