What is a Jew and What is a Christian

 Jews and Gentiles

What is a Jew and what is a Christian? There are alot of stereotype definitions for both of these terms. "A Jew practices a form of religion called Judaism" or "is one born to a Jewish mother." "A Christian is a "gentile", whether he is Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc." These definitions are all valid, but are incomplete. To understand the Jew and Christian, one must go to the scriptures and find the origin of the term for each.

The term "Jew" comes from the name of the fourth son of Jacob. Reuben, Simeon and Levi were passed by in the birthright and blessings, and the fourth son Judah received them. "Judah" in Hebrew is "praise of God". The northern kingdom of ten tribes was referred to as "Ephraim" and the southern kingdom of three tribes was referred to as "Judah". Judah is where the Temple was and and eventually the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, became known as Judaism. In our time the term Jew represents all the people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Even-though about 85% of the Jewish people are secular, we still think of the term "Jew" as a religion. You can be born a Jew and still be Jewish, but you can not be born a Christian unless you are re-born.

The term "gentile" is anyone not Jewish. The word in Hebrew is "goy" and is also used for the term pagan. This is where I have a problem. If I, being a Christian, worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, am I still a pagan? I also worship a Jewish Messiah, but does that make me a Jew? In the "Breit-Hadishah" or "New Testament" in 1 Corinthians 10:32, God classifies humanity into three groups of people: Jews, gentiles, and Christians. The term "Christian" derives from the word "Christos" the Greek word for Messiah. The word "Christian" means "Messiah-like", and that opens up a big "can of worms". If we as Christians, are supposed to be Messiah-like, we are in big trouble. (He ate no pork, He observed the "Feasts of the Lord", and He kept the Sabbath/Saturday Holy.) I have read somewhere that when the Christ followers were first called "Christians" in Antioch, it was a reference to the far eastern religion of Heir Krishnah, and not to the Messiah. Being referred to as Messiah followers would not have been an offensive term for the first followers of Jesus.

Jew and gentile are ethnic terms, but "Christian" is not. To become a Christian, one gives his or her heart to the Messiah and looks forward to the Messianic Kingdom. A Jew who becomes a Christian or Messianic, will still remain a Jew. A gentile that becomes a Christian does not loose his ethnicity, but he is no longer pagan! When a Jew accepts the Messiah, their faith is broadened and they become a completed Jew. For a gentile not being brought up knowing the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it is easy to be swayed by the paganism that has seeped into the teachings of the Messiah by liberal lawless denominational leaders. I do not mean to be judgmental of religions, but we as Christians need to get back to our roots just as Paul tells us in Romans chapter 11. There is only one "Church" and that is the body of the Messiah, all believers in Him. It is up to us to clean up and restore our individual congragations where we worship. Accepting Jesus/Yeshua as the Messiah is the only way to enter into His Kingdom. Good intentions and traditions of man will not help us. God is rising up Messianic believers in all the different congregations but it is a long patient process for those that have been called. Two thousand years of pagan traditions is hard to overcome. As an experiment, try telling your congregations that the word "Easter" is an abomination to the Lord of Host. The scripture to back you up is Exodus 23:13, and the next scripture is about "Passover" that we call "Easter". Or try and change your worship service to the proper Sabbath, the seventh day of the week Saturday. The scripture right before the last Exodus 23:12. If this does not bring persecution, you are in the right church. Is it wrong to worship on Sunday? No, of course not. It is the first day of the week and we are giving our "first fruits" to the Lord. But, the Sabbath is Saturday, and we are told to keep it Holy and it is a day set apart for us to rest in the Lord. It is a teaching, seven days then a Sabbath, a Sabbath year in seven years, a jubilee year every 7×7 years and a millennial reign of a thousand years when the Lord comes.

As usual, I got off track and got preachy, well so be it we all have our faults. You know, the bottom line is, whether you are Jew or gentile a personal relationship with God is a wonderful thing. A Christian has met the Messiah and has found grace, but needs to be obedient to the Father’s WORD/LAW for blessings. A Jew has found blessings through the "Law" and loves the Father but has missed out on the grace of salvation (Yeshua). A Christian needs to ask God for guidance into His instructions (Torah), and a Jew needs to ask the Father to introduce them to the Jewish Messiah/Yeshua. Judah’s eyes will be opened to see the truth, and Ephraim/Christians will find the Hebraic roots of their faith.

The two shall become one in His hand Ezekiel 37 and the true gentiles (Islam) will convert or be driven from the land.

The Religion of Islam

The Religion of Islam

By; Dan'el Fraley

       Mohammed, the founder of Islam, was born in Mecca about A.D. 570.  Mecca was a city of a mixed multitude of people, some Jews, some Christians and polytheistic Arabs. Arab tribes throughout the Arabian peninsula each had their own deity. A large black meteor found in the desert was believed by the Arabs to be sent by these astral deities. The stone meteorite was placed in a cubed building (Ka'aba) in the city of Mecca and became the central shrine of Hub'alla, a chief god among 360 other deities.  The most worshiped deities besides Hub'alla where his three sister goddesses al-Lat, al-Manat, and al-Uzza. Al-Lat or Allat, is feminine form of Allah, and was the chief goddess of Mohammed's tribe of Quraysh. Mohammed's grandfather almost sacrificed Mohammed's father except for the counsel of a fortune-teller. Al-Ilah (literally "the god" or "high god" of war) was associated with the moon. If this is not enough to understand where Mohammed got his gods name, his father's name was Abd-Allah ("the slave of the god"). Mohammed's understanding of Judaism and Christianity came from a Christian tribe called the "Najrians". This tribe had significant influence in northern Arabia. This is why Surah's 1-4, in the Quran, are very inclusive of Jesus, Mary and Jewish patriarchs.

       In 610 A. D. Mohammed claimed to have received an revelation that al-Ilah was the supreme god. He said an angel appeared to him in a cave while he was resting. In historical records it is said that Mohammed was under the influence of opiates and feared he was being obsessed by an unclean spirit. He ask advise from a relative who told him he was being called to be a prophet of god. I believe Mohammed was right about this one thing, that he was under the influence of a demon.  It was several years later that he began to give his message in Mecca, but the Christians and Jews would not listen. He was driven out of town (should have been put to death like the Torah says to to do with false prophets) and went to Medina in A. D. 622. This event is known as the Hijra ("Migration") and marks the beginning of the Islamic era. Because of his rejection in Mecca, his writings changed to hate against Jews and Christians. You can see the change from the earlier writings, Surah's 1-4 and the newer, Surah's 5-9.  By the way, any two verses in the Koran that contradict one another, the new is the accepted, so do not be fooled by the first books of the Koran (Surah's 1-4). Mecca and Medina were trade rivals and Medina embraced the teachings of Mohammed and supplied him with an army. Mohammed took this army and returned to Mecca and conquered it. He took control of the Ka'aba (the black meteorite) and Mecca and turned it into the religious center of his new religion. He killed or taxed anyone who would not submit to al-lIah (Allah). He and his army raped and pillaged camel trains and villages and forced people into the worship of his god. His desire for very young girls almost lost him his loyal followers, but after being caught raping an 8 year old girl (his favorite wife) he said she was given to him by Allah. The holy book of Islam is the Qur'an ( or Koran) which is composed of the angelic message to Mohammed is written in a Talmudic stile, which leads scholars to believe it was written under distress by a Jewish rabbi in Mohammed's control. Mohammed, known as the "last Prophet" never prophesied anything, so how can anyone compare him to true prophets of God (Adoni)? The Koran is also known as the "corrected" stories of Abraham, Joseph, Moses and David's Psalms. Isa (Jesus) from the New Testament is considered as a great prophet, but was influenced by Satan and blasphemed Allah the true god by saying He was God. The Hadith is another sacred book used by Muslims and is a collection of Mohammed's deeds and sayings.

       After Mohammed's death, his soldiers and his relatives fought for the right to control his empire/religion, and the kayos is still going on today between the Sunni's and the Shiite's. Mohammed died in 632 A. D. and Abu Bakr, became the first Caliph.

       The true God (Blessed be His name) called Abram out of the pagans/polytheist to set aside Him a people to bring the promised Messiah(Word made flesh) out of their bloodline and to give us His word through the prophets.  Sarah, trying to help God out, birthed all this kayos through her handmaids son Ishmael. The promised bloodline and  child is and always will be Isaac. Islam's god Allah is not the same as the God of Judaism which we as Christians embrace also. And the Bible/Scriptures given to the Jews is not the same as the Koran. Islam claims its version is correct and that all other writings are corrupted. Christians are "shirks", which means to partner God with a companion, and their is only one God. Islam has totally rejected the tri unity of God (1x1x1=1, not 3).

       From the beginning, Islam has been a religion of the sword (al Harb).  Do not listen to those that tell you Islam's god and the God of Judaism are the same, because Islam is a lie and we all know who the father of lies is. Also, do not believe that there is a difference between radical Islam and orthodox Islam, or that there is a moderate Islam that is peaceful. If one is a practicing Islamic, he is not to be trusted, because the Koran tells them it is ok to lie and that Christians and Jews should be put to the sword. The true word of God gives us a choice whom to serve, and does not force us to follow. Yeshua's/Jesus' example of grace and love drew me to follow Him. If Islam is such a truth, why must they force it on others. What gives them the right to choose for god, let their god stand on his own record and let us choose whom to serve.

       Jihad/Holy War, is a mandate of Islam, so how can one believe it is a peaceful religion? Jihad, requires Islam to completely subdue the earth through military conquest. The world has two divisions, Dar al-Islam ("House of Islam") and the unsubdued by Islam Dar al-Harb ("House of War"). So, if you are a practicing Islamic, you are not a peaceful person. According to Islam all religions not Islamic are false, and all non-Muslims are infidels or dhimmi (tolerated minorities soon to be subdued).

       This mind-set of the Islamic's brought them to Jerusalem, where two great religions have their roots, and took control of the Temple Mount so they could show the superiority of their god. The Byzantine Christians had built magnificent architectural structures in Jerusalem and the Muslim Caliph was not to be out done, so he (Abd al-Malik) built the Dome of the Rock. They claim that Mohammed was brought there on a winged horse (al-Buraq) and went into heaven. They also believe that Jesus the Messiah will come back as He said, but that He will exalt the true prophet of god, Mohammed.

       They spread lies and say them so often, they believe it. The Islamic nations claim there was never a Temple on the Temple Mount, they claim there never was a Holocaust and even claim it was not Islamic terrorist that brought the twin towers down on 911. If they like submission so much, they better submit to the love of Christ, or they will be done with just as the prophesies say in God's Holy Word. Only they can make a change of heart. God calls us to be loving servants of our neighbors not to drive them into submission. He says to pray for our enemies and by doing so we invoke the third part of this triune God, the Holy Spirit to warm their hearts with His love. God tells us those that bless the children of Israel will be blessed, and those that curse them will be cursed. Satin has always tried to stop the promises of God by destroying the ones He brings blessings to the earth through, the Israelites.

       Study history of the three religions of Jerusalem, and you will soon see they all have situations that were not to God's liking, but the religion of Islam has the worst record. Bible prophesy tells us that the Jews and Christians will embrace each other in the last days, but all dependents of Edom/Esau will be destroyed (Obediah). When I say Christians, I mean those that have embraced their Hebraic roots, are the body of Christ/Messiah and have not been caught up into replacement theology. When I say Edom/Esau, I mean those that embrace a different kind of replacement theology that claims the promise came through Ishmael and not Isaac.

       I wrote this article because I am concerned about the way some visualize the Islamic faith. If they continue to embrace the belief that Islam is peaceful, they will regret it soon. We allow them to live in our nation of free religion, but they are using those freedoms against us and will over power us just as they did the free nation of Lebanon. The Islamic agenda can not change because the Koran has commanded the faithful to Jihad ("holy war") with non-Muslims, and once land has been owned by a Muslim, it will forever be the possession of Islam. The final revelation of Alla is that the whole world be subjugated to the Koran and Islam. Wake up politicians and wake up America, we better fight this "Holy War" with a spiritual mindset, not a secular one or we will loose. We may loose our country or the freedom in the world, but I have read the back of "The Book" and we will live in the love and grace of the Messianic Kingdom. I look forward to my King coming and every knee bowing to honor Him.

       I hope Islam remembers the story of King David as a boy with his sling-shot and small stone. Israel the young nation with a giant of Islam surrounding him reminds me of this story, and we know who's side God is on. 

      Bottom line, When you choose a path to follow, look at the fruit the followers produce. Our Lord said"Ye shall know them by their fruit". Is instruction and murder good fruit?

The Ongoing Conflict of Jacob and Esau

Esau and Jacob as Rivals

By; Dan'el Fraley

       A study between the two brothers born of Isaac and Rebekah could take a lifetime to study in depth. This conflict that started in Rebekah's womb is still going on, and will continue until the Messiah comes back. Every day in the news we see this on going struggle for the birth right and promises G-d gave to Abraham. The descendents of Ishmael and Esau have a different interpretation of the promises given by Father Yah/G-d.

       Rebekah, was barren so Isaac went to the Lord in prayer and ask the Father to bless her with a child. Contrasting this with Sarah being barren, Abraham and she felt they could help G-d out by searing a child through Sarah's hand maiden Hagar. This act is the foundation laid for the conflict of birth rights between brothers, Arabs and Jews. Isaac did the right thing, going to G-d in prayer, yet our Lord adds a variable to the equation.  The matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel were all barren, but G-d takes miracles like using the weak in the world to shame the strong.     

       "Why am I thus," in verse 22 of Genesis 25, Rebekah,  was feeling the conflict of her twin boys in her womb and wandered if living through this pain was worth it. Why didn't she go to Isaac or Abraham to inquire of G-d? If we look in writings of the old Sages (Softah 12a), righteous women were not subject to the decree given Eve (she would bear pain in child birth) So Rebekah kept her pain to herself and thought that maybe her pain was due to sin in her life. Isaac may think she was unworthy as a wife and seek another. What ever the reason, she felt the conflict starting in her womb that is still bringing pain to the world to this day.

       Rebekah's first born came out red and hairy, so they called him Esau. Esaw in Hebrew means hairy. After the episode of selling the birth right, he was called "Edom". Edhom in Hebrew means red. The little that is said about him is enough to see the type of person he was. He was a man's man and lived for the moment. Liked to hunt but there was no need for wild meat when they were herdsman. He did not help out much around the home place, that fell to Jacob who "dwelt in tents". Jacob the second born had the brains and wanted the birth right promised to the first born. Esau had no interest in the responsibly of the birth right, he just wanted to live for the moment and he would have squandered the wealth of the family (Hebrews 12:16).  G-d knew their hearts before they were born and prophesied to Rebekah that the "older would serve the younger" (Gen. 25:23).

       Jacob is described as "a plain man" The Hebrew word for plain is tam, a word which really means "complete, finished, sound, or whole." This tells us Jacob was mature and looked to the future. Jacob was not a model person, but G-d used him to carry the seed of the Messiah through the promise given to Abraham.

       Abraham was also told by G-d he would be the father of many nations, and if we list all the children he had we can see this plainly. Ishmael his first born has 12 sons, Isaac his second has the two sons I have just mentioned. Now what is over looked is that Abraham remarries and has 4 more sons(Gen. 25:1). He marries Keturah, meaning "faithful", who the Jewish Sages say is Hager. This makes sense because Ishmael comes back into the picture. Abraham changes her name to Faithful/Keturah, because she kept herself pure for him. All of these offspring form what we know as the Arab nations. If you closely follow their trail through the scriptures, you will see the descendents of Jacob have many confrontations with the other sons of Abraham.

It is late I'll finish this up as soon as possible.....

Res TORAH ation

ResTORAHation

By; Dan'el Fraley

         There are many interesting things happening in the our day because I believe the Lord is coming soon and He is bringing knowledge to those who are looking for it. In Israel the young Shiva students (studying to be Rabbis) are telling their instructors that they want to hear less about Talmud and more from the scriptures. In the Christian  seminaries the young students are telling their instructors they want to hear less about denominational traditions and want more scriptures. I can picture a train track with three rails, the two outer rails are Judaism and Christianity, and the middle rail is the truth and our path to the Kingdom. As Bible prophesy tells us, we will be one. Churches are beginning to wake up and clean the pagan practices out of their worship and God is blessing them,  verifying they are on the right track. With the age of computers, there is no excuse to lack knowledge. If we research history we will see things like; Why the Jews mistrust Christians, why Christianity has strayed from its Torah roots, how paganism leavened its way into the church and many other things. When we seek and find the truth, do we use it to change, or continue on our path to lawlessness and eternal death, or do we use this knowledge to change?  if you know you are wrong, do something about it. Sure you will be persecuted and called Judaizers but the end reward is service in Messiahs Kingdom. 

        I have been called a Judaizer by fellow Christians because I bring issues up about the first century church fallowing Torah. This is a miss use of the word. A Judaizer is someone trying to convert Christians to the Jewish faith. I am a firm believer in the Messiah Jesus/Yeshua and have some knowledge of Torah and can see how it is relevant to return to it.  So many Christians still do not read the testaments in a Hebraic mindset, they think in terms of second century pagan and Roman influence. Rome and Israel were enemies so it is just natural that they would drive the Jewish ness out of Christianity. Do you ever wonder why there are so few miracles in the church today? I believe it is because we tell God how and when we want to worship Him instead of worshiping Him as He has taught us. Sin is plainly emplaned in the Bible as lawlessness or turning away from the Torah. If we know this, why do we continue to "kick against the pricks"? Restoration is coming and if we want to be a viable part in our Messiahs Kingdom we need to immerse ourselves in His word, from Genesis to Revelation. God is rising up Messianics in every denomination in order to get us on the right track. God is about to come and choose His brides, will we have enough oil/Torah in our lamps?

       Why do I harp on Torah? In Judaism, the rabbis consider not just the first five books of the Bible Torah, but also what we call the complete "Old Testament". As Christians, we should consider the whole Bible Torah. Torah is the instructions given to us by God in order to hit the mark. Remember, that Jesus and all His disciples and apostles did not have the "New Testament" as their word of God. They used Torah. The old "Torah" confirms the Apostolic writings, the Gospels and Revelation. God, who never changes, is pouring out the same message He has always delivered; Return to My Torah! Obey My commandments! All over the world, simultaneously, believers are rediscovering the Torah.

He who loves My commandments

and keeps them is the one who loves Me;

and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father,

and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.

John 14:21

       I believe in the last days, God is preparing a remnant of believers who will walk and live according to His commandments. A remnant will stand against the Antichrist in that day, Revelation 12:17. Holy spirit filled Jews and Christian, who believe in the Messiah, are longing to return to a biblically observant lifestyle in Torah.

Now it will come about that in the last days...

many peoples will come and say,

 "Come let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of God of Jacob;

that He may teach us concerning His ways,

and that we may walk in His paths."

For the law (Torah) will go forth from Zion,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:2-3

        Do you feel your spirit being called by God to return to the faith that was established thousands of years ago? We are all walking in a world of darkness and if you found the only light in that darkness, it is Yeshua/Jesus. Come on into the light, do not just stand out there and gaze at it. "Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30) We must read the Gospels and Epistles through the lens of Torah. If you read a passage from the Apostolic Scriptures that seems to contradict the older Scripture, then you have misunderstood the passage. God does not change His mind. If He did, we are all in big trouble.

Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way is, and walk in it;

and you will find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

What's in the name Jerusalem?

  What is in the Name Jerusalem?

By Daniel Fraley

Av 13, 5767/July 28, 2007

       Have you ever wondered where the capital of the world, Jerusalem, got its name?  We have been told it means peace, but where did it originate? When I first started my research into this question, I referred back to Genesis where Abram visited  Melchizedek after he rescues Lot (14:18). Who was this King of  Salem that greets Abram with "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.."? All this just drops into the pages of the Bible out of the blue, but what a mystery opening we are confronted with. King of Salem means "King of peace" and Melchizedek means "King of righteousness", and if you go up to Hebrews 7:1,2 He is referred to as a "priest of God Most High". Salem, the land of peace where Jerusalem and the surrounding area is today, has no peace, yet the three major religions go there to seek it. They all look for the King of peace to return there. Before I get off on a tangent about who the Messiah or this King of peace is, I need to get back to the name Jerusalem. We see that where the latter part of the name "salem" comes from, but where does the first part "Jeru" come from? Would you believe it comes from Gods name?

Yahweh Yireh

      Years later, after Abrams name had been changed to Abraham and he has been given his promised  child. He comes back to the land of peace where he once met Melchizedek to give a burnt offering to the God Most High. The Jews call this the "Akedah", or the "binding of Isaac". Here in Genesis 22:13-14, Abraham has his son tied down to the alter to sacrifice him as an obedient act to the God Most High. And God says " Do not lay a hand on the boy, Do not do anything to him for now I know you have faith in Me, for you have not with-held from me your son, your only son." (God referred to Isaac as Abraham's only son because he did not recognise Sarah's need to help Him fulfill His promise to them by offering her hand maiden Hagar.) Abraham looks up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham calls this place "The Lord Will Provide" (Yahweh Yireh). Yireh, is a Hebrew word that derives from the root word "raah" which means "to see" and yireh in this case means "provide". God sees and provides, what a teaching here! God sees the future as well as the past and present and He is able to anticipate and provide for what is needed if we will only trust Him. In English it is interesting that "provide" comes from two Latin words that mean "to see beforehand." Going on to the reason for this article, the "Jeru" in Jerusalem is "sees and provides". So now you know the rest of the story and that Jerusalem means "sees and provides peace".

       Who do you believe this coming provider will be, this "King of Peace", "King of  Righteousness" and "High Priest"? I place my faith on the "Lamb of God" who shed His blood for the atonement of my sins, Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah!