- Levi, 17:10-11
- 10 And in the fifth week they shall return to the land of their desolation, and shall restore anew the House of Yahuah
- 11 In the seventh week there will come kohenim [priests]; idolaters, adulterers, money lovers, arrogant, Torahless, voluptuaries, pederasts, those who practice bestiality.
Back in the time of Ezra, the House of Yahuah was indeed restored. It did not last long, and even before Yahusha's time on earth, the House of Yah was corrupted and the priesthood was no longer legitimate. Only the Zadok priestly line was still in tact, but not in Jerusalem, as the Zadok Priestly Line was actually exiled in the wilderness, in Qumran. If it was not for the Zadok priestly line, we would not have the Dead Sea Scrolls to compare and correct the 10th century Masoretic text that is being used today. As we have studied the Dead Sea Scrolls, we have discovered many truths that were vague at best before reading the DSS. The last 3 years of this ministry has been shaped by many witnesses that exist between the DSS and other scripture that we use on a regular basis. Here is a link to our archives. Alright, with all of this in mind, Let's get a witness from Scripture, describing the restoration of Scripture, in: 2 Esdras 14:37-48.
- 2 Esdras 14:37-48
- 37 So I took the five men, as He commanded me, and we went to the field, and remained there.
- 38 And the next day, see, a voice called to me saying, “Ezra, open your mouth and drink what I give you to drink.”
- 39 Then I opened my mouth, and see, he brought me a cup, which was full of water, but the colour of it was like fire.
- 40 And I took it, and drank; and when I had drunk from it, my heart spoke with understanding, and wisdom grew in my breast, for the remembrance in my spirit was strengthened;
- 41 and my mouth was opened, and no longer closed.
- 42 And the Most High gave understanding to the five men, and they wrote the extraordinary night visions that were related, which they did not know; and they sat forty days, and wrote in the day, and ate their bread at night.
- 43 As for me; I spoke during the day, and did not keep silent by night.
44 In forty days they wrote two hundred and four books. - 45 And it came to be, when the forty days were complete, that the Most High spoke, saying, “The first that you have written publish openly, that the worthy and unworthy may read it;
- 46 but guard the seventy last, that you may deliver them only to those who are wise among the people;
- 47 for in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the river of knowledge.”
- 48 And I did so.
2 Esdras is so important concerning the topic of How and When the Scripture was restored. for most of my life, I had no idea how it was restored, or where the Scripture came from that we read in our Bibles today; especially since all I knew, is that it was destroyed when Jerusalem was taken captive, when the house of Judah, and half the tribe of Benjamin were taken into captivity. Further more, Levite's were in Jerusalem at that time as well. With all of this information, I feel the need to remind you that while the Levite's did go astray, not all of them went astray, the sons of Zadok never went astray, as we see in Ezekiel 48:11:
- Ezekiel 48:11
- 11 for the kohenim of the sons of Tsaḏoq, who are qodesh [set-apart or holy], who guarded My Charge, who did not go astray when the children of Yisra’ĕl went astray, as the Lĕwites went astray.
As we see in Ezekiel 48:11, it is clear that the sons of Zadok [Tsadoq] did not go astray, and kept Yah's Way. Oh, and before we move forward, I want to remind you that the Prophet/Priest, Ezra, was also from the Zadokite Priestly Line. You can find this fact in 2 Esdras, 1:1, which clearly states:
- 2 Esdras, 1:1
- 1 The second book of the naḇi [prophet] Ezra son of Serayah, son of Azaryah, son of Ḥilqiyah, son of Shallum, son of Tsaḏoq, son of Aḥituḇ,
The Prophet and Priest, Ezra, is indeed related the high priest, Zadok [Tsadoq].
So lets continue, Ezra was indeed used of Yahuah to bring all Scripture back to the people returning from captivity. Without this act, all knowledge of Scripture would be lost, especially for us today. Did things stay that way? Did those coming back from captivity keep the Word close to them, and not sway from it? No. And again we say, if it was not for the Zadok Priestly line, hiding the library of Scripture in caves, you and I would not have any way to proof today's 10th Century "Authorized" (Whatever that means, Control, Perhaps?), Masoretic Text. Do you think the people that "authorized "the 66 book canon have your best interest in heart? I'll hope that you ponder that question as we move on.
Next, Lets go to Levi 17:11 to break it down. First, lets read it in from "The Complete 100 book Apocrypha: Expanded 2024 Edition with Deuterocanon". In this version Levi 17:11 is Levi 17:10.
- Levi 17:10 ["The Complete 100 book Apocrypha"]
- 10 And in the seventh week they will become priests, [who are] idolaters, adulterers, lovers of money, proud, lawless, lascivious, abusers of children and beasts.”
This tiny little verse opens up a really big can of worms. Lets go to Matthew Chapter 23, and discover what our Messiah thinks about the religious leaders that are even likened to the religious leaders of this very day we live in. I mean, it's no secret. Messiah Yahusha tells us in Matthew 23, and leaves no doubt.
- Matthew 23:1-3 [Yah Scriptures]
- 1 Then Yahusha spoke to the crowds and to His talmidim,
- 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Mosheh.
- 3 “Therefore, whatever he says to you to guard, guard and do. But do not do according to their works, for they say, and do not do.
This sets the tone for the entire chapter, that is, Matthew 23. Yahusha has told us plain and simple, The Religious leaders of that day were Law Breakers, NOT Law Keepers. Remember that, the next time someone lashes out at you and calls you a "pharisee" for keeping the Torah of our Elohim. Need more proof? Lets slide down to Matthew 23:27-28:
- Matthew 23:27-28
- 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly indeed look well, but inside are filled with dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
- 28 “So you too outwardly indeed appear righteous to men, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
- Levi 17:10 ["The Complete 100 book Apocrypha"]
- 10 And in the seventh week they will become priests, [who are] idolaters, adulterers, lovers of money, proud, lawless, lascivious, abusers of children and beasts.”
Alright, let's focus on the word Idolaters. Let's look up the word "idolater", in the MLStrong Intermediate Greek Lexicon.
- Strongs: G1496 [idolater]
- 1496 εἰδωλολάτρης *n λάτρις 0 an idol-worshipper, idolater, NTest.
That is very strait forward, someone that worships idols. Someone that Follows False Gods. Yahuah Elohim Defines this in the book of Exodus, Chapter 20, and tells us how to deal with them in Deuteronomy 13. First lets go to Exodus 20:1-6:
- Exodus 20:1-6
- 1 And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying,
- 2 “I am Yahuah your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery.
- 3 “You have no other mighty ones against My face.
- 4 “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the shamayim above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the
waters under the earth, - 5 you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, Yahuah your Elohim, am a jealous Ĕl, visiting the wickedness of the fathers on the children to the third
and fourth generations of those who hate Me, - 6 but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My Commands.
Okay, now that we an understanding of what an idol is, how did Yah instruct us to treat those that idolize false gods? Let's go to Deuteronomy 13:
- Deuteronomy 13:
- 1 “When there arises among you a naḇi [prophet] or a dreamer of dreams, and he shall give you a sign or a wonder,
- 2 and the sign or the wonder shall come true, of which he has spoken to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other mighty ones - which you have not known - and serve them,’
- 3 do not listen to the words of that naḇi or that dreamer of dreams, for Yahuah your Elohim is trying you to know whether you love Yahuah your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being.
- 4 “Walk after Yahuah your Elohim and revere Him, and guard His Commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.
- 5 “And that naḇi or that dreamer of dreams is put to death, because he has spoken apostasy against Yahuah your Elohim - who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim and redeemed you from the house of bondage - to make you stray from the Way in which Yahuah your Elohim commanded you to walk. Thus you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Alright, Deuteronomy 13 is very clear as to Yahuah's Instructions on how to deal with those that intentionally lead others astray or away from following Yahuah, and our Messiah, to following False gods. Keep in mind, there are laws that are impossible to keep at this present time, as there is no high priest here at present, and that is because our high priest, Yahusha Messiah, is in the Heavens, and only upon His return will the Laws in question be able to be enforced. Do we toss Deuteronomy 13 out because of this. No, Deuteronomy 13:3 tells us not to listen to false prophets, and that Yah is testing us to see if we truly Love Him. Those that Love Him, which means, those that keep His commands, will walk away from the evil ones that are leading people astray. Yah will do the rest. Just as Mosheh told his people to do nothing, just as Yah was about to let the waters fall back on the army pursuing them while in the desert. Exodus 14:13-14.
- Exodus 14:13-14
- 13 And Mosheh said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the deliverance of Yahuah, which He does for you today. For the Mitsrites whom you see today, you are never, never to see again.
- 14 “Yahuah fights for you, and you keep silent.”
Today, you and I have the Set-Apart Spirit of Truth that will guide us with Wisdom, and Endurance, to turn our backs and walk away from evil, and Yahuah Elohim, will do the rest.
Lets move to the next description in question in Levi 17:10 (11).
- Levi 17:10 ["The Complete 100 book Apocrypha"]
- 10 And in the seventh week they will become priests, [who are] idolaters, adulterers, lovers of money, proud, lawless, lascivious, abusers of children and beasts.”
Alright, lets look up the word "adultery".
- Strongs: H5003 [adultery]
ףאַנָ
\naaph\ (bdb:610c)
Etymology: a prim. root
Definition: to commit adultery
Usage: adulterer(3), adulterers(5), adulteress(3), adulteresses(2), adulteries(1), adulterous(1), adultery(1), commit adultery(6), commits adultery(3), committed adultery(5), committing of adultery(1).
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- adultery
- noun
- adul·tery ə-ˈdəl-t(ə-)rē
- plural adulteries
- Synonyms of adultery
- : voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person's current spouse
- also : an act of adultery
Both Adultery, and Idolatry are terms that lead to the same thing. Divorce. Idolatry is considered a form of Spiritual Adultery, which indeed led to Yahuah our Elohim Divorcing the Northern Tribes, and sifting them among the nations, just as Adultery is the physical act of infidelity to one's spouse, which leads to divorce as well. One can indeed argue that if the spouse of an Elohim fearing person, willingly, knowingly, purposefully, commits idolatry with false gods, idols, without repentance, Deuteronomy 13 would be a good grounds for divorce between those two people. Especially when considering, our Elohim had to do the same, when the northern tribes Refused to Repent.
Moving on to the next description in Levi 17:10 (11).
- Levi 17:10 ["The Complete 100 book Apocrypha"]
- 10 And in the seventh week they will become priests, [who are] idolaters, adulterers, lovers of money, proud, lawless, lascivious, abusers of children and beasts.”
Lovers of Money. The first thing that comes to mind on this topic is 1 Timothy 6:9-10, but in an effort to support the previous topic of adultery, which led to Deuteronomy 13, lets backup to 1 Timothy 6 verse 3, and get even a bigger picture.
- 1 Timothy 6:3-10 [Yah Scriptures]
- 3 If anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound words, those of our Aḏon Yahusha ha’Mashiaḥ, and to the teaching which is according to reverence,
- 4 he is puffed up, understanding naught, but is sick about questionings and verbal battles from which come envy, strife, slander, wicked suspicions,
- 5 worthless disputes of men of corrupt minds and deprived of the truth, who think that reverence is a means of gain - withdraw from such.
- 6 But reverence with contentment is great gain.
- 7 For we brought naught into the world, and it is impossible to take any out.
- 8 When we have food and covering, we shall be satisfied with these.
- 9 But those wanting to be rich fall into trial and a snare, and into many foolish and injurious lusts which plunge men in ruin and destruction.
- 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some, by longing for it, have strayed from the belief, and pierced themselves through with many pains.
This topic brings Scripture to mind that I would like to share. One way to be sure of ones ambitions, when one wanted to be in the Yahad [Assembly], in Qumran, with the Zadok Priests, we find in the writings of Eliyahu, or Elijah, also known as the Community Rule, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, what one would need to do, in order to belong to the Order of Enoch, to prove one was not lustful of money or property, or goods, one would give his private ownership up to the Yahad [community]. Lets go to the Writings of Eliyahu [Eligah] 2, where Elijah gave Elisha a Book of the Order, so that Elisha would govern this Order.
- Writings of Eliyahu [Eligah] 2 [Yah Scriptures]
- 1 Therefore, my son Elisha, I leave for thee this Book of the Order by which thou mayest govern the Order of Ḥanoḵ, for I have organized and governed this Order according to the revelations of Yahuah to me and under the direction of his Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh I give thee these instructions.
- 2 Everyone who desireth to enter the Order of Ḥanoḵ must be one who loveth Yahuah his Elohim with all his heart, might, mind and strength and one who loveth his fellowman as himself, according to the word of Yahuah through Mosheh.
Does any of this sound familiar so far? Or, have you heard anything like this before? Eliyahu 2:2 is speaking of Love. So before reading on, lets take a look at what Love really means, which is a complete witness to the Writings of Eliyahu 2:2, that being 1 John 5:2-3, which states:
- 1 John 5:2-3
- 2 By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Yahuah and guard His Commands.
- 3 For this is the love for Yahuah, that we guard His Commands, and His Commands are not heavy,
1 John 5:2-3 is a very clear witness to requirements of being in the Yahad. For the love of money can lead to selfish ambitions, lets keep reading to see just exactly what we are talking about.
- Writings of Eliyahu [Eligah] 2:3-4 [Yah Scriptures]
- 3 He must covenant to live the Torah of consecration and to hold all things common with his brethren according to the pattern set by our First Parents, for when they came forth from the garden they divided not up the land but held it in common until their posterity through wickedness began to lay claim to it for themselves.
- 4 Behold, this private ownership of the property came to pass through the teachings of that evil combination which was organized by Qayin [Cain] that men might get gain for themselves because the love of Elohim and man is not in them.
Did you hear and understand that? So what does this mean? Consider this, Just as Lot's Wife Turned Back to her desires not to loose all that she had gained in life, She indeed Lost Her Life. The reason Yahusha told us it is easier for a rich man to go through the eye of the needle, it is because it is hard to give up ones riches when you have toiled your whole life to get rich in the first place. Matthew 19, and we come in where the Young Rich man was telling Yahusha that he kept the commands not to Murder, or to Commit Adultery, or to steal, or Lie, to Respect Mother and Father as ones self. We'll pick up at Matthew 19:19:
- Matthew 19:19-26 [Yah Scriptures]
- 19 ‘Respect your father and your mother,’ and ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ”
- 20 The young man said to Him, “All these I have watched over from my youth, what do I still lack?”
- 21 Yahusha said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in the shamayim. And come, follow Me.”
- 22 And when the young man heard the word, he went away sad, because he had many possessions.
- 23 And Yahusha said to His talmidim, “Truly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the reign of the shamayim.
- 24 “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the reign of Elohim.”
- 25 And when His talmidim heard it, they were very astonished, saying, “Who then is able to be saved?”
- 26 And looking intently Yahusha said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with Elohim all is possible.”
This Scripture is a direct witness to Writings of Elijah, which we read just a moment ago. Yahusha even puts it in another way when he is talking about body parts of one, that makes one sin, in Matthew 18:7-9
- Matthew 18:7-9
- 7 “Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks! For it is necessary that stumbling-blocks come, but woe to that man by whom the stumbling-block comes
- 8 “And if your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the everlasting fire.
- 9 “And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be thrown into the fire of Gĕy-Hinnom.
The truth be told, In order to overcome, ALL of us will run into Stumbling Blocks, because ALL of us have dead branches that must go. According to John 15:5-6, Yahusha our High Priest, and Messiah, tells us this:
- John 15:5-6
- 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who stays in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit. Because without Me you are able to do naught!
- 6 “If anyone does not stay in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up. And they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
In order to bare fruit, we need to stay in Yahusha and Him in us. The Rich Man's money became a Stumbling Block that he was not able to overcome. We Need to be able to Just Walk Away from All Things in This World. If one cannot, it will be a Stumbling Block that may Overcome You. Messiah gave us a way to be in him and him in us. Lets go to Matthew 11:28-30:
- Matthew 11:28-30
- 28 “Come to Me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I shall give you rest.
- 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your beings.
- 30 “For My yoke is gentle and My burden is light.”
So, how do we overcome? Yahusha Messiah's Yoke is gentile and His burden is Light. This is the way to overcome any and all stumbling blocks. It enables the righteous man to get up and keep moving when he falls.
Next, Let's go to the next description in Levi 17:10 (11).
- Levi 17:10 ["The Complete 100 book Apocrypha"]
- 10 And in the seventh week they will become priests, [who are] idolaters, adulterers, lovers of money, proud, lawless, lascivious, abusers of children and beasts.”
- Levi 17:11 [Yah Scriptures]
- 11 In the seventh week there will come kohenim; idolaters, adulterers, money lovers, arrogant, Torahless, voluptuaries, pederasts, those who practice bestiality.
We will pick up at this point, the next time we meet, and the study will be called "How to Overcome, Part 9-B, "In The Seventh Week".
No comments:
Post a Comment