SEMINAR STUDY:
CAPTIVE TO SIN
Is
it possible to be in
the middle of a FAMINE, and not know
it?
Is
it possible to be in CAPTIVITY, and not
know it?
YES.
Yahushua, the Mashiach of Israel, spoke of the solution to captivity. We are captive to sin, or free from sin, determined by one thing: holding to Yahushua's "teaching". Men's teachings tend to alter and replace Yahushua's teachings, and this is why He spoke to the Yahudim the way He did. This "teaching" He speaks of is the Hebrew word "TORAH", which He had given to Israel to obey, and this Torah is the Covenant (brith) between Yahuah and Israel forever. No other Covenant has replaced it, and all nations are invited to engraft into it. Notice Yahushua's references to His Teaching, slavery, and freedom in this text:
John
8:31-38:
"To the
Yahudim who had believed
Him, Yahushua said,
'If you hold to My Teaching, you are really
My disciples. Then you will know the
Truth, and the
Truth will set you free.'
They answered him, 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone.
How can you say that we shall be set
free?'
Yahushua replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I know you are Abraham's descendants.
Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for
My Word.
I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your
father.'"
The
key to understanding
Yahushua is to make
the connection that
His Teaching, Word,
and "the
Truth" are all
the same thing:
TORAH, the Covenant
between Yahuah and
Israel, given at
Sinai. This
Covenant was broken by
Israel, yet Yahuah's
faithfulness to bring
a remnant to obedience
was ultimately
fulfilled by Yahushua
writing His Torah
(teaching) on their
hearts, as was
prophesied (Jer./YermeYahu
31, Hebrews 8).
This is accomplished
by the indwelling of
Yahushua's Spirit, and
cannot be purchased
with money:
Acts 8:18-23:
“When
Simon
(Shimon Magus) saw
that the Spirit was
given at the laying on
of the apostles'
hands, he offered them
money and said,
‘Give me also this
ability so that
everyone on whom I lay
my hands may receive
the (Ruach haQodesh).’
Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of Elohim with money! You have no part or share in this ministry (work), because your heart is not right before Elohim. Repent of this wickedness and pray to Yahuah. Perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."
2
Tim 2:23-26: “Don't
have anything to do
with foolish and
stupid arguments,
because you know they
produce quarrels.
And Yahuah’s
servant must not
quarrel; instead, he
must be kind to
everyone, able to
teach, not resentful.
Those who
oppose him he must
gently instruct, in
the hope that Yahuah
will grant them
repentance leading
them to a knowledge of
the Truth (Torah),
and that they
will come to their
senses and escape from
the trap of the devil,
who has taken them captive
to do his will.”
Col
2:8:
A world-wide FAMINE, and CAPTIVITY, was prophesied for ISRAEL:
"Behold,
the days come, says
the Sovereign Yahuah,
that I will send a FAMINE
in the land, not a
famine of bread, nor a
thirst for water, but
of hearing the Words
of Yahuah:
And they shall wander
from sea to sea, and
from the north even to
the east, they shall
run to and fro to seek
the Word
of Yahuah, and shall
not find it."
Amos
8:11-12
The
“famine” will end
when we REPENT, and TORAH
will be restored, then
Yahushua will come:
"Repent
therefore and return,
that your sins may be
wiped away, in order
that times of
refreshing may come
from the presence of
the Master;
and that He may
send Yahushua, the
Messiah appointed for
you,
whom heaven
must receive
until
the period of
restoration of all
things about
which Elohim spoke by
the mouth of His pious
prophets from ancient
times.”
Acts 3:19-21
“Because
we do not wrestle
against flesh and
blood, but against
principalities,
against authorities,
against world rulers
of the darkness of
this age, against
spiritual powers of
wickedness in the
heavenlies.”
Ephesians
6:12
“HEAVENLIES”
= UNSEEN REALM,
SHAMAYIM, NON-MATERIAL
DIMENSION
Dt./Debarim
21
Taking a wife
from among captives:
Although
the “woman of
fair form”
was a “captive,”
she was in a very real
sense, someone who was
rescued,
rather than taken
captive. She was
released from her
former captivity to
the freedom of a new
life.
“Our
fathers have inherited
only falsehood,
futility, and there is
no value in them.”
YirmeYahu
(Jeremiah) 16: 19
Beginning
at Luke 4:17:
“He
went to Natsareth,
where He had been
brought up, and on the
Sabbath day He went
into the synagogue, as
was His custom. And He
stood up to read.
The scroll of
the prophet (Isaiah)
YeshaYahu was handed
to Him.
Unrolling it,
He found the place
where it is written:
‘The
Spirit of YAHUAH is
upon Me, because He
has anointed Me to
preach good news to
the poor.
He has sent me
to proclaim freedom
for the captives
and recovery of sight
for the blind, to
release the oppressed,
to proclaim the
acceptable year of
YAHUAH.’ (from
YeshaYahu 61)
Then
He rolled up the
scroll, gave it back
to the attendant and
sat down.
The eyes of
everyone in the
synagogue were
fastened on Him,
and He began by
saying to them,
‘Today this
Scripture is fulfilled
in your
hearing.’"
Further
along in YeshaYahu/Is.
61, Yahushua speaks of
Israel being captive
among the nations, but
He will restore them
by making an
everlasting Covenant
with them:
“In
My faithfulness I will
reward them and make
an everlasting
Covenant with
them.
Their
descendants will be
known among
the nations
and their offspring among
the peoples.
All
who see them will
acknowledge that they
are a people Yahuah
has blessed."
Isa/YeshaYahu
61:8-9
When
we learn to walk in
Yahuah's Torah,
keeping His
festivals,
He
will turn-back
our captivity before
our eyes:
"I
will gather
them
that are sorrowful for
the appointed
feasts
(MOED’IM),
who are of you, to
whom the reproach of
them was a burden.
Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict you: and I will save that which is lame, and gather what was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the Earth, when I turn-back your captivity before your eyes, says Yahuah." Zeph 3:18-20
Fun
to keep you alert:
Q.
Where
did the average
Israelite learn Torah?
A.
(a)
From
stained glass windows
(b)
From
their parents at home
(c)
By
attending synagogues
(d) At the seminary
The TORAH is “the teaching” given to Israel to teach the nations.
The nation of Israel is a “nation of priests”, and from their lips the nations are to learn. Yahushua gave Torah to Israel, and said,
"If
you hold to My
teaching,
you are really My
disciples.
Then you will
know the truth, and
the truth will set you
free."
Yahuchanon/John 8:31-32
Every
time we meet together,
come in, go out, sit
in our home, or walk
along the way, we are
told to speak of
Yahuah’s Torah, and
write them on our
doorposts and our
gates:
IS
THIS THE WAY?
YES!
NOTE:
The Catholic
format ALTERS these
10.
They eliminated
the 2nd
Commandment, and made
the 10th
Commandment into two!
TORAH:
INSTRUCTION,
TEACHING
The
Covenant
/Marriage Contract (BRITH)
Ex
20:1-17
ASERETH
HA’DABARIM (10
WORDS) Yahuah’s
Covenant, our wedding
vows:
LITERAL
TRANSLATION:
“And
Elohim spoke all these
Words:
1.
‘I am
Yahuah
your
Elohim, who brought
you out of Egypt, out
of the land of
slavery.
You
shall have no other
elohim before My face.
2. You
shall not make for
yourself an idol in
the form of anything
in heaven above or on
the Earth beneath or
in the waters below.
You shall not
bow down to them or
worship them;
for I,
Yahuah
your
Elohim, am a jealous
Elohim, punishing the
children for the sin
of the fathers to the
third and fourth
generation of those
who hate me, but
showing love to a
thousand [
generations] of those
who
love
Me
and
keep
My Commandments.
3. You shall not cast
the Name of
Yahuah your
Elohim to ruin, for Yahuah
will not hold anyone guiltless who casts His Name
to ruin.
(SHOAH
= RUIN, DESTROY,
LAY-WASTE)
4. Remember
the Sabbath day by
keeping it qodesh.
Six
days you shall labor
and do all your work,
but the seventh
day is a Sabbath to
Yahuah
your
Elohim.
On
it you shall not do
any work, neither you,
nor your son or
daughter, nor your
manservant or
maidservant, nor your
animals, nor the alien
within your gates.
For in six days
Yahuah
made
the heavens and the
earth, the sea, and
all that is in them,
and He rested on the
seventh day.
Therefore
Yahuah
blessed
the
Sabbath day and made
it qodesh.
5. Honor
your father and your
mother, so that you
may live long in the
land Yahuah
your
Elohim is giving you.
6. You
shall not murder.
7. You
shall not adulterate.
8. You
shall not steal.
9. You
shall not give false
testimony against your
neighbor.
10. You
shall not covet your
neighbor's house. You
shall not covet your
neighbor's wife, or
his manservant or
maidservant, his ox or
donkey, or anything
that belongs to your
neighbor.”
Knowing Torah, and living by it, will mean freedom from “captivity”.
We are otherwise “captive” to sin, and need to be delivered.
DENOMINATIONAL
CAPTIVITY
Billions of people are “captive” to teachings that are not Yahushua’s teachings. They are raised in error, rather than TORAH.
An
example of denominational
captivity,
CAPTIVITY
CAUSED BY THE FAMINE
OF YAHUAH’S WORD:
Amish living patterns are outwardly very pious, and great sacrifices are made to keep their communities closed-off from the wider society. They speak a Germanic dialect among themselves, but also know English. Their Scriptures are written in German, however they do not have a working knowledge of Scripture; usually only one person in a community has access to and can read Scripture. The “famine” of Yahuah’s Word is a defining trait in their communities, yet they don’t seem to realize it.
Amish behavior that is against Yahuah’s instructions:
Sun-day
is thought to be the
“Sabbath Day”, against
Ex. 20, Dt. 5
Eating
hog flesh
--
against
Lev. 11, Is. 66
Yahuah’s annual festivals are ignored completely.
Most
every Christian
denomination shares
these traits, so
it’s obvious where
the Amish inherited
their patterns from:
Roman Catholicism.
Conclusion: The Amish are not in a Covenant with Yahuah, but rather follow men’s teachings and traditions.
Amish living patterns not commanded by Yahuah, but still required by their “order” (to please the eye of men):
Internal
combustion
engine-propelled vehicles
are not driven.
(We "drive" our car because this is the term that was used for centuries when men would "drive" a team of horses).
Certain
electrical
devices
are not used, such as lights and
phones. Some
have built homes
entirely wired for
electricity, but will
not hook up to the
electric grid
- they only
have the home wired
for resale
value! They use
candles and oil lamps
for illumination
after dark. The
buggy below has
battery-operated
lights for safety,
mandated by the
authorities.
The gray and black
color choice for the
buggy is to make the
vehicle appear simple
and less
"prideful".
Every human being (and animal) that lived before 1879 did without these things, including hot water and indoor-plumbing.
(1879
Menlo Park, NJ, Edison
lighted up a string of
street lights).
A few others that did without the use of electrical devices and had to rely on horse-driven carts to get around:
All the prophets, pharaohs, David, Solomon, Galileo, Shakespear, Constantine, Nimrod, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Leonardo DaVinci, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Louis and Clarke, and Thomas Edison.
Your cat and dog pets also have given up electrical devices, even oil lamps and candles -- what benefit toward pleasing Yahuah are these things?
Col
2:20-23:
“Since
you died with Messiah
to the basic
principles of this
world, why, as though
you still belonged to
it, do you submit to
its (THE
WORLD'S) rules:
"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.”
( DO NOT USE ELECTRICITY! DO NOT USE ANY TRANSPORTATION BUT HORSES! DO NOT USE ROUND BUTTONS! DO NOT USE COLORFUL, PRIDEFUL CLOTHING! ) --But go ahead and work on the Sabbath, and eat swine flesh, and ignore the Great Commission to teach all nations Torah?
Col
2:8:
The
Amish people in
America are an old
religious sect, direct
descendants of the ANABAPTISTS
of sixteenth-century
Europe.
Not
to be confused with
the term anti-Baptist,
these Anabaptist
Christians challenged
the reforms of Martin
Luther and others
during the Protestant
Reformation, rejecting
infant baptism in
favor of baptism (or
re-baptism) as
believing adults.
They
also taught separation
of church and state,
something unheard of
in the 16th century.
Later
known as the Mennonites,
after the Dutch
Anabaptist leader Menno
Simons
(1496-1561), a large
group of Anabaptists
fled to Switzerland
and other remote areas
of Europe to escape
religious persecution.
During the late 1600s a group of devout individuals led by Jakob Ammann broke away from the Swiss Mennonites, primarily over the lack of strict enforcement of Meidung, or shunning - excommunication of disobedient or negligent members.
Are we commissioned to separate ourselves, closing-off our lives from the general population?
Is
this what Yahushua
told us to do?
Matt
28:19 - Mark 1:1
“Therefore
go and make disciples
of all nations,
baptizing them in the
Name of the Father and
of the Son and of the
Ruach ha’Qodesh, and
teaching
them
to obey
everything
I have commanded you.
And
surely I am with you
always, to the very
end of the age."
Did
the early apostles
close themselves away
from all contact with
the outer world, and
hide the Scriptures
from those in their
own communities?
“I
appeal to you,
brothers, in the name
of our Master Yahushua
ha’Mashiach, that
all of you agree with
one another so that
there may be no
divisions
among you and that you
may be perfectly united
in mind and thought.
My brothers,
some from Chloe's
household have
informed me that there
are quarrels among
you.
What I mean is
this:
One of you
says, "I follow
Paul"; another,
"I follow Apollos
"; another,
"I follow Cephas";
still another, "I
follow Mashiach."
Is
Mashiach divided? Was
Paul executed for you?
Were
you baptized into the
name of Paul?”
1
Cor 1:10-13
Based
on this instruction,
is there any
legitimate “group”
with a label such as
Baptists, Anabaptists,
Amish, Mennonites,
Moonies, Catholic,
Lutheran, Anglican,
etc.,?
Conclusion: No matter how much a group gives up for Yahuah,
if they are not in the Covenant that Yahuah gave to Israel, they are in BIG TIME trouble. All Gentiles MUST engraft into Israel, and cease being Gentile (Romans 11).
TERMS:
Natsarim = “branches” (also means “watchers”)
Natural
olive branches:
Israelites in the Covenant.
Wild
olive branches:
former Gentiles, engrafted by belief into the Covenant.
The “root” : Yahushua, the Source of Life, living water.
“If
some of
the branches have been
broken off, and you,
though a wild olive
shoot, have been
grafted-in among the
others and now share
in the nourishing sap
from the olive root,
do not boast
over those branches.
If
you do, consider this:
You do not support the
root, but the root
supports you.
You will say
then, "Branches
were broken off so
that I could be
grafted in." Granted.
But they were
broken off because of
unbelief, and you
stand by faith.
Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.”
Rom 11:17-21
Someone once said, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”
He did
not say
"If you love Me,
keep some of My
Commandments",
or
"try to keep My
Commandments as best
you can."
Ex / Shemoth 20:5-6
I,
Yahuah your Elohim, am
a jealous Elohim,
punishing the children
for the sin of the
fathers to the third
and fourth generation
of those who hate Me, but
showing love to a
thousand [
generations] of those
who love
Me and keep My
Commandments.”
Prov 3:1-2
“My
son, forget not My
Torah; but let your
heart keep
My Commandments:
For length of
days, and long life,
and peace, shall they
add to you.”
Prov 4:1-4
“Hear,
you children, the
instruction of a
father, and attend to
know understanding.
For I give you
good doctrine, forsake
not my Torah.
For
I was my father's son,
tender and only
beloved in the sight
of my mother.
He
taught me also, and
said unto me, Let your
heart retain my words:
keep
My Commandments,
and live.”
Prov 7:1-3
“My
son, keep My words,
and lay up My
Commandments with you.
Keep
My Commandments ,
and live; and My Torah
as the apple of your
eye.
Bind
them upon thy fingers,
write them upon the
table of thine
heart.”
John
/ Yahuchanon 14:15
“If
you love Me, keep
My Commandments.”
When we repent and obey, we become Israel, and we know we are in the Covenant with Yahuah.
It’s then we have unity of teachings, and fellowship with one another.
CHILDREN OF THE COVENANT: OUR NAME IS:
ISRAEL The name passed on to us when Israel laid his hands upon us.
All people in the Covenant take this name for themselves.
Who are you? ISRAEL
Come out of captivity, return to the Covenant.
Jer
/ YermeYahu 30:10
"'So
do not fear, Ya’aqob
My servant; do not be
dismayed, O Israel,'
declares Yahuah.
'I
will surely save you
out of a distant
place, your
descendants from the
land of their
exile.’”
Gen / Bereshith 48:14-16
“And
Israel
stretched out his
right hand, and laid
it upon Ephraim's
head, who was the
younger, and his left
hand upon Manasseh's
head, guiding his
hands wittingly; for
Manasseh was the
firstborn.
And
he blessed Joseph, and
said, ‘Elohim,
before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac did
walk, the Elohim which
fed me all my life
long unto this day,
The
Angel which redeemed
me from all evil,
bless the lads; and let
my name be named on
them,
and the name of my
fathers Abraham and
Isaac; and let them
grow into a multitude
in the midst of the
earth.’”
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