Are You Common?

  

Shalom Beloved, I want to share some thoughts with you in this Holiday season; we have just finished the Festival of Chanukah/Festival of Lights and we are rapidly approaching Christmas.  As a Messianic, I don’t observe Christmas, but I don’t condemn anyone who does, that is a heart matter... my decision is based on my understanding of the Scriptures and history... we acknowledge Yeshua’s birth at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall.

Whatever holiday you celebrate, there is sure to be traditions that were handed down from generation to generation.  So, are traditions important? To quote Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof  “I don't know. But it's a tradition... and because of our traditions... Every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do.“  There is an element of truth to that statement.  Traditions are supposed to help us know who we are.  Every family has customs that are passed on to each generation. It tells us something about our country of origin, what our ancestors did, a legacy from our families.  As each child grows and marries, they add to the legacy by creating their own traditions as well. 

As far as what God expects from us...Jewish life revolves around a religious calendar, each festival or Holy day has “traditions, or customs” associated with it.  These customs all have a teaching element, something that reminds us of the Biblical/Spiritual truth that the day conveys.  In passing along these traditions, we keep the understanding of the day alive in a real and practical way.

But something has happened to this generation, and we “the baby boomers” are at fault, we were not paying attention.  The culture and society has radically changed it seems in a blink... and they have stolen the legacy from our children and grandchildren.  To be sure it is our fault; we were the generation of crusaders for civil rights, women’s equality...those who would transform this world for the better... we also were the apathetic who didn’t feel there was a need to do anything, spiritually asleep.  We were raised and surrounded by tradition from our immigrant parents and grandparents and great grandparents.  But somehow, we failed to instill in our offspring the importance of heritage and the world swept it away from them. 

This is true in the secular world as well as within Christianity.  I am not talking about cookie recipes or whether you gather on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, I am talking about a frame of mind.  So many think it is too much trouble to go all out and decorate or set a beautiful table, to get up early and fix a special breakfast or dinner... too much work, just make it easy as possible. 

But it was that beautiful labor of love a mom or grandmother made that made the day special; the table, a place of intimate family fellowship where we don’t always get to see those lovely faces so often.  If we just throw a take-out bag on the table with a bunch of paper plates and plastic forks because it’s easier... it is really no more special than “a chilly Thursday” to quote Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh’s Thanksgiving special.

So many beautiful customs that seemed to connected the believers in Jesus for countless generations... are not so important anymore in this modern and progressive world.  The sense of things once looked upon as special have become profane...a word the Bible uses to mean “common”.

The church has suffered from this casual Christianity movement.  It seems, we needed to provide an informal atmosphere that doesn’t inconvenience anyone in order to be“seeker friendly”.  I was taught, we should give God our best, if our best was a pair of old pants with patches, if they were clean...it was our best.  But now, we give God what is common, and we save our “best” for special occasions.   Clothing and decorating isn’t the point, but it is a symptom of a bigger problem.  The things we regarded once as Holy have become common or profane. 

What does “holy” mean?  If something or someone is holy, they are set apart for God!  We have raised our children to do and say what we would never have dreamed of.  As children, we never spoke to non- relatives or older adults by their first name without adding a term of respect, ie: Miss Julie, Mr. Jones...” Aunt” Bertie... but now there is no honor, or respect... no distinction. 

(Ezek 44:23) They (the Priests) will teach My people the difference between the holy and the common and explain to them the difference between the unclean and the clean.

John Gill states in his commentary, that it is important to know the difference between the impure persons, doctrines, and manners, and those which are agreeable to the word of God; the sense is, that they shall take pains to instruct persons in the knowledge of divine things, and shall do it truly, faithfully, and sincerely.

This is now the job of Pastors and teachers, but I fear that is not happening.  There is no distinction between what is OF the World and being IN the World.  We are here, no doubt, but we are not to love the things of the world, nor are we to worship God in the manner of the World.  But to be seeker friendly, we have invited the world in.  We no longer can distinguish between the Holy and profane.

Warning Against Apostasy

Speaking of Messiah Yeshua our Great High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek...

Heb 5:11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. 5:12  For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and have become those who need milk, and not strong meat. 

Heb 5:13  For every one that uses milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongs to them that are mature, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

We emphasize Grace so much in regard to Salvation, as we should; but once a person has come to faith we continue to speak about Grace in a way that removes any moral need as a follower of Christ to do what is good and right in the sight of God.  It is not for blessing or salvation, but it is a love issue.  We failed to instill honor and appreciation for our Savior’s sacrifice,  our love response should be a heart of gratitude the results in obedience. 

Rom_6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord keep away from unrighteousness.”

It begins with Clergy.  I was told by a “pastor” that we do not have to do everything the Bible says.  Since there is no demand to obey God, and no penalty if we do not... , why bother? 

 For LOVE's sake we should desire to do what is good and pleasing to our Father.  This would be real love, not earning blessing or favor, just a love response to Jesus.  Let us not be among those the Bible prophesy’s of in the last days whose love grows cold.

John 14:15 If you love Me, Keep my commands 

So, if you keep Christmas, then do it in a way that honors the Savior in your heart, let it be about Him, don't lose your focus with all the distractions. Ask about those traditions of your elder relatives while you still have them, practice honoring those who are greater in age... embrace your family heritage and practice these things in your secular life that you might live it in your spiritual life... be set apart for God’s glory, let the Light of Jesus be seen and your Father in Heaven Glorified in your life and witness.

 The True Light, has come into the World and gives light to all people; may Yeshua shine upon and through you in the days to come, for He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life...salvation is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord, God and King. 

Many blessings, love and shalom... till we meet in the air.  

Mystery of the Key of David

Shalom Chaverim,

Sorry this “mid-week” midrash is a day late, but as I began to sit down to write a simple, short teaching…the Ruach opened up so much I will have to put it together as a video… but I wanted to share just a small part of it with you today.

In Parshat Chukat – on the red heifer, we studied Judges 11, the strange story of Yiphtach –meaning “he opens” and that was the prophetic foreshadowing of Yeshua, the Lord Himself as the One who opens …and no one shuts…

H3316  יִפְתָּח  yiphtâch  Jephthah or Jiphtah = “he opens”

פְתָּח/p'tach is the root word - opens

 To the Church in Philadelphia

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts; and shuts and no one opens, says these things:

Hebrew New Covenant

  ואל־מלאך קהל פילדלפיא כתב כה אמר הקדוש האמתי אשר בידו מפתח דוד הפתח ואין סגר וסגר ואין פתח׃

To be sure, the key of David is about authority in its Peshat form or simple understanding.  But there is a Sod level I want to show you.  Let’s look at David in the Hebrew…

Reading from right to left, we have dalet – vav – dalet

The name of the Fourth Letter comes from delet, the Hebrew word for a door, specifically the swinging leaf of a door. It contrasts with petach  which denotes the opening of the doorway, the entrance itself. 

Literal Meanings:

Door

Symbolic Meanings:

Knowledge, Way, Birth, Death

Numeric Values:

4 (Ordinal Value)    4 (Standard Gematria) The name of the Sixth Letter, vav denotes a nail or hook, as suggested by its shape. It appears thirteen times in Exodus where it describes the hooks holding each curtain to its pillar in the Tabernacle. Its name exemplifies its role in Hebrew grammar. When prefixed to a word, this Letter represents the conjunctive, the Hebrew form of and, also, so, but and so forth. Vav “hooks” the words and links them together in a sentence.  Literal Meanings:  Hook, Nail Symbolic Meanings:  Connection  Man  Work  Cosmos  Grammatical Function As prefix, Vav signifies the copulative: and, but, even, etc. Numeric Values:      6 (Ordinal Value)      6 (Standard Gematria)  Gen 1:1בראשׁית  ברא  אלהים  את  השׁמים  ואת  הארץ   ׃ hebrew4christians.com  The placement of the Vav suggests two of its essential connective powers:  By joining heaven and earth it implies the connection between spiritual and earthly matters. Since it occurs as the 22nd letter in the Torah attached to the sixth word, את Aleph/Tav – first and last letters, it alludes to the creative connection between all of the letters. Vav is therefore the connecting force of the God, the divine "hook" that binds together heaven and earth. ·  John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word (את).  The Word (את) was with God, and the Word (את) was God.                                                                                                                          In Genesis 1:1, the Letter Vav combines with Aleph Tav � the Sign of the Lord of History, the One Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus, the Living Word � to connect heaven and earth in the most literal sense! (All puns intended). This means that the consummation of all history revealed in the Final Book is prophesied in the pattern of Hebrew letters in the first verse of the First Book! Glory to God in the highest! There is no limit to His Wisdom. R ev 1:8  “I am the Aleph and Tav,” says Adonai Elohim, “Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty!” Rev_1:11  Saying, I am Aleph and Tav,, the first and the last:   So remember the 22nd letter in Torah, Gen 1:1???  As if this wasn’t awesome enough, look…. Is 22:22 I will set the key of the house of David upon His shoulder – what He opens, no one can shut; what He shuts, no one can open. 22:23 I will fasten Him as a peg in a firm place, and He will be a throne of honor to His Father’s house. FYI- 22 is the number that denotes “light, revelation knowledge” here is a link to a wonderful teaching that will truly bless you…. http://www.lisaleland.com/llcopy/Number_22_knowledge-2_012410.htm Now that we understand the awesome significance of the letters Dalet and Vav in the name of David, let’s look at another aspect of this prophetic  pattern.  Now notice the number pattern – 4 – 6 – 4.  What if we plug that in to years?   Let’s say we start with 2007, since the message to the church of Philadelphia begins with Rev 3:7 the open door.  For consistency, we will begin each period in the fall of the year coinciding with the New Hebrew year on Yom Teruah, Feast of Trumpets.  Fall 2007/5768 to 2011/5772 first 4 years.  Barak Obama was in the beginning of his presidential campaign and eventually won fall of 08;  2007-2008 Shmita Year - 50% U.S. Stock market value wiped out. Global recession.  -  2011 New Year’s day brought the first mass animal deaths of birds and fish in the US; March 11 Tokyo earthquake/tsunami  Fall of 2011/5772 – 2017/5778 next 6 years. Another campaign year with the re-election of Obama; Hurricane Sandy; Sandy Hook School shooting; Pope Benedict resigns exactly 84 years to the day that the Vatican became a City-State.; New Pope election rushed and confirmed on another illuminati date 3/13/13 …also Pope Francis is first Jesuit Pope… but does not take on the honors of King, as the last 7 Popes did (Rev 17).  He is only a placeholder waiting for the 8th  and final Beast of Rev 13; Obama in Israel first time; Isis begins; Pope Francis goes to Israel desecrates the upper room; Blood moon tetrad begins; shmitah and Jubilee; Surprise election of Donald Trump/Mike Pence. http://www.end-times-prophecy.org/animal-deaths-birds-fish-end-times.html This is not exhaustive by any means, just a hightlight of significant events that happened in this 6-year time frame. This is 10 years so far.  The Parable of the Ten Virgins: Mat 25:1  Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 25:2  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The 10 virgins pertain to 10 years and the separating of the wise and foolish in the church.  Just as Noach went into the Ark on the 10th day, and was separated from the others, yet the door remained open and there were yet 7 days until God shut the door and the judgment fell the selfsame day.  So, to in 2009/5770, the Hebrew decade of Ayin/Eye of God began, for Ayin = 70. Gen 6:8 Noach (nun-chet) found grace (chen-nun) in the eyes (ayin) of God. Again, we can understand this in the pattern set in the Fall feasts; First Dalet - Yom Teruah is the day when God opens the books in heaven for judgement.  All people will be entered into a book, hopefully the Lambs Book of Life… It is said the gates of heaven are open extending the invitation of the King to His Son’s wedding.  This is the first Dalet ....and open door.  That begins a 10 day/year period called the days of Awe!  The final day is Yom Kippur, when all must be reconciled to God before the end of the day, for everyone will be sealed into a book and the gates with close; the door is shut!  The bride is joined to her Bridegroom - Vav....the foolish are left to tribulation, it is the judgement on the church.  Mat 25:10  “But while they (foolish) were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.  25:11  Now later, the other virgins came, saying, ‘Sir, Sir, open up for us!’ 25:12  “But he replied, ‘Amen, I tell you, I do not know you.’ 25:13  Therefore stay alert, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” There are yet the final 4 years for the last dalet, these years will encompass the great tribulation upto the end of the trumpet judgments, the rapture of the two witnesses and all the rest of the Tribulation saints; this is equivalent to the second Dalet, second Passover/Pesach Sheni...for those defiled with a dead body, the dead  apostate church. This will be the last Dalet, the door will be shut forever. Ok, this is enough for today!  There is much more, but know this… the time is at hand.  The Lord is coming for His people who are born again.  Many are among the “foolish” virgins and don’t even realize.  You who are born again and are awaiting Yeshua to catch away His people (Rev. 12) pray for those who will become Tribulation saints.  Rev 12:1  A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Below is a link to a brief video about the coming great wonder Sept. 23, 2017!  Almost time to go!!! https://youtu.be/0jYgoX4NL7g  Until next time beloved…shalom b'Yeshua!

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR GARMENT? PART 1

As I was in the shower, trying to fend off a cold, not feeling 100%, I thought about what I would put on; something warm and comfortable. I have a favorite pair of slacks that I had only worn once, so I thought I would slip those on; the Holy Spirit spoke to me saying, “put on clean clothes” …

I understood that there was more to this, so I tried to think of this in a spiritual sense.  But I still wasn’t getting it.  Then the Holy Spirit related it to me like this: why, after you have come to the knowledge of the truth (salvation by grace through the gift of faith) would you turn back to “works of righteousness” and put on filthy garments.  

Rev 3:1  To the angel of Messiah’s community in Sardis write: “Thus says the One having the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your deeds—you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.

Some reformation churches; postmodern churches; contemporary mega-churches

Rev 3:2  Wake up, and strengthen what remains that was about to die. For I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God.

Strengthen what is left of the Gospel in the churches, turn away from works unto righteousness… Your works will never be good enough.  Church requirements and doctrines such as membership or tithing, sacramental events like baptism, fasting’s, long prayer, or prayer gatherings, events intended to move God; artificial sanctification – consecrations, garments, foods or not, abstentions (certain activities, sexuality within marriage) hair, jewelry…

Rev 3:3  So remember what you have received and heard—keep it, and repent.

 Pro_23:23  Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding… having received the testimony of Messiah Yeshua…faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God; keep the simplicity of the Gospel, do not add to or take away from the Gospel of Grace through Faith!

If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.

Joh_10:1  “Amen, amen I tell you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

If you do not come to God, through the finished work of Christ crucified, died and buried; resurrected after three days and nights, then you are adding to Him as though Messiah is insufficient and you have rejected the “gift” of grace that brings salvation.

Rev 3:4  “But still, you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes. They will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.

The implication here is that the others have defiled garments…how?

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousness’s are as a menstruation cloth. And we all fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Rev 3:5  The one who overcomes thus will be dressed in white clothes; I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, and will confess his name before My Father and His angels.

1Jn_5:4  For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 5:5  Who is he who overcomes  the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 

It is not a righteousness they have merited by works or perceived holiness, they have become partakers of Messiah Yeshua. They have become “the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus”.  The Lord our Righteousness!

Mat 7:21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Mat 7:22  Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’

Mat 7:23  Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”

These were looking not to the Works of Christ as their sufficiency, but signs and spiritual acts and gifting’s as evidence that they knew Him… But the Lord counts them as lawless.  How can He call them lawless? If you are not under grace, you are judged under the Law!  They thought they had earned His favor by their works… Sounds like a large part of the church today, especially those who are reaching after the youth.

They are being taught extreme fasting’s, meditation, spiritual formation, long seasons of prayer and worship, sacrificial giving and required teaching or schooling.   These children are being introduced to another spirit that manifests in many ways leading them to believe they are following the Holy Spirit.  But they have been deceived because they are not being given a firm foundation in the Gospel of Grace through the gift of Faith.

I will post a part 2 regarding Fasting today and a false sense of holiness.  Look for it soon.  Shalom, shalom  chaverim.

  Arise Ariel Ministries