THE DAY OF YEHOVAH

(Part one)

 “Blow a ram’s horn in Tsiyon, and sound an alarm in My qodesh (holy) mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the earth, tremble, for the day of Yehovah (the LORD) is coming, for it is near;”- YOEL/Joel 2:1 (HS)

Today I am going to begin a message in a few parts, for I want to share many Scriptures and I do not want to make the message too long for you to read.

We all should be aware of the fact that this world is in chaos, and no one man or woman can bring a true remedy. However I know that a man of lawlessness eventually will be revealed and he is described as the son of perdition (Tas’loniqim 2/2 Thessalonians 2: 3).

But we, who believe in our Yehoshua our Mashiach, will not be deceived if we are walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. What I mean in the flesh is that we are not walking according to the will of our Heavenly Father.  Sin causes blindness, and when believers allow sin to dwell in their lives will be non able to discern what is right and what is not. Therefore even the elect can be deceived. Also before his coming many will prophesy falsely. See Yeshayahu/Isaiah 59:10-12; Qorin’tiyim 2/2 Corinthians 3:14; Mattithyahu/Matthew 15:14; Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:14).

“And many false prophets shall rise up and lead many astray.” --Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:11.

I have spoken on this subject in another message, but today I am going to give more Scriptures in order for each of us, me included, to be aware and informed.

“Hush! In the presence of the Adon (Lord) Yehovah. For the day of Yehovah is near, for Yehovah has prepared a slaughter, He has qadosh His invited ones.” -Tsephanyah/Zephaniah 1:7

In these Last Days the love of many will grows cold. Because we are in the Last Days, the love of many has already grown cold.  People are becoming more and more self centered.  Self love and love in the same sex is now an ordinary thing for most people.  Violence and anti-Semitism is escalating. It is no longer a secret to many believers, who read the Scriptures, that indeed we are living at the Last Days, or Days of Yehovah/ (Yom Yehovah).

The phrase “Yom Yehovah” is found 18 times in the prophetic books of our Bibles. We read about this mostly in the books of Yoel and Tsephanyah/Zephaniah, but it is a crucial or very important theme in the Bible. We also read about in the Brit Chadashah (Renewed Testament).

 Let me share with you a few of those prophecies. This will help you to be aware of them when you read the Scriptures, and maybe you can even mark them in your Bible as I do.

“See, the day of Yehovah is coming, fierce, with wrath and heat of displeasure, to lay the earth waste, and destroy its sinners its sinners from it.”

-Yeshayahu/Isaiah 12:9

“the sun is turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yehovah.”- Yoel/Joel 2:31

 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and splendid day of Yehovah. -Ma’aseh /Acts 2:20

“Woe to you who are longing to the day of Yehovah! What does the day of Yehovah man to you? It is darkness, and not light.” Amos 5:18

“Near is the great day of Yehovah, near and hurrying greatly, the noise of the day of Yehovah. Let the mighty man then bitterly cry out! 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and trouble, a day of waste and ruin, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds, dense clouds, 16 a day of ram’s horn and alarm against the walled cities and against the corner towers. 17 “And I shall bring distress on men, and they shall walk like blind men-because they have sinned against Yehovah, and their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.” 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Yehovah. And by the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed, for He makes a sudden end of all those who dwell in the earth. -Tsephanyah/Zephaniah 1:14-18

Many people, even many so called Christians, are now living a worldly life style. They have been influenced by the television and the movies that it is fine to live together unmarried. A large number of people no longer believe the Scriptures because their leader has said that the Bible is not really the Word of God. They deny the Word is the Inspired Word of Yehovah.  Therefore they break the Commandments but think nothing of it.  

They adopt the saying that they are hurting no one, and they can do what they feel is right for them. They say “God knows my heart, “I am doing nothing wrong.” But they are deceived!  They are hurting   other innocent people who will suffer with them and lose their soul. We affect others by our life style. And when we do not live according to the Word of Yehovah but act so selfishly without restrain or guilt, we cause others to go to perdition.  I hope that we, those who are truthfully serving Yehovah and believe in His Son Yehoshua, will live our lives without compromising our faith. Or we will lose the light we have received and cause others to stumble.

We must make a difference in this life while it is still day…and warn those who need instruction, or they will be under the wrath of Yehovah.  We are called to be shining lights because the Light of the World is living in us. Let us be faithful to our Savior and do our work that He has entrusted us with.

However, sadly some will escape his wrath by the skin of their teeth! Yehovah is merciful, and longsuffering, but do they love our Savior who died for us with all our hearts and minds?   To love is to obey.

Yehoshua said this way “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” -Yochanan/John 14:15.

I will end now for today, and I hope that you, the reader, will take the time to search your heart and see if there is any wicked thing in you. I do the same. If you find that you are not right according to the Word of Yehovah, please repent and call upon the Name of Yehovah to help you overcome and be forgiven.

I will continue on my next message.

Shalom

SALVATION MESSAGE

Today I need to speak about something that it has been overlooked by many. I followed the teachings of my pastor and thought it was correct, until I heard just one simple word that changed my mind. I realized all these many years; I was trying to get someone in the Kingdom of Heaven by having the person simply agree to the message of the gospel. And that is, simply stated that collectively all of us have sinned, and that we   individually need to be repent of our sins and receive the free gift of salvation. We taught and believed that the penalty for our sin is death and His gift is eternal life (Romiyim/Romans 3:23; 6:23), and therefore we need a Savior. All of this is the truth. I learned and believed that our own death would not be able to save us. We needed someone who never sinned, to be our substitute.  Yehovah Himself had to come and redeem us. Yeshua, who is the only Ben/Son of Yehovah, is the only one who qualified to redeem mankind. He indeed came into this world, and taught us the way of salvation together with revealing the Father, our Creator to us. He taught us the ways of the Kingdom.

Yehoshua, indeed, came from heaven, and lived His life among us without sin. After He finished completing His mission received from the Father in Heaven, He allowed Himself to be falsely accused.  He was crucified in order to fulfill the Scriptures and become our Redeemer. Here are some of the Scriptures you may need to read in your Bible, if you are not familiar with them.

He prophesied His own death

Mattithyahu/Matthew 12:39-40; Mattithyahu/Matthew 26:2; 31:32)

Prophesies concerning His death and their fulfillment

Tehillim 40:6-8; Yeshayahu/Isaiah 53; Yochanan /John 19:5-37; Tehillim/Psalm 2:7 (Luqas/ Luke 1:26-38)  Tehillim/Psalm 16:9;  Acts 2:27;

He was pierced and crucified, and divided the garments

 Psalm 22:16-18;  Mattithyahu/Matthew 27:35; Luqas/Luke 23:33;  Yochanan/John 19:23-24

Betrayed by His friend  

Psalm 41:9 Mattithyahu/Matthew 26:47-50

He forgave those who crucified Him

Luqas/Luke 23:34

He made provision for His earthly mother

Yochanan/John 19:25-27

He finished His Mission of Redemption by saying: “It Is Finished!

Yochanan/John 19:30

He was pierced on His side and none of His bones were broken

Yochanan/John 19:31-37

He was buried and rose again

YeshaYahu/Isaiah 53:8-9; Tehillim/Psalm 16:9-11; Yochanan/John  19:38-41; 20:10

After He rose from the dead He appeared to Mary and the apostles

Luqas 24:36-46’ Yochanan /John 20:11-17; 20:19-29

He commissioned us to preach the gospel with sign following

Mattithyahu/Matthew 28:16-20; Marqos/Mark 16:15-18

After 40 days He was taken up to Heaven

Luqas/24:50-53/Ma’aseh/Acts 1:9-11

I only wrote some Scriptures, but you can find many more as you read the Word. However, these few verses will give you an idea of the finished work on the cross of our Messiah.

 He died and rose from the dead as the prophets said, and He Himself foretold. He indeed rose on the third day, and not on the second day as the church teaches. He did not die on a Friday, and rise on a Sunday.  

He fulfilled the Passover by becoming the perfect Lamb (Shemoth/Exodus 12:5-6/Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23:4:5; Yochanan/John 1:29)  He died on the 14^th of first  biblical month, and on the third day He rose.  We believe He rose at the end of the Sabbath according to the calendar.

Because He rose, we will also rise from the dead. Because He lives, we will also live.

I needed to speak about His life first before I explain why the “sinner’s prayer” is not biblical.

Yeshua (Jesus) preached repentance “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”- Matt.4:17

 However there is more.

Let me share some verses of Scriptures, and we will notice that the sinner prayer was not even mentioned in the Scriptures! The apostles never had anyone repeat a prayer.

Yeshua commanded us to do the following:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe  will be condemned.”Marqos/Mark 16:16

Peter’s message on Pentecost (Ma’aseh/Acts 2:14-37) ends with instructing the listeners to do the following.

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Ruach HaQodesh (Holy Spirit).” Ma’aseh/Acts 2:38

Please note that the baptism is nothing new. Jews were instructed to deep in water on many occasions to purge their sins or sanctify themselves. 3000 souls were baptized  that day and were added to the kingdom of Yehovah. No one raised their hands and no one repeated a prayer. They believed the message of Yeshua’s death and resurrection for their salvation and they responded immediately. All they did was to believe and to obey laying down their lives as they were immersed in the water a type of being buried, followed by rising from the water to begin a new life in Messiah.  They committed their lives to serve their Savior and entered into Covenant with Yehovah through Yeshua.  This was the beginning of “The Way” as they were called, and or “The Nazarene” movement. When the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost ended they returned to their own home land and spread the Good News of the Kingdom.

More evidence ….

Then Simon Himself  also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and the signs which were done.”Ma’aseh/Acts 8:13

 Now Philip was transported by the Spirit Yehovah and ministered to the eunuch.

And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart , you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Yeshua (Jesus) haMashiach (the Messiah) is the Son of Elohim (God).  So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” Ma’aseh 8:36-38

One again there was no sinner prayer.

The apostles Paul conversion.

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Yeshua, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that  you  may receive your sight and be filled with the Ruach haQodesh. Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.” Ma’aseh 9:17-18

I am almost 100 %  sure that Shaul/Paul had repented for being murdering the Christians, and was now a believer in Yeshua. But there was no sinner prayer said  before the baptism.

Peter was sent by Yehovah to the house of Cornelius and gentile. There He preached the gospel and while he preached the Holy Spirit fell on all of them and spoke in other tongues. (Ma’aseh 34:46)

 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Ma’aseh/Acts 10:47-48

Cornelius believed the gospel so much so that Yehovah sent His Spirit on him and his whole family as a sign that now even the unclean Gentiles were accepted when they believed in Him and Yeshua. Believing is priority. Believing and obeying the commandment of being baptized results in entering into the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the next few verses we hear the keeper of the prison saying,

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, “Believe on the Lord Yeshua haMashiach, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of Yehovah to Him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of eh night and washed their stripes. And Immediately he and all his family were baptized.”  Ma’aseh 16:31-33

Romans 6:3-4 speaks of Baptism.

Baptism is removing himself of the old life style of sin, letting of the world’s ways, and living a new life in the power of the Spirit of Yehovah.

Therefore, if anyone is in Mashiach (Messiah), he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”Qorin’tiyim 2/ 2 Corinthians 5:17

I am not saying that none of those who prayed the sinner prayer and got baptized months or even years later, are not saved, but I am saying that the pattern Yeshua has given us is immediate baptism. Immediately committing self to die to self and live according to the Rules of His Kingdom.

Amen.

THE NUMBER 40 AND ITS POWER

 Let us see how the number 40 is seen in the Word of Elohim. Some people give much power to this number. Some feel they are very religious when they fast for 40 days. I want to find out for myself if there is anything we should learn from applying the number 40 to our lives. 

 I read a weekly Bible study that mentioned the twelve spies that were sent to the Promised Land. They were twelve men, one of each tribe of Yisra’el, and walked the land for 40 days. However, even though they found the land to be very fruitful, ten of the men gave a bad report. They became afraid of the people in the land. Only Joshua and Caleb, who also went to spy the land, had a good report and wanted to go to possess the land.

“There we saw the giants (the sons of Anak, who come from the giants), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Bemidbar/Numbers 13:33

They really did not trust Yehovah.

And all Israel complained against Mosheh/Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them,   “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has Yehovah brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” Bemidbar/Numbers 14:2-3

Yehovah heard their words and gave them their desire. They all died in the wilderness, except Joshua and Caleb and the young generation after the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, eventually entered and conquered the Promised Land.

What I want to concentrate now on the number 40 which is used many times the in the Scriptures. So far this number does not have a good reputation.

What is the significance or importance in the number 40 in this account? What could have been a blessing became a curse to them. They chose not to believe their Elohim, and relay only in their own strength which is nothing compared to His ability and His Word.  They forgot the miracle He did for them. Many of us are all guilty of this same thing. We could have been blessed if we had trusted Him, but we shrank back of the calling.

And now let us see what meaning we can give to the number 40 in the next account we read in the Scriptures.  

Moses was twice on the mountain of Sinai 40 days and nights.

“So Mosheh/Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Mosheh was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Shemoth/Exodus 24:18

There He received instructions from Yehovah for each of us.

Later on we learn the Mosheh went to the Mount of Yehovah, the second time on Sinai, and fasted food and water 40 days and 40 nights. At that time he received the Ten Commandments. (Shemoth 34:28)

This number 40 has a different meaning, if we want to give any significance to it.

 Mosheh went to be in the presence of Yehovah on Mount Sinai and He did not eat or drink for 40 days.

Both of His visits to the mountain have been very beneficial for all of us. Can you imagine being in the presence of Yehovah for such long time and your body does not longer need any food or water for such long time?

Maybe we should stay in His presence more often! 

The number 40 is also used in building the Tabernacle, as you read the chapters 26-36 of Shemoth/Exodus.

Now I want to mention another 40 days.

“And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.” Shemu’el 1/1 Samuel 17:16

The 40^th day David killed Goliath the Philistine.

Shemu’el 1.1 Samuel 17:49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

One man, who had been trained by Yehovah while serving his father as a shepherd, killed Goliath, the enemy of Israel. (See Shemu’el 1/1 Samuel 17:37)

All Yehovah needs is a man who trusts Him to win the frets of the enemy.

Yeshua was tempted also 40 days and nights.

“Then Yeshua was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of Elohim, command that these stones become bread.” Mattithyahu/Matthew 4:1-3

It seems that the number 40 is the number of testing and victories. Most times the victory came after 40 days. The spies should have gone into the Promised Land. But they lacked trust. They felt unable to accomplish such task.  They did not yet understand the power of their Elohim. They had been too long in Egypt been oppressed as slaves and serving their gods. They also forgot the mighty miracles Yehovah did to deliver them. They walked in the natural, but Yehovah is not a natural man, He is the Creator of man and knows how to defeat anyone who dares to come against Him or his Chosen People.  Fear is the cause of failure. But when Yehovah gives a command we must obey and we will be victorious.

40 also speak to us of judgment. He sent the flood,

Bereshith/Genesis 7:17, 24, Now the flood was on the earth 40 days. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.

And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. Bereshith/Genesis 8:5

So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noach opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent a raven. Bereshith/Genesis 8:6

 Yehovah judged mankind. They all died except for Noach and his family who had not been contaminated. The pure seed that the Mashiach would be born was preserved. Therefore although He destroyed the sinners, it also was fruitful for our salvation.

Then we saw Goliath who tested Israel. But after 40 days Israel was delivered by Yehovah through a single man whose name is David.  The enemy was destroyed. David trusted Yehovah to deliver Israel, and He did!  

The Son of Yehovah, the Son of Man, Yehoshua HaMashiach, the promised Savior, was tested before He entered into His ministry. Satan came to Him when He was hungry, but lost. Yeshua was victorious.

And now how can we describe the number 40? Should we trust this number to give us victories?

We cannot give power to any number. The power belongs only to Yehovah. However, if you feel Yehovah is calling you to a time of fasting for the length of 40 days, go forth and be victorious. However, do not put your trust in the number 40 but in Him alone. See Yeshayahu/Isaiah 58 for guidance. Our faith must be in Yehovah and in Yehoshua finished work on the cross. Learn from David, he trust Yehovah, not the five stones in his packet!