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Sermons Series 3:38, 29 April 2006
To Talk or Walk
Confession and Profession
Main Themes:
Minor Themes:
Brethren and sisters, I wish you Shabbat Shalom as I begin to lay before you some of the thoughts on my heart today. A pastor who is not in touch with the Ruach haQodesh can face a formidable choice of possible topics to preach on every Sabbath and if he is not careful can often make the mistake of talking about a pet subject and ministering to no-one but himself. As ministers we have the responsibility to preach what Yah'shua wants us to preach on so that whilst certain individuals in a congregation may be ministered to in a very special way the sermon must also ministers to everyone. And when my sermons go out to the world to a wide variety of people in different countries, it is necessary that I also listen out for what their particular needs may be too.
Last week I reaffirmed to you our course as lying midway between evangelical Christianity and Messianism though our goal is way beyond anything that these two branches actually teach and minister. In an earlier sermon I also villified some of the lawlessness of Protestant 'greats' like Martin Luther whose teachings have done a great deal of damage to the cause of the truth. Nevertheless, we must also give credit where credit is due and so I want to begin today by citing this Reformer again especially as some of the things he taught were excellent and are applicable to us as front-line missionaries. Here's what he said:
"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest expression every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace, if he flinches at that point".
To be a truly apostolic and prophetic people, as we have been called to be, means tackling both the world and the fallen churches in those those areas of the Gospel that they are perverting or assailing. To be answering the call of Yah'shua means to be at the front line of the battle in the thick of enemy fire, not because we seek it out of a sense of self-martyrdom - because if we're honest it's the last thing we want, but because Yahweh has called us there. It would be true to say that Yahweh has thrust us into battles we would never dreamed of engaging in but which proved, in the final analysis, not only to be important for the souls of those being destroyed by lies and deceptions, but for us in our journey of spiritual refinement and purification too. To be sure, the flesh would never lead us to the places where the Ruach wants us to go. Therefore, to borrow the words of G.D.Watson (1845-1924):
"If Yahweh has called you to be really like Yah'shua, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to measure yourself by other Christians; and in many ways He will see to let other good people do things that He will never let you do. Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, can push themselves, pull wires and work schemes to carry out their Christian goals, but these things you simply cannot do. Others may boast of their work or their writings or their success, but the Ruach haQodesh will not allow you to do any such thing., and if you ever try it, Yahweh will lead you into some deep mortifications that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
"Other may be allowed to succeed in making money, but most likely Yahweh will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely a helpless dependence on Him and the joy of seeing Him supply your needs day by day out of an unseen Treasury.
"The Lord may let others be honoured to keep you hidden and unappreciated because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work on and on without knowing how much you are doing; and then, to make your work still more precious, He may let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and that make your reward ten times greater when Yah'shua comes.
"The Ruach haQodesh will rebuke you for little words or deeds or even feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem to be concerned about, but you must make up your mind that Yahweh is an infinite Sovereign and He has a right to do whatever He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in the way He deals with you, but if you will just submit yourself to Him in all things, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are very near to His heart.
"Settle it, then, that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living Elohim that your secret heart becomes pleased and delighted with this particular, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Ruach haQodesh over your life, then you will have entered the very vestibule of heaven itself".
I had to smile when I read Watson's words because they do so brilliantly highlight the predicament of this work. We have been kept poor and ill, and been villified and mocked by those claiming the Name of Christ because of these things. We are accused of being a cult by nameless people about whom we know nothing whose writings are entirely malicious whilst seemingly possessed of scientific impartiality. And as I stand here preaching you to you in this freezing cold meeting room, with everyone wrapped in blankets, our situation by worldly standards again looks hopeless. Our boiler permanently died two weeks ago and we can only guess what life will be like by this winter. The truth is, this place will be uninhabitable. And spring with overcast skies means that we cannot get warmth from the sun. Our home and NCCG headquarters sustained bad winter damage - one wall is now actually crumbling away. The guttering system has to be ripped up and replaced. Guest rooms and parts of the office have been damaged by leakages during the winter. Parts of the house are without electricity because it needs rewiring. The windows are rotting and are starting to fall out. The basement has been flooded twice and is practically unusable. We have had zero income for two months and the bills are piling up again with no prospect of any income now for at least 9 months, and then only enough to cover food. And our health is suffering badly from the cold and damp. We are under constant spiritual attack day and night by satanist covens and the enemy has on two occasions tried to kill us. One of our investigators has been subject to so-called 'cult deprogrammning'. Our enemies are doubtless rubbing their hands with glee and are clamouring for our fall - not that this clamour is new. And whilst we are spiritually more robust than ever before, we do face our darkest hour economically. Nevertheless, Yahweh has promised that He will provide for our needs and it is to that promise we are clinging. We do not know how He will do it. We have no one we know who we can ask assistance from, not that we would if we did, because nearly all who come to us for help are the poor and dispossessed, the throw-away people of society, the victims of horrendous ritual abuse whom no one believes, the true victims of cultism. We receive the SRA victims, alchohol and drug addicts, the emotionally shredded, the spiritually asleep. It is ironic that we should be called 'élitist' by the jealous, lazy, heretical and malicious. They have their own reward.
So here we are, standing on the front line, far from the limelight, shunning the health-and-wealth and the vain-glorious and presumptuous charlatans in the Body of Christ who have turned the Gospel into a circus for financial gain and carnal entertainment. We speak the plain truth no matter what it costs. And is has cost - it has cost us very, very dearly, and is still costing us - but we aren't about to resort to worldly methods or compromise with the truth to fill our coffers. We are brimming with enthusiasm for what Yahweh has called us to do. We have grand plans. He has opened the heavens like never before, given us the keys to the mysteries, demonstrated incredible supernatural acts of power, has healed the broken-hearted, delivered the captives from the bondage of Satan, given hope to thousands who had no hope before, and continues to send us the spiritual orphans of society who have nowhere else to turn and who have already been burned and hurt in the churches who have little idea what they are doing when they go there for help.
Our needs are great - we need more facilties, we need a regular income, we need to carry out urgent repairs, we need a new boiler by the autumn - for our people are too poor to tithe except to meet their local needs - yes, let it be known to those who think we are just scam artists bringing in people's money, and I'll state it clearly for all and sundry: we currently get no tithes at all from any members. We get the occasional small donation from well-wishers who have, by their generosity, literally stopped us from starving on occasion. We have had our needs met, but only just. But now, since the beginning of the spring, our situation has got considerably worse. We need somewhere in the order of a million Swedish crowns or US$133,000 before this winter, a hundred times more than we have ever needed before. But then we need to look after a lot more people, and not just ourselves, both here and abroad. We still haven't met the needs of our people in India who were victims of the tsunami, who lost their whole livelihood in many instances. We need funds to establish the American work where most of our escaping SRA victims will be gathering to. And we need the time to build our new website, get out our new Bible translation - the New Covenant Echad Version (NCEV) and to get our presses rolling again. We need to make DVDs of sermons and teaching materials. We are ready to do that - the willing hands are ready to work day and night to build the Kingdom - but we need practical help to get these things under way. We need co-workers to lift us up.
Yahweh does deliver the goods. His Word never returns to Him empty (Is.55:11). He does keep His promises, as it is written: "Not one of all Yahweh's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled" (Josh.21:45, NIV). So I am going to tell you what we are going to do. We are going to go ahead, with an empty back account, and order our new geothermal heating system, get the repair men to fix the guttering, roof, walls, and windows. We're going to purchase new accommodation for the people who want to come and live here to build the kingdom and we are going to believe Yahweh's promises, repeated to us many times now, that He will provide for our needs. We will trust Him to provide our daily bread as we work with all our might to serve Him and fulfil His commissions to us. We have no choice for it is all or nothing as far as we are concerned. We're committed and we hope that those of you who have been called to this work are equally committed. He has promised us restored health and we shall believe that, for we need our health to labour with all our might.
The issue that we therefore face, brethren and sisters, is the difference between confession and profession. Words are not enough. Telling people what we believe or even writing about what we believe is not enough. We have to get off our backsides and make our confession count for something. When you are doing what you confess, you start to profess. The apostle James says:
"Now the wisdom that is from above is pure and full of shalom and humble and obedient and full of love and good fruits and is without division and does not respect persons. And the fruits of righteousness are sown in quietness by those who make shalom" (Jas.3:17-18, HRV).
There are a lot of people coming to this work who are looking for shalom. They want inner peace in their lives, they want meaning, they want to belong and they want to be loved. All these desires are good. However, you cannot receive these things unless you yourselves give these things to all the others in this brotherhood. If you heart's burning desire is not to bring these good fruits to others by the instrumentality of your own works, then your search is in vain - you will never find shalom. The fruits, as James points out, are sown not in being noisy, not in attention-getting, not in making yourself visible, but in "quietness" - without fuss or much ado. The fruits come through obedience, humility and love. They come from serving others and forgetting self and its 'needs', real or imagined. If everyone serves and forgets self, guess what happens? Everyone gets what they need! But if you go actively seeking for it, then you won't find it, you'll drain people who will be repelled by you, because the "wisdom that is from above" which is full of love comes only in proportion to what you give. So learn this law: the more you give, the more you get. The less you give, the elss you get. And if you sit on your rear end and do nothing, you'll get nothing.
Years ago Yahweh said in the New Olive Leaf revelations:
"The word of Yahweh to all those who know tribulation of soul and are seeking the way unto freedom. Ye have all missed the mark, for ye are seeking that which ye cannot obtain ... Ye have all become drunk on words, and ye wrestle with them, seeking to build a house therefrom. But there are never enough words ... and your house is not finished ... words are but garments that shall wax old and perish" (OB 44:1-2,4-5,14). "... love is the beginning and end of My Gospel ... for the pure love of Elohim is the greatest ... leading always to goodness and wholeness. It shall never pass away, but abideth forever" (OB 99:2-3).
We are having to deprogram people from the cultic way that society and the churches think. We are having to teach them anew what love really is. The New Olive Lead revelations say further:
"Be generous and thoughtful one to another, counting not the cost, seeking always to serve one another, taking pride in your brothers and sisters by not allowing pride of yourself to take root. Go not unto thy brother, or sister, or mother, or father, or wife, or husband, seeking their love, but go unto them seeking how ye can love them. And if they love thee back, rejoice, and thank thy Heavenly Father, and receive all that they would give thee. And if they do not love you, continue to love them still, expecting nothing in return. Ye cannot reform men who do not love, by any act of compulsion, but only by being a light on a hill, radiating the pure love of Messiah always. And the light will reveal their darkness and put them to shame, and per chance they will repent of their selfishness and become light on a hill as well" (OB 99:33-38).
We make things complicated and painful for ourselves when we are focussed on self. Re-itterating the confession versus profession principle that we are speaking about today, Yahweh also said:
"It is not sufficient to declare your faith in Me, beloved, for ye must go forth and do works equal to your confessions of faith. Otherwise your faith is dead and profiteth you nothing" (OB 214:86-87).
Thus Paul would write to the Hebrews:
"Through Yah'shua, therefore, let us continually offer to Elohim a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His Name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices Elohim is pleased" (Heb.13:15-16, NIV).
Appropriately, then, the New Olive Leaf revelations conclude:
"Cease all your commotions, your clamourings for all the keys of the mind and heart, but yield yourself rather to the service of your Elohim" (OB 214:144).
What all this means is that we cannot continually rely on theophostic, the Garden, dream analysis, and so forth to obtain the shalom we desire. There must always be practical application . You do not need a perfect understanding of yourself to be able to serve. Indeed, one of the most therapeutic ways of getting inner healing is precisely by serving others. Constant meditation on our navel ultimately does no good, because it is not 'faith' that saves us but 'the faith'. As James reminds us:
"Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one Elohim. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder" (Jas.2:18-19, NIV).
Now at the end of our life we have to stand before Yahweh and be judged. And there is not a single one of us who loves Yahweh who does not want Him to say to us, "Well done, My good servant!" (Luke 19:17, NIV). Now what do you suppose that Yahweh will be commending us for? Our confession or our profession? Well, the answer is both:
"... if you confess with your mouth, 'Yah'shua is Master,' and believe in your heart that Yahweh raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are delivered" (Rom.10:9-10, NIV).
However, if you stop there, you will have missed the whole point. You can't just confess Yah'shua and walk away and do whatever you want. That isn't going to get you into heaven. Yes, you may be delievered there and then - you may get a filling of the Ruach haRishon, but that is not enough! There is no such thing as 'once saved, always saved'. What, then, must we do? Paul tells the Corinthians:
"Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise Elohim for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Messiah, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else" (2 Cor.9:13-14, NIV).
Two things to note here. First, others will praise Yahweh because your confession of faith is accompanied by obedience to the commandments; and second, because you share your faith with generosity of heart. People need to see your obedience in the good works you do - your Torah-observance - and they need to hear or read of what Yahweh has done for you in your spoken or written testimony. So these, then, are the visible manifestations of one who professes Yah'shua as Lord and Saviour - obedience to Torah and your testimony of what He has done for you. Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!
"Men will praise Elohim," Paul says. And how will they do this? What will prompt them to praise? And what will these genuine praises be a testimony of? Peter tells us:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation [Messianic Israel], a people belonging to Elohim, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of Elohim; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10, NIV).
True praise comes from the heart and lips of one who is an Israelite, an overcomer, one who demonstrates his salvation by his walk, not to justify himself, but to be a witness to others so that they will praise Yahweh and identify themselvfes with the "holy nation" of Messianic Israel.
Now we must be perfectly clear what true faith is. Most Protestants will tell you that it is either just 'believing' or 'believing in Yah'shua'. And both would be true but that is not the fullness of the word that the Hebrews used and which we translate as 'faith'. Let us see how this issue so commonly gets fudged by looking at a non-Hebraic and a Hebraic translation and comparing them. First a non-Hebraic one with which most of you will be familiar:
"For in the gospel a righteousness from Elohim is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Rom.1:17, NIV).
And is is true, our works do not save or deliver us. It is our trusting - our faith - that both saves us and enables us to live. However, we can't just leave it at that, when Christians and Messianics are getting different revelations on what "living by faith" actually is. So let us take a look at a Hebraic translation:
"For by the besorah (Gospel, Good News) is the tzedakah (righteousness) of Yahweh revealed from emunah (faith) to emunah (faith): as it is written. The tzadik (righteous) shall live by emunah (faith)" (RSTNE).
Now what is the source of this 'emunah' or 'faith'? Remember, this faith is what leads to shalom or peace, wholeness and joy. This is a particular kind of faith. Not all faith leads to shalom, does it? And if you don't have shalom in your soul, then you can be sure that the faith you have is probably from the wrong source or from a mixture of sources. Thus we would be perfectly justified in translating the last part of this verse as:
"The righteous shall live by Yahweh's faith".
We will understand this better by seeing where Peter is actually quoting from, for the phrase "the righteous shall live by faith" has been taken from the writings of the prophet Habakkuk. Please note the context well:
"See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright - but the righteous will live by his faith - indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples" (Hab.2:4-5, NIV).
Notice that Habakkuk does not say that the righteous will live by 'faith' but by 'his faith' - in other words, the faith which he has, and not just any old faith. To what faith does this then refer? To that which makes him 'righteous' - this is the faith of that which makes a man righteous, and all righteousness comes from Yahweh. It is Yahweh's faith. And what was Yahweh's faith in the days of Habakkuk? Trusting in Yahweh and obeying His Torah.
Therefore true faith is 'the faith' which has always been obeying the commandments and trusting in Yah'shua the Messiah, our Advocate with Yahweh. Or as it is written in the Book of Revelation, these are the people who "obey Yahweh's commandments and hold to the testimony of Yah'shua" (Rev.12:17, NIV), those who have "patient endurance ... (and) ... who obey Yahweh's commandments and remain faithful to Yah'shua" (Rev.14:12, NIV).
Again we see the link between profession and confession - between obedience to the commandments and believing in Yah'shua. Combined, we have what may be called 'active faith' - the faith which becomes visible by our deeds, the faith which leads others to praise Yahweh and be strengthened as we both bear witnesses with our mouths and our service.
We end with the words of the Master to His fithful servant: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matt.25:23, NIV). To be happy is to have shalom, and shalom comes only from the Master, does it not? So how are we to know, experience and own happiness? We acquire happiness - the happiness that lasts forever - the happiness which is in Yahweh's shalom - when we are doing the works of the Master. And what are these works? What is it that will give us this happy fulfilment? Quite simply, by putting to use the gifts He has given us for the building up of the Kingdom which Yah'shua's likens in His parable to the talents given by a master to his servants while he goes away. You all know this parable (Mt.25:14-30). Happiness comes from investing Yahweh's talents; and misery - described as "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt.25:30, NIV) - comes to those who sit on their backsides and do nothing, because such are described as worthless. Your worth is defined by what you do to maginfy the gifts Yahweh has given to you to build His Kingdom. He determines your worth, no one else.
Now obviously He does not want a caste of robots. Yahweh wants those who come with the right heart. Thus Paul would write:
"He has made us competent as ministers of a New Covenant - not of the letter but of the Ruach; for the letter kills, but the Ruach gives life" (2 Cor.3:6, NIV).
This means that mechanically saying Yah'shua is your Saviour is not good enough because people will see through a plastic, cold or spiritless declaration of faith. Yes, we may need to start in this way as we come in faith to have our hearts opened during deliverance, but after the deliverance - after the heart has been made anew, alive, vibrant, and overflowing with love - after this our testimony must needs be of the same Ruach always. And to be that way means we must live 'the faith' as overcoming Messianic Israelites, part of His nation on earth, however spread out we may be.
So here we are - it is spring 2006 and we are counting the days to Shavu'ot in faith of what Yahweh will do for us as we invest our gifts in service to Him. Because we are destitute outwardly does not mean we can curl up into little balls and hibernate in the hope of better economic weather to come. We must work on and minister. People depend on us and we must not fail them. And we will find, as I have already said, that half of our spiritual issues will just vanish as we leap into to the work and serve fellow Messianic Israelites. The rest do need specialist care and that we shall offer too. But we can't have people lying on the psychoanalyst's couch 24 hours a day because that is not where Yahweh made us to be. Our deliverance will be enhanced and completed out there in the vineyard of labour, or wherever you happen to be, whether at home, at work or in the mission field.
Please pray for us as we pray for you - your prayers count: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective", said the apostle James (James 5:16, NIV). May the Elohim of all righteousness fill you with His faith - His emunah - as you meet the challenges of each day and strive to do your best as His faithful confessing and professing servant, is my prayer in Yah'shua's Name, Amen.
Author: Lev-Tsiyon
Glossary of MLT Hebraic, Greek and English Terms For other terms and full details please see the Micropedia
A
Adon(ai) = Master, a pagan fertility god, Adonis; used by many Messianics but not MLT
(a)eon(ian) = 7 dispensation- or age-long time periods, not forever (see le-olam-va-ed)
Alef-Tav = Alpha-Omega, A-Z, first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet = Yah'shua
Amen = truly, let it be so, written Amein by some Messianics
Apocrypha = Hebraic Scriptures not a part of the Protestant canon (e.g. Baruch)
Anti-Messiah = Hebraic term for the end-time Antichrist or anyone opposed to the Messiah
antinomian = lawless Christian who disregards all or part of Torah/commandments
Ashkenazi Jew = East European Jew descended from the Turkic-Japhethite Khazars
Assembly = church, congregation, ekklesia, community, fellowship, koinonia, gathering
Azazel = the Yom Kippur scapegoat
B
Baal, Ba'al = any other master than Yahweh, usually demonic in MLT terminology
Bachor(im) = firstborn son(s)
Bar/Bat Mitzvah = Son/Daughter of Commandment, covenant to obey Torah at age 12
being = soul, the whole person (spirit and body), e.g. "my whole being"
Beit, bet, beth = house, e.g. Beit Yisrael (House of Israel), Beth Lechem (House of Bread)
Beit haMikdash = Yahweh's Temple in Yerushalayim
B'rit Chadashah = the New Covenant; B'rit Chadashah Scriptures = New Testament
B'rit Milah = circumcision - abolished in the B'rit Chadashah, replaced by Mikvah
C
canon = authoritative Scripture (Heb. qaneh, Gk. kanôn = measuring instrument)
Catechumen = a serious, covenanted investigator seeking Mikvah or Baptism in MLT
Chag haMatzah = Feast of Unleavened Bread, second of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Chavurat Bekorot = MLT's Priesthood Order, Holy Order and Assembly of the Firstborn
Cohen = priest; Cohen Gadol = High Priest (also spelled Kohen)
Council of Yah's elohim = the heavenly Assembly of the Firstborn or Chavurat Bekorot
D
demon = fallen malek or angel in rebellion against Yahweh (Heb. shad; see Êl-Shaddai)
derech = the Way, Path or Road - Yah'shua and the Gospel are the Way
Drash = moral or homiletic interpretation of Scripture - see PaRDeS
E
Echad = One, Union of two or more in one (as opposed to Yachid) - see Elohim
Echad Godhead Doctrine = Father Yahweh, Son Yah'shua and Sevenfold Ruach (Mother)
Êl, Eloah, Elah = God the Father, Yahweh
Êl-Elyon = Most High God, Yahweh
Êl-Shaddai = Master/Lord over all shads or demons
Elohim = God, the Godhead (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), lit. 'Mighty One(s)', 'Ruler(s)'
elohim = Israelite judges, rulers, angels or gods (false deities, idols, demons)
emunah = faith, actively trusting, clinging or adhering to (especially Yahweh or Yah'shua)
emet = truth, Yah'shua is the Emet
Ephraimite = descendant of the patriarch Ephraim and head of Messsianic Israel
F
Feasts of Yahweh = the 7 annual Moedim (Pesach, Chag haMatzah, Yom haBikkurim, Shavu'ot, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot)
G
Gan-Eden = Garden of Eden, Paradise and state of the purified heart in Messiah
goy(im) = nation(s), Israelites or gentiles not born in or converted to the Covenant
H
hallelu-Yah = praise Yah(weh)!
Heylel = proper name of Satan or haSatan = the Adversary, the devil
Sabbath = Yom Shabbat (Friday to Saturday sunset, add 1 day in IDL Zone)
Hochmah = Wisdom, title of the 7-fold Ruach haQodesh
I
IDL = International Date Line, false man-made time division in Pacific Ocean
IDL Zone = Area between the true Divine Date Line (Lake Van/Eden) and the false one
Israeli = citizen of the modern Edomite-Khazar Republic of Israel (not Biblical Israel)
Israelite = citizen of biblical state of Israel or a modern follower of the Messiah
J
Jew = post-biblical term describing descendants of Edomite and Khazar converts to Judaism
Johannine = pertaining to the Apostle Yochanan (e.g. Gospel of John)
Josephite = descendant of the patriarch Joseph, the head of Messianic Israel
Judahite = a person in direct descent from the patriarch Judah, forefather of the Messiah
Judaism = a Talmudic-based religion rejecting Yah'shua the Messiah
Judean = a citizen of the Kingdom or Province of Judah until the 2nd Century diaspora
K
Kadosh la Yahweh = set-apart or dedicated to Yahweh, 'Holiness to the Lord', MLT motto
Karaites = Jews (from 700 AD) who reject the Talmud and accept only the Tanakh
kashrut = keeping kosher, food laws of Yahweh and correspinding lifestyle
Ketuvim = Writings or Hagiographa of the Tanakh
Khazar = a Turkic convert to Judaism ~700 AD forming the Ashkenazi Jewish community
kosher = clean foods authorised by Yahweh for human consumption
L
Lashon Hara = evil-speaking, gossip or slander
legalism = false route to salvation through works (self-salvation)
le-olam-va-ed = dispensation- or age-long, aeonian, not eternal, forever or for eternity
Lev = heart, as in Lev-Tsiyon = heart of Zion
Lev-Tsiyon = Heart of the Fortress [of Yahweh], Hebrew name of MLT's founder
M
Master = Lord, Sir, Adon(ai) - (one in authority, a ruler - a king, husband, prophet, judge)
Malak(im) = Angel(s), heavenly supernatural messenger(s)
manna = wafers of honey, bread from heaven (lit. 'what is this?')
matzah = unleavened bread, see Chag haMatzah
Menorah = 7-armed candlearbra = the 7 annual Moedim and 7-fold Ruach haQodesh
Messiah = Christ; Anti-Messiah = Antichrist
Messianic Community = Body of Christ, sum total of all true believers; all true fellowships
Messianic Israel = all who worship Yahweh, trust in Yah'shua, obey Torah and overcome
Messianic Jew = Messianic convert from Judaism still clinging to Talmudic traditions
Midrash = aggadic interpretation of scripture viâ Drash, a scriptural discussion
Mikvah = baptism by immersion of convert into Yah'shua or of wife into husband
Mishpachah = family: nuclear, congregational, tribal or the whole of Messianic Israel
MLT = Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon = family of the heart of the fortress [of Yahweh]
Mishpat = right-ruling or judgement
mitzvah/mitzvot = commandment(s)
moed(im) = appointment(s) of Yahweh, 7 Annual Feasts, Sabbath and Rosh Chodesh
N
Nefilim, Nephilim = giant offspring of materialised demons and human women
Nevi'im = prophetic writings of the Old Testament or Tanakh
New Birth = spiritual conversion in the Ruach haRishon, being 'born again' with new heart
Nidah = a woman's menstruation period during which no intercourse is permitted
O
Olive Branch = collection of revelations, prophecies and visions published by MLT
P
Paraclete = Comforter, Advocate (NEB), Counsellor, Ruach haQodesh (Gk. paraklêtos)
PaRDeS = method of textual interpretation (homiletics) - see P'shat, Remez, Drash, Sod
Patriarch = a father who is head of his family, clan or tribe (lit. 'father-ruler')
Pentateuch = first five books of the Tanakh (Genesis-Deuteronomy), also called Torah
peribolaion = headcovering worn by daughters/wives in submission to fathers/husbands
Pesach = Passover, first of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Peshitta = an Aramaic version of the Bible
Prototrinitarianism = early, simplified MLT formulation of the Echad Godhead Doctrine
Prush(im) = Pharisee(s)
Pseudepigrapha = Non-canonical Hebrew writings additional to the Apocrypha
P'shat = literal, contextual, philological, exoteric, outer meaning of Scripture - see PaRDeS
Q
Qadosh Qadoshim = Holy of Holies, most sacred set-apart room of the Beit haMikdash
Qodesh, Kodesh = set-apart, holy (see Ruach haQodesh)
R
Rabbi = Teacher, term used by Messianic Jews and some Messianic Israelites = Pastor
Refuge, the 12 Cities of = divinely protected MLT fortresses during the 7-year Tribulation
Remez = hint or allegorical level of Hebraic understanding of Scripture - see PaRDeS
Rosh Chodesh = monthly New Moon appointment of Yahweh
ruach = spirit of a person (lit.'breath')
Ruach Elohim = Spirit of God (the Spirit of the collective Godhead or Elohim)
Ruach haChamashee = 5th Ruach presides over Yom Teruah and Yom Chamashee
Ruach haQodesh = the Sevenfold Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost (lit. 'Set-Apart Breath')
Ruach haRevee = 4th Ruach presides over Shavu'ot, Yom Revee and Bar Mitzvah
Ruach haRishon = 1st Ruach presides over Pesach, Yom Rishon and the New Birth
Ruach haShanee = 2nd Ruach presides over Chag haMatzah and Yom Shanee
Ruach haSheshi = 6th Ruach presides over Yom Kippur and Yom Sheshi
Ruach haShleshi = 3rd Ruach presides over Yom haBikkurim, Yom Shleshi and Mikvah
S
Sabbath = Yom Shabbat (Friday to Saturday sunset, add 1 day in IDL Zone)
Satan = rebel archangel Heylel, father of lies, devil, chief demon (lit.'Adversary')
Sephardic Jew = West European Jew of mixed blood containing many Judahites
Septuagint = Greek translation of the Tanakh, LXX
Shegal haShabbat = 7th Ruach (Sabbath Queen) presides over Sukkot and Yom Shabbat
Shekinah = Divine Presence and Glory of Yahweh-Elohim
Set-apart = holy, sanctified, consecrated, dedicated, separated (to and by Yahweh)
Shabbat-Shabbaton = High Sabbath (e.g. Yom Kippur)
Shalom = heavenly peace, standard Hebraic greeting invoking Yahweh's peace
Shamash(im) = servant(s), deacon(s), attendant(s)
Shavu'ot = Pentecost or Weeks, fourth of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Sheol = grave or pit, euphamism for Hades or hell - also see Tartarus
shofar = ram's horn, blown during Yahweh's Moedim
simcha = joy, keynote of Sukkot
Sod = mystical, anagogic, inner or esoteric understanding of Scripture - see PaRDeS
Sukkot = Tabernacles or Booths, seventh of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Synagogue = Greek word used by Jews and Messianics (but not MLT) for a meeting house
T
talmid(a) = male/female disciple or student
Talmud = scriptures, teachings and commentaries belonging to non-Messianic Judaism
Tanakh = acronym for Old Testament Scriptures - Torah, Nevi'im & Ketuvim
Tartarus = place of imprisonment under the earth for rebellious angels and Nephilim
teshuvah = repentance, remorse and contrition leading back to Torah obedience
Torah = Yahweh's teachings or Law; New Covenant Torah includes Yah'shua's teachings
Tribulation, the Great = the final 7 years of the present aeon when Anti-Messiah rules
Trinity = Catholic Godhead formula - see Echad Godhead Doctrine and Prototrinitarianism
Tsiyon = Zion, a fortress, a name of Jerusalem and a prominent hill
Tzitzit/Tizitziyot = tassel(s) worn by men in remembrance of Torah
U
Universalism = salvation of all at the cosmic Yovel, with different rewards and punishments
Y
Yachid = one, single person or item, as opposed to Echad (many in one, unity)
Yah'shua the Messiah = Jesus Christ (the Son)
Yahudah = Judah - see Judahite
Yahweh, Yah, YHWH = the true Name of our Heavenly Father, also carried by Yah'shua
Yahweh-Elohim = LORD God (the Father, Yahweh as Head of the Godhead or Elohim)
Yahweh haQatan = the sent Yahweh = Yah(weh)'shua, Malak of Yahweh's Presence
Yam Suf = Sea of Reeds, the true Israelite Exodus water crossing, not the Red Sea
Yarden = Jordan River (lit. 'meanderer')
Yerushalayim = Jerusalem
Yisrael = Israel (lit. 'ruling with Êl') = true believers under the New Covenant
Yom Chamashee = 5th day of the week (Thursday, Friday in IDL Zone)
Yom Din, Yom haDin = (the) Day of Judgement
Yom haBikkurim = Feast of Firstfruits, third of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Yom Revee = 4th day of the week (Wednesday, Thursday in IDL Zone)
Yom Rishon = 1st day of the week (Sunday, Monday in IDL Zone)
Yom Kippur = Day of Atonement, sixth of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Yom Shabbat = 7th day of the week and Sabbath Rest (Saturday, Sunday in IDL Zone)
Yom Shanee = 2nd day of the week (Monday, Tuesday in IDL Zone)
Yom Sheshi = 6th day of the week (Friday, Saturday in IDL Zone)
Yom Shleshi = 3rd day of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday in IDL Zone)
Yom Teruah = Day of Trumpets, fifth of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Yosef = Joseph - see Josephite
Yovel = Jubilee or Year of Jubilee
Z
Zaqen(im) = elder(s) of an assembly or congregation, or senior members of a community
Zoë Life = Greek term for spiritual life in the Messiah
Commonly Used MLT Abbreviations
For additional abbreviations and explanations, please see the Micropedia
A
Amp.V(er). = Amplified Version of the Bible
Aram. = Aramaic
AV = Authorised Version of the Bible - see KJV
B
BCAY = B'rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh - see NCCG
BoA = Books of Abraham (e.g. 1Abr., 2Abr., etc.)
C
cp, cf = compare with
CB(Q) = Chavurat Bekorot
CEV = Contemporary English Version of the Bible
ch. = chapter
CJB = Complete Jewish Bible
CLNT = Concordant Literal New Testament
CYe = Council of Yah's elohim
E
Eng. = English
F
ff. = and onwards/forwards
fn = footnote
G
Gk. = Greek
GNB = Good News Bible - see TEV
H
Heb. = Hebrew, Hebraic
HEM = Holy Echad Marriage, eternal marriage
HO = Holy Order - see Chavurat Bekorot
HOC = Holy Order Collection of revelations - see OB
HRV = Hebraic-Roots Version of the Bible
I
ibid. = ibidem (lit. 'in the same place'), referring to a book previously cited
ICJC = Independent Church of Jesus Christ, earlier name of NCCF
ISRV = Institute for Scripture Research Version of the Bible
J
JB = Jerusalem Bible
JBP/Phillips = J.B.Phillips translation of the New Testament
JNT = Jewish New Testament
K
KJV = King James Version of the Bible - see AV
L
LB = Living Bible
lit. = literally or literature
LXX = Septuagint, Greek translation of the OT
M
MLT = Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon
Moff. = Moffatt translation of the Bible
MRC = Messianic Renewed Covenant Version of the NT
MS(S) = Manuscript(s)
N
NASB, NASV = New American Standard Bible/Version
NC&C = New Covenants & Commandments - see OB
NCCF = New Covenant Christian Fellowship, earlier name of NCCG
NCCG = New Covenant Church of God, earlier name of MLT - see BCAY
NCP = New Covenant Press, publishing arm of MLT
NCW = New Covenant Witness, MLT magazine
NEB = New English Bible
NIV = New International Version of the Bible
NKJV = New King James Version of the Bible
Nor. = Norwegian
NT = New Testament, B'rit Chadashah
NWT = New World Translation of the Bible, unreliable Jehovah's Witness version
O
OB = Olive Branch - see NC&C
op.cit. = opere citato (lit. in the work cited)
OT = Old Testament, Tanakh
P
p(p). = page(s)
pl. = plural - see s.
PWNC = Prophetic Words of the New Covenant, revelation cataloging system - see OB
Q
QED = quod erat demonstrandum (lit. which was shown to be proved)
R
RCF = Restoration Christian Fellowship, earlier name of ICJC
RhQ = Ruach haQodesh, Holy Spirit
RSTNE = Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition of the Bible
RSV = Revised Standard Version of the Bible
RV = Revised Version of the Bible
S
s. = singular - see pl.
S&G = Smith & Goodspeed Version of the Bible
T
TEV = Today's English Version of the Bible - see GNB
V
Vulg. = Biblia Vulgata, Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
W
WEB = World English Bible
Glossary Copyright ©2007 Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon (MLT) - All Rights Reserved
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This page was first created on 7 March 2007
Last updated on 7 March 2007
Copyright ©2006 Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon (MLT) - All Rights Reserved
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