Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
"The Line" Chapters 1
“THE LINE": A Story About Life and Death and Life After Death”
by Don McPherson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD_pCr_Xrnc&feature=related
Chapter One: The Awakening
******************************************************************************************************************
I woke up and I was standing in a line of people. I don’t remember how I got there, yet it still felt like I just woke up. The line seemed to go on forever. Behind me was a line of people who, like me, just seemed to be waking up as well. In front of me for as far as I could see were hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people. We were all just standing in this long, long line. I was feeling confused and I was very scared.
The last thing I recalled was being in a bed which was strange because I never slept in a bed because of the arthritis in my back. My last memory was of people standing over me saying something which I couldn't understand. And now standing right in front of me was an Asian looking young woman who was just standing there looking at me. She had long dark hair, beautiful eyes and a strange expression on her face. She was thin built and shapely dressed in a pink short sleeve top and blue jeans. She nodded and said what I thought was "hello" although it didn't sound like hello. I said hi and she smiled. I was about to ask her what the hell were we standing in this line for when a loud bell rang and everyone in front of me started sitting down so I set down too on the greenest softest grass--or I guess it was grass--it was green yet looked like it wasn't cut. Some sprouts were longer than others. I was getting more and more confused and scared.
A man or I guess he was a man, eventually walked by us and just kept saying, "Would you all please remain seated for now and stay in line? Someone will be by soon and give you something to eat and drink." He was an amazing looking man, muscular, long wavy hair, dark green eyes and the most spectacular looking white teeth I had ever seen. His smile, and he was always smiling, helped calm me and I noticed I wasn't afraid anymore.
After awhile some other people dressed all in short white gowns showed up and gave us all something that looked like bread in a bowl and water in a strange looking cup. Surprisingly it didn't smell or taste neither like bread when I ate it, nor like water when I drank it. Believe it or not the bread tasted ‘just like chicken’ even though it smelled like fish. The water was sweet, like sweet Texas ice tea on a hot summer day, refreshing and bubbly like a carbonated soda. I had never eaten or drank anything like this in my 64 years.
After eating and drinking, some other people came by and took up the bowls and cups from each one of us. I lay back on the grass on my back and for the first time in over 20 years my back didn't hurt. Then I notice another amazing thing, my ears weren't ringing. For as long as I could remember I had had a constant ringing in my ears and yet now it was gone. Of course I was thinking I've died and gone to Heaven. But this was not like any Heaven I had ever thought about and nothing like the Bible had said anything about. I don't want to get ahead of my story, but I can honestly tell you I wasn't in Heaven which I found out when out of nowhere I heard what I thought was screaming or screeching to my left. I and others stood up and looked and we could see a slowly rising hill about a football's field away. The screeching continued and seemed to be getting even louder. The young woman in front of me and I and some other people started to walk toward the sound and immediately the muscular, long haired man ran to us and asked, "Would you all please return to where you were and sit down?" We all did just as that bell rang again three times. As we were walking back, I asked the woman in front of me: "Who is that guy anyway?" She said what I thought was, "I don't know, I heard someone way up in front of me say, 'Oh, Oh, here comes big Mike.'" It was so weird; I heard her saying words that sounded Chinese yet in my head I knew what she was saying. I took a really deep breath and asked her, "Who are you?" And quickly added, "Excuse me, my name is Jack and I'm really confused, do you understand English?" She softly said, "No, but I understand you Jack, I'm confused too; my name is--ten fingers (as I heard the words 'Shi Lee' come from her tiny lips)." I looked right into her eyes, noticing the tears and quietly said, "Shi Lee, what's going on?" Shi quickly said, "Jack, I do not know, my family calls me 'Shi'; I just woke up here and a few moments later you were standing behind me." "Same with me," said the man sitting behind me, “I woke up and you and that lady were standing in front of me and then I noticed the long line of people. What's going on already?" The man sitting behind me was an Indian looking guy with one of those towel things on his head. His words sounded Indian yet like Shi's words I understood what he was saying. It seemed like I had a translator in my head that instantly let me know what they were saying.
I was about to ask him his name when big Mike showed up again and firmly yet softly asked, "Would you all please close your eyes and go to sleep?" That's the last thing I remember until I woke up from the soundest, most restful sleep I had since I was a kid. We all seemed to be waking up at the same time when big Mike showed up and said, "Ok, friends, would you all please stand up and face forward toward the bright light up ahead?" For some reason, I hadn't really noticed it earlier; there was a really bright light somewhere up ahead, although I couldn't see what was causing it.
It had been day-light since I first arrived at this strange place. I wanted to turn around and ask the guy behind me something and yet for some reason I couldn't take my daze off of the light up ahead. I reached forward and touched Shi's shoulder and asked, "Shi, you ok?" I thought I heard her say, “Yes, are you?" I said, "I don't know, what in the name of Yeshua is going on?" She said," I know you just said "Salvation" and that's the first thing you said that I don't understand, what do you mean in the name of salvation?" "Oh", I said, 'Yeshua' is the Hebrew name of Jesus. It's spelled Y,e,s,h,u,a--and pronounced 'Yes-shu-ah'. It's the name I call my God." Shi responded, "I've never heard him called that before, I just call him Jesus. Are you a believer?" "Yes, I believe Yeshua is God's name that was given to him when he came to earth as a human. Do you believe in Yeshua... ah, Jesus? I thought you were probably Buddhist or something." "No", Shi said, “I was born into a Shinto family, my father was Japanese but he came to believe in Jesus when I was a real little girl. In fact the last thing I remember before waking up here I was running away from some people when I was almost 13 years old as my father screamed, 'Shi, hurry...'and I heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion and I woke up here. How old do I look to you?"
"Oh, I don't know twenty something."
Then Shi exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me, no really, how old?"
"I don’t know, twenty-five", I guessed.
"How old do I look?” I asked.
"I don't know; I haven't ever seen a Caucasian before, about the same, 30 or so."
"Yeah a bald headed, gray haired, fat 30 year old, right, you must be blinded or effected by that light up ahead."
As I was saying this, I reached up and touched my head and quickly pulled my hand back. I had a full think head of hair. I felt my stomach and in shock looked down and saw the body I had had when I was a Marine. "Holy Moley," I said.
And Shi asked, "What's holy about moley, don't you Mole?"
"No," I said, "It’s just a dumb expression of disbelief,"
"OH", Shi said softly with what sounded like a little child's giggle.
We noticed a few people ahead of us in the line walking forward, so we followed them until they stopped. "Where are we?" Shi asked. I answered, "Heaven I guess, and although this is in no way the Heaven I've ever been told about or imagined."
"Me either," said Shi.
"You got that right", said the man behind us. We were all facing forward, but I heard him continuing to say, "Hell is what I was thinking, but it isn't hot or people going around 'gnashing their teeth' so I guess Jesus was not talking literally when he was describing the place of darkness. And it's not a bit dark here--really strange, but not dark."
"Oh so you know of Jesus, too...ah, ah what's your name anyway?" "I am called 'talking one' spelled M-o-s-o-t-o or Mo by my friends and family. But you can call me Mosoto," he said laughing.
"Nice to meet you Moschoto, I guess", I said, "Sorry but I can't seem to turn around and shake your hand."
He corrected me, "Not Moschoto, my name is Mosoto and it means..."
"'Talking one’”, I interrupted; "and don't ask me how I know that."
"Hey that’s right sir"
"Oh, I'm Jack and the woman in front of me is Shi Lee"
"Yeah I heard you saying her name, which means 'ten fingers' and don't ask me how I know that either. Do you know what "Jack" means?"
"No, but I can guess. Hey Shi", I asked, "Can you hear Mosota?"
"Sure", she said. "Jack, do I really look 30 something?" Shi shyly asked.
"Yep,” I mumbled. "Well that helps explain what happened to my body. I remember being a skinny little girl. ‘Holy Moley’ as you say," Shi giggled as she appeared to be running her hands down the front of her pink shirt and over her hips.
I was thinking I need to look away, when she said, "Oh that's ok, we're taught that our bodies are holy and for us not to be ashamed of how we look."
"How did you know I was looking?” I asked.
And Shi said matter of factually, "Well when you said ‘I need to look away’ as I was feeling my new shape."
Blushingly I quirked, "I didn't say that out loud, did I?"
"Hey I heard you too, Jack," said Mosoto. I know I hadn't opened my mouth so I thought to myself. “Well, I'm sorry anyway."
It was when Shi said, "oh no need to be sorry” that I realized and said, “some kind of weird telepathy or something is happening between us.”
"Oh my, I think maybe I...” and she paused then continued, "...maybe I better be more careful about what I'm thinking." Again Shi finished with that same sweet, charming, childlike giggle.
Out of nowhere, we heard more screeching and yelling sounds over the ridge to our left.
"Man what is that?" Mosoto said. "What's causing that sound? It sounds like an animal in pain. I said, "Well I need to find out what that is; somebody needs to put that thing out of its misery". I turned and surprisingly realized I was walking toward the mound that was about one hundred yards away. I had only taken about ten steps when it seemed like big Mike appeared right in front of me and said, "Jack, you really need to get back in the line, would you please turn around and go back and join Shi and Mosoto?" I wanted to say 'no', yet what came out of my mouth was, "Hey Mikie, what's going on and how did you know our names?"
"My name is Michael and you will be told what's happening when you can understand; and I know all your names--the King gives me all the names of those who know Him. I can only ask you to trust in the one you call 'Yeshua' and wait until the Maker calls your name."
I turned and went back to join my two new friends. "What happened Jack?" Shi asked.
I said, "Michael asked me to get back in line."
"OH", she stated. I was going to say more when that bell rang again and Michael returned once again walking down the line asking us all to sit down and that food and water would be given to us shortly. So, we sat and ate and I laid back facing Shi who was turned away from me and I was just about to tell her about what Michael had said about the King when the strangest thing yet happened. I heard Shi screaming, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" and what Shi said next blew my mind completely. Shi turned to me with huge tears in her eyes and whispered, “Oh my God,…
(Would you please wait till the next part of the story of “The Line” continues?)
by Don McPherson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD_pCr_Xrnc&feature=related
Chapter One: The Awakening
******************************************************************************************************************
I woke up and I was standing in a line of people. I don’t remember how I got there, yet it still felt like I just woke up. The line seemed to go on forever. Behind me was a line of people who, like me, just seemed to be waking up as well. In front of me for as far as I could see were hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people. We were all just standing in this long, long line. I was feeling confused and I was very scared.
The last thing I recalled was being in a bed which was strange because I never slept in a bed because of the arthritis in my back. My last memory was of people standing over me saying something which I couldn't understand. And now standing right in front of me was an Asian looking young woman who was just standing there looking at me. She had long dark hair, beautiful eyes and a strange expression on her face. She was thin built and shapely dressed in a pink short sleeve top and blue jeans. She nodded and said what I thought was "hello" although it didn't sound like hello. I said hi and she smiled. I was about to ask her what the hell were we standing in this line for when a loud bell rang and everyone in front of me started sitting down so I set down too on the greenest softest grass--or I guess it was grass--it was green yet looked like it wasn't cut. Some sprouts were longer than others. I was getting more and more confused and scared.
A man or I guess he was a man, eventually walked by us and just kept saying, "Would you all please remain seated for now and stay in line? Someone will be by soon and give you something to eat and drink." He was an amazing looking man, muscular, long wavy hair, dark green eyes and the most spectacular looking white teeth I had ever seen. His smile, and he was always smiling, helped calm me and I noticed I wasn't afraid anymore.
After awhile some other people dressed all in short white gowns showed up and gave us all something that looked like bread in a bowl and water in a strange looking cup. Surprisingly it didn't smell or taste neither like bread when I ate it, nor like water when I drank it. Believe it or not the bread tasted ‘just like chicken’ even though it smelled like fish. The water was sweet, like sweet Texas ice tea on a hot summer day, refreshing and bubbly like a carbonated soda. I had never eaten or drank anything like this in my 64 years.
After eating and drinking, some other people came by and took up the bowls and cups from each one of us. I lay back on the grass on my back and for the first time in over 20 years my back didn't hurt. Then I notice another amazing thing, my ears weren't ringing. For as long as I could remember I had had a constant ringing in my ears and yet now it was gone. Of course I was thinking I've died and gone to Heaven. But this was not like any Heaven I had ever thought about and nothing like the Bible had said anything about. I don't want to get ahead of my story, but I can honestly tell you I wasn't in Heaven which I found out when out of nowhere I heard what I thought was screaming or screeching to my left. I and others stood up and looked and we could see a slowly rising hill about a football's field away. The screeching continued and seemed to be getting even louder. The young woman in front of me and I and some other people started to walk toward the sound and immediately the muscular, long haired man ran to us and asked, "Would you all please return to where you were and sit down?" We all did just as that bell rang again three times. As we were walking back, I asked the woman in front of me: "Who is that guy anyway?" She said what I thought was, "I don't know, I heard someone way up in front of me say, 'Oh, Oh, here comes big Mike.'" It was so weird; I heard her saying words that sounded Chinese yet in my head I knew what she was saying. I took a really deep breath and asked her, "Who are you?" And quickly added, "Excuse me, my name is Jack and I'm really confused, do you understand English?" She softly said, "No, but I understand you Jack, I'm confused too; my name is--ten fingers (as I heard the words 'Shi Lee' come from her tiny lips)." I looked right into her eyes, noticing the tears and quietly said, "Shi Lee, what's going on?" Shi quickly said, "Jack, I do not know, my family calls me 'Shi'; I just woke up here and a few moments later you were standing behind me." "Same with me," said the man sitting behind me, “I woke up and you and that lady were standing in front of me and then I noticed the long line of people. What's going on already?" The man sitting behind me was an Indian looking guy with one of those towel things on his head. His words sounded Indian yet like Shi's words I understood what he was saying. It seemed like I had a translator in my head that instantly let me know what they were saying.
I was about to ask him his name when big Mike showed up again and firmly yet softly asked, "Would you all please close your eyes and go to sleep?" That's the last thing I remember until I woke up from the soundest, most restful sleep I had since I was a kid. We all seemed to be waking up at the same time when big Mike showed up and said, "Ok, friends, would you all please stand up and face forward toward the bright light up ahead?" For some reason, I hadn't really noticed it earlier; there was a really bright light somewhere up ahead, although I couldn't see what was causing it.
It had been day-light since I first arrived at this strange place. I wanted to turn around and ask the guy behind me something and yet for some reason I couldn't take my daze off of the light up ahead. I reached forward and touched Shi's shoulder and asked, "Shi, you ok?" I thought I heard her say, “Yes, are you?" I said, "I don't know, what in the name of Yeshua is going on?" She said," I know you just said "Salvation" and that's the first thing you said that I don't understand, what do you mean in the name of salvation?" "Oh", I said, 'Yeshua' is the Hebrew name of Jesus. It's spelled Y,e,s,h,u,a--and pronounced 'Yes-shu-ah'. It's the name I call my God." Shi responded, "I've never heard him called that before, I just call him Jesus. Are you a believer?" "Yes, I believe Yeshua is God's name that was given to him when he came to earth as a human. Do you believe in Yeshua... ah, Jesus? I thought you were probably Buddhist or something." "No", Shi said, “I was born into a Shinto family, my father was Japanese but he came to believe in Jesus when I was a real little girl. In fact the last thing I remember before waking up here I was running away from some people when I was almost 13 years old as my father screamed, 'Shi, hurry...'and I heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion and I woke up here. How old do I look to you?"
"Oh, I don't know twenty something."
Then Shi exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me, no really, how old?"
"I don’t know, twenty-five", I guessed.
"How old do I look?” I asked.
"I don't know; I haven't ever seen a Caucasian before, about the same, 30 or so."
"Yeah a bald headed, gray haired, fat 30 year old, right, you must be blinded or effected by that light up ahead."
As I was saying this, I reached up and touched my head and quickly pulled my hand back. I had a full think head of hair. I felt my stomach and in shock looked down and saw the body I had had when I was a Marine. "Holy Moley," I said.
And Shi asked, "What's holy about moley, don't you Mole?"
"No," I said, "It’s just a dumb expression of disbelief,"
"OH", Shi said softly with what sounded like a little child's giggle.
We noticed a few people ahead of us in the line walking forward, so we followed them until they stopped. "Where are we?" Shi asked. I answered, "Heaven I guess, and although this is in no way the Heaven I've ever been told about or imagined."
"Me either," said Shi.
"You got that right", said the man behind us. We were all facing forward, but I heard him continuing to say, "Hell is what I was thinking, but it isn't hot or people going around 'gnashing their teeth' so I guess Jesus was not talking literally when he was describing the place of darkness. And it's not a bit dark here--really strange, but not dark."
"Oh so you know of Jesus, too...ah, ah what's your name anyway?" "I am called 'talking one' spelled M-o-s-o-t-o or Mo by my friends and family. But you can call me Mosoto," he said laughing.
"Nice to meet you Moschoto, I guess", I said, "Sorry but I can't seem to turn around and shake your hand."
He corrected me, "Not Moschoto, my name is Mosoto and it means..."
"'Talking one’”, I interrupted; "and don't ask me how I know that."
"Hey that’s right sir"
"Oh, I'm Jack and the woman in front of me is Shi Lee"
"Yeah I heard you saying her name, which means 'ten fingers' and don't ask me how I know that either. Do you know what "Jack" means?"
"No, but I can guess. Hey Shi", I asked, "Can you hear Mosota?"
"Sure", she said. "Jack, do I really look 30 something?" Shi shyly asked.
"Yep,” I mumbled. "Well that helps explain what happened to my body. I remember being a skinny little girl. ‘Holy Moley’ as you say," Shi giggled as she appeared to be running her hands down the front of her pink shirt and over her hips.
I was thinking I need to look away, when she said, "Oh that's ok, we're taught that our bodies are holy and for us not to be ashamed of how we look."
"How did you know I was looking?” I asked.
And Shi said matter of factually, "Well when you said ‘I need to look away’ as I was feeling my new shape."
Blushingly I quirked, "I didn't say that out loud, did I?"
"Hey I heard you too, Jack," said Mosoto. I know I hadn't opened my mouth so I thought to myself. “Well, I'm sorry anyway."
It was when Shi said, "oh no need to be sorry” that I realized and said, “some kind of weird telepathy or something is happening between us.”
"Oh my, I think maybe I...” and she paused then continued, "...maybe I better be more careful about what I'm thinking." Again Shi finished with that same sweet, charming, childlike giggle.
Out of nowhere, we heard more screeching and yelling sounds over the ridge to our left.
"Man what is that?" Mosoto said. "What's causing that sound? It sounds like an animal in pain. I said, "Well I need to find out what that is; somebody needs to put that thing out of its misery". I turned and surprisingly realized I was walking toward the mound that was about one hundred yards away. I had only taken about ten steps when it seemed like big Mike appeared right in front of me and said, "Jack, you really need to get back in the line, would you please turn around and go back and join Shi and Mosoto?" I wanted to say 'no', yet what came out of my mouth was, "Hey Mikie, what's going on and how did you know our names?"
"My name is Michael and you will be told what's happening when you can understand; and I know all your names--the King gives me all the names of those who know Him. I can only ask you to trust in the one you call 'Yeshua' and wait until the Maker calls your name."
I turned and went back to join my two new friends. "What happened Jack?" Shi asked.
I said, "Michael asked me to get back in line."
"OH", she stated. I was going to say more when that bell rang again and Michael returned once again walking down the line asking us all to sit down and that food and water would be given to us shortly. So, we sat and ate and I laid back facing Shi who was turned away from me and I was just about to tell her about what Michael had said about the King when the strangest thing yet happened. I heard Shi screaming, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" and what Shi said next blew my mind completely. Shi turned to me with huge tears in her eyes and whispered, “Oh my God,…
(Would you please wait till the next part of the story of “The Line” continues?)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Yeshua is God's Middle Name and His Name Means Salvation
Yeshua the Messiah
(as written by a Messianic Jewish Believer)
Yeshua is the original Hebrew proper name for Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish Rabbi (and more) who lived from about 6 B.C.E. to 27 C.E. (A.D.) In other words, Yeshua was the name His mother called Him when shall called Him for supper.
Jesus is a mis-transliteration of the Greek mis-transliteration, Yeysu. (Some say the name Jesus probably developed from the name of the pagan god Zeus, but there is little or no evidence for this.) It is true that Emporer Constatine mistook Jesus for the Greek god Apollo, but that is another story.
It is the most proper to call Him Yeshua, since only in the Hebrew does His name have any meaning. In Hebrew Yeshua means both "Salvation," and the concatenated form of Yahoshua, the "L-RD who is Salvation." The name Jesus has no intrinsic meaning in English, except as it is known as His name in English. (Therefore, we cannot deny the name Jesus, since this name commonly identifies the Messiah to English speaking people.)
Many people of the world believe Yeshua to be the promised Lamb of G-d, who was chosen to be sacrificed for all mankind's sin. The Bible declares that mankind must have a blood sacrifice to substitute punishment for their sins by placing them on the sacrifice, figuratively speaking. The sacrifice has to be blameless, else the punishment could not be substituted, since the thing sacrificed would be dying for its own sins. Clean and spotless animals were once sacrificed as a temporal measure until a fully qualified sacrifice could be supplied at the proper time. Followers of Yeshua believe He was that perfect sacrifice. He is a man, who could be properly substituted for mankind, yet G-d in the flesh, for only G-d is sinless. Only G-d Himself is a pure enough sacrifice to satisfy His holy justice, for all men have sinned.
Yeshua came speaking the Torah Word of G-d with absolute authority. He made no mistake in regards to all G-d's commands. Only G-d Himself could act this way. For this reason people accept Yeshua as G-d in the flesh. Not that G-d is consigned or limited to flesh, but that He can manifest Himself in whatever form He pleases to fulfill His task. Yeshua of Nazareth was and is the form of flesh that G-d was manifest in. In this form, Yeshua is the Son of G-d and the Son of Man.
Because Yeshua presented Himself with this absolute authority it is only logical to conclude He either is G-d or He is the world's greatest pretender, thus a liar and definitely a lunatic.
If Yeshua is G-d then He is the greatest Jew who ever lived, and an honor to the Jewish people. If He is not G-d then He is the worst Jew who ever lived and a disgrace to Jewishness.
Messianic Jews believe Yeshua to be the Messiah of Israel and G-d in the flesh, who will come again to deliver Israel from their persecutors. Amen.
Copyright 1996 - 2008 David M. Hargis. All rights reserved.
Thank you brother Hargis, may Yeshua's Shalom be on you and your family.
(as written by a Messianic Jewish Believer)
Yeshua is the original Hebrew proper name for Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish Rabbi (and more) who lived from about 6 B.C.E. to 27 C.E. (A.D.) In other words, Yeshua was the name His mother called Him when shall called Him for supper.
Jesus is a mis-transliteration of the Greek mis-transliteration, Yeysu. (Some say the name Jesus probably developed from the name of the pagan god Zeus, but there is little or no evidence for this.) It is true that Emporer Constatine mistook Jesus for the Greek god Apollo, but that is another story.
It is the most proper to call Him Yeshua, since only in the Hebrew does His name have any meaning. In Hebrew Yeshua means both "Salvation," and the concatenated form of Yahoshua, the "L-RD who is Salvation." The name Jesus has no intrinsic meaning in English, except as it is known as His name in English. (Therefore, we cannot deny the name Jesus, since this name commonly identifies the Messiah to English speaking people.)
Many people of the world believe Yeshua to be the promised Lamb of G-d, who was chosen to be sacrificed for all mankind's sin. The Bible declares that mankind must have a blood sacrifice to substitute punishment for their sins by placing them on the sacrifice, figuratively speaking. The sacrifice has to be blameless, else the punishment could not be substituted, since the thing sacrificed would be dying for its own sins. Clean and spotless animals were once sacrificed as a temporal measure until a fully qualified sacrifice could be supplied at the proper time. Followers of Yeshua believe He was that perfect sacrifice. He is a man, who could be properly substituted for mankind, yet G-d in the flesh, for only G-d is sinless. Only G-d Himself is a pure enough sacrifice to satisfy His holy justice, for all men have sinned.
Yeshua came speaking the Torah Word of G-d with absolute authority. He made no mistake in regards to all G-d's commands. Only G-d Himself could act this way. For this reason people accept Yeshua as G-d in the flesh. Not that G-d is consigned or limited to flesh, but that He can manifest Himself in whatever form He pleases to fulfill His task. Yeshua of Nazareth was and is the form of flesh that G-d was manifest in. In this form, Yeshua is the Son of G-d and the Son of Man.
Because Yeshua presented Himself with this absolute authority it is only logical to conclude He either is G-d or He is the world's greatest pretender, thus a liar and definitely a lunatic.
If Yeshua is G-d then He is the greatest Jew who ever lived, and an honor to the Jewish people. If He is not G-d then He is the worst Jew who ever lived and a disgrace to Jewishness.
Messianic Jews believe Yeshua to be the Messiah of Israel and G-d in the flesh, who will come again to deliver Israel from their persecutors. Amen.
Copyright 1996 - 2008 David M. Hargis. All rights reserved.
Thank you brother Hargis, may Yeshua's Shalom be on you and your family.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Smoking and The Great Trilemma: Yeshua was either Liar, Lunatic or Lord
After I admitted that I began smoking again I responded to my son, Dale who asked me "What kind of Nicotine?" Certainly there are different ways to get it into the system, many types of conveyors. There is smoking, chewing, snorting, eating, and I suppose even injecting. Oh don't forget "a little bit between the cheek and gum" as well as drinking. Any way it's addictive. Habits are usually replaced by other habits. Some "good" and others "bad".
I think I've discovered the only way to stop any behaviors we don't want is to decide to do so one day at a time. Addictive behaviors are tied into the emotions which come from our thinking. The consequences of unhealthy habits are negative.
So why did I start smoking again? Relapse. It's part of the process. Why do we do anything? Bottom line: choice. We can.
I appreciate all advice. Interesting word: "ADD-VICE" don't you think?
Thanks for all prayers and thoughts and advice.
I'm turning over this "VICE" to God. First step acknowledge it. Second step no denial. No blaming or minimizing or rationalizing it. It's mine to "deal with" and I'm glad I've got support.
Like all "thorns of the flesh" they all effect and affect the other aspects of our being: those being psychological and spiritual. Mind/Body/Soul=the "trinity of we humans.
Like the three aspects of Yeshua: Father.Son.Spirit all entwined. Separate and yet ONE. Hard to really fathom and harder still to imagine. How does a three dimensional being be the Same: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. And if we add the fourth dimension it gets even more complicated. What's the fourth dimension: Faith? Hope? Grace? Love? All four?
Maybe it's forgiveness. And who really knows how many other dimensions might exist? A riddle inside an enigma.
It seems to be beyond understanding. No science can fathom it much less "prove" it. Good science is theory based on the evidence we think we have which may be closer to faith than one might like or want to believe. The thing of philosophers and dreamers it is.
God is. Why are we so vain and arrogant that we might think we "know" God? Ask Job which some believe the most ancient of human stories.
Vanity of vanities. All is vanities. Who is "man" that he/she might think we mind know the Being know as the "Great I Am"?
What is God, l ask and say God is What. What was, what is and what will always be. Put God in a box and I bet you'll find that your box is to small.
So what is the truth which is a riddle wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a conundrum? A lost father standing at his gate waiting for his lost son to come home. Or is it he shepherd who leaves everything he has and goes looking for his one lost lamb? Or is it both? Or is it neither? I would like to believe that is both.
Think outside the box which could really a circle.
Yeshua said "I AM THE TRUTH." Who but the Eternal would dare make such a statement? He was either a liar, a lunatic or Lord. ***C.S Lewis said that AND IT'S CALLED THE GREAT TRILEMMA.
So why did I start smoking again? Stupid, dumb or nuts. And weak. I believe Yeshua directs my heart to use my weakness to prove a point. Similar to how He asked Hosea to marry a prostitute. And this time I'm not going to hide it like I've done in the past. In my weakness may His power be shown.
Yeshua's Shalom.
***Check out Lewis's book Mere Christianity.
I think I've discovered the only way to stop any behaviors we don't want is to decide to do so one day at a time. Addictive behaviors are tied into the emotions which come from our thinking. The consequences of unhealthy habits are negative.
So why did I start smoking again? Relapse. It's part of the process. Why do we do anything? Bottom line: choice. We can.
I appreciate all advice. Interesting word: "ADD-VICE" don't you think?
Thanks for all prayers and thoughts and advice.
I'm turning over this "VICE" to God. First step acknowledge it. Second step no denial. No blaming or minimizing or rationalizing it. It's mine to "deal with" and I'm glad I've got support.
Like all "thorns of the flesh" they all effect and affect the other aspects of our being: those being psychological and spiritual. Mind/Body/Soul=the "trinity of we humans.
Like the three aspects of Yeshua: Father.Son.Spirit all entwined. Separate and yet ONE. Hard to really fathom and harder still to imagine. How does a three dimensional being be the Same: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. And if we add the fourth dimension it gets even more complicated. What's the fourth dimension: Faith? Hope? Grace? Love? All four?
Maybe it's forgiveness. And who really knows how many other dimensions might exist? A riddle inside an enigma.
It seems to be beyond understanding. No science can fathom it much less "prove" it. Good science is theory based on the evidence we think we have which may be closer to faith than one might like or want to believe. The thing of philosophers and dreamers it is.
God is. Why are we so vain and arrogant that we might think we "know" God? Ask Job which some believe the most ancient of human stories.
Vanity of vanities. All is vanities. Who is "man" that he/she might think we mind know the Being know as the "Great I Am"?
What is God, l ask and say God is What. What was, what is and what will always be. Put God in a box and I bet you'll find that your box is to small.
So what is the truth which is a riddle wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a conundrum? A lost father standing at his gate waiting for his lost son to come home. Or is it he shepherd who leaves everything he has and goes looking for his one lost lamb? Or is it both? Or is it neither? I would like to believe that is both.
Think outside the box which could really a circle.
Yeshua said "I AM THE TRUTH." Who but the Eternal would dare make such a statement? He was either a liar, a lunatic or Lord. ***C.S Lewis said that AND IT'S CALLED THE GREAT TRILEMMA.
So why did I start smoking again? Stupid, dumb or nuts. And weak. I believe Yeshua directs my heart to use my weakness to prove a point. Similar to how He asked Hosea to marry a prostitute. And this time I'm not going to hide it like I've done in the past. In my weakness may His power be shown.
Yeshua's Shalom.
***Check out Lewis's book Mere Christianity.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Heartfelt Words to a Young Friend who Happens to be Wiccan.
Austin, I believe all things were made by Yeshua, the Creator. The only belief that really counts for me though is that a Jewish carpenter who called Himself the "I Am" died on a cross for me and you outside the walls of Jerusalem and now His Spirit lives in me. The rest of my beliefs pale to this. It is my prayer that you would add Yeshua to your belief one day.
Religion and religious beliefs are mostly human's vain attempts to save themselves. No bible or set of rules ever saved anybody. "Saved" means to me I am not my own, I belong to Him who called me out of darkness to the Light: Yeshua is Light.
I can not prove my belief in Him; I can only believe it with every ounce of my being. "Salvation" and "Church" are but two of the multitude of religious words that mean nothing if Yeshua is not the Eternal One who came to this earth as a man to show us what "God" really looks like. How this is possible I do not have a clue and simply believe it.
My life was so full of hypocrisy (a kind word for shit) and over my 63 years of life I've committed every "sin" known to man, either physically or in my heart. I've killed, I've committed unfaithfulness in and out of marriage. I've also done many "good" things. I thought I had all the answers and still there was a hole in my heart. In the name of "God" I beat my son and called him worthless (and much more, so much that it would fill the pages of Facebook). He was and is the most intelligent of people I've known. I taught him how to lie and be deceitful. I am so proud of my son, but I doubt if he will ever believe me and I do not blame him for any of my behaviors. I only blame myself.
Austin, I respect you for who you are just as I respect my son. No one has the right to hurt another human being, much less his own son. I am dedicated to non-violence in any of it's forms: verbal, non-verbal, emotional and physical. I teach men who have battered their families as I once did mine. I've worked for Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services for over ten years. I know I can never "make up" for what I've done and I am learning to forgive myself; yet I will not ever forgive myself for what I have done, for I believe my actions were unforgivable.
Yeshua from the cross said: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He didn't say forgive them for what they were doing--for what they were doing was monstrous: killing the physical form of God. Yeshua said "forgive them" and His death was the one act that makes that possible. And I believe Yeshua forgives me, not my monstrous acts to my son or to others. I accepted His sacrifice in my place by accepting Him as the Lord of Life.
Yeshua's Shaloam.
Don
Would you please prayerfully consider my words and pray for me as I also continue to pray for you.
Religion and religious beliefs are mostly human's vain attempts to save themselves. No bible or set of rules ever saved anybody. "Saved" means to me I am not my own, I belong to Him who called me out of darkness to the Light: Yeshua is Light.
I can not prove my belief in Him; I can only believe it with every ounce of my being. "Salvation" and "Church" are but two of the multitude of religious words that mean nothing if Yeshua is not the Eternal One who came to this earth as a man to show us what "God" really looks like. How this is possible I do not have a clue and simply believe it.
My life was so full of hypocrisy (a kind word for shit) and over my 63 years of life I've committed every "sin" known to man, either physically or in my heart. I've killed, I've committed unfaithfulness in and out of marriage. I've also done many "good" things. I thought I had all the answers and still there was a hole in my heart. In the name of "God" I beat my son and called him worthless (and much more, so much that it would fill the pages of Facebook). He was and is the most intelligent of people I've known. I taught him how to lie and be deceitful. I am so proud of my son, but I doubt if he will ever believe me and I do not blame him for any of my behaviors. I only blame myself.
Austin, I respect you for who you are just as I respect my son. No one has the right to hurt another human being, much less his own son. I am dedicated to non-violence in any of it's forms: verbal, non-verbal, emotional and physical. I teach men who have battered their families as I once did mine. I've worked for Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services for over ten years. I know I can never "make up" for what I've done and I am learning to forgive myself; yet I will not ever forgive myself for what I have done, for I believe my actions were unforgivable.
Yeshua from the cross said: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He didn't say forgive them for what they were doing--for what they were doing was monstrous: killing the physical form of God. Yeshua said "forgive them" and His death was the one act that makes that possible. And I believe Yeshua forgives me, not my monstrous acts to my son or to others. I accepted His sacrifice in my place by accepting Him as the Lord of Life.
Yeshua's Shaloam.
Don
Would you please prayerfully consider my words and pray for me as I also continue to pray for you.
Monday, July 19, 2010
An Open Letter to the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
Dear Sir:
I've asked believers in Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah to ask all the believers that they know to pray for me as I send this letter to you. I'm trusting in God to eventually help this letter find its way to you.
I ask you to please consider what I say to you and prayerfully respond from your heart?
I am not going to appeal to you on what the Bible says because I know you believe the Bible and also extra-"cathedra" revelations as well. Sir, I am going to appeal to you only on what I believe is the Heart of Yeshua, the Only True God who left Heaven and lived in the flesh for a few (33 or so) years on this earth and came to show us "the Father" (i.e., what God really was like) and who died for the sins of all humans of all time on a cruel Roman Cross and was buried and rose from the dead, having promised his Spirit to all believers once He returned (ascended) back to Heaven.
The Heart of Yeshua is God. God's Heart and God's Kingdom is NOT of this World. He left all disciples with but one new commandment: To love as He loved and then the world would really know we are all Disciples of Yeshua.
The Church you head as Pope is not Yeshua's "called out ones". There is no earthly "man-made" or "woman-made" Church that Yeshua knows anything about. His Heart says you may call me "Lord, Lord and do many religious acts and on that Day I will say I never knew you."
There are so many good people who believe in you, sir and who look to you for guidance as do the followers of other religious leaders of all other human made "Churches" or organizations.
Yeshua lived on this earth as a Jew and died as He said He would and that after He "was lifted up" all humans would be drawn to Him.
No human organization can save anyone. No human act of kindness can save anyone. We all are sinners (law-breakers) and deserve death. Only by Yeshua's grace can we be saved by faith in Yeshua who died for us to show us what love is really like. It's about dying to self and crawling up on the Cross of the Messiah and giving our all to Him.
So, I'm asking you to die. I'm asking you to die to what you must know in your heart is a human organization which you head as the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. And I ask this not only of you, but also all men or women who are the religious leaders of their Churches--be the protestant, catholic or Jew, Muslim, or any other human organization that exists in this world today. I ask you to indicate this by signing this letter.
The religious leaders of Yeshua's day put Him to death because He basically asked them to do the same thing I'm asking you to do. And it is not only I but all the believers in the One True God: Yeshua. They have signed their names below and on January 1, 2011 the very last person who signs this is going to send this document on to you. God will make this happen. In the Name of Yeshua the Messiah I believe this with my heart.
These are the names of women, men, girls and boys who only trust in Jesus/Yeshua. And we confess that we are willing to die for Him just as He died for us. This is the Body of Christ today and if you want to kill us like your religious counter parts did the Body of Yeshua in the first century, then go ahead. We willingly die for Yeshua as He did for us. If this is the only way the Body of Christ can be united then may it be so.
In the Name that is above every name; the Only Name by which one can be saved: Yeshua: God's Salvation. Son of Mary, Son of God: Yeshua is Lord.
Yeshua's Shalom,
1. Donald Curtis McPherson, (July 19, 2010) [Would you Sign and date and send on?]
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
I've asked believers in Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah to ask all the believers that they know to pray for me as I send this letter to you. I'm trusting in God to eventually help this letter find its way to you.
I ask you to please consider what I say to you and prayerfully respond from your heart?
I am not going to appeal to you on what the Bible says because I know you believe the Bible and also extra-"cathedra" revelations as well. Sir, I am going to appeal to you only on what I believe is the Heart of Yeshua, the Only True God who left Heaven and lived in the flesh for a few (33 or so) years on this earth and came to show us "the Father" (i.e., what God really was like) and who died for the sins of all humans of all time on a cruel Roman Cross and was buried and rose from the dead, having promised his Spirit to all believers once He returned (ascended) back to Heaven.
The Heart of Yeshua is God. God's Heart and God's Kingdom is NOT of this World. He left all disciples with but one new commandment: To love as He loved and then the world would really know we are all Disciples of Yeshua.
The Church you head as Pope is not Yeshua's "called out ones". There is no earthly "man-made" or "woman-made" Church that Yeshua knows anything about. His Heart says you may call me "Lord, Lord and do many religious acts and on that Day I will say I never knew you."
There are so many good people who believe in you, sir and who look to you for guidance as do the followers of other religious leaders of all other human made "Churches" or organizations.
Yeshua lived on this earth as a Jew and died as He said He would and that after He "was lifted up" all humans would be drawn to Him.
No human organization can save anyone. No human act of kindness can save anyone. We all are sinners (law-breakers) and deserve death. Only by Yeshua's grace can we be saved by faith in Yeshua who died for us to show us what love is really like. It's about dying to self and crawling up on the Cross of the Messiah and giving our all to Him.
So, I'm asking you to die. I'm asking you to die to what you must know in your heart is a human organization which you head as the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. And I ask this not only of you, but also all men or women who are the religious leaders of their Churches--be the protestant, catholic or Jew, Muslim, or any other human organization that exists in this world today. I ask you to indicate this by signing this letter.
The religious leaders of Yeshua's day put Him to death because He basically asked them to do the same thing I'm asking you to do. And it is not only I but all the believers in the One True God: Yeshua. They have signed their names below and on January 1, 2011 the very last person who signs this is going to send this document on to you. God will make this happen. In the Name of Yeshua the Messiah I believe this with my heart.
These are the names of women, men, girls and boys who only trust in Jesus/Yeshua. And we confess that we are willing to die for Him just as He died for us. This is the Body of Christ today and if you want to kill us like your religious counter parts did the Body of Yeshua in the first century, then go ahead. We willingly die for Yeshua as He did for us. If this is the only way the Body of Christ can be united then may it be so.
In the Name that is above every name; the Only Name by which one can be saved: Yeshua: God's Salvation. Son of Mary, Son of God: Yeshua is Lord.
Yeshua's Shalom,
1. Donald Curtis McPherson, (July 19, 2010) [Would you Sign and date and send on?]
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
An Open Letter to my friends Ray and Kayla
The following responses were to "friends" on Facebook. Both are really my friends: Ray from a long time ago and Kayla a new teen-age friend. Here is Ray's question: So Don, I'm only asking because I don't know. Not trying to argue or be difficult. So many have abused our Lord's name in so many ways. Is YESHUA Greek or Hebrew & where has the name been? Thanks Don
And my response:
It is the Hebrew name given to our Lord by his Parents, Mary and Joseph as instucted by the angel Gabriel. It's been there from the eigth day when he was circumciszed and pronounced: Yeshua, son of Abraham, Son of God. Most messianic Jews call Jesus "Yeshua". Check out Utube under "Yeshua". There are ome great videos and testimonies, etc. Also, there seems to be a false sect out there which calls our Lord "Jeshua" with a "J" which I believe may be Gnostic. I could be wrong.
In the Movie "the Passion of the Christ" which has English subtitles, the Aramaic language is used which is the common Hebrew. Listen as the Messiah is called Yeshua.
It's interesting that a group of believers who professes to be like the original new testament church, was and is so angolizied (including myself) that we have been westernized so much and have turned the followers of the Way into a religious organization who don't know or use the original name of our Savior--which is exactly what Yeshua (which means, God's Savior) said "You call me Lord Lord...and I will say I don't know you". Who are you people, your rules are more important than relationships. And not using his Hebrew name is only one example of the "human rules" that have legalized the Spirit of Yeshua.
I appreciate your interest in this Ray. I have been researching this for some time and have only resently become more vocal in my daily life.
It's like I am unable to keep silent about it. Probably get me kicked out of the Church of Christ, except--oh yeah, I already was.
There are so many believers and God fearers out there who are amazed when I just start talking about Yeshua and not all the religious crap of "organized Christianity" that has so turned them off. The common people "sinners and Republicans"--:) (that's a joke Ray) are as fascinated with Yeshua as they were when he walked on this earth 2100+ years ago.
I belive that Yeshua was there in the beginning with God and Was God and He was as of yet not manifested in the flesh so technically there wasn't the "Father/Son relationship. I think "trinity theology" can sometimes be confusling to us mere mortal, except to Texicans :). God had not "become flesh" ... See Morenor dewelt with us as a human. I believe God is One. Yeshua came to show us what God "looks like" if you will-- in every possible way.
Ray, have you ever read the Shack? Great book, great story and mind expanding, at least it was for me. God's "earth" name, the name the angel told Mary to name her child, his Jewish name was and is Yeshua.
At least I've never heard ignorant people take the name of Yeshua and turn it into a curse word. Probably some have and do, and most "Christians" don't even know it's the original name of the Savior. Like the Church it has been angolosized and westernized and denominasized until it is nothing like the Master "called us out" to be which is simply disciples and followers of the Way/Truth/Life: Yeshua.
May you have Yeshua's Shalom.
And this was Kayla's question: Why don't Jewish people believe Yeshua is the Messiah? :C You'd think they would, seeing as he was Jewish, right? I don't get it. :C
My response: Great question? Many Jewish people do believe in Yeshua. Sometimes these people are known as Messianic Jews. When they proclaim their faith they are often kicked out of their families which is exactly what Yeshua said would happen: " Father against son, mother against daughter..." Check out UTUBE under the name "Yeshua" there are a lot of beutiful songs and videos and also testimonies of Jews who have given their lives to Yeshua. All the original disciples and Paul were Jews and they were greatly persecuted for their faith as our many Jews today.
In closing this blog I'd like to share a few thoughts. I was once a pharisee of pharisees. So I know there is a danger here.
So, why make such a big deal out the name of Jesus? For one it is the only name under heaven by which one can be saved. It is the name we are to confess before others that we believe he is the one who lived and died for us and rose on the third day. I mean it's just a name...
Hardly. It is THE NAME. Maybe we can at least pronounce it correctly, don't you think?
Yeshua saves, I understand that and no we are not saved by his name. Him.
Well we could call God "GAD", it's only a name, right? You decide.
How important is your name to you? It's a new perspective if nothing else.
It is at the name of Yeshua that every knee will one day bow. Heaven declared it, let's use it, after all it is the Name of Names, the Name above every name.
Yeshua's Shalom.
And my response:
It is the Hebrew name given to our Lord by his Parents, Mary and Joseph as instucted by the angel Gabriel. It's been there from the eigth day when he was circumciszed and pronounced: Yeshua, son of Abraham, Son of God. Most messianic Jews call Jesus "Yeshua". Check out Utube under "Yeshua". There are ome great videos and testimonies, etc. Also, there seems to be a false sect out there which calls our Lord "Jeshua" with a "J" which I believe may be Gnostic. I could be wrong.
In the Movie "the Passion of the Christ" which has English subtitles, the Aramaic language is used which is the common Hebrew. Listen as the Messiah is called Yeshua.
It's interesting that a group of believers who professes to be like the original new testament church, was and is so angolizied (including myself) that we have been westernized so much and have turned the followers of the Way into a religious organization who don't know or use the original name of our Savior--which is exactly what Yeshua (which means, God's Savior) said "You call me Lord Lord...and I will say I don't know you". Who are you people, your rules are more important than relationships. And not using his Hebrew name is only one example of the "human rules" that have legalized the Spirit of Yeshua.
I appreciate your interest in this Ray. I have been researching this for some time and have only resently become more vocal in my daily life.
It's like I am unable to keep silent about it. Probably get me kicked out of the Church of Christ, except--oh yeah, I already was.
There are so many believers and God fearers out there who are amazed when I just start talking about Yeshua and not all the religious crap of "organized Christianity" that has so turned them off. The common people "sinners and Republicans"--:) (that's a joke Ray) are as fascinated with Yeshua as they were when he walked on this earth 2100+ years ago.
I belive that Yeshua was there in the beginning with God and Was God and He was as of yet not manifested in the flesh so technically there wasn't the "Father/Son relationship. I think "trinity theology" can sometimes be confusling to us mere mortal, except to Texicans :). God had not "become flesh" ... See Morenor dewelt with us as a human. I believe God is One. Yeshua came to show us what God "looks like" if you will-- in every possible way.
Ray, have you ever read the Shack? Great book, great story and mind expanding, at least it was for me. God's "earth" name, the name the angel told Mary to name her child, his Jewish name was and is Yeshua.
At least I've never heard ignorant people take the name of Yeshua and turn it into a curse word. Probably some have and do, and most "Christians" don't even know it's the original name of the Savior. Like the Church it has been angolosized and westernized and denominasized until it is nothing like the Master "called us out" to be which is simply disciples and followers of the Way/Truth/Life: Yeshua.
May you have Yeshua's Shalom.
And this was Kayla's question: Why don't Jewish people believe Yeshua is the Messiah? :C You'd think they would, seeing as he was Jewish, right? I don't get it. :C
My response: Great question? Many Jewish people do believe in Yeshua. Sometimes these people are known as Messianic Jews. When they proclaim their faith they are often kicked out of their families which is exactly what Yeshua said would happen: " Father against son, mother against daughter..." Check out UTUBE under the name "Yeshua" there are a lot of beutiful songs and videos and also testimonies of Jews who have given their lives to Yeshua. All the original disciples and Paul were Jews and they were greatly persecuted for their faith as our many Jews today.
In closing this blog I'd like to share a few thoughts. I was once a pharisee of pharisees. So I know there is a danger here.
So, why make such a big deal out the name of Jesus? For one it is the only name under heaven by which one can be saved. It is the name we are to confess before others that we believe he is the one who lived and died for us and rose on the third day. I mean it's just a name...
Hardly. It is THE NAME. Maybe we can at least pronounce it correctly, don't you think?
Yeshua saves, I understand that and no we are not saved by his name. Him.
Well we could call God "GAD", it's only a name, right? You decide.
How important is your name to you? It's a new perspective if nothing else.
It is at the name of Yeshua that every knee will one day bow. Heaven declared it, let's use it, after all it is the Name of Names, the Name above every name.
Yeshua's Shalom.
The Name of Names
What is the Proper Name of the Most High?
The "so called unspoken name of God--YHVH" I believe was spoken by Yeshua and he taught his disciples the name which is in reality his name since he and the Father are one. Here's an interesting article.
Did Yeshua (Jesus) teach his disciples how to pronounce the Great Name (YHVH)?
Saturday, 19 April 2008 17:19
"The [Seleucid] Greeks decreed that the name of God may not be spoken aloud; but when the Hasmoneans grew in strength and defeated them they decreed that the name of God be used even in contracts... when the Rabbis heard about this they said, 'Tomorrow this person will pay his debt and the contract will be thrown on a garbage heap' so they forbade its use in contracts." (Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashannah 18b)
Shortly before the initial Jewish Maccabaen revolt (nearly two centuries before Yeshua's life), Antiochus IV Epiphanes made several intensely provoactive anti-Torah decrees, including the ban of all forms of use of the Great Name יהוה (YHVH). Apparently, the rabbis thought it a good idea to continue the ban of Antiochus with their own spin:
"It is forbidden to read the glorious and terrible name as it is written, as the sages said "He that pronounces the name as it is written has no portion in the world to come". Therefore it must be read as if it were written Adonai." (Mishnah Berurah 5:2)
Why did Yeshua have to reveal the Great Name?
Some teachers claim Yeshua (Jesus) never broke the rabbinic ban on pronouncing the Great Name... thus we should follow his example and keep with Jewish Oral tradition NOT to speak the so-called "Ineffable" (unspeakable) Name. But is that really the case? Did he not say the Name? Did he not reveal the Name to his disciples?
John 17:6 “I have revealed [manifested] Your Name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have guarded Your Word."
John 17:26 “And I have made Your Name known to them, and shall make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me might be in them, and I in them.”
Hebrews 2:12 ...saying, “I shall announce Your Name to My brothers, in the midst of the congregation I shall sing praise to You.” See: Psalms 22:22 and 45:17
Jeremiah 44:26 indicates the Name was removed from Judah's lips... so maybe they (the Jews) did not know how to pronounce It by the time Yeshua arrived... for they were still traditionally prohibited to do so. We can assume they knew the Torah and were familiar with the discourse between Moshe (Moses) and יהוה regarding what His Name was and what It meant in Exodus 3:13-15. So they didn't need him to reveal how it was spelled or its meaning, but the pronunciation had been prohibited for many generations. Traditionally, It is believed that only the High Priest would say the Name ten times on Yom Kippur and the Name would be heard all the way to Jericho (Yoma 39a-b).
Translation Controversy: "Revealed" or "Manifested"?
John 17:6 uses the Greek word "phaneroō"where you see "revealed" or "manifested" in English. Strong's #: G5319 description is below:
φανερόω
phaneroō
fan-er-o'-o
From G5318; to render apparent (literally or figuratively): - appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).
In modern English usage, the nuances of "revealed" and "manifested" are different, but a single Greek word is used. Every English speaker will generally prefer one word over another depending on their already strongly held view regarding what Yeshua did. Did he reveal the Name in power AND pronunciation or did he just manifest it in some figurative and yet powerful way without ever saying the Great Name out loud? Why would the Anointed of the Most High submit to the rulings of a pagan Greek king or his Jewish collaborators?
If you read Psalms 22 and 45 (passages Yeshua was apparently quoting), you see how frequent King David used the Great Name in writing, but did he actually say It out loud? My question is, why wouldn't he have said the Great Name out loud if he was speaking It respectively and with good purpose as instructed by the Torah? We have no reason to believe that Jews would not have said the Name until we come to the time of the Babylonian Captivity where Jeremiah (as already shown above) indicates the Name would be removed from the mouths of the men of Judah. If the Jews weren't saying It, why would יהוה prophesy though Jeremiah that It would be removed?
More significant evidence
The following are a few places Yeshua "likely" said the Great Name out loud. We cannot know for sure since He did not speak in Greek to the common people in Judah and Samaria, yet the Greek is exclusively what we have as the underlying known manuscript. We do know that the LXX (the Greek translation of the Tanakh/Old Testament) frequently translates "YHVH Elohim" as "Kurios Theos", which is almost always shown to us in English translation as "the LORD thy God".
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord [Kurios] thy God [Theos]. (Quoting Deut.6:16)
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord [Kurios] thy God [Theos], and him only shalt thou serve. (Quoting from the Shema: Deut. 6:13)
What about the Apostle Paul?
Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord [Kurios], every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God [Theos]. (Quoting Isaiah 45:23)
Of course, we can believe that when Paul spoke to a live audience, he inserted "Ha-Shem" when he quoted Tanak passages which included the Name, but that may never be known for sure... and is conjecture no matter one's point of view. To really prove the argument in regards to Paul, we need to have a live recording, but of course we don't. We only have the assumption that Paul began obeying the Written Torah above rabbinic bans or he didn't.
Until some time in the future, we may not have the silver bullet of proof that Paul or Yeshua spoke the Great Name out loud. People can of course claim that we have no proof that anyone spoke the Great Name in antiquity (minus the High Priest), but my question then is this: Why would the Seleucid Greeks demand the Great Name not to be spoken if it was already not spoken?
In the Shema passage of Deuteronomy 6, all of the Assembly of Israel is commanded to listen and then do the commands of the Torah. If they didn't all have individual Torah scrolls of their own to read, then they must have heard the Torah read to them out loud (we know this was the case), thus someone must have been speaking the Torah and thus the Great Name (which is found nearly 7,000 times) must have been said and heard in their ears. We see NO WRITTEN passage in the Torah demanding that the Name NOT be spoken until much later when Greeks and Jeiwish rabbis ban It.
Basically, it comes down to this: Who, which Master, are we going to listen to? Are we going to listen to the traditions and innovations of men (Matthew 15:9; Isaiah 29:13) or are we going to listen to the Eternal All Existing One, the Great One of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? It is our choice. Choose this day who you will serve! (Joshua 24:15)
So,what are your thoughts on this?
Side note: Do you know what your name means?
The "so called unspoken name of God--YHVH" I believe was spoken by Yeshua and he taught his disciples the name which is in reality his name since he and the Father are one. Here's an interesting article.
Did Yeshua (Jesus) teach his disciples how to pronounce the Great Name (YHVH)?
Saturday, 19 April 2008 17:19
"The [Seleucid] Greeks decreed that the name of God may not be spoken aloud; but when the Hasmoneans grew in strength and defeated them they decreed that the name of God be used even in contracts... when the Rabbis heard about this they said, 'Tomorrow this person will pay his debt and the contract will be thrown on a garbage heap' so they forbade its use in contracts." (Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashannah 18b)
Shortly before the initial Jewish Maccabaen revolt (nearly two centuries before Yeshua's life), Antiochus IV Epiphanes made several intensely provoactive anti-Torah decrees, including the ban of all forms of use of the Great Name יהוה (YHVH). Apparently, the rabbis thought it a good idea to continue the ban of Antiochus with their own spin:
"It is forbidden to read the glorious and terrible name as it is written, as the sages said "He that pronounces the name as it is written has no portion in the world to come". Therefore it must be read as if it were written Adonai." (Mishnah Berurah 5:2)
Why did Yeshua have to reveal the Great Name?
Some teachers claim Yeshua (Jesus) never broke the rabbinic ban on pronouncing the Great Name... thus we should follow his example and keep with Jewish Oral tradition NOT to speak the so-called "Ineffable" (unspeakable) Name. But is that really the case? Did he not say the Name? Did he not reveal the Name to his disciples?
John 17:6 “I have revealed [manifested] Your Name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have guarded Your Word."
John 17:26 “And I have made Your Name known to them, and shall make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me might be in them, and I in them.”
Hebrews 2:12 ...saying, “I shall announce Your Name to My brothers, in the midst of the congregation I shall sing praise to You.” See: Psalms 22:22 and 45:17
Jeremiah 44:26 indicates the Name was removed from Judah's lips... so maybe they (the Jews) did not know how to pronounce It by the time Yeshua arrived... for they were still traditionally prohibited to do so. We can assume they knew the Torah and were familiar with the discourse between Moshe (Moses) and יהוה regarding what His Name was and what It meant in Exodus 3:13-15. So they didn't need him to reveal how it was spelled or its meaning, but the pronunciation had been prohibited for many generations. Traditionally, It is believed that only the High Priest would say the Name ten times on Yom Kippur and the Name would be heard all the way to Jericho (Yoma 39a-b).
Translation Controversy: "Revealed" or "Manifested"?
John 17:6 uses the Greek word "phaneroō"where you see "revealed" or "manifested" in English. Strong's #: G5319 description is below:
φανερόω
phaneroō
fan-er-o'-o
From G5318; to render apparent (literally or figuratively): - appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).
In modern English usage, the nuances of "revealed" and "manifested" are different, but a single Greek word is used. Every English speaker will generally prefer one word over another depending on their already strongly held view regarding what Yeshua did. Did he reveal the Name in power AND pronunciation or did he just manifest it in some figurative and yet powerful way without ever saying the Great Name out loud? Why would the Anointed of the Most High submit to the rulings of a pagan Greek king or his Jewish collaborators?
If you read Psalms 22 and 45 (passages Yeshua was apparently quoting), you see how frequent King David used the Great Name in writing, but did he actually say It out loud? My question is, why wouldn't he have said the Great Name out loud if he was speaking It respectively and with good purpose as instructed by the Torah? We have no reason to believe that Jews would not have said the Name until we come to the time of the Babylonian Captivity where Jeremiah (as already shown above) indicates the Name would be removed from the mouths of the men of Judah. If the Jews weren't saying It, why would יהוה prophesy though Jeremiah that It would be removed?
More significant evidence
The following are a few places Yeshua "likely" said the Great Name out loud. We cannot know for sure since He did not speak in Greek to the common people in Judah and Samaria, yet the Greek is exclusively what we have as the underlying known manuscript. We do know that the LXX (the Greek translation of the Tanakh/Old Testament) frequently translates "YHVH Elohim" as "Kurios Theos", which is almost always shown to us in English translation as "the LORD thy God".
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord [Kurios] thy God [Theos]. (Quoting Deut.6:16)
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord [Kurios] thy God [Theos], and him only shalt thou serve. (Quoting from the Shema: Deut. 6:13)
What about the Apostle Paul?
Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord [Kurios], every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God [Theos]. (Quoting Isaiah 45:23)
Of course, we can believe that when Paul spoke to a live audience, he inserted "Ha-Shem" when he quoted Tanak passages which included the Name, but that may never be known for sure... and is conjecture no matter one's point of view. To really prove the argument in regards to Paul, we need to have a live recording, but of course we don't. We only have the assumption that Paul began obeying the Written Torah above rabbinic bans or he didn't.
Until some time in the future, we may not have the silver bullet of proof that Paul or Yeshua spoke the Great Name out loud. People can of course claim that we have no proof that anyone spoke the Great Name in antiquity (minus the High Priest), but my question then is this: Why would the Seleucid Greeks demand the Great Name not to be spoken if it was already not spoken?
In the Shema passage of Deuteronomy 6, all of the Assembly of Israel is commanded to listen and then do the commands of the Torah. If they didn't all have individual Torah scrolls of their own to read, then they must have heard the Torah read to them out loud (we know this was the case), thus someone must have been speaking the Torah and thus the Great Name (which is found nearly 7,000 times) must have been said and heard in their ears. We see NO WRITTEN passage in the Torah demanding that the Name NOT be spoken until much later when Greeks and Jeiwish rabbis ban It.
Basically, it comes down to this: Who, which Master, are we going to listen to? Are we going to listen to the traditions and innovations of men (Matthew 15:9; Isaiah 29:13) or are we going to listen to the Eternal All Existing One, the Great One of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? It is our choice. Choose this day who you will serve! (Joshua 24:15)
So,what are your thoughts on this?
Side note: Do you know what your name means?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
