The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees – Matthew 12

Mat 12:1-2 At that time Yahshua went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His taught ones were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain, to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your taught ones are doing what is not right to do on the Sabbath!”

The Pharisees were a very rigid sect of Judaism. The Messiah Yahshua warned His followers to beware of them. Consider His words later in Matthew;

Mat 23:4 “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but with their finger they do not wish to move them.”

In the text from Matt. 12, the Pharisees are accusing Yahshua of being lawless by accusing Him of breaking the Commandments through their misapplication of the Commandment to not harvest on the Sabbath;

Exo 34:21 “Six days you work, but on the seventh day you rest – in plowing time and in harvest you rest.

There is no Scripture to support the Pharisees. The followers of Yahshua were not harvesting. They were simply gleaning that which was intentionally left by the owner of the field for those in need as stated in the following;

Lev 23:22 ‘And when you reap the harvest of your land do not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, and do not gather any gleaning from your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am Yahweh your Elohim.’ ”
The Pharisees were one of the sects of Yehudism guilty of adding to / subtracting from Yahweh’s Commandments. Much like Christianity today.

Mat 12:3-4 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he went into the House of Elohim and ate the showbread which was not right for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

The Master legitimizes the eating of the showbread rather than letting King David and his men go hungry. The priests had a better understanding of the Spirit of the Commandment than the Pharisees did. I personally believe this to be in support of the “Sovereignty & Priesthood” pronounced upon the true believers in Messiah Yahshua. (Rev. 5:10, Rev. 20:6; Exo. 19:6; Isa. 61:6; Rom. 12:1; 1Pet. 2:5-9)

Mat 12:5 “Or did you not read in the Torah that on the Sabbath the priests in the Set-apart Place profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?”

Priests continue to work on the Sabbath through offering sacrifice, offerings and circumcision. The Pharisaical mindset would prohibit such “work”

Consider;

John 7:22 “Because of this Mosheh has given you the circumcision – though it is not from Mosheh, but from the fathers – and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.”

The Master addresses the issue of “doing good on the Sabbath” later in Matthew 12:12.

Mat 12:6-8 “But I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the Set-apart Place. And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion and not offering, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Adam is Master of the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees would say that they honor the Set-apart Place, but their hypocrisy betrays them. Yahshua clearly states that HE, the One that the earthly Set-apart Place was constructed to represent, is greater than the copy of the Heavenly Set-Apart Place. HE points out the Pharisees’ lack of understanding pertaining to Yah’s reason and purpose for offering, which is the expression of HIS compassion through providing a means for sinful man to be restored to a relationship with Yah. It was never meant to be a means of exclusion, but inclusion! The Pharisees and those guilty of lawlessness cannot understand the true heart of Yahweh. But David did.

Consider;

Psa The slaughterings of Elohim are a broken spirit, A heart broken and crushed, O Elohim, These You do not despise.”

Consider these verses as references to sacrifice and offering acceptable to Yahweh in The New Covenant;

Rom 12:1-2 “I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.”

( Also; Rom. 15:16, Psa. 19:14, Eph. 5:10, Php. 4:18, 1Tim. 2:3; 5:4, Heb. 13:15-16, 1Pe. 2:5, 2:20)

Blasphemy of The SPIRIT?

Mat 12:22-23 Then they brought to Him one who was demon-possessed, blind and dumb. And He healed him, so that the blind and dumb man both spoke and saw. And all the crowds were amazed and said, “Is this the Son of David?”

The crowds were catching a glimpse of Truth! They were beginning to get it! But then, the “birds of the air” swooped down upon them! (See article “Unbelief – The Reasons Behind it“)

Mat 12:24-27 But when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This one does not cast out demons except by Be’elzebul, the ruler of the demons.”And Yahshua knew their thoughts, and said to them, “Every reign divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. “And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then does his reign stand? And if I, by Be’elzebul do cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this they shall be your judges.

Yahshua informs them that if Satan were to actually cast out the very demons that he is using to control people he would be contradicting his own efforts and thus be self defeating. We have a principle established by Yahshua; any kingdom, any city, any family and even any individual that is divided against itself cannot stand and will crumble. In other words; Countries, Communities, Churches, Marriages, Households and even Individuals who are at odds within themselves, are in confusion and will not stand. Look around you. Its happening even as I write this… Government is in complete chaos! Communities are rioting and burning! Churches closing! Heterosexual monogamous marriage is looked at as old fashioned! Family has been re-defined! Individuals, not able to cope, are taking medications at a record pace! Is there any question in your mind that Satan is using those living in their fleshly mindset to accomplish all of this? And yet, he is actually being used to destroy his own kingdom! How perfectly ironic…

Mat. 12:28-32 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of Elohim, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you. Or how is one able to enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he shall plunder his house. “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. “Because of this I say to you, all sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Adam it shall be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the Set-apart Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

The Master then gives the very serious warning regarding the Pharisees and all those who ascribe the works of HIS Spirit to the devil… a very serious unforgivable offense! The Pharisees of our time are making the same accusations against those who observe the Seventh Day Sabbath, the Torah and the Feasts of Yahweh, saying that those who observe these scriptural precepts have fallen from HIS favor and have cut themselves off from Messiah! Some have even suggested that we who believe that the gifts of The Set-Apart Spirit are for today, are being inspired by the devil! Those in opposition to HIS Word are truly those being inspired by demons.

Consider;

1Ti 1:8-11 And we know that the Torah is good if one uses it legitimately, knowing this: that Torah is not laid down for a righteous being, but for the lawless and unruly, for the wicked and for sinners, for the wrong-doers and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for those who whore, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else that is contrary to sound teaching, according to the esteemed Good News of the blessed Elohim which was entrusted to me.

The ruling Pharisees of today’s Christianity have practically abolished the instruction in the Torah, claiming that it is not relevant for believers today! And in so doing, they have loosed upon themselves the very sinful behavior that collapses countries, communities, churches, marriage, families and individuals…

2Ti 4:3-4 For there shall be a time when they shall not bear sound teaching, but according to their own desires, they shall heap up for themselves teachers tickling the ear, and they shall indeed turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths.

That time is upon us…

Cleaned Up – But Not Filled!

Mat 12:43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

A simple breakdown of the words in these verses will reveal an interesting perspective.

unclean spirit” (impure; ceremonially, morally, lewd, and even demonic, foul)

When this uncleanness is expiated, expelled from the person; Notice“he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.”

It is most often presumed that the “he” here is strictly in reference to the unclean spirit. That may or may not be so, but what I have experienced and what I have seen in others suggests that those who simply have a religious experience and clean up their act are not only selling themselves short of the blessings of being filled with the fullness of YAH, but are also leaving themselves vulnerable to a worse condition!

Mat 12:44 “Then it says, ‘I shall return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and decorated.”

Then IT says…”

I shall return” (to revert back, to turn about)

to my house” (dwelling, household, family)

And when it comes, it finds it empty” (on holiday, perceived to be at leisure, vacant, having no substance, given to self)

swept” (cleaned up, swept clean)

decorated” (put in a worldly order, trimmed outwardly)

Mat 12:45 “Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Over the years I have seen numerous people raise their hand in answer to an evangelistic invitation, go forward, be immersed, join the church, serve as musicians, singers, deacons, elders, and even pastors, only to watch those same people reach the end of their “dry, restless” religion and go back to what they had supposedly come out of! Some went back into a lawless religious form of worldliness. Some went back into the secular form of worldliness… I believe that is what verses 43-45 are describing. They were never filled with The Set-Apart Spirit and were found “empty, swept and decorated.” Their end is worse than their beginning…

The Summer Feasts of Yahweh

This is article #2 in The Feast of Yahweh series. Article #1 covered The 7th Day Sabbath and those appointments known as Spring Feasts of “Passover, Unleavened Bread and First-Fruits.” If you haven’t read that, please do so prior to reading this article so that you are up to speed with terms and definitions that also apply to this article. May you be blessed as a “lover of Truth” as you enjoy!

This is a straight forward look at Leviticus 23. We are picking up the commentary on verses 15-21 as they reveal Yahweh’s 4th Feast known as the summer Feast of Pentecost / Weeks / Shavuot

Verses 15 – 21And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths. Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to Yahweh. Bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread, of two-tenths of an of fine flour they are, baked with leaven, first-fruits to Yahweh. And besides the bread, you shall bring seven lambs a year old, perfect ones, and one young bull and two rams. They are a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet fragrance to Yahweh. And you shall offer one male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old, as a peace offering. And the priest shall wave them, besides the bread of the first-fruits, as a wave offering before Yahweh, besides the two lambs. They are set-apart to Yahweh for the priest. And on this same day you shall proclaim a set-apart gathering for yourselves, you do no servile work on it – a law forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

The beginning day of counting is critical.

And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths. Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days”

This reference to “the morrow after the Sabbath” cannot be referring to the weekly Sabbath (in the middle of Unleavened Bread observance), which occurred three days after The Messiah’s impalement on the fourth day of that week because of verse 14;

And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”

Otherwise there would contradiction of verse 6;

And on the fifteenth day of this month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread to Yahweh – seven days you eat unleavened bread.”

So, this must be referring to the Sabbath AFTER the observance of the seven days of Unleavened Bread for us to begin counting seven completed Sabbaths (7X7 = 49 + 1 = 50 days).

Do you see why? In Leviticus 23:6 we are commanded for “seven days you eat unleavened bread.” In verse 14, we are commanded NOT to eat bread! Yahweh would not contradict Himself in His commands, so we must conclude that the day to begin counting, that we would also refer to as “First-Fruits”, has to be the first First Day after the conclusion of Unleavened Bread!

This also lines up with two other very important events!

In Leviticus 8-9:1 we see the anointing AND ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. (Pay particular attention to the length of time, (esp “8th day”), the anointing of the altar, the ordination of them into the priesthood and even them being “waved” as referenced in “First-Fruits!”

This event serves as an earthly “type” of what Yahshua, our Great High Priest actually did in “the true tabernacle” in heaven! Consider;

At the tomb after His resurrection in Joh 20:17 “Yahshua said to her, “Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My Elohim and your Elohim.’ ”

See also Joh 20:19-23 where Yahshua reveals Himself to His taught ones later that day…

Then eight days pass without Him being seen until Joh 20:26 And after eight days His taught ones were again inside, and T’oma with them. Yahshua came, the doors having been shut, and He stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

I believe that HE took His own blood and did in the “true tent” (Heb. 8:2) what Moshe did to Aaron and his sons for them to serve as types of The True!

Now back to Shavuot…

This Feast is known by several names; Pentecost, Feast of Weeks, Shavuot. Historically it was during this one day observance when Moshe received The Law / Torah of Yahweh and upon bringing them down from the mountain found the children of Yisrael worshiping and dancing before the golden calf. He subsequently threw the stone tablets containing the Commandments of Yahweh to the ground in disgust. The result; Commandments broken, 3000 people were slain for their rebellious idolatry. (Exodus 32)

For us in The New Covenant this Feast was the day when The Set-Apart Spirit was poured out upon the 120 taught ones in the upper room who were waiting obediently to The Master’s Command to “wait for the Promise of The Father” and having received the infilling of the Set-Apart Spirit, their testimony caused no small stir on the streets of Yerushalyim and as Peter spoke in answer to the crowd’s question as to what it meant for the 120 to be supernaturally speaking in numerous languages the wonders and blessings of Yahweh, subsequently 3000 people were added to HIS Kingdom!

Luk 24:49 “And see, I am sending the Promise of My Father upon you, but you are to remain in the city of Yerushalayim until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Joh 14:15-17 “If you love Me, you shall guard My commands. And I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another Helper, to stay with you forever the Spirit of the Truth, whom the world is unable to receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him, for He stays with you and shall be in you.” (See article on “Comparing The Old and New Covenant”)

Joh 14:26 “But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.”

Act 1:4 And meeting with them, He (Yahshua) commanded them not to leave Yerushalayim, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which you have heard from Me…”

Act 2:1-8 “And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks had come, they were all with one mind in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Set-apart Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to speak. Now in Yerushalayim there were dwelling Yehudah dedicated men from every nation under the heaven. And when this sound came to be, the crowd came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
And how do we hear, each one in our own language in which we were born?”

Act 2:41 Then those, indeed, who gladly received his word, were immersed. And on that day about three thousand beings were added to them.”

This day and culminating events are also significant because of The New Covenant that was promised in the following prophetic passages;

Yermiyah (Jeremiah) 31:31-37, Hezekiel (Ezekiel) 36:24-28

Lev 23:22 ‘And when you reap the harvest of your land do not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, and do not gather any gleaning from your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am Yahweh your Elohim.’ ”

Again proving that Yahweh’s heart has always been that of “inclusion” and not “exclusion!” The poor and those who were not Yisra’el, but were of the nations and tender towards the things of Yahweh, HE will not exclude from His Kingdom any who are lovers of Truth and believe!

May you be a lover of Truth and may you be walking in belief! As Yahweh gives revelation, we plan to have the 3rd article on the Fall Feasts posted soon!

The Sabbath and Spring Feasts of Yahweh

Leviticus 23

Verses 1-2 And Yahweh spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisrael and say to them, ‘The appointed times of Yahweh, which you are to proclaim as set-apart gatherings, My appointed times, are these:

Clearly, these verses establish that these “moedim” (appointments) are not feasts of man but are Yahweh’s Feasts. They are Feasts that His people are to observe and proclaim through “set-apart” gatherings on the days and in the ways that He establishes.

Verses 3-4 Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings. These are the appointed times of Yahweh, set-apart gatherings which you are to proclaim at their appointed times.”

The weekly 7th day Sabbath is included as the beginning of the appointments that are commanded by Yahweh to observe and proclaim. (See article on “Catholic Quotes admitting to changing the Sabbath”)

Verse 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings, is the Passover to Yahweh.”

Under the Old Covenant, the Passover is to commemorate Yisrael’s deliverance from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, by the power of Yahweh (Exodus 12), and also serves prophetically as a look into the New Covenant and the future sacrifice of “The Lamb of Yahweh who takes away the sins of the world”, who’s blood is applied to the believer’s life by belief, thus being delivered from sin and death. (John 1:29, 36 & Rev. 5:12)

Verse 6-8 And on the fifteenth day of this month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread to Yahweh – seven days you eat unleavened bread. On the first day you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work. And you shall bring an offering made by fire to Yahweh for seven days. On the seventh day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.”

This Festival, under the Old Covenant, is to commemorate the day that Yisrael left Egypt. (Exodus 12:17) Leaven (in type) signifies sin. Thus, “unleavened” speaks of without sin. Having been delivered from the bondage of slavery and idolatry, Yisrael must now begin the process of removing the leaven (sin of unbelief) that permeates their lives.

And for us, in the New Covenant who believe in Messiah’s death and resurrection must allow the Set-apart Spirit to teach, guide, convict and change us from the influences of Adam, the “old man” into the image of Yah’s Son, Yahshua“the new man”.(Yohanan 14:15-26, Ephesians 4:22-24)

Verses 9-14 And Yahweh spoke to Mosheh saying, “Speak to the children of Yisrael and you shall say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, for your acceptance. On the morrow after the Sabbath the priest waves it. And on that day when you wave the sheaf, you shall prepare a male lamb a year old, a perfect one, as a burnt offering to Yahweh, and its grain offering: two-tenths of an of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a sweet fragrance, and its drink offering: one-fourth of a hin of wine. And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”

The verses seem pretty self explanatory for Yisrael under the Old Covenant. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging Yahweh FIRST in all that is received. It is the responsibility of the priest to acknowledge through the lifting and (literally) shaking the first of the first-fruits to Yahweh along with a perfect male lamb a year old offered on the alter along with the accompanying flour, oil, and wine offerings.

The relevance to us in the New Covenant is the acknowledging of Yahshua as typified by;

Sheaf of the first-fruits1Cor.15:20-23But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, and has become the first-fruit of those having fallen asleep. For since death is through a man, resurrection of the dead is also through a Man. For as all die in Adam so also all shall be made alive in Messiah. And each in his own order: Messiah the first-fruits, then those who are of Messiah at His coming…”

The PriestHeb.4:14 Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yahshua the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tried in all respects as we are, apart from sin.”

The Perfect Male LambJohn 1:29 “On the next day Yohanan saw Yahshua coming toward him, and said, “See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!(1Pet.1:18-19; Rev.12:11)

The burnt offering (offered once to be consumed) to Yahweh – 1Pet.3:18 Because even Messiah once suffered for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to Elohim, having been put to death indeed in flesh but made alive in the Spirit…”

Grain / Fine Flour – Bread /Body / Wine /BloodLk. 22:19-20 And taking bread, giving thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the (new) covenant in My blood which is shed for you.(1Cor.11:23-29)

Oil / Anointing – Heb.1:8-9 But to the Son He says, “Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever, a scepter of straightness is the scepter of Your reign. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Because of this, Elohim, Your Elohim, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

These are just three of the seven Feasts of Yahweh according to the Scriptures. On this site we will be posting on going commentary on these and the Summer and Fall Feasts as Yahwah gives us revelation and opportunity! Our desire is that you, as a lover of Truth, will be encouraged and edified by these efforts!

For further study, click on these links: “The Summer Feasts” and “Comparing The OLD Covenant To The New Covenant“.

Comparing The OLD Covenant To The NEW Covenant

Many folks today are not familiar with the Scriptural differences between The First (Old) Covenant and The Second (New) Covenant. Some think that the separation point in their bibles between The Old Testament and The New Testament marks what is applicable and not applicable for them today! I personally believe that it is that very separation point in their bible that has contributed to today’s confusion regarding the two covenants. Let’s consider a few;

Where The Law is Written

The Law (Torah) of The Old Covenant was written on Stone Tablets. Exo 24:12 And Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there, while I give you tablets of stone, and the Torah and the command which I have written, to teach them.”

The Law (Torah) of The New Covenant is written on Hearts. Jer 31:33 “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’el after those days, declares Yahweh: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. Also see Ezek. 11:19-20,36:25-27.

(See article “Matthew 5:17“)

Who’s Blood is required

The Old Covenant was validated by the blood sacrifice of animals. Exo 24:5-8 And he sent young men of the children of Yisra’el and they offered burnt offerings and slaughtered peace slaughterings of bulls to Yahweh. And Mosheh took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we shall do, and obey.” And Mosheh took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “See, the blood of the covenant which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these Words.”

The New Covenant is validated by The Blood of Messiah. Heb 9:11-14 But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good matters, through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sets apart for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the everlasting Spirit offered Himself unblemished to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?

Circumcision

The Old Covenant required circumcision of the flesh. Lev 12:2-3 “Speak to the children of Yisrael saying, ‘When a woman has conceived, and has given birth to a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days, as in the days of her monthly separation she is unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin is circumcised.”

The New Covenant requires circumcision of the Heart. Col 2:11 “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Messiah…”

Rom 2:29 “But a (believing) Yehudi is he who is so inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in Spirit, not literally, (in the flesh) whose praise is not from men but from Elohim.”

Php 3:3 “For we are the circumcision, who are serving Elohim in the Spirit, and boasting in Messiah Yahshua, and do not trust in the flesh…”

(See article, “The Law of The Spirit“)

The Priesthood

The Old Covenant Priesthood of Aaron. Lev 1:5 “And he shall slaughter the bull before Yahweh And the sons of Aharon, the priests, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”

The New Covenant Priesthood IN Messiah Yahshua. Heb 7:21 For they (Levites) indeed became priests without an oath, but He (Yahshua) became Priest with an oath by Him (Yahweh) who said to Him, Yahweh has sworn and shall not regret,‘You (Yahshua) are a priest forever according to the order of Malkitsedeq”

Rev 1:6 “…and has made us sovereigns and priests to His Elohim and Father, to Him be esteem and rule forever and ever. Amein”

Rev 5:9 -10“And they sang a renewed song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals, because You were slain, and have redeemed us to Elohim by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and made us sovereigns and priests to our Elohim, and we shall reign upon the earth.”

The Mediator

The Old Covenant required a man to be the mediator. Heb 7:11Truly, then, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood – for under it the people were given the Torah – why was there still need for another priest to arise according to the order of Malkitsedeq and not be called according to the order of Aharon?

The New Covenant has a better man as the mediator. Heb 12:24 …and toYahshua the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling which speaks better than the blood of Hebel (Abel).

1Ti 2:5 For there is one Elohim, and one Mediator between Elohim and men, the Man Messiah Yahshua…

The Tabernacle

The Old Covenant Tent was a copy. Heb 8:4-5 For if indeed He (Yahshua) were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the Torah, who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly, as Mosheh was warned when he was about to make the Tent. For He said, “See that you make all according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

The New Covenant has to do with the True Tent. Heb 8:1-2 Now the summary of what we are saying is: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Greatness in the heavens, and who serves in the set-apart place and of the true Tent, which Yahweh set up, and not man.

The Temple

The Old Covenant Temple was Man’s idea and was built by man. 2Ch 6:7-10 And it was in the heart of my father Dawid to build a House for the Name of Yahweh Elohim of Yisra’el. But Yahweh said to my father Dawid, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a House for My Name, you did well in that it was in your heart. But you do not build the house, for your son who comes forth from your loins, he does build the House for My Name.” “Now Yahweh has established His word which He spoke, and I (Solomon) have been raised up instead of my father Dawid and sit on the throne of Yisra’el as Yahweh promised. And I have built the House for the Name of Yahweh Elohim of Yisra’el.”

The New Covenant Temple (Dwelling Place) is Yah’s idea and is being built by HIM. 1Pe 2:4-5Drawing near to Him, a living Stone – rejected indeed by men, but chosen by Elohim and precious – you also, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a set-apart priesthood, to offer up spiritual slaughter offerings acceptable to Elohim through Yahshua Messiah.”

1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are a Dwelling Place of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you?

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the Dwelling Place of the Set-apart Spirit who is in you, which you have from Elohim, and you are not your own?

Also see;Eph. 2:20-22; Heb. 3:6; Rev. 3:12

The City of Destination

The Old Covenant promised a land and an earthly city. Deu 34:1-4 And Mosheh went up from the desert plains of Mo’ab to Mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Yeriho And Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilas far as Dan, and all Naphtali and the land of Ephrayim and Menashsheh, all the land of Yehudas far as the Western Sea, and the Negev and the plain of the Valley of Yeriho the city of palm trees, as far as Tsoar And Yahweh said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Yitshak to Yaacob saying, ‘To your seed I give it.’ I have let you look at it with your eyes, but you do not pass over there.”

Isa 1:21-23 “How the steadfast city has become a whore! I have filled it with right-ruling; righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water. Your rulers are stubborn, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and runs after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow reach them.”

Mat 23:37-39 (Yahshua crying out)“Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her! How often I wished to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not! See! Your house is left to you laid waste, for I say to you, from now on you shall by no means see Me, until you say, ‘Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of Yahweh!” See Ps. 118:26.

(See article, “Works of Torah EXPOSED!“)

The New Covenant promises a Heavenly City. Rev 21:1-3 RNKJV “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the new Jerusalem, coming down from YAHWEH out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of YAHWEH is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and YAHWEH himself shall be with them, and be their Elohim.

Measuring Belief Systems By The Commandments

 

Prior to Yahweh giving HIS people HIS Commandments through Mosheh(Moses) in Exodus 20, they found themselves in bondage to a nation of idolators. Egypt worshipped many gods. Yahweh delivered HIS people from Egypt’s gods and then gave HIS Commandments with HIS promise to put HIS Commands in their hearts and cause them to walk in them. It is on that basis, that I present the following. HIS Commands are an excellent measuring stick of whether or not a belief system is in submission to HIM and walking in the New Covenant. (Also see article, “Comparing The Old and New Covenant.”)

Eze 36:26-27 “And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I shall give you a heart of flesh, and put My Spirit within you. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them.”(All Scriptures are from the ISR 98, unless otherwise noted)

Commandment #1

Exo 20:2 “I am Yahweh your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery. You have no other mighty ones against My face.”

Even though this was spoken to the people of Yisrael, it is clearly understood by those who study the Scriptures (Genesis – Revelation), Who this “Elohim”(Hebrew) meaning “mighty one” is. HE identifies HIMSELF by NAME. My studies on HIS Name at the time of this writing have brought me to believe that HIS Name is Yahweh, THE Supreme Mighty ONE. You must understand that there has been and still is an aggressive movement to hide the true Names of The Father, Yahweh and HIS Son, Yahshua. I am not dogmatic that the Names that we currently use are accurate, but I do know this, HE will continue to confirm exactly who HE is to those coming to understand what The Father’s and The Son’s Names are NOT! All who believe The Scriptures from Genesis – Revelation are to call upon HIM by NAME and are not to have ANY other mighty one (real or fabricated) in HIS Place. Any belief system that forsakes HIS Truth and settles for a name and character that is simply not HIM, is a false belief system and will not know or understand The New Covenant.

Zec 10:2 “For the household idols spoke emptiness, the diviners saw falsehood, and relate dreams of deceit, they comfort in vain. Therefore they have wandered about like sheep. They are afflicted, for there is no shepherd.”

Mat 24:24 “For false messiahs and false prophets shall arise, and they shall show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.”

Commandment #2

Exo 20:4-6 “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, Yahweh your Elohim am a jealous Elohim, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.”

Will man choose The Living Elohim? Or will he continue in lifeless images resembling created beings “in heaven above, in earth beneath, or in the water under the earth?”

Any belief system that expresses a propensity for idolatry through it’s propagation of images/pictures/likenesses of messengers (angels), man / woman, animals (or any combination of the aforementioned), is in opposition to HIS Commandments and is a false belief system not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant and will find itself devoid of protection from the powers of darkness.

1Ki 18:21 “And (Elijah) came to all the people, and said, “How long would you keep hopping between two opinions? If Yahweh is Elohim, follow Him; and if Ba’al follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”

Rom 1:20-23 “For since the creation of the world His invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, both His everlasting power and Mightiness, for them to be without excuse, because, although they knew Elohim, they did not esteem Him as Elohim, nor gave thanks, but became vain in their reasonings, and their undiscerning heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and changed the esteem of the incorruptible Elohim into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds and of four-footed beasts and of reptiles.”

Commandment #3

Exo 20:7 “You do not bring the Name of Yahweh, your Elohim to naught, for Yahweh does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught.”

This commandment addresses the seriousness of not rightly discerning the proper attitude in regards to HIS NAME. Of necessity, we must consider the meaning of the word translated “vain”. It is the Hebrew word “shav”. From the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, and from the Brown / Driver / Briggs Dictionary, #H7723 we can conclude that any misuse of (desolating, ruining), any overuse of (selfishly, idolatrous), and/or any nonuse of (rendering useless, using deceptively, falsely, making nothing, empty, worthless) HIS NAME is taking HIS NAME in vain. This is a serious issue!

Isa 52:5-7 “And now, what have I here,” declares Yahweh, “that My people are taken away for naught? Those who rule over them make them wail,” declares Yahweh “and My Name is despised all day continually. “Therefore My people shall know My Name, in that day, for I am the One who is speaking. See, it is I.” How pleasant upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims deliverance, who says to Tsiyon, “Your Elohim reigns!”

The Father wants HIS Name Known! (Jer.16:19-21)

The Master, Yahshua gave HIS taught ones HIS Father’s Name! (John 17:6,11,12,26)

There is not another name that can deliver! (Acts 4:12)

Believers will have HIS True Name upon them! (Rev. 3:12, 22:4)

Any person and / or belief system that is rendering HIS NAME (or the knowledge of HIS NAME) as worthless, not important, etc., will not be held guiltless and is not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant! (Also see article, “Six Reasons Why The Greek – Roman – Latin Jesus Cannot be The Messiah“)

Commandment #4

Exo 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart. “Six days you labour, and shall do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of Yahweh your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.”

Any belief system that rejects the 7th day as the Sabbath and does not set it apart as Yahweh has set it apart, ie. resting from work that is done the other six days of the week, is a false belief system, not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant.

Mat 15:9 “But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.”

(See article “Catholic Quotes on who changed The Sabbath”)

Commandment #5

Exo 20:12 “Respect your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged upon the soil which Yahweh your Elohim is giving you.”

The Master repeats it in HIS answer to the man asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, saying in Mar 10:19 “You know the commands, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not rob,’ ‘Respect your father and your mother.’ ” “Respect” here means to “prize, revere, place great value upon”…

HE then says in Mar 10:29-30Yahshua said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for the sake of Me and the Good News, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come, everlasting life.”

Who should take precedent in your life? Gen.12:1, Matt.12:46-50, Lk.9:59-60, Lk.14:26…

Any belief system that contradicts the words of The Master is a false belief system that is not knowing nor understanding in The New Covenant.

Commandment #6

Exo 20:13 “You do not murder.”

Consider;

Exo 21:12-15He who strikes a man so that he dies shall certainly be put to death.

But, if he did not lie in wait but Elohim delivered him into his hand, then I shall appoint for you a place where he is to flee. But when a man acts presumptuously against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him even from My altar to die. And he who smites his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.

Psa 106:37-38“And they slaughtered their sons And their daughters to demons, And they shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they offered to the idols of the land was defiled with blood.

Mat 23:34-35 “Because of this, see, I send you prophets, and wise men, and scholars of Scripture. Some of them you shall kill and impale, and some of them you shall flog in your congregations and persecute from city to city, so that on you should come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Dwelling Place and the altar.”

Any belief system that propagates a false messiah and / or condones the premeditated murder of the innocent is a false belief system, not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant.

Commandment #7

Exo 20:14 “You do not commit adultery.”

Lev 20:10 ‘And a man who commits adultery with the wife of another man, who commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor: the adulterer and the adulteress shall certainly be put to death.”

Mat 19:4-6 And He answering, said to them, “Did you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what Elohim has joined together, let man not separate.”

Heb 13:4 “Let marriage be respected by all, and the bed be undefiled. But Elohim shall judge those who whore, and adulterers.”

Any belief system that condones sexual practices that are forbidden in the Scriptures is a false belief system, not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant.

Commandment #8

Exo 20:15 “You do not steal.”

Lev 19:11-12 ‘Do not steal, do not lie, do not deceive one another. And do not swear falsely by My Name and so profane the Name of your Elohim. I am Yahweh.”
Joh 10:10 “The thief (devil) does not come except to steal, and to slaughter, and to destroy. I have come that they might possess life, and that they might possess it beyond measure.”

Joh 12:4-6 (Judas, a thief helped himself to the money bag)

Rev 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, and untrustworthy, and abominable, and murderers, and those who whore, and drug sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the false, their part is in the lake which burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”

Any belief system where theft, misuse of ministry money, profaning the Name of Yahweh, defrauding and / or swindling one another are common, is a false belief system, not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant.

Commandment #9

Exo 20:16 “You do not bear false witness against your neighbour.”

Exo 23:1 “Do not bring a false report. Do not put your hand with the wrong to be a malicious witness.”

Lev 19:16 ‘Do not go slandering among your people. Do not stand against the blood of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.”

Joh 8:43-45“Why do you not know what I say? Because you are unable to hear My Word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. And because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.”

1Jn 2:22Who is the liar, except the one denying that Yahshua is the Messiah? This is the anti-messiah, the one denying the Father and the Son.”

Any belief system that condones lying, slander, gossip and a fabricated identity of The Messiah is a false belief system that is under the sway of the wicked one, not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant.

Commandment #10

Exo 20:17 “You do not covet your neighbor’s house, you do not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbor.”
Psa 10:3 “For the wrongdoer boasted of his cravings; And the greedy one cursed and despised Yahweh.”

Jer 5:8 “They were like well-fed horses, every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.”

Col 3:5 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: whoring, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and greed of gain, which is idolatry.”

Any belief system that encourages greed, material wealth, and selfishness rather than contentment and others-centeredness is a false belief system, not knowing nor understanding The New Covenant.

From Sabbath to Sunday

From Sabbath To Sunday – Who Changed it?

The Scripture says; Deu 5:12-14 “Guard the Sabbath day, to set it apart, as יהוה your Elohim commanded you. ‘Six days you labour, and shall do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, so that your male servant and your female servant rest as you do.” We (Messiah Fellowship) have to decided to believe and obey The Truth as written in the Scriptures.

The following are quotes from Catholic writings and their officials regarding their perceived authority to change The 7th day Sabbath to Sunday. (You decide.)

“Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change (Saturday Sabbath to Sunday) was her act... And the act is a MARK of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things.” H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons.

Sunday is our MARK of authority. . .the church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact” Catholic Record of London, Ontario Sept 1,1923.

The Catholic Mirror (a publication by Cardinal Gibbons) Sept. 2, 1893- “…the Redeemer, during His mortal life, never kept any other day than Saturday.”

The Catholic Mirror Sept. 9, 1893- “Nor can we imagine any one foolhardy enough to question the identity of Saturday with the Sabbath or seventh day, seeing that the people of Israel have been keeping the Saturday from the giving of the Law, A.M., 2514 to A.D. 1893 (to the present day)…”

 The Catholic Mirror Sept.9, 1893- “We deem it necessary to be perfectly clear on this point….The Bible- the Old Testament- confirmed by the living tradition of weekly practice for 3383 years by the chosen people of God, teaches, then, with absolute certainty, that God had, Himself, named the day “to be kept holy to Him“- that the day was Saturday, and that any violation of that command was punishable with death.”

 Martin J. Scott- Things Catholics Are Asked About (1927) “Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday …. Now the Church … instituted, by God’s authority, Sunday as the day of worship. This same Church, by the same divine authority, taught the doctrine of Purgatory long before the Bible was made. We have, therefore, the same authority for Purgatory as we have for Sunday.

 John Laux- A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies (1 936) “Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the day of worship in the New Law, that He Himself has explicitly substituted the Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is now entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His Church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days.”

(See article, “The Names of the Days of the week“)

Peter R. Kraemer- Catholic Church Extension Society (1975), Chicago, Illinois. “Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:”1) That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies them in the eyes of every thinking man.”2) We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say, this Church, instituted by Christ to teach and guide man through life, has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws. “It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible.

The observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] church.” Monsignor Louis Segur, Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today (1868), p. 213

“Reasoned and sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday Catholicism and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible. James Cardinal Gibbons. Catholic mirror, December 23, 1893

“Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever  did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed  from Saturday to Sunday. “The day of the Lord” was chosen, not from any  direction noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church’s sense of its own power …. People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole  authority, should logically become Seventh-day Adventists, and keep Saturday  holy.” (Saint Catherine Church Sentinel, Algonac, Michigan, May 21, 1995.)

Sunday is a Catholic institution and its claim to observance can be  defended only on Catholic principles …. From beginning to end of Scripture  there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public  worship from the last day of the week to the first.” (Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August, 1990.)

Question: How prove you that the church had power command feasts and holydays?

Answer: By the very fact of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves by keeping Sunday strictly, and keep most other feasts commanded by the same church. (See article, “Christian Holi-Days“)

Question: Have any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals precept?

Answer: Had she not such power, she could not a done that in which all modern religionists agree with her;-she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the way, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day of the week, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority. “-Stephen Keenan, a doctrinal catechism, p. 174

“It was the Catholic church by the authority of Jesus Christ, which has transferred this rest to Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Therefore the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the Catholic church.” – Mgr, Segur Plain Talk about Protestantism of today page 213 (See article, “6 Reasons Why The Roman / Latin “Jesus” Cannot be Messiah“)

“If protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church.” Albert Smith, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the cardinal in a letter of Feb. 10, 1920.

Protestants do not realize that by observing Sunday, they accept the authority of the spokesperson of the Church, the Pope. -Our Sunday Visitor», 5 February 1950.)

“1. Is Saturday the 7th day according to the Bible and the 10 Commandments?
“I answer yes.
“2. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the 7th day, Saturday, for Sunday, the 1st day?
“I answer yes.
“3. Did Christ change the day?
“I answer no! Faithfully yours, “J. Cardinal Gibbons” Gibbons’ autograph letter.

“From this we may understand how great is the authority of the church in interpreting or explaining
to us the commandments of God- an authority which is acknowledged by the universal practice of the whole Christian world, even of those sects profess to take the holy Scriptures as their sole rule of faith, since they observe as the day of rest not the seventh day of the week demanded by the Bible, but the first day. Which we know is to be kept holy, only from the tradition and teaching of the Catholic church.” – Henry Gibson “Catechism Made Easy” No 2 ninth edition volume one pp. 341, 342 Authoritative quotations on the Sabbath and Sunday.

“Reason and sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday Catholicism and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible. -James Cardinal Gibbons. Catholic mirror, December 23, 1893

The Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her Founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant, claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. -The Catholic Universe Bulletin, Aug. 14, 1942, p.4

No such law in the Bible “Nowhere in the bible do we find that Jesus or the apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is, the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Today, most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the [Roman] church outside the bible.” Catholic Virginian, Oct. 3, 1947

Two following quotes are from, Rome’s Challenge “Why do Protestants keep Sunday?”
The Adventists are the only body of Christians with the Bible as their teacher, who could find no warrant in its pages for the change of day from the seventh to the first. Hence their appellation,” Seventh-day Adventists. “They’re cardinal principle consists in setting apart Saturday for the exclusive worship of God, in conformity with the positive command of God Himself, repeatedly reiterated in the sacred books of the Old and New testaments, literally kept by the children of Israel for thousands of years to this day, and endorsed by the teaching and practice of the Son of God while on earth.” -Rome’s Challenge, page two

“Is not yet too late for Protestants to redeem themselves. Will they do it?… will they indeed take the written word only, the Scripture alone, as their sole authority and their sole standard? Or will they still hold the indefensible, self contradictory, and suicidal doctrine and practice of following the authority of the Catholic church and wear the SIGN of her authority? Will they keep the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day, according to Scripture? Or will they keep the Sunday according to the tradition of the Catholic church, -Rome’s challenge, page 31

The Names of the Days of the Week

 

Why we refrain from using the current names for the days of the week.

Exo 23:13 “And in all that I have said to you take heed. And make no mention of the name of other mighty ones, let it not be heard from your mouth”

DAY #1 “Sun-day”

From Latin, “dies Solis, the Day –of- the- Sun.” A day dedicated to the Sun.

Since Babylon was established, Pagans have worshiped the Sun.

Here are a few of the names they’ve used:

Baal, Shamash, Moloch, Ahura-Mazda, Dagon, Sol, Marduk, Mithras (See Mithraism), Krishna, Amon-Ra, alton, Woden, (Odin) Zeus, Deus, and the Druid / Teutonic “God”.

You may recall that the Pharaoh and the Caesar (Khazar/ Czar) were worshipped as the sun.

This began with the first king, Nimrod.(Genesis 10)

This pattern of worshiping the sun, moon, planets, and stars permeated the Babylonians, Persians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Mayans, Aztecs, and Indians.

The governments were the religion. If the people were “good” Pagans, at death they would be transported to the skies (Heaven) to live with their deities. This was called Nirvana, Shambala, or Elysian Fields.

The Roman Consul/Emperor, Constantine 1 gave us the term Sun-day, which he also called Sol Invictus Mathras (the day of the unconquerable sun, Mithraas).

In 321CE he decreed under the penalty of death that all artisans, merchants, and people of his Empire cease work on the Venerable Day of the Sun, to honor Mithras. This was a universal Edict, and is still enforced in our Western culture with our “blue laws”. .(search it out)

It was a weekly ritual for sun-worshipers to assemble at dawn on this day to greet the sun at its rising.

A great pillar, or sun-ray obelisk was the solar religion’s primitive high place, condemned by Scripture as a “pillar of jealousy”~ secretly interpreted as a male (phallic) fertility symbol.

Various tower designs such as steeples, pagodas, turrets, ziggurats, minarets, spires, obelisks, and pyramids express sun worship.

An internet search of the obelisks in Washington and the Vatican should help you see and understand the powers behind them!

These high places would receive the first hallowed rays of dawn. At this point, bells were rung by hand, as in a shaker-grid, and large ones were struck with oak logs swung horizontally struck with hammers were especially fun for the Oriental Pagan, but they also used the familiar bell shape too.

In the book, The Conquest of Peru, Prescott is an eye – witness to blatant sun worship:

the Inca would assemble at dawn eagerly. They watched the coming of the deity, and no sooner did his first yellow rays strike the turrets, than a shout of gratulations broke forth from barbaric instruments swelled louder and louder as his bright orb shone in full splendor on his votaries.”

The Romans considered anyone who did not worship the sun to be an atheist and a traitor, since they believed that Caesar was the sun enthroned in a man.

The Scriptures warn specifically about sun and moon worship:

Deu 4:19 “… and lest you lift up your eyes to the heavens, and shall see the sun, and the moon, and the stars – all the host of the heavens – and you be drawn away into bowing down to them and serving them, which YAHWEH your Elohim has allotted to all the peoples under all the heavens.” (also 17:2-7)

DAY #2 Mon-day

The Day- of- the –Moon. (a day dedicated to the moon)

To the Romans, lunae dies.

The Old English Term was Monan daeg, as translated from Latin, where mona means moon.

Mona Lisa means “Moon Lilly”. We get our word month (moonth) from mona, the 29.5 day orbital cycle, but this 2nd weekday is named what it is because it has been dubbed the moon’s day!

The moon was identified with Artemis (Diana), but in some cults the sun and moon were the ‘eyes of heaven’. Artemis is depicted with the crescent moon beneath her feet as if riding in a boat, exactly as you will see the virgin mother, Mary in Roman Catholic illustrations. (See Acts 19:23– )

An internet picture of The Assumption of Mary says it all!

The Astral King, the sun and his sister the moon, were dominant figures that shaped the astro-biological mind as seen in Babylon introducing astrology, the occult influence of the host of heaven upon human affairs.

The futility of honoring Pagan deities resulted because “their foolish hearts were darkened, because they did not honor or give thanks to the Creator, though His invisible attributes are clearly seen.” (Romans 1:21)

DAY #3 Tues-day

Tyr’s Day: “day of Tiu”. (a day dedicated to Tiu, Teutonic Druid-Celtic idol.”

Unable to help themselves, the population of the Anglos and Saxons were kept under control by various Druid priest cults. Like any other Pagan religion, the population lived in fear and ignorance, while the parasites fed off of them and kept them brainwashed.

The Druids still worship the sun at Stonehenge every summer Solstice.

Tyr, or Tiu, was the Norse deity of war, considered the son of Odin (Woden).

The French call this day Mardi (Mar’s Day), after Mars, the Roman deity of war!

Mardi Gras is French meaning “fat Tuesday”, still bearing the name of the Roman deity, This festival begins following the Christian observance of “Epiphany” and ends the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

DAY #4 Wednes-day

Well, DUH~ as expected by now, it’s another Pagan idol’s name!

By saying it’s “Wednesday” (Woden, Odin), we are declaring it to be “Woden’s Day”…

Considered highly skilled in magic (majik), this Celtic deity was, to the Teutonic Pagan, the husband of Freya, or Frigga.

The Romans honored Mercury on this day, calling it “Mercuri dies”, Mercury’s Day.

This mid-week evening was highly regarded as a night of magic. The Druids met to hold hands in a circle, chant, enchant, cast spells, and do it while surrounding a burning cross, the symbol of a Woden (Odin)!?

Some believe the Celtic crux is a Pagan magic symbol, the Trifolium clover leaf representing Woden, Frigga, and Thor.

Other Druid trinities included Esus, Teutates, & Tarans.

Anglo-Saxon xenophobia (fear of foreigners) and Druid customs are seen today in the modern Ku Klux Klan. They still call there leaders wizards and use the Celtic term “clan”, a traditional social unit in Scotland. The word comes from the Greek “Kuklos”, meaningcircle”; Celtic Clan of the Circle…

The “Clan” is a very secretive society, it rose up mainly in the Southern states of the US after the civil war, to reassert “white supremacy” by terrorist methods.

The Druids were very nationalistic, so it was difficult for Rome to conquer them. The only way “Christianity” could win them over was to adsorb their culture. This is called inculturation. So, who won who over?

Woden’s emblem was the Celtic Crux, a cross with the circle (the sun).

No wonder there are so many pictures of crosses with the sun nimbus behind it, and sunsets in Roman / Christian art…not to mention the “halos” of yellow around the heads of the Greco/Roman version of Messiah; “Jesus”, his mother…and the “saints”.

Sun inculturation is seen in it’s world-wide pagan influence. Do an internet search for pictures of the sun connection to Budda, Krishna, Ahura-Mazda, and Jupiter, to name just a few…

DAY #5 Thurs-day

A day dedicating “Thor’s Day”; to the Celtic deity of thunder and son of Woden and Freya.

The same as Taranis, Thor was associated with thunder;

  • The Dutch donder, or Germanic donner (one of Santa’s reindeer)

The Romans honored Jupiter on this day, which was originally IU-PITAR;

Meaning “Jovis-father.” Jove” corresponds to Zeus. You’ve heard of him, right? The alter of Zeus, (USED AT EVERY OLYMPIC GAME) is lit by a “torch bearer” (symbolizing the continuous fire of the gods?)

The alter is shaped like a “T”… Hmmm? For Thor?

Thor’s emblem was the hammer, secretly interpreted as the letter “T” which also goes back to Tammuz (Babylonian Duzu), the son of Nimrod and Semiramis.

DAY #6 Fri-day

The Old English Frigedaeg, the was Frey Day or Frigga Day.

Frigga was the wife of Woden.

The fertility concept associated with this day is very ancient.

The Greeks honored Aphrodite on this day, and the Romans venerated Venus (Astarte / Ashteroth – See 1Kings 11 & 2Kings 23).

This day was the Egyptians’s day of Isis, and was depicted with the symbol of the fish on her head…

The fish symbol pre-dates the Egyptians, coming from the Phoenician/Philistine cult of Dagon (See Judges 16:23, 1Sam. 5:1-5)

Dag” is Hebrew for fish, and Latin for Pisces.

It was chosen by the Pagans because a female fish lays hundreds, sometimes thousands, of eggs ~ a symbol for fertility.

The Romans believed Venus (Astarte) came from the sky in a huge egg

Frigga’s emblem was also the FISH, hence it is seen today that Roman Catholics inculturated this idolatry through avoiding red meat on this day, replacing it with fish: the “fish fry” (even the word “fry” is describing a young fish).

The Greek word ichthys (Ichthus) spelled:

  • iota (I)

  • chi (X)

  • theta (O)

  • upsilon (Y)

  • sigma (E)

Was originally interpreted “fish”. (IXOYE), “fish”…

With considerable craft, the fish has become a Christian symbol, due to a

G R E E K A N A G R A M (Iesous Christos Theou Hulos Soter). = FISH.

If there is anything close to resembling a “symbol” associated with the Messiah, it certainly isn’t a cross or a fish, but according to Revelation 1&2 it would be a “lampstand / Menorah”.

The “menorah” has 7 lamps, and represents His Body, the 7 assemblies through which flows the “living water” (the Word of YAH).

At Revelation 2:5 Yahshua says that He would remove their menorah / Lampstand if they didn’t repent. (literally “think differently”)

It is worth noting that He doesn’t threaten to come and remove their fish or their cross

DAY #7 Satur-day

Named after the Greco-Roman day of Saturn.

Saturn was the Roman’s deity of agriculture, corresponding to the Greek’s deity Cronus.

This day was dedicated to Saturnus, as was the big party at the end of the Roman year at the Solstice, Saturnalia.

Satur Day was also called Sater Day, and is linked to the other Greco-Roman mythology.

The SATYR, is a goat-legged half man with horns and pointed ears, that was believed to be a drunken, lecherous demon with an abnormal sexual appetite.

The 7th day and the festival of “Saturnalia” was modeled perfectly after the SATYR profile: mischievousness, drunkenness, and orgiastic revelry.

Constantine in the Roman year 321 CE, changed the Scriptural day of rest from the 7th Day to Sun day, under penalty of death for those who resisted…

Theologians and scholars admit there is no Scriptural basis for this change, but it was done by the authority of “the church.”(The Roman Catholic Church, that is)

(See article, “Sabbath To Sun-Day”)

Constantine’s historian, Eusebius, records the Emperor’s edict:

All things what so ever that is was duty to do on the Sabbath, these WE have transferred to the Lord’s Day.”(Sun-day)

So, now you see why we refer to the days of the week by their number; 1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, etc… It is challenging at times, as we converse with folks that aren’t familiar with this approach. However, when explaining our reasoning it is also a good way to begin a dialogue about the Truth!

Matthew 5:17

Matthew 5:17 – 18 ” “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets.1 I did not come to destroy but to complete. Footnote: 1The Law and the Prophets is a term used for the pre-Messianic Scriptures.
For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.”

Why did YAHSHUA have to address false assumptions? Evidently there were rumors that HE was discontinuing the Law…and possibly even the Prophets of the Scriptures. Why do we have to address this question? Because the same false assumptions exist today!

Verse 17a “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets”

“destroy”: Strong’s Hebrew & Greek Dictionaries

G2647 “kataluo”

From G2596 and G3089; to loosen down (disintegrate), that is, (by
implication) to demolish (literally or figuratively); specifically (compare G2646)
to halt for the night:—destroy, dissolve, be guest, lodge, come to nought,
overthrow, throw down.

Notice the context: It appears that HE is referring to BOTH the Law AND the Prophets. The context seems to suggest that whatever HIS intention is for EITHER, is HIS intention for BOTH. Has HE done away with the Prophets?

Verse 17b “I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

“fulfill”: Strong’s Hebrew & Greek Dictionaries

G4137 “pleroo” play roo o

From G4134; to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a
hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute
(an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.:—
accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full
(come), fully preach, perfect, supply.

The following verses use the same Greek word “pleroo”;
Matthew 3:15 “But Yahshua answering, said to him, “Permit it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fill all righteousness.”
– Is YAHSHuA saying here “to do away with or discontinue all righteousness?”
Philippians 2:2 “…make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, one in being and of purpose…”
– Is Paul saying here “to do away with or discontinue his joy?”
Colossians 1:25 “…of which I became a servant according to the administration of Elohim which was given to me for you, to fill the word of Elohim…”
– Is he saying here “to do away with or discontinue the Word of YAH?”
2Thess 1:11 To this end we always pray for you that our Elohim would count you worthy of this calling, and complete all the good pleasure of goodness, and the work of belief with power…”
– Is he saying here “to do away with or discontinue HIS good pleasure?”

Proponents of the belief that YAHSHUA “fulfilled” the law from this point on in this chapter, thus “discontinuing” or “doing away with law altogether”, also say that HE intends to now introduce a “new standard or set of laws” state that HE now proceeds to negate the “Old Testament Law” throughout the remainder of this chapter. These people became known as “Antinomianists” during the 2nd / 3rd centuries. This word came from the Greek word for “lawlessness” found throughout the New Testament. (See References on page 2)

Here is what the Holman’s Bible Dictionary says about this early movement:

ANTINOMIANISM (an tih noh’ mih an ihsm) The false teaching that since faith alone is necessary for salvation, one is free from the moral obligations of the law. The word antinomianism is not used in the Bible, but the idea is spoken of. Paul appears to have been accused of being an antinomian (see Rom. 3:8; 6:1, 15). While it is true that obedience to the law will never earn salvation for anyone (Eph. 2:8-9), it is equally true that those who are saved are expected to live a life full of good works (see, for example, Matt. 7:16-20; Eph. 2:10; Col. 1:10; Jas. 2:14-26). Since we have been freed from the dominion of sin through belief in YAHSHUA, we have also been freed to practice the righteousness demanded by YAH (Rom. 6:12-22).

In Legge’s “Forerunner’s and Rivals of Christianity a work on the history of the Early Church, he states”

(in the late 2nd to early 3rd centuries) “Some well-known Church Fathers who came from Gnosticism were Epiphanius, who had been a Nicolaitan, Ambrose of Milan, who had been a Valentinian, and Augustine, who had been a Manichean for 9 years before joining the Catholic Church. All these Gnostic sects were distinguished by their rejection of the Old Testament Law, some of them even rejecting the Mighty One of the Old Testament, and some of them even equated the Mighty One of the Old Testament with the Evil One! In their rejection of the Old Testament Law, the Valentinian Gnostics even rejected all moral laws, leading to scandalous living.

The Marcionites were later on refuted, but they also contributed toward the aversion to, and even rejection of, the Old Testament. Manes and his followers, the Manicheans, from among whom Augustine came, “looked on Judaism with horror, rejected the Old Testament entirely…”

“LAWLESSNESS”

G458

From G459; illegality, that is, violation of law or (generally) wickedness:
iniquity, X transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.

References to “lawlessness” in the New Testament:

Matthew 7:23 – And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 13:41-42 – ““The Son of Aḏam shall send out His messengers, and they shall gather out of His reign all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing lawlessness, and shall throw them into the furnace of fire – there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 23:38 – ““So you too outwardly indeed appear righteous to men, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Matthew 24:12 – ““And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of many shall become cold.” 

Romans 6:19 – ” I speak as a man, because of the weakness of your flesh. For even as you did present your members as servants of uncleanness, and of lawlessness resulting in lawlessness, so now present your members as servants of righteousness resulting in set-apartness.”

2Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

2Thessalonians 2:7 – For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work;

Hebrews 1:9 – (quoting from numerous Psalms & Prophets)You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness

1John 3:4 – Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Please notice that the consistent use of this word “lawlessness” in these verses, contextually is describing some very serious consequences!

  • In light of these verses is it safe for anyone to say that YAHSHUA is saying in Matthew 5, that HE has “done away with ALL Old Testament Law?”
  • When does YAHSHUA say that this will be accomplished?

Matthew 5:18 – “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

When is that going to happen? Sometime in the future according to these verses:
2Peter 3:10 – But the day of the Master will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Rev 20:11 – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
Rev 21:1 – Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Again, in light of what the Scriptures say, is it wise to say that YAHSHUA in Matthew 5:17 is suggesting that The LAW of YAH is NOT relevant any longer?

You decide. I pray that you make your decision based on what the Scriptures are saying instead of what lawless men are saying…