Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

Come out from their midst and be separate.

Most discerning people are aware that our world is rapidly deteriorating and despite the technological advancements over the past decade, human relationships and the condition of society are deteriorating at an ever increasing rate. But because most people are only concerned about their own little world and family issues, they are totally unaware of the ever worsening condition of the world that will ultimately escalate into the soon coming great tribulation to come at the end of this age, immediately prior to Messiah’s return. There are basically two reasons for what has been happening in our world. The first reason stems from the fact that virtually the whole world has been deceived by Satan and his agents, to believe that Messiah came to do away with the laws of cause and effect that the Creator of the universe  has set in motion, for the good of His creation. One such example being the law of gravity, which if obeyed works for the benefit of all, but when broken, could result in injury or even death. In the same way will all of the other laws that Elohim set in motion, cause our Spiritual and physical downfall, if we continually disobey them. We might get away with only feeling slightly off color, when disobeying some of the food laws that YHVH set in motion, but could eventually lose out spiritually for going directly against Elohim’s instructions, which were all set in place for our benefit. The second problem related to the first, is the fact that mankind has over time become increasingly more greedy.

Rav Yaa’cov explained this, more than 1900 years ago in James 4: 1 – 3, saying: ‘What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? (2) You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. (3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.’  Even though this is a world-wide problem, we see from verses 4 – 10 that Rav Yaa’cov actually addressed this section of the Scriptures to those of us whom YHVH has called out of the world, saying: ‘You adulteresses (this sound like Rav Yaa’cov is only talking to the ladies among us, but in fact he is talking to the entire congregation of called out believers, since we are all part of the bride betrothed to Messiah at immersion), do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward Elohim? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim. (5) Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? (6) But He gives greater a grace. Therefore it says, “ELOHIM IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” (7) Submit therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil (by not doing what he inspires you to do) and he will flee from you. (8) Draw near to Elohim and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (9) Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. (10) Humble yourselves (in repentance) in the presence of the Master, and He will exalt you.’

Brethren, it is time that we truly start cleaning up our lives and separate ourselves from the ways of the world. Even though most of those of us whom YHVH has called out of the religions of the world, believe we have already come out of our previous false ways, we need to be very careful of the things happening in our environment, since the ways of the world is as contagious as the worst viruses imaginable. Yes, the TV programs we watch, the people we meet in our daily lives, the language used by those whom we necessarily have to associate with, rubs off on us without us being aware of it. It might be a funky tune, a clever joke, or an intellectual sounding phrase that we hear, that gets us to start following the masses without realizing it.  We need to be extremely careful not to live on the very edge of disaster; thinking that we are able to deal with the evil around us. Some believe it is OK to observe the things of the world from the side-line, without realizing that the sins of the world rub off on us. We need to be totally awake and aware of everything we do, to ensure that we are not enticed or trapped by what we allow ourselves to see, do and experience, as Rav Kepha also warned in first Peter 5: 8 & 9, saying: ‘Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (9) But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.’    

When YHVH starts calling us from the lost ten tribes, He slowly opens our minds to the truths in His Word, hidden from the majority of people and wants us to start following the perfect example He sent us, namely Yahshua the Messiah.  When some are called, they immediately want to start doing ‘Elohim’s work’ by telling friends and family about their newly found faith, but little do they realize that unless YHVH wants to also call those whom they used to associate with, they will actually reject the things of Elohim, as Rav Shaul explained in first Corinthians 2: 11 & 12, saying: ‘For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of Elohim no one knows except the Spirit of Elohim.’ This is telling us, that unless we have been suitably immersed by a Torah teacher who also laid hands on us after immersion (as per Acts 8: 12 – 17), we will not have the Spirit of Elohim, which will enable us to understand the truths that He reveals for us in His word.  In addition, we are told that we should only immerse believers from the lost ten tribes (including a number of real gentiles) whom YHVH calls, and not everyone that we might consider suitable for immersion, as it is not our prerogative to call new believers into Elohim’s congregation, as Yahshua also confirmed in John 6: 44, saying: “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

We need to understand that our function as believers is to serve as lights to the world, to show Elohim’s way to those around us by how we live our lives, and not by trying to preach to them. Yahshua clearly told the multitude who came after Him in John 6: 26 – 29, saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. (27) Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even Elohim, has set His seal.” (28) They said therefore to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of Elohim?” (29) Yahshua answered and said to them, “This is the work of Elohim, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  When we believe and do what Yahshua taught and did whilst He was on earth, we will truly shine like lights in a world full of wrong examples. As the salt of the earth, we should influence the people by the way we live, and not be influenced by them. When studying the Scriptures under guidance of teachers who have gone through the same discipleship program which Yahshua used, and was established by Moses when he taught Joshua, as recorded in Acts 7: 38[1], we obtain knowledge essential for our walk with Elohim. Without proper guidance it is not possible to come to the knowledge that leads to salvation, as may be read from Isaiah 28: 9, in this way: ‘To whom would He teach knowledge? And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?”  YHVH is telling us here through Isaiah, that we need guidance at the beginning of our walk with Elohim; else the Scriptures will not have much meaning to us. He continues in verses 10 – 12, saying: ‘Order (guideline or rule) on order, order on order. Line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there (meaning that instead of reading the Scriptures from front to back, we should study topics by reading related verses throughout the Scriptures, letting the Scriptures interpret the Scriptures).’” (11) Indeed, He (YHVH) will speak to this people through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, (12) He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,” and, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen.’  The rest spoken about here is the good news about the coming kingdom of Elohim, during which time we will have rest from Satan and his influence, but people do not believe this gospel, rather, they believe they are going to heaven. Isaiah continues to tell us in verse 13 that as a result of not listening, or unbelief, ‘(So) the word of YHVH to them will be, “Order (rule) on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there,” that they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared, and taken captive.’ If the people that YHVH calls, care to listen when He offers them rest (in His eternal kingdom), they will understand those who teach them (even if it is in a foreign tongue to some).

It is only when we are called by YHVH in a similar way to what Yahshua called His disciples, that He reveals truths about His coming Kingdom and plan of salvation for all mankind to us, as He told His disciples when they asked Him why He speak to people in parables in Matthew 13: 11 – 12 and the first part of verse 19, saying:  “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. (12) For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.” At this time, like at the time when YHVH called Israel out of Egypt, He is calling out people whom He wants to become first fruit priests, to teach His people His will and way, in the coming kingdom of Elohim. However, as Yahshua said in Luke 6: 39 & 40, “A Blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? (40) A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” When we become followers of Yahshua, we know very little salvation truths, and need someone to show us the ropes so to speak. It is like a family situation, where the first born children usually teach their siblings how to speak, eat and other skills that parents don’t always think of. This is then also why, eventually when we are fully trained, we are required to start teaching newly called out believers in the way of Elohim.

Having mentioned that we are called to become first fruit believers in YHVH at this time, to later at Messiah’s (second) coming be resurrected as first born sons and daughters of Elohim – similar to the way that Yahshua became the first born from the dead when He was resurrected, as also witnessed in Colossians 1: 18, in this way: ‘He is also head of the body, the congregation (of called out believers); and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.’  The analogy that Rav Shaul gave is exactly right, since the head of a new born child usually appears first. We read further from Romans 8: 29 & 30, ‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; (30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified (at immersion); and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’  We will be glorified when Yahshua resurrect us one day at His return.  A further witness to this comes from Hebrews 2: 11, in this way: ‘For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father (like siblings in a household); for which reason He (Yahshua) is not ashamed to call them brethren.’ 

Rav Yaa’cov describes the way in which YHVH calls us in James 1: 18, saying: ‘In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.’ This is confirmed in 2 Thessalonians 2: 13 - 15, as follows: ‘But we should always give thanks to Elohim for you, brethren beloved by the Master, because Elohim has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. (14) And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Master Yahshua Messiah. (15) So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.’ But,  those of us called from darkness into (YHVH)’s marvelous light, are today like the Israelites were when they came out of Egypt, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation for Elohim’s own possession. Even though YHVH predestined to call us before the foundation of the earth, He does not want us to boast, thinking that He called us to be first fruits because we were the cream of the crop, as is recorded in 1 Corinthians 1: 26 – 29, in this way: ‘For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; (27) but Elohim has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and Elohim has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, (28) and the base things of the world and the despised, Elohim has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, (29) that no man should boast before Elohim.’

We are chosen to become first fruits, but also building blocks of the Temple of Elohim, as Rav Kepha wrote in 1 Peter 2: 1 - 8, saying: ‘Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, (2) like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, (3) if you have tasted the kindness of YHVH. (4) And coming to Him as to a living (corner) stone, rejected by men (those who believe that the congregation of Elohim is built upon them as latter day apostles alone, and not upon Messiah), but choice and precious in the sight of Elohim, (5) you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Elohim through Yahshua Messiah. (6) For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” (7) This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,” (8) and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE’; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.’  A second witness comes from Ephesians 2: 19 – 22, as follows: ‘So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Elohim’s household, (20) having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yahshua Himself being the corner stone, (21) in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Master; (22) in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of Elohim in the Spirit.’  After we are called by YHVH to follow the perfect example that He left us in Yahshua the Messiah, we are supposed to start growing in grace and knowledge, focusing on the new heavens and a new earth;  to get to know YHVH better and better until Messiah returns, as also witnessed from 2 Peter 3: 14 - 18, in this way: ‘Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (15) and regard the patience of our Master to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Shaul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, (16) as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. (17) You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, (18) but grow in grace and knowledge of our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amein.’

 

YHVH calls us to come out of the religions of the world, so that we do not partake of their paganism any longer, but also so that we will not one day soon, partake of her plagues, as we read from Revelation 18: 4 & 5, as follows: ‘And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; (5) for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and Elohim has remembered her iniquities.”’  So we see that our calling by YHVH to follow His way of life, means much more than meets the eye. We are given more details about our calling by Rav Shaul in 2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 18, in this way: ‘Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (15) Or what harmony has Messiah with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (16) Or what agreement has the temple of Elohim with idols? For we are the temple of the living Elohim; just as Elohim said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR ELOHIM, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. (17) Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” Says YHVH, “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. (18) And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says YHVH Almighty.’ However, we know from Leviticus 26: 12 where the second part of verse 16 above is taken, that there are pre-conditions before we can expect YHVH our Elohim to come and dwell among us. As much as each one of us is expected to carry his/her own cross, we cannot expect Yahshua our Messiah to keep the commandments for us. We cannot expect Him to walk the narrow road that we have been called to follow, and to do it in our stead. Yes, He paid for our past transgressions, and died for our individual sins, but we are now required to walk the narrow lonely road alone, with the help of the Set-apart Spirit. We cannot expect Yahshua our Messiah to do that for us as well. Turning to Leviticus 26: 12 – 17 we read about the preconditions set by YHVH before He will come and dwell amongst us, in this way: ‘I will also walk among you and be your Elohim, and you shall be My people. (13) I am YHVH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you should not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (14) But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, (15) if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, (16) I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that shall waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you shall sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies shall eat it up. (17) And I will set My face against you so that you shall be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when no one is pursuing you.’

From the time that YHVH entered into a covenant relationship with Israel at Mount Sinai, He wanted to dwell among His people, as witnessed in Exodus 29: 45, as follows: “And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their Elohim.”  But, in order for that to happen, we need to clean up our lives and what we eat in accordance with Elohim’s requirements, given in for example Leviticus 19: 2; 20: 7; 21: 6 as well as Ephesians 1: 3 & 4, in this way: “Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Master Yahshua Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Messiah, (4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love.’ The point is: if we call Yahshua our Master and Savior, then we should serve Him, by doing what He taught and did whilst He was on earth, and by keeping the commandments of Elohim, as He stated in His own words in Matthew 7: 21 - 23, saying: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”

Since we are familiar with the identity of the different tribes of the house of Israel, we know that Ephraim is identified as the Commonwealth of Nations who used to be ruled over by the queen of England and Manasseh is the United States of America. We also know that because of the sins of Ephraim and Manasseh both these world powers have already lost, and are still busy losing their previous glory. The question therefore is: where do the Israelite people who live in former commonwealth nations like South Africa stand? We find the answer to this question in the book of Zephaniah. We see from Zephaniah 3: 1 – 10 that similar to the inhabitants of the USA, the U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand, the Israelites living in South Africa  are also classified as being rebels, as follows: ‘Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city! (2) She heeded no voice; she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in YHVH; she did not draw near to her Elohim. (3) Her princes within her are roaring lions, her judges are wolves at evening; they leave nothing for the morning. (4) Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. (5) YHVH is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame. (6) “I have cut off nations; their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, with no one passing by; their cities are laid waste, without a man, without an inhabitant. (7) I said, ‘Surely you will revere Me, accept instruction.’ So her dwelling will not be cut off according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds. (8) Therefore, wait for Me,” declares YHVH, “For the day when I rise up to the prey. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them My indignation, all My burning anger; for all the earth will be devoured by the fire of My zeal. (9) For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on the name of YHVH, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder. (10) From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshippers, My dispersed ones, will bring My offerings.”

The dispersed Israelites in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, former colonies of the United Kingdom will again worship YHVH in the last days, as we continue to read from verses 11 – 13 of Zephaniah 3, as follows: “In that day you will feel no shame because of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; for then I will remove from your midst your proud, exulting ones, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain. (12) But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of YHVH. (13) The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; for they shall feed and lie down with no one to make them tremble.”  The rest of the chapter shows how Elohim will again bless these dispersed children of Israel, who dwell beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. We read specifically from verses 18 - 20, “I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts – They came from you, O Zion; the reproach of exile is a burden on them.  (19) Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all your oppressors, I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will turn their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. (20) At that time I will bring you in, even at the time when I gather you together; indeed, I will give you renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says YHVH.’

For those of us living in former British colonies, this is fantastic news. But the same news applies to the remnant of called out Israelites dispersed throughout the world, as witnessed in Isaiah 11: 11 & 12, as follows: ‘Then it will happen on that day that YHVH will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people, who will remain, from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (12) And He will lift up a standard for the nations (Yahshua), and will assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Brethren, if we come completely out of the Babylonian religious systems of the world, YHVH will fulfill His promises to us and take us back to the Promised Land, from where we will together with our Torah observant Jewish Brothers, rule the world under Yahshua for a thousand years, as witnessed in Revelation 20: 4, in this way: ‘And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Yahshua and because of the word of Elohim, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Messiah for a thousand years.’

We also see from Ezekiel 37: 21 – 25, that He will also fulfill the promise that He made to King David that he will rule eternally over the united Israel when Yahshua returns to rule the earth from Jerusalem, as follows: “And say to them, ‘Thus says YHVH Elohim, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; (22) and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. (23) And they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people and I will be their Elohim. (24) And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them. (25) And they shall live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons, and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant shall be their prince forever.’ Yes, YHVH who cannot lie will not relent on the promises He made to us through our fathers in the faith, as He also said through the prophet Malachi in Malachi 3: 6, in this way: “For I, YHVH, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” However, we are required to come completely out of the religions and the ways of the world, before YHVH will let us be part of His people who will inherit the Promised Land eternally. Think about the fantastic promises awaiting those of us called out of the world, if we remain faithful to the end. How truly great is YHVH the Elohim whom we serve? Baruch HaShem YHVH!

 

 

 

 

[1] Acts 7: 37 & 38, “This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘ELOHIM SHALL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.’ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.”