Dr. Bill Bright, former president and founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International wrote the FOREWORD to Josh McDowell’s Evidence for Christianity: Historical Evidences for the Christian Faith.

Excerpts:

Is Christianity credible? Is there an intellectual basis for faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God? Scholars throughout the centuries, as well as millions of students and older adults, will answer such questions with a resounding “Yes”!
A lawyer once asked Jesus: “Sir, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matt 22: 37,38). God created man with the ability to think, to acquire knowledge, and to discern truth. God wants us to use our minds.
To me, the evidence confirming the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is overwhelmingly conclusive to any honest, objective seeker after truth. However, not all—not even the majority—of those to whom I have spoken have accepted Him as their Savior and Lord. This is not because they were unable to believe — they were simply unwilling to believe!
. . . a brilliant but confused psychiatrist . . . confessed he had never been willing to consider honestly the claims of Christ in his own life, for fear that he would be convinced and, as a result, would have to change his way of life.
Other well-known professing atheists, including Aldous Huxley and Bertrand Russell, have refused to come to intellectual grips with the basic historical facts concerning the birth, life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
Those who have—C.S. Lewis, C.E.M. Joad, and Malcolm Muggeridge, for example—have found the evidence so convincing that they have accepted the verdict that Jesus Christ truly is who He claimed to be—the Son of God and their own Savior and Lord.
John 20:27-29 . . . “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Sinaite’s Commentary:

There is no question that Jesus of Nazareth was human; the question arises from the claim that he is deity. Around that claim, stories have developed about his birth, miracles, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to heaven.

As if that were not enough to process, add to that the nature of Jesus’ virgin mother who miraculously conceives; note that it is not his birth that was miraculous, he came out just like any other baby; it was his conception that was miraculous, since Mary’s betrothed, poor St. Joseph, had nothing to do with it. The impregnating of Mary by the Holy Spirit caused a bit of a problem for some purists — how can a human egg (Mary’s who would have inherited original sin/fallen nature) mix with a sperm from . . . well, whom? One solution is—the whole package (egg fertilized by sperm to produce the human side of Jesus) was planted in Mary’s womb. Another solution which became the Catholic choice was to make Mary born sinless since she would be Mother of God. Let’s stop here before we forget what this article is all about.

As if that were not enough, Jesus then becomes part of a Trinity defined as one god in three persons. No amount of explaining how the 3-persons-1-god function can be intellectually grasped; one has to simply accept it by faith as a mystery one will never understand on this side of eternity.

As if that were not enough, there is introduced in the New Scriptures an evil being leading a host of other evil beings who frustrate the workings of God on earth, with whom Jesus interacts; these beings are understood to be fallen angels who seem to have free will, just like man, and wreak havoc on all humanity.

Let’s stop there, even if there’s more.

The key phrases in Bill Bright’s Foreword:

credible,
intellectual basis for faith,
evidence confirming deity,
conclusive proof,
basic historical facts

. . . . are all debatable.

Instead, this much can be affirmed:

there was a Jesus of history;
around him developed a religion,
- Christianity which is a historical faith,
- with historical records about its roots in Judaism
- to its beginnings as a gentile political-religious institution,
- emerging from pagan Rome
- developing into papal Rome;
- a persecuting religion that was intolerant of deviations from its proclaimed tenets.
Yes Christianity was a major influence in world history for almost two millennia; whether that could translate into proof or evidence that Jesus is God is not even debatable.

Adonai Elohim YHWH of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament Trinity are not the same God.

To quote Bill Bright since he’s on the dot with this one:

“God created man with the ability to think,

to acquire knowledge,

and to discern truth.

God wants us to use our minds.”

“This is not because they were unable to believe —

they were simply unwilling to believe!”

Ahem, finally we can agree with Mr. Bill Bright on ALL those points.

DISCOURSE

Discourse: Sinaite to Christian – 9

June 20, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

[This continues the email exchange between BAN@S6K and her missionary friend; this time she addresses the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, as brought up by the missionary’s reference to Genesis 1:26: Let us make man in our image . . . which has been used as a one of a few prooftexts to justify the idea that the “Old Testament” God had always been “plural” and not “singular.” —Admin1.]

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The doctrine of the Trinity is one doctrine we all have grown up with and have accepted as a tenet of our faith.

The belief in the union of the three divine persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into one Godhead is often defined in the following terms:

“The holy trinity is one supreme being existing in three persons, all equal in rank and in eternity and having the same substance, all united in one God-head”.

When pressed to explain it from the Scriptures, Christian theologians would respond with something like “It is a great mystery and no one can really understand it.” Christians must accept it by faith. Would YHVH give man a key teaching that could not be understood? How could HE give us a concept that is absent in the Scriptures?

We, as seekers of truth, are motivated to obtain accurate knowledge from Scriptural research, than in twisting and manipulating the scriptures to fit some preconceived man-made doctrine or dogma that we have been spoonfed with. We should be interested in truth, rather than in just believing what has been handed down to us.

Most Christians today believe that God is a Trinity and many agree that the Trinity Doctrine is not only a major doctrine of Christianity, but perhaps the main foundation of Christianity. It will take an in-depth look at verses that appear to contradict this doctrine and scriptures that are used to prove the doctrine. There is a lot of pre-Niceane creed writings to look at from the 2nd century to see if they agree, and to at look at history and a list of important events that helped develop this doctrine.

The acceptance of the doctrine of the trinity comes with little questioning and even to this day, is not really understood. A lot would wonder how Jesus can be the son of god and also be that God that he is the son of. I think it is fair to say that most Christians today who believe in the Trinity have never really checked it out to see if what they believe is taught in scriptures. Many assume that it must be correct because it is what most churches teach and this is perhaps the doctrine that most churches have in common.. This doctrine is widely accepted that people think it is wrong to question doctrines like this as it could cause doubt. But, we are supposed to test all teaching and see if it is affirmed by God’s Revelation to His people.

A thorough study of Scripture and history reveals the simple fact that the Trinity teaching was unknown to the early New Testament believers. It is not a biblical term. The doctrine cannot be discovered by reason, so it is incapable of proof from reason.

HOW DID THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY DEVELOP?

(a short history)

During the days, after Jesus’ death, his disciples taught what he taught them, faithfully. We have to remember Jesus was a Jew and adhered thoroughly with the revealed words of YHVH as written in the existing scripture of his time, the Tanach. So truths found in the Tanach was what Jesus taught, hence this is what the disciples taught too. But after their death, it did not take long before the truth they taught became eroded with falsehoods. These falsehoods began when “Christianity” was accepted by the Gentiles. As Christianity grew in numbers, it was inevitable that they would gravitate to certain charismatic leaders, foremost of whom were Arius amd Athanasius, both of Alexandria, Egypt.

Arius (circa – 259-336 CE) held that Christ is the Son of God and that because he is the Son, he therefore had a beginning: “it is a necessary condition of the filial relation.” He wrote “that the Father must be older than his Son.” The Father and the Son are of “like substance” (nature) and therefore Christ is divine and worthy of worship. (A century before Arius, another believer named Novation of Rome held a similar view.)

Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, headed the opposing party which held that the Father and the Son are of “one substance” co-equal and co-eternal . They asserted that the doctrine of Arius lowered the Son making Him less worthy of worship than the Father. (It is worth noting here that the Egyptians had worshipped a triune God, Osiris the Father, Horus the Son, and Isis, the virgin.)

History records that there were many debates between these two factions. It is not far off to say that the Christians then had opinions concerning the nature of Christ. Theological warfare between Arius’ and Athanasius’ doctrinal camps became intense. Constantine, the then emperor realized that his empire was being threatened by the doctrinal rift. Constantine began to pressure the church to come to terms with its differences. As the controversy dragged on, he finally summoned the first General Council of the Church of Nicea in 325CE to settle this dispute and to reunify the Church. (Note that this happened 294 years after the death of Christ.)

In this council, Arius was defeated. The main point declared was, the Son was of the “same substance” with the Father. Arius was branded a heretic and banished to one of the remote provinces of Elyricum. The conclusion was ambiguous and settled nothing. The ruling of the Emperor was clear. He issued letters denouncing Arius and ordered that anyone found with a copy of his writings must burn it or be put to death.

Concerning the nature of Christ, the first Nicean Creed states “the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes those who say that there was a time when the Son of god was not, and that before he was begotten he was not, and that he was made out of nothing, or out of another substance or essence, and is created, or changeable or alterable.”

The Nicean Creed read as follows:

I believe in one God: the father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God: begotten of his Father before all world, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made being of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made…..

At the Council of Nicea, the debate was over the nature of Christ (begotten vs. unbegotten). The nature of the Spirit was not an issue. It would be another 56 years before the institutional church would decree worship of the Holy Spirit.

History records that Emperor Constantine was a criminal. He had murdered his son, Crispus, his nephew Licerius, and suffocated in a steam bath his wife of twenty years Fausta, mother of three of his sons. A public abhorrence of his deed could not be concealed. A plaque comparing his reign to that of Nero was affixed to the palace gate. This is the same Constantine, who feigned a conversion to Christ but not wanting to antagonize his pagan subjects, waited until he lay on his deathbed to be baptized, (by an Arian bishop) fearing judgment in case there is indeed a judgment.

Even with the adoption of the Nicean Creed, problems continued and in a few years, the Arian faction began to regain control. They became so powerful that Constantine restored them and denounced the Athanasius group. Arius’ exile was ended along with the bishops who sided with him. It was now Athanasius who would be banished.

When Constantine died, his son reinstated the Arian philosophy and bishops condemned the Athanasius group. In the following years, the political foes continue to struggle and finally the Arians misused their power and was overthrown. The religious political controversy caused widespread bloodshed and killing. In 381 AD, Emperor Theodosius (Trinitarian) convened a council in Constantinople. Only Trinitarian bishops were invited to attend; 150 bishops attended and voted to alter the Nicean creed to include the Holy Spirit as a part of the Godhead. The Trinity Doctrine was now official for both the church and the state. Dissident bishops were expelled from the church and excommunicated.

THE ATHANASIUS CREED COMPLETES THE TRIUNE GODHEAD

The Athanasius (Trinitarian) Creed

The first clear reference to the Athanasian Creed was made during the 6th century. It was not written by Athanasius but adapted his name. It is Latin in origin, and in the Middle ages it was regularly used in church services. Since the Reformation, its use in worship service has been confined to the Roman Catholic church and the Anglican communion, although now, it is infrequently recited.

We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance. We distinguish among the persons, but we do not divide the substance. For the Father is a distinct person; the Son is a distinct person; and the Holy Spirit is a distinct person. The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal. Nevertheless, there are not three eternal beings, but one eternal being. Thus there are not three uncreated beings, not three boundless beings, but one uncreated being and one boundless being….. Thus the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. But there are not three gods, but one God.

[From the Athanasian Creed Reference]

Why the original clamor to elevate Jesus and the holy spirit to positions equal to the Judeo God? Simply because at the birth of Christianity and its propagation, the pagan world was quite used to having three gods or trinities as their deities. The trinity satisfied the majority of converts who had come from pagan backgrounds. We may think that Paganism was conquered by Christianity, but it is more accurate to say that Christianity adapted it some of its beliefs and practices. The adoption of Sunday as a day of worship is one of its adaptation. Sunday was a worship day for followers of the sun god, one of the gods, the Romans worship.

Here is a list of some New Testament verses, Trinity advocates use:

I and the Father are one (John 10:30);
……. he that has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9)
In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1)
….that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me and I in Him (John 14:10)
…Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” (John l7:11)
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. “For in Him, dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:8-9)

Here is also a list of New Testament verses denying the Trinity rather than confirming it:

Why do you call me good. No one is good but One, that is, God. (Matthew 19:17)
…..for my Father is greater than I. (John 14:28)
My doctrine is not mine, but His, who sent me. (John 7:16)
O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. (Matthew 26:39)
My God, my God why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father. (Mark 13:32)

Citing from the Hebrew Scriptures, here are some verses, Trinitarians use: Let US make man in OUR image. (Genesis 1:26)

Christians state that Jesus was part of creation with God, plural US and OUR, being the proof. This is one of the most popular verses used by Trinitarians as proof text for the Trinity. What does Genesis 1:26 really say?

With limited knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, Trinitarians take as evidence that Genesis 1:26 affirms the plurality of the godhead which was responsible for creation, because of the use of the words “Us and Ours”. Their understanding is flawed. A great number of Trinitarian scholars have long abandoned the notion that Genesis 1:26 implies plurality of persons in the godhead. Rather, these scholars overwhelmingly agree that the plural pronoun in this verse is a reference to God’s ministering angels who were created previously, and the Almighty spoke majestically in the plural, consulting His heavenly court. In our times, note that when Queen Elizabeth of England speaks to her people, she would always use the plural “We” when speaking to her people.

One very eminent evangelical Christian author, Gordon J. Wenham, who is no foe of the Trinity and authored a widely respected two-volume commentary on the book of Genesis comments on this verse: “Christians have traditionally seen Genesis 1:26 as adumbrating (foreshadowing) the Trinity. It is now universally admitted that this was not what the plural meant to the original author.”

The New International Version is hardly a Bible that can be construed as being friendly to Judaism, Yet the NIV Study Bible also writes in its commentary on Genesis 1:26, “US…. OUR…OUR.. GOD speaks as the Creator -king, announcing His crowning work to the member of His heavenly court.” (see Genesis 3:22, 117; Isaiah 6:8; 1 Kings 22:19-23; Job 15:8; Jeremiah 23:18)

Charles Caldwell Ryrie, a highly regarded dispensationalist professor of Biblical studies at the Philadelphia College of Bible and author of the widely read Bible commentary, The Ryrie Bible Study, writes in his :short and to the point annotation of Genesis 1:26: “Us…..OUR. Plurals of majesty.”

The 10 volume commentary by Keil and Delitzsch is considered by many to be the most influential exposition on the “Old Testament” in evangelical circles. Yet in its commentary on Genesis 1:26, they wrote,

The plural “US” was regarded by the fathers and earlier theologians almost unanimously as indicative of the Trinity; modern commentators, on the contrary, regard it either as “pluralis majestatis”…No other explanation is left, therefore, than to regard it as “pluralis majestatis.“

The question that immediately comes to mind is: What would compel these evangelical scholars, all of whom are Trinitarians, to determinedly conclude that Genesis 1:26 does not suggest the Trinity, but rather a majestic address to the angelic host of heaven? Why would comments of the above conservative Christian writers so perfectly harmonize with the Jewish teaching on the verse?

The answer is simple. If we search the Hebrew Scriptures, we will find that when the Almighty speaks of “US or OUR”, He is addressing His ministering angels. At the end of the third chapter of Genesis, the Almighty relates to His angels that Adam and his wife have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge and must therefore be prevented from eating from the Tree of Life, as he will “become like one of us.”

Genesis 3:22-24 says,

Behold, the man has become like one of US, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” … therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So, He drove out the man; and He placed “cherubim” at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

This use of the majestic plural in Genesis 3:22-24 is what is intended by the NIV Study Bible’s annotation on Genesis 1:26. At the end of its comment on this verse, the NIV Study bible provides a number of bible sources from the Hebrew Scriptures to support its position that “God speaks as the Creator-King, announcing His crowning work to the members of His heavenly court” The verses cited are Genesis 3:22, 11:7, Isaiah 6:8, 1Kings 22:19-23, Job l5:8 and Jeremiah 23:18. These verses convey to the attentive bible reader that the heavenly abode of the Creator is filled with the ministering angels who attend the Almighty and to whom He repeatedly refers when using the plural pronoun “US.”

Another proof that Trinitarians cite is Deuteronomy 6:4

Hear O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

In Hebrew, “one” is translated “echad”. Trinitarians insist that the Hebrew word “echad” does not mean an absolute one, but rather it can only signify a “compound unity” or many things in one. They point to Numbers 13:23 which reads,

Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and thee cut down a branch with one (echad) cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole…….

The second is Genesis 1:5 which reads,

.…and there was evening and there was morning, one (echad) day.

(To answer this, I will cite from the commentary of Rabbi Tovia Singer, of Outreach Judaism.)

From these verses, they say, it is clear that the Hebrew word “echad” can only mean a fusion of a number of things into one. This proof is as flawed as the doctrine it seeks to support, for those who lack an elementary knowledge of the Hebrew language, this argument can be puzzling.

The word “echad” in the Hebrew language functions in precisely the same manner as the “one” does in the English language. In the English language it can be said, “these four chairs and the table constitute one dinette set.” or alternatively, “There is one penny in my hand.” Using these two examples, it is easy to see how the English word “one” can mean either many things in one, as in the case of the dinette set, or one alone, as in the case of the penny.

Although, the Hebrew word “echad” functions in the exact same manner, Trinitarians will never offer biblical examples where the word “echad” means “one alone”. Thus by only presenting scriptural verses such as Genesis 1:5 and Numbers 23:13, it creates the illusion to the novice that the word “echad” is somehow synonymous with a “compound unity.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Deuteronomy 17:6 reads,

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death, but at the mouth of one “echad” witness he shall not be put to death.

or Ecclesiastes 4:8 reads,

There one “echad” alone, without a companion; yes has neither son…..

In the above two verses the exact same Hebrew word is used, and clearly the word “echad” is referring to one alone, not a “compound unity.”

The question that immediately comes to mind is: If the Hebrew word “echad” can signify either a compound unity or one alone, how can one tell which definition is operative when studying a verse? The answer is: In the exact same way the word “one” is understood in the English language, that is, from the context. “Four chairs and a table make up “one”dinette set” is a compound unity, and Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is ONE is unsullied monotheism. (End of commentary)

Here is one more example of a verse which Trinitarians use to support the doctrine:

Genesis 19:24 which reads,

Then the Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.”

It has been alleged by some Trinitarian theologians that there are two divine personalities mentioned in

this verse, one on earth, conversing with Abraham and the other in heaven. The one on earth, it is claimed, rained down fire and brimstone upon the two cities from the one in heaven.

There is, no grammatical basis for such an inference, In accordance with the verse, we find that in the first half of the verse, we are informed who caused the brimstone and fire to fall upon the two cities, In the second half of the verse, we are told for emphasis, not only from whom it came but also from where. The verse emphasizes that is is “from the Lord” in order to leave no doubt as to who is in command of the event.There is no scriptural reason to assume that two divine personalities are mentioned.

The above passages quoted are representative of the opposing concepts.

Christians are faced with a dilemma. The Hebrew Scriptures say—

“I, EVEN I, AM THE LORD; AND BESIDES ME THERE IS NO SAVIOUR” (Isaiah 43:11).

“Salvation belongs to the Lord…” (Psalm 3:8).

” for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…” (Isaiah 43:3).

According to the Hebrew Scriptures, only God can be the Saviour. In order for Jesus Christ to be the Saviour, he must also be God. If he is not God, then he cannot be the saviour. His death would be meaningless.

So Christians have invented the Trinity to explain Christ’s divinity. He is man. He is God. He is both. He must be in order to be the saviour. Unfortunately, he is ambivalent at best. Sometimes, he claims to be one with God. Sometimes, he admits God knows things which he doesn’t know and does things which he cannot do. Christians go to nearly any length to prove the Trinity including the declaration that it is a mystery and we just do not have the mind to understand it.

The founders of the early Christian church had no idea that the Trinity concept would evolve, be voted upon by politicians, forced by emperors and eventually become an integral part of Christianity such as we have it today. Is it any wonder that it is difficult to explain?

BAN@S6K

Next: Discourse: Christian to Sinaite – 10

Q & A

Ask the Rabbi: Saul and the Spirit Medium – 3

June 19, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

To: whatjewsbelieve@hotmail.com

Fr: BAN@S6K

Subject: I Samuel 28::8-20

Q: SHALOM RABBI FEDEROW—–

THE ACCOUNT OF SAUL ASKING THE WITCH OF ENDOR, TO CALL SAMUEL FROM THE DEAD, PUZZLES OUR SHABBAT TORAH STUDY GROUP A LOT. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE LORD GAVE THE WITCH THE POWER TO CALL SAMUEL FROM THE DEAD. WE HAVE STUDIED THAT NECROMANCY IS PROHIBETED BY GOD. SO WHY DID GOD PERMIT THIS?

WE HOPE YOU CAN ENLIGHTEN US ON THIS. WE HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS AND WE CANNOT FIND THE ANSWER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT ON THIS MATTER.

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A: First, the text never calls her a witch.

Second, the bible never says that that stuff doesnt work. It never says it about astrology, or any of that stuff. What the bible says is that it is not for Jews. We have Gd, let other faiths rely on humans like dying/saving pagan man/gods or astrologers.

Remember also that in the Christians’ New Testament, the wise men, who were astrologers, played an important role. They had to be astrologers so that they could understand what the star in the east was showing them. Of course the text says they were in the east and the star was in the east, so I guess it means they went the wrong direction all the way around the world. Of course in Luke the text says nothing of wise men coming to see Jesus, only shepherds came to see Jesus, because there was no need to have wise men find Jesus. In the Luke version, Mary and Joseph came from the north, Nazareth to Bethlehem. In Matthew, they were already home in their house, no need for an Inn, in Bethlehem, just another of the many internal contradiction of the Christian’s New Testament. At any rate, either way, Jews have Gd, others do what they wish, but it never says that the occult, astrology and horoscopes don’t work.

Third, please note the Hebrew of the text, she is a woman of “Ain Dor,” which means the “Fountain of Generation,” and this is also a name of a place in the Bible. perhaps they thought back then that the area was a gate to Sheol. She could be like a gate keeper to Sheol, which means “The Unknown,” which is the afterlife.

Note further that it does not mean “hell,” as many Christian translations translate it. The word ‘Sheol’ is from the same root as ‘question, sh’aylah.’ Furthermore, notice that Samuel is angry at Saul for making him leave Sheol! He basically asks Saul, “why are you bothering me?” If it was hell, then Samuel would have told Saul, “Oh Thank You, for getting me out of there for even just a few minutes!”

I think that Gd let Saul do this because Gd wanted Saul to understand why He had abandoned him. So, by letting Saul talk to Samuel, Samuel was able to convey to Saul the reasons for not being able to communicate with Gd. Samuel even reminds Saul that he had told Saul that Gd was going to abandon him for what he didn’t do, when he didn’t destroy the Amalekites. That is my guess.

Q & A

Ask the Rabbi – Saul and the Spirit Medium – 2

June 17, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

1 Samuel 28:3-25 is a strange text to bring up after the series of articles on the non-existence of the devil, demonic spirits, and ghosts. This episode appears to promote the belief that the spirit of the dead can be conjured up through the agency of a medium like those simulated in seances today. This isolated case continues to stump us and has been our recurring discussion for weeks now since we have not been able to come up with a satisfactory answer, satisfactory to us first and foremost!

We resorted to “Ask the Rabbi” and posted the first answer, here’s the second Jewish website that sent back a reply:

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Q: If necromancy is forbidden by God, why did he allow the witch of Endor to call Samuel from the grave and talk to Saul?

A: Fr: Chabad.org: Ask the Rabbi {Ref. No. 2356122}

Just because something is not allowed doesn’t mean it won’t produce results!
I’ll flip it the other way: Just because something works doesn’t mean it is allowed.
Torah tells us right from wrong. Good from bad. Pure from impure.
G-d made a world with impurity (for the sake of freedom of choice) and we are to choose the path of Torah.

Let me know if this helps.

Yours truly,
Rabbi Yisroel Cotlar

Browse our ongoing schedule of live classes and courses — all free at:http://www.chabad.org/live
Please support our work: http://www.chabad.org/supportatr

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Sinaites’ Comment:

To be a honest, our first impulse was not to publish this reply because it was not satisfactory and besides which, it only succeeded in raising more questions in our minds. Since the answers were brief with no further elaboration, let us take it point by point:

Just because something is not allowed doesn’t mean it won’t produce results!
- The “something that is not allowed” is the practice of necromancy [i.e., sorcery, (black) magic, witchcraft, witchery, wizardry, the occult, occultism, voodoo, hoodoo; divination; spiritualism].
- In the text under scrutiny, there are two characters interacting with each other initially: King Saul and the witch of Endor.
- Saul had decreed against the practice of necromancy which is forbidden by the Torah; the witch by the very fact she’s called a witch or in some texts “necromancer” has the reputation of having practiced it, and has either discontinued it because of the decree or continued but secretly.
- Saul disguises himself because he has to violate his own decree; this is the extent of the depths to which this king has sunk.
- Why does he want to violate his and the Torah’s decree? Because he’s desperate, wants answers about the security of his kingship and his kingdom, but no longer has Samuel to consult and all other recourse yield no answers.
- So despite Saul’s violation of the Torah prohibition and his own decree, he still gets what he wants and asks for: the return of Samuel from the dead to prophesy the end of Saul’s kingship.
- So next the interaction shifts between Saul and the “being” that Saul perceives to be Samuel; if it is not the real Samuel, then it is some spirit [possibly an angelic messenger] taking the place of the dead Samuel, though that is not indicated in the text, in fact the text says Samuel is speaking, sounding irritated that he had to be “disturbed” to be “raised up.” It would seem God did indulge Saul so he could hear of his impending fate.
- The Rabbi is right: something not allowed produced results for Saul; he got what he asked for [rouse Samuel from his sleep of death] and got an answer to his question, but not the answer he had wanted to hear.
- Now why would God allow the violation of His own Torah by allowing Samuel to return to issue one last prophecy on the destiny of Saul?
- Why indulge Saul’s wrongful and sinful tendency?
- How could that possibly teach Saul a lesson?
- This is confusing to the rest of Torah-students like ourselves who cannot understand how this fits in the teaching on disobedience and consequence?
I’ll flip it the other way: Just because something works doesn’t mean it is allowed.Torah tells us right from wrong. Good from bad. Pure from impure. Amen!
- For all that Saul went through to get answers even if he went about it the wrong way, he did succeed . . . but everything he did was a violation of Torah . . . a sin against God. He suffered the consequences.
- Could he have repented and asked forgiveness? That is always a choice of every person who realizes he has sinned, God reacts favorably toward the repentant, just look at David. But the text does not indicate that Saul repented.
G-d made a world with impurity (for the sake of freedom of choice) and we are to choose the path of Torah. Perhaps this should be reworded into: God made a world that He pronounced “good” and “very good,” except that man was given freedom of choice which could turn the good and very good to bad and very bad when man strays from the path of Torah and disobeys God’s specific commandment.

Are we satisfied with this reply? Not quite, though Rabbi Cotlar has helped us look at the episode from another angle.

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ART by BBB@S6K – Hebrew Midwives: Shiphrah and Puah

June 16, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

BBB, artist: ART EXPLOSION STUDIOS, 744 Alabama St., San Francisco, CA

SHEMOTH/Exodus 1:1-22

Translation: The Five Books of Moses, by Everett Fox

Now these are the names of the Children of Israel coming to Egypt,

with Yaakov, each-man and his household they came:

2. Re’uven, Shim’on, Levi and Yehuda,

3. Yissakhar, Zevulun and Binyamin,

4. Dan and Naftali, Gad and Asher.

5. So all the persons, those issuing from Yaakov’s loins, were seventy persons,

—Yosef was (already) in Egypt.

6. And Yosef died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.

7. Yet the Children of Israel bore fruit, they swarmed, they became many,

they grew mighty (in number)—exceedingly, yes,

exceedingly;

the land filled up with them.

8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who had not known Yosef.

9 He said to his people:

Here, (this) people, the Children of Israel,

is many-more and mightier (in number) than we!

10 Come-now, let us use-our-wits against it,

lest it become many-more,

and then, if war should occur,

it too be added to our enemies

and make war upon us

or go up away from the land!

11 So they set gang-captains over it, to afflict it with their burdens.

It built storage-cities for Pharaoh—Pitom and Ra’amses.

12 But as they afflicted it, so did it become many, so did it burst forth.

And they felt dread before the Children of Israel.

13 So they, Egypt, made the Children of Israel subservient with crushing-labor;

14 they embittered their lives with hard servitude in loam and in bricks and with all kinds of servitude in the field—

all their service in which they made them subservient with crushing-labor.

15 Now the king of Egypt said to the midwives of the Hebrews—the name of the first one was Shifra, the name of the second was Pu’a—

16 he said:

When you help the Hebrew women give birth, see the supporting-stones:

if he be a son, put him to death,

but if she be a daughter, she may live.

17 But the midwives held God in awe,

and they did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them,

they let the (male) children live.

18 The king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them:

Why have you done this thing, you have let the children live!

19 The midwives said to Pharaoh:

Indeed, not like the Egyptian (women) are the Hebrew (women),

indeed, they are lively:

before the midwife comes to them, they have given birth!

20 God dealt well with the midwives.

And the people became many and grew exceedingly mighty (in number).

21 It was, since the midwives held God in awe, that he made them households.

22 Now Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying:

Every son that is born, throw him into the Nile,

but let every daughter live.

DISCOURSE, SINAI 6000

We have heard it said – A Sinaite's Apologetics – 8

June 15, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

[This is the final article in the series A Sinaite’s Apologetics 5,6,7—this is how our messianic teacher described himself. We will discuss his carefully chosen words one by one.]

——————————————-

“Your beloved ex-teacher,

bond-slave of

YHVH: Father, Son Yeshua, and Spirit”

“Your Beloved . . .”

Even if we have dropped out from our former religious/church/fellowship circles, leaving behind people who became friends because of commonly-held beliefs, we hold them dear in our hearts, having been believers of the same persuasion for decades, having enjoyed years of fellowship in study and worship, and having grown and matured together in a common faith.

Diversity should not lead to the end of friendships; granting differences in belief inevitably divide but if nothing else, such differences should in fact make each side curious enough to check out why the other is doggedly clinging to the belief system he/she has chosen. There is always something to learn from one another; we can accept or reject in the end but we should at least show respect for each other’s chosen pathway to God-given Truth, even if we do not agree. . . because Truth is Truth and does not change; we are all seekers, that is why we are where we are, at different points of our Truth quest —- and we can and should adjust ourselves according to the aspects of Truth we continually discover each step of the way.

Please reread the prayer to the God of Truth we posted on a banner scroll on our HOME page.

Our common grounds are:

we are seekers after Truth,
and the True God.

Where we eventually part ways:

the source of our belief,
the foundation of our faith,
and that would be the Scriptures we consider as God-breathed, if not the very words of God—
- to the Christocentric and Trinitarian, that would be the New Testament first, and the Old Testament only when it serves the purpose of prophecy and fulfillment;
- to Jews that would be their Hebrew Scriptures, the TNK;
- to us Sinaites, that would be the first five books of Moses, the TORAH; everything else that is appended to it should conform to it.
Ultimately, we part ways because of our differing answer to these:
- WHO is your God,
- WHAT is His Name?

The ‘forbidden fruit’ to the one-sided could be the very path that leads to an alternative possibility. There is always more to discover but the close-minded deprives himself of further illumination. Revelation is a one-time event; the discovery of that revelation and the understanding of it is what is progressive or a process. Once convicted, one starts to apply what one progressively learns and accepts in one’s life.

Some are fortunate to have discovered the True God early; the chosen people have been blessed with that unique privilege even if some of them still do not pay heed. We gentiles have their scriptures attached to the New Testament but we can’t seem to see beyond Paul’s looking glass— that “mirror dimly” of 1 Corinthians 13:12. It is possible to know the God of the TNK, He has spoken clearly. It is the god of the Christian Scriptures that remains a mystery to all simply because that god is impossible to explain.

“Ex-teacher”

As far as Christian/Messianic theology, yes; but there is always something to learn from good teachers and they are much appreciated; we would not be where we are had it not been for their tutelage. Teachers are teachers because that is what they do best; as for disciples, it is only natural to win some, and lose some. Teachers don’t have to lose their students if they are more open-minded, listen once in a while, learn from their students, be tolerant of differing opinions, humbly admit that perhaps they have missed doing research on the very topic their students bring up before them and explore the possibility that they might be wrong.

“Bond-slave”

This is an interesting choice of words. Is there a difference between “slave” and “bond-slave”? A note in one Study Bible explains that a bondslave is a slave who has served his time and therefore has been given his much deserved freedom but . . . surprisingly, he refuses to be free and chooses to remain in bondage to his same master to whom he has gotten attached, so that he is just too happy to stay where he is. Our ex-teacher chose his self-description well, befitting his personal choice to remain with the god he has known, has taught and witnessed to others, has served all his life. He chooses to be in bondage to this god because he has invested a lifetime of study and heartfelt worship in his belief and conviction, and so be it, we respect that as we expect respect for our belief and conviction, even if it runs counter to his.

“YHVH: Father, Son Yeshua, and Spirit”

Finally, our beloved ex-teacher saves his best salvo for the last: He names his “God.”

Compare this with the self-declared Name of the God on Sinai and His consistent use of the Hebrew word echad —One, as in the One and Only, as in ALONE.

Nowhere is there a hint in the TNK of YHWH’s future metamorphosis into a trinitarian godhead such as that presented in the New Testament scriptures. Any TNK ‘prooftexts’ being presented to justify the change of TNK’s Immutable God is misunderstood, misinterpreted and misapplied due to a lack of understanding of the Hebrew language, Hebrew thinking, and cultural context.

The custodians of the Sinai Revelation, the Israelites, the Jews, would consider such a renaming of TNK’s God as blasphemy, i.e. the equating or identification of non-gods with the One True God. To change the very nature of God from what He has repeatedly proclaimed in His original Revelation is not the meaning of “I will be Who I will to be.”

Regardless of how one tries to fit the “Old” Testament God to the “New” Testament God, or vice versa, they are not the same. Even with the insistence on “three-in’one” or “tri-unity” it does not fit whether mathematically or logically, and appears to be about as strange as a square circle or as impossible as a round square.

In fact, believers in “Father, Son Yeshua, and Spirit” should stick to simply calling their God the Trinity without superimposing YHWH on their equation, because on top of violating the first commandment, they become guilty of violating the 2nd as well as the 3rd— have no other gods and do not use the NAME in vain. Jews as well as we Sinaites would have no problem respecting a concept of a Trinitarian God [as someone said “live and let live”] but it is an insult to the God of Israel, the God on Sinai to be reconfigured by a council of mere men and declare Him different from what He Himself has self-declared in His original Revelation. The god decided upon by the Council of Nicea who is human-divine, first a biannity then upped to a trinity —- is not the God of the Hebrew Scriptures. In the words of our teacher, “No Way!” whenever he corrects a misconception.

Here are declarations in the TNK about that GOD: [Translation: Christian/ArtScroll]

Exodus 8:10 . . .there is no one like YHWH our God.
- [AST] Exodus 8:6 And he said, “For tomorrow.” He said, “As you say – so that you will know that there is none like HASHEM, our God.

Deuteronomy 4:35 YHWH, He is God; there is no other besides Him.
- [AST] Deuteronomy 4:35 You have been shown in order to know that HASHEM, He is the God! There is none beside Him!

Deuteronomy 4:39 Yahweh, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
- [AST] Deuteronomy 4:39 You shall know this day and take to your heart that HASHEM, He is the God – in heaven above and on the earth below – there is none other.

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me”
- [AST] Deuteronomy 32:39 See, now, that I, I am He – and no god is with Me. I put to death and I bring to life, I struck down and I will heal, and there is no rescuer from My hand.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one!
- [AST] Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: HASHEM is our God, HASHEM is the One and Only.

2 Samuel 7:22 You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You.
- [AST] 2 Samuel 7:22 because You are great, HASHEM, God, for there is none like You and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

2 Samuel 22:32 For who is God, besides Yahweh? And who is a rock, besides our God?
- [AST] 2 Samuel 22:32 For who is God besides HASHEM, and who is a Rock besides our God?

1 Kings 8:60 Yahweh is God; there is no one else.
- [AST] 1 Kings 8:60 so that all the peoples of the earth shall know that HASHEM is God – there is no other.

2 Kings 19:15 You are the God, You alone of all the kingdoms of the earth.
[AST] 2 Kings 19:15 Hezekiah then prayed before HASHEM, and said, “HASHEM, God of Israel, Who dwells atop the Cherubim: You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the world; You made heaven and earth.

1 Chronicles 17:20 O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You.
- [AST] 1 Chronicles 17:20 HASHEM, there is none like You and there is no god besides You, like all that we have heard with our ears.

Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are YHWH.
- [AST] Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are HASHEM; You made the heavens, the most exalted heavens and all their legion, the earth and all that is upon it, the seas and all that is in them, and you give them all life; and the heavenly legion bows to You.

Psalm 18:31 For who is God, but Yahweh? And who is a rock, except our God.
- [AST] Psalm 18:32 For who is God besides HASHEM, and who is a Rock except for our God?

Isaiah 37:20 You alone Lord, are God.
[AST] Isaiah 37:20 So now, HASHEM, our God, save us from his hand, then all the kingdoms of the world shall know that You alone are HASHEM.

Isaiah 42:8 “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, or My praise to idols.”
- [AST] Isaiah 42:8 I am HASHEM; that is My Name; I shall not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven idols.

Isaiah 43:10 Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.
- [AST] Isaiah 43:10 You are My witnesses – the word of HASHEM – and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you will know and believe in Me, and understand that I am He; before Me nothing was created by a god nor will there

Isaiah 44:6 I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.

[AST] Isaiah 44:6 Thus said HASHEM, King of Israel and its Redeemer, HASHEM, Master of Legions: I am the first and I am the last, and aside from Me there is no God.

Isaiah 44:8 Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.
- [AST] Isaiah 44:8 Do not be afraid and be not terrified! Did I not make you hear of yore and tell you; and you are My witnesses: Is there a god aside from Me? There is no rock I do not know!

Isaiah 45:5 I am YHWH, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God.
- [AST] Isaiah 45:5 I am HASHEM and there is no other; other than Me there is no God; I will gird you, though you did not know Me,

[Isaiah 45:14 Surely, God is with you, and there is none else, No other God.

[AST] Isaiah 45:14 Thus said HASHEM: The toil of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and the Sabeans, men of stature, will pass to you and will become yours; they will follow after you and pass in chains. They will prostrate themselves before you; they will pray before you, ‘Only with you [Jerusalem] is God, and there is none other, except for God’;

Isaiah 45:18 I am Yahweh, and there is none else.
- [AST] Isaiah 45:18 For thus HASHEM, Creator of the heavens; He is the God the One Who fashioned the earth and its Maker; He established it; He did not create it for emptiness; He fashioned it to be inhabited: I am HASHEM and there is no other.

Isaiah 45:21 “Is it not I, Yahweh? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.
- [AST] Isaiah 45:21 Proclaim and approach; even let [your leaders] take counsel together: Who let this be heard from aforetimes, or related it from of old? Is it not I, HASHEM? There is no other god besides Me; there is no righteous god besides Me and no savior other than Me.

Isaiah 46:9 I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me.
- [AST] Isaiah 46:9 Recall the early events of ancient times, [see] that I am God and there is no other; [I am] God and there is none like Me.

Zechariah 14:9 And Yahweh will be king over all the earth; in that day Yahweh will be the only one, and His name the only one.
- [AST] Zechariah 14:9 HASHEM will be the King over all the land; on that day HASHEM will be One and His Name will be One.

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We Have Heard It Said – A Sinaite's Apologetics – 6

June 13, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

Continuing from A Sinaite’s Apologetics – 5, our Christocentric Trinitarian Messianic Teacher wrote of us:

“I actually feel great relief that I am no longer responsible for the spiritual life of any of you.”

Presumptuous as that claim sounds, we do give some credit to this bible teacher from whom we learned many valuable lessons such as:

Don’t trust what is taught by any bible teacher or church preacher, check the teaching out for yourself.
When you read the Bible, think Jewish, since all the writers of biblical books from Genesis to Revelation were Jews; even Luke, who was a Jew of the diaspora and was not a gentile as claimed.
The Covenant with Israel is still in effect; it is not old and even the “new” covenant which the church claims for itself is simply the “renewed” covenant with Israel, as declared in Jeremiah 31:31.
The Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples was actually a celebration of the Pesach or Passover Seder feast. We learned to celebrate the Jewish Passover every year at its designated and appointed time in the biblical/Jewish calendar.
The Tabernacle in the wilderness is designed as a teaching parable; this part we don’t accept–everything about the Tabernacle is prophetic, pointing to the details of the life and passion of Jesus Christ.
We developed a love and respect for the Jews and the nation of Israel and seek out the Jewish sages to learn from them.
In fact he taught us to think independently which we did—so much so, we started questioning even his own teaching.

Indeed he taught us well, in fact too well! That speaks for him as an effective teacher, we do owe him that much. However, learning from this teacher does not make him responsible for our spiritual life; each of us made a choice for ourselves and decided on the spiritual path we would take at each stage of our Truth-search.

In fact, apart from him and without seeking his permission, we adjusted our beliefs every time we discovered something was false about it, regardless of what church or religious theological authority was claiming or asserting its absolute veracity. Each of us made decisions for ourselves as to what we would accept or reject in the teachings, checking them out by further research on our own. Each of us independently reached the same conclusion and after sharing, connected with one another into a small community of like-minded departers from a Christocentric faith. How else could we have arrived at where we are today—as Sinaites, following a totally different direction, opposite of everything we had previously believed in?

Our spiritual life is in our own hands, as are our physical, mental, psychological, social dimensions. We make choices for ourselves each step of the way. If we give up that right to choose to yield to another person such as a bible teacher of church leader, then that is still a choice to surrender that right. No other person is responsible for our spiritual life; even God chooses not to intervene, since He does not violate the one gift He has given us: free will and hence, freedom of choice.

“You have ‘made your beds,’ now enjoy sleeping in them.”

To this day, our Christian colleagues look at us with pity, because they think we have lost our way; are in darkness; cannot receive illumination because the Holy Spirit no longer indwells us, that is why we can no longer understand the Scriptures.

Yes indeed, we have made our beds and yes, we actually now enjoy sleeping in them. Because formerly, we were in darkness, hardly recognizing the importance of drawing ourselves to the light-bearer, Israel and its Hebrew Scriptures but now, since we have started seriously studying the Torah, we truly have seen the Light. We pray that through this website which is our only venue for sharing with seekers like ourselves who don’t know where and how to begin their quest, we can share what we’re learning and encourage others to “be strong and take courage,” as God told Joshua and the children of Israel when they were on the verge of claiming the Land that had been promised to them.

We pray you will respond just as Joshua did, as we did:

[NASB] Joshua 24:15

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

[ARTSCROLL] Joshua 24: 14-15

And now, fear HASHEM and serve Him with wholeheartedness and truth, remove the gods that your forefathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt, and serve HASHEM. If it is evil in your eyes to serve HASHEM, choose today whom you will serve: the gods your forefathers served across the River, or the gods of the Amorite in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve HASHEM!

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We have heard it said – A Sinaite's Apologetics – 5

June 13, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

We have heard it said of us: “Sayang!“

and that was later followed up by–

“I actually feel great relief that I am no longer responsible for the spiritual life of any of you.
“You have ‘made your beds,’ now enjoy sleeping in them.”
“Your blood is on your own heads.”
“Your beloved ex-teacher, bond-slave of YHVH: Father, Son Yeshua, and Spirit”

[This article will dwell only with the first; please follow A Sinaite’s Apologetics 6, 7 and 8 in relation to this.]

Sayang is the [Filipino language] Tagalog word for “too bad,” “what a waste,” “what a pity.”

What is sayang or specifically, who is sayang?

Coming from our former Christocentric Trinitarian Messianic teacher, obviously he meant— we and our ilk are sayang.

What is so sayang about us? The very fact that we had already tasted “salvation” in Jesus Christ but have turned our backs on—-

our whole Christian commitment,
a lifetime involvement in that belief system,
active ministry,
some degree of influence over small groups,
special privileges assured a believer such as—
- the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,
- direct access to the Father,
- eternal security in Christian heaven,
- rewards of crowns according to our earthly good deeds.

To use a metaphor—once we were hopelessly drowning and unable to save ourselves; then we’ve been thrown a lifesaver; we clung to it for a long time, after which we decided to let go . . . and are now doomed to sink because we never learned to swim on our own or if we did, we swam away from the lifesaver. Why? Because we realized it was the wrong boat, it would not get us to our chosen destination.

That sameTagalog word “Sayang” could indeed apply to us but in a different sense:

Sayang that it took some of us almost a lifetime to get to where we are today; thankfully others among us are younger, have listened, learned, and decided to join the spiritual trek back to the Revelation on Sinai, and continue the rest of the journey in case the trailblazers among us are granted rest while pursuing the True God;
Sayang that we spent a good 3 or more decades pouring over “scriptures” that taught a theology that is the opposite of YHWH’s original revelation;
Sayang that we did have our own circles of influence, leading many truth-seeking hungry souls to the wrong god, most of whom won’t listen to us now;
Sayang that we built up a huge library full of books propagating a false religion; we’re just now building up a new library;
Sayang that with all the resources God made available to us, we supported ministries that continue to mislead, [albeit innocently or ignorantly], people from reaching HIM, YHWH, the One True God.

We do recognize that none of the above are really sayang because that route we inadvertently took is most likely the same route that every Truth-seeker today would typically and logically end up taking, particularly if they are persistent and zealous just as we have been and continue to be; then they virtually will be just a few biblical miles behind us and we all eventually will arrive at the same destination—the Sinai Revelation.

However, they have to make a conscious choice to check out if there’s an alternative to what they have already chosen to believe; then open their eyes, minds, hearts and will to truths other than what they’ve known and accepted as truth all their lives, and humbly consider the possibility that they have been on the wrong path all along.

You see, God cannot pour any of His Truth to minds that are already closed, wills that have decided they know everything there is to know; hearts that are totally devoted to what they have determined as their object of worship; God cannot fit into a religious box that has been packaged by men as “The Final Theology — End of Story” . . . . specially if it purports to be an extension of His original revelation but makes major and very complicated changes from His simple message: “Know Me, Obey My Torah.”

Ultimately we have to accept that our wonderful Life-Planner YHWH intended our journey to be exactly the route it took, through man-made religions [Catholicism, Protestant-Evangelical-Messianic Christianity] so we could fully understand them enough to teach where they depart from the original faith in the True God as laid out in the Hebrew Scriptures. We have mastered the mindset of Christians-Messianics, can understand and relate to their blindness because we’ve been-there-done-that! In God’s perfect plan for us, we are now in the right place for which we had been prepared for almost a lifetime. In the end, there is nothing sayang about our past involvement; in fact it all comes very handy in what we’re doing for our Lord God YHWH today.

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Q & A

Ask the Rabbi: 1 Samuel 28:1-25/Saul and the Spirit Medium

June 13, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

[This is part of our series on No Devil/No Hell/No Demonic Spirits/Occult. We left the question hanging when we encountered this strange episode since we were not sure if our interpretation of the verse is in accordance with Jewish thinking, so as we are wont to do when we’re uncertain or can’t agree, we “ask the rabbi” —-not one but as many as who would bother to respond to us. This is the earliest reply we have received; later replies will be posted as we receive them. This is from Rabbi Azaria –(details about him are printed below his signature). His reply has been slightly edited and reformatted for easier readability.]

Shalom [BANS2K],

You asked: “Necromancy is prohibited, why is it allowed in the case of King Shaul asking the witch….”

Know that Necromancy is not allowed.

King Shaul in his great distress broke this Torah commandment and he explains “I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines are battling against me, and God has turned away from me, and has not answered me anymore, neither through the prophets, nor through dreams.”

He did inquire G-d in other permitted ways, but [received] no answer; therefore he decided to try to ask through ways that are not allowed.

The Rambam writes regarding necromancy and idolatry:

“All the above matters are falsehood and lies with which the original idolaters deceived the gentile nations in order to lead them after them.

It is not fitting for the Jews who are wise sages to be drawn into such emptiness, nor to consider that they have any value as [implied by Numbers 23:23]: “No black magic can be found among Jacob, or occult arts within Israel.”

Similarly, [Deuteronomy 18:14] states: “These nations which you are driving out listen to astrologers and diviners. This is not [what God… has granted] you.“

The masters of wisdom and those of perfect knowledge know with clear proof that all these crafts which the Torah forbade are not reflections of wisdom, but rather, emptiness and vanity which attracted the feebleminded and caused them to abandon all the paths of truth. For these reasons, when the Torah warned against all these empty matters, it advised [Deuteronomy 18:13]: “Be of perfect faith with God, your Lord.”

Why did G-d allow the witch to communicate with Shmuel hanavi?

Rabbenu Sa’adya Gaon and Rav Hai Gaon, who agree that the acts of a medium are generally vanity, but here we are dealing with an exception:

God “resurrected Shmuel in order to tell Shaul everything that would befall him in the future. Indeed, the woman who did not know all this was frightened, as it says: ‘she cried with a loud voice.’ And that which the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up unto you?’ are words of sarcasm, for she was planning to do as she normally does.” According to this, the woman herself was surprised by the incident, because the acts of a medium are ordinarily a bluff.

Hope this answers your question.

Regards,

Rabbi Azaria

Rabbi Eliyahu Azaria.

l. Rabbi of Beit Yaacov Synagogue – Makati, Philippines

2. Is Sephardic, a native of Chicago, USA, of Puerto Rican descent

3. Ordained at Midrash Sephardic Yeshiva in Jerusalem

4. Have resided in the Philippines since 2004, with wife Miriam, and has 2 daughters.

5. Was recently invited as speaker of the Institute of Formation and Religious Studies (Catholic seminar) as part of the IFRS commitment to improving relationship between Christian and Jews.

DISCOURSE

Discourse: Sinaite to Christian – 8

June 10, 2012 s1n4i600o-adm1n-d3v Leave a Comment

[Continuing this discourse between Sinaite BAN@S6K and missionary friend, this is the response to #7–Admin1].

—————————

Hi [Name witheld],

Thank you for the verses you quoted from the book of Hebrews—a book supposedly authored by Paul or Apollos, or an unnamed new testament writer. I believe that if we have to dialogue with respect to our adhered convictions, we have to have common parameters. Without question, the old testament is canon to both of us so why don’t we use it as our common base in affirming our respective convictions?

You have quoted extensively from Hebrews 10, which in a nutshell says that Jesus, the “son of God” is the perfect sacrifice, that through his blood, he has paid for the sins of those who accept his sacrifice, and those who will not accept have insulted the Spirit of grace, and therefore merits the wrath of God. This is the foundation on which Christianity rest. The death of Jesus on the cross was the last and final sacrifice and his blood had the power of the ransom required to overcome the sinful nature of mankind, wipe clean the stain of “original sin” and restore “eternal life”

Christianity claims that since the shedding of blood is required for the remission of sins, believers in YHWH have no way to obtain atonement from the time the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE. Therefore, the only option for man is to accept Jesus as lord and saviour, because he died for our sins. The biblical reference cited is :

Leviticus 17:11 (Artscroll)

“For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have therefore given it to you to be place upon the altar, to atone for your souls; for it is the blood that atones for the soul.”

The message contained in this portion of the verse is echoed in several other passages in the New Testament. A superficial reading of only this portion of the verse in Leviticus, without studying the entire passage and placing this verse in its proper context will lead one to conclude that only in being covered by the blood of Jesus, can forgiveness of one’s sins be attained.

WHAT DID GOD SAY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?

Based on the proper reading of the text, when this verse is considered in its entirety, it becomes evident that a specific statement concerning blood is conveyed. That the blood of the sacrifice animal must be placed “upon the altar to atone for your souls.” Jesus’ blood was never placed on the altar. If Christians are going to take the “blood” literally, they must also take the “altar” part literally as well. Jesus’ blood was never sprinkled on the altar, and therefore his death could not provide atonement for anyone.

Furthermore, YHWH forbids the offering of human sacrifice under any circumstances. There is not one place throughout the entire body of the Old Testament Scriptures, where human sacrifice was condoned. The Old Testament warns the Jewish people that it is a grave sin to bring a human sacrifice. In Leviticus, only distinct species of animals are permitted for use in blood sacrifice.

Ancient pagan religions promoted the same idea about atonement as Christianity continues to preach today (e.g. Molech). They would joyfully offer a child into the fires of their sacrificial offering in order to expiate for their sins and appease their gods. Why a child, rather than an adult? The reason is, a child is thoroughly innocent of sin. A child could not have committed iniquity and thus mirrored the animal sacrifice which also had to be unblemished. The Old Testament admonished the Israelites never to offer human sacrifice and forewarned the people of terrible consequences if this commandment were violated.

This message was communicated at Mt. Moriah where Abraham was prepared to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. When he raised his hand to slay Isaac as an offering, the Lord stopped Abraham and directed him to sacrifice the ram caught in the thicket instead. God’s directive that He only wanted animal sacrifices rather than human sacrifices was immediately understood. This teaching has never departed from the mind and soul of the faithful children of Israel.

Leviticus 18:21

And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 20:2

Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell ion Israel, who gives any of his descendants to Molech, he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.

Jeremiah 32:35

And they built the high places of Baal which are in the valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

Moreover if Christians want to use Leviticus 17:11 to bolster their position that blood sacrifices are indispensable for procuring an atonement, they must use the whole verse, not just a part of it. Leviticus 17:11 specifically says that the blood of the sacrifice must be placed upon the altar to make atonement for your souls, explicitly saying that blood can only effect atonement if it is placed on the altar. Jesus’ blood was never placed on the altar. If Christians take the “blood” issue literally, they must also take the “altar” part literally as well. Therefore if Jesus’ blood was never sprinkled on the alter, then his death could not provide atonement for anyone.

Lastly, the prophets loudly proclaimed to the Jewish people, that the contrite prayer of the penitent sinner replaces the sacrificial system. Therefore, atonement for unintentional sins today is expiated through devotional supplication to our Merciful Creator.

In Hosea 3:4-5, the prophet foretold with divine exactness that the nation of Israel would not have a sacrificial system during the last segment of Jewish history until the messianic age:

“for the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or seraphim. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their King. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.“

In the words of the Scriptures, this period of time would last for many days. Yet despite the repeated proclamations of the Christians that the crucifixion of Jesus serves as a sin sacrifice today, the words of Hosea were meticulously fulfilled, for there is no sacrificial animal system to this day.

Given the spiritual magnitude of this prophecy, Hosea was compelled to reveal how the ritual temple functions were to be replaced. If the prophet is testifying that the nation of Israel will be without a sacrificial system during their long exile until the messianic age, what are they to use instead? How would unintentional sins be atoned for without blood sacrifice during their exile? What about all the animal sacrifices prescribed in the Book of Leviticus? Can they, the Jews, get along without animal offerings? Christians say they cannot. The Scriptures disagree.

For this reason, Hosea’s statement in Hosea 14:2-3 is vital. In these two verses, Hosea reveals how they are to replace the sacrificial system during their exile. Hosea declares that the Almighty wants us to “render for bulls the offering of our lips” PRAYER is to replace the sacrificial system.

Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to HIM, “Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we render for bulls the offering of our lips.”

The prophets never instructed the people to worship any crucified messiah or demigod. nor does Scripture ever tell us that an innocent man must die as an atonement for the sins of the sinners. That kind of a message is utterly opposite to the teachings of the Old Testament. It is the contrite prayers of the sinner that would become as ‘bulls of the sin offering’.

The same message is found throughout the Old Testament, particularly in 1 King 8:46-52. King Solomon echoes the same idea in his inaugural prayer during the consecration of the First Temple in Jerusalem, the one he built. King Solomon delivers a startling prophetic message as he inaugurates the first temple. He forewarns that the Jewish people would be driven out of the land of Israel and be banished to the land of their enemies, near and far. During their exile they would fervently desire to repent of their sins. They would face Jerusalem, confess their sins,

“and God would hear their prayers in heaven and forgive them for all their transgressions.”

If they sin against You, for there is no man who does not sin, and You will be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, and their captors will carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; And if they take it to heart in the land where they were held captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying “We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness.” And they return to You with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land, which You gave to their fathers, toward the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your Name. Then You shall hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause. And forgive Your people what they have sinned against You and all their transgression that they have transgressed against You, and have mercy upon them before their captors, so that they may have mercy on them. For they are Your people, and Your inheritance, whom You have brought out of Egypt, from inside the smelting furnace of iron. That Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your Servant and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to hear them whenever they call to You.

Later that night, God responds to Solomon:

2 Chronicles 7:12-15:

And the Lord appeared to Solomon at night, and He said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for Myself for a House of sacrifice. If I shut up the heaven and there be no rain, and if I command locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence upon My people. And My people, upon whom My name is called, humble themselves and pray and seek My presence and repent of their evil ways, I shall hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.

Now, My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer of this place.

There is no mention of a cross or a dead messiah in King Solomon’s prophetic message. Only the contrite and repentant prayer of the remorseful sinner can bring about a complete atonement. Although King Solomon’s timeless message stands out as a theological impossibility in Christian terms, it remains the centerpiece of the Old Testament’s system for atonement for sin.

TRUTH? Who proclaims it? The Old or the New Testament? Are they dependent on each other?

I believe not, for the Old Testament can stand on its own. It has the complete revelation of God for us. The New Testament crumbles without it. So, I choose to anchor my faith on the God whose Word has withstood the test of history. I will obey Him with all of my being.

ADONAI’S BLESSINGS ON YOU,

BAN@S6K

Next: Discourse: Christian to Sinaite – 9