LET YAHSHUA ROCK YOUR WORLD

----WorkbookWorkbook ---

Murline Miles

Messiah’s Truth Allen, Texas

© 2009 by Murline Miles

Published by Messiah’s Truth 325 S. Jupiter Rd.

Suite 112

Allen, Texas 75002

www.MessiahsTruth.com

All Rights Reserved

Printed in the United States of America

All Scriptures from “The Scriptures” version unless otherwise noted. Institute for Scripture Research.

Correspond with the author at: mail@messiahstruth.com

Cover Concept by Craig Miles

Cover Design / Artwork by Kris Rogers

Edited by Eddie Rogers LESSON 1--- INTRODUCTION

Lesson

1

INTRODUCTION

Some things have been sealed up for the “end” and are now being revealed and more will be revealed as we get closer to the end of the end of days.

Other truths have been revealed and are right out in the open, but the enemy has blinded our eyes with a “Western” mindset. Still other truths can only be discerned by getting familiar with the culture and the language of the Bible.

Those who love the Truth (He is the Way, the Truthand the Life) will have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying in these last days. They will return to their First Love, even if what they hear is 180 degrees opposite of what they’ve been taught all their lives.

Elohim (God) is the Way, the

_______________ and the Life.

His procedure manual is called

the _______________.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, “ ‘Call unto Me, and I shall answer you, and show you great and inaccessible matters, which you have not known.’ ” There is much buried treasure in the Hebrew culture and language that has been lost in translation.

The Creator who made us gave us a procedure manual, the Bible, to live by that not only shows how much He loves us, but it also shows us how to love and please Him. It’s our responsibility to worship Him the way He wants to be worshipped – not according to some century’s old false doctrines steeped in paganism.

Applying truth, we find that there are many traditions of men in the “Church” today that disappoints and even angers our Savior because they are either taught as His Word but are not in His Word, or they are condemned by His Word.

The Father is calling His people back to the His Way, the Torah. And He is looking for those who will offer to Him acceptable worship. He wants us to hear His Truths and dowhat He says to the best of our ability.

He is calling us back to His

________________________

which is the ______________.

He wants us to ___________ and _______ what He says.

Lesson IF I WERE THE ENEMY

2

From the beginning, using stealth, the enemy caused man to start adding to the Word of Elohim (God). He planted an evil seed in Eve’s heart, causing her to

add to the Word of Elohim. (“He told me not to touch the tree” – when she’d only been told not to eatof it.) And this was the beginning of men and women adding to and subtracting from His Word to this very day (see Genesis 3:1-3).

Through adding and subtracting, emphasizing and de-emphasizing, twisting and turning (the Word), thousands of different denominations have been formed; each defending their doctrines and creeds as truth. Consequently, believers have submitted to every wind of doctrine under the sun except the one laid out in the Scriptures. The delusion and deception has been so strong that many “man-made” beliefs have been exalted above the True Word of Elohim(God).

Study Text: Genesis 3:1-3

What did Eve say she was

instructed NOT to do?

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

What did she really hear?

_________________________

_________________________

The Enemy’s Tactics:

(Select words from the box on the right and fill in the blank spaces below)

• Water down the original ___________________ of the Scriptures using a multitude of translations

• Change the definition of _______________________ Pagan

• Replace the Father’s __________________________ __________________ 6,823 times in the Scriptures

Language

Festivals

• Introduce man-made holidays with ______________ origins Sin

• Cement the idea that the Fathers ________________ are not for us today

Change the day of _____________________ chosen by the•

Father

Hebrew Name

Worship

Grace

• Convince believers they are no longer under the _________ but under ___________, making them sin

Old

Law

• Establish the doctrine of _______________________ ________________________________ making people believe the Church has replaced

_______________________________

• Put more emphasis on the ____________ Covenant and less emphasis on the ____________ Covenant

New

Israel

Dispensationalism

Calendar

• Change the _______________________ of Elohim to a man-made calendar with the names of pagan gods

• Convince believers that they are free to eat __________________ (clean and unclean)

Translations

• Introduce an excessive number of Bible

______________________ with many __________________

Errors

Anything

• Make believers miss the ______________________________

Wedding

Think about it: Explain why there are so many denominations and why the Church has such little effect on the culture.

Lesson

3

IDIOMS

Idiom is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary as: 1) the language or dialect of a people, region, class, etc., 2) the usual way that the words of a language are joined to express

thought, 3) a phrase or expression with an unusual syntactic pattern or with a meaning differing from the literal meaning of its parts.

From the above definition, it’s easy to understand how important it is not only to learn a ___________________________________________ but the __________________ as well. Learning the culture will greatly increase our ability to __________________________________________ what is being ____________________________________________.

(Select a word to fill in the blanks) English Idioms

Comprehend

Language

Communicated

Culture

(Listed below are some English idioms. While you’re reading them, think about some other English idioms. You’ll be asked to list a few at the end of this lesson.)

Their bodies are incredible. They can “play music by ear.” They have “eyes in the back of their head.” Some even have “green thumbs.” And occasionally, they get “frogs in their throats.” They can either “wear their hearts on their sleeves” or “eat their hearts out.”

Their legal system is different. Some Lawyers are “ambulance chasers” and they will “take you to the cleaners.”

What are their children like? Some are “a chip off the old block.” But if they don’t “cut the mustard,” they are called the “black sheep of the family.”

What is it like to shop there? Sometimes they’re willing to “give their right arm” for something. At other times, they’ll “give an arm and a leg.” And in small towns the “sidewalks roll up” at 6:00 p.m.

From the previous illustrations, can you see how difficult it would be for a person from another country (who knew nothing about America) to comprehend what’s being communicated if that person didn’t understand the cultural idioms in our language?

In 2 Timothy 2:15 we are instructed to do our very best, to study, to do all we can, to present ourselves as someone worthy of His approval, as a worker who has no need to be ashamed, because we handle the Word of truth correctly.

This requires being able to recognize Hebraic idioms (cultural phrases) when we see them. Another important aspect of understanding the Word of Truth is to get back to the original meaning of words in the Hebrew language because it is concrete rather than abstract. Its meanings do not change over time and that’s why it’s considered a pure language. Unfortunately, Western seminaries offer a higher ratio of Greek courses to Hebrew courses – 9 to 1 is not unusual.

Study Text: 2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God (Elohim) as one approved, a worker who has no need to be

ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth (ESV).

Study to shew thyself

approved unto God

(Elohim), a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth (KJV).

Do all you can to present yourself to God (Elohim) as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals

straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth (CJB).

Hebrew Idioms

There are many Hebraic idioms in the Old and New Covenant and if we don’t know what they mean, we won’t have a clue about what’s being communicated. Our belief system can be altered if an idiom is translated literally and we don’t know the cultural meaning behind it. The end result is confusion.

Hebrew is an amazing language. Each Hebrew letter is full of meaning and symbolism. In English an “a” is an “a” and nothing more. However in Hebrew, each letter is a word. It has an assigned number, and has a word picture based upon ancient scripts. The first letter of the Paleo Hebrew language for example is

an Alef ( a) which is the picture of an Ox – signifying “strength” in addition to “leader,” the “first,” the “beginning.”And it has a numeric value of one. The Hebrew mindset is always more interested in function than appearance. “What does it do?” is more important than “what does it look like?”

For hundreds of years, Hebrew idioms have been translated into English literally. When the translators and scholars transform an ancient document by substituting English words for the original Hebrew words, even if the words are translated correctly (and many times they aren’t), the original Hebrew thought is lost. The words are there, but the meaning is missing – it is literally lost in the translation!

For example, when Elohim created the sun, moon and stars and said “let them be for signs and seasons,” He was not talking about the seasons of summer, winter, spring, and fall. The Hebrew word used here for seasons is mo’edim, which means Festivals, Appointed Times.

(View a short list of Hebrew idioms on pages 10 – 18.)

Study Text: Genesis 1:14

And God said, Let there

be lights in the expanse

of the heavens to

separate the day from

the night. And let them

be for signs and for

seasons, and for days

and years… (KJV).

Genesis, chapter 24

60: “And they blessed Ribqah (Rebecca) and said to her, ‘Let our sister become the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gates of those who hate them.’ ”

possess the gates = capture the cities

Exodus, chapter 3

8 : “And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.”

flowing with milk and honey = fertile, productive

Exodus, chapter 15

25: “Then he cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him a tree. And when he threw it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a law and a right-ruling for them, and there He tried them.”

the waters were made sweet = water was made fit to drink

Deuteronomy, chapter 21

17: “But he is to acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength– the right of the first-born is his.”

the beginning of his strength = his first child

Deuteronomy, chapter 28

28: “Yahweh shall smite you with madness and blindness and bewilderment of heart.”

bewilderment of heart = blankness of mind

1 Samuel, chapter 10

9: “And it came to be, when he had turned his back to go from Shemu’ĕl (Samuel), that Elohim gave him another heart. And all those signs came on that day.”

gave him another heart = changed his attitude

2 Kings, chapter 4

29 : “And he said to Gĕhazi, ‘Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go. When you meet anyone, do not greet him, and when anyone greets you, do not answer him. And you shall lay my staff on the face of the child.’ ”

gird up your loins = get ready

2 Chronicles, chapter 25

17 : “And Amatsyahu (Amaziah) sovereign of Yahudah (Judah) took counsel and sent to Yo’ash (Joash) son of Yeho’ahaz (Jehoahaz), son of Yĕhu (Jehu), sovereign of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), saying, “Come, let us look each other in the face!”

look each other in the face = meet each other in battle

Esther, chapter 2

21 : “In those days, while Mordekai (Mordecai) sat within the sovereign’s gate, two of the sovereign’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, were wroth and sought to lay hands on Sovereign Ahashwĕrosh.”

lay hands on Soverign = assassinate

Psalm, chapter 3

7: “Arise, O Yahweh; Save me, O my Elohim! Because You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have broken the teethof the wrong.”

broken the teeth = make powerless

Psalm, chapter 6

7: “Myeye has grown dimbecause of grief; It grows old because of all my adversaries.”

eye has grown dim = vision is blurred

Psalm, chapter 17

8: “Guard me as the apple of Your eye. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings…”

apple of Your eye = pupil

Your wings = tzit tzit (representing the 10 Commandments, blessings, life)

Psalm, chapter 25

1: “To You, O Yahweh, I lift up my being.”

lift up my being = pray

Psalm, chapter 89

13: “You have a mighty arm, Your hand is strong, Your right handexalted.”

right hand = might (Yahshua)

Psalm, chapter 90

12: “Teach us to number our days, And let us bring the heart to wisdom.”

number our days = use our time wisely

Isaiah, chapter 60

16: “And you shall drink dry the milk of the gentiles, and shall milk the breast of sovereigns. And you shall knowthat I, Yahweh, yourSaviour and yourRedeemer,amtheElohimof Ya’aqob (Jacob).”

drink the milk of the gentiles = receive the wealth of other countries

Jeremiah, chapter 4

4 : “Circumcise yourselves unto Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, you men of Yahudah (Judah) and inhabitants of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), lest My wrath come forth like fire and burn, with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”

take away the foreskins of your heart = dedicate yourselves fully to Elohim

Jeremiah, chapter 5

5: “ ‘Let me go to the great men and speak to them, for they have known the way of Yahweh, the rightruling of their Elohim.’ But these have altogether broken the yokeand torn off the bonds.”

broken the yoke = rejected Elohim’s authority

Jeremiah, chapter 6

10: “To whom shall I speak and give warning, so that they hear? See, their ear is uncircumcised, and they are unable to listen. See, the word of Yahweh is a reproach to them, theydo not delight in it.”

their ear is uncircumcised = they don’t listen

Jeremiah, chapter 7

12: “But go now to My place at Shiloh, where I set My Name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of My people Yisra’ĕl (Israel).”

where I set my name at the first = where I chose to be worshiped

Malachi, chapter 2

12: “The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts” (KJV).

the master and the scholar = every single person

Malachi, chapter 4

2: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousnessarise with healing in his wings” (KJV).

Sun of righteousness = the Messiah

healing in his wings = fringe or border (tzitzit) of the tallit (prayer shawl)

Matthew, chapter 3

8: “Bear, therefore, fruitsworthy of repentance…”

Bear, therefore, fruits = produce results

Matthew, chapter 5

17 : “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (KJV).

to destroy the law, or the prophets = Correctly interpreted the law and prophets

Matthew, chapter 6

6: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (KJV).

enter into thy closet = a tah-lit, prayer shawl

Matthew, chapter 6

22: “The lamp of the body is the eye. Iftherefore your eye is good, all your body shall be enlightened.”

if your eye is good = if you are generous

Matthew, chapter 6

23:“But ifyoureyeis evil, all your bodyshallbedarkened. If,then, thelightthat iswithin you isdarkness,how greatisthatdarkness!”

if your eye is evil = if you are stingy

Matthew, chapter 8

21: “And another of the disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead” (KJV).

let the dead bury their = the second-burial system where loved ones were dug up after a year and their bones placed in an ossuary (bone box)

Matthew, chapter 9

20: “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment” (KJV).

touched the hem of his garment = the tzitzi (fringes / tassels) on His tallit (prayer shawl)

Matthew, chapter 10

38: “And he who does not take up his stakeand follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

he who does not take up his stake = does not follow Messiah’s Torah interpretation

Matthew, chapter 11

15: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

He who has ears to hear, let him hear! = Everyone should listen carefully

Matthew, chapter 18

18: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall looseon earth shall be loosed in heaven” (KJV).

bind and loose = whatever is already allowed or prohibited in heaven should be what is allowed or prohibited on earth

Matthew, chapter 22

16 : “And they sent to Him their taught ones with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of Elohim in truth, and it does not concern You about anyone, for You are not partial to any man.’ ”

not partial to any man = you do not judge on outward signs

Luke, chapter 6

22: “Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall cut you off, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as wicked, for the sake of the Son of Adam.”

cast out your name as wicked = publish false information about you

John, chapter 3

15: “…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (KJV).

eternal life = living life in the will of God

Acts, chapter 15

10: “Now then, why do you try Elohim by putting a yoke on the neckof the taught ones which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

putting a yoke on the neck = burden with obligations

Acts, chapter 18

6: “However, when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood is upon your head, I am clean. From now on I shall go to the gentiles.’ ”

Your blood is upon your own head = You take the blame

Acts, chapter 26

14 : “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Sha’ul (Paul), Sha’ul (Paul), why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the prods.’ ”

kick against the prods = hurt oneself by active resistance

Acts, chapter 28

27 : “…for the heart of this people has become thickened, and with their ears they heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn back, and I should heal them.”

ears they heard heavily = be slow to understand

Romans, chapter 1

17: “For in it the righteousness of Elohim is revealed from belief to belief, as it has been written, ‘But the righteous shall live bybelief.’ ”

from belief to belief = from start to finish

Romans, chapter 12

9: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (KJV).

let love be without dissimulation = Love without hypocrisy

1 Corinthians, chapter 14

9: “So also you, if you do not give speech by the tongue that is clear, how shall it be known what is spoken? For you shall be speaking into the air.”

speaking into the air = talking with no one understanding

2 Corinthians, chapter 3

18: “And we all, as with unveiled face we see as in a mirror the esteem of Yahweh, are being transformed into the same likeness from esteem to esteem, [glory to glory] as from Yahweh, the Spirit.”

from esteem to esteem = becoming more like Yahweh

Ephesians, chapter 1

23: “…which is His body, the completeness of Him who fills all in all.”

completeness of Him who fills all in all = YHWH is everywhere, omnipresent

1 Peter, chapter 1

13: “Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, set your expectation perfectly upon the favour that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Yahshua Messiah…”

girded up the loins of your mind = prepare your thoughts

Think about it: List two English idioms and explain what someone from another country, who does not know anything about America, might think they mean.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Lesson WHAT’S IN A NAME

4

The Scriptures reveal the importance and value of our Heavenly Father’s Name and His Son’s Name. After all, ____________________ is in His Name; ___________

tremble at His Name; every knee shall bow in His Name; His Name is above every other name that is named in __________________ and in the ________________. His disciples turned the known world

__________________________________using His Name.

(Select a word to fill in the blanks)

Demons

Earth

Upside down Heaven

Salvation

Although it’s been hidden for centuries, His Name is now being restored in these last days.

You may be amazed, but the Creator’s Hebrew Name has been replaced 6,823 times in nearly all translations…mostly with titles or some pagan name.

Interestingly, the letter “J” was not in any language until the 16thcentury and even to this day the letter “J” does not exist in the Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek alphabet. So, contrary to popular belief, our Savior’s Name is not Jesus. The name “Jesus” has only been in existence since the year 1559 A.D, making it less than 500 years old.

What Commandment do we break when we take His Name in vain? __________________________________________________________________

What does vain mean? According to Strong’s #7722 it means: 1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood

a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity

b) emptiness of speech, lying

c) worthlessness (of conduct)

By extension, when we don’t use His real name we are taking His name in vain through non-use, thereby making it empty.

There are a lot of man-made traditions in Judaism AND there are a lot of man-made traditions in Christianity as well. Both groups have brought His true name to non-use by using titles like Lord, God, HaShem, and Christ, causing millions to break the Third Commandment.

If there’s no distinction between His Name and that of the pagans, you could have a worship service where Christians, Muslims, Satan worshippers, Hindus, and Buddhist all sing songs with these words: “The Lord reigns. He is a mighty God, the Lord God reigns”; “Great is the Lord”; “Our God is an Awesome God”; or “I am a friend of God.” This would not be a problem for any of these groups because they all have gods and lords.

In these last days, He is restoring His Name as prophesied in the Scriptures (Malachi 1:11 and Malachi 1:14b).

We are told His Name is Holy and when we repeat the prayer in Matthew 6:9 (KJV) we say, “…Hallowed be Thy Name.” The Hebrew word for Hallowed is Kadosh which

Study Texts: Malachi 1:11 Malachi 1:14b

For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My Name is great among nations. And in every place incense is presented to My Name, and a clean offering. For My Name is great among nations, saidהוהי (Yahweh) of hosts.

For I am a great Sovereign, said הוהי(Yahweh) of hosts, and My Name is feared among nations.

Has this happened yet? ___________

means Set-Apart (Holy). If we call Him generic titles like God, Lord, Christ, or HaShem, etc. we are not setting His Name apart; we are not Hallowing His Name.

In Proverbs 30:4 we see that He wants us to know His Name as well as His power:

“Who has gone up to the heavens and come down? Who has gathered the

wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who established

all the ends of the earth? What is His Name, And what is His Son’s Name,

If you know it?”

Most Christians can’t answer that question because they don’t know the Name of their Elohim. His Name is YHWH. The letters are pronounced Yud Hay Waw Hay and His Name is usually pronounced Yahweh (Yah-way).

Isaiah 42:8 says, “I am Yahweh that is My Name, and My esteem I do not give to another, nor My praise to idols.” His Name means I AM WHO I AM – Yahweh that Always Was, that Always Is, and that Ever Is to Come. His Name represents HIS POWER and HIS AUTHORITY!

In the ancient Paleo Hebrew picture language, Yud (y) is the picture of a hand, Hay (H) is the picture of a window (meant to reveal), and Waw (w) is a picture of a nail (to connect or hold things together). Yahweh’s name pictographically is the hand revealed the nail revealed. His Son’s Name is Yahshua which means YHWH (Yahweh) is salvation. So when Thomas saw His nail scared hands he said, “My Yahweh and my Elohim.” The Father and the Son both have Hebrew names that are full of meaning.

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) prophesied that Elohim would makeus know onceand for all His Name, His power and His might. Yirmeyahu 16:21 reads, “…they shall know that My Name is Yahweh.” Your translation probably reads, “…and they shall know that my name is The Lord.” How sad. It’s just one of more than 6,000 placeswheretheEnglishtranslatorschangedHisNametoatitle.TheoriginaltextshowsHisHebrewName.

In ONE instance, the translators left His true Name intact. In Psalms 68:4, where it reads…

Your Bible probably spells it “JAH,” but remember the letter “J” did not come to use until the 16thcentury. Yah is the short form of Yahweh. For the translators to use His correct Name only once out of 6,823 times makes me question their motivation. Does that bring up any red flags to you?

Here’s a dictionary definition of god:

1) any of various beings conceived of as supernatural and immortal; esp., a male deity

2) an idol

3) a person or thing deified

Study Text: Psalms 68:4

Sing to Elohim, sing praises to His Name. Raise up a highway for Him Who rides

through the deserts, By His Name Yah, And exult before Him.

4) [G-] in monotheistic religions, the creator and ruler of the universe; Supreme Being.

In the Thesaurus under “god” (lower case “g”), 48 pagan gods are listed and if their double names are counted there are 64. Under “God” (upper case “G”) the Thesaurus lists 1) [The Judeo-Christian deity] Lord, Jehovah, Yahweh and then 53 descriptive titles are listed. 2) [The supreme deity of other religions] Allah (Islam); Brahma (Hinduism); Buddha (Buddhism; Mazda or Ormazd (Zoroastrianism).

The 11thedition of the Encyclopedia Britannica states this definition: “GOD – the common Teutonic word for a personal object of worship . . . applied to all those superhuman beings of the heathen mythologies. The word ‘god’ on the conversion of the Teutonic races to Christianity was adopted as the name of the one Supreme Being . . .”

It was adopted!

Let’s look at the word “Lord.” Ironically, Lord means BAAL in Hebrew (see Strong’s #01168). “They think the dreams they tell one another (made-up words, substitutions) will make My people forget My Name, just as their fathers forgot My Name through BAAL (LORD)” (Yirmeyahu [Jeremiah] 23:27). In chapter 2, verse 8b we see “…the prophets prophesied by Ba’al, and walked after matters that did not profit.”

The Westminster Desk Dictionary of the English Language defines “lord” as:

1) a person who has dominion over others, as a feudal superior

2) a person who is a leader in a profession Study Text: Hosea 2:17

3) a titled nobleman or peer, as in Great Britain

4) Lords, See House of Lords

5) (cap) God or Jehovah

6) (cap) the Savior, Jesus Christ. – v.t.

And I shall remove the names of the Ba’als from her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

7) lord it over, to domineer over.”

The Church calls upon the name, magnifies the name, glorifies the name, but they actually do not use The Name because they’ve been taught to use the title Lord. The closest the Church comes to using His Name is when they say, “HalleluYah,” which means praise Yah the short form of Yahweh.

Again, Ba’al means “lord” in Hebrew and it doesn’t matter if you capitalize the first letter or the whole word or put a dash in between it; the spelling, pronunciation and meaning are the same.

Can we really have an intimate relationship with someone if we don’t know his or her name? Let’s get back to loving Him the way He wants to be loved. Using His Name is one of the ways we can show our love.

In Yahanan (John) chapter seventeen Yahshua says…

“I have revealed Your Name to the men whom You (Yahweh) gave Me (Yahshua) out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have guarded Your Word.” In verses 25 and 26 He says, “O righteous Father, indeed the world did not know You, but I knew You, and these knew that You sent Me. And I have made Your Nameknown to them, and shall make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me might be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:6, 25-26)

Even the ROCKS are starting to cry out thanks to archaeological finds. On the Ossuary (bone box) of Ya’akob (James) the inscription reads “Ya’akob son of Yosef brother of Y’shua” [first witness]. And the Dead Sea Scrolls show the Father’s name YHWH [second witness]. In addition, the Moabite Stone, dated around 930 B.C.

reveals YHWH’s name in Ancient Hebrew Script [third witness]. Ossuary (bone box)

There are 6,832 compelling reasons to use His Hebrew Name. It’s in His Word that many times. Not everyone agrees on the exact spelling or pronunciation, but we know for sure that our Savior’s Name is not “Jesus,” “God” or “Lord.” If we are trying with our whole heart to please Him, I believe He will accept our sincere efforts and that His Rauch ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) will lead us into all Truth.

Lesson SABBATH

5

The first four Commandments define our relationship with

Study Text:

Genesis 2:1-3

Elohim, how we are to worship Him, love Him and obey

Him; and the last six define our relationship with our fellow man.

What does it mean to keep the Sabbath?

The Hebrew word for Sabbath is Shabbath and it means “rest,” to “cease,” to “pause” or take an “intermission.” On the Sabbath we are to take the day off from our regular activities and devote our time and attention to our Creator. Think of it as a vacation daywith Elohim.

As far as the notion that the Sabbath is for the Yahudim (Jews), it turns out that the Sabbath was instituted in the very beginning before there was even a Yahudi (Jew) of the tribe of Yahuda (Judah) and it was given as a gift to mankind.

The word “Sabbath” appears 137 times in the King James Version of the Bible, and the word “Sunday” is absent though “first dayof the week” occurs eight times.

Interestingly, while most Bible versions use the phrase “first day of the week” in Acts 20:7a, a 1990 word-for-word translation of the same Scripture by Greek experts Robert K. Brown and

Thus the heavens and the earth were

completed, and all their array. And on the

seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it He rested from all His work which Elohim in

creating had made.

Philip W. Comfort in the New Greek English Interlinear New Covenant from Tyndale House Publishers, actually renders it as “one of the Sabbaths.”

Study Text: Exodus 20: 8-11

Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart. Six days you Labour, and shall do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of Yahweh, your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the seventh day and set it apart.

Here are some examples of how the Sabbath has been explained away:

1. The Sabbath was for the Yahudim (Jews) and since the New Covenant is for Christians, we worship on Sunday.

2. Yahshua (Jesus) rose from the dead on Sunday and that’s why we worship Him on Sunday.

3. The disciples broke bread on the first day of the week so that’s the day the Church worships Him (Acts 20:7-8, 11).

4. Paul directed the Corinthians to take up a collection for the poor in Jerusalem on the “first day of the week” (1 Corinthians 16:2).

5. Yahshua (Jesus) spoke on all the Commandments except the Fourth Commandment, and therefore it does not apply.

The Importance of Keeping the Sabbath:

“If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My Set-Apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’ the Set-Apart day ofIt’s how

we delight Yahweh ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding in Him your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself

in Yahweh” (Isaiah 58:13-14a).

We’re

blessed for keeping it

“…Blessed is the man who does this…guarding the Sabbath lest he profane it, and guarding his hand from doing any evil” (Isaiah 56:2).

It’s in the future – not just in the past

“For if Joshua had given them rest, Elohim would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Shabbat rest for the people of Elohim…” (Hebrews 4:8-9).

It’s a way to show

our

obedience

“Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:10-11).

It’s the day

Yahweh blessed

“For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (set it apart)” (Exodus 20:11b).

It’s the

only day given a special

name

The first six days had no name; they were given ordinal numbers – first day, second day, third day, etc., but the seventh day was given a unique name. In Hebrew, it’s “Shabbat,” meaning “rest, to cease, to pause or take an intermission.” In English, the word is “Sabbath.”

Yahweh

set it apart for man to fellowship with Him

“The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). In creation Elohim made man on the sixth day and made the Sabbath for man on the seventh day.

Yahshua kept the Sabbath

“And He came to Natsareth (Nazareth), where He had been brought up. And according to His practice, He went into the congregation on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16).

It was

Paul’s

custom to keep the Sabbath

“…And according to his practice, Sha’ul (Paul) went in unto them, and for three Sabbaths was reasoning with them from the Scriptures…” (Acts 17:2). Neither Paul nor any of the other disciples ever taught people to come back the next day for a Sunday (1stday of the week) service.

The

Disciples kept the

Sabbath

85 times in Acts

(Acts 17:1-4, Acts 13:13-15, Acts 13:42-44, Acts 16:11-13, Acts 18:1-4, and Acts 18:5-11).

Both Jews and

Greeks

kept the

Sabbath

“And he [Paul] was reasoning in the congregation every Sabbath, and won over both Yahudim (Jews) and Greeks” (Acts 18:4).

It’s for the foreigner as well as the home born

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to Yahweh, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My Covenant – them I shall bring to My Set-Apart Mountain, and let them rejoice in My House of prayer…” (Isaiah 56:6-7).

What

happened when Paul was in

Antioch?

“And on the next Sabbath almost all the city cametogether to hear the Word of Elohim” (Acts 13:44). You’ll notice it reads “the next Sabbath.” Why didn’t Paul simply say come back tomorrow [Sunday] to learn more, rather than wait an entire week for the next Sabbath to arrive?

It’s a sign (mark)

between Elohim

and His people

“Between Me and the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) it is a sign forever” (Exodus 31:17). If you have received Yahshua as your Savior then you are grafted into the olive tree and have become a member of the commonwealth of Israel. You are His bride and the Sabbath is a sign, “A MARK OF PROOF,” that you belong to Him.

Keeping it is in the

Ten Command

ments

“Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart” (Exodus 20:8). When Yahshua said, “…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” in Matthew 28:20, He was referring to the Tanak (Old Covenant) because the B’rit Hadasha (New Covenant) was not written at that time.

It will be observed in the

future

Isaiah 66:22-23 reads, “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me, declares Yahweh, so your seed and your name shall stand. And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all fleshshall come to worship before Me, declares Yahweh.”

Who changed the seventh day Sabbath to the first day Sunday?

It was the Roman emperor Constantine, operating through the Catholic Church, who changed the worship day from the seventh day to the first day of the week. Constantine chose Sunday – himself a pagan sun worshipper who “supposedly” adopted Christianity.

In Constantine’s decree March 7, 321 A.D. he stated, “On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.” And in A.D. 325 he wrote, “Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd: for we have received from our Savior a different way … Strive and pray continually that the purity of your soul may not seem in anything to be sullied by fellowship with the customs of these most wicked men … All should unite in desiring that which sound reason appears to demand and in avoiding all participation in the perjured conduct of the Jews.”

Other Scriptures used most often to show that Paul rejected the Sabbath are found in Galatians, Romans, and Colossians, but a closer look at these Scriptures reveals that isn’t the case at all. Galatians

Paul says in Galatians 4:9-10, “….how do you turn again to the weak and poor elementary matters, to which you wish to be enslaved again? You observe days and months and seasons and years.” On the surface it appears that Paul is criticizing the Sabbath, however, through further study we find that isn’t so.

Starting in verse 8 we read, “But then, indeed, not knowing Elohim, you served those which by nature are not mighty ones.” In case you didn’t catch that, they had been serving pagan idols. Verse 9 starts out with, “But now after you have known Elohim…” These are people who are just coming into the faith. Then it goes on to say, “…or rather are known by Elohim…” According to Matthew 7:21, the people who

Study Text:

Galatians 4:9-10

“….how do you turn again to the weak and poor elementary matters, to which you wish to be enslaved again? You observe daysand months and seasonsand years.”

are known by Elohim are those who do the will of the Father – they keep His Commandments.

Then Paul asks in Galatians 4:9, “….how do you turn again to the weak and poor elementary matters, to which you wish to be enslaved again?” They were turning back to their former idolatrous pagan practices. Paul couldn’t have been condemning the Sabbath because it was not part of these idolatrous practices and you can’t turn again to that which you never observed.

So in Verse 10 when Paul condemns them for observing “days” and “months” and “seasons” and “years,” he is talking about something totally different from the Sabbath. Without understanding the history, culture and background of Galatia at that time, it would be impossible to figure out exactly what Paul was saying.

Galatia was part of the Roman Empire, in which observances and practices honoring pagan gods were attached to virtually every day, season, month and year. For instance, the first day of the week was devoted to the sun god. The first month of the year was devoted to Janus, the god of beginnings, from which January is named. The spring season was devoted to the goddess Cybele and her male partner, Attis, in honor of whom a joyous spring resurrection festival was celebrated. Paul was pinpointing these idolatrous practices the Galatians had observed when they “did not know God.” He was not criticizing them for Sabbath-keeping or observing Biblical Festivals.

Romans

Romans 14:5-6 is a verse that has been used to teach that it is alright to worship Elohim any day of the week meaning that the Sabbath is no more important than any other day. “One indeed judges one day above another, another judges every day alike. Let each one be completely persuaded in his own mind. He who minds the day, minds it to Yahweh…”

But if you read Romans 14 in context you’ll see that it’s talking about food – fasting and vegetarianism. The congregation in Rome included Yahudim (Jews) and Gentiles with different eating and fasting practices that were not found in Scripture which became a point of contention. Some of the religious Yahudim (Jews) chose to

Study Text:

Romans 14:5-6

“One indeed judges one day above another, another judges every day alike. Let each one be completely persuaded in his own mind. He who minds the day, minds it to Yahweh…”

“fast twice a week,” while the custom of some of the gentiles from a Roman background was to “avoid meats” on some days.

So Paul was expressing the fact that those who fasted certain times of the week or those who abstained from meats on particular days of the week both gave thanks to Elohim on those days. He was not talking about Sabbath-keeping at all.

Colossians

Colossians 2:16-17 reads, “Let no one therefore judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a Festival or a New Moon or Sabbaths

– which are a shadow of what is to come.” Some conclude that this verse proves that Paul rejected the Sabbath and Festival observances.

What was Paul really addressing? This letter was written “to the Set-Apart ones in Colossae” (Colossians 1:2).

History shows that asceticism was creeping into the assembly.

Study Text:

Colossians 2:16-17

“Let no one therefore judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a Festival or a New Moon or Sabbaths – which are a shadow of what is to come…”

Asceticism is defined as: to train the body; self-denying; austere; one who leads a life of strict self-denial, esp. for religious purposes. Promoters of this heresy criticized and condemned anything pleasurable. (See Colossians 2:23.)

Paul was combating this heresy by encouraging the faithful brothers at Colossae not to let anyone judge them in their obedience to Yahweh in eating and drinking and in keeping the Sabbaths, New Moon, and Festivals. These “are,” not “were,” a shadow of things to come.

Summary (Select a word to fill in the blanks)

The Sabbath was the _______________ day of man’s existence and if Elohim rested on the _____________________ day of creation and set it apart, Adam would have __________________________ on that day also. Yahweh created this day for __________ for a day of ______________ and ____________________________ with Him – it’s a ________________ from our loving Creator. The Sabbath is NOT a salvation issue; it’s an _______________________________ issue.

It’s His Divine appointment with His _________________ – a rehearsal for the final _________________________. In addition, it shows the world who we are betrothed to. So knowing this truth, we have to choose whether or not to obey

Wedding First

Bride

Rested

Seventh

Gift

Man

Fellowship Obedience Rest

Yahweh or man. Will we meet Him at the end of the age on “ that day” and say, “I went to Church every Sunday (morning and evening), on Wednesday nights and daily during the Church’s revival?” And will He respond, “I never knew you?”

Lesson IT’S THE LAW

6

The word “Torah” has been simplistically translated as “law” 219 times in the King James Version; however, it has a much broader meaning than just “law.”

In Hebrew the word “Torah” means “utterance, teaching, instruction or revelation” from Elohim and derives from the stem “yara” which means “to shoot or throw.” Yara begins with the letter ‘y’ yod, and in the Hebrew picture language is a

hand. Therefore, the Torah aims and

points us in the right direction through

instruction from Elohim’s hand and

moves us in that direction. (See

Strong’s #8451 and Strong’s #3384.)

Strong’s #8451 defines Torah as:

1) law, direction, instruction

a) instruction, direction (human or divine)

1) body of prophetic teaching

2) instruction in Messianic age

3) body of priestly direction or instruction

4) body of legal directives

b) law

1) law of the burnt offering

2) of special law, codes of law

c) custom, manner

d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law

As you can see, there are many facets to the word “law” that are missed in the English translations. So if you use a broad brush stroke, you’ll have some significant interpretation problems. For instance, the word translated “law” in the New Covenant can refer to:

• The Mosaic Covenant

• Five Books of Moses

• The entire Tanak (Torah, Prophets and the Writings)

• A specific Biblical Command

• A Principle

• Legalism

• Parallel concepts of flesh or works – self-effort

Here’s another interesting observation. The first occurrence of the word “Torah” is found in Genesis 26:4-5. That means that the Torah was given to Abraham beforeMoses gave the Torah to the children of Israel.

The second occurrence of the word “Torah” is found in Exodus 12:49 which clearly shows that the Torah is not for the Jews only, but for everyone.

Study Texts: Genesis 26:4-5 Exodus 12:49

“…And all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because Abraham obeyed My Voice, and kept

My Charge,

My Commandments, My Statutes, and

My Torah."

“There shall be one Law (Torah) for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Abraham was considered righteous not only because he had faith but because he also obeyed the Commandment of Elohim.

Belief (faith) without action is dead. Even the demons believe (James 2:19). Abraham showed his faith by his works. His faith was active along with his works; and faith was completed by his works and he was called a friend of Elohim.

Once we are saved by grace through faith, then we must become doers of the Word. What is the Word of Elohim? It’s the Torah. What does it mean to be righteous? (See Strong’s #1342.)

Strong’s #1342 defines righteous as:

1) righteous, observing divine laws

a) in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God

1) of those who seem to themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves in their virtues, whether real or imagined

2) innocent, faultless, guiltless

3) used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life

a) only Christ truly

4) approved of or acceptable of God

b) in a narrower sense, rendering to each his due and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them

Again, faith is more than just belief; it involves action and obedience to Elohim’s Law/Torah. However, the word “law” has become a negative word in the modern Christian church. Sermons are preached across America that declare: “Christ [Messiah] did away with the law.” “He nailed it to the tree when He said, ‘It is finished.’” So how do we reconcile that with the statement Yahshua [Jesus] made? He said that He didn’t come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it (fill it up with meaning – give a proper interpretation of it).

Here’s the dilemma. We’ve been tricked into believing a wrong definition of sin. But, when we look into the Scripture we find in 1 John 3:4 that “sin” is lawlessness (Torahlessness). Remember the Torah is translated as “law” in our English Bibles.

Study Texts:

1 John 2:29

1 John 3:4

1 John 3:7-8

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone doing righteousness has been born of Him.

Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness (Torahlessness), and sin is lawlessness (Torahlessness).

Little children, let no one lead you astray. The one doing

righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. The one doing sin is of the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning.

Further evidence is found in Strong’s #265.

Strong’s #265 defines sin as:

1) equivalent to 264

a) to be without a share in

b) to miss the mark

c) to err, be mistaken

d) to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong

e) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin

2) that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act

3) collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many

Other facets of the law that we have to look at are: the structure of Rabbinic Jewish law, the Hebrew culture, the context of Paul’s teachings and where the text was mistranslated or poorly translated in our English Bibles. Otherwise Paul’s writings will be difficult if not impossible to understand. That’s why Peter warned us in 2 Peter 3:16 that there are some things in Paul’s letters that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction.

Study Text: 2 Peter 3:16

“…as also in all his (Paul’s) letters, speaking in them concerning these matters, in which some are hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the other Scriptures.”

After all Paul says some very positive things about the Law:

“The Torah [Law] is Spiritual” (Romans 7:14).

What did Paul say about the Law?

“…the Torah [Law] truly is Set-Apart [holy], and the Command Set-Apart [holy], and righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12).

“I delight in the Torah [Law] of Elohim according to the inward man…” (Romans 7:22).

“I myself truly serve the Torah [Law] of Elohim…” (Romans 7:25).

“For not the hearers of the Torah [Law] are righteous in the sight of Elohim, but the doers of the Law shall be declared right” (Romans 2:13).

“…we establish the Torah [Law]” (Romans 3:31).

“For the Torah of the Spirit of the life in Messiah Yahshua has set me free from the law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:2).

It’s Spiritual

It’s Righteous

It’s Good

He delights in it

He serves it

Doers of it are declared right

He establishes it

It has set me free

Present your members as servants of righteousness

Instruction

“For even as you did present your members as servants of uncleanness, and of lawlessness resulting in lawlessness, so now present your members as servants of righteousness [Torah] resulting in Set-Apartness” (Romans 6:19).

“For whatever was written before was written for our instruction [Torah], that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures [Old Covenant] we might have the expectation” (Romans 15:4).

“The circumcision is naught [nothing], and the uncircumcision is naught [nothing], but the guarding of the Commands of Elohim does matter!” (1 Corinthians 7:19).

“…and all were immersed into Mosheh [Torah] in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed, and the ROCK was Messiah” (1 Corinthians 10:2-4).

“Is the Torah then against the promises of Elohim? Let it not be!” (Galatians 3:21).

“For the secret of lawlessness [Torahlessness] is already atwork”(2Thessalonians 2:7).

“…and that from a babe you have known the SetApart Scriptures [Tanak], which are able to make you wise for deliverance through belief in Messiah Yahshua…” (2 Timothy 3:15).

Guarding it does matter

Spiritual Food

Spiritual Drink

It’s not against the promises of Elohim

The secret of lawlessness [Torahlessness] is already at work

Able to make you wise

Instruction in righteousness

“All Scripture [Torah] is breathed by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Again, Peter warned that we would have difficulty understanding some of Paul’s teachings because we are unlearned (2 Peter 3:16).

Here are some definitions of the phrases associated with the law from the Greek:

Upo nomon is Greek for “under law,” - to pervert the Torah into a legalistic system for working out one’s own righteousness / salvation. Those who were “under the law” were people burdened in a legalistic perspective of the Torah better known as the “oral law,” which embodies man made ordinances and restrictions.

Anomos is Greek for anti-Torah – 1) destitute of (the Mosaic) law; a) of the Gentiles; 2) departing from the law, a violator of the law, lawless wicked.

Ennomos is Greek for in-lawed or in the Torah – 1) bound to the law, 2) bound by the law, lawful, and 3) lawful, regular.

REVIEW:

Upo nomon is Greek for “under law” Anomos is Greek for “anti-Torah”

Ennomos is Greek for “in-lawed” or in the “Torah”

If someone is “under the law,” that person is following some man-made doctrines [not found in Scripture], or the letter of the law written on stone instead of the Spirit of the Law written on their heart, or some legalistic interpretation that goes beyond the Torah [as in Rabbinic Judiasim]. Someone who is “anti-Torah” either doesn’t know about the Torah [as is the case of most Gentiles] or believes it does not apply to them [like most Christians]. Those considered “in

Study Text: Deuteronomy 5:29

Oh, that they had such a heart (mind) in them, to fear Me and to guard all My Commands always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

the Law ,” follow the Torah in the Spirit of Yahshua. They walk as He walked - keeping His Sabbath, His Dietary Laws, and His Festivals and they use His real Name, with a truly converted heart (see Deuteronomy 5:29).

Beyond the different definitions of the Law, there are issues with inaccurate translations. Look at this verse in the KJV as opposed to the original Greek manuscripts.

Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are underthe law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (KJV).

Yet, the Greek manuscripts do not convey this meaning at all.

The English phrase translated “under the law” here should read “in the Law,” for the Greek text reads en to nomo, not upo nomon (“under law”). This verse addresses the question, to whom does the Torah speak? Contrary to the KJV, the Torah does not speak to those who are “under the law.”

It’s important to catch this difference because it will clarify some of the innocent misinterpretations that the Western Church has made that have kept us from worshipping our Creator in Spirit and in Truth. The correct translation shows that the Torah speaks to those who live within its boundaries – those who are “in the Law.” The phrase “under the law” refers to those who have perverted the pure Law of Elohim into some legalistic burden that no one can keep and should not be used in this verse.

Quite the opposite of bringing an end to the Law, Yahshua came to “make it perfect” to “fill it up with meaning,” to give the “correct interpretation.” He did not come to destroy or put an end to His own Law!

Some of the legalisms introduced by the Pharisees…many of which are still observed today…include the four basic categories of the “oral law,” i.e., Halachot, Takanot / Gezerah, Ma’asim, and Minhagim.

Halachot – “to go” or “to walk.” It refers to one’s lifestyle. The Torah Commands us to walk in a certain way. “The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He [Yahshua] walked.” (1 John 2:6). But the Pharisees and even many Rabbis today have established their own halachot

– based on their private interpretation of Scripture – an interpretation of the written Torah where context is irrelevant.

An example of Pharisaic halacha: The Scripture commands us not to do any ordinary work on the Sabbath. The Rabbis added 39 different categories and additional subcategories for what constitutes “work.” One such enactment is: You’re not allowed to flip a light switch because you’re connecting a circuit (work), but you can use a timer on the Sabbath.

Another practice was to remove parts of the text and just leave a phrase that can be interpreted as a halacha favorable to their authorityand control. This following example is actuallyone of their halacha:

“Do notfollow a crowd to do evil, nor bear witness in a strife so as to turn aside after many, to turn aside what is right” (Exodus 23:2).

They use this phrase (follow a crowd), striking out what they consider irrelevant, to instruct men to do what the majority of the Rabbis agree on without any regard for the context or what the actual text records.

Takanot and Gezerah – “enactments and decrees of Pharisaic law.” They are the commandments of the Rabbis. On the premise of “guarding” the Torah, they enacted additional laws as a way of putting a fence around the Torah, when actually these extra laws were used to enforce the authority of the Pharisees and later the Rabbis. Yahshua rebuked the Pharisees for their takanot.

Study Text:

Mark 7:8-9, 13

“You depart from God’s (Elohim’s) Command and hold onto human tradition [takanot].

Indeed, He said to them, ‘you have made a fine art of departing from God’s (Elohim’s) Command in order to keep your tradition [takanot]!

Thus, with your tradition [takanot] which you had handed down to you, you nullify the Word of God (Elohim)! And you do other things like this’ ” (CJB).

An example is their law requiring a daily ritual washing of hands which has nothing to do with hands that are dirty. This law teaches that when a person touches a holy book the hands become ritually impure. In other words, touching the Torah transmits uncleanness and washing their hands makes them pure again.

There is a law against “carrying” on the Shabbat and that’s why the

There is a law against “carrying” on the Shabbat and that’s why the 10 and told him to pick up his bed and walk.

A final example of this categtory is a decree against handling and touching things prohibited for use on Shabbat and Holy Days. This law included things like not having a match out on a table for fear that you might pick it up and light it. You’re not allowed to carry a pen or a pencil in your pocket for fear that you might write with it on Shabbat.

This is what Paul was talking about in Colossians 2:20-21, “If, then, you died with Messiah from the elementary matters of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations: Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle.” He was referring to the “oral law” of the Pharisees. This was in no way an indictment of the True Torah which exists in Genesis and still exists in Revelation.

In Matthew 15, the Pharisees and scribes asked Yahshua why His disciples break the tradition of the elders. He answered by asking them why they break the Commandments of Elohim for the sake of their tradition. And in verses 8 and 9 He quoted Isaiah 29:13, “Wherefore the Lord [Yahweh] said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men…” (KJV). So it was the commandments of men not the Commandments of Elohim that was the reason He confronted them.

Ma’asim is the next category – “work, do.” It can reference work done by Elohim or by man. However, the Pharisees tweaked it to mean a law created for all Israel based on the repeated actions of a Pharisee. So if a devout Pharisee consistently performs an action, it sets a precedent and becomes law for all Israel. Biblical proof is not needed because in their thinking, Pharisaic authority supersedes Scriptural authority. Paul referred to these man-made laws as “works of the law.”

When Paul wrote in Galatians 3:10: “ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse,” he was speaking about the oral tradition based upon the repetitive actions or deeds of a Pharisee. Therefore, those placing their confidence for salvation in the works of man are “under a curse” because they are rejecting the righteousness which Elohim has revealed in His Commandments (ALL TEN OF THEM). Also in Galatians 2:16 when Paul wrote, “…a man is not justified by the works of the law” he was referring to the Pharisaic man-made commandments, not the Torah / Law of Elohim.

This is a vivid example of ma’asim rabbinic style: There is a rule (work of the law) forbidding one to turn on a light switch on Shabbat because a famous Rabbi who lived from 1838 – 1933 did not turn on a light switch on Shabbat so it must be what the “oral law” requires.

Are you starting to get a picture of why Yahshua and Paul had such frequent confrontations with the Pharisees and those who followed their pattern of law?

Minhagim is our last category of Pharisaic law – These are legal traditions “customs” that are taught as Torah. The Rabbinic idea (Minhagim) is custom in Israel and is considered to be Torah.

For example, your head must be covered if you are making a blessing or if you walk four cubits (roughly six feet). It’s the custom – everyone is doing it, even though it’s not the command of Elohim.

If a male was circumcised and it was not according to Pharisaic custom, he would have to be re-circumcised.

Sabbath restrictions under the category of minhagim are numerous (in the hundreds) but the following short list should make it easy to understand how the oral tradition is burdensome and is not at all what Yahweh had in mind for His people.

1. You cannot travel more than 2,000 cubits (roughly 3,000 feet) outside the city limits

2. One could not trim their fingernails

3. A man could not trim his beard or mustache

4. A woman could not put on makeup

5. One could not climb a tree, ride a beast, swim in water, clap their hands, slap their thighs (to music) or stamp their feet (to dancing)

6. If a man found two parchment boxes in the field, he was required to take them back to his house one at a time. If that man exceeded his travel limit he would have to hand it to a man who had not exceeded his limit

7. There were limits on how far a scroll could unroll before one was no longer permitted to roll it back up

8. Creeping things found in the temple could not be removed on the Sabbath 9. One could not draw water on the Sabbath while traveling or eat food unless it was prepared before the Sabbath

10. One could not help his beast give birth, or help it out if it fell into a well

The Rabbinic “oral laws” that have been added to the Torah are BONDAGE, but the Torah Instructions from a loving Father to his children are FREEDOM!

Remember that “Torah” is translated as “Law” in the Greek when the more accurate translation in Hebrew is “instruction.” So this is the bottom line: If Yahshua is the

Study Text: 1 John 2:6

“The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He (Yahshua) walked.”

Word (Torah) made flesh; if He wrote the Torah with His finger; if He kept the Torah and told us to walk as He walked; then we need to obey what He told us to do.

Think about it: What is the Biblical definition of sin? How has the enemy caused the Church to sin unknowingly as it relates to the Law?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Think about it: What are the four Rabbinic Categories of the “oral law”? Briefly describe each one.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Lesson IDOLS, IDOLS EVERYWHERE

7

From Genesis to Revelation, Yahweh continually dealt with His people about idolatry. The American Church has embraced three major idols that were inherited centuries ago. However, Yahweh continues

to expose idolatry and call His people back to Himself – to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

The only way we can discern truth from falsehood is to shine the light of the Torah on it. Nothing is going to line up right, even though it looks straight, if it can’t be found in the Torah. Without His Instruction Manual, we can easily end up thinking we’re honoring Him when in reality we’re doing just the opposite (remember the golden calf in Exodus 32?).

Study Text:

Exodus 20:3

“You have no other mighty ones [god’s] against My face.”

He is restoring His original seasons (Mo’edim in Hebrew), because He wants us to know His plan of redemption and to be “watching” for His return; both of which are tied to His Festivals. Yahweh’s seasons (His Holy Convocations) have been clearly outlined in His Instruction Manual, the Torah. It is His “plum line.”

If the Church had been following His Instruction Manual, she never would have fallen into the enemy’s trap of celebrating “unholy” holidays. What does the word “Christmas,” evergreen trees; decorations galore, wreaths, holly berries, Yule logs, mistletoe, and December 25thhave to do with our Savior? Nothing!

The word “Christmas” comes from two words: 1) Christos (Greek) for anointed; and 2) missa (Latin) meaning depart. It was the last word spoken at a Catholic Mass. So the word Christmas means ‘anointed-depart.’

First century believers knew nothing of this holiday. They celebrated Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. So where did the Christmas holiday and its customs get started?

The Ancient Babylonians celebrated the feast of the Son of Isis (goddess of nature) on December 25th.

Traditions: Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving.

The ancient Greeks celebrated Bacchanalia to honor their god Dionysus, also called Bacchus, (the god of wine); it spread from Greece to Rome.

Traditions: Singing, dancing and nocturnal orgies.

The Romans celebrated Saturnalia honoring Saturn (the god of agriculture) during the Winter

Solstice (meaning sun-stop), many years before Messiah. The Winter Solstice represents the shortest day of the year, i.e., between the sun rising and the sun setting which happens between December 22nd and December 25th. To Pagans, this meant that winter had ended and spring was coming. And they had a festival to celebrate it where they worshipped the sun for winning over the darkness of winter. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun.

Traditions : Merrymaking; singers and dancers (called the Mummers) dressed in costumes and traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors; [Christmas caroling was born from this custom]; businesses were closed except those that provided food or revelry; gambling, drinking, and feasting were encouraged; people exchanged gifts (called strenae), from the vegetation goddess Strenia; men dressed as women or in the hides of animals and caroused in the streets; and candles and lamps were used to frighten the spirits of darkness. The Romans also dated the winter solstice as December 25th.

Regarding gift giving: At one time, human sacrifices were offered to Saturn; later, presents took the form of wax tapers and dolls during the Saturnalia. As we exchange Christmas presents, are we unknowingly preserving (although under a different form) a most barbaric, savage custom?

In northern Europe , The pagans celebrated their own winter solstice, known as Yule; honoring Mithras (the sun god). It was also known as the Twelve Nights – celebrated from December 25th to January 6th.

Traditions : It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year. Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes. Shrines and other sacred places were decorated with holly, ivy, and bay. It was a time for feasting and drinking.

When Christmas was introduced in the fourth century, converts were told to worship the Son of God instead of the sun god. Although the focus of the holiday changed, the pagan customs and practices remained mostly unchanged; they were just given invented Christian meanings. Ecclesiastes 7:29 warned about this very thing.

Again, first century believers never observed Christmas; they celebrated the customary “Feasts of Yahweh” that are listed in Leviticus 23. In fact, Christmas was not celebrated in Rome until about 300 years after Messiah’s death. In an effort to convert the Roman pagans to Christianity, Pope Julius I declared that Messiah’s birth would be celebrated on December 25th the date that corresponded to the pagan’s feast. This was a

Study Text:

Ecclesiastes 7:29

“Truly, this only I have found: that Elohim made man straight, but they have sought out many devices

(inventions).”

major departure from those exhorted to “earnestly contend for the belief which was once for all delivered to the Set-Apart ones” in Jude 3.

Many people defend Christmas and believe all its customs have been Christianized and are now acceptable to Yahweh. Well, exactly who Christianized it? MEN! Did they get the Father’s permission? NO! Regardless of our good intentions, He’s the One Who decides how we are to love and honor Him.

Study Text: Jude 3

“…earnestly

contend for the

belief which was once for all

delivered to the setapart ones.”

“Here is what Yahweh says, ‘Do not learn the way of the gentiles…for the prescribed customs of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They adorn it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it does not topple.’ ” (Jeremiah 10:2-4).

“Do not do so to הוהי (Yahweh) your Elohim, for every abomination whichהוהי(Yahweh) hates they have done to their mighty ones…” (Deuteronomy 12:31).

When we find out that He hates these things, what should our response be? Repentance!

We’ve been deceived for centuries into thinking we’re pleasing Him when in fact we’re “displeasing” Him when we celebrate pagan holidays. (Even if we have “good” intentions – golden calves are still golden calves.)

There is irrefutable evidence as well that the Messiah’s birth could not have taken place on December 25th.

First , Luke 2:7-8 reveals that shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of His birth. However, shepherds would not be spending the night in the fields guarding their flocks during December because it is cold and rainy in Judea. Further, there would not be any pasturage at that time.

Second , according to Luke 2:1-4, Yahshua’s parents came to Bethlehem to register in the census ordered by Caesar Augustus. Taking a census when temperatures often dropped below freezing and roads were in poor condition would have been self-defeating. Therefore, such censuses were not taken in winter.

Third, it would have been nearly impossible for His mother, Miryam (Mary), to make such a journey of about 70 miles through a hill district averaging about 3,000 feet above sea-level, in the dead of winter.

Finally , history reveals that Yahshua’s birth most likely took place in the fall during the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles making crystal clear the meaning of John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent [Tabernacled] among us…” This Feast is seven days long and the next day, the eighth day (when Messiah would have been circumcised), is a high Sabbath known as the Last Great Day.

According to Biblical accounts, Elisheva (Elizabeth) was six months pregnant when Miriam (Mary) conceived Yahshua (see Luke 1:24-36). So if we can determine Yochanan’s (John’s) conception and birth, we can determine the approximate time of year Yahshua was born. Priests served in the Temple during specific “courses” throughout the year and Z’kharyah (Zacharias), served during the course of Abiyah (Luke 1:5). Historical calculations indicate this course of service corresponded to June 13-19 in that year.

http://levendwater.org/companion/append179.html#times.

Study Text:

John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent [Tabernacled] among us…”

Looking at this time period (June 13 – 19) in Luke 1:5-13 when Z’kharyah learned that his wife, Elisheva, would bear him a son, and counting six months forward from June, we come to December, the month that Yahshua would have been CONCEIVED. Then counting nine months forward from December, we reach the month of September – the month He would have been BORN. Obviously, He wasn’t born on a pagan holiday as we’ve been led to believe for the last 2,000 years.

When we celebrate Christmas, we are literally putting other gods in His face, whether we think we are or not. It really isn’t any different than what the children of Israel did at Mount Sinai. Did they not say after they fashioned the golden calf, “Tomorrow is a festival to Yahweh” (Exodus 32:5)? They were worshipping Him in a pagan manner. He didn’t like it then and He doesn’t like it now!

The only way we can know how to please Him is to study His Word and follow His Instructions.

Another idol in the Christian Church is another cherished “un-holy” Christian holiday. EASTER! Just like Christmas, Easter was not considered a “Christian” holiday until the fourth century. The first century believers celebrated Passover according to Leviticus 23:5.

Study Text: Exodus 32:1-5

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron…. all the people took off the rings of gold…And he….fashioned it….and made a golden calf… And Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord [Yahweh] (ESV).

What do new clothes; Easter baskets; chocolate rabbits; dyed eggs, and a ham for dinner on Easter Sun-day have to do with the Savior’s resurrection? And the ancient pagan ritual of an Easter sunrise service is still practiced in England today.

QUESTION : Have we (unknowingly) been worshipping some camouflaged ancient pagan idol? Through stealth the enemy has been destroying Yahweh’s people. In John 10:10 Yahshua warned us that, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to slaughter, and to destroy.”

Study Text: Leviticus 23:5

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings, is the Passover to הוהי (Yahweh). Here is another destructive pagan custom:

Typical Christian sunrise services are held outside where participants face the east so they can see the sun come up during the service. In Ezekiel 8:15-16 Yahweh spoke to Ezekiel: “Then He (Yahweh) said to me (Ezekiel), ‘Have you seen this, O son of man? You are to see still greater abominations than these.’ And He brought me into the inner court of the House of Yahweh. And there, at the door of the Hĕkal (Temple) of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the Hĕkal (Temple) of Yahweh and their faces toward the east, and they were bowing themselves eastward to the sun.”

(There is nothing new under the sun, Ecclesiastes 1:9 .)

Yahweh is not pleased when we do the same things idolaters do. He wants us to love Him the way He wants not the way we want. How do we show that we love Him? He gives us the answer in His Word.

Exodus 20:6 , “…and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My Commandments” (KJV).

John 14:15, “If you love Me, you shall guard [keep / do] My Commands.”

John 14:21, “He who possesses My Commandsand

Yahweh says…

• Keep My Commandments

• Guard My Commands

• Possess My Commands

• Do Whatever I Command

• Walk according to His

Commands

guards [keeps / does] them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and manifest Myself to him.”

John 15:14, “You are My friends if you do whatever I Commandyou.”

1 John 5:3, “For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard [keep / do] His Commands…”

2 John 1:6 , “And this is the love, that we walk [do] according to His Commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9, “And you shall know that Yahweh your Elohim, He is Elohim, the trustworthy Ěl guarding [keeping / doing] Covenant and kindness for a thousand generations with those who love Him, and those who guard [keep / do] His Commands…”

From these verses we see that keeping Yahweh’s Commandments are important, and Easter is not one of them, but the enemy has put this pagan celebration right against His face, without even changing its pagan name or its customs. When Yahshua talks about keeping His Commandments, He’s referring to the Ten Commandments found in the Tanak (Old Covenant), because the New Covenant did not exist at this time.

In order to justify calling Easter a Christian holiday, the enemy had to sneak it into one Bible translation, at least one time (see Acts 12:4 KJV). However, The Companion Bible’s margin notes for Acts 12:4 on page 1607 reads:

“Easter is a heathen term, derived from the Saxon goddess Eastre, the same as Astarte, the Syrian Venus, called Ashtoreth in the O.T.” The margin notes also reflect that “Easter” in the passage is actually the Greek word Pascha or Passover.

It’s a blatant mistranslation in the King James Version! Although some would like us to believe that Easter is just another name for Passover, in reality there are no similarities.

So why do you suppose the translators chose to use the name of a heathen goddess – also known as the “Queen of Heaven” – instead of the correct translation used elsewhere in the New Covenant? Could it be anti-Semitism residing in the hearts of the translators (fueled by Satan), that caused this and other errors in the New Covenant?

This particular error has been corrected in other translations, even in the NKJV. However, it seems the damage has already been done because the whole world thinks that Easter is actually a Christian holiday sanctioned by Elohim, when it is not.

What do the customs of Easter have to do with our Messiah’s resurrection? NOTHING! Yet it’s observed on the same day that all the sun-worshippers celebrated Easter / Eastre / Astarte / Ashtoreth (using these same customs) for thousands of years.

QUESTION: How did these customs become part of our Christian heritage?

We have Constantine to thank for merging paganism with Christianity by inventing “so called” Christian holidays on pagan days, using pagan customs. It’s called syncretism (a mixture). Remember, the early assembly of believers kept Passover. They did so for nearly 300 years until it was outlawed by Constantine in about 325 A.D.

Celebrating Christmas and Easter because everybody is doing it doesn’t make it right in the eyes of Yahweh. He has Commanded us to keep His Festivals, which give details about His first coming and His second coming. Christmas and Easter are “counterfeits.”

Yahweh’s Feasts are for everyone – they are His appointed times – His wedding rehearsals. One of the ways the enemy has been masterfully deceptive is by convincing Christians that the Feasts found in the Tanak (Old Covenant) are the Yahudim (Jews) feasts. But a careful reading of Leviticus 23:2 clearly shows that they are Yahweh’s Feasts.

“Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), and say to them, ‘The Appointed Times of Yahweh, which you are to proclaim as Set-Apart gatherings, MyAppointed Times, are these.’ ”

Not only are they Yahweh’s Feasts, but they are for the stranger as well as the home born.

“There is one Torah for the native-born and for the stranger who sojourns among you” (Exodus 12:49).

“And when a stranger sojourns among you, then he shall perform the Passover of Yahweh. He shall do so according to the Law [Torah / Instructions] of the Passover and according to its right-ruling. You have one Law [Torah / Instruction], both for the stranger and the native of the land” (Numbers 9:14).

“One Law [Torah / Instruction] is for you [the Israelite] of the assembly and for the stranger [non-Israelite] who sojourns with you – a Law [Torah / Instruction] forever throughout your generations. As you are, so is the stranger before Yahweh. One Torah and one right-ruling is for you [the Israelite] and for the stranger [non-Israelite] who sojourns with you” (Numbers 15:15-16).

When we receive Yahshua as Savior, Romans 11 teaches that we (Gentiles) are grafted in among the home born and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree (Yahshua), and we shouldn’t boast as if we were better than the branches (Israel)! We become members of the commonwealth of Israel. And there is much we can learn from the branches…not the Pharisaic legalisms of the oral torah…but the True Torah.

From the very beginning Satan has been scheming to get people to transgress Elohim’s Laws…it started in the Garden of Eden. And non-biblical practices are some of his chief devices. If Yahweh didn’t accept pagan festivals back then, does He accept them now as a part of our worship to Him, even if they’ve been “so called” Christianized? NO!

He has His own Festivals which are His Appointed Times that He wants to meet with us for our wedding rehearsals. But for the most part, the Church has said, “No thank you.”

FINAL WARNING: Don’t get caught observing counterfeits – being lukewarm!

“Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14 KJV).

As you can see from the passage above, His true worshippers will be Commandment keepers, i.e., they will keep the Laws of Yahweh revealed in the Torah.

TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. You have no other mighty ones against My face (Easter, Christmas, and Sun-day worship represent pagan gods)

2. You do not make for yourself a carved image (Customs associated with Christmas, Easter, and Sun-day worship, including carved statues)

3. You do not bring the Name of Yahweh your Elohim to naught (Bring it into non-use by replacing His Name with titles)

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart (Sun-day worship instead of resting and honoring Him on the seventh-day Sabbath)

5. Respect your father and your mother

6. You do not murder

7. You do not commit adultery

8. You do not steal

9. You do not bear false witness against your neighbour

10. You do not covet

Yahweh is calling those who have ears to hear to return to Him and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Will you listen and respond? He’s coming back soon for His Bride. Will you have oil in your lamp? Will your garments be white?

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire 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 (Torahlessness)!’ ”

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on THE ROCK, and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on THE ROCK. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not do them, shall be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:21-27).

Let’s Run to Him and

Keep His Commandments!