By William Riley
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. What is the symbolism in Matt. 21.1-5 and the so-called “triumphal entry?”
A. There is a lot of symbolism going on and some allusions to prophecy yet unfulfilled. The day this occurred was the 10th day of Aviv, or Nisan, when the Passover lamb was selected and separated (Exo 12). Yeshua as our Passover lamb rides into Jerusalem and is selected by the people and for four days he is inspected by the priests, the Gentiles, the Jewish people and he was without spot or blemish. He initiates this aspect of fulfilling the Torah on the 10th of Nisan in our passage.
Prophetically this will happen again, only it will be the false messiah who will declare himself God. He does this at the mid-point of the tribulation period. Matt. 24 clearly says that Yeshua returns on Yom Kippur if you know the idioms for that particular festival. There are many allusions to his return in the Tanach as well and the ancient Rabbis believed that Messiah would come in Tishri and Yom Kippur, so this opinion is based on over 2000 years of interpretation.
IF Yeshua returns on a Yom Kippur, that means the tribulation starts on a Yom Kippur, with the half-way point or 1260 days later coming to Nisan 10 and it is the mid-point that the false messiah declares who he wants people to believe he is. He will be imitating what Yeshua is doing here in Matthew. Notice that he tells the disciples to get a donkey and a colt. I know we have all seen the movies where he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey but how many times have you seen him riding two animals. He says in v3 that he has “need of them (plural)”. Maybe he rode both at one time, or one then the other but the prophecy in Zechariah 9.9 clearly says that two animals will be used. Riding one donkey into Jerusalem was not uncommon, but a donkey and a colt would have been unusual for sure.
So, what is going on? The donkey symbolizes the old nature (Job 11.12) and it needs to be subjected to Yeshua. The colt symbolizes a “new generation”, the “younger” or in other words being “born again.” In the Scriptures it was always the younger (colt) that inherited over the older (donkey) and the examples are obvious. What the Lord was trying to say is that Adam lost the kingdom (the older brother, the flesh, the donkey) and cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Yeshua is the younger brother (colt, younger, second generation, born again, spirit) who regains the kingdom and that is what the people are expressing in our passage and that is why they are hailing him as king, although they probably didn’t see all of it at the time. They saw him as a deliverer from Rome like David and wanted him to act. They had no idea how right they were.
But, before we criticize them there are very few people reading this column who saw this in the Scriptures and you have read it and seen it hundreds of times. Many things were not revealed about Yeshua until after his resurrection and can only be revealed by the Spirit of God. Paul certainly saw these concepts, as did the other apostles, because they write about them but it had to be revealed to them.
Lastly, there is an interesting teaching from the rabbis on the Messiah. In Sanhedrin 98a and the Jewish Encyclopedia in an article called “The Antichrist” it says that Messiah will appear on a horse if the world is entirely righteous, and on a donkey if the world is entirely wicked. Well, that statement is true to a point but a little short. Messiah did appear on a donkey and the issue God had with sin had to be dealt with at the cross 4 days later. Messiah will also appear on a horse at his second coming to deliver his righteous ones (Rev 19, Matt. 24.22). There is much more to this but I hope this gives some insight into this very significant day in Yeshua’s life.
The La Quinta meeting room in Alvarado, 1165 Hwy 67W Alvarado, TX. 76009. (Behind Sonic)
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upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10:11 (NASB95)
Friday, March 16, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Man with an Unclean Spirit Likened to a Man with False Teachings
By William Riley
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. What is Matt. 12.43-45 talking about when it says that when an unclean spirit leaves a man, it goes to the desert, and then can return with 7 more spirits, leaving the person worse off than before?
A. This is mainly a prophetic parable that relates all the back through v.22 when Yeshua healed a man that was demon-possessed. So let’s start in v 22 with a brief commentary about what is going on and that will clear up these verses. A man is blind and dumb/deaf and when Yeshua heals him, he is accused of doing so by Satan’s power. Yeshua responds back by saying Satan is not going to act contrary to his interests, and then let God get glory out of it. A kingdom or a house/family can’t function that way.
Now, the casting out of demons was nothing new, it was done before Yeshua came but they did it in the name of the Lord. Yeshua asks them if they cast out demons in the Lord’s name, why can’t he cast them out himself (because he is the Lord) or at least if you can do it, why can’t I? He goes on to say that he is not with me (Satan) is against me and be careful before you criticize. If you don’t believe me, that can be forgiven but if you willfully, maliciously oppose the Spirit of God then that will not be forgiven. They knew he was from God but opposed him for their own gain and power in this world.
He goes on to say a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. You won’t have a good tree with bad fruit and a bad tree with good fruit. A tree is known by its fruit. Now, he already taught on what good fruit was. It is scriptural doctrines. False teachers will bring bad doctrines and true teachers will bring truth (Matt 7.15-29). For example, the doctrine that says the Torah has been done away with is a false doctrine taught by false teachers, so it is bad fruit, and so on.
He is not addressing the scribes and Pharisee’s directly but he is talking to the general multitudes gathered there (12.45) but some of the Pharisee’s standing around demanded a sign from heaven to verify he was sent from God, to which Yeshua says that he will give them a sign from the earth. Just as Jonah was in the fish 3 days and 3 nights, so he will be in the earth 3 days and 3 nights. Ninevah was given 40 days to repent, Israel will be given 40 years. Ninevah repented, and Israel won’t as it will turn out because 40 years after Yeshua was resurrected the Romans came and destroyed the Temple and scattered the people. He then gives another example of gentile repentance with the Queen of the South who came to hear Solomon. She came from afar to hear Solomon, but the Jewish people didn’t have to leave the land to hear the Messiah himself, but they didn’t listen.
So, with that background we come to v 43-45. The unclean spirit going out refers to an outward reformation or profession brought about when Yeshua came and swept the house clean. The man is “Jacob” or the “house” of Israel. Before he came they appeared righteous with the oral law and man-made traditions and a lot of spiritual activity but weren’t. Yeshua comes along and “casts” out the unclean spirit (man’s traditions that has left him blind, deaf and dumb spiritually) out of the man (Jacob) which we just talked about as a contention with the religious leaders going back to v 22. The spirit cannot find rest because it is only happy when it is causing mischief to Gods Word by invalidating it with error.
Yeshua is crucified and resurrected and the spirit sees that there has been no true reformation in the people and returns more powerful than before, which was seen in the first century. The teachings of the apostle’s were rejected by the House of Israel overall and believers were persecuted, and again the house was empty of God but full of outward profession brought about by man’s traditions and works, which seemed like an “orderly” way of doing things but it was not from God. The dog returned to its vomit, forgot about Yeshua and the reforms he brought. They were worse off after Yeshua than before. Then Yeshua says that this story is the way it will be for that generation, which tells us he is giving a prophetic parable. I don’t think we can make this a doctrine about exorcisms as some do because by doing so they miss the whole point of the story.
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. What is Matt. 12.43-45 talking about when it says that when an unclean spirit leaves a man, it goes to the desert, and then can return with 7 more spirits, leaving the person worse off than before?
A. This is mainly a prophetic parable that relates all the back through v.22 when Yeshua healed a man that was demon-possessed. So let’s start in v 22 with a brief commentary about what is going on and that will clear up these verses. A man is blind and dumb/deaf and when Yeshua heals him, he is accused of doing so by Satan’s power. Yeshua responds back by saying Satan is not going to act contrary to his interests, and then let God get glory out of it. A kingdom or a house/family can’t function that way.
Now, the casting out of demons was nothing new, it was done before Yeshua came but they did it in the name of the Lord. Yeshua asks them if they cast out demons in the Lord’s name, why can’t he cast them out himself (because he is the Lord) or at least if you can do it, why can’t I? He goes on to say that he is not with me (Satan) is against me and be careful before you criticize. If you don’t believe me, that can be forgiven but if you willfully, maliciously oppose the Spirit of God then that will not be forgiven. They knew he was from God but opposed him for their own gain and power in this world.
He goes on to say a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. You won’t have a good tree with bad fruit and a bad tree with good fruit. A tree is known by its fruit. Now, he already taught on what good fruit was. It is scriptural doctrines. False teachers will bring bad doctrines and true teachers will bring truth (Matt 7.15-29). For example, the doctrine that says the Torah has been done away with is a false doctrine taught by false teachers, so it is bad fruit, and so on.
He is not addressing the scribes and Pharisee’s directly but he is talking to the general multitudes gathered there (12.45) but some of the Pharisee’s standing around demanded a sign from heaven to verify he was sent from God, to which Yeshua says that he will give them a sign from the earth. Just as Jonah was in the fish 3 days and 3 nights, so he will be in the earth 3 days and 3 nights. Ninevah was given 40 days to repent, Israel will be given 40 years. Ninevah repented, and Israel won’t as it will turn out because 40 years after Yeshua was resurrected the Romans came and destroyed the Temple and scattered the people. He then gives another example of gentile repentance with the Queen of the South who came to hear Solomon. She came from afar to hear Solomon, but the Jewish people didn’t have to leave the land to hear the Messiah himself, but they didn’t listen.
So, with that background we come to v 43-45. The unclean spirit going out refers to an outward reformation or profession brought about when Yeshua came and swept the house clean. The man is “Jacob” or the “house” of Israel. Before he came they appeared righteous with the oral law and man-made traditions and a lot of spiritual activity but weren’t. Yeshua comes along and “casts” out the unclean spirit (man’s traditions that has left him blind, deaf and dumb spiritually) out of the man (Jacob) which we just talked about as a contention with the religious leaders going back to v 22. The spirit cannot find rest because it is only happy when it is causing mischief to Gods Word by invalidating it with error.
Yeshua is crucified and resurrected and the spirit sees that there has been no true reformation in the people and returns more powerful than before, which was seen in the first century. The teachings of the apostle’s were rejected by the House of Israel overall and believers were persecuted, and again the house was empty of God but full of outward profession brought about by man’s traditions and works, which seemed like an “orderly” way of doing things but it was not from God. The dog returned to its vomit, forgot about Yeshua and the reforms he brought. They were worse off after Yeshua than before. Then Yeshua says that this story is the way it will be for that generation, which tells us he is giving a prophetic parable. I don’t think we can make this a doctrine about exorcisms as some do because by doing so they miss the whole point of the story.
Enmity Between the Woman and the Serpent, with Further Meaning
By William Riley
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. What does it mean in Gen. 3.15 when it says that God will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, between your seed (serpent) and her seed?
A. This passage of course is talking about the fall of man and the repercussions. There is a lot going on here so we’ll break it down piece by piece to give you a glimpse of what is being said.
For God to put enmity between the serpent and the woman there must have been an affinity to begin with. But, as a result of the fall there will now be hatred. Good and evil have entered the picture now. Biologically a woman does not have seed so that tells us God is referring to something else here at a mystical or spiritual level. The woman is of course seen in Scripture as Israel and the congregation of believers down through the ages. Yeshua is the “seed” referred to here in particular and that is reinforced by Paul in Galatians. The “seed” of the serpent will be the False Messiah in particular.
But, at another level this is seen as believers against unbelievers in a larger sense. There is also another level this can be seen at. In Lev, 19.19 there is a commandment about not mixing 2 kinds of seed together in a field. What the heart of this commandment is saying is the field is the world. The two kinds of seed being referred to are God’s word and Satan’s perversion of it (see Mt 13.1-30). We know that seed will only reproduce after its own kind (Gen. 1.11) and Satan has tried to overtake the “field” by planting tares among the wheat. In other words, false doctrine has been interjected among good doctrine to lead astray many. Anyone who has read these articles for years knows what false doctrine is. But for those who may be reading this for the first time, false doctrine is just that, false teaching. Some examples for today would be that Sunday is the Sabbath now, the Law has been done away with, you can eat pork, Biblical festivals are no longer to be observed and replaced by Christmas, Easter, Lent, St. Valentines Day and the list can go on and on. Satan’s teachers have gone into the field and sowed tares among the wheat, false doctrine among the truth. Through this Satan has tried to establish his kingdom in place of the Kingdom of God.
This strategy isn’t going to work because in the end God will separate true believers from false, but for the time being it is allowed to happen. God’s word is the only “good seed” and it will always bear good fruit and Satan’s false doctrines will always bear bad fruit. That is how you can tell a false teacher (Mt.7.15-27). Anything that is contrary to the clear instruction of the Lord is false. This “mixing” of the seed will go on till the end of the age and it will continue to cause enmity between the seed of the woman (believers) and the seed of the serpent (unbelievers).
Yeshua used this concept many times in the Scriptures referring to those that didn’t believe as being “of your father the devil” (Jn. 8.44) and other places. You have this same concept illustrated in the metaphor of the “sheep and the goats” also. So, seed, wheat and tares, sheep and goats, light and darkness, green branches and dry branches, good fruit and bad fruit, sheep and wolves, good fish and bad fish all illustrate the concept introduced in Gen. 3.15. We are instructed not to mix the truth with error and I’m sorry to say that much of what is taught today is bad seed and it produces bad fruit, or doctrines. We are to put the good seed, the truth of the Word of God in our hearts and minds and it will produce the fruit that the husbandman intended.
All of this, and believe me there is much more, is all wrapped up in this enmity that will exist between the seed of the woman (those who are truly born again and in the body of Yeshua) and those who are of the seed of the serpent (Jn. 8.44).
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. What does it mean in Gen. 3.15 when it says that God will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, between your seed (serpent) and her seed?
A. This passage of course is talking about the fall of man and the repercussions. There is a lot going on here so we’ll break it down piece by piece to give you a glimpse of what is being said.
For God to put enmity between the serpent and the woman there must have been an affinity to begin with. But, as a result of the fall there will now be hatred. Good and evil have entered the picture now. Biologically a woman does not have seed so that tells us God is referring to something else here at a mystical or spiritual level. The woman is of course seen in Scripture as Israel and the congregation of believers down through the ages. Yeshua is the “seed” referred to here in particular and that is reinforced by Paul in Galatians. The “seed” of the serpent will be the False Messiah in particular.
But, at another level this is seen as believers against unbelievers in a larger sense. There is also another level this can be seen at. In Lev, 19.19 there is a commandment about not mixing 2 kinds of seed together in a field. What the heart of this commandment is saying is the field is the world. The two kinds of seed being referred to are God’s word and Satan’s perversion of it (see Mt 13.1-30). We know that seed will only reproduce after its own kind (Gen. 1.11) and Satan has tried to overtake the “field” by planting tares among the wheat. In other words, false doctrine has been interjected among good doctrine to lead astray many. Anyone who has read these articles for years knows what false doctrine is. But for those who may be reading this for the first time, false doctrine is just that, false teaching. Some examples for today would be that Sunday is the Sabbath now, the Law has been done away with, you can eat pork, Biblical festivals are no longer to be observed and replaced by Christmas, Easter, Lent, St. Valentines Day and the list can go on and on. Satan’s teachers have gone into the field and sowed tares among the wheat, false doctrine among the truth. Through this Satan has tried to establish his kingdom in place of the Kingdom of God.
This strategy isn’t going to work because in the end God will separate true believers from false, but for the time being it is allowed to happen. God’s word is the only “good seed” and it will always bear good fruit and Satan’s false doctrines will always bear bad fruit. That is how you can tell a false teacher (Mt.7.15-27). Anything that is contrary to the clear instruction of the Lord is false. This “mixing” of the seed will go on till the end of the age and it will continue to cause enmity between the seed of the woman (believers) and the seed of the serpent (unbelievers).
Yeshua used this concept many times in the Scriptures referring to those that didn’t believe as being “of your father the devil” (Jn. 8.44) and other places. You have this same concept illustrated in the metaphor of the “sheep and the goats” also. So, seed, wheat and tares, sheep and goats, light and darkness, green branches and dry branches, good fruit and bad fruit, sheep and wolves, good fish and bad fish all illustrate the concept introduced in Gen. 3.15. We are instructed not to mix the truth with error and I’m sorry to say that much of what is taught today is bad seed and it produces bad fruit, or doctrines. We are to put the good seed, the truth of the Word of God in our hearts and minds and it will produce the fruit that the husbandman intended.
All of this, and believe me there is much more, is all wrapped up in this enmity that will exist between the seed of the woman (those who are truly born again and in the body of Yeshua) and those who are of the seed of the serpent (Jn. 8.44).
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Day of the Lord & Rosh Ha Shanah Year 6001
By William Riley
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. In past columns you have stated that the beginning of Day of the Lord (Millennium) will occur on Rosh Ha Shanah year 6001 after creation. It is currently 5767 on the Hebrew calendar. Does that mean that the millennium will not start for approximately 234 years?
A. The Hebrew calendar is not an exact accounting of the years from creation. In the book called “Seder Olam Rabbah” which means the “Great Book of the World” it says that when chronicling the years they did not count the years of the Persian kings not mentioned in the Scriptures. There are only four mentioned. As a result, there is approximately 210 to 250 years not included in the years. If you take the minimum number of 210 and add it to the current year 5767 you have 5977 and any number after that could put us right up to the year 6000 so we are closer than what the calendar says.
There are other sources to verify this information like the Artscroll Yom Kippur Machzor p. 336-337, Mesorah Publications “History of the Jewish People” p. 211-212, the Artscroll Tanach “Bereshit” p.357 and the genealogies of the Bible itself all testify to the fact that we are very close to the end of the 6000 years from creation. God gave a blueprint for the history of man in Genesis chapter 1-2. He makes the world in 6 days and rests on the seventh. This is the pattern we are to follow by working the first through the sixth day (Sunday through Friday) and resting on the seventh day, which is Saturday. By doing this God says we acknowledge Him as creator, and it is an eschatological picture. Man-made traditions have hidden this picture over the years and that is why these articles have consistently tried to get the truth of God’s word out to those that hear. The six days of creation were seen in the first century as 6000 years based on Psalm 90.4. Peter reinforces this idea in his epistle so this idea is nothing new.
Paul uses this idea of a “Sabbath rest” to teach the idea that a believer has spiritual rest in the Messiah, based on the literal seventh day weekly Sabbath which he kept all his life and taught others to do, unlike modern day teachers who teach it has been “done away with.” He also talks about a literal “day” (1000 years) of the Lord which is known as the “Millennium” by many prophecy students. When the 6000 years from creation is complete, earth will enter the seventh day. Biblical days begin at sundown, or darkness. This “Day of the Lord” will also begin in “darkness” called the “Birth-pains of the Messiah” or the tribulation period. There is much more to this as you can see but there is no inconsistency in the years on the Hebrew calendar and Jewish history, there was just a certain way it was calculated.
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. In past columns you have stated that the beginning of Day of the Lord (Millennium) will occur on Rosh Ha Shanah year 6001 after creation. It is currently 5767 on the Hebrew calendar. Does that mean that the millennium will not start for approximately 234 years?
A. The Hebrew calendar is not an exact accounting of the years from creation. In the book called “Seder Olam Rabbah” which means the “Great Book of the World” it says that when chronicling the years they did not count the years of the Persian kings not mentioned in the Scriptures. There are only four mentioned. As a result, there is approximately 210 to 250 years not included in the years. If you take the minimum number of 210 and add it to the current year 5767 you have 5977 and any number after that could put us right up to the year 6000 so we are closer than what the calendar says.
There are other sources to verify this information like the Artscroll Yom Kippur Machzor p. 336-337, Mesorah Publications “History of the Jewish People” p. 211-212, the Artscroll Tanach “Bereshit” p.357 and the genealogies of the Bible itself all testify to the fact that we are very close to the end of the 6000 years from creation. God gave a blueprint for the history of man in Genesis chapter 1-2. He makes the world in 6 days and rests on the seventh. This is the pattern we are to follow by working the first through the sixth day (Sunday through Friday) and resting on the seventh day, which is Saturday. By doing this God says we acknowledge Him as creator, and it is an eschatological picture. Man-made traditions have hidden this picture over the years and that is why these articles have consistently tried to get the truth of God’s word out to those that hear. The six days of creation were seen in the first century as 6000 years based on Psalm 90.4. Peter reinforces this idea in his epistle so this idea is nothing new.
Paul uses this idea of a “Sabbath rest” to teach the idea that a believer has spiritual rest in the Messiah, based on the literal seventh day weekly Sabbath which he kept all his life and taught others to do, unlike modern day teachers who teach it has been “done away with.” He also talks about a literal “day” (1000 years) of the Lord which is known as the “Millennium” by many prophecy students. When the 6000 years from creation is complete, earth will enter the seventh day. Biblical days begin at sundown, or darkness. This “Day of the Lord” will also begin in “darkness” called the “Birth-pains of the Messiah” or the tribulation period. There is much more to this as you can see but there is no inconsistency in the years on the Hebrew calendar and Jewish history, there was just a certain way it was calculated.
Friday, February 16, 2007
The Two Witnesses & the AntiChrist
By William Riley
Olive Tree Ministries
Q. Do you believe the two witnesses and the false messiah are alive right now?
A. I’m going to answer in two ways, one in a spiritual sense and the other literally. Spiritually, the two witnesses are “alive” in that the Torah and the prophets are witnessing to us everyday. It doesn’t even depend on whether a person reads them or even believes them. They are a witness today (Psalm 40.7, John 5.39-47, Luke 24.27, Rom 3.21) and are personified in Moses (Law) and Elijah (prophets). These two appeared with Yeshua at the transfiguration because they testify of Him, and still do. That is why the doctrine that the Law has been “done away with” is so dangerous because to say that means the prophets have bee done away with also, and that is just as false as can be. But, let’s say the Law has been done away with.
That leaves only the prophets and one witness, and that is not enough to establish anything according to the Lord, so again there are problems. Now, let’s take the literal aspect of this. In prophecy, there will be two witnesses. God has always had two witnesses in earthly events, especially significant ones. You had Moses and Aaron, Zerubbabel and Joshua (Yeshua), Yeshua and John and so on. When the world enters the Birth-pains of the Messiah (Mt 24.8) there will be two witnesses (Rev 11). People have tried to identify them as Moses and Elijah but they won’t literally be them, having come back from the dead. They will be two individuals who will come in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah, but they don’t have to be them literally.
For example, when Yeshua came the first time he said that John the Baptist “was Elijah” (Mt 11.14). Well, we know he really wasn’t Elijah and John said so himself (John 1.21). In Luke 1.17 John’s father Zechariah was told that his son will come in the “spirit and power of Elijah” and Yeshua confirmed that. So, the two witnesses during the birth-pains will be two individuals God will anoint in the same way he did Moses and Elijah, who personify the Law and the Prophets.
In other words, the two witnesses will be teaching the Law and the Prophets and saying the same thing the Scriptures say. Those that believe the Law has been done away with will never listen to them because they don’t believe Moses or the Prophets (John 5.46-47). Now to your original question. I personally believe we are approaching the Tribulation period (birth-pains) and we are very close. It is very possible that the two witnesses are alive right now, and the false messiah as well. There is no point in trying to identify them because nobody knows so everything is just pointless speculation. However, the teachings of the two witnesses are already in the world through the Torah (law) and the prophets and the teaching of the false messiah is in the world also through the doctrine of “we are free from the Law” and “the Law has been done away with” and so on. This is called lawlessness and the man of lawlessness (no Torah) will persecute those who keep the commandments of God (Rev 12.17).
Olive Tree Ministries
Q. Do you believe the two witnesses and the false messiah are alive right now?
A. I’m going to answer in two ways, one in a spiritual sense and the other literally. Spiritually, the two witnesses are “alive” in that the Torah and the prophets are witnessing to us everyday. It doesn’t even depend on whether a person reads them or even believes them. They are a witness today (Psalm 40.7, John 5.39-47, Luke 24.27, Rom 3.21) and are personified in Moses (Law) and Elijah (prophets). These two appeared with Yeshua at the transfiguration because they testify of Him, and still do. That is why the doctrine that the Law has been “done away with” is so dangerous because to say that means the prophets have bee done away with also, and that is just as false as can be. But, let’s say the Law has been done away with.
That leaves only the prophets and one witness, and that is not enough to establish anything according to the Lord, so again there are problems. Now, let’s take the literal aspect of this. In prophecy, there will be two witnesses. God has always had two witnesses in earthly events, especially significant ones. You had Moses and Aaron, Zerubbabel and Joshua (Yeshua), Yeshua and John and so on. When the world enters the Birth-pains of the Messiah (Mt 24.8) there will be two witnesses (Rev 11). People have tried to identify them as Moses and Elijah but they won’t literally be them, having come back from the dead. They will be two individuals who will come in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah, but they don’t have to be them literally.
For example, when Yeshua came the first time he said that John the Baptist “was Elijah” (Mt 11.14). Well, we know he really wasn’t Elijah and John said so himself (John 1.21). In Luke 1.17 John’s father Zechariah was told that his son will come in the “spirit and power of Elijah” and Yeshua confirmed that. So, the two witnesses during the birth-pains will be two individuals God will anoint in the same way he did Moses and Elijah, who personify the Law and the Prophets.
In other words, the two witnesses will be teaching the Law and the Prophets and saying the same thing the Scriptures say. Those that believe the Law has been done away with will never listen to them because they don’t believe Moses or the Prophets (John 5.46-47). Now to your original question. I personally believe we are approaching the Tribulation period (birth-pains) and we are very close. It is very possible that the two witnesses are alive right now, and the false messiah as well. There is no point in trying to identify them because nobody knows so everything is just pointless speculation. However, the teachings of the two witnesses are already in the world through the Torah (law) and the prophets and the teaching of the false messiah is in the world also through the doctrine of “we are free from the Law” and “the Law has been done away with” and so on. This is called lawlessness and the man of lawlessness (no Torah) will persecute those who keep the commandments of God (Rev 12.17).
Monday, February 12, 2007
Paul's Letters Quoted by Untaught, Distorted Christians
By William Riley
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. Why do Christians continuously quote Paul to back up their views when Paul was through and through a Torah-observant Jew?
A. Peter answered this question in 2 Pet. 3.15-16 when he said that Paul’s letters were hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. Paul kept the Torah commandments, the Sabbath and biblical festivals, ate biblically allowed meat, performed animal sacrifices in the Temple in keeping with a Nazarite vow (Acts 21) and other commandments. He hardly taught what is taught today in Christianity, in fact if he did he would have a false prophet. Every writer of the New Testament was Torah-observant and taught their people to do the same. Remember they were a sect of Judaism in the first century so that tells you they never taught otherwise.
Christian theology about the above mentioned commandments is nothing new. False prophets in the first century were already trying to distort the Torah. But after several hundred years of effort, the false prophets finally succeeded and a new official “faith” emerged out of the Council of Nicea, presided over by a sun-worshipping emperor named Constantine. He said that one of the main reasons for the council was to “root out the last vestiges of Judaism,” and they did. So, far from having “Jewish roots” Christianity would be better known as “Constantinian Christianity” because he was the founding father of much of what is seen today. Paul would hardly recognize the faith today and would have never approved of it and would be highly agitated by the way his words have been perverted.
Q. Were roosters allowed in Jerusalem and if not can you explain Mt. 26.75?
A. Roosters were not allowed in Jerusalem for a variety of reasons, most of which involved Temple purity laws. There are many references to this in Jewish publications, prayer books and the Talmud. In the book by Alfred Edersheim called “The life and times of Jesus the Messiah” on page 844 it also refers to this custom. The term in Hebrew for rooster is “gever” but it also is used for the Temple crier who called the people, the priests and the Levites to the worship service. It was this man Yeshua made reference to when he told Peter that before the “cock” crows, or in other words the Temple crier, he would deny him three times. So, here is what happened. Yeshua has been in a trial all night.
Meanwhile the priests and the Levites wake up and begin to prepare the morning offering, which included a male, unblemished lamb. This trial took place in the very shadow of the Temple. The Temple crier would call out in a loud voice for the priests to take their posts, the Levites to their stations and the men of Israel to stand up (for the people in prayer). This also alerted everyone else that could hear that the morning Tamid (continual) offering was going up on the altar for the people. This was exactly what was happening to the true Lamb. Peter denies him as the city is being alerted that the lamb was getting ready to be offered. See the connection? There is so much more going on than what people see in a movie, with some rooster crowing in the back-round.
Olive Tree Ministries
ot.waxahachie@yahoo.com
Q. Why do Christians continuously quote Paul to back up their views when Paul was through and through a Torah-observant Jew?
A. Peter answered this question in 2 Pet. 3.15-16 when he said that Paul’s letters were hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. Paul kept the Torah commandments, the Sabbath and biblical festivals, ate biblically allowed meat, performed animal sacrifices in the Temple in keeping with a Nazarite vow (Acts 21) and other commandments. He hardly taught what is taught today in Christianity, in fact if he did he would have a false prophet. Every writer of the New Testament was Torah-observant and taught their people to do the same. Remember they were a sect of Judaism in the first century so that tells you they never taught otherwise.
Christian theology about the above mentioned commandments is nothing new. False prophets in the first century were already trying to distort the Torah. But after several hundred years of effort, the false prophets finally succeeded and a new official “faith” emerged out of the Council of Nicea, presided over by a sun-worshipping emperor named Constantine. He said that one of the main reasons for the council was to “root out the last vestiges of Judaism,” and they did. So, far from having “Jewish roots” Christianity would be better known as “Constantinian Christianity” because he was the founding father of much of what is seen today. Paul would hardly recognize the faith today and would have never approved of it and would be highly agitated by the way his words have been perverted.
Q. Were roosters allowed in Jerusalem and if not can you explain Mt. 26.75?
A. Roosters were not allowed in Jerusalem for a variety of reasons, most of which involved Temple purity laws. There are many references to this in Jewish publications, prayer books and the Talmud. In the book by Alfred Edersheim called “The life and times of Jesus the Messiah” on page 844 it also refers to this custom. The term in Hebrew for rooster is “gever” but it also is used for the Temple crier who called the people, the priests and the Levites to the worship service. It was this man Yeshua made reference to when he told Peter that before the “cock” crows, or in other words the Temple crier, he would deny him three times. So, here is what happened. Yeshua has been in a trial all night.
Meanwhile the priests and the Levites wake up and begin to prepare the morning offering, which included a male, unblemished lamb. This trial took place in the very shadow of the Temple. The Temple crier would call out in a loud voice for the priests to take their posts, the Levites to their stations and the men of Israel to stand up (for the people in prayer). This also alerted everyone else that could hear that the morning Tamid (continual) offering was going up on the altar for the people. This was exactly what was happening to the true Lamb. Peter denies him as the city is being alerted that the lamb was getting ready to be offered. See the connection? There is so much more going on than what people see in a movie, with some rooster crowing in the back-round.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Acts 15: Misconceptions
Q. In some of my Bible classes it was mentioned that there were contentions with Jews who didn’t believe in Yeshua and new Gentile believers in Yeshua over whether or not they were to keep the Torah. Some of these contentions were specifically over dietary laws. My question is, was this a point of contention in the early congregations?
A Well, first of all there are some misconceptions in your question. Let’s look at one contention in particular and that will be found in Acts 15. The contention was between Jewish believers. So, the premise from which you discussed the question was not accurate. Here’s what was going on. People came from different back-rounds and beliefs in the first century. Two main factions or sects of the Pharisees was the School (of thought, interpretation) of Shammai and the School of Hillel. Shammai was a great teacher in the 1st century and was stricter in his interpretations than Hillel was. Shammai believed that a gentile who came to the Lord must be circumcised ritually, or become Jewish, to have a part in the World to Come, or be “saved” as it is understood in Acts 15.1-3. Hillel didn’t think that was necessary and so the two sects disagreed on what to do with gentile converts. Paul was taught in the School of Hillel.
Now, some of these people became believers in Yeshua but they carried some of the same “theology” with them into the Faith. So, when gentiles became believers they still had some of the old contentions. To settle the issue, they go to Jerusalem to the elders of the sect of the Nazarene, in other words the sect that believed that Yeshua was the Messiah, and they brought the issue up to be settled. Each sect had elders and their own “halakah” or way to walk before God. They had their own “rules of conduct” so to speak. The issue was over what to do as a sect of believers with the gentiles coming into the faith. Do they have to become Jewish (get circumcised) or not. Peter brings up the salvation of Cornelius, who received the Holy Spirit and wasn’t circumcised.
Paul gives his testimony about all the gentiles coming into the faith, receiving the Holy Spirit without being Circumcised (becoming Jewish). It was decided that gentiles did not have to become Jewish to be saved but they were to start with some minimal standards of obedience in order to maintain fellowship in the congregations. These minimal standards are found in Leviticus 18 and 19 and are known as the “heart of the Law”. These standards were to quit engaging in sexual uncleanness, idolatry, eating blood and raw meats and eating carrion. While doing that they could go to the local synagogues and learn the rest of the Torah and what they were to do (15.21). So, in short what was going on was far from what is being taught today. The gentile was welcomed into the faith without having to become Jewish, was to start following the Torah commands about some major issues and then go to the synagogues on the Sabbath day to learn what else applied to them.
That is a far cry from the premise you were discussing in your class and that is why there is so much error taught by so-called Bible teachers today. Peter said it best in 2 Peter 3.15-16 when he said Paul was being misunderstood because unlearned and unstable people distort what he said as also they do with the rest of the scriptures, to their own destruction. The Book of Galatians is also a good example of this question. The question in Galatians is again over some brethren who came and tried to get the Galatians to ritually convert to Judaism through circumcision according to a long standing, man-made law concerning it as it related to a gentile convert.
The Galatians began to entertain the idea thinking their salvation was deficient and they fell short of it. Paul again presents the case that it was unnecessary to submit to man-made traditions and doctrines. They already had salvation and God had already accepted them so why did they think they were short of it. This had nothing to do with obeying the God-given commandments. It was over man-made traditional laws concerning the ritual conversion of gentiles to Judaism in order to be saved.
A Well, first of all there are some misconceptions in your question. Let’s look at one contention in particular and that will be found in Acts 15. The contention was between Jewish believers. So, the premise from which you discussed the question was not accurate. Here’s what was going on. People came from different back-rounds and beliefs in the first century. Two main factions or sects of the Pharisees was the School (of thought, interpretation) of Shammai and the School of Hillel. Shammai was a great teacher in the 1st century and was stricter in his interpretations than Hillel was. Shammai believed that a gentile who came to the Lord must be circumcised ritually, or become Jewish, to have a part in the World to Come, or be “saved” as it is understood in Acts 15.1-3. Hillel didn’t think that was necessary and so the two sects disagreed on what to do with gentile converts. Paul was taught in the School of Hillel.
Now, some of these people became believers in Yeshua but they carried some of the same “theology” with them into the Faith. So, when gentiles became believers they still had some of the old contentions. To settle the issue, they go to Jerusalem to the elders of the sect of the Nazarene, in other words the sect that believed that Yeshua was the Messiah, and they brought the issue up to be settled. Each sect had elders and their own “halakah” or way to walk before God. They had their own “rules of conduct” so to speak. The issue was over what to do as a sect of believers with the gentiles coming into the faith. Do they have to become Jewish (get circumcised) or not. Peter brings up the salvation of Cornelius, who received the Holy Spirit and wasn’t circumcised.
Paul gives his testimony about all the gentiles coming into the faith, receiving the Holy Spirit without being Circumcised (becoming Jewish). It was decided that gentiles did not have to become Jewish to be saved but they were to start with some minimal standards of obedience in order to maintain fellowship in the congregations. These minimal standards are found in Leviticus 18 and 19 and are known as the “heart of the Law”. These standards were to quit engaging in sexual uncleanness, idolatry, eating blood and raw meats and eating carrion. While doing that they could go to the local synagogues and learn the rest of the Torah and what they were to do (15.21). So, in short what was going on was far from what is being taught today. The gentile was welcomed into the faith without having to become Jewish, was to start following the Torah commands about some major issues and then go to the synagogues on the Sabbath day to learn what else applied to them.
That is a far cry from the premise you were discussing in your class and that is why there is so much error taught by so-called Bible teachers today. Peter said it best in 2 Peter 3.15-16 when he said Paul was being misunderstood because unlearned and unstable people distort what he said as also they do with the rest of the scriptures, to their own destruction. The Book of Galatians is also a good example of this question. The question in Galatians is again over some brethren who came and tried to get the Galatians to ritually convert to Judaism through circumcision according to a long standing, man-made law concerning it as it related to a gentile convert.
The Galatians began to entertain the idea thinking their salvation was deficient and they fell short of it. Paul again presents the case that it was unnecessary to submit to man-made traditions and doctrines. They already had salvation and God had already accepted them so why did they think they were short of it. This had nothing to do with obeying the God-given commandments. It was over man-made traditional laws concerning the ritual conversion of gentiles to Judaism in order to be saved.
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