New Priesthood means NO LAW?

The book of Hebrews has caused a lot of confusion and false doctrine, just as the letters of Paul have. So, this message is to clear up the misinterpretation of Hebrews 7 and break it down verse by verse, so that prayerfully many will repent and follow the outline that the scriptures set forth which is:

Revelation 14:12 (Hebrewgospels.com)

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

Hebrews 7:6-28 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

6 “But Malki-Tzedek, even though he was NOT descended from Levi, took a tenth from Avraham.”

Genesis 14:18-20 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Malki-Tzedek KING OF SALEM (JERUSALEM) brought out bread and wine. He was a COHEN (PRIEST) of EL’ELYON (EL Most High), so he blessed him (Abraham) with these words: “Blessed be Abram by EL’ELYON, maker of heaven and earth. And blessed be EL’ELYON, who handed over your enemies over to you.” Abram gave him a TENTH OF EVERYTHING.”

Hebrews continued:

“Also, he blessed Avraham, the man who received ELOHIM’s promises; 7 and it is beyond all dispute that the one who blesses has higher status than the one who receives the blessing.”

We know that Abraham became a father of a multitude and that all nations would be blessed through him, and what the writer of Hebrews is saying is that, even though Abraham was great, that Malki-Tzedek the one Abraham tithed to and the one who blessed Abraham is greater! Malki-Tzedek was a KING AND PRIEST! There is only ONE other that can claim the titles and offices of KING, PRIEST, AND PROPHET at the same time. Keep this context in mind for the later verses.

Hebrews continued:

8 Moreover, in the case of the Cohanim (priests), the tenth is received by men who die; while in the case of Malki-Tzedek, it is received by someone who is testified to be still alive.”

This is very important as the writer is showing the superiority of Malki-Tzedek’s priesthood as he still lives, yet the Levites who were men died because they were human.

Hebrews continued:

9 “One might go even further and say that Levi, who himself receives tenths, paid a tenth through Avraham; 10 inasmuch as he was still in his ancestor Avraham’s body when Malki-Tzedek met him.”

Numbers 18:21-28 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“21 “To the descendants of Levi I have given the entire tenth of the produce collected in Isra’el. It is their inheritance in payment for the service they render in the tent of meeting. 22 From now on, the people of Isra’el are not to approach the tent of meeting, so that they will not bear the consequences of their iniquity and die. 23 Only the Levites are to perform the service in the tent of meeting, and they will be responsible for whatever they do wrong. This is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations. They are to have no inheritance among the people of Isra’el, 24 because I have given to the Levites as their inheritance the tenths of the produce which the people of Isra’el set aside as a gift for YAHWEH. This is why I have said to them that they are to have no inheritance among the people of Isra’el.” 25 YAHWEH said to Moshe, 26 “Tell the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Isra’el the tenth of the produce which I have given you from them as your inheritance, you are to set aside from it a gift for YAHWEH, one tenth of the tenth. 27 The gift you set aside will be accounted to you as if it were grain from the threshing-floor and grape juice from the wine vat. 28 In this way you will set aside a gift for YAHWEH from all your tenths that you receive from the people of Isra’el, and from these tenths you are to give to Aharon the cohen (priest) the gift set aside for YAHWEH. 29 From everything given to you, you are to set aside all that is due YAHWEH, the best part of it, its set-apart portion.’

So again, he is stressing the importance of the SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD, by saying that the Levites who received tithes, technically gave a tithe to the more superior Malki-Tzedek priesthood through Abraham before the Levites even existed! We know the order of the patriarchs was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and through Jacob came the 12 Tribes of Yisra’el, and his third son was Levi who was given the priesthood, so Abraham was here before Levi was. The author of Hebrews is setting everything up to introduce YESHUA and His more superior Priesthood!

Hebrews continued:

11 “Therefore, if it had been possible to reach the goal through the system of Cohanim (priests) derived from Levi (since in connection with it, the people were given the Torah), what need would there have been for another, different kind of cohen (priest), the one spoken of as to be compared with Malki-Tzedek and not to be compared with Aharon?”

We see here again that the context being spoken of is the priesthood! So, the priests were Levites who came through the line of Aaron, Moses’ brother, but this new priesthood isn’t compared to Aaron, rather this priesthood is compared to Malki-Tzedek, as it is written:

Psalms 110:1, 4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures) (Parenthesis mine)

“YAHWEH says to MY MASTER (YESHUA), “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Verse 4 “YAHWEH has sworn it, and He will never retract ----- “You ARE A COHEN (PRIEST) FOREVER, TO BE COMPARED WITH MALKI-TZEDEK.”

Levi himself understood this prophecy:

Testament of Levi 8:11-15 (Parenthesis mine)

“And they said to me, ‘Levi, your seed will be divided into three branches, for a sign of the esteem of YAHWEH WHO IS TO COME. And the first portion will be great; yes, none will be greater than it. The second will be in the priesthood. And the third will be called by a RENEWED NAME (In order of Malki-Tzedek), because a KING WILL ARISE IN JUDAH, and will establish A NEW PRIESTHOOD, after the fashion of the nations to all the nations. And His presence is beloved, AS A PROPHET OF THE MOST HIGH.”

This was a prophecy concerning YESHUA and the Superior Priesthood of Him being King, Priest, and Prophet! The priests and Levites were not kings, the same way Ezekiel was a prophet and priest, but not a king! David was a king and prophet, but not a priest! In other words, YESHUA compared to Malki-Tzedek is ALL 3 AT ONE TIME! All throughout scripture the only one was king and priest was Malki-Tzedek, the one YESHUA is compared to! This is the point the writer is making in this letter.

Hebrews continued:

12” For if the system of cohanim (priests) is TRANSFORMED, there must of necessity occur a TRANSFORMATION OF THE TORAH. 13 The one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar; 14 for everyone knows that our Master arose out of YEHUDAH (JUDAH), and that Moshe said nothing about this tribe when he spoke about cohanim.”

This point is critical to understand! How was the priesthood transformed? He explains that the priests were from the tribe of LEVI, but YESHUA is from the tribe of JUDAH a tribe which never served on the altar in the Old Testament. He says it is evident that YESHUA came from Judah, which is testified to in the scriptures!

Micah 5:2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of JUDAH, out of YOU will come forth to Me, the FUTURE RULER OF YISRA’EL, WHOSE ORIGINS ARE FAR IN THE PAST, BACK IN ANCIENT TIMES.”

This scripture was quoted earlier and necessary here as well:

Testament of Levi 8:11-15

“And they said to me, ‘Levi, your seed will be divided into three branches, for a sign of the esteem of YAHWEH WHO IS TO COME. And the first portion will be great; yes, none will be greater than it. The second will be in the priesthood. And the third will be called by a RENEWED NAME, because a KING WILL ARISE IN JUDAH, and will establish A NEW PRIESTHOOD, after the fashion of the nations to all the nations. And His presence is beloved, AS A PROPHET OF THE MOST HIGH.”

Genesis 49:10 (Aramaic)

“The scepter shall not depart from JUDAH, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, UNTIL THE COMING OF THE ONE to whom the scepter belongs, to whom the gentiles shall look forward.”

1 Chronicles 5:2 (Aramaic)

“For from JUDAH SHALL COME FORTH MESSIAH THE KING…”

And with the transformation of the priesthood from Levites to YESHUA from the tribe of Judah in the Melchizedekian priesthood, comes a TRANSFORMATION OF THE TORAH! This was also a prophecy which YESHUA fulfilled in the New Priesthood! What does this mean?

Jeremiah 31:31-33 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Here, the days are coming,” says YAHWEH, “when I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of Yisra’el and with the house of Yehudah (Judah). IT WILL NOT BE LIKE THE COVENANT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated My covenant, even though I, for My part, was a husband to them,” says YAHWEH. For this the COVENANT I will make with the house of Yisra’el after those days,” says YAHWEH: “I WILL PUT MY TORAH WITHIN THEM AND WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS; I will be their ELOHIM, and they will be My people.”

The New Covenant writes the commandments on our hearts versus the tablets of stone, YESHUA is our High-Priest in the order of Melchizedek and does not die nor commit iniquity. As we can see the transformation of the Torah went from being written on TABLETS OF STONE that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai to being WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS! Which means the form of it changed, not doing away with the Torah! So, this is about a New Priesthood and has nothing to do with doing away with the law as Christianity as said! As I explained in a previous message, how can you get rid of something that is on your heart? If you get rid of your heart YOU WILL DIE; likewise, if you get rid of the Torah/Law that is written on your heart then YOU WILL DIE!

Leviticus 18:5

“You are to observe My laws and rulings; if a person DOES THEM, HE WILL HAVE LIFE THROUGH THEM; I AM YAHWEH.”

Hebrews continued:

15 It becomes even clearer if a “different kind of cohen,” one like Malki-Tzedek, arises, 16 one who became a cohen not by virtue of a rule in the Torah concerning physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. 

YESHUA’s Priesthood is in the order of Malki-Tzedek and not concerning physical descent as the human Levites were! So again, the writer shows the superiority of YESHUA’s PRIESTHOOD predating that of the Levitical priesthood! Unlike, the human high-priest YESHUA DOES NOT DIE because He is eternal, EL the Son of YAHWEH! And unlike the human high priest, YESHUA does not have to make continual slaughter offerings for transgressions, because He was perfect! This makes for the perfect priesthood!

Hebrews continued:

17 For it is stated,

“You are a cohen FOREVER,
to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.”[b]

18 Thus, on the one hand, the earlier rule is set aside because of its weakness and inefficacy 19 (for the Torah did not bring anything to the goal); and, on the other hand, a hope of something better is introduced, through which we are drawing near to ELOHIM.

YESHUA is the goal of the Torah as He is the written word that became flesh, He is the Living Torah! The writer isn’t saying the Torah is done away with he is simply explaining what is written in

Romans 8:1-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. 2 Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah YESHUA, has set me free from the “Torah” of INIQUITY AND DEATH. 3 For what the Torah COULD NOT DO BY ITSELF, because it lacked the power to make the OLD NATURE COOPERATE, ELOHIM did by sending his own Son as a human being with a nature like our own sinful one [but without sin]. ELOHIM did this in order to deal with transgression, and in so doing he executed the punishment against sin in human nature, 4 so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the Spirit wants.”

In other words, the Torah on its own is good:

Romans 7:12 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

 “So the Torah is set-apart; that is, the commandment is set-apart, just and good.”

Paul acknowledged that the Torah was good, but the Torah by itself cannot make anyone change their nature, it cannot make someone cooperate to obey the laws that YAHWEH has given! The Torah is a mirror that you can look into, and it shows that you need to wash your face, but the Torah is not going to wash your face FOR YOU! You have to want to get the rag to wash your face; likewise, you have to want to change your mindset, circumcise your heart, and be no more stiff-necked and submit to the will of YAHWEH and let the RUACH HA’KODESH lead you. If you are led by the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart) then obedience to the Torah can be accomplished with Him leading you and dying to your fleshly desires aka the old nature. Once you are led by the Spirit, He leads you into all truth which is the Torah and sets you free from only ONE LAW, WHICH IS FROM THE LAW OF INIQUITY AND DEATH! Why? Because you will no longer be walking in rebellion to YAHWEH’s Torah which leads to death!

John 16:13 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“But when that RUACH (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.”

The RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) will teach us all TRUTH! And what is the truth according to the scriptures?

Psalms 119:142 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

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

Psalms 119:151 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“You are close by, YAHWEH; and ALL YOUR COMMANDMENTS ARE TRUTH.”

For this is the desire of the RUACH HA’KODESH and what He wants to accomplish in us, which is what Paul mentioned in:

 Romans 8:4

4 so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the SPIRIT WANTS.”

Paul just confirmed that the Torah is a REQUIREMENT and will be fulfilled in our lives once you crucify the desires of the flesh and let the RUACH HA’KODESH lead you!

Hebrews continued:

20 What is more, ELOHIM swore an oath. For no oath was sworn in connection with those who become Cohanim (priests) now; 21 but YESHUA became a cohen by the oath which ELOHIM swore when he said to him,

“YAHWEH has sworn and will not change his mind,
‘You are a cohen (priest) forever.’”[c]

22 Also this shows how much better is the covenant of which YESHUA has become guarantor.

23 Moreover, the present Cohanim (priests) are many in number, because they are prevented by death from continuing in office. 24 But because he lives forever, his position as cohen (priest) does not pass on to someone else; 25 and consequently, He is totally able to deliver those who approach ELOHIM through Him; since he is ALIVE FOREVER and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf.

He again is stressing the fact that human priests were many, because they would die and have to pass the priesthood down to their sons, but YESHUA does not die, and He continues to serve as High Priest forever!

Exodus 29:29 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“The set-apart garments of Aaron will be used BY HIS SONS AFTER HIM; they will be anointed and consecrated in them. The son who comes PRIEST IN HIS PLACE, who comes into the tent of meeting to serve in the Set-Apart Place, is to wear them for seven days.”

John 1:9-10 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“He is truly a lamp; and He illuminates every man in this world. He IS ETERNAL; and the world was made by Him; but the world does not recognize Him, neither the power of His words – even those who do not receive Him.”

Hebrews continued:

26 This is the kind of cohen gadol (High-Priest) THAT MEETS OUR NEED — set-apart, without evil, without stain, set apart from transgressors and raised higher than the heavens; 27 one who does not have the daily necessity, like the other high priests, of offering up sacrifices first for their own iniquities and only then for those of the people; because he offered one sacrifice, once and for all, by offering up Himself. 28 For the Torah appoints as high priests men who have weakness; but the text which speaks about the swearing of the oath, a text written later than the Torah, appoints a Son who has been brought to the goal forever.”

What are human priest weaknesses? They fall short of the esteem of ELOHIM (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:4-6, 1 Kings 8:46) and commit transgression and they die! But the perfect covenant with YESHUA in the order of Malki-Tzedek reaches the perfect goal that was prophesied in the Old Testament! As we can see this is all about a New Priesthood and has nothing to do with getting rid of the law, because again, with this New Priesthood writes the law on your heart, and if you get rid of your heart you will die! Let that sink in! In conclusion, I would like to add this:

Genesis 14:18-20 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Malki-Tzedek KING OF SALEM (JERUSALEM) brought out BREAD AND WINE. He was a COHEN (PRIEST) of EL’ELYON (EL Most High), so he blessed him (Abraham) with these words: “Blessed be Abram by EL’ELYON, maker of heaven and earth. And blessed be EL’ELYON, who handed over your enemies over to you.”

Matthew 26:26-29 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“And when they sat to eat YESHUA took THE BREAD, and blessed it, an did a prayer of thanksgiving, and broke it and said, “Take and eat, for this is My body.” And afterwards He took the cup, and did a prayer of thanksgiving, and gave it to them, and said, “Drink this --- all of you, for this is the blood of the new, which will be shed to atone your iniquities. And I say to you faithfully that from now and onward, I will not DRINK of this smoothness OF THE VINE until that day that I will drink it with you anew in the kingdom of My Father.”

Now consider after all the scriptures discussing the superior priesthood and how YESHUA is the Priest prophesied after the order of Malki-Tzedek, then we can see the parallels! Malk-Tzedek was King Jerusalem and and Priest and he brought out bread and wine; likewise, YESHUA is King of Jerusalem and Priest and blessed the bread and wine! I personally don’t find that to be coincidental, but amazing!

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

Morning and evening sacrifice fulfillment!

YESHUA made it abundantly clear that the scriptures pointed to Him and that the animal sacrifices were a foreshadow of the ultimate sacrifice through His atonement for the world on the execution stake!

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.”

Today I would like to talk about one of these that is in the Torah:

Numbers 28:1-4 (Samaritan)

“And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying, My command to the sons of Yisrael and say to them, you shall be careful to present My sacrifice, My food for My offerings by fire, of a sweet savor to Me, ON ITS TIMES. And you shall say to them, this is the fire which you shall offer to YAHWEH, two male sheep one year old WITHOUT DEFECT, two per day, A CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING. You shall offer the one sheep IN THE MORNING, and the other sheep you shall OFFER BETWEEN THE SUNSETS.”

Numbers 28: 4 (Septuagint)

“You shall offer one lamb in the morning and you shall offer the second lamb TOWARDS EVENING.”

YAHWEH required perfect lambs without blemish for the sacrifice and YESHUA was perfect and without blemish and gave Himself up for us for all violation of the Torah:

Titus 2:14 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

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

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

“He COMMITED NO INIQUITY, 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 INIQUITES IN HIS BODY on the stake, so that we might die to iniquities and live for righteousness---by His wounds you were healed.”

Isaiah 53:9 (Septuagint)

“And I will give the wicked for His burial and the rich for His death; for HE PRACTICED NO INIQUITY NOR DECEIT WITH HIS MOUTH.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“ELOHIM made this SINLESS MAN to be a iniquity offering on our behalf, so that in union with Him we might fully share in ELOHIM’s righteousness.”

Morning and evening sacrifice

We also see in Numbers 28, that there was a morning sacrifice and one in between the sunsets that same day.

Numbers 28:4 (Samaritan)

“You shall offer the one sheep IN THE MORNING, and the other sheep you shall OFFER BETWEEN THE SUNSETS.”

The morning sacrifice was at the third hour of the day which is 9 a.m. and the evening sacrifice was at the 9th hour which is 3 p.m., which matches the crucifixion of YESHUA!

Mark 15:25-37 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Now it was the THIRD HOUR (9 A.M.) when they HANGED HIM UP. And they set a writing over Him, “This is YESHUA Notsri (Nazerene), the king of the Yehudim (Jews).” Then they hanged up two thieves with Him, one to the right and the other to the left. Then the scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was numbered with the wicked ones.” And those were passing by that place, were cursing Him, shaking their head, saying, “You, were saying that You would lay waste the Sanctuary of YAHWEH—and You, after three days You would build it—save Yourself! Come down from the warp and woof (execution-stake)!” And like this the highest priests were speaking, jesting with each other and with the scribes, “He made others saved ones, but He is not able to save Himself!” If you are the Messiah of Yisra’el, come down from the warp and woof that we may see it and believe in You!” And those who were hanged up with Him made funeral speeches. And around the SIXTH HOUR (NOON), there came darkness in all the land until the NINTH HOUR. And at the NINTH HOUR (3 P.M.) YESHUA called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli! Why did You forsake Me?! And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it said, “See how He calls Eli-Yahu (Elijah).” Then one of them ran quickly, and bound a sponge onto a reed, and filled it with vinegar, and they gave to Him to drink. But some said, “Leave Him, and let us see if Eliyahu will come to deliver Him.” Then YESHUA called out with a loud voice, and blowed with His ruach (spirit and breath).”

YESHUA was crucified at 9 a.m. and died at 3 p.m. time of the morning and evening sacrifices! YESHUA also fulfilled the requirement for the continual offering because again, He is the offering, as Numbers 28:2 says:

“My command to the sons of Yisrael and say to them, you shall be careful to present My SACRIFICE, My food for My offerings by fire, of a SWEET SAVOR to Me, on its times.”

Ephesians 5:2 (Aramaic)

“And walk in love, as Messiah also has loved us and has given Himself for us, an OFFERING and a SACRIFICE to ELOHIM for a SWEET SAVOR.”

The Creator became a human being to suffer and die for His own creation! He fulfills the requirement for the CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING just as the shedding of His blood CONTINUALLY COVERS those who accept His free gift of atonement, and confess YESHUA as their Messiah and Savior!

Daniel 9:24 (Septuagint)

“Seventy sevens have been determined on your people and on the set-apart city, for OFFENSES to be ENDED and to SEAL UP TRANGRESSIONS AND TO BLOT OUT THE INQUITIES AND TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR INQUITIES AND TO BRING IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS and to seal the vision and the prophet and to anoint the set-apart of set-apartness.”

John 8:36 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“But if the SON MAKES ATONEMENT FOR YOU with haste, you will BE FREE MEN.”

Which perfectly matches Hebrews saying we are set free forever!

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 their outward purity; then how much more the BLOOD OF THE MESSIAH, Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself to ELOHIM as SACRFICE WITHOUT BLEMISH, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living ELOHIM!”

Isaiah 53:4-8 (Septuagint)

“He bears our iniquities and is pained for us: yet we accounted Him to be in trouble and in suffering and in affliction. But He was wounded on account of OUR TRANGRESSIONS and was bruised because of OUR INIQUITIES: the chastisement of our peace was on Him; AND BY His bruise we were healed. All we as sheep have gone astray; everyone has gone astray in his way; and YAHWEH GAVE HIM UP FOR OUR INIQUITIES. And He, because of affliction, does not open His mouth: He was led as a SHEEP to the slaughter and as a LAMB before the shearer is dumb, so he does not open Hs mouth. In His humiliation His judgement was taken away: who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth: BECAUSE OF THE INIQUITIES OF MY PEOPLE HE WAS LED TO DEATH.”

John 1:29 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“And on the next day John saw YESHUA who came unto him; and he said, “Behold, this is EL, WHO TAKES AWAY THE INIQUITES FROM THE WORLD.”

YESHUA died for the whole world and the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms testify of Him just as He said; and without accepting His free gift of atonement you will die in your transgressions! Accept Him as your Savior and live!

John 8:24 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“Because of this have I told you that you will die in your iniquities—unless you believe that I AM HE, YOU WILL DIE IN YOUR INIQUITY.” Then they said to Him “You, who are You?! So YESHUA answered and said to them, “THE ANICENT ONE, WHO SPEAKS many things unto you, and speaks of you, and judges.”

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

Genesis: ELOHIM is 3 in 1!

 In a previous message titled “ELOHIM is 3 in 1”, I pointed out that YAHWEH, YESHUA and the RUACH HA’KODESH are 3 operating as 1 united ELOHIM! And today I would like to share another witness!

Genesis 15:17 (Septuagint)

“And when the sun was about to set there was a flame and see a SMOKING FURNACE AND LAMPS OF FIRE which passed between these divided pieces. In that day YAHWEH MADE A COVENANT with Abram…”

What pieces were these that the Smoking Furnace and Lamps of Fire passed through?

Genesis 15:7-10 (Septuagint)

“And He said to him, I am ELOHIM that brought you out of the land of the Chaldeans, so as to give you this land to inherit. And he said, My Master YAHWEH, how shall I know that I shall inherit it? And He said to him, take for me a HEIFER in her THIRD year and a ram in his THIRD year and a dove and a pigeon. So he took all these and DIVIDED THEM IN THE MIDST AND SET THEM OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER, but the birds he did not divide.”

Notice that a Smoking Oven and Lamps of Fire passed between these pieces in order to make a covenant with Abraham! We see this again in:

Jeremiah 34:18 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“As for the men who violated MY COVENANT by not living up to the conditions of the COVENANT which they made in My presence WHEN THEY CUT THE CALF IN TWO AND PASSED BETWEEN THE PARTS…”

A covenant was made when the animal was divided and they walked between the divided pieces! So, who was it that passed between the pieces and made a covenant with Abraham? After the Smoking Furnace and lamps pass through it says that YAHWEH made a covenant with Abraham, so YAHWEH is the Smoking Furnace as He is a consuming fire!

Exodus 19:18 (Septuagint)

“The mount of Sinai was altogether in smoke because YAHWEH descended on IT IN FIRE; and the smoke went up as the SMOKE OF A FURNACE and the people were exceedingly amazed.”

Deuteronomy 9:3 (Septuagint)

“And you shall know today, that YAHWEH your ELOHIM He shall go before your face: He is a CONSUMING FIRE; He shall destroy them and He shall turn them back before you and shall destroy them quickly, as YAHWEH said to you.”

Psalms 97:3 (Septuagint)

“FIRE SHALL GO BEFORE HIM and BURN UP His enemies round about.”

Who are the Lamps?

Most translations say, “A smoking oven and flaming torch”, but again, the Septuagint says “LAMPS of Fire”, so it’s plural! YESHUA called Himself the LAMP of the World!

John 1:1-4 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“In the beginning the Son was ELOAH (Mighty One). The Son of EL (Mighty One) was both with EL, and the Son of EL was ELOAH. This One was in the beginning with EL. All things were made by Him; and without Him nothing was made, of that which was made. For He is life—this life is the lamp of men. And the LAMP does shine in the gloom; but the gloom and darkness do not have power over it.”

John 8:12 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“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 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“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 whosever walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have THE LAMP, BELIEVE IN THE LAMP in order that you may becomes SONS OF THE LAMP.” YESHUA said these words to them and went and hid Himself from them.”

John 12:46 (Hebrewgospels.com)

“I am the LAMP Who came in the world so that everyone Who believes in Me will not abide in gloom.”

Proverbs 20:27 (Septuagint)

“The spirit of man is a LIGHT of YAHWEH, who searches the inmost parts of the belly.”

However, Clement of Rome in his 1st Epistle to the Corinthians seems to have had older version of the Septuagint that makes this scripture ever clearer.

1 Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 21:89

“Take heed, beloved, lest His many kindnesses lead to the condemnation of us all. [For thus it must be] unless we walk worthy of Him, and with one mind do those things which are good and well-pleasing in His sight. For [the Scripture] saith in a certain place, “The SPIRIT OF YAHWEH IS A CANDLE searching the secret parts of the belly.”

Candle is defined by Oxford languages as: “a cylinder or block of wax or tallow with a central wick that is lit to PRODUCE LIGHT AS IT BURNS.”

So, we have YAHWEH Who is the Smoking furnace and consuming FIRE, YESHUA the Lamp/Light, as lamps produce FIRE for light, and the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) is the Candle/Light as candles produce FIRE for light! So, YAHWEH, YESHUA, AND THE RUACH HA’KODESH the One United ELOHIM, the Triune-EL, is The Smoking Furnace and Lamps of Fire that passed between the pieces making a covenant of Abraham!

May YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!

Head Coverings Part 2

Over the past 6 months to a year, I have heard the same arguments regarding 1 Corinthians 11:4 to say that Paul was contradicting the scriptures, or that he was referring to something other than head coverings or used as an excuse for women not to cover their heads while in the assembly. This verse has caused much confusion and dissension amongst the Body of Messiah, and I would like to bring some clarity to Paul’s words, as we have already been warned by Peter that his words are hard to understand. So, this is a good question that needs to be addressed.

The two main arguments used is that the priests cover their heads with turbans and David worshipped with his head covered, and if they covered their heads while doing so, then Paul has contradicted the scriptures. As I always say, the scriptures cannot contradict themselves, if the scriptures appear to be contradicting then that means that there is something wrong with our interpretation of it.

In the last message on head coverings, I showed that Paul was referring to a literal head covering:

1 Corinthians 11:10 (Lamsa’s Aramaic)

“For this reason the woman ought to be MODEST and COVER HER HEAD as a mark of respect to the angels.”

So, in the Aramaic it is clear that this is a physical head covering, which will help us to better understand what Paul is saying in verse 4; that the man should be doing the opposite of what the woman is doing. So being that Paul cannot be contradicting the scriptures he must be saying the same thing in Aramaic and Greek with the information that we have.

It's clear that priests wore turbans as a head covering while in the presence of YAHWEH:

Exodus 29:5-6 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic, the robe for the ritual vest, the vest itself, and the breastplate. Fasten the vest on him with its belt. PUT THE TURBAN ON HIS HEAD and attach the set-apart ornament to the TURBAN.”

Ezekiel 44:17-18 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Once they (The priests and Levites) enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they are to wear linen clothing; they are not to wear any wool while serving at the gates of the inner courtyard or inside it. They are to wear LINEN TURBANS ON THEIR HEADS and linen underclothes on their bodies, and they are not to wear anything that makes them sweat.”

2 Samuel 15:30-32 (Septuagint)

“And David went up by the ascent of Zeitim, ascending and weeping and had HIS HEAD COVERED and went barefooted: and all the people that were with him COVERED EVERY MAN HIS HEAD; and they went up, ascending and weeping. And it was reported to David saying, Ahithophel also is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, YAHWEH ELOHIM, disconcert please, the counsel of Ahithophel. And David came as for as Rosh where HE WORSHIPPED ELOHIM…”

Daniel 3:21 (Septuagint)

“Then those men (The 3 Hebrews) were bound with their coats AND CAPS and tunic and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

Daniel 3:21 (Aramaic)

“Then the mighty men bound them in their trousers, their undergarments, their robes, and THEIR HATS, and cast them into the fiery furnace.”

Though the three Hebrews were not worshipping at the time of being thrown into the furnace, it clearly shows that they were wearing men’s hats or caps. And we clearly see that many Israelites cover their heads today. So, did Paul contradict the scriptures and speak against all 3 of these scenarios of men wearing turbans or caps? Now let us examine Paul’s words:

1 Corinthians 11:4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Every man who prays or prophesies wearing something DOWN OVER HIS HEAD brings shame to his head.” Verse 7 “For a man indeed should not have his HEAD VEILED, because he is the image and esteem of ELOHIM…”

The etymology for “to cover” in verse 7 concerning the man is G2619 “katakalupto” defined by Mounce as TO VEIL, to VEIL ONE’S SELF, BE VEILED OR COVERED. 1 Corinthians 11:6-7 and Strongs defines it as from G2596 and G2572; to cover wholly, THAT IS, VEIL:- cover, hide.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “veil” as a length of cloth WORN BY WOMEN AS A COVERING FOR THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS and often especially in EASTERN COUNTRIES for the face.

This would definitely qualify as “something DOWN OVER HIS HEAD” for a veil as its translated in the Complete Jewish Scriptures verse 4.

David stern the translator of the CJB writes in his commentary on this verse:

4. Every man who prays or prophesies wearing something down over his head brings shame to his head,
Every man who prays in public worship meetings or prophesies (see 12:10).
Wearing something down over his head. This is the literal translation, and it is used here to show that Sha'ul is talking about wearing a veil, not a hat. The usual translation, "with his head covered," obscures this fact, and as a result an issue has arisen in Messianic Judaism that should never have come up at all, namely, whether it is proper for a Messianic Jewish man to wear a kippah ("skullcap" or, in Yiddish, yarmulke) in public worship. Of course it is proper, since objection to it is based only on a MIS-TRANSLATION of this verse. For more, see my Messianic Jewish Manifesto, pp 170-171.

Studylight.org by living by faith writes:

 “We may have a better insight about ancient head coverings by comparing some of the words Paul used elsewhere in this chapter. For instance, in verses 6 and 7 of this chapter Paul used a word (katakalupto) that is translated “veiled.” Thayer (p. 331) said that from the time of the Greek poet Homer (about 900 B.C.) DOWN VEILED meant “to cover up.” In fact, VEILED in verses 6 and 7 is a compound word. The first part of the term (kata) meant “down” and the remainder of the word (kalupto) meant “cover.” When combined, the two parts of this word form the idea of “cover down, OVER, COMPLETELY, adequately.”

In the LXX VEILED (katakalupto) is used in Numbers 4:5 to describe the covering of the ark with a curtain. It is also used in Isaiah 6:2 to describe the seraphim covering their faces and feet with their wings. A related form of this word (kalupto) is used in Matthew 8:24 to describe a ship covered with waves. This related term (kalupto) is also used to describe the covering of sins in James 5:20. Peter said love covers (same word-kalupto) a “multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). For the other places where kalupto (cover) occurs, see Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:16; Luke 23:30; 2 Corinthians 4:3.”

 The following is stated about the Expositor’s Greek Testament:

“The 5-volume Expositor’s Greek Testament ranks among the most important commentaries on the Greek text of the New Testament from the 19th century, drawing from the scholarship of twenty contributors under the editorship of William Robertson Nicoll. In addition to the Greek text, this massive reference work contains textual, literary, and grammatical commentary on nearly every Greek word in the entire New Testament. The Expositor’s Greek Testament also includes lengthy introductions to each of the books in the New Testament, surveying the literary and interpretive history, along with an introduction to the historical context of each book and an extensive bibliography.”

These scholars in 1897 understood what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 11 and understood the literal meaning of the verses which agrees with the literal translation of this verse from the Complete Jewish Scriptures. The scholars of this important commentary agreed that women should wear a literal head covering well before the feminist movement to stop wearing head coverings occurred 70 plus years later in 1969, only then did the opinion about head coverings begin to change. Plus, they understood linguistically what Paul was saying regarding the men in verse 4. So, what did they to say regarding 1 Corinthians 11:4? The Expositor’s Greek Testament says:

“The high doctrine just asserted applied to the matter of FEMININE ATTIRE. Since man qua man has no head but Messiah, before whom they worship in common, while woman has man to own for her head, he must not and she must be veiled . The regulation is not limited to those of either sex who “pray or prophesy”; but such activity called attention to the APPAREL, and doubtless it was amongst the more demonstrative women that the impropriety occurred; in the excitement of public speaking the SHAWL might unconsciously be thrown back. προσευχόμενος κ . τ . λ ., “when he (she) prays or prophesies,” in the act of so doing. κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἔχων , “WEARING DOWN FROM THE HEAD (A VEIL”: κάλυμμα understood), the practice being for the WOMAN in going out of the house to throw the upper fold or lappet of her robe over her head so as to COVER THE BROW.”

And for verse 7 they state:

 ἀνὴρ (not ὁ ἀνὴρ ) μὲν γὰρ κ . τ . λ .: “For man indeed (being man) ought not to have his head VEILED” ( καλύπτεσθαι , pr [1634] inf [1635] of custom ), in contrast with woman who ought (1 Corinthians 11:5 ; 1 Corinthians 11:10 ) this is as wrong on his part as it is right on hers…”

So, these scriptures cannot be used to say that priests have their head covered and that Paul is contradicting the scriptures, because priest wore TURBANS AND NOT VEILS, nor a woman’s headscarf or any type of women’s headdress! And we can also conclude that David would not be wearing a woman’s veil either as was shown by Daniel 3:21 that men wore hats or caps. The FEMALE VEIL is the issue that Paul is addressing not a turban or hat.

The Aramaic English New Testament has a footnote #48 concerning 1 Corinthians 11:15 which says “Or rather, as an ADDITIONAL COVERING, i.e, ON TOP OF PROPER CLOTHING for worship and having HER HEAD COVERED. This DOES NOT MEAN A WOMAN’S HAIR IS IN PLACE OF A HEAD COVERING.” And a note is attached saying “See Head Coverings in Appendix” which states the following:

The Aramaic English New Testament pg. 843 dealing with verse 4 says:

“Greek scholars point out that the use of katakalupto for the male “covering” and peribolaion for the female “covering” may have indicated something beneath the text. Apparently, men would WEAR VEILS WHEN WORSHIPPING PAGAN FEMALE DEITIES TO LOOK FEMININE; and Paul, of course, taught against this practice. Pagans were known to wear clothing OF THE OPPOSITE SEX (Deuteronomy 22:5) while performing perverse sexual rituals. In this passage, Paul does not distinguish the type of head coverings the men were wearing or the reason they were wearing long hair, but given the culture they came out of it is easy to see that what they were doing had nothing to do with Jewish practices. Also, he would have been a hypocrite if on one hand he renounced all long hair on men while also participating in Nazirite offerings (Acts 21:24) “In Reality Paul would have appealed to James the Righteous and other apostles in Jerusalem to establish such a directive. But in fact, just a few verses later Paul issues this statement: “But if anyone is contentious about these things, we on our part have no such custom, nor has the assembly of ELOHIM”. In other words, whatever these people were doing it had not been a custom of the Jews, or any assembly of ELOHIM prior to this.”

Paul did not want men believers to be following the way of the pagans by them trying to look like women in the presence of YAHWEH! By dressing as a female, he would bring shame to his head (YESHUA) Who is not a woman. It is the pagans that wore female veils to look like women to worship a female deity!

And we also should remember who the leader of the Messianic Assembly was because Paul went to James and the assembly in Acts:

Acts 15:1-3 (Aramaic)

“And certain men who had come down from Judea taught the brethren, unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom of the law you cannot be saved. And there was great dissension and controversy between them and Paul and Barnabas, and it reached such a point that it was necessary for Paul and Barnabas and others with them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this question.” Verse 13 “Then JAMES arose up and said, men and brethren, HEAR ME….”

Acts 21:17 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“In Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went in to JAMES, and all the elders were present”

Then we see James endorse Paul in verse 24 saying:

“Take them with you (Paul), 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.”

 Then Paul mentions James again in Galatians 1:18-19, which shows that if Paul were wrong about any point on doctrine including head coverings, that James would have corrected him as the leader. And again, 1 Corinthians 11:16 shows that James was in approval of the veils on women and no veils on men, since all the Messianic communities had women wearing head coverings! Which also means James had no problem with turbans or hats being worn by men either.

Acts 12:17 (Aramaic)

“But he (Peter) motioned to them with his hand to keep quiet; then he entered and related to them how YAHWEH had brought him out of the prison. And he said, tell these things to JAMES and to our brethren. And he went out and departed for another place.’

So again, James as the leader was also in approval of head coverings being that all the messianic assemblies had their women veiled (1 Corinthians 11:16). And James supported Paul because Paul spoke the truth, which matches with the entire first message I did on why women should wear head coverings. And now we can see that Paul did not contradict the scriptures at all; rather it was a translation issue. Paul was telling men and women how to conduct themselves and dress in public worship when they assembled together!

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

What words are acceptable on SHABBAT?

One thing we must remember is that the road that leads to eternal life is a narrow one! YAHWEH wants us to completely obey His instructions.

Deuteronomy 5:29 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Therefore you are to be careful to do as YAHWEH your ELOHIM has ordered you. You are NOT TO DEVIATE EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT.”

And then we read these eye-opening scriptures:

Proverbs 11:31 (Septuagint)

“If the righteous are NARROWLY SAVED, where shall the impious and the transgressor appear?”

Kefa (Peter) as a disciple of YESHUA knew this and quoted it!

1 Peter 4:18 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“If the righteous is BARELY DELIVERED, where will the unrighteous and transgressors end up?”

Matthew 7:13-14 (Hebrewgospels)

“YESHUA MASHIACH said unto His disciples, “Enter through the NARROW GATE, for wide is the way that leads man to destruction, and many are entering by it/into it. But the gate and the way that lead to life, it is EXCEEDINGLY NARROW; AND FEW ARE THEY WHO FIND IT.”

With that in mind let’s view the command that YAHWEH gives concerning the Shabbat so that we do not profane it.

Isaiah 58:13 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“If you hold back your foot on SHABBAT from pursuing YOUR OWN INTERESTS on My set-apart day; if you call Shabbat a delight; YAHWEH’s set-apart day, worth honoring; then honor it by NOT DOING YOUR USUAL THINGS OR PURSUING YOUR INTERESTS OR SPEAKING ABOUT THEM.”

Why is this so important to YAHWEH? Why doesn’t He want it treated like the other six days? Because the Shabbat day is more set-apart then all other days:

Jubilees 2:26-27

“Why do you command the children of Yisra’el to GUARD this day (The Shabbat), that they may keep it set-apart and not do any work on it, and not to DEFILE IT? IT IS MORE SET-APART THAN ALL THE OTHER DAYS. And whoever profanes it shall surely die, and whoever does any work on it shall die eternally, that the children of Yisra’el may guard this day throughout their generations, and not be removed out of the land, for it is a set-apart and a blessed day.”

YAHWEH doesn’t want His set-apart day to look like the other 6 days when we are speaking about our own interests, hobbies, and the work week. It should already be a given that work should absolutely cease on the Shabbat, so the focus is on what is considered to be acceptable speech on Shabbat. The definition of “Your interests” by Collinsdictionary.com is: the things that YOU ENJOY DOING. Synonyms: hobby, activity, pursuit, entertainment.

Isaiah 58:13 (Aramaic)

“If you turn away your foot from the Shabbat, from doing your own pleasures on my set-apart day; and call the Shabbat a delight, the set-apart of YAHWEH, HONORABLE; and SHALL HONOR IT, not doing on it your own ways, nor doing on it your own pleasure, NOR SPEAKING IDLE WORDS…”

The Complete Jewish Scriptures and the Aramaic both confirm that YAHWEH wants us to “honor” His Shabbat Day! And honor is defined by Oxford Languages as “regard with great respect” or “fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement).

And idle words was mentioned in the Aramaic translation. And idle is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “lacking worth or basis”

The basis of our conversation should be focused on YAHWEH and not of our own interests or that of the world which means these words on the Shabbat lack worth! The Zadok Priest in the Damascus Document understood exactly what ELOHIM was saying!

Under the section titled “Concerning the Shabbat to observe it according to its law” is written:

“No man shall speak any VAIN OR IDLE WORD ON THE SHABBAT DAY. He shall make no loan to his companion. He shall make no decision in matters of money and gain. He shall say nothing about work or labor to be done on the morrow.”

Vain words or similar to idle words and as defined by vocabulary.com as “Vain is from Latin vanus, “empty.” And in English it ORIGINALLY meant “lacking value or effect, futile.”

And we find another witness in the Dead Sea Scrolls that confirms the intention of YAHWEH’s command.

4QHalakhah B

“No man shall revise the scroll of a book reading its script on the day of Shabbat…But they may read and study it. No man shall make PLANS WITH HIS MOUTH…on the day of Shabbat. He SHALL NOT TALK ABOUT any matter relating to work or wealth or…on the day of Shabbat. He shall speak NO WORD apart from speaking set-apart words AS PRESCRIBED and from pronouncing BLESSINGS OF ELOHIM. He may talk about eating and drinking…”

Here we find that we are to speak set-apart words as “prescribed” in Isaiah 58:13 and also that we should bless our ELOHIM on the Shabbat, which matches what is written in Jubilees.

Jubilees 2:21

“And thus He created a sign in accordance with which they should guard the Shabbat with us 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.”

And why was it written in that same scroll that we may talk about eating and drinking? That is because the Shabbat is a feast day!

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.”

Isaiah 58:13 (Septuagint)

“If you turn away your foot from the Shabbat, so as not do your pleasures on the set-apart days and call the shabbat a delight, set-apart to YAHWEH; if you do not lift up your foot to work nor speak a word in anger out of your mouth.”

As we return to the ancient path I hope these scriptures will help us all to keep the Shabbat set-apart as YAHWEH prescribed and not profane it, by not speaking any words of anger, work, wealth, business, nor our own pleasures, etc.

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

Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

After sharing these scriptures from the removed books and tying them in with YESHUA’s words, you will understand why you should be reading these books so that you will not be deceived. Many believe in the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine, but is it true? Enoch the righteous scribe and prophet has some words for the end times generation that should be heeded!

Enoch 1:1

“The blessing of Enoch, with which he blessed the elect and righteous, WHO WILL BE PRESENT IN THE DAY OF AFFLICTION (TRIBULATION), when all the EVIL AND WICKED ARE TO BE REMOVED.”

2 Esdras 13:16-26

“For as I consider it in my mind, alas for those who WILL BE LEFT IN THOSE DAYS! And still more, alas for those WHO ARE NOT LEFT! For those who are NOT LEFT WILL BE SAD, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS RESERVED FOR THE LAST DAYS, BUT CANNOT ATTAIN IT. But alas for those WHO ARE LEFT, and for that very reason! For they shall see GREAT DANGERS (TRIBULATION) AND MUCH DISTRESS as these dreams show. Yet it is better to come INTO THESE THINGS (TRIBULATION), THOUGH INCURRING PERIL, THAN TO PASS FROM THE WORLD LIKE A CLOUD, AND NOT TO SEE WHAT SHALL HAPPEN IN THE LAST DAYS.” He answered me and said, “Both will I tell you the interpretation of the vision, and I will also explain to you the things which you have mentioned. As for what you said about those who are left and about those who are not left, this is the pronouncement: He who brings the peril at that time WILL HIMSELF PROTECT THOSE WHO FALL INTO PERIL, WHO HAVE WORKS AND HAVE FAITH IN THE ALMIGHTY (REVELATION 14:12). Understand, therefore that those who are LEFT ARE MORE BLESSED THAN THOSE WHO HAVE DIED. This is the interpretation of the vision: this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages, through whom He will DELIVER HIS CREATION, AND HE WILL DIRECT THOSE WHO ARE LEFT.”

The ones who have died cannot attain what is reserved for the last days because they are a part of the wicked that will be removed from the earth leaving on the righteous behind as Enoch said.

Proverbs 10:25 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“When the storm has passed, THE WICKED ARE GONE; BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED FOREVER.”

Proverbs 10: 30 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“The righteous will NEVER BE MOVED, BUT THE WICKED WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE LAND.”

Again, when the storm has passed all the wicked are gone, but the righteous are firmly established forever! Isn’t this what happened during the days of Noah? Weren’t all the wicked killed in the flood and only the righteous Noah and his family were left behind?

Jasher 6:11-23

“And on that day, YAHWEH caused the whole earth to shake, and the sun darkened, and foundations of the world raged, and the whole earth was moved violently, and the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared, and all the foundations in the earth were broken upon, such as was not known to the inhabitants before; and YAHWEH did this mighty act to cause the sons of men to fear YAHWEH, that there might be no more evil in earth. And still THE SONS OF MEN WOULD NOT RETURN FROM THEIR EVIL WAYS (2 Kings 17:13) and they increased the anger of YAHWEH at that time, and did not even direct their hearts to all of this. And at the end of seven days, in the six hundredth year of the life of Noah, the waters of the flood were upon the earth. And all the fountains of the deep were broken up, and the windows of the heavens were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. And Noah and his household, and all the living creatures that were with him, came into the ark on account of the waters of the flood, and YAHWEH SHUT HIM IN. And all the sons of men that were left upon the earth became exhausted through evil on account of the rain, for the waters were coming more violently upon the earth, and the animals and beasts were still surrounding the ark. And the sons of men assembled together, about seven hundred thousand men and women, and they came to Noah to the ark. And they called to Noah, saying, “Open for us that we may come to you in the ark---why should WE DIE?” And Noah, with a loud voice, answered them from the ark, saying, “HAVE YOU NOT ALL REBELLED AGAINST YAHWEH, and said that He does not exist? And therefore, YAHWEH brought this evil upon you, to destroy and cut you off from the face of the earth. Is this not the thing that I spoke to you about, one hundred and twenty years ago, and you would NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICE YAHWEH, and now do you desire to live upon the earth?
 And they said to Noah, “We are ready to return to YAHWEH; only open for us that we may live and not die.” And Noah answered them, saying, “Behold now that you see the trouble of your beings, you wish to return to YAHWEH; why did you not return during these hundred and twenty years, which YAHWEH granted you as the appointed time? But now you come and tell me this on account of the troubles of your beings, now also YAHWEH will not listen to you, neither will He give ear to you on today, so that you will not succeed in your desires.”

They did not listen to the voice of YAHWEH and did not turn from their evil ways, the same way many aren’t listening to His voice today and are not turning from their evil ways!

Listening to the voice of YAHWEH means to keep His commandments:

Deuteronomy 30:10 (Samaritan)

“If you OBEY THE VOICE OF YAHWEH your ELOHIM, TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS and His statues which are written in this BOOK OF THE LAW.”

Turning from your evil ways also means to repent and turn back to 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.”

 Notice how Noah says that the people did not obey YAHWEH and were killed in the flood?  So, this begs the question: how is it that Christians today that are walking in the same LAWLESS, REBELLIOUS footsteps as those in Noah’s day be saved from tribulation by being raptured out of the world? These same lawless Christians will be swept away, just as they were, and only the righteous will be left behind as all the scriptures have verified. So, after looking at all the evidence and the patterns throughout the scriptures, we can clearly see that Christianity has misinterpreted the words of YESHUA in Matthew 24!

Matthew 24:37-42 (Hebrew)

“And just as it was in the time OF NOAH, so will it be at the coming of the Son of the virgin. For as it was in the time before the flood—that they ate and drank and held weddings until the day that Noah entered into the ark, not realizing it until the flood came and KILLED ALL OF THEM—SO IT WILL BE AT THE COMING OF THE SON OF ELOAH. Then there will be two in the field; He will take one AND LEAVE THE OTHER. And two women will be in the house of the mill; He will take one AND LEAVE THE OTHER. And two in one bed—the one will be taken and the OTHER HE WILL LEAVE. Therefore—wake up! For you do not know the hour in which the master will come.”

Notice how YESHUA connects the days of Noah and immediately connects it to those who will be left and those who will being taken? This matches what we read in Enoch 1:1 and 2 Esdras 13, as it was with the account of Noah, that the righteous will be left behind and the wicked shall be taken away by death.

Anti-Messiah must come first

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“But in connection with the coming of our Master YESHUA the Messiah and our gathering together to meet Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16), we ask you, brothers, not to be easily shaken in your thinking or anxious because of a spirit or a 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. He will oppose himself to everything that people call a mighty one or make an object of worship, he will put himself above them all, so that he will sit in the Temple of ELOHIM AND PROCLAIM THAT HE HIMSELF IS ELOHIM.”

Paul says don’t let any man deceive you about the 2nd coming of our Messiah YESHUA because the apostasy (the great falling away from the truth) must occur first and then the anti-messiah will be revealed. So, it’s clear that the anti-messiah comes first not YESHUA, which means there is no pre-tribulation rapture. Many have been deceived by this doctrine despite what Paul warned against! And the assemblies in the first century knew this!

In the book “The Ascension of Isaiah” in the preface is written:

“These latter, particularly the Testament of Hezekiah, cast an illuminating, though at times lurid, light on certain outlying provinces of Christian belief and conduct towards the close OF THE FIRST CENTURY. It bewails the fewness of the prophets, the PREVALENCE OF HERESIES, the sad declension in Christian character. It touches incidentally on the fact that there were Church (Congregation) Guilds whose sole object was to keep believers in a state of readiness for the Advent of Messiah, BUT EXPECTING WITHAL TO EXPERIENCE FIRST THE DREADED COMING OF THE ANTIMESSIAH.”

A servant is not greater than his Master

John 15:20 (Hebrew)

“Remember My words which I spoke to you, ‘A SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS MASTER. IF THEY PERSECUTRED ME, THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU. If they kept My commandments, they will keep yours. But all these things they will do to you because of My Name—for they do not know Him who sent Me.”

John 16:1-3 (Hebrew)

“These things I have spoken to you so that you should not be hurt. They, will put you outside the houses of their assemblies. And a time will come, that every man who comes will TRY TO KILL YOU, and it will seem to him that he is doing service to YAHWEH. And these things they will do to you, because they do not know the Father, nor Me.”

Matthew 24:9-13 (Hebrew)

“And then they will trouble you, BEATING AND KILLING YOU, and ALL WILL REJECT YOU ON ACCOUNT OF MY NAME. And then many will be perplexed and will be angry with one another, for the hatred will be excessive over the compassion and mercifulness of many, and the love of many will become cold. But he who will continue until the end, and will stand, he will be saved.”

YESHUA said he who continues to the end will be saved. Continue is defined by Brittanica as “To do something without stopping to keep doing something in the same way as before.” So, he who continues to believe in YESHUA and keep the commandments until the end despite the persecution will be saved. YESHUA is our Master, and we are not greater than Him! He already told us that we would be persecuted as He was, so this too eliminates any pre-tribulation rapture. Paul knew this and we saw that it happened to him and Peter as well.

2 Timothy 3:12 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“And indeed, ALL who want to live a righteous life UNITED WITH THE MESSIAH YESHUA WILL BE PERSECUTED…”

Hebrews 11:26 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“He (Moses) chose being MISTREATED along with ELOHIM’s people rather than enjoying the passing pleasures of iniquity. He had come to regard ABUSE SUFFERED ON BEHALF OF THE MESSIAH as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes fixed on the reward.”

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.”

Acts 12:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“It was around this time that King Herod began ARRESTING AND PERSECUTING certain members of the Messianic community; and he had James, John’s brother, PUT TO DEATH BY THE SWORD.”

Revelation 1:9 (Hebrew)

“I John was on the island called Patmos, BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF YAHWEH and the testimony OF YESHUA HA-MASHIACH.”

John 16:33 (Hebrew)

“These things I speak to you, in order that you may have shalom (peace) in ME ALONE—for you WILL HAVE DISTRESS IN THE WORLD; but trust in Me, for I, I have conquered the world.”

Matthew 24:21 (Hebrew)

“And then there will be exceeding GREAT DISTRESS, which had not happened from the beginning of the world until now and until the end.”

Acts 14:22 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)

“Strengthening the disciples, encouraging them to remain TRUE TO THE FAITH, and REMINDING THEM THAT IT IS THROUGH MANY HARDSHIPS THAT WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF ELOHIM.”

And that it exactly what I want to do today, which is to encourage and remind you to continue until the end and remain true to the emunah (faith) and know that believers of YAHWEH and YESHUA will be persecuted, and there is no easy way out through the “Pre-Tribulation” doctrine. We clearly see that the followers of YESHUA were persecuted because again they understood that a servant is not greater than their master and not only that,  they willingly endured it while looking forward to the reward! In conclusion I will leave you with what happened to the righteous Zadok priests!

In the Complete Dead Sea Scrolls under the section “The History of the Community” is written:

“Finally Josephus depicts in vivid language the bravery of the Essenes (Qumran community) subjected to torture by the Romans.”

“The war with the Romans tried their souls through and through by every variety of test. Racked and twisted, burned and broken, and made to pass through every instrument of torture in order to induce them to blaspheme their lawgiver or to eat some forbidden thing, they refused to yield to either demand, nor ever once did they cringe to their PERSECUTORS or shed a tear. Smiling in their agonies and mildly deriding their tormentors, they CHEERFULLY resigned their souls, CONFIDENT THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE THEM BACK AGAIN.”

2 Maccabees 7:14

“So when he was ready to die he said, it is GOOD, BEING PUT TO DEATH by men, to look for HOPE FROM ELOHIM TO BE RAISED UP AGAIN BY HIM as for you, you (the tormentors) SHALL HAVE NO RESURRECTION TO LIFE.”

We must understand that persecution takes on many forms, but we must be prepared and have the same mentality as our righteous ancestors before us. They gladly endured persecution and looked forward to the resurrection to spend eternity with ELOHIM! The pre-tribulation doctrine is not preparing anyone mentally for this but is setting them up for failure!

May YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!

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!