THE TWO JESUSES

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

Two Jesuses are at play in Christendom. The one is the Jesus of history (or historical Jesus), and the other is the Jesus of Faith. As would be seen presently, the two are not the same. One is in stark contrast to the other. The popular and dominant Jesus is the one as propagated by latter-day Christianity. He is the Jesus of the Christian Faith as defined by the four ecumenical Councils of Nicaea (A.D 325), Ephesus convened in June and July A.D. 431 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius 2, Chalcedon held from 8th October -- 1st November A.D. 451, and Constantinople (A.D. 381); and according to the "New Testament" as settled at the Council of Hippo in A.D. 393 and Council of Carthage in A.D. 397. At the Synod of Hippo held in Hippo Regius in North Africa, a council of Bishops listed and approved a Christian Biblical canon that corresponds to the modern Roman Catholic canon while falling short of the Orthodox canon (including the books referred by the Roman Catholics to as the deuterocanonical books and by Protestants as Apocrypha. The canon was later approved by the Council of Carthage which issued a canon of the Bible on 28th August, A.D. 397 pending approval by the See of Rome. He is called the Jesus of Faith. But then there is the Jesus of history, the Apostolic Jesus. He is the true Jesus.

Chapter 2: JESUS OF HISTORY

According to old time prophecy, the Jesus of History was born in Bethlehem in Judea, for it is written: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Mic. 5:2). See also Matt. 2:6; Jn. 7:42.

The language spoken in Judea the land of his birth was Hebrew and a cognate language, Aramaic. The languages that he spoke were Hebrew and Aramaic. He was not named "Jesus" as we are made to believe in Mathew 1:21; Luke 1:31 and Acts 4:12 of the versions of our Bibles.

The name "Jesus" is the English form of the Greek Iesous. Iesous is the Greek form of His Hebrew name Yahoshua, which means "Savior." He was simply called Yahshua. Some spell it Yeshua. Yeshua is Aramaic. The Yahshua of history was never called Jesus.

On the other hand the Jesus of faith is the Jesus of Christendom. The Jesus of Faith called himself "Jesus." We have shown that the true Jesus was never called Jesus but Yahshua or Yeshua. The Jesus of faith chose Rome over Israel. We know that Yahshua of History never did.

Chapter 3: THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD

The text says: "For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). The text also says: "In this was manifested the love of GOD toward us, because that GOD sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him... And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (1 Jn. 4:9, 14).

John the immerser bore record of Yahshua of History and said: "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that GOD is true. For he whom GOD hath sent speaketh the words of GOD: for GOD giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of GOD abideth on him" (Jn. 3:31-36).

Yahshua of History came into the world as Son of GOD. He was not GOD the Creator and he made no claim to being GOD. He said: "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him" (Matt. 11:27). See also Lk. 10:22; Jn. 3:35; 13:3; 17:2; Matt. 28:18.

Yahshua of History said: Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him ... I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (Jn. 5:19-23, 30). See also Jn. 8:28; 9:4; 12:49; 14:10, 24; 7:16.

At no time did the Yahshua of History claim that He was GOD. On the contrary, the Jesus of Faith is worshipped as GOD by the Christian Church.

Chapter 4: AN UNCHANGEABLE GOD

For Yahshua of History, GOD does not change, as it is written: "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Mal. 3:6). It is written: "GOD is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Num. 23:19). It is said: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (Jas. 1:17). Because Yahshua is the express image of the unseen GOD (Col. 1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3), it is said of him: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8). See also 1 Sam 15:29; Titus 1:2.

For Yahshua of History, the GOD of the Old Testament (?) is the same GOD of the New (?) Testament. Yahshua is thus referred to as the Messenger of the Covenant, for it is written: "Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner\'s fire, and like fullers\' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness" (Mal. 3:1-2).

Yahshua of History never started a new religion. He never spoke against the Torah. He never kept pagan feasts or traditions. He never called himself Jesus/Iesous. He never pointed at Rome for any teaching. He never called Rome the new Holy city.

Chapter 5: SOUND DOCTRINE

Otherwise called "Good Doctrine," Sound doctrine is doctrine according to the Laws of GOD, otherwise called Covenant Laws, for it is written: "For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law" (Prov. 4:2).

It is said: "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:8-10). See also Titus 1:9; Titus 2:1.

As noted earlier on, according to prophecy, Yahshua of History came into the world as a Messenger of the Covenant of GOD, as it is written: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts" (Mal. 3:1). Two messengers are here talked about. The one messenger is the one who came to prepare the way before Yahshua of History. He is none other than John the immerser \[Baptizer\], as it is said: "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee" (Matt. 11:10).

Yahshua of History never taught a new doctrine other than sound doctrine, which is the law of GOD, for the text says: "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of GOD, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh His glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?" (Jn. 7:16-19).

The Yahshua of History worshipped GOD according to the true and pure religion which GOD gave to Israel. GOD did not call His religion, Judaism. He referred to it as His Covenant, for it is written: "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My Covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation...." (Ex. 19:5-6).

This Covenant consists of laws categorized as Commandments, otherwise known as Testimonies; Statutes; and Judgments, otherwise known as Ordinances, for it is written: "And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel: These are the Testimonies, and the Statutes, and the Judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt" (Deut. 4:44-45).

The Almighty GOD said to His Servant, Moses: "But as for thee, stand thou here by Me, and I will speak unto thee all the Commandments, and the Statutes, and the Judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it" (Deut. 5:31). And it is written: "Now these are the Commandments, the Statutes, and the Judgments, which the LORD your GOD commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it" (Deut. 6:1).

The laws in the Ten Commandments engraved upon two tablets of stone are referred to as "Testimonies," for it is written: "And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of Testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of GOD" (Ex. 31:18). See also Ex. 32:15-16.

All laws dealing with the Festivals (Feasts) of GOD and regulations concerning defilements (ritual cleanness and uncleanness), including dietary laws, are referred to as Statutes, for it is written: "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the Statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses" (Lev. 10:8-11).

It is written: "This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten" (Lev. 11:46-47).

And it is written: "Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine" (Lev. 20:25-26). See also Ezek. 22:26, 44:21, 23.

Judgments are those laws which regulate social or inter-personal relationships. See Ex. 21:1-36; 22:1-28; 23:1-9; Lev. 18:4-30 (Statutes and Judgments); 19:1-37 (Statutes and Judgments); 20:7-26 (Statutes and Judgments).

Regarding this Covenant of GOD, it is written: "These are the Statutes and Judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD GOD of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth" (Deut. 12:1). It is written: "...He will ever be mindful of His covenant... He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant forever: Holy and Reverend is His Name" (Ps. 111:5, 9). The Elohim of Israel is a covenant keeping Elohim.

Again, it is written: "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips" (Ps. 89:34). It is also written: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path... The righteousness of Thy Testimonies is everlasting ... Concerning Thy Testimonies, I have known of old that Thou hast founded them forever... Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of Thy righteous Judgments endureth forever... Great peace have they which love Thy law: and there is no stumbling for them" (Ps. 119:105, 144, 152, 160, 165).

Yahshua of History never abolished the Law and the writings of the Prophets. He affirmed and endorsed the Covenant of GOD with Israel and Gentiles to keep GOD's Commandments, Statutes and Judgments. Here is what he said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break "one of the least of these commandments," and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:17-20).

"One of the least of these commandments" means even the smallest of any of these covenant laws howsoever described be it a Commandment (Testimony), Statute or Judgment (Ordinance). The sum total of these laws as distilled by Jewish Sages are 613 in number.

And as Luke reports, he also said: "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail" (Lk. 16:17).

And it is reported by Mathew thus: And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, GOD: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matt. 19:16-17). See also Lk. 18:18-20; Mk. 10:17-19.

We also have the following from the gospel of Luke: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live" (Lk. 10:25-28).

Yahshua of History frowned at the practice of abandoning the Commandments of GOD for the traditions of men, for he said: "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of GOD by your tradition? ... Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:3, 7-9). See Isaiah 29:13.

On the other hand, Jesus of Faith preferred the traditions of men over and above the commandments of GOD and replaced the commandments of GOD with the traditions of men. Here are a few examples of the observances of believers in Jesus of Faith:

Lent: Historians converge on the view that the 40-day period before Easter known as Lent, emerged shortly following the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. It was Roman Catholic Pope Gregory 1 (590-604) who regularized the period of the fast churchwide, to begin on Wednesday 46 days before Easter with a ceremony of ash, and not to include Sundays, which were perennial days of celebration. There is no Scriptural basis for the observance of Lent. It is the tradition of men and a vanity.

As John Calvin wrote in 1536, Lenten practices is not a true imitation of Yahshua (of History). Yahshua (of History) kept the laws of Torah throughout his life, and fasted at appropriate times. He fasted forty days to prepare for his public ministry and to testify that his gospel was from GOD. Calvin argued that Yahshua of History taught to specific times of fasting, and that Lent was therefore, merely false zeal, replete with superstition, which set up a fast under the title and pretext of imitating Christ. (See IV. 12.20., p. 760). John Calvin was right.

Charles Spurgeon also wrote in 1885 concerning Lent as follows: "It is as much our duty to reject the traditions of men, as to observe the ordinances of the LORD. We ask concerning every rite and rubric, 'Is this a law of the GOD of Jacob?' and if it be not clearly so, it is of no authority with us, who walk in Christian liberty." Spurgeon was also right.

According to historians, here is the true origin of Lent: It all began in Babylon. Legend has it that Tammuz was killed by a wild boar (swine) at the age of forty years. Legend has it that following his death, Tammuz descended into the underworld. But through the weeping of his mother, "Semiramis/Ishtar (Easter), he was mystically revived in Spring. The resurrection of Tammuz through his mother's grief was dramatically represented every year in order to ensure the success of crops and the fertility of the people. Each year men and women had to grieve with semiramis/Ishtar over the death of Tammuz and celebrate the god's return and win his favour and benefits. See Smith, "Man and his Gods," p. 86. When the new vegetation began to come forth, those ancient people believed their "savior" had come from the underworld, had ended Winter, and caused Spring to begin. See Urlin, "Festivals, Holy Days, and Saints' Days," p. 89.

According to Alexander Hislop, forty days were set aside to weep for Tammuz, a day representing each year of his life. These forty days were observed with weeping, fasting and self-chastisement so as to gain his favor, so he would come forth from the underworld and cause spring season to begin. Hislop observed: "Let anyone only read the atrocities that were commemorated during the 'sacred fast' or pagan Lent, as described by Arnobius and Clemens Alexandrinus, and surely he must blush for the Christianity of those who, with full knowledge of all these abominations, 'went down to Egypt for help' to stir up the languid devotion of the degenerate Church, and who could find no more excellent way to 'revive' it, than by borrowing from so polluted a source; the absurdities and abominations connected with which the early Christian writers had held up to scorn. That Christians should ever think of introducing the Pagan abstinence of Lent was a sign of evil; it showed how low they had sunk, and it was also a cause of evil; it inevitably led to deeper degradation. Originally, even in Rome, Lent, with the preceding revelries of the carnival, was entirely unknown ...."

In the early 19th century, German explorer Alexander Von Humboldt noted the practice among the pagans in Mexico, being held in the spring. His account states: Three days after the vernal equinox ... began a solemn fast of forty days in honour of the sun.

A Lent of forty days was also commemorated in Egypt. According to the English Scholar John Landseer, in his Sabean Researches (1823), an Egyptian Lent of forty days was held in honour of the god Osiris.

At some point in history, Israel adopted the doctrines and rites of the annual pagan Spring Festival. They were involved in this abominable observances, for it is written: "He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD\'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz" (Ezek. 8:13-14).

As Alexander Hislop noted, "this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz." See Hislop, "The Two Babylons," pp. 104, 105.

This pagan custom, like many others, was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church and Christianized. So rather than observe Lent to commemorate the death and resurrection of Tammuz, it came to be observed to commemorate the death of Jesus of (the Christian) Faith as created by the Catholic Church. It was not until the sixth century AD that the Pope (Gregory 1) officially ordered the observance of Lent, calling it a 'sacred fast" during which people were to abstain from meat and a few other foods. The Catholics honestly points out that "writers in the fourth century were prone to describe many practices (e.g. the Lenten fast of forty days) as of Apostolic institution which certainly had no claim to be so regarded." See The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 484, art. "Celibacy."

There is in the Torah a clear warning against this type of abomination. For it is written: "When the LORD thy GOD shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy GOD: for every abomination to the LORD, which He hateth, have they done unto their gods; ... What thingsoever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it" (Deut. 12:29-32).

ASH WEDNESDAY: Ash Wednesday occurs six and a half weeks before the Christian Easter (between February 4 and March 11, depending on the date of Easter). Believers in Jesus of Faith have a practice whereby ashes are placed on their forehead on the first day of Lent. The ash is used to make the sign of the cross on the forehead. The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations. It is called repentance ashes. It is, according to them, a reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with GOD. It is aimed to remind worshippers that they are dust and to dust they shall return, according to them. It is a day of fasting and abstinence, where only one full meal and no meat are to be consumed.

The practice of Ash Wednesday dates back to the 11th century A.D. It has no Scriptural basis. In other words, it is not mentioned in the Bible. Nowhere is its observance commanded. The Apostles of Yahshua of History did not observe it. The practice has pagan origin. In the Nordic pagan religion, placing ashes above one's brow was believed to ensure the protection of the Norse god, Odin. The placing of the ashes was done on Wednesday. We would recall that Wednesday is named after the god, Odin, Odin's day. The practice spread to Europe during the Vikings conquests.

The Norse practice which is now called Ash Wednesday, came from the Vedic Indian religion. Ashes were believed to be the seed of the Agni, the Indian fire god. The Latin's name for fire, Ignis, came from the name of this god. It is from this root word that the English words ignite, igneous and ignition came. Agni was said to have authority to forgive sins. Ashes were also believed to be symbolic for the purifying blood of the Vedic god Shiva, which it is said had the power to cleanse sins. See Craig Portwood, "The Pagan Origin of Ash Wednesday."

The best lie is the one that sticks closest to the truth. Indeed, there are instances in the Scriptures where people covered themselves with ashes as they petitioned GOD for His intervention and for sins. See Josh. 7:6; Dan. 9:3; Esther 4:1; Ezek. 27:30 etc. Even Yahshua of History made an allusion to it when he said: "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" (Matt. 11:21). Yet, nowhere are we told in the Scriptures about anything called Ash Wednesday and the making of the sign of the cross with ash.

PALM SUNDAY: Also called Passion Sunday in the so called Christian tradition, is the Sunday before Easter. It is a commemoration of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem of the Yahshua of History. The Christian Church marks the day with blessing and procession of palm leaves (date or twigs). The palms are often taken home by congregants to serve as a sacred sign and some are burned the following year to serve, as noted above, as ashes for Ash Wednesday.

A few days before the Passover of his impalement, Yahshua of History went up to Jerusalem, riding on a Colt, as it is said: "And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?" (Matt. 21:6-10).

The account of John was as follows: "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass\'s colt" (Jn. 12:12-15). Fair enough!

However, the Apostles of Yahshua of History and the early Church (Nazarean Sect) did not celebrate anything called "Palm Sunday." It is not commanded. In fact, the earliest mention of "Palm Sunday" was in the fourth century A.D. Its observance in the West was not until the ninth century A.D.

Chapter 6: COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE

Yahshua of history made it plain that all of GOD's commandments are commandments of love, the obedience of which one shows vertical love to GOD on the one hand, and horizontal love to one's fellow on the other hand, for the text says: "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:35-40). This is just as it is written in the law of GOD thus: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. 6:5); and "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD" (Lev. 19:18).

Although GOD is the only lawgiver, for it is written: "For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver ...." (Isa. 33:22); and the text also says: "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy ...." (Jas. 4:12), every Commandment of GOD enjoins either vertical love of GOD or horizontal love of man. For instance, obedience to the following commandments which were written by the finger of GOD (Ex. 31:18; 32:16) on the one tablet of stone show greater and vertical love of GOD:

• I am the LORD thy GOD, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

2. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy GOD am a jealous GOD, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My Commandments.

• Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy GOD in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.

• Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and

do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy GOD: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gate. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

• Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land

which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee" (Ex. 20:2-12).

The above commandments clearly relate directly to GOD. As are all the commandments which in the law are described as Statutes, such as GOD's Feasts (Festivals), holiness and dietary laws.

On the other hand, obedience to the following commandments which were written on the other tablet of stone, show horizontal love of man's neighbor, such as:

• Thou shalt not kill

• Thou shalt not commit adultery

• Thou shalt not steal.

• Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour\'s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour\'s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour\'s (Ex. 20: 13-17).

The same is true of all commandments described in the law as Judgments or Ordinances. They are laws that govern social or inter-personal relationships.

Christendom and her Jesus of Faith teaches that Jesus rejected the Commandments of GOD because they are burdensome and impossible to keep, thus creating its own version of Jesus. This Jesus of (the Christian) Faith reduced all the Commandments of GOD to two commandments of love and such love is not defined in terms of obedience to the eternal laws of GOD. What they are saying effectively is that their contrived Jesus worked at cross-purposes with GOD. Yahshua of History made it clear that "he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me" (Jn. 12:45). See also Jn. 14:9. He also made it clear that "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matt. 12:25).

By reducing GOD's commandments to two, they posit that Jesus of Faith made the law lighter. This is a complete inversion of Scriptures, for as we have shown, to love GOD and man is to obey the commandments of GOD whether they relate directly to GOD or concern one's fellow. Those who retail such perverted message of love and promote a doctrine of grace, no-law salvation are responsible for the sorry state of present day Christianity that has lost all spiritual flavor and the true power of GOD. It is little wonder that Yahshua of History had this to say: "Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of GOD" (Mk. 12:24).

This is clearly the mystery of iniquity at work, for the text says: "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause GOD shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess. 2:7-12).

The Apostle Paul spoke in time in prophecy thus: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:2-4).

Chapter 7: NO NEW COMMANDMENT

In the true sense of the word, Yahshua of History did not give a new commandment because GOD is the only Lawgiver. It is to emphasize the importance of love of neighbor that he said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (Jn. 13:34-35). He said: "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you ... Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you ... Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another" (Jn. 15:12, 14, 16-17).

It is evident, as shown above that the commandment to love one's neighbour is written in the law of GOD thus: "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD" (Lev. 19:18). Unfortunately, this very important commandment which is the core and essence of the law of GOD was lost on the Jews because they were ruled by the flesh. They were not spiritual. They were carnal. They lacked true faith in GOD, just as the Apostle Paul noted: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against GOD: for it is not subject to the law of GOD, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please GOD" (Rom. 8:7-8). There was wickedness in the people. They were unforgiving, vengeful and held grudges against their fellow.

Yahshua of History said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments... And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you... He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him... Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father\'s which sent me" (Jn. 14:15-18, 21, 23-24).

The Apostle John wrote: "Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes" (1 Jn. 2:7-11).

He wrote: "In this the children of GOD are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of GOD, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother\'s righteous ... And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us" (1 Jn. 3:10-12, 23-24).

He wrote: "And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it" (2 Jn. 1:5-6).

He wrote: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of GOD; and every one that loveth is born of GOD, and knoweth GOD. He that loveth not knoweth not GOD; for GOD is love ... And we have known and believed the love that GOD hath to us. GOD is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in GOD, and GOD in him ... If a man say, I love GOD, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love GOD whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth GOD love his brother also" (1 Jn. 4:7-8, 16, 20-21).

Again, the Apostle John wrote: "But whoso hath this world\'s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of GOD in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (1 Jn. 3:17-18).

James the just wrote: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (Jas. 2:15-16).

Love of neighbor as oneself expresses itself in so many other ways. First of all, love thrives on the cardinal principle of the golden rule that, "...all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12).

Yahshua of History said: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:31-40). See also Job 31:1, 40; Lk. 3:11.

It follows that oppression and all forms of wickedness which have become the order of the day amongst GOD's covenant children are antithetical to the commandment to love one's neighbor. Therefore, it is said: "...Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness, and then it was well with him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know Me? Saith the LORD" (Jer. 22:15-16).

It is written: "LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved" (Ps. 15:1-5).

Therefore, it is said: "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law... Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:8, 10). See also Gal. 5:14; Col. 3:14; 1 Tim. 1:5; Jas. 2:8.

And it is said: "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins" (Prov. 10:12). See also 1 Pet. 4:8.

It is further said: "Let brotherly love continue" (Heb. 13:1). See also Rom. 12:10; 1Thess 4:9; 1Pet. 1:22; 2:17; 3:8; 4:8; 2Pe 1:7; Col. 3:14.

Love of one's neighbour is perfected when one is careful to obey the judgments or ordinancies of GOD regarding his relationship with his neighbour. The Judgments or ordinances of GOD are the guiding principles of expression of love of one's neighbour. In other words, the judgments or ordinances of GOD is the compass for the expression of love of one's neighbor. Such love has nothing to do with the sensual type of love that is carnal, deficient in morals and spirituality as erroneously taught.

Chapter 8: MAGNIFIED AND MADE THE LAW HONORABLE

Yahshua of history magnified the law of GOD and made it honourable, just as it is written concerning him, for the text says: "The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness\' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable" (Isa. 42:21). Here are a few instances of his magnification of the laws of GOD:

Yahshua taught: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5:21-24).

He taught: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery" (Matt. 5:27-32).

He taught: "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the LORD thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is GOD\'s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" (Matt. 5:33-37).

He taught: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away" (Matt. 5:38-42).

Yahshua taught: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:43-48).

He taught: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone" (Matt. 23:23).

He taught: "Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel" (Matt. 23:24).

He taught: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also" (Matt. 23:25-26).

He taught: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men\'s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matt. 23:27-28).

And Yahshua taught: "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matt. 9:12-13). See also Matt. 12:7; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6-8.

Chapter 9: THE SHABBAT

As all other laws of GOD in His covenant with His people, GOD commanded the observance of the Shabbat as an everlasting covenant, and as a sign between GOD and His people forever, for it is written: "Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you... Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed" (Ex. 31:13, 16-17). See also Ezek. 20:12, 20).

The Yahshua of history observed the Shabbat of GOD. In fact, it was his custom to go to the synagogue on Shabbat day, for the text says: "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read" (Lk. 4:16).

The Yahshua of History declared that he is the Lord of the Shabbat, as it is said: "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath" (Mk. 2:27-28).

The word "Lord" means "Owner" or "Master." It is the owner or master of a thing that is eminently in a position to say how that thing is to be used or operated. The Jews had the law and presumed that they understood the type of work forbidden to be done on the Shabbat, but were they were mistaken. As Lord of the Shabbat, Yahshua taught us that showing mercy, ministering spiritual healing and saving life do not come within the definition of work forbidden on Shabbat. Thus, his example of Shabbat keeping becomes paradigmatic for GOD's Covenant children. Yahshua of History also made it clear that the Shabbat was made for the good of man.

In his prophecy regarding the future destruction of the Temple of GOD in Jerusalem after his departure from the world, Yahshua of History urged that his disciples should, among other things, pray that the destruction would not take place on Shabbat day, to signify that the Shabbat was going to continue to be observed as GOD's holy day, as it is said: "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day" (Matt. 24:20). By the way, Historians agree that the destruction of the Temple by the Roman forces led by Titus took place on a Wednesday in the year AD 70. Yahshua of History left the world in AD 32 or 33, according to Church historians.

On the other hand, the Jesus of (the Christian) Faith abolished the seventh day Shabbat by working on Shabbat day, thus breaking it. Christendom holds that when one believes in Jesus, one does not have to keep any day as a Shabbat day, for Jesus is rest and every day is a Shabbat day, for Jesus said: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).

With the Jesus of (the Christian) Faith, you can choose any day as Shabbat, depending on when you begin your count of the days of week. You may as well choose Sunday. Yahshua of History did indeed, make the statement reported in Mathew 11:28 as reproduced above. In making the statement, it is clear that he was not saying that one does not require to keep the Shabbat as by attending Shabbat convocations at the Synagogue. If that was what he meant by the statement, it would not be reported about him that it was his custom to attend Synagogue on Shabbat days (Lk. 4:16). I have shown hitherto, that the true Jesus, Yahshua of History customarily kept the Shabbat and that his disciples after him kept it.

For Yahshua of history, there was no question that the Shabbat day was the seventh day as designated by GOD in His law.

The Shabbat commandment, like other covenant laws of GOD, is a verb. As an action word, to keep it requires doing it, as by preparing for it both spiritually and physically, holding a sacred assembly on that day and observing all its regulations. These are not to be spiritualized away, as by saying that GOD is in the heart.

Chapter 10: GOD'S OTHER RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OR FEASTS

The Shabbat is a Feast of GOD and a holy convocation. It is a prologue to all other Feasts and holy convocations of GOD. Other Festivals or Feasts are:

• The Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:5-8; Ex. 12:14-20, 24).

• The Feast of Weeks (Lev. 23:16-21).

• The Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:23-25).

• The Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:26-32).

• The Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33-43).

GOD commanded that these religious Festivals or Feasts are to be observed and celebrated at their appointed times in GOD's liturgical calendar as everlasting covenants.

The Yahshua of history observed GOD's religious Feasts (Festivals), for the text says: "And the Jews\' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers\' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father\'s house an house of merchandise ...Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the Feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did" (Jn. 2:13-16, 23). See also Lk. 22:7-18).

It is written in the law of GOD that the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread be celebrated on the 14th day of the first month as an everlasting Statute (Ex. 12:14, 24; Lev. 23:5-6).

The first month of GOD is not January, but Abib (also called Nisan) according to the liturgical calendar that GOD gave to Israel. According to that calendar, the first month is the month of the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt following their redemption. It is written: "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, this month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you" (Ex. 12:1-2). It also says: "This day came ye out in the month Abib" (Ex. 13:4). See also Ex. 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1.

The text also says: "After this there was a Feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem" (Jn. 5:1).

Yahshua of History celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles, as it is said: "Now the Jews\' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand ... Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught ... In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (Jn. 7:2, 14, 37-38). It is written in the law of GOD that the Feast of Tabernacles be celebrated by GOD's people on the fifteenth day of the seventh month for seven days, as an everlasting statute, together with the eighth day, called the last great day (Lev. 23:33-34, 36, 41).

July is not GOD's seventh month, but Ethanim (also called Tishrei) as it is said: "And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month" (1 Kgs. 8:2).

In fact, it is recorded that Yahshua of History also celebrated Chanukkah, the Festival of Lights. It is also called the Feast of Dedication as it commemorates the rededication of the Temple following the defeat of the Seleucids who by the Maccabees, as it is said: "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon\'s porch" (Jn. 10:22-23).

Chapter 11: ANIMAL SACRIFICE

Yahshua of history believed in animal sacrifice and supported and strengthened the service of the Levitical Priesthood and the sacrificial system as ordained in the law of GOD. In fact, as was written concerning him, he was manifested to purify the Priests in order that they may offer to GOD in righteousness, for about him it is written: "And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner\'s fire, and like fullers\' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years" (Mal. 3:2-4).

Consistent with this prophecy, he excoriated the Priests and Levites and exposed their spiritual void as lacking in true knowledge of GOD as they lacked love, mercy and compassion. This was in order to teach them the righteousness required of them by GOD that in so doing, their sacerdotal service may be done in righteousness and their offerings pleasing to GOD. He told the parable of the good Samaritan thus:

"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise" (Lk. 10:30-37).

He also spoke the following in the present continuous tense:

"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5:23-24).

"Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?" (Matt. 23:19). This is just as it is written in the Law of GOD thus: "Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy" (Ex. 29:37); "And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy" (Ex. 40:10).

"For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt" (Mk. 9:49). It is written in the Law of GOD thus: "And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy GOD to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt" (Lev. 2:13).

And it is recorded concerning him:

"When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them" (Matt. 8:1-4). And this is just as it is written in the Law of GOD: "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest\'s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy ...." (Lev. 14:1-13). See also Mk. 1:40-44; Lk. 5:12-14.

"And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed" (Lk. 17:12-14).

Chapter 12: DIETARY LAWS

Yahshua of history kept GOD's dietary laws, by reason of which Peter, his chief Apostle, many years after the resurrection and ascension of Yahshua, resisted the voice which commanded him in a vision to rise, kill and eat unclean meat.

The Apostle Peter was the Chief Apostle of the Yahshua of History. He walked daily with Yahshua. He, it was to whom Yahshua spoke to as follows: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:17-19).

Many years after the ascension of Yahshua of History to heaven, Peter was shown in a vision defiled animals and a voice commanded him to kill and eat, as it is reported: "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat ... And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What GOD hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven" (Acts 10:9-13, 15-16).

Understanding the meaning of the vision literally, Peter protested, as it is reported: "But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean" (Acts 10:14).

It was while he sat thinking on the meaning of the vision, that he understood that the defiled animals were symbolic only of the Gentiles and not the literal defiled animals (Verses 17-20). Thus Peter said to the Gentile Cornelius and his household: "And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but GOD hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?" (Acts 10:28-29). It would be noted that Peter's reference was to man and not to animals as he was shown in the vision.

This is a denunciation of the false teaching that Yahshua declared all foods clean when he said in the context of eating with unwashed hands, "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." It is also said: "And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, 'Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?'" (Mk. 7:15-19). Meanwhile, the context was clearly the question: "Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" (Mk. 7:5).

And Yahshua of history settled the question by saying: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man" (Matt. 15:19-20).

On the other hand, the Jesus of (the Christian) Faith declared all foods fit for human consumption when he said: "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" (Mk. 7:15-19).

The Apostle Peter's protestation clearly shows that the saying of Yahshua of History that "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man" does not bear the meaning ascribed to it by followers of Jesus of (the Christian) Faith. I am on firm ground when I assert that the context of that statement was the controversy over eating with unwashed hands and not GOD's dietary laws.

The Apostle Peter would have had no qualms obeying the voice commanding him to kill and eat animals designated as unclean in GOD's eternal covenant laws if the example of the Master, Yahshua of History was that every creature of GOD is clean for human consumption.

The anti-law or antinomian worshippers of the Jesus of Faith show preference for the easy writings and crafty lies of the Apostle Paul (Rom. 3:7; 2 Cor. 12:16) which were only meant to bring the Gentiles into the worship of the true GOD by hook or crook, with the confidence that GOD is able to make them stand (Rom. 14:4) as they attend Synagogue services every Shabbat and hear the law and prophets read (Acts 15:21) and the unvarnished truth expounded.

Speaking about himself and his evangelistic style, the Apostle said as follows: "For if the truth of GOD hath more abounded through my lie unto His glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? Whose damnation is just" (Rom. 3:7-8).

"But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile" (2 Cor. 12:16).

"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to GOD, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel\'s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (1 Cor. 9:19-24).

Some of the Apostle Paul's easy and convenient lies are as follows:

"I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean ...For the kingdom of GOD is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit ... For meat destroy not the work of GOD. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence" (Rom. 14:14, 17, 20).

"Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the LORD\'s, and the fullness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the LORD\'s, and the fullness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man\'s conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of GOD" (1 Cor. 10:25-31).

"For every creature of GOD is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of GOD and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:4-5).

"Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled" (Titus 1:14-15).

Yahshua of history said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him," (Jn. 13:16). See also Matt. 10:24; Lk. 6:40; Jn. 15:20. The Apostle Paul was a servant of Yahshua. He could therefore, not seriously teach anything that contradicted Yahshua his Master.

Yahshua of History had this to say: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away" (Matt. 13:47-48). That was both a parable and a fact applicable to both humans and literal sea creatures.

A Christian so-called, whose culinary disposition is to consider every creature of GOD fit for human consumption is no different from a Chinese who naturally has no restraint regarding what he eats.

The Holy GOD who declared: "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your GOD ... Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine" (Lev. 20:7, 25-26), is not a variable GOD (Jas. 1:17). He does not change (Mal. 3:6). Whatever He adjudged abominable at creation, remains abominable till eternity, and vice versa. Likewise, because Yahshua of History is the image of the unseen GOD and a Messenger of GOD's covenant (Mal. 3:1), he does not change (Heb. 13:8).

Because GOD's dietary laws are part and parcel of the covenant laws of GOD which Yahshua affirmed wholus bolus when he taught that the laws must be kept as long as heaven and exist, Yahshua would have been guilty of turning somersault and contradicting himself if he disavowed or rejected the dietary laws. GOD forbid!

To emphasize, the dietary laws are part of the eternal covenant laws of GOD that must be kept as long as heaven and earth remain, as declared by Yahshua of History (Matt. 5:17-19). In fact, the laws account for 50 of the 613 codified laws of GOD.

Rather than seek and maintain consistency and harmony of Scriptures, and follow the example of Peter who was undeniably the Chief Apostle of Yahshua, followers of the contrived Jesus of Faith are all too comfortable to believe the Apostle Paul's holy lie because of a skewed mindset of a perverted sense of grace and freedom from the very laws of GOD which the Master, Yahshua of History declared to be eternal.

Chapter 13: RE-INCARNATION

Israel believes in the mystery of re-incarnation. By definition, re-incarnation is the rebirth of a soul in a new body. In Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) it is believed that souls may be reincarnated to complete a certain task, repay a debt, or rectify a sin.

Yahshua of History believed in reincarnation and taught that John the immerser was the old time prophet Elijah who returned to the earth to prepare the way for him to come. The word of prophecy said: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:5-6). It also said: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts" (Mal. 3:1).

The word of prophecy further said: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our GOD. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it" (Isa. 40:3-5).

Regarding John the immerser, Yahshua of History said: "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias \[Elijah\], which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt. 11:10-15). See also Lk. 1:16-17; Mk. 9:12-13.

We also find the following record: "Elias \[Elijah\] truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias \[Elijah\] is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist" (Matt. 17:11-13).

As far as preachers of Jesus of Faith are concerned, there is no such thing as re-incarnation. They would rather give a perverted meaning to the statement about John the Baptizer in the gospel according to Luke that, "...he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias" and deny the reality of reincarnation clearly stated by Yahshua of History. They deny this fact in order not to be seen as superstitious.

Chapter 14: THE POOR

Yahshua of history taught that the poor is always with us, for the text says: "For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always" (Matt. 26:11). See also Mk. 14:7; Jn. 12:8. This is consistent with what is written in the Law, for the text says: "For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land" (Deut. 15:11).

Yahshua of History never associated economic poverty with being a curse as made clear by the story of the Abraham, the rich man and Lazarus, which he told and recorded in Luke chapter 16 thus: "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man\'s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham\'s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father\'s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Lk. 16:19-31).

The words of Yahshua of History: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve GOD and mammon" (Matt. 6:19-24). See also Lk. 16:13;

The words of Yahshua of History: "But woe unto you that are rich! For ye have received your consolation" (Lk. 6:24).

It is recorded of Yahshua of History: "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, this will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But GOD said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward GOD" (Lk. 12:16-21). A rich man who does not keep the words of GOD's Covenant Laws is not rich toward GOD.

The words of Yahshua of History: "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of GOD! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of GOD! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of GOD" (Mk. 10:23-25).

The words of Yahshua of History: "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man\'s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Lk. 12:15).

On the other hand, Jesus of Faith taught that it is a curse to be poor economically. In fact, his preachers go as far as saying that Jesus never visited the poor because he hated poverty. They preach monetary prosperity in an irritating and annoying way as they claim that he was made poor and died in order that we might be rich. They quote with facility, the saying by the Apostle Paul, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8:9), to justify their position on economic poverty. How economically rich was the Apostle Paul the preacher, one may ask? How rich were the Apostles of Yahshua of History who remained faithful to their calling until death?

This saying of the Apostle Paul which talks about spiritual riches is easily understood by followers of Jesus of faith that economic poverty is a curse, by reason of which materialism has invaded the household of faith and stealing, almost a way of life for so called believers. In the household of faith, the rich is accorded special recognition and is pampered by so called men of GOD while the poor is treated with disdain. For them the text in 1 Timothy 6:6-12 is an abstraction, for the text says: "But 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 raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of GOD, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life ...."

It is said by James: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter" (Jam. 5:1-5).

There is nothing inherently wrong with being rich but when the road to being rich consists of brazen disregard for the laws of GOD, and offends the clear commandments against stealing and defrauding as has become the norm amongst so-called Christians and followers of Jesus of Faith, then one must question such Jesus and version of Christianity.

GOD's Commandments which Yahshua of History upheld plainly contains the following prohibitions: "Thou shalt not steal" (Ex. 20:15, Deut. 5:19); "Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another ... Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning" (Lev. 19:11, 13); "Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness" (Matt. 19:18, Mk. 10:19). See also Rom. 13:9; 1 Thess. 4:6.

And in the Prophets it is written: "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour\'s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work" (Jer. 22:13). See also Deut. 24:14-15; Mal. 3:5; Jas. 5:4.

It is also written: "Then said He unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by My name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof" (Zech. 5:3-4).

When the basis of riches is not unwavering obedience to the covenant laws of GOD as GOD demands, such riches is questionable.

We would glean from the encounter between Yahshua of History and the devil that it is in the power of the devil to bless those who worship and serve him with riches and glory of this world. It is recorded thus: "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the LORD thy GOD, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:8-10).

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 Jn. 3:4). Every commandment of GOD broken by man is not only obedience to the devil, but also service to him, for he is the lawless one who opposes every commandment of GOD. As Yahshua of History said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (Jn. 8:34). See also Verse 44.

And so, anyone who breaks the law of GOD is a servant of the devil, for sin is from the devil. The Apostle Paul had this to say: "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ...For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness" (Rom. 6:16, 20).

And from the Apostle John we read: "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of GOD was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of GOD doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of GOD" (1 Jn. 3:8-9). See also 1 Jn. 5:17-18.

Since this is so, it can only be imagined what fate await uncountable false preachers of Christendom who preach no-law grace salvation, by reason of which lawlessness is regnant in Christendom. They are clearly servants of the devil. Consider this: "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination" (Prov. 28:9).

Chapter 15: GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Gospel of the kingdom of heaven is the Gospel of righteousness. The text says: "All unrighteousness is sin ...." (1 Jn. 5:17). Since that is so, sin is unrighteousness.

Sin is defined in the following terms: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 Jn. 3:4). It follows that every transgression of the Law of GOD is an act of unrighteousness. And so it is written in the Torah: "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our GOD, as He hath commanded us" (Deut. 6:25).

Gospel of the Kingdom of GOD is the gospel of repentance from sin in as much as sin is the transgression of the law of GOD (1 Jn. 3:4) and sin is unrighteousness (1 Jn. 5:17). Without the law of GOD there is neither sin nor knowledge of sin, for the text says: "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? GOD forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet" (Rom. 7:7). See also 4:15.

Gospel of the kingdom is also called the everlasting Gospel, for the text says: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear GOD, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of GOD, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of GOD, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:6-12).

Yahshua of History preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. As shown in the preceding paragraphs, Gospel of the kingdom is otherwise called the Gospel of Righteousness. It is called the Gospel of Repentance from sin. It is also called the everlasting Gospel. And so, Yahshua of History said: "And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14).

The text says: "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17). The text says: "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of GOD, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of GOD is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mk. 1:14-15). The text also says: "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people" (Matt. 4:23). And the text further says: "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people" (Matt. 9:35).

"Go, and sin no more" (Jn. 8:11) were the words of Yahshua of History to the woman who was to be condemned, being caught in adultery. What Yahshua meant otherwise was "Repent, Woman."

John the immerse \[baptizer\], the forerunner of Yahshua, preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, the everlasting gospel, for the text says: "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ... Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that GOD is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ...." (Matt. 3:1-2, 8-11). See also Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:2-3.

When Yahshua of History sent out his disciples to preach during his ministry on earth, he commanded them to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven, the Gospel of righteousness, the Gospel of Repentance from sin, the everlasting gospel, for the text says: "And they went out, and preached that men should repent" (Mk. 6:12). And as Mathew reported, the text says: "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 10:7). See also Lk. 9:2.

After his resurrection from the dead, and before his ascension into heaven, Yahshua of History commanded that the gospel of the kingdom, the everlasting gospel be preached in all the world beginning at Jerusalem, for the text says: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Lk. 24:47). In the words of Yahshua, signs shall follow them that believe, for the text says: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mk. 16:17-18).

The book of the Acts of the Apostles reports: "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon\'s porch" (Acts 5:12). See also 2:43; 3:6-8; 14:3; 19:11.

The book also reports that the Apostles of Yahshua of History preached the gospel of the kingdom of GOD, the everlasting gospel. They were thus observant of the laws of GOD as other Jews.

The Apostle Peter preached: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). He also preached: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the LORD; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which GOD hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:19-21).

As we noted elsewhere, historians agree that the disciples of Yahshua fled after the impalement of Yahshua and re-assembled following his resurrection. His disciples and followers were called the Nazarean Sect, or heretical Sect or simply, Sect (Acts 24:14) and consisted of Hebrew/Aramaic speaking Jews who understood themselves to be a group within Judaism. Several Judeo-Christian documents persuasively demonstrate that both the ethnic composition and theological orientation of the Sect was profoundly Jewish. They were the first Christian Community. Properly speaking, the Sect was the mother Church of Christendom, contrary to the false claim of the Roman Catholic Church.

The first Christian Sect shared with all Jews the belief in the one GOD of the Fathers (Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad); held fast to the Holy Scriptures (Tanak); Observed the Law (Torah); Observed Circumcision (Acts 15:1; Gal. 5:2); Observed the Shabbat (Matt. 24:20; Luke 23:54-56; Acts 13:13-16, 42-44; 15:21; 16:13; 17:1-2; 18:4; 9:20; 13:5; 14:1; 19:8); Observed GOD's appointed Festivals/Feasts (Acts 12:1-4; 18:21; 20:6, 18; 27:9; 1 cor. 5:6-8; 16:8; Col.2:16); and regulations concerning purity and dietary Laws (Acts 10:14; 15:20; 21:25). They visited the Temple (Luke 24:53; Acts 2:46; 3:1); Sacrificed (Acts 21:26; 24:17); and prayed the same Psalms and Hymns as other Jews. See Hans Kung, "Christianity -- Essence, History and Future." Page 71.

On the other hand, Jesus of Faith commanded that the doctrine of Balaam, doctrine of Nicolaitans and doctrine of Jezebel be preached by those that he called to preach.

Chapter 16: WHO WAS BALAAM?

Balaam was a Prophet from Mesopotamia who was engaged by Balak the king of Moab, an enemy of GOD to curse Israel. Against GOD's clear command to him not to honor the invitation of Balak to curse Israel, he repeatedly sought for a change of the mind of GOD because Balak promised to do him honor if he honored his invitation and curse Israel. He tried unsuccessfully many times to curse the people of Israel. He eventually advised king Balak to pursue a campaign of seduction against Israel as the most effective way to weaken them and set them on a collision course with their GOD, using Moabite and Midianite women to tempt them into sexual relationship and into pagan rituals, for the text says: "Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD" (Num. 31:16).

He succeeded and this drew the wrath of GOD against Israel and twenty-four thousand of them perished in one day, for the text says: "And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye everyone his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand" (Num. 25:1-9).

Chapter 17: WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM?

The imagery of Balaam was invoked by the Apostle Peter when he wrote concerning false teachers that shall arise, for he wrote: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not ... Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man\'s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever" (2 Pet.2:1 -3, 14-17).

The same imagery of Balaam was invoked in the Jude, for the text says: "Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 1:11-13).

The "Way of Balaam" is a choice to promote falsehood for financial reasons. The "Error of Balaam" is to depart from sound doctrine and accommodate the world and pagan beliefs out of greed.

Today's so-called Christian Preachers and Prophets have this attitude that a believer can be fully co-operative with the world and still serve GOD. Their grace, no-law wishy-washy sugar-coated messages is motivated by greed. They tell the people what they want to hear in order to have and keep them in their membership which swell by the day, for the text says: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

The tithes and diverse offerings of the people yield mega businesses, estates and private jets for these reprobates who bask in the reward of unrighteousness and build their own heaven on earth. At no time do they elevate the covenant laws of GOD, much less urge their membership to obey them in the example of Yahshua of History. Heaven's judgment awaits them. That is the doctrine of Balaam. It is a doctrine of compromise with the world. A person following the doctrine of Balaam is willing to compromise his beliefs for the sake of some financial or personal benefit. He tolerates or indulges in sinful behavior for personal gain. The doctrine of Balaam was a problem for the Church of Pergamos. It is the problem of today's Christianity.

Chapter 18: WHO WERE THE NICOLAITANS?

Nicolaus (Nicolas) was a proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the seven full of honest report, the Holy Spirit and wisdom, chosen to serve at the table as a Deacon when there arose a murmuring by the Gentile (Greek) converts against their Jewish brethren in the early church (Acts 6:1-6).

Nicolaus (Nicolas) had a very strong occult pagan background before he became a Jewish proselyte and would later-on become a follower of the way of Yahshua. It is believed (although not all historians agree) that over time, Nicolaus (Nicolas) turned somersault and had challenges separating his occult pagan beliefs from the way of Yahshua. He began to see nothing wrong about intermingling the two belief systems. It is said that they also had gnostic tendencies.

Post-Apostolic history informs us that the Nicolaitans was founded by Nicolaus (Nicolas). See Irenaeus (Adv. Haer., i.26, 3; iii.10, 7); Hippolytus (Philos. Vii.36); Clement of Alexandria (Strom. ii.20). Also Tertullian. According to these writers, Nicolaus (Nicolas) taught a Doctrine of compromise, teaching that there was nothing wrong about eating things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication, in opposition to the Apostolic ruling in Acts 15:19-20, 29, for the text says: "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to GOD. But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood...That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." See also Acts 21:25. His teachings became known as the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

Chapter 19: WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS?

His doctrine was akin to the Doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication (Rev. 2:14).

It is reported that occultism was a major force that troubled the Church in Ephesus where the goddess "Diana" (Artemis) was worshipped; and that the city of Pergamos was one of the most wicked cities in the ancient world because of paganic occultism.

Nicolaitanism does not advocate a strict separation from the world in order to be a follower of the way of Yahshua of History. The doctrine encouraged worldly participation, leading people to lower the standard of GOD and indulge in sin, which Yahshua hates. It is now clearly beyond the problem of the Church of Pergamos alone. It is today a problem for the entire Christian religion that has remained unperturbed by the syncretism that has ravaged the religion.

Chapter 20: WHO WAS JEZEBEL?

The book of Revelation also makes reference to the "Doctrine of Jezebel" in relation to the Church of Thyatira, for the text says: "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of GOD, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden" (Rev. 2:18-24).

Jezebel was the wife of Ahab the king of Israel. Of Ahab, the text says: "And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD GOD of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him" (1 Kgs. 16:31-33).

As Queen, Jezebel killed the Prophets of GOD, for the text says: "And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water" (1 Kgs. 18:3-4). She, it was, who orchestrated the stoning to death, of Naboth the Jezreelite, so that her husband, King Ahab might take possession of his vineyard which Naboth had refused to sell to the King (1 Kgs. 21:5-15). She threatened to kill GOD's Prophet, Elijah who slew four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal following the contest at Mt. Carmel where the GOD of the Prophet Elijah answered Elijah from heaven by fire and proved to be the true GOD, rather than Baal (1 Kgs. 18:22-40). The text says: "And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time" (1 Kgs. 19:1-2).

Jezebel was the one who led King Ahab to establish Baal worship in Israel. She acquired the reputation of being the most ungodly, most idolatrous, scheming and hateful woman in the Bible.

Chapter 21: WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF JEZEBEL?

Yahshua warned the Christian Church against the doctrine of Jezebel, "because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols" (Rev. 2:20).

The name Jezebel is synonymous with false doctrine. Jezebel represents the false doctrine and idolatory (fornication) which has replaced sound doctrine. Too many Christian Preachers (so-called Ministers of GOD) of diverse appellations have come under the seductive spell of the doctrine of Jezebel. They are servants of corruption who teach doctrines that excuse sin. The seduced teachers have brought hundreds of thousands and millions of so-called Christians under the same seduction.

The Doctrine of Jezebel is opposed to the gospel of the Kingdom of GOD, the everlasting gospel. It is the popular doctrine which tell people what they want to hear and not to repent of their sins and live a life of godliness and holiness. It is a doctrine which puts no difference between godliness and worldliness. Christian believers who have been seduced by the doctrine of Jezebel do not want to be reproved for sin, "for they are under the dispensation of grace." Yet we know that the Scripture is for reproof and correction, for the text says: "All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of GOD may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Doctrine of Jezebel is a doctrine that have preference for falsehood over the truth of GOD. The victims of this dangerous doctrine are deluded to believe the lie because they hate the truth and want to hold on to their sins, for the text says: "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause GOD shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess. 2:9-12). Its victims are held captive by the Preacher's eloquence, glamour, razzmatazz, style of dressing, personalities in the congregation, miracles, friends and music, and do not hunger for the pure word of GOD that revolves around the laws of GOD and obedience of those laws according to the example of Yahshua (doctrine of Yahshua).

The prosperity gospel making waves in the entire Christendom is a product of the doctrine of Jezebel. Prosperity gospel is a gospel of covetousness. It is idolatry in disguise. Prosperity Preachers twist and misuse Bible passages to put a badge of approval on covetousness.

GOD commanded that man should not covet, for it is written: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour\'s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour\'s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour\'s" (Ex. 20:17).

Jezebel tells King Ahab, "Does thou not govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry; I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite" (1 Kgs. 21:7).

GOD commanded that His people will prosper if they obey the words of His Law. See Deut. 29:9; Josh. 1:1-8; Lev. 26:1-13; Deut. 28:1-14; 1 Kgs. 2:3-4; Ps. 1:1-3. Prosperity Preachers seduced by the doctrine of Jezebel preach grace, no-law prosperity.

Prosperity preachers seduced by the doctrine of Jezebel are "men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness" (1 Tim. 6:5). They deploy religious language citing Bible references which they twist, to manipulate, deceive and mask their covetousness, greed, idolatry, and corruption. They use supposed prophetic authority to wow and instill fear, if not awe, in the minds of their listeners.

Yahshua rebuked the Church of Thyatira because she tolerated "Jezebel," a proverbial woman who claimed prophetic authority while leading believers into immorality and idolatry. The Apostle Paul warns: "From such withdraw thyself. But 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 raiment let us be therewith content" (Verses 6-8).

To be covetous is to be idolatrous, for the text says: "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks... For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of GOD" (Eph. 5:3, 5). The text also says: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col. 3:5).

Teachers of the doctrine of Jezebel treat GOD's true Ministers and Prophets like outcasts and look upon them with disdain. This they do because they and the seduced members of their congregations constitute the majority of so-called Christians while GOD's true Ministers and Prophets are a negligible minority.

Teachers of the doctrine of Jezebel substitute GOD's biblical Feasts (Festivals) for their own especially those associated with the chief god of the heathens, the sun (which is, in fact, Baal worship) and others, such as Sunday worship, Easter and Christmas, Epiphany, Ascension day, All Saints day, their own version of Pentecost, Harvest etc. This is the doctrine of Jezebel, a woman who calls herself a Prophetess. They reject GOD's own appointed feasts (festivals) and holy days such as the seventh day Shabbat, Passover/Unleavened Bread, Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), Trumpets, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

It is written: "Then GOD commanded, \"Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night and to show the time when days, years, and religious festivals begin" (Gen. 1:14, GNT). And in Leviticus, GOD Commanded saying: "You have six days in which to do your work, but remember that the seventh day, the Sabbath, is a day of rest. On that day do not work, but gather for worship. The Sabbath belongs to the LORD, no matter where you live. Proclaim the following festivals at the appointed times" (Lev. 23:3-4, GNT). All of GOD's own Festivals (Feasts) are enumerated, as noted, in Leviticus 23. All of the Festivals are commanded to be celebrated as everlasting covenants. Yahshua and early Christianity celebrated them.

All of these non-biblical feasts (festivals) celebrated in GOD's name are otherwise called King Jeroboam's feasts or festivals. Jeroboam appointed a feast in the month which he devised out of his own heart in GOD's name and commanded Israel to celebrate it, and it became a sin against GOD, for the text says: "And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense" (1 Kgs. 12:32-33). See Lev. 23:33-34; Num. 29:12; 1 Kgs. 8:2.

Regarding Rome, in the prophecy of Daniel long before the event, the text says: "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time" (Dan. 7:23-25).

In a sense, Jezebel typifies the Roman Catholic Church for it was the Catholic Church that brought so many pagan teachings and practices into Christianity and mixed them with some biblical teachings (syncretism), resulting in idol worship (spiritual fornication) and fornication in the sense of sexual unchastity.

The Roman Catholic Church (Jezebel) becomes mystery Babylon the great, the great mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, for the text says: "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration" (Rev. 17:1-6).

One hallmark of the seduced Jezebel preachers and Prophets is that they do not prophesy to their victims godliness, holiness and repentance from sin, but only deliverance and prosperity, just as the text says: "And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused My people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto Me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise Me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you" (Jer. 23:13-17).

They also make you believe that everybody is a witch who is after your life and your progress and who must be killed with "holy ghost" fire. See also Ezek. 13:10; 22:25-28; Jer. 6:14; 8:11.

Preachers seduced by Jezebel and her doctrine seal a pact with the queen of the coast to acquire magical powers to prophesy, work miracles, perform wonders and deceive unsuspecting members of their congregation and the public. The terms of such pact often include prohibition from preaching against fornication and sin, to preach breakthrough, prosperity, deliverance and motivation, and not salvation which is gospel of the kingdom, to indulge in sexual sins as by sleeping with virgin girls and married women in order to renew and recharge their demonic anointing. The promise of the pact include wealth, fame, huge membership, double and triple anointing etc. These seduced Preachers belong to a so-called brotherhood.

Like the Church of Thyatira they perform great work of charity as though it is an attempt to bribe GOD, but as it is written, GOD cannot be bribed, for the text says: "For the LORD your GOD is GOD of gods, and LORD of lords, a great GOD, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward" (Deut. 10:17). The text also says: "...for there is no iniquity with the LORD our GOD, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts" (2 Chron. 19:7). Unfortunately, the vast majority of Preachers of various appellations of the Pentecostal stock acquire their "anointing" from the Queen of the coast. Many travel as far as India to acquire power to perform healing, deliverance and all kinds of wonders. Likewise, Preachers of the so-called old generation Churches are members of one secret cult or the other. These all are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever, as it is said by the Apostle Peter (2 Pet. 2:17).

Chapter 22: DEATH ON THE TREE

The Yahshua of History was impaled on a tree, according to eye witness accounts. The Apostle Peter was an eye witness and here is what he said: "The GOD of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 5:30); "And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 10:39); "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Pet. 2:24); "And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher" (Acts 13:29).

This is in agreement with what is written in the law of GOD: "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of GOD;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee for an inheritance" (Deut. 21:22-23). Yahshua was made a curse for man (Isa. 53:3; Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:21).

Yahshua of History was impaled on the tree on Passover day and was buried just before the onset of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a high day Shabbat, for the text says: "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away" (Jn. 19:31). He was resurrected from the dead after having remained in the tomb three days and three nights, just as he said of himself: "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale\'s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40).

On the other hand, the Jesus (of the Christian) Faith died on a literal cross and the crucifix is symbol of his death. As Woodrow notes, the word "Cross" automatically conveys the meaning that two pieces of wood cross each other at some point or angle. But the Greek word from which "Cross" was translated in the New Testament, "STAUROS," does not require this meaning. The word itself simply means an upright stake or post. See Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 256.

I have shown that the true Jesus, Yahshua of History died on the tree, according to eye witnesses. The cross has been and remains a symbol of paganism since time immemorial. The cross originated in Babylon as a mystical and sacred symbol among idol worshippers in ancient Chaldea. It was reverenced among Phoenicians, Egyptians, Mexicans, Greeks, Indians, Chinese, Italians and other peoples in the pre-Christian world.

As Vine noted in his book, "An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words," p. 256, "The ecclesiastical form of a two beamed cross ... had its origin in ancient Chaldea, and was used as a symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name) in that country and in adjacent lands, including Egypt.... In order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system, pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ."

According to Seymour, ages ago in Italy, before the people knew anything of the art of civilization, they believed in the cross as a religious symbol. It was regarded as a protector and was placed upon tombs. In 46 BC, Roman coins show Jupiter holding a long scepter terminating in a cross. See pages 22, 26. And as Alexander Hislop noted in his work, the vestal virgins of pagan Rome wore the cross suspended from their necklaces, as the nuns of the Roman Catholic Church do now. See page 198. See generally, Ralph Woodrow, "Babylon Mystery Religion," pp. 47-54.

As Woodrow noted, the Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that the sign of the cross, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both the East and the West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization. See The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 517, art. "Cross."

There are suggestions in the Epistles of Paul that Yahshua of History was impaled on a cross. For instance, we find the following texts: "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of GOD" (Heb. 12:2).

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of GOD" (1 Cor. 1:17-18).

But the Apostles of Yahshua of History and the early Church (Nazarean Sect) did not trust in a cross but rather, in what was accomplished on the stake. They did not see the cross as a piece of wood or metal to be used as an amulet, charm or sign of protection from harm as we know it today. If "cross," it was in all probability a wooden beam nailed to a tree which formed the sign of a cross, on which Yahshua's hands were nailed right and left.

It was in 431 AD, with the paganization of Christianity when the cross was introduced in the Roman Church and chambers that cross came to be regarded as a Christian symbol. Use of the cross on Church Towers or Steeples was introduced in 586 AD. See Harper's Book of Facts.

According to Fausset's Bible Encyclopedia, at page 145, it was in the sixth century AD that the crucifix image was approved for use by the Roman Church. At the second Council of Ephesus, private homes were required to possess a cross. See Seymour, "The cross in Tradition, History and Art," p. 157.

Roman Emperor Constantine and his vision of the cross and his professed conversion to Romish Christianity also influenced the use of the cross as a symbol of Christianity, it has been said. The story of the vision of the cross by which Constantine won the Battle of Milvian Bridge and defeated his opponent Maxentius in 312 AD was told by the historian, Eusebius who is regarded as a "Falsifier of History."

Although historians held the view that Constantine's professed conversion was nominal, he murdered his own wife and son after the so-called conversion. Says the Catholic Encyclopedia: "Even after his conversion he caused the execution of his brother-in-law Licinius, and of the latter's son, as well as Crispus his own son by his first marriage, and of his wife Fausta ... After reading these cruelties it is hard to believe that the same emperor could at time have mild and tender impulses; but human nature is full of contradictions." Vol. 4, p. 300. Art. "Constantine."

Quoting further from the encyclopedia, "Some bishops, blinded by the splendour of the court, even went so far as to laud the emperor as an angel of GOD, as a sacred being, and to prophesy that he would, like the son of GOD, reign in heaven. It has consequently been asserted that Constantine favoured Christianity merely from political motives, and he has been regarded as an enlightened despot who made use of religion only to advance his policy." Ibid.

In his work, "The Story of Civilization: Caesar and Christ," at pp.655-656, the world famous historian Durant noted regarding Constantine: "Was his conversion sincere -- was it an act of religious belief, or a consummate stroke of political wisdom? Probably the latter ... He seldom conformed to the ceremonial requirements of Christian worship. His letters to Christian bishops make it clear that he cared little for the theological differences that agitated Christendom -- though he was willing to suppress dissent in the interests of imperial unity. Throughout his reign he treated the bishops as his political aides: he summoned them, presided over their councils, and agreed to enforce whatever opinion their majority should formulate. A real believer would have been a Christian first and a statesman afterward; with Constantine it was the reverse. Christianity was to him a means, not an end."

It is said that another factor which influenced the use of the cross by the Roman Catholic Church was the story of Helena, Constantine's mother, who it was said, visited Jerusalem in 326 AD at the age of nearly eighty years. According to legend, Helena found three crosses buried in Jerusalem, one of which was the cross of Christ, and the other two crosses, the ones upon which the two miscreants were crucified along with Christ. Legend said that the cross of Christ was identified because it worked miracles at the suggestion of the bishop of Jerusalem, Macarius, while the other two did not. Curiously, this story only appeared in 440 AD, about 114 years later. See Encyclopedia of Religions, vol. 1, p. 494.

In The Catholic Encyclopedia, it is stated: "A portion of the true cross remained at Jerusalem enclosed in a silver reliquary; the remainder, with the nails, must have been sent to Constantine... One of the nails was fastened to the emperor's helmet, and one to his horse bridle, bringing to pass, according to many of the Fathers, what had been written by Zacharias the Prophet: 'In that day that which is upon the bridle of the horse shall be holy to the LORD' (Zech. 14:20)." See vol. 4, p. 523, art. "Cross."

Chapter 23: IT IS FINISHED

For Yahshua of History, the meaning of the words, "It is Finished" which he uttered before he gave up the spirit was simply that he had accomplished the task assigned to him on earth by GOD, for the text says: "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (Jn. 17:4).

He announced at the early stages of his ministry: "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (Jn. 4:34). He also announced: "But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me ... I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (Jn. 5:30, 36). He further announced: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me" (Jn. 6:38).

The work the Yahshua of History came to finish was not to nail the eternal Laws of GOD to the tree, hence he said as above: \"Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make their teachings come true. Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with --- not until the end of all things. So then, whoever disobeys even the least important of the commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be least in the Kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys the Law and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the Kingdom of heaven. I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires" Matt. 5:17-20, GNT). He also said: "But it is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest detail of the Law to be done away with" (Lk. 16:17, GNT). It is also recorded: "Once a man came to Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?' 'Why do you ask me concerning what is good?' answered Jesus. 'There is only One who is good. Keep the commandments if you want to enter life.'" (Matt. 19:16-17, GNT).

Yahshua of History gave us a sense of the meaning of the phrase "will of GOD" when he said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,l, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23).

As I noted elsewhere, the word "iniquity" is word number 458 in Strong's Greek Concordance. Its etymology (origin) is from the word "anomia." It means "Without law; Lawlessness; the utter disregard for GOD's law." We must be aware that our KJV version of the New Testament Bible was translated in 1611 AD out of the Greek Version. It is thus clear that the Law of GOD is the Will of GOD.

Of Yahshua, the Psalmist (King David) wrote: "It is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my GOD, Yea thy Law is within my heart" (Ps. 40:7-8).

The will of GOD is without doubt, generally speaking, His law, as is evident.

On the other hand, Christendom's Jesus of Faith dismissed the eternal laws of GOD as the Law of Moses and did away with them. He nailed them to the cross when he uttered the words: "It is Finished," for the text says: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" (Jn. 19:30). That is the Jesus of the Christian Faith. On the contrary, we have shown that the Statement of Yahshua of History, "it is finished," does not mean what Christendom ascribes to it.

Chapter 24: BIRTHDAY

The date of the birth of Yahshua of History is not recorded in the Bible but there is incontrovertible evidence that he was born during the Feast of Tabernacles around September/October in B.C. 4.

Neither he nor his disciples celebrated his birthday, for as the Scriptures say: "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one\'s birth... Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit" (Eccles. 7:1, 8).

In any event, celebration of birthdays is unknown to those who walked with GOD. It is not Scripturally supported. It is the custom of heathens and often characterized by revelry and all manner of immorality. Heathens celebrate life while the people of GOD celebrate death, for it is written: "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Ps. 116:15). And the Apostle Paul said: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:6-8). What about you and I?

People of GOD celebrate the Passover as commanded by GOD Almighty. The Passover is essentially the death of Yahshua of History. They do not celebrate the date of his birth, by reason of which there is neither record of himself nor his disciples celebrating his birthday or their birthdays.

Only two birthday celebrations are recorded in the whole Bible, and it is those of Pharaoh of Egypt and King Herod. Both were characterized by tragic events, for the text says: "And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh\'s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants" (Gen. 40:20). And the text also says: "But when Herod\'s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist\'s head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath\'s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison" (Matt. 14:6-10).

If it is a day of prayer, stock taking, introspection and sober reflection on one's walk with GOD, it might be ennobling and unobjectionable for a child of GOD's Covenant to remember the anniversary of his birth and how far and how well or otherwise he has come in his relationship with His Creator, and to seek to do even better, as it is said: "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of GOD by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:7-14). See also 1 Tim. 6:12; Heb. 12:1.

It is also said: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor. 13:5).

And it is further said: "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD" (Lam. 3:40).

On the other hand, the Jesus of Faith was born on 25th December and his birthday is celebrated as the Christmas day. I have shown that this is completely false. Long before the birth of Yahshua of History, polytheistic nations of the world celebrated 25th December as the birth day of the sun god. We read in Werner Keller\'s book The Bible as History the following admission:

\"December 25 is referred to in documents as Christmas Day in A.D. 324 for the first time. Under the Roman emperor Justinian \[A.D. 527-565\] it was recognized as an official holiday. An old Roman festival played a major part in the choice of this particular day. December 25 in ancient Rome was the \'Dies Natali Invictus,\' \'the birthday of the unconquered sun,\' the day of the winter solstice and at the same time, in Rome, the last day of the Saturnalia, which had long since degenerated into a week of unbridled carnival\...\" (p. 331).

In England, as the Bible became commonly available under King James in 1611, people became aware that the rites of Christmas are anathema to scripture. In 1644, the British Parliament declared Christmas to be unlawful and abolished it. The Puritans of New England, USA also banned the observance of Christmas by law in 1659, classifying it the works of Satan: "heathen, papist idolatry."

In the Scriptures, GOD institutes His own holy days, including the Passover/Unleavened, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23). Christmas is not one of them. In GOD'S holy days is laid out the entirety of GOD'S plan of salvation.

Yahshua of History never told anyone to celebrate his birthday. If he wanted us to do so, he would have told us when and how. He did not. Moreover, we know from the scriptures that the early church never celebrated Jesus' birthday. There is no such record in the Acts of the Apostles. We are told to remember the Lord's death (Lk. 22:19), and not to celebrate his birth.

Chapter 25: THE WAY TO GOD

The Yahshua of history taught: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (Jn. 14:6).

He taught: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day" (Jn. 6:44, 65). To come to him means to accept him as having come from GOD as the only begotten Son of GOD and Messiah come in the flesh and as the image of the unseen GOD. It is to believe in him by accepting what he said and what he did. Then one is to love him, and to love him is to obey the laws of GOD in the example of Yahshua of History.

All of GOD's Commandments are Commandments of love -- Love of GOD and of one's neighbour, as Yahshua of History said: "Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40). See also Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).

Yahshua of History said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments ... He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him ...If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23).

The text says: "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of GOD perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 Jn. 2:3-6).

The text also says: "For this is the love of GOD, that we keep His Commandments: and his Commandments are not grievous" (1 Jn. 5:3).

The text further says: "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of GOD was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of GOD doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of GOD. In this the children of GOD are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of GOD, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1 Jn. 3:6-10). See also 1 Jn. 5:17-18; 1 Jn. 2:29; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Jn. 1:6.

Yahshua of History never taught that his Mother must intercede for anyone to come to him.

On the other hand, according to the Roman Catholic Church, to come to the Jesus of Faith, you must go through his Mother, Mary for her intercession on your behalf. One also has to pray for the intercession of their self-styled "saints." Others says that you simply declare that you have accepted him as Lord and personal savior, without more. Nowhere in the entire so-called "New Testament" canon are we told such a barefaced lie. Nowhere in the entire "New Testament" canon are we so enjoined. For the Roman Catholic Church, the mother of the Jesus of Faith must be worshipped also. This is the practice of heathens in disguise. The heathens worship mother goddesses.

To the Babylonians, the mother goddess was called Semiramis. To the Greeks, the mother goddess was known as Aphrodite or Ceres. To the Sumerians she was called Nana. In old Rome she was called Venus or fortuna. In Asia she was called Cybele. Among the Druids, she was called Virgo-Patitura and worshipped as "Mother of God." The Etruscans called her Nutria. Among the Phoenicians, the mother goddess was known as "The Lady of the Sea." See Hislop, p. 20.

In Ephesus, She was called Diana and the temple dedicated to her in that city was one of the seven wonders of the then world. We find the following record in the book of Acts of the Apostles: "Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians" (Acts 19:26-28). In Egypt, the mother goddess was known as Isis.

Israel worshipped this same mother goddess at different times by the name Ashtaroth, when it fell into apostasy, like the heathen nations of the world, as it is said: "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD GOD of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed" (Jdgs. 2:11-15).

It is said: "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not Him" (Jdgs. 10:6).

It is recorded: "For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites ... Because that they have forsaken Me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and to keep My Statutes and My Judgments, as did David his father" (1 Kgs. 11:5, 33). See 2 Kgs. 23:13).

It is also recorded: "And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only" (1 Sam. 7:3-4). See 1 Sam. 12:10.

Like heathen nations, one of the titles by which the mother goddess was known in apostate Judah (Southern Kingdom) was "the queen of heaven." GOD's wrath burned against the people, for it is recorded: "Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger? Saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore thus saith the LORD GOD; Behold, Mine anger and My fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched" (Jer. 7:17-20).

The Prophet of GOD, Jeremiah rebuked them for worshipping her, for it is recorded: "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into His mind? So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day" (Jer. 44:16-22).

Mary is often called "The Queen of heaven." The title of "The Madonna" is also ascribed to her. As noted by Woodrow, "a further indication that Mary worship developed out of the old worship of the mother goddess, may be seen in the titles that are ascribed to her. Mary is often called "The Madonna." According to Hislop, the expression is the translation of one of the titles by which the Babylonian goddess was known. In deified form, Nimrod came to be known as Baal. The title of his wife, the female divinity

We find the following report in Mathew chapter 12: "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matt. 12:46-50).

Luke also reports as follows: "Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of GOD and do it" (Lk. 8:19-21).

Luke further reports: "And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of GOD, and keep it" (Lk. 11:27-28).

At a marriage ceremony in Cana, Galilee, the Apostle John records as follows: "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him" (Jn. 2:1-11).

The foregoing do not in any way translate to the long held false Romish doctrine of the intercession of Mary (Mariam) or worship of Mary in order for one to come to Jesus and obtain his favor. The doctrine has no basis in reality.

In truth, the worship of Mary developed out of the old worship of the pagan mother goddess, for in pagan worship which began in Babylon, the mother was worshipped as much (or more) than her son. See Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, Ancient and Modern, p. 21.

It was during the time of Emperor Constantine in the early part of the fourth century A.D. that Mary assumed the place of a goddess notwithstanding the fact that her worship was denounced by some in the Catholic Church. Mary Should be held in honour and not to be adored, according to Epiphanius (403 A.D.).

Mary was not worshipped by the Apostles of Yahshua and the early Church. Even the Catholic Encyclopedia admits as follows: "Devotion to Our Blessed Lady in its ultimate analysis must be regarded as a practical application of the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, seeing that this doctrine is not contained, at least explicitly, in the earlier forms of the Apostles' Creed. There is perhaps no ground for surprise if we do not meet with any clear traces of the cultus of the Blessed Virgin in the first Christians centuries" (Vol. 15, p. 459, art. "Virgin Mary"). And according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, no emphasis was placed upon Mary whatsoever during the first centuries of the Church. See vol. 14, p. 309.

Mary worship became an official doctrine of the Catholic Church at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

As noted by Woodrow: "One of the best examples of such a carry-over from paganism may be seen in the way the professing Church allowed the worship of the great mother to continue -- only in a slightly different form and with a new name! You see, many pagans had been drawn to Christianity, but so strong was their adoration for the mother goddess, they did not want to forsake her. Compromising Church leaders saw that if they could find some similarity in Christianity with the worship of the mother goddess, they could greatly increase their numbers. But who could replace the great mother of paganism? Of course, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the most logical person for them to choose. Why, then, couldn't they allow the people to continue their prayers and devotion to a mother goddess, only call her by the name Mary instead of the former names by which she was known? Apparently this was the reasoning employed, for this is exactly what happened! Little by little, the worship that had been associated with the pagan mother was transferred to Mary" (p. 16. Ibid).

In reciting the "Rosary" the "Hail Mary" is repeated nine times as often as "our Lord's prayer." According to Catholics, the reason for praying to Mary is so that she can take the petition to her son, Jesus, and since she is his mother, he will answer the request for her sake.

The Catholic Church's doctrine of "immaculate conception" is another attempt to exalt Mary to a glorified position. This doctrine pronounced and defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854, holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instant of her conception ... was preserved, exempt from all stain of original sin." See The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 7, p. 674 art. "Immaculate conception." At page 675, the Encyclopedia notes: "No direct or categorical and stringent proof of the dogma can be brought forward from Scripture." This is a clear admission that the doctrine of "Immaculate conception" is not Scriptural.

It is noteworthy that this doctrine came from paganism. In the old myth, the goddess of paganism was believed to have had a supernatural conception and that she was divine and superior to other mortals. There is, however, no question that Mary was as human as other mortals much as she was a godly and virtuous woman and a chosen vessel of GOD. She was a virgin and she was not the only virgin in the land of Israel at the time.

By reason of her common humanity as a member of the Adam family, she too needed a savior. Thus she said: "My soul doth magnify the LORD, And my spirit hath rejoiced in GOD my Saviour" (Lk. 1:46-47). It follows that she needed forgiveness and redemption like everyone else. Yahshua of History did not project Mary as superior to every other human, hence the saying of Yahshua: "Who is my mother? And who are my brethren? ... Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matt. 12:48-50).

Mary waited in the upper room (Acts 1:13) with the disciples of Yahshua of History for the promise of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost), as it is said: "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren" (Acts 1:14).

The Catholic doctrine of "Perpetual Virginity" is also neither here nor there. It is unScriptural. The text says: "And \[Joseph\] knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS" (Matt. 1:25).

What we know is that Joseph the husband of Mary fathered children on Mary after the birth of Yahshua of History, as it is said: "Is not this the carpenter\'s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?" (Matt. 13:55-56). See also Mk. 6:3.

The Apostle Paul alluded to the same James as the brother of Yahshua of History, as it is said: "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord\'s brother" (Gal. 1:18-19).

The doctrine of "Assumption of Mary" of the Catholic Church, that Mary's body never saw corruption and that she ascended into heaven has no Scriptural basis. In 1951, Pope Pius XII proclaimed that Mary's body saw no corruption, but was taken to heaven. See Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 2, p. 632, art. "Assumption, Feast of."

According to Woodrow at page 26, the words of St. Bernard sum up the Catholic position: 'On the third day after Mary's death, when the apostles gathered around her tomb, they found it empty. The sacred body had been carried up to the celestial paradise ... the grave had no power over one who was immaculate ... But it was not enough that Mary should be received into heaven. She was to be no ordinary citizen ... She had a dignity beyond the reach even of the highest of the arch angels. Mary was to be crowned Queen of Heaven by the eternal Father: she was to have a throne at her Son's right hand ... Now day by day, hour by hour, she is praying for us, obtaining grace for us, preserving us from danger, shielding us from temptation, showering down blessing upon us." As Woodrow notes, this idea closely identifies Mary with the mother goddess, and I agree.

Contrariwise, the Bible tells us that it is Yahshua of History who mediates for us and that only he is in heaven, as it is said: "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Heb. 8:6). It is said: "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Heb. 9:15). And it is said: "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel" (Heb. 12:24).

No human is yet in heaven, for as Yahshua of History said: "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven" (Jn. 3:13). Mary was a saint, no doubt. Not a Romish saint according to their whim and fancy. She was a saint because she lived a sanctified life according to the covenant laws of the Holy One of Israel. That is the Bible definition of a saint. The Romish Church does not operate on the basis of the covenant of GOD with Israel and humanity, but fundamentally on the basis of her own formularies and traditions, often paganic, most of which cannot be situated in GOD's covenant.

USE OF ROSARY BEADS: The beads on the rosary used by Catholics are for counting prayers said to Mary. The main and often repeated prayer of the rosary is the "Hail Mary" and it is as follows: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of death, Amen." Yet The Catholic Encyclopedia says: "There is little or no trace of the Hail Mary as an accepted devotional formula before 1050 A.D. See vol. 7, p. 111, art. "Hail Mary."

The complete rosary involves repeating the Hail Mary 53 times, the Lord's prayer 6 times, 5 mysteries, 5 meditations on the mysteries, 5 Glory Be's and the Apostles' Creed.

Worshippers of the mother goddess Diana say repeated prayer to her, as it is said: "But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians" (Acts 19:34).

We find the following information in The Catholic Encyclopedia: "In almost all countries, then, we meet with something in the nature of prayer-counters or rosary-beads." It goes on to cite a number of examples, including a sculpture of ancient Nineveh, mentioned by Layard, of two winged females praying before a sacred tree, each holding a rosary. For centuries, among the Mohammedans, a bead string consisting of 33, 66, or 99 beads has been used for counting the names of Allah. Marco Polo, in the thirteenth century, was surprised to find the king of Malabar using a rosary of precious stones to count his prayers. St. Francis Xavier and his companions were equally astonished to see that rosaries were universally familiar to the Buddhists of Japan. See The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13, p. 185, art. "Rosary." See Woodrow, p. 27.

According to Seymour, "The Cross in Tradition, History, and Art, p. 21, a circle of beads resembling a rosary was used in the worship of the mother goddess Astarte, about 800 B.C. among the Phoenicians. The rosary is seen on some early Phoenician coins. The worshippers of Vishnu, it is said, give their children rosaries of 108 beads. The Brahmans and Buddhists in India and Tibet use rosaries. And in the Encyclopedia of Religions, vol. 3, pp. 203-205, it is said that the worshipper Siva use a rosary upon which is repeated, if possible, all the 1,008 names of his god.

According to Hislop, beads for the counting of prayers were known in Asiatic Greece. Such was the purpose for the necklace seen on the statue of Diana. According to him, certain necklaces worn by women in Rome, were for counting or remembering prayers, the monile, meaning "remembrancer." See Hislop, pp. 187-188.

Yahshua of History warned against repeated prayers as the practice of heathens, as it is said: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him" (Matt. 6:7-8).

MOTHER AND CHILD WORSHIP: For Jesus of Faith, he has no qualms about the strange worship of Mother and Child. Beginning in Babylon, the heathen world has the practice of worshipping their mother goddess and her child who is also worshipped as god. As noted in the Encyclopedia of Religions, numerous monuments of Babylon show the mother goddess Semiramis with her child Tammuz in her arms. See vol. 2, p. 398. Other heathen nations worship the mother goddess and her child under different names. It is a practice borrowed from Babylon where all idolatory began. Some examples would do, for our present purposes:

In Egypt, the mother goddess was, as noted earlier on, known as Isis and her child was called Horus. In Asia, she was known as Cybele and her child Deoius. In India she was known as Indrani and her child. Also in India, the great goddess Isi and her child Iswara are worshipped. Temples were erected for their worship. See Hislop, page 20. There is also worship of the goddess Devaki and her child Crishna.

The ancient Germans worshipped the virgin goddess Hertha with her child in her arms. The Chinese worshipped a mother goddess known as Shingmoo or the "Holy Mother" with child in arms and an aureole of light (halo) around her head. See Gross, The Heathen Religions, p. 60. The Scandinavians worshipped the goddess Disa with her child in her hand.

The mother goddess was worshipped in old Rome as Venus as noted earlier and her child as Jupiter. The mother and child worship became well established in Rome and throughout the Roman Empire. As Frazer noted: "The worship of the Great Mother... was...very popular under the Roman Empire. Inscriptions prove that the two (the mother and the child) received divine honors...not only in Italy and especially at Rome, but also in the provinces, particularly in Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, and Bulgaria." See Frazer, The Golden Bough, vol. 1, p. 356. See generally Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, "Mother and Child Worship," p. 13.

Chapter 26: THE APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES OF YAHSHUA/THE EARLY CHURCH

Followers of Yahshua of History walked as Yahshua walked, earning for themselves the appellation "Messianics" (\[Christians\] -- Acts 11:26), and still do walk as he did. This was so, though they were known as the Nazarene sect, as it is said: "For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes" (Acts 24:5). That was talking about the Apostle Paul. They kept the law of GOD as we find in the following instances:

They remembered and observed the Shabbat, for the text says: "This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment" (Lk. 23:52-56).

The text says: "Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear GOD, give audience ...And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of GOD. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of GOD" (Acts 13:13-16, 42-44).

The text says: "And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither" (Acts 16:13). There was, as it were, no place of meeting in Phillipi, a city in Macedonia where they could hold Shabbat convocation. They held a holy convocation on Shabbat regardless.

The text says: "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures" (Acts 17:1-2).

And the text says: "After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; ... And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks" (Acts 18:1, 4).

On the other hand, those who preach Jesus of faith chose Sunday (first day of the week) for themselves as a holy day, a day absolutely unknown to Scripture. Even an ignoramus knows about the pagan origin of Sunday worship, which came from worship of the sun god in Rome, following the emperor Constantine's Sunday blue Edict of 7th March 321 AD and a spate of other laws.

They observed and celebrated GOD's religious Feasts (Festivals) as are written in the Law of GOD in Leviticus Chapter 23, for the text says: "About this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death by the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he went ahead and had Peter arrested. (This happened during the time of the Festival of Unleavened Bread). After his arrest Peter was put in jail, where he was handed over to be guarded by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after Passover. So Peter was kept in jail, but the people of the church were praying earnestly to GOD for him" (Acts 12:1-5, GNT). See also Ex. 12:14-15, 17, 24; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1-3.

The text says: "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:6-8).

The text says: "And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if GOD will. And he sailed from Ephesus" (Acts 18:18-21).

The text says: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place" (Acts 2:1).

The text says: "For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost" (Acts 20:16).

The text says: "But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost" (1 Cor. 16:8).

It must be realized that the English word "Pentecost" is from the Greek "Pentecoste." It means fiftieth. It is not synonymous with the Holy Spirit. What is called Pentecost today is in the Law of GOD, known as the "Feast of Weeks" (Shavuot in Hebrew). It is written in the Law: "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the first fruits unto the LORD. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the Priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the Priest. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations" (Lev. 23:15-21).

In the order of the Feasts (Festivals) of GOD enumerated in Leviticus chapter 23, the Feast of Weeks comes next after the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread, hence the followers of Yahshua waited in Jerusalem to attend the Feast and receive the promised Holy Spirit, after Passover when Yahshua was impaled on the tree.

The text says: "We spent a long time there, until it became dangerous to continue the voyage, for by now the Day of Atonement was already past. So Paul gave them this advice" (Acts 27:9, GNT). The Apostle Paul observed the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) Fast as ordained in the Law of GOD, while on a voyage to Rome to appeal to Caesar.

It is written in the Law of GOD: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a Day of Atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a Day of Atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your GOD. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath" (Lev. 23:26-32).

Those who preach Jesus of Faith abandoned wholesale, all of GOD's religious festivals and replaced them with their own contrived festivals such as Easter, Christmas, self-styled and perverted Pentecost (all tied to Sun worship), self-styled and perverted harvest, valentine's day, all saints day, assumption day, epiphany, ascension day, etc.

They offered burnt sacrifices: The followers of Yahshua of history continued with and were part of the Temple worship and the sacrificial system.

A distinction must be made between Synagogue and Temple. Synagogue is a place of regular public prayer, Shabbat convocations, study and meetings. They are many and scattered around Jewish Communities usually within a walking range from people's residence in order to avoid any notion of travel to attend Shabbat services. There is something called a Shabbat day's journey, as it is said: "Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day\'s journey" (Acts 1:12). It is a distance of 2,000 cubits, beyond which one is not permitted to go on Shabbat. Otherwise it constitutes travel and a violation of Shabbat regulations.

2,000 cubits translates to 3,049.5 feet or 0.596 miles or 960 metres. It is assumed that this regulation had its origin in the time of Moses in the injunction to the Israelites not to leave camp to collect manna on the Shabbat (Ex. 16:29). In the Jerusalem Targum, this command reads: "Let no man go walking from the place beyond 2,000 on the seventh day."

On the other hand, the Temple is the place where the Levitical Priests perform their sacerdotal duties. The Sanctuary is located in the Temple. That is where Incense and burnt offering altars are located, and the Holy of Holies. GOD's Covenant children attend the Temple to observe GOD's Festivals or Feasts and Newmoons. For those who can, for proximity reasons, they also attend the Temple at the times for morning and evening sacrifices and Shabbat sacrifices as commanded in the Law where GOD said: "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to Me in the priest\'s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their GOD. And they shall know that I am the LORD their GOD, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their GOD" (Ex. 29:38-46).

It is also written: "And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; ... It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD... And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot" (Num. 28:3-4, 6, 9-11).

It was King Solomon who built the first Temple unto GOD in Jerusalem. Here is what the King Solomon said: "Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my GOD, to dedicate it to Him, and to burn before Him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our GOD. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel" (2 Chron. 2:4).

It is at these times of morning and evening sacrifices that our regular Bibles translate as "hour of prayer." Yes, they are "hour of prayer" because the Temple attendees pray alongside the offerings that were and are presented to GOD by the Priests, as it is said concerning the priest Zechariah: "And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest\'s office before GOD in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest\'s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the Temple of the LORD. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense" (Lk. 1:8-10).

However, simply to translate it as "hour of prayer," does not convey the whole picture and can be misleading to the ignorant and uninformed.

Talking about the disciples of Yahshua, the text says: "And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing GOD. Amen" (Lk. 24:51-53).

The text also says: "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart" (Acts 2:46).

And also: "And daily in the Temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" (Acts 5:42).

The text says: "Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the "hour of prayer," being the ninth hour" (Acts 3:1). The nineth hour of the day is 3pm, the hour of the evening continual burnt offering. Evening offerings are usually offered at twilight, defined as between two evenings. According to the Talmud, the "first evening" is the time in the afternoon when the heat of the sun begins to decrease, about 3 o'clock; and the "second evening" commences with sunset. The first century A.D. Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus records that the Passover sacrifice "was offered from the ninth to the eleventh hour," that is, between 3pm and 5pm. The continual daily offering is called the tamid offering.

As noted previously while the Priests offer unto GOD, the people pray alongside. It would be recalled that it was during these hours in history that GOD consumed the Prophet Elijah's sacrifice upon the altar on Mount Carmel in the contest with the four hundred and fifty prophets of baal (1 Kgs. 18:36).

It was about the same hours that the arch angel Gabriel spoke to Daniel, for the text says: "Yea, whilest I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation" (Dan. 9:21).

The Apostle Paul was a periodic nazarite (Nazir). He made a vow to consecrate himself unto GOD for a period. According to the Law of GOD, animal sacrifice is required to be offered unto GOD at the end of the period. Here is what is written in the Law: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his GOD is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, ...." (Num. 6:1-14).

At the end of the period of his vow, the Apostle had his hair shaven in Cenchrea, for the text says: "And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow" (Acts 18:18). He then proceeded to the Temple in Jerusalem to perform the rites of purification and bring the required offerings, for the text says: "So Paul took the men and the next day performed the ceremony of purification with them. Then he went into the Temple and gave notice of how many days it would be until the end of the period of purification, when a sacrifice would be offered for each one of them" (Acts 21:26, GNT).

The Apostle Paul said as follows: "I do admit this to you: I worship the GOD of our ancestors by following that Way which they say is "False." But I also believe in everything written in the Law of Moses and the books of the prophets. I have the same hope in GOD that these themselves have, namely, that all people, both the good and the bad, will rise from death. And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before GOD and people. After being away from Jerusalem for several years, I went there to take some money to my own people and to offer sacrifices" (Acts 24:14-17, GNT).

For the avoidance of doubt, the way the Jews say is "False" is the way of Christ (the Messiah). As noted elsewhere, followers of Christ were also called a "Sect" or "Heresy" depending on the version of the Bible that one is reading from. This Sect was called the Nazarean Sect.

From what is set out in the preceding paragraphs, it is beyond controversy that the Disciples or Apostles of Yahshua (the early church) were part of the Sacrificial system and did offer animal sacrifices to GOD after the death, resurrection and ascension into heaven of the Christ. Contrary to what we were made to believe, they were not a separate or new Israel. They were simply a Sect within the larger Jewish body which observed the same laws and attended Synagogue and Temple worship together, and were only distinguished by their belief in Yahshua as the Messiah. These were the true believers in Yahshua of History and the Nazarean Sect was, properly speaking, the mother Church of Christendom, contrary to the false claim of the Roman Catholic Church.

Preachers of Jesus of faith do not believe in animal sacrifices. For all they care, animal sacrifices ended with the death of their Jesus on the cross of Calvary. They are confused in their understanding of Hebrews Chapters 7 to 10. All that those chapters are saying in sum, is only but a comparison of the Levitical priesthood (which is earthly) and the priesthood of Yahshua the Messiah in the order of Melchizedek (which is heavenly). The earthly remains effective until the heavenly supercedes the earthly when GOD's kingdom comes, as Yahshua taught to pray, "Thy kingdom come." The kingdom is not here as yet. Therefore, the Apostles and the early Church who had first-hand experience with Yahshua and a deeper and better understanding of these things continued with the sacrificial system after Yahshua the Master left the scene. Please read the title "Animal Sacrifices," for a richer understanding of the subject.

Chapter 27: JEWISH SCRIPTURES AND NO NEW TESTAMENT

When Yahshua of History walked this earth, there was no such thing as a gospel as we know it today, at the time, let alone a "New Testament"; there was no "Christianity."

The sacred books that Yahshua and his disciples used and taught from, were those of Judaism --the Tanak, that is, Torah, Nevim(Prophets) and Ketuvim (the writings). They were referred to as the Scriptures. These are the books we know today as Old Testament (Genesis to Malachi). This is clear from the many references by Yahshua and his disciples in the "New Testament." Every use of the phrase "it is written," is a reference to the Scriptures. A few examples may be helpful:

Yahshua said: "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (Jn. 5:39).

"And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of GOD?" (Mk. 12:24).

"Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished" (Lk. 18:31).

"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself... Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Lk. 24:27, 44- 45).

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD" (Matt. 4:4). This is a reference to Deut. 8:3 where it is written.

"Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the LORD thy GOD" (Matt. 4:7). This is a reference to Deut. 6:16 where it is written.

"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the LORD thy GOD, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). This is a reference to Deut. 6:13 where it is written.

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (Jn. 5:46).

"Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Jn. 1:45).

Concerning the Apostle Paul, it is reported: "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of GOD, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening" (Acts 28:23).

"Having therefore obtained help of GOD, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come" (Acts 26:22).

According to Justin Martyr, a second century AD Christian writer, in his book, Ancient Christian Gospels, p. 41, our so called Gospels were simply memoirs of the various Apostles that could be read in the Church and used in support of the faith but were never considered as "Holy Scripture." The term "Holy Scripture" was reserved for the books of the Law and the Prophets and the writings -- that is, the Old Testament.

Our "New Testament" was not settled until the Council of Hippo in A.D. 393 and Council of Carthage in A.D. 397, over 360 years after the events they refer to.

Today, Christendom has a different version of Yahshua upon which adherents to Christianity have built their faith erroneously. He is called the Jesus of Faith and he is the creation of the Roman Catholic Church and made even more popular by American Pentecostalism which has spread like wild fire across the entire deceived world.

Chapter 28: SYNCRETISM

As far as Christendom is concerned, there is nothing wrong with a Christianity that combines idolatry with worship of GOD. And so, Christianity is awash with practices and beliefs that have their origins in paganism. It is no secret therefore, that most so-called Christian men of GOD with high appellation and leaders of large Church congregations, together with their uncountable members belong to secret cults and draw power from the dark world of the air, land and sea, and have no qualms about it. They employ such powers to work miracles and acquire members. Such is the source of the stupendous wealth which they parade. Most notable Christian politicians routinely belong both to the dark world and the Church. And yet it is said: "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord\'s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?" (1 Cor. 10:21-22). Such is the way of the Jesus that Christendom has created. That is the way of the Jesus of the Christian Faith. He has no problem with making and bowing to images. He has no qualms with a religion that is a curious mixture of paganism and some word of GOD.

For instance, as Ralph Woodrow writes, "a mixture of paganism and Christianity produced the Catholic Church. The pagans worshipped and prayed to a mother goddess, so the fallen Church adopted mother worship under the name of Mary. The pagans had gods and goddesses associated with various days, occupations and events in life. This system was adopted and the "gods" were called "saints." The pagans used statues or idols of their pagan deities in their worship, so the fallen Church did also, simply calling them by different names ... Repetitious prayers, rosaries, and relics were all adopted from paganism and given surface appearance of Christianity. The pagan office and title of Pontifex Maximus was applied to the bishop of Rome. He became known as the pope, the father of fathers, even though Jesus said to call no man father! In literally hundreds of ways, pagan rites were merged into Christianity at Rome."

On the contrary, Israel's pure religion, the religion of Yahshua of History, has fierce antipathy to syncretism and is virulently hostile to anything which smacks of idolatry, for it is written: "I am the LORD thy GOD, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy GOD am a jealous GOD, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My Commandments" (Ex. 20:2-6).

Ancient Israel fell into apostasy many times and did not totally reject the worship of the true GOD. They mixed heathen rites and worship. It was the same problem of a mixture of true worship and paganism. It was the same syncretism. That was the case when they fashioned and worshipped the golden calf and they claimed that it was a feast unto the LORD. They sat down to eat and drink and rose to play.

GOD was not pleased by such false, heathenistic and abominable worship, for recorded in the Scriptures: "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation" (Ex. 32:1-10).

It is said: "And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then GOD turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon" (Acts 7:41-43).

King Solomon did not totally reject worship of the GOD of Israel. He mixed His true worship with the way of the heathens. The resulting anger of GOD was the reason that GOD broke the nation of Israel into two, as it is said: "For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD GOD of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant... And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king\'s seed in Edom... And GOD stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon\'s servant, whose mother\'s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king... And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the GOD of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David\'s sake, and for Jerusalem\'s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) Because that they have forsaken Me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as did David his father" (1 Kgs. 11:5-11, 14, 23-26, 29-33).

The ten tribes of Israel were driven from their land into Assyria from where they disappeared to date chiefly because of syncretism, a mixture of true worship of GOD and heathen practices and false worship.

Judah also did the same, as it is recorded: "For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their GOD, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their GOD, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My Commandments and My Statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their GOD. And they rejected His Statutes, and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His Testimonies which He testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. And they left all the Commandments of the LORD their GOD, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. Also Judah kept not the Commandments of the LORD their GOD, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. For He rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; Until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day" (2 Kgs. 17:7-23).

Regarding this mixture of true worship and heathen worship and practices, GOD said: "Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. But go ye now unto My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by My name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me: for I will not hear thee. Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger? Saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?" (Jer. 7:8-19).

It is written: "Then said He unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from My sanctuary? But turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. And He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. Then said He unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? For they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD\'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said He unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD\'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then He said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them" (Ezek. 8:5-18).

It is written: "Moreover this they have done unto Me: they have defiled My sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned My Sabbaths. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of Mine house" (Ezek. 23:38-39).

It is also written: "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy GOD hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven" (Deut. 4:15-19).

Mixture or Syncretism has consequences. It is an abomination in the sight of the all-wise GOD. The GOD who hates syncretism is the same GOD that we serve today. He is the Ancient of Days. He does not change. GOD is not pleased with worship that is a mixture.

For Yahshua of History, idolatry is a cardinal sin against GOD. He was a stickler of the Law of GOD. When he was tempted by the devil consecutively, he said to him: "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD" (Matt. 4:4); "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the LORD thy GOD" (Verse 7); "for it is written, Thou shalt worship the LORD thy GOD, and Him only shalt thou serve" (Verse 10).

As the Priest/Prophet Samuel said to all Israel: "If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only" (1 Sam. 7:3-4). Now is the time to heed the counsel of Samuel.

And as it is said: "... it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3). It is also said: "GOD is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24).

It is important to remark that it is not always easy to identify Satan because he does not appear as a monster with horns, a long tail and a pitchfork. He is a clever being, for as it is said: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Yahshua of History talked about wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt. 7:15).

As Woodrow notes, because of the clever ways that paganism was mixed with \[Romish\] Christianity the Babylonish influence became hidden -- a mystery -- mystery Babylon. It is called "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Rev. 17:5).

Regarding mystery Babylon, it is said: "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:3-4).

Chapter 29: CHRISTIANITY

The Jesus of (the Christian) Faith is the founder of a new religion called Christianity in contra-distinction to the religion of the Yahshua of History that enjoins the keeping the Covenant of GOD, as GOD clearly spoke saying: "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation...." (Ex. 19:5-6). I reiterate that Yahshua of History manifested on earth as a Messenger of that Covenant. See again Mal. 3:1.

Belief or faith in the Jesus of Faith absolves one from the obligation to keep the words of the GOD's everlasting Covenant laws but entitles one to the very blessings which are grounded on obedience to the Covenant, hence the endless claiming of those blessings without reciprocal responsibility.

Contrast this perversion of belief or faith with what is clearly written in the Torah of the unchangeable GOD: "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your GOD. Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD. If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My Commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your GOD, and ye shall be my people. I am the LORD your GOD, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright" (Lev. 26:1-13). A litany of woes and curses then follow as the consequence of disobedience.

The text says: "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy GOD, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy GOD will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy GOD. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy GOD, and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy GOD, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them" (Deut. 28:1-14).

Disobedience to the laws of GOD brings only woes and curses as is clear from the verses that follow, beginning with the statement: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy GOD, to observe to do all His Commandments and His Statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee" (Verse 15). See Verses 16-68).

It is written: "For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your GOD, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him; Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your GOD shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as He hath said unto you. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your GOD, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your GOD, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known" (Deut. 11:22-28).

It is written: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do" (Deut. 29:9). See also 1 Kgs. 2:3.

The LORD said to Joshua: "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Josh. 1:5-8).

It is written: "But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your GOD, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you" (Jer. 7:23).

It is written: "The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD GOD of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey My voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be My people, and I will be your GOD: That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD" (Jer. 11:1-5).

Chapter 30: PASSOVER AND WAVE SHEAF

Yahshua of History was hanged on a tree on the day of the Feast of Passover. He was and is the true Passover Lamb as it is said: "For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7). According to the Jewish liturgical Calendar (Biblical Calendar) the Passover falls on the 14th day of the first Month, as it is written: "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD\'S Passover" (Lev. 23:5).

His body was taken down from the tree and buried before the onset of the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a seven-day Feast which begins on the fifteenth day of the first Month, as it is written: "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread" (Lev. 25:6). The first and seventh day are commanded in the law to be observed as Shabbats even though they fall on regular days, as it is written: "In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein ... in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein" (Lev. 23:7-8). They are therefore, called high day Shabbats or high holy days, as it is said: "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross \[tree\] on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away" (Jn. 19:31).

He was resurrected from the dead on the third day from Passover. The third day is the day of Wave Sheaf offering. This is in agreement with what is commanded and written in the law of GOD thus: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD" (Lev. 23:9-12). The Sheaf waved by the priest before the LORD signifies the risen Christ who rose from the dead on the third day from his death on Passover, as it is said: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20).

It is written: "And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your GOD: it shall be a Statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings" (Lev. 23:14).

True believers in Yahshua of History continued to celebrate the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread after his death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, on 14th Abib, hence it is said: "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:6-8). The Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread is commanded to be celebrated forever, as it is written: "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a Feast to the LORD through your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever ...And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons forever" (Ex. 12:14, 34).

The insistence of the true believers in Yahshua of History to observe this Feast on 14th Abib with the Jews according to what is written in the law of GOD and not to observe Easter which was introduced by the Romish Church from paganism came to be known as the QuartoDeciman Controversy.

For followers of Jesus of Faith, Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and was resurrected on Easter Sunday after having spent only two nights and one day in the grave. But the early church and other believers in Yahshua of History knew that Yahshua of History was not impaled on the tree on a Friday and never observed anything called Good Friday for the following reasons:

• Yahshua of History often said that he would rise on the third day, as it is said:

• "And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again" (Mk. 10:34). See also Matt. 16:21; Lk. 9:22; Jn. 2:19-21.

3. As a sign of his Messiahship, Yahshua of History talked specifically of the three-day period as three days and three nights, for he said: "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale\'s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40). It is also said: "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mk. 8:31).

4. A day is made up of twenty-four hours. There are twelve hours in a day and twelve hours in a night, just as Yahshua of History said: "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him" (Jn. 11:9-10).

5. From the texts in Mathew 12:40 and Mark 8:31, it is reasonable to deduce that Yahshua of History spent a seventy-two hour period in the tomb before his resurrection. That is three complete days and nights.

• That being so, Yahshua of History was resurrected at same time of the day that he was buried.

7. Mathew reports that Yahshua of History died shortly after the ninth hour of the day, as it is said: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, my GOD, my GOD, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the Spirit" (Matt. 27:46-50).

8. John reports: "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs" (Jn. 19:31-33). And as Mark reports, by this time it was evening already, for the text says: "And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath" (Mk. 15:42).

9. Here is what is written in the Law of GOD: "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of GOD;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee for an inheritance" (Jn. 19:38-42).

10. If the resurrection took place at the same time of day as when Yahshua was buried, this would mean that his resurrection took place close to sundown, not sunrise because a sunrise resurrection would have required an extra night -- three days and four nights. This was not the case.

11. Those who went to the tomb at sunrise did not witness the resurrection at the time it took place. They only found that the tomb was already empty, as it is said: "And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun" (Mk. 16:2). According to the account of John: "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him" (Jn. 20:1-2). Luke Reports: "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus" (Lk. 24:1-3). And Mathew reports: "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre... And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matt. 28:1, 5-6).

• It is clear that all who went to the tomb found the tomb empty by the time they arrived. None witnessed his resurrection.

13. The only verse which suggests that he was resurrected on Sunday morning is Mark 16:9, for the text says: "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." This verse does not say that Yahshua was rising early on the first day or that he did rise at that time. It says that he was "risen" -- past perfect tense. It's important to note that there were no punctuation marks in the Greek manuscripts from which the New Testament was translated. It is a problem placing the punctuation mark where it should be, an error of translation. By placing the comma after the word "risen," the verse would read: "Now when Jesus was risen, early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene." The phrase "early the first day of the week" is more correctly linked with the time Yahshua appeared to Mary Magdalene. (See Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, p.138).

14. Counting back three days would thus bring us to Wednesday because that would make it three days and three nights between his burial and resurrection, that is Wednesday night, Thursday night and Friday night (three nights). Also Thursday, Friday and Saturday (three days). These would make exactly three days and three nights (72 hours).

```{=html} <!-- --> ``` 15. Yahshua of History was impaled on the day before the Shabbat. The Shabbat that followed his impalement was not the weekly Shabbat, but an annual Shabbat, as it is said: "And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! ... The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,)...." (Jn. 19:14, 31). This Shabbat could fall on any day of the week. That year, that Shabbat fell on a Thursday and Wednesday was the preparation day. Thursday was therefore, the high day Shabbat. The weekly Shabbat then followed on Friday evening. There were two Shabbats that week. That explains why he who was impaled before the Shabbat was already risen from the tomb when the day after the Shabbat came. A comparison of the texts: "And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him" (Mk. 16:1), and "And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment" (Lk. 23:56) provides another evidence that there were two Shabbats that week with a common work day between the two. The former text says that it was after the Shabbat that the women bought the spices. The latter text says that they prepared the spices and after preparing them, rested on the Shabbat. The women could only have prepared the spices after they had purchased them, and that must be in reference to the first Shabbat (High day Shabbat). If it were a the weekly Shabbat, it would mean that the body of Yahshua lay in the tomb only one day and one night, proving the words of Yahshua false. GOD forbid!

16. As W.L. Pettingill said in his book, "Bible Questions Answered," at p. 182, to the question, "On what day of the week was our Lord crucified?," "To us it is perfectly obvious that crucifixion was on Wednesday." The Companion Bible, published by the Oxford University Press, in its Appendix 156 also explains that Yahshua of History was crucified on Wednesday. Furthermore, according to R.A. Torrey (Evangelist and Dean of Bible Institute), in his book, "Difficulties and Alleged Errors and Contradictions in the Bible" (1907) pp. 104-109, "The Bible nowhere says or implies that Jesus was crucified and died on Friday. It is said that Jesus was crucified on 'the day before the Sabbath'... Now the Bible does not leave us to speculate in regard to which Sabbath is meant in this instance ... It was not the day before the weekly Sabbath (that, is Friday), but it was the day before the Passover Sabbath, which came this year on Thursday -- that is to say, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified was Wednesday. John makes this as clear as day. Jesus was buried just before sunset on Wednesday. Seventy-two hours later ... he rose from the grave. When the women visited the tomb just before dawn in the morning they found the grave already empty. There is absolutely nothing in favor of Friday crucifixion, but everything in the Scriptures is perfectly harmonized by Wednesday crucifixion. It is remarkable how many prophetical and typical passages of the Old Testament are fulfilled and how many seeming discrepancies in the gospel narratives are straightened out when we once come to understand that Jesus died on Wednesday, and not on Friday."

Because of the false narrative of a Friday crucifixion, Believers in Jesus of Faith (especially Catholics) abstain from eating meat on so-called Good Friday supposedly in remembrance of the Friday crucifixion. In truth, the Bible does not associate eating of fish with Friday. Truth is that the word "Friday" comes from the name of "Freya," who was regarded as the goddess of peace, joy and fertility. Fish is the symbol of her fertility. From early times, fish is the symbol of fertility among Babylonians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Chinese etc.

The goddess of sexual fertility among the Romans was called Venus. Friday was regarded as her sacred day because it was believed that the planet Venus ruled the first hour of Friday and thus was called Dies Veneris. The Fish was also regarded as being sacred to her. See Encyclopedia of Religions, vol. 2, p. 105, art. "Fish."

The Fish was also regarded as sacred to Ashtoreth, the name under which the Israelites worshipped the pagan goddess. In ancient Egypt, Isis was sometimes represented with a fish on her head. As Raph Woodrow writes, and I agree, considering that Friday was named after the goddess of sexual fertility, Friday being her sacred day, and the fish her symbol, it seems like more than a mere coincidence that Catholics have been taught that Friday is a day of abstinence from meat, a day to eat fish. See Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, p. 143.

Believers in Jesus of (the Christian Faith) celebrate Easter rather than the LORD's Passover/Unleavened Bread and the Wave Sheaf commanded by GOD.

The word "Easter" appears only once in the King James version of the Holy Bible:\ "... intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people" (Acts 12:4). The word translated "Easter" here is "Pascha" which is the Greek word for Passover (Pesach) and has no connection with the English word "Easter."

The word "Easter" comes from the name of a pagan goddess -- the goddess of the rising light of day and Spring. The name is associated with the sun rising from the east -- even as the very word "East- er" would seem to imply. It cannot be overstated that the name Easter is a variant of the sun goddess Ashtoreth, Astarte, Eostre, Ostera, Ishtar. According to Alexander Hislop, the name "Ishtar" was being pronounced "Easter." See Hislop, The Two Babylons, P. 103. Although it all began in Babylon, this pagan figure was also celebrated as a goddess of Spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. Eostre was the goddess of the East, from where the sun rises. Her symbol was the hare, a symbol of fertility, and a festival called Eostre was held during the Spring (Vernal) Equinox by the Saxons to honour her.

While the Passover and Wave Sheaf and its offering can fall on any day of the week in the month of Abib/Nisan according to Bible Calendar, Good Friday and Easter must fall on a Friday and Sunday respectively because they are false.

Chapter 31: CONCLUSION

The Jesus of (the Christian) Faith is not the same as the Yahshua of history. The Jesus of Faith is the Yahshua of history twisted out of shape and character. The Jesus of Faith is a fake Jesus and is the creation of Rome and her many adulterous children who bow to her authority. The myth that both Jesuses are the same seem theologically justified as an accepted truth such that there seem to be a virtual victory of the Jesus of Faith over the Yahshua of History. At the fullness of time, the Yahshua of History shall triumph over the Jesus of Faith and his dominion shall be taken away, just as the text says: "But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him" (Dan. 7:26-27). The saints of the Most High being true believers who walked and walk as Yahshua of History walked. And as it is said: "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD\'S" (Obadiah 1:21).

We are thus exhorted: "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ \[of History\]. To him be glory both now and forever, Amen (2 Pet. 3:17-18).

We are also exhorted: "...that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3).

It is said: "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus \[of History\]" (1 Tim. 1:13).

And it is said: "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers" (Titus 1:9).

Chapter 32: - by The Apostle (Justice) Paul Madubochi

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