WHAT IS CHRISTMAS ALL ABOUT?

 

Recently an adapted Peanuts cartoon has been showing up on Facebook and various other internet sites.  It is captioned “What is Christmas all about?”  Most of us have some idea don’t we?  We have heard all of our lives that it is the birthday of the key figure in Christianity, the one called Jesus Christ.  But, is that true?  What does a fat man in a red suit and eight reindeer have to do with the one called Jesus?  Or, if it is His birthday why do people exchange presents with one another and ignore Him?  Before we address these questions and more let me share, by permission, the afore mentioned cartoon with you.

Let us take a look at some of the assertions made by the author of this cartoon, and by many other authors.  One man, Richard M. Rives, has written an entire book documenting how rebellious men, refusing to recognize the true GOD, have chosen the sun as an object of worship.  His book is entitled “Too Long In The Sun.”  I’d like to quote his first paragraph from chapter one of this book.  “While there seem to be hints in antiquity of the knowledge of the God of the Bible, there is one thing that is sure; history reveals that the sun has played an important role in the pantheon of all known civilizations.  The purpose of this documentation is to chart the progression of sun worship from antiquity through the present and to consider its influence upon Christianity.”

The first statement made in the above cartoon, and which is substantiated by numerous books and articles, is that December 25th is associated with the birth of many pagan gods.  Let us look at some quotations.

This first quote is taken from an article posted on the internet on a website called “Unexplained Mysteries of the World.” 

“Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? Most people assume that it has always been a Christian holiday and that it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. But it turns out that Jesus was not born on December 25th. However, a whole bunch of pagan gods were born on that day. In fact, pagans celebrated a festival involving a heroic supernatural figure that visits an evergreen tree and leaves gifts on December 25th long before Jesus was ever born. From its early Babylonian roots, the celebration of the birth or "rebirth" of the sun god on December 25th came to be celebrated under various names all over the ancient world. You see, the winter solstice occurs a few days before December 25th each year. The winter solstice is the day of the year when daylight is the shortest. In ancient times, December 25th was the day each year when the day started to become noticeably longer. Thus it was fitting for the early pagans to designate December 25th as the date of the birth or the ‘rebirth’ of the sun.”

In a classic book, first printed in 1916, entitled “The Two Babylons,” Alexander Hislop gives us much of the Babylonian origins of Christmas.  Here is a portion quoted from page 93 of this book.

"Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen, at that precise time of the year, in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven: and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of Christians to meet Paganism halfway was very early developed; and we find Tertullian, even in his day, about the year 230, bitterly lamenting the inconsistency of the disciples of Christ in this respect, and contrasting it with the strict fidelity of the Pagans to their own superstition.”

Further down the page Hislop goes on to say, “That Christmas was originally a Pagan festival, is beyond all doubt.  The time of year, and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated, prove its origin.  In Egypt, the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time, ‘about the time of the winter solstice’ (Wilkinson’s Egyptians, vol. iv. p. 405) The very name by which Christmas is popularly called among ourselves–Yule day– proves at once its Pagan and Babylonian origin.  ‘Yule’ is the Chaldee name for an ‘infant’ or ‘little child’ and as the 25th of December was called by our Pagan Anglo-Saxon ancestors, ‘Yule-day’ or the ‘Child’s day,’ and the night that preceded it, ‘Mother-night,’ long before they came in contact with Christianity, that sufficiently proves its real character.”

Here are just a few of the pagan gods that had “birthdays” on December 25th.

Note a statement taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia article “Mithraism.”  “The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invici, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season.” 
From the Encyclopedia Britannica: “The traditional customs connected with Christmas have developed from several sources as a result of the coincidence of the celebration of the birth of Christ with the pagan agricultural and solar observations at midwinter.  In the Roman world the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchange of gifts.  December 25 was also regarded as the birth date of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness.”

Here is a quotation from Collier’s Encyclopedia.  “After the triumph of Constantine, the church at Rome assigned December 25 as the date for the celebration of the feast, possibly about A.D. 320 or 353.  By the end of the fourth century the whole Christian world was celebrating Christmas on that day, with the exception of the Eastern churches, where it was celebrated on January 6.  The choice of December 25 was probably influenced by the fact that on this day the Romans celebrated the Mithraic feast of the Sun-god (natalis solis invicti), and that the Saturnalia also came at this time.”

The following statement is taken from an internet website: “Horus was born of the virgin Isis-Meri, Isis the Beloved, on 25 December.”  www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0300christmas.php#horus

A couple of the above quotations mentioned the Saturnalia.  Celebrated at about the same time of year was the Brumalia.  Notice what the Wikipedia has to say about this festival.

“Brumalia was an ancient Roman solstice festival honoring Bacchus, generally held on 25 December and possibly related to the ancient Green Lenaia (held in honor of Dionysus).  The festival included drinking and merriment.  The name is derived from the Latin word bruma, meaning “shortest” or even “winter.”

What about the many “Christmas customs” such as the Christmas tree, gift giving, the yule log, and others?  Let us read a few more quotations.

Again I’d like to quote a couple of  sections from Alexander Hislop’s book, “The Two Babylons,” pages 97, 98 and 99.

“The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt.  In Egypt that tree was the palm tree; in Rome it was the fir; the palm tree denoting the Pagan Messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as Baal-Berith.  The mother of Adonis, the Sun-God and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state to have brought forth her divine son.  If the mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the ‘Man the branch.’  And this entirely accounts for the putting of the Yule Log into the fire on Christmas-eve, and the appearance of the Christmas-tree the next morning.”

“Therefore, the 25th of December, the day that was observed at Rome as the day when the victorious god reappeared on earth, was held at the Natalis invicti solis, ‘The birthday of the unconquered Sun.’  Now the Yule Log is the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the sun-god, but cut down by is enemies; the Christmas-tree is Nimrod redivivus–the slain god come to life again.  In the light reflected by the above statement on customs that still linger among us, the origin of which has been lost in the midst of hoar antiquity, let the reader look at the singular practice still kept up in the South on Christmas-eve, of kissing under the mistletoe bough.  That mistletoe bough in the Druidic superstition, which as we have seen, was derived from Babylon, was a representation of the Messiah, ‘The man the branch.’  The mistletoe was regarded as a divine branch–a branch that came from heaven, and grew upon a tree that sprang out of the earth.  Thus by the engrafting of the celestial branch into the earthly tree, heaven and earth, that sin had severed, were joined together, and thus the mistletoe bough became the token of Divine reconciliation to man, the kiss being the well-known token of pardon and reconciliation.”

Here is a brief statement from an article accessed on the internet.  “Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun.  The word Yule itself means ‘wheel,’ the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun.  Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual.  Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods.” 
http://www.essortment.com/christmas-pagan-origins-42543.html

One more brief quote from a book written by Tristram Potter Coffin, entitled “The Book of Christmas Folklore,” page 209.

“Most people have heard that the Christmas tree originates in the tannenbaum and is some sort of vestige of Teutonic vegetation worship.  THIS IS PARTIALLY TRUE.  However, the custom of using pine and other evergreens ceremonially was well established at the ROMAN SATURNALIA, even earlier in Egypt.”

From a book entitled, “Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance” by Clement Miles, we learn that just as the early Christians recruited Roman pagans by associating Christmas with the Saturnalia, so too worshipers of the Asheria cult and its offshoots were recruited by the Church sanctioning “Christmas Trees.”  He points out that pagans had long worshiped trees in the forest, or brought them into their homes and decorated them, and this observance was adopted and painted with a Christian veneer by the Church.

We read earlier from the Encyclopedia Britannica that the Saturnalia was a time of “merrymaking and exchange of gifts.”  From history we find that in pre-Christian Rome, the emperors compelled their most despised citizens to bring offerings and gifts during the time of the Saturnalia.  Later, this ritual was expanded to include gift-giving among the general populace.  The Catholic Church gave the custom a “Christian” flavor by re-rooting it in the supposed gift-giving of Saint Nicholas.

Saint Nicolas, was the one who over a process of time and various pagan traditions became “Santa Claus.”  Just a brief history.  He was born in Turkey about 270 A.D.  It wasn’t until the 19th century that he was named a “saint” by the Catholic Church.  In 1087 a group that idolized him moved his bones to Italy where he supplanted a “female boon-giving deity called The Grandmother.”  She was supposed to have filled the children’s stockings with gifts.   Once she was ousted from her shrine it became the center for the Nicolas Cult.  The members of this cult gave each other gifts during a pageant they conducted annually on the anniversary of Nicolas’s death, December 6. 

The cult spread north and was eventually adopted by German and Celtic pagans.  These groups worshiped a whole pantheon of gods led by Woden (their chief god and the father supposedly of  Thor, Baldor, and Tiw).  Woden was pictured as having a long, white beard and riding a horse through the heavens.  When Nicolas merged with Woden he too was pictured with the beard and mounted on a flying horse.  In a move to attract pagan adherents of this Nicolas cult  in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas Cult and taught that he did (and that they should) distribute gifts on December 25 instead of December 6.

In 1809, the novelist Washington Irving, wrote a satire of Dutch culture entitled “Knickerbocker History.”  Several times this satire referred to the white beared, flying-horse riding Saint Nicolas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.  After reading this work, Dr. Clement Moore, a professor at Union Seminary, published a poem based on this character in 1822, which we have all heard, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” He created a new innovation, this Santa with eight reindeer who descended through chimneys.

From 1862 through 1886 a Bavarian illustrator, Thomas Nast, almost completed the modern picture of Santa Claus.  Basing his illustrations on Moore’s poem he drew hundreds of cartoon images of Santa.  Saint Nicolas had been pictured as everything from a stern looking bishop to a gnome-like figure in a frock.  Nast gave him a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, etc.  The only thing missing was the red suit.

In 1931 the Coca Cola Corp. contracted a Swedish commercial artist, Haddon Sunblom, to create a coke-drinking Santa.  He based his Santa on a friend of his with a cheerful, chubby face.  And, the corporation insisted that Santa’s fur trimmed suit be bright, Coca Cola red.  And, so Santa was born–a blend of “Christian Saint,” a pagan god, and a commercial idol having absolutely nothing to do with the one called Jesus Christ.

And, we could go on and on with the pagan origins of the “Christmas Customs.”  As we have looked at just a few sources it is apparent that the celebration of December 25th goes way, way back, in fact to ancient Babylon.  Some of the quotations we have given bring this to our attention.  If one cares to do more research he will find numerous sources recording the ancient Babylonian traditions.  It is shown that Semiramis (who eventually became known as the goddess Astarte/Asherah/Ashtoreth/Isis/Ishtar/Easter in other pagan religions) claimed that after the untimely death of her son/husband Nimrod (yes, she married her own son), a full grown evergreen tree sprang up overnight from a dead stump.  She claimed that Nimrod would visit that evergreen tree and leave gifts each year on the anniversary of his birth, which just happened to be on December 25th.

But, but, but, some of you may we saying, “We aren’t worshiping these pagan gods.  Our worship is of Jesus Christ and we are honoring His birthday.”  Friends, I have news for you.  The one called Jesus Christ (whose Hebrew name is Yeshua) WAS NOT born on December 25th.  Let me quote from the Worldbook Encyclopedia article “Christmas.”  “The exact date of Christ’s birth is not known.  The early Christians did NOT celebrate His birth, because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.  The first mention of the observance of Christ’s birthday appears about A.D. 200.  For many years, several dates were used.   December 25 was first mentioned in 336.”    This reference work goes on to say, “For many years, people observed Christmas as a religious festival only.  But they GRADUALLY ADOPTED MORE AND MORE CUSTOMS UNRELATED TO THE CHURCH.  Most of the customs originated in cultures that existed before Christianity...  In 1643, the Puritans, who regarded such celebrations as pagan, outlawed the observance of Christmas in England.”  History tells us that the colonists in New England followed the English laws and also outlawed Christmas.  But, as more and more immigrants came to the New World, they brought with them the many “Christmas” customs from many lands and the old pagan festivities were soon restored.

Most of you are familiar with the story of the birth of the Savior recounted in the Gospels, often wrongly called the “Christmas story.”  Perhaps you never noticed what Luke records for us in Chapter 2 and verse 8.  “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”  This is from the King James Version and it says “abiding in the field.”  Notice a few other translations.  New International Version, “...living out in the fields...”  New American Standard Version, “...staying out in the field...”  And, from the Amplified Bible, a paraphrase, “...living [out under the open sky] in the field...”  Why do I call your attention to this?  Because anyone familiar with the weather patterns in the “Holy Land” knows that shepherds NEVER kept watch over their flocks at night in the fields around Jerusalem past about mid-October, because that is when the onset of winter begins.  The winter months in Palestine are cold, rainy, and intemperate.  Maybe not like parts of the United States but still very miserable and unpleasant to be living out in the open.  The flocks were always brought in from the fields before winter arrived.  It is a pretty simple conclusion to draw that since the shepherds were still abiding in the fields at the time of the birth of our Savior, His birth must have been sometime before winter, sometime before December.

As was quoted from the Worldbook Encyclopedia above “the exact date...is not known.”  There have been guesses.  The DePascha Computus, an anonymous document believed to have been written in North Africa around 243 A.D., placed the birth of Yeshua on March 28.  Clement, a bishop of Alexandria around 215 or so A.D. thought He was born on November 18.  Based on some historical records, a fellow by the name of Fitzmyer guesses His birth to be on September 11, 3 B.C.E.  Based on the information that can be gleaned from the Scriptures it appears that Yeshua was born in the fall.  Several have postulated that He may have been born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.  But, we are not told when and we are not instructed to celebrate His birth.  What we are told to notice and pay particular attention to was His death and resurrection.

But, is there any harm in enjoying the customs?  What is wrong with giving gifts?  And, the lights and the pageantry?  Surely that can’t all be wrong can it?  Is it all right to merge and combine pagan practices with the worship in truth of Yehovah?   Let us look at what He has to say.  He is the one that we need to please, the one whose word is to be placed above whatever we may think.

Keep in mind that, as we are told by the prophet Malachi, Yehovah does not change.  (Mal. 3:6) His laws and commandments “stand fast for ever and ever.”  (Psa. 111:7-8) What He gave to our forefathers still applies today.

Leviticus 18:2-4, “...I am Yehovah your Elohim.  After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.  Ye shall do my judgements, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am Yehovah.”  He plainly tells us not to do those things the Egyptians and the Canaanites, both pagan nations, were doing in worshiping their gods.  We are to obey His laws.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32, “When Yehovah thy Elohim shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou suceedeth them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.  Thou shalt not do so unto Yehovah thy Elohim: for every abomination to Yehovah which He hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.  What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish form it.”  The Creator of all the universe, our Yehovah Elohim couldn’t make it any plainer.  He says, and I paraphrase, “Don’t look to see how they worship their pagan gods and decide to worship Me in that fashion!  In the way they are worshiping their gods they are doing all kinds of detestable and abominable things that I hate!  Some even go so far to sacrifice their own children.  Just do what I command!  Don’t add to or subtract from My commands.”  He could have said, “Don’t attempt to worship My son by deciding to celebrate His birthday, which I never revealed to you, on the day the pagans declared to be the birthday of the sun.” 

You might read all of Leviticus chapter 18,  verses 24-30.  Notice with me now verse 30.  Take this to heart, substitute your name when He says ye.  “Therefore shall ye (insert your name) keep mine ordinances, that ye (insert your name) commit not any of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye (insert your name) defile not yourselves therein: I am Yehovah your Elohim.”  The customs we have become used to and accustomed to are abominable in His sight.  If we truly wish to follow Him and please Him we must recognize them for what they are and stop doing those things the pagans did to their gods.

Before we bring this study to an end let us turn to the writings of the Apostle Paul, in his second book to the Corinthians, chapter 6 and verses 12-17.  “...what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath the Messiah with Belial?  or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  for ye are the temple of the living God:...Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” True righteousness and wickedness can not mix.  There can be no harmony between the way and laws of Yehovah and the adversary, the ways of the pagans.  We are commanded to COME OUT from them and to be SEPARATE.  The word “separate” means to “set off by a boundary.”  It also has the definitions of divide and sever.  We must sever ourselves from such practices we have been looking at, put a division between them and us.  Those things are out of bounds for us if we wish to follow the Creator.

In another study we looked at Yehovah’s command to the priests and Levites, His teachers of the people, to “put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.”  (Lev.10:10) He later indicted them (or their successors) for not doing so.  (Ezek. 22:26) Yehovah wants you and me to be holy as He is holy.  (Lev. 11:44-45; Lev. 19:2; Lev. 20:7)   Not only does He command us to come out from the celebration of the pagan practices but He gives us His appointed times for celebration, feasting, and rejoicing.  

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN- A STUDY OF CLEAN AND UNCLEAN MEATS

Yehovah states several times that there was to be a difference, a distinguishing, between the holy and unholy and between the clean and the unclean.  In another study we looked at an area of the holy and the unholy.   In this study we will look at one of the areas we are told to make a difference in, between the unclean and the clean. [Note: The King James Version of the Bible uses the word LORD, spelled with all capital letters, for the name of the Creator.  His Holy personal name has been hidden for the most part.  Recent scholarship shows that His name is Yehovah, the emphasis being on the “vah.”  In this study I will use Yehovah rather than LORD.  We will cover more on this subject in another study.]

Yehovah instructed the priests and Levites, whose job it was to teach the people, to clearly make a difference between the holy and the unholy and between the clean and unclean.  We read over in the book of Ezekiel that they had not always done their job.  Notice, Ezekiel 22:26, “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean,...”  Sadly, there are many today whose job it is to teach and show the difference between what is holy and unholy and what is clean and unclean who have also not done so.  We read over a few chapters in the book of Ezekiel that there is a time coming when Yehovah’s priest will teach those differences.  Let us read Ezekiel 44:23.  “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”

We need not wait until that time.  Yehovah is opening to many His wonderful and glorious truths from the Scriptures.  We can begin to “put difference” between the unclean and the clean.  Yehovah tells us what He considers clean and pure and also, what is an abomination, detestable and repulsive. The entire subject of clean and unclean will need a much longer study but for this study we will be looking at the particular clean and unclean as it pertains to meats.

Most people have heard of those that abstain from eating pork or shell fish or other meats.  Often those who follow the Biblical guidelines as to what meats are to be eaten or not eaten are thought by many to be following those old “Jewish laws.”  Some will attempt to tell us that we no longer have to follow the Old Testament restrictions because “Jesus declared all meats clean.”  Others will point to Peter’s vision to try to show that those meats which were declared in Leviticus and Deuteronomy to be unclean have all now been made clean.  Just what is the truth of Scripture?

In this study we will look at both the Old Testament and the New Testament and see what it truly says.  We will look at what Yehovah taught in the Old Testament and what Yeshua and the Apostles taught in the New Testament.  In this study we will “show the difference between the clean and the unclean.”

We have already referred to Leviticus and Deuteronomy.  Let us begin our study by turning to Leviticus chapter 11.  Verse 1 and 2, “And Yehovah spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto  them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.”  Following these two verse are spelled out which animals “ye shall eat” and also “these shall ye not eat...”  In Deuteronomy 14 Moses rehearses the commandment of Yehovah concerning what meats were to be eaten and which ones were to be avoided just prior to the Israelites crossing into the promise land.  We will look at these chapters in more detail a bit later in this study.

A question we need to answer is this, “Are these instructions in Leviticus concerning clean and unclean meats the first time they are ever mentioned?”  No, this is not the first time clean and unclean meats are mentioned.  Let us go back in Scripture and notice where this subject is mentioned.

We are all familiar with the story of the flood of Noah’s time.  Most of us have heard the story since childhood of Noah taking all the animals into the ark by twos.  Notice this in Genesis 6:20, “Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.”  But, let us keep reading the story.  Chapter 7 and verse 2, “Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, (Young’s Literal Bible and others has “seven pairs”) the male and his female: and of beast that are not clean by two, the male and his female.”  Here we find many, many years before the time of Moses it was known which beasts were clean and which ones were unclean.

We will look at a couple of other accounts that, although it doesn’t specifically say “clean and unclean,” is quite clear that there was a difference.  First, let us look at the story of Cain and Abel we have all heard and read.  Genesis 4:2 “...And Abel was a keeper of sheep,...”  Verse 4 says he “brought the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.”  As we look at this a bit more in depth keep in mind that Yehovah tells us that He doesn’t change.  (Mal. 3:6) Yeshua (the Hebrew name for the savior, that we know as Jesus in most of our English Bibles) we are told is “the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.”  (Heb. 13:8)

The account in the book of Genesis tells us that Abel was a keeper of sheep.  He wasn’t raising hogs, but was a keeper of sheep.  The Hebrew for the word keeper is ra’ah, Strong’s number 07462.  It is most often translated “feed” and “shepherd.”  It is defined as “to pasture, tend, graze, feed.”  So, we are told that Abel is feeding, tending, pasturing sheep.  Why do you suppose that is?  As we keep reading in the account we find that both Cain and his brother Abel brought offerings to Yehovah.  For the moment let us specifically look at Abel’s offering, verse 4.  “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.”  We find nothing written here in Genesis about “firstlings” and about offering “the fat.”  For Abel to do so I believe very strongly that Yehovah had given that instruction to Adam, Eve and their children.  When we find the various laws regarding offerings and sacrifices that were commanded of the Israelite and written down by Moses we find the details.  Keep in mind, that since Yehovah doesn’t change, the same commands would have been given to our first parents and were well known to Abel.

Before we look at some of those commands let us notice the Hebrew words translated “firstlings,” and “firstborn.”  These two words are synonyms.  In Genesis 4:4, where we have been reading the word “firstlings” is from the Hebrew word bek-o-raw’, Strong’s number 01062 and is from number 01060, bekowr.  A third word that appears in some passages is peh-ter, Strong’s number 06363.  The definition is the same, “firstborn, firstling.”

We find much concerning the offerings of the firstborn or firstlings in Exodus 13, Numbers 3 and Numbers 18.  We will look at a few verses in Numbers 18 beginning with verse 15 and continuing through verse18.  “Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto Yehovah,  whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine:  (this whole passage is addressed to Aaron and his sons, the priests) nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.  And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.  But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto Yehovah.  And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.”

Now, back to the story of Abel and his offering.  Yehovah, who does not change, would NOT have accepted Abel’s offering IF it had not been of the sheep, goats or cattle.  Abel knew what was acceptable.  He knew the difference between the clean and the unclean.  And, he also knew how to make the offering of the firstborn, the firstlings.  We read that he “brought of the firstlings of his flock and (take particular notice) of the fat thereof.  The offering of the firstlings was not to be a total burnt offering but it was the fat that was to be burnt as a sweet savor to Yehovah.

Now, where did Abel learn all of this?  As I mentioned before, it had to have been given to his parents and thus on to him by Yehovah.  Is there any indication of this happening?  I do believe so.

We have all heard and probably read the story of Adam and Eve in the garden.  They disobeyed their only parent, Yehovah.  Their eyes were opened, it says, and they knew they were naked.  After Yehovah pronounced a curse upon the serpent and also upon Adam and Eve let us notice what He did.  Genesis 3:22, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did Yehovah Elohim make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Have we ever considered this passage?  The man and woman had “known” they were naked and had made themselves “aprons” or some type of garments to clothe themselves from fig leaves.  Wasn’t this sufficient?  And, since Yehovah chose to clothe them why did He not make them garments from linen or cotton?  Why skins?

Let me call to your attention what we are told over in the book of Hebrews.  Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 22, last part of the verse especially, “without  shedding of blood is no remission.”  Adam and Eve had sinned.  Yehovah is merciful.  He was willing to forgive them, just as He forgives us when we sin.  We now have the shed blood of Yeshua to cover our sins.  Yeshua had not yet come and we find that the various animal sacrifices and offerings in the Old Testament all pictured His sacrifice, the shedding of His blood that would occur.  Yehovah killed animals, shed their blood, in forgiving our first parents sin.  What animals?  Remember we read earlier that Yehovah does not change.  He would have used only clean animals and according to the recorded law we find that of the clean animals only the sheep, goat and cattle were accepted.

Did Yehovah do this without instructing Adam and Eve about what this sacrifice of the animals was all about?  Of what animals were to be acceptable?  I think not.  The account we have here in the book of Genesis contains the barest of details.  It is unthinkable to presume Yehovah created mankind and went off without giving them instructions regarding His plan, His laws and commandments, what He desired of them.  I believe it is totally unreasonable to think that Adam and Eve were left “in the dark” regarding what the Creator’s will for all of mankind was, what His laws were.  And, of those laws the ones regarding clean and unclean animals.

We saw the passages regarding clean and unclean animals at the time of Noah and the flood.  Are there any indications of that knowledge from that time to the time of Moses?  Let us look at a number of Scriptures.

Just a few chapters further in Genesis, after the account of the flood, we begin to read the story of Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham.  In chapter 12, verse 7 it is recorded that Abram built an altar to Yehovah.  What were altars used for?  The offering of animals as burnt offerings, for the burning of the fat.  What animals?  As we have already seen Yehovah had revealed which animals were acceptable to Him.  In verse 8 it is recorded that he built another altar.  Abram was worshiping Yehovah by means of animal sacrifices.  In chapter 13, verses 3 and 4, we read that Abram returned to the place of the altar he had made and again worshiped Yehovah, calling on His name.  Verse 2 mentioned that Abram was rich in cattle.  Verse 5 says that Lot, Abram’s nephew, had flocks.  Flocks is referring to sheep and goats, clean animals.  Cattle is mentioned again in verse 7.In verse 18 of this chapter we find Abram building another altar.

Notice an interesting account in chapter 15.  Yehovah appeared to Abram and reaffirmed the promises He had given in chapter 12.  Abram asked Yehovah for a sign that he would inherit.  Look at what Yehovah told Abram, verse 9.  “And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”  These are the very same animals and birds that Yehovah later instructed Moses to use in the offerings.  This same knowledge was known by Abram, clean animals which were acceptable to Yehovah.

We won’t turn to the many passages that follow throughout the rest of the book of Genesis that mention cattle, flocks, sheep, goats and kids.  Or, the numerous accounts of altars being built to sacrifice to Yehovah.  Some you will recall.  Yehovah commanding Abram to sacrifice his son and then when He knew Abram’s heart He supplied a ram for the burnt offering.  (Gen. 22) Isaac built altars, Jacob built altars, at least one of his by direct command of Yehovah (Gen. 35:1).  The whole family of Israel, we are told upon their entry into Egypt, were shepherds.  (Gen. 46:32)

All of these accounts imply that the knowledge of clean and unclean animals was with these individuals Yehovah was working with and through.  It wasn’t something new when Moses instructed them in the wilderness as to Yehovah’s laws.  And, yes, they were Yehovah’s laws, not  a “law of the Jews.”

Okay, you may be saying, but didn’t Yeshua “cleanse all meats” over in the New Testament?  Didn’t He say that there was no longer any difference or distinction between the clean and the unclean animals in regard to using them for food?  Let us look at the passages that are commonly used to try to “prove” this.

Most will turn first to Mark 7 but let us go first to a parallel account found over in Matthew 15 before we turn to Mark 7.  When we begin reading Matthew 15 we see the setting.  Verses 1 and 2 tell us that some of the scribes and Pharisees (those from the major religious denominations of the day)  asked Yeshua why His disciples didn’t follow their man-made rules, the traditions of the elders, in regard to washing their hands before eating.  Yeshua turned the question around and asked why they were transgressing Yehovah’s commandments by their traditions.  (Verses 3-9) Then in verse 10 Yeshua begins to explain to the multitude the situation.  In verse 11 He says, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”  It seems that His disciples still didn’t understand what He was teaching.  Let us read what He tells them, and us.  Verses 17-20, “Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemes: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” 

Do you understand what He was saying?  There is no discussion about clean and unclean meats here at all.  The subject is about eating without washing the hands before eating.  He says plainly that a little dirt on the hands is not going to defile a person.  Through the digestive process the dirt will be gotten rid of when one has a bowel movement.  Defilement of a man is the evil that proceeds from within, from the heart and comes spewing out of the mouth.

So, where is the supposed “cleansing of all meats?”  We need to now turn to Mark 7.  This is another account of the same occurrence we just looked at in Matthew 15.  The verse that is used to teach that Yeshua “cleansed all meats” is verse 19.  The King James Version has this “Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats.”  “Purging all meats” seems to be what is used, attempting to say that the laws regarding clean and unclean meats are “done away.”  Most never take the time to check the word “meats.”  The Greek word used here is broma, number 1033 in Strong’s.  Although the KJV translates it as “meats” in most locations the word is defined as “that which is eaten, food.”  Just as we saw in Matthew 15 Yeshua is saying that any little bit of dirt that might be on the hand will not defile the person, that it will be expelled by the natural digestive process.

However, what confuses most people is the fact that many of the new translations and paraphrases of this verse have added a comment.  Most don’t recognize those comments as not being a part of the inspired Scripture.  Let us notice a few renderings from some of these other translations.  From the New International Version, “For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.”  So far so good.  But, now notice what follows in parentheses.  “(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods ‘clean’)” Now where did that come from?  The New American Standard isn’t any better.  “...because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?”  Now we have following this in parentheses “(Thus He declared all foods clean.)” The Amplified Bible, which is a paraphrase, is even worse.  “Since it does not reach and enter his heart but [only his] digestive tract, and so passes on [into the place designed to receive waste]?”  Now what follows isn’t even put into parentheses, making it seem that what is here is inspired.  “Thus He was making and declaring all foods [ceremonially] clean [that is, abolishing the ceremonial distinctions of the Levitical law’.” 

Sadly, the translators have taken great license with the inspired original.  Let us look at a couple of reliable literal translations.  First from The Interlinear Bible by Jay P. Green, Sr.  This is a word for word rendering into English from the Greek.  “Not perceive you that all from outside entering into man not is able him to profane because not it does enter of him into the heart, but into the belly, and into the waste-bowl goes out, purging all the foods?”  The Young’s Literal Bible has this passage as follows.  “Because it doth not enter into the heart, but into the belly, and into the drain it doth go out, purifying all the meats.”

Clearly Yeshua was stating that a little dirt on the hands was not going to defile a person.  There is absolutely nothing in this story to indicate that He was in any way, shape or form attempting to “do away with” or change the law of Yehovah in existence since creation.

Let us move on to another “proof text” that some try to use to supposedly prove the law of clean  and unclean meats is no longer in effect.  And, that is the story in Acts 10 of Peter’s vision.  We find in the first verses of this chapter that there was a man named Cornelius who was a very devout man.  He was diligent in his giving and his prayers to Yehovah.  He was given a vision, verse 3, and was told to send for Peter.  Now in verses 9 and 10 we read that Peter is praying and fell into a trance. Then in verses 11-16 we read of the vessel that is let down in this vision three times.  Each time Peter is told to kill and eat of all of the various beasts, creeping things and fowls of the air that are in the vessel.  Peter responded “Not so Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.”  Verse 15 is used to attempt to show that all of these unclean animals are now cleansed.  Notice what the voice tells Peter.  “...What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” 

Is that saying that the various beasts, creeping things and fowls of the air are now clean?  Peter wondered at first just what this all meant.  Verse 17, “Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean,...”  It states that the men from Cornelius arrived at this time. In verse 19 we read, “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, behold three men seek thee.”  As we keep reading we find that Peter goes with the men to the home of Cornelius.  Then we come to verse 28.  It contains the answer to Peter’s doubting and wondering about the vision, the answer to our question, did this make all meats clean.  Let us read it together.  “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”  Yehovah DIDN’T show him that all unclean animals could now be eaten.  Yehovah showed him, read it again, that I should not call any man common or unclean.

There is one more passage of Scripture that is sometimes used by some to excuse themselves from obeying the law of clean and unclean meats given by Yehovah.  We find that in the first letter of the Apostle Paul written to Timothy.  1 Timothy 4:4-5, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” It has been put forth by some that if you pray over your food that makes it okay to eat.  Is that what Paul is saying to Timothy?  Let us look at the context here.  Paul states in verse 1 that in the latter times some would depart from the faith and would be “giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”  As we keep reading we find what some of those doctrines would be, verse 3, “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”  Celibacy and vegetarianism.  And, not just any meats but “meats which God hath created to be received.”  Which ones were those?  Paul tells us as we just read a few moments ago in verse 5, “For it is sanctified by the word of God...”  To sanctify means to dedicate, to separate, to set apart.  What animals are set apart by the word of God?  Those we find listed in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.  Let us go back to Leviticus 11.

As we have been showing, the distinction and the making a difference between the clean and the unclean animals was established from the time of creation.  What we find here in Leviticus 11 isn’t something new but it is the first time we see it all written down.  The words we find here were spoken by Yehovah, verse 1.  He spoke to Moses and Aaron and commanded them to tell Israel the following information.  Moses wrote it down and it has been preserved for us.  We won’t go through every word in this paper, you can read through it all on your own.  But, let us notice a few things.

Verse 2 tells us that the animals listed immediately after this verse are the ones “which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.”  The distinction, the difference, between the clean and the unclean is pointed out immediately.  Verse 3 tells us which animals may be eaten.  It is very simple to tell.  “Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.”  The next several verses get very specific about the ones that aren’t to be eaten.

As I said, the instruction in verse 3 is very simple.  Perhaps for us it could be simpler if it was translated into the language and understanding of today.  Just what animals part the hoof, are clovenfooted and chew the cud?  Only those animals that are true ruminants having a four-part stomach AND have a hoof that is divided into two parts. The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary On the Old Testament states that the Hebrew means literally “tearing (having) a rent in the hoofs.”  Deuteronomy 14:6 adds a bit of information.  It says “And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws,...”  Yehovah continues in the following verses here in Leviticus 11 to spell out the differences in other animals.  In verse 4 He specifically mentions the camel, saying that it chews the cud but it doesn’t divide the hoof.  Keil and Delitzsch states regarding the camel, “it ruminates, but it has not cloven hoofs.  Its foot is severed, it is true, but not throughly cloven, as there is a ball behind upon which it treads.”

To most of us living in this part of the world  verse 7 is very important for us to look at and consider.  “And the swine, although he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.”  Let us be perfectly clear.  I’ve encountered some people who just didn’t know or understand exactly what “swine” were.  The swine is a hog, a pig.  It’s meat is pork.  Ham is the butt cut from the swine.  Bacon is made from the swine.  Yehovah says all of this popular meat is unclean to us and we are not to eat it, verse 8.  “Of their flesh shall ye not eat,...”

In the next four verses we are told what seafood may be eaten.  Again the guidelines are very simple.  Verse 9, “...whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.”  Verse 12 makes it even clearer.  “Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.”  Lobster, clams, shrimp, oysters do not have fins and scales.  They are not to be eaten.  Catfish do have fins but no scales.  They are an abomination to us.

Yehovah doesn’t give us any general guidelines as to what birds are to be eaten, just a listing of those that are not to be eaten.  He mentions “creeping things” that may be eaten, which include locusts, and grasshoppers.  Down in verses 29 and 30 He mentions a few more specific animals that shall be unclean.  Notice, these include the weasel, the mouse, the tortoise, the ferret, the chameleon, the lizard, the snail and the mole.

A question that we haven’t asked and I’m sure  one that has come to your mind as you have been reading through this study, why does Yehovah make the difference between the clean and the unclean animals, birds, fish and creeping things? I’ve have heard many state that these are dietary laws, that the meat from the unclean animals will harm the human body.  I believe that this may very well be true but nowhere in Scripture does it state that.  Although it seems to be overlooked by most, Yehovah does tell us very plainly why He has given us these laws, why He puts difference between the clean and the unclean.  Let us notice His clear statement.

Leviticus 11: 44-47.  “For I am Yehovah your Elohim: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  For I am Yehovah that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your Elohim: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.  This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.”

When something is extremely important Yehovah repeats it.  He states the same thing we just read in Leviticus 11 a few chapters later.  Notice Leviticus 20:25-26.  “Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.  And ye shall be holy unto me: for I, Yehovah, am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”

When Moses repeated the command of what beasts were clean and what ones were unclean just prior to the  Israelites going into the promise land we find mentioned once more that we are to be holy as Yehovah is holy.  Deuteronomy 14:2-3, “For thou art an holy people unto Yehovah thy Elohim, and Yehovah hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.  Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.” 

The word “holy” is sometimes hard for us to wrap our minds around.  We think of Yehovah as being so far “above” us in His righteousness and sacredness.  Yet He tells us to be holy for, or as, He is holy.  Some additional definitions would be “set apart” or “dedicated.”   He wants us to be clean, pure, undefiled, dedicated to Him, set apart.  He says that if we eat of those beasts He has labeled as unclean we are unholy, defiled in His sight.  When we don’t eat the unclean meats we are set apart from the people around us.  Just as the Sabbath was given to be a sign between Yehovah and His people (Ex. 31) dedicating ourselves to Him by not eating unclean meats clearly identifies us as being holy as He is holy. 

The apostle Paul tells us over in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  He was specifically speaking of fornication in this passage but anything that defiles the temple does not glorify our Father.  Paul states in verse 20, “therefore glorify God in your body;...”   Just as in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes when a statue of the Greek god Zeus was set up in the temple at Jerusalem and pigs were slain on the altar, desecrating the temple, when we put pig and other unclean meats into our body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, we desecrate that temple and do not glorify Yehovah.  We are in a defiled, unholy, unclean state.  We are not holy as Yehovah is holy.  Isn’t abstaining from unclean meats a simple enough thing to do that we can be holy?

Let us look at one final Scripture over in the New Testament.  Although the apostle might not have had the eating of clean meats in mind when he wrote this passage I believe it fits.  1 Peter 1:14-16,  “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance:  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy as I am holy.”  The word “conversation” might better be translated “conduct, behavior, deportment.”  One translator renders it “but be ye holy in every detail of your lives.”  That definitely includes the meat we eat and put into the temple.

A STUDY OF “THE TRUTH”

 

It seems that as long as I can remember I have heard the term “THE TRUTH” used within the Radio Church of God/Worldwide Church of God, and the many offshoots.  Notice how it has been used.  From the May 1960 Good News magazine, in Herbert Armstrong’s opening statement in an article entitled “Should We Listen to OTHERS?”, “AFTER you have come to a knowledge of the TRUTH, have repented and been baptized, and by the Holy Spirit been put into the true Church of God...”  Individuals ask one another, “How long have you been in THE TRUTH?” or make the statement that “...when God called me into THE TRUTH.”  One individual, a leader in one of the larger COG groups, a few years ago visited some Sabbath keepers in another country.   He commented on his return that “they understood about 70% of THE TRUTH.”

What do we mean by the term THE TRUTH?  It appears from our usage that we mean a knowledge or understanding of the “basic doctrines,” such as the Sabbath, the Holy Days, clean and unclean meats, etc.  And, it additionally implies that we understand “100% of THE TRUTH”   BUT is an understanding and knowledge of basic doctrines  what is indicated in Scripture when the term is used?  Very definitely the Scriptures refer to truth and also to THE TRUTH.  What does the Bible tell us about truth and THE TRUTH?

The primary Greek word translated “truth” is aletheia, #225 in Strong’s.  It is used approximately 110 times.  Here is how the lexicon defines the word.

225 aletheia {al-ay'-thi-a}
 
from 227; TDNT - 1:232,37; n f
 
AV - truth 107, truly + 1909 1, true 1, verity 1; 110
 
1) objectively
   1a) what is true in any matter under consideration
      1a1) truly, in truth, according to truth
      1a2) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly
   1b) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties
      of man, moral and religious truth
      1b1) in the greatest latitude
      1b2) the true notions of God which are open to human reason
           without his supernatural intervention
   1c) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God
       and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting
       the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the
       Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions
       and precepts of false teachers even among Christians
2) subjectively
   2a) truth as a personal excellence
      2a1) that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence,
           simulation, falsehood, deceit
 

A most familiar verse regarding truth is John 17:17.  Let’s begin our study by turning there.  This chapter is Yeshua’s prayer to His Father just prior to His being taken by the band of men being led to Him by Judas.   Yeshua says to His Father, “Sanctify them (speaking of His disciples) through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

He asks that His disciples be sanctified, set apart, through God the Father’s truth.  He then tells us what the Father’s truth is.  “Thy word is truth.” 
                       
We need to ask, what is “the word” that is the Father’s?   I know we have always taught and thought that the “word of God” is the Bible, the “written word of God.” And, in many places that is the meaning,  BUT, is that what  Yeshua is saying here?  Is He asking the Father to “sanctify them through the Bible?”  Of great interest is the Greek word translated into the English as “word.”  You have heard it many times.  It is logos.  The Greek word logos is used by John, and only by John, as a title of the Son of God,  Yeshua the Messiah.  We are familiar with John 1:1-18 where we are told clearly that  Yeshua “was the Word.” 

I believe that John 17:17 becomes much clearer and can be understood much better if we recognize the fact that  Yeshua is speaking of Himself in this verse.   “Sanctify them through thy truth: Thy word, the incarnate one who was in the beginning, who was with God, who was God, is truth.”

This understanding is confirmed by Scripture.  Notice another passage from the gospel of John, chapter 14 and verse 6.   Yeshua is speaking to Thomas, responding to his question concerning where  Yeshua was going.  “Yeshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”   Yeshua clearly states that He is THE TRUTH. 

There is still more clear Scripture affirming that  Yeshua is THE TRUTH. 

Let us turn back a few chapters to John 8.  Notice verse 32.   Yeshua is speaking to His disciples.  “And ye shall know THE TRUTH, and THE TRUTH shall make you free.”  The word “free” is translated from the Greek eleutheroo, Strong’s #1659.  It is defined in the lexicon as, 1.) To make free 2.) Set at liberty; from the dominion of sin.  Whatever THE TRUTH is it will make one free from the dominion of sin.

We need to ask ourselves the question, does “knowing” the doctrines of the Sabbath, the Holy Days, clean and unclean meats, etc. make us free from the dominion of sin?

NO!  It is NOT just knowing certain “truth” of a doctrine that will make us free.  Let’s continue reading here in John 8.  The Scripture interprets itself.

John 8:33-37   “They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?   Yeshua answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever.  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.”

Verse 36 tells us plainly WHO makes us free, free from the dominion of sin.  And, it isn’t just knowing the “true” doctrines.  IT IS YESHUA MESSIAH THAT MAKES US FREE.  It was His shed blood that redeemed us from the debt to sin. (Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:18)  We have been bought with a price.  (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Cor. 7:23)  We have been freed from bondage to sin.  We now are to be the servant of  Yeshua, THE TRUTH.

The Apostle Paul makes this plain in his writings.  Notice a few verses.
                   

Romans 6:16-23   Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.   I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.   For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.   What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things [is] death.  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.  For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through  Yeshua Messiah our Lord.

Galatians 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Messiah hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
   
It is NOT knowing a certain body of doctrinal beliefs or being “called into the Church” that constitutes being in THE TRUTH.  We’ll look at what the Bible clearly says about being in THE TRUTH a bit later.

But first, let’s look at a couple more areas regarding our usage of the term, “THE TRUTH.” 

As I mentioned earlier, our usage often implies that we have complete, 100% understanding and knowledge of THE TRUTH, meaning the “true doctrines.”  Though we might say we know we don’t have 100% understanding we still have that as an underlying belief.  Again, note the example I mentioned before.  After visiting a Sabbath keeping group in another country a leader in one of the COG groups stated, “they understand about 70% of THE TRUTH.”  And, we ALL knew what he meant.  They, in his estimation, understood 70% of the basic doctrines that we adhere to.  The assumption was made that “WE” had 100%. 

Brethren, how arrogant can we get?  But, can we be blamed?  For years we were told and told again that “WE” are the ONLY TRUE CHURCH OF GOD.  We were told that God, after 1900 years had “restored” the basic TRUTHS to His Church through His end time Apostle.  We were repeatedly told that we were the “best era” of God’s Church.  I submit that our attitudes, if not our very statements, could better be described by  Yeshua;s words to the Church of the Laodiceans, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Haven’t we said that very thing?  Especially if we paraphrase it slightly.  “Because you say, I am spiritually rich, and increased with the knowledge of THE TRUTH, and don’t need anything, I’m okay!”  But, Yeshua’s response so aptly applies to us.  We don’t recognize the fact that we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked SPIRITUALLY!

Maybe you never noticed, but Paul had to deal with the same basic attitude among the Jewish people.  They didn’t express it as we have.  They didn’t say they had THE TRUTH, they said they had THE LAW.  Let’s notice this over in the book of Romans, chapter 2 and verse 17.  “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God.”  Paul could easily address us by some very simple word substitution.  “Behold, you are called a Spiritual Jew, and rest in THE TRUTH, and make your boast of God.”   In general we have held ourselves up and put others down. We state that they don’t know THE TRUTH , meaning that they don’t keep the seventh day Sabbath and the Holy Days.  In our own eyes we have perceived ourselves to be better than others.  We have labeled others as “Christians, so called,” and have stated they worship false gods and another “Jesus”, just because they don’t “go to church on the correct day.”

And, all of this because we haven’t even understood what THE TRUTH is.  I’m not saying that many of our basic beliefs and doctrines aren’t true.  I’m not saying that we shouldn’t keep the Sabbath.  But, as we will see a little later from Scripture, knowing and keeping these basic doctrines IS NOT what constitutes being in THE TRUTH.

Before we get to that I want us to look at another familiar passage and understand it.
                       
John 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
                   
We know that on the day of Pentecost following  Yeshua’s ascension to heaven the Holy Spirit was poured out on those assembled.  It is this Holy Spirit that  Yeshua speaks of here in John 16, referred to as the Spirit of truth.  He says that it is this Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, which will guide us into all truth.

There is a lot in this verse that we need to understand.  It DOESN’T say that when we receive the Holy Spirit following baptism we now have THE TRUTH.  It DOESN’T say that we are possessors of ALL truth.   Yeshua says the Spirit will “guide” us into all truth.  What does that mean?  What does “guide” mean?  Doesn’t Yehovah and Yeshua reveal the basic doctrines, commonly defined as THE TRUTH, to us, we are then baptized and have hands laid on us for receiving the Holy Spirit, and we are now in THE TRUTH?

Let’s understand.  The Greek word translated “guide” in this verse is hodegeo, number 3594 in Strong’s.  It is derived from number 3595, hodegos.  The lexicon defines it this way.  1.)  to be a guide, lead on one’s way, to guide    2.)  to be a guide or a teacher    2a.)  to give guidance to.  I believe there is great significance to the use of this particular word in this passage of Scripture.  There are many other Greek words that mean to “lead” or guide.  The primary one, used over 70 times in the New Testament, is ago, Strong’s #71.  But, hodegeo and hodegos are used in regard to guiding and leading the blind.  Both words are used in Matthew 15:14.  “Let them alone: they be blind leaders (3595, hodegos) of the blind.  And if the blind lead (3594, hodegeo) the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

How does this apply in regard to the Holy Spirit “guiding” us into all truth?  Scripture is plain in it’s revelation that the world as a whole has been blinded spiritually.  We have all quoted Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 4:4 regarding the adversay having blinded the minds of people.  In chapter three of this same book Paul speaks of the minds of Israel being blinded, that there was a vail upon their hearts.  It does show that the vail has been taken away in  Yeshua.  He has now sent the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, to guide us, as a guide of the blind. 

Sadly, we have not recognized our own blindness.  We see ourselves as having THE TRUTH.  We are “rich and increased with goods” and don’t see our spiritual condition.  As we saw earlier the Jews had the same basic condition.

Turn again to Romans 2.  We read verse 17, but notice now verse 19.  Paul makes a very powerful statement.  He says that they, the Jews, “art confident that thou thyself are a guide (3595, hodegos) of the blind, a light of them which art in darkness.”  They perceived themselves as the ones to lead and guide the spiritually blind.   Yeshua addressed the same thing in Matthew 23.  He gave a very strong and scathing indictment to the Pharisees and the Scribes.  They were the leadership, the “ministry” if you will.  They were in the position to lead, to guide.  But, notice what He told them.  After calling them “hypocrites” He calls them “blind guides” (verses 16 and 24), and tells them they are “fools and blind” (verses 17 and 19).   Yeshua clearly shows that they were “guides.”  He doesn’t dispute that.  But, He also makes it plain that they in their own vanity and perception that they had THE LAW, or as we might say, THE TRUTH, they themselves were blind.  And, as we quoted earlier,  Yeshua makes the point that when the guide of the blind is also blind “both shall fall into the ditch” (Matt. 15:14).

But, let’s get back to John 16:13.  We are told that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will guide us into all truth.  Who did we find is THE TRUTH?   Yeshua the Messiah!  So, the Spirit of  Yeshua  has now come and is to “guide” us as one guides the blind, into all truth.  How does one guide a blind person?  Generally you either take them by the arm or you have them take your arm.  And, by gently nudging them, speaking to them, you take them to wherever they are going and direct them around the obstacles.  We often speak of “our walk with Christ.”  This is the “walk” we must have.  If we were to “guide” a blind person to “all stores” in the mall how would we do that?  One store after another.  When  Yeshua “guides” us into “all truth” how does He do that?   One “truth” or bit of understanding after another.

 

Let’s use an analogy.   Yeshua, the Spirit of Truth, leads us as a blind individual into all the stores of truth in the “Truth Mall.”  He perhaps has led us into the “Sabbath Store” and the “Holy Day Store.”  We have bought from those stores the amount of truth we have of those doctrines.  I would suggest there is much more in those stores to yet obtain.  But, I’d like to pose a question.  What about others that  Yeshua is guiding that came into the “Truth Mall” through another entrance?  Perhaps they were guided to the “Mercy Store” or the “Visit the Fatherless and Widows Store.”  Maybe they bought of the “Feed the Hungry and Clothe the Naked Store.”  In many cases we haven’t even gotten to that end of the Mall yet.  And, perhaps they haven’t yet been led to the end of the Mall with the  “Sabbath Store” and “Holy Day Store” and haven’t yet been given the chance to understand and buy from those stores.  Are they any less in THE TRUTH?  Are they any less a follower of Yeshua and a believer?

Yeshua is guiding us on a journey into “all truth.”  And, each person’s journey is different and unique to him/her.  How are we to judge where another is on his or her journey with  Yeshua leading?  We are in no position to know who He is guiding or where they are.  It is not our place to decide if others are in THE TRUTH or are Christians.

This is easier to understand and grasp when we understand that being in THE TRUTH isn’t about a body of beliefs or basic fundamental doctrines.  Just because we understand doctrine about the Sabbath, the Holy Days, etc. DOES NOT, according to Scripture, indicate that we are in THE TRUTH.  Let us see what it is that identifies us as being in THE TRUTH.

1 John 3:14-19   We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.   Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.    Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?   My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are of THE TRUTH, and shall assure our hearts before him.
       
Verse 19 New American Standard   “We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our hearts before Him.”

Verse 19 Amplified Bible   “By this we shall come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we are of the Truth, and can reassure (quiet, conciliate, and pacify) our hearts in His presence.”

This is the same thing Messiah told us that would identify His disciples.  We know we are in THE TRUTH, IN  YESHUA, if we have love one for another.

Let us look at a few more verses.

2 John verses 1-6 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; (in Yeshua) and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;( Yeshua)   For the truth's (Yeshua’s) sake, which dwelleth in us,(through the Holy Spirit) and shall be with us for ever.   Grace be with you, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord  Yeshua Messiah, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.   I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth,(walking with  Yeshua, the Spirit of Truth guiding us)  as we have received a commandment from the Father.  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Continuing with 3 John verses 1-4

The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.( Yeshua)   Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.   For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth(Yeshua) that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.(the Spirit of Truth guiding)    I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.(walk with  Yeshua, the Spirit of Truth guiding)
 
                      
Are you in THE TRUTH?  Am I in THE TRUTH?   If we each individually have a personal relationship and walk with  Yeshua, who is THE TRUTH;  if He dwells within us and is guiding us, and if we have love for the brethren, THEN  the Scriptures tell us we are in THE TRUTH.  We will be demonstrating and exemplifying LOVE, because Yehovah and Yeshua are LOVE.  We will be being led  and guided into truth, true knowledge and understanding of THE WORD of God, the living AND written WORD.  We will be striving to obey THE TRUTH,  Yeshua, our Lord and Master, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (1 John 3:22)

The Angels That Sinned

 

A disturbing verse for many is found in the second chapter of II Peter, verse 4,  “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be delivered unto judgement.”  I was always taught, and I find it is the teaching of the majority of Christian groups and churches, that this verse is speaking of “fallen angels”, or demons.  But is it?  Most often we don’t question the teachings of the majority.  We assume the teaching to be correct.  I believe it behooves us to read this verse in context, to put the whole chapter together, and see exactly what the Apostle Peter was saying.

Let us begin with verse one, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”  Notice, Peter is telling us that there were, in times past, people who were false prophets.  False prophets were and are those who give predictions that are incorrect, that do not come to pass.  These individuals were among the people in times past JUST AS there were to be false teachers among us.  False teachers, just like false prophets, will be teaching and predicting things that are not true, damnable heresies, Peter says.  He says they will even deny the Messiah and will “bring on themselves swift destruction.”

Continuing with verse 2 Peter says, “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”  Many, he says, will be taken in by those false teachers and will follow their “pernicious ways,” the way that leads to destruction.  Keep in mind that Peter is still speaking of people;  false prophets, false teachers and the many who follow them.

Let us go on to verse 3, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgement now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”  Peter tells us, as so commonly is the case,  these false teachers try to make money and realize financial gain from those they are teaching and instructing.  Adam Clarke defines “feigned words” as “counterfeit tales, false narration, pretended facts, lying miracles, fabulous legends.”  What they are saying is pleasant to listen to, sounds plausible but is in truth lies.  Due to this they have brought themselves under the judgement and damnation of God, a time of correction.

Now we come to verse 4, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement;” As stated above, I was always taught that this is referring to “fallen angels” but is it?  Does Peter jump from speaking of men,  false prophets and false teachers, to talk of “fallen angels?”  Well, it says “angels” doesn’t it and wasn’t it the “fallen angels” that sinned?  The Greek word translated into the English word “angels” is #32 in Strong’s, aggelos or angelos.  Although it is translated generally “angel” the primary definition and the valid translation used in several places is “a messenger, envoy, one who is sent.”   Young’s Literal Bible translates this word in this very verse “messengers.”  Let us read it thus and see if the rest of the verse makes sense.  “For if God spared not the messengers (those who were sent) that sinned (transgressed God’s law), but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, ”   Uh-oh!  What have we here?  The word translated “hell” in this verse is a Greek word found nowhere else in the entirety of the Bible.  It is #5020 in Strong’s, tartaroo, from tartaros.

What does this word mean?  Almost all of the scholars tell us that since it is found only this one time in the Bible we have to look elsewhere.  Where we find it used is in Greek mythology.  The Greeks believed Tartarus to be the “place of punishment in the lower world.”  I do not believe, nor do I think  most Christians would believe, that Peter is endorsing the nonsense of pagan mythology.  If he did, then we would have to accept all of the absurdities that goes along with it. However, many have accepted this teaching, not knowing where it came from.  We do know that it is never taught or referred to in the Old Testament or in the New Testament.

Peter does allude to the subject as though it was well-known and understood by his readers.  Where is the story of individuals being cast down to Tartaros recorded?  As stated above, it isn’t in the Scriptures.  However, there was such a story in a book that was well known at the time of his writing, the Book of Enoch.  It is from this apocryphal book that Peter seems to quote, or at least, refer.  By doing so did he sanction it as true, or did he as many writers do, use it to illustrate and enforce his statements regarding the disobedient, the unrighteous, the false prophets being kept for later judgement?  I believe it is nothing more than some writers might refer to the story of “the tortoise and the hare.”  They don’t actually believe the story of a race between the two but use the Aesop fable to illustrate or make a point.

Though the account in the Book of Enoch does deal with sinning angels, which the Bible doesn’t discuss at all, it seems from the context of this entire chapter (as we will see even clearer as we go on) it is men that Peter is talking about.  One writer makes the following comment, “Tartaros—this word occurs only once, in 2 Peter 2:4.  A little Bible investigation will reveal that the angels or messengers, God’s servants who rebelled, were Korah, Dathan and Abiram–Numbers 16:30-33.  The earth opened and swallowed them up.  The pit in verses 30 and 33 is Sheol in Hebrew - the GRAVE - and it is there that they await judgement.”  I haven’t studied this enough to be able to say that he is correct but I do believe it is plausible.  It certainly makes more sense to me than to believe Peter is speaking of “fallen angels.”
 
If we don’t make the assumption that most make, that Peter is speaking of fallen angels, and continue to read in context, we can understand what he is saying.  He is stating that these individuals are cast away from God’s presence, literally into the earth if it does happen to be Korah, Dathan and Abiram he is referring to.  He says that they were delivered “unto chains of darkness.”  There was literal darkness in that pit but Strong’s tells us that darkness is used metaphorically “of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality.”  A second definition states, “persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway.”  God and His truth is Light.  The opposite is darkness.

“Chains,” as we read here, are not literal.  It is rather an indication that these individuals are bound by this darkness, this blindness if you will, until, as the last part of the verse states, the time of judgement.  They are “reserved,” kept for the purpose of judgement, a time of correction.  Many assume judgement is a time of destruction. God’s judgement is to correct, with punishment as needed, to bring one to reconciliation. 

Let us continue through this chapter and we will see even clearer that Peter has not jumped from his discussion of individual people (false prophets, etc.) to spirit beings.  Verse 5, “And spared not the  old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;” Did you notice the same phrase used in verse 4, “And spared not?”  Peter is still speaking of people, the old world and speaks of Noah who was righteous.  He is contrasted to the ungodly, those outside of the “light” and in the “darkness.”

And, in verse 6 Peter continues speaking of people who lived and acted contrary to God and His way of life.  “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;” 

Peter continues in verse 7 to talk about people.  “And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked;” The contrast continues to be between the righteous, the just, and the ungodly, those in darkness.

Continuing to speak of Lot in verse 8 Peter says, “(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)”   His contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous continues.

Verse 9, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished;”   Did you notice the wording in this verse, “to reserve ... unto the day of judgement,” is almost identical to what we read in verse 4, “reserved unto judgement.”  Verse 9 is definitely speaking of people, as the context is making very clear, so also is verse 4. 

Let us continue reading with verse 10, “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh (not spirit) in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government.  Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.”  Peter is still talking about people, the ungodly, the unrighteous.

Verse 11 says, “Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.”  Does Peter begin speaking of spirit beings, angels?  Again the word  is angelos, which can be just as properly translated “messengers.”  What “messengers” are greater in “power and might” than the ungodly, the unrighteous?  Obviously those that are obeying and following God. 

In verse 12 it is quite plain that Peter is still speaking of people.  “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;” He says “these” still speaking of the ungodly and amplifying verse 11.  He then refers to them as “natural brute beasts,” akin to calling them nothing but animals.

Continuing with verse 13, “And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.  Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;”  Peter is still speaking of the false teachers, the ungodly.

Verse 14 through 16, “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children; Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.”  Peter hasn’t varied from his theme.  He is still talking of the ungodly, the unrighteous, the false prophets, the false teachers.

In verse 17 Peter starts out by saying, “These...” just as he began verse 12.  The same “these.”  Let us go on, “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.”  In verse 12 he said “these, as natural brute beasts,” Here he says,  “These are wells without water,” In both verses he is still speaking of men.  Going back to verse 4 we read, “and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement.”  The wording here in verse 17 is similar, “to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.”  But, doesn’t “for ever” indicate for all eternity?  No!  The Greek is aion which is best translated age or ages.  Peter is saying that these individuals have been “reserved,” kept, in a state of spiritual darkness for the age, until the age or time of judgement.

Peter keeps speaking of these individuals.  Verse 18, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”  Verse 19, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought to bondage.”  He keeps right on speaking of these individuals that he first called false prophets and false teachers.  Verse 20, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour  Yeshua they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”  He is still speaking of people.  Verse 21 and 22,  “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

The entire context that Peter covers in this chapter is the unrighteous, the ungodly, the false prophet, the false teacher in contrast with the righteous.  He repeatedly states in various ways that they have been placed into darkness, spiritual blindness, and kept there until the day, the time, the age of judgement.  It is totally out of context to bring “fallen angels” into the discussion at all.  Due to the translation given by those translating from the Greek and due to the incorrect assumptions and teachings of most of Christianity we have failed to grasp and understand what Peter was telling us.
We find an almost exact series of verses in the book of Jude.  Jude is writing to those “sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in  Yeshua, and called:,” verse 1.  He says in verse 3 that it was needful for him to write unto them and exhort them “that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  In verse 4 he begins his discussion by saying, “For there are certain men...”  The context is men.  He continues, “crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men,...”  Much as Peter wrote he is speaking of the ungodly, unrighteous men.  In verse 5 he continues to speak of men, “having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” 

Now we come to verse 6, which sounds almost like Peter’s statement we just read in II Peter 2:4.  “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day.”  The word translated “angels” is again aggelos or angelos and can be accurately rendered “messenger.”  Notice how Young’s Literal Bible translates this verse.  “messengers also, those who did not keep their own principality, but did leave their proper dwelling, to a judgement of a great day, in bonds everlasting, under darkness He hath kept.”  See the above explanation of chains, judgement.  But, one might ask, what about the “everlasting” chains?  Doesn’t that mean for all eternity?  No!

The Greek word translated “everlasting” is aidios.  I’d like to quote a section from a book that I would recommend that throughly discusses the subject of everlasting, eternal, forever, etc. as used in Scripture.  The book is entitled “The Greek Word AION—AIONIOS, Translated Everlasting—Eternal in the HOLY BIBLE, Shown to Denote Limited Duration” and was written by John Wesley Hanson, copyrighted in 1875.  Quoting from the Appendix of this book regarding the word aidios.  “It is further admitted that the word is here used in the exact sense of aionios, as is seen in the succeeding verse: ‘Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.’  That is to say, the ‘aidios’ chains in verse 6 are ‘even as’ durable as the ‘aionion fire’ in verse 7.  Which word modifies the other?  1.  The construction of the language shows that the latter word limits the former.  The aidios chains are even as the aionion fire.  As if one should say ‘I have been infinitely troubled, I have been vexed for an hour,’ or ‘He is an endless talker, he can talk five hours on a stretch.’  Now while ‘infinitely’ and ‘endless’ convey the sense of unlimited, , they are both limited by what follow, as aidios, eternal, is limited by aionios, indefinitely long.”  Mr. Hanson also points out that the “everlasting” chains are limited by the fact it was to last only until “a judgement of a great day.”

Just as we saw in II Peter 2, the context here continues to speak of men.  Verse 6, the people of Sodom and Gomorrha.  Verse 8, speaks of “filthy dreamers.”  In verse 9 Jude tells us that there had been a contention between Michael and the adversary about the body of Moses and Michael dared not bring a railing accusation.  He continues the thought in verse 10 by saying, “But these (the people, individuals he has been speaking about) speak evil of those things which they know not:...”  Verse 11 he says they, these individuals, have gone the way of Cain, after the error of Balaam, and he says they “perished in the gainsaying of Core.”  Verse 12 continues, “These..”  This is the same these, the people he has been discussing throughout the whole letter.  He says they are spots, clouds without water, trees without fruit and verse 13, raging waves of the sea, wandering stars.  He says, “to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness (we have discussed  “darkness” above) for ever.  “Ever” is from the Greek aion, properly translated “age.”  (See the book reference above for a very detailed and complete discussion.)  Verse 14 says that Enoch prophesied of “these,” the same these he has been discussing, unholy and unrighteous men.  Verse 15 speaks of the judgement to be executed on the ungodly, the “these” he has been talking about.  Verse 19 refers to verse 17 and 18 regarding the words which the apostles of  Yeshua had spoken regarding mockers in the last time that would walk after their own ungodly lusts.  He says, verse 19, “These (the same these) be they...having not the Spirit.”

Neither Peter or Jude speak of angelic beings sinning but of unrighteous and ungodly men.  Due to unfortunate translation and pagan beliefs that crept in we have been taught error regarding these passages.  

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE HOLY AND THE PROFANE

 

 
One of the first occasions we find mention of the difference between the holy and the profane is  when Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered “strange fire” before Yehovah (Lev. 10:1).  You will remember the story.  Fire went out from Yehovah (verse 2) and devoured them.  They were struck dead.  In verse 6-11 we read of the instructions given to Aaron and his other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar.  They were not to put off their priestly garments to mourn the two who had been struck down.  They were to continue to perform the priestly duties.  Notice what they were to do, verses 10 and 11.  “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.  And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yehovah hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.”  (Note: The King James Version of the Bible uses the word LORD, spelled with all capital letters, for the name of the Creator.  His Holy personal name has been hidden for the most part.  Recent scholarship shows that His name is Yehovah, the emphasis being on the “yah.”  In this study I will use Yehovah rather than LORD.  We will cover more on this subject in another study.)

Much later we read an indictment against the priests, the ones given the charge of teaching His people.  Ezekiel 22:26, “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane (the word translated here as profane is the same Hebrew word translated “unholy” in Leviticus 10.), neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”  Those who were instructed to tell the people the difference had not done so.  The numerous  individuals who today claim to be “preachers” and “pastors” are, I’m afraid, also guilty before Yehovah for not putting “difference between the holy and profane” and not “shewing difference” between the unclean and the clean.

A few chapters over in the book of Ezekiel we are told that there will come a time when  Yehovah’s priests will teach that difference.  Let us read Ezekiel 44:23.  “And they shall teach my people the  difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”

But, we need not wait until that time.  Yehovah is opening to many His glorious truths.  We can begin to “put difference between holy and unholy.”  We can begin to compare the beautiful, holy things of Yehovah and Yeshua with the unholy, profane, pagan things of this world. (Yeshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus.) The Hebrew words that are translated as holy and holiness indicate an apartness, a sacredness.  Other ways it is translated is as dedicated, hallowed, consecrated.  The word translated profane and unholy means the exact opposite of holy, it means to pollute, to defile.

In the indictment we read in Ezekiel 22 one of the things mentioned was hiding “their eyes from my sabbaths.”  The word “sabbaths” is plural.  Yehovah is speaking NOT ONLY of the weekly Sabbath but also of His annual Sabbaths.    This may be something new to you, that there were yearly or annual days given to us to celebrate before Yehovah.  Sadly, the religious teachers have not “put difference between the holy and unholy.”  They have rejected the Holy appointed times of Yehovah and embraced the many holidays, not HOLY days, that have originated from paganism.  These are the unholy days that we have all participated in.  These are the days that have been put in place of Yehovah’s Holy days.  It is in the celebration of these days  that Yehovah says He is profaned “among them.”

You may never have known the true origins of these “Christian” holidays.  Let us examine some of them very briefly.  Most of the true origins can be found revealed in encyclopedias and other reference books you can find in your library.   Let us begin with the one holiday that is probably the biggest and most observed, Christmas.

Many observing this day sincerely believe that it is all about the birth of Yeshua.  They read the “Christmas story” from the gospels.  Yes, the birth of the Messiah as a baby is a very important story and a true one.  However, the Scriptures do not reveal His birth date nor command us to celebrate it.  From the details given in the Scriptures we do know that He was born sometime in the Autumn, not on December 25th.  December 25th was a date celebrated as the birthday of someone else.  Let us notice a few interesting things.

This first quote is taken from an article posted on the internet on a website called “Unexplained Mysteries of the World.”  What is found here is corroborated by many, many more articles found on other sites and in numerous publications.  “Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? Most people assume that it has always been a Christian holiday and that it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. But it turns out that Jesus was not born on December 25th. However, a whole bunch of pagan gods were born on that day. In fact, pagans celebrated a festival involving a heroic supernatural figure that visits an evergreen tree and leaves gifts on December 25th long before Jesus was ever born. From its early Babylonian roots, the celebration of the birth or "rebirth" of the sun god on December 25th came to be celebrated under various names all over the ancient world. You see, the winter solstice occurs a few days before December 25th each year. The winter solstice is the day of the year when daylight is the shortest. In ancient times, December 25th was the day each year when the day started to become noticeably longer. Thus it was fitting for the early pagans to designate December 25th as the date of the birth or the ‘rebirth’ of the sun.”

In a classic book, first printed in 1916, entitled The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop gives us much of the Babylonian origins of Christmas.  Here is a portion quoted from page 93 of this book.  "Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen, at that precise time of the year, in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven: and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of Christians to meet Paganism halfway was very early developed; and we find Tertullian, even in his day, about the year 230, bitterly lamenting the inconsistency of the disciples of Christ in this respect, and contrasting it with the strict fidelity of the Pagans to their own superstition."

Further down the page Hislop goes on to say, “That Christmas was originally a Pagan festival, is beyond all doubt.  The time of year, and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated, prove its origin.  In Egypt, the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time, ‘about the time of the winter solstice’ (Wilkinson’s Egyptians, vol. iv. p. 405) The very name by which Christmas is popularly called among ourselves–Yule day– proves at once its Pagan and Babylonian origin.  ‘Yule’ is the Chaldee name for an ‘infant’ or ‘little child’ and as the 25th of December was called by our Pagan Anglo-Saxon ancestors, ‘Yule-day’ or the ‘Child’s day,’ and the night that preceded it, ‘Mother-night,’ long before they came in contact with Christianity, that sufficiently proves its real character.”

Much more could be quoted but let us move on.  Easter is perhaps the second most celebrated of the “Christian” holidays.  Doesn’t that celebrate the resurrection of our Messiah?  How could that be unholy?  Let’s look at just where we got this holiday.

The following quotation is from an article entitled “Easter–Its Pagan Origins” found on a web page named “Religious Tolerance.”   “The name “Easter” originated with the names of an ancient Goddess and God.  The Venerable Bede (672-735 CE.) a Christian scholar, first asserted in his book De Ratione Temporum that Easter was named after Eostre (a.k.a. Eastre.).  She was the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxon people in Northern Europe.  Similarly, the ‘Teutonic dawn goddess of fertility [was] known variously as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austran and Ausos.’  Her name was derived from the ancient word for spring: ‘eastre.’  Similar Goddesses were known by other names in ancient cultures around the Mediterranean, and were celebrated in the springtime.  Some were:

    *Aphrodite from ancient Cyprus
    *Ashtoreth from ancient Israel
    *Asarte from ancient Greece
    *Demeter from Mycenae
    *Hathor from ancient Egypt
    *Ishtar from Assyria
    *Kali from India
    *Ostara a Norse Goddess of fertility”

Alexander Hislop also has quite a bit of information on Easter.  Here is just a small quote from page 103 of his book, The Two Babylons.  “Then look at Easter.  What means the term Easter itself?  It is not a Christian name.  It bears its Chaldean origin on its very forehead.  Easter is nothing else than Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven, whose name, as pronounced by the people of Nineveh, was evidently identical with that now in common use in this country.  That name as found by Layard on the Assyrian monuments, is Ishtar.”

We could go on an on with the history of the true origins of these holidays but we will let you, the reader, do some research.  When you do you will see clearly that the adversary has counterfeited ALL of the Holy days of Yehovah.  These holidays are all “unholy”days that need to be differentiated from the holy days we find in the pages of Scripture, holy days  given to us to be celebrated,   that contain real meaning and substance for us.  Let us begin to look at what those days are.

Moses was inspired to write down the words of the Creator, the Lawgiver.  In the 23rd chapter of the book of Leviticus we find these HOLY days, the appointed days of Yehovah.  Let us look at what He says is HOLY. You will also find much information on these days in Numbers 28 and 29, as well as other passages.  For now we will concentrate on Leviticus 23.

Leviticus 23:1-2, “And Yehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of Yehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are MY feasts.”  The word translated “feasts” is Strong’s #04150, mowed.  The meaning is “appointed  time.”  It is holy time Yehovah has appointed for us to assemble before Him, not a time we have selected or borrowed from the pagans.  We can not make any time holy.  Only Yehovah can do that.

In verse 3 of Leviticus 23, before listing the feasts, the appointed times, of Yehovah, we are reminded of the weekly holy day, the Sabbath.  “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of Yehovah in all your dwellings.”

Beginning with verse 4 we are given the “feasts of Yehovah,” the mowed, the appointed times. Notice that it says “these are the feasts of the LORD,” or the feasts of Yehovah.  These are not the feasts of the Jews.

Let us read the next four verses and find the first feast or appointed time of the year.  “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yehovah’s passover.  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yehovah: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.  In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.  But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yehovah seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.”

Just a couple of comments.  We don’t have time nor space to cover everything in depth in this study.  The first month is, according to how Yehovah reckons time, in the Spring of the year.  The passover was the sacrifice of a lamb, a type of Yeshua the “Lamb of God.”  The passover lamb was killed and eaten at the very beginning of this first feast, the feast of unleavened bread.  This appointed time was seven days in length, the first day and the seventh day were holy time.  All products containing yeast were to be put out of the home and bread made without yeast was to be eaten.  Yeast causes fermentation and pictures corruption.  When we come under the shed blood of Yeshua, our passover, our sins are forgiven.  We are without sin, without corruption.  This feast pictures this state of being without sin.

In reading these verses in Leviticus one finds instructions regarding various offerings, meal offerings, offerings made by fire, etc.  Some, understanding as we are told in the book of Hebrews that these sacrifices have been replaced by the ultimate sacrifice of our Messiah, believe that the holy days themselves no longer need to be celebrated.  Immediately following the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai we read of “judgements” that were given, beginning in Exodus chapter 21.  In chapter 23 these holy days are mentioned, without any offerings being mentioned.  (Verses 14-17) The various offerings were given to point forward to Messiah’s supreme sacrifice.  Though we no longer are being required to sacrifice animals it in no way does away with the appointed times of Yehovah.

The timing of the Passover sacrifice and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are given as very specific dates.  Yehovah’s appointed times are when He specifies.  The next holy day presented to us here in Leviticus 23 is to be determined in a little different way.  In verse 10 we read of the requirement of bringing a sheaf, or as it can be translated, a omer of the very first of their harvest.  An omer is a dry measure of about 2 quarts or so.  This grain was to be waved or lifted up before Yehovah.  Without going into detail here, let it suffice to say that this was a picture of Yeshua, who became the firstfruits of them that slept, 1 Corinthians 15:20.  This “wave sheaf” was brought on the day, or morrow, after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, verse 15.  The day following His resurrection Yeshua was “lifted up,” if you will, to be received by His Father.

Continuing in verse 15 and 16 we find how this next holy day was to be determined.  “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; ...”  Verse 21 tells us that this day, the fiftieth, was to be proclaimed to be “an holy convocation.”  We don’t find here a name for this day.  However, Exodus 23:16 refers to it as “...the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field:...”  In Exodus 34:22 there is another name given, “the feast of weeks, of the first fruits of wheat harvest.” In the New Testament this day is called “the day of Pentecost,” Acts 2:1.  Pentecost just means “the fiftieth day.”  Note that it tells us in verse 21 that “it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”  The generations still continue.

Moving on we find the next of Yehovah’s appointed times in the year, verse 24.  “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”  It is interesting to note that although the KJV translates this as a “memorial of blowing of trumpets” the Hebrew indicates a shout or shouting.  Young’s Literal Bible has it “a memorial of shouting.”  The Hebrew word, showphar or shophar, indicating a ram’s horn is not used here.  The word used here is t@ruwah, translated shout, shouting, alarm, sound, blowing, joy in various places.

Ten days after the day that is to be a memorial of shouting is another of Yehovah’s appointed  holy times. We read of it in verse 27.  “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you;...”  This day is to be celebrated in a bit different way.  Let us keep reading in verse 27, “and ye shall afflict your souls,...”  This is understood by almost all Bible scholars to mean a fast, without food or water.  Verse 32 states that this day “shall be unto you a sabbath of rest,...”  It is a day of ceasing from all labor, all work.  A bit of information is given telling us when to observe this and all of the other sabbaths, weekly and annual.  “From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”  One translation has it “at nightfall from evening to evening.”  We begin our celebrating of the Sabbath and the holy days from the time the sun sets until the following evening at sunset.

As we continue reading in Leviticus 23 we are told of the next appointed time of Yehovah.  Verse 34 tells us that “The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto Yehovah.”  The first day of the seven, we are told in verse 35, “shall be an holy convocation:” It was a day in which no “servile work,” or normal occupational work, was to be done.

We are again told that this feast was for seven days, verse 36, but then something else is given.  “On the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you:” This has been confusing to some but what we are being told is that at the conclusion of the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles we go right into another of Yehovah’s appointed times, “the eighth day.”  Nowhere do we find any other name given to it.

Verse 27 repeats what we read at the beginning of this chapter, “These are the feasts (Hebrew mowed, the appointed times) of Yehovah.”These were to be proclaimed “to be holy convocations.”

Beginning with verse 39 we find a repeat of information about the Feast of Tabernacles, but with some additional information.  “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto Yehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.”  Verse 40 gives instructions for gathering boughs and branches of several different trees.  What for?  We aren’t told here but when we read of an event that is recorded in the book of Nehemiah we get the answer.  You can read of this in chapter 8, verses 13-18.  The branches were used to build booths, or tabernacles, as the word can be translated. Why were booths to be constructed?  Verses 42 and 43 of Leviticus 23 reveals the answer.  “Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yehovah your Elohim.”

So, we have seen that Yehovah has designated specific times, specific “appointed times,” that He says are His holy days.  We pointed out earlier that the word “feasts” used in verse 2 is mowed in Hebrew.  However, there is another Hebrew word that is used in at least three verses in this chapter that is also rendered “feast” or “feasts.”  One of those times is in verse 41 that we just read, “and ye shall keep it a feast unto Yehovah...”  The Hebrew word is  chag or hag.  Notice what Unger’s Bible Dictionary has to say about this word.  “One Hebrew name for festival was hag (from the verb signifying to dance), which, when applied to religious services, indicated that they were occasions of joy and gladness.”  This makes sense when we again read the last part of the previous verse, verse 40, “ye shall rejoice before Yehovah your God seven days.”  The appointed times of Yehovah were to be times of joy, times of gladness, times of dancing and rejoicing.

One would think that when anyone comes to see that Yehovah, the very Creator of all things, desires us to feast with Him that they would be instantly desirous to do so.  But, sadly, many try to find excuses.  As we mentioned earlier, some believe these feasts were given to the Jews, or the Israelites, and they aren’t for the rest of us.  However, Yehovah tells us that there is one law, for the Israelite and for the “stranger.” (Ex.12:49, Lev. 24:22, Num. 15:29)

Yeshua set us an example.  John tells us in 1 John 2:6 that “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”  In Luke 2 and beginning with verse 41 we read that Yeshua’s parents went every year to celebrate the “feast of the passover,” as the Feast of Unleavened Bread was often called.  Verse 42 tells us that when He was twelve years old Yeshua also attended and we find that He remained behind listening and questioning the teachers of the Law, verse 46. You can check out the following Scriptures.  John 2:23, Yeshua was in Jerusalem at the passover.  John 4:45 references the fact that Yeshua had been at the feast.  John chapter 7 tells us of His attendance of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Of course, we all know that Yeshua was at Jerusalem at the passover when He was taken and crucified.

Some will attempt to convince you that although Yeshua kept the feast days we don’t have to do so because He “did away with all of those old laws,” or that “He kept them in our stead.”  This is  nonsense.  He plainly told us, Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”  We know that the holy days weren’t “done away” from the Scriptural accounts of their observance by His disciples after His death and resurrection.  Perhaps the most powerful statement that the holy days were still to be celebrated was that fifty days after His resurrection His disciples were together “with one accord” and Yehovah sent His Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4. 

Notice a few other accounts.  We read of the Apostle Paul, Acts 18:21, stating that “I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem:” It appears that “this feast” was the Feast of Tabernacles, probably about 52 AD.  In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul refers to the Feast of Unleavened Bread and says in verse 8, “Therefore let us keep the feast,...” 

Okay, let us not belabor the issue.  Yehovah has given us His appointed times to come before Him, to rejoice and to feast with Him.  He says these are holy days.  We must be learning to distinguish between the holy and the unholy.  We must put away the unholy, the profane, the pagan holidays and feasts of the world and begin to learn of His ways, learn to celebrate His appointed times that are holy, hallowed and sacred.

Touched on very briefly in this study is the fact that these appointed times contain great symbolism.  Each and every feast, each and every one of the holy days, in one way or another contains a picture or numerous pictures of Yehovah’s wonderful plan of salvation for all of mankind.  None of us has a total grasp of what all they do picture.  Some see one thing and some see another.  This is an area that we all have to grow in.  Much of what is becoming clear and is being revealed will be covered in future studies.  But, if we don’t as yet understand any of the pictures, isn’t it sufficient to know that our Creator is desirous of having us come into His presence and fellowship with Him, to eat with Him, and to feast with Him?