This issue of YAHSHUA'S WITNESS MAGAZINE
was published for JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

Inside this issue:

The Idol Shepherd,
Part II by Jerry Healan

The Messiah, Torah and Me,
Part III by Matthew Armstrong

Elohim Made In The Image Of Man
by Elder Dave Ganton

This issue is our Jan.—Feb. issue. The modern-day world, of course, follows the Caesarean-Papist dictates of calendar observance. Julius and Augustus Caesar formulated the calendar that begins with the month of January adding the month of July for Julius and August for Augustus. Pope Gregory refined it in his day, which now gives it the name Gregorian Calendar. But there is no real rhyme nor reason for the year to begin in the month of January in the “dead” of winter. Originally, Rome’s calendar began in the spring, in March or April, around the equinox. Spring is when things are springing to life after the death sleep of winter. Yahweh’s sacred calendar also began in the March-April time frame.

The first month of Yahweh’s sacred calendar began with the new moon of Abib (green ears) or Nisan. And that is another misnomer (I am speaking of Caesar’s calendar). The English word “month” comes from the word “moon.” A month is supposed to be a lunation or a cycle of the moon. A lunation is the time that it takes for the moon to go through one complete cycle, from one new moon to the next new moon or a period of about 29-1/2 days. The same situation applies in Hebrew terminology. The Hebrew words for moon and month are from the same source.

But Caesar deceived the world by designating months that have no relationship to the moon at all, and great is that deception. Yahweh’s calendar is most significant and important because it determines the annual feast days or holy days. These annual feast or holy days are extremely important because they remind us of His great plan and purpose for the ushering in of His kingdom and salvation. If we fail to observe them, then we are not reminded and we forget. We get more involved with just living in this world, making a living, accumulating wealth and possessions in a life that is perishing with the using. How many people have accumulated much through their efforts only to wake up one morning and find themselves penniless and impoverished? Neither does the accumulation of wealth and possessions deliver us from death or from judgment in the life to come. While we can live well and comfortably in this life, that wealth and those possessions have nothing to do with preparing us for the real future which is beyond the grave. The observance of Yahweh’s calendar and ways does prepare us for that future, however.

Caesar’s calendar is extremely deceptive, as stated. It even begins with deception. The first month is the month of January which is named after the two-faced Roman god Janus. To be two-faced means to be deceptive. Look it up in your own dictionary. Janus was the god of doorways. He was represented with two bearded faces which were looking in opposite directions. He held a staff in one hand and keys in the other. This, of course, places him in opposition with Yahshua. Yahshua told His disciples that He was the door (Jn. 10) and he informed John and the Philadelphian Assembly that He had the key of David with which He is able to open and shut (Rev. 3).

Caesar causes the world to become steeped in the worship of his gods through the dates of his own calendar. Most people don’t realize that he was declared to be “Pontifex Maximus,” or the high priest of the Roman religion and all religions of all people that the Romans conquered. January begins the observance of “Carnival” (Mardi Gras) which leads into Lent (forty days of so-called fasting) and then Easter. During this time Valentine’s day also occurs. Valentine’s day represents the approach of males and females to each other which leads to Easter or the ancient pagan fertility rite. Nine months later (the period of gestation, of course) a child is born. This culminates with the infamous night of December 24th called holy or mother night and Christmas day. (Order our booklet entitled Holidays or Holydays for more information.) None of it has to do with the worship of the true Elohim Yahweh nor His Son, the Messiah Yahshua. Caesar’s calendar also sanctifies Sunday rather than the Sabbath even though the Sabbath is in its rightful place as the “seventh” day of the week.

Yahweh placed the sun, moon and stars in the heaven to be for signs and seasons. We, in this assembly, utilize the visible new moon crescent in order to determine the beginning of the months. There is plenty of historical data to prove this. But, interestingly, the crescent moon of the first month (Abib or Nisan) looks like a bowl sitting horizontally. In other words, a bowl or cup that has the ability to hold something. But the crescent of the new moon of the seventh month, which is the final month of Yahweh’s sacred calendar, appears vertically, like a backward “C. This makes it look like the bowl is pouring out its contents and surely and truly it is.

For Yahweh’s people who follow Him and His commanded ways, it is a bowl full of blessings at the first which is gradually tipped throughout the Spring and Summer months, in essence, pouring those blessing out upon His people. The seventh month represents the period of time when His blessings have been completely poured out on His people. But for those who don’t follow His ways, it represents wrath because His wrath will be poured out on the disbelievers and those who follow the pernicious ways of the abominable harlot that leads the world into false idolatrous worship, ergo, the inheritor of the Roman title “Pontifex Maximus” and her false, deceptive, pagan religious worship.

While we are presently bound to Caesar’s calendar concerning the civil government, historical dating, etc., we don’t have to be bound to his false, deceitful religious observances. We can turn, forsake the falsehood and deception, embrace Yahweh’s calendar, and serve and worship Him, observe His appointed days (the Sabbath, annual holy days, etc.) and learn of Him. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua the Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” (Acts 2:38) urges the Apostle Peter and we at this assembly encourage the same. JH

BACK TO THE TOP

THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH REVEALS

THE IDOL SHEPHERD

PART II
By Jerry Healan

THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER

Much of Zechariah chapter 11 is pinpointed to be speaking of Yahshua’s day, for verses 12-13 speak of the 30 pieces (shekels) of silver of which Yahshua was estimated to be valued.

Verses 12-13 read, “And I said unto them, ‘If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear.’ So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And Yahweh said unto me, ‘Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them.’ And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of Yahweh.”

It is no coincidence that Judas Iscariot bargained for the betrayal of Yahshua and was paid thirty pieces of silver, “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, ‘What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?’ And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver,” Mt. 26:14-15.

After the betrayal, the rest of the prophecy was fulfilled, “Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned in that I have betrayed, the innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? See thou to that.’ And he cast down the pieces of silver in the Temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, ‘It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.’ And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, ‘The field of blood’, unto this day,” Mt. 27:3-7.

Matthew 27:9-10 continues with the spoken, but not written words of the prophet Jeremiah, “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, (the price of Him That was valued, Whom they of the children of Israel did value); And gave them for the potter’s field, as Yahweh appointed me.”

One of the interesting things about this estimation is that according to Yahweh’s law in the book of Leviticus, if a female made a singular vow for or unto Yahweh the estimation for her was to be thirty shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary (27:1-4). Israel was Yahweh’s bride by the marriage covenant or vow taken at Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:3-7). The people had not been faithful to the vow or covenant made and the price had to be paid.

Once the price had been paid, the Messiah put to death, buried and resurrected, a new work was begun by the disciples of Yahshua, for the rulers of that time had not been faithful in administering Yahweh’s covenant. Yahweh states that he would cut off three shepherds in one month (Zech. 11:8). But the real meaning of this statement has been hidden. The three shepherds were the leaders of the Pharisees, Sadduccees, and Scribes. The statement “in one month” is translated in the Hebrew Interlinear Bible as, “in month one.” This should have been translated in month one having reference to the first month of the year, Abib, which is when Yahshua suffered and paid the penalty, thus qualifying to be instituted as the High Priest and King over Israel (Heb. 4:14; 5:10) and therefore cutting off the three shepherd groups, the scribes, Pharisees and Sadduccees from their capacity of leadership over the people.

Zechariah 11:8 reveals the hostility that existed between Yahshua and the rulers over the people at that time, for it says, “Three shepherds also I cut off in one month (month one); and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. The rulers of the people sought to attribute Yahshua’s wondrous miracles to Beelzebub, the prince of devils, while Yahshua continually condemned them calling them the children of the devil.

Zechariah 11 reveals that after the cutting off of the shepherds and the paying of the estimated price of thirty pieces of silver, Yahweh would cut asunder the staff called Bands. The people of Judah were overthrown and cast out of the land by the Roman armies before many of the generation that had witnessed Yahshua’s ministry had expired. Yahweh then proclaims that he would set up the foolish, idol shepherd.

ANALYZING ZECH. 11:15-17

Yahweh commanded Zechariah to take the instruments of a foolish shepherd (v. 15). The word foolish also means worthless, impious, perverse. These words describe the instruments or implements of the foolish shepherd. His implements of worship are worthless. They are impious or unrighteous. They are perverse. Peter warned the people of his day to save themselves from that untoward (perverse) generation (Acts 2:40).

In verse 17, the idol shepherd was shown as one who leaves the flock. Who was this perverse idol shepherd? The Encyclopedia Britannica, Fourteenth Edition, Volume 21, pp. 776-777 has this to say about one named Tammuz: “Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian God, who died and rose annually with dying and reviving vegetation, originally Dumu-zi, ‘the son who rises, goes forth (from the nether world),” but generally interpreted “faithful son.’....In astrology Tammuz was identified with Aries (Note: Aries always falls in the first month of the Hebrew calendar, the month of Abib, in which Passover and the days of Unleavened Bread are observed. Easter also falls in this period of time.); in the magic rituals he is symbolized by a white kid, and he is also connected with the ram, which led to his astral identification. Under the title Sibzianna, ‘faithful shepherd of heaven,’ he was identified with Orion....He was held to be a god of healing, bestower of health, and one who, like all other deities, had power over the demons. It is obvious that a cult which is based upon the death and resurrection of a propitiating god, and upon the love of a divine mother who wails for her son, has direct connection with the facts and the theological views based upon them, which gave birth to Christianity. But the form of the cult which apparently most directly affected the origins of Christianity is that in which Marduk of Baylon was identified with Tammuz. At the Nisan of new year festival at Babylon, Bel (Marduk) was said to have been imprisoned in the lower world, and a priestess weeps at his sepulchre. A malefactor was slain with Bel and they descend together to the land of darkness. Beltis, his wife, descends to hell to seek him, and Bel’s garments are given Ishtar (mother of Tammuz). Bel was laid in a sepulchre, from which he soon comes forth. This Marduk transformation of the national Tammuz cult is only another effort of the priesthood of the capital to enlarge the worship and importance of the local cult. It obtained nowhere else in Babylonia and Assyria, and may be regarded as a true interpretation of what transpired regularly in the Tammuz cult itself. That the cult had direct influence upon the origins of Christianity cannot be denied, and the Greek cult of Adonis owes its essential content to the Sumerian Tammuz....He is described as the shepherd who left his flocks, as the shepherds sat in the fields wailing for Tammuz.” (Emphasis mine).

Isn’t it interesting that Tammuz is considered to the the Faithful Shepherd on the one hand, yet he left his flocks on the other hand.

Yahweh appeared to the prophet Ezekiel and carried him to Jerusalem where He began to show him all the abominations being committed by the people of the land (Ez. 8:1-12).

Then Yahweh said, “Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.’ Then He brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh’s house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said He unto me, ‘Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.’ And He brought me into the inner court of Yahweh’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then He said unto me, ‘Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their (should be My) nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them,’” Ez. 8:13-18.

The people were weeping for and worshipping Tammuz, the son of Ishtar. The word “East” in Hebrew also means “the sunrising.” The people of Judah were observing Easter (Ishtar) sunrise services which is associated with the annual rising of Tammuz or Bel (a false, pagan messiah) from the underworld.

Look at the false paganistic gods associated with and equivalent to Tammuz and Ishtar as enumerated in the Britannica article: Adonis, Bel, Beltis, Marduk and Orion.

ISHTAR

Ishtar was the mother of Tammuz. Just who is Ishtar? The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th Edition, Vol.12, p. 707 reveals, “ISHTAR, the name of the chief goddess of Babylonia and Assyria, the counterpart of the Phoenician Astarte (q.v.). The earliest written form of the name is Ash-dar, an Accadian rendering of the older Sumerian deity identified with the Sumerian virgin mother-goddess, who is always associated with the planet Venus. For this reason Ashdar, Ishtar, is undoubtedly the same deity as the south Arabian Athtar, god of the planet Venus. At all events it is now generally recognized that the name is Semitic in its origin. Where the name originated is likewise uncertain, but the indications point to *Erech, where we find the worship of a great Sumerian mother-goddess having no association with a male counterpart flourishing in the oldest period of Babylonian history. She appears under various names, among which are Nana, Innanna, Nina and Anunit. As early as the days of Khammurabi we find these various names which represented originally different goddesses, though all manifest as the chief trait the life-giving power united in Ishtar. Even when the older names are employed it is always the great mother-goddess who is meant. Ishtar is the one goddess in the pantheon who retains her independent position despite and throughout all changes that the Babylonian-Assyrian religion undergoes.”

* NOTE: Erech was built by Nimrod, the first great despot and city builder after the flood. (Gen. 10:10)

Alexander Hislop writes, “Then look at Easter. What means the term Easter itself? It is not a Christian name. It bears its Chaldean origin on its very forehead. Easter is nothing else than Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven, whose name, as pronounced by the people of Nineveh, was evidently identical with that now in common use in this country. That name, as found by Layard on the Assyrian monuments, is Ishtar. The worship of Bel and Astarte was very early introduced into Britain, along with the Druids, ‘the priests of the groves,’” The Two Babylons, p. 103.

Ishtar, Easter is the queen of heaven, a virgin-mother goddess. She was also known as the great mother of the gods.

What does Yahweh say about this queen of heaven? “Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other elohim, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger? saith Yahweh: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” Jer. 7:17-19.

Jeremiah was furthermore inspired to warn, “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, ‘Thus saith Yahweh of hosts, the Elohim of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein, Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other elohim, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers. Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, ‘Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.’ But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other elohim. Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day. Therefore now thus saith Yahweh, the Elohim of hosts, the Elohim of Israel; ‘Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain; In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other elohim in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.’ Therefore thus saith Yahweh of hosts, the Elohim of Israel; ‘Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach. For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.’ Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other elohim, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, ‘As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of Yahweh, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?’ Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, ‘The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Yahweh remember them, and came it not into his mind? So that Yahweh could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.’ Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt: Thus saith Yahweh of hosts, the Elohim of Israel, saying; ‘Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.’ Therefore hear ye the word of Yahweh, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; ‘Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith Yahweh, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘Yahweh ELOHIM liveth.’ Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them,’” Jer. 44:1-27.

The end result is that today’s Christianity, even as the Jews described here, have erred concerning the faith and introduced Easter sunrise services which, in truth, is the worship of Ishtar, the queen of heaven, and her son Tammuz. These are the implements of an idol shepherd. They are an abomination to Yahweh and those who persist in this false abominable worship will suffer the same fate that the Jews did in Jeremiah’s day.

THE TRUTH ABOUT EASTER

The Encyclopedia Britannica has this to say about the observance of Easter, “The annual festival observed throughout Christendom in commemoration of the resurrection of J-sus Chr-st. The name Easter, like the names of the days of the week, is a survival from the old Teutonic mythology. According to Bede (De Temp. Rat. c. XV.) it is derived from Eostre, or Ostâra, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, to whom the month answering to our April, and called Eostur-monath, was dedicated. This month, Bede says, was the same as the mensis Paschalis, ‘when the old festival was observed with the gladness of a new solemnity.’

The root pasch, from which so many other names for Easter are derived, is from the Hebrew pisach (Passover) from the verb form ‘he passed over.’

There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament, or in the writings of the apostolic Fathers. The sanctity of special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Chr-stians, who continued to observe the Jewish festivals, though in a new spirit, as commemorations of events which those festivals had foreshadowed. Thus the Passover, with a new conception added to it of Chr-st as the true Paschal Lamb and the first fruits from the dead, continued to be observed, and became the Chr-stian Easter.” (14th Edition, Vol. 7, pp 858-859)

The International Bible Standard Encyclopedia says, “EASTER (AV Acts 12:4). An anachronistic mistranslation of the Gk. páscha (RSV, NEB, ‘Passover’), in which the AV followed such earlier versions as Tyndale and Coverdale. The Acts passage refers to the seven-day Passover festival (including the Feast of Unleavened Bread). It is reasonably certain that the NT contains no reference to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Chr-st.

I. Origin of the Term.–The term Easter was derived from the Anglo-Saxon ‘Eostre,’ the name of the goddess of spring. In her honor sacrifices were offered at the time of the vernal equinox. By the 8th cent. the term came to be applied to the anniversary of Chr-st’s resurrection.” (Vol. Two, p. 6)

Do the importance of these statements sink into your mind? None of the apostolic Fathers wrote about nor did they observe Easter. The original true followers and believers of Yahshua continued to observe the festivals of Yahweh as commanded in Leviticus 23, which were foreshadows of things to come.

OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF AN IDOL SHEPHERD

I. CHRISTMAS

December 25 is an instrument of the foolish, idol shepherd. It is an easily proven fact that Yahshua, the TRUE MESSIAH, was not born anywhere near the time of December 25th. Luke says that there were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, LK. 2:8. The winter was too severe for shepherds to tend their flocks by night. They would shut up their flocks at night in pens and corrals from October-November through April-May. The true facts prove that Yahshua was actually born between April-May through October-November, the exact opposite time of the year that is presently observed.

Anne Ross and Don Robins wrote, “Most of the great calendar feasts of the Celtic year were later placed under the protection of the church! Imbole was assigned to St. Brigit, Lughnasa became Lammas, the First Fruits festival (Pentecost); Samain was changed to All Saints Day (Halloween), and the solstice feasts of midsummer and midwinter became St. John’s Day and Christmas respectively,” The Life and Death of a Druid Prince, p. 35.

Alexander Hislop reveals that December 25th was the day appointed for the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven (The Two Babylons, p. 90). He also reveals that it was observed by the Romans as Natalis Invicti Solis, the birth-day of the unconquered sun. (Ibid, p. 97)

Raymond Capt wrote, “When Chr-stianity reached Britain, Druidism (Note: which is pagan Baal worship) merged with it.” (Stonehenge and Druidism, p. 80)

When Christmas, December 25th, is celebrated as the birth day of Yahshua, it is a lie. A lie is opposite to the truth. December 25th falls in the opposite time of the year than when Yahshua was actually born. Yahshua said, “Elohim is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth!” Jn. 4:24). It is NOT POSSIBLE to worship Yahweh through a lie. He loves the truth. Lies deceive and kill.

II. SUNDAY

Sunday worship is another instrument of the false messiah or the idol shepherd. Sunday, or the day of the unconquered sun (solis invicti) was never commanded to be the day of worship by Yahweh.

Yahweh originally blessed and sanctified (set aside as holy) the seventh day (Gen. 2:1-3). Yahweh instituted the observance of the seventh day Sabbath into the 10 commandments at Sinai (Ex. 20:8-11).

An in-depth study of all Scripture, both Old and New Testaments will reveal that there is no Biblical authority to change the day of worship from the Sabbath to Sunday.

Here is what the Catholics declare concerning Sunday worship (emphasis will be ours):

· “Sunday is a Catholic institution, and its claims to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles...From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first.” —The Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August, 1900.

· “Protestantism, in discarding the authority of the (Roman Catholic) Church, has no good reasons for its Sunday theory, and ought logically to keep Saturday as the Sabbath.” —John Gilmary Shea, American Catholic Quarterly Review, January, 1883.

· “It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Babtists, Methodist, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church.” —Priest Brady, in an address, reported in Elizabeth, N.J. “News,” March 18, 1903.

· “Ques. - Have you any other way of proving that the (Catholic) Church has power to institute Festivals of precept (to command holy days)?”

“Ans. - Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her: she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” —Stephan Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, page 176.

· “Protestants...accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change...But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that...in observing the Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church, the Pope.” —Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950.

· “If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship G-d on the Sabbath day. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church.” —Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal, in a letter, February 10, 1920.

· “It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of J-sus Chr-st, has transferred this rest (from the Bible Sabbath) to the Sunday...Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) Church.” —Monsignor Louis Segur, Plain Talk about the Protestantism of Today, page 213.

· “We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”—Peter Geiermann, CSSR, A Doctrinal Cathechism, 1957 edition, page 50.

Here is what the Protestants have to say concerning Sunday worship:

· Baptist: “There was and is a command to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will however be readily said, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week, with all its duties, privileges and sanctions. Earnestly desiring information on this subject, which I have studied for many years, I ask, where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament—absolutely not. There is no Scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week.” —Dr. E. T. Hiscox, author of the Baptist Manual.

· Baptist: “The Scriptures nowhere call the first day of the week the Sabbath...There is no Scriptural authority for so doing, nor of course, any Scriptural obligation.” —The Watchman.

· Baptist: “To me it seems unaccountable that J-sus, during three years’ discussion with His disciples, often conversing with them upon the Sabbath question, discussing it in some of its various aspects, freeing it from its false (Jewish traditional) glosses, never alluded to any transference of the day; also, that during the forty days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated. Nor, so far as we know, did the Spirit, which was given to bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever that He had said unto them, deal with this question. Nor yet did the inspired apostles, in preaching the gospel, founding churches, counseling and instructing those founded, discuss or approach the subject.

“Of course I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Chr-stian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Chr-stian Fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of Paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism.” —Dr. E. T. Hiscox, report of his sermon at the Baptist Minister’s Convention, in New York Examiner, November 6, 1893.

· Southern Baptist: “The sacred name of the Seventh day is Sabbath. This fact is too clear to require argument (Exodus 20:10 quoted)...On this point the plain teaching of the Word has been admitted in all ages...Not once did the disciples apply the Sabbath law to the first day of the week—that folly was left for a later age, nor did they pretend that the first day supplanted the seventh.” —Joseph Judson Taylor, The Sabbath Question, pages 14-17, 41.

· Congregationalist: “It is quite clear that however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath...The Sabbath was founded on specific, divine command. We can plead no such command for the observance of Sunday...There is not a single line in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday.” —Dr. R. W. Dale, The Ten Commandments, pages 106-107.

· Lutheran Free Church: “For when there could not be produced one solitary place in the Holy Scriptures which testified that either the L-rd Himself or the apostles had ordered such a transfer of the Sabbath to Sunday, then it was not easy to answer the question: Who has transferred the Sabbath, and who has had the right to do it?” —George Sverdrup, A New Day.

· Protestant Episcopal: “The day is now changed from the seventh to the first day...but as we meet with no Scriptural direction for the change, we may conclude it was done by the authority of the church.” —Explanation of Cathechism.

· Presbyterian: “There is no word, no hint in the New Testament about abstaining from work on Sunday. The observance of Ash Wednesday, or Lent, stands exactly on the same footing as the observance of Sunday. Into the rest of Sunday no Divine Law enters.” —Canon Eyton, in The Ten Commandments.

· Anglican: “And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day.” —Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Cathechism, pages 334, 336.

· Disciples of Chr-st: “There is no direct Scriptural authority for designating the first day ‘the L-rd’s Day.’” —Dr. D. H. Lucas, Christian Oracle, January, 1890.

· Methodist: “It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism. Nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week. Many believe that Chr-st changed the Sabbath. But, from His own words, we see that He came for no such purpose. Those who believe that J-sus changed the Sabbath base it only on a supposition.” —Amos Binney, Theological Compendium, pages 180-181.

· Episcopalian: “We have made the change from the seventh day to the first day, from Saturday to Sunday, on the authority of the one holy, catholic apostolic church of Chr-st.” —Bishop Symour, Why We Keep Sunday.

· American Congregationalists: “The current notion that Chr-st and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament.” —Dr. Layman Abbot, in the Chr-stian Union, June 26, 1890.

· Christian Church: “Now there is no testimony in all the oracles of heaven that the Sabbath is changed, or that the L-rd’s Day came in the room of it.” —Alexander Campbell, in The Reporter, October 8, 1921.

The admission of so many witnesses concerning Sunday worship versus the Sabbath should be eye-opening to any who read these testimonies. Sunday worship is an extract from paganism, idolatry, heathenism. It was never commanded to be observed by Yahweh. The seventh day Sabbath was commanded by Him. Sunday worship is an instrument of the idol shepherd.

III MISTLETOE

Another instrument through which Hesus or Yesu or Esus was worshipped was the mistletoe.

Mr. Capt writes, "Because mistletoe grew upon the oak, it became sacred to the Druids and was held symbolic of the coming Deliverer or "Branch." Mistletoe was known as the "All Heal," A title which bears a strange resemblance to the words of Malachi's concerning the "Sun" who should "rise with healing in His wings." (Mal. 4:2). This "Branch" was not only foretold by the prophets of ancient Israel but was sung also by the poets of classic antiquity. Virgil mentions "the golden branch," and Homer speaks of the "golden rod" or "branch." A parallel can be seen in the writings of three of the Old Testament prophets - Isaiah (11:1), Jeremiah (23:5; 33:15) and Zechariah (3:8; 6:12) - referring to the coming Messiah as "the Branch,"....."Hesus" or Yesu was the Supreme God whom they worshipped as the great "All-Heal" and they believed in Him as the "Saviour" of the world." (p.p. 78-79).

Alexander Hislop also has this to say about the mistletoe in his book entitled "The Two Babylons," "Let the reader look at the singular practice still kept up in the South on Christmaseve, of kissing under the mistletoe bough. That mistletoe bough in the Druidic superstition, which, as we have seen, was derived from Babylon, was a representation of the Messiah, "The man the branch." The mistletoe was regarded as a divine branch - a branch that came from heaven, and grew upon a tree that sprang out of the earth. Thus by the engrafting of the celestial branch into the earthly tree, heaven and earth, that sin had severed, were joined together, and thus the mistletoe bough became the token of Divine reconciliation to man, the kiss being the well-known token of pardon and reconciliation," (p.p. 98-99).

All of this sounds so right, so true because Yahshua is "The Man the Branch." He did come down from heaven. He is the One Who heals us of all our infirmities. He is the Saviour, Deliverer, the Mediator, the One Who reconciles us to Yahweh.

The mistletoe, however, proves to be an implement, an instrument of a foolish (worthless) shepherd for it is spread by bird dung. It is a parasite. Its berries are poisonous! Yahshua is clean, holy, pure undefiled. There is nothing clean about dung. Dung symbolizes idolatry.

The mistletoe, a parasite, lives off of its host, sucking, robbing the tree of the life-giving sap that flows to its branches. It will eventually kill the natural tree branch taking its place as an unnatural branch. Yahshua does not live off of us as a parasite. We, rather, must live off of, by Him. We must eat and drink of Him if we are to live forever.

The mistletoe is poisonous. Yahshua is life-giver, not life-taker. His doctrines are for light, life, love truth, peace, joy unspeakable. The engrafting of the mistletoe kills. The engrafting of Yahshua through the Holy Spirit imparts life. An holy "kiss" from Yahshua does impart reconciliation, but a "kiss" under the mistletoe is for adultery, idolatry and death!

Mistletoe IS NOT an instrument given to Israel by Yahweh for the purpose of worship in truth. It is an idea or dream of the false prophets (Jer. 23:25-27) concocted through philosophy, vain deceit in the mind of man under Satan's sway, who hates Yahweh and stands ready to corrupt and pollute everything that is holy, precious and clean.

IV THE CROSS

One of the major images of Baal worship was the cross. We have read Mr. Capt's report on how the Druids would select an oak tree having two branches forming a cross. They would then consecrate the cross by cutting characters for they word "Hesus," spelled "Yesu," upon the right branch. "Taranus" was carved in the middle and "Belenus" on the left branch. Over them all was the word "Than" meaning God (p. 78).

Alexander Hislop says, "The cross was originally no Christian emblem at all, but was the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans and Egyptians - the true original form of the letter T - the initial of Tammuz." (p. 197). Hislop also says, "But when it is considered that the Buddist, like the Babylonian cross, was the recognized emblem of Tammuz, who was known as the mistletoe branch, or "All-Heal" then it is easy to see how the "sacred initial" should be represented as covered with leaves, and how Rome in adopting it, should call it the "Medicine which preserves the healthful, heals the sick, and does what mere human power alone could never do." (The Two Babylons, p. 201). The Tau was the sacred symbol of Osiris of Egypt, Budda of China, the deity of rain to the Mexican Indians, Tammuz of Babylon, etc. Tammuz was also known as Marduk and Bel to the Babylonians. Bel is the Baal of the Phoenicians or Sidonians of Canaan.

The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 th Edition has this to say about Tammuz; He was the Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian deity who died and rose annually with dying and reviving vegetation, originally "Dumu-zi," "the son who rises, goes forth (from the nether world," but generally interpreted "faithful son".....The interpretation as "the son who rises," "the resurrected child,".....it is clear, that the main principle of this cult is the resurrection of the dying god."

There are many titles of the youthful god, loved by his sister, the earth and heaven goddess, Innini (Ishtar), who descends yearly into Aralu (under-world) at the time of his death to bring him back to earth in her bosom.

The liturgical wailings for Tammuz during the period of his sojourn in aralu are numerous and describe every aspect of the theological doctrines concerning him. (article "Tammuz," Vol. 21, p.p. 776-777).

What we have just read here is the description of what is observed today as "Lent," the fasting, wailing period of 40 days culminating in Easter sunrise services in which Ishtar has descended into the dark nether world (the period before sunrise) and brings the dead deity back to life (symbolized by the sunrise itself).

Yahweh strongly condemns this worship in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 8, "Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.' Then He brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh's house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. (Lent). And He brought me into the inner court of Yahweh's house, and behold, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. (Easter [Ishtar] sun-rise services). Then He said unto me, `Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abomina tions which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and lo, they put the branch to My nose," v.v. 14-18. (Note: The KJV renders "their nose" but Bullinger states that the primitive text read "My nose.")

The cross, a branch of a tree to the Druids (Israel), represented Tammuz in Babylonian worship while to the Druids "Yesu" (Jesus) was represented. The cross representing Jesus, would symbolize him as the "BRANCH." It also must be the image of jealousy spoken of in Ez. 8:3-5.

To be continued…….

BACK TO THE TOP

WHO IS ON THE CROSS?

The modern day Christian world has been led to not only revere the cross, but to make pictures, images, etc. of the Savior on the cross. But just who is really being depicted on the it?

By Jerry Healan

It is obvious according to the Scriptures that Yahshua was hung on a tree which probably was in the form of a cross. The Greek word for cross is “stauros.” Stauros is defined as, from the base of 2476; a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specially), a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment). Because of the words “stake” or “post,” some have been led to deny that Yahshua was hung on a cross, since the cross was originally an Egyptian symbol for life called an “ankh.” It was also a symbol utilized by the ancient worshippers of Tammuz. (See accompanying figures.)

The common teaching among the assemblies and some churches is that Yahshua was hung on an upright stake or pole with his arms stretched upward above his head, not out on a crossbar. However, we must remember that a crossbar of sorts was attached to the pole or tree by Pilate who wrote in Hebrew, Greek and Latin “Yahshua of Nazareth the King of the Jews.”

Interestingly, there is a mineral that exists in nature called “starolite.” The word “starolite” comes from a combination of two Greek words “stauros” and “lithos.” It means “stone cross.” (Please see the accompanying figure.) Thus, the very name attached to this mineral reveals that “stauros” does mean “cross.”

Another interesting item is that Yahshua came to finish a work that was begun by Moses and the Israelites, but failed in its perfect application and completion. When Yahshua hung on the tree, just before He died, He declared, “It is finished,” Jn. 19:30. Yahshua completed the work that the Father gave to Him for He prayed, “I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do,” Jn. 17:4.

When Yahshua appeared to John as written in the book of Revelation, Yahshua declared that He was the “Aleph and Tau.” (Rev. 21:6). The Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet while the Tau is the last letter. This represents Yahshua as the first and last, the beginning and ending. The “tau” in the original ancient Hebrew alphabet looked like an “X” or also a “+” (cross). Thus, Yahshua hanging on a cross (tau) would have represented the finishing of a work as well as the bringing to an end one system in order that a new system could arise.

According to the Scriptures, it is evident that the covenant that Yahweh made with Israel through Moses had failed and was being brought to an end. Yahshua was the only man who was able to fulfill it in its entirety to Yahweh’s satisfaction. Yahshua’s fulfillment of the covenant caused the way to be made for a New Covenant based on better promises (Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 8).

THE CROSS BEARER

It is also obvious from the accounts in the evangels that in Yahshua’s night of agony, the whole group was very tired for Yahshua would go away to pray privately and when He did so and return, He would find the disciples asleep. He was taken into custody by the Jewish authorities who questioned, mocked and beat Him. When the morning came, they took Him to Pilate who sent Him first to Herod. Herod’s soldiers mocked and beat Him and returned Him to Pilate. Pilate, seeking to please the people, committed Yahshua to his soldiers who also scourged, mocked and beat Him. He was then led out to Golgotha to His execution. Yahshua had to have been beyond the point of exhaustion.

When finished with the beatings, mockings, etc., they led Him away to crucify Him. Matthew writes, “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear His cross,” 27:32.

According to “A History of Heresy” by David Christie-Murray, the Gnostics taught, “…that Jesus was not crucified but that Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled to carry the cross, was transfigured into the likeness of Christ and was crucified instead. Jesus was given the appearance of Simon and, standing by, laughed at the mistaken Romans and Jews.” (p. 25)

In his book “Realm Of The Holy Grail” Laurence Gardner not only focuses on this same account of Simon and Jesus, but reveals that the belief among the royalty of Europe, especially those descended from the Merovingian line, was that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and had children, and they were their descendants. Thus, the throne and the kingdom of heaven belonged to them.

Whether you want to believe this or not, the fact of the matter is that when Constantine the Great entered into the body of believers in the fourth century, he, being the emperor of the Roman Empire (the great and dreadful and terrible beast of Daniel 7), and Pontifex Maximus over all paganism, also became Pontifex Maximus over this newfound faith now called Christianity. The body of believers would now follow the dictates of the princes, rulers and leaders of this world.

Once the royalty and leaders gained control over the faith, they enforced their belief on all of their subjects. These were the actions of Constantine the Great who declared Sunday to be the day of worship rather than the Sabbath and also enforced Easter and Christmas observance rather than the annual holy day cycle instituted by Yahweh. If anyone believed or taught differently than what the emperors, kings, etc., believed and taught, they were branded an heretic and were persecuted, tortured and in many cases, put to death. Take, for instance, Roger William’s (founder of Providence, Rhode Island) friend Dr. Alexander Leighton, a Puritan. Because of Dr. Leighton’s Puritanical faith, King Charles I banished him to life imprisonment, imposed a heavy fine, defrocked him, had him publicly whipped, cut off his ears, split his nose on both sides and branded SS (for “Sower of Sedition) on his face. (Libronix Digital Library System)

Yahweh decrees, “It is better to trust in Yahweh than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes,” Psa. 118:8-9. He also declared, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us,” Psa. 2:2-3.

Remember also that it was King James who had the modern day English Bible made available to the public, but who also had the true names of the Heavenly Father Yahweh and His beloved and Anointed Son Yahshua replaced with the terms “the LORD,” “God,” “Jesus,” etc.

Therefore, it is no small wonder that they would replace Yahshua on the cross with one Simon of Cyrene later changing his name to that of Jesus which is equivalent to the Druidic and Greek deity Hesus/Iesous.

SIMON OF CYRENE

Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21 and Luke 23:36 are not only narratives of the physical event that took place, but they are parables, hidden mysteries for the Bible student to search out and discover. Yahshua came speaking in parables in order to keep the true meanings of things of the kingdom of heaven hidden from all but His own disciples (Mt. 13:10-17).

Also, in the book of Proverbs 25:2 we read, “It is the glory of Elohim to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out the matter.”

There are things about this proverb that the eye simply doesn’t pick up on when reading this verse in the English. The Hebrew language reveals things somewhat differently. For instance, the word “glory,” when written in reference to Elohim is translated from the Hebrew word “kabowd.” However, this same word, “kabowd” is also utilized in reference to kings, but is translated as “honor.” In other words, the reading is, “It is the glory (kabowd) of Elohim to conceal a thing: but the honor (kabowd) of kings is to search out the matter.” Notice that the Hebrew language would attribute the same word to Elohim or kings (kabowd/glory), but the English will give “glory” to Elohim, but only “honor” to kings.

The same situation applies to another Hebrew word utilized in this verse. The words “thing” and “matter” are both translated from the Hebrew word “dabar.” To clarify, let’s add the Hebrew word to the verse, “It is the glory (kabowd) of Elohim to conceal a thing (dabar): but the honor (kabowd) of kings is to search out the matter (dabar).

Interestingly, the Hebrew word “dabar” is the very word that is utilized for the word “word.” In Psa. 33:4 and 6 we read, “For the Word (dabar) of Yahweh is right; and all His works are done in truth....By the Word (dabar) of Yahweh were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”

Therefore, in Prov. 25:2 it would be correct to render it thusly, “It is the glory of Elohim to conceal the (or His) Word: but the glory of kings is to search out the Word.”

In other words, Yahweh conceals things in His word. It is His glory, honor and privilege to do so. But those who will be kings should search into His word to find out those hidden things. It is to their glory and honor to do so.

But what about the kings, princes and leaders of this present world? Paul writes, “But we speak the wisdom of Yahweh in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which Yahweh ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Sovereign of glory,” 1 Cor. 2:7-8.

Look at that verse again! Paul verifies Prov. 25:2 by saying that Yahweh has hidden His wisdom in a mystery! We can even determine that the present day kings, princes and leaders aren’t even true kings, princes and leaders in Yahweh’s eyes because they aren’t searching Yahweh’s word for the wisdom that is hidden there. Yes, they do have their own particular glory (kabowd), but it isn’t the glory of Yahweh.

The true kings are those who search the word (dabar) of Yahweh. But even then there are conditions for Paul continues, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things (words/dabarim?) of Yahweh knoweth no man, but the Spirit of Yahweh,” v. 11. Wasn’t it by the word (dabar) of Yahweh that the heavens were made? (Psa. 33:6). “And all the host of them by the breath (ruach/spirit) of His mouth?” (Ibid).

Therefore Paul says, “...even so the things of Yahweh knoweth no man, but the Spirit of Yahweh. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of Yahweh; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of Yahweh. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things (dabar - im?) with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Yahweh: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned,” vv. 11-14.

Now, let’s look at this name Simon of Cyrene. In the Greek it is Simon Kurenaios. Let’s compare another name found in Scripture, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.),” Lk. 2:1-2.

Notice this name and the Greek definition for it in the Greek Lexicon of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, Kurenios, of Latin origin; Cyrenius (i.e. Quirinus), a Roman.

Cyrene, Kurenaios and Kurenios would all be derivatives of the same Latin word “Quirinus!” The Roman governor Cyrenius/Quirinus was named after a Roman deity of the name Quirinus! The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th Edition, Volume 18, p. 856 has this to say about Quirinus, “Quirinus was the third (after Jupiter and Mars) of the purely Roman gods. The name Quirinus is adjectival in form, and it would seem to mean ‘he of quirium,’ a word generally taken since Niebuhr to signify a very ancient Sabine settlement which united with the Palatine community to form the original Rome; but it may well mean ‘assembly’, and therefore the god may be ‘he of the assembly or assembled host.’ The identification, in the last century of the republic, of Quirinus with the defied Romulus has greatly obscured his real nature, but we know he resembled Mars (q.v.), had a flamen, the third in rank of the greater flamines, and a college of Salii. His temple lay on the Collis Quirinalis, and his festival, the Quirinalia was on Feb. 17. Associated with him in cult were a goddess, Hora, and certain minor deities, the Virites Quirini.”

The same encyclopedia identifies Romulus as the god Quirinus in an article about him (Vol. 19). He had a twin brother named Remus. They were the sons of Mars by the Vestal Rhea Silvia or Ilia, daughter of Numitor, who had been dispossessed of the throne of Alba by his younger brother Amulius. They were placed in a trough and cast into the Tiber by their grand-uncle. The trough grounded in the marshes where Rome afterwards stood, under the wild fig tree (Ficus Ruminalis), which was still holy in later days. They were suckled by a she-wolf, fed by a woodpecker, etc. They became leaders of a warlike band of shepherds. Later a quarrel broke out between them and Romulus slew Remus. (pp. 521-522)

Mars and his sacred beast, the wolf, are introduced on account of the great importance of this cult. The localities described are ancient sacred places; the Lupercal, near the ficus ruminalis, was naturally explained as the she-wolf’s den. (IBID)

(NOTE: Valentine’s day was originally the Lupercalia. It is now observed on Feb. 14th rather than the 17th.)

According to the article, the story is of Greek influence. But do you notice the similarities to Biblical passages? Moses was set adrift in an ark made by his mother in order to save his life. The twins, Romulus and Remus, were set adrift in a trough. The brothers quarreled with Romulus slaying Remus. This fits the pattern of Cain and Abel.

Romulus reigned Rome until he disappeared in a storm. He was thereafter worshipped as a god under the name Quirinus. The name Romulus (= Romanus, cp. The forms Siculus and Sicanus) means simply ‘Roman’.” (IBID)

The Romans were the ones who crucified Yahshua. They removed His cross from His shoulders and placed it upon Simon Kurenaios! The kings, emperors, rulers, etc. secretly taught that the Savior wasn’t the one who perished on the cross, but rather Simon Kurenaios. They were in the process of casting Yahweh and His Anointed behind and replacing them with their own deities and brand of worship!

ISAIAH’S WITNESS

“Thus saith the Yahweh Elohim of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,

16 What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

17 Behold, Yahweh will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.

19 And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:

21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.

24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

25 In that day, saith Yahweh of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for Yahweh hath spoken it,” 22:15-25.

Now we need to analyze these verses. This Shebna is treasurer over the house. Which house? The Hebrew word for house is “bayith” which is also translated as “temple.” Which temple?

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

3 If so be ye have tasted that Yahweh is gracious.

4 ¶ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of Elohim, and precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Yahweh by Yahshua the Messiah.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of Yahweh: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy,” 1 Pet. 2:1-10.

In today’s world, those who trust in, rely on, worship and serve Yahweh through Yahshua the Savior are the stones which are built into the temple. Therefore, the treasurer, the head over the house or temple is the One Who is the true Savior. Now, there are those who are built into a great house or temple of worship in today’s world whose treasurer is Jesus Christ. The followers, the stones of the temple are called Christians.

Let’s notice another item that is declared here. Yahweh says He is going to remove Shebna and replace him with Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. He says that the nail that is fastened in a sure place will be removed, cut down and fall and that He will fasten Eliakim as a nail in a sure place.

The Hebrew word for “nail” is “yathed” which has to do with a nail, peg or STAKE! Notice that it says this Shebna has hewn out a sepulchre as he that has hewn out a sepulchre on high (Isa. 22:16). The Hebrew word for “on high” is “marowm (mwrm)!” Many times when the Hebrew letter “mem” (m) is the first letter of the word, it carries the idea of the words “from,” “of,” etc. In this case the translators have utilized it to mean the word “on.” However, the rest of the Hebrew word is translated as “high” but the letters are mwr (rowm or Rome)! The name of the city Rome means “high place!”

Again, it was Constantine the Great who feigned repentance, entered the corrupted remnants of New Testament believers and once received, took over declaring himself as its Pontifex Maximus (high priest). Constantine was the head of the Roman Empire, the fourth kingdom of Daniel chapter 2 and the fourth beast of Daniel chapter 7. He was a great prince of this world, but even though he understood the mysteries of paganism, being also Pontifex Maximus over all paganism, he couldn’t understand the mysteries of the true Messiah Yahshua, the mysteries of Yahweh for those mysteries are only revealed to those who have the Holy Spirit of Yahweh.

GOVERNMENTAL TRANSFER

Notice that Yahweh declares to Shebna He will place his (Shebna’s) government into the hands of Eliakim. This is what the Encyclopedia Britannica 14th Edition declares of Constantine, “It has been said by Stanley that Constantine was entitled to be called ‘Great’ in virtue rather of what he did than of what he was; and it is true that neither his intellectual nor his moral qualities were such as to earn the title. His claim to greatness rests mainly on the fact that he divined the future which lay before Christianity, and determined to enlist it in the service of his empire, and also on his achievement in completing the work begun by Aurelian and Diocletian, by which the quasi-constitutional monarchy or ‘principate’ of Augustus was transformed into the naked absolutism sometimes called the ‘dominate’.” (Vol. 6, pp. 298-299)

John the Baptist and Yahshua began to declare the overthrow of this world’s kings, leaders and governmental systems in favor of the government of the coming kingdom of heaven. After Yahshua was resurrected He commissioned His 12 disciples as apostles and sent them throughout the world to proclaim the good news of the coming kingdom of heaven. This newfound faith began to grow by leaps and bounds. But those in power hated the message and the messengers. They were first persecuted by the Jewish leaders who were jealously guarding their own power and control over their own people. The Pharisees and Sadducees (especially the Pharisees) were exalted to Moses’ seat (Mt. 23). John and Yahshua prophesied of their demise. They lashed out in bitterness and hatred against them and their followers. They are the ones who instigated Yahshua’s death and the subsequent persecutions against the apostles and followers of Yahshua.

The Roman leaders and emperors looked upon the upheaval taking place in Judaism with amusement and as only being a Jewish problem until many of their own soldiers and followers began to convert to this newfound way of life and faith in the mighty Elohim of the Hebrews, His Son and their governmental power and control. Now their power and influence was being threatened. They began to wage war against Yahshua’s saints.

This author has identified Augustus Caesar as the little horn of Daniel chapter seven. He began a dynasty that held sway and power over the Roman Empire. The power of the Caesars included both civil and ecclesiastical control. Those of his dynasty made war against the saints and prevailed against them. The Romans battled the saints with swords and spears. The saints battled with the power and words of the Spirit. In the physical world, the Romans prevailed against the saints, but in the spiritual realm the saints were winning the battle because the more severe the persecutions, the greater the numbers grew.

Then came Constantine. This author has identified him as the little horn of Daniel chapter eight. Constantine, according to man’s history, repented and embraced the new faith. It looked like the saints had gained the victory, but the enemy had the mind of the ancient Greeks who battled against the city of Troy and couldn’t overcome them until they feigned defeat and left a horse dedicated to the Trojan’s victory filled with Greek soldiers. The Trojans had a huge drinking orgy, which while they were sleeping it off, the Greeks descended from the belly of the horse, opened the gates of the city to the rest of the Greek army and Troy ceased to exist.

Constantine understood the history of the wars and persecutions against the faith. He appeared to have conceded victory to them, feigned repentance, entered into their midst and then took control over them. The results on the New Testament Assembly were just as disastrous as the results against Troy.

Constantine enlisted this newfound faith in the service of his empire. His empire was the great and dreadful fourth beast of Daniel chapter seven, the Roman Empire. He flattered the Christian leaders by exempting them from taxes and service in the army. He placed them in governmental offices. The Roman beast had become the kingdom of heaven on earth. Christ was the KING and is still proclaimed as the KING. But the real king was hidden behind all of the religious pomp. The real king was Caesar. Caesar and all of the subsequent kings of the earth dictated what the believers would believe and do. The European Christian kings sent their armies throughout the world to subdue it and bring it under their power.

The kings, rulers and leaders of the world have taken the true Savior down from the cross and replaced Him with a Greek, Latin, Druidic savior. This current savior that the world depicts on the cross, stake, nail, peg is identified as Shebna in Isaiah. He is currently served under the name Jesus Christ. He will soon be taken down from that stake and the true Savior will be restored to His glory and honor. The government will be taken from Shebna (Jesus Christ) and transferred to the One to Whom it belongs, Yahshua the Messiah, the true Son of Elohim. May Yahweh speed that day!

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COMMENTS FROM OUR READERS

MAGAZINE:

Thank you! Thank you so much for your new publication! There are many of us out here who will greatly benefit from all the information your are providing. In Yahshua, GG/TX

The new magazine is wonderful. Keep up the good work for Yahweh and His wondrous Son, Yahshua HaMachiach. HalleluYah! AJ/NM

Shalom Alechem in the precious name of Yahshua Ha Machiach. Todah Rabah for your continuing faithfullness of Yahweh’s publications. I have just received a wonderful publication entitled “Yahshua’s Witness Magazine.” I am very impressed at how this publication is laid out with a beautiful rising of the sun which pictures Yahshua as the rising of light for Yahudah and the Gentiles like me. DC/TX

The Sept.-Oct. 2004 magazine is great. The definition of scriptural names only proves how awesome Yahweh is. AL/TX

I am writing this letter to let you know that I am very thankful for your efforts to share the truth. I enjoyed the Sept.-Oct. 04 magazine. It allows me to use it as a witness to the guys around me that want to hear or want to know why I read the Hebrew TaNaK. JB/TX

I just wanted to write and give my gratitude for your new published magazine. It is very informative as is all the material I’ve read from you, and as the Spirit of truth leads you, continue to follow without question. Some may not agree with the need, but we, the small groups of brothers inside these prisons thank Yahweh continuously for you. I have other publications I receive, but for some reason, I’m moved and motivated more by what I receive from you…and I thank you. BM/AL

I enjoyed the new magazine. I hope you can keep them in print. You have a way of bringing enlightening issues up that get me to do serious thinking and Scriptural studies. NB/VA

Yahshua’s Witness Magazine is very outstanding. I really enjoy reading it over & over! WB/TX

I’ve been enjoying the new magazine. May Yahweh give you strength to continue His work. RH/TX

I just finished reading one of your magazines titled “Yahshua’s Witness Magazine,” and I’m writing you asking if you please put me on your mailing list for this magazine, and also for your Bible Correspondence Course. I am interested in what you teach about the Word of Yahweh and His teachings. CC/NM

I am an inmate in the TDCJ-ID. I am a Sabbath keeper and have started a group on this unit. Please consider this my humble request for your help. I ran across a copy of your magazine “Yahshua’s Witness Magazine” and really enjoyed the messages. I was hoping you would place me on your mailing list so I could use your material as an aid for study within our group!?! Any other literature you may find in your heart to offer would be considered as a blessing because we have about 30 men all hungry for the truth in the Word. NA/TX

I received the latest issue of Yahshua's Witness Magazine and again I am very impressed with what you have accomplished with so little resources. Yahweh is certainly blessing your hand. I am intrigued by Matthew Armstrong’s article and am on pins and needles waiting for the conclusion. He is a very deep thinker and organizes his thoughts very methodically.

Your article, The Idol Shepherd is excellent as was Aaron's Rod. I truly enjoy your writings because I always learn things from them that I didn't know, and the things I do know I see from a different angle. I love the way your mind works. Great job!! DG/CAN

I am a most happy man. I got a copy of Yahshua’s Witness Magazine right here in Kenya. Please have me on the mailing list. If Yahweh grants you the love send me any literature. It gives me pleasure to read such well researched articles concerning my creator and saviour. I and the people I fellowship with are considering ourselves part and parcel of the Yahweh’s Evagelical Assembly.

Yahweh Bless you as you continue to journey with him. PN/Kenya

GENERAL:

I pray that this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits. You and the assembly are my blessing from Yahweh. I am enclosing our tithe for the month. This tithe includes funds from C----- H-----. He is a new brother in the faith. Yahweh’s Evangelical Assembly is listed as our religious faith on both of our travel cards.

Christians try to tell me that inmates shouldn’t tithe because we have no income. I tell them that a true relationship with Yahweh starts with obedience and submission to Him and His word. We receive blessings from Him through our friends, churches, family, etc. Why wouldn’t we “jump” at the opportunity to give Him such a small portion. There are times when I feel like I am cheating Him. Does that make any sense? AL/TX

Thanks so much for all you’re doing to help Yahweh’s scattered people and especially those in prison. Enclosed is a small offering. May Yahweh continue to bless all there. ET/KY

CORRESPONDENCE COURSE:

I love you people. These are “THE MOST POWERFUL” Bible studies you could possibly get. If someone doesn’t get the truth out of these you can believe Yahweh’s got them blind through disobedience! These are sooooooo awesome…how on earth did you manage to put these together? Whose responsible?? I live in Arlington, TX. Can you tell me how many miles that is away from Atlanta, TX?? I’d love to come get to know some “TRUE WORSHIPPERS!” BB/TX

This lesson (one) has opened my eyes to the true meaning of the name of our God “Yahweh.” I would like to continue these lessons for I have learned so much of what I thought I had already known. Thanks and may Yahweh bless you. JH/TX

NEXT ISSUE!
Who is The Idol Shepherd? Part III (Conclusion)

COMING SOON!
Who Is EliYah The Prophet?

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