If you celebrate Halloween, then you are celebrating a pagan holiday.

Does anyone know how it originated or what it represents?

Halloween = All Hallows' Eve, the eve of All Saints' Day which is November 1. A time of pagan festivities. It originates from the celtic festival of Samhain. The word, Samhain, means "the god of the dead. The Celts believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Sanhain, allowing spirits to pass through. It is the night during which the division between the world of the living and the other world was blurred so spirits of the dead and inhabitants from the underworld were able to walk free on the earth. It was believed necessary to dress as a spirit or otherworldly creature when venturing outdoors to blend in, and this is where dressing in such a manner for Halloween comes from.

Also known as "the day of the dead".

Costumes, lanterns, trick or treat, pumpkin carving, bonfires and more.... each one of these traditions has it's origins in a pagan ritual that has evolved into today's activities.

Now, the church decided to establish All Saints day on November 1, so that the eve, October 31, would be the beginning of honoring saints. Incorporating pagan holidays into the "christain" calendar was simply a method for the Roman Catholic church to convert the pagans. Pope Gregory the First said in 601AD, - if a group of people worshiped a tree, rather than cut it down, consecrate it to Christ and allow it's continued worship.

All Saints day was a celebration of the start of a new cycle of fertility for the celtic Goddess Eiseria. So that, in itself, is also pagan.

If you don't do the research, then you will think it's just another "fun" holiday. But if you do the research, you will know that this is yet another pagan holiday and should not be observed by anyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah.

Sukkot - the birthday of the Messiah

Imagine living in the year 4 CE. It is October 4, or 15 Tishri 3758 on the Hebrew Calendar. At sunset, tonight, it is the dawn of Sukkot, (starts at sunset on October 2, 2009) the first day of a High Holy Day, a Pilgrimage Sabbath. Everyone who is Hebrew is required to travel to Jerusalem to attend this 8 day festival. In addition, the Roman Empire has ordered that a census be taken…..and you have to travel to the town of your ancestors to be counted as part of that family’s descendants. There are thousands and thousands of people in Jerusalem for the High Holy Day which starts tonight. Each family is required to build a sukk’ah, a temporary dwelling, a booth, a temporary tabernacle, and dwell in it for the 7 days of this feast of tabernacles, or sometimes called the feast of Ingathering.

These booths are erected to house families with some bare comforts and food for the seven days. (It would be like us going camping for a whole week these days.) Food is placed in an animal-fodder crib for storage in these temporary tabernacles (sukk’ah or booth). The King James Bible has translated the word for food crib as “manger”. After the 7 day long feast, there is an additional Sabbath Day on the 8th day called the Shemini Atzeret Sabbath “The Last Great Day” because it is the final annual Holy Day that was God-established. The next Holy day is the next Passover.

It is the fall of the year as the harvests are being brought in (gathered). Shepherds are in their fields watching over their flocks. Jerusalem is flooded with people as everyone is required to go there for this Festival. Everything is full. And there are sukk’ahs everywhere. Perhaps thousands of them! Overwhelmingly massive crowds of Hebrew Pilgrims attending this High Holy day, this first day of the Feast. Crowds have previously arrived (to build their temporary tabernacles to stay in) and crowds are still continuously arriving, to lodge through the entire region. By sunset, Jerusalem and all of the surrounding villages are completely full. Even the nearby city of Bethlehem. Not a place to be had anywhere.

Two young Hebrews, Joseph and Mary, need to do 2 things. They need to go to Jerusalem and they need to go to Bethlehem because that’s where Joseph must go to register for the census. It is literally just 4 miles from Jerusalem. A "stop on the way". Mary is pregnant. They get to Bethlehem. She goes into labor. No place to stay. She is offered a sukk’ah (not a stable) as a place to deliver her baby, and she then placed her baby in the food crib.

IF that is in fact what happened, consider these possibilities:

the Messiah was born on the first day of Sukkot – The Festival of Tabernacles, the Feast of Ingathering, a High Holy Day. This day is a Sabbath.
He was born in a temporary tabernacle, a sukk’ah, (not a stable) because he came to tabernacle with us.
He was placed in a food storage crib because He is the “bread of life”.
As tradition, He would have been named and circumcised on the 8th day which would have been a Sabbath,
9 months prior to Sukkot is Hanukkah, the Festival of lights. The dedication of the Temple celebration. He would have been conceived during this holiday because He is the light of the world.
Zechariah 14:16-17 says that one day in the future all nations will be required to honor this feast.
For me, this is all I need to know. I LOVE this story. My Messiah was born in the fall of the year, when it was warm, in a temporary tabernacle, on a Sabbath that was a High Holy day, on the first day of the Feast of Ingathering, and was placed in a food storage crib because He is the bread of life. He was conceived during the Festival of Lights because He is the light of the world.

I will start this day to keep this feast – in my heart – as I truly believe this is how He was born. No "Merry Christmas" from me as that date is simply a pagan holiday. But this night, this eve of Sukkot, may you be blessed, may your heart be softened, may you come to know that your questions can be answered - all one must do is study the Word.

Jn 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."

May this week be a true celebration of joy for you.

For more, click here.

Rosh Hashanah

September 18, 2009. Rosh Hashanah.

Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

Rosh Hashanah begins a new year on the Hebrew calendar. Tradition says that on this day we examine our past deeds and ask for forgiveness for our sins....review the history of the Jews and pray for Israel.

It is stated that the destiny of all mankind is recorded by G-d in the Book of Life.

I wonder how "christians" ever got so far away from scripture. This is a quite clear - what to do and when to do it.

If you know that Jesus died on Passover....

and that he rose at sunset on Saturday, why do you celebrate Easter Sunday morning services?????

If we can prove without a shadow of a doubt (well, if you really believe the Bible) that Jesus was conceived during Hanukkah and was born at Sukkot (early Fall), why do you celebrate Christmas as His birth?

If you never knew before and only followed the teachings of your "church" - that's one thing. But if you KNOW now.....and you STILL celebrate Christmas and Easter.....why?

Here's another one of those childhood questions I always had. "If you know something is wrong....and you do it anyway...can G-d forgive you? And if you keep doing it over and over and over.....while you KNOW it is wrong....will He keep forgiving you over and over and over?

I seriously doubt it!

So, the question today.....if you know Jehovah Jesus Messiah was born in the fall and you celebrate Christmas, and you know that He died at Passover and you celebrate Easter, are you STILL a sinner?

And if you are STILL a sinner, how can you claim that you are saved? How can you claim to be a "Christian"?

But an even greater question perhaps.....if you are celebrating holidays that are based on paganism, that are filled with pagan rituals, that have literally nothing to do with the birth, death or resurrection of Jesus....aren't you a pagan? How can you be a "Christian" if you are a pagan? And if you are a "Christian", how can you continue to follow paganism?

Trust me - it is more than difficult to leave behind a pagan ritual when it's all you have ever known your entire life. When it's what made you happiest as a child, as a mom. When it's what brings back some of the most joyous memories in your life.

On the other hand - giving up these things that are tied to paganism has brought a different, greater joy to my soul than I could ever imagine!

It did not happen overnight. It took nearly 5 years in transition. I used to decorate 3 Christmas trees with 1500 Hallmark ornaments and host huge parties every year. I sang in the Living Christmas Tree in San Diego for 3 years. Most of my friends cannot understand why or how I could give it all up.

The problem became that once I knew and understood and could prove to myself that Christmas has zero ties to Jesus and is 100% pagan - I simply walked away from it.

The next question to ponder....how did we ever get "religion" so messed up? Why do Christians celebrate so many pagan holidays? Who makes these decisions? Who leads the "church" down this path? I just don't think that Jehovan G-d is out there directing this "path" the church has taken.

Just a few things to think about for the moment:

Rev 12:9....the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who decieves the whole world......

Isaiah 14:12-15, satan said:

I will ascend to heaven
I will raise my throne above the stars of G-d
I will sit entrhoned on the mount of assembly on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds
I WILL MAKE MYSELF LIKE THE MOST HIGH

So the question becomes.....HOW is (or did) Satan make himself to be like G-d?

Maybe think of it as a constant war that's been going on for about 6000 years now. G-d on one side, Satan on the other side trying to make himself appear to be like G-d. If he is doing that....then how do we know who the real G-d is?

And what if Satan is using the church with all of it's pagan holidays and pagan rituals throughout the world to make himself "like the most high".

If you are like me, at first thought - that's impossible.

On the other hand.....if you know that Easter is a pagan holiday and Jesus did not rise from the grave on Easter Sunday morning -

and you know that Christmas is a pagan holiday and Jesus was born in the fall of the year during Sukkot -

could it be that the "church" really is Satan's playground? And that this is how he has made himself look "like the most high"?

I sort of think it starts to explain why no one in Sunday School could ever answer any of my childhood questions!

And now you can start to see why I don't attend church, or celebrate Christmas or Easter.

If our calendar didn't exist when Jesus died, then when did he die?

Think about it! If our calendar didn't exist when Jesus was here on earth. When did he die? When was he buried? When did he rise from the grave? And why do I even care?

Well, for one, I remember when I was a kid being so utterly confused by scripture and how it was "explained" to me by preachers and Sunday School teachers. For example:

Matt 12:40, For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth

Jesus was supposed to be in the grave 3 days and 3 nights. So if he died on Good Friday and rose on Easter Sunday....no matter how I did the math, I never got 3 days and 3 nights.

Friday - day 1 starts

Friday night -- night 1

Saturday - night 1 ends, day 2 starts

Saturday night, Night 2

Sunday morning, night 2 ends, day 3 begins.

So if He rose on Sunday morning.......

where did night 3 go? See the problem I had???

If we did not have a Gregorian calendar and only a Hebrew calendar, then we have to consider these facts:

Hebrew days end at sunset. The next day begins one minute after sunset.

The sabbath begins 1 minute after sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.

The word "dawn" doesn't need to mean daybreak, first light. It can mean a new day, something new, so it could easily mean a new day that begins at sunset, the dawn of a new day. On a Hebrew calendar, each new day begins 1 minute after sunset. Hmmmm....dawn is dusk!!!

What if in the time of Jesus, 3 days and 3 nights meant 72 hours exactly? Literally?

John 19:31. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day) besoughtPilate that theirlegs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

So the next thing we need to know is that a sabbath day that is a high (holy) day can be any day of the week. It does not have to be on a Friday night to Saturday night time frame. Because it is a "high day" it can be any day of the week.

Thus we know that the day that Jesus died, that evening one minute after sunset, a sabbath that was a high (holy) day was beginning.

We also know that the day following Passover is known to be a High Holy Day Sabbath - an annual High Sabbath, not a routine, weekly Saturday sabbath. It is the first day of the 7 day long Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover is not a high holy day. The day after it is.

If Passover is on Thursday (Wednesday dust to Thursday dusk)

And a High Holy Day Sabbath is on Friday (Thurs dusk to Friday dusk)

And a routine weekly Sabbath is on Saturday (Friday dust to Saturday dusk)

Take a look at

Matthew 28: 1 Inside the tail-end of a Saturday Sabbath, at the going doewn (dusk) of the sun, as time changed from the final moment of an old week, onward to the first moment of an entirely new week, at sunset, came Mary of Magdala and the other Mary walking toward the tomb to look at the sepulchre at the very beginning of a Hebrew's Sunday.

2. and there was a great earthquake: for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb and sat upon the stone.

that translation is from the Literal Expanded Version (LEV) which is a little more descriptive for these verses. But even if you read it in the King James and understand that the dawn of a new week would begin for the Hebrew calendar on Saturday evening at dusk......

Let's try this:

In the Hebrew year 3791, Passover was on the 14th day of the Hebrew 1st month, on a Wednesday, so it started on Tuesday, one minute after dusk and went til Wed. evening at dusk. (this is our year CE 31.)

I'm inserting a calendar that I put together here, just click on it to enlarge it:

Jesus had the "Last Supper" after dusk on Tuesday night. This was on Passover. So it really was a Sedar, His last Sedar.

Death occurred in the morning on Wednesday (still Passover).

Burial was completed at sunset, at the very end of the Hebrew calendar's Wednesday. One minute after dusk, the High Holy Day began. Thursday, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Death in the grave began here. (from one minute after sunset on our Wednesday to sunset on our Thursday.)

All of Hebrew's Friday (from one minute after sunset on our Thursday to sunset on our Friday)

All of Hebrew's Saturday (from one minute after sunset on our Friday until sunset on our Saturday).

3 days. 72 hours.

The resurrection was at one minute after sunset our Saturday which would be the first moment of a Hebrew Sunday. The dawn (beginning) of a new week, the dawn of a new day.

The Feast of First Fruits is the Sunday following Passover. (Note, this is the day that you add 50 days to and come up with the date of Pentecost.)

Jesus rose on the first moment on the Feast of First Fruits.

Passover would have been on April 24, 31 (Wednesday) the day that Jesus Christ was crucified.

He would have risen at sunset on Saturday, April 27, 31 if you want our calendar dates.

So much for my attendance at all those Sunday morning sunrise services!

One more thing to consider. The Feast of Passover is a 7 day feast which commemorates the night when (in Egypt) each Israelite family killed a selected lamb, painted it's blood on the intel and door-posts of their dwellings, roasted the lamb, prepared to depart Egypt before eating, ate the lamb in haste with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, were protected from death of their first born males by the lamb's blood and actually began the journey to depart from Egypt very early the next morning (still Passover day)

It would make sense that Jesus died on Passover. He is the lamb who's blood was shed for us. He IS Passover.

And it makes beautiful sense that he rose on the Feast of First Fruits.

If Jesus was born in BCE4 and was 30 when he was baptized (CE28), he would have been 33 1/2 by early Spring, CE 31.

On a bit of a side note, Easter has been around about 5000 years. And in the year CE31, it occurred 25 days BEFORE Passover!!! A tad difficult to rise from the dead before you die!

I remember asking where in the Bible it talked about "Good Friday" or used the term "Easter". You know, I was a child. They just blew me off!

Today, I understand that the concept of Good Friday is a myth and actually has no basis in Biblical fact. Easter is a pagan, heathen, springtime fertility festival. That's why they are NOT mentioned in scripture. Whether you agree with that or not, I don't see how you get an early morning Sunday sunrise out of this verse:

Matt 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

That verse clearly states "end of sabbath" which would be at dusk.

Because I am studying the Hebrew calendar, because I am studying Hebrew life, traditions, holidays, values, and because I am looking at the original Greek and Hebrew scriptures - it is all making sense and falling into place.

But I also pray every single day that Jehovah Yeshua Messiah will soften my heart, open my mind, and allow me to understand. It is because so many of my friends continue to ask me about my beliefs that I am writing these blogs. In the hopes that you, too, will understand.

I do not celebrate Easter as it has nothing to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Easter bunny does not come here. There are no eggs hidden anywhere.

I do, however, keep Passover. And I will continue to keep it every year.

I do not celebrate Christmas. There is no tree in my house, no gifts. Santa doesn't come down my chimney and there are no holly and berries here.

I honor Hanukkah - the Feast of Dedication

and I will keep the Feast of Tabernacles this year.

As I come to understand more and more.....and have more of those childhood questions answered, I come to love the Messiah as I never have before. My heart literally sings with joy.

So there's still that question........

why do we no longer use a Hebrew calendar? Just who is it that does not want us to know the truth? Who is it that is trying to confuse us. I know. And I'll be writing about that one day soon.

A visual view for my blog on the calendar problems

Click anywhere to make it larger

Note: While the word "conception" is used in this chart - it in no way means that Jesus was in Mary's body from that moment on. It simply means that Mary's body was preparing a place for Jesus to enter just before the birth.

If we changed the calendar, are our dates all wrong???

Have you ever wondered about our calendar? Do you ever wonder why the Hebrew calendar starts with day 1 and continues to the present, but "our" calendar had a break between AD & BC and one counts forward while the other counts backwards? I know, I was told that you count forward from the time Jesus was born and count back before his birth. But WHY?????

And if the first day of the week is Sunday and G-d said to keep the 7th day holy, why do we have church of any kind on Sunday?

And if Easter is the resurrection "anniversary" - why does the date change every year? Shouldn't it be on the same day every year regardless of what day of the week that is? I mean, seriously, I don't celebrate September 29th, my birthday, on Sunday every year.....I honor it on the actual day of the week that it falls on!

And if we KNOW the day that Elisabeth got pregnant with John the Baptist and we KNOW that Jesus was conceived 6 months later.....HOW could he possibly have been born on December 25?

Finally, remember the Christmas carols? Shepherds watching over their flock by night??? Ummmm...it's a tad cold in December is Bethlehem with snow and frost. I seriously doubt anyone is out watching the sheep at night!!!

Yep, I was a problem in Sunday School years ago and I've not been too good with religious discussions ever since. So, today is the day....if it takes me the next 48 hours to get this down in writing - I am going to get it done!!!

I'm going to use a Hebrew calendar and you need to stick with me because I think this is one of the most amazing things ever...and you just won't find it in church, but you WILL find it in your Bible and I will show you how!!!

But most of all, I always wondered about Christmas.

I'm going to start with a look at the Hebrew calendar:

1. Nisan is the 1st month. Has 30 days. Equates to our Mar/Apr. Passover is the 15th of Nisan
2. Lyar is the 2nd month. It has 29 days, Equates to our Apr/May
3. Sivan is the 3rd month. Has 30 days, equal to our May/June. the 6th of Sivan is Pentecost, aka Shauvot
4. Tammuz is the 4th month. Has 29 days, equal to our Jun/Jul
5. Av is the 5th month, has 30 days, occurs in our Jul/Aug
6. Elul is the 6th month, has 29 days, happens in our Aug/Sep
7. Tishri is the 7th month, has 30 days, happens in our Sep/Oct. Sukkot occurs around the 15th of Tishri
8. Cheshvan is the 8th month, has 29/30 days, equates to our Oct/Nov
9. Kislev is the 9th month, has 29/30 days, equates to Nov/Dec. Hanukkah occurs this month
10. Tevet is the 10th month, has 29 days, is our Dec/Jan
11. Shevat is the 11th month, has 30 days, equates to Jan/Feb
12. Adar is the 12th month, has 29 days, equals our Feb/Mar

So then take a look at these Hebrew feasts:

14 Nisan  is Passover
15 Nisan   is a 7 Day Feast of Unleavened Bread

add 50 days and that takes you to:

Shavu’ot (Pentecost) (the next day is the 10th Week of routine priestly services)

add 6 months and that takes you to
15 Tishri which is Suk’kot, 7 day feast of Tabernacles (or Ingathering)

27 weeks after Passover is

15 Kislev – which is the 7 day Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah)

Stick with me because I hope to show you that the Bible tells us the following time table:

So now, let's turn to scripture:

Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife [was] of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elisabeth.

*Zacharias was ministering in the Hebrew's Jerusalem Temple, during the Aaronic Ministration of the prietly family of Abia (Abijah)

Luke 1:8:And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

**this order of priests routinely ministered in the Temple in the 8th familial course, during the 9th week of the Hebrew year

* *the 9th week includes the last few days of the second Hebrew month (Lyar) and the first few days of the 3rd Hebrew month (Sivan) and is the week before Pentecost - the Feast of Shavu'ot

Shavu'ot requires ALL 24 priestly families to be in attendance at the Jerusalem temple on that day.

Luke 1:23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

He went home right after Pentecost

Luke 1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

**(Elizabeth got pregnant the day after Pentecost)

Luke 1:26: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

Luke 1:31: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

It was at the end of the 6th month of Elisabeth's pregnancy that the angel appeared to Mary and told her that Elisabeth was pregnant, and that she, Mary would soon conceive

Luke 1:39: And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda

* Mary immediately traveled to Elisabeth's

Luke 1:43: And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

* this indicates that Mary was already pregnant as Elisabeth called her the mother of my lord

there are 27 weeks between the end of the priestly course of Abijah and the first day of Hannukkah which is celebrated for eight days. There are 14 weeks from the first day of Hanukkah to Passover. That's a total of 41 weeks - a normal pregnancy period.

from the above calendar, we can see that if John was conceived at Penetcost, 6 months later would be Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication. What a perfect time for Jesus to be conceived.

John the Baptist was born at Passover. He was circumcised on the 8th day, which would have been the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Remember, Passover is in Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew year.

Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Jesus birth would have come 6 months after John the Baptist, which would put it in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar - Tishri. Which is the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.

I have been studying Sukkot for some time now. Another 7 day feast. The first day is a high holy day and requires the family to make a pilgrimage. Joseph and Mary would have gone to Bethlehem for this feast. There would have been crowds. They build booths during this festival that are temporary, they are called sukkah which means booth or tabernacle and dwell (live) in them during this festival. At the end of the feast, they are torn down.

In these booths, food was placed in a food crib for storage (which the King James has translated "manger".)

So, most likely, Jesus wasn't born in a stable and placed in a manger. He was born in a temporary tabernacle and placed in a food crib (because he was the Bread of Life from heaven?)

I have been to Israel. I have been to Bethlehem. Even to this day, any kind of stable would be unsanitary and I doubt either mother or child would have survived.

Besides, I much prefer the image of my Messiah being born in a temporary tabernacle - it just seems fitting.

The very night after his birth, Joseph and Mary fled with him to the closest part of Egypt. Today's Gaza? Jesus would have been circumsised on the 8th day, a special Sabbath (no matter what day of the week it fell on.)

G-d provided 2 Holy Feasts/Festivals that both lasted 7 days, and they are 6 months apart. While called 7 days, they each have a component that causes them to last for 8 days overall.

The Feast of Unleavend Bread (7 days) is preceeded by Passover.

The Feast of Tabernacles (7 days) is followed by the separate 8th day Sabbath.

Allowing both John the Baptist and Jesus to be born and circumcised within the holiday period.

Going back to a Hebrew calendar, it has been stated that Jesus was born Tishre 15, 3758.   Because the Hebrew calendar is based on the Moon while our calendar is based on the sun, even though His birth is on the same Hebraic calendar each year, it will fluxuate on our calendar and occur on a different day on our calendar.

Our modern "Gregorian" calendar did NOT exist when Jesus was born. So on our calendar, his date of birth is October 4, BC4.

It is written that one day, all nations will honor the Feast of Tabernacles:

Zec 14:16 And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.


Zec 14:17 And it shall be, [that] whoso will not come up of [all] the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

And now I know why we are to keep this feast - because it is the real birthday of the King of Kings.

CHRISTMAS IS NOT THE BIRTHDAY OF JESUS CHRIST!!!

Christmas is nothing short of a pagan holiday brought about by a mergence of pagan traditions, folklore and myths. Google it!

Why, why, why and how did our current day so called christian religions get so completely and totally turned around???

I hope to have  a post about that in the near future.

In the meantime, think about this. Chart it out. Buy a Hebrew calendar or find one online. Look at the dates. How amazingly beautiful to think that the Messiah was conceived on the Feast of Dedication....and that He was born on Sukkot - the Feast of Tabernacles. In a temporary tabernacle, and placed in a food crib because He is the Bread of Life.

The Bible vs Scripture

If you believe that any of the current English translations are inspired scripture, then you are......

Ah ha!  You will have to read a bit more in order to find out the answer.

Romans 3 tells us that all scripture was given to the Jews.  "unto them were committed the oracles of G-d."  The scriptures were given in Hebrew and Greek.  Only those manuscripts are inspired.  Everything else is a translation.  

Translation is the transference of meaning from text to text with the translator having time and access to resources to produce a faithful, true, and accurate document or verbal artifact.

Do you know where the King James Bible came from?

A brief history is here.

What is the Bishop's Bible?

It came from the Great Bible

See where we are headed with this?  And the Great Bible was written c 1538.  The Great Bible was based on

Matthew's Bible

this bible combined Coverdale's work and Tyndale's work.  These 3 individuals worked from numerous sources in at least 5 different languages:

William Tyndale worked directly from the Hebrew and Greek, consulting the Vulgate & Erasmus's Latin, referencingLuther's Bible.  Yet Matthew had to conceal the use of Tyndale from King Hnery VIII.

Myles Coverdale translated from German & Latin sources.

John Rogers translated the Prayer of Manasses from the French Bible in 1535.

Tyndale & Rogers were both burned at the stake.

Coverdale was employed by Cromwell to work on the Great Bible of 1539.   (I think that if he valued his life, he was extremely careful in what he wrote!)

OK, so that's where the English version got started....in the early 1500s.  So can you start to fathom the various interpretations of scripture before that?  1500 years worth of it?  

There were no numbered chapters and verses until the Middle ages!

Early manuscripts of the letters from Paul and other writings show no punctuation whatsoever.  This was all added by editors, according to their own understanding of the text.

So what if a period doesn't really belong where there is a period?  What if it's not the end of the statement being made?  How much would that challenge our thoughts on scripture alone?

The earliest surviving complete manuscript of the entire Bible is the Codex Amiatinus, a Latin Vulgate edition produced in the 8th century.  The earliest printed edition of the Greek New Testament is 116.

So, in 1947 and 1956, the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered and they date back to before 100 C.E.  It is said that the books of Exodus and Samuel found in Cave Four have dramatic differences in both language and content.

And no matter who "translates" them into English - some of their interpretation is bound to be incorporated into the text.  

In no way am I promoting the idea that you disbelieve scripture.  What I'm trying to point out is that translations of scripture are simply that  - someone else's idea of what it says.

If you really want to know what the Bible says, then you need to study, study, study!!!

Mount prepared what he called a consistent translation of the New Testament.  He used the same  English word each time he translated a Greek word.  He said that he tried to keep his opinion out of the translation, going strictly on what the Greek word meant.  I have been reading and studying the Consistent Translation and find it to be extremely interesting.  If you would like one, you can order it from:

Mount Trust

% Ray Kissel

1305 Leawood Road

Mansfield OH 44907

The cost is $60.00.  Update:  You can now download this for free, just click here.

"This is the New Testament only. A loose-leaf study text 8 1/2" x 11" in 16-page signatures punched for standard 3-ring note book. Each Greek word translated as consitently as possible by its best equivalent English word, 511 pages. King James Version is next to the consistent translation."

And while you are at it, you might want to purchase "A Teaching Dictionary". $80.00.   Update:  you can now get all of Mount's pdf files and mp3 files by sending a 64GB flash drive to J. Lowe, 1122 N 15th St, Canon City CO 81212.

"This dictionary has 3 sections. The 1st section is printed in green and lists every English word used in the Consistent New Testament and alongside the Greek word from which it is translated. The 2nd section is printed in blue and lists every Greek word in the Greek New Testament, and alongside the English word used in the Consistent New Testament for it. The 3rd section, printed in black, has about 300 words. Every use of these words in the Consistent Translation is shown and usually compared to the King James. This proves the absolute consistency of God's word if translated honestly. A Greek word does not have all kinds of different English meanings: nor do several Greek words have the same English meaning.

English words connected with a hyphen or hyphens indicate that they are from one Greek word."

What if I have a Jewish soul lost in a gentile body

For the last few years, I have had an incredible yearning for Israel, a love for everything Jewish, and I do not know where it comes from. 

Today, as I listened to Tuesday Night Live (episode # 31),   In the "Meet the street" segment, Jeremy asked a tourist if he was a Jewish soul lost in a gentile body. He explains that the Ephraims, northern tribes of Israel were lost among the nations,  they will look like non-Jews and all of a sudden, they will feel this pull to Judaism, they can't explain why, but all of a sudden there is an attraction to Israel.  

What if I have a Jewish soul lost in this gentile body?   That would explain my complete longing for Israel.  Should I follow my heart's desire and move to Israel?   

When I listen to Ari & Jeremy.....there is such a yearning in my soul to return to Israel.  I'm positive I was in the shop of the merchant they interviewed in this segment - he has a store in the Jewish market and I want to go back and see if it was him.  I have the necklace I bought from him.  How wonderful to see him interviewed - but it just makes me want to be there now.

I would never become Jewish because I truly do believe that Yeshua is the Messiah.  But I also believe that so much of the Jewish life is what I should be living right now.  Not necessarily the rituals...but the spiritual part of their life - the total devotion to Jehovah, the constant prayer....the complete adoration of Jehovah.

I also find it so amazing the timeliness of what I wrote yesterday about the size of Israel in the future.....and the first part of Ari & Jeremy's message.  I find it  totally uncomprehendable that Jews cannot do anything Jewish on the Temple Mount.  They are not allowed to pray at the Temple Mount.  They cannot take a Torah or anything Judaica with them to the Temple Mount.  

How did the world get to this point?  

The land is not theirs to give away.  It is not ours to divide, to sell, to partition.  Jehovah promised it to Israel.

Once again, I don't necessarily agree with everything that Ari & Jeremy say.....but I do believe that they give great content for me to ponder over.  I pray for both of them daily because at least they present a forum to tell and show us what is going on in Israel.

Israel's fullness

If you study, then you will know that Israel's fullness includes all of these countries:


Israel

Jordan

Iraq

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

Oman

United Arab Emirates

Qatar

Rahrain

Kuwait

Syria

Lebanon

Sinai Pennesula in Egypt

part of Turkey

Wow!  Look at the size of Israel when they rule the world!  

Isn't it exciting to live in a time when so many prophecies are starting to come true?

When will Israel be fulfilled?  When the Gentiles become TOTAL evil - then the Jews will come to their fullness.

But just think a minute....all the building going on in Dubai....will one day be owned by the Jews!  All of the oil...all of the money!

3 things you should do now to prepare yourself:

1.  Pray for Israel

2. Contribute to Israel

3.  See that Israel is God's people

I'll be the first to say that I did NOT vote for Obama.  But I believe that he needed to be elected President of this country.....in order to take away our support of Israel, to lead us even more towards total evil....so that the Jews will come to their fullness and rule the world.   

If I will bless Israel, then He will bless me

If you want to learn everything you can, then click on the colored links and read even more.

Gen 12:3 (a whole lot to be learned if you read that entire link)

Yesterday, in the National Post, Canadian Prime Minister blessed Israel when he said,

"Under our government, Canada will remain an unyielding defender of Jewish religious freedom, a forceful opponent of anti-Semitismin all of its forms and a staunch supporter of a secure and democratic state of Israel,"

Canada blessed Israel with this statement. I believe that Canada will be blessed as long as they maintain their support for Israel.

This should be the "shot" that was heard around the world, yet when I googled the speech this morning, it only comes up 154 times. How sad is that???

I don't know how long Canada will remain in this position, but it's enough to make me want to pack up my bags and move north! I see our leaders becoming unsupportive of Israel - almost overnight.

I am not Jewish. But there is a mezuzah on my front door, a stained glass Star of David over my front door, I live on Paschal (passover) Dr, I have a banner inside that says "Wherever I stand, I stand with Israel" and I pray for Israel every day. I send my gifts to Israel. I want the world to know that I love Israel.

And my life has never been more blessed than it is now.

If- then statements

I remember high school geometry like it was yesterday.  I was fascinated with hypothesis....if-then statements.  Simple things like:  If 2,4,6,8 are even numbers, then they are divisable by 2.

It taught math.  It taught logic.  It taught reasoning.  It was a way to prove a statement.  

I graduated high school at the age of 17 and entered Bob Jones University.  I think in time you will come to see why I have decided this was the beginning of 40 years in my "wilderness".  I attended a Methodist church until I was 15 years old, then went to a Baptist church.  Now, we didn't just go on Sunday.  We went Sunday morning to Sunday school and church. The pastor would often come to our house on Sunday afternoon to "talk" religion with Dad.  We would be back in church Sunday night, Wed and Thurs nights.  If there was a revival at our church or any neighboring church, we would be there 7 nights a week.  Then there were youth group meetings and outings.  Between school and church....well, there wasn't much else except family gatherings at both grandma's houses....or at one of my many aunts or uncles homes.  Nope, no complaints here - it was a wonderful childhood.  But pretty much "brain-washed" by religion.

Until I got to high school geometry!

If Elijah was going to come first, then how could there be an instant rapture like the preacher said???

You see where my problems started?

If all little children who died went straight to heaven, then why didn't we kill them all the moment they were born???

I got an "F" on a test in 6th grade because I answered a question based on my faith in what I knew the Bible said:

"Will man ever be able to fly alone?"  I put down "yes".  Because I believed that if you had the faith of a mustard seed, you could move a mountain, so you could surely fly alone!

Yep, I had lots of problems in school.....and for the next 40 years!

About 1972, mom & dad spent a winter in North Carolina and were introduced to Ralph Mount of Mount Bible Publications.  He was an engineer who studied the Greek & Hebrew text of the New & Old Testament and produced a cassette tape ministry.  I knew they were deep in study - whenever I visited the tapes were on.  I was just not ready to join them.  I certainly didn't "get" their thirst for knowledge.  It wasn't my time - I was in my "wilderness".  While I have listened to these tapes off and on over the years, I would fall asleep half way through a lesson, or my mind would wander and I'd start daydreaming....never quite finishing an entire tape.  

About 5 years ago, I decided to force myself to listen to a full hour every single day while I walked.  But the scenery and ongoing events around me while I walked caused a constant distraction.  And I quit again.  Just no interest in learning anything new.....I was perfectly content to continue to believe all the things I had been taught as a child.....everything I had learned in church.

About 6 months ago, I started listening to Mount's cassettes once again.  This time really listening to them.  For some reason, this time it was different.  And then it hit me.....I had turned 57.  It has been 40 years.  It was time for me to come out of my "wilderness".  My thirst was and still is growing.  There are days when I just can't comprehend it all, and days that I rejoice in what I am learning.  I hope to share some of it in this blog.  I hope that as you read, you will start to think differently.  And perhaps together, we will learn that  Elijah will be here first.  

So I need to preface this first blog with this statement:

1.  If you read my blog and learn the truth, THEN there is no reason for argument.

2.  If you know the truth and do not adhere to it, then you will be lost.

If you want to learn what is going on in the world around you, bookmark the links over on the right and read them every single day.  Read their archives.  Study up on world history.  Then re-read # 1 & # 2 above.  

I do not expect anyone to agree with what I will be writing here.  All I ask is that you keep an open mind to the possibilities of what I am writing.  

If you are against Israel, then you really need to read what I will be writing!

If you believe that today's church is a house of worship of the true G-d, then you need to keep reading in order to find out the truth!

If you believe there will be an instant rapture, then you need to show me where the word rapture is located in scripture.

If you believe that the King James Version (or any other version of the Bible) is THE inspired word,  then you definitely need to subscribe to my blog.  I hope to help you learn that only the Greek and Hebrew are "inspired" - everything else is a translation....an opinion of what was written.

If you think Jesus loves everyone, then explain why the Bible tells us of so many that He hates and despises.  

See, I could go on and on with these if/then statements.  If nothing else, then this should be an interesting blog!