Tag Archives: Salvation

The Biblical Feasts: The Seven Steps in YHVH’s Plan of Salvation

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YHVH’s seven biblical feasts are the seven steps in the Creator’s plan of salvation to redeem sinful and fallen man to him and by which man can be adopted into the family of Elohim and receive eternal life.

Overview of the Biblical Feasts

If you had to sum up the entire message of the Bible in one word what would it be? Probably words such as love, hope, salvation, eternal life or heaven are coming to your mind. But I challenge you to find a better word than the following: r-e-c-o-n-c-i-l-i-a-t-i-o-n. The dictionary defines reconciliation as “to restore to friendship or harmony, to settle or resolve a quarrel, to make consistent or congruous.” When man chose to rebel against YHVH and to give in to sin at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil at the very beginning he chose the path of separation from his Heavenly Father. Sin causes man to be separated from a totally holy, righteous and sinless Creator. Since that time YHVH has been endeavoring to reconcile man to himself. He has laid out criteria for man to follow for this to occur—for man to once again have a friendly, loving and intimate relationship with his Heavenly Father as did Adam before he sinned.

The set-apart appointed times (moedim) or divine rehearsals/gatherings (miqra kodesh) of YHVH are prophetic shadow-pictures or symbols of the steps man must take to be reconciled to his Heavenly Father. They are the complete plan of salvation or redemption rolled up into seven easy-to-understand steps. Though a child can understand these steps, the truths contained therein can at the same time be expanded and unfolded until one literally has rolled out before oneself the entire message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation—a message that to the human comprehension is staggering, deep and rich beyond understanding. These feast days are literally the skeletal structure upon which the truths of the entire Bible hang. The message of redemption, sanctification, salvation, the atonement, glorification, eschatology, the history of Israel, the entire Gospel message, the covenants, the marriage of the Lamb, the bride of Messiah and Yeshua the Messiah are all prefigured within the glorious spiritual container of YHVH’s set apart feasts contained in seven steps—seven being the biblical number of divine perfection and completion.

Quite assuredly, without a deep, walking-it-out comprehension of the feast days of YHVH, no matter how learned one is in biblical understanding, or how academically astute and mentally acute in biblical erudition one may be, one will not have a deep understanding of those scriptural subjects listed above. How can one understand end-time events such as the second coming, the great tribulation and the rapture unless one understands the feast days from a deep Hebraic perspective? One simply cannot have just a knowledge of Greek, the Gospels, the Apostolic Scriptures along with a surface understanding (i.e. traditional Christian perspective) of the prophecies of the “Old Testament” and expect to understand eschatology (the study of end-time events) unless one immerses themselves in understanding and keeping the feast days of YHVH. One cannot throw out the foundation or the skeletal structure and expect to have a body of understanding that amounts to anything at all. Simple logic and common sense and the very truth and character of YHVH Elohim demands and dictates this so.

At Mount Sinai, YHVH gave to his people Israel what is commonly called the “Ten Commandments.” These words from the mouth of YHVH himself were and are literally the foundation and cornerstone to the rest of the 613 commandments from YHVH given to Continue reading →

 

How Do You Come Before the Throne of Elohim in Heaven?

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Leviticus 16:1—The Protocols for Coming Into the Presence of the Almighty Creator

How do humans come into the presence of YHVH Elohim? There is one proper way to do so, and many improper ways. The Torah’s discussion pertaining to the rituals associated with the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) reveal to us what the proper protocol is and also alludes to the fact that there is an improper way to approach the Almighty Creator as well—something which brings disastrous results.

Now YHVH spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before YHVH, and died… (Lev 16:1)

Elohim killed Nadab and Abihu because they came into the holy of holies in the Tabernacle of Moses (a representation of Elohim’s heavenly throne room) in a careless and indifferent manner. Not only were they intoxicated with alcohol, but they failed to follow the proper ceremonial protocols outlined by YHVH Elohim to come into his presence. The next few verses lay out what those protocols are to come before the King of the universe. To not follow those protocols brings the death penalty on the person. Such a person is entering illegally as an unauthorized trespasser.

Before exploring how to enter the presence of Elohim properly, let’s bring this abstract concept down to a level we can understand. For example, who hasn’t seen signs on private property that say something like this: “Private Property, No Trespassing,” “Government Property, No Trespassing,” “Unauthorized Entrance Prohibited,” “Violators Will Be Prosecuted to the Full Extent of the Law,” or “Violators Will Be Shot”? What happens to an uninvited intruder who climbs over the fence around the White House or Continue reading →

 

Christian Privilege: The Only Road to Salvation and Utopia

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In our current American culture of educational system, mainstream media and establishment entertainment induced political correct group-think indoctrination, minority groups of every stripe and color are clamoring for special rights and privileges.

Due to the superior priority our culture is now placing on feelings over intellect, many special-rights groups are feeling marginalized and persecuted, whether based on reality or not. This persecution complex is leading to feelings of offense among many often resulting in expressions of anger and bitterness against those who hold to a traditional and majority viewpoint in the society.

This angst among the supposed offended is manifesting itself in “justifiable” verbal hate speech and, at time, even in criminal violence against the police, schools, churches, gun owners, whites in general and white men in particular, religious and social conservatives, Christians, Jews, various racial and religious minorities and the list goes on and on with more people groups being added to this hate list nearly every day. The list of those who are offended include some people of “color,” many women, some Moslems, illegal aliens, non-Christians, the LGBTQXYZ… folks, socialists, Marxists, etc., etc.

From those who feel disenfranchised and disadvantaged by the so-called majority who, it is boisterously asserted, maintain all the positions of power, wealth, authority, and influence, we hear such pejoratively employed terms as white privilege, male privilege, and, again, the list goes on—you fill in the blank. The finger pointing, blame game goes on and on until, it seems, that our society will become so fragmented into tiny special rights groups of offended people that every man’s hand will be on the throat of every one else.

The latest group to hate is Christians, and the latest term to hate term to emerge from the gunk on the bottom of the special rights, woe-is-me, swamp of vicitmization is “Christians privilege.”

Well, I for one happily embrace the term “Christian privilege.” This is because there IS an advantage to being a Bible believing follower of Yeshua the Messiah (aka Jesus Christ). This privilege includes forgiveness of sin, becoming the recipient of the Creator’s grace, a better life in this world and immortality in the next world, and the list goes on and on. Just read the Bible for a full understanding.

The wonderful thing is that this privilege is open to anyone free of charge regardless of gender, ethnic origin, socio-economic status, past religious affiliation, and past sinfulness. Anyone can get onboard this ship. All you have to do is choose it.

For all those who only want to complain and whine about everything and everyone that makes them feel uncomfortable and challenges you to grow up, I say this: GET OVER IT. Become an adult, stop blaming others for your poor decisions and take personal responsibility. Put down your teddy bears, coloring books, and turn off Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. If you can’t get over it, then too bad for you. It’s your problem, not mine. I guess the school of reality and hard knocks will have to awaken you from your feelings-based state of comatose lethargy sometime somehow.  

The article that follows explains how literally anyone can become a recipient of “Christian privilege” and experience both the supreme temporal and eternal benefits therefrom. — Natan Lawrence

Foreword 

I have a story to tell. It’s a beautiful story. It’s about you and me, and our Creator who loves us more than we can know.

First, let me confess something personal. My greatest desire in life next to spending eternity with YHVH-Yeshua my Messiah is to help to be a catalyst for spiritual revival on this earth. That is, to see the light of YHVH’s truth transformationally pierce the darkness of men’s lives causing a mighty river of life from heaven to flow on this earth bringing with it love, joy, peace and the abundant spiritual life that knowing Yeshua the Messiah and loving him by keeping his commandments. This passion burns like an unquenchable fire deep within my personal spirit and soul. I believe this a resonation of the heart of our Father in heaven. 

My next greatest life ambition is to see as many lukewarm modern-day Laodiceans disciples of Yeshua awake from their spiritual slumber and to fall in love with Yeshua the Messiah and to love and serve him for the rest of their lives. Spiritual revival and awakening begins at home—deep in your heart and mind, and it spreads from there outward to touch a dark, sick and dying world. 

My prayer is that the message that follows, by YHVH’s grace, will help to bring spiritual revival and awakening in someone’s life this day.

Made in Elohim’s Image to Experience Pleasure in a Paradise

The Bible reveals that humans were made in the image of Elohim—both male and female. He put the first humans in a garden to walk and to commune with him in a sin-free paradise called Eden. Few know what the word eden actually means. It is a Hebrew word that literally means “pleasure, delight, luxury, dainty and finery.” The seventh day Sabbath is a weekly memorial of this paradise lost, and both the Sabbath and the annual biblical festival called the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot are both prophetic pictures of the Eden that is to come at the end this age called the New Jerusalem, which will be a heaven-like paradise on earth.

In the mean time, the human desire for pleasure, delight, luxury and for communion with Elohim that Eden afforded is an indigenous and integral part of our spiritual DNA. Think about it. What human doesn’t desire this greatly and works hard to achieve this state of existence? Many humans work nearly a lifetime, so they can retire to their “golden years” and live off their investments and whatever pension they’ve managed to acquire. To many, it is considered heaven on earth to spend their retirement years on earth playing golf, traveling the world, partying with friends, working in their garden or just waking up late and Continue reading →

 

How do you know if you’re saved?

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John 6:54, Flesh…blood. This is a Hebrew idiom for “the whole person” (see Matt 16:17; 1 Cor 15:50; Gal 1:6; Eph 6:12; Heb 2:14). This relates to Moses’ instructions that “man shall not live by bread alone…but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of YHVH” (Deut 8:3). This applies to Yeshua who was that Word of Elohim who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1 and 14).

When one puts their faith in Yeshua (John 6:29 and 5:24), then one must also believe him—that is, not only accept him as the Son of Elohim and one’s Savior, but also follow and obey (or “eat”) him who is the Living Manna-Word of Elohim from heaven. This involves believing his words by loving him and keeping his Torah-commands (John 14:15, 23 cp. Exod 20:6), which are his literal words.

This is why YHVH instructed the Israelites to eat the whole Passover lamb, and to leave nothing left over (Exod 12:10). This teaches us that we are to “eat” all of Yeshua—his whole Person as represented by the bread and the wine at communion on Passover. We are to accept the totality of his Word, not just the parts that suit us, or fit with our conventional religious viewpoints as per the traditions of men.

Many claim to eat all of his flesh and drink all of his blood, yet through their anti-Torah theologies they rip pages out of their Bibles and toss them into the spiritual trash can claiming it is for the Jews and not for them. This is exactly what Adam and Eve did when they listened to the serpent’s lies at the tree of knowledge and rebelled against YHVH’s clear commands. The devil deceived them into take a pick-and-choose approach to the Word of Elohim. This was the first sin that humans committed.

The Bible defines sin as violating the words, commands or Torah of Elohim (1 John 3:4). It is also a sin not to believe in Yeshua (John 16:9; 3:18–19) who is the Living Torah-Word of Elohim incarnate. It is also sin to act in unrighteousness (1 John 5:17). The Bible defines unrighteousness as violating YHVH’s Torah commands (Ps 119:172), which are the words of Yeshua.

In summary, when we accept all of Yeshua by eating his flesh and drinking his blood, (i.e. partaking of the bread and wine at communion) we are confessing that we accept the totality of who he was and is. If we fail to believe and obey all of his words, then to the degree that we do so we are walking in sin, don’t love him and don’t even know him (1 John 2:3–4).

Salvation — What Is It and Do You Have It?

What is Salvation?

The dictionary defines the word salvation as “the deliverance from the power and effects of sin.” In a general sense, salvation is “preservation from harm, ruin or loss.” Relating the first definition, which is biblical in nature, to the second definition, which is generic in nature, we see that salvation is the deliverance or preservation from the power of sin, which causes harm, ruin or loss. Salvation and redemption are synonymous terms in biblical Hebraic Continue reading →

 

The Lake of Fire—A Spiritual Garbage Dump for Unrepentant Sinners

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Luke 12:5, Killed…cast into hell [Gehenna]. There are two deaths: a physical and a spiritual death. All humans will die a physical death (Heb 9:27), but not everyone will die a second or spiritual death. This death is reserved for the unregenerate wicked and is called the lake of fire (Rev 20:12–15).

The Hinnom Valley (Gr. Gehenna) on the west side of Jerusalem was a Hebrew metaphor for the fate of the wicked. The Jews used this valley as a refuse dump, and it was there that the bodies of dead animals and criminals were burned.

Literally, at the white throne judgment after having judged the unregenerate wicked, YHVH will cast them into his spiritual garbage dump to be burned up (Rev 20:11–15).

If you’re reading this and you haven’t repented of your sins and accepted Yeshua the Messiah’s (Jesus Christ’s) free gift of salvation, now is the time to do it. After having done this, or you want to know how to do this, we invite you to read https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/choose.pdf and then https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/r-u-savd.pdf. 

 

The Passover Seder Is a Drama-Based Gospel Tract

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Exodus 10:2, Tell or recount, relate. YHVH commanded Moses to record the story of Egypt’s judgment and fall for the Israelite’s future posterity. The Israelites were to pass this story down orally and in written form to succeeding generations. The Passover seder is the fulfillment of this Torah command in that it re-enacts the exodus story. In other words, YHVH is commanding parents to pass the gospel message of redemption downward to each new generation. The Passover seder is literally a gospel tract involving a dramatic presentation where the participants act out the message of the gospel.

 

The Seven Steps of Redemption

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Exodus 6:1–9, YHVH redeems Israel. 

The stage is set for Israel’s redemption in Exodus 5:22–23. Yet Moses’ first venture to Pharaoh was a disaster. The plight of the children of Israel had deteriorated instead of improved. Discouraged, Moses almost takes on an accusative tone toward YHVH (Exod 5:22–23). Graciously, YHVH doesn’t rebuke Moses, but as a loving Father encourages him to refocus on his word and the veracity and surety of his promises (Exod 6:2–5).

YHVH encouraged Moses upward and onward despite his discouraging first attempt at gaining the release of the ­children of Israel. Is it possible that YHVH allowed immediate success to elude Moses at his first encounter with Pharaoh to bring Moses “to the end of himself” with regard to any tendency he might have had to rely primarily on himself and on his own wisdom to accomplish Elohim’s plans? After all, Moses, as either Pharaoh’s adopted grandson or his nephew (depending on whether this was the Pharaoh of Moses’ childhood or his son), had an “in” with the monarch that could have been exploited for the benefit of securing the release of Israel. As YHVH wanted Moses to rely on him alone for Israel’s deliverance, even so YHVH wants us to rely on him alone to accomplish his purposes in our lives and not primarily on any human abilities that we may possess. We have to be totally emptied of ourselves before we’re ready for the Master’s use. This doesn’t mean he won’t use our natural abilities or what he have gained through life’s experiences, but we must learn to submit all that we have and are to his sovereign will. In this way, YHVH, not man, gets the glory when success occurs (Jer 9:22–23).

Additionally, YHVH reaffirmed his covenant promises to Moses using his covenant name, YHVH, three times (Exod 6:6, 7, 8). Here are some other examples of how Scripture uses Continue reading →