Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

Do you accept Messiah as your personal saviour?

Anti-Semitism has again like after the financial depression in 1929 become an observable fact throughout the world. A number of years prior to the second world war, some people who claimed to believe in Messiah, or C*h*r*i*s*t* as they refer to him, alleged that our Jewish Brothers killed the Messiah. The Second World War started in September 1939 and lasted until September 2, 1945, only 70 years ago. However, even though the problem of anti-Semitism became a lot less after the war, it is again becoming a growing problem throughout the world.  The same claims are again being heard in some religious circles around the world, and this time by people who have in recent years started using the Hebrew Name of the G-d of Israel, without realizing that one should refrain from using such names, especially if you do not honor the Almighty, by not heeding His commandments, statutes and judgments.

My line of questioning to those who make these totally unfounded claims are simply: Do you believe that Yahshua died for your sins, or not? If so, are you not then also responsible for His death? In addition, we need to read Yahshua’s own words regarding His death from John 10: 14 – 18, where He said: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me,(15) even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.(16) And I have other (Israelite) sheep, which are not of this fold (they do not presently attend synagogue services); I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd. (17) For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.(18) No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority (or power) to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father (from the foundation of the world[1]).” The fact that Messiah’s life atoned for the nation of Judah, but also for us from the lost ten tribes scattered throughout the nations of the world, because of Idolatry, was prophesied by Caiaphas the high priest during Messiah’s life of earth, in John 11: 49 – 52, in this way: ‘But a certain one of them Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, (50)  nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (51) Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua was going to die for the nation, (52) and not for the nation (Judah) only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of Elohim who are scattered abroad.’

To fully understand what is being said here, we need to backtrack to a time in the history of ancient Israel, when the house of Israel and the house of Judah used to be united under one shepherd, namely YHVH. It was during that time that King David who used to rule the united nation of Israel, after King Saul, wrote in Psalm 23: 1, saying: ‘YHVH is my shepherd, I shall not want.’  After King David, his son Solomon ruled the united nation of Israel for a further forty years. Then after Solomon’s death his son, King Rehoboam reigned in his place. During King Solomon’s reign, the nation lived very well, since he required heavy taxes from the citizens allowing them to dominate their neighbors both economically and militarily. However,this heavy tax burden caused major resentment among the citizens of Israel, and because of Jeroboam’s efficient administration over the forced labor in Israel, the nation requested that he speak to King Rehoboam, to try and lighten their tax burden under him.But, because King Rehoboam consulted with his peers, instead of with the elders who served under his father, he decided to increase the nation’s tax burden, as recorded in first Kings 12: 10 & 11, as follows: “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! (11) Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’” When the house of Israel saw that Rehoboam did not listen to them they answered the king, as recorded in verse 16 of 1 Kings 12, saying: ‘“What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel!  Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel departed to their tents.’  Israel subsequently made Jeroboam king over all Israel and none but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

Rehoboam acted swiftly and assembled the house of Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah, and Benjamin to fight against the house of Israel. But, this did not carry Elohim’s approval as recorded in first Kings 12: 22 – 24, in this way: ‘But the word of Elohim came to Shemaiah the man of Elohim, saying, (23) “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, (24) ‘Thus says YHVH, “You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of YHVH, and returned and went their way according to the word of YHVH.’ But, despite the fact that YHVH informed Jeroboam that He has chosen him to rule over the ten tribes of Israel, provided he does what is right in Elohim’s sight, Jeroboam feared that if the house of Israel returned to Jerusalem to keep Elohim’s annual Feast days, they will want Rehoboam to be their ruler once again. We see from verses 28 – 33 of 1 Kings 12, how Jeroboam sinned because of this fear and jealousy, as follows: ‘So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” (29) And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. (30) Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. (31) And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. (32) And Jeroboam instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah[2], and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. (33) Then he went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month  which he had devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense.’

King Jeroboam’s personal agenda led to sin that brought untold misery to the house of Israel.Soon after he started ruling the house of Israel, he led them away from worshipping YHVH in the way He prescribed in the Scriptures. Jeroboam’s counterfeit religion, with its own festivals and priesthood was the main reason for the house of Israel’s downfall.  Jeroboam was like us, specifically chosen by Elohim to rule His people, but he failed because of jealousy of Judah. Similarly today, there are some among us, specifically chosen to rule over Israel under Messiah one day, who are failing because of jealousy of Brother Judah. As a result some of the leaders, whom YHVH has specifically called at this time, are busy leading the people of Elohim to keep different Feast Days to those kept by Judah. At that time, Elohim pronounced a sobering judgment against  Jeroboam, as recorded in first Kings 14: 7 – 10, saying:“Go say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says YHVH Elohim of Israel, “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, (8) and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight; (9) you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast me behind your back— (10) therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone.” Because of Jeroboam’s sin, YHVH also rejected Israel as is recorded in verses 14 – 16, in this way: “Moreover, YHVH will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and from now on. (15) For YHVH will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking YHVH to anger. (16) And He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin.”The sins committed by Jeroboam were very serious and we read a second witness to Elohim’s rejection of the house of Israel, from 2 Kings 17: 20 – 23, as follows: ‘And YHVH rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight. (21) When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following YHVH, and made them commit a great sin. (22) And the sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them,(23) until YHVH removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.’

Truth be told, YHVH is never going to tolerate rebels amongst His people and as He warned through Ezekiel in Ezekiel 20: 33 – 38, saying: “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.” YHVH is at this time calling a remnant according to His gracious choice to follow Yahshua, so that He may bring us back to the covenant that we entered into with Him at Mount Sinai, together with Brother Judah.As opposed to the house of Israel, the house of Judah remained close to YHVH, even during the 70 years of their exile in Babylon. They returned to the Promised Land to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple of Elohim, with Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubbabel, about 2,500 years ago. We see from the genealogy of Yahshua through His mother Miriam, that Zerubbabel as much as David, both from the house of Judah, was Yahshua’s forefathers.

Yahshua came specifically to reconcile the lost sheep of the house of Israel back to the Father, as He also told the Canaanite woman who asked Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter in Matthew 15: 24, saying: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Yahshua’s disciples fully understood their mission to find the lost sheep scattered into the world, immersing them for the forgiveness of their sins in Yahshua’s saving name and to teach them what Yahshua taught them, whilst He was on earth. Because the house of Judah remained close to the Father and know what sin is, they do not need to come back to Him through Messiah at all. After all, they are already serving the Father in the way He prescribes in His word. It was also for this reason that Rav Kepha told returning Israelite (including gentile)believers in Yahshua in Acts 2: 38 & 39, saying: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (38) For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as YHVH our Elohim shall call to himself.” As we know the words ‘far off’ refer to the house of Israel only and comes from the way in which the prophet Daniel identified us, whilst he was still in captivity in Babylon, in Daniel 9: 7 where He prayed to YHVH, saying: “Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Master (Adonai), but to us open shame, as it is this day – to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee.”This is also how Rav Shaul referred to those of us from the un-circumcision who used to be excluded from the ‘commonwealth of Israel’,but are now reconciledto the Father and Brother Judah, through the blood of Messiah (as recorded in Ephesians 2: 11 – 19).

The fact that Jews need not be immersed into Yahshua’s name, should be a clear indication that they are forgiven their trespasses when they repent, since they remained Torah observant and know what sin is, Yahshua did not come for them at this time. However, they believe in the coming Kingdom of Elohim, where Messiah will come to initially establish the kingdom of Elohim over Israel as prophesied in Ezekiel 37: 15 – 28, and eventually over all the nations of the world. We see that one day when Messiah returns in the foreseeable future, He is coming to save the tents of Judah first, and at that time, will reveal Himself to our Jewish Brothers, at which time they will also accept Him as their Messiah, as recorded in Zechariah 12: 7 – 10, in this way: “YHVH also will save the tents of Judah first in order that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be magnified above Judah. (8) In that day YHVH will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like Elohim, like the angel of YHVH before them. (9) And it will come about in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (10) And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.”We see from verse 9 that this will be the time spoken about in Revelation 16: 16 – 21, as follows: ‘And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. (17) And the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” (18) And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.  (19) And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the great was remembered before Elohim, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. (20) And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (21) And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed Elohim because of the plague of hail, because the plague was extremely severe.’

In an effort to ensure that the erroneous opinion of those Nazarene/Messianic Israelites and like-minded believers who believe that they will be saved without Judah, is kept alive, they have since the mid-1990’s and early 2000’s started teaching that the Jews presently living in the land of Israel in the middle-east consist mainly of (Muslim) converts to Judaism from Khazaria.  In addition some of these Israelites even believe that they are Jews, or that they have replaced the Jews as the ones who have been given the Oracles of Elohim by Yahshua Himself, in the way they interpret Matthew 16: 18; i.e. that they have been given the right to decide the timing of the Feast Days of Elohim and other doctrinal issues all by themselves.Some maintain that the Khazars were non-Israelites who, en masse, accepted Judaism and became the forebears of the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe. This viewpoint tends to disenfranchise Ashkenazi Jews as “legitimate” Jews from the tribe of Judah, and it is historically inaccurate. However, a recent study published in Haaretz, an internet news agency in Israel proved through mitochondrial DNA testing that most Ashkenazi Jews are descendants of European women who converted to Judaism.  Ask yourself: Who could these European women who converted to Judaism be? Yes, you are correct – they are descendants of the house of Israel, who migrated over the Caucasus Mountains west into Europe, and because their forefathers were once part of the United Israel ruled by King David and his son Solomon, they went back to the original covenant relationship they had with the Father. So, these were simply women from the house of Israel, who like us, have returned to our Jewish roots. This was in effect a foreboding picture of what YHVH is doing through us at this time. It also tells us, thatas at this time, YHVH is definitely working with women in far greater numbers than men. The difference being that we have been removed so far from the faith of our father’s in the faith, that the only way we can get back to our Father YHVH and Brother Judah is through Yahshua our Messiah. In addition this study debunks the theory that Ashkenazi Jews descend from North Caucasus during the time of the Khazarian empire, whose rulers turned to Judaism around the 10th century CE. The study found no material lineages that could be traced to the North Caucasus.

But sad to say, the fact that these returning Israelites are claiming to replace the Jews in that they now have Elohim’s authority to change the Feast Days of Elohim to coincide with calendars of their own design, is exactly what Yahshua warned one of His congregations about in the book of Revelation2: 8 – 11, saying: “And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead and has come to life, says this: (9) I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (10) Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (11) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregation. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” This congregation had to, and will again in the future have to go through a period of tribulation, during which some of their members will be killed for their faith in the true Messiah. However, they are promised eternal life in the first resurrection, and as we read from Revelation 20: 6[3], the second death will have no power over them. The reference to those who say that they are Jews and are not, are about those who usurp the authority that YHVH gave to the tribe of Levi amongst the Jews, to proclaim the annual Feast Days of Elohim, as witnessed in Romans 9: 3 &4[4] and Malachi 2: 1 - 8[5].Continuing in Revelation 3: 9, we see Yahshua’s judgment of those who usurp the authority of the house of Judah to determine the timing of their own annual Feast days, saying: “Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you.” People who usurp the authority of Jews, by deciding for themselves when to keep Elohim’s annual Feast Days, because they believe the Jews were unfaithful, should read Romans 3: 3 & 4[6] prayerfully.

Those who somehow believe that they will enter the kingdom of Elohim on their own or that YHVH is only going to remarry the house of Israel when He returns in the near future are in for a rude awakening. We read about this new marriage covenant that YHVH will make with both houses from Hebrews 8: 6 – 12  (which is quoted from Jeremiah 31), in this way: ‘But now He (talking about Yahshua) has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. (7) For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. (8) For finding fault with them, He says, “BEHOLD DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS YHVH, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH (both houses); (9) NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS YHVH. (10) FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS YHVH; I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR ELOHIM, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. (11)AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW YHVH,’ FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. (12)FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.’Even though Yahshua will remarry both houses of Israel when He returns one day, He only needs to write the Torah on the hearts and minds of the house of Israel, since theHouse of Judahare already Torah observant.(As a side light: The two sections of the Scriptures which Christianity incorrectly call Testaments, are in effect Covenants, since a covenant is established by a vow, and a testament is established by a death.) Knowing these Scriptural truths, are you going to continue making anti-Semitic statements? Or are you going to approach our Jewish Brothers to try and learn from them, as is prophesied by Zechariah in Zechariah 8: 23, as follows: “Thus says YHVH of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all nations (meaning us from the lost ten tribes) will grasp the garment of a Jew saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.’”

Satan has deceived the whole world at this time as is confirmed in Revelation 12: 9. Yahshua Messiah came to earth in the form of a Jewish man – the Jews being the most hated nation in the world. This in itself caused many to fall away from the true faith in Messiah. However, we need to be ever mindful of Messiah’s answer to one of the Scribes when he asked Him in Mark 12: 28, saying; “What commandment is the foremost of all?” (29) Yahshua answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR O ISRAEL! YHVH OUR ELOHIM IS ONE YHVH; (30) AND YOU SHALL LOVE YHVH YOUR ELOHIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ (31)The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Yahshua also said to the Samarian woman in John 4: 22, “You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” After reading Messiah’s words, ask yourself as a member of the house of Israel: Do you still believe in two (YHVH)’s; and who is your neighbor? Yes, you are correct;your neighbor consists of all those from the house of Judah, (meaning Jews) and the house of Israel. Finally, do you accept responsibility for Messiah’s death? Think carefully about it!

 

 

 

[1] Elohim decided from the creation of the world, that His visible Image will come to earth to die for the sins of the world, as witnessed in first Peter 1: 18 – 20, as follows: ‘Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Messiah. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.’

 

[2] The Feast of or Tabernacles kept by Judah is as given in Leviticus 23: 33 – 36, as follows: ‘Again YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to YHVH. On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to YHVH. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to YHVH; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.”’

 

[3] Revelation 20: 6, ‘Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of Elohim and His Messiah and will reign with Him for a thousand years.’

 

[4] Romans 9: 3 & 4, ‘For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Messiah for the sake of my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh (meaning the Jews), who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the (timing of) temple service and the promises (that heirs of Abraham will inherit the Promised Land forever, and that David will be their king forever).’

 

[5]Malachi 2: 1 – 8: ‘And now, this commandment is for you, O priests. “If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says YHVH of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi,” says YHVH of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object or reverence; so he revered Me, and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and unrighteousness, and he turned many back from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of YHVH of hosts. But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says YHVH of hosts.’

 

[6] Romans 3: 3 & 4,’What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of Elohim, will it? May it never be! Rather let Elohim be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT THOU MIGHTEST BE JUSTIFIED IN THY WORDS, AND MIGHTEST PREVAIL WHEN THOU ART JUDGED.”