Month 7:10, Week 2:2 (Shanee/Matzah), Year:Day 5940:187 AM
YOM HA-KIPPURIM, TESHUVAH 39/39, 2Exodus 1/40
Gregorian Calendar: Friday 3 October 2014
Yom haKippurim 2014
Making Reconciliation with Yah
Continued from Part 38
MORNING SERVICE
Introduction
Chag sameach Yom haKippurim, Shabbat shalom kol beit Yisra'el and blessings upon all of you gathering here in Sweden, in the congregations of East Africa, and throughout the world in tour families and singly.
A Festival With Many Names
The sixth divine or qadosh (holy, set-apart) annual moed (appointment) or festival, which we are gathered here to observe today on the 10th day [1] of the 7th month, is known in Scripture as Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) [2], Yom haDin (Day of Judgment) and the 'Sabbath of Sabbaths'; and as we noted in our evening service last night it has acquired a status as the most qadosh or holiest of the festivals.
A Day of Terror For Some
Unlike all the other festivals which may rightly be said to be a matter of celebration - to have an element of simcha (joy) about them, making them 'festive' - Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements), which begins at twilight and ends at twilight, unlike all the others which start and end at daybreak - is of an altogether different spirit. For this reason we are commanded to "afflict []ourselves" (Lev.16:29) [3] for 24 hours, generally understood to mean to fast, so that the flesh may be silenced and we can better tune in to the Ruach (Spirit) and so more clearly hear what our Elohim (God) has to speak to our spirits. Yet Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) is far more than that - I do not think it would be wrong to describe it as potentially a Day of Terror.
Stopped in Our Tracks
People sin, even though unbelievers deny that sin even exists, and sin has consequences not only in the sense that eastern religions view it - the idea that you reap what you sow (a biblical idea too) as some law of the universe that cannot be avoided - but in a very real sense of an actual Judgment by a very personal Elohim (God) on an actual last and final day that forces all of Creation to stop in its tracks to be examined, exposed and judged. As it is written:
"[Yahweh] is coming to judge the earth" (1 Chr.16:32b, NASB).
A Thorough Examination
All living creatures, and especially man, are forced to stop whatever it is they have been doing and to be confronted with a replay of their past deeds and attitudes. While this is happening, there is a stark awareness and contrast between what we have done and what we should have done. We are shown the quality of our lives as compared with the way our Elohim (God) wanted us to live them. We cannot turn away or avoid this in-depth and thorough examination as we so often do at other times. We are illuminated from within and without, on all sides, so that there is no dark spot, nook or cranny in which we can hide or conceal our thoughts and deeds. Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) is not supposed to be comfortable - it is a day of accountability and of reckoning. And though our instict is to react with horror to it, it is absolutely necessary. It is written:
"Yahweh abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment" (Ps.9:7, NASB).
Yom haBikkurim is as Fixed as Yah's Throne
We can no more avoid Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) than we can remove His throne, and especially not the very last Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) before Yah'shua (Jesus) returns.
The Nose Dive
It is possible for any one of us to choose to remain in darkness today by refusing to repent, and just because no metaphorical sword is seen to fall on our heads in the form of immediately obvious repercussions does not mean that a Divine Court is not passing sentence or that there are not always or necessarily very real and tangible consequences. The inner condition of the unrepentant sinner neither improves nor stands still but continues to get worse like an aircraft plummetting to the ground whose pilot refuses to pull up. And while there may not necessarily be an impact today the laws established by the Creator, which cannot be broken or circumnavigated, will result in that aircraft finally impacting the ground and being destroyed. The Final Judgment, the last of all Yom haKippurims (Days of Atonements), is utterly inevitable and if we don't pull up out of our nose dive we will not have a second chance to do so again. And even if we delay or postpone today, it will get harder and harder to do pull up out of our death dive because the angle of our descent will simply get steeper and steeper.
Judgment is Fair
There is, moreover, nothing that could be remotely said to be unfair in Yahweh's judgment of us. It is written:
"He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness" (Ps.98:9, NASB).
Not Like the Pagan gods
We may not have kept faith, but He has. He is not like the very human gods of the pagans who are pernicious and often indiscriminately violent. He does not have the nature of a devil even though unrepentant humankind is wont to judge Him so when He judges their sin in Scripture. His judgment is scrupulously fair, righteous and soul-specific - the punishment will fit the crime and in the full light of exposure we will not object to our sentence even if millions, who would not make teshuvah (repent) will be begging for an escape. What kind of a Judge will He be? Since He has given over all judgment to His Son, we can know by reading and embracing the devarim (words) of our Messiah, Yah'shua (Jesus), of whose judgment it is written:
"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father (Yahweh) with His malakim (angels); and will then recompense (reward) every man according to his deeds" (Mark 8:38, NASB).
Reward and Condemnation
Judgment, then, also includes rewards for our righteous deeds. Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) is not just a condemnation of the wicked but a vindication and rewarding of those who have sought to do, and have done, good, as it is written:
"Elohim (God) will bring every act to judgment, every thing which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl.12:14, NASB)
Man's Flawed Judgment of Himself
Now were man to decide what was good and what was bad he would, of course, invent his own laws so that judgment was always in his own favour. Ask most people what they feel about themselves and they will always think more highly of themselves than they ought. I do love the way that American evangelist Ray Comfort [3] confronts people with this unholy bias that we have by asking people, who think of themselves as being basically 'good', to then compare their behaviour with the standards of Torah, and in particular the Ten Commandments. It doesn't take people long to realise that they are not as pure as they thought they were when seen through Elohim's (God's) eyes. We are poor judges without the Divine Standard of Torah.
Ezekiel and Judgment
The navi (prophet) Ezekiel quotes a long discourse given by Yahweh on this subject which I'd like us to look at now so that we can change any wayward thinking we may have and adjust the way we judge. We are commanded to "judge not according to the appearance, but [to]judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24, KJV). For in judgment it is always our conscience that is fully activated by the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit), our own internal barometer of emet (truth), no matter how defiled or corrupted we have allowed it to become in order to suppress any guilt arising from its condemnation. For though we can tamper with this divine instrument through our choices of denial, Yahweh can, and does, cause it to operate in the way it was designed to do when a judgment is made. And we all have those moments when we are forced to confront the emet (truth). Here is what Yahweh said through the navi (prophet) Ezekiel:
"The person who sins will die, The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself" (Ezek.18:20, NASB).
A Father's Covering
Now while it is true that a father, when he is walking in emunah (faith) and obedience, automatically provides a spiritual covering for his son by default until he is 20 years old (the biblical age of majority or of full personal responsibility), and a daughter until she is married; and while a believer in general can petition in prayer for a spiritual covering over anyone who is in trouble by an appeal to grace, it is not a permanent, standing or a default spiritual law but must be renewed in prayer continually. Likewise, though a father can cover a son or daughter, or wife for that matter, he cannot cover for sin or place himself for proxy judgment - only the Son of Man ever had the toqef (authority) and right to do that, which is why we must all ultimately turn to Him for forgiveness of sin. Only His blood shed at Calvary can atone for any wickedness on our part.
The Promise to the Wicked if They Will Repent
Ezekiel continues:
"But if the wicked man turns from his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die" (v.21, NASB).
The Penalty for Sin
Make no mistake, the penalty for sin at the end of the day - at the conclusion of life - is death; and though that may include forfeiting physical life, it primarily concerns the spiritual: one who is dead is cut off or separated from Elohim (God), and one who is thus separated is, by default, thence connected to the Devil, Satan. He has made his home in hell - that is where he has chosen to be by his own choice by refusing to make teshuvah (repent).
The Promise to the Righteous
For the one who has lived a life of trust, obedience and therefore righteousness, the promise is made:
"All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live" (v.22, NASB).
Yahweh's Heart Toward the Wicked
It is important also, as I have recently testified to you, that we know Yahweh's heart in respect of the wicked which is so very different from the false gods of the heathen:
"'Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked', declared Yahweh-Elohim, ' rather than that he should turn from his [wicked] ways and live?" (v.23, NASB).
Comparing Allah of the Koran
You will not find this sentiment in the Koran, for example. Though the false deity there is portrayed as being 'compassionate' and 'merciful', he has anything but the kind of feelings toward the wicked that Yahweh has, the true Creator and Governor of the universe. There is not only no regret on 'Allah's' part but nowhere does he command his followers to have that regret or pity either. Rather, the testimony of that book is that the false deity, like Satan, is capricious and merciless and expects his followers to be the same toward the kuffar or non-Muslim. There is no patience and longsuffering (1 Cor.13:4) there - if conversion is not immediate, torture, rape and decapitation is swift.
Good Deeds Do Not Blot Out Bad Ones
Yahweh has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
"But when a righteousness turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die" (v.24, NASB).
False Scales
There are no scales or system of measurement that the ancient mystery religion of Egypt, and indeed all false religion, claim exists. Yahweh does not put our good deeds one one side of the scales and our bad on the other, nor does he declare us saved if our good deeds outweigh our bad, or condemned if the other way round (however you would in practice ever measure that anyway). This is false religion. If you choose wickedness, your previous good deeds will not save you. How can they, since you are condemned to death for your wickedness? It does not matter if you built orphanages, fed the poor, visited prisoners or clothed the naked, if you then go and commit adultery or murder or reject Yahweh! What good will those deeds then be? How can you be rewarded in the Kingdom of Elohim (God) for your good deeds, as Scripture says, if you are in the Kingdom of Darkness because of your sins? You cannot serve two masters (Mt.6:24; Lk.16:13) - you must choose between the one or the other.
The Fleshy Man's Reaction
Anticipating the fleshy man's reaction to this bitter emet (truth), Yahweh goes on to say:
"Yet you say, 'The derech (way) of Yahweh is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My derech (way) not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?'" (v.25, NASB).
Judging Yahweh
The unrepentant heart of necessity is judging Yahweh and declaring His ways to be 'unjust' according to the fallible standards of his own flesh! Yahweh's derech (way) is by default the Way of Salvation. How can it be anything else?
"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die, But the house of Israel says, 'The derech (way) of Yahweh is not right.' Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct, declares Yahweh-Elohim. Make teshuvah (repent) and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new ruach (spirit)! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares Yahweh-Elohim. Therefore make teshuvah (repent) and live" (vv.26-32, NASB).
The Appointed Son and the Beginning of Judgment
For us it is one lifestyle - Yahweh's Torah-obedient lifestyle whose foundation is emunah (faith, trust) in the Judge, and in the Son whom the Judge has appointed to judge us, and in the atonement made freely for us on the Cross of Calvary. The heart of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements), formerly in the system of animal sacrifices and temporary covering through the blood of animals which had no effect in the eternities but only for short periods of life in this world under the former B'rit (Covenant), is now in the Eternal Cohen haGadol (High Priest), the Son of Elohim (God) who today rules in the shamayim (heavens), who wears the "breastpate of judgment" (Ex.28:15, NASB) that consists of 12 stones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
For Israel First
Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) is first and foremost for Israel - for those who claim allegiance through emunah (faith) in Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) the King of Israel. And the Law of the King of Israel is B'rit Chadashah Torah (New Covenant Law/Teaching). Judgment begins at the House of Elohim (God), with New Covenant Israel, and thence passes to the nations and to all other peoples.
The Appeal
Our final appeal, if our teshuvah (repentance) has been real and not a mere religious formality or ritual, is to Yah'shua's (Jesus') "blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt.26:28, NASB), to "the Lamb of Elohim (God) who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn.1:9, NASB). Our deliverance from death, from our inquities and transgressions, is only by turning in teshuvah (repentance) to "the living bread that came down from heaven" (Jn.6:51a, NASB). If we want our pardon and a restoration of a clean conscience today, then we must trust in the devarim (words) of the Saviour who said:
"If anyone eats of this [living] bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh" (Jn.6:51b, NASB).
The Day of Reconciliations
We call Yom haKippurim the 'Day of Atonements' but perhaps a better rendition would be the 'Day of Reconciliations'. The atonement is the reconciling work of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) that began at Pesach (Passover) and is completed at Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements). This atonement for, or reconciliation with, sinners is the gracious fulfilment of the loving purposes of our Father in Heaven, whereby through the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross, once for all (unlike the repeating animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant), on behalf of, and in the place of, sinful men, satisfaction was made for the sins of the world, and communion between man and Yahweh restored. Animal sactrifices were but a temporary expedient, a 'gap-filler', if you like, before Messiah came, about which Yahweh shared His heart saying:
"[Animal] sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired; my ears Thou hast opened; burnt offerings and sin offering Thou has not required. Then I said, 'Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me; I delight to do Thy will, O my Elohim (God); Thy Torah (Law) is within my heart" (Ps.40:6-8, NASB; cp. Heb.10:5-9).
Not Nailed but Implanted
Notice that the Torah does not vanish nor is it 'done away with', nor is it nailed to any cross, but rather its penalty has been nailed to the cross, meaning that Yah'shua (Jesus) has paid the price for the sins that we deserved to suffer, which penalty is death and eternal separation from our Elohim (God). Also notice that the Torah is not transformed into something intangible and aetherial like, for example, own feelings, which Scripture says are corrupt and defiled (Jer.17:9; 1 Cor.8:7); rather the Torah is "in" our heart, it resides there, it is natural to us, desirable to us, loved by us. Instead of being imposed from without under threat of punishment, when the soul is truly born again of Messiah Yah'shua (Jesus), it is in our heart by choice and fills it with the same simcha (joy) that David spoke of, which he meditated on day and night because he loved to (Ps.1:2; cp. Josh.1:8). It is where Yahweh always intended it to be.
From Pesach to Yom haBikkurim
Today is Pesach Part 2, in a way. Whereas the atonement or reconciliation with Yahweh was at the beginning simply accepted on emunah (faith), by the time we have spiritually come up to Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) it has become a reality, a living, conscious awareness of what actually the Besorah (Gospel) is all about. It has grown from a seed into a tree, that we partake of with delight, consciously and eternally aware of the enormous price that was paid on our behalf by the Son of Man so that we might enjoy this wonderful reconciliation. So those who have made teshuvah (repented) can look back into the great messianic prophecy in the Book of Isaiah with new and appreciative hearts, and acknowledge, experientially, based on our living out the Besorah (Gospel) - and with a desire to witness of it to others so that they may share in our simcha (joy) that we shall be celebrating at Sukkot (Tabernacles) in a few days - what began as something terrible and frightening that we are supposed to become aware of today at this Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements), but which was miraculously turned into something altogether too wonderful to fully comprehend when we trust and obey:
"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of Elohim (God), and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastising for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but Yahweh Himself has caused the iniquity of us all to fall upon Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. Therefore, I will allot to Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceeded for the transgressors" (Is.53:4-12, NASB).
Dying to Self
Yahweh calls us to die to self not so that we can make atonement for our sins, because that is impossible, but so that we can receive the kippurim (atonements) - all of them - that He made for us; so that we, who were once dead in sin, may become alive in our living, resurrected Messiah. We are called not to make atonement but to accept the Atonements made for us. That is the heart and life of the Besorah (Gospel), it is why we are gathered here today, to ask for forgiveness and for cleansing, to ask for a pure and undefiled conscience and for the guilt of sin to be washed away. We are here to confess that we can do nothing of ourselves to earn any kind of forgiveness but to simply admit we have failed, to covenant not to repeat our iniquities, and to ask Him to make us clean and fit to come up to Sukkot (Tabernacles) and the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.
Conclusion
We will assemble again this afternoon for a second message. May Yahweh bless us all through the atoning and reconciling blood of His Son. Amen.
AFTERNOON SERVICE
The Judgment of the Wicked
Visions of the Nights
Welcome back to the afternoon and concluding service of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements). This morning we looked at ourselves and this afternoon we turn beyond the Household of Emunah (Faith) and to the world. Four nights ago I spent several hours seeing Obama in vision and a good part of last night I was in vision seeing the devilry that is abroad in the world and I think you would have been shocked had you seen it too - the world is swarming with demons in numbers that have not been seen since the time just before the Great Flood. It is little wonder that the élites feel so cocky, just as they did back in the days of Noah when everything seemed to be going their way. Yet we must remember that they will not have their way for long, as it is written both of the leaders and of their followers:
"For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; they will be led forth at the day of fury" (Job 21:20, NASB)
The Big Ebola Scare
I have wondered what further devaraim (words) Yahweh would have for the world today, whether there might be a Mishpat Yahweh II. I have been preparing for one, just in case, but I have not received anything. I have, however, definitely felt a strong spiritual prompting this afternoon to warn you to prepare for PESTILENCE and what exactly to do. The great panic currently, as you know, is EBOLA which is ravaging West Africa and is being detected in Europe, America and across the world. Obama and other leaders are not closing down air traffic with Africa in order to prevent this designer-made Illuminati weapon of mass murder from coming to our nations precisely because the agenda is the extermination of the bulk of humanity, at elast 80-90%, a goal the élite have spoken openly of more than once so this is no 'conspiracy theory. They know how to weather this storm, and all the others they have created, for they will disappear underground in their cities and wait it out. The incubation time of Ebola in any new breakout area is 21 days or 3 weeks.
How to Prepare for Ebola
If Ebola comes to your area these are things you have got to do:
- 1. Trust in Yahweh - make 100% sure you are right with Him - continually pray, trust the promises and be where and when you wants you to be;
- 2. Pull your children out of school - homeschool them - schools are major places of infection;
- 3. Stay at home with your families - do not go to work or shop - which means you need your food, water and medicine storage and other preparations ready for a good long period of time, for this as well as financial collapse, etc.;
- 4. Don't receive visitors of any kind - chain off your gate or door and ask anyone who wants to speak with you, or deliver something to you, to phone you or not to come;
- 5. Make sure you have LOTS of chlorine - and I mean gallons of it - with which to wash your hands regularly (diluted, of course) and anything else that may ened cleansing - it kills Ebola, they're using it in infected zones - also add chlorine, in safe doses, to your drinking and washing water like they do in swimming pool - follow the Torah instruction to wash your hands regularly only add chlorine;
- 6. Store LOTS of oil-soluble Vitamin C like Altrient C or get injectable solutions (most injested water-soluble Vitamin C is not absorbed by the body and is a waste of money) - Ebola destroys the biochemical maufacture of Vitamin C and overwhelms your immune system - Vitamin C will allow your body's immune system to fight back provided it has adequate ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) at all times; and
- 7. If legal or possible, store weapons and adequate ammunition for self-defence when rule and order breaks down, as it always does in such times of calamity.
The Consequences of Rebellion
Pestilence and plague are two of the consequences of rebellion and disobedience to Yahweh's Torah that also includes rules for hygiene:
"Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
filled with food, he became heavy and sleek.
He abandoned the Elohim (God) who made him
and rejected the Rock his Saviour.
They made Him jealous with their foreign gods
and angered Him with their detestable idols.
They sacrificed to demons, which are not Elohim (God) --
gods they had not known,
gods that recently appeared,
gods your fathers did not fear.
You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
you forgot the Elohim (God) who gave you birth.
Yahweh saw this and rejected them
because He was angered by His sons and daughters.
'I will hide my face from them,' He said,
'and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation
,
children who are unfaithful.
They made Me jealous by what is no god
and angered Me with their worthless idols.
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.
For a fire has been kindled by my wrath,
one that burns to the realm of death below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set afire the foundations of the mountains
"I will heap calamities upon them
and spend my arrows against them.
I will send wasting famine against them,
consuming pestilence and deadly plague;
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,
the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
In the street the sword will make them childless;
in their homes terror will reign.
Young men and young women will perish,
infants and grey-haired men" (Deut.32:15-25, NIV).
Don't Prepare for Just One Calamity!
I know that I have said this before but it needs repeating for it to sink into those who are thicker-skinner and slow to make teshuvah (repent) - when the Judgment on this generation comes, and has already started, it isn't just going to be through one kind of trial. It is going to be through a combination of multiple calamities - war, government oppression and persecution, disease, plague and pestilence, financial collapse, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, fire, terrorism, famine, drought, wild animals, nuclear radiation, chemical pollutants, the backlash that results from psychotropic and other kinds of hardcore drugs suddenly not being available anymore, and even EMP attacks - if an EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) attack is unleashed, 75% of the population is going to die in its aftermath.
West Africa is a Warning Globally
What you are seeing in West Africa is a warning of what you can expect everywhere, and that's only one bug of many that are in the larder of those who possess biological weapons of mass destruction. There are promises for those who love and obey Yahweh, but what if family members with whom you share your home who don't believe or obey - or those friends who seek refuge who don't believe or obey?
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of Yahweh, 'He is my refuge
and my fortress,
my Elohim (God), in whom I trust."
"Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked" (Ps 91:1-8, NIV).
Does Prepping Demonstrate a Lack of Faith?
I know there are some who view the taking of phsyical precautions to be evidence of a lack of emunah (faith) and I am not for one suggesting that we lean on these things as a 'Plan B' in case Yahweh doesn't show up to intervene. I am saying this using plain common sense and wisdom. If we were never to take precautions, and rely only on our emunah (faith), why would Yahweh include practical, physical hygiene rules in Torah? Why do you suppose the Jewish communities in Europe had a much higher survival rate than their Christian counterparts during the 14th century Black Plague? A third of the continent was wiped out. It was because they were applying the mitzvot (commandments) applying to hygiene - they washed their hands before meals and ate kosher food as we do. They didn't eat fat. They didn't eat weak or injured animals. They bathed regularly. They didn't have sex during menstruation. They kept sex within marriage abnd avoided STD's. They buried their excrement. They trusted in Yahweh's Davar (Word) in this matter and obeyed it.
Hygiene in Society
Did you know that according to the British medical journey, Lancet, who performed tests at sophisticated bars (not the grubby places of the unwashed masses) that levels of bacteria from extreta in bowls of peanuts and shared snacks were dangerously high. So be careful of what places you frequent too. Don't be afraid to be accsued of being 'old-fashioned', 'restricive' or 'narrow-minded' when you follow the Biblical rules. It might save your life. Wash your hands after coming out of the toilet before you bshake someone's hand. Live healthily, and stay healthy. It is interesting, actually, to see normally anti-Torah believers talking about biblical hygiene rules and starting to implement them because of the fear of Ebola. But we should be obeying first and foremost not to save our lives but because we love and are submitted to Yahweh - they're His mitzvot (commandments) after all. There are blessings both practical and spiritual for being obedient.
Do What's Commanded and Prosper
I am suggesting that you be no different. You must do all you can. If you can't, of course, afford all the preparations you would like to do, but have honestly done your best, then Yahweh will honour your emunah (faith) provided you follow (in the case of Ebola) proper quarantine proceedures. But if you do nothing, or only a token, when you could have done more, do you think that constitutes emunah (faith) that Yahweh will justify?
This Could Last Many Years
If Ebola, or something like it, takes hold of a large part of the world, it will take a long time to disperse or for any other plague to die out. It could last many months or years, if Yahweh does not first intervene to strike down those who have deliberately started this with murder in their hearts. As at the first Pesach (Passover), trust Yahweh's promise that "no destructive plague will touch you [when I strike Egypt]" (Ex.12:13, NIV). So if true believers are gathered together away from the cities and other places where plague breaks out, then they too will be covered by the blood of the Lamb. But you have got to be in the right place at the right time, listening attentively to Yahweh's revelation for your life and your family's, which is why for so many years I have been urging you, if you live in built-up areas, to have a rural place of refuge and if at all possible to band together with other believers.
Further Revelation
I do not know, because Yahweh has not told me, how all of this is going to play out but I do know - because He has told me that He will start taking out the leaders of the élite, and they may be fearful enough of their own lives to stop what they are doing. But I doubt it - most are too afraid of their satanic masters above them. Many are committing suicide, both the wicked ones and those repenting. One thing is for sure, only Yahweh knows everything and how this will play out, so we had better listen to Him.
Vision of the Covered Menorah
Obviously these things have been on my mind for a very long time now and I have been concerned to get the emssage out clearly and often to reach as many people as possible. Two days ago, at 7.35 am, on Wednesday 1 October, Yahweh opened a vision up to me of a Menorah that has three arcs over it like domes of protection. I believe the Messianic people of the Menorah, Torah-obedient Christians, will enjoy a triple protection at this time if they are rigorous in their discipleship. The old and young, and those who are weakened by illnesses, are obviously going to be especially vulnerable at this time. They, and all of us, need divine protection for no matter how diligent we are temporally, we can never prepare for everything, and must rely on Yahweh to guide us further. So let us first of all have confidence in Yahweh our Elohim (God) and trust Him and obey Him no matter what comes our way. Amen
The Concluding Neilah Prayers
O Yahweh, Elohim of our fathers! Let our prayers come before You, through Yah'shua our Deliverer, and do not hide Yourself from our supplication. What shall we say to You who dwell on High? You know all things, both hidden and revealed. You search our hearts and thoughts. Nothing is hidden from Your sight. We are not so arrogant nor hardened to say, 'We are righteous and have not sinned.' For truly we have sinned. We have turned away from the good mitzvot (commandments) You have given us. You are righteous and true in all Your ways, but we have done evil in Your sight. Thank You, our Heavenly Father, and Elohim of our fathers, that You forgive all our sins, pardon all our iniquities, sanctify the altar of our heart, bless and sanctify the quodesh (holy, set-apart) places in our homes and assemblies, sanctify your leaders in Messianic Israel, both the husband-fathers and the cohenim (priests), and grant atonement for all our transgressions through the blood of Yah'shua the Messiah.
For it is written: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". 'Return O Israel to Yahweh-Elohim, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to Yahweh. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips."'
We repent for the sin we committed in Your sight by:
- sinning wilfully, and for the sin we committed in ignorance.
- slander, and for the sin of lashon hara or gossip.
- neglecting our responsibilities, and for the sin of selfishness.
- indulging evil thoughts, and for the sin of lust.
- being lukewarm, and for the sin of not loving You with all our hearts and souls.
- not hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and for the sin of not being poor in spirit.
- not being merciful, and for the sin of withholding when we could have given.
- speaking foolish words, and for the sin of not controlling our tongues.
- not loving our neighbours, and for the sin of not blessing our enemies.
- not turning the other cheek, and for the sin of practising our righteousness before men.
- being proud, and for the sin of lack of zeal.
For the sin we committed in Your sight knowingly, and for the sin we committed unknowingly. For all these, O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us atonement in Yah'shua the Messiah.
For the sin we committed in Your sight by:
- not walking as Yah'shua walked, and for the sin of not being filled with Your Ruach.
- loving the world, and for the sin of loving the things in the world.
- putting other things before You, and for the sin of idolatry.
- not praying at all times, and for the sin of not being thankful.
- not being quick to forgive, and for the sin of holding resentments.
- not going the second mile, and for the sin of impatience.
- not doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, and for the sin of greed.
- being anxious about the things of this life, and for the sin of not trusting You to provide for all of our needs.
- setting our minds on the things below, and for the sin of not setting our minds on things above.
For all these, O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us atonement in Yah'shua the Messiah as your people Israel. Amen.
Shofar haGadol
(Final blowing of the ram's horn)
I hereby declare Yom haKippurim at an end, in Yah'shua's Name. Amen!
Endnotes
[1] The number 10 represents completeness or wholeness, Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) representing the completion of the process that elads to Sukkot (Tabernacles)
[2] Not to be confused with the Atonement which is Pesach (Passover) - for a clear understanding what the five atonements of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) are actually talking about, please see last year's sermon, Applying the Five Atonements in Earnest
[3] This passage is mutilated by many English Bible versions like the New International Version (NIV) which completely ignores the verb 'anah (afflict) altogether and doesn't even bother to translate it. 'Anah can have many meanings, including "humble" (NASB) which is certainly true in this context
[4] I highly recommend for Western evangelists and missionaries, The (NKJV) Evidence Bible - Commentary by Ray Comfort (Bridge-Logos, Alachua, FL: 2011) which uses Torah to witness
[5] See, Death of the Potentates
Acknowledgements
[1] Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, Hygiene
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