This issue of YAHSHUA'S
WITNESS MAGAZINE
was published for September-October 2007
Inside this issue:
From the Editor
The Witness of the Number Seven Part II by Jerry Healan
The Deep Meanings of Baptism by Dave Ganton
EDITOR:
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Frances Healan, Jerry
Healan, John McCarty
OUR COVER: We have chosen the cover picture in order to
highlight the article entitled “Without Hands” beginning on page 15. We hope
that this article will enable you to see more into the spiritual background of
the Melchizedek Priesthood. We understand that there may be some, or even many
who may become somewhat upset with the reasoning employed, but we have presented
plenty of Scriptures to back up what we have written. We truly hope that it will
be an educational experience, but we do understand that we will receive a good
number of negative comments. So be it. We are not performing this ministry to
please everyone. That is an impossible task. We seek to search out and publish
the truth and we are happy that Yahweh has blessed us with the mean to do so. We
will await comments, both positive and negative.
For
comments or inquiries please write to YEA, P. O. Box 31, Atlanta, TX 75551.
THE TERMINATOR
Interesting things are taking place in today’s world that should be a
warning to all. There is a series of movies that began with the title The Terminator.
It is a movie about super androids being created by mankind that turn on their
very creators and seek to destroy all human life. It’s kind of like the Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or the Frankenstein movies. The androids are practically
indestructible and can rejuvenate themselves when damaged. Of course there are
the good androids and the evil ones. But the truth of the matter is that the
true character of man is basically portrayed in the fact that we are always
seeking to destroy ourselves and everything that truly should matter to us. Our
forefather Adam was told that he pretty much had free reign in the Garden of
Eden, but only one thing was forbidden to him and as long as he did what he was
supposed to do there would be no problem. But in the day that he partook of that
which is forbidden, he would begin a process of sin and corruption that would
lead to his own death. We know the story. We and the creation are still
suffering from the consequences of his actions as well as our own.
It is the same story over and over, again and again. We have a Creator
Who gives us His instruction book, but we cast it behind as valueless and
continue to walk in paths that lead to so much hurt, pain, grief, sorrow and
eventually, death.
Did you know that when the scientists completed the Manhattan Project and
tested the first atomic bomb, they didn’t really know what kind of action that
would result? Did you know that they feared that their act of splitting an atom
might lead to a chain reaction that would destroy the whole creation? What if
their fears are realized, not now, but sometime in the future just as Adam’s
action caused his death, but not immediate, rather sometime in the distant
future. There is a science that is being explored wherein an action in one place
in the universe also causes the same action somewhere else.
Peter writes, “But the day of Yahweh will come as a thief in the night;
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein
shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and righteousness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of Yahweh, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?”
The Greek word for “elements” is stoicheion, which is defined as,
something orderly in arrangement, fundamental or basic. It is the atomic world
that is orderly in arrangement and the basis or fundamental things of which
everything is made. “Dissolved” also had to do with breaking up. The
scientists talk about the big bang that created everything. Of course that was
the power of the word of creation spoken by Yahshua. According to the
Scriptures, the creation is also going to be dissolved, broken up, or fly apart
with a great noise and fervent heat. What Peter is describing is the greatest of
all nuclear explosions that will destroy both the heavens and the earth. If the
breaking of one atom can cause such destruction as we saw on Japan, what kind of
explosion would it be when all atoms break apart?
In these last days, we have developed weapons that can break apart the
atomic structure. In these last days, the scientists have developed
“terminator seeds” so that the seed crops will not reproduce. In these last
days, homosexuality is becoming rampant, which “terminates” the original
relationship and purpose for the man and woman so that they could bring forth
seed, children on the earth. In these last days, people’s hearts have grown so
cold that they can’t even love their offspring. They “terminate”
pregnancies through abortion and even murder. How can a people who have grown so
cold in their feelings toward their own offspring find favor with the great
Creator? What if He decides to terminate it all because there is no longer any
profit to it?
We are born into a world that is terminal. We are terminal. We are in the
process of terminating ourselves, our children, the seeds, relationships, atoms,
the creation, etc.
Yahweh terminated almost all flesh once before by water because of the
great wickedness that was being committed. It is going to be terminated the
second time by fire. But before that time, Yahweh promises to send one in the
spirit of EliYah to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and the
hearts of the fathers to the children.
We are at the end (termination) of the age. Yahweh is soon going to send
His Son Yahshua the Messiah to this earth to put down all the rule and authority
of man and to establish the kingdom of heaven. It is our only hope for salvation
to be worked on this earth because man has failed to work salvation. Man
terminates. Man destroys. Yahshua is going to bring forth eternal life, the
opposite of termination and death. Yahshua is going to build the earth so that
it will bring forth the fruits of peace and rest for a change rather than the
ravages of violence and war.
His kingdom is desperately needed in this world. Are you getting prepared
for it, or are you doing your part to destroy?
We encourage all to repent while they can. Did you know that a time is
coming when the door to repentance will be closed and men will scream and cry
and curse the Elohim of the heavens because of the plagues that will be poured
out upon them, but they will not repent? Seek Yahweh now while He may be found.
The time may be coming soon when you will seek and will not be able to find Him.
Let’s destroy the TERMINATOR by turning to He Who is able to forgive,
bless, heal and bring forth life eternal life. That’s life, not termination.
One day soon the TERMINATOR will be no more. HalleluYah!!!
JH
PART II
GENESIS 21
We have found the close interrelation between the number seven and the
seventh day Sabbath, but Genesis chapter twenty one reveals more interesting
ideas and concepts concerning the number seven.
In verse 22 Abimelech and his chief captain Phicol approach Abraham in
order to get him to swear an oath, “And it came to pass at that time, that
Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying,
Elohim is with thee in all that thou doest: Now therefore swear unto me here by Elohim that
thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but
according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and
to the land wherein thou hast sojourned. And Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because
of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. And
Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me,
neither yet heard I of it, but to day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave
them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven
ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand,
that they may be a witness
unto me, that I have digged this well. Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba:
then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they
returned into the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh
the everlasting El (El Olam). (vv. 22-33)
The first thing to notice here is the word “swear.” It is translated from the Hebrew
word shaba,
which is defined as; a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as
a denominative from 7651; to seven oneself,
i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven
times). (Strong’s Exhaustive
Concordance, Hebrew Lexicon, #7650) It is generally translated as;
adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), take an oath, X straitly, (cause to,
make to) swear. (IBID)
Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs. Seven is translated from the Hebrew
word sheba, which is defined as; from #7650; a primitive cardinal
number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week. Wow! #7650, shaba, is a denominative from
#7650 (sheba)
and #7650 sheba
comes from #7651 shaba!
Both words are so closely interrelated that it is difficult, if not impossible,
to separate the two. (Like trying to separate the Father and the Son?)
Furthermore, we find in this dissertation that both of these words are
also associated with a COVENANT! Remember the perpetual covenant concerning the
seventh day Sabbath?
Further still, the number seven is a witness! The Hebrew word for
“witness” is edah, which is defined as; feminine of 5707 in its technical
sense; testimony. #5707 is the masculine version, ed, which is defined as;
contracted from 5749; concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony;
specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince. #5749 is the Hebrew word uwd, which is defined as; a
primitive root; to duplicate or repeat;
by implication, to protest, testify
(as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass,
restore (as a sort of reduplication).
What a witness! The ultimate Hebrew root word for witness has to do with
duplicating, repeating, restoring, etc.
CYCLES
We are supposed to be living by the cycles that Yahweh ordained, not
Caesar. The first cycle that we live by is the daily cycle. Yahweh established
the daily cycle to be observed from sunset to sunset (approximately). Caesar
changed it to midnight.
The second cycle is the seven day weekly cycle that is ordained to end
with the Sabbath. We are to count from the first day of the week to the seventh
and then rest in accordance with Yahweh’s commandment on that seventh day.
Caesar changed this cycle to begin a mystic count from day seven backward to day
one and declared the day of Solis Invicti (the unconquered sun) to be
the day of holy convocation and rest.
The third cycle that Yahweh ordained is the lunar or monthly cycle. We
are supposed to look for the new moon crescent and when it is sighted, begin the
monthly count. The word for “month” comes directly from the word “moon”
in the English, Greek and Hebrew languages. But here again, Caesar instituted
his own monthly count apart from the moon cycles.
Then there is the annual cycle, which is primarily determined by the
moon, sun and stars. The new year, according to Yahweh’s calendar, is to begin
with the new moon of Abib. Abib means green ears, which tells us that it occurs
during the spring with the new moon closest to the equinox. (This is when the
green ears of plants begin to shoot forth in a type of resurrection and/or
birth.) Caesar changed it to take place in the dead of winter taking place on
January 1st.
This is quite interesting indeed! Caesar worshipped the sun as god.
December 25th is appointed as the birthday of the unconquered sun (solis invicti). A Hebrew child was to be
circumcised on the eighth day.
January 1st is the eighth day from December 25th.
This would be the day when the baby sun-god would have been circumcised.
The month of Abib begins several important counts, which we need to focus
on.
PASSOVER
The first count of the month of Abib has to do with the count to
Passover. On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover. Yahweh
informed Moses, “And Yahweh spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the
first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel,
saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb,
according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the
household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his
house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his
eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a
male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the
whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening,”
Ex. 12:1-6.
The fourteenth day is two times seven! It was on the fourteenth
day of the moon/month Abib that Israel slew the Passover lambs, which saved them
from the death angel, while the Egyptian’s firstborn males, both men and
animals, perished.
We know that this took place in the month Abib because Yahweh again
informed Moses, “And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the
firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man
and of beast: it is mine. And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in
which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of
hand Yahweh brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be
eaten. This
day came ye out in the month Abib,” Ex. 13:1-4.
This Passover lamb was a forerunner and type of Yahshua our Passover for
Paul writes, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump,
as ye are unleavened. For even the Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us,”
1 Cor. 5:7.
Just as Caesar has changed the calendar from Yahweh’s to his own
appointed calendar, he has also instituted his own form of Passover called
Easter! Easter is derived from Ishtar of the Babylonians and her
son/lover/husband Tammuz. Tammuz was a vegetation god who annually died and was
resurrected. Most of the world follows after Caesar’s commands and not the
commands of Yahweh. Therefore, they have been deceived to follow a false
calendar and a false messiah! We will get into more detail on this later.
UNLEAVENED
BREAD
On the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover lamb
was slain, another count of seven began, “And on the fifteenth day of the same
month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat
unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall
do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto
Yahweh seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no
servile work therein,” Lev. 23:6-8.
This unleavened bread is a type of Yahshua the Messiah, the true bread
from heaven who did no sin! Leaven is a type of sin. We become “unleavened”
(cleansed of our sins) through the true Messiah Yahshua.
Sin is the transgression of the law (1 Jn. 3:4). The law of Yahweh is
based primarily on the Ten Commandments. To break the commandments in one point
is to break them all, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to
persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For
whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
all,” Jas. 2:8-10.
The Apostle Peter writes, “For even hereunto were ye called: because
the Messiah also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow
his steps: Who did no
sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously,” 1 Pet. 2:21-23.
Yahshua told the people of His day, “Labour not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son
of man shall give unto you: for him hath Yahweh the Father sealed. Then said
they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of Elohim? Yahshua
answered and said unto them, This is the work of Elohim, that ye believe on him
whom he hath sent. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then,
that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat
manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Yahshua said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not
that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For
the bread of Elohim is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto
the world…Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is
the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not
die. I am the
living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this
bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which
I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among
themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Yahshua said
unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and
drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him,” Jn. 6:27-33,
49-56.
Yahshua is the true bread from heaven. We are commanded to eat unleavened
bread for seven
days. (There’s that number seven again, which stands for rest, witness,
covenant, to swear, to complete, etc.) The first day is an annual holy day and
the seventh day is an annual holy day. This means that it begins and ends in
holiness. The final day of unleavened bread is the 21st day of the month or 3 x 7.
Caesar led his followers into Carnival (Mardi Gras), Lent, Easter, bunny
rabbits and Easter eggs. Once again, these are symbols of the false messiah, not
the true Messiah Yahshua.
THE
WAVESHEAF AND PENTECOST
During the days of unleavened bread another count of sevens begins.
Anciently, the people were to bring what is called in the KJV English, a
wavesheaf of firstfruits to be waved as an offering before Yahweh on the day
after the Sabbath. (Lev. 23:9-17). The Hebrew would be omer reyshiyth. An omer is a measure while reyshiyth also means beginning.
To “wave” has to do with vibrating or quivering. This typified the
resurrected Messiah as the “firstfruits from the dead” (Col. 1:18). A dead
body simply can’t move of itself, but when brought back to life, there would
be a vibrating or quivering effect. Yahshua ascended before the Father Yahweh to
be accepted as the “firstfruits from the dead” on the first day of the week
(the day after the regular Sabbath) during the feast of unleavened bread. (Jn.
20:17)
The offering of this omer reyshiyth (sheaf of firstfruits) began
a count of seven times seven (7 x 7) weeks or seven times seven Sabbaths until
the morrow or day after the seventh Sabbath. This day is commonly called the
feast of “shavout” by Rabbinic
Judaism, and the feast of Pentecost (count 50) by most New Testament believers.
It was on this very day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the New
Testament Assembly raising up Yahshua’s spiritual bride (Acts 2). Fifty
symbolizes jubilee, liberty, restoration, restitution, etc. The New Testament
Assembly received the wondrous Spirit of liberty, the promise of jubilee,
restoration and restitution at Yahweh’s appointed time in the future. Thus, we
have seven times seven Sabbaths, that is, seven times seven periods of rest,
plus one day, which yields liberty, jubilee, restoration and restitution.
On this fiftieth day, the Aaronic priesthood was to bring forth two wave
loaves baked with leaven. This witnesses the present state and condition of the
New Testament Assembly. While we are given the firstfruits of the Spirit, an
earnest of the promised inheritance to come (Eph. 1:10-14), the simple fact of
the matter is that we must continue to live in this word with a “law of sin in
our members.” (Ro. 7) We are still mortal and corruptible (1 Cor. 15:42-53).
The New Testament Assembly was raised up to do a work of declaring the
truth about Yahshua and His kingdom of rest, restoration, restitution to the
world. That is the work that we must continue to undertake in this day and age
until the glorious appearing of Yahshua the Messiah. This work was begun in the
apostles and must be completed in this day and age before His coming.
With the observance of Pentecost, the spring portion of the annual holy
days is complete. There are three annual holy days which take place in the
spring. The rest of the holy days take place in the fall.
THE SEVENTH
MONTH
Abib begins another important countdown. In accordance with Yahweh’s
calendar, we are to count six moons or months, which will bring us to the
seventh new moon and/or month. Importantly, the seventh month contains the last
four of seven annual holy days. This makes the seventh month a most important
period of time.
The very first day, new moon day of the seventh month, is the Feast of
Trumpets, another annual holy day, the fourth annual high day. There is so much
significance to this day that it simply can’t all be presented here in this
dissertation. The blowing of trumpets signified many things to the Hebrews
anciently. They were utilized to sound war, call an assembly, announce the
coronation of a king, announce a wedding, etc.
The Feast of Trumpets signifies the time when the kingdoms of this world
will be overthrown and the kingdom of heaven will begin its rule. It also
signifies the resurrection and gathering of the saints to Yahshua in Jerusalem,
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are
asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe
that Yahshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Yahshua will
Yahweh bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of Yahweh, that we
which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Sovereign shall not prevent
them which are asleep. For the Sovereign himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in the
Messiah shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Sovereign in the air: and so shall
we ever be with the Sovereign. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words,” 1 Thes. 4:13-18.
Again, Paul writes, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim; neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put
on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy
sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Cor. 15:50-55.
This new moon day of the seventh month represents the end of this age and
the beginning of another. Peter wrote that one day is as a thousand years and a
thousand years as one day to Yahweh (2 Pet. 3:8). Isn’t that interesting? The
seven day week is a type of a seven thousand year period.
The Feast of Trumpets is the fourth annual Holy Day. During creation week
Yahweh brought forth the sun, moon and stars. The sun, moon and stars were
utilized to represent Jacob, Leah and the twelve sons of Israel in Joseph’s
dream (Gen. 37:9-10).
In Revelation chapter twelve a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under
her feet with a crown of twelve stars is revealed. Those who repent and are
baptized in the name of Yahshua the Messiah are clothed with Him (Gal. 3:27; Ro.
13:14). This woman is the true representative of the true Israel (the twelve
stars) who is clothed with Yahshua (typified by the sun); she is His bride
(typified by the moon). In other words, Yahshua, the man, the husband, will be
revealed with His bride, the assembly, and Israel (typified by twelve stars),
the saved, on the Day of Trumpets! This truly is something to blow trumpets of
joy about.
The assembly, true Israel, will be resurrected (the dead), or changed
(the living) and married to her Husband Yahshua on the Day of Trumpets. Yahshua
will begin to make war against the kingdoms of this world on the Day of
Trumpets. He will be crowned King of kings and Sovereign and sovereigns on this
very day. The kingdom of heaven will begin its rule over the earth on this day.
REVELATION
The Book of Revelation contains many important sevens in its content. It
begins with Yahshua and the seven
lamps with their seven
messengers. Then in chapter five a scroll is brought forth, sealed with seven seals. The only One Who can strip off
the seals is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Who is also the Lamb as it had been
slain. This Lamb has seven
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits.
The seven
seals are stripped off bringing forth each of their revealed plagues. The seventh seal consists of seven trumpet plagues to be poured out. It is
at the sound of the seventh trumpet that the kingdoms of this world become the
kingdoms of Yahweh and His Messiah (Anointed). It is at the seventh trump (the
last trump) that the saints are resurrected and/or changed.
The seventh
trumpet also consists of seven
vials of wrath which are to be poured out upon the earth, especially the beast
and his worshippers.
ATONEMENT
The fifth annual holy day also occurs within the period of the seventh
month. The day of atonement
represents the day when Satan will be bound and cast alive into the abyss for a
period of one thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3).
It also represents the day of liberty and freedom. It is during the
seventh month that another special count of sevens begins. The Israelites were
to count six years and in the seventh year there would be a land Sabbath or rest
(Lev. 25:1-7).
Just as in the spring there was a count of seven Sabbaths or forty nine
days, plus one for Pentecost, in the fall they were to count seven times seven
years or forty nine years, plus one and they were to celebrate the Jubilee (Lev.
25:8-10).
This fiftieth year was proclaimed to be the year of liberty. Every man
was to be restored to his possession. In other words, if they had fallen on hard
times and were forced to sell their property, or borrow money, etc., the
fiftieth year was the year when the land was restored to the original owner and
his family. All debts were cancelled.
The year in which Yahshua returns will be a year of Jubilee. The
disciples/apostles understood that Yahshua had come in order to bring about the
conditions for the restoration of the kingdom to Israel, “When they therefore
were come together, they asked of him, saying, Master, wilt thou at this time
restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to
know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth,” Acts 1:6-8.
The resurrection and restoration of Israel to life from the grave is
specifically prophesied in the book of Ezekiel chapter thirty seven. This is the
time spoken of by the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts, “Repent ye therefore,
and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of Yahweh; And he shall send Yahshua the Messiah, which before
was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things,
which Yahweh hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world
began,” Acts 3:19-21.
“Refreshing” is translated from the Greek word anapsuxis , which is defined as; a recovery of breath, i.e. (figuratively)
revival. What is so amazing is that this event occurs in the seventh month, a
type of the seventh millennium! It is represented by the fifth annual holy day.
In the scheme of the spiritual significance of numbers, five is the number for
grace!
Please understand! The salvation of the whole world depended primarily
upon the resurrection of Yahshua the Messiah. But the salvation of the whole
world depends secondarily on the resurrection and restoration of the whole house
of Israel. The Apostle Paul revealed, “Even so then at this present time also
there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is
it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works,
then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath
not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and
the rest were blinded (According as it is written, Yahweh hath given them the
spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a
trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be
darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. I say then, Have
they stumbled that they should fall? Yahweh forbid: but rather through their
fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles (non-Hebrews), for to provoke them to
jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For
I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify
mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh,
and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the
world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy,
so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being
a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the
root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou
boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The
branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief
they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
For if Yahweh spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not
thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of Yahweh: on them which fell,
severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise
thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief,
shall be graffed in: for Yahweh is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert
cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to
nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural
branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that
ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own
conceits; that blindness in part is happened
to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
And so all Israel shall be saved:
as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn
away unrighteousness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall
take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes:
but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the
gifts and calling of Yahweh are without repentance” Ro. 11:5-23.
Do you really understand what Paul has written here? Yahweh purposely
blinded and cast the houses of Israel away so that He might be able to extend
His grace to the non-Hebrews. They were sacrificed for the good of the rest of
the world and that sacrifice continues to this day.
THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES
The next annual holy day that takes place during the seventh month, is
the sixth holy day called the Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering. It is another
festival that takes place for seven days. The first day is a holy day, but the
other days are regarded as common days, albeit they are part of the festival.
This feast typifies the rule of the kingdom of heaven on the earth,
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:
and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Yahshua, and
for the word of Yahweh, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his
image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;
and they lived and reigned with the Messiah a thousand years,” Rev. 20:4.
This thousand years spoken of here in Revelation chapter twenty is
Yahweh’s rest prophesied by the prophets, “The word that Isaiah the son of
Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last
days, that the mountain of Yahweh’s house shall be established in the top of
the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow
unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of
his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and
shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more,” Isa. 2:1-4. (See also Micah 4:1-4).
When he says that all nations shall “flow” unto it, the Hebrew word
utilized is nahar,
which is defined as; a primitive root; to sparkle, i.e. (figuratively) be
cheerful; hence (from the sheen of a running stream) to flow, i.e.
(figuratively) assemble. Isn’t it interesting that we have concocted a
“United Nations” in today’s world in order to being about peace and rest?
The “United Nations” is a counterfeit of that which is to come. The term
“all nations” in Hebrew is kol goyim.
This Hebrew term would be utilized for the term “United Nations” because
that is what the supposed effort of the United Nations is, to unite all nations
of the world into one peaceful, ruling body. The United Nations has failed, of
course, because it is being administered by men who do not have the Spirit of
Yahweh, neither is their leader Yahshua the Messiah. The United Nations is
doomed to failure as has already been experienced.
In the day of the rule of the Anointed (Messiah) Yahshua, there will be
no more war. The nations of the world will be blessed. They will truly sparkle
with cheerfulness, joy, peace and rest that has never been experienced since the
Garden of Eden.
Again, Isaiah writes, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem
of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of Yahweh
shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh; And shall
make him of quick understanding in the fear of Yahweh: and he shall not judge
after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But
with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek
of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with
the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the
girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the
calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead
them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down
together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall
play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the
cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign
of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall
be glorious,” Isa. 11:1-10.
This is the seventh
millennium, which is the time of refreshing spoken of by the Apostle Peter,
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the
presence of Yahweh; And he shall send Yahshua the Messiah, which before was
preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which Yahweh
hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” Acts
3:19-21.
While
the “restitution” is portrayed by the day of Atonement, the times of
refreshing has to do with the number seven, especially the seventh day Sabbath
of rest, wherein the souls (nephesh-im) will be refreshed (naphash).
THE FALSE
SEVEN
Before this study is finalized, we must focus on the other seventh day,
which was introduced by Constantine the Great, who was one of the primary heads
of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire is the fourth kingdom of Daniel chapter
two as well as the fourth beast of Daniel chapter seven. In both chapters, the
fourth kingdom and beast, once it is raised up, continues in power and authority
until the kingdom of heaven is established (See Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45; 7:9-14,
21-27).
While all of the Roman kingdoms have been overcome and destroyed from
time to time, the simple fact of the matter is that its successors simply go
through a metamorphosis and the kingdom appears in another form. This was
prophesied in Daniel chapter two verse forty, “And the fourth kingdom shall be
strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things:
and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.”
In other words, the kingdom of iron is so strong that it breaks asunder
all kingdoms with which it seeks to overpower, but it also will break in pieces
and bruise. This has certainly been the history of the Roman Empire.
Constantine the Great, the head of the Roman Empire, the fourth kingdom
of Daniel two and the fourth beast of Daniel seven, feigned repentance, entered
into the corrupted remnants of the New Testament Assembly, took over as its Pontifex Maximus
(High Priest) and dictated a new seventh day, Sunday, the day of the unconquered
sun.
Constantine’s forerunner or type is found in the Macedonian/Greek
Kingdom, in the rulers of the Seleucids and Ptolemies. Both kingdoms fought each
other for supremacy. Antiochus Ephphanes entered Jerusalem, enforcing the Greek
system and ways on the Hebrews who were residing in the land. He forbade Sabbath
observance, circumcision, anything Hebrew.
Here is what the book of Second Maccabees records, “Shortly
afterwards, the king sent an old man from Athens to compel the Jews to abandon
their ancestral customs and live no longer by the laws of [Yahweh]; and to
profane the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and that on
Mount Gerizim to Zeus, patron of strangers, as the inhabitants had requested.
The imposition of this evil was oppressive and altogether intolerable. The
Temple was filled with reveling and debauchery by the pagans, who took their
pleasure with prostitutes and had intercourse with women in the sacred
precincts, introducing other indecencies besides. The altar of sacrifice was
loaded with victims proscribed by laws as unclean. A man might neither keep the
Sabbath nor observe the traditional feasts, nor so much as admit to being a Jew.
People were driven by harsh compulsion to eat the sacrificial entrails at the
monthly celebration of the king’s birthday; and when a feast of Dionysus
occurred they were forced to wear ivy wreaths and walk in the Dionysiac
procession. A decree was issued at the instance of the people of Ptolemais for
the neighbouring Greek cities, enforcing the same conduct on the Jews there,
obliging them to share in the sacrificial meals, and ordering the execution of
those who would not voluntarily conform to Greek customs,” 6:1-9.
Constantine, in the same manner, enforced Sunday worship, overthrew the
commandments of Yahweh altogether, issued an edict that if any Hebrew writings
were found in a person’s possession, that person was to be tortured to death
and the documents destroyed, etc.
Constantine’s primary god was Mithras whose birthday was December 25th,
and whose special day of the week was Sunday. But he also gave honor to the
Greek god Zeus by changing the name of the Savior from the Hebrew Yahshua to
that of Hesus or Yesus. Constantine understood “dark sentences” (Dan. 8:23,
which also means “to hide under a false appearance,” “to put on a false
appearance,” “conceal facts, intentions, or feelings under some pretence).
DANIEL NINE
This author has been able to identify the little horn of Daniel chapter
eight to be Constantine and his successors (his dynasty in the office of
Augustus and Caesar/Kaiser/Czar/Tsar).
It is interesting and important to note that the events in Daniel seven,
eight and nine are successive for a purpose (which there is not room to go into
in this treatise). Daniel nine has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by
many.
“Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to
finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation
for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the
vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:
the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And
after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy
the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall
be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:
and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even
until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the
desolate,” Dan. 9:24-27.
Notice the sevens of this prophecy. The Messiah the Prince comes and is
cut off after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. He comes and is
cut off after seven weeks and sixty two weeks of years, or 69 weeks of years
altogether.
Then another prince comes who destroys the city and the sanctuary. This
prince confirms a covenant with the people for one week. What does this mean?
The prince who destroyed the city and the sanctuary was the Roman prince
Titus who became Caesar and Augustus. One stood up in his place later, about 312
CE, who made a covenant of promise with the people. That prince was Constantine
the Great who instituted his covenant week. Constantine counted backward from
the seventh day Sabbath in order to come to the first day of the week, which
instituted the covenant week of his supposedly unconquered sun god Mithras.
THE MYSTIC
COMMAND
Albert Pike, a 33rd degree Mason, reveals the true meanings of Sunday
worship in his book, Morals
and Dogma: “We learn from Celsus, in Origen; who says that the
symbolical image of the passage among the Stars, used in the Mithraic Mysteries,
was a ladder, reaching from earth to Heaven, divided into seven steps or stages,
to each of which was a gate, and at the summit an eighth, that of the fixed
stars. The first gate says Celsus, was that of Saturn, and of lead, by the heavy
nature whereof his dull slow progress was symbolized. The second of tin, was
that of Venus, symbolizing her soft splendor and easy flexibility. The third of
brass, was that of Jupiter, emblem of his solidity and dry nature. The fourth of
iron was that of Mercury, expressing his indefatigable activity and sagacity.
The fifth of copper, was that of Mars, expressing his inequalities and variable
nature. The sixth, of silver, was that of the Moon: and the seventh, of gold,
that of the sun, This order is not the real order of these Planets; but a
mysterious one, like that of
the days of the week consecrated to them, commencing with Saturday, and retrograding to Sunday. It was dictated, Celsus
says, of certain harmonic relations, those of the fourth.” (p. 414)
To retrograde means, to go backward, to retire or retreat, inverse or
reverse: said of order, going back or tending to go back to an earlier,
especially worse condition, retrogressive, to become worse, to deteriorate, to
degenerate.
Constantine and the rest of the kings, rulers and leaders of the people
truly have fulfilled and are fulfilling Psalms chapter two which says, “Why do
the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth
set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against His Anointed
(Messiah), saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder and cast
away their cords from us’,” vv. 1-3.
Notice it! The kings, rulers and the people take counsel AGAINST (in
retrograde) Yahweh and His Messiah (Yahshua). They go against, in retrograde to,
the established order of Yahweh, which is His commandments. One of those
commandments is the seventh day Sabbath command. Another command is the annual
feasts, which contain seven annual high days or holy days. The kings, rulers and
leaders of the people are quite willing to go against Yahweh, because if they
truly were obedient to Him, then they fear that their powers would be
diminished. Therefore, they are quite willing to exercise the power of the
deceptive serpent in order to keep the people under their power and authority.
They promise their own covenant of salvation, which is, in reality, abomination,
desolation, destruction.
At this juncture, it is our duty to cry out to all who read this treatise
to REPENT!!!! of walking in a way that is opposed and contrary to the direct
commands of Yahweh. Turn and embrace His ways and you will receive His
blessings.
YAHWEH SWARE
The seventh annual holy or high day has its own meaning during the
seventh millennium. While it carries the distinction of being the seventh annual
high day, it is also the eighth day in the count of the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Tabernacles begins as a holy day on the fifteenth day of the
seventh month. It was to be observed for seven days. The last six days of the
Feast of tabernacles are common days in which work could be done. Thus, the
seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, unlike the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
is not an annual high day.
This day (the eighth) is the last high day of Yahweh’s annual calendar;
the seventh annual high day. Remember the meanings of the number seven. It is
the day that is spoken of in John 7:37-37, “In the last day, that great day of
the feast, Yahshua stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto
me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which
they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given;
because that Yahshua was not yet glorified.)”
This day is the period of judgment spoken of in Rev 20:11-15. This is the
final day of salvation in Yahweh’s plan. It is the day when the greatest
preponderance of peoples who have ever lived will receive salvation coming under
the covenant of Almighty Yahweh through Yahshua the Messiah. This is the period
spoken of by the Prophet Joel, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I
will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And
also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my
spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and
fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon
into blood, before the great and the terrible day of Yahweh come. And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be
delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Yahweh
hath said, and in the remnant whom Yahweh shall call,” 2:28-32.
The book of Hebrews witnesses, “That ye be not slothful, but followers
of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when Yahweh
made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I
will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had
patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater:
and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein Yahweh,
willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of
his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it
was impossible for Yahweh to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as
an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that
within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Yahshua, made an
high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec,” 6:12-20.
Do you now understand? In the beginning Yahweh sware by bringing in a
seventh day of rest. His covenant and promise to His creation was and is that
when it comes to chaos, confusion, destruction, that He will fulfill His promise
by restoring His creation to its original purity. All things that offend will be
purged. The creation will be cleansed by fire so that nothing impure will
remain. His creation will be sustained by the power of His Word, which never
fails! He has promised from the beginning and we will see the fulfillment of
that promise at the end. Thus Yahweh, on this seventh annual holy day, will
bring His whole creation under His covenant.
It is at this time that another wondrous event will take place because He
will bring forth a NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more
sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from Yahweh out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice
out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Yahweh is with men, and he will
dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and Yahweh himself shall be with
them, and be their Elohim. And Yahweh shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat
upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words
are true and faithful,” Rev. 21:1-5.
The number eight also typifies a NEW BEGINNING! Thus, the very last annual holy day is the seventh and last annual holy day, but it is also an eighth day because the sixth annual holy day, the first day of the feast of tabernacles, begins a seven day feast. This makes the Last Great Day an eighth day representing a new beginning and the seventh annual holy day to represent Yahweh’s promise to restore His creation. May that day come soon so that His whole creation may rejoice and sing of His wondrous power, His works and His salvation. Yahweh has sworn. He has sevened Himself. We can truly count on His promises. HalleluYah!!!