Tradition

Definition of tradition:

1: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
2: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4: characteristic manner, method, or style

It seems safe to interpret 'tradition' for the sake of this study as:

Inherited religious practices accepted as historical though not verifiable, handed down by word of mouth, affecting the social attitudes of the community. This applies to the characteristic manner of the Pharisees of yore and the same style of Religious Leaders of today.

Mark 7:8 

You have disregarded the commandment of Elohim to keep the tradition of men.” He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the commandment of Yahweh to maintain your own tradition.

Mark 7:13

Thus you nullify the word of Elohim by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.

Colossians 2:8 

Beware, or else any man make you naked by philosophy and by vain deception, according to the doctrines of men, according to the rudiments of the world and not according to the Mashiyach...

What started me along this line of thought was a facebook post by a person who stated that he bought a poinsettia, removed the holiday trappings from it and called it kosher.  I know this was in a some-what joking manner, but why do it? It is a 'tradition' to buy and give them as gifts this time of year. I know these plants are native to Mexico - but it's the 'tradition' which ties them to x-mas and that is what gets overlooked. If a Set Apart believer is seen buying typical holiday decorations, what kind of message does this project? Hypocrisy? Even the act of purchasing said plant contributes monetarily to the holiday season.

Maybe that's what bugs me about this - conceived perception - or the idea that most believers like to make the excuse, "He knows what's in my heart" and think that justifies any behavior. Now, if you know me and how I feel about following Mashiyach and obeying the Father; and then walk into my house and saw a bleeding heart picture of 'Jesus' on the wall, hanging next to a star of David flag, with 'christian rock' playing in the background and communion wafers on the coffee table, would that confuse you about me and my intentions? my honesty? my walk? How could you believe another word that came out of my mouth! 

That is how I was affected when I read that post by a 'fellow believer'; one who had long ago discovered our Hebrew beginnings and had been teaching others to obey the Instructions given us by Yahweh. By purchasing an obvious christmas item and calling it 'clean' (kosher), he caused me to doubt his integrity.  He caused me to 'doubt' his sincerity. I could no longer trust him to properly represent the Word of Elohim.  That saddened me, because this man had been in Torah for several years longer than I, and many looked to him as a teacher of the the truth of Yahweh.

There is Scripture that says 'let your yes be yes and your no be no' - which seems to instruct us to say what we mean so as not to be misunderstood.  If we are misunderstood (by joking around, for example) then one who hears, but doesn't understand, can spin a yarn of gossip. Let your actions be clear - no jokes, no sarcasm... leave no room for one to doubt your integrity. By our actions we become a light that shines in the darkness that others may find The Way.

James 5:12

But above all things, my Brothers, do not swear, neither by 'heaven' nor by the 'earth' nor by any other oath: let your language be 'yes, yes' and 'no, no' or else you become subject to judgment

We have been called to come out of the world system... This World, now... so as not to partake of her sins or her plagues at the return of Y'shua.

We become Set Apart else we cannot be a 'light' unto others. It is by our choice to obey the Father and live by His rules that we become noticeably different, set apart from the rest. We are in this world both physically and spiritually, not separate but a harmonious creation. We are noticeably different from the rest of the world - The Hebrews who lived in the area of Goshen were seen by the Egyptians as 'set apart' by their obvious lifestyle; the Egyptians knew the God of the Hebrews was with them, and it became very obvious during the final plagues before they were set free.

Romans 1:25 - They exchanged the truth of Elohim for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise...
Jeremiah 9:12 - Yahweh replied: Because they forsook the Teaching I had set before them. They did not obey Me and they did not follow it but followed their own willful heart and followed the Baalim, as their fathers had taught them.

It is written in Mark 7 about some of the traditions kept by the Pharisees and scribes. They ask Y'shua why his disciples don't follow these traditions and he says to them, 'the prophet did well prophesy about you hypocrites - "This people honor me with their lips. But their hearts are very distant from me. And vainly they fear me while they are teaching the doctrines of the commandments of the sons of men". (Isaiah 29:13) 

Mark 7:8 For you have left the Commandment of Elohim and embraced the traditions of men... You well rejected the Commandment of Elohim that you might establish your tradition.... And you despise the Word of Elohim, because of the tradition that you have handed down that resemble your own doings...

Isn't this reason enough to compel you to discover the origins of and what is meant by those traditions, those lies that have been handed down that cause us to turn our backs on Yahweh, instead of making excuses for them?

Isaiah 29:9

Act stupid and be stupefied! Act blind and be blinded! (They are drunk but not from wine, they stagger but not from liquor.) For Yahweh has spread over you a spirit of deep sleep, and has shut the eyes of the prophets, and covered the heads of the seers; so that all prophecy has been like the words of a sealed document.

29:13 Because that people has approached, honoring Me with words but has kept its heart far from Me, and its worship of Me has been a commandment of men, learned by rote-- truly, I shall further baffle that people and the wisdom of its wise shall fail, and the prudence of its prudent shall vanish. (this prophecy tells of the coming strong deception/delusion)

Definition of 'rote':

• the use of memory usually with little intelligence
• mechanical or unthinking routine or repetition 

I choose not to partake of 'traditions' that would make me appear uncertain of my Faith, which would make me look hypocritical to any Gentile keeping an eye on me.  If I cannot walk the path that Mashiyach set before me, how then can I be an example for others to follow? If I do not have my own house in order, how can I expect to be a light shining for others? Being led by the Spirit of Truth my desire is to remove all stumbling blocks from the very same path I have been traveling, for those trying to catch up before time runs out. Everything we need to know is written in Scriptures, as example for us in this day and age, so that we will indeed recognize the Good Shepherd's Voice.

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Jeremiah 16:18 - "I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance (the land) with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations". O Yahweh, my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress, to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, futility and things of no profit." Can man make gods for himself? Yet they are not gods!

We have inherited lies:

Intentionally, 

through the years of the

 twisting and replacement of truth.

Accidentally,

 by plain ignorance of the truth,

following traditions without question.

It is time to start asking questions

Habakkuk 2:18  

What has the carved image availed, that he who fashioned it has carved it for an image and a false oracle -- that he who fashioned his product has trusted in it, making dumb idols?

Let us not be destroyed for lack of knowledge

Let us not be lacking knowledge by choosing tradition

2 Samuel 7:28 

Now, O Yahweh Elohim, You are Elohim, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.

John 8:32  

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free

What about those who continue to twist the Word of Yahweh our Creator, and preach it to anyone who will listen, for their own glory and fame?

Matthew 7:22   

Many will say to me in that day, ‘My Master, did we not prophesy by your Name, and by your Name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them that from everlasting, ‘I have not known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’ Therefore everyone who hears my words and does them is like a wise man who built his house on a stone. 

Future Government

Consider the possibility of the United Nations as the seat of the New World Order governing system.  It would be the perfect place for 10 world leaders to meet and fulfill prophecy (whether they know it or not) under the pretext of Sustainable Development for the World. Of those 10 leaders, three will disagree and eventually refuse to follow orders. They will be 'removed' so that their chosen World Leader can take his place. Here are a couple of links to the United Nations website for you to research on your own if you don't already know about the world wide reach of their powers:

Agenda 2030

Agenda 21

They even met in Rio de Janeiro in June of 2012 to form an outline of 

the future they want.

This modern day information is what inspires me to take a deeper look into the prophecies given in the book of Daniel, the dreams and visions he recorded and their interpretations as per Scriptures and other recorded historical events. These dreams and visions were telling about the time of the end when a final king would arise and attempt to conquer the world. 

We'll start with Nebuchadnezzar's dream about a large statue.

Daniel 2:32 

The head of that statue was of fine gold; its chest and arms were of silver; its belly and thighs of bronze; its legs were of iron, and its feet part iron and part clay.  A stone was hewn, not by hands, and struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them.  All at once, the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold were crushed and became like chaff of the threshing floors of summer; a wind carried them off until no trace was left.  But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that YHWH Elohim in heaven reveals mysteries and has made known to the king what is to be at the end of days.  

Daniel tells him what the dream means: 

The head of gold represents Nebuchadnezzar's current reign as king of Babylon. After his kingdom one represented by the silver, inferior to gold, arises, then yet a third kingdom, of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. But the fourth kingdom, strong as iron, will smash and crush those before it.  The feet which were part iron and part clay means it will be a divided kingdom.  And the toes which are mixed iron and clay means that kingdom will be part strong and part brittle.

:43 You saw iron mixed with common clay; that means: they shall intermingle with the offspring of men, but shall not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.  In the time of those kings, YHWH will establish a kingdom that shall never be destroyed nor transferred to another people.  It will crush and wipe out all these kingdoms and itself shall last forever, just as the stone hewn from the mountain, not by hands, crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver and gold.

Make a note here, verse 43, "they shall intermingle with the offspring of men..." sounds an awful lot like what what was going on in the days of Noah when those divine beings left their station in heaven to defile themselves with the daughters of men.  Y'shua warns us that this is similar to one of the signs prior to his return.  Nebuchadnezzar was shown this future event in a dream. Who are 'they'? Non-humans? Trans-humans? Demon-spirits posing as extraterrestrials?

The kingdoms represented by the statue are as follows:

• Kingdom #1: Head of Gold Babylon empire's greatest King was Nebuchadnezzar (reigned 605 - 562 B.C.), who conquered the Kingdom of Judah, took the inhabitants as captives to Babylon and, in 586 B.C., burned Jerusalem and destroyed its temple. Babylon's world supremacy lasted 73 years. 
• Kingdom #:2 The chest and arms of silver Persian empire is considered the most powerful kingdom of the ancient world. At its height it spanned three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. It was during the reign of Cyrus the Great that captive Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. 
• Kingdom #3: The belly and thighs of bronze was the Greek kingdom of Alexander the Great. After his death in 323 B.C. his kingdom was divided up into four kingdoms by his generals.
• Kingdom #4: the legs of iron and feet mixed with clay Roman empire. Rome is considered the third largest and most powerful of the ancient empires. At the time of Y'shua it is believed Rome controlled a total population of 60 million people. In 395 A.D. the kingdom split into two separate pieces (two legs? or divided like iron and clay): The Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, which lasted until 1453 A.D. and the Western Empire, which lasted until 476 A.D.

Let move along to the time when Belshazzar is king of Babylon (chapter 7).  Daniel is the one to have a dream and a vision this time.  He sees four mighty beasts emerge from the sea which are different from each other.  The fourth beast was fearsome, dreadful and very powerful, with great iron teeth that devoured and crushed  and stamped the remains with its feet.  It was different from the ones that went before it and had ten horns.  A new little horn sprouted up among the ten and three of the older horns were uprooted to make room for it. There were eyes in the horn like a man and it spoke arrogantly. Because of the arrogant words it spoke it was killed, consigned to the flames.

In verse 15 we read that Daniel is disturbed and alarmed by this vision. One of the attendants (an angel) tells him the beasts represent four earthly kings/kingdoms after which the Set Apart Ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever and ever. The fourth beast with its teeth of iron, claws of bronze represents a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from the ones before it and it will devour the whole earth, tread it down and crush it.  Ten kings will arise from this fourth kingdom and then another will arise, different from the former ones and will bring low 3 kings.  He will speak words against the Most High and will harass the elect of YHWH Elohim.  He will think of changing times and laws, and they will be delivered into this power for a time, times and half a time (3-1/2 years). Then the court will sit and dominion will be taken away, to be destroyed and abolished for all time.

Three years later Daniel has another disturbing vision about a ram which no beast could withstand (chapter 8).  This ram did as he pleased and grew great.  A he-goat came from the west and it had a conspicuous horn on its forehead. He charged the ram and broke its two horns and the ram was powerless to withstand him. Then the he-goat grew very great but at the peak of his power his big horn was broken. Four conspicuous horns sprouted towards the four winds of heaven.  From one of them emerged a small horn which extended itself greatly south, east and towards the beautiful land.  It grew as high as the host of heaven and it hurled some stars of the heavenly host to the ground and trampled them.  It vaunted itself against the very chief of the host on its account the regular offering was suspended and His Set Apart place was abandoned.  An army was arrayed iniquitously against the regular offering, it hurled truth to the ground and prospered in what it did.

The angel Gabriel is told to explain this vision to Daniel.  He tells him it refers to the time of the end.

Chapter 8 verse 20: 

The two horned ram signifies the kings of Media and Persia and the he-goat the king of Greece with the large horn being the first king.  The four that came mean four kingdoms arise out of a nation but without its power.  When their kingdoms are at an end, when the measure of transgression has been filled, then a king will arise, impudent and versed in intrigue.  He will have great strength but not through his own strength. He will be extraordinarily destructive; he will prosper in what he does and destroy the mighty and the people of holy ones. By his cunning he will use deceit successfully. He will make great plans, will destroy many taking them unawares, and will rise up against the chief of chiefs, but will be broken, not by human hands.

Beginning in chapter 10, during the time Cyrus is king of Persia, we read Daniel experiences another vision concerning a time yet to come - the vision of the kings of the north and south. Details are given by an angel in chapter 11 and I have added in parenthesis actual events which fulfilled this vision:

The angel said, "Three more kings will rule over Persia, followed by a fourth, who will be richer than all the others. At the height of his power and wealth he will challenge the kingdom of Greece. :3 Then a heroic king will appear (Alexander the Great). He will rule over a huge empire and do whatever he wants. But at the height of his power his empire will break up and be divided into four parts. Kings not descended from him will rule in his place, but they will not have the power that he had (per Alexander's four generals: Seleucus/Asia; Ptolemy/Egypt; Lysimachus/Thrace; Cassander/Macedonia including Greece). :5 The king of the south will be strong. One of his generals, however, will be even stronger and rule a greater kingdom. After a number of years the king of Egypt will make an alliance with the king of Syria and give him his daughter in marriage. But the alliance will not last, and she, her husband, her child, and the servants who went with her will all be killed. :7 Soon afterward one of her relatives will become king. He will attack the army of the king of Syria, enter their fortress, and defeat them. 

He will carry back to Egypt the images of their gods and the articles of gold and silver dedicated to those gods. After several years of peace the king of Syria will invade Egypt, but he will be forced to retreat. :10 The sons of the king of Syria will prepare for war and gather a large army. One of them will sweep on like a flood and attack an enemy fortress. In his anger the king of Egypt will go to war against the king of Syria and capture his huge army. He will be proud of his victory and of the many soldiers he has killed, but he will not continue to be victorious. :13 The king of Syria will go back and gather a larger army than he had before... he will return with a large, well-equipped army. Then many people will rebel against the king of Egypt. And some violent people from your nation, Daniel, will rebel because of a vision they have seen, but they will be defeated. :15 So the king of Syria will lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The soldiers of Egypt will not continue to fight... :16 The Syrian invader will do with them as he pleases, without opposition. He will stand in the Promised Land and have it completely in his power. :17 The king of Syria will plan an expedition, using his whole army. Then, in order to destroy his enemy's kingdom, he will make an alliance with him and offer him his daughter in marriage; but his plan will not succeed. After that he will attack the nations by the sea and conquer many of them. But a foreign leader will defeat him and put an end to his arrogance; indeed he will turn the arrogance of Syria's king back on him. The king will return to the fortresses of his own land, but he will be defeated, and that will be the end of him. :20 He will be followed by another king, who will send an officer to oppress the people with taxes in order to increase the wealth of his kingdom. In a short time that king will be killed, but not publicly and not in battle. :21 The angel went on to explain: "The next king of Syria will be an evil man who has no right to be king, but he will come unexpectedly and seize power by trickery. Anyone who opposes him, even God's High Priest, will be swept away and wiped out. By making treaties, he will deceive other nations, and he will grow stronger and stronger, even though he rules only a small nation. :24 He will invade a wealthy province without warning and will do things that none of his ancestors ever did. Then he will divide among his followers the goods and property he has captured in war. He will make plans to attack fortresses, but his time will soon run out. He will boldly raise a large army to attack the king of Egypt, who will prepare to fight back with a huge and powerful army. But the king of Egypt will be deceived and will not be successful. His closest advisers will ruin him. Many of his soldiers will be killed, and his army will be wiped out. :27 Then the two kings will sit down to eat at the same table, but their motives will be evil, and they will lie to each other. They will not get what they want, because the time for it has not yet come. :28 The king of Syria will return home with all the loot he has captured, determined to destroy the faith of Yahweh's people. He will do as he pleases and then return to his own land. Later on he will invade Egypt again, but this time things will turn out differently. :30 The Romans will come in ships and oppose him, and he will be frightened. Then he will turn back in a rage and try to destroy the religion of God's people. He will follow the advice of those who have abandoned that religion. Some of his soldiers will make the Temple ritually unclean. They will stop the daily sacrifices and set up The Abominations that causes Desolation. By deceit the king will win the support of those who have already abandoned their faith, but those who follow Yahweh will fight back. Wise leaders of the people will share their wisdom with many others. But for a while some of them will be killed in battle or be burned to death, and some will be robbed and made prisoners. While the killing is going on, Yah's people will receive a little help, even though many who join them will do so for selfish reasons. :35 Some of those wise leaders will be killed, but as a result of this the people will be purified. This will continue until the end comes, the time that YHWH Elohim has set. :36 The king of Syria will do as he pleases. He will boast that he is greater than any god, superior even to the Supreme God. He will be able to do this until the time when Yah punishes him - He will do exactly what He has planned. The king will ignore the god his ancestors served, and also the god that women love. In fact, he will ignore every god, because he will think he is greater than any of them. Instead, he will honor the god who protects fortresses. He will offer gold, silver, jewels, and other rich gifts to a god his ancestors never worshiped. To defend his fortresses, he will use people who worship a foreign god. He will give great honor to those who accept him as ruler, put them into high offices, and give them land as a reward.  When the king of Syria's final hour has almost come, the king of Egypt will attack him, and the king of Syria will fight back with all his power, using chariots, horses, and many ships. He will invade many countries, like the waters of a flood. He will even invade the Promised Land and kill tens of thousands, but the countries of Edom, Moab, and what is left of Ammon will escape. When he invades all those countries, even Egypt will not be spared. He will take away Egypt's hidden treasures of gold and silver and its other prized possessions. He will conquer Libya and Ethiopia. :44 Then news that comes from the east and the north will frighten him, and he will fight furiously, killing many people.  He will even set up his huge royal tents between the sea and the mountain on which the Temple stands. But he will die, with no one there to help him."

Daniel 12 

At that time the great angel Michael, who guards your people, will appear. Then there will be a time of troubles, the worst since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, all the people of your nation whose names are written in God's book will be saved. Many of those who have already died will live again: some will enjoy eternal life, and some will suffer eternal disgrace. The wise leaders will shine with all the brightness of the sky. And those who have taught many people to do what is right will shine like the stars forever. :4 He said to me, And now, Daniel, close the book and put a seal on it until the end of the world. Meanwhile, many people will waste their efforts trying to understand what is happening." Then I saw two men standing by a river, one on each bank. One of them asked the angel who was standing further upstream, "How long will it be until these amazing events come to an end?" The angel raised both hands toward the sky and made a solemn promise in the name of the Eternal God. I heard him say, "It will be three and a half years. When the persecution of God's people ends, all these things will have happened." :8 I heard what he said, but I did not understand it. So I asked, "But, sir, how will it all end?" He answered, "You must go now, Daniel, because these words are to be kept secret and hidden until the end comes. Many people will be purified. Those who are wicked will not understand but will go on being wicked; only those who are wise will understand. From the time the daily sacrifices are stopped, that is, from the time of The Awful Horror, 1,290 days will pass. Happy are those who remain faithful until 1,335 days are over! And you, Daniel, be faithful to the end. Then you will die, but you will rise to receive your reward at the end of time."

I know this is lengthy but all of these visions are prophecies of the end times and examples of events leading up to the final world government prior to the return of Y'shua Messiah and his kingdom on earth. Yah tells us the end from the beginning so that when these thing occur we will know He is who He says He is.

Lets review but only by the similarities per each vision: The number 4, the metal iron, the king who is different from the ones before, the kingdom smashed by the Rock and his earthly kingdom...

• the fourth kingdom, strong as iron, will smash and crush those before it. The feet which were part iron and part clay means it will be a divided kingdom.  And the toes which are mixed iron and clay means that kingdom will be part strong and part brittle.

• The fourth beast was fearsome, dreadful and very powerful, with great iron teeth that devoured and crushed  and stamped the remains with its feet.  It was different from the ones that went before it and had ten horns.  A new little horn sprouted up among the ten and three of the older horns were uprooted to make room for it.

• Ten kings will arise from this fourth kingdom and then another will arise, different from the former ones and will bring low 3 kings.  He will speak words against Yahweh the Most High and will harass the Set Apart Ones of the Most High.  He will think of changing times and laws, and they will be delivered into this power for a time, times and half a time (3-1/2 years).

• From one of them emerged a small horn which extended itself greatly south, east and towards the beautiful land.  It grew as high as the host of heaven and it hurled some stars of the heavenly host to the ground and trampled them.  It vaunted itself against the very chief of the host on its account the regular offering was suspended and His Set Apart place was abandoned.  An army was arrayed iniquitously against the regular offering, it hurled truth to the ground and prospered in what it did.

• Then a king will arise, impudent and versed in intrigue.  He will have great strength but not through his own strength. He will be extraordinarily destructive; he will prosper in what he does and destroy the mighty and the people of holy ones. By his cunning he will use deceit successfully. He will make great plans, will destroy many taking them unawares, and will rise up against the chief of chiefs, but will be broken, not by human hands.

Y'shua refers us back to Daniel, confirming his visions were for a future time.

Matthew 24:15

And when you see the sign of uncleanness and desolation, that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, which will stand in the Set Apart place, he that reads, let him understand.

Daniel 9:27 

During one week he will make a firm covenant with many. For half a week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and meal offering. At the corner of the altar (in the Set Apart place) will be an appalling abomination until the decreed destruction will be poured down upon this appalling thing.

Further reading, study and research:
History of Macedonia
King of the North/South

The Roman Empire circa 395

I bring up the Ottoman Empire as an alternative to the common belief that the final world government will be a revived Roman empire. More on this, later. In the meantime this is a video worth watching:
Armageddon News

Offerings and Sacrifices

For the most part, the practice of sacrifice stopped in the year 70 AD, when the Roman army destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, the place where sacrifices were offered. The practice was briefly resumed during the Jewish War of 132-135 AD, but was ended permanently after that war was lost.

We read about these laws pertaining to the reasons for and the handling of sacrifices recorded in the books Genesis through Deuteronomy, Leviticus in particular.  It stands to reason that if certain requirements no longer exist then we cannot follow through on the physical doings of those rules Yah said were everlasting. The rules, laws, regulations and commandments still pertain to us today but mostly by spiritual observance, in anticipation of the Kingdom to come. The temple- House of Elohim -no longer stands, hence the priesthood no longer exists so offerings cannot be sacrificed.

Hebrews 10... in (Yah's Instructions for His Creation) there was a shadow of the good things to come; not the substance (reality) of the things themselves. Therefore, although the same sacrifices were offered every year, they could never perfect those who offered them. For, if they had perfected them, they would have, long ago, stopped making offerings because they (would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But in those sacrifices, every year they recognized their sins). For the blood of bulls and of goats cannot purge away sins. Therefore, when Yahshua came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

with burnt offerings and sin offerings

you were not pleased.

I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—

I have come to do your will, O Elohim"

Hebrews 10:11

For every high priest who stood and ministered daily, offered again and again the same sacrifices which never were sufficient to purge away sins. But this Priest (Yahshua the Anointed One) offered one sacrifice for sins, and forever sat down at the right hand of Elohim (where he waits for his kingdom to come). For by one offering he has perfected forever, them who are sanctified by him. After which the Ruach haKodesh testifies by saying, This is the covenant I will give them after those days; says Master Yahweh... I will put my Torah/Instructions into their minds and inscribe it on their hearts and their iniquity and sins I will not remember against them.

Now, where there is a forgiveness of sins there is no offering for sin demanded.

The Reason not to be of The Season

Many years ago I became interested in learning about our family traditions, from whence they originated and why we celebrate these assorted holidays.  One major holiday is Christmas and that is where I began. The results I share in this study are from Scriptures and information gleaned from other research on this same topic by many others. Don't take my word for it always study it out for yourselves.

"Christ" is not the reason for the season.

Jesus Christ is not his name.  He had Hebrew parents who gave him a Hebrew name: Yah-shua (Y'shua).  He was born about 6 months after his cousin, John. This is an historically correct fact.

In the story leading up to Y'shua's inception, his mother-to-be, Mary, came to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with John. It is through this account, found in Luke, chapter 1, that we are able to more closely fix the date of the birth of Messiah.

Luke indicates that Elizabeth’s husband was Zechariah and a priest of the course of Abia. While on duty, as a priest, he was visited by an angel and informed his wife was to have a son to be named John. After his obligations to the ministry ended, he departed to his house. He and Elizabeth conceived a child.

During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, the angel Gabriel visited Mary and informed her she was going to have a son. Mary goes to visit her cousin, and stayed with her about three months.

In order to fix the time of conception, one must look to the time of Zachariah's ministry. At that time, the priests were divided into 24 classes and it is known that each class officiated at the Temple in turn for a week. If it is known when the course of Abia was when Zachariah  officiated, one can trace the times of the succession of courses backward or forward. I trust the research of those who traced this time line and were able to calculate the beginning of Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy began in the fourth week of December, when Mary came to visit.

Using Zachariah’s ministry, Elizabeth’s pregnancy term and Mary’s visit at the start of her sixth month, this shows the conception of Y'shua in the first part of the last week of December and His birth occurring on or around September 29, 2 BC - not December 25.

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There is a common defense put forth by folks who celebrate x-mas when it has been pointed out that Y'shua was not born on Dec. 25th... they say 'any time is a good time to honor christ...' Our Father in Heaven clearly points out not to have any thing to do with idols or heathen traditions like cutting down a tree and putting it up in your home, decorating it and bowing down before it (the act of placing gifts beneath the tree).  These things do not honor our Creator.  We must not celebrate christmas. It has nothing to do with Yahweh the Father, Yahshua the Son but falls under the heading of Abominations.

IF you really want to honor Yahweh, then do as He says, not what man says. Give up man made traditions and Y'shua will fill those spaces with His Set Apart Spirit.

Yahweh is not slow in keeping his promise,
as some understand slowness.
He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,
 but everyone to come to repentance. [2 Peter 3:9]

Here are assorted links that delve into the origins of other man made traditions as well as days our Father set as holy. I pray you find time to check them out, do a little searching on your own and you will find the truth really will set you free. You'll be free of worries, anxiety, insecurity, and loneliness just to name a few!

I try to maintain link lists, but if you come across one that no longer works, I'd appreciate it if you would let me know so that I may remove it.

Easter

Palm Sunday

Passover 

Exodus

1599 Geneva Bible (the one before King James)

Holidays

One Stop Scripture Spot

Genesis

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)

Selecting Leaders

When "Bible Study Groups" feel they need to select 'elders' or establish some sort of leadership, my soul cringes, because most times they will not follow Yah's Instructions in choosing capable men who fear Him. If a Study Group has become so large that it needs help managing the members then choose folks with experience. If these 'leaders' do not qualify according to Yah's outline, then do not call them Elders or put them in any other position they do not qualify for.  I've seen natural leaders rise up that others gravitate towards, and without titles they cannot live up to.  This is O.K. and manageable within the bounds of Torah.  I understand the need may arise, but calling someone an Elder who does not qualify according to the Word of Elohim is down-right wrong!

Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses (and priest of Midian), saw how overwhelming it was for Moses to 'manage' the people, day in and day out, making known the laws and teachings of Yahweh. He made this suggestion:

You, Moses, represent the people and bring their disputes before Yahweh Elohim. Make known to them the importance of the laws and the teachings and tell them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.
Select capable men from among the people who fear Elohim, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain and set them over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Let them judge all matters, and decide minor disputes themselves; but have them bring the major disputes to you. - sharing your burden. If you do this - and Yahweh commands you - you will be able to bear it.   (Exodus 18:17)

Time goes by and in Numbers 11:10 we read that Yahweh was very angry (again) and Moses was distress (those stiff necked people have been complaining and crying again). Yahweh instructs Moses to:

"Gather 70 of Israel's elders of whom have experience as elders and officers of the people, bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them take their place there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will draw upon the spirit that is in you and put it upon them; they shall share the burden of the people with you..."

Notice that Yah is putting His Spirit upon them.  Makes me think of Shavuot when The Comforter (the Spirit of Truth) was given to the apostles and they were able to fully understand and teach people Torah from then on out.

In the letter Paul wrote to Timothy he points out the qualifications to be met by any man who desires the position as an elder:

1 Timothy 3 ...if a man desires the eldership, he desires a good work. And an elder should be such that No Blame can be found in him; a husband of one wife; have a vigilant mind, sober and reliable; hospitable to strangers; instructive; not a transgressor of wine; not swift to strike but should be humble and not contentious nor a lover of money; one who guides well his own house and holds his children in subjection with all purity. If he cannot run his own household how can he guide the assembly of Elohim? Neither let him be of recent discipleship or else his ego will get the best of him... There should be good testimony of him... else he fall into reproach and the snare of Satan...

It is a blessing that a group grows and needs management 😊 but the one who started the group to begin with should always stick to the rules put forth by the Creator when choosing his reliable trustworthy men to help with the task, that all will continue to go well with them.

Knowledge

I believe the first mention of 'knowledge' is in Genesis 2:9 "And from the ground Yahweh caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the Tree of Life in the middle of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad." Then Yahweh gives the command to Adam- 2:17 "but as for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die."

Right there in the 2nd chapter of creation we learn that we were not meant to know everything. We should allow our Faith in the Creator to be sufficient. Self awareness might not be a good thing, a stumbling block at least and a snare at most.

Amos 8:11 - A time is coming, declared Yahweh, when He will send a famine upon the land: not a hunger for bread and thirst for water, but for hearing His Words... Men shall wander from sea to sea and from north to east seeking His Word but shall not find it...

Daniel 12:4 - But you Daniel, keep the words secret and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will range far and wide and knowledge will increase.

Daniel heard but did not understand.  He was told that these words are secret and sealed unto the time of the end.  And here's what most folks overlook:

4:10 - Many will be purified, purged and refined; the wicked will act wickedly and none of the wicked will understand; but the knowledgeable will understand.

Even if we have knowledge not all will understand the impact or implications of said knowledge. Those who have been purified, purged and refined will understand. While it is true that the vast majority of the world will be without Yahweh and without hope when Y'shua returns, it is written also that many people will understand, prepare, and be ready.

Purify: to clear from material defilement or imperfection
>to free from guilt or moral blemish >to free from undesirable elements
Purge: to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
Refine: free from impurities

We are freed from guilt by accepting the shed blood of Y'shua. We follow Y'shua as we walk towards perfection, removing materialism and other impurities from the path. We choose to love and obey the Creator which frees us from undesirable elements, ceremonial defilement.  We, in this process, become 'knowledgeable'.  

The context of "knowledge increased" is in reference to people understanding the prophecies of the book of Daniel, however, many Bible scholars believe that this prophecy also applies to an increasing knowledge of science, medicine and technology.  The two views may be connected. Those using these scientific breakthroughs gain knowledge leading to the prophecy that, as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be prior to the return of Mashiyach. These people are gaining knowledge, albeit from that Tree Yahweh said not to eat of. This would include genetic manipulation and other experiments, some of which result in the trend of forcing 'the next step of evolution': transhumanism.

As it was in the days of Noah, man was evil and his wicked ways had permeated the world, to the point Yahweh brought about the Flood.  And what brought about those wicked evil ways?  

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. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Divine beings caused human women to become pregnant. Their mutant, genetic offspring are called the Nephilim. These Rebel Angels also taught the secrets of heaven to these human woman - knowledge that was not intended for humans, fruit not to be eaten.

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. They were lawless ones (they did not abide by the Instructions of Elohim). 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.

There are things we're just not supposed to know in this lifetime.

This is similar to knowing about the Jews planning on building another Temple in Jerusalem which just might be the one Satan enters and claims to be 'god'- it's prophecy, it's going to happen, we just need to separate ourselves from it because we know right from wrong. We have gained knowledge of Scriptures and learned discernment enabling us to make the right choice. The knowledge is of Good and Bad. The Ruach haKodesh enables us to recognize which is which so that we may act accordingly. The Spirit gives us the ability to 'understand knowledge'.

Knowledge is expanding in all directions, but this isn't necessarily a good thing. It is simply prophesy coming to life in our day and age, as we enter the end days scenario. Knowledge of everything can cause confusion, division, misunderstandings and man thinking he is god: a know-it-all with an inflated ego. 

1 Corinthians 8:1 - And concerning sacrifices to idols, we know that in all of us there is knowledge; and knowledge inflates the ego, but love uplifts the spirit.

Ephesians 1:15 - Therefore, since I heard of your Faith in our Master Y'shua the Anointed One and of your love towards all the Set Apart believers; I do not cease to give thanks on your account, and to remember you in my prayers that the Elohim of Y'shua the Mashiyach, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of Wisdom and of revelation in the recognition of him (spiritual knowledge).

Ah! How excellent is the majesty of His power, in us who believe, according to the efficiency of the strength of His power which He put forth in the Mashiyach...

Proverbs 18:15 - The mind of an intelligent man acquired knowledge; the ears of the wise seek out knowledge

If we always Love Yahweh first and foremost we will remain on His Path through all that is yet to come. Love one another accordingly. Walk in the footsteps of His Son and keep His Instructions in Righteousness.

Ephesians 3:13 - Therefore, I pray that I may not be discouraged by my afflictions which are for your sakes; for this is your glory. And I bow my knees to the Father of our Master Y'shua from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named, that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit; that in your inner man the Mashiyach may dwell by Faith, and in your hearts by love, while your root and your foundation increases greatly in strength; and that you may be able to explore with all the Set Apart believers what is the height and depth and length and breadth, and know the greatness of the Mashiyach's love and that you may be filled with all the fullness of Elohim.

Colossians 2 - And I wish you to know how I have struggled for you, and for them of Laodicea and others who have not seen me, that their hearts may be comforted and they, by love, may come to all the riches of assurance and to the understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of Elohim the Father and of the Mashiyach in who are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.

2 Peter 1:5 - And while you apply all diligence in the matter, add to your Faith moral excellence and to moral excellence, knowledge, and to knowledge perseverance, and to perseverance patience, and to patience the Fear of Elohim and to the Fear of Elohim sympathy with the brotherhood and to that, love.

It is by first having Faith, then all things will be added to us, according to His Set Apart Spirit.

Ecclesiastes 1:18 - For as wisdom grows, vexation grows; to increase learning is to increase heartache.
1 Corinthians 13:2 - And if there should be in me the gift of prophecy, and I should understand all the mysteries, and every science, and if there should be in me all faith so that I could move mountains... and if love isn't in me, I should be nothing.
Luke 11:52 - Woe to you scribes because you have taken away the keys of knowledge.
Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed because of your disobedience! Because you have rejected obedience, I reject you as My priest; because you have spurned the teaching of Elohim, I will spurn your children.

Knowledge is defined in the dictionary as the fact of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association; the range of one's information or understanding; the circumstance of recognizing truth through reasoning; the condition of having information or of being learned.

Our knowledge is gained from becoming familiar with Scriptures, the Word of Elohim, and our range of understanding will increase as time goes on, if we continue to read, study, pray and love Elohim and one another.  By way of the Ruach haKodesh, we are given the ability to recognize truth as we reason together. From this I deduce science and technology have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge Yah said not to, and have gone the way of the Divine Beings who were in rebellion against the Instructions of the Creator, seeking to be 'gods' themselves and dabble in their own re-creations.