Atonement

Leviticus 16

:32 ~ The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments and make atonement for the Most Set Apart Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the assembly. This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the people because of all their sins. And all this was done as Master Yahweh had commanded Moses.…

Atonement was necessary because of the impurities and rebellious acts of that mixed multitude that came out of Egypt in regard to all their sins. It is just as necessary for us today and it is Y'shua the Anointed One, Son of the Heavenly Father, who shed his blood for the atonement of our sins. 

Atonement is the act of making amends, offering expiation for a wrong or injury which reconciles believers to Yahweh through the death of His Son, Yahshua, who said no-one comes to the Father except through him. This isn't a catch-all or end game scenario. Y'shua's shed blood only covers those who abide by YHWH's Instructions and have the testimony of His Son. When we come into covenant with our Creator we agree to the terms of that covenant. If we don't we shall not be part of the first resurrection at the return of Y'shua.

In Matthew 26 Y'shua told his 12 apostles: 

"This is my blood of the renewed covenant, which for the sake of many is shed for the forgiveness of sins."

For the sake of many, not for the sake of everybody.

And in John 10 Y'shua tells them: 

"There is no love that is greater than this, that a man lay down his life for the sake of his friends. You are my friends if you do all that I commanded you everything that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

He laid down his life for those who live by all that he has taught which is everything he has heard from our Creator aka YHWH's Instructions (Genesis through Deuteronomy). This is the blood of the renewed covenant, the writings found in what is commonly called the New Testament.

Revelation 12:11- And they overcame (Satan, the Accuser), because of the blood of the Lamb, (Y'shua, whom they acknowledge openly); and they loved not their own lives, even to death. In Leviticus 17:11 Yah says- "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have assigned it to you for making atonement for your lives. It is the blood, as life, that effects atonement."

When we spend time reading Scriptures it becomes clear as to what our responsibilities are if we desire to spend a thousand years with Y'shua as our king and high priest and have eternal life.  How many times have I thought to myself, "O, to have been there to hear him speak! To reach out and touch the hem of his garment and be healed!" Well folks, in order to be sharing the earth with Messiah for a thousand years there are rules and regulations set forth by the Father. It is by His Set Apart Spirit we see these truths and choose Life, the Blessing, the promise YHWH made with Abraham. We come into covenant with our Creator.  It is a choice, not automatic inclusion. It is made possible by His Son who taught us the Good News of the Kingdom to Come, wherein we find comfort.

Love Yah first and foremost, love your fellowman as yourself and let His Set Apart Spirit comfort you with all truth.  Accept Yahweh and have eyes to see the spoken word and ears that hear the written word. Humble yourself and allow YWHW to lift you up in due time. Recognize the need for atonement, accept the blood of the renewed covenant as necessary for the life of your soul.  We were once carnal Gentiles but are no longer slaves to our old sin nature because we have the testimony of Y'shua Son of Yahweh, and we are in convent with the Creator.  

Let us cling to the Rock of our Salvation.

Lost and Found

To set the stage, here are some definitions to aid our understanding of what is meant by parables which both the Father and His Son used in their teachings:

A parable is usually a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude. Allegory is the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence and a metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable; a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else. 

Y'shua spoke in parables many times, telling stories to illustrate spiritual lessons; stories that are to be understood in order to reveal the hidden meaning of what he was teaching. There is no real mystery. He was teaching us to use our 'brain', to think and reason and not just follow the most popular preacher of the day or what was fashionable at the time.

Matthew 13:34
All these things Y'shua spoke in parables to the crowd, and he would not speak to them without a parable, so might be fulfilled the things which was spoken through the prophet who said, "I will open my mouth with parables and will bring out secrets that were from before the foundation of the world." (Psalms 78:2) 

In Luke 8 we read the Sower of the Seed parable. He tells his apostles that they are given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of Elohim but to the rest of the people it is spoken in parables because although they see, they will not see, and though they hear, they will not comprehend.

In Luke 10 is a short story told as an example of who's one neighbor really is, which was brought on by the questions a scribe was posing to Y'shua. In Chapter 12 the parables are Master/servant related and we are told to seek the Kingdom of Yahweh and not worry about what we will eat or drink or wear. We are likened to those who wait for their Master to return from the wedding feast, so when he knocks we will readily open the door for him.  The explanation of this parable is given: Therefore be ready for when we don't expect it, the Son of man will return.  In Chapter 14 is the parable of the man who made a great supper and called on many to attend and many refused to come making various excuses. The Master sends his servant out to get whoever he can to come to this feast so that his house would be full. Just reading that alone makes me think of the time we are told many will be called but few are chosen. Please take the time to read Luke from your copy of Scriptures when you have time.

Onto Chapter 15 which is the reason for this study as it has been used to prove that the "Prodigal Son" represents Ephraim and that Ephraim and Judah will be reunited (two houses become one).  If you do a word search using the Bible Hub search window you will discover that the word 'prodigal' isn't found in Scriptures, so that tells me somebody attached it to one particular parable so they could spin their own interpretation of it. Also, take into consideration that Y'shua has told us not everyone will understand.

The term prodigal means wasteful expenditure aka a reckless spendthrift.  A spendthrift is someone who is given to spending money freely or foolishly, who is wasteful with money.  So yes one could suppose to call this younger son in the parable the prodigal son compared to his older obedient brother, but why spin it beyond Y'shua's lesson? Some folks use quotes found in the writings of Jeremiah to tie it together but even Yahweh used parables, allegories and metaphors long before His Son came on the scene (Like Father like Son).

In Chapter 15 it is the scribes and Pharisees who are none too happy with Y'shua, mumbling, grumbling and accusing him of un-Torah-like behavior; in this case it disgusted them that Y'shua sat among sinners and even ate with them. So Y'shua told them parable #1: 

Who among you who has one hundred sheep won't go after the one that has gotten lost, leaving the 99 in the open until you find the one?  And when you find it you take it upon your shoulders to bring it home, calling out to your friends and neighbors - Rejoice with me! I have found my sheep that was lost!

He tells the scribes and Pharisees that is what it will be like in heaven over one sinner who repents. The other 99 righteous ones do not need repentance.  It also points out that Y'shua didn't come to sit among the righteous but to teach the sinners and unrepentant ones.

Mark 2:16 ~ When the scribes and the Pharisees saw Y'shua eating with these people, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Y'shua  told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

And he told them parable #2:

A women had 10 coins and lost one of them. She does nothing else but search for it carefully until she finds it. And when she does she calls out to her friends and neighbors Rejoice with me! I have found my coin which was lost!

He tells the scribes and Pharisees, likewise, there will be joy before the Messengers of Elohim over one sinner who repents.

To further drive the point home to those hard headed scribes and Pharisees, he tells them parable #3 about a man who had two sons. The younger son asked for his share of dad's estate now instead of waiting for it in due course.  He gathered everything that was his share and went away.  He ended up wasting all his wealth while living lavishly.  He used up everything he had and then famine hit the land and he was in dire straights. He got a job tending swine. He was so hungry he was ready to eat the slop being fed the swine and no one would give to him.  He finally came to his senses and decided to go back to his dad's house where he knew servants were fed and he offered to be one of his servants.  He confessed to his father that he realized he has sinned against him and Heaven and was not worthy to be called his son.  His father's love for him could not be contained as he was elated that his son returned. He put on a feast for the boy.  This didn't go over too well with the elder son who knew he had been faithful to his father, doing all the work that was required of him, but never once was he given anything to celebrate with. Dad reassures his elder son of his love, he knows he has been with him all this time and that everything that he has belongs to him as well. But it was right to call out to their friends and neighbors to Rejoice with them, because his younger son who was lost was found.

From these three stories Y'shua is sharing with the scribes and Pharisees (and us) the same message: Rejoice for what was lost has been found. We should be able to see that this points to our old sin natures, we who were lost but now have been found and forgiven our past sinful ways. We who have become redeemed and Set Apart can be left alone while the Good Shepherd seeks out his other sheep.  The Father's love is steadfast and true for those of us who return. Those who are already in His household no longer require repentance, but what a joy it is even to the Messengers in heaven when another sinner repents and returns.

Romans 11:25 ~
For I want to let you know about this secret, brothers, so that you will not claim to be wiser than you are: Stubbornness has come to part of Israel until the full number of the Gentiles comes to faith.

What is meant by 'fullness'? The definition found in the Webster Dictionary is:

: the quality or state of being full

: at some point : eventually

Apply this to Scripture and understand that at some point, eventually, more Gentiles (non-believers) will repent of their pagan ways, return to Yahweh, abide by His Instructions and have the testimony of His Son, by faith. As we know, there are many non-believers in the world and not all of them will come into this 'fullness'.  The writings in Luke 15 give us a picture of lost souls, sinners who repent, confess their wrongdoings and because of the great love of the Father, they are forgiven and taken back into the fold.

John 10:11 ~ (Y'shua says) I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the flock. But a hireling who is not the shepherd nor are the sheep his, when he sees a wolf coming he leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf comes and plunders and scatters the flock.
John 10:14 ~ I am the Good Shepherd and I know those who are mine. And those who are mine know me.
John 10:16 ~ And I also have other sheep, those who were not from this sheepfold. And also them, it is necessary for me to bring them and they will hear my voice and all the flocks will become one. And there will be One Shepherd. 

YHWH's Chosen People are the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob along with those who have been adopted in:  We who come into covenant with the Creator and abide by His Instructions and have the testimony of His Son.  It is no longer a tribal thing because when anyone of any background comes into covenant with our Creator we all become part of the House of Israel.  We worship YHWH in Spirt and in Truth.

Click here to go to my study: Who is Israel

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Obeying His Instructions - Or Not

The Rock

Exodus 17 ~ From the wilderness of Sin they traveled and camped at Rephidim. There was no water to drink. The people argued with Moses about this and he pointed out they were trying Yah's patience.  They wouldn't cease and thought Moses led them out of Egypt to die there. Moses cries out to Yah and Yah says: Go before the people and take some elders with you and the rod you used to strike the Nile. I will be standing on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will issue from it and the people will drink. (This place was named Massah [trial] and Meribah [quarrel] because the people argued, testing Yahweh asking Is He among us or not?)

About 38 years later....
Numbers 20 ~ The people camped at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.  The community was without water and this generation argued with Moses about the situation. Moses and Aaron went to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. The Presence of Yahweh appeared to them and said: You and your brother Aaron will take the rod and assemble the community and before their very eyes order the rock to yield its water.  Moses seems to be fed up with the whole crowd, their behavior and lack of faith. After they were assembled he said: "Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?" And then he struck the rock two times with the rod. Out came copious amounts of water but he disobeyed Yah's instruction. Yahweh tells Moses and Aaron: Because you did not trust Me and affirm My sanctity in the sight of the community (by obeying His Instruction) you shall not lead this people into the promised land.

After leaving Kadesh they arrive at Mount Hor, the place where Aaron died and the office of high priest was passed onto Aaron's son, Eleazar.

Deuteronomy 32, the poem of Moses, the last of his words to that stiff-necked people ~ (note: I have lightly paraphrased to keep on the topic of the Rock, so please read it from your own copy when you have time ~ Dusty)

Listen O heavens, let me speak; let the earth hear the words I utter! May my discourse come down as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like showers on young growth, like droplets on the grass. (He wants what he has to say to be received eagerly)

I proclaim the Name Yahweh; give glory to our Elohim! The Rock! His deeds are perfect, all His ways are just; He is faithful and never false, true and upright is He. A crooked and perverse generation has played Him false.  Do you requite Him, you dull and witless people?  Is He not the Father who created you, fashioned you and made you endure? Remember the days of old, consider the years gone by. Ask your parents, your elders, they will tell you that when the Most High gave peoples their homes and set the divisions of man, He fixed the boundaries of peoples in relation to Israel's numbers because Yah's portion is His people, Jacob His own allotment.

Yet, over the years you grew fat and gross and coarse and forsook Yahweh who made you and you spurned the Rock of His support. You neglected the Rock that begot you, forgot the Elohim who brought you forth.

Moses continues with a prophecy about Yah's wrath which will pour out in the end because of all the treachery displayed by that disloyal, pagan-god worshiping breed. These people are void of sense  and lacking discernment. Their rock is not like our Rock, in our enemies own estimation.  It will be like Sodom and Gomorrah for those people and their disaster will come which will vindicate Yah's people. There will be no doubt that Yahweh is Elohim and there is no god beside Him. He deals death and gives life; He wounds and heals; none can deliver from His hand.

Moses went up from the steppes of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, opposite Jericho, and Yah showed him the whole land. Yah tells him this is the land which He swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and will be assigned to their offspring.  Yah let Moses see it with his own eyes but did not let him cross there.  Moses died there in the land of Moab and was buried in the valley near Beth-peor.

We must stand as one and in faith establish we are His people. He will avenge the blood of His servants, wreak vengeance on His foes, and cleanse the promised land before us.

Click Here to go to my study Who Is Israel

Psalm 18 ~ David says these words after Yah had saved him from all his enemies and the clutches of Saul. He said: I adore you, O Yahweh, my strength, my crag, my fortress, my rescuer, my rock in whom I seek refuge, my shield, my haven. Yah Lives! Blessed is my Rock! Exalted be Elohim, my deliverer, who has vindicated me, rescued me from my enemies, who raised me clear of my adversaries, saved me from lawless men. As Yah lives, blessed is my Rock!

Psalm 61 ~ Hear my cry O Yahweh Elohim, heed my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You;  when my heart is faint, You lead me to a rock that is high above me.

Psalm 62 ~ Truly my soul waits quietly for Yahweh; my deliverance comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and deliverance, my haven, I shall never be shaken.

Isaiah 17 ~ Truly, you have forgotten the Elohim who saves you and have not remembered the Rock who shelters you; that is why even though you plant a delightful sapling, what you sow proves a disappointing slip.
Isaiah 51 ~ Listen to Me, you who pursue justice, you who seek Me; look to the Rock you were hewn from, to the quarry you were dug from.  Look back to Abraham for he was only one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many.

In First Corinthians 10:4 ~ And they all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that attended them, and that rock was Yahshua.

John 4:14 ~ Everyone who drinks from the waters that I give to him will not thirst forever. Those waters that I give will become in them a spring of water that will spring up in life that is eternal.


Rephidim:


Kadesh:

Mount Hor:


Mount Nebo and Pisgah:


Beth-peor:

Seen by the Mind

Romans 1:20 ~ From the foundations of the world, the hidden things of Yahweh are seen by the mind in the things He created, even His eternal power and divinity, so the they might be without excuse.... 

"Seen by the mind"

We acknowledge that Yahweh is our Creator while we 'see' (understand) His power and divinity reflected even in the things we don't see while marveling at what we do see. It is by our faith, committing ourselves to The Creator, that we choose to follow His teachings. This would be akin to what Y'shua said about  hearing and recognizing the Good Shepherd's voice - he knows who are his and we know who he is. We are One because of Yah's Set Apart Spirit.

His Son gave us this same Spirit His Father gave him, calling it The Comforter and the Spirit of Truth.  I've said it before that I don't need 'science' to prove 'God' to me and if our mind is capable of seeing the 'hidden things' of Yahweh (via His Spirit) would that help define what is meant when we read His Kingdom is Near? 

"Without excuse" 

Romans 1:16 ~ I am not ashamed of the Good News for it is the power of Yahweh to life; as it is written, the righteous by faith will live.

Folks who have a knowledge about Yahweh but do not glorify or even give thanks to Him become vain in their imaginings and their unwise heart is darkened. While they thought they were pretty smart, they became fools.  They change the glory of the incorruptible El Shaddai into the likeness of corruptible man and into other icons like birds, animals and reptiles. These people change the truth of Yahweh into a lie and worship and serve the created things (Humanism) much more than the Creator of them, to whom belongs glory and blessing, forever and ever.

From the very beginning Yahweh has told us everything we need to know in order for us to have life eternal.  Through our studies and searching Scriptures His truth is revealed via His Spirit dwelling within us. Yah has not hidden anything from us but man sure has piled on tons of deceptions, lies and distractions upon the Word of Yahweh our Creator for thousands of years.  Once we begin uncovering these truths we have no excuse to continue as carnal Gentiles, do we?

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"I swear to God!"

It's in the movies, it is written in stories and maybe you've heard it said in real life or even said it yourself:

".... I swear to God ...." 

It seems to be something said by folks who think it gives absolute proof that they are telling the truth. In several cases that I have witnessed the truth is not always being told.  Some who use the phrase and are in fact telling the truth seem to lack conviction and expect God to stand up for them.

Regardless....

In Jeremiah 4 we read that Yahweh told His people:

If you return to Me.... If you remove your abominations from My presence and do not waver, and swear "As Yah lives" in sincerity, justice and righteousness (you shall be a blessing to others).  

He tells us we should not plant seeds among thorns and to open our hearts to Him.

He has also told us not to take His Name in vain and, just maybe, carelessly saying, 'I swear to God' is part of that bringing Him to nothingness. We are to let our 'yes' be yes and our 'no' be no. If we swear an oath to another let it be in His Name, Yahweh the living Elohim, and mean it sincerely, in all justice and righteousness.

Exodus 20:7 ... do not bring the Name of יהוה your Elohim to naught, for יהוה does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught.

Just another thought to ponder as we travel His Path of Righteousness.

Did Jesus Spend Time in Hell?

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

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

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

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

Chapter and Verse used to support this claim:

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

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

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

Take this into consideration: 

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

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

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

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

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

The Origins of the Islamic Religion

Quoted from The History of Mecca:

Islamic rituals are found to be little more than thinly repackaged pagan Arabian moon, sun, star and jinn-demon worship, embellished by books inspired by Hebrew and Arabian fables that Mohammed learned during his travels, or was taught by friends like Jabr, his wives and concubines, as well as influence by Zoroastrianism and the 2nd century occult cult of the Sabians. So deeply involved was Mohammed and three of his cousins in the cult of the Sabians, that folks in his own tribe referred to Mohammed simply as “the Sabian”. Indeed Mohammed mentions the Sabians right alongside Christians in the Quran. It should be no surprise then to learn that the Sabians/Harranians prayed five times a day, practiced ablution, prostrated in prayer, wore long white robes and fasted for 30 days during the same month as Ramadan, which are rituals that Mohammed incorporated into his religion, with a claim that the practices were dictated to him while taking an overnight ride on a flying donkey-mule from Mecca, to Jerusalem, to Heaven and then back to Mecca by morning.

Mecca was settled around the 4th century A.D. by the Yemeni tribe of Khuzaa'h, joined later by Mohammed’s tribe the Quraish. The Kaaba was built around the early 5th century likely by Asa'd Abu Karb, for Arabian Star Family worship after the black stone made it's way to Mecca, most likely from Yemen. Early reporters recounted that prior to the construction of the Kaabah, a tent occupied the site. The Kaaba eventually housed 360 idols dedicated to Arabian moon, sun, star and jinn (demon) worship. It is no secret that the black stone that Muslims still prostrate themselves toward 5 times a day, venerate, and circumambulate, is the same black stone idol that pagan Arabians venerated and circumambulated. In other words, the Quraish established the rituals that Mohammed eventually adopted and then adapted to his religion.

Quoted from Brother Pete's site:

The Hadith records that pagans controlled the Kaaba before Mohammed started his religion, and that the Kaaba contained 360 idols. After Mohammed returned to Mecca from Medina and broke the "Truce of Hudaybiyyah" he had made with his own tribe the Quraish, he then removed all the idols except one. The black stone that remains to this day is the same that pre-Islamic pagans went on pilgrimage to and circumambulated, in Arabian moon god and Star Family worship. There is no question that Muhammad - as "prophet" - engaged in the very same pagan rituals.

The pattern seems the same as to what Constantine did in creating Christianity: bring in pagan customs and rituals to attract non-believers into the church.  Mohammed used the same tactics in starting his religion: take from all existing Muslim beliefs and hone it down into a new and improved system of belief.  All religion ends up being is paganism painted with nicer colors.  I've said it before and will say it again because it is true: Satan has a counterfeit for everything Yah said.

Muslims are taught that walking around the Kaaba seven times, kissing the black stone, traveling from hill to hill near Mecca, casting stones and cutting their hair may provide remission of sin, while at the same time they are taught to reject the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, whom God manifest to save everyone from sin - whether they can afford to travel or are poor - who have faith in His shed blood.

Circumambulating Kaabas, kissing stone idols, and going on pilgrimages to religious sites were pagan rituals that preceded Mohammed by centuries.  Mohammed spun his version of religion using many threads from previous, familiar pagan behavior and mixing in bits and pieces from Scriptures.  There are some common threads but Yahweh kept His covenant through Jacob and not Esau.

Allah is not Yahweh.