Is Christmas a Christian Holyday?

Is Christmas a Christian Holyday?

That is an interesting question - all over the world people now celebrate Christmas. “Merry Christmas!” for many centuries we have all heard these two words cheerily being said each December by countless millions of people, many of whom do not even believe in Jesus Christ much less know Him. Today the world is again about to experience another "Holiday Season,” when the name "Christmas" will again take center stage for a few weeks. Amidst the crass commercialism of Christmas, a few familiar carols and some Christmas cards do try to herald the glad tidings of the baby Jesus born to be the Savior of mankind; even non-Christian families give gifts to one another. For many people, “the Christmas holidays” is their favorite time of year. You have heard the familiar Christmas story "“It’s about 2000 years ago, the evening of December 25. Mary rides into Bethlehem with Joseph leading her on a donkey, urgently needing a place to deliver her baby. Although it’s an emergency, all the innkeepers refuse to help and simply turn them away. So they have to deliver baby Jesus (Yeshua) in a stable and wrap Him with swaddling clothes. Then angels talk and sing to the shepherds. Afterwards, they all come together with three kings riding on their three camels into a stable with other farm animals to worship the quiet, newborn baby, Jesus.” Did it really happen like this? Was Jesus really born on December 25th? The quick answers are No, No.

In Matthew 2:1 we do see that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king. Bethlehem is only about 4 miles from Jerusalem and the name Bethlehem comes from two words bayith, meaning: "house"; and lechem, meaning: "bread." Jesus was born in the "house of bread." What do we call a house of bread? A bakery! This is interesting in light of the fact that Jesus said in John 6:35: "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." The bread of life was born in a bakery! Jesus, the "bread of life," offers spiritual food that will completely satisfy our hunger. It doesn't rain in the desert. But in Bethlehem, just a mile away, they may get 28 inches a year, and it all comes in about 12 weeks; 6 weeks in the early rains, a little in between, and 6 weeks in the later rains. The fertile mountain valleys and hillsides that received adequate rainfall provided valuable cropland for farmers, while the wilderness nearby provided pastures for the shepherds' flock.

The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 ed. says this: "Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church. It was not instituted by Christ or the Apostles, or by Bible authority. It was picked up after-ward from paganism." Speculation as to the time of Jesus’ birth dates back to the 3rd century, when Hyppolytus (170-236) claimed that Jesus was born on December 25. During the centuries immediately following Jesus' life, Church leaders made absolutely no effort to correctly date the birth of Jesus. The ancient church did not celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth at all, choosing instead to focus on His death and resurrection and they continued to focus on the Lord's Feast days. But by the early fourth century, Roman Catholic Church leaders picked this date in order to compete with several pagan holidays and a well known Jewish holiday. They wanted a religious alternative to rival the Jewish Chanukah and the popular pagan solstice celebrations - so, they chose December 25th as the date of Jesus' birth and held the first recorded Feast of the Nativity in Rome in A.D. 336.

A major problem with any birth date for Jesus in December is that it would be unusual for shepherds to be “abiding in the field” at this cold, rainy time of year when the fields were unproductive. The normal practice was to keep their flocks in the fields from Spring to Autumn. In late September, the time of the annual Feast of Tabernacles, is when most travel commonly occurred. In Luke 2:1 it says that when Mary was just about to give birth to Jesus, she and Joseph traveled to from Nazareth to Bethlehem (70 miles) to fulfill their obligation to be counted in a Roman census. People (especially pregnant people) did not travel in the Winter because it would have been much too hard. Rather, most people traveled in the Fall, when the harvests were in, and they could avoid the heat of Summer and the cold of Winter. And at that time of year the grain, and some fruit, were ripe, and travelers were legally allowed to eat some of the “gleanings” as they passed by (Lev. 23:22). I believe that our Savior was really born in a sukkah. Many would have been erected during Sukkot and any observant Jew keen on his history may also point out that mangers as food storage were commonly seen inside most sukkas that were erected during the feast of Sukkot! If Yeshua (Matthew 1:21 = "Salvation") was actually born in a sukkah, this would have been very humbling for a young Jewish girl to give birth to her very first child in such a public setting with no privacy. At the time of Sukkot - Passover lambs would have been raised in the fields of the city of the shepherd David.

There is a Sukkot liturgy recorded in Jewish writings that was written well before Jesus' time that says, "Glory to G-d in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill." The Angels said exactly that to the Shepherds: In Luke 2:14 we read: "Glory to G-d in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men." Why did the angels say the Sukkot liturgy the night of Jesus' birth? I believe it was because Jesus was just born on Sukkot. When the shepherds heard the angels in the fields - it is highly probable that HaShem sent His mighty archangel Michael, to announce the good news and to lead the heavenly host in their praises of His newborn Son, because this occasion was later commemorated by the early church as Michaelmas (‘Michael sent’) exactly on September 29, the same as the date of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. At Jesus birth, ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt (literally tabernacled) among us’ (John 1:14). If this is true, the immaculate conception of Jesus Christ, would have taken place in late December (Chanukah) of the previous year. Our Christmas celebration could then be recognized as an honored observation of the incarnation of ‘the Word made flesh’ (John 1:14).” Thus when we observe Christmas (i.e., ‘Christ sent’), we are actually celebrating His miraculous conception, the time when the Father first sent His only begotten Son into the world, in the virgin’s womb. This darkest time of the year—the time of the pagan Saturnalia, and the time when the sun (the physical ‘light of the world’) is at its greatest distance from the Holy Land—what a perfect time for HaShem to begin to send His spiritual ‘light of the world’ into the world as the ‘Savior, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:11)”

Those who have studied the Torah have understood a far deeper and more interesting mystical reason as to why the birth of the Jesus the Mashiach was assigned to December 25. The Jewish (Biblical) calendar was in use by the whole world for most of the world's existence. In 153 BCE, the Romans who spoke and wrote in Latin, reordered the calendar but kept some of the names that provided a hint as to its earlier origins. The Torah originally used numbers for the names of the months rather than actual names. The names in the current Jewish calendar were taken from Babylon by Chazal to provide the Jews with a remembrance of our exile. What is the meaning of December? In Latin, decem means ten. December was the tenth month of the year. December 25 can now be understood as the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month. In fact, this is the terminology of the Torah. Now if we switch our brains from the Roman calendar to the Jewish calendar, we can relate to the fact that the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month is actually Chanukah ("dedication"), which began on the twenty-fifth day and ended in the tenth month (Kislev 25 through Tevet 1 & 2).

The denominational churches continue the pagan custom of decorating their Christmas trees and homes with lights. What do all these lights have to do with Christmas or Chanukah? Chanukah is also known as the Feast of Lights because of the miracle of the lights of the menorah in the Holy Temple. Remember that the Maccabees had only enough pure oil to last for one day. Yet, when they kindled this one cruse of oil it burned for seven days! We celebrate this miracle by kindling a progression of oil lights in our homes for the eight days of Chanukah. Thus we see that even the lights of the Gentiles point to Chanukah.

Jesus truly was the Light of the World (John 8:12; 9:5.) At the end of the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, three eighty foot high golden candlesticks were set up in the Temple’s Court of Women. Four golden bowls were placed on each (3 x 4 =12) candlestick, and four ladders rested against each bowl. A youth of priestly descent stood at the top of each ladder, pouring oil from a ten-gallon pitcher into the bowl (Talmud: Sukkah 5:3) The worn-out liturgical garments of Priests were used for wicks. The light from these candlesticks was so bright that it was stated, "There was no courtyard in Jerusalem that was not lit up with the light at the water-well ceremony" (Talmud: Sukkah 5:3). This is the when Yeshua (Jesus) spoke publicly on Sukkot, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12). Yeshua proclaimed Himself to be the light of the world while the people were gazing at the four lights which were called the "light of the world". This quote of our Lord is really not as fitting for Chanukah or for Christmas as it is for Sukkot, the real day of Jesus the Mashiach’s birth. It is interesting that the Christmas holiday is celebrated by many from December 25 through January 1. This, too, is an eight day period which corresponds to the eight days of Chanukah and the Feast of Tabernacles! Jesus never celebrated Christmas. Jesus did, however, celebrate Chanukah: Yochanan (John) 10:22 -23 "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication (Chanukah), and it was winter. And Yeshua walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch."

Was Jesus actually born on Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles?

First of all, what is Sukkot or the feast of tabernacles? In Lev. 23:41-43, HaShem commanded the Israelites to live in booths for seven days after gathering in the fall harvest, and to rejoice before Him. A booth (Sukkah) is a temporary dwelling place (flimsily made by intention). It is a temporary shelter, or a temporary provision. When HaShem commanded the Israelites to dwell in booths (Sukkot), He was emphasizing to them and the generations that followed that their dependence was on Him, and not on a man-made structure. The same is true for believers in Jesus today. Our dependence should also be totally upon the Lord, not on the temporal things of this life. The Sukkah also pointed toward our physical bodies which are temporary dwelling places. I Peter 2:11 says that "we are merely pilgrims and strangers passing through the earth as we journey toward the "promised land" (kingdom of heaven). Our dependence should not be upon our flesh, nor upon anything materialistic, but only upon G-d. Still, there was another reason why Hashem emphasized to the Israelites that they should live in booths, namely because there would come a time when He, Himself, would dwell in a temporary one, in the person of Yeshua, Jesus of Nazareth. John chapter 1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us". According to John 7, Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles as it was being celebrated in Jerusalem. Much of the celebration was in thanking G-d for providing the necessary "rainfall" for an abundant harvest. The celebration also included "water libations", anticipating G-d's promise to the Israelites of sending the Holy Spirit, spoken of by the prophets. "Whoever did not see the rejoicing of (this water drawing ceremony) never saw rejoicing in his lifetime." (Mishnah: Sukkah 5:1) On each of the seven days of Sukkot, the High Priest took a golden pitcher and filled it with water drawn from the Pool of Siloam. It was brought into the Temple through the Water Gate (hence the name), and poured into a bowl at the Altar, alongside the pouring of the wine, during the daily burnt-offering (Talmud: Sukkah 4:9). This water libation was performed only during Sukkot. The Talmud states, "Why is the name of it called the Drawing Out of Water? Because of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, according to what is said: ‘With joy shall ye draw out of the wells of salvation’ " (Isaiah 12:3). According to John 7:37-39, in the midst of all these festivities, "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Yeshua was not yet glorified , (Jesus spoke of the Ruach Ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit that would be given to all those who believe in Him and ask for it) . I personally believe that our Jesus (Yeshua), G-d in the flesh, dwelling in a "succah", was actually born during the Feast of Tabernacles or the Festival of Booths (Sukkot). This is one of the Feast days mandated by G-D for all Israel to observe annually. Jews, even, today are required to build a "sukka" or temporary booth/shelter close on three sides and open to the skies. They can sleep, eat a festive meal of symbolic foods e.g., tree fruit and nuts and lounge inside throughout the night. We all need to abide in Him. (John 15:1-8; Acts 8:26-40)

In 1 Chronicles 24 the sons of Aaron were divided by lot into 24 courses to determine who would serve in the Temple. In Luke 1:5-25 we see the record of the angel's announcement to Zacharias that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a son, whom they were to call John. Verse 5 contains a little phrase that is one important key to determining that Jesus was born in September, not December. It says that Zechariah “belonged to the priestly division (“course”) of Abijah.” A study will show that from the time of King David, Jewish priests were organized into 24 “courses,” named after the heads of the priestly families. King David was instructed by HaShem in how to divide the priests and how and when they were to serve (1 Chronicles 28:11-13) These courses of service in the Temple started on Nisan 1 (which corresponds to March or April on our calendar) and spanned the entire calendar year. Because the Hebrews used a lunar calendar and we use a solar calendar, The number of days that differ from a lunar and a solar calendar, are made up by adding a leap month every two or three years.)

We know from Josephus that the first course, the course of Jehoiarib, was on duty when Jerusalem was besieged during the first week of April, AD 70 (Nisan 1-8, AM 3830). When then would the course of Abijah (the eighth division) have been serving in 4 BCE? If the courses served in the same weeks of every year, this would have the Abijah course coming on duty: Passover week: beginning the second Sabbath in Nisan (March-April).Pentecost week: beginning the first Sabbath in Sivan (May-June). The tenth week of the year: beginning the second Sabbath in Sivan (May-June). (Abijah was the eighth course; the two pilgrimage festivals throws the rotation off by two weeks, resulting in the tenth week.) The thirty-fourth week of the year: beginning the second Sabbath in Tishrei (September-October). (Twenty-four weeks later) This places the course of Abijah on duty on the Day of Atonement, Tishrei 10. and finally Tabernacles week: beginning the third Sabbath in Tishrei (September-October).

Nisan 1 changes on our solar or Gregorian calendar every year. In the Second Temple period, in Jesus' time, there were 25,000 priests these Priests were divided by lot into 24 groups called brigades. John's Father was Zacharias, a Levite who was assigned by lot to serve in the Temple during the course of Abijah or the 8th course of the year. (Luke 1:5; 1 Chronicles 24:10) The course of Abijah was the eighth course, and, like each course, occurred twice during the year - once for seven days in the Spring and then for seven days in the Fall (1 Chronicles 9:1-26). The weeks of service began and ended on the Sabbath (2 Chronicles 23:1-8) In addition to their normal service, the Priests (as seen above) also served for three extra weeks (Feasts) per year (Deuteronomy:16). In 4 BCE., the year prior to Christ’s birth, the first of those two courses took place during the last week of our month of May. Zechariah and Elizabeth were quite elderly, and had no children, and the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19-22) gave him the wonderful news on the Day of Atonemnet - that they would have a son, to be named John. That eighth course would happen during the tenth week if you allow for the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks, which both occur during the first eight weeks of the year. This is the second Sabbath of Sivan, and the week that follows (approximately Sivan 12-18 or early June). Elizabeth conceived Yochanan (John) the Baptist AFTER Zechariah (Luke 1:9) had finished his Temple service (Luke 1:23). So, she would have become pregnant after the third Sabbath of Sivan (approximately Sivan 19-25): Verse 26 then says that in her sixth month of pregnancy (December), the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her that she was about to become pregnant with the Son of G-d. Nine months later would have been September. As mentioned above, Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist was conceived in mid Sivan (May/June) and born 40 weeks later on Passover (Nisan15). Jesus called John "Elijah" in Matthew 11:7--15; 17:10-11; and Luke 1:17. Even today Jews remember the arrival of Elijah at the Passover seder.

If Yochanan (John) the Baptist was conceived in the eleventh week, the third Sabbath week of Sivan, Yeshua would have been conceived six months later in the month of Kislev. Mary would have conceived Yeshua after the third Sabbath of Kislev, approximately Kislev 19-26. Kislev 25 is Chanukah or Jesus the Mashiach, the "light of the world", was conceived on the festival of lights! So, six months after Yochanan (John) the Baptist is born, Yeshua is born. Therefore, since Yochanan (John) was born on the fifteenth day of the first month (Nisan), if you add 6 months from John's birthday on Passover you arrive at the fifteenth day of the seventh month which is known as Succoth, or the Feast of Tabernacles. By the way, that day was a full moon. In fact, the fifteenth day of every Biblical month is a full moon. In Yochanan (John) 1:14 we read: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (succah) among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Remember that a major theme of Succoth is JOY! With this in mind ... please read Luke 2:4-11 and Matthew 2:7-12. If this really was Jesus real birthday, His circumcision would have been eight days later or exactly at Shemini Atzeret/Sinchet Torah, which like the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles which also is a day of sacred assembly (Leviticus 23:39). On this day historically, the Jews complete their annual cycle of Torah readings and begin again from Bereshit (Genesis). Simchat Torah is considered to be the fulfillment of the Torah and Jesus came to fulfill the Torah (Matthew 5:17-18). In John 1:14 we read that the "Word became flesh and dwelt with us" - the Greek word rendered "dwelt" is "skeinao" which the LXX (Septuagint) uses for "mishkan" (tabernacle). The name for the Feast of Tabernacles itself is called "Herotel Skeinon" in the LXX. (The Septuagint or simply "LXX", is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, it was translated in stages between the 3rd and 2nd century BCE in Alexandria. It was begun by the 3rd century BCE and completed before 132 BCE.)

The Torah reading, in the first year of the triennial cycle, for the Sabbath closest to Yochanan (John) the Baptist’s conception is: Bereshit (Genesis) 15:1-21. This Torah portion recounts HaShem’s promise of a son to Abraham. The Torah reading, in the first year of the triennial cycle, for the Sabbath closest to Yeshua’s conception is: Bereshit (Genesis) 42:18 - 43:23. This Torah portion recounts the story of Joseph’s brothers discovery of treasure in their sacks after they bought food in Egypt. The Haftorah portion is: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 50:10 - 52:11. This Haftorah portion says: ... “Then shall the redeemed of HaShem return to Zion”...

It is written that only one of the Lord's Festivals will be celebrated after Jesus returns to set up His Kingdom on earth and that festival is Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16). All the other Festivals will have been fulfilled. Finally we know from the scriptures that Jesus was 30 years old (Luke 3:23) when He began His ministry. We believe that He ministered for 3 1/2 years - so if we count back from his crucifixion during the Spring Passover (Nisan) 6 months to His birthday we once again see it is in the month of Tishri or once again we find His real birthday during the fall Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot. How perfect that Jesus would come to his people and “tabernacle” with them in community during the tabernacle feast week. How perfect that Jesus' birth fell on one of only two eight day feasts that He (the Lord of the Sabbath) could be born on the first day of the feast (considered a Sabbath) and circumcised on the last day of the feast (also considered a Sabbath). A male Jew is not considered fully born until his bris (circumcision).

In the days of the Temple, the Feast of Sukkot was viewed with great awe, for it was during the Feast of Sukkot, that Solomon dedicated the newly built Temple to the Lord. At that ancient observance of Sukkot, the Shekinah glory of the Lord descended from Heaven to light the fire on the altar and filled the Holy of Holies. During the festival of Sukkot a choir of Levites sang the Hallel (i.e. the praise Psalms 113-118) which is all about Jesus!. Later in His life, Jesus celebrated His birthday on a mountain with three of His disciples (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:1-10). On the Festival of Sukkot, Moses and Elijah, from centuries past, representatives of the Torah and the Prophets, appeared and talked with Yeshua. One disciple, Kepha (Peter), suggested building three sukkot for Yeshua, Moses, and Elijah, because it was required for the Festival of Tabernacles, but he did not understand (Mark 9:6) that these three were fulfilling that which the festival symbolized: they were dwelling in their sukkot (temporary tabernacles) of flesh, awaiting their eternal resurrection temples.


The early Christian church did not bother to celebrate Jesus' birth. "Christmas" was not observed in Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire, until about 300 years after Christ's death. The origins of "Christmas" cannot be traced back to either the teachings or practices of the earliest Christians. Historically on the date December 25, the people of Rome observed the Feast of Saturn ... the celebration of Christmas was never authorized by G-d, the festival stems from pagan Babylon. In 274 A.D., the Romans designated December 25 as the birthday of their unconquered sun god. It was observed near the winter solstice, being the time when the sun begins noticeably to show an increase in light, resulting in longer daylight hours. By 336 A.D., the church in Rome was adapting this festival, spiritualizing its significance as a reference to Jesus Christ and calling it the ‘Feast of the Nativity of the Sun of Righteousness.’ Attempting to Christianize and incorporate the pagan traditions of antiquity, the church in Rome adopted this midwinter holiday celebrating the birth of the sun god as one of its own religious doctrines and observances. The church "leaders" may have somewhat changed its significance, but they retained many customs of the pagan festival. As the Roman Catholic church spread its influence religiously and militarily, this "Christmas" holiday of December 25 became the most popular date in Christendom (Revelation 17 & 18) to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. A special mass was established for Christ, hence, the name, ‘Christmass,’ abbreviated ‘Christmas.’ It wasn't until A.D. 440 that the Roman Catholic church officially proclaimed December 25 as the birth of Jesus Christ. Saturnalia was a traditional holiday inherited by the Roman pagans from an earlier Babylonian priesthood.

December 25 was originally the date of a pagan feast in pre-Christian Europe. The Acts of the Apostles records how the true Christians were badly persecuted by the pagans because of their beliefs. Time and again the apostles warned that because of this, some "Christians" would adopt pagan beliefs, to enable them to make their religion more palatable to the pagans around them (e.g. Acts 20:30; 1 John 2:18; 2 Thess. 2:3; 2 Peter 2:1-3). The adoption of December 25 as a Christian festival is a prime example of this. Christmas trees, mistletoe, Yule logs, etc. can all be traced back to pagan rites practiced on December 25. The pagans were already used to celebrating this December 25th date now chosen by the Roman Catholic Church to be Jesus' birthday. So, why was December 25 chosen to remember Jesus Christ’s birth with a mass (or Communion supper)? Since no one knew the exact day of his birth, the Roman Catholic Church felt free to choose any birth date they wished. The Church wished to replace all of the Jewish Festivals and the pagan festivals with their own holy days (religious holidays). The church leaders felt they could simply replace any festival they objected to with one of their own. Otherwise, the Church would have left a celebratory void where there was a long-standing tradition, and risked producing a discontented congregation who might simply leave the "faith" and return to their old religious/pagan ways.

Other evidence that December 25 is the wrong date for the birth of Jesus comes from early writings. Iranaeus, born about a century after Jesus, notes that Jesus was born in the 41st year of the reign of Augustus. Since Augustus began his reign in the autumn of 43 BCE, this appears to substantiate the birth of Jesus as the Fall of 2 BCE. Eusebius (A.D. 264-340), the "Father of Church History," ascribes it to the 42nd year of the reign of Augustus and the 28th from the subjection of Egypt on the death of Anthony and Cleopatra. The 42nd year of Augustus ran from the autumn of 2 BCE. to the autumn of 1 BCE. The subjugation of Egypt into the Roman Empire occurred in the autumn of 30 BCE. The 28th year extended from the autumn of 3 BCE. to the autumn of 2 BCE. The only date that would meet both of these constraints would be the autumn of 2 BCE. John the Baptist also helps us determine that December 25 is not the birth date of Jesus. Elizabeth, John's mother, was a cousin of Mary. John began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. The minimum age for the ministry was 30. As Augustus died on August 19, A.D. 14, that was the accession year for Tiberius. If John was born on April 19-20, 2 BCE, his 30th birthday would have been April 19-20, A.D. 29, or the 15th year of Tiberius. This seems to confirm the 2 BCE. date, and, since John was 6 months older (Luke 1:26,36), this also helps confirm an autumn birth date for Jesus. Another interesting fact comes from Elizabeth herself. She hid herself for 5 months and then the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary both Elizabeth's condition and that Mary would also bear a son who would be called Jesus. Mary went "with haste" to visit Elizabeth, who was then in the first week of her 6th month, or the 4th week of Dec., 3 BCE. If Jesus was born 280 days later it would place his birth on Sept. 29, 2 BCE or during the Feast of Tabernacles..

What about the three Wise Men? In Matthew 2:7-12 we read: "Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." Clearly the Bible does report wise men (“magi”) came, but none of the early Church Fathers, suggested the magi were kings. Since the word “magi” used in the Bible is plural, there were apparently at least two, and there could have been many more. The Bible simply mentions the three costly gifts they presented—gold, frankincense and myrrh. In that day, a small group of men with such precious and costly treasures traveling such a great distance, through enemy territories and desolate areas, would have been easy prey for enemy soldiers or the many robbers who prowled the roads. It is therefore almost certain that they would have traveled in a much larger group, with adequate protection. Who were those men who took note of the many astronomical phenomena heralding the birth of Jesus Christ in Judea, and then traveled at great costs to themselves to find Him, arriving when Jesus was about 18 months old? Scripture calls them “Magi,” and they were scholarly men from Persia well versed in astronomy, history, and religion. It is most significant that their ancestors were those over whom King Nebuchadnezzar had appointed Daniel in what was then called Babylon (Dan. 2:28 and 5:11 says he was appointed “master of the magicians [Magi]”). It is very significant that there were some religious sects in Persia, including Zoroastrianism, that looked forward to a coming Redeemer, a prophet to be sent by G-d to save mankind. And that is why they would have been most interested in learning from Daniel about Judaism’s hallmark prophecies of a coming Messiah, especially as these prophecies related to the celestial motions of the planets, something they studied diligently. In any case, some striking celestial activity told them of the birth of that promised Redeemer, and they set out to find him. Matthew 2:11 tells us that they came to “the house,” not a manger, and saw “the child” (the Greek word paidion), not a “newborn baby” (the Greek word brephos). Contrary to tradition, the Magi did not visit Jesus at the manger on the night of his birth as did the shepherds. They first came to Jerusalem, apparently thinking that in the capital city of Israel they should be able to find out where the king had been born. After King Herod told them he had been born in Bethlehem, they went there and found Him as a ‘child’ in His ‘house.’ Which explains why Herod, who had consulted with the Magi as to the time when they saw the star (Matt. 2:7), determined to kill all the Jewish boys under two years old. He knew that Jesus was no longer an infant, and set two years as a safe limit to how old He would have been. The magi did not arrive until sometime after His presentation in the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:22-39). At this time, Scripture calls Jesus a “child,” not a “baby.” It is possible that little Jesus (Matthew 2:16) could have been two years old then - and a long way from the manger. It is interesting that a recent study of the now computerized data by which we can very accurately determine astronomical events of that time gives us another piece of the puzzle to dating the birth of Christ to September of 3 BCE . In particular, the very noticeable celestial activity of Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Regulus (the King star), and Venus (the Queen star), and their various combinations of conjunctions in Leo during the nine months leading up to Christ’s birth are also helpful signs to determine the September birth date of our Lord Jesus. This research shows that he was born on September 11 (Tishri 1 on the Jewish calendar), on which day the sun was in Virgo, as per the prophecy in Revelation 12:1 of “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet” (Rev. 12:1).

What about Joseph and Mary? It is safe to say that the two primary heroes in this tale were an older Jewish man and young Jewish woman who suddenly found themselves thrust onto the world stage! Think first about Mary, a young Jewish woman chosen by G-d to bear His (Isaiah 7:14) only begotten Son. What was it like for this unsophisticated young girl when the angel of the Lord appeared to her (Luke 1:26-38) and made his amazing announcement. She fearlessly asked the angel a very good question, and when she got the answer, she uttered some of the most faith-filled words ever spoken: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to your word.” Even though she faced stoning! And then pause to think about her husband Joseph, who discovered that his beloved bride was pregnant. How heartrending, and what a strong believer he was, first not to accuse Mary and/or to not make public their desperate situation, and then to endure the public ridicule he must have gotten as the father of an illegitimate child. Imagine, how Joseph's heart must have leapt for joy when the angel told him that the woman he had chosen as his wife and the mother of his children was also the woman G-d had chosen to be the mother of His only begotten Son! And think of Joseph's wonderful love for Mary, and his steadfast discipline not to sexually consummate their union until after she had given birth to Jesus (Matt. 1:25). Joseph was a man’s man, and a true hero of the faith. Can you see the young girl Mary as she lights the Chanukah lamps as the sun was setting, to usher in the Festival of Lights. There was a glow in that room that was far greater than that emanating from the flames dancing on their wicks in the little pools of oil. "The Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her," and Yeshua was conceived within her womb. Forty weeks later, on the Feast of Tabernacles, He exited His mother's womb to "tabernacle among us."

Does it really matter, dear one exactly when Jesus was born? The fact is that Jesus was born, that Jesus came into the world as a gift to save us from our sins, that Jesus was beaten, crucified and died for us and was resurrected to eternal life, and Jesus is alive today and if you ask Jesus will come and live in you! This is what we should celebrate, as we read in Zechariah 2:10: “'Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,' declares the LORD.” In Luke 2: 1-39 we read: "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising G-d, and saying, Glory to G-d in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising G-d for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed G-d, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served G-d with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth."

Note: It is common Jewish practice to restrict the use of the word Adonai to prayer only. In conversation, as many Jewish people, even when not speaking Hebrew, call G-d "HaShem", השם, which is Hebrew for "the Name" (this appears in Leviticus 24:11).

Surely Jesus' birth is the cause for celebration every day, not just once a year when Santa (Satan) comes with gifts only for the good boys and girls. It is extremely sad to me that so many people on earth associate the birth of Jesus Christ with a fictitious being called “Santa.” As we rudely learn at an early age, there is no Santa! But thank G-d, there most certainly is a loving heavenly Father whose heart of love for all mankind overflowed in the greatest gift ever given, His only begotten Son. Furthermore, G-d’s Word says that “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all…will…along with him, graciously give us all things” (Rom. 8:32). The Christmas season is a golden opportunity to do just what those shepherds of long ago did—spread the good tidings about the Lord Jesus Christ! Wise men still seek Him dear one! Merry Christmas Dear One!

The Testimony of Jesus in the Scriptures

The Testimony of Jesus in the Scriptures

In Luke 4:14-30 we read: "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way, (The Jews could not stand the truth that G-d had fed and/or healed the Goyam (Gentiles) before He healed them!) But Jesus only read from part of this Prophetic sentence in Isaiah 61:1-3 wherein we read: "The Spirit of the Lord G-D is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our G-d; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." This day are these remaining scriptures fulfilled in your ears.

The Testimony of Jesus in the Scriptures -- ''Abraham rejoiced to see My day.'' ''Moses wrote of Me.'' ''David called [Me] Lord.'' (John 8:56; 5:46; Matthew 22:45) With regard to our Lord's reference to the Books of Moses, the testimony is peculiarly emphatic. It was no mere . ''Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you keepeth the Law?'' (John 7:19) ''Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?'' (John 5:46,47). He condemned the traditions with which the Pharisees overlaid the laws and teaching of Moses as ''making the word of G-d of none effect'' (Mark 7:13). To the leper He said, ''Go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded'' (Matthew 8:4).

From a careful study of the Gospels, we cannot fail to see that the Old Testament Scriptures were continually upon Christ's lips, because [they] were always hidden in His heart. In the temptation in the wilderness, He defeated the devil, not with any manifestation of His Divine glory, not by a power which we cannot wield, not even by His own words; but He fell back upon written words which had strengthened the saints of many ages, thus showing us how we also may meet and foil our great adversary. It is specially helpful to note that it is out of Deuteronomy that our Lord selects, ''as pebbles from the clear brook'' [1 Samuel 17:39,40], His three conclusive answers to the tempter (Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:13,14; 6:16; Matthew 4:1-11). In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord said, ''Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For, verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled'' (Matthew 5:17-19).

Compare what Jesus says to scriptures from the Old Testament e.g., He refers to twenty Old Testament characters. He quotes from nineteen different books. He refers to the creation of man, to the institution of marriage, to the history of Noah, of Abraham, of Lot, and to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; to the appearing of G-d to Moses in the bush, to the manna, to the ten commandments, to the tribute money mentioned in Exodus. He refers to the ceremonial law for the purification of lepers, and to the great moral law, ''Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,'' both contained in Leviticus. [He refers] to the brazen serpent, and the law regarding vows, in Numbers. He refers to David's flight to the high priest at Nob, to the glory of Solomon and the visit of the Queen of the Sheba, to Elijah's sojourn with the widow of Sarepta, to the healing of Naaman, and to the killing of Zechariah. ''Have ye not read?'' or ''It is written,'' is constantly on Jesus' lips. ''The Scripture cannot be broken,'' ''The Scriptures testify of Me,'' ''The Scripture must be fulfilled,'' Jesus constantly makes these mentions in His teachings. Questioned concerning the resurrection, Jesus answered, ''Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures. Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by G-d, saying, I am the G-d of Abraham, and the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob? G-d is not the G-d of the dead, but of the living.'' Jesus instructs the Sadducees that they do not understand the fact of the resurrection, and He asserts that the very words uttered by G-d are contained in His scriptures (Matthew 22:29-32).

As He drew near to the Cross, Jesus said: ''Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished'' (Luke 18:31). ''For I say unto you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, - And He was reckoned with transgressors: for that which concerneth Me hath fulfillment'' (Luke 22:37). On the night of His betrayal, in the shade of Olivet, three times our Saviour points to the fulfillment of these Scriptures in Himself (see Matthew 26:31,53,54; Mark 14:48,49). Three of His seven utterances upon the Cross were in the words of Scripture, and He died with one of them on His lips.

On the very day that Jesus rose from the dead, He said to the two disciples going to Emmanus, ''O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself'' (Luke 24:25-27). Here again Jesus instructs us on how He personally fulfills the testimony of the Scriptures. After this, Jesus appeared to the eleven [disciples] and said: ''These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them: Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day'' (Luke 24:44-46). Thus Jesus once again sets His seal upon the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, the threefold division of the complete Old Testament Scriptures according to the Jews, the very same Scriptures that are in our possession today.

In the Book of Revelation, we again see a glimpse of our glorified Saviour, still ''this same Jesus,'' still quoting from the Scriptures, and still applying them to Himself. He says: ''Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth , and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death'' (Revelation 1:17,18). And again: ''He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth'' (Rev 3:7). Here He quotes from the two parts of the one Book of Isaiah, from chapter 44:6, which says: ''Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no G-d.... Fear ye not,'' and from chapter 22:22: ''And the key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open.''

Other Prophesies fullfilled by Jesus in the Scriptures.


Prophecy: Seed of a woman
Old Testament Reference: Genesis 3:14-15
New Testament Fulfillment: Galatians 4:4


Prophecy: From the Tribe of Judah (Juda)
Old Testament Reference: Genesis 49:10
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 3:33


Prophecy: Descendant of Abraham, Issac and Jacob
Old Testament Reference: Genesis 12:3, 17:17,19; Numbers 24:17
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 1:1-2,16; Luke 3:34, 38


Prophecy: Heir to the Throne of David
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 9:6-7
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 1:32


Prophecy: Anointed and Eternal
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 45:6-7
New Testament Fulfillment: Hebrews 1:8-10


Prophecy: Jesus to be born in Bethlehem
Old Testament Reference: Micah 5:2
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 2:4-7


Prophecy: The time of Jesus' birth
Old Testament Reference: Daniel 9:24-25
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 2:1-5


Prophecy: Christ to be born of a virgin
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 7:13-14
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 1:26-28, 30-31


Prophecy: Lamentation for the killing of infants
Old Testament Reference: Jeremiah 31:15
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 2:16-18


Prophecy: To be called out of Egypt
Old Testament Reference: Hosea 11:1
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 2:13-15


Preparation for and Ministry of Jesus

Prophecy: The way of the Lord prepared
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 40:3-4
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 3:2-5


Prophecy: A messenger to come before the Lord
Old Testament Reference: Malachi 3:1
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 7:24-27


Prophecy: A prophet would be raised up
Old Testament Reference: Deuteronomy 18:15
New Testament Fulfillment: Acts 3:19-20, 22


Prophecy: Declared to be a Son of G-d
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 2:7
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 3:13-17


Prophecy: Ministry centered in Galilee
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 9:1-2
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 4:12-16


Prophecy: Jesus Christ would speak in parables
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 78:1-2
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 13:34-35


Prophecy: Jesus to bind up and heal the brokenhearted
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 61:1-3
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 4:17-21


Prophecy: A Priest after the order of Melchizedek
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 110:1,4
New Testament Fulfillment: Hebrews 5:5-6


Prophecy: Despised, rejected and not believed, especially by the Jews
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 53:1-4
New Testament Fulfillment: John 1:11, 12:37-40; Luke 23:16-18


Prophecy: Hated without reason
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 35:19
New Testament Fulfillment: John 15:24


Prophecy: Triumphal entry in Jerusalem
Old Testament Reference: Zechariah 9:9
New Testament Fulfillment: Mark 11:7-11


Prophecy: Praised by the mouth of babes
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 8:1-2
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 21:15-16


Prophecy: The Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself
Old Testament Reference: Daniel 9:25-27
New Testament Fulfillment: John 11:49-52


The Last Twenty-Four (24) Hours in Jesus' Life From Betrayal to his Trial

Prophecy: Betrayal of Jesus Christ by a close friend (Judas)
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 41:9
New Testament Fulfillment: Mark 14:10, Luke 22:47-48


Prophecy: Price paid to Judas for betraying Jesus
Old Testament Reference: Zechariah 11:12
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 26:14-15


Prophecy: What would be done with the betrayal money
Old Testament Reference: Zechariah 11:13
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:3, 5-7


Prophecy: Forsaken by His disciples
Old Testament Reference: Zechariah 13:7
New Testament Fulfillment: Mark 14:50; Matthew 26:31


Prophecy: False witnesses against Christ
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 27:12, 35:11
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 26:59-61; Mark 14:55-57


Prophecy: Jesus would not open his mouth (defend himself) against false accusations
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 53:7
New Testament Fulfillment: Mark 15:4-5, Matthew 27:13-14


The Last Twenty-Four (24) Hours in Jesus' Life From after his Trial to his Death

Prophecy: Satan shall bruise Jesus' "heel"
Old Testament Reference: Genesis 3:15
New Testament Fulfillment: John 19:18; John 12:31-33


Prophecy: His scourging predicted
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 50:6
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15


Prophecy: His body would be brutalized
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:16-17; Isaiah 52:14
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:26, 29-30; John 19:1-3


Prophecy: Jesus would be bruised and crucified for the sins of the world
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 53:4-6, 10-11
New Testament Fulfillment: Romans 5:6-8


Prophecy: Shame, reproach and dishonor; adversaries before Him.
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 69:17-19
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:27-30


Prophecy: Feet and hands would be pierced
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:15-16; Zechariah 12:9-10
New Testament Fulfillment: John 19:33-35, 20:25-27


Prophecy: He was numbered among the transgressors
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 53:12
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 23:33


Prophecy: Some observers would shake their heads at him
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:7-8, 109:25
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:39-40


Prophecy: Reviled and mocked by the crowd
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:7-8
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:39-43; Luke 23:34-35


Prophecy: Intercession for sinners and those killing him
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 53:12
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 23:33-34


Prophecy: Parting of His garments and the casting of lots for them
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:18
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:35; John 19:23-24


Prophecy: Stared at Jesus on the cross
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:16-17
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:36, 55


Prophecy: Family and friends would observe
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 38:10-11
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 23:48-49; Matthew 27:55-56


Prophecy: Forsaken by G-d
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:1-2
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:45-46


Prophecy: His side would be pierced
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10
New Testament Fulfillment: John 19:34


Prophecy: Gave Him vinegar to drink
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 69:21
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23; John 19:28-30


Prophecy: Christ would commit His spirit to the Father
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 31:5
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 23:46; John 19:30


Prophecy: Not one of His bones would be broken
Old Testament Reference: Exodus 12:43, 46; Psalm 34:19-20
New Testament Fulfillment: John 19:33-36


Prophecy: Jesus Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us
Old Testament Reference: Exodus 12:3, 5-6; Isaiah 53:7
New Testament Fulfillment: John 1:29; 1Corinthians 5:7; 1Peter 1:18-19


Jesus' Burial, Resurrection and Ascension

Prophecy: Jesus would be buried in the tomb of a rich man
Old Testament Reference: Isaiah 53:8-9
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 27:57-60


Prophecy: Jesus would be resurrected
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 16:10-11; Psalm 49:15
New Testament Fulfillment: Mark 16:5-6


Prophecy: His ascension to G-d’s right hand
Old Testament Reference: Psalm 68:18
New Testament Fulfillment: 1Corinthians 15:3-6; Mark 16:19-20; Ephesians 4:8-10

There are many more examples of Jesus fulfilling G-d's promise of sending a Saviour dear one! Study to show yourself approved!

My Name is Legion!

"And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes which is over against (means "opposite") Galilee (means "heathen circle"). And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him coming out of the tombs two possessed with devils, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass that way; one of whom was a certain man, which had devils long time, and wore no clothes, neither abode in any house but who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high G-d? We adjure thee by G-d, that thou torment us not, before the time. For he said unto them, Come out of them, thou unclean spirit. Go. And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many; for many devils were entered into him. And they besought Him much that he would not command them to go into the deep or that He would send them away out of the country. And there was a good way off from them, nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And then the devils, the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked and perished in the waters of the sea. When they that fed the swine saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city, and in the country. Then they went out to see what it was that was done to the possessed of the devils. And they come to Jesus, and found the certain man, out of whom the devils were departed and had the legion, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell them that were possessed of the devils were healed, and also concerning the swine. Then the whole multityde of the country of the Gadarenes round about began to pray and besought Him to depart to depart from them and to depart out of their coasts; for they were taken with great fear. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him (at first he was afraid of Jesus' arrival now he is afraid of his leaving). Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. And Jesus went up into the ship and returned back again." (Matthew 8:28-9:1;Mark 5:1-21 and Luke:26-40)

Jesus Christ's mission on earth, as we see in I John 3:8 was "...for this purpose the Son of G-d was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil". The subject of demons and demon possession has always been a subject of religious debate by modern day denominational Christians who believe demons may have been present in Jesus' time, or today only in pagan lands. And these religious "leaders" tell their congregations that a believer can not have a demon - so many are afflicted by evil spirits. When Jesus and His weary band disembarked from the ship early morning of the day following the storm on the lake - they were met by what appeared to be two madman. The Gospel writers inform us that they were demon-possessed. What are some of the symptoms? Those possessed by demons obviously do not have the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) The ‘before’ and ‘after’ descriptions of the demoniac reveal a totally personality under demonic influence. It is somewhat like when someone is totally intoxicated. Each demon has its own distinct personality and the individual possessed begins to manifest the distinct personality of the demon by which he is possessed. When you see the opposite fruit in someone's life - you can suspect they are being exercised by a demon. Pray for them regularly in tongues. When you are having a heated argument and the phone rings and your entire personality changes when you pleasantly say "hello" know that you have resisted the demon of anger and he fled from you momentarily.

Heavy demonic possession usually involves anti-social behavior, super-human strength (Acts 19:16), torment and self-mutilation and eventually suicide (Mark 9:17-29). The final destructive suicidal desires of the demons are here dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. This word "possession" suggests that Satan or his demon(s) have gained control of the personality of a human being. One of the worst examples was Charles Manson (real last name Maddox -- he took this name in irreverence to the Son of Man ... Man-son). Total possession is still very rare. In Luke 8:2 we read: "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils." Evil spirits can tempt us and they can work on and aggravate our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 10:5). When you read the Gospels, you can see that many of Jesus' healings were done by first casting out evil spirits, showing that demons can physically attack our health. Luke 9:42 reads: "And as He was yet a-coming, the devil threw him down and tare him; and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father." (Mark 5:1-16; Matthew 8:16; and Matthew 12:22). In our fast-paced world, where our "leaders" have thrown out prayer in schools and virtually everywhere, with ever-increasing problems after problems, stress, etc., many human psychological factors can produce "natural" depression and emotional outbreaks. But evil spirits can also oppress our emotions, and cause jealousy, fear, worry, anger, unforgiveness, selfishness and depression, for no apparent reason. This culminates in an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, insanity, etc. Even today, many denominational churches have children being sexually abused and their congregations being lied to, confused and financially exploited! That is why the love of many has waxed cold.

In the beginning, G-d saw that all His creation was good (read Genesis 1:1-25). Throughout the Bible we see the existence of demons (fallen angels). G-d created a place called Hell not for the human race, but He created it for Satan (the devil) and all the evil spirits/demons, which rebelled against Him. They all had previously served G-d, until Lucifer decided to rebel against G-d and became unholy, after he rebelled, G-d changed his name to Satan, meaning "adversary or enemy". Satan managed to get one-third of all the holy angels to also rebel against G-d, and they became unholy (or fallen) angels, demons, evil spirits, etc. They know they are judges and will eventually be tormented - but, they do not want to be alone - misery loves company - so the demons are trying to take all of mankind to destruction with them.

In Jewish thinking, demons were assigned to certain geographical territories and were highly organized (Daniel 10:13; Ephesians 6:12), their leader and prince is Satan (Matthew 12:24). The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. For these demons to be sent out of the country would have meant that they would then be confined along with other fallen angels (Jude 1:6; 2 Peter 2:4,9; Revelation 20:1) no longer to afflict men or resist G-d. Today most denominational churches do not believe a Christian can be possessed and because of this - Babylon and her harlot daughters (denominational churches) are full of them. (Revelation 18:2) Satan’s most effective tool is not the naked demoniac wandering about the desolate places. Satan’s most useful instrument is the outstanding, outwardly moral and upright religious leader, whose good deeds are done independently of G-d. “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). So, dear one, look for Satan’s man behind your pulpit - where he can negatively influence scores of people, blinding minds and hearts to the truths of the Word of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). (See Jeremiah 23 and Matthew 23)

Demonic spirits are ‘unclean spirits,’ who can ‘possess’ both men and animals. In Ephesians 2:1-2 we read: "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. " Demons have great spiritual insight and reluctantly submit to Jesus as Lord of all. They look forward to their future with great dread. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. .Legion, aka the Gadarene demon, is a demon named both in Mark 5:9 and Luke 8:30. A parallel version of the story can be found in Matthew 8:28-34, but this version does not contain the name "Legion" and tells of two men, not just one, possessed by demons. A Roman Legion had over 6,000 men. In Hebrew "baal" is derived from the Akkadian "belu" or "lord". Baal's primary meaning is "possessor or master or husband" - the KJV renders the word as "man, owner, husband or master". To possess does not mean "to own" - it means to exercise or manipulate". Remember dear one "The earth is the Lord''s and all who dwell therein!" Look closely, these demons could kill about 2,000 pigs but they all could not collectively kill one man - they could only torment him and make him harm himself - but as in Job - even Lucifer can not do more to anyone than G-d allows. Here the tormentor pleads with Jesus not to be tormented before the time! Jesus has 12 legions of angels (hosts = army) to call on - (see Matthew 26:53 and then compare 2 Kings 6:17 and Daniel 7:10).

The world has always been afraid of anyone in their right mind dear one, (Romans 8:7; 12:2; 14:5; 1 Corinthians 2:16.) The demons are all afraid of Jesus and they have to obey Him. But, the world is not afraid when the hordes of demons drive a person totally insane - they are only afraid when Jesus delivers and heals them! It has been about 2,000 years since this happened and about 2,000 pigs drowned one right after another (1, 2, 3, etc.) dear one, are you ready for His "return back again"? In Ephesians 6:12 we read: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Decapolis means the "ten cities". After Solomon there was a "civil war" and ten tribes revolted and in the North they became known as Israel - they had 19 Kings and all of whom were wicked and did evil in the sight of the Lord. The other tribes were in the South and were known as Judah - half of her Kings were evil and half were good. In the Ten Virgin parable we see the same half that were not right with the Lord! These people are raising pigs no wonder they did not want Jesus in their country! They feared the Savior who could save them and not a legion of demons that wanted to destroy them!

Into the "deep" is from the Greek word "abussos" is also rendered 'deep" in Romans 10:7 but in Revelations 9:1 it is rendered into "bottomless pit".

Well dear one, have you repented and asked Jesus to deliver and heal you? Or are you afraid?

Parable Of The Unforgiving Servant...........

Parable Of The Unforgiving Servant

In Matthew 18:21-35 we read: "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

In the first part of the parable a king called his officials (servants) together for an appointed day of accounting. One of them owed him the astonishing sum of ten thousand talents, an amount which implies millions. In fact, the word for ten thousand has an underlying basic meaning of that which is numberless, countless, infinite. The servant did not want to be sold with his family into slavery to repay the debt so, he fell down and worshipped his master and he pleaded for mercy, not for remission. He promised restitution, knowing that in a lifetime he could only make a small dent in repayment and no more. In response to his earnest plea, the servant received what he had least expected - total forgiveness of his entire debt. His master took pity on him, canceled the entire debt and let him go. The second part of the parable shows how the servant responded to a fellow servant who owed him a small sum of money. Instead of forgiving his fellow servant as his master had forgiven him he grabbed him by the throat and demanded immediate payment. “Pay back what you owe me!” When the fellow servant could not - he cast him into prison until he could repay all. The third and final part of the parable shows the response of the servant’s master when he found out that the servant he had just forgiven - refused to do the same for a fellow servant who owed him a small sum of money. Only after he refused to forgive his fellow servant - the king delivered him to the tormentors (demons) until he fully repaid the greater sum. So will G-d do unto us if we do not forgive our fellow servants.

I remember when I had some brethren that I trusted - steal a great deal from me and I forgave them but, I continued to be tormented. I forgave them daily and still continued to be tormented until I cried out to G-d and asked why I still was being tormented - especially after I had forgiven these people almost daily for quite a while. Finally I heard Him say to me: "Forgive them like I have forgiven you and then forget that they ever harmed you! In Psalm 103:12 we read: "As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us." If we remember the sin we have not really forgiven the sin!

The prophet Amos speaks of G-d forgiving transgression three times, but warns that G-d may not revoke punishment for the fourth time (see Amos 1:3-13; 2:1-6). When Peter asked Jesus this question of forgiveness, Peter offered an answer he thought Jesus would be pleased with. Why not forgive seven times! But, Jesus said that one must forgive seventy times that. Jesus made it clear that there is no reckonable limit to forgiveness. And He drove the lesson home with a parable about two very different kinds of debts. The first man owed an enormous sum of money -- The talent in this parable was worth about 6,000 denarii, so that one debt is 600,000 times as large as the other. More significantly,10,000 (a myriad) was the highest Greek numeral, and a talent the largest unit of currency, so that 10,000 talents was the largest easily described debt (for comparison, the combined annual tribute of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea around this time was only 600 talents, and one denarius was a day's wages, so that 10,000 talents would be about 200,000 years' wages. In Jesus' time this amount was greater than the total revenue of a province -- more than it would cost to ransom a king! The man who was forgiven such an incredible debt could not, however bring himself to forgive his fellow servant a very small debt which was about one-hundred-thousandth of his own debt. The contrast could not have been greater! No offence our fellow servants can do to us can compare with our debt we personally owe to G-d! We have been forgiven a debt which is beyond all paying; to ransom our debt of sin G-d gave up his only begotten Son. If G-d has forgiven each of us all of our debts, we must forgive others any debts they owe us. Jesus teaches that one must forgive in order to be forgiven. If we do not forgive our fellow man we cannot expect G-d to forgive us. James says that judgment is without mercy (Psalm 101:1) to one who has shown no mercy (James 2:13). If we really want G-d's mercy shown to us we must be ready to forgive others as G-d has forgiven us. If you do not believe this is necessary dear one - you should never say the Lord's Prayer - because you are asking G-d to forgive you the exactly the same way you forgive others.

We are never more like Jesus than when we quickly forgive those who have sinned against us, harmed us, irritated us and/or broken our hearts. Unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, and self-pity will quench the Spirit just as easily as sexual immorality, drunkenness, lying, gossip, or any other sin. There is no double standard when it comes to sin. Sin grieves G-d, including the sin of unforgiveness and unresolved anger. (Ephesians 4:26-27, 30-32). Just as we need to ask G-d for our daily bread we must daily deal with this matter of forgiveness. Unforgiveness is sin and it grieves the Holy Spirit. We as children of G-d through our faith in Jesus Christ have had all our sins forgiven. Therefore, when someone offends us or sins against us we should be willing to forgive them all from a heart of gratitude for the grace to which we ourselves are greater debtors. When you willfully refuse to forgive dear one - you are treading on very dangerous ground. Hebrews 10:26-31 & Matthew 6:12.

Love one another!

The Good Samaritan.......

The Good Samaritan

The parable about the Good Samaritan is only found in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 10:25-37 we read: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18) He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind (Deuteronomy 6:5); and thy neighbour as thyself (Leviticus 19:18). And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side (Romans 3:20-24). But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion (Micah 6:8) on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil (Isaiah 1:6) and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee (Matthew 18:23-25). Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy (Isaiah 58:6-7; Hosea 6:6; Luke 6:36) on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."

The Road from Jerusalem to Jericho

In the time of Jesus, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notorious for its dangers and difficulties, and was known as the "Way of Blood" because "of the blood which is often shed there by robbers." Jerusalem is located along the ridge of coastal mountains running north and south in Palestine. Jericho, on the other hand is located in the plain of the Jordan River in a geological rift zone hundreds of feet below sea level. The winding, meandering 17 mile road that connects these two cities descends some 3,300 feet through desert and rocky country that could easily hide bands of brigands or bandits. Josephus notes that Pompey destroyed a group of brigands here, and Jerome spoke of Arab robbers in his time. Because of their high religious stature, thieves did not usually assault priests and Levites, but everyone else were "fair game." Even so, it is possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that wounded man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around and may have asked: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But when the Good Samaritan came by, and he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
Modern-day city dwellers live in fear of mugging on streets and in subways. The robbers on the Jericho Road were pretty desperate. Even if a man had little of value, they would attack him for the value of his clothing alone. But they didn't just threaten him and take his clothing. They stripped him of his clothing and then beat him, probably with wood staffs. The Greek uses two words to describe the beating: epitithemi, "to lay on, inflict" and plege, "blow, stroke." They beat him so badly that Jesus says that they left him literally "half-dead" (Greek hemithanes).

Samaritans were hated by the Jews (John 8:48-49), to such a degree that the Lawyer's phrase "The one who had mercy on him" indicated his reluctance to even to say the word "Samaritan". The Samaritans lived in an area south of Galilee and north of Judea, part of the old Northern Kingdom of Israel. To the Jews, Gentiles were "unclean"... and not to be associated with, according to the laws of G-d. Their pagan beliefs, customs and traditions were to be avoided like the plague, and any contact with a non-Jew was forbidden. Samaritans were considered Gentiles. Samaria used to be the capital city of the kingdom of Israel. In 721 BCE Israel was conquered by Assyria, and Sargon II conducted a mass deportation of Jews from the entire region, carrying off some 27,270 captives and resettling the area with Gentile colonists from other parts of the Assyrian empire (2 Kings 17:24). Their descendents were looked upon as half-breeds and heretics by the Jews of Jerusalem. Though Samaritans believed in the Torah, they worshipped at Mt. Gerizim rather than Jerusalem (John 4:20-22). At times, relations between the Jews and Samaritans had been civil, but in Jesus' day feelings were definitely hostile. Sometime between 6 and 9 AD at midnight during a Passover some Samaritans had deliberately scattered bones in the Jerusalem Temple in order to desecrate it. The Jews were outraged! What remained now was disdain and hatred, as John observed: "Jews do not associate with Samaritans" (John 4:9b). For Jesus to introduce the Samaritan as the caring person, after a religious priest and a Levite were shown to have neglected mercy, was an especially biting comment on what passed for "mercy" among the religious pillars of Judaism.

Samaritans appear elsewhere in the Gospels. In the Gospel of Luke Jesus heals ten lepers and only the Samaritan among them returns to thank Him (Luke 17:11-19), although Luke 9:51-56 depicts Jesus receiving a hostile reception in Samaria. Luke's favorable treatment of Samaritans is in line with Luke's favorable treatment of the weak and of outcasts generally. In John, Jesus has an extended dialogue with a Samaritan woman, and many Samaritans come to believe in him. In Matthew, however, Jesus instructs his disciples not to preach in pagan or Samaritan cities (Matthew 10:5-8). In the Gospels generally, "though the Jews of Jesus' day had no time for the 'half-breed' people of Samaria," Jesus "never spoke disparagingly about them," and "held a benign view of Samaritans." In 2 Chronicles 28:8-15,we see that the Samaritans treated Judean prisoners well.

Jesus encounters a lawyer, Greek nomikos, "legal expert, jurist, lawyer," - a man skilled in interpreting the Jewish Torah (i.e., the first five books of the Old Testament, also called the Pentateuch). It's fascinating to see that Luke places this incident directly following Jesus' rhapsody to his Father, "You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to children...." (10:21) The rabbinical writings of the Talmud are full of carefully reasoned legal distinctions about when a law is in effect, and when it is not.

The Jews typically interpreted the word "neighbor," as meaning "one who is near," in terms of members of the same people and religious community, that is, only their fellow Jews (as in Matthew 5:43-48). The Pharisees tended to exclude "ordinary people" from their definition. The Qumran community excluded "the sons of darkness" from their definition of neighbors. The lawyer agrees that the essence of the Torah is to love one's neighbor as oneself, but then seeks to limit the application of this to fellow Jews only. Love your own race and faith community, he believes, and you have fulfilled the law. Luke tells us that his first motive is to "test" Jesus; his second motive is to "justify himself," to defend his own limited interpretation of the Torah. Here is a scholar struggling with integrity between his beliefs and actions.

Some of us study the Bible, "looking for loopholes" just to get around what the Bible actually means and what G-d wants. They see a need to be met but through their manipulation of theology - they manage to avoid meeting it. Explaining that their refusal to actually do the right thing - is G-d's will in their opinion! If the law is for us to love our neighbor, the "lawyers" among us often try to limit who "our neighbor" is, so as to limit our personal responsibilities. In Jesus' culture, contact with a dead body was understood to defile one (Leviticus 21:11;22:4; Ezekiel 24:25) and both the priest and the Levite were two elite members of Jewish society. Priests were particularly enjoined to avoid uncleanness. But, the Mishnah made an exception for neglected corpses, the priest and the Levite could have used the law either to justify touching a corpse or to simply ignore it. In any case, passing by on the other side of the road, avoided checking whether the man was dead or alive.

The priest would have been returning to Jericho from service in the temple at Jerusalem -- Jericho was known as a principal residence for priests. Levites were an order of cultic officials, inferior to the priests but still a privileged group in society, responsible for the liturgy in the Temple and for policing the Temple. While both priests and Levites were from the tribe of Levi (descendants of Jacob's son Levi), the priests were also descendents of Aaron, the first High Priest. These people were characteristically arrogant and hypocritical, treating others they considered to be of a lower class, such as Samaritans in particular, with contempt. Samaritans although they held some claims on Judaism, they were not pure Jews. They were half-breeds both genetically and theologically, and the Jewish religious elite was quite racist at the time. Characteristic of Jesus, he loved to compare the self-righteous leaders with the most humble people, and thus he used a Samaritan and compared them to the religious "leaders" in His parable.

Only the Samaritan exercised righteous behavior. He saw the need and took pity. The Samaritan's love of his neighbor proved costly. He did not simply cleanse the wounds with water but he used oil and wine - to cleanse and soothe the man's wounds, his own clothing to bandage him, his own animal to carry him while the Samaritan himself walked, his own money to pay for his care, and his own reputation and credit to vouch for any further expenses the man's care would require. Love can be costly. But if we have the means to help, we are to extend ourselves. The Apostle John taught, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of G-d be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18). The Samaritan was sincerely concerned and not simply reluctantly fulfilling his responsibility in obedience to the law. He had a high quality of service, sparing no expense. He made sure to complete the job, meeting all the man's needs, and not just some of them. He wasn't so calculating as to limit his service to just so much and no more. For he even returned to pay any additional expenses. He did not simply drop the wounded man off at the inn with that attitude "I did my part. Now the innkeeper can take over." But rather he stayed with him paying his expenses. The two pence represents two full day's wages to a laborer.

If one is trying to attain the righteousness which is through the law, he must realize that it is not sufficient simply to obey the letter of the law, or simply have the attitude of fulfilling responsibilities. For according to the law, one must love with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Less than this is not living according to the law. In Exodus 23:4-5 we read: "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. Dear One, you must even help your enemy and even those that hate you!. Think it not strange dear one - Jesus told us to love our enemies!

Christianity's Jewish roots.

Christianity's Jewish roots

"Listen to Me, O pursuers of righteousness, O seekers of Hashem: Look to the rock (Yeshua) from which you were hewn, and at the hollow of the pit from which you were dug; look to Abraham your forefather and to Sarah who bore you, for when he was yet one alone did I summon him and bless him and make him many" - Isaiah 51:1-2 Stone Edition Tanakh

Jesus' Jewish genealogy is found in the first chapter of Matthew and the third chapter of Luke. Included in the list of His ancestors is Judah, one of the great-grandsons of Abraham. From Judah, nine of his brothers, and two of his nephews became the twelve tribes of Israel. (G-d changed the name of Jacob, Judah's father, to Israel; hence, the tribes are descended from Israel.) The division of the nation of Israel after the death of King Solomon resulted in the northern kingdom of Israel, supposedly ten tribes of the children of Jacob, and the southern kingdom of Judah, comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. (The southern kingdom also included Simeon -- see Joshua 19.) Jerusalem was the capital of Judah. The term Jew first appears in the Bible when the kingdom of Judah was being carried off captive to Babylon (2 Kings 25:25).

Jewish Christians, aka Hebrew Christians, Christian Jews or Judaizers, were the early Christians who continued to maintain Jewish religious practices, until approximately the fifth century. The first century Christians were totally faithful religious Jews. They differed from other contemporary Jews only in their acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. However as Denominational Christianity grew throughout the Gentile world, Christians were purposely cut off from their Jewish roots. Jewish Christianity, which had initially survived and even strengthened despite persecution by Jerusalem Temple officials, fell into decline during the Jewish-Roman wars (66-135) and the "church's" growing anti-Semitism perhaps best personified by Marcion (c.150). With more than a little help from the Roman Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, Jewish traditions were basically destroyed and the "church" was left to be dominated by pagan festivals and denominational doctrines which collectively became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The denominational church of Rome then took control of the various holy sites in the Holy Land such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Cenacle and appointed all of the subsequent Gentile Bishops of Jerusalem. The first church, which was in Jerusalem, was 100% Jewish. Yeshua said repeatedly that He was "sent to the lost sheep of Israel." Gentiles were not even permitted to join the followers of Jesus until Peter received a vision and argued before the "apostles and brethren" (Acts 15:7) in Jerusalem to admit them. How, then, can a GENTILE be saved, if it were not for the One who was sent to the ISRAELITES?

Following Jesus' Crucifixion, Matthew along with Mary, and other close Jewish followers of Jesus, withdrew to the "Upper Chamber" (traditionally the Cenacle) , in Jerusalem. At about this time James the Just succeeded his brother Jesus of Nazareth as leader of this Jewish sect. They remained in and about Jerusalem and proclaimed that Jesus, the son of Mary was the promised Jewish Messiah. These early Jewish Christians were called Nazarenes - both the New Testament and the early Talmud confirm this. According to Eusebius these Early Jewish Christians used only the Old Testament (and the Gospel according to the Hebrews which Jerome said had been written by Matthew). On Pentecost, the Twelve Apostles, the Elders, family members of Jesus, and other early followers, were joined by 3,000 converts. Traditionally the Roman Centurion Cornelius is considered the first Gentile convert, as recorded in Acts 10, and he (as a proselyte) continued to participate in the Jewish synagogue. The major division prior to that time was between Hellenistic and non-Hellenistic Jews or Koine Greek and Aramaic speakers. The conversion and acceptance of the Gentile Cornelius can be described in terms of the Judaic teaching which describes strangers becoming part of the community of believers. Acts does not use the term "Jewish Christians", rather those led by James the Just, Simon Peter, and John the Apostle, the "Pillars of the Church", all who were called followers of "The Way". The terms circumcised and uncircumcised, which occur frequently in the New Testament, are generally interpreted to mean Jews and Greeks respectively.

This Jewish Christian sect initially was in danger of being wiped out as they were being persecuted unto the death by the Jewish High Priest and the Sanhedrin. Peter and John were imprisoned by a "Jewish leadership" ("the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees") who were "much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead". The Sadducees (they were sad you see) in particular rejected the Pharisaic (they saw far you see) doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Stephen was tried by a Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme Court) for blasphemy against Moses and G-d and was stoned to death, under the watch of Saul (Paul) of Tarsus, before his conversion. Another blow to this persecuted Jewish sect was the death of their 2nd leader (their 1st leader Jesus having been crucified c.30). According to Josephus, "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" met his death after the death of the procurator Porcius Festus, yet before Lucceius Albinus took office — which has thus been dated to 62 A.D.. The High Priest Ananus ben Ananus took advantage of this lack of imperial oversight to assemble a Sanhedrin ('a council of judges'), who condemned James "on the charge of breaking the law," then had him executed by stoning. Josephus reports that Ananus' act was widely viewed as little more than judicial murder, and offended a number of "those who were considered the most fair-minded people in the City".

Three events greatly affected the early Jewish Christian Community. The first was the Conversion of Paul (and the possible conversion of his teacher Gamaliel), the second was the Council of Jerusalem, and the third was the Destruction of the Second Temple, which according to Josephus is seen as one of the most significant event of the Jewish–Roman wars. According to the Church History of Eusebius, the line of the first 15 Jewish (of the circumcision) Christian bishops of Jerusalem ended after the Bar Kokhba revolt (132-136) when Hadrian renamed the city "Aelia Capitolina" and barred all Jews except for the day of Tisha B'Av. After that, all of the Jerusalem bishops were all Gentiles. The Cenacle as it exists today is a Gothic reconstruction, but it may be the location of the original Jewish Christian church. Jewish Christians continued to worship in synagogues for centuries. According to Acts 15, the Council of Jerusalem c.50, customarily believed to have been led by James the Just, determined that religious male circumcision (assumed by some to signify conversion to Judaism) should not be required of Gentile followers of Jesus, only four basic prohibitions: avoidance of "pollution of idols, fornication, things strangled, and blood" (Acts 15:20, also Genesis 11:1-8 (idolatry), 9:20 (sexual depravity), 9:5 (cruelty to animals), 9:3-4 (abstention from blood)). The basis for these prohibitions is not detailed in Acts 15:21, which states only: "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day", stressing that they are Mosaic Commandments which Gentiles must pay attention to. Many, beginning with Augustine of Hippo consider the consensus emphasized the four stipulations based on the No hide Laws stated in Genesis, and applicable to all people (Noah's descendants after the Flood).

The 3,000 baptized on the day of Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot) were all Jews from as far away as Libya and Rome. There were many Jewish believers in Corinth where Paul stayed about A.D. 45-55 for eighteen months, teaching in their synagogue (Acts 18). It has been estimated that "by A.D. 50 ... there were over 50,000 Jewish believers in the city of Jerusalem alone." (Roy Blizzard, Jr., PhD.) Since the 6th century B.C.E. and their return from captivity in Babylon where synagogue worship was developed, The first believers in Jesus, were followers of what they called "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22;4; 24:14,22; 2 peter 2:2), and they all continued worshipping in the synagogue right along with non-believers for many years. They were still Jews and they continued to be Jews. They also continued to observe the feasts and festivals which G-d had commanded them to do through Moses e.g., Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Sabbath and others. Yeshua faithfully observed the Sabbath, as did Paul. In fact, in Acts 20:7, when the believers in Troas gathered together on the first day of the week to break bread (have a meal together), this was a very Jewish custom! Since the Jewish day begins at sunset, this "first day of the week" was Saturday evening. And it was (and still is) the Jewish custom for the men of the synagogue to gather for a service at the end of the Sabbath.

The entire Bible describes the Jewish history, the Feasts of the Lord and the our walk with G-d. Jewish Authors wrote both the Old and New Testaments. These texts were protected by subsequent Jewish people and were painstakingly copied down through the ages in order to preserve their accuracy. Both Judaism and Christianity come from the belief in the very same G-d. Abraham was the first Jew and both the Jewish people and the true Church of Jesus Christ are his seed. "Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29 (JNT). Looking at Gal 3:8, Abraham was the first Christian (believer of the same gospel), being preached to by G-d Himself. In the early years of the Christian faith, Christianity was regarded as just another sect of Judaism (Acts 28:22) we were then known as the sect of the Nazarenes. The early disciples and the 12 Apostles were all Jewish. Apostle Paul even took a Nazarite vow (Num. 6) to prove to his critics that he was a Torah-observant Jew (Acts 21:17-26). In AD 42, the disciples were first called "Christians" in Antioch (Acts 11:26). The term "Christian" gradually was adopted to differentiate believing Jews from unbelieving Jews and over time, it became a separate identity altogether. "…don't boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root (Israel's forefathers), the root is supporting you (Church)." Rom. 11:18 (JNT) Judaism does not need Christianity to explain its existence, but Christianity needs Judaism both to explain both its existence and what it believes. Hence, Christianity has historically known as the Judeo-Christian faith. "You people don't know what you are worshipping; we worship what we do know, because salvation comes from the Jews." John 4:22 (JNT). These were Jesus' very own words, that salvation belongs to the Jews. The gospel that we hold dear, first belongs to the Jews for the gospel was first preached to Abraham, the first Jew. All of the blessings we have in Jesus Christ are first to be found in Abraham to whom G-d promised those blessings. And the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant have been entrusted to his descendants, the Jews. Without the Jews, we would have no patriarchs, no prophets, no apostles, no Bible and no Savior! Deprived of all these, how much hope or G-d would we have? None! " For only….in thee (Abraham) shall all families of the earth be blessed." Gen. 12:3 (KJV) "… in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." Gen 28:14 (KJV) "Then what advantage has the Jew? What is the value of being circumcised? Much in every way! In the first place, the Jews were entrusted with the very words of G-d." Rom. 3:1-2 (JNT)

And it was finally through Jesus (Yeshua), who was born a Jew that the promises given to Abraham have been extended to the rest of the world that we may also become partakers of those same promises. "at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Israel. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying G-d's promise. You were in this world without hope and without G-d. But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah's blood." Eph. 2:12-13 (JNT) "that in union with the Messiah and through the Good News the Gentiles were to be joint heirs, a joint body and joint sharers with the Jews in what G-d has promised." Eph. 3:6 (JNT) Jesus was born and raised as a Torah-observant Jew - Jesus followed Jewish religious practices. Jesus was considered a rabbi and taught the people like a rabbi. He Himself clearly affirmed the Torah when He said: "Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah (Law) or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 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." Matt. 5:17-18. (JNT). Jesus did not abolish Judaism but He reformed Judaism (Heb 9:10), which reform many Jews could not and still can not accept as of G-d, thus opening the way for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles who gladly received the gospel.

The Way of Salvation

In Romans Chapter 11 we read: "I say then, Hath G-d cast away his people? G-d forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. G-d hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to G-d against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of G-d unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (According as it is written, G-d hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? G-d forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: For if G-d spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of G-d: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for G-d is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of G-d are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed G-d, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For G-d hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of G-d! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The promises and way of salvation are Jewish. In Genesis 22:18 we read: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." (John 10:27). In Galatians 3:29 we read: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

In Ephesians Chapter 2 we read: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But G-d, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of G-d: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which G-d hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without G-d in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that He might reconcile both unto G-d in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of G-d; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of G-d through the Spirit.

In Ephesians 3:4-6 we read: "Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:" "Because of the ministry of Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross of Calvary, Gentiles as well as Jews can now maintain the righteous principles of the law without being encumbered with all the cultural baggage of Talmudic Judaism."

Today, The belief in Yeshua (Jesus) is embraced all over the world, but in every different location and/or building - men teach their own beLIEfs which are a mixture of truth, man-made doctrines and pagan rituals. Denominational Christianity and all its various religious interpretations of the Word of G-d are based on the theology of a Church whose initial roots sprang from Rome, not Jerusalem - that "church" became very anti-Semitic. That is how men - influenced by the deceiver - created Babylon (confusion). So that today - even if most of the denominational churches are still " together" in believing in the Messiah -.they are terribly divided when it comes to their celebration of pagan festivals and other innumerable religious, divisive doctrines. The only way for all of us to truly have the right interpretation of G-d's Word - is to hear directly from G-d who is not the author of confusion! Any other voices, doctrines, or "interpretations" will definitely cause more confusion so we will continue to "miss the mark" of the real truth and G-d's unity., This is especially true if all (or even part of) the various "interpretations" are based in paganism and man-made denominational doctrines. We are wild olive branches that have been grafted into the olive tree, hence we need to know the nature of that tree - if we are to continue to abide attached to this olive tree and to partake of that same nourishing living waters and nourishment that comes from its roots.

"Who is a Jew" is an interesting question, which is a matter of controversy both within and between the three main branches of Judaism and within the secular state of Israel. From the point of view of (orthodox) Jewish religious law, Jews who convert to Christianity remain Jews, albeit apostate ones. But, in settled case law in Israel, efforts by some individuals born to Jewish parents to assert their identity as Jews, while also practicing and proclaiming classic Christian belief, have been routinely rebuffed. As the Supreme Court of Israel wrote in the celebrated case of Brother Daniel Rufeisen, a courageous Catholic priest who had converted from his Jewish heritage, but sought to continue to be identified as a Jew for purposes of Israeli citizenship, "a Jew who has converted to Christianity is not known as Jewish. Despite Brother Daniel's many qualities and the sincere love he holds for Jews, which he has proved, he cannot define himself as Jewish."

As a result of all the various interpretations, and divisive doctrines, G-d's family is now divided into 2 main "kingdoms", Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed Judaism and all the various types of Denominational Christianity. While all of these groups have in fact preserved at least some truths of G-d's Word - the real problem is they all have listened to men and have subsequently erred. My prayer is that the day is coming when believers from all these diverse factions will be united into one kingdom (Ezek. 37:15-27). Denominational Christianity needs to repent for rejecting the Torah and the Feasts of our Lord and return to embrace our roots, while Judaism needs to repent for rejecting the Messiah, Yeshua and turn their hearts to Him. And we all need to repent and to hear directly from G-d! If the people of G-d are ever to be one we all need to understand 1 John 2:27 that clearly states: "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him." . Both Judaism and Christianity have erred in worshipping the one true G-d of Israel. BOTH are guilty because they have listened to men and have refused to hear G-d! When we all hear G-d there will no longer be any confusion!

The Apostle Paul cautioned the Gentile believers that they ought not to exalt themselves but to fear, for what had happened to the Jews may also happen to them - for rejecting the Truth (Jesus). The truth is that Judaism was perfected in Jesus Christ the Messiah. It is very wrong to think that Jesus came to do away with Judaism. The Jews missed the mark - Jesus Christ, not because they were under the Law, but rather because they did not have it in their heart, for Jesus told them that if they had truly obeyed the Law of Moses they would have known Him. The majority of the Jews missed Jesus at His first coming. Will the majority of the Christians miss Him at the second coming? Very possible. Unless.......... they hear Him (John 10:27)!

In Deuteronomy 18:15-22 we read: "The LORD thy G-d will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy G-d in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my G-d, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."

In Isaiah 2:2-4 we read: "and it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem (not Rome). And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Dear One, Please ask G-d to speak to you and to teach you His ways dear one! Shalom!

What is swearing?

What is swearing?

Dear one, did you know that on six separate occasions in the King James Bible the term "that pisseth against the wall" is used to describe men? For information purposes, the references to "pisseth against the wall" comes from 1 Samuel 25 (2 instances), 1 Kings 14, 16, and 21, and 2 Kings 9. The Hebrew word is "mašTîn", which means "to pass water or urinate." The word "Pisseth" is not swearing dear one. When I was a young man the term "gay" had an entirely different meaning than it does now. A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me."

Swearing means to take an oath to tell the truth - In Matthew 5: 33- 37 we read: "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is G-d's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

Some words may indeed offend some people - but, they are only words and you are not swearing. Some people may be offended when you tell them they are on their way to Hell to be damned forever - but, if you do not warn them as Jesus and Paul and many others have done - they will be lost.

In John 8:31-47 we read: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from G-d. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is G-d himself.” Jesus said to them, “If G-d were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from G-d. I have not come on my own; G-d sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to G-d hears what G-d says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to G-d.”

Shalom!