March 15, 2013
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Yehovah vs. Yeshua
Yeah, since I’ve got everyone’s attention…
I saw a video this morning, filmed at the Kotel (Wailing Wall in Jerusalem), and it was of a Rabbi being questioned by a Christian pastor about why he won’t believe in Jesus. I was piqued by the idea of this video… mostly because I believe both views (Christianity/Judaism) on the subject matter are wrong.
What do I mean? Let’s do a quick recap: Christians have Messiah’ death on the cross that they use to negate the need to keep Torah’s commandments. So they have faith/trust without obedience/works. And at the same time, you have Jews who have Torah’s commandments and don’t believe the man Jee-zus was any greater a son of God than the rest of the sons of God. They have the scriptures which say to obey for ALL generations, and believe that will result in salvation. So they have obedience/works without faith/trust. BOTH are wrong.Scripture says that ‘faith without works is dead’ – so christianity is a massive lie, in that it says you don’t have to keep God’s commandments, anymore. Didn’t Messiah Himself say ‘if you love Me, keep My commandments’? Since He said that BEFORE the NT was written, what commandments do christians think He was talking about, if He and God were One? Yet christians only seem to recognize 10 of the 613 Old Testament commandments as even BEING commandments, for pity’s sake, and they don’t even see them as needful, because they have the free ticket of Jee-zus’ blood.
And on the flip side, the Jews reject Messiah because they cannot reconcile a man as being the physical embodiment of Yehovah. Well… as an abstract in the future, yes, but Yeshua bar Josef didn’t do things the way they wanted them to, and so they ruled Him out. The prophecies were for humility/lowliness AND triumph/leadership, and they wanted it all in one big, immediate package together… not with two separate visits – the first being ‘undercover’/spiritual in fulfillment, and the second being obvious/physical in fulfillment. Too many prophecies in the OT to even start to address that in one blog.
Regardless, you have two extremes, both of them hopelessly short of Truth. Both of them leading to destruction/eternal death, because BOTH of them reject a side of the salvation coin. It’s Trust AND obedience. It’s Faith AND Works.
And knowing that, here’s the video… watch knowing that both men are wrong:
Above, I wrote that it’s Trust AND obedience, Faith AND Works. But there’s something else, too: For the rabbi, it’s Ha’Shem. For the Christian, it’s Jee-zus. Yehovah vs. Yeshua… when the reality is that it’s Yehovah AND Yeshua.
And you know what? Something really hit me, this morning. It’s TRUE. When I was a christian (for 30 years of my life!), it was all about Jee-zus. God was an abstract, far off, unable to relate to men… only Jee-zus understands what a person goes thru. ((That’s a lie. We’re made in Yehovah’s image – time and again scripture shows Yehovah burning with anger, grieved by our behavior, betrayed or pleased. But christianity says only Jee-zus feels your pain.)) You prayed to Jee-zus. You cast out demons in the name of Jee-zus. What a friend I have in Jee-zus. Jee-zus is the rock of my salvation. (<– did you know that verse was written by David to Yehovah?)
The rabbi has a point. The King of the Universe has taken second Place to the prince, just like in the rabbi’s story. And I guess I didn’t really think about it until today, because I always (abstractly) have known that ‘I and the Father are One’… but now that I think about it, since coming out of churchianity? I pray to Yehovah Elohim, my Father ABBA, the creator of the universe. And when I was a christian, I rarely did that – my friend was Jee-zus. I… don’t even know when and where that change came, to be honest. But somewhere along this transition in my faith, I have restored the Sovereign to His throne.
Now, of course the rabbi was wrong in many of his statements. For example, he says Malachi prophecies Elijah bringing peace, and says that Yeshua can’t be Messiah because he said He did not come to bring peace but a sword. ((I love that… because churchianity doesn’t teach a sword-bearing Yeshua, they teach a ‘prince of peace’ and ‘lamb of god’. They emasculate Messiah to make Him palatable to the ‘seeker sensitive’.)) Regardless, Malachi’s prophecy isn’t about Messiah, it’s about a coming Elijah… and if John the Baptist was the ‘second Elijah’ (Luke 1:17), it would’ve been him, not Yeshua, that the prophecy talked of (unless it’s the future coming ‘third’ Elijah – Rev 11:3)
I watched the video with a very objective view of both sides… which might not have been possible ten years ago… but I see Christianity being owned by Judaism, because Judaism is actually closer to the Truth these days that Christianity is. The fact of the matter is that Yehovah IS a jealous god, and to be passed over for this Romanized version of His Son, who is stripped of His Judaism and Hebrew characteristics, with Torah yanked from the picture and only the blood (Christians reject His water and only claim half of the atonement)… for Yehovah to be replaced with this anglo-prince who’s a poorly drawn, cartoon rendition of who Yeshua really was? He has got to be BURNING with anger.
I… this… it just really was a wake-up call, a revelation to me this morning. That somewhere along the line, I have gone from being Jesus-centric to adding the Father back into the equation. I hadn’t even realized it. It’s like in coming away from the one extreme, I found balance between Savior and Creator. Well… actually, I have to admit that I’m more Creator-centric, with Him at the head of all things in my life. It happened almost naturally. It doesn’t mean I’ve rejected Christ – but I have Messiah Yeshua as my brother (Luke 8:21)… with Him as the Firstfruits/firstborn of those who will rise in Yehovah (1 Cor 15:20), paving the way with His sacrifice of water and blood for me. (John 19:34) Not that He *isn’t* God, He’s a different facet, that’s all.I hadn’t seen this, before this morning. And I can’t thank Adonai enough for this… it’s like being given a star of my paper, this morning in school. A little wink from my teacher, showing me something I had learned that I didn’t even realize I had!
Comments (18)
Anna, cannot thank you enough for this. This morning I have been arguing with an idiot that believes that Hebrew was a dying language in the time of the Lord (specifically even refering to the Jews at the time as Palestinian), that He used the ‘greek’ translation of the bible (what??? the Catholic Bible did not even exist in the time of the Lord)…that the Torah did not even exist in the times of the Lord ((did he not quote the Torah and the Prophets to the rabbis and His followers???!)) and that the ”Hebrew” bible did not come to be until AD, and was written in ‘response’ to the Catholic bible. That it is the Jews fault for rejecting the Apocrypha..((???!)) Non-Catholic bibles are inferior as they are based on faulty?? Hebrew… and Catholic bibles are correct because they’re based on the Greek (and everyone was speaking that language apparently). Praying to ‘saints’ apparently is not the same thing as worshiping or venerating them.. it’s just asking a saint to ask the Lord something for you. Because you know, the Lord has to be asked stuff by dead people (who may or may not be in heaven) *for you* in order for Him to hear you. All of this was spewed out in an incredibly nasty and arrogant manner.
What kind of children are being bred in this world today? They know nothing about their history, about their faith, and their heads are stuck so far up their cocky ill-mannered……. -_- They truly do seem to think that Yeshua was a European Catholic white dude and that the Torah is to be completely forgotten – and they will literally spew at anyone that shines lights at their darkness.
I really loved that rabbi, I understand he’s missing part of the equation but he really does make some good points. So thanks for putting some things in perspective today. I’ve tried really hard to make some changes with faith in my life and am constantly struggling with old ties and worse, dumb people.
THANK YOU for putting into words what I have been struggling with. See…..I find myself “leaning” (for lack of a better word) towards Judaism…NOT ignoring Yeshua, but…..He’s sorta 2nd. I pray to HaShem, NOT Yeshua (but in Yeshua’s name)….I’m still trying to get rid of church teachings, and it’s hard. Yet, it’s hard for me to *call* myself Jewish…because OF Yeshua. (Yeah, I’m messed up. It’s OK – HaShem loves me anyway.
)(And I’m a work in progress – getting closer every day.)
The video is hard…because they’re both SO CLOSE, and yet SO FAR from Truth. I want to bang their heads together…but it won’t help, because neither one *wants* to actually consider the other’s viewpoint. And….I understand it from the Rabbi. Jews have been persecuted so much…that anything from chrischun is suspect. The pastor, however….in his own words worships the JEWISH Messiah…but he doesn’t acknowledge it. :sigh:
In other news….check your email. I’m about to send you something.
This is AWESOME. I know people will take away different things from the post, but the thing I loved was about the separate visits – the first being “undercover”/spiritual & the second physical and a perfect explanation of why the Jews don’t accept Jes….uh “that man”. lol
I sometimes hestitate asking questions here for fear that people reading comments won’t know that I am “new” to all of this – that I am still just learning. I often feel like my questions are dumb when you have just written something so deep. But I would like to ask this one. So, did He break the commandments? And if so, then why if He tells US to keep them?
@carmenblack1 - No, He didn’t break any of the commandments. If He had, He’d not have been Messiah.
There’s a bunch of OT prophecies that Yeshua fulfilled – but because He came as kinsman redeemer the first time (instead of avenging God), the Jews ignore it. So do some chrischuns, for that matter, because then they’d have to face the fact that He was, well, Jewish.
@fiberaddict - Thank you…OK I can see why the Jews ignored the OT prophecies (as you explained) and I can see why they accused Him of blasphemy (as he called himself God). But I’m not clear why they accused Him of breaking the commandments – if He actually did not. Were these the “extra” rules they added and not the 613 that they (and we) were instructed to keep?
@carmenblack1 - Yup! Do understand why they “put fences” around some of the Commandments…but they treat the Rabbincal laws as more important than the Torah laws. (Separate dishes for meat and milk, for example – Torah simply says “do not boil a calf/kid in its’ mother’s milk”. NOT “thou shalt not have cheese on your burger”.
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Whoa… I take some time away and there’s a whole conversation going on! Wait up, wait up!! :p
Yes, the ‘laws’ that Messiah is said to have broken are NOT commandments, they were man-made laws that the Jews added on. THey did that a LOT, and it was a real problem. Still is. Which is why I’m presently going thru the 613 commandments with Brian – I want to know what is really Torah, and what is not.
@Anna - Well, better a pertinent conversation than coming back to find out that you are “pitiful” ha!
So does the Old Testament have both the commandments & these extra laws and we have to figure out how to separate them?? Or are these extra laws only in the Torah?
fiber: do you think that perhaps they put fences around them because they are afraid? what I mean by that is: they are so afraid of doing something to displease the Lord so much, that they place special importance on certain laws rather than others.
Carmen – every one is new at some point – just keep swimming.
@alidansma - Thank you for that
fences – Halakhah – the boundries in your walk are from the Torah and from the Talmud, and Rabbi’s interpretation of them.
If all y’all didn’t know the Muslim concept of Jurisprudence (Fiqh) runs neck and neck with Halakhah. It is basically men who have studied their whole lives to explain the best interpretaion of the law. Now many times the Rabbis or the Sayeds will not agree on a certain way of following scripture. And that is why we have examples of disagreements between Pharisees and Sadducees and other religious groups.
I feel that Yeshua was trying to show the intent of faith and loving obedience was more valuable than being a bunch of programmed robots.
I always find myslf asking why, why is it like this and not this? why would this law be here? How does this mitzvot help me to love and serve Ha’Shem better? how does it kindle the light of love to shine on others?
The “no cheeseburger” law is a great example. Not meat and dairy – EVER! but what does Gen 18:8 say? ah very nice!
Exactly. The law is there to show us that we need Yeshua… that we will fall short and cannot hope to live sinlessly. We need a redeemer. But at the same time, because we love Yehovah, we choose to seek Him, to be close to Him, to obey Him to the very best of our abilities.
Somewhere along the line, it became extremely legalistic. They would argue about the tiniest details, and add in things (for example, wearing a yarmulke, how big it should be, where it should be worn, if you should wear it to bed or not)… and the yarmulke isn’t even in scripture! Suddenly there are all of these rules and regulations and details… and people were so wrapped up in the fine print of the legalism that they forgot the whole point was to show our devotion and love by way of obedience.
Unlike the rabbi, who is adding rules and trying to trap Yeshua in a made-up sin, or the pastor, who has thrown out all the Law and erases everything with a made-up free pass.
Which brings us back to this post: It’s faith AND works. Trust AND obedience. It’s not about nitpicking or trying to trip someone else up, or even about HAVING to do something. It’s about WANTING to do something to show our love and belief with actions.
@Anna - This has been a great conversation. I learned a lot. I hope you also know that not everyone that doesn’t keep the law / commandments is just looking for a free pass – thinking we can just live like hell and still get into Heaven. There are some of us who really truly love Him and want to serve Him, and honor Him and live our life for Him. We just didn’t know any better. Or we are just learning. I sometimes get the sense in your exasperation that you think there are only 2 groups of people….those like you & the others who say they love Him but could care less about living for Him. I hope you’re not offended that I said that. I can imagine that it must get quite exhausting trying to teach people what you know & believe only to come to your blog and find rude comments or even those who just think you are way off in your thinking.
I think it seems that way because if people say they are really REALLY searching with all their hearts – what would they do?
They would start in the beginning and read the words they say they believe in and see what the Word says. I read the whole Bible cover to cover about ten years ago – (and since I was raised in the RCC I was already familiar with the apocryphia)
And once a person worked their way through the whole book I think many of them would have a problem with spiritual leaders putting their own spin on scripture. That is what happened to me at least.
I don’t think the two groups are 1. People who agree with Anna and 2. People who want to be on the winning team without showing up to practice. Because as the Lord knows I love Anna to bits - but we don’t always agree 100% and it sure isn’t because I don’t care enough to practice – it is because the lessons I need tutoring in and the lessons other people are working on are not always perfectly in sync.
It is people who want to 100% own the truth for themselves on one hand and people who want to assume that other people have it figured out and they should just tag along on the other. At the end of the day there are no excuses.
It’s definitely not two teams: Torah observant and not. Heaven knows I was seeking desperately for YEARS to find depth, meat, and Truth… and I was wholly chrischun. BUT… someone truly seeking? Finds. He promised that. And I get frustrated with people who come around claiming to want that deeper connection/relationship to Yehovah, who don’t actually DO anything to get it. At the least, they could be asking questions, looking up verses for themselves, y’know?
It’s like the chicken pox women. Oh, they DESPERATELY want to see chicken pox in Michigan, and when it shows up? Do you think they do what they can to get there? “Oh, it’s a long drive, it’s so soon, I don’t know, are you sure it’s chicken pox? My child may have a cold coming on…” I’m the ONLY one who showed up, the very next day, driving across the state in a SNOWSTORM, with school closings all around us. If someone WANTS something like they say they want something, they make it happen. And I just get frustrated because people say they want Truth, but they don’t do anything on their part to find it.
I understand that it doesn’t happen overnight. But he who truly seeks WILL find. And those who don’t want a free pass have GOT to ask themselves what His commandments are. They have to know that there’s something to be attended to on our part.
As far as it goes in the end? I don’t think He’s going to go for the ol’ “my heart was in the right place” thing. Yehovah is a just God, and He has given us everything we need to be able to be in a right relationship with Him, if we choose to. It’s all right there, and everyone has a Bible and the ability to do, to choose.
Who was it who said “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions”? It’s the actively seeking, clawing for Truth people that will find favor. I’m not saying you’re in the same place running the race that I am, or that Ali is… but as long as you’re REALLY running, really fighting the fight, really pressing toward the mark… THAT’s what counts.
Exactly! I fall short All.The.Time. But I’m at least trying….when I screw up, I ask forgiveness, and move on. I try not to do THAT again…but I’m not perfect. I’d like to be (Spiritually, I mean), but on Earth, it ain’t gonna happen. But that’s not an excuse….
Carmen, we all started somewhere. I am constantly learning new things – it’s amazing! And humbling – that He loves me – us!- so much that he extends grace. He doesn’t have to – but He does. Yeshua showed us the way…Praise HaShem for that!