Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Upper Rooms

I recently found out that there seems to have been the discovery (years ago) of the 'upper room' mentioned in Scriptures in regards to where Yahshua ate with his Apostles the evening before he was executed.  I do not know how anyone knows the location because it was not given in Scriptures.... it's all guess work and probably a money making tourist attraction.  This makes me think of Yahshua overturning the tables at the temple where folks had been selling oxen, sheep and doves alongside with the money changers.  "Do not make the House of my Father a house of bartering".    

In modern day Jerusalem folks shouldn't pick any old place and give it a 'holy' name, then include the place with tour guides.

There is more than one mention of an 'upper room' in Scriptures but the 2nd most famous one is where the Apostles gathered.  

It is not so much where these rooms were located but what's important is the events that occurred in them.  Folks have glazed over the lesson in order to adore the physical things.

Quote from Israel Advantage Tours: This structure has been regarded as the traditional site of the Last Supper since the fourth century AD.

According to scripture, the Upper Room is where the Last Supper took place and where Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:1–20). It is where the disciples gathered in fear after the death of Jesus. Jesus appeared in this room on two occasions after the Resurrection. It is here He showed Thomas the wounds in His body. It is where the 120 believers prayed on the Day of Pentecost. The Bible tells us that tongues of fire appeared to them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages (Acts 2:1-4). At this place the church of Jesus Christ was born.
I can barely read this without clenching my teeth together 😖  Let me tell you why.

No where in Scripture is the location of the 'upper room' where the passover meal was eaten ever revealed.  Yahshua's instructions for his disciples to make preparations for this meal are found recorded here, which I have lightly paraphrased. Please read from your bible when you have time:

•Matthew 26:18 - Go to the city to a certain man and say to him, "Our master says his time has arrived.  With you and his disciples he will observe the Passover"
•Mark 14:13 - he sent two of his disciples telling them, "Go into the city and there you will meet up with a man who is carrying a vessel of water.  Follow him. Where he enters say to the master of the house, Our master told us to ask where is your guest house so we may eat the passover meal..... he will show you a large upper room that is furnished.  Make that room ready and prepare our meal there....
•Luke 22:8 - Yahshua sent Peter and John to go prepare the passover meal.  Verse 10 - When you enter the city you will meet up with a man carrying a skin of water.  Follow him, and where he enters say to the master of the house, Our master says 'Where is the lodging house where we may eat the passover meal'.  He will show you a certain large upper room that is furnished.  Prepare there.

All God has told us is this is an upper room where His Son observed the Passover meal with his Apostles.  We do not know the location of this place other than it was in the city of Jerusalem; nor do we know who owned it, but it was a house and not the tomb of David.  Back in the day, an upper room was "a roof chamber built above the main house, usually for the purpose of leisure."
 
After this passover meal was eaten, Yahshua and his disciples took a walk to the Mount of Olives. The sun has already gone down, so according to Yahweh's perfect timing, it is now the 15th day of this month (still dark), this also being the 1st day of Unleavened Bread.

The other famous upper room is where the Apostles gathered after the resurrection of Yahshua.   Again, we read it is in the city of Jerusalem where they were staying but not a specific address.  We do know it was seven furlongs from the Mount of Olives which is about 7/8 of a mile. (Acts 1:12)

Friday, June 2, 2023

What is Salvation

Definition from the Webster Dictionary-
  • deliverance from the power and effects of sin
  • liberation from ignorance or illusion
  • preservation from destruction or failure
  • deliverance from danger or difficulty 

What has Yahweh told us about being delivered from sin, liberated from ignorance, preserved from destruction and delivered from danger? 
Deuteronomy 4:35- YHWH has clearly demonstrated that He alone is God and there is none beside Him - He is God in heaven above and on earth below - there is no other. Observe His laws and commandments that it may go well with you and your children. 
Is baptism necessary?  Has the Church really distorted what is means to be immersed? Baptism is a physical portrayal of a spiritual reality. Yahshua was killed, placed in a tomb then raised by God.  Before this, before he started his ministry, Yahshua was immersed by John in the the Jordan River which was when he received the Spirit and authority of his Father.  And prior to this event, in the old testament days, personal cleansing and purity were important. "Ritual purity was mandated in order to enter the tabernacle or temple, before making a sacrifice, and for receiving the benefit of a priestly offering". 
 
In Exodus 19:10–11, God commanded Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day Yahweh will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." This is the first time God commanded the people to wash themselves and it was in preparation for entering His presence. Similarly, in Exodus 29:4 God commanded that Aaron and his sons be washed with water in preparation for their service as priests. These men would be mediating in God's presence on behalf of the people and this symbolic washing was necessary for them to be ritually clean.  
 
One must be 'ritually clean' in order to come into the presence of Yahweh.  In our day, His Son Yahshua is the way to the Father and by accepting his shed blood of the renewed covenant we become born again of the Spirit.... one publicly displays their commitment to the Creator and exhibits they have the testimony of His Son by being immersed. 

1 Peter 3:21

And you also, by a like figure (Noah) are made alive by immersion (not when you wash your bodies from filth, but when you confess God with a pure conscience and by the the resurrection of Yahshua the Anointed One, who is taken up to heaven and is on the right hand of God and Angels;  and authorities and powers are subject to him.
 
 In Ephesians 2:8 we read it is by God's grace we are rescued (saved) and this is because of our faith in Him.  This gift of His is the life of our souls if we follow in the Way of Yahshua. We don't take any credit for ourselves as all praise belongs to Yahweh.  The good works we do are the same we have learned from His Son so no one can boast about themselves and what they have done out of their own pride and arrogance. (Please read Ephesians from your own copy of Scriptures when you have time).

What it boils down to is our salvation depends on two things: Faith in Yahweh and acceptance of His Son's shed blood of atonement.

The origin of being 'baptized in water' is from thousand of years ago, before Jesus walked this earth, as the ritual of purification of oneself by immersion in water.  The faithful would immerse themselves in a 'mikveh bath' before entering the temple.  Some of these 'baths' have been uncovered in Jerusalem at the foot of where the temple stood.  In today's world we see the results of man's imagination making baptism into something mandatory, and not something one does by choice.  When we choose to be baptized it is a physical act representing our faith in "putting off the old man and turning our hearts toward praise and worship of Yahweh God".  It is an act of faith not an act of being saved and immediately 'filled with the holy Spirit'.  Remember, the Apostles were not filled with His Spirit until after 3 years of being taught by our Messiah, and then ten days later they received His Spirit as promised by His Son.  They had been in training, being prepared to receive Yah's Set Apart Spirit.

Why Blame Yahweh?

So many times I have heard people blame God for their own misfortunes. Yet, it is our own behavior that affects our existence.

If those complainers really knew God, whose name is Yahweh, they wouldn't blame Him but come to terms as to why things aren't working out the way they want; and then change for the better.  

If we read Scriptures we learn what our Father said from the beginning. The Father's Set of Instructions are the same teachings brought to us by His Son, whose name is Yahshua; and it was Yahshua who said if we don't believe in the writings of Moses how could we believe in him?

The Bible is one complete book consisting of Yahweh's promises, His covenant, and the Renewed Covenant sealed by the blood of His Son.

We are instructed not to eat flesh with its life-blood in it (Genesis 9:4); not to partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood (Leviticus 17:14); and a third time we are told: the blood is the life, and you must not consume the life with the flesh (Deuteronomy 12:23) pour it on the ground like water.

And in reading the following we discover Yah's Covenant truly is Everlasting.

Blood of the Covenant: 
Exodus 24:8 - Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh now makes with you concerning all these commands." 
Blood of the Renewed Covenant
Luke 22:20 -  And likewise also concerning the cup, after they had eaten supper, he said, "This is the cup of the renewed covenant in my blood which is shed for your sake."

Life is in the blood.
Life is the Blessing and Death is the Curse.

Deuteronomy 30:19 - I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life if you and your offspring would live by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and long endure.


 


Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Two of the Most Appropriate Warnings

• Colossians 2:8 
Beware lest any man rob you by philosophy, or by empty deception, according to the teaching of men and according to the principles of the world and not according to Yahshua the Anointed One. 
 and
 • 1 Timothy 6:20
 ....be careful of that which is committed to you and shun vain words and the oppositions of false science for they who profess it have strayed from the faith.
 
These verses also tie in with 1 John 4:1 
..... do not believe all spirits but discriminate among spirits whether they are of Yahweh, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
 
Every spirit that confesses Yahshua the Anointed One has come in the flesh is a Spirit of Yahweh.  
 
The false messiah is already in the world and has been since John wrote these things, but if we are children of Yah we have overcome them because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.  
 
Who is in us?  
The Spirit of Truth who comforts us.  This same Spirit comes from Yahweh which His Son gave us.

The New Jerusalem - The Bride of the Lamb Metaphor

•Revelation 19:7 ~ Let us rejoice and give glory to him for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready .... Blessed are those Who Are Invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
 
It's not the church or the saints or the 'believers'
showing up as the Bride -- we have all 
been invited to the wedding feast.
 
Revelation 21:9,10
One of the Messengers said:
Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb....
and he showed me the Set Apart city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God; in which was the glory of Glory, as a brilliant light, and resembling a very precious gem; like a jasper stone, resembling crystal.
Matthew 22:2- The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
We have been called, invited to this banquet, the one prepared by the Father for His Son. We are invited guests, not the bride, and we've been given plenty of time to get ready to attend.

Let us be properly prepared to Meet the Bridegroom- to be full of The Spirit of Truth prior to the return of Yahshua.  If we are full of Yah's Spirit (pure olive oil) we will not wander off in search of who-knows-what. We shall enter into the banquet hall with him before the door is shut and locked. After that it will be too late.

One of the Messengers said:
Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.... and he showed me the Set Apart city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from Yahweh; in which was the glory of Yahweh, as a brilliant light, and resembling a very precious gem; like a jasper stone, resembling crystal. 
Yahshua is the light of the world, in him is seen the glory of the Father 
(This New Jerusalem has) a wall, lofty and great. This wall has twelve gates, and the names of the twelve tribes, descendants of Jacob/Israel, are inscribed on the gates. (three gates on each side, north south, east and west). The wall has twelve foundations on which were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
When this New Jerusalem descends from heaven a great voice is heard which said: 'Behold, the tabernacle of Yahweh is with men and He dwells with them; they will be His people; and He will be their God.'  
  
This reminds me of how it was with Moses and the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt. Yah gave instructions for building the tabernacle so that He could be in the midst of His people.  Look how far we have strayed from our Creator since then. Yah has told us the end from the very beginning.

💠💠💠💠💠💠💠

If the wife of the Lamb is the New Jerusalem, who is this Jerusalem?
Isaiah 62- For the sake of Zion I will not be silent, for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still, until her victory emerge resplendent and her triumph like a flaming torch. Nations shall see your victory, and every king your majesty; and you shall be called by a new name which Yahweh Himself shall bestow.  You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of Yahweh and a royal diadem in the palm of your God.  Nevermore shall you be called "Forsaken" nor shall your land be called "Desolate" but you shall be called "I delight in her", and your land "Espoused." For Yahweh takes delight in you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
What a perfect metaphor used to express the type of love one has than to compare it to marriage, a wedding feast and the joy as two become one. New beginnings. When Yahweh restores all things it may be more glorious than we can imagine.
Jerusalem is the last place Yahweh placed His Name.  When He restores all things there will be a new earth, new heavens and a New Jerusalem. Yahshua and Jerusalem become One via the Spirit of God. Do we, the rest of those who were part of the first resurrection, become One in Spirit as well, at this time?  The entirety of Creation all the way up til this day happened because of the Spirit of Yahweh.

Perhaps the word heaven describes the spiritual realm of Yahweh and His host of heaven.  We are not told in Scriptures what happens after the restoration but I for one will love it when that time comes.



The Temple has been Built

 Quote:

On Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 the United Arab Emirates officially opened the Abrahamic Family House, consisting of a mosque, church and synagogue that face one another on the same square in Abu Dhabi. Beside each one stands a tall pillar illuminating an Islamic crescent, Christian cross and a Jewish menorah, respectively, shining a hopeful light for interfaith tolerance and understanding.
I ask, could this synagogue possibly represent the end times temple?  The Temple Institute has prepared all utensils, clothing, furniture for the temple they have desired to build; even to the point of trying breed a red heifer.  But if they cannot build on the temple mount, why not take all their belongings to this newly built synagogue?  Maybe it is not 'temple' enough but I shall look into that.
".... the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Ephraim Mirvis, referred to the moment as “historic,” seeing the “children of Abraham gathered … to build a new world.”
A new One World government system with a One World religion.
""A synagogue, sometimes referred to by the Yiddish term shul and often used interchangeably with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worship.""
 

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Mike and Barry

 Michelle Obama Registered To Vote As a Man In 1994 
According To Illinois State Board of Elections
Former First Lady Michelle Obama was registered to vote as a man from 1994 until 2008, according to official documents obtained from the Illinois State Board of Elections. 

 

Former First Lady Michelle Obama was registered to vote as a man from 1994 until 2008, according to official documents obtained from the Illinois State Board of Elections. The official documents also reveal Obama officially changed her Sex to female in 2008, the same year her husband was running for the presidency.  
The official documents were obtained from the state of Illinois by documentary filmmaker Joel Gilbert who explains that he decided to “take a serious approach” to learning about Michelle Obama’s background because the mainstream media refuses to touch the topic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Gilbert was stunned when he received Michelle Obama’s official voter registration cards from 1994 and 2008. Describing the process of unraveling Michelle Obama’s “changing sexual identity,” Gilbert writes:

Having recently obtained official documents from the state of Illinois, here is what I can say with assurance: I found proof in official documents that Michelle Obama registered to vote as a man in 1994. I also have official proof that, after 14 years of voting as a man, Michelle Obama changed her sex in 2008 from male to female. This is not more social media silliness, this is fact. I obtained the documents from the Illinois State Board of Elections only last week. Here is Michelle Obama’s official voter registration card from 1994 when she registered to vote as a man. The letter M is circled under Sex.

Then, on July 14, 2008, with her husband about to be nominated by the Democrats for the presidency, she changed her sex from male to female.

In 2014, comedienne Joan Rivers fueled both rumors in responding to a TMZ reporter who innocently asked her whether the U.S. would ever elect a gay president.

We already have it with Obama, so let’s just calm down,” said Rivers, before adding, “You know Michelle is a tranny.” When asked to clarify her remark, she articulated slowly, “A trans-gen-der. We all know.”

Rivers’ comments fueled social media postings of photos suggesting Michelle is really a man, and close-up slow-motion videos of her dancing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show purporting to show something lurking in her pants.

Less than two months later, Rivers died as a result of what was supposed to be a minor throat procedure. Needless to say, her unexpected death cranked up the rumor mill, and even Barack Obama’s own family fueled the rumor. On Twitter, Barack’s older brother Malik hinted that he knows the truth.