I Have Called You By Name (Part I)

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

A name. There is nothing more common in use, yet so personal in meaning. Names are so impactful that they can call forth more than just a person, they can become titles, invoke a feeling and capture essence.  Julius Caesar`s name invoked power, hence why so many emperors called themselves Caesar after him. Magic Johnson brings forth the memory of wonderment, just like when he threw a behind the back pass for a dunk.

And history is peppered with similar examples.

The name, Israel, which is given to Jacob by the God he served (Genesis 32:22 - 32), birthed a family, a nation and was the beginning of a realization of a promise.

Yet, for a promise or covenant to be realized, it must be done by parties that know each other at the very least. Jacob-Israel must have known the God he served, since his relationship with Him was passed on by his father, Isaac, who inherited it from his father, Abraham. We colloquially use the terms such as the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or simply just God, but that only enlists the relationship that the former had with Him and not our own, nor does address Him by His name.

But why is knowing His name important or even an issue for us believers?

Firstly, you cannot serve someone that you don't know. Every healthy and promising relationship begins with an encounter where both individuals introduce each other. Granted, He is the Lord of Hosts and knows how many hairs you have on your head, so He is fully aware of who you are yet he still makes it a point to make an introduction. Simply put, you can't have a calling, if you don't know who called you. Let`s use Jacob as an example, in the Name of God Version, he has a dream where the Lord introduces himself as

“I am Yahweh, the Elohim of your grandfather Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac. I will give the land on which you are lying to you and your descendants.”

- Genesis 28:13

This passage demonstrates Jacob’s introduction to the Lord with His name, Jacob’s connection to the Lord and the calling that Jacob-Israel would have upon this Earth, to begin the nation of Israel, which is expanded further upon in the cited chapter. In the New Testament, Saul-Paul is stricken off his horse and Yeshua is revealed to him;

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

- Acts 9:5 - 6

Similarly to Jacob-Israel, the Lord is revealed to Saul-Paul in a vision with His name, Yeshua - meaning to to deliver, save, or rescue" or “salvation” - with an immediate connection shown as master and servant and calling to go somewhere, Saul begins his ministry with Yeshua’s name in his mouth. It's not a coincidence that much of Saul-Paul’s teaching focused on salvation that was given to us through the act of the cross, a call back to his introduction to Yeshua. 

Secondly, both contemporary names and those found in the Bible have meanings and can reveal the nature of a person, calling given to them or power behind it. As a preliminary example, let's take the names of  Moses, and Peter. Moses’ name in Ancient Hebrew, means "to pull out/draw out of water”, initially calling back to how he was pulled out of the water by the Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 2:10). Moses’ name (and the Holy Spirit) is the reason why he didn't cower  before the Red Sea, even when the Children of Israel were afraid of falling back in the clutches of Pharaoh and Egypt, instead Moses took his staff and split the Red Sea with the help of the Holy Spirit, allowing for safe passage (Exodus 14). Much later, Simon would become Peter or Petros, meaning the rock on which our Lord and Savior pronounced he “will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”(Matthew 16:18) Hence it shouldn't be surprising how much of early Christianity is built upon the rock hard evangelical work of Peter; establishing churches, demonstrating leadership and extending brotherhood in the time after Yeshua’s death. 

The Bible reveals this to us in two distinct examples where the name of the Almighty embodies both power and nature. In the New Testament, the Lord of Hosts explains:

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.”

- 2 Chronicles 7:14

This passage reveals that the Lord’s name is on his people, that there is an important association between the name of God and His people, furthermore emphasising the need for His people to know his name. Due to the fact that His people have His name, the Lord cannot let them die with their sins, because His name cannot be subject to death, to failure or to a fall, hence sending Yeshua, literally meaning salvation.He also asks for His people to change their ways but how can they do so if they do not know to whom they are turning themselves towards?In the New Testament, the power of the Lord’s name and nature is shown to be an authoritative stamp over the armies of evil, this is displayed in both Luke 10:17 and Mark 16:17, where the name of Yeshua is used to force demons out of people. As previously stated, Yeshua means salvation and in this case the name of Yeshua exercises the power of salvation over the one that is being saved by demons. Yeshua’s role as both Son of God and Lord gives his name authority over those same demons, hence establishing the importance of revelation accompanied with a name. 

Now that we understand the importance of knowing the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it's just as important to know the difference between a name and epithet and the reason behind the silence behind the name of God. These points will be explained in further installments of the series. 

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The Feast of Pentecost

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

While he was influenced by the Spirit, King Solomon said “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Songs of Solomon 8:3). In Yahweh’s Holy Calendar, a topic that was covered earlier in the year, there is a fest that is specifically set apart for the Holy Spirit: that feast is now called Pentecost. There are many secrets and revelations within this feast. How did it start? What does it mean? How does one apply its concepts into their everyday life?

Common theology dictates that Pentecost is a celebration that started in the book of Acts 2, however, that isn’t the case. The Old Testament speaks about this holiday. But through a very different name: Shavuot (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10) . It’s an ancient Hebrew word for ‘Weeks’. It was celebrated seven weeks after the first Sabbath that follows Passover (Leviticus 23:11). On this day, the Holy Spirit was over Mount Sinaï as Moses gave the people of Israël the ten commandments and the beginning of the Law (Exodus 19, Exodus 20:1 - 21). The people of Israël continued celebrating this feast through exile; hence, why Yeshua told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for His arrival (Acts 1:4 - 5). 

While the feast takes a different name - Pentecost - when it was written in ancient greek, the symbolism doesn’t change. Even the greek name is a reference to the number of days after Passover: pente kost, means “fifty days”, exactly seven weeks (49 days) with an extra day.

The modern follower of Yahweh has to understand that to celebrate this feast is imperative in ones life with Christ. The Law was written by Moses, but that it must be transcribed in their hearts (Hebrews 10:16). However, the only way that this can be done is through the Holy Spirit. He gives us the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22 - 23). With the fruit of the Spirit, we are able to live happily, while abiding the law that Yahweh created for our betterment. To give perspective, someone who knows the law won’t kill, but someone who has it written in their heart filled with love, peace and self-control, will never even think about sinning, as even that can be a sin (Matthew 5:27). 

The Feast of Pentecost, like all feasts, should be celebrated as a moment of joy: it’s another opportunity to connect to Yahweh. The Feast of Pentecost allows you to get closer to the person of the Holy Spirit, as well as have the law of Yahweh written in your heart. In that, life will be changed, as the law is no longer seen as a burden (1 John 5:3), but a way of living your covenant with the Lord everyday. 

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How to Analyze the Bible

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)

The Bible is known as being the most sold book of all-time, with over 5 billion copies sold. While that continues to be fact, a startling bible verse reminds humanity of a staggering dichotomy: ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge’ (Hosea 4:6). If the Bible is as successful as the world considers it to be, than God’s people shouldn’t be or be getting destroyed. The logical conclusions to these premises are that people are buying, but not reading and studying properly or enough. Therefore, how should we read the Bible?

To understand how to read the Bible begins with understanding that the Bible is a complex book. As the word of Yahweh, it is powerful; Paul says is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Written by multiple authors during multiple centuries, its completion was only done in the IVth century AD. But to simplify it, the writings have to be seen in three different ways that complete each other: historical, spiritual and judicial. 

The Bible is to be understood as a historical account, first of all. Its books such as Chronicles and Kings serve as a testament to that statement. Understanding that this is the history of a distinct people group called the Israelites, living in a much more arid and torrid environment than most of humanity today, gives a better perspective on many of the practices and elements. The best example of this can be seen in the book of Exodus: its a historical account of the leaving of Egypt (Exodus 1 - 17) and the elected race of Yahweh being given the commandments and the law (Exodus 18 - 40).

The spiritual aspect is an important aspect of the Bible that should never be removed. It is imperative to understand that whatever is bound on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever is loose on earth will be loose in heaven (Matthew 18:18. The previous example of the book of Exodus is a good example: the Isrealites rightfully left Egypt when Yahweh made the way for them. They are meant to celebrate the leaving of Egypt (Exodus 12:13 - 14) at the appointed time in perpetuity; future generations who have never seen the land of the Pharaohs will celebrate it (Exodus 12:14b). This is meant to deliver them spiritually from slavery as well, and pass them over from death to life in the living light of Yahweh. It’s in this same vein that the prophecies are accomplished, that is from the book of prophets and even Yeshua’s teaching on the end of days (Matthew 24:37). 

The final way that the Bible is meant to be read is judicially. It makes sense, knowing that God is a righteous judge (Psalms 7:11). A judge bases himself on laws and precedents in any just society. To add to the point of a judicious reading and analysis is necessary is due to the second part of the previously mentioned Hosea 4:6 : “I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”. The Bible is meant to show us how humanity is meant to live their lives: by respecting the laws that Yahweh sent down, being able to live like the only one to never break a law in Yeshua, through the Holy Spirit. 

In finality, the Bible is meant to be read in three distinct ways: historically, spiritually and judiciously. It is through multiple readings of the Bible with these differing perspectives that a full picture is able to be made. With that full image, you do not lose knowledge and don’t die by lack of knowledge: if anything, you will be set free thanks to the fact that you know the truth and the way: Yeshua. 

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God for You

He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. "Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. (2 Kings 2:14)

A common sentence told in many prayers is the following: ‘The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’. It is in no way bad; on the contrary, it is a clear reference to the verse found in  Matthew 22:32. However, there’s something that is deep in that sentence that seems to be ignored by many followers of Christ: Yahweh had a deep, personal and intimate relationship with each of them. Does he have the same relationship with you? In fact, it leads to the question of if you are you able to claim God as being your own. What does that imply and how does one get to such a level with the Holy One of Israël?

In understanding how to personalize and make a relationship with Yahweh, there is a certain level of intimacy that must be breached. It’s about you and Him. It’s the way that you perceive God and ask Him to be a part of your life. If you ask the Lord to be just that, a Lord, He will be just that with you. However, if you follow what Yeshua said and to call Him your Father (Matthew 6:9 - 13), it is different. A child can always approach their father for anything, from gifts to forgiveness and everything in between (Luke 15:11 - 32). As a child of the Most High, it is therefore imperative to know that the title that you attribute to Him, combined with His name, personalized Him to you. 

As His child, it’s time to listen to Him. As a Father, Yahweh will ask you to listen to Him and His instructions. That would mean you have to live by and abide by the Laws of which He prescribed you (Deuteronomy 6:1 - 2). That is done by two things: reading the bible (2 Timothy 3:16 - 17) and hearing what He has to say to you (Hebrews 4:12). From those elements alone, your faith will grow (2 Peter 3:18) as long as you keep searching for Yahweh with all of your heart, for you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7). Finally, do not stop praying (1 Thessaloniciens 5:17, Matthew 6:6). Those are elements that will bring you closer to God and make you able to serve Him and His purpose for you in your life. 

With a relationship that is built on faith, relying on Him for everything, it almost seems childish to ask you to know Him. Do not be the Samaritan woman, who worshiped what she did not know (John 4:22); know the God that you serve. If your god contradicts himself, than He is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for He does not contradict Himself (Number 23:19). If your god promotes an unhealthy and unholy lifestyle, than they are not the God of Israël, who commanded His children to be holy (Isaiah 6:3). If your god is telling you to sin, than they are not the Alpha and Omega who abhors sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Proverbs 6:16-19). Like a child knows their father, know who Yahweh. 

There is no world in which Yahweh doesn’t want you or love you (Jeremiah 31:3) - therefore, do as He asks and cling onto Him, that they might be for him a people that know His name, to praise, and to glorify Him (Jeremiah 13:11). That’s how you transform your relationship with Him, from the God of Abraham to also being your God.

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Reading Paul

“He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) 

When reading the Bible as a simple book, there are aspects that will confound and easily distort one's view of the word. Atheists and other authors will consider some of these to be considered imperfections and contradictions. Studying multiple articles from these authors shows that there is a glaring element that comes into focus: Paul is quoted, a lot. Much of the confusion comes from the letters that were written by Paul - which spans from Romans to Philemon. Are there actually contradictions in Paul’s writings? Why is it so hard to understand the books written by Paul? What does it mean for those who follow Yahweh? 

To begin, there are no contradictions in the Bible. For true believers, the argument that says that ‘‘it was inspired by Yahweh’’ is enough, but believers aren’t the only ones who take part in the debate. Non-believers will retort and claim that it’s an unfounded argument that they do not believe. Therefore, to quell their beliefs, one must break down why there aren’t any contradictions. Firstly, the Bible that is read by most people in the World is read in their own language and not the original language in which it is written: therefore, trust is put in the hands of the translator to have correctly translated, leaving way for interpretations and mistranslations. Secondly, the Bible holds multiple narrators; Yahweh gives His Word and humans could add their opinions, such as Paul (1 Timothy 2:12). Therefore, once those two major elements of nuance are explained and covered, the idea of biblical contradictions disappear. 

But to understand Paul as an author and servant of the Holy One of Israël, one must understand the context of the time. One can correctly assume that he wasn’t consciously writing the Bible: to him, he was writing letters. To whom he was writing letters to? To people who were now Ephesians and Galatians, to name but a few. However, these people were biologically Israelites (Romans 9:1 - 9), for who Yahweh had made covenants with their fathers. These people knew the law and the Prophets. Therefore, he spoke in ways that would make sense to them as they were already knowledgeable, hence Peter said that it was hard for those who were not sound in the scriptures, as it could lead to their downfall (2 Peter 3:16).

But many christians and followers of Yahweh aren’t taught the law; they are taught the false doctrine that says that the law was abolished. 

Another factor that complicates reading is the historical/philosophical factor. Disregard the fact that Paul wrote around 2,000 years ago. Take into account that reading many of Paul’s writings show signs of the times: a very roman and hellenised period. The Socratic method - a teaching and learning technique that emphasizes asking questions - is being used, however we are only reading Paul’s response. The best example is in Galatians 5, when talking about circumcision: he isn’t against the law, Paul is espousing how you can’t be justified by the law, you are condemned by the law and justified by Christ, however, you need the law to understand what is wrong and right (Galatians 5:1 - 6) by using the Socratic method. 

To be brief, the complications that come from reading the letters of Paul are multiple: it was destined for Israël, for those who knew the Law and written in the Socratic method. It seems like a lot, but when taken into account, reading becomes much easier. You are able to properly understand what Paul meant in his teachings and see that the bible has no contradictions. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

"You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt and none shall appear before Me empty-handed. (Exodus 23:15) 

The Seven Feasts are staples of the culture that Yahweh instilled in Israël; meant to be followed by their children and those who follow them. While the general population knows about Passover, the second feast - which begins immediately after Passover, as prescribed by the Holy Calendar - should hold importance to any follower of Christ. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a fascinating look at the way that Yahweh wants His children to follow Him. Why unleavened bread? What is the Feast of Unleavened Bread? What does it mean for the modern follower of the Messiah? 

A general understanding of the Feast of Unleavened Bread can not be had without understanding the title. Beginning with the word feast, it is a celebration and a convocation that will be joyous in nature. With that being said, unleavened bread is bread that doesn’t have an additive that makes it rise, hence it is flat. The most common additive is yeast. Yeast is a symbol of sin (1 Corinthians 5:7-13). When yeast is added to bread, it rises, just like sin. Sin rises and multiplies when added to your life. An example of this would be a little white lie about catching a single trout fish, that grows exponentially into becoming an international expedition where you caught a whale shark. Therefore, life without sin is like bread without sin.

In essence, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, as the second Feast of the Lord (Exodus 12:15-20), is a celebration meant to remove sin. It is made to sanctify. As you pass over from death to life with the feast of Passover, you begin your new life in sanctification. That’s why Yahweh tells the children of Israêl that they must remove the yeast from their houses (Exodus 12:15) and cast out anyone who doesn’t live this feast (Exodus 12:19) as they will make whatever is around them unholy. Those who are unholy cannot see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). 

Hence, you need sanctification to have a relationship with Yahweh. 

In the New Testament, it is shown that Yeshua lived the Feast of Unleavened Bread in all four books of the gospel. The first one, the Gospel according to Matthew, is much more explicit, with the story of the last supper beginning with “Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?” (Matthew 26:17). With the passover dinner done, everything that happens in the garden of Gethsemane happens during the feast of Unleavened Bread: from the prayer, to Yeshua crying and everything else that will happen for that week. He celebrated the feast of sanctification in prayer, spending time in communion with Yahweh. 

The feast of Unleavened Bread is a mystery to many, but remains very simple: it is a time to make yourself holy so that you may connect to the Holy One of Israël. Sanctification is essential in ones walk with Yahweh, and this is the opportunity that He gives you to make yourself presentable before Him. 

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God's Time (Part II)

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. (Acts 1:7)

In the last Thinking Twice article, we discussed setting time apart for Yahweh, click here for Part 1.

Time is one of the lost important notions in people"s lives. It regulates the big question of "when". In the life of those who spend their time worshipping the one and only God, it’s more than what they give to Yahweh, but also what He gives. As established in the previous article of Thinking Twice, He is the master of time and circumstance (Daniel 2:21); but how does He control that aspect? How does this affect the life of the people who want to worship in spirit and in truth? 

The topic of how Yahweh controls time can easily be understood by discerning a common idiom: He is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient  (all knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere). While those specific words aren’t mentioned anywhere in scripture, it’s heavily insinuated in Psalms 139:1 - 24. As the creator that He is (Colossians 1:16; Genesis 1:1), all things come into existence through His word (Romans 4:17); hence the story of creation. The first two chapters of Genesis recount how Yahweh created the world, but also how He controls time, in the first chapter’s fourteenth verse: 

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years”

From this specific bible verse, it can be deduced that Yahweh counts days, months and years. The only way that a system of that genre is possible is to have a calendar. Therefore, God has a calendar. 

The calendar that Yahweh created - which, for the sake of simplicity will be called the ‘Holy Calendar’ - is something that has always existed. In that calendar is found the exact days for the Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23), when He begins the year (Exodus 12:2) and when He blesses those who follow his commandments (Leviticus 26:1 - 13). It’s upon this calendar that Yahweh creates the plans for peace and prosperity for you, those you care for and for all of His children (Jeremiah 29:11). 

The following of the Holy Calendar means that one isn’t just following the law, but living happily within it as they live their lives in accordance to God’s Time. Yahweh directs your path towards Him (Proverbs 16:9; Psalms 37:23) with every passing day once you follow His calendar. That entails that you follow the Sabbath as it is prescribed (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Isaiah 58:13-14; 56:1-8; Acts 17:2) and the Feasts of the Lord at their appointed times (Leviticus 23:1 - 2).

What stands as reasoning behind the modern person to continue to abide to this calendar is listening to Yahweh’s commandments. To not listen to what the Lord has commanded and instituted is to accept the curses that He will send upon you (Deuteronomy 28:15 - 68), as He turns His face away from you (Ezekiel 7:22).Enemies will take advantage of your lack of knowledge, and you will perish (Hosea 4:6). It’s allowing the Enemy to get a hold on you and your life, as he puts you on his time and under his domination (Daniel 7:21, 25).

As the year begins in Yahweh’s Holy Calendar, celebrations and feasts of the first season will begin such as Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits. It is time to set yourself right with Yahweh and begin anew with the Holy One of Israël. 

To access Yahweh’s Holy Calendar, click here.

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