[Bill Riley | Olive Tree Ministries | OTWaxahachie.net]
Q: How did the Bible and its doctrines get perverted from their original meanings?
A: To answer that question I will start from the beginning and try to give a short history and hopefully some perspective on what happened.
This is by no means an attack on people or any organization, but a “post mortem” on what exactly occurred. Because we are so many centuries removed from the original intent and study the Scriptures from a western perspective, our understanding of the Bible is very off. It’s not like we can go up to Peter and Paul and ask them what happened. We have to reconstruct the events based on an understanding of history.
To understand, I will try to put what happened into a Jewish setting. We know from Genesis that God created the earth as a home for man, who was created in God’s image and given dominion over the earth. Adam eventually sinned and man was lost spiritually, including his role as “ruler” over the earth. God instituted His plan to restore man and creation by providing a kinsman redeemer , a “go’el”, who would be filled with the Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and restore man. This redeemer would be known as the “mashiach” or messiah because he was anointed by the Holy Spirit.
This messiah would come to earth about four thousand years after creation, preaching the “basar” or good news concerning man’s restoration, and be killed unjustly. But, God would accept his death, raise him from the dead and by doing so, redeem mankind. Fifty days after Yeshua’s resurrection, the Holy Spirit fell on believers at the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost), fulfilling what was promised by the prophets. These first believers were all Jewish and they maintained a Jewish life-style in their walk with God.
Their faith was centered on Yeshua and they remained active in synagogues and the Temple. In Acts 10, a Roman centurion named Cornelius was saved and the basar, or gospel, was now open to gentiles, much to the surprise of the Jewish believers. Their understanding of the Great Commision was to go into all the world and make Jews out of the gentiles who believed. As a result, major changes began to take place. These gentile believers who left paganism were known as “phoubemenoi” or Godfearers and are not really understood by most Bible scholars even today. They observed the Sabbath and biblical festivals, they ate biblically kosher and followed many Jewish customs. The Torah defined how these people were to be treated and how they were to live. Observance of these laws had nothing to do with salvation and never did. The scriptures defined their faith and practice.
Well, needless to say, many problems began to arise between Judaism of the time and these gentile believers.
God raised up Rav Shaul, or the Apostle Paul, to confront these situations and to lay down guidelines so that these two groups could get along. These principles can be found in his epistles. Belief in Yeshua was everywhere in and outside of the land of Israel during the first century.
But, at the same time more and more gentiles came to believe as well, and their numbers began to “outweigh” the Jewish believers. In so doing, their opinions began to affect the decisions being made in the congregations outside of Israel.
So, during the next 200 years or so the faith that began to develop did not resemble the faith Paul taught and that remains true today. The epistles warned that this would happen. In A.D. 66, Paul died and at the same time Israel revolted against Rome. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed and congregations in the empire underwent massive changes.
To support the Jewish people was seen as unpatriotic and the gentile influence began to get stronger and stronger. Anti- Jewish sentiments ran strong, not only politically but spiritually. But, Jews still became believers but pressure was building against them from several directions.
First, non-believing Jews didn’t like the power they had, non-believing gentiles didn’t like anything Jewish and then believing gentiles came in with a bias towards anything Jewish anyway, much like today. In 116 A.D. another war broke out between Rome and the Jewish people and they were nearly wiped out in Alexandria, further weakening the Jewish position in spiritual matters.
Then, a final war broke out in 135 A.D. where a Jewish leader named Bar Kochba was actually declared the messiah. Well, Jewish believers in Yeshua would have no part in supporting a false messiah. As a result, these Jewish believersrefused to fight and were called traitors and a bitter separation occurred between mainstream Judaism and Jewish believers.
They were driven out of the synagogues for good and left on their own. Hadrian, the Roman emperor, destroyed the Jewish army and virtually the nation. Anti-Jewish sentiments were encouraged and even seen as politically correct in the empire resulting in turning the people away from anything considered Jewish.
By 325 A.D. religious issues were very fractured and many views prevailed because the people had been ignoring the faith given by God as found the Scriptures. Anyone who had an opinion could get a following, but they all agreed to avoid the Jewish concepts, festivals and customs.
A man named Constantine became Caesar and saw the opportunity to unite these factions into a state religion. He called a council at Nicea to discuss these issues, but did not invite one Jewish leader. Constantine said he wanted to “root out the last vestiges of Judaism” and that’s exactly what he did. Laws were passed forbidding Jews to circumcise their children, it was illegal to keep the 7th day Sabbath as found in the Scriptures.
Jews were “forced” into becoming like the gentiles. Pagan festivals such as Easter, Christmas replaced the biblical ones. Sunday replaced the Sabbath and so on. Not only were the Jewish believers gone, but so were the “phoubemenoi”, or gentile believers who had joined themselves to Israel.
The faith was now a different religion. Western concepts, theologies, practices replaced the faith once delivered to the saints. It was now a gentile religion. Jews had to give up keeping the Torah to be accepted in the congregations now dominated by western, gentile thought and it largely remains that way today.
But, God has always had a remnant of Jewish and non-Jewish believers that have sounded a warning down through the centuries. Today, this number is growing and God by His Spirit is calling both groups out of these man-made religions back to Himself and showing them how to live and walk in faith before Him.
The numbers are growing and many Christian leaders and teachers are seeing what happened and are writing books and teaching the Jewish roots again and people are responding in greater numbers to this call to “come out of her” and I am thankful to the Lord that we can play a small role in that movement in Ellis County. But, it is not a call to another religion but to a right relationship with the Lord by faith in Yeshua, and then learning to walk in the faith once delivered to the saints so long ago.
We have a long way to go, but with the Lord’s help, we are on our way. I hope this answers your question and will give you a better idea of what happened. As Paul Harvey says, “Now you know the rest of the story!”

Olive Tree Ministries is a Messianic congregation 20 miles south of Dallas, Texas.

It's true, I cannot go anywhere in Ellis County without someone knowing who I am. It's very rare that I get people coming up to shake my hand. The most common response is back-talking, whispering-while-pointing and under-the-breath vulgar language.

I guess that's the normal response from an area in which you call-em-like-you-see-em and don't take kindly to public corruption. However, there might be a few visible examples of why people honestly dislike me.

[Direct Link: Why People Get Mad At Me]

I get people from all spectrums telling me three different things:

1) "Joey, people in this county hate your guts."
2) "Joey, keep doing what you're doing. Don't be afraid and never give up. I read your blog everyday. You've got balls."
3) "Joey, you are going to make it big politically. We just gotta work on your tact a bit."

Perhaps I should let people see just why there are so many "against" me:


Grubbs denies Hellstern cover-up. Click here for the full version


DA probates hundreds of sex offenders. Click here for the full version of this paper


Ovilla PD: Click here for the full version of this paper


The Waxahachie Daily Light - and more importantly, managing editor JoAnn Livingston - referred to those stories as "negative campaign tactics." If truth-telling and reporting what's really going on in this corrupt Starr County of the North region is "negative campaign tactics," I'm the dirtiest campaigner in the history of this area.

I actually take pride in being able to inflict the reactions that I get. Why? It's not because of my ego, but I view it as a byproduct of doing a job well. I take the pie-chart analogy. Ninety-nine percent of politics is dirty, compromising, dirty, shady, corrupt, dirty and dishonest. I'm in the 1 percent camp that draws big-time attention to what I stand on, and that is to defend Truth and defend Freedom. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Those that hate thee shall flee before thee...only those with something to hide have something to fear from me. Public corruption is the root cause of all evil in my view.

Simply put, the "Joey Dauben Revolution" is nothing more than a systematic approach to how people in Ellis County, Texas see things - or should see things. In one arena, politics, there needs to be someone to stand up and say, "This politician here is not doing the right thing. That must be stopped." Or, my favorite, "if you're not honest with me, you won't be honest with the public when you are elected."

So the "revolutionary" concept is nothing too revolutionary: it's just based on a need for honesty in politics. It's hard to imagine those words being in the same sentence. Honesty. Politics.

In another arena, the "Joey Dauben Revolution" seeks to forge an independent press, starting with, naturally, the only newspaper in the whole DFW Metroplex that has the balls to stand up and expose corruption - both in politics and in our fellow media establishment. The reason you'll see me criticize the local media on the same level as political figures is that there's always been a two-pronged approach to this stuff: politicians can't get away with stuff if they have an independent press following their every move and reporting every mishap.

Brilliant strategy, though: take over a county's press outlets and then the place is yours.

But the "Joey Dauben Revolution" seeks to train independent-thinking, muckraking truth-seekers to root out corruption and bias in the county's political establishment and media. But first, it will take training people's minds to accept that change. Someone must show them the way. And since there's no one else willing to do that, I've taken the lead on this...

That, in a nutshell, is the "Joey Dauben Revolution." Not only that, but I loved the Ron Paul banners, so I said, "I want my name on that."

1. The bullhorn: symbolizes my outspoken personality, as well as an amplified way of getting the message out. That photo was taken by my webmaster in front of the Ellis County GOP headquarters in 2006.
   
2. The shirt: "Trust me, I'm a lawyer" -- it's simply a way of saying, "you guys in Ellis county who have your law degrees and your fancy resumes and long list of accomplishments and service to boards and commissions mean nothing to me. If you allow corruption to permeate in this county on a daily basis and/or are too afraid to say anything about it -- or even have a hand in helping cover up things (which happens more than people just being afraid to say anything) -- then I have no use for you.
   
3. The black hair: From 2006 to about April 2 of 2008, I went through this sea change where I wanted to be a politician. I tried looking the part, talking the part and sometimes acting the part. But deep down, I know I'm a muckraker. I'm much more effective doing the journalist thing than the political stuff. So the black hair kinda encompasses the whole "I'm in the middle of a change right now." But the ultimate real reason I dyed it in the first place was due to a few girl friends of mine saying how "hot" it'd look.
   
4. Joseph or Joey. No Joe: My Biblically-given name is Joseph Glen Dauben (pronounced "Dobbin"), or Joey for short. Do not call me Joe. Ever. At all. I'm not your average "Joe." Not saying others with the name of Joe is a bad thing. Just not for me. Joseph means "God Shall Add," or "God Shall Increase." With the increased number of duties and talents and gifts comes the increased number of responsibilities. So, for those who badger me on how I can rip some politician to shreds while at the same time claiming the mantle that God called me to this, all I say in response is: ____________ I don't have to answer to any man or woman. I don't have to justify why I do things or say things to anyone. If you don't like it, that's just really too bad, because I'm not here on earth to be your friend or care about your feelings. If I did, I'd still be in politics, I wouldn't have a list of blogs that I maintain, and I surely wouldn't need some "revolution." Besides, if you can't take your little pet politician being exposed from every angle, then you're in the wrong business.
   
5. In the beginning: I knew the day my mom decided to hold me back in 4th grade -- and later, in the 6th grade -- that my life was going to be extremely different than others. So I wound through junior high and high school two years older than everyone. I quickly built a reputation for that alone (that and driving a bad-ass 1970 Camaro as my first car), but I also saw how quickly things change after high school (so yes, after doing the math, I was 20 when I graduated from Midlothian HS - attended all four years and stuck through it). I landed a job at Focus Daily News in DeSoto during my junior year in 1999 - the same year my beloved Midlothian Panthers made the playoffs in football. I covered MHS football for FDN two seasons, but during the time (99-01), I was also assigned council meetings and school board meetings. Cedar Hill's city council meetings were boring and stale. Lancaster's council meetings triggered so much "oh hell yes, controversy!" inside me that ultimately, FDN had to part ways with their now-independent reporter. After I left, all the big chambers of commerce started flooding the paper with advertising. I shopped around my resume to papers and got a call from Sheila Hatfield at The Ellis County Press. That was November of 2001. The rest is history. I was there from '01 to about the middle of '05, full time, freelancing, etc. It was then that I wanted to pursue "education" at a college. I put "education" in quotation marks because a real education isn't found on a campus. So, fast-forward to December 2007, and the circulation figures can attest to it: readership skyrocketed, newspapers were flying out of the stands and off the racks. Record sell-outs within hours of the paper being on the street.
   

So there might be something to this "Joey Dauben Revolution" after all.

I wrote this paper for my English class at Southwestern Assemblies of God; ironically, today's due date for this paper falls on the first day of Sukkot, which is an eight day festival (Holy Day) that God told us to keep, and it is during this festival that Yeshua our Messiah was actually born.

Anyway, here's the short nutshell version of the difference between a "Christian" and a "Messianic" believer:

By Joey Dauben
Sept. 28, 2007

What is a Messianic Jew?

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            Followers of Jesus Christ are identified in various terms, phrases and titles. But in the first century, they were simply called Believers. The term "Christian" wasn't applied until about the time of Acts 2, and even that title was once seen as more of a derogatory remark. The Greek Christian is translated Messianic, or in the raw sense, "Machiach." Followers of Jesus (Yeshua) who view him as the Messiah are called "Messianic" believers. It's virtually the same thing as saying "Christian," but today's Christianity, indeed much of what formed the basis of "the church" from 325 A.D., is the antithesis for what first century believers in Yeshua believed, taught, practiced and preached.

 

            Labels mean nothing, however, and that is at the crux of the Messianic-vs.-Christian "debate." Jesus reiterated this in the Book of John numerous times (quoting, of course, the Torah) when he said, "those who say they know me but keep not my commandments are a liar, and the truth is not in them." Hebrew is more of an "action" language – meaning, the definitions of certain words, phrases and even letters pack "a punch" to them. The single most often-repeated phrase in all of Christendom is "love." Messianic believers see the Hebrew translation of love as an action. Jesus, in John, says, "Those who love me will keep my commandments." You can't just be a sayer of the faith; you have to be a doer. Granted, keeping the Sabbath, the Holy Days, the kosher dietary laws do not put you on a "higher level" of salvation to anyone else, but those that are His are known. The Sabbath was given as a sign between God and his children that in six days he created the world and on the seventh he rested. It never changed. There was no command in either the "old" or "new" testament that changed the day of worship from the seventh day to the first day of the week. ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Rome even admits this:

 

            "The Catholic Church designated Sunday as the day for corporate worship and gets full credit – or blame – for the change." -- This Rock, The Magazine of Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization, p.8, June 1997

 

            The Sabbath is probably the single-most identifiable mark of a true Believer of Yeshua. The disciples kept the Sabbath and taught the Gentiles to do the same:

 

            "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. And the next Sabbath came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God." -- Acts 13:42, 44

 

            But during the years from the first century to the creed-enacted councils of various Roman religious authorities (i.e., the "church fathers"), Jews and Gentiles that believed in Yeshua were forced in many cases to follow Rome – and not God. Many feared persecution and sometimes death (Stephen was a martyr because he was blamed for disobeying the Torah commandments and teaching others to do the same), so they had no other choice but to "switch" to the Roman-instituted "holy days" and "worship day."

 

            The Holy Days are the second item of difference between Messianic believers and Christians. Rome instituted the symbol of the cross, Easter, Christ-mass, and saint worship. This is widespread knowledge, and any student of church history will be able to rightfully admit this. God instituted the Sabbath as a sign between his believers and the rest of the world. However, he also commanded a perpetual covenant that included seven Holy Days. The Assemblies of God denomination, though most of its theology being from Rome in many parts, based their entire council on one of the seven Holy Days, the Day of Pentecost. Hebrew translates this to Shavuot, or in English, the Feast of Weeks (50 days after the Feast of First Fruits, when Yeshua rose from the dead.)

           

            Some make the mistake of identifying these seven Holy Days as "Jewish," but they are not "Jewish." They are God's Holy Days. God is not a respecter of persons; the Exodus was a picture of the salvation that Yeshua would provide; it wasn't just Jews that were led out of Egypt, but a mixed multitude. The Holy Days (or festivals) contrast with Rome's holidays: Christ-mass, Easter, etc. Yeshua was crucified on Passover, buried during the feast of Unleavened Bread and rose on the feast of First Fruits. His Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost, which was also the day Moses received the Ten Commandments.

 

Because of Rome's fear that the Messianic believers were becoming a "political threat" in the first century, laws were passed changing Biblical commandments (i.e., the Sabbath, food laws, etc.) and forbidding celebration of the Passover and other Holy Days. There are four festivals in the spring, three in the fall: Rosh HaShanah (Trumpets); Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement); Sukkot (Tabernacles); a minor festival but one that is rife with eschatological meaning is that of Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication. When Jesus said he was the "light of the world," he was speaking in Jerusalem during Hanukkah (couple this with Christ-mass in that "lights" are also used, and you can see a pattern evolving).

 

            The last issue of contention, for the most part, in regards to the differences between Messianic believers and Christians, is food. Food laws have been a point of contention for centuries, but one read of verse 28 in Acts 10 (followed by an entire reading of the chapter) will clear up years of confusion; when verses are cited about "well don't you know nothing that enters the body is unclean," what is not being said is the context in which Yeshua was basing his words and thoughts. Yeshua, who was Jewish, and his disciples, which were also Jewish, would never have taught that eating pork, shrimp, or the unclean meats in Leviticus 11 were okay to do. In fact, "don't let others judge you by food or drink" is not talking to Gentiles!

 

            The audience is clearly Jewish or Jewish Christian (i.e., Messianic), not the pagan sun-worshipping Gentiles that taught whatever and did whatever. Will eating pork, worshipping on Sunday, or keeping Christmas condemn you to hell? No, not in this writer's personal opinion, but "by their fruits you will know them." God's law did not change. It was not abolished. And it will come to a fulfillment at the end of the ages (fulfill does not mean abolish; it means "to give it meaning"), despite theologies and doctrines that are taught on Sunday.

 

            For 22 years I was involved in Roman-centered church (raised Southern Baptist), celebrated Roman-instituted holidays and ate any thing that crawled. However, being shown the true Light of the world on July 22, 2002 convinced me that following God was more than just a phrase. It was a lifestyle. It was a sacrifice. And that is what a Messianic believer does. He or she keeps the commandments of Yeshua because he or she loves him. We keep the festivals because they point to not only the Second Coming, but Yeshua's redemptive plan of salvation. We're saved through faith in Yeshua, and can break every law in the Torah and still be saved (that's true grace; the curse of the law wasn't the Law itself, it was the punishment for breaking it).

 

            I find it refreshing that even the globe fountain at SAGU quotes Jesus in true Messianic fashion: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will never pass away." Messianic believers follow Yeshua as he taught and lived, not how man-made traditions and theologies made him out to be. Yeshua said that many in that day (Judgment Day) will tell him of all the wonderful works and signs and miracles that were done in His name, but Yeshua's response? "Depart from me ye who work iniquity (literally: lawlessness), for I never knew you." The signs, miracles, wonders and gifts of the Spirit are great, but what good is it if followers of this Christ don't do what he says?

 

 

This is the most informative piece of information I've been given as it relates to the Jewish-Christian, Old vs. New Testament.

There is a page in the Bible that was not written by Moses, the Prophets, the Messiah, the Apostles, or God Himself. Many quote from that page more than the other writings combined. It is not inspired by God and God never told anyone to put that page in the Bible. However, the modern church has emphasized and taught more doctrine based on the words of that page than any other part of the Bible. It is the un-inspired page in the Bible. What page is it, you ask?

Consider these additional clues. It only has a few words written on one side, but volumes have been written to explain those words. The other side of the page is intentionally blank, but churchmen have made their primary and foremost teaching of the Bible from that page.

But there is even more about that page. Surely, you will know which page I'm referring to by this description. The un-inspired page has become more like a wall in the Bible. When you open your Bible, that page splits and separates the Bible. It separates one kind of thinking from another and sows division within the Scripture like an ax splitting wood. Still don't know what page I am referring to?

Before I answer my own question, let me take you back in history to see something that was like the un-inspired page. In Jerusalem, at the temple, there was a wall of separation in the temple. It separated the temple courts of Israel from the court of the Gentiles. Moses did not instruct that wall to be built, yet it was built. That additional wall was not after the pattern that Moses so specifically instructed to be followed. It was put up by religious men to be a barrier and keep certain people (Gentiles) out of the temple. Not only was it to keep them out of the temple courts, or let them see in, but even more so, it was intended to make a racial and bigoted statement to the Gentiles. It was intended to tell every Gentile that he was not good enough, he didn't belong, and to get out. It was called the "middle wall of partition." It was another wall put up outside the beautiful gate and the court of women, to keep Gentiles from peering into the temple courts. It wasn't a very big wall but it was huge in its implications and message. The Apostle Paul says that this middle wall of partition was in opposition to God's plan and order. He said that it separated and formed two groups of believers in the God of Israel. He also said the Messiah came to take that wall down, to make us one group in the Messiah. An argument could be made that God permitted and, in fact, encouraged the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. to ensure that the middle wall of partition was taken down.

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hand – remember that you were at that time separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Messiah Yeshua you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. EPH 2:10-15

I remind you of this historical fact, because the un-inspired page in the Bible has become like another middle wall of partition. The un-inspired page is a barrier. It has been constructed and printed in our Bibles with the same intention of making two groups of believers. Instead of Jews building this wall, it has been built by Gentile church fathers and leaders for the purpose of separating Israel and the Gentile Christians. This time the wall is to keep Gentile believers from going back to Jewish things such as Torah, Sabbath, Holidays, Temple, and the Fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Have you figured out which page is the un-inspired page? Do you see which page is the middle wall of partition today in the Bible?

Here is the answer.

It's the title page for the New Testament. The only words on that page are "The New Testament." The title page for the New Testament was not written by any apostle or prophet. It was not pinned by the Messiah, nor was it written in any of the original manuscripts. It didn't really come into being until the printing press began mass printing the Bible of today. But, there is a lot more teaching and doctrine about that page than most believers realize. Let me share some of that teaching and see if you don't agree that you have received the same teaching. I want to be explicit and clear here – I don't agree with this teaching.

1. Everything prior to the title page has been fulfilled, completed, and done away with, because Christ has already come and fulfilled, completed, finished, and done away with everything written prior to His coming.

2. Any sacrifice prior to the title page is removed and should not ever be done again, because Christ is the final sacrifice for everything.

3. All teaching prior to the title page is good ONLY for historical perspective and should not have any authoritative value in any Christian's life, as Christ is our only authority now.

4. Any effort to obey any custom or commandment prior to the title page is evidence of religious bondage and "keeping the Law." This is evidence of "salvation by works" and is in direct conflict with Christ's salvation by faith.

5. Only the pages after the title page are considered to be valid teaching for Christians. They are totally sufficient for instruction in the Christian faith and no other teaching is needed.

The list could go on but you get the idea. I am sure you have heard this teaching and faced this wall. Many Christian teachers today truly believe that the teaching of the Old Testament is valid only for historical perspective. The title page for the New Testament, therefore, is like a barrier set up to redirect Christians back to the New Testament, preventing them from understanding what Moses actually taught.

While I acknowledge that this is the teaching of many Churchmen, is this the teaching of the actual New Testament writers? Is this what James, Peter, John, or Paul believed and taught? Consider these questions about the New Testament and its writers.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy the following words, what Scripture was he referring to?

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2TI 3:16-17

Do you think Paul was referring to his letters to Timothy and others, or was he referring to the writings of Moses and the Prophets? What were the books and parchments that Paul wanted Timothy to bring with him? These were obviously the writings of Moses and the Prophets.

When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. 2TI 4:13

How about Peter? When he wrote his letter to the believers, what Scripture was he referring to?

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2PE 1:20-21

Do you think Peter was referring to his own letter or to the writings of Moses and the Prophets?

How about James? He referred the Gentiles to the teaching of Moses for instruction in the "essentials" of the faith after the first council in Jerusalem with Peter and Paul.

For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath. ACT 15:21

Did James expect Gentile Christians to go and receive the instruction of Moses from synagogues on Sabbath day? [That is a stunning thought, isn't it?] Why would James summarize his instruction and then refer to the teaching of Moses? Maybe his teaching was completely consistent and agreed with Moses. Maybe the true teaching of the New Testament is completely consistent and based upon Moses and the Prophets. Maybe you need the instruction of Moses to understand the words of Yeshua just as He said.

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" JOH 5:46-47

[How do these New Testament teachers claim to understand the words of Yeshua if they don't believe the words of Moses? Answer according to Yeshua: they don't.]

Don't misunderstand me. I believe that the writings of the Apostles are part of the Bible and should be given the authority of Scripture just like Moses and the Prophets. But the argument here is about discarding and devaluing the writings of Moses and the Prophets as compared with the New Testament. What would the writers of the New Testament think of the un-inspired page, the title page of the New Testament, and the present day teaching holding Moses and the Prophets in disregard.

I know the title page didn't exist at that time, but I contend that the writers of the future New Testament were clear in their consensus that the teaching of Moses and the Prophets was valid and necessary for our new covenant faith. More pointedly, I believe this: anyone teaching that the Old Testament is only for historical or limited value for the New Covenant faith is in direct conflict with the writers of the New Testament. And,... they don't know what they are talking about according to Yeshua.

Most believers and Bible students have never done a study of the Bible to understand how and why the actual books of the Bible are contained therein. In particular, how and why were the New Testament books selected and made part of the Bible of today. It is a fascinating study to say the least. However, there is clear consensus and agreement between Jewish and Christian scholars about the Old Testament books. The Apostles taught exclusively from the Old Testament to instruct the first century Christians.Do you remember the disciples on the road to Emmaus after the crucifixion? They were discouraged and didn't understand Yeshua's death. Then Yeshua appeared to them in an unusual way. He taught them about His ministry and life by referring to Moses and the Prophets.

And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. LUK 24:27

Upon hearing this instruction they said the word burned within them. Then Yeshua revealed Himself at the blessing over bread. What does Moses and all the prophets have to say about the Messiah and His ministry that causes New Testament Christians to burn within their hearts? Why didn't Yeshua need a New Testament to convince them of the reason and rationale of the resurrection?

The first evidence of any New Testament writings does not appear until approximately 30 years after the resurrection of Yeshua. Further, the book of Revelation is believed to have been written about 60 years (90 A.D.) after the resurrection.

What is in the Old Testament that was so capable of teaching new believers of Yeshua in that first century? How did Baptists in Jerusalem operate the first 60 years without a New Testament and a Baptist Hymnal? (I'm having a little fun here, Brethren. Everyone knows that Baptists didn't show up until centuries later. But don't tell the Baptists that, they think James was the pastor of First Baptist of Jerusalem on the corner of Via Delarosa and Damascus street near the Fish Gate.)

Let's go back to the very first week of Yeshua's public ministry. Something very strange happened there that relates to our discussion of the un-inspired page.

John the Baptist (not one of the First Baptist Brethren I mentioned earlier) was preaching the baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming King (and Kingdom). John had a number of followers looking expectantly for the Messiah. There was some question as to whether John the Baptist was himself that Messiah. He denied it and said he was fulfilling the words of Isaiah the prophet as "the voice of one crying in the wilderness."

He said, "I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said." JOH 1:23

Yeshua came one day and John proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." That day, some of John's disciples asked Yeshua where He was staying. Yeshua showed them. Immediately, Andrew went to his brother (Peter) and said, "We have found the Messiah." The very next day, Philip went to his friend Nathaniel and said, "We have found Him spoken of by Moses and the Prophets." At that point, five men believed that Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, was the long awaited Son of God and Messiah of Israel.

So, here is the question. What prophecy did Yeshua fulfill that so convinced these men that He was the Messiah? What speech had Yeshua made at this point? What miracle had he performed? On what basis of Scripture did these men properly place their faith to be convinced that Yeshua was the Messiah? What part of the Bible were they referring to?

While it takes a little instruction to go through all these questions, we can say with certainty that the Old Testament was the part of the Bible they were relying on. Therefore, there is sufficient instruction in the Old Testament alone to convince a reasonably minded person that Yeshua is the Messiah. The evidence of the New Testament with its miracles and fulfilled prophecies is frosting on the cake.

So then, why do New Testament teachers diminish the value of the Old Testament particularly when it comes to teaching the Messiah Yeshua? The answer is varied, but can be simplified this way. Teachers who avoid the Old Testament don't know what it teaches about the Messiah. They have no idea why the five believed. They do not understand what Yeshua said that burned within them.

Moses is the greatest prophet of the Messiah. The Old Testament prophets have more to say about the second coming and the millennial kingdom than the New Testament does. But how many Churchmen know this?

I have met with Pastors and other churchmen often to discuss the value of the Torah as a foundational teaching to the New Covenant believers. I have made the statement that Moses is the greatest prophet of the Messiah followed by everyone's head nodding in full agreement. Finally, one day I handed my Bible to an established Pastor and asked, "Show me." I asked him to show me where Moses spoke of the Messiah so we could understand why Andrew went for Peter and Philip went for Nathaniel. You know what happened? He couldn't do it. He couldn't find any Scripture to convince me that Yeshua was the Messiah because he didn't know what Moses or the Prophets had said. It was really ironic, because he did believe that Yeshua was the Messiah. That event reminded me of when Yeshua asked Nicodemus about being "born again." When Nicodemus stumbled over the thought, Yeshua asked him, "Are you a teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" Did you know the Old Testament teaches about being born again?

The contrast is striking. Common men, followers of John the Baptist, who believe Moses and the Prophets can recognize the Messiah, but Nicodemus, a teacher of Moses and the Prophets, can not. Today, we have the same thing. Religious men are generally stumped as to the substantive teaching of the Messiah given by Moses and the Prophets. As a result, they fail to understand some very basic issues concerning the Torah. Their understanding is generally limited to historical aspects with types and shadows. Very few understand why Andrew and Philip were so convinced that Yeshua was the Messiah.

Remember Philip, one of those who believed in the Messiah from the beginning? Even though he was an eye-witness to the life of Yeshua, he used the writings of Isaiah to convince the Ethiopian to accept Yeshua as the Messiah and be baptized (Acts 8).

Today the average believing Christian has no chance of being instructed about the Messiah from a Mosaic or Prophetic standpoint because of the title page to the New Testament. That page alone sends the average Gentile back, empty handed to the New Testament. A very compelling example of this was shared with me recently. Within the last generation, missionaries to China were given the opportunity to share the Gospel with the Chinese people. Their best efforts fell short of properly teaching and building a community of faith in many places. Why? Because they only translated the New Testament and Psalms of the Bible into the Chinese language. The new Chinese believers found themselves inadequately taught and prepared to live the life of faith. They had no basis for God as creator. They had no basis for a definition of sin. They had no basis to understand the covenants with God. The teaching of the Church and the New Testament alone are not enough to sustain or disciple new brethren in the faith. If it didn't work for the Chinese people, what makes you think it will work for Americans or anyone else for that matter? By the way, it is not working here in America either.

The whole Bible teaches that God has progressively manifested Himself like a growing tree. In fact, the Scripture is called the tree of life by many Bible students and teachers. The root system is God with His nourishment and serves as our anchor for truth and a sure foundation. We are taught to be rooted and established in God. The teachings of Moses, the first written teachings of the Bible, serve as the trunk of the tree. The trunk is the main conduit of nutrients from the root to the branches. The trunk is the foundation and pedestal for the branches to be lifted off the ground. The branches are the work of prophets and apostles. The branches bear fruit and provide cover to others. A tree that is missing its trunk has no roots and appears as dead and dying branches. Therefore, the very foundations of our new covenant faith are based on the Torah and the teachings of Moses. This is what is meant by Paul when he makes the argument of faith and Law. The Law is not done away with, as some claim. Faith and Law work together, not to the exclusion.

Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. ROM 3:31

For those of us who have been renewed in our faith of Yeshua by studying the Torah, we have found a real Messiah just as Andrew and Philip believed. We have found that the works of Yeshua come alive and burn in our hearts whenever He quotes or teaches what Moses and the Prophets taught. We have found that Paul's arguments for the faith are solid and based on the wisdom and the teaching of Moses, beginning with Abraham. We have found why Paul said "all Scripture" is profitable for instruction in righteousness. We understand and can sense the move of the Spirit in the words of the Old Testament just as Peter said. Moses serves as a basis to then understand the words of the New Testament.

However, we also recognize that others have abused and added to the Scripture to twist the meaning and value for their own designs. Moses instructed Israel not to add nor take away from the Scripture (Deut 4:2). In both cases, it diminishes the value of the Scripture. The same principle is true of the New Testament. Adding a title page has set up another middle wall of partition that separates the Gentiles from the courts of Israel. The Gospels are no different than the Prophets or the Torah. They don't need their own title pages. So, why does the New Testament need a title page?

I have a recommendation for you brethren. Take down that wall. Remove that barrier. Tear out that un-inspired page from your Bible and encourage others to do the same. Let the Bible be what God and holy men have shown it to be. From Genesis to Revelation, let there not be a dividing wall for the Gentiles any longer. Just rip the page clean out of your Bible. Then take that title page and show every brother that it is un-inspired and does not belong in anyone's Bible.

But, I should warn you brethren about removing the title page from the Bible. Your fellow church brethren will have a fit for you doing this. They will accuse you of desecrating a Holy thing. Some of our brethren think that the whole Bible is Holy beginning with the leather cover and all the way to the maps. They're the ones who believe there was a First Baptist in Jerusalem.

Let it be taught that the promise of Abraham is to all his descendants by faith in the God of Abraham. Let it be said that Torah is profitable for instruction in righteousness and that Sabbath is for all people (Israel and the adopted sons of God) to be a sign between them and God. Let it be taught that the holidays and festivals are not exclusively Jewish and things of the past. Instead, let it be taught that they are "Biblical" and that they teach about the Messiah – His first coming (the Spring holidays), the giving of the Law and the Spirit (the Summer holiday), and the second coming (the late Summer and early Fall holidays). Let it be taught just as Paul taught, "Sabbath and holidays are a shadow of things to come." Remember, the word mere was added just before the word shadow in the English Bibles. This was an intentional effort to diminish the value of the Old Testament which teaches us about Sabbath and holidays.

Just as Yeshua removed the middle wall of partition at the temple, so you can remove the middle wall of partition in your Bible. It is not a very big page; but its removal will connect Moses and the Prophets with the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah. It will also set you on the right course to receive the Messiah just as John the Baptist preached. Malachi, the last prophet, says it this way as he concludes the Old Testament.

Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. MAL 4:4

It is time to believe the words of Moses and the Prophets like Andrew and Philip did, instead of making their words into decorative plaques for sale in Christian bookstores. It is time that we begin to believe those words so we can understand the words of Messiah Yeshua. Brethren, don't let the un-inspired page be a wall and a barrier for you any longer. Don't let others keep you out of the courts and the sanctuary which Yeshua made in your hearts, the true tabernacle of David raised up by David's Son. Don't let religious men tell you that the teaching of Moses is not for you, that it is done away with, and to get out. Join with me in taking that wall down so we might be one assembly unto the Lord.

YAVOH, He is Coming is a monthly newsletter published as an outreach ministry of Lion and Lamb Ministries Inc. The ministry is a non-profit organization with an end time prophetic message in a Messianic Jewish context. Subscription to YAVOH, He is Coming is without cost and supported only by donation. Permission is granted to reprint any article in YAVOH, He is Coming with attribution given to YAVOH. Editor - Monte Judah Electronic Editor  - Phil Vellekamp Lion and Lamb Ministries P.O. Box 720968 Norman, OK  73070 (405) 447-4429 Fax: (405) 447-3775 E-mail: info@lionlamb.net

Photos from The Vanished's June 10 show at the Granada Theater in Dallas...

Justin (bassist) reminds me of Pete from Chevelle in this pic...

Phil (far right) & Chance after signing Brittney's and Brandi's shirts.

Lake Waxahachie has become sort of a refuge of sorts after a Sabbath service. Well, I finally got around to taking Dog-Dog to my favorite hang-out.

Here are three photos from that day :)

I really could use a 6-foot inflatable (is that how you spell it?) boat. Not sure if Dog-Dog would get sea sick...


Dog-Dog looks out at the ducks...they started walking away when Dog-Dog approached them but unfortunately for my puppy (i.e., my baby), he can't swim that far.



One of my goals is to develop a lake resort...with white sandy beaches and palm trees, a restaurant, possibly a future college campus overlooking the water...plus lots of multi-story loft-like condos with beach/water views.

I'm thinking Dog-Dog is seeing that vision in this pic.

Either that or the seagulls (yes, there are seagulls at the lake.)

 

Q: What kind of student was Joey Dauben back in high school?
A: This kind:

I won the School Spirit Award my senior year; I won the Spirit Award for our Nerd Day pep rally.

I really didn't like the Red Oak Hawks. When this picture was taken, I had actually gone over to ROHS' side (it was a home game for them) and was, to put it nicely, looked at very different (MHS won the game, as usual.)

I started the MHS Panther Crew, the school's first spirit squad in God knows how long...it's now called the Blue Crew.

I had that shirt made, but am not sure where it is...

Jayme Rankin and I were pretty spirited people.

I really didn't like Red Oak (and yes, the towel was stolen.)

I guess you could say I wore my school spirit on my sleeve....and my arm, and my chest, etc., etc.



This is by far my best achievement: being written about in the Red Oak newspaper (Ellis County Chronicle.) This was just one of scores of signs I made in our MHS-ROHS rivalry.

I actually had a lifetime ban on ROHS property placed on me after one of the ROHS-MHS baseball games I got ejected from. I yelled out, "shut up inbreeder!" and was escorted by a few officers de policia. The ban has since been lifted.

The Chronicle, then-published by Alan Gell (who is now a really good friend of mine), devoted an entire editorial page to me and the MHS "faithful."

Warning: Some of the stories you are about to read are based on real events, which have been only slightly exaggerated and embellished. Any resemblance to any individuals, living or dead, is purely coincidental in some cases, and deliberate in other cases. In such cases, teh names have been changed to protect the guilty.

Source:
Gates of Eden
PO Box 2257
East Peoria, IL 61611
www.gatesofeden.org

Note: Obviously, these comics are a spoof on modern-day Constantine Christianity.

"The history of all mankind was written before it happened...so that if we were to read it now, we would see not only everything that had already happened, but everything that is yet to happen to the human race."***

The Bible predicts - in Hebrew - that the year 2006 will be the start of World War III and include an atomic holocaust.

"End of Days" also appears with this prediction.

There's a mathematical code that was unlocked by Dr. Eliyahu Rips, and later was confirmed by the leading mathematicians at Harvard, Yale and Hebrew universities. Oh, not to mention a chief code-breaker at the National Security Agency.

So my belief - and this Dr. Rips guy - isn't just some nutball view.

In fact, Michael Drosnin wrote about it in his books Bible Code and Bible Code II.

The Hebrew alphabet has no vowels and is read from right to left; those were added by Man later on, but the alphabet also has individual letters that represent numbers too.

In the Roman year of 1996 (Hebrew: 5,767), according to the mathematicians, Drosnin's book, and the Hebrew Bible, an atomic holocaust will occur.

In other words, prepare for nuclear all-out war. You can read the headlines and gather that what I'm reporting here is true: the Russians are helping Iran with nukes as we speak. The Middle East is on the brink of destruction, and I believe the nuclear-led WW III will originate there.

Also in 2006, it is predicted that World War III will begin. And, as mentioned before, the term "End of Days" appears as well.

In fact, End of Days appears with the Roman year of 1,996, which, if you studied the Hebrew (Biblical) calendar, that year would coincide with 5,767.

Want to know why we're in the "End of Days?" It's not because of Man-made pagan calendar days like the ones we go by now (ex: Jan., Feb., 2000, 2001, 2002, etc.).

It's based on the Hebrew, the same Yeshua Messiah (Jesus) used for His Holy feasts and festivals. One day=1,000 years.

Hence, Seven "days" since Creation; Christ reigns 1,000 years -- he also rested on the Seventh Day (1,000 years=1 day).

We're in the End of Days because we're coming up on the END of the 6,000-th year from Creation!

This makes perfect sense - 1 day=1,000 years; 2nd day=1,000 years and so on.

The Messianic Kingdom will be the 1,000 years of rest, meaning, no more crying, no more turmoil, no more paganism, no more depression, no more Democratic Party (hah) no more evil - and you thought the "Law" was done away with. Ha!

"The rule is that all that was, is, and will be unto the end of time is included in the Torah, from the first word to the last word. And not merely in a general sense, but as to the details of every species and each one individually, and details of details of everything that happened to him from the day of his birth unto the end."
                                                - Genius of Vilna

Plus, the Bible is the only source to have predicted the first Gulf War years before the start of it.

Or the massive earthquake to hit Los Angeles in 2010 (p.142 in Bible Code I); or Bill Clinton's election; or JFK's assassination, and his brother's.

Meanwhile, Drosnin, an unbeliever, warned Israeli Prime Minister Yiztkak Rabin a year before the secular Jewish leader was killed.

And what's more, the Bible predicts Hitler, Nazis, the holocaust and the "ovens" and Auschowitz camps - all located within Deuteronomy. 

Mossad (Israeli's CIA) and the Department of Justice believe this Bible Code stuff, according to Drosnin, an investigative reporter.

DNA's founder (biologist Francis Crick) believes his discovery appeared on earth after being carted in a "vehicle" (p. 144). The Bible also states that DNA arrived in a "vehicle." Crick published his theory in 1977, which he calls the Theory of Directed Panspermia.

Oh, by the way, just so we are on the same page here, the portion of the Bible with all of this hidden code lies within the first five books:

The Torah (instruction).

G enesis

L eviticus

E xodus

N umbers

D euteronomy

[I memorized those 5 books based off of my middle name (GLEN) and the first letter of my last name (D)]

It's pretty interesting stuff, but if you're one of those Constantine Christians, you might not understand - or oppose it violently outright - due to the "law has been done away with" teachings.

What are Constantine Christians, you ask? Those are the ones who believe the "New" Testament is "new," that Christians today don't have to follow the Torah, the commandments, or believe that Yeshua Messiah (Jesus) came to "abolish the law."

Well, had those folks studied just a slight bit of Hebrew, they would find that the word for "new" is actually the Greek form of kanash, which means renewed.

Big difference between "renewed" and "new," ay? But ask your Catholic-led leaders [Baptists, Methodists, etc.] about that (PS: the Catholics also changed the Sabbath from our Saturday to their Sun-god-Day. Look up the Council of Nicea if you don't believe me). Oh, and not to mention they infused the worship of G-d into notorious pagan celebrations.

 

All of this also points me back to my real name: Joseph. In Genesis, we read that Pharaoh made Joseph a governor and a trusted advisor because he could interpret the Egyptian ruler's dreams. Thankfully, the Lord has given me the gifts of discernment and prophecy as well. There's tons of proof of that floating on the Internet...oh, and Joseph was renamed by Pharaoh to Zaphenath-Paneah, which has a debated meaning. It's either a meaning from Egyptian hieroglyphics ("revealer of secrets" or "the decoder of the code") or it means simply "God speaks & lives."

In Hebrew, Joseph (Josef) means "God Shall Add," or "God Shall Increase." Don't think for a second that I haven't pondered my name and the fact I'm reporting all of these End of Days Biblical predictions...it's all really interesting stuff, and me being a freelance reporter even adds the icing to the cake.

I mean, look at this one that came upon me today (Feb. 18) while attending Sabbath (Shabbat) services:

1,996 criss-crosses "End of Days" in the Bible, according to Drosdin's book. Well, we know the world didn't end then, and we know it didn't end in 2000 during Y2K.

But, what if we read 1,996 from right to left, the same way the Hebrew alphabet is read?

What would we get then?

It would be (this is what God showed me): 6,991 ---- so, by using the Hebrew calendar view of history, 1 day=1,000 years, and the 1,000-th year Messianic Kingdom that is coming, we can see clearly that 6,691 could be the very end-End of Days.

Of course, I better get ready for the onslaught of laughing, ridicule and widespread opposition. Comes with the territory though, so don't be afraid of offending me...be afraid of offending the One who Sent me.

"The distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, however persistent."
                                      - Albert Einstein, 1955

***p. 182, Bible Code II