Why is the Catholic Church so interested in having control of the Holy sites in Jerusalem?

For centuries the Vatican has been pushing its "replacement theology" also called "super session-ism" and this view has been adopted by Protestant churches as well. The doctrine states that the Catholic Church has replaced Israel as the "New Israel" in that the promises made to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob now apply to Christianity. The Catholic Church believes they are the embodiment of the New Israel and this view can plainly be seen in the writings of the Church Fathers. Constantine formalized much of it and wanted to "root out the last vestiges of Judaism" from the Doctrines of the church at the Council of Nicea and it carried on from there. The Catholic Church wants Israel to lose sovereign control over the old city of Jerusalem so that the "promises" apply to the "New Jerusalem" or the Catholic Church. If Israel controls Jerusalem it is evidence that Rome's claims are false and that the literal interpretation of Scripture is correct. There is no place for the restoration of Israel in its theology. How can the Vatican claim to be the New Jerusalem and rightful heir to the Kingdom of God if the Jews control Jerusalem? Before 1948 that wasn't a problem, but Israel has returned to the land by the hand of God. How can the Vatican convince the world that their version of replacement theology is correct with Israel in control? So, the real goal is to have the Vatican "take control" over the old city of Jerusalem. Any "peace" agreement between Israel and the Palestinians is just a cover story to hide what is really going on. The Muslims want control of the Temple Mount and the old city for the same reason. It shows the dominance of Allah over the God of the Bible. Either way, the Jews cannot have this control because it shows that Catholic replacement theology is in error. Violence in the Middle East serves both purposes and it is really a struggle over whose theology is correct. Violence serves the interest of both the Muslims and replacement theology Christianity. The end goal of the Vatican is to seize control of the old city of Jerusalem out of the hands of the State of Israel. They have committed themselves in public to supporting Palestinian authority in Jerusalem. A deal with the Palestinians would include control over the holy sites and to control the old city of Jerusalem. In short, their plan is to "steal" Jerusalem from the Jews by trying to negotiate agreements meant to transfer ownership of national Israeli property into the hands of foreigners. They initiate or support any process that will wrestle control of the Temple Mount, Western Wall and Jerusalem out of the hands of Israel. Remember that the Roman Church inherited the legacy of Rome as the destroyer of Jerusalem and who had the Jews exiled. All the churches that exist in the land are the result of that destruction and the Vatican wants it to stay that way.

Tree of Life Leaves of Healing

Q. In the last chapter of Revelation there is a statement that the leaves of the tree of life would be used for the healing of the nations. What affect do the leaves have and why are the nations being healed. Was it as a result of all the judgments poured out during the Tribulation?

A. The book of Revelation concerns the closing of God's "controversy" with creation, angels, Satan, and man. It links Genesis to Revelation and it is filled with Hebraic thought, images, symbols, and idioms called "apocalyptic style" and it is used to unveil and unfold things not previously known , either past, present or future and this technique is found in many other books of the Bible. They key to understanding Revelation is to be very familiar with biblical idioms, signs, and symbols. The verses you are referring to can be found in Revelation 22:1-2 and so we will concentrate on those verses. Chapter 21 and 22 deal with what happens after the Messianic Kingdom is over and where the Lord sets up "the World to Come" on earth. These chapters do not happen in heaven but on earth and that is very important to understand. Once you understand the idioms and phrases, these are very easy to understand. The best way to do this is to write the verse and in parentheses give the meaning of the symbolism or idiom.
"And he showed me a river (channel of truth) of the water of life (word of God) clear as crystal (no impurities) coming from the throne of God (the Father) and the Lamb (Messiah) in the middle of its street (the way of life). And on either side of the river was the tree of life (wisdom-Prov 3.13-19) bearing twelve (number of teaching and divine government) fruit (results) , yielding its fruit every month and the leaves (teachings) of the tree were for the healing of the nations (promotes life with no conflicts)." In other words, God will be present with the redeemed of mankind and there will be prosperity and peace throughout the world. The word of God will be known and obeyed and the wisdom that comes from that knowledge will promote peace among all the nations. There will be no more war, sin, death and all the things that weigh down mankind today. The earth will be restored back to the way it was in Eden and the Lord will be the center of all life and worship. Revelation 22.3-4 sums it up where it says that "there shall be no more curse and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it (Shekinah, presence of God) and His bond-servants (believers) shall serve Him (experience His favor) and they (believers) shall see His face and His name (also known as the word of God -Rev 19.13) will be on their foreheads (seat of the intellect, profession and comprehension).

Azazel (Scapegoat) and the False Messiah

Q. All through the Torah animals are treated with kindness and cruelty was not allowed. So was the killing of the Azazel goat on Yom Kippur really how God wanted it done?

A. One of the most important feast days in the Scriptures is Yom Kippur. Several sacrifices were made on this day and they were used to purify the Temple and the altar. They were also used to cleanse the priests and the entire Israelite congregation. The service can be found in Leviticus 16. What we are going to concentrate on is the two goats mentioned in the service. Lots were cast and one goat was a sacrifice to the Lord and the other was called in Hebrew "Azazel" but in many Bibles that word is translated "scapegoat" but in this article it will be referred to by its biblical name Azazel. The first goat was "to the Lord" or L'Adonai in Hebrew and this represented Yeshua. It's the second goat that many are confused about. While the first goat was slain as a means of atonement for the people, the actual sins of the people were placed on the head of the second goat. Just like we use the word "scapegoat" today, the actual blame for the sins of the people was placed upon the second goat. The first goat was a blameless, innocent sacrifice just like Yeshua (2 Cor 5.21). So we see that the first goat "bore" the sins, the second goat took the blame. Not only was the second goat not killed but it was released into the wilderness. There is no indication that this goat was led out there to die, goats can survive in the wilderness. It was for this reason the Jews changed the Mosaic Law and they began to take this second goat to a cliff and have it pushed over the edge and be torn to pieces. This would prevent the goat from wondering back into a village or something. This procedure was an addition of the Rabbi's and not commanded by the Lord. So, that should help with your question. From this point let's go into some deep truths. The term Azazel means "complete removal" and in Hebrew literature Azazel is the name of an individual who leads people against the Lord. In the book of Enoch, chapter 54.4-6 it says that chains were being prepared for the hosts of Azazel who have subjected themselves to Satan and leading astray those who dwell on the earth. Other references to Azazel in the book of Enoch can be found in 10.4-9; 10.11-14; 13.1-3; 55.3-4. Azazel fits the description of the false messiah and here is why. We know that the Lord will return to earth on Yom Kippur. Not the rapture but the second coming. The false messiah will closely resemble the true Messiah and will deceive many into believing that he is messiah but he isn't. Just like the the two goats on Yom Kippur, they will look very similar on the outside. This was actually acted out on Passover when the Lord was brought before Pilate and Barabbas was brought forth also. The two of them stood there and Yeshua was judged blameless but condemned and Barabbas was released into the world (the wilderness) and nothing was ever heard of him again. In like manner, Azazel is the false messiah and he is not a believer, his sins are on his own head, as are the sins of those who follow him and they are dismissed and removed from before the Lord. It seems that Azazel is not a picture of the Messiah but a picture of the false messiah and that he will meet his end on Yom Kippur when the true Messiah will return to the city of Jerusalem.

Who are the two witnesses in Rev. 11?

Q. Who are the two witnesses spoken about in Rev. 11?

A. There has been a long debate on who these individuals are. Many think that they will be Moses and Elijah, who will come back and others think that it will be Enoch and Elijah because they didn't die. Both of these theories are highly unlikely. First , let's look at Enoch and Elijah. Both died and here are the reasons why. Hebrews said that Enoch "did not see death" but that was in regard to the second death (Jn 8.51, 11.26). In Heb 11.13 it says that all the people previously mentioned "died in faith" so that means Enoch died. In Genesis 5.24 it says that Enoch "walked with God and was not." But, compare that phrase with Psa 37.36 where it says " Yet he passed away and , lo, he was not." Psa 39.13 basically says the same thing. Also check Gen 42.13, 44.20, Matt 2.18. So, this phrase can indicate a physical death. With Elijah, it says that Elijah was taken from Elisha and the people in the whirlwind and was taken somewhere else. The Bible does not mention where but he was taken further away than the fifty men searched (2K 2.17) but did not die at that time because Elijah wrote a letter to Jehoram 10 years after the events in 2 Kings 2.1-12, but eventually Elijah died. As far being taken into heaven we know that neither Enoch or Elijah were taken there because Yeshua said that "no man has ascended into heaven" (Jn 3.13). Moses and Elijah were "seen" at the transfiguration but remember that this was a vision and not reality. It was a "picture" but not a physical reality. The vision was not to be interpreted as literal. They were still in their graves. So, Elijah and Enoch aren't the two witnesses based on the fact that they didn't die because the Scriptures say they did. We know Moses died also. Now, God can do anything He wants and can certainly bring them back from the dead but the two witnesses are going to be killed so it is unlikely that Moses, Elijah or Enoch will be resting in their heavenly reward, be "reincarnated" into human bodies and die again.

So, just who are the two witnesses? God has said that everything should be established by 2 or three witnesses. The Law and the Prophets are the witnesses that we use to establish truth and many other biblical concepts including who the Messiah is. The Law and the Prophets are "personified" by Moses and Elijah, that's why they "appeared" in the vision at the Transfiguration. They were discussing prophecy. You will also notice that in Rev 11 they perform miracles very similar to Moses and Elijah by turning water to blood and calling fire down from heaven. The concept of two witnesses has been seen in the Scriptures before. For example, there has been Moses and Aaron, Ezra and Nehemiah, Joshua and Caleb, Yeshua and John the Baptist, plus many more. Zechariah 4.11-14 describes them as being two "olive trees" meaning that they are Jewish (olive) and human (trees). When the angel was asked by Zechariah about who they were the angel said in v 14 that they are the "two anointed ones" who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth." In Hebrew, "anointed ones" means "sons of fresh oil" meaning that the two witnesses will be empowered by the Holy Spirit. These individuals will not be Moses, Elijah or Enoch but two individuals who the Lord will raise up and they will come in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah, who symbolize the Law and the Prophets. You see, the Torah and Prophets are the two witnesses and they are "personified" by Moses and Elijah. Prophecy says that the Lord is going to send Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal 4). When Yeshua came he raised up John as a witness who came in the spirit and power of Elijah ( Lk 1.17). Yeshua said that the kingdom was being offered and that if the people accepted the Kingdom, then John was Elijah, fulfilling Mal 4. Now, he wasn't saying that John was literally Elijah "reincarnated" because John himself denied he was Elijah in John 1, but he did come in the spirit and power of Elijah and even looked like him (camel hair/leather girdle). But, what this tells you is that a witness came in the spirit and power of Elijah, but it didn't have to literally be Elijah, and that is what is going to happen in the Tribulation. Also, these two witnesses allude to the two witnesses of a Jewish wedding. One witness was assigned to the bride and one to the groom. Moses was assigned to the bride in that he brought the people out to Sinai to receive the Torah and to "meet" the groom (Jer 2.2). Elijah was assigned to the groom and brought the groom to the bride. The Torah (Moses) prepares the bride to meet the groom and the Prophets (Elijah) reveals the groom to the bride. That's why John the Baptist ( Elijah) said that he was the friend of the bridegroom who stands at the door of the bed chamber and rejoices when he hears the voice of the groom saying that the marriage has been consummated.(John 3:29) He did his job and he was successful. So, in conclusion, the two witnesses will be two Jewish men that the Lord will empower with the Holy Spirit for the first half of the Tribulation. Their ministry will be to bring Israel back to the Lord and to His Anointed One ,Yeshua. They will be killed at the exact mid-point of the Tribulation, Nisan 10, by the false messiah and be resurrected at noon on Nisan 14, Passover. They will not be Moses, Elijah or Enoch but will come in the power and spirit of Moses and Elijah.

Matthew 23:1-2 & Rabbinical Teachings

Q. There are some teachers who say that Matt 23.1-2 means that we should be following what the Orthodox Rabbi's teach when it comes to halakah. What is your opinion on this. I see many believers in Yeshua putting themselves under what these Rabbi's teach and they use this verse to prove it.

A. Let me try and give some insight into this verse and hopefully it will help you in seeing the true intent of this verse. In verse 1 He mentions the "scribes and the Pharisees" because they were the two main groups that came nearer to the truth than the Saduccees and some of the other groups. The Pharisees gave the literal and the traditional sense of the Scriptures and the others didn't. So, He addresses these groups because the majority of the people followed what they said. When it says that they have "seated themselves in the seat of Moses" it means that they interpreted Scripture. They read and explained the Torah to the people and this phrase is referring to teaching because that was done "sitting down" (Luke 4.16-20) and this is not saying that they had legislative power. This has to do with having the right to read and interpret Scripture. When it says in v 2 "all that they tell you, you do and observe" it doesn't mean we have to follow all their teachings and oral traditions. It simply means that when they give an interpretation be alert and obey what they are saying unless it disagrees with the Torah. The mistakes people make with this verse is they think that Yeshua is saying that the Rabbi's should be followed no matter what they say and it isn't true. The Rabbi's teach that you must obey them even if what they say isn't true. They think they have the authority based on Deut. 17.8-13 but there is a problem with that. First, Deut. 17.8-13 is talking about the courts, not interpretations. Second, when Deut. 17.9 was written they had a High Priest with the Urim and Thummim who could consult the Lord directly for a clarification so that is why you went and consulted him if there was a problem. Third, where it says to consult the judge (Deut 17.9) and these were appointed by the people (Deut.16.18). That's why if a person didn't listen to what the High Priest or the judge said they could be put to death. These verses do not apply to the Rabbi's today. Who says the Rabbi's of today are judges? Yeshua had some serious things to say about the Scribes and Pharisees of His day and he certainly didn't obey many of the oral traditions of the Rabbi's (the case of hand-washing for example). The teachings of the Scribes and Pharisees, in most cases, was seen as an enemy of the Faith. He said that their teachings were plants that would be rooted up (Mt 15.13). Also that their teachings were planted by the enemy (Mt 13.37-39). He said that these teachings affected the outer man but left the inner man untouched (Mt 23.25-28). He also said their teachings are leaven and if left unchallenged would leaven the whole (Mt 16 6-12). So, to follow the teachings of the Rabbi's today and to use Mt 23.1-2 to justify it is wrong and it doesn't give the meaning to what Yeshua was saying. He is talking about the teachers of His day who "sit" and teach and that if what they say is correct we should listen to them. If what they say contradicts the Scriptures we are never obligated to obey it, This applies to any teaching we hear, not just from the Rabbi's. If a Messianic or Christian minister is teaching things not in line with the Scriptures, then we are not obligated to obey it. The Rabbi's in Judaism today are not the spiritual leaders of a believer in Yeshua and it would be wrong to put yourself under their authority. I have known many who have and eventually get to the point of denying that Yeshua was God, or even the Messiah. What they will do is get you to doubt the New Testament Scriptures and once that happens it won't be long before you deny everything it teaches. On the other hand, that doesn't mean we can't get insight and information from rabbinical books and teachings because their is a wealth of information available to help with our understanding, but it is not a good thing to use the words of Yeshua, especially in this verse, to justify following these Rabbi's and putting ourselves under their authority.

Two House Theory

This week I want to go over a belief among many believers called the Ephraimite or "two house" theory that says that in European and American Christianity there are some Christians who claim to be Jews with a "bloodline" from Ephraim, a son of Joseph, with a genealogical link. These "Ephraimites" who claim a blood link use a theological premise rooted in replacement theology. They believe in the 10 lost tribes of Israel. But, the these tribes were never really lost and many remained in Israel after the Assyrian dispersion and Scripture says they were still in the land.

In the New Testament Anna was from Asher and the book of James was written to the 12 tribes of Israel. Those individuals who have adopted this label have opened their hearts to the Holy Spirit and have adopted a Torah observant lifestyle which, to them, proves they are of Jewish descent. However, having the Torah written on their hearts is evidence of true repentance but this does not change their DNA. They believe themselves to be a Jewish "remnant" found among the nations. This "theory" never appears in Scripture and there are four major flaws in this thinking. First, as mentioned above, it presumes that the Northern tribes lost their identity but the Scriptures prove otherwise. In 2 Chr 30. 1-18 it says that many from the northern tribes participated in Hezekiah's re institution of Passover. Secondly, it presumes that all or most believers in Yeshua are descendants of these 10 "lost" tribes but God's plan of salvation is for "all nations" not just the 12 tribes of Israel. Third, it presumes that only when one "realizes" that they are one of the descendants of Ephraim can the prophecies of the union between Judah and Israel be realized. However, this union comes as an event distinct from the salvation of the nations. And last, how can one prove they are a descendant of one of the lost tribes anyway. There are no genealogies. This theory seems to be popular among those who think their salvation is lacking in some way unless they can show that they are Jewish. The Lord said that the Holy Spirit would move among the Gentiles and that the Torah would be written upon their hearts. This does not prove that they are of Jewish descent but shows true repentance. Many Messianic Bible teachers today are deceiving many into thinking that they are of Jewish descent and who knows what their true motivations are. Maybe it is to develop a following that fills their pockets and supports their ministries, but it is not based on Scripture and it is an error. Rather than judge their motivations, a deeper study into the flaws of this theology will help you avoid the pitfalls of such a belief and help you obtain a balanced view of the prophecies and the role of the Gentiles in the Body of Messiah. God doesn't care about your genealogy when it comes to salvation. His call goes out to Jew and Gentile alike and He does care about changing the hearts of those He calls with no respect to a persons genealogy.

If the Apostle Paul was Torah observant as you say, why do his writings say otherwise? Part 3

During the last several weeks we have looked at the Apostle Paul and what he taught and there is no doubt that he taught the Torah and was Torah observant himself. This week we will look at some passages in light of Paul's Torah observant lifestyle to help free them from many preconceived assumptions taught by many today. Once we look at these passages through Paul's Torah observant life, the evidence for otherwise turns out to be faulty. So, lets look at a few of the passages that some use to "prove" that Paul was not Torah observant nor did he teach others to be.
1. "If you are led by the Spirit then you are not under law ." But being led of the Spirit is closely linked to to obedience to God's Law (Ezek 36.26-27). The term "under Law" in Greek simply means that you don't rely on the Law for righteousness.
2. "Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, new moon or Sabbath" (Col 2.16-17). Those causing the trouble here were those teaching "deceptive philosophies, human tradition, idle notions and human commands in contrast to the Sabbath, feasts and dietary laws given by God, not man (Col 2.20-23).
3. "Man of Lawlessness"- Now, the word "lawless" is the word "anomos" in Greek and it means "without Torah, no Torah or without the Law". If the false messiah is called the "man of lawlessness" how can people think that they are to be without the Law?
4. " If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ is of no value to you" (Gal 5.2). This relates to ritual circumcision as a Jewish convert, which was a rabbinical command but not from God. Some came to Galatia and told the believers there that they needed to be circumcised to be saved and Paul was telling them that they did not have to. But if they believed their faith was incomplete and they had to "do something else" then Messiah was of no value to them. This ritual circumcision was an issue in the first century. It crops up in Acts 15.1 and also in Galatia but it is not to be confused with Abrahamic circumcision. This is biblical and to be done to a descendant of Abraham. Paul said that this circumcision is of great value (Rom 3.1-2) and Paul personally circumcised Timothy because he was a descendant of Abraham in the flesh and this was according to the commandment.
5. "Christ is the end of the Law" ( Rom 10.4). The word "end" means goal or target in Greek This would make sense in the context of what Paul was teaching in Rom 10 and would agree with the Old Testament. Psalm 40, Luke 24 and John 5 say that the Scriptures point and teach and testify about Yeshua.
Paul himself believed everything that agreed with the Law and the prophets (Acts 24.1) Translators chose to translate "telos" as end which gives the impression that the Torah is no longer a reliable guide. That idea agrees with the religious traditions of the translators but it disagrees with numerous passages in the Torah and Prophets. By choosing "end" the translators have not only made Paul contradict what he said he believed. Also, they have led people think that the Law has been done away with, even though Yeshua said otherwise in Matt 5.17-19. Peter warned that in his day Paul's writings were being misinterpreted (2 Pet 3.16). Since people have been misinterpreting Paul's writings, how can we interpret them correctly. We are to use the same test that He has set forth in the Scriptures. Isaiah 8.20 and Acts 17.10-11 says that we are to test everything by the Scriptures. Paul's teachings will agree with the Old Testament Scriptures. The problem is people have not been taught the truth nor do they pursue it themselves. They want to be told what to believe without knowing the Scriptures themselves. Anybody can quote the Scriptures to you but not everybody can tell you what it means accurately. The New Testament must be seen through the eyes of the writers and who they were and they all were Torah observant Jews and to interpret their writings to be anti-Torah is a gross miscalculation.