This
issue of YAHSHUA'S WITNESS MAGAZINE
was published for April-June 2011
Inside this issue:
The
Creator’s Awesome Name Part II
The
Passover Counterfeit Called Easter
EDITOR:
OUR
COVER: We have chosen the picture of a modern iron
furnace in order to focus on the leading article entitled “The Iron Furnace”
on page four of this issue. Yahweh’s word deals with the past, present, and
future. What has happened in the past is taking place in today’s world, and
will come to a head in the near future. We hope that this article will be very
informative for those who will take the time to read it.
For
comments or inquiries please write to YEA, P. O. Box 31, Atlanta, TX 75551.
In Kenya contact Messianic Assemblies of Yahweh 7th day, P. O. Box 79007
Nairobi, Kenya
THAT
LOOKED FOR YEAR 2012 IS HERE!
2012 is the year of focus concerning the Mayan calendar. This is the year
that that calendar ends. But just what is the deal here? In actuality, 2012 is
the year that the Mayans calculated that the sun would be entering into
alignment with the galactic equator. It will take about 36 years for the sun to
cross the galactic equator, which supposedly also occurred 26,000±
years ago. (This time period is questionable, by the way.) From various books
and articles that this author has read, the Mayans believed that the earth would
be entering into the mouth of the great cosmic serpent.
As in everything else, man has been deceived by the great dragon, that old
serpent called the devil and Satan (Rev. 12:9). The 26,000± year cycle actually has to do with the vernal equinox and its precession
through the various houses of the Mazzaroth (Zodiac). It takes approximately
26,000 years for it to begin at one point and travel through the various houses
returning to that same point again.
But according to Julian/Gregorian calendar,
the year 2011 is ending and 2012 is beginning (as I write this article). Think
about these things: Yahweh’s calendar begins in the spring when things are
springing to life (about March or April), but man’s calendar (from Rome)
begins in the DEAD of winter. The first month is named January, which comes from
the two-faced Roman god Janus. To be two-faced means to be deceptive. That’s
right folks! Whether you want to believe it or not, lies, deception brings on
pain, suffering, and death.
February brings on Valentine’s Day, but
anciently it was a pagan Roman FERTILITY festival called the Lupercalia, which
was celebrated on Feb. 13th-15th. This celebration was in honor of the she-wolf
Lupa that supposedly suckled the infants Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome.
The celebration also has to do with the Greek god Pan, and the Roman god Faunus.
Today, the fertility part survives in Valentine’s day wherein the males and
females exchange valentines, or representations of advances for the purpose of
fertility/fertilization.
In March-April another pagan fertility
festival is celebrated with the fertility symbols of eggs and rabbits, along
with pagan sun-rise worship, called Easter. Easter, in actuality, is the modern
English term for the pagan queen of heaven named Ishtar/Ashtaroth. On this date
fertilization takes place and 9 months later the pagan savior child is born on
December 25th.
The whole calendar and its special observances
is totally deceptive, and fallacious. There is no truth in it. Realize this,
Satan does acknowledge that the Savior was born, but he has done his greatest
work of deception by establishing a false birthday observance, at the wrong time
of the year. December 25th was the birthday of the pagan sun god. (Solis
Invicti) Furthermore, the
birth of Yahshua as recorded in Luke 1 and 2, and the events of Matthew 1 are
blended together in Christmas plays in order to create confusion. The events of
Matthew 1 took place about 1-1/2—2 years after Yahshua was born.(Order our
free booklet entitled The
Untold Story of the Savior’s Birth.)
Remember the chaos and confusion of the entry
into the so-called year 2000? There was fear that the world was going to come to
an end. Computer experts were putting out false information stating that the
computers couldn’t go into the 2000 dating system. The power grids were going
to fail and we were going to be unprepared for the chaos and confusion that
would result. (Didn’t happen) Now the fear mongers have 2012 to create fear in
the masses.
The fact of the matter is that days, weeks,
months, years, decades, centuries, millennia, ages come and go. Thankfully, we
have an all-wise great Creator Who is in charge of everything (believe it or
not). When He declares the end of an age, the end of civilization as we know it,
that is when the end will truly come. He does declare that His day, the Day of
Yahweh, is going to come. Many nations and people are in the process of
preparing for some kind of disaster.
Russia has built a great underground city in
the Ural Mountains. There are great underground cities being built here in
America and elsewhere. Maybe they don’t completely understand why they are
preparing, but I do know that the Scriptures say that the Heavens are soon going
to depart as a scroll and all men will be scrambling for the mountains, the
caves, dens, etc. in order to hide from the face of their Creator, which will be
revealed at that time. (Rev. 6, esp. vv. 12-17)
We should prepare ourselves for this event,
not by seeking some mountainous cave to hide in, store food, etc. but rather
turn to Yahweh in repentance through Yahshua the Messiah. Embrace His calendar,
observe His appointed Sabbaths, and festivals. This will help you to be prepared
for the wedding of the Lamb to His bride. As a matter of fact, if you will turn,
reject this world and embrace Him and His ways now, then you just might be
invited to the wedding not only as a guest, but also as His bride. What a
blessing that would/will be!
Just remember that man devises under the
deceitful spirit of this world, the prince of the power of the air. This causes
fear, chaos, and confusion. But to be in Yahweh is hope, faith, joy, peace,
love, confidence, all of the good things. Yes, we do fear Yahweh, but we don’t
fear anything else as a result. May Yahweh greatly bless you.
JH
Before
Israel was delivered into the land of promise, Moses addressed them, reminding
them of their deliverance out of Egypt, the covenant that they had made with
Yahweh, their 40 year trek in the wilderness and their rebellions therein. These
reminders, along with warnings of cursings for disobedience and rebellion and
blessings for obedience are found in the book of Deuteronomy. Moses also made an
interesting comment concerning Egypt which not only applied to that day and age,
but other days and ages as well.
By Jerry Healan
Moses
reminded Israel, “But Yahweh hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the
iron furnace, even out of
Egypt, to be unto Him a People of inheritance, as ye are this day,” Dt. 4:20.
Have you ever noticed that phrase? Have you ever noticed that Egypt was
called the “iron furnace”? Moses is not the only one who has employed this
term in describing Egypt. Solomon also utilized it in his prayer of dedication
when the temple was finished at Jerusalem. He said, “If they sin against thee,
that sinneth not, and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so
that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; Yet
if they shall bethink
themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make
supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying,
We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; And so
return unto thee with all
their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led
them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto
their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built
for thy name: Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy
dwelling place, and maintain their cause, And forgive thy people that have
sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed
against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive,
that they may have compassion on them: For they be
thy people, and thine
inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the
furnace of iron: That
thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the
supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call
for unto thee. For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the
earth, to
be thine inheritance, as
thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers
out of Egypt, O Yahweh Elohim,” 1 Ki.
8:46-53.
Toward the end of the kingdom of Israel Yahweh’s word came to the
prophet Jeremiah saying, “Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto
the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; And say thou unto them,
Thus saith Yahweh Elohim of Israel; ‘Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, Which I
commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from
the iron furnace, saying,
‘Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye
be my people, and I will be your Elohim: That I may perform the oath which I
have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,
as it
is this day.’’ Then
answered I, and said, So be it, O Yahweh,”
Jer. 11:1-5.
The words of Moses, Solomon and Jeremiah all testify that Egypt was the iron
furnace. The question that we now must ask is, This certainly was relevant to
the children of Israel in their day of deliverance, but what is the relevance
for today? Is it relevant for us today? Indeed it is! But, how is it relevant
for us in this day and age?
There is no difficulty in applying these verses to the kingdom of Israel
of old, but how do they apply today? This can apply in several ways. We must remember
that water is likened to the Spirit in Jn. 7:37-39. Thus, who or what has come
forth from the spirit of Judah? It would be very easy to point out
that modern
day Judaism comes from the spirit of Judah, would it not? But, what
does modern day Christianity call itself concerning the root of its beginnings?
Isn’t the term Judeo-Christianity applied to it? According to the theory of
“Replacement Theology” modern day Christianity has replaced the disobedient
Israelites of old. Christianity is the new Israel under a new covenant.
There is also one other movement that surprisingly declares its roots
from these waters (spirit) of Judah. That is modern day Islam. The Koran draws
its beginnings from both the Old and New Testaments. Mohammed taught from the
Torah, the prophets, etc., but he also taught about the Savior and His apostles.
Notice that they swear by the name of Yahweh, and make mention of the
Elohim of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. Such is the case with
modern day Christianity. They swear, teach and preach concerning the Elohim of
Israel, even going so far as to declare things “in the name of the L-rd,”
but most are ignorant of His true name while many of those who do know it refuse to believe that it is important
and will not utilize it.
The Jews utilize the modern day term “HaShem” in reference to Yahweh,
while the Moslems call Him Allah.
While this treatise is going to focus primarily on Christianity and how
it has gone astray, the same thing will apply to Judaism and Islam.
The
righteousness of Yahweh was revealed in His commandments, His law, which is
proclaimed to have been done away by modern day Christianity.
Yahweh continues, “I have declared the former things from the
beginning; and they went forth out of My mouth, and I shewed them; I did them
suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy
neck is as an iron
sinew, and thy brow brass,”
Isa. 48:3-4.
In this Scripture Yahweh has used a couple of words to describe the mental
faculties of Israel that
should alert us to other Scriptures. It is a Biblical and historical fact that
both of the houses of Israel fell away from the true worship of Yahweh into
idolatry.
Yahweh reveals through Jeremiah that there was a terrible conspiracy
committed by Judah, “And Yahweh said unto me, ‘A conspiracy is found among
the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem,” Jer. 11:9.
The nature of the conspiracy is found in the succeeding verse, “They are turned back to the iniquities
of their forefathers, which refused to hear My words; and they went after other
elohim to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My
covenant which I made with their fathers,” v. 10.
Who were these forefathers that refused to hear Yahweh’s words?
Wasn’t it the ones
who were delivered out of Egypt into the wilderness? Weren’t they so obstinate
and stiff-necked that they all had to fall in the wilderness? Didn’t Yahweh
have to delay the entry into the land of promise until that generation all died?
Only 3 days after their deliverance through the sea Israel began to
murmur against Moses because they had no water to drink (Ex. 22-24). A month
later they murmured again, even wishing that they had died in Egypt (Ex.
16:1-3). Ex. 17:1-3 reveals that they were getting angry enough to stone Moses
to death.
In the third month after their deliverance from Egypt, Yahweh and Israel
entered into the covenant (Ex. 19, 20). Yet, within 40 days of making the
covenant Israel had made the golden calf and were worshipping and serving it as
the elohim that delivered them from Egypt.
Not long after this Moses sent 12 men as spies into the land of Cannan to
see what the land was like and give a report back. But 10 of the 12 brought back
an evil report. This caused much consternation, confusion and disheartenment in
Israel. They were so worried about having to face a war that they decided to set
up captains to lead them back into Egypt (Num. 14:1-4). Time after time Israel
attempted to return to Egypt. Time after time they turned to worship other
elohim, especially an elohim called Baal (Num. 25:3-5, Psa. 106:28).
After apprehending the land by the hand of Yahshua son of Nun, Israel
turned to worship Baal once again (Judg.
2:13). At the latter end of his life, even king Solomon began to build altars to
the elohim of his many wives and to serve them (1 Ki. 11).
Jeremiah’s day was no different. There was a conspiracy among the
kings, priests and prophets to lead and keep the people steeped in idolatrous
Baal worship. Jeremiah cried, “Therefore thus saith Yahweh, Behold, I will
bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they
shall cry unto Me, I will not hearken unto them. Then shall the cities of Judah
and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the elohim unto whom they offer
incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according
to the number of thy
cities were thy elohim, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars
to that
shameful thing, even
altars to burn incense
unto Baal...For Yahweh of hosts, That planted thee, hath pronounced evil against
thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah which they
have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense unto
Baal,” 11:11-13, 17.
Yahweh inspired Isaiah to declare that Israel was a transgressor from the
womb, “Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that
thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously,
and was called a
transgressor from the womb,”
48:8.
Thus, as stated, both Biblical and secular history reveal that Israel
turned back to the worship of the idols of Egypt and other nations of the earth.
Isaiah had been inspired to cry out that Israel’s neck was of iron
sinew and her brow was of brass. This is quite interesting since these metals are associated
with the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
The prophet Daniel was called to explain Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him
and also give its interpretation (Dan. 2:1-30). Daniel then began to explain
that the king had seen a great image (v. 31). The Hebrew word for “image” is
“tselem”.
It is #6755 of Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance
and is defined as “an idolatrous figure.”
Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar, “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a
great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was
terrible. This image's
head was
of fine gold, his breast
and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone
was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that
were of iron and clay,
and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron,
the clay, the brass, the silver,
and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for
them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the
whole earth,” Dan. 2:31-35.
What was revealed to Nebuchadnezzar in his dream was a
thumbnail sketch of the history of the gentile nations as well as the history of idolatry. The image was a great idolatrous
figure. It would begin as gold, but as time lapsed, it would tarnish and
corrupt.
However, it also was a history of the great kingdoms which would rule the
earth for Daniel was inspired to explain, “This is
the dream; and we will
tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art
a king of kings: for the
Elohim of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And
wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of
the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them
all. Thou art this head of
gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third
kingdom of brass, which
shall bear rule over all the earth. 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. And
whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron,
the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the
iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as
the toes of the feet were
part of iron, and part of
clay, so
the kingdom shall be
partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry
clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not
cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of
these kings shall the Elohim of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but
it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou
sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it
brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the
great Elohim hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and
the dream is
certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure,” Dan. 2:36-45.
Secular and Biblical history prove that the succession of the kingdoms
were Babylon (gold), Persia (silver), Greece (brass/bronze) and Rome (iron).
Isn’t it becoming interesting to you now that the final great kingdom
to rule the world would be a kingdom of iron?
ANALYZING
THE METALS
We know that Nebuchadnezzar was not only a very great, powerful king, but
that he was also pretty stubborn. However, gold is a metal that is easy to work
with because of the characteristic of being very moldable and pliable.
Nebuchadnezzar’s
nature is revealed herein, because when Yahweh would turn His hand to deal with
him, Nebuchadnezzar would repent and embrace the truth. Look at his attitude in
Dan. 2:46-49; 3:26-30; and 4:34-37.
The next kingdom to have world rulership was Persia which was represented
by the silver. Silver is not nearly as valuable as gold, but it also has the
characteristic of moldability which is revealed in the nature of Kings Darius
and Cyrus (Dan. 6:25-28; Ezra 1:1-4).
Another interesting point is that both Babylon and Persia were involved
in the worship of idols. Man embellishes his idols with gold and silver.
These were men that Yahweh could work with in order to cause His will to
be done. They were not hardened to the point that they wouldn’t listen.
One of Babylon’s chief deities was Bel. He was known as Baal to the
people of the land of Canaan. Baal means Lord. Even today, people refer to the
Creator as “The Lord.”
One of the chief deities of Persia was Mithras. His special day of the
week was Sunday. His birthday was December 25th. Does this tell you anything
about where we are in today’s world?
The next world ruling kingdom would be Greece/Macedonia
which was represented by the brass/bronze.
Brass or bronze is a very hard metal. Its hardness reveals the hardened,
obstinate attitude of the leaders of Greece toward the Elohim of Israel and His
purposes. Who doesn’t know of the efforts of the Greek leaders and kings to
completely overthrow the Hebrew
faith and cause them to worship the Greek god
Zeus?
Antiochus Epiphanes especially brought out this attitude more than any
others. He entered Jerusalem, forced the people to denounce their Hebrew
faith and their Elohim on
pain of death, forced them to eat swine and other unclean things, sacrificed a
swine on Yahweh’s altar before the temple, boiled its flesh and spattered the
broth all over the walls of the temple, placed a statue of Zeus in the holy of holies, etc.
If we take the Hebrew word used to represent this kingdom and search it
to its origins we will discover something that is rather startling and amazing.
Brass is #5178 of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
It is the Hebrew word “nechôsheth.”
It is defined as; copper;
hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin, a fetter;
fig. base (as compared with gold and silver). It is generally
translated as; brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness,
steel.
Nechôsheth is a
derivitive of #5154 which is the Hebrew word “nechûwshâh. Nechûwshâh is defined as; fem. of 5153;
copper, being generally translated as: brass, steel.
#5153 is the Hebrew word “nâchûwsh” which is defined as; appar.
pass. part. of 5172 (perh. in the sense of ringing, i.e. bell-metal; or from the red color of the throat of a serpent [5175, as
denom.] when hissing); coppery,
i.e. (fig.) hard. It is generally translated as; of brass.
#5172 is the Hebrew word “nâchash” which is defined as; a prim.
root; prop. to hiss,
i.e. whisper
a (magic) spell; gen. to prognosticate.
Finally #5175 is the Hebrew word “nâchâsh” which is defined as;
from 5172;
a snake (from its hiss) and is generally translated as; serpent.
The Prophet Daniel was writing in the Aramaic language, however, and the
Aramaic term that he utilized was nachash! Thus, the Aramaic and the Hebrew
announce the entry of the serpent.
The kingdom of Greece (brass/bronze) is revealed as a hardened,
unrepentant kingdom which is totally under the influence of the serpent.
Alexander, the first king of the Greek Empire, was proclaimed as the son
of Zeus Ammon by the priest of the Oasis of Siva in Egypt during his tenure for
the winter of 332-331 BCE (Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th Edition, Vol. 1, p. 568). Both Strabo and
Josephus present Zeus as having been adored under the form of a serpent.
In the book entitled "Speculum historiale"
the author Vicent De Beauvais writes that Alexander is found to be the son of
Nectanebus, a fugitive king of Egypt and a great magician who had to flee to
Pella in Macedonia. He established himself as an astrologer there and was
visited by the childless Olympias, Phillip's wife. Nectanebus promised that Zeus
Ammon would visit her in the form of a dragon which he, himself assumed. In due
course Alexander was born, and Phillip's suspicions were overcome by a second
appearance of the dragon (Ency.
Brit., 14th Ed., Vol. 1,
p. 571). Thus enters the Chtonian concept that the Greek leaders, and eventually
the Roman leaders were sons of the serpent-god Zeus.
The fourth kingdom, Rome, was revealed to be just as hardened and
unrepentant by its metal of iron.
Thus Yahweh’s representation of Israel as having a neck of iron sinew
and a brow of brass had to do with a rebellious, unrepentant attitude.
They were stiff necked and hard headed. But it also has to do with their role in
the latter two kingdoms. They would have a very important role in these two
latter day kingdoms.
THE
IRON AND CLAY
Yahweh had overthrown the supremacy of the Israelite and Jewish kings and
kingdoms
because of their unfaithfulness. He had given them and the whole world over to
the rulership of Gentile kings. This rulership has continued down to our present
day. However, with the introduction of the clay with the iron, a transformation
was shown to occur.
The clay is said to represent the division of the empire as well as
weakness (Dan. 2:43). True enough, the Roman Empire was eventually divided
between east and west. This division began when the serpent and sun worshipper
Constantine the Great built a second Rome at Byzantium, also named
Constantinople and Roma Nova (New Rome).
The original Rome was a Latin kingdom, but when the division occurred the
eastern half of the kingdom became more Greek in its influence. Eventually, the
center of power and influence of the eastern kingdom shifted to Moscow, Russia,
which became known as the third
Rome. (Most
people in our modern world are ignorant of this fact.)
Daniel prophesied, “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,” 2:40.
It appears that not only would this great kingdom break other kingdoms
into pieces and bruise them, but that this final kingdom would also break into
pieces and bruise and such is what has happened to the Roman Empire. It became
the great world ruling kingdom, but has eventually broken into pieces itself and
has been bruised. But the true fact of the matter is that today’s world is
still under the Roman scope of power,
government,
and influence whether we like it or not.
Our annual calendar is a Roman devised calendar. The holidays that are
observed are the remnants of ancient pagan Roman festivals. Our governments are
patterned after the governmental system of the Roman Empire. The Latin kingdom
was a republic while the Greek kingdom was a democracy. Today, we proclaim that
we are a democracy but our government is a republican form of government. The
two main parties are Democrat and Republican who are always at odds with each
other. This not only applies to the U. S., but also the European forms of
government where Ancient Rome ruled.
Our religion (the overall preponderance) is based on the religion of the
Roman Empire. The Christian world still follows the edict of Constantine the
Great who appointed Sunday, the first day of the week, as the day of rest and
assembly rather than the seventh day Sabbath which was appointed by Yahweh.
Even our love-life is patterned after the Roman type of love, for the
last vestiges of the Roman Empire seeks after its style of love called “romance.”
People go crazy over “romance”
novels. If a person is not able to be romantic,
he is considered a dunce, a boob, a bore, etc.
Russia is the modern day inheritor of the eastern kingdom while western
Europe is the inheritor of the western kingdom. When there were great
differences between the two, a barrier was erected between them called the
“Iron Curtain.” Our world today is a world wherein there is the hardness of
iron, yet the weakness and brittle characteristics of clay.
ISRAEL—THE
CLAY
Yahweh cast both Israel and Judah out of the land of promise because of
their infidelities. He declared that their neck was as iron sinew and their brow
as brass or bronze. While the principal rulers of the latter kingdoms of Greece
(the brass or bronze kingdom) and Rome (the iron kingdom) were non-Hebrew or
Gentiles, Israel had been sown into these kingdoms in order to live in
subservience to these rulers and peoples to teach them a lesson.
The clay of the fourth kingdom could also represent the amalgamation of
Israel into this kingdom because the prophet Isaiah cried out, “Oh that thou
wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains
might flow down at thy presence, As when
the melting
fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to
thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible
things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at
thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men
have not
heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O Elohim, beside
thee, what
he hath
prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and
worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth;
for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we are
all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are
as filthy
rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have
taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take
hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because
of our iniquities. But now, O Yahweh, thou art our
father; we
are the clay, and thou our potter;
and we all are
the work of
thy hand,” Isa. 64:1-8.
The Israelites were likened to clay! Nothing has changed in the nature of
modern day Israel. The former Israelites wanted to be just like the nations
around them. They wanted a king over them like those nations. They wanted to
serve the elohim of the nations around them. Their necks were as iron sinew and
their brows like brass or bronze. Yahweh has given Israel over to the things
that they love. Israel has truly come to love the Greek and Roman philosophy,
forms of government, worship, etc. Israel, the clay has been completely
amalgamated into the fourth world ruling kingdom, Rome.
Jeremiah likens Judah and Israel to clay, “How is the gold become dim!
How is the most fine gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in
the top of every street. The
precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen
pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!” Lam. 4:1-2.
While it appears that Rome is only
a kingdom of
the past, such is simply not the case. As pointed out, the kingdom thrives even
to this very day. Such was prophesied by Daniel, “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. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of
potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided;
but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest
the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were
part of iron,
and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And
whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with
the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not
mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the Elohim of
heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be
left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever,” 2:40-44.
Notice that! It is in the latter days of the fourth kingdom, Rome, that
Yahweh will set up His kingdom of Elohim. The fourth kingdom is shown undergoing
changes from iron to iron and clay and then iron and miry clay. This is
portraying a change in its nature.
ROME’S
CHANGES
Rome is shown beginning as a kingdom of iron which breaks other city
states and kingdoms into pieces with its iron handed tactics. At first, Rome was
a city state. It began to branch out and overcome other city states and
kingdoms. But its system of government, as already pointed out, was republican
in nature. Rome was initially governed by a senate, a body of rich nobles who
governed for the good of the republic.
Then, along comes Julius Caesar who desired to not only become king, but
also to be worshipped as a
god in like
manner to the Greek leaders and other leaders or kings of the east. Julius paid
for this ambition with his life, but Augustus Caesar was much more subtle than
his uncle Julius. He deified his uncle as an elohim (god), built a shrine for
him, proclaimed himself as Julius Caesar’s adopted son, thereby taking the
title “son of god.” While shunning any attempts to be worshipped in the city
of Rome and the Italian peninsula, he did have shrines built to his honor in the
eastern provinces where he was worshipped as an elohim.
Herod the Great built the city of Caesarea in Augustus Caesar’s honor
which had a shrine or temple in it dedicated to him.
The essential point is that the Roman government underwent a change from
a republican government to a dictatorship or monarchy. Augustus was quite subtle
in his takeover, because he allowed the people to still think that they were a
republican form of government, while the truth of the matter is that it had been
converted to a dictatorship. The religion of Rome was an amalgamation of all
pagan religions with Augustus Caesar established as the “Pontifex Maximus” (high priest) over
them all.
Interestingly, it was during the time of Augustus, who proclaimed himself
to be the “son of god” and was ruler of the then known world, that Yahshua,
the true Son of Elohim was born Who was the One destined to be the ruler of the
world in Yahweh’s kingdom. Yahshua raised up His body of believers sending
them out with the message of the coming kingdom of Elohim which would be ruled
under His own power and authority granted by the Heavenly Father.
This was a Jewish movement. David, the king of Israel, was of the tribe
of Judah. Yahshua was to inherit his throne and rule in a restored kingdom of
Judah and Israel. Remember that Judah and Israel are likened to clay in the
hands of the Potter.
While the movement was a Jewish movement, the Roman government didn’t
pay very close attention to this newfound faith. But when non-Jewish elements
began to be attracted to the movement, Caesar, their king and god became incensed. The Roman beast government began to wage war on
the believers in earnest. Thus, we had two kings, two sons of Elohim vying for
power. The problem was that every time the New Testament body of believers were
persecuted, instead of decreasing in numbers, they increased in numbers.
When Constantine the Great came on the scene, he realized the virility of
this new found religion which had come to be called Christianity at this time.
He faked repentance, entered into the corrupted remnants of believers, took over
and began to dictate doctrine.
It was also by his building of the city of Constantinople or New Rome in
the east which effectively divided the empire. Thus, the Caesar divided the
empire, not only in a physical manner (east and west), but in a spiritual
manner. He attempted to fuse the iron and clay together.
It seemed to work quite well as far as empowering Constantine in the
kingdom and in the assembly, but almost immediately a controversy arose through
Arius which began to sow division. History reveals that quite a few conferences
or councils were called in order to straighten out the confusion, but look at
the division that has been created in the supposed body of believers which has
served to cause the kingdom to be broken into many, many pieces over the
centuries. This appears to be the true manner of the clay and iron mixture which
continues today and will continue until the return of Yahshua.
Yahshua the true King and Son of Elohim will have power over both the
civil and ecclesiastical branch of the kingdom. Caesar, the false king and false
son of elohim administers over a “separation” of powers concerning the civil
and ecclesiastical branches (separation of church and state). His administration
is an administration of division, confusion and falsehood.
PAGANISM
As Rome defeated the city states and kingdoms of this world, they not
only captured the inhabitants, selling them into slavery, but they also removed
the pagan idols, images and priesthoods, taking them to Rome and either building
new temples for them or placing them into existing temples of their own elohim.
Thus, Rome became the stronghold of all paganism.
When Augustus came on the scene and not only took the office of first
citizen or dictator, he also assumed the title of “Pontifex Maximus” over
all paganism. When Constantine came on the scene, he possessed the same titles.
Upon entering into the corrupted remnants of the New Testament Assembly, he also
became “Pontifex Maximus” over it.
Constantine immediately began to blend paganism into the faith. He
declared the first day of the week, Sunday, to be the day of rest and assembly
for worship rather than the 7th day Sabbath appointed by Yahweh. He also
declared December 25th to be observed as the birthday of the Messiah which
previously had been acknowledged as the birthday of Solis Invictis (the
unconquered sun), Nimrod, Apollo, Horus, etc., etc.
Constantine’s successors also continued his policies of this paganistic
blending until the body of so-called believers in the Messiah have been remade
in the image of the Roman Empire rather than the Kingdom of Heaven. This has
caused the clay to eventually be termed “miry” clay in Dan. 2:43. Miry clay
is a clay that is like mud. While mud sticks, it doesn’t have the ability to
be molded into a vessel. It is useless in the hands of a potter.
The interesting thing about this word “miry” is that it is translated
from the Aramaic word !yj
(tiyn)
which comes from jyj
(tiyt)
which is defined as; from an unused root meaning apparently to be sticky
[rather perhaps a denominative from 2894, through the idea of dirt to be swept
away]; mud
or clay;
figurative calamity.
(Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance, Hebrew Lexicon #2916.)
The Psalmist cried out, “I waited patiently for
Yahweh; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of
an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my
goings,” Psa. 40:1-2.
Again we read, “Save me, O Elohim; for the
waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire,
where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods
overflow me,” Psa. 69:1-2.
The Hebrew word utilized for “miry” and
“mire” is #3121 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. It is the Hebrew word “yaven”
(nwy)
which is
defined as, “from the same as 3196; properly, dregs (as effervescing); hence,
mud.”
The preceding word in Strong’s
is #3120, “Yavan”
(nwy)
which is defined as, “probably from the same as 3196; effervescing (i.e. hot
and active); Javan, the name of a son of Joktan, and of the race (Ionians, i.e.
Greeks) descended from him, with their territory; also of a place in Arabia.”
Notice that both words, “yaven” and
“Yavan” come from the same root word which is #3196, “yayin”
(nyy)
which is defined as, “from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as
fermented); by implication, intoxication.”
Thus, the Greek (Yavan)
form of government and religion was the “miry” (yaven) clay (Also depicted elsewhere as brass/bronze).
The Greeks love their serpent god Zeus and seek to inculcate it everywhere. It
is a very intoxicating (yayin/wine) system.
LATTER
ROMAN HISTORY
Now we can add to the Roman history for the Romans
(iron) were the ones who originated the city of Rome and the powerful beast
kingdom the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar began to wage war against the Celt,
Goths and Gauls amalgamating them into the empire. There are historical books
available which will identify these peoples as descendants of the northern
kingdom of Israel.
Rome also gained power over the Jews in the land
of Canaan. They eventually waged war against the Jews, defeated them, destroyed
Jerusalem and amalgamated them into the Roman kingdom. This was the effect of
the kingdom becoming part of iron (the Romans) and part of clay (the
Israelites).
While some later tribes of the Goths did war
against Old Rome and conquer it, the fact of the matter is that they generally
also became blended into the remnants of the Roman Empire.
When Constantine came on the scene, he built
Constantinople eastward in the Greek/Macedonian area of Byzantium. While Old
Rome was Latin, the New Eastern half of the Roman Empire became Greek in nature.
While the Old Roman style of government was
republican in nature, the Greeks were democratic. Thus, in our own world today,
we supposedly have a republican form of government, but we also declare
ourselves to be a democracy.
Constantine’s turning to the Greek form of
government and religion in the east led to the status of the iron and miry clay
depicted by the toes of the statue in Dan. Chapter 2.
Those who seem to prefer the Greek Scriptures over
the Hebrew, as well as the Greek names, etc. apparently haven’t focused on Psa.
40 and 69 along with Zech. 9:12-13 which declares, “Turn you to the strong
hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double
unto thee: when I have bent Judah for Me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised
up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as a sword of a mighty
man.”
The Greek system is the system of miry clay. It is
a horrible pit. It has to do with “wine” (yayin).
The woman in the book of Revelation chapters 17 and 18 is a woman with a golden
cup in her hand full of abominations. She has caused the earth and its
inhabitants to become drunk on her abominable idolatry and the blood of the
saints.
Daniel reveals that when Yahweh intervenes to establish His kingdom in
the latter days, the iron, clay, brass, silver and gold will be broken to pieces
and become like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors and the wind will carry
them away so that no place will be found for them (2:35). In other words, they
will be swept away like dirt.
THE
CURSE
Yahweh had warned Israel that if they refused to honor and obey Him, He
would bring curses upon them (See Dt. Chapter 28).
He warned them, “And thy heaven that is over thy
head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron,”
Dt. 28:23.
In other words, Yahweh would give them over to
worship the serpent (brass/bronze/nechushah/nachash). Their earthly religion and
kingdom would be patterned after Greece (brass/bronze) and Rome (iron). They
would have a spirit, but not the Spirit of Yahweh.
The Roman (iron) style of government was
republican, while the Greek (miry clay) style was democratic. Thus, the style of
government embraced by Western Europe and America today is republican democracy.
Yahweh’s people, Israel and Judah are living under these influences today and
absolutely loving it.
THE
LESSON OF THE DUST
We learn from Job, “Iron is taken out of the
earth and brass is molten out of the stone,” 28:2.
The Hebrew word for “earth” is “aphar.”
“Aphar”
is defined as, from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud.
It is varously translated as, ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder,
rubbish. (Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance, Hebrew Lexicon)
This
Hebrew word “aphar”
is the same word utilized to describe the creation of Adam, “And Yahweh Elohim
formed man of the dust (aphar) of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul,” Gen. 2:7.
After
Adam had sinned and eaten of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, Yahweh cursed him saying, “Because thou hast hearkened unto the
voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee,
saying, ‘Thou shalt not eat of it:’ cursed is the ground for thy sake; in
sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles
shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for
out of it wast thou taken: for dust (aphar)
thou art and unto dust (aphar)
shalt thou return,”
Gen. 3:17-19.
Now we know that we are made of the elements of
this earth and our whole life consists of the physical, carnal, earthly being
which eventually does return to the earth, to the grave and given time will
deteriorate into dust again.
But such is also the story of the earthly
kingdoms, especially the series of kingdoms depicted by Daniel’s prophetic
vision. The kingdoms go from gold, to silver, to brass, to iron, and then iron
and clay, and finally iron and miry clay.
Iron is a substance taken from the earth (aphar/dust).
As soon as molten iron is formed and taken from the furnaces it begins to
oxidize or rust. Unless steps are taken to prevent it, the iron will eventually
rust away, return to the earthly elements from whence it came.
But is this prophecy also a prediction of the
latter day descendants of Adam also turning to the doctrine of “humanism?”
Humanism is defined as, “any system of thought or action based on the nature,
dignity, interests, and ideals of man; specifically, a modern, non-theistic,
rationalist movement that holds that man is capable of self-fulfillment, ethical
conduct, etc. without recourse to supernaturalism.” (Webster’s
New World Dictionary)
THE
SERPENT’S FOOD
Upon Adam’s and Eve’s initial transgression
committed under the deceptive influences of the serpent, Yahweh cursed the
serpent saying, “Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all
cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shat thou go, and
dust (aphar)
shalt thou eat all the days of thy life,” Gen. 3:14.
Do
you realize the significance of this statement? Adam was made of the dust (aphar)
of the ground, the earth. Yahweh appointed dust (aphar) as the serpent’s food. In other words, man was
designated to be the food of the serpent. The first man, the man of the flesh is
under the sway and power of the serpent. Just look at the history of man! There
have been many powerful ancient kingdoms which have risen and fallen in the
fashion of man who is born into this world, but returns to the dust of the
earth. So many of these ancient powerful kingdoms only have a few remnants here
and there. The anthropologists, archeologists and historians find remains of
these kingdoms and try to picture what they were like, but they are no longer in
existence. They have returned to the dust of the earth.
Paul reveals that the evangel is hid to the
overall preponderance of peoples by the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). Only
those who are called to the truth in Yahshua are able to be delivered from his
deceptive blindness.
Satan is the god of this world also being called
the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2). The air would denote the first
heaven or the Earth’s atmosphere.
Thus, our heaven, according to the curse, has been
made brass (serpent/Greek/Zeus worship, democratic government, etc.) while our
earth has been changed to iron (Adam/Rome/humanism,
republican government, etc.).
….to be
continued….