CHRIST'S MASS

The word Christmas is a shortened form of “Christ’s Mass”. The word “Mass” is a Latin word meaning “offering”. Thus “Christ’s Mass” literally means “Messiah’s Offering”. Messiah’s offering was of course his crucifixion, not his birth. When a person says “Merry Christmas” they are actually saying “Merry Crucifixion of Messiah.” Moreover Christians observe “Christmas” (Messiah’s Offering) once a year. However the Scriptures tell us that Messiah was offered once for all time and is not offered again and again once a year (Hebrews 10:1-4, 10-14). An annual “Christ’s Mass” is therefore clearly unscriptural.

JESUS’ BIRTHDAY?

The Christian Book of Why admits that December 25th was NOT the birthday if Messiah:

…Most biblical scholars agree that the birth, in fact,
did not take place in December at all…
(CBW p. 205)

When Yeshua was born the shepherds were at watch in their fields (Lk. 2:8) which could not have been in the Winter. In fact it can be shown that Messiah was born at Sukkot (Boothes/Tabernacles) in 4 B.C.E..

The key to calculating the date of the birth of Messiah is Luke 1:5 where we learn that Zechariah the father of Yochanan was a priest of the course of Abijah.

The priests became to numerous to all serve at the Temple all the time, so they were divided into 24 courses (1Chron. 24). Each course served for two weeks each year, once in the former rain (first half of the year) and once in the latter rain (second half of the year). There were also three weeks in which all the priests were required to serve, these were the three pilgrimage festivals (Dt. 16:16). 24 times 2 is 48 plus three is 51. 51 weeks is 357 days fitting nicely within the 360 day lunar year.

The course of Abijah is the eighth course (1Chron. 24:10) which serves the tenth week during the former rain portion of the year (this is because during Passover and Shavuot (Pentecost) all fo the priests serve together Dt. 16:16). Zechariah had his vision while serving in the course of Abijah in the tenth week (It will become apparent that he was serving his first course not his second as the timing will show as we progress). Thus Zechariah's vision took place during the 10th week of the year (The religious year beginning at Nisan/Abib around 14 days before Passover). We must add two additional weeks before Yochanon (John) could be conceived, due to the purity laws (Lev. 12:5; 15:19, 25). So Yochanon was concieved in the 12th week of the year. He was born about 40 weeks later during the 52nd week of the year (12 + 40 = 52) which brings us to Passover. Thus Yochanon was born at Passover, the very time that Elijah was, according to Jewish tradition, supposed to appear.

Yeshua was conceived 6 months (about 25 weeks) after Yochanon's conception. This means Yeshua was conceived around the 37th week around Chanukah. This would mean the light of the world was conceived during the festival of lights.

Yeshua was born 40 weeks later (around week 77 that is week 25 of the following year) this brings us to the time of the fall feasts.

There are several clues that Yeshua was born at Sukkot:

1. Bethleham was "booked solid." This would not have been due census which would have taken place over the period of a year. Every Jew was required to come to Jerusalem for Sukkot (Dt. 16:16) this would have over run Jerusalem as well as Bethleham just five miles away.

2. Yeshua was born in a stable. The Hebrew word for "stable" is "sukkah"
(as in Gen. 33:17) so it is likely that Yeshua was born in a Sukkah/booth.

3. If Yeshua was born on the first day of Sukkot then he would have been circumcised on the "eighth great day" a festival following Sukkot. This day was the original "Simchat Torah" (Rejoicing in the Torah) which is now held the following day in Rabbinic Judaism. So Yeshua would have entered the covenant on the day of "rejoicing in the Torah."

4. When the angels appeared to the shepherds they made a statement which closely echos the ancient Sukkot liturgy "...behold, we have come to declare to you glad tidings of great joy." (Lk. 2:10-11)

5. Sukkot is symbolic of God dwelling in a "tabernacle" (body?) with us.

Now in Mt. 2:7-8, 16 Herod kills all the children two and under. The fact that he killed such a wide range indicates that he did not know quite how long ago Messiah had been born. Yeshua's parents fled to Egypt until they heard Herod was dead. They were back in Bethleham in time to perform Miriam's (Mary's) purification and Yeshua's dedication on the 4oth day after Yeshua's birth (as required by Torah) (Luke 2:22-38.

By this time Herod had to be dead or they could not have come to the Temple in Jerusalem. Herod had to have died during the 40 days between Yeshua's birth, and his dedication 40 days later. Herod is known to have died in September of 4 B.C.E. So Yeshua had to have born in the fall (this rueles out that Zechariah could have been serving during Abijah's second course of the year, since that would place Yeshua's birth in the Spring and not allow for Herod's death during the 40 days after his birth in the fall). This also tells us that the year of Yeshua's birth was 4 B.C.E.


THE PAGAN ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

As early as the first century converts from Pagan backgrounds (who “did service unto them which by nature are no gods”) were attempting to incorporate their old pagan festivals into the Messianic movement and Paul rebuked them for this:

8: Howbeit then, when ye knew not God,
ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9: But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God,
how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10: Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11: I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
(Gal. 4:8-11; KJV)

About the year 230 the Gentile Christian "Church Father" Tertullian wrote:

By us [Gentile Christians] who are strangers to (Jewish)
Sabbaths, and new moons, and festivals, once acceptable
to God, the Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia,
and Matronalia are now frequented, with gifts being carried
to and fro.

That Christmas is of pagan origin is hardly a matter of debate. It is a matter of fact that the same date was celebrated by the Pagan Romans as the Birthday of the Sun god and had originated in the Babylonian Mystery Religion.

Most encyclopedias readily admit this fact under their articles on Christmas. Even the Christian Book of Why CBW) (which in general advocates observance of Christmas) admits the pagan origin of Christmas.
One of the first questions this book answers about Christmas is “Why was Christmas not celebrated by Christians of the Early Church?” (a point even the Christian Book of Why does not dispute). The CBW answers this
question:

Christians of the first century did not celebrate the
festival honoring the birth of Jesus…. It was the feeling
at that time by all Christians that the celebration…
was a custom of the pagans. In an effort to divorce
themselves from all pagan practices, the early Christians
refused to set aside a date marking Jesus’ birth. As
a result, the first celebration of Christmas by Christians
did not take place until the fourth century.
(CBW p. 205)

The next question answered by the Christian Book of Why is “Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th?” The CBW answers:

…Most biblical scholars agree that the birth, in fact,
did not take place in December at all… Why then the
25th of December? Actually, the date was chosen not
by Christians, but by Romans, the traditional antagonists
of the Early Church. … the Romans celebrated the “Feast
of Sol Invictus” (The Feast of the Unconquerable Sun) on
December 25th. Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered in 354
that all Christians celebrate the birth of the Christ child on
that day.
(CBW pp. 205-206)

To obtain more adherents to Roman Catholicism it was the policy of the papacy to amalgamate the heathen festivals with things of Christendom.
Pope Gregory wrote to Augustine the first missionary to the British Isles (C.E. 597):

Do not destroy the temples of the English G-ds;
change them to Christian churches. Do not forbid
the "harmless" customs which have been associated
with the old religions; consecrate them to Christian use.

Thus Rome retained a pagan form for "Xmas" but could not restrain its pagan spirit-- existing to this day. Most of the major elements one generally associates with Christmas can be shown to be of pagan origin.

Mistletoe, holly berries, wreaths, Christmas ham, the Christmas goose, the yule log, the Christmas tree and even Santa Clause can be traced back to pagan origins.

Mistletoe is a parasite which the Druids used as a charm. Holly Berries were believed to be sacred to the Sun god. Wreaths were used by pagan Druids as well. The boar and goose were animals commonly offered by Pagans to the Sun god. The Norse and Anglo Saxon tribes would burn a “Yule Log” to honor Thor. The Scandinavians even adopted the word Yule (wheel, sun) as their word for “Christmas”. The Christmas tree may be traced back to the worship of Oak trees by the Anglo and Germanic tribes but goes even further back to the use of trees in the worship of Tammuz by the Babylonians.

Santa has a pagan origin as well. When the Norse burned the yule log they believed that the goddess Hertha would appear in the fireplace and bring good luck upon the home. Christians replaced the goddess Hertha with St.
Nicholas, and anti-Semitic fourth century “Saint” whose feast day was near Christmas time. The Dutch called St. Nicholas “Sinter Klause” which was picked up in America as “Santa Clause”. Santa Clause retains godlike qualities. He is apparently omnisent (he knows who is naughty and nice) omnipresent (visits all of the children of the world in one night) and perhaps even omnipotent (at the very least has magical powers). It is interesting that “Santa” is an anagram of “Satan” and that both are often called “Old Nick”.

In fact because of its well known pagan origins Christmas was actually illegal in early colonial America and only gradually became a legal holiday in the United States. In fact the Christian Book of Why even includes the Question “Why was the celebration of Christmas once banned in the United States?” (p. 206). It was not until 1856 that Christmas was made a legal holiday in Massachusetts, the last of the US states to accept Christmas as a legal holiday.

Although many Christians see Christmas as a “Christian” holiday, Christmas is actually a very worldly holiday. Non-Jews do not join with Jews to celebrate Jewish holidays. Non-Muslims do not join with Muslims to celebrate Muslim holidays. So why do non-Christians join with Christians in the celebration of Christmas? Why do pornographic magazines feature special Christmas issues? Why do topless bars, gay bars and strip joints host Christmas parties? Why do non-believers love Christmas? Because Christmas is clearly a worldly holiday. On this day Christians and non-believers join in the celebration of the high carnival of the year, while Nazarene Jews and others abstaining from this pagan holiday are called “ignorant”, “narrow minded” and “crack pots” for objecting to Christmas observance. On this day the whole world pretends to love Messiah, even though Messiah said the whole world hates him (Jn. 7:7).

"Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
(Eph. 5:11).

The birth of Jesus is remembered each year but Yeshua is contemptuously set at naught.

The Torah reminds us:

"You shall not follow a multitude to do evil"
(Ex. 23:2)

And as Yeshua himself said:

"That which is highly esteemed among men is abominable in the sight of Elohim"
(Luke 16:15)

And as Paul writes:

"Be you not conformed to this world but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may know what is that good and acceptable and wholehearted will of God."
(Rom. 12:2)

We are commanded to come out from Babylon, be separate and not to partake of her sins (2Cor. 6:14-18; Rev. 18:2-5; Is. 48:20; 52:11; Jer. 50:8; 51:6, 45; Zech. 2:6-7).


Meat Offered to Idols

It has been suggested that Paul's statements in 1Cor. 8:1-13; 10:7, 14-28 conflict with the ruling against eating meat offered up to idols (Acts 15:10, 29; 21:25; Rev. 2:14, 20). However there is in reality no conflict.
Let me explain:

Acts chapter 15 does not give an exhaustive enumeration of all of the laws which apply to gentiles, but rather the "greater burden" or outer lying limits of the Noachdic or Gentile Law (Acts 15:28). This is based on a Jewish principle called "KOL V'KHOMER" (light and heavy) which recognizes that certain commandments are of greater weight than others (see Mt. 23:23; the principle is used in Mt. 12:11-12 & Jn. 7:22-23). There was never any question as to whether Gentiles could forsake justice, blaspheme, murder or steal; so there was no need to list these with the greatest burden of Gentile Law.

The Noachdic Law against idolatry is given very strict borders. Idolatry is to include eating meat offered to idols.

Now in 1Cor. 8:1-13; 10:7, 14-28 Paul agrees that one may not knowingly eat meat offered up to idols. The halachic issue Paul questions, is whether or not one must ask, when purchasing meat, whether or not it has been offered to idols. Paul argues (based on Ps. 24:1=1Cor. 10:26, 28) that meat is not actually altered by the idol but that eating such meat appears to others to endorse the idol to which it was offered. If meat is advertised as having been offered to idols, then believers may not eat it, since this would appear to endorse the idol. However, since the idol has no real power over the meat, believers are not required to ask, since this would imply that the believer believed that the idol had power over the meat, thus ascribing power to the idol and endorsing idolatry by acknowledging the idol's alleged power.

A basis for Paul's argument can be found by comparing Paul's summation of his argument in 1Cor. 10:28 to the story of the martyr Eleazar in 2Maccabbes 6:1-29. Eleazer was a prominent Jew under the Helene rule. A day came when all of the Jews were to show their loyalty by eating meat offered to idols at a public feast. Eleazar was not willing to do so, but because of his prominence, the authorities offered to allow him to sneak kosher meat into the feast and eat it instead, thus only appearing to eat meat offered up to idols. Eleazer refused, knowing that this would appear to endorse idolatry, despite the fact that the meat would be kosher. As a result Eleazar was executed. This story demonstrates that eating meat offered to idols is wrong, not because of the meat itself, but because of the implied endorsement of the idolatry. Thus, Paul's interpretation does not conflict with Acts 15 but actually implies a very strict interpretation, by which eating kosher meat would also be forbidden, if the meat were falsely advertised as having been offered to an idol.

The December 25th holiday (Christmas) is a holiday which has been offered up to idols. The idols have not changed the day, but observance of December 25th appears to support idolatry. It is a well known fact (found in most any encyclopedia and even the Christian Book of Why) that Christmas is simply a Christian adoption of a pagan holiday. Believers who observe Christmas appear to endorse idolatry. This can have the effect of making the believers testimony to his faith appear false (or hypocritical) while driving non-believers to other faiths which may be apostate in other areas but which abstain from Pagan holidays (for example the Jehovah’s Witnesses). Those who witness to the truth in other areas but observe Christmas dishonor the truth and make it look as if it must be false. And this is part of the message of Chanukah as we will see later.


What about Romans 14?

Some Christians will quote Romans 14:5-6 in an effort to prove that we should not object to observing Christmas as a special day. The problem is that they take Rom. 14:5-6 out of context.

In Romans 14 Paul is comparing those who are weak in the faith with those who are not (14:1-2). He first compares non-vegetarians to vegetarians (14:2) and finds that while vegetarians are weak in the faith, we should not “despise” them (14:3).

Then Paul compares those who “esteem one day above another” to one who “esteems every day alike” (14:5). If we compare with the parallelism of the previous example it would seem that Paul is saying that those who esteem every day alike are weak in the faith just as vegetarians are weak in the faith. Thus the “correct” position described in Rom. 14:5 is to “esteem one day above another” (as required by Torah). In context those who “esteem one day above another” in Rom. 14:5 are those who observe sacred days as laid out in Torah. They are NOT those observing pagan festivals. The ones we are told not to judge are not Christmas keepers either but the ones who “esteem every day alike” (i.e. who do not observe any holidays at all).

The following chart will help illustrate the point:

[One who is not weak] “One who is weak”
“Believes he may eat all things” “eats only herbs”
“esteems one day above another” “esteems every day alike”

Paul is saying that these weaker brothers should be strengthened in the faith, not despised and judged. However Paul speaks very differently about those who attempt to incorporate Pagan holidays into the true faith:

8: Howbeit then, when ye knew not God,
ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9: But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God,
how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10: Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11: I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
(Gal. 4:8-11; KJV)


Chanukah not Christmas

While the early believers did not observe Christmas, Yeshua himself observed Chanukah as recorded in John 10:22-23:

And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication (Chanukah),
and it was winter.
And Yeshua walked in the Temple in Solomon’s porch.

It is sad that Chanukah is often thought of a Jewish equivalent of Christmas. Christmas and Chanukah are complete opposites. Christmas is the result of assimilation into Pagan Helenistic culture. Chanukah has to do with resisting assimilation into Pagan Helenistic culture, even to the point of death. Why do we observe Chanukah?

When the Greek Helene Empire was split after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, there were continuous attempts by the Greeks to force our people to abandon Torah and Judaism and adopt Helenistic ideas, customs and practices. In 175 BCE King Antiochus force was employed to persecute all Jews who held to Judaism. He looted the Templeforced all Jews to bow down to idols he placed there and sacrificed a pig on the Holy Alter.

Of course this defilement of the Temple and persecution resulted in a Jewish uprising. The leader of this uprising was Judah Maccabee. On the 25th of Kislev, exactly three years to the day after the defilement of the Temple, the Greeks were driven out in the year 165 BCE. Thus on the 25th of Kislev the Temple was rededicated.

This event is recorded in the First Book of the Maccabees as follows:

Then said Judas and his brothers, "Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us
go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it."
So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion.
And they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates
burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket,
or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers
of the priests in ruins.
Then they rent their clothes, and mourned with great lamentation, and
sprinkled themselves with ashes.
They fell face down on the ground, and sounded the signal on the trumpets,
and cried out to Heaven.
Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had
cleansed the sanctuary.
He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, and they cleansed
the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place.
They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had
been profaned.
And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon them,
for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar,
and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there
should come a prophet to tell what to do with them.
Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar
like the former one.
They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and
consecrated the courts.
They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of
incense, and the table into the temple.
Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the
lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.
They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they
finished all the work they had undertaken.
Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is
the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year,
they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of
burnt offering which they had built.
At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it,
it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes
and cymbals.
All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who
had prospered them.
So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and offered
burnt offerings with gladness; they offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise.
They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and furnished them with doors.
There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the
Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that
every year at that season the days of dedication of
the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for eight days,
beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.
(1Maccabees 4:36-59)

The Talmud add the following information:

What is the reason for Chanukah? For our Rabbis taught:
On the 25th of Kislev begin the days of Chanukah,
which are eight, during which lamentation for the dead
and fasting are forbidden. For when the Greeks entered
the Temple, they defiled all the oils in it, and when the
Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them,
they [the Hasmoneans] searched and found only one cruse
of oil which possessed the seal of the High Priest, but which
contained sufficient oil for only one day's lighting; yet
a miracle occurred there and they lit [the lamp] for eight days.
The following year these days were appointed a Festival with
the recitation of Hallel and thanksgiving.
(b.Shabbat 21b)

(See also: 2Macc. 10:5-8 and Josephus Ant. 12:7:6-7)

Let us remember the true message of Chanukah and what for us is the "reason for the season"... resisting Pagan helenistic influences such as Christmas.

Keeping the fall feasts are all a part of the blessings our congregation at the Relationship Enrichment Center in Tampa Florida, and I have enjoyed as a result of our belief that the Torah/Teaching and Instruction/Law of Yahweh is for today. Considering that the fall feasts are a wonderful time for brethren to gather together and magnify Yahweh Elohim for all the blessings He has given, it is hard for me to understand how anyone could view the law/Torah as a burden. The church has been robbed for too long and the enemy Satan needs to be exposed, we were never to stop celebrating the Feast that Yahweh has commanded us to keep!

The feasts are based on the timing of Yahweh's calendar in scripture. There are different understandings as to what moon phase designates the first day of a month, but we watch for the first new crescent of the moon after the moon has been dark. It is visible just to the left of the sun within an hour after sunset.

Feast of Trumpets

On the 1st day of the 7th month, Yahweh commanded us to keep the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets is mentioned in the following verses:


Leviticus 23:24 - Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

And again:

Numbers 29:1 - And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

As you can see, this day is to observed as a Sabbath day. It is a time of shouting, blowing trumpets and rejoicing. The Hebrew name for this day is "Yom Torah" which literally means "Day of Alarm or Day of Sounding". I also believe that it's a Trumpet Blast for the Awakening for the body of the Messiah those who are seeking truth need to be awaken!

8643 teruw`ah {ter-oo-aw'} Meaning: 1) alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout, shout or blast of war or alarm or joy

Now let's examine Numbers 10, which gives us some details on the trumpets used:


Numbers 10:1 - And YAHWEH spake unto Moses, saying, 2 - Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 - And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 - And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5 - When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

The word "Teruah" is used in the above verse "blow/sound the Teruah". Blow the alarm.

Numbers 10:6 - When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 - But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 - And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 9 - And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before YAHWEH your Elohim, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10 - Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your Elohim: I am YAHWEH your Elohim.

Many believe that this feast is symbolic of Yahushua's return, or our own advancement toward the promised land (Yahweh's kingdom) at Yahushua's return. It is true that scripture says Yahushua will return at the 'last trump':

1Corinthians 15:51 - Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 - In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Day of Atonement( Yom Kippur)

Another holy day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It is not a day of feasting. Rather, it is a day of fasting:


Leviticus 23:27 - Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH. 28 - And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before YAHWEH your Elohim.

Some believe that since there are special offerings given at these feasts, it must mean that they are not for today. However, just because sacrifices are given at certain times throughout the year, it does not abolish the observance of Yahweh's seven Annual Sabbaths (First and Last days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day). There are also special sacrifices given on the regular Sabbath, yet we keep the regular weekly Sabbath as commanded.

Continuing in Leviticus 23:


Leviticus 23:29 - For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30 - And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31 - Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 - It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

Considering the warnings given, we would do well to obey the commandment here to fast. Some believe this is symbolic of when Yahushua will completely destroy the last enemy (death) at the end of the 1000 year reign when Satan will finally be thrown into the lake of fire. Then all sin will be atoned for and those who have chosen righteousness will forever be with Yahweh.

This day is casually mentioned in the book of Acts:


Acts 27:9 - Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 10 - And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Luke, the writer of Acts was using the "fast" as a reference point of time. Apparently, sailing was more dangerous in late autumn. On this day, we do fast. We neither eat bread nor drink water. It is a somber time of considering our ways and recognizing the atonement found in Yahushua the Messiah who is now seated at the right hand of Yahweh:

Psalms 110:1 - YAHWEH said unto my Master, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2 - YAHWEH shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3 - Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4 - YAHWEH hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 5 - YAHWEH at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6 - He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

Yahweh anointed the Messiah Yahushua as both king and priest. He is High Priest after the order of Melchizidek (meaning "King of Righteousness"). Melchizedek was the king that Abraham paid tithes to. Mechizedek was also the King of Salem, which most say is modern day Jerusalem.

Notice in verse 1 we see that Yahushua is seated at the right hand of Yahweh. According to the Torah, the High Priest was only permitted to enter the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement:


Leviticus 16:29 - And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 30 - For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before YAHWEH. 31 - It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. 32 - And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: 33 - And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 34 - And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as YAHWEH commanded Moses.

This is written of in Hebrews 9:6:

Hebrews 9:6 - Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 - But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; 8 - the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 - It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience-- 10 - concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. 11 - But the Messiah came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 - Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 - For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sets apart for the purifying of the flesh, 14 - how much more shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?

...and later in this chapter:

Hebrews 9:24 - For the Messiah has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of YAHWEH for us; 25 - not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another-- 26 - He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 - And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 - so the Messiah was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

The Feast of Tabernacles

Now let's look at the feast of tabernacles, which was just after the fall harvest:


Deuteronomy 16:13 - Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 14 - And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. 15 - Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto YAHWEH thy Elohim in the place which YAHWEH shall choose: because YAHWEH thy Elohim shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

Why is it called the feast of tabernacles?

Leviticus 23:24 - Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. 25 - Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH. 26 - And YAHWEH spake unto Moses, saying, 27 - Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH.

We can see that Yahweh lists these days in succession in Leviticus 23. This is a good place to start when learning about the feasts. Continuing:

Leviticus 23:34 - Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto YAHWEH. 35 - On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36 - Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. 37 - These are the feasts of YAHWEH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: 38 - Beside the sabbaths of YAHWEH, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto YAHWEH. 39 - Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto YAHWEH seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. 40 - And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before YAHWEH your Elohim seven days. 41 - And ye shall keep it a feast unto YAHWEH seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 - Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 43 - That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am YAHWEH your Elohim. 44 - And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of YAHWEH.

This feast is also known as "Sukkot". Sukkot means "booths, tabernacles". All of Israel is commanded to dwell in booths during the 7 days of the feast. This is the first and eighth day mentioned in the above verses. The last day is also known as the "Last great day". The first and eighth days are Sabbaths and holy convocations. This is a very popular feast among brethren. At this feast, it is good to build a "Sukkah" or temporary dwelling place made with surrounding trees and branches. We usually dwell in tents or other temporary dwellings. It is especially delightful for the children. This feast will be most enjoyed if you have the chance to gather and dwell among brethren for the entire length of this feast. It is a time to remember how temporary this life really is and to consider that one day we will tabernacle with Yahweh forever:

Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of YAHWEH is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. YAHWEH Himself will be with them and be their Elohim. 4 - "And YAHWEH will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 - Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." 6 - And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 - "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his Elohim and he shall be My son.

Spiritual Symbolism

The feasts are powerful symbols and standing memorials of Yahweh's plan of salvation for all men.

Starting at Passover, I would like to take the opportunity to share some thoughts that I have had concerning the meanings of these feasts. The following words are not inspired, but the correlation between these feasts and Yahweh's plan of salvation is very difficult to ignore.

Early in the book of Exodus, we learn that children of Israel were in bondage to slavery. Egypt represents the sin laden world and all its glory. We were in bondage, in slavery to satan while in our sins. Satan is the ruler and god of this world. Pharaoh is symbolically satan because Pharaoh ruled Egypt (symbolic of the world). Just as Pharaoh tried to destroy Israel, Satan also tries to destroy the predestined children of Israel lest we be large in number.

The children of Israel were oppressed and in the bondage of slavery to the Egyptians. The taskmasters, symbolic of demons (the servants of satan), afflicted those in bondage. The land flowing with milk and honey is symbolic of the "promised land", the eternal kingdom of Yahweh. Yahweh heard the cry of the children of Israel who wanted to be delivered from their bondage. We also knew the bondage that sin had brought upon us. We too, cried out to Yahweh. As we shall see, Yahweh delivered us in the same manner as He delivered Israel from their bondage.

Pharaoh did not want to let them go out of Egypt. So Yahweh sent plagues upon the Egyptians who worshiped idols. Yahweh showed His superiority over dumb idols by sending 10 plagues. Yahweh has revealed to us His superiority over the gods of this world whether they be lusts, pride, drugs, money or whatever sins might come between us and Yahweh. Just as He revealed to the children of Israel that He was all powerful and worthy of their faith, so He revealed Himself to us!

On the tenth day of the month of Abib, the lamb was to be set aside and examined for defects from Abib 10 to Abib 14. Yahushua the Messiah entered Jerusalem and went into the temple on Abib 10. He was on display until Abib 14. Just as the lambs of the children of Israel were required to be without spot or blemish, Yahushua, our lamb was totally without sin. The Lamb of Yahweh was examined many times by the chief priests and elders, as well as Pilate. When we examine Yahushua, we can see that He was without spot and without blemish. Even Pilate declared "I see no fault in him" (Luke 23:4, John 18:38, 19:4-6).

Consider also that to Yahweh a day is as 1000 years (Psalm 90:4). The Messiah was also hidden from the sight of man for 4 days (4000 years) until He became the Lamb of Yahweh.

So the whole assembly was to kill the lamb and place the blood on the lintel and doorposts of their homes. They would then eat the lamb. We must partake in the body and blood of the Lamb. It is not a literal flesh and blood (this would be an abomination), but flesh and blood symbolic of 2 things. Bread is also known to represent His word in scripture. The word of Yahweh convicts us of our sin and shows us our sin. Therefore we need redemption. This is why we take from the cup. It is the blood of Yahushua that covers and cleanses us from all sin.

Soon after the Passover, the children of Israel were baptized via the Red Sea and the Cloud and delivered from that old life of sin and bondage. We also were baptized into the name of Yahushua the Messiah and delivered from that old life of sin and bondage. After the Passover, we have the feast of unleavened bread. Throughout scripture, leaven represents sin. This represents the cleansing that Yahushua had done for us. Our house was cleansed from all iniquity.

Next, we have the feast of weeks, or Pentecost. This feast was the time that Yahweh is said to have spoken the commandments from Mount Sinai. It was also the time of the outpouring of Yahweh's Spirit in Acts 2. Indeed, Yahweh's word is Spirit!

Next, we have the feast of trumpets which may signify the Day of Yahweh when Yahushua will set up His 1000 year reign over all the earth. As previously mentioned, the trumpets were also used to advance the children of Israel to the promised land. We will enter the promised land at the "last trump".

The Day of Atonement, as we said can represent the atoning of all the world from sin and the penalty of sin, death. Finally, we will tabernacle with Yahweh forever and the last enemy will be defeated. Until then, we (like Israel) are in the wilderness and are being taught the law of Yahweh as we encounter tests, trials and tribulations. We will need to overcome and do so without murmuring or complaining if we expect to make it to the promised land.

Let's remember also that it was not Moses that ultimately brought Israel to the promised land, but his successor Joshua. What does this signify? Joshua is the same name in Hebrew as the name of the Messiah, Yahushua. I believe that it teaches us that although Moses can show us the way to enter the promised land, it takes a man named Yahushua to take us there. Even so, come Master Yahushua! In His Service, Pastor Hector & Evelyn

Shalom and Blessings in the Name of Yeshua,

Today, we will be talking about the lie of the rapture, and about the truth of the resurrection.

To lay a foundation for this teaching, let us first establish some fundamental things crucial to the interpretation of Scripture and Prophecy.

First, it is important to understand that the Scriptures, including the good news (gospel) written within them, are wholly and entirely Hebrew in thought, language and concept.

The second item important to understand is that Messiah Yeshua (Christ), who died on the execution stake for our violations of Torah (sin), was wholly and entirely Jewish Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 1:1-17 (Paternal) & Luke 3:23-38 (Maternal), and the King of the Jews. Mark 15:2,9,12,18,26.

The third item important to understand is that the stewardship of the good news (gospel), that is, the responsibility of taking the good news of the Torah and the Testimony to the nations is the chief responsibility of the Jewish people.

As Yeshua states in Yahchanan (John) 4:19-22, “Salvation is of the Jews”, and as such, it is the chief responsibility of our people to preserve, obey, and teach, the Torah and the Testimony to ourselves and to the nations around us.

And a fourth item important to understand is that all of the apostles were Jewish. That is, they were all either descendents of Judah, or Israelites who had returned from abroad to the Faith of Avraham that had been revived through Moshe (Moses) and preserved by the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

In first century Israel people worked in the same community they lived. All of the apostles, likewise, lived and worked in Judah (Yahudah). Yeshua, accordingly, found and appointed all His apostles in Judah. That is why the people of Judah (Yahudah) are called Jews (Yahudim), because they are either from the tribe of Judah, from one of the three tribes of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, or were one of the other 10 tribes that had returned, or a Gentile who had converted, to the Faith of Avraham preserved by Judah.

So what exactly then was a Jew in the first century setting of Scripture?

It was a descendent of the tribe of Judah who practiced the faith of Avraham (a Hebrew), revived through Moshe (Moses), and preserved through the Hebrew Kingdom Nation of Judah up until the time of the destruction of the Temple in 70CE, as well as anyone who attached themselves to Judah, and the faith of Avraham preserved by Judah.

And all who came to be associated with Judah, through this Faith of Avraham preserved through Judah, became known as Jews (as Yahudim) - irregardless of what tribe or nation they came from initially.

After 70CE, the faithful stewards of the faith were effectively extinguished and rooted out as a mainstream influence, and the faith of Avraham was divided into two new religions (even as King David‘s Kingdom was divided after Shlomo/Solomon), neither of which Yeshua, or the Apostles, or the former religion of the sages, taught.

The first new religion came out of the former Faith which had been preserved by Judah. It was a religion that continued to uphold the Torah of Yahuweh, but which had ultimately, by 70 CE, completely rejected Yeshua as Messiah.

This rejection, which began its process at the time of the death and resurrection of Yeshua, resulted in the expulsion of all openly professing leaders from out of the synagogues. Once the leaders who believed had been effectively expelled and ex-communicated from their positions and power in the Jewish community, the once thriving institution of the Faith became a tomb for the unbelieving.

And approximately eight years after the resurrection (around 40 CE), this movement, which had been started by the Yeshua and the apostles, began to grow a new branch, out of which came the second new religion distinguished by it‘s profession of Yeshua as the Messiah, but which rejected the Torah as the standard for the community of believers.

This second movement was the result of the flood of Hellenistic Jews, that entered into the community of believers after 40 CE, who were content with the Greek customs, culture, and lifestyles of the time that they had become accustomed to (much in the way that the modern churchianity has adopted American culture and values). And who, though receptive to the concept of Yeshua as their Messiah, had no desire to change their lifestyles to conform to the standard of Torah passed down to us through our forefathers.

This unwillingness to completely convert to the Faith of Avraham from their Hellenistic culture is reflected by the very name they attached to Yeshua; that is, by the Name of Jesus, which in Greek is pronounced “ea-zeus” (ye-sus), and which means in Greek “Zeus the healer”.

This is totally contrary to Yeshua‘s Hebrew Name, which means in Hebrew, “Yahuweh brings salvation”.

And why did these Greek converts refer to Yeshua with this pagan name, rather than by His Hebrew Name given to Him by Yahuweh Himself? Because they wanted to relate everything about Yeshua to their own familiar Greek culture and religion rather than to the Hebrew culture and religion that Yeshua and our forefathers represent. Because to them, Yeshua was just another god. Another god among many.

And because they wanted to continue in the path of hybrid religions that catered to the ideals of individuals, in accordance to their human appetites; rather than accept and believe in Yahuweh’s way as the only path of truth and life.

The first new religion is known today as Judaism. And the second new religion is known today as Christianity. Neither religion represents accurately the Faith of Avraham, revived through Moshe, and preserved by Yahudah, and perpetuated through Yeshua and the Apostles, for each only holds to half of the gospel, but rejects the other half.

That is, Judaism understands the need to apply the Torah of Yahuweh as the standard of His community, but rejects Yeshua as the Messiah. And Christianity accepts Yeshua as the Messiah, but rejects the Torah of Yahuweh as the standard of His community.

And to make matters worse, Judaism has taken the Torah that they once held firmly to and have replaced it with the counterfeit torah of rabbinical rulings. And Christianity has taken the Messiah that they once held firmly to and replaced it with a counterfeit, Torahless Messiah. The two religions effectively replacing the Torah of Yahuweh and Testimony of Yeshua with the traditions of men.

But the gospel that these two religions teach today is not the gospel that was taught to Avraham, to the children of Israel in the wilderness, or by Yeshua or the apostles.

As it is written, “To the Torah and the Testimony, if anyone does not speak according to these words, it is because they have no light in them.” Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 8:16-20.

And as it is stated also in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12, that the remnant of faithful believers in this world are those who obey the mitzvoth (commandments) of Yahuweh and have the Testimony of Yeshua, the Son of Yahuweh, who died for the remission of sins past (violations of Torah past). Romans 3:25.

And the fifth and final important item to know is that the 144,000 spoken of in the Book of Revelation are likewise, all Hebrews - all from the 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5); and that in the New Jerusalem, which comes down from above when the new earth is created, contains only 12 gates on it. One gate for each tribe of Israel. There is no 13th tribe or 13 gate for the nations (the gentiles). Revelations 21:9-12

The reason is because if you are a believer in Yeshua as Messiah (as Savior and King of Israel) and are a follower of the Torah (the legal code, instruction, and standard of Israel), then you have been grafted into the Olive Tree of Israel as a natural branch of the Olive tree, and as such, are no longer a gentile (a person of the nations, a wild branch of an olive tree) Romans 11:1-24.

As Rav Shaul (the Rabbi “apostle” Paul) says in Ephesians 2:11,19

2:11 “You who were at one time Gentiles in the flesh

2:19 …are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the separated ones, and members of the household of Elohim.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah; B‘resheet (Genesis) 49:9,10, and out of Zion shall go forth the Torah; Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 2:2,3.

And where is Zion? In the city of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).

Which is located where? In the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

And where is Judah listed in Revelation 7:5? It is listed at the head of the tribes. Why? Because Yeshua as a Jew, and as a descendent of Judah, and teacher of the Faith of Avraham, revived through Moshe (Moses), and preserved by the Kingdom of Judah, is the head of the body of the redeemed of Yahuweh.

That’s why the city of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is located where? In Judah; and why the Torah and the Scepter go out from there.

I want to make this very clear.

Understand, that the Scriptures, in their entirety, are the Hebrew writings of the Jewish people.

That includes the books of Mattit’yahu (Matthew) through Revelation. And every single writer of Scripture was from the Southern Kingdom of Yahudah either by birth or by teshuvah (by returning to the Faith associated with Judah).

It was written by Hebrews, for Hebrews, who in turn were to take it to the nations, to bring the nations to repentance through knowledge of the Torah (the “Law” of Yahuweh given through Moshe), and to salvation, through the Testimony of the Blood of Ha Mashiach Yeshua (Yeshua Messiah), our Redeemer, for the remission of sins (of Torah violations) that are past; Romans 3:25.

That is, through revelation of the Torah and the Testimony. For the true people of Yahuweh are those who obey His mitzvoth (commandments), and believe the Testimony of the Blood of His Son, Ha Mashiach Yeshua; Revelations 12:17; 14:12.

And His Sabbaths - plural, are part of the mitzvoth (commandments) of His Torah, of the Torah of Yahuweh; and the resurrection (redemption from death) - not the “rapture,” are part of the Testimony of His Son. So if you oppose His Torah and the Jewishness of the Messiah and of the Holy Scriptures, then Almighty Yahuweh shall oppose you. And what a fearsome thing it is to be found in opposition to the Creator.

It is of no benefit to teach a compromised Gospel which does nothing but confuse the sheep of Yahuweh’s flock. And those who represent the Scriptures have no license to be people-pleasers, or to cater to the whims of the masses, or to tickle people’s ears with doctrines appealing to the sinful, self- centered nature; but have a responsibility to teach the uncompromisable Word of Yahuweh in Truth only - and without compromise.

Our duty to Yahuweh, and to our neighbor, is to teach that pure, uncompromised Torah of Yahuweh, the Almighty Creator of the heavens and earth; and the Testimony of His Son, Ha Mashiach Yeshua, our King and Redeemer.

To reach His people with His Word. To let His Word separate the sheep from the goats; and to encourage leaders to come out and boldly, and courageously, do the same. To oppose the works of this darkened world, and to oppose the polluted doctrines of the mainstream religions that have opposed the Torah of Truth - the Word of Almighty Yahuweh, or the Testimony of His Son.

It is our sacred duty to rebuke those who are leading millions of souls to their spiritual deaths by presenting the Truth of Yahuweh with all manner of unrighteousness and deception. Who teach the need to repent, without teaching how to repent. Who teach the need to obey Elohim’s commandments, while teaching that His commandments are done away.

Who proclaim to be upholders of His Word, while at the same time opposing His Word.

Who teach the corrupted, contaminated feasts of christmas, easter, and halloween, while opposing the pure unadulterated Feasts appointed by Yahuweh Himself.

Who teach that our Holy Messiah has sanctified the unholy pig as “food”, while they themselves avoid salt and sugar, and saturated fats; and who would never consider eating a poisonous plant or vulture, while telling you all things are “clean.” Who teach nothing but the traditions of men in place of the commandments of Elohim, as if their traditions constituted the word and commandments of Elohim.

Lying preachers, ministers of ha satan - repent while there is time. Repent of the souls you are destroying with your fabricated lies and demonic doctrines. The first of which I am going to rebuke right now, and that is the demonic lie of the “rapture”.

And I don’t mean that there won’t be a rapture. What I do mean is that the “rapture” that is being taught throughout mainstream religion today is a lie, and a deception, that will be used to catapult the Beast and the False Prophet into power as the “messiah” through what will be nothing but a counterfeit of the resurrection.

I tell you right now, the Beast and False Prophet will not be coming on the scene to oppose Christianity - but to pose as the “savior” of Christianity, as the “Messiah”, and as “God”; II Thessalonians 2:3,4.

And that’s why I don’t call him the anti-Messiah, because he will not come to openly or clearly oppose Messiah, but to claim that he is Messiah.

And as such, the Beast will proclaim the two witnesses in Revelation 11, to be anti-Messiah, and will use their upholding of the Torah and Temple sacrifices as his evidence against them.

Make straight the paths of Yahuweh as one crying in the wilderness. Repent, that you may receive remission of your sins (remission of your violations of Torah) and obtain life. Repent, and come out of her my people, that you partake not of her disasters. For Yahuweh in times past has momentarily closed His eyes to our ignorance, but now commands men everywhere to repent.

In Mattit'yahu, (Matthew) 24:29, 31 it is made very clear when Yeshua will return. It reads:

24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven; and then, all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great splendor.

24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a shofar, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

So the Scriptures state that Yeshua will return when? Immediately after the tribulation.

And it says He is going to send out His angels to gather up His elect when? At the sound of the shofar.

And the shofar is blown when? After the tribulation. Which ties into what verse?

In I Thessalonians 4:15-17 we read,

4:15 For this we say to you by the word of Yeshua, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of Yeshua will under no circumstance precede those who are asleep.

4:16 For Yeshua Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, with the shofar of Yahuweh: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first.

4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be gathered up together with them in the clouds to meet Yeshua in the air...

And I Corinthians 15:52 says,

15:52 In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last shofar blast, for the shofar will blast, and the dead will be raised...

Then in II Thessalonians 2:8 it says,

2:8 …that lawless one” will be revealed, whom Yeshua will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

So the Scriptures state that Yeshua’s return will be after the tribulation.

That at the blowing of the last shofar the dead in Messiah shall rise first, and then those who are alive and remain shall be gathered up afterward.

Then after these things the Beast and False Prophet will be consumed with the brightness of Yeshua’s coming and be thrown into the Lake of Fire; II Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:19,20.

And if the Beast has been consumed in the brightness of Yeshua’s coming then he cannot continue to rule, or to persecute any believers that have supposedly been left behind.

In fact, when Yeshua returns, the affairs of this world are all going to come to a very sudden and abrupt halt.

And isn’t amazing how every Scripture here just quoted states the exact opposite of what the lie of the “rapture” teaches.

The Scriptures just stated that Yeshua would come after the tribulation, but the “rapture” teaches that He comes in the middle of the 7 year covenant, and prior to the tribulation.

The Scriptures just stated that the dead shall be raised first, and then the living shall be gathered up second - to meet Yeshua in the air; and stated emphatically that the living shall not be gathered up before the dead are resurrected.

But the “rapture” doctrine teaches that Yeshua returns before the tribulation, in the middle of the 7 year covenant, and “raptures” up those who are alive at this coming prior to the resurrection of the dead.

The rapture lie, in fact, teaches nothing about the dead being resurrected at that time, and implies quite clearly that the dead are going to be raised up after the so-called “rapture” at some imaginary, non-scriptural, third coming.

And it is interesting that the rapture lie teaches that those who are left behind are left to go through the tribulation in order to purify them. That the tribulation is somehow necessary to purify them so that they can become “saints”. They will sometimes even go so far as to say that those left behind are unbelieving Jews who can only come to belief in Yeshua by missing out on the “rapture boat” and going through the tribulation.

I say this is interesting because the beast is going to proclaim to be the Messiah, is going to rapture up world leaders, and is going to come back down on this earth with those leaders to run the earth under a new one world government; and is going to declare all who do not conform - to be unbelievers and heretics; and is going to persecute these so called heretics until they either die or convert.

And that is why this is all so interesting, because that is what Christians have done over and over to our people in the past whenever they persecuted us. They would take anyone who didn’t believe the way they do and would persecute them until they either died or converted.

Christianity isn’t doing that now is because it’s full of believers who haven’t yet been perfected or cast out. Just like the assembly of faith in Yeshua’s time was full of believers until the completion of the expulsion in 70CE, the expulsion of which was made complete when the Romans came against Jerusalem in 70CE, even as the unholy Roman Empire will come against Jerusalem in the end.

So where is this lie of the rapture coming from? Why is it being taught? And why is it being taught as a separate event from the resurrection, and being taught as a mid-covenant, pre-tribulation event? All teaching of which is completely contrary to the plain text of scripture. And why is it so popular?

Nothing about Yahuweh is ever popular with mainstream religion. The fact that it is the predominant end-time doctrine of mainstream religion should be enough to tell a person it is a lie. The truth is never popular with the masses - ever.

II Corinthians 4:4 refers to ha satan (the Accuser), as the god of this world.

In Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 4:8 this “accuser” offers all the kingdoms of this world to Yeshua, if Yeshua would only bow down and worship him.

In Revelation 12:9 it says that the Accuser deceives the whole world.

And says in II Corinthians 11:14 that the Accuser can present himself as a messenger of light, and his ministers as servants of righteousness.

The Scriptures state that the Accuser deceives the whole world. And how did he deceive Adam and Havah (Eve)? He did it by misrepresenting Scripture, and when he attempted to deceive Yeshua in Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 4:8, he attempted to do it by misrepresenting Scripture.

The Scriptures declare the “accuser” to be the father of all lies; Yahchanan (John) 8:44, and the Scriptures declare the “rapture” doctrine to be a lie.

Does that mean it’s not going to happen? No. Of course its going to happen. The “accuser” doesn’t create lies out of boredom, or out of lack of things to do. He doesn’t create them to amuse himself.

He creates lies for one reason, and one reason only. To deceive and to destroy in order to exalt himself at the destruction of others.

He lies because there is no truth in him, and lies in order to cast down the truth so that he may be exalted. And to accomplish the purpose of self-exaltation, he will lie, murder, steal, and destroy to no end, until he himself is destroyed. Yahchanan (John) 10:10

So why then is the “rapture” taught as a separate event from the resurrection? Because the “accuser” cannot resurrect from the dead, so he instead produces a counterfeit of the resurrection through the so called rapture doctrine.

And in light of the rapid advancement of technology, it is not difficult to conceive a counterfeit “gathering up” of world religious leaders and followers through some kind of levitation device.

The absence of a visual “resurrection” before this rapture could likewise be explained away as a spiritual event that could not be seen with the naked eye.

He could also conceivably arrive in the clouds of the sky with a host of UFO’s, or some other type of aeronautical flying device over the largest of cities, and cause the event to be televised throughout the world. All things of which would cause amazement in those who do not believe the testimony of the two witnesses in Revelation 11. But which, in fact, will be nothing compared to the true event of the Second Coming.

So, if a rapture is something that can be potentially counterfeited through advanced technology, then why in the timing of mid-covenant/pre-tribulation? Why is the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine taught to occur in the middle of the 7 year covenant, and why is it the view that is promoted the most?

Because it is in the middle of the 7 year covenant that the Beast arises to kill the two witnesses of Yahuweh; Daniel 9:27, and when the Beast will stand in the Temple of Yahuweh; Daniel 8:9-12; 11:31; II Thessalonians 2:3,4; Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 24:15-20, and proclaim himself to be the “God”; Daniel 11:36,37, and declare the two witnesses to be anti-christ.

This in turn will result in a great tribulation against the “Saints”; Daniel 7:25; 8:23,24; Revelation 12:17;13:4-7, who, according to the rapture lie, are supposedly “Jews” who are “left behind” to be purified, while the so called “Church” gets the easy way out.

And indeed, the tribulation will purify many people - but not because the they were “left behind”; Daniel 12:10, but in order to separate the wheat from the chaff, the holy from the unholy, the righteous from the wicked, the sheep from the goats.

However, the tribulation is actually a 7 year tribulation that begins and ends at the same time as the 7 year covenant.

The 7 years of tribulation and 7 year covenant are parallel to each other, and in many respects, synonymous with each other.

This 7 years of tribulation is likewise, broken into two parts. The first part is a 1260 day period, which will be the period of tribulation against the world due to the testimony of the two witnesses; Revelation 11:3-7, during which time the “holy” people, the saints, will be protected; Revelation 12:6.

This will be followed by the second part, which will be 42 months in length. It will be the tribulation against the holy people, it will be the time of persecution against the saints; Revelation 13:5, and where the sanctuary shall be trampled under foot by the nations (by the gentiles) after the murder of the two witnesses; Revelation 11:1; 13:5-7.

The first 1260 day period is tribulation for the world because of the Testimony of the two witnesses of Revelation 11; and the second, 42 month period, is tribulation on the community of believers, because of the rise of the beast into power through the killing of the two witnesses and deception of the rapture.

II Thessalonians 2:3,4 states,

2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come, except the apostasy from truth comes first, and that man of Torah violation (sin) is revealed, the son of Torahlessness (lawlessness/perdition);

2:4 who opposes himself above all that is considered deity or that is worshipped, so that he will sit in the Temple of Yahuweh showing himself to be God.

How do we know this is in the middle of the 7 year period?

Because Revelation 11:3-7 states,

11:3 I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1260 days

This is a period of approximately three and one-half years.

11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the Elohim of the earth.

11:5 …and if anyone tries to harm them, fire will proceed from their mouth and devour their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

11:6 And they will have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they will have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues as often as they desire.

11:7 And when they have finished their testimony (1260 days later) the Beast that comes out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them and kill them.”

This point, 1260 days later, is when the Beast sits in the Temple of Yahuweh and proclaims himself to be God. This is where he uses the deception of the “rapture” to catapult himself into world power as the Messiah.

Now to show the completeness of this counterfeit and deception, consider these other events that ha satan mimicks.

In II Thessalonians 2:8 says,

2:8 He [Yeshua] will slay them [the beast and false prophet] with the brightness of His coming.

So what does the Beast do at his coming to counterfeit this event? He slays the two witnesses.

And after he does these things, Revelation 13:5-7 states,

13:5 And he (the Beast) was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemes, and he will have authority to continue for 42 months (approximately three and one-half years more)

So he continues for almost the exact amount of time as the two witnesses did.

13:6 and he will open his mouth to blaspheme Yahuweh, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven.

Even as the two witnesses spoke against ha satan’s name, against his kingdom, and against those who dwell on the earth.

13:7 And he will be given authority to make war with the saints and to overcome them.

Even as the two witnesses and the saints were able to make war against ha satan’s people for 1260 days and overcome them.

This makes it sound like it will be easy to identify him, but do not be deceived. The Scriptures state plainly that if it were possible even the very elect could be deceived. And I’ll tell you why.

Because the Beast will not blaspheme Yahuweh or His name directly, or His tabernacle, or the host of heaven directly. No, he is going to be opposing and blaspheming the two witnesses’ teachings concerning these things.

He is going to declare the two witnesses to be false prophets, to be anti-Messiah, and is going to blaspheme the pure Word that they taught as being demonic and apostate.

He is going to declare these things by declaring that he is the “Messiah”, and that he has come to take over the governments of the earth, and to redeem the earth from its sin.

And he is going to begin his objective by declaring the holy people (the “saints“), who responded to the message of the two witnesses, as “false” disciples and followers of the so called “false” witnesses. And he will weed them out and build allegiance to himself by imposing his mark on every person of every language and nation.

But you will know the Beast, for when he arrives on the scene, there will be doubts as to his identity; Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 24:23,24 regarding the false messiah and false prophet in 24:24, and the affairs of this world will continue on.

However, when Messiah Yeshua returns, the veil that separates the physical world from the spiritual world shall be removed from the eyes of all the inhabitants of the earth, as it was in the days of Elisha; II Kings 6:8-17, and everyone on the face of the earth will know that Yeshua, and the Great Day of Yahuweh, has come; Revelation 6:15-17.

In that day there will no longer be such a thing as an atheist; and the affairs of this world will come to an abrupt end.

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west (instantaneously), even so shall the coming of the Son of Man be; Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 24:27.

At that time the sun will become black as sackcloth of hair and the whole moon as like blood. And the stars of heaven will fall to the earth as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind; Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 24:29, Revelation 6:12,13.

And the sky will recede like a scroll when it is rolled up (i.e. the veil between the spiritual world and physical world will be removed from our eyes) Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 24:30; Revelation 6:15-17 and every mountain and island will be moved out of its place.

The kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, and every free man will hide themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and will say to the mountains and rocks,

6:16 fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For great is the day of His wrath and who is able to withstand it? There will be no doubt who Messiah is when He returns. For He will cause every mountain and valley to be removed from its place, and return with great fury so that not even those in the mountains will be hidden from His presence.

Every eye shall see Him and know that it is He, for the veil that separates the physical realm from the spiritual realm will be removed instantaneously like a scroll being rolled up; and as quickly as the lightening shines from the east to the west the entire earth shall be suddenly, and utterly, surrounded by the mighty armies of Heaven.

And the inhabitants of the earth who dwell in darkness will be utterly terrified, and will know that the end of their kingdom has come, and that the opportunity for repentance has gone.

The armies of this world will be utterly cut in pieces, and the horses struck with blindness; II Kings 6:18; Zechar’yahu (Zechariah) 12:1-4, when Yahuweh takes vengeance on the inhabitants of the earth with chariots and flames of fire. II Kings 6:17; Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 66:15,16.

And the affairs of this world be come to an abrupt halt; and the kingdoms of this world, and its inhabitants, will fall to never rise again.

The “Church” says that the Torah of the Almighty and its curses have been done away, “nailed to the cross“. But as it says in Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) 24:1,3-6,

24:1 Behold Yahuweh will empty the earth and lay it to waste; distort its surface and scatter abroad its inhabitants…

24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly ruined, for Yahuweh has spoken this word.

24:4 The earth will mourn and fade away. The world will wail and fade away. The arrogant people of the earth will wail.

24:5 The earth has become contaminated under its inhabitants because they have violated the Torah, changed the appointed times and broken the everlasting covenant.

24:6 Therefore, the curses of the covenant are devouring the earth, and those who dwell in the earth shall be desolate. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth shall be burned and few men left.

The windows from on high shall be opened and the foundations of the earth shaken. The earth will be violently broken. The earth will be split apart. The earth shall be shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel back and forth like a drunkard and shall totter like a hut. For its violation of Torah shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and never rise again; Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 24:18-23.

And Yahuweh of the mighty armies will reign on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders with great splendor. For by fire and by His word Yahuweh will judge all flesh, and those slain by Yahuweh shall be many. And those who set themselves apart and are pure in their own eyes, and who go into the gardens after an idol in its midst; and those who eat pig meat, and mice, and detestable things shall be altogether consumed; Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 66:15-17.

And it shall come to pass that the House of Yahuweh shall be established on top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. And we shall walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the Torah (“the Law”) and the Word of Yahuweh from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and shall rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into farming equipment and their spears into farm tools. And nations will no longer lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they learn war anymore; Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 2:1-4.

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up every year to worship the King, Yahuweh of the mighty armies, and to celebrate the Feast of Sukkoth (of Tabernacles); Zechar’yahu (Zechariah) 14:16-19.

And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon celebration to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before me, saith Yahuweh; Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 66:22-24.

End-time prophecies are full of Torah, full of “the Law” of Yahuweh, that has been supposedly “nailed to the cross.” You can’t get away from it. The earth is being devoured by the curse because of our refusal to obey His Torah; and when He returns He is going to destroy those who violate His Torah, and who eat pig meat and other detestable things.

Then He is going to establish His Father’s throne in Mt. Zion, in Jerusalem, and the Torah shall go forth from Mt. Zion and fill the earth with the knowledge of Yahuweh - with the knowledge of Torah.

And from one New Moon celebration to another and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come up to Jerusalem to worship before Him, and to keep the Feast of Sukkoth (Tabernacles).”

But these things don’t sound very Christian do they? But they do sound very Jewish, very Hebrew; and so they are!

And whose Sabbaths are being spoken of in these Scriptures? The world’s “Sabbaths” which say you can rest on any day you want - or the days and years that Yahuweh says are His Sabbaths? That’s right, Sabbaths - plural.

For all those out there who oppose the Sabbath and the Torah of Almighty Yahuweh, there are not one, but ten Sabbaths ordained by Yahuweh. And the “law” that people say is done away is the Law He says He is going to rule the earth in righteousness with. And those who eat pig meat and other unclean things He says He is going to utterly destroy.

Now go to II Thessalonians 2:8-12. In verse 8 it says,

2:8 And that lawless one (or some translations say, that wicked one) will be revealed, whom Yeshua will consume with the breath of His mouth, and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

The one everyone likes to call the “anti-Christ”, but who is actually the Beast posing as “Messiah”, the Scripture here refers to him as the lawless one, or wicked one.

This is interesting because these words “lawless” and “wicked” are translated from the Greek word “anomos” which specifically refers to one who will not, and does not, submit to Torah - to “the Law” of Yahuweh.

Isn’t it fascinating that the Beast - the so called “anti-Christ” is going to teach against the Torah (“the Law”) just like contemporary christianity does? And that he is going to oppose it just like mainstream churchianity does?

In fact, Daniel 7:25 says that very thing; that the Beast shall seek to change the appointed times and the Torah.

Think about it. If the Law is done away, then why do the preachers of churchianity invest so much effort into trying to convince people of it? Hey, if it was done away, it would be self-evident.

Come on, black slavery was done away in the 1800’s. Do we need to go around every opportunity we get and state that fact to people to convince them of it? No. Of course not. So, why so much investment into a point that is supposedly moot and irrelevant?

I’ll tell you why. Because if they did not continuously teach this demonic doctrine, then the truth of the Torah would be too easily seen.

Think about it. The doctrine against Yahuweh’s Law, against His Torah, is precisely the doctrine that the Scriptures I just read declare the Beast will be teaching.

So you have a Hebrew book called a Bible, that was written by Jews in the Jewish language of Hebrew, who identifies Yeshua as a Jewish Messiah, and as the King of the Jews, who in turn chooses twelve Jews to be His apostles; and states that salvation is the stewardship of the Jews.

And these twelve Jewish apostles, likewise, in turn, take this Jewish gospel to the Jewish world first, and then eight years later to the world of the gentiles.

Then you have the 144,000 who are from the 12 tribes of Israel; and the New Jerusalem in new earth that contains 12 gates - one for each tribe, with no 13th tribe among the 144,000 or 13th gate in the New Jerusalem, for Gentiles; and what does ha satan - the “accuser”, convince the world of? He convinces the world that Jews are “anti-Christ.” What an anomaly, what a contradiction of truth!

He has taken our people - the stewards of Torah, and of the Gospel of Salvation, and has convinced the world that we are “anti-Christ”. And has the world believing that anyone who obeys the Torah is a legalist, and that anyone who disobeys the Torah is righteous, despite the fact that the Scriptures plainly state the exact opposite - that is, that those who disobey the Torah are sinners performing the unrighteous works of ha satan.

The fact is, the only way to enter Yahuweh’s Kingdom is by being grafted into the natural olive tree of Israel.

And the only way to be grafted in to the natural olive tree is to obey the Torah which was given as the standard and Constitution of Israel, and to receive the Blood of Yeshua for the remission of sins past (past violations against Torah).

And once a person does this they are no longer a “gentile”; they are no longer a person of the nations, but an Israelite. And that’s why the New Jerusalem, in the new earth, will only contain 12 gates, because the only nations on earth at that time with be the 12 nations of the tribes of Israel.

But it makes sense that if Yeshua declares the Jews to be the stewards of the Gospel, that the “accuser” would work diligently to convince people of the exact opposite. Beware precious flock. Beware of those who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but who inwardly are ravenous wolves.

And one last thought before we run out of time. We have been taught traditionally that the word “saint” in Scripture is always referring to a christian. And the Scriptures throughout the Books of Daniel and Revelation declare that it is the “saints” who are going to go through the tribulation; but the rapture doctrine teaches that it is only the unbelieving Jews who will be left behind to go through the tribulation, in order that they may be purified.

So if the Scriptures teach that it is the saints who are going to go through the tribulation; and as the rapture crowd claims, it is only the Jews who will go through the tribulation, then one can only conclude that the saints are Jews - and not Christian as traditionally taught.

My recommendation. Stop being a gentile, and find yourself an Israelite tribe to attach yourself to so that you can enter into one of the gates into the city, and have right to the tree of life. For in the new heaven and new earth, their will no longer be just Judaens or Gentiles, but through the perfection of the Torah of Yahuweh, and Testimony of Yeshua, there will be only Israelites.





In His Service Together, Rabbi Hector Gomez