This issue of YAHSHUA'S
WITNESS MAGAZINE
was published for JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2009
Inside this issue:
EDITOR:
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
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comments or inquiries please write to YEA, P. O. Box 31, Atlanta, TX 75551.
PRAYER
AMERICA'S ONLY HOPE
My wife and I were walking early one morning before the
election and we were surprised to see signs in some neighbors yards declaring
the above words. The Scripture 2 Chron. 7:14 is added in small letters below
seemingly as an afterthought. Now, as I have traveled throughout our little
city, Texarkana and other areas, these same signs are being exhibited. I don’t
know if it is a national movement, but it is certainly something that is going
on in our part of the country.
When I first saw the signs, I thought, hmmmm….I think we need to do
more than pray, I told my wife that a better sign would have been REPENTANCE,
AMERICA’S ONLY HOPE. You see, I remembered several Scriptures that said even
though Yahweh’s people would pray unto Him, He would not hear. Let’s just
look at some of those instances, “ And when ye spread forth your hands, I will
hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear:
your hands are full of blood,” Isa. 1:15. “Therefore
pray not thou for this people, neither lift
up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee,”
Jer. 7:16. “Therefore pray not thou for this people,
neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble,”
Jer. 11:14.
Why do you think He won’t hear? “I spake unto thee in
thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy
manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my
voice,” Jer. 22:21.
As far as we know, there has been no nation upon the earth that has
enjoyed the prosperity that America has been blessed to possess. Yes, many
nations have their rich class and then they have their poor class, but America
has what is called a “middle class” that
has been blessed with the outpouring of prosperity from heaven. Even our
poor have an opportunity to be cared for and to pull themselves up out of their
poverty if they have the will and fortitude to do so.
We, in this assembly, see this as a blessing that was promised to a man
who lived long ago, that the overall great majority of our people have
forgotten. That man is Abraham. Because Abraham trusted in Yahweh, believed Him
and followed His instructions carefully, even to the point of being willing to
sacrifice His son of promise, Yahweh declared, “And the angel of Yahweh called
unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn,
saith Yahweh, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy
son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I
will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon
the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy
seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my
voice,” Gen. 22:15-18.
The fact of the matter is that Yahweh promised this blessing because of
Abraham and His promise made to Him, which was unconditional. There are only
three nations on the face of the earth who have had such power over their
enemies and the blessings promised, they are Great Britain, America and the
modern day nation of Judah, which has embraced the name Israel. These are a
witness to the power and greatness of Yahweh and the promises that He has made
to His people, but the nations themselves are also witnesses to the fulfillment
of a prophecy made by Yahweh’s servant Moses, “But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen
fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook Eloah
which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they
him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to Elohim; to gods whom they knew
not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers (Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob) feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten Elohim that formed thee.
And when Yahweh saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons,
and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see
what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in
whom is no faith. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not Elohim;
they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to
jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a
foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the
lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine
arrows upon them. They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning
heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon
them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword without, and terror
within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with
the man of gray hairs. I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make
the remembrance of them to cease from among men: Were it not that I feared the
wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely,
and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and Yahweh hath not done all this.
For they are a nation void of counsel,
neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would
consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, and two put
ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and Yahweh had shut
them up? For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being
judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah:
their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: Their wine is the
poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Is not this laid up in store
with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance, and
recompence; their foot shall slide in due
time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come
upon them make haste. For Yahweh
shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that
their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. And he shall say, Where
are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, Which did eat the fat of their
sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
let them rise up and help you, and be your protection,” Dt. 32:15-38.
Notice that these things will come upon His people IN THE LATTER DAYS. We
are there! We are in the latter days. Our people have been deceived to follow
other gods! Frankly, the overall preponderance of our people and especially our
leaders have cast Yahweh and His word behind, embracing a mindless, stupid
theory of evolution so that they don’t even believe in any Elohim or God at
all!
Ask yourself this question, how can man develop a brain that is so much
more sophisticated than any computer that has ever been made by man? How can we
develop such a thing without the knowledge and ability to do so? If we did that
without the knowledge and ability to do so, then why do we need knowledge at
all? (Which, of course, most of our children resist in our schools today
anyway.)
Our people have been deceived to embrace the abominable teaching of
evolution. They have been deceived to embrace the abominable Elohim of other
nations. They have been deceived to embrace the abomination of homosexuality as
an alternative lifestyle. They have been deceived to embrace the abominable
choice of abortion. They have been deceived to cast Yahweh and His wondrous
words and commandments behind. They have been deceived to think that this is the
only life that we live and we must go after the lusts of our flesh with great
gusto or our lives will end up being unrewarding and unfulfilling.
What does 2 Chronicles 7:14 say? “If my people, which are called by my
name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their
land.”
You see, prayer alone isn’t good enough. How can a people know who they
are when they deny the name of their Elohim and have even forgotten it? The
Jewish people are the only ones who have been able to retain some resemblance of
identity that they come from Israel, but even they have rejected His name and
His ways. They don’t know the Rock of their salvation. But Britain and America
have even lost the truth concerning their own identity, that they are Israel!
If we are to avoid destruction. If we are to avoid any further rejection
by our wondrous Elohim Yahweh, then we need to turn (REPENT) and seek His face,
leaving our wicked ways behind! Then, when we pray, He will hear, bless and
heal.
Will we do this as a nation and as a people? The prophet Isaiah is given
the answer, “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but
understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears
heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Then said I, Adonai (Sovereign), how long?
And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without
inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
And Yahweh have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the
midst of the land,” Isa. 6:9-12.
We are at the end of the age. We are in the latter days. How much longer
before these prophecies will be fulfilled? Look at our leaders. Look at our
people. Look at our ways. Look at what is happening in today’s world. The end
of days have come upon us. We are in a downward spiral.
Repent while there is still time. Seek your true Elohim Yahweh while there is still time. Embrace His ways and His salvation in Yahshua the Messiah while there is still time. The end is near. Don't delay!
Love is a word that is in everyone’s vocabulary,
but what is love? Where does it come from? What about the heavenly Father
Yahweh? What kind of love does He have? Is it important for us to know? We hope
that the ensuing article will answer many of these questions.
By
Jerry Healan
The Hebrew word for father is
ab
or av,
(ba) depending upon the dialect. The more ancient Hebrew utilized to
produce the Scriptures was called Paleo-Hebrew, which came from an even more
ancient pictorial Hebrew. Interestingly, the letters aleph (a) and beit (b) are the first two letters of the Hebrew
alphabet. In pictorial Hebrew or Paleo-Hebrew, the aleph (a) is the picture or hieroglyphic of the head of
an ox (a) while the beit (b) is the picture of a tent, house, or temple(b). Therefore, the father (ba) is the head, leader, chief of the tent, house
or temple.
Let’s take, for instance, the
original name of the Patriarch Abram.
Abram means “High father.”
His name was later changed to Abraham,
which means “Father of many nations,” or it could also continue to carry the
original meaning of “High father,” which would be “High father of many
nations.”
The Hebrew word for love is ahav or
ahab (bha) and sometimes ahavah
(hbha). The ancient Hebrew letters that make up this
word are interesting to contemplate. The aleph (a) is, as described above, the picture of the
head of an ox. The hei (h) carries the idea of the
article “the,” “behold,” “lo,” etc. The Pictorial Hebrew presents it
thusly, e. Can’t you just see someone
jumping up and down and yelling “Hey!,” “Behold!” etc.? The beit (b) is the picture of a tent, house, temple, etc.
Notice that the Hebrew word for love begins and ends with the letters aleph (a) and beit (b). The hei (h) in the middle would give us
the idea of beholding the very heart, the interior, the midst of the Father.
Therefore, what comes from the midst, the heart of the Father (ba) is love (bha).
The Apostle John wrote, “He
that loveth not knoweth not Elohim; for Elohim is
love,” 1 Jn. 4:8. Again, he writes, “And we have known and
believed the love that Elohim hath to us. Elohim is
love (bha); and he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in Elohim,
and Elohim in him,” 1 Jn. 4:16.
Notice that it says that he
that dwells in love (bha), dwells in Elohim and
Elohim in him. Thus, those who have the love of the Father consist of the hei (h) [behold, lo, the] in the Father and the Father
is in them.
Now this is quite interesting
indeed, because the Hebrew letters also serve as numbers. The hei (h) is the number five (5) and in the spiritual
significance of numbers, five (5) is the number for grace!
GRACE
The love of the Father is the
great merciful grace that He exhibits to us through His beloved Son Yahshua the
Messiah, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye
believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And
no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the
Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For Elohim so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. For Elohim sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on
him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of Elohim. And this is
the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be
made manifest, that they are wrought in Elohim,” Jn. 3:12-21.
Through the shed blood of
Yahshua the Messiah, we can have our sins blotted out, atoned for, “Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with Elohim through our Sovereign
Yahshua the Messiah: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace
wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of Elohim. And not only so,
but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of Elohim is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time the Messiah
died for the unrighteous. For scarcely for a
righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare
to die. But Elohim commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, the Messiah died for
us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to Elohim by the death of his Son, much more,
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but
we also joy in Elohim through our Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah, by whom we have
now received the atonement,” Ro. 5:1-11.
One man from whom I have
learned many important Scriptural things looked at the word “atonement” and
declared at one ment, in other words, the setting at one with the Father again.
That is what atonement means.
Look at the love that the
Father had for us! We were great sinners! Yet, while we were in our sins, Yahweh
sent His only begotten Son into the world so that through His death we might
receive forgiveness of our sins, if we will repent, confess our sins, believe in
His atoning grace and begin to walk in His ways, believing in the name of His
Son.
Again, John writes, “Beloved,
let us love one another: for love is of Elohim; and every one that loveth is
born of Elohim, and knoweth Elohim. He that loveth not knoweth not Elohim; for
Elohim is love. In this was manifested the love of Elohim toward us, because that Elohim sent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved Elohim, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins,” 1 Jn. 4:7-10.
“Propitiation is simply
another word for “atonement.”
Yahweh didn’t
love us because we were so wonderful and special. He didn’t love us because we
exhibited love toward Him. We were His enemies. We were walking in sin, which
sows the seeds of hate and destruction. But the love of the Father came directly
from Him, from His bosom, His heart through His Son Yahshua the Messiah Whom He
sent to be a propitiation, an atonement for our enmity, our sins so that we
might be able to experience His wondrous love, grace and mercy.
THE GREATEST LOVE
Yahshua said, “Greater love
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” Jn.
15:13.
John also writes that Yahshua was in the bosom of the
Father, “No man hath seen Elohim at any time; the only
begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him,” 1 Jn.
1:18.
One’s bosom contains one’s
heart. Yahshua proclaimed that He came down from heaven to do His Father’s
will, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of
him that sent me,” Jn. 6:38.
To be in one’s bosom means to
be greatly loved and cared for. Moses complained to Yahweh, “Have I conceived
all this people? Have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the
sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their
fathers?” Num. 11:12.
Moses was to love, cherish and
care for the children of Israel in a most special way. His love was only a
forerunner and type of Yahshua’s love for us.
Yahweh commanded Israel, “If
thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as
thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods,
which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the
people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the
one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not
consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him,
neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: But thou shalt surely
kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards
the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die;
because he hath sought to thrust thee away from Yahweh thy Elohim, which brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage,” Dt. 13:6-10.
Yahshua is the Father’s only
begotten son. As a father myself, I can tell you that my love for my children is
very intense (not that I don’t get frustrated with them from time to time).
There is a father’s love and there is a mother’s love. However, Yahweh’s
love is a much more perfect love than man can ever have or exhibit. As a father,
it would be impossible for me to see one of my children suffer as Yahshua did
for us. As a father, it would be impossible for me to see my children suffer for
others who were my enemies, or were the most dreadful of sinners, etc. Please
don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. I could put myself on the chopping
block for others, but to put someone else’s life on the line, especially my
children would be very difficult to do. But the love of the Heavenly Father and
also Yahshua’s love is so much greater than the love of man.
Yahshua’s sacrifice is
something that was planned from before the foundation of the world, “And all
that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the
book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world,” Rev. 13:8.
The Father loved Yahshua before
the foundation of the world, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast
given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast
given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the
world,” Jn. 17:24.
Paul writes, “And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time
past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the
lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But Yahweh, who
is rich in mercy, for his great love (bha) wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with the Messiah, (by
grace [h] ye are saved;) And hath
raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in the
Messiah Yahshua: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through
the Messiah Yahshua. For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of Yahweh: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his
workmanship, created in the Messiah Yahshua unto good works, which Yahweh hath
before ordained that we should walk in them,” Eph. 2:1-10.
Again, Paul writes, “For the
love of the Messiah constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for
all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose
again,” 2 Cor. 5:14-15.
The Father and the Son Yahshua,
of course, have exhibited the greatest love toward us because the Father was
willing to send His most beloved Son into the world, not only to witness to the
world, but to suffer and die for all of us sinners, so that we may be forgiven,
receive His wondrous grace, be atoned for and inherit His wondrous kingdom and
eternity. Yahshua also was willing to empty Himself of the power, esteem, honor
and glory that He had, become a man, become flesh, suffer and die for each and
every one of us. It is a love that surpasses the knowledge and understanding of
the natural man.
RETURNING HIS LOVE
Since we have been blessed to
be able to receive this wondrous outpouring love and grace from the Father
through Yahshua the Messiah, what are we supposed to do in exhibiting love back
to Him?
Yahshua told His
disciples, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in
my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have
kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love,” Jn. 15:9-10.
“And one of the scribes came,
and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered
them well, asked him, Which is the first
commandment of all? And Yahshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; Yahweh our Elohim is one Yahweh: And thou shalt love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the
first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than
these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for
there is one Elohim; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all
the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all
the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt
offerings and sacrifices. And when Yahshua saw that he answered discreetly, he
said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of Elohim,” Mk. 12:28-34.
Yahshua is referring to what
Moses wrote in the book of Deuteronomy, “Now these are the commandments, the
statutes, and the judgments, which Yahweh your Elohim commanded to teach you,
that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou
mightest fear Yahweh thy Elohim, to keep all his statutes and his commandments,
which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy
life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe
to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as
Yahweh Elohim of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with
milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our Elohim is one Yahweh: And thou shalt love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words,
which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach
them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in
thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and
when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and
they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon
the posts of thy house, and on thy gates,” Dt. 6:1-9.
Moses elaborated further, “At
that time Yahweh said unto me, Hew thee two tables
of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount,
and make thee an ark of wood. And I will write on the tables the words that were
in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. And
I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the
first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. And he
wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spake unto you in the
mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Yahweh gave
them unto me. And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and
put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as Yahweh
commanded me. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the
children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and
Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. From thence they
journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of
waters. At that time Yahweh separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the
covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to minister unto him, and to bless in
his name, unto this day. Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his
brethren; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh thy Elohim promised
him. And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and
forty nights; and Yahweh hearkened unto me at that time also, and Yahweh would
not destroy thee. And Yahweh said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the
people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their
fathers to give unto them. And now,
Israel, what doth Yahweh thy Elohim require of thee, but to fear Yahweh thy
Elohim, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh thy Elohim
with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of Yahweh,
and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”
Dt. 10:1-13.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother
in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin
upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy
people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself: I am Yahweh,” Lev. 19:17-18.
The two tables of stone with
the ten commandments are the basis, the foundation of Yahweh’s law of love.
They teach us how to love Yahweh and put Him first and then to love our neighbor
as ourselves.
Interestingly, the longer form
of the word for love is ahavah
(hbha). A hei
(h) is added to the end of the shorter word for
love (bha), which would indicate to us that we must
behold (h) love. When we add up the
numerical value for ahavah,
we get h = 5 + b = 2 + h = 5 + a = 1 = 13. Yahweh gave Israel two stone tables
that contained the ten commandments. The first 5 commandments would be on the
first stone and the first five commandments
have to do with love toward Yahweh, even though the fifth
commandment to love our father and mother is included on that tablet. So with
the first tablet, love is directed toward Yahweh (hbha) = 13. The second tablet teaches us how to
love (hbha) our neighbor = 13.
The name Yahweh is hwhy in the Hebrew. H
= 5 + w
= 6 + h = 5 + y = 10 = 26. Love toward Yahweh equals 13 and
love toward neighbor equals 13, which also equals 26! Yahweh is love. “He that
loveth not knoweth not Elohim; for Elohim is
love,” 1 Jn. 4:8. Again, he writes, “And we have known and
believed the love that Elohim hath to us. Elohim is
love (bha); and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in Elohim, and Elohim in him,” 1 Jn. 4:16.
Paul understood these
principles for he wrote, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one
another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be
any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law,” Ro. 13:8-10.
THE WORLD’S LOVE
Yahshua told the Pharisees,
“And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he
went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that
he had not first washed before dinner. And the Master said unto him, Now do ye
Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward
part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that
which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such
things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you,
Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of Elohim:
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you,
Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in
the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as
graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of
them,” Lk. 11:37-44.
Again, Yahshua said, “Search
the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I
receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not
the love of Elohim in you,” Jn. 5:39-42.
He declared, “I speak that
which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your
father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Yahshua saith
unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But
now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard
of Elohim: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they
to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even Elohim. Yahshua
said unto them, If Elohim were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded
forth and came from Elohim; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye
not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you
convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that
is of Elohim heareth Elohim's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are
not of Elohim,” Jn. 8:38-47.
The condemnation of the
Pharisees was that even though they looked like they were commandment keepers,
they weren’t keeping them through the Spirit of grace given through Yahshua
the Messiah. They were going about seeking to establish their own righteousness,
which is only filthy rags to Yahweh (Isa. 64:6).
What about those in today’s
world? John writes, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of Elohim abideth for
ever,” 1
Jn. 2:15-17.
For they that are after the
flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the
things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Yahweh: for
it is not subject to the law of Yahweh, neither indeed can be. So then they that
are in the flesh cannot please Yahweh. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of Yahweh dwell in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of the Messiah, he is none of his,” Ro. 8:5-9.
The world has a tendency to
call its form of love romance and we hear about certain things that are
romantic. But take a look that the first five letters in these words: romance, romantic.
The book of Daniel reveals that the fourth kingdom of chapter two and the fourth
beast of chapter seven is Rome. The Latin word for love is amor. Amor
spelled backwards is Roma,
the Latin name for the city of Rome.
The love of Yahweh is not in
Rome, neither is it in romance or things that are called romantic. That is the
spirit and love of the world, not the love of Yahweh.
THE SPIRIT OF LOVE
If we are going to be able to
have and exercise the love of Yahweh, then we need His spirit. Paul writes that
the very firstfruit of the Spirit is love, “But the fruit of the Spirit is
love….,” Gal. 5:22.
Yahshua said, “A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” Jn. 13:34-35.
Yahshua came to serve and not
be served. He came to give of Himself, to do the Father’s will, obey the word,
and sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world.
It is incumbent upon His followers, His disciples to be willing to give
of themselves for the good not only of the brethren, but for the world also,
even though we are not to love the world. We are to love the world with the love
of the Father and the Son, not with the love that the world has for itself.
Paul exhorts, “I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Yahweh, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Yahweh, which is your reasonable
service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of Yahweh. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every
man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think; but to think soberly, according as Yahweh hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have
not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in the Messiah, and every
one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace
that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the
proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that
teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let
him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth
mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without
dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is
good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour
preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the
Sovereign; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in
prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless
them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do
rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another.
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your
own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the
sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably
with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith Yahweh.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in
so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good,” Ro. 12:1-21.
Again, he encourages, “For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion
to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one
word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and
devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh,” Gal.
5:13-16.
Keep the love (bha) of the Spirit in your heart and the Father will reveal (e) Himself in you through His beloved Son Yahshua the Messiah, and when He returns to this earth, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is.
WHAT
SHOULD WE DO
ABOUT THE TEACHING OF LEGALISM
IN THE BODY OF THE MESSIAH
For Average Joes From an Average Joe
There
is a major concern today within the Body of Messiah over those who boldly teach
that the Law (Torah) and the Feast Days of our Creator continue to be in full
effect and ARE to be kept. Many believe that these brethren are walking
in error as they blindly lead Messiah’s sheep astray with their Judaizing,
legalistic teaching by promoting that obedience to the commands of our Creator IS
a necessary PART of our salvation. Something
must be done about this. We must isolate and confront the very ring leader, and
originator of this outlandish "cult".
I
would like to suggest a plan of action which I believe should be carried out
without hesitation for the good and best interest of us all. I have illustrated
my program below. But…please keep in mind, as you read my
"fictional" illustration that THIS IS indeed what we WOULD BE SAYING
and WOULD
BE DOING to the person responsible
for this teaching we believe to be "heresy", and who is tragically and
wickedly DECEIVING our brethren.
First:
Imagine and visualize with your heart and mind that you yourself are
addressing and facing down this awful fellow. Feel the words coursing through
your veins. Feel the emotion pouring into the words as you prepare to say them.
Gear yourself up to let this man have it with both barrels—“fix his
wagon.”
Next:
We must track down this "low-life" who has set into motion all
this legalistic Law (Torah) keeping, and teaching about obedience to our Creator
being a necessary PART
of salvation. We must set him straight and correct him publicly as an example
for the world to see what is the end result of such silliness—an absurd man
who foolishly believes that obedience is required in order to be pleasing to our
Heavenly Father and blatantly and boldly encourages others to live their lives
after the same manner of erroneous reasoning.
Wagon Fixing Time: I
say we take this issue before the world for all to see. Then, challenge him to
his face...Eye to eye, “What has being obedient brought you? Do you actually
believe that obedience is more pleasing to our Creator than allowing him to
forgive us our sins and pour his limitless, undeserved, mercy (grace) upon us!
You are destroying the world with your Legalism. You are condemning people to
destruction by teaching them to obey our Creator when in reality He is pleased
with us...Because of his limitless, undeserved, mercy (grace). He is pleased
whether we obey or disobey. So you want to be obedient? Good! Be obedient!!!
Stand here like a man and prophesy to us as we all take turns slapping you and
spitting in your face!!! Don’t make a sound, not even a whimper as we nail you
to this tree, you Legalistic do-gooder!!! Let’s see if your Creator saves you
now for all your obedience!”
Who Is The
"Ring-Leader,"
The
Messiah Yahshua
kept His Father's Torah PERFECTLY without error and without fault. He did
not add men's commandments to it; and He did not take away from it.
Was
He a fanatic? Looks like it! He seemed to have it in His overly zealous mind
that IF He did not keep His Father's
Torah perfectly and obey His Father to his last breath, then ALL OF OUR LIVES would
be eternally lost.
IF
Messiah (Yahshua)
did not keep the Law (Torah) PERFECTLY,
then He WAS NOT the perfect sacrifice for our sins; and we REMAIN
in our sins--without hope.
He
has given us specific instructions—"Keep My Commandments”…“AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS!"
Joh 14:15 KJVR--If
ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 15:10 KJVR--If
ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Messiah
Yahshua
and the Father, Yahweh, (pronounced—Ya-way) are ONE.
Their commandments ARE ONE AND THE SAME.
Deu 6:4--“Hear,
O Yisra’ĕl: יהוה (Yahweh) our Elohim (Mighty
One), יהוה
(Yahweh) is one!
Joh 17:22--“And
the esteem which You gave Me I have given them, so that they might be one as We are one,
Joh 17:11--“And
I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Set-apart Father, guard them in Your Name which You have given Me,
so that they might be one, as We are.
The
Apostle John says that he who claims to belong to Messiah SHOULD HIMSELF WALK
as Messiah walked!
1Jn 2:6-- The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.
Paul
said, “imitate me as I IMITATE MESSIAH”!
1Co 4:16-17-- Therefore I appeal to you, to BECOME IMITATORS of ME. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and
trustworthy son in the Master, who shall remind you of my ways in Messiah, as
I teach everywhere in every assembly. BECOME IMITATORS OF ME, AS I ALSO AM OF
MESSIAH.
I
firmly believe we should all consider participating in a practical experiment in
proper application of the law. Let's test our “church” thinking…Literally
put it to the test…
I
propose we rob a bank and then let’s see if we will be saved by the mercy of
the court. It's possible...Maybe once...Perhaps twice...But if so, how many
times can we do this before the court runs out of mercy? Has our disobedience
inspired the court to pour out limitless, undeserved mercy (grace) upon us? I
wouldn't bet on it.
Okay!
Now, let’s stand our ground and declare to the world our right to pick and
choose the laws we will obey as well as our right to pick and choose the laws
which we refuse to obey, and trust in the court and it's mercy (grace) to make
up for our lack of obedience to the
Law. Let’s give that a shot! We’ll all get together and talk about it in
twenty years when we get out of prison. Now apply this reasoning to obedience TO
Spiritual Law (Torah).
Please
consider something for a moment…How many people do you know who have been
imprisoned, or executed for OVER-OBEYING THE LAW?
Perhaps
we should all see the grace of the law at work when it IS NOT met with a heart-felt love
and desire FOR the law and an equal love and desire to OBEY
and keep the law…Go to a real prison and SEE WITH OUR OWN EYES the grace those folks have found. Maybe, watch
an execution and see how often the guilty party is spared.
An Average Joe's
Conclusion…If things do not operate in
this manner in the physical world, WHY WOULD things
operate any differently in the Spiritual world?
An Average Joe's
Observation…There is not to be found in
Scripture a single time or a place where Messiah Yahshua EVER once spoke against or criticized ANY MAN
for being TOO obedient to His Father's Torah—for being Legalistic in
his observance of the Law (Torah)...Rather...He criticized those who were
“teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”.
The
words "Legalism", "Legalist", or "Legalistic" are
not to be found in Scripture...No matter the translation. So where could they
have originated? Let's try the author of confusion...Our adversary and
ever-determined enemy, satan.
For
any of us to believe that we could possibly enter the Kingdom of
Yahweh based upon our own righteousness and
ability to keep the Law (Torah) would be suicide--even the best of us has
"jay-walked" in this world…Has "jay-walked"
spiritually--thus making each of us guilty in the eyes of the Law (Torah) as—LAW (TORAH) BREAKERS. That would not be Legalism, it would
blindness!
There
is not in existence a football player that has not fouled up a play, fumbled the
ball, or caused the loss of a game. They each need forgiveness from their
coaches and teammates and do not try to pretend as though they are faultless and
have never messed up. BUT….even though they make mistakes, they do not
stop trying to achieve perfection, but instead constantly strive to increase
their performance and abilities. They eat, sleep, and breathe FOOTBALL
and love the game so intensely that they dedicate their "all” FANATICALLY to make the game of football their life and
their hope!!! In order to do this, they must wholeheartedly give their best.
What determines their best? The rules...The rules of the game must be obeyed. If
any player performs poorly or doesn’t obey the rules, his team will suffer for
it; and he himself may be denied the privilege of playing in the game. He could
be suspended…worse—kicked off the team!
NO ONE CALLS A
FOOTBALL PLAYER TRYING TO GET TO THE SUPERBOWL
Think
for a moment...When have you ever heard a commentator say, “Well, ‘ole so
and so’ is a pretty good running back, but he‘ll never make it to the Super
Bowl. He’s simply too Legalistic about playing football...The guy’s…Too
intense...Loves the game too much...Gives his ‘all’...Practices too
much...Wants to win too much…All he thinks about is football.” To the best
of my knowledge, this has never happened in the history of the game!
Those
who so boldly attack their brothers and sisters in Messiah, for desiring to walk
obediently in the Torah of Yahweh and keep His Feasts, with accusations of
"Legalism" are aligning themselves against the teaching of Messiah Yahshua.
Out of good and well meaning hearts they are unintentionally assisting in the
spreading and teaching a lie. Consider this...
How can it be wrong to
walk as Messiah walked?
So,
what is the real issue? I believe the real issue is…Many of us--many within
the “church”--have been deceived into believing that "jesus" was
some kind of a rebel--a "revolutionist"--who DID NOT keep his father's Law (Torah), but instead,
did away with it. If that were true,
then THAT particular Messiah or "jesus"--the
"law-ending" one--WOULD BE AN IMPERFECT sacrifice for SIN. Those trusting in THAT IMPERFECT
SACRIFICE--a "law-ending", "law-less" sacrifice--for their salvation could be in great danger of discovering, to
their dismay, that they have been deceived on that "Great Day of Yahweh".
Mat 7:21-23--“Not
everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the
heavens, but he who is doing the desire (will) of My Father in the heavens. “Many shall say to Me in
that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out
demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ “And then I shall
declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’
The
teaching of a "Law-ending" (Torah-ending) rebel messiah or "jesus"
is without doubt the teaching of THE SPIRIT OF “ANTI-MESSIAH”.
ANTI-
means against! Opposed to! Opposite of! What
can we conclude from this? Simple…Whatever
the true Messiah teaches—such as “obey my commandments as I have kept my
Father's commandments”--this false messiah will refute and teach EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE.
There
IS
"another" messiah who will come and whose teachings will be taught and
accepted, as prophesied by Yahshua Messiah and the Apostle Paul (Shaul)...
Joh 5:43--“I
have come in My Father’s Name and you do not receive Me, if another comes in his own name, him you would receive.
2Co 11:4--For,
indeed, if he who is coming proclaims another (Yahshua)
יהושע, whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive a
different spirit which you have not
received, or a different Good News which you have not accepted, you put up with it
well enough!
Whose
name did the "Law-ending" (Torah-ending) "jesus" come in?
The true, perfect sacrifice for sin, Messiah Yahshua, came in His Father’s
Name—the Name of Yahweh—to do His Father’s Desire and His Father’s
Will. The Name of the Father is contained within the Name of the Son.
Yahshua means..."Yah...Will...
Save...His...People"...
Joh 4:34--
עשוהי (Yahshua) said to them, “My food
is to
do the desire (will) of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish
His work.
On
that "Great Day" of His return, Messiah Yahshua
will be coming once again in His Father’s Name…The children of Yisra’el
will once again shout the words...
Mat 21:9--And
the crowds who went before and those who followed cried out, saying,
“Hoshia-na to the Son of Dawid! Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of (Yahweh) יהוה! Hoshia-na in the highest!”
So
my friends, I must share with you that I am a Legalist and follower of Yahshua
Messiah. My sins and my weaknesses are uncountable. My ability to keep Yahweh’s
Torah and Feasts perfectly and without spot or sin is NON-EXISTENT.
In an Average Joe’s words—I seek a goal which I will never reach or
fully achieve in this life. But…IT IS a
goal worth striving for! IT
IS a
prize worth winning! My overwhelming desire and goal is to please my Master--my
Messiah!
Yahshua HaMashiach!
I
have been blessed in a fashion in which most men are never blessed in all their
days. Some are blessed with fame while others are blessed with riches. Some are
blessed with strength while others are blessed with great wisdom or
intelligence. As for me, I have been blessed with weakness. IT IS MY WEAKNESS
that has guided my path to the feet and the mercy and the blood of Messiah Yahshua. IT IS
MY WEAKNESS that reminds me of my
constant and ever present need for the forgiveness and guiding hand of Messiah Yahshua
in my life.
I
am blessed with a mental disorder. Unless Yahweh chooses to remove it from me, I will
have this condition for the rest of my days upon this earth.
By
the world’s standards, I am somewhat of a mental cripple…Something less than
normal.
But…By
Messiah’s standards I AM BLESSED. I am blessed in that Yahweh
has chosen to bestow His mercy upon me and allow me to see the simple truth of
his word—OBEDIENCE IS LIFE AND DISOBEDIENCE IS DEATH!
Rom 6:23--For
the
wages of sin is death, but the favourable gift of Elohim is
everlasting life in Messiah יהושע (Yahshua) our Master.
I AM BLESSED BECAUSE
THE WORD OF YAHWEH TELLS ME SO…
2Co 12:9--And
He said to me, “My favour is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.”
Most gladly, then, I shall rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of
Messiah rests on me.
1Co 1:25-31--For
the foolishness of Elohim (Our Mighty One) is wiser than men, and the
weakness of Elohim (Our
Mighty One) is stronger than men. For look at your calling, brothers,
that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble. But Elohim (Our Mighty One) has chosen the foolish matters of the world to put to shame the wise,
and Elohim (Our
Mighty One) has chosen the weak of the world to put to shame the
strong. And Elohim (Our
Mighty One) has chosen the low-born of the world and the despised,
and the ones that are not, that He might bring to naught the ones that are, so
that no flesh should boast in His presence. And of Him you are in Messiah (Yahshua)
יהושע, who became for us wisdom from Elohim (Our
Mighty One), righteousness also, and
set-apartness and redemption, that, as it has been written, “He who boasts,
let him boast in (Yahweh) יהוה.”
I will make my boast in Yahweh, Our Mighty One!
So please do not pity me, but praise Yahweh with me; and let us bless His Name together. If this IS Legalism, then let us all be guilty
together as one; and we will serve Him and reign with Him as one FOREVER!
[This
article is dedicated to Mike Myer who is
WHAT
IS TRUTH?
By
Brick Parrish
Joh 4:24
Elohim is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth.
What
does it mean to worship Elohim in truth? What is truth?
Pilate asked this question when Yahshua was brought to him for judgment.
Joh 18:37
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Yahshua answered,
Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I
into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Joh 18:38
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this,
he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at
all.
Do
we know what is truth? Yahshua said he was the way, the truth
and the life; no man comes
unto the Father, but by him. So, what does he mean he is the truth?
Yahshua answers that question as he was praying to the Father.
Joh 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
We
are also told that Yahshua is the word of Yahweh and was made flesh and dwelt
among man. (John 1:1-14)
Psa 119:142
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy Torah is the truth.
Psa 119:151
Thou art near, O Yahweh; and all thy commandments are truth.
So,
now if we combine all these meanings given in scripture, we can conclude that Yahshua is the living Torah.
He is the embodiment of the Word of Yahweh, the Torah, or the instructions of
how to live a life pleasing to Yahweh.
How
can one please the Father if he ignores His instructions (Torah)? Most
protestant denominations claim the Torah no longer applies to them, that they
are not under the law, but under grace. In other words, they believe they have freedom from the Torah
or “Law” as it is translated in most bibles. I have heard them say they are
no longer in bondage to the law (Torah). But, in reality, it is the Torah that
brings us freedom because it tells us what sin is. John tells us the very definition of sin is the
transgression of the law (Torah). (1John 3:4)
1Jo 2:3
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1Jo 2:4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.
Where
do we find the commandments of Yahshua? They are the same as the Father and they
are found in the law (Torah).
2Ti 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto Elohim, a workman that needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy how we
may please Yahweh. We are to study and rightly divide the word of truth, the
Torah. The only scriptures in existence at the time Timothy wrote this, was the
Torah. The “New Testament” letters had not yet been compiled. He also tells
us that in the last days, men will be ever learning and never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Tim. 3:1-7).
How
could this happen? Paul gives us the answer in 2 Thess. 2:7-12.
2Th 2:7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be
taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked
be revealed, whom Yahshua shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and
signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11
And for this cause Elohim shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
This is not something that is yet future. Paul
said it was already at work in his day. The Mystery of Iniquity is the mystery of lawlessness or “Torahlessness.” You
can prove this yourself by looking up the meaning of the word “Iniquity” in
your concordance.
The
Torah is truth. How many of us love the Torah and keep it’s commandments, statutes and
precepts?
The
conclusion is inescapable. To properly worship Elohim in spirit and in truth is
to love His Torah as did King David and follow the instructions that lead to
eternal life through Yahshua, our Messiah. You can’t worship Yahweh in any
other way.
Pro 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law (Torah), even his prayer shall be abomination.