When Yahshua returns to this earth one of His first acts will be to gather His chosen people. They will have already proved themselves in this life and been judged righteous. “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” Matthew 24:31. He will take them to Jerusalem to help establish His Kingdom on earth, Zechariah 14:4. This is the first resurrection.
We see from Isaiah that there will be babies born in the 1,000-year-long Kingdom when “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them,” 11:6. These unconverted humans will have lived through the end-time Tribulation.
After 1,000 years of spiritual restoration on earth another resurrection will take place when those who died now in ignorance will be resurrected to the physical, human plane. They who come up in this second resurrection will then be taught and given the opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to follow the Truth. This second resurrection is called a resurrection to judgment,Revelation 20:5. In the second resurrection they will be given the same opportunity we have now to prove their sincerity and commit to being followers of Yahweh.
Those who attain the first resurrection will immediately inherit the Kingdom and will rule over those who are raised to life in the second. It will be the job of today’s believers to bring the world into harmony with Yahweh’s government. This awesome potential and responsibility is why we live for Yahweh now. Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not!
In His wisdom Yahweh has called certain ones now to comprehend what He expects of His chosen. Although “many are called and few chosen,” Matthew 20:16, Yahshua made the point that not everyone is called now. Only some are given to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Yahweh, Matthew 13:11-15.
Yahshua deliberately spoke in parables so that the multitudes would not understand and would not be converted. He spoke in parables to hide the truth from those He did not choose at that time. Take heart if you have a loved one who rejects the truth of the Bible now and refuses to receive the Savior as the Captain and Ruler of his or her life. All will get an opportunity eventually.
If we are faithful, we can be in that Kingdom and help others later to learn the way of righteousness.
Although many of our loved ones are truly deceived by Satan (Rev. 12:9), and possibly won’t be in that spiritual realm as kings and priests with Yahshua (1Pet. 2:9), they will be given the choice whether to learn and accept Yahweh’s truth after the Kingdom is set up.
Just as Adam and Eve could have lived forever in Eden if they had taken of the tree of life instead of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the same is true for us. Imagine the prospects! If you are faithful in following Yahshua, you will have the opportunity to teach the Truth to a loved one in the future.
Yahshua now is choosing only those who will be overcomers — those who “overcome with EI” — Israel! Modern Israel is that select group of people who, when they find the truth of the Bible, will hold tightly to it and never let go, Matthew 24:13. Though trials, temptations, and persecution might hound them all the days of their lives, they can see the Holy City whose Builder and Maker is Yahweh, Hebrews 11:10, 16.
To receive the full reward, His people today must overcome and keep His works unto the end (Rev. 2:26-27). Through the Word our Savior calls to you, “Follow Me!” Once we put our hand to the plow we cannot look back with longing for any part of the life of sin we left behind.
We look for a better resurrection. Think of the glories of the coming Kingdom and the joy and bliss that may be ours when we find ourselves in that first resurrection! Paul wrote, “Eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things that Yahweh has prepared for those who love Him,” 1Corinthians 2:9.
The first resurrection carries the favored position. Just as the firstborn of Israel were given a greater inheritance, those in the first resurrection will be given greater responsibilities and opportunities.
Those in the first resurrection will rule with the Messiah for a thousand years, Revelation 20:4, 6. Even the Apostle Paul was eager to be in the first resurrection. He wrote, “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” The New International Version renders this resurrection “from the dead.” Yahshua called it the resurrection “of the just,” Luke 14:14.
Yahshua was given the highest position in the coming Kingdom because of His sacrifice, being the Firstborn of many, so His followers will share in the rewards.
For the Hall of Fame of the faithful and dedicated overcomers, read the 11th chapter of Hebrews. Then make your commitment to repent, be immersed into Yahshua’s Name, and join that list of the faithful.
Today is the only day of salvation,” the evangelist trumpets. “Answer the saving call NOW or forever be lost in the cold darkness of hell’s pit. I implore you, believe and be saved today, before it’s too late.”
Faces of deceased loved ones who never came to the truth of the Word race through the mind, the pain almost unbearable thinking that they are forever lost.
Or are they? Is it rational to believe that billions will be destroyed for eternity because they never had the opportunity to grasp the essentials of Yahweh’s Truth? Is Yahweh fervently trying to bring everyone to saving knowledge now?
As with other widely embraced myths, the notion that today is the only day of salvation has zero basis in Scripture. An essential key to proper understanding of salvation is in the Bible’s teaching about the resurrection.
Not One But Two
The fact that there are two resurrections distinctly taught in the Word provides resolutions to otherwise problematic issues such as:
How all must appear before the judgment seat, as the Apostle Paul revealed. (But what if most are ignorant of the Scriptures? Is it fair to judge one’s ignorance?)
Why Yahweh is merciful and patient with the unenlightened and the unknowing, desiring that all be saved and come to the Truth,1Timothy 2:4.
Why not everyone is being called now (“For many [not all] are called, but few chosen,” Matt. 22:14).
Why the Scriptures speak of firstfruits who rise first (presupposing secondfruits who will follow later).
Why a rapture doesn’t fit the salvation blueprint, let alone prophetic events, and is nonexistent in the Word.
These issues and many others are solved by understanding that there is more than one resurrection.
A basic understanding of Yahweh’s Word is the antidote to a plethora of questions and popular fallacies. Many misunderstand key doctrines because of gaps in their knowledge. To solve that problem the entire biblical teaching on a subject must be pursued from start to finish.
Most are unwilling or unable to embark on such a task, however, and just accept popular or traditional teachings that invariably conflict with the Scriptures. Let’s take a look at the subject of the resurrection from the beginning.
‘Resurrection’ in Old Testament
Many who have never taken a close look think that the concept of a bodily resurrection was unknown in the Old Testament. The resurrection was nothing new to the religious elite of the early New Testament, who obviously learned it from the Old. As with most fundamental, Biblical truths the resurrection has its basis in the foundational books of the Old Testament.
Following are Old Testament pas-sages clearly teaching a resurrection:
Isaiah 26:19 – “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in dust: for your dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
Ezekiel 37:13 – “And you shall know that I [am] Yahweh, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves.”
Daniel 12:2-3 – “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
Hosea 13:14 – “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.”
NT Teaches the Resurrection
In Yahshua’s day denial of the resurrection was a flaw in the doctrine of the priestly class, the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23).
In contrast to the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in a resurrection of all faithful Jews, which became a doctrine of the rabbinic period (70-500 CE).
By the Roman period, however, many Jews believed in a future restoration. This was not immortality of the soul in heaven. Resurrection to them meant resuscitation of the body itself on earth. Yahshua and His disciples taught a kingdom rulership on earth by the saints changed to spirit beings.
In one of the clearest descriptions in the New Testament of the resurrection, Paul explains when and how those found worthy will receive their reward.
“For if we believe that Yahshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Yahshua will Elohim bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of Yahweh, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Master shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Master himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Master,” 1Thessalonians 4:14-17.
This is the Second Coming of our Savior when He will gather His elect, those “in Messiah,” from the four corners of the earth,Matthew 24:31. This event is not a rapture (see p. 24). This is the first resurrection of both living and dead. There would be no point of rapturing the dead.
What happens to those not “in Messiah” and not raised to meet Yahshua at His return in this first resurrection? Many worry about family and friends who never knew or followed truth. Are they and billions like them on a collision course with hell-fire?
Yahweh is not a callous tyrant. He didn’t put us on this planet just to watch us self-destruct. He created us for a purpose – to join Him one day in His Kingdom family and serve Him for eternity in responsible positions in a government that will defy description and that will encompass the universe.
As an earthly father loves his children, Yahweh desires every in-dividual on earth to serve Him both now and in the Kingdom under Yahshua the Messiah. He wants everyone to become like Him in mind and heart by obedience to His standard of righteousness, which is His laws.
Peter wrote, “Yahweh is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” 2Peter 3:9.
Sadly, not everyone who comes to the Truth will prove worthy in living a set-apart life. Once we grasp His truths the ball is in our court with a clear mandate to live by them – or else. Fully grasping the Truth is one thing but ignorance of it is quite another.
A Second Resurrection
Yahweh is merciful, especially to the ignorant. This fact forms the framework for another resurrection that comes a thousand years after the first one at Yahshua’s return. Because most people are not being called today, most have no concept of what is happening now with Yahweh’s plan of salvation. Yahweh will offer them a chance after the millennial Kingdom is over to choose Him over death.
The Father in heaven is no compromiser. He has repeatedly made His mandates known. He has promised blessings for living by them and curses for not doing so. It’s entirely His prerogative, and it’s our job to get on board. Our salvation depends on it.
Since the days of Eden Yahweh has been telling His human creation to walk in His ways, not in our own. That’s not complicated. If you follow Him you will be blessed eternally. But if you rebel and turn away from Him and live life your own way, you will be in utmost danger. That’s the thrust of salvation in the Scriptures.
Endless doctrinal disputes arise when someone tries to circumvent Yahweh’s commands. In doing so they reject His preeminence and authority. Man instinctively hates having to obey anything. In fact, widespread DISobedience is the order of our day.
His ways are not hard to understand: Yahweh sees obedience as good, disobedience as rebellion. He rewards obedience, He punishes disobedience. It’s the same for any parent bringing up a child.
Experience proves that widespread disobedience results in societal break-down. Yet common anti-law teachings advocate that His laws be ignored as obsolete.
Let’s look at the resurrection in light of fundamental, biblical fact.
Rewards in First Resurrection
The apostle tells us in 2Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he has done, whether [it be] good or bad.”
Many have read this verse believing that everyone will go through a great final judgment and be sentenced. But notice1Corinthians 15:23:
“Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of Yahweh and of Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years. But every man in his own order: Messiah the firstfruits; afterward they that are Messiah’s at his coming”
How can He gather His chosen before they are formally judged? He reveals that if you are in the first resurrection that the second death has no power over you. Therefore you are already judged if you are in the first resurrection.
Truth seekers are appearing before the judgment seat right now. They are being evaluated by how they live today. This has major implications for obedience. This is the key to con-forming to Yahweh’s commands and not just relying on His grace and living life any way you choose.
Peter Confirms a Judgment Now
The Apostle Peter wrote, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of Elohim: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the evangel of Elohim?” The faithful are undergoing judgment right now. Their good behavior is a witness for them and bad behavior a witness against them, 1Peter 4:17.
The ignorant and unenlightened are not under judgment yet because they are not being called now. They are busy living for themselves. That is why the True Worshiper must never let the ignorant society set his or her standards. The secular world is not “in the game” and therefore their example or advice about obedience is not creditworthy.
Traditional notions lead to the belief that judgment is a mere sentencing where the gavel drops and a trap door opens to hellfire – or a ladder to heaven appears for those wearing halos.
Judgment is a process, just as it is in any trial proceeding. As the proceedings go on, the judge or jury draw conclusions as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. Those who will be the chosen are being judged in their lives now.
Judged By What We Do
By what criteria are we judged? Yahshua the righteous Judge says, “I will give unto every one of you according to your works,”Revelation 2:23. Works means how we conformed to His will. His will is expressed by His laws and commands relating to those laws.
If we are saved by grace and faith alone, with no requirement on our part, then there is no need for a judgment. There is no point or purpose in ex-amining behavior if it’s a foregone conclusion that we are saved regardless. All we need is a simple confession and we are home free. James contradicts that.
“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continues [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed,” James 1:25. He says further in 2:12: “So speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.”
An assessment of our lives determines our worthiness for the Kingdom and our rewards in it. And that is a key reason obedience to Yahweh’s laws is mandated, not optional. Judgment would be impossible without a way to gauge behavior.
Without posted speed limits it would be ludicrous for a police officer to stop anyone for speeding.
The first resurrection involves those who remained faithful to Him now, in this life. It includes both the chosen living and the chosen dead. They are considered “in Messiah.” They are the faithful saints who will have persevered and stood fast until the end.
To be in this first resurrection all must already have been judged righteous and worthy. “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear,”Matthew 13:41-43.
Combine this passage with Revelation 20:6 (a parallel to 1Cor. 15:23): “Blessed and holy [is] he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Yahshua Himself promised an eventual resurrection of all the dead, revealing more than one resurrection. He described the first resurrection as one “to life,” meaning those who would be raised or changed from flesh to spirit essence. Those in the first resurrection will be immortal.
John 5:28-29: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto damnation.” He spoke of judgment that will come a thousand years later in a second resurrection.
Paul, in his defense before Felix, stated there would be a resurrection of two groups. “And have hope toward Yahweh, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resur-rection of the dead, both of the just and unjust” Acts 24:15.
Notice here that the just are resurrected before the un-just. The just are those believers who keep striving to obey the commandments, statutes and judg-ments. That’s what makes them “just.”
The Greek for just is dikaios and means: “righteous, observing divine laws; in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of Elohim.”
Yahshua promised that in the first resurrection, those who were obedient would then be blessed. “And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just,” Luke 14:14.
Paul was hopeful of being in that first resurrection. Writing to the Philippians he referred to a resurrection from the corpses. In other words he hoped to be raised from the dead (known as the “out” resurrection).
Too many treat the gift of everlasting life flippantly as if by reciting a few words they have guaranteed salvation. Paul recognized that this first resurrection is highly prized and not easy to come by. “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead,”Philippians 3:11. The great evangelizing apostle was uncertain even of his own salvation.
Those worthy to be resurrected at the return of Yahshua are firstfruits. Theirs is a resurrection built on better promises and greater rewards, Matthew 16:27. It is a resurrection to spirit essence to be forever with Yahshua.
Second Resurrection Later
Another resurrection takes place a thousand years later. Those in this resurrection will be brought back as flesh and blood to live on a physical earth.
The prophet Daniel speaks of it in 12:2: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
The second resurrection precedes what is called the great white throne judgment that follows. John sums up the two resurrections in the Book of Revelation.
“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 worshiped 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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (20:4-6).
Those judged un-worthy in the second resurrection will be destroyed in the lake of fire, where their existence ends forever in what is called the second death. Those deemed worthy of life from this second resurrection will be given lesser rewards than those worthy of the first resurrection.
It will be a great day when Yahshua returns and sets up His kingdom. He will put down all rule and authority. The saints will be tested and tried for a better resurrection, Hebrews 11:35.
Make the days of your life count by doing what the Word commands.
When Yahshua returns the final trumpet will sound and He will gather His elect. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,”Matthew 24:30-33. Was Yahshua speaking of a rapture of the elect from the earth? Note that first the “tribes” of the earth will mourn at the sight of His coming. Why?
He said earth’s final events will be just like those in Noah’s day. “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be,” Matthew 24:37-39. Were righteous Noah and his family raptured from the planet to be saved from the devastating floodwaters? No. Yahweh had guided Noah to prepare a place of earthly protection — a giant ark of safety floating on destructive flood waters.
Note what happened to the wicked. We read that Yahweh “took them all away.” They were taken and destroyed in the waters and only Noah and his family remained.
Yahshua said it will be the same way at the end of the age: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” In the same manner at Yahshua’s coming the wicked will be removed first and the righteous will remain.
Another account is Matthew 13:24-30 where Yahshua said, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, did not you sow good seed in your field? from whence then has it tares? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matt. 13:24-30). The wicked will be taken first and burned.
A parallel account of the Second Coming is in Luke 17:35-37, where Yahshua said, “Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered, Where, Master? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.”
What did He mean by “body” and “eagles”? This verse is a mistranslation in the KJV which, when cleared up, makes understanding crystal clear. Let’s go back to Matthew 24 for clarification of the same account in Luke 17:35-37. In verses 27-28 of Matthew 24 we find: “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.”
were the translators used the more correct “carcase” in translating the word ptoma, which in Greek means “ruin, lifeless body, corpse.” The word for “eagles” refers more accurately to vultures. Eagles are not carrion eaters as are vultures.
Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testamentsays about the word eagles in this passage, “Eagles. Rev. puts vultures in margin. The griffon vulture is meant, which surpasses the eagle in size and power.” Millions will die when the angel comes to separate and destroy the wicked first.
The New English Bible translates Matthew 24:28: “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” Goodspeed reads, “Wherever there is a dead body, the vultures will flock.” The New International Version reads, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”
Does this sound like a glorious place of safety to which the saints will be taken in a rapture? On the contrary, Yahshua told His disciples that those taken first, meaning the wicked, will be taken and destroyed just as they were in the flood. The righteous Noah and family remained.
With the wicked gone and the chosen remaining, the earth can be remade into the paradise it was meant to be in Yahshua’s millennial kingdom.
Just as Noah was protected on earth during the catastrophic flood, and Israel was protected in Egypt during the passing over of the death angel, Yahweh promises the same kind of earthly protection for His people during the tribulation preceding Yahshua’s coming:
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth” (Rev. 12:-16).
What was done in the past is a pattern for the future.
If you were to invent the easiest and most popular religion in the world, you would probably do the following:You would tell your followers that their only obligation is to believe. You would teach them that there is no need to conform to any commands, because that would be bondage.You would constantly remind them that all obligations of righteousness, including lawkeeping, have been met for them by a personal Savior. (Never mind that after keeping all the law perfectly Himself, He commanded us to do the same.)
Finally, in your religion no one would need to worry that their faith would ever be tried, or that they may have to defend their convictions or suffer for their beliefs. When the end-time tribulation comes, they will be miraculously whisked away to a heavenly sanctuary, while everyone else who is not of the faith — including perhaps family and close friends — will still be on earth suffering unspeakable horrors. Your faithful, however, will watch all the pain and death from a safe and glorious paradise in the sky, granted to them simply by divine caprice.
Imagine how attractive your religion would be! Who in his or her right mind would not want to have the ultimate in blessings — all for doing nothing? And when testing comes, they will be immediately removed from the conflict without having to answer for or defend their faith. Is it any wonder that so many people choose to accept these same teachings?
But there is a problem. The Scriptures nowhere support any of this. In fact, the exact opposite is the case.
Nowhere in the 66 books of the Bible do we find that all we need is faith alone. No such statement exists or is implied. On the contrary, James 2:17 reads, “Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.”
The doctrine against doing any kind of “works” (sometimes called “works righteousness”) springs from the writings of the Protestant Reformation, many of which were in defiant response to Roman Catholic excesses and demands of onerous penance on the people.
Nowhere in the pages of the inspired Word, however, is there any example of or statement relating to being in “bondage” because of obedience to the higher standards of the Scriptures.
Neither is there even one sentence saying that because Yahshua the Messiah met the requirements of obedience, that we don’t need to. On the contrary. We are told that His perfect obedience was an example for us, and we are to follow in His footsteps,1Peter 2:21-22.
And finally, we are never promised an oasis from the trials of life. Paul wrote to young Timothy: “Yea, and all that will live righteously in Messiah Yahshua shall suffer persecution,” 2Timothy 3:12. Overcoming trials is what being a True Worshiper is all about, and it leads to eternal reward, James 1:12.
The Word ‘Rapture’ Is Missing
We are nowhere told in the inspired Word to expect to be snatched away to heaven to watch our earthbound loved ones suffer and die agonizing deaths during the worst-ever disasters and conflagration prophesied to engulf this planet. In fact, the word “rapture” never appears in the Scriptures.
Are we any better or more privileged than the prophets of old, who suffered for their faith? James 5:10 says that their lives and experiences are patterns for us, “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of Yahweh, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”
So what of the idea of a rapture, in which the saints will allegedly be removed from the earth before end-time tribulation? Is there Scriptural support?
The rapture doctrine says that the Messiah will return and either secretly whisk away the saints or take them openly to heaven with Him. There they will spend either 3 ½ or 7 years in safekeeping while tribulation rocks this planet.
The rapture teaching rests heavily on 1Thessalonians 4:15-17: “For this we say unto you by the word of Yahweh, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of Yahshua shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep [dead]. For the Master himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Master.”
Trying to make this passage refer to a pre-tribulation rapture of protection is incongruous, considering that the dead are said to go first. The dead don’t need to be raptured to safety because they are dead. Their souls, according to the rapture teaching, will already be up in heaven. In truth, this passage is speaking of the final day when Yahshua returns to earth to set up His Kingdom, and all the saints, living and dead, will be gathered to be with Him to rule in a thousand-year period on earth.
The timing of the event is critical. Are the saints taken before or after the Great Tribulation? We will find out momentarily.
Other questions that need answering: where is the support for a silent, secret rapture — which some believe will occur — amid “a shout,” “voice of an archangel,” and a trumpet blast? Is there perhaps a “silent” Second Coming and then a Third Coming? If so, where is the Scriptural evidence?
Let’s learn the whole truth and see whether the entire rapture teaching squares with the plain and clear teachings in the Word of Yahweh.
As in the Days of Noah
In Matthew 24:30-33, Yahshua in His own words reveals what will happen when He returns to earth: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh: So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”
Here we see that when Yahshua returns, the final trumpet will sound and He will gather His elect from one end of heaven to another (not huddled all together in one place, as some teach).
Continuing with verses 37-39, we read, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Yahshua tells us that people everywhere will be carrying on their lives oblivious to what is about to happen, just as they were before the earth was inundated by water. Noah and his family were the bright lights amid all of the dark, earthly evil. They are called righteous by Yahweh in Genesis 7:1.
But notice. We read that the final events will be just like those in Noah’s day. And what happened with righteous Noah and his family? Were they raptured from the planet just before the devastating flood? No, on the contrary, they remained on earth. Yahweh had guided Noah to prepare a place of earthly safety and protection — a giant ark floating on the flood waters.
Now note what happened to the wicked. We read that Yahweh “took them all away.” They were taken and destroyed in the waters and only Noah and his family remained.
Yahshua said it will be the same way at the end of the age: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” In the same manner as in the days of the flood, at Yahshua’s coming the wicked will be removed first and the righteous will remain.
The disciples asked Him where these “taken” ones, meaning the wicked people, will go. For the answer we go to a parallel account inLuke 17:35-37, where Yahshua said. “Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Master? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.”
What did He mean by “body” and “eagles”? This verse has a translation difficulty in the KJV which, once cleared up, makes understanding crystal clear. Let’s go back to Matthew 24. This passage about the coming of the Messiah is an improved rendering of the same account we just read in Luke 17:35-37.
“For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.”
Here the translators used the more correct “carcase” in translating the word ptoma, which in Greek means “ruin, lifeless body, corpse.” The word for “eagles” refers more accurately to vultures. Eagles are not carrion eaters as are vultures.
Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament says about the word eagles in this passage, “Eagles. Rev. puts vultures in margin. The griffon vulture is meant, which surpasses the eagle in size and power. Aristotle notes how this bird scents its prey from afar, and congregates in the wake of an army,” p. 75. There will be millions dying when the angel comes to separate and destroy the wicked first.
The New English Bible translates Matthew 24:28: “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” Goodspeed reads, “Wherever there is a dead body, the vultures will flock.” The New International Version reads, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”
Does this sound like a glorious place of safety where the saints will be taken up in a rapture? On the contrary, Yahshua told His disciples that those taken, meaning the wicked, will be destroyed, not whisked off to safety in heaven!
Tares Separated First
In His parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13, Yahshua corroborates what we have confirmed in Matthew 24, that the rapture is the exact opposite of what most people think.
“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, did not you sow good seed in your field? from whence then has it tares? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matt. 13:24-30).
“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (40-42).
“So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (49-50).
But couldn’t Yahshua have already come and gathered His elect to safety by this time? some may be wondering. Obviously, if the righteous were already raptured, they would not still be on earth among the wicked when the wicked are removed.
The rapture doctrine says that Yahshua will come in two stages: “for” His saints, represented by the Greek word parousia, and the second stage being “with” His saints, revealed in the Greek word apokalupto. In fact, New Testament usage makes no distinction between these two Greek words. The doctrine says that the word parousia in 1Thessalonians 4:15-16 is an initial coming “for” His saints before the tribulation. However, parousia is also used in 2Thessalonians 2:1 and 8, where His coming clearly is at the end of the tribulation.
Similarly, parousia and apokalupto are found in Matthew 24:37 (coming) and Luke 17:30 (revealed), respectively. Both speak of this same coming of Yahshua using the context of the days of Noah where the wicked are removed first.
In all three verses in John 6:40, 44, and 54 Yahshua tell us that the righteous will be raised up at the last day. The “last day” occurs after the tribulation, not before. The last day refers to the final resurrection of all believers, John 11:24. That is the timing of1Thessalonians 4:15-17.
Protection Right Here on Earth
Just as Noah was protected on earth during the catastrophic flood, and Israel was protected in Egypt during the passing over of the death angel, Yahweh promises the same kind of earthly protection for His people in the last days:
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth” (Rev. 12:-16).
The terms “wilderness,” “flood,” and “earth” demonstrate unequivocally that the saints will find protection on earth, not in heaven. Satan certainly has no power to chase the saints around in heaven!
Yahshua specifically prayed in John 17:15 that the righteous not be taken from the world, but that they be safeguarded. His prayer directly contradicts the notion of a coming rapture to heaven. In Matthew 24:22, the Messiah said that for the sake of the elect, the last-day tribulation will be shortened, otherwise no flesh would be saved. This tells us that the elect will still be on earth and it is because of them that Yahweh will make an end to destructive events.
It is impossible to reconcile with the Scriptures the idea that the saints will be protected in heaven from end-time tribulation. Bible prophecy clearly maintains that there will be many who will be martyred for the Truth in the last days (see Dan. 8:24; Matt. 24:9;Rev. 13:7 and 20:4).
In Revelation 12:17 Yahshua revealed, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of Yahweh, and have the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah.” Obviously there are saints obedient to Yahweh yet on earth — not in heaven —and still subject to attack by Satan. Revelation 6:9-11 plainly shows that many True Worshipers will undergo end-time martyrdom.
Daniel was protected from lions even while right in their midst in the lion’s den. His three friends escaped destruction of the fiery furnace by miraculous protection while still in the furnace itself. Israel had to endure the first three Egyptian plagues in the land of Goshen, and only then were they protected (while still in Goshen, on Egyptian soil).
Revelation 7 reveals a similar destiny for the people of Yahweh in the last days. Before the angel releases divine plagues that will devastate the earth, the saints of Yahweh will be sealed in their foreheads for protection, verse 3. That sealing is His Name, we read in Revelation 14:1 and 22:4. As with Israel in Goshen, however, there is nothing stating that the people of Yahweh will not have to endure the man-made tribulation that will come first. This is detailed in Revelation 6:1-8.
Another passage that directly rebuts a rapture is Revelation 7:14, where one of the elders inquires of the identity of all those people dressed in white robes. “And I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” These saints proved faithful and stood fast in the coming tribulation and they are now granted a position in the Kingdom of the Messiah.
Rewards are not given to those who escape, but to those who endure and overcome (Rev. 2:26). Revelation 20:4 says there will be martyrs who refuse to worship the beast who will be beheaded for the witness of Yahshua. Are we to assume that these martyrs are the evil people left behind on earth during the Tribulation? Obviously not. They are the saints, whose preaching, teaching, righteous example, and martyrdom will convert many to the truth during the reign of the Antimessiah.
The next verse presents a real problem for the doctrine of the rapture. Most rapturists maintain that the righteous living and righteous dead will be raptured off to heaven before the tribulation (a teaching known as the pretribulation rapture). But notice: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection,” Revelation 20:5. Had there already been a rapture, this would be the second resurrection, not the first.
Does the Savior Make a U-turn?
Yahweh promises protection for the righteous, although some will be called on to give up their lives as a witness of faith to others. Resurrecting them to life again is no problem with Yahweh, and they will be the first to rise at the last trumpet blast when Yahshua returns.
A key question that needs to be answered is, where will Yahshua the Messiah go when He comes in the clouds and raises His saints? Will He return to heaven? That is what the rapture teaching says.
We read in 1Thessalonians 4:17 that the righteous will “meet the Savior in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Savior.” Does He take the saints and return to heaven for as much as seven years for the duration of the Tribulation?
The word “meet” is the Greek apantesis and is used in only two other places in the New Testament. One such place is Matthew 25:6, where the virgins meet the Bridegroom (meet here is apantesis) and they continue on to the wedding feast. He does not reverse direction and take the virgins back to heaven where He came from. Verse 13 tells us that this meeting is “the day and hour when the son of man comes” at the Second Coming.
The other instance where apantesis is used is in Acts 28:15. Paul is heading to Rome and a delegation of Roman brethren go to meet (apantesis) him. Paul approaches, they meet and continue on to Rome, his destination. He did not reverse course.
Yahshua’s destination is the Mount of Olives, not a return to heaven, Zechariah 14:4. His intent is to set up his throne at Jerusalem “in that day.” He does not reverse direction and head back to heaven with the newly gathered saints.
Rapture: A Perilous Teaching
The rapture doctrine is just another aspect of the modern, false idea of gain without pain. Something for nothing. No effort or overcoming is necessary. Such an idea is completely foreign to Scripture. In the Book of Acts we read, “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of Elohim, ”Acts 14:22.
The rapture doctrine is not only unscriptural, but it will also prove to be sinister. Instead of spiritually preparing people for what is coming, which is the whole reason we are given Bible prophecy in the first place, people are being led to believe the lie that they will be delivered out of it all.
Revealed prophecy is not given so that we can become lax and lackadaisical. Prophecy is intended to draw us closer to Yahweh: “…those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law,”Deuteronomy 29:29. Notice as well what Romans 16:25-26 tells us: “…according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting Elohim, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”
How will millions react when they find themselves facing the biggest challenge of their lives and they are completely unprepared? Yahshua tells us how: He says that at that time men’s hearts will be “failing them for fear”! (Luke 21:26).
May we not be deceived into false confidence by a teaching that does not exist in the Scriptures.
We need to heed Yahshua’s admonishment about the last days, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man,” Luke 21:34-36
It is time to find the promised protection and salvation that come from knowing and following the truth, and escape the destruction that results from the misguided doctrines of man.
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What happens to the dead? The common belief is that those who are good in this life will automatically end up in heaven, while the wicked will suffer forever in the sulfurous agony of hellfire. Perhaps no other passage is cited more often in support of this belief than the parable of Lazarus and the rich man found in Luke 16. In the parable two men die. Lazarus, a beggar, ends up in good graces while the rich man is tormented.
This allegory is taken literally by some because in it Yahshua the Messiah uses the name of a real-life Biblical person, Lazarus. In the parable these two dead men are alive and communicating. We immediately encounter a major problem with taking it at face value. According toPsalm 6:5, when you die your thinking and your awareness of everything stop. “The dead know not anything,”Ecclesiastes 9:5 says, “for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave wither you go,” verse 10. Clearly Yahshua animates these individuals simply to make a point. Yahshua employed a story here in Luke 16that has been interpreted by many literally while the real intent goes unnoticed. The parable is allegory, symbolism, metaphor, and was not meant to be an actual account of what happens at death.
This story is a prime example of Yahshua’s teaching technique using illustration in the form of stories. When His disciples asked Him why He used parables He answered, “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of Elohim: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them,” Mark 4:11-12. He used parables to teach His people key truths while keeping in ignorance those who were not supposed to understand.
The entire point of this narrative has been historically misunderstood. To think that Yahshua the Messiah was supporting the notion that the wicked go to ever-burning hell at death flies in the face of many other Scriptures. No interpretation is valid if it contradicts what the Bible teaches elsewhere. Now let’s diagnose the parable.
A Message to Certain Jews
First we notice that the entire parable is couched in Yahshua’s ongoing discussion about an unjust steward. He concludes: “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve Elohim and mammon” (Luke 16:13).
When the Pharisees, who coveted wealth, heard this they derided Him, verse 14. Then our Savior levels His sights directly at the Pharisees. His comments are an affront to these leaders who found His entire teachings reprehensible and as well as a threat.
To grasp the proper meaning of this allegory we will comment on each verse.
“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19). Here is an individual accustomed to the high life. His “purple and fine linen” reveals that he is of a royal, ruling class. He enjoys the best of everything and lives large. Within the tribe of Judah we find this man as the Pharisee, a middle and upper political class who lived well at the expense of others.
Using the rich man as a symbol, Yahshua addresses the Jewish nation in His day. This is evident by what appears to be an out-of-place reference to divorce and remarriage in verse 18: “Whosoever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and whosoever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery” (Luke 16:18).
The reason for this reference was that the Jews should have recognized Him as the Messiah. They and the rest of Israel were married to Him in the Old Testament and will, along with others, make up the bride in the coming kingdom. Instead they rejected the Messiah and committed spiritual adultery through their own traditions and customs.
By Yahshua’s time the 10 other tribes of Israel were scattered over the earth. Being favored, the tribe of Judah became the royal line from which kings would arise, including Yahshua the true King, Genesis 49:8-12. “What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of Elohim” (Rom. 3:1-2). The Jews were entrusted with preserving the Scriptures.
Yahshua now gets to the core of the allegory in verse 20.
“And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores” (Luke 16:20-21).
The contrast between the two men or groups is salient. One lives sumptuously with all the creature comforts as well as prestige; the other is in abject poverty, sickly, and would gladly partake of even the most meager of sustenance – scraps from the table of the wealthy man.It’s a study in contrasts.
In the parable the beggar is not asked to the banquet. In Romans 11:9-10 Paul used the symbol of the table to demonstrate that the Pharisees believed that their prosperity was a sign of Yahweh’s blessings. Because of their attitude, however, their prosperity became a curse.
Who Is Lazarus?
The name Lazarus is a Grecianized form of the Hebrew Elazar or Eliezer, meaning “El has helped.”
Genesis 15:2-3 indicates who this beggar might be. “And Abram said, Yahweh Elohim, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me you have given no seed: and one born in my house is mine heir.”
Although not of Abraham’s offspring, Eliezer (Lazarus) is nevertheless a trusted servant in Abraham’s household. In fact, Abraham even says his inheritance will go to Eliezer. But in Genesis 17 Yahweh promises to give Abraham and Sarah a son who would actually receive the inheritance.
Eliezer returns in chapter 24, where Abraham is instructing this faithful servant about finding a wife for Isaac. He tells Eliezer not to go to the Canaanites but return to Abraham’s country to seek a mate for Isaac. This Eliezer does. Isaac eventually receives the inheritance (Gen. 25:5).
In Luke 16:21 we learn that dogs licked the sores of Lazarus. For some Jews, dogs meant Gentiles, Matthew 15:22-26. So we learn that Lazarus is thrown in with Gentile “dogs” in their estimation.
Where Is Abraham’s Bosom?
Let’s continue.
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom” (v. 22). The typical notion is that this means that the beggar was carried off to heaven. Speaking of death, however, the Pharisees would say in their common idiom that he sits in a favored position known as “Abraham’s bosom” (see Lightfoot’s Commentary).
If Abraham were in heaven, it should be easy to verify. His “obituary” is found in Genesis 25:7-9: “And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost [spirit], and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years; and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre.”
Abraham was buried and “gathered to his people.” If Lazarus is “in Abraham’s bosom” then he, too, would be buried in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron. He is not now up in heaven.
Abraham’s obituary agrees with the prophecy of Abraham’s death in Genesis 15:15: “And you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.” In death Abraham joined his forefathers who preceded him in their own demise and who were now in the grave.
Many assume that Abraham is in heaven with his forefathers. But the Book of Joshua tells us that Abraham’s forefathers were idol worshipers. Would they be rewarded with heaven? Not according to Ephesians 5:5, which says no idolater has any inheritance in the Kingdom. Notice: “And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus says Yahweh Elohim of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods” (Joshua 24:2).
Both of Them Simply Died
If the forefathers of Abraham were in ever-burning hell, to which many believe the wicked go, then Abraham has joined them as well. How do we explain this parable? Quite easily.
The idiomatic meaning of being “gathered to his people” or “gathered to his fathers” simply means that he joined the ranks of the dead. Abraham (as well as Lazarus) was dead and buried, as were Abraham’s fathers. He is not up in heaven or suffering in endless agony in hellfire. He is buried in the earth awaiting the resurrection from the grave.
Yahshua plainly said that no man has ascended to heaven, John 3:13, not even King David, Acts 2:34. All the dead of past and present are waiting the resurrection at Yahshua’s return: “For if we believe that Yahshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep [are dead] in Yahshua will Elohim bring with him … For the Savior Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first” (1Thess. 4: 14, 16).
“The rich man also died, and was buried.” Both beggar and rich man died and were put in graves to await the resurrection. Death comes to both rich and poor, just as it does to animals, Psalm 49:12.
Another Scripture makes it clear that Abraham died. “Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and you say, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Are you greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: who do you make yourself?” (John 8:52-53). Yahshua ignored their question.
Had Abraham in fact been in heaven, this was the perfect opportunity to set the record straight by explaining that his soul was alive and living eternally. But Yahshua’s silence was testimony to the truth that Abraham was still dead in the grave.
Was the Rich Man Roasting?
In Luke 16:23 is the resurrection of the rich man (at the second coming of Yahshua, lThes.4:15-17).
“And in the grave the rich man lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham.” In this passage “grave” is the translation of the Greek word hades, commonly rendered hell in the New Testament.
The Savior said in verse 22 that Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. This is the same expression Yahshua used in Matthew 24:31, when He said He would send His angels to gather the elect in the first resurrection just before the Kingdom of Yahweh is established on earth. Lazarus had been accounted worthy of that first resurrection mentioned in Revelation 20:6.
According to Yahshua’s prophecy in Luke 13:28, many will suffer when they are shut out of paradise. “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of Elohim, and you yourselves thrust out.”
Obviously the rich man was not found worthy to rise in the first resurrection and be in the Kingdom of Yahweh.
Paul clarifies the meaning of the promise given to Abraham and those who live by the same faith that Abraham exhibited. Being in “Abraham’s bosom” meant being in a close relationship with him in a preferred status. In Galatians Paul tells us, “Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that Elohim would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Good News unto Abraham, saying, in you shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Gal. 3:7-9).
The beggar was one of the faithful who would be in the first resurrection. A thousand years later, when the rich man is brought back to physical life in the second resurrection, he sees Lazarus now in a favored position – in the Kingdom with Abraham.
A Case of Mental Anguish
Verse 23 says the rich man was in “torment.” The word is from the Greek basanos. It means test, inquisition, and trial. Figuratively it means mental torment. Paul explains this in lCorinthians 3:12-15, where the judgment is likened to fire in which works are tested to see whether they survive the trial.
Another meaning is indicated in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, Greek Dictionary, No. 931, basanos, from 939 basis, connoting at the base and by implication, at the foot.
Realizing that he has not attained the first resurrection with the promises given to the faithful, the rich man is anxious and tense. He is lying in the foot of, the lowest part of, the grave. The roof of his mouth and tongue go dry. He asks in verse 24 that Lazarus might be sent to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue.
If this were the destroying flame of Gehenna fire, the rich man would have asked for a flood of water! Yet he seeks only to remedy his dry-mouthed anxiety resulting from the realization that he had been excluded from the first resurrection of the saints.
Then in verse 25 Abraham reminds the rich man, “But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented [tried, distressed – Greekodunaomai].And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”
The “great gulf” is a type of the Jordan River Valley. Those Israelites who crossed it were in the Promised Land.
Abraham and the resurrected saints are shown in a favored position, having inherited the Kingdom. Lacking the wedding garment ofMatthew 22, the rich man is excluded. Yahshua commands that he be bound hand and foot, and taken away and cast “into outer darkness;there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The kind of wealth that Yahshua looks for is “gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed,” Revelation 3:18.
In verse 27-28 the rich man pleads that Abraham would send Lazarus to his father’s house to testify to his five brothers, lest they end up like him. Genesis 35:23 lists the five brothers of Judah born to their mother Leah. They all represent those having Bible truth. The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is actually about Judah and his five brothers who have all neglected proper worship of Yahweh and acceptance of Yahshua and who fall into the same condemnation.
Notice Abraham’s response: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” Abraham effectively tells the rich man that we today have in Scripture the Old Testament law and prophets and can study it ourselves and repent. The rich man objects, “No, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent.” Judah is certain that his brothers will listen only if one rose from the dead and went to them with the message of salvation. Notice the response of Abraham, verse 31: “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.”
Clearly from Abraham in the parable we see that though Yahshua would rise from the dead as a proof and a witness, that those who even have the Bible will not come to a saving knowledge of the Messiah because they are too steeped and blinded by their traditions. They are all wrapped up in their man-made purple and fine linen.
This is a condemnation of those who have all the advantages of today. The majority who have Bible translations, dictionaries, lexicons, concordances, and commentaries – all the study helps – have neglected to come to an understanding of Yahweh’s righteousness. It is a matter of “ever studying and never coming to the knowledge of the truth,” 2Timothy 3:7.
The rich man realizes that he had not done what was right to do. He enjoyed the good life and did not sincerely seek Yahweh’s narrow pathway. He went the broad way, like too many today, of dining on the Word without applying any of it to himself. Neither did he proclaim the Word to others who might benefit from the knowledge and understanding of the coming Kingdom.
Lazarus, on the other hand, represents Gentiles who snatch up every crumb of truth and live by it. The Lazarus and the rich man parable is a condemnation of our own affluence and our unwillingness to follow the truth of the Scriptures as we should. Generally, the nations in the northern hemisphere and in Europe have all the advantages of Yahweh’s truth. But we ignore the lessons and instead choose to satisfy fleshly desires. We commit spiritual adultery by taking up with the world.
The 10 northern tribes of Israel have been carried away captive, but Judah, along with part of the tribe of Benjarnin and the priests of Levi, was left in Jerusalem. It was Judah that was given the scepter standing in regal acclaim, according to the promises of Yahweh. It was the Jews who had the Old Testament Scriptures and had the promises given to them. They were to share these with others and not to keep all the blessings to themselves. So they are depicted as dressed in regal apparel and dining sumptuously every day.
What the Parable Says
Is Abraham in Heaven? Is this parable another way of telling us that Lazarus went to heaven? If that were the case, why would Yahshua contradict Himself in reciting this parable? Yahshua already had plainly said, “No man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven,” John 3:13.
The Savior is called “the first begotten of the dead” in Revelation 1:5. If He is the first to be raised from the dead then none of the people of the Old Testament could have been raised before Him, could they? But they were promised everlasting life at a later time. Twice in the Hebrews 11, a “Who’s Who” of the righteous patriarchs and prophets, we read that the faithful patriarchs died not having received the promise, verse 13 and 39. Abraham and others are assured a place in the Kingdom when the dead are raised at the Messiah’s Second Coming, 1Corinthians 15:52, John 13:28-29.
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man also shows that we cannot be smug and revel in our own conceits. We are to be a living example of Yahweh’s Word, reaching out to share the glorious Good News of the coming Kingdom and the part the obedient can have in it.
This story might be better called the Parable of the Six Brothers — six being man’s number with his carnal viewpoints.
The lesson is, look beyond this life. Look to Yahshua the Messiah. Pursue spiritual goals that bring eternal life. “If you will enter life, keep the commandments,” Yahshua taught in Matthew 19:17.
Watch: “What Happens After Death” from Discover the Truth TV below.
Turn on the TV or browse the Internet and you will find many indications pointing to the fulfillment of end-time prophecy, whether in the continued conflicts in the Middle East, the economic woes of the United States and Europe or the decline of morality in general.
Yahshua in His parable of the fig tree explained how these signs will precede His coming. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh. So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matt 24:32-33). As nature reveals the coming of the seasons, Yahshua states that prophecy reveals the timing of His return.
Two specific forewarnings of the tribulation are found in the Olivet Prophecy and the vision of the Four Horsemen. These mirror and detail each another and foretell the events of the first three-and-a-half years of a seven-year covenant that the Antimessiah, commonly called the Antichrist, will establish (Dan. 7:25).
Deception
The first sign that stands out in both the Olivet Prophecy and the Four Horsemen narrative is deception. Yahshua in His Olivet Prophecy states, “…Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Messiah; and shall deceive many…For there shall arise false Messiahs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:4-5, 24.
During this time there will be deception as never before. Many false prophets and false messiahs will surface and do astounding things. The word for “signs” is derived from the Greek semeion and refers to a miracle. Many will witness these great wonders and believe in the authenticity and power of these false men. Their signs will be so remarkable that even the most sincere may be deceived. Yahshua put it this way: “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:24.
Because of these dangers, this time will require complete faith in and devotion to the One we worship. If we are deceived by a false prophet or false messiah we will forfeit our eternal salvation. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name,” Revelation 14:9-11.
Those who forsake Yahweh for the worship of the Beast or Antimessiah will pay with their eternal life. Scripture warns that they will drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim. Our Father will destroy the Antimessiah and those who follow him. This includes those who receive the mark of the Beast on their right hand or forehead.
How will we avoid such deception? We must know the signs that our Savior gave in the Olivet prophecy and to John of Patmos in the book of Revelation. These serve as a roadmap of that which we’re to avoid as believers. As the end becomes closer these threats become more real and dangerous!
In fact, the Apostle Paul prophesied of a great falling away that would precede the revealing of the Man of the Sin. He wrote, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Messiah is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition,” 2Thessalonians 2:1-3.
This same admonition is as relevant to us as it was to the people of Thessalonica. We are not to be soon shaken. In other words, we must hold firm to the promise and truth of Scripture. This is why it’s critical that we as believers prove all things, as Paul instructs in 1Thessalonians 5:21. An intense desire to learn the truth characterized the Bereans, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so,” Acts 17:10-11.
The consequence of not proving all things can lead to deception and even defection from the truth. Paul prophesied of a great falling away that would occur before the exposing of the Man of Sin. Will we be one of the deceived or one of the elect who was not quickly shaken in faith?
The answer lies in our willingness to study and prove what we believe from our Father’s Word. If we simply coast through life without confirming our core beliefs, then what makes us think that we will have the spiritual stamina and strength to hold firm to the end? If we are unsure why we believe as we do, that belief can be quickly snatched away by deception and error.
The life of a believer requires action and this was the message of our Savior in His Olivet Prophecy. This is why He again warned first about deception. He knew that this would be the most destructive. Obeying the commandments and holding to the faith of Yahshua the Messiah, our Savior, will strengthen our resolve and dedication. Any man claiming to be a prophet and trying to persuade that Yahshua is not the Messiah is to be avoided.
Now we might think that we could never be deceived by a man claiming to be a prophet or the Messiah. Then why did Yahshua say that false prophets and false messiahs would show great signs and wonders and if possible, deceive the very elect of Yahweh?
For this reason, it is incumbent to put on the whole armor of Yahweh: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohim, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the good news of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Elohim,” Ephesians 6:16.
Notice that Paul defines the sword of the Spirit as Yahweh’s Word. The greatest defense against deception will be the knowledge of the truth found in the Scriptures. Without it, we will have no way of knowing whether something is true or false. It is for this reason that we must study and prove all things. This doesn’t only apply to prophecy, but to all aspects of our worship.
The First Horseman
In Revelation 6:2 we find the first horseman and manifestation of the Messiah’s warning about deception in the Olivet prophecy: “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”
There is debate among scholars as to what or who this horseman represents. Some say it is the Messiah, based on Revelation 19:10-15: “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Yahshua: worship Elohim: for the testimony of Yahshua is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of Yahweh. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of El Shaddai.”
While similarities exist between Yahshua and the first horseman, there are also significant differences. First, the timing of these passages is different. While the first horseman appears at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation, Yahshua arrives at the end. Second, Yahshua has a different weapon. Unlike the first horseman holding a bow but no arrows, Yahshua holds a sharp sword.
For these reasons, a far more likely interpretation for the first beast is the Antimessiah and his campaign of deception. Another reason for this view is the parallel between Yahshua’s Olivet Prophecy and the four horsemen.
As Yahshua began His prophecy in Matthew 24 with a warning against deception through false messiahs and false prophets, we find here the same message. There is one last parallel to consider. While both Yahshua and the beast wear a crown, the crown of the beast indicates kingship through Satan the devil. The Antimessiah will go forth conquering (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:4) and will rule this earth as the ultimate despot (2Thess. 2:4; Rev. 17:12-13).
War and Rumors of War
Along with deception, Yahshua also warns against coming conflict. “And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matt. 24:6-7a).
As we near the end we will see an increase in war. The Messiah verified that nation would be against nation and kingdom against kingdom. The word “nation” comes from the Greek ethnos and means a race or tribe, referring to tribal conflict and civil wars. Since 1550, over 100 civil wars have been fought around the world. At present, we see such conflicts in Colombia, Afghanistan, Uganda, Somali, Yemen, Chad, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, and Syria.
Yahshua also said that kingdom would be against kingdom. This word is from the Greek basileia and means, “royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively)” (Strong’s). The word “kingdom” then refers to sovereign nations. Are we seeing wars between nations today? Absolutely! As of early 2013, news of continued conflict was reported in the Middle East, including Afghanistan, where forces of the United States, Europe, and Australia were still fighting insurgents.
Besides active wars, our Savior also said there would be rumors of wars. It may be only a matter of time until Israel strikes a nuclear Iran, which according to some could begin a world war. From a Fox News article dated February 2, 2013, war with Iran may be imminent:
“Judging by its expanding nuclear program, harsh sanctions against Iran have done little but impose hardship on its people, while diplomacy has also failed to slow the Islamic Republic’s atomic progress. And while more talks are planned for later this month, there is a growing sense that the nuclear standoff between Iran and the international community is reaching a tipping point.”
The analysis continues, “But Iran shows no sign of budging, and Israel’s threat to hit Tehran’s nuclear targets if negotiations fail stands, as does the possibility that such a move would draw the United States into the conflict. Iran could enrich uranium to arm one weapon within half a year even though analysts say it would take years longer for it to actually create a full working nuclear weapon.”
Beyond Iran there is also the un-predictable North Korea. Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, has followed in the footsteps of his father, Kim Jong-il. Instead of pursuing peace with South Korea and its neighbors, he continues to take provocative steps that only amplify the current concerns of the international community. In a recent move, Kim Jong-un has threatened nuclear war with the United States. While some experts believe that their nuclear arsenal is not ready for such a bold move, the threat remains and will inevitably grow.
An article from the New York Daily News dated April 3, 2013, states, “Ratcheting up the rhetoric, North Korea warned early Thursday that its military has been cleared to wage an attack on the U.S. using ‘smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear’ weapons. The Pentagon, meanwhile, said Wednesday that it will deploy a missile defense system to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam to strengthen the region’s protections against a possible attack.”
As our Savior prophesied, we continue to hear of threats of conflict. Instead of arrows and spears, however, it’s now nuclear war, which has the potential of wiping out hundreds of thousands, if not millions!
Warring Against the Saints
In addition to war in general, the Antimessiah will specifically target Yahweh’s saints, i.e., those who observe the commandments of Yahweh with the faith of Yahshua the Messiah, Revelation 14:12. In Revelation 13:7, John of Patmos provides this frightful warning, “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
We also find a second warning in Daniel 7:25: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
Prophecies show that this time will be especially dangerous for those who follow Almighty Yahweh. The first Beast of Revelation 13, the Antimessiah, will murder some of the saints. He will do this in a time of transition for a space of three-and-a-half-years, as confirmed in Daniel’s prophecy. It will require incredible spiritual stamina to hold firm to the end.
Martyrdom is also seen in the fifth seal of Revelation, “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of Elohim, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Yahweh, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled,” 6:9-11.
Some will be called to sacrifice their lives as witnesses or a testimony to their faith. If that is our destiny will we have the boldness to remain faithful? Those who do will be given white robes. The white robes represent the salvation of the saints. Those who faithfully serve Almighty Yahweh unto death will be assured eternal life. Yahshua said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it,” Luke 9:24.
Protection in the Wilderness
Even though some of the elect will be martyred, death is not certain for all. Scripture states that many of the faithful of the Father, symbolized by a woman, will be protected in the wilderness: “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent,” Revelation 12:14.
The wilderness symbolizes a place of refuge on earth for the last three-and-a-half-years of the Great Tribulation. Here, the elect will find safety and provision (nourished). This word comes from the Greek trepho and means, “to stiffen, i.e. fatten (by implication, to cherish (with food, etc.), pamper, rear)” (Strong’s).
During this time, Yahweh promises that He will feed His assembly in the wilderness, as He did for Israel in the Old Testament during a similar time of escape. This will likely be done with manna, as the risen Messiah prophesied to the Pergamos assembly, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the assemblies; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it,” Revelation 2:12.
In addition to Revelation, we find two additional passages in the Prophets promising protection. The first is in Isaiah 26:20: “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.”
The word “chamber” is the Hebrew cheder and also means, “a room, parlor, an innermost (or inward) part, within” (Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon). This “chamber” or room represents a place of refuge for Yahweh’s elect.
The second example is in Zephaniah 2:3: “Seek you Yahweh, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of Yahweh’s anger.”
The day of Yahweh’s anger here is a reference to the Great Tribulation. Although He will hide His people during this time, it is not a rapture. The Bible indicates that this protection will be a place on earth, in the same way He protected His people in the Old Testament. We also see that there is a prerequisite for those found worthy of this protection.
The prophet says to seek righteousness and meekness. The word righteousness derives from the Hebrew tsadaq and refers to doing what is right or just. Paul states, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good,” Romans 7:12. In addition to obeying our Father’s Word, Zephaniah says that we are to be meek and humble. Yahweh will reject all who are proud.
The Second Horseman
In Revelation 6:3-4 we find a parallel to the horsemen prophecy: “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”
This second horseman rides a red horse, likely symbolizing the blood of war. According to Strong’s, the word “power” is not found in the ancient text; however, based on the context this can be assumed. This horseman is given authority to cause death through the act of war, which is symbolized by the great sword.
As we also found in the Olivet Prophecy, before Yahshua’s Second Coming this earth will suffer horrific conflict. It will begin in the first three-and-a-half years of the Tribulation, also known as Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7). The Antimessiah will likely leverage these global wars to bring peace (Jer. 6:14) and unite all nations under him for the last three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation.
Armageddon – the Final Battle
Yahweh’s Word speaks of one last battle, which will occur at the end of this age. Many call it Armageddon. While this word appears in Revelation 16:16, it does not describe the place of the last battle. Instead, Armageddon is a staging location in southwest Jezreel (“El sows”) Valley on the plains of Esdraelon where the armies of the world will gather before the age-ending battle of the ages.
In that colossal conflict the world’s armies will attack Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:2-3 states, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
For those who come against this holy city, Yahweh will make it a burdensome stone. As prophesied by Zechariah, He will defend and aid the people of Judah and Benjamin: “In that day, saith Yahweh, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in Yahweh of hosts their Elohim. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. Yahweh also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. In that day shall Yahweh defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as Elohim, as the angel of Yahweh before them,” 12:4-8.
Those who attack Jerusalem will be stricken to the very core of their being. Yahweh will smite every horse with astonishment and rider with madness. The word “astonishment” is from the Hebrew timmahown and refers to a “bewilderment or confusion.” Horses, which are still used in modern warfare, especially in the Mideast, will become confused or disoriented when they come against Yahweh’s Holy Spirit. The riders will be rendered insane.
If this were not enough, Yahweh will empower and strengthen His people. The governors will be like a hearth of fire among the wood, consuming those who oppose them. Even the most feeble or weak will become strong like David the warrior. Possibly the greatest revelation here is that those of the house of David shall be as Elohim. There is only one other place where man is given such a position. In Exodus 4:16, Yahweh promises Moses that He would be to the people as Elohim. There is not an army in the world now or in the future that will be able to defeat Yahweh and those He empowers through the strength of His Spirit.
Famine
Widespread famine is in both the Olivet and the Four Horsemen prophecies. In Matthew 24:7 Yahshua prophesied, “…and there shall be famines…” Before the Great Tribulation occurs, there will be a shortage in foodstuffs in part because of war.
Famine is devastating wherever it occurs, and historically has been most difficult in the Middle East. Egypt was hit particularly hard both in the days of Joseph and in 1064-71 CE, both famines lasting seven years. When human beings are under a prolonged famine, they will do about anything to survive, even to the point of what McClintock and Strong call “indescribable enormities”: “Parents consumed their children; human flesh was, in fact, a very common article of food” (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. 3, p.480).
As inconceivable as it is, Yahweh issues a famine prophecy against Jerusalem that has similar but more severe implications. He said of Jerusalem through Ezekiel, “A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.”
Now notice verse 10 and the consequences of this severe famine: “Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.” Along with what Yahweh calls “the evil arrows of famine,” He promises even an increased famine severity, evil beasts, pestilence, and war, vv. 16-17.
Famine is one of the greatest threats to life today. According to Bread for the World, “a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad”: “[In] 2008, nearly 9 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. One third of these deaths are due directly or indirectly to hunger and malnutrition. Malnutrition is not having enough nourishing food, with adequate amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals and calories to support physical and mental growth and development. Children who survive early childhood malnutrition suffer irreversible harm—including poor physical growth, compromised immune function, and impaired cognitive ability.”
As we approach our Savior’s Coming, famine will become more common, directly related to an increase in war and other plagues. Can you imagine a day when you are unable to provide food for your spouse and children? Even though hard to contemplate in this nation of plenty, the future possibility isn’t only probable but prophesied.
Reminders from the Great Depression
In the 1930s this nation underwent the Great Depression. Prior to the Crash was a time of great prosperity. It was unthinkable that such an economic calamity was imminent. But with the fall of the stock market in 1929, the unimaginable became real. Mothers were unable to provide for their families, fathers were unable to find work and food was either nonexistent or so expensive it was nearly out of reach for most families, and especially for those who did not farm.
From National Public Radio come two personal accounts of the Great Depression:
“Unfortunately, we lost the house. I can remember to this day — and I become emotional when I think of it — literally being placed on the sidewalk [with] every last possession that my poor mother had because she wasn’t able to supposedly pay the mortgage. And an incredible number of people came to my mothers’ aid, literally wheeling wheelbarrows of coal to help warm the house.”
“It was always a challenge to keep warm — we hugged each other on the floor. We had little beds that open and close. When I think about it, it was horrible. It was horrible. And then the sanitation of the community — garbage was just put in the alley — and did that create a condition? Yes it did: TB [tuberculosis].”
These are just two accounts from the millions who suffered during the Great Depression. It was a blessing to simply have food for your family during those difficult days. Those old enough to remember this time still tremble at the thought of these challenges. Could a time such as this one occur again?
A Second Great Depression
With the national debt increasing rapidly, coupled with a lethargic economy, such a scenario does indeed exist. Wayne Root, former Presidential candidate and the 2008 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee, explains why such a situation is not only possible, but also why today’s economic disaster might be much worse:
“….This time the results are going to be dramatically worse than 1929. This time we are facing The Greatest Depression ever. Why? Because The Great Depression had NONE of the structural, economic, and social problems, nor the massive obligations we are now facing. Read the facts:
In 1929 America was not $16 trillion in debt, and facing over $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. That’s over $360,000 in debt per citizen.
In 1929 most states were not bankrupt, insolvent and dependent on federal government handouts to survive….
In 1929 we did not have 21 million government employees with bloated salaries, huge pensions, and free health care for life. Today 1 out of 5 federal employees earns over $100,000.
Today, 77,000 federal employees earn more than the governors of their states.
Staggering numbers of federal government employees retire at a young age with $100,000 pensions for life.
Unfortunately on the state and local levels it’s even worse. There is now nearly $4 trillion in unfunded pension liabilities for state government employees.
Protected by their unions and the politicians they elect, government employees are bankrupting America. In Illinois there are retired government employees making over $425,000 per year.
In 1929, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid didn’t exist. The federal government had no such obligations threatening to consume the entire federal budget within a few years.”
With all these uncertainties, this nation and much of the world are teetering on crises. If this day ever arrives, such a disaster would usher in famine and other prophetic signs that our Savior predicted would come to pass before His coming.
The Third Horseman
The plague of famine is also seen in the third horseman of Revelation 6: “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (vv. 5-6).
“Balances” is key here. According to Barnes’ Notes, “This word properly means a yoke, serving to couple anything together, as a yoke for cattle. Hence it is used to denote the beam of a balance, or of a pair of scales—and is evidently so used here.” These balances indicate the shortage and scarcity of food. The word “penny” refers to the denarius, a Roman coin that was worth about one day’s wages. A quart of wheat or three quarts of barley is considered the rations for one man, specifically a soldier. The prophesied famine will be so severe that it will require an entire day’s wage to purchase the rations for one man. Where will this leave millions of families with children and those tending to the needs of others? It is not hard to envision a population that will do just about anything to obtain for themselves whatever food is available.
Now, why is this horseman told not to hurt the oil and wine? This passage has led to several interpretations. Some scholars point out that these represent discretionary items typically reserved for the rich and will be abundant. Key food staples like wheat, corn and barley, on the other hand, will be extremely scarce.
Death from Disease
The last plague is death from pestilence. In Luke 21:11, a parallel to Matthew 24, Yahshua prophesied, “…and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” The word “pestilence” comes from the Greek loimos and means a plague or disease. Before Yahshua’s coming, diseases will increase.
Some of the most common diseases today include: cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. In addition to these, there are several more ominous maladies such as the bird flu and mad cow disease.
One of the worst plagues in our modern age is the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading cause of transmission is homosexuality and drug use. From CDC’s Fact Sheets, “Gay, bisexual, and other men who have [relations] with men (MSM) represent approximately 2% of the US population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV. In 2009, MSM accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections, and MSM with a history of injection drug use (MSM-IDU) accounted for an additional 3% of new infections. That same year, young MSM accounted for 69% of new HIV infections among persons aged 13–29 and 44% of infections among all MSM. At the end of 2009, an estimated 441,669 (56%) persons living with an HIV diagnosis in the US were MSM or MSM-IDU.”
Homosexuality and drug use are diametrically opposed to Yahweh’s Word; homosexuality being called an abomination (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:27; 1Cor. 6:9). Is this simply a coincidence or a curse for not following our Father in heaven?
Ironically, we find that those who worship the Beast’s image will also suffer from a horrific plague, “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image,” Revelation 16:2. The word “sore” is derived from the Greek helkos and refers to an ulcer or to an open wound. We also find a similar curse in the Old Testament: “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh thy Elohim, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee…Yahweh will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed,” Deuteronomy 28:15, 27.
The Fourth Horseman
The parallel account to this sign is found in the final of the four horsemen. “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Rev 6:7-8).
The word “pale” is from the Greek chloros and means, “greenish” (Strong’s). Some scholars attribute this pale-greenish color to sickness and disease. The rider on the horse is called Death, being derived from this Greek hades, symbolizing its purpose. The word “hades” simply refers to the grave. In addition to representing pestilence, the fourth horseman likely represents the cumulative death that will befall mankind during the Tribulation. He is given power to bring death by sword, by famine and by disease. In essence, he is the cumulative impact of the previous three.
Holding Firm
As Israel had to endure the first four plagues of Egypt, it appears that the saints will suffer from these Four Horsemen. Consequently, it is imperative that His people remain strong in Almighty Yahweh and Yahshua the Messiah. We must place our trust in the One we worship. If we falter in faith, we may lose the very hope that we treasure.
John in Revelation 2:10 wrote: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Even though this was written historically to the assembly in Smyrna, the message is also prophetic for the last days. Yahshua says here to not fear death. Those who overcome and are faithful to death will receive a crown of life. There is not a greater promise in Yahweh’s Word. No matter what we may suffer in this life, it is inconsequential when compared to the promise of Yahweh’s Kingdom.
As believers what must we do to be saved? We must obey the commandments and have faith in Yahshua the Messiah. We find this in several passages in the book of Revelation: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of Yahweh, and have the testimony of Yahshua Messiah,” 12:17.
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yahweh, and the faith of Yahshua,” 14:12.
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city,” 22:14.
From these three key passages we find that we must obey our Father in heaven and believe or have faith in the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah. They go hand-in-hand and are not mutually exclusive. Contrary to popular belief, obedience and faith are not at odds with each other. James explains that faith and obedience work in concert. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works,” James 2:17-18. We show our faith by our life actions, including obedience to our Father in heaven.
Those who obey the commandments and have faith in Yahshua the Messiah will be tested as never before. For this reason it’s incumbent that we stand strong and hold firm unto the end! Those who do will be blessed immeasurably.
As Yahshua prophesied in His Olivet Prophecy, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” Luke 21:25-27.
Even though the Great Tribulation will bring unparalleled deception, war, famine, and disease, for the faithful the end will be one of great blessings. As Yahshua with His angels descend from heaven, those who stand firm unto the end will look up and see their redemption or salvation drawing near. At this time, those who died in Messiah will arise and those alive will be caught up together with them to meet Yahshua the Messiah in the clouds as He descends to the earth, 1Thessalonians 4:16-17.
If you yearn for the blessings of our Father in heaven and Savior, then the time is now for us to fully dedicate our lives to them. Salvation comes not through passiveness, but through an earnest desire to wholly commit our lives to Almighty Yahweh and our Savior, Yahshua the Messiah!
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A first-century lesson to new converts who had a background in pagan religion clears up a common misunderstanding today about Acts 15and obedience.
The activity and success of the Apostles was creating increasing interest among the Gentiles. The pressure by the Sadducees and especially the Pharisees had stifled the conversion of Jews to the Savior.
Now the pertinent question confronting the Antioch Assembly, which Paul and Barnabas were to help answer, was how necessary is circumcision for the Gentiles? The Jewish leadership said it was mandatory. “And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1).
Missionaries of the Assembly at Antioch, however, had accepted uncircumcised Gentile believers into their ranks. Because the issue was raised, Paul and Barnabas, along with some others, were sent by the Assembly to Jerusalem to see what should be required of the Gentiles coming into the Assembly.
Jerusalem‘s Influence
In Acts 8: 14, the Jerusalem apostles had sent Peter and John to help the brethren in Samaria with their question concerning baptism of Gentiles. A later Jerusalem meeting recorded in Acts 21:18 was to clear suspicions of Paul. Jerusalem was looked upon as the spiritual center for the scattered assemblies. Now they were to recommend a course of action in dealing with Gentile converts.
Peter said there is no difference among peoples in Yahweh’s eyes: “And Elohim which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as He did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9).
Peter emphasizes that Yahweh gave the Holy Spirit to both Samaritans and Romans, that everyone potentially can be saved by the grace of Yahshua. The nagging question remained: Why then was circumcision required for any man to enter the Temple? (Ezek. 44:7).
One issue was already clear. Yahshua is now our High Priest and we are not required to offer animal sacrifices in the Temple. We can approach Yahweh directly anywhere, any time, once we accept‘ Yahshua. He explained this to the woman at the well: “But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. Yahweh is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
Animal Sacrifices and Physical Circumcision
Upon hearing of the matter of circumcision of Gentiles, both Paul and Barnabas recalled their experiences of miracles and the wonderful things that had taken place among the Gentiles who gladly accepted their message. Jamesthe brother of Yahshuathen summarized the decision of the Apostles: “Simeon [Peter] has declared how Yahweh at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written” (Acts 15:14-15).
James goes to some length to show that Yahweh’s purpose is to reveal Himself to the Gentiles, to take from them a group of people for His Name. Not to save the world now, but to take out a nucleus of chosen faithful from both Israel and the Gentiles. These will become the kings and priests to rule in the Kingdom, Revelation 1:6. The salvation of the world comes later, Revelation 20:6.
“After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after Yahweh, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my Name is called, says Yahweh,who does all these things” (Acts 15:16-17).
James emphasizes that Yahweh is now calling out a special people. The called-out ones today are of the Melchizedek priesthood under Messiah. Animal sacrifices and circumcision are not required of us, for this “residue of men” will be baptized into His Name,and called by His Name. Circumcision has a deeper meaning already explained in the Old Testament as being humble and of a willing heart: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked” (Deut. 10: 16). We are to love Yahweh with all our heart and be obedient to Him in all things. He will soften the heart of our offspring and lead them to obedience:
“And Yahweh your Elohim will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deut. 30:6).
Circumcise the Heart
The New Testament teaches that circumcision is not a great concern for the people of Yahweh. Our goal should be obedience to Yahweh and to His Commandments, His way of life: Paul wrote, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of Yahweh” is what is important (l Cor. 7: 19). When a person is baptized into the body of Messiah,he or she stands before Yahweh as sinless. All sins are washed away, and we are justified in Yahweh’s eyes, washed clean of our past.
Henceforth we can go directly to Yahweh in prayer and have our sins forgiven. We are now a new creature, a son or daughter of the Most High Elohim. Baptism is a cleansing, and with repentance is referred to as the circumcision made without hands. “In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Messiah” (Col. 2: 11).
James then goes on to caution the brethren not to make things difficult for the new Gentile converts by expecting them to keep the sacrificial laws and be circumcised. When one is converted to Yahweh‘s truth and follows it, then one is circumcised in heart. That is what Yahweh wants!
Remove Practices of Heathenism
His next suggestion was that a letter be written to all the Gentiles with the following message: “But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day” (Acts 15:20-21).
This letter to the Gentiles has four special prohibitions mentioned: 1) have nothing to do with idols, 2) no fornication, 3) eat no strangled animal, 4) drink no blood. Why these four? Simply because these customs of the Gentiles played prominently in their former worship. They had before worshiped idols and dealt with temple prostitutes. They often ate strangled animals in order to eat the life-blood of that animal.They also drank blood from an animal, assuming to transfer to themselves the strength that was in the blood of a bull or goat.
The Gentiles were to avoid these four habitual practices immediately. Then, James says, they will in time learn the rest of Yahweh’s truth because when they attend the synagogues or assemblies every Sabbath, the other laws will be preached and explained to them.
James‘ summary of the proposed action pleased the apostles and elders along with the entire assembly. They decided to send theirselected men to Antioch with the following letter: “The apostles and elders, your brother, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syriaand Cilicia:Greetings, We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your mindsby what they said. So we all agree to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul- men who have risked their livesfor the name of our Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah. Therefore, we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are toabstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell” (NIV, Acts 15:23-29).
A Starting Point
This letter does not specifically include the point that each Sabbath the laws of Yahweh would be taught by reading of the Torah each week in the synagogue. But from verse 21 we learn that such is the intent. A removal of offending practices was the starting point, while more truth would be revealed once these abominations were eliminated. Silas, Paul, and Barnabas stayed in Antioch for some time teaching the people more of Yahweh‘s truths.
Paul and Silas later went on to Derbe and Lystra where Paul met young Timothy. They continued to deliver the letter warning thegentiles to desist from idol worship, from drinking blood, eating strangled meat, and from sexual immorality. They were also expected to observe the Sabbath each week and join in worship with the assembly.
“And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the assemblies established in the faith, and increased in number daily” (Acts 16:4-5). In Acts 21 Paul was commended for his activities among the Gentiles. The elders glorified Yahweh over the thousands among the Jews that believed. However, there was gossip that Paul was teaching the Jews who were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after their customs.
To convince the people of his integrity, Paul was advised to purify himself with four other men who had a vow. Paul then could dispel any doubting, while the truth would be shown that Paul was orderly, keeping the law, verses 21-24.
Words Added to the Text
Verses 25–26 are quoted below to show that translators have added the capitalized words that are not in the text of Acts 21. Carnal man strives hard to do away with the law and set aside obedience, calling it bondage. But Paul kept the law and taught us to keep it as well.
“As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written [and] concluded THAT THEY OBSERVE NO SUCH THING, SAVE ONLYthat they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for everyone of them” (Acts 21:25-26, boldface words not in the text, omitted by newerversions).
To recap, Acts 15 is the account of the Jerusalem meeting of the Elders in deciding how to deal with Gentiles who become a part of the assembly. There were four pagan customs they were to refrain from participating in as they began their walk with the Savior.
They were also expected to meet with brethren on the Sabbath where they would have Moses taught and the Torah expounded to them. Note that the Gentiles were to be taught from the Old Testament, the teachings of Moses. Perhaps some day we can join the great throng Yahweh is preparing and teach and help others in the Kingdom. We read of this prophecy in Isaiah:“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of Yahweh‘s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exaltedabove the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people–shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word ofYahweh from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:2–4).
Paul answers those who would return to physical circumcision, “For in Yahshua the Messiah neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love” (Gal. 5: 6). May his words be a guide to all who would miss the spirit of the law whilekeeping the letter.
Long before the days of the slick, silver-haired as well as silver-tongued televangelists there were those who found gain and personal profit from the Word of Yahweh. The account of the moneychangers in the temple is one of the most shameful and condemnatory behaviors Yahshua addressed in the New Testament. It is also one of the only times we see His anger flare into a physical response.
“And Yahshua went into the temple of Yahweh, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves,” Matthew 21:12-13.
Today’s Moneychangers
Modern examples of shameless money-changing in the temple are found in large and small congregations alike. Coffee shops and other vendors pollute church vestibules, carnivals raise cash in the church basement and restaurants and book stores do brisk business on days of worship inside some mega-churches. The justification is always the same: “This is to help fund the work of g-d.” What’s next, selling tickets for next week’s sermon?
All of this is really not surprising, considering that most of today’s Bible believers do not understand or keep the Sabbath command in any way, shape or form. The prohibition of buying (or working) on the Sabbath is not even an afterthought. Blind followers of the blind stop at the chain store on the way home from church to purchase materials for their Sunday afternoon hobby or building project after visiting the family steakhouse for lunch.
I am really not surprised with those L-rd’s-day worshipers who have strayed so far from the Torah of Yahweh. Their behavior is a foregone conclusion. What concerns me is a little closer to home.
Blurring Lines
For decades the Sacred Name Movement has been relatively free from the commercialization common in churchianity. You would never find a Sacred Name believer merchandising the Word of Yahweh. The Sacred Name standard has always been to “Freely give” all materials, or for more expensive works like Bibles or magazines, a donation to cover “costs.”
As the Hebrew Roots movement has grown in the last 15 years (springing from Christianity and adopting the Sacred Names and the Feasts), the lines between what many today call “Messianic” and Sacred Name have been considerably blurred. As one brother put it, “The Sacred Name was Hebrew Roots before Hebrew Roots was cool.”
Among the church baggage that has been brought over into this movement. i.e. trinity, oneness etc., the merchandising of Yahweh’s Word has been the most evident.
Many of these teachers beg for money, collect tithes, and then sell books and videos for outrageous prices. Some give excuses for such merchandising, saying, “Well, they have to live as well.” Such was an acquittal from an individual who was defending the cost of a $30 holy day calendar (YRM gives them away free of charge).
One “teacher” sends several e-mails a day selling or “hawking” his religious merchandise. Visit some Messianic websites and from the jargon you would think you accidentally clicked on the site of some department store. Advertising slogans like “limited time offer” or one of my personal favorites, “inventory reduction sale” pepper their promotions.
Repackaging the Truth
The Sacred Name has been proclaiming and publishing the Name of Yahweh gratis for eight decades. Recently an attractively packaged DVD expounding the Sacred Name of Yahweh was being offered for $50. The part that made my stomach turn was finding out that this is the same material the Sacred Name movement has been teaching for free.
The Word of Yahweh was never meant to be sold but freely distributed. Yahshua says in Matthew 10:8: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” One of these religion salesmen twisted this Scripture by adding the word “now” to it, saying “Freely you have received now you freely give.” (That still didn’t explain his price tag.)
Revelation 22:18 harshly denounces anyone who puts words in Yahweh’s mouth: “For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, Elohim shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.”
Dividing the Messenger
We are instructed to rightly divide the Word of truth and hold teachers accountable for their actions. The Word of Yahweh is not an avenue to wealth or personal gain but quite the opposite. The Truth of Yahweh should be a sacrifice of love and deep concern for the salvation of others by bringing them into right understanding. That was always Yahshua’s example. He never merchandised His message.
Yahshua once ran into a rich young ruler seeking salvation and claiming to have followed the commandments from his youth, but was more concerned with his “possessions” than following Yahweh: “Now when Yahshua heard these things, he said unto him, Yet you lack one thing: sell all that you have, and distribute unto the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Yahshua saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of Elohim!” Luke 18:22-25.
This ministry will always freely distribute the Word without profiting by it. Your tithes and generous offerings allow us to do that. We will abide by the same means Yahweh established to promulgate His Truth by never selling it for profit. Making a commodity of the Word is one of the most egregious of sins, utterly detestable to Yahshua, and believers must turn from those who traffic in it.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” This is not the most cheery way to start a book, but this is how King Solomon began his book in Ecclesiastes 1:2. How did Solomon come to this conclusion?
As we will find in the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon contrived a great experiment in his life to find out what really satisfies and what is truly important in life. Solomon was able to take on such an experiment better than anyone because of who he was. He has much to teach us.
Short Solomon Bio
Solomon was born into royalty through his father King David, who was ruler of Israel. When King David died and Solomon took the throne, Yahweh came to Solomon in a dream in 1Kings 3 and told him to ask for whatever he desired. Verses 9-12 give the account of how Solomon responded, and then how Yahweh responded back:
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased Yahweh, that Solomon had asked this thing. And Elohim said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.”
Solomon became the wisest and richest king ever because of this blessing from Yahweh, and he was able to build Yahweh’s temple in 1Kings 6. Because of his vast resources, Solomon conducted his great life experiment to find out what truly satisfied one’s life. No one could ever have done this experiment better than Solomon because of all that he had.
Some of Solomon’s exploits can be found in Ecclesiastes 2:1-9, “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.”
Still Not Happy
How did Solomon come to his conclusion that life is vanity? One could look at all that Solomon accomplished and believe he must have been the happiest man alive. But he wasn’t. He realized that none of those things he did would last; it was all temporal, vanity.
In Ecclesiastes 2:18 Solomon writes, “Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.” Imagine the frustration one would have in climbing the ladder to success, getting to the top, and realizing that you are leaning against the wrong wall.
As a castle built upon sand will topple, so too did Solomon’s perception of happiness when he leaned upon it.
This is not a totally sad story though. Through his struggle Solomon finally came to the conclusion of what is really important in life. In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 is his most wonderful synopsis on what really matters, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Elohim, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For Elohim shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Solomon realized after all he had accomplished, his only lasting fulfillment was obedience to Yahweh.
Lessons for Us
Ponder for a moment our own lives. The cars, the cell phones, the home, our clothing, the trophies we may have, our jobs, and everything we possess will one day be gone. Now on the one hand this doesn’t give us a license to abuse or neglect what we own; we should be good stewards of all.
And neither does it mean that we are necessarily to sell all our possessions and live in abject poverty. The point is that these things we own should be more peripheral rather than the focus of our lives.
Yahshua spoke a parable that illustrates this point in Luke 12:16-21, “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But Elohim said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward Elohim.”
Most focus on the temporal riches and pleasures of life, which give only temporary pleasure and satisfaction. Solomon found it best to focus upon obedience to Yahweh, as His rewards are eternal.. And what does He command of us? Our Savior Yahshua spoke of it with instruction in Mark 12:28-31, “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Yahshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; Yahweh our Elohim is one Yahweh: And thou shalt love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Love Is What’s Important
Having a loving relationship with Yahweh our Father through Yahshua our Messiah, as well as a loving relationship with each other, is the most important thing we can ever accomplish. Keeping love in the forefront of our minds is so important to our very existence that Yahshua commanded that we must even show love to our enemies. Yahshua knew that without love, everything we become or accomplish is hollow.
What is love? “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things,” 1Corinthians 13:4-7.
While we were still sinners and enemies of Yahweh, He showed His love for us by giving us what He loved the most, Yahshua His son. Yahshua obeyed Yahweh because He loved Yahweh and wanted to please Him, and also loved us far greater than His own life, even to the point of extreme anguish. That one act of love sent an eternal ripple in our lives so that we too could have a chance to live forever. That is the power of love.
Love is the only thing that has lasting value in this life. Paul writes in 1Corinthians 13:8 about the enduring nature of love; “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophesies they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” Obey Yahweh, it will last. Forgive one another, it will last. Give to those in need, it will last. Console one who is mourning, it will last. Do all that you can out of love, it will last. The love we produce in our hearts and then show to the world will have more lasting results than anything else that we can ever do.
We conclude with the final two verses of 1Corinthians 13, summarizing what is really important in life: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Many love to garden. Gardens are wonderful because the produce is fresher and the flowers smell sweeter. Gardens are not without problems, however, mainly in the form of weeds and the multitude of weather conditions that affect the plants.
Now this is not going to be a lesson on how to garden, but a lesson from gardening. Yahweh’s wisdom is so great that He puts it right in front of and all around us. Many times in the Bible farming and the description of nature were used as a lesson for us. This is another such case where we can learn to cultivate the gardens of our lives.
Get Rid of the Weeds
Those who have gardened or farmed know that weeds are a nuisance. They deplete the soil of the nutrients the plant needs. Yahshua illustrated this point in His parable of the sower in Matthew 13:7 when He talked about the seed falling on various types of soil. The passage reads, “Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.” The thorns or weeds represent the things that destroy us—the seed or plant.
What do some weeds look like in our lives? This answer can be generalized as harmful behaviors, but is much more specific towards each individual. Each person has a certain weakness inherent within, which means the weed can be a different thing for each person, but the effects are just as harmful. A weed can come in the form of entertainment, an insulting remark about someone, intentionally flirting with a married man or woman, or many other things that might seem small at first, but later turn into big problems.
The weeds in our lives are not going to go away. All gardeners know that you can pull up the weeds one week and the next week it looks as if your work was for nothing. Weeds will continue to come since we are still flesh and sinful in nature. Yet, we have the power to control whether we feed the weeds and also have control so that some of the weeds don’t come back. It takes much discipline, though, and we must be constantly vigilant.
It starts by controlling what comes into our minds. What we watch, read, and experience can be either harmful or helpful to our lives. Second, it comes from controlling our actions. We can have complete knowledge of the Bible but if we don’t act our knowledge is worthless. By guarding what goes into our minds and what comes out in our actions, always with a focus on Yahweh, the weeds will become weak and die. As we eliminate the weeds the plant should be fed every day.
The Root of the Problem
What if we have some weeds in our lives, how are we to treat them? When you pull a weed, just yanking from the top will often not destroy the whole weed, especially if the weed has large roots. You have to dig deep and yank out the weed by the roots, otherwise it will grow back again. We can’t play nice with weeds but be totally committed to eradicating them, otherwise they will keep coming back.
Others may see our garden without the weeds as a garden only of produce and beauty, but you know that below the surface is a different story. Isaiah 1:16-17 reads, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” Remove the weeds.
How do we know what is a weed and what is a vegetable plant? A boy was asked by his mother to pull some weeds in their garden. Their garden included cucumber plants. The boy didn’t know what cucumber plants looked like and pulled up cucumber plants with the weeds. The mother, not understanding why her cucumber plants weren’t surviving, planted cucumbers two more times, but he continued making the same mistake. Needless to say there were no cucumbers that year for the family.
Our culture in its depraved state tells us what it thinks is right and wrong. So much bad media fills our minds that it sometimes gets difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. Yahshua is to be our model in life.
Paul in Ephesians 4:14-15 writes, “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Messiah.” If you have trouble, look to Yahshua, look to the Bible and the weed will become more easily seen and differentiated from the plant.
Help the Plant Grow
It’s not enough to just pull the weeds of wrong from our lives, but we must fill up our lives with good as well.
An example of this principle is found in Luke 11:24-26, “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
What the man failed to do was fill himself with helpful habits and behaviors. We must replace bad behavior with a good, something that will benefit our lives and those in our lives.
Plants need water to grow. Just as the average person can’t live more than a few days without water, spiritually we can’t live without nourishment from Yahweh. What kind of spiritual nourishment do we need in our lives? One very important type of nourishment that we need is a consistent dose of Scripture reading.
Usually we hardly ever miss a meal during the day because we get hungry and weak, but do we take this same approach with our spiritual lives? In Deuteronomy 8:3, when Moses was addressing Israel, we read, “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.” Everyday we must feed on Scripture by reading and meditating upon it.
Power of Prayer
Another great dose of spiritual nourish-ment comes from prayer. Prayer is such an important aspect of our spiritual development, and Satan knows it. In Daniel 6, when the commissioners and satraps caused an evil law to be created so that they could destroy Daniel in the lions’ den, what did the law prohibit? It prohibited prayer.
If Satan can cause us to stop com-municating with Yahweh through Yahshua Messiah, then so many things in our lives become disoriented. If we don’t praise Yahweh and look to Him for our blessings, we become arrogant. If we don’t thank Yahweh for all that He has given us, then we become envious of others, complacent, and bitter. If we don’t pray for others’ needs, then we become selfish and only interested in ourselves.
Prayer also can transcend reading of Scripture because prayer can be done anywhere or anytime. It keeps us connected to Yahweh, keeps us humble, keeps us thankful, keeps us unselfish, and so many other things.
Even Yahshua, our Savior and King, found time to pray to Yahweh. If Yahshua, a man whose character was flawless and perfect, found it important to pray, then we too should take time to pray.
Help from Brethren
Lastly, we need good, spiritually oriented people in our lives for our spiritual development. Proverbs 27:17 reads, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
We will become dull in righteous living if our only contact is with people who do not strive to live righteously. Unless our resolve is strong enough, their habits will influence and rub off on us in a negative way.
It is in our human nature to want to belong, to have a connection to people. We need each other so that when we feel weak others can strengthen us, and when others are weak, we can strengthen them.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”
Satan desires us to sin in strife, jealousy, and lies toward each other because it tears us apart, but in righ-teousness we become stronger together through Yahshua. Even if one is isolated from believers in Yahshua, finding a way to communicate or associate with believers will make a huge difference in a person’s life.
The gardens of our lives require much attention and constant work. If we are not vigilant, the weeds will choke out the good things in our lives, and we will not have enough nutrition to keep the plants thriving and fruitful. Thankfully, we are not alone in this great endeavor; Yahshua is there to guide us through this process. He is a true friend and companion who loves us all, and He will be with us as our lives become cultivated for good.
