In this issue of Restoration Times we cover:
• Modern worship has lost it’s way
• Succeeding as a believer
• Rearing righteous children
• The spirit world explained
• Are you immortal?
• Give thanks
• Questions and answers
• 3rd edition RSB info
• Letters
What is the origin of Christmas?
Like so many other modern holidays, Christmas was borrowed from paganism, mostly from the Roman Saturnalia, a day that was established to honor the god Satan. This day also contains ties to Mithraism, a warrior god that began in ancient Persia, and Sol Invictus. Because the church was unable to remove this abominable worship, they decided to adopt it. The Encyclopaedia Britannica states: “During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a ‘solar monotheism.’ Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of Solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities. The feast of Sol Invictus (open unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ,” Vol. 11, p.390. Yahweh warned of accepting pagan worship in Jeremiah 10:2, “Thus saith Yahweh, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”
For more info on the orgins of Christmas, please check out our free booklet: December 25th Birthday of the Sun
Who represents the Beast and Ten kings of Revelation 17??
While many believe that the Beast represents a revived Roman Empire and the Ten Kings the European Union, the Bible provides a very different answer.
The first clue is found in Psalm 83:3-8: “They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.”
According to biblical scholars, this confederacy has not occurred, meaning it’s prophetic. Notice the reason for this alliance – to cut off the nation of Israel. What nations are most concerned with removing Israel as a nation today? The answer is today’s Islamic Middle-Eastern nations. Ironically, all ten nations in Psalm 83 correspond to modern Islamic nations. “The following are the modern locations for these ten nations: (1) Edom – Southern Jordan, (2) Ishmaelites – Arabs, (3) Hagarenes – Egypt, (4) Gebal – Lebanon, (5) Ammon – Northern Jordan, (6) Amalek – Sinai Peninsula, (7) Philistines – Gaza Strip, (8) Tyre – Lebanon, (9) Assur – Syria and Iraq, and (10) Children of Lot – Jordan,” Restoration Study Bible, Ps. 83:4.
In addition to the Ten Kings representing Islamic nations, there is also evidence that the Beast system is Islamic. According to Revelation, the Man of Sin’s empire will be established upon seven mountains, representing seven kings or kingdoms. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition” (Rev. 17:9-11).
Notice that these kingdoms are chronological. Five existed before John’s prophecy, one during, one that would come soon after, followed by an eighth, which would be based on the seventh. Since prophecy is always Israel centric, the first five nations likely refer to Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Except for Egypt, each of these nations succeeded the other. Since Rome was the superpower and governed Judea during John’s prophecy, Rome would be the sixth.
Who then would be the seventh kingdom? While many point to the barbarians and the fall of Western Rome, many ignore the fact that Rome was not defeated by the barbarians, but continued through its eastern half, which was later known as the Byzantine Empire. Interestingly, the Byzantine Empire was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century. Based on these historical facts, the Byzantine Empire likely represents the seventh kingdom, making the eighth kingdom a revived Islamic empire or caliphate. The threat of a revived Islamic empire is certainly more probable today than it was decades ago. This is especially true with the recent upsurge of radical Islam.
Also, Revelation 20:4 speaks about the saints being beheaded as a testimony to their faith: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Yahshua, and for the word of Yahweh, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years.” The only religion that employs dismemberment today is radical Islam, further establishing them as not only the Ten Kings, but the entire Beast system.
We have changed our channel name from “Shattering Traditions” to “Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry” on Roku, AppleTV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire. The name change was in response to broadening our content to include our Sabbath worship services in addition to our Shattering Traditions program. On Roku you can also find our Discover the Truth program. To-date, we’ve had over 1 million views on Roku alone. If you have any of these platforms please consider adding our channel by searching for “Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry.”
My love is a fragrant flower. As the dew moistens the grass, so are my lips moistened by his kisses. His arms are to me like ribbons of silk, enveloping my whole being. Lying on his chest is like lying on the sweet smelling earth. His breath is soft and sensual. His eye is as the waters of a crystal lake, clear and smooth. Words of wisdom roll off his tongue; his voice is as a symphony, soft and lyrical. His tender heart harkens to the will of YAHWEH, ever open, ever obedient, priceless. He is a treasure unto me. Oh, that this evening I could lie in his arms and hear him speak the Word. Time grows short, my heart pounds, anticipation floods my soul. Ah, but soon, very soon, my desire will become a tree of life. Blooming to the utmost of my love. Till then I will Praise my
YAHWEH, and sing of his virtues.
by Jolae Barry for her fiancé 1989
No amount of silver or gold can compare with him. His attributes are innumerable
and unlimited. How can this be so? He possesses the most valuable thing in the
world. YAHSHUA Messiah is his Elohim and Savior. His tender heart overflows
with love. He is the most beautiful of men. His voice, his words, his thoughts are
higher than the heavens. He is more valuable than many horses. My love for him
is deeper than the oceans. I thank my Elohim, the creator of the heavens and the
earth and all therein, for my love. May I ever be at his side, quick to agree,
console, encourage. He knows the value of what he has and how to keep it. There
is only one higher than him; the Elohim, YAHWEH almighty! Therefore, in our
lives and home, The King of Kings always comes first, last, and forever. Love,
Jolae.
By Jolae Barry (after we were wed)
YAHWEH KNOWS
Yahweh knows the details and the color of your soul
He knows the misty corners and closets you keep closed
He knows the truth about you like no one ever could
And He knows the sins he nailed to an ancient piece of wood
You may be rejected or judged by human kind
You may be neglected but you are never out of mind
You may be alone as far as anyone can tell
He will take you up and be your Father and your El
By: Gayle Bonato
Shouldn’t we fast a couple times a week? The Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12) and Yahshua said that except our righteousness exceeds the Pharisees we have no hope for the Kingdom.
Except for Atonement, fasting at other times is not an act of righteousness but humility. Righteousness results from lawkeeping and there is no biblical law to fast regularly during the week. If fasting were an act of righteousness and in order to outdo the Pharisees we would need to fast at least three days a week. Yahshua’s point was that the Pharisees established their own standards of righteousness that had little to do with their inner, spiritual growth.
In Revelation 22, the trees leaves are for the “healing of the nations,” yet inRevelation 21 it is stated that there would be no more tears, etc. Revelation 22:3 says the curses have been removed. Could you explain why there would be a need to heal?
The verse tells us that in the midst of the street is the tree of life – indications of not just one tree but many of that same category lining the way. Every month this tree produces fruit in inexpressible abundance. The leaves are for the healing of the nations – ensuring health and immortality, not to heal illness because sickness is absent. Young’s Literal Translation reads, “In the midst of its broad place, and of the river on this side and on that, [is] a tree of life, yielding twelve fruits, in each several month rendering its fruits, and the leaves of the tree [are] for the service of the nations.” When Adam and Eve were rejected from the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword were placed at the east end so that they could not return and eat of the Tree of Life and live forever,Genesis 3:24. This future paradise will have nothing evil (v. 3) in it: There shall be no more curse, rather no accursed thing (Gr. Katanathema), including no serpent there as was in the Genesis paradise.
Where did you come up with the belief that the age of accountability is 20?
The age of accountability is a Biblical concept. There has to be some point when Yahweh decides that a young person is mature enough to be held responsible for his or her actions. From Yahweh’s dealing with Israel that age is 20. Note:
Each of these shows a pattern — that age 20 is the time one entered adulthood and had adult responsibilities extending into the realm of worship. That does not mean that a young person age 19 is not mature in thinking, nor does it guarantee that a person older than 20 is mature, either. But no other age in Scripture has so many indicators showing that Yahweh considers it a key milestone in one’s entering into responsible maturity, and the age when He considers one spiritually mature enough to be held accountable for what one does. This, of course, is no license for anyone less than 20 to be profligate and live sinfully.
If one had to be 20 to serve in the spiritual function of temple worship, it is a key age as well when it comes to one’s spiritual attitude toward serving Yahweh. Could this Scriptural precept be the reason our society considers 21 to be the age of adulthood?
