Did Mary obey the Law?

In a previous message (Shepherd of Hermas series), I showed that the parents of John the Baptist (Yochanan the Immerser) kept the commandments in the New Testament, just as Christians should today:

Luke 1:5-6

“There was in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a priest whose name was Zechariah, of the order of ministry of the house of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both RIGHTEOUS (Deuteronomy 6:25) before ELOHIM, and walked in ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YAHWEH WITHOUT BLAME.”

And before anyone decides to say, well that was before the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) was poured out, I would like to prove that the RUACH HA’KODESH was there in the Old Testament, many are refusing Him in favor of the flesh just as our ancestors did!

Isaiah 63:10

“But they rebelled and grieved His RUACH HA’KODESH; therefore He turned to be their enemy and He fought against them. Then He remembered the days of old, of Moses His servant. Just as when He brought up out of the sea the shepherd of the flock, and as he put His RUACH HA’KODESH within Moses…”

Acts 7:50-51

“Behold, has Not my hand made all these things? O you stubborn and insincere in heart and hearing, YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE RUACH HA’KODESH; as your fathers did, SO DO YOU.”

Again, for those who say that the law is done away with, I want to show another witness in the New Testament of Mary the mother of YESHUA obeying the Torah found in the Old Testament, just as the parents of John the Baptist. So how could it be done away with?

Luke 2:21-24

“Then when EIGHT DAYS had passed so that the boy could be circumcised, they called His Name YESHUA, as the messenger had called Him before He was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification were fulfilled according to the instruction of Moses, written in the Torah of Master YAHWEH that every male who opens the womb will be called a set-apart one of Master YAHWEH. And as a sacrifice it is said in the Torah of Master YAHWEH to give a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Verse 21: “Then when EIGHT DAYS had passed so that the boy could be circumcised”

Joseph and Mary obeyed the law that is found in the Torah firstly with the covenant made with Abraham.

Genesis 17:10-12

“This is My covenant, which you shall keep between Me and you and your descendants AFTER YOU: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between Me and you. And he that is EIGHT DAYS OLD shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or brought with money of any stranger, who is not of your descendants.”

Leviticus 12:3

“And on the EIGHTH DAY the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.”

Verse 22: “And when the days of her purification were fulfilled according to the instruction of Moses…”

Leviticus 12:1-4

“And YAHWEH spoke to Moses and said to him, speak to the children of Yisra’el, saying, if a woman has conceived and bear a MALE CHILD, then she shall be unclean for seven days; according to the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean. Verse 4 and she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying; she shall touch not set-apart thing, NOR COME INTO THE SANCTUARY, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.”

As we see, Mary bore a male child in YESHUA, so she was unclean for 40 days and did not come to the Temple to offer YESHUA as the first-born until after the purifying of her blood from giving birth just as it is written in the Torah. Jubilees tells us why:

Jubilees 3:9-14

“And after Adam had completed FORTY DAYS in the land where he had been created, we brought him into the Garden of Eden to serve and guard it, but his wife they brought in on the EIGHTIETH DAY, and after this she entered into the Garden of Eden. And for this reason the commandment is written on the heavenly tablets in regard to her that gives birth, “If she bears a male child, she shall remain in her uncleanness seven days according to the first week of days, and thirty-three days shall she remain in the blood of her purifying, and she shall not touch any set-apart thing, nor enter into the set-apart place, until she accomplishes these days which for the case of a male child. But in the case of a female child she shall remain in her uncleanness two weeks of days, according to the first two weeks, and sixty-six days in the blood of her purification, and they will be in all eighty days. And she had completed these eighty days we brought her into the Garden of Eden, for it is more set-apart than all the rest of the earth, and every tree that is planted in it is set-apart. Therefore there was ordained, regarding her who bears a male or a female child, the statue of those days that she should touch no set-apart thing, nor enter into the set-apart place UNTIL THESE DAYS for the male or female child are ACCOMPLISHED. This is the Torah and witness which was written down for Yisra’el, in order that they should guard it ALL THE DAYS.”

Verse 23: “Written in the Torah of Master YAHWEH that every male who opens the womb will be called a set-apart one of Master YAHWEH.”

Exodus 13:1-2

“And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying, sanctify to Me every FIRST-BORN that opens the womb among the children of Yisra’el, both of men and of animals, for they ARE MINE.”

Verse 24: “And as a sacrifice it is said in the Torah of Master YAHWEH to give a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Leviticus 12:6-8

“And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a LAMB of the first year for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove, for a transgression offering to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to the priest; and he shall offer it before YAHWEH and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the LAW OF HER WHO HAS BORNE A MALE CHILD OR A FEMALE CHILD. And if she CANNOT afford a LAMB, then she shall bring TWO PIGEONS OR TWO YOUNG TURTLEDOVES; the one for the transgression offering and the other for the burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her and she shall be clean.”

Notice that Mary fell into the category of one who could not afford the lamb? Therefore, she brought two turtledoves or two pigeons to make atonement for her according to the Torah. However, even though she could not afford LAMB, she gave birth to A LAMB that is PRICELESS!

Testament of Joseph 19:8

“And I saw a VIRGIN (Mary) was born from Judah, wearing a linen shawl, and a SPOTLESS LAMB WAS BORN FROM HER (YESHUA without transgression, He was perfect!)

As we see that Mary the mother of YESHUA and the parents of John the Baptist who prepared the way for YESHUA obeyed the Torah exactly as it written even in the New Testament, which is further proof that the Torah is NOT done away with. All righteous men and women in scripture obeyed the commandments and had faith, so let you who is listening also do the same.

As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!

Is Israel the son of YAHWEH and not YESHUA?

The great falling away is at hand and many are being seduced with false doctrines that are leading them away from the life-saving truth found in the blood of YESHUA who is EL and became flesh to die for our transgressions. Another topic that has come to my attention is that many believe that Yisra’el is the literal son of YAHWEH and not YESHUA. The scripture that is used to support this doctrine is:

Exodus 4:22

“And you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says YAHWEH, Yisra’el is my FIRST-BORN son.”

In this message we will see the symbolism of Yisra’el being the first-born and its importance in the Hebrew culture and I will show that YESHUA is the ETERNAL Son of YAHWEH and His literal first-born Son!

The creation account

Before explaining why YAHWEH calls Yisra’el His first-born son, I would like to present a question. If Yisra’el is the literal son of YAHWEH, then how can that fit into this scripture?

Proverbs 30:4

“Tell me, Who has ASCENDED up into heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a handkerchief? Who has established all the borders of the earth? What is His Name, and What is His SON’S NAME, if you can tell?

John 3:13 (Hebrew)

“And there is NO ONE who has ASCENDED up to the heavens, except He who DESCENDED from the heavens (YESHUA)-The Son of Man who is from the heavens.”

YESHUA has made this abundantly clear that this scripture is a reference to Him. Surely no one can say that Yisra’el (human beings) have ascended to the heavens, nor gathered the winds in their fists, nor held the waters in their hands like a handkerchief, nor established the borders of the earth. The only clear answer to this question is that the Son mentioned here is YESHUA as this scripture is a reference to ELOHIM (Mighty Ones) alone and the creation account! How can Yisra’el whom many say is YAHWEH’s literal son, be there in the beginning to establish the borders of the earth when man was not even created until the 6th day when everything was already prepared for him to have dominion over it? Furthermore, Jacob who would later be named Yisra’el came AFTER Adam and from Adam to Noah was about 1,656 years, and later came Abraham who  brought forth Isaac and Isaac brought forth Jacob aka Yisra’el, which again makes it literally impossible for the “Son” mentioned in this scripture of Proverbs 30:4 to be Yisra’el. Scripture tells us plainly that YESHUA is the Son who was present during creation not Yisra’el:

Isaiah 48:16

“Come near to Me, listen to this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the CREATION, THERE I AM; and now YAHWEH ELOHIM, and His SPIRIT, has sent Me.”

As we see in this verse YESHUA is speaking and says that He was here from the beginning of the creation, then He goes on to say that YAHWEH the Father and the Spirit sent Him. This is clearly YESHUA speaking of two others that are NOT HIMSELF, but yet ONE WITH Them; meaning ONE (Echad) United ELOHIM (Mighty Ones). This is Old Testament proof for those who deny the New Testament, which provides concrete proof of the words written in the New Testament.

John 1:1-3 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“In the beginning the Son was ELOAH. The Son of EL was both with EL, and the Son of EL was ELOAH. This One was IN THE BEGINNING WITH EL. ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; AND WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS, OF THAT WHICH WAS MADE.”

Revelation 3:14 (Aramaic) YESHUA speaking:

“And to the messenger of the assembly which is at Laodicea write: “These things says the Ahmein, the witness, the faithful, the true, the CHIEF OF THE CREATION OF ELOHIM.”

YAHWEH spoke the words and YESHUA The Son the WORD went forth and created everything as a skilled craftsman/sculptor.

Revelation 19:13

“And He was clothed with a vesture  dipped in blood; and He called His Name, The WORD OF YAHWEH.”

 Psalms 33:6

“By the WORD OF YAHWEH were the heavens made; and all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth.”

2 Esdras 6:38

“I said, “O YAHWEH ELOHIM, You didst speak at the BEGINNING OF CREATION, and didst say on the first day, ‘Let heaven and earth be made,’ AND THE WORD accomplished THE WORK.”

Genesis 1:1

“ELOHIM created the heavens and the earth in the very beginning.”

ELOHIM in Hebrew is PLURAL which means MIGHTY ONES! Which makes perfect sense and connects with Isaiah 48:16 and John 1, which ties perfectly in with:

Genesis 1:26

“Then ELOHIM said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness…”

The US and OUR are NOT malachim/angels because they CANNOT create and produce life only ELOHIM can. Now we know from the scriptures above that US is The Father YAHWEH as He spoke the Words, and YESHUA The Son/The Word Who went forth and created everything!

Baruch 3:32-37 (Apocrypha)

“But He that knows all things knows her and has found her out with His understanding; He that PREPARED THE EARTH FORVERMORE has filled it with four footed beasts: He that sends out light and it goes, calls it again and it obeys Him with fear. The stars shined in their watches and rejoiced: He calls them they say, Here we are, and so with cheerfulness they shine light to Him that MADE THEM. This is OUR ELOHIM and no other can be regarded in comparison to Him. He has found out all the ways of knowledge and has given it to Jacob His servant and to Yisra’el His beloved. Afterward HE SHOWED HIMSELF ON EARTH AND CONVERSED WITH MEN.”

We see that YESHUA created all things by the Word of YAHWEH and Baruch confirms this, but also says that He came to the earth and conversed with men. In other words YESHUA is The Son of YAHWEH became flesh on the earth, talked with men and died for our transgressions. The witnesses are endless.

What does YAHWEH mean by saying Yisra’el is His first-born? Inheritance of first-born

The first-born received a double portion of the inheritance, and the first-born was entitled to real estate and title of his dad, this is the reason why Yisra’el is likened as a first-born as they would receive honor and inheritance over all the other nations. It is beautiful symbolism used to define how YAHWEH views us in His sight.

Albert Barnes states “In early times, the first-born son was the officiating priest in the family, in the absence or on the death of the dad.”

Exodus 13:2

“Sanctify to me every FIRST-BORN that opens the womb among the children of Yisra’el, both of men and of animals: for the are MINE.”

First-born scriptures inheritance scriptures:

Exodus 4:22

“And you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says YAHWEH, Yisra’el is my FIRST-BORN son.”

Now let us examine this in context:

Deuteronomy 21:15-17

“If a man has two wives, one beloved and other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the FIRST-BORN son be hers that is hated;; then it shall be, when he makes his SONS TO INHERIT HIS PROPERTY, it is unlawful for him to make the son of the beloved wife FIRST-BORN before the son of the hated; but the FIRST-BORN, the Son of the hated, he must receive DOUBLE PORTION OF ALL THAT HE HAS; for he is the first of his children; and the RIGHT OF THE FIRST-BORN IS HIS.’

Genesis 25:29-34

“And Jacob cooked pottage, and behold, his brother Esau came in from the field, and he was very hungry; and Esau said to Jacob, give me some of that pottage, for I am famished; that is why he was called Edom. And Jacob said, sell me this day your birthright (Esau and Jacob were twins, but Esau was the FIRST-BORN). And Esau said, behold, I am at the point of death; and what profit shall a birthright be to me? And Jacob said to him, swear to me this day; and he swore to him and he sold his birthright (his first-born status) to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage; and he ate, and drank, and rose up and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.”

Though Esau despised his birthright and sold it for lentil soup, Jacob knew the importance of the birthright as the Hebrew culture understood it.

Jubilees 36:12-14

“And he (Isaac) divided all his possessions between the two (Jacob and Esau) on that day and he gave the LARGER PORTION to him that was the FIRST-BORN, and the tower and all that was about it, and all that Abraham possessed at the Well of the Oath. And he said, “This LARGER PORTION I will give to the FIRST-BORN.” And Esau said, “I have sold and given my BIRTHRIGHT to Jacob; let it be given to him. I do not have a single word to say regarding it, for it is his.”

Jubilees 37:1-3

“And on the day that Isaac the father of Jacob and Esau died, the sons of Esau heard that Isaac had given the PORTION OF THE ELDER TO HIS YOUNGER SON, Jacob, and they were angry. And they fought with their father, saying, “Why has your father given Jacob the portion of the ELDER, and passed over you, although you are the elder and Jacob the younger? And Esau said to them, “Because I sold my birthright to Jacob for a small portion of lentils…”

Genesis 48:13-19

“Then Joseph took both of his sons, Ephraim in his right hand towards Yisrael’s (Jacob) left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Yisrael’s (Jacob) RIGHT HAND (The right hand is used to bless the first-born), and brought them near to him. And Yisra’el stretched out his RIGHT HAND, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the YOUNGER, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head; he CHANGED THE POSITION OF HIS HANDS WITTINGLY, even though Manasseh was the FIRST-BORN. And Jacob blessed Joseph his son, saying, The ELOHIM before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked righteously, the ELOHIM  who has supplied my needs from my youth to this day. The malach (angel) who has delivered me for all evil, bless the lads; and let them bear my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow and multiply in the midst of the earth.”

This is why Joseph was so adamant about getting Jacob to place his right hand upon the head of Manasseh because he was the first-born and was to receive the blessing, but Jacob knew that Ephraim would be greater, so again we see the importance of the first-born’s blessing.

Jasher 23:22

“And Ishmael said to Eliezer, “Now my father Abraham is going with Isaac to bring him up for a ascension offering to YAHWEH, as He commanded him. Now when he returns he will give me ALL THAT HE POSSESSES, TO INHERIT AFTER HIM, FOR I AM HIS FIRSTBORN.”

 And the first-born was considered FAVORED by ELOHIM as we can see how important it was from the scriptures above, just as YAHWEH FAVORED Yisra’el as His first-born, by doing so He was using symbolism to show how much Yisra’el means to YAHWEH, and how He FAVORED them among the nations because they were in covenant with Him as we see in the following scriptures:

1 Chronicles 16:16-22

“Even His oath to Abraham and the covenant which He made with the sons of Isaac; and He has confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Yisra’el for an everlasting covenant, saying, to you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; when you were but few, even a few in numbers and strangers in it. And when you were carried away captive from nation to nation and from kingdom to kingdom to another kingdom, He permitted not the rulers to harm you, yeah, he chastened kings for YOUR SAKES, saying, touch not my anointed ones and do my prophets no harm.”

Sirach 17:17

“For in the division of the nations of the whole earth He set a ruler over every people; but Yisrael is ELOHIM’s portion: whom, being His FIRST-BORN He nourishes with discipline and giving him the light of the His love does not forsake him.”

Again, we see the symbolism used of a Father and son, as YAHWEH is the Father and He disciplines His children as a loving Father would, and we being His children aka first-born, He does just that, because we are His portion, we belong to Him.

Jubilees 2:19-21

“And He said to us, “Behold, I will separate to Myself a people from among ALL THE PEOPLES, and they shall guard the Shabbat day, and I will set them apart to Myself as My people, and will bless them, and they shall be My people and I will be their ELOHIM. And I have chosen the seed of Jacob from among all that I have seen, and have written him down as My FIRST-BORN son, and have set him apart to Myself for ever and ever…”

And being that Yisra’el is His first-born also means that we receive the inheritance and makes us co-heirs with His Son YESHUA!

Daniel 7:13-14, 27

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man (YESHUA) came upon the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days (YAHWEH), and they brought Him before Him. And there was given Him dominion and esteem and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed.” Verse 27 “And the dominions and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the set-apart people of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Revelation 2:25-27 (Hebrew)

“And whosoever overcomes I will give NATIONS as his INHERITANCE, and he will lead them with a rod of iron, and you will shatter them like a potter’s vessel. And like I received from My Father so I will give him the light (esteem).”

John 3:35 (Hebrew)

“The Father loves the Son, and He gave everything in His hand (authority/power.”)

Mathew 28:18

“YESHUA came and talked with them. He said, “ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”

We will see what inheritance those who follow YESHUA get and those who follow Satan get in the next section.

The same first-born symbolism is used for Satan:

1 John 3:8-9 (Aramaic)

“And he that commits transgression IS OF SATAN; because Satan was a transgressor from the beginning: and for this cause, the Son of ELOHIM appeared that He might destroy the works of Satan. Everyone that is born of ELOHIM does not PRACTICE transgression because his seed is in him and he cannot transgress because he is born of ELOHIM. By this are the CHILDREN OF ELOHIM discriminated from the CHILDREN OF SATAN.”

Polycarp a disciple of John Son of Zebedee, says in his letter to the Philippians in 108 AD Chapter 7 “Anyone who does not confess the execution stake is of the devil, whoever says there is no resurrection or judgement, is the FIRST-BORN of Satan.”

Polycarp says outright that those who say YESHUA did not die for their transgressions on the execution stake is of the devil, just as John said:

1 John 4:1-3

“My beloved, do not believe all spirits; but discriminate among spirits whether they are of ELOHIM: for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this the Spirit of ELOHIM is KNOWN; every spirit that confesses that YESHUA the Messiah has come in the flesh IS OF ELOHIM. And every spirit which does NOT CONFESS that YESHUA the Messiah has come in the flesh is NOT OF ELOHIM; but he is of the FALSE MESSIAH of whom you have heard that he comes and now is he already in the world.”

A brother in YESHUA pointed this out as well: The same way that the FIRST-BORN OF YAHWEH will inherit the New Jerusalem and eternal life, is the same way that the FIRST-BORN OF SATAN will inherit the LAKE OF FIRE!

Romans 8:17

“And if children, THEN HEIRS, HEIRS of ELOHIM and JOINT HEIRS WITH YESHUA the Messiah; so that if we suffer with Him, we shall also be esteemed with Him.”

It doesn’t mean Satan literally brought you forth, it means that person is the spiritual seed/child of Satan. So, we as Yisra’el are YAHWEH’s children, his first-born, that He favors above all nations. that are spiritually reborn through the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) and those who follow Satan are his first-born.

Mathew 3:7 (Hebrew)

“But as he saw great multitudes of Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he (John) said unto them (FAMILY OF VIPERS, Genesis 3:15 serpent seed), who taught you to flee from the anger of YAHWEH?”

Mathew 23:33 (Hebrew)

“SERPENTS, GENEALOGY OF FIERY SNAKES, how will you be delivered of the judgement of Gei-Hinnom?”

John 8:44

“You belong to YOUR FATHER SATAN, and you want to carry out YOUR FATHER’S desires. From the start he was a murderer, and he has never stood by the truth, because there is not truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is speaking in character; because his is a liar indeed, the inventor of the lie!”

Family of vipers, serpents, and genealogy of fiery snakes are all references to Genesis 3:15 when Satan the serpent was cursed and YAHWEH prophesied that YESHUA would crush his head.

Revelation 12:9

“The great dragon was thrown out, that ANCIENT SERPENT, also known as the DEVIL AND SATAN, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled down to earth, and his malachim were hurled down with him.”

YESHUA being the ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON OF YAHWEH

Psalms 2:6-9 (Septuagint)

“But I have been made King by Him (YESHUA speaking) on Zion His set-apart mountain, declaring the statue of YAHWEH: YAHWEH said to Me (YESHUA), You are MY SON, TODAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN YOU. Ask of Me and I will give you the nations as your INHERITANCE and the ends of the earth for Your possession (Daniel 7:13-14). You shall rule them with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:27), you shall dash them in pieces as a potters vessel.”

John 3:16 (Hebrew Besorah/gospel)

“For EL loves the world so much that He gave His ONLY SON-ONE ALONE BEGOTTEN- to the world; in order that He who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Colossians 1:14-20 (Aramaic)

“By whom we have redemption and forgiveness of transgressions Who is the likeness of the invisible ELOHIM and the FIRST-BORN of all creatures. And by Him was created everything that is in heaven and on earth, all that is visible and all that is invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; everything was through Him and was created by Him: and HE WAS PRIOR TO ALL, and by HIM everything exists. And He is the head of the body of the Assembly; as He is the head and FIRST-BORN from among the dead, that He might be the first in ALL THINGS. For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell; and by Him, to reconcile all things to Himself; and through Him He was pacified, with the blood of His stake, both those on earth and those in heaven.”

In Colossians, Paul mentions that YESHUA is the FIRST-BORN of all creation, which means that He is the Chief and Head of the creation as He was here from the beginning and all things were created by Him by I stated in the introduction, again:

Revelation 3:14 (Aramaic) YESHUA speaking:

“And to the messenger of the assembly which is at Laodicea write: “These things says the Ahmein, the witness, the faithful, the true, the CHIEF OF THE CREATION OF ELOHIM.”

Begotten Son of YAHWEH means that He is the exact substance, likeness, esteem and image of YAHWEH The Father being that YAHWEH is invisible, Who became flesh a human being, proving that He Himself is ELOHIM and man. Eternally YESHUA existed as the only begotten Son of The Father in His eternal state before creation, then He physically came in the flesh born of virgin Mary by the RUACH HA’KODESH, which means YAHWEH is still His Father in the spiritual (eternal) and physical realm. He was not created as false Arianism teaches, nor born as humans are, He always existed as He is One with the Father and the proof that was shown through the scriptures by the creation account.

Other proof YESHUA is the Son of YAHWEH even before becoming flesh is found in the Hebrew.

John 3:17-18 (Hebrew besorah)

“For ELOAH did not send His Son into the world in order to judge the world, but in order that the world may be saved through Him. Whosever believes in Him will not be judged, but whosoever does not believe in Him is already judged-because he does not believe in the ETERNAL ONE-ALONE BEGOTTEN SON OF ELOAH.”

The definition of eternal is lasting or EXISTING FOREVER; WITHOUT END OR BEGINNING.”

Daniel 3:25

“The King answered and said behold I see men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like that of the SON OF ELOHIM.”

As we see in Daniel which is in the Old Testament, the SON of ELOHIM was seen, which means that He is THE ETERNAL SON OF YAHWEH which matches what was written in John 3:17-18!

YESHUA is the also the literal First-Born of YAHWEH

As we see YESHUA was the eternal (existing forever without end or beginning) Son of The Father before walking the earth and not a created being, He is the Only begotten-Son of YAHWEH. And we will see the rights of the first-born being passed down throughout Yisrael’s history all the way to YESHUA when He was born in the flesh through the RUACH HA’KODESH, showing that He is the Son of YAHWEH before becoming flesh and the First-born Son of YAHWEH when He became flesh.

Genesis 35:22

“And it came to pass, when Yisra’el (Jacob) dwelt in that land, that Rueben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine; and Yisra’el heard of it…”

So when Rueben slept with Bilhah his dad’s concubine, his birthright was taken away and given to the sons of Joseph.

1 Chronicles 5:1

“Now the sons of Rueben the FIRST-BORN of Yisra’el (for he was the first-born of his father; but, because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph his brother; the son of Yisra’el; and upon his two sons came the blessings, more than all the tribes of Yisra’el.

This makes Ephraim the first-born son because of the blessing of Jacob as we read earlier in:

Genesis 48:19-20

“And when Joseph saw that his father laid his RIGHT HAND upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; and he helped up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, not so, my father; for this is the FIRST-BORN; put your right hand upon his head. But his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of peoples.”

Jeremiah 31:9

“They shall go with weeping, but they shall return with fervent prayer; I will lead them by the paths that have water, in straight ways in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Yisra’el, and EPHRAIM IS MY FIRST-BORN.”

Psalms 78:67-71

“Moreover He refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim; but CHOSE THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, mount Zion which He loved. And He built His sanctuary on a high place, and He established it upon the earth for ever. He CHOSE DAVID also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes that give suck, he brought him to feed Jacob His people and Yisra’el His inheritance.”

Psalms 89:20-29

“I have found David my servant; with my set-apart oil have I anointed him. My hand has helped him; mine arm also has strengthen him. The enemy shall not prevail upon him, nor the sons of the wicked afflict him. And I will destroy his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him; and in My Name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry to me, You art my Father, My ELOHIM, and my Mighty Savior. Also I will make him my FIRST-BORN, and will exalt him over the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His offspring also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.”

David from the tribe of Judah has become the FIRST-BORN and YAHWEH promises that there would not cease to be a ruler from His bloodline to be on the throne this is a DUAL PROPHECY HERE, which is mentioned in:

2 Samuel 7:12-19

“And when your days are fulfilled and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come out of your loins, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be like a Father to him and he shall be LIKE a son to me. If he commit folly, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men; but My mercy I will not take from him, as I took it from Saul who was king before you, and whom I put away from before Me. And your house and your kingdom shall BE ESTABLISHED FOREVER before Me; your throne SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOREVER. According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan the prophet speak to David. Then king David went in and sat before YAHWEH, and he said, who am I, O YAHWEH ELOHIM? And what is my house, that You have elevated me to this place? And is this yet a small thing in Your sight, O YAHWEH ELOHIM, that YOU HAVE SPOKEN ALSO CONCERNING YOUR SERVANTS DESCENDANTS FOR A GREAT WHILE TO COME?...”

David is from the tribe of Judah and his throne would be established forever, this was a prophecy concerning YESHUA the Son of YAHWEH coming through his line.

Micah 5:2 (Aramaic)

“And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of towns of JUDAH, yet out of you shall come forth a RULER to govern Yisra’el; Whose GOINGS FORTH have been predicted from of old, from ETERNITY.”

Micah 5:2 (Septuagint)

“And you, Bethlehem, house of Ephrathah, are few in number to reckoned among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you one shall come out to Me, to be a RULER OF YISRA’EL; and His goings out were FROM THE BEGINNING, EVEN FROM THE DAYS OF ETERNITY.”

Genesis 49:10 (Aramaic)

“The scepter shall not depart from JUDAH, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until the coming of the ONE to whom the scepter belongs, to whom the gentiles shall look forward.”

As I’ve already shown from the scriptures is that the Ruler that would come from Judah existed from eternity and that is YESHUA as He was here from the beginning and created all things. So, YESHUA is the King, the Son of YAHWEH to come from the line of David from the tribe of Judah and He is YAHWEH’s FIRST-BORN in the flesh, born of virgin Mary.

Mathew 1:20-25 (Aramaic)

“While he was thinking these things, a messenger of Master YAHWEH appeared to him in a dream, and said to him. “Joseph, the son of David, do not have fear to take Mary as your wife, for He that is BEGOTTEN (Psalms 2:7-12) in her is from the RUACH HA’KODESH. And she will bear a son and she will call His Name YESHUA, for He will save His people from their transgressions.” And this all happened that it might be fulfilled what was said by Master YAHWEH through the prophet, “Behold a virgin will conceive and give birth to a SON, and they will call His Name Immanuel, which is interpreted as ‘Our EL is with us.” And when Joseph now rose from his sleep, he did as the messenger of Master YAHWEH commanded him, and he took his wife. And he did not know her (sexually) until she had given birth to her FIRST-BORN SON, and she called His Name YESHUA.”

YESHUA is the literal first-born of YAHWEH in the flesh from the Tribe of Judah and the ETERNAL SON OF YAHWEH, none of this is symbolic. And this all fulfills the prophecies spoken of in the Old Testament and to the promise to David.

Luke 1:32-33 (Aramaic)

“This One will be great and will be called the SON of the Highest, and Master YAHWEH your ELOHIM will give to Him the THRONE OF DAVID his father. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And there will not be an end to His Kingdom forever.”

Acts 13:22-23 (Aramaic)

“And He took him and raised David the king for them. And He testified concerning him and said, “I have found David the son of Jessie a man according to My heart; and he will do all my will. From the SEED OF THIS MAN (David’s bloodline) ELOHIM raised YESHUA the Savior for Yisra’el as was promised.”

Revelation 22:16 (Hebrew)

“I YESHUA sent My messengers to show this to the assembly. Even I AM THE ROOT OF THE FAMILIES OF DAVID!”

Ezekiel 37:24-25

“And my servant David (YESHUA) shall be King over them; and they all shall have One Shepherd; and they shall walk in My judgements and keep My commandments and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, in which your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell in it, even they and their children and their children’s children FOR EVER; and My servant David, shall be their Prince FOR EVER.”

David mentioned here is a reference to YESHUA based on the prophecy that we read in 2 Samuel 7 that David would not cease to have a ruler upon the throne its poetic language, then Luke 1:32 shows YESHUA will sit on the throne of David. As we see in this prophecy in Ezekiel that David which is YESHUA will rule over the 12 tribes when they are regathered in the land of Yisra’el. YESHUA lives forever, David is currently in the grave so this is not literally speaking of David.

Acts 2:29-34 (Aramaic)

“Men, our brothers, allow me to speak boldly with you concerning the Patriarch David, who is DEAD and ALSO BURIED, and whose grave is with us until today. For he was a prophet, and he had known that oaths that ELOHIM had sworn to him, that, of the fruit of your loins I WILL ESTABLSIH A KING UPON YOUR THRONE. And he foresaw and spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah, that was not left in Sheol, nor did his body see corruption. This YESHUA ELOHIM raised, and we are all witnesses.. And this is He who is exalted at the right hand of ELOHIM, and received the promise from the Father concerning the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit). And He has poured out this gift, which behold you see and you hear. For it was NOT THAT DAVID did ascend into the heaven, because he said, “Master YAHWEH said to My Master, sit yourself at My right hand, until I place your enemies as a footstool to your feet.” Truly therefore let all the house of Yisra’el know that Master YAHWEH has made this YESHUA whom you crucified both ELOHIM AND MESSIAH.”

So who is YAHWEH’s Son?

Hosea 11:1

“When Yisra’el was a child, then I loved him, and call him, my son, out of Egypt.”

This is a beautiful scripture with a dual meaning embedded in just as we saw from Psalms 89. In the peshat which is the literal meaning YAHWEH sent Moses to deliver his first-born son out of slavery in Egypt, but in the Remez which is the hint to a deeper spiritual meaning and of a future prophecy, YAHWEH calls His literal Son YESHUA out of Egypt.

Mathew 2:13-15

“And when they went, the messenger of Master YAHWEH appeared to Joseph in a dream and said to him, “Arise, take the boy (YESHUA) and his mother and flee to EGYPT and there remain until I tell you. For Herod is going to seek the boy to destroy Him.” Joseph arose and took the boy and His mother in the night and fled to Egypt. That might be fulfilled the thing that was spoken from Master YAHWEH by the prophet which said that, “From Egypt I have called My Son.”

Again, lets re-examine the questions that were presented in the introduction:

Exodus 4:22

“And you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says YAHWEH, Yisra’el is my FIRST-BORN son.”

Proverbs 30:4

“Tell me, Who has ascended up into heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a handkerchief? Who has established all the borders of the earth? What is His Name, and What is His SON’S NAME, if you can tell?

The answer should be abundantly clear now: His Name is YESHUA HA’MASHICAH (The Anointed One), He is the Anointed King, Priest, and Prophet and the Only begotten Son of YAHWEH. May YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’S Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command #12: Can the commandments be KEPT?

Last week we ended with Chapter 3 of the 12th commandment where the malach of repentance said:

“I say to him, “Sir, these commandments are great, and good, and esteemed, and fitted to gladden the heart of the man who can perform them. But I do not know if these commandments can be kept by man, because they are exceeding hard.” He answered and said to me, “If you lay it down as certain that they can be kept, then you will easily keep them, and they will not be hard. But if you come to imagine that they cannot be kept by man, then you will not keep them. Now I say to you, If you do not keep them, but neglect them, you will not be saved, nor your children, nor your house, since you have already determined for yourself that these commandments cannot be kept by man.”

The malach of repentance just crushed the entire doctrine of modern-day Christianity which states the commandments are legalistic and bondage, cannot be kept by any human being, and are exceedingly hard. Is this what the scriptures teach?

1 John 5:3

“For this is the love of ELOHIM, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are NOT BURDENSOME.”

Deuteronomy 30:11-12

“For this commandment which I command you this day is not hidden from you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may DO IT.”

Psalms 19:7-8

“The Torah of YAHWEH is PERFECT, converting the soul; the testimony of YAHWEH is trustworthy, making wise the young men. The statues of YAHWEH are right, REJOICING the heart; the commandment of YAHWEH is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

James 1:25 (Hebrew)

“But whosever sees with fullness in the LAW OF JOY, and ESTABLISHES it (Does it), and does not forget what he heard, but DOES IT, this one will be blessed in all his deeds.”

Jeremiah 15:16

“Your commandments have I kept and carried out, Your word was to me a DELIGHT and the JOY of my heart; for I am called by Your Name.”

So, we just read from the scriptures that the commandments are not burdensome and also that the Torah is PERFECT, The Law of JOY, and REJOICES the heart. These scriptures completely dismantle the legalistic and bondage false doctrine of Christianity, as we see the scriptures say the exact opposite. However, most Christians will quickly quote:

Philippians 4:16

“I have strength to do all, through Messiah who strengthens me.”

Then turn right around and say they can’t keep the commandments of the ONE who gave them! That does not make any sense does it? The same Messiah who gives you strength to do all things is the same One who said keep the commandments; therefore, it’s not too hard for you! Most people just refuse to obey them, because the flesh is winning the war over their spirit.

Luke 6:46

“Why do you call Me, My Master, My Master, and DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY?” And what does YESHUA say?

John 14:21

“He who has My commandments with Him and OBEYS THEM is the one who loves Me; He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

Revelation 22:14

“Blessed are those who DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Luke 11:28

“He said to her, “Blessed are they who hear (shema) the Word o ELOHIM and KEEP IT.”

Shema in Hebrew means to HEAR and OBEY! Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) which is followed by actions, and the action is to obey the commandments that you heard.

Romans 2:13

“For NOT THE HEARERS of Torah are righteous before ELOHIM, but the DOERS OF TORAH ARE BEING MADE RIGHTEOUS.”

James 1:22

“But be DOERS OF THE WORD, and NOT HEARERS ONLY; and do NOT DECEIVE YOURSELVES.”

James and Paul clearly understand what Shema means to HEAR AND OBEY, not just be hearers only!

CHAPTER 4

“These things he said to me in tones of the deepest anger, so that I was confounded and exceedingly afraid of him, for his figure was altered so that a man could not endure his anger.”

The first thing I want to point out is that Hermas could not endure the anger of a malach (angel), so how can anyone endure the wrath of YAHWEH and YESHUA our ELOHIM who created the malachim (angels)? The angel that made Hermas afraid trembles in His presence of YAHWEH? Do you want this feeling on judgement day?

Testament of Levi 3:9-10

“Therefore when YAHWEH looks at us (malachim/angels), all of us are shaken; yes, the heavens, and the earth, and the abysses TREMBLE at the presence of His majesty. But the sons of men, not perceiving these things, transgress and provoke the anger of Most High.”

2 Esdras 13:1-4 (YESHUA)

“After seven days, I dreamed a dream in the night; and behold, a great wind arose from the sea so that it stirred up all its waves. And I looked, and behold, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And I looked, and behold, that man flew with the clouds of heaven; and wherever He turned His FACE to look, EVERYTHING UNDER HIS GAZE TREMBLED…”

Revelation 6:16

“And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come, and WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?

Shepherd of Hermas continued:“ But seeing me altogether agitated and confused, he began to speak to me in more gentle tones; and he said: “O feel, senseless and doubting, do you not perceive how great is the esteem of ELOHIM, and how strong and marvelous, in that He created the world for the sake of man, and subjected all creation to him, and gave him power to rule over everything under heaven? If, then, man is master of the creatures of ELOHIM, and rules over all, is he not able to be master also of these commandments?

Genesis 1:26

“Then ELOHIM said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild beasts of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

2 Esdras 6:53-54

“On the sixth day You did command the earth to bring forth before You cattle, beasts, and creeping things; and over these You did place Adam, as RULER over ALL THE WORKS which You had made previously…”

Being that ELOHIM gave us dominion over His creation, why would He not give us the power to walk in the commandments that He personally gave?

Wisdom 2:23-24

“For ELOHIM created man to be immortal and made him to be an image of His own eternity. Nevertheless through the envy of Satan, death came into the world; and those that take his side find it.”

Those who do not walk in the commandments of YAHWEH are taking the side of Satan and they will find death in the end.

Did ELOHIM give us commandments we couldn’t keep?

As we see the malach of repentance has answered this question and the answer is no! We were created to rule over the creation of ELOHIM, so how can we not master the laws that He gave?

Luke 1:5-6 (The parents of John the Baptist)

“In the days of Herod the king of Judah, there was a certain priest whose name was Zechariah, from the order of the house of Abiya. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisheba. And they were both RIGHTEOUS before ELOHIM, BLAMELESSLY WALKING IN ALL THE COMMANDS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YAHWEH.”

Yes, this is a New Testament example for those who say the law cannot be kept. Looks look at some more examples:

Genesis 7:1

“Then ELOHIM said to Noah, enter into the ark; you and all your household, for you alone have I seen RIGHTEOUS (Deuteronomy 6:25) before me in this generation.”

Sirach 44:17

“Noah was found PERFECT and RIGHTEOUS (Deuteronomy 6:25), in the time of anger he was taken in exchange for the world; then he was left as a remnant on the earth, when the flood came.”

Genesis 17:1

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, YAHWEH appeared to him, and said to him, I am the Almighty ELOHIM; walk well before me, and be FAULTLESS.”

Genesis 26:5

“Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statues, and My LAWS.”

Sirach 44:19-20

“Abraham was a great father of many people: in esteem was there none like him; who KEPT THE LAW OF ELYON (EL MOST HIGH) AND WAS IN COVENANT with Him…”

The Torah can be kept, because YAHWEH is not going to purposely give us commandments that we cannot keep. The problem is that the world has gotten so far removed from the ways of our ELOHIM that transgression increased heavily upon the earth; and we all broke the Torah at some point and the wages of transgression is death. This is why we need a Savior in YESHUA! So, being that YESHUA came to die because we broke the Torah, how do you go on continuing to break the Torah when that is the reason why He died? The commandments are how we know Him (1 John 2:3-4 and how we love Him John 14:21 and 1 John 5:3).

Romans 3:31

“What, then? Do we nullify the Law through faith? FAR BE IT; on the CONTRARY, we UPHOLD THE LAW.”

We deserved to die for transgressing against YAHWEH’s commandments, but He chose not put us to death, rather He sent His Son YESHUA to die in our place, this is the real meaning of GRACE which is defined as unmerited favor  that we did not earn or deserve.

1 John 4:9-10

“By this was the love of ELOHIM toward us made known, for ELOHIM sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved ELOHIM, but that ELOHIM loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our transgressions.”

It must be understood that without the shedding of YESHUA’s blood we would not be saved, we needed a Savior because of our transgressions, but that is not a license to go on breaking His laws as stated in the previous messages. There is a difference between ignorant transgression and willful transgressions of the commandments. We obey the commands because this is how we love Him and know Him.

Numbers 15:30-31

“But the person who commits transgression DEFIANTLY, whether he be of you or the proselytes, the same BLASPHEMES before YAHWEH; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has DESPISED the word of YAHWEH and has broken the commandments, that person shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: For,” says he, “the man who has YAHWEH in his heart can also be master of all, and of every one of these commandments. But to those who have YAHWEH only on their lips, but their hearts hardened, and who are far from YAHWEH, the commandments are hard and difficult.”

Mathew 15:7-9

“O you hypocrites, the prophet Isaiah well prophesied concerning you, saying, this people honor Me with THEIR LIPS, but their HEART is far away from Me. And they worship Me in VAIN when they teach the doctrines of the commandments of men.”

Isaiah 29:13

“Therefore YAHWEH said, forasmuch as this people draw near Me with THEIR MOUTH, and with their LIPS do honor Me, but have removed their HEART FAR FROM ME, and their reverence toward Me is taught by the precepts and doctrine of men.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Put, therefore, ye who are empty and fickle in your faith, YAHWEH in your heart, and ye will know that there is nothing easier or sweeter, or more manageable, than these commandments. Return, ye who WALK in the COMMANDMENTS OF THE DEVIL, in hard, and bitter, and wild immorality, and fear not the devil; for there is no power in him against you, for I will be with you, the malach of repentance, who am master over him. The devil has fear only, but his fear has no strength. Fear him not, then, and he will flee from you.”

Acts 26:18

“To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to ELOHIM and receive forgiveness of transgressions and a portion with the saints who are of the faith in Me.”

1 John 3:8

“He who commits transgression (1 John 3:4 which is breaking Torah) is OF THE DEVIL, because the devil has been a transgressor from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of ELOHIM appeared, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Those who say the law is done away with are walking in the commandments of the devil, in doing so your heart becomes hard and you say the commandments are too hard to keep, legalistic and bondage, which means you are honoring YAHWEH with your lips but your heart is FAR FROM HIM.

CHAPTER 5

I say to him, “Sir, listen to me for a moment.” “Say what you wish,” says he. “Man, sir,” say I, “is eager to keep the commandments of ELOHIM, and there is no one who does not ask of YAHWEH that strength may be given him for these commandments, and that he may be subject to them; but the devil is hard, and holds sway over them.” “He cannot,” says he, “hold sway over the servants of ELOHIM, who with all their heart place their hopes in Him. The devil CAN wrestle against these, overthrow them he cannot. If, then, ye resist him, he will be conquered, and flee in disgrace from you. As many, therefore,” says he, “as are empty, fear the devil, as possessing power. When a man has filled very suitable jars with good wine, and a few among those jars are left empty, then he comes to the jars, and does not look at the full jars, for he knows that they are full; but he looks at the empty, being afraid lest they have become sour. For empty jars quickly become sour, and the goodness of the wine is gone. So also the devil goes to all the servants of ELOHIM to try them.”

Revelation 12:17

“And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of ELOHIM and have the testimony of YESHUA.”

In Mathew 4 we see that after YESHUA was led to the wilderness after 40 days of fasting then Satan appeared to tempt him. YESHUA tells us that:

John 15:20

“Remember the word which I said to you, that no servant is greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will also keep yours.”

We are servants of YESHUA; therefore, He is our Master and we are not greater than He is. The devil tried Him as he also tries us, YESHUA was persecuted, just as we will be persecuted. But, just as the malach of repentance said is that the devil will wrestle with you but not overcome you, and YESHUA also said:

John 16:33

“These things I have said to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but have courage, I have conquered the world.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “As many, then, as are full in the faith, resist him strongly, and he withdraws from them, having no way by which he might enter them. He goes, then, to the empty, and finding a way of entrance, into them, he produces in them whatever he wishes, and they become his servants.”

John 8:34

“YESHUA answered them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that everyone who practices transgression is a SLAVE to transgression.”

Romans 6:16

“Don’t you know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, then, of the one whom you are OBYEING, you are SLAVES- whether of transgression, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to being made righteous?”

If one is practicing transgression it is become Satan has entered into them, he produces in them whatever he wishes, and they become HIS SERVANTS, just as the malach of repentance says which matches the words of YESHUA and Paul.

CHAPTER 6

“But I, the malach  of repentance, say to you Fear not the devil; for I was sent,” says he, “to be with you who repent with all your heart, and to make you strong in faith. Trust ELOHIM, then, ye who on account of your transgressions have despaired of life, and who add to your transgressions and weigh down your life; for if ye return to YAHWEH with all your heart, and practice righteousness (Deuteronomy 6:25) the rest of your days, and serve Him according to His will (Psalms 40:8), He will heal your former transgressions, and you will have power to hold sway over the works of the devil. But as to the threats of the devil, fear them not at all, for he is powerless as the sinews of a dead man. Give ear to me, then, and fear Him who has all power, both to save and destroy, and keep His commandments, and ye will live to ELOHIM.”

Mathew 10:28

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but who cannot kill the soul; but above all, be afraid of Him who can destroy both the soul and the body in Gei-Hinnom.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued:  “I say to him, “Sir, I am now made strong in all the ordinances of YAHWEH, because you are with me; and I know that you will crush all the power of the devil, and we shall have rule over him, and shall prevail against all his works. And I hope, sir, to be able to keep all these commandments which you have enjoined upon me, YAHWEH strengthening me.” “You will keep them,” says he, “if your heart be pure towards YAHWEH; and all will keep them who cleanse their hearts from the vain desires of this world, and they will live to ELOHIM.”

Mathew 5:8

“Blessed are the PURE IN HEART, for they shall see ELOHIM.”

This concludes the 12 commandments of the Shepherd of Hermas which all align with the scriptures. Remember to do them all so that you can live to ELOHIM. As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command #12: Overcome evil desire! Part 1

CHAPTER 1

“He says to me, “Put away from you all wicked desire, and clothe yourself with good and chaste desire; for clothed with this desire you will hate wicked desire, and will rein yourself in even as you wish. For wicked desire is wild, and is with difficulty tamed. For it is terrible, and consumes men exceedingly by its wildness. Especially is the servant of ELOHIM terribly consumed by it, if he falls into it and is devoid of understanding. Moreover, it consumes all such as have not on them the garment of good desire, but are entangled and mixed up with this world. These it delivers up to death.”

James 1:13-14

“But let no one say-when a temptation comes on him- “This comes from YAHWEH,” for YAHWEH does not tempt man with evil, and He is not tempted by anyone. Only, everyone is tempted when his DESIRE overcomes him. And afterwards if he accepted the DESIRE, it causes the sin; but the sin-when it is completed causes the death.”

As the malach of repentance said: “These it delivers up to death.”

Amos 5:15

“Hate the evil and love the good, and establish justice in the gate…”

Romans 12:9

“Let not your love be full of deceit: but be haters of evil things and adherers to good things.”

Psalms 119:128

“Therefore I love all Your commandments; and I hate every way of the wicked.”

CHAPTER 2

““What then, sir,” say I, “are the deeds of wicked desire which deliver men over to death? Make them known to me, and I will refrain from them.” “Listen, then, to the works in which evil desire slays the servants of ELOHIM.” Foremost of all is the desire after another’s wife or husband…”

Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, not his manservant nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbors.”

Deuteronomy 5:21

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…”

Sirach 9:9

“Do not sit at all with another man’s wife nor sit down with her in your arms and do not spend your money on wine with her; for fear that your heart inclines to her and so through your DESIRE you fall into destruction.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “And after extravagance (a condition of GREAT comfort, ease as one trusting in their riches) and many useless dainties and drinks (wasting money), and many other foolish luxuries; (unnecessary expenses like $700 pair of shoes, expensive and excessive jewelry, etc.. Shepherd of Hermas explains the rich are given riches to help the poor) all luxury is foolish and empty in the servants of ELOHIM. These, then, are the evil desires which slay the servants of ELOHIM. For this evil desire is the daughter of the devil. You must refrain from evil desires, that by refraining ye may live to ELOHIM. But as many as are mastered by them, and do not resist them, will perish at last, for these desires are fatal.”

James 4:1-4 (Hebrew)

“And why is there war among you? Is it not because of your DESIRES which fight in your members (flesh)? So you desire, but do not receive; and he who takes revenge and stays angry does not profit by it. And why all this? Because you do not pray, and when you do a prayer, it is not answered because you pray wrongly.” O adulterer and adulteress, do you not know that whosoever loves this world, he hates YAHWEH? So, whosoever wants to be a lover of this world, he himself will be a hater of YAHWEH.”

These pray wrongly to satisfy their evil worldly desires and lusts, and those who love the world and its lusts are haters of YAHWEH. As the malach of repentance said evil desire is wild, not easily tamed, is fatal and will destroy the servants of ELOHIM.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Put you on, then, the desire of righteousness (Deuteronomy 6:25, 1 John 2:29); and arming yourself with the fear of YAHWEH (Ecclesiastes 12:13, Proverbs 9:10), resist them. For the fear of YAHWEH dwells in good desire. But if evil desire see you armed with the fear of ELOHIM, and RESISTING it, it will FLEE far from you, and it will no longer appear to you, for it fears your ARMOR.”

 James 4:7

“Submit yourselves, then, to ELOHIM. Resist the devil, and he will FLEE from you.”

Ephesians 6:11-17

“And put on the whole ARMOR of ELOHIM so that you may be able to stand against the strategies of the Accuser. For our conflict is not with flesh and blood but with principalities and with those in authority, and with the possessors of this dark world, and with the evil spirits that are under heaven. Therefore put on the whole ARMOR of ELOHIM that you may be able to meet the evil one; and, being in all respects prepared, may stand firm. Stand up therefore, and gird your loins with truth (Psalms 119:142); and put on the breastplate of righteousness (Deuteronomy 6:25); and defend your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace (YESHUA). And now take to you the confidence of faith (Habukkuk 2:4) by which you will have power to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And put on the helmet of salvation; and take hold of the sword of the spirit which is the Word of ELOHIM.”

Evil desire which is the daughter of the devil will flee from you as Satan will flee from you when you have on the ARMOR OF YAHWEH! Arm yourselves and defeat the enemy.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Go, then, garlanded with the crown which you have gained for victory over it, to the desire of righteousness, and, delivering up to it the prize which you have received, serve it even as it wishes. If you serve good desire, and be subject to it, you will gain the mastery over evil desire, and make it subject to you even as you wish.”

CHAPTER 3

“I should like to know,” say I, “in what way I ought to serve good desire.” “Hear,” says he: “You will practice righteousness and virtue, truth and the fear of YAHWEH, faith and meekness, and whatsoever excellences are like to these. Practicing these, you will be a well-pleasing servant of ELOHIM, and you will live to Him; and every one who shall serve good desire, shall live to ELOHIM.” He concluded the twelve commandments, and said to me, “You have now these commandments. Walk in them, and exhort your hearers that their repentance may be pure during the remainder of their life. Fulfill carefully this ministry which I now entrust to you, and you will accomplish much. For you will find favor among those who are to repent, and they will give heed to your words; for I will be with you, and will compel them to obey you.” I say to him, “Sir, these commandments are great, and good, and esteemed, and fitted to gladden the heart of the man who can perform them. But I do not know if these commandments can be kept by man, because they are exceeding hard.” He answered and said to me, “If you lay it down as certain that they can be kept, then you will easily keep them, and they will not be hard. But if you come to imagine that they cannot be kept by man, then you will not keep them. Now I say to you, If you do not keep them, but neglect them, you will not be saved, nor your children, nor your house, since you have already determined for yourself that these commandments cannot be kept by man.”

ELOHIM willing part 2 is a discussion about if the commandments are too hard to keep or not and we will see if the malach of repentance agrees with Christianity which says the commandments are impossible to keep and bondage.

As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you and in YESHUA’s Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command #11: Test every PROPHET!

“He pointed out to me some men sitting on a seat, and one man sitting on a chair. And he says to me, “Do you see the persons sitting on the seat?” “I do, sir,” said I. “These,” says he, “are the faithful, and he who sits on the chair is a false prophet, ruining the minds of the servants of ELOHIM. It is the doubters, not the faithful, that he ruins. These doubters then go to him as to a soothsayer (one who tells the future by magical means), and inquire of him what will happen to them; and he, the false prophet, not having the power of a Divine Spirit in him, answers them according to their inquiries, and according to their wicked desires, and fills their souls with expectations, according to their own wishes. For being himself empty, he gives empty answers to empty inquirers; for every answer is made to the emptiness of man. Some true words he does occasionally utter; for the devil fills him with his own spirit, in the hope that he may be able to overcome some of the righteous. As many, then, as are strong in the faith of YAHWEH, and are clothed with truth, have no connection with such spirits, but keep away from them; but as many as are of doubtful minds and frequently repent, betake themselves to soothsaying, even as the heathen, and bring greater sin upon themselves by their idolatry.” For he who inquires of a false prophet in regard to any action is an IDOLATOR, and devoid of the truth, and foolish.”

Those who turn to false prophets are empty, devoid the truth, act as heathens and are idolaters because they are turning to the devil other than YAHWEH for counsel. This is a direct violation of the second commandment by you placing another above our ELOHIM.

Exodus 20:3

“You shall have no other mighty ones except Me.”

This is serious because the devil is filling these false prophets with words to lead astray the righteous, this means he can speak through anyone who isn’t living completely for ELOHIM. The words of the false prophet may sound good and will divert you off of the path that YAHWEH told you to go if you are not grounded in the truth. Because these evil spirits can occasionally utter the truth as the malach of repentance said:

Acts 16:16-19

“And it occurred that, as we were going to the house of prayer, a certain maid met us, who had a SPIRIT OF DIVINATION, and who procured her masters great gain by the DIVINATION which she performed. Then she followed after Paul and us, and cried, saying: “These men are the servants of the Most High ELOHIM, and they announce to you the path of life. “and this she did many days. And Paul was indignant; and he said to that spirit, “I command you, in the Name of YESHUA HA’MASHIACH, that you come out of her.” And it came out the same hour.”

As we see she was filled with the spirit of divination, yet she was still able to tell the truth by identifying them as servants of YESHUA and announcing the Good News.

YAHWEH commands us in His Torah to stay away from soothsaying/divination in the Torah:

Leviticus 19:26 (Samaritan)

“You shall not eat with the blood, and do not practice conjecture nor soothsay the clouds.”

A soothsayer according to Collins dictionary is one who believed they could see into the future and say what was going to happen. Synonyms: prophet, DIVINER, ORACLE (My note: like the oracles of Delphi in Paul’s day), fortune-teller.

Leviticus 19:26 (Aramaic)

“You shall not eat blood, you shall not practice DIVINATION, with birds, nor shall you consult an ORACLE.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For no spirit given by ELOHIM requires to be asked; but such a spirit having the power of Divinity speaks all things of itself, for it proceeds from above from the power of the Divine Spirit. But the spirit which is asked and speaks according to the desires of men is earthly, light, and powerless, and it is altogether silent if it is not questioned.”

John 16:13-16 (Hebrew)

“But when that Spirit of truth will come, He will teach you all truth. For He will not speak of His own heart, only the words which He hears He will speak, and make known to you those words. He will esteem Me-from My Father He will take, and will make known to you all the things which are My Father’s-which are Mine-and He will make them known to you.”

The RUACH HA’KODESH only speaks what He hears from YAHWEH and will announce to us things to come; therefore, the Spirit of truth does not operate like the spirit of the false prophet where it speaks on its on accord to fulfill the lusts of men; whereas the RUACH HA’KODESH wants to serve YAHWEH and bring esteem to YESHUA.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “How then, sir,” say I, “will a man know which of them is the prophet, and which the false prophet?” “I will tell you,” says he, “about both the prophets, and then you can try (test) the true and the false prophet according to my directions. Try the man who has the Divine Spirit by his life. First, he who has the Divine Spirit proceeding from above is meek, and peaceable, and humble, and refrains from all iniquity and the vain desire of this world, and contents himself with fewer wants than those of other men (1 Timothy 6:8 “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”), and when asked he makes no reply; nor does he speak privately, nor when man wishes the spirit to speak does the RUACH HA’KODESH speak, but it speaks only when ELOHIM wishes it to speak.”

Firstly, the true prophet that has the RUACH HA’KODESH dwelling within him will display the fruits of the Spirit by his life:

Galatians 5:22-24

“But the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control…”

Secondly, when the prophet is asked he makes no reply but only speaks when given the words by the RUACH HA’KODESH:

Jeremiah 42:1-9

“Then all the officers of the forces and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah and all the people from the young to the old came near. And said to Jeremiah, we beseech you, pray for us before YAHWEH your ELOHIM, for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes see us; that YAHWEH our ELOHIM may show us the way by which we may go and the thing that we may do. Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray before YAHWEH your ELOHIM according to your words; and it shall come to pass that whatever YAHWEH shall answer you, I will declare it to you; I will hide nothing from you. Then they said to Jeremiah, may YAHWEH be a true and faithful witness between us if we do not do according to the word with which YAHWEH your ELOHIM shall send to us. Whether it be good or whether it be bad, we will obey the voice of YAHWEH our ELOHIM to whom we send you; that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of YAHWEH our ELOHIM. And it came to pass AFTER TEN DAYS THAT THE WORD OF YAHWEH CAME TO JEREMIAH THE PROPHET.”

As we see Jeremiah did not speak until he heard from YAHWEH which was 10 days later, unlike the false prophet.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “When, then, a man having the Divine Spirit comes into an assembly of righteous men who have faith in the Divine Spirit, and this assembly of men offers up prayer to ELOHIM, then the malach (angel) of the prophetic Spirit, who is destined for him, fills the man; and the man being filled with the RUACH HA’KODESH, speaks to the multitude (not privately) as YAHWEH wishes (John 16:13-16). Thus, then, will the Spirit of Divinity become manifest. Whatever power therefore comes from the Spirit of Divinity belongs to YAHWEH. Hear, then,” says he, “in regard to the spirit which is earthly, and empty, and powerless, and foolish. First, the man who SEEMS to have the Spirit exalts himself (the opposite of the humble man who has the RUACH HA’KODESH), and wishes to have the first seat, and is bold, and impudent, and talkative, and lives in the midst of many luxuries and many other delusions, and takes rewards for his prophecy; and if he does not receive rewards, he does not prophesy. Can, then, the Divine Spirit take rewards and prophesy? It is not possible that the prophet of ELOHIM should do this, but prophets of this character are possessed by an earthly spirit.

Micah 3:11

“The chiefs thereof judge for a bribe, and its priests teach for hire (hired like a job and won’t teach unless being paid), and its prophets divine for money…”

As the malach of repentance said these false prophets live in the midst of many luxuries and most of them flaunt it with their lifestyle. The prophets divining for money matches the words of the malach of repentance: “and if he does not receive rewards, he does not prophesy.” Also, as we read earlier, YAHWEH says to stay away from divination/soothsaying in Leviticus 19:26, which means these prophets spoken of in Micah 3:11 have to be false prophets because they are using divination, again matching the words of the malach of repentance “It is the doubters, not the faithful, that he (false prophet) ruins. These doubters then go to him as to a soothsayer.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Then it never approaches an assembly of righteous men, but shuns them. And it associates with doubters and the vain, and prophesies to them in a comer, and deceives them, speaking to them, according to their desires, mere empty words: for they are empty to whom it gives its answers. For the empty vessel, when placed along with the empty, is not crushed, but they correspond to each other. When, therefore, it (false spirit) comes into an assembly of righteous men who have a Spirit of Divinity, and they (false prophet) offer up prayer, that man is made empty, and the earthly spirit flees from him through fear, and that man is made dumb, and is entirely crushed, being unable to speak.”

“For if you pack closely a storehouse with wine or oil, and put an empty jar in the midst of the vessels of wine or oil, you will find that jar empty as when you placed it, if you should wish to clear the storehouse. So also the empty prophets, when they come to the spirits of the righteous, are found [on leaving] to be such as they were when they came. This, then, is the mode of life of both prophets. Try (test) by his deeds and his life the man who says that he is inspired.”

Revelation 2:2 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“I know your works and your hope, and that you are not able to bear the wicked ones, and that you TESTED those who say they are PROPHETS while the are not, and found that they are deceivers.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued:  But as for you, trust the Spirit which comes from ELOHIM, and has power; but the spirit which is earthly and empty trust not at all, for there is no power in it: it comes from the devil. Hear, then, the parable which I am to tell you. Take a stone, and throw it to the sky, and see if you can touch it. Or again, take a squirt of water and squirt into the sky, and see if you can penetrate the sky.” “How, sir,” say I, “can these things take place? for both of them are impossible.” “As these things,” says he, “are impossible, so also are the earthly spirits powerless and pithless (weak). But look, on the other hand, at the power which comes from above. Hail is of the size of a very small grain, yet when it falls on a man’s head how much annoyance it gives him! Or, again, take the drop which falls from a pitcher to the ground, and yet it hollows a stone. You see, then, that the smallest things coming from above have great power when they fall upon the earth. Thus also is the Divine Spirit, which comes from above, powerful. Trust, then, that Spirit, but have nothing to do with the other.”

This is a serious topic because many people love prophets, they love the unknown of the future, and there seems to be people calling themselves prophets around every corner, and these false prophets have ensnared those who follow them. Being a prophet is not a glamourous position as we know that prophets were despised. Furthermore, if a prophet got a prophecy wrong they would be put to death, why? The prophet is supposed to be mouthpiece for YAHWEH and when a prophecy does not come to pass when that prophet said it would, then people who were waiting for the prophecy to be fulfilled begin to question ELOHIM, their faith dwindles and the faith as a whole begins to be mocked. Many “So-called” prophets today would not be living to tell another false prophecy if we were living in the land of Yisra’el.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22

“But the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in My Name which I have NOT commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of the name of other mighty ones, that prophet shall be put to death. And if you say in your heart, how shall we know the word which YAHWEH has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the Name of YAHWEH, and the thing does NOT come to pass, nor follow; that is the thing which YAHWEH has NOT SPOKEN, but the prophet has spoken presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.”

Jeremiah 28:1-17

“In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of YAHWEH, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2 “Thus says YAHWEH of hosts (speaking in the Name of YAHWEH), the ELOHIM of Yisrael: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of YAHWEH's house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares YAHWEH, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of YAHWEH, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Ahmein! May YAHWEH do so; may YAHWEH make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of YAHWEH, and all the exiles. 7 Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that YAHWEH has truly sent the prophet.”

10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says YAHWEH: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.

12 Sometime after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of YAHWEH came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says YAHWEH: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. 14 For thus says YAHWEH of hosts, the ELOHIM of Yisrael: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’” 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, YAHWEH has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says YAHWEH: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against YAHWEH.’”17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.”

As we see being a prophet is not fun and games, it’s a serious matter to our Father YAHWEH! And to those who are following these false prophets be sure to test them with everything the malach of repentance said which backs up all the words of scripture. As always, may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command# 10: Grief and not grieving the Set-Apart Spirit

“Remove from you,” says he, “GRIEF; for she is the sister of doubt and anger.” “How, sir,” say I, “is she the sister of these? for anger, doubt, and grief seem to be quite different from each other.” “You are senseless, O man. Do you not perceive that grief is more wicked than all the spirits, and most terrible to the servants of ELOHIM, and more than all other spirits destroys man and crushes out the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit), and yet, on the other hand, she saves him?”

Grief is defined by oxford dictionaries as deep sorrow, especially that is caused by someone’s death, misery, and sadness. Death isn’t the only thing that causes grief it can be the loss of someone’s job, house, car, or because of any reason something in their life did not go according to their plans. However, the part about death as mentioned in the definition and matches Sirach which was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Sirach 38:16-23

“My son let tears fall down over the dead and begin to lament, as if you had suffered great harm yourself; and then cover his body according to the custom and do not neglect his burial. Weep bitterly and make great moan and use lamentation as he is worthy for a day or two, for fear that they speak evil of you: and then comfort yourself for your sorrow. For from sorrow comes death and the sorrow of the heart breaks strength. In affliction also sorrow remains; and the life of the poor is the curse of the heart. Take no sorrow to heart: drive it away and remember the last end. Do not forget it for there is not turning again: you shall not do him good, but hurt yourself. Remember my judgment: for you shall also be so; yesterday for me and today for you. When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted for him, when his spirit has departed from him.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “I am senseless, sir,” say I, “and do not understand these parables. For how she can crush out, and on the other hand save, I do not perceive.” “Listen,” says he. “Those who have never searched for the truth, nor investigated the nature of the Divinity, but have SIMPLY BELIEVED ( Modern Christianity), when they devote themselves to and become mixed up with business, and wealth, and heathen friendships, and many other actions of this world, do not perceive the parables of Divinity; for their minds are darkened by these actions, and they are corrupted and become dried up. Even as beautiful vines, when they are neglected, are withered up by thorns and divers plants, so men who have believed, and have afterwards fallen away into many of those actions above mentioned, go astray in their minds, and lose all understanding in regard to righteousness; for if they hear of righteousness, their minds are occupied with their business, and they give no heed at all.”

Mathew 13:10-15

“And His disciples approached and said to Him, “Why do you speak in parables to them? And He (YESHUA) answered them, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. For to him who has, it will be given to him and it will increase to him, and to him who has not, even that which he has will be taken from him. Because of this, I will speak in parables with them because they see, and they see not, and they hear and they do not hear, nor do they understand. And is fulfilled in them the prophecy of Isaiah which said that, ‘Hearing, and you will not understand what you will hear, and seeing you will see not know what you see.’ For hardened is the heart of this people, and with their ears they were hard of hearing, and their eyes are blinded that they should not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand in their heart and return and I heal them.”

These words are so true that the malach of repentace says because most of the world simply believes in YAHWEH and His Son YESHUA and say they are saved by grace and they stop there. They don’t seek out the heavenly things of YAHWEH to understand the truth which by definition is the Torah (Psalms 119:142) nor righteousness which is by definition the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:25). Most, believe they can go to church for one hour on Sunday (Skipping over the commanded 7th Day Shabbat/Saturday) and that is all that is required of them, instead they devote their time into the things of the world; therefore, they don’t understand heavenly things nor parables, they have eyes to see but are spiritually blind and ears to hear but are spiritually deaf.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Those, on the other hand, who have the fear of ELOHIM, and search after ELOHIM-Head and truth (Psalms 119:142), and have their hearts turned to YAHWEH, quickly perceive and understand what is said to them, because they have the fear of YAHWEH in them. For where YAHWEH dwells, there is much understanding. Cleave, then, to YAHWEH, and you will understand and perceive all things.”

Why is it that those who fear ELOHIM search out the ELOHIM-Head in truth and have understanding?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (Aramaic)

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR YAHWEH and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; this is given by One Master to every man.”

Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of YAHWEH is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the righteous is understanding.”

CHAPTER 2

“Hear, then,” says he, “foolish man, how grief crushes out the RUACH HA’KODESH, and on the other hand saves. When the doubting man attempts any deed, and fails in it on account of his doubt, this grief enters into the man, and grieves the RUACH HA’KODESH, and crushes Him out.”

This is when someone goes into a situation DOUBTING from the very beginning and once it fails because of his/hers own doubt, they begin to carry grief in their hearts and crush out the RUACH HA’KODESH. Later in this message you will see why doubt which turns to grief causes one’s prayers to NOT be heard.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Then, on the other hand, when anger attaches itself to a man in regard to any matter, and he is embittered, then grief enters into the heart of the man who was irritated, and he is grieved at the deed which he did, and repents that he has wrought a wicked deed. This grief, then, appears to be accompanied by salvation, because the man, after having done a wicked deed, repented. Both actions grieve the Spirit: doubt, because it did not accomplish its object; and anger grieves the Spirit, because it did what was wicked. Both these are grievous to the RUACH HA’KODESH — doubt and anger. Wherefore remove grief from you, and crush not the RUACH HA’KODESH which dwells in you, lest He entreat ELOHIM against you, AND HE WITHDRAW FROM YOU.”

This is something that no follower of YESHUA should ever want to happen to them and David understood this perfectly well:

Psalms 51:11

“Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your RUACH HA’KODESH from me.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For the Spirit of ELOHIM which has been granted to us to dwell in this body does not endure grief nor straitness (distress/stress). Wherefore put on cheerfulness, which always is agreeable and acceptable to ELOHIM, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does what is good, and minds what is good, and despises grief; but the sorrowful man always acts wickedly. First, he acts wickedly because he grieves the RUACH HA’KODESH, which was given to man a cheerful Spirit. Secondly, Grieving the RUACH HA’KODESH, he works iniquity, neither entreating YAHWEH nor confessing to Him. For the entreaty of the sorrowful man has no power to ascend to the altar of ELOHIM.” “Why,” say I, “does not the entreaty of the grieved man ascend to the altar?” “Because,” says he, “grief sits in his heart. Grief, then, mingled with his entreaty, does not permit the entreaty to ascend pure to the altar of ELOHIM. ,”

Psalms 141:1-2

“YAHWEH, I cry to You; make haste to answer me; give ear to my words and accept them. Let my PRAYER be set forth before You as INCENSE, and the gift of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Revelation 5:8

“And when He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls filled with INCENSE, which are the PRAYERS of the set-apart ones.”

Romans 8:26-27

“So also the Spirit aids our weakness. For we are not cognizant of what to pray for in a proper manner; but the Spirit prays for us with groans beyond description. And the searcher of hearts, He knows what is the mind of the Spirit; because He prays for the set apart believers, agreeably to the will of ELOHIM.”

THE RUACH HA’KODESH intercedes for us in prayer, but as we see the malach of repentance says if your heart is filled with grief that is sitting in your heart, which is the most wicked spirit of all, then it crushes out the RUACH HA’KODESH and is equivalent to mixing wine with vinegar; therefore, be cheerful and the RUACH HA’KODESH will intercede for you without the grief, this in return will increase the power of your prayers and they will ascend pure to the altar of YAHWEH as incense.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For as vinegar and wine, when mixed in the same vessel, do not give the same pleasure [as wine alone gives], so grief mixed with the RUACH HA’KODESH does not produce the same entreaty [as would be produced by the RUACH HA’KODESH alone]. Cleanse yourself from this wicked grief, and you will live to ELOHIM; and all will live to ELOHIM who drive away grief from them, and put on all cheerfulness.”

As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command #9: Pray with unwavering confidence

“He says to me, “Put away doubting from you and do not hesitate to ask of YAHWEH, saying to yourself, ‘How can I ask of YAHWEH and receive from Him, seeing I have transgressed so much against Him?’ Do not thus reason with yourself, but with all your heart turn to YAHWEH and ask of Him without doubting, and you will know the multitude of His tender mercies; that He will never leave you, but fulfill the request of your soul…”

Firstly, you must be obedient to the commandments of the Torah for your prayer to even be heard. These transgressions spoken of are those done out of ignorance which the malach of repentance will mention later, not willful transgressions.

Proverbs 28:9

“He who closes his ears from hearing the Torah, even his PRAYER IS AN ABOMINATION.”

Mathew 21:21-22

“YESHUA answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, that if you have FAITH and no DOUBT, not only this miracle of the fig tree will you do but even if you say to this mountain, “Be removed and fall into the sea!’ it will happen. And everything you ask for in prayer and believe, you will receive.”

Mark 11:22-24

“And Simon remembered and said to Him, “Behold Rabbi, that fig tree which you cursed has dried up!” And YESHUA answered and said to them, “Let the faith of ELOHIIM be in you. For truly I say to you that he who says to this mountain. ‘Be lifted up and fall into the sea’ and does not come divided (indecisive or doubtful) in his heart but believes, that will happen. That thing which he said he will have. Because of this I say to you that everything that you pray for and ask for you believe that you will receive it, and it will be to you!”

Hebrews 11:6

“But, without faith, a man cannot please ELOHIM. For he that draws near to ELOHIM must believe His existence and that He will recompense those who seek Him.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For He (YAHWEH) is not like men, who remember evils done against them; but He Himself remembers not evils, and has compassion on His own creature.”

1 Chronicles 21:9-19 (When David conducted the census)

“And David arose early in the morning, and the word of YAHWEH came to Gad, the prophet, saying, “Go and tell David, saying, “Thus says YAHWEH: I offer you three disasters; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.” So Gad the prophet came to David and said to him, “Thus says YAHWEH: choose for yourself either three years of famine in the land or three months to be defeated before your enemies while they shall pursue you and rule over you or else three days the sword of YAHWEH in Yisra’el. Now therefore advise what answer you will give to Him who sent me to you.” And David said to Gad, I am in a great distress; LET ME BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF YAHWEH; FOR HIS MERCIES ARE VERY GREAT; BUT LET ME NOT BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF MEN.” So YAHWEH sent pestilence upon Yisra’el; and there fell of Yisra’el seventy thousand men. And YAHWEH sent an malach (angel) to Jerusalem to destroy it; and as he was destroying it, YAHWEH saw and considered it and AVERTED THE DISASTER, and said to the malach that destroyed, “you have destroyed a great many, stay now your hand. And the malach of YAHWEH stood by the threshing floor of Onan the Jebusite.”

This matches what the malach of repentance said about YAHWEH having compassion on His own creature and David knew this, which is why he said “Let me fall into the hands of YAHWEH for His mercies are very great; but let me not be delivered into the hands of men.” And even after David’s selection, YAHWEH turned back His anger.

YAHWEH not remembering evils:

Jeremiah 31:34

“And they shall teach no more every man his brother and every man his neighbor, saying, “Know YAHWEH”; for they shall all know Me, from the youngest of them to the eldest of them, says YAHWEH; for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their transgressions NO MORE.”

Hebrews 8:11-12

“And one will not teach his son of the city nor his brother, nor say: You shall know your Master YAHWEH: because they will all know Me, from the youngest of them to the oldest. And I will forgive them their iniquity; and their transgressions will I remember NO MORE.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Cleanse, therefore, your heart from all the vanities of this world, and from the words already mentioned, and ask of YAHWEH and you will receive all, and in none of your requests will you be denied which you make to YAHWEH without doubting.”

James 4:4 (Hebrew)

“O adulterer and adulteress, do you not now that whosoever loves this WORLD, he hates YAHWEH? So, whosoever wants to be a lover of THIS WORLD, he himself will be a hater of YAHWEH.”

1 John 2:15-17

“Love not the world nor anything in it; for whoever loves the world has not the love of the Father in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the body and the lust of the eyes and the pride of the world, which are not from the Father but from the world itself. And the world is passing away, both it and the lust thereof; but he that does the pleasure of ELOHIM abides for ever.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “But if you doubt in your heart, you will receive none of your requests. For those who doubt regarding ELOHIM are double-souled, and obtain not one of their requests.”

James 1:6-8

“But if there is one among you who lacks wisdom, he must pray for it of YAHWEH, who gives to every man, and He Himself will also give it to him. But he must pray in faith, and not in DOUBTING; for whosever is doubtful, he is like a pair of balances on the sea. And this man must not think that he will receive anything from The Master. And he who is doubtful is without understanding in all his ways.”

In context James is speaking of wisdom here, but the same concept can be applied to anything you pray for that aligns with YAHWEH’s will for your life. If you doubt you will not receive it, just as YESHUA said.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “But those who are perfect in faith ask everything, trusting in YAHWEH; and they obtain, because they ask nothing doubting, and not being double-souled. For every double-souled man, even if he repent, will with difficulty be saved. (Remember James 1:8 says that one who is doubtful is without understanding in all his ways) Cleanse your heart, therefore, from all doubt, and put on faith, because it is strong, and trust ELOHIM that you will obtain from Him all that you ask. And if at any time, after you have asked of YAHWEH, you are slower in obtaining your request [than you expected], do not doubt because you have not soon obtained the request of your soul; for invariably (in every case) it is on account of some temptation or some transgression of which you are IGNORANT that you are slower in obtaining your request.”

James 1:13-17

“But let no one say-when a temptation comes on him-“This comes from YAHWEH,” for YAHWEH does not tempt man with evil, and He is not tempted by anyone. Only, everyone is tempted when his desire overcomes him. And afterwards, if he accepts the desire it causes the transgression; but the transgression-when it is completed-causes the death. Do not go astray beloved brothers. Every good gift comes from above, from the light of the Father, and with Him there is no change, nor alteration of light and darkness.”

2 Baruch 54:19

“And Adam is therefore not the cause, except only for himself, but each of us has become our own Adam.”

In other words, we have nobody to blame for our actions except ourselves, each one of us has the ability to choose the blessing or the curse. So, if you don’t receive what you prayed for on account of a temptation that caused you to transgress then you cannot blame ELOHIM for that. As the malach of repentance says, still don’t doubt it just means the prayer has been delayed because of this, or if you did something unknowingly and some examples are in the Torah:

Leviticus 4:1-2, verse 13-14

“And YAHWEH spoke unto Moses, saying, speak to the children of Yisra’el, saying, “if a person shall transgress through IGNORANCE against any of the commandments of YAHWEH concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do any of them…” Verses 13-15 “And if the whole congregation of Yisra’el go wrong, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly (unknowingly), and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of YAHWEH concerning things which should not be done and are guilty; when the transgression which they have committed against it is known, then the whole congregation shall offer a young bullock for the transgression and bring it before the tabernacle of the congregation.”

Leviticus 5:17-18

“And if any person transgresses and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of YAHWEH; though HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT HE HAS TRANSGRESSED, YET HE IS GUILTY AND SHALL SUFFER FOR HIS INIQUITY. And he shall bring to the priest a ram of value without blemish out of the flocks for a trespass offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his IGNORANCE in erring, even though he KNEW IT NOT, and it shall be forgiven him.”

So, if you have done something that you are unaware of then its time to examine yourself to see why you have not obtained what you asked for, as YAHWEH is never to blame.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Wherefore do not cease to make the request of your soul, and you will obtain it. But if you grow weary and waver in your request, BLAME YOURSELF, and not Him who does not give to you. Consider this doubting state of mind, for it is wicked and senseless, and turns many away entirely from the faith, even though they be very strong.”

This happens when people believe they have strong faith, and they pray for something and they do not get it when they think they should received it. Then they begin to doubt whether ELOHIM exists or if He hears them, which causes them to fall away from the faith and blame ELOHIM as if He has forsaken them, when He is the One who has been carrying them the entire time. Don’t doubt, don’t waver, don’t give up, and don’t put a time limit on when you expect to receive something just focus on your faith.

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For this doubting is the daughter of the devil, and acts exceedingly wickedly to the servants of ELOHIM. Despise, then, doubting, and gain the mastery over it in everything; clothing yourself with faith, which is strong and powerful. For faith promises all things, perfects all things; but doubt having no thorough faith in itself, fails in every work which it undertakes. You see, then,” says he, “that, faith is from above — from YAHWEH — and has great power; but doubt is an earthly spirit, coming from the devil, and has no power. Serve, then, that which has power, namely faith, and keep away from doubt, which has no power, and you will live to ELOHIM. And all will live to ELOHIM whose minds have been set on these things.”

Habakkuk 2:4

“For His soul does not delight in iniquity, but the righteous man shall live by faith.”

Mathew 8:5-10

“And when YESHUA entered Capernaum, a certain centurion approached Him and was beseeching Him, and he said, “My Master, my boy is lying at home and is paralyzed and seriously in pain.” YESHUA said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “My Master, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my boy will be healed. For I am also a man that is under authority, and there are under my hand soldiers, and I say to this one ‘go’ and he goes, and to the other ‘come’ and he comes, and to my servant to do this, and he does it.” And when YESHUA heard this, He was amazed and said to those that had come with Him; “I say truly to you that not even in Yisra’el have I found faith like this.”

When we come to ELOHIM in prayer let us remember to have this kind of faith, so that the things that we ask for that are in line with YAHWEH’s will for our lives will be obtained. HalleluYAHWEH!

As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command #8: SHUN EVIL AND DO GOOD

“I told you, “Said he, “that the creatures of ELOHIM are double, for restraint also is double; for in some cases restraint has to be exercised, in others there is no need of restraint.” “Make known to me, sir,” say I, “in what cases restraint has to be exercised, and in what cases it has not.” “Restrain yourself in regard to evil, and do it not; but exercise no restraint in regard to good, but do it. For if you exercise restraint in the doing of good, you will commit a great transgression; but if you exercise restraint, so as not to do that which is evil, you are practicing great righteousness. Restrain yourself, therefore, from all iniquity, and do that which is good.”

“What, sir,” say I, “are the evil deeds from which we must restrain ourselves?” “Hear,” says he: “from adultery and fornication, from unlawful reveling, from wicked luxury, from indulgence in many kinds of food (gluttony) and the extravagance of riches, and from boastfulness, and haughtiness, and insolence, and lies, and backbiting, and hypocrisy, from the remembrance of wrong, and from all slander. These are the deeds that are most wicked in the life of men. From all these deeds, therefore, the servant of ELOHIM must restrain himself. For he who does not restrain himself from these, cannot live to ELOHIM. Listen, then, to the deeds that accompany these.”

When know that in Galatians 5 that all these mentioned above by the malach (angel) of repentance of deeds of the flesh and not the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21

“For you know the works of the flesh, which are these adultery, impurity, and lasciviousness (lust), idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, treacheries, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry and all like things. Those who do things like these, they will not inherit the Kingdom of ELOHIM.”

Most of these have been covered in the past few Shepherd of Hermas commands in great detail and he is reiterating how wicked they are here, so I’ll touch the new ones that have been mentioned.

Remembrance of wrong- This is when you are keeping tabs of all those who have wronged you and throwing it in their faces when you should be forgiving them.

Mathew 18:21

“Then, Peter drew near to Him and said, “My Master, how many times should I forgive My brother with me who is at fault. Should I forgive him up to seven times? YESHUA said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, rather, up to seventy times seven.”

Since ELOHIM does not keep track of the transgressions we committed against Him when we asked for forgiveness, then why are you keeping tabs on the wrong doings of your brothers and sisters?

Reveling- is when someone is enjoying himself in a lively and noisy festivities, especially when these involve drinking large amount of alcohol, so think of parties, clubs, sporting events etc. It includes rowdy, disorderly parties that go late into the night with feasting and bad behavior. Compellingtruth.org adds “In Greek culture a revel was a group of partiers who paraded through the streets after dinner drunk and unruly, singing and playing instruments in honor of Bacchus deity.”

This pagan deity Bacchus is found in 2 Maccabees 6:7

“And in the day of the king’s birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go to procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.”

Romans 13:13-14

“And let us walk decorously, as in daylight; not in merriment, nor in drunkenness, nor in impurity of the bed, nor in envy and strife. But clothe yourselves with our Master YESHUA HA’MASHICH: and pay no concern about your FLESH for the indulgence of appetites.”

Wicked luxury- lusting after riches, a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort where one trusts in his money.

Mathew 13:22

“And that which was sown into a thorny place is he that hears the word and the cares of this world and the deception of riches choke the word, and it becomes without fruit.”

Mathew 19:16-24 (Aramaic)

“A certain man came and drew near and said to Him, “Good teacher, what is good that I should do that I should have eternal life?” Then He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? (Most Scripture dictionaries say “Why do you question Me concerning this good thing?” There is none good except One ELOHIM? Now If you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Then YESHUA said to him, “That you will not kill, and not commit adultery, and you will not steal, and you will not give false witness, and honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these things I have obeyed them from my youth. What do I lack?” YESHUA said to him, “If you desire to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give them to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me.” And that young man heard this word and went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

The rich man had much luxury and was living in comfortability and did not want to depart from the comfortability of the lifestyle he was living. Later in the Shepherd of Hermas it is explained that those who have great riches are to look out for the poor for that is the reason why they were given the riches.

Extravagance of riches- wasteful or careless spending/ lack of restraint in spending or more than what is needed.

Boastfulness- is excessively proud and self-satisfied talk about one’s achievement, possessions, or abilities.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

“Thus says YAHWEH, let not the wise man BOAST in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man BOAST in his might, and let not the rich man BOAST in his riches; but let him who BOASTS boast in this: that He understands and knows Me, that I am YAHWEH who executes lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says YAHWEH.”

James 4:13-17

“But what will we say of those who say: “Today or tomorrow we will go to such or such a city and will abide there a year; and we will traffic and get gain?” And they do not know what will be tomorrow: for what is our life but an exhalation that is seen a little while and then vanishes and is gone? Whereas they should say: “If Master YAHWEH wills it, and we live, we will do this or that.” They BOAST in their arrogance. All such BOASTING IS EVIL. He that knows the good and does it not, to him is sin.”

Haughtiness- arrogant, pride, conceit, the appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful.

Isaiah 3:16-17

“Because the daughters of Zion have become HAUGHTY, and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, making a tingling with their feet, and thus provoking YAHWEH; therefore YAHWEH will bring low the heads of the daughters of Zion, and YAHWEH shall lay bare their secret parts.”

Proverbs 6:16-19

“There are six things which YAHWEH hates; yea, the seventh is an abomination to Him; HAUGHTY EYES, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who speaks lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.”

Insolence- rude or disrespectful behavior.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

“But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of mercy, wicked, unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of ELOHIM, having a form of respect for ELOHIM but wide from the power of ELOHIM.”

2 Peter 2:10-17

“And especially them who go after the flesh in the lusts of pollution, and despise government. Daring and boasting without cause they do not quake with awe while they blaspheme; as opposed to the messengers/malachim/angels, greater than they in might and valor, do not bring against them a reproachful judgment. But these, like nasty beasts that by nature are for slaughter and corruption, while engaging in evil speech regarding things they don’t know, will perish in their own corruption; they being persons with whom iniquity is the reward of iniquity, and by them rioting in the daytime is accounted as delightful; defiled and to pleasure; having eyes that are full of adultery and transgressions that never end; seducing unstable souls; and having a heart exercised in greed; children of cursing; and having left the correct path, they have wandered and gone in the way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved the wages of iniquity, and who had for the corrector of his transgression a mute mule which, speaking with the speech of men, rebuked the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm, person for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Are there, sir,” said I, “any other evil deeds?” “There are,” says he; “and many of them, too, from which the servant of ELOHIM must restrain himself — theft, lying, robbery, false witness, overreaching (to get over on someone cunningly like extortion), wicked lust, deceit, vain esteem, boastfulness, and all other vices like to these.” “Do you not think that these are really wicked?” “Exceedingly wicked in the servants of ELOHIM. From all of these the servant of ELOHIM must restrain himself. Restrain yourself, then, from all these, that you may live to ELOHIM, and you will be enrolled amongst those who restrain themselves in regard to these matters. These, then, are the things from which you must restrain yourself.

Theft, lying, robbery, false witness, deceit:

Exodus 20:14

“You shall not steal.”

Leviticus 19:11

“You shall not steal; you shall deal falsely; neither shall you lie to one another.”

Proverbs 6:16-19

“There are six things which YAHWEH hates; yea, the seventh is an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a LYING tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who speaks LIES, and he who sows discord among brothers.”

Revelation 21:8

“But to the timid and the unbelieving, and to the transgressors and polluted and to manslayers and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and to all false persons, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 22:15

“Without will be dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers and manslayers and idolaters, and everyone that loves and does falsehood.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

“Or don’t you know, that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of ELOHIM? Make no mistake! Neither sexual sinners, nor idol-worshippers, nor adulterers, nor the corrupt, nor men who lay down with other men, nor the oppressors, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of ELOHIM.”

Leviticus 19:13 (Samaritan)

“You shall not oppress nor ROB your friend…”

Vain esteem- pride in oneself or one’s achievements, excessive vanity, similar to boasting.

Philippians 2:3

“And do nothing in strife or VAIN ESTEEM; but, with humbleness of mind, let each regard his neighbor as better than himself.”

False-witness

Proverbs 6:16-19

“There are six things which YAHWEH hates; yea, the seventh is an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a FALSE WITNESS who speaks lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.”

Exodus 20:16

“You shall not bear FALSE WITNESS against your neighbor.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “But listen,” says he, “to the things in regard to which you have not to exercise self-restraint, but which you ought to do. Restrain not yourself in regard to that which is good, but do it.” “And tell me, sir,” say I, “the nature of the good deeds, that I may walk in them and wait on them, so that doing them I can be saved.” “Listen,” says he, “to the good deeds which you ought to do, and in regard to which there is no self-restraint requisite. First of all there is faith, then fear of YAHWEH, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, patience. Than these, nothing is better in the life of men. If any one attend to these, and restrain himself not from them, blessed is he in his life. Then there are the following attendant on these: helping widows, looking after orphans and the needy, rescuing the servants of ELOHIM from necessities:

All of the other good that was listed have been covered in great detail in the previous Shepherd of Hermas messages, the malach of repentance is just reiterating the importance of them, but a new one is to rescue the servants of ELOHIM from necessities.

James 2:15-17

“Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say to them, “Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full;” and you do not give them the NECESSITIES of the body, what is the use? So also faith alone, without works is dead.”

James 1:27

“For the worship that is pure and set-apart before ELOHIM the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction; and: that one keep himself without blemish from the world.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “The being hospitable — for in hospitality gooddoing finds a field —

Jasher 22:11-13

“And Abraham planted a large grove in Beersheba, and he made to it four gates facing the four sides of the earth, and he planted a vineyard in it, so that if a traveler came to Abraham he entered any gate which was in his road, and remained there and ate and drank and satisfied himself and then departed. For the house of Abraham was always open to the sons of men that passed and repassed, who came daily to eat and drink in the house of Abraham. And any man who had hunger and came to Abraham’s house, Abraham would give him bread that he might eat and drink and be satisfied, and any one that came naked to his house he would clothe with garments as he might choose, and give him silver and gold and make known to him YAHWEH who had created him in the earth; this Abraham did all his life.”

Genesis 18:1-7

“And YAHWEH revealed Himself to him by the oak of Mamre, as he was sitting in the door of the tent in the heat of the day; and he lifted up his eyes and at a distance from him; and when he saw them, he ran from the door of the tent to meet them and bowed himself to the ground. And said, O YAHWEH, if now I have found mercy in Your sight, do not pass away from Your servant; let me bring a little water and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree; and take a morsel of bread and sustain your hearts; after that You shall go on Your way, since you have come to Your servant. And they said, “So do as you have said.” So Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of fine flour; knead it, and make cakes on a griddle. And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf fat and good, and gave it to a servant, and he hastened to prepare it. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set them before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Never opposing any one, the being quiet, having fewer needs than all men (looking after others instead of yourself/putting others first), reverencing the aged, practicing righteousness, watching the brotherhood, bearing insolence, being long-suffering, encouraging those who are sick in soul, not casting those who have fallen into sin from the faith, but turning them back and restoring them to peace of mind, admonishing sinners, not oppressing debtors and the needy, and if there are any other actions like these.”

Being quiet:

Sirach 20:5-8

“There is one that keeps silence and is found wise: and another by much babbling becomes hateful. Some men hold their tongue, because they have nothing to answer: and some keep silence knowing their time. A wise man will hold his tongue until he sees opportunity: but a babbler and a fool will not regard time. He that uses many words shall be abhorred (hated)…”

Reverencing the aged:

Leviticus 19:32

“You shall rise up before an elder and honor the person who is older than you and revere your ELOHIM; I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

1 Peter 5:5

“And you juniors submit yourselves to your seniors; and clothe yourselves, stringently, with lowliness of mind one towards another; because ELOHIM resists them who exalt themselves, and gives favor to the humble.”

Watching the brotherhood:

1 Peter 5:2-4

“Feed the flock of ELOHIM which is committed to you: have care for it spiritually; not from compulsion but voluntarily; not for base gain but with all your heart; not as masters of the flock but so as to be a good example for them: that when the Master Shepherd will be revealed you may receive from him a crown of esteem that does not fade.”

Being long suffering:

1 Peter 2:20-25

“But they who endure suffering due to their transgressions, what praise have they? But if, when you do well, they vex you and you endure it; then great is your praise with ELOHIM. For to this were you called; because the Messiah also died for us and left us this PATTERN that you should walk in His steps. He did no offence; neither was any deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile; and He suffered but didn’t threaten, but committed His cause to the Righteous Judge. And He took away all our transgressions and, in His body lifted them to the stake; that we, when dead to transgression, might live by His righteousness; for by His wounds you are healed. For you had gone astray like sheep; but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Admonishing sinners:

2 Esdras 14:13

“Now, therefore, set your house in order, and REPROVE (reprimand, rebuke) your people; comfort the lowly among them, and instruct those who are wise.”

1 Corinthians 5:11-13

“But this is what I wrote to you, that you don’t mix, if anyone is called a brother and is a sexual sinner; or greed for wealth, or an idol-worshipper, or a charlatan, or a drunkard, or greedy, with him who is such, not even to eat bread.”

Not oppressing debtors and needy:

Mathew 18:23-34

“Because of this the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a king who desired to take an accounting from his servants. And when he began to take an accounting, they brought him one who owed ten thousand talents. And when he had no way to repay, his master commanded that he be sold, he and his wife, and his children and everything that he owns and he repay. And that servant fell down and worshipped him and said, ‘My master, be patient with me and every thing I will repay to you.’ And the master of that servant had compassion and released him and forgave him his debt. Now that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he seized him and was choking him and said to him, ‘Give to me that which you owe to me.’ And that fellow servant fell down upon his feet beseeching him and said to him, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you.’ And he did not want to but went and cast him into prison until he paid him what he owed him.” And when their fellow servants saw the thing that had happened, it saddened them very much, and they made known to their master all that happened. Then his master called him and said to him, “Evil servant!” I forgave you all of that debt because you beseeched me, was it not right for you to have mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you.”

Exodus 22:21, 25

“You shall neither harm a stranger nor oppress him; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Verse 25 “If you lend money to any of my people who are the poor among you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you take any usury from him.”

Deuteronomy 15:9-10

“Beware that there be not a wicked thought in your heart, and you say, the seventh year, the year of release, is near; and your eye be evil toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to YAHWEH against you, and it be transgression to you. You shall not be displeased when you give to him when you give to him…”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Do these seem to you good?” says he. “For what, sir,” say I, “is better than these?” “Walk then in them,” says he, “and restrain not yourself from them, and you will live to ELOHIM. Keep, therefore, this commandment. If you do good, and restrain not yourself from it, you will live to ELOHIM. All who act thus will live to ELOHIM. And, again, if you refuse to do evil, and restrain yourself from it, you will live to ELOHIM. And all will live to ELOHIM who keep these commandments, and walk in them.”

As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Shavuot/Pentecost Instructions 2022

YAHWEH willing we will soon be entering into the Festival called Festival of Shavuot (Shavuot means “weeks” in Hebrew), Festival of First Fruits, Festival of Weeks or Pentecost (Which means 50 in Greek). Shavuot is on June 5th and is a High Shabbat which means we are not allowed to work. We will discuss who celebrated Shavuot, importance of Shavuot, and instructions for Shavuot and the freewill offering.

On April 17th, which is equivalent to the 26th day of the 1st month on the Hebrew calendar, was the Sunday AFTER the Feast of Unleavened Bread when we started the counting of the omer (sheaf).  When the kohen (priest) would wave the first-fruits of barley sheaf before YAHWEH to accept the future crops; which will place us at June 5th on the Gregorian calendar, which is the 15th day of the 3rd month on the Hebrew calendar.

Leviticus 23:15-16 says:

 “And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Shabbat’s shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Shabbat shall you number fifty days; and you shall offer a new grain offering unto YAHWEH.”

Exodus 23:16

“And the Festival of weeks, the first-fruits of which you have sown in the field…”

Exodus 34:22

“And perform the Feast of weeks, the feast of the first-fruits of wheat harvest…”

Numbers 28:26

“And on the day of FIRST FRUITS, when you bring a new grain offering to YAHWEH at your FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT, you have a set-apart gathering, you do no work.”

Deuteronomy 16:9-12

“You shall count seven weeks to yourselves; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. And then you shall keep the feast of weeks to YAHWEH your ELOHIM with sufficient of freewill offering of your hand, which you shall set aside as YAHWEH your ELOHIM has blessed you; and you shall rejoice before YAHWEH your ELOHIM, you and your son and your daughter and your manservant and your maidservant and the Levite who is within your towns and the sojourner and the fatherless and the widow who is among you, at the place where YAHWEH your ELOHIM has chosen to place His Name. And you must remember that you were a bondman in Egypt; so you shall observe and do these statutes.”

Let’s look at Scripture to see who celebrated Shavuot!

Modern day Christianity says that the Appointed Times of YAHWEH are for the Jews only and that Apostle Paul did away with the law. However you will see that Paul himself observed Shavuot as all the righteous men of scripture did.

Acts 20:16

“For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might lose no time in Asia, for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the DAY OF THE FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT.”

Jubilees 6:15-21

“And He gave to Noah and his sons a sign that there should not be a flood on the earth again. He placed a rainbow in the cloud for a sign of the everlasting Covenant that there should not be a flood again on the earth to destroy it all the days of the earth. For this reason it is ordained and written on the tablets of the heavens, that they should celebrate the FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT IN THIS MONTH (3rd month on Hebrew Calendar) ONCE A YEAR to RENEW the Covenant every year.” And this whole Festival was celebrated in the HEAVENS FROM the day of creation till the days of Noah: twenty-six Jubilees and five weeks of years. And Noah and his sons OBSERVED IT for seven Jubilees and one week of years, till the day of Noah’s death. And from the day of Noah’s death his sons forsook it until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood “But Abraham observed it, and Isaac, and Jacob, and his children observed it up to your days, and in your days the children of Yisra’el forgot it until you celebrated it anew on this mountain. And you shall command the children of Yisra’el to observe this Festival in all their generations for a Command unto them; one day in the year in this month (3rd month) they shall celebrate the Festival. For it is the Festival of SHAVUOT AND THE FEAST OF FIRST-FRUITS: This Feast is twofold and double nature: according to what is written and engraved concerning it, celebrate it.”

Numbers 28:26

“And on the day of FIRST FRUITS, when you bring a new grain offering to YAHWEH at your FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT, you have a set-apart gathering, you do no work.”

Both Jubilees and Numbers shows that First-Fruits and Shavuot are connected and are the same feast. Especially, since we counted the 50 days starting on First-Fruits.

Jubilees 15:1

“And in the fifth year of the fourth week of this Jubilee, in the THIRD MONTH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH (15th Day) Abram celebrated the Festival of the First-Fruits (Shavuot) of the grain harvest.”

There are only 30 days in a month on the Zadok Priestly calendar; therefore, we know that the middle of the month is the 15th day. Our earliest indication of this is found if Genesis 7:24 which reads:

“And the waters were mighty on the earth, one hundred and fifty days.”

30 days X 5 months= 150 days; therefore 12 months X 30 days in a month= 360 days in a base year.

Jubilees 16:13

“And in the middle of the sixth month YAHWEH visited Sarah and did to her as He had spoken, and she conceived. And she bore a son in the THIRD MONTH, and in the MIDDLE OF THE MONTH (15th Day) at the time of which YAHWEH had spoken to Abraham, on the Festival of the First-Fruits (Shavuot) of the Harvest, Isaac was born.”

Jubilees 28:15

“And again Jacob went in to her, and she conceived, and bore him a fourth son, and he called his name Judah, ON THE FIFTEENTH OF THE THIRD MONTH (SHAVUOT), in the first year of the fourth week.” Isaac and Judah were both born on Shavuot.

Jubilees 22:1

“And it came to be in the first week in the forty-fourth Jubilee, in the second year, that is, the year in which Abraham died, that Isaac and Ishmael came from Beersheba to celebrate the FEAST OF SHAVUOT-that is, THE FEAST OF THE FIRST-FRUITS of the harvest-to Abraham, their dad. And Abraham rejoiced because his two sons had come.”

Jubilees 44:1-5

“And Yisra’el (Jacob) took his journey from Haran from his house on the new month of the THIRD MONTH, and he went on the way of Beersheba, and he offered an offering to the ELOHIM of his dad Isaac on the seventh of this month. And Jacob remembered the dream that he had seen at Beyth El, and he feared to go down to Egypt. And while he was thinking of sending word to Joseph to come to him, and that he would not go down, he remained there seven days, if it came to be he should see a vision as to whether he should remain or go down. And he celebrated the HARVEST FESTIVAL OF THE FIRST-FRUITS with old grain, for in all the land of Canaan there was not a handful of seed, for scarcity of food was over all the beasts and cattle and birds, and also over man.” And on the sixteenth day YAHWEH appeared to him, and said to him, “Jacob, Jacob…”

As we see it was the 7th day of the 3rd month when Jacob offered an offering to ELOHIM, then 7 more days passed which puts us on the 14th day of the 3rd month, and on the next day being the 15th day of the 3rd month Jacob celebrated Shavuot. After the celebration of Shavuot YAHWEH spoke to Jacob the next day which was the 16th.

Tobit 2:1 (Included in 1611 KJV Bibles)

“Now when I had come home again and my wife Hannah was restored to me with my son Tobi, at the FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT-which is the (kodesh) set-apart Feast of the SEVEN WEEKS-there was a good dinner prepared for me, for which I sat down to eat.”

As we see in one of the books that was removed from the Bible, that Tobit celebrated Shavuot and notice he says “the kodesh feast of the seven weeks” and we know that we counted 50 days which is 7 completed Shabbats to arrive at the date of June 5th (15th day of the 3rd month). Tobit was a righteous man and he understood we should keep the kodesh days even while he was in exile in Nineveh. He followed the command according to how it is written in the Torah which says:

Leviticus 23:15-16

“And from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: SEVEN COMPLETED SHABBATS, then you shall bring a new grain offering to YAHWEH.”

2 Maccabees 12:31-32

“They thanked them, desiring them to continue being friendly toward them. And so they came to Jersualem-The FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT was approaching. And AFTER the Festival of Shavuot, they went out against Gorgias the governor of Edom, who came out with three thousand footmen and four hundred horsemen.

As we can see from all the scriptures above is that Noah and his sons, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Apostle Paul, Maccabees, and Tobit all observed Shavuot, The Festival of First-Fruits aka Pentecost. Further pointing to the fact that Noah and Abraham celebrated the Feast before there ever was a Jew.

Covenant cut with Abraham on Shavuot:

Genesis 15:17

“And it came to pass that when the sun had set and it was dark, behold there appeared a smoking furnace and a burning torch passed between those pieces. On that day YAHWEH made a covenant with Abram…”

Jubilees 14:7-20

“And He said to him, “I am YAHWEH who brought you out of Ur Kasdim, to give you the land of the Kana’anites to possess it forever. And I will be ELOHIM to you and to your seed after you.” And he said, “Master, Master, how will I know that I will inherit it? And He said to him, “Bring Me a heifer of three years, and a goat of three years, and a sheep of three years, and a turtle-dove, and a pigeon.” And he took all these in the MIDDLE OF THE MONTH.”

 For the context to see what month it was we need to go back to verse 1 of this chapter. Jubilees 14:1

“After these things, in the fourth year of this week, on the first day of the THIRD MONTH the WORD of YAHWEH came to Abram in a dream.”

Jubilees 14: 10-19 continued:  And he was dwelling at the oak of Mamre, which is near Hebron. And he built there an altar, and slaughtered all these animals; and he poured their blood upon the altar, and divided them in the middle, and laid them over against each other; but he did not divide the birds. And birds came down upon the pieces, and Abram drove them away, and did not allow the birds to touch them.” Verse 20 And ON THAT DAY we cut a covenant with Abram, just as we had covenanted with Noah in THIS MONTH (Jubilees 6:15-21); and Abram renewed the Feast and ordinance for himself forever.”

And the covenant was cut with Abraham in the middle of the month the 15th day of 3rd month in verse 20 just as they did with Noah which is on Shavuot which was referenced above.

Jacob and Laban make covenant on Shavuot:

Jubilees 29:5

“And in the seventh year of the fourth week Jacob turned toward Gilad in the first month, on the twenty-first day. And Laban pursued after him and overtook Jacob in the mountain of Gilad in the THIRD MONTH, on the thirteenth day. Verse 7 And on the FIFTEENTH  of those days (15th Day of 3rd month) Jacob made a banquet for Laban, and all for all who came with him, and Jacob swore to Laban that day, and Laban swore also to Jacob, that neither should cross the mountain of Gilad to the other with evil purpose.”

Genesis 31:46-48

“And Jacob said to his brethren, gather stones, and made a heap; and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha (The pillar of Witness); but Jacob called it Galead. And Laban said, this heap is a witness between me and you this day. Therefore he called its name Galead.”

What is the importance of this day?

The importance of this day is connected with first-fruits which is why its called Shavuot the festival of the first-fruits. ELOHIM was telling Moses that He was taking His people to a fertile land that He was giving them and would like them to acknowledge this gift. Each spring, when the harvest of the year is available the people should bring their initial crops (first-fruits) to the priest to acknowledge them before ELOHIM. YAHWEH wants us to acknowledge that He has provided for us by bringing our best offering to Him; and it also shows our trust in Him by offering our best knowing that He will continue to provide and bless us. So when Shavuot comes 50 days later they would reap a harvest of barely/wheat.

How do we celebrate Shavuot? Instructions

There are many traditions and celebrations that surround Shavuot/Pentecost in modern day Judaism such as the giving of the Torah to Moses (Jubilees 1 shows us the tablets of stone of testimony were given on the 16th which was a Monday and not on Sunday the 15th) reading the 10 commandments, and the eating of dairy products. Trust me, I’m NOT saying we cannot eat ice cream or cheesecake on this day, I’m merely pointing out the traditions. However, what does scripture tell us about how we are to celebrate this day as followers of our Master YESHUA?

 Shavuot/Pentecost is a NO work day. So remember that June 5th is a High Shabbat of no work.

 Leviticus 23:21 says:

“And you shall proclaim on that same day, that it may be a set-apart gathering for yourselves, you do NO SERVILE WORK ON IT a Law forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”

Deuteronomy 16:9-12

“You shall count seven weeks to yourselves; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. And then you shall keep the feast of weeks to YAHWEH your ELOHIM with sufficient of freewill offering of your hand, which you shall set aside as YAHWEH your ELOHIM has blessed you; and you shall rejoice before YAHWEH your ELOHIM, you and your son and your daughter and your manservant and your maidservant and the Levite who is within your towns and the sojourner and the fatherless and the widow who is among you, at the place where YAHWEH your ELOHIM has chosen to place His Name. And you must remember that you were a bondman in Egypt; so you shall observe and do these statutes.”

YAHWEH our ELOHIM tells us to bring a freewill/voluntary offering according to the blessing He has given us as a way to say thank you for His provisions and blessings for us (such as donation to the orphans and widows or the homeless while in diaspora).

Freewill offering:

An example of the type of attitude believers should have towards the voluntary/freewill offering is defined perfectly in Exodus 35:

Exodus 35: 20-22

“And the whole congregation of the children of Yisra’el departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, everyone who was WILLING in HIS HEART and everyone whose spirit made him willing, and they brought offerings for YAHWEH, to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all its service, and for the set-apart vestments. And they came, both MEN AND WOMEN, as many as were WILLING-HEARTED, and brought bracelets and earrings and rings and necklaces and all sorts of jewels of gold; and every man that had set aside an offering of gold brought it to YAHWEH.”

Exodus 36:5-7

“And they said to Moses, the people bring much more than is necessary for the service of the work which YAHWEH commanded to make. And Moses gave command, which the heralds proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the things they had to make, and some was LEFT OVER.”

The people brought so much that they had to stop them from bringing anything else, this is the cheerful giver that YAHWEH seeks especially when He is the One who has provided everything we have to begin with.

Rejoice:

YAHWEH also commands EVERYONE to rejoice before Him on this day. We are not to be sorrowful or in a bad mood because YAHWEH clearly commands us to be joyous on this day.

Deuteronomy 16:11-12 says:

“And you shall REJOICE before YAHWEH your ELOHIM, YOU AND YOUR SON AND YOUR DAUGHTER AND YOUR MANSERVANT AND YOUR MAIDSERVANT AND THE LEVITE WHO IS WITHIN YOUR TOWNS AND THE SOJOURNER AND THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW WHO IS AMONG YOU.”

Remember the slavery in Egypt:

Deuteronomy 16:12

“And you must remember that you were a bondman in Egypt; so you shall observe and do these statutes.”

Shavuot/Pentecost is the last Moedim/Appointed Time of the spring/summer and as you can see YAHWEH wants us to remember that He brought us up out of Egypt and on Shavuot we are to remember that we were slaves in Egypt. He wants us to remember this fact so that we do not backslide and forget His blessings. By having us remember that we were slaves keeps our focus on Him and His commandments, so we do not become disobedient.

To renew the Covenant from the flood:

Jubilees 6:16

“He placed His rainbow in the cloud for a sign of the everlasting Covenant that there should not be a flood again on the earth to destroy it all the days of the earth. For this reason it is ordained and written on the tablets of the heavens, that they should celebrate the FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT in this month once a year, to RENEW THE COVENANT every year.”

Two loaves baked WITH LEAVEN:

Leviticus 23:17

“Bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread, of two-tenth parts of fine flour they are, BAKED WITH LEAVEN, first-fruits to YAHWEH.”

Summary of instructions:

Shavuot is about giving thanks for the blessings of YAHWEH, giving a freewill/voluntary offering, rejoicing, renewing the Covenant YAHWEH cut with Noah, NO WORK, remembering that we were slaves in Egypt, baking two loaves of bread with leaven as first-fruits and the pouring out of the RUACH HA’KODESH  (Holy Spirit.)

Giving of the RUACH HA’KODESH/The Set-Apart Spirit

Another important fact for this day is the promise that YESHUA gave before He ascended into heaven. YESHUA tells us in:

John 16:7 (Hebrew)

“But I say the truth to you. It is better for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you at all, but if I go, I shall send Him to you.”

It was important for YESHUA to ascend into heaven because He sent the RUACH HA’KODESH to dwell within us and verse 13 He tells us what the Set Apart Spirit will do:

“But when that RUACH of truth will come, He will teach you all truth. For He will not speak of His own heart, only the words which He hears He will speak, and make known to you those words. He will esteem Me-from My Father He will take, and will make known to you all the things which are My Father’s-which are Mine-and He will make them known to you.”

The RUACH HA’KODESH will guide and us lead us into all truth; and show us how to obey the commandments just as Paul says in Romans 8 and Galatians 5. It is important to mention YESHUA’s promise of The SET-APART SPIRIT during the Festival of Shavuot because The SET-APART SPIRIT was poured out on His disciples on this very day.

 Acts 2:1-4 says: (Aramaic)

“And when the day of SHAVUOT/Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one purpose in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the RUACH HA’KODESH/Set-Apart Spirit, and began to speak in various languages as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The Book of Ruth is worth reading because it ties into Shavuot

 Ruth 1:22 says:

“So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country, of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the BARLEY HARVEST (SHAVUOT).”

Another interesting connection with the Book of Ruth and Shavuot is the command that YAHWEH gave concerning the land, He says in:

Leviticus 19:9-10

“And when you reap the harvest of your land, do not completely reap the corners of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. And do not glean your vineyard or gather every grape of your vineyard, leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

Leviticus 23:22

“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not make clean riddance of the corners of your field when you reap, neither shall you gather any gleaning of the harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and to the stranger: I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

Deuteronomy 24:19-22

“When you reap your harvest in you field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, do not go back to get it. Let it be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow, so that YAHWEH your ELOHIM might bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, do not examine the branch behind you. Let it be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean behind you. Let it be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.”

YAHWEH made a specific command to not be greedy and clean the fields out when you reap the harvest because you are supposed to leave what is left for the poor, stranger, fatherless, and widow. The connection was made in Ruth, because Boaz did exactly as YAHWEH commanded:

Ruth 2:2-7 says:

 “And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean heads of grain AFTER him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said unto her; Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field AFTER the reapers; as it turned out, she came to the part of the field belonging to Bo’az, the near relative of Elimelek.”

As we see Boaz was obedient to YAHWEH’s command from the Torah and Ruth who was a widow benefited by being able to glean over his fields and also find favor in the sight of Boaz. And a side note is that Boaz and Ruth were blessed to be in the lineage of YESHUA:

1 Chronicles 2:11-15

“Nashon brought forth Salma, and Salma brought forth Boaz; Boaz brought Obed, and Obed brought forth Yishai (Jessie); and Jessie brought forth Eliyab his first-born, and Abinadab the second, and Shim’a the third, Nethan’el the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ostem the sixth, David the seventh.”

And YESHUA comes from the blood line of David which makes Him the rightful heir to the throne. Let us prepare our hearts to get ready to rejoice before our Father YAHWEH and His Son YESHUA and enjoy the last Festival of the spring/summer before it picks back up again in the fall. As always please share this with those who need to hear this important message and may YAHWEH barak (bless) you in YESHUA’s Name!

Shepherd of Hermas command #7: Fear YAHWEH and not the devil

“Fear,” said he, “YAHWEH, and keep His commandments. For if you keep the commandments of ELOHIM, you will be powerful in every action, and every one of your actions will be incomparable.”

John 14:21-24

“He who KEEPS MY COMMANDMENTS, is he LOVES ME. And Whosoever loves Me, will be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” Verse 24 “But he WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME will NOT keep My word, and this word that you hear is Not Mine; rather, it is of the Father who sent Me.”

John 15:10

“If you KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept the commandments of My Father, and I abide in His love.”

1 John 5:3

“For this is the love of ELOHIM, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; and His commandments are not burdensome.”

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

“For this commandment which I command you this day is not hidden from you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may DO IT.”

Luke 11:28

“He said to her, “Blessed are they who hear the Word of ELOHIM and KEEP IT.”

Revelation 12:17

“And the dragon was enraged against the woman; and he went to make war upon the remnant of her seed who KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of ELOHIM and have the testimony of YESHUA.”

Revelation 14:12

“Here is the patience of the set-apart believers who KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of ELOHIM, and the faith of YESHUA.”

Revelation 22:14

“Blessed are they who DO His commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For, fearing YAHWEH, you will do all things well. This is the fear which you ought to have, that you may be saved. But fear not the devil; for, fearing YAHWEH, you will have dominion over the devil, for there is no power in him. But he in whom there is no power ought on no account to be an object of fear; but He in whom there is esteemed power is truly to be feared.”

Do you have this type of fear for YAHWEH?

2 Esdras 8:28

“Think not on those who have lived wickedly in Your sight; but remember those who have willingly acknowledged that You ARE TO BE FEARED.”

Testament of Levi 3:9

“Therefore when YAHWEH looks at us (malachim/angels), all of us are SHAKEN; yes, the heavens, and the earth, and the abysses TREMBLE at the presence of His majesty. But the sons of men, not perceiving these things, SIN (Transgression of the Torah 1 John 3:4) and provoke the anger of the Most High.”

Most believers and people in this world have no fear of YAHWEH; therefore, they run around carelessly sinning in His presence when they should be trembling in fear as the angels do! Sadly since they don’t physically see YAHWEH they go on about their lives transgressing against His commandments without a care in the world; however, if they only knew how the angels feel being in His presence, the willful sinners would be acting a lot differently on this earth.

Many people fear the devil and give him power by always wondering what he is going to do; and run around rebuking every spirit and leave no room for fearing YAHWEH. Think about it most people believe that Satan is going to be the one tormenting believers for eternity when the fact is that Satan will be tormented along with those who follow him.

Mathew 10:28

“And do not fear of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, have FEAR more so of Him who is able to destroy the soul and the body in Gehenna.”

The demons clearly understood this fact and they knew who to fear even though they chose to rebel, and they know who is going to be doing the tormenting and it isn’t Satan.

Mathew 8:28-29

“And when YESHUA came to the other side to the place of Gadarenes, two demon possessed ones met him who were coming out from the cemetery, so that no man was able to cross over by that way. And they cried out and said, “What do we have to do with each other YESHUA, Son of ELOHIM? Have you come here before the time to TORMENT us?”

Revelation 20:10

“And the accuser who seduced them was cast into the lake of fire and sulfur where also the beast of prey and the false prophet; and they will be TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT, forever and ever.”

So let that lie of Satan tormenting believers be put to rest as he deserves no fear that people are giving him.

Remember in Job that Satan had to get permission to do anything to Job because YAHWEH’s hedge of protection was around him. So, this is a perfection example of Who is in control and with that said, why would Satan be the object of people’s fear?

Job 1:6-10 (Aramaic)

“Now there was a day when the sons of ELOHIM came to present themselves before YAHWEH, and Satan came also among them. And YAHWEH said to Satan, whence have you come? Then Satan answered YAHWEH, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking on it. Then YAHWEH said to Satan, have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, an innocent and upright man, one who REVERES ELOHIM, and turns away from evil? Then Satan answered YAHWEH and said, does Job revere ELOHIM for naught? You have rested Your hand of protection upon him and upon his house and upon his children and upon every everything that he has everywhere; You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now, and destroy all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face. And YAHWEH said to Satan, behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself you shall not put forth your hand. So Satan went out from the presence of YAHWEH.”

 Shepherd of Hermas continued: “For every one that has power ought to be feared; but he who has not power is despised by all. Fear, therefore, the deeds of the devil, since they are wicked (fear being like him and his ways). For, fearing YAHWEH, you will not do these deeds, but will refrain from them. For fears are of two kinds: for if you do not wish to do that which is evil, fear YAHWEH, and you will not do it; but, again, if you wish to do that which is good, fear YAHWEH, and you will do it. Wherefore the fear of YAHWEH is strong, and great, and esteemed. Fear, then, YAHWEH, and you will live to Him, and as many as FEAR Him AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS will LIVE to ELOHIM.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (Aramaic)

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR YAHWEH and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; this is given by One Master to every man.”

The malach of repentance says when you fear YAHWEH you will not do that which is evil:

Job 28:28

“And to man he said, behold, the reverence of ELOHIM, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”

Psalms 25:14

“YAHWEH is mindful of them that worship Him, and He will show them His covenant.”

Psalms 34:11

“Come, you children, listen to me, and I will teach you the reverence for YAHWEH.”

Proverbs 8:13

“Reverence of YAHWEH despises evil, pride, arrogance, evil ways, and perverse speech do I hate.”

Proverbs 14:27

“Reverence for YAHWEH is a fountain of life to those who turn away from the snares of death.”

Proverbs 15:16

“Better is a little with reverence for YAHWEH than the great treasures of the wicked.”

Proverbs 19:23

“Reverence for YAHWEH leads to life; and he who is satisfied with it shall abide; he shall not be visited with evil.”

2 Samuel 23:3

“The ELOHIM of Yisra’el said, the Mighty One of Yisra’el spoke to me: He who governs men must be righteous, ruling over those who revere ELOHIM.”

Philippians 2:12-13 (Aramaic)

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have at all times obeyed, not only when I was near to you but now when I am far from you, push through the work of your life more abundantly, with FEAR and with trembling. For ELOHIM is operating in you, both to purpose and also to perform that which you desire. Do all things without arguing and without conflict; that you may be perfect and without blemish, as the sincere children of ELOHIM who are resident in a perverse and crooked generation; and that you may appear among them as shining lights in the world; so that you may be to them in place of life.”

Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Why,” said I, “sir, did you say in regard to those that keep His commandments, that they will live to ELOHIM?” “Because,” says he, “all creation fears YAHWEH, but all creation does not keep His commandments. They only who fear YAHWEH and keep His commandments HAVE LIFE with ELOHIM; but as to those who keep not His commandments, there is no life in them.”

Those who fear YAHWEH and keep His commandments have LIFE:

Leviticus 18:5

“You shall therefore KEEP My commandments and My judgements, which if a man do, he shall LIVE IN THEM, I am YAHWEH.”

Ezekiel 20:21

“Notwithstanding the children of Yisra’el rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My commandments neither did they keep My judgements to DO them, which if a man shall do HE SHALL LIVE BY THEM; they polluted My Shabbats: then I said, I will pour out My fury upon them and accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.”

Deuteronomy 30:19

“I call heaven and earth to bear witness against you this day, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, blessings and cursing’s; therefore choose LIFE, that both you and your descendants may LIVE…”

The malach of repentance says but all do NOT keep His commandments, as we know the lie of Christianity that says the law is done away with and for this reason they have NO LIFE:

Isaiah 24:5-6

“The earth also is defiled like its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the Torah, changed the ordinance, and nullified the everlasting covenant. Therefore the earth shall sit in mourning, and all its inhabitants shall be condemned; therefore all the inhabitants of the earth shall be destroyed and a FEW MEN SHALL BE LEFT.”

Mathew 7:14

“How narrow the door and straight the road that leads to life, and FEW ARE THEY, those that find it.”

2 Esdras 8:1

“He answered me and said, “The Most High made this world for the sake of many, but the world to come for the sake of FEW.”

2 Esdras 8:56-60

“For they also received freedom, but they despised the Most High, and were contemptuous (deep hatred or disapproval) of His LAW, and forsook His ways. Moreover, they have even trampled upon His righteous ones, and said in their hearts that there is no ELOHIM-though knowing full well that they must DIE. For just as the things which have been predicted await you, so the thirst and torment which are prepared await them. For the Most High did not intend that men should be destroyed; but they themselves who were created have defiled the Name of Him who made them, and have been ungrateful to Him who prepared life for them.”

2 Esdras 9:9-22

“Then those who have now abandoned My ways shall be amazed and those who have rejected them with contempt shall dwell in torments. For as many as did not acknowledge Me in their lifetime, although they received My benefits, and as many as scorned My law while they still had freedom, and did not understand but despised it while an opportunity of repentance was still open to them, these must in torment acknowledge Me after death. Therefore, do not continue to be curious as to how the unrighteous will be punished; but inquire how the righteous will LIVE, those to whom the age belongs and for whose sake the age was made.” I answered and said, “I said before, and I say now, and will say it again: there are MORE WHO PERISH than those who WILL LIVE, as A FLOOD is greater than a drop of water.” He answered me and said, “As is the field, so is the seed; and as are the flowers, so are the colors; and as is the work, so is the judgment, and as is the farmer, so is the threshing floor. For there was a time in this age when I was preparing for those who now exist, before they came into being the world was made for them to dwell in, AND NO ONE OPPOSED ME THEN (disobeying His commandments), for no one existed; but now those who have been created in this world, which is supplied both with an unfailing table (plenty of food) and an inexhaustible pasture, have become corrupt in their WAYS. So I considered My world, and behold, it was lost, and my earth, and behold, it was in peril because of the devices of those who had come into it. And I saw and spared some with great difficulty, and saved for Myself ONE GRAPE out of a cluster, and ONE PLANT out of a great forest. So let the multitude perish which has been born in vain, but let my grape and my plant be saved, because with much labor I have perfected them.”

2 Baruch 51:4-6

“For those who will then come will groan even more over this, over the fact that they REJECTED MY TORAH and have stopped their ears so that they would not hear wisdom or receive understanding. Therefore, when they will see that those, over whom they are now exalted, will then be exalted and esteemed more than they, and that they have been all transformed, these into splendor of angels and those into startling apparitions, then at the sight of these shapes they will waste away even more. For they will see and afterward they will go to be tormented.”

Again, the angel (malach) of repentance told us what we need to do to live to ELOHIM, which is to fear YAHWEH and keep His commandments, and also not to have any fear for the devil, but rather reserve all that fear for Him. Remember how few will inherit eternal life; therefore, do all you can through the strength and mercy of our ELOHIM and being led by the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) to do so. As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!