Deuteronomy 4:2, or “What could be wrong with a little “adding to”…?

Posted on 3 August, 2010 by mark

We live in a time of incredible deception.  We have a “money system” which is called the “reserve currency” of the whole WORLD, and yet it’s a direct violation of our own Constitution (for more than one reason!)…and it’s called “abomination” by the Bible.  God’s own ordination of marriage just wasn’t good enough either, and now “civil unions” have been “added to” the definition by governments all over “the world” (in spite of the fact He calls that an “abomination” as well.)  Very few self-described “Christians” today understand how the appointed times of YHVH, which He said repeatedly were to be kept “forever” have been utterly replaced by pagan “holy days”.  But there really is “nothing new under the sun”; a great many similar “traditions of men” were condemned by our Savior almost two millenia ago.

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHVH your Elohim which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2

“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” Deuteronomy 12:32

“… If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life…” Revelation 22:18-19

Now, that sounds like a pretty simple, very straightforward command.  And since it is repeated several times, through multiple witnesses, He must be serious about it.  But it you read Genesis 3:3 carefully, you’ll see that it’s been an issue since the garden of Eden.  (Hint:  “nor shall we touch it” was not part of Eve’s instruction.  Perhaps it was an ad-lib, or maybe Adam was just trying to emphasize the point.  Either way, it was a “little addition” that stretched enough for the adversary to end up “driving a truck through it.”  And he has found the technique valuable ever since.)

The problem with outlining what should therefore be a simple concept in a short article is that, well, it’s too simple.  But the TECHNIQUES which have been adopted over the centuries, not to mention the examples, would fill books.  In fact, they have.  Most of “modern Xtianity” is not only full of ’em, but BUILT upon them.  As it turns out, it’s far more difficult to rationalize the evil of “adding to” His Word than it is to DO it, as the real ‘First Couple’ discovered.

Much of the post-Biblical history of ‘the Church’, from before the time of Constantine to the present, is the story of “adding to” and “subtracting from” the straightforward commandments of the Almighty.  His Pesach, or feast of “Passover” was changed — and even re-named — centuries ago to honor a pagan fertility goddess who was deified as an egg-laying bunny.

The Caesar-created, State-licensed, tax exempt 501c(3) corporate “church” position, which preaches what was once called “anti-nomianism (just a fancy word for the lie that “the law is done away with”) has elevated the practice of “adding to” His Word to a Sacrament.  While the practice was originally “sold” as a method of removing “stumbling blocks” which might deter pagans from embracing ‘the Church’ — it has ended up where such violations of His clear commandments always do.  Even most of those ‘churches’ which try to claim that it was only the “Law of Moses” which was “nailed to the cross” ** — but that the Ten Commandments still really do matter — fail to notice that they overlook the ones about making “graven images” and “keep the Sabbath”.

After all, it sounds just so much more “enlightened” to say that the “Law” has been done away with, rather than to make the obviously absurd claim that His “teaching and instruction” no longer applies…as if man was now “too good” for what God might have to teach us!

We’re now “above the Law”.  Oops – sorry; wrong lie.  That one only applies to politicians, armed gangs, and our course Executives of Too Big To Fail Banks.  We are “Not under the Law”.  Now THERE’s a big “addition to” what is actually Written!
Read Matthew 23.  Why did our Savior call the Pharisees “hypocrites”?  (and He wasn’t ‘polite’ about it, either!)  They had made a living from the practice of “adding to” the “torah” (calling it “Law”, or halachah, or the ‘traditions of the elders’) and were without excuse — because they should have known better!

So much more has been written by “scholars” and “church fathers” about Shaul’s (Paul’s) observation that “salvation” is a free gift, which cannot be earned by fallen man, than about our Savior’s relatively simple summary of what that means we should actually DO about it:
“If you love Me, keep My commands.” (John 14:15)

Which ones?  How about all of ’em; the ones that He thought were important enough to Write down for us, teach “with authority”, and tell us would not change so long as “heaven and earth” still exist (Matthew 5:17-19).

The key is to make the Big Lie as easy as possible to sell.  But it is still rebellion to Him, regardless of what those who try to “wrest Paul” might claim.  (II Peter 3:15-16)  And the consequences have not changed, either.

“…if you will hear the voice of YHVH your Elohim, to observe and do all that I command you…all these…blessings will come upon you…
but if you wlll not obey the voice of YHVH your Elohim, to observe and do all His commandments and His statutes…then all these curses shall come upon you and overcome you…” (Deuteronomy 28)

Those of us who are led to teach are perhaps particularly vulnerable to the trap.  Perhaps the ideal teaching method is to quote Scripture and ultimately encourage folks, as Acts 17:11 outlines, to be like the Bereans and search out the Truth for ourselves.  But the obvious temptation to go beyond an “explanation” for what a text might mean, and suggest new “commandments” of our own is doubtless an element of how “traditions” end up becoming “doctrines”.

Whether it is changing His “teaching and instruction” about what is “food” – and what is NOT — or of marriage, or rewriting how we are to deal honestly with our neighbors, or His appointed times, or how we are to worship Him, the end result is the same:  curses are the penalty for rebellion.

It starts so easily, so simply…and for such arguably wonderful intentions.  “There is a way that seems right to a man…but the end thereof is death.” When He admonishes us not to “add to” or “subtract from” the Word He has given us, there is a very good reason.

Note:  This article was originally published in the August issue of the newsletter for Crucified Life Ministries, at http://www.crucifiedlifemin.com/
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**   Read what Paul ACTUALLY wrote, sometime, in Colossians 2:14 — with a concordance if necessary.  It was not, in fact, the “Law”, or “ordinances” which were nailed to the execution stake, but the ‘handwriting against us’; the indictment, in modern parlance, for the crime of rebellion to His Word.  Think of the situation this way:  when a court — or our loving Father — drops the charges for a crime against Him, should we go out and commit rebellion again?  Paul has already answered the question, in Romans:  “God forbid!”
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Believe Him…not merely “in Him”

Posted on 21 July, 2010 by mark

The recent traditional Torah study portion, called Chukat, included Moses’ failure to “believe” YHVH — which literally cost him a ticket into the Promised Land  (Numbers 20).  It also includes the interesting story of the brazen serpent lifted up on a pole (Numbers 21), which was referenced by Yahushuah Himself in John 3:14.

I submit that those two events, and the lessons which surround them, are VERY much related.

The story starts with Moses being a bit ‘upset’ at the continued whining — this time about the lack of water — of the Israelites,  although he is arguably not without some justification.  Then YHVH tells Moshe and Aharon to to “speak to the rock before their eyes”.

In his frustration, Moses deviated from those specific instructions (v 10-11) and said, “Here now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?”  whereupon he struck the rock.  Not once, but twice.

There are at least three issues associated with his actions.  First, he took credit for himself and Aaron, rather than giving the glory to YHVH.  And he hit the Rock, rather than talking to it, and even did so twice.

But what is interesting to note, and perhaps more than a bit surprising, is the specific admonition of our Father to this failure (Numbers 21:12).  He said that Moshe and Aharon did not “believe Me”!

Please think a bit about that indictment.  Here is a man who literally talked with the Almighty, and repeatedly worked miracles in His Name, and was responsible for bring His Torah, His “teaching and instruction”, to mankind.  And yet YHVH says to him that “you believed me NOT.”  As a direct result, Moshe is denied the chance to take his people into the Promised Land.

Now let’s skip ahead to the next chapter, which starts out with a very  familiar refrain.  Once again the Israelites are whining (Numbers 21:5) “why have you brought us up out of Mitzraim (Egypt) to die in the wilderness“, and even adding the insult that “our souls hate” this lousy bread (the manna He provided).  The result is fiery serpents sent among the people, many of whom are bitten and died.

This time, Moshe prays and is told to make a “fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole” so that every one who is bitten and then “looks upon it shall live“.  Yes, that serpent-on-a-stick later became an idol (and even the emblem of the Modern Medicine – perhaps another false god in itself).  But what I submit is important to note is the simple command of YHVH in that chapter:  If you are bitten, look upon that fiery serpent, and live.

All that He required of those who were bitten, in other words, was that they believe Him — just enough to take the simple action of looking where He specified — and live.

We live today in a society which has forgotten what it means to be obedient to His Word.  Perhaps it’s too much of a watered-down “faith” that teaches something His Word never says — that He doesn’t care what we DO so long as we claim to “believe in Him”.  Certainly Peter warned us (II Peter 3:15-16, again!) that Paul’s very intense midrash on the Torah could be “difficult to understand” (particularly for those who were not educated from a Hebraic mindset to begin with!) and could be expected to be “twisted” by those who were “unlearned and untaught” — with potentially disastrous results.  That this is true there can now be no doubt.

But this false “doctrine of men” that it is enough to “believe IN Him” is exactly the kind of cancerous deception that the Adversary loves, and uses so effectively:  because it’s almost true. It has NEVER been enough merely to believe IN Him.  After all, even the “demons also believe, and tremble“, as James 2:19 points out.

Moses certainly believed IN Him.  How could he not?  But far more was expected of him.

If we are to LIVE as He commands us, to be “good and faithful servants” to the Most High, just “believing in Him” is not enough.  Even in the simple act of obedience required to “look upon” a fiery serpent on a pole, in order to save one’s life…the point is made.  We show our faith by our obedience to Him.

“If you love Me, keep My commands.”   (John 14:15)

…

It’s not at all enough to believe IN Him.  True faith consists of believing Him, and thus believing in His promises.  Show me your faith by your actions, in other words.

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“Who gives this woman?”

Posted on 2 July, 2010 by mark

I frequently note just how far the “traditions of men” — particularly when it comes to Caesar’s 501c(3) State-created ‘church’ — has departed from what is actually Written, just as our Savior so frequently illustrated by His teachings as well as His actions.  But every now and again, a tradition comes to mind which actually (well, at least before it became “PC”) has a basis in Scripture.

When it comes to marriage, and ‘divorce’ (as opposed to mere ‘putting away’, or shalach, in the original Hebrew) there is more than enough tradition and false teaching in the ‘Church’ to completely muddy the waters, and perhaps even illustrate why Paul condemned the doctrine of “forbidding to marry” in I Timothy 4:1-3.  A careful reading of what the Word actually says (and in this, as in everything else, Yahushua was UTTERLY consistent with Himself!) will clear up the confusion, however.  And at least one remnant of tradition actually helps that understanding.

Do you remember the phrase which is often traditionally used in marriage ceremonies, just before the time when a father walks his daughter down the aisle and to the groom at the altar?

“Who gives this woman to be wed?”

This tradition is one of those with a truly Biblical history; it traces directly to Numbers 30 (a favorite chapter of mine ;) ) and the explicit authority of a man over the vows of his wives and daughters. Since a man may void, or annul, the vows of his daughter while she is under his authority, it makes sense that that transfer of such authority would be explicitly observed.

This tradition shows that a father is giving his God-given authority over his daughter to her new husband.

Now I ask the question:

What is a certificate of divorce, as outlined by YHVH in Deuteronomy 24:1 and 3 as an explicit part of the proper and complete process for lawfully sending a wife out of his house?

Is it not yet another explicit transfer of authority? A woman who has been lawfully and completely “put away” is now responsible for HER OWN vows, and has no husband in headship over her. With such a certificate, as a believer, she is eligible for remarriage; without it, she is not – and is guilty of adultery for joining with any other man while her husband yet lives.*

Likewise, if that husband puts her away unlawfully, then HE, as her covering, is guilty of adultery for what he has done to her (as Matthew 5:32, properly translated, makes clear).

“Who gives this woman to be wed?”

If she was ever married, her certificate of divorce is lawful proof that her former husband does!

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*  Note one other important thing, as both Numbers 30:15, Matthew 5:32, and many others make clear.  If a husband puts away his wife treacherously, then HE bears her guilt.  He “causes her” to commit adultery!

Posted in 501c(3) "Church", Marriage, torah, Uncategorized, Yahushua HaMashiach | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Angry at the ‘Church’?

Posted on 21 June, 2010 by mark

I had a discussion recently with a friend.  During the course of talking about several different passages in the Bible, and some admittedly negative comments that I made concerning several things that are taught as “doctrine”, but which are in fact contrary to His Word, I heard the following question:

“Mark, aren’t you angry at the church (or at least some of them)?”

On the spur of the moment, I gave a somewhat mealy-mouthed response.  After all, it’s not ALL ‘churches’ which deny so much of Scripture, mix the clean with the unclean and fail to teach the difference, and serve Caesar rather than YHVH.  And certainly there are lots of sheep who don’t deserve to be led astray.  But, upon further reflection, however, what I should have said is,

“Absolutely.”

It’s not the fault of those sheep that they are being led astray.  And sometimes (remember that famous “stumbling block” reference — which may itself by now have become a major stumbling block?) people who have been deceived for so long simply aren’t READY for the Truth.  Those who won’t tolerate milk are probably not ready for the “meat” of the Word, to use another familiar metaphor.

But the indictment of Hosea should not be ignored.  “My people“, He said, “are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”   And if you think that critique is harsh – try reading the rest of the verse, for those who reject such knowledge.  (1)  It’s the oh-so-apropos prophecy of Jeremiah 16:19, however, which seems to get me in the most trouble:

‘O YHVH, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction, The Gentiles shall come to You From the ends of the earth and say, “Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and things wherein there is no profit.” ‘

Being lied to really does bug me!  Especially when I realize just how deadly it is, and how many people are and will be destroyed as a result!
Whether it is the practice of the Pharisees, who our Savior called hypocrites because they claimed the authority to rewrite His Word for Him, or the later “Church” which made the same claim — it comprises a big part of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, “which thing I hate“.   (Rev. 2:15)
Those who claim to serve Him should know better.

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(1) Hosea 4:6

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Two plagues: BP vs the Fed

Posted on 14 June, 2010 by mark

This last week I was struck by the stunning similarities which exist between what, I will shortly argue, may well be the first two “plagues” visited upon a post-Constitutional, post-Biblical Babylon –er, Amerika.

I saw a transcript of some of the whoppers that Fed Chairman ‘Helicopter Ben’ Bernake was spouting before Congress, and then a set of comments by BP Chairman Tony Hayward.  The latter was somehow linked to an article describing how Obama has said that “if he worked for me” the man would have been fired (to put it charitably).  The fact that the Decider in Chief picked on Hayward for his lies, but hasn’t expressed similar sentiment over those told by the Fed (and the related assortment of liars, charlatans, and Goldman-Sachs execs — or do I repeat myself ?) is telling.  The irony that most of the Amerikan public may well think the same thing about the whole mess of ’em is obviously beyond their ken as well.

The “Bumbler from BP”, as the press refers to Hayward in some cases, has been criticized for denying the severity of the oil ‘volcano’ spewing  into the Gulf of Mexico, minimizing some of the important statistics, and worrying more about the price of his stock than the collateral damage.

Funny:  it occurs to me that ‘Bumbler Bernake’ can justifiably be accused of exactly the same thing! In his case, of course, the “stock price” is the value of the “almighty” dollar, and the interest rate on its bonds.

Both are salesmen, and both are obviously willing to distort the truth in order to sell the same story:  Not to worry, we have EVERYTHING under control.  The worst is behind us.  Trust us.

Whether it’s “green shoots” or “blue water”, the jargon may be different, but the attitude and actions are virtually the same.

Eventually, I concluded that the comparisons were so dramatic that some type of a chart was required…even if I intended to initially discuss the concept on the radio.

Let’s start with a couple of the things that so clearly apply to both disasters…the economic meltdown, and the oil eruption:

  • Both chairmen, and their underlings, seem to consider themselves Masters of the Universe.
  • Neither are in fact God – although they like to play Him on TV
  • But both are directly involved with disasters of literally “Biblical” proportions!
  • Both seem to be far more concerned with their respective ‘stock prices’  than any ‘collateral damage’ (since most of their TV ‘face time’ seems dedicated to this task, it bears repeating!)
  • It seems all but obvious that the same victims (take just one guess) will ultimately pay the costs of both

There are more fascinating similarities, too.

Most dramatically, the multiple “cracks and fissures” that thwart efforts to cap, plug, or curtail the respective plagues have much in common.  BP’s well blew out the safety systems with physical pressures that boggle the mind.  Where other deep-water wells in the region have reportedly involved pressures of perhaps 1500 psi, estimates on this one range from at least 20,000 pounds per square inch to over 70,000!  Such pressures are so high that cracks and fissures develop along the ‘path of least resistance’ and result in multiple vents…some perhaps miles away, to the point that there may by now be significant undermining of the seabed floor in the area.  Likewise, pressure built up through multiple financial bubbles also results in obvious “cracks and fissures” in the economy.  Bailouts, of course, don’t manage to “cap” the problem, but merely to produce cracks in other economic areas — some separated not only by miles, but entire continents.

BP’s well is spewing out toxic chemical byproducts, from hydrogen sulfide and methane to benzene — known as “volatile organic compounds”, or VOCs.  The Fed’s plague spews out toxic assets.

Even the jargon has a familiar parallel-sounding familiarity by now.  Deep-water wells have BOPs, or “Blow-out preventers”, while manipulated markets have “circuit breakers”.  Both seem to fail at the worst possible times.

Finally, look at the bottom line.

The Deepwater Horizon oil volcano in the Gulf of Mexico may represent the biggest failed hole in the ground in history.  The Federal Reserve, not to be outdone, has presided over — without doubt — the biggest debt hole in all of human history.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

For some time, I have speculated about what form the coming “plagues” that will be visited upon the whore of Babylon would take.  Given the parallels with Mitzraim, or ancient Egypt before the Exodus, it seemed logical to me that YHVH might once again use ten of them.

An examination of both the Bible and the history of ancient pagan Egyptian ‘gods’ seems to show that the God of Abraham, Yitzak, and Yaakov literally humiliated those things – from the river Nile to lice, locusts, and frogs and so on – that they worshiped.  It’s as if He said, over and over again, “you think THIS is a god?  I’ll show you what Almighty means!”

It did not seem to be a stretch to me to recognize that the so-called “almighty dollar”  — especially given that He repeatedly calls such a “dishonest weight” an abomination — would therefore be the first such false god to be destroyed by His jealousy.

So it looks like the second plague may be oil.  Funny how much some of the photos reminded us of a blood-colored Nile, isn’t it?

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Coming soon…

Posted on 14 June, 2010 by mark

My apologies to the regular readers here for the recent lack of activity…

…it seems that the writing takes a back seat sometimes to the “live” audio work, and — when it rains, it pours.  I’ve been doing quite a few more radio shows and other teachings than I did only a few months ago, some fill-in, and one new regular show.   (That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it, somehow comes to mind.)

I am working on  a new article, based on what has turned out to be a couple of those shows.  Perhaps it’s a bit more ambitious than some other pieces; it will probably end up being a bit longer.  So please check back…won’t be long now.

Meanwhile, by all means check out some of the new links to those audio files.  (They are listed in the “about” page, but I’ll put a pointer to some of the relatively new ones here.)

http://www.waytozion.org/conspireality/Misc/mark20.mp3

http://www.waytozion.org/conspireality/Misc/mark19.mp3

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Do fathers “own” their daughters?

Posted on 1 June, 2010 by mark

This issue came up recently in another forum, and had to do with how so many women — of the modern stripe anyway — seemed to find the behavior of Ruth in the story and Book within the Bible which bears her name so offensive.  Obviously she just wasn’t PC, or “feminist enough”.

I guess it doesn’t surprise me too much any more that a question worded this way would be so divisive in post-Biblical, post-Constitutional “Amerika”.After all, having become conditioned to a collectivist mentality, the concept of property rights seems to have become foreign to a once-free people anyway.

But the real irony is that the proper question here (in the case of wives and daughters – the teachings of Numbers chapter 30) is not about property at all; it concerns God-given authority.

Daughters are born into that headship of their father, and wives, by their acceptance of the union, commit to submit to it. Most of the rest of the Book is about the nature and consequence of rebellion to His Word, His will, and His plan.

I submit that a look around this world will show ample evidence of the fruit which results from that failure to understand and honor such simple, but vital, concepts.

But note that Ruth made a commitment to Naomi, and YHVH her Elohim, and honored it.  It was she — and all of her family — who was then blessed by YHVH in that obedience.  When she asked Boaz to be her covering, he became a “type and shadow” of the THE Kinsman-Redeemer.  Their union became part of the line of the Messiah.

Submission is a voluntary act.  That is the real key to understanding authority in accord with His Word, and what it means to be a ‘bondservant’ to the Most High.  Only once those concepts are firmly in mind will the counsel of Shaul/Paul in the end of Ephesians chapter 5 become crystal clear.

Posted in Marriage, torah, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

Gravity and ‘the Law’

Posted on 28 May, 2010 by mark
The second letter from Peter warns (II Peter 3:15-16) that in Paul’s writings are “many things difficult to understand…which are often twisted by the unlearned and untaught…to their own destruction.”  Perhaps the most graphic example of that twisting of Biblical teaching occurs with the claim that the “law” has somehow been “done away with”, or even “nailed to the cross”.  In other words, we are supposedly no longer “under the law”.

There are so many errors, omissions, and “twistings” of verses taken out-of-context in such claims that many of us who begin to see what Jeremiah meant by saying we had “inherited lies” have difficulty knowing where to begin.  For example, depending on the translation, the thing that has really been “nailed” to any tree or execution stake is the “handwriting”, or indictment against all of us for rebellion against Him, rather than the “law” itself.  Similarly, there is MUCH discussion in the gospels about what the “law” really is.  The Pharisees, who were called “hypocrites” by our Savior for this very reason, tried to teach that their halachah, or “oral traditions” for how we must “walk”, constituted “law”.  Yahushua repeatedly pointed out that what they had done by their blindness was to “bind heavy burdens” on men — including things that He had not only not Written, but prohibited (Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32, among others).   Fallen men have continued to rewrite His commandments ever since.

When He said (Mark 7:7, Matt. 15:6-9, etc) that “by your traditions” you have made the “commandments of YHVH of no effect“, Yahushua was teaching that vital distinction — just as He did when He deliberately violated THEIR many man-made rules for the Sabbath, but NOT His own Word!

This distinction is vital, because by His perfect Sacrifice we are freed from the “CURSE of the Law” (for which the penalty for deliberate rebellion to Him was death), but not the Torah itself.

The Hebrew word “torah” is probably better translated as “teaching and instruction” than it is by the English word “law” anyway.  Most people seem to think of a legalistic concept when they hear that word, which is part of the problem.  But try this.  When Paul uses the word “law” in those letters, replace it with the concept of God’s “instruction”, and see how much more sense it makes.  And how much more consistent it is with ALL of Scripture!

But another way to understand this distinction is to observe that scientists may have a better handle on what Paul was teaching about not being “under the law” than lawyers seem to.  A “law” to them is not a rule, enforced by policemen with guns, but a statement about the creation that is ALWAYS observed to be TRUE. The “Law of Gravity” is a good case-in-point.  It has NEVER been observed to fail, whether one is talking about stars and planets, or Isaac Newton and the apple.  Note the distinction between such a “Law”, and something described as a “theory”, which SEEMS plausible (like Relativity) and is subject to further study and observation.  (The so-called “Theory of Evolution” is a bad joke in this context, since it persists in SPITE of contrary evidence — at least to the True Believers.)

As a private pilot, I find that a very simple parable serves to bring this point home — especially to those who have ever contemplated learning to fly.  I know first-hand that joy of flight, and what it means to “slip the surly bonds of earth”.  But does that mean I am somehow no longer “under the Law of Gravity”?  Because our knowledge — of physics, of aerodynamics, of propulsion — has increased, does that mean that the “law has been done away with”?  To paraphrase Paul – God forbid!

Even though the “schoolmaster” — or flight instructor — who taught me to fly is no longer in the right front seat when I take to the skies, I must not forget the lessons.  YHVH’s “teaching and instruction” for how His creation works has not changed!  And those who deceive themselves about the consequences of rebellion to His “laws” can certainly find that the “curse” associated with impact from a great height has not been done away with either.  To know how to fly, in harmony with His “laws” of physics and aerodynamics, means to have even greater respect for such teaching and instruction, not to conclude that they no longer apply!

Gravity is still real.  “Heaven and earth” still exist.  It is our knowledge that has increased, not His Word that is diminished.  And we still “reap what we sow”.
Do not be deceived.  We are thankful to have a Kinsman-Redeemer, Who has paid the price for rebellion to His Word.  But so long as heaven and earth still exist, not one yod or tiddle will pass from His “torah”, or “teaching and instruction”.  And He gave us His “teachings and instruction” not to burden us, but to bless us.

The above article appeared originally as this month’s column for Crucified Life Ministries, at:

Home

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Scripture and “scholars”

Posted on 20 May, 2010 by mark

I suspect that many readers here have come to realize that Jeremiah 16:19 is correct – we have in fact “inherited lies” through our fathers.

Indeed there are a number of movements underway as YHVH seems to be bringing those together who truly “seek His face”, whether they are called “Messianics”, or recognized via labels like “YaHuwAHns”, “Hebrew Roots”, “Torah-Observant Believers”, or even “First-century Christianity”.

Many people, as well, seem to come to such a search via some specific “single issue” which prompted them to realize that what they have “heard it said” — by pastors, churches, or TV propaganda — that they should believe is not at ALL what is actually Written in Scripture!

But it never ceases to perplex me how can some remain so wedded to false tradition that they remain unwilling to even consider that such lies and pagan idolatry were not limited to false doctrines concerning only that same single issue, whatever it may have been.

Whether it’s marriage, and the myriad twisting of what YHVH actually ordained about it that contradicts popular Amerikan dogma, or what is and is not food, or His “appointed times” and Sabbaths, or a dozen other issues…

— is seems clear that the lies and distortions of the Pharisees and their latter-day cousins who styled themselves the ONLY Church “Universal”, and executed those who dared to suggest that “apostolic succession” did not include the ability to rewrite Scripture, are NOT confined to any single issue!

The essence of idolatry, in other words, is to put our traditions ahead of what He actually Wrote!  (Matthew 15:6-9, Mark 7:7, etc)

Comments like this one frame the issue:  “The fact is that if the LORD had meant for us to have New Testament texts in Hebrew to study, we would have them.”  In other words, there is no possibility that there could be translation errors in the MY Bible.  (Some folks insert their Favorite Version in there as a qualifier; whether it is the KJV, or “Authorized” version, the NIV, or the Septuagint and some of the many later Greek manuscripts.)

For my part, I contend that such issues are but part of the reason that we were counseled, not only in Acts 17, to “study for ourselves”.  There is no inconsistency in His Word, as Written…however, fallen men are not infallible.  It is simply impossible to translate EVERY level of understanding from a rich and nuanced language like Hebrew into some other language and convey EVERY meaning that He might have.  (Those of you who know about the “yods and tiddles” in the Torah, referenced by our Savior in Matthew 5:18, will understand that they were Hebrew “extra-textual” characters which are simply never even noted in most English Bible texts.)

But that is only part of the issue.  Cultural issues are another obvious problem.  While an English speaker might instantly know that a novel which is set in the “Windy City” refers to Chicago, a Spanish-speaker reading “la ciudad de viento” might miss the obvious (to a native English-speaker, anyway)  jargon, or figure of speech.

And while there are many good ‘scholars’ whose work I respect, not all who claim the title are worthy of it.  After all, “of making many books there is no end.”

I see self–absorbed scholars in the press and government proclaim haughtily what the Constitution says, and thus justify “gun control”, “Roe v Wade”, “hate crimes”, Obamacare, legions of “officers who harasss our people and eat out their substance”, and the Federal Reserve — in spite of the plain text.  But I’ve read history, and both the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, understand English, and can tell they’re simply “full of it”. Similar scholars teach that man evolved from slime and there can be no Creator. Still others teach that ALL of the Bible is mere myth and no historic “Jesus” ever existed. They’re “scholars” because they are tenured at universities, peer-review each others self-serving papers, and suckle at the public trough.  Please excuse me for choosing not to worship at that same altar.

Perhaps most importantly, there are even CONCEPTS which are difficult to express in one language, but “ingrained” in another.  Greek gods, for example, were by nature capricious and untrustworthy; a speaker of ancient Hebrew would have difficulty even imagining such a thing about YHVH.  Concepts like “luck” or “chance” — easy to say in English or Greek — don’t even translate as a result.  To those who understood the nature of Yah the Creator, in other words, they were meaningless.

When you consider that the Greek manuscripts of the Gospels and various Letters necessarily represent at least two levels of translation before they arrive in English*, the nature of the problem should be obvious — at least in part.

But there is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THOUGHT PROCESS associated with an Hebraic mindset than a Greco-Romanized one.  Words and word-roots like “theo- “; “deo- “; baal/’lord’; and even ‘christos’ apply to ANY and every pagan ‘god’.  Proper nouns, like “Easter”, however, apply specifically to pagan goddesses, are absolutely and explicitly prohibited by Him in His Word, and are called “abomination”!  His Name YHVH, which was removed by both pharisees and popes, is referenced over twenty THOUSAND times in Scripture — and He says it is important over 7 thousand times (precisely 7777 times in fact, according to at least one scholar I generally respect).

When the prophet Jeremiah said in verse 16:21, in other words, was NOT “they shall know that my name [is] The LORD.”  And while any Strong’s (or other) Concordance will help, somehow the verse in the KJV just seems gutted. Such verses just simply do NOT do Him justice!

Ever notice how so many of YHVH’s prophets have part of His Name in their own?  Not in the English, for the most part.  (And, no – you will NOT see this in the more careless translations.) Phonetically, some obvious ones are:

EliYAHUW — “The Almighty is YAHuw(AH) ” (aka “Elijah”)
YermeYAHUW — “Resurrection is YAHuw(AH)” (aka “Jeremiah”)
YashaYAHUW — “The Savior is YAHuw(AH)” (aka “Isaiah”)
ZachariYAHUW — “YAHuw(AH) remembers His promises” (aka “Zechariah”)

YAHUshua is the Name — and Title — that was given by the malakiYAH (messengers of YAH, aka ‘angels’) to His earthly parents for the Savior. The meaning, Title, and purpose of His life are obvious in the Hebrew, and obscured in translation: “YAHuw is Salvation”.

(The ‘short-form’ or familiar ‘nickname’ Yeshua is more akin to just meaning “salvation”; it thus drops the important reference to YAH or YAHU in His Name. Not necessarily “wrong”, just a distinction that is worth understanding. Is that not a reasonable service for us to attempt in respect to our King?)

And does this mean that “whosoever will” cannot come to Him from Mitzraim, from Moab, from Canaan, from ignorance, from paganism, from sin — and humble themselves, turn from their wicked ways, (t’shuvAH or repent) and seek His face? “YHVH forbid!” But as “Hosea” (AHosha, or “YAH is our eternal Savior”; v 4:6) warned, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge! And because you have REJECTED knowledge, I will reject you for being priests for Me, and will also forget your children“!

Some folks try to claim that we know what He has meant us to know, and that any implication that there could be errors in modern texts somehow implies that YHVH is incapable of “preserving His Word”. The existence of multiple Greek texts with significant variations and contradictions demonstrates the absurdity of such assertions, as do English translations with similar issues. The problem is men: doctrine, tradition, and shortcomings from bias to dishonesty to just plain laziness…not His Word.

His Name and His Word HAS been preserved!

But only for those willing to SEARCH OUT THE TRUTH FOR THEMSELVES! Like it or not, those who want to understand what Yahushua taught beyond the constraints of language and tradition all-too-often infused with subtle but insidious pagan tradition will have to learn a bit of the language from which He instructed.

We are given the example of the Bereans (Acts 17:11) for a reason. But those who prefer their tradition to the Truth have to ignore the obvious: at the time that story was written, those people of Berea did not have a SINGLE “new testament gospel” to read! They studied “for themselves” from the “Torah”, the “TANAKH”. Everything they needed to confirm just exactly Who He was, and what He had done for us was available then, just as it is now**. But we still have to be willing to “diligently seek Him”.

——————————-

*  I am persuaded that, at a minimum, the Book of Matthew was NOT originally written in Greek.  While there is much evidence (including over two dozen manuscripts in Hebrew and/or Aramaic) the book The Hebrew Yeshua vs. the Greek Jesus, by Nehemia Gordon, is a good introduction to the topic.

** Over 5700 publicly-available papyri manuscripts (most written in Greek, some Aramaic – at libraries, museums, universities, etc) contain His Name in phonetic rendering. (source: OSE1 Bible, The King’s Covenant, pp.7-15, including document names, references, and locations)

Interesting to note are errors in other historic documents from Greek language sources which indicate that ‘the Name’ of the ‘diety of the jews’ was pronounced “Pipi”. Why? Evidently some “scholars” and translators were not aware that some documents included direct renderings of the Name (the ‘tetragrammatron’, YHVH, or yod-hey-vav-hey)  is read right-to-left, instead of the opposite direction, like Greek (and English).

It looked like “pi – iota – pi – iota “; thus, it MUST be, “pipi”. There are MANY ways for the enemy to occult, obscure, hide, distort, or just outright lie about the truth. Perhaps that is why Yahushua told us the path is in fact narrow, and “few there be that find it“.

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Bailouts, Baseball, and Big Lies

Posted on 18 May, 2010 by mark

Perhaps the most obvious, but notoriously difficult, aspect of learning how to come out of her is dealing with the incredible Deception that is on the horizon.   But the last week gives us a couple of places to exercise the skill.

There was a perfect game, for example.  No, I’m not talking about the performance of  Oakland’s pitcher Dallas Braden on Mother’s Day.  There have now been nineteen of those in the century-plus history of Major League Baseball; while very rare, they do not generally strain credulity.

No,  even the best curveball in history doesn’t describe what Goldman-Sachs claims to have done,  in announcing an unbelievable first quarter, in which their trading activities resulted in a “perfect game” of 63 straight days of profits.  Now, since the best hitters in history generally batted less than .400, that means that this feat is even MORE impressive for the aces of Amerika’s Banksters than it is in baseball.  It is in fact less likely than someone pitching three perfect games in a row!

The G-S spokesman said that this “perfect quarter” showcased  their skill at “risk management”, a masterpiece of Klintonian Lawyerese if there ever was one:  they managed the risk, all right.  (Remember that Pete Rose was banned  from the Baseball Hall of Fame because he bet on the game.  How far we’ve fallen; at least he used his own money.)

But we’re just beginning to examine the statistical miracles associated with post-free market Financial Wizardry.  JP Morgan ALSO had a perfect quarter!  What are the odds against that?  Two perfect pitchers in the SAME BALLGAME!

It’s not enough to be “skeptical” about the “signs and lying wonders” we are being force-fed by the “prince of this world”, his money masters, and the commercial media who tell folks to “enjoy the ballgame”.  We should be able to give account for what we believe, and for what we are not willing to swallow.

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