The Formal End to Judeo-Christian America by Dennis Prager

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UMJC Leader, Dr. Schiffman, Says He'd Attend Gay Weddings to be Supportive of His Friends

This is ridiculous (LINK).  Like Schiffman, I have gay friends.  But if they decided to get "married" and invite our family to attend the wedding ceremony, I would say, "Thank you for the invitation.  I love you as my sister but my religious beliefs prevent me from attending."  

Further proof that the UMJC is irredeemably liberal.  Schiffman, by the way, used to be UMJC Theology Chair and now he serves on the humanitarian arm of the UMJC.  

Presybterian Church & United Church of Christ Already Boycotting Israel, Episcopal & Mennonite Churches May Follow In Coming Days

What's with this new wave of Christian hostility being directed at Israel?

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And then the Satanic Vatican just recognized the Palestinian "State" according to pre-1967 borders:

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"Why I'm Grateful to Justice Kennedy" by Dr. Michael Brown

Here's one positive way to look at it...

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The Rise of Babylon? The Link Between Idolatry and Homosexuality in Paul's Writings

"The majority’s decision is an act of will, not legal judgment. The right it announces has no basis in the Constitution or this Court’s precedent. The majority expressly disclaims judicial “caution” and omits even a pretense of humility, openly relying on its desire to remake society according to its own “new insight” into the “nature of injustice.” Ante, at 11, 23. As a result, the Court invalidates the marriage laws of more than half the States and orders the transformation of a social institution that has formed the basis of human society for millennia, for the Kalahari Bushmen and the Han Chinese, the Carthaginians and the Aztecs. Just who do we think we are?" Justice Roberts' Dissenting Opinion, Obergefell v. Hodges (Emphasis Added)

What does idolatry look like?  Is it merely the worship of an image of a miniature deity?  Or is more encompassing than that?

This past Friday we witnessed the final nail in the coffin for America.  Most States had already "legalized" gay marriage (according to man's law).  But then the Supreme Court decided to round things out and make it the official "law of the land."

According to the Apostle Paul, sexual perversion is a symptom of a much deeper problem.  It's not sexual perversion that causes idolatry.  Rather, it's the other way around.  Once mankind forsakes his Creator, G-d forsakes him, leaving him to burn with vile passions:

 "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened...For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet," Romans 1:21,26-27 

So what we witnessed this past Friday was G-d turning His back on a sinful nation.

And where is the alarm in the Messianic blogosphere?

As for me and my family, I'll publicly declare this:  I reject the civil government's self-proclaimed authority to regulate marriage as though it is a god!

Furthermore, I call on all Messianics going forward to reject the government's intrusion into the realm of marriage.  We do not need marriage licenses because we recognize that only G-d "licenses" our marriages.  And those of us who have in times past registered for licenses can now disavow the governments purported control of marriage.  We will no longer worship at the altar of government, treating it as god on earth with the power define, redefine, and regulate the institution of marriage.

In Acts 15, Peter declared that Gentiles had been called by G-d's Name.  But to belong to Israel, the People Called by His Name, we must reject idolatry!  His Name is not an entitlement.  Scripture makes says that G-d does not put His name on the nations who have rejected the Torah of Moses but rather only on those who belong to or have joined Israel:

"We are Thy people that were of old:  not unto the Gentiles hast Thou given the doctrine of Thy law, neither is Thy name invoked upon them; not unto them hast Thou inclined the heavens and revealed Thyself; the mountains quaked before Thee," Targum Isaiah 63:19

We used to be the idolatrous nations but now we are the nations joined to Israel:

"Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you," Zechariah 2:11

Which leaves only 2 segments of humanity:  Israel and the idolatrous nations.

Choose today which segment you will belong to.

The Supreme Court v. HaShem: What the Same Sex Marriage Decision Has Now Done to America

Shabbat is almost here and my heart is too heavy to write much about what happened today.

In summary, though, the Supreme Court committed an act of tyranny today against all American citizens.  While our system of government provides a way for us to nullify this act of tyranny, it provides no protection from a despotic, over-reaching Supreme Court that shows no regard for our Federal Constitution.  Make no mistake:  today we witnessed the complete destruction of our political system.  And that's not even the worst of it.

What we saw today was nothing less than America's open act of defiance aimed directly at HaShem.

Pray for the country and its leaders.

If Yeshua Isn't G-d, Why Does the Bible Say the Angels Will Worship Him?

Derech Adonai or Derechim Adonai?

One of the reasons I love to hear other points of view is that they force you to re-assess various passages of Scripture---and the more time you spend with Scripture, the more HaShem will reveal to you.  This learning process occurred this morning while I was drinking my coffee and reading James Pyles' newest blog post.  

He said:

"I know that the phrase from Genesis 18:19 where God references Abraham saying “so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice,” has been taken by some to mean that, as spiritual children of Abraham, we should be obligated to the Torah mitzvot in the same manner as the descendants of Abraham’s offspring Isaac and Jacob, that is, the Jewish people.

     This would make things deceptively easy (not that they’d actually be easy) in terms of defining the role of the non-Jew within Messianic Jewish space. We’d just have the same role as the Jewish participants and thus we’d all be one big, happy family (not really, but that’s wish, anyway).

     But the commentary about the aforementioned portion of scripture is very interesting. It states “…he will command (yetzaveh) his children and his household,” as meaning he [Abraham] will “bring [his children and his household] into a communion (with G-d).”

     Except, because of our Abraham-like faith in Hashem through Yeshua, we can and are brought into communion with God. Having a halachic path identical to the Jewish people is completely unnecessary. How complicated does coming into communion with God have to be?" James Pyles, from:  http://mymorningmeditations.com/2015/06/26/we-are-students-of-abraham-communing-with-god/#comment-53116

I responded:

James,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Genesis 18:19 say that Abraham would teach his household the singular "way" of the L-rd ("derech Adonai")?  If Jews and Gentiles who believe in Yeshua both belong to the household of Abraham and are meant to follow DIFFERENT ways of life then shouldn't the Torah have said that Abraham would teach his household the PLURAL "ways" of the L-rd ("derechim Adonai")?

Blood Moons: Is Something Big Going to Happen in September 2015?

Recently, someone asked me to read Hagee's book about the Blood Moon tetrads.  So, last night before bed, I finally glanced through it.  My impression was that Mr. Hagee is very pro-Israel and well meaning.  And may G-d bless him and anyone who actively blesses Israel.

But what of these "blood moons"?

So, to summarize, since 1492, there has only been 3 tetrads of blood moons (groups of four), each instance coinciding with a major event for the Jewish People (e.g. the Spanish Inquisition, Modern Rebirth of Israel, and the Six Day War which resulted in the reunification of Jerusalem).

And the next blood moon, the last in the tetrad, is apparently coming up on...

September 28, 2015.  

That's this upcoming Sukkot (aka "Feast of Tabernacles").

So here's the thing.  I don't put a lot of stock in these types of things.  I mean, one could find something horrible occurring in just about any date--or something really good occurring in just about any date.  In other words, I'm a skeptic.

That said...

We're already commanded to be vigilant, awaiting the Day of L-rd.  We're already commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  So let's continue doing what we're supposed to be doing.  And that way, if something does occur this September, and that's a big "if", then we will not be caught off guard.

That's my take anyway.  Does anyone have any thoughts about these blood moons?

UPDATE: TNN Online is Now "Messianicapologetics.net"

Everyone should note that McKee's materials can now be found at the following address:

messianicapologetics.net

Identifying the Alpha and Omega in Revelation 22:13

"This is what the LORD says-- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God," Isaiah 44:6

" 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty,'" Rev. 1:8 

"And he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment,'" Rev. 21:6 

" 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end,'" Rev. 22:13

Some musings from this morning:

Recently I became interested in the book of Revelation (earlier post).  So yesterday I was examining how there are 3 times where G-d says in it "I am the Alpha and Omega."  And I noticed that the Christian scholars tend to say that Jesus is speaking in Revelation 22:13.

But it's very tricky determining the speaker in Revelation 22:13.  

At one point, there's an angel interjecting because he had to inform John that he was just an angel and only G-d should receive worship.  But then suddenly the speaker changes and it's G-d talking and making the self proclamation "I am the Alpha and Omega."  Up until that point in Revelation, only the G-d the Father appears to have used this expression "Alpha and Omega" as a self-referent.

And so, to my consternation, I learned that the scholars are divided on who exactly is talking in 22:13--is it Jesus or G-d the Father?

But I think I figured out though how we can attribute 22:13 to Yeshua.

Note that in 22:13 we are given the clarifying name "the first and the last."  But in chapter 1 and chapter 2 of Revelation we learn that the "first and the last" is the one who "died and came back to life", the one who is the "Son of Man."

This indicates that the speaker in 22:13 is Yeshua, the Son of Man, the Resurrected One.  Also, that fits with the rest of the passage in 22.



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

I came across a good quote that provides an exegetical rule of thumb for how to interpret the predicative vs. absolute forms of "I am" in the book of John:

"In its predicative form...'I am' is a grammatically normal enough statement...When 'I am' lacks even an implied predicate, however, it becomes unintelligible except as an allusion to God's name..." Keener, The Gospel of John, pgs. 769-770

Trinity Question: Reflecting on the Works of the Late Bryan Huie (Author of "Here a Little, There a Little" Site)

Not too long ago I visited a Messianic congregation and felt the strangest feeling.  There was a public discussion on a certain matter--I don't recall the topic--and I made reference to the concept of the Trinity (the concept that Yeshua is co-equal with G-d the Father, sharing those exclusive divine traits of eternality, omnipotence, etc).

Oops.

There was immediate resistance which I hadn't anticipated.

I was caught off guard that I would be the sole defender of the Divinity of Yeshua in a roomful of Messianics--at least that's what it felt like.

So I immediately consulted semi-privately with one of the elders there.  And I quickly discovered that my views upset him greatly.  I felt the urge to flee, glancing toward the door.  But I stayed for praise and worship, tears streaming down my face the whole time--which is natural for me whenever I praise and worship.  Afterward, the elder apologized.  And let me say there is no ill will whatsoever on my end.  That said, I feel the need to explore the underlying theological divide that causes such strong emotions.

Now, I don't know how widespread the teachings of Brian Huie became.  Perhaps he's not the source of these ideas.  But I sense that Huie's teachings describe those held by a lot of Messianics--the view that Yeshua is merely the head of the divine council, one of the many bnei elohim.  You can see Bryan's position here: LINK.

I'd like for folks to share their thoughts.  Does Huie's position have any merit?  Are there any flaws in his reasoning?  He teaches that Yeshua is NOT co-equal with the Father.  But are there verses which contradict this assertion?

Discussion time for the brave.  : )

First Orthodox Female Rabbis?

Just came across this on the internets:  LINK

Was the Original "Shield of David" a Hexagram or a Menorah?

Of course we all know that the hexagram "Star of David" only recently became a widespread symbol for the Jewish People (19th century).  According to Gerben Oegema, the first intermittent examples of the hexagram in Judaism come from the seventh century--but it wasn't widespread at that time.  The hexagram was originally a symbol associated with non-Jewish magic and mysticism and was only slowly adopted by the Jewish People as a Jewish symbol.

But not many folks know that there is an old Jewish tradition that holds that David's shield was actually the Menorah:

"According to a strong Jewish tradition, the image displayed on King David's shield was not, as many have assumed, a six-pointed star (the so-called Magen David) but a menorah inscribed with these words:  'May God be gracious to us, and bless us and make his face to shine upon us.'  The menorah was likely the shield of David as well as the seal of Solomon.  The Golden Menorah, published in Prague in the sixth century, declared, 'This psalm, together with the menorah, is an allusion to great things...King David used to bear this psalm inscribed, pictured, and engraved on his shield, on a sheet of gold, in the shape of the menorah, when he went forth to battle, and he would meditate on its mystery, and conquer," John D. Garr, God's Lamp, Man's Light:  Mysteries of the Menorah, pg. 174

 So was the real shield of David a hexagram or a Menorah?  Guess we may never know.

But, for our purposes, there's no reason to search for anything other than the Menorah.  After all, the Menorah symbolizes Yeshua, the Light of the World.  So why look for a better symbol?

Only the Torah-Observant May Enter "New Jerusalem": A Look at Revelation 22:14

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie," Revelation 22:14 (KJV)

In the primary texts of Rabbinic Judaism, the consensus of the Sages was that there are 2 segments of humanity:  Israel and the Idolaters (see Neusner's "Restoring Judaism" for an analysis of the Rabbinic texts).  Recently, I began to re-examine the Book of Revelation which also reflects this dichotomy as you can see from the above passage.  So the Biblical idea is very simple:  there are those who realize their calling as restored Humanity (via Yeshua, the "Last Adam") and those who reject this calling (i.e. the idolaters).  The restored Humanity gets to return to "Eden" and partake of the Tree of Life.  And so, in this paradigm, the Bible becomes a love letter written to all of humanity explaining how we can be restored to the Garden of Eden and once again have a face-to-face relationship with our loving Creator.

May everyone reading this make the decision--TODAY--to enter into His light and take hold of the Tree of Life.

"She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed," Proverbs 3:18

NOTES:

The above reading of Revelation 22:14 is found in the King James and Aramaic Bible but is also found in texts from circa 2nd century C.E. such as the following:

"Thus, too, again: Blessed they who act according to the precepts, that they may have power over the tree of life and over the gates, for entering into the holy city. Dogs, sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, out!" Tertullian, On Modesty (208 C.E.), quoting Revelation 22:14

"In the Apocalypse...'Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have power over the tree of life'," Cyprian (251 C.E.), quoting Revelation 22:14