One in Messiah Congregation
קָּהָל
אֶחָד
בְּמָּשִׁיחַ
Part of the Congregation of Israel
עֲדַת
יִשְׂרָאֵל
Shabbat Shalom שַׁבָּת
שָׁלוֹם
Today is the Shabbat, God’s
Time
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Let’s pray
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Today we
use the Gregorian calendar from Pope Gregory; from the 1500’s.
Today is November 23, 2013
November -- the ninth month (now the 11th month)
Middle English
Novembre
Latin November
Latin Novembris mensis "ninth month"
Novembris had 30
days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when it became 30 days long.
------------------
Yehovah has His own calendar
We are now in the 9th month Chislev, 18th day
Zech.7[1] And it
came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Yehovah came
unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth
month, even in Chisleu;
לַ חֹדֶשׁ
הַתְּשִׁעִי־־בְּ
כִסְלֵו
(Part of
November & December)
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Some people ask me about the Torah Portions.
We do not follow the Torah Messianic or
Judaism portions made up lists made up by rabbis anymore.
It is not a sin to follow it is just
scripture. However make sure you do not leave out the chapters pertaining to
the Messiah, ex. Isa. 53...
We read the whole bible.
However this week’s Torah Portions for those
who need to use it:
This week – Vayeishev - and he settled or dwelt
Gen. 37:1-40:23, Amos 2:6-3:8, Mt. 1:1-6, 16-25
----------------------------------------------------
“Tis
the season to be pagan” is already around us!
I am reminded always to inform you to beware of the false image of love, false
emotions, loneliness, depression, financial drain, suicide and the artificial false festival lights they put up.
Satan really sets the stage for you.
Beware if you feel or hear a voice telling you to separate yourself
from the congregation, go off on your own and read or whatever.
-----------------------
Today's
Topic:
Let’s go
over these two soon to come made-up holidays so you can understand how to
answer people
Thanksgiving
and Chanukah
-----------------
Let's talk a little about Thanksgiving again, there are many different accounts.
The Pilgrims left Plymouth, England, on September 6, 1620 for the New World.
Although filled with uncertainty and peril, it
offered both civil and religious liberty. Arriving in Massachusetts in late
November, the Pilgrims sought a suitable landing place. 1621
The Pilgrims were a specific group of
Calvinist Christians.
After King Henry VIII separated the Church of
England from the rest of the Catholic Church, many English subjects were
dissatisfied with the king acting as the highest church authority.
Encouraged by the
Protestant Reformation in Germany, Holland, and
Switzerland, these dissatisfied subjects separated from the Church of
England in favor of a type of Christianity without a church hierarchy with the
Bible as the only authority (as they interpreted it).
As a whole, these groups can also be called puritans.
One group, originally called the Leiden Congregation (because they left England and
lived in Leiden, Holland for several years), believed that they could not
successfully live with their beliefs among the English (and the English
authorities also pressured the government of Holland to remove them).
This group set out to live as a congregation in
the new world.
They became known as the Pilgrims because they saw themselves as settlers in a promised land with a
promised future.
The Pilgrim Church no longer exists as a single
entity. They were a type of Calvinists and puritans.
Their religion is similar to today's Baptists, Congregationalists, and Methodists.
None are of the God of Israel
Fast
forward a bit in time...
In 1789, following
a proclamation issued by President George Washington, America celebrated its
first Day of Thanksgiving to God under its new constitution.
That same year, the Protestant Episcopal Church,
of which President Washington was a member, announced that the first Thursday in November would become its regular
day for giving thanks, "unless another day be appointed
by the civil authorities." Yet, despite these early national
proclamations, official Thanksgiving observances usually occurred only at the State level.
Much of the credit for the adoption of
"of a later ANNUAL national Thanksgiving Day may be attributed to Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book.
For thirty years, she promoted the idea of a
national Thanksgiving Day, contacting President after President until President Abraham Lincoln responded in 1863 by setting aside the last Thursday of November
as a national Day of Thanksgiving.
Over the next seventy-five years, Presidents followed Lincoln's
precedent, annually declaring a national Thanksgiving Day.
Then, in 1941, Congress
permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national
holiday.
-----------
The
problem with this is today "ANYONE" does Thanksgiving.
Whatever religion you have or do not have, family
get-togethers, drinking beer, eating turkey, eating your left over Halloween
pumpkin (pumpkin pie) and watching football and the parade has replaced the God
of Israel.
Thank god? Which god?
----------
Sad to say, not many people celebrate
or even know about the "Feasts of the Lord".
--------------
Now let's
talk a little about Chanukah
Feast of the Dedication is not the Chanukah of today.
Scripture says:
John.10 [22] And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it
was winter [23] And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
What is the Hebrew word for dedication?
What month was it in the scriptural
calendar not pope Greg's calendar?
Did Yeshua do a feast that is not
scriptural as some do today? NO!!!
We will answer all these questions and
more is this study, please read slowly.
Remember these points:
Chanukah is a Hebrew word meaning
dedication.
H2598 חנכּה Chanukah - khan-ook-kaw'
From H2596; initiation, that is,
consecration: - dedicating (-tion).
Total KJV Occurrences: 8
dedication, 6
Num_7:84 , Num_7:88 , 2Ch_7:9 , Neh_12:27
(2), Psa_30:1
dedicating, 2
Num_7:10-11 (2)
G1456 εγκαινια egkainia
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
dedication, 1
Joh_10:22
feast, 1
Joh_10:22 (2)
-------------------------
H2597 חנכּא (Aramaic) chanukka'
(Chaldee);
corresponding to H2598; consecration: - dedication
Total KJV Occurrences: 4
dedication, 4
Ezr_6:16-17 (2), Dan_3:2-3 (2)
H2598 חנכּה chanukkah khan-ook-kaw'
From H2596; initiation, that is, consecration:
- dedicating (-tion).
-------------------------
In the scriptures above, pertaining to
Chanukah or dedication, John was talking about Solomon's temple that Ezra help
rebuild.
(1 Kings 8:2; 2 Chr. 5:3) Also please
read the scriptures below in Ezra, chapter 6.
Ezra.6:[14] And the elders of the Jews builded,
and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah
the son of Iddo. And they builded,
and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and
according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes
king of Persia.
[15] And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, (our Feb. / March - cold - neither Nov. nor Dec.),
which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
[16] And the children of Israel, the
priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept
the dedication of this house of God with joy,
[17] And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks,
two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel,
twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
Esth.3 [7] In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the
twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and
from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the
month Adar. (Feb. neither Nov. nor Dec.)
Chanukah is a Hebrew word meaning
dedication because this observance marks the rededication and building of the
Temple after it had been desecrated.
Also remember: The
first dedication was in the 7th month, Ethanim, 1Kings. 8:2 - (Sept.
/Oct.) neither Nov. nor Dec.
1Kgs.8:[2] And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king
Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim,
which is the seventh month.
Also, this is not new years
as some falsely report.
[63] And Solomon offered a sacrifice of
peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen,
and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of
Israel "dedicated" the house of the LORD. וַיַּחְנְכוּ
______________________________________________________
This is what you will hear
from tradition, which is wrong.
Also please remember there is "NO" commandment from God to "light
candles" on this made up feast or the Holy Shabbat. If you light
candles on the Shabbat, it is fine as long as you DON'T say it is a
commandment.
Scripture says:
Zech.7[1] And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that
the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth
day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;
The other common made up name for this
feast is Hag Ha-orim, which means 'the Feast of
Lights'.
It is found in the writings of
Josephus, who was a first Century Jewish historian.
This second name, however, is based upon a tradition. Supposedly, when the Jews
rededicated the Temple and wanted to rekindle the lampstand,
they found only enough oil for one day. It would take 8 days to make a new
supply they decided to kindle and burn the remaining oil, a miracle occurred as
the oil that was enough for only one day lasted for eight days ... thus, the
term representing, "the Feast of Lights. This is why the Chanukah menorah
has eight candles, (which is unscriptural) instead
of the seven the scripture menorah has.
****They made 8 candles to commemorate this made up miracle.
The made of feast of today,
Chanukah is not found anywhere in the Scriptures, as it originated during the time of history after the Book of Malachi.
There were no prophets after the book
of Malachi for a long time.
It should be remembered that
none of the historical books
mention this fake miracle, as it originates with the "Talmud" and not with the books of the Holy Scriptures.
The historical books that
speak of the Maccabean revolt as a real event are in
the uninspired "Catholic" I and 2 Maccabees
and they make no mention of any miracle of 8 days of oil at all!
As you can see, it is fact that this
made-up feast is recorded in Rabbinic writings not
found in the Holy Scriptures.
---------------------
Here is purported Tradition
from off the web:
Around 200 BCE Jews lived as an
autonomous people in the land of Israel, which at this time was controlled by
the Seleucid King of Syria. The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted
its legal authority, and by and large were free to follow their own faith,
maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade.
By 180 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanies
ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign
Jews were gradually forced to violate the precepts of their faith. Jews
rebelled at having to do this. Under the reign of Antiochus IV, the Temple in
Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively
outlawed.
In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar
to Zeus erected in the Temple. Mattathias, a Jewish
priest, and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar,
Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as
Judah Maccabe (Judah The Hammer).
By 166 BCE Mattathias
had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt
against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and
rededicated.
The festival of Chanukah was instituted
by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this
event. (1 Macc. iv. 59).
After having recovered Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be
cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one, and new holy
vessels to be made. When the fire had been kindled anew upon the altar and the
lamps of the candlestick lit, the dedication of the
altar was celebrated for eight days amid sacrifices and songs (1 Macc. iv. 36). No miracle of oil here!
A number of historians believe that the
reason for the eight day celebration was that the first Chanukah was in effect
a belated celebration of the festival of Sukkot, the
Feast of Tabernacles (2 Macc. x. 6 and i. 9).
During the war the Jews were not able
to celebrate Sukkot properly.
Sukkot also lasts for eight days, and was a holiday in which the
lighting of lamps played a prominent part during the Second Temple period (Suk.v. 2-4).
Lights were also kindled in the
household, and the popular name of the festival was, therefore, according to Josephus ( Jewish
Antiquities xii. 7, § 7) the "Festival
of Lights."
The Rabbis, years later commemorated this miracle that occurred, then decided to make this holiday more special so they
designed a special menorah in which eight candles plus the 9th the
Shamash candle were represented instead of the usual 7 candle lamp stand in the
temple. 'From that came the concept of the eight days of Chanukah, which
actuality is merely a copying of the Feast of Tabernacles which has 8 days.
Also, they put this made-up feast at the same
time the gentile children were getting presents, December
25, pagan Christmas.
Now all the Jewish children can get presents
and not feel left out.
-----------------------
Now, let us look at the
Talmud and the story the rabbis came up with, read on...
Talmud - Mas. Shabbath 21b
It does not require attention, and one
may make use of its light. R. Zera said in R. Mattenah's name — others state, R. Zera
said in Rab's name — :Regarding
the wicks and oils which the Sages said, One must not light therewith on the
Sabbath, one may light therewith on Hanukkah, either on weekdays or on the
Sabbath. Said R. Jeremiah, What is Rab's reason?
He holds, If
it goes out, it does not require attention, and one may not make use of its
light.
The Rabbis stated this before Abaye in R. Jeremiah's name, but he did not accept it.
[But] when Rabin came,
The Rabbis stated it before Abaye in R. Johanan's name, whereupon
he accepted it. Had I, he observed, merited the great fortune, I would have
learnt this dictum originally. But he learnt it [now]?-The difference is in
respect of the studies of one's youth.
Now, if it goes out, does it not
require attention?
But the following contradicts it: Its
observance is from sunset until there is no wayfarer in the street. Does that
not mean that if it goes out [within that period] it must be relit?-No: if one
has not yet lit, he must light it; or, in respect of the statutory period.
‘Until
there is no wayfarer in the street.’ Until when [is that]? — Rabbah b.
Bar Hanah said in R. Johanan's
name: Until the Palmyreans have departed.
Our Rabbis taught:
The precept of Hanukkah [demands] one
light for a man and his household; the zealous [kindle] a light for each member
[of the household]; and the extremely zealous, —
Beth Shammai maintain:
On the first day eight lights are lit
and thereafter they are gradually reduced;
but Beth Hillel say:
On the first day one is lit and
thereafter they are progressively increased. ‘Ulla said: In the West
[Palestine] two amoraim,R. Jose b. Abin and R. Jose b. Zebida,
differ therein: one maintains, The reason of Beth Shammai
is that it shall correspond to the days still to come, and that of Beth Hillel
is that it shall correspond to the days that are gone; but another maintains:
Beth Shammai's reason is that it shall correspond to
the bullocks of the Festival; whilst Beth Hillel's reason is that we promote in
[matters of] sanctity but do not reduce.
Rabbah b. Bar Hana said: There were two
old men in Sidon: one did as Beth Shammai and the
other as Beth Hillel: the former gave the reason of his action that it should
correspond to the bullocks of the Festival, while the latter stated his reason
because we promote in [matters of] sanctity but do not reduce.
Our Rabbis taught: It is incumbent to
place the Hanukkah lamp by the door of one's house on the outside;if one dwells in an upper chamber, he places it at
the window nearest the street. But in times of danger19 it is sufficient to
place it on the table. Raba said: Another lamp is required for its light to be
used; yet if there is a blazing fire it is unnecessary. But in the case of an
important person,even if
there is a blazing fire another lamp is required.
What is [the reason of] Hanukkah?
For our Rabbis taught: On the
twenty-fifth of Kislew22 [commence] the days of Hanukkah, which are eight on which a lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden.
For when the Greeks entered the Temple,
they defiled all the oils therein, and when the Hasmonean
dynasty prevailed against and defeated them, they made search and found only one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the
High Priest,but which
contained sufficient for one day's lighting only;
yet a miracle was wrought therein and they lit [the
lamp] therewith for eight days.
The following year these [days] were
appointed a Festival with [the recital of] Hallel and
thanksgiving.
We learnt elsewhere: If a spark which
flies from the anvil goes forth and causes damage, he [the smith] is liable. If
a camel laden with flax passes through a street, and the flax overflows into a
shop, catches fire at the shopkeeper's lamp, and sets the building alight, the
camel owner is liable; but if the shopkeeper placed the light outside, the
shopkeeper is liable.
R. Judah said: In the case of a Hanukkah lamp
he is exempt. Rabina said in Rab's
name: This proves that the Hanukkah lamp should [in the first instance] be
placed within ten. For should you think, above ten, let him say to him, ‘You
ought to have placed it higher than a camel and his rider.’ ‘Yet perhaps if he
is put to too much trouble, he may refrain from the [observance of the]
precept’.
R. Kahana
said, R. Nathan b. Minyomi expounded in R. Tanhum's name: ____________________
‘The Festival’, without a determinate,
always refers to Tabernacles (Sukkoth). Thirteen bullocks were sacrificed on
the first day, twelve on the second, and so on, one less each succeeding day;
v, Num. XXIX, 12 seqq.
They say, the ninth month of
the Jewish year, corresponding to about December.
This lighting took place in 165 B.C.E. Exactly three years before, on the same day, Antiochus Epiphanes had a pagan altar erected in the Temple, upon
which sacrifices were offered (I Macc. I, 41-64).
Apart from the Talmudic
reason stated here, Judas Maccabeus chose 25th of Kislew
as the anniversary of the Temple's defilement, and the dedication of the new
altar was celebrated with lights for eight days, similarly to the Feast of
Tabernacles, which lasted eight days and was celebrated by illuminations (I
Macc. IV, 36;II Macc. X, 6; supra a, p. 90, n. 3).
Actually the revolt was against the
Syrians, of whom Antiochus Epiphanes was king, but
the term ‘Greeks’ is used loosely, because the Seleucid Empire was part of the
older Empire founded by Alexander the Great of Macedon, and because it was a
reaction against the attempted Hellenization of
Judea.
The historic data are contained in the
First Book of the Maccabees.
------------------------
Please do
not follow any made up traditions, feasts or events.
There are many other verses in the
Bible pertaining to how to answer people. As you see I only listed a few.
You could use this wisdom in any made-up
holiday or event.
Obviously, after these two made-up
holidays, then we have the major made-up holiday known as Christmas.
Please learn how to talk about this
and always try to leave the door open, say to have to go in the event you see
the conversation starts getting heated up.
-------------
“Tis
the season to be pagan” is already around us!
I am reminded always to inform you to beware of the false image of love, false
emotions, loneliness, depression, financial drain, suicide and the artificial false festival lights they put up.
Satan really sets the stage for you.
Beware if you feel or hear a voice telling you to separate yourself
from the congregation, go off on your own and read or whatever.
----------------
Remember these points:
-------------
Shabbat Shalom – be safe