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| An Introduction to God - Shem – His Name |
An Introduction to God
Volume Two
Shem – His Name
As you are now aware, this Introduction to God makes no accommodation to garner popular support, and it was not designed to appeal to a religious audience. It simply seeks to reveal, examine, and consider the pictures God has painted in His Word.
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One of the more significant factors culling the audience for this material will be the absence of a familiar vocabulary. I have endeavored to avoid most of the brushstrokes we have become accustomed to seeing because they either corrupt or conceal Yahowah’s portrait. And since God does not combat deception with delusions, neither shall I. Therefore, if you are searching for “Jesus Christ,” you will not find him here.
So now, this, the second of seven sections, will focus on Yahowah’s favorite names, titles, and terms. In it, the manmade monikers which have no association with Him will be methodically destroyed. These include: Lord, Jesus, Christ, Christian, Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, Gospel, Grace, Church, and Cross.
The reasons this must be done are many. It is vital that folks know that they have been deceived by the very people who have preyed upon their devotion. So, by undermining the building blocks upon which the most popular religions were conceived, we will help advance one of God’s most important goals. He wants us to stop trusting people, especially those who preach, so that we might choose to rely on Him.
It is therefore essential that we provide valid reasons for the religious to jettison their faith. This in turn will provide them with the opportunity to cleanse their mental pallets, preparing the way to know the truth. Equally important, once the religious rubble has been cleared, and God’s favorite names, titles, and teachings are able to take root, readers will discover vital insights in every divine revelation, and a lesson in every human deception.
We concluded the last section with a “masal – word picture.” So, since there is a marvelous “Masal – Proverb” which is especially relevant to this discussion, we are going to turn to it now.
It begins by asking seven rather extraordinary questions: “Who is He who has actually descended from (my yarad – who has lowered and diminished Himself) and who is He who reliably ascends to (wa ‘alah – who offers Himself up as a sacrifice and then goes up and lifts up to) heaven (shamaym – the spiritual realm of God)? Who is He who genuinely gathers and receives the spiritual harvest (my ‘acaph ruwach – who is He who draws together, collects, associates with, and spiritually joins a remnant) in (ba) the palms of His hands (chophen)? Who is He who wraps up and envelops, actually giving birth by way of (my tsarar – who is He who encloses, covers, bears children, mends, mediates, and restores through) the waters (maym – the source of life and cleansing) in the garment (ba ha simlah – a feminine noun meaning apparel which covers and adorns)? Who is He finally who comes onto the scene, stands upright, completes the mission, enabling others to stand without ceasing, establishing (my quwm ‘ephec – who is He who in the end takes a stand, rises up, and completely restores) the entire (kol – the whole) earth (‘erets ¬– realm and land)? What is (mah) His personal and proper name (shem – moniker, identification, and renown)? And what is (wa mah) His Son’s (ben) personal and proper name (shem)? Surely (ky) you know (yada’ – you recognize and understand, you are acquainted with it and you acknowledge it).” (Masal / Word Pictures / Proverbs 30:4)
Since these rhetorical questions are laden with profound insights, let’s consider them one at a time. God has asked us: “Who is He who has actually descended from (my yarad – who has lowered and diminished Himself) and who is He who reliably ascends to (wa ‘alah – who offers Himself up as a sacrifice and then goes up and lifts up to) heaven (shamaym – the spiritual realm of God)?” As we begin, it is instructive to know that both “yarad – descends” and “‘alah – ascends” were scribed in the qal relational stem which speaks of things which are real, actual, and genuine, as opposed to symbolic or hypothetical. And both, like every verb throughout this list of rhetorical inquiries, were written to include the third person, masculine, singular pronoun “He,” which is obviously addressing God.
It is interesting to note, however, the differences between the grammatical forms found in the first two queries. Yarad was conjugated in the imperfect waw consecutive, which is the only Hebrew tense which denotes time. It affirms that, at least at the time of this writing, that the subject of this question had already descended. Whereas ‘alah was conjugated in the perfect, which says that His ascent would be whole and complete, indivisible chronologically and uninterrupted throughout all of time.
So, why were these questions posed with such different verb treatments? Well, first, God is telling us that His famed redemptive advent was not His only visit to earth—as Christians commonly assume. God had walked in the Garden and talked with Adam. (BaRe’syth 3:8) He negotiated and laughed with Abraham at the initiation of the Covenant. (BaRe’syth 17 and 18) He personally blessed Ya’aqob, renaming the father of His children “Yisra’el.” (BaRe’syth 32) Before conveying the words of the Towrah, God took the time to eat and drink with Moseh. (Shemowth 24) And He revealed Himself to Shamow’el – Samuel in connection with the Ark of the Covenant. There we read: “Yahowah came, stood, and spoke to Shamow’el…appearing so as to be seen, revealing and disclosing Himself, as the Word of Yahowah.” (1 Shamow’el 3)
But now comes the especially interesting part. Sometimes God predicts the future using the imperfect waw consecutive, or past tense. I suspect He does so because it suggests that He has already witnessed our future, and thus rather than predicting it, He is simply reporting it. And as such, these prophecies, rather than having a probability of occurring, are so certain, God describes them as if they have already occurred.
The most important of the advent predictions would be, and now has been: “a child born unto us and a Son, He is given for us” on the Miqra’ of Sukah to enable the promises of Pesach, Matsah, and Bikuwrym in the year 4,000 Yah (33 CE). This culminates the first six of seven visits—all for relationship, revelation, and redemption.
God’s seventh arrival, which is for reconciliation, is on our horizon, and will transpire on Yowm Kippurym in the Yowbel Year 6000 Yah (at sunset, October 2nd, 2033). The date has been set. It will happen. Are you ready?
The second reason behind the variant verb conjugations is that, with one exception, God’s willingness to “yarad – descend” from Heaven, and “yarad – diminish” Himself to meet with us, has been more important than His “‘alah – ascent” back to the spiritual realm. That lone exception was the fulfillment of the Called-Out Assembly Meeting of FirstFruits, wherein after Yahowsha’s soul “yarad – descended” into She’owl, enduring the “‘alah – sacrifice” of Unleavened Bread, it was reunited with His Spirit, and then “‘alah – ascended” to Heaven. That event, while in our past, was in the future for the writer of this Proverb.
So then God asked: “Who is He who genuinely gathers and receives the spiritual harvest (my ‘acaph ruwach – who is He who draws together, collects, associates with, and spiritually joins a remnant) in (ba) the palms of His hands (chophen)?” As we approach this third question, be advised that the “‘acaph ruwach – spiritual harvest” was also penned in the qal perfect. And that is exceptionally good news. It means that this gathering will actually occur (on the Miqra’ of Taruw’ah), and it means that we can rely upon this promise. Better still, our participation in this spiritual harvest will be total and complete, uninterrupted and indivisible throughout time. Once associated, always associated. Once saved, always saved.
The “remnant” aspect of ‘acaph is also telling, in that most Yahuwdym (speaking of those who are related to Yahowah, which was subsequently corrupted to “Jews”) will die separated from their God. But a small remnant of Yisra’el will survive the Tribulation. They will come to recognize Yahowah, and will be reconciled unto Him upon His return. On this day, we are told in Zakaryah / Zechariah 12:9-10, that they will look up to Him whom they have pierced as God pours out upon them the Spirit of acceptance who pleads for mercy.
In this light, we are not reading too much into this to acknowledge that the primary definition of chophen is “the hollow of the hands.” And was it not the vacated void of Yahowsha’s hands, those pierced by the nails which had been driven into them on Passover, which turned the Upright Pillar upon which He was affixed into the Doorway to Life?
Transitioning to the next query, God asked: “Who is He who wraps up and envelops, actually giving birth by way of (my tsarar – who is He who encloses, covers, bears children, mends, mediates, and restores through) the waters (maym – the source of life and cleansing) in the garment (ba ha simlah – a feminine noun meaning apparel which covers and adorns)?” Affirming the enduring truth incarnate in the “‘acaph ruwach – spiritual harvest,” in the fourth question, tsarar maym ba ha simlah, which describes the process of “enveloping us in a cleansing garment which restores us, enabling us to be born anew into God’s family,” was also penned in the qal perfect. So in the context of this spiritual harvest, Yahowah is speaking of the Set-Apart Spirit’s Garment of Light, in which those who are saved are adorned. It makes us appear perfect in God’s eyes and prepares us to enter His presence. Once it is placed upon us, we actually become our Heavenly Father’s children—forever, without interruption throughout all time.
So in the fifth of seven questions, we read: “Who is He who finally comes onto the scene, stands upright, completes the mission, enabling others to stand without ceasing, establishing (my quwm ‘ephec – who is He who in the end takes a stand, rises up, and completely restores) the entire (kol – the whole) earth (‘erets ¬– realm and land)?” Here we are confronted with “my quwm ‘ephec – who is He who in the end takes a stand, rises up, and completely restores?” While the operative word is obviously “quwm – He comes onto the scene, stands upright, enabling others to stand, establishing them,” ‘ephec, as an adverb, modifies quwm in important ways. It reveals that this act “will come at the end of His mission, and that He will complete it, leaving nothing else to be done.” Collectively, these speak of Yahowsha’s fulfillment of the Called-Out Assembly Meetings of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and FirstFruits, when “He stood up for us so that we could stand with Him,” at the culmination of His last visit. This also tells us that His enactment of these prophetic promises left nothing else to be accomplished—they were fulfilled once and for all.
Since we are being thorough in our investigation, you should know that quwm was scribed in the hiphil stem perfect conjugation. The hiphil speaks of the relationship of the verb’s subject on the verb’s action, which has a causative effect on the verb’s object. What all that means is that by God standing up for us on Passover and Unleavened Bread, He enabled us to stand with Him on FirstFruits. By coming onto the scene and completing His mission, God restored and established us. Moreover, in the perfect conjugation, the result is not only whole and complete, it means that we will endure throughout time.
Now that the identity of the individual who was the subject of the first five questions has been established, let’s consider rhetorical questions six and seven. “What is (mah) His personal and proper name (shem – moniker, identification, and renown)? And what is (wa mah) His Son’s (ben) personal and proper name (shem)? Surely (ky) you know (yada’ – you recognize and understand, you are acquainted with it and you acknowledge it).”
Once upon a time, in the land of revelation, these names were known and they were shouted from the rooftops. But that time and place isn’t here and now. Of the nearly seven billion souls who currently occupy our planet, less than one in a million people know both names—or even want to know them.
Yet there is only one who comes and goes to and from heaven, who gathers and receives souls with His Spirit, who provides life, cleanses, and adorns, who stood up for us so that we could stand and be established forever with Him. He is Yahowah. And His Son, His representative, the One who came from Him bearing His name, doing His business, is Yahowsha’. There is no other God, nor any other manifestation of God-Existing-As-Man. There is but one Mighty One, one Set-Apart One, one Upright One, one Son of the Almighty, and one Redeemer. None but Yahowsha’ even make the claim.
Yahowah manifests Himself in human form to save us, which is what Yahowsha’ means. Set-apart from God; He came onto the scene; He stood upright in our midst, and enabled us to stand with Him, established forever. Consider this a synopsis of the Word.
It is truly amazing that most people don’t “yada’ – know” God’s name, that most don’t “yada’ – acknowledge” His Son’s name, or even “yada’ – realize” that these names are related. In reality, it is but one name, since the Son’s “name” designates His identity and defines His mission.
While this passage serves as the perfect introduction to this section, I’d like to present three additional verses from this “Masal – Proverb,” as they are instructive. The next reads: “Every (kol – the entire) Word (‘imrah – saying, communication, utterance, instruction, teaching, command, and promise) of God (‘elowah) being pure, tested, and true, is (tsaraph – being refined, precious, flawless, and worthy, exists as) a gift and a shield (magen / megen – a present protective enclosure and covering which surrounds, defends, and saves) for those who (huw’ la ha) put their trust (chasah – those who take refuge in, who seek safety, salvation, protection, and rest through reliance) in Him (ba) .” (Masal / Word Pictures / Proverbs 30:5)
While we have turned the page and begun our review of a new topic, “‘elowah – God” remains focused on His “‘imrah – Word.” Every one is “tsaraph – pure, precious, worthy, and true. Collectively, they are God’s “megen – gift” to us. They are our “magen – shield, a protective covering which defends” us from death, judgment, and separation. At least they are for those who “chasah – put their trust” in Him, who seek and rely upon His protection.
And let us not lose sight of the fact that God has just revealed the place we should all turn to answer the seven questions posed in the previous verse. It was the same with Yahowsha’. Every time He was asked a question, He answered it by quoting the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms.
And since God’s Word provides the answer to every important question…“You should not add to (lo’ yasap – you should not augment, increase, or create a new or additional variation of) the Almighty’s (‘al) Words (dabar –message, communication, and revelation), lest beware (pen), He will argue against you, judge and convict you (yakach ba – He will adjudicate against and rebuke you, demonstrating that you are wrong, pushing you away), and you shall be proven a liar for having promoted delusions (wa kazab – you shall be disappointed and will fail in your vanity, either ceasing to exist or arriving at an unsatisfactory condition and conclusion for having communicated that which was not true, for having deceived).” (Masal / Word Pictures / Proverbs 30:6) This statement negates the possibility of a “New Testament.”
All who change God’s Word, adding their own ideas as Paul and his Church have done, especially with their “Gospel of Grace,” will be judged. Some will be found guilty of having consciously promoted delusions and will be convicted. God’s standard is His Word, and He will not tolerate those who rephrase it, augment it, or recreate it to their liking. So at the very least, even those who have unintentionally corrupted God’s testimony will have their souls extinguished at the terminus of their mortal existence.
This message reflects the intent of the third of three statements found on the first of two tablets which Yahowah wrote with His own hand. He said that He would not forgive those who promote deceptive and deadly dogmas in His name.
Proverbs 30:6 also devastates the notion that the Church has the right to establish doctrine, to replace the Sabbath with Sunday, Passover with Good Friday, FirstFruits with Easter, Reconciliations with Halloween, Tabernacles with Christmas, Trumpets with Rosh Hashanah, Yahowah with “the Lord” or “Ha Shem (the Name),” the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’ with “Jesus Christ,” our Spiritual Mother with “Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Heaven,” or the Covenant relationship with religious ritual. When men claim the authority to augment the teachings of God with their own edicts, they are liars.
This next train of thought is sobering. It flows out of a longer statement which begins: “Two things I ask You (sa’al) to keep me from doing or becoming (lo mana’).” The first of these is “sawa’ – vanity,” which is both “arrogance” and “futility.” The second is “kazab dabar – making false statements, promoting lies, delusions, and deceptions.” (Masal 30:7)
The author of the Proverb then asks “rahaq min – to be kept away from” “resh – poverty” and “‘osher – wealth,” because he wants to rely on God’s “natan – gift,” of “tarap lehem – broken bread,” which is symbolic of Yahowsha’s body being broken for us during His fulfillment of Passover and Unleavened Bread.
This then leads us to: “Lest (pen) I become satisfied (saba’ – comfortable with having met my own needs) and I am disowned, becoming insignificant (wa kahash – I am deceived, become unfaithful, bow in submission, and devalue the relationship, dissipating into nothingness) by saying (wa ‘amar – by wondering, thinking, boasting, avowing, asking, answering, or declaring): ‘Who is (my) Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah)?’ And lest (wa pen) I be disinherited (yarash – I become impoverished and dispossessed, I become destitute and destroyed), and I am caught in the act, arrested, and incarcerated for (taphas) removing without permission and carrying away by stealth (ganab – for secretly stealing and clandestinely removing) the personal and proper name (shem) of my God (‘elohym).” (Masal / Word Pictures / Proverbs 30:9)
The piel stem in which kahash was scribed, tells us that we bring its ill effects upon ourselves. If we are “disowned,” it is because we “were unfaithful.” Those who “do not value the relationship” with God, “will not be valued” by God.
There are two outcomes delineated here. Both are bad, but one is infinitely worse than the other. To be disinherited by Yahowah is to be destitute of life. Such souls will be dissipated and cease to exist. But those who purposely deceive, those who remove Yahowah’s and Yahowsha’s personal and proper name from the Word and from their sermons, will be incarcerated. And that’s not good because it means that Yahowah has deemed such people to be in league with the Adversary. For this crime they will spend an eternity separated from God.
Yahowah realized that the translators of the KJV, NKJV, IV, NIV, ASB, NASB, NLT, and the JPS Tanakh would all do this very thing—and that they would do so regardless of His warning. Even in this Masal / Proverb devoted to the importance of knowing Yahowah’s name, religious clerics replaced it with: “Who is the LORD?”
This chicanery isn’t a victimless crime. Clandestinely removing Yahowah’s name by stealth leads to souls being disinherited. According to the Word of God, those who do such things will be caught; they will be arrested and incarcerated. In subsequent sections of this Introduction to God we will discover that all those who are incarcerated will endure the perpetual anguish of eternal separation. Their fate will be to spend all eternity in the Abyss with the Adversary. And since this crime is perpetrated by the overwhelming preponderance of pastors and priests, religious scholars and theologians, politicians and media spokespersons, She’owl, which becomes the Abyss, will be a very religious and political place.
As for their victims, this verse affirms that they will be disinherited, and thus become destitute of life. As such, they have been murdered by the perpetrators of religion, thereby affirming why the punishment for those who victimized them was deserved. But as for their victims, souls simply cease to exist. While that theme isn’t developed here, Yahowah will cover this topic on many occasions, each time adding to the body of knowledge needed to be properly informed. But rest assured: God is serious about His name and His family, even if mankind is not.
When confronted with the reality that religious men have copyedited God and have purposely altered His revelation, many dismiss the evidence by saying “I can’t believe God would allow such a thing.” But these folks haven’t thoughtfully considered the Genesis account regarding the Garden of Eden, where God allowed Satan to do this very thing. The fact is, God has no alternative but to permit men to choose poorly, and to allow the repercussions of their errors to reverberate. The moment Yahowah interferes with freewill, the act of choosing to rely on God becomes irrelevant, love becomes impossible, and our very existence becomes contrived.
Therefore, in this Introduction to God, and eventually throughout Yada Yah, you will find Yahowah’s name accurately transliterated each of the 7,000 times it appears in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms. You may be more accustomed to reading “LORD,” but it should never be associated with God. Lord is synonymous with Ba’al, which is Satan’s title throughout Scripture. It describes the Adversary’s ambition, which is to rule over God, to lord over men, and to control the messages pontificated by cleric and king, so that the masses submit to him. Moreover, the nature and ambitions of a lord are the antithesis of a father.
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God is averse to being called “the Lord.” It is why upon His return, on the Day of Reconciliations, when the Covenant is finally renewed, He says that He will never again tolerate its use.
“And (wa) it shall be (hayah – it will happen and come to exist) in (ba – at, with, and on) that specific (ha huw’ – this or His) day (yowm – speaking of His return on the Day of Reconciliations), prophetically declares (na’um – predicts, reveals, and promises) Yahowah (hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah), you shall encounter and welcome (qara’ – you shall move toward and meet with) Me as an individual (‘yshy – as your marriage partner, husband, as being one, extant, present, and in existence, even as a man in your midst); and (wa) you will not call Me (lo’ qara’ – you will not summon Me or read aloud) ‘My Lord’ (ba’aly – my Master, the one who owns and possesses me) ever again (ly ‘owd – now or forevermore). For I will remove (wa suwr – come and reject, separating Myself from, and revolt against, renounce and repudiate), accordingly (‘eth) the Lords’ (ha Ba’alym – the masters, owners, possessors, and false gods) names (shem) out of (min – from) her mouth (peh – speaking of the lips and language of Yisra’el), and (wa) they shall not be remembered, recalled, or mentioned (lo’ zakar – proclaimed or be brought to mind) by (ba) their name (shem) ever again (‘owd – any longer).” (Howsha’ / Yahow Saves / Hosea 2:16-17)
The message here is clear, even emphatic: Yahowah does not want to be called “My Lord,” or “the Lord.” But since most people the world over have missed this message, let’s take a moment and consider some of the options which were available to translators when it came to rendering these words.
The first negotiable term is qara’. It is among the most revealing words in Scripture. Qara’ is the root of the title Miqra’, describing the seven “Invitations to Meet with God” which provide the means to our salvation, where God “summons, invites, and welcomes us by name into His company, so that we may encounter Him and call out His name, while reading and reciting His Word.”
The etymological depth of this word is a product of the fact that qara’ carries three distinct, yet related connotations. The first is “call out, summon, invite, proclaim, and announce.” The second is “read and recite.” And the third pronounces its intent, which is “to meet, to encounter, to move toward, and to welcome.” Along these lines, qara’ can be rendered “to be chosen, to be invited as a guest, and to be mentioned by name.”
Underscoring these ideas, we find that qara’ serves as the root of qarab, which means “to approach, to be present, and to come near.” So we should not be surprised that these concepts are used collectively to describe the purpose of this day, the “Miqra’ of Kippurym – which is the Called-Out Assembly Meeting of Reconciliations,” whereby God’s children are reconciled with Yahowah, finally recognizing Him for who He actually is. And as a result, while most translate this portion of the passage “you shall call Me…,” I have elected to render it: “you shall encounter and welcome Me….”
Further, qara’ was scribed in the qal relational stem, affirming that this encounter will actually take place as it is described. And since it was conjugated in the imperfect, we know that this meeting will produce ongoing results which will continue to unfold over time.
This then brings us to another flexible word. ‘Iysh (אִישׁ), which was scribed in the masculine singular construct, with the first person singular suffix, is the Hebrew word used to describe a “male individual,” who is usually human, but not always so. For example, when Yahowah met with Abraham at the initiation of the Covenant, He described His presence using ‘iysh. And it is in recognizing Yahowah as the individual who authored and offered the Covenant, who as a unique individual is someone with whom we can relate, that ‘iysh is being used here, especially in the context of His return. After all, in each of God’s visits to earth, He has manifested Himself in the form of a man so that we might be able to relate to Him.
That is not to say that ‘iysh should be translated “man” in this context. Such a rendering would help underscore the fact that Yahowsha’ was a diminished part of Yahowah in human form, and that previously, Yisra’el had missed this essential connection.
This is one of the many reasons why there are multiple Hebrew words which can be deployed to describe the nature of an individual. So as it relates to man, ‘adam, by contrast, is only used in connection with “men” created in God’s image. ‘Enowsh depicts “man being mortal.” Nepesh speaks of our “unique consciousness, or soul.” Zakar is most always translated “male,” even though it carries the connotation of “remembrance.” Geber is usually “strong man,” and ‘elem is “young man,” while ben is a “male child or son.”
At times, it is appropriate to translate ‘iysh as “husband,” but as is the case with “man,” there are other Hebrew words filling that role, such as: chathan, ‘enowsh, and ba’al. But here, since ba’al appears in the very next phrase, and because it is presented as something which is inappropriate, this context thereby negates any possibility of the “husband” connotation.
To provide some additional perspective, of the 1,639 times ‘iysh appears in the Tanakh (a Hebrew acronym for Torah, Prophets, and Psalms), it is translated “man” or “men” 1,140 times, as “any or each individual” 220 times, as “one” 188 times, but as “husband” just 64 times. Moreover, chathan, ‘enowsh and ba’al are all rendered “husband,” a much, much higher percentage of the times they are used, further negating the appropriateness of translating ‘iysh as “husband” in this context.
Further, as a common word, and not a name or a title, ‘iysh should never be transliterated (replicating its sound) in any translation. There is literally no justification or excuse for doing so. And yet that is what we find in most English bibles. The rule is simple in this regard. All common words, like ‘iysh, must be translated, which is to properly convey their meaning using the words of another language. And all names, like Yahowah for example, must be transliterated, which is to properly convey their pronunciation using the letters of another language. Titles, like ba’al, can be translated or transliterated from their original language, while doing both being preferable to choosing one approach while ignoring the other.
One of the ways we can determine if a word is being used as a title is that it is most always preceded by the definite article, the ha in Hebrew. For example, we speak of “the President,” “the King,” “the Pope,” and “the Czar.” In this case, ba’al, which is commonly used as a name and as a title, was written “ha ba’al – the Lord,” and ‘iysh, which is never used as a title, was not proceeded by the definite article. Moreover, it is not uncommon to associate the personal pronoun “my” with titles, referring to the individual as “my king,” “my pope,” or “my lord.” In the first of these two instances, “ba’al – lord” was suffixed in this manner.
I share this with you because most every English bible transliterated ‘iysh and ba’al as if they were both titles, precluding readers from garnering any appreciation for their meaning. They did this because they recognized that they could not translate ‘iysh as “man” in this context because it was referring to God. And they could not translate it “husband,” either, which would have been their second option, because that would have required rendering ba’al as “lord,” because with the negation, it could not also be translated “husband” without having God contradict Himself.
And this became an especially embarrassing problem, because had they rendered ba’al as “lord,” which is its primary meaning, they would have exposed their most heinous crime, that of replacing Yahowah’s name with “the Lord” in this verse, and on every other occasion. So, should they have translated ba’al correctly as “lord,” following their inappropriate replacement of Yahowah’s name with “the Lord,” the passage would have read: “The Lord said, you shall not call Me my Lord.”
To hide their malfeasance, most every publisher committed a litany of crimes, in desperate anticipation that multiple deceptions would conceal the truth by confusing their audience—an audience which had already been conditioned to believe that their words were inspired by God. As such, most every English translation of this passage serves as a witness to the perversion of theologians, religious institutions, and publishers. But more on this in a moment.
It’s not as if scholars don’t know that ba’al means “lord,” as the evidence reveals that they translated it “lord, master, or owner” on more than two hundred occasions in various bible translations. And it’s not as if scholars don’t know that “ba’al – lord” is the most commonly attributed title for false gods, especially those influenced by Satan throughout Scripture.
However, ba’al (בַּעַל) isn’t the only Hebrew title for “Lord.” There is another; and it has served as the clerical means to ascribe the title “the Lord” to Yahowah. This title is ‘adown (אָדוֹן). It is commonly used to describe ambitious and covetous men engaged in politics and religion, as well as merchants and military leaders who have schemed to “lord over” the masses, becoming their “master.” But nonetheless, this arrogant and oppressive human title was pointed to read “‘adonay – My Lord,” so that it could be used to replace Yahowah’s name all seven thousand times YHWH appears in the Covenant Scriptures. In fact, according to Yahowah (in Jeremiah 23, the passage we will review next), it is the very crime which put religion in conflict with God.
As bad as this seems, there is more to the story than this. And that is because the commonly contracted form of ‘adownay, אדן, can be pointed to read ‘eden or ‘adon. An ‘eden is an “upright pillar rising up from an established foundation.” It is used to describe the upright, strong, and reliable nature of Yahowsha’s legs in the Song of Solomon 5:15. In Yowb / Job 38:6, ‘eden is the “foundation” upon which the “cornerstone is laid”—another reference to Yahowsha’, this time with Him being the cornerstone of Yahowah’s Tabernacle. ‘Eden, which is more accurately transliterated ‘edon, emphasizes something which is “firm, strong, and solidly reliable,” as in “an expertly designed and constructed foundation.” As such, ‘eden / ‘edon is used to depict the “base into which tent pegs were inserted to hold the upright pillar of the Tabernacle of the Witness, whereby the tent, which is symbolic of Yahowah’s home and Spiritual protection, was enlarged. And it is the stand, the work and words of the Upright Pillar, Yahowsha’, who made it possible for us to enter into God’s protective safekeeping.
In this light, you will find the Hebrew letters אדן vocalized as ‘eden fifty-seven times in the Tanakh (a Hebrew acronym for Torah, Prophets, and Psalms). And all but the two of these instances were used to describe an aspect of the Tabernacle of the Witness. Moreover all are found in the Torah.
Once the Tanakh is scrubbed of the most obvious Masoretic copyedits—that of writing ‘adonay (the contracted form of ‘adownay) above YH and YHWH some 6,873 times, and another 127 times where the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that the Masoretes replaced YHWH with ‘adonay, you will find the root—אדן—correctly deployed on 307 occasions throughout the remainder of the Masoretic Text. But in each occurrence, the context dictates that the first common singular suffixed variation of אדן, which is יאדן, should have been vocalized ‘edownay, and translated “My Upright Pillar,” “My Upright One,” or “My Foundation,” each and every time it applies to Yahowah. And while I understand that “My Upright One” doesn’t roll off the tongue as smoothly as “My Lord,” that is the result of us being conditioned over many generations to accept, even become partial to, the most sinister of human deceptions.
As evidence that ‘adown is descriptive of men, not God, it shares the same root as ‘adam, the Hebrew word for “man.” Further, all 335 times the contracted form, ‘adon, appears in the Tanakh, it is used to describe men. And in fully two thirds of these instances, we find ‘adown translated “lord,” with the remaining one third rendered “master.”
Strong’s defines ‘adown and its contracted form ‘adon, as “a reference to men” who are “owners, strong lords, and masters.” This lexicon suggests that it may be derived from an unused root meaning: “to rule.” As such, it also describes the Adversary’s ambition: to be called Lord by men, to rule over mankind, and to be the master of human souls, to control, intimidate, and overpower humankind—to own our souls.
Therefore, it is completely appropriate to attribute the Torah’s definition of ‘eden / ‘edon to Yahowah. He is the “Upright One,” the “Foundation,” and the “Upright Pillar of the Tabernacle.” He stood up for us so that we could stand with Him. But, it is not appropriate to associate Satan’s ambitions with Yahowah. Our Heavenly Father is not our “Lord.” His Covenant is based upon an entirely different kind of relationship—that of Father-Son. So the bottom line to all of this is that Lord is inconsistent with the concepts of freewill and family.
A moment ago, I made a serious accusation regarding religious institutions and their publishers which I like to verify. I’d like you to compare what Yahowah said with what they have promoted in their translations.
God said: “And (wa) it shall be (hayah) in (ba) that specific (ha huw’) day (yowm), prophetically declares (na’um) Yahowah (hwhy), you shall encounter and welcome (qara’) Me as an individual (‘yshy). And (wa) you will not call Me (lo’ qara’) ‘My Lord’ (ba’aly) ever again (ly ‘owd). For I will remove (wa suwr), accordingly (‘eth), the Lords’ (ha Ba’alym) names (shem) out of (min) her mouth (peh), and (wa) they shall not be remembered, recalled, or mentioned (lo’ zakar) by (ba) their name (shem) ever again (‘owd).” (Howsha’ 2:16-17)
And yet the King James Version published: “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, [that] thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.”
The Hebrew word for “says / saith” is ‘amar, but it cannot be found in this passage. God used na’um instead so that we would know that this was a “prophetic proclamation, an inspired revelation, and an authorized promise.” There isn’t a “ha – the” before Yahowah’s name, and “the LORD” isn’t a transliteration or translation of YHWH. “Ishi” is a common Hebrew word, and not a title, so it should not have been capitalized or transliterated. But since they didn’t bother to consider the secondary connotation of qara’ as “encounter and welcome,” and since the primary definition of ‘iysh is “man,” and ‘iyshy is “my man,” the KJV actually published: “Thou shalt call me ‘my man.’”
The “y” suffix at the end of ba’al similarly denotes the pronoun “Me or My,” making “ba’aly – My Lord.” Since it is simply a function of Hebrew grammar without an English equivalent, it shouldn’t have been included in the transliteration. Further, by failing to translate ba’aly “my Lord,” the value of this extremely important prophetic pronouncement was completely squandered.
The New American Standard Bible, which promotes itself as being the most “literal,” composed: “‘It will come about in that day,’ declares the Lord, ‘That you will call Me Ishi. And will no longer call Me Baali.’”
They too replaced Yahowah’s name with a translation of a title which did not appear in this portion of the text, and then failed to translate the title ba’al “my Lord” and “the Lords,” the two times it was actually written in this passage. Such a wanton manipulation of the Divine Writ could only be considered appropriate if three wrongs make a right.
As bad as that was, the New Living Translation’s paraphrase is worse: “When that day comes,’ says the LORD, ‘you will call me “my husband” instead of “my master.” O Israel, I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips, and you will never mention them again.”
Translating hayah “comes” isn’t appropriate. They also ignored the prophetic aspects of na’um – a crime we will consider in a moment. Then, they then replaced Yahowah’s name with “the LORD,” in the same verse in which they failed to translate ha Ba’al as “the Lord.”
While ba’aly can be accurately translated “my master,” by doing so they obfuscated its connection with “ha Ba’alym – the Lords and Masters” at the conclusion of this prophetic statement. And by translating the first reference to ba’al, and then transliterating the second, they negated the entire purpose of God’s admonition, as it disassociates the repeated words. Further, since ba’al is appropriately translated “husband” a much higher percentage of its uses than is the case with ‘iysh, this contrast between “husband” and “master,” while nice, isn’t reasonable considering the words which were chosen. And it becomes downright absurd following “says the LORD.”
Further, “O Israel” cannot be found in this verse, and yet the NLT felt comfortable placing this phrase on “the LORD’s” lips. Suwr does not mean “wipe away.” And there is no reference to “the many” in this passage.
Turning to the ever-popular paraphrase marketed under the title, “New International Version,” we find the source text for the previous paraphrase: “‘In that day,’ declares the LORD, ‘you will call me “my husband;” you will no longer call me “my master.” I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked.’”
Rather than revealing Yahowah’s disdain for being referred to as “ha Ba’al – the Lord,” each publisher convoluted God’s message. Their translators recognized that, if they had accurately revealed Yahowah’s prophetic pronouncement, they would have completely undermined their religion and thus negated the sales of their bibles.
As we shall soon discover, according to Yahowah, the principle ploy used by religious leaders to facilitate their deceptions and lure God’s people away from Him was the substitution of “ha Ba’al – the Lord” for His name “Yahowah.” So this is no small matter to Him. It is the essence of life and death.
This reality is highlighted in Howsha’ / Yahow Saves / Hosea 13:4, which when translated from the Dead Sea Scrolls reads: “And (wa) I am (‘anky) Yahowah (hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah), your God (‘elohym), who brought you (yasa’ – who led you) out of (min) the realm (‘erets) of the crucible of oppression and judgment (mitsraym – serving as a metaphor for human political and religious malfeasance and divine judgment and as the moniker for Egypt).
So (wa) you are to know and acknowledge (yada’ – you are to respect and consider) no other (lo’) God (‘elohym) besides Me (zuwlah – exclusively and without exception). There is no (wa ‘ayn) Savior (yasa’) except Me (bilthy – or in addition to Me).”
is God’s one and only name. hwhy alone is God. Only Yahowah saves. That is why Yahowsha’ ( or [fwhy) is a compound of Yahowah ( or hwhy) and yasha’ ( or [fy). But when this realization is obfuscated, as it is in every English bible translation by their replacement of Yahowah for “ha Ba’al – the Lord,” and their substitution of “ha Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’” for the “Lord Jesus Christ,” a different god and savior emerges—one unrelated to the real One.
* * *
As I mentioned, there is another related passage which we must consider relative to the religiously-inspired substitution of Lord / Ba’al for Yahowah’s name. The discussion in which it is found is also prophetic of Yahowsha’s return. It begins in the twenty-third chapter of Yirmayahuw / Yah Uplifts / Jeremiah.
So that we comprehend God’s perspective on religious and political leaders, so that we are aware of why He was addressing, indeed condemning, this specific audience, and so that we understand and appreciate His message in this regard, we are going to invest the time required to properly evaluate our Heavenly Father’s teaching on the consequence of religious rhetoric, especially as it relates to the substitution of His name, Yahowah, for the adversarial title “Ba’al – Lord.” Over the course of the next twenty pages your eyes will be opened to a perspective you may not have otherwise considered. What follows is a wholesale repudiation of religion, its means and consequence.
Through His prophet, Yahowah offered the following indictment: “‘Woe to (howy – alas, consider this a warning to) those acting as shepherds (ra’ah – those who tend to, care for, and feed the flock) who have destroyed (‘abad – who have ruined, who have caused others to go astray and die, ceasing to exist, and whose actions have caused things of value to be squandered and wasted) and (wa) who have scattered (puwts – who have chaotically and or violently displaced) the flock (ts’on – the sheep) from My shepherding and pasturing (mar’iyth – My guidance, leadership, protection, and nurturing),’ prophetically declares (na’um – foretells) Yahowah (Yahowah).
So consequently (la ken – therefore accordingly) this is what (koh) Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה), the God (‘elohym) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – a compound of ‘ysh – individuals, who sarah – strive and contend with, engage, endure, and persist with, and are set free and empowered by ‘el – God), has to say (‘amar) concerning (‘al – on behalf of and because of) those acting as shepherds (ha ra’ah – those who tend to, care for, and feed the flock): “Those tending to and feeding the flock (ha ra’ah – the shepherds), you (‘atem) yourselves have led astray and scattered (puwts – you have dispersed, separated, and exiled) My family (‘am – My people who were related to Me), and thus My flock (‘eth so’n – My sheep). You have compelled them and driven them away (nadah – you have impelled, seduced, and enticed them, you have lured and drawn them away, preying upon them, you have exerted enormous pressure and thereby thrust them aside, exiling and banishing them, you have made them outcasts, causing them to be cast down), and (wa) you have not been concerned about them (lo’ paqad ‘eth – you have not taken them into account, attended to them, or considered them).
So behold, I (hineh – so pay attention to this, I Myself) will hold you accountable (paqad – will consider, and take into account, and be concerned) for (‘al) the wickedness (roa’ – the bad, harmful, displeasing, injurious, unethical, mischievous, sinful, and evil nature) of your deeds (ma’alal – actions and practices; from ‘alal – ruthless actions, wanton dealings, and deceptive practices),”’ prophetically declares (na’um – promises) Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah).” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:1-2)
The shepherds of Yisra’el were kings and priests, so this indictment is directed exclusively against political and religious institutions and their rulers. Rather than guiding, protecting, and nurturing Yah’s flock, concerned only with themselves, they have become unethical, harmful, ruthless, wanton, and deceptive.
But they are not alone. The same could be said of those who have followed in their footsteps. Even today, religion and politics remain the root of much evil. They are the most deceptive, destructive, deadly, and damning institutions on Earth.
But, God will hold them accountable. He will treat clerics and kings as they have treated their victims. And that is why She’owl – the place of separation – will be a very religious and political institution, a prison filled with presidents, priests, and pastors.
Yahowah has just revealed one of life’s greatest ironies. Religious establishments which claim to be providing access to God are actually driving people away from God. And the political institutions which claim to be concerned about their people, and to be engaged in leading, feeding, and protecting them, are actually exploiting the masses for their own personal gain. In other words, God has put us on notice that religious and political rulers are not only hypocrites whose enticing rhetoric is the antithesis of their actual agenda, but also in mind, heart, and soul they are “roa’ – wicked, harmful, injurious, unethical, mischievous, and downright evil.”
Collectively, the amalgamation of church and state has “nadah – exerted enormous societal, cultural, economic, militaristic, political, and religious pressure to forcibly impel and seductively seduce” those they oppress, effectively “exiling and banishing” billions from God, “thrusting them aside and casting them down.” This is “Babel – Babylon” personified, exemplifying the oppressive nature of human institutions. It is indicative of the very things Yahowah wants us to walk away from before we walk to Him.
There are those who will allege that God was only criticizing Judaism as it was promoted in Israel in this condemnation and those which follow. And in all fairness, such an accusation would be partially accurate. God is absolutely criticizing Judaism as it was being promoted in Israel at the time. But the Hebrew verbs being deployed require us to extrapolate their malfeasance back and forward in time, to encompass religion from its inception to its demise.
This conclusion is further underscored by the evolving prophetic nature of this entire discussion—one which focuses on the now previous arrival of Yahowsha’, as well as upon His future return. Moreover, the specific charges of wrongdoing which will be brought to bear against religion throughout this discussion are all manifest in Christianity and Islam—in fact these crimes are central to those religions. For example, it’s Christians, not Jews, who regale in the role of shepherd. The Pope even carries a staff as a symbol of his authority.
But more than this, if a person uses the argument that God was only interested in, and therefore addressing Yisra’el, and not all of us through them, then Gentiles would have to disregard most everything Yahowah and Yahowsha’ revealed, as the same argument would apply. Gentiles would be left with nothing, apart from the fact that Yahowah routinely instructed us not to embrace any of the disguising religious customs practiced by the Gowym—many of which have become interwoven into the fabric of Christianity.
If this argument limiting the audience is deployed here, then to be consistent, those who wield it must also conclude that Yah’s conversations with Adam, Noah, and Abraham cannot be extrapolated beyond them, leaving all of us, including Yahuwdym, without a Covenant Relationship. Further, if the beneficiaries of what Yahowah revealed through Moseh and Yahowsha’ are to be limited to those they actually addressed, then salvation would be afforded only to Jews, and no one else.
And yet Christians and Muslims almost universally attribute all the instructions and admonitions they do not like or understand to Judaism, as if it were appropriate for humankind to discard most all of God’s Testimony. So it is in this way that Fridays and Sundays have replaced the Shabat, Ramadan and Easter have replaced Yahowah’s Called-Out Invitations to Meet Together, and the Mosque and Church have replaced Yisra’el and Yahuwdym.
The simple and indeed obvious truth is that Yahowah chose a people and a place to make Himself known to everyone. Everything He says to and of them is true for and of all of us. Yahuwdym and Yisra’el are the paradigm. There is one dispensation.
So now that we know that Almighty God is addressing political and religious leaders, and that He is angry with them for having separated the souls they have “shepherded” from Him, let’s see if we can ascertain any additional insights regarding the timing of this prediction.
The discussion continues by telling us that God will reassemble those whom men have dispersed: “‘And (wa – also then) I (‘any), Myself, will obtain and gather (qabas – I will collect, harvest, pick up, engage relationally with, and assemble) the remnant (sha’eryth – the rest and remainder) of My flock (ts’on – My sheep) from (min) all (kol) the lands (ha ‘erets – the realms, places, and nations) in which (‘asher – as a result of the relationship) they have been driven away from My (‘eth nadah – they have been scattered, banished, exiled, strayed, seduced, and hunted because of My) name (shem – status, renown, designation, and reputation), and (wa) I will restore and return them (suwb ‘eth – I will bring them back, change and renew them) upon (‘al) My pasture, abode, and home (naweh – My beautiful dwelling place and campground). And (wa) they will be fruitful and flourish (parah – they will grow and live abundant lives). And (wa) they will increase and become great (rabah – they will be empowered, their status will be elevated, their lives will be prolonged, and they will remain, continuing forever).’” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:3)
You will notice that God’s concern here was that His flock had been driven away from His name—from Yahowah. And what’s inferred is that He will restore them by returning them to His name. Therefore, He is underscoring the consequence of removing Yahowah from His Word, and thereby from our collective awareness.
Literally, Jews will become Yahuwdym again. And Israel, including all of the West Bank and the Goland Heights, and parts of Gaza, the Sinai, and Lebanon, will once again be known as Yahuwdah.
A precursor to the prediction listed at the end of this passage occurred in 1948 when Yisra’el became a nation. For the first time since the Roman destruction of “Yahuwdah / Judea” in 135 CE, the “Yahuwdym / Jews” they exiled and enslaved throughout the world were allowed to return to their homeland. And yet, these six million Israelis were not the “sha’eryth – remnant” of whom Yahowah was speaking, because Yah’s flock has not yet been “suwb – restored or renewed.” They still remain in many nations and have not yet “parah – flourished” nor “rabah – become great”—at least to the extent required by this promise. Therefore, this prophetic pronouncement is directed toward the remnant which will greet Yahowah by name upon His return on the Day of Reconciliations. It depicts the time when He will renew His Covenant with Yahuwdym and Yisra’el.
On that day…“‘Then (wa) I will stand up for them (quwm ‘al – I will take a stand on their behalf, and I will confirm and fulfill My promise to establish and restore them) as a Shepherd (ra’ah – as One who does what is required to tend to, nurture, guide, and protect) and (wa) will do what is required to nurture, guide, and protect them (ra’ah). And (wa) they shall not be afraid (lo’ yare’ – they shall not be terrorized) ever again (‘owd – any longer). And they will not be dismayed or discouraged (wa lo’ hatat – they shall not be confused or abused, shattered or terrified), nor will they be discounted or disregarded (wa lo’ paqad – not be taken into account as a result of not being properly considered or appropriately evaluated),’ prophetically declares (na’um – promises) Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה).’” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:4)
Our Heavenly Father loves contrast, choices, and their consequences. While man was created in God’s image, men and women have chosen to corrupt themselves by ingesting religious and political poison, thus causing their nature to be remarkably different than God’s—rendering mankind’s actions evil and promises unreliable. But God does not change. He is not susceptible to corruption. He never fails to honor His promises. As such, He remains trustworthy and reliable. He will do exactly as He has testified. He took a stand for us on Passover, Unleavened Bread, and FirstFruits, affirming this promise, and will stand up for us again on Reconciliations and Shelters, further confirming the Torah.
As an interesting aside, had God authorized a “New Testament,” as Christians protest and require; He would have immediately ceased to be trustworthy or reliable. Having altered and changed His Word, annulling many of its provisions, He would no longer be honest, making it foolish, indeed ignorant and irrational, to rely on any new covenant such a god promoted. And that is one of many reasons the concept of “Jesus” having established a “renewed covenant” is a myth.
And yet the Shepherd in this metaphor is very real. Yahowsha’ is the set-apart and diminished material manifestation of Yahowah, and thus God shepherding us. And that is why when describing His job, the Ma’aseyah’s favorite depiction of Himself was in the role of a shepherd caring for and tending to his sheep, leading, nurturing, and protecting them.
And lest I forget, in the Shepherd’s Sermon on the Mount, He explicitly told His sheep that nothing, not even the smallest stroke of any of the individual letters which comprise each of the Hebrew words contained in the Torah and Prophets would change, be neglected, go unfulfilled, or be annulled—so long as this material world exists. And that realization alone makes the whole concept of the Christian New Testament: “roa’ – wrong, harmful, injurious, unethical, unreliable,” and yes, “evil.”
Lastly, since Muslims have been conditioned by Muhammad and Allah to despise God’s Chosen People, Israelis remain the most terrorized population on the planet. And as a result of the upcoming Magog and Armageddon Wars, this condition is going to get much worse before it gets better. Therefore, we have yet another affirmation that this prediction has not yet been completely fulfilled. In the end, God is speaking of the one-thousand-year-long celebration of the Mow’ed Miqra’ of Sukah, also known as the “Millennial Sabbath,” where a surviving remnant of humankind will be shepherded by His corporeal presence on Earth, with the planet itself becoming His pasture in which His sheep will dwell.
Speaking of the Shepherd, the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’, Yahowah said: “‘Now pay attention (hineh – behold, look now and see), the day (yowm) is coming (bow’),’ prophetically declares (na’um) Yahowah ( - hwhy- יהוה – Yahowah), ‘when (wa) I will take a stand, establish, and raise up (quwm – I will stand upright to accomplish, affirm, fulfill, and restore) through (la – by way of and as a result of) Dowd / Love (Dowd – meaning love, but errantly transliterated “David”), an upright (tsadyq – a righteous, just, proper, innocent, guiltless, and completely moral vindicating, and acquitting) branch (tsemach – a source of growth).
And (wa) He shall reign (malak) as king (melek – implying royal lineage and sovereign authority). And (wa) He will understand (shakal – He will prudently prosper by teaching that which is proper) and He shall act upon and actively engage in (‘asah – He will endeavor to respond to, profit from, and celebrate) the means which will be used to achieve justice and resolve disputes (mishpat – the basis upon which judgment will be exercised and sound and just decisions will be made) and (wa) that which is required according to the standard (tsadaqah – that which is upright, righteous, just, proper, moral, vindicating, and acquitting) in (ba) the (ha) land (‘erets – the material realm).’” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:5)
The “tsemach – branch,” is something which visually depicts the source of our growth, and thus serves as one of Yahowah’s favorite titles for the Ma’aseyah. He is an expression of Yahowah’s “dowd – love.” As God’s only begotten Son, He has “melek – royal lineage and supreme sovereignty.” But it is what He “shakal – understands and teaches,” and what He “‘asah – actively engages in,” which should garner our undivided attention. For there is but one “standard,” one “means to achieve justice and resolve disputes,” one path to “vindication” which is “just, proper, and moral”—the Towrah. And that is why the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’ taught, observed, and fulfilled the Torah—never wavering so much as even one aspect of a single letter of any word away from it.
“‘In (ba) His day (yowm), Yahuwdah (Yahuwdah – Yah is Abundantly Sufficient, Of Yah, From Yah, and Those Who Are Related to Yah) will be saved (yasa’ – rescued and delivered) and (wa) Yisra’el (Yisra’el – a compound of ‘ysh – individuals, who sarah – strive and contend with, engage, endure, and persist with, and who are set free and empowered by ‘el – God) will live and dwell (sakan – will campout and reside) accordingly (la) in confidence, expressing their trust and reliance (betah – totally assured and worry free, safe and secure). And thus, this is (wa zeh) His name (shem – personal and proper designation and renown) which (‘asher – as a result of this relationship) He shall be called (qara’ – summoned, invited, met, and encountered, proclaimed, read about, and recited): “Yahowah Is Our Righteousness, Our Justice, and Our Vindication (Yahowah Tsadeq – Yahowah who is upright, just, honest, fair, and right enables us to stand upright, be acquitted, and appear innocent, restored in His presence, by doing what is right).”’” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:6)
God’s Chosen People will be saved. They are the ones who will live. And they are Yahuwdah and Yisra’el. This list was specific and complete and it is repeated elsewhere in Scripture. This short list of beneficiaries never includes Gentiles, Babylonians, Assyrians, Philistines, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Druids, Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, Animists, Africans, Asians, Indians, Europeans, Russians, or Americans, much less Hindus, Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Muslims, Mormons, or Secular Humanists. God is not returning for His “church,” because He has no interest or association with any such institution. He is not returning for “believers” or the “faithful,” because it is only those who know, trust, and rely upon Him who will endure.
Therefore, Yahowah is not bringing salvation to any religious or political organization. So to be saved, and to live with Yah, we must become: “Yahuwdah – of Yah, be from Yah, and be related to Yah” or become “Yisra’el – individuals, who strive and contend with, engage, endure, and persist with, and who are set free and empowered by God.” Or both.
There is no room for “Replacement Theology” here, the unsupported notion that the promises made by God to Yahuwdah and Yisra’el were somehow transferred to the “Christian Church.” This prophecy speaks of Yahowsha’s return, which is still in our future, and yet God remains focused upon a remnant of His original audience. There has been no transfer of power, authority, or legitimacy, rendering the religions of Christianity and Islam moot.
One of the many things most everyone fails to understand is the “shem – name” of the set-apart and diminished material manifestation of Yahowah engaged in the process of saving us so that we might live. To receive these benefits He must be “qara’ – summoned” as “Yahowah Tsadeq – Yahowah is our Vindication.” This is most certainly not the manmade moniker “Jesus Christ” as Christians recite from their “New Testament,” nor “Issa,” as the “recital” known as the Qur’an protests. Our vindication, our salvation, and life eternal, all come from the same source: Yahowah. Period. End of conversation.
And do not fall into the trap of personally justifying your preference for “the Lord Jesus Christ,” by suggesting that this is “His name in English,” or worse, that “it doesn’t matter what name you call Him because He knows who we are talking to.” Before we are finished with this chapter, Yahowah will impugn that myth, creating an insurmountable divide between His testimony and the pontifications of man.
“Yahowah Tsadeq – Yahowah is our Vindication,” “Yahowsha’ – Yahowah Saves,” and “Ma’aseyah – the Work of Yahowah,” all communicate the same message: it is Yahowah, Himself, who is responsible for doing everything which is required to save us.
God could not have made this any clearer for us. In the previous verse, speaking of the Shepherd and Branch, He said: “and He shall act upon and actively engage in (‘asah – He will profit from and celebrate) the means which will be used to achieve justice and resolve disputes (mishpat) and that which is required according to the standard (tsadaqah – that which is upright, righteous, just, proper, moral, vindicating, and acquitting) in the land (‘erets).” Then, in His next breath, He said that “those who are related to Yah (Yahuwdah)” and “those who strive to engage and endure with God (Yisra’el)” “will be saved (yasa’).” He thereby explained the meaning of the titles: Ma’aseyah, Yahowsha’, and Yahowah Tsadeq.
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam require Yahowah and Yahowsha’ to be disassociated, which is why they changed both names. Collectively, more people have been separated from Yahowah as a result of this religious act than all other doctrinal crimes combined.
Yahowah’s means to resolve disputes are delineated in His Torah. And it is Yahowah, Himself, who has done what was required according to His Torah to vindicate us. But the instant the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’ is disassociated from Yahowah and His Towrah there is no hope of salvation or eternal life.
The Shepherd, the Branch, and Yahowah Tsadeq are… “from and part of (min) Yahowah’s (Yahowah’s) presence (paneh), and (wa) from and part of (min) the presence (paneh) of His (huw’) set-apart and purifying (qodesh) words (dabar).’” (Yirmayahuw / Yah Lifts Up / Jeremiah 23:9)
Continued in the Next article ....
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Posted on Mar 07, 2012 18:03pm by admin
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