On the innocent tongues of young children and nursing infants God has placed an indictment against the enemies of God and Israel. When the infants of Israel praise God, He responds in mercy and establishes the strength of just vengeance against the enemies of God and Israel. Young children and nursing infants are vulnerable and considered weak, but God’s strength is made perfect in weakness and will avenge the acts of the wicked enemies of God and Israel. 1 To the chief musician, on the wine press (ancient instrument),
a melody of David: 2 (1)YHVH, our Lord, How majestic is Your Name in all the earth (land), Who has established splendour upon the heavens! 3 (2) From the mouths of children and nursing infants You have established strength, purposed to cease your enemies and avenge. 4 (3) When I see Your heaven, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, established by You, 5 (4) What is a man that You bring him to mind, And a son of Adam (human) that You attend to him? 6 (5) For You have made him a little lower than the angelic messengers, And glory and splendour surround him. [Alt. And left wanting somewhat from Elohim, and glory and splendour crown him.] 7 (6) You have given him dominion over the works of Your hand; You have put all under his feet, 8 (7) All sheep and oxen-- Even the beasts of the field, 9 (8) The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the ways of the oceans. 10 (9) YHVH, our Lord, How majestic is Your Name in all the earth (land)! -Tehillim (Psalms) 8:1-9 [Author’s translation] Line By Line: 1 To the chief musician, on the wine press (ancient instrument), a melody of David: Like many of David’s psalms, this psalm was written for corporate worship and given to the director or chief musician with an instruction to use a specific lead instrument, הגתית ha-gitit, which is figuratively called a “wine press.” It’s possible that this was a type of stringed instrument which had a haunting/hissing sound like the sound of grapes being pressed. 2 (1) YHVH, our Lord, How majestic is Your Name in all the earth (land), Who has established splendour upon the heavens! David begins by acknowledging the proper noun YHVH and adding “our Lord,” so as to emphasise that YHVH is El Elohay Yisrael (God the God of Israel). The majesty of God’s Holy Name is self-explanatory and is evident in all creation. The Hebrew הארץ ha-aretz can be translated “the land (of Israel),” or “the earth.” In both cases the Name of YHVH is majestic and over all things. This is further emphasised by the Hebrew poetic couplet, “Who has established splendour upon the heavens,” meaning that the highest heavens are beneath God’s authority and all things exist in Him. “Majesty” corresponds to “Splendour,” and “Earth,” corresponds to “Heavens.” God has created and has dominion over all things. 3 (2) From the mouths of children and nursing infants You have established strength, purposed to cease your enemies and avenge. On the innocent tongues of young children and nursing infants God has placed an indictment against the enemies of God and Israel. When the infants of Israel praise God, He responds in mercy and establishes the strength of just vengeance against the enemies of God and Israel. Young children and nursing infants are vulnerable and considered weak, but God’s strength is made perfect in weakness and will avenge the acts of the wicked enemies of God and Israel. 4 (3) When I see Your heaven, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, established by You, God’s omnipotence is evident in His creation. His continued participation in creation is alluded to by the anthropomorphism, “the work of Your fingers.” 5 (4) What is a man that You bring him to mind, And a son of Adam (human) that You attend to him? This phrasing humbly acknowledges that human beings are tiny in relationship to God and that His love and continued redemptive actions toward us causes the contrite person to wonder at His faithful character. “Bring to mind,” means “chose to think about/care for.” The Hebrew couplet adds, “a son of Adam (human being) that You attend to him?” This establishes God’s love motivation and its intrinsic link to attending to, or caring for, Adam (the human being), both individually and corporately. 6 (5) For You have made him a little lower than the angelic messengers, And glory and splendour surround him. [Alt. And left wanting somewhat from Elohim, and glory and splendour crown him.] This Scripture describes God’s gift to the first human and to all subsequent humans. The gift of being B’nai Elohim (Children of God), and therefore caretakers of creation under God’s authority. This can also be seen as being prophetic of the Messiah, the “last Adam,” Who has willingly become lower than the angelic messengers and is crowned with the splendour and glory of God. 7 (6) You have given him dominion over the works of Your hand; You have put all under his feet, While this was initially true of Adam and after sin entered the world, less prominent. It is only truly applicable to the Son of Man Yeshua, under whose feet God has put the enemies of God and Israel. 8 (7) All sheep and oxen-- Even the beasts of the field, 9 (8) The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the ways of the oceans. In Messiah we have been given the privilege of being caretakers of the animals. Ultimately Yeshua is the Man Who is King over all. 10 (9) YHVH, our Lord, How majestic is Your Name in all the earth (land)! The psalm ends as it began, David concludes by acknowledging the proper noun YHVH and adding “our Lord,” so as to emphasise that YHVH is El Elohay Yisrael (God the God of Israel) and Ruler over all the earth. Copyright 2025 Yaakov Ben Yehoshua The Greek αἰώνιος aiōnios translated here as “everlasting,” is the same word used in John 3:16 to describe the life a believer receives by trusting in the Son of God. Introduction
There is a significant amount of confusion among believers concerning the afterlife. In part this is due to the misrepresentation of terms and the use of variant nouns as synonyms. Additionally the swinging back and forth between hyper-law and hyper-grace movements within the global faith community throughout the millennia means that the subjects of heaven and hell are either misappropriated or disestablished depending on the specific type of syncretized worldview possessed by scholars, community leaders, teachers and laypeople who continue to teach the doctrines of men rather than receiving the doctrine of Scripture. A correct Scriptural understanding of the afterlife is fundamentally important in establishing both a sense of security for the believer and an appropriate warning to the non-believer. Recent attempts by so called “Progressive” theologians to revise the meanings of words, and to decontextualize and falsify the usage of the original languages of Scripture pertaining to the afterlife, have served to place many in the wider body of faith under a satanic delusion regarding what is to come. Sadly Universalism, Annihilationism and numerous other pseudo-Christian lies have now become common place in the community of faith. This has in part been a polemic reaction to the overly zealous misapplication of the Scriptures by hyper-conservative theologians and preachers. As Messiah essential people we are tasked with gleaning our understanding from a contextual reading of Scripture according to the illumination of the Holy Spirit, Who reveals the teaching of Messiah unto the glory of the Father. What follows is a concise and orderly look at the use of key nouns and terms and the wealth of information in the meta-narrative of Scripture that clearly establishes both everlasting life and perpetual fire (punishment) respectively, alongside the nuanced nouns alluding to the holding place of the departed, the grave, and the distinct elements of the body, and spiritual consciousness which make up the unity of human existence in God the Creator. We begin with the understanding that God is all existing and that in Him all things are created, exist, and have their being (Acts 17:28). Nothing can exist outside of God. Therefore, it’s necessary to hold a godly Biblical Hebrew worldview regarding the created order. Where many Christian theologians teach a compartmentalized Greco-Roman worldview of separations and the whole, the godly Biblical Hebrew worldview understands distinctions within the whole. With this in mind we seek Messiah for the illumination of the written Word by the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father. “And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing, renovation of your intellect, that you may prove through scrutiny what is that good and acceptable and full will of the God.” -Romans 12:2 [Author’s translation] Afterlife Nouns & Phrasing The proper defining of nouns and common terms is essential. The following are the nouns and common terms used by the Scriptures to refer to the afterlife and related observations of it within the limitations of sin affected time and space: Sheol[H] (שׁאל) – The spiritual holding place of the departed. It is a Hebrew noun equivalent to the Greek ᾅδης Hades, and should not be confused with the Hebrew קברה/קבר (keverah/kever) meaning grave.* *[Biblically speaking, the Hebrew קברה/קבר (keverah/kever) always refers to the above ground interment of a physical body, be it in a cave, tomb, or under a pile of stones. Biblical Jews did not bury bodies beneath the earth]. By inference the spiritual location called Sheol is below, subterranean, however, it is not locational in the earthly sense but is simply a place where all the departed souls/spirits of human beings reside following death in preparation for the resurrection and the judgement. Sheol is a unity consisting of two distinct places divided by an uncrossable chasm (Luke 16:19-31). Those two places are:
*[Hell is an English translation typically used to render Sheol or Hades but colloquially used to describe the Lake of Fire, an entirely unique place of eternal torment that receives Hell but is not Hell]. Gehinnom/Gehenna/Geena is distinct from the Lake of Fire but will be cast into the lake of fire and thus has both a temporal application and an everlasting one when made convergent to everlasting fire following the judgement (Rev. 20:10-15). Sheol is used approximately 65 times in the TaNaKh (OT). It’s often translated as “grave,” though it is not the grave (As explained, Biblical Hebrew has a specific word for grave קברה keverah which always denotes an above ground interment), except where grave is used as a euphemism for “holding place of the dead.” Sheol is less often translated “Hell,” which, as explained, is extremely misleading given that Hell is often used as a synonym for Everlasting Punishment in modern English and is therefore not representative of either the Hebrew שׁאל (Sheol) or the Greek ᾅδης (Hades), but is in the case of its misuse a noun denoting the Lake of Fire. On rare occasions translators render Sheol as “Pit.” This is done specifically where it is used to describe the final destination of those wicked ones who have been swallowed up by the earth due to quake fissures opening up to consume them in God’s wrath. Kever/Keverah[H] (קברה/קבר) – The location of an above ground interment of a physical body, be it in a cave, tomb, or under a pile of stones.* *[Biblical Jews did not bury bodies beneath the earth. Additionally, many modern observant Jews follow this ancient practice. Above ground stone encased corpses of Jewish people cover much of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to this day]. Abaddon[H] (אבדּון) – A place of destruction and perishing distinct within Sheol and therefore equivalent to the later first century CE Hebrew/Aramaic Gehinnom גֵיהִינָּם (Job 26:6, 28:22, 31:12; Proverbs 15:11). Abaddon is also transliterated into Greek in the New Testament as the name of the angelic keeper of the Pit Ἀβαδδών (Abaddon) who is called Apollyon Ἀπολλύων in Greek (Rev. 9:11). The Greek Apollyon Ἀπολλύων means Destroyer. אבדּון (Abaddon) is used 5 times in the TaNaKh (OT) and once in the New Testament. Gehenna/Geenna/Gehinnom[H & G] גֵיהִינָּם (γέεννα) – A place of torment within ᾅδης (Hades)/ שׁאל(Sheol) where the wicked reside awaiting the resurrection and the Judgement. There is an uncrossable chasm between Gehinnom and The Bosom of Abraham (Paradise) where the righteous departed reside (Luke 16:19-31). The Greek γέεννα (Geenna) is synonymous with the Hebrew גֵיהִינָּם (Gehinnom) which combines the Hebrew גּיא (giy) meaning valley and הנּם (Hinnom) meaning lamentation. This refers to the ancient valley of (the son of) Hinnom; thus, Gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley directly south of Jerusalem, used figuratively as a name for the place or state of perpetual punishment, where the departed wicked await judgement and ultimately everlasting imprisonment in the Lake of Fire, which is where Gehinnom, Death and Hades will be thrown following the judgement (Rev. 20:14). It’s noteworthy that both Yeshua the Messiah and Rabbinical Jewish eschatological traditions use Gehinnom/Gehenna to refer to a spiritual place in the afterlife. A place of torment for the wicked. Gehenna/Geena (γέεννα) is used 23 times in the Greek New Testament. It is also used countless times in its Hebrew/Aramaic forms in ancient Rabbinical Jewish literature including but not limited to the Mishnah, Talmud Bavliy, Musar, Chasidut, and the Zohar, and carries a similar meaning in all instances of its use. Both modern Rabbinical and Progressive Christian scholars seek to diminish the meaning of Gehinnom/Gehenna by invoking an almost mythical application. They seek to reduce Gehinnom/Gehenna to a hyper figurative form that at best is nothing more than a slap on the wrist for the wicked and a type of Grimm’s fable warning to the righteous. They are tragically wrong and devoid of repentance are themselves in danger of entering Gehinnom/Gehenna. Bosom of Abraham[G & H] Ἀβραάμ κόλπος [a.k.a Gan Eden גן אדן, Paradise παράδεισος] – The distinct holding place of the righteous within ᾅδης (Hades)/ שׁאל(Sheol), kept distinct by an uncrossable chasm between it and Gehenna/Gehinnom (Luke 16:19-31). Paradise[G] (παράδεισος) [Gan Eden גן אדן] - The distinct holding place of the righteous within ᾅδης (Hades)/ שׁאל(Sheol), kept distinct by an uncrossable chasm between it and Gehenna/Gehinnom. Paradise is a synonym for the “Bosom of Abraham,” and “Gan Eden” (Luke 16:19-31). Shamayim[H] Heaven/Heavens (שׁמים) – The collected heavens consisting of the earth’s atmosphere (First heaven), the universe/universes (Second Heaven), and that which is beyond all creation, outside of all worlds, in God and subject to Him (3rd heaven) [421 uses in the TaNaKh (OT)]. The Greek equivalent is οὐρανός (Ouranos) [282 uses in the NT]. Lake of Fire[G] (λίμνη πῦρ) – The place of everlasting punishment following the Judgement at the end of days. In addition to the clear Revelation of Yeshua to John, which describes the Lake of Fire as the place of Everlasting Punishment, Yeshua also refers to Gehenna/Gehinnom as being a place of perpetual fire because He knows that those assigned to the temporal holding place of Gehenna/Gehinnom will ultimately be confined to the Lake of Fire for all eternity (Rev. 20:10-15). Lake of Fire (λίμνη πῦρ) is used 4 times in the New Testament explicitly and 6 times as the synonymous phrase γέενναν τοῦ πυρός (Geennan tou pyros) “The Hell Fire” (Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15 – Matt. 5:22; 18:9; Mark 9:43-47; James 3:6). The World to Come[H]/Age to Come[G] (Olam Haba)[H] (עולם הבא) μέλλοντος αἰῶνος (mellontos aionos)[G] – The eternal dwelling place of all who are redeemed through the King Messiah Yeshua, both Jews and Gentiles. It’s often mistakenly called “Heaven,” but it is not!* *[When a person says that a loved one has “Gone to heaven,” they are mistaken. Scripture teaches that a Messiah redeemed person goes to Paradise to await the resurrection and the Judgement, after which they will enter the World to Come (Olam Haba[H]/Mellontos Aionos[G]). The common Christian phrase, “He has gone to be with the LORD” would be a more accurate profession according to Scripture.] A Concise Look at Sheol, Hades, & The Grave The Hebrew Sheol[H] שׁאל (ᾅδης Hades[G]) is not the grave. Hebrew has a dedicated word for grave: Kever/Keverah[H] קברה/קבר. To mistranslate Sheol as “grave” is to give the modern English reader a wrong idea concerning what is actually meant by the many verses in the Hebrew Bible that use the noun Sheol[H] שׁאל. Sheol[H] שׁאל (ᾅδης Hades[G]) is simply the holding place of the departed. (Location unknown but by inference, below). Kever/Keverah[H] (קברה/קבר) is the Hebrew word for the above ground interment of the dead human body. (All Biblical burials and many modern Jewish burials are above ground interments [tombs, mausoleums etc.] and not burials beneath the earth). Burial beneath the earth and the burning of corpses are pagan practices. The Biblical Hebrew practice of above ground interment denotes a belief in the meta-physical resurrection of the complete human person, spirit, body, soul, consciousness. A Concise Look at Gehenna/Gehinnom, Abaddon & Everlasting Fire The Hebrew/Greek Gehenna/Geenna/Gehinnom[H & G] גֵיהִינָּם (γέεννα), is connected to but not directly synonymous with the Lake of Fire[G] λίμνη πῦρ. Gehenna/Geenna/Gehinnom[H & G] גֵיהִינָּם (γέεννα) is the place of torment within Sheol[H] שׁאל (ᾅδης Hades[G]) which is distinct from Paradise[G] (παράδεισος) [Gan Eden גן אדן], the two being divided by an uncrossable chasm (Luke 16:19-31). The Hebrew/Aramaic noun Abaddon[H] אבדּון, is both connected to and in certain instances synonymous with Gehenna/Geenna/Gehinnom[H & G] גֵיהִינָּם (γέεννα). Abaddon[H] אבדּון is a place of destruction and perishing distinct within Sheol and connected to the imprisonment of Satan (Rev. 9:11; 20:1-3). It’s important to note that Satan is not the angel Abaddon. Satan is a prisoner temporarily governed by the angel Abaddon and then made subject to the Eternal Lake of Fire “Prepared for the Devil and its (his) angels (Matthew 25:41). The foolish and satanic notion that Satan is somehow ruler of Hell is not Biblical. In fact, like its (Satan’s) angels and the multitudes of wicked who will dwell in the Lake of Fire, Satan is just one of many prisoners equally tormented as a result of their wilful and unrelenting hatred of God and all things good. An everlasting problem requires an everlasting solution. The Lake of Fire[G] λίμνη πῦρ is not the grave, Gehenna/Gehinnom, or Abaddon, nor is it Hell but is specifically the post judgement prison of everlasting torment for the Devil, its (his) angels and those who have perpetually and wilfully rejected God’s sacrificial offer of redemptive love unto right relationship in Him (Rev. 20:10-15). The Lake of Fire[G] λίμνη πῦρ in summation, is the place of everlasting punishment following the Judgement at the end of days. Following the Judgement, Death and Sheol/Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire along with the Devil and its (his) angels and all whose names are not written in the Lamb’s (Yeshua’s) Book of Living, where they will be tormented day and night forever [in eternity] (Rev. 20:10-15). Yeshua's Dominion Over Death and Hades/Sheol From before the beginning Messiah Yeshua the All Existing Word, had authority over death and Sheol/Hades because death and Sheol/Hades result from the rebellion of a created entity (Satan) and are therefore subject to the Creator, Father, Son and Spirit (John 1:1-2; Rev. 13:8). Yeshua has also established dominion over the temporal effects of death and Hades/Sheol as the perfect Human through His death and resurrection (Rev. 1:18). Therefore, as both the Creating All Existing Word of God and as the Perfect Human Being Who gave His life as atonement for all who would receive Him, Yeshua has established dominion in the Father over both the temporal and everlasting ramifications of sin and death. Those who are in Messiah Yeshua by grace through faith need not fear Death, Hades/Sheol, or Eternal Punishment (Lake of Fire), because He is All Existing and holds us in His hand in the Father (John 10:28-30). God is One! A Concise Look at Heaven/Heavens, Paradise, & The World to Come/Age to Come The Hebrew Shamayim Heaven/Heavens[H] שׁמים is not the location of departed righteous souls/spirits, but is rather a collection of distinct heavens above and surrounding the earth. Paradise[G] παράδεισος [Gan Eden גן אדן] is not Heaven, but a distinct holding place of the righteous within ᾅδης Hades/ שׁאלSheol. If there is any inference in Scripture as to where the spiritual location Sheol is, it is below, not above. Within Sheol Paradise is a place where believers await the resurrection, the Judgement, and the World to Come (Olam Haba)[H] (עולם הבא) μέλλοντος αἰῶνος (mellontos aionos)[G]. The title the World to Come/Age to Come does not refer to “Heaven” or the “heavens” but to the eternal dwelling place of all who are redeemed through Messiah. This place is established now but is not yet fully realised by those who currently reside in this sin affected world. Believers do not go to heaven when they die but to Paradise in Sheol, awaiting the Judgement. Following the resurrection and the Judgement at the last day all believers will dwell in the World to Come Olam Haba[H] עולם הבא in God for all eternity (Rev. 21). The World to Come Olam Haba[H] עולם הבא Mellontos Aionos[G] μέλλοντος αἰῶνος is the eternal dwelling place of all who are redeemed through the King Messiah Yeshua. What the Scriptures Say About the Afterlife TaNaKh (Old Testament) Scriptures There is a lie repeated by modern theologians and scholars which says “Jews had no concept of the afterlife or Hell prior to the Hellenization of the known world in the 4th century BCE.” This is of course utter nonsense! The Afterlife & Hell The TaNaKH (OT) repeatedly speaks of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as “resting with their ancestors” or “resting with their fathers” (1 Kings 2:10; 11:43; 2 Kings 21:18 etc). “So David lay down (rested) with his fathers, and was buried (interred) in the city of David.” -1 Kings 2:10 [Author’s translation] The phrases “rested with his ancestors,” “rested with his fathers,” “slept with his fathers,” and the like, are used countless times in the TaNaKh (OT) to not only describe the physical interment of bodies in the tombs of their anscestors but also to describe their transition to a place after death, where they would reside with their departed forbears. Therefore, not only did the ancient Israelites (Jewish people) have a concept of the afterlife, that concept also included the idea that their departed souls/spirits would commune with their ancestors in an indeterminable location after death. This idea allows for the fact that the location of the departed (Sheol) was inhabited by both the righteous and the unrighteous and thus, regardless of spiritual standing before God, all were there. This is consistent with the idea that Sheol has two distinct areas divided by an uncrossable chasm (Luke 16:19-31) and predates the Hellenistic period by hundreds of years. The TaNaKh (OT) also distinguishes between Sheol and a place of torment called Abaddon (the equivalent of Gehenna/Gehinnom and the modern English misnomer “Hell”). “Sheol and Abaddon are before YHVH the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of humanity?” -Mishlei (Proverbs) 15:11 [Author’s translation] This verse explains God’s all seeing nature and specifically differentiates between the holding place of the departed Sheol and the distinct place within that holding place called Abaddon, meaning torment, perishing etc. “Sheol is naked before Him (God), and Abaddon has no covering.” -Iyov (Job) 26:6 [Author’s translation] (Ref. Job 28:22, 31:12) The prophet Job notes here that nothing is hidden from God and that Sheol is “naked” (never clothed), while Abaddon has “no covering,” inferring that Abaddon not only has no clothing but also has no effective means of atonement. This is consistent with Gehenna/Gehinnom, the place where the wilfully unrepentant wicked go to await the Judgement, at which time there will be no means of atonement for them because they have refused the blood of the Lamb (Messiah). Everlasting Punishment The TaNaKh also establishes the everlasting fate of the wicked. “Although the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of perversity blossom; they will nonetheless be destroyed continually forever:” -Tehillim (Psalms) 92:7 [Author’s translation] We note that the end of the wicked is to “be destroyed continually forever.” The Hebrew reads להשׁמדם עדי עד lehishamedam adiy ad meaning “perishing, overthrown, destroyed continually forever.” Some foolishly try to use verses like this to prove the lie of Annihilationism. This verse proves the opposite. To annihilate something is to wipe it out, cause it to cease, but in this verse the destroying “continues forever.” The Hebrew text is careful to say that the wicked will be overthrown, perish, be destroyed, on an ongoing basis after death. This can’t refer simply to a physical death, one can’t be killed multiple times once dead for a final time. By necessity this verse must be referring to something that happens following death, the wicked person having been killed, is again destroyed and then again and again. This is describing the Lake of Fire and everlasting torment (Rev. 20:10-15). This verse from Psalm 92, written at least 600 years prior to the entry of Messiah into time and space through the womb of the virgin, and at least 200 years prior to the Hellenistic period, shows that ancient Israelites (Jews) understood that the ultimate end of the wicked was not an end at all but a perpetual suffering in the afterlife. Interestingly Jewish tradition understands this Psalm to have been written by Adam, the man through whom sin and death entered this world. [Targum on Psalms 92] The Prophet Isaiah, some 700 years prior to the birth of Messiah, and 300 years prior to the Hellenistic period, writes of everlasting punishment as part of his description of the inception of the Messianic age (Isaiah 65-66): “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against Me. For their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be abhorrent to all flesh.” -Y’shiyahu (Isaiah) 66:24 [Author’s translation] This passage uses the Hinnom valley (Below Jerusalem to the south) as a figure for the punishment that awaits the wicked in the latter days. It was in this valley that pagan human sacrifices occurred and in later times it became a place of burning refuse heaps. The prophet is saying that the everlasting torment of the wicked will be like the torment and perpetual burning in that wretched valley below Jerusalem. Thus the Hinnom valley is a physical representation within the sin affected creation of something much worse in the afterlife. Those who deny everlasting punishment based on the argument that the Hinnom valley is temporal, are fools devoid of the Spirit of God. The Prophet Isaiah is speaking of the inception of the everlasting Messianic age, the beginning of the Olam Haba (World to come), and stresses that in that context, “their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched.” What’s more, even if the valley of Hinnom is being used figuratively, it is being used to convey something spiritual and is therefore not bound to a temporal application. Yeshua quotes this portion of Isaiah 66, recorded in Mark 9:43-50 as a warning to His listeners. He thus shows that there is a perpetual connection between the holding place Gehenna/Gehinnom and the Lake of fire as the location and continuation of Gehenna/Gehinnom following the Judgement (Rev. 20:10-15). Therefore, ancient Israelites (Jews) had both a concept of the afterlife and an understanding of that distinct place within the realm of the departed which modern English speakers call “Hell.” The Messiah Ancient Jews also believed in the Messiah and the physical resurrection unto the Judgement and everlasting life for the righteous in Him. They held these beliefs long before modern Rabbinical Judaism’s revisionism, progressive Christianity’s deconstructionism, even prior to the first century Jewish Biblical Rabbinical Judaism of Yeshua’s earthly ministry and most certainly long before the Hellenization (4th Century BCE) of the known world. In fact, they held these beliefs from ancient days. Bereishit (Genesis) 3:15 reads: “And enmity, hatred וְאֵיבָה v’eiyvah I will put between you (serpent) and the woman הָאִשָּׁה ha-ishah, and between your seed and her seed; He shall crush, strike, bruise your head רֹאשׁ rosh, and you shall strike, bruise his footprint, heel, footstep עָקֵב akeiv. -Bereishit (Genesis) 3:15 One need not be a scholar of the Ha-Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT) in order to see the Messianic significance of this passage. The pronoun describing the woman’s seed is singular, an individual is being spoken of here. That individual is clearly the Messiah Yeshua, Who through His death on the cross, crushed the serpent’s head of power, thus as the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), Yeshua freed humanity from bondage to death. The heel represents Yeshua’s humanity, connection to the earth, which, for a short time was bruised by temporary death. Isaiah the prophet speaks of the Messianic child saying: “Therefore אֲדֹנָי Adonai Himself shall give you an אוֹת (ot) miraculous sign; הִנֵּה Hinei Behold, הָעַלְמָה (ha-almah) the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name עִמָּנוּ אֵל Imanu-El (with us God)’. –Y’shayahu (Isaiah) 7:14 [Author’s Translation] We note that עִמָּנוּ אֵל Imanu El is not the child’s Name but a description of His nature. The Midrash Ha-Ne’elam sees here the common plight of every Jew in his struggle against the evil inclination יֵצֶר הַרַע yetzer ha-ra. The serpent is said to seek to seduce the Jew into trampling on the commandments with his heel, but it is claimed that the Jew can overcome by using his head (the supposed seat of the Torah). However, this view at best represents a 2nd century CE polemic against Messiah following Jews and does not reflect the ancient Biblical Jewish view that sees the present text as representing the Messiah. The misinterpretation given in Midrash Ha-Ne’elam neglects the fact that we cannot redeem ourselves, not even through Torah observance. It is through the goal of the Torah (Romans 10:4), the true Head, Yeshua alone, that we are able to resist the serpent and be set free from bondage to death. “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your fallen humanity, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having cancelled out the indictment of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” –Colossians 2:13-15 [Author’s Translation] For the believer there are these promises from God for the final crushing of Satan’s (the serpent’s) head beneath our feet: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Yeshua be with you.” –Romans 6:20 “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Torah,” –Galatians 4:4 [Author’s Translation] The seed of the woman is only seen as corporate through the d’rash (comparative teaching) of Rav Shaul (Paul) in Romans 16:20, as a result of its singular application to the Messiah Yeshua, alluded to in Galatians 3:16. “Now the promises were spoken to Avraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Messiah.” –Galatians 3:16 [Author’s Translation] Moses prophecies the coming Messiah in 1313 BCE almost 1000 years prior to the Hellenization of the known world (4th Century BCE). “YHVH (Mercy) The Lord your Elohim (Judge) God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brothers. You are to listen to Him!” -D’varim (Deuteronomy) 18:15 [Author’s Translation] Ancient Israelites (Jews) took this promise to heart and awaited the “Prophet/Messiah” with fearful expectation because HaShem had followed Moses’ initials words with: “18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it will be that whoever will not listen to My words, which He speaks in My Name, I will require an accounting of it from that one.” -D’varim (Deuteronomy) 18:18-19 [Author’s Translation] The Resurrection, The Messiah & the New Heavens & New Earth Ancient Jews believed in the resurrection and the Messiah’s place as Mediator based on passages like, but not limited to Job 19:25-27 and Isaiah 26:19. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last day he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh (physical body) I will see God, Whom I will see for myself, and my eyes will behold, and not another. My kidneys (seat of emotion) are consumed within me!" -Iyov (Job) 19:25-27 [Author’s Translation] We note that Job’s Redeemer is God and that He will “stand” on the earth. We further see that this will happen “at the last day” after Job’s “skin has been destroyed” and yet he says “in my flesh (physical body) I will see God,” which is an allusion to the bodily resurrection of the dead. From this passage and others we also glean the truth that the resurrected, having awaited the final Judgement in Sheol, will dwell, not in Heaven but on the earth. Isaiah writes: “Your dead will live; my dead body will arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust; for your dew (night mist) is lights, your night mist, and the land/earth will cast forth the dead.” –Y’shayahu (Isaiah) 26:19 [Author’s Translation] This is one of the places in Scripture from which the Israelite (Jewish) belief in the resurrection is proved; a belief that predates Hellenistic thought by at least 300 years. This verse is also applied to the times of the Messiah, and to the resurrection in His days (Talmud. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 90. 2, & Ketubot, fol. 111. 1. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 62. 3. Targum in loc.). “Your dead will live” is an allusion to the resurrection of the righteous and specifically to the resurrection of the righteous of Israel. “My dead body will arise” is firstly a personal testimony of the prophet himself and secondly the prophetic testimony of the Messiah. The first person singular should not be interpreted to refer to multiple people. “Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust” is a metaphor for the resurrection of the dead. This is a poetic repetition like the couplets of the psalms which seeks to remind the reader that these matters are firmly established. “for your dew (night mist) is lights, talecha your night mist:” This is an allusion to the present glory of God in the convergence of the resurrection. The Shekhinah or kavod HaShem, a mist or dew of lights that raise the dead. Water (dew) and light are pictured together here as the mechanisms for bringing forth the plant that grows from that which had perished. As Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) says: “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” – 1 Corinthians 15:53 Isaiah also prophecies the New Heavens and New Earth some 700 years before Messiah’s entry into time and space through the womb of the virgin: “For behold, I create shamayim heavens chadashiym new (ones) and the land/earth chadashah new, and not to be recalled (remembered) are the first things (perishable) and nor will they ascend upon My inner being (heart, core being).” -Y’shiyahu (Isaiah) 65:17 [Author’s Translation] The New Jerusalem Isaiah the prophet wrote of the New Jerusalem 300 years before the Hellenistic age. “1 The Word Who Y’shaiyahu (Isaiah) ben son of Amotz (Strong) saw concerning Yehudah (Praise, Judah) and Yerushalayim (Flood, downpour of peace, Jerusalem). 2 And it came to pass in the end of the days, that firmly established will be the mountain house of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) as the head of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and like a beam of light all nations shall flow toward Him (it).” -Y’shiyahu (Isaiah) 2:1-2 [Author’s Translation] Ref. Isaiah 25:6-8; 10:19-22; Zechariah 2:10-12 New Testament Scriptures Notwithstanding certain texts among the Dead Sea Scrolls, the collected books of the New Testament were written at least 30 years prior to the earliest codified extra-Biblical post temple Rabbinical Jewish writings, with the possible exception of the Mishnah. Therefore, the texts of the New Testament stand as an illuminating view into the theological thinking and practices of first century Biblical Judaism in the land of Israel, which at that time was under Roman occupation and named Judea. Numerous New Testament Scriptures address the subject of the afterlife and make clear distinctions between the various elements associated with the human transition from life to death, and then, after the Judgement, to everlasting life or everlasting death/torment, respective of position in relationship to God. Many of these Scriptures are misrepresented by modern scholars who seem to be jumping through hoops to try and prove that the ancient Biblical text actually says something entirely opposite to what the plain meaning suggests. These scholars and theologians are in grave error (pun intended) and need to repent before it’s too late and they find themselves in the same Lake of Fire which they claim only exists as a metaphor. One should ask, “If it’s a metaphor, what is it a metaphor for?” So what does the New Testament actually say about the afterlife? Hades, Gehenna/Gehinnom The Greek ᾅδης Hades, equivalent to the Hebrew שׁאל Sheol, occurs 10 times in the New Testament and reflects the TaNaKh use of שׁאל Sheol as the holding place for the departed. The noun Gehenna/Geenna/Gehinnom[H & G] גֵיהִינָּם γέεννα is used 12 times in the New Testament, and on each occasion is clearly describing a specific part of Sheol where the departed wicked dwell in perpetual torment awaiting the Judgement and a continuation of their torment in the Lake of Fire. (Ref. Matt. 5:22, 29-30; Matt. 10:28, 18:9, 23:15; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; James 3:5-6). As alluded to earlier, some foolishly claim that Gehenna/Gehinnom simply relates to the continual burning of refuse in the valley of Hinnom and not to the afterlife. Yeshua refutes this outright: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” -Matthew 10:28 [Author’s translation] Note that Yeshua’s hearers are admonished not to fear those who kill the physical body in this life but instead to fear God, Who, is ultimately in control of the death of the human body, and post death, is able to destroy both the body and the soul/spirit in a continual burning (Gehenna/Gehinnom). There is no question that this verse describes Gehenna/Gehinnom as a place that exists spiritually beyond physical death and is therefore described using the valley of Hinnom as a metaphor only because the reality is something terrifyingly inexplicable. Something which is beyond physical death. Yeshua quotes the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 66:24) repeatedly in describing the perpetual nature of the torment in Gehenna/Gehinnom which awaits the wilfully unrepentant wicked following physical death: “42And whoever causes one of these little ones that believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have had a millstone hung about his neck, and for him to be cast into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off: it would be better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched: 44 Where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.’ [Isa. 66:24] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off: it would be better for you to enter into life disabled, than having two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched: 46 Where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.’ [Isa. 66:24] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out: it would be better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into Gehenna fire: 48 Where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.’ [Isa. 66:24]” -Mark 9:42-48 [Author’s translation] Paradise, Heaven & the Lake of Fire Paradise As I have already established Paradise παράδεισος, Gan Eden גן אדן, and the Bosom of Abraham are synonyms. The Greek παράδεισος Paradise is used 3 times in the New Testament, and in every instance refers to the distinct place within Sheol/Hades where the righteous await the Judgement and eternal life. To the thief on the cross alongside Yeshua, who in humble repentance honoured Yeshua acknowledging Him as the promised Messianic King, Yeshua said: “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise!” -Luke 23:43 We know that Yeshua died that day and descended into Sheol, into Paradise. He did not go to the Father in the heavens until after His resurrection. This is consistent with the ancient and first century Jewish understanding of Sheol/Hades and its two distinct parts divided by an uncrossable chasm (Luke 16:19-31). In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 Paul the Apostle describes himself in a vision, as being “taken away” on two separate occasions, once to the third heaven and once to Paradise. Paul, a first century Jew, chooses his words carefully to ensure that two different locations are understood by his readers. This is also why he repeats the phrase “I knew a man… whether in the body or out of the body I can’t see, God knows,” prior to describing each instance. We know Paul is describing a vision and not a journey in the body (meaning not physically traveling) because Scripture states plainly that “it’s appointed to a human being to die once (a final time in the case of the temporarily resurrected) and then the Judgement!” (Heb. 9:27). We note that there is no room in Scripture for a human being to traverse worlds or enter the heavens/heaven prior to the Judgement. Yeshua says, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man Who is in heaven” (John 3:13). Although this is said prior to His resurrection, we know based on the words of the writer of the book of Hebrews (according to the Holy Spirit), which were written following Yeshua’s resurrection, that, “it’s appointed to a human being to die once (a final time in the case of the temporarily resurrected) and then the Judgement!” (Heb. 9:27). “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the believing communities. To the person who overcomes, I will give the right to eat of the Eiytz Chayim (tree of life) which is in Gan-Eyden (Paradise) of God.” -Revelation 2:7 [Author’s translation] Eiytz Chayim (Tree of life) is a powerful Hebrew symbol that connects the creation and the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:9; 3:22, 24) to the present Gan-Eyden (Paradise: the distinct part of Sheol set apart for the righteous, also known as the Bosom of Abraham. (Luke 16:19-31; Luke 23:43). It also connects the believer to the future unifying of Gan-Eyden (Paradise) and the Olam Haba (World to come), in that the Eiytz Chayim (Tree of life) seems to act as a conduit between the temporal Paradise Gan-Eyden of Sheol and the eternal city which is outside of the universe in the third heaven awaiting the time of the end when eternity will consume the sin affected creation and the New Jerusalem will come down to converge with the present city and engulf the righteous in the manifest presence of God. In the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31) Yeshua describes Sheol as it was understood by His hearers in the first century CE, and more importantly based on His personal knowledge of it. It’s important to note that this parable is the only parable Yeshua shares where He uses a proper noun “Lazarus,” a specific individual. The parables of the rabbis and those of Yeshua were most often teaching stories that used general nouns and morals to expound on a spiritual idea. They were not considered to reflect an actual set of events but were simply used as teaching tools. However, on certain occasions actual events were described using the names of specific individuals. These accounts/parables where then employed to teach a lesson but were also understood to be factual accounts. This is how we know that Yeshua’s parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man is describing Sheol as it actually exists and not simply as a figurative location. The account of Lazarus and the Rich Man teaches us a number of things about the afterlife and in particular about the nature of Sheol/Hades:
Heaven Heaven/the Heavens, are not Paradise. Believers do not ascend into heaven when they die. How do we know this? “It’s appointed to a human being to die once (a final time in the case of the temporarily resurrected) and then the Judgement!” -Hebrews 9:27 [Author’s translation] Not, “Once to die, then float up to heaven, then come back down to get judged, all so we can then reside down on the new earth where we started from…” “Once to die and then the Judgement!” We are held in Sheol until the resurrection, at which time all are judged, the righteous unto eternal life and the wicked unto perpetual fire. Nor does the Bible teach a so called “Rapture,” we are taken away in the clouds of the presence in the open air (the Greek word describes low altitude air breathed at ground level) to the New Jerusalem, and not up to the heavens as some misinterpret. *[Please read the Appendix at the end of this article titled “Rapture?”] Some say, “But Elijah was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire” Yes, into the first heaven, the earth’s atmosphere but not into the third heaven (which is what Christians are alluding to when they speak of “Heaven” as a destination for departed souls). We know this because Elijah lived and was taken away in a chariot of fire approximately 850 BCE and Yeshua, speaking in approximately 30 CE some 880 years later says, “No one has ascended into heaven (the third heaven) except He who came down from heaven, the Son of Man" (John 3:13). Some say, “But our names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20) Yes, our names are written in heaven in the Lamb’s book of living which will descend with Him. Some say, “But we are told to store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-21) Yes, we store up treasures in heaven that will descend with Yeshua at His return. Some say, “But the deceased saints praise God from beneath the throne in heaven” (Revelation 6:9-11). Yes, “beneath” the throne which is in heaven, however the martyred saints are well beneath it in Paradise, in Sheol, according to Scripture, and not in heaven directly beneath the throne, because “It’s appointed to a human being to die once (a final time in the case of the temporarily resurrected) and then the Judgement!” (Heb. 9:27) You and I are currently beneath the throne of God and yet are not in heaven. Some say, “But our citizenship is in heaven” “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” -Philippians 3:20-21 Yes, our names and subsequently our citizenship are presently recorded in the heavens (as members of the Heavenly Kingdom which will descend). However, the New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven and our residence will be on the new earth in the presence of God the Father and the King Messiah Yeshua. In fact the Scripture itself says “We eagerly await a Saviour from there” and not “We eagerly await our floating up into the clouds to sit up there with the Saviour.” Some say, “But the Kingdom of God is called the Kingdom of heaven” (Mark 5:10) Yes, and is also within us (Luke 17:21), and is now come upon us (Luke 11:20), and is yet fully manifest (2 Peter 3:13), and the Kingdom will come down. After all, a king is king over all that belongs to him. Therefore, God is King of all. Some say, “But when Jesus (Yeshua) ascended on high He led captives with Him” (Eph. 4:8) Ephesians 4 concerns Messiah’s redemptive work and the fruit of it. The text reads: “Therefore He says [Psa. 68:18], ‘When He ascended upon high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto humanity.” - Ephesians 4:8 We note that it is captivity that is taken captive, and not “captives.” We further see that the next verse (Eph. 4:9) explains that Messiah’s ascent in verse 8 follows Messiah’s descent and leads to His personal ascending to fill all things in verse 10. This passage does not refer to Messiah taking captives with Him into heaven. All these and many more queries are easily refuted by the same texts that inspire them, simply by reading them in context and in conjunction with the meta-narrative of the whole of Scripture. We are not taught by Scripture that we ascend but that God comes down. We are told of a new heaven and a new earth, an earth where we will dwell forever in the presence of God (Rev. 21). We are told that Yeshua will return from heaven to establish His throne on earth (Rev. 11:15). We are told that the new Jerusalem will descend to the new earth and that we will see the manifestation of God with us in the city devoid of a temple (Rev. 21). We are not once told in Scripture that we will go up into heaven to dwell there. Lake of Fire “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that performed miracles before him, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those that worshipped his image. All these were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with sulphur.” -Revelation 19:20 [Author’s translation] “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet are, and will be tormented day and night into world without end, alt. forever perpetually.” -Revelation 20:10 [Author’s translation] The Greek text αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων literally “in worlds everlasting,” reflects the Hebrew עדי עד adiy ad or לעלם ועד l’olam vayid. This is a multiplication of forever and takes place contextually post Judgement and therefore after the dissolution of the sin affected world (limited time and space). Meaning, it can only refer to something that continues forever and ever. This refutes outright the satanic lies of both Universalism and Annihilationism. “And death and Hades/Sheol were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whoever was not found written in the book of living was cast into the lake of fire.” -Revelation 20:14-15 [Author’s translation] We cannot say, as some do, that because it is a second death it is a ceasing or annihilation. We cannot place this physical implication on the text because were we to do so we would also have to place the same limitation on the life that the righteous receive. It would therefore not be everlasting life but temporal life. Thank God, Scripture clearly says otherwise! Concerning the wicked and their eternal punishment Yeshua says: “And these (the wicked) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into living eternal.” -Matthew 25:46 [Author’s translation] The Greek αἰώνιος aiōnios translated here as “everlasting,” is the same word used in John 3:16 to describe the life a believer receives by trusting in the Son of God. The phrases “everlasting life” and “everlasting punishment” share the same qualifying word “αἰώνιος aiōnios, everlasting.” If, as some foolishly suggest, the word αἰώνιος aiōnios simply means “an extended length of time,” then they must concede that there is neither eternal punishment nor eternal life. A curse on that nonsense! In fact, as previously alluded to, given that eternal punishment, the Lake of Fire follows the Judgement and exists outside of the limited time and space of the sin affected created order, it’s redundant to claim that αἰώνιος aiōnios simply means “an extended length of time,” because in the context of eternity an extended length of time is impossible to measure to a point of ending. After all, if there is time in eternity there is no end to it. “9And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any person worships the beast and his image, and receives its mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10The same person will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment will rise up forever and ever: and they will have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and those who receive the mark of his name.” -Revelation 14:9-11 [Author’s translation] In the context of eternity, “forever and ever… day and night” means, forever and ever. The nouns day and night are simply used to convey to the limited time trapped reader an everlasting reality. The lake of fire will exist in God for eternity, because nothing can exist outside of God. It will exist distinct from the Olam Haba World to Come but nonetheless, God will endure the suffering of the tormented by nature of His holiness and insurmountable love, forever grieved at the torment of those who have wilfully and perpetually resisted His sacrificial offer of loving reconciliation. The existence of the lake of fire within God will not affect the righteous in the Olam Haba (World to come) because like the distinction in Sheol, the Lake of Fire will be divided by and uncrossable chasm. An Everlasting Solution to an Unrelenting, Perpetual Problem God the Creator, knowing the end from the beginning, saw the problem of rebellion and sin before anything was created. Therefore, He established the solution before the problem existed. "the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world" -Revelation 13:8 “ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” -Ephesians 1:4 Just as there is a foreordained solution for establishing redemption there is also a foreordained solution for the imprisonment of the wilfully and perpetually unrepentant, who might otherwise poison the Olam Haba World to Come in the same way they have poisoned the present sin affected created order. Satan desires to be God. Having been created by God, Satan is now established forever from the decision of his rebellion forward, as the perpetual enemy of God and His creation. It appears that Satan believes, albeit under delusion, that in spite of Scripture it (he) can usurp God’s authority and reign in His place. He cannot, however the problem of its (his) determined and continuing goal must be met by an established and everlasting solution. That solution is the lake of fire, everlasting punishment. Those who join Satan and its (his) angels in the lake of fire will be those who are determined to reject God’s sacrificial offer of reconciliation through the atoning blood of Yeshua. Contrary to popular belief God doesn’t send people to everlasting punishment, they choose it out of wilful unrelenting hatred of Him. The sinful human being is headed toward the lake of fire based on his or her choice to sin and continue in it (Eccl. 7:28; Rom. 3:10, 23), but God Himself has intervened with the ultimate act of self-sacrifice in order to make a way for the sinner to be atoned for and reconciled to right relationship in Him. Thus by receiving God’s intervention the repentant human being is prevented from ending in torment. God, being holy and defining love as a decision established through sacrifice and maintained in commitment, will not force His love on creation. Love cannot exist without freewill or predestination. Both are required. Freewill concerns the receipt of intimacy and justice. Predestination, the knowledge of security. Salvation and forgiveness are offered to all but only the repentant receive them in love. Scripture doesn’t speak of names being added to the book of living (Lamb’s book of life) following the foundation of the world (Rev. 17:8; Dan 12:1) but does mention names being blotted out of the book of living (Ex. 32:32; Psa. 69:28; ). Therefore, it is wilful rejection of God that leaves a person vulnerable to everlasting fire. After all, it is God’s will that none should perish, but His emotional desire for the reconciliation of all creation does not eclipse His justice and the reality that some will reject His love and by their own pursuit of self-deification will end in the Lake of Fire. “16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. -John 3:16-18 NKJV We note that those who trust in Messiah “will not perish but have everlasting life” whereas those who reject Him (meaning they have had an opportunity to receive Him but continually reject Him) are “condemned already.” God is just, therefore every person from Adam to the last human being is afforded an opportunity to receive or reject the King Messiah. We may not know how this works in exceptional circumstances but we trust God’s character and ability to make it work. Scripture requires that a human being come to God the Father through the Son (John 14:6) and that death is the cut-off point unto the judgement (Heb. 9:27). It does not say that God is unable to meet people in the womb or in a coma, or in any other space between conception and death. Salvation (Yeshua) Himself holds creation together. Yeshua is all existing, resurrected, trans-locational, God with us. Eternal Security for the Redeemed The follower of Yeshua the Messiah, having received redemption through Messiah’s saving work, need not be anxious or fearful of condemnation or everlasting punishment. Our salvation is secured in Salvation (Yeshua) Himself and is reliant not on our actions but on Him. Many mistakenly conclude, based on the misappropriation of decontextualised Scripture passages, that a Messiah follower can loose salvation. This as ridiculous as saying that Yeshua can be lost. How? After all, in and through Him (Yeshua) all things are created, live, move, and have their existence (Colossians 1:16-17). In Messiah “the new is come, the old has gone” (2 Cor. 5:17). In Him we have already “passed from death into life” everlasting (John 5:24). “Whoever trusts in Him will have everlasting life” (John 3:16). What Scripture Says About the Security of Our Salvation ““For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16 [Author’s translation] “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into living.” -John 5:24 [Author’s translation] “All those who the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out.” -John 6:37 [Author’s translation] “My sheep hear and comprehend My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never into an age unbroken, perish/be destroyed, and no one/nothing will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one/nothing is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” -John 10:27-29 [Author’s translation] “There is therefore now (eternal present) no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua, who do not walk according to the flesh/evil inclination, but according to the Spirit.” -Romans 8:1 [Author’s translation] “And those whom He predestined He also called, and those who He called he also rendered righteous, and those who He rendered righteous He also glorified/honoured.” -Romans 8:30 [Author’s translation] “For I am sure that neither death nor life, not angels nor rulers, not things present nor things to come, not powers, not height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Messiah Yeshua our LORD.” -Romans 8:38-39 [Author’s translation] “And Who has also put His seal/mark on us and has given us His Spirit in our core being/hearts as a guarantee/pledge/down payment/assurance.” -2 Corinthians 1:22 [Author’s translation] “Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah, that one is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new is come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 [Author’s translation] “For by grace you are (eternal present) saved through faith/trust/believing receipt. And this is not your own doing; it is (eternal present) the gift of God,” -Ephesians 2:8 [Author’s translation] “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify/purify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our LORD Yeshua the Messiah. He who calls you is faithful/trustworthy; He will certainly do it.” -1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 [Author’s translation] “But this One (Yeshua the High Priest), because He continues forever, has an unchangeable Priesthood. Consequently, He is able to save entirely (without end or limitation) those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” -Hebrews 7:25 [Author’s translation] “For by a one sacrifice He has (already) made perfect/holy/complete/whole for all time (without limitation) those who are being sanctified/purified/made holy (within sin affected time and space).” -Hebrews 10:14 [Author’s translation] "25 Yeshua said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the living. Whoever believes/trusts in Me, though that one die (temporal), even so that one shall live! 26 And whoever lives and believes/trusts in Me will never die (perpetually) Do you believe/trust this (Truth)?’" -John 11:25-26 [Author’s translation] Ref. Jude 1:1, 24-25; 1 John 5:10-13, 6:39, 40 ; Philippians 1:6, 3:20-21; Ephesians 1:13, 2:8-10, 4:30; Romans 6:23, 8:28-34, 11:6; Hebrews 5:9, 13:5; 2 Timothy 4:18; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Peter 1:4-5… Final Thoughts In God the Father and in Messiah we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28; Colossians 1:16-17). Messiah Yeshua is God with us, everlasting. Therefore, being alive in Him we are assured that we have already passed from death into living (John 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Having received Yeshua we are approved by God through atonement (Hebrews 10:14). We no longer seek to live for God as those trying to earn His approval, rather we live out of His approval in Messiah (Acts 10:34-35; Romans 8:31-34, 35, 38-39, 15:7; Eph. 3:17-19). We live this way according to the guarantee of His Spirit Who indwells us and with the certain hope of the resurrection and everlasting life (John 11:25-26; Ephesians 1:13-14 and 2 Corinthians 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Hebrews 6:19-20). Appendix: Rapture?* “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is advantageous when teaching sound doctrine, convicting, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the person who is of God may be proved fit for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17* [Author’s translation of the Greek text] *NB: In the context of this passage, written approximately 64 C.E. “Scripture” refers to the Torah, Prophets and Writings, what Christians call the Old Testament. “By day Adonay went ahead of them in a column of cloud to lead them on their way and by night in a column of fire to give them light, to travel by day or night. He did not take away the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire by night from before the face of the people.” -Shemot (Exodus) 13:21-22 [Author’s translation of the Hebrew text] “Then the Messenger of Elohim, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The column of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud cast darkness to the one side and light to the other; so neither went near the other all night long. -Shemot (Exodus) 14:19-20 [Author’s translation of the Hebrew text] “Behold, now, pay attention, I send a Messenger before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. Pay heed, guard, beware of Him, and obey His voice, do not provoke Him; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My Name is in Him.” -Shemot (Exodus) 23:20-21 [Author’s translation of the Hebrew text] Introduction to Refuting the Rapture For many followers of Messiah (Christ) the theological construct known as “The Rapture” is presumed rather than considered. In fact, in speaking to most Messiah followers I find that few if any contest the idea of the Rapture. For the most part the only issue that arises from discussing the Rapture with other believers is whether or not they are pre-tribulation or post-tribulation believers. When I’m asked my thoughts on the so called “Rapture” I often respond, “Rapture? What Rapture?” This is because as both a follower of Messiah and a Jew, I’m unable to find evidence for the so-called Rapture in either the TaNaKh (OT) or the Ha-Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT). Before I address the concept (conceived, not self-evident) itself by testing it against Scripture, I will give a brief history of this relatively recent theological phenomenon. A Brief History of the Rapture Construct Proponents of the theological construct called “The Rapture” often sight the writings of early Church fathers* as evidence that the Rapture Theology dates back to the earliest days of Gentile Christianity. They interpret the writings of these early fathers of the Gentile Church in a revisionist fashion in order to read into them their preconceived view. In this respect their interpretation of the early Church fathers’ writings is no different from their interpretation of Scripture. *NB: The actual fathers of the Church were all Jews who were the disciples of Yeshua (Jesus), who lived and ministered from 33 CE to 80 CE well before the first recorded writings of the so called “Church Fathers” of Gentile Christianity. Therefore, the so called “Church Fathers” cited by Christians today are not the fathers of the Church.
In every case they are not quoting explicit evidence for the Rapture but instead are misinterpreting the writings of the Church fathers* in the same way they have misinterpreted the Scriptures that they misuse to support the concept of a Rapture. The truth is that there is no explicit evidence of the teaching of a Rapture in any of the writings of the early Church fathers* (1st to 3rd Centuries CE). Even more importantly, a Rapture of believers was not taught by Yeshua (Jesus) or the apostles, and further, has never been a theological concept within ancient Biblical Judaism. While there’s evidence that Rapture Theology was present in the Church for some time prior to the 19th century (Though not as early as the 3rd Century), Pre-tribulation Rapture Theology became popular in the late eighteenth century with the Puritan preachers, and was popularised extensively in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby. Darby’s assertions were picked up by Scofield and distributed further in the United States in the annotations of the Scofield Reference Bible in the early 20th century. Thus, the popular presumptions regarding the Rapture are largely premised on its recent revival in modern Anglo-American Church history. Regardless of how early one sees evidence of a Rapture Theology within Church writings, the deciding of this issue must rest on the inspired Word of God and what’s written in it. Therefore, what follows will be an examination of the Scriptures that are supposed to prove the Rapture construct (a doctrine of men). Scriptures that Prove the Rapture? 1. The most famous of the Rapture passages is found in 1 Thessalonians 4.15-17 and reads: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left until the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the shofar of God: and the dead in Messiah will rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be taken away ἁρπαγησόμεθα (harpagēsometha[G]: snatched away, caught up, gathered) in the clouds (of the presence) νεφέλαις (nephelais [G] Ex. 13:21), to meet the Lord in the (open) air ἀέρα (aera [G] specifically breathable air): and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” -1 Thessalonians 4.15-17 [Author’s Translation from Greek text] I’ve placed in brackets the full meaning of the Greek words used, for the purpose of exposing some of the primary misunderstandings that are concluded from the text. First, the Greek word ἁρπάζω (harpazo) translated “caught up” in many English versions, rarely means “caught up.” In fact, out of its eighteen uses in the Ha-Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT), there are only three that explicitly mean “caught up” (2 Co. 12:2, 12:4; Rev. 12:5). You will notice that 1 Thess. 4:17 is not among them. In all other cases (15) ἁρπάζω (harpazo) harpazo means “to gather, take away, catch, pluck, seize,” none of which explicitly refer to being lifted into the sky. Further, ἁρπάζω (harpazo) is related to the word αἱρέομαι (aihreomai) meaning to take for oneself, that is, to prefer, and is used exclusively in the Ha-Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT) to refer to the act of choosing and or those who are chosen (Php. 1:22; Heb. 11:25; 2 Th 2:13). Neither does the mention of νεφέλη (nephele)[G] “clouds” denote the sky. In fact, unless otherwise qualified i.e. “the clouds of the sky” (Matt. 26:64), the word νεφέλη (nephele) (clouds) can refer to clouds or a cloud appearing on earth, like the cloud of the presence that led Israel through the desert (Exodus 13:21). In fact this same Greek word νεφέλη (nephele) is used by the Septuagint (Greek translation of OT dating to approximately 280 BCE) to translate the Hebrew ענן (anan)[H] (cloudy mass, covering) in Exodus 13:21 and refers not to the clouds of the sky but to the cloud of the presence in which the מלאך יהוה Malakh HaShem, Messenger of the LORD Himself manifest (Many understand this to be a manifestation of the Messiah). This bears much greater continuity within the context of 1 Thessalonians 4.15-17. Nor does the use of the Greek word ἀέρα (aer) “air” denote the sky. In fact this Greek word refers specifically to the breathable air of the lower atmosphere. The Greek lexicon states that ἀέρα (aer) is “particularly the lower and dense air as distinguished from the higher and rarer air,” so neither the air of the sky nor the thin air of the highest mountain but the breathable air close to the earth. Therefore, the more accurate translation would be “open air” i.e. “I’m going outside into the open air.” In common 1st century Greek speech this would not have been confused with the upper atmosphere of the sky or the thin air of the highest mountain peak. Thus, the Greek recipient of this first century letter to the Church would not have understood this to be describing a Rapture (lifting up into the sky, levitation), but a taking away by a cloud, much like the events recorded in Exodus 13:21-22 which describe Israel being lead to safety by the cloud νεφέλη (nephele)[G] of God’s presence. Therefore, a correct reading of the Greek text, even out of context (which is how proponents of the Rapture have taken this text) would be: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left until the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the shofar of God: and the dead in Messiah will rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be gathered in the clouds of the presence, to meet the Lord in the open air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” -1 Thessalonians 4.15-17 [Author’s translation from Greek text] This is in keeping with the fact that God will make His dwelling with us on the new earth and not aloft in the heavens (Rev. 21:3). Rapture proponents must ask themselves, “Why would God rapture up believers only to drop them down again so that they can dwell with Him forever?” Where will God dwell manifestly forever? On the new earth, in the new Jerusalem. Therefore, the cloud that will take us away is not taking us into the sky toward the heavens but toward this goal: “So shall we ever be with the Lord.” These things aside, proponents of the Rapture take the 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Scripture entirely out of context. In the context of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, Rav Shaul HaShaliach (Paul the Apostle [Sent One]) answers questions that believers in Thessalonica had concerning death. “What has happened to our loved ones who have died before the return of the Messiah to earth?” they ask, and “In the end, what will happen to us? What will happen to them?” Rav Shaul’s (Paul’s) answer explains the bodily resurrection at the return of Messiah to earth, and not an escape into the sky (Rapture, mass levitation) but an exodus from sin affected creation toward the New Jerusalem on the New Earth, as Scripture teaches. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4:15-17, Shaul (Paul) is making a דְּרַשׁ d’rash[H] (comparative teaching) using three specific images from the TaNaKh (OT) that were familiar to Jewish believers and God fearing Gentile converts who were familiarising themselves with the Hebrew tradition. The first comparison has to do with God Himself in the form of His Angel manifest as a column of cloud, leading Israel out of captivity in Egypt toward the land of Israel. The second has to do with Moses coming down from Mount Sinai, from out of the cloud of the Lord’s presence, carrying the Torah (Tablets) accompanied by the great blast of the shofar [Ram’s Horn] (Exodus 24). The third image is taken from Daniel chapter 7 where the “One like the Son of Man” (or “human being” or “The Human One”) and the community He represents is vindicated over the enemies of the people of God. Clouds here symbolise the power and authoritative judgement of God in rescuing, delivering, protecting His people Israel (Ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical). Shaul (Paul) now applies this idea to Gentile Christians as well as to Jewish believers, who were facing various forms of persecution in the first century C.E. Rapture, as it is popularly understood, is nowhere to be found in this so called “Rapture” passage. Scripture clearly teaches that the Messiah will return to resurrect, to cleanse, to heal, restore and to establish the eternal Kingdom of God on the new earth. Heaven and earth will be united forever as a result of the sacrificial death and resurrection of the King Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). Concerning the Messiah’s return, the Bible teaches: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” -Revelation 21:3-4 The renewed world will be our eternal home with God and His King Messiah Yeshua, and we have the opportunity in the present world to reflect that hope. Rapture on the other hand invites us to escape this world, which is the opposite of the truth seen in the life and ministry of Yeshua. We pray “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” according to His instruction, and not “Your will be done in heaven that I might escape to dwell there!” 2. Some claim that Matthew 24 proves the Rapture. “And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left. Watch therefore: for you know not on what day your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through.” -Matthew 24:37-43 When reading this teaching of Yeshua we should understand it according to its proper context. The flood destroyed the earth, taking away the wicked and leaving behind God's people (Noah's family). Thus, It was the wicked who were taken and the righteous, Noah and his family who were left behind. Therefore, these verses cannot and do not support a rapture of believers. It is the wicked who will be taken away in the last days and the righteous that will remain. 3. There are those who claim that Luke 17:20-37 proves the Rapture. “‘Two women shall be grinding wheat together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.’ And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? And He said unto them, ‘Where ever the body is, there will the eagles (Vultures) be gathered together.’” - Luke 17:35-37 (context v.20-37) As in the case of the previous Scripture, the context relates to the days of Noah and those taken are the wicked while those left are the righteous. In the text of Luke 17:35-37 the disciples ask for clarification saying, “Where Lord?” They were not wondering where the one left behind would be? That one had gone nowhere. The disciples were asking “Where will the one who was taken be?” Yeshua answers, "Where ever the body is, there will the birds of prey be gathered together." The Greek ἀετοὶ (aetoi) translated eagle is also used to translate carrion, thus “birds of prey” is perhaps a better rendering. Carrion (Vultures) gather over dead bodies, therefore, we read “carcass.” Even if we read “eagle” the result is the same, the dead body is the subject. “Does the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwells and abides in the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeks the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there she is.” - Job 39:27-30 In the Matthew 24 account, Yeshua makes it clearer by saying that the body is a “carcass.” Thus, those taken away cannot have been raptured, rather, they are the wicked dead. 4. There are many Christians who use the phrase "coming as a thief" as proof of a rapture. By separating it from the context and believing that Yeshua is coming as a thief for the body of believers, they establish a false theology on a flawed premise. Here’s what the Shaliach (Apostle) Shaul (Paul) says regarding the phrase “comes as a thief”: “But of the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need that I write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, ‘peace and safety’; then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” -1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 First, followers of Messiah understand that there are times and seasons in the outworking of God’s redemptive plan, and Shaul sees no reason here to write to them regarding the certainty of their hope in Messiah’s return (v.1). Second, Shaul clarifies what the believers already know, that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” Note that it is the day of the Lord and not the Messiah that is referred to. Third, “they” (not believers but unbelievers), “shall say, ‘peace and safety’; then sudden destruction will come upon them…” This cannot refer to believers because v2 already clarifies that believers know that the day of the Lord will come like a thief upon those who are unprepared. Fourth, Shaul reaffirms that the believers will not be taken or surprised by the Day of the Lord (v.4) because they are not in darkness (night). Therefore, the Day of the Lord will come “as a thief” for the world. It will “come suddenly,” on those who are unaware of Messiah? Shaul (Paul) reminds the community of believers that followers of Messiah Yeshua are not overtaken “as by a thief,” because we will be watching and waiting for the Lord, expecting His return (v.4). “The thief comes for no other reason, than to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: ‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'” - John 10:10 The Messiah is not a thief, nor should we understand Him figuratively as one who steals. What does a thief come to do? To steal and destroy! Yeshua is not coming to steal and destroy His bride (Body of believers)! Rather, the Day of the Lord will bring about the destruction of the wicked. The Day of the Lord will not come like a thief for the body of faith. Rather, the Day of the Lord will come as a great surprise to the wicked, just as a sleeping man is surprised by a thief at night. Therefore, this scripture is also devoid of any evidence supporting a Rapture. 5. Some misuse the following in a vain attempt at proving the Rapture construct: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” -John 14:3 Where will Yeshua be? He will be with the Father in the New Jerusalem on the New Earth (Rev. 21). In short, the place prepared descends as the New Jerusalem. This is described in Revelation 21. Therefore, what need is there for Him to rapture those who He will gather to Himself? There is no need, nor does this Scripture support this false idea. 6. Some misuse the following in a vain attempt at proving the Rapture construct: “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” -Luke 10:20 Yes, our names are written in the book of life which is presently held in the heavens. However, Revelation clearly teaches that the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven and that God will dwell with us on the New earth (Rev. 21). Therefore, our names being presently written in heaven does not qualify the Rapture construct. In fact, this verse is identifying believers as B’nai Elohim (Sons of God: God fearers), as set apart from Banot Adam (Daughters of humanity: idolaters). 7. Some misuse the appearing of the Son of Man to support the Rapture “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud shofar call, and they will gather His elect (Jews) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” -Matthew 24:30-31 [Ref. Mark 13:24-27] Notice that it is Yeshua Who will come “in the clouds of heaven,” and not the elect (Jews). Notice also that He will gather the elect (Jews) from the four points of the compass. He does not lift up the elect, He gathers them. The phrase “From one end of the heavens to the other” is an ancient Hebrew idiom meaning “all of the earth.” Therefore, this verse does not support the Rapture construct. 8. Some use the fact that our citizenship is in heaven in order to support the Rapture “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” -Philippians 3:20-21 As alluded to previously, our names and subsequently our citizenship are presently recorded in the heavens (as members of the Heavenly Kingdom which will descend). However, as also stated previously, the New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven and our residence will be on the new earth in the presence of God the Father and the King Messiah Yeshua. In fact the Scripture itself says “We eagerly await a Saviour from there” and not “We eagerly await our floating up into the clouds to sit up there with the Saviour”. Conclusion Not one of the Scriptures proposed as proof by “Rapture” proponents, when read in context using the original languages, support the Rapture construct. In fact, to the contrary, they refute it and in addition, when coupled with the text of Revelation and the wider body of Scripture, they instead properly illuminate the truth that God intends to come down and dwell with us rather than steal us away up into the heavens. With this in mind, and the fact that neither the books of Daniel or Revelation (the ultimate prophetic descriptions of the latter days) mention a rapture, not once, nor do they imply any kind of rapture, not once; we must conclude that there is no Rapture. Scripture demands it. The reality is that the Rapture theological construct has more in common with the levitation of false esoteric eastern religions than it does with Biblical Judeo-Christianity. In short, the Rapture is a foolish exercise in spiritual escapism. Copyright 2025 Yaakov (Brown) Ben Yehoshua Being pedantic concerning alphabet preference is unnecessary when it comes to the transmission and communication of Scripture. YHVH is the Creator of alphabets. The Mashiach is the Word Who establishes all language, spoken and written. During the first century while Yeshua taught in the Roman occupied land of Judea, both Hebrew and Greek were considered kosher languages for writing Torah Scrolls. This is evidenced in the manuscripts of Qumran (Dead sea Scrolls), and in the quotes from Torah presented in New Testament Scripture (texts dating approximately between 40 and 110 CE). Some say, "Paleo-Hebrew" is the only true text of Scripture." Is that true? Answering this question is important because many in the body of believers rest on an intellectual pride of position based on unproven assertions regarding the revelation and transmission of Scripture.
This article seeks to address the question of Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew use in the Bronze Age and the likelihood of its use in recording the Torah/Ten Words at Sinai. For the purposes of this article I have qualified the term Paleo with its predecessor Proto, which has less baggage attached to it regarding the misuse of terms and the pseudo-learned approach of many modern “Messianic” and “Hebrew Roots” proponents. Evidence* for the Order of Proto-Levantine Scripts of the Bronze & Iron Ages: *The following dates are an approximate (Scholars and archaeologists differ on precise dating) The following list is from oldest to youngest and is based on archaeological discoveries of inscriptions, artifacts and manuscripts. 1900 BCE Proto-Sinaitic (Ancient Sinai Peninsula) 1700 BCE Proto-Canaanite 1100 BCE Proto-Phoenician 1000 BCE Ugaritic 840 BCE Moabite 700-538 BCE Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew [some evidence suggests the possibility of earlier dating to1000 BCE] 400 BCE – 100 CE Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew Dead Sea Scroll Manuscripts The traditional (and most likely) estimate for the receipt of the Torah at Sinai is 1300 BCE. Therefore, based on the archaeological evidence, and the dating of the Exodus, the Torah (inclusive of the tablets/Ten Words) could not have been written in Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew as many suggest. Paleo-Hebrew is at a stretch, dated to 1000 BCE, 300 years later than the Exodus. The Torah was most likely written in an earlier form of Hebrew that more closely resembled the Proto-Canaanite/Phoenician alphabets. This puts to rest the false assertions of the endless parade of pseudo-learned, so called, "Messianic" teachers who claim that the only true text of Scripture is the Paleo-Hebrew text of Sinai (which we have established is highly unlikely). The ancient manuscripts (not inscriptions but scrolls) we do have in the Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew script are found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and date between 400 BCE and 100 CE. We do not have a complete Torah text in Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew. It's equally erroneous to claim, as some do, that a hieroglyphic interpretation of Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew Scripture is necessary for a true understanding. Proto-Phoenician, Proto-Canaanite, and Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew character alphabets are just that, character alphabets using letters to create words that have meaning based on the combining of letters and not based on the individual pictographic meanings of individual letters within a word. In the case of Scripture, to interpret the sum of a word as a collection of ambiguous pictographic ideas that contradict the meaning of the word itself, is to breed confusion. Had God intended to convey His Word in hieroglyphics He had an Egyptian set of hieroglyphics to work with which were adjacent to (Though originated centuries earlier), but not the same as the Proto-Canaanite/Proto-Phoenician/Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew of the descendants of Jacob, who had brought the Proto-Canaanite/Proto-Phoenician alphabet with them into Egypt and had carried it in their own dialect (An earlier version of Proto-Hebrew) as a spoken and written language throughout their 400 year sojourn as slaves. The ancient Scriptural texts we have today, written in both Proto(Paleo)-Hebrew, Post Exilic Hebrew/Aramaic and Ancient Greek are fully reliable. They're not fully reliable because human scribes are fully reliable but because the Creator of the universe is fully reliable and ultimately responsible for the revelation, impartation, and transmission of Scripture. Do not be fooled by those who promote teachings using theories that have no factual basis. Likewise, do not entertain teachers who claim that Scripture in its transmitted languages can't be relied upon “because humans wrote it,” or because some “undiscovered more accurate version (A full Paleo-Hebrew Torah) exists.” Those who make the aforementioned claims only serve to seed confusion, misunderstanding, and misinterpretation. Have nothing to do with them. Being pedantic concerning alphabet preference is unnecessary when it comes to the transmission and communication of Scripture. YHVH is the Creator of alphabets. The Mashiach is the Word Who establishes all language, spoken and written. During the first century while Yeshua taught in the Roman occupied land of Judea, both Hebrew and Greek were considered kosher languages for writing Torah Scrolls. This is evidenced in the manuscripts of Qumran (Dead sea Scrolls), and in the quotes from Torah presented in New Testament Scripture (texts dating approximately between 40 and 110 CE). Yeshua may well have quoted Scripture from both the Hebrew and Greek language versions of Torah Scrolls (and sometimes an Aramaic translation) depending on the mix of Jews present listening to Him on any given occasion. Evidence suggests that Jews of first century Judea and surrounding areas spoke Hebrew, Greek, and at least three dialects of Post-Exilic Aramaic. Don’t be beguiled by arrogant self-promoting people who claim a unique knowledge of Scripture that only initiates of their teachings have access to. The redemptive revealed message of God is available to all. It’s no secret. God can be trusted, so trust Him for the inerrancy of Scripture. In Messiah our King Redeemer and Intimate Friend -Yaakov Ben Yehoshua For additional content on this subject please read my brief article titled “A Warning Regarding The Misinterpretation of Pictographic Paleo Hebrew”: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/a-warning-regarding-the-misinterpretation-of-pictographic-paleo-hebrew Copyright 2025 Yaakov (Brown) Ben Yehoshua Yeshua emphasizes the actions of the neighborly person and thus defines a neighbor as one who acts in a neighborly way. He is not, as many erroneously claim, calling everyone a neighbor. In fact, Yeshua's words regarding neighbors and enemies refute that ridiculous claim outright. If everyone is your neighbor you have no enemies, in which case you would need not love your enemy. Concerning the current conflict in the Middle East I see "Christians" posting trite modified quotes from Scripture, like:
"Loving thy neighbors doesn’t include going to war with them." Let's consider the context of both the Torah instruction and Messiah's quoting of the instruction, "Love thy neighbor." In the context of the Torah, a neighbor was a person who lived at peace with Israel either within the commonwealth of Israel or in proximity to Israel. When Jesus quotes the Torah He says, "Love your neighbor as yourself" following "Hear Israel, the LORD our God the LORD is One." Yeshua also says: "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ [ Ex. 23:4-5, Lev. 19:18] And I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," (Matt. 5:43-44) Note, He does not invalidate the former but adds to it. And, when revealing the meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan (neighbors and blood relatives to Jews of the first century and not enemies like the Syro-Phoenicians), He asks the enquirer, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36) Yeshua emphasizes the actions of the neighborly person and thus defines a neighbor as one who acts in a neighborly way. He is not, as many erroneously claim, calling everyone a neighbor. In fact, Yeshua's words regarding neighbors and enemies refute that ridiculous claim outright. If everyone is your neighbor you have no enemies, in which case you would need not love your enemy. Therefore, the contextual definition of a neighbor in both the Torah and the quotations of Yeshua is: A person who lives at peace alongside you. (One who is not your enemy.) One who acts in a neighborly way toward you. An enemy on the other hand is clearly defined in both Torah and the mouth of Yeshua, as: one who persecutes you. The self-righteous misappropriation of the words of Yeshua by morally superior "Christians" are an indictment against the speakers and promoters of them. The western Church should be utterly ashamed of those among us who have espoused vile troupes disguised as holy admonishments. While many in the "Church" pretend to love everyone, they nonetheless find ample opportunity for indicting Israel for its acts of Self-defense. Thus proving that the antisemitism of the apostate church still festers in the hearts of many a progressive "Christian." "Christian" NGO's either intentionally or unwittingly fund Israel's enemies to the tune of millions of dollars. Some of these NGO's even have the audacity to claim pacifism as a core doctrine while literally funding the purchase of weapons for terrorists via proxy organizations and the mismanagement of aid. Entire "Christian" networks like the Mennonite Central Committee, WCC, and numerous others, actively lobby their members to seek legislation against Israel, all the while pompously admonishing others to "Love your enemy!" If Israel is your enemy, why aren't you praying for her, blessing her, just as Jesus says you should? Instead you curse her and act against her security, enabling her enemies and making yourselves enemies of God and His chosen people. You hypocrites, white washed tombs, unmarked graves that men walk over! Israel, is considered a non-Christian country, and yet she is literally doing what both the Torah and Yeshua say. She loves her enemy by sending countless numbers of trucks filled with aid into Gaza, and by protecting those same enemies from Hamas so that Gazans can receive the aid safely. Israel, as attested to by well documented actions, shows love for her enemies. And make no mistake, enemies are not neighbors. Many of those receiving aid from Israel are the same that applauded the atrocities of October 7 and many others are still complicit in the abuse of Israeli hostages. And yet, here Israel is, feeding her enemies. You on the other hand, via your "Christian" organizations, take aid into Gaza, knowing that Hamas will steal it, so that Gazans receive it only through extortion, if at all. This has been your modus operandi throughout the recent conflict which was initiated by the abhorrent slaughter of Oct 7 2023 perpetrated by Palestinian enemies of Israel. Never have you visited Israeli hostages or arranged for them to receive healthcare. By your foolish actions you show that you hate both Israelis and Gazans alike. You abuse the righteous and enable the wicked. Therefore, you prove that Israel is more aligned with Jesus than you are. In fact, you follow a false Jesus of your own making. A progressive politically motivated antichrist. You are a stench in the nostrils of God, you pacifists, you hypocrites, you whitewashed tombs, you unmarked graves that men walk over! To say as some do, that “the modern state of Israel is not the Israel of the Bible” is an outright lie. Israel’s obedience or disobedience to God has never established or disestablished Israel’s identity, any more than my daughter’s obedience or disobedience to me could establish or disestablish her identity. She remains, my daughter. The pseudo-Christian stance against Israel is at its heart, a spiritual delusion.
Those who hold the position that God has done away with Israel and that the "Church" has replaced, superseded, succeeded her, or the like, are under a satanic anti-biblical delusion that cannot be defeated by intellectual arguments alone. Knowing this is important because while there is a place for presenting the truth of Scripture to those who are bound, without revelation there is nothing further we can do but pray that they receive the real Jesus by the revelation of the Holy Spirit and choose to humbly repent. The reason I say this prior to giving the reader some direction regarding what Scripture teaches about God's continued redemptive purposes in Israel (ethnic, chosen, religious, empirical), is that I have spent many years trying to convince the unteachable-deluded by presenting reasonable arguments based on the right division of the Word of Truth. The problem with this approach is that it presumes that all are equally capable of receiving and accepting the truth. This is simply not the case. A wilfully unteachable person by definition cannot be taught. I’ve learned in Messiah to discern between the teachable-deluded and the unteachable-deluded. A few years ago the LORD challenged me to stop wasting time on the unteachable, because, the time I was spending trying to convince them of what they had already firmly decided against, was time I was stealing from the teachable-deluded. What Scripture Teaches Regarding Israel This will not be exhaustive but will be a good starting point. NOTE: the use of decontextualized verses as foundation for doctrine is ERROR. When you see others responding to you with lists of single verses, devoid of an admonishment to consider context [textual, historical, religious, cultural, linguistic etc.] you can instantly determine that they are in error. Discernment is key. Godly discernment is necessary. Lean into the LORD, and not on your own understanding. The question we are addressing is "Are Christians obligated to support Israel?" (In fact, the better question is "What does Scripture teach us about God's relationship with Israel?") I prefer, “How is Messiah the Goal of this?” And, "How is Jesus in me directing me in relationship toward His blood relatives?" There is no obligation in Rest (Messiah). If we are not in intimate relationship with Jesus we do not have the capability of understanding how offensive the rejection of His blood brothers and sisters ethnic, religious Israel, the Jewish people, is to Him. He considers those who reject Israel and position themselves as Israel's enemies to be "dogs", His words. Please read my article on sanitizing the words of Jesus: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/sanitizing-the-words-of-jesus-matthew-15-mark-7 The nouns Jacob, Israel, Jew etc. are all ethnic nouns describing the descendants of Jacob. They are not once used in all of Scripture outside of this primary definition. These nouns are no different in usage than Navajo, Mohican, Maori, Cree, Celt etc. "I ask then, “Did God (the God of Israel) reject His people (Israel)?” A curse on it! For I myself am an Israelite (empirical, ethnic, spiritual), from the seed of Avraham, of the tribe of Benyamin. God has not rejected His people, whom He foreknew. (From before the foundation of the world. 1 Kefa/Peter 1:20)" Or don’t you know what the Tanakh (OT) says about Eliyahu (Elijah)? He pleads with God against Israel, “HaShem (YHVH), they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I’m the only one left, and now they want to kill me too!” But what is God’s answer to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt down to the Ba‘aliym (lords, false gods).” (1 Kings 19) It’s the same way in the present age: there is a remnant, chosen by chesed (grace, practical love).” -Romans 11:1-5 Has God rejected Israel? The Scripture says "A curse on the idea!" [Rom. 11:1] Therefore, there is a curse on the one who says that Christians are not obligated to support the people of Israel. [Asking a question of obligation is proof of bondage, not freedom.] The phrase in Romans 11:1 "A curse on it!" is an attempt English translators to convey the Biblical Greek text which reads literally as "May it be as if the idea never existed", which is equivalent to "Y'mach zot!", may it be blotted out! Please read my commentary on Romans 11: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/romans-11-ethnic-spiritual-israel-are-one-in-the-same Does the land of Israel still belong to the Jews? Today 9.5 million people live in Israel, 7.2 million of them Jews (proven descendants of the Jacob of the Bible). There are approximately 15.8 million Jews in the world today. Almost half of us live in the God covenanted land which has been given to our people without caveat. [Gen. 15; 1 Chronicles 16:12-18] Here's what the Bible says about the covenant God made for the land. Keep in mind that this covenant was made first with Abram while he was unconscious and is therefore incumbent on God alone. Meaning that Israel's disobedience does not nullify the covenant promise of God concerning the land. This covenant was passed on to Isaac and Jacob, Jacob and his descendants being the rightful possessors of the covenant land of Israel. God is essentially the first Zionist. [note that Zionist and Jew are synonyms, given that approximately 80% of all Jews consider themselves to be Zionists] "12 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth, 13 You descendants of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones! 14 He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. 17 He also confirmed it to Jacob as a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, 18 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, -1 Chronicles 16:12-18 NASB Please read my commentary on the covenant for the land made with Abram: https://www.bethmelekh.com/genesis-148915121488151314971514/-genesis-chapter-15 Is Israel established as God's chosen people forever? The previous quote from 1 Chronicles says they are, because the land promised is given as a dwelling place for the chosen Jewish people. This requires their continued existence, which has been established by God, Who is without beginning or end. *Please read each of the following references in context (read the entire chapter and previous and following text. Also consider the historical, religious, cultural, locational context): Genesis 27:29* Exodus 19:6* Numbers 24:9* Deuteronomy 7:6-8* Isaiah 41:8-9; 44:1; 49:14-26* Jeremiah 31:31-40; 51:5* Psalms 105:9-12; 135:4* Matthew 10:5-7; 15:21-28* John 4:22* Romans 1:16; 10:1; 11:1-2, 24-27* Revelation 7* The list goes on, and on, and on… The meta-narrative of God's word is irrefutable proof of His continued and everlasting relationship with the ethnic descendants of Jacob, Israel, the Jewish people. God warns all humanity against cursing His chosen people in His promise to Abram which is ratified in Isaac and Jacob (Israel): "May nations serve you, and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob (Israel) had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting." - Genesis 27:29-30 [ref. Gen. 12:3] “God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. 9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!” -Numbers 24:8-9 [Read the entire chapter] There is a God established curse on those who fail to bless Israel. The title "Christian" will not save so-called "Christians" from that curse. If there is an obligation that we have, it's an obligation to warn those so-called "Christians" of the grave danger they have placed themselves in. Some say, “the modern state of Israel is not the Israel of the Bible” Sadly, by far the majority of the current world "Church" is cursed according to Scripture. This, simply based on pseudo-Christian replacement theology and a political disdain for the state of Israel which comprises almost half the world’s Jewish population. To say as some do, that “the modern state of Israel is not the Israel of the Bible” is an outright lie. Israel’s obedience or disobedience to God has never established or disestablished Israel’s identity, any more than my daughter’s obedience or disobedience to me could establish or disestablish her identity. She remains, my daughter [Of course, I have four daughters, and many more spiritual daughters besides. But you understand the analogy.] God’s Word cannot be broken. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. As Paul writes: "I ask then, “Did God (the God of Israel) reject His people (Israel)?” A curse on it! For I myself am an Israelite (empirical, ethnic, spiritual), from the seed of Avraham, of the tribe of Benyamin. God has not rejected His people, whom He foreknew.” -Romans 11:1 Refuting the Misuse of Scripture Regarding Israel: Now let me address some of the decontextualized scriptures promoted by those arguing to the contrary and expose the ignorance and misappropriation of each verse (singular) in question:
Please bear with me, if this weren’t such a satanic misuse of Scripture I would be wetting my pants laughing at the presenting of it as proof that the “Church” has replaced Israel. Peter is tasked as an apostle (shaliach) [sent one] to the Jews. [Galatians 2:8] Peter’s letters are, like the letter of Yaakov (James), written to the “Israel of God” (Jewish followers of Yeshua), and not to Gentile believers, though, if understood in context, the principles within the text are applicable to all believers, but not as evidence of the Church replacing the people (Jews) to whom the letters were written. 1 Peter 2:9 is a reminder to the Jewish believers of their God appointed identity as recorded in Exodus 19:6, which Peter is quoting. This is not written to Gentile believers. All believers are priests in Messiah [Rev. 1:6; 5:8-10], but this is not established in the context of Peter’s letter. Nor does it negate God’s established choosing of the ethnic descendants of Jacob (Israel) as a nation of priests. It is not a question of us or them but of them and us, if we submit to their King and their nationhood… Ref. Exodus 19:6; Numbers 24:8-9; Isaiah 61:6 etc. Please read my article explaining what it means to be made part of the commonwealth of Israel: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/correctly-understanding-romans-11-ephesians-2-supplementary Please also refer back to my commentary on Romans 11 [earlier link]
I’m at a loss to understand the attempted use of this verse to support the idea that the “Church” has replaced Israel? It is in fact an indictment against those who make the claim that they have replaced Israel. If they were living by faith (as the text requires,) Messiah, the giver of pisteos [Greek] aman [Hebrew] both words meaning: faith, trust, persuaded by, convinced of, in agreement], would be compelling them to advocate for His people. If they’re not doing so they are not living by faith in agreement with the Messiah and are therefore either wilfully grieving the Holy Spirit or are devoid of the Holy Spirit and need to meet Jesus in humble repentance. Some will say, “This is not a salvation issue!” However, it is the fruit of a salvation issue. Those who deny the moral imperatives of the Bible, who deny the deity of Jesus, who deny the power of the Holy Spirit, who deny God’s continued redemptive purposes in Israel, prove that they are either wilfully grieving or devoid of the Holy Spirit.
First, the text reads “people” and refers to the redeemed people of Israel, Jews to whom Yeshua is soon to give the Kingdom. The Kingdom is then offered to those Gentiles who will humbly submit to Jesus and allow themselves to be grafted into the commonwealth of Israel as devoted friends of Jesus and His Jewish people. Gentiles who don’t serve the Jewish people prove themselves to be rejecters of the Messiah and therefore no longer qualify to enter His kingdom. Second, in the context of Matthew 21, Yeshua is in Jerusalem surrounded by His disciples, both the 12 and the wider retinue of 120 or more, all of whom are Jews, and who in the coming days would receive the fullness of Jesus and the Holy Spirit and begin the reconciliation of the Jewish people which will reach its fullness at the end of days according to Romans 11:24-27. The people who are being given the kingdom then, are Jews, who will make it available to others by way of consolation. Third, Yeshua is speaking to some of the Pharisees and priests, and those among the people of Israel who are in disobedience to God, living as hypocrites. He is not speaking to all of Israel (Nor to all the Pharisees and Priests) but to the apostate among Israel, just as the prophets did. We note that throughout Biblical history it has never been the case that God has taken the kingdom entirely and permanently away from Israel. Nor will He, Not Ever! Fourth, the Kingdom of God is being taken from one group of people and given to another through the New Covenant established in Messiah’s blood. Therefore, we must ask, to whom is the New Covenant given? The answer is in the Bible: “31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, [h]though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their [i]hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” 35 Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): 36 “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.” 37 Thus says the Lord: “If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the Lord.” -Jeremiah 31:31-37 Thus, the kingdom is taken from the apostate among ethnic Israel and given to the repentant among ethnic Israel through the new covenant. Uniting the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah into One, the redeemed Jewish people of God. When Yeshua says that the kingdom will be taken from you and given to a people who bear its fruits, this is what He is saying. It’s being taken from unrepentant Jewish apostates and is being given to the redeemed Jews, whose fullness is yet to be realized and therefore includes the ethnic, religious, secular, even the atheist Jews of today, this remnant being chosen and pre-Messianic according to Romans 11:24-27. Gentiles only have access to the New Covenant through Israel to whom it is given [Jeremiah 31:31.] We note that the sun and moon continue to go through their cycles. We note that we remain incapable of measuring the universe. Therefore, according to God’s Word to Jeremiah the prophet God has not and nor will He ever cast off chosen, ethnic, religious, empirical Israel, the Jewish people. Salvation Himself is from the Jews [plural]: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/sefer-yochanan-gospel-according-to-john-chapter-4-pt1-shomroniyt-woman-at-the-well-john-41-26 https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/pray-for-the-peace-of-jerusalem-psalms-122 Those who say God/Yeshua has rejected the Jews, or that He has replaced them, or that we have no responsibility in Messiah to support them, or any other curse with a like ethos, are cursed by God! May God have mercy on them. What I’ve shared with you is only a small selection of scriptures and reasonable explanations from the meta-narrative of Scripture. God will not be mocked. There may be reasons for the false beliefs of some “Christians” but there is absolutely no excuse. Yeshua is refining His bride and will no longer abide that part of the Gentile church that resists His continued purposes for Israel. We Jews have been blinded “in part” so that Gentiles can come into salvation as grafted members of the commonwealth of Israel. [Rom. 11:25-28] This is by way of consolation and not by obligation. As a Jew I share what God has given us with Gentiles, not out of obligation but out of love born of Messiah, why then do so many prideful gentile “Christians,” in hatred, consider that they need not show the love of God toward the people through whom the New Covenant has come to them. Instead they say, “Thanks for Jesus, now piss off!” In doing so they show that they have no access to Salvation (Yeshua). A piece of new fruit that is reliant on the sustenance of the fruit tree cannot say to the orchard Master, “Cut out the root,” and then expect to live to maturity. Without the root both the tree and the fruit perish. In the lead up to the Holocaust many “Christians” took an anti-Zionist and antisemitic position based on Martin Luther’s vile rhetoric and the vile teaching of the so-called Gentile Church Fathers (Not the fathers of the church in fact, all of whom are Jews). The same is happening today in every western “Christianized country” throughout the world. I wonder, what will it take for “Christians” to open their eyes? The two young Jews murdered recently in Washington D.C. were both Messianic Jews, followers of Yeshua. Those among our so-called “Christian” friends who claim Christ but feel no obligation toward Israel are culpable in the murder of these two fellow Christians. I wonder at how their cognitive dissonance shields them from that reality? In the land of Israel, our enemies have been firing rockets at us from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria constantly for the last 20 years or more, but as far as the world is concerned, only our acts of self-defence are indictable. And all this I would understand if it were only non-Christians who held this position of demonising the Jewish people, but it is not. By far the majority of the “Christian Church” holds this view. Discipline and destruction await the Apostate Church. May we love them enough to stand firmly in Messiah the Jew Who is God with us and challenge their abhorrent antichrist worldview. Copyright 2025 Yaakov Ben Yehoshua The city therefore, being the sum of its inhabitants (Jews, Israelites) is joined together, meaning all the tribes of Israel are joined together within her walls during the aliyot festivals. She is thus made echad (one) in God. Tehillim תְהִלִים (Psalms) 122 is a song of ascent, the theme of which is that of pilgrims going up to the House (Tent, Sanctuary) of the LORD in joy, petitioning Him for the manifest peace and everlasting establishment of Jerusalem’s (Judah, Israel, the Jews) good in YHVH יהוה (Mercy) the LORD Elohim (Judge) God.
The isolated phrase “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” is often misrepresented by well-meaning and ignorant people who employee it as some kind of mantra for peace between Israel and her Palestinian (so called)/Arab enemies. But that is not at all what the context of this Psalm denotes. In fact, in many ways it teaches the exact opposite. Praying for the peace of Jerusalem in the context of this Psalm means praying for the defeat of her enemies. At the time of David’s writing of this Psalm (by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) Jerusalem was the capital of the united tribes of Israel under king David, God’s anointed King and the progenitor of the coming King Messiah Yeshua. David places his focus firmly on the LORD and seeking Him on the mountain where He has placed His Name (Mt Zion, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem). God’s Name is also placed on the Jewish people, His title included in the name of Israel (Yisra [wrestle and overcome]-El [God]). This Psalm is written with the company of all the faithful among the tribes of Israel in mind, and is intended for use throughout the ages as a call to ascend the mountain of the LORD for each of the עליות aliyot (going up) חגים chaggim (festivals) [פסח Pesach, שבועות Shavuot, סוכות Sukkot]. To pray only a few decontextualised verses of this Psalm as a petition for some vague universal peace that reflects a post enlightenment humanitarian utopian ideal, is an abhorrent misuse of the Psalm and an afront to God and His chosen people Israel (ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical). This kind of mantra oriented pseudo-Christian prayer practice is an indictment on the modern Church. To decontextualize Scripture is to misrepresent its message. The posture for approaching this prayer is one of humility. For Jews, humility as servants of the greater Son of David (the King Messiah), specially chosen as the ethnic people dedicated to El Elohay Yisrael (God the God of Israel). For God fearing Gentiles, an approach of humility as devoted friends to Israel in the greater Son of David (the King Messiah) is required.[ref. verse 8] This prayer will not be received by God if prayed without regard for the specificity of its intent: To honour YHVH, the city of God, Jerusalem, and therefore the sum of that city, the chosen ethnic people of God, Israel (Jews) under the reign of king David’s greater Son the King Messiah ישוע Yeshua, שר שלום Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace), Who establishes peace for Israel and for those among the nations who go up with her as “devoted friends” and companions in the worship of the God of Israel. [ref. verse 8] Tehillim תְהִלִים (Psalms) 122: שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שָׂ֭מַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִ֣ים לִ֑י בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה נֵלֵֽךְ׃ עֹ֭מְדוֹת הָי֣וּ רַגְלֵ֑ינוּ בִּ֝שְׁעָרַ֗יִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ יְרוּשָׁלַם הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה כְּ֝עִ֗יר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־לָּ֥הּ יַחְדָּֽו׃ שֶׁשָּׁ֨ם עָל֪וּ שְׁבָטִ֡ים שִׁבְטֵי־יָ֭הּ עֵד֣וּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְ֝הֹד֗וֹת לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃ כִּ֤י שָׁ֨מָּה׀ יָשְׁב֣וּ כִסְא֣וֹת לְמִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּ֝סְא֗וֹת לְבֵ֣ית דָּוִֽיד׃ שַׁ֭אֲלוּ שְׁל֣וֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִ֝שְׁלָ֗יוּ אֹהֲבָֽיִךְ׃ יְהִֽי־שָׁל֥וֹם בְּחֵילֵ֑ךְ שַׁ֝לְוָ֗ה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָֽיִךְ׃ לְ֭מַעַן אַחַ֣י וְרֵעָ֑י אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּ֖א שָׁל֣וֹם בָּֽךְ׃ לְ֭מַעַן בֵּית־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁ֖ה ט֣וֹב לָֽךְ׃ Author’s Transliteration: Shiyr hama’alot le’david samachtiy be’omrim liy beit Adonay nelekh Omdot hayu ragleinu bish’arayikh Yerushalam Yerushalam habenuyah ke’iyr shechuberah lah yachdav Shesham alu sh’vatim shivteiy Yah eidot le’yisraeil Lehodot le’sheim Adonay Kiy shamah yash’vu chisot le’mishpat kisot le’veit david Sha’alu shlom yerushalam yishlayu ohavayikh Yehiy shalom be’cheilekh Shalvah b’armeno-tayikh le’ma’an achay ve’rei-ay Adab-be-rah na shalom bakh le’ma’an beit Adonay Eloheinu avak’shah tov lakh Author’s translation from the Hebrew text: 1A song of David, from the multiplied ascending. It reflected my transcendent joy when they said to me “Let us go up to the House of YHVH (Mercy) the LORD!” 2 Our feet have come to stand within your gates, O Jerusalem (Flood/downpour of Peace, wholeness and wellbeing)! 3 Jerusalem is built, established she is joined together, made one. 4 There the tribal branches (of Israel) go up, the tribes [branches] (of Israel) of the Lord; It is a witness, testimony of Israel (ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical, descendants of Jacob) giving thanks to the Name of YHVH (Mercy) the Lord. 5 For there, reside thrones for judgement, the thrones of the house of David (Beloved) [Progenitor of the Messiah, King of Judah and all Israel]. 6 Pray, beg, enquire after, ask for peace, wholeness and wellbeing for Jerusalem (Flood/downpour of Peace, wholeness and wellbeing) [the everlasting capital of Israel]!: “May they prosper who love you (Jerusalem, and by implication, the Jewish people). 7 May it come to pass that peace, wholeness and wellbeing be within your inner walls, prosperity within your towers.” 8 For the sake of my Jewish brothers and sisters and my accompanying friends, I will now declare, “Peace, wholeness and wellbeing be within you.” 9 Because of the purpose and goal of the house of YHVH (Mercy) the Lord our Elohim (Judge) God, I will seek good for you (Jerusalem, Judah, Israel). A contextual line by line commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) 122 שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שָׂ֭מַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִ֣ים לִ֑י בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה נֵלֵֽךְ׃ 1A song of David, from the multiplied ascending. It reflected my transcendent joy when they said to me “Let us go up to the House of YHVH (Mercy) the LORD!” This song is intended for use by Jewish (all the tribes of Israel, ethnic, religious) worshippers who make עליה Aliyah (go up) for the three festivals פסח Pesach, שבועות Shavuot, סוכות Sukkot. Those who reflect David’s transcendent joy are his Jewish brothers and sisters and those devoted friends/companions who honour the God of Israel and therefore also honour the Jewish people.[ref. verse 8] The House of the LORD was, at the time of David’s authoring this Psalm, the Tent of Meeting a.k.a בֵּית הַמִקדָשׁ Beit HaMikdash Sanctuary. The Psalm therefore also points to the then yet to be built Temple of Solomon (המלך שלומו Shlomo, peace), which in turn points to the manifest dwelling of God Himself at the descent of the New Jerusalem at the end of days. Given that the Hebrew בֵּית יְהוָה Beit YHVH “House of the LORD,” in the context of the time of David’s authorship refers to a tent and not a temple. We can glean from this a remez (hint) pointing to the transcendent truth that God “does not dwell in temples made with human effort.” [Isaiah 66:1-2] Not pagan ones, and not the temple in Jerusalem, except on certain occasions when Israel properly observes the Torah and the commanded religious rites of the temple cult ( previously Tent of Meeting). Even then, according to Scripture God manifest His presence in the cloud of His glory in the Holy of holies during Israel’s 40 years in the desert for a time, and manifest His presence in power at the inauguration of the temple of Solomon for a short time, and perhaps on some other exceptional occasions such as once a year at Yom Kippur. However, He did not dwell there perpetually, except in the same way He is everywhere, all things existing in Him. 48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: 49 ‘The Heavens are My throne, And the earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? 50 Has My hand not made all these things?’ [Isa. 66:1-2] Acts 7:48-50 The goal therefore, is YHVH the LORD, and meeting in and with Him in המקום HaMakum the place of meeting, the everlasting capital of Israel, as established by the LORD, that is, Mt Zion in Jerusalem. “I rejoiced when they said to me – R’ Moshe said that David composed this song that it be said with the songs in the House of God when it will be built. R’ Yeshua said that this song was for the House which David built in Zion. There are those that say it refers to the Third House when every member of Israel will say ‘I rejoiced when they said to me’ as they go up for the pilgrimage festivals:” - Ibn Ezra on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:1:1 “This psalm is speaking the praise of Jerusalem. It describes the nation in its totality as one body made up of different individual limbs and Jerusalem as “a city that was joined together within itself…” (Psalms 122:3) The individual limbs join together to become a whole body which can contain the spirit of life, an intellect and a Godly soul. The House of God is located within her and it is the vessel which prepares the whole body to receive the Divine Presence and the Godly soul. The city itself is like the heart and brain within the body, which prepare it to receive the vital force and the intellect. In light of this it says “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord,’” because there God dwells and He makes the Divine Presence and Godliness to come to rest in holiness.” - Malbim on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:1:1 עֹ֭מְדוֹת הָי֣וּ רַגְלֵ֑ינוּ בִּ֝שְׁעָרַ֗יִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ 2 Our feet have come to stand within your gates, O Jerusalem (Flood/downpour of Peace, wholeness and wellbeing)! Those who agree with David come together to stand within the city where God has promised peace will abide in His Name. The remez (hint) at deeper meaning reads “We have acted in accordance with our heartfelt devotion to You YHVH, and along with our king (David: beloved) we have come to stand before You in the city You have chosen, in the midst of the peace that only You can establish.” We note here the Hebrew spelling of Jerusalem is Yerushalam יְרוּשָׁלִָם a singular form that lacks the intense plural ending יִם that is used in the post first century spelling of יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Jerusalem. The TaNaKh (OT) uses the spelling ירושלם which is marked by Masoretes nikudot (vowels) as either יְרוּשָׁלִָם Yerushalam or יְרוּשָׁלֵם Yerushalem. While it’s hard to be exact as to the time in history when Yerushalem/Yerushalam was modified to become Yerushalayim, it was likely between 400 BCE (there are examples of the new spelling in the Dead Sea Scrolls) and 70 CE (a waist high pillar was discovered near Jerusalem in 2018 that dates to the second temple period and uses the newer spelling). The New Testament writers use the Greek transliterated form of Jerusalem in their writing. The Biblical Greek is Ἱεροσόλυμα Hierosolyma, and is often in the neuter plural form. This is significant given that while the newer spelling is generally used as referring to the singular city, it is nonetheless written in a Hebrew plural form denoting more than one Jerusalem. There is of course the present earthly city of Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem that will descend from the heavens and converge with the existing city, the old being renewed and the two becoming one, the sum of their inhabitants. “Then I saw new heavens and a new earth; for the first heavens and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of the heavens from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” -Revelation 21:1-2 [Author’s translation] “Afflicted city, tossed in the storm and not comforted, I will set your stones in antimony (brittle silvery-white semimetal) your foundations will be laid in Lapis lazuli I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.” –Yishaiyahu/Isaiah 54:11-12 [Author’s translation] “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the Mishkhan (Tent of Meeting, dwelling: from shakhan, to dwell) of G-d is among humanity, and He will (shakhan) dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and G-d Himself will be among them and be their God,” -Revelation 21:3 [Author’s translation] יְרוּשָׁלִַם הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה כְּ֝עִ֗יר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־לָּ֥הּ יַחְדָּֽו׃ 3 Jerusalem is built, established she is joined together, made one. The outpouring of Peace is established in a specific location where heaven and earth will converge through the King Messiah’s atoning work. A city is the sum of her inhabitants. At the time of the writing of this Psalm the inhabitants of Jerusalem were predominantly made up of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and three times a year all the tribes of Israel inhabited the city (Judah, Benjamin, and the Northern tribes as one [Jews, Israel]). It is written to reflect David’s experience among his Jewish brothers and sisters during one of the pilgrim festivals עליות aliyot (going up) חגים chaggim (festivals) שלוש רגלים regalim (three moments, feet) [פסח Pesach, שבועות Shavuot, סוכות Sukkot]. The city therefore, being the sum of its inhabitants (Jews, Israelites) is joined together, meaning all the tribes of Israel are joined together within her walls during the עליות aliyot festivals. She is thus made אחד echad (one) in God. “Jerusalem – On the three festivals it was like a city into which all her children gathered from the surrounding area in a time of fear:” - Ibn Ezra on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:3:1 Those Gentiles who are devoted friends to Israel because of their love of the God of Israel are also afforded the opportunity to be made one within the city of Jerusalem.[ref. verse 8] Jerusalem is established as an everlasting city, the New Jerusalem will one day converge and transform the present city and the inhabitants of that everlasting city will include the united tribes of Israel and the Messiah essential people of other nations.[Rev. 21:2] “But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.” -Galatians 4:26 “Jerusalem that is built in the firmament is like the city that is joined with it as one on earth.” - Aramaic Targum to Tehillim (Psalms) 122:3 “is like a city that was joined together within itself Like Shiloh, for Scripture compared them to one another, as it is said (Deut. 12:9): “to the rest and to the inheritance.” The rest is Shiloh. The inheritance is Jerusalem (see Sifrei Re’eh 66). And our Rabbis said (Ta’an. 5a): There is a Jerusalem in heaven, and the Jerusalem on earth is destined to be like it.” - Rashi on Psalms 122:3:2 שֶׁשָּׁ֨ם עָל֪וּ שְׁבָטִ֡ים שִׁבְטֵי־יָ֭הּ עֵד֣וּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְ֝הֹד֗וֹת לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃ 4 There the tribal branches (of Israel) go up, the tribes [branches] (of Israel) of the Lord; It is a witness, testimony of Israel (ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical, descendants of Jacob) giving thanks to the Name of YHVH (Mercy) the Lord. The branches are the tribes of Israel, under David’s rule they approach together. They will approach together again. In fact, that approach began again in 1948 and will reach its fullness at the redemption of the entire remnant of the ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical Jewish people. [Rom. 11:25-26] The branches (tribes) of Israel are seen here rooted and “joined together” in Jerusalem (a flood of peace). [ref. verse 3] Note that the unity of the tribes of Israel in worship on Mount Zion is a testimony of God’s goodness, His Mercy יהוה YHVH and Judgement אלהים Elohim. “Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.” -Y’shayahu (Isaiah) 33:20 כִּ֤י שָׁ֨מָּה׀ יָשְׁב֣וּ כִסְא֣וֹת לְמִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּ֝סְא֗וֹת לְבֵ֣ית דָּוִֽיד׃ 5 For there, reside thrones for judgement, the thrones of the house of David (Beloved) [Progenitor of the Messiah, King of Judah and all Israel]. Jerusalem was then (during David’s reign) and will be in the future, a place of judgement. The thrones of judgement are of the house of David, upon which the tribes of Israel will be judged. The throne of the greater Son of David the King Messiah Yeshua is also prophetically inferred here as being the ultimate throne of judgement over Israel and the nations. [ref. Matt. 19:28] “For there were set thrones, etc. For also in Jerusalem the Shechinah will rest, and thrones will sit there upon which to judge the nations, and the royal thrones of the house of David.” - Rashi on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:5:1 “The psalmist sings the praise of Jerusalem, which is not only the Holy City but also the capital: For there stood the thrones of judgment, as it was the seat of the supreme court of justice, which convened near the Temple and the king’s palace, and it was there that were situated the thrones of the house of David. David and his descendants who reigned after him acted as both rulers and judges in all civil matters.” - Steinsaltz on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:5 We note that Yeshua tells His disciples (who were from a variety of tribes in Israel) that they would one day, at the establishment of His Kingdom, sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Yeshua gives this authority to them as the Greater Son of David and rightful heir to the throne of David. “Yeshua said to them, “It is established, I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” -Mattisiyahu (Matthew) 19:28 [Luke 22:30] שַׁ֭אֲלוּ שְׁל֣וֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִ֝שְׁלָ֗יוּ אֹהֲבָֽיִךְ׃ 6 Pray, beg, enquire after, ask for peace, wholeness and wellbeing for Jerusalem (Flood/downpour of Peace, wholeness and wellbeing) [the everlasting capital of Israel]!: “May they prosper who love you (Jerusalem, and by implication, the Jewish people). David admonishes his Jewish brothers and sisters and those devoted friends who accompany them in going up to worship the LORD, to plead with God for the peace, wholeness and wellbeing of the unified tribes of Israel the sum of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. David, by the Holy Spirit speaks a blessing of prosperity over all who pray for peace in Israel and her capital, peace for the Jewish people. “On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest,” -Y’shayahu (Isaiah) 62:6 יְהִֽי־שָׁל֥וֹם בְּחֵילֵ֑ךְ שַׁ֝לְוָ֗ה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָֽיִךְ׃ 7 May it come to pass that peace, wholeness and wellbeing be within your inner walls, prosperity within your towers.” David further speaks a blessing over the unified tribes of Israel gathered in Jerusalem for the going up festivals. This peace is to permeate every part of the city and every person. Every part is alluded to by the use of the Hebrew meaning “rampart” or “inner wall” and is juxtaposed against the high towers (palaces) so that both those from the lower class watchmen and the higher class rulers will experience the present peace of God together. “A further prayer for Jerusalem: May peace be within your walls, ĥeilekh referring to a secondary, lower wall that surrounds parts of the main, fully fortified city wall. May there be tranquillity within your towers. Armonot, translated here as “towers,” usually refers to large palaces, but it can also connote fortresses.” - Steinsaltz on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:7 “Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.” -Tehillim (Psalms) 48:3 לְ֭מַעַן אַחַ֣י וְרֵעָ֑י אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּ֖א שָׁל֣וֹם בָּֽךְ׃ 8 For the sake of my Jewish brothers and sisters and my accompanying friends, I will now declare, “Peace, wholeness and wellbeing be within you.” David, by the Holy Spirit declares the promised outcome of peace over the unified tribes of Israel gathered in Jerusalem their everlasting capital in God through Messiah. “For the sake of my brothers and companions I now say: Peace be with you. My prayer for Jerusalem is on behalf of all those in the city, whether residents or visitors.” - Steinsaltz on Tehillim (Psalms) 122:8 In addition to David’s brothers and sisters (fellow Jews), accompanying devoted friends of the nations are also welcomed to go up. These Gentile worshippers qualify in the atoning work of God and because in love for YHVH through Messiah, they also love the Jewish people with the devotion of brothers and sisters, made echad (one) in the King Messiah Yeshua HaMelekh! לְ֭מַעַן בֵּית־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁ֖ה ט֣וֹב לָֽךְ׃ 9 Because of the purpose and goal of the house of YHVH (Mercy) the Lord our Elohim (Judge) God, I will seek good for you (Jerusalem, Judah, Israel). The House of YHVH and the place where it resides are signs pointing to Him. His purposes working out redemption for the repentant and everlasting life. Therefore, the purpose and goal of God’s house (both physically as a shadow of the heavenly things [ref. Heb. 8:5] and spiritually, as the living stones, [ref. 1 Peter 2:4-7; Ephesians 2:19-22] the unified tribes of Israel and those God fearing Gentiles who are devoted friends of Israel) is right relationship in Him through the Messiah Yeshua unto eternal life and perpetual intimacy and unity in God. Human beings are not created for worship, to the contrary, we are created in relationship and worship is an expression of our gratitude toward the Creator, Who being in Himself a family, Father , Son and Holy Spirit, has created us in His image to be family in perfect relationship. He chose to reveal this truth through a specific chosen ethnic religious people, the descendants of Jacob, also called Israel, the Jewish people, who remain to this day in spite of every attempt to annihilate us. His redemptive plan made manifest through this unique people in the Person of Messiah and His continued purposes made full only in the continuance of the uniqueness of the chosen people as a set apart people, the remnant of which will receive Yeshua [Rom. 11:25-26] at His return and unite all Israel, ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical, with those among the nations who have humbly received Yeshua as the promised Messiah, King of the Jewish people and Saviour to all who call on God through His atoning work. “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.” -Tehillim (Psalms) 69:9 “Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;” -Tehillim (Psalms) 51:18 Copyright 2025 Yaakov Ben Yehoshua It seems that it’s become of great importance to the modern body of believers (Church) to ensure that Yeshua (Jesus) is portrayed as being politically correct in all His ways. Therefore, we sanitize the harsh words of Jesus. Why? Because we worship a false Jesus of our own making, When a modern Christian reads the words of Jesus spoken to the Canaanite woman, as recorded in Matt. 15:26 [Mrk. 7:27]: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs,” the initial response is to conclude that the metaphor Jesus employees must not mean what it appears to mean.
Imagine how the legacy media might report such an incident today: “ALT-RIGHT RABBI CALLS PALESTINIAN WOMAN A ‘DOG’.” Riots and bombings would ensue, Jews would be attacked globally, Synagogues desecrated and missiles launched at the nation of Israel. It would also be reported that the alt-right rabbi Yeshua is an ardent Zionist, a Nationalist like Hitler, who has allegedly said that He only cares about “the lost sheep of Israel.” The U.N. would issue a statement condemning such a man and his followers. The New Zealand and Australian governments would refuse him an entry visa, while the I.C.C convene to issue an arrest warrant for rabbi Yeshua Ben Yosef. What is it about this that sounds so chillingly familiar? I’ve heard many a sermon from well-meaning pastors and theologians who seek to defend these words of Jesus as a misunderstood attempt at endearment. They jump through linguistic hoops, avoid context and try to reframe this seemingly harsh statement as a loving retort. They take it on themselves to reassure the modern Christian that Jesus is not at all an angry person, nor is he a Zionist, but is merely referring to Gentiles as pets (as if being called a pet dog is any less demeaning than simply being called a dog.) The context of these words of Jesus far from supporting this positive spin to the contrary proves the opposite and exposes the vice of nice on the tongues of our apostate theologians and pastors. It seems that it’s become of great importance to the modern body of believers (Church) to ensure that Yeshua (Jesus) is portrayed as being politically correct in all His ways. Therefore, we sanitize the harsh words of Jesus. Why? Because we worship a false Jesus of our own making, a Messiah who is nice, inoffensive, always polite, a pacifist, and an archetype for the purist expression of humanity. We deny the importance of His ethnicity and religious expression, and the wealth of Biblical evidence to the contrary, and in doing so disregard the cultural and religious concerns of the first century Jewish context. There is a well-known truism “The Devil puts a little bit of truth in every lie.” Many Christian teachers of the Scriptures have developed a habit of being truth adjacent, they often include a truth, or part of a truth in their pursuit of tolerant inaccuracies. With Matt. 15:21-28 & Mrk. 7:24-30 in mind, let’s take a contextual look at the meaning of the Messiah’s harsh words to the Canaanite woman: Prior to this account Jesus had challenged some of the Judean religious leaders regarding their hypocrisy and now journeys to Tyre and Sidon, which were ancient Phoenician cities located in the region of Canaan, along the coast of modern-day Lebanon. This is why the Gentile woman is referred to in each account respectively as “a woman from Canaan” and a “Syro-Phoenician” (Syrian of Phoenicia). The woman is also called a “Greek,” meaning that she was a citizen of the Hellenised Greek world, a Gentile (not Jewish). The apostle Paul uses the noun “Greek” in the same way throughout his letters to the churches. The woman pesters Jesus, asking him repeatedly to set her daughter free from a demon. In Mark’s account Jesus responds to her request by saying “Let the children be filled first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” The Biblical Greek text uses the noun κυναρίοις (kynariois) “Little dog”, not “pet” but “puppy.” “Children” is without doubt a reference to the people of Israel. There are few that dispute this. There is however a great deal of debate over what “Little dogs” means. This is because rather than looking to Scripture in order to glean the meaning of the Biblical use of this metaphor, modern pastors and theologians look to their emotions and pseudo moral, post enlightenment humanism to form the foundation for their understanding. They then impose their false paradigm onto the text, often distorting context and misappropriating obscure extrabiblical texts in support of their flawed presuppositions. The metaphor “Dog” is used in Scripture to represent the enemies of God and of the chosen people Israel (Jews, ethnic descendants of Jacob). This is an irrefutable fact. Please take the time to read the following scriptures: Deut. 14:21; 23:18; 1 Kings 14:11; Psa. 22:16 & 20; 59:5-6, 14-15; Matt. 15:26-27; Mrk. 7:27-28; Phil. 3:2; 2Pe. 2:22 Rev. 22:15. The Biblical Greek root κύων (kuón) is the basis for the various forms of the word “dog” as used in both the Septuagint (Greek version of parts of the TaNaKh [OT]) and the New Testament. In the present case the more specific noun κυναρίοις (kynariois) “Little dog,” “puppy” does not reflect a different core metaphorical meaning but rather denotes a vulnerable enemy. Therefore, according to Biblical Hebrew thought, a puppy is a not yet fully grown, or weakened enemy. From a first century Jewish perspective, the Romans, who occupied the land of Judea at that time, would have been considered κύνας dogs (full grown - strong enemies), whereas the Canaanites, who like the Israelites, were under Roman rule, would be considered κυναρίοις (puppies – powerless little dogs). Jesus is adamant, that it’s not right to give the food (Jesus Person, Gospel, Miracles) of Israel to their enemies, be they strong or weak. Both prior to and during the first century, and even throughout the following millennia, observant Jews rarely kept unclean animals as pets. In fact, in the first century, as testified to by Jewish tradition, dogs were allowed to be kept only as working animals. According to the Talmud Baba Kama it’s permissible to keep certain breeds of dog for protection against vermin. It adds that these dogs must be kept chained and that those who raise them are to be considered cursed. Note that Jesus says of the bread, that it’s not right to “throw it to the little dogs,” meaning that he considers dogs (in a first century Jewish context) to be outside animals that receive food scraps and not indoor pets. The Jewish mystics see dogs as symbols of demons* and the Zohar (Jewish mystic text) likens evil in this world to a vicious dog on a leash. Therefore, the wider context of this account does not allow for a reading that translates “Little dog” as “pet.” [Ref. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/judaism-dogs/] When the Canaanite woman responds in humility and repentance saying “Yes, Adonai, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” She is not claiming to be a pet but a vulnerable puppy born to a working dog. She admits that she is of a people who are enemies to Israel and that she is not therefore worthy of receiving the children’s (Israel’s) food, but asks as one who acknowledges her need to submit to the Master of Israel, Jesus (עמנו Imanu – with us, אל El – God), and humbles herself under the table of the children of Israel as a servant of God, His Messiah Jesus, and of the Jewish people (Israel). By doing this she shows true repentance. Her godly response to Jesus now lives as an example to the stubborn lack of faith of those particular Jewish religious leaders whom Jesus had recently rebuked. Jesus willingly receives this repentant enemy and ministers freedom to her possessed daughter.* Therefore, the modern application of this account of Jesus sees Him refusing to heal the enemies of Israel, vulnerable or not, until such a time as they humbly repent of their hatred for Israel and her God. Jesus still says today, “It is not right to take the children’s (Israel’s) bread and throw it to the little dogs!” Copyright 2025 Yaakov (Brown) Ben Yehoshua Those who appropriate the identities of others in order to elevate themselves defile both their own ethnicity and that of the other. Many Christians are now beginning to understand that Replacement theology and its modern iterations, Supersessionism, Continuationism, Successionism etc. are all satanic heresies that alienate and demonise the Jewish people while seeking to steal their God established chosenness.
This movement toward a sound Biblical understanding of the roles of the Jewish people and the Gentile church in Messiah is a wonderful encouragement to Jews like myself who have met the living King Mashiach Yeshua (Jesus the Messiah). There are however, those who have hyper-extended and misapplied this complex Biblical idea. As Messiah followers, we have an obligation to warn so called “Gentile Messianics" that when they, being non-Jews, appropriate Jewish religious clothing, call themselves spiritual Jews, seek to keep Torah laws of distinction specifically commanded to B’nai Yisrael (The Children of Israel) alone, and not to Gentiles, and demand that all believers do likewise; they are literally practicing Replacement theology. The ethnic nouns "Jew, Israel, Judah, Ephraim" all apply to the blood descendants of Jacob alone. An ethnic noun is not once used in Scripture to refer to a spiritual condition, nor are ethnic nouns used figuratively to describe anyone other than those who are ethnically identifiable with the tribal group in question. For a Gentile Messianic or Christian to call themselves a “Spiritual Jew” is both delusional and an act of self-harm, while also being an antisemitic attempt to usurp the position of God's elect people: chosen, ethnic, religious, empirical, Israel, the Jews. According to the usage of these ethnic nouns in Scripture, only an ethnic Jew qualifies as a spiritual Jew. And only an ethnic Israelite qualifies as being part of the "Israel of God." A Gentile Messianic claiming to be a spiritual Jew, is as delusional as a Briton claiming to be a spiritual Navajo, or a Celt claiming to be a spiritual Maori. God created you to be the valuable ethnic person you are and to live the fullness of your ethnic identity in Messiah. Do not despise the Creator by trying to be someone you're not. Those who appropriate the identities of others in order to elevate themselves defile both their own ethnicity and that of the other. Numerous Messianics have decontextualized and mistaught passages like Romans 11, Ephesians 2, and Galatians 6, in order to appeal to the pride of non-Jewish Messianics. Rather than correctly understanding the place of the Jewish people and owning the God given uniqueness of their own ethnicities, many among the body of faith have instead demanded to be the Jewish people. This, out of a sense of entitlement born of insufficiency. Like broken children they say “I’m special too!”, not realising that in Messiah that fact was never in question. Thus, they seek to steal the identity and role of the Jew. This is grave error. Being grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel does not make a Gentile person ethnically or spiritually Jewish any more than being a part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain makes an indigenous Cree person (Canadian native) a Briton (tribal, ethnic). When using an ethnic noun to describe a person's spiritual being we must by definition be speaking of a person of that specific ethnicity. A spiritual Jew is also an ethnic Jew, no matter how hard he tries he cannot become a spiritual Briton, or Cree, or Navajo, or Maori, and vice versa. In the context of Scripture the phrase "Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16) refers to ethnic Jews who have received the promised Jewish King Messiah Yeshua. It does not refer to Gentiles, not in any way. Paul writes, “Now as many as live by this standard, peace and mercy on them and on the Israel of God.” Note that he says “and” in order to make a distinction between those who are Gentile and live by the standard in question and those who are of the believing Jews (Israel of God). For clarity, let’s try substituting another ethnic noun in order to see how plainly this text refers to an ethnic distinction and not to all believers: “Now as many as live by this standard, peace and mercy on them and on the Maori of God”. No one would read this to mean all believers but as a title specifically applicable to Maori believers. This example shines a light on the foolish misreading that suggests that the “Israel of God” are all believers. Therefore, when we read ethnic terms in the Bible as spiritual metaphor, allegory or as synonyms for the “Church” we can be certain we’re in error. To put it in plan terms, if I as a Jew were to call myself a "Spiritual Navajo", I would be guilty of denying God's creative purpose for me and my God given ethnic identity, while at the same time appropriating (stealing) the creative purpose and ethnic identity of my Navajo brother. Spiritual redemption in Messiah does not equate to spiritual ethnicity. In fact, to some degree the phrase "spiritual ethnicity" is an oxymoron that uses false equivalence to promote a myth. Those grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel feed from the faith root of the natural olive tree (ethnic Jews/Israelites) but do not fruit the same variety of fruit as the natural tree. There is a reason Paul uses the olive tree in his metaphor. As a manager of a garden centre for a number of years, I noted that the multi-graft olive trees we sold fruited the fruit of their original (wild) plants where they had been grafted to the natural (base stock) plant. In short, a burgundy coloured (Kalamata) olive from a wild tree grafted to the green olive (Castelvetrano) of the natural tree, nonetheless fruited burgundy year after year, likewise a black olive (Bella di Cerignola) from another wild olive tree, and so on (we sold trees of up to four grafts of wild olives attached to the root stock of the base plant). After all, what is the point of a multi-graft olive tree that bears only the fruit of the natural tree? With regard to the teaching of Romans 11, Ephesians 2, and Galatians 6, spiritually and ethnically speaking, being grafted in by faith through Yeshua the King Messiah to the root source (that which feeds the tree) does not mean a loss of ethnicity (culture, uniqueness, identity, flavour, colour), nor does it mean appropriation of the mother tree’s ethnicity. It simply means that we feed from the same source (YHVH) via the tree root (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob) and are reliant on the continued existence of the natural tree (Israel). Learn this lesson well Gentile brothers and sisters: God did not make a mistake when He made you of a different ethnicity to that of Israel (the Jewish people). Nor does He require you to become Jews. Freedom is in Messiah alone, all else is idolatrous nonsense. Be the Messiah essential you, expressing all that is godly within your own ethnic cultural identity in Yeshua. The tragic irony of the practice of so many so called “Messianic Gentiles,” who wear tzit tzit, receive adult circumcision, and in extreme cases convert to Orthodox Judaism, renouncing Yeshua in the process; is that they have become literal participants in the Replacement theology they claim to detest. "For freedom, Messiah has set us free—so stand firm, and do not be burdened again by a yoke of slavery… 4 You who are trying to be justified by Torah have been cut off from Messiah; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Messiah Yeshua, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any meaning—but only trust and faithfulness expressing itself through love." -Galatians 5:1, 4-6 Men and women clearly have God appointed Biblical roles, and Scripture assigns neither sex to the role of subjugation. This needlessly divisive subject is solved very simply by allowing the meta-narrative of Scripture to inform our understanding in the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
Many decontextualise and misuse the writings of Paul in order to subjugate women. Likewise many well-meaning, humble women practice self-deception regarding their roles and God given Biblically established gifts. Thus, they come under bondage to the doctrines of men rather than experience the freedom of Messiah. What follows is a concise article that shares the view of Scripture in its entirety, as it pertains to women in leadership and teaching roles: John, “the disciple Yeshua loved,” addresses his latter letters to the leaders of the respective communities he is writing to. John writes his second letter (2 John 1) to "the chosen lady", a female believer and clearly the leader of the community he is addressing his instruction to. If, as some foolishly teach through a lack of context regarding certain scriptures, that women should not lead, teach etc. why is John honouring the "Chosen lady" as a female leader, a "Pastor"? In his writing to the community of Corinth, and in his instruction to Timothy concerning the orderly worship of his community in Ephesus, where cultural and religious context play a key role in understanding the text, Paul doesn't make a general rule banning women from such roles as teaching and speaking, but addresses wives who are demeaning their husbands in public worship and women who are compromising their gender roles according to practices gleaned from pagan worship. Elsewhere in Paul's writing he is clarifying gender distinction rather than the subjugation of women. (1 Corinthians 11) The key to understanding Paul’s writing on this subject is to look at the wider context and consider that he is addressing disorder in the communities in question and not making general arbitrary rules for the subjugation of the female gender. The gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) which include teaching, prophecy etc. are given to each one as the Spirit chooses. The gifts are nowhere named as being gender specific. How then is it possible that a woman having been given the gift of teaching by the Holy Spirit could then be refused the opportunity to utilize that gift? Those who decontextualize these Scriptures in order to proliferate a misogynistic agenda are under Judgement. I think it’s interesting that in all the arguments I've heard that claim women should not be in leadership, I have not once heard a Scripture from the TaNaKh (OT) employed in support of such views. Here's why: Miriam was a prophet and led the women of Israel in worship (Exodus 15:20). God chose Deborah to lead as a prophet, and judge. Additionally she led the men of Israel into battle (Judges 4-5). Huldah the prophetess was sought by Josiah to inquire of the LORD. In this role under God's authority Huldah therefore, led Josiah the king of Israel (2 Chronicles 34:20-33) Esther instructed Mordechai, who passed on her instruction to all the Jews of Persia, thus Esther led Israel under God's authority (Esther 4:14-17). In 2 Samuel 20 the wise woman of Abel takes the role of leader and calls on Joab from atop the fortified city wall in order to strike a deal for the city’s safety. Joab promises to leave the city if Sheba, the man he is seeking, is handed over to him. The woman speaks to the people of the city, and they behead Sheba, throwing his head over the wall, thus, Joab departs. This unnamed woman therefore led the men of the city in this account. The wife of Isaiah is called "the prophetess (Isaiah 8:3) These are just a few of the many leadership and prophetic roles women had in the TaNaKh. In the New Testament we read of Phoebe, Romans 16:1, a woman who taught in the Cenchreae faith community as a “diakonos.” Paul uses this term often to refer to a leader of a community and applies it elsewhere to Yeshua the Messiah, Tychicus, Epaphras, Timothy, and to himself. Junia was considered outstanding by Paul and was among the circle of the apostles (Romans 16:7). Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11), Nympha (Colossians 4:15), and Apphia (Philemon 1:2) all led house churches. Euodia & Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3) were labours in the Gospel with Paul. Priscilla was a church planter (Romans 16:5; Acts 18:26) and was highly regarded by Paul. She instructed Apollos in key doctrine. If women are not allowed to instruct men, why is she esteemed by Paul, who is speaking by the Holy Spirit? Philip’s four daughters were all identified as prophets (Acts 21:8,9). Biblical prophecy is exercised by way of public proclamation. All these women were influential leaders, teachers, prophets, judges as detailed in Scripture both explicitly and implicitly. The two passages most often misused by misogynistic teachers to subjugate women are: 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 & 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Let’s take a concise look at these texts: 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 The chief deity in ancient Corinth was Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Thus, women held positions of power and held sway over their husbands in secular Corinthian society. Paul wasn’t just instructing women who were denigrating men to be silent; he was also calling for those who spoke in tongues and prophesied to do so in an orderly fashion. Paul was simply instructing orderly worship within the Corinthian body of believers. Due to the secular societal norms in ancient Corinth it’s likely that certain wives/women were being disrespectful within the community of faith, rudely asking questions that disrupted the worship gatherings. The Greek word translated “speak” in these verses is used to address prophecies and tongues earlier in the chapter. In both cases, it specifically refers to more than one person speaking at a time. It is therefore consistent to understand that more than one woman was talking at a time and thus disrupting the meetings. It’s also possible that women were talking amongst themselves during sacred parts of the worship gatherings and thus desecrating the sanctity of the community by disrespecting teachers and distracting others. Therefore, Paul is not making a general command about women speaking but rather about disrespectful conduct from women during corporate gatherings of the believing community. As previously stated, based on multiple scriptural references, Paul was an advocate of women in their God appointed roles in the early body of faith. Paul had already clearly outlined ministry roles to both genders in 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14:3-5. Additionally in 1 Corinthians 11:5 Paul alludes to women being participants in both prayer and prophesy in the corporate gatherings of believers. See my article: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/bald-women-kippot-1-corinthians-112-16 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Elsewhere, as I’ve established, Paul affirmed women in ministry roles. Therefore, in the context of this passage He’s once again addressing the subject of order. Paul is writing to his son in the faith Timothy, who is a young leader of the faith community in Ephesus. Like Corinth, female deity was at the forefront of the consciousness in Ephesus. A temple in honour of the goddess Diana/Artemis stood in Ephesus. As a result of the influence of the pagan religious worship of Diana/Artemis Ephesus had become a matriarchal society that stood in opposition to the traditional Biblical Hebraic family unit. It’s known that the most prominent teachers of Greco-Roman spirituality in the city were women. Thus, women teaching satanic doctrines. One such doctrine taught contrary to Scripture that woman was created first. This is probably one of the reasons Paul addresses this subject in verses 13-14. Consider the secular thinking some of the new women believers were unlearning as they attempted to interact with the Messianic faith community. It stands to reason that they may have needed clarity on what was and was not appropriate according to a Hebraic Messiah essential worldview. The Greek word translated, “teach” is “didasko” and refers to the exercising of the office of a teacher. This is clearly a polemic against those pagan female teachers in Ephesus who were teaching a satanic agenda. In other words, “Don’t bring pagan practice into the community of faith!” Additionally, the text of 1 Timothy 2:8-12 is often poorly translated and thus misrepresents the context and usage of the Greek language. Here is a direct translation from the Greek text followed by a concise explanation: 8 So I want the husbands to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute. 9 Likewise the wives are to dress in suitable apparel, with modesty and self-control. Their adornment must not be with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothing, 10 Rather it is proper for women who profess reverence for God to work good deeds. 11 A wife in tranquility should learn with all submissiveness. (To God, Who is the nearest subject) 12 Teaching moreover a wife is not to instruct and dominate a husband but to be present in tranquility." - 1 Timothy 2:8-12 First, nothing in 1 Timothy 2 indicates a public worship service as being the context. To the contrary, like Peter, Paul is addressing a general principle concerning how a wife relates to a husband. Therefore, a woman teaching in a public worship service is NOT the subject of Paul's teaching in 1 Timothy 2. Second, we know that the correct translation of the Greek is "wife, wives" and "husbands, husband" rather than "man, men" and "woman, women" based on the context. Adam and Eve are subsequently used as an example, being Husband and Wife (v.13-15). The point is that of order, and not restriction or subjugation. For this added reason and by comparing Paul's admonition (1 Timothy 2:8-15) to Peter's admonition (1 Peter 3:1-6) we know that the text of 1 Timothy 2 does not refer to public worship but is a general admonition to wives and husbands. We note that the wife's submission in verse 11 is to God, Who is the nearest subject, and that the instruction in verse 13 is that she not "instruct/teach and dominate," just as the husband in verse 8 is instructed to "pray without anger or dispute!" The juxtaposition of these instructions illuminates the context further. Paul is addressing conflict and the causes thereof. Therefore, Paul is not saying that a woman or wife cannot teach in general but that a wife shouldn't try to dominate a husband by using her knowledge of a matter in a forceful way. In conclusion, men and women clearly have God appointed Biblical roles, and Scripture assigns neither sex to the role of subjugation. Copyright 2025 Yaakov Ben Yehoshua |
Yaakov BrownFounder of the Beth Melekh International Messiah Following Jewish Community, 
Archives
November 2025
|
RSS Feed