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The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees – Matthew 12

Mat 12:1-2 At that time Yahusha 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 Master 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 Yahusha 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 Yahusha 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 Yahwah your Elohim.’ ”
The Pharisees were one of the sects of Yehudism guilty of adding to / subtracting from Yahwah’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 Yahusha. (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. Yahusha 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 Yahwah. 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 Yahwah 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)

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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 Matthew 13, The Parable of The Sower)

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 Yahusha 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.

Yahusha 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 Yahusha; 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 Yahwah, 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…

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Good Friday Doesn’t Fit!

Mat 12:38-39 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from You. But He answering, said to them, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Yonah.

Signs do not produce belief. Signs confirm belief (Mark 16-18).

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.”

The roman “holy week / Good Friday” scenario does not pass the calendar, mathematics or Scriptural litmus tests. Messiah observed a “living” Passover with HIS followers on 14 Abib, the 3rd day of the week. HE was impaled the following day, 15 Abib, the 4th of the week. That night was night 1. The following day, 16 Abib is day 1. That night is night 2. The following day, 17 Abib is day 2. That night is night 3. The following day was the weekly Sabbath, 18 Abib is day 3. Yahusha rose from the grave on the 3rd day before night 4, just as HE had said. HE was seen by those coming to tomb as the Sabbath came to an end at the dawning of the next day or (1st day) 19 Abib. HE had risen prior to this time.

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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…

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Leviticus 23; Feast of Weeks / Shavuot / Pentecost

This is article #2 in The Feast of Yahwah series. Article #1 covered The Moedim or Appointments of Yahwah that includes 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 Yahwah’s 4th Feast known as the summer Feast of Pentecost / Weeks / Shavuot

Verses 15 – 21‘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, then you shall bring a new grain offering to Yahwah. 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 Yahwah. 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 Yahwah, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet fragrance to Yahwah. 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 Yahwah, besides the two lambs. They are set-apart to Yahwah 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 Yahwah – 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! Yahwah 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 Yahusha, our Great High Priest actually did in “the true tabernacle” in heaven! Consider;

At the tomb after His resurrection in Joh 20:17 “Yahusha 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 Yahusha 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. Yahusha 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah, 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 “Differences Between 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 (Yahusha) 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 Yahwah your Elohim.’ ”

Again proving that Yahwah’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 Yahwah, 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 Yahwah gives revelation, we plan to have the 3rd article on the Fall Feasts posted soon!

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The Sabbath and Spring Feasts of Yahwah

Leviticus 23

Verses 1-2 And Yahwah spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisrael and say to them, ‘The appointed times of Yahwah, 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 Yahwah’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 Yahwah in all your dwellings. These are the appointed times of Yahwah, 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 Yahwah to observe and proclaim. (See article on “Catholic Quotes on changing the Sabbath”)

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

Under the Old Covenant, the Passover is to commemorate Yisrael’s deliverance from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, by the power of Yahwah (Exodus 12), and also serves prophetically as a look into the New Covenant and the future sacrifice of “The Lamb of Yahwah 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 Yahwah – 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 Yahwah 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, Yahusha“the new man”.(Yohanan 14:15-26, Ephesians 4:22-24)

Verses 9-14 And Yahwah 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 Yahwah, 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 Yahwah, and its grain offering: two-tenths of an of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahwah, 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 Yahusha as typified by;

Sheaf of the first-fruits – 1Cor.15:20-23 “But 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 Priest – Heb.4:14 “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yahusha 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 Lamb – John 1:29 “On the next day Yohanan saw Yahusha 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 Yahwah – 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 /Blood – Lk. 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 Yahwah 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!

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Christian Holi-Days

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, Yahwah 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 article 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; Yahwah and HIS Son, Yahusha 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 (YAHWAH) 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 (YAHWAH) “Do they not provoke themselves, to the shame of their own faces?”Jeremiah 7:18-19

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

“Thus says (Yahwah): “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 Yahwah. 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 Yahusha, 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 Yahwah’s people to observe HIS Sabbaths and HIS FEASTS in Leviticus 23. (See related articles on The Spring, Summer and Fall Feasts) 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. Yahusha 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 Yahwah 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. Yahwah’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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah. 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 YAHWAH 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.”

Our Prayer is that you are a lover of Truth! And that this small effort has been used by our Master to prick your conscience enough for you to dig deeper in HIS Word and follow HIM according to HIS Truth!

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Comparing The OLD Covenant To The NEW Covenant

Many folks in “professingdom” 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 Yahwah 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’after those days, declares Yahwah: 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.

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 Yahwah. 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 Yahusha, and do not trust in the flesh…”

The Priesthood

The Old Covenant Priesthood of Aaron. Lev 1:5 “And he shall slaughter the bull before Yahwah 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 Yahusha. Heb 7:21 For they (Levites) indeed became priests without an oath, but He (Yahusha) became Priest with an oath by Him (Yahwah) who said to Him, Yahwah has sworn and shall not regret,‘You (Yahusha) 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 toYahusha 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 Yahusha...

The Tabernacle

The Old Covenant Tent was a copy. Heb 8:4-5 For if indeed He (Yahusha) 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah Elohim of Yisra’el. But Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah promised. And I have built the House for the Name of Yahwah Elohim of Yisra’el.”

The New Covenant Temple (Dwelling Place) is Yah’s idea and is being built by HIM. 1Pe 2:4-5 “Drawing 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 Yahusha 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 (Yahusha 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 Yahwah!” See Ps. 118:26.

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 YHVH 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 YHVH is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and YHVH himself shall be with them, and be their Elohim.

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Measuring Belief Systems By The Commandments

Prior to Yahwah giving HIS people HIS Commandments through Moshe(Moses) in Exodus 20, they found themselves in bondage to a nation of idolators. Egypt worshipped many gods. Yahwah 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.

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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah, 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, Yahwah and HIS Son, Yahusha. 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, Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah, your Elohim to naught, for Yahwah 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 Yahwah, “that My people are taken away for naught? Those who rule over them make them wail,” declares Yahwah “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, Yahusha 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!

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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 Yahwah 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 10:29-30 “Yahusha 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 21:12-15 “He 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 neighbour, 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 neighbour: 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 Yahwah.”
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 Yahwah, 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 neighbour. I am Yahwah.”

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 2:22 “Who is the liar, except the one denying that Yahusha 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 neighbour’s house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”
Psa 10:3 “For the wrongdoer boasted of his cravings; And the greedy one cursed and despised Yahwah.”

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

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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.”

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.

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

“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