News Letter 5849-051
7th day of the 12th month 5849 years after the creation of Adam
The 12th Month in the Fourth year of the third Sabbatical Cycle
The Third Sabbatical Cycle of the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Earthquakes Famines, and Pestilences

February 8, 2014

Shabbat Shalom Brethren,

Last week we updated the article we sent out about the moon which was not sighted. Here is it again, making this Sabbath the 7th day of the 12th month.

Based on observers who have reported in, the new moon was NOT seen in Israel due to clouds.

Unless we get more reports telling us it was or was not sighted, the new moon of the Twelfth Biblical Month will be February 1, 2014 at sunset by default.

Thanks to everyone, named and unnamed, who are so faithful to Yehovah’s instructions! We depend on you so much!!

The Aviv search will begin on the 27th and 28th of February 2014, with a projected new moon sighting on March 2, 2014. As much as we would all LOVE to go to Israel, we cannot all do so. You can still take part in this most important event by contributing to help the Aviv search happen!

You can help by clicking on the donate link at: http://www.karaite-korner.org/

You may also donate through Nehemia’s foundation: http://makorhebrew.org/

[Devorah Daniel in Texas, reporting for Nehemia Gordon who is the wandering Jew, wandering around Laos]

Do you all realize that if the barley is found now to be ripe in this the 12th month, we could have Passover in just under 6 weeks time! Yes, I do know that the Gregorian calendars all say Passover is in April, but you also need to be ready just in case. So this is your warning. And again the words of Yehshua still hold true, that “no man can know the day or the hour of His coming” and the reason is because we cannot know when the Holy Days are until the barley is ripe and the moon sighted; beginning the New Year.

All of you have been watching the video series about the Curses and The Ten Lost Tribes and many have come to understand that we are Israel; those of direct descent and also those who are grafted in by obeying the Torah. Many were excited to learn the many proof’s we provided about how to identify where Israel is today. Many more were amazed about the heraldry and could see these same symbols in their own family crests.

Many have come to learn about the Sabbatical Years and when they are as well as the curses that are now happening- and you were pleased to have learned these truths. I have asked you all to share them on your Facebook pages and on Google. But not all of you do this. This message goes from me to you and then stops. You do need to share it with others, and you need to talk about it everywhere you go! Remember, in the video on The Prophecies of the Law of Niddah, what I shared with you about the foolish virgins who would not speak up, they were not allowed in to the wedding supper. The following letter would not have happened had someone not talked to this person. It could be you doing this. It should be all of you doing this each week and every day.

Dear Joseph Dumond,

About two months ago I saw your recently recorded available videos from the Feast of Tabernacles after a friend of ours suggested we check them out. We had been talking to her about the seven year release and the Jubilee Years as mentioned in Scripture. I didn’t know much about them but had taken a cursory interest in them and could see how keeping them would cause both lenders and borrowers to be more responsible and would ‘reset’ the financial playing field on a regular schedule causing the financial system to be stable. Of course they are not kept, leaving the world in financial turmoil.

I didn’t know what I was getting into! Wow and Wow. They go way beyond financial stability! I am overwhelmed with the amount of information, the depth and the breadth of it. I have read ‘2016’ and I am half way through ‘Prophecies of Abraham’. I thank God-Yehovah that He has revealed these things to you and that you are teaching them. I am looking forward to your release of the rest of the videos and the next book.

I have so much catching up to do and the times seems so short. I think that I remember that you have a powerpoint presentation available for supporters at a certain level? If so, I would like a copy and thanks in advance.

Enclosed, you will find a donation to help with your work.
Again, I am looking forward to the release of more information.
May Yehovah Bless your work

JS

Idamay WV.

There have been many and still are many who are trying to prove me wrong. And others who want me to be wrong and did not and do not like the message I bring forward. They are holding on to the Daniel Timeline lie and hope it is right, but some are now realizing the Daniel Timeline is a false teaching.

Mr. Dumond, just want to say I have never seen so much research involved in videos and books.  Not sure when you have time to dig ditches!  Amazing work.  I was not a “believer” when you first put the Prophecies of Abraham out there.  I wanted you to be wrong.  Really wanted Daniel’s Timeline to be right and this all to be over in a couple years.  Probably not happening.  I don’t know how to make sense of the charts but am trying.  The Sabbatical book has my interest.  Can’t wait for the print one here as e-books and I don’t get along well.  Love the videos but still trying to digest it all.  I hope I live long enough to see this all play out and pray I will know and understand how to live these laws in a time and place that is not sympathetic to obedience of any kind.  My kids and grandkids are my biggest concern.  Thanks for all you do.  Hope you can keep going forward.

Until Sukkot this past fall, I had not seen too many young people learning about this subject or even interested. But at Sukkot I was able to meet some young men and women who were learning this and being taught by their parents. I thought this was awesome. So this next letter blew me away. This young man began when he was 13.

Hello Mr. Dumond,

My name is Chandler. I am 14 years old. I heard about your book, the Prophecies of Abraham, from a fellow Messianic believer at Sukkot. I must say, at first, what he was saying sounded kind of like those conspiracy theories, with America losing the war in 2020 and jubilee supposed to prove it or whatever. But what he said interested me, so I bought you books, and whoosh. Everything went over my head. I watched your video that you have uploaded at http://www.yah-tube.com/ and it made sense, but the book, I didn’t understand. It sat on my shelf for the better part of a year before I picked it up again and began reading. I found your new website, watched your teachings, and it all makes sense now! Thank you for opening my eyes to these prophecies. I am currently trying to get the rest of my family to read your books or watch your videos, but they are busy a lot of the time. I really don’t understand, in your Assyrian teaching, how Cush and Nimrod, have to do with the Chatti and the Germans. Could you please explain? Also, in one of your teachings, you said that you would give you notes to people who wanted them and stuff, so I was wondering if I could look at all the information/research you have uncovered. If not, that is ok too.

Thank you again for the amazing research you have done. I really appreciate it.

Another lady from Canada wrote to say:

Joseph Dumond how can I thank you enough for sending me on a journey for Truth? Your video series is extremely intense and does need to be proven by each and every one of us. But you have given me a place to start. Wow, do I have a lot of work to do!

There are so many Biblical things you teach that I have never even heard of. Until just a few short years ago I had no idea what the Bible held for me/us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your hard work!

SE

Saskatchewan

In the past few weeks we have released the Prophecies of the Law of Niddah, The 70 Shabua of Daniel and The 2300 Days of Hell. In addition, we released our e-book by the same title: The 2300 Days of Hell which is now available on our website.

Each of them point to the fact that war is coming in the 4th Jubilee Cycle and, more specifically, that in 2020 the USA and UK and her commonwealth countries will be destroyed, starved and enslaved. Ninety percent of the current populations within these mighty countries are going to be wiped out.

There are some who have been extremely enthusiastic and are sharing the videos as they are released. They were and are still excited to be learning these truths. But then comes the realities of life when they stop and really contemplate what is being told to them- which they can now see clearly from their Bible after watching the video teachings.

They have family and loved ones which they are very concerned about. They have sons & daughters, nieces & nephews and babies that have recently been born. They have parents and aunts and uncles; friends and best friends and none of them, NONE OF THEM, KEEP THE TORAH NOR WANT TO! And they now know what is in store for them after watching the 2300 Days of Hell.

In fact we have shown you that it is Germany that is the “Assyria” of the Bible that is going to be attacking us along with the muslims which they will be allied with. In the article in this next paragraph, is information which shows that the atrocities of the Nazi’s in World War II were far worse than formerly thought. You have all heard that about 6 million Jews alone were killed in the death camps; well, it was even more horrific as this article explains:

There were more than 42,500 Nazi ghettos and camps throughout Europe from 1933 to 1945.

There were 30,000 slave labor camps; 1,150 Jewish ghettos; 980 concentration camps; 1000 prisoner of war camps; 500 brothels filled with sex slaves; and thousands of other camps used for euthanizing the elderly and infirm, performing forced abortions, “Germanizing” prisoners or transporting victims to killing centers.

The best estimate using current information available is 15 to 20 million people who died or were imprisoned in sites controlled by the Germans throughout the European continent.

These are the very same things I have been telling you about in the coming enslavement of our mighty nations and its people being forced to labour until they drop dead. Sex slaves for the pleasure of the enemy soldiers. Women, wives and your daughters repeatedly raped many times each and every day; the old are just killed off. These things they have already done and they will do them again in the very near future.

Perhaps even some of you who are reading this have not been keeping the Sabbath or the Holy Days or have never kept the Sabbatical Year before and you are now realizing the punishment that is coming to those who will not keep the Torah; those whom you love.

One lady wrote;

Until recently I had avoided reading the OT, so my knowledge of the OT teachings, festivals and feast are limited, a lot of what I am hearing in the video is hard for me to understand, I want so badly to understand ALL of this! Pray for me that God will help me to understand!
JH

Another man wrote to say;

Your works are just awesome & I now understand why I never was interest in History; it did not make sense to me & I had a feeling it was not true. I have now watched The Curses #1 & #2, the 10 lost tribes #3 & #4 and this is just Amazing! But I am not really sure how I will be able to do more than praying for forgiveness of my sins & asking Jesus & Jahweh to come into my life & make me a better human being. I am following the 10 commandments but I am not sure how I will be able to follow the Sabbath & the Sabbatical Years. If my Company tells me to work on Saturday I will have to or I will lose my job. I do know that Sunday is not correct, but what can I do? How shall I honor the Sabbatical Years? If I do not work for a whole year, my family & I will be in trouble.
Anyway, your research is just awesome!
MR,
Thailand

If you are breaking the 4th commandment; if you are not keeping Holy the weekly 7th Day Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday and are, instead, working on this day or having others work for you (as you do when you go shopping or to restaurants;) If you are not keeping the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 at the right time according to the barley being Aviv and the New Moon being sighted; if you are adding other “holidays” such as Chanukah or Purim or Christmas or Easter, to those in Lev 23; if you’re not keeping the Sabbatical years- the bottom line is, you are sinning.

If you keep on sinning, then how is Yehovah going to forgive you? He cannot forgive you until you stop sinning.

Some of you have become depressed and sick to your stomachs as you realize you are a sinner and that you are not in His grace. Why? Because many have been deceived into believing that “Jesus” died so they no longer have to keep any laws and are “saved by grace.” You may be thinking about the punishment that is coming to you and your families and you no longer want to learn these truths. You want to just hide away and live the rest of your days without hearing and knowing more.

Need I remind you of what happened to Jonah who tried to run from Yehovah?

Your depression is a result of your own soul convicting you of your own guilt.

Stop and ask why Yehovah is sending the Assyrians and the Muslims! Ask why!

Ask yourself why Yehovah sends any of the curses He sends! WHY? Do you read His Word or not? Do you believe Him or not?

You get excited when you learn all these truths but become depressed when you realize these curses are true- and just around the corner is the curse of war and you know it is coming. Yet you are depressed, WHY?

Read Yehovah’s own words yet again.

Lev 26:14  But if you will not listen to Me, and will not do all these commandments, 15  and if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul hates My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, so that you break My covenant; 16  I will also do this to you:

That was the reason for the first curse. You would not listen to Him! You would not keep His Commandments! You despised His Statutes! You hated His judgments! And you would not keep His Commandments even though you knew them and you, YOU broke the Covenant! YOU DID!

In spite of this, He gives you another chance. But again you will not obey; so then Yehovah says that after the above curse then:

Lev 26:18  And if you will not yet listen to Me for all this, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

Yehovah has now given you two chances to repent and return the Covenant. But if you continue to remain stiff-necked and stubborn, then Yehovah says:

Lev 26:21  And if you walk contrary to Me, and will not listen to Me, I will bring seven times more plagues on you according to your sins.

Having now given you three chances to repent and return to His blessings and seeing that most will not repent He then gives us the 4th warning- which is what I have been telling you about and shown you how it is just a few years away from being acted out. Notice it is Yehovah that brings the sword. Yehovah does it.

Lev 26:23  And if you will not be reformed by Me by these things, but will still walk contrary to Me, 24  then I will walk contrary to you and will punish you seven times more for your sins. 25  And I will bring a sword

And Yehovah’s last curse for those who will not obey Him is this final curse which is so devastating.

Lev 26:27  And if you will not for all of this listen to Me, but will walk contrary to Me, 28  then I will walk contrary to you also in fury. And I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

The reasons to be depressed are justified; if, “IF” you will not repent. But those who will keep His judgments, who will keep His laws and commandment and statutes have nothing to worry about. But if you do not want to obey Yehovah and keep His Torah then you will be very depressed as you come to know how He is about to wipe all those who will not keep His Torah off the face of the earth.

Eze 14:12  The Word of Jehovah came again to me, saying, 13  Son of man, when a land sins against Me by traitorous betraying, then I will stretch out My hand on it, and will break the staff of its bread, and will send famine on it, and will cut off man and beast from it. 14  And though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver only their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord Jehovah.

 

15  If I cause destroying beasts to come through the land, and they spoil it so that it is deserted, so that no one may pass through because of the beasts, 16  though these three men were in its midst, as I live, says the Lord Jehovah, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only shall be delivered, but the land shall be deserted.

17  Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it; 18  though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord Jehovah, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

19  Or if I send a plague into that land, and pour out My fury on it in blood, to cut off man and beast from it; 20  though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord Jehovah, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter. They shall only deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

21  For so says the Lord Jehovah: How much more when I send My four evil judgments on Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the destroying beast, and the plague, to cut off man and beast from it. 22  Yet, behold, there shall be left a remnant in it that shall be brought out, sons and daughters. Behold, they shall come out to you, and you shall see their way and their doings. And you shall be comforted concerning the evil that I brought on Jerusalem, for all that I have brought on it. 23  And they shall comfort you when you see their way and their doings. And you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says the Lord Jehovah.

These curses in Ezekiel are the same ones told to you above in Lev 26. So the question you should be asking is “how does one become righteous?” What is the righteousness of Noah, Job and Daniel?

Psa 119:165  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumbling block for them.166  Jehovah, I have hoped for Your salvation, and have done Your Commandments.167  My soul has kept Your testimonies; and I love them very much.168  I have kept Your Commandments and Your testimonies; for all my ways are before You.169  TAU: Let my cry come near to You, O Jehovah; give me wisdom according to Your Word.170  Let my prayer come before You; deliver me according to Your Word.171  My lips shall utter praise, when You have taught me Your Precepts.

172  My tongue shall speak Your Word, for all Your Commandments are righteousness.

It is by keeping the commandments, the very same commandments that Christianity says are done away, that we must keep. Ignoring the Sabbath and not keeping the Holy Days and not keeping the upcoming Sabbatical year is against the law of Yehovah. Do so at your own peril.

Jas 2:18  But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith from my works. 19  You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble. 20  But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22  Do you see how faith worked with his works, and from the works faith was made complete? 23  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.” 24  You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25  And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way? 26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Christians who claim to be saved by grace ignore the very words of Yehovah Himself from Mount Sinai who, in giving the Ten Commandments, tells us the grace/mercy He will bestow on those people who repent.

Exo 20:5  You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I Jehovah your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, 6  and

showing mercy to thousands of those that love Me and keep My commandments.

Mercy here is;

H2617     ???     chêsêd    kheh’-sed

From H2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opprobrium) reproof, or (subjectively) beauty: – favour, good deed (-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.

It is Grace in the New Testament.

Eph 2:8  For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, 9  not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The word “Grace” according to Bible scholars and theologians means “unmerited favour” – the concept that none of us in the human race deserve to be saved because we are all wretched sinners.  But Yehovah through His “graciousness” died for us and for all sinners, so those who “make the right choice” and repent will be saved. Those who do not will not be saved, will not be given grace or mercy for keeping the commandments.

The members of the majority of today’s “Christian” Churches claim to be New Testament “Christians” which usually means that they believe they are “Saved by Grace” and that the Law (the Ten Commandments) was done away with at the Cross and does not have to be kept any longer.

Yet the majority of Christians would be horrified if their Pastor informed them that this means that children, whether young or grown, no longer are required to honour and respect their parents, that the Bible permits murder, adultery, stealing, lying, coveting, the worship of idols, and profaning God’s name.

No, the Christian Church believes that one MUST keep THOSE Commandments in order to be called a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ.  In addition, all these things are spoken of in the New Testament.  So even though, according to today’s Christians, the “LAW” (the Ten Commandments) was “done away with at the Cross,” nine of the Ten Commandments (excluding the Fourth Commandment – the Seventh-day Sabbath Commandment) were reinstated in the New Testament, they say, mandating their incorporation into the Christian life – even though “no one can really keep them.”

This means that ALL of the Ten Commandments STILL must be kept, or one must at least attempt to keep them, except apparently, the Fourth Commandment, the Seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) Commandment.  That one, according to the vast majority of the Christian Churches of today, was the ONLY one actually “done away with” at the cross.

We are told that keeping the Fourth Commandment is “works” and was given only to the “Jews” even though the Sabbath was made Holy by Yehovah and instituted by Him in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve (who certainly were NOT Jewish) and for their offspring – the WHOLE Human Race!

Despite Yehshua Himself saying that the Seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) was given by Yehovah to ALL of humanity!

“The Sabbath was made for mankind (humanity – anthropos in the Greek – the root word for the study of Humanity – anthropology) and not mankind for the Sabbath.”  Mark 2:27

And even though Yehshua Himself (Who is God in the flesh) said that He is LORD of the Shabbat

“The Son of Man is LORD of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5

So it is the keeping of the Commandments that saves us by the Grace/Mercy of Yehovah when we return to keeping them. The keeping of these commandments are what give us our righteousness. And, like Abraham, who was said to be righteous by his faith and then lied or like Moses who was the meekest of all men which means he was the most teachable of all men in obeying Yehovah and yet he murdered an Egyptian; or even King David who was a man after Yehovah’s own heart and yet committed adultery.

Grace or Mercy was given to each of them once they repented. Even Nathan said to David that he would not die AFTER he repented. But had he not repented, even King David would have died.

2Sa 12:13  And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

Now getting back to you. You have messed up and you now see what is coming. You can repent and be shown Yehovah’s Mercy. But you must  show Yehovah you are serious by keeping the Sabbath; by keeping the Holy Days each year and then keeping the Sabbatical Year in 2016. You have to show Him you will obey. It is a work and then He will bless you. Do you understand this? This is expressing your faith in His Torah! You must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. You must DO your faith by your actions.

Read in Ezekiel what Yehovah is going to do and make note of why He is going to do it.

Eze 20:1  And it happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to ask of Jehovah, and sat before me. 2  And came the Word of Jehovah to me, saying, 3  Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Have you come to ask of Me? As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you. 4  Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers. 5  And say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: In the day that I chose Israel, and lifted up My hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt; when I lifted up My hand to them, saying, I am Jehovah your God; 6  in the day that I lifted up My hand to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; 7  then I said to them, Let each man throw away the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.

Eze 20:8  But they rebelled against Me and would not listen to Me. They did not each man throw away the abominations of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. And I said, I will pour out My fury against them to fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9  But I worked for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the nations among whom they were, for I made Myself known to them in their eyes, by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

Eze 20:10  And I caused them to go out from the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11  And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. 12  And also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am Jehovah who sets them apart.

Right here you have read how Israel had kept the abominations of Egypt and had continued to worship them. This is the golden calf incident. But Yehovah spared them and gave them the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. And He gave them His Sabbaths as a special sign between us and Him. And you will now read how Israel profaned those Sabbaths.

Eze 20:13  But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man does, he shall even live in them. And they greatly profaned My sabbaths. And I said, I will pour out My fury on them in the wilderness to destroy them. 14  But I worked for My name’s sake, so that it should not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I brought them out. 15  And also I lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey; it is the glory of all lands; 16  because they despised My judgments and walked not in My sabbaths; and they profaned My sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17  But My eye spared them from destroying them, nor did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

Now we are going to read about Israel when they are in the Land and how they would not obey the Statutes or keep the Sabbaths Holy. This is when He scattered Israel amongst the nations. And while they were in these foreign nations, He gave them laws and statutes they could not live by.

Eze 20:18  But I said to their sons in the wilderness, Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19  I am Jehovah your God. Walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them, 20  and keep My sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am Jehovah your God. 21  But the sons rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes, nor kept My judgments to do them; the judgments which, if a man do, he shall even live in them; they profaned My sabbaths and I said I would pour out My fury on them, to fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.

Eze 20:22  But I withdrew My hand and worked for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations, from whom I brought them out in their eyes. 23  I also lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations and scatter them through the lands, 24  because they had not done My judgments, but had despised My sabbaths and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

Eze 20:25  Also I gave them statutes not good, and judgments by which they should not live.26  And I defiled them in their own gifts, in that they caused all that open the womb to pass through the fire, that I might waste them, to the end that they might know that I am Jehovah.

Eze 20:27  Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a sin against Me.28  When I had brought them into the land for which I lifted up My hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered their sacrifices there. And there they offered their provoking gifts. There also they made their sweet aroma, and poured out their drink offerings there.29  And I said to them, What is the high place to which you go? And the name of it is called High Place to this day.30  Therefore say to the house of Israel, So says the Lord Jehovah: Are you defiled in the same way as your fathers? And do you go whoring after their abominations?

When people give gifts at Christmas and know it is wrong to do so, but do it anyway they are, in reality,  putting their own children through the fire of Molech. This is stunning to read but read it for yourselves.

Eze 20:31  For when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I Live, says the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.32  And what comes up on your spirit shall not happen at all, that you say, We will be like the nations, like the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

Eze 20:33  As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, I will reign over you.

Eze 20:34  And I will bring you out from the people, and I will gather you out of the lands in which you are scattered among them, with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm and with fury poured out.

Note this right here- Yehovah is going to bring all of you out of your houses, out from the lands you are currently living in.

Eze 20:35  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.36  Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord Jehovah.

Eze 20:37  And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

Here again is the ROD and as we have shown you in Isaiah. This “ROD” is the iron fist of Germany that is coming against all of Israel once again and only 10% will survive passing under it. However, 90% will not. This is what is meant when you pass under the rod. Every 10th one is set aside and Holy, the rest are not and are destroyed.

Eze 20:38  And I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who sin against Me. I will bring them out from the land where they reside, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am Jehovah.

Again, Yehovah is telling us that everyone is going to be removed from their places and pass under this German Iron Rod. He then tells us that the rebellious will die and not come into the Land of Israel. They will all die. They refuse to repent when they could have done so at any time.

Eze 20:39  And you, O house of Israel, so says the Lord Jehovah: Every man go and serve his idols, and do so from now on if you will not listen to Me. But never again defile My holy name with your gifts and with your idols.40  For in My holy mountain, in the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord Jehovah, there all the house of Israel, all of those in the land, shall serve Me. There will I receive them, and there will I ask for your offerings and the firstfruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.41  I will receive you with your sweet aroma when I bring you out from the people and gather you out of the lands into which you have been scattered among them. And I will be sanctified in you in the eyes of the nations.42  And you shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land for which I lifted up My hand, to give it to your fathers.43  And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings in which you have been defiled. And you shall despise yourselves in your own sight for all your evils which you have committed.44  And you shall know that I am Jehovah when I have worked with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord Jehovah.

The solution to this depression is very simple to rectify. In fact, we are told this a number of times in the Scriptures. Yehovah says so Himself in Leviticus:

Lev 26:40  If they shall confess their willfulness and the willfulness of their fathers, with their sin which they sinned against Me, and that also they have walked contrary to Me, 41  I also will walk contrary to them and will bring them into the land of their enemies. If then their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they then pay for their iniquity, 42  then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham I will remember. And I will remember the land. 43  The land also shall be forsaken by them, and shall enjoy its sabbaths, while it lies waste without them. And they shall accept the punishment of their iniquities; because, even because they despised My judgments, and because their soul hated My statutes. 44  And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I hate them, to destroy them utterly and to break My covenant with them. For I am Jehovah their God. 45  But for their sakes, I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, so that I might be their God. I am Jehovah. 46  These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which Jehovah made between Him and the sons of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

We are told of this again at the Dedication of the Temple. This is the “Feast of Dedication” that Yehshua was keeping in John 10:22 at the end of Sukkot:

1Ki 8:30  And You shall listen to the cry of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, and hear in Heaven Your dwelling-place, and when You hear, forgive! 31  If any man sins against his neighbor, and if an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and if the oath comes before Your altar in this house, 32  then hear in Heaven, and do, and judge Your servants, to declare the wicked to be wicked, to bring his way on his head, and to declare the righteous to be righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 33  When Your people Israel are crushed before the enemy because they have sinned against You, and shall turn again to You and confess Your name, and pray, and cry to You in this house, 34  then hear in Heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them again into the land which You gave to their fathers. 35  When the heavens are restrained, and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, if they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36  then hear in Heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel, for You shall teach them the good way in which they should walk, and give rain on Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance. 37  If there is famine in the land, if there is plague, blasting, mildew, locusts; if there are stripping locusts; if their enemy encircles them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness, 38  any prayer, any supplication from any man of all Your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house, 39  then hear in Heaven Your dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to all his ways, whose heart You know. For You, You only, know the hearts of all the sons of Adam. 40  Do this so that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.

King Solomon was stating what to do when these curses overtook them, just as Lev 26 warned them they would. It is giving hope to those who have been caught up in their sins either by deliberately ignoring them or out of ignorance.

We have Daniel actually repenting once he came to understand. And this is what we all must do. Wherever we are, when we realize these things, then Yehovah will keep us and not let us die-IF WE REPENT.

Dan 9:1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, 2  in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood the number of the years by books, which came of the Word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3  And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. 4  And I prayed to Jehovah my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and mercy to those who love Him, and to those who keep His commandments, 5  we have sinned and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your commandments and from Your judgments. 6  Neither have we listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7  O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us the shame of our faces, as it is today to the men of Judah and to the people of Jerusalem, and to all Israel who are near and who are afar off, through all the countries where You have driven them because of their sin which they have sinned against You. 8  O Lord, shame of face belongs to us, to our kings, to our rulers, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9  To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him. 10  We have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in His Laws which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11  Yea, all Israel has transgressed Your Law, and turned aside, that they might not obey Your voice. Therefore the curse has been poured out on us, and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him. 12  And He has confirmed His Words which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing on us a great evil. For under all the heavens it has not been done as it has been done to Jerusalem. 13  As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this evil has come on us. Yet we did not make our prayer before Jehovah our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Your truth. 14  Therefore Jehovah has watched over the evil, and has brought it on us. For Jehovah our God is righteous in all His works which He does; for we did not obey His voice. 15  And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have brought fame to Yourself, as it is today, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16  O Lord, I pray You, according to all Your righteousness let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain. Because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a curse to all those who are around us. 17  And now, O our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his holy desires, and cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. 18  O my God, bow down Your ear and hear. Open Your eyes and behold our ruins, and the city which is called by Your name. For we do not present our prayers before You on account of our righteousnesses, but because of Your great mercies. 19  O Jehovah, hear; O Jehovah, forgive; O Jehovah, listen and do. Do not delay, for Your own sake, O my God; for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

When Yehovah made the Covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, and our ancestors and us through them, we agreed to this marriage betrothal; to have one Elohim and to worship Him alone. It is the same as when you become married and take on the name on your husband and then go chasing after other men. You disgrace the name of your husband and are guilty of worshiping another.

Exo 20:3  You shall have no other gods before Me. 4  You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5  You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I Jehovah your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, 6  and showing mercy to thousands of those that love Me and keep My commandments. 7  You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain. For Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.

Yehovah is JEALOUS over you. He is in love with YOU. He choose YOU from the billions of people to reveal these truths to you. Do not become depressed. He is showing you these things beforehand. He has chosen you to perfect YOU!

Isa 43:10  You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me no God was formed, nor shall there be after Me. 11  I, I am Jehovah; and there is none to save besides Me. 12  I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God.

Think about what is being said here:

Isa 43:11  I–I am Jehovah, And besides Me there is no saviour.

Besides Yehovah, there is no Messiah. This means that Yehovah is the Messiah as John tells us.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; 2  this one was in the beginning with God; 3  all things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened. 4  In him was life, and the life was the light of men,

Joh 1:14  And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.

Yehovah has loved you so much that He came and gave His life in your stead. If, “IF” you will repent and return to keeping the Torah, the Sabbath, the Holy Days and the Sabbatical Years, then Yehovah has paid for your sins and you are forgiven; but only IF you repent and return to keeping the marriage vows you agreed to. That is how much He loves you.

Read the events of Hosea and understand just how much you are loved. Even though you are in your sins. BUT you must repent from these sins to be forgiven.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1YcUdapKyng

Triennial Torah Cycle

We continue this weekend with our regular Triennial Torah reading Cycle

Gen 24   1 Sam 1-2    Ps 49-50   Mat 28-Mark 1-28

A Wife for Isaac (Genesis 24)

Three years have passed since the death of Sarah. Abraham is now 140 years old; Isaac is 40. Feeling his age, and now more sensible that his own time may be short, Abraham begins the process of acquiring a wife for his son. Arranged marriages have become a thing of the past in most, though not all, modern cultures. But in Abraham’s day one of the duties of a father was to ensure that a proper mate was selected for his children, especially his sons.

The selection of a wife for a son, especially the firstborn and heir to the position of head of the family, was a serious undertaking. The right woman had to be selected, ensuring the continued stability and prosperity of the family. In some cases the father himself negotiated the purchase of a bride, but in other cases the services of an intermediary (called a malach, angel or messenger, in Hebrew) were employed. Abraham is now old, so he entrusts the responsibility to the steward of his household, here identified as the “the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had” (verse 2). Most likely this is Eliezer, whom Abraham mentioned in Genesis 15:2-3 as his heir before he fathered children—although it is possible that Eliezer has died by this point. In any case, Abraham imposes a most solemn oath upon his servant, instructing him to return to Abraham’s country and kindred in the city of Nahor in northern Mesopotamia, and from them to select a wife. He is strictly forbidden to take Isaac with him.

There are many parallels between the selection of Isaac’s wife and the selection of a Bride for Yeshua Messiah (see Ephesians 5:22-33). Abraham can be seen as a type of the Father, being himself later called the father of the faithful (Romans 4:16). Isaac is a type of Messiah, a son born according to promise, whose birth was announced beforehand, and whose conception was miraculous. The servant is a type of the role of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, if the servant was Eliezer, the type is even more striking since his name means “God his help” and God’s Spirit is called the Helper (as the Greek word parakletos may be legitimately translated in John 14-16). Of course, all analogies break down at some point—and it certainly does here in the fact that the Holy Spirit is not a person nor an independent agent capable of decision-making on its own. (To learn more, see our free booklet Who Is God?) Still, the analogy appears valid to a point considering that Yeshua personified the Holy Spirit in referring to it as a parakletos (in essence, a personal helper or court advocate). Thus we have the Father sending His Spirit to select out and prepare a Bride for His Son. The Bride receives gifts from this agent of the Father (Ephesians 4:8, Romans 11:29, 1 Corinthians 12), agrees to marry one she has never seen (1 Peter 1:8), undertakes a journey with that agent (the journey of this life with the Spirit as a guide), is brought to the Son (Revelation 19), and takes up residence in the tent of Sarah (whose name means “Princess”) where the marriage is consummated (which is a type of spiritual union—1 Corinthians 6:16-17). It should also be mentioned that God’s ministers (servants) play a role in bringing Messiah’s bride to Messiah. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Assembly: “For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Messiah” (2 Corinthians 11:2). Through His ministry God calls people to enter into a relationship with Messiah, and through His ministry He also provides the gifts of help and instruction to those who respond.

Introduction to Samuel, Kings and Chronicles (1 Samuel 1)

After Judges, the next books of the Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible are Samuel and Kings. We will read Samuel and Kings and the rest of the Prophets in harmony with most of Chronicles and with certain other Old Testament writings, such as some of the Psalms. Though Chronicles also belongs to the Writings—in fact, concludes that section—most of it overlaps Samuel and Kings in great detail. Therefore, a harmony of these books will give us a more complete picture of what happened during this period of time. (The genealogies at the beginning of Chronicles will be read with the Writings section.)

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book in the Hebrew canon. Samuel certainly wrote parts of the book bearing his name. In 1 Chronicles 29:29 he is mentioned as an author. However, he is dead after 1 Samuel 24 (his death is recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1). According to Jewish tradition, Nathan and Gad were the other authors. The Nelson Study Bible points out in its introduction to 1 Samuel that “another editor at a later date could have taken the memoirs of Samuel, Nathan, Gad, and others and woven them under the guidance of the Holy Spirit into the wonderfully unified book we have today.” It further points out in its introduction to 2 Samuel: “Indeed, some notes may have been added even after the division of the monarchy in 930 b.c. (1 Sam. 27:6). In the absence of any reference to the fall of Samaria, the capital of the northern Kingdom, it is reasonable to assume that the books were complete by 722 b.c. The majority of composition of the Books of Samuel may have been done during David and Solomon’s reigns (c. 1010-930 b.c.), with only a small number of notations coming from later periods.”

Then we come to 1 and 2 Kings, which were also originally one book, a compilation of a nearly 400-year period. Though its authorship is contested by some scholars today, Jewish tradition maintains that the prophet Jeremiah wrote 1 and 2 Kings. The author was at least a contemporary of Jeremiah. Other records would have to have been available to the author—among them “the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah” (1 Kings 14:29), “the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel” (verse 19), “the Chronicles of King David” (1 Chronicles 27:24), “the Chronicles of Samuel the seer” (29:29).

The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles were also one book originally. Nelson’s introduction states: “The overall consistency of style in the book indicates that although several contributors might have worked on it at various stages, one editor shaped the final product. Jewish tradition identifies the editor as Ezra… [a view that] can be accepted if it is remembered that Ezra was a compiler. He used sources and documents that account for the stylistic differences between the Book of Ezra and Chronicles…. The chronicler made use of the books of Samuel and Kings for about half the narrative.” Thus our decision to read the accounts contained within them in harmony.

As the book of 1 Samuel opens, Eli the priest is judging Israel (1 Samuel 4:18). As we shall see, his judgeship has some problems. God has determined to use a transitional figure as a prophet-judge in Eli’s place, who will also be used to anoint the first two kings of Israel as the nation moves into the period of the monarchy.

The Birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1)

Verse 1 refers to Elkanah, the father of Samuel, as an Ephraimite (Ephrathite in the KJV), and further adds that he dwelt in the mountains of Ephraim. He is from the town of Ramah, introduced here by its full name Ramathaim-Zophim (see verse 19). Ramathaim is rendered in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament as Arimathaim, which would seem to make it synonymous with the New Testament Arimathea—the home of Joseph of Arimathea, who gave his tomb to be Yeshua’s burial place. In Joshua 18:25, a Ramah is listed as a town in the territory of Benjamin, located about 5 miles north of Jerusalem and about 4 miles south of the Benjamite border with Ephraim. This is probably the same town, in the mountainous area that mostly belonged to Ephraim. Also, cities sometimes overlapped with another tribe’s rural territory and Ephraim may have claimed it at this time (compare Joshua 16:8-9). However, Elkanah was clearly a Levite, as his genealogy in 1 Chronicles 6:33-38 points out. Levites had no territory of their own, and Elkanah is apparently being identified here by his place of residence, rather than by his ancestral tribe.

Note also in this genealogy that Samuel was a direct descendant of Korah—the same Korah who died along with his companions and his companions’ immediate families for their presumptuous attempt to expropriate priestly duties (see Numbers 16:10). Korah, first cousin to Moses and Aaron (see Exodus 6:18-21), was probably about the same age as Moses, and his sons were likely well along in years with families of their own at the time of the rebellion. Apparently Korah’s sons did not participate in their father’s sin, for it is clear they did not die with him (see Numbers 26:9-11). It seems ironic that his descendant Samuel apparently ended up exercising certain priestly duties in his obedience and faithfulness to God—some of the duties Korah died trying to usurp.

Elkanah journeys to the tabernacle at Shiloh yearly to worship and sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:3, 7, 21; 2:19). This was undoubtedly referring to Passover, as this was the only time the people were required to bring a sacrifice. At one of these visits, Hannah, who was barren, prays for a son. Part of her vow was that “no razor shall come upon his head” (1 Samuel 1:11), indicating that Samuel would be a Nazirite from birth (compare Numbers 6:2-6), as Samson was (see Judges 13:5).

Eli and His Sons (1 Samuel 2)

Eli’s sons are incorrigible. They do not administer their priestly responsibilities in the manner commanded in the law. They commit other sins as well (verse 22), and cause the Israelites to sin (verse 24). The people even begin to despise God’s offerings—to hate coming to Shiloh for the Passover or for a voluntary sacrifice (verse 17). God sends a prophet to Eli to pronounce judgment on him for allowing these sons to continue to serve as priests. The judgment is severe, and involves the eventual end of Eli’s descendants serving as priests.

In verse 35, God says: “I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.” Samuel was not that replacement, as he was not of the priestly line and his sons did not continue in his role. Eli’s descendants retained the high priesthood for a few more generations until Solomon sent Abiathar, a descendant of Eli, into forced retirement (1 Kings 2:26-27). Then Zadok took over any duties Abiathar had (1 Kings 2:35), and, from that point on, the high priest was reckoned through the line of Zadok. It is evident from the prophecy of Ezekiel that the Zadokite priesthood was faithful to God, and the time will come when all earthly priests will be descendants of Zadok, not just Aaron (see Ezekiel 43:19; 44:15ff; 48:11).

Although Hannah brought her son a new robe every year at the Passover (verse 19), it is probable that she saw him more often than that since her hometown of Ramah was only 15 miles south of the tabernacle in Shiloh. Nevertheless, she was undoubtedly kept very busy taking care of Samuel’s five younger brothers and sisters (verse 21).

“Now Consider This, You Who Forget God” (Psalms 49-50)

In its note on Psalms 49-53, the Zondervan NIV Study Bible says: “This cluster of psalms presents a striking contrast [from the previous grouping] that brings the Psalter’s call for godliness into sharp focus. On the one hand, we meet two psalms that face each other: (1) as God’s summons to his people to come before him and hear his verdict concerning their lives (Ps 50), and (2) as a penitent’s humble prayer for forgiveness and cleansing (Ps 51). On the other hand, these are bracketed by two psalms (49; 52) that denounce those who trust in their wealth (49:6; 52:7) and make their ‘boast’ either in that wealth (49:6) or in the ‘evil’ practices by which they obtained it (52:1). These descriptions of the ungodly are found nowhere else in the Psalter. In the first of these framing psalms, such people are characterized as ‘foolish’ and ‘senseless’ (49:10). So it is appropriate that this four-psalm segment of the Psalter has appended to it in climax [Psalm 53] a somewhat revised repetition of Ps 14 with its denunciation of the fools whose thoughts and ways are God-less. Placed immediately after Ps 46-48, these five psalms serve as a stern reminder that only those who put their trust in the Lord have reason to celebrate the security of ‘the city of our God’ (48:1, 8…).”

In the first psalm of this new cluster, Psalm 49, itself the last in the sequence of Korahite psalms beginning Book II of the Psalter, the psalmist declares that he has a message of universal importance: “Give ear, all inhabitants of the world.” He aims to resolve the “dark saying” (verse 4) or perplexing “riddle” of life (see NIV) concerning the apparent blessing of godless people who care more about money and possessions than about God (compare Job 21; Psalm 73).

Such people often pursue wealth at the expense of others. The psalmist asks himself, “Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity at my heels [i.e., those who trip me up] surrounds me? Those who trust in their wealth…” (Psalm 49:5-6). The psalmist realizes that these people are not as blessed as they think. “Wealth cannot buy escape from death—not even one’s family ‘redeemer’ can accomplish it” (Zondervan, note on verses 7-9).

The psalmist poignantly remarks, “For the redemption of their souls is costly” (verses 8-9). That is, it was more than a mere man could pay. This insight had prophetic significance. For God would actually pay the costly price in the suffering and death of Yeshua to make it possible for all people to have eternal life (John 3:16).

Just as anyone can, materially driven people can see, as Psalm 49:10 states, that all people, even the wise, die and leave their wealth to others (compare Ecclesiastes 7:2; 9:5; 2:18, 21). So those focused on money and possessions seek solace in what they leave behind—in establishing a legacy, leaving an inheritance, naming their estates and territories after themselves—all in a vain attempt to immortalize at least some aspect of themselves (verse 11)

But this pursuit is pointless in the face of the gaping mouth of death—into which people who think like this nevertheless go helplessly as sheep (verse 14). This metaphor of death (Hebrew muwt) as a monster feeding on people like sheep helps to verify the historical setting of the writing of the psalms, as it has also been found in Canaanite literature—one document warning people to not approach Mot (Death) “or he will put you like a lamb into his mouth” (see Zondervan, note on verse 14). This was therefore imagery familiar to Israelite culture.

Dominion will ultimately go to the righteous (same verse). Indeed, the psalmist is confident that God will redeem him from the power of the grave and receive him (verse 15). This does not refer merely to God’s general protection of His people throughout their physical lives—for the focus, as verse 9 makes clear, is on living eternally. Verse 15, then, is a prophecy of the resurrection, wherein the righteous will inherit from God the rule and possession of all things.

In the similar refrains of verses 12 and 20, those who live in pursuit of riches are described as perishing like beasts. Since all human beings die just as animals and all, unlike animals, are destined to be resurrected, what does this mean? It must reflect the fact that the godless, like animals, die without genuine feeling of hope. They have no confident assurance of eternity with God in the same way the psalmist has. Those whom God has not called in this age do not know His plans for their future—that they will be resurrected and given an opportunity to repent and change. And those whom God has called and given His Spirit but then reject His way and pursue selfishness do know their future—that they will utterly perish.

Psalm 49

Psalm 49 makes the sobering point that when a rich man dies “he shall carry nothing away” (verse 17)—that is, nothing of earthly value. No money, no glory, no praise and no honor will descend with Him into the grave. The apostle Paul spoke similarly in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 when he warned us against the danger of materialism: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Psalm 50

Psalm 50 is the first of 12 psalms in the Psalter attributed to Asaph, one of David’s music leaders (see 1 Chronicles 23:2-5)—with only this one occurring in Book II and the other 11 in Book III. It seems most likely that Asaph composed these. However, as noted in the Bible Reading Program comments on Psalms 42-45, it could also be that David wrote these, or just this first one, for Asaph to perform (or one composed the music and the other the lyrics). Yet this particular psalm “may have been separated from the other psalms of Asaph (73-83) in order to be paired with Ps 51 in the cluster of Ps 49-53” (Zondervan NIV Study Bible, note on Psalm 50 title)—the idea being that Psalm 50 is a divine calling to account followed by a repentant response in Psalm 51 (where the sacrifices God desires are reiterated).

In Psalm 50 God delivers a summons and declares that He is the supreme Judge. Where the NKJV speaks of God calling the earth and the heavens in verses 1 and 4, the NIV properly renders this as God summoning them—or their inhabitants—into His presence for the purpose of judgment. Note verse 4: “He summons the heavens above and the earth, that he may judge his people” (NIV). In verse 1, the summoning of the earth from the rising to the setting of the sun simply means that His summons reaches around the entire world.

Verses 2-3 speak of God shining forth from Zion, “the perfection of beauty,” and the coming of God with fire and storm. This would seem to tie the psalm back to Psalms 46-48, which describe God’s coming in great power to put down His enemies and His ascension to the throne in Zion in its lofty beauty to rule over all the earth (compare also Isaiah 29:6). At that time, He will gather His saints (see Psalm 50:5; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 56:8) and will institute righteous judgment (Psalm 50:6; Daniel 2:20; 4:34-35; Psalm 75). He will then instruct Israel in the ways of righteousness and warn of the consequences of hypocrisy (Psalm 50:7-23).

Yet just as in Psalm 48, there is likely a measure of duality all these verses. For God shining forth out of Zion could relate to the proclamation of His truth and call to repentance through His people in this age as well as the law and judgment going forth from Zion in the Kingdom. The gathering of saints for judgment (Psalm 50:4-6) may relate to God’s judgment beginning with the His People today (see 1 Peter 4:17)—not in the sense of final sentencing but of an evaluation process through their lives. Alternatively, it may refer to the people being gathered for the work of delivering God’s judgments to the world—especially to physical Israel (see Psalm 50:7).

Yet if the mention of God’s saints having made a covenant with Him by sacrifice (verse 5) is related to the discussion of sacrifice in verses 7-15, it is possible that the same people are intended. That is, it could be that the saints or holy ones bound to God in covenant refers to the faithful of Israel—in ancient times meaning those who persisted in God’s covenant and today referring to the elect remnant of Israel according to grace.

Getting into the meat of the psalm’s message starting in verse 7, note that God is the one speaking—and He has something to say against His people. It is a rebuke. Not for their sacrifices per se, as God has commanded these and they are certainly to offer them (verse 8). The problem is that the people had lost the perspective of why God had set up the sacrificial system in the first place. God didn’t need their sacrifices (verses 9-13). They were not doing Him a favor by giving them. All the animals already belong to Him (verses 10-11).

In verse 12, God says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you.” This is figurative, as God does not get hungry. The stress should be on the word “you.” He is saying that He does not need to go to them to be provided for. What physical things could they possibly give Him since He already owns everything? “For the world is mine,” He declares, “and all its fullness.”

Indeed, the whole point of the sacrificial system was to show the people how much they needed God—His forgiveness and spiritual help—not the other way around. It also afforded them an opportunity for obedience and character development.

And this God did want. The offerings of the heart—these were and are the true offerings that God desires as a prelude to any physical offerings, as was noted earlier in the Bible Reading Program comments on Psalm 40. God wants a relationship with His people, wherein they live before Him in humility and obedience and He blesses and provides for them (50:14-15). As God says in Hosea 6:6, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (see also Matthew 9:13; 12:7). We will see this reiterated in the next psalm.

These words are as important to us as they were to the ancient Israelites. We do not offer burnt offerings today, but we do give offerings—of money and service. Yet these things, as important and required as they are, can become a wrong focus in a number of ways. We may start to think that we are upholding the work of God with our tithes and efforts and develop a wrong sort of pride over that. We must never make the mistake of thinking that God needs what we have or is dependent on what we do. The reason He instructs us to give is to benefit us, to help train us for even greater service. Another pitfall is to get so wrapped up in the ritual aspects of prayer, Bible study, Sabbath services, Holy Day observance, etc., that we neglect to consider our utter dependence on God, to humbly repent of our sins or to serve the well being of others. Indeed, even serving others can fall into this category too if it does not flow from a genuine heart of love but, rather, from a desire to appear spiritual (compare 1 Corinthians 13:3).

This brings us to verse 16 of Psalm 50. Some commit to God’s laws with their mouths but then turn around and flagrantly violate them as a matter of course (verses 16-20). This is not talking about the wicked of the world in general—but of those who profess to have a relationship with God.

God in His mercy does not immediately destroy such people. But sadly, they tend to take from this that He must be okay with what they’re doing (verse 21). In their drift from God they basically forget what He’s all about (verse 22). Yet God says He’s going to set them straight on the matter (verse 21)—and warns them of dire consequences if they will not consider His words and, by implication, repent (verse 22). Of course, they must desire to change. What power can release a person from sin who doesn’t want to be released? Who can help a person who doesn’t understand he needs help? “So are the paths of all who forget God; and the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, whose confidence shall be cut off” (Job 8:13).

Those who remember God and glorify Him will see His salvation (verse 23). The NRSV translates this verse as: “Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.” Herein is assurance offered to those who serve God with a proper attitude—and hope offered to those who have drifted from Him. They can repent. God wants to save them. That’s the reason He warns them. And He shows them the way to repent in the next psalm—along with a restatement of the kind of sacrifices He is truly looking for.

Matthew 28

1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,

As noted, Yeshua and His followers remained in the faith of Israel and its Torah, and this observed the Sabbath on the “last” day of the week, i.e., from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. The Bibilcal method of counting the “days of the week,” is Day 1, Day, 2, etc, through Day 6, followed by the Sabbath.

The change from keeping God’s Sabbath to worshipping on Sunday is discussed in our article, Not Subject to the Law of God? in the YashaNet library.

2  the angel of the Lord descended from heaven

3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Interestingly, “the angel of the Lord” is often associated with the Messiah. How then could this angel be the Messiah as He is speaking of Himself being elsewhere? (See Matthew 27:46). The angel possesses a “garment” of white. This is not physical clothing, as we are dealing with the spiritual realm. Our Revelation study addresses these complex issues. (See note at end of this section.)

18  And Yeshua came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Daniel 7:14 – I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Yeshua, says to baptize “in the name of …” This means, “in the authority of,” the person, place or thing, being referred to.

Note that there is also a signficant change of “direction” with this verse, regarding the offer of salvation. Here we have Yeshua telling His disciples to go out to the nations (goyim), not just the children of Israel (compare to His words in Matthew 10:6, where He told them not to go to the nations). Something significant and deeply mystical happened with the death of Messiah, that enabled the gospel to go out to the non-Jewish world.

This verse is often used to teach the Christian “trinity” – a concept contradictory to a Hebrew understanding of the Scriptures. God does indeed emanate in the forms of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh), but also as; the Shekinah, Kingdom, the “voice of God,” the “face of God,” Tzaddik (“Righteous One”), New Jerusalem, the Bat Kol (voice from heaven),Wisdom, Understanding, Mercy, Judgement, Prophecy, and even “seven spirits” (i.e., Revelation, chapter 1).

It is often overlooked (and frowned upon by Protestants, due to Catholic dogmas about Mary being the “mother of God”), that God is also revealed in some distinctly “feminine” forms. These include the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit), Shekinah, Kingdom and “New Jerusalem” (which is also called, “Jerusalem above” and referred to as our “mother” in Galatians 4:26) and Bat Kol (literally, “daughter of the voice). All of these terms are feminine in the Hebrew – grammatically, and at a deeper level, theologically. We even see Yeshua speaking of Himself in “female” terms in Matthew 23:37. Recall that we are made in God’s image and that image is both male and female (Genesis 1:27).

God is not limited to three parts of a “trinity,” nor are any of these emanations solely a distinct “person” (i.e., “God the Father,” “God the Son,” “God the Holy Spirit”), as God is One. Such doctrines are attempts to put “God in a box” as many people don’t consider themselves to have strong faith unless everything is “black and white,” and they have a “tidy answer” for anyone that asks asks them to explain their faith.

Judaism recognizes that God is a bit more complex than we often “wish” Him to be. He reveals Himself in His Torah, and that Torah is infinite.

20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Once again, we see that the Torah is for everyone, Jew and gentile — as what He “commands” is obedience to the Word of God.

Again, there is a great deal of mystical significance in the text. Just how is Yeshua “with us” always, when Scripture says He has returned to heaven? This too will be explored later, in our more advanced studies.

Mark 1-28

In the beginning of the Good News of Yeshua Messiah, the Son of Elohim. Mark begins with testifying of the fulfilled prophecy concerning the coming of the messenger who proclaims repentance to prepare the way of YHWH, who we know is Yohanan the son of Zachriah. Yohanan was outside of the city of Jerusalem (in the wilderness area) preaching repentance of sins and immersing the repentant in water to cleanse them from their trespasses. He was preparing them for the arrival of the Good News and the Reign of Elohim.

People came out to him to be immersed. All the while Yohanan also preached of the One coming after him who would not immerse with water, but with the Set apart Spirit and whom he identified as the reign of Elohim.

And the reign of Elohim did come.

And it came to be in those days that Yeshua came from Natsareth of Galil, and was immersed by Yohanan in the Jordan. Directly following this, the heavens opened and the Spirit and Voice of Elohim descended upon Yeshua in the form of a dove and a voice was heard saying, “You are My Son, the Beloved, in whom I did delight.”

Yeshua was driven out into the wilderness and tried by the Adversary for forty days. When He returned to the people and the cities, He began teaching in the assemblies. He taught with One who had great authority, not simple as another taught one. Great authority comes from perfect interpretation of the Torah, YHWH’s Instructions.

The people witnessed Yeshua casting out an unclean spirit that was in a man amidst their assembly and were greatly astonished. They had not seen this before and recognized it as great authority belonging to Yeshua. News about Yeshua spread quickly over the countryside.