Category: Scriptures

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Overcoming #5 – The Facade of Some In Sardis – Revelation 3

Rev 3:1 The Scriptures 1998+ 1 “And to the messenger of the assembly in Sardis write, ‘He who has the seven Spirits of Elohim and the seven stars, says this, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”

In order to get a better understanding of this verse, it is necessary for us to go back a look at the verses having “seven” in them. Hopefully, by doing this we will get a clearer picture of what YAHWEH Elohim has given HIS messenger to reveal to Yohanan (John).

Revelation 1:4 “Yoḥanan, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Favour to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven Spirits that are before His throne…”

Revelation 1:12 “And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands…”

Revelation 1:16 “And in His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was as the sun shining in its strength.”

Revelation 1:20 ““The secret of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are messengers of the seven assemblies, and the seven lampstands which you saw are seven assemblies.

Seven, as we understand number usage, signifies “complete, perfect, entire.”

So, from the above references, it appears that;

The seven assemblies are a type of the entirety, completed and perfect Body of Messiah.

The seven Spirits refer to The perfecting, completing work of The Set-Apart Spirit of YAHWEH in and through true believers.

The seven Stars are messengers (those entrusted with HIS Word) to the seven assembles (lampstands) throughout the world.

The seven golden lampstands refer to the entire assembly worldwide.

For further confirmation, consider these verses:

In Revelation 5:4 we see, “And out of the throne came lightnings, and thunders, and voices. And seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of Elohim.”

Luke 3:16 “Yoḥanan answered, saying to them all, “I indeed immerse you in water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loosen. He shall immerse you in the Set-apart Spirit and fire.”

And then in Revelation 5:6 “And I looked and saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, as having been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of Elohim sent out into all the earth.”

I believe that within each of the seven assemblies, is contained a portion of The Body of Messiah. And all seven together will finally comprise the completion / perfection of the entirety of The Perfect Body of Messiah! In other words, in each assembly there are those who, through belief and the power of HIS Spirit, are doing The Father’s will.” There are also those, as represented among each assembly, who do not believe and are simply imitating those who are believers. The latter look act and sound like the former. The Master addressed this imitation in Matthew 13 regarding “wheat / tares.” (see article on “The Parable of The Bride & The Whore”)

To those in Sardis, The Master states that they “have a name” (notoriety, authority, reputation, etc), that they are alive…but HE sees them as “dead!”

The Master is addressing their facade. HE is saying that they are known as an entity that is supposed to possess authority, supposed to be walking in life, representing the ONE Who was dead and now is alive, but it’s all fake; a facade.

The Master’s intention is that those who profess belief should live under HIS authority and power being wide awake to HIS Purposes. They evidently see themselves as wide awake, but because they have stopped short HIS Spirit’s work of completion, Yahshua sees them as dead. Consider:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days hard times shall come. For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, haters of good, betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, having a form (an appearance) of reverencebut denying its power. And turn away from these!”

Revelation 3:2 “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before Elohim. 3 “Remember, then, how you have received, and heard. And watch and repent. If, then, you do not wake up, I shall come upon you as a thief, and you shall not know at all what hour I come upon you.

The Master sees that their belief is eroding away through their preoccupation with the worldly approach to serving HIM. HE reminds them that they initially “received, and heard” by belief. They are told to wake up before it’s too late! Consider the words of Jude;

Jude 1:17-21 “But you, beloved ones, remember the words spoken before by the emissaries of our Master Yahshua Messiah, because they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own wicked lusts.

These are the ones who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved ones, building yourselves up on your most set-apart belief, praying in the Set-apart Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of Elohim, looking for the compassion of our Master Yahshua Messiah unto everlasting life.”

We are commanded to be perfect! Consider the words of The Master to the rich man who desired to enter into The Kingdom:

Matthew 19:21-22 “…יהושע (Yahshua) said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.” And when the young man heard the word, he went away sad, because he had many possessions.”

The love of possessions will hinder HIS Spirit from completing the process.

The Spirit of YAH IS YAH, The Spirit! Be filled with HIM / HIS Spirit!

Acts 13:52 “And the taught ones were filled with joy and the Set-apart Spirit.”

The presence of fear in one’s life is a clear indication that perfection is being hindered… Consider;

1 John 4:17-18 “By this love (YAH IS LOVE) has been perfected with us, in order that we might have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear holds punishment, and he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” In other words IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN YAH. (See article, “Cleaned Up – But Not Filled!)

Revelation 3:4-6 “Nevertheless, you have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. And they shall walk with Me in white, because they are worthy. 5 “He who overcomes shall be dressed in white robes, and I shall by no means blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I shall confess his name before My Father and before His messengers. 6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” ’

YAHWEH always has a remnant. A trustworthy few in each assembly and in each generation who are consistent in the process of Overcoming! Pursuing the things of this world, is in the way of HIM completing HIS Work in us!

Again, there are those who have a “name”, but are dead while they live… In the final tally it matters not what we say about ourselves nor one another. What matters is what The Master says about us…

Some do not believe and only imitate those who do (believe) until they reach a point and cease to continue with their facade. Eventually proving their unbelief by returning to the lawless way from which they came…

1Jn 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have stayed with us – but in order that it might be made manifest that none of them were of us.”

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Grafted INTO WHO?

After reading several books over the years that attempt to identify gentile believers as becoming Israelites, especially using the Genesis 48:19 text as proof that gentiles make up the dispersed of Ephraim, I began to notice that they constantly are referring to us as being grafted “into Israel”, “in Israel”, in one form or another. This is disconcerting to me. Many, in their effort do such a masterful job of keeping focus in developing the accurate typologies in and through the lives of the patriarchs. However, most seem to usually leave the context and get carried away with a romantic look instead of a scriptural one.

One author in particular wrote a book in a genuine effort to dispel what Shaul (Paul) refers to as “the mystery of the Good News.” In it the author states masterfully that we gentile believers have covenant rights by adoption as he suggests we find our type in the Genesis 48 text. Here he interprets the text as prophetically describing the type; (the adopted sons of Jacob/Israel through Ephraim and Manasseh) as representing us ultimately being adopted through Messiah (the adopted son of Joseph, Mary’s husband), into Israel. This, in my opinion, is where the type is being seen as the reality.

Normally these teachers and authors acknowledge the typology seen in Jacob/Israel, Joseph, Ephraim/Manasseh accurately but instead of translating the message into what the typology represents they continue in the typology! I’m not suggesting that believing gentiles CANNOT BE descendants of Ephraim. For some that may be the case! However, even if that is the case, according to the Scriptures, it is NOT the point!

Since the phrase “mystery of the Good News” is found in Shaul’s (Paul) letter to the Ephesians, lets take a few minutes and consider some of the text surrounding that phrase. Specifically, lets see how many times the phrase “in Israel”, “into Israel”, “by Israel” and/or “through Israel” are mentioned in this letter. After doing repeated word searches of the above, I found exactly NONE! Not once does Shaul (Paul) make a reference to the Ephesian believers being found “in, into, by, or through” Israel. He does reference gentile believers as being once separated from “the commonwealth of Israel.” You might want to do more research on that phrase. I found it to be in reference to the civil polity of citizenship that would depict their community as what it was suppose to be; a called out people unto Messiah, who serve HIM. Not an entity unto itself. So, when Shaul (Paul) suggests in Ephesians that there is a mystery regarding the Good News, he does not disclose that mystery as being found IN any one people group.

However, when doing a similar search in Ephesians using the terms “in, into, by, through” as referenced to YAHSHUA, MESSIAH, GOD, LORD, etc, we find this;

“IN YAHSHUA”; 6 reference verses

“IN MESSIAH”; 4 reference verses

“IN YAHSHUA Messiah” 5 reference verses

“IN HIM” 6 reference verses

“THROUGH WHOM” 1 Reference (speaking of YAHSHUA)

“BY HIM” 2 reference verses

“IN The LORD” 6 reference verses

Lets also do a similar search for the terms “in, into, by, and through” in reference to THE SPIRIT!

“IN the SPIRIT” 4 reference verses

“THROUGH HIS SPIRIT” 1 Reference

“BY WHOM” 1 Reference (speaking of HIS SPIRIT)

Okay. Now lets add it all up and see what we have;

“IN, INTO, BY, Through” Israel= 0

“IN, INTO, BY, Through” YAHSHUA (in one form or another) = 30

“IN, THROUGH, BY” The SPIRIT = 6

So Shaul (Paul), in his effort to inform and encourage the Ephesian believers concerning the mystery of the Good News makes 36 references of who it is that they are in, into, by, through. Thirty six references in six chapters is an average of six times per chapter! Six times per chapter Shaul (Paul) reminds them, in one form or another that their identity is IN The ONE Who the types in Torah spoke prophetically of; MESSIAH. Shaul (Paul) does not mention the types used to establish the true one time in his disclosure of the mystery of the Good News to the believers in Ephesians.

Now, here is the kicker! Depending on the translation of the scriptures that are used, the one reference “of Israel” mentioned regarding the “commonwealth” is offset by:

“OF Messiah” 12 reference verses

“OF GOD”(ELOHIM) 17 reference verses

“OF The LORD”(MASTER) 3 reference verses

“OF The SPIRIT” 3 reference verses

That’s another 35 reference verses to THE ONE WHO the type depicted! All total, that is 71 references verses of the total 153 verses in Ephesians! That comes to nearly 12 references per chapter, or almost one reference in every other verse to THE ONE WHO we find our identity in!!!

So, what is my point here? Is it to once again denigrate Israel and exalt a replacement? YAHWEH FORBID! My point is simply that YAHWEH had given HIS plan through HIS chosen people. HE typified that plan for those who would be able to see beyond themselves and find their identity IN HIM! Because man has not done very well at remaining focused on the differences between the type and the true, we find ourselves constantly wrangling about how this or that fits into our theology…

In conclusion, let me summarize;

  • We have been adopted by THE FATHER into THE Family of YAHWEH through believing what HE said and did through HIS SON; YAHSHUA.
  • We who do THE FATHER’S will evidence that we have been adopted by HIM and recognized as the brothers and sisters of YAHSHUA, along with all from every nationality who believe and obey what HIS WORD says.
  • We have been given citizenship in the city which comes down from heaven and should not be preoccupied with any earthly city in the meantime… May you prosper, IN HIM even as your soul prospers!
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A “Good Friday” Observance Does NOT Fit!

Many have been deceived into thinking that Yahshua Messiah was crucified (impaled) on the sixth day of the week, commonly called by the pagan name, “Friday” and then subsequently HE arose from the dead (they say) on first day of the week, commonly called by the pagan name, “Sunday.” This cannot be true according to what is written in Exodus 12 and from what The Master HIMSELF stated in Matthew 12:40. This faulty account cannot be an accurate rendering, using simple mathematics. Consider;

Mat 12:40 For as Yonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, so shall the Son of Adam be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

As already stated, the roman “holy week / Good Friday” scenario does not pass the calendar, mathematics or Scriptural litmus tests. Consider:

Messiah observed the true “living” Passover with HIS followers on the 14th of Abib, the 3rd day of the week, (Tuesday) in the evening,  just as was required according to the Torah given to Mosheh in Exodus 12:18.

HE was (lawlessly) impaled and died late the following day, the 15th of Abib, the 4th day of the week, (Wednesday), which was / is the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Wednesday night was night 1.

The following day, the 16th of Abib (Thursday), which is day 1 and Thursday night is night 2.

The following day,  the 17th of Abib (Friday), which is day 2 and Friday night is night 3.

The following day was the weekly Sabbath day, the 18th of Abib (Saturday), which is day 3.

Yahshua rose from the grave on the 3rd day before night 4, just as HE had said.

HE was then seen at the tomb as the Sabbath came to an end upon the dawning of the following day, the 1st of the week, or the 19th of Abib. (Sunday)

HE had risen prior to 1st Day morning!

See articles for further clarification: “The Re-named Days of the Week“, “Christian HOLI-days“, “The Sabbath…Who Changed it?“

 

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Seven Major Religions (And Others) Connected

Originally posted on 6/11/2021 – Revised 2/13/2022

I write this article, not with the purpose of espousing something new, but as the result of my own research on the matter. I have been searching for an effort with a focus on ministering to the nation of Israel. One that parallels the understanding and convictions that I hold. I found that the Star of David is being used in all of the efforts that I have perused thus far. So I began a brief study of the image. Here are my findings.

There is a worldwide connection to “The Star of David.”

In Judaism; (1)

http://www.simonarich.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hexagram-260×300.png

In Protestantism; (2)

https://www.umc.org/en/content/six-pointed-star

In Catholicism; (3)

https://www.google.com/search?q=star+of+david+on+pope+hat&client

In Hinduism; (4)

https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-e64cbcb1578c0b9c6911688fbf03cfcd

In Buddhism; (5)

In Islam. They call it the “Seal of Solomon”; (6)

https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-e27b08622faf8ea720ee1f3fdca11943

In Shintoism; (7)

http://www.simchajtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/japan1-1-222×300.jpg

Even at CERN;

https://simonarich.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/shiva-nataraja.jpg

The list above left me a bit stunned! The SEVEN Major Religious Systems, and CERN using a form of The Star of David / Solomon! There are probably more. Clearly it is not unique to Israel. I still wondered what the connection could be…

I had heard that Masonry used something similar, so I searched and found the link below;

12 Masonic Symbols Explained

12 symbols! Especially The Six-pointed-square & compass, The Lambskin Apron, Solomon’s Temple!, the All Seeing Eye, the Ashlar Stones, the Blazing Star of Sirius! The Cedar and Acacia woods! Masonry has a connection to Solomon, Israel, World religions and the End Times!

Also the women in the Masonic movement become members in the Order of the Eastern Star. This star is a five-pointed pentagram! This site explains the darkness involved;

https://www.chick.com/battle-cry/article?id=Why-No-Christian-Woman-Should-Join-Order-of-the-Eastern-Star

Just for comparison, here is the satanic star; https://www.shutterstock.com/search/pentagram

Masonry claims it’s beginnings in the 1700s, which ironically, is the reported time that the Star of David came on the scene!? First in Cabala, then in Zionism and finally National. The beginnings of the Masons is sketchy. Some say “in Egypt.” Some say “in Europe.” This BBC site has a fascinating picture on a building known to house Masons in 1599. Do you see the similarity?

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20161209-secret-history-of-the-freemasons-in-scotland

When did this Masonic movement truly begin? I believe that the supposed dates are a bit late. I believe the Scriptures, which record stone masons, cedar workers and the like to be here long before 1599. Consider;

1Ch 14:1 And Hiram sovereign of Tsor sent messengers to David and cedar trees, with stonemasons and carpenters, to build him a house.”

1Ki 5:17-18 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: (Ashlar Stones?) so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.”

Hiram, sovereign of Tsor. Who is he? To answer that question, you need to read Ezekiel 28:11-19! There you will find that “the sovereign of Tsor” is either a completely demonized man inspired by the devil or an appearance of the devil himself! The references are uncanny! And this is the man that is helping Solomon build a temple for Yahweh!?! Isaiah speaks of him as Lucifer, the “star of the morning!” Consider;

Isa 14:12-14 “How you have fallen from the heavens, O Lucifer,(Lit; STAR of the morning) son of the morning! You have been cut down to the ground, you who laid low the gentiles! For you have said in your heart, ‘Let me go up to the heavens, let me raise my throne above the stars of EL and let me sit in the mount of meeting on the sides of the north; let me go up above the heights of the clouds, let me be like the Most High.’

“Star of the morning???” Isn’t that similar (but in reverse!) to Messiah’s description of Himself in Revelation 22:16? “I, יהושע, (Yahshua) have sent My messenger to witness to you these matters in the assemblies. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

Lucifer (shining one, star of the morning) will never be the Most High! So he mimics, imitates, hijacks and twists the True in his efforts to receive worship!

But what, you might ask, has any of this to do with today’s Star of David? Lets summarize;

  1. The SEVEN largest religious systems all use the SIX-pointed-star.
  2. This same six-pointed-star is NOT strictly used by Israel.
  1. Islam claims that the same six-pointed-star was and is The Seal of Solomon.
  2. Solomon built a house and a temple, with the help of Hiram, one who is referenced as a builder, stone provider, world traveler and marketer and the personification of Lucifer, star of the morning. Stone masonry and cedar work are used. (remember the 12 Symbols of Masonry)
  3. Masonry, a worldwide organization uses the same Star as the religious systems use. Are the ships of Tsor how it became worldwide? Also Masonic women are in an allegiance to a star identical to the pentagram of satanism.
  4. The star of early Masonry in Scotland is identical to what is known as The Star of David.
  5. The Star itself has three series of SIX in it’s shape. Six Points, Six Triangles at each of the Six points, and a Hexagram, or Six Sided Figure in the middle = 666.

It is clearly documented that Israel digressed during the reign of Solomon into international idol worship and the occult! The prophet Amos calls them into account;

Amos 5:26 “But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun (Remphan) your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Therefore I shall send you into exile beyond Damascus,” said Yahweh Elohim of hosts – His Name.”

This same prophecy is quoted by Stephen just prior to the hearers stoning him to death, but with the change from “Damascus” to “Babylon. This brings that prophecy to a different future fulfillment than the one to Damascus, but for the same reasons! I believe it to be referenced in Revelation 18! Also notice the connection to Solomon built HIM a house!

Act 7:43 ‘And you took up the tent of Molek and the star of your mighty one Kiyyun,(Remphan) images which you made to bow before them. Therefore I shall remove you beyond Babylon… (verses 47-48) “but Solomon built Him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in dwellings made with hands, as the prophet Isaiah says in 66:1-2.

Link to the star of Remphan; Take a look!

https://www.google.com/search?q=star+of+remphan+images&client

Do you see any connection to these verses?

Rev 13:1 And I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads names of blasphemy.”

Seven religions all claiming to be a way to Truth is blasphemous! Yahshua, “The Way, The Truth, The Life” is the only One who proved that HE is The Way, when HE rose from the dead! All others are founded upon the lies!

Rev 13:18 “Here is the wisdom! He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

1Ki 10:14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold…(666) Is this a coincidence? I do not think so.

Solomon is the only man in the Scriptures referenced to both “wisdom” and “666.” I believe that Solomon is a type of The Anti-Messiah. I believe that Hiram is a type of The Beast that empowers him. Am I saying that what is known as The Star of David is the mark of the Beast? Not necessarily. However, once the devil has people under the same banner or symbol, it’s just a matter of sequence to realize what the next step would be. (Read Revelation 13)

The verse that seems to summarize what wisdom produces;

Luk 7:35 “And wisdom is declared right by all her children.”

The fruit of Solomon’s life and legacy prove that his idolatry, his lawlessness, his worldly passions and his affiliations with men like Hiram reveal what was in his heart… His life ended bearing bad fruit… Consider this very sad commentary;

1Ki 11:4-7 “And it came to be, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other mighty ones. And his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his Elohim, as was the heart of his father David. And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the mighty one of the Tsidon and after Milkom the abomination of the Ammonites. Thus Solomon did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and did not follow Yahweh completely, like his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Kemosh the abomination of Mo’ab on the hill that is east of Yerushalayim, and for Molek the abomination of the children of Ammon.”

One last verse that is quoted 5X in the Apostolic Scriptures because of it’s importance;

Psalm 118:22 “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner-stone.”

Quoted in Mt 21:42, Mk 12:10, Lk 20:17, Acts 4:11, 1Pet 2:7

My initial reason, as I said, is not to rail on these religious systems, or Solomon, or Israelis, or the Masons. I simply want to find a true and unpolluted effort to work with in bringing true blessing to those in Israel! That is my desire.

I present this information for you to have a head start in doing diligence and finding out for yourselves. We are warned in the Scriptures about the rulers of darkness about us. They exist. They are active. They are executing their plan. They are working from a “pattern.”

But for the True Believer in The True Messiah, we are not to fear. I’m convinced that I have brothers and sisters in all the aforementioned religions (and more) who will hear HIS Voice and will “Come out of her…” And will know what it truly means to be HIS people!

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The AMA Serpent-Entwined Pole – Why?

Originally posted 6/29/2021 – Revised 2/11/2022

Have you ever wondered why The American Medical Association (AMA) uses the serpent-entwined on the pole as their logo? Here is what they say at their website.

“The symbol dates to antiquity, and represents its namesake, the Greek god of healing. The image of a serpent-entwined staff also appears in the biblical book of Exodus, wherein Moses is instructed to erect a brass pole with a serpent; whoever looked upon it was healed. A body of mythology surrounds Asclepius.”Jun 20, 2005

https://amednews.com/article/20050620/opinion/306209958/4/#:~:text=The%20symbol%20dates%20to%20antiquity,body%20of%20mythology%20surrounds%20Asclepius.

I am aware of the Torah account (and plan to examine that in this article as well), but wasn’t as familiar with the Greek influence. So, I decided to do some checking. Here is what I found;

The Greek (Mythological) Influence

https://www.livescience.com/33104-why-is-the-medical-symbol-a-snake-on-a-stick.html

“…Asclepius is the Greek demigod of medicine. … The Greeks regarded snakes as sacred and used them in healing rituals to honor Asclepius, as snake venom was thought to be remedial and their skin-shedding was viewed as a symbol of rebirth and renewal.”


Asclepius – a staff having 1 serpent-entwined around it.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Asclepius

“Asclepius, Greek Asklepios, Latin Aesculapius, Greco-Roman god of medicine, son of Apollo (god of healing, truth, and prophecy) and the mortal princess Coronis.” May 4, 2021

And again from the AMA News site above;

“For many years the Staff of Asclepius has been confused with the caduceus, a symbol used by numerous medical organizations and that generally features two snakes encircling a rod topped with wings. According to most mythology, however, the caduceus represents the wand of the Greek god Hermes…”

Caduceus – a staff with wings having 2 serpents entwined around it.

From the Britannica site;

https://www.britannica.com/topic/caduceus

We could go deeper. And in future articles we may, but let this suffice for the sake of comparison between The Greek and Scriptural influences…

Because of my belief in the Scriptures (Genesis-Revelation), I believe these supposed “mythological” beings really did and do exist. Legend and generational inaccuracies have given them their reported characteristics. I believe them to be appearances of messengers (angels), both fallen and faithful. The Scriptures are replete with references to both. (391 times!) With that in mind, lets consider the scriptural account referenced in the amednews article that we began with;


The accurate reference of the narrative regarding Mosheh being instructed by Yahweh to set up a fiery serpent on a pole is found in Numbers 21. Instead of me printing the text, take a moment and read Numbers 21:4-9. Notice the definitions of the key words below;

The Hebrew word for “fiery” is; (Strong’s / BDB #H8314) “saraph” BDB Definition: “1) serpent, fiery serpent, 1a) poisonous serpent (fiery from burning effect of poison) 2) seraph, seraphim, 2a) majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands or voices in attendance upon GOD” (ie. Angels / Messengers.)

The Hebrew word for “serpent” is; (Strong’s / BDB #5175) “nâchâsh” BDB Definition: “1) serpent, snake, 1a) serpent, 1b) image (of serpent), 1c) fleeing serpent (mythological)”

The same word is used to describe “the serpent” in Genesis 3:1“And the serpent was more crafty …”

So, here is Eve having a conversation with “the serpent”, who we know is a fallen messenger / angel…

The Hebrew word for “bit / bitten” is; (Strong’s #H5391) “nâshak” naw-shak’, Strong’s Definition: “A primitive root; to strike with a sting (as a serpent);…”

So, I believe that we can scripturally say that Yahweh allowed “fiery serpents”, which could have been messengers (fallen or faithful) to either use a life form known as a serpent, or become serpents and sting those who were struggling with belief in Yahweh for their guidance, provision and protection. If this alarms you, please remember that HE also allowed a similar scenario in Genesis 3 with Eve / Adam. They, like those in Num 21, chose to yield to the serpents’ suggestions. The results were / are the same; death.

(See article entitled “Unbelief – The Reasons…”)

Could that be the reason behind Yahweh instructing Mosheh as follows?

21:8-9 “And Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole. And it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Mosheh made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole. And it came to be, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”

Is this why The Master Yahshua said;

John 3:14-15 “And as Mosheh lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of Adam has to be lifted up, so that whoever is believing in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life.” In other words, could HE be saying that its time to choose who we look to for guidance, protection and provision?

I completely understand that for those who do not profess “belief” in Yahweh, HIS Son, Yahshua Messiah and the promises contained in HIS Word, it is perfectly logical for them to be looking to whatever and whoever is available to help with their needs. But for those of us who profess belief in HIM, isn’t it inconsistent for us to do as they do?

Here’s a sobering thought. At some point in time, there will be a generation who will have to choose either to receive a “mark” and continue in commerce, or to reject a “mark” and be excluded from the benefits of society. Which would include medical treatment!

Rev 13:16-17 “And he causes all, both small and great, and rich and poor, and free and slave, to be given a mark upon their right hand or upon their foreheads, and that no one should be able to buy or sell except he that has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

What even makes this more real, is that as I write this article there are those in government, and in the medical industry that are saying that they believe that the vaccine being administered as the cure for COVID-19 “should be made mandatory” for all citizens! It is being said that private business will be the enforcers. In other words, if that happens, you and I will not be able to go to the grocery store, school, hospital, work, etc., unless we can “prove” that we have taken the vaccine!?? Do you see where this could go? And ALL of this because of a MEDICAL Pandemic! Consider;

Rev 9:21 And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their drug sorceries, nor of their whoring, nor of their thefts.

“drug sorceries” is defined: (Strong’s #H5331) – pharmekia / pharmacy / medication…

Rev 18:23 (To Mystery Babylon) “And the light of a lamp shall not shine in you any more at all. And the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you any more at all. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, for by your drug sorcery all the nations were led astray.”

I know that this may be quite a challenge to many. I believe that the Day of Yahweh is fastly approaching. We, as professing believers must be ready! We must be yielding ourselves to HIS Spirit to produce belief in us all the more!

Jude 1:20-21 “But you, beloved ones, building yourselves up on your most set-apart belief, praying in the Set-apart Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of Elohim, looking for the compassion of our Master Yahshua Messiah unto everlasting life.”

Should we, as believers, be looking to an entity that identifies itself with a serpent-entwined pole??? Or to HIM, The One who was impaled, rose from the dead and is coming soon to deal with the serpent/dragon/devil once and for all??? (Rev 20:10)

It is important to note that when Hezekiah became king, he found Yisrael worshiping the bronze serpent and destroyed it. Consider;

2Ki 18:3 – 6 And he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Dawid did. He took away the high places and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah and broke in pieces the bronze serpent which Mosheh had made, for until those days the children of Yisra’el burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan. He put his trust in Yahweh Elohim of Yisra’el and after him was none like him among all the sovereigns of Yehudah nor who were before him, and he clung to Yahweh. He did not turn away from following Him, but guarded His commands, which Yahweh had commanded Mosheh…

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The Rest of the Story – A Follow-up on “The AMA Serpent-Entwined Pole…”

Originally posted 7/6/2021 – Revised 2/11/2022

At the risk of being labeled a fanatic, do you believe what these verses say?

Mark 16:17-18

“And these signs shall accompany the ones who believe: In My Name they shall cast out demons, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly drink it shall by no means hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall get well.”

True fanaticism is demonstrated by those who profess to believe The Scriptures, but live in lawlessness (rejecting HIS Law);

As they (supposedly) cast out demons…but in reality, the demons are just acting like there was deliverance…

Speak out in an emotional gibberish (and call it “tongues”)

Handle snakes (in their faith rituals), as a supposed sign of their faith…

ARE NOT protected from deadly drink, as evidenced by their constant illnesses…

Are involved in phony healing crusades, that leave victims in the wake… Consider;

Mat 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works(miracles) in Your Name? And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!”

Rev 13:11-15 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from the heaven on the earth before men. And he leads astray those dwelling on the earth because of those signs which he was given to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword, yet lived. And there was given to him to give spirit to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause to be killed as many as would not worship the image of the beast.”

Rev 16:13-14 “And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as frogs, for they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which go out to the sovereigns of the entire world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of Yahweh the Almighty.”

Those truly empowered by The Master have this testimony;

Luke 10:17-20

And the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Master, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan falling out of the heaven as lightning. See, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and none at all shall hurt you. But do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names have been written in the heavens.”

When Paul was bitten by a poison viper, here’s how he “handled” it; Acts 28:5 “Then, indeed, he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no evil.” Literally, Paul did what the phrase “take up serpents” in Mark 16:18 means; (“…to loose…put away, remove, take away”)

I searched for the phrase, “confirmed miracles and healings” and found very little to be excited about. It appears that those who did not believe The Word during HIS earthly ministry, are being paralleled in unbelief today.

Mat 13:58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

I also searched and found this site: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28186008/

At this site I found this;

“Recent studies of medical errors have estimated errors may account for as many as 251,000 deaths annually in the United States (U.S)., making medical errors the third leading cause of death. Error rates are significantly higher in the U.S. than in other developed countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the United Kingdom (U.K). At the same time less than 10 percent of medical errors are reported…”

Another site confirmed the above and gave more detailed information. Look at this!

https://etactics.com/blog/medical-error-statistics

From the site:

“Researchers used four separate studies from 2000 to 2008 and hospital admissions rates from 2013 to analyze this problem. Based on extrapolated data of 35,416,020 hospitalizations, medical errors cause 251,454 deaths per year. This translated to 9.5% of all deaths per year.”

Diagnostic mistakes lead to the death or injury of 40,000 to 80,000 patients annually. The misdiagnosis rate is 10% to 15%. These problems are a challenge regardless of medical specialty. Surgical errors are another common problem with at least 4,000 occurring each year in the US.

While medical devices advance and improve the health industry, they still aren’t perfect. There are over 5,000 kinds of medical devices used in healthcare, so mistakes are inevitable. Sometimes these devices end up getting recalled because of their risks. But unfortunately, the flaws aren’t always caught before it’s too late. Across all devices, the FDA reported more than 1.7 million injuries and around 83,000 deaths in the last ten years.

You’d think that you’ll be least likely to get sick at a medical facility. After all, it should be clean so patients can heal. But a health-associated infection (HAI) is one adverse effect that results from medical care. According to the CDC, one in 31 patients has an HAI on any given day.

In 2013, 99,000 people died from this effect. Thankfully this number dropped within a few years, but not by much. In 2015, there were still about 72,000 patients who died from HAIs during their hospital stay. But patients were 16% less likely to have one of these infections in 2015 versus 2011.

Patients who end up with an HAI after surgery spend an extra 6.5 days in the hospital on average. They’re also five times more likely to return after hospital discharge and twice as likely to die.

I write this article, not to blast healthcare and those who work in it. I write this article to challenge those who believe that it is the only choice. Doctors have a place. But should that be everyplace? Especially in the lives of professing “believers?” The choice is yours!

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Overcoming #1 – “Works” In Ephesus – Revelation 2

Originally posted 8/31/2021 – Revised 2/11/2022

Rev 2:1-7 “To the messenger of the assembly of Ephesus write, ‘He who is holding the seven stars in His right hand, who is walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, says this:I know your works, and your labor, and your endurance, and that you are not able to bear evil ones, and have tried those who say they are emissaries and are not, and have found them false; and you have been bearing up and have endurance, and have labored for My Name’s sake and have not become weary. But I hold this against you, that you have left your first love.” So remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works, or else I shall come to you speedily and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have, that you hate the works of the Nikolaites, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I shall give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of Elohim.”

In Luke’s account of The Master’s life, we read;

Luke 10:38-42 And it came to be as they went that He entered into a certain village. And a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Miryam, who also sat at the feet of Yahshua and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and coming up she said, “Master, are You not concerned that my sister has left me to serve alone? Speak to her then, to help me.” And Yahshua answering, said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many matters, but one only is necessary, and Miryam has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha was misjudging her sister Miryam, thinking that she was lazy because of her desire to hear and know The Word, whereas Martha thought that serving was more important, even though the Master points out that it actually caused her to worry and be troubled…

Similar to Martha’s approach, the Ephesians were very industrious, always toiling and laboring for HIS Name’s sake! They learned to endure and were successful in exposing false sent ones! (apostles, pastors, teachers, etc.)

What I refer to as “the Martha Syndrome” is the tendency for professing believers to be so preoccupied with works of service for Messiah that subtly they substitute these works of service for time with HIM. In their zeal they become judgmental of others who are not accomplishing as much as they are. But in all of their doing they rarely spend time in prayer or sitting in quiet contemplation and no longer read HIS Word for the shear pleasure of it. Theirs is a works based religion. These do not rest, nor are they at peace. To these the Master calls in Mat 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I shall give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your beings. For My yoke is gentle and My burden is light.”

If we find ourselves in this peace-less, joyless, distracted and worrisome Martha mode of thinking, we must STOP and receive HIS exhortation to remember, repent, and return to our first love! We must regain the focus that we had at the first. That of waiting on HIM…hearing HIS Voice and listening for HIS specific instruction so that we can enjoy accomplishing HIS “good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10b)

But, why is there such a hatred for those known as the Nicolaites?

Trying to understand just exactly who the Nicolaites are and their deeds and doctrine takes a bit of exposition. Because there is so little mention of them in the Scriptures, many have decided that we cannot arrive at a definitive conclusion as to who they were and what they were all about.

The two references that mention the Nicolaites are:

To the Ephesians in:

Revelation 2:6 “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaites, which I also hate.”

And to in Pergamos in:

Revelation 2:15 “Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaites, which thing I hate.”

There appears to be two types of unacceptable works addressed in Revelation 2:1-9. The first, we addressed above. This next type seems to be even worse. That of “the deeds (works) of the Nicolaites. These works must be diabolical! They are clearly hated by The Master. Lets find out why!

The word used in 2:6 is defined in the Strong’s #G2041 hñãïí ergon er’-gon

From ergo (a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act:—deed, doing, labour, work.

It is the very same word found in verse 2, translated “works.” So see how this word also used by Shaul in his letter to the Ephesians . We find four references. Consider;

Eph 2:8-10 For by favour you have been saved, through belief, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim, it is not by works, so that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah יהושעunto good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Notice the Contrast;

  • Supernatural works – not by (natural) works!
  • HIS Work-manship IN Us – not our work on us!
  • Our Works IN HIM, HIS Way – not our works our way!

Eph 4:11-12 “And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers for the perfecting of the set-apart ones, to the work of service to a building up of the body of the Messiah…”

Notice the context;

  • HIS resurrection substantiated HIS gifting and empowering of HIS called and sent ones such as emissaries, prophets, evangelists, (under) shepherds / teachers to “perfect” those who receive HIS Workmanship in their lives!
  • The result will be “building up” (edifying, confirming) those who are HIS!

Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather reprove them.(reprove; expose, reveal)

Notice that Shaul’s final use of this word seems to be in perfect alignment with The Master’s hatred of “the deeds (works) of the Nicolaites in Revelation 2:6!

Those deeds / works being;

  • Their rejection of the work of HIS SPIRIT in their lives! No need of: new birth, anointing, empowering, revelation, inspiration, leading, guiding, teaching, lifestyle in line with HIS Word. In essence; “an appearance of esteeming HIM, but no power!”
  • Their rejection of the work of HIS SPIRIT through HIS Gifts and HIS Gifted Ones! No more: Emissaries, Prophets, True Evangelists, Shepherds / Teachers committed to HIS Word above all else. In essence; Just career clergy for hire.
  • Their receiving of “the fruitless works of darkness” in their lives, ministries and movements! Propagating men, women, myths, fables, idolatry, lawlessness, doctrines of demons, false: teachers, evangelists, prophets, emissaries, etc!

So, from the verses in Revelation 2:1-9, we can conclude that the Ephesians, (and us!) MUST OVERCOME the tendency to fall into a works based mentality for the Master, instead of allowing HIS Workmanship to be accomplished IN us! And the Ephesians, (and us!) must continue to hate and expose the fruitless works of darkness known as Nicolaitanism!

Heb 12:1-2 “We too, then, having so great a cloud of witnesses all around us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to the Princely Leader and Perfecter of our belief, יהושע, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the stake, having despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim.”

Amein

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Overcoming #2 – Fear In Smyrna – Revelation 2

Originally posted 9/14/2021 – Revised 2/11/2022

Rev 2:9-11 “I know your works, and pressure, and poverty – yet you are rich – and the blasphemy of those who say they are Yehudim and are not, but are a congregation of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. See, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, in order to try you, and you shall have pressure ten days. Be trustworthy until death, and I shall give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes shall by no means be harmed by the second death.”

We looked at “works” in the article entitled “Overcoming #1 – At Ephesus”…

We intend to consider the blasphemy of the false Yehudim in a later article…

In this article, it appears that the primary focus to those in Smyrna is “fear.” We will consider the origin of fear, fear’s impact, Who gives us victory over fear and what were a couple of specific fears that The Master is exhorting those in Smyrna and also us to overcome.

Where do we first encounter the concept of FEAR in the scriptures?

Gen 3:9-11 “And Yahweh Elohim called unto Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.” And He said, “Who made you know that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Fear originated in the garden as the result of disobedience to Yahweh’S Commandment.

Adam’s disobedience resulted in:

Fear of punishment. Adam now fears The ONE Who he once walked with in the garden…

Fear of his nakedness. Adam now becomes self aware…

Fear of guilt. Instead of openness being guilt free, Adam now tries to hide…

Fear of death. Adam lived for 930 years passing his fears on to all thereafter!

But the Good News is that Messiah’s obedience to HIS Father’s Commands delivered HIM and those who believe IN HIM, from all of the fears that we inherited from Adam, including the fear of death!

Heb 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, HE HIMSELF similarly shared in the same, so that by means of HIS death HE might destroy him having the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver those who throughout life were held in slavery by fear of death.”

To believers at Smyrna and throughout the world, Messiah’s exhortation is timeless for us to not have fear of persecution nor of death.

The Master exhorts HIS own to not have fear of persecution;

Mat 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the being. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both being and body in Gehenna.”

John 16:33 “These words I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you have pressure,(persecution) but take courage, I have overcome the world.”

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear!

1Jn 4:18 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear holds punishment, and he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

1Jn 2:3-6 “And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth(SPIRIT of Truth) is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.”

To the believers in Smyrna (and to us), Messiah is saying that those who have guarded HIS Commands do not have to fear punishment from YAH, but may be persecuted by the lawless for HIS Name!

2Ti 3:12 And indeed, all those wishing to live reverently in Messiah Yahshua shall be persecuted.

Through belief expressed in obedience to HIS Word, including HIS Commands, love is perfected in us and fear no longer has power over us! This can only take place through receiving and walking in obedience by the power of HIS SPIRIT as described of those who receive the New Covenant!

Ezekiel 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.

John 14:16-17 “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.

Phil 2:12-13 So that, my beloved, as you always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much rather in my absence – work out your own deliverance with fear and trembling, for it is Elohim who is working in you both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.

Having a love for HIS Word is evidence that HE (HIS SPIRIT) is at work IN you, leading you, guiding you, teaching you, correcting and causing you to accomplish HIS good pleasure. The more that you obey HIS Word in “denying yourself” (the self awareness of the Adamic nature), the more HIS Love (HIS SPIRIT) is being perfected in you!

You will know that love is being perfected in you when you no longer FEAR:

punishment (from YAH for disobedience to HIS Word),

persecution (from those disobedient to HIS Word) and

death (resting in the knowledge that HE has OVERCOME death) and so will you!

Heed the exhortations to neither “grieve” nor “quench” HIS Spirit! (Eph 4:30 & 1Thess 5:19)

As we follow the Master in belief and obedience, we are actually putting to death the Adamic nature (also called carnal, and / or natural man), being emptied of the one who fears, and in his place we are being filled with The Set-Apart Spirit of Yahweh (also called the new man);

Eph 4:22-24 “…that you put off – with regard to your former way of life – the old man, being corrupted according to the desires of the deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to Elohim, in righteousness and set-apartness of the truth.”

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes shall by no means be harmed by the second death.”

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Overcoming #3 – False Doctrine In Pergamos – Revelation 2

Originally posted 10/21/2021 – Revised 2/11/2022

This is more of an exposition than an article. I pray you are blessed!

Rev 2:12 “And to the messenger of the assembly in Pergamos write, ‘He who has the sharp two-edged sword, says this:

What is “the sharp two-edged sword”?

Eph 6:17 Take also the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Elohim,

Heb 4:12 For the Word of Elohim is living, and working, and sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through even to the dividing of being and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The “Sharp Two-edged Sword” is The Word of YAH that will be used to separate those who have a love for Truth from those who do not!

Rev 2:13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is. And you hold fast to My Name, and did not deny the belief in Me, even in the days in which Antipas was My trustworthy witness, who was killed near you, where Satan dwells.

According to HIS Word, where do true believers dwell?

Joh 14:20 “In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, this one is not His.

1Co 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are a Dwelling Place of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you? If anyone destroys the Dwelling Place of Elohim, Elohim shall destroy him. For the Dwelling Place of Elohim is set-apart, which you are.

True Believers dwell IN The True Messiah and HE is IN HIS True Bride!

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous for you with a jealousy according to Elohim. For I gave you in marriage to one husband, to present you as an innocent maiden to Messiah.

Eph 5:30-32 Because we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This secret is great, but I speak concerning Messiah and the assembly.

According to HIS Word, where does Satan dwell?(other than roaming to/fro upon earth)

Dan 9:27 “And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the middle of the week he shall put an end to slaughtering and meal offering. And on the wing of abominations(which I believe to be a man-fabricated temple) he shall lay waste, even until the complete end and that which is decreed is poured out on the one who lays waste.”

Mat 24:15-16 “So when you see the ‘abomination that lays waste, spoken of by Dani’ĕl the prophet, set up in the set-apart place” – he who reads, let him understand then let those who are in Yehuḏah flee to the mountains.

2Th 2:3-4 Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness is to be revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshiped, so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place(man-fabricated temple) of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim.

False believers dwell IN the false messiah and he is in the false bride!

Ephesians 2:2 …in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience”

Rev 17:1-2 And one of the seven messengers who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying to me, “Come, I shall show you the judgment of the great whore sitting on many waters,(See v. 15), with whom the sovereigns of the earth committed whoring, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her whoring.”

Rev 18:4-7 And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Because her sins have piled up to reach the heaven, and Elohim has remembered her unrighteousness. Render to her as she indeed did render, and repay her double according to her works. In the cup which she has mixed, mix for her double. As much as she esteemed herself and lived riotously, so much torture and grief give to her, because in her heart she says, ‘I sit as sovereigness, and I am not a widow, and I do not see mourning at all.’ (Jer 51)

What does “hold fast to My Name” in Rev 2:13 signify?

Those in Pergamos, (and all true believers), prove themselves to be a part of the True Bride of the True Messiah by not adhering to the teachings of the fabricated, lawless, idolatrous bride of anti-messiah.

Rev 2:14 “But I hold a few matters against you, because you have there those who adhere to the teaching of Bilʽam, who taught Balaq to put a stumbling-block before the children of Yisra’ĕl, to eat food offered to idols, and to commit whoring.

What is “the teaching of Bil’am?”

In Numbers 22-24, we read the story of a prophet who was hired to curse the children of Yisrael. Through several failed attempts, it becomes obvious that he could not curse them. However, in Numbers 24:14, we read him saying this;

“And now, see, I am going to my people. Come, let me advise you what this people is going to do to your people in the latter days.”

The very next chapter (Num 25) describes the outcome of his advice!

Num 25:1-3 And Yisra’ĕl dwelt in Shittim, and the people began to whore with the daughters of Mo’ab and they invited the people to the slaughterings of their mighty ones, and the people ate and bowed down to their mighty ones. Thus Yisra’ĕl was joined to Baʽal Peʽor, and the displeasure of Yahweh burned against Yisra’ĕl.” (Literally committed sexual, idolatry (which is spiritual whoring and then were joined to Ba’al, as in marriage!)

Rev 2:15 “So you also have those who adhere to the teaching of the Nikolaites, which teaching I hate.”

(For a comparison on the “deeds of the Nikolaites” see the article on “Overcoming #1 – Ephesus”

What is “the teaching of the Nikolaites?”

Their teaching is very similar to the prophet Bil’am’s. They are paid professionals who propagate un-scriptural practices referred to in the scriptures as a form of “harlotry” or (spiritual infidelity/idolatry) because the teacher is unfaithful to The Truth, which is The Word of YAH, Yahshua Messiah, The True Groom!

The Master, Yahshua gives these warnings for the last days;

Mat 24:

4-5 And (Yahshua) answering, said to them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray. For many shall come in My Name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they shall lead many astray…

11-12 “And many false prophets shall rise up and lead many astray. And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of many shall become cold.

24-25 “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. See, I have forewarned you”

Kepha (Peter) gives these warnings for the last days;

2Pe 2:1 But there also came to be false prophets among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, and deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves…

Did you catch that? “destructive heresies, and deny the Master”

2Pe 2:14-16 “…having eyes filled with an adulteress, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable beings, having a heart trained in greed, children of a curse, having left the right way they went astray, having followed the way of Bil‘am the son of Beʽor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness…”

Shaul (Paul) gives this warning for the last days;

2Th 2:9-12 “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, in order for them to be saved. And for this reason Elohim sends them a working of delusion, for them to believe the falsehood, in order that all should be judged who did not believe the truth, but have delighted in the unrighteousness.

Yohan (John) gives this warning for the last days;

1Jn 4:2-3, 6 “By this you know the Spirit of Elohim: Every spirit that confesses that (Yahshua) Messiah (not the anti-law, Greek fabrication by another name), has come in the flesh is of Elohim, and every spirit that does not confess that (Yahshua) Messiah has come in the flesh is not of Elohim… (Verse 6) By this we know the Spirit of the Truth and the spirit of the delusion.”

So, you see, if Yahshua Himself warns of false messiahs / prophets, and then HIS taught ones feel impressed to warn HIS followers of the same, is it such a stretch for us to believe that anti-messiah could actually be propagated in our times? (See the article entitled, “6 Reasons Why The Greek / Roman / Latin “Jesus” Cannot Be The Messiah”)

Rev 2:16 “Repent, or else I shall come to you speedily and fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Yahshua will use HIS Word, HIS Prophets, HIS Teachers to announce the True Good News of HIS Reign separating the two groups of followers! Finally, upon HIS Return HE will judge and destroy those who reject The Truth! (John 17:17)

Rev 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I shall give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I shall give him a white stone, and on the stone a new Name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

In Summary;

We must overcome false teaching that promotes;

– The anti-messiah!

– The whore, the false bride!

– Idolatry or the worship of self and/or any other!

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Christian HOLI-Days

Originally posted on 3/21/21 – Revised 2/11/22

Many of the current “Christian” Holi-days have their origins in ancient pagan feasts that were ushered in by Romanism early in it’s history. The Roman Emperor, Constantine was a pagan sun-worshipper who supposedly had a “spiritual experience.” Romanism used this authority to pollute the truth beginning in the 3rd century with various practices of sun-worshipping paganism. The following are a few of those.


Author’s note: I encourage you to do your own research on the origins and meanings behind the word “Holi.” (Holy) In a few words, I found that it is not a word to use in association with The True Creator, Yahweh as depicted in The Scriptures; Genesis – Revelation. In fact, it is a word associated with Hindu mighty ones and is celebrated annually in their version of “good triumphing over evil.” For these and other reasons, I refrain from it’s use. (Exodus 23:13)

SUNDAY SABBATH?

Early believers kept the Seventh day as the Sabbath (gathering day) until March 7, 321 CE when Emporer / Pope Constantine passed a law requiring believers to worship on Sunday, the day the pagans worshipped the sun-god. True Believers still kept the Seventh day as the Sabbath until another law was passed eleven years later. This law signed into decree by Pope Constantine forbid believers to worship on the Seventh day (Sabbath) being punishable by death! Many believers were burned to death for their commitment to the Commandments in the Scriptures and for keeping with the Sabbath on the Seventh Day! Research it for yourself! The True Sabbath has NOT been changed, according to the Scriptures! (See articles on “Catholic Quotes…” and “Names of the Days of the week”)

EASTER SUNDAY

Did you ever wonder what the basis is for using eggs and bunnies to celebrate Easter? Ishtar or Astarte or Euostre or finally “Easter”, also known as Semiramis, the widow of Nimrod, is referred to in the Scriptures as the “queen of heaven.”(Jeremiah 44:17-25) She is the bare breasted pagan fertility goddess of the east. Legend has it that she came out of heaven in a giant egg, landing in the Euphrates river at sunrise (the first sunrise service?) on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox, busted out, and turned a bird into an egg laying rabbit!!! Now THAT takes a lot of imagination! :>) According to some (unverified) sources, the priests of Easter would then sacrifice infants (human babies) and take the eggs of Easter and die them in the blood of the sacrificed infants (human babies). This process was orchestrated so that the Easter eggs would hatch on December 25th, the same day her son Tammuz the reincarnated sun-god would be born…how convenient?!

In second century Europe, the predominate spring festival was a raucous Saxon fertility celebration in honor of the Saxon Goddess Eastre (Ostara), whose sacred animal was a hare. As it happened, the pagan festival of Eastre occurred at the same time of year as the observance of the Resurrection of Messiah. Therefore it was decided to alter the festival itself and attempt to make it a Christian celebration. The early name, Eastre, was eventually changed to its modern spelling, Easter.

Prior to A.D. 325, Easter was variously celebrated on different days of the week, including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In that year, the Council of Nicaea was convened by Emperor Constantine. (There is that name again!) The Council issued the Easter Rule which states that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. (Another attempt to replace the True Scriptural observances of Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread and First-Fruits!).

HALLOW’EN

All Saints’ Day was followed by All-Souls’ Day, November 2, unless that was a Sunday then it was November 3, this was another Roman adaptation of pagan festivals for the dead. Prayers for the dead are an integral part of the traditional All Saint’s Day services, which are scheduled in Catholic churches on November 1, and on the next Sunday. Halloween gets its name from the Catholic holi-day, it is a Hallowed evening, because it precedes All Hallows’ Day, thus: Hallow’en. Halloween is a pagan holiday to honor the dead and evil spirits. In the Scriptures, we are warned not to take part in customs and traditions such as these. All Scripture quotes are KJV unless otherwise noted and the True Names of THE Creator, as I understand them; Yahweh and HIS Son, Yahshua have been inserted instead “Lord, GOD, Jesus”, etc)

“…take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise. You shall not worship (Yahweh) your (Elohim) in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” Deuteronomy 12:30-32

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11(Thus, this article!)

Halloween is a perfect example of what these passages are referring to. Pagans served their gods by honoring the evil spirits on Halloween. They did this by dressing up like the evil spirits and giving offerings to the evil spirits. This is also where the practice of giving out candy came from; because they gave offerings to the evil spirits. The phrase “trick or treat” is attributed to this practice because pagans believed the evil spirits would do something bad (a trick) to them if they did not leave an offering (a treat) for them.


THANKSGIVING

We often think of Thanksgiving as an American holiday, begun by the Pilgrims in Plymouth in 1621. In reality on that day in 1621 that particular event was just the first observance of Thanksgiving Day in the New World! Thanksgiving, in the guise of the pagan harvest festivals, can be traced right back to ancient Babylon and the worship of Semiramis!

The pagans in Rome celebrated their thanksgiving in early October. The holiday was dedicated to the goddess of the harvest, Ceres, and the holiday was called Cerelia. The Roman Catholic church incorporated the pagan holi-day and it became well established in England, where some of the pagan customs and rituals for this day were observed long after the Roman Empire had disappeared.

“In England the “Harvest Home” has been observed continuously for centuries. The custom was to select a harvest queen for this holiday. She was decorated with the grain of their fields and the fruit of their trees. On Thanksgiving Day she was paraded through the streets in a carriage drawn by white horses. This was a remnant of the Roman ceremonies in honor of Ceres…the Pilgrims brought the “Harvest in” to Massachusetts.” (Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1953. Pgs 159-160)

There certainly is NOT anything wrong with giving thanks to our Creator for HIS goodness to us! However, to replace HIS Set-Apart Days (i.e. The Scriptural observance of Tabernacles) with an observance that inculcates pagan practices is to put one at odds with the very Creator responsible for the harvest!

CHRISTMAS

A “winter solstice” observance (our December 25th or thereabouts) was celebrated by pagan sun-worshippers for thousands of years before the Messiah was born. It all started (as recorded by tradition and the Scriptures) during the building of the tower of Babel. Nimrod (Genesis 10:9-10) supervised the operation and supposedly, was called the sun-god and worshipped as such. Then a prophet of the Most High killed him and cut his body into pieces and scattered those pieces all across the land. Ishtar or Astarte or Euostre or finally “Easter”, also known as Semiramis, the widow of Nimrod, is referred to in the Scriptures as the “queen of heaven.”(Jeremiah 44:17-25) She claimed to be impregnated by the rays of the sun (Nimrod) and later had a son by the name of Tammuz (Ezekiel 8:14) who had a miraculous birth on December 25th. All of the pagan sun-worshippers celebrated the birthday of the reincarnated sun-god Tammuz on December 25th. Scripture is very clear that believers in the Truth of YAH’S Word are not to participate in these types of observances: “ The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. 19Do they provoke Me to anger?” says (Yahweh) “Do they not provoke themselves, to the shame of their own faces?”Jeremiah 7:18-19

The passage above is stating Yahweh’s obvious displeasure with practices that are in opposition to HIS Word. Let’s move on and read another passage from Scripture.

“Thus says (Yahweh): “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles ( those considered the ungodly at that time); Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.” Jeremiah 10:2-4

Sound familiar? This passage is obviously referring to a practice of those who were not considered followers of Yahweh. Is the prophet referring to a “christmas tree?” Well, there certainly are similarities! A quick internet search using the terms associated with the celebration of this season will reveal that their origins are anything but righteous and have nothing to do with birth of Yahshua, the True MESSIAH! Actually it is fascinating to realize those entities whose births were on December 25th! For example, Isis (Egyptian god), Mithra (Babylonian sun god) and of course Tammuz, the son of the queen of heaven!

VALENTINE’S DAY

Pagans in Rome celebrated the evening of February 14th and February 15th as an idolatrous and immoral festival in honor of Lupercus “the hunter of wolves”. It was not until the reign of Pope Gelasius that the holiday became a “Christian” custom. ” The Encarta Encyclopedia states that it is “a holiday that probably derives from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalis.” From Edna Barth’s book “The Story of Valentine Symbols” we read “St. Valentine’s name was given to the festival of Lupercalia in the 5th century.” In his book “The Valentine, and it’s Origins” by Frank Staff, we learn how the ancient church fathers at Rome used syncretism; the mixture of so-called truth and abject error, to win converts from among pagans…” As for “Cupid” the strange little cherub, who shoots arrows at people, it’s name means; “desire!” According to Funk/Wagnall’s Encyclopedia, the Greek counterpart is “Eros”, the god of love, son of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty” who presided over their drunken orgies and multiple day celebrations! Do your own study of this so called holiday and it’s association to Lupercalia as well as their similarities to “Mardi Gra!” I’m sure that you will be shocked at what you find! It might make you think before you encourage your little boy or little girl to participate in the tradition of being matched up with a child of the opposite sex through the exchanging of “Be my Valentine” cards…

THE Scriptural Set-Apart DAYS

In comparison to those observances listed above, the Scriptures explicitly command Yahweh’s people to observe HIS Sabbaths and HIS FEASTS in Leviticus 23. Though much of Christianity today chooses to ignore this command, believing that these were ONLY for the people of Israel, the Scriptures do not support this notion. Yahshua observed the 7th day Sabbath and the Scriptural Feasts. The first disciples continued to observe them, even after HIS death and resurrection, and so did professing believers in Yahweh up to the 3rd century, as stated above. Now that you’ve read this brief synopsis, you too are faced with the same choice as those early believers; to follow YAH’S ways according to HIS Word or to continue in man’s ways according to man’s tradition. Yahweh’s special Days/Feasts give great insight into HIS Plan for the Redemption of mankind. Man’s traditional observances are based, to a great degree upon Bablyonian, Egyptian, Greecian and Roman paganism and actually detour people AWAY from the Truth of YAH’S Word. The choice is yours! People just like you, all over the world, are waking up to the Truth of The Word! HE is accomplishing exactly what HE had promised to do in the last days! You may be a part of that process as you read HIS Word and come to realize the deception of man’s traditions! May you hear HIS Voice and come out of the bondage of man-made religion and begin to walk in HIS Truth!

It is written in 2Cor 6:16-18)

“And what agreement has the temple of YAH with idols? For you are the temple of the living EL. As Yahweh has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their EL, and they shall be My people.Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says Yahweh. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says Yahweh ELOHIM.” NKJV

And in Jeremiah 51:6-7

Flee from the midst of Babylon, And every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, For this is the time of YAH’S vengeance; He shall recompense her.

Babylon was a golden cup in the YAH’S hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged.

And finally in Revelation 18:4-5

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and ELOHIM has remembered her iniquities.”