Mashal #49. Vinedresser, Vine, and the Branches:

1. Today is Day #49
2. PART I. The Forty-ninth Mashal of Messiah
3. “I Am the True Vine”
4. This Mashal can only be applied literally to the Jewish People!
5. Every Jewish infant is born into the family of Adonai at Birth
6. The Horror of it all: Every Jew but one has transgressed the law of Adonai
7. Re-balancing the Scales to Adonai’s Specification
8. There is only One Judge and it is not the Bramble Bush King
9. A little bit of Jewish background on the Living Branches and Dead Branches
10. The Grape Harvest and the Heavenly Court Proceedings occur simultaneously
11. The Book of Job refers to the annual Heavenly Court Proceedings
12. Yom Kippurim is when the Books are examined and our fates are sealed
13. Some Yehudim will abide with Abba Avinu forever; others will not
14. Abba Avinu remains faithful throughout our lifetimes
15. A Word about life after death…
16. The Prince of Life that possesses the power of life and death
17. Messiah’s Follow-up to the Mashal (Nimshal)
18. Father Abraham believed in the Sacrifice of Messiah
19. The Bramble Bush and his Curse of Fire
20. Introduction to the Mashal of the Bramble Bush King
21. Endless religious debates are the problem; Not the Solution!
22. The Mashal of the Bramble Bush King (Judges Chapter Nine)
23. The Errant Oral Law of the Bramble Bush
24. The Infallible Oral Law of the Holy Spirit of Promise
25. The Vineyard was Pruned twice during the year
26. Midrash on Shama: The Talmidim’s Relationship to The Messiah
27. PART II. The Eight-fold process that begins and ends with Love (Ahavah)
28. Step One: Lowliness of Self and Self-Control (Modesty of Self)
29. Step Two: Humility and Gentleness (Born out of Affliction)
30. Step Three: Faithfulness (Abiding in Truth)
31. Step Four: Goodness (Acts of Loving-Kindness)
32. Step Five: Kindness (Generosity, Tenderheartedness)
33. The Maturation of the Grape Seeds and the Grape Berries: nadav, nedavah, nedivut, nedivut lev, hitnadvut
34. Step Six: Patience (Long-Suffering)
35. Destemming and the Crushing of the Grapes (Erekh Apayim)
36. In the times of our Maturity, in the Harvest and Post-Harvest times of our lives
37. Grapes that become Raisins vs. Grapes that become Wine
38. Step Seven: Peace (Shalom, New Wine)
39. Unity, Adonai Shalom, and the One Man
40. The Union of the Beloved
41. The Redemption of the Firstborn
42. The Scroll of Salvation is a narrative of both Love & Judgment
43. Step Eight: Joy! (Simcha, Mature Wine)
44. PART III. Midrash on Ahavah (Love): The Talmidim’s Relationship to Each Other
45. Midrash on Mishpat: The Talmidim’s Relationship to The World
46. Sin as bearing false witness (speaking lies) about the Messiah
47. The Testimony of the Ruach Ha-Emet in the festivals of Pesach, Shavuot & Sukkot
48. Midrash on Tzedakah: The Talmidim’s Relationship to The Spirit of Truth
49. The Ahavah of Abba Avinu must be loomed and weaved into all aspects of our lives
50. Summary of the Mashal, Nimshal, and Four Midrashim

Today is Day #49:

1. Today is “Day #49” in the forty-nine day Countdown to Shavuot.

2. Today is Forty-nine days in the Omer.

Today is nine and forty days, which are seven weeks in the Omer.

היום תשעה וארבעים יום, שהם שבעה שבועות בעומר. פ

Haiyom tish’ah v-arba’im yom, shehaym shiv’ah shavuot ba’omer.

“You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days.” (Leviticus). “You shall count for yourselves seven weeks, from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the Festival of Shavu’ot for Adonai Eloheinu.” (Deuteronomy).

“Blessed are You, Adonai Eloheinu, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.”

ברוך אתה, אדוני אלוהינו, מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על ספירת העומר.פ

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

The Forty-ninth Mashal of Messiah:

{Classical & Mishnaic Hebrew}

אָנֹכִי הַגֶּפֶן הָאֲמִתִּית וְאָבִי הוּא הַכֹּרֵם׃ כָּל־שָׂרִיג בִּי אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ עֹשֵׂה־פְּרִי יְסִירֶנּוּ וַאֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה פְרִי יְטַהֲרֶנּוּ לְהַרְבּוֹת אֶת־פִּרְיוֹ׃

{Modern Hebrew}

אני הגפן האמתית ואבי הכורם. כל שריג בי שאינו עושה פרי, הוא מסיר אותו; וכל אשר עושה פרי, הוא מטהר אותו כדי שירבה פריו.  פ

“I am the True Vine (HaGefen HaEmet), and Avi (אָבִי-my Father) is the Vinedresser (הַכֹּרֵם-HaKorem). He will remove every branch in me that does not produce fruit, but whatever produces fruit He will purify (prune), to make its fruit abundant.

“I Am the True Vine:”

 “I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Vinedresser.”

“I am the True Vine (אֲנִי הַגֶּפֶן הָאֲמִתִּית).” This mashal includes the last of the seven great “I AM” statements in the Besorah of Yochanan ben Zebedee (regarding these statements cf. Chapter 71). In this mashal Adonai Avinu (ה’ אבינו) is the Vindresser (הַכּוֹרֵם) who cultivates and protects the Vine (הַגֶּפֶן) and the Branches (הַשָּׂרִיגִים) of Israel which include:

(1). The Individual Suffering Servant, Ha-Mashiach (the Messiah), who is the the Vine and
(2). The National Servant, the people of Israel, who are the branches.

Formerly, the National Servant Israel was Adonai’s choice Vine on which He had lavished all of His care and attention. The Holy One had longed for healthy fruit but the National Servant, His choice Vine, had become degenerate and had produced rotten fruit (Isaiah 5:1-7):

אָשִׁירָה נָּא לִֽידִידִי שִׁירַת דֹּודִי לְכַרְמֹו כֶּרֶם הָיָה לִֽידִידִי בְּקֶרֶן בֶּן־שָֽׁמֶן׃ וַֽיְעַזְּקֵהוּ וַֽיְסַקְּלֵהוּ וַיִּטָּעֵהוּ שֹׂרֵק וַיִּבֶן מִגְדָּל בְּתֹוכֹו וְגַם־יֶקֶב חָצֵב בֹּו וַיְקַו לַעֲשֹׂות עֲנָבִים וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃ וְעַתָּה יֹושֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה שִׁפְטוּ־נָא בֵּינִי וּבֵין כַּרְמִֽי׃ מַה־לַּעֲשֹׂות עֹוד לְכַרְמִי וְלֹא עָשִׂיתִי בֹּו מַדּוּעַ קִוֵּיתִי לַעֲשֹׂות עֲנָבִים וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃ וְעַתָּה אֹודִֽיעָה־נָּא אֶתְכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה לְכַרְמִי הָסֵר מְשׂוּכָּתֹו וְהָיָה לְבָעֵר פָּרֹץ גְּדֵרֹו וְהָיָה לְמִרְמָֽס׃ וַאֲשִׁיתֵהוּ בָתָה לֹא יִזָּמֵר וְלֹא יֵעָדֵר וְעָלָה שָׁמִיר וָשָׁיִת וְעַל הֶעָבִים אֲצַוֶּה מֵהַמְטִיר עָלָיו מָטָֽר׃ כִּי כֶרֶם ה’ צְבָאֹות בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה נְטַע שַׁעֲשׁוּעָיו וַיְקַו לְמִשְׁפָּט וְהִנֵּה מִשְׂפָּח לִצְדָקָה וְהִנֵּה צְעָקָֽה׃

“Let me sing now for my well-beloved:  A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill (lit. a horn, the son of fatness). He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine (lit. a bright red grapevine). He built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat (and wine press) in it; then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only (wild) worthless ones. ‘And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,  judge between Me and My vineyard. What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?  Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce (wild) worthless ones? So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground. I will lay it waste; it will not be pruned or hoed, but briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it. For the vineyard of Adonai Tseva’ot is the House of Israel and the men of Judah His delightful plant.’ Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.”

The prophet Isaiah reveals to us how ancient Israel miserably failed to live up to its high calling to reciprocate the great love Adonai Avinu (ה’ אבינו) had for His chosen nation and people (His covenantal bride). Ancient Israel as a nation was an Unfaithful Servant.

In the distant past the Vineyard of Adonai, our nation and people (our ancestors). were supposed to be a productive example to the surrounding pagan Gentile nations and peoples of the world. As God’s chosen ones our ancestors were suppose to illustrate to the rest of the people of the world what manner of life the Father of All (Avi-khol) willed for all humankind (men, women, children). The fruit which Abba Avinu desired from His National Servant was supposed to produce:

Desirable Fruit #1.  Happiness, the “delight” and “pleasure” (שַׁעֲשׁוּעָ֑יו) that comes from obedience and love (שָׁמַע-shama and אַֽהֲבָה-ahavah);
Desirable Fruit #2.  Righteousness (צְדָקָה-tzedakah, charity); and
Desirable Fruit #3.  Justice (מִשְׁפָּט-mishpat).

Unfortunately, our Righteous Father (אָבִ֣ינוּ הַצַּדִּיק) did not receive the loving obedience (delightfulness), righteousness, and justice He desired. What did He get from our ancestors, ancient Israel, His choice Vineyard? Abba Avinu received:

Unesirable Fruit #1.  The fruit of metaphorical violence (בְּאֻשִׁים-worthless ones, stink berries).
Unesirable Fruit #2.  Bloodshed (מִשְׂפָּח-mispach).
Unesirable Fruit #3.  The “cry” of distress, oppression (צְעָקָה-tze’aka).

Therefore, the Individual Servant, the Messiah, was sent by Adonai to be the faithful and “True Vine.” In this way, with the help of the Messiah our Tzaddik (Righteous One), Adonai our Righteous Father (אָבִ֣ינוּ הַצַּדִּיק) could still fulfill what He had intended for Israel.

This Mashal can only be literally applied to the Jewish People!

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He [my Father] removes.”

Every branch in me (the Vine) that does not bear fruit Abba Avinu “cuts off.” In context the phrase “in me” here has a very special meaning. I mean no disrespect but in the scriptural Jewish context of the Vindresser, the True Vine, and the branches:

This mashal has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Gentiles.

This lesson may teach lessons of the heart, of love, justice and righteousness that certainly can be applied universally, however, this mashal at the time of its first being taught by the Master can only be applied literally to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—-to the people of Israel.

How do we know for certain that—at the time Messiah spoke these words—The True Vine (הַגֶּפֶן הָאֲמִתִּית) only had Jewish (i.e. physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) branches attached to him? We know this to be absolutely true because the Messiah taught us that He at the first only came for the salvation of the House of Israel (1, 2). As well the Tanakh reveals: only the Jewish Seed (singular, plural) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are naturally born into the family of Adonai. For these reasons we must affirm:

At the time Messiah spoke these words it was impossible for any Gentile to be a “branch.” a natural member of the Vine of Israel!

Yes, at a later time the Gentiles rightly claim that by faith they are “grafted in among them” (הֻרְכַּבְתָּ בִּמְקוֹמָם). The referenced pronoun ‘them’ here applies to ‘us‘ (the Yehudim). After the Messiah had atoned for sin, was resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven, and had sent the gift of the Father to the people of Israel – then the Gentiles were grafted into our family that is rooted and grounded in God our Father and His friend—the father of our faith, the father of us all, father Abraham.

Father Abraham is both the father of our people and the father of our faith.

By the Gentiles  exercising faith in the Elohei Avraham (God of Abraham) they are blessed to be “added” into our family. This makes father Abraham the one “who is the father of us all” (שֶׁהוּא אָב לְכֻלָּנוּ). However, the Gentiles are not our replacements. They are grafted into our Messiah. We are the natural branches of the Messiah (הַגֶּפֶן הָאֲמִתִּית-The True Vine) and we are the natural branches of father Abraham (עֵץ הַזַּיִת-the Olive Tree).

Only the Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (singular, plural) are automatically enrolled in the Book of Life (בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים) at conception.

“And may they be blotted out of the Book of LIfe” (Psalm 69:29). And sad to say, we Jews are the only only people (natural branch of the Vine) who are able to experience the horror of what it is like to lose our salvation (under the Law of Moses); to have our name blotted out (מָחָה-machah, to wipe out, to be blotted out) of the Book of Life.

Fortunately, the Messiah who is appointed Shofet haChaiim v’hametim ( the Judge of the Living and the Dead), He has assured us that our names that were written into the Book of Life (as a matter of birth-right) will never be blotted out of the Book of Life. For it is written:

הַמְנַצֵּחַ יִלְבַּשׁ בְּגָדִים לְבָנִים וְלֹא אֶמְחֶה אֶת שְׁמוֹ מִסֵּפֶר הַחַיִּים, וְאוֹדֶה אֶת שְׁמוֹ לִפְנֵי אָבִי וְלִפְנֵי מַלְאָכָיו.פ

“He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels.”

Every Jewish infant is born into the family of Adonai at Birth:

In the Jewish context the Messiah is specifically talking about those of us who were at our conception (1, 2, 3, 4) already called into the family of Israel; whose Father is Adonai (ה’ אבינו). Due to Adonai’s covenant with Moses those of us who are the children of Israel—that is every one of us who is a physical descendant of *Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—is born with our name registered in the Book of Life. In addition, every physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is blessed to have the Spirit of the Holy One present “with” us throughout all of our entire natural lifetime.

*We believe the practice of Adonai putting our names in the Sefer HaChaiim at our conception goes back much farther than the Law of Moses at Sinai, back to the time of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Additionally, on account of the Messiah ben Elohim Chaiim (the Son of the Living God), we believe the practice of Adonai putting our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life (בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים שֶׁל הַשֶּׂה) goes back even farther to a ‘time before time,’ before the foundation of the world.

The problem with this elect privileged status of being the children of the Covenant of Moses and the physical descendants of fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, however, is that we Jews are also assigned extra responsibilities that are just “too much to bear”     (“עֺל אֲשֶׁר גַּם אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְגַם אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא יָכֺלְנוּ לָשֵׂאת”-literally:

We Jews are assigned extra responsibilities that are “a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear.”

The Covenant of the Law of Moses is irrevocable. The words of Adonai that Moses told us have to be heard, understood, and obeyed. We must obey all of the law or our names will be blotted out of the Book of Life. If we Jews even unintentionally violate the smallest part of the commandments of the Holy One it is as if we had broken them all:

הֲרֵי מִי שֶׁמְּקַיֵּם אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה וְנִכְשַָׁל בְּדָבָר אֶחָד, אָשֵׁם הוּא בַּכֺּל.פ

“For whoever keeps the whole Torah and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

The Horror of it all: Every Jew but One has transgressed the law of Adonai:

So the horror of it all is what the prophet Daniel said, “All Israel” has “transgressed the law” of Adonai and turned away, refusing to “obey” Him:

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of the Almighty, have been poured out on us, because we have ‘sinned’ against the Holy One.”

In this way our privilege has turned into a nightmare (וַתִּתַּ֨ךְ עָלֵ֜ינ הָאָלָ֣ה-“curses have been poured out upon us”). The nightmare is no Yehudi, except for Messiah, has or ever will succeed in keeping all of the Law of Adonai. We Yehudim have entered into a covenant that only one Jew will ever live up to.

So every Jew, other than the Messiah, is under a curse. So the sad fact is that although we Jews are the only race of people on earth whose names have been written into the Book of Life at birth (conception) we are also the only race of people on earth whose names will “all” have been blotted out of the Book of Life before we die (unless we exercise faith in HaMoshia l’chol Adam, the Savior of all Men).

Why is this?  Because every Yehudi (natural branch) of the Vine of Israel except the Messiah, who has become the Vine, has “sinned” and come short of all of the covenant demands (glory, honor, perfection) of the Holy One.

“But what about *Balancing the Scales: Can’t a Yehudi (Jew) do enough good works to balance out the bad?”

*The Mishneh Torah wrongfully teaches that you can balance the scales. This false doctrine asserts that  Adonai is an accountant who measures merits against sins on a kind of Divine Scale. This process of Divine accounting indicates who is righteous and deserving of blessing and who is unrighteous and deserving of destruction. Therefore, on behalf of the rabbinical oral law Mamonides asserts:

Halakha #1. “Each and every person has merits and sins. A person whose merits exceed his sins is righteous. A person whose sins exceed his merits is wicked. If [his sins and merits] are equal, he is termed a Beinoni (בינוני-in the middle; neither righteous or wicked)”

Halakha #2. “If a person’s sins exceed his merits, he will immediately die because of his wickedness as Jeremiah 30:14 states: “[I have smitten you.] for the multitude of your transgressions. This reckoning is not calculated [only] on the basis of the number of merits and sins, but also [takes into account] their magnitude. There are some merits which outweigh many sins as implied by I Kings 14:13: “Because in him, there was found a good quality.” In contrast, a sin may outweigh many merits as Ecclesiastes 9:18 states: “One sin may obscure much good.”

There is no “loophole” to Adonai’s demand that we perfectly obey all of His Torah before He will declare us righteous.

These two rabbinical rationalizations falsely assert that there is a “loophole” to Adonai’s Scriptural demand that we perfectly obey all of His Torah before He will declare us righteous based on the merits of “our” own individual good works. The truth is there is no such thing as a ‘balancing of the scales‘ in the Torah!

There is absolutely no ‘loophole’ in the perfection clause of the Sinai marital agreement. The truth is we must hear, understand and obey everything that Adonai Eloheinu tells us to do. There is no compromise on the part of the Holy One. Adonai is Perfect. So we have to be perfect like Him.

Confession #1.  Are you perfect in your attitude and conduct toward all others?  “We are not.”
Confession #2.  Have you obeyed the Torah with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength?  “We have not.”
Confession #3.  Know anyone (other than the Mashiach) who has heard, understood, and obeyed all of the Torah?  “We do not.”

No one among all of the Yehudim who have ever lived has been able to live a perfect, blameless, sinless life—only the Messiah has lived his entire life without ever (even once) obeying God.

Not even the prophet Mosheh was sinless!

Certainly no one from among the Bramble (Thorn) Bush King rabbinate (and its successors) has ever become a real Tzaddik (Righteous One). There is only one man in all of human history who has fulfilled all of the Shema Yisra’el (שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל‎) Only the Messiah has loved Adonai with all of his heart, all of his soul, all of his mind, and all of his strength. The sinless one’s name means: the “Salvation of Adonai” (יֵשׁוּעַ-Yeshua).

Re-balancing the Scales to Adonai’s Specification:

Forget about Balancing the Scales. This “IT” (Invalid, Illegitimate Thinking) does not even exist in the Mind of the Holy One. Adonai demands a Re-balancing of the Scales.

לָכֵן הֱיוּ שְׁלֵמִים כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָׁמַיִם שָׁלֵם הוּא׃

לָכֵן הֱיוּ שְׁלֵמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם שָׁלֵם הוּא.    פ

“Be perfect (שְׁלֵמִים-shelamim; lit. a peace offering) as your Father in Heaven is Perfect! (שָׁלֵם-Shalem)

We have to be made (relationally complete, whole) perfect (שָׁלֵם-shalem: in internal attitude as well as external conduct-שְׁלֵמִים) for our names to forever remain in the Book of Life. How does Avinu Shebashamayim make us, His (relationally) imperfect people, a (relationally) perfect people? The answer is that all of the people of Israel in the past, present, and future have been, continue to be, and always will be called upon by God to be justified by faith (1, 2, 3, 4).

Avinu Shebashamayim justifies us (lawbreakers that we all are) by faith in His sacrifice and His gift. The Tanakh teaches us that we are made blameless by the sacrifices. These sacrifices testify to the once-in-eternity sacrifice of the Individual Messiah of Isaiah 53. Our ancestors from Abraham on were justified by faith because they understood the Messiah our Korban Pesach would come and be our Sin-bearer. Our ancestors also knew that after the redemptive sacrifice of the Messiah our Father in heaven would give us the gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One.

Therefore, our receiving the redemptive Sacrifice of Messiah and the Gift of the Holy Spirit means that for all eternity we will be cleansed of all our sin and on the day of our resurrection, when we are raised up in new imperishable, immortal sinless bodies, we will forever only be filled with the perfectly righteous Presence of the Spirit of our Father Adonai. Then shall we all be perfect as our Father in heaven is Perfect.

The doctrine of the Balancing of the Scales is a lie.

Balancing the Scales was just something the Bramble Bush rabbinate made up so they could be King over all of the other trees (i.e. institutions and offices of Israel). And don’t worry about their curse of fire. All of the rabbis put together (except the one true Rabbi from heaven) have never had the power or authority to permanently judge any one; let alone curse any one.

There is only One Judge and it is not the Bramble Bush King:

Therefore Adonai is our only Judge (Shofet). His Spirit of love, grace and mercy has been severely insulted by all of the orthodox rabbinate(s) since our real King and Messiah was foolishly rejected by our first century teachers, the Prushim (who were part of the era of the Tannaim that began over two millennia ago).

These false teachers took over Judaism and they grossly misrepresented the Spirit and true character of the Holy One. The Judge of all the created intelligent beings of the universe (men and angels) is far more loving, gracious, and merciful than any of the Prushim rabbis and their hyper-legalistic orthodox successors have ever made Him out to be. Instead of listening to the boasts of the Bramble (Thorn) Bush that would be king, we should all be concerned about:

“What does the real King of the Universe think?”

Read the D’var HaShem daily for yourself without the Bramble Bush commentary (the rabbinic oral law) telling you what to think. If you are a Jew by birth (DNA from mother or father; read the Scriptures; not the rabbis) then Adonai is with you and He is for you throughout all of your lifetime; whether you have done evil or good.

In other words: Abba Avinu wills to be faithful and gracious to you even when you are not gracious and faithful to Him (cf. the “Messiah in HaBikkurim,” Chapter 51). The covenant of Adonai is irrevocable. He is faithful to uphold all of His promises. He is faithful to love you like His son or His daughter. Even when you ignore Him and do not love Him back He remains faithful to you.

This is so because Abba Avinu cannot deny Himself. We are His family, His body. He is our God. Once you are convinced that Abba Avinu loves you no matter what then you will receive His love in full. Once you experience the love of Elohim Avinu (God our Father) to the full then you won’t be able to stop loving Him back; and you won’t be able to stop loving others as well; just as sacrificially as He loves you.

A little bit of Jewish background on the Living Branches and Dead Branches:

The problem is not that we Jews are not loved by Abba Avinu. We are! In the Torah we are told that Adonai has chosen us as His own treasured people and “set His love upon us.”

In the prophets Adonai reveals that He has permanently inscribed our name upon the palms of His Hands. He unashamedly declares that He rejoices over us with singing (יָגִ֥יל עָלַ֖יִךְ בְּרִנָּֽה). We are loved with an everlasting love. The problem is we have free-will and we can reject Adonai and His love. The great blessing and tragedy of this life is that we can reject the heaven that was made for us and embrace the hell that was not made for us.

Freedom of choice is only a blessing to us when we choose life! Freedom of choice is a curse to us when we choose death.

For the latter to occur (the curse) all that we need to do is reject His love. The Holy One is vulnerable in matters of love. He can be hurt. It is in His grieving that Adonai has lamented that Israel His Vine and Branches have yet to produce the good fruit of His Spirit:

מַדּוּעַ קִוֵּיתִי לַעֲשֹׂות עֲנָבִים וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃

“Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it (the Vine of My Chosen People) produce (wild) worthless ones?”

“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard.” The love of Adonai is not reciprocated because there are those who choose to reject Him. Those who reject the life of Adonai are dead wood. They are non-receptive to His love. Therefore these branches are unregenerate, defective, wasteful. The life of these branches (of Jewish persons) do not ever produce good fruit because they do not want to abide in His love. Since these branches impede the vitality and growth of the other healthy (Jewish) branches, who are completely receptive to the life and love of Abba Avinu, they are altogether removed from the Vine; and from the other healthy branches. Therefore, on behalf of Adonai, the Messiah of Israel declares to all Israel:

שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד בִּי מֻשְׁלָךְ הַחוּצָה, כְּשָׂרִיג, וּמִתְיַבֵּשׁ. לְאַחַר שֶׁמְּלַקְּטִים אוֹתָם מַשְׁלִיכִים אוֹתָם לָאֵשׁ וְשָׁם הֵם נִשְׂרָפִים.פ

“If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they [the angels] gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”

If any child of Adonai does not abide in sincere faith in the Messiah whom He has sent then at the conclusion of his or her life he or she will be taken away from the life of Adonai our Father as a branch and left to dry up. Once the fruitless branches are removed from the Vine, the Living One (HeChai) they will wither and die. Then “they” the angels (like people pruning a grape vine), will gather them (the souls and false-pious works of the unbelieving) and cast them into the fire and there they will be burned. What do these stern words of warning from Adonai and the Messiah specifically mean to those of us who are the His chosen people? The answer:

Better to have never been loved by Adonai at all than to become His beloved people (His bride) and then reject, spurn His love.

Just as the Divine love of the Holy One is incomparable in beauty and passion to all other love, so is the jealousy and anger of the Holy One incomparable to all other jealousy and anger. What does the throwing of the dead wood into the fire mean? The throwing of the old dead wood (the former Vine-Messiah-rejecting branches of Judaism) into the fire is yet another ancient first century (CE) Hebraism that is being masterfully employed by the Messiah. Every fall in Israel, right after the grape harvest is complete, the dead wood is removed from the vine and then these non-producing parts of the vine are burnt up.

As for the branches that are still living, they are pruned so that they will produce a greater yield of fruit in the following year.

The picture of the Vinedresser (Adonai Eloheinu) throwing the Vine rejecting dead wood (old branches) into the fire is a spiritual picture of the time of testing (purification) that is depicted in-between the fall festivals of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippuim; during the ten days of Yamim Noraim (Tishri 1-10). This ten days of testing is traditionally the period of time when it is determined whether or not a Yehudi’s name will remain in the Book of Life or be blotted out and put into the Book of Death.

Obviously, if a Jew dies during a period of time when his name is not in the Book of Life then he cannot expect to enter into heaven on the day of the resurrection of the righteous. This circumstance of one failing to live up to Adonai’s high standard during his or her lifetime results at death in this chosen person losing his or her salvation; and thereby being permanently removed from the life-giving Presence of Adonai.

For a person of Jewish lineage to be cut off from the Holy One and eternally removed from His Presence is like a dry, dead branch being cut off from the life-giving Vine and thrown into the fire. Metaphorically speaking this is what must happen to us if we refuse to abide in Adonai. If we are unfaithful to Adonai we will become like a dead branch being completely cut off from its Vine and then, in its wastefulness, thrown into the fire.

The Grape Harvest and the Heavenly Court Proceedings occur simultaneously:

So it is at Yom Kippurim (Tishri 10). Yom Kippurim is the most somber day of the Jewish calendar year. At this most somber day of the year each of us wonders: first, “what is my status at this time? Is my name still written into the Book of Life?” and second, “have I lost my salvation and has my name, therefore, been blotted out of the Book of Life and transferred into the Book of the (spiritually) Dead?”

By Adonai’s design, the Grape harvest in Israel coincides with the Ten Great Days of Awe when one’s fate is decided by the Holy One during His Heavenly Court Proceedings. The Proceedings of the Heavenly Court are held each year in the fall so that Adonai might open up the books of Life and Death and make an up-to-date accounting of the status of every member of the human race.

The Book of Job refers to the annual Heavenly Court Proceedings:

In the case of Israel, the mediator of the Covenant of the Law is not Adonai but the angels. Howbeit, Adonai does preside over the entire legal proceedings as the Judge. For an interesting glimpse at the back and forth legal discourse between one of Adonai Avinu’s angels (Satan) and Himself, regarding the Suffering Servant Job, we recommend you carefully read the scriptural narrative found in the Book of Job (1:6ff):

וַיְהִי הַיֹּום וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל־ה’ וַיָּבֹוא גַֽם־הַשָּׂטָן בְּתֹוכָֽם׃ וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן מֵאַיִן תָּבֹא וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת־ה’ וַיֹּאמַר מִשּׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ וּמֵֽהִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּֽהּ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן הֲשַׂמְתָּ לִבְּךָ עַל־עַבְדִּי אִיֹּוב כִּי אֵין כָּמֹהוּ בָּאָרֶץ אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים וְסָר מֵרָֽע׃ וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת־ה’ וַיֹּאמַר הַֽחִנָּם יָרֵא אִיֹּוב אֱלֹהִֽים׃ הֲלֹֽא־את שַׂכְתָּ בַעֲדֹו וּבְעַד־בֵּיתֹו וּבְעַד כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֹו מִסָּבִיב מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו בֵּרַכְתָּ וּמִקְנֵהוּ פָּרַץ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ וְאוּלָם שְֽׁלַֽח־נָא יָֽדְךָ וְגַע בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לֹו אִם־לֹא עַל־פָּנֶיךָ יְבָרֲכֶֽךָּ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן הִנֵּה כָל־אֲשֶׁר־לֹו בְּיָדֶךָ רַק אֵלָיו אַל־תִּשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ וַיֵּצֵא הַשָּׂטָן מֵעִם פְּנֵי ה’׃

“Now there was a day when the bene ha’elohim (בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים) came to present themselves before Adonai and Satan also came among them. Adonai said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered Adonai and said, ‘From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.’ Adonai said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing the Almighty and turning away from evil.’ Then Satan answered Adonai, ‘Does Job fear the Almighty for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.’ Then Adonai said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.’ So Satan departed from the Presence of Adonai.”

The time when the Books are examined and our fates are sealed:

Yom Kippur is the tenth and final day of the annual Proceedings of the Heavenly Court (Tishri 1-10). Therefore, it is for us the Yehudim a somber day of reckoning. Yom Kippur (Tishri 10) is the Jewish calendar day of vindication or judgment. One’s assigned status at the conclusion of Tishri 10 (in the fall) determines whether one’s name remains in the Book of Life or is transferred to the Book of Death.

If you physically die at a time when your name is in the Book of Life then you will joyously remain in the Presence of the Holy One after death. However, if you die at a time when your name is not in the Book of Life then tragically you will forever be cut-off from the Joyous Presence of the Holy One.

Hell is simply a place where the living-Presence of the Holy One is absent. So there is much more at stake here than just abiding in the D’var HaChaiim (Word of Life) during one’s mortal life. There is also the importance of whether one will be blessed to have perpetual access to drink of the Mayim Chaiim (Living Waters) in the life to come.

Some Yehudim will abide with Abba Avinu forever; others will not:

אֲנִי הַגֶּפֶן; אַתֶּם הַשָּׂרִיגִים. הָעוֹמֵד בִּי וַאֲנִי בּוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לָרֺב, שֶׁכֵּן בִּלְעֲדַי אֵינְכֶם יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר. מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד בִּי מֻשְׁלָךְ הַחוּצָה, כְּשָׂרִיג, וּמִתְיַבֵּשׁ. לְאַחַר שֶׁמְּלַקְּטִים אוֹתָם מַשְׁלִיכִים אוֹתָם לָאֵשׁ וְשָׁם הֵם נִשְׂרָפִים.פ

“I am the Vine (הַגֶּפֶן-Ha-Gefen) and you (chosen Yehudim) are the branches (הַשָּׂרִיגִים-ha-sarigim). One (the branch) who stays in me and I in him (Messianic Judaism) will produce fruit in abundance. For without Me (without the Mashiach), you (the Yehudim) will not be able to do anything. One (the branch) who does not remain in me will be cast outside [from the life-giving Presence of Adonai that is in the Vine] like a (non-productive) branch and wither. People (the angels) will gather them (the non-believing branches and their dead works) and cast them into the midst of the fire, and it (the branch and its *dead works) will be consumed.

אִם עוֹמְדִים אַתֶּם בִּי וּדְבָרַי עוֹמְדִים בָּכֶם, בַּקְּשׁוּ מַה שֶּׁתִּרְצוּ, וְיִהְיֶה לָכֶם.פ

”If you [the people of Israel, my family, my talmidim] abide in me and my words abide in you, then you [believing Israel] may ask according to whatever you desire and it will be done for you.”

*Dead works. Without the fullness of the life-giving Presence of the Vine (the Life of the Spirit) the non-abiding Jewish branches will produce only dry, shriveled-up fruit. Dry, shriveled-up fruit are not going to be useful in making the Vinedresser’s desired end product—-wine. The primary purpose of the fruit of the Vine is to make wine; both new peaceful wine (Shalom; grape juice) and joyful aged wine (Simcha; mature, alcoholic wine).

Therefore, Adonai Avinu does not want dry, shriveled up dead fruit—-raisins, and raisin cakes (אֲשִׁישֵׁי עֲנָבִֽים) that are incapable of ever producing for Him the new wine of Shalom (completion, wellness, peace) and His even more highly valued vintage wine of Simcha (full of His Joyfulness).

With this little bit of Jewish contextual background we can now see the rich spiritual meanings  that are joyfully being applied to the living messianic branches of Judaism that have continuing access to drink from the Life of the Vine (forever). And very sadly, mournfully so, we see the contrasting fate of the dead branches (non-messianic branches of rabbinical Judaism) that before their rejection of the Messiah were living but now are destined in death to be “cut off” and thrown into the fire (i.e. forever removed from the Presence of the Living One).

Therefore, we see here in the Messiah’s prophetic teaching that there are two completely different eternal states that are in store for the two different types of Jewish ‘branches’ of Israel. There is one outcome for those of us who are the Yehudim who “abide” in the True Vine of the Messiah and bear the fruit that the Vindresser desires; and there is another outcome for those Jewish branches who refuse to abide in the True Vine of the Messiah and who will never produce the fruit that Adonai Avinu desires.

Abba Avinu remains faithful throughout our lifetimes:

אִם אֵינֶנּוּ נֶאֱמָנִים, הוּא נִשְׁאָר נֶאֱמָן, כִּי לֹא יוּכַל לְהִתְכַּחֵשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ.פ

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

Even to this day in many parts of the Middle East the people swear by someone greater than themselves and their “oath” confirms what is said and this puts an end to all argument. Because Adonai Avinu (ה’ אבינו) wanted to make the unchanging nature of His promises (purposes) very clear to those of us who are physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob He confirmed His promise of unending fidelity to us  with an oath. Adonai Avinu did this with two unchangeable things in mind: that first it is impossible for Him to lie and second it is impossible for Him to change (i.e. change His perfectly good nature). Therefore, since Adonai is completely, perfectly, eternally reliable we are encouraged to confidently go to Him and take hold of (claim) all of His promises.

However there is one critical requirement that is demanded of us. Like father Abraham we must go to our heavenly Father in “faith.” We must go with overcoming confidence before Adonai to lay hold of His promises. For without faith it is impossible to please Adonai. In other words, without our placing our faith in the Mashiach whom Adonai sent it is impossible for us to receive anything from Adonai.

Therefore, Adonai will never lie. He will never agree with the Tannaim rabbinate (and their successors) and deny He has sent the Messiah Yeshua, His Son. This would require that Adonai both change who He is and ‘lie’ about the one He has sent into the world. He will never change. He cannot lie.

The Messiah was assigned on Adonai Avinu’s behalf to be the Head of all things and the Heir of all things (Rosh l’khol-ha’edah and Nachalah Vakol). The problem is: “How can those of us who are Jewish ever expect any significant help from the Holy One, other than our physical survival, as long as our religious leaders continue to disrespect, reject, slander, and publicly ridicule the Mashiach whom He has sent?”

According to the covenants Avinu Shebashamayim remains faithful to every Jewish person until the day we die; then comes the judgment.

Every Jewish man, woman and child is born into the Covenant of Moses. In this covenant Abba Avinu has sworn to remain faithful to all of us even when we are unfaithful to Him. He is married to all of us until death. This is so whether we are good or bad.

Adonai’s fidelity is not dependent on our fidelity. His fidelity is unilateral. Therefore, the problem is with us. The problem is not how will the Presence of Adonai be with us during our mortal lifetimes. We already know that He is always with us, good or bad, throughout our mortal lifetimes. The problem is: “What happens to you and me after we die?” This leads us to the question:

“How will the Presence of Adonai be with us (or not be with us) after we die?”

Under the Law of Moses, if we cannot present ourselves as having perfectly obeyed all of the written Law of the Holy One throughout all of our lifetimes Adonai will not reward us with a continuance of His Presence throughout eternity (in the age to come). We therefore will enjoy the privilege of His Presence now throughout our mortal lifetimes—-whether we are good or bad.

However, at death we have to merit eternal life. Therefore, the Holy One has sworn an oath by the sanctity of His own Name to unilaterally abide with us (love us) throughout our mortal lifetimes whether or not we choose to reciprocate His love or not. However, He has not according to the law of Moses sworn an oath to continue unconditionally to be faithful to us beyond the grave after we have been unfaithful to Him throughout our mortal lifetimes.

The problem is we have all (Israel) been unfaithful to the Holy One. We have all broken the Law of Moses at some point in our lives. When we break even the smallest part of the Torah we have broken all of the Torah. This is so because the Torah of Adonai is perfect. We are not. We have all (except the Messiah) failed to live up to our end of the marital agreement at Sinai. Our Father in heaven is faithful. We are not. So the follow-up question is:

“What are we to do now since none of us merit the Presence of the Holy One after death?”

The answer is found in the follow-up Second Covenant that was instituted by the Messiah. Fortunately for all of Israel one Yehudi among us has been perfectly obedient to Adonai throughout His mortal lifetime. Therefore, the Messiah does merit eternal life (according to the Law of Moses). In other words the Messiah has succeeded where all of the rest of us have failed. He has earned the right to remain in the joyous Presence of the Holy One forever!

Messiah earned the right to remain in the joful Presence of the Holy One forever, however, “what about us?”

Is there no hope for us? For we have all failed (all Israel has failed) to merit the right to enjoy the Presence of the Holy One forever. The answer is that because Israel is treated by Adonai as a corporate body we too can merit eternal salvation (beyond the grave) through our exercising faith in the Messiah.

As Rosh Ha’edah, the Head of the Assembly, the Messiah can extend his merit to us by His claiming us as members of his household. As our Great High Priest according to the priesthood of Malki-Tzedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק), the Messiah can offer himself up to Adonai Avinu as our perfect (Korban Pesach) sacrifice to be judged as a substitute for our sins.

Therefore, all of our sins that disqualify us from eternal life can be transferred from us to the Messiah, and all of his righteousness that qualifies him for eternal life can be transferred from him to us.

In this manner, according to Torah, the Head of the Assembly of Israel can remove our sins from all of us, put them upon Himself, die to them and then be triumphantly raised-up (along with us) to eternal life. So in this way the Messiah fulfills the Torah of Adonai in two ways: first by being the once-in-eternity sacrifice that removes our sins; and second by providing to us the righteousness that qualifies us for eternal life beyond this life—-the gift of the “permanent” Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One. Therefore, it is written:

אֶת זֶה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע חַטָּאת עָשָׂה לְחַטָּאת בַּעֲדֵנוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁאָנוּ נִלְבַּשׁ אֶת הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁל אֱלֹהִים בּוֹ׃

“He (Adonai) made him (the Mashiach) who knew no sin (לֹא יָדַע חַטָּאת) to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness (הַצְּדָקָה) of Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) in him.”

The First Covenant of the Law of Adonai administered by Moses exists so that the Mashiach can legally subtract our sin (take away our reproach). The Second Covenant of the Grace (Chesed) of Adonai administered through the Messiah and the Holy Spirit exists so that once our sins are removed from our souls and spirits the righteousness of Adonai can be transferred from Ha-Mashiach—-into our cleansed spirits and souls.

Sorry about the body. Our bodies remain a mixture of both good and evil even after we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This burden is ours to carry until we receive a new immortal body (in exchange for our old decaying one) on the day of our resurrection.

The good news is that under the New Second Covenant (the Brit HaChadashah) Adonai re-defines our body as being righteous. As is the case in immunology there exists in our body (within us as a ‘host’ organism) “self” and “non-self.” In the host organism there exists, therefore, valid healthy natural being and invalid diseased and parasitical material. Our Father in heaven, through His HaBrit HaChadashah has redefined us as being dead to sin (the invalid non-self that exists within us) and alive to the Messiah; the valid real self that is the righteousness of the Spirit of the Holy One that Indwells us.

Although at the time of acceptance of the redemption of the Messiah the perfect righteousness of the Holy Spirit is instantly transferred into our perfectly cleansed spirits and our souls; and He thereby even indwells our present decaying mortal bodies that remain diseased with our old defiling thoughts, memories, motivations and habits.

Therefore we can with the “Inside-out” help of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit improve our thoughts, feelings, volition and behavior of our physical bodies (that includes our physical brains). But we cannot perfect it.

For this reason the body we presently live-in, no matter how precious it may be to Abba Avinu, must one day die. Only on the day of resurrection will a new perfect body be provided for us by Abba Avinu that will be a suitable dwelling place (mansion) for our perfected spirits and souls to live in forever. Therefore, although the Messiah has taken away our sin and imputed his own righteousness into our cleansed spirits and souls, our bodies will continue to remain infected with the evil ‘remainder’ from our past life that will continue to war against our ‘true self’ until the moment of our death. Then will our perfection be complete on the day of our resurrection.

The Tannaim and their five rabbinic eras of successors, know nothing about these important matters.

The first century (CE) Bramble Bush King, the Tannaim (sages) and their five rabbinic eras of successors know nothing about these important matters. The leaders (sages) of six eras of rabbinism (first century CE to the present) know nothing about Israel’s capability of complete messianic deliverance from sin and the spiritual imputation of the righteousness Adonai that He offers all of our people (Israel) through the permanent (eternal) Indwelling Presence of His Spirit of Holiness.

We encourage you the reader, ‘Please search for the truth out of the conscience of your own Jewish soul.’ Read the Scriptures for yourself (the Tanakh). Then at least once (one time in your life) read the HaBrit HaChadashah. Then experience for yourself the incredible compatibility (harmony) that exists between these two inspired accounts; both being written only by Yehudim. Then know for yourself who speaks the truth—-Yeshua and ‘the prophets’ or the rabbis and their ‘oral tradition.’

Respectfully ask Adonai our Father for His revelation of truth. Ask in His Name, the name of Adonai. Speak silently, reverently to the Holy One (under your breath), from the depths of your own Jewish soul (like righteous Channah-חַנָּה).

Then Abba Avinu will answer you because you are privileged to be loved like the son or daughter of Adonai that you really are.

Ask our heavenly Father as a respectful, meek (teachable) and humble student and He (the Holy One) will swiftly answer you because you are His cherished child, you are so by your right of birth (right of Jewish conception; He knew you even when you were being formed in the womb). Make certain that you ask Abba Avinu about whether He has already sent us M’shicho (His Messiah). The gracious, kind and clear reply of Elohei Avoteinu will amaze you!

His Loving-Spirit of Holiness will guide you and show you what it is that He (our Father in heaven) wishes you to do next.

A Word about life after death…

Regarding Israel’s Vine (the Messiah) and His power over life and death and His authority to “execute judgment” we have already said much about this in many of our previous studies. Therefore, little needs to be said now other than providing a brief summary of the eight (eternal-immortal) resurrections from the dead that are to occur over the span of human history.

Keep in mind that eight is the Hebrew scriptural number that symbolizes new beginnings. The number eight also speaks of eternity. It is the number that extends our lives out beyond perfection (beyond the seven).

In the mashal, nimshal and midrashim of Messiah that we are studying today, eleven times the Messiah instructs us to “abide” and “remain” in him. Eleven is the scriptural number that is symbolic of “glorification.” It is the number of the life and number of the tribe of father Yosef (Joseph). So if we hear, understand, and obey we will abide in the Presence of the Holy One until the time of our perfection-glorification and beyond into eternity.

The following is a brief summary of the eight resurrections (more information can be found in chapters nine through eleven of the “Messiah in Rosh HaShanah and Yom Teruah”):

Resurrection #1.  On HaBikkurim, as the Suffering Messiah ben Joseph, the Messiah was resurrected from the dead as the “firstfruits” of all who are blessed to be included in the eternal family of Adonai, who is our Father in heaven.

Resurrection #2.  There was a small select group of Jewish kedoshim (קדושים-holy ones) who were resurrected at the same time as Messiah’s resurrection. These persons (in resurrected glorified bodies) went into the city of Jerusalem and bore witness to several individuals that the Messiah had died to atone for sin and that He had been resurrected as a testimony of Adonai’s gift of eternal life.

Resurrection #3.  On an unknown future observance of Rosh HaShanah the followers of Messiah will all be resurrected; and those who are alive at that time will be translated alive into heaven.

Resurrection #4.  Approximately three and one-half years after our resurrection and translation into heaven of the followers of Messiah on Rosh HaShanah, two slain prophets (whose ministries will be like that of Moses and Elijah) will be martyred on Nisan 14 and be miraculously resurrected and ascend into heaven (Just three and one half days later on Nisan 17).

These two prophets, slain by the future anti-messiah, will be resurrected and ascend into heaven (while the entire world looks on) at the middle of the seven years of Jacob’s Trouble (cf. Book of the Prophet Daniel).

This fourth resurrection event will occur in the sacred Jewish calendar month of Nisan (in the spring-time) during the same sacred period of time the Messiah sacrificed his life on the accursed tree and was resurrected just three nights and three days later. We expect, therefore, the deaths and resurrections of the two prophets to occur on the same days as did the Messiah’s death and resurrection: on Pesach (his/their death); and HaBikkurim (his/their resurrection).

Resurrection #5.  On Yom Kippurim (the Day of Atonement) those tzaddikim (righteous ones) who were martyred for their faith during the seven years of Jacob’s Trouble will resurrect. These believers are those who will be martyred (execution by beheading) for their faith in Adonai and the Messiah and for resisting the rule of the one world government that will be ruled over by the anti-messiah; who will come in his own name and rule according to his own self-initiative (and not according to the will of Adonai).

Resurrection #6.  On this same Yom Kippurim (at the conclusion of the seven year period of Jacob’s Trouble), at the return of the Conquering Messiah ben David to earth, all the saints who died before the firstfruits resurrection of Messiah will be resurrected here on earth. For those ancient ones who are of Hebrew-Jewish origin, they will be resurrected just in time to welcome the Messiah upon his glorious, triumphant return to earth and they will personally assist him in his full-restoration of Israel.

All of our Fathers and the prophets will be included in this event of the second coming of the Messiah ben David: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the fathers of the Twelve Tribes, Aaron, Moses, Elijah, the prophets and all of the holy ones who in ancient times believed in the promises of Adonai.

These holy ones will all be present to participate in the one thousand years celebration of the Golden Age of Israel, the Great Marriage Supper-Banquet of the Lamb.

Resurrection #7.  Thereafter: At the *end of the thousand year reign of Messiah those **billions upon billions of mortals who will have believed in Adonai and His Messiah, who will have been attended to and ministered to by their immortal ancestors, will be given the gift of eternal life and will be resurrected-translated into immortal bodies. This will be the seventh and final resurrection of the righteous ones that will occur at the end of the thousand year reign of Messiah ben David.

*We believe that over ninety per cent of the earth’s total mortal Gentile populace will convert to Messianic Judaism during the future thousand year Golden Age of Israel called the Millennium (cf. the End of the Book of Ezekiel and our document, “Messiah in Rosh HaShanah (II) and Chanukkah II”). We further believe that among the mortal Jewish populace close to one hundred per cent of us will embrace faith in Adonai our Father and His Beloved immortal-glorified Son, the Messiah Yeshua.

This large number of blessed immortal children of Abba Avinu primarily will be due to the incredibly high percentage of Jews and Gentiles who will embrace faith in Adonai during the thousand year international reign of Messiah over all of the earth.

**We believe that the number of glorified tzaddikim (righteous ones) that will enter into the new heavens and the new earth will amount to exactly two-thirds of all the human beings who have ever lived. This number will be equal to the number of righteous angels who have remained blameless in their service to Adonai.

Two-thirds of the angels have remained faithful to the Holy One; one-third of the angels followed the evil one in his rebellion against El-Elyon, (אֵל עֶלְיֹֽון-God-Most High).

Resurrection #8.  At the end of the thousand year reign of Messiah, over all the nations and peoples of the world, the unrighteous (of all human history) will be resurrected at the conclusion of the Closing of the Gate Ceremony at the end of the final Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur will be put on pause when the Messiah returns to Israel from heaven. After a thousand years have gone by then the day of Yom Kippur will be allowed to restart and come to completion. So Yom Kippur will have become Yom Kippurim and “a day will have become as a thousand years” (1, 2).

The unrighteous ones, along with all of the fallen angels, will be judged immediately thereafter before the Messiah (שׁוֹפֵט הַחַיִּים וְהַמֵּתִים-Shofet haChaiim v’hametim) at the Great White Throne Judgment (כִּסֵּא לָבָן גָּדוֹל). Then will the unrighteous and the fallen angels be sent into their permanent place and the righteous will be sent into our permanent place: the new heavens and the new earth (שָׁמַ֥יִם חֲדָשִׁ֖ים וָאָ֣רֶץ חֲדָשָׁ֑ה).

The Prince of Life that possesses the power of life and death:

Ha-Mashiach ben Ha-Elohim is not a created being. In his spiritual being He pre-existed the universe. To deliver man from sin the Holy One did something He had never done before. He took the form of a man. Adonai is omnipresent. He can be at one place and every other place at the same time. So putting all of Himself in a Son of Man (ben Ha’adam) was not difficult.

However, Adonai taking on a human form was an incredibly humble and unselfish act. The Strong One stooped down to the level of His little child, Adam. Then He helped His lowly, errant, “weak,” “sick,” and “dying” son. It was a Divine act of chen (חֵן) and chanan (חָנַן).

The Strong One stooped down all the way from the highest heaven to the lowly level of the earthly realm of His estranged child, Adam (mankind). He helped His lowly, errant, “weak,” “sick,” and “dying” son (humankind). Abba our Father, in His abundant loving kindness (chesed) is nursing us back to full health and one day he shall lift us up (yet future; post resurrection) back to our original state of perfection and restore to us our Divinely appointed royal role of ruling over all that He has made.

Nevertheless, God our Salvation, all the while He helped us in His taking on our human form, never ceased to be God. By His omnipresent Spirit He has always retained His place in the highest heaven. He has continued to exist (and at no time ceased to exist) in His natural Spiritual form; that is on a plane of unchangeable, ineffable (unknowable) existence beyond our understanding. This ineffable ability of the One True God to be at one place and every other place at the same time is affirmed in the Messiah’s words when He said:

הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא רוּחַ וְהָעוֹבְדִים אוֹתוֹ צְרִיכִים לְעָבְדוֹ בְּרוּחַ וּבֶאֱמֶת.פ

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship [Him} in spirit and truth.”

This means the fullness of  Adonai our Father dwells in the tent (human form) of the Messiah. If you are a Messianic Jew you know that we don’t worship the human physical form of the Messiah. We worship the Spirit of Adonai that Indwells Him. We worship only God who is Spirit; and not a man.

Just as our ancestors did not worship the Shekinah (שְׁכִינָה) but worshiped the Presence of the Holy One who Indwelt the Glory Cloud, so we messianic Jews do not worship the human form of the Messiah (בֵּית־אֵל-the house of God) but the Spirit of Adonai (הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל-the God of the house of God) who has chosen to Indwell the Messiah (forever).

The Messiah himself made a very clear distinction between his physical human form and the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Adonai who dwells within him, when he said:

כָּל הַמְדַבֵּר דָבָר נֶגֶד בֶּן־הָאָדָם יִסָּלַח לוֹ, אֲבָל כָּל הַמְדַבֵּר נֶגֶד רוּחַ הַקֺּדֶשׁ לֹא יִסָּלַח לוֹ לֹא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְלֹא בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא.פ

“Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

There exists in the Messiah two natures that perfectly co-exist together. His human nature is completely subservient to the Divine nature. The Messiah our Jewish brother is perfect in his obedience to the Spirit of the Holy One who Indwells him. He lives only to serve our Father Adonai. He always hears, understands, and obeys HaAv (The Father). For this reason the evil (one) could find no weakness in him.

The Shekinah Glory Cloud was a precursor to the coming of the Messiah.

The only difference is that the manifestation of Adonai in the Messiah was a lot better. A cloud can not function as our Kinsman Redeemer. The Glory Cloud can’t function as the Messiah and be our ultimate Prophet, Priest and King. The Messiah himself made it clear through His servants that he is the Head of Adam (Man) but he is absolutely not the head of God. Adonai is the eternal Head of His Messiah. Just read the writings of the Messiah’s Jewish Shaliach Shaul (Paul) ben Benyamin:

רְצוֹנִי שֶׁתֵּדְעוּ כִּי רֺאשׁ כָּל אִישׁ הוּא הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְרֺאשׁ הָאִשָּׁה הוּא הָאִישׁ, וְרֺאשׁ הַמָּשִׁיחַ הוּא אֱלֹהִים.פ

“But I want you to understand that Ha-Mashiach (הַמָּשִׁיחַ) is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and He Adonai (הוּא אֱלֹהִים-He Elohim) is the head of Ha-Mashiach (הַמָּשִׁיחַ).”

How much more clear can the messianic Jew, the shaliach Shaul ben Benyamin (השליח שאול בן בנימין), be than this: Adonai is the Head (רֹאשׁ-rosh) of the Messiah. Bad things have happened since our ancestors rejected our Messiah and Adonai our Father. For to reject the Son who is the Shekinah of Adonai and the Voice of Adonai is to reject the God of Israel Himself.

We don’t know what has happened to the Gentiles. They have no history with God as the Indwelling One. We do. So we just figure they are confused. Anyway we believe the times of the Gentiles (עד אשר ימלאו עתות הגוים) is quickly drawing to a close and soon the Messiah will be returning to Israel and finally, all Israel will be saved (exercise faith in the Messiah’s atonement for all of our sin; corporate, as well as individual).

We can say this much without any offense meant to our Gentile friends (יראי השם-fearers of The Name) who are true followers of the Messiah and who love Adonai our Father and who love our nation and people. Salvation is from the Yehudim. We Jews are not grafted into the Gentiles but they are grafted into us. They are grafted into the faith of our physical father Abraham and our (and their) spiritual father Abraham. It is the redemption of our Messiah ben Avraham that saves all of us.

Soon our Messiah will be returning to Israel. He will restore Israel. Then there will be no division.

Together we shall worship the one True God. We shall become one nation, Israel and the international Commonwealth of Israel. There shall be one worship center. Our one worship center will be located in the heart of Israel, to the north of Jerusalem, in the sacred District of Jerusalem. We will become one united people. We will all by faith become children of the father of our faith: the children of father Abraham (the Olive Tree).

We will all become blessed to serve Adonai and each other as our Good Shepherd directs.

We shall all know God. We will all together abide in the Messiah, the Vine of Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel. Then finally, together redeemed humanity will become the fruitful delight and abundant Joy that Avinu Shebashamayim (our Father in heaven) deserves us to be; both now and forever. “Come quickly Adonai.”

Therefore, all the fullness of the Divinity dwells bodily in the Messiah. Adonai our Father is pleased to exercise through the Messiah, His Son, all of His creative power over life and death. This is why Messiah ben Ha-Elohim (the Shofar of Adonai) said:

“An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear My Voice (the Voice of Adonai our Father), and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

The Messiah is the Kol Adonai (ה’ קֹול-the Voice of HaShem). When the Messiah speaks it is the Voice of Adonai speaking through him. Our Father in heaven, therefore, has made the Messiah His Voice. Adonai our Father has made the Messiah, the King of Righteousness, the Heir of all things:

דִּבֵּר אֵלֵינוּ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּיַד הַבֵּן אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לְיוֹרֵשׁ כֺּל.פ

“In these last days He (Adonai our Father) has spoken to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all (אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לְיוֹרֵשׁ כֺּל).

Messiah’s Follow-up to the Mashal (Nimshal):

אַתֶּם כְּבָר מְטֺהָרִים עַל־יְדֵי הַדָּבָר שֶׁדִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם. עִמְדוּ בִּי וַאֲנִי בָּכֶם. כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַשָּׂרִיג אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּרִי מֵאֵלָיו אִם לֹא יַעֲמֺד בַּגֶּפֶן, כָּךְ גַּם אַתֶּם אִם לֹא תַּעַמְדוּ בִּי. אֲנִי הַגֶּפֶן; אַתֶּם הַשָּׂרִיגִים. הָעוֹמֵד בִּי וַאֲנִי בּוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לָרֺב, שֶׁכֵּן בִּלְעֲדַי אֵינְכֶם יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר. מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד בִּי מֻשְׁלָךְ הַחוּצָה, כְּשָׂרִיג, וּמִתְיַבֵּשׁ. לְאַחַר שֶׁמְּלַקְּטִים אוֹתָם מַשְׁלִיכִים אוֹתָם לָאֵשׁ וְשָׁם הֵם נִשְׂרָפִים. אִם עוֹמְדִים אַתֶּם בִּי וּדְבָרַי עוֹמְדִים בָּכֶם, בַּקְּשׁוּ מַה שֶּׁתִּרְצוּ, וְיִהְיֶה לָכֶם. בְּזֺאת יְפֺאַר אָבִי: שֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ פְּרִי לָרֺב וְתִהְיוּ לִי לְתַלְמִידִים.פ

“You are already clean (pruned like a branch) because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of (lit. from) itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. my Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”

Father Abraham believed in the Sacrifice of Messiah:

The Messiah (Vine) of Israel describes the non-fruit bearing and removed branches as those Yehudim who have failed to believe in Adonai Avinu’s promise to provide us a sacrifice that will cleanse us of all our sins and by His grace miraculously-transform us into His righteousness at the time of our resurrection. Righteousness was credited (יַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה) to father Abraham because He believed in the promised sacrifice of the Beloved Son, the Redeemer, his descendant the Messiah ben David ben Avraham (הַמָּשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד בֶּן־אַבְרָהָם); of whom (the sacrificed son) Isaac ben Avraham (בֶּן־יִצְחָק) is a prophetic type.

By faith father Abraham saw the day of Messiah and he greatly rejoiced (שׂוּשׂ) in it and was glad (שָׂמַח-simcha, full of joy).

Our father Abraham was cleansed of his sin by his faith in the Word of Adonai. Not by his faith in his own righteous acts. Father Abraham did not cleanse himself by ‘balancing the scales.’ This is a false doctrine:

Insight #1.  Father Abraham left the idolatry of a religion that already taught such a thing (the moon cult of Su’en; commonly designated as En-zu: meaning the “lord of wisdom”).

Insight #2.  The lie of the balancing of the scales doctrine, therefore, is a false teaching that has been around since before the time of the moon worshiper Nimrod (Hebrew נִמְרוֹדֿ; Arabic: an-Namrood النمرود).

Insight #3.  The reaching to the heavens (שָׁמַיִם-derivation from singular שָׁמֶה, meaning “lofty”) through an ascending tower of self-effort (מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל‎‎) is a declaration of independence ‘from’ and an act of rebellion ‘against’ God.

Insight #4.  The rabbinical building of a tower to the heavens by way of human reasoning is a replacement theology of the justification by faith alone doctrine of father Abraham.

Insight #5.  This doctrine of ascension through social effort is a substitute for father Abraham’s doctrine of ‘sole dependency upon Adonai.’

Insight #6.  This false religion of ever-spiraling ascension through human attainment (absent of sole dependency upon God) is a product of our hidden motivation of pride.

Insight #7.  Pride is the hidden motivation upon which all of the spiraling tower of the lofty (false) teachings of the evil one are built.

Insight #8.  Pride and arrogance are the chametz of the Prushim and of the Tannaim sages who rejected the Messiah who is the True Vine of Israel.

Insight #9.  Pride is self-evident in our failed obsessive-compulsive (rabbinical) delusional efforts to constantly attain to God’s level of righteousness through our own man-made (religious and secular philosophical) systems of self-righteousness.

Insight #10.  Proclaiming ourselves as righteous before God by our own works is heresy. It is a departure from the very “heart” of the teaching of father Abraham and his doctrine of salvation by faith.

Insight #11.  In the doctrine of faith (in the Creator; not the creature) instead of our proudly confessing to Adonai our Father that we are justified by our works (the lie that we are law-keepers) and that we are not in need of a Savior, we do just the opposite.

Insight #12.  In the doctrine of faith (in the Creator; not the creature) we humbly confess to Adonai our Father that we are not justified by our works (the truth that we are law-breakers) and that we are in need of a Savior. In other words: we believe that the just must live solely by faith in the perfect righteous works of God our Creator; and not by the (imperfect) works of the creature (i.e. man).

Therefore, the balancing of the scales false doctrine is not at all sourced in the “hearts of the fathers” (לֵב־אָבוֹת֙. 

Our fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph) believed in all of the promises of the Spirit of Holiness and as such their hearts are already turned to us. In truth our fathers have already turned their hearts to us for they have already transmitted God’s infalible truths (promises) directly to us through the Hebrew Scriptures (לֵב־אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים-). In this way our fathers have turned their hearts toward our hearts—-the hearts of their physical and spiritual children. But this leads us to the challenge: When will we ever reciprocate?

When will we their children turn our hearts (back) to the original faith and teachings of our fathers and our prophets?

Therefore, the false doctrine (false teaching) of the rabbinical balancing of the scales is sourced in the idolatry of the ancient moon cult teaching that the heart of our father Abraham already had completely rejected almost four millennia ago. The resurrection of this false teaching by the Bramble Bush King has been an insult and a provocation to (חָרַף) the Face of—-the Spirit of Grace (רוּחַ הַחֶסֶד).

וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽ ה’ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה׃

“Then he believed in Adonai (the LORD); and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

Unlike our ancient moon worshiping ancestors our faith, the faith of our father Abraham, is in no way sourced in our own righteousness (in ourselves). Our faith is only rooted and grounded in the loving-kindness (chesed) and graciousness (chen, chanan) of Adonai our Father.

The truth is that without embracing our father Abraham’s faith in the sacrifice of Messiah (that all of the Torah of Moses testifies to) there is no salvation (cleansing of sin and the attainment to a righteous state) for anyone, at any time (past, present, or future). At the time of Messiah’s teaching this meant that the eternally clean branches were those Jewish members of Israel who believed in the Sacrifice and so it was (and continues to be) that those cleansed members (branches) of Israel will abide forever in the Presence of Abba Avinu and HaGefen Emet (the True Vine).

The Bramble Bush and his Curse of Fire:

The Bramble Bush King, not father Abraham, is the one that for the last two millennia has ruled over the people of Israel (with his curse of fire). The Prushim (fake oral law of man) and their ultra-orthodox successors have taught all along that the purest branch of Judaism is the one that lives under the oppression of the curses of the Law (curses, Mount Ebal).

The Jewish Emissaries (שליחים יהודים-Shlichim Yehudim) of the Messiah and their successors have taught all along that the purest branch of Judaism is the one that lives in freedom according to the blessedness of the loving-kindness (chesed) of Adonai  (blessings, Mount Gerizim; where our sins are permaently removed: “exterminated,” “cut off”).

Those of us who have embraced the cleansing work on Mount Gerizim of the Sacrificed One of Abba Avinu, who is the real King of Israel, abide forever in the HaGefen Emet. We will never experience the curses of being burned up on “Mount Baldy” (the literal meaning of Mount Ebal). This is so because those of us who believe in the once-in-eternity sacrifice of the Messiah are standing by faith on the Mountain of the Chesed of Adonai (Mount Gerizim; the Mountain of the Grace of Adonai).

Introduction to the Mashal of the Bramble Bush King:

What follows is the mashal of the “Bramble Bush King.” The name of the Bramble Bush King is Abimelech ben Yerubba’al (אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ בֶּן־יְרֻבַּ֙עַל֙). This particular mashal from the Tanakh is a prophecy from the ancient times of the Judges. This is a very far-sighted prophecy that speaks against the first century (CE) Prushim rabbinate and their six eras of successors.

It was foretold in the Tanakh by the ancient prophets of Israel that when the Mashiach appeared in the Temple the priests and rabbis of his day would rise up and rebel against him. Then judgment would come. The priests were removed first (the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE). Then the rabbis—the false teachers who opposed and rejected the Messiah—immediately ascended to power to rule over “all” of the institutions of Israel (i.e. the “trees” of Israel) for an indefinite period of time (i .e. until the establishment of a secular-democratic state of Israel in 1948).

What allowed the (Illegitimate) Bramble Bush (Thorn Bush) to ascend to the royal status of a King over the people of Israel?

The first century Prushim rabbinate rose to power by the violent removal of the True King of Israel (the Messiah) and by the displacement of the Jewish priesthood. The displacement of the priesthood occurred at the destruction of the Temple. This is what allowed the sons of the Prushim sect (branch of Rabbinic Judaism) to “take over” the rule of the hearts and minds of the people of Israel.

In the narrative of the mashal it is revealed that the Bramble Bush King (rabbinism) is an “illegitimate” son that succeeds (for an indefinite period of time) in becoming the ruler and Judge over all of Israel. He has as his regal covering a long flowing robe that is made up solely out of a multitude of legal rules and threats (covered in thorns).

The Bramble Bush is covered with thorns (curses).

The Bramble Bush (rabbinism) use to hold power over the people of Israel through our fear of his “curse of fire.” Except now (thanks be to the God of Chesed) in this 21st century hardly anyone of Jewish birth believes in or listens to him anymore.

In fact, the hyper-legalistic and oppressive false-religion of the Bramble Bush has succeeded in making  most of our people (Israel) completely disinterested in practicing any religion. In fact over the last two millennia the rule of the Bramble Bush KIng has been such a colossal failure that a majority of our Jewish brothers and sisters (around the world) are either agnostics or atheists.

Yet, in spite of our antipathy toward religion (Modern Israel) our Jewish soul can’t help but obsessively search for truth anyway (i.e. we are all still “secretly” searching for God). We are searching for Truth. We are just not looking for it (truth) any more in hyper-orthodox Judaism.

Endless religious debates are the problem; Not the Solution:

The name of the false ruler Abimelech ben Yerubba’bel literally means, “My Father (who is the Legal Debater of Baal) is King.” The shorter more concise translation of the Bramble Bush King’s name is:

Abimelech’s full name means: “My Father is the Legal Debate King!”

Ironically the meaning of the name of the father of the Bramble Bush, Yerubba’bel, does not mean a contender against Baal; as it should. It means one who is a Contender for Baal. Why is this the case? Because if you argue justification before Adonai by your works, since all but one (the Messiah) is a sinner, you will always lose. Such a prideful, vain argument will always play into the strengths of the “Accuser of our brothers” (המאשים של אחינו); which is the indisputable fact that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of Adonai Eloheinu; therefore, none of us will ever be justified by our works because the high standard of God is for all of us to live a “perfect and blameless life.”

In other words, according to Torah, in the Proceedings of the Heavenly Court, the Accuser of the Yehudim is Satan (השטן הוא המקטרג של היהודים); and no matter how brilliant the Bramble Bush (rabbinic) arguments are for justification by one’s works—-these highly technical legal arguments will always fall short. Why? Because the defense argument of justification by the “balancing of scales” is always the argument that the enemy wants to hear. The prosecutor, the evil one, loves the balancing of the scales argument because he knows it is a lie. How does he know it is a lie? The Accuser of the brethren knows for certain the balancing of scales defense argument is a lie because it is his lie (cf. “The Inception”).

The Accuser of the brethren (Yehudim, Jews) has been a liar and a murderer from the beginning. He is the “father of lies” (אֲבִי הַשֶּׁקֶר). The enemy created the legal invention of the ‘balancing of the scales’ defense so that he could deceive our people into believing in a false hope.

The evil one knows that “Adonai {alone} is Perfect” (יותם-Yotam; Yah is תָם – (tam) perfectly innocent, honest, blameless) and he knows that we are not blameless. We are transgressors of the law of Adonai. The Accuser also knows that the only way Adonai will ever cleanse us of our sins is if we confess our transgressions and believe—as did father Abraham—in the redemptive grace He has provided us through M’shicho (His Messiah).

So, what do we learn from these truths? We learn that the false teaching of the balancing of the scales is a favorite “bait and switch” tactic of the evil one. First, the Accuser offers to us (Israel) the false hope of his lie of the “balancing of the scales;” then at the last he reveals that these “scales” are just a fake device that he has shrewdly and effectively used to trick us; so that he might keep us away from the “real” redemption that is available to us only through our acceptance of our Messiah.

The Mashal of the Bramble Bush King (Judges Nine):

וַיַּגִּדוּ לְיֹותָם וַיֵּלֶךְ וַֽיַּעֲמֹד בְּרֹאשׁ הַר־גְּרִזִים וַיִּשָּׂא קֹולֹו וַיִּקְרָא וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְעוּ אֵלַי בַּעֲלֵי שְׁכֶם וְיִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם אֱלֹהִֽים׃ הָלֹוךְ הָֽלְכוּ הָעֵצִים לִמְשֹׁחַ עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לַזַּיִת מלוכה עָלֵֽינוּ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַזַּיִת הֶחֳדַלְתִּי אֶת־דִּשְׁנִי אֲשֶׁר־בִּי יְכַבְּדוּ אֱלֹהִים וַאֲנָשִׁים וְהָלַכְתִּי לָנוּעַ עַל־הָעֵצִֽים׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָעֵצִים לַתְּאֵנָה לְכִי־אַתְּ מָלְכִי עָלֵֽינוּ׃ וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַתְּאֵנָה הֶחֳדַלְתִּי אֶת־מָתְקִי וְאֶת־תְּנוּבָתִי הַטֹּובָה וְהָלַכְתִּי לָנוּעַ עַל־הָעֵצִֽים׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָעֵצִים לַגָּפֶן לְכִי־אַתְּ מלוכי עָלֵֽינוּ׃ וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַגֶּפֶן הֶחֳדַלְתִּי אֶת־תִּירֹושִׁי הַֽמְשַׂמֵּחַ אֱלֹהִים וַאֲנָשִׁים וְהָלַכְתִּי לָנוּעַ עַל־הָעֵצִֽים׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָל־הָעֵצִים אֶל־הָאָטָד לֵךְ אַתָּה מְלָךְ־עָלֵֽינוּ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָטָד אֶל־הָעֵצִים אִם בֶּאֱמֶת אַתֶּם מֹשְׁחִים אֹתִי לְמֶלֶךְ עֲלֵיכֶם בֹּאוּ חֲסוּ בְצִלִּי וְאִם־אַיִן תֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִן־הָאָטָד וְתֹאכַל אֶת־אַרְזֵי הַלְּבָנֹֽון׃

Now when they told Adonai is Perfect (יוֹתָם-Yotam), he went and stood on the top of Cuttings Off (גְּרִזִּים-Gerizim), and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, ‘Listen to me My Master, Men of Governance (בַּעֲלֵי שְׁכֶם-Baali Shechem; literally the “owner of the shoulder”), that God may listen to you:

Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the Olive Tree, “Reign over us!” But the Olive Tree said to them, “Shall I leave my fatness with which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?” Then the trees said to the Fig Tree, “You come, reign over us!” But the Fig Tree said to them, “Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?” Then the trees said to the Grapevine, “You come, reign over us!” But the Grapevine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?’ Finally all the trees said to the Bramble Bush, “You come, reign over us!” The Bramble Bush said to the trees, “If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the Bramble Bush and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.”

There are four parts to this mashal of the Bramble Bush who would be king:

Part #1.  Once the trees (הָעֵצִים) went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the Olive tree (זַּיִת), ‘Reign over us!’ (מלוכה עָלֵֽינוּ) But the Olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness (דִּשְׁנִי) with which the Almighty and men are honored (יְכַבְּדוּ), and go to wave over the trees?’

Part #2.  Then the trees said to the Fig tree (תְּאֵנָה), ‘You come, reign over us!’ (מָלְכִי עָלֵֽינוּ) But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness (מָתְקִי) and my good fruit (תְּנוּבָתִי הַטֹּובָה), and go to wave over the trees?’

Part #3.  Then the trees said to the Vine (גָּפֶן ,גֶּפֶן), ‘You come, reign over us!’ (מלוכי עָלֵֽינוּ) But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my New Wine (תִּירֹושִׁי), which is the joy (הַֽמְשַׂמֵּחַ) of the Almighty and men, and go to wave over the trees?’

Part #4.  Finally all the trees said to the bramble (הָאָטָד-lit. the thorn bush), ‘You come, reign over us!’ (מְלָךְ־עָלֵֽינוּ). The bramble (הָאָטָד-lit. the “thorn” bush) said to the trees, ‘If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; But if not, May [the curse of] fire come out from the bramble and consume the *Cedars of Lebanon!” (!וְאִם־אַיִן תֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִן־הָאָטָד וְתֹאכַל אֶת־אַרְזֵי הַלְּבָנֹֽון)

At the conclusion of the mashal there is a threat (curse) directed against the *Cedars of Lebanon:

*Cedars of Lebanon. The threat (curse) of the Bramble Bush king to consume in fire the Cedars of Lebanon (אֶת־אַרְזֵי הַלְּבָנֹֽון׃) is a distant future prophetic disclosure to future Israel and its institutions (Olive, Fig, and Vine) that if Israel ever rebels against the Bramble  Bush king and seeks to be ruled over by another Tree (authority) then he the Bramble Bush will envelope all Israel in a fiery judgment (his curse of fire). Furthermore, the Bramble Bush lets all Israel know in advance who his potential replacement will be—the Cedars of Lebanon. Who are the Cedars of Lebanon? Answer: “Messianic Judaism!” The Cedars of Lebanon are a symbol of the Tzaddik (Righteous One), the Messiah and by association his leading representative leaders (his shlichim, Jewish emissaries) and his followers (talmadin; both Jew [Israel] and Gentile [the International Commonwealth of Israel).

The promise of the Bramble Bush king to destroy the Cedars of Lebanon prophetically and historically came true when the people of Israel began to follow the Messiah and his followers in the first century. Thereafter, until the modern era, it has seemed at times as if the whole messianic movement had been utterly destroyed; that the Cedars of Lebanon had been completely burned down (cursed with fire) by the Prushim and their rabbinical successors (the Jewish term of address הרב שלי-“My Rabbi,” means “My Master;” cf. prophetic terms of address above: בַּעֲלֵי-“My Master;” and שְׁכֶם-Shechem, men of “governance”).

Nevertheless, since the establishment of Modern Israel in 1948 we have seen a miraculous return of the Cedars of Lebanon (Messianic Judaism). Of these last day Jewish followers of the Messiah it is written:

הִנֵּה עַל־הֶהָרִים רַגְלֵי מְבַשֵּׂר מַשְׁמִיעַ שָׁלֹום חָגִּי יְהוּדָה חַגַּיִךְ שַׁלְּמִי נְדָרָיִךְ כִּי לֹא יֹוסִיף עֹוד לעבור־בָּכְ בְּלִיַּעַל כֻּלֹּה נִכְרָֽת׃

“Behold, on the mountains the feet of him (the Mashiach, his shlichim and talmadin; i.e. ‘his feet’) who brings Good News (מְבַשֵּׂר֙),
Who announces Shalom!
Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;
Pay your vows.
For never again will the worthless one (בְּלִיַּעַל-Beliya’al) pass through you;
He is cut off (נִכְרָֽת-nikrat) completely (כֻּלֹּ֥ה-kulo, the whole, all of this worthless one is completely “cut off”—-like completely cutting off an unfruitful branch on a fruitful vine). (Nahum-נַחוּם)

וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו בַּיֹּום־הַהוּא עַל־הַר הַזֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִקֶּדֶם וְנִבְקַע הַר הַזֵּיתִים מֵֽחֶצְיֹו מִזְרָחָה וָיָמָּה גֵּיא גְּדֹולָה מְאֹד וּמָשׁ חֲצִי הָהָר צָפֹונָה וְחֶצְיֹו־נֶֽגְבָּה׃

“In that day his feet (the Mashiach) will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south” (Zechariah 14:4).

The Cedars of Lebanon are found nowhere except upon the Syrian range of mountains 6,500 to 8,000 feet above the level of the Mediterranean Sea. Syria signifies the High Land. The Cedars of Lebanon are not found on the lowlands. The following seven points are provided as a description of some of the virtues of the Cedars of Lebanon trees:

Point #1.  Lebanon means the Mountain of Righteousness (Laban).
Point #2.  The Cedars of Lebanon speak of a brilliant white color like the blinding direct light of the sun.
Point #3.  The Cedars of Lebanon also speak of  also the bright reflective light that is observed in a full moon.
Point #4.  The Cedars of Lebanon provide excellent shelter from the powerful storms and violent winds that exist high up on the mountains.
Point #5.  The Cedars of Lebanon trees are well rooted.
Point #6.  The Cedars of Lebanon tree roots are so powerful that they penetrate deep into the rocks.
Point #7.  The Cedars of Lebanon grow tall and sturdy high up in the mountains above the winter snow line.
Point #8.  The Cedars of Lebanon wood provides the Mishkan (מִשְׁכַּן-residence, dwelling place of Adonai) an exquisite building product.
Point #9.  The Cedars of Lebanon wood possesses an excellent aroma which is wonderfully resistant to insects.
Point #10.  The Tabernacle cannot exist without the exceptional structural strength and virtuous aroma of the Cedars of Lebanon.
Point #11.  If these trees were to permanently be destroyed the dwelling place of the Holy One would fall down.
Point #12.  Therefore, without the Cedars of Lebanon the dwelling place (spiritual house of Israel) would become “desolate;” that is the holy dwelling place would lose its strength, durability, aromatic virtue, and immunity to infestation.

The Errant Oral Law of the Bramble Bush:

The following is ten statements of false-teaching that is uniformly taught by the successors of the Prushim rabbinate (the Bramble Bush king). If you are not familiar with these doctrines of the Bramble Bush king just google search them and you will quickly discover that the orthodox rabbinate of the modern era (not the conservative and reformed rabbinates) actually believe:

“This oral tradition [of Rabbinic Judaism] is the basis of Adonai’s covenant with Israel. This [false-teaching that beats, kills, and treats as heresy the actual messianic meanings of the writings of the prophets] is even more precious to Adonai than the written Torah.”

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #1.  It is the foundation of rabbinic faith to believe that Adonai gave Moses an oral explanation of the Torah along with the written text.

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #2.  Thus the Prushim rabbinate and their successors speak of *Two Torahs. There is the Written Torah (Torah SheBiKetav) and the Oral Torah (Torah SheB’Al Peh).

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #3.  The rabbis believe Two Torahs are alluded to in Adonai’s statement to Moses, “Come up to Me to the mountain, and I will give you… the Torah and the commandments” (Exodus 24:12).

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #4.  When Adonai revealed all the details of how the commandments should be observed to  Moses while He was on Mount Sinai the rabbis also believe Adonai revealed to Moses many interpretations and laws that would not be used until much later (i.e. during the Bramble Bush take-over). These, however, were not taught to the (common Yehudim) people at large (just the secret rabbinical sects).

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #5.  The Bramble Bush believes:  If the entire Torah would have been given in writing, everyone would be able to interpret it as he desired. This would lead to division and discord when the people would follow the Torah in different ways. The Oral Torah, on the other hand, would require a central authority to preserve it (the Bramble Bush King of course), thus assuring the unity of Israel.

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #6.  As far as the rabbis are concerned: “In many respects, the Oral Torah is more important than the Written Torah.”

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #7.  More ridiculous is the false belief that: “The Oral Torah is therefore the basis of Adonai Elohim’s covenant with Israel. It is even more dear to HaShem than the Written Torah.”

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #8.  Therefore, the Bramble Bush teaches: “The Oral Torah is the means through which we devote our lives to Adonai and His teachings” (so forget studying the prophets and the Messiah for yourself; only listen to the Bramble Bush!).

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #9.  It is prophetic that it is believed that Adonai taught Moses the written Torah by day and the Oral Torah by night (the Written Torah is a product of the Day; the Oral Torah of the Bramble Bush that has replaced the prophets and the Messiah is a product of the night).

Oral law of הָאָטָד (the Thorn Bush) #10.  This belief  in the traditions of men, written by the Bramble Bush King and not the prophets or the Mashiach, is presently preserved in the new replacement bible, the Talmud and the midrashim of the Bramble Bush.

*Two Torahs. The rabbis are right that there are ‘Two Torahs.’ However, both Torahs were not given to Moses. The first Torah, the Written Torah, was given to Moses. The Second Torah of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit was given to the Messiah Yeshua (the Moses to come). By his intercessory prayer, tears, and atoning sacrifice our (real) Messiah was able to secure for us the Greater Torah of the Spirit. Therefore, it is written:

וּבִימֵי הֱיוֹתוֹ בְּגוּף בָּשָׂר וָדָם, הִקְרִיב תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים בִּצְעָקָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבִדְמָעוֹת אֶל הַיָּכוֹל לְהוֹשִׁיעוֹ מִמָּוֶת, וְאָמְנָם נִשְׁמַע בִּגְלַל יִרְאַת הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁבּוֹ.פ

In the days of his flesh, he (the Messiah) offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears drawing near to the One (Adonai) able to deliver him (לְהוֹשִׁיעוֹ-get victory) from death, and he having been heard was heard because of his piety (יִרְאַת-exceeding reverence).

The Infallible Oral Law of the Holy Spirit of Promise:

There is only one infallible, inerrant, perfect Oral Law and that is the infallible Oral Law of the Holy Spirit of Promise (the “Living Torah” of Ruach HaKodesh ka’sher dibber). Only when Israel returns to true faith in Adonai by believing on the Mashiach will the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaEmet), the Spirit of Revelation (Ruach He-Chazon), and the Spirit of Wisdom (Ruach Ha-Chokmah) return to Israel. Then supernaturally—without any help whatsoever of the Bramble Bush—every man, woman, and child of Israel will know Adonai and His true teaching. For it is written:

וְלֹא יְלַמְּדוּ עֹוד אִישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאִישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו לֵאמֹר דְּעוּ אֶת־ה’ כִּֽי־כוּלָּם יֵדְעוּ אֹותִי לְמִקְטַנָּם וְעַד־גְּדֹולָם נְאֻם־ה’ כִּי אֶסְלַח לַֽעֲוֹנָם וּלְחַטָּאתָם לֹא אֶזְכָּר־עֹֽוד׃

“They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know Adonai,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares Adonai, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)

וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב חָדָשׁ וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת־לֵב הָאֶבֶן מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב בָּשָֽׂר׃

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

וְיָשְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחַת גַּפְנֹו וְתַחַת תְּאֵנָתֹו וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד כִּי־פִי ה’ צְבָאֹות דִּבֵּֽר׃

“Each of them will sit under his vine,
And under his fig tree,
With no one to make them afraid,
For the mouth of Adonai Tseva’ot has spoken.” (Micah 4:4)

The following are ten statements of inerrant belief that are uniformly communicated by the prophets of Israel, taught by the Mashiach, and born witness to by the Spirit of the Holy One:

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #1.  The Holy Spirit enabled the prophets and special envoys of Israel to speak and act on His behalf.

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #2.  The prophets of the Tanakh foretold an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that would usher in the future Kingdom of Adonai (1, 2, 3).

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #3.  After his ascension into heaven at the right hand of the Father, on the Father’s behalf, the Messiah sent the Spirit of Holy One (the Gift of the Father-מַתְּנַת רוּחַ הַקּׂדֶש) to Indwell every believer.

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #4.  Better than Moses’ ascension up Mount Sinai, the Messiah’s glorified post-resurrection ascension into heaven (on the 40^th day of HaBikkurim) secured for believers the Indwelling Presence of the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #5.  Better than Moses’ bringing down from the mountain the Written Law (Torah) engraved on stones is the Holy Spirit descending from heaven to permanently and irreversibly Indwell our hearts (i.e. be engraved upon our hearts) .

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #6. The Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts is “Living Torah.” The “Torah of the Spirit” is supernatural, infallible, and All-Powerful. (In great contrast to the oral law of the rabbis which is natural, errant, and powerless.)

The Oral Troah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #7.  The Written Torah of the Tanakh and the Living Torah of the Spirit bear witness only to the Messiah (Messianic Judaism). Not the rabbis (Rabbinic Judaism).

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #8.  There are over six hundred prophecies in the Tanakh about the Messiah ruling Israel on Adonai’s behalf (300 were fulfilled in his first coming as the Suffering Messiah ben Josef; 300 more will be fulfilled at his second coming as the Conquering Messiah ben David). There is not even one positive prophecy in all of the Tanakh (the Written Torah) that bears witness to the rabbis ruling Israel on Adonai’s behalf. (However, there are several scriptures that depict the rabbis as false: teachers, prophets, priests, and kings; cf. the mashal of the Bramble Bush king).

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #9.  The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Grace, the Spirit of Truth is supernaturally active in inspiring and empowering the children of Israel for ministry (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

The Oral Torah of ה’רֽוּחַ־ (The Spirit of Adonai) #10. It is the Spirit Himself who is the Greater Torah. He is Greater than the Written Torah. He is the Divine Oral Law written on all of the hearts of those Yehudim who believe in the Torah of the Heart (cf. Isaiah 51:7). The Mashiach bears witness to the Spirit being our Living Torah when He says:

אֲבָל הַמְנַחֵם, רוּחַ הַקֺּדֶשׁ שֶׁהָאָב יִשְׁלַח לָכֶם בִּשְׁמִי, הוּא יְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם הַכֺּל וְיַזְכִּיר לָכֶם כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם.פ

“But the Helper (הַמְנַחֵם), the Holy Spirit (רוּחַ הַקֺּדֶשׁ), whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

Therefore, it is a true saying that no man shall teach us, for each of us shall be led and guided by the Spirit of the Holy One (ה’רֽוּחַ־); our unity will occur supernaturally by the fruitful work of His personally leading and guiding each and every one of us; and not through the futile efforts of the rabbis (of the traditions of men). So it is written:

וְהַמְשִׁיחָה שֶׁאַתֶּם קִבַּלְתֶּם מֵאִתּוֹ נִשְׁאֶרֶת בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְאֵינְכֶם צְרִיכִים לְמִישֶׁהוּ שֶׁיְּלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּשִׁיחָתוֹ מְלַמֶּדֶת אֶתְכֶם עַל־אוֹדוֹת הַכֺּל – וְהִיא אֱמֶת וְאֵינֶנָּה כָּזָב – לְפִי מַה שֶּׁלִּמְּדָה אֶתְכֶם עִמְדוּ בּוֹ.פ

“As for you, the anointing (the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit) which you received from Him (our Father Adonai) abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”

We expect the orthodox rabbis to continue being very strongly resistant to the Holy Spirit’s teaching. These pious brothers have been toiling in the heat of the day of the old system for so long that the New System that generously and graciously rewards every Yehudi the same is completely unacceptable to them.

Why do they hate the Brit HaChadashah?

Answer: Because it makes us all equals. The New Covenant (Brit Chadashah) of the Chesed of Adonai (Grace of God) actually makes every Jew equal to every other Jew. We are all promised perfection by the Chesed of God and we will all one day be perfected by the Chesed of God.

In the meanwhile, while we await the day of Abba Avinu’s perfection of us (His children), we struggle. We do the best we can to work together as a team in this our time of imperfection. We help each other. We love each other. The strong help the weak and the weak accept the help until they too are strong.

We don’t compete with each other because the Messiah, our Warrior Shepherd, already ran the race against evil and won! This puts an end to boasting. We messianic Jews have nothing to prove to anyone because we know that the Messiah has already permanently redeemed us and vindicated us (credited us as righteous) in the Proceedings of the Heavenly Court.

The just shall live by faith in the Chesed of Adonai Eloheinu.

This means that all of the prideful, vain, self-glorifying works of the rabbis are nullified. This nullification of ‘their’ special place (their prideful chametz) of falsely believing themselves to be ‘better’ than the rest of us makes these misguided brothers (and sisters) of ours very upset, incredibly angry, and even hateful.

For these reasons we are convinced in these ‘last days’ that it will be the modern day non-religious Yehudim, the agnostic and secular outlaws and rejects, the Prodigal Son(s) of Israel, that will be the first to turn back to Adonai our Father through the Messiah’s teaching on the mercy, grace and love of Adonai. This means that as we rapidly approach the soon coming Golden Age of Israel’s full restoration we need to stop being overly religious (oral law of the rabbis; heart of stone) and start being more merciful, loving, and joyous like our Loving Father in heaven!

We are fast approaching the promised time when every man (and woman) will have his own fig tree and his own vine; when the knowledge of Adonai will flood the earth. Now it is time, therefore, for us to de-emphasize organized religion and each of us adopt a personal relationship of love with Adonai our Father and one another.

We believe the Holy Spirit has been deeply grieved by those of us who are messianic Yehudim sounding too much like our (hyper-legalistic) orthodox counterparts. We confess that in times past we include ourselves in this latter offending group. What we need now is less orthodoxy (laws about acts of compassion, grace, and lovingkindness) and more “ortho-praxy” (the practice of tzedakah, chen, and chesed).

Compassion must be practiced in all four fields of life: family, neighbors, strangers, and even enemies.

If we truly embrace a lifestyle of completely abandoning religion and fully embracing the Ahavah-Chesed Love of Abba Avinu then all of our Israeli young people will have visions (be strong in the Spirit) and all of our Israeli senior citizens will dream dreams (become wise). Then the people of Israel will together (as one united body) usher in the times of the ‘latter rains,’ when:

וְהָיָה אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן אֶשְׁפֹּוךְ אֶת־רוּחִי עַל־כָּל־בָּשָׂר וְנִבְּאוּ בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְנֹֽותֵיכֶם זִקְנֵיכֶם חֲלֹמֹות יַחֲלֹמוּן בַּחוּרֵיכֶם חֶזְיֹנֹות יִרְאֽוּ׃

“It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all humankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28)

Therefore, the only halakhot we need to follow now is the teaching and guidance of the Spirit of Grace and Truth, Who is our True Oral Torah, our Living Torah, the Torah of the Spirit. The Spirit who is Personified Love will supernaturally (spiritual giftedness) and naturally help (natural talents) us in our daily corporate endeavor to simply love Adonai with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our strength, and all of our Mind; and to love our neighbor (and stranger; and enemies) as we are loved, as Abba Avinu and the Mashiach, His Beloved Son (our Kinsman Redeemer), have loved us.

The Vineyard was Pruned twice during the year:

In ancient Israel the pruning of the vineyard occurred twice during the year. Immediately following the harvest in the fall the grapevines were severely pruned (cf. the fall festivals of Messiah). During this time all of the leaves were stripped away from the plants. This was done to induce dormancy. In addition to the fall, spring trimming of the vines was practiced before and after blooming (cf. spring festivals of Messiah). In this way the growth rate of the Grapevine was carefully maintained.

On the one hand, if the vine had too few growing points, it would grow too fast and become vegetative.

In such a state the Grapevine would produce fewer flowers and smaller grape clusters. On the other hand, if the vine was allowed to have too many growing points, it would grow too extensively and its energy would be wasted. In this case, in the spring, the energy of the Grapevine would be wasted on too accelerated a growth and the grape clusters would not produce large and juicy grapes. Also, to avoid the vine growing too slow in the spring, its shoots were removed to insure that it did not spread its energy among the large number of suckers and water sprouts that appeared on the main trunk and the fruiting branches.

Midrash on Shama: The Talmidim’s Relationship to The Messiah:

“Apart from Me you can do nothing. However, if you abide in me, and my words (d’varim) abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

The Hebrew root word for “hear” is שָׁמַע-shama (שֵׁ֫מַע-Aramaic, shema). This supremely important word in Hebrew means to “hear” and “obey.” In the Tanakh children are told to obey (shama) their parents. Obedience is a child’s love language to his or her parents.

So if we love Abba Avinu we will keep His commandment to obey all that His Anointed One the Mashiach tells us to do. The Messiah is our exclusive Master Teacher because He is the only person to ever perfectly obey Adonai. Messiah is the only person who has fulfilled the Shema Unity Prayer. In the Torah all Israel is instructed (Deuteronomy 6:4):

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָֽד׃

“Shema Israel Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad!” “Hear, O Israel: Adonai Eloheinu is One Adonai.”

Therefore, the Hebrew and Aramaic words “shama” and “shema” (hear) mean far more than just to listen. In the Shema the elect nation of Israel (meaning the “Rule of the Almighty”) promises to listen and understand and obey “everything” Adonai says: we are called to hear, understnad, and obey Adonai with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our strength, and all of our mind; all of our total being, individually and corporately, This means each person reciting the Shema has solemnly sworn to act as an “ear” that perfectly hears, understands, and obeys Adonai.

For all, except the Messiah, perfectly keeping this incredible Shema petition-promise to Adonai has been impossible for us.

However, through the help of the Messiah and the Spirit of Adonai, the perfection that we have long sought after but thus far have failed to acquire, is now available to us. Through the help of God’s own Spirit we now have the power to perfectly love-obey Avinu Shebashamayim (our Father in heaven). This aquisiton of the Spirit of Adonai, our Helper, is only possible through the help of the Messiah, who spoke truth when He said, “For apart from Me you can do nothing!” (!שֶׁכֵּן בִּלְעֲדַי אֵינְכֶם יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר). “With this My Father is honored, when you produce fruit in abundance (רֹב-rav), and you will become disciples (תַלְמִידִים-talmidim, talmidin) to Me.”

Therefore, the abundant fruit-bearing Abba Avinu (The Vinedresser) greatly desires of the Messiah (the Vine) and His children (the branches) is four-fold (cf. Isaiah 5:1-7):

Oral Law of the Spirit #1.  To stand (עָמַד-amad) and stay (עָבַד-abad) obedient to Hear (שָׁמַע-shama, שֵׁ֫מַע-shema) His words (d’varim) spoken through His Shekinah, the Messiah, and to do so by both dwelling (שָׁכַן-shakan) in His Spirit and being Indwelt by His Spirit.

Oral Law of the Spirit #2.  To love one another as the Messiah has sacrificially loved us (אָהַב-ahav, אַהֲבָה-ahavah).

Oral Law of the Spirit #3.  To testify to the world of His Justice (מִשְׁפָּט-mishpat).

Oral Law of the Spirit #4. To be guided by the help, comfort, advocacy, witness and righteous works (צְדָקָה-tzedakah) of the Ruach Ha-emet, the Spirit of Truth.

There are three stages of fruit-bearing referred to by the Messiah in his teaching on the life of the Vinedresser, Grapevine & the branches. These three developmental (growth) stages are discussed in Messiah’s midrashim on the spiritual meanings of the six words:

Word #1.  Amad (עָמַד-stand);
Word #2.  Shakan (שָׁכַן-abide, remain);
Word #3.  Shama (שָׁמַע, שֵׁ֫מַע shema, hear, understand, obey);
Word #4.  Ahav (אַהֲבָה, אָהַב ahavah, love);
Word #5.  Mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט-justice); and
Word #6.  Tzedakah (צְדָקָה-righteousness).

The three growth stages that issue from our standing and abiding in the obedience, love, justice and righteousness of the Messiah are:

Stage #1:  Some fruit;
Stage #2:  More fruit; and
Stage #3:  Produce fruit in abundance (שֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ פְּרִי לָרֺב).

When the fruit (פְּרִי) is produced (עָשָׂה) to (לָ) abundance (רֹב) and is Divinely processed—harvested, destemmed, crushed and turned into wine—the result is a mature state of abiding wellness, completeness (שָׁלוֹם-shalom) and indescribable joy (שִׂמְחָה-simcha).

Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 69 Part 2 >>