We continue to read in the news headlines how a few well-known mainstream Christian leaders are decrying the turn of recent political events in the US with respect to the outcome of the recent elections and America’s decided move toward the Antichrist religion of leftism. Sadly, these Christian leaders, when shooting their verbal guns, are still missing the main target.
In the Word of Elohim, we read,
For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of Elohim; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of Elohim? Now “IF THE RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, WHERE WILL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?” (1 Pet 4:17–18, emphasis added)
In the previous quoted Scripture passage, I emphasized the words “for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of Elohim” (i.e. the churches) because the church leaders blindly refuse to lead their sheeple in repentance for their own sins, and instead keep pointing to the sins of the nation as the cause of the present divine judgment against this America and other formerly so-called Christian nations. Well, I see judgment definitely coming on the Christian church right now in several areas. Here are is a list:
A) For many years, YHVH has allowed the lid to the taken of the garbage can of many Christian leaders’ lives to reveal their sexual sins. The leftist mainstream news media continue to gleefully splash their headlines with these salacious reports.
B) For many years, YHVH has allowed the lid to the taken of the garbage can of many Christian leaders’ private lives to reveal their covetous greed when it comes to money and material possessions including their lavish lifestyles and how they have innovatively and habitually conned countless people out of vast sums of money in the name of “God”.
C) Now Covid has been unleashed upon the world, and the political forces of Antichrist are hellbent on keeping churches from meeting along with family gatherings, holiday gatherings, weddings and funerals, while at the same time allowing riots and demonstrations, sex shops, drug shops, homo shops, porn shops and the like to operate largely unhindered.
The closing of churches has had a profound negative impact on the finances of most churches such that many are in danger of closing their doors because people have reduced or stopped their financial giving—the church’s financial gravy train.
Financial issues wouldn’t be a problem to the pastors, churches, denominations and ministries if the leaders of these corporate companies masquerading as churches and religious organizations had regular secular jobs or trades like the rest of us. If they were tent-makers like Paul, they wouldn’t need to always have their hand out begging for donations, and they wouldn’t always be trying to peddle the gospel (in the form of videos, books, speaking honorariums, conferences, religious trinkets etc., etc.) to make a buck. Can’t you see how YHVH is using Covid to dry up the funds of these greedy, sheep-fleecing hierlings (John 10:11–13), who are (to use the exact biblical language for them) dumb and greedy dogs (Isa 56:10–11, also see Ezek 34 where Elohim further denounces them)?
When we talk of greedy pastors, Bible teachers and other religious leaders, we cannot turn a blind eye to the majority of major “Messianic” and “Hebrew roots” teachers who have also learned well the art of money grubbing from their Christians and religious Jewish mentors. Shame on all of them! You cannot give me a single verse of Scripture to justify your shameful behavior. Neither the Levites, prophets nor Yeshua and nor any of his apostles acted as you have acted and are acting. In this, you are worhshipping the god of mammon, not the Elohim of the Bible.
This I can say about myself, as Paul said of himself,
For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of Elohim; but as of sincerity, but as from Elohim, we speak in the sight of Elohim in Messiah. (1 Cor 12:17)
D) In recent times, YHVH has raised up the so-called Messianic or Hebrew roots movement, for all of its flaws and shortcomings, as a judgment against the mainstream Christian church for abandoning its biblical Hebraic roots back in the second century A.D. The Hebraic, biblical foundations, biblical truth movement or whatever label you choose, is shining a giant spotlight exposing many areas of fraud and lies that have existed unchallenged and unexposed in the mainstream church. It it fixing a spotlight on many important biblical truths (including the importance of the Torah) that the church has been overlooking and teaching lies about, as well as the numerous unbiblical traditions and manmade doctrines that have cleverly crept into so-called normative, mainstream Christianity.
So far, most, if not all, current major mainstream church leaders are ignoring this divinely inspired and orchestrated move of the Spirit of Elohim to restore truth in the last days as Peter predicted must occur before Yeshua the Messiah can return (it’s not good for the business of religion to preach the whole Truth, now is it?):
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Yeshua the Messiah, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which Elohim has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19–21, emphasis added)
It is high time for the mainstream church leaders to wake up from their spiritual sleep and to repent for the right things instead of pointing fingers at others and conveniently letting themselves off the hook all the way to the bank.
Thank you Natan. Well said.
I would disagree on one point however (though I’m sure you’ll actually agree): I don’t believe the current spiritual leaders are in a slumber. They are (most of them) willfully ignorant of the truth. Covid is at least a second judgement on the western churches and their leaders.
The first came as a result, directly from their own covetous decisions, mortgage debt and the like. From the moment a church takes on a mortgage, it is no longer about teaching the truth to its people. Instead they push to get in the numbers, the 10%, and paying the mortgage. You cannot serve God and Money! Sliding into Sunday morning “self-help” style messages that appeal to all but the godly in Yeshua is a natural outcome of their greed.
And so the first was the declining memberships, migrations from the small churches to the large and the closing of local community church doors. YHVH separated his own from the worldly elite which set the stage for Covid so that even those congregations are made to suffer.
Thank you for your clear and unwavering message.
I can’t disagree with your willfully ignorant comment. When I described them as being lukewarm, I was trying to be gracious and generous toward our Christian brothers. At the same time, I think that some if not many are lukewarm when it comes to obedience to the Word of Elohim. If they were on fire, they’d much more obedient to YHVH’s commands. It seems that willful disobedience and lukewarmness may be two sides of the same coin.
They did err=Psalm 95:10, Jer. 23:32. I woke up today thinking of how the Word says :Ye do err.” Also, didn’t the Israelites go thru the first 3 plagues? I believe this is the beginning of sorrows.
I agree Carol. The birth pangs have begun.
Watch for the cancel culture to ramp up. There is talk of a new patriot act aiming at domestic terrorism. Hate speech, etc. will be targeted. How long before the Bible is banded? You can see where this is leading!
Thanks for reminding us about the first three plagues. My sense is that this to one degree or another correlates to the seven seals and seven trumpets of Revelation. During the seven last plagues or bowl judgments of Rev 15 and 16, the saints are gone. They have been resurrected at the seventh trump own Yom Teruah and are in the air with Yeshua waiting to return with him to the earth probably on Yom Kippur if my understanding on this is correct.
With regard to the first three plagues that came on Egypt and that the Israelites had to endure, after that YHVH protectively sequestered them in the land of Goshen. Where is the saints’ end times land of Goshen? Some people say that it is here and some say it is there. It may be one or the other or somewhere else. All I can come up with is that his place of safety or protection is in the center of his perfect will for your particular life wherever that may be. That’s not real profound, but that’s all I know to this point.
thanks, always elucidating 🙂
Shalom, Natan,
Thank you for taking the time and effort to study, write and teach. I and my congregation appreciate it.
I do not disagree with your thoughts on the extensive corruption that has happened in many ways when it comes to churches and church leadership. I also do not disagree with you that one key issue within the “church” both throughout the world and throughout history is their inability to see Torah and its essential connection to the walk of a believer in Yeshua.
That being said I would like to disagree with you on your view of paying leadership. You mention Paul being a tent maker and making a living while doing ministry. This is true. However, this was true because he was starting new congregations. He had no one to support or very little support to make ends meet. Once he had congregations established, he most certainly asked for funding for his ministry from those congregations, AND, expected them to support local leadership that was teaching and leading their congregations.
Not including a strong connection between apostolic teachings about congregational leadership/elders/overseers and the Levitical priesthood which would take too long to elaborate on here, I will point to Paul’s own words because in several of your blog posts that talk about leadership, you have heavily referenced Paul and his tent-making ministry.
Here is one that seems to help your case:
2 Thess. 3:6-12 – 6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which [a]he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread [b]free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and [c]exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
However, looking closer at these verses, we notice that Paul isn’t saying, do not pay your church leadership, but do not pay someone who is not working.
I Cor. 9:9-14 – 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? 12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?
Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
Here is a perfect example of Paul’s view on financially supporting congregational leadership as well as making a connection between the Levitical priesthood and episcopoin. Just as the children of Israel were to support the Levitical priesthood to do the work at the Temple, so are the believers of a congregation to support a elder/teacher who works faithfully for the growing/training of a congregation.
Paul is reiterating what the Master states in Luke 10:7 where Yeshua states to the 70 he sent out, And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.” Put simply, any worker deserves compensation for his work. If the pastor is putting in hours in the office, counseling, visiting the congregation, mentoring others, and studying for weekly messages (sometimes numerous ones throughout the week), Yeshua states along with Paul that is a fair expectation that he gets paid. After all, the worker (read congregational leader/elder/pastor) is worthy of his wages.
Phil. 4:16-19 – For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Here we see Paul thanking the congregation at Thessalonica for their financial support of his ministry.
Acts 6:2 – And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
Here it doesn’t come out and expressly say “pay your leadership.” However, there is a strong implication that the apostles felt that studying and teaching Yah’s Word was a worthy and full-time occupation that they should be supported in doing by the local believers.
I am the son of a missionary. My father started 7 congregations and worked tirelessly to serve those in his congregation while seeking to share the gospel. Many times growing up he had to work second and third jobs to make ends meet. That was to his shame, but the shame of his congregation and other congregations for not supporting him.
I am sorry you have to work a full-time job while you have done ministry. If that is your choice, great! However, we shouldn’t take our personal views and place them on the Scriptures just because of the abuse of many wolves who have come in among the body. Instead, we should be working and teaching to train up godly young men to fit the qualifications of elder leadership in the body, and then pay/support them for their service. I know you believe we should train because you do such a good job of doing it here on your blog and in your Torah commentaries.
Please don’t teach bad doctrine because of the sinfulness of the world around us. Keep sticking to the Word and teaching the Word, even when sometimes we may personally not understand it or disagree with how it sometimes is implemented.
Many blessings and Shabbat Shalom!!!
Some clarifications are in order in response to a couple of things that you said that are incorrect.
At the outset, I am not making up my own unbiblical rules as you may think, nor am I basing anything on my own personal experiences. Scripture dictates all that I do as much as possible. YHVH knows. Please allow me to explain.
First, in ancient Israel, the Levites worked. They were scattered throughout Israel and were given fields to plow and places in town to work. The nation, according to Torah, also paid them the first tithe. So, yes they were supported both by secular work and by those to whom they ministered. This is the biblical model to follow, unless one is independently wealthy, or unless one chooses to live by total faith, as Yeshua did, who had no family to support. One who chooses to live by faith will likely not be wealthy and may have a hard time supporting his family, unless he has some real wonderful benefactors, which YHVH is certainly able to provide. Yeshua was rich spiritually although he was poor monetarily. At times, he no place to lay his head, and, on occasions, while others went to their homes, he slept in a cave, which is still there in the Garden of Gethsemene.
Second, I never said nor even implied that a congregation is NOT biblically required to support those who teach and serve them. They are. This I know and have published an article on it (https://hoshanarabbah.org/blog/2016/09/20/is-tithing-for-us-today-2/ and https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/tithing.pdf). However, this blog piece was NOT an article on tithing or how a congregation is to support its ministry. That was not the point or purpose of the article. So you, with all due respect, took me to task (albeit gently) for something that I’ve addressed (in full agreement with your points) elsewhere including on this blog, but was not the point or purpose of this blog post.
Third, I have never said nor implied anytime anywhere that a minister should gain his FULL income from secular work, and I never said nor implied this in this blog article either. I am not against a paid clergy. I am very leery, however, of a clergy that makes its FULL income from the ministry in order to support their family, pay the building mortgage, their retirement, etc. for the reasons both you and I have already stated and fully agree on.
Fourth, I am not teaching bad doctrine as you suggest. This brief blog piece was NOT a doctrinal statement. As noted earlier, I have made my position clear on the points addressed above previously and elsewhere. This article was simply identifying a problem in the modern church system. That’s all without going into all the details and biblical whys and wherefores. Nothing more.
Fifth, I don’t know how many of the good folks reading this blog are actual published writers and have extensive background, including training and experience in public speaking as well as in writing. For those who have, they realize that when one makes a speech or sermon, or writes an article, it is impossible to cover all the points, tangential and otherwise, that are often associated with the issue/s raised in the article or talk. It’s simply not possible or else you’d end with a book instead of an article, and hours and days of speech making instead of a brief sermon or teaching. So it frustrates me when I attempt to cover a single subject in a brief article or teaching and people all too often take me to task for things that I, due to time and space limitations, was not able to cover and that were outside the area of discussion——especially when I’ve covered those some topics numerous times elsewhere.
Finally, and sixth, I have been in ministry for 30 years and there has never been enough money to come to pay me remuneration for my service. The money donated has gone back into the ministry to pay those expenses and not into my own pocket——not one penny (except for those infrequent occasions where someone has puts money into my hand or written out a check to me personally insisting that I personally receive their love offering. In all other instances, even when checks are made out to me personally instead of Hoshana Rabbah, the money goes into the ministry account, and not mine.). I pastored for 25 years, 18 of which I was the head pastor of the congregation my wife and I founded. In all of my years of pastoring, we had hoped that the people in the congregation would support us enough financially to allow me to only have to work part time in my tree service business. Sadly, they never contributed enough to allow this to happen. In fact, I was the largest tither in the church bar none that whole time. In fact, the church folks barley gave enough to pay the building rent, the coffee and eating utensils, the sound system equipment, the kids program stuff, the insurance, etc., etc., and many times not even enough for that. I never begged or cajoled for money, and we never passed the plate (although an offering box was always left somewhere in the room). The fact is that my family went without for years to support the congregation, and I worked 40 to 60 hours a week to keep food on our table and clothes on our back and a roof over our head. Eventually it was too much of a burden to carry largely alone and we let the congregation go. I was 56 years old at the time with no retirement and YHVH only knows how many more years of tree service work I’d be able to do. So there you have it. I’m not unhappy about any of this. I did it for the love of Yeshua and in obedience to YHVH to feed and shepherd his sheep. He knows. Through it all, I never varied from following and teaching the biblical standards of tithing, giving, supporting the ministry, etc., etc. as supposed. Again YHVH knows.
I hope that gives you a little background and why a clarification was necessary.
Shalom to you and yours!
Natan can speak for himself, however here are some thoughts to consider. There is a big difference from a free will offering and a 501 c3 paycheck in a corporate church. Money as you know is a root of all kinds of evil, and no one is immune to its corrupting effects. Paul set the example of working and not being a burden on the called ones. Yes he was involved with starting congregations but he was very much on the move also. Your example in Luke 10 shows that their needs were meant. Food, a place to sleep, etc. They were not profiting from their hosts. Just some things to consider.
Kraig,
After listening to your spiel I hope, that you are supporting Natan financially, since you have been benefiting from his hard work for years.
All that is done in darkness will be revealed in the light.
John
Oh for the love of God!
Judgement to begin at the House of Elohim (i .e .the churches} Are the churches really the House of Elohim ? Did Yeshua really build His church ? Or are Yeshua and us fulfilling Zech. 6:11-15?” ;behold the Man whose name is the Branch……He shall build the Temple of the Lord…… He shall be a Priest on His throne……. even those from afar shall come and build the Temple of the Lord.?
Rev. 21:22; ” but I saw no temple in it, for the Lord YHVH Almighty and the Lamb are it’s temple.” This temple does not need to be built, it always was.
2 Thes 2:4 ;… the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed…..so that he sits as god in the temple” Maybe Yeshua will come back and build this temple, but if Yeshua builds this temple how could the man of sin sit in it?
John 5:19; “the Son can do nothing of Himself, but only what He sees the Father do…”
When did the Father build a church?
2 Cor. 6:16; “..for you are the temple of the living YVHV
Where is the House of Elohim? In your hearts, if Yeshua is dwelling in them.