Here's an insightful news report to consider after a few thoughts from me.

No matter which candidate wins the office of POTUS tomorrow, partisans are going to deny his legitimacy due to "Sandy." If either side of the globalists Elite had hoped tomorrow's election would end the controversies and finally define the people's will for the course the US will take, "Sandy" has done away with it. The choice between globalist fascism and globalist Corporate socialism (heavily influenced by Al Ikhwan) will remain undetermined after the election results are tallied.

TRUE Conservatives, Nationalists and Constitutionalists can not possibly support Romney, even as the "lesser of two evils." He opposes everything they stand for.

TRUE Progressives can not possibly support Obama. He has done very little to further their cause and is clearly "owned" by corporate and Islamic interests. Progressives have opposed Obama's agenda for decades.

Both Obama and Romney (and even moreso Ryan) support the destruction of the United States and the creation of the foretold Global (fascist) Union that WILL enslave the planet according to the prophets and the lessons of history ("power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely").

As for me, tomorrow I intend to vote on the other issues (Vote YES on Prop 37 Californians!) on the ballot, but not for POTUS. Neither of these globalists are qualified to led "our" country and neither has the best interests of the nation in mind. A vote for EITHER is a vote against the former US republic.

If you live  in California, New York, or the other states where there is no contest (where Obama has already won because of the electoral college electors) I urge you to do the same. Make a protest vote by voting for neither. If you vote Green, Peace and Freedom, American Independent etc. you will be making a statement of support for their policies. Not voting for any POTUS is the only way to vote you lack of support for any of them).

Sandy's winds of uncertainty blow through U.S. presidential race

(Source)

Maybe we should not vote YES On Prop 37! I mean after all... what gives you the right to know what you are eating? Surely the global corporations should make these decisions for us... It might hurt our little brains to decide what we want to eat and what we don't. Bit Farma knows better than you right? Besides GMOs are good for us right? Yummy yummy... what does God know about making plants grow? We're smarter... right... Californians don't be fooled by the barrage of slick advertising! ALL Prop 37 does is requires a label telling us if what we eat has been GMO modified. That's it. It doesn't go far enough in my opinion, restaurants are not required to tell us nor are a few other industries (like dairy and beef) but this is a VERY solid step forward toward forcing the mega corporations to acknowledge what they are placing on the store shelves for our consumption... JUST LIKE is done across Europe, in India, even in China!

This topic is very sensitive in part because those who grew up in the Christian religion have such a strong investment in it and all who embrace the Christian religion pin their salvation on it. What follows is offered in love not judgment.

First I want to build in a bit context.

Y'shua (his biblical name) did not appear in a "vacuum," without an historic context. To understand who he is (not was, is) we must have some understanding of where he came from.

Since the time of Moses at least (Deuteronomy 18:15) People Israel knew that one day the Messiah would come. The Jewish elder Rambam (lived Passover Eve, 1135 - the 20th Tevet, December 12, 1204) lists this belief as one of the thirteen things that all Jews must believe if their religious practice is to be considered authentically Jewish: see my Jewish section for the complete list). Almost all of the Hebrew prophets shed light on how and when Messiah would come and what he would do. This includes the major prophets like Isaiah and Elijah. This was done in part to protect the Jews from following a false messiah (and still many Jews have followed various false messiahs over the years because they did not stick to these prophetic requirements).

So, what about Rebbe Y'shua?

Like all other claimants (Simon bar Kokhba, Sabbatai Zevi, Nissim ben Abraham, etc) the claims of and for Rebbe Y'shua must demonstrate his qualifications. Did our Rebbe fulfill all of the key prophecies? Did he fulfill the most essential prophetic requirement? Read Isaiah 11 and other key prophecies and tell me:

• Is there a global theocratic government lead by Messiah and Melekh (King) of Israel?
• Have all wars ceased?
• Is the world free of poverty, anti-Semitism, racism, violence?
• Does everyone agree on who the One True God is (or even that there is one true God)?
• Is Torah inwardly known by the world?
• Is Judaism the global religion?
• Have the 10 Lost Houses (Tribes) been restored?

These are but a few of the things Messiah must accomplish.

Christians who know the biblical prophecies will acknowledge that not only did "Jesus" not fulfill all of the messianic prophecies, he didn't accomplish the most essential of them. So Jews understandably ask: So how can he be the Messiah?

Biblically speaking the salvation Messiah will bring will be the result of his fulfilling the literal prophecies, not simply faith in his death, burial and resurrection (which forms the heart of the Nicean faith tradition whether Catholic, Protestant, Anglican or whatever sect).

BUT Christians reply, he will fulfill the rest in his second advent!

I agree with this.

I believe that our Rebbe will return one day (I believe soon), rescue Israel from imminent destruction, and take up the mantle of haMoshiach and melekh (king) of Israel. At that time he will complete his task and fulfill all of the prophecies. But he hasn't done it yet.

This fact is obvious to all who are honest.

So our conviction as Believers that he will do all these things is a matter faith -- its even surety to us if we are convinced to that degree -- but its not objective fact. So, by faith we say "he is haMoshiach" even as we (should) acknowledge that thus far his task is not complete. He is not yet Melekh of Israel. So when Jews say he is not Messiah they are correct. So far he isn't (but we are convinced he will be).

This is more than semantics.

In our conviction we are similar to many Breslover Jews who believe Rebbe Nachman will return as Messiah and with many in Chabad who believe the same about the Lubavitcher Rebbe. They understand however that until their candidate completes his task we must continue to await haMoshiach.

Nicene Christianity is different from these Breslovers and Messianic Chabadniks however because while placing their faith in their respective Rebbe candidates, they maintain absolute devotion to Torah and its doctrine as preeminent; thus they remain within the fold of Judaism. Nicene Christianity on the other hand intentionally abandoned Torah (and Judaism) and merged with the other religions of the Roman Empire to create the new religion (under Constantine and the bishops that began the religion in its various forms). Several of the essential doctrines and dogmas they developed directly oppose Torah, including the nature of God, the person of Rebbe Y'shua, the trinity, the way of salvation, propitiation of sin, the unique role and status of people Israel, Shabbat observance, the required biblical holidays, the role of Torah and so on. While this did not separate Rebbe Y'shua himself from Torah (such is impossible), it did/does separate those who call on his name as their rabbi but accept these altered beliefs (Revelation 2:9, 3:9).

Fortunately for us all HaShem considers the heart/intention of each person.

If one wishes to correctly understand our Rebbe one must return/discover his Torah beliefs and religion: Rabbinic Judaism.

These teachings include the following:

• Rebbe Y'shua was among the first created beings (Colossians 1:15, John 8:58 etc). Many Jews agree that haMoshiach (whoever he is) was among the first created beings.
• He lived and taught as presented in the New Testament. While I believe the New Testament shows some signs of tampering none of these alter its essential teachings.
• Y'shua was born a virgin born ibbur neshamot (an intentionally placed soul placed within the womb of Miriam by the Will of HaShem).
• The last week of his life took place as recorded in the Gospels: His trial, lashing, death, burial and resurrection took place as recorded in the Gospel accounts. There is no reason to question this.
• When the curtain in the Temple was torn by the Hand of HaShem at his death it signified the elevation of the "Son" to the role of Cohen Gadol (High Priest). In this role Rebbe Y'shua is alive and serving HaShem and humanity in the Heavenly Court as high priest. Understand that there is a strong use of analogy with these sorts of descriptions throughout the Bible. HaShem is not a white bearded old man seated on a big throne etc. G-d's nature and the nature of His Court defies human comprehension, however the resurrected Son serves our Father in this capacity.
• G-d is utterly One (not a trinity). He does not incarnate as man, He can not be seen nor touched (Exodus 33:18-23, John 1:18, I John 4:12). Rebbe Y'shua is not God incarnate and never claimed to be. Torah flatly rejects this possibility.
• The Nicene doctrine of salvation contradicts Torah. Belief (mental assent) in the righteousness of a tzadik (righteous person) or even in G-d Himself does not make one righteous (James 2:19). Righteousness comes from God alone as an act of Grace (undeserved kindness). This kindness extends to all life. Those who wish actualize this Grace must use their free will. We do this through Torah observance, by seeking to harmonize our wills with HaShem in various ways. This is not "salvation by works" (something taught nowhere in the Bible). It is the taking of personal responsibility and choosing to receive what is available to everyone:
  

  James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
  2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
  2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

  It is significant that Rav James, born Jewish, says "Abraham our father." Abraham was the first convert to the religion of God. So Rav James is saying that if you Gentiles wish to enter the Covenant like our (Jews) father Abraham you must do the same as he did. HaShem chose Abraham from out of the Gentiles and Abraham accepted as an act of his free will. He didn't work for it nor earn it through Torah observance. Because he was brought in, because he had previously been accepted into the Covenant, he sacrificed his all (not just his son, his all, being father of many nations, forebearer of haMoshiach, his reputation, etc). Likewise, no one is "saved" by being Torah observant ("by works"). Indeed the Rabbis teach that people who are not in the Covenant (i.e. non-Jews) should observe the 7 Noahide Laws but not the 613 that are given to the people of the Covenant. Works don't "save" anyone.

  In the yeshiva courses I have a lesson called "What Can Wash Away My Sins" that goes into more detail on salvation and what Rebbe Y'shua accomplished.

  Rebbe Y'shua lived and died as pure tzadik (a person of impeccable righteousness/harmony with HaShem). He showed us how to live Torah observant lives Jews and Noahidim. Through him HaShem established the B'rit Hadashah ("New Covenant") with people Israel that opened the doors of practice for the Gentiles as never before.

  We must understand:

  Malachi 3:6 For I am Adonai, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed

  And
  

  Matthew 5:18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah -- not until everything that must happen has happened.

  Shalom,

  ~ John of AllFaith
  
  

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Welcome to Thus Say the Prophets!

This is the retelling of a disturbing dream my wife had last night (9.06.09). She's a private person and seldom shares such things publicly however this dream was powerful and greatly disturbed her so she wrote it out and allowed me share what she wrote:

Dream:

I have been to a concert at the north of San Francisco. It is later, and I'm on a BART train heading into the city. I partially hear something in the background - perhaps a conversation. Something like 'they are to use their knives'. It doesn't seem to be important though, so I don't pay much attention.

Now I'm walking down a street in San Francisco. At the end of a block, I hear a news report coming from somewhere overhead. It says '...communication has been intercepted. The Islamists [sic] are to use their knives only...". I know this means they are to use knives, specifically NOT guns. When I hear this, I duck into a nearby shop.

The shop is tiny, as are many in San Francisco. There is an almost empty knife display case at the end of the counter. The proprietor had been down a set of stairs behind the counter, at the opposite end of the counter from the knife display, whispering to another man standing by a doorway. This is a second doorway to the shop and while it looks like it leads to the owner's living quarters, I don't really know where it leads. I think to myself he looks Muslim, but perhaps he has not heard the message yet. He walks to where I am and asks in a friendly way if he can help me. I ask what knives he has left, and he has three different ones - $5, $29, and $45. I say I'll have one of each, please. As he puts them on the counter I realize I have only $50 .. not the $100 I thought I'd had since I'd bought an airplane ticket before coming into the shop. The shop owner/keeper is called away by someone else to that other doorway ... this time he's talking to what I think is his wife, who's head (covered by a hajib) is just peeking out the door and who, I think, has a young child hiding behind her skirt on the other side of that door.

I could have paid for the two smaller knives, but put all three into my backpack and quickly walk out the door of the shop. I may need them to defend my life. When I am a few doors away, I hear him yelling "you can take them now, but you will have to return them to the counter before you die!" I gulp and continue walking swiftly, pretending not to have heard. I know the bloodshed will start at any moment - but has not started yet. No one else outside seems alarmed or even worried. Yet.

Either first hand, or as scenes from a movie, I see the following:

Three immense dirigibles/air ships appearing over the hills surrounding San Francisco. They each have a different shape. One is green, and round - perhaps clover shaped. They are FAR larger than any hot air balloon and each is full of male Muslim warriors.

At an intersection in San Francisco with no traffic, Muslims dressed mostly in American garb (with turbans) come from one direction. A slightly smaller number of non-Muslims meet them from the opposite direction (the direction I'm in). Both sides are armed with knives ... long ones. I cannot hear what's being said but I know the non-Muslims are being told to revert and say the Shahada (acknowledge that there is but one god, Allah, and that Mohammed is his prophet) or die.

A larger street-scene with many more people. Dead and severely injured people in the streets. Blood on the streets and, mostly, on the injured and dying. Muslims stabbing and killing people as they come out of stores and houses. The Muslims have blood running down their knives and down their forearms onto the streets and sidewalks as they advance. When presented with the option to become Muslim or die, some choose to revert. At that point (this is a dream, remember?) they become like zombies and begin hunting those of us who are still alive and not Muslim. Some even become pale and look like zombies in movies, becoming mindless killers. The truly dangerous ones, though, are the ones that continue to look and act just like us -- then make their move.

A school playground on a corner. Night has fallen. The blacktop is marked off with lines for basketball and, nearer the buildings, for foursquare. There are no people present. There are 15 - 20 huge dogs there - brindle great danes and mastiff mixes, other mixed-breed dogs as well. They walk around singly or in small groups, milling about or patrolling. While I see no one, I know the people are afraid there are dogs on both sides also, and that they (the people) will be attacked. The people don't realize the dogs are ALL, every one of them, loyal to the American non-Muslim side.

At dusk, in a park that may be Golden Gate park, on a dirt road, I see a few Muslims with knives looking for non-Muslims. They do not see any. There is one Muslim fighting a bear with his knife. The bear does not understand, but will die anyway.

*****

Rewind a bit: it is shortly after I have run off with the three knives. No one has been killed yet. My family is south of here. In order to find and be with them, I will have to get through all of San Francisco, much of San Mateo County, Santa Clara County including San Jose, and continue through more cities. While heroes in books and movies could and would do that, I'm just me and not an action hero. I know I want to "go home" and be sure my family is safe, but I would not make it and so should go north where the fighting will not be nearly as intense.

It is beginning to get dark and I am on foot moving north. It is very quiet. Almost no one else is outside. Just past the school where the large dogs will soon be, I see perhaps a dozen other adults and young adults coming out of a side-entrance to the University. They are merging onto the almost empty street where I walk. They also know what's about to happen though no one speaks much. At this point, I know the slaughter is going to begin at 9 pm local time - and that will be soon. Some of these people walk with me for awhile. Although we are walking together, there is some distance between each of us ... just in case. We are alert to any sudden movement, and a little scared of anyone else we see. Anyone could be "one of them". Someone in this group I'm walking with tells us that part of the message had been that "they were not to swear or use profane language". I tell myself I must remember this, it is important.

Shortly after this, I meet up with a good friend I haven't seen in many months. After we check each other out, I get into her station wagon with her family and we continue going north. She has no weapons, so I give her my second best knife. I hold onto the best for myself and the smallest as a backup - or for another unarmed person if I feel led. The freeways alternate between being abandoned and being packed full of cars. It feels very strange indeed. At one point we are searching desperately for the 3 quarters we'll need to get past a toll basket. Eventually I find them.

As we are finally out of the Bay area, my friend takes an offramp to a gigantic parking lot. The lot is fully manned just like it would be before a big Giants baseball game - parking attendants in vests, orange cones, people being directed to go to specific locations in their cars, etc. As we approach the main gate, I hear a couple of the workers who are moving (or working on) two abandoned cars not far from our line. One says "oh shit" and the other says something similar. I feel a sense of relief, knowing they are not part of the Muslim wave/attack.

The building we are directed to is in a spiraling cone shape. We don't know if we'll be allowed in. When we get to the gate, the attendant there tells my friend there is room for 2 in a 3 bedroom and 1 in a 2 bedroom. The rooms are near the top. Although there are actually 5 of us in the car, this will work out fine and we are so relieved that we're almost happy. We have "made the cut". This place should be safe since there's only one way in and its WELL guarded. I am still not entirely convinced because there is NO other way out, and if they get in.... well, then, that's the end.

My friend is settling her family in their room(s). Now I'm on foot inside the building, near the top where our rooms are, and I walk past other people's rooms. There are no doors on the open doorways. I try not to look inside the rooms, but cannot help noticing two or three different rooms, each with a young baby on oxygen. No one else is in these rooms except the infant. The walkway passes a counter that may have once been used to sell snacks, but now there's a young woman in a nurses uniform there, writing notes on a clipboard. As I come up to her, I can see by her name tag that she's a student nurse. I stop and tell her that I'm WAY out of practice and haven't worked in years, but that I am a registered nurse. If they need the help. She smiles and looks friendly and tells me she'll call me "_______________". I don't remember the name now, but it was one letter off from hers and several syllables long. She says not to use "country of origin" or any other identifiers. She'll pass my information along and is sure they'll be happy to have my help.

A few minutes later I get back to where my friend's room is. She says "oh, hey, Andrea - they were looking for you to help out just now" and then I see two normal looking American people, dressed in white, outside the door. Almost immediately one is on my left side and the other is on my right and I'm walking out the door back into the walkway. Within a few steps, each has hold of one of my elbows and I realize they are not what they seem. They had NOT used the name the student nurse had given me, and I don't think I'd given anyone there my real name (which they knew). I was in real trouble.

Here's where I woke up, fully alert and a bit alarmed.

Having all you can to stand... STAND!You are visitor number...

Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here!

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Welcome to Thus Say the Prophets!

Was the United States Intended to be a Judeo-Christian Nation?
A few things you may not know about our heritageInspired by an e-mail and re-worked by John of AllFaithAlso posted HERE

---

The present U.S. government, including the once "Supreme" Court, the Mass Media and so on may not like the facts, but United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principals, not on Secular Humanism, Globalism and certainly not on Shariah law!

The United States was once a great Judeo-Christian Nation with high standards and a collective faith in G-d, but not anymore. At the present moment to call the U.S.A. a Judeo-Christian nation is to insult the Holy God of the Bible and to degrade the word "Christian."

Here's a few things you may not know about our heritage as Americans:

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S "Supreme" Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each of them is facing Moses, whis is in the middle with a full frontal view .... Moses is holding the Ten Commandments!

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments Engraved on the lower portion of each door; a document the court no longer respects.

As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court justices sit, a display of the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?

There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.? A book that is banned in public schools.

James Madison, the fourth president (known as 'The Father of Our Constitution') made the following statement:

"We have staked the whole of all our political institutions
upon the capacity of mankind for self-government,
upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves,
to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

DID YOU KNOW?

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.

DID YOU KNOW?

 

Thomas Jefferson was concerned that future U.S. Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the Constitutional law, they would begin making laws to transform the Republic into an oligarchy: the rule of few over many.

         Looks like his concerns were well founded!

How have "We the People"allowed this to happen to this once honorable Republic?

         In a word: "We the People" turned our backs on Torah!
                           "We the People" turned our backs on God!

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Is the Rapture a Biblical Teaching? No. Here's why

Welcome to Thus Say the Prophets!

Is the Rapture a Biblical Doctrine?By John of AllFaith © 4.16.08 (updated 10.28.12)

Also posted HERE

To make sure we are on the same page with what the Rapture is supposed to be, please begin by watching this 2 minute video by a Rapture beliving ministry:

The Rapture doctrine means one thing and one thing only. It does not refer to people going to Heaven after they die, to people having visions or traveling in visionary states etc. The Rapture theory refers to the belief in the nearly instantaneous translocation of every single "Born Again Christian" on earth to Heaven as shown in this video. It refers to the nearly instantaneous disappearance of millions (if not billions) of human beings around the globe without a trace. It speaks of the "taking away" of every child on earth, of jets falling from the skies as Christian pilots are "taken" (arguably a good reason not to hire Christians hehe); it foretells the worst multi-car pile-ups in history as every vehicle being driven by a Christian is suddenly abandoned and careens out of control, of husbands and wives, parents and their children being separated as the Christians are "taken" in a twinkling of an eye from all over the globe.

This is what we mean by the term Rapture.

The Doctrine of the Rapture of the Church is the popular Nicean Christian belief that at some point in the future HaShem will extract all true "Christians" from the earth, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" leaving everyone else here to suffer under the reign of the coming Antichrist (Rex Mundi).

This idea gained popular support through the teachings of Dr. Clarence Larkin (Dispensational Truths), Rev. Charles Scofield (The Scofield Bible), a plethora of Second and Third Great Awakening Evangelists (see my study The Great Awakenings for more on these religious developments), and more recently from the unbiblical works of fiction by Tim Lahey known as The Left Behind Seriesin which the Antichrist is depicted as a Transylvanian Dracula-type Liberal do-gooder gone bad! Likewise, Family Radio of Harold Camping has used this teaching to mislead millions. We need to understand the truth of this! Is this a biblical doctrine? Consider the following:

In Summary

---

"Just the Facts Please!"

No Biblical Support:

• The "Rapture" is a new doctrine, not historically held by any segment of the Church prior to the mid 1800's.
• Proponants can't agree on the question of timing: Pre, Mid or Post Tribulation, so it's obviously not that clear. There are clear statements in the Revelation and elsewhere that contradict all three of the theorized time frames for a Rapture.
  If this earth shaking event were truly a biblical prophecy it would be made clear by the holy prophets.
• One reason often given for why the Rapture must occur is that the Holy Spirit (the Ruach of HaShem: the Holy Presence of HaShem) must be removed from the Earth during the reign of the Beast (Rex Mundi/Antichrist). No biblical evidence for this view is ever offered nor can any be shown. Were God's Presence ever withdrawn from the Earth all life would instantly cease to exist since in the Spirit of Adonai "...we live, and move, and have our being..." (Acts 17:28).
  Doctrinally this idea is even more problematic because were this accurate no one post Rapture could be "saved" nor have any communion with God (to be directed by Him etc.) and yet the biblical prophets clearly show divine intervention and inspiration throughout the entire final seven year period.
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were delivered but passed through the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:19). So too will we pass through the Seven Years or serve God's Will as martyrs.
• Daniel was delivered but he nonetheless went through the Lion's den (Daniel 6:16).
• The House of Judah survived King Nebuchadnezzar's tyrany but they passed though their Babylonian captivity.
• The House of Judah survived the wrath of Haman because Mordecai was inspired to say to Esther: "...who knows whether you haven't come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). They went through the experiences and HaShem protected them. So too will we pass through the Seven Years or serve God's Will as martyrs.
• Nowhere in Scripture does Adonai remove His people in this way. They always pass through the "Red Sea" and continue in His service under His protection and inspiration.

  Not Taught by Rebbe Y'shua:

• Rebbe Y'shua (Jesus) does not reference a Rapture in his important Matthew 24 list of signs in response to the question of his talmidim (students) "When will these things be?"
  The Rapture would be a major sign for those left behind! Surely Y'shua would have explained what such an event would mean for those "left behind." Multitudes would be seeking to understand the prophecies and their fulfillment. They would be on their faces before HaShem begging for another chance. Would Y'shua leave them with any mention of such an event? According to most Rapture theories those left behind will still be able to find salvation as long they have not taken the Mark of the Beast. Surely Y'shua would have hammered this point home for them! Instead he mute on the subject? Makes no sense.
• Some advocates of this heresy point out that Rebbe Y'shua's Matthew 24 prophecy does reference 'those in the field' being "taken." They assume this is referring to the Rapture. Consider the context however. This warning is clearly speaking of the Jews of Jerusalem at the End of Days who will flee the beleaguered Holy City once Rex Mundi commits the "abomination of desolation spoken of by Prophet Daniel" (see Matthew 24:14 and 24:40, Revelation 12:). This is not referring to a Rapture when read in context.
  In the same section (Matthew 24:17) we see clearly that such people would not have the option to return to their homes to retrieve their belongings under the conditions supposed in the Rapture teaching. Those who are wise will immediately flee. Those that fail to properly understand the signs will not flee and they will face the wrath of Rex Mundi (Revelation 12:).
  And yet 'Those in the field,' 'on the roof tops' etc. are encouraged to run into the wilderness relying on nothing by Adonai, rather than returning home for their belongings. Such options would not exist in the Rapture as taught and so the reference can not be to it.
• Rebbe Y'shua does not discuss or even reference a Rapture in his prophetic presentations to John in the Book Revelation.
  The imagined Rapture references at Revelation 1:10, 4:1 etc. are to John's spirit being "taken up" in his visions so he could behold what our Cohen Gadol (High Preist and Mediator) had to show him. Emissary Paul also references such experiences when he writes: "... whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: only God knows" (II Corinthians 12:2). These are not physical takings as with the Rapture theory and so can not be compared to such an event. Such statements are descriptive of visionary experiences only.
• Nicene Christians do not honor the Sabbath (as commanded in both the Tanakh and B'rit Hadashah-- the "Old" and New Testament writings) and so the Rebbe's concern on their behalf that this fleeing not take place on the Sabbath has no meaning for modern Christians. Master Y'shua would surely have known the Church would abandon the Sabbath three hundred years after his death and so there would be no reason for adding this. Clearly he is speaking to the Jews of Jerusalem in this verse who will confront the fury of the coming despot and his New World Order.

  Not Taught by Rabbi Paul:

• Believers are advised to stand firm against the Son of Perdition (the Antichrist/Rex Mundi). To do so they must be present on the earth during his reign.
• The "Last Trump" (I Corinthians 15:52) is sounded to announce the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth and the beginning of Moshiach's reign (Revelation 11:15). Paul's comment in I Corinthians 15 specifically refers to the time that seventh shofar/trumpet is sounded. The Pre or Mid Tribulation Rapture as conceived would have taken place years before this shofar (ram's horn) is sounded according to the Book of the Revelation. It is sounded when the Jews are ALL gathered back to Jerusalem for the inauguration of the global theocratic Kingdom (Hosea 3:4-5, Isaiah 2:4, Isaiah 11:6-9).

  Not Taught in the Book of the Revelation:

• Revelations 6:9 makes it clear that during the entire seven year period those martyred by the Antichrist and his New World Order must patiently wait, "until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." This clearly shows that there will be no Rapture to rescue their fellow Believers from martyrdom (unless one interprets the Rapture as referring to the elevation of the martyrs during this period, in which case a different term should be coined because that is not what people mean by the word Rapture).
• The prophetic word about the future of the Church makes it clear there will be no escaping the things that are coming. Throughout the Seven Church Ages (described in Revelation chapters 2 and 3) the Church has moved progressively farther and farther away from the God of Israel until, in the "Laodicean" End Times, the Church will embrace the Antichrist and be "vomitted out." If the Church deserves to be vomited out how and why would God rapture it away to safety and bliss? Will Adonai reward the lukewarm apostate Church for its failures and backsliding? May God forbid the thought!
• Both the Pre-Tribulation (the most commonly held view) and the Mid-Tribulation Rapture versions are directly and repeatedly contradicted by the clear biblical teachings concerning who will be on Earth opposing the Rex Mundi ("Global Potentate") during the final conflict. According to the prophets, the true Believers will be present throughout the Seven Year Tribulation Period that ends the age of the Goyim (Luke 21:24).
• The Pre, Mid and Post-Tribulation Rapture theories are biblically discounted when we consider that despite the Nicolaitan doctrines of people living in Heaven and walking on gold plated clouds, the Kingdom of Adonai will be on the Earth, not in Heaven. Y'shua made this clear when he taught us to pray: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
  The Book of the Revelation shows some few survivors of the Tribulation Period but most then alive will not endure to the end. The vast majority of lifeforms on the planet are going to die during the Tribulation period, at least 3/4. Those who die during the Tribulation as martyrs will immediately awaken to find themselves in Heaven before the Throne (Revelation 6:10). These will return to the Earth along with Y'shua and his angels to defeat the Rex Mundi and inaugurate the Theocratic Kingdom. Others will be resurrected during the Kingdom reign through two resurrections of the dead (one to life, the other to destruction.
• John explains that at certain points during the Tribulation Period -- including during the second half (known as the "Great Tribulation") -- Believers will receive various protections from certain of the plagues (compare Revelation 7:3, 9:4 etc). This establishes that they will obviously still be on the earth at those points.
• The foretold (and now present) "Laodicean Church" of the Last Days is depicted as a lukewarm, hypocritical body that has abandoned the teachings of Rebbe Y'shua. These people claim to be Jews but they are not (Revelation 2:9). Our final "Church age" has largely become irrelevant in the world surrendering its authority to Islam, Secular Humanism and general apathy. Eventually it will kneel before Rex Mundi and his high priest the False Prophet as it becomes Babylon the Great (and/or her daughters). Portions of the Church are even now being "vomited out" as is obvious from the various sex, political and money scandals, the lack of Christian opposition to the rise of the Islamic Ummah and the New World Order, the general acceptence of the demonic practice of abortion throughout the so-called Christian world, the lack of biblical study and knowledge among Christians, etc. No, the Laodicean Church of today will certainly not be raptured away for its protection and glory! Rather it will be (is being) ruptured to its Pagan core in order that a pure Bride may be brought forth for Y'shua HaMoshiach. The Great Gentile Multitude and the 144,000 Jews who will stand with Moshiach during the final seven years are already being gathered and prepared (Revelation chapter 7). These people are not depending on religious hierarchies and ourdated creeds. Their hope is in the Echad Elohiym (the One God) alone.

  Not Supported by God's Historic Dealings With His People:

• Adonai never granted this type of protection to His Elect even during the Exodus, the horrors of 70 C.E. or Masada, the Russian Pograms, the Nazi-wrought Shoah/Holocaust etc. Adonai does at times protect His people for His glory and purposes, but nowhere in Scripture does He remove them from the scene. They always remain as a testimony of His glory and faithfulness. There is no biblical evidence nor historic precedents that HaShem will do so for the lukewarm Nicene Christians nor for those comparatively few who are standing faithfully.

Would it be a glorious relief to believe we are going to be spirited away in a Rapture from the things to come? Absolutely! Is it going to happen? Absolutely not.

 

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See below for parts 1 and 2 or use the following links to my website:

Go to: Overview

Go to: Part One: The Sabbath Day

Go to: Part Two: Rebbe Y'shua Observed and Continued Sabbath Observance

So now we come to the question: since HaShem ordained Shabbat before the Rebellion in Eden, before Noach, before Avraham and before Moshe, and since we know that Rebbe Y'shua observed the Sabbath and ordered his talmidim and their followers to continue observing it for all time... What happened to Shabbat?

That's the topic of this section of the study. I hope you have read parts one and two first as this section builds on that information. Shabbat was one of the casualties of the events we will discuss. We're not losing our focus, we're just expanding the topic a bit to more fully understand what happened.

The people of first century CE Judea largely sided with the talmidim of Rebbe Y'shua, however the elders of Israel rejected his Messianic claims, and they held the authority of Moshe (Matthew 23:2). What the elders of Israel decide on various topics matters!

The people were caught up in the spiritual whirlwind of miracles and the hope of national redemption, but the rabbi's had to consider the practical aspects of what Rebbe Y'shua's claims would mean. Did he meet the spiritual and lineage requirements? Was he in a position to fulfill the political and courtly requirements? Rebbe Y'shua's essential doctrine was harmonious with the other rabbis, no problems there. Even where they disagreed with him they acknowledged his case was valid both Scripturally and rationally. They accepted him as a fellow Parush rabbi (John 1:38). So why did they reject him? There were two main reasons.

Rebbe Y'shua's egalitarian teachings concerned them. He wanted to empower the people, even women, to return to and maintain a personal relationship with HaShem. The rabbis were not convinced they were ready for that. Since the Babylonian captivity the Rabbis had exercised ever greater authority in religious and social matters. Prior to that individuals were much more autonomous. They rabbis reasoned that the Assyrian (circa 722/721 BCE) and Babylonian (587/586 BCE) successes of the past were the result of that freedom. The people had grown weak in their observances and the P'rushim (Rabbinic Judaism) had arisen to guide the people so that such a thing would not happen again. It was ironic that the Essene teacher of Righteousness led his followers in the wilderness because the P'rushim were not build secure enough "walls!"

Since the days of Babylon the people had recited from siddurim (prayer books) developed by the elders, they read Torah according to the parsha schedules devised by the elders, when doctrinal questions arose the people looked to them for answers ... the Jewish people had gradually allowed the elders of Israel to dictate how they were to live and worship as Jews. Most one-on-one communion with HaShem had been gradually lost. The elders amassed such control with good intentions, generally. They genuinely cared for the people and they took their responsibilities very seriously. The alienation that occurred was not intentional. By the time of Rebbe Y'shua many sincere Jews were seeking to rectify this and to that point most of these had failed. Notable exceptions were people like Hillel (born in Babylon c.110 BCE, died 10 CE in Jerusalem).

The elders of Israel, living under the yoke of the Roman Empire, had to decide whether these largely uneducated and beaten down people were ready to take personal responsibility in religious and political matters. There was so much chaos and debate already and the people were confused and frightened! Just see how the various messianic movements had lead them astray! Rebbe Y'shua was after all just one of several claimants to the Throne of David (Navi Daniel had specifically pointed this that generation for his coming). If the elders supported his bid to the throne (i.e. agreed that he was haMoshiach) and they were wrong, if the people did not stand when the time came... if it didn't work for whatever reason... then Rome would doubtless destroy the City and its Holy Temple and possibly even genocide the Jewish people! The elders would have to be convinced!

And how would his egalitarian movement impact their authority if they went along with it? Would the people stop listening to them? That would surely lead to chaos! And OK yes, to the loss of their positions within the community. These were understandable concerns. It did nothing to alleviate their concerns when Rebbe Y'shua not only called several of their interpretations into question, but even publicly claimed to be the Messiah without their endorsement or even asking for their approval! That opened a whole different set of concerns!

Rabbis always disagree, its said "Ask 8 rabbis a question and you'll get 10 answers," but he was claiming the authority of Melekh, King of Israel! Were that so, then everything would have to be submitted to his authority! The elders would have to be convinced and they were not!

Rome would not tolerate such an outrageous claim! "We have no king but Caesar!"

If the elders of Israel accepted his claim, and he was not the foretold Son of David, there was no doubt that Rome would surely crush the Jews for rebellion and possibly even exile them from Holy Jerusalem! Or worse. Remember, these the days of Caligula (August 31, 12 CE - January 21, 41 CE)! How could they risk opposing the Roman occupation? The elders would have to be convinced and they were not!

On the other hand, if he was really was haMoshiach he would re-establish Jewish nationhood and sovereignty! The Hope! Through him HaShem would bring in a truly golden age and Rome, with all it tyranny and perversions would fall! Eretz Israel would be free...

But then... in their interviews this man had been quite harsh with the elders, calling them "whited gravestones" and "blind men leading the blind" ... What would become of their authority under his reign? Their privileged positions? Surely they had to consider this as well.

What a soul-wrenching decision they faced! If they accepted his claims the chief Jewish authorities of the day would have to voluntarily submit themselves to his rule and literally place their lives and fortunes into his hands. To their credit they sincerely questioned him and debated his doctrines seeking the truth of his claims, but in the end they decided to withhold their support while some of their members actively opposed him. This was their error however it was an understandable one.

Then, once the man from Nazareth had been executed on the stake it must have appeared their decision was vindicated. HaMoshiach doesn't die like a common criminal! He reigns! The relief they much have felt, not at his death but that the issue had finally been resolved. Maybe Rome would back off now. Maybe HaShem would send the real Moshiach now...

But there was a groundswell of popular Jewish support for the Nazarene even after his execution! Reports came in that this contender had risen from the dead! His talmidim were carefully studying the scriptures, looking for insights into what had happened. Things had not gone as they had expected either! But there was something about this man... Something none of them could shake. And even his talmidim were now performing miracles! Instead of just one miracle man there were now several of them and even the Goyim are seeking conversion!

For many years the movement continued to grow among the Jews despite rabbinic opposition and warnings of what they perceived as heresy. More and more Jews joined the Messianic Movement, but many did not, and the debate over whether this man was indeed the Nazarene (haMoshiach) threatened to split if not destroy Judaism. It seemed everyone was taking sides.

More and more Gentiles were approaching the rabbis seeking conversion into Judaism. Conversion had always been allowed but these numbers were staggering! When the rabbis asked why they were seeking conversion they referenced Rebbe Y'shua and the rabbi were beside themselves. Even if they convinced the Jews not to follow this man, that he had not met the requirements etc. still the converts, if allowed into the fold, would soon overpower the traditional Jews and undermine everything!

And if that happened, what would happened to the rabbis that rejected his bid? So the rabbis increased their efforts to protect traditional Judaism and Rabbinic authority.

They tried various options. They forbade Jews from speaking about this topic, from even mentioning the name of Rebbe Y'shua. But that was not effective:

Acts 5:28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! Look here! you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching; moreover, you are determined to make us responsible for this man's death!"
29 Kefa [i.e. Peter] and the other emissaries answered, "We must obey God, not men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whereas you men killed him by having him hanged on a stake.
31 God has exalted this man at his right hand as ruler and deliverer [Greek: soter], in order to enable Isra'el to do t'shuvah [i.e. repentance] and have her sins forgiven.
32 We are witnesses to these things; so is the Ruach HaKodesh, that God has given to those who obey him."
33 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were infuriated and wanted to put the emissaries to death.
34 But one of the members of the Sanhedrin rose to his feet, a Parush named Gamli'el, a teacher of the Torah highly respected by all the people. He ordered the men put outside for a little while
35 and then addressed the court: "Men of Isra'el, take care what you do to these people.
36 Some time ago, there was a rebellion under Todah, who claimed to be somebody special; and a number of men, maybe four hundred, rallied behind him. But upon his being put to death, his whole following was broken up and came to nothing.
37 After this, Y'hudah HaG'lili led another uprising, back at the time of the enrollment for the Roman tax; and he got some people to defect to him. But he was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
38 So in the present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these people, but to leave them alone. For if this idea or this movement has a human origin, it will collapse.
39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you might even find yourselves fighting God!" They heeded his advice.
40 After summoning the emissaries and flogging them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go.
41 The emissaries left the Sanhedrin overjoyed at having been considered worthy of suffering disgrace on account of him.
42 And not for a single day, either in the Temple court or in private homes, did they stop teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Yeshua is the Messiah.

And so things continued. Some embraced Messianic Judaism, others did not. At first the Gentiles who believed were able to convert to Judaism through the traditional channels. Soon however the Messianic elders, led by James, had to establish their own battei din (Jewish religious courts) in order to welcome the Goyim into Derech HaShem Meshiykhiyyim, the Messianic Way of HaShem (Acts chapter 15). Both camps were fully Jewish, both observed Shabbat and the biblical holidays, sacrificed at the Temple and so on. Both camps agreed on the essential Rabbinic doctrinal issues and Traditions... but they were gradually growing apart as a people.

And then...

As Rebbe Y'shua had foretold at Matthew 23:36 - 24:3...

In 70 CE the Roman legions, under Titus, brutally attacked the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. The majority of Jews, including the talmidim of Rebbe Y'shua, were forced to flee Judea for their lives. Thousands died and millions were left homeless and landless. Jewish Judea was renamed Philistia (after the Greek sea faring Philistines) to erase all evidence that the Jews had even been there. That was the intention.

The Diaspora changed everything.

Having lost the Holy Temple again Judaism was forced to drastically restructure. No longer could one observe Torah's sacrificial requirements. It was no longer possible to observe all 613 mitzvot because some of these require the Temple. The "sacrifice of praise" would have to replace the blood sacrifices and the local synagogue replaced the Temple.

The Jews looked to the rabbis for direction. Israel's sages reinforced Rabbinic authority, the use of memorized prayers and so on. They set the established service orders and developed various codes of conduct and beliefs such as:

Rambam's Thirteen Principles of Judaism

I believe with perfect faith that God is the Creator and Ruler of all things. He alone has made, does make, and will make all things.

I believe with perfect faith that God is One. There is no unity that is in any way like His. He alone is our God. He was, He is, and He will ever be.

I believe with perfect faith that God does not have a body. Physical concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.

I believe with perfect faith that God is first and last.

I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to God. One may not pray to anyone or anything else.

I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the prophets are true.

I believe with perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses is absolutely true. He was the chief of all prophets, both before and after Him.

As Meshiykhiyyim we fully agree with this. Everything Rebbe Y'shua did and taught was based on Torah and the Covenant established through Moshe avinu.

I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that which was given to Moses.

I believe with perfect faith that this Torah will not be changed, and that there will never be another given by G-d.

I believe with perfect faith that God knows all of man's deeds and thoughts. It is thus written (Psalm 33:15), "He has molded every heart together, He understands what each one does."

I believe with perfect faith that God rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress them.

I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Moshiach. However long it takes, I will await His coming every day.

I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be brought back to life when God wills it to happen

Posted here

The Rabbinic elders laid the foundation of what today is known as the Orthodox Movement (although as a distinct Movement it was not officially established until the 1800's).

Sadly the rabbis banned the Messianic Movement, closing the door to further discussion and attempts at reunification. Their rulings forced the Meshiykhiyyim to stand alone. Still Rebbe Y'shua's reforms clearly influenced mainstream Judaism and these influences can be seen throughout the various Jewish movements. Doctrinally the Meshiykhiyyim reside somewhere between the Conservative and Orthodox movements. Our doctrine is much closer to that of these movements than the Reform and Reconstructionist doctrines.

The Diaspora forced the rabbis to make the religion more family orientated and less hierarchical, while at the same time maintaining their authority. They succeeded and Judaism and the Jews survived.

For the Meshiykhiyyim things were different. In some ways harder (since they had been isolated from the main Jewish body) but in some ways easier. Unlike other Jews the Meshiykhiyyim had already breached the ethnic wall of separatism. In their company were converts who knew the Goyish world. For these converts the Diaspora opened new doors to sharing their faith in Rebbe Y'shua and in a sense a return to the familiar. They may not be accepted by the other Jews, but many Goyim welcomed them.

But this was a road fraught with unseen dangers!

The Jewish Meshiykhiyyim, whether Jewish by birth or by conversion, were more and more often being greeted by slammed doors from their non-Messianic brethren. The non-Messianic Jewish hierarchy in part blamed the Messianics for the destruction of the Temple (saying, they were always inciting incidents and claiming that a Jewish king had arisen to oppose Roman authority). Most traditional Jews now wanted nothing to with the Meshiykhiyyim! Hadn't they done enough damage already?

For their part, many Messianics blamed Jewish orthodoxy (saying, had they accepted haMoshiach we'd be living in the Kingdom by now!). The two sides had seemingly severed all possible ties.

As the Way Jewish Movement moved into new communities they began merging with the local cultures, seeking peace and acceptance. Many of the Gentile converts (and many of the born Jews) didn't see this clear violation of both Torah and the teachings of Rebbe Y'shua as the grave danger it was/is. The Meshiykhiyyim intermarried with locals, began adopting their customs, and predictably they gradually lost their Jewish roots and culture through assimilation.

"With anti-Semitism raging throughout the Empire it's certainly easier and safer to blend in" ... and "We're not welcome at the shuls anyway so why identify as Jews, a people universally hated ..."

Forgetting the Jewish traditions their beliefs gradually became less biblical.

During the later 1st and into the later 2nd centuries CE this assimilation process continued. The talmidim of Y'shua converted a great many Gentiles to the Way, but as they did, the movement was gradually losing its biblical foundation. More and more the Meshiykhiyyim came to resemble their Pagan and Heathen neighbors. Without a background in Jewish religion and practice and without qualified rabbis and Torah teachers, the Torah-based underpinning of the Movement was quickly collapsing.

From the earliest days assimilation presented a major problem for the Meshiykhiyyim. What was essential and what was optional in Rebbe Y'shua's reforms? What was divine mandate and what was merely cultural? Considering the orthodox rejection and increasing Roman persecution, to what degree should the born Jewish talmidim maintain their Jewish identity and, more consequently considering then present realities, to what degree should the Gentile converts be required to conform to those Jewish standards?

In matters such as circumcision, forbidden foods, Shabbat observance and so many other issues, these were vital questions!

As time passed the Messianic talmidim more and more often found themselves without proper Torah-based elders to help navigate these difficult questions. This is a common topic in the New Testament, especially in the Book of Acts, as such issues were being hammered out. For those living in the Diaspora however such books were hard to come by, even if one could read. At that time there was no recognized cannon of New Testament Scripture yet and so really, weren't those just opinions anyway?

The Way communities were steadily losing cohesion both internally and without. There was no recognized authority, just various ever debating individuals and sects. Without qualified rabbis to maintain the Torah foundation everything seemed all up for grabs!

Once while visiting Galatia Rav Paul had publicly accused Rav Peter and others of going too far in this mixing of cultures. Its clear from Rav Paul's writings that he was keenly aware of the differences between Jewish orthodoxy and Jewish Messianic Halakha (interpretations and rules), however its equally clear that some established balance must be maintained. One could not simply ignore Torah as some of these talmidim doing! Rav Paul opined: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" -- Romans 6:1.

In this section of Rav Paul's Letter to the Galatians we glean important insights into how Derech HaShem became the Gentile Church! They abandoned Torah!

Galatians 2:11 Furthermore, when Kefa [i.e. Peter] came to Antioch, I opposed him publicly, because he was clearly in the wrong.
12 For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya'akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers.
13 And the other Jewish believers became hypocrites along with him, so that even Bar-Nabba [i.e. Barnabas] was led astray by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not walking a straight path, keeping in line with the truth of the Good News, I said to Kefa, right in front of everyone, "If you, who are a Jew, live like a Goy and not like a Jew, why are you forcing the Goyim to live like Jews?

In part one of this series, and somewhat in part two, we looked at how HaShem had ordered His people to remain apart from the Gentiles and not adopt their ways. Most of the woes described in the Tanakh have to do with the Jews embracing Pagan religions and doctrines after merging too closely with their cultures. Historically assimilation has been a real problem the Jews, as it is today.

The Messianic talmidim were now facing the same dangers. How could Judaism survive with unbridled assimilation? By the same token, living among the Goyim as they were one would not wish to appear standoffish nor condescending. That would only invite further persecution and drive people away from HaShem and Rebbe's reforms.

And remember, throughout this period the Roman Empire was waging a veritable war against their own people. Persecution, public executions, floggings... certainly the best way to survive under such conditions was to not be noticed! To stand out. To fit in... to assimilate...

But at what cost?

In order to lessen the persecutions on the community and to attract more talmidim some Messianics began knowingly compromising the Jewish teachings and Traditions so they would be more palatable to the Pagans. Others, for similar reasons, followed the path out of ignorance; they didn't know the true teachings but began devising their own doctrines (arguably with good intentions).

Soon, rather than being one Messianic Jewish Movement as established by the Rebbe, there were several rival sects, each claiming to be true Way! There were self-proclaimed Messianic groups embracing Gnosticism, Egyptian and Syrian mysticism, the Roman mysteries and so on. Soon it became all but impossible to identify the true from the counterfeit. As written:

II Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.

Soon the leaders of the rival factions began producing publications expressing their beliefs and their followers declared their words to be holy writ. These things had to be done in the shadows of course and so often these works were often published under assumed names. An example of these include:

• The Apocryphon of John
• The Apocalypse of Adam
• The Reality of the Rulers, Also known as The hypostasis of the Archons
• The Thunder-Perfect Mind
• The Three-fold First Thought (Trimorphic Protennoia)
• The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit (also known as the (Coptic) Gospel of the Egyptians)
• Zostrianos
• Allogenes
• The Three Steles of Seth

There were many such works.

But many remained genuinely devoted to Rebbe Y'shua and his Movement. Seeing this rise in what they regarded as heresy they sought to maintain the true roots of the Way. They worked hard to defend authentic Messianic Judaism from the rising tide of Gnosticism and the other heresies. Many of these people died as martyrs. Their sincerity can not be questioned. They were however also products of their environments.

Unwittingly, without contact with the Jewish roots of the Tree, they too had embraced Torah-contrary beliefs. Piece by piece the Messianic Movement was dying. Through intermarriage with Gentile women, through the acceptance of unbiblical assumptions, through compromise, and through conversion, Gentiles had now become the majority force within the Movement and they lacked proper Torah education. Without that foundation it was just a matter of time until the Movement would be fully supplanted.

During the first two centuries CE some of the talmidim leaned more toward Essene asceticism and Mandaeism (the religion established by the talmidim of John the Immerser). Following the events at Masada (971-73 CE) the original Essene Brotherhood had largely left the stage. Others took up their names and established an essentially Gnostic imitation of their movement (John the Baptist was an Essene). This blending of the monotheistic Essene holiness movement with the anti-materialism of Gnosticism appealed to some people for whom the material world seemed ready to implode at any time. These movements (the Ebionites etc.) are condemned in the New Testament by John the Beloved (for instance at I John 4:3).

Another significant strand of the early talmidim wanted to return to the orthodox Pharisee doctrines. Seeing the rise of the Roman-backed anti-Torah tide within the Way communities, various "loyal opposition" Nazarene sects arose. Among the most historically noted of these leaders was Bishop Arius (250 CE or 256 – 336). He forcefully sought to stop the Pagan deification of Y'shua, alas he failed in the end. He was arguably authentic Messianic Judaism's lack best hope to maintain control of and restore the Movement to its biblical roots.

The Roman-based talmidim stressed Rav Peter's authority because he demonstrated his willingness to embrace Greek thought and devalue Hebrew culture and tradition (Galatians 2:11). Once the Universal Church was established it declared Peter its first pope completely ignoring the fact that Rebbe Y'shua's brother (Galatians 1:19) James the Just led the original Messianic beit din after his execution and Peter does not wield and real authority in the New Covenant community. With the growing emphasis on Rav Peter's contributions these early restoration movements typically focussed more on the authority of of James. But it was all for naught. The Way was clearly abandoning the religion of Rebbe Y'shua. Many of these talmidim eventually abandoned the dying Way Movement and returned to Jewish orthodoxy. Arguably this move had positive influences on non-Messianic Judaism. We hope so.

As in all power struggles one party eventually prevails. This time it was the Roman Papacy. They had something the other groups lacked: the Emperor of Rome!

While there were countless sincere Meshiykhiyyim seeking to establish religious purity and doctrinal truth, there were others who focused on politics and the power of religion. During the first three centuries CE religion was a powerful social bond and that power was seated in Rome, heart of the Empire. Those living in the outlying regions of the empire engaged in interesting debates and discussions, but in the end it was Rome that mattered and to Rome a new religion looked to establish itself.

To survive and prosper in Rome one obeyed Roman law and embraced its culture, especially its religious cults. Religion formed the social and political heart of the empire. Ones religious allegiances mattered in Rome and they determined ones rank within society. The creators of the new religion understood this well.

What was equally clear was that the Romans hated the Jews. Rome prided itself on its polytheism and intellectual inclusivity. It was widely believed that all of the gods smiled upon Rome because Rome embraced them all...

Well not all of them! Since first contact the Jews had stubbornly refused to have their God join the Roman pantheon! The Jews insisted that the God of Israel stood alone! That He alone was sovereign over all the earth and that there was none with Him! The absolute, indivisible Oneness of the Torah's God forms the very heart Avraham's revelation.

And THAT was unacceptable! It infuriated the Romans who regarded themselves as the most inclusive and progressive people alive! How dare the Jews believe such a thing!

This was a real problem for a once Jewish sect seeking close alliance with Rome!

Further, the memory of the sacking of Jerusalem remained fresh in their minds. Rome had only done what it had to do to oppose these terrorists! The Jews had made Rome look petty by forcing the empire to such extremes! Rome would not take such humiliation lightly!

As the Messianic Jewish Movement first made itself known in Rome the government had opposed it harshly, murdering many talmidim in truly gruesome ways! But the creators of the new religion knew that could be turned around.

All they needed to do was demonstrate that they were not like those other Jews, the "Christians" (a more Roman sounding name) were different! They were reasonable! And they had much to offer the Empire... if only they could get their foot in the door...

To appease Rome and begin infiltrating its power bases certain leaders among the faltering Way Movement began holding meetings with like-minded people. The reworked the Way teachings into doctrines that more acceptable to Rome, less Jewish. A bit of change here and bit of change there until soon the Way had become a wholly different religion from Judaism.

In defense of these doctrinal changes the new religion produced forgeries and psuedo-scriptures. For instance forgeries like the Book of Barnabas sought to replace the Jewish Shabbat:

Barnabas 15:9 Wherefore also we keep the eighth day for rejoicing, in the which also Iesus rose from the dead, and having been manifested ascended into the heavens.

Here the Nicolaitan plagiarist writes in effect that 'Like you Pagans, we also gather on the day of the Sol Invictus the sun god.' Sell people on the book and they had their doctrinal support! With so many books floating around and no established cannon to rely on, who could say what was true?

Only those who knew Torah and such people were now few and far between outside of established Judaism. And the rabbis wanted nothing to do these mashugana Goyim.

From early on Nicolaitan leaders like Ignatius of Antioch (107 CE) were busily at work trying to redefine the Way in terms the Romans would accept. To this end he wrote:

"Be not deceived with strange doctrines, nor with old fables [i.e. the Torah], which are unprofitable. For if we still live according to the Jewish Law, we acknowledge that we have not received grace… If, therefore, those who brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death.

But HaShem says:

Exodus 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to Adonai throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Such Goyish pseudo-talmidim were openly promoting heresy! Still many of the Messianic talmidim maintained their faith in Torah and in the teachings of Rebbe Y'shua. Rav John the Revelator warned that this heresy was taking root within the movement:

Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan...
2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate....
3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

The Nicolaitan heresy refers to the mixing of God's Torah Truth with Pagan error. This process began very early on. In part four, the Rise and Fall of the Universal Church, we will go into more detail on this.

The Nicolaitan founders of the new religion considered the Jewish doctrines of Torah and Rebbe Y'shua to be nothing but "old fables," outdated myths from a backwater province that should be outgrown and discarded. They intended to create something new and enlightened: a Universal Religion that would unite the world under the flags of a Holy Roman Empire!

These were the architects of an entirely new religion that had little in common with the doctrines of Rebbe Y'shua and the Sacred Torah he cherished. And yet as Prophet John foretold in Revelation chapters two and three there were always true Jews seeking to reform and restore fallen movement. But it was an uphill struggle!

Another noted Nicolaitan opined:

"Furthermore, I do not suppose that you need to learn from me how ridiculous and unworthy of any argument are their [i.e. the Jews'] scruples about food, their superstition about the Sabbath, their pride in circumcision, and their shame in fasting" (Letter to Diognetus, 125 AD).

Note the absolute arrogance as this famed "Church Father" derides those who maintain faith in and obediance to the Sacred Scriptures of HaShem! God calls His Sabbath eternally sacred and this Nicene Christian founder calls it a ridiculous superstition!

The obvious question then is: Should we side with the One True God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, Who revealed His Torah to Moshe, Who declared Shabbat eternally sacred, Who was praised and obeyed by Rebbe Y'shua and his talmidim... or should we accept the arrogant teachings of Roman Pagans who deliberately altered the teachings of Rebbe Y'shua for their own purposes and who changed the biblical day of worship to that of Sol Invictus?

You decide.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve Adonai, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Adonai.

Even generally respected men like Justin Martyr intentionally misrepresented the Bible's teachings in order to remove Rebbe Y'shua's teachings from its roots. Read his words carefully:

"On the day called Sunday all who live in the cities or in the country gather together in one place, and the memoirs of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are read... But Sunday is the day on which we all hold a common assembly, because it is the first day of the week on which God made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead."

What's wrong with this? Only God's word!

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

These early Nicolaitan heretics could not support their doctrinal changes scripturally and so in some cases they wrote allegedly inspired books (like the Gospel of Barnabas quoted above), altered the words of what later became the New Testament, or simply cited as evidence verses not found in the Scriptures as though they were!

As most people were illiterate these lies were seldom discovered and the people became ever more deeply indoctrinated.

As the new Church's power increased disagreeing with the Pope became hazardous to ones health! A few years later the Vatican outlawed the reading of the Bible by anyone but priests and monks in order to stop opposition to their unbiblical teachings! In time their doctrines came to be accepted as orthodoxy. But there were always within the Church who remembered the Truth, or at east who knew that the Church was not teaching it.

By the time the Protestant Reformers rose to oppose the Vatican so much had been forgotten and so much error had been accepted as Christian Orthodoxy that -- although their intentions were doubtless good -- they didn't understand how deeply the Way had been compromised. The Reformers focused on obvious heresies: the selling of indulgences, the transformation of Mary into a veritable goddess... but they missed the more serious errors, the Oneness of God among them.

Despite these heresies, Rebbe Y'shua promised us:

Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh,
20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age."

Rebbe Y'shua's Torah teachings were supposed to guide the Way "even unto the end of the world." Yet within 300 years his doctrine had been so compromised that most people could not determine what he actually taught and an age of darkness descended.

The persecutions endured by the Way were severe and history is written by the victors: In the end the Vatican won and Shabbat was lost to most Believers. The Roman Papacy deliberately and fundamentally altered the Derech HaShem taught by Rebbe Y'shua into something not supported by the Bible. They changed many of the essential doctrines, replaced the biblical holidays with Pagan ones...

However all the writings of the Church fathers combined can not alter the simple and obvious fact that Rebbe Y'shua and his followers like all other religious Jews, honor Shabbat as the eternally observed day of rest in honor of God our Creator.

There were several reasons why the followers of the Way allowed their movement to be usurped by the Roman Pagans and allowed Shabbat to be stolen from them. Some were Roman converts who genuinely didn't know any better. Others accepted the claims of others rather than study these things for themselves... but perhaps the main consideration was that embracing the newly emerging Roman religion meant an end to the persecutions.

By embracing the Nicolaitan teachings of the Vatican the Believers made it clear to Rome that they were no longer Jews, that they, like the Romans, now renounced God's people completely. Now they too rejected the Shabbat of HaShem. They too had turned their backs on the Jews and they hoped that by doing so they had saved their own skins.

History does repeat.

Anti-Semitism became a Christian virtue as the historic Passion Plays make clear. That this is true can be demonstrated in their own words:

Tertullian (200 AD) wrote:

"We solemnize the day after Saturday in contradistinction to those who call this day their Sabbath.

Shabbat was not replaced by a symbolically better day (i.e. because Y'shua rose on a Sunday morning), it was replaced in contradistinction of the Jewish practice. This quote also demonstrates that Sabbath keeping was still an issue as of the third century CE. At that point in time there were still followers of the Way who were trying to maintain Shabbat but the leaders and elders of the emerging Universal Church maintained their heretical work without respite until Shabbat was all but forgotten... except by the Jews.

In their ongoing efforts to transform the Way the Church employed direct lies:

"The Apostles further appointed: On the first day of the week let there be services and reading of the holy Scriptures and the oblation, because on the first day of the week our Lord rose from the place of the dead" (The Didascalia, 225 AD).

Where did the Apostles EVER say this? They didn't and that's not why Shabbat was stolen from the Talmidim!

Eusebius of Caesarea even directly equates Sunday observance with the Day of the Roman Sun God (Sol Invictus):

"The day of the light... was the day of his Resurrection from the dead, which they say as being the one and only truly holyday and the Lord's Day."

This is very telling! The Way became the Church under the tutelage of Roman Pagans and was fundamentally altered into what Rome hoped would be the Universal ("catholic") religion.

Every holiday celebrated by the Nicene Christian faith without exception has its origins in Paganism. For instance:

Easter was celebrated long before the resurrection of Rebbe Y'shua as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos.

It was sacred to:

• Aphrodite from ancient Cyprus
• Ashtaroth from ancient Israel [Baal's consort]
• Astarte' from ancient Greece
• Demeter from Mycenae
• Hathor from ancient Egypt
• Ishtar from Assyria
• Kali, from India
• Ostara a Norse Goddess of fertility.
  And others.

Its no wonder the Universal religion abandoned the biblically mandated Sabbath!

The change from the Jewish Reform Movement of Rebbe Y'shua to the Universal Religion formalized by Emperor Constantine (who was a lifelong worshiper of Sol Invictus and only converted to Christianity on his death bed) took about 300 years.

The abandonment of God's Sabbath was finalized in 364 CE.

As the Catechism of Catholic Doctrine says on page 50 (3rd edition):

Question: Which is the Sabbath day?

Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.

Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.

As authentic Messianic Jews ...we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews

-- John 4:22

And Shabbat is the only day ever declared holy by the God of Israel

For more detail on Shabbat read the complete study using these links:

Go to: Part One: How the Sabbath Day was Given.

Go to: Part Two: Rebbe Y'shua Observed and Continued Sabbath Observance

Go to: Part Three: How the Sabbath was Stolen.

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