Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

When will He smack us?

Most of us with children know that there comes a time in the life of most children, where they want to test the limits of their parent’s patience, with their mischievous behavior. Yes, they, like us push their luck to determine what they can get away with in life. The problem with such behavior is that it is just the opposite of character building – it slowly but surely deteriorates from bad to worse, until ultimately we have reached the situation discussed in Hosea 4& 5, where YHVH tells us He will reject us from being His priests in His coming kingdom. We need to be ever mindful that YHVH talks to us through His word as the author of Hebrews 1: 1 & 2 wrote saying: ‘Elohim, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, (2) in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.’ It is therefore important to continually remain in touch with what Yahshua the word of Elohim taught in the Scriptures to ensure that we do not starve spiritually.

Even though our world appears to be very religious, it is almost the same as in Rav Shaul’s time when He was in Athens. We read about his experience in Greece from Acts 17: 16 – 25, as follows: ‘Now while Shaul was waiting for them at Athens his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols. (17) So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the Elohim-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. (18) And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, “What would this idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching Yahshua and the resurrection. (19) And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? (20)For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; we want to know therefore what these things mean." (21) (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) (22)And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.(23) For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN ELOHIM.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. (24) The Elohim who made the world and all things in it, since He is YHVH of heaven and of earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; (25) neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things.”’ The difference is that here at the end of the Gregorian year 2013, there are Xmas trees and fancy lights all over the place for the so-called birthday of the false Messiah or Christ for those who believe in him.

But despite these ‘religious’ activities and the fact that Hosea wrote his prophecy thousands of years ago, he is talking about our world at this end time when he writes in Hosea 4, saying in verse 1: ‘Listen to the word of YHVH, O sons of Israel, for YHVH has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of Elohim in the land. Faithfulness, truth, stability, and certainty that builds-up faithfulness that lasts. Kindness or mercy – treating others the way you want them to treat you. Knowledge of Elohim {transliterated as ‘Yadah’ in Hebrew – meaning to know intimately}- If we know Elohim intimately, we will know what He requires of us, and how He wants us to treat others. These three elements are inseparable; we cannot say we know YHVH if we treat our fellow man unfaithfully. If any of these are lacking YHVH has a case against us, especially if we think of ourselves as being ‘religious’. The point is: we cannot be faithful to YHVH if our main focus is faithfulness to anything else, as Yahshua put it in Matthew 6: 24, saying: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve Elohim and mammon (riches).” That is why the house of Israel cannot and will not come back together in one generation, since we are still loyal to conflicting causes. YHVH is mercifully offering to ‘settle out of court’, but we are required to enter and seal the contract before He will dismiss the case; we need to repent and return to full Torah observance and mean it,  before we will be acceptable to Him. Instead we have been duped into believing that Xmas and Easter are the time when families have to get together and when we are supposed to share gifts with the underprivileged in society. Like puppets on a string most people simply follow wherever they are led, without ever questioning anything. Why do we always have to do good deeds under the guise of paganism, why can’t we do it on a regular basis? It is a known fact that because of extra traveling forced upon people because they have to take leave during these times, more people die on roads than at any other time. Instead of bringing families together, more divorces occur because of these so-called religious festivities during which time more alcoholic beverages are consumed than at any other time.

The house of Israel pretends to be religious by keeping festivals not ordained by Elohim in worship of Him, yet He says in verse 2of Hosea 4: ‘There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.’ Cursing and violence have mushroomed out of control – it is like sheep that broke out of a sheepfold. Even though they are free, they are unprotected and the neighborhood is in danger. I went to the movies during the silly season to see a show which I thought will be about court cases and legal matters, entitled: ‘The Councilor’. However, it was the worst show that I ever saw in my life, filled with sex and the bloodiest scenes that left me sick to my stomach - long after the show was over. It is a story obviously based on accounts that play out daily between the drug lords of Mexico and greedy people in mainly the USA and the UK, who could not care less about how and who their actions affect, but ultimately pay with their lives. I could not understand why I had to go through an experience like that, but after reading the book of Hosea, I realized that this was a story about everyday life in our sin filled world today. Most of the actors and actresses wore crucifixes, and even though they all appeared religious, some were responsible for the most horrifying murders possible, without worrying in the least about it. The only person who showed any remorse was the Councilor; and that when he wanted to get out of the situation, but was so entangled in what was happening because of shear greed, that he could not do anything about it.  People the things happening in our world is very scary and I pray that those of us called out of the religious systems of the world, and our loved ones never get involved in things like that.

Continuing in verse 3 we read: ‘Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes (deteriorates) along with the beast of the field and the birds of the sky; and also the fish of the sea disappear.’ We are often told that the beast of the field, the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea are disappearing, because mankind over-fish and pollute everything we touch, but here we are given the real reason, for the modern day ills of the world. We are given the reason for the problems in verse 4, in this way: ‘Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with the priests.’ There are no one who any longer points out the problems in society. Everything is acceptable and nothing is judged any longer. People say: The scribe shall not teach, and the prophets shall not admonish, and as a result people argue with those who teach them. They cannot teach, because the students all think and believe that they know it all. These students rather listen to people who tell them of ways in which to save their lives, rather than to those who teach Scriptural truths, that will ensure their eternal life in the Kingdom of Elohim, even if they are killed for believing what they do. The words ‘contend with priests’ shows the presumptuous acts of those who argues about calendar matters, since the term priest here means an officiator or a person given the final say in the matters of interpretation of Torah as per Deuteronomy 17: 9 – 13.

As a result we read from verse 5: ‘So you will stumble by day, and the prophet also will stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother.’ As mentioned before, YHVH is talking about the mother here, since the mother is responsible to teach children about YHVH before they become mature enough to be taught Torah by their fathers. However, we find that mothers today, perpetuate the lies of Xmas and Easter by teaching their children the same nonsensical rubbish their parents taught them. This is then also why YHVH says in verse 6: ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your Elohim, I also will forget your children.’ Brethren YHVH is calling each one of us out of the pagan religions of the world, to become kings and priests under Yahshua in His coming Kingdom. But most of us are destroyed because we do not know or even care what YHVH has planned for us. Even though the knowledge about YHVH and His plan of salvation has been available all along, we have rejected His Law (Torah), since we have been taught that it was done away with. Unless, we come to realize our mistake, by studying (YHVH)’s word, He will eventually have to reject us from being priests (or teachers) in His kingdom and as a result, He will also forget our children. This is a very serious matter, since we are told in Isaiah 61: 6 – 9, ‘But you will be called the priests of YHVH; you will be spoken of as ministers of our Elohim. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (7) Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs. (8) For I, YHVH, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompenses, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. (9) Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom YHVH has blessed.’ Are we truly so calloused that we do not care what happens to our children and grandchildren. I don’t believe we are so stupid that we do not care about our offspring, but we need to understand that we have been stupefied by the ridiculous illogical things we have come to believe.

We read accordingly from verses 7 & 8, ‘The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. (8) They feed on the sin of My people, and direct their desire toward their iniquity.’ The priests, who are supposed to teach the people truth, have committed desecration by feeding on the sin offerings of Elohim’s people, in order to add sins to their own guilt. It is for this reason that YHVH says in verse 9: ‘And it will be, like people, like priest; so I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.’ What effects one part of the house of Israel, affects the whole nation. The same way as the priests desecrate Elohim’s holy sacrifices, so also does the layman; for that reason YHVH will profane their ‘glory’ and make what is precious contemptible. In the story of ‘the Councilor’ he buys his girlfriend a diamond ring in a million, but in the end when things started going wrong with the illegal activity that he got lured into, his girlfriend is kidnapped and his life falls to pieces. To a person who does not have much to do with what is happening in the world, this movie was a shocking eye opener to the realities happening right under our noses. If you believe that similar things are not happening in most Israelite cities around the world today, you are extremely naïve.

But YHVH continues to tell us through the prophet Hosea in verse 10, saying: ‘And they will eat, but not have enough; they play the harlot, but not increase, because they have stopped giving heed to YHVH.’ Increase or having children is seldom the intent of adultery; and their pleasures will not satisfy their lust – because they do not obey the instructions of Torah and remain within the confines of their marriage vows. However, this also has to do with committing idolatry, which to YHVH is like adultery because of the vows we made with Him at immersion. If we continue to teach children to worship YHVH under the guise of paganism – putting up Xmas trees and the things pagans do to worship Him, against His instructions in Jeremiah 10: 1- 5[1] and Leviticus 18: 3[2], He is definitely not pleased with us, even if we do it with the best of intentions. The point is: YHVH has recorded the way and also the times He wants us to worship Him in His word, and He is not interested in how pagans worship their gods. If we do not make Him the only authority in our lives, then He is not interested in us at this time.

We read from verses 11& 12, why people do not understand that what they doing during these pagan festivals are wrong, in this way: ‘Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away their understanding. (12) My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them; for the spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have played the harlot, departing from their Elohim.’ The side note against wooden idol gives as reference Isaiah 44: 19, as follows: ‘And no one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in fire, and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!”’ Without realizing it children fall down before the block of wood when they collect their Xmas presents which according to their belief a man in a red suit placed there for them.Without knowing it these little children have learned to pay homage to a fictitious character and in many cases neglect to thank YHVH for all they have and are. YHVH does not want us and our children to seek council from wooden idols, even though we will vehemently deny that that is our intention with these inanimate objects we bring into our homes. After all, those who do so do it under the guise of worshipping YHVH. This is exactly what happened to ancient Israel when they were taken captive by the Assyrians, as witnessed in 2 Kings 17: 33 & 38 - 41, as follows: ‘They feared YHVH and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile. (38) “And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. (39) But YHVH your Elohim you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” (40) However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. (41) So while these nations feared YHVH, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.’

 

(YHVH)’s admonition continues in verse 13, where He says: ‘They offer sacrifices on the tops of mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.’ Harlotry here means both harlotry and idolatry. The daughters mentioned here could be the daughters whom you have from the nations – also meaning your daughters in-law and even your granddaughters.YHVH says in verse 14 that He will not punish the daughters of men who themselves go to harlots and offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes; but that the people without understanding are ruined in this way. Do you understand what this is saying? Or do you like most in the world carry on regardless? Continuing in verses 15 – 19, we read: ‘Though you, Israel, play the harlot, do not let Judah become guilty; also do not go to Gilgal, or up to Beth-aven, and take the oath; “As YHVH Lives.!”(Gilgal is where the children of Israel observed their first Passover after 40 years of wondering in the wilderness. We see from Joshua 5: 9, ‘Then YHVH said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.’ YHVH does not want us to go to the places where we served Him, to worship our newly found idols.The meaning ofBeth-aven is simply the house of vanity – a town east of Bethel. It is also important to notice the contrast between the house of Israel and the house of Judah.) (16) ‘Since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer, can YHVH now pasture them like a lamb in a large field? (17) Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone. (18) Their liquor gone, they play the harlot continually; their rulers dearly love shame. (19) The wind wraps them in its wings, and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.’Yes, in the end when it is literally too late to qualify to become kings and priests under Messiah, these people will be ashamed because of their sacrifices to idols.

Chapter 5 of Hosea continues in the same manner. Without reading the entire chapter we see that even when Israel sees the results of the punishment she received because of her idolatry, she does not turn to YHVH, but we read from verses 13 & 14, ‘When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb. But he is unable to heal you, or to cure you of your wound.  (14) For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah, I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away, I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver.’ At this time both Israel and Judah will be turning to those (Assyria or Germany)who previously oppressed them, but they will not find any healing there. This was the same in the movie ‘The Councilor’; the person playing the part of the Councilor had no one to help him in the end – he was all alone and could not do anything to save the one he loved. People, if we do not want to turn to YHVH and follow Him the way that He prescribes in His word, we are simply fooling ourselves – no matter how devoted we believe we are.

Believe you me, Yahshua will not return until those of us whom He has called to come out of the false religions of the world, follow Him fully. This is after all what He told us through Hosea in verse 15 of chapter 5, saying: ‘I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their affliction (the coming great tribulation) they will earnestly seek Me.’  Those who do not want to follow YHVH the way He prescribes in His word, will if they live through the coming great tribulation, join us realizing that if they do not, they will simply be burned to ashes – since they knew what is right all along, but greed  and the worries of the world, kept them from committing to the way of Elohim in the past! Those who will not return are the ones Yahshua spoke about in Matthew 7: 22 & 23, saying: “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 performed many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them. ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” Whilst we are still awaiting the return of our Master and Savior, our deeds either bless us or curse us, since YHVH has put in place a system of cause and effect. It is simply like the law of gravity – if you  jump off a tall building you will fall to your death, but, if you don’t it will not affect you. Do not be deceived - YHVH does not smack us at this time, but once our Master arrives He will only accept those who diligently served and obeyed Him the way He prescribed in His word! Think about It!

 

[1]Jeremiah 10: 1 – 5, ‘Hear the word which YHVH speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says YHVH, “Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens although the nations are terrified by them; for the customs of the peoples are delusion; because it is wood cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, nor can they do any good.”’

[2]Leviticus 18: 3, ‘You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes.’