YAHUSHA The Messiah
&
His Commandments
Is "Christianity" really based on the person & teachings of "Jesus Christ", or is it just the beliefs & practices of a religion that goes by that name? Was "Jesus Christ" a Christian? What are some of the most common traditions or practices associated with Christianity?
Did "Jesus Christ" go to church on Sunday? Did He celebrate Christmas & Easter? Did He ever tell us to do any of those things? If He didn't do any of those things or ask us to, is "Christianity" really teaching us to follow "Jesus Christ"?? As mentioned previously, the Messiah was never called "Jesus Christ" in His lifetime. Why can't the religion of Christianity even get His Name right?
What did YAHUSHA the Messiah tell us to do? In addition to His more famous teachings like the Sermon on the Mount, His parables, & how He answered those who tried to tempt Him & test Him, YAHUSHA the Messiah repeatedly told us to keep YHWH's Torah!
1
YAHUSHA the Messiah Told Us to Repent & He Preached a Gospel of Repentance
Matthew 4:17
From that time YAHUSHA began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:14-15
Now after that John was put in prison, YAHUSHA came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of Elohim, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of Elohim is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 6:7-13
And He called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two...And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of YAHUSHA HaMashiach for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Ruach Elohim.
YAHUSHA & His disciples preached the Good News of repentance for remission of sins. YAHUSHA repeatedly warned us that we must repent & bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, otherwise we would be cast into the fire!
Matthew 7:18-19
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
YAHUSHA's Gospel of repentance for remittance of sins is completely consistent with the message that YHWH our Creator has been conveying to the children of Israel for thousands of years. YHWH our Creator gave us all a wonderful explanation of the concept of repentance in Ezekiel 18.
Ezekiel 18:26-28,30-32
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die....
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith Adonai YHWH. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith Adonai YHWH: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
To repent means to turn away from all our false &/or idolatrous religious traditions, from own ways &/or the ways of the world, & to return to YHWH in obedience to all His Commandments & in submission to YHWH's Authority. In other words, YHWH's Torah is at the very heart of YAHUSHA's Gospel of repentance for remission of sins! When YAHUSHA tells us to repent, He's effectively telling us to stop sinning against YHWH our Creator & to return to Him in submission to & obedience to YHWH's Torah.
2
YAHUSHA the Messiah Taught That Not "One Jot or Tittle" Will Pass From YHWH's Torah...Till Heaven & Earth Pass!
Matthew 5:17-18
Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah, or 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.
YAHUSHA the Messiah explicitly warned us to not even think that He came to do away with His Torah or Prophets! Apologists for the religion of Christianity will claim that since "Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the Law", we are no longer obligated to keep YHWH's Commandments. However, this is clearly a blatantly false teaching since YAHUSHA gave us two conditions in Matthew 5:17-18. YAHUSHA the Messiah told us that until
a. Heaven & Earth pass away
&
b. Everything is fulfilled
not the slightest requirement from YHWH's Torah will be diminished.
Clearly neither of the two conditions YAHUSHA gave have been met yet. Everything has not yet been fulfilled, as the following passages illustrate.
Isaiah 11:5-10
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of YHWH, as the waters cover the sea.
Revelation 21:3-4
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them, and be their Elohim. And Elohim shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
All prophecy clearly has not been fulfilled yet, as the previous verses indicate. Similarly Heaven & Earth have not yet passed away, so not the slightest requirement of YHWH's Torah has been diminished according to YAHUSHA the Messiah! This means that everyone who claims to believe in YAHUSHA the Messiah, or who wants to serve our Creator should be keeping YHWH's Torah. This naturally entails the keeping of YHWH's Sabbaths & YHWH's dietary instructions as outlined in Leviticus 11.
3
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That Except Our Righteousness Exceeds That Of The scribes & pharisees Of His Day, There Would Be No Way For Us To Enter His Kingdom!
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
What is "righteousness"? YHWH's Scriptures define righteousness as zealously keeping YHWH's Commandments & following His instructions as given in His Torah.
Deuteronomy 6:25
And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before YHWH our Elohim, as He hath commanded us.
In contrast, sin is defined as the breaking of YHWH's Torah...
1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the Torah/Nomos/Law.
Any organized religion, corporation, or government that disputes or disregards the keeping of YHWH's Sabbaths & His Dietary Instructions of Leviticus 11 is causing people to sin against YHWH our Creator. Consequently any such organization should be shunned & avoided altogether!
4
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That We Must Do Whatever Moses Tells Us To Do!
Matthew 23:1-3
Then spake YAHUSHA to the multitude, and to His disciples, Saying, The scribes and the pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever he bids you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Most translations of Matthew render the above passage as, “whatsoever they bid you observe...”. Matthew 23:1-3 as found in most translations today has YAHUSHA telling His disciples & the multitudes to do whatever “they”... (the scribes & pharisees) told them to do. YAHUSHA then spends the rest of the chapter in an epic polemic rebuke of the scribes & pharisees. The Hebrew scholar Nehemiah Gordon was asked by evangelist Michael Rood to clarify this seeming contradiction. Nehemia Gordon found that in the Hebrew Book of Matthew, Matthew 23:1-3 reads as rendered in red. (1) "All therefore whatsoever he bids you observe, that observe and do."
In other words, this is another passage in which YAHUSHA the Messiah is explicitly & clearly teaching us that we need to do whatever Moses tells us to do in the Torah of YHWH our Creator!
5
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That Nothing In The Torah Can Ever Be Diminished!
Luke 16:17
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the Torah/Nomos/Law to fail.
This clearly means that absolutely no human being would ever have the authority to diminish anything from the Torah of YHWH our Creator! Similarly, no organization, corporation, religion, or government will ever have the legitimate authority to diminish anything from the Torah of YHWH our Creator according to YAHUSHA the Messiah.
6
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That If Our Religious Traditions Are Causing Us To Break YHWH's Commandments, Then Our Worship Of Him Is In Vain!
Mark 7:5-13
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, -- Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of Elohim, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of Elohim, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the Word of Elohim of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Matthew 15:1-9
Then came to YAHUSHA scribes and pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of Elohim by your tradition? For Elohim commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of Elohim of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
If through its traditions & practices of corporate worship any organized religion causes us to disobey YHWH's Commandments or Torah, such a religion would be absolutely false according to YAHUSHA the Messiah. This means that any & all religions disregarding YHWH's Sabbaths & dietary instructions of Leviticus 11 would be indisputably false according to YAHUSHA the Messiah.
7
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That We Are Blessed If We Hear The WORD of YHWH & Do What YHWH Tells Us To Do
Luke 11:27-28
And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the WORD of (Elohim)YHWH, and keep it.
YHWH clearly & repeatedly told us to keep His Sabbaths & His Commandments. Consequently, any & every organized religion that teaches disobedience to YHWH is absolutely false.
8
YAHUSHA The Messiah Warns That If We Fail To Keep YHWH's Torah & YHWH's Instructions, Then He Will Reject Us On Judgment Day!
Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the Will of My Father(YHWH) which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work lawlessness(anomia).
In Matthew 7:21-23, YAHUSHA clearly warns us that there is no point in even calling Him Lord, if we fail to do the Will of YHWH. YAHUSHA explicitly warns us that He will completely reject us on Judgment Day if we fail to do the Will of YHWH!
What is the Will of YHWH?
It is definitely YHWH's Will that we keep His Sabbaths...
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it kadosh. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHWH thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day, and separated it.
Exodus 31:12-17
And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am YHWH that doth separate you.
Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is kadosh unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, kadosh to YHWH: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.
Exodus 35:2-3
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a kadosh day, a Sabbath of rest to YHWH: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day.
Leviticus 23:3
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a kadosh convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of YHWH in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 19:30
Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary: I am YHWH.
Leviticus 26:2
Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary: I am YHWH.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Keep the Sabbath day to separate it, as YHWH thy Elohim hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHWH thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that YHWH thy Elohim brought thee out thence through a Mighty HAND and by a stretched out ARM: therefore YHWH thy Elohim commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.
Similarly, it is also YHWH's Will, desire, or purpose that we keep His Commandments.
Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My Commandments.
Leviticus 22:31
Therefore shall ye keep my Commandments, and do them: I am YHWH.
Numbers 15:39-40
And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the Commandments of YHWH, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my Commandments, and be kadosh unto your Elohim.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the Commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:39-40
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that YHWH he is Elohim in Heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore His statutes, and His Commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee, for ever.
Deuteronomy 5:29
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my Commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
Deuteronomy 6:17
Ye shall diligently keep the Commandments of YHWH your Elohim, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee.
Deuteronomy 6:25
And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these Commandments before YHWH our Elohim, as He hath Commanded us.
Deuteronomy 7:9-11
Know therefore that YHWH thy Elohim, he is Elohim, the faithful El, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His Commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the Commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Deuteronomy 8:1
All the Commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which YHWH sware unto your fathers.
Deuteronomy 8:6
Therefore thou shalt keep the Commandments of YHWH thy Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him.
Deuteronomy 8:11
Beware that thou forget not YHWH thy Elohim, in not keeping His Commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day:
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
And now, Israel, what doth YHWH thy Elohim require of thee, but to fear YHWH thy Elohim, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve YHWH thy Elohim with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the Commandments of YHWH, and His statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
Deuteronomy 11:1
Therefore thou shalt love YHWH thy Elohim, and keep His charge, and His statutes, and his judgments, and His Commandments, alway.
Deuteronomy 13:4
Ye shall walk after YHWH your Elohim, and fear Him, and keep His Commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him.
Deuteronomy 26:17
Thou hast avouched YHWH this day to be thy Elohim, and to walk in His ways, and to keep His statutes, and His Commandments, and His judgments, and to hearken unto His Voice:
Deuteronomy 27:10
Thou shalt therefore obey the Voice of YHWH thy Elohim, and do His Commandments and His statutes, which I command thee this day.
Deuteronomy 30:16
In that I command thee this day to love YHWH thy Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His Commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and YHWH thy Elohim shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Yahusha 22:5
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the Torah, which Moses the servant of YHWH charged you, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His Commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
1 Kings 2:3
And keep the charge of YHWH thy Elohim, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His Commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Torah of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
1Kings 8:60-61
That all the people of the earth may know that YHWH is Elohim, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with YHWH our Elohim, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His Commandments, as at this day.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Elohim, and keep His Commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Isaiah 8:20
To the Torah and to the testimony:
if they speak not according to this Word,
it is because there is no light in them.
YAHUSHA the Messiah warned us that His rejection awaits us on Judgment Day if we fail to do YHWH's will. What is the Will of YHWH? He wants us to fear Him, Love Him, keep His Sabbaths, & keep His Commandments, as His WORD clearly indicates.
9
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That Anyone Who Does The Will Of YHWH Will Be Regarded As YAHUSHA's Family!
Matthew 12:46-50
While he yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him. Then one said unto him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee. But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the Will of My Father(YHWH) which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.
Mark 3:31-35
There came then His brethren and His mother, and, standing without, sent unto Him, calling Him. And the multitude sat about Him, and they said unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for Thee. And He answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the Will of YHWH, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.
As stated previoiusly, YAHUSHA the Messiah clearly warned us that His rejection awaits us on Judgment Day if we fail to do YHWH's Will. In contrast, He also taught that anyone doing the Will of YHWH would be considered as YAHUSHA's own family! What is the Will of YHWH? He wants us to fear Him, Love Him, keep His Sabbaths, & keep His Commandments. Any & every organized religion that disregards YHWH's Sabbath is absolutely false.
10
YAHUSHA The Messiah Told Us That We Must Keep YHWH's Commandments To Have Eternal Life
Matthew 19:16-26
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, ... if thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments. He saith unto him, Which? YAHUSHA said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself...
When asked what one should do to be granted eternal life, YAHUSHA very explicitly replied that the individual should keep the Commandments. When asked which Commandments, YAHUSHA the Messiah clearly referred to YHWH’s Ten Commandments. YHWH’s Ten Commandments clearly includes the the Commandment to keep YHWH’s Sabbath. Every religious organization, corporation, government teaching people to disregard YHWH’s Sabbaths is deceiving people & causing them to disregard & break YHWH’s Commandments.
11
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That Those Of Us Who Refuse To Keep The WORD Of YHWH Given To Moses & The Prophets Would Not Repent Even If Someone Rose From The Dead To Warn Us!
Luke 16:19-31
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead!
YAHUSHA's parable of Lazarus & the rich man illustrates at least two important points. First, those of us who reject the WORD of YHWH given to Moses & the Prophets will not be entering into YAHUSHA's Kingdom at the resurrection, but will be sent into a place of burning torment, or hell. In addition, abundant wealth or material blessings in this current earthly system should not necessarily be interpreted as a sign of divine favour or acceptance in YAHUSHA's Kingdom to come. Second, those of us who reject the WORD of YHWH given to Moses & the Prophets would refuse to repent even if someone rose from the dead to warn us! How could YAHUSHA possibly be more explicitly clear than this that we should all repent & keep YHWH's Torah??
12
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That The Greatest Commandment In The Torah Is To Love YHWH Our Elohim With All Our Heart, Soul, & Mind
Matthew 22:36-40
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the Torah? YAHUSHA said unto him, Thou shalt love YHWH thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Torah and the prophets.
Mark 12:28-34
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And YAHUSHA answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; YHWH our Elohim, YHWH is one: And thou shalt love YHWH thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one Elohim; and there is none other but He: And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when YAHUSHA saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of Elohim. And no man after that durst ask Him any question.
Apologists for the religion of Christianity have attempted to fashion these passages of Matthew 22:36-40 & Mark 12:28-34 into a "Law of Christ" that supersedes or replaces the Torah of YHWH! However, this is clearly a false teaching which falls apart on even a cursory examination.
In Matthew 22:36-40, the questioner explicitly asks YAHUSHA, "which is the great commandment in the Torah?" This is also implied in Mark 12:28-34. YAHUSHA was answering the question, "what is the greatest Commandment in the Torah?" YAHUSHA's answers are both Commandments found in the Torah itself.
YAHUSHA taught that the greatest Commandment is to love YHWH our Elohim with all our heart, soul, & mind. This Commandment comes straight from the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Hear, O Israel: YHWH our Elohim, YHWH is one: And thou shalt love YHWH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Similarly, YAHUSHA's teaching that we should love our neighbor as ourself is from the book of Leviticus.
Leviticus 19:18
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am YHWH.
YAHUSHA was not trying to replace the Torah of YHWH with anything different. Clearly one can't substitute the Torah of YHWH with Commandments from the Torah of YHWH! Instead, He was explicitly answering the question of which is the greatest Commandment in the Torah of YHWH. Unfortunately, "Christian" theologians & apologists try to twist YAHUSHA's response into a Law of Christ that we should generically "love God & love our neighbor".
However, YAHUSHA the Messiah was clearly referring to Deuteronomy 6:4-5 as being the greatest Commandment in the Torah of YHWH.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Hear, O Israel: YHWH our Elohim, YHWH is one: And thou shalt love YHWH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
This verse instructs us that we are to love YHWH our Elohim with all our heart, soul, & might. YHWH our Creator repeatedly promised that He would be merciful to those who love Him & keep His Commandments.
Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My Commandments.
Deuteronomy 5:10
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My Commandments.
In these verses, YHWH our Creator is clearly telling us that if we love Him we will keep His Commandments. Both of these verses are found in the Ten Commandments. One of the very next verses after YHWH makes this promise of mercy for those who love Him & keep His Commandments, is YHWH's Commandment that we should remember & keep His Sabbath.
How can we say that we love YHWH our Creator if we disregard & disobey His Commandment that we should remember & keep His Sabbaths, or if we disobey His instructions regarding what we should & shouldn't eat as found in Leviticus 11.
Please remember that disobeying & disregarding YHWH regarding what we should & shouldn't eat is what got Adam & Eve thrown out of the Paradise that YHWH our Creator had prepared for them in the beginning. The main difference is that Adam & Eve were perfectly innocent. They were tricked & deceived into disobeying YHWH our Creator regarding what they should & shouldn't eat. We on the other hand will have no excuse for disobeying & disregarding YHWH our Creator! Isn't it even possible that disobeying & disregarding YHWH our Creator's instructions regarding what we should & shouldn't eat could similarly cause us to be rejected from access to His Kingdom when YAHUSHA the Messiah returns?
Again in these passages of Matthew 22:36-40 & Mark 12:28-34, YAHUSHA the Messiah is explicitly teaching that we must love YHWH our Creator with all our heart, mind, & soul. If we love YHWH, we will naturally seek to keep His Sabbaths, & keep YHWH's Commandments. Any & every religion, government, or organization that disobeys or disregards YHWH's Sabbaths & His Torah is blatantly causing us to disobey YHWH our Creator, & should be avoided at all costs!
13
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That The End Result Of Keeping YHWH's Torah Is The "Golden Rule"
Matthew 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.
One of YAHUSHA's most famous teachings, is His Golden Rule... Whatsoever you would that men should do for you, do you even so for them. In Matthew 7:12, YAHUSHA teaches that one of the intentions or purposes of keeping YHWH's Torah is that it would cause us to treat others as we ourselves want to be treated!
14
YAHUSHA The Messiah Told Us That If We Love Him, We Would Keep His Commandments
John 14:15
If ye love Me, keep My Commandments.
Apologists for the religion of Christianity try to limit YAHUSHA's Commandments strictly to the Gospels & the New Testament. However, YAHUSHA the Messiah made no such restrictions!
As mentioned previously, YAHUSHA basically identified Himself in the Gospels as YHWH our Creator. The Gospel of John identifies YAHUSHA the Messiah as the WORD of YHWH who created the Heavens, the earth & everything therein at the beginning.
Psalm 33:6
By the WORD of YHWH were the heavens made;
and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
John 1:1-3, 14
In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with Elohim, and the WORD was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.... And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His honour, the honour as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of Majesty and Truth.
We also know that YHWH created the heavens & the earth by Himself, alone!
Isaiah 44:24
Thus saith YHWH, thy redeemer,
and He that formed thee from the womb,
I am YHWH that maketh all things;
that stretcheth forth the heavens alone;
that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself;
Isaiah 45:6
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west,
that there is none beside Me.
I am YHWH, and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:18
For thus saith YHWH that created the heavens;
Elohim himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it,
He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited:
I am YHWH; and there is none else.
The simplest way to reconcile that YHWH alone created the Heavens & Earth, & everything in them & that YAHUSHA created everything, is to realize that YAHUSHA is literally YHWH in the flesh.
In the Torah & the Prophets, the WORD of YHWH speaks with the authority of YHWH as YHWH, & is synonymous with YHWH.
1 Samuel 3:21
And YHWH appeared again in Shiloh: for YHWH revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the WORD of YHWH.
YAHUSHA the Messiah even told the whole world quite explicitly that He is YHWH...
John 8:58
YAHUSHA said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.
When the scribes & pharisees heard YAHUSHA say that, they took up stones to stone Him because they knew that He was identifying Himself as YHWH!
Exodus 3:13-15
And Moses said unto Elohim, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The Elohim of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them?
And Elohim said unto Moses, I AM that I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
And Elohim said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, YHWH Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is My name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations.
So in the Gospels, YAHUSHA the Messiah clearly identified Himself as the "I AM" who sent His servant Moses to bring the children of Israel from out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. In Exodus 3:13-15, this "I AM" also clearly identified Himself as YHWH. It follows therefore that YAHUSHA the Messiah is YHWH in the flesh, as has been previously documented.
Thus it was YAHUSHA who gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. When YAHUSHA tells us in John 14:15 to keep His Commandments if we love Him, that clearly & obviously means we should be keeping His Ten Commandments, & His Torah as well!
John 14:15
If ye love Me, keep My Commandments.
Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My Commandments.
Deuteronomy 5:10
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My Commandments.
YHWH & YAHUSHA indicate that those who love Him will keep His Commandments! This includes His Commandment to remember & keep the Sabbath, & the rest of His Torah. There is simply no alternative for people who love the Creator & Savior, & want to serve Him.
15
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That He Is The Master Or Lord Of The Sabbath
Matthew 12:8
For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.
Mark 2:28
And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.
Luke 6:5
And He said unto them that the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.
The Gospels indicate that the scribes & pharisees for the most part were jealous of & hated YAHUSHA. They sought false witness against Him...
Matthew 26:59
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against YAHUSHA, to put Him to death;
Mark 14:55-56
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against YAHUSHA to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
Similarly, they made false accusations against Him...
Matthew 12:22-24
Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mark 3:22
And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils
One of the false accusations that the religious leaders, the scribes, & pharisees made against YAHUSHA the Messiah is that He broke the Sabbath Commandment by healing on the Sabbath. Countless religious leaders, pastors, preachers, & priests in the religion of Christianity continue to make this same false accusation against YAHUSHA our Messiah to this very day!
Matthew 12:10-14
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him. And He said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.
Luke 6:6-11
And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that He entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said YAHUSHA unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, He said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to YAHUSHA.
Luke 13:10-17
And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when YAHUSHA saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And He laid His hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and praised Elohim. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that YAHUSHA had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. YAHUSHA then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? And when He had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the wonderful things that were done by Him.
Luke 14:1-6
And it came to pass, as He went into the house of one of the chief pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched Him. And, behold, there was a certain man before Him which had the dropsy. And YAHUSHA answering spake unto the lawyers and pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? And they held their peace. And He took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer Him again to these things.
John 5:5-18
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When YAHUSHA saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. YAHUSHA saith unto him, Rise, take up thy mat*, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his mat, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy mat. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy mat, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy mat, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for YAHUSHA had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward YAHUSHA findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was YAHUSHA, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute YAHUSHA, and sought to slay Him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. But YAHUSHA answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that Elohim was His Father, making himself equal with Elohim.
(*KJV reads "bed", but clearly he was instructed to take up his sleeping mat, not a bed frame, box springs, mattress, linens , & pillow!)
John 5:18 says, "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that Elohim was His Father, making himself equal with Elohim." This verse figures prominently in false accusations against YAHUSHA the Messiah that religious leaders make to this day.
The narrative gives two reasons why the Jews wanted to kill YAHUSHA. According to the narrative, they wanted to kill Him because they felt He had broken the Sabbath by healing on the Sabbath, & because He admitted He was the Son of Elohim.
It is a given that the religious leaders hated & were jealous of YAHUSHA. Before His trial & crucifixion, they were searching for any false accusation to make against Him, as Matthew 26:59 & Mark 14:55-56 both indicate. If YAHUSHA had actually broken the Sabbath, there would be no need of false witness or false accusations as violation of the Commandment to keep the Sabbath carries a death penalty.
However, there is not a single verse in the Torah or Prophets of YHWH that prohibits healing or being healed on the Sabbath. Consequently, it is exceedingly clear that YAHUSHA the Messiah absolutely did not break the Sabbath Commandment by healing on the Sabbath! YAHUSHA the Messiah, who has all authority in Heaven & on Earth, taught that "it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days."
Nevertheless, this obviously false accusation against YAHUSHA unfortunately continues to this very day. This obviously false accusation is predominantly being made today by religious leaders in the religion of Christianity. Yet YAHUSHA the Messiah is documented in the Gospels as saying that He is the Lord or Master, even of the Sabbath! That's quite a remarkable statement that no other human being has ever made. What exactly does that even mean???
The Greek word translated as Lord in Matthew 12:8 , Mark 2:28 , & Luke 6:5 is Strong's G2962, kurios. Kurios is defined as Master, Supreme in authority, he to whom a person or thing belongs, & has power of deciding over, the possessor & controller of a thing.
When YAHUSHA the Messiah taught that He is the Lord or Master of the Sabbath, He is again declaring Himself to be YHWH in the flesh. This is clear because of the following verses...
Genesis 2:1-3
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day Elohim ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and separated it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which Elohim created and made.
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it kadosh. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHWH thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day, and made it kadosh.
YHWH our Creator ordained the Sabbath day as a day of rest following His six days of Creation. The Sabbath is usually indicated as belonging to YHWH our Creator.The Sabbath is generally defined as the Sabbath of or to YHWH.
Exodus 20:10
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHWH thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 31:15
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, kodesh to YHWH: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 35:2
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a, kodesh day, a Sabbath of rest to YHWH: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
Leviticus 23:3
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a kodesh convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of YHWH in all your dwellings.
Deuteronomy 5:14
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHWH thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
Nehemiah 9:13-14
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy kodesh Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
YHWH our Creator instituted the Sabbath on the seventh day after the six days of Creation, & it is generally identified as the Sabbath of or to YHWH. The Sabbath belongs to YHWH our Creator. It follows that no ordinary human being could ever claim to be the Master, controller, or possessor of the Sabbath. Only YHWH Himself could ever be the Master, controller, or possessor of the Sabbath. Therefore, when YAHUSHA the Messiah taught that He is the Master of the Sabbath, He was really telling us that He is YHWH in the flesh! What did YHWH tell us about His Sabbath?
Exodus 31:12-17
And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am YHWH that doth sanctify you.
Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is kodesh unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, kodesh to YHWH: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
In Exodus 31:12-17 as well as in other verses, YHWH our Creator warns us that violation of the Commandment to keep the Sabbath carries a death penalty. In Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, & Luke 6:5, YAHUSHA identifies Himself as the Lord, Master, Owner, or Controller of the Sabbath.
As the Master & Controller of the Sabbath, did YAHUSHA the Messiah ever disannul or cancel the Sabbath? No, He never did anything of the sort. He did warn us to not even think that He had come to do away with or abolish the Torah & the Prophets...
Matthew 5:17-18
Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah, or 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/Torah, till all be fulfilled.
As mentioned previously, neither of the conditions YAHUSHA listed in Matthew 5:17-18 have been met since everything has not yet been fulfilled in Scripture. Similarly heaven & earth have not yet passed away. Thus all the requirements of keeping YHWH's Sabbath & YHWH's Torah remain intact, according to YAHUSHA the Messiah, the Master & Owner of the Sabbath!
Of course, there is no remaining Temple or Levitical priesthood so no sacrifices can be made, & none of the Levitical priestly duties can be performed according to the WORD OF YHWH. Nevertheless, the Scriptures record that Daniel, Hannaniah, Azariah, Misha'el, Ezra, Nehemiah & others lived in post Temple, post exilic periods & remained very zealous for keeping YHWH's Sabbath & Torah. There is simply no excuse for us to not follow their example.
16
YAHUSHA The Messiah: Even His Very Name Indicates That We Must Remain Faithful & Obedient to YHWH
As mentioned previously, our Messiah was never called "Jesus Christ" during His Lifetime! The Strong's concordance indicates that the Hebrew origin of the word "Jesus"(G2424) is
YAHUSHA (H3091).
יהןשע = ישע + יהןה
YHWH + Yasha = YAHUSHA
YAHUSHA means "YHWH is Salvation"
The image above is the spelling of our Saviour's Name in Paleo Hebrew(blue & black) & post exilic Hebrew scripts. The multitudes who greeting Him when He entered Jerusalem knew what His Name means. In Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9-10, & John 12:13, the multitudes praised Him when He entered Jerusalem quoting Psalm 118:26, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of YHWH.” In Matthew 23:39 & Luke 13:35, our Messiah Himself also indicates that He had come in the Name of YHWH.
Psalm 118:26
Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of YHWH: we have blessed you out of the house of YHWH.
Matthew 23:39
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of YHWH.
Luke 13:35
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of YHWH.
The first three letters of our Messiah’s Name come from the first three letters of our Heavenly Father’s Name... Yud Heh Waw. YAHUSHA means “YHWH is Salvation”. YHWH our Creator is more than able to save those who love Him, who repent, & keep His Commandments.
Similarly Christ is an English word that comes from the Greek word, Christos (Strong’s G5547), which means anointed. In the Scriptures, A person could be anointed to serve YHWH as a king, prophet, or priest. In English, the transliteration of the Hebrew word for anointed is Strong’s H4899, Mashiach. YAHUSHA was known to His disciples as YAHUSHA HaMashiach.
The Gospels indicate that YAHUSHA the Messiah was in every way devoted, faithful, & obedient to our Heavenly Father YHWH in perfect humility. This is why the Prophet Isaiah refers to YAHUSHA as YHWH's Righteous Servant. If we claim that we believe in or follow YAHUSHA the Messiah, shouldn't we also try to be faithful & devoted to YHWH? There is simply no way to separate YAHUSHA the Messiah from YHWH & His Torah!
17
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That, "Salvation Is Of The Yahudim(Jews)"
John 4:21
YAHUSHA saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Yahudim.
When YAHUSHA spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, He basically told her that she doesn't even know what she worships. The Yahudim, or physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, & Ya'acob, are supposed to worship YHWH & keep YHWH's Commandments or Torah. YHWH is able to bless them, resurrect them, & give them eternal life in His Kingdom, or give them salvation.
Perhaps the overwhelming majority of us are not physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, & Ya'acob. Nevertheless if we repent from our false religions & the ways of the world, if we return to YHWH & YAHUSHA in submission to His Authority & His Torah, He is able to grant us salvation as well. If we refuse to even try to obey YHWH's Commandments or Torah, why should He even allow us into His Kingdom?
YAHUSHA told the Samaritan or gentile woman at the well that she doesn't know what she's worshipping. As gentiles in the religion of "Christianity", If we are not worshipping YHWH our Creator according to His instructions & Torah, are we really worshipping YHWH our Creator at all? Doesn't YAHUSHA's warning to the Samaritan lady at the well apply to all of us who are trapped in false religions that cause us to openly disobey YHWH our Creator? YAHUSHA already warned us that if our religious traditions cause us to break YHWH's commandments, then our worship of Him is in vain!
Matthew 15:1-9
Then came to YAHUSHA scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of (Elohim)YHWH by your tradition?...But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
All human beings must repent from our false religious traditions & the ways of the world. We must return to YHWH & YAHUSHA in submission to His Authority & His Torah, for YHWH is able to save us just as He is able to grant salvation to the Yahudim.
18
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That, YHWH our Creator Must Be Worshipped in "Spirit & in Truth"
John 4:23-24
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Elohim is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
In the passage above, YAHUSHA made reference to the Father & Elohim, indicating that we must worship Him in Spirit & in Truth. Who exactly was YAHUSHA referring to? YHWH our Creator is our Heavenly Father, & He is the Elohim who Created the Heavens & the Earth. Unfortunately, the religion of "Christianity" has been deceiving people into trying to worship YHWH our Creator using idolatrous traditions like church on sunday, christmas, easter, etc. However, YHWH our Creator gave us His Sabbaths to be a sign between Him & His people. If we are not keeping YHWH's Sabbaths & Torah, then we are not keeping His Commandments. If we are not keeping YHWH's Command-ments, then how can we claim to worship Him in Spirit & in Truth?
Exodus 31:12-17
And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am YHWH that doth separate you.
Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is kodesh unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, kodesh to YHWH: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you.
Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
19
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That Heaven & Earth Would Pass Away, But
His Words Would Never Pass Away!
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.
Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My Words shall not pass away.
Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My Words shall not pass away.
YAHUSHA the Messiah kept YHWH's Torah perfectly & taught that YHWH's Torah must be kept. In response, pastors, priests, & apologists for the religion of Christianity will argue that YAHUSHA was under the "Old Covenant", even though He brought us into the "New Covenant." These church leaders will argue that Paul the pharisee is the apostle to the gentiles. Consequently they believe that the letters & writings of Paul the pharisee are far more authoritative for "Christians" than the very Words of YAHUSHA our Messiah, since YAHUSHA was still under the "Old Covenant". This is a grossly false teaching.
YAHUSHA taught that "Heaven & earth shall pass away," but that His Words would never pass away! That means that His Words & teachings would NEVER lose their relevance, significance, or importance regardless of what our modern religious leaders say.
Any individual who claims to believe that YAHUSHA is the Messiah should be willing to at least try to follow His example & His teachings. YAHUSHA kept YHWH's Torah & Sabbaths, & Levitical dietary instructions perfectly. There is simply no excuse for those of us who choose to willfully disregard & disobey YAHUSHA's teachings that YHWH's Torah must be kept.
In regards to the New Covenant, the Scriptural definition of the New Covenant is found in Jeremiah 31:31-37.
Jeremiah 31:31-37
Behold, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Yahudah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers
in the day that I took them by the hand
to bring them out of the land of Egypt;
which My covenant they brake,
although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel;
After those days, saith YHWH,
I will put my Torah(law) in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts;
and will be their Elohim,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
Know YHWH: for they shall all know Me,
from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith YHWH:
for I will forgive their iniquity,
and I will remember their sin no more.
Thus saith YHWH, which giveth the sun for a light by day,
and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night,
which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar;
YHWH of hosts is His Name:
If those ordinances depart from before me, saith YHWH,
then the seed of Israel also shall cease
from being a nation before me for ever.
Thus saith YHWH;
If heaven above can be measured,
and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,
I will also cast off all the seed of Israel
for all that they have done, saith YHWH.
YHWH our Creator makes several important points in this passage of Jeremiah 31:31-37.
First YHWH's New Covenant is only going to be between the following parties:
YHWH
&
the houses of Israel & Yahudah.
Second, the New Covenant that YHWH our Creator will make with the houses of Israel & Yahudah is not going to be like the previous covenant YHWH our Creator made with the children of Israel at Sinai. The Sinaitic Covenant was broken by the children of Israel time & time again. Therefore this New Covenant between YHWH our Creator & the houses of Israel & Yahudah is one that they will never break.
In YHWH our Creator's New Covenant which He makes with the houses of Israel & Yahudah, YHWH will place His Torah(or Law) in their inward parts & write His Torah on their hearts! YHWH will be their Elohim, & they will be His people. YHWH's Torah (or Law) of course includes His Commandment to "Remember the Sabbath" day, & YHWH our Creator's dietary instructions of Leviticus 11, etc. which are being systematically disregarded & disobeyed for the most part in the world today.
In YHWH's New Covenant which He makes with the houses of Israel & Yahudah, there will no longer be any need for evangelizing or proselytizing since everyone in YHWH's New Covenant will know YHWH our Creator. That implies that not only would they know YHWH, they would also know how to pronounce His Name! YHWH states that in His New Covenant, He would forgive their iniquity & would remember the sins of the houses of Israel & Yahudah no more!
Finally as our Creator, YHWH mentions His ordinances or His rules governing the sun, the moon, the stars, & the sea. He essentially states that if those ordinances of His (governing the sun, the moon, the stars, & the sea) ever fail, only then would the children of Israel cease to be a nation or people before Him forever. YHWH adds that if the heavens above the earth could be measured or the foundations of the earth beneath could be discovered, only then would He cast off the children of Israel for all that they've done.
YHWH's ordinances governing the sun, moon, stars, & the sea are all still working perfectly. Also, we've not been able to measure the heavens above or describe the foundations of the earth beneath. Therefore YHWH's New Covenant remains between YHWH & the children of Israel & Yahudah.
For those of us who are not physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, & Ya'acob, we are clearly very much outside of YHWH's New Covenant. Those of us who are not physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, & Ya'acob are strangers or gentiles in YHWH's New Covenant, just as we would have been strangers or gentiles in the Sinaitic Covenant as well.
Nevertheless, it can be seen from the Sinaitic Covenant that strangers or gentiles who sought to serve YHWH were able to leave Egypt with the children of Israel & dwell with them. These strangers who sought to serve YHWH our Creator had to keep the same Torah as the children of Israel.
Exodus 12:38
And a mixed multitude went up also with them...
Exodus 12:49
One Torah(Law) shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Leviticus 24:22
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am YHWH your Elohim.
Numbers 15:16
One Torah(Law) and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
Prior to the Exodus, Egypt had been a very powerful kingdom which must have had cosmopolitan cities. It is a given that people from all over came to Egypt for food at the time of Joseph's rule, when there was a severe famine. When YHWH brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, a mixed multitude came out of Egypt with the children of Israel according to Exodus 12:38. That seems to indicate that people of all different ethnicities, nationalities, & racial backgrounds were able to appreciate that YHWH is the Creator of the Heavens & the Earth. They wanted to serve & worship our Creator so they left Egypt with the children of Israel. These strangers were expected to keep the same Torah as the children of Israel. That means that they kept the Sabbath, & observed the same dietary restrictions as the children of Israel.
Thus the Book of Exodus gives us an image of the children of Israel and the strangers or gentiles who left Egypt with them all keeping or learning to keep YHWH's Torah together. Anyone who acknowledges that YHWH is our Creator & that YAHUSHA is our Messiah & Savior should be keeping YHWH's Torah to this very day since YAHUSHA our Savior taught that not the slightest requirement of the Torah would be diminished till :
heaven & earth pass away
&
everything is fulfilled.
It is seen from Jeremiah 31:33 that YHWH's Torah is literally at the heart of the New Covenant which YHWH is making with the houses of Israel & Yahudah.
Jeremiah 31:33
But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH
I will put My Torah(Law) in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts;
and will be their Elohim,
and they shall be My people.
The strangers or gentiles who insist that YHWH's Torah is not applicable to them are choosing to exclude themselves from YHWH's New Covenant that He is making with the houses of Israel & Yahudah since YHWH's Torah is at the very heart of His New Covenant! This means that those of us strangers & gentiles who wish to be a part of YHWH's New Covenant must repent from all our false religious traditions & the wicked ways of the world. We must return in submission to YHWH & His Authority by keeping His Torah.
YAHUSHA taught that "Heaven & earth shall pass away," but that His Words would never pass away! That means that His Words & teachings would NEVER lose their relevance or importance regardless of what our modern religious leaders say.
Any individual who claims to believe that YAHUSHA is the Messiah should be willing to at least try to follow His example & His teachings. YAHUSHA kept YHWH's Torah & Sabbaths, & Levitical dietary instructions perfectly. There is simply no excuse for those of us who choose to willfully disregard & disobey YAHUSHA's teachings that YHWH's Torah must be kept.
20
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That All Power In Heaven & On Earth Belongs to Him
Matthew 28:18
And YAHUSHA came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in Earth.
This is another verse that indicates that YAHUSHA is the True authority of the New Testament Scriptures & of this world we live in. Unfortunately, the doctrine of the religion of Christianity is that the teachings of YAHUSHA our Messiah are not really intended for all people today since He was under the "Old Covenant" & was speaking to those in the "Old Covenant". According to the religion of Christianity, the words of Paul the pharisee are far more important & relevant to Christians than the teachings of YAHUSHA our Messiah.
So when Paul the pharisee writes attacks against practices outlined in the Torah of YHWH our Creator, the religion of Christianity insists that the letters of their apostle Paul are more authoritative than the teachings & the Words of YAHUSHA our Messiah & YHWH our Creator. This is one of the fundamental problems with the religion of Christianity. In practice, they teach that "Christians" should follow the words of Paul the pharisee rather than the Words of YAHUSHA our Messiah & YHWH our Creator. They claim that Paul wrote under the inspiration & guidance of the "Holy Spirit" as the apostle to the gentiles in the New Covenant. Thus Paul's letters are far more authoritative & relevant for Christians today than the Words of YAHUSHA our Messiah & YHWH our Creator. Paul's letters are the only Scriptural justification for disregarding & disobeying YHWH's Commandment to keep His Sabbaths, His dietary instructions of Leviticus 11, etc.
However, there are a few problems with Christianity's preference of Paul over YAHUSHA our Messiah & YHWH our Creator. One problem is that the "Holy Spirit" is the Spirit of YHWH. The "Holy Spirit" is not some autonomous entity independent of YHWH. The "Holy Spirit" is the Spirit of YHWH! Is the Spirit of YHWH going to suddenly & arbitrarily inspire someone like Paul the pharisee to write against, disparage, or otherwise cause people to disobey YHWH's own Torah at the end of YHWH's Scriptures? Absolutely not...
Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
In regards to Paul & the "Holy Spirit", it has been shown that Paul repeatedly disobeyed the "Holy Spirit"(13:2/Acts 15:36-40 , Acts 21:3-4, & Acts 21:10-12). The prophet from 1 Kings 13 died for disobeying YHWH even once! Nadab & Abihu, Priests of YHWH & sons of Aaron, also died for disobeying YHWH even once! Similarly, Adam & Eve, Balaam, Moses, Nadab & Abihu, Saul (the first king of Israel), & Jonah also suffered significant consequences for disobeying YHWH even once. Paul wrote at least one false teaching about the "Holy Spirit"(1 Corinthians 12:3), & Paul was unable or unwilling to consistently recall the few statements the voice from Heaven told him on the road to Damascus(Acts 22:5-11 vs. Acts 26:12-20). In contrast, John 14:26 reveals that the Messiah had told His real Apostles that the "Holy Spirit" would bring in to remembrance everything that He had told them! Therefore it should be abundantly & exceedingly clear to everyone that Paul's writings are not inspired by the Spirit of YHWH.
Paul himself repeatedly admitted that his writings contained foolishness(2 Co 11:23 & 2 Co 12:11) & dishonesty(2 Co 12:16 & Ro 3:7)! So the religion of "Christianity" in practice advocates rejecting the Torah of YHWH our Creator & the teachings of YAHUSHA our Savior for the self admittedly foolish & false writings of the pharisee Paul!
Paul also repeatedly taught that believers in the Messiah were not supposed to keep YHWH's Torah or Law(Romans 6:14-15, Galatians 5:18, etc.), thus meeting the Deuteronomy 13:5 definition of a false prophet. The Spirit of YHWH never inspired any of YHWH's true prophets to speak or write against YHWH's Torah or Law. On the contrary, YHWH told us in Ezekiel 36:27 that His Spirit would cause people to be obedient to Him! Paul's writings, which are undeniably against YHWH's Torah, were therefore clearly not inspired by the Spirit of YHWH!
Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
In addition, it has already been abundantly documented in the Gospels & on this website that Paul was not one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles.
Matthew 19:28
And YAHUSHA said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his majesty, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
YAHUSHA our Messiah stated that His Twelve Apostles will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel in YAHUSHA's Kingdom. In other words, YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles will have Apostolic Authority in YAHUSHA's Kingdom. Since Paul was not one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles, Paul the pharisee will have absolutely no Apostolic Authority in YAHUSHA's Kingdom. Consequently Paul's letters have never had any Apostolic Authority since Paul the pharisee was never one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles. Furthermore, there is not a single verse in the entire New Testament in which YAHUSHA our Messiah or even one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles acknowledges Paul as being one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles. Clearly the letters of Paul the pharisee have absolutely no authority whatsoever since he wasn't one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles.
In contrast, YAHUSHA our Messiah has told us that all power in heaven & on earth belongs to Him. This clearly means that YAHUSHA our Messiah is the ultimate Authority of the New Testament & of this world. It is simply not possible to cling to the letters of Paul the pharisee when he brazenly contradicts the teachings & instructions of YHWH our Creator & YAHUSHA our Messiah.
YAHUSHA our Messiah also told us that although Heaven & Earth may pass away, YAHUSHA our Messiah's words will never pass away! This means that the Words of YAHUSHA our Messiah can never lose their relevance or significance, even if all the Christian pastors, priests, & apologists in the world swear otherwise. Similarly, YAHUSHA our Messiah told us that it is easier for heaven & earth to pass away than for the slightest dotting of an "i" or crossing of a "t" of the Torah to be diminished. This clearly means that absolutely no human being could ever have the authority to take away anything from the Torah of YHWH our Creator.
21
YAHUSHA The Messiah Taught That Man Should Live By Every Word That Proceeds From The Mouth Of YHWH!
Matthew 4:1-4
Then was YAHUSHA led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of Elohim, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of YHWH.
The original KJV of the verse above obscures the meaning of the verse with its substitution of the title "God" for the Name of our Heavenly Father, YHWH. However, it is abundantly clear that YAHUSHA was referring to Deuteronomy 8:3.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3
And thou shalt remember all the way which YHWH thy Elohim led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that
man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YHWH doth man live.
YAHUSHA the Messiah overcame every temptation of the devil, by quoting the WORD of YHWH. The first temptation was to prove Himself the Son of Elohim by converting the stones to bread after fasting for forty days & nights in the wilderness! YAHUSHA overcame this temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of YHWH."
In regards to this amazing teaching & verse, the first point is extremely clear. The verse does not say that only the Jews, Hebrews, &/or Israelites should live by every WORD from the mouth of YHWH. Instead, it says that "man" should live by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of YHWH. This means that all of mankind, regardless of racial or ethnic background, socioeconomic status, etc. All men & women or all human beings who were all created in the image of YHWH should all be living by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of YHWH!
If we were to all live by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of YHWH, we would all be keeping YHWH's Sabbaths, YHWH's dietary instructions of Leviticus 11, & YHWH's whole Torah! In addition to loving YHWH our Creator, we would also be loving & caring for our fellow man. YAHUSHA the Messiah repeatedly & explicitly taught us that this is what we must do. According to YAHUSHA the Messiah, all human beings should be living by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of YHWH!
YAHUSHA's Name means "YHWH is salvation". Even YAHUSHA's very Name indicates that we must realize that YHWH is salvation for those who love Him & keep His Commandments!
יהןשע = ישע + יהןה
YHWH + Yasha = YAHUSHA
YAHUSHA means "YHWH is Salvation"
If the religion of Christianity were truly based on the teachings of YAHUSHA the Messiah, then over two billion people in the world today should be keeping YHWH's Sabbaths & YHWH's Torah.
At this point the reader may do well to ask him or herself whether they are keeping YHWH's Sabbaths & His commandments. Remember that YHWH our Creator said that His Sabbath would be a sign between Him & His people. If we are not keeping YHWH our Creator's Sabbaths, it must be because we are not yet His people...
YAHUSHA the Messiah described Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep...
John 10:14-16,
I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and One Shepherd.
YAHUSHA the Messiah also said that His sheep would follow Him, not someone else...
John 10:2-5
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
The only real justification in the New Testament for not keeping the Torah of YHWH our Creator comes from the letters of Paul the pharisee, who was most certainly not one of YAHUSHA's Twelve Apostles. Consequently, Paul the pharisee clearly never had any Apostolic Authority. By rejecting the Torah of YHWH our Creator in order to keep false idolatrous traditions (church on sunday, christmas, easter, etc.) we have essentially been following after strangers instead of YAHUSHA our Messiah.
This page has demonstrated over twenty different instances & ways in which YAHUSHA our Messiah clearly & explicitly taught that we should repent, & keep the Torah & Commandments of YHWH our Creator. Why has the religion of Christianity failed to keep, to teach, or to promote these explicitly clear teachings of YAHUSHA our Messiah? Unfortunately, it appears that from its very beginning, the formal religion of Christianity has been running a so-called, "bait & switch". The religion gives lip service to YAHUSHA the Messiah, but in practice trains & brainwashes its adherents to blindly follow the worthless writings of Paul the pharisee & false prophet.
To follow the teachings of YAHUSHA our Messiah, one must clearly avoid the idolatrous traditions & false practices of the religion of Christianity (as well as the other false religions like Islam, Mormonism, etc.) at all costs. Perhaps if enough people clung to the teachings of YAHUSHA our Messiah & the Torah of YHWH our Creator, the religion of Christianity would be forced to repent & turn in submission & obedience to the Torah of YAHUSHA our Messiah & YHWH our Creator!
May YHWH our Heavenly Father help us to cling to the Truth of YAHUSHA our Messiah & the Torah of YHWH our Creator. May He help us to all repent & bring forth fruits worthy of repentance that would be acceptable to Him, & may He have mercy & compassion on all those who seek to worship Him in Spirit & Truth!
Sources
1. Gordon, Nehemia. The Hebrew Yeshua vs. Greek Jesus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tddCNY6U77Y