The Natural Congregation of Yahweh is what the secular world, modern traditional 'Christians',

and the modern 'Jews', would phrase as, "The Natural Church of God"

Agape Feast

 The Agape Feast was the Love Feast in apostolic times and was often celebrated daily. This simple meal was observed in connection with what many call the Eucharist, often being collectively and more commonly referred to as Yah'shua's Supper [the Lord's Supper by traditional Christians]. It was a simple meal and a public banquet like thanksgiving every day except the poor were invited and not just family. By ignoring all distinctions of economic and social status everyone met as members of one family. This act of unity and brotherly love was common to all Israelites who chose to come, whether rich or poor. The rich brought food for the poor who brought nothing. Portions were also sent to the sick and absent members and intended as an example of mutual Israelite love for each other. 

The food was prepared from home or at the place of meeting, usually in private residences. The preacher or presiding elder would offer prayers of thanksgiving and the Scriptures were read. After everyone had their fill, a collection was taken for the widows and orphans, a holy kiss of charity was given, and correspondence from other congregations were read and answered. The Agape Feast was never mandated by divine authority and gradually lost its popularity. 

The Corinthian congregation was the first to lose the first love by destroying the unity between rich and poor and depreciating this event. Paul wrote that he could not praise them for it. "When you come together in the congregation, I hear that there be divisions among you and I partly believe it. For there must also be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat Yah'shua's Supper. For in eating every one takes before the other his own supper, and one is hungry and another is drunken." Jude writes of ungodly men among them: "These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you..." 

Instead of correcting the abuses, the congregation gradually abandoned the Love Feast. Many times throughout history various congregation have tried to pick up this feast where it was left off in the early congregations, but the true agape love of the brethren has been found lacking in unity.  TOP ^

Ancient of Days

The Ancient of Days is the vision that Daniel saw of Yahweh depicted as a venerable old man and sitting on His judgment throne. This occurs following the appearance of the four-headed beast. "I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him, millions ministered unto Him, and a hundred million stood before Him, the judgment was set and the books were opened."  

The war will be won, but there is a battle for the saints to endure before we are delivered. "I beheld and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them until the Ancient of Days came. Judgment was given to the saints of the most high and the time came that the saints possessed the Kingdom." TOP ^

Angels 

 Through the many Biblical references to angels, we can piece together descriptions of them. There seems to be two orders of angels, the Seraphim and Cherubim, and an archangel which is of the higher order. They have some of the divine characteristics, such as spiritual forms and some human characteristics such as limited knowledge. They have similar emotions as we, and like us have free will. They worship Yahweh, can love and hate and have thrones, dominions, powers, virtues and principalities. Capable of immense power and influence on the earth, they can bless or execute Yahweh's judgment. Unseen by man, they can be an ever-present help and comfort to us personally.

David describes the guardian angels of those that dwell in the secret place of the most High: "He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all His ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone."

A Cherubim was stationed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden. Angels appeared to Abraham and intervened in the sacrifice of Isaac. Two angels came to Lot 's home and were seen by the people of Sodom . Angels have appeared and spoken to many people in the Old and New Covenants.

Angels may come in the form of “ministering” spirits, providing subtle guidance to Yahweh’s people or to assist with healing issues. Angels almost always were used by Yahweh to deliver His spoken messages to His people, as the Messiah confirmed: “no-one has seen His face nor heard His voice at any time . . .”   TOP ^

Anti-Messiahs

 Those that deny the father and the son are deemed anti-Messiah. "Who is a liar but he that denies that Yah’shua is the Messiah? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the father. And every spirit that confesses not that Yah’shua the Messiah is come in the flesh is not of Yahweh: and this is that spirit of anti-Messiah whereof you have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confesses not that Yah’shua the Messiah is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and anti-Messiah. Little children, it is the last time: and as you have heard that anti-Messiah shall come, even now are there many anti-Messiahs; whereby we know that it is the last time." [I John, II John] 

Called the prince by Daniel, the appeal of "THE" Anti-Messiah will center on his promise to restore peace and economic prosperity. His peace will come at a tremendous price and many will be destroyed. If we can see Pink Floyd in a prophetic light with the Anti-Messiah as leading the dogs of war, dealing in death is the nature of the beast. Killing people under a penalty of death will mean nothing to him and he causes fire from heaven to rain upon the innocent and guilty alike for god and country. He will attempt to put restraints on freedom and civil rights with a law and order campaign. 

The Anti-Messiah is the head of the New World Order and corresponds to the beast and the king of Babylon. Satan will set up his kingdom of Anti-Messiah in the political world, in the religious world and in the commercial world. Free from the restraints of His Holy Spirit and driven by a nationalistic mandate, the anti-Messiah will reign supreme for a short period until he is crushed by the coming of the Lord Yah’shua the Messiah and the armies of heaven. The Anti-Messiah is called the Beast because that's exactly what he is. The Anti-Messiah will pose as a righteous Christian but will bring a false peace through war.  TOP ^

Apostasy

 The classical use of apostasy is defection, whether political or religious. The word "apostasy" comes directly from the Greek apostasia, which originally meant insurrection or secession. The apostate often abandons one religion for another, but may renounce religion altogether or at least the true faith. Christians and Jews are fond of pointing to non-Christians or non-Jews as the apostasy but judgment begins at the house of Yahweh. "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking fear of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

Abandoning the faith once believed in, is apostasy and will be the identifying mark of the end-times. Morality and character are things of the past for most people. It used to be that if you were square, that was a good thing describing your honesty. Now being square is a bad thing. Bad is good, good is bad, that is apostasy. "That day shall not come before a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. For the mystery of iniquity does already work, only he that now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way." Knowing these things are not enough, the Bride of the Messiah will be holy, without blemish, we must "earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. Men have crept in, turning grace into lasciviousness." Yah'shua told us of the last days "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved".

The apostasy has been progressive over time throughout history. It started in the first century and just got worse. The iniquity of today however, is without precedent. "This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those who are good. Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of Yahweh. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts. Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth". TOP ^

Arabs

 The Arabs are a Semitic people originating in Arabia. These were the sons of Ishmael. The earliest account of Arabs are in the 10th chapter of Genesis. There are, according to native historians, two races of Arabs; those who derive their descent from the primitive inhabitants of the land, Joktan, etc., and those who claim Ishmael as their ancestor. 

Arabs had come to grips with Greek learning long before the high middle ages. Arabs worshipped Allah long before Mohammed, but they were tribal and unorganized. The promise of Yahweh that was given to Ishmael that they would be many nations has had its complete fulfillment in Mohammed and the Arab states. TOP ^

Aramaic

 Aramaic was the language erroneously purported by many early Roman, Latin and Greek Bible translators, as the language spoken by Yah’shua the Messiah and used for several centuries by the Palestinian Jews. Aramaic was the official language of the Persian Empire and had never replaced Hebrew as the language of the Hebrew people. TOP ^

Armageddon

 Armageddon is the Greek word for "Hill of Megiddo." This is the ancient hill of the Valley of Megiddo in the Plain of Jezreel in central Palestine. It extends from the Mediterranean to the west of Jordan, separating the mountain ranges of Carmel and Samaria from those of Galilee and across the plain of Esdraelon from Nazareth. It has been the great battlefield of Palestine and the military key of Syria. Napoleon appraised it as an ideal battleground, saying "all the armies of the world could maneuver their forces on this vast plain." 

In the prophetic scriptures written by John in the Revelations, the people of the earth, the worldly wise and disobedient will gather together at this place in preparation for last great battle, "the battle of that great day of Yahweh Almighty" (Rev. 16:14). But it is important to note that NO BATTLE IS FOUGHT HERE! It is only the gathering place. The battle spoken of is actually fought at the "beloved city", which is symbolic of Jerusalem. (Rev. 20:9). 

And in the days of these kings shall our God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. TOP ^

Assyrians

 The Assyrians were a race of people belonging to the great Semitic race. They were of Babylonian descent and dominated the ancient Biblical world from the 9th to the 7th centuries BC. The Assyrians occupied Palestine from time to time. Yahweh used them in part, to scatter the ten tribes of Israel, now wrongly supposed by traditional Christians and modern Jews alike, to be lost. 

After falling to the Medes, the Assyrian monarchy was divided between the Babylonians and others, and can to a large degree, be found to exist in the modern nation of Germany.  TOP ^

Baal

 Baal was a spurious god of the Old Covenant and an idol of the Phoenicians. He was believed to be the son of the pagan god Dagon and introduced to the Hebrews by the Tyrians. The children of Israel were inclined to forsake the commandments of Yahweh and worship Baal, make idols of him and kiss his image. The name Baal means Lord and is used for the master of the house or the owner of the property, like a landlord. He would be the god of the house or of the local land and neighbouring vicinity. Baal was worshiped as the god of vineyards and groves, the god of nature and fertility bringing thunder and winter rains. He was the warrior god who champions divine order and opposes chaos. One would imagine him coming in the clouds, holding a thunderbolt in his hand and bringing refreshing rain. 

The word Baalim is plural of Baal. Baalim are worshipped under many names as the Sun god and god of fertility and by Beelzebub as the lord of flies. The people would build houses, shrines and altars to Baalim and make images of them and burn incense to them. Sacrificing to Baal was thought to bless the produce of the land and increase of the cattle. Baal is often associated with the goddess Ashtaroth. As early as the third millennium BC, the ancient priest Berosus served lord "Belus" or "Bel", as he was called then and it was Berosus that partially erected the Tower of Babel in his honour on the plain of Shinar. These early writings of Berosus also are among the historical documents that relate the story of the great flood. 

Elijah protected the true prophets of Yahweh and opposed the false prophets of Baal. The worshippers of Baal in Israel were far more numerous than the prophets of the Lord but existed side by side. The practice of the Baal worshippers included aberrant sexual behaviour and religious rites of sexual union in disobedience to the commandments of Yahweh. They would sacrifice their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto him. This would explain why Elijah was so opposed to the prophets of Baal and hated them so much.  TOP ^

Babylon The Great

 Babylon had first risen to eminence under Hammurabi who instituted one of history's great legal codes. This original Babylon started with the city in the land of Shinar after the flood and built by Nimrod, the great-grandson of Noah through Cush, son of Ham. The name of Nimrod became to mean "let us revolt or rebel," he is called "a mighty one in the earth and a mighty hunter before Yahweh," and the "beginning of his kingdom Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar," along the Euphrates river. The ideal king is one that shepherds Yahweh's people under the authority of Yahweh. Although the Babylonians thought that they were following Yahweh, they allowed Nimrod to lead the people, not Yahweh, and established a man made unity and kingdom by force of rule with the laws of man. 

Babylon was famed as the most important city in Mesopotamia and the capital of Chaldea. Babylon was called the land of the Chaldeans, Land of Shinar, desert of the sea, the golden city, beauty of Chaldees, city of merchants. The prophets called her great and the lady of the kingdoms, yet tender and delicate. 

The word, "Babylon" was used symbolically, and synonymously by Yahweh to represent "sin". Only once in the Bible does Yahweh use the expression "Babylon the Great", and here He was referring to the great false church, the "Holy Roman Empire", or Catholic Church! TOP ^

Baptism of John

 John baptized in the Jordan River. The baptism of John was not Israelite but Jewish tradition. The only faith it had concerning the Messiah was that His coming was close at hand. They who confessed and repented of their sins and were baptized by John were thus obedient to his call to "prepare the way of the Messiah." 

Paul finding certain disciples asked them, "Have ye received His Holy Spirit?" They were unto John's baptism only. After explaining this to them so they beleived, Paul then laid his hands on them and they received Yahweh's Holy Spirit. The only message these people had heard prior to this was "repent and be baptized" to prepare for the way of the Messiah. They repented, but needed to learn of the baptism of His Holy Spirit. There at Ephesus, Paul introduced them to the true baptism by the Spirit of Yahweh. 

Water baptism is not a requirement of New Covenant Israelite faith or of receiving the gift of His Holy Spirit. TOP ^

Calendar

 The Egyptian calendar had 30 day months with 5 days at the end of the year, and was the impetus for the modern Roman Calendar. Many years later (46 BC), the Greek astronomers of Alexandria by direction of Julius Caesar improved this calendar by adding an extra day to each month (called the Julian calendar). The sacred year was reckoned from the moon after the vernal equinox; the civil year began in September (the less productive period of the year). 

The Julian calendar had March at the beginning of the year. The ides of March was the New Year (in like a lion; out like a lamb). The Sept in September is Latin for seven, Nov was nine and Dec (like in decimal) was ten. February was at the end of the year and had 30 days. This is why our leap year is always in February. Julius Caesar felt that the month named for him should be more prominent and took a day from the end of the year and made July have 31 days. Augustus Caesar, not to be outdone, took another day from February and made his month August to have 31 days. 

The Calendar that we have today is based upon the Julian calendar, but reformed in the sixteenth century by Pope Gregory XIII for more accuracy. 

The SACRED HEBREW Calendar, as gifted by Yahweh, the one true God, is the only perpetually accurate Calendar in existence. Unlike the above and any eastern calendars, the Sacred Hebrew Calendar is perfect, needing no annual or other adjustments. For full details, see "The Comprehensive Hebrew Calendar", by "Arthur Spier", ISBN# 0-87306-398-8, published by Feldheim. TOP ^

The Candlestick

 Yahweh instructed Moses: "And thou shall make a candlestick of pure gold, of beaten work shall the candlestick be made.. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three out of the one side and.. three out of the other.. almonds.. flowers.. of gold.. Of a talent of pure gold." Jewish tradition assigns it a height of about five feet, and a breadth of about three and a half feet. Opinion generally places them on a horizontal line, although the instructions given in Exodus afford no information.

In the tabernacle, the golden candlestick stood on the left hand of one entering the Holy Place, opposite the table of show-bread. It consisted of a pedestal; an upright shaft; six arms, three on each side, and three on the opposite side of the shaft; and seven lamps surmounting the shaft and arms. The arms were adorned with three kinds of carved ornaments, called cups, globes, and blossoms. Its lamps were supplied with pure olive oil and lighted every evening. This was carried to Rome, on the destruction of Jerusalem.  TOP ^

Celibacy

 Celibacy is the state of sexual abstinence. Francis Bacon said that "A single life does well with churchmen; for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool." 

The voluntary celibate life is praised as a holy calling and is a gift of grace from Yahweh. 

Yah'shua taught that all men cannot receive this saying. Paul was celibate and encouraged his followers to be as he was. If you are not distracted by the responsibilities of a family, you are free to spend more energy on the Kingdom. Paul acknowledged that celibacy was a gift, but not to all. If a man or woman could not control themselves, it would be better to marry, than for the passions to burn, leading to fornication or adultery. 

Forced celibacy by the congregation is condemned in scripture as departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Paul wrote that in forbidding to marry, they were speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron. 

The Roman church has always been criticized for departing from the faith by forbidding the clergy to marry. Just as Paul warned, they have their conscience seared and do not yet have the power or collective spiritual maturity to undo a demonic doctrine. They cannot humble themselves to admit to its demonic nature and there is not enough of their churchmen with the courage to stand up against a destructive tradition. Forbidding the priests and nuns to marry did not lead to celibacy, it led to sexual abuse, immorality, fornication, bastard children, pedophilia, abortion, infanticide and it stained the reputation of New Covenant Israelite faith.  TOP ^

Christians

 No sooner had New Covenant Israelite faith become a separate religion than it was looked on with suspicion by the Romans, who now branded the Israelites as subversives and subjected them to relentless persecution. Many were eaten by lions in the amphitheatre which was the Roman cure for New Covenant Israelite faith, instituted by Nero and continued by his successors for many years. 

Other names by which the early Israelite believers were called were "the brethren" and "the believers." The names given to them by the Hebrews were Nazarenes or Galileans. The Israelite is a man or woman who rejects the usages of a dying society, and finds new life for himself in the Natural Congregation of Yahweh. 

The Muslims did not reject Yah'shua or the Christians, they rejected the Christians who had perverted the message of the Messiah. The Christians in the East at the time of Mohammed were Arian and had perverted the nature of the Messiah as to the Son of God. Koran: "From those, too, who call themselves Christians, we did take a covenant, but they forgot a good part of the message that was sent them: so we estranged them, with enmity and hatred between the one and the other. O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. Strongest among men in enmity to the believers will you find the Jews and the pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers will you find those who say 'We are Christians', because among these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world and they are not arrogant." 

We are in a Christian country, or at least that is what people say. That means that saying you are a Christian does not mean too much these days to other people. There has been so much evil in the Christian witness that is has spoiled it for many. All of the judgmental, self-righteous, bible thumping, hypocritical ways of Christians have taken their toll and have been witness to the fact that professing "Christianity" just does not have the impact that it should. 

That means that the true Israelite witness today is not merely in standing up for Yah'shua with your mouth but in being like Him in your actions. If we truly want people to be drawn to the love of Yahweh, we love others as Yahweh would have us. We pray for them and we do not judge their evil ways but accept them just the way they are and let Yahweh do the convicting and correction. TOP ^

Circumcision

 The word circumcision is literally cutting around, and is the Hebrew rite of initiation. The distinguishing mark of membership in the chosen nation of Yahweh, the certificate of spiritual descent from Abraham and of the right to share in the benefits of the Covenant he had made with Yahweh. Everyone not so circumcised was to be cut off from his people, as having broken the covenant. Circumcision was used as a symbol of purity of heart. Circumcision was a rite not restricted to the Hebrews, and practiced for all sorts of reasons, religious and non-religious by many peoples. But to the Hebrews it was and remains entirely religious. It was the consecration to Yahweh of man's greatest power by which he shares with Yahweh in the generation of new life.

The child was circumcised on the 8th day after birth. The operation might be done by any Israelite, if necessary by women, but never a Gentile. Gen. 17. It was done preferably by the father and usually at home. On this occasion the infant was officially given his name. It was to Abraham that the commandment of circumcision was given. Circumcision was not limited to Hebrews but was applied to any Gentile brought into the house of Israel by purchase. Immediately, the covenant blessing promised to the Hebrews was made available to the Gentiles. 

True Israelites are said to be circumcised in Yah’shua the Messiah through the heart. "Circumcise, therefore the foreskins of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked."  TOP ^

Creation

In the beginning, Yahweh. How did we get here? How did Yahweh bring into existence the heaven and earth? Until very recently, almost all theologians were agreed that the creation of the world had been completed. The Christian theologian tended also to believe that the human part of the creation at least had been spoiled by sin, and the purpose of the creation to that extent obstructed or even nullified, so that man stood in need of a redemption which would restore to the creation its original integrity and visible conformity to the divine purpose. This kind of attitude was out of harmony with the eschatological outlook which we find everywhere in the New Covenant. 

This conception of an unfinished or re-worked creation is important. The apparent conflict between religious and scientific explanations of creation has left is a centuries-old legacy of suspicion that in modern times has erupted in the nation's classrooms and courtrooms with extremists on both sides. A bridge between religion and science has gained momentum. Pope John Paul II, in a 1988 message, heartily endorsed such interaction. "Science," said the pontiff, "can purify religion from error and superstition, while religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes." 

"In the beginning" brings us immediately into a world of space and time, we are dealing here with history. Albert Einstein once wrote that good science is created only by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration towards truth and understanding. The same must surely be applied to good theology. Science is based upon faith and logic, but not limited to either. Inductively derived hypothesis into deductive reasoning can at most be highly probable. In Genesis, God creates not out of nothing, but out of chaos. In other words, the creation outlined in the Bible, is speaking of a re-creation, or repairing of an earlier creation that failed, and went into chaos.  TOP ^

Crucifixion of The Messiah

 The common way of crucifying was by fastening the criminal to a large wooden stake, not in the form of a cross as many erroneously believe, but simply a large, solid, stake made from a tree usually about six to twelve inches in diameter and at least as tall as twelve feet. This would allow about three feet to be buried for stability, while the alleged criminal could be tied and nailed to the top, leaving him about two or three feet off the ground.

Usually criminals were fastened with crude steel or copper nails, one through both hands, and one through both feet, or through each foot and then they were bound with cords to prevent the nails from pulling through the flesh. A stupefying draught was sometimes administered, in order to render him less sensible to pain, which was a concoction of drugged wine from sisters of mercy, an alleviation which our Saviour did not accept. 

As the weight of his body pulled against the open wounds of the nails, the body would gradually tire from the stress and would not be able to hold itself "up" in order to allow the expansion of the torso required to breathe. Basically, the condemned man would literally suffocate after a prolonged period of hanging there. The reason for the "spear" was not common among crucifixions, however in the Messiah's case, His legs were not broken as was the common manner, He was simply "pierced" in an effort by the soldiers to ascertain whether He was dead or not.

At the time of the piercing, the Messiah's body was in fact already dead. The legs were typically broken in order to speed up the suffocation process. After all, if you could not raise yourself up on your legs, you would definitely suffocate from the weight of your body hanging on your hands. Not a very pretty way to die under any pretence! TOP ^

Core Zealots

 The Zealots were the Hebrew revolutionaries of Yah'shua's day. Now they would be considered urban guerilla fighters, paramilitary religious fanatics and fierce nationalists. Their agenda would entail the liberation of Yahweh's people by force from foreign rule and included violence, assassinations, murder and terrorism. Josephus describes them as being bandits and a crowd of partisans. By the inference of his name, Simon Zelotes, one of the disciples, was of the Zealot party as well as Barabbas. If Judas Iscariot was a Sicarii, we can include him also. 

The Zealots were at first strongest in the Galilean hills engaging in sporadic guerrilla warfare and being a general nuisance. This escalated into an uprising in 6 AD. The people and the religious groups did not generally support them then and their numbers were at first small. The Pharisees looked for liberation in Yahweh's own time but the Zealots wanted to accelerate the process by direct action. As the prophetic vision of the Messiah increased, so did the tension from Roman oppression. More and more of the religious institutions would be profaned and more and more of the Peace Party would join the ranks of the Zealots. 

As the numbers of Zealots increased so did the resistance movement provoke the Roman military even more. The Zealots killed Roman soldiers, ambushed sentries, broke into the military stores, stole horses and sabotaged new roads and water works. Many would be caught and executed. The final destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the siege of Masada put an end to the Zealots and to many other parties as well.  TOP ^

Death

 Natural death is described as a yielding up of the breath, or spirit, expiring; as a return to our temporal dust. It is the spirit departing from the body, its shell, or the temple in which it has dwelt. The death of a believer is a spiritual departure; the spirit returning in stasis to Yahweh, and the body simply decomposing. We need to look death straight in the face and think like David, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me." 

There is the death of the body and of the spirit. The death of the body will happen to all men. The spirit however, only goes "to sleep" at the death of the body. After the Millennium, during the Great White Throne Judgement, many will then receive their first chance to get right with God. If they fail then they will be subject to the second death, the death of the spirit. This may be summed up as eternal death and separation from Yahweh. TOP ^

Divorce

 Paul teaches that the marriage union is to be compared with the relationship of Yah'shua to His congregation. The grace that comes through the marriage union is holy and without sin and it is sin that separates us from Yahweh. Israelite freedom is such that we may enter the HOLY bonds of matrimony and sexual union without shame or guilt. There were only three things that were absolutely forbidden for the Israelites: fornication (sexual union outside of marriage), eating the food of the idols (idolatry in general) and eating blood (occult practices and witchcraft). If the marriage union is to be compared to Yah'shua and the congregation, we know that Yah'shua will be wedded to only one wife (congregation), not to a harlot or a harem of false churches. It would follow that true love and holiness would not intentionally make a harlot out of a lover but would follow life-giving grace and truth. Anything else would be disobedience and unfaithfulness. 

Yahweh forbids divorce, except for the cause of adultery: "It has been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery." The law of Moses permitted the possibility of a legal settlement, and calls the permission given to Moses a concession to the hardness of their hearts. The divorce as the dissolution of marriage by the Hebrews was simply giving a writ of divorcement. Divorce was tolerated by Moses for sufficient reasons, but even uncleanness was a cause for bill of divorcement. A Priest was not to take a "widow, or a divorced woman, or a profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife." 

Adultery meant relations with a woman who was bought and paid for. Fornication was forbidden to women but a venial offence to men. Divorce was free to the man but extremely difficult for a woman. The question of divorce was entirely at the will of the husband. The wife, not possessing equal privileges with the husband, had no right of divorce. Clearly double standards were originally taught here. 

The words of Paul speak for themselves and need no comment. "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which has a husband that believes not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace. For what knows you, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? or how knows you, O man, whether you shall save your wife?"  TOP ^

Egypt

 The ancient Egyptians were Hamitic peoples. Later on an invasion from Babylonia, predominately Semitic, came into the country and left its imprint upon the language and culture. The Egyptian language is closely related to the Coptic, which is its direct descendant.

Egypt had been both a land of refuge and a land of captivity for the Hebrews. Persecuted Hebrews sought and found shelter in Egypt. It was about a 40 hours journey from Bethlehem and because it was a Roman province, offered security to the Hebrews who were living there. 

Nations were distinguished from each other by the shape of their chariots. Great attention was paid to the breeding and training of horses. The bow was the national weapon. At their meals, they used tables and chairs not unlike our own. Women were treated more respectfully than in other countries of the east. Great respect was paid to age and rank. 

Impressed by the example of Alexander, Ptolomy paid great attention to trade and navigation. The land was originally a desert plateau. The waters from the southern mountains, pouring out of rocky glen, forced their way north for 800 miles in the Nile River. The river rose annually and for four months it inundated the entire valley 10 to 30 miles wide renewing the land for crops by the deposit of a fertile soil brought down from the glens. Egypt is of course, still famous for the pyramids. Records indicate that it took as many as 100,000 men up to ten years to build the first pyramid.  TOP ^

End Times

 We are in the end-times. We are fast approaching the time that we will be entering into the kingdom of a thousand years where there will be a new heaven and earth. Here there will be righteousness, peace, justice and mercy, no oppression, no extortion or robbery, all tears shall be wiped away. 

Yah'shua did tell His disciples that it was not for them "to know the times or the seasons". Yah’shua told us in Matthew 24:33, "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." The sun will be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from the sky, the powers of the skies shall be shaken, there will be earthquakes, wars, the Son of man coming in the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. We may not know the hour but we should be able to know when the hour is near. Yahweh reveals things to His prophets before He does them, our generation should be no different. Yahweh told Daniel to "shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days." 

There will be heresy in the last days, it has been with us from the beginning and we are told that many false prophets will arise to deceive many, if possible, even the elect. We are in the age of apostasy now. Paul wrote to Timothy that in "the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils," that has been true throughout  history but Peter tells us "that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts." We should not be surprised when we see these things but we must be alert.  TOP ^

Epicureans

 The Epicureans were those who followed the teaching founded by Epicurus who died in Athens about 300 years before Yah'shuas started his ministry. Epicurus' disciples were enamoured with his doctrine and presented him with a garden at Athens. At the garden of Epicurus began a school, almost a community of sorts, with men and women meeting as equals in discourse. After the death of Epicurus, he left his home and garden to be use as the Head Quarters for the Epicureans, still maintained at the time Paul visited the city. 

The Epicureans were atheists in that they believed the world was an accident. They believed you were here today and gone tomorrow, so why not enjoy life while you can. "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow, we die." For them, the hedonistic idea of seeking pleasure was the main purpose in life. They did not deny the existence of any gods, but maintained they were totally indifferent to the affairs of men who were left to find pleasure as they could. The result of this is to have no respect for Yahweh and consequently they were given over to gross sensualism. Epicurus died in 270 BC.  TOP ^

Essenes

 The Essene Hebrews developed a Messianic religion, giving birth to the ideas which were to play a dominant role in the ideas of John the Baptist and Yah’shua. They believed in the divinity of a Messiah who they called the "Teacher of Righteousness", and who had died a violent death at the hands of the sons of darkness. They called themselves the "elect of Yahweh", and their religious community the "New Covenant". The word Essaioa or Essenoi corresponds to the Aramaic asayya, or "physicians, healers by the practice of healing by laying on of hands".

The Essenes dwelt in homes owned by the community, had their meals in common and in silence. They chose their leaders by a general vote, mingled their goods and earnings in a common treasury, and obeyed the Chasidic motto, "Mine and thine belong to thee." Another, and distinctly exaggerated, form of Pharisaism was Essenism, a new name for the old Pietism. The Essenes lived in villages of their own or dwelt together in large establishments in the cities. After a double novitiate they passed to full membership; children were admitted to be trained early in the ways of the Order. Celibacy was an absolute rule, also community of goods. The members tilled the soil or pursued a craft; commerce was shunned. They performed frequent ablutions and wore white garments. Votive offerings were sent to the Temple, but no animal sacrifices; their own meals eaten in common, partook of the nature of sacraments. 

They rejected all manner of oaths. The Sabbath day they observed strictly. They had a secret lore about angels and other mystic matters. They cultivated prophetic clairvoyance and practiced healing in accordance with their studies of the medicinal property of roots. They conceived the spirit as immortal and believed unconditionally in Providence. 

The Essenes were pacifists, refusing even to manufacture munitions of war. They had no taste for politics and withdrew from secular activities to devote their entire lives to religious contemplation. As time went by they formed their own religious communities. According to Josephus and Philo, the Essene life was abstemious, simple and unpretentious.  TOP ^

Exorcist

 Yah'shua would demonstrate His authority in many astounding ways, one of which was in the power of exorcism. In the Capernaum synagogue, a man with an unclean spirit cried out, "Let us alone, what have we to do with you, Yah'shua of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of Yahweh." The demon did not praise Yah'shua but tried to control Him by calling out His name. Yah'shua rebuked him and said, "Hold your peace and come out of him." Well when Yah'shua said come out to the demon(s), the demon(s) obeyed. It amazed those around Yah'shua and showed them the authority that Yah'shua has in the spirit world. 

Yahweh has gifted this same authority to each of us in His Natural Congregation, that have the faith of Yah’shua. The apostles were able to cast out evil spirits in Yah'shua's name, and these gifts were also given to each of us with and through our faith. 

The term "exorcist" is from a Greek word signifying to conjure, to use the name of Yahweh or certain magical ceremonies with design to expel devils from places or bodies which they possess. Many designing men, both before and after the Saviour's death, have pretended to exercise the same power. 

False exorcists were thought to have gained this power by secret studies respecting the nature of demons, and the powers of certain herbs, drugs, and stones and were accustomed to use various forms of adjuration and incantation in their unlawful art. But the whole was delusion and imposture, and strictly forbidden. The practice of using magical words and ceremonies to expel evil spirits or demons is the false counterpart to what Yah'shua has given us. The phenomenon was characteristic of heathenism and incompatible with the religion of Israel. The power of Yahweh available in Yah'shua's name is the real power and it can emanate from any of us with the faith able to do it. TOP ^

False Prophet

 The false prophet is the second beast: "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. And he exercised all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from the sky to earth in the sight of men. And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

And he had power to give life to the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their, forehead. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." 

Just like the anti-Messiah, the False Prophet will at first look good, even to religious people. Just like Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light, the False Prophet has two horns like a lamb which is a symbol of Yah’shua but this man will speak as a dragon which is a symbol of Satan. The False Prophet will speak with the authority and power of the Anti-Messiah, so we can deduce that they will be working together but the one with two horns will serve the other. It is the false prophet that will make the image of the Beast come alive and demand the worship. A man like this can produce all kinds of miracles such as peace, prosperity, popular legalistic oppression, illiberal political victories, upholding religious oppression with false unity and suppressing spiritual truth.

The congregation of the whore Babylon will love him and consider him their leader. It is the False Prophet that will enforce the mark of the Beast or the number of His name, being 600 and 60 and 6 (not 666). 

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of Yahweh Almighty. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him, the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."  TOP ^

Father

 The position and authority of the Hebrew father as head of the house is expressly assumed and sanctioned in Scripture as a likeness of that of the Almighty Yahweh over His creatures. While the father lived, he continued to represent the whole family, with the property held in his name, and all under his control. The children and even the grandchildren continued under the roof of the father and grandfather, labouring on his account as the most submissive of his servants. The property of the soil, the power of judgment, and the civil rights belonged to the father only. His sons were merely his instruments and assistants. 

In patriarchal times, a father was master and judge in his own household, and exercised an authority almost unlimited over his family. The father, as head of the household had the obligation imposed upon him of bringing up his children in the faith in Yahweh, making them well acquainted with the precepts of the law, and generally acting as their instructor and guide. Filial duty and obedience to both parents were strictly enforced by Moses, and any outrage against either parent, or rebellion, was made a capital offence.  TOP ^

Farming

 When will man ever believe that, "there is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12)! Or as Yahweh inspired in Zech.13:4-5: "And it shall be in that day [the millennium] that every prophet [false priest or minister] will be ashamed...But he will say, `I am no prophet, I AM A FARMER; for a man [Yahweh's "Elect"] taught me to keep cattle from my youth"!

Farming is the oldest and most universal profession. The grains grown in ancient times were wheat, barley, rye, spelt and millet. Orchards produced the vine, olive, and fig. Gardens grew beans, fitches, peas, lettuce, garlic, onions, melons, cucumbers, cabbage, etc. The implements were the plough, harrow, and hoe, and these were crude but effective. Entire communities evolved around the labour requirements of their food production. Varieties of animal husbandry developed to maintain sufficiency of meat, dairy and eggs. A very high percentage of the population was totally self sufficient because of the God-given principles of farming. TOP ^

Flood

 The Great Deluge. Traditions of the flood are widely extant. They are found among the ancient nations in all parts of the world and are part of the most universal of traditions. The stories of the flood have been found among the Chaldeans, Hindus, Chinese, Persians, Greeks and others. 

An important aspect of the flood is similar to that of the plagues brought on the Egyptians. When the flood was "on the face of the earth", like the plagues on "the face of the earth", the face of the earth was later described in each instance as being the "sinning nations" (or Egypt in the case of the plagues). TOP ^

Gentiles:

 The Gentiles are the Non-Hebrew, including most modern Jews, a name given by the Hebrews to all those who had not received the law of Moses. Within Palestine itself some areas apparently were so Gentile in population as to be out-of-bounds for stricter Hebrews. When Yah'shua, sending his disciples on their first mission, said "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans," the implication recognized Gentile districts in Palestine-Tiberias and Techeae, for example.

Hebrew Goyim signified the surrounding nations, foreigners, as opposed to Israel. A Goy was a foreign nation; hence a Gentile. The distinction between Israel and other nations, as was shown in the covenant with Abraham, was to be only for a time; and believing Gentiles in no age were excluded. The Hebreews were hedged in by a multitude of special institutions and taught to consider a non-observance of these customs as uncleanness. Blinded by an intense national pride, the Hebrews seemed often to regard the gentile heathen as only existing for the purpose of punishing the apostasy of the Israelite faith. TOP ^

Gnostics

 The Gnostics were an early heretical sect beginning later in the first century. The basis of the Gnostic teaching was the idea of a fundamental antagonism between the world of matter and the world of spirit. Matter was evil, spirit alone was good. The world is bad and the body is bad, being a prison for the spirit. These false teachers, tried to combine this believe with New Covenant Israelite faith and taught that Yah’shua could not have had a human body (since the body is evil) and therefore could have not been crucified. Paul and John both confronted these false teachings by affirming that the Spirit of Yahweh in all its fullness dwelt in the body of Yah'shua. 

They were characterized by a distinctive "spiritual" theology or philosophy that emphasized the perfection and transcendence of the true God and the fallen state of nature and humanity pre-figuring the Calvinists. They viewed the visible creation with its imperfection as the work of a lesser power, in many ways prefiguring the Mormon heresies. The Gnostics tended to reduce revelation to a mere philosophy. They believed that Yah'shua was not truly a God, and that He took only an apparent body.  TOP ^

Gog and Magog

 Gog and Magog are those that invade Israel in the last days along with Islam. Gog signifies Russia, the chief prince of Rosh. "Therefore son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Yahweh, In that day when my people of Israel dwells safely, shalt you not know it? And you shall come from your place out of the north parts, you, and many people with you... Son of man, set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Tubal, and prophesy against him." 

Gog and Magog are usually spoken together in scripture. "And when the thousand years are expired, satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Yahweh; Behold I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (Moscow) and Tubal. And I will turn you back, and leave but the sixth part of you, and I will cause you to come up from the north parts, and will bring you upon the mountains of Israel... And I will send fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am Yahweh. So I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people." 

Meshech is the sixth son of Japheth, son of Noah and supposed by many to have been the father of the Muscovites. Meshech traded with Tyre in the persons of men, and in vessels of brass. Magog was also the son of Japheth and grandson of Noah. Josephus noted that the Greeks called them Scythians and that they also settled in Russia. Meshech, brother to Magog is from the Hebrew mashak - to draw out. Their descendants were a barbarous people inhabiting the Moshian Mts. between Iberia, Armenia and Colchis. 

Rosh, as seen in early Greek writings, is a name which was then used for all the nations of the north. Meshech and Tubal, now believed to be Phrygia and Cappadocia were located at that time in the vicinity of Magog, clearly the area of Russia. Thus if Rosh is Russia, Magog would be the land of Russia. The suggestion has been made that Meshech and Tubal constitute the old names for the former western and eastern capitals of Russia, Moscow and Tobolsk. 

There is a prophecy of Mohammed that is very significant considering so many Muslim nations from North Africa and the Middle East will be involved in the conflict. The Koran: "But there is a ban on any population which we have destroyed: that they shall not return, until the Gog and Magog are let through their barrier and they swiftly swarm from every hill." 

These entire prophecies belong to the day of Yahweh, that evidently precede the actual battle of "that great day of Yahweh Almighty". The prophetic perspective concerning Gog, however includes the final revolt of the nations at the close of the Messianic kingdom. This is the same prophecy in Micah 4:1-4: But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of Yahweh shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Yahweh, the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. TOP ^

The Great Tribulation

 This is the period of unparalleled human suffering, brought on mankind by mankind's own stubborn disobedience, which will precede the establishment of the future kingdom of Yahweh on this earth. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto nations and then shall the end come." 

The great tribulation is generally regarded as the last three and a half years of Daniel's seventieth week prophecy. It is a period of time wherein the two witnesses will finally prophecy the true Gospel of the Kingdom of Yahweh on earth, and when most of humanity will finally get the message that they should repent and believe in that Gospel. TOP ^

Greece

 The Hebrews extended the name of Greeks to include the people conquered and ruled by Greeks, and the word is thus nearly synonymous in the New Covenant with Gentiles. The Greeks were a vivacious, acute, and polished, but superficial people, compared with the Hebrews. They excelled in all the arts of war and peace, but were worshipers of beauty, not of duty. Thus the contribution of Hebrew thought to the political heritage of the world has been seminal.

The idea of the brother-hood of man, of "one world", is deeply rooted in the conception of monotheism as transmitted through the Bible. By contrast, polytheism made it difficult for the Greeks to see the basic oneness of mankind, and their religious pluralism reflected their inability to transcend, intellectually and institutionally the religion of the Hebrews.

As the Romans were the most notable organizers and preservers, the Greeks were the most brilliant originators of Western civilization. The Greeks gave the world a new concept of what could hold the community together - free men making their own laws. No such possibility had ever been considered before. This is the dynamic principal that the citizen is free not only because he obeys laws but because he frames and changes them. 

Greece is spoken of as the rough goat in Dan 8:21. Athens held the first rank, and study there was held indispensable to a Roman youth wishing to become distinguished. New Covenant Israelite faith was first planted there by Paul, when he visited Philippi. The Hebrews and the Greeks appear to have little intercourse with each other, until after Alexander overran Egypt, Syria, and the east. They then began to come into contact everywhere, for both races were widely dispersed.

Greek remained the language of the eastern part of the empire, and even in the western part Greek was the language of learning. Greek slaves were the tutors of rich Roman boys. Athens was the city of culture and pleasure, while Alexandria the city of advanced learning. The Romans did not themselves practice medicine, this explains why the greatest of the medical practitioners were Greeks living in Rome. Morally, the Greeks were not eminent in moral culture, but they were the first of all peoples to make conduct a subject of study; to arrive at fixed principles of right and wrong. TOP ^

Heaven

 The Natural Bible teaches three aspects of the heavens. The first aspect of heaven is actually "the sky", or the firmament that we can see by looking up. The second is the starry night sky beyond our world and the third, which is the only true Heaven, is the abode of Yahweh and His Family. Heaven, the abode of Yahweh, is the noblest imagination of the human heart, and anyone who robs this imagination of its august dignity and spiritual splendour has committed a crime. In the Bible, this Heaven means chiefly the world of His Holy bliss above the visible skies that would be extant merely because of the presence of Yahweh. To this Heaven, Yah'shua ascended, to intercede for us and to prepare for us a place.

True understanding of this Heaven, being in the very presence of Yahweh, is what our faith is all about. Upon the resurrection, we will all be in the presence of Yahweh. But we must avoid the clever deception of Satan, that eludes to going to Heaven upon death. This is not Biblical, and nowhere in the Bible does any Scripture support the conventional Heaven/Hell doctrine so common in false Christianity today. TOP ^

Hebrews

 The Hebrews are of the descendants of Abraham, particularly from the 12 tribes, not just those two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as many erroneously purport. It would be incorrect to identify Judaism with Old Covenant religion or modern Israel, and overlook the rabbinical teaching which forms a large part of present-day Jewish religion. Judaism is a mixture of tradition and scripture and the result of a long process of religious development by many factions from many countries. The other tribes or descendents of Abraham are also not Jewish, but like Judah and Benjamin, are Israelites. To the Hebrew mind, everything is theological, with no distinction made between the religious and the secular. All life is in unity, all belongs to Yahweh. Yahweh is all in all, whether good or bad, in vicissitudes or in joy, nothing is left to chance. 

In early Rome, certain constant features persisted. The Hebrew remained obstinately monotheistic, no other Gods but the one true God. Wherever the Hebrew went, he stood out manfully against the worship of any god-Caesar. No graven images could enter Jerusalem; even the Roman standards with their eagles had to stay outside. Hebrew faith rejects the idea of human proneness to sin. Repentance, prayer and active kindness are enough to achieve perfect reconciliation.

Influenced by the enlightenment, historical exegesis of the Bible started, dietary laws obsolete, this was called Liberal Judaism. Orthodox or traditional Judaism took its stand upon the Talmud with legalism and particulars. Yah’shua called the Jewish scribes and Pharisees of His day, serpents and a generation of vipers. 

The Hebrews of Judea scorned the people of Galilee as ignorant backsliders, and the Galileans scorned the Judeans as slaves caught in the cobwebs of the law. For the devout Hebrew there were three special hours of prayer - 9 am, 12 midday and 3 PM. They agreed that prayer was efficacious wherever it was offered, and doubly precious when it was offered in the temple courts. Hebrew faith was then what we should call pluralistic and continued so until the rabbinical consolidation took place after the fall of Jerusalem. From then on a single type of Judaism, that of the Pharisaic party dominated. There is no spirit at all in the old, there is no letter in the new. 

The Jews are now culturally and socially influential. They cannot avoid being influential as a people. In any society in which they are found, Jews are influential out of proportion to their numbers.  TOP ^

Hellenists

 The Hellenists were those that had adopted Greek Culture. There was one exception - the fale Hebrerws, or “Jews”. Though most of them rejected Hellenism itself, Greek philosophy fell on fertile soil. Though the Hebrews in the main did resist the Greek philosophies, they mastered the Greek philosophers. The few among them that were Jews absorbed everything intellectual which the Greeks had to offer. To everything intellectual they borrowed, they added a Jewish touch. The Greeks then took these retouched ideas back from the Jews. The Greeks emerged in a Jewish-made mantle of Christianity. Jewish Hellenism - the utterance of Oriental thought in Greek language, and the interchange of Asiatic and Greek conceptions was the result of Alexander's conquests, and of the policy which directed them, especially in Alexandria. In summary, Hellenists were Jews who embraced the Greek way of life. Their leader was Jason. Some would include also under the name Hellenists, the proselytes of Greek birth.

Many, if not most Hellenistic states held the belief that their ruler was a god. This idea, throughout the near east, was common. In Egypt the pharaoh was a god, in Babylonia the ruler was the spokesman of the gods. The idea of god-king was originally foreign to the Greeks. Later the idea of god-ruler did gain strength among the Greeks of the west. And then Yah'shua came.  TOP ^

Herodians

 The Herodians were political partisans of Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. They favoured the policies of Herod. Herod was dependent on the Roman power and his adherents therefore maintained the propriety of paying tribute to Caesar which the Pharisees denied. The Herodians were keenly opposed to Yah’shua and Yah’shua was opposed to them. The group was probably formed under Herod the Great and held to the right to pay homage to a sovereign who might be able to bring the friendship of Rome and other advantages, but who had personally no title to reign by law or by religion. On this question they differed from the Pharisees. They were something more than a political party, something less than a religious sect. They were not opposed to idolatrous worship, were in favour of instituting pagan games and denied any future life.  TOP ^

Holy Hands

 The practice of laying on of hands were retained in the congregation through the customs of applying relics and the praying of healing. Often it is a ceremonial function and has no real power. The officers of the early congregation were ordained by prayer and fasting and the laying on of hands. This action did not equip them with spiritual gifts. The Seven Deacons were men chosen already "full of His Holy Spirit and wisdom". True men of Yahweh are ordained because they are qualified, not qualified by being ordained. 

The laying on of hands in the Old Covenant often conferred spiritual blessings. The children of Israel put their hands upon the Levites. Jacob laid his hands on the two sons of Joseph while blessing them. His Spirit fell upon Cornelius and those that were with him before baptism. With the kind of power that manifests in a true Natural Israelite's hands; in Holy hands, there is sufficient to drive out demons, provided there is even a little faith.  TOP ^

Holy Spirit

His Holy Spirit simply put, is the power of Yahweh. It is the impersonal power, or force, or Will of Yahweh. We find very early in the New Covenant, revealed understanding of His Holy Spirit. "...for that which is conceived in her is of His Holy Spirit" (Matt. 1:20). Right away we see that Yah'shua was begotten of the virgin Mary, by Yahweh's Holy Spirit - Yahweh's Will. This is why it is correctly referred to as "His" Holy Spirit, and not as "the" Holy Spirit as erroneously done by traditional Christians. This impersonal manner of referencing Yahweh's very Own Spirit, was originally part of the Catholic church's craftiness to support its false and devious position that the "Holy Ghost" was some form of independent living entity; the third part of their fictional "Trinity".

In Ephesians 3:14,15, Paul is writing of some of the trials he has faced in proclaiming this message. He said: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Yah’shua the Messiah...Of whom the WHOLE FAMILY in heaven and earth is named". Yahweh is a family! Not a Trinity!

John wrote: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (8:32). If what you hear is indeed the truth, you can be sure that you will be able to easily understand it. Yahweh's truth is not delivered obscurely, while surrounded in some clouds of mystery like the false "Trinity" doctrines so common in churches today. Yet most of these same churches agree that the Trinity is the most difficult doctrine to explain.

This difficulty, stems largely from the mythology that His Holy Spirit is some type of personal deity, that together with Yah’shua the Messiah and Yahweh the Father, form one "God". We have already seen ample Bible proof that Yahweh the Father, and Yah'shua the Son (formerly the Word), are two separate divine beings. Now we will see what the Bible teaches about His Holy Spirit.

When Mary was told that she would conceive and bare a son, she asked: "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" (Luke 1:34). And the angel answered: "His Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the POWER of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of Yahweh" (v. 35). Here we are told simply, that the power of Yahweh - His Will - called His Holy Spirit would impregnate Mary.

Just as we are begotten (impregnated) physically by our fathers through the sperm cell, so the Will of Yahweh - His Holy Spirit impregnated Mary and Yah’shua the Messiah was begotten. 

Truly converted Israelites are also begotten of His Holy Spirit, SPIRITUALLY (James 1:18). Our physical birth began when we were conceived in the womb. Our spiritual birth began when our minds were fertilized with a small portion of Yahweh's Holy Spirit - His "Will" combined with ours.

Notice Ephesians 1:13,14: "...after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, ye were SEALED with that Holy Spirit of PROMISE...Which [His Holy Spirit] is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession". His Holy Spirit then, the very Will of Yahweh has been given us as an earnest, or good faith deposit. It is the down payment for our inheritance! It is not a distinct being or entity - it is simply Yahweh's Will.

Notice 1 Cor. 2:11: "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of Yahweh knoweth no man, but the Spirit of Yahweh". The spirit of man - man's will, makes known the things of man. Likewise, the Spirit of Yahweh - Yahweh's Will, makes known the things of Yahweh. How simple and plain is Yahweh's Word!

Our spirit within us is not a distinct being or entity - it is merely the power that enables us to think, reason and to accomplish things. The Spirit of Yahweh is the POWER that enables Yahweh to accomplish things. According to Yahweh's Will, His Spirit reveals the things of Yahweh to us; His plan of salvation, the potential of man, and yes, even the very nature of Yahweh!

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Yahweh: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED...But Yahweh hath revealed them unto us BY HIS SPIRIT: for His Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of Yahweh" (1 Cor. 2:10,14). So we see that man, without the help of His Holy Spirit, is lost - unable to discern these important Biblical truths. That is why the Bible and these basic Bible truths, seem like so much "foolishness" to so many people. As the Bible says, without the aid of our "Helper", His Holy Spirit, our puny little minds simply do not have the power to comprehend what the Bible teaches.

The most obvious false attempt to prove that the Trinity doctrine is Biblical, is found in 1 John 5:7-8: "For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and His Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: His Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one".

Sounds like a Trinity, right? Except for the fact that all of the underlined words were spuriously added to the Latin translation by 4th century Monks (by their own admission), to support the devious motives of the Roman Catholic church! This was on obvious attempt to support their false Trinity doctrine, hundreds of years after the Bible had been written - to further undermine the simplicity and overwhelming significance of the Family of Yahweh - the true version of who and what Yahweh is, as explained only in your Bible.

Yahweh - Elohim, which includes the Word - Yah'shua, is not to be represented by man-made descriptions such as the Trinity, or by man-made images. Catholics and many other Christians willfully disobey Yahweh's Word, when they insist upon using these man-made, conjured descriptives of who and what Yahweh is, and when they persistently make and display statues, or carry around trinkets claimed to be images of the Messiah. "Take heed to yourselves...lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female...which Yahweh your God has forbidden you" (Deut. 4:15,16,23).

The Catholic (and many other) churches concede that the Trinity doctrine is "beyond our finite understanding". That we should merely accept it as truth! I would rather hold on to what is provable, plain and simple, according to Yahweh's command to "prove all things" (1 Thess. 5:21). Further, the truth, if it is in fact the truth, MUST be revealed in the Bible on any and every subject, as in John 17:17 "Thy word [the Bible] is truth"! TOP ^

Jubilee

 Every fifty years was the Jubilee, celebrated as a Hebrew festival. It is from the Hebrew word yobel, a blast of a trumpet. Its name Jubilee, sounding or flowing, was significant of the joyful trumpet peals that announced its arrival. After the lapse of seven Sabbaths of years, the trumpet was to sound throughout the whole land, and the 50th year was to be announced and hallowed as the Jubilee year. 

The jubilee secured rest and restoration for the body politic, to recover that general equality which Joshua's original settlement contemplated; hence no religious observances were prescribed, the trumpets simply sounded the glad note of restoration. The leisure of the Jubilee year was, perhaps, devoted to school and instruction of the people, the reading of the Law and such services. 

The Jubilee is the rest for soil, the redemption of property, the remission of debts and every kind of oppression must cease. It began on the tenth day of the seventh month with sacrifice being offered and the trumpet being blown. Liberty was proclaimed to the captives and all alienated possessions were returned to their original owners.  TOP ^

Judaizers

 The Judaizers were predominantly a non-Israelite sect adhering to the man-made Jewish Law, stemming from converted Pharisees. Unwilling to see structured Judaism die out the Judaizers adopted a legalistic idea of salvation. They insisted that no Non-Jews could be saved without submitting to circumcision and observing the ritualistic Works of the Law, added at the time of Moses, but only as ‘reminders’ of sin.

It was the more zealous of the Judaizers who stirred trouble in Antioch and the new congregations of Galatia. Here, on their home grounds, they would be more outspoken and forceful in their demands. The legalistic parallel of the Judaizers can be seen in many of the extreme fundamentalist churches of today as well as the pentecostals who have turned to calvinism and right-wing extremists.  TOP ^

Judgment

 There is judgment taking place right now on the Yahweh-chosen members of the Natural Congregation of Yahweh, where membership is registered in Heaven. The rest will be judged later, after the 1,000 years are finished.

What this means is precisely and simply what it says! Firstly, in this lifetime we are not judged, excepting that "we reap what we sow". Secondly, only the people of Yahweh that He has called into His Natural Congregation are being judged now. If we pass this judgement we will be priests and kings with the Messiah during and after the millennium. All others who are not part of Yahweh's calling, His Natural Congregation, will be judged later, after the millennium at the Great White Throne Judgement. TOP ^

Laodicea

 Laodicea is one of the seven congregations of Asia, the Lukewarm Congregation. It was located in Asia Minor known to us today as Turkey, near Colossae, about 40 miles from Ephesus and situated on the river Lycus. Laodicea was a wealthy city and head of the circuit of the seven congregations. Originally called Diospolis and then Rhoas, the city was changed to Laodicea in honor of Laodice, the wife of Antiochus II about 261-246 BC. The Greek words laos and dice taken separately translates either as customs of people or the righteous judgment of the people. The word dice can mean either custom or a judicial court verdict. Either way, this apocalyptic congregation represents the judgment of the type of churches that exist today substituting religious formality for spiritual substance, the traditions of men for the truth, conservatism for liberality and fostering a materialistic prosperity doctrine. 

Laodicea was proud of its wealth and was very beautiful with its magnificent temples and theatres. Yahweh describes Himself as the "Amam", there is a certain finality in this. He is the end, nothing can be added or taken away from him. He is the "true witness." It is Yah'shua who speaks to Laodicea. Evidently the Israelite community shared in the prosperity. They think of themselves as rich and altogether to be envied. Proud of their pursuit of gain as godliness that they think they so richly deserve, their smug contentment that they had counted as treasure that which was not treasure only made them deserving of judgment and misery. 

Laodicea's lukewarmness is expressed by the nauseating effects of tepid water where Yahweh will spit them out. This denotes a final rejection, an utter separation from His Natural Congregation.  TOP ^

Law

 There are physical laws that govern the universe. Yahweh has bound the universe to these laws in the sense that He is the one that set them into motion. Yahweh is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, and these laws of Yahweh never change simply because Yahweh never changes. 

There are also spiritual laws that govern the universe. Yahweh has bound all of His creation to these spiritual laws in the sense that He is also the one that set them into motion. Yahweh is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, and these spiritual laws of Yahweh also never change simply because Yahweh never changes. Modern Christianity as well as Jewish tradition, would have us think and act as if these spiritual laws are of no significant effect. To the Jew they are a tool for "judging" outsiders and to the Christian they are too often set aside as archaic, having been given over to the age of "grace". No interpretation of this aside from "no law" fits with such a modern Christian or Jewish agenda. One should hardly believe that Yahweh wishes us to act as if there were no law!

"This I say then, Walk in His Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against His Spirit, and His Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that ye would. But if you be led of His Spirit, you are not under the law.

But the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are the Messiah's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in His Spirit, let us also walk in His Spirit." 

Then there are man's laws. The law of man is the rule established by man-made authority. Montaigne wrote that "the laws maintain their credit, not because they are just, but because they are laws. They are often made by fools and more often by men who, out of hatred for equality, are lacking in equity, but always by men: vain and unstable creators." TOP ^

Libertines

The Libertines were non-Hebrew Jews who were former slaves. Correctly, "Freedmen" were Hebrews who were Roman slaves but were subsequently freed. Some suppose Libertines to have been manumitted Roman slaves, who having embraced Judaism had their synagogue at Jerusalem, or as denoting Jews who had been made captives by the Romans under Pompeii but were afterwards set free. 

Although these Libertines had fixed their home at Rome, they had built at their own expense a synagogue at Jerusalem which they frequented when in that city. The Libertines need to be distinguished from the free-born Hews who had subsequently taken up their residence at Rome.  TOP ^

Magi

 "Magi", were considered wise men from the east, and it is they who paid homage to Yah'sua. Almost certainly the Magi who are said to have visited Yah'shua in the manger were Zorastrian priests.  TOP ^

Mari - Idolators

 Mariolatry is the idolatrous worship of the Mother of Yah'shua. Mary is exalted above all other women but the superstitions of the cult of Mary foolishly exalt her as co-redemptrix and the "Mother of God". Yahweh has no mother. Mary, the mother of Yah'shua is not to be exalted above anything else that is of Yahweh nor brought to the same level. The Catholic church does not teach that we are to pray to Mary but they do incorrectly teach that we can ask Mary to intercede for us sinners here on earth. 

The monasteries played a leading role in the development of Mariolatry, but ordinary people naturally responded warmly to the appeal of Mary. Aside from her role as the "Mother of God", she was rightly personified as the Christian ideal of womanhood, love and sympathy. The worship of the Virgin Mary has always been the most popular portion of the Roman liturgy and the bishops encouraged the cult as part of the general veneration of saints. The veneration of saints goes by the technical name of "dulia" (Greek: servitude); the Blessed Virgin Mary receives "hyper- dulia" (the highest form of veneration), while "latria" (adoration) is accorded only to Yahweh. For those who could understand it, a careful distinction was drawn between the adoration (latria) that was due only to Yahweh and the devotion (dulia) that could be rendered unto the saints. Further attempts to glorify Mary may be seen in the Roman Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity, not taught until about 300 years after the ascension of Yah'shua. 

It was at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 that this fabulous quality gained the official recognition of Rome. The idea that Joseph kept Mary as a virgin all her life is clearly unscriptural for Yah'shua was Mary's first-born and it is recorded that He had brothers and sisters of the same mother. The veneration that Mary rightly deserved was thus degenerated into idolatrous superstition and foolish ignorance.  TOP ^

Millennium

 The Millennium is the thousand year period when the Messiah will reign on earth. Although Yah'shua reigns in our hearts now, the millennium period is when Yah'shua will reign over the nations. The kingdom is now but also to come. In the third century, Origen began to present the kingdom as an event that would take place not in space or time but only in the minds of believers. Origen substituted the collective reign on earth in the future with an eschatology of the individual soul. Looking forward to the millennial kingdom on earth is called chiliasm. When Christianity became the dominant force in religion in the West and the official religion of the Roman Empire, opposition to chiliasm became emphatic. Those that believe in a millennium to come are called pre-millennial; those that believe that we are in the millennium now are called a-millennial. 

The conservative, ecclesiastical form represented by Augustine, had also removed the idea of the 1000 year reign of the Messiah by assuming that it is fulfilled in the Christian [Catholic] church but there are problems with the a-millennial interpretation. Augustine had written in his "City of God" that the book of Revelation was to be understood as a spiritual allegory; as for the millennium, that had begun with the birth of Christianity and was fully realized with the false church. The obvious problem is that the Apocalypse was written some years after the false church was firmly established. Augustine's opinion became orthodox doctrine however and at the Council of Ephesus in 431, belief in the Millennium was condemned as a superstitious aberration. By doing so, the false church had given up the true ideal of the gospel of the kingdom. In that the eminently respectable Iraneus could have regarded such a belief in the past was now felt to be intolerable. 

The earth will be populated during the millennium. The prophecies of Isaiah suggest precisely this. We know that our swords have never yet been beaten into plowshares, so an a-millennial interpretation makes no sense; neither has the lion laid down with the lamb with children leading them. During this time, the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh. It will be a new earth, there will be no sea, all tears shall be wiped away, suckling children will play with snakes, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the desert will bloom and the wilderness blossom and the parched land sprout pools. We will live in the houses that we ourselves have built, not others, and we will eat the fruit from our own vineyards, each under our own vine and fig tree. No more hunger or thirst, the Lamb shall feed them and they will drink of the fountain of living waters. During this period there will be no Satan to temp us!

The Book of Revelation encouraged Israelites to see themselves as the Chosen People of Yahweh. The gospel of the kingdom provided a present and a future hope, we were chosen both to prepare the way for and to inherit the Kingdom during the millennium. TOP ^

Miracles of The Messiah

 Yah'shua was a man of miracles. His miracles did more than just meet the needs of the people that He fed and healed. His miracles were a demonstration of His mighty power, and gave credence to the truth of His Messiah ship. They were also an effective tool for gathering the large audiences He wished to speak to. In our call to imitate the Messiah, we must consider the virtue in feeding the hungry and looking after their material needs, if we are to distract them sufficiently from these diversions to get their attention focused on the true Gospel of the Kingdom of Yahweh. With faith, there are many ways to "heal" the masses of their physical infirmities, and to assist in the equitable provision of their material needs, that would doubtless be perceived by moist as "miraculous" even today. TOP ^

Money Changers

 "Money-changers" were among those that Yah'shua drove out of the Temple. Most of the people in town knew about the racket which was being operated within the temple. The chief priest had a cozy little arrangement with the money changers. As worshippers came from all parts of the world, they were forced to convert their foreign money into what the priests would accept. The rate of exchange was always favourable to the money-changer. It was designed as a rip off and the Chief Priest was in on the action. The money changers and the High Priest and other enemies of Yah’shua plotted to put Him to death.  TOP ^

Mount of Olives

 The Mount of Olives, often times called Olivet, is a double hill that stands outside Jerusalem. Throughout his final visit to Jerusalem, the Messiah's customary retreat was Olivet. One comes down through the eastern gate into the Kidron Valley and climbs up the Mount of Olives on the other side. Across the Kidron below Him, He could look on Jerusalem. At the foot of the Mount of Olives ran the Brook Kidron, rich with gardens and pomegranate trees and beds of many vegetables. 

The Mount of Olives was alive with people day and night. Pilgrims would sleep in tents or under the moon, rolling themselves in their cloaks. The Messiah and his apostles spent the nights of Holy Week in the open, on the eastern slope of the eastern hill, the slope which looks down on Bethany. It was a long walk from that farther ridge of the Mount of Olives to the city gates lying to the south of the Temple area, and below the steep streets over Mount Zion. Gethsemane is on the Mount of Olives. 

Today on Olivet the olive trees are present still.  TOP ^

Mystery

 Yah'shua begins the idea of mystery in the New Covenant by telling His disciples that "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Yahweh: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." When He speaks of "they," He is referring to those who have not submitted to His spiritual kingdom through faith. 

The apostle Paul spoke much of hidden mysteries. A mystery is an undisclosed truth, the truth is there, it is just hidden. We can learn all of the mysteries of life and we are even given to understand what has been hidden from us by the wise men and sages of the remote past. 

Paul tells us that we are the ministers of the Messiah and the stewards of the mysteries of Yahweh. Many of these mysteries are to be hidden until the last days. He mentions the hardness in part of the nation of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. Paul asked for boldness to make known the mysteries of the gospel. 

Romans 16:25 "Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Yah’shua the Messiah, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting Yahweh, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." 

1 Corinthians 2:7 "But we speak the wisdom of Yahweh in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which Yahweh ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory". 

Ephesians 3:3 "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of the Messiah). And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in Yahweh, who created all things by Yah’shua the Messiah". 

Colossians 1:26 "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom Yahweh would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is the Messiah in you, the hope of glory".

Yahweh's will is a mystery revealed in that we know that Yah'shua is in us, our hope of glory. For the truly spiritual person, prophecy is the most desired gift. The prophet has an inner voice from Yahweh that reveals the mysteries through subjective experience and vision.

While these mysteries can be taught second hand and received through the intellect and heart felt belief, only the prophet has the necessary receptors to in turn transmit them effectively. The voice of Yahweh with all His mysteries and revelations speak through his prophets today just as He did in the writers of scripture. That still small voice is given to those that are able to listen to Yahweh. How is it effectively used to the glory of Yahweh? Ask for the gift, receive it and exercise it in the name of Yah'shua with the humility to know that as you decrease, He will increase. The gifts are given as He wills, but He will never refuse any of His children who have faith to ask.  TOP ^

Mystery of Iniquity

 The word 'iniquity' is from the Greek word anomia a violation of a law. It is related to anomos, a lawless person, or transgressor. It is rendered lawlessness in some translations and means the same as unrighteousness. Sin or iniquity is the transgression of the law. This mystery harlot - the world-spirit of moral corruption - began to influence the Natural Congregation even in the days of the apostles, which led one of them to make the declaration: "The mystery of iniquity does already work." 

See what Paul is saying here is that the mystery of iniquity is with us, always has been and will continue - until when? When the man of sin is revealed. The man of sin is the Anti-Messiah. Once the veil of delusion is lifted from the hearts of men through the one that is deceiving the world, those that are truly led by the Spirit of Yahweh in these last days will understand. Once sin is truly revealed, it is no longer a mystery and we are be able to grasp the Holy nature that Yahweh has intended for us.  TOP ^

Parables of The Messiah

 The word parable merely means comparison. A placing side by side, or comparing earthly truths, expressed, with heavenly truths to be understood. Yah'shua used the method to illustrate the relationship of spiritual truths to the happenings in ordinary life. In other words, what Yah'shua is treating in the parables is not individual moral offences, but the states of the spirit from which all sins flow. He was teaching not about fig trees but about men. Those who are ready to learn will understand. The synoptic gospels contain 40 parables.

The purpose of Yah'shua's parables is to introduce the mysteries of the Kingdom of Yahweh. The thing signifying and the thing signified are united together. The parable is often an expanded proverb, and the proverb is a condensed parable. Yah'shua's parables are not mere illustrations, but internal analogies, nature becoming a witness for the spiritual world; whatever is found in the earthly exists also in the heavenly kingdom. Yah'shua was teaching parables to those who had ears to hear. 

Yah'shua explained the purpose of parables Himself. "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of Yahweh, but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables. That seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them." 

Even this explanation of parables may indeed be a parable unto itself. What He meant is that these can only be understood by those willing to learn with spiritual discernment. Was Yah’shua concealing the truth by the use of the parables? No, He was revealing the truth, but only to those willing to open their minds to the truth through faith. Then His Spirit would guide them into all truth. 

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."  TOP ^

Pentecost

 The Pentecost is an Israelite Feast held to commemorate the time of His Holy Spirit descending on the disciples. Pentecost is a Greek word meaning 50 and comes from the feast of weeks of Leviticus 23:16. Fifty days had elapsed from the resurrection of Yah'shua until the giving of His Holy Spirit. 

The Hebrew Feast of Weeks or Day of the First Fruits, as it was also called, comes seven weeks after the Passover. The whole period of 50 days, being kept in honour and memory of the Saviour's resurrection. 

Pentecost was also the anniversary of the law. It was on that very day that Moses gathered Israel around Mount Sinai and Yahweh came out in majesty and gave His law with His thunders and lightnings and they stood trembling and entered into the covenant of works with him. His Holy Spirit came on that anniversary because His Holy Spirit is symbolic of the new law of the Israelite. The old law was written on stone. The new law is written on the tables of the heart.  TOP ^

Pharisees

 The Pharisees were a Biblical Hebrew religious party typified in modern times as the Christian white-washed. Many times they were referred to as the "lawyers". Actually it was the Sadducees that were conservative, and recognized only the law of the Old Covenant. The Pharisees, who were more progressive, recognized the authority of oral tradition and religious speculation as supplementing the law. The Pharisees were in fact a radical party of reformers in Israel that made Torah and the faithful life the center of religion and the primary focus where people encountered their God as a living reality. Josephus describes the Pharisees as a "body of Hebrews who profess to be more religious than the rest, and to explain the laws more precisely." This was the most powerful movement in Israel, and after the destruction of the temple and the warning of the Revelation of the Messiah through John, they represented the sole spiritual force in Judaism. Rabbinical Judaism is derived from the Pharisees. 

The word Pharisee itself was derived from the Hebrew Parush, separated, because they affected very great sanctity. Separated from what? In essence from all uncleanness of the body. The Pharisees (Perushim, separatists) were so named by the Sadducees as meaning that they separated themselves from those who contracted religious impurity by neglecting the requirements of ritual cleanliness.

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Congregation of Philadelphia

 One of the seven congregations of Asia mentioned by John in the Revelation. Philadelphia was a Lydian city founded by Attalus II Philadelphus (159-138 BC). An outpost of Hellenism in native Anatolia, it still stands, located 25 miles SE of Sardis. It is on a broad, low, easily defended hill. Philadelphia is situated in a region that had volcanic activity and it was destroyed several times by earthquakes. The great earthquake of AD 17 ruined it completely. The name of Philadelphia means brotherly love in Greek. 

The district of Philadelphia was vine growing, the most influential cult of the city had to do with the worship of the god of wine, Dionysus. The Natural Israelite congregation of the first century was enthusiastic in its missionary activity and won many Hebrews of the city. This resulted in violent opposition of the Hebrew people there. Yah’shua was designated there as the holy one, the true one, the titles usually reserved for Yahweh alone. This, possibly, is to refute the Hebrews of Philadelphia, who may have ridiculed Yah'shua as a false Messiah. More probably it is designed to show that as holy and true he will keep his promises. But it was Jews who were defiant in their rejection of the religion of Yah’shua the Messiah that made a particular problem for the congregation of Philadelphia. 

The living Yah'shua speaks to the congregation as the one who has full authority, coming out of and transcending the ancient religious life of Israel. He has the key of David. He is the fulfillment of that holiness and truth which had come to have so deep a place in the consciousness of Israel. TOP ^

Phylacteries

 According to some Rabbis, the most important of the great commandments is that about the tephillin and the tsitsith, the fringes and phylacteries. He who diligently observes it is regarded in the same light as if he had kept the whole Law. His prayer shawl is adorned with exceptionally long tassels, and his phylacteries were boxes containing passages from scripture and bound to his left arm and forehead with characteristic wide leather straps. The fringe upon the four corners of this garment, (mantle or cloak) together with the blue cord or ribband, was to remind people of the heavenly origin of His statutes. 

The Israelites were commanded by Moses to wear fringes tsitsith on each corner of the talith, a fringe or tassel, bound with a riband thread of symbolic blue; and as each fringe had eight threads and five knots to remind him that he was holy to Yahweh. These fringes usually hung down at the bottom of the robe; or hung over the shoulder where the robe was folded round the person. 

Before the age of twelve a boy was called katon, or little, henceforth he was gadol, or grown up and was treated more as a man; henceforth too, he began to wear the tephillin, or phylacteries, and was presented by his father in the synagogue on a Sabbath, which was called from this circumstance the shabbath tephillin.  TOP ^

Praetorian Guard

 The Praetorian Guard were the Roman Emperor's personal troops. The "household troops" stationed in Italy were a corps of select soldiers in the military which had been created by Augustus, and which was designed as a body-guard to the Emperor. 

The Praetorian Guard numbered about 10,000 men, and was given a permanent camp near one of the city gates. It soon became a formidable power in the state and made and unmade emperors at will. TOP ^

Proselytes

 There were two classes of Hebrew proselytes: Full proselytes, called "proselytes of righteousness" and the "proselytes of the gate." The full proselytes were circumcised, and enjoyed full communion with the synagogue. These proselytes were usually more fanatical than the native Hebrews. 

The proselytes of the gate were half proselytes. The stranger that is within your gate is from Exodus 22.10. These proselytes embraced the monotheism and Messianic hopes of the Hebrew without conforming to the Jewish ritual and circumcision. Without the legalism of the Jews, the proselytes of the gate were ripe for Israelite freedom and the preaching of the gospel.  TOP ^

Publicans

 The publicans were the tax-gatherers of Yah'shua's time. They worked for the Roman capitalists to whom the taxes had been farmed out for a fixed sum. They were under-collectors of the Roman tribute. As head of the government the procurator had charge of levying taxes and collecting the various revenues. The publican paid the procurator a fixed sum which they then set out to recover by collecting appropriate taxes. They would often lend money to impoverished fellow Jews who found themselves unable to pay. By this act of hypocritical kindliness they converted a public obligation into a private debt, on which they could charge usury as interest. In general they were grasping and extortionate and they were no more popular among the Gentiles. The chief collectors were men of wealth and political influence, but they farmed out the direct work of gathering the revenue to a class who were notorious for their greed and extortion. Those who engaged in this service were despised by the Hebrews, and they were not allowed to enter the temple or the synagogues, or to give testimony in a court of justice. 

The publicans were hated by the Hebrews, who considered them as traitors and avaricious tools of the Romans. No respectable and pious Hebrew would associated with these tax collectors because they were regarded as friends and agents of the hated Roman rulers and close associates of Gentiles whom most Hebrews avoided as a matter of course. In addition, tax collectors often bought their office from the Romans and made extra money on the side by charging exorbitant amounts to the ordinary people. If a Hebrew could scarcely persuade himself that it was right to pay taxes, how much more heinous a crime must it have been in his eyes to become the questionably honest instrument for collecting them? If a publican was hated, how still more intense must have been the disgust entertained against a publican who was also a Jew. The Hebrews had a proverb, "Take not a wife out of the family where there is a publican, for they are all publicans."  TOP ^

Rome

 The Greek "Nothing too much" met in Rome, its logical opposite, "Even everything is not enough." Pillage and pilfer, grab and gorge, fill to repletion and vomit and fill again, dominate and exploit the world until they have nothing left. Romans believed that without any help from our God, that they were by their own right, to govern, reign, and have the enjoyment and dominion of the whole world. New Covenant Israelite faith tunneled underground to a region where faith as well as reason prevailed, where hope, not pride and arrogance, were established: in the catacombs of the faithful where the assembly of the living took communion among the tombs of the dead. 

Roads, travel and commerce facilitated cultural and religious as well as political unity. Roman temples were the homes of deities more frequently than they were the halls of worship, and were often used for secular purposes and for exhibition of works of art. 

The Romans were a law unto themselves. By force of arms and statesmanship, the Romans linked the proud cultures of the Hellenistic east with the less sophisticated cultures of the western Mediterranean. Embracing Alexander's dream as their legacy, they made the idea of "one world" a reality. They thought of themselves as great with a divine sanction for Rome to rule the world. 

They would have laid waste to all Israel if it suited them. Others were appalled by the corruption, the preoccupation with vice, and the rampant adultery and homosexuality. They marched with dreadful legions that had never been defeated, and the poor Hebrews were powerless to destroy them. Hebrew leaders were correct when they advised their people not to take arms against the Romans. The synagogues would not only be profaned, but razed to the ground, and the people sold into slavery as they were in the days of Babylon. The enemy was among them in full force and they were powerless to resist.  TOP ^

Sabbatical Year

 The Sabbatical Year - every seventh year the fields were/are not sown, the vineyards not pruned, no fruit or produce is to be gathered. All this is a way of acknowledging that the land belongs to Yahweh. The land must rest fallow each seventh year. At the completion of the week of sabbatical years (50) the jubilee year crowns the whole. These years were originally observed in the New Covenant and the Hebrews even sought to enforce their observance on Gentile Israelites. 

The jubilee secures rest and restoration for the body politic, to recover that general equality which Joshua's original settlement contemplated; hence no religious observances were prescribed, simply the trumpets sounded the glad note of restoration.  TOP ^

Sadducees

 The Sadducees were the Hebrew elite, named probably from Zadokites, the name of the chief class that arose from the priests. In general they held opposite views to those of the Pharisees and were more of a political party than a religious one. The Sadducees were the reactionaries, standing rigidly for the written Scripture as the sole authority for their faith and including in their scripture only the five Books of Moses. The Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, angels and spirits. 

Precisionists in the interpretation of the Law, the Sadducees were harsh in its enforcement. They would require, for example, that in cases of personal injury, the rule, "eye for an eye," be literally enforced, whereas the Pharisees allowed compensation by a fine. This comparatively small group representing wealth and political power in Jerusalem were orthodox believers of the old school, of whom Josephus said: "Their doctrine reaches only a few men, but those who hold the highest offices." The Sadducees were tied to the Hebrew state and temple. If collaboration with Rome would help sustain even the semi-independence of the state, they were collaborationists. When war at last broke out and the state was threatened with destruction, they fought with the Zealots to preserve it. When at last the state and temple fell, the Sadducees were finished and passed out of history. 

Yah'shua's first actual conflict was with the Sadducees when he scourged the money changers and animal sellers from the Temple, for the Temple was under Sadducee control. The Sadducees stood for Temple, Priest, and Sacrifice - the pre-prophetic concept of Israelite faith. It is one of the great examples of how a party of men, in order to retain their vested interests, would not themselves listen to the truth or give anyone else a chance to hear it. They constituted a tightly closed circle of influential families who wielded great political power by virtue of their control of the Sanhedrin and their favoured status in the eyes of the Roman rulers.

Most Sadducees were priests or members of the Hebrew aristocracy - privileged. They refused to believe in an eternal life, or to admit that scripture afforded any such warrant for its belief. The Sadducees were a kind of hereditary caste who entered into political life and for some time controlled the temple in Jerusalem. They tended to conform to Hellenism and to lead the Hellenistic party, so far as such a party is said to exist.  TOP ^

Samaritans

 The Samaritans, to whom the Hebrews were bitterly hostile, were descendants of the foreign settlers imported into Northern Palestine by the Assyrians toward the end of the eighth century BC. Under Hoshea, Israel's last king, 27,290 people of the ten tribes were deported to distant parts of the Assyrian empire under the direction of Esar-haddon of Assyria. Israel in turn was resettled with Assyrian captives from other conquered territories, thereby mingling their religious and cultural traditions. They lost their racial purity and that for a Hebrew was an unforgivable crime. 

The Samaritan sect was founded by a group of these Hebrews who were excluded from the Temple at Jerusalem, because they had married foreign wives. Angered by this they went to Samaria where they built a rival temple on Mount Gerizim. To this temple, they carefully brought from Jerusalem a copy of the Bible but only the Pentateuch. The Samaritan Bible never grew beyond the five books of Moses. In time they became a new people, and rejected all other Old Covenant books including the writings of the prophets. 

New Covenant Israelite faith that was first preached in Jerusalem was carried by Greek-speaking evangelists to Samaria, the seacoast Palestinian towns, and as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. The Samaritans were a mixed lot but Yah'shua showed us that they are accepted. However imperfectly, their law was based upon the same rules as the rest of Israel, the Law of Moses. One of those laws is that the children shouldn't suffer for the sins of the fathers. The Jews made a mockery of this and the self-righteous hypocrisy was exposed by Yah'shua in His dealing with the Samaritans. TOP ^

Sanhedrin

The Supreme Council of the Hebrew nation comprising the Great Sanhedrin was made up of 72 members including the High Priest, who was the leader and spokesman. Orthodox Hebrews ascribe the origin of the Sanhedrin to Moses, and identify it with the "elders of Israel". It was the supreme national-religious body and came into being about 200 years before Yah’shua as a limited form of self-government. The Sanhedrin was conceded to the Hebrews by foreign kings.

They were drawn from the rulers, elders and scribes, but political power concentrated in the hands of the high priest and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees. There were three groups of the Sanhedrin: The chief priests; the ancients; and the Scribes, or doctors of the law. It was the final court of appeal for all Hebrews in Palestine in all matters that were not specifically reserved by the Roman procurator for its own jurisdiction. The Small Sanhedrin was a provincial court, which passed judgment on capital offences which did not come under the jurisdiction of the Great Sanhedrin. The sending forth of the 70 by Yah'shua was like a Sanhedrin. 

To form a session of the Sanhedrin there must at least have been 23 members present. Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the council. Before the trial, Yah'shua was probably questioned there at night, in violation of all Sanhedrin rules. According to Hebrew law at that time, no-one could be arrested at night. It was illegal to hold court proceedings after sundown on the eve or the day of the Sabbath or a festival. The Great Sanhedrin could convene only in the Chamber of Hewn Stones, never in the palace of a High Priest or in any other dwelling. The one thing it could not do is pass the death sentence.  TOP ^

Scribes

 The scribes were the copyists of Scripture and teachers of the Law. The Scribes date as a distinct body from the period of Ezra. The name is derived from sepher, or "book", and means scripturalists - those who explained and copied the law. Their functions were to copy, read, amend, explain, and protect the law. The scribe keeps record of work done and goods paid, of prices and costs, of profits and loss, he counts the cattle as they move to the slaughter, or corn as it is measured out in sale, he draws up contracts and wills, and makes out his master's tax records. 

The Scribes (Hakamin, learned) were not a sect but a profession. They were scholars learned in the law, who lectured on it in synagogues, taught it in schools, debated it in public and private, and applied it in judgment on specific cases. A few of them were priests, some were Sadducees, most were Pharisees. Professional scribes were paid by the line, and the usual rule was to make each line about as long as the average line of a modern printed page. 

Longer lines would have been harder to read. Paul's scribe Tertius would have provided himself with pens and ink. His pens were made of reeds, pointed and split like our pens today. He doubtless prepared three or four of them, so as not to keep Paul waiting while he mended pens. There were no spaces between the words in Tertius' letters, and almost no punctuation marks. 

A Pharisee as a scribe was a man especially trained as an expert in the Torah. After the required period of preparation, he could be authorized as an official interpreter of the Law. The most distinguished position of the day was that of a scribe. He wore a special long robe and was always given a seat of honour at public gatherings, such as the synagogue, in the marketplace, and at weddings. 

The Man of the Book, one skilled in the Law, held the title of honour, Rabbi (Great One). This was reserved for the true "spiritual father" of the people was no longer the priest, but the scribe. The scribes always took refuge in the ancients, and it was their ideal to transmit, without adding or omitting anything, the teachings they had received. Yah'shua, on the other hand, was opening treasures to which he alone had the key and over which He alone had the authority. 

The Scribes were the voice of tradition. Yah'shua was His own voice. Their business was to study and interpret, as well as copy, the scriptures. Because of their minute acquaintance with the law, they were also called lawyers, and were recognized authorities. The decision of leading scribes became oral law, or "tradition." Scribes and interpreters of the Law became men of importance, for the average person wanted to hear what the Scriptures contained. Most scribes were affiliated with a particular school of thinking, headed by a famous rabbi who was surrounded by a circle of disciples, or devoted followers. There were many scribal schools in Palestine in the first century, most of them based in Jerusalem. 

We should throw doubt on the reliability of our text were it not for the extraordinary care with which the Hebrew scribes have transmitted their sacred writings.  TOP ^

Secular

 Secular is temporal rather than spiritual, not bound by religious thought. Secular is the world in the worldly sense of everything outside of the Natural Congregation. Religion opens up the depth of man's spiritual life which is usually covered by the dust of our daily life and the noise of our secular work. It gives us the experience of the Holy; of something which is untouchable, awe-inspiring; an ultimate meaning, the source of unlimited courage. This is the glory of what we call religion. But besides its glory lies its shame. It makes itself the ultimate and despises the secular realm. It makes its myths and doctrines, its rites and laws into ultimatums and persecutes those who do not subject themselves to it. It forgets that its own essence is a result of man's tragic estrangement from his true being. It forgets its own emergent character. 

For the religious and the secular realm are in the same predicament. Neither of them should be in separation from the other and both should realize that their very existence as separated is an emergency; that both of them are rooted in religion in the larger sense of the word, in the experience of ultimate concern. To the degree in which this is realized the conflicts between the religious and the secular are overcome, and religion has rediscovered its true place in man's spiritual life, namely, in its depth, out of which it gives substance, ultimate meaning, judgment, and creative courage to all functions of the human spirit. 

We are not to love the world, we are to be separate from the world but we cannot be completely out of it or we would never fulfill the Great Commission. Many of our thoughts and actions are secular, that does not make them necessarily wrong. The legalists will tell you that all sorts of things are sinful, such as dancing, card playing, going to movies, Sabbath breaking, bowling, shooting pool, having fun, whatever, and will condemn those that do these things, but they are really the ones that are sinning through their self-righteous judgments and alienating the world from Yahweh 

Sin is sin and we are not to sin. Secular activities may be sinful, they may not be. We are to separate from the evil, not the secular, in fact we should embrace the secular in order to win the world for Yah'shua. We are to be a light to the world, not a blazing torch with the intent of burning everything secular and harming everyone in it by walking in pride, judgmental condemnation and self-righteousness. Let your conscience be your guide. Allow His Holy Spirit to lead you and discern what is sinful. Walk in the spirit and you will not succumb to the sins of the flesh.  TOP ^

Seven

 Seven is a number that has a meaning beyond its numerical count. It is the number of completion and symbolizes unity and perfection. Seven was a sacred number of the Hebrews and was used in religious observances and daily life throughout the history of Israel and in prophetic words concerning the end-times. It symbolizes wholeness, a final completion that is just about to reveal itself and be made manifest. 

Seven might be a favorite number of Yahweh, for there are seven days in the week, seven colors in the rainbow, seven notes on a musical scale and seven has meaning much beyond its simple numerical value.  TOP ^

Seven Deacons

 Upon the recommendation of the apostles seven men were selected and commissioned, set apart by prayer and laying on of hands. ("And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of His Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch"). They ministered to the poor, and administered to the needs of temporal affairs of the Israelite societies, yet retaining, as in the case of Stephen and Philip, the right to teach. 

Note that all the names are Greek, which suggests they belonged to the complaining Hellenists. If they are, it reveals a generous spirit on the part of those Israelites. Their great humility is seen in their eagerness to settle any problems. After this, the Word of Yahweh enjoyed an even wider influence. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased, with a host of temple priests embracing the faith. TOP ^

The Seventy Disciples

 The Seventy disciples that Yah'shua sent out were of those who followed Him and came to believe in Him. The greatest experience they ever had would be their bond. They would talk of what they had seen and heard and would share the latest news of him. 

The seventy were messengers of Yah’shua sent out two by two into every city and place where Yah'shua would come. Yah'shua said to them the same things that will inspire the last days army of Yahweh when the wedding feast is ready and we will be out into the streets: "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few, pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves." 

Eusebius of Caesarea mentions in his book of the Apostle's history: "But there exists no catalogue of the seventy disciples. Barnabas, indeed, is said to have been one of them, of whom the Acts of the apostles makes mention in various places, and especially Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians. They say that Sosthenes also, who wrote to the Corinthians with Paul, was one of them". This is the account of Clement in the fifth book of his Hypotyposes, in which he also says that Cephas (Peter) was one of the seventy disciples, a man who bore the same name as the apostle Peter, and the one concerning whom Paul says, "When Cephas came to Antioch I withstood him to his face." Matthias, also, who was numbered with the apostles in the place of Judas, and the one who was honoured by being made a candidate with him, are like-wise said to have been deemed worthy of the same calling with the seventy. They say that Thaddeus also was one of them". TOP ^

Seventy Weeks Prophecy of Daniel

 In the midst of the last week (3 1/2 years), "he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." This is the abomination of desolation that Yah'shua warned us about and that we must flee. This could be construed to have happened in the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem in 70 AD, but Yah'shua goes on to tell us that afterward we would be seeing "the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."  TOP ^

Slaves

 In the eyes of the law of most "heathen" lands in ancient times, a slave was a "living tool", a thing and not a person at all. A master could fling out an old slave as he could fling out an old spade or hoe. He could amuse himself by torturing his slaves; he could even kill them. For slaves there was no such thing as marriage, for even their children belonged to the master. 

The unskilled men and women who worked on farms or spent their days in the dark tunnels of the mines knew nothing but suffering. They slept in filthy huts, had only enough food to keep them working, and were often kept in chains. When they grew old or fell sick, no one did much about it. It was cheaper to let them die, and to then buy young, healthy replacements. 

Paul's belief in the speedy return of Yah’shua made him attach little importance to freedom of servitude. From a social viewpoint Paul's was opposed to slavery on principle, a unique phenomenon in antiquity - Yahweh's law had established a weekly day of rest and contained a host of protective rules in favour of workers, debtors, women, children and the poor. 

In Rome however, they had always treated their slaves with consideration, spurring their slaves to effort by offering them pay and bonuses which accumulated to form a nest egg that as a rule served ultimately to buy their freedom. With few exceptions, slavery in Rome was neither eternal nor, while it lasted, intolerable. From the first century of the republic it had been recognized that the slave had a soul of his own, and the free citizens had, in practice, permitted him to join them in the service of whatever cult he preferred. After a Roman slave had regained his liberty he lived on terms of absolute equality with the Roman citizen.  TOP ^

Spiritual Gifts

 Paul begins by saying that all special gifts come from Yahweh. Any special ability that a man has comes from Yahweh and, therefore, must be used in the service of Yahweh. These were and are gifts for the benefit of them that are without. These diversities are of great importance and should be exercised in their proper spheres. 

The discernment of spirits has to do with being able to judge whether inspirations come from Yahweh or not. The Anti-Messiah also works with deceptive demonstrations of power and with signs and wonders, and Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. And the knowledge and judgment of the man of faith are not a secure possession with which he is equipped but rather are only given to the one who actually leads a new life in humility and love. Sorcery is the inverted use of spiritual power. Therefore, it is madness to boast of proofs of the spirit.

The Son of Man, when he came to examine His Natural Congregation could hardly find faith upon the earth. Because many of the Hebrews were turned heathen again, and others had only a dead form of religion left. We find also manifestations of true spiritual gifts in our own time, but instances of this kind are less frequent because there is less true faith. Yahweh has placed these gifts in His Natural Congregation, where they belong, and they will be manifested where the necessary conditions are present and where Yahweh sees that it can be done for the glory of His name.  TOP ^

Tetrarch

The tetrarch was the Roman Governor of a region. Properly the sovereign or governor of the fourth part of a country. In the Scriptures the name is applied to any one who governed a province of the Roman Empire. The tetrarch also had the title of King. TOP ^

Transfiguration of the Messiah

 Yah'shua had climbed some way up a mountain to pray. As he prayed he was "transfigured" - the Greek is "metamorphosed" - his face shining like the sun, his garments dazzling white, like snow. 

The robe that Yah'shua wore that afternoon would be the robe of a teacher of Palestine, long and flowing, and no matter how clean in the morning, it was bound to be stained by dust. But now the raiment, for all its frazzled hem, was pure and glittering, as if woven not of common cotton and wool, but fashioned of an incomprehensible substance, soft and shining. White as snow, that raiment now, whiter than any fuller's earth can make cloth white. 

The place of the transfiguration was probably the southern slope of Hermon, as it occurred a few days after the confession of Peter at Caesarea-Philippi, which lay at the foot of Mount Hermon, and on the eve of Yah'shua's last journey to Jerusalem.  TOP ^

Two Witnesses

 The two witnesses will burst forth on the world scene just prior to and during the tribulation period. Beware of any who call themselves the two witnesses or the Elijah to come, as they are only trying to draw the elect unto themselves. When the time comes they will speak, but not of themselves. 

The angel goes on to tell John that "I will give power unto my two witness and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and threescore days (42 months), clothed in sackcloth." The saints are offering prayers before this time upon the golden altar, the prayers come back to earth in the form of earthquakes and lightnings and the seven trumpets are about to sound. The 144,000 servants have the seal of the living God Yahweh in their foreheads, a great multitude stood before the throne clothed in white which have come out of the great tribulation. Abaddon is revealed, the sixth angel sounds a trumpet and looses the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates, an army of 200 million comes forth and a third of mankind are killed, those left do not repent. By the time the power is given to the two witnesses, the seventh seal has already been opened, the mystery of God is finished and it is during the second woe. 

Witnesses are called before truth can be established. In court jurisprudence, the presence of a witness to something is considered good evidence but the presence of two witnesses is conclusive. Documents of importance need the signatures of at least two witnesses. The two witnesses of Revelation are not named but from their description they may be readily identified as "the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth," as found in Zechariah. The angel spoke to Zechariah who said to him, "What do you see? And I said, I have looked and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it and his seven lamps thereon and seven pipes to the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof." John saw a similar vision "in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven sprits of Yahweh sent forth into all the earth." The seven candlesticks are "the seven congregations." These congregations are still here in the last days for they are exhorted to "hold fast until I come." 

Speculation runs rampant as to who these two witnesses will be. Suffice it to say, that it is not meant to be known or it would be made known by Yahweh! When the time comes, only those that are not deceived will know who the true witnesses are, and His Spirit will make it known. TOP ^

The Upper Room

 The Upper Room was the headquarters of the Jerusalem Congregation and the scene of the last supper. Returning from the Ascension of the Savoir, the eleven had returned from the Mount of Olives and gone to the Upper Room. This was now their regular place of meeting in Jerusalem. In that Upper Room were not only the eleven, but also Mary the mother of Yah'shua and His brethren. 

The upper room was apparently in the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. TOP ^

Wisdom

 To research the Bible for wisdom is to read it from cover to cover. Yahweh told Moses to speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom He has filled with His Spirit of wisdom. This puts wisdom squarely as from coming from Yahweh by His Spirit in which we can be filled, along with knowledge and understanding. Aquinas: "Now of all human pursuits, that of wisdom is the most perfect, the most sublime, the most profitable, the most delightful." The Psalmist wrote that the respect of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. David desired that Yahweh would give his son Solomon, wisdom and understanding. Solomon prayed for that promise to be fulfilled and because he chose wisdom over riches, Yahweh blessed him with more wisdom and understanding than any other, so much that people from all over the world came to hear the wisdom of the King of Israel. The most common theme of Solomon's book of Proverbs is wisdom, "to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity." 

Wisdom is described not only as His Spirit in the Proverbs but in the feminine sense, "Wisdom cries without, She utters her voice in the streets. She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gate, in the city She utters her words." Also from the ancient Book of Wisdom: "For She (wisdom) is the breath of the power of Yahweh, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty; therefore can no defiled thing fall into Her. For She is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of Yahweh and the image of His goodness. And being but one, She can do all things, and remaining in Herself, She makes all things new; and in all ages, entering into holy bodies, She makes them friends of Yahweh and prophets." This manner of expression is purely meant to help us enjoy the poetic aspect of the Psalmist's writings, and not as any form of personalization of His Holy Spirit as an independent deity.

"Be not wise in your own eyes, fear Yahweh and depart from evil." Now there is godly wisdom and there is worldly wisdom. The wisdom of this world is foolishness to Yahweh. You can think that you are wise but one with godly wisdom will see right through you. "Wisdom begins," said Jung, "when we take things as they are; otherwise we get nowhere." Yahweh is where wisdom is at. And so too, with academies and chairs of philosophy. You have a kind of sign-board hung out to show the apparent abode of wisdom: but wisdom is another guest who declines the invitation; She is to be found elsewhere. James, the brother of Yah'shua recognized the two types of wisdom. The wisdom and knowledge from above is shown with meekness. "But if you have bitter envying and strife in you hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." 

James also wrote "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yahweh, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Just like any other good gift from Yahweh; if you want it, just ask. TOP ^

Women

 1 Corinthians 11:3-15: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is the Messiah; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of the Messiah is Yahweh. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of Yahweh: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in Yahweh. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of Yahweh. Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto Yahweh uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Congregations of Yahweh." 

1 Timothy 2:11-15: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." 

Peter tells me in my Bible that Yahweh is no respecter of persons, he may have been talking of nationality but it should apply to sex as well. Paul also teaches in Galatians 3:26-28: "For you are all the children of Yahweh by faith in Yah’shua the Messiah. For as many of you as have been baptized into the Messiah have put on the Messiah. There is neither Hebrew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Yah’shua the Messiah." If there is to be governorship in the Natural Congregation of Yahweh, then Yah'shua is governing over the minds and hearts of His followers and uses us to be the examples of His life here on earth today. He does this through men and women. 

"And Yahweh said, `Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion... Yahweh created man in His own image, in the image of Yahweh created He him, male and female created He them." The word man in these verses includes male and female, as in "mankind". This is confirmed by the word them, so "he" and "his" in this sense are both male and female. Male and female as mankind together were created in the image of Yahweh. 

Hebrews had specific terms to describe girls, depending on the age. Until the age of eleven years and one day they were called a child. From eleven years and one day to twelve and a half years, she was a young daughter and from then on she was a woman. The ages were important to determine when the girl was of a marriageable age. 

To explain the words of Paul in the New Covenant regarding women, we only need to go to the original Greek and understand the difference between the word used for women and the word used for wives. Surprise, it is the same word. When the translations were done into English, the word women was used when the context was for wives and everyone since has been blaming Paul for being anti-woman. 

Yahweh made women, He did not make homosexuals. Yahweh uses men and women in the Congregation, not homosexuals, in spiritual power anyway. Men and women were created by Yahweh, not homosexuals. Gay rights and feminist movements have caused serious rifts in the economic and cultural value structures of our society. These groups have been responsible for causing much of the break-up of the family unit. 

When women became so financially independent that they no longer need their husbands, rampant divorce follows. It is the fault of these self-centered, self-gratifying, greedy people that causes inflation and increased housing costs, instils boredom and materialism, and forces women out of the home and into the working world. This has caused millions of single men to be unemployed and displaced. It has nothing to do with affirmative action. It has to do with selfish disobedience. 

In first century Palestine , women were held in low regard. At that time, most teaching was "male-centered." Yah'shua's first disciples were men and all of the ministers and apostles and elders mentioned in the New Covenant were men. This was not due to the teaching of Yah'shua, but to the milieu in which the early Congregation developed. It was a world in which women were in inferior religious, economic and social positions. 

The idea of progressive revelation and liberation theology supports the fact that women are to be liberated and empowered to a much more responsible level of ministration than what was practiced in the Old Covenant. Women are to be subject to the authority of the husband as Yah'shua is head of the Congregation but subject to Yahweh.  Notwithstanding this progression, women are still meant to remain silent in public gatherings of the Congregation, letting the men do the teaching and asking any questions in the privacy of their home. TOP ^

Yahweh-Fearers:

 The Yahweh-fearers were Gentile proselytes. While the gospel was preached to Hebrews in Antioch, the majority of new converts came from the Yahweh fearers. These Gentiles had adopted the Hebrew faith with their code of morality and attended synagogue services, but were not full converts and did not want to submit to circumcision. They were regarded as outside the fellowship of Hebrew communities. 

Josephus mentions that the Jews in Antioch "were constantly attracting to their religious ceremonies multitudes of Greek, and these they had in some measure incorporated with themselves." He also states that "But no one need wonder that there was so much wealth in our temple, for all the Hebrews throughout the habitable world, and fearers of Yahweh, even those from Asia and Europe, had been contributing to it for a very long time."

Any city in the Empire had their share of Gentile converts to Hebrew faith. The Bible had already been translated into Greek and many believed in the Hebrew theology with the One true God of Moses and Abraham. By the time Paul and the other Israelites came, they found a great opportunity with a community already ripe for harvest everywhere they went. Especially attractive to the Yahweh-fearers was the idea that they could become members of the Israelite community and gain salvation merely by confessing their sins and submitting to baptism and they did not have to be circumcised. At once, hundreds of Gentiles had joined Antioch's congregation and before long, millions of Yahweh-fearers around the world. 

Grace and peace to you, from our Father, Yahweh, and Yah'shua our Messiah!

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Updated on 10/06/2008