Are the Father and the Son the Same Person?

by Rod Thomas | Jan 7, 2018 | Blog, Podcasts

Are the Father and the Son the Same Person?

Are the Father and the Son One and the Same Person?

by Rod Thomas--The Messianic Torah Observer | Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

The Billion Question

In this installment of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections we will begin tackling one of the biggest and most frequently posed questions by members of our Faith Community: Is the Creator—God—Yahovah/Yahweh/Yahuah and the Son—Jesus—Yeshua/Yahoshua/Yahusha—one and the same person? In other words: Are the Father and the Son the Same Person?

A Question of Great Importance

Let me start out by recognizing that this is probably one of the most important questions ever posed by men that begs a true answer. Master Himself tackled this question when He asked His disciples:

Whom do men say that I the Son of man am (Mat. 16:13)

We all know this story. The disciples recited for Master the various identities that the people of the region had assigned to Him. Yet it was Peter who spoke from the depths of His soul and heart that which the Holy Spirit had revealed to him about His Master. Simon Peter stated in response to this question:

Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim (Mat. 16:16).

Master in heartfelt acknowledgment of Peter’s spot-on accurate response to Master’s question in turn responded:

Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven (Mat. 16:17).

This is the foundation upon which we must all find the answer to this vital question. Like Peter, Father must reveal to each of us who Yeshua Messiah truly was and is today.

We Must Get this Right

It behooves every Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah to acquire a true understanding of who the Creator and the Messiah are. In so doing, believer should not be afraid to tackle this question head on.

So many teachers, preachers and leaders in our Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith Community are hesitant to take on this foundational question. Why? Many times the hesitancy comes from a fear of alienating their base and suffering losses from those who then elect to take their offerings and tithes elsewhere. However, Fear of alienating one’s base and the loss of income should never inhibit one addressing Truth.

The Question is Rife with Tradition

Those who do choose to tackle this question, often do so based upon the traditions and doctrines they dragged over with them from their years in Churchianity. Few will crack open the pages of their bibles and allow the Word of Truth to speak to this foundational issue. Instead, they will default to a handful of bible sound-bites (isolated scriptural verses without context) to support their pro-trinitarian/binarian claims without benefit of examining the entire record. I contend that It is criminal to create doctrine and preach as salvational truths things that are plucked from isolated verses of the bible.

Far too many well-meaning—well intentioned souls have been led down paths of destruction because they elected to adopt as truth the teachings and doctrines of such preachers and teachers.

The writer of Proverbs aptly counseled:

Trust in Yahovah with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding (i.e., bee-naw=discernment). In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear Yahovah and depart from evil (Prov. 3:5-7; ASV).

A Salvation Issue?

I previously said that it behooves every Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah to get this thing right and not be afraid to tackle this question head on. I say this because, depending on which side of the question you or I fall out on, will determine:

How we approach our walk with Messiah.
How we approach Father in prayer.
How we view our salvation and our purpose.
How we deal with others both within and outside our Faith Community.

Some contend that one’s salvation is dependent upon the position one takes on this issue. I recall reading a book on this subject a couple years ago. The writer declared himself a Hebrew Roots teacher. He boldly asserted that if the reader did not agree with his claim that Yahusha was Yahuah—one and the same Person—then that reader was destined for hell fire.

Fear and intimidation has been a weapon of choice by bible teachers and preachers over the centuries. It is, however, not the method of discipleship that Master modeled for us. Love must drive all that we do when it comes to the work of the Gospel.

Is this a salvation issue? I do not know. What I do know is that Yeshua is Messiah; He is the Son of the Living Elohim. His coming was foretold by the prophets of old. He came and delivered the Word of Life that is contained in the Gospel of the Kingdom to a dying world. Master bled, suffered and died in our stead and re-established the path by which we can have a true relationship with the Creator of the Universe. He was resurrected and ascended on high to be seated at the right-hand of our Heavenly Father.

I believe that if one can be wholly convinced of these foundational truths (all of which are fully supported by scripture), then we will have established a firm foundation upon which to build our understanding of who the Father and the Son are.

The Question Persists

Does this simple understanding that I just put forth to you, answer the question of the day: That being Yeshua and Yahovah are one and the same Person? No.

Thus, I will do my best to answer this question based upon the information that which is contained in the bible and through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Now, because this question cannot be properly addressed with a simple yes or no answer, and given the importance of the question to so many who have asked it of me over the years, I will not attempt to answer it today in one fell swoop. Today, permit me to simply lay out for you a premise (if you will). Then in succeeding installments of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, we will explore specific scriptural proofs that will support my contention that Yeshua and Yahovah are two separate Beings.

Fair enough? Excellent. Well, let’s get started.

Let’s Not Mince Words

Let me not mince words or play around with this: Yeshua and Yahovah; the Son and the Father; the Messiah and the Creator are not the same Person.

Many may part company with me over making such a claim. Indeed, many have gone to extremes to push the trinitarian and binarian doctrines, which is simply another product of “replacement theology.”

Many have been excommunicated from congregations for opposing the trinitarian/binarian doctrine. Friendships and fellowships have been broken over this issue as well. An entire religion and splinter religions have been created and currently operate on the trinitarian (God in three-persons—Father-Son-Holy Ghost—the Father-Son-Holy Ghost consisting as one but having three, so-called harmonious offices and functions in the grand plan of salvation–blessed trinity) and variations on a binarian theme doctrines whereby it is taught that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament; or that there have for all eternity been two Gods operating and co-existing in heaven—God the Father and God the Son—God of the Old Testament being Jehovah and God of the New Testament being Jesus Christ.

Yahovah is Not a God of Confusion and Chaos!

The Trinity is the Church’s answer to the question: Are the Father and the Son the same person?

What a mess! I do not believe for one minute that our Creator would involve Himself in such chaotic mumbo jumbo.

It was in his addressing the issue of orderly worship in the Messianic Assembly of Believers in Corinth that Paul wrote of our Creator:

For Yahovah is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all assemblies of the saints (I Cor. 14:33; KJV).

The Origin of the Creeds and Traditions

So huge was this debate over the Persons of the Godhead that the Church Triumphant (The Holy Roman Catholic Church) convened a number of Ecumenical Councils and produced a number of doctrinal creeds addressing this issue. These councils were convened and their resulting creeds were developed for purposes of addressing perceived heresies in the Church. At first, the Church Triumphant had not settled upon a definitive position on the divinity of the persons of the Godhead and were essentially left flatfooted when various factions in the Church developed and spread their own understanding of the persons of the Godhead. Needless to say, this creating quite a bit of confusion and chaos within the Body of Christ.

The Church finally settled upon an understanding of the Godhead that best fit her pagan-infused brand of Christianity at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 C.E. The findings of this council was codified in the Nicene Creed of 381. Among several issues and topics, the Nicene Creed of 381 defined in a general sense the Trinity as the principle doctrine for understanding the Godhead.

I have always wondered why it took the Church 4-centuries to arrive at an understanding (albeit a skewed one) of the Persons of the Godhead, when the teachings of the Apostles and the Prophets contained all we need to know about the Father and the Son? The Church’s position on this question is that her understanding of the Persons of the Godhead required “progressive revelation.” In other words, the writings and teachings of the prophets and the apostles were insufficient to provide the answers to our questions on this and other subjects. Thus, the answer to the question of the Persons of the Godhead required God’s timing and the revealing of His truth to those who were supposedly given the keys to the kingdom and who stood in the place of Christ here on earth.

The Trinitarian Concept Takes Center Stage

Ultimately the Trinitarian Concept triumphed over the competing divinity concepts. The force by which the Trinitarian concept emerged and drove much of the doctrinal workings of the Catholic and succeeding Protestant Churches is something to take into consideration when weighing for ourselves whether the Creator and the Son are one and the same person.

Who Is the Messiah to the People of the Bible?

Clearly, the Jews of Yeshua’s day did not expect their messiah to be Yahovah, the Creator of the Universe, wrapped in flesh. And this thinking remains unchanged even to this day throughout much, if not all, of Judaism. This remains embodied in their steadfast reverence for the Shema that is recited in synagogues around the world on Sabbaths and Holy Days (Deut. 6:4,5).

Shi’ma, Yisra’el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, O Israel: Yahovah our Elohim is one Yahovah; and thou shalt love Yahovah thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might (ASV; adjusted).

What of Messiah? Scripturally, what form did the Hebrew nation believe their Messiah would take? As recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses revealed the following:

Yahovah thy Elohim will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of they brethren, like unto me (i.e., someone who would be a fellow countryman; a Hebrew brother; a fellow Israelite); unto him you shall hearken (ASV; adjusted).

The apostles and the Messianic Assembly of Believers of the first century did not see their redeemer as the One True God or God of the Old Testament. None of the apostolic writings lend any support to the Trinitarian and Binarian Concepts of the Persons of the Godhead.

Pagan Influences?

History strongly suggests that the Trinity and the Binarian Concepts of the Godhead did not originate with the first century church, but developed over the course of succeeding centuries. Much of the credit for the development of these concepts rest with the Roman Emperor Constantine.

By all indications, Constantine remained a devotee to the cult of Mithra, which has throw-backs to the Greek and Babylonian mystery religions—Nimrod/Tammuz/Semiramus/Moloch/Ba’al/Mitrha/Zeus worship. Is it no wonder then why such a absurd thinking as the Trinitarian Concept was so craftily infused into the Body of Christ? For in all these and other pagan religions of antiquity, it was not uncommon for the gods to embody themselves in flesh (or flesh-like substances) and walk among men.

The Cepher Bible and the Godhead

The Cepher Bible supports a Binarian view of the Godhead.

The creators and producers of the Cepher Bible, much to my chagrin I should add, stand by the belief that Yahuah and Yahusha (their preferred Hebrew names for the Father and the Son respectively), are one and the same. The well read and schooled Cepher organization makes no apologies for their stand on this issue, even to the point of their taking liberties with certain parts of the holy writ to advance their binarian Godhead doctrine. Case in point, Philippians 2:11, which reads:

And that every tongue should confess that Yahuah is Yahusha Hamashiach to the glory of Yah the Father (Cepher rendering).

The point of contention in this key passage is “Lord” which is recorded in most every authorized translation of the Bible:

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (KJV).

Lord, with the “L” capitalized and the “ord” in lower caps, in the Greek is “kurios,” translates more accurately in the English as “master.” When this verse is read within context of the entire 2nd chapter—not isolated as most tend to do—”master” makes the best sense.

So if the term “Lord” does not designate Yahovah/Yahuah, what Greek term does? Well, simply going down two verses, we see the term God mentioned in virtually every authorized translation, which in the Greek is “Theos.” Theos is a common Greek title in New Testament translations to describe the Creator of the Universe and Father of our Master and Savior, Yeshua Messiah.

Funny thing though (and this is where one can clearly see the bias of the Cepher translators in terms of their contention that Yeshua/Yahusha being Yahovah/Yahuah—the same Person): the Cepher’s rendering of verse 13 is as follows (bear in mind the Greek term for Yahovah/Yahuah should be Theos):

For it is Yahuah which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Now, if we were to simply back-up and employ some of those pure, contextual examination skills we should all have as Messianics/Hebrew Rooters, and read the preceeding verses of the 2nd-chapter of Philippians, we will clearly see a delineation between the Son of Yahovah and our heavenly Father. This chapter highlights how our Master came to us in the image and likeness of His Father (recall that Adam was made in Father’s image), yet willingly and lovingly chose to not exist as an equal or replacement to Yahovah (verse 6)–which is diametrically opposite to what Lucifer attempted to do.

No man who has ever lived possessed such power and authority as our Master held during the time He walked this earth. Yet our Master chose to live as a servant, changing not his servant ways despite His immense popularity toward the end of His earthly ministry. He remained true to His calling to the very end (verse 7). And because Master remained true to His calling, our Heavenly Father exalted Him and bestowed upon Him a name:

A name that is used for everything which the name covers.
Every thought or feeling which derives from the mention of His name.
The hearing, the remembering, the very name itself.
A name indicating unparalleled rank, authority, excellence and deed.
A name that is above every name (verse 9).

And it will be that at every mention of His Name, every knee should bow, whether here on earth or in heaven, along with every tongue confessing that Yeshua Messiah is Master to the glory of Almighty Elohim (verse 10, 11).

This is speaking directly to the exaltation of our Master to the right hand of our Creator in heaven for His obedience and faithfulness during His time on earth. We see this exaltation vividly played out in Psalm 110, whereby David envisioned the Master’s exaltation, just after Master’s ascension to heaven. Here Father beckons Master to sit at His right hand until Father makes Yeshua’s enemies His footstool (verse 1). It is here that Master is given an eternal pedigree as a priest after the order of the Melek’zedek that was foretold through Abraham’s giving tithes of all he owned to the King of Salem (Gen. 14:18); and the transfiguration whereby Peter, James and John witnessed Master being anointed High Priest by Moses and Elijah (Mat. 17:1-13).

Needless to say, I not only take issue with the Cepher in terms of the liberties it has taken with the bible, I also take exception with the translators’ questionable transparency when rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15).

Meddling with the Bible

However, the Cepher is by far not the only Bible version/translation that has played jiggery-pokerry with the Word of Truth. In fact, virtually every English Bible translation known to man that has been translated from Greek and Hebrew manuscripts to English, to a lesser or greater extent, has some pre-existent biases of its translators woven into the final English translation. That is why it is critically important for us Torah Observant Believers in Yahoshua not to be swayed by the teachings of men at the expense of what is contained in our bibles. Furthermore, it is equally crucial that we be students of the Word—better that we be nothing less than Bereans–not just passive readers.

Becoming Berean

How did Luke describe the Bereans? He wrote:

These (speaking of the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things (those things being the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom that was brought to them by Paul and Silas) were so (Acts 17:11; KJV).

If we utilize the vast amount of resources we have at our disposal here in the 21st century, and not cut corners by hanging our individual and collective spiritual hats on the coat racks of Constantinian Christianity, we will have no difficulty finding the Truth about any spiritual matter that comes our way.

Paul wrote to the Messianic Assembly of Believers in Ephesus when addressing the issue of the Body of Messiah being unified in understanding and purpose:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Messiah. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love (Eph. 4:14-16; KJV).

The Question that Keeps Being Asked

I have attempted to tackle this question a handful of times in past installments of this program. Each time I found the issue to be so daunting and massive that I cut short my thoughts and reflections on it. We could spend countless installments on this issue and still never fully clarify for all concerned, this most controversial question. So for us to fully give this question the attention it deserves, it would be a fool’s errand at best to limit the discourse to just this session.

I Still Have Questions

I will concede that I still wrestle with the thought that our Master may have existed in one form or another before His advent. There are scriptural passages that strongly hint at our Master existing, and maybe co-habiting with Father in heaven, prior to His birth. Not saying at all that Master was a second God, but simply that He may have been a created being who existed in one form or another before the first Adam was created.

This pre-existent aspect of Messiah that the bible seems to hint at, I believe, plays heavily in to the whole trinitarian/binarian mindset that is prompting this discussion.

The most referenced passage of scripture that the pro-trinitarians/binarians use, is of course, the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Indeed, some of the most brilliant prose ever penned; yet some of the most unclear description related to the persons of the Godhead ever penned.

Questions in Preparation for Next Installment

In bringing this premise to a close for this installment, I would ask you to consider, in anticipation of the next installments of this program where we will examine specific biblical proofs on the Persons of Yahovah and Yahoshua, the following questions:

How does the Bible describe both Yahovah and Yahoshua?
Does the Bible truly record Yeshua stating that He and His Father were one and the same Person?
How did Master’s handpicked disciples see Him?
How did the prophets depict Yahoshua Messiah?
What was Yahoshua’s assigned purpose here on earth?
Did Father explicitly proclaim that He was the only Being who could atone for the sins of man?
Does Catholic Church history bear any responsibility for the development and enforcement of the trinitarian and binarian concepts?
Does it make sense to you, given all that is recorded in the bible about our heavenly Father and our Master, that they are one and the same person?
Can you be true to yourself and base whatever stand you ultimately take on this subject, on the whole of God’s Word?

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Five Things Every Believer Should Consider About Christmas (104)

by Rod Thomas | Dec 23, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

Five Things Every Believer Should Consider About Christmas (104)

Five Things About Christmas That Every Believer Should Consider--Installment 104

by Rod Thomas--The Messianic Torah Observer | Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

Preface

Let’s consider five things every Messianic should know about Christmas. Indeed, there are numerous other things to consider beyond this simple list of five, but these five constitute a great starting point.

Christmas now being upon us, I felt that I would be remiss if I did not at least post something about this horror-day.

We have published a number of podcast episodes over the last few years besmirching Christmas. Each of these postings served specific purposes: to educate, enlighten,and to express outrage and disappointment. These episodes were received with quiet acceptance and passing nods.

It would appear to me that by now, most Messianics are thoroughly aware of the problems associated with Christmas. Yet, there are segments of believers in our ranks that still keep Christmas for various and sundry reasons. Still others have more of a laissez-faire attitude about the whole thing. These individuals see no harm in keeping the day along with its traditions. Why? Because there’s not enough compelling proof of the pagan origins of the day; according to some.

So the lines have now been essentially drawn. Most Messianics do not keep Christmas for obvious reason. While on the other hand, there is a small, but troubling minority of Messianics who refuse to give up the day.

Realizing that these lines had been drawn now for quite some time, I saw no reason to re-invent the wheel (so to speak) on the topic of Christmas. Most Messianics just want to be left alone and go about their day and not be reminded of Christmas at all. I most definitely get and respect that.

However, Hebrew Roots and the Messianic Faith continue to grow each year. Thus we have a sizable number of newbies who may or may not know the problems associated with Christmas.

I receive on a frequent basis, a number of questions from readers and listeners, on basic elements and points of our Faith. I love that. And I just don’t want to assume that everyone who comes in contact with this ministry is fully aware of the dangers associated with Christmas.

So, at the risk of alienating the mature segment of our reader and listener base, I have decided to discuss five things Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah must know about Christmas.

The Enemy Deceives the Whole World

“…ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who is deceiving the whole world…”

1. The Obvious Pagan Ties to Christmas.

One of the most fundamental requirements imposed upon the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua is that we are prohibited in following the ways of the heathen nations.

Indeed, Tammuz plays a prominent role in any quest to discover the true origins of Christmas.

In preparing us to conquer and move into the land of promise, Father relayed to us the following:

“These are the statutes and judgments; the instruction, which you must observe to do in the land which Yahovah, the Elohim of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live upon the earth. You must utterly destroy all the places where the nations you shall drive out worshiped their elohim (i.e., their gods)—on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree—You must destroy their altars, break down their sacred pillars; images of the sun-god Baal, and burn their sacred poles; Asherah poles. Cut down the images of their elohim and wipe out their names from those places. You must not worship Yahovah your Father in such ways.”

“Be careful not to be ensnared into following them by asking about their elohim, saying: How did these nations serve their elohim? I also will do the same. You must not worship Yahovah your Father in their way, for every abomination to Yahovah, which He hates, they have done to their elohim. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their elohim. Whatsoever I command you, be careful to observe and do it, you shall not add to it, nor take away from it (Deuteronomy 12:1-4; 30-32; Book of Yahweh, adjusted by me).”

It is an obvious fact that many evangelical scholars openly recognize the pagan ties associated with Christmas. These scholars even note that the pagan origin of the holiday spans the ages: from ancient Babylonia’s Nimrod and Tammuz worship festivals, through the Roman Empire and the worship and festivals tied to gods Saturn and Mithra.

Sadly, these scholars and teachers go to great lengths to marginalize the horrendous problems associated with the people of Yahovah adopting and keeping such celebrations. Yet the early adherents to Catholicism had no problem bringing with them into the Church their pagan festivals and traditions, and neither did the Church hierarchy.

As it pertains to Christmas, we can easily trace back to the Roman festival of Saturnalia (12/17-24), which was followed by Brumalia (12/25), which the people joined with the various winter solstice observances (winter solstice being the shortest day of the year, followed by a lengthening of the day and renewing of the sun, so it would seem), were all millennia-old practices that the Church knew would be virtually impossible to erase from the hearts and minds of the new converts to Catholicism.

One very interesting thing to point out here before moving further along in this reflection is that the first-century Assembly of Messianic Believers in Yeshua Messiah did not celebrate or keep Christmas. It was common knowledge that birthday observance was a custom of the heathen nations, but not a Hebrew practice. In fact, the two-examples where the Bible cites birthday observances were clearly tied to pagan practices, and neither of those celebrations ended well for all concerned (reference Genesis 40:20-22 and Matthew 14:6-11).

It was customary, however, for Hebrews and Messianics to observe the anniversaries marking the deaths of remarkable and revered persons of the Faith. In fact, it was our Master who instituted for us the Last Supper/Communion celebration to commemorate His pending sacrifice (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20).

It was not until the fifth-century C.E. that the Church Triumphant ordered that Christmas be observed as an official Christian festival or holy-day.

As the Catholic Church broadened her reach throughout the Roman Western Empire, she began absorbing long-established and practiced pagan festivals, turning them into supposed Christian holy-days, such as the Roman Feast of Saturnalia and Brumalia. The absorption of these pagan festivals was not to simply replace them with Christian symbolism and meaning, but to increase the church membership rolls and bring in more money to fill the church’s coffers.

Thus the Church Triumphant took the route most easily traveled with the attitude, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” but with a more devious twist attached to it: “Retain the customs of the heathen, idol temples…rededicated as Christian Churches and heathen festivals renamed as those of Christian Saints (LeRay E. Froom—Prophetic Faith of our Fathers, Vol. 1).”

William Walsh, in his book entitled “The Story of Santa Claus:” “This was no mere accident. It was a necessary measure at a time when the new religion was forcing itself upon a deeply superstitious people. In order to reconcile fresh converts to the new faith, and to make the breaking of old ties as painless as possible, these relics of paganism were retained under the modified forms, in the same way that antique columns, transferred from pagan temples, became parts of the new church built by Christians in honor of their god and his saints.”

This evil but brilliant act set into motion the framework by which the worship of the sun god in all his various forms and iterations throughout the ages: Nimrod, Ba’al, Molech, Apollo, Saturn and Mithra, could be easily infused into the Christian Faith, making everyone concerned, big, fat, dumb and happy.

This was not man’s doing entirely. Satan (i.e., hasatan) holds great responsibility in perpetrating this great fraud. Revelation 12:9 reveals of this insane mastermind:

“…ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who is deceiving the whole world…”

And you would think on the surface that the Catholic Church would be ashamed of this insidious history, but she isn’t in the least. The Vatican has over the years been quite open about the processes employed by her to grow her membership rolls and worldwide influence.

True to form, however, over the course of many centuries, the memories of the true origins of the customs and traditions associated with Christmas have grossly faded and been replaced with the warm and fuzzy of this horror-day season.

Every tradition associated with Christmas has strong pagan origins attached to them which I will not touch upon in this post. Such information, if you are interested, may be easily researched simply by employing the Mind of Messiah and utilizing the power of the worldwide web to your research advantage.

Setting Priorities is Key

I guess, when we talk about Believers keeping Christmas or not, we are really talking about what is priority in each disciple of Yeshua Messiah’s life.

2. Like the Weekly Sabbath, Christmas is a test case.

As was done by Father to test our ability to follow and obey His instructions in our coming out of Israel, I believe Christmas has a similar usefulness, so to speak, to the Father.

Does Jeremiah 10:2-5 describe the Christmas tree as pagan?

When Sabbath was reintroduced to us by Father just after our departure from Egypt, some of us had a very difficult time keeping the day as Father instructed us to. As a result of us not keeping it according to Father’s instructions, there were resulting consequences (Exodus 16).

The role Christmas plays in a Torah Observant Believer’s life is similar to that of the early Sabbath instructions. If we refuse to give up Christmas—for whatever reason—then we are prone to compromising our Faith. I submit that Christmas tests our ability to resist compromise of our Faith.

We know that Christmas is tied to paganism and thus not something that we should be observing or keeping. However, because we are not strong enough to resist the tug and pull of the season; we fear ridicule by family, friends and co-workers; we love all the trappings associated with the day; we see everyone celebrating it, we will likely have problems keeping Father’s set apart days—His Feasts. There is no room for mixing and matching here. Father requires absolute loyalty to His way of life. Compromising the Faith by keeping Christmas does not go over well with Father.

Paul instructed the following to the Assembly of Messianic Believers in Corinth:

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to those who are wise; you judge what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Messiah? For we, being many, are one body and one bread, because we are all partakers of the bread. Consider Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What then am I saying? That an idol is anything, or that which is sacrificed to an idol is anything? But that which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Master and the table of demons. Now do we provoke the Master to jealousy? Are we stronger than He (I Corinthians 10:14-22)?”

We just finished the season of Hanukkah. We know that one of the great spiritual pearls to be gained from Hanukkah is developing and maintaining a spiritual strength within us, that is backed up by decisive actions, to never compromise our Faith. And when we succumb to any of the enticements of Christmas, we compromise our Faith and disobey Torah.

And just because the vast majority of the western world is celebrating Christmas is no excuse to keep the day. We just saw from Revelation 12:9 that the enemy, hasatan, deceives the whole world. We are supposed to know better. The world is deceived and they really don’t know better. Knowing better means that we must do better, does it not?

Even our Christian cousins are deceived over the issue of Christmas. Many of them sincerely believe that they are observing the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. However, because of the scales that have blinded them for going on two millennia, they worship the Creator and His Son in vain, observing the and keeping doctrines which are really commandments of men (Matthew 15:7-9 and Mark 7:7-9).

I guess, when we talk about Believers keeping Christmas or not, we are really talking about what is priority in each disciple of Yeshua Messiah’s life. As much as Yahovah’s ways and His Torah are for the benefit of the whole world, this Faith of ours is not for everyone. Master described the path that we must take to be His disciple as difficult and the gate to enter therein as narrow (Matthew 7:13,14).

Thus the world at large, be they Jewish, Christian, Islam or secularists reject our Faith. Our Faith does not work well for them and it does not meet their expectations for a religion that appeals to their personal sensibilities and preferences. That being said, Master described our numbers as little; more precisely, likening us to a little flock (Luke 12:32).

Accept the Teaching and Be Quiet

Unfortunately, most adherents to the Christian Faith have been trained to just accept what has been taught to them and not to question anything.

3. Messiah is Nowhere in Christmas

It has become well known and widely accepted that our Master, Yahoshua Messiah, was not born on December 25th. A few years ago, the Pope even admitted that Yeshua was not born on December 25th.

So why has the Church assigned December 25th as the day our Master was born? Well, it goes back to what we reflected upon in consideration number 1 of this installment. December 25th falls right around the time of the winter solstice and the pagan celebration of the birth of the sun-god—Saturn. The Roman sun-god and its associated celebration was handily absorbed by the Catholic Church under the guise that Christians would now celebrate the birth of the Son of God—even though it was pretty obvious that our Master was not born on December 25th. This of course went quite well in bridging the gaps that may have existed between those hardcore Saturnalists and Brumalists and Mathraists and the Church’s supposed focus on Jesus Christ as the God to be worshiped.

Unfortunately, most adherents to the Christian Faith have been trained to just accept what has been taught to them and not to question anything.

However, as disciples of Yeshua Messiah, we’ve been given the example of the Bereans where by we are to receive the Word in all readiness of mind and daily search the scriptures to determine what is true and what is not. And once we’ve determined what is acceptable to Abba, as well as what is not acceptable to Abba, we are compelled to hold up our end of the bargain—maintain our profession of Faith—and do that which is expected of us. There is no middle ground; no wiggle room in this. Wiggle room and middle ground is the genre of the enemy. If he can get us to give a little on those things prohibited by Torah, then he’s got us for life. It’s just a small matter for him and his minions to trick us into giving on other areas of Torah and teachinhs of Yeshua, until such time that we have compromised entirely on our Faith.

As innocent and righteous as honoring the birth of Master Yeshua may seem, it’s an abomination to Him and His Father. There is a saying often applied to the discussion of Messianics keeping Christmas: Keeping Christmas is tantamount to celebrating your wife’s birthday each year on your girlfriends birthday. No truer words have been spoken I’m afraid.

Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth

It comes down, under the renewed covenant, to us having the Holy Spirit operating in our lives and us no longer having to simply go through the motions of this life.

#4. Our Perceived Good Intentions Do Not Make the Keeping of Christmas Right and it Does Not Please the Father or the Son.

There’s not much more to add to this statement. Father was explicit: do not worship me the way the pagan nations of this world worship their gods (Deuteronomy 12:2-4,30-32; Jeremiah 10:2-5). I highly encourage you to spend this pagan holiday season studying and reflecting upon these two and their associated reference passages. In particular, Jeremiah 10 eerily describes to us the pagan origins of the Christmas tree which Father reiterates His distaste over this pagan tradition and practice.

Sure, I can understand Christmas as a holiday appears and feels just so right to someone who professes to love Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is an attractive holiday, with all the trappings that go with it. And I can easily see how some would take exception to such an adversarial position against the most revered and sacred holiday of the Christian calendar year.

But what may appear as good and wholesome and desirous to us may certainly not be good and wholesome to Yahovah our Elohim. The writer of Proverbs noted:

“ There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12).”

No longer are we to simply follow the instructions of man as it relates to our relationship with our Creator. Such man made instructions only lead to our destruction. Master revealed to the woman at Jacobs well in Samaria that:

“Woman believe Me: the hour is coming when you shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You do not know what you worship. We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. Yahovah is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24; New English Translation, adjusted by me).”

It comes down, under the renewed covenant, to us having the Holy Spirit operating in our lives and us no longer having to simply go through the motions of this life. The Holy Spirit gives us the power we need—if we are willing to give ourselves to His power and direction—to live a righteous Torah-based life in the midst of a corrupt and dying world and to be able to discern what is True from what is not true.

There are indeed individuals operating in our Faith Community who are teaching and spreading an anti-Torah gospel that is deceiving many. Those being deceived are deceived because they refuse to worship Father in Spirit and in Truth. Instead, these poor souls have chosen to follow those touting a doctrine of doom. Peter wrote the following:

“These false prophets are fountains without water, clouds driven by a storm, for whom is reserved the blackest of darkness forever. For they speak bombastic words of vanity, enticing others through the lusts of the flesh by granting indulgences to sin, and ensnaring those who had indeed escaped from those who live in deception. While promising them freedom, they themselves are actually slaves of corruption because by whatever anyone is overcome, he is also held in bondage. For if after escaping the moral defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Saviour Yahoshua Messiah, they again become entangled in them, and are overcome, the final end is worse than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was delivered to them. But the pronouncement found in the true proverb has happened to them: The dog has returned to eat his own vomit; and the sow that was washed has returned to her wallowing place in the filthy mire (2 Peter 2:16-22; New English Translation, adjusted by me).”

The Book of Jude gives a scathing warning for us not to give in to the thinking that we can do things the way we want to do things. Indeed, when it comes to Christmas, many in our midst feel that Father will honor them because they have the right intentions; that is, their heart is in the right place. Jude warns that such behavior is blasphemous and corrupt and in alignment with the way of Cain. Jude wrote:

“As for these, whatever things they do not understand, they blaspheme; but whatever things they understand by instinct, as irrational brute beasts, they are corrupting themselves in these things. Woe to them! For they have walked in the way of Cain; and for gain, they have wholly given themselves up to Balaam’s delusion, and have perished in the rebellion of Korah (Jude 10,11; New English Translation).”

Father tells us how He wants to be worshiped. We don’t have a say. As much as we may wish to show Father our love by our means and ways, it is only Father’s ways and means that matter. And when it comes to keeping Christmas, it is a day that Father would not have us, His Children, keep. Case closed.

Yet some may contend that we are under a new dispensation and everything as it relates to worship of Yahovah is based purely on love. Well, nice try. Love is defined by Yahovah who defined it to us through His Torah and the teachings of His Son Yeshua Messiah. Nothing has changed. The writer of Hebrews penned the following critical piece of information:

“Yeshua Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about by all kinds of strange doctrines…(Hebrews 13:8,9a; New English Translation).”

Is Christmas a Salvation Issue?

Is keeping Christmas a salvation issue for the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah? Well, I would say yes.

#5. And Lastly: Christmas is supposed to be tied to the birth of Messiah, yet there is no mention in the biblical or even extra-biblical records of first-century Messianic believers ever observing the birth of our Master. Yet millions around the world falsely believe that Christmas observance is wholly supported by the biblical record and that the observance of Christmas defines in great part what it means to be a Christian.

Contrary to the false illusion that Christmas observance is supported by the Bible, there are numerous examples of our Master and His Apostles keeping the Feasts of Yahovah during their ministries.

As much as most would like to believe, Christmas is not a biblically based holiday.

As citizens of heaven, we’ve been given a set of holy-days that we are required to observe. Unlike the pagan-laced traditions associated with Christmas, each of the 7-mandated Feasts of Yahovah have unfathomable Truths and significance attached to them. In addition, Father’s feasts brilliantly outline for us His plan to redeem the human race and transform us into His daughters and sons.

Christmas, Easter, Lent, Halloween, Saint Valentines Day—they hold nothing for the Truth seeking Believer in Yeshua Messiah apart from certain death and destruction.

Is keeping Christmas a salvation issue for the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah? Well, I would say yes.

Yeshua told the Rich Young Man:

“If you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17).”

Who are those Father considers as saints? He describes them in Revelation 14:12:

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yahovah and the faith of Yeshua (KJV).”

If we choose to keep pagan ways and observe pagan traditions such as Christmas, we are not keeping the commandments of Yahovah. And if we are not keeping the commandments of Yahovah, we do not love our Master (Luke 6:46) and are not abiding in the Father nor the Son. Master taught:

“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned (John 15:6; KJV).”

Closing Thoughts and Reflections

This Christmas thing is something that every disciple of Yeshua Messiah must come to terms with. The ball is in each of our individual courts. It’s up to us to make the decision whether to stay the course and do that which Father has commanded us to do, or follow the ways of man. Moses instructed us:

“Ye shall observe to do therefore as Yahovah your Elohim hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which Yahovah your Elohim hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess (Deuteronomy 5:32,33; KJV).”

I know—Oh God I know—it’s not easy to walk about from Christmas. It was hands down my favorite time of the year. And when I made the decision to give it up well over a decade ago, it was one of the hardest things I had to overcome in transitioning to this Faith of ours. It certainly wrangled many family member’s feathers when I announced we no longer kept Christmas. I was viewed dimly by many at my place of employment. And for years, I had the worse time adjusting and working through all the Christmas traps. But it can be done with the help of the Holy Spirit.

May you have a blessed week and may you walk in the power and might of Father’s precious Holy Spirit.

Shavuatov. Shalom. Take Care.

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What Does Climate Change Really Mean From A Hebrew Roots Perspective?

by Rod Thomas | Dec 19, 2017 | Blog

Global Warming/Climate Change Make the News

Is Climate Change a plague caused by man or is something else afoot there?

Anyone who has kept up with the news over the last decade or so should be somewhat familiar with the subject of “global warming,” recently changed to “climate change.”

In case this subject is a little foggy in your mind, allow me to refresh your mind. Global warming, now climate change, is the science, associated studies and the social and economic structures that have been developed around the supposed gradual warming and changes to the planet’s overall environment. This gradual warming and the associated changes to the earth environment is attributed to man’s irresponsible treatment and mishandling of the planet.

Climate Change–A Scientific Reality

Pro-climate change experts tell us that the perceived uptick in severe weather, reductions in animal and insect population and various agricultural challenges are products of uncontrolled pollution, over-population, irresponsible farming practices, and the like. These same experts have, of course, fed the burgeoning fear that is permeating throughout western nations that if these irresponsible acts by humans are not halted and reversed immediately, then the earth will die and man will face certain destruction.

Thus, every several weeks or so, new articles are written and published by the news media establishment, reporting the latest pro-climate change scientific findings. As climate change has become more and more mainstream and part of the day-to-day global-socioeconomic discourse, world leaders are considering legislation that is designed to address this seemingly dire situation. The side-effects that such legislation will impose upon the citizens of this planet is nothing short of frightening:

Mandated population reduction.
Elimination of certain targeted industries, resulting in the loss of countless jobs and careers.
The imposing of severe financial and legal penalties if individuals, companies, communities and nations are found guilty of violating forced global climate restrictions, laws and policies.
Forced restructuring of societies to include the moving of suburban and rural populations to condensed urban areas.

The data and science upon which much of global warming and climate change is built has frequently been challenged by more moderate and conservative experts and politicians. Several scientists have been caught red-handed fudging and manipulating their findings and data when they fall short of supporting their pro-climate change agendas. Yet many world leaders have shown that they are unwilling to look at climate change honestly and objectively.

Climate Change–More A Global Agenda Than a Human Concern

Yet again today, Yahoo News reported that climate change was producing record snows in Alaskan mountains. The article went on to detail that snowfalls atop Alaskan mountain ranges had doubled since the start of the industrial age and that this was essentially one more piece of evidence in support of climate change. Of course the article did not stop there in terms of beating the climate change drum. The piece went on to take somewhat of a benevolent educational bend by proclaiming a recent scientific research group’s findings pointed the finger of blame for the significant rainfall from Hurricane Harvey to climate change. And to end the piece on a preachy note, the writer seemed he could not help himself and launched into the following statement:

“Every nation in the world except the United States has joined a global pact to fight climate change. (Is that really true?) “

And certainly the political leanings of the writer showed ever so in the last sentence of the piece:

“President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement in June, saying it was too costly for the U.S. economy.” (Reference Richard Valdmanis, Reuters News)

Something is Certainly Different About Our Climate and Environment of Late

If I am to be honest, I would have to say that there have been changes to the earth’s climate and the overall environment in recent years. Just this year alone we’ve seen unprecedented hurricane activity in this nation’s southeast and numerous devastating earthquakes around the globe. However, I do not in the least concede to or support the globalistic climate change explanation for these horrendous events. What I do concede to is a true understanding of the reasons for the apparent climate and environmental changes we’ve recently seen occur on this planet.

A Different Way At Looking at this Thing

I am compelled to look at this thing from a Hebrew Roots perspective, as I do most everything in my life.

Father created this world and all that inhabit it. Indeed, humans have not been responsible stewards of the planet that Father has blessed him with. Yet, all that we see going on about us these days in terms of the shaking of every conceivable element of human life–politics, society, economy, family, religion, etc.–are tied to a bigger and more amazing reality than most people can ever imagine. Sure, humans are not helping the climate and environmental situations by their obstinate behavior, but they aren’t entirely responsible either.

I would submit to you that the various “shakings” (i.e., upheavals) that we are witnessing today, including climate and environmental changes, are tied directly to the end times and immanency of the Kingdom of Yahovah. Another way to look at this is that this thing is spiritual in nature.

Paul Seems To Have Identified The Cause of Climate Change

Over 2,000-years ago, the Apostle Paul penned, what I believe, to be the most brilliant and eloquent explanation as to the climatic and environmental changes we are witnessing in the world today. He wrote:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of Elohim. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body (Romans 8: 18-23; KJV adjusted).”

So we see here that the Spirit had revealed to Paul how the whole of creation was in travail, as if in the process of a woman giving birth to her first child, in anticipation of the revealing of the sons of the Most High and the coming of the Kingdom of Yahovah. And if this description is not the most fitting to our current world situation, I don’t know what is, apart from a contrived, agenda-driven construct such as climate change. And I would add here that such a man-made construct is purely inspired by the enemy to dissuade the world from the Truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Is Climate Change About Control of the Environment or Control of People?

Assuming this global travail as Paul described is a reality for us today, then the whole climate change agenda is a ruse and just another example of power-driven, evil-inspired-people trying to control the world population. It is a known fact that this country and other advanced western nations have been aggressively using technology to alter and manipulate weather and the environment of various and sundry nations around the globe. Yet little is ever reported about such things. Wouldn’t it seem that such manipulations of weather and environment would cause many of the extreme weather examples we’ve witnessed over the last few years?

The World Travails in Anticipation of the Revealing of the Children of Yahovah

Climate Change is a symptom of the world being in travail awaiting the revealing of the Children of Yahovah.

However, the fact remains evident: the world is going to continue to experience increased extreme weather and environmental episodes, be they induced by humans, or in anticipation of the revealing of the Children of Yahovah our Elohim. This was prophesied to happen, not just by the apostles, but by our Master Yeshua Messiah, as recorded in Matthew 24 and 25. And these events will continue to worsen as we get closer and closer to that revealing/manifestation of Father’s Children and the establishing of the Kingdom of Yahovah here on earth.

Fear Not As Our Redemption Draws Closer

So for Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, climate change and all the ancillary stuff that the world’s leaders are admonishing us to fear and to get on their agenda bandwagons, have nothing to worry about. This shaking–this travail–even this climate change nonsense is something that must take place in anticipation of the advent that will be our glorious eternal future. Master told his disciples:

“And when these things begin to come to pass (i.e., those events He stipulated would lead to the end times), then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28; KJV).”

Faithfully submitted,

Rod Thomas

Hanukkah and the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua (Installment 103)

by Rod Thomas | Dec 16, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

Hanukkah and the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua (Installment 103)

Hanukkah and the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua

by Rod Thomas--The Messianic Torah Observer | The Messianic Torah Observer's Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

What is the Significance of Hanukkah to the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua?

To Observe Hanukkah or Not Observe Hanukkah

Today’s Thought and Reflections topic is season appropriate and it has to do with Hanukkah and its significance to the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua.

Obviously, some of you do not observe or celebrate Hanukkah, and that’s entirely okay. Hanukkah, as I’ve mentioned in previous installments of this program, is NOT one of the 7-mandated Feasts of Yahovah that are expounded upon in Torah. Hanukkah, and her sister festival of Purim, are Jewish festivals that fall outside the Creator’s moedim—His set apart days—Father’s holy days. They are uniquely Jewish in their origin and in how they are celebrated and observed. Yet, when the Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah takes the opportunity to really examine what I choose to call ancillary Hebrew festivals, he or she can walk come away from that examination with some amazing spiritual insights that are not necessarily germane to the Torah-mandated Feasts of Yahovah—which, according to the writer of the Book of Hebrews, are “…a shadow of good things to come (Hebrews 10:1).”

Hanukkah has True Historical Significance

From an overall standpoint, these are festivals derived from two specific historical attempts by heathen nations to exterminate the House of Judah. These two specific historical events are established facts and even in the secular realm, their actual occurrences are not questioned. The origins of Hanukkah in particular is recorded in I and II Maccabees and Josephus’ Book 1, Chapter 1 entitled “Of the War.” Additionally, over the last 4-years, archaeologists in Israel have uncovered amazing finds (locating the likely graves of the Maccabees and a stash of coins recovered from the remains of a Maccabean-era home) lending even further proof to the Hanukkah story.

We do know that in both cases, the Jewish people were miraculously delivered from their evil antagonists—that is, those who sought to destroy the Hebrew nation. The people’s deliverance was not mere happenstance or luck. Clearly, the hand of Yahovah was all over these instances of deliverance. As a result, the human instruments used by Yahovah to deliver His people, named and established the celebration of these historical events as a reminder to us of our God’s providence, sovereignty and steadfast attachment to His chosen people throughout the ages.

Indeed, these two historical events and the holidays/festivals that are derived from them, have tremendous relevance to the Jew, even today. But what relevance do they hold for the Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah? I’m specifically looking at Hanukkah in this installment. So then, what significance does Hanukkah hold for us who keep Torah and who are disciples of Yahoshua Messiah?

So what’s the deal with Hanukkah? Why should we Messianics and Hebrew Rooters care about this obvious Jewish holiday/festival?

I mean, isn’t it enough that we’ve successfully transitioned out of a world that is filled with religion, belief systems that are contrary to biblical teachings, and traditions that are based upon ancient pagan practices–into a lifestyle that was specifically ordered for us by the Creator of the Universe? Did not the Almighty give us all the holidays/holy days that He requires us to keep? Is not the sum of all Yahovah’s Truth contained in the 66-Books of our King James Bibles?

If the answer to all these questions is “yes,” then what does Hanukkah have to do with us Hebrew Rooters/Messianics?

I mean, many of us have determined that we want nothing to do with Christmas and Easter because of their suspected connection to ancient pagan religious practices and traditions. Indeed, many of us struggled with having to separate ourselves from Christmas, which of course, is a very family-centric holiday. Like so many of you, we personally went through a tough time of transition into this Faith and having to purge Christmas out of our lives. Needless to say, our abandonment of Christmas and adoption of a Torah-obedient life did not set well with many members of our extended family. But we’ve successfully worked through it—again, like so many of you out there.

So then we come to this ancillary festival called Hanukkah. Right or wrong, Hanukkah has taken on an obvious Jewish flavor, and most of us realize that Judaism is as much a religion as Catholicism, Islam and Protestantism. Thus we’ve identified a lot of problems with Judaism: over-the-top manmade Rabbinic traditions and laws that more times than naught, circumvent Torah, coupled with the wholesale rejection of our Master and Savior Yahoshua Messiah are two main problem areas that stand out most in my mind.

Thus, the natural inclination of a Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah would be to question the relevance of Hanukkah to our Faith Community. Certainly, Hanukkah is not observed or celebrated by many members of our Community for a number of reasons.

The Obvious Problems with Hanukkah

Indeed, there are some obvious problems with Hanukkah—also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of the Dedication (reference John 10:22).

Let’s look at a few of the problems associated with Hanukkah:

1. Hanukkah is about gift giving over an 8-day period, typically right before or during the Christmas season. In this sense, Hanukkah has become known as the Jewish Christmas. No one has definitively determined when the practice of giving gifts during Hanukkah began, but it is a fair bet that it was intentionally meant to mirror the practice of gift-giving common to Christmas.

2. The lighting of candles on a 9-branched candelabrum, or as commonly referred to as a Hanukkiah. The lighting of the Hanukkiah entails the lighting of one candle for each night of the 8-day celebration with a 9th candle placed in a center holder—the shamash or helper or servant candle–that is used to light each of the 8 candles during the week-long festival. The most glaring problem associated with the Hanukkiah is its obvious disparity to the 7-branch Menorah that was envisioned and ordered created by Yahovah to service the Tabernacle in the desert and the two-Temples in Jerusalem. Thus, some of us may see the Hanukkiah as a counterfeit of the Menorah, which I initially felt at first. However, history bears out that the 9-branched candelabrum is a rabbinic invention; its use specific to the 8-day festival of Hanukkah. Bear in mind, now, that I’m not saying that Hanukkah is a rabbinic invention. What I am saying, however, is that portions of present-day Hanukkah celebration practices have significant rabbinic influences attached to them.

There are clear rabbinic directives as it relates to the lighting of the Hanukkah candles and the reciting of Hanukkah prayers that the so-called Oral Tradition/Oral Torah commands be observed by practicing Jews during this week-long festival. These commandments and instructions—known as takanot—are seen as being equal, if not superior, to Torah in Rabbinic—Orthodox Judaism.

3. The other, somewhat negative ancillary aspects of modern-day Jewish Hanukkah celebrations entails playing dreidel that some say originated as a German gambling game and toy that Yiddish Jews adopted into Hanukkah celebrations. Then there’s the cooking of foods in oil, the symbolism of which, to me, is the biggest detractor of this modern Jewish holiday/festival.

The Lie that Keeps Being Told Giving Year After Year

4. The lie that has been accepted as truth in Jewish tradition as it relates to Hanukkah is the so-called “miracle of the oil.” This so-called miracle of oil is nothing more than Jewish mythology, and that is stating it nicely. No record, either in Josephus’ work or in I and II Maccabees, provide for this myth that has become known as the 8-day miracle of oil.

According to Rabbinic tradition, when the Maccabees went to re-dedicate the desecrated Temple that was pillaged by the Seleucid Greeks under the leadership of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Maccabean leaders could find only enough sacred oil to burn in the Temple lamps for one-day. But praise Adonai (I’m being facetious), the lamps continued to burn on that one-day supply of oil throughout the entire 8-day re-dedication period. Needless to say, no such thing ever happened.

You see, the tragedy of such an untrue story that is told over and over again, throughout countless centuries, especially to young, impressionable children, who in turn tell it to their children, detracts from the Truth of Hanukkah. And the Truth, that I believe Yahovah wants the world to understand about this amazing festival, is that He has can and will deliver His people from certain destruction if they but turn their hearts and lives over to Him. And when our God delivers, He delivers in such a way that no one can deny that His hand was involved in the deliverance. Abba also wants us to know from the true story of Hanukkah that He honors those who stand for Truth; who stand for His Torah; who go out of their way to discern the differences between the clean and the unclean; the pure and the impure; the holy and the profane. And Father honors those, at times through miraculous means, who are obedient and who stand firmly on the principles of His Holy Torah. As well as Father honors those who seek to dedicate the Temple—today the temple that is our bodies—to His service and His service alone.

Celebrations and Festivals

Contrary to the thinking of some in our Faith Community, I do not believe for one moment that Father begrudges His people celebrating holidays and festivals that fall outside His 7-mandated Holy Days. And I get it: there are festivals and holidays, both in and outside this country, that seem to be tied to paganism. Yes, I’m specifically talking about holidays such as Christmas, Easter, New Years Day, Valentine’s Day and Halloween. Certainly, Father would have a problem with His people observing or celebrating these pagan-linked holidays.

Father commanded us:

“When Yahovah your Father cuts off the nations from in front of you, and you displace them and live in their land, be careful not to be ensnared into following them by asking about their gods (elohim), saying: How did these nations serve their gods (elohim)? I also will do the same. You must not worship Yahovah your Father in their way, for every abomination to Yahovah, which He hates, they have done to their gods (elohim). They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods (elohim). Whatsoever I command you, be careful to observe and do it, you shall not add to it, nor take away from it (Deuteronomy 12 29-32; Book of Yahweh, adjusted).”

And then we find in the Book of Jeremiah a companion passage prohibiting our adoption of pagan-linked festivals and holidays, which reads as follows:

“Hear the word which Yahovah speaks concerning you, O house of Israyl. This is what Yahovah says: Do NOT learn the way; religious practices, of the heathen; Gentile nations; and do not be deceived by the signs of heaven; though the heathen are deceived by them; using them to set their feasts. [Sort of hints at the winter and summer solstice holidays such as Easter and Christmas.] For the religious customs of the peoples are vain; worthless! For one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it will not move; topple over. They are upright, like a palm tree, but they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves. [Sound like anything familiar to you? Like, say, a Christmas tree?] Do not give them reverence! They cannot do evil, nor is it them to do righteousness! There is none like You, O Yahovah! You are great, and Your Name is mighty in power (Jeremiah 10:1-6).”

Indeed, such traditions and holidays are things that the True Child of Yahovah our Elohim must not practice or keep.

Keeping Festivals Outside the Feasts of Yahovah

However, when we look at whether or not Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah should, or for that matter, are permitted to keep festivals and holidays that are not pagan-linked, but are not of the mandated Feasts of Yahovah, it’s a stretch to say Father prohibits it. And to say that Father prohibits it in His Torah is twisting and manipulating the Words of our Creator—which in mind is a form of witchcraft.

Is it then wrong for Messianics to only observe and celebrate the 7-mandated Feasts of Yahovah. Absolutely not. We, as children of Yahovah, are required to keep the Feasts of Yahovah and to teach our children to keep His Feasts. But I disagree with those in our Faith Community who teach that any and every festival outside the 7 Feasts is an abomination or that Messianics must not observe them. Torah does not instruct such a belief.

Hanukkah is Not Biblical—Right?

I know, many may contend that the Bible does not mention Hanukkah as a festival or holiday to be observed or kept by believers. And to some extent they are correct—although it is recorded in John 10:22 that our Master Yahoshua observed Hanukkah. His teaching during that specific period were tailored to some of the principles embodied in the Feast of the Dedication, which for me, only lends to the significance Hanukkah holds for us Torah Observant Believers.

But as it relates to the story being not of Biblical origin, this would be true if one holds just the 66-Books of the current Christian/Protestant Bible as the only scriptural testaments believers should reference. Truth be told, the apocryphal books, including I and II Maccabees, which documents the origin of the Feast of the Dedication, aka, Hanukkah, were once part of the canon of scripture. It was around the 17th century that Protestant leaders deemed the apocryphal books as being “non-inspired,” and thus they were systematically removed from our Bibles. The Catholics, however, chose to keep these books in their Bible.

As it relates to the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, the Old Testament, the books of I and II Maccabees was originally included in this canon. However, sometime late in the first century of the common era, these books were excluded from the Tanakh. Some contend that this was the exiled Rabbinic Council’s response to the favorable acceptance of the apocryphal books, including the books of the Maccabees, into the evolving Christian canon. Today, the Jews don’t outright reject the books of the Maccabees and they even consider them worthy of study. However, like their Christian cousins, Judaism does not hold these books to be inspired and thus unworthy to be included in their canon of scripture.

So when we say that observance of Hanukkah is not biblical, such thinking and statements must be considered from the perspective of which Bible are we talking about.

In my mind, this whole discourse over what writings are or are not inspired, and which should and should not be included in the canon of scripture, is heavily embedded in the religious and personal agendas of the men who took authority to oversee the construction of our Bibles. I see the discussion of inspiration as wholly subjective. And I’m so happy that today, we have available to us so many writings, including the books of the Maccabees, where we can allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us, as individuals and a collective body of believers, as to their inspired nature.

I and II Maccabees a Testament to the Greatness and Providence of Yahovah

As it relates to Hanukkah, when I read I and II Maccabees this time each year, I see written throughout the entire narrative, the greatness and providence of our God. Anyone who is truly spiritually connected to Yahovah our Elohim, who reads these writings that are not profoundly affected by this story, must have a heart, mind and soul made of stone.

I have to tell you: I rejoice, give praise to Yah, weep, mourn, meditate and enter into a deep examination of myself and my relationship to our God every time I read these accounts. I and II Maccabees is not just a historical accounting of the Maccabean Revolt of the mid-2nd-century BCE. It is a lesson in so many spiritually important things that we as a people of the Most High Elohim must understand, take to heart and practice in our walk with Yahoshua Messiah.

Earlier we reflected slightly upon the problems associated with Judaism’s understanding and practice of Hanukkah, and those problems are essentially based upon Rabbinic influences that serve only to deter people from Truth. What I want to do for the remainder of this installment of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, is to simply reflect upon Hanukkah from the perspective of the story that is told in the Books of the Maccabees. And from this modest examination of the story, I hope we can arrive at some agreement as to the significance that Hanukkah holds for the Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah.

Background History

Before delving into the actual story that led to the first Hanukkah observance as recorded in I and II Maccabees, allow me to dispense with a little background history.

In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great, the Macedonian King and warrior whose appearance on the world scene was prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 8), conquered Darius III’s Medo-Persian Empire. Alexander’s realm became known as the Macedonian Empire, which he ruled for about 12-years. Alexander’s rule was accompanied by a robust Hellenization (that is, a transitioning of the conquered peoples into Greek culture) of all conquered territories.

Upon Alexander’s death about 323 BCE, the Macedonian Empire was divided up among four of his generals. The region where little, agrarian-based Israel existed, was subject to a number of power-grabs by these generals and their successors over the course of a couple decades, which for purposes of our Hanukkah reflections, brought Israel under the control of what became known as the Seleucid Empire and Dynasty, beginning sometime around 312 BCE.

As part of the Seleucid Empire, tiny Israel was subjected to extreme Hellenization, “…whereby a Greek political elite dominated, mostly in the urban areas.[10][11][12][13] The Greek population of the cities who formed the dominant elite were reinforced by immigration from Greece (wikipedia).”

These Hellenization efforts intensified under the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV, surnamed Epiphanes, about 168-167 BCE. Israel’s stark uniqueness as a result of her keeping of Torah, ran in abject opposition to Antiochus’ extreme Hellenization efforts. Not to be denied his requirement that all of the cultures in his empire be completely and utterly Hellenized, and this included no less than the tiny nation of Israel, Antiochus aimed to bring Israel to heel, by targeting for desecration the nation’s religious-cultural hub—the Temple in Jerusalem. And if that weren’t enough and if Israel refused to be brought to heel, then it would be nothing for Antiochus to simply destroy the nation and her people.

Hanukkah—A Crossroads Story

And it is here where we enter the Maccabean story and the ultimate origin of The Feast of the Dedication—Hanukkah. It is here where we find Israel at another crossroads as it relates to her continued existence. It is here where we find Israel having to make a decision—at the risk of her total annihilation–whether she would give in and follow the ways of the heathen or stand fast and keep Torah and the ways of Yahovah her Elohim. It is here where the spiritual, moral and intestinal fortitude of the people—the true Hebrews–would be tested. It is here where the biological line whereby the savior of the world, Yeshua Messiah, would be imperil if it were not for her protector, Yahovah, intervening and rescuing her.

Apart from Yeshua’s ministry here on earth and Father’s handing down to us His Torah, this is, in my opinion, one of the most important stories of our Faith. Yet religion has diminished its appeal and significance by replacing the true Hanukkah story with man-made traditions and lies. It is my hope that somehow, the true story of Hanukkah will be told and retold and then discussed over and over again, each year, until the gems of Truth that Father would have us squeeze out of it are exhausted.

The Significance of Hanukkah Through a Brief Walk-Through

At this point in our reflections of Hanukkah’s significance to the Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah, I feel it best to take a brief tour of the story that led to the development of Hanukkah, aka, the Feast of the Dedication. For the sake of time, I have only selected key passages from Matthew A. Misbach’s Apocryphal rendering of I Maccabees. So, let’s consider each salient point, referencing the associated I Maccabees passages.

1. Hanukkah is About Rejecting Compromise.

I Maccabees 1:11-15, 41-57. Here in this passage we clearly read how certain members of Israel’s community were willing to compromise the tenets of their Faith, for the sake of self-preservation. And one can but assume that some of these individuals were not entirely swayed in their quest to compromise their Faith out of fear, but more out of a desire to live a Hellenized-life.

As we all well know, a Torah-based life, is not for everyone. Despite the fact that our Faith Community numbers are today steadily growing, more and more members of our community are readily seeking to compromise on Torah: they are rejecting the weekly Sabbath and the Feasts of Yahovah; they are rejecting the food laws and even Torah itself. Some have taken it upon themselves to reject Yeshua as Messiah and the Son of our Elohim. The Bible, according to these individuals, has become nothing more than a book of archaic ideals and principles. It’s time that we stand-up to such teachings and orchestrated efforts to turn members of our Faith Community away from the purity and Truth of the Gospel and of Torah. For those of us who stand firm in our convictions, this is a reminder that we should always examine ourselves to ensure that we are not in a position to compromise our Faith: if there are people, places or things existing in our lives that may cause us to compromise our walk in Yeshua Messiah, we should be ready and willing to cut them off with extreme prejudice.

As His disciples, Master admonished us to deny ourselves and take up our stakes and follow Him (Mark 8:34). In terms of staying true to our call, Master likened our journey to that of a farmer who sets his hand to plowing his/her field. It is terribly bad form for the farmer plowing his field to gaze behind, him for whatever reason, as he is plowing, as doing so will only cause the plowed field to become crooked and distorted. Same principle applies to us and our walk with Messiah. Master said, “No man who puts his hand to the plow, then (talking about the cost associated with true discipleship), looks back, is fit for the Kingdom of Yahovah (Luke 9:62).”

2. Hanukkah is About the Risks the Enemy Poses to our Temple and to Us as a People of the Most High Elohim.

I Maccabees 1:20-25, 29-39, 59-64. Here in this passage we read how Antiochus entered and desecrated the Holy Temple. As we know, the Temple was the chief icon of our nation, symbolizing Father’s presence among us in the land that He’d given us. Although Father’s presence had long before left the Temple (as documented in the Book of Ezekiel), the Temple, like its two predecessors, was supposed to be a holy—set apart—edifice for the worship of the Almighty. It’s implements and furnishings were to remain in a sanctified state at all times. No impurity or unholy thing or person was to come near and touch these elements. The intrusion of the heathen emperor Antiochus Epiphanes and his hoards onto the Temple property was an affront, not only to Torah and to our nation, but to Abba Himself. Such a bold and disgusting act could not be less than a direct assault against Yahovah and His people by the kingdom of darkness.

For us today, we no longer have the Temple in Jerusalem. Under the renewed covenant and in the work of the Gospel, the Temple of Yahovah has now become our bodies (I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). This realization moves the discussion of a physical Temple building being desecrated by members of the kingdom of darkness to that of our bodies being at risk of being desecrated by rulers and principalities in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:12).

Hanukkah asks us to assess, where in our day-to-day living do we place our body-temples at risk of desecration, and thus, reduce our usefulness to Yahovah our Elohim?

3. Hanukkah is About Standing Firm in our Faith and Calling All Who are Willing to Follow the Call to Righteousness.

I Maccabees 2:1-27, 45-48. Here in this passage we read how a courageous, priestly man and his five sons stood up to pagan aggression and refused to compromise their Faith. These spirit-filled men assumed leadership roles and led their nation in a war against the kingdom of darkness. For us today, Hanukkah is about not putting up with foolishness when it comes to our walk with Yahoshua Messiah.

I know that we are subjected to a lot of stuff from people and issues both inside and outside our Faith these days that may cause some of us to cower off to the side or may cause our witness to be compromised. With our God’s grace and His precious Holy Spirit, we are called to be modern day Mattathiases and Judah Maccabeans, and stand against evil and for what is holy and right before our Elohim.

I’m not suggesting that we go out and slay dissenters who oppose the teaching of Yeshua our Messiah or who oppose Yahovah’s Torah. I’m simply saying that we must stand for the things that Father has required of us to maintain as holy, clean, pure and undefiled, and not compromise our walk with Yeshua Messiah. And whosoever gets in the way of our walk with Messiah, that we are not beyond moving beyond them. This is not always an easy thing to do. It can, at times, be a most painful thing to do, especially when it involves family and friends. When it comes to our jobs and vocations, when they interfere in our walk, it may come down to us making some hard decisions and letting the Holy Spirit guide our actions. Regardless the situation or issue, we are compelled to act in defense of our Faith and our walk. Our eternal destiny may depend upon what we do in obedience to Father’s leading and direction.

4. Hanukkah is About Overcoming, With the Help of Yahovah, Seeming Insurmountable Challenges and Winning.

I Maccabees 3:1, 17-26, 45-49, 52-60; 4:8-15, 24,25, 28-34. Here in these passages we read how Mattathias and Judah Maccabees stood up to the mighty Seleucid Empire’s military. Let’s put this into some semblance of perspective.

Mattathias and Judah, during the time of their leadership over Israel, never amassed more than a few thousand fighters. The vastness of the Seleucid Empire made the assembling of 10’s of 1,000’s of well-trained and war-tried fighters nothing short of child’s play. So, on one side we have little, farming town Israel, with her few thousand fighters, choosing to go up against the most powerful military forces of that day. In my mind, this contest before it was set to go down was so lopsided in favor of the Seleucid Empire fighters, it would have been another version of David versus Goliath. If we were to compare it, let’s say, to a sporting event, it would be like a professional football team squaring off against a local high school football team. The only way David could possibly win against Goliath–the only way the Hebrews could possibly win against the Seleucids—is for our God to be on the side of the Hebrew’s. I guess it’s safe to say that heaven does not always operate the way the world operates—that which appears impossible, is more than possible in Yahovah.

Master taught us: “For with Yahovah, nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).” And indeed, we clearly see how the Hebrews were able to prevail against a superior military force. Why? I guess one could easily say that because Yahovah is sovereign, He could simply choose to turn the tide of battle on to the side of the Hebrews. But from my perspective, when we look at what led up to these victories—how the Maccabees stood on the side of the holy; the pure; the just; Truth; Torah and God’s people—Yahovah chose to honor their stand and aid in the nation’s deliverance.

If we fancy ourselves as modern day Maccabeans, our battle is not against flesh and blood as we read in the Maccabean account. Today, our battle is against “the principalities and ruling forces who are masters of the darkness of this world; the spirits of evil in the heavens (Ephesians 6:12; NJB).” And comparatively speaking—and this may sound crazy, but I declare this to be true—the battle facing us today as it relates to our spiritual foes, is a far greater threat and problem than we faced 2,100-plus years ago in Israel against Antiochus’ forces.

Hanukkah is about overcoming challenges in the midst of insurmountable odds.

5. Hanukkah is About Re-Dedication and Restoration.

I Maccabees 4:36-59. In this passage we read how Judas Maccabeus oversaw the restoration and re-dedication of the Temple months after it had been desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes and his invaders. This is the heart of Hanukkah, which is also called The Feast of the Dedication. Hanukkah is not about a day’s supply of oil miraculously burning for 8-continuous days in the Temple. Hanukkah is not about lighting Hanukkah candles and reciting rote prayers that the Rabbis command Jews to do. It’s about restoring that which has been destroyed and desecrated by the enemy; it’s about re-dedicating that holy thing which was once dedicated as holy; it’s about honoring our Heavenly Father in the midst of adversity and enemy challenges; it’s about establishing and re-establishing the clean; the pure; the good; the whole. It’s about our God and not about ourselves, for we are simply servants and willing instruments of His divine will.

Do I believe Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah should keep Hanukkah?

Well, let me answer this question with a question: Given all that we’ve reflected upon in this installment of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, why not keep—or at the very least, why not observe or honor—Hanukkah?

The interesting thing to note about the Maccabean Revolt and the re-dedication period for the Temple that is embodied in the Festival of Hanukkah is that Judah Maccabees established this 8-day observance period, in part, to make up for him and his forces’ missing the Feast of Sukkot/Tabernacles. According to II Maccabees:

“And they kept the 8-days (talking about the 8-day dedication period known to us as Hanukkah) with gladness, as in the Feast of the Tabernacles (i.e., Sukkot), remembering that not long afore they had held the Feast of Tabernacles, when as they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts. Therefore they bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and sang psalms unto Him that had given them good success in cleansing His place. They ordained also by a common statute and decree, that every year those days should be kept of the whole nation of the Jews. And this was the end of Antiochus, called Epiphanes (10:6-9).”

Hanukkah is About Restoration and Dedication

Contrary to what many in and out of our Faith Community may believe, Hanukkah is not about dreidels, lighting hanukkiahs for 8-consecutive nights, giving gifts to children, decorations,frying food or reciting old rote Rabbinic inspired prayers. It’s about all the things that came out of our exploration of the I Maccabees text, and so much more.

How Will We Observe Hanukkah?

You may ask, well, how would a Hebrew Rooter/Messianic then, observe or celebrate Hanukkah? And my answer is simply this: whatever way Father’s Spirit leads you to. I would certainly encourage you to read I and II Maccabees if you have it available to you. If you don’t, there are a handful of Apocryphal publications you can pick up in hard and paperback form, as well as electronically for your Kindle-type devices. There are also free versions of the Apocrypha and the Books of the Maccabees online that you can read at your leisure and convenience. The one that comes to mind is apocryhpa.org, and there you’ll find all of the apocryphal books, including the Maccabees for your convenient reading and study. Beyond that, I would only suggest that we take the time to really focus on dedicating our lives to the service of Yahovah our God: that if there are any areas of our lives that have been desecrated or destroyed by the enemy, that we take these 8-days of observance and reflection and seek to clean it up and bring our lives back online for the service and worship of our Heavenly Father. If there are things and people in our lives that pose a threat to our walk with Messiah, that we take action, through the help of the Holy Spirit, to mitigate and overcome their influences. May our faith be ratcheted up several notches such that we are not bothered or fearful of the things that life tends to throw our way, especially in the days and times we’re currently living. Let us study the Word of our Creator and fine-tune our understanding and respect for the things that Father deems as clean versus defiled; holy versus unholy; Truth versus myth and lies; and be obedient to His Torah, the teachings of Master Yahoshua Messiah and the leading of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives.

How will I observe or celebrate Hanukkah?

Well, I’ve already observed and celebrated it in part by fellowshipping with you here today. And at the risk of sounding cliche or corny, I had the privilege of spending this time with the finest people on planet—you. You are sons and daughters of the Most High Elohim, Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth—who is inexpressively glorious in holiness and worthy of our confidence, honor and love. And as for the rest of the week’s observance, I will explore ways that I may further dedicate my life to the service of our God. Thus, you are special people and a unique possession of our Heavenly Father. And that is pretty darn cool, if you ask me.

Hanukkah is About Dedication and Restoration.

Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns? (Installment 102)

by Rod Thomas | Dec 9, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns? (Installment 102)

by Rod Thomas--The Messianic Torah Observer | Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns?

Question: Are We Heading for Heaven or Staying on Earth When Yeshua Messiah Returns?

In keeping with our renewed aim to include a question and answer session in Sabbath Thoughts and Reflection installments, I reviewed my list of questions and came to this question: When Messiah returns, are we going to heaven or are we staying here on earth?

I felt this was an excellent question that so many Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah have, especially coming in to the Hebrew Roots Faith from fundamental and charismatic Christianity. Unfortunately, or fortunately—depending on how you look at it—as I sat down to answer the question using scripture as the basis for my thesis, I found that I could not answer this question with appropriate proofs in just a short amount of time. It soon became clear to me that this question would have to be the primary focus-content of this installment of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections.

Therefore, I would say that you prepare yourselves for a somewhat lengthy dissertation on the subject and maybe take some notes as I will be referencing a ton of biblical passages to support my contentions.

The Traditional Christian Belief

Without going too much into the belief systems that exist around this question, most of us are aware of the wide acceptance among Christians and even some Hebrew Rooters that born-again believers in Yeshua will, upon Messiah’s return, be raptured up to heaven where they will dwell with Messiah for all eternity.

Does the Bible support believers going to heaven or remaining on the earth when Yeshua returns?

There is a gross problem with this tradition, doctrine and belief however. There is no biblical basis for it whatsoever. This tradition, doctrine and belief is based upon paganistic, mythological traditions and beliefs that span centuries before our Master walked this earth. These beliefs and traditions were adopted and ultimately woven into Jewish and Christian cultures respectively over the centuries, and amazingly, those same beliefs and traditions remain even today.

The irony in all this is that, despite the overwhelming, gross lack of any biblical evidence supporting heaven being the destination of the saved, most Christians and some Hebrew Rooters truly believe the bible supports the heaven claim. This belief is so strong that it’s intricately woven into prayers, countless sermons, songs of worship and in evangelistic witnessing practices where potential converts are promised a free ticket to heaven if they simply say the sinners’ prayer and give their hearts to Jesus Christ.

How Do We Get to the Bottom of this Thing?

In order for us to accurately determine the ultimate future abode of the true children of Yahovah/Yahuah/Yahweh our Elohim—that is, whether or not they will be raptured and go eternally up to heaven and hang out with the angels and live in lavishly adorned mansions and such; or remain here on earth in a renewed paradise that Master will ultimately turn over to His Father—I believe we must establish 3-things:

1. Our purpose as Children of the Most High Elohim and as disciples of Yeshua Messiah.

2. Our true identities in Yeshua Messiah. And…

3. An understanding of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Yahovah and the Renewed Covenant.

Without a firm understanding of these 3-crucial pieces of information, any scenario, especially the raptured to heaven scenario, are easy ones for any would be believer in Messiah to swallow.

Heaven Sounds So Inviting

I will concede that Christianity’s fairy-tale of a perfect heavenly abode as believers’ ultimate destination sounds so inviting to the human heart and mind that may have grown especially weary of this world.

When we think of heaven, thoughts of pristine streets of gold, lights shining 24/7, natural and unimaginable beauty all around, angels scurrying about their eternal tasks and singing in impromptu choirs, saints of old hanging out on park benches telling any who will listen their story of times long ago, the opportunity to stare into the face of Jesus Christ for all eternity, and ole earth along with her many ills and pains and troubles, all but a distant and vanishing memory easily resonates with any who wants eternal peace, love and joy. It’s over yonder where the rolls are called and the sweet by and by’s are dreamily played out before us in an unending refrain; where we reunite with once dead loved ones and relive those good times. No more crying, sickness, evil, and most importantly, no more death.

Heaven then is of course a more desirable destination than earth. I mean, who wants to remain here on earth. Any believer of course with half a brain and sense about them would choose to believe in a heavenly destination over that of earth. And add to that the thought that our dearly beloved who have died and gone on before us: heaven offers us a slight respite from the pain that death places upon the human psyche. We all want to believe that our dearly departed loved ones are anxiously awaiting our arrival in some far distant, but loving and beautiful place.

Heaven and Reality

The heaven scenario helps in part dispel the hard reality that when humans die, they are dead—that they cease to exist—that their spirit is withdrawn from their bodies and their bodies/souls simply return to the dust from whence it came. There’s no coming back from death. And everyone who has ever lived and who is currently living, if Master tarries, has an appointment with death.

Unfortunately, death has a very painful sting and its power is absolute. Death is no respecter of person. Death is no respecter of time and only in the rarest of circumstances, it is never fair.

Thus the only hope that one has as it relates to each soul’s appointment with death is that the Creator of the Universe will reunite every believer’s withdrawn spirit with a new body (since the old body will ultimately decay and fade away). This is the hope of every believer in Yeshua Messiah and it is supported by scripture. The question, then, becomes one of: once spirits are reunited with renewed and translated bodies, where will the believer spend eternity? I truly believe the bible gives us a clear answer to this question.

Purpose—Identity—the Kingdom of Yahovah

As I just mentioned, in order to fully ascertain the destination of true believers in Yeshua Messiah and not be taken by pagan-fairy tales of the role being called up yonder, we must understanding what our purpose is as children of the Most High Elohim; understand our identity as Torah Observant Believers of Yeshua Messiah; and understand the Gospel of the Kingdom of Yahovah and the Renewed Covenant.

Now, there’s no way I can expound upon all 3 of these elements of understanding in the time I have remaining in this installment. Each of these elements, in and of themselves, can easily be the focus-content of a number of installments of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections.

So to avoid getting bogged down in a reflection on these 3-elements of understanding, permit me to provide a quick, but simple explanation of each.

1. Our purpose as it relates to being children of the Most High Elohim is found in our identities and in the broader understanding of the Kingdom of Yahovah and the Renewed Covenant. When we were carried out of Egypt as if on eagles’ wings and we settled at the base of Mount Sinai, we were given a purpose: we were to be unto Yahovah, our redeemer, a kingdom of priests and an holy nation (Exodus 19:6). Sadly, we never fully realized that purpose. However, Father’s plan for mankind included a redo of this purpose for His select people. This very same purpose will be carried through in the world tomorrow, whereby we will be a kingdom of priests and a holy people unto Yahovah our Elohim (Revelation 1:6; 5:10; and 20:6).

Now let me ask you this: if we’re slated to live in heaven for all eternity when Messiah returns, what purpose would there be in us being a kingdom of priests in heaven? Who would we be interceding for as priests and what priestly duties in heaven would we be doing? Let’s just chew upon that for a moment.

2. Our identity as children of the Most High Elohim is that of sheer and absolute royalty. We are nothing less than children of Yahovah—citizens of heaven (Luke 20:36; Romans 8:16; 31; Galatians 3:26; I John 3:10). (Now don’t get confused by the moniker “citizen of heaven.” Just because your diplomatic documents identify you as a citizen of heaven, it doesn’t mean that you physically reside in heaven. What it really means is that your authority and purpose comes from heaven. Your abode, however, is earth.)

The whole concept of having and raising children is built around the concept of a set of parents reproducing themselves. The same principle somewhat holds true here: We have a heavenly Father who seeks to produce a race of beings that are made in His image—that is, having the same attributes that He possesses.

Adam was made in Yahovah’s image (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6). Contrary to traditional thinking, every person who descended from Adam was made in their parents’ image, not in the image of Yahovah. Adam was made perfect in all aspects of his being—He was like His creator in all attributive respects. Yet Adam fell. Since the fall, the only man to be made in the image of Yahovah—which is perfect in all aspects–is the 2nd Adam, Yeshua Messiah. Master Yeshua, Yah’s Son, successfully filled the prescription of being the perfect man and upon His death, burial and resurrection, He was deemed the first fruits of Abba’s human creation (I Corinthians 15:23). From there, all those who follow in Yeshua’s footsteps become sons and daughters of Yahovah our Elohim. And as we grow in the Faith through the agency of the Holy Spirit, we progressively conform to the splitting image of Yeshua our Master and we ultimately become a member of Yahovah’s family.

Now, the pathway to being a child of Yahovah was severed by the fall of Adam #1, who was created perfect and in the image of the Creator. Thus we were not the children of Yahovah, but children of darkness (Ephesians 5:8).

The 2nd Adam came to establish the pathway by which the descendants of Adam 1 could ultimately become Yahovah’s children. You see, Father has started everything on this earth all over again, and we are simply the middle rungs of His ladder leading to an ultimate restoration of all things here on earth. It began here on earth and will end here on earth. Heaven was never in the picture as it relates to mankind, especially mankind becoming children of the Creator.

3. The Kingdom of Yahovah is the whole kit and caboodle as it relates to the restoration of creation back to the way Father always intended it to be. It is the establishing of a literal kingdom here on earth whereby Yeshua will head the restoration methods and select members of His family will be given key roles in assisting Him in that 1,000-year restoration project. It’s a vast undertaking that will actually employ some of us to help make this restoration successful and wonderful.

And the way all this happens is by Father writing His way of life, no longer on tablets of stone whereby man’s sinful nature prevents him/her from living it, but instead Yahovah’s prescribed way of life is intrinsically implanted in the very fibers of our being through the work of His Holy Spirit (Hebrews 8). Thus, we conform to the image of His Son Yeshua Messiah, and we begin to fulfill the purpose that was originally set before us: being a holy people and a nation of priests unto Yahovah our Elohim. Heaven has nothing to do with this scenario, apart from it being the current dwelling place of our Creator and our Master Yeshua, the angels, the 24-elders and the beasts that inhabit the throne room of Yahovah.

We can Now Discern the Truth About Heaven and Earth as Man’s Destination

There’s astoundingly good news that grossly overshadows the Greek-mythological construct of Christianity’s contrived paradigm of heaven as the ultimate destination for Christian believers. If one can grasp, to the fullest extent possible, the things that we now know about our purpose, identity and the Kingdom of Yahovah, then the whole concept of heaven being a believer’s ultimate destination becomes not only child’s folly. I will further submit to you that the false gospel of believers residing eternally in heaven, from a humanistic standpoint, is less desirable than the truth of the Kingdom of Yahovah being established here on earth and God’s elect reigning with Yeshua from Jerusalem.

Somehow we must get beyond this contrived notion that earth must be foreign to those of us who call Yahovah our God and Yeshua our Saviour and Master. Earth was, is, and always will be the abode of humans—in whatever form he/she may take, be it flesh and blood or spiritual. Have there been or are there humans now residing in heaven? Personally, I believe the answer is yes and no. Yes, I believe Father may have afforded a select group of humans a place in heaven; and I’m specifically referring to the 24-elders that are seated about the throne of Yahovah (Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:8,14: 11:16; 19:4). The authorized versions of the Bible mention this group of beings some 6-times in the Book of Revelation. I personally believe these individuals to be human beings, but human beings who have been translated into spirit beings, and that’s the “no” aspect to my answer to the question of whether humans have and are now residing in heaven. These unique beings are in the presence of Yahovah 24/7 and likely have been so for centuries of time, and thus they could not exist as humans as we know humans to exist today. These would have to exist in some form suitable for dwelling in the presence of Yahovah for centuries of time.

But keep in mind: nowhere do we read in the Revelation account about loved-ones residing in heaven.

The 24-Elders Around the Creator’s Throne

I guess one could argue that when any human is privileged to be in the direct presence of Yahovah, time, space and life as we know it, stands still. We know that Moses was called up to the Mountain of Yah where He lived, communed and worshiped the Creator, for extended periods of time.

There’s also that passage where Moses was called up to the presence of Yahovah along with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and some 70-elders of Israel (Exodus 24). I would encourage you to read this amazing passage when you get the chance, for here we read where we as a people agreed to the terms of the covenant that Father laid out before us. After the covenant was ratified with blood, Father called up to Himself representatives of our nation to commune with Him on His Holy Mountain, to be in His presence. (Look, Father absolutely loves to hang out with His kids—He’s truly a Father in every sense of the title and descriptor.)

As I just mentioned, before this auspicious event, the covenant was ratified with sacrifices and the sprinkling of blood upon us (verses 5-8) and we unanimously agreed to the covenant and to obey Yahovah our Elohim. It was after this ceremony that Father invited Moses and His cabinet (if you will) up the mountain to commune with Him (verse 9) and all who attended saw the glory of the Most High and lived to tell about it.

You see, it was a well known and believed fact that humans who for whatever reason saw a manifestation of Yahovah would suffer instant death. There are a number of passages attesting to this belief throughout scripture, to include Genesis 16:13; 32:30; especially 33:20, where Father Himself certified that no man will ever see His face and live.

Continuing on: many on both sides of the aisle have fingered folks like Enoch, Moses and Elijah as potential candidates for human existence in heaven. I’ve read the pros and cons of this argument and I have to say that for me, the jury is still out on whether or not any of or all 3 of these heroes of the Tanakh have ever or are presently residing in heaven. Certainly, our Father is sovereign and All Powerful, and He can do whatever He chooses to do within the realm of His established holiness and righteousness (i.e., He will do whatever He chooses to do without violating His own rules of holiness and righteousness—Isaiah 55:8,9).

We could get into endless debate as to who and what the 24-elders are. Yet Father has chosen not to reveal their identity to us beyond simply they being 24-elders. There are some things that belong to our Father that is frankly none of our business. It was when we were dwelling in Moab and rededicating ourselves to the broken covenant, just prior to our entering the land of promise and our sojourn in the desert some 40-years, that Moses reaffirmed the covenant and reminded us the following:

“The secret things belong to Yahovah our Elohim, but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this Torah (Deuteronomy 29:29; ASV corrected).”

And it was when Master’s handpicked disciples had gathered with Him on the Mount of Olives on the day of His ascension that Master responded to a question regarding the timing of the establishing of the Kingdom of Yahovah—NOT IN HEAVEN BUT HERE ON EARTH. Master shut down the speculation pretty quickly with the following admonishment:

“…It is not for you to know the times and epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority (Acts 1:7; NAS).”

We clearly see here that Master never adjusted His disciples’ thinking on this issue. Earth had always been the destination and location of the coming Kingdom of Yahovah. Period. Master could have very easily set the record straight and moved the discussion to heaven as THE destination and location of the Kingdom of Yahovah.

Destination for Believers is No Secret

Nevertheless, the future abode of humans seems to be something that Father did not keep to Himself. In fact, Father, through the teachings of Yeshua our Master, His prophets of old and the Apostle Paul, firmly established a future for believers in Yeshua Messiah on this earth. None of these individuals ever so much as hinted of a time when man would ultimately reside in heaven. In fact, our very own Master, Himself, spoke of His own return to earth where He Himself would reside and establish the Kingdom of His Father.

A Legacy Built Upon Lies

Despite numerous biblical passages to the contrary, fundamental, charismatic Christianity, and dare I say many Hebrew Roots and Messianic believers, maintain that the destiny of Yahovah’s elect is heaven proper.

Like so many of you, I, growing up in the Baptist Church of my youth, vividly recall hearing sermons and singing songs during Sunday worship services, that heralded a time in the future when we would reunite with long lost loved ones who proceeded us in death; who had gone on to heaven, where we’d all walk the streets of gold, sing in the hallelujah choir and gaze into the face of Jesus for all eternity.

I will admit, those heaven-based sermons and songs were joyous and comforting thoughts for the countless souls who had heavy hearts, weighed down by the cares of a hard life and the deaths of loved ones. It just felt good to believe in such a thing. It became quite obvious that Christ would rapture us from this earthly plane and take us to be with Him in heaven for all eternity. Did He not tell us that He was going to prepare a place for us; and that in His Father’s house was many mansions; and that where He went there we would be also? Besides, the earth holds so much pain. No one in their right spiritual mind would want to remain here on earth for an eternity. Earth was just not a good place.

Yet I always found it quite interesting that no one, in their right mind, wanted to die; no one wanted to depart this world and go off to heaven, that is unto such a time that there would be no hope and that death was imminent and inevitable. Or for that matter, no one wanted their loved ones to die either. Not that Christians would have a suicide mindset, but with all the focus on going to the most desirous place ever to exist, why were we so earth-bent in our mindset and behavior and fought death with every fiber of our being.

We spin and toil for the things of this life and we do everything we possibly can to sustain our lives here on earth (i.e., when it comes to medicine and the trappings of life). It would seem to me that we would not fear death and even look forward to leaving this earthly plane for heaven. Right? Yet this is far from the conventional behaviors and mindsets of most every Christian believer who has ever lived.

Nevertheless, all this is beside the point: Scripture does not in any way support heaven as the future destination of humans, plain and simple.

Every ancient and present day culture and religion, have varying and similar concepts of heaven being the ultimate destination of righteous people. I could spend hours expounding upon this aspect of heaven alone (which I find quite fascinating), but I will force myself to stay on topic and address the question at hand: will we go to heaven or remain on earth after the end of days? I’ve pretty much given you my definitive answer already—those of us who are of Yahovah, are destined to reside here on earth with our Master once He comes and establishes the Kingdom of His Father, to be headquartered in Jerusalem.

However, before presenting scriptural proofs of this claim, allow me to expound briefly upon the erroneous concept of being raptured up to heaven to reside with Jesus Christ for all eternity.

The concept of heaven being the ultimate abode of saved humans did not originate with Christ’s resurrection and the first century church. In fact, the concept of humans earning a home in some heavenly abode for living a goodly prescribed life goes way back to the ancient mystery religions of Babylon, Egypt and Greece. Interestingly, all 3-ancient cultures’ concepts of humans going off to heaven after living the prescribed good life, have striking similarities, with of course, a few variations.

Consequently, bits and parts of each of these cultural and religious concepts of heaven were brought with us out of Egypt during our Exodus; add to those Babylonian concepts of heaven held by the surrounding nations; and after residing in the land of promise and enduring both Babylonian and Greek dominance, it was a natural inevitability that such concepts of heaven would be infused into our Hebrew-based culture (e.g., the Bosom of Abraham and the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus) and ultimately Christian doctrine and beliefs.

Samuele Bacchiocchi, PhD., renown 7th Day Adventist scholar, did a phenomenal work on the subject of popular Christian Beliefs that may or may not be based on the Bible, including the subject of the afterlife. If you are interested in reading this piece, drop me an email and I’ll happily forward a PDF copy to you to review at your convenience.

The Destination Heaven Touters

Many would point to Paul’s revelation recorded in the 4th chapter of I Thessalonians as “proof-positive” that believers will, at some point in the end times, be raptured from this earth, up to heaven, to live with Jesus Christ for all eternity. But is this famous passage truly saying what so many millions of Christian and Messianics are hoping that it’s saying? Let’s take a quick look at this passage and break it down a little to see exactly what Paul is and is not saying.

Now this is one of Paul’s many “I would not have you to be ignorant…” passages that ironically, so many simply gloss over and leave after reading it, still ignorant of what Paul is trying to get across to us. So let’s start, for context sake, at verse 13, and the passage reads:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you would not sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Yahoshua died and was raised again, so also those who sleep in Yahoshua will Yahovah bring with Him. For we say this to you by the word of Yahovah, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Savior will by no means precede those who are asleep. For Yahoshua Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the malak gadol (i.e., the archangel), and with the trumpet of Yahovah. And the dead in Messiah will be raised first, then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet Yahoshua in the air; and so will we ever be with Yahoshua (I Thess. 4:13-17; Book of Yahweh, adjusted).”

This revelation is addressing the First Resurrection and what some famously call the Great Rapture. I’m not opposed, as many in our community, to the term “rapture.” Indeed, a snatching away of some sort, as the term suggests, is clearly indicated by this passage, specifically verses 16 and 17.

But the central verse that seems to get most “destination heaven” believers excited is verse 17 which speaks of the dead in Messiah along with the living who will be translated in a moment and in a twinkling of an eye (I Corinthians 15:52). In this verse, the Apostle Paul states that the translated living will be caught up together with the newly resurrected dead in Messiah and thus will ever be with Yahoshua. However, what most folks fail to read, closely that is, is the specifics of where the raptured souls will be caught up to: that being, the clouds, where they have an appointment to meet in the air and begin their eternal dwelling with the Master. Many believe this moment in time to be the “Great Marriage Supper of the Lamb,” where resurrected and translated saints come together and commune with their Master after a long separation (Revelation 19:9). Here the saints celebrate their marriage to Master Yahoshua for a brief season in anticipation of Messiah’s triumphant return to the earth to establish His Millennial Kingdom and restore paradise lost.

What this passage did not say was that the translated and resurrected saints would meet with Master and then go on up to heaven to remain there for all eternity. The fact that Paul says that we will remain with Yeshua simply means that we will always be with Yeshua our Master from that time forward—that the time for separation has come to an end—that the bridegroom has come and we, Master’s bride, will be united with Him and begin our life together with Him forever.

You can’t squeeze heaven as the ultimate destination of translated and resurrected men and women from this passage if you are true to what is contextually written.

Biblical Support for Earth Being the Ultimate Destination for the Saints of Yahovah

So at this juncture, let us turn to some biblical passages that support earth being the ultimate destination of the saints when Master returns and that, in my mind, debunk the long-taught and believed doctrines and teachings that heaven is the ultimate, eternal destination of the resurrected and translated saints in the end times. What follows are what I consider to be scriptural proof passages that support the belief that we who are Messiah’s will have an amazing, indescribable and extremely productive life here on earth, serving and co-reigning with our older brother and King, Yeshua HaMashiyach.

Understanding Abba’s Way of Life is Essential. Thus there will be a training period here on earth, unlike any that man has seen since our sojourn in Sinai as a nation of people.

John 6:22-45—here we find the story of crowds of people that had previously been fed miraculously by Master, now seeking after him, not to learn about the Kingdom of Yah, but to fetch another meal. Yet in His explanation to them about the True Bread in which they should be seeking, Master gives us a glimpse into the end times in which He will raise up those who are His—none who are His will be lost—in the last days. Then Master references a passage from the Prophet Isaiah where it is prophesied that Yahovah will teach us who are His and peace will be our lot (Isaiah 54:13). Peace comes to those who truly Shema to our God’s commandments (Isaiah 48:18; Psalm 119:165).

The way to visualize this whole scenario is from a family standpoint. Father has from the beginning yearned to have a family that He can call His own; formed and fashioned in His image. As any good Father, Yahovah finds great pleasure and joy in teaching His sons and daughters. Such will be our lot in the Kingdom, whereby He will teach us His ways and we will prosper and grow and become truly His children. I have to say, in all of the sermons, songs and commentaries that I heard in my youth about going to heaven, I never heard anything mentioned about being taught the ways of Yahovah.

God’s family living here on earth?

Romans 8:18-30–It is imperative that we first understand who and what we are before we can truly appreciate where our physical destinies will be in the world tomorrow. We are sons and daughters of Yahovah—we are the children that Father always desired to have when He first created Adam. Adam failed and we lost our pedigree in a sense. But the second Adam re-established the opportunity for regaining that pedigree. Thus, those of us who are of His, we are children of the Most High and He is our Father. There’s coming a time when the earth will be released from its corrupt state upon the revealing of the sons and daughters of Yahovah. All of creation over millennia was allowed to devolve to its current state in anticipation of the appearing of the children of Yahovah. As the ages pass, all of creation groans and suffers as if in the throws of birth pains, awaiting those of us who will have been reborn and conformed to the image of Yeshua our Master.

Hebrews 2:10–The Suffering Messiah’s mission when He walked this earth was to open that narrow gate and establish the way by which many sons and daughters of Yahovah would be produced. Recall that originally, this was supposed to happen through the first Adam. But when Adam failed to lead a line of children that would be sons and daughters of the Most High, Father required the 2nd Adam to pick up where the 1st Adam failed.

Yeshua returns to the earth and with brutal force establish His kingdom.

Rev. 19:11-16—here we read of Yeshua returning to the earth, this time, as the conquering King—wearing a robe that has been dipped in blood, riding a white horse, wearing a crown—Who comes to right that which is wrong and set in place the Kingdom of the Most High Elohim (vss. 11-15). Accompanying Him is an army of beings arrayed in white robes riding white horses (vs. 14). (I would submit to you that those beings accompanying Master wearing white robes are the Saints of the Most High—Yah’s children—Master’s royal cabinet.) Yeshua will have written a name on His vesture that describes Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (vs. 16). Here we see evidence that He is returning to the earth and will usurp authority over all rulers and nations of the earth. This visit to earth will be unlike Master’s first, for this time Master will return as the conquering king that He is and rule this planet with a rod of iron. Paradise lost—Paradise will be restored!

Yeshua is now seated at the right-hand of Yahovah our Elohim. Nevertheless, He is slated to return to earth to reward His servants, punish the incorrigible, and restore paradise lost.

Luke 19:11-27—Rood’s Chronology places the telling of this parable of the Nobleman about a week prior to His crucifixion, which makes total sense given the context of the story. Master’s disciples indeed felt excitement over what was taking place in the ministry and anticipation of the advent of the of Kingdom of Yahovah was palpable. Thus the Spirit led Master to address this elephant in the room, so to speak, through the telling of this vivid parable. The Nobleman, according to the story, left money with his servants and told them to occupy till He returned from His trip to a far away country. (The money–i.e., pounds as the story describes) represents the Gospel of the Kingdom/Master’s teachings, which has great value. The Nobleman goes away on His trip. In the interim, the Nobleman’s citizens rebel and demand that He no longer serve as their master. The Nobleman eventually returns to his realm and calls in His servants so that they may give an account of the funds that their Master left behind for them to work with. Each servant gave his accounting of how he managed the funds that were entrusted to him by the master. The servants reaped varying rewards on the funds entrusted to them, prompting the Nobleman to bestow upon each honorable responsibilities commensurate with their handling of the entrusted funds (i.e., the Gospel and teachings of Yeshua). The story does mention one servant that did nothing with the funds entrusted to him and in response the Nobleman stripped that money from him and gave it to the servant that produced the most return for the entrusted funds. No added honorable responsibilities were applied to the negligent servant. Those citizens that rebelled against the Nobleman were rounded up and destroyed.

This parable is a brilliant adaptation to the coming millennial kingdom. Here we see that the Master returns to His original realm, seeks an accounting of what His servants had done, bestows unto them appropriate rewards and added responsibilities, and destroys those who rebelled against Him—these being aptly named by some as the incorrigibles. The storyline here does not speak of the Nobleman’s servants being called to the far-off country (a symbol of heaven) to give an accounting of the funds (that being the Gospel) and be awarded responsibilities. The Nobleman returned to His original realm (a symbol of earth). The servants remained in the original realm (earth) and were given responsibilities in that realm to govern on behalf of their master.

Acts 1:4-11—Here we see, weeks after Master’s resurrection, that He gathers His disciples on the Mount of Olives and instructs them on what He required of them while He was gone (i.e., gone to that far off country—that being heaven). They were to essentially, (1) wait there in Jerusalem for the “promise of the Father which they had heard from Him” (and that being the administration of the Holy Spirit); and (2) be His witnesses in Jerusalem, all of Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the Earth. Someone asked Master if He would establish His Kingdom there in Jerusalem at that time. Of course we know that Master corrected them by answering that it was none of their business as to when Father would restore the Kingdom and that it was their job to do what He was instructing them to do. This simple, short story, contains a powerful indication that Father was planning on restoring the Kingdom here on earth. Nothing was spoken to the disciples about their going up to heaven to hang out with Master for all eternity. Nothing. In fact, once Master ascended into heaven, a pair of likely Messengers (i.e., angels) informed the disciples that

“this same Yeshua who was just taken up from you into heaven, shall return in the same way that you saw Him go.”

Hebrews 8 is an overview of the Renewed Covenant. The Renewed Covenant in great part will be the spiritual re-igniting of the covenant that Father attempted to establish with us at the base of Mount Sinai. The original covenant was that Father would be our God if we obeyed His commandments. We failed to keep His commandments, resulting in the breaking of that initial covenant. This new covenant, although I believe it has already begun in great earnest, will come to its full manifestation in the world tomorrow, when physical Israel will experience the scales dropping from their eyes, they realizing the error of their ways and turning to Yeshua as their Messiah, and Father instead of simply giving them His Torah in writing, this time, inscribing Torah on their inward parts. This time, Torah-keeping will be guaranteed. All indications are that this ultimate renewal of the covenant will take place here on earth, specifically in the Land of Israel, amongst both houses of Israel.

Now, I will concede that some teach that this turning of physical Israel to Yeshua and back to Torah will occur prior to Master’s return to earth to establish His millennial kingdom. It’s highly possible I suppose, but I’m more inclined to think this will happen once Master is revealed to physical Israel upon His return. Revelation 1:7 records:

“Behold, He (speaking of Yeshua Messiah) is coming with clouds; and every eye will see Him, and those also who pierced Him. And all kindreds of the earth will mourn because of Him (Book of Yahweh).” And then we find in a companion verse, Zechariah 12:9-11, the following: “In that day I will seek to destroy all the nations which come against Yerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Yerusalem, the spirit of compassion and supplication when they look up to Him Whom they have pierced. They will mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and will be in bitterness for Him, as one who is in bitterness for his firtborn. In that day there will be a great mourning in Yerusalem, like the mourning of Hadad-Rimmon in the Medgiddo Valley (Book of Yahweh).”

The blowing of the 7th trumpet and the Kingdoms of this earth becoming the kingdoms of the Almighty

Revelation 11:15-18–This passage addresses the famous blowing of the 7th Trumpet that an angel in heaven will sound at the end of days. Rood’s Chronology places this event right at the time of the first resurrection and the rewarding of the saints. The key verse to focus on as it relates to our discussion of earth being the ultimate destination of the saints, is found in verse 15 which reads:

“The seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of the Almighty, and of His Messiah; and He shall reign forever and ever.’”

I want you to look specifically at what the voices in heaven were saying: that the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of the Almighty. If all this was to culminate and end with the saints going to heaven, how do the kingdoms of this earth become the kingdoms of the Almighty and His Messiah? The only kingdom we know that exists in heaven is of course that belonging to Yahovah and His Messiah. However, if we expand our minds and look at what is being said here, we will quickly realize that the focus is really on the reality of the broken and evil kingdoms of this world of ours that Father and Yeshua will abruptly overtake and replace with their government.

I have to say, doesn’t this all make more sense when you factor in the thinking that Father created this world for man, and the world that He created for man was perfect and man was to have responsible dominion over it (Genesis 1:26-28). Man forfeited the title deed to this world, which effectively went to hasatan, and ever since, man and hasatan have destroyed that which Father gifted to man. Thus, it falls to Father and Messiah to strip that title deed from hasatan and restore the earth to her former glory. And the saints of the Most High will play an intricate role in that transition. Lots of work to do. Now I ask you: does this scenario not sound more sensible and even more exciting than that of a heaven scenario? Maybe those who would rather just sit around and do nothing for all eternity would prefer the heaven scenario. Those of us who crave nothing more than to serve the Creator and His Messiah for all eternity, however, should find the scripturally-based earth scenario much more appealing and sensible. Of course, I’m not saying that this is a matter of preference or sensibility. I’m simply saying that as we move through this discussion, the earth bound scenario is better supported by the biblical record than that of the heaven bound scenario.

Messiah returns to this earth, rights all wrongs and returns the earth to her former glory

Paradise Lost-Paradise will be restored.

Zech. 14—As believers in Yeshua Messiah, when the topic of end times comes up, we tend to only focus upon New Testament writings, in particular the writings of Paul and the Book of the Revelation. However, the Prophet Zechariah revealed a treasure trove of information relating to earth being the ultimate destination of the saints of the Most High Elohim. If you’ve not read the 4th chapter of Zechariah, I would highly encourage you to do so. But for the sake of this discussion, allow me to provide some evidentiary highlights for your consideration:

- The nation of Israel will be overtaken by evil nations seeking her destruction in the last days. However, Yahovah will fight on behalf of Israel against those evil nations (verses 2 and 3).
- Messiah shall descend along with the saints and split the Mount of Olives (verse 5).
- It will be a day in which time will essentially stand still and day and night will be replaced with light—just light—no night (verse 7).
- This will be sort of a rehashing of the sun standing still on the day Israel fought against the Ammorites at Gibeon, as famously recorded in Joshua 10:1-15.
- Living waters will flow out from Jerusalem (verse 8).
- Yahoshua will be King over all the earth and it will be recognized that there is but One God and His name is Yahovah/Yahuah/Yahweh (verse 8). Now, one may read that this verse singles out Yahovah being King over the whole of earth and indeed that is true. But leading up to the final restoration of all things, Yahoshua will reign as King over the earth as the Creator’s proxy of sorts. This is all outlined in the Book of Hebrews, where the writer brilliantly lays out for us how Father will subject all things on this earth to Yeshua’s oversight and complete control. Paul takes up this particular discussion in I Corinthians where he writes the following: “Then comes the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to Yahuah, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For He (speaking of the Creator) has put all things under His feet. But when He says, all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did not put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that Yahuah may be all in all (I Corinthians 15:24-28; Cepher).”
- Once uninhabited areas of the earth will become habitable for men to dwell in peace (verses 10 and 11).
- The nations of the world will be required to go up to Jerusalem each year to observe the Feast of Tabernacles (aka, Sukkot) and worship the King, Yahovah Tseva’ot (verses 16 to 19).

Torah will be the world’s constitution and rule of law

Micah 4 speaks of the world tomorrow where Torah will flow from the mountain of the house of Yahovah and Jerusalem. In the world tomorrow, peoples of the nations of the world will flock to the mountain of Yahovah and the House of Elohim and be taught Torah. The peoples of the nations of this world will be judged and rebuked. War will be but a distant memory as swords are beat into plowshares and spears into pruninghooks (verse 4). Prosperity and complete peace will be the norm for every obedient citizen of the world (verse 5).

The Saints of the Most High will rule over the nations of this world

Daniel 7—The great Prophet Daniel foretold of a time when the saints would be persecuted and tribulated against by hasatan and his ilk. But glory be to Yahovah our Elohim, Father will give to the saints judgment against their tribulators as well as He will give to them the Kingdom. All of the kingdoms of this earth will have to fall under the subjection of the Kingdom of Yahovah and the saints will play a key role in the restoration of all things.

Messiah establishes His 1,000-year reign with the resurrected saints

Jude 1:14; Revelation 20:4-6—reveals that some saints will be given thrones to sit upon with authority to judge the peoples and nations of this world. In particular, verse 4 reads:

“…and they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years.”

But then verse 5 of this passage addresses the issue of those who are not part of the first resurrection, which reads:

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection (speaking of the saints operating in the Kingdom of Yahovah during the Millennial reign)! Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They shall be priests of Yahovah and of Messiah. And they shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

And just to affirm that all this will take place upon the earth, I will refer you to Revelation 5:7—10, which reads: “And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him Who sat upon the throne. And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one of them having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to Yahweh by Your blood out of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation; and have made us kings and priests to your Father; and we will reign upon the earth.’” Again, mankind NOT reigning as kings and priests in heaven, but reigning as kings and priests on earth.

The Government of Yahovah will have precise order with leadership roles being filled by select saints.

- King David will be over the 12-tribes of Israel (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23,24).
- Master revealed that His select disciples will sit on 12-thrones, judging the 12-tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).
- Jeremiah 31 speaks to the restoration of Ephraim and Manasseh to the Land of Promise.
- Revelation 2:26 and 27; 3:21; 5:10 tell of regular ole Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah—yes, just like you and I—any of us who have overcome this world, being given important, relevant and authoritative positions in Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom.
- According to Isaiah 2: 2-4 and Jeremiah 3:17, the capital of the world will be Jerusalem.

One language spoken in the new kingdom

Zephaniah 3:9 seems to suggest that the world will finally return to the speaking of a single language. We will see a reversal of the confounding of the languages at the tower of Babel. One can only assume that that one language will be some form of Hebrew, at least that’s what I believe.

Paradise lost, paradise restored

In the world tomorrow there will be no more war. Peace will reign over all.

Isaiah 35:1-7; Zechariah 4:8–Ultimately, in the world tomorrow, paradise lost will become paradise restored, as Father, through the works of His Son, Yeshua Messiah, will restore the natural order of this world.

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