Substitutes

Another thought to ponder by Dusty Sandals

Why substitute turkey bacon for real bacon?

Why substitute imitation crab for real crab?

If we are instructed by our Creator 

not to eat it

why would we want to fake it?

Why don't we just trust Him?

Is this a test of our Faith?

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I've been there, done this and ate that until I realized I didn't need to make something up to replace what Yah had already put in place. Oh, sure, now 'science' has proven pork is not good for human consumption, but why didn't we just obey Yah's instructions in the first place?

This may be a stretch, but it's what is playing out in my mind:

The 'golden calf' Incidents

They substituted a gold statue of a calf in place of YHWH. (Exodus 32:3) 

Jeroboam had temples built in Dan and Bethel while the temple in Jerusalem was still standing. In them were placed golden calves to be worshiped and he convinced the people that they didn't need to go to the temple in Jerusalem to worship Elohim. (1 Kings 12:25)

These are just a couple of examples of man taking things into his own hands for his own perceived good - instead of trusting and loving the one true Elohim and faithfully obeying His Instructions. Scriptures are a record of historical events that took place which we are to learn from so as not to make the same mistakes as our ancestors.

“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10: 11)

Even religions have become substitutes for the Truth of His Word. Oh, it may sound like Scriptures and taste a bit like Scriptures, but its not... don't be offering strange fire thinking you are pleasing Yah.

There is no substitute for YHWH

or His Instructions

Back to the topic of foods He said we could eat and those we should abstain from - trust Him to know what He's talking about - He created us and knows what we need for our health and well being.  He gave us an Owner's Manual and most folks try everything their own way before giving in and reading the Instructions.

If you did not know, here is what Yah says we can eat and should not eat, as written in Leviticus and Deuteronomy:

Animals with true hoofs (hoofs with clefts through the hoofs) AND chew the cud. The examples given for what not to eat are the camel, daman, and hare which chew the cud but do not have true hoofs. The swine has true hoofs but does not chew the cud - these are considered 'unclean'. It is alright to eat: ox, sheep, goat (domestic or wild), deer, gazelle, roebuck, ibex, antelope, mountain sheep and any other animal that has true hoofs which are cleft in two and brings up the cud: buffalo, elk, moose and beef.

Of the things that live in water, we may eat them as long as they have both fins and scales. This excludes from our menu such popular items as clams, lobster, oysters, mussels, squid and shrimp. This also excludes scallops, shark, whale, octopus, eel, swordfish and sturgeon.

I am of the mind that if you cannot see the scales on the fish without the use of a microscope then consider that particular fish unclean. Halibut, for example, have tiny scales naked to the human eye so they appear to us as not having scales... they should not be eaten. YHWH put forth His Instructions to benefit our health and well being. They didn't have microscopes or other testing equipment back then - they trusted Him - as we should in this day and age.

Birds that are not to be eaten: eagle, vulture, kite, falcons, ravens, ostrich, nighthawk, sea gulls, any hawk, owl, cormorant, pelican, bustard, stork, herons, hoopoe and bats.

It's OK to eat winged swarming things that walk on all fours and have jointed legs above their feet (hoppers) as in locust, crickets and grasshoppers.

Any animal that walks on paws, on all fours, are not on the menu. No variety of cat or canine is to be eaten. Also, we are not to eat: moles, mice, lizards of every variety or crocodiles.

We have been given every seed bearing fruit to eat and of grains of the field. Modern day 'seedless' varieties should not be eaten. I gave up one of my favorites: seedless watermelon! All genetically modified foods are off the list of things that can be eaten. They have been tampered with by man.

With all that said, in today's world the majority of our food sources have become corrupt, so sticking to Yahweh's Plan becomes even more challenging. Letting the land rest every 7th year is not being followed so over the years farming has depleted the nutritional value of the land. The food it produces is lacking in vitamins and minerals and what is being added (supplements) isn't nearly enough. I've read that almost all corn is now genetically modified. Seeds have been engineered that produce food that does not 'go to seed'. There are hybrid foods such as beets, carrots and potatoes as well as seedless varieties of apples, bananas, dates, pineapple and grapes. There is an evil plan behind this but that will have to be a study unto itself later on.

It is always easier to go with the flow than to come out of tradition, habits and falsehoods.  When the Hebrews along with the mixed multitude were set free from Pharaoh and their life of slavery in Egypt and began their journey towards the Promised Land, even they began to long for the conveniences they had in Egypt and were ready to give up their freedom to go back to the way they were.

Numbers 11:5 ~ We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna…

(Remember when we use to eat bacon & shrimp & crab? beefalo? seedless grapes & watermelon? pork chops and applesauce? Now that we know these are not of Yah's menu there's nothing tasty to eat. I know! Let's create something that tastes like pork but isn't really pork! Let's pretend!)

Ezekiel 20:21 ~ But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.

And for what purpose?

Deuteronomy 8:2 ~ You shall remember all the way which YHWH your Elohim has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Here is an edited quote from commentary by Matthew Henry:

They were tired of the food provision Yah had made for them. It cost them no money, and it took little work to gather the manna, yet they talked of Egypt, and the fish they ate there freely; as if that cost nothing, when in reality they paid dearly for it with a life of hard labor! They could not be satisfied unless they had meat to eat. It is evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind when we want to have the "delights and satisfaction of sense". We should not desire the things YHWH did not allow for us.  (end quote)

Look at ourselves today seeking the 'king's dainties' as we disregard the provisions made for us by our Creator.  I realize that the day will come when He restores all things, but I would rather be on the right track now in preparation for the times to come in the meantime.  Food is an idol for some and others make a living off it. I am not against collecting recipes but turning food into a form of art is elevating it way beyond its intended use for us. And pretending we're eating bacon is just wrong. There was just one tree off-limits to Adam and Eve and look what happened. Same thing is happening now.

Stop doubting the Word of Elohim. Take His Instructions seriously and live by them. Coming out of Egypt wasn't the end of something, it was the beginning.  For each one of us who heed the call to come out of the world system it is a beginning - the start of something new and wonderful in the Name of our Creator.  Don't hesitate to do what is right in His Eyes.

Click here to go to my study: Clean or Unclean

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

In Revelation 1, we read about what Y'shua says regarding the seven assemblies which are in Asia.  These assemblies are represented by seven stars which are the Messengers of the seven assemblies, and seven gold menorahs where Y'shua walks in the midst of. He addresses each group, knowing the works they have done, where they have fallen short and offers advice on how to correct the issues.

He also gives descriptions- seven attributes of himself - as he addresses each assembly:

• He holds all things, has seven stars in his right hand, walks in the midst of the seven menorahs.
• He is the First and the Last, who was dead and lives.
• He has the sharp two-edged sword.
• He is the Son of Elohim who has eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass.
• He has the seven Spirits of Elohim and the seven stars.
• He is Set Apart and true and has the key of David, who opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens.
• He is the Amen, the witness, the faithful, the true, the Chief of the creation of Elohim.

I present this study as a 'current day' scenario, with each assembly representing an aspect of us as individuals; how we were, have become and how we should be in order to gain entrance into the Kingdom of God.

Ephesus

He knows our toil and patience and that we cannot endure the wicked.  We test those who claim to be apostles, followers of The Way, to see if they are being truthful or are liars. We have had patience and have shouldered the burden on account of His Name and have not shirked.  Yet he has a matter against us on account of our former love which we have left. We need to remember from where we have fallen and repent and do the former works; or if not He will come quickly and remove our menorah from its place, except we repent. But here is something in our favor: we hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans which he also hates.

To him that is victorious will be allowed to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of Elohim.

Note: to leave our 'former love' is to stop putting YHWH Elohim first in all things.  We are to love Elohim with all our heart, souls, mind and might First and Foremost - then we love our neighbors as ourselves.

Smyrna

He knows our affliction and poverty (yet we are rich) and the railing which is from them who say they are Jews and they are not but are of the congregation of Satan.  We should not be terrified at any of the things we are to suffer, for the Accuser will throw some of us into custody that we may be tried and there will be trouble for us for 10 days.  We are to be faithful until death and he will give us the crown of life.

He that is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

Pergamos

He knows where we dwell, even where the throne of Satan is: and we hold fast to His Name and have not denied the faith of him - in those days when his faithful witness, who was slain among us, was made a spectacle where Satan dwells. Yet he has a small matter against us because among us are those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel that they might eat the sacrifices of idols, and might commit sexual sin.  So also do we have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans - we must repent.  If not, he will come quickly and will war upon us with the sword of his mouth.

To him who is victorious will be given the hidden manna to eat, and he will be give a white counter upon which is written a new name no one know but he that receives it.

Thyratira

He knows our love and faith and service and also our patience, and that these latter works are more then the former. But he has a matter against us because we tolerate that woman Jezebel who says she is a prophetess, and teaches and seduces his servants to temple prostitution, and to eating of the sacrifices of idols.  He gave her a season of repentance and she was not disposed to repent of her sexual sin.  He will cast her into a coffin and them who commit adultery with her into great affliction unless they repent of their deeds.  And her children will die and we will all know that He is the One who seeks minds and hearts and will render to each of us according to our works.  He says to the rest, all who have not received this doctrine, the men who have not known the profound things of Satan, he will lay no other burden up you, but what you have hold fast until I come.  

To him that is victorious, and to him that observes my works to the end, I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron and like vessels of pottery they will be broken as I also have received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

Sardis

He knows our works, that we have a name yet are dead.  We must awaken and preserve the things that remain which are ready to die, for he has not found our works complete before Elohim.  We must remember how we have received and heard - now observe those teachings and turn back, repent.  If we don't wake up, he will come upon us as a thief and we will not know at what hour he will come.  Yet we have a few names who have not defiled their garments and they will walk with him in white, for they are worthy.

He that is victorious will be so clothed in white robes and I will not blot out their name from the book of life and I will confess their name before my Father and before his Messengers.

Philadelphia

He has set before us an open door which no man can shut; because we have a little strength and have kept his Word and not denied His Name. He will give us of the assembly of Satan who say they are Jews, and are not, but lie; he will make them submit at our feet, that we know He loves us.  Because we have kept the Word of his patience, he will also keep us from the hour of temptation that is to come on all the inhabited world to try them who live on the earth.  He comes quickly, so hold fast to what we have so that no one takes our crown.

He that is victorious will be made a pillar in the temple of Elohim and he will not again go out. He will write upon him the name of Elohim and the new Jerusalem which descends from heaven from Elohim, and his own new name. 

Laodicea

This is for those who are neither hot nor cold - but lukewarm and he is about to vomit them out of his mouth.  They say, 'I am rich and affluent and have all that I need', but they don't know that they are helpless and miserable and needy and blind and  naked!  He counsels them to buy of him gold tired in the fire that they may become rich, and white robes to be clothing  that the shame of their nakedness may not be seen.  He tells them to put salve on their eyes that they may see.  As many as he loves, he rebukes and disciplines.  Be faithful emulators and repent. He has been standing at the door and will knock.  If any man hears his voice and opens the door he will come in to him and they shall dine together.

To him that is victorious will be given to sit with Y'shua on his throne, even as he was victorious and sat down with his Father on his throne.  He that has ears to hear, let  him hear what the Spirit says to us.

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Doctrine:

aka: creed, dogma, belief, teaching, ideology:

A belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a 

church, political party or other group

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In Revelation 2:6, and 2:15, it is stated that the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans is a thing to be hated.  The Nicolaitans believed in the freedom of the flesh and taught that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and had no relation to salvation. They believed that faith alone, not obedience to Torah - Instructions of Elohim - was necessary for salvation. They could behave anyway they liked as long as they claimed to have 'faith in god'.  This is a false teaching.

Also is mentioned those who hold to the Doctrine of Balaam. In 2 Peter we read about false prophets and false teachers.  He compares them to nasty beasts that by nature are for slaughter and corruption while engaging in evil speech regarding things they don't know and that they will perish in their own corruption.

2 Peter 1:13 ...they being persons with whom iniquity is the reward of iniquity, and by them rioting in the daytime is accounted delightful; defiled and full of blemishes, indulging themselves at their ease while they give themselves up to pleasure; having eyes that are full of adultery and sins that never end; seducing the unstable souls and having a heart exercised in greed, children of curse...

2 Peter 1:15  And, having left the correct path, they have wandered and gone in the way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved the wages of iniquity... :17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm, persons for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness. :18 While they utter astonishing vanity, they seduce with obscene lusts of the flesh.... :19 They promise liberty while they themselves are the slaves of corruption... 

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Here's some info in regards to  The Throne of Satan 

Now, about that Jezebel...

1 Kings 16:29 tells us Ahab became king over Israel in the 38th year of King Asa of Judah.  Ahab reign lasted 22 years. He did what was displeasing to YHWH, more than all the kings that preceded him.  He took as wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Phoenicians, and he served Baal and worshipped him.  He erected an altar to Baal in the temple of Baal which he built in Samaria.

1 Kings 18:4  When Jezebel was killing off the prophets of YHWH, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and provided them with food and drink. 
1 Kings 18:18  (Elijah is speaking) It is not I who have brought trouble on Israel, but you and your father's House, by forsaking the commandments of YHWH and going after Baalim.  Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, together with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table (meaning Jezebel manages these false prophets).
1 Kings 19  When Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and put all the prophets to the sword, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, 'Thus and more may the gods do if by this time tomorrow I have not made you like one of them'.

Who are Baalim and Asherah? False gods, idols of stone, wood, metal... diversions brought about by Satan.

The sun-god, under the general title of Baal, or "lord," was the chief object of worship of the Canaanites. Each locality had its special Baal, and the various local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, or "lords."

Asherah was the name of a Phoenician goddess, or rather of the idol itself, perhaps referred to as 'groves'. Asherah is closely connected with ASHTORETH and her worship, (Judges 3:7; Judges 6:25-30; 2 Kings 23:14)

Now, who are those who say they are Jews, but are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan?  This may need to be a study unto itself, but I find it can also apply to those who say they are Christians, but are not.

So, to wrap this up, Y'shua knows the good, the bad and the ugly of each and everyone of us.  He knows where we came from, what we put up with and what we can't stand as well as what we tolerate.  He tells us in order to keep from having our lampstand removed we must: 

• remember from where we have fallen and repent and do the former good works
• hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans
• not be terrified at any of the things we are to suffer; be faithful until death
• repent of holding to the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans
• stop tolerating those who claim to be prophets, who teach and seduce believers into believing the profound things of Satan.
• awaken and preserve the things that remain which are ready to die, for he has not found our works complete before Elohim... remember how we have received and heard - now observe those teachings and turn back, repent
• keep the Word of his patience so that He will  keep us from the hour of temptation
• Be faithful emulators of Y'shua as followers of The Way and repent

To him that is victorious will be given to sit with Y'shua on his throne, even as he was victorious and sat down with his Father on his throne.  He that has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to us.

Nephilim - Then and Now

In this study I use Scriptures, the books of Enoch and the historical accounts found in Jasher to research the topic of giants.  Many folks today refer to 'Fallen Angels' as relating to the 'alien deception' and other possible scenarios of the end times.  From what I have read so far it is the Nephilim who are a part of the signs of the end, so I figured a deeper look into these events was in order.

I'd like to note that I recommend one be fully grounded in the Word of God before using other writings such as Enoch and Jasher so that one can discern that which lines up with Scriptures.  I do not substitute anything for the Word of our Creator yet find these sources help describe scenarios which are only alluded to in Scriptures.  Yahweh is our final word on all things.

How the Nephilim Came to Be

Genesis 6 -- When men began to increase on the earth and daughters were born to them, the Divine Beings saw how beautiful they were and took wives from among those that pleased them.  It was then, and later too, that the Nephilim appeared on the earth (as a result of sexual relations between the Divine Beings and human women).  They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

From then on man's wickedness pervaded the earth and every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil.  Yah was so saddened - He regretted that He made them. Then came the Flood.  

I understand the Nephilim being renown: the condition of being known or talked about by many people - but I never quite got how these genetic mutants could be referred to as 'heroes': someone who is admired for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities - were they cute little half-breed babies who grew up to hero status but when they didn't stop growing (upwards to 300 cubits = 450 feet!) is that when folks became intimidated by them?

The Flood swelled upon the earth and the mountains were covered, then the waters swelled another 15 cubits (another 22 and half feet above the tallest mountain). Makes sense that this much water would be needed to drown giants along with the rest of the unsaved souls.

This same event is recorded in the Books of Enoch with more detail of just how bad things had gotten.  Not only were these angels (divine beings) attracted to the human women, they desired to create progeny - descendants of mixed marriages - in other words they wanted to be like 'God'.  Satan deluded Eve with this same concept.

According to Enoch there were 200 of these angels who left their station in heaven to achieve their desires on earth.  They defiled themselves by having sexual relations with these women.  They also taught these women charms, pharmacies, root cutting and uses of plants - secret knowledge humans weren't suppose to know.  These women became pregnant and gave birth to what is called the Nephilim, who grew to 300 cubits in height. They ate every thing produced for them and when that ran out they turned against mankind and ate them.  The Nephilim sinned against birds, beasts, reptiles and fish (more genetic manipulations? crossbred mutants?) and began to eat each other's flesh and drink their blood (cannibals and vampires?).  They were lawless ones. They taught men metallurgy in the making of swords, shields, knives and breastplates as well as bracelets and ornaments.  They taught the use of antimony (A metalloid element having many forms, the most common of which is a hard, very brittle, shiny, blue-white crystal) and the use of paints and dyes, the use of make up to beautify eyes, the use of gemstones - then did all godlessness increase and everything was corrupt.

Here is where we find out those we call the 'fallen angels' are the 'Watchers' because they were made to watch the destruction of their loved one, those genetic mutants, the Nephilim.  YHWH tells Gabriel to:

"Go to the bastards and to the reprobates and to the children of fornication, and destroy them, the seed of the Watchers, from among the sons of men and send them one against one another so that they will perish by killing each other... And when they (the Watchers) have seen the destruction of their loved ones, bind them for 70 generations in the valleys of the earth until the day of their judgment and of their end..." He goes on to say, "Destroy all the lustful spirits and the seed of the Watchers for they have wronged mankind. Let all oppressors perish from the face of the earth and let every evil work be destroyed..."

Then came the Flood to cleanse the earth from all unrighteousness, from all sin, from all godlessness and from all the uncleanness which is committed on it.

Reading from Jasher we find a similar account. In the latter days of Methusalah, men were turning from God in rebellion, and corrupted the earth, robbed each other and transgressed and corrupted themselves, up to the point Yahweh thought to destroy and annihilate them.  The earth was filled with violence. The difference in Jasher is there is no mention of 'divine beings' but 'judges and rulers' who took wives by force from their husbands and that the 'sons of men' (Nephilim?) in those days took cattle, beasts and fowls and taught the mixture of animals of one species with another in order to provoke YHWH.  This could relate to what is written in Enoch about the Nephilim sinning against birds, beasts, reptiles and fish. Sin is living according to one's own imaginings, turning against the teachings of YHWH our God.  

Yah saw all flesh was corrupt, all men and all animals... and Noah found grace in His sight.

I made mention earlier that Scriptures - the Word of God - is the final authority.  I now refer to what we can read in The Forgotten Books of Eden, the story of Adam and Eve. I must say that if you can read this account with Scriptures running in the background, a lot of it makes sense.  I will only touch on what seemingly relates to the Nephilim who came on the scene during the time of Jared. Satan was the culprit in instigating snares and traps via the descendants of Cain using ravishing music, strong drink, and colorful clothing to entice the descendants of Seth to come off the mountain, away from God and into the sinful corrupt life below. This always makes me think of the 60's when 'sex, drugs and rock-n-roll' were the temptations.

In this version it is Satan who teaches Genun, the son of Lamech, to bring strong drink out of corn by which Genun multiplied sin exceedingly. He was prideful and taught others to commit all manner of the grossest wickedness that had never known before. Satan was very pleased with all this and taught Genun how to make weapons of war from iron. Sin continued to increase: a man married his own sister or daughter - there was no more a distinction of relationship... the earth became defiled with sin.  They angered God the Judge who had created them.  Satan entered into Genun and taught him to make dyes for garments of diverse patterns... Only three righteous men are left in the world.  The evil continues up until the Flood.

If the purpose of the Flood was to cleanse the earth of all wickedness, how do the Nephilim become part of the post-flood time line?

In the writings of Enoch we read: 

Yah said to Gabriel, "Go to the bastards and to the reprobates and to the children of fornication and destroy them, the seed of the Watchers... Bind the Watchers for seventy generations until the day of their judgment (when they will be taken away to the abyss of fire and torment and shut in prison forever and ever more).  

They chose to leave the high and set apart heaven and defile themselves with the blood of women, acting like men instead of Divine Beings and they begat Nephilim as their seed.  God did not appoint wives for His Spiritual Beings because they were immortal - no need to procreate. Because they were Spiritual Beings, heaven was their intended dwelling place.

The Nephilim were produced from the spirit and flesh and on earth were called 'evil spirits' and they would dwell on earth, there was no place in heaven for them.  Evil spirits proceeded from their bodies, spirits of the wicked.  The spirits of the Nephilim oppress, afflict, destroy, do battle and make destruction upon the earth. When the Nephilim were destroyed their spirits went forth from their bodies.

The angels who were defiled with women stand at the end of heaven and earth but their spirits will assume many different forms and will defile mankind and lead them astray into sacrificing to demons as gods.

Evil, wicked, unclean, demonic spirits do exist in this world and are passing themselves off as extraterrestrial lifeforms channeling enlightenment to anyone who will tune in. These are the 'Nephilim' of today.  Not necessarily the physical giants of old testament days but definitely beings of renown who many consider 'heroes', expecting ET to save us from ourselves.  Nephilim were genetically modified beings and as it was in the days of Noah we can see it in today's world.

To the best of my own investigation these photographs of skeletons are legit.  The Nephilim were buried in the ground during The Flood that covered the entire earth, even the highest mountain tops, and that was about 4,000 years ago.

Moon Sighting and the Weekly Sabbath

I have been working on a study about the Set Apart times of YHWH - most know them as His Feast Days. In the course of this study, Exodus 12 keeps popping up in my brain. It is when Yahweh tells Moses this is the beginning of the year for you, the first month. Then in Exodus 19 we note His month begins with the new moon... Now, I trust Elohim to know what He's talking about and it is very evident that His calendar is not the one we've been using all these years.

If we believe YHWH indicates each month begins with the New Moon then we need to come out of the ever popular Gregorian Calendar system.  This won't be easy but as as we move along His Path of Righteousness, we exhibit another sign of becoming Set Apart because He is Set Apart.

I've avoided the topic of calendars and time keeping even though I have been aware of the discrepancies and changes made.  Andrew Gabriel Roth has a book that goes deep into Yah's method of time keeping titled Wheel of Stars which left me feeling even more confused, but I continue to refer to his wealth of information hoping to gain understanding.  Sometimes it takes me a while to catch on.

Here's some basic info on the history of calendars, none of which follow Yah's description:

The Egyptian calendar year comprised of 12 months, and each month had exactly 30 days. The months were further divided into three weeks, with each week lasting 10 days. The Babylonian calendar was made up of 12 lunar months, and each month would begin when a new crescent moon appeared. The Greeks used a calendar that was similar to the Babylonian calendar, but they also had other calendars, such as the democratic state calendar with 10 arbitrary months and an agricultural calendar. The first Roman calendar was created by Romulus, and it had 10 months in a year, with each month lasting 30 or 31 days. The Romans had a number of calendars, and the most notable one was the Julian calendar introduced in 45 BC by Julius Caesar.  In the year 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decreed that there should be a change in the Julian calendar. Many European countries did not adopt the Gregorian calendar when it was introduced, mainly because of the Protestant Reformation that was taking place at that time. Nevertheless, by the 20^th century, the calendar became the standard calendar in Europe. Today, it is the most widely used calendar in the world. 

What has really been on my mind is this:

YHWH says the month begins with the sighting of the new moon, yet we are using the Gregorian (modern day) calendar to tell us when the month begins.  If you were to look on a calendar today, you would see one of the days marked as the "new moon". Scientists today regard the new moon as "conjunction", which is the moment the moon is in between the sun and the earth. In reality, conjunction is a dark moon, unseen. A day or two later the new moon crescent appears.  If we use that 'conjunction' symbol as a starting point and add a day or two to actually see the new moon as the beginning of the month and then count off seven day (sunset to sunset) cycles, we discover that the weekly sabbath does not always fall on what we call Sat.day, the day of rest, or Sun.day for that matter.

We know that the lights in the expanse of the sky not only separated day from night but serve as signs for the set times - the days and the years - and when YHWH was finished with His Works He rested on the 7th day (and this is what He expects of us, to rest on each 7th day...) He counted 7 days from the beginning of Creation - what beginning do we count from? 

Exodus 12 Yah tells Moshe that the month they are to be set free from Pharaoh is the first month of the year... and on the 15th day is when they were set free. 

Exodus 16: the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month after they left Egypt (when did the new count of days begin?)

Now this is where I connect the moon with the month => Exodus 19: On the 3rd new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt... 19:16 On the 3rd day as morning dawned. 

This reads, to me, a count of days from the new moon, the 3rd new moon since Yah told Moshe when the first month was. Three Moons = 3 months. (He says the third new moon and then counts the 3rd day from that new moon....) If I have this right then there are many of us keeping the sabbath on the wrong day.  If we've got the beginning of the month wrong, then we have the sabbath day wrong. 

This what YHWH said through Isaiah:

7:11 What need have I of all your sacrifices... I have no delight that you come to appear before Me - trample My courts no more. Bringing your offerings is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath you proclaim solemnities and assemble with wickedness I cannot tolerate. Your new moons (months) and your fixed seasons (man's traditions and substitutes for Yah's moedim) fill Me with loathing - they have become a burden to Me, no longer a joy. When you lift up your hands in false praise and worship I will turn My Eyes away from you.

When we came to the part of His Path where we discovered our Hebrew Heritage and realized that Torah is for everyone - His Creation - we didn't stop there... we kept reading His Words, learning and obeying His Instructions, which is what keeps us moving along His Path as the Ruach haKodesh continues to reveal Truth. We gave up man's traditions and replaced them with Yah's intended times. Our Walk is a learning process. Even the twelve apostles went through a learning curve which resulted in them being made ready to receive the Spirit of Elohim.

YHWH will restore all things when His time comes.  In the meantime let us not stagnate on a comfortable part of that path making the excuse that it's O.K. since "we are all on different parts of the path".  We are called to be His Set Apart People. Come out of the world system now. There is only One Path that leads to His Kingdom.

Isaiah 66:23 And new moon after new moon, and sabbath after sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship Me.

In my research on this topic I have come across the following website. As always, I find others who have looked into these things long before I became aware of them! I agree with most of what this person has uncovered and helps express my own thoughts:

God's Calendar 

Here is a quote from Nehemiah's Wall referring to the naming of months:

Today, few people remember the biblical name of Yom Teruah and instead it is widely known as "Rosh Hashanah" which literally means “head of the year” and hence also “New Years”. The transformation of Yom Teruah (Day of Shouting) into Rosh Hashanah (New Years) is the result of pagan Babylonian influence upon the Jewish nation. The first stage in the transformation was the adoption of the Babylonian month names. In the Torah, the months are numbered as First Month, Second Month, Third Month, etc (Leviticus 23; Numbers 28). During their sojourn in Babylonia our ancestors began to use the pagan Babylonian month names, a fact readily admitted in the Talmud:

“The names of the months came up with them from Babylonia.” (Jerusalem Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 1:2 56d) 

The pagan nature of the Babylonian month names is epitomized by the fourth month known as Tammuz. In the Babylonian religion, Tammuz was the god of grain whose annual death and resurrection brought fertility to the world. In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet described a journey to Jerusalem in which he saw the Jewish women sitting in the Temple “weeping over Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8:14). The reason they were weeping over Tammuz is that, according to Babylonian mythology, Tammuz had been slain but had not yet been resurrected. In ancient Babylonia, the time for weeping over Tammuz was the early summer, when the rains cease throughout the Middle East and green vegetation is burnt by the unrelenting sun. To this day the Fourth Month in the rabbinical calendar is known as the month of Tammuz and it is still a time for weeping and mourning.

Some of the Babylonian month names found their way into the later books of the Tanakh, but they always appear alongside the Torah month names. For example, Esther 3:7 says:
This verse starts off by giving the Torah name for the month (“First Month”) and then translates this month into its pagan equivalent (“which is the month of Nissan”). By the time of Esther, all the Jews lived within the boundaries of the Persian Empire and the Persians had adopted the Babylonian calendar for the civil administration of their realm. At first, the Jews used these Babylonian month names alongside the Torah month names, but over time the Torah month names fell into disuse. 

As the Jewish People became more comfortable with the Babylonian month names, they became more susceptible to other Babylonian influences. This is similar to the way that American Jews observe Hanukkah as a Jewish version of Christmas. This influence began with the seemingly harmless custom of giving gifts on Hanukkah. Until the Jews arrived in America this custom was unknown and it is still a rarity in Israel where Hanukkah does not need to compete with Christmas for the hearts and minds of the Jewish youth. Once Hanukkah took on this relatively trivial aspect of Christmas, it became ripe for more significant influences. Today, many American Jews have established the custom of setting up a “Hanukkah bush” as a Jewish alternative to the Christmas tree. These Jews did not want to adopt Christmas outright so they “Judaized” the Christmas tree and incorporated into Hanukkah. This example shows how easy it is to be influenced by the practices of a foreign religion, especially when there is some similarity to begin with. The fact that Hanukkah often falls out around the same time as Christmas made it natural for American Jews to incorporate elements of Christmas into their observance of Hanukkah.  

The ancient Rabbis were influenced by the pagan Babylonian religion. Although many Jews returned to Judea when the Exile officially ended in 516 BC, the forebears of the Rabbis remained behind in Babylonia where rabbinical Judaism gradually took shape. Many of the earliest known Rabbis such as Hillel I were born and educated in Babylonia. Indeed, Babylonia remained the heartland of Rabbinical Judaism until the 11th Century CE. The Babylonian Talmud abounds with the influences of Babylonian paganism. Indeed, pagan deities even appear in the Talmud recycled as "Jewish" angels and demons. (End Quote)

Even today's Gregorian Calendar uses names of pagan gods to denote the months of the year. In Scripture YHWH doesn't even want to hear these names come out of our mouths. Satan is pretty subtle.

Do Not be Deceived

Y'shua says we are 'His Sheep', that we should not follow after anyone who claims to be a prophet or teacher of YHWH unless we can recognize the Good Shepherd's Voice.  In order to recognize His Voice we need to be reading Scriptures every day/night for the Ruach haKodesh to teach us discernment. If we know Scriptures we'll be able to recognize a falsehood.  Y'shua gave us the Set Apart Spirit as a Comforter and Revealer of Truth.  We need them both in order to return to the Father, YHWH Elohim. Therein understanding and wisdom are gained. 

Recognizing the Master's Voice means we study Scripture to show ourselves approved - we learn His Truth and know when some one is lying or twisting Yah's Words.

The warning given by Y'shua haMashiyach as recorded in Matthew 24:

• Beware, let no man deceive you
• Many will come claiming to be the Anointed One and many will believe it
• Many false prophets will become popular and deceive many people
• If anyone says they know where the Messiah is, that they've seen him 'here or there' don't believe it
• False messiahs and lying prophets will come on the scene and will have the ability to perform signs and wonders in order to deceive, if it were possible, even the chosen

Y'shua makes it clear that even as all people can see the sun rise and set (east to west), so shall all people recognize him when he returns, all eyes will see him and know that Day has arrived.  He gives us a list of what will be going on in the days before he returns which are part of Satan's plan to deceive us into doubting the Word of the Creator.  If we doubt YHWH then we are open to deception.

Christianity is part of the deception, the twisting of Scriptures to fit man's ideas of salvation. Same goes for Judaism and Islam and all other religious belief systems. Yahweh was never about 'religion'. His is the perfect governing system for His Creation. Man's laws have pretty much made the Creator's Laws seem against the law!  The world today reflects what it must have been like during the days of Noah as well as the behaviors of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Lawlessness = without Yah's Instructions in Righteousness

Those Instructions are written in Scriptures, Genesis through Deuteronomy.  From there we are given many examples of what happens if we obey and what happens if we choose to become outlaws.

He is Near

Saved from Eternal Death

Acts 2:38 tells us in order to be saved (from the curse of eternal death) that we are to repent (return to God, turn from our sinful ways) and be immersed (mikveh/baptised) so that we may receive the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit).

Being immersed is not about converting to a religion but is symbolic of ritual purity, cleansed from sin (stop being in rebellion against YHWH). First, repent. Second, be immersed. Now we are prepared to receive the Ruach haKodesh.  It's a process.

Messiah told his apostles that after his death and resurrection he would send them The Spirit of Truth, the Comforter to dwell within them (being filled with the Ruach haKodesh, which the 12 apostles did receive during Shavuot/Pentecost).  It is this Spirit of Elohim that eventually reveals the Truth of His Word to us as we continue to read and study Scripture.

2 Thessalonians 2:16

And may our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach himself, and Elohim our Father who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and a good hope through His grace, comfort your hearts and establish yourselves in every good word and in every good work.

1 John 5

Whoever believes that Y'shua is the Anointed One is born of Elohim.  And whoever loves the Father also loves him who is begotten of Him. And by this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and follow His Commandments.  For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His Commandments: and His Commandments are not burdensome. Whoever is born of Elohim overcomes the world: and this is the victory that our Faith overcomes the world. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Y'shua is the Son of Elohim... Y'shua came by the water and blood... and the Spirit testifies because the Spirit is Truth.  And there are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water and the blood - and these three are in union.

1 John 5:17

All unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin which is not of death.  And we know that everyone who is born of Elohim sins not; for he that is born of Elohim keeps himself and the evil one touches him not.  We know that we are of Elohim and all the world is reposing on the evil one.  And we know that the Son of Elohim has come and has given us knowledge that we might know the One True Living Elohim, that we might be in the True One, in his Son Y'shua the Mashiyach.  He is the true Elohim, and the life eternal... keep yourselves from idolatry.

A quote from Andrew G. Roth in the Aramaic English New Testament:

The True One and the True Elohim refer to the full scope of YHWH's redemptive plan. Not just that YHWH can save, but through whom He chooses as His vehicle for salvation: Y'shua our Master.  It is only with the full understanding of not just the prophecies in the Tanakh, but how they manifest and are revealed through Y'shua, that the full measure of YHWH's Love becomes manifest and can transform our souls.  This is a central theme in John's letter, he teaches that without love, the truth is not within us. John is not only talking about brotherly love but more specifically about a wonderfully, deep, trusting and devoted love within our Master YHWH.

(end quote)

Repent - Be Immersed - Receive the Spirit of Truth

 Keep His Commandments

Pass it on... Share the Good News of the Kingdom to Come!

Weights & Measures

Here we have a list of measurements found in Scriptures and their modern day equivalents which will come in handy if the time comes when anyone really wants to know or visualize the actual size of the ark YHWH had Noah build, or how far a Sabbath's day journey is or just how much liquid makes up a hin.

Have some fun and exercise your brain!

Length

Hand's Breadth: Approximately 3 inches (4 fingers, closed/pressed together)

Cubit: 18 inches (elbow to tip of middle finger)

Long Cubit: Approximately 20 inches (also known as a Royal Cubit)

Span: 9 inches (fingers spread, from tip of thumb to pinky)

Distance

Fathom: 6 feet

Rod/Reed: 8 feet 9 inches

Furlong: 1/8 of a mile (660 feet)

Sabbath Day's Journey: 7 furlongs (7/8 of a mile)

Day's Journey: 20 miles (a group with women and children: 10 miles)

Liquid

Log: Shy of a half-pint

Hin: Approximately 1 gallon

Bath: About 6 gallons

Firkin: 2-3 Measures: About 9 gallons

Capacity

Ephah: About a bushel

Omer: Approximately 5 pints

Homer: Approximately 8 bushels (the amount a donkey can carry)

Weight

Shekel: Approximately 1/2 ounce

Talent: Approximately 90 pounds