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A Guide to the Truths |
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of Scripture
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One morning as I was waking up, I was somehow imagining giving colleagues at work a gift as a way of bringing to their awareness the beginning of Yahweh’s beginning of months. In years past, I’ve entertained the thought of making up a basket of items to give to people I know before Passover and Unleavened Bread in order to bring Yahweh’s ways into their awareness. The basket might have included a small box of matzos or a bundle of homemade unleavened bread, a small bottle of grape juice, a bottle of water, a washrag (you know, for a ready-made foot-washing) and a small stuffed lamb plus some other stuff. But, I’ve never acted on it, questioning whether or not it was appropriate, beneficial or even if it would be in keeping with what Yahweh would have me do. |
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In the Beginning In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1:1 NKJV. I would write a note in the margin explaining that the title G-o-d is the English translation of the original Hebrew title Elohim, meaning “Mighty Ones” or “Almighty,” which explains why the Scripture says, Then Elohim said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,” Genesis 1:26. In the margin, I would note: “Who is the Scripture referring to, when it says, ‘Our image according to Our likeness’?” I would then direct the reader to Proverbs 30:4, Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name? Surely you know! (RSV) |
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What is the Father’s Name? The commentary here would read, “So, what IS the name of the Father?” The reader would be directed to read Exodus 3:13-15, Moses said to Elohim, “Suppose I go to the Israelites [back in Egypt] and say to them, ‘The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” Elohim said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Elohim also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers – the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac and the Elohim of Jacob – has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation,” (NIV) The commentary here would read, “The Angel of Yahweh [see verse 2], speaking as Elohim, told Moses that His Name is ‘I AM.’ In Hebrew, ‘I Am’ is the word h’Yah.” It is interesting that the English translators chose to “define” His Name here, instead of “transliterating” it, like every other name in Scripture. In the Hebrew text and to the Hebrew ear, there is no definition here. To someone fluent in Hebrew, it says, “Say to the Israelites that h’Yah has sent you.” In verse 15, the Angel of Yahweh says, “This is My Name … forever.” This Messenger comes to Moses “in the name of Yah.” Notice that “Elohim,” the Messenger, is speaking to Moses and uses the full name of The Creator, Yahweh. He tells Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers – the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac and the Elohim of Jacob – has sent me to you.’” Here is written the full name of Yahweh, comprised of two Hebrew words, hayah and haweh. Hayah (#1961) means to exist, to be, to become, to come or bring to pass; and haweh (#1933) means to breathe or to be (in the sense of existence). Considering this, the name of the Creator, Yahweh, carries with it the meaning, “He who breathes existence into being.” Our existence as human “beings” is ONLY by the will of our Heavenly Father, whose name is Yahweh, This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh Elohim made the earth and the heavens, Genesis 2:4. Here is another verse that is amazing in this context: And Yahweh Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, Genesis 2:7. |
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Names Have Meanings Isn’t it awe-inspiring to understand the meaning of Hebrew names? Think about this: What if the translators defined every name in the Bible instead of transliterating them? “It came to pass in those days that The Salvation of Yahweh came from The Guarded One of The Path and was entirely covered by The Mercy of Yahweh against the Judgment Coming Down From Heaven.” Does anyone recognize this verse? It came to pass in those days that Yahshua came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan, Mark 1:9 (also in Matthew 3:13). Defining the names in the Bible brings a deeper understanding of the text, doesn’t it? Still, Yahweh should be honored by using His name, and not by a definition of His name or by a title of His authority. Let me ask you a question. How important is it to honor the Name of Yahweh? |
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Honor His Name “If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,” says Yahweh Sabaoth (Yahweh of hosts), “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart, Malachi 2:2 NKJV. Any questions about how important it is to use His name? Lest anyone think that “giving glory to Yahweh” means “not speaking His name,” just read the following Scripture: I am Yahweh, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing to Yahweh a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you coastlands and you inhabitants of them! Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits. (Kedar is the second son of Ishmael and it refers to Arab nomads; so, Isaiah is calling out to the Gentiles to Praise Yahweh with a united voice!). Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to Yahweh, and declare His praise in the coastlands, Isaiah 42:8-12 NKJV. Who are we to praise? Yahweh, our Heavenly Father! Is it not clear that we are to call out His name in praise? In fact, every time we, and the Scripture, say, “HalleluYah,” we are literally saying “Praise Yahweh.” The liturgy in both Judaism and Christianity use the word, HalleluYah. Brothers and sisters, there is absolutely no justification for denying the name of Yahweh. Think about it. What does it MEAN if someone says they don’t do something, and therefore neither should we; and then they do it … regularly? What does that make them, whether they know it or not? |
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What is the Son’s Name? Next in this tour of Scriptural Truth would be to answer the question, “What is the name of Yahweh’s Son?” The reader would be directed to read the following: And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, Yahweh is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him [that is, the angel Gabriel, an archangel whose name means “the Strength of El” – so, we know by his name that this was not some puny messenger], she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Miriam, for you have found favor with Elohim. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name YAHSHUA. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and Yahweh Almighty will give Him the throne of His father [meaning ancestor] David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end,” Luke 1:28-33 NKJV. The commentary here might read, “The name of the Messiah, given in the English translations, is J-e-s-u-s, though the Greek is I-e-s-o-u-s, pronounced ‘Yehshu’, an attempt to transliterate His Hebrew name.” The name, Iesous (#2424) is of Hebrew origin (#3091). The Hebrew name is pronounced Yahshua and is the same name as the man given authority by Moses to lead the Israelites into the promised land, Joshua (Yahshua) of Nunn. The name, Yahshua, is combined and abbreviated from the two Hebrew names, Yahweh (#3068) and Hoshea (#3467); which when combined means, “The Salvation of Yahweh.” Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9) In the phrase “Hosanna to the Son of David,” the word “Hosanna” is a combination of the Hebrew words “Hoshea” and “na” [meaning “now”] – “Hoshea na”! The phrase “to the” is one word in Greek, the article “the”; so the multitude were literally shouting “Salvation now! The Son of David!” The title, “Son of David,” is another title for the awaited-for Messiah. So, when we read about the inhabitants of Jerusalem shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they are really shouting, “The Messiah is now bringing salvation!” “The Messiah is now bringing salvation! ” “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “The Messiah is now bringing salvation!” How true! Yahshua came down from Heaven to earth in the name of Yahweh ; literally, His Name bears the Name of Yahweh, and He comes to us in the mind, the will, the power and the presence of Almighty Yahweh. So, I say, “HalleluYah; we praise You, Yahweh; we thank You, Father, for sending Your Son, Yahshua, to demonstrate to us and teach us of Your ways.” |
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John 1:1-5 Returning briefly to Genesis 1:26, where we earlier asked the question, “Who is the Scripture referring to when it says, ‘Let us make man in Our image according to Our likeness’?” We understand that the word “Elohim,” as used in the 1st verse of Genesis, “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth,” refers to the Father and the Son. Evidence of this is found in John 1:1-5, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh, and the Word was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Yahweh. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it, NKJV. Now, why did I distinguish the name of Yahweh from the title of Elohim in the first two verses of the Book of John? After all, the English text doesn’t distinguish between them, writing G-o-d for all three. When a noun, in Greek, is preceded by the word “the”, it magnifies the importance of that noun. For example, I could say of someone that he was president. How different if I were to describe him as THE president! You can see in the chart below that I’ve chosen to use the name Yahweh when the deity title is proceeded by the article, “ton.” John 1:1-2 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with ton Theon, and the Word was theos. The same was in the beginning with ton Theon.” John 1:1-2, translating, says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh, and the Word was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Yahweh.” When John used the words “In the beginning,” twice – for emphasis – he was referencing the Book of Genesis that uses the same words. And, in reference to the plural form of the Creator, being the word “Elohim”, John was saying that the “Word” was the other component of the Creator, His Son, Yahshua, and that He was with the Father, in the beginning. |
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The EnLIGHTenment of Life Another question, “What did Elohim create on the first day?” Then Elohim said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And Elohim saw the light, that it was good; and Elohim divided the light from the darkness. Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day, Genesis 1:3-5 NKJV. Yahweh’s Son, Yahshua, said, in John 8:12, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Hebrew word for “light” is owr, meaning literal light as in lightning, or figuratively as in the concept of enlightenment. Then Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years,” Genesis 1:14 NKJV. The Hebrew word for “sign” is oth – in the sense of appearing; a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, mark, miracle, token, monument, omen or evidence. The Hebrew word for “seasons” is mow’-ed, meaning a “set appointment,” a Feast, a yearly assembly of the congregation; and a “signal” appointed beforehand. |
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The Appointed Feasts Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are My Appointed Feasts, the Appointed Feasts of Yahweh, which you are to proclaim as sacred [or holy] assemblies,’” Leviticus 23:1-2 NIV. Notice that Yahweh is not saying that these are Holy Feasts of the Jews, or of the Israelites; these are His Holy, Set-apart, Clean, Consecrated and Proclaimed Appointments. In four places Yahweh has declared that these Appointed Times are forever. (See verses 14, 21, 31 and 41). What is the first Appointed Time that Yahweh has set to meet with us? In response to this question, one might wonder how all of this applies to “us,” the “Gentiles,” when Yahweh clearly makes these Appointed Times for the “Israelites.” This is an excellent question, and the answer is foundational to our doctrines and worship. The answer is somewhat complicated, but it is primarily founded upon the words of Yahshua, who commissioned His disciples to “Go only to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel.” There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to Yahweh, Leviticus 23:3 NIV. Again, it is not a day made just for Jews or Israelites; the day of Sabbath belongs to Yahweh. Now, Yahshua proclaims that He is the Sovereign, the Master of what day? The Sabbath! Yahshua is the Master of the Sabbath Day. For the Son of Man [another Hebrew title for the Messiah] is Master of the Sabbath, Matthew 12:8 NIV. Webster’s Dictionary defines “Saturday” as “the seventh day of the week.” The day has not changed since the time the Bible was written. Today, the day over which Yahshua remains the sovereign is the day we call Saturday. It is the day that Yahweh has made an appointment to meet with us. When does that day begin and end? |
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The Beginning of a Day Genesis 1:5 – So the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:8 – So the evening and the morning were the second day Genesis 1:13 – So the evening and the morning were the third day. Genesis 1:19 – So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1:23 – So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Genesis 1:31 – So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. The pattern here is that evening is the beginning of each day. Every day begins, as Elohim designed it, at the time of sunset. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre, Matthew 28:1 KJV. In this verse, we have the picture of two women, both named Miriam, going to the sepulchre in which Yahshua had been laid, having died three days earlier. It was at the end of Sabbath, at sundown, that they ventured there. Remember, when the sun goes down, a new day begins. The word “dawn” used in the King James means “light,” literally, but remember, and this holds true for the Greek word epiphosko, “light” is rooted in the concept of “enlightenment,” to “draw on” or “become known,” according to Strong’s Concordance. Here, the word “dawn” does not refer to the sun coming up, it refers to the sun going down, as the first day of the week, known to us today as Sunday, becomes “known.” At the sepulchre, an angel appeared to the women, who apparently were afraid: But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Yahshua who was impaled on a stake. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Sovereign lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you,” Matthew 28:5-7 NKJV. Now, wait a minute. How could the Messiah have risen at sunrise on Sunday, as is commonly believed, if the two women went to the sepulchre BEFORE sundown on Saturday – on the Sabbath! Here, I would direct the reader to the Scripture in which Yahshua is confronted by Scribes who asked Him to prove that He is, indeed, the longawaited- for Messiah. We would cover the “Three Days and Three Nights” sign and prophecy of Jonah that Yahshua gave them. Namely, that He would lay three days and three nights in the earth before being resurrected. Let us take a look at John 19:31, Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain [hanging] on the tree on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. This would then lead back to Leviticus 23, where the “High Sabbath,” the Appointed Times of Yahweh, could be explored. The unfolding of the meanings ascribed to each of the Feasts would provide a continuing adventure throughout the Scripture, examining the meaning of the New Covenant, as described in Jeremiah 31:31; the House of Judah and the House of Israel, the Law and the Spirit, the prophecies waiting to be fulfilled, and on and on until the Scriptures are referenced and demonstrated to be one continuous teaching of Yahweh and His Son, Yahshua. We should praise Yahweh for this vision. We should be excited to be guided by His Spirit to do His will. Now, we should pray, “Father, give me more, more of Your truth, more of Your wisdom, more of Your strength, and more of Your patience. You bless us, Father, and we kneel at Your feet, in the name of Yahshua Ha Mashiach. HalleluYah!” |
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-Elder John Fisher |
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