When Will We Get Power Back?

Hurricane Sandy is gone, but at the time I am writing this, many are still without power. The power was off at our house for several days. When we finally did get power back on, there was the realization, that many were still without it. Because of the lack of power, there was a great feeling of frustration for many. Life just isn't the same without the power you once took for granted. Food in our freezer thaws, and has to be cooked. If we have an electric stove, or if we depend upon a microwave oven, we have to substitute another method of cooking. After the power has been off for awhile, we start asking questions like: What must we do to get our power back? When will we get the power back?

 There is so much that we just cannot do without power. Without power, communication is lost, and relationships can become strained. Many may worry about the safety and welfare of friends and relatives. We may wander in darkness for a time, and that can cause us to feel, very much alone. Tasks that may be required of us can become difficult, or even impossible to perform. Things we may rely upon for everyday life may be lost, and inferior objects will be substituted for the things we normally depend upon.  This is exactly what occurred in the early days of what many may call "the Church age."

Think about it. When Yeshua walked this earth, he demonstrated the power of His Father in everything he did.  He raised the dead, healed the sick, opened blind eyes, cleansed lepers, cast out demons, caused the deaf to hear, and controlled the elements. Before Yeshua went to the cross, he told his disciples that they would also have the power to do these things. John 14:12 says;

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."  (KJV)

In Matt. 8:5-13, when the centurion came before Yeshua asking him to heal his servant of palsy, Yeshua said "I will come and heal him."  The centurion said to Yeshua, that he was not worthy for Yeshua to come under his roof, because he was a Gentile, but if He would only speak the word,  his servant would be healed. Yeshua was amazed at his faith and told him, "Go thy way; as thou hast believed, be it done unto thee."

I constantly hear believers today, asking someone to pray for someone who is sick. Is that what Yeshua told his disciples to do? I cannot find anywhere in Scriptures, where Yeshua said, pray for the sick. He told his disciples, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give."  (Matt. 10:8)

Yeshua told his disciples in Luke, 10:19, "Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."  Immediately before Yeshua was taken up and a cloud received him in Acts 1:9,  Yeshua commanded his disciples, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, (v.4) but should wait there for the promise of the Father, which they heard him mention in Luke 24:49, and also John 14:15-19, 23-26 also Jn. 15:26-27. Jesus told them in Acts1:8;

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost shall come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

There are some who say, Yeshua was only speaking to His disciples when He spoke these words, and the power ceased after the disciples passed away. Could this be true? Think about this. If that is true, then our Father in heaven is a respecter of persons, and His word is not eternal. I hear the same thing said, about when Elohim spoke to Abraham. He said He would bless them who bless him, and He would curse those who curse him. However, history has proven over and over again, that God's words are eternal. Since Yeshua is the Word made flesh, His words are eternal. They are the very words of the Almighty. Elohim is not a respecter of persons.

 If these instructions were only meant for the Apostles, why were they recorded in Scripture? Why bother to record these words, if they were not meant for us. Are they only to tell a nice story, or are they there to encourage those who believe on His words? Those who who do not believe this power is meant for believers today, are approaching the words of Yeshua from a position of unbelief. When Yeshua says, "These works that I do, Ye shall do also." I believe Him. We all know, that these early believers had this power. Who turned the power off? What do we have to do, to restore this power back to the believers in Messiah? The source of the power is still here today.  Just as the power companies still have their sources of power for generating electricity, the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit) hasn't gone away. He is still here waiting on us to believe.

 Think about this. These early believers did not have the New Testament, because it had not yet been written. But, they had the Tanakh (Old Testament), and they had the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit). They had the power. Today we have the New Testament, but we are lacking the power. Why is that? Yeshua did not tell his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait on the Holy Bible in order to receive power. He told them to go to Jerusalem, and wait on the Holy Spirit. The power came through the Spirit. Has our Father in heaven changed His mind? Do we have a different Holy Spirit than the early believers had? Is our heavenly Father a respecter of persons? Of course, the answer to the last three questions, is a resounding NO! Then what happened?

We must understand something about the early believers. They did not have mega churches. They did not have cathedrals and basilicas. They did not even have a little wooden chapel down the lane. They met in the houses of their brothers and sisters in Messiah, and they broke bread together as a family. They had an intimacy with one another, and they had an intimacy with their Messiah, that for the most part, is lacking today. The Ruach was working through them, and the demonstrations of His power, were commonplace. If they were blessed, they would have a synagogue, or a public house of meeting, but the early assemblies, were mostly done from their homes. They kept the commandments, observed Torah, and had the testimony of Yeshua haMashiach. Their numbers grew, and there can be no mistake that the early believers were distinctly Jewish. In spite of heavy persecution, the congregations spread throughout the world. There was a love for Yeshua, a love for Torah, and a love for the brethren that seems to be immensely lacking in modern congregations.

Yeshua said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." What were the commandments Yeshua was referring too?  Those given in the Torah. Yeshua is the same who spoke those words to Moses. They are His words, and He is the Word made flesh. Ask yourself this question. Why would Yeshua make his own words null and void, when His own word says,  " I am YHVH, I change not." (Mal.3:6). Why would Yeshua give his Torah, only to have it made null and void during the so-called Church Age, only to bring the Torah back again during the millennial Kingdom?

  Our modern Bibles have changed words, changed the tense of words, added words, and subtracted words, to support the Modern / Western / Hellenistic / Roman / Protestant doctrines. Something ADONAI  warned against doing (Deut. 4:2 & 12:32). In doing so, the power has been turned off, except for a very few who really believe the words of Yeshua. A couple of examples follow. 

The translators of the Jerusalem Bible, NIV, NEB, RSV, and other modern Bibles, in an attempt to wipe out the kosher laws given in Torah, add the words, [In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean."] to Mark 7:19. Yeshua (Jesus), said nothing of the sort, and these words do not appear in any of the Greek texts. These words also do not appear in the older versions, such as the KJV, ASV, The Geneva Bible, etcetera.  They are simply added to push a Roman / Protestant doctrine, that does not exist in the original text. Furthermore, when you read this passage in it's proper context, from verse one (especially verses 2 - 9), it should become apparent, that the text is referring to the man made tradition of the washing of hands, and not the eating of meats. Yeshua's rebuke is for the traditions of men, and not declaring food as clean, or unclean. All one has to do is read the parallel verses of this passage in Matthew 15: 2,3 & 20 to understand that Yeshua is not talking about food, but the tradition of washing of hands. Don't take my word for it. Check into it yourself. Anyone with access to a Greek Interlinear Bible can easily see this for themselves.

 Another attempt at twisting the Scriptures in Verse 19 is to translate the word  καθαρζων as  purifies instead of purging. Just read the context. This is an absolutely absurd translation. It is talking about purging the body of foods already having gone through the digestive system, and going into the latrine. Would you call this excrement purged, or purified? I don't think it would pass the requirements of the Pure Foods Act of 1906. Do you? I didn't think so. All one has to do is read the New Testament, without denominational bias, and it becomes perfectly clear, that all of Yeshua's disciples remained kosher, until they went on to be with Yeshua.

Another blatant example of Roman / Protestant bias in interpretation, from the NIV, and other modern versions, is found  in Colossians 2:14, by trying to apply a modern (false) Hellenistic understanding of the Greek, which was written from an ancient Hebrew perspective. This bias is perpetuated from earlier English versions though, so the NIV, and other modern versions are not the only culprit. Colossians 2:14 in the King James Version reads thus:

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross."

In the NIV, the same passage reads thus:

"having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away , nailing it to the cross."

The words I have in bold in both of the texts above are the Greek phrase "χειρογραφον  τοις  δογμασιν." Why is this important? Because, it is translated in such a way, as to make it appear, as though it is the Torah (Law), that is nailed to the cross. Nothing could be further from the truth.  The literal translation of this phrase is, "the handwriting of their dogma"  So, what does that mean to us?  The handwriting of their dogma, was a letter of indebtedness, a bill, a tab, or something owed. It is a handwritten agreement to their dogma, or conversation concerning a debt. When someone in ancient times bought something on credit, or owed someone money, the debtor would give the creditor a handwritten IOU, and it would show the amount due, along with the debtors mark or signature. When the debt was paid, a spike, or punch would be driven through the parchment, or skin upon which the IOU was written, to indicate the debt was paid in full. Many of the senior people among us may remember this custom remaining, even into our time. When you ate out in a restaurant, or diner, you were given your check, or bill for the amount owed by the waitress, or waiter. When you went to the cashier and paid your bill, the cashier would take the bill, and pierce it onto a spike alongside the cash register. It indicated your debt was paid. Most never think about where this custom came from, and believe it was just a way to keep the receipts until the end of their shift.  Now when you read verse 14 in context with verse 13, you can clearly see, that our sin debt was nailed to the stake. Not the Torah.

Another example of the blatant, and purposeful mistranslation of modern Bibles which attempt to make Torah irrelevant to Christians is found in the NIV rendering of  verses 16 & 17 of the same chapter of Colossians. It reads as follows:

16 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you in what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17  These are a shadow of things that [were] to come; the reality, however is found in Christ." 

  

Now compare verse 17 to the King James and most other older versions. Verse 17 is correctly rendered in the KJV as thus:

"Which [are] a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

Did you catch the difference? Notice the bold word were, versus the bold word are between the text of the two versions. This is a blatant attempt to put the kosher eating habits of the Jews, which were commanded by the Almighty, their appointed feasts, their observing the New Moons, (thus their given calendar), and their seventh day Sabbaths, which the Creator gave as a perpetual commandment, into the past tense, as though this was all fulfilled in Yeshua. The text however does not support this. There are still portions of Torah yet to be fulfilled at Yeshua's second coming. The Greek word in question in verse 17, is the word εστιν. It is in the present tense according to every Greek dictionary I can find, including Strong's and means is, or are. To translate it as though it were past tense, is deception by the translators, pure and simple. This is a simple word, and is among the first words, one learns when learning Greek. Its first grade stuff. The only way the translators could possibly miss something this simple, is because it was intentional. There are many other attempts to diminish the importance of Torah in your walk with Messiah, but I will go into them at another time. They include circumcision, the question about Acts 15: 19 & 20, plus many other questions concerning Grace and Torah. Be watching for them in the future.

 The main reason people do not see the things that Yeshua said should be commonplace, is because, we have this saying that says; "I'll believe it when I see it." That is the exact opposite of the Scriptural pattern of belief. You see, because you believe, not the other way around. Unbelief among those who call themselves believers, has crippled the power flow more than anything else that can be named. We must understand one important aspect of the ministry of Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah), and that of the believers in the first and second centuries. They preached the Gospel, but it was always with signs and wonders following. They believed what they preached. Do you really think the Gospel would have had the effect upon the thousands of people hearing it, if the power of the Almighty was not there demonstrating His agreement? The apostle Paul made this clear statement in 1st Corinthians 2:4 & 5;

"My speech and my preaching were not with the persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit of power - so that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."  (Tree of Life Version)

Today we have many preachers with persuasive speech, and people flocking to hear them, with their ears itching to be tickled, but there is no power.  It is common today, for people to flock to mega-churches to be told they are fine because of the grace of God. There is no commitment to living a holy life preached. There is no repentance, no studying to show yourself approved, and no real charity. Most of what you get today is an "I'm OK. You're OK" teaching. Prosperity is the main teaching heard on the radio, and seen on television today. It seems that I can't turn on a so-called Christian channel without seeing these multi-millionaire preachers, (wolves in sheep's clothing), telling you to sow a seed of $1,000 into their ministries, while they fleece the poor, and go home to their multi-million dollar homes, or fly off in their private jets. Do people even read their Bibles? Have they never read 1st Timothy 6: 3-11?  Paul is plain, that we are to flee from these prideful teachers, who understand nothing, and suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

 The time has come, for all who believe the words of Yeshua to start acting upon his words, instead of just giving them lip service. He told us to heal the sick. This can only be done in the power of Ruach haKodesh. It cannot be done in our own strength. The promise of the Father is, that when Yeshua returned to Him, He would send us another Comforter. Have you received Him, or have you not?

When will we get the power back on? When we get reconnected to our Father's power source. We will get the power back on, when, we have so humbled ourselves before our heavenly Father, that when healing does happen at our hands, we will not get puffed up, and think that we did it. Our Father will share His glory with no one.  It's past time to start putting the faith, we claim to have, into action. It must grieve the Spirit, to know that we have this power available to us, and we can't believe enough to use it.

 Heavenly Father, I pray that you would restore your power to the people called by Your name. Bring us back into the truth of Your light, and restore communication between You, and Your people, that we not settle for artificial light sources. Bring us out of darkness. All to the glory of Yeshua, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Shalom Ahlaychem,

Barry W. Gaugler

'Twas The Night Before Christmas And The Truth Is Out

The Christmas Story You Probably Will Not  Read to Your Children . ©

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and you shall call his name Immanuel.         (Isaiah 7:14  [KJV])

Growing up, in the middle of the last century, my childhood was probably very similar to many other kids growing up in modern times. I looked forward to the Christmas season with great joy and anticipation. There always seemed to be an air of excitement surrounding this season. So, let me assure everyone, this is not the easiest expose' to write.

However, in ones search for the truth, there are often choices we have to make. We can either face the truth and make the change, we know we need to make, or we can close our eyes to it altogether. By doing this however we will face the consequences. As a believer, in Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), I want to live my life in a manner that is pleasing to Him. That means turning away from those things which He abhors.

Many try to use the excuse that we are under grace and arrogantly say, "I have Jesus and that's all I need." Really? I declare that if we claim to have Yeshua, but have no conviction, doing the things God condemns, we do not have the Yeshua (Jesus) of the Bible. Ruach Ha Kodesh (the Holy Spirit) was given to lead us into all truth. The truth always points us to Yeshua and God's intention for mankind. He never leads us into paganism, or idol worship, which is contrary to God's will for His people. The Ruach (Spirit) never leads us into deception. We go there by seeking after the pleasures of our natural human desires. In doing so, we rob ourselves of God's blessings. We also place ourselves in danger of losing all the benefits He has in store for us. 

Please understand this. The purpose of this writing is not to judge anyone in their understanding. It is meant in a spirit of love with the sole purpose of awakening God's people to the truth. Satan is the most subtle of all creatures. His goal is to make you believe you are serving God but through his cunning and deceptions you are actually serving him. Satan has used these tricks, to rob God's children of their blessings, from the beginning of time.

There is a saying that says, "Ignorance is bliss." That bliss will only last for a short time because there are always consequences to ignorance. There are blessings in keeping God's appointed feasts. Although it may feel good for a time, celebrating Satan's feasts, there is always a curse attached to it.

Sometimes it may be necessary for someone to jump out into the middle of the road. By doing so they could be placing themselves in danger in order to warn the oncoming traffic that the bridge is out up ahead. There are those of us who are called to blow the shofar and sound the alarm. It is not in our power to turn anyone's life around. Truth is either accepted or rejected. It is ultimately your decision as to what you will do with the information provided here. I pray you will be wise. It is not God's will that any should perish but that all would come to repentance (2nd Peter 3:9).

The fact of the matter is this. Just about every Christmas tradition, practiced today, has its origin in the exact same pagan traditions that caused Israel to be scattered among all the nations of the world. Do we really think that suddenly our holy God puts His stamp of approval upon the exact same wickedness He has already cursed and called abominations? Has God changed? Malachi 3:6 says, "I am the LORD. I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."  God was very specific. He told the Israelites what they were not to do when they entered into the land He promised their fathers. In Deuteronomy 12:29-31, God says this:

"The LORD your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.' You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods." (NIV)

Also In Leviticus, 18:2-5, God gives His people Israel this warning:

"Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.'"  (CJB)

Most professing Christians are not even aware of the fact that many of the customs and traditions they are practicing, during the Christmas season, predate the birth of Yeshua by hundreds and even thousands of years. Many of these traditions are thought of as harmless fun. However, we must understand that even if they are not the actual practice of pagan rituals, they are a direct imitation of them. These customs and traditions, which were an abomination to God in the past, are still an abomination to God today. Remember? I am the LORD. I change not. 3rd John verse 11 says:

"Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God,, but he who does evil has not seen God."

Let's begin with the date of Yeshua's birth. Was it really December 25th? It is a well known and documented fact that the day we now call December 25th was celebrated as the birth date of several gods and false messiahs, for thousands of years, before the birth of Yeshua.

This date was chosen for the birth date of the "sun god" in ancient Egypt, named Osiris. The reason for the date December 25 was, because in ancient times, it was the first day they could detect the days were growing longer after the winter solstice. December 25th was observed by many cultures during ancient times and is said to be traced, all the way back, to the time of Nimrod in ancient Babylon. Others, said to be born on this date, are Tammuz (the son of Nimrod); Horus, Shamash, Hercules, Bacchus, Adonis,  Jupiter, and several others.

In later times, during the height the Greco/Roman period, the sun- god Mithras was said to be born on this date. Throughout Europe and Asia he was called, Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. They called December 25th, "The Nativity of the Sun."  This period of time, around the winter solstice, known in Rome as Saturnalia, became known for its great festivities which included drunkenness; gluttony, orgies, gift giving, and all types of revelry. The festival of Saturnalia lasted about a week leading up to December 25th. 

The date December 25th is first referred to as Christmas Day in documents, dating to 354 C.E., compiled by a group of Roman Bishops. The document makes this statement. These words appear for A.D. 336: "25 Dec.: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae." December 25th Christ born in Bethlehem, Judea. This day, December 25, 336 C.E., is the first recorded celebration of Christmas. This date may have been chosen to counter the pagan feast of Natalis Solis Invicti, or "Birth of the unconquered sun." [40]

Between the third and fourth centuries, the Roman Church, in order to add to the numbers of adherents of Christianity, adopted this pagan date. This date made it easier for the pagans to be assimilated, into the Church, while still holding on to many of their cursed cultic beliefs. In other words, the Church did not stand against the pagan beliefs of the time. They adopted them. It did not take long before the Church was immersed into pagan superstition and the traditions of men. In 350 C.E., Pope Julius 1 declared December 25th the official date of Christ's birth,  and in 529 C.E., Emperor Justinian declared Christmas a civil holiday.

We also know, from Scripture,  that Yeshua could not have been born anywhere near late December for meteorological reasons. The Bible clearly records in Luke 2:8 that the shepherds were out in the fields, watching over their sheep by night, around the time of Yeshua's birth. The meteorological patterns today, for this area of Judea, are known to be exactly the same as they were around the time of Yeshua's birth. The lambs would be at risk, in the freezing weather, and would have been in shelter, during the cold Judean nights of late December. This fact makes it certain that Yeshua could not have been born in late December according to Scripture.

So, if Yeshua was not born in December, does Scripture give us a clear indication as to when he actually was born? Since God does not change, and always works within the parameters of His appointed times, if man knew the day and hour of His birth, he would also know the day and hour of His return. God intentionally keeps these times a mystery. However, God has given clear indications, in His Scriptures, as to the times and the seasons. We can know according to God's appointed times the approximate period in which Yeshua was born.

We know, for a fact, from the Scriptures, in Luke chapter one that the father of John the Baptist was a priest named Z'kharyah (Zacharias). He served in the temple burning incense during the course of Aviyah (1st Chronicles 24:10). He was chosen by the drawing of lots (Luke 1:9) as was the custom of the priests (See 1st Chronicles 24:5). The names of the different courses of priests, who served in the temple, are mentioned in 1st Chronicles 24: 1-19. Aviyah was the 8th course. Each course served in the temple for one week with the 1st course starting, in the 1st week, in month of Nisan, in the Spring (See 1st Chronicles 27:1 & 2). All priests served during God's appointed feasts of Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). After six months the cycle would repeat so each course would serve two weeks during the year.

With the above rotation sequence we can look at the information and have a pretty good idea as to when Messiah Yeshua was born. We know from Luke 1:11-20 that the angel Gabriel visited Zacharias while he was serving in the temple. We know from this information that Aviyah served in the 8th course. This would have put Zacharias serving in the temple from the month of Iyar 7 to Sivan 5. This brings us right up to the start of Shavuot (Pentecost) on Sivan 6. Since this is one of the three feasts, in which Jewish men are required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, we can be sure that Zacharias would have remained in Jerusalem for another week. Upon returning home his wife Elizabeth soon conceived. If we add 40 weeks, or 280 days, to this time (the normal gestation period for humans), it would put the birth of John The Baptist right at Passover. (Remember: God always works within the parameters of His appointed times. God never works according to manmade times and seasons.)

When Elizabeth became pregnant Luke 1:24 tells us that she remained in seclusion for five months. In verse 26 Gabriel appears to Miriam (Mary) in the sixth month and tells her she is going to conceive by the Holy Spirit, and give birth to a son. He will be called the Son of God. The dialog continues through verse 37, and then in verse 38, Gabriel leaves her.  Then in verse 39 it says, Miriam hurried to the hill country to visit Elizabeth.  John leaped in Elizabeth's womb upon hearing Miriam's voice. From these passages we can determine that John would be born at least six months before Yeshua. That would put Yeshua's birth right at the first day of Sukkot (probably September, or early October, according to our calendar). Now remember this. God always works within the parameter of His appointed times. (I know I am being redundant about this but please bear with me. It is very important that this fact is embedded in your mind).

Let's examine Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is more commonly known among Gentiles. I will only highlight (for the sake of brevity) those verses, or portions of verses, from Leviticus 23:33-43, which are most important to understanding, but I suggest you read it for yourself from your own Bible.

vs. 33-36: "ADONAI said to Moshe, 'Tell the people of Isra'el, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of Sukkot for seven days to ADONAI. On the first day, there is to be a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work.---on the eighth day you are to have a holy convocation;--- it is a day of public assembly; do not do any kind of work.'"

vs. 39: "But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to observe the festival of ADONAI seven days; the first day is to be a complete rest and the eighth day is to be a complete rest."

vs. 41-42: "You are to observe it as a feast to ADONAI seven days in the year; it is a permanent regulation, generation after generation; keep it in the seventh month. You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Isra'el is to live in a sukkah." 

 (All above verses from the Complete Jewish Bible)

Notice, God says, it is a feast for seven days but then He adds an eighth day to the end of this seven day feast. Why?  Again we turn to the Scriptures for the answer. In Genesis 17:10-12a,  God says this to Avraham (Abraham);

"Here is my covenant which you are to keep, between me and you, along with your descendants after you: every male among you is to be circumcised. You are to be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; this will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. Generation after generation, every male among you who is eight days old is to be circumcised,..."

From the above passages, it should be quite evident why God, in His infinite wisdom, added an eighth day at the end of the seven day feast of Sukkot. Since Messiah was to be born on the first day of Sukkot (a high holy day). Does it not make perfect sense that the eighth day, or the day of Messiah's circumcision, would also be a high holy day? Sukkot is an obvious prophetic feast pointing to the birth of Messiah Yeshua.

Many people today recognize that Yeshua was born in a manger. There was no room at the inn, because it was during Sukkot, and the roads were crowded with pilgrims heading to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast. Look at any Nativity scene, or picture of a manger, and it should become obvious to you what you are seeing. It's a sukkah, or temporary dwelling place, in accordance with God's commandment that the children of Israel were to dwell in booths for the duration of the Feast of Sukkot.

Why do you think God placed these passages in Scripture? Are they only there for the purpose of great reading? He has a purpose for everything He commanded to be written down. It is so sad that most Christians do not know the Tanakh. If they did they would have so much greater understanding of the Apostolic Writings.

It is my prayer that all, who call themselves by the name of Messiah, would take the time to do your own homework. God is revealing Himself, in these last days, like He has not done since the days Yeshua made His sukkah among us in human flesh. Please, children of God, do your own searches on the pagan origins of Christmas. I implore you. Come out of the confusion of Babylon. God hates paganism and idolatry, as much today, as He did in ancient times. The time is short. Repent!

"And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth."   (John:1:14a   [TLV])

Shalom Chavarim,

Barry W. Gaugler

The Kingdom Of God Is At Hand (Interest versus Commitment)

The Kingdom of God is at hand (Matt. 4:17, 10:7, Luke 10:9 & Mark 1:15).What does that mean? Yeshua (Jesus) was telling his disciples that the Kingdom of God was near. How near? Take your hand and place it right in front of your face. That near! God's kingdom is not out there in the sky somewhere. Neither is it just something to look forward to when you die. The Kingdom of God is within His people (Luke 17:21). We are blessed to be living in the very end of the age, or this world system, as we know it. Messiah is about to return. The signs are everywhere, if one would only open their eyes and pay attention.

 There is a hatred today, for God, His people Israel, and believers in Messiah. The hatred we are witnessing today, is unprecedented in all of history. Just do a search of the word "antisemitism", or "antisemitism of the church fathers," and you may shock yourself, as to the hatred for the Jewish people, and followers of Messiah that exists today. Yes, it exists even within the church. This is exactly as the Bible has been stating from Genesis to Revelation. We are living in the age, when Jewish people are beginning to cry out for their Messiah. Jewish people everywhere are praying for Messiah to reveal himself and at the same time, Christians are watching in anticipation of  His return.

 Antisemitism is nothing new. It has existed ever since the Hebrew people were chosen by God, to be a witness unto Him in the world. The following is a (not so) brief excerpt, with quotations and notes added by me, adapted from "Anti Semitism" (Keter Publishing House, Jerusalem, 1974).

3rd Century B.C.E.  Manetho, Greco-Egyptian Historian says; Jews were expelled from Egypt as lepers.

38 C.E.  Anti-Jewish riots in Alexandria (Egypt): Many Jews killed and all remaining Jews were confined to one quarter of the city.

19 C.E.  Emperor Tiberius expels the Jews from Rome and Italy.

66 C.E.  Massacre of the Jews of Alexandria (Egypt) in which 50,000 Jews were killed.

200 C.E. Church Father, Tertullian writes his anti-Jewish polemic in Latin Adversus Judaeos (Against The Jews). This was the beginning of the Israel and Church concept, or Replacement Theology.

325 C.E.  After the ecumenical council of Nicaea, the Christian Church formulates it's policy toward the Jews: The Jews must continue to exist for the sake of Christianity in seclusion and humiliation. Circumcision is outlawed, as is the keeping of the Jewish Shabbats, God's appointed feasts, New moons and blowing of the shofar. Torah scrolls are burned and Jews are forbidden to marry Christians.

For more information on this, visit this site:

www.ngabo.org/prophetic/constantine.htm

386-387 C.E.   John Chrysostom, Church Father in the East, delivers 8 violently anti-Jewish sermons in Antioch.

438 C.E.  Theodosius II, Roman Emperor of the East, legalizes the civil inferiority of the Jews.

circa 470 C.E. Jews persecuted in Babylonia by Firuz, The Exilarch, many Jews killed and their children given to Mazdeans.

535-553 C.E.  Emperor Justinian I, issues novellae to Corpus Juris Civilis expressing his anti-Jewish policy.

612 C.E. Visigothic King Sisebut of Spain inaugurates a policy of forcible conversion of all Jews in the kingdom.

624-628 C.E.  Jewish tribes of Hejaz (Arabia) destroyed by Muhammad.

632 C.E.  Heraclius, Byzantine Emperor, decrees forced baptism of all Jews in the Byzantine empire.

632 C.E. Official Church doctrine on forced conversion of Jews in Spain formulated.

1421C.E.  Persecutions of Jews in Vienna and its environs, confiscation of their possessions and conversion of Jewish children, 270 Jews burned at the stake, known as the Wiener Gesera (Vienna Edict). Expulsion of Jews from Austria.

1473 C.E.  Marranos of Valladolid and Cordoba, in Spain massacred.

1474 C.E.  Marranos of Segovia, Spain massacred.

1492 C.E.  Expulsion from Spain.

1492-93 C.E. Expulsion from Sicily.

1495 C.E.  Expulsion from Lithuania

1496-97 C.E.  Expulsion from Portugal; Mass forced conversions.

1506 C.E.  Massacre of Marranos at Lisbon.

1543-44 C.E.  Martin Luther, German reformer, attacks the Jews with extreme virulence. Quotes from Martin Luther follow, but I'll keep it brief focusing only on the important points of his words.

"What then shall we Christians do with this damned, rejected race of Jews"

First, their synagogues should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over with dirt.

Secondly, their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyed. For they perpetuate the same things there that they do in their synagogues. For this reason they ought to be out under one roof or in a stable, like gypsies---.

Thirdly, they should be deprived of their prayer- books and Talmuds in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught.

Fourthly, their rabbis must be forbidden under threat of death to teach any more.

Fifthly, passport and traveling privileges should be absolutely forbidden to the Jews.

Let the government deal with them in this respect, as I have suggested.

Such a desperate, thoroughly evil, poisonous, and devilish lot are these Jews, who for these fourteen hundred years have been and still are our plague, our pestilence, and our misfortune"

Adolf Hitler used much of Luther's writings in his book "Mein Kampf" It makes you wonder where he got most of his demonic ideas.

I have only given a small portion of what is recorded of the persecutions of the Jewish people throughout history. I have left out much, but anyone who wants to know more, can easily find it online. Satan has tried to eliminate our heavenly Father's people from the beginning of humanity, but he will not succeed. The Almighty has a purpose for His people, and He will have his way, no matter what Satan and his deceived demoniacs try to do. 

The antisemitism of times past, are nothing compared with what is ahead of us.  Just look at the news today. The truth of Israel is suppressed, in favor of the Arab lies, and anti-Jewish propaganda. The United Nations have become nothing more than a sounding board, for the hatred of the state of Israel. Do we really think the Arab Spring is pure coincidence? Do we really believe, it is all about democracy? Do we think Egypt's president was only kidding when he said, "Jerusalem would be the new capital of Egypt?" Do we really think, that Iran is developing nuclear technology, just to make electricity, especially in light of what their president says about Israel? Khamenie has called Israel "a cancerous tumor, that must be wiped out." Iranian president Mahmoud Ahnadinejad in 2005 said, "Israel will one day be wiped off the map." At the UN he said "Israel's existence is an insult to all humanity."

 It's time to get into our Bibles, and look at where we are in History and Prophesy. Time is running out, and it is running out fast. Israel is surrounded by people, who want to drive her into the sea. What do you think is going to happen, should Israel attack Iran's nuclear facilities? Do we think it will create world peace?  Please read Psalm 83 to see how this fits in prophesy today. Do we think the things happening in Syria are merely coincidence? Read Isaiah, Chapter 17. If we are only interested in the truth of Scripture, but are not committing our lives to trust in Our heavenly Father, and His Messiah Yeshua haMashiach, we are in for a world of hurt in the near future.

There seems to be a renewed interest, as of late, in the return of Messiah. Many churches are looking at the Scriptures, in a new way, hoping to discover some answers they may have missed in the past. Many are starting to seek the Hebraic roots of their faith, to see, if there is something they are missing in their Modern/ Western Hellenistic/Greco/Roman/Protestant understanding, of the Ancient, Eastern, Hebrew Scriptures. I have recently noticed an interest in Biblical matters, from a lot of people, that have had zero interest in the past. People seem to instinctively know, that something is about to happen. Therein lies the root of the problem. There is great interest, but at the same time, there also seems to be a great lack of wanting to prepare their lives, for what is about to happen. There is a profound lack of commitment to having their lives changed in conformity to what Scripture requires. Interest in spiritual matters is not going to prepare you for the troubled times ahead. Our Father is looking for a people, who are committed to following His instructions. He is looking for a people, who are willing to put Him first in their lives, and trust in Him alone, for their very being.  

Our heavenly Father is looking for a people, who are not interested in the cares and worries of this world. Anything that you place in front of, or between you and our Creator is an idol. If there is anything of this world that you are not willing to give up for Him, it is an idol. Whether it is cars, jobs, the party life, houses, friends, family, pagan traditions, or holidays. If you allow them to get between you and the Father in heaven, He will view it as pagan worship, and visit upon you His wrath. Our Father is a jealous Elohim, and He wants all of our lives, not just a part of it. If Yeshua is not LORD of all in your life, He is not LORD at all. Think about this. When the church abandoned the Hebrew understanding of Scripture, and their ways, the power also left the church. No more were there the miracles, that were common to the Jewish believers in Messiah. No more was the power of healing commonplace. No more was there revelation in His word, as in the days of the Apostles. Was it because the Apostles all died out, or was it because their teachings were abandoned in favor of the doctrines of devils and wicked men? I believe it is the latter. Could that be why the power is returning to those who have committed their lives to finding the truth, and then trusting God to teach them His ways?

Shalom,

Barry W. Gaugler

Messianic Judaism - Restoring The Foundation

What is Messianic Judaism? Where did it come from and why has it come on the scene now? Why do we use the name Yeshua haMashiach  ישוע הא משיח instead of Jesus the Messiah, or Jesus Christ, in our conversations and worship?  Why do we use Hebrew in our liturgy?  I will try to answer these questions by the leading of Ruach haKodesh  רוח הא קודש (The Holy Spirit). It is my objective to make this easy to read for the sake of brevity. It is, by no means, meant to be an in depth expository of the subject, but rather a brief explanation of what many of us, in the Messianic community believe Elohim אלוהים (G-d) is doing in these  Last days. All that being said, some will still think it is too long.

Note: Many Christians may find it strange that the letter "o" is not used by many Jewish people in their writings, when referring to our G-d, or L-rd. It is out of respect for the name, and is in no way meant to be interpreted  as an insult. Quite the contrary, it is based primarily on the Jewish idea (tradition) that if written, it could be erased, defaced, or destroyed and out of respect, you do not erase, deface, or destroy the name of G-d. This is a very simplistic explanation and there is much more to it, but, as I mentioned above, this is not an in depth expository of the subject. I will continue with this tradition out of respect for my Jewish friends. I personally try to avoid using the titles G-d and L-rd, but that is a subject for another time. I usually use in a sense that portrays what other's would say from their perspective. Sometimes it is just unavoidable when trying to make an idea clear ie.- The Kingdom of G-d etc..  Also, I will be using language recognized in Jewish understanding, and used by most in the Messianic community. For example;  Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit mentioned in the first paragraph. I will put the English understanding in parenthesis.  I pray you will understand.

What is Messianic Judaism? 

Many in the Messianic community believe the restoration of  Messianic Judaism is the  work of  Ruach haKodesh in the last days before the end of the Gentile age. The Ruach (Spirit) is moving upon the Jewish people, as well as many Gentile people, seeking the truth of the Jewish roots to their faith. Our heavenly Father is taking away the temporary blindness, and opening the eyes of the Jewish people, that they might recognize and believe in Yeshua  ישוע, as their promised Messiah. Messianic Judaism is not a new religion, as some may attempt to classify it, but is rather a restoration of the belief system that was in place during the lives of the Apostles in the first century.

 This writing attempts to bring many to understand that there is one Israel and not two. We, as believers are of the Commonwealth of Israel. We are Abraham's seed by faith in Yeshua. The wild olive branches, or the so called Church is grafted into the natural olive tree (Israel), by faith and not the other way around. It is clear from Scripture, that the original, natural olive branches (The Hebrew people),  were broken off, because of their rebellion,  to make salvation available to the wild olive branches, or the Goyim  הגויים (Gentiles). The Scriptures are clear that in the end time the Hebrew people, or natural branches, will be grafted back into the olive tree. See Romans Chapter eleven.

 Messianic Judaism is rooted in  the same form of worship that existed during the days of the Apostles, when they were commissioned by Yeshua haMashiach, to take the Good News חדשות טובות, into all the world. It is the form of worship the original Apostles would recognize, and is after the style of worship that was familiar to Yeshua. In fact, Yeshua revealed himself to be Messiah during the synagogue (public) reading of the weekly Shabbat Parashah  שבת פרשת (Sabbath portion). Yeshua read from Yesha'Yahu   ישעיהו  (Isaiah) 61: 1 & 2 in  the Tanakh תנך (Hebrew Scriptures). This is recorded in the Book of  Luke  לוק 4: 16-20;

"He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor' Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began saying to them, 'Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.' "  (NIV)

 Those who follow the teachings of Messianic Judaism believe that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah, Savior of the World and the Word made human flesh who tabernacled among us, as mentioned in the Book of Yochanan  יוחנן (John) 1: 1-14. The Tanakh, or (Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures), form the foundation for our faith with the B'rit Chadashah  (Refreshed [New] Covenant Scriptures), providing the completion of our faith. The shedding of Yeshua's blood put an end to the old sacrificial system of killing lambs and bulls for the sin atonement. You cannot be made righteous before our heavenly Father by the keeping of the Torah  תורה (Instruction). However, those who truly love our heavenly Father will strive to live their lives according to those commandments, regulations and statutes, which are pleasing in His sight. Yeshua told us in Mattityahu מתיו (Matthew) 5: 17 & 18;

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Amen, I tell you,  until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass."    
(Tree of Life NT)  

I am forced to ask this question, referring to the above passage of Scripture. Have heaven and earth passed away? When I look outside my windows, I still see trees, birds, clouds and blue sky during the day and a dark sky with stars at night. I don't believe heaven and earth have passed away yet. They are still here. So, I am forced to believe that everything Yeshua was speaking, has yet to be accomplished. Context is very important in understanding Scripture. The great apologist for the faith, Dr. Walter Martin had a saying that goes like this;

"When you remove a text from its context, it becomes a pretext for error."

Many would like to remove the above passage from their Bibles, because it does not agree with their concept of grace. The fact of the matter remains. It is there. They are the words of Yeshua. It is up to us, to seek Ruach haKodesh, to give us their meaning and not trust the teachings and doctrines of men. The keeping of Torah, to the best of our ability, is what is pleasing to our Father in heaven. If the keeping of Torah was no longer important, why would our heavenly Father promise to write His Torah upon our hearts? Read Yirmeyahu  ירמיהו (Jeremiah) 31:33. Often, people wonder, what is the purpose for their life? Our Father  makes it clear what the purpose is for our lives in D'varim דברים (Deuteronomy) 30:19 & 20a, where it says;

"I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, loving ADONAI your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him - for that is the purpose of your life!" (CJB)

Where did Messianic Judaism come from?

Messianic Judaism, as stated above was the original practice of the early believers in Yeshua during the first century. In some instances, Messianic Judaism was able to survive into the sixth century. Heavy antisemitism was beginning to occur, even during the days of the original Apostles, as the Good News started to spread among the Gentile nations. These peoples did not know much, if anything, of Torah, or Jewish tradition and were well rooted in their pagan beliefs. Heavy persecution came upon the early Jewish believers from both the Jews, who rejected Yeshua as their Messiah, and the new Gentile believers, who were mixing their pagan practices with their new found Christianity. By the time of the Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E., their antisemitism had reared its ugly head and under the authority Constantine, they abolished almost everything Jewish in the establishing of the Roman church. Many Jewish believers in Yeshua and Rabbinical Jews were persecuted and forced to convert, or die. Because of this persecution, many Jews were assimilated into the church. During the heavy persecution of Jews during the eighth century, many more changed their names to more localized sounding names and were also assimilated into local so called Christian churches in order to avoid torture, loss of property, or death.

Why is Messianic Judaism returning to the scene now? 

 Although the Messianic movement started to be restored in the late 19th century, it is no accident that this movement started to take root soon after Israel became an independent nation on May 14th, 1948. This occurance was prophesied in Yechezk'el יחזקאל (Ezekiel) 34: 11-16. The movement really started gaining momentum, after Jerusalem fell back into Israeli hands in 1967, during Milhemet Sheshet haYamim מלחמת ששת הימים (The Six Day War). In that year, there were zero Messianic congregations in the United States and today there are over 400 (not counting local house, Hebrew Roots and independent congregations) and over 800 congregations worldwide. In the United States there are two organizations most synagogues associate themselves with. They are M.J.A.A. (Messianic Jewish Alliance of America) and U.M.J.C. (Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations). Although Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, Messianic Judaism is among the fastest growing Christian belief systems (along with the Hebrew Roots Movement), and is the fastest growing form of Judaism. Messianic Judaism is on the rise in the eastern European nations, as well as in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Part of this is due to the fact that more and more Bible believing Jews and Gentiles are seeing the close of the Gentile age coming to pass, as spoken of in Luke 21:24. To the frustration of the Orthodox Jews in Israel, Messianic Judaism is rapidly on the rise there also. When the Almighty opens a door, no man can shut it.

Why not use the name Jesus?

The Hebrew name for Jesus is  ישוע  Yeshua. Some use the variations Yahshua, Yahoshua and Yehoshua, but the common pronunciation used in most Messianic congregations and writings is Yeshua. The name in Hebrew means "Yahweh saved," or "Salvation of Yah." The name Jesus was never heard in the ears of our Lord. How can I be certain about that? Well, first of all, the letter "J" did not come into existence until about 400 years ago, making the name "Jesus" an impossibility. Incidentally, the same can be said for the name Jehovah, and the name James. The English name James in Hebrew is יעקב Ya'akov. The Greek name for Yeshua is Ιησους or Iesous (pronounced: Yay soos). The Latin name for Jesus is also Iesous with a different accent (pronounced EE soos). The 1611 version of the King James Bible did not use the name Jesus because the name did not yet appear in the English language until about thirty years after its authorization when the letter "J" came into English usage. The spelling of the name in the 1611 original King James version was  Iesvs. See photo below. Yeshua was Hebrew. He was given a Hebrew name. It is only proper that he be called by his given name. Acts 4: 11 & 12 says this;

"This Yeshua is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!"  (CJB)

Why use Hebrew in our liturgy?

Hebrew is our heavenly Father's language. It is the language He used to speak to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and all of the prophets of old. It is also the language that some claim Yeshua spoke during creation. It is the pure language He swore He would restore to His people in the end times in Tz'fanyah  צפניה (Zephaniah) 3:9. Not all Messianic congregations use the Hebrew liturgy, but many do. Many use the Hebrew and English together. If one wants to worship in the rich Jewish tradition, Hebrew brings out the meaning of worship, like no other language can. Some of the prayers in the Hebrew have been around for 3,500 years and were familiar to Yeshua and the Apostles. 

Until the last fifty years, or so, it was believed that the whole New Testament was written in Greek. The evidence has only recently been coming forward that the New Testament was originally written in Hebrew, or Aramaic and translated into Greek. There is evidence of this, from within the text themselves and from archaeological  discoveries in the last hundred years. The Aramaic Eastern Peshitta Text translated by Andrew Gabriel Roth is strong evidence of this idea.

 There is also the fact that our present New Testaments were written with an antisemitic, Christian bias. By the time the Protestant Reformation was happening, and their doctrines were being formulated, this antisemitic bias was already deeply rooted in their beliefs which were carried over from Rome. Unfortunately, the apple did not fall far from the tree.  The following is a quote from Jeff A. Benner, whom I believe to be one of the foremost experts of our day in the ancient Hebrew.

"Aside from the issue of what language the New Testament was originally written, the primary question should be, 'What language did Yeshua and his Talmidiym (Apostles) speak when teaching?' If they taught in Hebrew then......we must understand his teachings from a Hebraic perspective, not through Greek."  

It was once thought that the Hebrew language was a dead language by the time Messiah walked the earth. We now know this is false, as there is too much evidence to the contrary. Yeshua and his Talmidiym (Disciples) were Hebrews. They grew up in a Hebrew land. They spoke and read the Hebrew Scriptures and they wrote in Hebrew. Their understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures was from an Ancient, Eastern, Hebrew perspective. Our Bibles today are translated from a Modern, Western, Hellenistic culture. They are like oil and water. They do not mix. Unfortunately, our Old Testament has been translated from the Masoretic text with all of their Rabbinical biases. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we have Hebrew texts closer to the original writings. I look forward to better translations about to come on the scene.  

                                                                       

Shalom Ahlaychem,

 Barry W. Gaugler

Click on picture to enlarge.