Feeling alone? Are you the outcast?

So, you just woke up! You realized that Christianity was a lie and that most of what you have learned in school and have been told your entire life is a lie! You feel like you are alone in this walk because your family and friends think you are “weird”, that you are “crazy” and that you’re involved in a “cult.” I would like to encourage all the new followers of Torah to not feel alone, ashamed, crazy, nor a loser. And not just new followers of Torah who keep the commandments of YAHWEH, but also for those who have already been in this walk to keep going despite the persecution and push back you may be receiving from family, friends, or your jobs! When your family or others come against you remember what YESHUA said:

Matthew 10:34-37 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Moreover YESHUA MASHIACH said to His talmidim (disciples), “Do not think that I Myself came to set shalom (peace) on the earth, but certainly I Myself came to SEPARATE the father from the son, and the daughter from the mother, and a daughter-in-law from her mother-in-law, and the people-acquainted ones from their acquaintances. Whosoever loves his father or his mother more than me is not worthy of Me.”

This means YESHUA came to divide those who follow the truth from those who follow falsehood! It makes sense because the reason why you feel alone, hated, and an outcast amongst family and friends, is because you have chosen to follow YESHUA completely and have rejected the ways of the world! Despite all of that, guess what? You have fellow brothers and sisters with you who are your family.

Matthew 12:46-50 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“And while He spoke unto the people, His mother and His relatives stood outside and wanted to speak with Him. Then a certain man said to Him, “Your mother and Your relatives are standing outside asking for you.” So YESHUA answered and said to him, “Who is my mother? And who is my brother or my relative? EVERYONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER who is in the heavens-HE IS MY BROTHER AND MY SISTER AND MY MOTHER.”

Anyone who does the WILL of YAHWEH is YESHUA’s brother, sister, and mother. So, what is the will of YAHWEH?

Psalms 40:8-9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“So then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about Me. DOING YOUR WILL, My ELOHIM, is My joy; YOUR TORAH is in My inmost being.”

John 6:40 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“For this IS THE WILL OF THE FATHER Who sent Me—that every man who CHOOSES THE SON AND BELIEVES, will have everlasting life; and I will raise him up alive in the last day.”

The will of YAHWEH is to keep the commandments of His Torah and to believe in His Son the Living Torah YESHUA (See Revelation 14:12). And I want you to remember that He chose you!

John 15:16 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Now, you HAVE NOT CHOSEN ME BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, and have anointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide- in order that the matter which you ask in My Name, He may give to you.”

Ephesians 1:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“In the Messiah HE CHOSE US in love BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE to be set-apart and without defect in His presence. He determined IN ADVANCE that through YESHUA the Messiah we would be HIS SONS—IN KEEPING WITH HIS PLEASURE AND PURPOSE…”

You should be rejoicing that the Creator of the universe has chosen you and not feeling down about it. You are no longer spiritually blind and now you can see, because you were one of His lost sheep that He is calling home! So don’t be discouraged about what they say about you, rather rejoice and pray for them.

Matthew 5:11 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Blessed ones you will be when the men curse you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil things against you, and lie-because of Me. SHOUT WITH JOY-your wages are great in the heavens for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

So, this message is for encouragement to all believers walking in Torah to keep holding on despite what happens in this world, despite the persecution from family, friends, job, or government! Keep trusting in YESHUA and keep the commandments.! Psalms 119 gives us some great direction on how to respond in these times of affliction.

Psalms 119:51 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Though the arrogant scorn me COMPLETELY, I HAVE NOT TURNED AWAY FROM YOUR TORAH.”

Psalms 119:61 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Even when the cords of the wicked close around me, I DON’T FORGET YOUR TORAH.”

Psalms 119:87 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“They have nearly ended my life on earth, BUT I HAVE NOT ABANDOED YOUR PRECEPTS.”

Psalms 119:110 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“The wicked have set a trap for me, YET I HAVEN’T STRAYED FROM YOUR PRECEPTS.”

Psalms 119:143(Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Trouble and distress have overtaken me, BUT YOUR COMMANDMENTS ARE MY DELIGHT.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-12, 16-18 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“We have all kinds of troubles, but we are not crushed; we are perplexed, yet not in despair; PERSECUTED, yet not abandoned; KNOCKED DOWN, YET NOT DESTROYED. We always carry in our bodies the dying of YESHUA, so that the life of YESHUA may be manifested in our bodies too. For we who are alive are always being handed over to death for YESHUA’s sake, so that YESHUA’s life also might be manifested in our mortal bodies. Thus death is at work in us but life in you.” Verses 16-18 “This is why we DO NOT LOSE COURAGE. Though our outer self is heading for decay, our inner self is being renewed daily. For our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an EVERLASTING esteem whose weight is beyond description. We concentrate on what is seen but on what is NOT SEEN, SINCE THINGS SEEN ARE TEMPORARY, BUT THINGS NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL.”

Don’t lose courage in this life because of what you see happening; rather focus on that which is not seen in the spiritual. Because focusing on the promises of eternal life promised by YAHWEH and YESHUA outweighs any temporary struggles that we are facing in this life, so always that keep this in mind.

In the end they all will have to answer YESHUA for what they have done to you, so YOU just keep your eyes fixed on the reward to come.

2 Esdras (4th Ezra) 7:78-79

“Now concerning death, the teaching is: When the decisive decree has gone out from the Most High that a person shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return again to Him who gave it, first of all it adores the esteem of the Most High, if it one of those who have shown scorn and have not kept the way of the Most High, who have despised his law and hated those who FEAR ELOHIM---such spirits shall not enter into habitations, but shall immediately wander about in torments, always grieving and sad, in seven ways.”

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (Aramaic)

“And to you who are OPRESSED He shall grant to be at PEACE with us when our Master YESHUA HA’MASHIACH shall be revealed from heaven with the host of his malachim (angels). At which time He will AVENGE with flaming fire those who KNOW NOT ELOHIM and those who do not acknowledge the Good News of our Master YESHUA HA’MASHIACH; for they, at the judgment day, shall be rewarded with everlasting destruction from the presence of our Master and from the esteem of His power…”

Remember, we have a higher calling and part of that is facing persecution amongst this world and ELOHIM will do the avenging on judgment day, so rejoice and thank YAHWEH that He has chosen you and keep clinging to YESHUA. This message will lead into a short message I want to do on exposing the pre-tribulation doctrine after this one ELOHIM willing.

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

We CAN’T keep TORAH outside of Jerusalem?

There is a movement circulating amongst the Torah community that tells us that we cannot keep the commandments of the Torah outside of the land of Yisra’el! I said it before and I will say it again, Satan does not care how he gets you to rebel against YAHWEH, he only cares that you do! Satan has already deceived Christians into accepting a lawless doctrine and they believe they will be saved and now that same mentality has crept into the Torah community.

This is all according to the plan of the enemy because this must happen first to fulfill prophecy:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But in connection with the coming of our Master YESHUA the Messiah and our gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be easily shaken in your thinking or anxious because of a spirit or spoken message or a letter supposedly from us claiming that the Day of YAHWEH has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until AFTER THE APOSTASY HAS COME and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom.”

Merriam-Webster defines “Apostasy” as an act of REFUSING to continue to FOLLOW, OBEY, OR RECOGNIZE A RELIGIOUS FAITH.

So, not only has Christianity done this, but now those in Torah are refusing to follow and obey the commandments of YAHWEH under the guise of being obedient, and yet these hypocrites will tell the Christians that they need to be keeping the Shabbat and eating clean according to the dietary laws in Leviticus 11! Christians say we don’t have to obey any of the Torah and this so-called Torah group is picking the commandments they want to obey.

Can we keep the commandments in a foreign land?

Enoch 108:1-3

“Another book which Enoch wrote for his son Methusaleh and for those who will come after him, AND KEEP THE TORAH IN THE LAST DAYS. You who have done good shall wait for those days until an end is made of those who WORK EVIL; and an end of the might of the transgressors. And wait indeed until iniquity has passed away, for their names shall be blotted out of the book of life and out of the set-apart books, and their seed shall be destroyed forever, and their beings shall be slain, and they shall cry and make lamentation in a place that is a chaotic wilderness, and in the fire shall they burn; for there is no earth there.”

If you look at the table of contents in the Dead Sea Scrolls Scriptures, the oldest form of the scriptures found at Qumran, you will notice that Enoch is listed among the prophets. Notice how Enoch the prophet tells us that there will be those who will be keeping the commandments of the Torah in the last days? Currently, the children of YAHWEH are scattered to the four corners of the earth due the disobedience of our forefathers and will return back to the land when YESHUA regathers us! And yet, while scattered to the four corners of the earth we will be keeping the commandments of the Torah in the LAST DAYS WHILE IN DIASPORA! But that is not all! Enoch warns that we will wait until an end is made of those who work evil and how does scripture define those who work evil?

Psalms 119:53 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Fury seizes me when I think of the WICKED, BECAUSE THEY ABANDON YOUR TORAH.”

2 Kings 17:13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH had warned Yisra’el and Yehudah (Judah) in advance through every prophet and seer, “Turn from YOUR EVIL WAYS; AND OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS AND REGULATIONS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENTIRE TORAH which I ordered your ancestors to keep and which I sent to you through my servant the prophets.”

It’s clear that those who do not keep the Torah are evil and liars in the sight of YAHWEH! Are there any more witnesses to verify the words of Enoch about keeping the commandments of the Torah while in exile? YES!

Deuteronomy 30:1-5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“When the time arrives that all these things have come upon you, both the blessing and the curse which I have presented to you; and you are there AMONG THE NATIONS TO WHICH YAHWEH YOUR ELOHIM HAS DRIVEN YOU; then, at last, you will start thinking about what has happened to you; and you will RETURN TO YAHWEH your ELOHIM and pay attention to what He has said, which will be exactly what I am ordering you to do TODAY--- you and your children, with ALL YOUR HEART AND ALL YOUR BEING. At that point, YAHWEH your ELOHIM WILL REVERSE YOUR EXILE and show you mercy; He will return AND GATHER YOU FROM ALL THE PEOPLES TO WHICH YAHWEH YOUR ELOHIM SCATTERED YOU. IF ONE OF YOURS WAS SCATTERED TO THE FAR END OF THE SKY, YAHWEH YOUR ELOHIM WILL GATHER YOU EVEN FROM THERE, HE WILL GO THERE AND YOU GET YOU. YAHWEH your ELOHIM will BRING YOU BACK INTO THE LAND YOUR ANCESTORS POSSESSED, and you will possess it; He will make you prosper there, and you will become even more numerous than your ancestors.”

This scripture could not be any clearer! For YAHWEH to reverse our exile, means that we would have to be in exile among the nations to begin with! And in order for Him  to reverse our exile from where He has scattered us, He says we must do one thing FIRST! And that is to return to Him with ALL OUR HEART AND ALL OUR BEING! How do we turn to YAHWEH with all our heart, soul, and might?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“So now, Yisra’el, all that YAHWEH your ELOHIM asks from you is to fear YAHWEH your ELOHIM, FOLLOW ALL HIS WAYS (Psalms 119:1), love Him and serve YAHWEH your ELOHIM with ALL YOUR HEART AND ALL YOUR BEING; TO OBEY, FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, THE COMMANDMENTS AND REGULATIONS OF YAHWEH which I am giving you today.”

2 Kings 23:25 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“No previous king was like him (Josiah); because he turned to YAHWEH with all his HEART, WITH ALL HIS BEING AND WITH ALL HIS POWER, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TORAH OF MOSES.”

1 Chronicles 29:18-19 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH, ELOHIM of Abraham, Isaac, and Yisra’el our ancestors, guard forever the inclinations of the thoughts in the HEARTS of your people; direct their HEARTS to you; and give to Solomon my son WHOLEHEARTEDNESS TO OBEY YOUR COMMANDMENTS, INSTRUCTIONS, AND RULES, TO DO ALL THESE THINGS…”

2 Chronicles 15:11-13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“That day they sacrificed to YAHWEH 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep from the spoil they had brought; and they entered into covenant to seek YAHWEH, the ELOHIM of their ancestors, WITH ALL THEIR HEART AND WITH ALL THEIR BEING; they also agreed that whoever refused to seek YAHWEH the ELOHIM of Yisra’el should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.”

So, once we return to YAHWEH with all of our HEART, SOUL, AND MIGHT which mean to keep the commandments of the Torah, THEN YAHWEH will regather us back to the promised land! Does it make any sense for YAHWEH to scatter His children for being disobedient to His commandments to only turn and regather His children for continued disobedience while in exile? That makes no sense! Let us view the same verses in the Samaritan Torah!

Deuteronomy 30:1-4 (Samaritan)

“And it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind IN ALL NATIONS WHERE YAHWEH YOUR ELOHIM WILL BANISH YOU. And you shall RETURN to YAHWEH your ELOHIM, and OBEY HIS VOICE according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL. And YAHWEH your ELOHIM will RESTORE YOU FROM CAPTIVITY, and have compassion on you, and will RETURN AND GATHER YOU FROM ALL THE PEOPLES WHERE YAHWEH your ELOHIM HAS SCATTERED YOU. If your outcasts are AT THE ENDS OF THE HEAVENS, from there YAHWEH your ELOHIM will GATHER YOU, and from there He will BRING YOU BACK!”

As we read in the Complete Jewish Scriptures and the Samaritan Torah, we have to return to ELOHIM with all our heart, soul/being, and might to be gathered back to the land. Someone might say “obey His voice” in verse two is different than keeping the commandments, is this true?

Deuteronomy 30:10 (Samaritan)

“If you obey THE VOICE OF YAHWEH your ELOHIM, TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW. IF YOU TURN TO YAHWEH YOUR ELOHIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL.”

So again, YAHWEH is just reiterating that obeying His voice IS to keep the commandments and He again connects keeping the commandments with us doing it with all of our heart, soul, and might! It should be abundantly clear by now that YAHWEH does NOT approve us His children being LAWLESS while in exile! There is another witness to this.

Nehemiah 1:4-9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“On hearing this answer, I sat down and wept; I mourned for several days, fasting and praying before the ELOHIM of heaven. I said, “Please, YAHWEH! ELOHIM of heaven! You great and fearsome ELOHIM, who keep His covenant and extends mercy to those who love Him and OBSERVE HIS COMMANDMENTS! Let your ear now be attentive and your eyes be open, so that you will listen to the prayer of your servant, which I am praying before you these days, day and night, for the people of Yisra’el your servants---even as I confess the transgressions of the people of Yisra’el that we have committed against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have transgressed. We have deeply offended you. We haven’t observed the commandments, laws or rulings you ordered your servant Moses. Remember, please, the word you gave through your servant Moses, ‘If you BREAK FAITH, I will SCATTER YOU AMONG THE PEOPLES; BUT IF YOU RETURN TO ME, OBSERVE MY COMMANDMENTS AND OBEY THEM, THEN, even if your scattered ones are in the most distant part of heaven, nevertheless, I will collect them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for bearing my name.”

Let’s view some other examples:

2 Esdras 3:1-3

“In the thirtieth year after the DESTRUCTION OF OUR CITY, I, Salathiel, who am also called Ezra, WAS IN BABYLON. I was troubled as I lay on my bed, and my thoughts welled up in my heart, because I saw the DESOLATION OF ZION and the wealth of those WHO LIVED IN BABYLON. My spirit was greatly agitated, and I began to speak anxious words to the Most High, and said…”

2 Esdras 5:15-17

“But the malach (angel) who had come and talked with me held me and strengthened me and set me on my feet. Now on the second night, Phaltiel, a chief of the people, came to me and said, “Where have you been? And why is your face sad? Or do you not know that Israel has been entrusted to you IN THE LAND OF THEIR EXILE?”

I wanted to list these two scriptures to show the context that Ezra and the Israelites are in EXILE IN BABYLON! And what does Ezra say regarding the commandments while in Babylon?

2 Esdras 7:45

“I answered and said, “O YAHWEH, I said then and I say now; Blessed are those who are alive and KEEP THY COMMANDMENTS!”

YESHUA said the same words:

Luke 11:28 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But He (YESHUA) said, “For more blessed are THOSE who hear the word of YAHWEH and OBEY IT.”

2 Esdras 7:70-74

“He answered me and said, “When the Most High made the world and Adam and all who have come from him, He first prepared the judgment and the things that pertain to the judgment. And now understand from your own words, for you have said that the mind grows with us. For this reason, therefore, those who dwell on earth shall be tormented, because though they had understanding they committed iniquity, and though THEY RECEIVED THE COMMANDMENTS THEY DID NOT KEEP THEM, AND THOUGH THEY OBTAINED THE LAW, THEY DEALT UNFAITHFULLY WITH WHAT THEY RECEIVED. What, then WILL THEY HAVE TO SAY IN THE JUDGMENT, OR HOW WILL THEY ANSWER IN THE LAST TIMES?”

This is the same question I present to all the heretics that are telling people not to keep the commandments! How will you answer on judgment day knowing that you taught lawlessness and directed people in the ways of Satan?

2 Esdras 9:9-12

“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.”

What does it mean to abandon the WAYS of YAHWEH? Please read Psalms 119:1 and Psalms 103:7, but here is another.

2 Chronicles 12:1, 5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But in time, after Rehoboam had consolidated his rulership and had become strong, he, and with him all Yisra’el, ABANDONED THE TORAH OF YAHWEH.” Verse 5 “Now Sh’ma’yah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak and said to them, “Here is what YAHWEH says: “Because you have ABANDONED ME, I HAVE ABANDONED YOU TO THE HANDS OF SHISHAK.”

In the Peshat the (literal meaning), those in the time of Rehoboam abandoned YAHWEH by not keeping Torah, so He in turn abandoned them; likewise, the Remez (the hint to a deeper spiritual meaning) those who abandon the Torah, YAHWEH will abandon them on judgement day and send them into eternal exile which is the lake of fire!

2 Baruch 77:11-12

“And the whole people answered and said to me: “Everything we are able to remember of the good things that the Mighty One has done unto us we will remember, and those things that we do not remember He knows in His mercy. Nevertheless, do this for us, your people: write ALSO TO OUR BROTHERS IN BABYLON A LETTER OF INSTRUCTION AND A BOOK OF HOPE, so that you strengthen them, too, before you no longer walk among us.” For the shepherds of Yisra’el have perished, and the lamps that have shone are extinguished, and the springs have withheld their stream from which we used to drink. For we have been left in the darkness and in the wood of the forest and in the thirst of the desert.” And I answered and said to them: “Shepherds and lamps and springs come from the Torah. And though we pass on, THE TORAH ABIDES. If, therefore, YOU LOOK TO THE TORAH AND WILL BE HEEDING WISDOM, THE LAMP WILL NOT BE WANTING and the shepherd not departing and the spring not drying up. Nevertheless, I AM WRITING ALSO TO YOUR BROTHERS IN BABYLON, as you have said to me, and will send by means of men. And I will write to the nine and a half tribes in this manner and send by the means of a bird.”

Baruch said the Torah will abide even when shepherds are gone and dictionary.com defines abide as TO REMAIN; CONTINUE; STAY…” And the context is that Baruch is writing a letter to those who ARE IN EXILE and what does he say to them in the letter?

2 Baruch 84:1

“I therefore make these things known to you while I am alive. For I have said that, above all, YOU SHOULD LEARN THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE MIGHTY ONE, WHO ADMONISHED YOU. AND I WILL SET BEFORE YOU SOME OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF HIS JUDGMENT BEFORE I WILL DIE.”

2 Baruch 84:7-9

“Let then THIS LETTER be a testimony between me and you, so that you will REMEMBER THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE MIGHTY ONE, and so that in this way I will also have an excuse before him who has sent me. REMEMBER Zion and THE TORAH, also the Set-Apart Land, and your brothers, and THE COVENANT, and your fathers, AND THE FESTIVALS, AND THE SHABBATS DO NOT FORGET. And PASS THIS LETTER AND THE TRADITIONS OF THE TORAH ON TO YOUR SONS AFTER YOU, AS YOUR FATHERS HAVE ALSO PASSED THEM ON TO YOU.”

So, what does Baruch tell his brothers to do in Babylonian exile? To REMEMBER the Torah, the Festivals, the Shabbats, and the traditions of the Torah and not to forget them! And not only that, but to pass them down to the future generations! Baruch says REMEMBER them, just as YAHWEH says in:

Exodus 20:8 (Septuagint)

“REMEMBER the SHABBAT DAY to keep it Set-Apart.”

Malachi 4:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“REMEMBER THE TORAH of Moses My servant, which I enjoined on him at Horev LAWS AND RULINGS FOR ALL OF YISRA’EL.”

The etymology of the word “Remember” is Zakar H2142 and defined by Strong’s as a primitive root; PROPERLY TO MARK (SO AS TO BE RECOGNIZED). That is, to remember; by implication to mention; BE MINDFUL…”

YAHWEH MARKS His people who remember to keep His Shabbats!

Ezekiel 20:12, 20

“I gave them My SHABBATS AS A SIGN between Me and them, so that they would know that I, YAHWEH, am the One who makes them set-apart.” Verse 20 “And keep My SHABBATS set-apart; and they will be a SIGN between Me and you, so that you will know that I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

The etymology for the word sign is “Oth” H226 and defined by Strong’s as a SIGNAL (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, prodigy, evidence, MARK, miracle, sign.

They say we can’t keep the Feasts!

Sadly, these hypocrites will run around telling other Torah observant believers that they can’t keep the feasts outside of Jerusalem, yet they are observing the Shabbat WHICH IS A FEAST DAY! So according to their own false doctrine, they should not be observing the Shabbat either.

Jubilees 2:21

“And thus He created a sign in accordance with which they should guard the SHABBAT with us (ELOHIM and angels) on the seventh day, TO EAT AND DRINK, and to bless Him who has created all things, as He has blessed and set-apart to Himself a peculiar people above all peoples, and that they should keep Shabbat together with us.”

Jubilees 50:9

“You shall do no work whatsoever on the SHABBAT DAY except what you have prepared for yourselves on the sixth day, so as to EAT, and DRINK, and rest, and keep Shabbat from all work on that day, and to bless YAHWEH your ELOHIM, who has GIVEN YOU A DAY OF FEAST and a set-apart day, and a day of the set-apart kingdom for all Yisra’el is this day among their days FOREVER! For great is the honor which YAHWEH gave to Yisra’el that they should eat and drink and be satisfied on THIS FEAST DAY, and rest on it from all labor which belongs to the labor of the children of men…”

Do we see the Shabbat and other feasts being kept outside of Jerusalem in any other books? YES! We will start with the Damascus Document discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Damascus Document 6:19 (Penguin Classics)

“They shall distinguish between clean and unclean, and shall proclaim the difference between set-apart and profane. They shall KEEP THE SHABBAT DAY according to its exact interpretation, AND THE FEASTS AND THE DAY OF FASTING according to the finding of the members of the Covenant IN THE LAND OF DAMASCUS.”

Can we be sure that they kept the commandments outside of Jerusalem? Yes!

Damascus Document 6:5 (Penguin Classics)

“The well is the Law, and those who dug it were the converts of Yisra’el who WENT OUT OF THE LAND OF JUDAH TO SOJOURN IN THE LAND OF DAMASCUS.”

The Jewish Virtual Library confirms this on page 1 writing “The Book of the Covenant of Damascus (the Zadokite Documents or the Damascus Document) is a work presenting the views of the sect which is said to have LEFT THE LAND OF JUDAH AND EMIGRATED TO THE LAND OF DAMASCUS.”  Emigrate is defined by Oxford languages as “LEAVE ONE’S OWN COUNTRY IN ORDER TO SETTLE PERMANETNLY IN ANOTHER.”

On page 2 of the same article is written “At the end of the destruction of the land,” when the influence of the backsliders and adversaries of the sect became stronger, those who remained true to the covenant WENT OUT OF THE SET-APART CITY AND “ESCAPED TO THE LAND OF THE NORTH.”

We see the Zadok priests and Levites left the set-apart city in Jerusalem to go the Damascus, which is north of Yisra’el, and there they kept the commandments of the Torah.

Tobit 1:22

“And Achiacharus entreating for me, I RETURNED TO NINEVEH now Achiacharus was cupbearer and keeper of the signet and steward and overseer of the accounts and Sarchedonus appointed him next to him: and he was my brother’s son.”

Tobit 2:1

“Now when I had arrived HOME AGAIN (NINEVEH, Tobit 1:22) and my wife Channah was restored to me, with my son Tovi’yah, IN THE FEAST OF SHAVUOT, which is the set-apart feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared for me, in which I sat down to eat.

Tobit, a righteous man celebrated Shavuot in Nineveh!

Acts 20:5-6 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“These men went on and waited for us in Troas, while we sailed from Philippi AFTER THE DAYS OF MATZAH (The Feast of Unleavened Bread)…”

Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are so closely connected that at the time of YESHUA the entire feast was called the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Festival of Matzah which is confirmed in Luke:

Luke 22:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But the FESTIVAL OF MATZAH (THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD), KNOWN AS PASSOVER, was approaching…”

Therefore, we can see that Paul celebrated Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Philippi, and where is Philippi? Strong’s G5375 says “Philippi, a place in Macedonia” and where is Macedonia according to National Geographic Education “Macedonia still exists today as a geographical region in Southeast Europe that currently includes the nation of North Macedonia as well as parts of Greece, Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo.”

So, the biggest argument is that there is no Temple; however:

John 4:19-21 (Hebrew)

“Then the woman said to Him, “Master, I realize that you are a Prophet. Our fathers prayed to YAHWEH in this mountain (Mount Gerizim), but You say that the place where everyone has to pray to EL (God) is in Jerusalem. So YESHUA said to the woman, “Believe Me that a time will yet come, that you will not worship the Father on this mountain, NOR IN JERUSALEM. You pray to whom you do not know; but we pray to whom we know-for shalom (peace) is about to come for the Jews. But a time WILL COME, and is now, that the true worshippers will worship The Father in Spirit and truth, for the Father asks them that they WORSHIP ACCORDING TO THESE. EL is Spirit, and those who pray to him---it is required that they pray to Him in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.”

What is The Spirit? That would be the RUACH HA’KODESH The Set-Apart Spirit.

John 16:13 (Hebrew)

“But when the 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 (The Set-Apart Spirit) will lead us into ALL TRUTH and what is the truth?

Psalms 119:142

“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and Your TORAH IS TRUTH.”

So, YESHUA says we must worship YAHWEH in Spirit and Truth, which means we are to be filled and led by The Set-Apart Spirit as He will lead us into obeying the Torah/Law. YESHUA knew that the Temple would be destroyed in 70 A.D. as He prophesied in Matthew 24:1-2 and that the temple of the Samaritans would be destroyed in 128 BC and that when He ascended into heaven that He would give us the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit); therefore, the presence of ELOHIM dwells in us and we worship Him the best we can wherever we are as we are scattered to the four corners. Which is why Paul says we are the TEMPLE OF ELOHIM!

1 Corinthians 3:16

“Do you not know that YOU are the TEMPLE OF ELOHIM and that the SPIRIT of ELOHIM dwells in you?”

John 2:19-21

“YESHUA answered them, “Destroy THIS TEMPLE, and in three days I will raise it up again.” The Judeans said, “It took 46 years to build this Temple, and you’re going to raise it in three days?” But the “TEMPLE” He had spoken of was HIS BODY.”

YESHUA was filled with the RUACH HA’KODESH just as we are! The same way ELOHIM’s presence dwelt in the PHYSICAL TEMPLE is the same way His presence now dwells IN US with the filling of the RUACH HA’KODESH making us the Temple. Without His presence we become an empty vessel that will be destroyed, just as when ELOHIM’s presence left the Temple it became a building that would be destroyed, IT IS HIS PRESENCE THAT DWELT WITHIN IT THAT MAKES IT SET-APART.

2 Baruch 7:1-8:4

“And after these things, I heard that malach (angel), who said to these angels who were holding the torches: “Now destroy and demolish its walls to the foundations, lest the enemies should boast and say: ‘We, we have demolished the wall of Zion and we have burned the place of ELOHIM, the Mighty One.” And they took me back to the place where I was standing before. Then the angels did as He had commanded them. And when they had broken down the CORNERS of the wall, a voice was heard from WITHIN THE TEMPLE, after the wall had fallen, and it said: “Enter, enemies, and come, those who hate, for HE WHO PRESERVES THE HOUSE HAS LEFT IT BEHIND.” And I Baruch, went away. And after these things, the Chaldean army entered and seized the house and everything around it.

Once YAHWEH’s presence left the Temple, THEN it was able to be destroyed by the Chaldeans.

2 Baruch 64:6

“The wickedness of Manasseh increased so much that the ESTEEM OF THE MOST HIGH DEPARTED FROM THE SANCTUARY.”

Now we can really see why Paul said this:

Ephesian 4:30 (Complete Jewish Bible)

“Don’t cause grief to ELOHIM’s RUACH HA’KODESH, for He has stamped you as HIS PROPERTY UNTIL THE DAY OF FINAL REDEMPTION.”

Deuteronomy 16:16

“Three times in a year all your males shall appear before YAHWEH your ELOHIM in the place of which He WILL CHOOSE, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths.”

The place YAHWEH CHOSE was Jerusalem where the Temple was before it was destroyed as YESHUA said, but now He has CHOSEN us as the Temple to appear before Him with the filling of the RUACH HA’KODESH!

2 Corinthians 3:17 (CJB)

“Now YAHWEH in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of YAHWEH is, THERE IS FREEDOM.”

Freedom to serve YAHWEH wherever we are as the Temple because of the RUACH HA’KODESH dwelling in us.”

The Zadok Priests in the Damascus Document understood this as they were filled with the RUACH HA’KODESH and so was Paul, which is why they knew the freedom to keep the Torah in Damascus and Paul keeping Passover in PhillipI.

Damascus Document 5:13, pg. 31 Ken Johnson

“The Wall builders blasphemy grieved the SET-APART SPIRIT when they spoke against the statutes of ELOHIM’s covenant, saying that they were not specific enough.”

Other evidence

 Brittanica.com writes “Letters of John, abbreviation John, three New Testament writings, all composed sometime around 100 CE and traditionally attributed to St. John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and disciple of Jesus (YESHUA). “

So, John’s letters were written around 100 AD which was 30 years after the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 AD, the Israelites are scattered, and what does John tell us?

1 John 2:3-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“The way we can be sure we know Him is if we are OBEYING HIS COMMANDS. ANYONE who says, “I know Him,” but ISN’T OBEYING HIS COMMANDS IS A LIAR---THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM.” But if someone KEEPS DOING WHAT HE SAYS, then truly love for ELOHIM has been brought to its goal in him.”

Anyone who does not keep the commandments of YAHWEH is a liar, which is confirmed by YAHWEH Himself:

Isaiah 30:9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“For this is a REBELLIOUS PEOPLE; they are LYING CHILDREN, CHILDREN WHO REFUSE TO HEAR THE TORAH OF YAHWEH.”

1 John 3:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“EVERYONE who keeps transgressing is VIOLATING TORAH—indeed, transgression is VIOLATION OF TORAH.”

1 John 5:3 (Aramaic)

“For this is the love of ELOHIM, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; and His COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT DIFFICULT.”

John is still telling us to keep the commandments while being scattered to the four corners with no Temple because we are the Temple!

Polycarp letter to Philippians (Written 108 AD which is 38 years after the destruction of the Temple).

Chapter 2

“But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise us up also, IF WE DO HIS WILL, AND WALK IN HIS COMMANDMENTS, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing…

Chapter 4

“Ephesians 6:11 and let us teach, first of all, ourselves to walk IN THE COMMANDMENTS OF YAHWEH.”

Shepherd of Hermas

The Shepherd of Hermas was written in 90 AD which was 20 years after the destruction of the 2nd Temple, and they were still keeping the Torah in Rome!

Encyclopedia Britannica states:

“Type of Jewish Christianity-STILL ADHERING TO THE MOSAIC LAW (TORAH)-evident in Rome during 2nd century. The Shepherd of Hermas was ORIGINALLY INCLUDED TO CANONICAL RANK and was bound WITH THE NEW TESTAMENT in the Codex Sinaiticus. It was listed between the Book of Acts and the Acts of Paul in the list of the Codex Claromontanus. Eventually, the text fell out of favor among the Christian bishops and it was excluded from the finalized list of canonical scriptures.”

The early “church fathers” as they are called, considered this book to be canon and that they were still following the Torah as the article mentions (adhering to the “Mosaic laws”.) So, these are early assemblies not too far removed from the days of the apostles who are following Torah and accepted this book as canon. Irenaeus was a commandment keeper and even wrote a book called “Against Heresies” endorsed this book as scripture as well.

In the 12th commandment section of the Shepherd of Hermas the malach (angel) of repentance says this to Hermas:

“I say to him, “Sir, these commandments are great, and good, and glorious, 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 exceedingly 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.”

1 John 5:3 (Aramaic)

“For this is the love of ELOHIM, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; and His COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT DIFFICULT.”

The other argument!

Lamentations 2:9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Her gates have sunk into the ground; He destroyed and broke their bars. Her kings and rulers are among the nations, THERE IS NO MORE TORAH, and her prophets do not receive visions from YAHWEH.”

There is no more Torah? What does this mean? It means that the Torah was burned due to them being exiled, but watch what happens next!

2 Esdras 14:19-22

“Then I answered and said, “Let me speak in the thy presence, Master. For behold, I will go, as You have commanded me, and I will reprove the people who are now living; but who WILL WARN THOSE WHO WILL BE BORN HEREAFTER? For the world lies in darkness, and its inhabitants are WITHOUT LIGHT (Proverbs 6:23). FOR YOUR LAW HAS BEEN BURNED, and so no one knows the things which have been done or will be done by You. If, then, I have found favor before You, send the RUACH HA’KODESH (THE SET-APART SPIRIT) into me, and I will WRITE EVERYTHING that has happened in the world from the beginning, the things which were WRITTEN IN YOUR LAW, THAT MEN MAY BE ABLE TO FIND THE PATH, AND THAT THOSE WHO WISH TO LIVE IN THE LAST DAYS MAY LIVE.”

Ezra cared about the future generations being that they did not have the Torah because it was burned, but he rewrote it by the leading of the RUACH HA’KODESH so that those would came after him would follow the truth again and it started in Babylon! And we know that according to YAHWEH’s words in Deuteronomy 30, that once they would keep the Torah while in exile He would regather them back to the land and we see this happen under the rule of Cyrus the king of Persia. Furthermore, Ezra said “THAT MEN MAY BE ABLE TO FIND THE PATH, AND THAT THOSE WHO WISH TO LIVE IN THE LAST DAYS MAY LIVE.”

Ezra said that men would be able to find the righteous path by keeping Torah and that those living in the last days MAY LIVE. We are living in the last days while in exile and those who obey Torah will live, which takes us back to:

Enoch 108:1

“Another book which Enoch wrote for his son Methusaleh and for those who will come after him, AND KEEP THE TORAH IN THE LAST DAYS.”

Leviticus 18:5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You are to observe MY LAWS AND RULINGS; if a person DOES THEM, HE WILL HAVE LIFE THROUGH THEM; I am YAHWEH.”

In conclusion we must always remember this:

Malachi 3:6 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But because I, YAHWEH, DO NOT CHANGE…”

Hebrews 13:8 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YESHUA the Messiah is the SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER.”

YAHWEH and His Son YESHUA do not change, rather it is those who are walking in the flesh who want to make Him change to fit the lifestyle that they want to live. YAHWEH wanted us to obey His commandments while we were in Yisra’el so that we would not be removed from the land, now we must return back to Him while in diaspora with all our heart, soul, and might by keeping the commandments to be regathered back to the land. Continual disobedience for breaking His Torah which got us here in the first place is not pleasing in His sight! As always may YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!

HEAD COVERINGS and imitating the ANGELS!

Satan with his subtle tactics has even those walking in Torah rebelling! Satan does not care how he gets believers to rebel, he only cares that you do rebel against YAHWEH just as he did! There is nothing new under the sun.

Genesis 3:1 (Samaritan)

“And the snake was more CRAFTY than any beast of the field which YAHWEH ELOHIM had made…”

The definition of crafty by Oxford languages says “clever at achieving ones aims by indirect or DECEIFUL methods.”

Revelation 12:9 (Hebrew)

“So the great dragon was cast out, who is called Ha-Satan, who destroys and SEDUCES the whole world. And he with his messengers were cast onto the earth to dwell there.”

Seduce according to Merriam-Webster means to PERSUADE TO DISOBEDIENCE OR DISLOYATLY.”

2 Corinthians 11:3 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“And I fear that somehow your minds may be SEDUCED AWAY FROM SIMPLE AND PURE DEVOTION TO THE MESSIAH, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent and his CRAFTINESS.”

The topic of head coverings is another important issue that must be addressed in these last days! Satan has used deceitful methods and has seduced the world to be disloyal and disobey YAHWEH just as he did in the garden. He is seduced many into lawlessness and has seduced many in Torah from the simple and pure devotion to YESHUA! All we have to do is obey what is written in the scriptures and not add or take away from it! Scripture does not contradict itself and if it appears to do so, then that means there is something wrong with your interpretation NOT the scriptures. This warning from Sirach and Proverbs must be heeded:

Sirach 3:24

“For many are DECEIVED BY THEIR OWN VAIN OPINION; and an evil suspicion has OVERTHROWN THEIR JUDGMENT.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (Aramaic)

“Trust in YAHWEH with all your heart, and RELY NOT ON YOUR OWN WISDOM. In all your ways acknowledge Him (YAHWEH), AND He shall direct your paths.”

Our opinions and human intellect mean absolutely nothing! Everything we do must align with the word of YAHWEH and when we trust Him and His word then He will lead our paths through the leading of the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit)!

 Let’s start with an ancient witness:

Shepherd of Hermas (90 AD) page 31, Chapter 2

“Now after I had passed by the wild beast, and had moved forward about thirty feet, lo! A virgin meets me, adorned as if she were proceeding from the bridal chamber, clothed entirely in white, and with white sandals, and VEILED UP TO HER FORHEAD, AND HER HEAD WAS COVERED BY A HOOD.”

Here we have an ancient witness from the Shepherd of Hermas a book that was considered canon in the first century and bound between the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul! This ancient witness shows how a woman was dressed with her head COVERED. So, was Paul making up his own custom as some have assumed? No! The people who claim Paul did are doing exactly what Peter already warned against:

2 Peter 3:15-16 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“And think of our Master’s patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you, following the wisdom ELOHIM gave him. Indeed, he speaks about these things in ALL HIS LETTERS. They contain some things that are HARD TO UNDERSTAND, things which the UNINSTRUCTED AND UNSTABLE DISTORT, TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION, AS THEY DO THE OTHER SCRIPTURES.”

Sadly, this warning from Peter applies also to many within the Torah community today. Whenever they come across something they don’t want to do, they will use Paul to get out of it just as Christianity does by twisting the words of Paul to their own destruction. The very people who accuse Christianity of abusing Paul’s words are just as guilty as they are which makes them hypocrites. Many believers are slandering Paul and why do I say this? Because, if you accuse Paul of inventing something or making up his own customs, that means you are accusing him of being a false apostle! Paul cannot make up his own customs and deviate from the truth at any point, so to say that head coverings was only a local custom for Corinth, would mean that a woman submitting to her husband is also only a local custom for Corinth which Paul addresses this in the same chapter. See how dangerous this is? A woman submitting to her husband is rooted in Torah just as we will see that head coverings are! Any woman who does not cover her head is unknowingly following in the footsteps of a FEMINIST MOVEMENT and walking in direct rebellion against ELOHIM.

Who endorsed Paul?

Before getting started with this study, I would like to show who endorsed Paul to prove that he was only speaking the truth and not any traditions of men. I’m sure one of these righteous men would have called Paul a liar, but they did not. I have already quoted Peter in (2 Peter 3) and we also have Polycarp, Clement of Rome, and James the half brother of YESHUA!

The 1st Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (70 AD, no later than 96 AD)

5:26-31

“Let us set before our eyes the illustrious (well known, RESPECTED, AND ADMIRED for past achievement) apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labors and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of esteem due to him. Owing to envy, PAUL also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, HAVING TAUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE WHOLE WORLD, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the set-apart place, having proved himself a striking example of patience.”

Part of that righteousness that Paul taught to the entire world was head coverings that women should be wearing! So again, we have a first century witness endorsing Paul!

Polycarp’s letter to the Philippians (108 AD)

Polycarp was a direct disciple of John who walked with YESHUA!

Chapter 3

“These things, brethren, I write to you concerning RIGHTEOUSNESS, not because I take anything upon myself, but because you have invited me to do so. For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the WISDOM 2 Peter 3:15 of the BLESSED AND GLORIFIED PAUL. He, when among you, ACCURATELY AND STEADFASTLY TAUGHT THE WORD OF TRUTH in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, which , if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you…

So, Clement of Rome says that Paul “TAUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE WHOLE WORLD.” And then Polycarp in 108 AD says Paul “ACCURATELY AND STEADFASTLY TAUGHT THE WORD OF TRUTH.” To teach righteousness and accurately and steadfastly teach the word of truth means that what Paul taught was based on scripture and not his own opinion. And yes again, this would include “head coverings!”.

Chapter 9

“I exhort you all, therefore, to yield obedience to the word of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and to exercise all patience, such as you have seen set before your eyes, not only I the case of the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in the others among yourselves, and in PAUL HIMSELF, AND THE REST OF THE APOSTLES. This do in the assurance that all these have not run Philippians 2:16; Galatians 2:2 in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are now in their due place in the presence of the Master, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by ELOHIM from the dead.”

Chapter 11

“But who of us are ignorant of the judgment of the Master? Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world? 1 Corinthians 6:2 as PAUL teaches. But I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing among you, in the midst of whom the BLESSED PAUL LABORED, and who are commended in the beginning of his Epistle. For he boasts of you in all those churches which along then knew the Master…”

Acts 21:17-24 (Paul endorsed by James the head of the Jerusalem counsel)

“In Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went IN TO JAMES (YA’AKOV), and all the ELDERS WERE PRESENT. After greeting them, Paul described in detail each of the things ELOHIM had done among the Gentiles through his efforts. On hearing it, they praised ELOHIM; but they also said to him, “You see, BROTHER, how many tens of thousands of believers there are among the Judeans, and they are all zealous for the Torah. Now what they have been told about you is that you are teaching all the Jews living among the gentiles to apostatize from Moses, telling them not to have the covenant of circumcision for their sons and now to follow the traditions. What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. Take them with you, be purified with them, and pay the expenses connected with having their heads shaved. THEN EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO THESE RUMORS WHICH THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT YOU; BUT THAT, ON THE CONTRARY, YOU YOURSELF STAY IN LINE AND KEEP THE TORAH.”

I will listen to James the brother of YESHUA and the head of the Jerusalem counsel, Clement, Peter and Polycarp who knew Paul and endorsed Paul before I listen to someone who falsely accuses Paul of doing his own thing which clearly contradicts what these ancient witnesses said about him.

1 Corinthians 11 and head coverings!

A false teaching has penetrated the Torah community by saying that Paul was not speaking of a veil (head covering), but that he was referring to the woman’s hair in this chapter. So before breaking down this chapter let’s examine the etymology of the word “cover” in verse 6. I will also be using the Aramaic, but since many keep pointing to the Greek to justify not wearing a head covering we will start there first. The etymology for the word cover in Greek is Katakalupto G2619 which Mounce defines as: VEIL; TO VEIL ONE’S SELF, BE VEILED OR COVERED, 1 Corinthians 11:6-7 and Strong’s says: TO COVER WHOLLY, THAT IS, VEIL:- COVER, HIDE.” And since we are dealing with etymology first, let’s deal with the passage that is taken completely out of context! In verse 15 Paul says:

“But a woman who wears her hair long enhances her appearance, because he hair has been given to her as a COVERING!”

Remember, Paul’s words are hard to understand and after reading this verse, many conclude that Paul was talking about a woman’s hair the entire time, which is not the case based off the etymology for the word cover we went over in verse 6 which means a veil. Now, you will be shocked to learn that even this word “cover” in verse 15 does not mean what people think it means. The word covering in verse 15 is Peribolaion (per-ib-ol’-ah-yon) G4018 is defined by Mounce as: that which is THROWN AROUND ANY ONE, CLOTHING, COVERING; A CLOAK, Hebrews 1:12;  A COVERING, 1 Corinthians 11:15. And Strong’s defines it as: SOMETHING THROWN AROUND ONE, THAT IS A MANTLE, VEIL-COVERING, VESTURE.”

So, in this passage Paul is not referring to hair alone! No! Paul is saying let a woman have long hair, but let it be COVERED with a veil or a cloak thrown around her that covers her head, such as a wrap around Shawl which covered the whole head and; possibly the face. An example of this is in Ruth 3:15

Ruth 3:15 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He (Boaz) also said, “Bring the SHAWL YOU ARE WEARING, and take hold of it.” She held it while he put six measures of barley into it; then he went into the city.”

The etymology for the word “shawl” is mitpachcath #H4304 and defined by Strong’s as:  a WIDE CLOAK (for a woman):-VAIL, wimple. Jeff Benner from ancient-hebrew.org says “As for WOMEN mitpachath (Ruth 3:15; Isaiah 3:22) AND radiyd (Song of Songs 5:7; Isaiah 3:23) describe a VEIL OR SHAWL WORN OVER THE HEAD.”

Therefore we can see that in both cases of the word “cover” in verse 6 and 15, Paul is referring to a head covering over the long hair of the woman! And Jeff Benner an expert in ancient Hebrew CONFIRMS this! And the Complete Jewish Scriptures have rendered the translation correctly!

1 Corinthians 11:1-7 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

1 try to imitate me, even as I myself try to imitate the Messiah.

2 Now I praise you because you have remembered everything I told you and observe the traditions just the way I passed them on to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of the Messiah is ELOHIM. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies wearing something down over his head brings shame to his head, 5 but every woman who prays or prophesies with her head UNVEILED brings shame to her head — there is no difference between her and a woman who has had her head shaved. 6 For if a woman is not VEILED, let her also have her hair cut short; but if it is shameful for a woman to wear her hair cut short or to have her head shaved, then let her be VEILED. 7 For a man indeed should NOT have his head VEILED, because he is the image and esteem of ELOHIM, and the woman is the esteem of man.”

At this point someone will say “See in verse 2 Paul said TRADITIONS that he passed down, so it was a local custom that he introduced!” Let’s see how it’s worded in the Aramaic!

1 Corinthians 11:2 (Lamsa’s Aramaic Peshitta)

“Now I praise you, my brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the ORDINANCES as I delivered them to you.”

1 Corinthians 11:2 (Aramaic English New Testament)

“Moreover I commend you, my brothers, that in all things you are mindful of me, and that you hold fast THE PRECEPTS as I delivered them to you.”

John Etheridge 1846 Aramaic Peshitta

1 Corinthians 11:2

“But I commend you, my brethren, that in every thing you remember me, and that as I have delivered to you PRECEPTS, you hold them.”

Oxford languages defines ordinance as: an AUTHORATATIVE ORDER; A DECREE, EDICT, LAW and Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “Precept” as a COMMAND or principle intended especially as a general rule of action and highergroundministry.org says “What is a precept? ANY COMMANDMENT, INSTRUCTION, OR ORDER intended as a rule of action or conduct; especially, a practical rule guiding behavior, technique ect.” In the scriptures the word which is translated as “Precept” is a general term for the responsibility ELOHIM places upon His people.”

So even with the word “tradition” in some translations still means that Paul is referring to traditions that are rooted in the Torah, just as we see with the righteous Baruch.

2 Baruch 84:7-9

“Let then this letter be a testimony between me and you, so that you will remember the commandments of the Mighty One, and so that in this way I will also have an excuse before him who has sent me. Remember Zion and the Torah, also the Set-Apart land, and your brothers, and the covenant, and your fathers, and the festivals, and the Shabbats do not forget. And pass this letter and the TRADITIONS OF THE TORAH on to your sons after you, as your fathers have also passed them on to you.”

Jewishvirutallibrary.org by Judith R. Baskin (2nd ed) says “It was customary for most women in the ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, and the Greco-Roman world to cover their hair when they went outside the home. In BIBLICAL TIMES, WOMEN COVERED THEIR HEADS WITH VEILS OR SCARVES. THE UNVELING OF a woman’s hair was considered a humiliation and punishment (Isaiah 3:17; cf. Numbers 5:18) on the loosening of the hair of a woman suspected of adultery; 3 Maccabees 4:6; and Susanna 1:32).

3 Maccabees 4:6-7

“Girls who had recently entered the bridal chamber, to enjoy the partnership of marriage, exchanged pleasure for misery; and with dust scattered on their myrrh-anointed heads, were HURRIED ALONG UNVEILED; and in the midst of outlandish insults, set up with one accord a lamentable cry in lieu of the marriage song. Bound AND EXPOSED TO PUBLIC GAZE, they were hurried violently on board ship.”

The unveiling of a woman’s hair means that her hair was covered with a veil prior to it being unveiled for punishment or humilation reasons. So, what do we have here? We have Paul enforcing a command that is rooted in creation, which will be discussed in the next section.

Testament of Benjamin 11:1-4

“And I will no longer be called a ravening wolf on account of your ravages, but a worker of YAHWEH, distributing food to them that work what is good. And there will rise up from my seed (Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin) in the latter times one beloved of YAHWEH, hearing His voice on the earth, and a doer of the good pleasure of His will, enlightening all the nations WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE, even the light of knowledge, bursting in upon Yisra’el for salvation and tearing it away from them like a wolf, and giving it to the synagogue of the nations. Until the end of the age, he will be in the synagogues of the nations, and among their rulers, as a strain of music in the mouth of all. And he will be inscribed in the set-apart books, both his work and HIS WORD, and he will be a chosen one of ELOHIM forever. And through them he will go to and fro as Jacob my father, saying, ‘He will fill up that which lacks of your tribe.”

Part of the “New knowledge” that Paul brought was not a “New Law” or a “New custom”, but rather the wisdom that  Polycarp and Peter mentions in 2 Peter 3:15 that ELOHIM gave him and part of that was explaining the origin of head coverings being rooted in creation by imitating the angels.

Reasons why a woman should cover her head!

There are several reasons why a woman should cover her head! We don’t have to guess why Paul enforced head coverings and it has NOTHING to do with prostitution, because Paul gives us the reason why a woman should cover her head.

Verse 10 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“The REASON a woman should show by VEILING her head that she is under authority has to do with the angels.”

Verse 10 (Lamsa’s Aramaic Peshitta)

“For this reason the woman ought to BE MODEST AND COVER HER HEAD AS A MARK OF RESPECT TO THE ANGELS.”

Part of the mark of respect is that fact that angels are ranked higher than we as humans as Psalms 8:6-7 says “What are mere mortals, that You concern Yourself with them; humans, that you watch over them with such care? You made him BUT LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, you crowned him with esteem and honor, you had him rule what Your hands made, you put everything under his feet.”

1.      Modesty! We see a clear example of this in the Apocrypha by Susanna who walked in Torah! Susanna 1:3 “Her parents also were RIGHTEOUS and taught their daughter ACCORDING TO THE TORAH OF MOSES.” Verse 31-32 “Now Susanna was a very delicate woman and beautiful to behold. And these wicked men commanded her to UNCOVER HER FACE, (FOR SHE WAS COVERED) THAT THEY MIGHT BE FILLED WITH HER BEAUTY.”  We can see that Susanna walked in the Torah and she covered her face for modesty reasons, but the two wicked elders wanted to see the beauty of her face. Also, people will say that head coverings (veils) are only for virgins and that is not true either, because Susanna was a married woman. Verse1-2 “A man dwelt in Bavel, called Yehoyakim: and he TOOK A WIFE, WHOSE NAME WAS SUSANNA, the daughter of Chilkyahu, a very beautiful woman and one that FEARED YAHWEH.”

2.      Imitating the angels! In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says “Try to IMITATE me, even as I myself try to IMITATE the Messiah.” I believe these words are the context of what Paul is addressing, which deals with imitating the spiritual. If we are imitating the angels then that means that this precept is rooted in creation itself and all Paul did was clarify the reason why women should be covering their heads. Firstly, I would like to point out that male human beings are IMITATING THE MALE ANGELS.

Jubilees 15:26-27

“And everyone that is born, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised on the eighth day, does not belong to the children of the covenant which YAHWEH cut with Abraham, but to the children of destruction; nor is there, moreover, any SIGN on him that he is YAHWEH’s, but is destined to be destroyed and killed from the earth, and to be uprooted from the earth, for he has broken the covenant of YAHWEH our ELOHIM. For ALL THE MESSENGERS (ANGELS) of the presence and all the MESSENGERS of setting apart HAVE BEEN CREATED THIS WAY FROM THE DAY OF THEIR CREATION, and before the MESSENGERS of the presence and the MESSENGERS of setting apart He has set Yisra’el apart, that they should BE WITH HIM AND WITH HIS SET-APART MESSENGERS (ANGELS).”

As we can see the angels were created circumcised, which shows that the covenant that YAHWEH cut with Abrham in Genesis 17 and then reiterated in Leviticus 12:3 shows that this command is ROOTED IN CREATION and that we are imitating the angels. Likewise, women are imitating the female angels by wearing head coverings which means that it is ROOTED IN CREATION! Do female angels exist? Yes!

Enoch 19:2

“And the WOMEN also, OF THE MESSENGERS (ANGELS) who went astray, shall become sirens.”

Notice how in Jubilees 15:26 that circumcision is a “sign”? When we go to Exodus 31:13 and look at the etymology for the word sign, it is “Oth” H226 and defined by Brown-Drivers-Briggs as “Sign, signal,  A DISTINGUISHING MARK, banner!” So as Lama’s Aramaic Peshitta says a woman is to wear a veil “As a MARK of respect”, meaning the woman has a DISTINGUISHING MARK OR SIGN on her head just as men having a physical DISTINGUISHING MARK on their male organ. This would explain all the occurrences of women wearing head coverings all throughout the scriptures! And its quite possible that women are imitating both male and female angels, as Jubilees tells us that some angels function as priests.

Jubilees 30:18 (Angel is speaking)

“And the seed of Levi was chosen for the PRIESTHOOD, AND TO BE LEVITES, that they might minister before YAHWEH, AS WE DO (ANGELS), continually…”

And the Songs of Shabbat Sacrifice found in the Dead Sea Scrolls also confirms that angels operate as priests! So male human priests such as Aaron and all his descendants were again imitating the angels! And what do priests wear on their heads?

Exodus 28:36 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You are to make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal, “Set apart for YAHWEH.’ Fasten it to THE TURBAN with a blue cord, on the front of the TURBAN, over Aaron’s forehead.”

Interestingly, YAHWEH names TURBANS as a head covering for women along with VEILS, HEADBANDS, WRAPS, AND SHAWLS!

Isaiah 3:16-23 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Moreover YAHWEH says: “Because Zion’s WOMEN are so proud, walking with their heads in the air and throwing seductive glances, moving with mincing steps and jingling their anklets---YAHWEH will strike the crown of the heads of Zion’s WOMEN with sores, and YAHWEH will expose their private parts.” On that day YAHWEH will take away their FINERY---their anklets, medallions and crescents, their pendants, bracelets and VEILS; THEIR HEADBANDS, armlets, sashes, perfume, bottles, amulets, rings and nose-jewels; their fine dresses, WRAPS, SHAWLS, handbags, gauze scarves, linen underclothes, TURBANS AND CAPES.”

Veil is H7479 (Ra’alah) and defined as Brown-Drivers-Briggs as VEIL and Strong’s defines it as a LONG VEIL (feminine). Headband/bonnet is (Pe’er) H6287 and defined as a headdress, ornament, TURBAN, A FANCY HEADDRESS.”

And to clarify before someone takes my words out of context, I’m not saying women are priests, I’m saying they are IMITATING them, but I believe that the female angels were created with head coverings and the reason why women wore them in scripture to imitate them along with modesty, submitting to their husbands, prayer and public worship.

3.      Public worship! Paul says that a woman should be veiled when she prays or prophesies which shows that she is involved in public worship! And during worship the angels are present with us as WE JOIN THEM!

Jubilees 2:21

“And thus He created a sign in accordance with which THEY (YAHWEH’s people) should guard the Shabbat WITH US (ELOHIM and ANGELS) on the seventh day, to eat and to drink, and to bless Him Who has created all things, as He has blessed and set apart to Himself a peculiar people above all peoples, and that they should keep Shabbat together WITH US.”

Angels are present during gatherings of believers!

4.      Prayer! Angels are also present in prayer, just as they are present in worship!

Tobit 12:15

“I am Raphael, one of the seven set-apart malachim (angels), who PRESENT THE PRAYERS of the set-apart ones and which go in and out before the esteem of the Kadosh (The Set-Apart One).

Ele Ha-Sodot (The Confidential Counsel) aka Revelation 8:1-4

“And when he opened the seventh, everyone in the heavens was silent for a moment, and I saw seven messengers COMING BEFORE YAHWEH, and seven shofars were given to them. And another messenger came and stepped next to the temple and golden fire pans were in his hand. And much incense was given to him, to give it as THE PRAYER OF THE SET-APART ONES, before the temple, and before the throne. And the smoke of the incense of the set-apart ones went up from THE HAND OF THE MESSENGER (ANGEL), BEFORE YAHWEH.”

Malachim (angels) are involved in the prayer of the saints which is why Paul says that a woman should be veiled when she prays or prophesies. 1 Corinthians 11:5 “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings SHAME TO HER HEAD…”1 Corinthians 11:13 “Decide for yourselves; is it appropriate for a woman to pray to ELOHIM when she is unveiled?” The answer is that it is NOT appropriate because it ties into the mark of respect she has for the angels who are present.

5.      Under her husbands authority!
1 Corinthians 11:3-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But I want you to understand that the HEAD of every man is the Messiah, and the HEAD of a wife is her husband, and the HEAD of the Messiah is ELOHIM. Every man who prays or prophecies wearing something down over his head bring shame to HIS HEAD (YESHUA), but every woman who prays or prophecies with her head UNVEILED brings shame to HER HEAD (HUSBAND)…”

Christoverall.com says “A woman’s covering her head (e.g., with a thin head scarf) socially indicated that she was married. It symbolized HER MODESTY AND CHASITY AND SUBMISSION TO HER HUSBAND. A wife who refused to cover her head publicly DISGRACED HER HUSBAND.”

Trust me, this is the one that irritated the feminist movement that I will quote fully in a later section, but here is one comment: “Mary Ann Lupa, member of the state steering committee of N.O.W. explained that the veiling of women historically symbolizes their subjugation.”

So, a woman who refused to wear a head covering disgraced her husband and what does scripture have to say about a wife who disgraces her husband?

 Sirach 26:26

“A woman that HONORS her husband shall be judged wise by all; but she that DISHONORS him IN HER PRIDE SHALL BE COUNTED IMPIOUS BY ALL.”

Women not wearing their head coverings stems from the feminist movement which is rooted in PRIDE and therefore they dishonored their husbands which matches what we just read in Sirach. And if a woman is not married to a human husband, she must remember that YESHUA is her Husband and should still wear a head covering:

2 Corinthians 11:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“I would like you to bear with me in a little foolishness---please do bear with me! For I am jealous for you with ELOHIM’s kind of jealousy; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in MARRIAGE TO YOUR ONE HUSBAND, THE MESSIAH…”

There is no custom of a woman not covering her head in scripture!

1 Corinthians 11:13-16 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Decide for yourselves: is it appropriate for a woman to pray to ELOHIM when she is unveiled? Doesn’t the nature of things itself teach you that a man who wears his hair long degrades himself? But a woman who wears her hair long enhances her appearance, because her hair has been given to her as a covering. However, if anyone wants to argue about it, THE FACT REMAINS THAT WE HAVE NO SUCH CUSTOM, NOR DO THE MESSIANIC COMMUNITIES OF ELOHIM.”

Paul has already laid down the reason for head coverings being rooted in creation and ties it to the malachim (angels) and then he shuts down anyone who wants to continue to make unscriptural arguments against not wearing head coverings by saying “THE FACT REMAINS THAT WE HAVE NO SUCH CUSTOM, NOR DO THE MESSIANIC COMMUNITIES OF ELOHIM.” In other words, if anyone wants to continue to argue whether a woman should pray or prophesy with her head uncovered in public, then he is letting them know that there is no custom in the Messianic communities ANYWHERE where women do not cover their heads because they ALL DO; therefore, it should also be done in Corinth as well! Nobody in the first century understood Paul words to refer to “covering” as a woman’s hair as many falsely claim! The early assemblies and the early church fathers clearly understood the word “covering” as a veil!

·        Irenaeus (180 AD) (Ante-Nicene fathers, vol. 1, pg. 327) “A woman ought to have a VEIL upon her head because of the angels.”

·        Clement of Alexandria (195 AD) Ante-Nicene fathers vol 2 pg. 265) “Although such a COVERING OUT TO BE ASSUMED AS IS REQUISITE (NECESSARY) FOR COVERING THE EYES OF WOMEN.”

·        Clement, The Instructor 3.12 further added “Let the woman observe this, further. Let her be entirely covered, unless she happens to be at home. For that style of dress is GRAVE, AND PROTECTS FROM BEING GAZED AT. And she will never fall, who puts before her eyes MODESTY, AND HER SHAWL; nor will she invite another to fall into transgression by UNCOVERING HER FACE. For this is the wish of the Word, since it is becoming for her to pray VEILED.”

·        Hippolytus around 200 AD says “And let all the women have their HEADS COVERED WITH AN OPAQUE CLOTH, not with a veil of thin linen, for this is not a true covering.”

The early church fathers who were closer to the time of YESHUA understood exactly what Paul was saying and there wasn’t a debate about the covering EVER being hair! Only those who are walking in the flesh will attempt to justify their actions and twist the words of Paul to fit their feminist agenda whether knowingly or unknowingly.

In an article titled: Head Coverings Throughout History (myallforjesus.com)

Head Coverings Throughout History

April 2017 – Something I have found very interesting in my study of head coverings is that all throughout history women have felt compelled to wear head coverings as a part of their fashion and dress. The styles have changed very drastically through the years, with so many variations in fashion, and yet, through it all, there has always remained this subconscious understanding that it is right and proper for women to wear something on their heads.

It was really only in the late 20th century (right around the time of the feminist movement; 1960s - 1980s) that all of a sudden women decided that they should no longer be under the authority of men and therefore should not need to wear head coverings. Women decided that they should be free to wear their hair loose and even cut it short and to style it any way they like.

All across the western world, women stopped wearing hats and veils to church and wives and mothers threw off their aprons and head scarves. There were only a few very small, minority communities (such as the Amish) who held on to the conviction and continued to insist on the head coverings for women.

Back in the 1960s it was still common to see Christian women attending church or mass with hats or bonnets on their heads, or wearing veils and shawls during times of prayer. At that time it was still considered right and proper, and those women who did not wear head coverings during worship services were the minority. But in just a short breath of time there was such a huge paradigm shift that took place that completely turned things upside-down. Instead of being encouraged (and even required) to wear head coverings to church, women were now being discouraged (and even forbidden in some cases) to wear anything on their heads that would give the impression of being “under submission” to a male authority figure.”

Not covering your head is rooted in a feminist movement!

The article above about the start of the rebellion stems from this feminist movement mentioned in this article titled:

How Did Catholic Women Participate in the Rebirth of AMERICAN FEMINISM?

Document 10: Excerpts from Elizabeth Farians, "NOW Papers on Women and Religion," self-published pamphlet, c. 1971-72. 4 pp.

N.O.W.
Full equality for women in truly equal partnership with men
National Organization for Women
2849 North Hoekett St.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211
April 6, 1969
Contact: Nancy Kosterman 332-6337

To All News Media for immediate release.

   The outmoded and discriminatory practice of women wearing head coverings at the liturgical services was the target of a PROTEST by the NATIONAL ORGANIZATION for WOMEN on Easter morning at St. John de Nepomuc Catholic Church.

   Mary Ann Lupa, member of the state steering committee of N.O.W. explained that the veiling of women historically symbolizes their subjugation. Dismissing the traditional biblical arguments, she pointed out that authors of scripture spoke from their historical context concluding that women are inferior human beings.

   This erroneous view of women is responsible for the subservient role of women in the churches.

   Nancy Kosterman said, "Women of all churches will not continue to tolerate second class status. Women are tired of doing all the menial tasks within their churches and having no voice in policies or worship".

   Easter, the season of new life, was chosen a spokeswomen said to dramatize the womens' rejection of their old position of inferiority in the churches and to testify to their new life of equality.

   She added that Saint John's was an appropriate place for women to declare this new life in response to an incident that occurred last Sunday.

   A woman was publicly admonished from the pulpit by the celebrant of the service for the sin of not covering her head. She was told her presence was not wanted if she rejected this symbol of subjection.

   N.O.W. urged all women to resolve that as of now to join in this first action of the "National Unveiling" of all women in all churches throughout the nation.”

And now see that same spirit of “National Unveiling” popping up in the Torah community. So, it is abundantly clear that until the feminist rebellion in 1969 that women knew what head coverings represented and wore them. But women no longer wanted to be obey the hierarchy that is clearly defined in the scriptures and even some men are allowing this to happen! The truth is something that many do not want to hear and they would rather walk in the “idolatry of their hearts”, meaning they will hold to a false doctrine even when it contradicts what is written in the scriptures! Any woman that chooses to justify their standpoint for not wearing a head covering is walking in the same spirit and footsteps of feminism under the guise of “being lead by the RUACH HA’KODESH!” Willful defiance to the scriptures is not something the RUACH HA’KODESH will ever do because He leads us into all truth and not away from it! It is clear from the scriptures, history, etymology, and the early church fathers that women wore head coverings and it is not a local custom, but rather rooted in creation. And it is also clear that not wearing a head covering is a product of feminism and feminism is a product of Satan.

I pray that for anyone who has been deceived by not wearing their head coverings will repent and walk in the ancient paths completely! Be a sold-out disciple of YESHUA without turning to the right or the left as time is running out! As always may YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Sukkot: The Feast of Tabernacles Instructions 2023

Five days after Yom Kippur is Sukkot aka the Feast of Tabernacles and occurs on October 4th which is equivalent to the 15th Day of the 7th Month on the Zadok Priestly calendar and is a High Shabbat a (no work day). Sukkot is celebrated for 7 days ending on the October 10th. Then immediately afterwards on October 11th is the 8th Day Closing Assembly a NO WORK DAY! So, in summary we are to do no work on the 1st Day and the 8th Day because they are High-Shabbat’s (October 4th and October 11th.)

Leviticus 23:39-41 (Samaritan)

“On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of YAHWEH for seven days, with a SHABBAT REST ON THE FIRST DAY AND A SHABBAT REST ON THE EIGHTH DAY. And on the first day you shall take for yourselves a beautiful fruit tree, palm branches, and branches of a leafy tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall REJOICE before YAHWEH your ELOHIM for seven days.”

The etymology for the word Tabernacle in Leviticus 23:34 is “Sukkah” pronounced sook-kaw’ H5521 and Brown-Driver-Briggs defines it as- thicket, covert, booth or temporary shelter. Strong’s defines sukkah as a hut or lair: booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent.

In the Otiot “Sukkah” is spelled Samech, Kaph, Hey

Samech is a picture of a thorn and means: Grab, hate, PROTECT

Kaph is a picture of an open palm and means: TO COVER, bend, allow, tame

Hey is a picture of a man with arms raised and means: Look, reveal, breath, DISTINCTION

When we combine all three of these letters together, we get this message: A PROTECTIVE COVERING shows DISTINCTION for the people of YAHWEH!

It makes perfect sense because the people of YAHWEH are always distinct from the rest of the world and this appointed time is no different as we will be camping out in tents for seven days. That distinction is clearly made for all the citizens of Yisra’el which includes the native-born and the proselyte:

Leviticus 23:42-43 (Samaritan)

“You shall DWELL IN BOOTHS for seven days. Every citizen in Yisra’el shall dwell in booths. That your generations may know that I HAD THE SONS OF YISRA’EL DWELL IN BOOTHS when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

Notice YAHWEH says “Every citizen” shall dwell in booths? And yes this includes the grafted in gentiles who are no longer called gentiles but citizens of Yisra’el.

Ephesians 2:17-18 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Also, when He (YESHUA) came, He announced as Good News peace to you far off (gentiles) and peace to those nearby (native-born), news that through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, YOU ARE FELLOW-CITIZENS WITH ELOHIM’S PEOPLE AND MEMBERS OF ELOHIM’s family.”

Leviticus 23:42 (Aramaic)

“You shall DWELL IN HUTS seven days; ALL THE HOUSE OF YISRA’EL SHALL DWELL IN HUTS. That your generations may know that I made the children of Yisra’el to dwell in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

We are distinct peculiar people when we walk with YAHWEH and He makes this clear when He was bringing His people out of Egypt.

Exodus 8:18-19 (Samaritan)

“And on that day I will SET APART the land of Goshen, where MY PEOPLE are standing on it, that no different kinds of animals will be there. In order that you may know that I, YAHWEH, am in the midst of the land. And I will SET A DISTINCTION BETWEEN MY PEOPLE and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”

Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles is the true thanksgiving however, Satan has attempted to copy YAHWEH as he usually does, and he has the world rejecting YAHWEH’S days with a pagan substitute. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) as we see the world walking in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, just as many of the wicked kings of Yisra’el did. He mocked YAHWEH’s Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles by making his own day EXACTLY ONE MONTH after YAHWEH’s. It’s time to get away from the false thanksgiving that the world celebrates and follow YAHWEH’s true Thanksgiving which is Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles, followers of YESHUA don’t need TWO THANKSGIVINGS, the only one that needs to be celebrated is the one found in the kodesh (set-apart) scriptures.

1 Kings 12:32

“And Jeroboam performed a FESTIVAL on the FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE EIGHTH MONTH, LIKE THE FESTIVAL THAT WAS IN JUDAH (SUKKOT)FEAST OF TABERNACLES…”

Leviticus 23:34:

'Speak to the children of Yisra’el saying, 'On the FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH IS THE FESTIVAL OF SUKKOT/Chag HaSukot (Feast of Tabernacles) begins, and it lasts for seven days.

This alone should be an eye opener! Also, the modern thanksgiving has connections with harvest deities which is a direct transgression against our ELOHIM.

Abraham was the first to celebrate Sukkot

Jubilees 16:20-31

“And he built BOOTHS (Sukkah) for himself and for his servants on this Festival, and he was the FIRST to celebrate the FESTIVAL OF SUKKOT on the earth. Verse 25-31 “And he blessed his Creator who had created him in his generation, for He had created him according to His good pleasure; for He knew and perceived that from him would arise the Branch of Righteousness (YESHUA) for the everlasting generations, and from him a SET APART SEED, so that it should become like Him who had made all matters (YAHWEH). And he blessed and REJOICED, and he called the name of this Festival the Festival of YAHWEH, a joy acceptable to the Most High EL. And we blessed him forever, and all his seed after him throughout all the generations of the earth, because he celebrated this Festival in its season, according to the witness of the tablets of the heavens. For this reason it is ordained on the tablets of the heavens concerning Yisra’el, that they SHOULD CELEBRATE THE FESTIVAL OF SUKKOT SEVEN DAYS WITH JOY (Leviticus 23:40 REJOICE), in the seventh month, acceptable before YAHWEH-a Law FOREVER, throughout their generations every year. And to this there is NO LIMIT OF DAYS; for it is ordained FOREVER regarding Yisra’el that they should celebrate it and DWELL IN BOOTHS, and put wreaths upon their heads, and take leafy BRANCHES, and willows of the stream. And Abraham took branches of palm trees, and the fruit of good trees, and every day going round the altar with the branches seven times in the morning, he praised and gave thanks to his ELOHIM for all matters in JOY.”

That is exactly what YAHWEH commands in Leviticus 23:39-42:

On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm trees, twigs of leafy trees, and willows of the stream, and REJOICE before YAHWEH your ELOHIM for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to YAHWEH for seven days each year-a LAW forever in your generations; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

For anyone who is still undecided about whether you should be celebrating these Appointed Times/Feast days of YAHWEH, I would like you to consider this:

Galatians 3:27-29

“For as many of you as were immersed (baptized) into Messiah, have put on Messiah. There is not Jew nor Greek (Aramean in Aramaic), there is not male and female, for you are all ONE in Messiah YESHUA. And if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Abraham, and heirs according to promise.”

If we belong to YESHUA and we are the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise, then are you doing what Abraham did? He was the first to celebrate Sukkot and we are to celebrate it as well. He kept the commandments and so should we, so shouldn’t you do as Abraham did?

John 8:39 (Hebrew)

“They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father!” So YESHUA said to them, “If you are the SONS OF ABRAHAM, DO THE WORKS OF ABRAHAM!”

Genesis 26:5

“Because Abraham obeyed My voice and guarded My Charge: My Commands, My Laws, and My Torah.”

Sukkot details:

We are commanded to dwell in a sukkah which was defined above as thicket, covert, booth or temporary shelter, hut or lair: booth, cottage covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent. A sukkah is a temporary dwelling topped with foliage, limbs, branches, and other materials to provide shade while living outdoors or even camping out in a tent. I personally will set up a tent to sleep in and a sukkah topped with a bamboo roof and other foliage to gather, eat, and read under during the day.

Leviticus 23:34-44 (Aramaic):

'Speak to the children of Yisrael saying, 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month is YAHWEH'S Festival of Sukkot/Chag HaSukot (Feast of Tabernacles) begins, and it lasts for seven days. The FIRST DAY is a set-apart gathering; DO NO SERVILE WORK. For seven days present offerings made to YAHWEH by fire, and on the EIGHTH DAY hold a set-apart gathering and present an offering made to YAHWEH by fire. It is a closing Festival, YOU DO NO SERVILE WORK.”

YAHWEH continues in verse 39 by saying: 'But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast to YAHWEH for seven days; the first day is a suspension of labor (no work day, October 4th), and the eighth day also is a solemn rest (no work day, October 11th). And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruits of goodly trees, citron, branches of palm trees, myrtle, and willows of the brook; and you shall REJOICE before YAHWEH your ELOHIM for seven days ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE OF YISRA’EL (Native-born and those grafted in). And you shall keep this feast to YAHWEH for seven days in the year. It is a STATUE FOR EVER THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in huts seven days; ALL THE HOUSE OF YISRA’EL SHALL DWELL IN HUTS (BOOTHS). That your generations may know that I made the children of Yisra’el to dwell in huts (booths) when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”

Leviticus 23:39-41 (Samaritan)

“On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of YAHWEH for seven days, with a SHABBAT REST ON THE FIRST DAY AND A SHABBAT REST ON THE EIGHTH DAY. And on the first day you shall take for yourselves a beautiful fruit tree, palm branches, and branches of a leafy tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall REJOICE before YAHWEH your ELOHIM for seven days.”

Tempe Scroll Composite text: Column 27:10, Column 28:1-2, Column 29:10

“And on the fifteenth day of this month, this shall be a set-apart convocation for you. All laborious work you shall not do on it. And you shall celebrate a FEAST of YAHWEH of seven days, fire offerings, a pleasing scent for YAHWEH. Column 29:10 “The EIGHTH DAY, there shall be an assembly for you. All laborious work you shall not do on it.”

Numbers 29:12-35 (Aramaic)

“And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you have a set-apart gathering, you do NO MANNER OF HARD WORK, and you shall keep a FEAST to YAHWEH seven days, and you shall bring near a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a SWEET FRAGRANCE to YAHWEH: thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs a year old, perfect ones they are, and their grain offering: fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenth parts for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenth parts for each of the two rams, and one-tenth part for each of the fourteen lambs, and one male goat as a iniquity offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. (The number of bulls decrease by “one” each day) verse 32 Then on the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs a year old, perfect ones…” Verse 35 “On the EIGHTH DAY you shall have a solemn assembly, you shall do NO MANNER OF HARD WORK; but you shall offer burnt offerings, a sacrifice made by fire, of a SWEET SAVOR TO YAHWEH, one bullock, one ram, and four lambs of the first year without blemish…”

As with all the animal sacrifices that are mentioned in the Old Covenant including all of those on the Appointed Times/Feast Days, we have been given a gift by our Father YAHWEH in YESHUA Who is the Lamb of YAHWEH who takes away the iniquities of the world and offered Himself with His blood and not the blood of bulls and goats. YESHUA fulfills the animal offerings for us with His blood and is the sweet fragrance that YAHWEH mentions:

Ephesians 5:2

“And walk in love, as Mashiach (Messiah) also has loved us, and gave Himself for us, a gift and an offering to YAHWEH for a SWEET-SMELLING FRAGRANCE.”

Hebrews 9:12-14 (Aramaic)

“And He (YESHUA) did not enter with the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the set-apart place, and obtained for us EVERLASTING SALVATION. For if the blood of goats and calves and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who were defiled cleansed them even to the cleansing of their flesh, how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to ELOHIM, purify our conscience from dead works so that we may serve the living ELOHIM? For this cause He became the mediator of the New Covenant and by His death He became salvation for those who transgressed the old covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

More on Sukkot:

Mathew 17:1-4 (Hebrew)

“And after six days YESHUA took Peter, and James, and John his brother, and brought them up onto one exceeding high mountain, the figure (His figure)  was changed before them, and the form of His face shone like the sun, and His garment was like snow. Then Moses and Elijah appeared to Him, talking with Him. And Peter said to YESHUA, “My Master, it is good for us to be here. If You want, let us make here three TENTS, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

As we see Peter knew the importance of the tent/booth/sukkah and wanted to build one for all three of them.

Hosea 12:9 (Aramaic)

“But I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM since the land of Egypt, again I shall make you dwell in TENTS as in the days of the SOLEMN FEASTS.”

Hosea 12:9 (Septuagint)

“But I YAHWEH your ELOHIM brought you up out of the land of Egypt: I will yet cause you to DWELL IN TENTS, ACCORDING TO THE DAYS OF THE FEAST.”

The etymology for the word tent here is “Ohel” H168 and defined by Strong’s as a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance) covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.”

Genesis 33:17 (Samaritan)

“And Jacob departed to Sakkoota (Sukkot), and built himself a house, and made BOOTHS (Sukkah) for his livestock. That is why the name of the place is called Sukkote.”

Jonah 4:5 (Aramaic)

“So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made a BOOTH (Sukkah) for himself, and sat under it in the shade to see what would happen to the city.”

The word booth in both Genesis 33 and Jonah 4:5 is the same word in Strong’s #5521 which is “Sukkah” pronounced (soo-kah) a shelter, or temporary dwelling.” The same sukkah we are dwell in for 7 days.

How are we to celebrate this Feast?

We can look to how the Israelites celebrated Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles in the days of Nehemiah when they returned from Babylonian exile and studying the scriptures to walk in Torah as we are commanded.

Nehemiah 8:13-18 (Aramaic)

"On the second day were gathered together the chiefs of all the fathers of all the people, the priests and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, to understand from him the word of the Torah. And they found it written in the Torah which YAHWEH had commanded by Moses that the children of Yisra’el should DWELL IN BOOTHS (Sukkah) in the FEAST of the month of October (Reference to the month of the Feast of Tabernacles). And that they should hear everything which Moses wrote in the book of the Torah; and the heralds proclaimed throughout all the towns and in Jerusalem, saying, Go up to the mountain and bring olive BRANCHES and walnut BRANCHES and PALM BRANCHES and BRANCHES of CITRONS AND BRANCHES of willow trees, and make BOOTHS, as it is written in the Book of the Torah of Moses.” So the people went forth and brought them, and made themselves BOOTHS, everyone upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the court of the house of YAHWEH and in the street of the water gate and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the people of those who had returned from the captivity made BOOTHS AND DWELT IN THE BOOTHS; for since the days of Yeho’shua (Joshua) the son of Nun to that day the children of Yisra’el had not done so. And there was VERY GREAT GLADNESS. Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, they read in the book of the Torah of YAHWEH. And they CELEBRATED THE FEAST FOR SEVEN DAYS; AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY WAS A SOLMEN ASSEMBLY, ACCORDING TO THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN.”

So we see that Abraham in his day and those who came back from Babylonian exile followed the exact came command of Leviticus 23 which is to REJOICE, DWELL IN BOOTHS FOR 7 DAYS, AND TAKE PALM BRANCHES, LEAFY BRANCHES, WILLOWS OF THE STEAM AND BLESS YAHWEH and hold an assembly on the 8th day. This is the perfect time to make a huge feast, cookout, eat and rejoice! If the world has the mindset to celebrate big on their pagan holidays, then it is our duty to show the world that YAHWEH’s Appointed Times are greater and to be celebrated with joy.

 It’s interesting to note the connection with branches with those that will be standing before YESHUA! They overcame the world and suffering and now will get to rejoice with branches similar to Sukkot.

Revelation 7:9 (Hebrew)

“And after this I saw a great company which one is not able to number, from all the nations standing before the throne and before the Lamb, and they were clothed in white garments, and in their hands were BRANCHES, and they cried out with a great voice and said, “Salvation belongs to YAHWEH and to the Lamb!”

Is the Sukkot/Chag HaSukot: The Feast of Tabernacles important?

Yes! Look not further than this prophetic scripture.

Zechariah 14:16-19 (Aramaic):

“Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, YAHWEH Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Sukkot/Chag HaSukot (Feast of Tabernacles). And it shall be, whosoever will not come up of ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH to Jerusalem to worship the King, YAHWEH of Hosts, they will have no rain. If the FAMILY OF EGYPT (Egyptian people) do not go up and not come the plague with which YAHWEH will smite the nations that DO NOT COME UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.  This shall be the punishment of EGYPT AND THE PUNISHMENT OF ALL NATIONS THAT DO NOT COME UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.”

As explained in an older messaged titled “Are we rehearsing on earth for what is to come?” We saw that everything we do on earth is a dress rehearsal for the finale and that believers have twisted what Paul was really saying in Colossians 2:16-17! Paul was saying in the Aramaic English New Testament, Let no pagan (unbeliever) judge you for KNOWING THE TRUTH! So we see that when YESHUA comes to reign for 1,000 years on the earth that ALL NATIONS including the Egyptian will have to come up to Jerusalem to celebrate The Festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) or have no rain and plagues. This points exactly to what Paul was saying about the Festivals being “a prophetic shadow of what is to come.” If the entire world will have to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles when YESHUA returns, then how is the law done away with? Or if the law just for the Jews, then why do the ALL NATIONS including the Egyptians having to celebrate it? We know the Egyptians are not native-born Israelites/Jews.

Isaiah 2:2-3 (The 1,000 reign of YESHUA)

“And it shall come to pass in the LAST DAYS, that the mountain of YAHWEH’s house shall be established above the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and ALL NATIONS SHALL LOOK TO IT. And many people shall go and say, Come, let us to up to the mountain of YAHWEH, to the house of the ELOHIM of Jacob; and HE WILL TEACH US OF HIS WAYS (Psalms 119:1, Psalms 103:7), and we will walk in His PATHS: for out of Zion shall go forth the TORAH, and the word of YAHWEH from Jerusalem.”

Micah 4:1-7

“But it shall come to pass in the LATTER DAYS that the mountain of the house of YAHWEH shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and all the people shall gather to it. And many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of YAHWEH, and to the house of the ELOHIM of Jacob; and He will TEACH US OF HIS WAYS, and we will walk in His paths; for the TORAH shall go forth out of Zion, and the word of YAHWEH from Jerusalem. And He shall judge between many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and there shall be none to harm them; for the mouth of YAHWEH of hosts has spoken it. For all people will walk everyone in the name of his mighty one, and we will walk in the Name of YAHWEH our ELOHIM for ever and ever. In that day, says YAHWEH, I will gather those who are afar off, and I will bring near those who have been driven out and those whom I have afflicted. And I will make those who have been driven out a remnant, and those who are afar off a strong nation; and YAHWEH SHALL REIGN OVER THEM IN MOUNT ZION from henceforth, even forever.”

During the 1,000 year reign of YESHUA the Torah will still be kept and we see the nations going up to Jerusalem to learn it because it is YAHWEH’s WAYS! The Feast of Tabernacles is the same feast found in the Torah (Leviticus 23) so this is more proof that the Torah is not away with.

More Connections

John 1:14 (TS 2009)

“And the Word became flesh and PITCHED HIS TENT among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favor, and truth.”

John 1:14 (Hebrew)

“And so EL was made flesh and DWELT among you, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favor, and truth.”

Just like when you go camping, you have to pitch a tent to dwell in just like we have to pitch a tent/booth/succah to dwell in during Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles. So we can see the symbolism and importance of this celebration.

Revelation 21:3

“And I heard a loud voice from the heavens saying, “See, the BOOTH OF ELOHIM is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and ELOHIM Himself shall be with them and be their ELOHIM.”

Numbers 1:52

“And the children of Yisra’el shall PITCH THEIR TENTS, everyone by his own CAMP, everyone by his own banner, according to their divisions.”

The Feast of Tabernacles is a foreshadow of YESHUA coming to pitch His tent with us and dwell with us when He returns. He will be our ELOHIM and we will be His people. So let us make every effort to be obedient and rejoice to the King for seven days, dwell in tents/booths and not working on the first and eighth day, HalleluYAH!

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

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement 2023!

The second of the Fall Appointed Times (Moedim) commanded by YAHWEH is Yom Kippur which on is September 29th which means it begins on September 28th at sundown to September 29th sundown. Yom Kippur/ Yom ha’Kippurim/The Day of Atonement is considered the most set-apart (Kodesh) Day of the year. Make sure you do NO WORK on this day as it is a Shabbat Shabbaton a day for complete rest, complete stopping and ceasing from all activity just as the weekly 7th Day Shabbat is a Shabbat Shabbaton. We will be discussing what Yom Kippur is, how to observe Yom Kippur, what is involved in a fast, do children have to fast, and YESHUA being our High Priest.

The Book of Jubilees shows us why and when Yom Kippur was instituted:

Jubilees 34:12-18

“And the sons of Jacob slaughtered a kid, and dipped the coat of Joseph in blood, and sent it to Jacob their dad on the TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (YOM KIPPUR). And he mourned all that night, for they had brought it to him in the evening (Leviticus 23:32 evening to evening), and he became feverish with mourning for his death, and he said, “And evil beast has devoured Joseph; and all the members of his house were grieving and mourning with him all that day. And his sons and his daughter rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted for his son. And on that day Bilhah heard that Joseph had perished, and she died mourning him, and she was living in Qafratef, and Dinah also, his daughter died after Joseph had perished. And these THREE MOURNINGS came upon Yisra’el in one month. And they buried Bilhah over against the tomb of Rachel, and Dinah, his daughter, they also buried there. And he mourned for Joseph for one year, and did not cease, for he said, “Let me go down to the grave mourning for my son.” FOR THIS REASON IT IS ORDAINED FOR THE CHILDREN OF YISRA’EL THAT THEY SHOULD AFFLICT THEMSELVES ON THE TENTH OF THE SEVENTH MONTH. On the day that the news which made him weep for Joseph came to Jacob his father, that they should make atonement for themselves with a young goat on the TENTH OF THE SEVENTH MONTH, once a year, for their transgressions; for they had grieved the affection of their father regarding Joseph his son. And this day has been ordained that they should grieve for their transgressions, and for all their transgressions and for all their errors, so that they might cleanse themselves on that day once a year.”

What does the Otiot tell us about Yom Kippur? The etymology for the word “atonement” is H3725 which is “kippur” and is spelled: Kaph, Yod, Pey, Waw, Resh

Kaph is a picture of an open palm and means: Bend, open, allow, TO COVER, tame, THE WORK OF YESHUA

Yod is a picture of an arm and hand and means: Work, ACTIONS, throw, worship, deed

Pey is a picture of a mouth and means: SPEAK, praise, blow, scatter, edge, beginning of

Waw is a picture of a tent peg and means: SECURE, add, hook, join together

Resh is a picture of a man’s head and means: First, top, BEGINNING, Chief, Leader

When we combine Kaph, Yod, Pey, Waw, and Resh to spell Kippur we get this message: THE WORK OF YESHUA on the stake, to COVER, our ACTIONS SPEAKS of SECURING our salvation from the very BEGINNING!

 Leviticus 23:26-32 (Samaritan)

“And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying, On exactly the TENTH DAY OF THIS SEVENTH MONTH IS DAY OF ATONEMENT. It shall be a set-apart reading for you. And you shall HUMBLE YOUR SOULS, and present an offering by fire to YAHWEH. And you shall not DO ANY WORK ON THIS SAME DAY, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before YAHWEH your ELOHIM. For any soul who will NOT humble himself on this same day, HE SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE. For any soul WHO DOES ANY WORK ON THIS SAME DAY, THAT SOUL I WILL DESTROY FROM AMONG HER PEOPLES. And you shall NOT DO ANY WORK. It is to be a statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It is to be a SHABBAT OF COMPLETE REST TO YOU (SHABBAT SHABBATON). And you shall TORTURE YOUR SOULS, on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall REST ON YOUR SHABBAT.”

Leviticus 16:29-31 (Samaritan)

“In the SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, you shall TORTURE YOUR SOULS, AND NOT DO ANY WORK, WHETHER A CITIZEN, OR THE PROSEYLTE sojourning among you. For it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to CLEANSE YOU. You will be clean for all your offenses before YAHWEH. It is to be a SHABBAT OF REST FOR YOU, THAT YOU SHALL TORTURE YOUR SOULS. IT IS A PERMANENT STATUTE.

Numbers 29:7-11 (Samaritan)

“And on the TENTH DAY OF THIS SEVENTH MONTH you shall have a set-apart reading. And you shall TORTURE YOUR SOULS. AND EVERY LABOR YOU SHALL NOT DO. And you shall present a burnt offering to YAHWEH as a SWEET SAVOR, one bull, one ram, seven male sheep one year old, having them without defect. And their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths for a bull, and two tenths for the one ram. And tenth tenth for each sheep of the seven sheep. And one male goat for a offense offering, besides a offense offering of atonement and the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its drink offerings.”

YESHUA is the Lamb of YAHWEH who takes away the iniquities of the world and offered Himself with His blood and not the blood of bulls and goats. It is important to see what YESHUA’s blood did for us with His atoning blood for us all on the execution stake.

Hebrews 9:12-14 (Aramaic)

“And He did not enter with the blood of goats and calves, but BY HIS OWN BLOOD He entered in once into the set-apart place, and obtained for us EVERLASTING SALVATION. For if the blood of goats and calves and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who were defiled cleansed them even to the cleansing of their flesh, how much more will the BLOOD OF MESSIAH, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to ELOHIM, purify our conscience from dead works so that we may serve the living ELOHIM? For this cause He became the mediator of the New Covenant and by His death HE BECAME SALVATION FOR THOSE WHO TRANSGRESSED THE OLD COVENANT, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

Titus 2:14 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He (YESHUA) gave Himself up on OUR BEHALF in order to free us from ALL VIOLATION OF THE TORAH and purify for Himself a people who would be His own, eager to do good.”

Psalms 130:7-8 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Yisra’el, put your hope in YAHWEH! For mercy is found with YAHWEH, and with Him is unlimited redemption. He WILL REDEEM YISRA’EL FROM ALL THEIR WRONGDOINGS.”

Daniel 9:24 (Aramaic)

“Seventy times seven weeks are determined upon your people and upon your set-apart city, to finish the TRANGRESSIONS, and to make an END OF OFFENSES AND FOR THE FORGIVNESS OF THE INIQUITY AND TO BRING IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS and to fulfill the vision of the prophets and to give the most set-apart to Messiah.”

YESHUA fulfills the animal offerings for us with His blood and the IS sweet fragrance that YAHWEH mentions that comes from the burnt offering in Leviticus and Numbers

Ephesians 5:2

“And walk in love, as Mashiach (Messiah) also has loved us, and gave Himself for us, a gift and an offering to YHWH for a SWEET-SMELLING FRAGRANCE.”

So we see that we are to do no work, have a set-apart gathering which includes having a set-apart reading as written in the Samaritan Torah, grieve over our iniquities,  to completely afflict our souls and deny ourselves (torture our souls), which means at least a 24 hour fast of no food or water. We can deny ourselves through fasting because we need food and water to live and in doing so, we are denying our being or torturing our souls for the day. Example:

Anah (ah-nah) - means to bow down or afflict
Nefesh (neh-fesh)-soul or yourself

 Psalms 35:13

"I HUMBLED my soul with FASTING”.

 Isaiah 58:3 (Aramaic)

"Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we AFFLICTED ourselves, and You took no notice?"

Matthew 9:14-15 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Then disciples of John came unto YESHUA MASHIACH, saying, “Why do your disciples not AFFLICT THEMSLEVES like us and the Pharisees? So YESHUA MASHIACH said to them, “Because of the bridegroom—while he is alive, all of them who are with him are not able to be quenched. But when the time comes that man will hide the bridegroom, THEN THEY WILL FAST.”

So as we see from the scriptures above that denying/humbling/afflicting/torturing your soul means to fast, which is what we are supposed to do on Yom Kippur.

Scriptures that support Yom Kippur being a day of FASTING!

Damascus Document 6:19

“They shall keep the Shabbat day according to its exact interpretation, and the FEASTS AND THE DAY OF FASTING according to the finding of the members of the New Covenant in the land of Damascus.”

2 Chronicles 8:13 (Aramaic)

“Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Shabbats and the SOLEMN FEASTS, three times a year, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, AND IN THE FEAST OF FASTING, and in the Feast of Tabernacles.”

Acts 27:9 (Aramaic Lamsa)

“There we remained for a long time, even till the DAY OF THE JEWISH FAST was over and, since it had now become dangerous for any one to sail, Paul gave them advice.”

Acts 27:9 (Aramaic English New Testament)

“And we were there a long time, and till after the DAY OF THE JEWISH FAST.”

There is a footnote marked #205 in the Aramaic English New Testament which says “THIS IS YOM KIPPUR.”

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls (Prayers for Festivals, 1Q34)

“Prayer for the DAY OF ATONEMENT. Remember O YAHWEH, the feast of mercies and the time of return…Thou has established it for us as a FEAST OF FASTING, AND AN EVERLASTING PRECEPT…Thou knowest the hidden things and the things revealed…”

Do children have to fast?

The Samaritan Torah page 286 says “Soul”—The Israelite Samaritans understood “soul” in this regard as the infant that MUST fast the Day of Atonement of the year in which the infant WAS WEANED from the breast. The Jewish halacha understood the soul as being one who has reached 13 years of age.”

Genesis 21:8 (Samaritan)

“And the child grew and was WEANED. And Abraham made a GREAT FEAST on the day that Isaac his son WAS WEANED.”

Weaning is when a child is completely off of the breast milk which can be anywhere from the ages of 18 months to 4 years, some say 5 years old maximum. So, we can agree that Isaac was not 13 years old when he was weaned. It appears the Samaritans have it correct that once a child is weaned then he or she should participate in the fast.

Judith 4:9-15

“Then every man of Yisra’el cried to ELOHIM with great ardor, and they HUMBLED their beings with great fervency; both they and their wives and THEIR CHILDREN and their cattle and every stranger and hired man and their servants bought with money, and put SACKCLOTH upon their loins. So every man and woman and the LITTLE CHILDREN and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the Temple, and threw ASHES upon their heads, and spread out their SACKCLOTH before the face of YAHWEH; they also put sackcloth around the altar, and cried to the ELOHIM of Yisra’el all with one accord earnestly, that He would not give their children as prey and their wives as spoil and the cities of their inheritance to destruction and the Set-Apart Place to defilement and reproach, and for the nations to rejoice at. So ELOHIM heard their prayers and looked upon their afflictions; FOR THE PEOPLE FASTED MANY DAYS in all Judah and Jerusalem before the Set-Apart Place of YAHWEH ELOHIM.”

Jonah 3:1-7 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“The word of YAHWEH came to Jonah a second time: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and proclaim to it the message I will give you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, as YAHWEH had said. Now Nineveh was such a large city that it took three days just to cross it. Jonah began his entry into the city and had finished only his first day of proclaiming, ‘In forty days Nineveh will be overthrown,’ when the people of Nineveh believed ELOHIM. They PROCLAIMED A FAST and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes. He then had this proclamation made throughout Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles, NO PERSON or animal, herd or flock, IS TO PUT ANYTHING IN HIS MOUTH; THEY ARE NEITHER TO EAT NOR DRINK WATER.”

As always take it to our Father YAHWEH in prayer.

What is involved in a Fast?

We firstly deny ourselves by not eating any food or drinking any water, we must turn away from our own desires/pleasures and to completely seek YAHWEH’s face, and we are not to oppress others. I would recommend laying in sackcloth as they did in ancient Yisra’el and if you are able and to put dust or ashes on our heads to completely humble ourselves. You can get dirt outside or even use ashes from the grill.

What is sackcloth? A very coarse, rough fabric woven from flax, hemp, or jute vegetable fibers. Here are some examples of what was usually done during a fast which included weeping, mourning, and fasting.

Joel (Yo’el) 2:12

“Yet even now,” declares YAHWEH, “turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

Jeremiah 4:8

“For these things gird yourselves with SACKCLOTH and lament and wail: for the anger of YAHWEH is not turned away from you.”

2 Maccabees 13:10-12

“When Judah learned of this, he commanded the multitude to call on YAHWEH night and day that He would help them now if ever at any other time, being at the point that their Torah, their country and their set-apart Temple taken from them; and that He would not allow the people that had only just now been a little refreshed, to be in subjection to the blasphemous nations. So when they had all done this together and pleaded for the kindness of ELOHIM with WEEPING AND FASTING and LYING FLAT upon the ground for THREE DAYS, Judah, having encouraged them, commanded they should make themselves ready.”

Lying flat upon the ground is not comfortable and is a way to torture your soul in complete humility.

Job 16:15 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“I sewed SACKCLOTH over my skin, and laid my pride in the dust.”

1 Maccabees 3:46-47

“Therefore the Yisra’elites assembled themselves together, and came to Mitspah, opposite Jerusalem; for in Mitspah was the place where they previously prayed in Yisra’el. Then they FASTED that day, and put on SACKCLOTH, and THREW ASHES ON THEIR HEADS, and tore their garments.”

Judith 4:9-15

“Then every man of Yisra’el cried to ELOHIM with great ardor, and they HUMBLED their beings with great fervency; both they and their wives and their children and their cattle and every stranger and hired man and their servants bought with money, and put SACKCLOTH upon their loins. So every man and woman and the little children and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell before the Temple, and threw ASHES upon their heads, and spread out their SACKCLOTH before the face of YAHWEH; they also put sackcloth around the altar, and cried to the ELOHIM of Yisra’el all with one accord earnestly, that He would not give their children as prey and their wives as spoil and the cities of their inheritance to destruction and the Set-Apart Place to defilement and reproach, and for the nations to rejoice at. So ELOHIM heard their prayers and looked upon their afflictions; FOR THE PEOPLE FASTED MANY DAYS in all Judah and Jerusalem before the Set-Apart Place of YAHWEH ELOHIM.”

Job 42:6

“Therefore I recant and repent in DUST AND ASHES.”

Lamentations 2:10

“The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, are silent. They have thrown DUST on their heads, they have girded themselves with SACKCLOTH.”

 1 Kings 21:27

“And it came to be, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his garments and put SACKLOTH on his body, and FASTED and lay in SACKCLOTH, and went softly.”

Nehemiah 9:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“On the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Yisra’el, wearing SACKCLOTH and with DIRT ON THEM, ASSEMBED FOR A FAST.”

Mathew 11:21

“Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Beth Saida! Because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tsor and Sidon, they would have REPENTED long ago in SACKCLOTH AND ASHES.”

Jonah 3:4-5

“And Jonah began to go in to the city on the first day’s walk. And he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! And the men of Nineveh believed in ELOHIM, and proclaimed A FAST, AND PUT ON SACKCLOTH, from the greatest to the least of them.”

YESHUA our High Priest and Everything points to YESHUA and His atonement

Also, surrounding Yom ha’kippurim is that everything points to YESHUA just as the entire Old Testament does.  In ancient times the high priest (kohen ha’gadol) would enter into the Tent of Meeting once a year, behind the veil, into the kadosh ha’kadoshim (holy of holies) and make atonement for himself, his household, and for the assembly of Yisra’el. He would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat that sat above the Ark of the Covenant (Leviticus 16:14-17). Then the high priest would confess the iniquities, transgressions, and wickedness of Yisra’el onto the forehead of azazel (scapegoat) and a fit man would send him into the wilderness with their iniquities and that goat himself would bear the wickedness of the people

It is just a constant reminder of how everything was a foreshadow of YESHUA being the perfect sacrificial lamb; just like the blood of the perfect lamb spared the children of Yisra’el in Egypt and YAHWEH “Passed Over them” and protected them is the same way the perfect blood of the Lamb of YESHUA saves us and iniquity and death “Pass Over us”.

Romans 5:16-19 (Aramaic)

“And the effect of the gift of ELOHIM was greater than the effect of the offence of Adam; for while the judgement from one man’s offence resulted in condemnation of many, the gift of ELOHIM in FORGIVENESS OF INIQUITIES resulted in righteousness to many more. For if by one man’s offence, death reigned, how much more those who receive abundance of mercy and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, YESHUA HA’MASHIACH. In like manner as by one man’s offence, condemnation came upon ALL MEN, even so by the righteousness of one man will the victory of life be to ALL MEN. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made transgressors, so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous.”

While atonement was being made; the high priest did all the work and the community of Yisra’el did not need to do anything, just as YESHUA is our High Priest and He has done all the work of atonement for us on the execution stake.

 YESHUA is our High Priest and intercedes for us at the throne:

Hebrews 8:1-2

“Now above all we have a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven; and He has become the minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which ELOHIM pitched and not man.”

YESHUA is our High Priest and King in the order of Melchizedek who was the only other king/priest in scripture:

Genesis 14:18

“And MELCHIZEDEK king of Salem brought out loaves and wine and he was the PRIEST of Elyon ELOHIM.”      

Psalms 110:4

“YAHWEH has sworn, and will not lie, You are a priest forever after the ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Hebrews 7:11

“If therefore perfection had been reached by the Levitical priesthood by which the law was enacted for the people, what further need was there that another priest should rise after the ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK? Otherwise, the scriptures would have said that he would be after the order Aaron.”      

The Dead Sea Scrolls 11Q13- The Coming Melchizedek says:

“And concerning what Scripture says, “In this year of Jubilee you shall return, everyone of you, to your property” (Lev. 25;13) And what is also written; “And this is the manner of the remission; every creditor shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbor, not exacting it of a neighbor who is a member of the community, because ELOHIM’s remission has been proclaimed” (Deut.15;2) the interpretation is that it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: “To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives” (Isa. 61;1) (…) just as (…) and from the inheritance of Melchizedek, for (… Melchizedek) , who will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby releasing them from the debt of all their iniquities. He shall proclaim this decree in the first week of the jubilee period that follows nine jubilee periods.

Then the “DAY OF ATONEMENT” shall  follow after the tenth jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light, and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek (Reference to YESHUA in order of Melchizedek) (…) upon them (…) For this is the time decreed for the   “Year of Melchizedek`s favor”, and by his might he will judge ELOHIM’s set-apart ones and so establish a righteous kingdom, as it is written about him in the Songs of David ; “A Elohim like being has taken his place in  the council of ELOHIM; in the midst of divine beings he holds judgement”

Testament of Levi 8:14

“And the third will be called a renewed name, because a KING will arise from Judah, and will establish a NEW PRIESTHOOD (Tribe of Judah not Levi), after the fashion of the nations to all the nations. And His presence is beloved, as a prophet of the Most High (Deuteronomy 18:18), of the seed of Abraham.”

YESHUA’s Priesthood in order of Melchizedek predates the Levitical priesthood. Clearly, YESHUA is KING, HIGH PRIEST, PROPHET, and everything in one! And outside of Melchizedek there was no other king priest because these are always two separate offices in scripture.

Zechariah 6:13

“Even He shall build the temple of YAHWEH; and He shall bear the esteem, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a PRIEST upon HIS THRONE (KING); and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

The work that the human high priest did was a shadow of what was to come with YESHUA who would be the final atonement for us all because He has already done all the work for atonement! We don’t have a human high priest sacrificing animals anymore as we are the temple. YESHUA is our High Priest and unlike the human priests He does not have to make a sacrifice for His own iniquities because He was without iniquity and He makes continual intercessions for us because unlike humans He does not die, which makes Him a permanent High Priest forever.

Hebrews 4:14

“We have, therefore, a great High Priest who has ascended into heaven, YESHUA HA’MASHIACH, the Son of ELOHIM; let us remain firm in His faith. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot share our infirmities, but we have One who was tempted with everything as we are, and yet without iniquity.”

Hebrews 7:26-27

“For it was fitting that we should have such a Kohen ha’Gadol (High Priest)-kind, innocent, undefiled, having been separated from transgressors, and exalted above the heavens, who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up slaughter offerings day by day, first for His own iniquities and then for those of the people, for this HE did ONCE FOR ALL when He offered up Himself.”

1 John 2:1

“My children, I am writing you these things so that you won’t transgress. But if anyone does transgress, we have YESHUA the Messiah, the Righteous, Who pleads our cause with the Father. Also, He is the ATONEMENT FOR OUR OFFENSES, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE OF THE WHOLE WORLD.”

Die to self

YESHUA being ELOHIM the Son gave up His authority as King and humbled Himself to die for us. That is love and we need to follow that example by giving up ourselves and denying our existence and follow our Master YESHUA's example. Yom Kippur teaches us to die to self, deny ourselves, afflict our souls, weep, mourn and live for Him.
As we remember to deny, humble, and afflict ourselves during Yom ha’Kippurim let us use YESHUA our Messiah as the perfect example of how He completely denied His own existence for our sake when He said:

Mathew 26:39 (Hebrew)

"And He went a little further and bowed His face and said, “My Father, if it is a possible thing, remove this death from Me; however, NOT ACCORDING TO MY WILL, ONLY TO YOURS.”

Matthew 16:24 (Hebrew)

“And then YESHUA said to his talmidim (disciples), “Whosoever wants to follow after Me it is obligated that He should GIVE UP HOPE FOR HIMSELF, and that he take his warp and woof (execution stake) and follow after Me.”

YESHUA died so that we may live and freed us from the law of iniquity and death, by breaking the chains of Satan so that we do not have to suffer eternal torment! YAHWEH poured out His wrath upon His only Son so that we do not have to face what we are deserving of. We have been redeemed by His blood, so let us put our lives and fleshy desires to the side and do our Father YAHWEH's will and be obedient in our walk with YESHUA, HalleluYAH!

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“For the Messiah’s love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man DIED ON BEHALF OF ALL MANKIND (which implies that ALL MANKIND WAS ALREADY DEAD), and that He died on behalf of ALL in order that those who live SHOULD NOT LIVE ANY LONGER FOR THEMSELVES BUT FOR THE ONE WHO ON THEIR BEHALF DIED AND WAS RAISED.”

1 John 4:9-10:

"By this the love of YAHWEH was manifested in us, that YAHWEH has sent His only brought-forth Son into the world, in order that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we loved YAHWEH, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning offering for our iniquities."

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

Yom Teruah (Day of Shouting) 2023!

 We are now entering the season of all the Fall Moedim (Mo-ed-deem) which means Appointed times, which are Feasts/Fasts that YAHWEH ELOHIM commanded us to observe each year and September 20th is the day for Yom Teruah, which is a High-Shabbat which means no work is to be done.

Teruah (Teh-roo-ah) in Hebrew is defined in Strong’s #8643 as:

A shout or blast of war, alarm, joy, battle cry, blowing, blowing trumpets, joyful sound, resounding, shout, shout of alarm, shout of joy, shouted, shouting, shouts of joy, signal, or trumpet blast.

Teruah spelled in the Otiot is: Taw, Resh, Waw, Ayin, Hey

Taw is a picture of two crossed sticks and means: COVENANT, Mark, Sign, Signal, Monument

Resh is a picture of a man’s head and means: FIRST, Top, BEGINNING, Chief, Highest

Waw is a picture of a tent peg and means: Add, JOIN TOGETHER, Secure, Hook

Ayin is a picture of an eye and means: WATCH, know, shade

Hey is a picture of a man with his arms raised and means: LOOK, REVEAL, Breath, Behold

When we combine them together we get: The COVENANT of the FIRST day of 7th month, as we JOIN TOGETHER, to WATCH, and LOOK for the REVEALING of YESHUA for His soon return as the shofar blasts!

As mentioned above the first Set-Apart Day of the fall is Yom Teruah/Trumpets which means “The Day of Shouting” and the beginning of a new month (CHODESH) and is on September 20th which is equivalent to the 1st day of the 7th month in YAHWEH’s eyes on the Zadok Priestly Calendar found in Enoch, Jubilees, and the Aramaic Levi Document. The 1st Day of the 7th month is ALSO a Day of Remembrance and the beginning of the Fall season.

Jubilees 6:23-26

“And on the first of the first month, and on the first of the fourth month, and ON THE FIRST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH, and on the first of the tenth month are THE DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE, and the DAYS OF THE SEASONS IN THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF THE YEAR. These are written and ordained as a witness forever. And Noah ordained them for himself as FEASTS for the generations forever, so that they have become thereby a memorial to him. Verse 26 “And on the first of the SEVENTH MONTH all the mouths of the abysses of the earth were opened and the waters began to descend into them.”

The 12 Patriarchs give us a witness of a feast being made of Yom Teruah which matches Jubilees 6:23

Testament of Naphtali 1:2

“When his sons were gathered together in the SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, while still in good health, he made them a FEAST OF FOOD AND WINE.”

Temple Scroll composite text: Column 25:2-9

“And in the SEVENTH MONTH, on the FIRST OF THE MONTH there shall be for you a Shabbat day (High Shabbat), a memorial of trumpet blowing, a set-apart GATHERING. And you make a burnt offering, a fire offering, a pleasing scent it shall be before YAHWEH. And you shall present on it a burnt offering for YAHWEH: one bull, one ram, seven yearling lambs, and a billy-goat, one for a purification-offering and their meal (grain) offering and their liquid offerings according to their precept, a pleasing scent before YAHWEH, besides the perpetual burnt-offering, and the burnt-offering for the first of the month. Afterwards you shall make the burnt-offering. You shall REJOICE on that day, you shall not do any laborious work on it. It shall be a Shabbat for you this day.”

Judaism calls this day “Rosh Hashanah” which means “Head of the year” or the “Jewish New Year” and this is false! Our New Year began in the spring during Passover when things are renewed and coming back to life, not in the fall when things like the leaves of the trees are starting to die. Judaism does things backwards most of the time and we need to flee from these man-made traditions aka the Oral Torah, “tradition of the elders.”  Rosh Hashanah has ties to paganism that was learned in Babylonian exile and was started to be practiced amongst some in the 2nd Temple period. The Babylonians took their New Year’s Day celebrations seriously and called them Akitu and Resh Shattiim, which is the Akkadian form of the Hebrew Rosh Hashanah, and Rosh Hashanah is found nowhere in scripture because they borrowed it from pagans.

Exodus 12:1-2

“And YAHWEH spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying. This month (Abib) shall be to you the BEGINNING OF MONTHS: It is the FIRST to you among the months of the year.”

So again, spring is the beginning of the year for us when Passover was instituted and not Rosh Hoshanah in the fall. That is why we should stick to what the day is called in scripture which is Yom Teruah and not Rosh Hashanah.

The Scriptural Command for everything on this day:

YAHWEH commands us in Leviticus 23:23-24 saying:

"Speak to the children of Yisra’el, saying, 'In the SEVENTH MONTH (Ethanim), on the FIRST DAY of the month, you have a REST, a REMEMBRANCE OF BLOWING THE TRUMPETS, a set-apart gathering.” You DO NO SERVILE WORK, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to YAHWEH.”

Numbers 10:10

“And in the day of your gladness, and in your Appointed Times, and at the BEGINNING OF YOUR MONTHS, you shall BLOW THE TRUMPETS, over your burnt offerings and over your peace offerings. And they shall be a remembrance for you before your ELOHIM. I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.’

Psalms 81:3 (Septuagint)

“Blow the SHOFAR (RAM’S HORN #H7782) at the NEW MONTH in the glorious DAY OF YOUR FEAST.”

This makes a lot of sense because Yom Teruah is on 1st day of the month which is the BEGINNING of the 7th month AND it’s an Appointed Time and we will be blowing trumpets/shofars, which matches what YAHWEH said in Numbers 10:10 and Psalms 81, It’s a TRIPLE celebration of blowing the shofar for the beginning of the month and again for it being Yom Teruah  where we are commanded to blow the shofar/shout which falls on the beginning of the month, plus having a feast for the “Day of Remembrance” for the flood account and it being the start of the fall season.

So, we are commanded to:

·        Not work

·        Have a set-apart gathering

·        Blow the trumpets/shofar and shout

·        Rejoice

·        Have a feast in remembrance of what happened during the flood; and for it being the beginning of a new season (the fall); AND the beginning of a new month all on this day

We are allowed to prepare food for the celebration and that is all you may do, being that it is a High-Shabbat and not a Shabbat Shabbaton such as the weekly 7th Day Sabbath or Yom Kippur which is a day of fasting. Similarly, to how cooking is all we can do on Feast of Unleavened Bread which occurs after Passover which is a High-Shabbat.

More scriptures:

Nehemiah 8:1-3

“And the SEVENTH MONTH arrived and the children of Yisra’el were settled in their cities; and all the people were gathered as one man to the broad place before the water gate and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Torah of Moses, which YAHWEH commanded Yisra’el. So, Ezra the priest brought the Torah before the congregation both of men and women and everyone who had understanding was present to listen on the FIRST DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (YOM TERUAH). And he read in it from the time of sunrise to the middle of the day before the men and the women; and they understood it and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Torah.”

Jubilees 31:3            

“And he (Jacob) went up on the FIRST of the SEVENTH MONTH to Beth-El. And he built an altar at the place where he had slept (Genesis 28), and he set up a pillar there, and he sent word to his father Isaac to come to him to his slaughtering, and to his mother Rebecca.”

Jacob sets up altar on 1st day of 7th month, that he swore to do in Genesis 28 when YAHWEH appeared to him when he fled from Esaw and was on his way down to Laban’s house.

Numbers 29:1-6

“And in the SEVENTH, on the FIRST of the month, you have a set-apart GATHERING, YOU DO NO SERVILE WORK, it is a Yom Teruah for you. And you shall prepare a burnt offering as a sweet fragrance to YAHWEH: one young bull, one ram, seven lambs a year old, perfect ones, and their grain offering: fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenth parts for the bull, two-tenth parts for the ram, and one-tenth part for each of the seven lambs, and one male goat as a iniquity offering to make atonement for you, besides the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Month, the continual burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their Right-Ruling, as a SWEET FRAGRANCE, an offering made by fire to YAHWEH.”

YESHUA is the Lamb of YAHWEH also as John 1:29 in The Hebrew says that He is “EL who takes away the iniquities of the world. He offered up Himself with His blood and not the blood of bulls and goats. It is important to see what YESHUA’s blood did for us and be thankful for this GIFT. YESHUA fulfills the animal offerings for us with His blood as He serves as High Priest in the heavens for us and His atonement is the sweet fragrance that YAHWEH mentions in Numbers 29:1-6 that is required on this day. Which connects to what Paul says:

Ephesians 5:2

“And walk in love, as Mashiach (Messiah) also has loved us, and gave Himself for us, a gift and an offering to YAHWEH for a SWEET-SMELLING FRAGRANCE.”

We too need to offer up ourselves as a living sacrifice in our daily lives:

Romans 12:1

“I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of ELOHIM, to present your bodies a LIVING OFFERING set-apart, well-pleasing to ELOHIM-your reasonable worship.”

1 Peter 2:4-5

“Drawing near to Him, a living Stone-rejected indeed by men, but chosen by YAHWEH and precious- you also, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a set-apart priesthood, to offer up SPIRITUAL SLAUGHTER OFFERINGS acceptable to YAHWEH through YESHUA HA’MASHIACH.”

SHOUTING (TERUAH) ON THE DAY OF SHOUTING

As we defined in the introduction that Teruah means a shout or blast of war, alarm, joy, battle cry, blowing, blowing trumpets, joyful sound, resounding, shout, shout of alarm, shout of joy, shouted, shouting, shouts of joy, signal, or trumpet blast. The reason for shouting has a role in YAHWEH’s plan for His people and we some examples of this in scripture:

Joshua 6:5-6:

"And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the horn, all the people shall shout with TERUAH (a great shout); and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him."

1 Samuel 4:5-6 says:

"And when the ark of the Covenant of YAHWEH came into the camp, all of Yisra'el TERUAH (shouted) so loudly that the earth shook." And when the Philistines heard the noise of the Teruah, they said, 'What is the noise of this great Teruah in the camp of the Hebrews?"

Though I’m unable to look up the etymology of the words in the Book of Jasher, I feel led to add these verses as they seem to qualify for Teruah as we read from the scriptures of above.

Jasher 37:20

“And these kings were seized with great terror at the sons of Jacob, and while they were standing in their quarters, behold the sons of Jacob advanced upon them, with one hundred and twelve men, with GREAT AND TREMENDOUS SHOUTING.”

Jasher 39:5-8

“And the men of Arvelan went out with their wives to fight with the sons of Jacob, for their wives were experienced in battle, and they went out, about four hundred men and women. And all the sons of Jacob SHOUTED WITH A LOUD VOICE, and they all ran toward the inhabitants of Arvelan, and with a GREAT AND TREMENDOUS VOICE. And the inhabitants of Arevelan heard the noise of the SHOUTING of the sons of Jacob, and their roaring like the noise of lions and like the roaring of the sea and its waves. And fear and terror possessed their ears on account of the sons of Jacob, and they were terribly afraid of them…”

Jasher 39:25

“What is the matter with you in the battle that you cannot prevail? (Men of Ga’ash speaking to sons of Jacob) Can you then do to the mighty city of Ga’ash and its inhabitants as you did to the cities of the Amorites that were not so powerful? Surely to those weak ones among us you did those things, and killed them in the entrance of the city, for they had not strength when they were terrified at the sound of your SHOUTING.”

Jasher 42:12-13

“And behold Simeon rose up from his seat against them (Midianites), and sprang upon the ground and drew his sword and approached the Midianites and he gave a terrible shout before them, so that his SHOUTING WAS HEARD AT A DISTANCE, AND THE EARTH SHOOK AT SIMEON’S SHOUTING. (Similar to 1 Samuel 4:5-6). And the Midianites were terrified on account of Simeon and the noise of his shouting, and they fell upon their faces, and were excessively alarmed.”

Matthew 24:31 (Hebrew)

“And He will send his messengers, SHOUTING WITH GREAT VOICES, and they will gather the chosen ones of EL from the four portions of the world- from the heavens and unto the earth.”
Shofar/Trumpet blasts in scripture:

Isaiah 27:12-13

“And it shall come to pass in that day that YAHWEH shall fence men off from the channel of the river as for as Egypt; but gather one by one the children of Yisra’el. And it shall come to pass in that day that they shall blow the great SHOFAR/RAM’S HORN (#H7782) and the lost ones in the land of Assyria shall come and the lost ones in Egypt and shall worship YAHWEH on the set-apart mountain in Jerusalem.”

Joshua 6:5-6

"And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the SHOFAR/RAM’S HORN, and when you hear the sound of the horn…”

Judges 3:27

“And it came to pass when Ehud came into the land of Yisra’el, that he BLEW THE SHOFAR/RAM’S HORN in mount Ephraim and the children of Yisrael came down with him from the mountain and he was before them.”

Nehemiah 4:18-20

“As for the builders, each one had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the ram’s horn was beside me. And I said to the nobles, and to the deputy rulers, and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and large, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. In whatever place you hear the sound of the SHOFAR/RAM’S HORN, join us there. Our ELOHIM fights for us.”

Trumpet blasts when YESHUA returns:

We do not know the day or the hour of YESHUA’s return; however, I would just like to point out the connection with the trumpets when He does.

Mathew 24:31 (Most translations)

“And He shall send his angels with the GREAT TRUMPET, and they shall gather the chosen who are His from the four winds and from the ends of the heaven.”

Matthew 24:31 (Complete Jewish Bible)

“He will send out His angels with a GREAT SHOFAR; and they will gather together His chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16 Aramaic (includes both shouting and trumpet)

“For our Master Himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT and the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMPET OF ELOHIM; and those who died in Messiah will rise first.”

Paul mentions both shouting and the blowing of the trumpet on the day YESHUA returns, and both of those elements are a part of our Yom Teruah celebration, HalleluYAHWEH!

There are four primary types of shofar blasts:

1.     Tekiah- A long single blast (the sound of the King’s coronation.)

2.     Shevarim- Three short wail-like blasts (signifying repentance)

3.     Teruah-Nine staccato blasts of alarm (to awaken the soul)

4.     Tekiah ha-Galol- a great long blast (for as long as you can blow!)

Our Father YAHWEH has given us Kingdom behavior to act out on earth as it is in heaven, just as we see the shofar blast being heard on the mountain.

Exodus 19:16-17

“And it came to pass on the third day as the morning drew near, there were voices and lightning and a thick cloud appeared upon the mountain and the sound of the trumpet RAMS HORN/SHOFAR sounded loud and all the people in the camp trembled. And Moses led the people forth out of the camp to meet ELOHIM and they stood by under the camp.”

Let us SHOUT (TERUAH) and blow our trumpets/shofar on this day and make NOISE, enjoy a feast, rejoice and give thanks to YAHWEH. It’s the first moed (appointed time) of the fall AND it’s the first day of the seventh month, let us rejoice! As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

Are you a lamb or goat?

Matthew 25:31-46 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“When the Son of ELOAH will come in His splendorous image, and all the messengers with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His image (esteem). And all the peoples will be gathered before Him, and He will separate others from others, just like a shepherd separates the lambs from the kids. And He will set the lambs to the RIGHT SIDE and the kids to the LEFT SIDE. Then the King will say to those who are on the RIGHT, ‘Come in, blessed ones of My Father, and possess the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world until now. I was hungry and you gave Me to eat, and I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink. I was homeless and you gave Me lodging, I was naked and stripped, and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you visited Me, I was imprisoned, and you had compassion on Me.’ Then they will answer, ‘When did we see you in hunger and in thirst, and gave you to eat and to drink? When did we see you homeless and brought you in—or stripped, and covered you? Or when did we see you sick and imprisoned, and came unto you? Then the king will answer and say unto them, ‘Truly I say to you, that all the good that you ever did to one of my insignificant brothers, that you DID IT TO ME.’

“And then He will say to those who are on the LEFT SIDE, ‘Separate yourselves from Me, ones cursed of My Father, and go into the fire of Gei-Hinnom, which is prepared for Ha-Satan and his messengers. I was hungry and thirsty when you did not give me to eat and to drink, I was homeless and you did not bring me in, I was naked and you did not cover me, I was sick and imprisoned, but you did not visit me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘And when did we see you hungry and thirsty and homeless, naked or sick or imprisoned, and did not minister to you?’ Then He will answer them saying, ‘Truly I say to you that every time that you did not do it to some of the insignificant poor ones who BELONG TO ME—also TO ME YOU DID NOT DO IT.’ And these will go into the fire of Gei-Hinnom, but the righteous will go into everlasting light.”

What does the right side and the left side represent?

Ecclesiastes 10:2-3 (Septuagint)

“A WISE man’s heart is at his RIGHT HAND; but a FOOL’s heart AT HIS LEFT, yes, and whenever a fool walks along the way, his heart will fail him and all that he will think of is FOOLISHNESS.”

Ecclesiastes 10:2-3 (AMP 1987)

“A wise man’s heart TURNS him TOWARD HIS RIGHT HAND, but a fool’s heart TOWARD HIS LEFT. Even when he who is a fool walks along the road, his heart and understanding fail him, and he says of everyone and to everyone that he is a fool.”

The wise are those who walk in the Torah and the Torah is love. And love is what they displayed to others, not just talking about it, but putting it into action.

Deuteronomy 4:6 (Samaritan)

“You all see, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as YAHWEH my ELOHIM commanded me, that you should do in the land where you are entering to possess it. And keep and DO THEM, for that is YOUR WISDOM and your cleverness in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, Only this great nation is a WISE and clever people.”

So, the wise are on the right and the foolish are on the left. The right side also represents honor, rank and status, just as we see YESHUA sits at the RIGHT HAND of YAHWEH:

Psalms 110:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH says to My Master (YESHUA), “Sit at My RIGHT HAND, until I make your enemies Your footstool.”

We are to walk as YESHUA walked in order to be found worthy of entering into His kingdom, which means we need to be led by the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) and not the flesh!

Galatians 5:22 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is LOVE, joy, peace, patience, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, faithfulness, humility, self-control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.”

Nothing in the Torah stands against such things, because you will already be walking in the Torah by the leading of the RUACH HA’KODESH! The actions of the lambs on the right side showed kindness, goodness, and love to others. Those on the left-side walked in the flesh versus the spirit and produced the opposite:

Galatians 5:19 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“And it is perfectly evident what the old nature does. It expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency; involvement with the occult and with drugs; in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry; IN SELFISH AMBITION, factionalism, intrigue and envy; in drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you now as I have warned you before; those who do such things will HAVE NO SHARE IN THE KINGDOM OF ELOHIM!”

YESHUA warned about this in Matthew 25, and Paul did as well, and those being led by the flesh who will not inherit the kingdom of ELOHIM includes “Selfish ambition”, which is defined as “focused on YOU AND YOUR WANTS AND DESIRES. It centers on what you can get from a person, place, thing, or situation.” Those on the left did not care about the needs of others and only focused on themselves, which is why YESHUA says depart from Me!

Philippians 2:3 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as BETTER THAN YOURSELVES---look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.”

Those led by the Spirit understand these matters, but the flesh does not!

Proverbs 17:5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He who mocks the poor insults HIS MAKER; he who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.”

Proverbs 28:27 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who hides his eyes will get curses in plenty.”

He who hides his eyes will get curses in plenty matches what YESHUA said Matthew 25:41: “And then He will say to those who are on the LEFT SIDE, ‘Separate yourselves from Me, ones CURSED of My Father, and go into the fire of Gei-Hinnom.”

Enoch 98:4

“I have sworn to you, you transgressors, as a mountain has not become a slave, and a hill does not become the handmaid of a woman, even so transgression has not been sent upon the earth; but man has created it himself, and all who commit it shall fall under a GREAT CURSE.”

Let’s look at some examples of this being done in scripture:

Verse 35: “I was hungry and you gave me to eat, and I was THIRSTY and you gave Me to drink. I was homeless and you gave Me lodging, I was naked and stripped, and you clothed Me.”

Jasher 41:29-30

“And Joseph called out from the pit to his brothers, and said to them, “What have I done to you, and in what have I offended? Why do you not fear YAHWEH concerning me? Am I not of your bones and flesh, and is not Jacob your father, my father also? Why do you do this thing to me today, and how will you be able to look up to our father Jacob? And he continued to cry out and call to his brothers from the pit, and he said, “O Judah, Rueben, Simeon, and Levi, my brothers, lift me up from the place of darkness in which you have placed me, and look before YAHWEH, and before Jacob my father. And if I have transgressed against you, are you not the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? If they SAW AN ORPHAN THEY HAD COMPASSION ON HIM, or ONE THAT WAS HUNGRY, THEY GAVE HIM BREAD TO EAT, OR ONE THAT WAS THIRSTY, THEY GAVE HIM WATER TO DRINK, OR ONE THAT WAS NAKED, THEY COVERED HIM WITH GARMENTS!”

James 1:27 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“But the pure service, without lack before YAHWEH the Father, is this: he who goes to visit the fatherless ones and the widows in their distresses.”

Jasher 21:38-42

“And at the end of three years Abraham said, “I will go again and see Ishamel my son, for I have not seen him for a long time.” And he rode upon his camel and went to the wilderness, and he reached the tent of Ishmael around noon. And he asked after Ishamel, and his wife came out of the tent and she said, “He is not here my master, for he has gone to hunt in the fields, and to feed the camels,” and the woman said to Abraham, “Turn in my master into the tent, and eat a morsel of bread, for your being must be wearied and faint on account of the journey.” And Abraham said to her, “I will not stop for I am in haste to continue my journey, but give me a little water to drink, for I have thirst;” and the woman hurried and ran into the tent and she brought out WATER AND BREAD to Abraham, which she placed before him and she urged him to eat, and he ate and drank and his heart was comforted and he blessed his son Ishamel.”

Jasher 22:11-13

“And Abraham planted a large grove in Beersheva, 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 at 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.”

Abraham not only provided for their physical needs, but also provided for their spiritual needs by making YAHWEH known to them.

Isaiah 58:6-7 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Here is the sort of fast I want---releasing those unjustly bound, untying the thongs of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free, breaking every yoke, SHARING YOUR FOOD WITH THE HUNGRY, TAKING THE HOMLESS POOR INTO YOUR HOUSE, CLOTHING THE NAKED WHEN YOU SEE THEM, FULFILLING YOUR DUTY TO YOUR KINSMEN!”

Luke 10:29-35

“But he, wanting to justify himself, said to YESHUA, “And who is my neighbor’?” Taking up the question, YESHUA said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. THEY STRIPPED HIM NAKED and beat him up, then went off, leaving him half dead. By coincidence, a priest was going down on that road; but when he saw him, he passed on the other side. Likewise a Levite who reached the place and saw him also passed by on the other side. But a man from Samaria who was traveling came upon him; and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. So he went up to him, put oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he set him on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and TOOK CARE OF HIM. The next day, he took out two days wages, and gave them to the innkeeper and said, “Look after him; and if you spend more than this, I’ll pay you back when I return.’ Of these three, which one seems to you to have come the ‘neighbor’ of the man who fell among robbers?” He answered, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” YESHUA said to him, “You go and DO AS HE DID.”

Testament of Zebulon 6:4-6

“And so YAHWEH satisfied me with abundance of fish when catching fish; for he that SHARES WITH HIS NEIGHBOR receives much more from YAHWEH. For five years I caught fish and gave of them to EVERY MAN WHOM I SAW AND PROVIDED FOR ALL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHER.”

Testament of Zebulon 7:1-4

“Now I will declare to you what I did. I saw a man in distress, being NAKED IN WINTERTIME, and had COMPASSION on him, and secretly took a garment from my father’s house, and gave it to him who was in distress. Therefore you, my children, should also do, from that which ELOHIM GIVES TO YOU, SHOW COMPASSION AND KINDNESS WITHOUT HESITATION TO ALL MEN, AND GIVE TO EVERY MAN WITH A GOOD HEART. And if you do not have the means to give to him that is in need, have compassion for him in bowels of kindness. I know that my hand did not find the means to give to him that needed, and I walked with him weeping for seven furlongs (7/8 of a mile), and my bowels yearned towards him in compassion.”

2 Kings 4:8-10 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“One day Elisha visited Shunem, and a well-to-do woman living there pressed him to STAY AND EAT A MEAL. After this, whenever he came through, he stopped there for a meal. She said to her husband, “I can see that this is a set-apart man of ELOHIM who keeps stopping at our place. Please, let’s BUILD HIM A LITTLE ROOM ON THE ROOF We’ll put a BED and a table in it for him, and a stool and a candlestick. Then, WHENEVER HE COMES TO VISIT US, HE CAN STAY THERE.”

“I was imprisoned, and you had compassion on me.”

Hebrews 13:3 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Remember those IN PRISON AND BEING MISTREATED, as if YOU WERE IN PRISON WITH THEM AND UNDERGOING THEIR TORTURE YOURSELVES.”

Acts 24:23 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But Felix, who had rather detailed knowledge of things connected with the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down I will decide your case.” He ordered the captain to keep Paul in CUSTODY, but to let him have considerable liberty and not prevent any of HIS FRIENDS FROM TAKING CARE OF HIS NEEDS.”

YAHWEH expects us to do all of these things as servants of His because they are things, He does for us:

Testament of Joseph 1:4-6

“My brothers here hated me, but YAHWEH loved me. They desired to kill me, but the ELOHIM of my fathers guarded me. They let me down into a pit, and the Most High brought me up again. I was sold into slavery, and the Master of all made me free. I was taken into captivity, and His strong hand supported me. I was OVERWHELMED WITH HUNGER, AND YAHWEH HIMSELF NOURISHED ME. I was alone, and ELOHIM comforted me. I WAS SICK, AND YAHWEH VISITED ME. I WAS IN PRISON, AND MY ELOHIM SHOWED FAVOR TO ME. I was in bonds, and He released me. I was slandered, and He pleaded my cause. I was bitterly spoken against by the Egyptians, and He delivered me. I was envied by my fellow-slaves, and He exalted me.”

As we know those on the left did the exact opposite of these things mentioned above because they lived in the flesh and were only concerned about their own selfish ambitions. So, ask yourself, are you a lamb or a goat? If you are a goat on the left, then it’s time to repent while you can and do the things the lambs on the right do. As always, may YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!

The Messiah CONFIRMED The LAW AND PROPHETS!

Matthew 5:17 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Moreover YESHUA MASHIACH said to His talmidim (disciples), “Do not think that I came to throw down the TORAH AND THE PROPHETS, on the contrary, I came to CONFIRM.”

Those who say we don’t have to obey the commandments have been finding ways to wiggle out of being obedient to YAHWEH. And with the use of an ambiguous term like “fulfill” in the Greek has led millions astray, even though the proper meaning would be that YESHUA did FILL FULL the Torah by showing us how to walk in it; however, there is zero wiggle room in the Hebrew manuscript, the language YESHUA spoke. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines CONFIRM as- “Confirm, corroborate, substantiate, VERIFY, AUTHENTICATE, VALIDATE mean to attest to the TRUTH or VALIDITY of something, Confirm implies the REMOVING OF THE DOUBTS.”

Notice again, YESHUA groups the Torah and Prophets together:

Luke 16:29-31 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But Abraham said, “They have MOSES AND THE PROPHETS; they should LISTEN TO THEM.” However, he said, ‘No, father Abraham, they need more. If someone from the dead goes to them, they’ll repent!” But he replied, IF THEY WON’T LISTEN TO MOSES AND THE PROPHETS, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!”

Moses represents the first five books of Scripture and the Prophets is referring to the rest of the Old Testament that YESHUA is telling us to listen to and obey what is written in it.  YESHUA is the Living Torah Who rose from the dead on the third day and Christianity still isn’t convinced by His words concerning the Torah and the Prophets. YESHUA removed all doubts that He did not come to get rid of the Torah, but to confirm, validate, and authenticate it. YESHUA also said that He confirmed “The Prophets”, but what does this mean? The prophets CONFIRMED and foretold that YESHUA is EL (God) the Son Who would become flesh, born of a virgin, and die for our offenses, for example:

Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore YAHWEH Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a VIRGIN shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His Name Immanuel (EL with us).”

Matthew 26:64 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Then YESHUA said unto him, “You are saying it. Truly I say to you that you will also see the SON OF THE VIRGIN sitting to the right side of EL, and coming with the clouds of the heavens.”

 However, prophets are mainly viewed as those who only spoke concerning words for a future time; however, there is another function of the prophets that gets overlooked. The prophets also pointed the rebellious children of Yisra’el back to the Torah, thus also CONFIRMING THE TORAH! The prophets spoke the words of YAHWEH and YAHWEH’s heart was for them to stop breaking His laws and return to Him, just as many servants of YESHUA are pleading with the world today.

Let’s view the prophets CONFIRMING the Torah:

2 Kings 17:13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH had warned Yisra’el and Judah in advance THROUGH EVERY PROPHET AND SEER, “Turn from your EVIL WAYS; AND OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS AND REGULATIONS, in accordance with the ENTIRE TORAH which I ordered your ancestors to keep and which I sent to you through My SERVANTS THE PROPHETS.” Nevertheless, they refused to listen but made themselves as STUBBORN as their ancestors.”

Christianity is walking in the same stubbornness as our ancestors did! Notice how disregarding the Torah of YAHWEH is linked to a person walking in their evil ways? Which matches:

Psalms 119:53 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Fury seizes me when I think of the WICKED, because they ABANDON YOUR TORAH.”

Jeremiah 9:13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH answers: “Because they ABANDONED MY TORAH, which I set before them, and neither listened to what I said nor lived accordingly, but have LIVED BY THEIR OWN HEARTS’ stubbornness and by the ba’alim, as their ancestors taught them…”

Isaiah 30:9-11 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“For this is a REBELLIOUS PEOPLE; they are LYING CHILDREN, children who REFUSE TO HEAR THE TORAH OF YAHWEH. They say to the SEERS, Do not see! To those who have visions, “Do not tell us the visions you have as they really are; but flatter us, fabricate illusions! Get out the way! Leave the path! Rid us of the Set-Apart One of Yisra’el.”

Jeremiah 7:24-26 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But they neither listened nor paid attention, but lived ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN PLANS, in the STUBBORNESS OF THEIR EVIL HEARTS, thus going backward and not forward. You have done this from the day your ancestors came out of Egypt until today. Even though I sent you all MY SERVANTS THE PROPHETS, SENDING THEM TIME AFTER TIME, they would not listen or pay attention to Me, but stiffened their necks; they did worse than their ancestors.”

Jeremiah 6:16 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Stand at the crossroad and look; ask about the ANCIENT PATHS, “Which one is the good way?” Take it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, “WE WILL NOT TAKE IT.”

Malachi 2:7-9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“A priests lips should safeguard knowledge and people should seek Torah from his mouth, because he is the messenger of YAHWEH-TZVA’OT. But you turned AWAY FROM THE PATH, you caused many to FAIL IN THE TORAH, you corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says YAHWEH-TZVA’OT. “Therefore I have in turn made you contemptible and vile before all the people, because you DID NOT KEEP MY WAYS BUT WERE PARTIAL IN APPLYING THE TORAH.”

The Ancient Path is the true path of worship by obeying the commandments in the Torah as our ancient ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did.

Isaiah 64:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You favored those who were glad to do justice, those who remembered You in YOUR WAYS. When you were angry, we kept transgressing; but if we KEEP YOUR ANCIENT WAYS, WE WILL BE SAVED.”

Ezekiel 20:11-20 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“I gave them MY LAWS and showed them My rulings; if a person OBEYS THEM, HE WILL HAVE LIFE THROUGH THEM. I gave them My Shabbats as a sign between Me and them, so that they would know that I, YAHWEH, am the One Who makes them set-apart. But the house of Yisra’el rebelled against Me in the desert. THEY DID NOT LIVE BY MY LAWS; and rejected My rulings, which, if a PERSON DOES, HE WILL HAVE LIFE THROUGH THEM; moreover, they GREATLY PROFANED MY SHABBATS. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the desert, in order to destroy them. But concern for My own reputation kept Me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations who had seen when I brought them out. Yet I also raised My hand and swore to them in the desert that I would not bring them into the land I was giving them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands; because they had REJECTED MY RULINGS, DID NOT LIVE BY MY LAWS AND PROFANED MY SHABBATS; since their hearts went after their idols. However, I spared them from complete destruction; I did not completely finish them off in the desert. I said to their children in the desert. “Don’t live by the laws of your fathers, observe their rulings or defile yourself with their idols. I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM; LIVE BY MY LAWS, OBSERVE MY RULINGS, AND OBEY THEM, AND KEEP MY SHABBATS SET-APART; and they will be a sign between Me and you, so that you will know that I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.” But the children TOO REBELLED against Me. They DID NOT LIVE BY MY LAWS OR OBSERVE MY RULINGS, TO OBEY THEM, WHICH, IF A PERSON DOES, HE WILL HAVE LIFE BY THEM; and they PROFANED MY SHABBATS….”

3 times in these 9 verses alone, YAHWEH says if you obey His commandments you will have life through them.

John 12:49-50 (Hebrew)

“For I do not speak of Myself; but the Father who sent Me, He commanded Me to speak and to COMMAND---and I know that His commandment is EVERLASTING LIFE. And that which I speak is identical to that which the Father speaks so I speak.”

Ezekiel 22:26 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Her priests have done VIOLENCE TO MY TORAH, profaned my set-apart things, made no difference between the set-apart and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from My Shabbats, and profaned Me among themselves.”

Zephaniah 3:3-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Her leaders there with her are roaring lions, her judges desert wolves, who don’t leave even a bone for tomorrow. Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests profane the set-apart and DO VIOLENCE TO TORAH.”

Hosea 4:6 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“My people are destroyed for want of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as priest for me. Because you FORGOT THE TORAH of your ELOHIM, I will also forget your children.”

Amos 2:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Here is what YAHWEH says: “For Judah’s three crimes, no, four----I will not reverse it----because THEY REJECTED YAHWEH’s TORAH AND HAVEN’T OBSERVED HIS LAWS, and their lies caused them to fall into error and live the way their ancestors did; I will send fire on Judah, and will consume the palaces of Jerusalem.”

Zechariah 7:8-13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Then this message from YAHWEH came to Zechariah: In the past YAHWEH TSAV’OT said, ‘Administer true justice. Let everyone show mercy and compassion to his brother. Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, or poor people. Don’t plot evil against each other. But they wouldn’t listen, they STUBBORNLY turned their shoulder away and stopped up their ears, so that they wouldn’t have to hear it. Yes, they made their hearts as hard as a diamond, so that they wouldn’t HEAR THE TORAH AND THE MESSAGES THAT YAHWEH-TZVA’OT HAD SENT BY HIS SPIRIT THROUGH THE EARLIER PROPHETS. This is why great anger came from YAHWEH-TZVA’OT; and it came about that just as they hadn’t listened when He called, so YAHWEH TZVA’OT said, ‘I won’t listen when they call; but with the power of a whirlwind I will disperse them among all the nations which they have not known.’ Thus the land was left desolate after them, so that no one came or went. They had turned a pleasant land into a desert.”

Malachi 4:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“REMEMBER THE TORAH OF MOSES My servant, which I enjoined on him at Horeb, LAWS AND RULINGS FOR ALL YISRA’EL.

In conclusion when we read this scripture again:

Matthew 5:17 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Moreover YESHUA MASHIACH said to His talmidim (disciples), “Do not think that I came to throw down the TORAH AND THE PROPHETS, on the contrary, I came to CONFIRM.”

There can be no doubts that YESHUA and the Prophets CONFIRMED that we should be obeying the commandments of the Torah! Repent of your lawless ways and return back to YAHWEH with all your heart, soul, and might which is also defined as keeping the commandments of the Torah.

May YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!

How do we love YAHWEH with all our HEART, SOUL, AND MIGHT?

When the topic of whether Christians should be following the Torah/Law today, many will point to Matthew 22 and declare that these are the only two commandments that must be followed. Is there more to this verse than what Christianity has accepted as truth? We must always remember that YESHUA never spoke any idle word.

Matthew 22:35-40

“And one of them who was a Torah expert asked a question to trap Him: Rabbi, which of the commandments in the Torah is the most important?” He told him, “You are to LOVE YAHWEH your ELOHIM with ALL YOUR HEART and with ALL YOUR SOUL and WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. And a second is similar to it, “You are to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ All the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two commandments.”

Luke 10:25-28 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap Him by asking, “Rabbi, what should I do to OBTAIN ETERNAL LIFE? But YESHUA said to him, “What is WRITTEN IN THE TORAH/LAW? How do you read it?” He answered, “You are to LOVE YAHWEH your ELOHIM with ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, with ALL YOUR STRENGTH and with all your understanding; and YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” THAT IS THE RIGHT ANSWER,” YESHUA said. “DO THIS, AND YOU WILL HAVE LIFE.”

We can see how much weight this adds to YESHUA’s words in connection with Matthew 22:35-40 because the subject is about how to obtain eternal life, and how does YESHUA respond? By asking him what is written in the Torah! And once the Torah expert quoted the Torah YESHUA said that was the right answer and if you do this you will have eternal life, which matches other verses in the Torah/law and prophets, which says:

Leviticus 18:5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You are to observe MY LAWS AND RULINGS; if a person DOES THEM, He will HAVE LIFE THROUGH THEM; I AM YAHWEH.”

Ezekiel 20:21 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But the children too rebelled against Me. They did NOT live by My LAWS OR OBSERVE MY RULINGS, TO OBEY THEM, which, if a person DOES, he will HAVE LIFE BY THEM; and they profaned MY SHABBATS.”

The first thing I would like to point out is that when YESHUA said to love YAHWEH and your neighbor, He was quoting Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18 which is in the Torah/Law. In other words, YESHUA is pointing back to the very law that Christians say is done away with!

Deuteronomy 6:4

“Hear, Yisra’el. YAHWEH is our ELOHIM, YAHWEH is One. And you shall LOVE YAHWEH your ELOHIM with all YOUR HEART, and with ALL YOUR SOUL, and with ALL YOUR MIGHT.”

Leviticus 19:18

“Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF; I AM YAHWEH.”

What does this look like? Do we just read the scriptures every day? Do we pray daily? Do we just shout out loud to the heavens and say, “YAHWEH I love You” and “I also love my neighbors too?” Is it just a public confession with no action to back up these words? Suppose you are married, and you say to your husband or wife “I love you!”, then you immediately go next door and commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife. Your actions have proved that you don’t love them and that your words meant nothing!

Matthew 15:7-9 (Hebrew)

“Rightly did Isaiah speak about you, saying, “This people which honors Me WITH WORDS but their heart is far from Me, they honor Me in VAIN, imposing your instructions and commandments of the men.”

Words mean very little if they aren’t backed up with action! It reminds me of the saying “Talk is cheap!” And YESHUA knows that talk is cheap and worthless without showing it:

Luke 6:46-49 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Why do you call Me, ‘Master! Master! BUT NOT DO WHAT I SAY? Everyone who comes to Me, hears My words and ACTS ON THEM—I will show you what he is like: he is like someone building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on bedrock when a flood came, the torrent beat against that house but couldn’t shake it, because it was constructed well. And whoever hears My words but DOESN’T ACT ON THEM is like someone who built his house on the ground without any foundation. As soon as the river struck it, it collapsed and that house became a horrendous wreck!”

As we see hearing the words must be followed up by action!

Luke 11:28 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But He (YESHUA) said, “Far more blessed are those who HEAR the word of ELOHIM AND OBEY IT!”

Romans 2:13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“For it is not merely THE HEARERS of Torah whom ELOHIM considers righteous; rather, it is THE DOERS OF WHAT TORAH SAYS who will be made righteous in ELOHIM’s sight.”

James 1:22 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Don’t DECEIVE YOURSELVES by ONLY HEARING what the Word says, BUT DO IT!”

So, YESHUA said to love YAHWEH with all our heart, soul, and might! Are you hearing His words and putting them into action? How does scripture define how we love YAHWEH with all our HEART, SOUL, AND MIGHT?

2 Kings 23:25 (Amplified Bible)

“Before him there was NO KING LIKE JOSIAH who turned to YAHWEH with ALL HIS HEART and ALL HIS SOUL and ALL HIS MIGHT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL THE LAW/TORAH OF MOSES; nor did anyone like him arise after him.”

So, how do we love YAHWEH with all our HEART, SOUL, AND MIGHT? Scripture defines it as keeping the commandments in the Torah/Law just as Josiah the righteous king did. When YESHUA quoted these words in Matthew 22, it was already understood by the hearer that the two greatest commandments was the entire TORAH, because the entire Torah is summed up in love. So, looking at the 10 commandments we see a summary of the entire Torah. The first 4 commands show us how to love YAHWEH which includes the weekly seventh day Shabbat (Saturday) and the last 6 show us how to love our neighbor as ourselves!

So now armed with the scriptural understanding of how we love YAHWEH according to His prescription we see why YESHUA says:

John 14:21, 24

“Whoever has My COMMANDS and KEEPS THEM is the one who LOVES Me, and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” Verse 24 “Someone who DOESN’T LOVE ME DOESN’T KEEP MY WORDS—and the word you are hearing is not My own but that of the Father who sent Me.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no one’s heart has imagined all the things that ELOHIM has prepared for those who LOVE HIM.”

This promise is only for those who LOVE YAHWEH and we have defined from the scriptures exactly how to do that which is by keeping the commandments! Ask yourself do you love YAHWEH according to how He says in scripture? Or have you made up your own version of how to love Him and trying pass it off as truth?

1 John 5:3-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“For LOVING ELOHIM means OBEYING HIS COMMANDS. Moreover, His commands are not burdensome, because everything which has ELOHIM as its Father overcomes the world. And this is victoriously overcomes the world: our trust. Who does overcome the world if not the person who believes that YESHUA is the Son of ELOHIM?”

Revelation 14:12 (Hebrew)

“Here is the hope of the set-apart ones, and here are those who DO THE COMMANDMENTS OF YAHWEH, AND BELIEVE IN YESHUA.”

We are to obey the written Torah and trust in YESHUA who is the written Word that became flesh The Living Torah! As always may YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!

Tabernacle of Moses points to YESHUA!!!

Luke 24:44 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YESHUA said to them, “This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about Me in the TORAH OF MOSES, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.”

The scriptures testify of YESHUA and without Him none of us will be saved. YESHUA makes this statement because it’s the absolute truth. Every item in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and the items inside the Tabernacle serve a purpose.  So, we will examine the Peshat (the literal meaning) of each item and its function and the Remez (the hint to a deeper spiritual meaning) of how they all point to YESHUA!

Starting from the outside and working our way inside beginning with the altar for burnt offering, the bronze basin, menorah, shewbread, altar of incense, and the Ark of the Covenant in The Most Set-Apart Place.

Altar for burnt offering and forgiveness

Exodus 38:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He made the ALTAR FOR BURNT OFFERINGS of acaia wood, seven and-a-half feet long and seven-and-a-half feet wide---it was square---and four and-a-half feet high. He made horns for it on its four corners, the horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.”

Leviticus 1:1-9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the people of Yisra’el; say to them, ‘When any of you brings an offering to YAHWEH, you may bring your animal offering either from the herd or from the flock. If his offering is a BURNT OFFERING from the herd, he must offer a MALE WITHOUT DEFECT. He is to bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, so that it can be accepted by YAHWEH. He is to lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make ATONEMENT for him. He is to slaughter the young bull before YAHWEH; and the sons of Aaron, the priests, are to present the blood. They are to splash the blood against all the sides of the altar, which is by the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it in pieces. The descendants of Aaron the priests are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to arrange the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water, and the priest is to cause all of it to go up on smoke on the altar as a BURNT OFFERING; it is an offering made by fire, A FRAGRANT AROMA FOR YAHWEH.”

The burnt offering required a male without defect to make atonement for the transgressor and caused a sweet fragrance to ascend before YAHWEH; likewise, YESHUA was perfect and offered Himself up on our behalf for all violation of the Torah and was a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (Amplified)

“Therefore become imitators of ELOHIM [copy and follow His example}, as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and walk continually in love, just as Messiah also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an OFFERING AND SACFRICE to ELOHIM [slain for you, so that it became} a SWEET FRAGRANCE.”

1 Peter 2:22-24 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He committed no offense, nor was any deceit found on His lips. When He was insulted, He didn’t retaliate with insults; when He suffered, He didn’t threaten, but handed them over to Him Who judges justly. He Himself bore OUR OFFENSES in His body on the stake, so that we might die to offenses and live for righteousness—by His wounds you were healed.”

Bronze basin and immersion

Exodus 30:17-21 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH said to Moses, “You are to make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put WATER IN IT. Aaron and his sons will WASH WITH WATER, SO THAT THEY WON’T DIE. Also when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for YAHWEH, they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they won’t die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations.”

This is a representation of immersion/baptism, which if a man does not do, he will not be able to enter to the kingdom and will die.

John 3:4-5 (Hebrew)

“Naqdimon (Nicodemus) answered him, “how is a man able to be born when he is old? Is a man able to return to his mother’s belly, and come into the world again?” YESHUA answered, “Truth I say to you: NO MAN WILL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVENS, EXCEPT he who becomes born again of WATER AND OF RUACH HA’KODESH.”

Matthew 28:19 (Hebrew)

“Therefore go preach to all the peoples, and IMMERSE/BAPTIZE them in the Name of the Father and the Son and of RUACH HA’KODESH, and teach them, to keep all that I commanded you.”

Ascent of James pg. 6

“But Matthew, meeting his propositions, showed clearly, that whosoever shall not OBTAIN THE BAPTISM OF YESHUA shall not only be DEPRIVED OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT SHALL NOT BE WITHOUT PERIL (DANGER) AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, even though he be fortified by the prerogative of a good life and an upright disposition. Having made these and such like statements, Matthew stopped.”

Furthermore, being immersed as commanded is how we receive the RUACH HA’KODESH Who is the Living WATER as He cleanses us inside to obey YAHWEH! And without Him no one can be a son of ELOHIM!

Acts 2:38 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Kefa (Peter) answered them, “Turn from offenses, return to ELOHIM, and each of you be IMMERSED on the authority of YESHUA the Messiah into forgiveness of your offenses, and you will receive the gift of the RUACH HA’KODESH!”

John 7:37-39 (Hebrew)

“And in the great day of the Feast, YESHUA stood, calling out and saying, “If any one does come unto Me, He will drink; whosoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘a stream of LIVING WATER will run from his belly.” And He said this concerning RUACH HA’KODESH—which those who believe in Him would receive; for He had not yet given the RUACH because YESHUA had not yet come into the esteem of the Most High.”

Romans 8:14 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“All who are led by ELOHIM’S SPIRIT ARE ELOHIM’S SONS.”

Menorah

Upon entering the tabernacle, to the left is the menorah which was to lit the same time that incense was to be burned.

Exodus 25:31-37 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You are to make a menorah of pure gold. It is to be made of hammered work; its base, shaft, cups, ring of outer leaves and petals are to be one of one piece with it. It is to have six branches extending from its sides, three branches of the menorah on one side of it and three on the other. On one branch are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; likewise on the opposite side branch three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; and similarly for all six branches extending from the menorah. On the central shaft of the menorah are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its rings of outer leaves and petals. Where each pair of branches joins the central shaft is to be a ring of outer leaves of one piece with the pair of branches---thus for all six branches. The rings of outer leaves and their branches are to be one of piece with the shaft. Thus the whole menorah is to be a single piece of hammered work made of pure gold. Make SEVEN LAMPS FOR THE MENORAH, and mount them so as to give LIGHT to the space in front of it.

Leviticus 24:1-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH said to Moses, “Order the people of Yisra’el to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the LIGHT, to KEEP LAMPS BURNING ALWAYS. Outside the curtain of the testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to arrange for the light to be kept BURNING ALWAYS from evening until morning before YAHWEH; this is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations. He is always to keep in order the lamps on the pure menorah before YAHWEH.”

The Menorah/Lamp is a representation of YESHUA:

John 8:12 (Hebrew)

“And YESHUA said, “I am THE LAMP of the world; whosoever comes after Me will not walk in darkness and gloom; but He will indeed have life.”

John 12:35-36 (Hebrew)

“Then YESHUA said to them, “There is still a LAMP among you—walk while the LAMP is among you that you do not fall in darkness and gloom. For whosoever walks in the darkness does not know where He is going. While you HAVE THE LAMP, BELIEVE IN THE LAMP in order that you may become SONS OF THE LAMP.”

Revelation 21:23 (Hebrew)

“And the city does not need the light from the sun or the moon, for the glory of YAHWEH is a LIGHT-SOURCE for them, and its LIGHT IS THE LAMB.”

Revelation 21:23 (Aramaic English New Testament)

“And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to enlighten it; for the esteem of ELOHIM enlightens it, and the LAMB IS THE LAMPS OF IT.”

The Seven branched menorah represents the seven spirits that rested upon YESHUA

Isaiah 11:1-2 (Aramaic)

“And there shall come for a shoot out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots; and He shall be at peace, and the Spirit of YAHWEH shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the reverence of YAHWEH.”

Shewbread

Leviticus 24:5-9 (Samaritan)

“And you shall take fine FLOUR and bake twelve LOAVES with it. Two tenths shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure table before YAHWEH. And you shall put pure frankincense on each row that it may be a memorial portion for the BREAD, even an offering by fire to YAHWEH. On the Shabbat day, he shall set it in order before YAHWEH continually. It is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Yisrael. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons. And they shall eat it in a set-apart place, for it is MOST SET-APART to him from YAHWEH’s offerings by fire, his portion forever.”

Brittanica.com says the shewbread is also called the “Bread of the Presence”, which matches Hebrews 9:1-2

Hebrews 9:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Set-Apart Place here on earth. A tent was set up, the outer one, which is called the Set-Apart Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence.”

So being that the bread represents YESHUA, its pointing to His presence when He dwelt among us.

Isaiah 7:14 (Amplified)

“Therefore YAHWEH Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call His Name Immanuel (EL WITH US).”

John 1:14 (Hebrew)

“And so EL was made flesh and DWELT AMONG YOU.”

YESHUA is the Bread of Life!

Matthew 2:1-2 (Hebrew)

“When YESHUA was born in BEIT-LECHEM (Bethlehem) in the land of Yehudah (Judah), in the days of king Herod, behold---kings of the East came to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), saying, “Where is the King of the Jews who was born?”

Bethlehem in Hebrew means “The House of Bread” which connects to the words that YESHUA said about Himself!

John 6:35 (Hebrew)

“Then YESHUA said to them, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; whosoever comes to Me will not be hungry, and whosoever believes in Me will not have thirst in eternity!”

YESHUA is the Bread of Life from the House of Bread and being that He is the Living Torah (the written Word that became Living Flesh) He is our source of life that we need to live just a bread was a staple in Yisra’el and they understood it was a physical source needed to live, and that YESHUA is saying He is the real source of bread, the staple in our lives, needed to obtain eternal life.

Deuteronomy 8:3 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Yes, He humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF YAHWEH.”

Revelation 19:13 (Hebrew)

“And He was clothed with a garment on which blood was sprinkled and His Name was the WORD OF YAHWEH.”

Acts 3:14-15 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You denied the set-apart and innocent One, and instead asked for the reprieve of a murderer! You killed the AUTHOR OF LIFE!”

Incense altar

Exodus 30:1-7 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You are to make an altar on which to BURN INCENSE; make it of acacia wood. It is to be eighteen inches square and three feet high; its horns are to be of one piece with it. Overlay it with pure gold---its top, all around its sides, and its horns; and put around it a molding of gold. Make two gold rings for it under its molding at the two corners on both sides; this is where the carrying-poles will go. Make the poles of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold. Place it in front of the curtain by the ark for the testimony, in front of the ark-cover (mercy seat) that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. Aaron will burn fragrant INCENSE on it as a pleasing aroma every morning; he is to burn it when he prepares the lamps.”

Before listing the scriptures concerning prayers, I would like to address the veil/curtain that is behind the altar of incense. The veil/curtain is a reminder that offenses and wrong doing separates us from YAHWEH, and also that no one comes to the Father except through YESHUA and this includes prayers.

John 14:6 (Hebrew)

“I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE comes unto the Father, EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”

John 14:13-14 (Hebrew)

“And that which you will ask the Father IN MY NAME, He will do it for you in order that the Father may be exalted in the Son. If you ask something in My Name, I WILL DO IT.”

Interesting how the Hebrew manuscript again shows the Oneness of the Father and the Son, YESHUA says in verse 13 if you ask in My Name, He (YAHWEH) will do it, then He says in the next verse that I (YESHUA) will do it.” So, we pray to YAHWEH in YESHUA’s Name and it will be done according to His will.

The incense represents prayers!

Luke 1:8-10 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“One time, when Zechariah was fulfilling his duties as priest during his division’s period of service before ELOHIM, he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the priests) to enter the temple and BURN INCENSE. All the people were outside, PRAYING AT THE TIME OF THE INCENSE BURNING…”

As we can see when Zechariah the priest was burning incense on the altar that the people were outside praying at the exact same time. This is not a coincidence, because those prayers are connected with the incense going up to ELOHIM!

Psalm 141:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“YAHWEH, I have called You; come to me quickly! Listen to my plea when I call to You. Let MY PRAYER BE LIKE INCENSE SET BEFORE YOU, My uplifted hands like an evening sacrifice.”

Revelation 5:8 (Hebrew)

“And when He took the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, and in their hands were lyres and fire pans full of INCENSE AND THIS IS THE PRAYER OF THE SET-APART ONES.”

Ark of the Covenant

Hebrews 9:1-5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Set-Apart Place here on earth. A tent was set up, the outer one, which is called the Set-Apart Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence. Behind the second parokhet (curtain) was a tent called the Most Set-Apart Place, which had the golden altar for burning incense and the Ark of the Covenant, entirely covered with gold. In the Ark were the gold jar containing the man (manna), Aaron’s rod that sprouted and the stone Tablets of the Covenant…”

The three items inside of the ark point to YESHUA as well!

The jar of manna:

John 6:47-51 (Hebrew)

“Truth I say to you, he who believes in Me, he has eternal life. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; your fathers ate MANNA in the wilderness, and they DIED. This is He who descended from the heavens in order that he who eats of Him will not die. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE Who descended from the heavens---that if someone eats this BREAD, He may exist for ever. And the bread which I, I will give you is My flesh---for eternal existence.”

The rod of Aaron that sprouted:

This stems from the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16, the rod of Aaron budding is the sign that YAHWEH chose Aaron as his high-priest and put an end to any future rebellion over the priesthood.

Numbers 17:21-26 (Samaritan)

“Speak to the Sons of Yisra’el, and get from them a rod for each father’s household, twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod. And write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi, for there is one rod for the head of their father’s households. And you shall then deposit them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet unto you. And it will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will SPROUT. And I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the Sons of Yisra’el, who grumble against you. And Moses spoke to the Sons of Yisra’el, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. And Moses deposited the rods before YAHWEH in the Tent of the Testimony. And on the next day Moses went into the Tent of Testimony. And behold, the rod of Aaron for the house Levi had SPROUTED, and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.” And YAHWEH said to Moses, put back the rod of Aaron before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebellious sons, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, and they will not die.”

Aaron’s rod “sprouted” which confirmed that YAHEWH had chosen him for the priesthood; likewise the kingdom sprouted up in YESHUA as our High Priest and King that YAHWEH has chosen.

Isaiah 11:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But a BRANCH will emerge from the trunk of Jesse, a SHOOT will grow from His roots.”

Psalms 45:6-7 (Aramaic)

“Your Throne, O EL (God), is for ever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a right scepter. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore EL (YESHUA), Your EL (YAHWEH) has ANOINTED YOU with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.”

Hebrews 7:15-17 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“It becomes even clearer if a “different kind of priest,” one like Melchizedek, arises, One who became a priest not by virtue of a rule in the Torah concerning physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. For it is stated, “You are a PRIEST FOREVER, to be compared with Melchizedek.”

 Tablets of stone:

Which is a summary of the entire Torah and YESHUA is the Living Torah!

John 14:6 (Hebrew)

“I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE comes unto the Father, EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”

The Way-

Psalms 119:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

 “How happy are those whose WAY OF LIFE is blameless, who live by THE TORAH OF YAHWEH.”

The Truth-

Psalms 119:142

“Your righteousness is eternal righteousness, and your TORAH IS TRUTH.”

The Life-

Deuteronomy 32:46-47 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He said to them, “Take to heart all the words of my testimony against you today, so that you can use them in charging your children to be careful to obey ALL THE WORDS OF THIS TORAH. For this not a trivial matter for you; on the contrary, IT IS YOUR LIFE!”

Mercy seat:

Leviticus 16:11-17 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Aaron is to present the bull of the offense offering for himself; he will make atonement for himself and his household; he is to slaughter the bull of the offense offering which is for himself. He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before YAHWEH and, with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the curtain. He is to put the incense on the fire before YAHWEH, so that the cloud from the incense will cover the ark-cover (mercy seat) which is over the testimony, in order that he not die. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the ark-cover (mercy seat) toward the east; and in front of the ark-cover (mercy seat) he is to sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. Next, he is to slaughter the goat of the offense offering which is for the people, bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the ark-cover (mercy meat) and in front of the ark-cover (mercy seat). He will make atonement for the Set-Apart Place because of the uncleanness of the people of Yisra’el and because of their transgressions---all their offenses….”

Hebrews 9:11-14 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But when the Messiah appeared as High Priest of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), He entered the Most Set-Apart Place ONCE AND FOR ALL. And He entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of HIS OWN BLOOD, THUS SETTING PEOPLE FREE FOREVER. For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores the outward purity; then how much more the BLOOD OF THE MESSIAH, Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself to ELOHIM as a sacrifice WITHOUT BLEMISH, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living ELOHIM!”

Hebrews 10:19-22 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Most Set-Apart Place opened by the BLOOD OF YESHUA. He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet (curtain) by means of His flesh. We also have a great Priest over ELOHIM’s household. Therefore, let us approach the Most Set-Apart Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting—with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

The same way the high priest would come in the presence of YAHWEH behind the veil in the Most Set-Apart Place and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat to make atonement for himself, his household, and the entire assembly of Yisra’el, is how YESHUA our High Priest offered up Himself and His blood now speaks for us on the mercy seat setting people free forever! The difference between YESHUA and Aaron is that YESHUA does not die because He is EL and does not have to make continual slaughter offerings for offenses because He was perfect. Which allows us to come boldly to the throne!

Hebrews 4:16 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through to the highest heaven, YESHUA, the Son of ELOHIM, let us hold firmly to what we acknowledge as true. For we do not have a High Priest unable to empathize with our weaknesses; since in every respect He was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that He did not transgress. Therefore, let us confidently approach the THRONE from which ELOHIM gives mercy and find grace in our time of need.”

Again, everything in the Old Testament points to YESHUA and He stated this out of His own mouth and it’s true, Without YESHUA no one will have eternal life, so I pray that this message and the others proving that the scriptures testify of YESHUA will have you commit your life to Him if you have not already.

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