158 Root of bitterness | nazareneisrael2house

Root of bitterness.

When YHVH renewed the covenant that He made with Israel at Mount Sinai, with the children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, He told Moses and those who were about to enter the land that He is not only making the covenant with them alone, but with every Israelite who lived since that time, including us their latter day descendants in Deuteronomy 29: 10 – 16, saying: “You stand today, all of you, before YHVH your Elohim: your chiefs, your tribes, your elders and your officers, even all the men of Israel, (11) your little ones, your wives, and the alien who is within your camps, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, (12) that you may enter into the covenant with YHVH your Elohim, and into His oath which YHVH your Elohim is making with you today, (13) in order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your Elohim, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (14) Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath, (15) but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of YHVH our Elohim and with those who are not with us here today (16) (for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed.”

YHVH continued to warn that we should be careful not to turn away from Him and the covenant that He made with us as the commonwealth of Israel for our good, in verses 17 – 20, saying: “Moreover, you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which they had with them); (18) lest there shall be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from YHVH our Elohim, to go and serve the gods of those nations; lest there shall be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood. (19) And it shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, ‘I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry,’ (20) YHVH shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of YHVH and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and YHVH will blot out his name from under heaven.” It is therefore incumbent on each of us who have proved our linage right back to one of the twelve tribes of Israel and who accordingly entered into the Renewed Covenant with Him at that time, to ensure that our hearts (meaning our belief system) do not turn away from Him, else we will be destroyed. Even though all of mankind was created in the image of Elohim and has the greatest potential of everything that YHVH our Elohim created on earth, He created each one of us with mind power to make our own decisions and has given us an inherent ability to like Him be ‘masters of our own destiny’. But, this presented us with a major problem since human nature has been prone to being rebellious against Elohim from the time mankind was created. The Scriptures are full of examples for us to either follow, or to avoid. Yahshua our Messiah, the image of Elohim (as recorded in Colossians 1: 15[1]), came to leave those of us called by Elohim from the churches of the world, a perfect example of how to live, as we read from 1 Peter 2: 21, in this way: ‘For you have been called for this purpose, since Messiah also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.’

Similarly our forefathers, the ancient Israelites, called to come out of Egypt, left us various examples, what not to do, as we read from 1 Corinthians 10: 1 - 6, as follows: ‘For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea (all of them were immersed like us); (3) and all ate the same spiritual food; (they were taught the same lessons that we are taught today) (4) and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Messiah. (Like us they also were in touch with Messiah.) (5) Nevertheless, with most of them Elohim was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. (6) Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved.’ As we study the annual Torah portions from one year to another, YHVH wants us to slowly but surely learn, not to follow the examples left us by our ancient Israelite forefathers, during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The question is: do we learn from these examples, or do we like Churchianity think and say; ‘all we have to do is, believe’, without fully understanding what it means to have faith. Faith or more correctly faithfulness is attained by making an in depth study of the Word of YHVH (the Scriptures) and is accordingly based on a thorough knowledge of the promises YHVH made to our fathers in the faith, trusting enough that YHVH will deliver what He has promised in His coming Kingdom, to ensure our obedience with our hearts (belief system), and souls (the way we live our lives). Rav Shaul defines faith in Hebrews 11: 1 and 2 and adds that without it, we cannot please Elohim in verse 6, saying: ‘Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (2) For by it the men of old gained approval. (6) And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Elohim must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.’

Bearing in mind the examples our ancient forefathers left us of how not to serve YHVH our Elohim, we read Rav Shaul’s warning from Hebrews 3: 12 – 19, in this way: ‘Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living Elohim. (13) But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we have become partakers of Messiah, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; (15) while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.” (16) For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? (17) And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? (18) And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? (19) And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.’ The apostle Jude also warned us the modern day disciples of Messiah not to contradict what He taught His disciples in the letter of Jude. Even though Yahshua chose His own disciples, we also know that one of them was chosen specifically to betray Him. An explanation of this may be read in Jude verses 3 & 4, as follows: “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (called out believers). (4) For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our Elohim into licentiousness and deny (contradict) our only Master Yahshua Messiah.” Rav Shaul puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 11: 19, ‘For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you.’ A point to remember is that the Israelites were at that time observing the Sabbaths (weekly and annual), the kosher food laws and the other commandments of Elohim. Rav Shaul wrote about them in Romans 9: 31 - 33, as follows: ‘but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. (32) Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, (33) just as it is written, “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.’ Rav Kepha talking about Yahshua says in 1 Peter 2: 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.’ It is sad to say that many of those called by Elohim at this time, are even now stumbling over Yahshua our Messiah, the very corner stone upon which the congregation is built. Jude therefore warns us about the great falling away that started even during the time of the apostles and will continue right up to the time when Yahshua our Messiah returns to rule us from Jerusalem.

We see from verse 4, quoted before that ungodly (profane) people who turn the grace of Elohim, into licentiousness, denying or more correctly contradicting both YHVH and Yahshua, have crept into the body of believers, who were like Judas Iscariot, marked out for condemnation. But how do they contradict YHVH and Yahshua, might you ask? Yahshua Himself answered the question in John 5: 43 – 47, saying: “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him[2]. (44) How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only Elohim? (45) Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. (Yahshua was talking to the Jews of His day here, but is also talking to us, His modern day congregation of called-out believers.) (46) For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. (47) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” Yahshua confirmed that if we do not believe Torah we will not believe what He taught. Jude continued in verses 5 - 8 of Jude, saying: ‘Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that YHVH, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. (6) And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode (described in Isaiah 14: 12 - 15[3]), He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day (in Revelation 20: 10). (7) Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (The result of the fire is permanent – and since flesh and blood is physical it will only burn until it is reduced to ash.) (8) Yet in the same manner these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.’ Even though these people who sow discontent among us, do not actually commit divination, or idolatry; YHVH said to King Saul, through Samuel, in 1 Samuel 15: 23, “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.” They are therefore guilty of such sins. Still talking about those who crept in unnoticed to turn us away from the truth, Jude writes in verse 10, ‘But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.’ This is talking about such things as the mystery of our faith, which we read about in 1Timothy 3: 9 & 16: that is, that Elohim was revealed in the flesh as Yahshua. Continuing from verse 11 of Jude, we read: ‘Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain (full of hatred), and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.’

We turn to the book of Genesis to discover what the way of Cain is, and where it started. Turning to Genesis 6: 5, we read: ‘Then YHVH saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’ The thoughts of mankind are focused upon evil all day. Man failed to recognize each other as human beings created in the image of Elohim. Torah teaches the truth that all mankind came from a single father and mother created in the image of Elohim. The sin of non-recognition prevailed upon the earth and may perhaps be best understood where a group of human beings deny the right of other human beings to live and work to provide for their own families. This distorted consciousness manifested in the words of Cain, when he said in Genesis 4: 9, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Notice that the question remains unanswered by Elohim. This is a typical response by those who turn their backs on the homeless, the widow, and the orphan. The Torah is clear; we are our brother’s keeper. The origins of cruelty lie in the sin of not recognizing the image of Elohim in one another. YHVH warned Cain to change his outlook in life and not feel rejected, alienated, or disappointed, or sin would overtake him. By harboring emotions of envy, anger and violence, Cain opened the door to sin. Sin is the inflated puffed up presumption of the ego which takes over the functions of self! Rav Yaa’cov explained this in James 1: 14 & 15, as follows: ‘But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (15) Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.’ In slaying his brother Abel, Cain destroyed generations of his descendants. A murderer not only kills his victim, but something in the lives of the victim’s survivors as well. Elohim said to Cain, that Abel’s blood is crying to Him from the ground. We may not hear the cries of innocent blood of future generations that are destroyed due to mankind’s neglect for his brother. We read fittingly from Psalm 94: 3 – 9, ‘How long shall the wicked, O YHVH, how long shall the wicked exult? (4) They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; all who do wickedness vaunt themselves. (5) They crush Thy people, O YHVH, and afflict Thy heritage. (6) They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the orphans. (7) And they have said, “YHVH does not see, nor does the Elohim of Jacob pay heed.” (8) Pay heed, you senseless among the people; and when will you understand, stupid ones? (9) He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see?”’ YHVH asked Cain, “What have you done?” When confronted with his sin Cain justified his violent behavior towards Abel with an insolent answer. We can try and justify our lack of compassion and love towards our neighbor with false excuses, but in the end we will be held accountable for our actions in this life. Survivors of the Holocaust not only remember the murderous Nazis, but also the cold indifference of their neighbors who looked on and did nothing as they were being led away to the camps and death. Those who stand by idly and watch the innocent die due to the cruelty and injustices of mankind are also accountable for their silence.

Torah contrasts the command to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ with the prohibition ‘not to stand idly by while another is in need’, as witnessed in Leviticus 19: 16 – 18, as follows: ‘You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor, I am YHVH. (17) You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor; but shall not incur sin because of him. (18) You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am YHVH.’ We read accordingly from Genesis 9: 5 & 6, ‘And surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man. (6) Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of Elohim He made man.’ As Israel we have a commandment to attain to the qualities of goodness and kindness. We should rid ourselves of jealousy, hatred, falsehood, conceit and prejudice and strive to acquire the virtues of humility, kindness, truth and love. But, how can we achieve this? By recognizing that each and every human being, made in the image of Elohim, have the potential to become the very sons or daughters of Elohim. Even so, what is the cause of conflict? Rav Yaa’cov gives us the answer in James 4: 1 - 3, in this way: ‘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.’ Rav Yaa’cov continues to give us the antidote for such wrongful behavior in verses 4 – 7, as follows: ‘You adulteresses, 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 a greater grace. Therefore it says, “ELOHIM IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (the teachable).” (7) Submit therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil 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.’ We commit sin with our hands and serve YHVH with our hearts; YHVH is not interested in lukewarm followers who are double minded. No, He wants us to follow Him whole heartedly. Rav Yochanan wrote about this in 1 John 2: 9 – 11, in this way: ‘The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. (10) The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. (11) But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.’ He continues in 1 John 4: 20 – 21, saying: ‘If someone says, “I love Elohim,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love Elohim whom he has not seen.”’ If a fellow human being needs help it is part of your test in life, a message to you, to see if and how you will help him. The Talmud asks, ‘Why was Adam created alone? So that every person should say, “the entire world was created just for me.”’ This is recognition that everything- including the needs of every other human being – was specifically created for you.

The error of Balaam was that he determined to curse Elohim’s people because of greed. History repeats itself because we see that similarly the embodiment of Esau or more specifically the Roman Catholic Church and her protestant daughters continue to curse the house of Israel which they took captive about 1800 years ago, and started teaching them falsehood for payment. They will receive their due reward as prophesied by Yahshua in a vision to Yochanan in Revelation 18: 8, saying: “For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for YHVH Elohim who judges her is strong.” The rebellion of Korah spoken about here has to do with our Feast Days, as we read from verse 12 of Jude, in this way: ‘These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts (the Feast days of Elohim, which we keep because we obey Him from the heart) when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted.’ The people spoken about here are double-minded and will keep the Feast days of Elohim with you one year, but will follow different Feast days the next year – blown around by every wind of doctrine. Let’s now consider Korah’s rebellion from Torah, to see what we should not do – if we want to qualify to enter the kingdom of Elohim. Korah questioned the leadership of Moses and Aaron the two people whom YHVH chose to lead the united nation of Israel. Korah and his followers were all chosen in the assembly; men of renown who challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron, saying to them in verse 3 of Numbers 16, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and YHVH is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of YHVH?” Moses was shocked to hear Korah’s accusation and therefore challenged Korah and his followers to a test to prove their authority, by letting Elohim choose the appropriate leader for the congregation. In verse 12 - 15 of Numbers 16, we read, ‘Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. (13) Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of the land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? (14) Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!’ At this point Moses really became angry, and said to YHVH in verse 15, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” Moses also instructs Korah and his men to take firepans and put incense on it, and tell them to each bring a censer before YHVH. He also told Aaron to do likewise. The next morning Korah assembled the entire congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Then YHVH spoke to Moses and Aaron in verse 22, saying: “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” So Moses and Aaron fell on their faces, saying to YHVH (in verse 22): “O Elohim, Thou Elohim of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, wilt Thou be angry with the entire congregation?”

Next YHVH tells Moses to move the congregation away from Korah and his men. Moses obeys YHVH and said to the congregation in verse 28 - 30 of Numbers 16, “By this you shall know that YHVH has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. (29) If these men die the death of all men, or if they suffer the fate of all men, then YHVH has not sent me. (30) But if YHVH brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned YHVH.” When Moses finished speaking, the earth opened up and swallowed Korah and his men, with all their households and their possessions. The nation fled at the outcry of Korah and his cohorts and then fire also came forth from YHVH and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. We might not in this day and age be destroyed by YHVH in the same way that He did Korah and the 250 with him, but we see that the wicked are warned of a similar fate in Malachi 4: 1, as follows: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says YHVH of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” We read further in verses 2 & 3 of Malachi 4, what will happen to those who fear the name of YHVH enough to do what is required of them, as follows: ‘“But for you who fear (revere) My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. (3) And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says YHVH of hosts.’ After this YHVH told Moses to tell Eleazar the son of Aaron that he should take up the censers out of the midst of the fire as they are set-apart. In addition Moses told him to take the censers and let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they are set-apart and shall be a sign to the sons of Israel. Eleazar obeyed and made an altar as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should come near to burn incense before YHVH, that he might not become like Korah and his company – just as YHVH spoke to him through Moses, we should not ever burn incense before YHVH.

However, this initial outburst triggered another challenge from the sons of Israel, when they grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying in the last part of verse 41 of Numbers 16, “You are the ones who have caused the death of (YHVH)’s people.” Next the congregation assembled against Moses and Aaron, and they turned to the tent of meeting. Afterward the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of Elohim appeared. When Moses and Aaron came to the tent of meeting YHVH spoke to Moses saying that they should get away from the congregation, so that He may consume the entire congregation. But, Moses instructed Aaron to quickly take his censer and put fire from the altar in it and burn incense on it, thus making atonement for the congregation, for the wrath of Elohim has gone forth from YHVH and a plague started. Aaron did as Moses told him and took his stand between the dead and the living and so the plague was checked. However, we see that 14700, besides Korah and his men, died by the plague because of their rebellion. Continuing in Numbers 17, we see that YHVH has now gained the attention of the entire nation, He tells Moses to take the rods of all the leaders according to their father’s households and write their names on their rods. YHVH also tells Moses to write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. Then YHVH instructed Moses to deposit the rods in the tent of meeting, saying that it will come about that the rod of the man whom YHVH chooses will sprout. Moses did as YHVH told him and the next day, he saw that Aaron’s staff not only sprouted buds, but also bear flowers and almonds. Moses brought the rods out in the presence of YHVH showing it to all the sons of Israel. Each man took his rod, but YHVH instructed Moses to put Aaron’s rod before the Ark to bear testimony, to be kept against the rebels that they may put an end to their grumblings against YHVH, so that they should not die. This is in support of Malachi 2: 2 – 8, where YHVH through Malachi tells us that the Levites, who are among Judah today, are still in control of the timing of His Feast Days. This should also serve as a warning to those of us whom YHVH has called out of the world to follow Him, not to entertain thoughts of rebellion against Him and His will for us. We all understand that the way of Elohim is a way of giving and sharing, as opposed to that of Satan and the world - which is a way of get. We notice from Numbers 16: 1 that Korah ‘took’. He was one of those people in the world who are simply out to get, usually something that they don’t have. I am certain that most of us know people in all three categories mentioned in Jude 11 – people like Cain who are jealous of the property or the ability that Elohim gave to others; those who like Balaam curse Elohim’s people by teaching them to disregard His Torah for financial gain and those who like Korah rebelled against Elohim’s chosen spiritual leaders (the Levites). Let us therefore determine not to go the way of Cain, or for payment rush headlong in the way of Balaam, or perish in rebellion like Korah but do as Jude wrote in verses 20 & 21, saying: ‘But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most set-apart faith; praying in the Set-apart Spirit; (21) keep yourselves in the love of Elohim, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Master Yahshua to eternal life.’

Finally we read Elohim’s warning to the rebels in the house of Israel through Ezekiel in Ezekiel 20: 30 – 38, saying: ‘Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus says YHVH Elohim, ‘Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? (31) And when you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel?’ As I live, declares YHVH Elohim, I will not be inquired of by you. (32) And what comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.’ (33) “As I live,” declares YHVH Elohim, “surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. (34) And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; (35) and I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I shall enter into judgment with you face to face. (36) As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares YHVH Elohim. (37) And I shall make you pass under the rod, and I shall bring you into the bond of the covenant; (38) and I shall purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me, I shall bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am YHVH.’ Think about it!

[1] Colossians 1: 15, ‘And He is the image of the invisible Elohim, the first-born (of the dead as per Colossians 1: 18) of all creation.’

[2] An example of such a contradiction is where Yahshua said that He will be in the grave for three days and three nights, like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three full days and three full nights, yet very few believe Him today, evidenced by their belief that He was buried on a Friday afternoon at sunset and raised from the grave on Sunday morning – one and a half days later. A second example is where we read from Deuteronomy 4: 3, “To you it was shown that you might know that YHVH, He is Elohim; there is no other besides Him.” After reading this Scriptural witness, those who insist that there are two (YHVH)s are contradicting YHVH Himself.

[3] Isaiah 14: 12 – 15: “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the Dawn! (the KJV calls him Lucifer) You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars (angels) of Elohim, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north (meaning Elohim’s throne). I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.”