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The perversion of the truth pt 1
Personal blog posted by Scott Ledbetter on July 25, 2009 at 3:30pm
Covered up in the doctrines, traditions, and dogmas of men, the truth has been ensnared by the wants and needs of humans. Since YHVH is the Creator of everything, then He knows the truth about everything. Since the truth points out the ugliness of sin, it hurts; and ever since Adam and Chavah (Eve), humanity has tried to blur if not erase the truth.
Take for example the Aseret haDevarim (The Ten Statements/Commandments) and how that they have changed. Originally, there are fourteen statements/commandments, but now it has been whittled down to just ten. Then take into account the fact of what the statements say. We are told in the first statement to not have any other gods before YHVH. The word for before is the Hebrew word panim (HSN 6440) and means the face and has a preposition in front of it meaning before the face. So there is to be nothing that is to come in-between you and YHVH.
Note what it says in the second statement. "Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." (Exodus 20:4 JPS Tanach) The words graven image are the Hebrew word pesel (HSN 6459) meaning an idol. It comes from the root word pasal (HSN 6458) which means to carve or form anything – stone or wood. So we are not to form or fashion anything that is t'munah (HSN 8544 something portioned or fashioned out as a shape, a phantom, embodiment or manifestation) of anything that is in the heavens, on the earth, or under the sea. Whether you have a ceramic or plastic angel, or a fish design, or an image of a person, that is a t'munah.
Now the prohibition here is clear, and it does not take a rocket scientist to see that this is an all inclusive statement not limited to YHVH Himself. The Eastern Orthodox Church says that only images of YHVH are prohibited, but encourages images of the son. The Roman Catholic Church says you can make a likeness as long as you do not worship it. Some in other denominations, especially the ones in dispensationalism, a doctrine that teaches that YHVH changes with the times, teach that these statements are not binding but are good guidelines to go by.
This is all because when Constantine blended the called out with the state of Rome, he, as well as most of the Romans, had come from a pagan past and as such did not wish to give up their graven images. To allow those who had previously worshipped idols to continue to have them, and to make them, the new church fathers and leaders decided to change the meaning of this verse to say what they wanted it to say. As time went by, there were others who, already use to the idolatrous images within worship, hating the Jews for their crucifixion of the Savior, decreed all obedience to laws, including the Ten Commandments, to be legalism and therefore it was a sin.
The third statement says, "thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I YHVH thy Elohim am a jealous Elohim, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:5-6 JPS Tanach) Let us begin with the ending phrase here in these verses: "unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments." There is nothing in here about keeping Moses' Commandments, nor is there anything about keeping man's commandments. Rather, to please YHVH, and to love Him, you must keep YHVH's commandments.
Go throughout the book of Leviticus and read where almost every chapter begins with the statement "And YHVH spake unto Moses, saying, `Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. . .'" All of this was not Moses' imaginations, but he was speaking exactly what YHVH told him to speak. To denigrate all of what is written in the Tanach (Old Testament) as the traditions of men is to say that it did not come from YHVH. Paul says clearly that "All scripture is given by inspiration of YHVH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) He is not talking about what had been written by him only because he prefaced this statement with, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Yeshua HaMashiac." (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Timothy's mother was a Jew (Acts 16:1) and she had raised him up by reading him the Tanach.
YHVH here in the third statement says that we are not to render homage (prostrate or even bow our heads) to these fashioned images nor are we to serve them. By going and paying homage to a statue or by bending down in front of it or even talking to it, one is breaking this statement. In how many church buildings, behind the pulpit, do you have a fashioned image of some sort? In how many church buildings, in front of the pulpit and all around the building, do you find fashioned images? Painted windows, crosses, crown of thorns, pictures of Yeshua and many others are all forbidden fashioned images, and people go to a place that is crawling with them to worship YHVH. This is all forbidden by the third statement and those who do such are cursed with the curse through up to the third and fourth generations.
In the Roman Catholic Church's catechism, one is told that there is a difference between paying honor (veneration) to saints and to YHVH and adoration to those images. For according to the catechism 2132, "The Christian veneration (honor/homage) of images is not contrary to the . . . commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, `the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype,' and `whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it.' The honor paid to sacred images is a `respectful veneration,' not the adoration due to God alone." They are blurring the truth so as to allow pagans to still be pagans but call themselves Christians. It is the mentality of if you can not convert them from their idolatrous ways, then change your ways to accommodate them. This is a perversion of the truth.
The fourth statement says, "Thou shalt not take the name of YHVH thy Elohim in vain; for YHVH will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7 JPS Tanach) Vain is the Hebrew word shav (HSN 7723) and it means desolation, uselessness, or generally nothingness. We are not to use His name in a way where neither we mean, nor others think about Him when we speak His name. How many times a day do you hear people say the words "God" or "Jesus" and when you hear it, you do not think about them? Do you really think that they are really thinking about Him or is it just an excited utterance?
This statement includes all the ways to say His name without saying it as well. "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:16) Profane (bebelos GSN 952) is anything unrighteous. Paul also tells us that "whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8 MKJV) If you are thinking on these things, then nothing unrighteous will leave your lips. Vain babblings (kenophonia GSN 2757) means empty sounding or fruitless discussions. If what we say does not edify ("Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." [Romans 14:19]) then we should not utter the words. If we are not speaking the very utterances of YHVH (1 Peter 4:11), then we should say nothing, for anything else is vain babblings. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of YHVH." (James 1:19-20)
The fifth statement is: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8 JPS Tanach) When the word Sabbath is used, in the minds of many of those who profess to follow Yeshua, it means the first day of the week. This is because ever since Constantine, that has been the officially sanctioned day of worship. Here is what the Historian of Constantine, Eusebius, said about the change from honoring the Sabbath to honoring the first day of the week: "And all things whatsoever that it is duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord's day, as more appropriately belonging to it, because it has precedence and is first in rank, and more honorable than the `Jewish Sabbath'" (Eusebius' Commentary on the Psalms) Notice that he says "we" and not Yeshua or YHVH transferred the honor of the day. He must say that because there is nothing in Scripture to suggest that. Also note the denigration of the Sabbath because of the Jew's involvement.
Eusebius also wrote, "On this day, which is the first [day] of light and of the true Sun, we assemble, after an interval of six days, and celebrate holy and spiritual Sabbaths, even all nations redeemed by him throughout the world, and do those things according to the spiritual law, which were decreed for the priests to do on the Sabbath." (Eusebius' Commentary on the Psalms) There is a hint of truth and a lie that was buried in the truth. We are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and we do live by the spiritual law (Romans 7:14). But what Eusebius attempts to hide here is the term "of the true Sun." Constantine, the founder of the Roman Catholic Church, had previously been a High Priest of Mithra before his supposed conversion.
Mithra is the Sun god of the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism. Mithra is known as the protector of truth and justice, the source of cosmic light (Sun), and has the title of Judge of Souls. Mithra was created by the creator (Ahura Mazda) to be as worthy of sacrifice and prayer as the creator was worthy. He occupies an intermediate position and aids in the destruction of evil and the administration of the world. Mithra protected souls and accompanied them to paradise being a redeemer. He rewards the good with prosperity and destroys the bad.
The Romans took this religion and made it a part of the military order. They called the religion Mithraism, and they worshiped in a place called mithraeum which was an adapted cave or cavern, or even a building which imitated a cavern. In that mithraeum, you had a vestibule where there were raised benches along the sides of the walls for the ritual meals, and it also contained a sanctuary where the pedestal like alter stood. There were many signs within this religion that showed the zodiac. And it is first mentioned in a poem by the Roman Statius called the Thebaid. Thebiad was a poem of the tale of Thebes, which was a town in Egypt with its Latin name as Thebaid. In this poem, which dates back to 80 CE, Statius talks about Mithraic relief's in Thebes.
Roman soldiers who fought against the Jews in the uprisings in the 60 and 70 CE decades returned back to their homes and made Mithraic pledges. This places the religion in the direct vicinity of Jews and early disciples of the Word during the late first century. Further, there are historians that believe and teach that Mithras was worshiped by the Romans as a mediator between man and the Supreme god. Others discuss Mithraism as a life-death-rebirth religion.
Encyclopedia Britannica says that the Iranian religion taught by Mani (founder of the Manichaean religion that taught that the world was a fusion of spirit and matter) in Mesopotamia around 240 CE had as one of its members "the great Christian theologian St. Augustine." This religion absorbed many of the Gnostic religions (the ones Paul railed against in the book of Galatians). The Encyclopedia Britannica then goes on to say, "More impressively, the cult of the Persian Mithra blended the dualism of Mani with the emotional imitations of the Mystery religions (corrected by a much sterner tone of moral endeavor) and became a strong link between the cult of the Sun (which appealed to contemporary monotheists) and the fashionable revulsion from the senses that was shortly to lead to Christian monasticism. Like Christianity, Mithraism had its sacraments; but the life of Mithra exercised a less far-reaching appeal than the life of Christ and Mithra's cult excluded women."
The Encyclopedia Britannica continues to say that at first, the coins and other items including monuments continued to "Link Christian doctrines with the worship of the Sun, of which Constantine had been addicted previously." There is even more to this though for we have only begun scratching the surface. Here is what the Encyclopedia Britannica says further about this: "The ecclesiastical calendar retains numerous remnant of pre-Christian festivals- - notably Christmas, which blends elements including both the feast of the Saturnalia and the birthday of Mithra. But, most of all, the mainstream of Western Christianity owed ancient Rome the firm discipline that gave it stability and shape, combining insistence on established forms with the possibility of recognizing that novelties need not be excluded, since they were implicit from the start."
Our modern day names of the weeks are actually the names of the pagan gods of the Romans, Celts, and Norse. Satur-day comes from the Roman god Saturn, from where we get the festival of Saturnalia. It also comes from the word Satyr from where we get the goat god Pan. It has replaced the Hebrew name of seventh day. The first day of the week is now Sun-day after the worship of the sun god Mithra. The second day is now called Monday is from the worship of the goddess called Moon. This is the great Artemis in Latin and Diana in Greek that is noted in Scripture as the followers of her rioting against Paul (Acts 19:21-41).
The third day is now called Tuesday after Tiu, the Norse deity of War and son of Woden/Odin. The fourth day is now called Wednesday which is Woden/Odin's day. In French, it is Mercredi; Spanish it is miercoles; and in Latin it is mercurii all of which are the name of the Roman god Mercury. The fifth day of the week is Thursday which comes from the Norse god Thor, another son of Woden/Oden. In French, it is jeudi; Spanish it is jueves; and in Latin it is jovis all of which are the name of the Roman god Jupiter which is the Greek god Zeus. The sixth day of the week is Friday which is Frigga's day as Frigga is a Norse goddess and the wife of Woden/Odin. Frigga, or Frigg, is a translation of the Roman goddess Venus and the Greek goddess Aphrodite. This has led us back to the Sabbath, which as Eusebius told us, was discarded for the Day of the Sun or Sol.
In 321 CE, on the date of March 7th, Constantine decreed that Sunday would be the Roman day of rest. "On the venerable day of the Sun, let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed." The Romans even held a festival on December 25th in which it was called Dies Natalis Solis Invici and means the birthday of the unconquered sun. A coin from the time of Constantine has the emperor's bust as well as the words "Sol Invictus" and "Invictus Consttantinus."
Let us not mince words here. The fact is that paganism merged with Christianity and produced mass apostasy. This led to the changing of the day YHVH ordained to be remembered and kept holy. Remember is the Hebrew word zakar (HSN 2142) and means to mark, remember, or mention. Holy is the Hebrew word kadash (HSN 6942) meaning to be clean. It was a day that was not to be dirtied by the cares of this world, but kept clean for that was a day you spent wholly with YHVH.
It is easy to see how the truth has been perverted so that people can continue to do what they were doing before they supposedly found the Messiah and not have to worry in their own mind about being punished. Religious leaders of today are vehemently opposed to going back to the truth, and this is partially because if you say that they have been teaching a falsehood in one place, then that opens up the possibility that they have been teaching other falsehoods.
All one has to do is to turn on the television sets or surf the internet and you will see ministers and preachers promising prosperity to all who follow their god. The god Mithra or Mithras does promise prosperity to those who follow him and do what he wants them to do since he is the one who judges souls. But the Word says the opposite. It says that we are not to seek treasure for ourselves here on this earth but up in heaven, that the possibility of a rich man entering heaven is the same as a camel going through the eye of a needle, and the Scripture tells us that instead of being prosperous, the first disciples after the day of Pentecost actually sold their possessions and brought it to the apostles feet to be divided up among those who were needy. This does not sound like prosperity on this earth as is promised by modern evangelists.
You must keep in mind that greed is a sin. Paul tells us emphatically, "This I say therefore, and testify in YHVH, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of YHVH through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." (Ephesians 4:17-19)
Also, it means that they may lose followers which means they will lose power which means they will lose money and control. These are things they are not willing to do. Their god is not YHVH but it is Satan for he has filled their heart with greed and corruption.
YHVH tells us: "And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed; and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." (Exodus 23:13 JPS Tanach) The names of false gods are not to even touch our lips, but yet when we go buy shoes and clothing, we go buy Nike shoes. Nike is the Greek goddess of triumph, and her Roman name is Victoria. Her image is also on the coins of the Summer Olympics, and many people name their daughter Victoria. The very name of Easter is the name of a Celtic goddess of fertility, which comes from the ancient word Ishtar and Asteroth. Our planets and constellations are named after gods and goddesses. There are razors now with the name of Venus. Around Valentines Day, you here about the Roman god Cupid who in Greek is called Eros (sexual Love) and this is where the depictions of Cherubim come from.
How about the name of the Mascot of the Baptist school Wake Forrest which is the Demon Deacons? Now look again in the state of North Carolina and see another religious school – Duke University – which is a Methodist and Quaker school, who uses the Blue Devils as their Mascot. In the state capitol of Tennessee – Nashville – you have a full-scale replica of the Greek temple of Athena known as the Parthenon. The Nashville Parthenon is an art museum and holds a statue of the goddess Athena herself who supposedly protects the art work. Remember, we are not to make any fashioned image and now here you have the fashioned image of the Greek goddess standing over and, guarding, and protecting other fashioned images.
Now we have the Roman equivalent to the Parthenon – the Pantheon – which was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian as a temple to all gods, was given to Pope Boniface IV who converted it to a Christian church and it is now called Santa Mariea dei Martiri, which means St Mary and the Martyrs. Jupiter – the Roman name for Zeus – comes from an older word of dyeus-pater meaning "O Father God." Another name for Jupiter is Jove, and as he was the Roman god of cosmic justice, people would swear to him in their courts by the expression, "By Jove!"
There are many ways that we speak, every single day, the names of false gods as YHVH commanded us not to do. The term Jesus is the Greek word Ioesus and the Greek King of the gods Zues (Greeek word Dzyus) have a curious sounding similarity to their names. Even the English word God, which we use for the English name of YHVH has a curious history. Historian John Campbell wrote, "I have shown elsewhere that the English word God, the German Gott, the Persian Bhoda, and the Hindustani Khuda are all derived from the same root as that which appears in Celtic Aeddon or Guydion, the German Odin, Wodin or Gouton and the Indian Buddha or Gotama." (Congres international des americanistes) Morgan Peter Kavenaugh claims the word god comes from the Buddha's family name of Gotama, and that this word became many English words such as foot, boot, best, better, and good.
Henry Scading says, "in Buddha, Wotan and Gwydion, we find not only the supreme god of the northern families of the Aryan stock, but also the symbol of knowledge among those different peoples." In Scriptural times, there was a god called gad (pronounced god) who was the god of fortune or luck (HSN 1409). Meny (HSN 4507) was the god of destiny or fate. In Isaiah, the prophet writes, "But ye that forsake YHVH , that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a table for Fortune, and that offer mingled wine in full measure unto Destiny, I will destine you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, ye did not answer, when I spoke, ye did not hear; but ye did that which was evil in Mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not." (Isaiah 65:11-12 JPS Tanach) How we easily and ignorantly break the commandments of YHVH.
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This page was created on 2 January 2011
Updated on 2 January 2011
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