Archive for April, 2009

Is Muhammad a false prophet?

Sunday, April 26th, 2009

Is Muhammad a false prophet? There have been many religions and cults that have made claims of receiving special revelations by means of a person who was to be a mediator or moderator of truth. Yet we must try to find out and discover which of these situations are discernibly true and which ones are myths and falsehoods. Anybody  can make claims to divine revelation but at some point these claims must be challenged to see if they are verifiable and if they will stand up under  the scrutiny and challenge of further criticisms. After all a testimony is only as good as the credibility of the witness or person. If you were going to establish a person as a legitimate witness in a court of law the first thing you would have to determine is their competency level. Could their testimony be counted as trustworthy based on the reliability of their character or would they be seen as an unfit witness.
I suppose the first thing I would like to consider is the character of the originator and founder of the religious  movement  that is defined as Islam.
Muhammad was a person who had become devoted to the  meditation and contemplation of spiritual matters. These encounters finally  led Him into a experience with a spiritual being in whom He thought was possibly a Jinn. These matters were so pressing on Him that He contemplated suicide twice and didn’t know whether He was to be regarded as a poet or a madman because of these revelations. Also early Islamic sources state that He was under Satanic influence when He wrote Sura 53 which would cause me to question the legitimacy of all His claims to divine inspiration. Moreover Muhammad at one point late in his life said that he was the victim of a magic spell that lasted about a year and according to Ibn Ishaq he mentions Muhammad as being bewitched during this time and Bukhari adds that the spell made him delusional.
We also see questions within his personal attributes and character as a whole. He used force and coercion by means of military conquest when necessary to further his exploits as related to propagating His beliefs. This was a religion that would take on the very form and definition of jihad or “Holy War” in order to maintain its influence and control and that is still the strategy behind Islam today. It began with bloodshed and it continues to shed blood today. So we see a religion that finds its identity not based on the elevated plane of the human expression of love but rather it is centered on the base traits of human mastery which leads to the destruction and exploitation of humanity.
Along side of this abuse of power is his questionable sexual behavior as taking advantage of a child named Aisha whom he marries and then later consummates the marriage when she is only 9 years of age before she even reaches puberty. He also allows for polygamy, but supposedly through a special revelation, he alone has the privileged right to take nine wives apart from the prohibition of Quran 4:3 which limits the number to 4. Another matter is the scandalous marriage with Zaynab by which his adopted son Zayd divorced her so that Muhammad could take her for his wife as a result of him being sexually aroused when accidentally seeing her nearly naked due to an untimely visit to see his adopted son. In addition to this Muslims can have sex with captive women without marrying them even when their husbands are still alive. Muhammad also permitted his followers to practice a form of prostitution called Muta, which is still practiced today, in which a Muslim could pay for sex, marry her for a short time and then divorce. Lastly concerning the violation of women rights he also allowed for a light beating if it was deemed necessary.
At this point it wouldn’t take much of a cross examination to find out that this religion was being established by a questionable person who lacked stability.
There have been others that in the course of history  have used a political an some times a religious platform to further their purposes and ideals. Many of these ideals have lead to the extermination and genocide of the human race based on a prejudice and intolerance that is beyond mere human influence and capabilities. Something that is so crass that it can only be described as being demonic in nature. People like Stalin and Hitler who were false prophets had achieved absolute authority that would  absolutely corrupt them and lead these evil geniuses to carry out their plans of destruction. Its amazing how people would rally behind the likes of the charismatic leadership of Hitler who may have been mentally unstable himself. We all are bewildered and look at these atrocities today and wonder how is it humanely possible for something of this magnitude to happen even in the 20th century and why do people believe the lies and the propaganda to the point of complete deception. Unfortunately this same phenomenon is still happening today with the likes of Islam. Its a madness that is infecting the likes of every aspect of humanity and culture. People are being lulled into supporting its claims and causes not realizing the grip of it destructive clutches in which one day it will inevitably come to ruin much like Hitlers regime.
The whole world recognized the depth of darkness behind the veil of these vile and wicked men and the great wrongs and crimes they committed to our world society which found  them guilty in the most extreme sense. Islam is a religion  with a growing worldwide influence that has infected mankind in epidemic proportions. Yearly there are thousands of people who wrongfully suffer and die because one man had a dream of questionable inspiration.
Will you really continue to follow this path of death and destruction? If you are a practitioner of Islam I would ask you just to simply put aside your tendency to defend what you regard as holy just long enough to look seriously at the evidence and to pray to God to reveal to you  the one who came to give life and life more abundantly namely Jesus.
Matthew 7:15-16

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits.

 

 

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Permission granted by David Woods for excerpts taken from the article on “ Muhammad and the Messiah” in the Christian Research Journal Vol.35/No.5/2012

Jesus is not a Christian

Friday, April 24th, 2009

Jesus was not a Christian. Jesus is the Messiah. The first Jewish believers referred to themselves as disciples of Jesus. Others would refer to them as those who belonged to the “Way” as well as the Nazarene sect.

Disciples of Jesus were first  referred to as Christians  in Antioch. This church had a mixture of both Gentile and Jewish believers.

The word Christian may have been used as a slang word by others as a means of protest and was at some point adopted as a title of acceptable identification. A Christian is simply one who is a adherent to Christ so therefore it could not be applied to Christ Himself.

What is interesting about this word is that the Hebrew equivalent for the Greek word Christ (Christianos) is Messiah. This word today is used in referring  to Jewish believers in Jesus as Messianic Jews.

These Messianic Jews are simply using the Hebrew concept to the Greek word. The word itself has Jewish roots that are grounded in Hebrew culture. Since the word has been used to refer to those who are disciples of Jesus or Yeshua as their Messiah then technically this same word could also refer to any group or person who would follow a Messiah figure. So therefore being a Christian by that definition would classify those who are the practitioners of Orthodox Judaism as Messianics likewise since they believe in a potential Messianic figure. Just look at the Lubavitchers who have made recent claims for their Rebbe in applying this title.

You may despise the word because of the association you have given it as being applicable to those who follow Jesus but by merely despising the word or the concept of the word  is despising Jewish culture in which the word was derived and birthed.

Is it the gentile association of the word Christian that you hate or is it Yeshua the Jewish Messiah that you reject? Do me a favor and read Isaiah 52:13 – 53 and see if this has been your reaction or your true motive concerning the Jewish Messiah Yeshua.

 

 

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Jesus is not Catholic

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Jesus is not of the Roman Catholic religion. The term catholic with a small “c” was used  in general terms to mean “universal” . This word concerning the church was first utilized by Ignatius in about 110-115 a.d. meaning the church universal or the whole church which could be applied in a general sense encompassing all believers throughout the ages that have held to the foundational teachings of the original church as defined by the authority of new testament teachings.  So only in this sense can the term  be applied to the church.

This term would later be applied in referring to the Catholic religion with a capital “C” which was defined as being in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. It is possible that the religion that is known as Catholic with a capital “C” is not the true catholic church with a small “c”. In other words the Catholic religion which is represented by a particular denomination should not be confused with the catholic church or the universal church of believers. The incompatibility is seen based on the authority and doctrine that has segregated these groups along the lines of matters as related to biblical authority.

In conclusion the word for Catholic was never applied or used  by  Jesus or his immediate apostolic successors which were responsible for the literature of the new testament.

So finally Jesus is as much a  Catholic as the pope is a Jew. As you can see it doesn’t make sense to talk like this for either parties. Its a ridiculous statement.

 

 

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To be a Jew for Jesus means betrayal

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

To believe in Jesus is a betrayal to the Jewish people. Perhaps you might be thinking that whatever comes about through Jesus is contrary to the people of Israel. As I already explained in previous blogs Jesus was a Jew and the New Testament was primarily written by Jewish authors who proclaimed its message to the Jew first and is no more anti-Semitic than the Tanach or the Hebrew scriptures. Some people who have aligned themselves with Christianity who were false disciples have distorted the claims of the New Testament and have used the cross as a sword destroying the very foundational beliefs that are sacred to the text. The New Testament holds a high view to human life unlike some religions that support violence as a means  of advancing  their religion or to gain personal advancements in the afterlife. Those who are ethnically Jewish but who make claims to Jesus understand that the New Testament is not against them. After all Jesus said that He came for the lost sheep of Israel. Why would these Jewish believers be willing to be ostracized by the Jewish community for their faith in Jesus if the New Testament didn’t support their Jewishness. Anybody that would claim himself to be a Christian and tell a Jewish brother, who is a believer in Yeshua or Jesus, to deny his heritage in the G-d of his fathers and the Jewish community  is an apostate to the truth.

If you look at some of the greatest people that have had an impact on the Jewish people today they would have been regarded as revolutionaries during their times and were  rejected by their peers and seen as traitors.  Abraham was told to get up and get out and away from his family and homeland and not to worship the gods of his fathers anymore which were pagan in origin. Abraham was faithful to G-d but unfaithful to his family and friends as well as his community at large .

Theodore Herzl who inaugurated the modern zionist state of Israel was rejected by the Jewish leaders worldwide. Eliezer Ben Yehudah was rejected by his family because he  thought that Hebrew should be the everyday language of the Jewish people and now there are many millions of hebrew speaking Jews today. If you study the Tanach you will see that at various times through out the course of  biblical history that those who are now regarded and esteemed within the Jewish community today as being the very foundation stones for the existence and greatness of the Jewish people were at many times rejected  by their own people. Just study the lives of Moses, King David, and the prophets just to name a few examples and you will see that rejection and betrayal was done on behalf of the Israelite community towards G-ds providence through his chosen leadership. Is it possible that today that Israel’s present is still repeating the mistakes of  Israel’s past with a rejection of G-d’s provision for a chosen Messiah Jesus in being the supreme or chief ruler of Israel?  So who has betrayed who here? The primary question should be which is greater  popular opinion and prejudice or rejecting G-d as a social outcast because of our lack of acceptance and tolerance to His will. It would be bettter to stand alone and be cursed and rejected then to turn your back on the creator of the Jewish nation resulting in a everlasting curse in which G-d would reject you. Is it better to betray your people or G-d? Moses the man of G-d would expect you to chose G-d even over your own  families. In Exodus 32:29  Moses honored the Levites because they stood for G-d and in so doing they rejected their own families in return.

Will you remain chained and confined to the past  idealogies of family tradition or will you break free to explore and overcome the limitations of your family and community? Today the  Messianic Jews that are under a new covenant as based in Jeremiah 31: 31 are treated today like the Hasidim of the past who were seen as the betrayers of the Jewish faith and regarded as heretics and yet through their perseverance and persecutions they have succeeded today as a honored group among the religious community.

Rejection is a reactionary approach in dealing with ideological concepts of life as defined by the person or community  which  can prove to be faltering and changing. This is because the response is not posed to define truth but rather it is a belief, whether real or unreal, that results from the emotions and insecurities of a community that may see the situation as a threat or a potential threat. You may say well this is a belief that is well founded because of the history of the Christians in attacking the Jewish people. Again I covered this subject in a previous blog about so called Christians who have shed the blood of Jewish people. The reality is that today you will not find Christian anti-Semitism as being a  prevalent force within the confines of biblical Christendom but rather you might discover the beautiful response of a philo-Semitic attitude which has become the dominant attitude among mainstream evangelicals who are the true friends of Israel. I really do not believe the lie that Jewish people today see Christendom as an enemy bent on their destruction because they gladly receive Christian tourists around the globe within the small confines of their borders. Would they openly do this with the Muslims? America thou entering into a post Christian era still retains a  predominate Christian influence and is seen within the world community as Israel’s friend . Is Israel concerned with American terrorists or tourists who next to Israel has the highest Jewish population in the world. True Christianity has proved a refuge for Jacob’s trouble not the inflictor of pain and suffering but rather the helper to bind up its wounds.

 

 

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Is Allah One?

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

The aspect of Allah being one alone did not originate from Arab influence due to their ancestors being polytheists.
I find it strange that the Arab culture would adapt the monotheistic views of a foreign culture based on the beliefs and influences of both Jews and Christians.
The basis for Islam has its roots in the conscious, conviction, and proclamation of a foreign faith. Why wouldn’t the all sovereign and supreme G-d who is the king of the universe originate truth with the ones who would eventually make claims to bearing its message (Muslims) unless it was really only just another source of deviation, falsehood, and corruption? Who borrowed truth from whom? Who influenced who here? Is it possible to pick and choose the aspects of religion that correspond with Islam’s personal worldview for the sake of possessing a unique identity? There are many cults that likewise come up with new revelations. Just study about the Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons who have a similar experience to Islam. Joseph Smith like Muhammad was seeking truth and He likewise received a personal revelation through an angel. Of course Joseph Smith’s angelic visitation had its own unique message and translation that was much different from the angelic revelation as given unto Muhammad. So who is right? The famed Joseph Smith who know has one of the fastest and largest cults worldwide or the likes of Islam who is the fastest growing religion with over 1 billion adherents
The apostle Paul warns about this phenomenon before Islam was birthed or before Joseph Smith was a twinkle in his mother’s eye and he states in Galatians 1:8 that even if a angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you let Him be eternally condemned.

 

 

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Allah’s Name is not Sacred

Friday, April 17th, 2009

The personal name of G-d in Islam is Allah. This name has a possibility of twenty various derivatives making the name a mystery in and of itself.
The name existed in pre-Islamic times being used for the pagan deities that were worshipped by the Arab people.
So the usage of the name Allah preexisted before Muhammad’s revelation of G-d.

 

 

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Jesus in Psalm 22

Friday, April 17th, 2009

This Psalm taken from the pages of the Hebrew bible clearly depicts Jesus. Once again many Jews have come to faith in the Messiah Jesus or Yeshua just from this Psalm alone which clearly describes His  death and suffering.

Psalm 22
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.a
4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 “He trusts in the Lord;
let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay meb in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have piercedc my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O Lord, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
saved me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear youe will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it.

 

 

 

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The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ps 22:1-31

Jews who believe in Jesus betray Judaism

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

Jews who believe in Jesus betray Judaism.
Well what is Judaism to begin with? This is about as definitive as the opinion on who is a Jew. The definition is too hard to define in one blog and could be quite exhaustive in scope because of the smorgasbord of beliefs and traditions.
Judaism is largely what anyone wants it to be and modern day Judaism is more of a human invention of religious ideas, doctrines, practices, and superstitions rather than strict adherence’s to biblical precepts.
As previously stated on my last blog regarding contemporary Judaism I discussed how that Judaism has evolved from biblical times into an adaptive form of traditional teachings of men as expressed through the many ideas of the rabbis both past and present. Rabbinic Judaism has claimed the right as an authority of prophetic utterance which served originally to revise reshape and remold the structure of mainstream Judaism
To begin with Rabbinic Judaism evolved mainly from the Pharisaic tradition and was codified into various rulings and interpretations as handed down through many pieces of literature as being orthodoxy.
Prior to the destruction of the second temple there were different factions of religious Jews who took various positions on belief and observance. Several of these groups were the Essenes, Sadducee’s, and the Pharisees.
Today like then there are various divisions among those who make claims to the religion of Judaism. Some of these branches of Judaism encompass various forms of observance and belief whether you are Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and groups such as the Karaites.
There is a vast diversity in the expressions of Judaism in that there are groups within groups and these compartmental groups have various traditional observances based on geographical influences. So to ultimately define Judaism both then and now wasn’t always definitive but nevertheless these groups tolerated each other to some degree even if there was no complete agreement.
Also there was yet another group that emerged and coexisted with these ancient religious groups of Jews and was known as Messianics. Not because they merely had messianic expectations and hopes such as was the case of many of the religious Jews of that time but because they believed in an actual Messianic figure.
The Jewish people have had several ancient as well as modern messiahs that have not impacted the world in the same way that the Jewish Messiah Yeshua or Jesus has. These groups or followers of these false messiahs usually fade out over the course of time and their followers or devotees are no longer in existence today and this will be the case for the Lubavitch as well who recently lost their candidate for the title.
These Messianic believers have always existed from the onset of Yeshua’s ministry 2000 years ago until modern times numbering as high as over 300,000 Jewish believers today. They too have a unique expression of their Judaism which is biblically based as the “New Covenant” people as outlined by the prophet in Jeremiah 31:31 and were considered originally as the “People of the Way” . Many of these people kept or tried to keep their cultural ties and identity within the Jewish community at large and they likewise deserve inclusion within the observant and religious Jewish community as well.
You know it wasn’t long ago that the Hasidic Jews were considered heretics and apostates just a few centuries ago but now today they have won the respect of the religious community having endured persecutions for their beliefs much like these Messianic Jews are suffering rejection and persecution today especially in Israel.
So who is betraying who here and by whose supreme authority can one group of Jews discriminate against another group? These Messianics have the same right to their personal expression of faith as being the heirs of the biblical promise in being new covenant Jews. These Jews still make claims and identify themselves with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
In conclusion Messianic believers who hold to belief in Yeshua as the Messiah by seeing themselves as new covenant Jews have minimally only betrayed perhaps other viewpoints of Judaism but then again who among the Jewish community doesn’t have opinions or challenging views in regards to the nature of religious expression.
Lastly you can believe in Yeshua or Jesus and be faithful to a personal expression of Jewish faith who finds it origins based on the biblical authority of the Hebrew Scriptures.

 

 

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Contemporary Judaism is not the true religion of G-d

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Contemporary Judaism is not the true religion of G-d. When I say this I don’t mean that Judaism doesn’t have any beneficial or meaningful G-d ordained practices within its movement . However, I do challenge its claim to authority as regulated by the rulings of the Rabbis which I believe falls short in attempting to establish a meaningful relationship between G-d and his covenant people Israel.
To begin with a person must first realize that there is a difference between biblical Judaism and what would later evolve and continue to evolve into rabbinic Judaism. Many of Judaism’s beliefs are vast and widespread and sometimes it is impossible to even know how the belief or practice even originated. You can speak to one Jew from one location and they might practice their Judaism differently from another Jew who is situated in a different geographical location. In Judaism there are endless commentaries with various viewpoints. Combine this with some mystical teachings such as the Kabbala and you end up with a sea of varied beliefs that has the potential to drown you. For instance just to learn how to properly keep the Sabbath is an undertaking by itself let alone trying to observe it. It really makes you wonder if this is what G-d really had in mind in upholding the Sabbath day in keeping it holy. Was the Sabbath to be an impossible feat of avoidance’s with endless and various restrictions? Is their really any joy in undertaking such an arduous task to this celebrated event in the routine of life?
This whole system of rules and beliefs has contributed to a dialogue of confusion and impossibilities that is hardly discernible.
There are also claims that are impossible to substantiate such as the origin of the “Oral Law” which is ancient but does it really go all the way back to Sinai? When G-d speaks to Moses he instructs Him to write down His commands rather than committing them to the fallibility and frailty of human memory. Even though the Ten Commandments could be easily retained G-d had them inscribed in such a way so as to preserve their content. If you have ever played the game of telephone you know how easily something can be confused just from sharing simple information with a small degree of succession. Just the fact that today there are varied traditional beliefs of whose origins are questionable shows the inability to retain and preserve the original intent.
Also when Judaism give the Rabbis the same degree of authority as Moses then I believe this is overextending or stretching the application beyond the boundary stones of the biblical text. Anyway how can G-d contradict himself through the Rabbis since the Rabbis don’t always agree with each another nor are they always in harmony on their varied viewpoints. Is it any wonder that in the Tanakh that the prophet Isaiah says that “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men”.
G-d also warns Moses in Deuteronomy 4:2 not to add to what I command you and do not subtract from it.
In addition to this does G-d require the upholding and the keeping of 613 commandments? Here is yet another departure from biblical truth by stating some non-biblical traditions. How can G-d who is supremely just and righteous require you to keep something that is unattainable or impossible? The reason for this is because these commands would require reinstating the sacrificial system which can’t be done because there is no temple or priesthood.
Also today within Judaism there is a departure from upholding punishment which is due for the transgressor or violator of these commandments by enforcing the biblical requirements of capital punishment such as those who are guilty of committing crimes as related to adultery, Sabbath violations, and disrespectful children just to name a few.
If Judaism could bring people near to G-d then why after some many centuries of having the Torah did it bring a curse resulting in the Diaspora and now 33 centuries later it still hasn’t produced everlasting righteousness.
One of the definitions of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again while all along expecting different results and that is where the matter has taken us today. Just look at the lifestyles of many of the people residing in Tel Aviv and you will see a moral failure which communicates the Torah’s inability or influence by itself to transform people and society. A person can take up residence in the “holy land” but that doesn’t make a person “holy” through association. This isn’t to falter G-d or even the Torah but it depicts mankind’s inability to pursue G-d because of mans nature whose heart is continually corrupt and avoids a pursuit of G-d because of a selfish, self indulgent sinful nature. When you look at Eden and the universality of rebellious Babel, the flood of Noah which resulted from the deluge of evil during his time and the disobedience of corporate Israel then it becomes obvious that there is a cycle of sin that encompasses all of humanity regardless of time and space. You might think well what about religion doesn’t that prove mankind’s desire to connect with G-d. Yet what does the first commandment state? That a person is not to serve other G-d’s and the second commandment stipulates that there is to be no graven images. So position one and two of G-d’s covenant requirements deal with false religion and the tendency to create gods after their own design and that is what rabbinic Judaism has done and regardless of its zeal, piety, and sincerity these are not necessarily the qualities that G-d desires but rather a pursuit of honesty and truth. He desires for truth in the inward parts of mankind’s heart. A person might think that the biblical characters and the religious leaders were the holy ones since they were closer to the original source yet we see through the pages of the Tanakh that they were not exempt from corruption and it is still happening today.
The reason why biblical or modern Judaism does not work is because it was merely meant to be transitory in nature finding its replacement or fulfillment by means of a “New Covenant” people as described in Jeremiah 31:31 where G-d Himself facilitates a change of heart and mind in regards to the worshipper by means of an internal working of His righteousness rather than trusting in the weaknesses and failures of men who couldn’t even uphold the external out workings of the Law.
Why has man’s efforts continued to fail in achieving the righteous requirements of G-d’s law? Just look at the biblical narrative alone and the comments of the anointed servants of G-d who held an intercessory role as mediators including the likes of judges, prophets, priests, and kings and you will hear a certain theme resonating the condition of the human soul which speaks of ultimate depravity.
Just the observance of Yom Kippur alone shows the unequivocal and universality of sin from the greatest to the least, from the eldest to the youngest, from the noble to the common, from the religious to the simple minded.
All these people had one common denominator and that was the fact that they were all heavily laden with the yoke of sin which enslaved them because mankind’s depravity,which is not a respecter of persons, is a disease that has inflicted and plagued all of mankind since the beginning of time regardless of ones position or status in society resulting in one of the nations greatest needs for observance and that is the day that was set apart for the atonement for sin.
If the Mosaic covenant was truly efficacious and self sustaining then why did G-d make way for a “New covenant” thus annulling and rendering the Mosaic covenant as being ineffective and obsolete. You can read it for yourself in Jeremiah 31:31. Rather He has now opened up a new and living way by pouring out His Spirit on all flesh as spoken of by the prophet Joel. This new age has dawned finding its onset and consummation in the person and work of the Messiah Yeshua or Jesus. Who stated that this “New Covenant” was ratified in his body and His shed blood which was a typology of the sacrificial lamb served as the ultimate atonement for sin given on behalf of the worshipper.
Truly if G-d wanted us to uphold the Mosaic covenant then in His sovereignty He would of sustained His earthy temple with its sacrificial requirements. Now Judaism states that G-d has opened up a new way, which is really the same old way, which somehow now replaces the ceremonial laws by relying once again on mere human achievement and observances by the likes of prayer, good deeds, and fasting. This now becomes the replacement theology to satisfy these past ordinances. Strangely enough this was never spelled out by the authority of the scriptures but the Rabbis had to develop a system as a means of grappling with the loss of the temple rites.
Could it be that yes G-d is doing something different and He emphatically accentuates His position by allowing the likes of Islam to inhabit the very site of the temple mount for the last 1300 years.
The prophet Daniel speaks of the destruction of the second temple and the Messiah being cut off. Is it coincidental that when the temple was ransacked and destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD that this event in history was only 40 years removed from the death of Yeshua or Jesus.
The destruction of the temple was a commentary from G-d not stating a need to abolish atonement but rather indicating that the atonement for sin was completely satisfied and fulfilled in Yeshua.
In religious Jewish thought it is the death of the righteous which atones. Read and meditate on the suffering servant as spoken of in Isaiah 53 and you will see a correlation to the person and work of Jesus or Yeshua.
In summary I would like to say that the Jewish people occupy a special and unique place in G-d’s economy of humanity. Yet alongside of this privilege was the responsibility to carry out this election by a means of integrity to the truth of G-d with an uncompromising sense of heartfelt devotion. To love the L-rd their G-d with all of their heart soul, mind and strength.
I am concerned that the religious community in its desire to fulfill its passion for its craving of Judaism’s porridge that it has sold it’s true position in the household of G-d by despising its birthright much like Esau. I believe if they only knew the deception and the lack or the temporary feeling of fullness that this pottage can bring to the emptiness of the soul of their stomach then they like Esau would grieve over their lost privilege to the new heir. The despairing thing is that no matter how much Esau pleads to the father over this matter it has already been settled and can not be over ruled, changed or altered which brings to heart a great sense of loss and jealousy. However we see latter that G-d greatly blesses Esau by his grace and mercy which included a reconciliation with his brother Jacob along with the accumulation of great wealth. G-d will not forsake his promises to the Jewish people and I believe that their glory will one day shine forth like the brilliance of the sun.
In closing I apologize for such a long and tiresome post and I hope that I have not over stated my position. My approach though direct and pointed is not meant to be interpreted as an opportunity to be intolerant, slanderous, and hateful towards the Jewish people. My intention in this post is to challenge the religious institution which I see as straying from its biblical roots by the means of substituting a counterfeit faith.
One might say that to challenge the cultural expression of religion as expressed within the confines of Judaism is then correlated to mean a rejection of the Jewish community. Yet most of the Jewish community is not even religious.
Even G-d Himself states that he hates the false religion of hypocrisy by declaring that He detests their religious gatherings Isaiah 1:14.
Its no wonder that Jesus also corrected and challenged this legalistic system which sought to make serving G-d an oppressive observance of great difficulty.
He warned the Pharisees about loading up burdens upon the peoples shoulders that they could not bear.
I am grateful that the ministry of Jesus was to release the captives,free the oppressed and bind up the broken hearted.
He also said come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Finally Joshua offered the people of Israel a challenge to make a choice of service in obeisance towards the false gods or the one true G-d. He being Israel’s leader openly and courageously declared his uncompromising faith by boldly stating “As for me and my house we will serve the L-rd.” At that moment He assumed His position of spiritual leadership even though there was question among the Israelite community on who G-d is. Perhaps his confession seemed intolerant and pointed as well yet He saw it as His G-d-given responsibility in not only leading the people of Israel into a mere physical conquest of Canaan but rather a leading in the dynamic expression of worship towards the one true G-d.
So in closing I would like to leave you with this same challenge. Who will you choose to serve? Will you side with G-d or the Rabbis? Be a Joshua and take a firm stand in the Jewish community on behalf of truth.It is better to stand alone then to stand against the truth of G-d’s word on the day of judgment. So be brave and courageous and possess the promises of G-d .

 

 

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Have Christians caused bloodshed for the Jewish people

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

Have Christians caused bloodshed for the Jewish people? True, only in the sense that others have taken the name of Christ but never truly represented Him or acted on His behalf. Jesus said that you are my disciples if you obey my commands. He never taught to kill or persecute Jews but rather He taught to turn the other cheek and to even love our enemies.
So these people who call themselves Christians or who identify themselves with the church are not true believers or followers of the Messiah. A true follower of Jesus rejects anti-Semitism and such things as the Inquisition, Crusades, Pogroms, and the Holocaust. These hate crimes are an affront to true Christianity. These actions were inaugurated by a man made politically oriented and corrupt religious institution. At times this pseudo church probably killed as many authentic Christians for refusing to follow their traditions as they killed Jews.
Also the Holocaust was never a Christian movement and as a matter of fact of the 11 million who died in this horrific genocide there were about 3 million Polish Christians that died likewise. Actually during the Holocaust there were Christians who were motivated by love to help the Jews during that time of great tragedy. Countries that were under protestant influence such as Norway and Denmark fought to save the Jews.
Today there is a battle going on but not on the Christian front but by the hands of anti-missionary groups. There is persecution in Israel against the Messianic Jews or Jews who believe in Jesus and they are often harassed and discriminated against even though they are citizens of Israel living in a democratic country. It is not possible for a Jew who proclaims Jesus to be the Messiah to make Aliyah to Israel based on the 1989 ruling on the “Law of Return”. Even today in some circles there are some Jews that curse these Messianic believers in Jesus or Yeshua three times a day.
Please don’t take this as an attack on the nation of Israel or the Jewish people whom I love but rather as a way of showing that there are always two sides to the story.
Ironically enough from a Jewish perspective the prime minister of Israel Netanyahu says that Israel’s greatest supporters and best friends are the Evangelical Christians. There are countless numbers of Christians who standby Israel and love Israel. There are Jewish programs such as Rabbi Eckstein’s agency “On the Wings of Eagles” in which He rallies the support of Christians in helping Jews in despair to make Aliyah to Israel. There are groups within Israel such as Bridges for Peace that help provide humanitarian support without proselytizing or seeking out converts.
In summary true believers are philo Semites. It is important to remember that no church leader in history has ever advocated exterminating Jews or to wipe out the Jewish people. The churches anti-Judaism stance bore no resemblance to Hilters racial anti-Semitism and that the Holocaust itself is considered anti-Christian and true Christians grieve over this event. Lastly the genuine Christians were the ones who helped the Jews not rounding them up or hunting them.

 

 

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