A number of readers have asked if the recent series on the Hebrew Roots movement will be available for download, viewing, or printing as a single file. It was my intent from the beginning to offer this teaching in book form. You can now find the writing available as a PDF file on the BOOK page of the Heart4God website. (Scroll to the bottom of the page.)
If you are not familiar with the other books available (all free of charge), I encourage you to familiarize yourself with them. There are now 20 books available at the BOOK page listed above.
If you have one of Amazon's Kindle reading tablets, you will find ten of my books available on Amazon's site in Kindle format for a nominal charge of $1.00 They are $1.00 because I believe Amazon should receive some compensation for acting as distributor for these books. The main reason I do not have all twenty of my books available on Amazon is that many of the books I have written contain photos and graphics that may be copyrighted. I have made available in Kindle format those books which do not contain such images.
I also have four books available in paperback on Amazon's site. I do not recommend the paperbacks as I have used a print-on-demand publisher who has set the prices of their books too high. I receive very little money from the sale of any paperbacks, and would give them away freely, but I have to pay for them as well. I have never viewed the sale of books as a source of income. Yahweh is my provider, so my policy has always been to make all my books and other material available at no cost wherever possible. For those who are able to read online, or print out books, you will find all of my books available as free PDF files at the Heart4God website.
To find any of my books on Amazon, simply search on "Joseph Herrin."
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
A highly symbolic event occurred three days ago (April 23, 2015). It has been reported in all the major media news outlets. I came across a news report on the event and then received e-mails in a short period of time from three brothers and sisters in Christ who wrote to make sure I had not missed what they perceived to be a poignant message for America.
The Event
Westfield High School in Westfield, Indiana has staged a major production for each of the past three years. It is a retrospective musical that features songs from the beginnings of the Rock and Roll era up through more recent decades. The production also serves as a history of events which have occurred in America during this same time period as the songs performed are interspersed with short speeches recounting events such as the assassination of President Kennedy, the civil rights movement, the Korean and Viet Nam wars, and more recent events such as the Space Shuttle Challenger calamity and the fall of the World Trade Centers. On Westfield High School’s website the show is billed as “an electrifying journey through history using music.”
(Click on Any Image to View Larger)
At the end of the 3 hour production before a sold-out, overflow crowd of more than 800 people, as the last song was being performed and the entire cast of the musical came on stage and began jumping to the music, the stage floor collapsed sending dozens of high school students plunging into the orchestra pit which is 12 feet below the stage. It was reported that 16 students were injured, though none critically. The worst injuries were a broken leg and a head injury. The moment the stage collapsed was caught on video and can be viewed below.
What arrested the attention of the individuals who wrote to me about this event was the name of the musical production. It was titled “American Pie.” On numerous occasions in the past I have written about a prophetic message for America contained in the song American Pie which was recorded by Don McLean in May of 1971 and released in November of that same year. Don McLean wrote the song as well as performing it. The song has obtained great popularity. It climbed to the number one most popular song in America after its release, and the Recording Industry Association of America has listed it as the number five song in their project titled Songs of the Century.
In recent years there have been some crass, sexually debauched movies bearing the name American Pie, and I wanted to ascertain whether this high school musical was named in reference to the song or the movie. The question is answered in the historical information describing the musical on the Westfield High School website. It states, “The concept (for the musical) was started 30 years ago at Columbus North High School by Ed Niespodziani and was brought to WHS by teacher, Jen Hasler-Troutman in the 2012-2013 school year.” The first movie titled American Pie was released in 1999, only 16 years ago. The high school musical production began 14 years prior, so the films could not have served as inspiration for the naming of the musical production. Columbus North High School’s first production of this musical occurred in 1985 which was 14 years after the release of Don McLean’s song, which leads to the reasonable conclusion that the song served as inspiration for the naming of the musical.
The lyrics to this song contain many profound statements. They refer to the church bells all being silenced, and the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all leaving America. The song describes Satan laughing with delight as the nation goes up in flames.
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'Cause fire is the devil's only friend Oh and as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell Could break that Satan's spell And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the music died
The most memorable lines from this lengthy song are in the oft repeated chorus.
Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die
I have written about this song in past blogs as it was selected to be performed during Barack Obama’s inaugural festivities following his first election to President of the United States. A huge concert took place in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.. Videos showing Obama singing along with the song and mouthing the words “This’ll be the day that I die” are readily available to be viewed online.
The venue is also highly symbolic, as Lincoln was assassinated during his second term in office, and it was during his presidency that the nation was plunged into a bloody civil war, constitutional rights were suspended, and thousands of Americans were locked up for the duration of the war without trial or a court appearance. Opposition in the press was brutally suppressed and those states and citizens who stood against an expansion of Federal power were crushed by military force.
With this background, what occurred at Westfield High School may be understood as being highly significant. This was a musical production that served as a historical review of America in its declining years. Unintentionally, the production ended with a sudden collapse as the song Don’t Stop Believin’ by the group Journey was being performed. When the stage collapse occurred, the music peremptorily terminated (“the day the music died”). The musical “journey” ended. Those who have eyes to see will perceive that a further event in America’s history was unintentionally enacted in a very profound manner. A collapse is coming and it will result in the injury of many while bringing a swift and calamitous end to the party atmosphere of American society.
In researching this story I found that the promotional material for this production is changed annually. Following is an advertisement for the musical in a previous year.
Compare this to the pre-production advertisement for this year’s musical.
The image of a shattered record speaks symbolically of the music dying. Unknown to the school faculty members who oversaw this production, there would be a very literal fulfillment of this imagery as the stage collapsed sending all of the performers plunging into the “pit” below and ending the music in an unanticipated manner. Notice also that the colors red, white and blue all appear in this advertisement and are part of the shattering.
The song American Pie has always had a strong prophetic element to it.
Original Release of American Pie as a Single
If one looks closely at the label of this record they will see that it was released by Mayday Music, Inc. under the label Yahweh Tunes.
The term “Mayday” is recognized as an international distress sign. The label Yahweh Tunes identifies this record as being a message from God. Don McLean has always remained tight-lipped about the meaning of the lyrics of this song. It has remained enigmatic to many, but what is apparent is that the song speaks of dark days for America and an end to song and mirth. A day of fire and diabolical calamity is forecast. It is not only a day in which the music dies, but in which many people will die (“This’ll be the day that I die.”)
It has been 44 years since the release of American Pie. It has been 30 years that this high school production of the same name has been performed (North Columbus HS will perform their 30th annual production of this musical on May 8th). It has been 3 years that Westfield HS has been performing this same musical. All of these numbers are significant.
44
The number 4 denotes humility. The word humility comes from the same root as the word “humus.” It speaks of lowliness. The nation which has ascended the highest in pride and material success stands to suffer the greatest fall.
44 is 22 x 2. The number 22 denotes flesh cutting, a removal of wickedness. The number 44 therefore speaks of a double portion of judgment upon the flesh.
Revelation 18:4-7
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning...”
33
Yahshua was 33 years of age when He was crucified for the sins of mankind. The Son of God became sin on the cross that He might bring an end to sin. 33 is therefore associated with judgment upon sin.
33 is 11 x 3. (44 is also 11 x 4) The number 3 denotes fulness and completion. E.W. Bullinger in his book Number in Scripture provides the following insight into the Biblical significance of the number 11.
ELEVEN If ten is the number which marks the perfection of Divine order, then eleven is an addition to it, subversive of and undoing that order. If twelve is the number which marks the perfection of Divine government, then eleven falls short of it. So that whether we regard it as being 10 + 1, or 12 - 1, it is the number which marks, disorder, disorganization, imperfection, and disintegration.
Is this not what was portrayed as the stage collapsed and instantly transformed a well-choreographed musical production into a scene of chaos?
Timing
The collapse occurred during the final song of the production. A song by the group Journey was chosen to close the show. That the collapse occurred at this point signifies that the end is near for America as a free and prosperous nation. The journey of America as a constitutional republic, the envy of all the world, is near at hand. Although it is inconceivable to the majority of Americans that their nation could ever cease to be “the land of the free,” a land of liberty and prosperity, the day is near at hand when the sound of mirth and festivity will no longer be heard.
Jeremiah 25:10-11
Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror...
The sound of joy will be replaced with cries of pain and despair. Despite the determination of many to Don’t Stop Believin’ that good days lie ahead, the days approaching will be ones of bitterness and woe. What is coming will happen suddenly. Do not the Scriptures reveal that judgment comes suddenly to a nation and a people who give themselves to evil?
Ecclesiastes 9:12
Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.
Luke 17:26-29, 33
“And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all... Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it.”
The cup of America’s iniquity is full. The end of her journey of rebellion is nearing an end. Do not be found partying and celebrating immorality when the collapse comes. It is a time to be sober, to be vigilant, and to seek humility and righteousness that we might be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger (Zephaniah 2:3). Heart4God Website:http://www.heart4god.ws
Hebrew Roots Movement - Choosing Style Over Substance
One of the attractions of the Hebrew Roots movement is that it provides Christians with a means to outwardly demonstrate their devotion to Yahshua while avoiding the far more costly price of true discipleship. It is my belief that many make this trade-off unconsciously. They do not sit down and reason that they will embrace the forms and rites of the Hebrew Roots movement as a substitute for taking up their cross and following Yahshua. The decision is more subtle. Most Christians recoil at the idea of suffering for their faith in Christ. Dying to self and facing persecution in this world are both ideas which cause the flesh of man to recoil in distaste and horror. This innate aversion to suffering causes many Christians to avoid giving serious thought to the idea that the sufferings of Yahshua are appointed to them as well.
The subject of the cost of Christian discipleship is avoided in the churches today. On those rare occasions when some teaching on this subject is offered, what is taught often obscures the truth, rather than clarifying it. Most believers have been introduced to Christianity in apostate denominations and man-centric congregations which proclaim the benefits of faith in Christ while neglecting to reference the cost of being a disciple. Yahshua only ever gave one form of invitation. He invited men and women to “Come, take up YOUR CROSS and FOLLOW ME.” He informed those who aspired to become His disciples that doing so would cost them EVERYTHING.
Luke 14:25-35
Now great multitudes were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace. So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
In these words, Yahshua proclaimed the costliness of being His disciple. To be a disciple a man or woman must forsake every relationship. No familial love can hold a higher place in the disciple’s heart than their love and devotion to Christ. When Christ calls a man or woman to follow Him, they must do so irregardless of the protestations of parents, wife, children, brothers, or sisters. They must follow Christ to places their own soul despises. They must accept whatever life and experiences Yahshua chooses for them. It is a requisite of discipleship that a man or woman die to their own dreams, desires, and goals for life. Their sole aim must be to follow Christ wherever He leads them and to live for His satisfaction and glory. Yahshua stated in this passage that the cost of following Him includes yielding everything the individual possesses to be disposed of as He commands. If Christ speaks to a person, as He did to the rich young ruler, telling them to sell everything and give the money to the poor and then come take up the cross and follow where He leads, then this is what the disciple must do.
It is at this point that a great many men and women balk. Like the young ruler, they walk away grieved, for they are attached to their many possessions, to their comfortable life, to the acceptance they have among family and the members of society. To embrace a life that will result in reproach, in suffering, in separation from the embrace of loved ones, is too high a cost for many to pay.
It did not take long for the church to begin omitting the preaching of the costliness of Christian discipleship. To become a Christian was redefined as an act of belief. A person had to confess their belief in certain things relating to the Son of God. If they did so, the clergy members assured them they were “saved.” Walk the aisle, say the sinner’s prayer, get dunked in the church’s baptismal pool, and a person will have their name added to the church rolls while receiving assurances that their name is also recorded in heaven’s rolls.
Such an experience is very common in the churches today. What is presented is an aberration of the truth. Significant and vital portions of the gospel message are left out. Yahshua said there is a GATE that all men must enter, and there is also a WAY that all must walk. The churches are in varying degrees proclaiming the GATE, but they are omitting the WAY. This exclusion will result in the ruin of many lives. The churches are filled with blind followers of blind leaders.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is afflicted that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”
You likely have had the preceding words of Christ misquoted to you. Most popular Bible translations state that “the way is narrow that leads to life.” Thus the gate is declared to be narrow and the way is also declared to be narrow. However, in the original Greek the two adjectives describing the gate and the way are distinctly different words. The gate is described as “stenos,” while the way is defined as “thlibo.” The word “thlibo” does not mean narrow. It is translated as narrow nowhere else in the New Testament. In every other passage in which this word occurs it bears the meaning of affliction and suffering.
II Corinthians 1:6
Now if we are afflicted (thlibo), it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer.
II Corinthians 4:8-9
We are afflicted (thlibo) in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...
I Thessalonians 3:4
For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction (thlibo); and so it came to pass, as you know.
Hebrews 11:37-38
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted (thlibo), ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy)...
Why did the translators of many of the most popular English Bibles unfaithfully render the words of Christ relating to the nature of “the Way” which must be walked in order to receive eternal life? It is because the churches have rejected the message of the high cost of being a disciple of Christ. The King James Bible was produced under the auspices of the Anglican Church of England. This “high church” was big on form and style, but little on substance. The clergy dressed in elegant robes and held services in elaborate cathedrals. They made a very good living, and quite a comfortable one. What they did NOT do was yield their lives to go wherever Christ directed and to do whatever He commanded them. These men were of the same ilk as the Scribe who approached Yahshua and said he wanted to be His disciple.
Matthew 8:19-20
And a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Yahshua said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Scribes in that day led comfortable lives. They were respected and would commonly have homes near the local synagogue. This Scribe wanted to be Christ’s disciple, but he also wanted to continue to live comfortably. He likely thought all he would have to do as a disciple of Christ was to alter some of his doctrinal positions. He was not prepared to surrender everything, abandon the comfortable life of a Scribe, and accept afflictions and suffering. Yahshua understood this and went straight to the point at which the Scribe would stumble.
Observe the deceit that has occurred in the churches today. Few ministers are willing to accept the cost of being Christ’s disciple. Rather than walking away grieved as did the rich young ruler, the church leaders have acted unfaithfully. They have removed all mention of the cost of discipleship from their doctrines. They are proclaiming an apostate gospel devoid of the disciple’s cross. They have attempted to make becoming a Christian easier on the flesh and soul of man.
Most ministers today assure their congregants that they are in good standing with the church and with God if they confess certain things about Christ, participate in church services and put some money in the offering plate. Christianity becomes an exercise where people meet to discuss doctrines, and to observe various rites and traditions, but there is no requirement of yielding one’s life wholly to the Lordship of Christ. Consequently, Christians have become as salt that has lost its savor. They are good for nothing, not even fit for the manure pile.
Everywhere one turns today they find substitutes for pure Christian discipleship. None of these substitutes will result in the child of God coming to spiritual maturity. This is what Yahshua declared to the rich young ruler.
Matthew 19:20-21
The young man said to him..., “What do I still lack?” Yahshua said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
The Greek word translated as “perfect” is “teleios.” This word means “perfect, entire, mature, lacking in nothing.” It is the will of Yahweh that He would have full stature sons and daughters who are conformed to the image and likeness of Yahshua.
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.
Ephesians 4:11-13
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.
If all God wanted to do was bring men and women to a confession of belief in His Son as the atoning sacrifice for their sins, He could very well rapture all people into heaven as soon as they profess faith in Christ. He does not do so, however. Yahweh’s plan is not merely to bring people to faith in His Son, but to transform them from the selfish, sensual creatures they have been into selfless, spiritual creations who manifest His character in their words and actions. This requires a process of transformation where the old nature is progressively brought under subjection to the authority of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Yahweh will lead each person down a path specifically designed for them with the goal in mind that they might eventually come forth in the image of His firstborn Son.
The path Yahweh will lead every man and woman down is by necessity a path that includes experiences of suffering, along with numerous trials and sacrifices. It is as we encounter these experiences, responding to them in the power of the Spirit, putting the flesh and its selfish response to death, that we are transformed measure by measure into the image of Christ. Walking the path Yahweh chooses for each person is indispensable for their maturation. We cannot choose our own way and achieve the results Yahweh has in mind. We have to yield to follow Christ wherever He would lead us. The Scriptures reveal that the life of a disciple of Christ is synonymous with a Spirit directed life.
Romans 8:14
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Galatians 5:25
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
If you were introduced to Christ through the Christian religious system predominant in Western nations, you most likely never heard the cost of discipleship accurately proclaimed. Western Christianity allows the aspiring disciple to continue to reign as lord of their own life. They can choose what job they want to work at and where they want to live. They remain in charge of how they spend their money, with the possible exception of being instructed that ten percent should be given to the church. The Western Christian is free to decide whether they marry, and whom they marry (as long as it is another professing believer). Christianity becomes a religious experience which the convert adds to their existing life, rather than a radical exchange of ownership and authority.
I Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know... that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price...
I Corinthians 7:22-23
He who was called while free, is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price...
True Christian discipleship is characterized by a surrender of one’s will to the leading of the Spirit of Christ. Where He says go, we must go. What He says do, we must do. Nothing can be held back. Yahweh will root out every area of independence. He will bring us to consider any instance of reserve where we have not accepted the cost of following in the footsteps of His Son.
Hebrews 10:36-39
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Many Christians are unaware that they are shrinking back from a complete abandonment to the will of God due to the fact that they have never been told that such a surrender is required of them. They have ignorantly embraced the status quo; the lukewarm, insipid, unsavory form of Christianity that is common in their culture. Perhaps you have embraced the Sunday and Wednesday form of Christianity where you attend a couple weekly meetings at the church, listen to some preaching, and are admonished to try to live a good life the rest of the week. This is not Christian discipleship. If you are involved with a prosperity church that proclaims a message that God wants you to be materially successful and comfortable in this life, you are most assuredly not walking as a disciple of Christ. If you are involved with an apostolic or prophetic church that focuses on signs and wonders while failing to proclaim a complete surrender of your will and life to the leading of the Holy Spirit, you are not qualifying as a disciple of Yahshua.
The Hebrew Roots churches are merely one more iteration of apostate Christianity. They are offering up an attractive substitute for the costly discipleship which Yahshua called all men unto. There is a special attractiveness in this movement, for many are led to falsely equate observance of various Laws of the Old Testament with the will of the Father for their life. The Law contained no more than a shadow of the will of God. Those who embrace the Law as their substitute for the voice of the Holy Spirit will inevitably find themselves spending their lives following ordinances and rules that cannot make them perfect.
Hebrews 7:18-19
For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
The subject of the Law and its relationship to the Christian is a complex topic whose explication is beyond the scope of this book. Those who are interested in a thorough address of this subject are invited to read Laying Down the Law. The apostle Paul revealed one of the motives driving some to embrace circumcision and an observance of the Law as a substitute for a Spirit directed life.
Galatians 6:12
As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Observing the Law, or making a pretense of doing so, permits men and women to appear righteous in the eyes of others, while enabling them to escape persecution. The Law, however, though divinely inspired, is not a substitute for a Spirit directed life. The Law was given UNTIL Christ should come, fulfill all the righteous requirements of the Law, offer up His soul as an atoning sacrifice for man, rise from the dead and send forth His Spirit to indwell all who believe upon Him.
Galatians 3:19, 23-25
Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made... But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
“Until, “Before,” “Now.” These three words all make reference to time. There was a time when Yahweh entered into a covenant of Law with mankind. It was not an eternal covenant. It was for a specific period of time. That time ended with Christ. With the introduction of a new covenant, a covenant of faith in Christ, the covenant of the Law ceased. NOW that faith has come, we are no longer under the tutor of the Law. We now have the Spirit of God resident within our beings that we might freely know the thoughts of Yahweh and always be informed of His will for our lives.
I Corinthians 2:11-12
Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God.
Christ said, “My sheep hear My voice.” If we will attend to the voice of the Spirit of Christ within us, and yield ourselves to go where He leads and accept the life He chooses for us, Yahshua assures us that at the end of the journey we will be mature sons who manifest His life and character. There is no substitute for a Spirit directed life. Not even a life devoted to the Law and to an embrace of Hebrew roots can serve as a substitute for a Spirit directed life. Indeed, when one embraces the Law as their guide, the Law becomes an impediment, hindering the believer from looking to the Spirit of Christ as their guide.
The Hebrew Roots movement has an additional attractiveness in that it sets before the Christian various symbols, rites, holidays, and items of dress that provide them a means to outwardly attest to their inner devotion to Christ. Yet, all of these things are carnal. They are nothing more than external trappings. The true manifestation of our union with Christ is expressed through the spiritual fruit produced through our oneness with Yahshua.
Matthew 7:16-20
“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
Christ did not say His disciples would be known by their Hanukkah candles, by the Israeli flag flying outside their home, or by their usage of the Hebrew language interspersed in their daily conversation. Christ’s disciples are not recognized by wearing kippot, or tallit, or tzitzit. You will recognize the true disciples of Christ by their spiritual fruit.
Galatians 5:22-24
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Yahshua have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Looking Like Christ
In his book Messianic Judaism is Not Christianity, Stan Telchin (a Jewish believer in Messiah) addresses some of the motives that Gentile believers become involved in these groups. One of the reasons he has frequently heard is that the Gentile believers have a love for the Jewish people and wish to gain some acceptance with them by adopting Hebrew roots. Stan writes that those who embrace Hebrew Roots to be accepted by Jewish people are misguided.
Gaining acceptance by the Jewish community seems to have become one of [Messianic Judaism’s] primary objectives... As Jews who believe in Jesus, Messianic Jews want to be identified with and accepted by a Jewry that has largely rejected God and His Word. Clearly, this is not a biblical objective... I agree with Arnold Fructenbaum who says, “It is self-deceiving to believe that a Jewish lifestyle is the means of being accepted by the Jewish community or the Jewish leadership.” The traditional Jewish community abhors Messianic Judaism... In order to be a Jew, a person must be born of Jewish parents. It does not matter what his parents believe or what the person himself or herself believes. Many of us are quite comfortable with Jewish Hindus, Jewish Buddhists, atheistic Jews, agnostic Jews, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jews. We even can understand humanistic Judaism. The Jewish community does not have any trouble continuing to call these people Jews. But when a Jewish person accepts Jesus, the situation changes. Why? Because so many Jewish people have bought into the rabbis’ repeated slogan: “You cannot be Jewish and believe in Jesus.” When it comes to followers of Jesus, by whatever name they choose to identify themselves, the line in the sand is drawn. These people are not welcome. What that has to tell you is that those in Messianic Judaism fool only themselves when they insist that they soon will receive approval from the Jewish community...
[Stan Telchin, Messianic Judaism is Not Christianity]
In his book, Stan Telchin provides the testimony of a number of people who left Messianic Judaism. The reasons they provided for departing from this movement are insightful.
“Tell me Charlie, did you stay in the synagogue very long?” “Well, we stayed about a year and a half,” he replied. “But then I began to be troubled by what I observed, and Fran was equally troubled.” “By what?” I asked. “Well, from a theological point of view, it seemed as if they were concentrating on emulating rabbinic Judaism with a Christian vocabulary rather than focusing on the finished work Jesus did on the cross. This thereby encouraged Gentiles to do things that Gentiles were never required to do in Scripture. We Gentiles never had to wear yarmulkes (head coverings) or tallits (prayer shawls) ot tsitsit (fringes on our garments). Yet the implication was that if we wanted to belong, we had to wear them. And there were so many Gentiles in attendance! More than eighty percent of those who came each week were not Jewish. Why did they have to do these things?... Then Fran jumped into the conversation. “The Gentiles who attended seemed to be worshiping symbols of Judaism. Isn’t that idolatry?” she asked. “And I know of a Gentile couple who went to an Orthodox rabbi and converted to Judaism. The husband was circumcised, and they try to keep a kosher home. And for others, there seemed to be an identity crisis. Some of the Gentiles I met began to search their family tree in order to find a Jewish relative. They wanted to be Jewish, and they tried to live by the Law... If you want to know what really did it for me and why I insisted that we leave that congregation, I’ll tell you. I was filled to overflowing with all the ‘wannabes’ and the ‘Pharisees’!”... “Jean” is a young Jewish mother of two beautiful children. She attended a church before she met her future Jewish husband, but when they decided to marry, he convinced her to attend his Messianic synagogue. She agreed to do so, and for several years they rarely missed a service. Then things began to change. When I asked Jean what it was that disturbed them, she said, “I want to be very careful about how I answer that question, so let me put my thoughts in writing to you.” A few weeks later, Jean wrote to me:
I have been agonizing as I have relived the experiences we had at the Messianic synagogue and why we left. Simply stated, I was at once saddened and angry by the way many of my Gentile brothers and sisters - who made up about 85 percent of the congregation - showed almost a contempt toward God by despising what He had made them to be. I felt they did this when they dressed as Jews and adopted all sorts of religious traditions that they convinced themselves they were obligated to practice. Week after week I would anguish over the emphasis on Jewishness rather than “Jesusness.” Gentiles were changing their names to Jewish-sounding ones and calling themselves Jews.
[Ibid]
Brothers and sisters, being “Christ-like” does not mean one has to act Jewish. It certainly does not require that one embrace rabbinic practices that are not found in the Bible. Becoming Christ-like is a matter of character, not external custom or religious practice. Do not be deceived by those who would put style before substance. The kingdom of God does not come with outward signs to be observed. The kingdom of God is within you.
[This is the end of the book Attractive Deception - The False Hope of the Hebrew Roots Movement]
Bonus: I was recently blessed to watch the following video demonstrating the compassion of some Lithuanian men and women for one who was a visitor to their nation. I am reminded that kindness is something Yahweh formed within man. Satan has gone a long way to eradicate it, but it still shines through even among people who are strangers to the faith of Christ. (Romans 2:14-15)
Early on in the process of looking for images to illustrate the pages of this book, I came across some photos of a Barbie doll that was wearing the tallit (Jewish prayer shawl), the tefillin on her arm and forehead, and was holding a copy of the Talmud in one hand and a siddur (Jewish prayer book) in the other. The Tefillin Barbie was created by Jen Taylor Friedman, who is a Soferet (a female Jewish scribe). Ms. Friedman decided to dress up a Barbie doll to look like her fellow Soferets. She sells the dolls for $150 each on her Etsy site. You can learn more about the dolls at the following webpage.
Interestingly, the Tefillin Barbie is wearing a t-shirt with the image of a black cat on it. This is because Ms. Friedman purchased the 2006 Halloween Hip Barbie due to its modest denim skirt which is a dress style common among her friends. The depiction of a black cat on the t-shirt was an unintentional byproduct of purchasing a Halloween Barbie. Nevertheless, its presence as a symbol of witchcraft, being the favored pet of witches, speaks of a relationship between rabbinic Judaism and witchcraft that is very real, seldom recognized, and almost never admitted.
The role of a Jewish Scribe, or Sofer, has traditionally been a male occupation. The first female Sofer in the modern era was certified in 2003. Her name is Aviel Barclay. She created a blog to serve as a record of her groundbreaking experiences. At the top of the blog she has the following quotation posted.
"Let us restore the Divine In-Dwelling to Her Place in Zion & infuse Her spirit throughout the whole inhabited world."
[Source: http://soferet.blogspot.com/, Emphasis Added]
This is an obvious reference to the “Divine Feminine,” or goddess worship. The practice of modern Wicca, or witchcraft, is predominately goddess worship. As we observed in the chapter of this writing titled Sabbath Summoning, the rabbinic Jews have incorporated the rites of candle magic and sex magick into their Sabbath rituals as they invite the Sabbath Queen (Shabbat Hamalka) into their homes and souls. It seems fitting, therefore, that this “Tefillin Barbie” should come adorned with a symbol of witchcraft. As much as rabbinic Judaism proclaims that they are children of Abraham and the true guardians and purveyors of the Hebrew religion entrusted to the patriarchs and prophets of the Tanakh, they are in fact apostates who have given themselves to the service of Satan. This was true 2,000 years ago, and it continues to be true today. Because Yahshua confronted the Jewish religious leaders and rebuked them for pretending to be devoted servants of Yahweh when they were in fact full of deceit, Satanic practices, and pride, the orthodox Jews to this day hate and revile the Son of God.
What would your opinion have been of the Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees if you had encountered them 2,000 years ago? If you saw them wearing their religious robes, saying long prayers on the street corners, attending the synagogues regularly, and presenting their sacrifices at the Temple, would you not have concluded that these were the people of God, the descendants of Abraham, and the guardians of the Law entrusted to Moses? This was NOT the view of Christ. He told them plainly, “You are not of God. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.”
Many Christians would like to believe that they would have judged things rightly, having a view that was in keeping with the Son of God. Yet the experience of this present day reveals that the majority of Evangelical Christians are failing to judge as Christ would judge. Some naively believe the Orthodox Jews in Israel continue to practice the faith of Abraham and Moses. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Orthodox religious system in Israel and elsewhere has developed into a synagogue of Satan. In the book of Revelation Yahshua spoke the following words to the overcoming saints of the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia.
Revelation 2:9
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
Revelation 3:9
“Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie - behold, I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”
Christ was not declaring that these Jews were illegitimate and not actual descendants of Abraham. What He was saying is that, even though they were Hebrew men and women, they were acting like the children of the devil.
John 8:37-44
“I know that you are Abraham's offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Yahshua said to them, “If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” Yahshua said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.”
The Orthodox Jews who follow rabbinic Judaism, the legacy of the Pharisees of Yahshua’s day, continue to bear a malevolent, devilish hatred of the Son of God. Rabbinic Judaism is rabidly anti-Christian, manifesting a greater hatred for “Yeshu” and His disciples than for any other people or belief system on earth. The Bible reveals the vehement hatred of rabbinic Judaism for Christ and His disciples. Before his conversion, the apostle Paul was a leader among the rabbinic Jews, being trained as a Pharisee in the school of Gamaliel. His violent hatred of Yahshua was exhibited in his actions which had the full endorsement of the Orthodox Jewish leaders and community.
Acts 9:1-2
But Saul (Paul), still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way (Christians), whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Acts 26:9-11
“So then, I (Paul) thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Yahshua of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.”
Few Christians outside of Israel today understand the hatred that rabbinic Judaism continues to hold toward them and their Messiah. As was mentioned in a previous chapter, the Orthodox Jews hold the Talmud, which contains the opinions of the Jewish rabbis, in higher esteem than the Tanakh (Old Testament). Passages from the Talmud accuse the Son of God of being a sorcerer and of teaching apostasy. They also describe “Yeshu” as suffering endless torments of being boiled in human excrement because He showed contempt toward the words of the rabbis (sages).
Babylonian Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin - 43a
On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, 'He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Any one who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.' But since nothing was brought forward in his favor he was hanged on the eve of the Passover! - Ulla retorted: 'Do you suppose that he was one for whom a defense could be made? Was he not a Mesith [enticer], concerning whom Scripture says, Neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him? With Yeshu however it was different, for he was connected with the government [or royalty, i.e., influential].'
Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Gittin - Folio 57a He then went and raised by incantations Yeshu. He asked him: Who is in repute in the other world? He replied: Israel. What about joining them? He replied: Seek their welfare, seek not their harm. Whoever touches them touches the apple of his eye. He said: What is your punishment? He replied: With boiling hot excrement, since a Master has said: Whoever mocks at the words of the Sages is punished with boiling hot excrement.
Orthodox (Talmudic) Judaism is the prevailing belief system of the Jewish people residing in Israel today. Even those Jews who do not practice a Haredi lifestyle (Haredis are those who reject modern secular culture), are greatly influenced by rabbinic Judaism, believing it to be representative of the authentic Jewish faith. Consequently, they share the view that Yahshua was the bastard son of a Jewish woman who grew up to practice sorcery and teach heresy, being an enemy of the pure religion of the Hebrew people. What does Yahweh say about those who hold such a view of the Son of God.
I John 4:2-3
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Yahshua Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Yahshua is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
The Orthodox Jews refer to the Son of God as “Yeshu.” This was not the actual name that Christ went by when He walked among them. Yeshu is actually an acrostic. Each letter of this name begins a Hebrew word from a phrase that translates into English as “May his name be blotted out.” Sadly, some Messianic and Hebrew Roots Christians have adopted this name not understanding its derisive origin.
The nation of Israel today is dominated by Orthodox Judaism even as it was 2,000 years ago during the time of Yahshua’s earthly ministry. This leads to the question, “What should Christ’s disciples attitude be toward Israel today?” Many Evangelical Christians boldly affirm that they are “Pro-Israel.” This is especially true among those who are members of the Hebrew Roots Movement. Many Christians blindly support the policies of the Zionist state of Israel which is a creation of the Rothschilds and other Luciferian men and women. Many Christians believe that to support the Israeli people is a commandment of Yahweh, and they make no distinction between Talmudic Jews, secular Jews, or Messianic Jews. Is it truly the will of Yahweh that Christians throw their political, financial, and prayer support behind those who hate His Son, who teach that He was a sorcerer who is now suffering the torment of being boiled in human excrement? What is intended by Yahweh’s following promise to Abraham?
Genesis 12:2-3
I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.
The prophet Zechariah recorded the following words of Yahweh.
Zechariah 2:7-8
“Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” For thus says Yahweh of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.”
Who is Zion? Is it those who call themselves “Zionists”? I recently listened to an excellent, unusually insightful, and Biblically sound interview. Dr. Michael Bennett, a Christian minister and former host of the Future Quake internet radio program was being interviewed about a major project he has been working on for a number of years while also serving as pastor of a church in Tennessee. Michael Bennett has been laboring on a series of books, all of which are to be published simultaneously. One of the books focuses on the history of Judaism and its “holy wars.” Following are some excerpts from this radio interview. I will begin at a point where Dr. Michael Bennett is asking why we do not hear from American Christian leaders about the true character of Judaism in Israel today.
How come we are not hearing it from our Christian media figures, our well-funded, large organization Christian media figures that are making a windfall from tours where these same gentleman (Orthodox Jews who practice sorcery) are leading the tours - sort of a Disney trip to see an idealized community there, when they do not realize that the people who lead these tours over there, when we are out of earshot, and in the Hebrew press, excoriate us as idolaters and look forward to the day when we will be destroyed? The thing that has disturbed me most about this writing project, as someone who has been a staunch Zionist, and a staunch prophecy buff..., and been hardcore in that direction, is when I read the contempt they give for our Lord and Savior. That is the part in the writing that disturbs me the most - the slanderous words that are said against the Savior of the universe and you and me.
Mr. Bennett then proceeds to give a quote out of his yet unpublished book titled Judaism and Its Holy Wars.
Earlier books on mystical Judaism had been in use, such as the Sefer Yetzirah, since the second century C.E., which according to the Talmud was used by pupils of the esteemed nasi Judah, the very wealthy leader of the Sanhedrin and compiler of the Mishnah, who was well liked by the Roman Emperor, to magically create a calf to eat on the Sabbath, as well as allegedly being responsible for miracles produced by other rabbis of the Tannaitic era. The 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia notes that the Sefer Yetzirah featured magical notions originating from the Babylonians and Egyptians, also with an astrological and gnostic emphasis and that “this work had a greater influence on the development of the Jewish mind than almost any other book after the completion of the Talmud,” while noting the document’s assertion “that the dragon rules over the world,” and “good and evil have no real existence.”
Mr. Bennett then comments on the Kabbalah, once more sharing a quotation from the Jewish Encyclopedia.
“It is necessary to ascertain where and when the Jews became intimately acquainted with the Hindu philosophy, which more than any other exercised an influence on the Zohar (the principle writing of Kabbalah).” They note that Jewish groups in Persia were influenced by the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophers, abstaining from meat, and developing a mystical versus literal interpretation of the Torah, and developed secret writings which formed the basis for the Zohar as a “mystical commentary on the Pentateuch as the Upanishads are the mystical interpretation of the Vedas and other Brahmatic scriptures.” They also note that it was so widely adopted “that it was to be placed on the same level with the Bible,” and that “representatives of Talmudic Judaism began to regard it as a sacred book and to invoke its authority in the decision of ritual questions.” Highly regarded are “its glorification of man, and other principles” which are more in keeping with the spirit of Talmudic Judaism.
Dr. Michael Bennett then shares further about the transformation of Judaism to the apostate Luciferian system in place today.
A turning point in my book was the appearance of rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva took it upon himself to save Judaism after the fall of the Temple, and develop, and basically cement what we begin to see after the exile and the second Temple with the rise of the rabbis supplanting the priests. That was really finished once the temple was destroyed. The Sadducees, which really represented the priests, were wiped out. The Pharisees were the only ones within Judaism who survived that era... Judaism became synonymous with Pharisaism, and the Talmud was intended to... crystalize this oral law, which they said was paramount over the written Law that we had in the Pentateuch, and even Moses and others were in awe of rabbi Akiva who was a more important sage than Moses to Judaism - which is admitted by the Jewish Encyclopedia and other sources, that Akiva is actually more important to Judaism than Moses.
Michael Bennett then switches focus to talk about how a much different conception of Judaism today is foisted upon non-Jews living outside the borders of Israel.
I suggest our listeners look up a principle... called hasbara. It is a requirement for those who have sympathies within Judaism to Zionism, to basically control the reality of those of us whose resources they would like to use. Hasbara is a requirement to control what we’re exposed to, to appeal to our emotions, to appeal to our senses, to appeal to our pride - I am talking about as Christians, using means that would not be what we would consider New Testament virtues of the kingdom of heaven... With the intention to confuse us, and to invoke us into a holy war that has not been ours... I can tell you that my hands are filled with trying to struggle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and rulers in high places, which was the task the church was called to do. To be pulled into lesser wars between men is something that I find no Biblical foundation for whatsoever. I think we need to do some soul-searching... to start with a clean sheet of paper and the Gospel and the teachings of the apostles, and start to really work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
Mr. Bennett then talks about the false reality presented to Christian tourists who visit the land of Israel.
You mentioned these tours that you would like to go to, and I can understand it. We’ve learned about these places in Sunday School. We have this affinity. We picture the people of Israel like King David, noble figures that desire to seek God and who are surrounded by blood-thirsty beasts. But what really happens on these tours is a very careful dog-and-pony-show to serve nothing more than in most cases a political interest. And religious themes will be brought up if it serves that political interest. I am ready to sign up for another tour if it ends with my Christian brothers and sisters preaching the Gospel of Christ at the Western Wall, like our brothers the apostles in the book of Acts did. And you know what happened to them when they did it, and you know what would happen to us. Christians in Israel today are fire-bombed by Orthodox Jews. They are killed on occasion. (They are subjected to) extreme vandalism and persecution. Bibles are collected and burned in front of the Knesset and elsewhere in Israel, and you hear nothing about this in the Christian press. There was a movement a number of years ago, I believe it was around 1997, where there was yet another set of laws that was proposed that would expand the penalties against sharing one’s faith in the public, or proselytizing as they call it, sharing with someone to change their faith from Judaism. Originally there was a one year sentence for that and they were going to expand it to five years, including any kind of inducement which would include just giving a Bible or a tract to somebody. They basically said, “We don’t want you over here talking about Jesus. We want your money. We want your political cover, but you are banned from this.” When this happened, all of these ministries in Israel had a choice to make on what they were going to do. In response to this threat of this advance law... as it turns out, fifty of the major evangelical organizations that go to Israel signed a pledge that they would refuse to allow anybody associated with them or their group at any time to proselytize or share the gospel with anybody while they’re there. I had heard this first mentioned sometime from someone that some people might think may be of dubious motive and you think, “No, that cannot be true.” But, actually I went and did the homework through Christian sources and other major news wires, and they confirmed all of this. The members of Knesset said, “Hey, this is better than a law. We’ve got them to capitulate completely. They are willing to send money and no strings attached, with the restriction of any other type of Christian practice in the area.”
I highly recommend listening to the entire interview. It can be downloaded or listened to online at the following link.
I too have done my own research and verified the profound hatred expressed by Orthodox Jews in Israel toward Christ and those who profess to be His followers. An article in an Israeli newspaper reported the following:
Ultra-Orthodox (Jewish) young men curse and spit at Christian clergymen in the streets of Jerusalem's Old City as a matter of routine... When Narek Garabedian came to Israel to study in the Armenian Seminary in Jerusalem half a year ago, he did not expect the insults, curses and spitting he would be subjected to daily by ultra-Orthodox Jews in the streets of the Old City. "When I see an ultra-Orthodox man coming toward me in the street, I always ask myself if he will spit at me," says Narek, a Canadian Armenian, this week. About a month ago, on his way to buy groceries in the Old City, two ultra-Orthodox men spat at him. The spittle did not fall at his feet but on his person... Other clergymen in the Armenian Church in Jerusalem say they are all victims of harassment, from the senior cardinals to the priesthood students. Mostly they ignore these incidents. When they do complain, the police don't usually find the perpetrators... A few weeks ago four ultra-Orthodox men spat at clergymen in the funeral procession of Father Alberto of the Armenian Church. "They came in a pack, out of nowhere," said Father Goosan.
[Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/ultra-orthodox-spitting-attacks-on-old-city-clergymen-becoming-daily-1.393669]
As I am writing this an article has been posted on Haaretz about a Christian cemetery being vandalized in Northern Israel. Below the story is a link to an article from a few weeks back regarding
a Christian center being vandalized and set afire. The vandals spray painted phrases denigrating Jesus Christ/Yahshua the Messiah. Such actions are common. They are a natural byproduct of the teaching of the rabbis whose hatred of Yahshua has been preserved for millennia in the Talmud.
If a blind and indiscriminate support of Israel and its people is wrong, then what is the proper attitude that a Christian should have toward the nation and Jews wherever they may be found. The apostles did not leave us to wonder. They provided instruction on this subject. We can glean much from the writings of Paul.
Romans 11:11-15, 25-32
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” “And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all.
The salvation of the Jewish people will result in untold spiritual wealth for the world. We should earnestly desire the peace of Jerusalem, understanding that peace will be their portion only when the Prince of Peace rules in the hearts of the Jewish people. As disciples of Christ we should seek the salvation of all men, especially the Jew. Christ commanded His disciples to preach the gospel “In Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” This is the order. Salvation came to the Jews first, for Christ was born of Jewish kin. He chose 12 Jewish men to be His disciples and to lay the foundation for His church. The virgin church was born in Jerusalem. The Gentile believers should never view the Jewish people with scorn, or contempt, yet neither should they adopt a false romantic image of the Jews as a righteous people.
Let us be wise and not confuse a desire for the salvation of the Jews with a mandate to blindly support the policies of the Zionist state of Israel, or to embrace as brothers those who not only deny Yahshua as Lord and Savior, but who have proclaimed an undying hatred of Him. Politically, I believe the nations (and Christians) should take a hands-off approach to Israel. When Laban pursued Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel) Yahweh warned this man in a dream about how to conduct himself before Jacob.
Genesis 31:29
It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, “Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.”
The nations who seek Israel’s harm, or the injury of the Jewish people, will bring judgment upon themselves, for Yahweh has covenanted to be their protector. Yet, there is also a danger of seeking to do good on behalf of Israel when Yahweh has not commanded it. Those who seek to be Israel’s provider, protector, or counselor are usurping the position of Yahweh, for Israel alone among the nations are Yahweh’s chosen people. It is no small thing for a man or a nation to seek to usurp the position of God. The prophet Zechariah recorded the following words of the Creator.
Zechariah 12:3
“And it will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.”
A person can lift a stone either for good or for evil. It is not for the nations to try to lift Israel. Yahweh sent a profound sign in regard to this in the year 2003. On January 31st, 2003, a Friday, the United States attempted to “lift” Israel politically. On this date the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, spoke before a group of Americans interested in U.S. foreign policy. The following AP article provides the details.
Powell: Bush to be more involved in Israeli-Palestinian conflict
By The Associated Press 2/1/03
WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday that President George Bush will become more deeply involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than he was in his first two years in the White House. Powell said that the conflict was the most pressing problem in the Middle East. Powell also told the Palestinians that "they cannot get a state by using violence" and warned that they must install a new leadership. Appearing before a national conference of Americans interested in U.S. foreign policy, Powell said the administration would resume its pursuit of a settlement now that Israel had concluded its elections. He said he had talked by telephone to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who won a new term this week, and that the Bush administration would use the roadmap devised in partnership with the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. It aims to create a Palestinian state by the year 2005 carved out of land that Israel has held for more than 35 years...
[end excerpt]
The very day this article appeared, which was the day after Colin Powell’s declaration that America’s leaders would take up the issue of Israel’s peace and a Palestinian state, the space shuttle Columbia disaster occurred. What many American Christians are unaware of is that on that space shuttle mission was the first Israeli astronaut to fly on an American shuttle mission. In a literal fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy, America attempted to “lift” up Israel and she received a severe injury.
Mission Patch for STS 107 Columbia Mission
Note on the lower right side of the patch the name “Ramon” next to an image of the Israeli flag. This signified that an Israeli astronaut was aboard the flight. Observe also the seven stars on the left of the patch. These represent the constellation Columba (the dove). Following is an excerpt on the design of the mission patch from the official NASA website.
The constellation Columba (the dove) was chosen to symbolize peace on Earth and the Space Shuttle Columbia. The seven stars also represent the mission crew members and honor the original astronauts who paved the way to make research in space possible. The Israeli flag is adjacent to the name of the payload specialist who is the first person from that country to fly on the Space Shuttle.
America was attempting to bring peace in the Middle East. The nation’s leaders were stretching out their hand to touch the apple of God’s eye, and to usurp His role as the guardian, counselor, and glorifier of His people. Even as the American space program was lifting an Israeli astronaut into space, America’s leaders were proclaiming to Israel that they would lift her up, watch over her, and protect her, if only they would put their trust in American policies. America was promising peace, but she was not able to bring peace.
Columba
Jeremiah 8:11
“They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.”
Is this not what has been testified in this chapter? Israel will not know peace until the Prince of Peace rules in her midst. As long as the people of Israel reject their Messiah, they will be beset with enemies and undergo many trials and much injury. It is a manifestation of great arrogance for any nation to promise Israel peace when she has not first made peace with her Savior.
The space shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it was attempting to re-enter the atmosphere. A piece of foam had broken loose from one of the rocket tanks during lift off and had struck one of the small heat shields on the surface of the shuttle. The dislodged heat shield allowed enormous heat to penetrate the skin of the shuttle leading to a fire and explosion. It was a rebuke to the hubris of man that its greatest piece of technology was destroyed by a piece of foam.
There was much more to the event, however. The space shuttle disintegrated over Palestine, Texas. The first piece of debris was found near the town of Palestine. Following is an image published by the Associated Press on this disaster.
Here is another image.
The message from heaven is clear. “Do not touch My anointed. Do not usurp My role as the lifter of Israel. Israel will not know peace until she knows the Prince of Peace. Israel will be as a heavy stone to all who attempt to lift her. All who do so will be severely injured.” In the Old Testament do we not read that Yahweh chastised Israel every time she turned to the arm of the flesh for help?
Ezekiel 29:6-7
“All the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am Yahweh, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of you by your hand, you broke, and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke, and paralyzed all of their thighs.”
If it is a grievous error for the nations to seek to fulfill a role only Yahweh can provide for Israel, is it not also error for Christians to stretch out their hands for good or for evil toward this nation? If Yahweh has not commanded it, it should not be done. Should the disciples of Christ support those who are anti-Christ, or lend their political support to the Zionist nation founded by the Rothschild’s and their ilk? Let me put it this way. If a group of witches came to your church and asked for your financial support and prayers, would you give it to them? Would it make a difference if these practitioners of Satanic arts were all Jewish? Would their Hebrew heritage make them acceptable in Yahweh’s sight? No! You might well pray for their salvation, but it would be great folly to give them your money and to endorse their actions.
Barbie Reads the Torah
I am persuaded that it was no accident that this Tefillin Barbie created by a Talmudic Jewess is adorned with a black cat symbolic of witchcraft. Even as we have seen that the Tefillin worn on the forehead bears the Hebrew letter Shin, and the knot at the back of the head figures the Dalet, spelling the Hebrew word for “demon,” so too we are met with another testimony of the Satanic influence that predominates Orthodox Judaism.
If it is an evil thing for Christians to imitate the works of darkness, then it is equally evil for Christians to support those who perform such works. Let us walk wisely in this world. By all means, pray for the salvation of the Jewish people. Pray that they might recognize their Messiah whom they have scorned. But do not buy into the lie that you must be Pro-Israel, or must imitate apostate Judaism, to find favor with Yahweh. Heart4God Website:http://www.heart4god.ws
II Chronicles 24:5
[Joash] gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that you hasten the matter.
This present creation that suffers under the curse of sin is subject to decay, disorder, and injury. It requires continual vigilance to keep that which exists from falling into a state of disrepair. The act of repair does not receive as much honor or glory among man as does the act of initial creation or construction. Solomon gets much honor in his association as the builder of the first temple in Jerusalem, but how many men know of the devotion and labors of kings like Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah who initiated programs to repair the temple? Without men and women whose hearts are given to maintaining valuable and necessary objects in a pristine state everything in this world would soon decline into a state of corruption.
This fact is readily apparent as one looks at the sad condition of urban blight that has stricken some of America’s once proud cities. Take Detroit, for example. This city was once the 4th largest in America. In the 1950 census it had a population of 1.8 million people. By 2010 the population had declined to 713,777, a fall of more than 60%. With the collapse of the American automotive industry and a shrinking population, the taxes collected by the city of Detroit declined precipitously. Infrastructure was neglected. Repairs were not made in a timely manner. Police forces shrank and crime exploded. Those who had the financial means to do so fled the blighted neighborhoods leaving only the poor to deal with the increase of lawlessness. In 2012 the police union in Detroit warned visitors to “enter at their own risk,” comparing the city to a war zone. In 2014 the police chief of the city encouraged citizens to arm themselves.
Yet, the most obvious signs of the city having fallen into disrepair is the presence of urban blight. Detroit has become notorious for its 70,000 abandoned buildings, 30,000 empty houses, and 90,000 vacant lots.
Abandoned Home in Detroit
Abundant Life Christian Center - Detroit
It is understandable that when a city loses more than 60% of its population, and the majority of its tax base in a short period of time, that it will experience unabated corruption and decay. Yet, it is inexcusable when the same decay is due to a lack of interest or care. This was often the case among the Jewish people during seasons when the Temple was in critical shape due to neglect. There was a time when Yahweh brought the Jews back from Babylon and instructed them to rebuild the Temple which had been completely destroyed. The people began well, having laid the foundation, but they then put the focus on their own comfort and needs rather than the rebuilding of the Temple. For more than a decade no work was done on it. The Lord sent prophets to chastise them and to renew them to a sense of devotion to the work of rebuilding.
Haggai 1:3-8
Then the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai, the prophet, saying, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste? Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Hosts says: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don't have enough. You drink, but you aren't filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it." This is what Yahweh of Hosts says: "Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified," says Yahweh.
I have found that in this life it is necessary to attend to both the physical and spiritual condition of our lives. One is just as likely to suffer decay and corruption as the other. I have been greatly reminded of this in the physical realm recently. The Spring time tends to be a good time to assess the condition of one’s physical infrastructure. The weather is warming up and it is possible to work outside again. The ravages of winter are past, and it is a good time to take stock of one’s situation. Even as people speak of “Spring cleaning,” it is also an appropriate time to attend to repairs.
Repair
1.to restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage; mend: to repair a motor.
2.to restore or renew by any process of making good, strengthening, etc.: to repair one's health by resting.
I have made mention in past blogs of my solar auxiliary power project on my bus/motorhome. One of the final steps to complete the project was to install the solar panel tracking mount on the roof deck atop my bus. I received the tracker from the brother in Christ who fabricated it for me, and it is now welded to the roof deck and has a coat of spray paint on it.
The four solar panels I have will mount to this rotating base and will be able to remain aligned with the sun throughout the day. I have the electronics package to control the motion, but I had to figure out a way to achieve enough horizontal rotation to keep the solar panels facing the sun throughout the day. The electronics are designed to control the motion of two linear actuators, one which controls the vertical angle and the other the horizontal motion. My problem was that simply attaching the linear actuator to two points on the tracking base would only provide about 90 degrees of horizontal motion. During mid summer at my present location I could need as much as 220 degrees of horizontal motion to keep the panels facing the sun all day. After much research and considerable prayer, I came across one idea using a steel cable to convert linear motion to rotary motion.
I modified this and came up with the following design for my solar tracker.
(Click on Image to View Larger)
Using a series of pulleys and a steel cable I can use the 30" movement of this large linear actuator to achieve about 270 degrees of horizontal rotation. As the actuator extends it will pull the panels in a clockwise direction. As it retracts it will rotate them counter-clockwise. Once I came up with the design I was able to order the proper sized linear actuators.
I now have the linear actuators on hand. After fabricating a couple parts to use for mounting them to the tracking base I should be able to complete the final assembly and test the system out. Before I could do so, however, I experienced a problem with my battery back up system in my bus. I have three large AGM batteries located under my bed in the bus. They have been kept charged by the converter that is built into the bus which converts the outside 110 volt AC power to 12 volt DC current. I unintentionally load tested the system about 2 weeks ago when I plugged a rice cooker into the outlet at the back of my bus which is powered from the batteries through an inverter which changes the 12 volt DC back to 110 volt AC. Rice cookers are basically an electric heater and they consume a lot of electricity.
After the rice cooker had been running about 30 minutes I noticed on my battery monitor that the power was dropping rapidly on my batteries and they were not being recharged by the outside power source. I also momentarily smelled something like hot electrical wiring, so I unplugged the rice cooker and began investigating the problem. Evidently, a wire or fuse from the converter to the battery bank was not up to the load and gave out. I had used a smaller gauge wire there which had never been a problem as I had never pulled a heavy load through the batteries. I realize now that was a mistake, so I ordered some heavier gauge wire to run from the converter to the battery bank.
This got me reassessing some other aspects of the design of my system and I concluded that before going live with my solar panels on the roof I need to have a way to switch between charging my battery bank with the converter and the rooftop solar power. I have never been able to find a definitive answer to what would happen if both the converter and solar panels are hooked to the batteries at the same time and are both charging. Theoretically, one or the other would throttle down to keep the batteries from being charged too rapidly, but no specific data is available for the equipment and set-up I am using. So, to prevent any possible issues I decided to add a switch to my set-up that will allow me to choose between converter or solar panels when charging the batteries. That way they will never both be attempting to charge the batteries at the same time.
Double Throw Safety Switch
With this switch I can move the handle up and connect the battery bank to the converter in my bus for charging, or move the handle down and charge them with the solar panels. If set the handle in the middle, the battery bank will not be connected to either charging source.
I also got out last week and washed my bus. That is a large job as it includes washing the roof down with bleach water and then spending a few hours on ladders and on the ground washing the rest of the bus. I normally give it a bath twice a year which seems adequate in my present environment.
I have not driven my bus in a little more than a year and found that when I went to try to crank it a few months back that the throttle lever had rusted in two. I had it welded back together and I then reinstalled it, but could not get the motor to crank. I am not an automotive mechanic, so I will try to get a mechanic out here soon to get the bus running as it will soon be time to drive it to town to refill the propane tank. It is possible that some rats/mice chewed through a wire as I noticed what looked like a rats nest in the motor and there were rat droppings on the motor as well. That is not uncommon in rural areas.
Being Spring time, it did not take any time for the grass to begin growing again. I have now had to mow the lawn three times. I have used a 19 inch battery powered electric mower for the past two seasons. It makes the job a bit laborious as there is a large yard here to mow, but that is precisely why I have chosen this method. I need the exercise and I like cutting grass. I find it very therapeutic and a good workout. I had three batteries for my mower. Each one lasts approximately 30 minutes, and an hour and a half of mowing at a time is about right for my schedule. I can write and attend to other duties during the day and mow grass in the evening. It usually takes me three days to cut the entire yard (8-9 battery charges). So, on average, I am mowing the grass 3-4 evenings a week.
One of my batteries had quit taking a charge last year. The batteries cost about $120 each, but I acquired the ones I had with appliances that used the same battery system (mower, weedeater, chainsaw, tiller). My daughter suggested that it would be cheaper to purchase a gas mower, but I do not like storing gasoline, and electricity is a renewable resource as I can charge the batteries with my solar panels if I am ever in an off-the-grid situation. So a couple weeks ago I purchased another battery as well as a new blade for the mower. The new blade made a tremendous difference.
Greenworks Battery Powered Mower
Everything wears out in this world, or can become damaged. I have found it profitable to stay on top of things and to repair them promptly. As the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine.”
My main local transportation for a few years now has been a bicycle, or more recently my recumbent trike. I was very blessed to purchase a recumbent trike about 16 months ago and a couple months later to add an electric mid-drive motor to it. (A mid-drive is one that turns the chain rather than directly turning the wheel.) When I purchased the Catrike Annihilator, a customized version of the Catrike Villager, from UtahTrikes it came with 81 gears, or speeds. It had a 3 sprocket crankset up front, as well as a 9 speed external derailleur in the rear. In addition to this it had three more gears inside the hub of the back wheel. (3x9x3=81).
When I added the electric drive motor it replaced the 3 sprocket crankset up front with its own single sprocket crank set. This was not much of an issue as I still had 27 gears which is more than I have had on any bike. What I did not know is that the torque produced by the electric motor was too powerful for the internally geared 3 speed hub on the rear of the bike. Consequently, it gave up under the load, so I was down to 9 gears. This has been adequate for my needs as I ride mainly on level roads, but I have wanted to eventually replace the broken rear hub with a better quality internally geared hub and do away with the external gears and derailleur altogether.
There is a company that makes an internally geared hub that many people with electric bikes and trikes have used successfully. The company is called Fallbrook and they manufacture the Nuvinci hub. Their present model sold for bikes is the Nuvinci N360, but they made an older model called the Nuvinci N171 up until around 2008 that was larger, heavier, and also stronger. I wanted to find one of these hubs, as the next option for an internally geared hub was Rohloff which makes an even better hub, but it is also about $1,000 - $2,000 dollars more in price, depending upon the model one gets. German engineering and manufacturing is great, but it is also expensive. The Nuvinci hubs sell for around $350, which is still expensive for a bicycle part, but is not unreasonable when one is using their bike or trike as an automobile replacement.
My Trike and Trailer
Being in a repair mood last week, I prayed to the Father about repairing my trike and replacing the hub. I then got online and found a Nuvinci N171 hub already laced onto a 26" wheel, the same size my trike uses on the rear, and it was here in Georgia. It was also advertised as “brand new” even though it was manufactured in 2008. It came with a bike that had never been assembled. The owner was asking $350 for it, and that same day I received two financial gifts that together amounted to this precise amount.
The owner lived north of Atlanta, and I am a couple hours south of the Atlanta area. It would have been about a 3 hour drive one way for me. Joe Boes, a brother in Christ who is a good friend lives only about 30 miles from the seller. He agreed to pick up the hub and wheel for me and ship it UPS. Yahweh is very good! The hub arrived today.
Nuvinci N171 Hub with Wheel, Cables, and Shifter
This is one more repair project on my to-do-list now. It involves more than simply swapping out the wheel, but I will not bore you with the details.
I have one other repair that is even more pressing than these others. It is a repair relating to my physical body. Sunday morning early I was up before sunrise and walking a dog that recently entered into our lives here. I will share more about that in another post. I was putting her in Champ’s kennel so I could return inside when I stepped on a small round log that Champ had been chewing on. I twisted my right leg as I fell backwards. I ended up flat on my back with one arm in Champ’s water trough. I had to laugh at the comical nature of the sight.
When I fell I twisted my right knee and strained some muscles and ligaments. I partially tore the ACL in that same knee about 18 years ago and opted not to have it surgically repaired. I have just had to recognize my limits and stay within them. I was able to hobble back into my bus after getting back on my feet, and I have been pretty much in bed ever since Sunday morning, using a pair of crutches I kept from my last injury when I need to get about. I ordered a knee brace which I should receive Friday, and I hope to begin building back up to full mobility as quickly as possible. The grass won’t wait, and I do miss the exercise.
This is the first day I have felt adequate to do any blog writing. I am doing so propped up in bed. I have not been able to get the prisoner newsletters printed this week, but I anticipate being able to print them and prepare them for mailing this weekend as I am sensing definite improvement in the knee each day. Lawn mowing and riding my trike will be good therapy for the knee as the muscles will help tighten up the slackness where the ligaments and tendons have been stretched.
I have been making use of my downtime to do some reading which is proving to be profitable. I also have been thinking some about the subject of repairs, as this blog post reveals. It would be tragic if everything that broke in this world remained broken, and if everything that experienced decay and corruption went without repair. Our bodies, our homes, our vehicles, and all we own and deal with would soon be in a state of ruin and rendered useless.
I know a sister in Christ in her 80s who has had cataract surgery this month and is regaining sight that has been diminished for a considerable time. Another Christian sister just had her second knee replacement in two years. Though it is a difficult and painful process, the reward in regained mobility is worth the momentary suffering. Joe Boes has shared with me that he feels compelled by the Lord to keep his motorhome in a constant state of good repair and he drives it weekly. Another brother informed me this week of the repairs he is making to his home in a wilderness setting. Jeff Higdon, a brother in Idaho, has been granted a number of months off from his job due to a head injury received at work. He has been using the time to accomplish many home and land infrastructure projects in his remote setting.
As I hear from these other saints, and I observe my own life, I sense that the Lord is leading His people to make needed repairs now, and is providing them the means to do so. What is there in your life that needs repair? In this post I have mainly focused on the physical, but we must also attend to the needs of our spiritual lives. Are you procrastinating in correcting some area of deficiency the Lord has brought to your attention? I have a sense that the Lord is saying that NOW is the season to make repairs. We need to have all in order both physically and spiritually for the coming days. Stir yourself up. Do not permit sloth, or laziness, or indifference, or carnal pursuits to keep you from applying all diligence to setting all things in their proper order now. The hour is late. We never know what a day will bring, so let us set our hearts to stand in readiness at all times.
