The Word of Faith Movement (also known as the Prosperity Gospel or Name and Claim It), like many aspects of mainstream Christianity, contains both biblical and unbiblical teachings. In this video, I reveal how teachers like the late Kenneth Hagin borrowed from new age and science of the mind teachings and twisted Yeshua’s words in Mark 11:22–24 turning it into a gravy train benefiting them financially. We will also reveal what Yeshua really meant by, “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Nathan Lawrence, along with co-leader Donna Nash (from North Carolina), is hosting a regular online Shabbat gathering via Zoom. If you are interested in joining the group, please send me a request at natanl@earthlink.net. To date, we have been meeting continuously since November 2021.
This online gathering is only open to those who are serious about living in accordance with YHVH’s written Torah, and who are believers in and lovers of Yeshua the Messiah, the Living Torah.
If you make a request to join the group, please share with Nathan your personal testimony of your salvation (how you came to faith in Yeshua the Messiah) and a statement about your basic biblically-based beliefs. Nathan may then ask you a few follow-up questions via email or by phone if clarifications are necessary.
To date, we have a wonderfully geographically eclectic group of polite and respectful folks from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries as well. Nathan (and sometimes Donna and others) gives a Bible teaching, and there is plenty of questions and answers as well as discussions where folks share their edifying insights on various biblical topics as led by the Spirit of Elohim. We also pray for one another and sometimes even have a little praise and worship.
Also, most my recent YouTube (and Rumble) videos are messages that I have given to this fellowship and then recorded and uploaded to my channel. If you not only want to hear the message live, and but then afterwards discuss the message, ask questions or interact with Donna or me, we welcome you to join us. Our meetings typically last around three hours (the time literally flies by!), but no one is obligated to stay for the whole time. Participants come and go as they wish.
This fellowship does not take the place of a local fellowship of which you may be apart. Rather, it is complimentary to that, and is ideal for people who have no local fellowship to attend—which is many of us.
David, the author of the majority of the psalms in the Bible, along with several other psalmists, were men who followed hard after Elohim. No less than Elohim himself called David a man after his own heart (1 Sam 13:14–16). The spiritual cup of David’s heart as well as the hearts of other psalmists were full and overflowing with passion for Elohim, which expressed itself in quantifiable, extreme and radical ways by today’s Western standards. What can we learn from such individuals, and how can we come to this same place of passionate and enthusiastic (meaning “inspired or possessed by God”) devotion to YHVH Elohim?
David did not merely express his passion for Elohim intellectually in the psalms through music and poetry, for Scripture records that in one case he actually removed his kingly robes that hindered the movement of his arms and legs, and danced leaping and whirling, almost naked, with all of his might in the streets of Jerusalem praising and worshipping YHVH to the disdaining scorn of his less than passionate wife. Needless to say, after that incident, David refused to have intimate relations with his wife ever again to the day of her death (2 Sam 6:23). This was likely because her heart was in a very different place than that of her husband, and he could never get close to her again. This incident demonstrates the seriousness with which David took his passion for YHVH and how he viewed those close to him who were of a dissimilar or antithetical passionate disposition.
To be sure, David was not the only Hebrew given to outward displays of passion. The Hebrews, in general, like many inhabitants of the Near East to this day, were a dynamic and emotionally passionate people, whose lives were a river that customarily overflowed its banks with a emotionally enthusiasm for their Creator. David was a quintessential stereotype of this cultural norm. But many of the Hebrew prophets demonstrated a similar emotional exuberance when urging the Israelites to return to YHVH and to worship and obey him only. This passion worked itself out in many seeming bizarre stunts in their attempts to capture the attention of a people who had lost their passion for Elohim. For example, on one occasion, Isaiah prophesied virtually naked through the streets of his city for three years warning Israel of its impending doom (Isa 20:3). One prophet even adorned himself with iron horns and then prophesied to the kings of Israel and Judah (1 Kgs 22:11). Once Jeremiah prophesied with a wooden yoke wrapped around his neck (Jer 22:11). Another time, YHVH instructed Ezekiel to build a model city of Jerusalem and to construct siege walls and battering rams to symbolize the fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians (Ezek 4:1–4). After that, YHVH commanded Ezekiel to lay on his left side for 390 days and then on his right side for another 40 days to symbolize YHVH’s judgment against Israel (Ezek 4:4–6). If that was not enough, during this time, YHVH instructed Ezekiel to eat only beans, lentils, millet and spelt baked on a fire fueled by human excrement (Ezek 4:9–12). These are just several example of the extreme passion with which the biblical people of Elohim were willing to serve and obey their Creator.
Admittedly, in our day, YHVH is seldom asking his people to engage in such extreme practices as the ancient biblical prophets did in service to him. But sadly, most people are not even passionate enough to do the minimum that YHVH expects. For example, how many people are willing to put aside their electronic devices to which they are addicted along with their other secular activities long enough to pray for an hour a day as Yeshua instructed (Matt 26:40–41)?
Make no mistake, we are capable of becoming passionate about many things that are of interest to us—things that we really want to do, and we definitely make time in our busy schedules for these things. We can spend hours glued to our television and computers screens watching movies, engaged in social media on our electronic devices, listening to podcasts, watching sports events, playing video games and the like. In fact, today how many people hoot and holler acting crazy cheering their favorite sports team, but when it comes to being fanatical for YHVH, well, “that’s emotionalism” and “I’m not that kind of person,” we tell ourselves. “What will people think of me?”
There is no lack of distractions out there whose octopus-like arms laden with suction cups will grab us and suck us in to its jaws, while drawing us away from seeking YHVH. Why is this? Its is because too many of us have let our hearts become hard and cold for Elohim and as a result of this we have fallen into a state of lukewarmness, lost our first love for Yeshua along with the joy of our salvation.
So what is the aim and goal of this brief written homily? It is to hold up in front of each of us a mirror in which to see ourselves, and then to compare what we see with what pleases YHVH Elohim as recorded in Scripture, and thus hopefully to challenge each us to repent of our lassitude and incite us to “break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek YHVH, till he come and rain righteousness upon you,” (Hos 10:12). Our as Jeremiah chides us to do, “For thus saith YHVH…Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to YHVH, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings,” (Jer 4:3–4). Or as Yeshua warns us, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent,” (Rev 2:4–5). These are sober and challenging warning words from our Messiah!
Perhaps, just perhaps, the citations below quoted verbatim from the psalms will not only reveal something about the inner hearts of righteous people who sought YHVH passionately, but will show us what they actually did to obtain and to keep their passionate hearts alive and burning with zeal. Read, mediate and pray as you allow the words of Scripture to spur you to action and to fan the flames of your love for and faith in YHVH Elohim—Yeshua the Messiah. Selah and amein.
Do you long to see and experience spiritual revival in these days of overwhelming darkness and evil? Well, revival starts in the heart of each individual as each of makes the conscious and determinate decision to seek YHVH and to allow him to revive us. Revival starts with YOU! Selah and amein.
How intense is YOUR worship of YHVH Elohim?
Shout joyfully to YHVH, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.…Shout joyfully before YHVH, the King. (Ps 98:4, 6)
Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments. (Ps 119:164)
Oh come, let us sing to YHVH! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.… Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.…Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before YHVH our Maker. (Ps 95:1–2, 6)
And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. (Ps 132:16)
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless YHVH. (Ps 134:2)
I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods [or mighty ones] I will sing praises to You. (Ps 138:1)
Let them praise His name with the dance. (Ps 149:3)
Let the high praises of Elohim be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand… (Ps 149:6)
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance… (Ps 150:4)
How intensely passionate are YOU in seeking YHVH Elohim?
My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me. (Ps 38:10)
Ps 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O Elohim.
O Elohim, You are my Elohim; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.…When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. (Ps 63:1, 6)
My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of YHVH; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living Elohim. (Ps 84:2)
My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness. (Ps 109:24)
I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. (Ps 143:6)
How much do YOU love Elohim’s Torah-Word?
I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments. (Ps 119:131)
My soul breaks [or is crushed] with longing for Your judgments at all times. (Ps 119:20)
I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law. (Ps 119:113)
Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! (Ps 119:127)
My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word. (Ps 119:148)
How passionate are YOU about being in the presence of YHVH?
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Elohim than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Ps 84:10)
O YHVH, Elohim of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. (Ps 88:1)
When I awake, I am still with You. (Ps 139:18)
How long do YOU spend in the Word of Elohim each day?
Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. (Ps 119:97)
I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. (Ps 119:147)
How passionate are YOU in seeking YHVH through prayer?
Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. (Ps 55:17)
In the day of my trouble I sought YHVH; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted. (Ps 77:2)
I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. (Ps 119:147)
How much do YOU long for Elohim’s salvation (i.e., for Yeshua)?
My soul faints for Your salvation [i.e. Yeshua], but I hope in Your word. (Ps 119:81)
My eyes fail [cease working] from seeking Your salvation [Heb. Yeshua] and Your righteous word. (Ps 119:123)
I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. (Ps 132:16)
How much does the thought of sin distress YOU?
My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word. (Ps 119:28)
How much are YOU troubled by YOUR enemies?
I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies. (Ps 6:6–7)
My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your Elohim?” (Ps 42:3)
Let the high praises of Elohim be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment—this honor have all His saints. Praise YHVH! (Ps 149:6–9)
How much to do YOU loath evil and evil-doers who are the enemies of YHVH?
Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of YHVH. (Ps 101:8)
I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law. (Ps 119:113)
Do I not hate them, O YHVH, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. (Ps 139:21–22)
Let the high praises of Elohim be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment—this honor have all His saints. Praise YHVH! (Ps 149:6–9)
How consumed with passion are YOU for the lost who do not know the Truth of YHVH’s Word?
Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law. (Ps 119:136)
My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words. (Ps 119:139)
How obedient and passionate are YOU about sharing YHVH’s with others?
Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. (Ps 96:3)
How much do YOU fear YHVH Elohim?
Oh, worship YHVH in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. (Ps 96:9)
How much do YOU tremble before Elohim?
My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments. (Ps 119:120)
The Hebrew name for Psalms is Sepher Tehillim meaning “Book of Praises.” The word psalm is the Hebrew word mizmor meaning “melody” and derives from a word to mean “to sing, sing praise, make music.” The English word psalm derives from the Greek word psalmos meaning “a song sung to harp music.”
The Nature of the Book
The Book of Psalms is a collection of devotional materials including prayers, poems, and hymns some of which were set to music. Worship and praise of Elohim through music is a unifying aspect of this book. The psalms include songs of thanksgiving, hymns of praise, psalms of repentance and confession, psalms which invoke curses upon one’s enemies, psalms sung by pilgrims en route to Jerusalem, and messianic psalms.
Authors of the Psalms
This book contains psalms by at least six authors. David wrote 73 psalms (according to the titles of the psalms) and two others are ascribed to him in the Testimony of Yeshua (Ps 2, see Acts 4:25 and Ps 95, see Heb 4:7). Asaph either wrote or was responsible for preserving 12 psalms (Pss 50 and 73 through 83). The sons of Korah wrote 11 psalms (Pss 42, 44 through 49). Solomon composed two psalms (Pss72 and 127), while Etham wrote Psalm 89, Moses authored Psalm 90 (and possibly Ps 91), and Heman (Ps 88). Several Psalms have no designated author.
Categories of Psalms
The psalms can be group into five categories.
Didactic and wisdom psalms that give instruction (e.g., Ps 119).
The Messianic psalms containing prophecies relating to the Messiah (e.g., Ps 22).
The imprecatory psalms where the servant of Elohim pleads his case before the Almighty pleading for justice for the righteous and punishment upon the wicked (e.g. Ps 109).
Penitential psalms expressing the feelings of the repentant heart but also the desire for spiritual cleansing (Pss 32; 38; 51;102; 130; 143).
Psalms of praise, worship and thanksgiving.
Other classifications of Psalms include
Psalms of degrees or ascent (i.e., Pss 120–134). These are psalms that were sung on special occasions as the priests were ascending the steps of the temple, or that were sung as the Israelites were going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the yearly biblical pilgrimage feasts (i.e. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Tabernacles).
The miktam (or michtam) psalms (Pss 16; 56–60). Though the meaning of the term michtam is unclear, it seems to refer toa psalm that is considered as precious as stamped gold.
The Five Books Within the Psalms
According to Jewish tradition, the Book of Psalms can be divided into five smaller books or sections. They are,
Book One: Pss 1–41
Book Two: Pss 42–72
Book Three: Pss 73–89
Book Four: Pss 90–106
Book Five: Pss 107–150
Scholars aren’t sure why Psalms is so sub-divided. One theory is that the five sections correspond to the five books of the Torah (or Pentateuch). Or they may simply be individual collections of psalms that were eventually combined to form the larger book we now have.
The first three books end with the word, “Amein and amein” (the only places in the Scriptures where this double-amein phrase occurs. The last two books end with the phrase, “Praise YHVH.”
A Topical Index to Key Subjects in the Psalms (and elsewhere)
Woman, A Contentious—Prov 19:3; 21:19; 24:24; 27:15
YHVH, The Name— Ps 20:1
Yeshua (a list of where the Hebrew word Yeshua appears in the OT)— Gen 49:18; Exod 14:13; 15:2; Deut 3:15; 1 Sam 2:1; 14:45; 2 Sam 10:11; 22: 51; 1 Chron 16:23; 2 Chron 20:17; Job 13:16; 30:15; Pss 3:2, 8; 9:14; 13:5; 14:7; 18:50; 20:5; 21:1, 5; 22:1; 28:8; 35:3, 9; 42:5, 11; 44:4; 53:6; 61:1, 2; 67:2; 68:19; 69:29; 70:4; 74:12; 78:22; 80:2; 88:1; 89:26; 91;16; 96:2; 98:2, 3; 106:4; 116; 13; 118:14, 15, 21; 119:123, 155, 166, 174; 140:7; 149:4; Isa 12:2, 3; 25:9; 26:1, 18; 33:2, 6; 49:6, 8; 51:6, 8; 52:7, 10; 56:1; 59:11, 17; 60:18; 62:1; Jon 2:9; Hab 3:8 (The word Yeshua occurs 78 times in the OT. Mathematically, this is 7 and 8 signifying perfection and new beginnings or eternity, or 7 x 70 + 8 signifying perfect law and order plus new beginnings or eternity.)
YHVH Hates— Pss 5:5; 11:5
YHVH, The Voice of— Ps 29:3
Hebrew Words of Praise Found in the Psalms
Barak means “to bless YHVH as an act of adoration by kneeling (literally means ‘breaking the knee’).”
Basar means “to be cheerful, to announce glad news.”
Halal means “to be boastful, to shine, to make a show, to be thunderously foolish, to rave, to celebrate; denotes a tremendous explosion of enthusiasm in praising YHVH.”
Nagad means “to declare, stand boldly, to announce.”
Qara means “to cry out, to proclaim, to cry out to YHVH, to proclaim YHVH’s name.”
Ruah means “to split the ear with sound, shout for joy, to make a joyful noise, to sound the victory.”
Rum means “to extol, to lift up, to celebrate, to honor, to exalt.”
Shabach means “to address in a loud voice, to shout, to glorify, to give praise to YHVH with a loud voice or shout.”
Tehillah means “a laudation or hymn.” From the root of hallal.
Todah means “adoration, giving thanks, giving thanks, a choir of worshippers.” From yaddah meaning “an extension of the hands.”
Yadah means “to hold out the hands, to revere or worship with extended hands. The root of yad means “an open hand.”
Zaman means “to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, to make music accompanied by the voice; that is, to celebrate with songs and music; to give praise, to sing forth praises and psalms.”
John was no reed shaking in the wind—and neither are those who are now coming in that spirit to prepare the ways for Yeshua the Messiah’s second coming!
The Gospels contain many curious, arcane and cryptic statements by Yeshua that invite the reader to ponder and reflect on in order to fully understand and appreciate them. Matthew 11:7–12 is one such statement.
As they departed, Yeshua began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER BEFORE YOUR FACE, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
This statement of Yeshua is a very telling commentary how he viewed the mainstream religious leaders of his day. This was juxtaposed against his view of John the Baptist, who, though he was of priestly lineage, left the existing religious establishment and went into the wilderness to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
In his Matthew chapter eleven statement, Yeshua also predicts that a whole new genre of preachers would arise who, unlike the typical soft-spoken preachers of mainstream religion, would be violent and forceful in their demeanor and approach. Violent in the sense of confronting the religious establishment and the lukewarmness and sin of the people as he forcefully advanced the agendas of the kingdom of heaven against the opposing forces of a reluctant and recalcitrant spiritual environment.
With regard to John, who was a spiritual pioneer and pacesetter for this new breed of preacher, and who would enter the placid and staid religious waters of his day like a hurricane, let us consider the implications of this as well as Yeshua’s view of John. John’s background is part of the context of this iconoclastic individual, which we will now view under a magnifying lens.
To start with, John’s father, Zachariah, was of such a priestly status that he was allowed to minister in the inner portions of the temple itself. Yet John left this system to fulfil a ministry mission that was even greater than that of his father. Although John likely did not realize it at the time—for he was simply following the leading of the Spirit—he, by Yeshua’s own declaration, was to become the greatest prophet of all time up until then. To fulfil that divine mission, John had to exit the existing religious system and its status quo into which he was born, and execute that mission from outside of that system. Why? Because the Jewish religious system of the day would not, never did, and still does not recognize Yeshua as the Messiah. In fact, they viewed him as a threat to their religious tradition not to mention their secure positions of power and wealth, and on numerous occasion, they even tried to murder him. Eventually, they finally succeeded.
YHVH called and raised up John, who was a special vessel, to stir the pot of the religious system of his day in hopes of waking up his few saints who were trapped in that system. It was John’s divine mission to put out a forceful call to those who had ears to hear to exit the Babylonian system of that day in preparation to meet Yeshua the Messiah. (YHVH is doing similar work in our day through similar type people as per the prophecy of Malachi chapter four.)
It was against this backdrop of constant religious antagonism and persecution that John executed his mission to prepare the way for Yeshua the Messiah, which involved clashing with the rich, powerful religious leaders of his day, who were concurrently in league with both the political and economic forces in control of that geographical region. The Truth and light of Messiah was literally confronting the satanic darkness of man’s religious, economic and political agendas. To use a jungle warfare term, John was the point man in this cosmic conflict, thus he took the incoming fire. To be sure, this was no place for a spiritual neophyte or weak-kneed, limp-wristed pansy in the pulpit. This was a struggle to the death—a literal clash with demonic god-like Titans. Therefore, YHVH raised up a man with a powerful background for a tough assignment. John was immersed in the Spirit while still in the womb, and Scripture deems his parents to be spiritually faultless. His father was of high repute as a Levitical priest, plus John was the cousin of Yeshua the Messiah himself. This was no average family even in human terms. No. John was no spiritual lightweight in the boxing ring of religion. Out of the fiery forge and crucible of his familial background come a mighty sword of a man who YHVH raised up to lay a spiritual ax to the root of the religious tree of his day and to the man-made system that was leading people astray and making of none-effect the Word of Elohim by their traditions. John was no pansy, no weak reed shaking in the wind, no well coiffed, tailored suit wearing pastor in the pulpit speaking man-pleasing, flattering and ear-tickling words to pew warmers religious addicts sitting passively and comfortably in padded benches in neat little rows beneath stained glass windows getting their weakly religious fixes. No! YHVH called and commissioned John, who was a rugged man for a rugged job to prepare the way for the Messiah, who himself would carry this battle against the religious system to an unprecedented level in an effort to call out YHVH’s true followers, who would worship Elohim in Spirit and in Truth instead of merely playing religious games.
This now brings us to Yeshua’s cryptic, slightly arcane and even a bit sarcastically-tinged statement about John and those who followed him about a reed shaking in the wind.
What is a reed shaking in the wind anyway? It is a weak blade of grass that moves with the slightest breeze. In human terms, it is someone who puts their finger to the wind to determine its direction and then bends accordingly. Such a person follows the popular currents of thought and the prevailing and popular mores or zeitgeist (or spirit of the age) of the time and accommodates himself and his message accordingly to curry the favor and popularity of the masses. These are the kind of leaders we see in the mainstream Christian church system of our day. They are often well coiffed, well-dressed and wear soft clothing as part of their marketing strategy, and speak soft words so as not to offend “the giving units”. Few, however, preach repentance. Fewer yet preach the gold standard of biblical righteousness, which is YHVH’s Torah-Truth of which Yeshua the Messiah was the living, walking breathing personification and our example to follow.
Yes, John came to lay the ax to the status quo of a religious system of his day that was keeping people in a state of being spiritually obese, comfortable, happy, paying their dues, non-questioningly and spiritually lukewarm.
Yes, John was popular. Many if not most of the inhabitants of Judea made the long, hot and arduous trek down from the Judean mountains to the lowest spot on earth (an apt geographical representation of the current state of the religious system of that day…and ours) into the Jordan River Valley near the Dead Sea (another apt geographical description of the religious system of John’s day…and our day as well) to hear this goat-skinned clad, locust and honey-eating and wild-eyed preacher man. When they arrived, did he tickle their ears with gentle happy, happy-talk religious platitudes? Did he tell them that “Come to Jesus because he has a wonder plan for your life?” Or, “Come to Jesus and he’ll help improve your self esteem.” Or, “Say a prayer, receive forgiveness and go to church and pay your tithes, and now that you’re once saved always saved, just go and stand on the street corner, while waiting for the rapture bus to take you to heaven before all the you-know-what hits the proverbial fan.” Or “Come to Jesus and if you buy my how-to books and videos, then I’ll show you how he’ll make you healthy and wealthy here and now on demand.” No! This was not even close to John’s message. Rather it was…
[W]hile Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of Elohim came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: ‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT. EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE FILLED AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL BROUGHT LOW; THE CROOKED PLACES SHALL BE MADE STRAIGHT AND THE ROUGH WAYS SMOOTH; AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF ELOHIM.’ “Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that Elohim is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:2–9)
In the last days, prior to Yeshua’s second coming, if we correctly understand the end time prophetic implications of the Book of Malachi chapters three and four, YHVH will raise up John the Baptist–type preachers, who will be coming in the spirit of Elijah, and who will be preaching a hard and unpopular message. They will be warning YHVH’s people to repent of sin, and return to the ancient spiritual paths as taught by the biblical fathers of the Christian faith by getting back to YHVH’s Torah-Truth. This will be the unpopular and disturbing message of, to put it in modern vernacular, “to turn or burn” (see Mal 4:1, 3 and 6b). May those who have ears to hear, and who are children of the light, hear and understand the times and seasons in which we are living (1 Thess 5:1–10).
As prophesied by Isaiah and Malachi the prophets, YHVH is currently raising up John the Baptist-style preachers to prepare the way for Yeshua’s (Jesus’) second coming. They are calling Christians out of the spiritual Babylon of churchianity, which is a mixture of truth and error, good and evil, and to repentance and back to their Torah-based, biblical roots.
These preachers are NOT pansies in the pulpits like the majority of Christian pastors, but are rough-hewn, plain spoken and fearless servant of YHVH Elohim, who are laying the spiritual ax to the tree of the anemic, lukewarm, idol-worshipping, man-pleasing religious system called modern Christianity. Can you handle this, or are you content to play church and remain in your spiritual state of lukewarm complacency?
Watch this video, be challenged to grow up spiritually, so you will be the chaste and righteous bride for which Yeshua the Messiah is coming back to marry.
The Bible is clear: not all Christians will be the bride of Yeshua! The choice is yours.
The Gospel of John chapters seven to nine are a prophetic picture of what will occur at the end of the thousand year millennial reign of King Yeshua the Messiah. In this video, Anna explains the prophetic implications of the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua being the river of life, the prophetic picture of the Eighth Day, the man born blind, Yeshua being the Light of the world and how this relates to the coming New Jerusalem.
She also reveals how all people fall into three spiritual categories and what the fate of each will be either reward or punishment at the white throne judgment seat at the end of Millennium.
Each of us fits into one of these categories depending on how we respond to Yeshua the Messiah, who is the river of life and the Light of the World.
Will we receive rewards or punishment, life or death?
