The Holy vs The Profane
Part One
This is going to be a 12 part series (12 months) of articles called The Holy vs The Profane starting October of 2022. I will upload a new part each month. We’ll be discussing unholy “Christian” holidays and traditions verses the holy holidays and traditions of Yahovah. Because of the timing, I am going to jump right in with the first profane holiday: Halloween.
Now, I know many Christians do not participate in this holiday already. But, I find it worth mentioning, not only for its adaption in the Catholic Church, but, also to shine light on all the Christianized pagan holidays. How you may already feel about Halloween, is how you should feel about other supposed Christian holidays.
Ephesians 5: 6-11 states, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these the wrath of Elohim comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Master. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth, 10 proving what is well-pleasing to the Master. 11 And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather convict them.”
Modern practicers of Witchcraft, Wicca, paganism, and Satanism all believe devils are unleashed on Halloween. They glorify death and Baal.
But, was Halloween always such a holiday?
Originally, Halloween was called Samhain (pronounced saw-win) meaning “summer’s end” and celebrated as a harvest festival honoring the Lord of the Dead. Samhain became popular around the 2nd-3rd centuries amongst the Celtic priests and the Druids. Beltane, celebrated May first, was the birth of summer and Samhain, November 1st, was the end of summer. On October 31st, the eve of Samhain, the New Year’s Eve for the Druids, the people believed that all those who died in the past hear would rise up and search for a passage way to the netherworld. Lord Samhain roamed the earth in search of these souls to capture them and take them to the world of darkness. People put candles in their windows to help the dead find their way and keep Samhain away. The Celts believed the living and the dead would walk amongst each other and that the living could communicate with the dead.
Pope Gregory (540-604 A.D.), seeking to convert Britain and Ireland, a mostly pagan population, adapted Samhain to All Saints Day. For the Roman Catholic Church, All Saints Day, or All Hallows Day/ Mass, originally May 13th, was a day of prayer to pray for the dead saints. This practice is not found in scripture. When changed to October 31st to appease the converts, the name was changed to All Hallows Eve, or Halloween- Hallow meaning to honor as a verb; saints as a noun; and een meaning eve.
The customs and practices of Samhain include the sacrifice of humans, oxen, horses, cats, and sheep. These humans and animals were placed in a wicker cage and burned to death. These fires were called bone fires. This is where we get the term “bonfire.” Now, I’m not saying you can’t have outside fires and roast marshmallows. Cooking over fires and sitting around them with friends has probably been around since the Garden of Eden. These particular fires were used for sacrificing to the gods.
Also, during Samhain, the people would look for their sacrifices by going from house to house acquiring them from those willing to give them. Those who did not contribute were cursed or threatened with a trick, or torment, from the spirits. Some thought they could appease the spirits by putting food out for them. Some wore costumes resembling the dead to disguise themselves as spirits in order to be left alone by the dead.
The people also believed that the human head housed the soul and placed severed heads outside their homes. This practice would later be replaced by carving out faces in turnips and pumpkins, what we now call jack-o-lanterns.
Read that again.
The origin of carving pumpkins has to do with the severing of heads.
Should we participate in this act of darkness?
You might think, “Well, that’s not what it means now. We do Trunk or Treat.”
A rose by any other name… I was also told by a Christian recently regarding their participation in Halloween, “Well, I have freedom in Christ so I’m ok taking my daughter trick or treating
On the Church of Satan website, high priestess Blanche Barton states, “It (Halloween) gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the devil. I see Satanists all over the world, meeting in small groups this night and Hallowe’ens 500 years hence, to raise a glass to Infernal Hosts.”
James 4:4 “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim? Whoever therefore intends to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim.”
Part Two
In last month’s newsletter, I jumped right in to discussing the demonic origins of Halloween. This was due to timing as last month was Halloween. So, for this month’s newsletter, I’d like to back up for a moment and do a better Segway into the Holy vs Profane series and its importance to walking in the truth of the inspired Word of Yahovah, our Creator.
My journey of truth-seeking really took a turn in 2015 when I started asking the hard questions, like, “why do we put up a tree in honor of the messiah’s birth?” And, “why do we celebrate Easter instead of Passover?”
In that first year, I decided to forgo the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree after learning of its pagan origins (more on that in next month’s newsletter). That first year was also met with a bit of resistance from the rest of my family. Rob declared, for several years in fact, that he was going to put one up himself. I let him know that since it’s his home too, I will not stop him. I am not a tyrannical manager of the home, but a fair one. And I knew this was my conviction, not his.
But, ultimately, when the woman of the house stops decorating, the decorating of the house stops.
And then, on year two of no Christmas tree, my younger son pulled the fake tree out of storage and assembled it. That’s it. He did not decorate it, string lights, tinsel, nothing. It was just a bare fake tree sitting pathetically in our living room. Until Christmas day when Rob opened a gift from his mother: an ornament! That tree was a true Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
My husband and my son have since come on board with this anti-tradition, but, we do get a good laugh out of it all now and then.
And that fake tree, and all its decorations, have found its home elsewhere.
So, this will be year 8 of not putting up a Christmas tree. But, I didn’t stop there. I’ve learned so much more about the traditions of men and how they contrast with the Word of Yahovah. It has been 5 years since I started honoring the Sabbath. That first Shabbat, Aurora was 3 and we watched the original Annie, something I’ll never forget. (Side note: we now have a Scripture study every Friday at 7 via Facetime if anyone would like to join us!) We’ve had 4 years of celebrating Passover instead of Easter, or what I always called “Resurrection Sunday.” 3 years traveling for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. 2 years blowing the Shofar for Yom Turuah, the Feast of Trumpets. And one year actually fasting and honoring the High Sabbath for this holy day.
And before you jump to conclusions, no, we did not convert to Judaism. Nor did we join cultish religions such as Jehovah’s Witness or Mormons. Know this above all, Yahshua, who is called Jesus, is the Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer. We are justified by faith in Yahshua the Messiah, the son of the living Elohim. My conversion story is not one of a rejection of this truth, but a rejection of what man has done to profane the truth.
We are, as stated in scripture, followers of The Way, disciples of Yahshua Ha’Mashiach, Jesus the Messiah.
I can’t really pinpoint an exact moment I made the conversion to honor Yahovah’s commands and holy days rather than man-made traditions and holidays these past 8 years. I suppose having already grown up in a home that did not participate in the mythological gods associated with many modern holidays (Santa, Easter Bunny, even the tooth fairy) made it easier to exchange the profane with the holy. But, also having a passion for the truth, even if the truth hurts, may have played a role.
I say none of this to brag but to point out the amazing grace my Elohim has shown me. It is Yahovah who shows us the error of our ways and leads us in the path of righteousness. He has shown me great grace, as well as patience, in coming in to more knowledge of His truths and His ways. Yahovah yearns for us to walk in His ways and seeks to reveal it to us in His way and in His timing. It is He that brought me out of Babylon.
And, now, I’d like to share with you all what I have learned over these last 8 years in this 12 part series called The Holy vs The Profane.
We are going to go on a journey through time all the way back to ancient Babylon. On this journey we are going to learn about Constantine’s influence on the modern Church and how far it has strayed from true worship of the Almighty Creator.
We are going to learn the demonic roots of the modern Christian holidays and traditions, as well as their holy counterparts- the 7 holy feasts of Yahovah.
I’m going to start with The Profane, the unholy traditions of men that distort and twist the truth of the Word of Elohim. These profanities are a result of the rebellious peoples of ancient Babylon, then promoted by Emperor Constantine, preserved and adapted by the Roman Catholic Church, and followed by modern Christianity.
My scripture references will be from The Scriptures Version Bible. It is a name restoration bible. For example, Peter is Kepha; Jerusalem is Yerusalaym. It uses the Tetragrammaton for the name of God and the Hebrew letters for Yahshua, who we call Jesus. So it doesn’t use the word “lord” interchangeably for God and Jesus. There is debate among scholars over the pronunciation of the name of God, whether it be Yahovah,
Yahweh, or Yahuah. I’ll be using Yahovah, Yah, Elohim, or God. The true pronunciation of His name is important, but, for that’s for another time.
In my studies, I often cross-reference verses for better understanding with other Bibles such as KJV, NKJV, NAS, NIV, AMP, etc. I do not recommend The Message or the Passion Translation. I’ll leave that for you to decide if these versions are an adequate representation of the Word of Elohim.
Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter when we learn about the pagan origins of the holiday we now call Christmas.
Part Three
This is part three in our study of the Holy vs the Profane. We already learned of the demonic pagan origins of Halloween. Let us continue on our journey on the pagan, and yes, even demonic, origins of the holiday we now call Christmas.
“Wait, Christmas? Why is Christmas on this list?”
First, let me state, I am not talking about honoring the birth of the foretold Messiah, which most likely occurred during the fall feast of Tabernacles, when I include Christmas on the list of pagan holidays. I take no issue with churches that take part in live nativities and such, though I would not attend a church service in which I am worshipping the Almighty in front of yule logs and Christmas trees. Nor am I talking about “Christmas” music that exalts the Most High and tells the story of His son’s birth, which, by the way, can and should be played year-round. What I am talking about is the pagan origins of the December 25th winter solstice traditions and celebrations of the birth of its sun-god/s.
Mark 7:13 states, “nullifying the Word of Elohim through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such traditions you do.”
So, we make void the Word through our traditions.
Have you ever really given much thought to the traditions associated with Christmas? Traditions like Santa Clause, Christmas trees adorned with lights and tinsel, mistletoe and holly?
May I first briefly mention the absurd amount of commercialism this supposed Christian holiday has incorporated? I’m a giver and have nothing against giving gifts. But, even if December 25th was the birthday of the Messiah, what role does such commercialism and financial burdens have? Not to mention the high rate of suicide that occurs this time of year. There’s a spirit of Christmas alright, but, it is not of Yahovah.
Anyway, back to the traditions. Where did they originate?
Well, I can tell you straight away, they did not originate in scripture. None of what the world does on December 25th, Christian and atheist and pagan alike, is found in the Word of Elohim. Except to tell us not to participate in such idolatrous festivities.
Jeremiah 10: 2- states, “Thus said Yah, ‘Do not learn the way of the nations…”
“But, how are they idolatrous festivities?”
The origins of the December 25th date and the traditions of what we now call Christmas can be dated back to Babylon! If you remember, Semiramis gave birth to her son, Tammuz, on December 25th, during the winter solstice. When Tammuz was killed, his blood spilled over a budding evergreen tree. It is said that this sapling grew into a full blown tree overnight, symbolizing his turning from death to life as a re-born god.
Jeremiah 10: 2– states, “Thus said Yah, ‘Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be awed by the signs of the heavens, for the nations (gentiles/ pagans) are awed by them. For the laws of these peoples are worthless, for one cuts a tree from the forest, work for the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They beautify it with silver and gold, they strengthen it with nails and hammers so that it does not topple.”
Kinda sounds like a Christmas tree to me.
The tree is a symbol of the sun god, Tammuz, and has no place in the homes of those who follow the Way of Yahshua. This tradition should have no place in our worship of Yahovah. This pagan symbol should have no place in the church.
And Santa Claus, already having nothing to do with the birth of the Messiah, has an even darker history.
Many believe the Santa tradition stems from the Catholic Patron Saint Nicolas of Myra (270-343 A.D.) an early church Bishop of Greek descent during the time of the Roman Empire.
In more recent history, Celtic and pagan cultures adapted Santa Claus from pagan Babylon as an elf, an imaginary being associated with witchcraft, trolls, and disembodied spirits. His original name was Sinter Klaus who had a helper named Krampus, a half goat, half man demon. Krampus went to the houses of the naughty children, stuffed them in sacks, dragged them to the woods and beat them with sticks.
However, the “Santa” tradition dates back much further to the time of the Moabites.
The Moabites Worshipped Ba’al, also known as Kimish. They also worshipped Tammuz, known as Molech. They would celebrate a public child mass, or sacrifice, during the winter solstice on December 25th. The Moabites looked at Molech as an all-knowing, all-giving deity. Parents would make long wish lists they would like to see fulfilled during the next year. They would bring the infants born that year to the priest, who lit fires inside the golden image of Molech. The parents would then lay the crying infants on the hot molten lap of Molech while professing their long list of desires to him.
This is where we get the tradition of taking children to see Santa Claus, who is looked at as an all-knowing, all-giving deity. He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you are awake. He rewards the good children and gives the naughty children lumps of coal. He drives a flying chariot, just like Sol Invictus and Odin. Children are placed on his lap, and are told to give him their wish list.
So the tradition of Santa Claus stems from parents sacrificing their children on the molten lap of Molech while stating their wish list. And parents teach their children, lie to their children, that this “god” brings them gifts and rewards for good behavior. And they threaten them with more lies of lumps of coal when they are misbehaving.
Is this what we are to teach our children to believe?
Is this worthy of celebration in the homes of believers?
Later, in pagan Rome, the winter solstice was a week-long celebration from December 17th-24th called Saturnalia. There was much merry-making and gift-giving, followed by a feast on December 25th. In 274 a.d., Emperor Arelian, declared the god Sol Invictus the deity of the Roman Empire. Sol Invictus was placed on the coins of Rome under Emperor Constantine.
The early church did not celebrate Christmas. Even the early settlers of religious people in the United States, like the Quakers and Puritans, banned the celebration of Christmas. They saw it for the wickedness that it was.
Colossians 2: 8 states, “See that no one makes a prey of you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary matters of the world and not according to Messiah.”
For more on the history and origins of Christmas traditions watch: The Christmas Question: Full Documentary by 119 Ministries on YouTube
Part Four
In Part Four in continuing with our Holy vs Profane series, I’d like to briefly mention a few more popular holidays and traditions many believers celebrate that are rooted in paganism.
April Fool’s Day: The biblical new year begins on Aviv 1 during the first New Moon after the barely harvest. In 1582, Pope Gregory changed the date of the biblical new year to the Gregorian calendar making the new year begin in the winter (January 1st) instead of in the spring. This change was a modification of Julius Caesar’s calendar introduced in 45 B.C. The names of the months were derived from Roman gods and leaders.
Those that adhered to the new calendar called those who did not “fools” for not rejecting the biblical calendar and accepting this new, pagan calendar. Hence the origin of April Fool’s Day. This is the day non-conformists, bible believers, were called fools by the pagans and those following them.
Which brings us to New Years’ Day: New Year’s Day is another pagan holiday. New Year’s Day was given in honor of the pagan god Janus. Janus had two faces- one looking forward, one looking backward. But, as we just learned, the biblical New Year is in the spring during the barley harvest in the month of Aviv.
Exodus 12:2 states (in reference to Aviv), “This the new moon (month) is the beginning of the new moons for you, it is the first new moon of the year for you.”
It’s worth mentioning that the days of the week are also named after pagan gods. Scripture does not name the days of the week with the exception of the 7th day called Shabbat or Sabbath. The other days are simply called by their numerological order- the first day, the second day, and so forth. Now, I know it’s hard to escape the calendar by which we live. We do live in this world and use the names, dates, and calendars of the nation in which we live. But, that does not mean we have to partake in their celebrations in honor of these pagan days.
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world- but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.”
St. Patrick’s Day: This is one of the few holidays that does not have a pagan origin. Basically Patrick was an Englishman that moved to Ireland and drove out the pagans and luciferians. He Christianized Ireland. However, he did so militarily, which is not to be praised. Sadly, St. Patrick’s Day has become a pagan holiday (leprechauns, getting drunk, the “luck” of the Irish, 4 leaf clovers, etc). It should be noted that Patrick was not a catholic, but, the Catholic Church recognizes him in their breviary- book of prayers. Should we celebrate it? I don’t think we should in its current fashion. Besides, there are far greater “saints” (Peter, John, Paul, etc) to commemorate. At the end of the day, there is one man and one man only worthy of such adoration and praise- the man Yahshua Ha’Mashiach.
Valentine’s Day: Valentine’s Day stems from the pagan holiday Lupercalia, a celebration of fertility, dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture. During this celebration, the men would strip naked and sacrifice a goat and a dog to Faunus. Lupercalia first started around the 3rd century B.C. It initially survived the time of Yahshua, but soon after became outlawed. Pope Gelasius I, established The Feast of Saint Valentine in 496 A.D., incorporating the pagan traditions of Lupercalia, in order to appease the converts (seems like a theme amongst the popes).
Birthday cakes and candles: The origin of putting candles on birthday cakes is a tradition that dates back to the ancient Greeks. The Greeks burned candles as an offering to their gods. Putting these candles on cakes was a way to pay special tribute to the moon goddess, Artimis. The legend of the moon goddess came from The Queen of Heaven, Semiramis.
Once the candles were blown out, it was believed that the smoke carried their wishes to the gods and kept evil spirits away. It was also believed that evil spirits visited people on their birthdays, so it was necessary to surround the individual and make them merry.
This is not to say we shouldn’t recognize one another’s birthdays. Even scripture kept track of people’s age. But, should we be putting candles on cakes and making wishes on them?
Other mentionables: It is worth making mention of other various pagan practices that followers of the Way of Yahshua should not partake: Reiki, Yoga, psychics, mediums, horoscopes, Ouija boards, crystals, sage burning, and the like. These originate in witchcraft, sorcery, and paganism. In other words- They are demonic.
Christians all across the world participate in these pagan holidays and practices. Which is why I have come out of modern Christianity. Because of the association modern Christianity has with paganism, I don’t even call myself a “Christian” anymore.
And neither did the early believers. The early believers of Messiah were called Qodeshim- set-apart ones, disciples, and Messianists- students of Yahshua the Messiah or saints, meaning: consecrated by Elohim, holy, sacred, pious. It is said that Bishop Ignatius of Antioch, venerated into the Catholic church in 1922, coined the term Christian in his letters around 107-110 A.D. The Catholic church and the Jesuits celebrate Ignatius feast day on July 31, the day he died. The word Christian became popularized between 1520-1590 A.D.
In Acts 9 verse 2, Sha’ul, before his conversion, called the early assembly of believers the Way, “…so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, to bring them bound to Yerushalayim.”
Proverbs 11: 20 “The perverse of heart are an abomination to Yah, but the perfect in the Way are His delight.”
Acts 11:12, “And the taught ones were called ‘messianists’ first in Antioch.”
It is not the term “Christian” in and of itself in which I take issue but what Christianity has become- participants of the profane and unrecognizable from the early Assembly of believers. And, no, I have not joined another religion or denounced Yahshua as Messiah. I have simply denounced paganism.
1 Corinthians 12: 2 “You know that you were nations, led away to the dumb idols, even as you might be led.”
Zephania 1: 4-6 NKJV “I will stretch out My hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place, the names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests— Those who worship the host of (the heavens) on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by (Yah), but who also swear by Milcom (also known as Malkam-This is the name of the national god of the Ammonites, to whom children were sacrificed by fire); Those who have turned back from following (Yah). And have not sought (Yah), nor inquired of Him.”
Can we justify the mixing of the holy with the profane? Can pagan worship practices and traditions be sanctified by slapping a cross on them? Well, I’ll leave that for you to decide for yourself. All I can do is present the information to you. What you do with it is between you and God. As for me and my house, we will serve Yahovah.
Part Five
In part five of the series: The Holy vs The Profane, we are going back to the 4th century, in the time of Constantine, in order to learn of his pagan influence on the modern church.
Who is Constantine and what role did he play on the outcome of the modern church?
Let me set the stage leading to the rise of Constantine.
Prior to the 1st century, Rome had generally allowed the Jews to practice their religion. That changed around 66 A.D. So, from 66 A.D. to 136 A.D. the Hebrews revolted, unsuccessfully, against Rome with their temple being destroyed in 70 A.D. Thus the Jews began their fight against Gnosticism. Gnosticism is the belief that the world was created by a lesser divinity. Emperor Hadrian reigned from 117-138 A.D. He restricted the Jews even more and wanted to assimilate Jerusalem into Rome. The Messianics (Messianic Jews and the gentile converts) were falsely charged by Rome with many things including cannibalism, since they “eat” the body of Messiah (communion). Now, the Romans new they weren’t actually practicing cannibalism, they just wanted to charge them with something.
Turmoil continued to rise over the next century, leading up to the reign of Constantine, in which there were 12 emperors in just over 40 years. In order to rule more efficiently, Rome was divided into 2 sides- East and West. Constantius, Constantine’s father, ruled on the West side of Rome, the pagan side. What is paganism? Often referred to as “The Nations” or heathenism in scripture, paganism is the belief in other gods in the form of having a father god, a mother god, and a son of god. Paganism is polytheistic in that they believe the father, the mother, and the son are all deity. And Constantine grew up under this deep pagan influence.
We know from scripture, specifically Deuteronomy 6:4, that our God is one, “Hear, O Yisra’el: Yah our Elohim, Yah is one!”
When Constantius died, Constantine was not recognized as his successor, so, he fought for it. He gathered his men and went to battle. This leads us to his supposed conversion. It is said that Constantine, along with his accompanying army, witnessed a cross in the sky with the words “On Hoc Signo Venae” meaning “In this sign, Conquer.” Constantine took this as a sign from the Hebrew God, Yahovah, that he will win his battles. And win he did. He even put a cross on the armor of his men in honor of these victories. Winning his battles was his confirmation bias to now worship this god in whom he now follows. Confirmation Bias is the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs and theories.
Was this really a sign from Elohim? Do we conquer using a physical sword with a cross on it? Or do we conquer through preaching the Good News of the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword?
Now, it is not my place to say if Constantine’s conversion was real. He did eventually get baptized before his death. But, scripture says we will know them by their fruits. To his credit, he did end certain pagan practices such as sacrifices, prostitution, temple idols, gladiator games and crucifixions.
At this point in his reign, Constantine began to merge church and state. The church he merged with was the slowly forming Catholic Church, which he helped solidify as a religion. However, being rooted and grounded in paganism, he brought much paganism into his merging of church, the Catholic Church, and state. The Catholic Church at this time also began to form new doctrines not found in Scripture.
In an effort to unify the state and this new religion from escalating unrest regarding the relationship between Yahovah and Yashua, as well as many of the other new doctrines, Constantine orchestrated the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Constantine believed he had the authority to do so calling himself Pontifex Maximus, meaning the “highest spiritual leader.” He wanted uniformity within the church, this being the Catholic church, not the Messianic Assembly, but didn’t really care to which conclusion they decided. So, it is important to note: his orchestrating of the first council was not with the Jews or the Messianic Jews. It was with the already forming Catholic Church.
In fact, no Jews or Messianic Jews were present or represented at the council of Nicaea. The council was, sadly, anti-Semitic and the Jews, along with Torah, were denounced. This is odd, considering Yahshua and our church fathers were Jews who followed Torah (the law of Yahovah).
As Psalm 119: 1 states, “Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the Torah of Yahovah.”
It was strange to discover that the “church fathers” that the modern church professes did not discuss actual scripture at the first counsel. They merely focused on the new doctrines that were causing discord. This is not the Berean way. Or a godly one.
What did they discuss at the council of Nicaea? Well, they declared the Nicene Creed, used in both the Catholic and Protestant church today. However, the members of the council mixed pagan theology with their belief in Yahshua, in their Homoouisios doctrine- meaning: of one substance/ essence. They also had 20 canons introduced at the council (you can google search the creed and the canons). Today, the Catholic Church has over 2,000 catechisms. Catechism 80 declares that church tradition is equal to scripture. Read that again: Catechism 80 declares that church tradition is equal to scripture. ALL canons add to the Word of Elohim, just like the rabbinical law/ Talmud adds to the Torah. Yahshua spoke harshly against this!
“nullifying the Word of Elohim through your tradition.” Mark 7:13 “Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it, so as to guard the commands of Yahovah your Elohim…” Duet 4: 2
The council added to scripture. And along the way, scripture was taken away (hint: where’s the book of Jashar, Life, Enoch, Wars, Giants, etc. all referenced in the canonized 66 books?). But that’s for another newsletter.
Also declared at the council was the change of the date of Passover, which is the 14th day of the 1st biblical month Aviv, to align with the spring equinox of the sun and changed the name to “Easter” in honor of the goddess Ishtar. But, I’ll be covering more on that later.
Anyone not subscribing to the Nicene Creed was declared a heretic, such as Arius who denied the new doctrine which later became known as the doctrine of the Trinity.
Many were martyred.
The reformation did little to separate the Catholics from the Protestants with the exception of Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura states that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. However, both Catholics and Protestants alike, are baptized in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, which is not found in the original text of Matthew 28:19. As acts 2:38 states, “Repent, and let each one of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the remission of sins.” In the name of the Father and the Holy Spirit was later added. And, it was intentional. This wording baptizes all who claim it into the Roman Catholic Church, whether they know it or not. If you claim the council of Nicaea as your church fathers and are baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, you claim this, “We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.” You are what the Catholic church calls “separated brethren” but, you are still Catholic.
After the Council of Nicaea, Constantine commissioned 50 Bibles to be written with his approval and his pagan influence. Constantine also initiated the Sabbath be changed to Sunday in 327 A.D. He issued a civil decree making Sunday a day of rest from labor, stating, “All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the venerable day of the sun. Let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.”
What is the “venerable day of the sun?” Venerable die Solis, meaning: the sacred day of the sun. Not s-o-n, but s-u-n. This is a rest commanded in honor of the sun-god Sol, the Norse sun goddess. Sol has had many names, both masculine and feminine, over the centuries including: Helios- Greek, Titan- Greek, Ra- Egyptian, Arinna- Hittite, Surya- Hindu, and many more.
The worship of the sun appears in Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, Roman religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and amongst the Druids of England, the Aztecs of Mexico, the Incas of Peru, and many Native Americans.
So, what happened under Constantine and the 1st Council of Nicaea? Monotheism, the feasts of Yahovah, dietary laws, basically all of Torah, were erased and pagan, lawless, 3-in-1 polytheistic Christianity was born. More favorably known as “Replacement Theology.”
I don’t know about you, but, my church fathers predate Nicaea and the Roman Catholic Church.
The Holy vs The Profane
Part Six
In part six of our series, we’re going to head back to Babylon. Why is Babylon so important? Because, Constantine, the Nicaean church fathers, and the Catholic Church, whose influence was not denounced in the reformation, can still be seen in the church today. And their influence came straight out of pagan Babylon.
Ancient Babylon, in the land we call Mesopotamia, was a great empire. Followed by the Persian Empire, then Alexander the Great, then Rome (Papal Rome and Republic Christian Rome). Babylon was wealthy and often ruled over the Jewish population, as in the case of Daniel being exiled to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to employ what would now be called “cultural diffusion.” Cultural diffusion is the spreading out and merging of pieces from different cultures. These different cultures have different types of food, clothing, languages, and, of course, religious practices. This is one of the reasons Nebuchadnezzar chose good looking men from the house of Lewi- in order to better merge the cultures.
Interestingly, however, Babylon was actually founded by one of the sons of Noah. After the flood, Noah and his family exited the ark and began their new lives. Noah had 3 sons: Sham, Ham and Yapheth. Sham continued after the ways of his father, Noah, in keeping the ways of Yah. Yapheth begat a son named Magog, possibly connected with the Magog mention in Revelation 20:8. And, Ham begat 4 sons, one of which was Cush. Cush rebelled against the ways of his grandfather’s God.
It literally only took 2 generations after the flood for man to become wicked again.
Cush founded the city of Babel. We’re all familiar with the story of the tower of Babel. The people of the city decided to make a name for themselves and build a tower to the heavens to dethrone Yah. Of course, Yah would have none of it and confused their language. Something to seriously ponder- Yahovah, Himself, believed it was theoretically possible to build the tower to the heavens.
Then, Cush begat Nimrod, a mighty hunter and warrior, and quite possible a Nephilim, a giant of old. During this time, polytheism took hold of Babylon and Nimrod, the great-grandson of Noah, became the leader of the Assyrian-Babylonian Empire. He also married his mother, the first wife of Cush, whose name was Semiramis.
These two people, Nimrod and Semiramis, as well as her next born son, Tammuz, are the key players in almost all pagan religions. They just take the form of different names. In other words, “All roads to paganism go back to Nimrod and the tower of Babel.” Anonymous
Remember how Constantine changed Passover to Easter? Well, what exactly is Easter? The Christian would say it’s the celebration of the resurrected Messiah.
Let’s take look:
The name Easter, Eostre, Ishtar, Isis, Ashtoreth, Madonna and other variances of the name all point to one person- the Queen of Heaven, Semiramis, who is believed by the pagans to have dropped from the moon and landed in the Euphrates River in a giant moon egg. Shem, in order to keep pagan wickedness at bay, killed Nimrod. Now widowed, Semiramis became pregnant after his death. In order to stay in power, she claimed that her pregnancy was divine, a virgin birth, and that Nimrod was the Sun god who impregnated her with sun rays. Semiramis gave birth to a son, Tammuz, on December 25th, during the winter solstice. She also had many followers and began her own religious practices. But, because of her fear of Shem, she held her practices in secret. These secret practices became known as the mystery religion, or Mystery Babylon, having that pagan father god, mother god, and son of god formula.
Semiramis said her son was the child promised by God. She later married Tammuz. Yes, now she has married yet another son. The people worshipped Semiramis as mother god (the moon goddess), Nimrod as father god (the sun god), and Tammuz as the son of god. Semiramis and the people of Babel committed human sacrifice, idolatry, astrology, and Satan worship, which continued long after the tower of Babel. Semiramis and her various names came to be worshipped as a goddess who symbolized the rebirth of the day and new life in spring, as well as the queen of heaven. Nimrod, meaning “we will rebel” in Hebrew, was also given other names over the centuries, such as Osiris, Apollo, Apollyon, Baal, Baalim, and Molech, the god of fire, of human sacrifice, and the great life giver. It is believed that Nimrod lost his left eye, and his right eye became known as the all-seeing eye. This all-seeing eye is a symbol of the illuminati. And we see it almost every day of our lives. Just look at the backside of a dollar bill. Above the eye are the words “Annuit Coeptis” meaning “He/She approves of the undertakings.” And, under the pyramid are the words, “Novus Ordo Seclorum” meaning “New order of the ages.”
Zechariah 11: 16-17 states, “16 For look, I am raising up a shepherd in the land who does not visit those straying, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he does eat the flesh of the fat and tear off their hooves. 17 Woe to the worthless shepherd forsaking the flock! Let a sword be upon his arm and upon his right eye! His arm shall wither and his right eye shell be dimmed.”
Is there a connection between Nimrod, later called Baal, losing his eye, the prophecy in Zechariah, and the illuminati’s all-seeing eye on our money? Something to consider…
In recognition of the birth of her son and the celebration of fertility and new life, Semiramis initiated the Easter festival. The Easter celebration was a springtime festival that began on the first Sunday after the full moon that followed the spring equinox, which is the date Easter is held to this day. As we already know, the date and the term “Easter” was decided at the counsel of Nicaea. During the reign of Semiramis, the Easter festival involved sex orgies, drunkenness, and cakes offered to the mother goddess. These cakes were later called “hot cross buns.”
The infants born of the spring festivals and their orgies were sacrificed by the priests on the following Easter. Easter worshippers consumed their blood and used it to dye eggs offered up to the goddess of fertility. This is the origin of the Easter Egg.
The Easter egg continued to be a tradition in many cultures that followed the pagans of Babel. Egyptians hung them in the temple. Romans used them in processions honoring the mother goddess. The Druids used them as their sacred emblem. The Chinese used them in springtime festivals to represent new birth. Europeans used them to ward off evil and bring good fortune. And, now, the Christians use them to bring people in to the church for their Egg Hunts as a means to spread the gospel.
Hmmm…
After her son, Tammuz, was killed by a wild boar, Semiramis declared that every spring a boar would be sacrificed and eaten in his honor after 40 days of sorrow in which no meat was to be eaten. This remembrance of Tammuz’ death is the origin of the Easter Ham as well as lent.
Ezekiel 8: 14-15 “14 And He brought me to the door of the north gate of the house of Yah, and I saw women sitting there, weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then He said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O son of man? You are to see still greater abominations than these.’”
As for the Easter Bunny, also known as Oschter Haw, some scholars also believe the practice of incorporating it in the Easter tradition can also be traced back to Semiramis as rabbits are known as a symbol of fertility. The rabbit was also the symbol of Eostra, a pagan goddess.
Jeremiah 7:18 states “The children are gathering wood, the fathers are lighting the fire, and the women are kneading their dough, to make cakes for the sovereigness of the heavens (the queen of heaven); and to pour out drink offerings to other mighty ones (gods), to provoke Me to anger.”
Now, we’ve already learned that Semiramis, the wife and mother of both Nimrod and Tammuz, is known in the pagan world as “The Queen of Heaven.” Who else is commonly called “The Queen of Heaven?” The Catholic Church exalts Mary, the mother of Yahshua, as the Queen of Heaven, believing that she was sinless. This was decided at the Council of Ephosis. In fact, the Catholic Church not only exalted Mary to divinity, but, it replaced a patheon of gods with saints, like the god of love and the god of war, etc.
In conclusion, the lineage of Yahshua is traced back to Shem. The lineage of paganism is traced back to Ham.
The Holy vs The Profane
Part Seven
I made this statement in part 5 of the series: Monotheism, the feasts of Yahovah, dietary laws, basically all of Torah, were erased during the time of Constantine and the Nicaean council. And pagan, lawless, 3-in-1 polytheistic Christianity was born. More favorably known as “Replacement Theology.”
What is Replacement Theology?
Replacement Theology is the Christian theology which asserts that the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, a Jew, had superseded or replaced the Mosaic covenant exclusive to the Jews. As a result, many Christians believe the “Old Testament” is just a history book. I’ve actually encountered this school of thought many times. Here is an exact quote from one such encounter I had with someone during a discussion on Facebook, “When Jesus died on the cross, the Old Testament became obsolete, a history book.”
The definition of Obsolete: no longer produced or used; out of date.
Wow… Talk about negating the fact that we are “grafted in to the vine.” Romans 11
Being grafted in to the house of Y’Israel, this is the true grace of God. That we, gentile dogs, can partake of His kingdom if we accept the Sacrificial Lamb as our Redeemer. That’s grace!
Let me point out that calling the First Writings “The Old Testament” and the Messianic or Second Writings “The New Testament” was intentional. But, intentional by whom? Melito of Sardis, a Bishop of the pre-congregation of the catholic church of Sardis near Smyrna, in the 2nd century A.D. coined the term “The Old Testament.” In other words, this phraseology was not coined by The Creator or the apostles, but by the Catholic church.
This Old versus New terminology is a deceptive ploy to ingrain in the minds of believers that the “old” testament is no longer relevant, or for them, or for today.
Strangely enough however, the modern day church has no problem proclaiming the promises that are from the “old” testament. And modern preachers still teach the practice of tithing. If the Old Testament is no longer relevant, and the law has been done away, or not for the gentiles, then why is there much focus in the modern church on obeying the law of tithing, which was originally for the Levites?
In other words, the promises of the “old” testament are good enough for “new” testament Christians, but the instructions of Yahovah are not?? Well, except for tithing… Hmm…
So, what did Replacement Theology replace? It replaced the Torah, the writings and instructions of Yahovah. And how did that work out for the modern church?
Let’s take a look:
Did you know that 63% of United States citizens call themselves Christians and 81% say they believe in God?
And yet…
• 77% of Americans believe salvation is obtained through works
• 65% believe most people are inherently good
• 61% support abortion (the willful destruction of a child in the womb)
• 78% of men and 67% of women say they do not depend on Jesus (Yahshua) to overcome sin
• 66% do not believe pre-marital sex is wrong
• Cohabitation has increased by 25% since 2013
• The divorce rate is 35-50% (38% for regular church goers)
• 50% of 18-24 year olds do not believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God
• 50% of 18-24 year olds support same-sex marriage
• 24 out of 25 millennials do not have a biblical worldview
• 50% of millennials believe pornography is morally acceptable
• 76% of 18-24 year old Christian men actively seek pornography
• 55% of married men and 25% of married women view pornography on a monthly basis
• 68% of church going men and 50% of pastors view pornography regularly
• 15 million Americans have left Christianity in the last 10 years
• 57% of all Americans participate in Easter egg hunts, a pagan practice that originally involved sacrificing infants and dying eggs with their blood
Of people who regularly attend church
• 74% do not have spiritual conversations with anyone
• 52% believe non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life
• 58% believe everyone will go to heaven
• 30% say they have never felt God’s presence in church
• 54% say homosexuality should be accepted
• Approximately 18-79% (depending on the denomination) believe abortion should be legal in most cases
• 25% of Evangelical Christian men commit adultery
And here are two to really take into consideration:
• 70% of non-church goers say they have never been invited to church
• 70% of church-goers have never shared the gospel
What has happened to us, church? We are to be salt and light in a dark and evil world. We should be fishers of men, not the fish.
One of the main problems in the modern church is that we go to church to be entertained, not discipled, and certainly not to be taught obedience to God’s instructions. We ought to be leading people to discipleship and obedience, not to the coffee shop in the narthex. “If you love Me, obey my commands.” John 14:15
But, what about Romans 6:14 which states, “For sin shall not rule over you for you are not under the law but under favor (grace)”?
We must understand that modern translations have used the term “law” interchangeably with the Torah, which is the instructions of Yahovah, and the Talmud, which is the burdensome law of sin and death written by rabbis, also known as the oral or rabbinical law. This, the Talmud, is the law in which Yahshua came against. And the Pharisees hated him for it. That’s why they wanted him crucified. Yahshua came against the traditions of men, not the instructions of Yahovah. Yahshua did not abolish the Torah, he fulfilled it. That word fulfill is the Greek word Pleroo, which means to give understanding to; to make perfect.
We must understand what sin is in order to grasp this. Sin is the transgression of the Torah, the law of Yahovah. This is the lawlessness spoken of throughout scripture. Lawlessness is the transgression of Torah. And the Lawless One will deceive many into believing he has abolished the law of Yahovah.
“Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness is to be revealed, the son of destruction. Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshipped, so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim.” 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4
The Holy vs The Profane
Part Eight
Over the last several months in the PVM Newsletter, we learned about the pagan origins of modern Christian holidays and traditions, as well as the influence of Constantine and the Catholic Church in modern Christianity. We learned about the satanic origins of the worship of ba’al and Molech in traditions like Easter eggs, Jack-O-Lanterns, and sitting on Santa’s lap.
In other words, we learned all about the profane things we should not be doing in the assembly of the Messiah.
What should we be doing then? In this Newsletter we’re going to learn about the Torah and what it means to be grafted in to the house of Y’Isra’el. Should we still be doing and keeping Torah as gentile convert believers in the Messiah?
Let us first establish that we are, indeed, grafted in to the house of Y’Isra’el, into the kingdom family of Yahovah. “And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you.” Romans 11:17-18
We are grafted in to the root, the house of Y’Isra’el, but, does that mean we are to do what the house of Y’Isra’el does?
The modern church teaches that the law has been done away, abolished, nailed to the cross, that we are not under the law, etc. That keeping the law is a curse, oppressive, and a burden and has been fulfilled by the finished work of the Messiah on the cross. We’ve been taught that keeping Torah is legalistic, and to do so makes you a Pharisee and accursed.
Satan did a masterful job of convincing the church that obedience is legalism and should be frowned upon.
Firstly, if Yahshua did away with the Torah, then he also did away with the prophets. But the modern church loves their prophets, prophets of old and new. We know Yahshua did not abolish the prophets.
So, what is Torah, also known as “the law?”
Torah simply means teaching, direction, guidance and law. The Torah is the instructions of Yahovah our Creator given to us. Simply put, it is our instruction manual.
Sadly, most modern translations do not distinguish between the law of Yahovah, known as the Torah, which is the perfect law of liberty and the curse of the law of sin and death, of which we’ve been redeemed. They’ve merged the two into simply calling it “the law.” For the purpose of our study, the law referenced will be the perfect law of liberty- the Torah, the commands of Yahovah.
Matthew 5: 17-19 “17 Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy, but to complete. 18 For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one yod or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done. 19 Whoever, then, breaks one of the least commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.”
What does that word complete/ fulfill/ fill mean? This is the Greek word Pleroo, in Aramaic- amala (mela/ male-alm); meaning to fill up or to make full; to complete (plerosi); to have proper understanding/ interpretation. It does not mean to end or cease. This same word (pleroo) is found in Genesis 1: 22, “And Elohim blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and increase, and fill (pleroo) the waters in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” This word Pleroo, to fill, is a command to do, not a command to cease doing.
Conversely, the word destroy means to break in Aramaic, or to loosen, unravel, release. So, we could say that Yahshua said, “I did not come to destroy, break, loosen, unravel, or release the law, but to give it proper understanding/ interpretation, fill up and make full.”
We also see the word amala in Luke 1:4, “that you might know the certainty (complete- amala) of the words which you were taught.”
In 1 Kings 2:27, “…to fill (male-alm) the word of Yahovah.”
In John 17: 8 “and understood” d’amla- completely
In Psalm 20:4, “He does give you according to your heart, and fills (male-alm) all your plans.”
Nowhere in context does the word fulfill cause the subject to cease or be destroyed. In context, this word is used for the hearer to carry it out properly and with understanding.
Some will ask, “But, aren’t we justified by faith.”
Yes, but that does not mean we void the Torah and continue in our sin, which is the transgression of the law.
Romans 3: 29-30 “29 since it is one Elohim who shall declare right the circumcised by belief and the uncircumcised through belief. 30 Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.”
Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.”
But, the religious leaders of Yahshua’s time, the Pharisees, had added rules that burdened the Torah, what is known as the Talmud or rabbinical law/oral tradition. Yahshua came against the Talmud law and they hated him for it. They had him crucified him for it.
And the modern church has done the opposite by becoming tolerant of sin (transgressing the Torah), hiding under the guise of grace, cheap grace. What I believe isn’t grace at all. It is a “do what makes you happy” culture within the church. It is akin to the practice of “Do what thou wilt” philosophy found in the church of Satan.
To quote Rosa Hopkins “The Pharisees had the appearance of accuracy without love, and many today advocate the appearance of love without accuracy. Neither position is loving or accurate.” Rosa Hopkins
Jeremiah 31: 33 & 36 “33 For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’el after those days, declares Yah: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” “36 ‘If these laws vanish from before me,’ declares Yah, ‘then the seed of Yisra’el shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.’”
Yahshua did not “nail the law to the cross.” If he did, that would make him the lawless one spoken of in scripture. No, Yahshua the Messiah is not the lawless one. It was our punishment for sin that he nailed to the cross, not the law. He did not abolish the law, he fulfilled it (Pleroo). So, be warned- do not follow a messiah that has abolished the law.
Thessalonians 2: 3, “Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness is to be revealed, the son of perdition.”
The Holy vs The Profane
Part Nine
2 Timothy 3: 16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work.”
Is it possible that the breath of life given to Adam at the time of creation and the breath Yahshua breathed into his disciples after returning from his ascension is the same breath? And that breath, that life giving breath, was the Torah of Yahovah? Yahovah breathed in to Adam. Adam fell. Man transgressed. So, Yahovah re-gave the law to Mosheh. Once Yahshua breathed that breath from Elohim into his disciples after his return from his ascension, and once we receive the Holy Spirit, which is the mighty breath of Elohim, the Ruach Ha’quodesh, that same law is now in us once again, written on our hearts.
Genesis 1:7 states, “And Yahovah Elohim formed the man out of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And the man became a living being.”
Animals breathe oxygen. So there was more to this breath than just oxygen entering the lungs.
John 20:22 states, “And having said this, he (Yahshua) breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Set-Apart Spirit.’”
Hebrews 8:10 states, “Because this is the covenant that I shall make with the house of Yisra’el after those days, says Yahovah, giving My laws in their mind, and I shall write them on their hearts, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be my people.”
But, was this breath for the Jews only? That’s like asking if the Holy Spirit is for the Jews only. And we know from Acts 2:10 that the Holy Spirit was given to both the Jews and the converts, “…both Yehudim and converts.”
We are indeed grafted in to the house of Yisra’el, into the family of Yahovah, according to Romans 11: 16-19. This is the grace of Elohim so often spoken about in the church that we, unclean gentiles, can enter into the family of Yahovah. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles. Not this cheap hyper grace that says we do not have to abide by His Torah.
Being grafted in to the house of Yisra’el means we are to live and do as the house of Yisra’el lives and does. It’s like a child adopted into a family. If that child is from China, or Russia, or some other country, when they are adopted into a family from the United States, they grow up not as they would in China or Russia. No, they grow up as an American, living and learning and doing as the Americans do, including following the laws of the United States, not the laws of their country of origin.
Being former gentiles grafted in to the house of Yisra’el, means keeping Torah and forgoing lawlessness.
So, what, then, is lawlessness?
I started wondering, “How will we recognize the ‘lawless one’ if we’ve abolished the law?” I started asking, “what does lawlessness mean then, if not disobeying or transgressing, the law, the Torah, of Yahovah?”
Is not sin the transgression of the law? Did not Yahshua tell the woman caught in adultery to sin no more?
The encyclopedia definition of lawlessness is: a state of disorder due to a disregard for the law. So, when Scripture speaks of lawlessness, is it talking about disobedience to the laws of the United States? Or the Laws of the United Nations? Clearly not. It is talking about the total disregard for the law, the Torah, of Yahovah.
Matthew 24: 11-14 “11 And many false prophets shall rise up and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of many shall become cold. 13 But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved.14 And this Good News of the reign shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”
There are 4,312 federal laws in the United States and over 80,000 rules and regulations. This doesn’t even count state and local laws and ordinances.
However, there are only 613 laws of Yah, of which not all 613 apply for today. Laws regarding sacrifice are over since Yahshua is the final sacrifice for sin. Laws requiring punishment for sin are over since Yahshua took it upon himself. Laws regarding the temple cannot be kept since the physical temple has been destroyed. We are the temple of Yah now. And, certain laws only apply to men, women, pregnant women, etc.
What’s the burden then? The laws of men, or the laws of Yah? What laws did Yahshua come against? The law of Yahovah, or the laws of men, or the laws of the Jews (known as the Talmud)?
It is not oppressive or a curse to obey the commands of Yahovah.
The nations hate the law of Elohim. They say evil is good- abortion, gay marriage, evolution, heliocentrism, etc. These are the exact twisted opposite of Yah’s design.
Torah, the law or commands of Elohim, simply mean teachings and instructions. Just as loving parents have rules for their children, not to be arbitrary, but for their health and safety, so does our loving Father, Yahovah, have rules for his children. On the two most important laws- love Yah and love others- hang all the other laws, and the prophets. Those two commands tell us what to do. The remaining Torah tells us how to do it. In other words, Yah is saying, “Do this and here’s how,” in the entirety of His Word.
Yah said if you love me keep my commands.
So, what is sin? Sin, or iniquity- immoral or grossly unfair behavior, is the transgression of the law. And we are told to go and sin no more, or to go and transgress the law no more.
Does this mean we are saved by works? No. The law does not justify. Repentance and belief is the door to salvation, or more accurately, deliverance. Works is the proof. If there are no works, well, that is between you and Yah.
1 Corinthians 10: 14-21 states, “14 Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men, judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not a sharing in the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Messiah? 17 Because there is one bread, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Look at Yisra’el after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the slaughterings sharers in the slaughter-place? 19 What then do I say? That an idol is of any value? Or that which is slaughtered to idols is of any value? 20 No, but what the nations slaughter they slaughter to demons and not to Elohim, and I do not wish you to become sharers with demons. 21 You are not able to drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons, you are not to partake of the table of the Master and the table of demons.”
As gentiles, we are called to come out of Babylon and into the kingdom of his dear son. We are grafted into the house of Israel, the family of Yah. If we are grafted in to the house of Israel, and they were warned not to learn the ways of the nations, couldn’t we conclude that we also should come out of the ways of the nations? But, too often, we don’t want to walk as Yahshua walked, so we justify rejecting the law. That’s why it’s easy to adopt the doctrine of the Trinity. It sets Yahshua apart from us in the ability to walk in righteousness. But, we are made righteous through Yahshua, making us sons and daughters too. Making us able to keep the Torah, the commands of Yah.
Philippians 2:12 “So that, my beloved, as you always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much rather in my absence, work out your own deliverance with fear and trembling.”
Part Ten
We have been on a journey learning about the Holy vs The Profane. We learned about the pagan roots of Christian holidays. We learned that we have been grafted in to the house of Israel. We learned that we are to keep and guard the Torah (the commands and instructions of Elohim). But, what does that look like? Should we become as Orthodox Jews, keeping their ways and traditions, living as they live? Absolutely not! We should not add to or take away from the Torah of Yahovah. In other words, we are not to follow the traditions of men, but of Scripture alone.
What does that look like for a gentile convert grafted into the house of Yisra’el? Let’s continue on our journey one step at a time. The first step I took in my personal journey toward truth was to honor the fourth commandment. Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath and to keep it Set-Apart (holy).” So, let’s start there, shall we?
Let’s first note a few points of interest: All of the days of the week, Sunday through Saturday, are named after pagan gods. Yah simply called them the first day, second day, third, and so on, giving the 7th day the only day with a name- the Sabbath, or Shabbat, which is called the Sabbath in over 100 languages around the world. Also, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the sequence of the days of the week have not been altered in over 2,000 years. This makes sense since we know that Yahovah ordained the Sabbath at creation, “And Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it He rested from all His work which Elohim in creating had made.” Genesis 2:3
We’ve already learned that it was Constantine, not Yahovah, who changed the Sabbath to Sunday. After the Council of Nicaea, Constantine commissioned 50 Bibles to be written with his approval and his pagan influence. Constantine also initiated the Sabbath be changed to Sunday in 327 A.D. He issued a civil decree making Sunday a day of rest from labor, stating, “All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the venerable day of the sun. Let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.”
What is the “venerable day of the sun?” Venerable die Solis, meaning: the sacred day of the sun. Not s-o-n, but s-u-n. This is a rest commanded in honor of the sun-god Sol, the Norse sun goddess. Sol has had many names, both masculine and feminine, over the centuries including: Helios- Greek, Titan- Greek, Ra- Egyptian, Arinna- Hittite, Surya- Hindu, and many more.
Ezekiel 22:26 “Her priests have done violence to My teaching and they profane My Set-Apart matters. They have not distinguished between the Set-Apart and profane, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean. And they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned in their midst.”
“Yes, but that’s the Old Testament. Jesus is our Sabbath now and He rose on Sunday, the Lord’s Day.” Hmm. Is that what Scripture says?
Scripture does not say Jesus IS the Sabbath. It says he is master of it (Matt 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:3). And what does that mean? Many think we can do what we want because Jesus did what he wanted on the Sabbath because in those passages of scripture Yahshua picked grain to eat and ate the showbread of the Temple. In other passages, Yahshua healed on the Sabbath. All these acts were acts against the Talmud, the traditions of the Pharisees. These “indiscretions” are not found in the Torah. Remember, Yahshua came against the traditions of men, not the commands of the Father. He is master of the Sabbath, and he only does what the Father says do.
As for “the Lord’s Day,” we need to put this reference right back in its proper context. This passage of scripture is found, not in the gospels, but in the book of Revelation. Most versions will read something like this, “I (John) was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” Revelation 1:10
There are two points to make on this. 1. We are not told which day of the week John is referencing. And, 2. The original text does not use the word “Lord.” It uses the Tetragrammaton, which is the Hebrew word for the name of God, who we call Yahovah, Yahweh, or Yahuah. It is not even referencing Yahshua the son.
So, did the early assembly of believers in Scripture keep Shabbat. We need look no further than the book of acts.
Acts 13:14-15 “14 But passing through from Perge, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the congregation on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 And after reading the Torah and the Prophets, the rulers of the congregation sent to them…”
Acts 13: 27 “for those dwelling in Yerushalayim, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have filled them in having judged them.”
But, what about gentile converts? Should they keep the Sabbath? Let’s continue in Acts:
Acts13: 42 “And when the Yehudim went out of the congregation, the nations begged to have these words spoken to them the next Sabbath.”
If ever there was any doubt as to whether or not the Sabbath applies to the gentile converts (us) I think this removes it. It was the nations- the pagan gentile converts- that begged to have the Torah and the Prophets read to them on the Sabbath. Ah, but what about chapter 15? Acts chapter 15 tells us that certain men were telling the new gentile converts that they must be circumcised and follow Torah in order to be delivered. It was noted that this overwhelmed the gentile converts and the Yehudim reasoned together how to not overwhelm, or burden, them. Acts 15:14 Ya’aqob says, “Shimon had declared how Elohim first visited the nations to take out of them people for His name.” Ya’aqob goes on to say in verses 19-21, “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the nations who are turning to Elohim, but that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled in blood. 21 For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him- being read in the congregations every Sabbath. 22 Then it seemed good to the emissaries and elders, with all the assembly, to send chosen men from among them to Antioch with Sha’ul and Barnaba…”
They went on to write a letter to the nations of Antioch a letter stating that “it seemed good to the Set-Apart Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessities (listed above)” verse 28
In other words, the emissaries, with the agreement of the Holy Spirit of Yah, agreed that the pagan converts where becoming overwhelmed with what they did not know- the Torah. So they decided to ease them in by giving them a short list of necessities while also setting up Sabbath teachings for them by the men that they sent. They set up Shabbat Scripture Studies!
So, what does keeping the Sabbath look like?
The Sabbath is further explained in Exodus:
Exodus 20: 8-10 “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart. Six days you labor, and shall do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of Yahovah your Elohim. You do not do any work- you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your sojourner who is within your gates.”
The Sabbath is a day of rest from all our work. It is a rest from commerce and chores. We shall do no work nor cause anyone else to work for us on the Sabbath. This is Yah’s gift to us!
“And the children of Yisra’el shall guard the Sabbath, to perform the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. Between Me and the children of Yisra’el it is a sign forever. For in six days Yah made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.” Exodus 31: 16-17
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed
, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of Yahshua Messiah.” Revelation 12:17
Part 11
In last month’s newsletter, we learned about the importance of keeping the 7th day Sabbath. Now we are going to learn about the 7 holy feasts of Yahovah. We will start with the Spring Feasts.
We already learned about the origins of modern Christian holidays. And there are many other holidays celebrated in just the United States alone: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, and more. How hard was it to keep these? Not hard. Christmas, the most celebrated of the holidays, takes up the better part of a month in preparation! Surely, we can learn and keep the 7 Holy Feasts of Yah instead, all of which give us an extra Sabbath Day!
The 7 Holy Feasts of Yah are a direct representation of the prophecy of the foretold Messiah and his purpose. And they are:
Spring Feasts: (prophesy fulfilled)
- Passover- Messiah Crucified
- Unleavened Bread- Messiah Buried
- First Fruits- Messiah Risen
- Shavuot/ Pentecost- The Holy Spirit/ Ruach Ha’qodesh given
Fall Feasts: (prophesy foretold)
- Yom Teruah/ Feast of Trumpets- Messiah’s 2nd coming
- Yom Kippur- The Day of Atonement/ Judgment
- Sukkot/ Feast of Tabernacles or Booths- Marriage supper of the Lamb; also the time in which the Messiah was born
- And the Last Great Day- a bonus Feast entering us in to eternity with Yah
Passover, Unleavened Bread, & Firstfruits
Passover began during the Festival of Barley, when the Torah was given. The first Passover is laid out in the book of Exodus Chapter 12 when the last plague was heaped upon Egypt- the death of all the firstborn. The Israelites were to put the blood of a lamb on their doorposts and lintels as a sign to Elohim to pass over their house and spare their firstborns. This first Passover was a direct representation of the Passover Lamb of Elohim, Yahshua the Messiah. It was and still is celebrated on the 14th day of the first month the Hebrew calendar. This date is not the same date as the Easter celebration and can be as far as a month apart from the pagan holiday.
John 13: 1 states, “And before the festival of the Pesah (Passover), Yahshua knowing that his hour had come that he should move out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
How do we honor Passover? Passover begins the feast of unleavened bread. So, we start a few weeks ahead of time by ridding our homes of all leaven. Leaven is anything that makes bread rise (yeast, baking soda, baking powder, etc). We rid our homes of leaven as an outward representation of getting rid of sin in our lives, just as Yahshua is the lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world. Once Passover arrives, we celebrate by having a meal that includes the communion elements of bread and wine. Passover ushers in the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, which is a High Sabbath, or, an extra Sabbath. This is why the people wanted to take Yahshua off of the cross on the preparation day. Many mistakenly believe that Yahshua died on a Friday because of this mention of the Sabbath. But Friday evening to Sunday morning is not 3 days and 3 nights as prophesied in the book of Jonah. Yahshua died on a Wednesday, the preparation day for the High Sabbath, not the weekly Sabbath. And rose after sundown on the Saturday Sabbath.
This brings us to the Feast of Firstfruits:
1 Corinthians 15: 20 “But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, and has become the first-fruit of those having fallen asleep.”
Yahshua presents himself as the first fruit to Yahovah
Leviticus 23 1-15 states, “1 And Yahovah spoke to Mosheh, saying, 2 ‘Speak to the children of Yisra’el, and say to them, ‘The appointed times of Yahovah, which you are to proclaim as set-apart gatherings, My appointed times, are these: 3 Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to Yahovah in all your dwellings. 4 These are the appointed times of Yahovah, Set-apart gatherings which you are to proclaim at their appointed times. 5 In the first month, on the 14th day of the month, between the evenings, is the Pesah to Yahovah. 6 And on the 15th day of this month is the festival of Matzot to Yahovah- seven days you eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work. 8 And you shall bring an offering made by fire to Yahovah for seven days. On the seventh day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.’ 9 And Yahovah spoke to Mosheh saying, 10 ‘Speak to the children of Yisra’el. And you shall say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahovah, for your acceptance. On the morrow after the Sabbath the priest waves it. 12 And on that day when you wave the sheaf, you shall prepare a male lamb a year old, a perfect one, as an ascending offering to Yahovah, 12 and its grain offering: two-lengths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahovah, a sweet fragrance, and its drink offering: one-fourth of a hin of wine. 14 And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim- a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 15 And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves; seven completed Sabbaths.”
So, the first wave of barley to Yahovah makes the rest of the barley acceptable to Yahovah. Yahshua is the first fruit that makes us right with Elohim.
Shavuot/ Pentecost
Shavuot is a High Sabbath that begins 7 weeks, or 50 days after the Sabbath of Passover, hence the word Pentecost, penta meaning 5. This is when the Set-apart (holy) Spirit was given, or the Ruach Ha’qodesh, meaning the breath of the Almighty or mighty wind of the Creator. And just as 3,000 people died when they worshipped the golden calf, 3,000 people received the Ruach on the day of Pentecost.
Ezekiel 36: 26-27 states “26 And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I shall give you a heart of flesh. 27 and put My Spirit within you. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them.”
Acts 2: 1-2 states, “1 And when the Day of the Festival of Shavuot had come, they were all with one mind in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”
There is no conflict between the Set-apart Spirit and the Torah- they work together.
There are no specific commands for the Feast of Shavuot, except for honoring the High Sabbath. But, you can set this day apart with fellowship with other believers, praise and worship, and much rejoicing for having been given the Holy Spirit of Yahovah!
I pray you have a heart that desires to do the will of the Father, including keeping His 7 holy feasts!
The Holy vs The Profane
Part Twelve
In our last newsletter, we learned about the Spring Feasts of Yahovah our Elohim. This month, in conclusion of our twelve part series on The Holy vs The Profane, we’re going to learn about the Fall Feasts.
Let’s jump right in, shall we?
The Fall Feasts
Yom Turuah- the Feast of Trumpets
Jewish tradition has Yom Turuah as their New Year, called Rosh Hashanah. However, the true biblical New Year is in the spring just before Passover. The fall New Year tradition came from the Jewish exile in Babylon.
The feast of Trumpets is a rehearsal dinner for ushering in the return of the Messiah for the wedding feast. On this day, we are to fast and rejoice and blow the Shofar. It is a memorial to remember that we are waiting for the Messiah’s return. And for 10 days we are called to repentance.
Joel 2: 15-16 states, “15 Blow a shophar in Tsiyon, set apart a fast, call an assembly. 16 Gather the people, set the assembly apart, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes. Let a bridegroom come out from his room, and a bride from her dressing room.
Who is the foretold bridegroom? Yashua
And we are his bride.
Yom Kippur- The Day of Atonement/ Judgment
A commemoration of how Yahovah gave His only son to atone for our sins. Yom Kippur is the Sabbath of Sabbaths beginning on the 10th day of the month of Tishri in which the high priest may enter the Holy of Holies for the people. We now have a high priest, Yahshua (who we know as Jesus).
Leviticus 16: 29-34 states, “29 And this shall be for you a law forever: In the seventh new moon (month), on the tenth day of the new moon, you afflict your beings, and do no work, the native or the sojourner who sojourns among you. 30 For on that day he makes atonement for you, to cleanse you, to be clean from all your sins before, Yahovah. 31 It is a Sabbath rest for you, and you shall afflict your beings, a law forever. 32 and the priest, who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, the set-apart garments, 33 and he shall make atonement for the Most Set-Apart Place (temple), and make atonement for the Tent of the Appointment and for the slaughter-place, and make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be for you a law forever, to make atonement for the children of Yisra’el, for all their sins, once a year.”
Now, we have Yahshua as the final atonement for our sins. Praise Yah!!
Festival of Tabernacles and The great 8th Day
The Feast of Sukkot marks the end of the biblical fall feasts celebrating the fall harvests. The people come together in anticipation of the return of the Messiah and the wedding supper of the Lamb. It is also believed that Yahshua was born during the feast of Sukkot. Since we have learned that we should not participate in Christmas, now could be the time to honor the Messiah’s birth. You can even sing biblically accurate and powerful songs about his birth that are typically played at Christmas.
John 7: 1-10 states, “1 And after this Yahshua was walking in Galil, for he did not wish to walk in Yehudah, because the Yehudim were seeking to kill him. 2 and the festival of the Yehudim was near, the Festival of Sukkot. 3 So his brothers said to him, ‘Get away from here and go into Yehudah, so that your taught ones also see the works that you are doing. 4 For no one acts in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these works, show yourself to the world.’ 5 For even his brothers did not believe in him. 6 Yashua therefore said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. It is impossible for the world to hate you, but it hates me because I bear witness of it, that its works are wicked. 8 You go up to this festival. I am not yet going up to this festival, for my time has not yet been filled.’ 9 And having said this to them, he stayed in Galil. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up. Not openly, but as it were in secret.”
Here we see that Yahshua participated in the Feast of Sukkot. He went in secret because his time had not yet come and the Jews were seeking to kill him.
Leviticus 23:39-44 states ,”39 ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh new moon (month) when you gather in the fruit of the land, celebrate the Festival of Yahovah for seven days. On the first day is a rest, and on the 8th day a rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of good trees, branches, and willows of the stream, and shall rejoice before Yahovah your Elohim for seven days. 41 And you shall celebrate it as a festival of Yahovah forever in your generations. Celebrate it in the 7th new moon (month.) 42 Dwell in booths for 7 days; all who are native born in Yisra’el dwell in booths, 43 so that your generations know that I made the children of Yisra’el dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Mitsrayim. I am Yahovah your Elohim.’ 44 Thus did Mosheh speak of the appointed times of Yahovah to the children of Yisra’el.”
Here we see Yahovahs’s appointed times, two High Sabbaths, one of which is the 8th day, a representation of the wedding supper. A high Sabbath is an extra Sabbath day of rest during the feast days. You would treat this day like you would the Shabbat. The 8th day symbolizes new beginnings and things to come.
Revelation 21: 3 states, “And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, ‘See, the Booth of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them and be their Elohim.’”
During Sukkot, the people would dwell in a Sukkah, or temporary dwelling or tent built under an open sky. The people would decorate their Sukkah with fruit, branches, lights, and flowers. They would not only sleep in the Sukkah, but have meals with friends and families there. It is also customary to read the book of Ecclesiastes during the festival. This is also a time of giving, both of an offering to Yahovah and to the poor.
Most of all, we are to rejoice during sukkot.
And the final Feast is he Last great day, the day in which Yahshua proclaims the latter reign.
In conclusion, the 7 holy feasts of Yahovah and the Last Great Day are a direct representation of the prophesied Messiah. The Spring Feasts have already been fulfilled. With the exception of the Messiah’s birth, we are waiting for the Fall feasts to be fulfilled.
Just think of these feasts as the 4 R’s: Repentance, Redemption, Rejoicing, and Rehearsal.
I appreciate you sticking with me during The Holy vs Profane series. I truly hope you have been blessed, awakened, sharpened and stirred. Look for our next Newsletter, which will be quarterly, in January. If you would like to help us save on postage by receiving the newsletter via email, please let us know.
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!