Who's Judging Whom?

Some folks think we who make it into the Kingdom to Come will sit as judges and even judge angels.  Well, you know me, I had to look into it, especially the judging angels part.

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What does it mean, to judge?

: to form an opinion about, after careful thought : to regard (someone/thing) as either good or bad : to make an official decision about

Who is a judge?

One who makes judgments, such as

: a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court: one who gives an authoritative opinion

We have learned about the Messengers/angels being kept in chains until the day of Judgment: Jude 1:6 ~ And the Messengers that did not keep their first estate but left their station, He has reserved in chains unknown under darkness to the judgment of the great day." (These are the ones we read about in Genesis 6:2- the divine beings who took human women that pleased them).  

We have read in Matthew that Messiah said the 12 Apostles will be given positions at his return, so that they may judge: Matthew 19:28 ~ Y'shua said to them, Truly I say to you, that you who have come to follow me in this world, when the Son of man sits new upon the throne of his glory, you will also sit upon twelve seats and you will judge the twelve tribes of Israel..."

The twelve Apostles judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Does this include the entire generational line of Jacob, the commonwealth of Israel, both native born and adopted in? If the Apostles are given the authority to judge, who are we to judge? And who judges the 200 angels who have been kept in chains?

Click Here to go to my study about Nephilim
and Scroll down to "According to Enoch..."

1 Corinthians 6:1 ~ Would any of you, when you have a controversy with a brother, litigate before the sinful, and not before the sanctified? Or don't you know that the sanctified will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you (the sanctified?), are you unfit to decide trivial causes? Don't you know that we (the Apostles?) will judge Messengers? How much more the things that are of the world?" 

Who are the sanctified? Those who are set apart, consecrated, made free from (bondage to) sin, purified, dedicated.

It is only the set apart believers from the beginning of time that will be gathered together just before the Day of Wrath scenario when the plagues are poured out upon those left behind. These who are gathered are they who are sanctified, His Set Apart people. The sanctified judge worldly things. The Apostles judge the 12 tribes. The Messengers being held in chains are judged by whom, come Judgment Day, when worldly things cease to exist.

At this point in the study I don't see that it will be you and me who sit in those seats judging angels, but Y'shua and the twelve Apostles are definitely designated judges, and it is only the 'angels' prior to The Flood who left their station in the spiritual realm that are being kept for judgment day. We know of no others that have fallen or are being kept in chains in darkness. Yet, this raises another question: Is the Day of Wrath the same as Judgment Day, or are these two events separated by the thousand years?

Revelation 20 tells us Satan is locked up in the abyss for the next thousand years which brings us to Ezekiel's prophecy recorded in chapters 38 and 39.

Revelation 20:7 says when the thousand years are completed Satan will be released from his prison and goes forth to seduce the nations, to assemble them for battle. This army, the vast horde, will eventually 'encompass the camp of the Set Apart believers and the beloved city (Jerusalem).
Ezekiel 38:8 notes 'after a long time' YHWH will summon Gog (Satan has been release from the abyss and starts working on summoning/seducing nations/peoples).
Ezekiel 38:10 says Gog gets this idea to attack a people gathered from among nations now living at the center of the earth (Jerusalem, that beloved city). My note here is that those people who are gathered together and living secure whom Gog desires to attack are the camp of Set Apart ones and those living in the city, same ones mentioned in Revelation 20:7.

We are judging now, aren't we?  It's beginning to look like we, as His sanctified people, are judging the things of this world, the here and now. We gain knowledge the further we move along His Path of Righteousness. After careful thought, we form opinions about (something or someone). As we continue to abide by His Instructions, we are able to regard (someone or something) as either good or bad, and through discernment given us by His Spirit, we judge the person or situation and make an official decision about it, according to His rules, laws and commandments. That is how we judge this world, within the bounds of Torah and only those who are part of the body of Y'shua. YHWH takes care of those unbelieving Gentiles.

Second Timothy 4 ~ I charge you before Elohim and our Master Y'shua who is to judge the living and the dead at the manifestation of his Kingdom. I have fought a good fight, I have completed my race, I have preserved my faith; and from now on there is preserved for me a crown of righteousness with which my Master Y'shua, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day; and not me only, but them also who love his manifestations.

Y'shua is the judge of the living and the dead.... the first resurrection is of those who chose the Blessing: Set Apart believers from the beginning of time who have died and are seen rising by the Set Apart believers still alive when that time comes. This is the gathering of Yah's people after the 7th shofar is sounded. This is the 'living' time line we want to be part of, as this is eternal life.  The second resurrection, the Curse, is after the thousand years come to an end, and is known as the second death.

Revelation 20:5 ~ This is the first resurrection. Blessed and Set Apart is he that has part in this first resurrection; over them the second death has no dominion, but they will be and are priests of Elohim and of his Mashiyach and they will reign with him the thousand years. 20:14 ~ And death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, namely, this lake of fire. And if any one was not found enrolled in the book of life, he was cast into this lake of fire.

Click Here to go to my study To Judge or not to Judge 

Daniel 7:9 ~ As I looked on, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His garment was like white snow, and the hair of His head was like lamb's wool. His throne was tongues of flame; its wheels were blazing fire (Ezekiel's vision). A river of fire streamed forth before Him; myriads upon myriads attended Him; the court sat and the books were opened.

Revelation 20:11 ~ And I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it; from whose presence the earth and heaven fled away, and were not found. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds.  And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and Sheol gave up the dead in them. And they were judged, each one according to his deeds.  And death and Sheol were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, this lake of fire. And if any one was not found enrolled in the book of life, he was cast into this lake of fire.

(Both the above quotes from Daniel and Revelation refer to the same event which happens at the end of the thousand year kingdom of Y'shua. The 'dead' are being judged. Anyone not found in the book of life will be thrown into Fire Lake).

John 5:24 ~ I (Y'shua) say to you that whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has life that is eternal, and does not come into judgment but has passed from death into life. 29 ~ And those who have done good things will go forth to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil things to the resurrection of judgment.

Matthew 12:36 ~ I say to you for every vain word that the sons of men speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be made righteous, and by your words you will be condemned.

First Corinthians 4:4 ~ I am not conscious in myself of anything flagrant; yet I am not made righteous by this; for Master YHWH is my judge. Therefore do not pronounce judgments before their time or until MarYah comes, who will pour light upon the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the thoughts of men's hearts; and then will each one have due praise from Him.

Hebrews 9:27 ~ As it is appointed to men that they must once die, and after their death is the judgment; so also the Mashiyach was once offered and by this, he burned away the sins of many; and a second time (at his return) he will appear for the life of them who expect him.

John 5:21 ~ For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, likewise also the Son will make alive to those whom he desires. For the Father does not judge man, rather all judgment He has given to the Son, so that every man who honors the Son also honors the Father who sent him.  

It all comes back to the beginning when YHWH Elohim gave us a choice between the Blessing and the Curse: Life or Death.

Deuteronomy 30:15- See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity. For I command you this day to love Yahweh your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His laws, and His rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that He may bless you... But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish... I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Chose life by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure...

To be continued.... 

To Judge or Not to Judge

For all the times your hear someone say something to the effect about 'not judging' one another, here is the example of how we are to judge:

John 7:24-

Do not be judging by hypocrisy, rather judge with a just judgment.

I Corinthians 5:11

But this is what I wrote to you, that you don't mix (with anyone who is) ...called a brother (believer) and is also a sexual sinner, or avaricious (materialistic), or an idol-worshipper, or a charlatan, or a drunkard, or rapacious, with him who is such, not even to eat bread. For what business have I to judge them who are without (the body/assembly of those who follow God's instructions)? But those within the body, you judge. And those without, Elohim judges... remove from you the wickedness among you.

This is a hard lesson yet an instruction we must accept. YHWH warns us of the consequence of 'mixing and mingling' throughout Scriptures, which is why we are told to remove the wicked from among us, or in turn, remove ourselves from such people, so as not to give in to temptation.

How many of you belong to an assembly of professing believers and know there are folks in that same group who are heavy drinkers or drug users? those who follow after the flesh and turn away from the Spirit? a person who falsely claims to have a special knowledge? greedy? or one who has 'idols' in their homes? (an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship or adoration.) Do these people bring unity to the assembly? I doubt it. We are not to 'tolerate' this behavior, nor even invite this type of person to dinner! We are to remove the wicked from among us. Likewise, we leave a group who allow this division to exist.

YHWH our Elohim has not made it difficult to adhere to His Instructions, nor is it a burden to walk the path following Y'shua, who did the Will of his Father. It has been, however, hundreds of years of man's ideas and traditions that have become the stumbling block, thanks to deceptions cast about by Satan.

Romans 2:1 lets us know we better not be guilty of the same thing we are judging another of. YHWH judges according to truth and we are to act accordingly. There's no excuse for one who judge another, yet is guilty of the same things and thus we condemn ourselves to the same style of judging from YHWH.

We are called to be Set Apart because our Creator is Set Apart.

The choice is ours.

Matthew 24:9

Then they will deliver you to afflictions and they will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will stumble and will hate one another and will betray one another. And many false prophets will arise and deceive many. And because of the growth of wickedness, the love of many will grow cold. But whoever has patience until the end, he will have life. And the Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The 'Love that Grows Cold' is that Love Y'shua spoke of, quoting from Torah :

Luke 10:27

Love Master YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.

Deuteronomy 6:5

You shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Leviticus 19:18

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself...

Models for Sale

The Vigilant Citizen
Published February 21, 2022

Jean-Luc Brunel – said to be Jeffrey Epstein’s “pimp” – was found dead hanging in his jail cell. Several people close to the case do not believe that it was a suicide. Did Brunel know too much?

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Jean-Luc Brunel, the notorious fashion agent who was suspected of procuring over 1,000 girls to billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell on February 19th, 2022. The apparent cause of death: Suicide by hanging. Aug. 10, 2019, Jeffrey Epstein was found dead by hanging in his jail cell. In both cases, no camera footage was available.

 

Brunel’s death occurred only days after Prince Andrew settled his lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre who accused him of sexual abuse while she was a minor. According to the Telegraph, Queen Elizabeth herself will provide money to pay for the settlement – an estimated $20 million. 

 

Is the occult elite actively silencing anyone who could blow the lid on a massive scandal involving some of the world’s most powerful people?

 

A year after Epstein’s death, Steve Bing – a billionaire Hollywood director who was close friends with Epstein – died mysteriously by falling from the 27th floor of his apartment building. While the official cause of death was said to be “suicide”, some claim that he was killed because he knew too much.

In Aug. 2022, Steven Hoffenberg was the latest of several Epstein associates found dead. French modeling scout Jean-Luc Brunel, Mark Middleton former special advisor to Bill Clinton with ties to Epstein, was found dead in May. Middleton's death also was ruled a suicide. He was found hanged from a tree with a shotgun wound in his chest.

One key person remains in this sordid affair: Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein’s long-time partner acted as a “Madame” throughout the years by facilitating the abuse of young girls. She is currently in jail and her family is convinced that Brunel was “suicided”. They also believe she might be next.

 

Brunel was a prominent model scout who was credited for discovering Sharon Stone and Monica Bellucci. In 2004, he founded MC2, a model management company that was financed by Jeffrey Epstein. Through this company, hundreds of girls were recruited by Brunel to be trafficked and abused by Epstein and his circle of elite friends. According to witnesses, Brunel used his reputation in the fashion industry to lure “poor girls” into a global ring of underage slaves.

In a 2015 affidavit, accuser Virginia Giuffre stated:

“A lot of the girls came from poor countries or poor backgrounds, and he lured them in with a promise of making good money. Jeffrey Epstein has told me that he has slept with over 1,000 of Brunel’s girls, and everything that I have seen confirms this claim.”

In court documents that were filed in both the United States and France, Guiffre said she had “sexual relations with Brunel on several occasions” when she was aged 16-19. She added that both Brunel and Prince Andrew abused her in Little Saint James – Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.

Brunel’s history of abusing models was known for decades.

“Brunel was the subject of a seven-month investigation by CBS producer Craig Pyes and reporter Diane Sawyer for 60 Minutes. The investigative segment “American Models in Paris”, which aired on 23 October 1988, covered the conduct of Brunel and fellow Parisian modeling agent Claude Haddad. Several American models who worked with Brunel were interviewed by 60 Minutes and described their experiences of the culture Brunel fostered where the models were routinely drugged and sexually abused.”

Despite these accusations, Brunel remained free and kept on running his agency while traveling abroad for scouting assignments.

During that time, Brunel became close friends with Jeffrey Epstein, who shared his obsession with abusing girls. Court documents state that Brunel once sent three 12-year-old girls from Paris to America so they could be abused by Epstein as ‘a birthday present’.

Court documents also show that the modeling agency MC2 was a front for a global underage sex ring organized by Jeffrey Epstein.

On December 16, 2020, Brunel was intercepted by police at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, as he was about to board a one-way flight to Dakar, Senegal. He was then placed under ‘garde à vue’ custody for questioning in relation to rape, sexual assault, criminal conspiracy, and human trafficking, with all of the allegations involving minors.  Since then, Brunel had been incarcerated at La Santé – the notorious maximum-security prison in Paris. On February 19th 2022, Brunel was found dead in bizarre circumstances.

He was found hanging by his bed sheets in his prison cell. French prison authorities told local media that “no breach” in security at the prison had occurred, and an investigation into the cause of death had been launched. 

A few years prior, Jeffrey Epstein was found dead hanging in his jail cell using bed sheets. Due to “technical errors” CCTV footage of his prison cell was said to be lost.

 

Most prison cells in France are not monitored (for privacy), there is also no footage of Brunel’s suicide. This led some observers to believe that Brunel might have been murdered by the same forces that killed Epstein.  A source told the Daily Mail that there was no indication that Brunel had suicidal tendencies.

"There were no obvious fears for the prisoner’s health, and he was not on a suicide watch, having already been in prison for many months."

In the wake of Brunel’s death, Ghislaine Maxwell’s family also stated that the “suicide” was highly suspicious.

 

Ian Maxwell added that (his sister) Ghislaine was put into a room at the prison with a psychiatrist and two others, including a guard with everything recorded on camera. Nevertheless, he fears for her safety.  “Despite the psychiatrist advising to the contrary, she was deemed a suicide risk and they are continuing to wake her up every 15 minutes in the night”.  Ian Maxwell insisted that Ghislaine is not suicidal. He also found it “ironic” that Epstein and Brunel, who died of apparent suicides, were not on suicide watches in their respective prisons. Epstein had been taken off suicide watch shortly before his death in August 2019.

In Conclusion

The death of Jean-Luc Brunel mirrors the death of Jeffrey Epstein. He is the latest casualty in an apparent ongoing operation to silence anyone who might expose the occult elite’s sick tendencies. Jeffrey Epstein’s flight logs revealed that a great number of prominent celebrities, businessmen, politicians, and elite people were involved in a sex ring of underage slaves that operated across the world – most notably on Epstein’s own private island. 

 

Jean-Luc Brunel was accused of recruiting girls for this elite ring. Epstein reportedly boasted that he personally slept with over 1,000 girls that were “shipped” to him by Brunel. 

 

In other words, Brunel knew everything about this sordid affair. And there was a risk that he could spill the beans on several elite psychopaths. And now he’s dead. Ghislaine Maxwell might be next. 

 

End Quote

 

But wait! There's more!

 

John Casablancas met Donald Trump in the 70s. Donald had his modeling agency 'T Models' which he later changed to 'Trump Model Management' and it ran for 18 years, closed in 2017. He was also friends with Mr. Epstein and that is how he met Melania. Donald Trump was quoted as saying he got to know financier Jeffrey Epstein in the late 1980s. “He’s a lot of fun to be with,” Trump famously told New York magazine in 2002. “It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

 

 

 

"Sometime in 1995 when Ivanka Trump was 14 years old, her father signed her up with a modeling gig at his friend John Casablancas' agency, Elite. The president of the company, Monical Pillard, first set his sights on signing Ivanka when she was 11 or 12."

Trump became friends with Casablancas sometime in the 1970s after being introduced by Roy Cohn*. Casablancas personally managed Ivanka’s modeling career.

 

Ivanka, 9 years old, with her dad

 

 

Trump owned his modeling agency for 18 years which closed in 2017, not without controversy.  He also encouraged aspiring fashionistas while presiding over the Miss Universe Organization. 

“I’m allowed to go in because I’m the owner of the pageant,” Trump told Howard Stern in 2005.  "Therefore I’m inspecting it… ‘Is everyone OK?’ You know, they’re standing there with no clothes. And you see these incredible-looking women. And so I sort of get away with things like that.”

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More thoughts to ponder:

Who is Judge Acosta who convicted Epstein of child rape in 2017 but was only sentenced to 13 months in prison due to his friendship with Trump, and Acosta became Trump’s minister of labor, but was forced to resign when Epstein’s case reopened? What did Epstein and Maxwell have to do with Donald and Melania Trump, whose work has led to suicide and arrest?

In New York, Maxwell partnered with sex and drug dealer Epstein to offer a modeling job with the intention of earning astronomical income by giving beautiful young virgins to the rich.

She attended Marlborough College, one of Britain’s most expensive private colleges, and through her father connected with members of Buckingham Palace, had easy access to Britain’s dirtiest rich, including “Prince Andrew”.

Epstein and Maxwell needed to select celebrities in New York and London to start their own sex agency. He convinced Trump, who worked hard to escape financial bankruptcy in 1991 and needed to meet famous people.

Maxwell also considered Prince Andrew, who had good relations with influential people in London and the wealthy princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Epstein was introduced to Prince Andrew by Maxwell to host the London Sex Club, and he worked for many years at London and New York Sex Clubs, and Andrew was a regular client of virgin girls.

The American team “Trump-Epstein” and the British team “Andrew-Maxwell” needed to work with a global brand to start an international career to host the sex of the rich.

Trump, a regular at Casablanca nightclubs at his New York mansions, hired John Casablanca, director of the Italian company Elite Model Management, to work with him, and in 1991 signed a business deal with him as an investor and referee for the Elite Model beauty pageant.

With this agreement, the modeling industry and the sex industry of Europe and the United States merged, making it possible for politicians and the rich to have easy and hassle-free sex with teenage and virgin girls at the Trump and Epstein parties, which was welcomed. Even former US President Bill Clinton and Arab princes attended the parties.

Trump and Epstein held the Young Model Girls Contest at the Plaza Hotel in 1993 and in Maralogo in 1993 to advance their work. In these competitions, the top models who were willing to cooperate with the “Elite Model” were selected.

The competition was an important achievement and showed that girls from Eastern Europe and Latin America, and especially Brazil, are more willing to work in the sex industry. Since then, Elite has focused its modeling work on teenage girls identified through fashion brands and fashion magazines in Eastern European countries.

For easier access to Eastern European girls, “Elite Model” selected young supermodels who, while familiar with the Russian language and culture, were more attractive to girls from Eastern European countries, and then could more easily communicate and educate girls, especially from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were transferred to the United States and London.

“Melania” was noticed in these searches among the beautiful girls of Eastern Europe. An unknown figure, she was introduced to Casablanca and Epstein through a man named Paolo Zampolli. From now on, in order for Melania to become international, it was necessary for her to become famous worldwide in collaboration with world-famous brands in France and Italy.
Zampolii started the ID Models agency in the 1990s to attract European girls and coordinated Melania’s work in Italy with “Joseph Mifsud”, who had close ties to Trump and Epstein.

In 1992, with the support of Zampolii and Mifsud, “Jana Magazine” published photos of Melania with 12 beautiful young girls, which eventually selected Melania as the top three models of the year. The yellow press immediately published reports and photos of Melania’s personality and achievements.

After gaining fame in Italy and France in 1995, Melania arrived in New York on an H-1B visa and lived with a sports photographer named “Matthew Atanian” and later with Epstein in an apartment where he worked as a photographer.

The apartment was actually owned by Elite Model and photographed teenage girls exported from Europe to evaluate modeling. It was in this apartment that Jeffrey Epstein was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl after forcing her to undress.

Melania’s main problem during her first years in the United States, however; was the heavy cost of living in New York. From 1995 to 1997, she paid for her expensive living in New York by printing nude photos, especially on Trump’s private jet and escorting some Epstein clients, until some important events occurred in 1999.

Trump, who chose Melania as one of his sexy dolls, divorced his second wife and started T-Models in hopes of expanding the empire of the fashion world. Under Trump and Epstein, the company entered the sex trade and illegally traded virgin girls and minors to the rich.

Melania, who after a few years of sexual slavery had lost her appeal to long-awaited clients, was hired for a second phase of work hosted by young newcomers and forced to maintain her body and set an example for new models. Perform two cosmetic operations on the chest and face during the years 98 and 99.

At T-Models, Melania and Maxwell managed to train girls to photograph and then sleep with the rich, and for models who were reluctant to continue, they persuaded them and even their parents to settle for a lucrative short-term job with a residence and work permit in the United States by showing their own bank accounts and photos of their parties and how they progressed in the fashion market.

In order for the newcomers to start their careers without any embarrassment, Melania and Maxwell forced them to watch a free relationship with rented men to learn how to behave in a variety of sexual ways with guests.
Seeing these scenes, they had to learn the courage and skills to have sex with men of all tastes and ages. In some cases, Melania and Maxwell were even the sex model for rented men.

Accordingly, a U.S. court has charged Maxwell with sexual harassment of underage girls after her arrest, which carries a life sentence under the law.
Although Trump promised to shut down T-Models after his inauguration in January 2016, the agency continued to work until 2017 to remove model girls who were staying in the United States illegally.

To cover up the role of Trump and Melania in the sex club, Epstein has (apparently) committed suicide, Joseph Mifsud disappeared, Prince Andrew has been summoned by the US Attorney, Maxwell has been arrested, the family of US Federal Judge Esther Salas judge have been assassinated, 10 complaints against Trump Silent, Trump’s lawyers have either threatened exponents of Melania’s sexual slavery or collected her nude photos at great expense.

*Roy Cohen 

Cohen started representing the Trumps in 1973 after the Department of Justice sued them for racist rental practices at the thousands of apartments they owned, through the rest of the ’70s and into the ’80s. Cohn became for Trump something much more than simply his attorney. At a most formative moment for Trump, there was no more formative figure than Cohn. Trump loved the guy because he was 'ruthless'.

 

They were both ruthless....

"Trump boasted that he kept a photo of Roy in his office, to intimidate people. “Roy is a terrible lawyer,” he told the laughing crowd. “But I only need to mention his name and people are too scared to challenge me.”

 

Apostles called out from the Disciples

 

This map shows the approximate boundaries of the promised land, Canaan, which was divided among the descendants of Jacob (whose name was later changed to 'Israel' by Yahweh).  Here we can see the tribal territories that surround the Sea of Galilee: Napthali, Manasseh to the east, the northern bit of Gad, Issachar and Zebulun to the west.  This area referred to as Galilee is quite a bit north of the territory of Judah.  None of the Apostles were 'Jews' meaning residents of Judah.
 

The men who were called by Yahshua to follow him were from this region called Galilee. In Matthew Chapter 4 we read of Yahshua telling them instead of fishing the Sea of Galilee he would make them fishers of men - men caught up to Life unlike fish which are caught and die.

 

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Prior to his ministry Yahshua was immersed by John his cousin son of Zachariah and Elizabeth who were Levites*. It was then that he became fully filled with the Set Apart Spirit of his Father. Afterwards, he spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by Satan the Accuser. Thereafter, Messengers (angels) tended to him. Later he heard that his cousin John had been arrested which is when he went to Galilee. He left Nazareth and stayed in Capernaum on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. In his outings he called those who were to become his Apostles: the Shlichim (Sent Ones; Emissaries) who would be taught during the following three years by Master Yahshua, being made ready to go out and proclaim the Kingdom to come, after receiving the Set Apart Spirit of Yahweh (Acts Chapter 2).

 
Acts 2:7 .... These, all of them who are speaking, are Galileans.

 

In conducting this study on the Apostles I have come across the different names relating to the same man which gave me a bit of a struggle in connecting who's who.  I use the Aramaic English New Testament at home which includes Hebrew names for the twelve.  Then I use Bible Hub online to check the various 'Bible' versions for the common names used in our times.  In various versions of Scriptures, which ignore the Hebrew origins, you will find not only Greek names but sainthood given where is does not belong.  With that said, where information seems to be lacking it is because not much was available per The Written Word.

 

*The mother of Yahshua, Maryam, was a cousin to Elizabeth. They were of the tribe of Levi.

 

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It is recorded that Peter and his brother Andrew were the first ones Yahshua called out to follow him. They are sons of Jonah and from Bethsaida. They had knowledge of Scriptures (Torah, the prophets and the writings) having been taught by John son of Zachariah a Levite priest, and aware of the prophecies, they immediately recognized who Yahshua was. Without hesitation they dropped their nets and went after him. Later, Yahshua saw two other brothers, James and John, who were in a boat with their father Zebedee fixing their nets when he called to them. They, being followers of John, were also aware of the prophecies and dropped what they were doing to follow Yahshua. Thus began Yahshua's ministry in all of Galilee. He preached the Hope of the Kingdom and healed every disease and sickness among the people. His fame became know in all Syria. A great many began to follow him, those from Galilee and from the Ten Cites and from Jerusalem and from Judah across the Jordan.

The Ten Cities were in the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire (aka The Decapolis) in the first centuries BC and AD. They formed a group because of their language, culture, location, and political status each functioned as a city-state dependent on Rome. 

The Sea of Galilee was famous for its fishing industry. The town of Magdala had a reputation for the best dried fish in the area. Mary of Magdala came from a family in the fish business which is where her wealth came from. Four of the apostles had been brought up as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee: Peter and his brother Andrew; James and his brother John sons of Zebedee, whom Yahshua called the Sons of Thunder.

 

Yahshua had many disciples and gained crowds of followers.  In Luke Chapter 6 we read he went out to a mountain to pray and spent the night in divine communication with his Father.  When day broke he called his disciples together and from them he chose those he called his Shlichim - Sent Ones - aka the Apostles.

Peter; Andrew; James; John; Philip; Nathaniel son of Tulmay (aka Bartholomew); Levi (aka Matthew); Thomas; James son of Alphaeus; Simon the Canaanite; Judas son of James (aka Thaddeus) and Judas Iscariot.

Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen from Bethsaida on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee which puts it in the territory of Naphtali very near the Manasseh border. Capernaum is where Yahshua was staying, which is in the territory of Naphtali, but his outings took him various places in the area.

 

James and his brother John were sons of Zebedee and they were all in the fishing business.  It seems Yahshua found them not long after calling to Peter and Andrew to follow him. 

Philip was also from Bethsaida and when he came upon Bartholomew he was excited to share the news:

".... he whom Moses wrote about in Torah and the prophets, we have found him! He is Yahshua, the son of Joseph of Nazareth!" Bartholomew doubted anything good could come from Nazareth, but after meeting Yahshua he knew for certain that he was the one written about.

 

Levi (aka Matti; Matthew, the son of Khalpai/Alphaeus, Mark 2:14) and was sitting at the house of customs when Yahshua called to him. He, too, simply left everything to follow him.  Matthew ended up making a great feast for Yahshua at his house and there was a large crowd of publicans and others reclining with them.  This irritated the scribes and Pharisees so much that they asked Yahshua why he was eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners.  He told them that he did not come to call the righteous, but to call the sinners to repentance.

The “taxman” was called a “publicanus” meaning “public revenue.” Publicans bid at the Roman Senate open auctions for the right to collect taxes for a certain city or area under Rome’s rule. The publican’s bid was commensurate with what was thought to be the possible income from that place. If he bid on Jerusalem, the income would be high and his bid was high. If he bid on the small fishing village of Portofino, the incoming revenue would be small and his bid would be small. He made his money by making sure the expected revenue exceeded his bid. He paid the government the bid and pocketed the rest.

Thomas, whose name in Hebrew is 'Tooma' and means 'Thyme', was later nicknamed 'the Twin'.  He is also known as 'Doubting Thomas' because he wanted to see the resurrected Son of God for himself instead of taking others word for it.  When he did witness his resurrected friend and teacher Yahshua said to him: "Now that you have seen me you have believed. Blessed are those who do not see me and believe." (John 20:29)

 

James son of Alphaeus (Matthew 10). Although James and Matthew's fathers' names are the same, the boys are never referred to as 'brothers' as Peter and Andrew sons of Jonah or James and John sons of Zebedee are, so it is safe to say they are not related.

 

Simon (the Canaanite - Matthew 10). 'Canaan' means subdue or humble.  It can also mean a merchant who carries a heavy load, and is brought low by it.  In other places he is called Simon the Zealot. A zealot is devoted to a cause, which this Simon was.

 

Judas son of James (aka Yehuda Luke 6:16) aka Levi who is called Taddi (aka Thaddeus, Matthew 10:3).  I just don't have any more information to share about this Apostle at this time.

 

Judas Iscariot, the treasurer.  Money ended up being his downfall. The temptation of 30 pieces of silver caused him to betray Yahshua, which he regretted so badly that he committed suicide.  (Afterwards he was replaced by Matthias, Acts 1:26) 

 

Acts 2:7 .... These, all of them who are speaking, are Galileans.

 

 → ↔↕↔ ←

 

Some time after Judas (Yehuda) committed suicide the remaining eleven Apostles prayed asking Yah to reveal one of two men, Joseph Bar Shaba and Matthias who was named Yostos, as to who was to replace Judas.  These two men had been disciples with the rest of them from the beginning, when Yahshua was immersed by John until his resurrection.  

Acts 1:24 ~~ You Master Yahweh know that which is in the hearts of all. Reveal one, the one that You have chosen from these, the two of them, that he might receive a portion of the ministry and the office of emissary from which Yehuda departed, that he might take his place.

They cast lots and Matthias was chosen.

 

 💠 💠 💠 💠 💠 💠 💠

In Mark 6 verses 1 and 2 Yahshua has been teaching the assembly. Many were amazed at his knowledge and wisdom and miracles. In verse 3 they ask: "Is this not the carpenter, the son of Maryam and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? and aren't even his sisters here with us?"

 

His half-brothers are not to be confused with the Apostles: neither one of the James - one the son of Zebedee, the other the son of Alphaeus; Judas son of James nor Simon.  Joseph and Mary had children together some time after Yahshua was born.

 

In Acts Chapter 12 we read that James, brother of John, was killed by King Herod who was also known as Agrippa.  When he saw that this pleased the Yehudeans he sent word out to capture Peter.  It was during the days of Unleavened Bread when Peter was kept in prison and a Messenger sent by Yah freed Peter from being chained in prison and led him to safety. The next morning there was quite an uproar among the soldiers who had been guarding Peter.

 

We have read in the book of Matthew that Messiah said the 12 Apostles will be given positions at his return so they may judge. Here we get a peek at our Messiah's government taking shape.  Matthew 19:28 ~ Truly I say to you, that you who have come to follow me in this world, when the Son of man sits new upon the throne of his glory, you will also sit upon twelve seats and you will judge the twelve tribes of Israel."

Acts 1

•Petros (Peter whom Yahshua named The Rock and has nothing to do with a church).

•Yochanan (John, Peter's brother)

•Ya'akov (James)

•Andraus (Andrew, James' brother who Yahshua called Sons of Thunder)

•Peleepos (Philip)

•Tooma (Thomas)

•Mattai (Matthew)

•Bar-Tulmay (Bartholmew)

•Ya'akov Bar-Khalpai (James son of Alphaeus)

•Shimon the zealot (Simon the Canaanite)

•Yehud Bar-Ya'akov (Judas son of James)

•Matya (Matthias) replaces Judas Iscariot 

Later on Saul (Paul) joins the twelve, three years after his meeting with Yahshua on the road to Damascus.

Click Here to go to my study about Paul

There are many lessons for us to learn from what is written in Scriptures including the struggles and challenges the Apostles faced.  We deal with similar scenarios as we continue along Yah's Path of Righteousness. For example, in Luke 22 we read that Peter denied knowing Yahshua three different times after the arrest of Yahshua while being taken to the house of the high priest. Yahshua even told this to Peter beforehand and he couldn't believe he would do such a thing.  But it happened. 

Regardless of the shortcomings the Apostles may have had, even after three years of being taught by the Son of God, once they were filled with the Set Apart Spirit of Yahweh (at Shavuot aka Pentecost) they became truly empowered as emissaries of Yahshua and teachers of The Word. Just as Yahshua was immersed by John and the Spirit of Yahweh came to him, so did he give this same Spirit to his Apostles. 

In Acts Chapter 2 we read, "From that day onward they (the Apostles) were all steadfast in their teaching and were in fellowship in prayer and breaking of bread. Signs and mighty deeds were performed by the Apostles in Jerusalem. And all those who had believed shared everything they owned with one another. Those who had a possession would sell it and divide evenly to each according to their needs. Every day they were steadfast in the temple as one soul. While they received food and rejoiced in the simplicity of their hearts, they were praising Yahweh and finding favor with the people."

It is this same Spirit we receive when made ready through the study of His Word, reading Scriptures. It is the Comforter, this Spirit of Truth, that teaches us if we allow it.  It is this same Spirit by which we are born again.

Keep the Apostles in mind whenever you feel you're not worthy or that you have fallen short.  Our Father may know what is in our hearts but He tests us, and it is up to us to show him our intentions are true.

Deuteronomy 29

Deuteronomy 29

Have we chosen to enter into the covenant of Yahweh our Elohim, with its sanctions (the curses that violations of the covenant will entail), not with us alone, but all who stand with us and those who are not here this day? To the end that He may establish us as His People and be our Elohim, as he promised us and swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...

We know about those who dwelt in the land of Egypt. When Yah set them free they were led through the midst of various nations where they saw detestable things and the fetishes (idols) of wood, stone, silver and gold that they kept...

Perchance there is among us some whose heart is even now turning away from Yahweh to go and worship the gods of those nations... 

After agreeing to His Covenant, we will not be immune to the sanctions. We will not be safe if we choose to follow our own willful hearts... breaking the terms of His contract.

Yahweh's anger and passion will rage against those of us who turn away from Him to follow after idols and no-gods, until every sanction recorded in this book of Teaching comes down upon us who chose to follow our own ideas.

From 1 Corinthians 10... all our fathers were under the cloud, and they passed through the sea, and they were all immersed by Moses in the cloud and in the sea. The all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink... from the spiritual rock that attended them and that rock was the Mashiyach. But with a multitude of them, Elohim was not pleased. These things are an example for us so that we won't covet after evil things as they did. Neither should we serve idols as some of them did nor commit sexual sin. Neither let us tempt the Mashiyach as some of them tempted and serpents destroyed them. (Numbers 21:4) Nor should we complain as some of them did and they perished by the destroyer. All these things that befell them were for an example to us and they are written for our instruction on whom the end of the world has come; Flee from idolatry... do not associate with demons... we cannot partake at the table of our Master Y'shua and sit at the table of demons.

After the 7th Shofar is sounded is when His People are gathered prior to His Wrath, and - the sanctions recorded in the book of Teaching - shall be poured out upon those left upon the earth.

Why will Yahweh do these things? Because people will forsake the everlasting covenant that He made when He set His People free from Egypt; they turned to the service of other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not experienced... Concealed acts concern Yahweh, but with overt acts it is for us to apply all the provisions of this Teaching.

What does it say about the final world leader? In Daniel 11 we can read this - He will do as he pleases; exalt and magnify himself above every god and speak awful things against Yahweh Elohim. He will have no regard for the god of his ancestors or the one dear to women. He will honor the god of fortresses with gold and silver, precious stones and costly things, a god that his ancestors never knew (never experienced)...

""Concealed acts concern Yahweh, but with overt acts it is for us to apply all the provisions of this Teaching''" triggered this memory, from 1 Corinthians 5:11, thereabouts... But those within the body, you judge. And those without, Elohim judges... remove from you the wickedness among you.

He has told us the End from the Beginning. 

What else could we possible need? 

When all these things befall us - the blessing and the curse - and we take them to heart amidst the various nations (where we find ourselves living in these days) and we return to Yahweh and heed His commands (Teaching) with all our heart and soul, then Yah will restore our fortunes and take us back in love, bringing us together again from all the peoples of the world. He will set us down upon our soil, the land of the promise and we shall possess it. (Deuteronomy 30)

The Story

 That evening, Yahshua ate a meal with his Apostles.

After this pass-over meal was eaten, Yahshua and his Apostles took a walk to the Mount of Olives. The sun has already gone down, so according to Yah's perfect timing, it is now the 15th day of this month (still dark), this also being the 1st day of Unleavened Bread.

While they are at the Mount of Olives, Yahshua tells his Apostles things that will happen soon and they can't believe they could ever be offended by him. He tells them there is sadness in his soul. They continue walking to the place called Gethsemane. The Apostles eventually fall asleep during the time Yahshua is praying to his Father.

This record of events makes it possible to conclude that Yahshua was not killed during the time that the pass-over offering lambs were being slaughtered. Otherwise he could not have eaten with his beloved twelve that evening, taken a walk afterwards and had more time in fellowship with them. 

When they arrived at Gethsemane, Judas came back and betrayed Yahshua to the chief priests and elders. After a scuffle all the Apostles left their Teacher - they ran away. Those who seized Yahshua wanted to take him to Caiaphas (Matthew 26:50-59) but they could not find him. So they took him to Pilate.

We read in Matthew 27 when it was morning the chief priests and elders took Yahshua to Pilate, who tries to argue for his life as he finds no guilt with him. Pilate realizes the accusers do so out of envy. The angry mob wins. Yahshua is scourged with whips and delivered to be put to death on a stake. He dies around the 9th hour.

•••••••

 

When we read the accounts recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we can sum up the day's events.  Please read Scriptures for yourself when you have time.

(Matthew 26:57; Mark 14:53; Mark 15:15; Luke 22:54; John 18:28; John 19)
 

The chief priests and elders with scribes were taking Yahshua to Caiaphas who was the high priest, but they could not find him.  Scribes and elders were gathered trying to find witnesses against Yahshua, but only false witnesses came forward.  At daybreak, the chief priests and the elders all took counsel against Yahshua, bound him and delivered him to Pilate.

 

Pilate sent Yahshua to Herod to deal with because Yahshua was from Galilee. Herod was in Jerusalem in those days. Herod questions Yahshua but gets no answers, gives him back to Pilate.

 

Pilate calls to the chief priests and rulers of the people and says to them: You brought me this man as a deceiver of your people - I have examined him and have not found any fault with him nor has Herod... nothing that is worthy of death has been committed by him. Pilate desired to let Yahshua go but the people were crying out and saying 'Nail him to the stake!' 

Pilate tells the mob to take Yahshua and judge him according to 'their own' Torah and the Yehudeans reply, 'it is not lawful for us to kill a man' this day..... (it was a Shabbat, the 1st day of Unleavened Bread, so of course those religious men couldn't kill him that day.)

 

Pilate went as far as to offer them a choice of 'criminals' to be executed.  They chose to let Bar Abba (Barabbas) go free.  Yahshua was scourged, and delivered to be executed on a stake.

 

The Son of God was scourged and mocked. At about the 6th hour Pilate turned him over to be executed. In Matthew it reads Yahshua died about the 9th hour.  The 6th hour is equivalent to mid-day, the 9th hour would be 3:00 pm.

 

•••••••

The pass over meal was eaten at twilight, the 14th day of the first month on God's calendar. The accounts agree it was morning, as the day dawned, when Yahshua was bound and brought before Pilate. It is now the 15th day. The 9th hour when Yahshua died is during the 15th day.

 

This year, 2023, the pope inspired Gregorian calendar days equivalent to the Hebrew calendar days of Passover and Unleavened Bread are April 4th at evening and April 5th with the following six days as the Days of Unleavened Bread.  Do you see how various religions have totally corrupted the events surrounding the death of our Messiah?  There is no Palm Sunday or Holy Week; no Good Friday or sunrise worship; no Passover Seder or stations of the cross.  Just remember how our God freed that mixed multitude from slavery in Egypt by the blood of the lamb; and by faith believe our freedom from our old sin nature was made possible by the shed blood of our Messiah. We observe God's Set Times best we can in this day and age without inventing rituals we think are a good thing to do.

Matthew 27:57 - Now when it became evening, a rich man from Ramtha whose name was Joseph, who had been taught by Yahshua, asked Pilate for the body, to be removed from the stake.  And he wrapped it in a shroud of fine linen and laid it in his new tomb.

Yahshua the Anointed One was placed in a tomb before sundown on that 15th day; where he spent three days and three nights before being resurrected.  He now sits at the right hand of God until the day he returns to gather up believers on the last day.  Then we inherit the promised land on this old earth with the Son of God as our king.

 

Did you know after his resurrection:

Acts 1:3 - With numerous signs for 40 days he was seen by them, and he spoke concerning the Kingdom of God ... And while he ate with the 12 Apostles he commanded that "You should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, He whom you have heard about from me. John immersed with water, and you will be immersed by God's Set Apart Spirit.  When His Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power and be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judah and also among the Samaritan and to the ends of the earth."  After these things he was taken up and a cloud received him and he was hidden from their eyes. 

Ten days later during the set time of Shavuot (Pentecost) the Apostles were immersed (baptized) by God's Spirit, as promised.

 

Did Jesus Spend Time in Hell?

If you have ever heard anything like this, it originated from The Apostles' Creed, which was not written by the Apostles.... it was written about 140 years after the death of Y'shua. It seems that the early church fathers wanted to put their 'faith' in words.

And here is that creed for your further research and study:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Please note that the use of the word 'catholic' in this creed means 'universal' as in the church being fellowship in the body of 'christ'; and not specifically the Roman Catholic Church at that time.  Today it is easy to see the RCC as the universal church, or at least they think they are.

Chapter and Verse used to support this claim:

Ephesians 4:8 - Therefore it is said: He ascended on high and carried captivity away, and gave gifts to men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also previously descended deep into the heart of the earth?  He who descended is also the same that ascended up high above all the heavens, that he might fulfill all things. (He who died was resurrected)

Now we know that when we die we don't go to heaven or hell; we sleep until the return of Messiah. It makes no sense that Y'shua would make a visit to hell - there is no one there to preach to.  The fallen angels have been locked away in chains until judgment day.

First Peter 3:18 - For the Anointed One also once died for our sins .... that he might bring you to Yahweh. And he died in body but lived in spirit. And he preached to those souls which were detained in Sheol (the grave? Hades?) which were formerly disobedient in the days of Noah when the long suffering of Elohim commanded an ark to be made, in hope of their repentance; and eight souls only entered into it and were kept alive in the waters.
Second Peter 2:5 - And if Elohim did not spare the former world but preserved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness...

Take this into consideration: 

The Spirit of Yahweh is the same spirit of His Son which was the same Spirit in Noah who preached to those souls who were disobedient up until the Flood came.

What, then, does 1 Peter 3:18 teach?

The passage affirms that The Spirit during the days of Noah, proclaimed Yah’s truth to the evil, pre-flood generation. How did He do that? He was operating through Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5).

In this same letter Peter stated that the “Spirit” was in the Old Testament prophets as they declared Heaven’s message (1:11). This is a key verse in explaining First Peter 3:18. When Y'shua, through Noah, preached to those evil people, they were alive and on the earth. But at the time Peter wrote his letter, they had long been dead.

Acts 2:31 ~ And he (David) foresaw and spoke concerning the resurrection of Y'shua and that he was not left in 'the grave/tomb' nor did his body see corruption.