Ben Yahuah's Truth Page: Truth

Meaning of "Day of Trumpets" in Ancient Hebrew

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:26:02 GMT

Meaning of "Day of Trumpets" in Ancient Hebrew
by J E Marchant ©2008
The "Day of Trumpets" should actually be called the "Day of Blasting".
This is because in ancient Hebrew the phrase for the "Day of Trumpets" is "IUM (day) TaRUOE". TaRUOE means the "first sign to secure, watch and lookout", ie an initial indication or alarm that was given to groups of people to secure, watch over and look-out for their family and property, in the case of an emergency, war, or a set-apart time of rejoicing. In ancient times the alarm was made by blasting a trumpet and/or a human voice. In the Book of Revelation the alarm might also be made using thunder, earthquakes, and great icy and fiery hail.
People Can TaRUOE (Blast) Too. The main reason why we celebrate the Day of Blasting is to envision the FUTURE event when we (prayerfully) will obtain new bodies as we shout IEUE's Name, and when IEUE's period of final warning of the inhabitants of the Earth will commence.

The Day of Blasting
We are commanded to blast on the first day of the seventh month.
CLV Lv 23:24 Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month on day one of the month there shall be a cessation for you with a memorial trumpet blasting, a holy meeting.
CLV Num 29:1 In the seventh month, on day one of the month you shall come to have a holy meeting when you shall do no occupational work at all; a day of trumpet blast shall you come to have.

Trumpets not Specified, but Were Usually Used to Blast
These verses (above) do not actually contain the word "trumpet". However we know from many events in scripTURE that ancient Hebrews certainly used trumpets/bugles/horns which they called SHaPURs (shofars) to make blasting noises for emergencies, battle starts and times of rejoicing. This is the reason why most bible versions have inserted the word "trumpet".

Ancient Hebrew "TaRUOE" Means "Blast"
The ancient Hebrew word for blasting/blast in the above verses is "TaRUOE" (said as "ta-roo-oh-eh"). This word has five letters. The lower case "a" is just a default vowel for connecting two consonants, and is not based on Massoritic vowel points.

The five letters are
T = tau (modern tav) = two crossed sticks. This represents a sign.
R = raash (modern resh) = man's head. This represents first
U = uu (modern vav) = tent peg. This represents secure
O = oin (modern ayin) = eye. This represents watch
E = ea (modern heh) = man with arms raised. This represents look

Overall we get "Sign (that is) first (for) securing, watching and looking", or "the first sign to secure, watch and lookout". In other words an initial indication or alarm that was given to groups of people to secure, watch over and look-out for their family and property, in the case of an emergency, war, or a set-apart time of rejoicing (usually because of the victory over an enemy).

Concordance and Lexicon Definitions
Strong's Concordance and Benner's Ancient Hebrew Lexicon say that TaRUOE means an alarm, loud noise, shout, a cry. This aligns with the ancient Hebrew pictographic analysis of each of the letters of the word.

Strong's definition of "TaRUOE (teruah)" (H8643)תּרוּעה

From H7321; clamor, that is, acclamation of joy or a battle cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarum: - alarm, blow (-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout (-ing), (high, joyful) sound (-ing).

Strong's definition of "RUO (rua)" (H7321)
רוּע
A primitive root; to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively to split the ears (with sound), that is, shout (for alarm or joy): - blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.

Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible Definition of TaRUOE (AHLB#:1460-J (i1))
Shout: A great shout of alarm, war or rejoicing. [freq. 36] |kjv: shout, shouting, alarm, sound, blowing, joy| {str: 8643}

Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible Definition of RUO (AHLB#:1460-J (V))
Shout: To shout an alarm, war or great rejoicing. [freq. 46] (vf: Niphal, Hiphil) |kjv: shout, noise, alarm, cry, triumph, smart| {str: 7321}

People Can TaRUOE (Blast) Too
The word TaRUOE is not just used for the blast of a trumpet. It can be used for describing the shout of a person.
For example -
1) When the ISHaRaALites encircled IRIHU (Jericho). They were commanded to not just blow their SHaPURs but also shout (TaRUOE) with their voices.
"Teruah literally means to make a loud noise. This word can describe the noise made by a trumpet but it also describes the noise made by a large gathering of people shouting in unison (Nu 10:5–6)."http://www.karaite-korner.org/yom_teruah.shtml Emphasis added.

CLV Jsh 6:5
and it has been, in the prolongation of the horn of the jubilee, in your hearing the voice of the trumpet, all the people shout--a great shout [TaROUE], and the wall of the city has fallen under it, and the people have gone up, each over-against him.'
CLV Jsh 6:20 And the people shout, AND blow with the trumpets, and it comes to pass when the people hear the voice of the trumpet, that the people shout--a great shout [TaROUE], and the wall falls under it, and the people goes up into the city, each over-against him, and they capture the city;

2) When the ISHaRaALites took the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistine camp back to the Hebrew camp. It doesn't say exactly what ISHaRaAL shouted with, but it does say "ISHaRaAL shouted". ISHaRaAL are people.

1Sa 4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of יהוה came into the camp, all ISHaRaAL shouted [TaRUOE] so loudly that the earth shook. 1Sa 4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout [TaRUOE], they said, “What is the noise of this great shout [TaRUOE] in the camp of the Heḇrews?” And when they knew that the ark of יהוה had come into the camp,

3) When the ISHaRaALites carried the Ark into the city of IRUSHaLIM. Both humans shouted [TaRUOE] with their voices AND the ram's horn was "sounded".

The word for "sounded" used is QUL, which means "voice" (not blast), and comes from the letters "qap-uu-lam" which mean "authoritative securing at the horizon", in other words the call of the shepherd to the sheep at sunset, which by extension means "call". (Note the similarity in the English word "call" and the ancient Hebrew word "QUL"! This is not a co-incidence, please see English Alphabet Shaped by Hebrews Only for the explanation why).

Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible Definition of QUL (AHLB#: 1426-J (N))
Voice The call of the shepherd to the sheep who knew him by sound. When it came time to move he would call them and they would quickly gather to him, the sound of the shepherd, musical instrument, the wind, thunder, etc.

2Sa 6:15 Thus DUD (David) and all the house of ISHaRaAL brought up the ark of יהוה with shouting [TaRUOE] AND with the sound [QUL]of the ram’s horn.
4) When the altar was rebuilt in IRUSHaLIM. The people of ISHaRaAL praised IEUE as they shouted [TaRUOE].

Ezr 3:11 And they responded by praising and giving thanks to יהוה, “For He is good, for His kindness towards ISHaRaAL is forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout [TaRUOE], when they praised יהוה, because the foundation of the House of יהוה was laid.
5) IUB (Job's) friend BaLaDaD (Bildad) told him that lips can blast [TaRUOE].
YLT Jb 8:21 While he filleth with laughter thy mouth, And thy lips with shouting [TaRUOE],
There are more references to humans "blasting" in Psa 27:6, Psa 33:3, and Psa 89:15.

More than Just a Rest Day with "Blasting"
TURE (Torah) may be fairly quiet on what this IUM (day) means, but the New Covenant scriptures are very clear what this day represents.

IUM TaRUOE is not so much a day of remembering the past, this is probably why the TURE is fairly quiet on the matter. The Autumnal feasts are types of FUTURE events, and so this means IUM TaRUOE's meaning is futuristic, because IUM TaRUOE is an autumnal High SHaBaT.
One day in the future the Son of ADaM (IEUESHUO) will gather His chosen ones from the whole Earth with the "great sound of a TRUMPET" at the culmination of the Great Tribulation.

Mat 24:31 “And He shall send His messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

This day of the "rapture" will be both a day of great rejoicing for those who were deemed worthy to meet Him in the air, AND the start of the beginning of a huge emergency for those left behind.
The worldwide government will be fully declared by the Anti-Mashich by this time, along with lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake and great hail occurring on a global scale.

This last day of trumpet blasting (the seventh "trumpet"), and the six preceding "trumpet blasts" may come in the form of thunder, earthquakes, great icy and fiery hail, or other large-scale natural blasting.

After this the worst of IEUE's judgment on this unbelieving generation will be unleashed through the vials/bowls. These events (wicked sores, blood sea, blood rivers, burning sun, darkness, the Euphrates dried up) will be IEUE's FINAL WARNING until the Battle of IRUSHaLIM on the Day of Atonement (IUM KIPUR), when SHaTaN will be bound, and the 1000 year reign will commence.

Shouting IEUE's Name on the IUM TaRUOE
In Lev 23:24, IUM TaRUOE is also referred to as "ZaKRUN TaRUOE". The word "ZaKRUN" is sometimes translated as “memorial” but this Hebrew word also has the meaning of “mentioning” often in reference to speaking the name of IEUE (e.g. Ex 3:15; Isa 12:4; ; 26:13; Ps 45:18).
The day of ZaKRUN TaRUOE, the “Mentioning Shout”, may refer to a day of gathering in public prayer in which the crowd of the faithful shouts the name of IEUE in unison. http://www.karaite-korner.org/yom_teruah.shtml

Could it be that the only ones raptured will be those shouting the (correct) Name of IEUE on some future Day of Blasting?!

This aligns with the traditional IEUEDic (Jewish) blessing of "MAY YOU BE INSCRIBED & SEALED FOR A GOOD YEAR".

Only those correctly sealed using the proper Name of ALEIM, which is IEUE, will know what Name to shout on IUM TaRUOE! These people have had the Name of IEUE and his son IEUESHUO (just one word - IEUE is embedded into the Name IEUESHUO) on their foreheads (via immersion). When we are immersed we should call on IEUESHUO's Name.

Joe 2:32 “And it shall be that everyone who calls on the Name of יהוה shall be delivered. For on Mount TSIUN and in IRUSHaLIM there shall be an escape as יהוה has said, and among the survivors whom יהוה calls.
See "The Name is the Seal" for more about the importance of being sealed.

In Conclusion
The "Day of Trumpets" should actually be called the "Day of Blasting". Ancient Hebrew "TaRUOE" Means "Blast". People Can TaRUOE (Blast) Too.

The main reason why we celebrate the Day of Blasting is to envision the FUTURE event when we (prayerfully) will obtain new bodies in the sky as we possibly shout IEUE's Name, and when IEUE's period of final warning of the inhabitants of the Earth will commence.

May we be sealed FOREVER (not just for the year!) in the only name that saves - IEUESHO (IEUE Saves).

Paul more APOSTATE than apostle part2

Tue, 13 May 2008 01:06:24 GMT

A New Morality

One of the proofs that Paul used to declare the Law was abolished is in the way Paul explains that a 'new morality' is now established for christians. Paul now provides his own replacement ethical system in place of YHUH's... I guess he thinks his is better. Paul's new morality system is based on what is "obvious" as wrong to a person led by the spirit. Here are some of the tests he uses...

1Co 6:12 All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; 1Co 10:23 All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify. Rom 14:22 ... Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. Rom 14:5 Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.

This is the "If It Feels Good... Do it!" Philosophy

This is the same philosophy that the Pagan Greeks have... Paul was a Hellenist Jew (More pagan than Jew). Now you are beginning to see Paul's Hellenized roots popping up. You need to ask yourself... is holding this philosophy keeping in the standards and ways that YHUH established for us... Absolutely Not!

This needs more discussion. Paul teaches that anything is allowed if your conscience permits it. According to Paul The Torah is moot and no longer applies. If your conscience allows you to think something is permissible... then it is permissible.

Here is another issue where Yahu'sha and Paul differ greatly.

Paul says if you sin, just find a way to let your conscience live with it. Rom 14:22 ... Happy is he that does not condemn himself in that thing that he allows.

Yahu'sha says: Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.
Mat 18:8 And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 9 And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.
Mar 9:42 And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 43 And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire; 44 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell; 46 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of YHUH with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell; 48 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched

Yahu'sha's plan for repentance is a lot harder to accept and it is no wonder that Paul's worshippers and the church preferred the easy way out. There's no personal sacrifice in Paul's religion. Just forgive yourself and go on lying,cheating, stealing, raping and killing.... No worries.... You can continue to do whatever you want and remain saved. Somehow that doesn't equate with Scripture. One can continue to be in blatant disobedience to YHUH's Law and still retain full pardon? How does that work?

There is no point in repenting from anything or turning away from sin if your reward is guaranteed no matter what you do. Is that what Scripture says? That is the doctrine of Paul and the Church. The sad thing is the church truly lives that way too.

Paul's Belief's on the Origins of The Law

I hope you're sitting down for this. It is one of the most troubling aspect of Paul's writings on The Law. He attributes the Law that was given to Moses was given by angels. According to Paul...Moses was just a mediator and if we want to go back to a Torah based lifestyle, then we are submitting ourselves to those who are no gods and they are weak and beggarly elements. In saying this Paul clearly says the Law was not given by YHUH. Let's take a look at what Paul said.

Gal 3:19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Gal 4:8 Howbeit at that time, not knowing YHUH, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:
Gal 4:9 but now that ye have come to know YHUH, or rather to be known by YHUH, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?

What is also very disturbing is that he speaks of people who are obedient to YHUH as if they are in bondage. Rather than the Law being a positive thing, he prefers to recast the nature of the entire Hebrew Scriptures to make them a very bad thing. Now let's read that entire section in Galatians.

Gal 3:19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but YHUH is one.
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of YHUH? YHUH forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.
Gal 3:22 But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward (bondage)under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 So that the law is become our tutor (The Law)to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor (The Law).
Gal 3:26 For ye are all sons of YHUH, through faith, in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.
Gal 4:1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
Gal 4:2 but is under guardians and stewards (angels) until the day appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elements (angels) of the world:
Gal 4:4 but when the fullness of the time came, YHUH sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Gal 4:5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, YHUH sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7 So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through YHUH.
Gal 4:8 Howbeit at that time, not knowing YHUH, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods (angels):
Gal 4:9 but now that ye have come to know YHUH, or rather to be known by YHUH, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly elements (angels), whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.
Gal 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
Gal 4:20 but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.
Gal 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
Gal 4:23 Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
Gal 4:25 Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now.
Gal 4:30 Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.
Gal 4:31 Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.

Who gave the Law.... YHUH or Beggarly Angels?

Ok, Let's test Paul against Scripture... wanna guess who's in error?

I'm going to take you first to Exo 20:1 And YHUH spake all these words, saying,.... what follows is the rest of the Ten Commandments. Did you see anything about angels or elements giving The Commandments to Moses? OK, Let's see if there is any more evidence...

Exo 25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Care to see what Yahu'sha says about who gave the commandments?

Mar 12:26 But as touching the dead, that they are raised; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how YHUH spake unto him(Moses), saying, I am the Elohim of Abraham, and the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob?
Luk 20:37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth YHUH the Elohim of Abraham, and the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob.

Did anyone see any angels or beggarly elements mentioned in those scriptures?

It appears that Yahu'sha has declared Paul a false teacher again and again and again! Paul is FLAT WRONG!

FALSE PROPHET - FALSE APOSTLE - FALSE TEACHER

More Contradictions from Paul

What I find amusing yet disturbing is that Paul does not want his worshippers to submit to YHUH's Laws, Yet Paul does want them to submit to Pagan Authorities (Roman Caesars). He says that YHUH has set the Pagans in authority over the believer's for their own good. Paul says the cruel Romans are Ministers of YHUH.... Want Proof?

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of YHUH; and the powers that be are ordained of YHUH. 4 for he is a minister of YHUH to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of YHUH, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil.

Roman Cruelty is ordained by YHUH?

So we are to submit to Disobedient and tyrannical governments but not YHUH's Laws? Does anyone see anything wrong with that picture?

Yahudah finds Paul Heretical!!!

Paul says YHUH's angels are weak and beggarly elements and that is a severe put down of YHUH's creation. He also implicates the angels for acting out of turn and bringing the Law to Moses (which I have already disproved)

However Yahudah (Yahu'sha's brother) condemns Paul and "those who make grace a license for immorality"

Yahudah 1:4 For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our YHUH into lasciviousness (Immorality), and denying our only Master and Lord, Yahu'sha. 8 Yet in like manner these (false teachers) also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion (YHUH's Kingdom), and rail at dignities (Angels). 10 But these (false teachers) rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed. 11 Woe unto them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah 12 These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Now allow me to explain how this relates to Paul... Jude clearly condemns the Dangerous Grace Teachers and gives a clue as to the identities of these teachers... They rail at dignities (Angels). He warns of wolves in sheep's clothing that have slipped in among you (Yahudah 4). They put down and slander Angels (Yahudah 8). They are False Teachers who teach grace is a license for immorality (Yahudah 4)... Yahudah defines this as teaching that "Once you are a Christian there is no risk of eternal fire" (Yahudah 7) if we engage in immorality (Yahudah 4,7). Yahudah gives us an example that initial salvation and even a presence with YHUH in Heaven is brought to nothing by sin/having lost faith. There are NO guarantees that one will finally be saved from eternal fire. Those who teach to the contrary and guarantee salvation no matter what sin you commit after you've been initially saved... Yahudah says These are False Teachers who are TWICE DEAD... meaning they were dead in sin, then born again, then died again by virtue of their apostasy (Yahudah 12)

Your security is totally dependent on your faithfulness and obedience to YHUH. Like a Faithful and Obedient Bride. This is what is meant when Yahudah says "Keeping yourself" (Yahudah 3). What it boils down to is Yahudah says You must not stray from the words of YHUH and Yahu'sha by listening to the words of False Teachers who rail at Angels, deny YHUH's authority (in giving the Law) and contradict Yahu'sha's teachings, these false teachers boast of their own accomplishments and give assurances that YHUH's grace will protect them from the penalty of their sins after the initial salvation.

So Yahu'sha and Paul have very different beliefs about Moshe and the Law.Yahu'sha condemns Paul for the undermining of Moshe's Inspiration. If you accept Paul's religion then you have undermined the very authority necessary to trust Yahu'sha.

Joh 5:46 For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe me; for he wrote of me.
Joh 5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.
If Paul is correct about the Angels and them giving the Law to Moshe...Then Yahu'sha's words make no sense and the key to truly know and trust in Yahu'sha is destroyed. Some thing is terribly wrong with church tradition and that does include Paul.

Paul Contradicts Yahu'sha

Yahu'sha stressed the validity of the Law up through the passing of the Heavens and the Earth.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Yahu'sha can never be accused of leading or seducing anyone away from the law.

Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he hath spoken rebellion against YHUH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, to draw thee aside out of the way which YHUH your Elohim commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.

Another interesting fact... Yahu'sha or YHUH never specified the Commandments/Law was for Jews only... this is another lie that was started by Paul and carried through the ages faithfully by christianity.

Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Lev 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the sojourner, as for the home-born: for I am YHUH your Elohim.

There is no requirements to be Jewish and the law did not lose its importance with the death of Yahu'sha... These are more of Paul's Falsehoods.

Yahu'sha just says:

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.

Many will argue about what commandments Yahu'sha gave... Perhaps the following will answer everyone's questions...

Joh 8:57 The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Joh 8:58 Yahu'sha said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am.

So it was Yahu'sha who gave the Law to Moshe... It is Yahu'sha's Law/Commandments.

Christianity has NO EXCUSE

Christianity has some very difficult decisions that must be made very soon. To follow Yahu'sha and abandon the False Prophet/Apostle or continue it's current heretical path of apostasy

What About Paul's Pro-Law Statements?

Messianic believers follow the law except for animal sacrifice. In order to bridge the connection to christianity Messianics like to cite a few verses from Paul to prove he did not abrogate the entire law.

Some of these are: Rom 3:31 ... we establish the law. Rom 7:12 So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

They will even cite the self-contradictory verse: 1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of YHUH.
Paul is quoted by Luke by saying: Act 24:14 ..., so serve I the Elohim of our fathers, retaining my belief in all points of the law...

Using these little snippets can be very misleading and does not explain Paul's thoughts about the Law or his preaching against it. Paul's randomly compliments the Laws good nature but it does not mean much. We all can speak kindly of the dead. Paul does not agree that the principles are more than dead letters and these compliments have no bearing.

Rom 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

Paul uses his prowess in deception in a verse we need to examine a lot closer...

1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Paul says that circumcision is nothing but keeping the commandments is everything.... This is self-contradictory. If you are a believer you already know that circumcision is a commandment. Now here's the deception... He is leading the pro-Law believers to his side by sounding like he is pro-Law. The Messianics are still taken in by Paul to this day.

Paul created a huge stumblingblock for all believers and especially Jews.

The Jews that believed in Yahu'sha and were pro-law called considered heretics by Paul (the sentiment still abides today). Paul claims that Jewish believers who were still obedient to the Law were abiding in the curse (the Law). Paul said they were severed from Yahu'sha and that Yahu'sha will profit them nothing. They are bound to keep the whole law. Paul calls them cursed and anathema because they bring "another gospel" that is not Paul's. They actually were holding the truth and Paul could not afford his worshippers to be exposed to them.

The Jews stopped coming to Yahu'sha as their atonement not because YHUH hardened their hearts as Paul said...

Rom 11:7 What then? that which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened:
Rom 11:8 according as it is written, YHUH gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day.

The true stumblingblock was the one Paul alone created... it is his brand of christianity and his requirement that they had to give up the Commandments of YHUH. They had to accept him as a prophet even though he violated YHUH's laws and taught others to do it. He sought to seduce them away from YHUH's Laws

Paul in Romans 7 clearly said the Jews were released from from the law and were now free to remarry another Jesus who had ended the Law.

In Acts 21, Ya'acov (James- Brother of Yahu'sha) was the Bishop of Jerusalem and heard that Paul was creating stumblingblocks for the conversion of the Jews, and Ya'acov tried to prevent it. He tells Paul that he is aware of a rumor of Paul's works, but he is not yet aware the rumors are true. He asks Paul for assurance that Paul is not an apostate heretic from the Law. Ya'acov tells Paul that believers must still be circumcised. He tells Paul what is at stake and that myriads of Jews were coming to Yahu'sha... however they are hearing from Paul that they must give up the Law...including circumcision. Ya'acov's outlook is that both Jew and Gentile were to form one congregation, but only the Jews were obliged to circumcision.

Paul's response to Ya'acov was well guarded and he did not reveal his true teachings. He purposely misled Ya'acov and the Jerusalem Council on what he taught.

Paul corrupted the New Covenant that was promised... so as to expel the Law and observant Jews

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith YHUH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Paul created a distorted image of what the New Covenant really represented.

Yahu'sha taught to add the New in a way that preserves both old and new...Mat 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved.

But Paul's message became associated with Yahu'sha. Christianity teaching came to view that Paul's New replaced the old. But that Doctrine violates Deu 13:5 and Jer 31:31.

Paul's apostasy became legitimate justification for Jews to view Yahu'sha as an apostate from the Law. In Rabbinical Literature the rejection of Yahu'sha is based upon Deu 13:5 as the Jews were commanded to follow.

Christianity really has no idea what severe damage has been done to the Jews through Paul's rejection of YHUH's authority and christianity has not a clue of the path of destruction it has been on since it adopted Paul's doctrine as a replacement for YHUH's. If any hearts have been hardened... it has been the hearts of christianity against the Commandments of Yahu'sha/YHUH and even rejecting YHUH himself.

I hope this article has been helpful to your quest of truth. Ben Yahuah

Much of the info that was used in this article can be found in a book entitled: "Jesus' Words Only or Was Paul the Apostle Jesus Condemns in Revelation 2:2?" by Douglas J. Del Tondo, Esq.

Many Thanks Doug for sharing what you have been given by YHUH!

The Beard-Part 2

Sat, 03 May 2008 23:04:29 GMT

Man is a man, not a woman. Man is a man, not a boy. YAHUAH has set forth a clear, substantive, and causative difference; and a man should, according to His holy design, preserve that difference – for his wife's sake, for the sake of his children, for the sake of YAHUAH's kingdom and His creation, for the sake of society, and for the sake of truth. Let a man proclaim: Wear the beard men! YAHUAH has set it upon your jaw. Preserve it. Uphold it. Let His distinctive identifying mark upon you be in harmony with His glory, His creation, and His purpose.

Will a beard make a man? Not necessarily. But, a beard unmistakably tells others he is a man. A sign outside a building lets one know what kind of business is inside; but it does not necessarily reveal the character or quality of the business. And if a man is not capable of even growing a beard, he is no less a man. He too should equally accept the distinctive way YAHUAH has made him (just as the man who can grow a beard should accept the way he is made). Again, what has YAHUAH shown in nature but diversity and acceptance? The raven and the dove do not lament that they have not a showy appearance over their mates. Likewise, there are whole groups of people who cannot grow beards. But that is alright. The point is – men should accept YAHUAH's individual design for them. His prevailing testimony, both in nature and in men, is that the man is to have a more striking appearance, which included a beard. Frankly, there is something to be said for the man who grows a scraggly, thin, or patchy beard and seeks to honor YAHUAH's unique and complete creation of him, when other men who can grow a robust beard remove it daily.

Men who have lesser beards should wear them proudly. The sparrow does not lament that he does not have the splendor of a peacock. The quail does not grieve that his colors do not match that of the pheasant. The dog does not sulk that he does not possess the mane of the lion. We should accept the beard YAHUAH has given us, and wear it, groom it, let it be distinctive; not for what others have, but for what each of us has been given by YAHUAH. Small or great, patchy or full, we should acceptingly wear the beard; it is YAHUAH's own distinctive design for each of us individually.

RESPECT AND INTIMACY

Likewise, we honor YAHUAH and respect His design when we wear the beard. Wearing the beard is of YAHUAH – honoring YAHUAH our Creator who made men with a beard. It is His order for men’s faces, not fair skin like women or boys.

The beard, by the will and design of YAHUAH, is a mark of respect and intimacy. One can never know this truth unless they have grown a full beard – one which can be grasped with the hand. The Scriptures certainly assign this honor, affection, and respect of the beard. In the story of Joab and Amasa (2 Samuel 20:9-13), we find that Joab grasped Amasa's beard in a gesture of respect. Verse nine says: "And Joab said to Amasa, 'Is it well with you, my brother?' And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him."

Though this gesture of good was used by Joab to deceive Amasa and make him vulnerable to him, whereby he killed him, it nonetheless reveals the honor and respect that was given to the beard. Throughout the Scriptures, the beard is respected. It has been a point of honor and intimacy.

David drew from that intimacy to explain a very pleasant relationship. He said, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!" What is that pleasantness like? The beard is a fitting expression. "It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes" (Psalm 133:1-2).

There have been precious, memorable moments when my children have intimately clasped my beard and stroked it in affection and love. I can tell you personally that their loving gesture is deeply satisfying. It is like warm oil! Children cannot show this same act of affection to mother, sister, or young brother. It is uniquely and especially for father. But men have been robbed of this fulfilling and appropriate exchange. They can only be touched on the cheek like a woman or a boy. And even then, the little ones just say – "scratchy!" Scratchy? No thanks, I'll take the beard!

“IN HIS OWN IMAGE”

Let us further examine this matter of the man being made in the image of YAHUAH. Genesis 1:26-27 state: “Then YAHUAH said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness ....' And YAHUAH created the man in His Own image, in the image of YAHUAH He created him; male and female He created them." It should be noted here that “the man” was made "in our image," in the image of the triune YAHUAH. Since YAHUASHUA has a beard (Isaiah 50:6), and He is "the image of the invisible YAHUAH" (Colossians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 4:4), it can equally be stated that YAHUAH the Father has a beard. Yes, "YAHUAH is Spirit,” but the Bible also talks about His back, His hands, His feet, His eyes. Can He not also have a beard? Indeed so, for the Son of YAHUAH has a beard!

Likewise, it is simple to reason that if the man is made in the image of YAHUAH, conversely YAHUAH has a beard. All paintings throughout history confirmingly represent Him as bearded. Since YAHUAH has a beard, He shared His image with the man and created Him to likewise wear it. Since YAHUAH shared His image with the man, for this cause alone a man seeking to glorify YAHUAH should be compelled to wear what He has personally shared with him. Gillette and Norelco are cheap and shameful escapes from the image YAHUAH bears and uniquely shared with the man.

YAHUAH is a father, not a mother. He is masculine, not feminine. He is the head, and headship is passed down with the image that He shares – to His Son, and then to the man. Headship, as laid out in 1 Corinthians 11:3, begins with YAHUAH and ends with the man. Headship does not extend to the woman, because she is not the image of our Heavenly Father. 1 Corinthians 11:7 specifically states that the man "is the image and glory of YAHUAH; but the woman is the glory of man." The woman is not the image of man; she is not the shared image of YAHUAH; but she came from the man to make the man complete – not to compete.

In Genesis 1:27 in the New American Standard, the word "the" that is in the phrase – "YAHUAH created the man” – is not in the printed text; but it very significantly does exist in the original Hebrew and is thus inserted here. Likewise, in Genesis 9:6 YAHUAH spoke to Noah, affirming: "for in the image of YAHUAH He made the man." This is an important distinction. It was "the man" who was created first, not a man and a woman. Granted, all of mankind was in Adam, as Eve was in Adam; but Adam was created a man in the image of YAHUAH. It was "the man" who needed a helper "corresponding to" but not replacing him (Genesis 2:18). This important original text phrase – "the man" – with the definite article "the,” was accurately translated in numerous verses afterwards: Genesis 2:8, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; 3:8, 9, 12, 20, 22, 24; 4:1. It was "the man" who was communing, walking, working on the earth. "The man" clearly identified a man, not a "male and female," but – a man.

YAHUAH created “the man" in "His own image, in the image of YAHUAH He created him, ...." The word "him" is very significantly singular, not plural – YAHUAH created Adam, a man, in His image. Then added separately, the Scriptures go on to say: "male and female He created them." It does not say: "YAHUAH created male and female in His own image." When He made the man, the woman (meaning - "taken out of man," Genesis 2:23) was in the side of the man. "Male and female He created them,” but not until after He first made the man, conformed to His own father image.

Men are not "in the image of YAHUAH" when they shave their beards. They become a confusing, distorted mixture – partly in the image of YAHUAH who made them, and partly in the image of the woman who came out of the man. Instead of being clearly identifiable bearded men, they are a woeful mix – woe-men! Men are no longer “in His own image,” but take on the distorted, self-designed appearance of “in his own image,” an image that man fashions of his own creating. Woe-men should quit sending mixed signals! YAHUAH distinctly forbids it, as in dress and hair length. Men should be absolute, not persuaded by the fashions or expectations of a corrupted society, but wear the beard He has given them from His fatherly image.

Very interestingly and most significantly, starting in Genesis, the first five instances in which the word "image" (meaning – to form a likeness) is used, four of these instances state that YAHUAH has made the man in the likeness of Himself. Four is the number which denotes YAHUAH's creation. And thus, YAHUAH gives testimony to the creation of the man in His image. The fifth usage of the word "image" in Genesis 5:3, replicates this "image" process from men to men: “When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth [who was in the ancestry of Yahu'sha – Luke 3:38]." Note that it does not state that Adam produced in his own likeness his daughters; no, it was his son Seth. His daughters were in the likeness of Eve, his wife.

Five is the number for grace or YAHUAH's goodness. By YAHUAH's grace and goodness, He continues to share His image with men – from Adam, to Seth, to YAHUASHUA, and on to men today. Interestingly, it is the man's chromosomes that determine the gender of children. The woman has no influence at all on this. The male sex chromosome possesses the determining "x-y" factor; while the female chromosome possesses a nondescript "x-x" factor. Upon fertilization, the woman's egg can only share an "x" component, while the man's sperm can contribute either the "x," which will produce a daughter, or the "y," which will produce a son. To the son he gives his own chromosomal image. To the daughter he gives the woman's image.

Now back to the Scripture's use of the word image. Throughout the remainder of the Old Testament, the word "image" finds an entirely new usage. No longer does it give testimony to YAHUAH's plan to share His image with the man; but instead, in the remaining eighty-six usages of this word, it now solely denotes man's attempt to alter and recast His image into perversions and replacements – in other words, man began to make and worship images created by himself! Today men do the same. The man, who was made in YAHUAH's image, seeks again to alter His image to conform to the fair-skinned woman who was created from man. Man continues striving to become like (to worship) the created, and not the Creator. This is idolatrous to YAHUAH who has affectionately and purposefully shared His glorious image and likeness with the man. Instead of being the distinct "x-y" image YAHUAH created, man became a mutation with the "x-x" image which came from him.

The most compelling argument in favor of men wearing a beard is the fact that it is YAHUAH who placed the beard on man, a reflection of His own image. Man does not go to a fashion store and purchase one, nor does he buy seeds to sprout one, nor does he go to a plastic surgeon and have it added to his face. A beard is not the creation of man. In fact, for a man to not have a beard, he must daily resist YAHUAH’s creation. Daily he must remove what is YAHUAH's persistent will.

Men have beards not because it is something they add to their face. It is a natural, YAHUAH-given identifying feature specifically for the man. When a man does not have a beard, he must daily alter his face, YAHUAH’s image, in order to keep from having it. What is more natural than having a beard? What is more fitting with YAHUAH's creation from the beginning than having a beard? What is more in keeping with the order of YAHUAH than having a beard? What is more consistent with the image YAHUAH has shared with “the man” than having a beard? To be otherwise must be the creation of idolatrous man, not of YAHUAH! Man, by his own hand, becomes a woe-man!

MOVE OVER LADIES

(How to abandon creation)

In the Beginning YAHUAH made man, in His very own image according to His plan .

Of sinew strong and features stark, of ruddy appearance man was not to depart!

His face was covered with hair unlike his head, but course and strong to match his stead.

His eyes were framed within this mass, and his stern jaw was covered from lad and lass.

Out of the man the woman was made; fair and frail her image was laid.

But man to the woman his image he slew, when by razor and clothing his appearance he made anew.

The point of this poem is very clear, for shaving a man from ear to ear,

Is like saying to our Creator – "I don't like how I'm made!

So move over ladies and pass me the blade!"

FOLLOWING THE WORLD’S WAYS

Despite Paul's warning to "not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2), the world has often regrettably set the course for the Christian's face, hair, and dress. Joseph naively gave himself to the world after being Egypt's slave and prisoner for thirteen years. In the Scriptures, Egypt represents the place of bondage and curse. It was in Egypt where, four generations earlier, great-great-grandfather Abraham jeopardized his wife, and acquired Sarah's Egyptian maid, Hagar, who concubined the son of the flesh – Ishmael. Now, likewise in Egypt, Joseph was also adversely impacted by his abode in "the world." He conformed to being like them by shaving his head and beard and dressing like the Egyptians. In Genesis 41:14 we read: “Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh." The Hebrew word for "shaved" means – to be bald. In most cases in its usage, it means to shave the head; but in other instances it was applied to "balding" the face as well.

The Egyptians fittingly had such a disdain for YAHUAH's created hair that daily, wealthy men and women visited barbers who shaved and plucked the hair from their balded heads and face. "Hair was not only shunned but it was considered evil.... Egyptian priests had their heads and entire bodies shaved at least three times a week" (The Long And Short of It, by Bill Severn, pp. 22, 23). Such was the world this bearded Hebrew conformed to – not only in baldness but also in dress. His identity with Egypt led to other transgressions – taking an Egyptian wife, entering into the occult practice of divination (Genesis 44:5, 15), and intentionally misleading, lying to, and deceiving his brothers as he further altered his appearance. In fact, his appearance was so altered that his own family could not recognize him, though he talked face to face with them – bare-faced to bearded-faced! Joseph had conformed to Egypt, their soon-to-be captors!

I have a friend who, like Joseph, shaved his beard. In fact, his name is Joseph. As with so many others, he too at one time was concerned that his beard created an "image" that he was afraid would interfere with his worldly success. Also, he did not think it "looked good" on him, so he shaved it off. I shared this with another friend who responded – "he is trusting in the flesh, rather than faith." So true! He was relying on his conformity to the world to produce his success, and not on humbling himself before YAHUAH who would exalt him through His ways and plans. My friend was overcome by his lower nature of vanity (as so many are), being more concerned about how he appeared before other vain men and women, thereby becoming like them. Shaving the beard is most often a vain decision. Men who will not wear a beard because it makes them look older or less attractive are simply giving themselves over to pitiful vanity! (However, my friend did later become very convicted that wearing the beard was not a choice, and now wears it out of conviction.)

When shaving the beard for worldly promotion and acceptance, one relies upon the flesh, both literally and figuratively. Isn’t it interesting that it is indeed the flesh that a man misguidingly presents upon removing the beard? Every man must thus choose whether he will daily work at removing the covering YAHUAH has placed upon his flesh, and trust in self for promotion; or rest from his daily works and yield to that which YAHUAH has placed on the man's face, trusting in Him for promotion, success, acceptance, and, if necessary, a new job. A man who daily labors to keep the beard off does so by works; while a man who ceases from that daily labor enters into YAHUAH's rest – with the glorious results of a YAHUAH-honoring beard!

It seems appropriate to ask a simple question at this point: Are we to conform our lives to the standard of worldly acceptance and reward, or do we conform our lives to the plan and design of YAHUAH? The beard – this unique visible point of acceptance and trust – can be the building block for further faith and trust in YAHUAH! The natural always precedes the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46), and this one important natural act of accepting His beard can precede and produce added spiritual yieldedness and growth. It can be a constant, important, physical reminder of an important spiritual truth – to not trust in the flesh but in YAHUAH who made us. "YAHUAH has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and YAHUAH has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, YAHUAH has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man [Lit. – flesh] should boast before YAHUAH" (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). The beard in our society may seem base (though, thankfully, less so today; and not without meaning), but YAHUAH will use it as a point of spiritual growth – to cover the "flesh" in our life.

What the Egyptians did for Joseph, the Greco-Romans have accomplished for man today. It is the Greeks who have most influenced the beard's removal. Let us quote at length from the book Apologia Dome. Apologia De Barbis, edited by RB. C. Huygens (pp. 58, 59).

In Greek society, hair-style was an important aspect of liminality [the transitional phase in social status], especially during the period between youth and adulthood, when young men all shared the characteristics of their age group. The offering of cut hair to a YAHUAH was a form of thank offering or dedication through which the YAHUAH acquired some power over the person whose hair was offered. Hair was regarded as a source of life in Roman society and was cut at the approach of death. The traditional tearing of hair as a sign of grief was "the first offering or sacrifice to the dead" and has been seen by some scholars "as a substitute for blood and human sacrifice."

The beard in particular was a sign of age and physical maturity. It marked the borderline both between boys and men and between men and the YAHUAHs, who never grew old. Alexander's shaving of his beard, which inaugurated a long period of beardlessness in the Greco-Roman world, may have been inspired by his desire for the appearance of perpetual youth associated with the YAHUAHs. In ancient Greek society, the growth of a beard marked the end of the stage when a boy might legitimately be the object of sexual advances from an older man. It was also the distinction between the two major categories of performers, the juniors and the adults, in the Games. The custom of shaving was introduced at Rome probably in the third century BC.

For chronology sake, we will insert a portion from The Long And Short of It, by Bill Severn, pp. 28-29. This quote gives us further insight about the accepted styles during the time of YAHUASHUA and the early church.

Shaving was so customary by the time Cicero was delivering his orations in the 1st century BC that senators with "five-o'clock shadow" were turned away from the senate and refused their seats until they visited the barber. Caesar, it was said, went unshaven only once, during a vow to let his beard grow until he avenged a military defeat. Caligula, who became emperor in the year 37, sometimes wore a false beard of gold [as did the Egyptians]. Nero, who came to power a decade later, made a public ceremony of dedicating his beard to the YAHUAHs, presenting it at the temple in a small casket covered with jewels.

The Greco-Roman society has unquestionably had the greatest influence of any other society on man today – in government, in art, in architecture, in language, in literature, in thought, and, yes, in the clean-shaven image. But the early church rejected this YAHUAHs-worshipping vain appearance. Instead, they accepted the design of their Creator. Let us continue this quote from Apologia Dome.

Beards thus came into the Christian world with a heavy baggage of pre-historic and classical symbolism, of which the Church Fathers were not unaware. Lactantius in the De opificio Dei wrote, "It is incredible how much the reason of beard (barbae ratio) confers, either for distinguishing the maturity of bodies, or for differentiating the sexes, or for adorning virility and strength." The beard for Epiphanius was "the proper form of man,” and for Clement, the sign of his superiority to woman. In Augustine's De civitate Dei the fact that beards served "not for protection but for manly adornment" was evidence that some things were placed on the body for decoration rather than for use. These texts helped to establish the basic Christian view of beards, in both East and West, as the natural mark of manhood, both in a general and in a specifically sexual sense. According to a medieval proverb, "A beard suites a man."

To specifically examine what the early church fathers did say about removing the beard, let us quote from the book, Why I Wear A Beard, by William R. Mc Grath, pp. 15-16. Here he quotes the early church fathers.

From Clement of Alexandria (ca. 190 AD): "Men are also infected with the disease of vanity.... But for those who are men to shave and smooth themselves; how ignoble! ... how womanly! For YAHUAH wished women to be smooth, and rejoice in their locks alone growing spontaneously, as a horse in his mane; but has adorned man, like the lions, with a beard, and endowed him, as an attribute of manhood, with hairy chest – a sign this of strength and rule. This, then, the mark of the man, the beard, by which he is seen to be a man, is older than Eve, and is the token of the superior nature.... It is therefore impious to desecrate the symbol of manhood, hairiness. But the embellishment of smoothing (for I am warned by the word), if it is to attract men, is the act of an effeminate person, if to attract woman is the act of an adulterer; and both must be driven as far as possible from our society. 'But the very hairs of your head are all numbered,' says the Lord; those on the chin, too, are numbered .... For it is not lawful to pluck out the beard, man's natural and noble ornament.”

From Tertullian (160-220 AD): "Are there then, some things that to men are also not permissible, if we are YAHUAH-fearing, and have a due regard for gravity? There are indeed .... My own sex recognizes some tricks of beauty which are peculiarly ours, for example, to cut the beard too sharply, to pluck it out in places; to shave round about the corners; to arrange the hair and conceal grayness by dyes .... But all these tricks are rejected by (Christians) as being frivolous and hostile to modesty, as soon as the knowledge of YAHUAH has destroyed the wish to please."

From Cyprian (195-258 AD): who was writing of the reasons for apostasy among the churches, mention is made of a worldliness among church members which led them to have "no discipline in manners. Men defaced their beards (or wore their beards disfigured), and the beauty of women was a (painted) counterfeit. Their eyes were changed from what YAHUAH had made them, and a lying color was placed upon the hair."

From Lactantius (240-320 AD), we read a condemnation of the effete and effeminate walk, dress and appearance of the worldly men and a defense of the beard for Christians: “The nature of the beard contributes in an incredible degree to distinguish the maturity of bodies, to the distinction of sex, and to the beauty of manliness and strength; so that it appears that the system of the whole (body) would not have been in agreement if anything had been made otherwise than it is.”

As in the words of YAHUASHUA to a hardened world concerning divorce, we see that, though men of YAHUAH shave today, "from the beginning it has not been this way" (Matthew 19:8). The early church had a single-hearted resistance to effeminatizing the man by vainly removing YAHUAH's appointed beard. But due to division of heart between the vanity of this world and YAHUAH's design, man has defaced his appearance. One must choose whether he will establish his appearance like unto the examples of Abraham, Moses, Eli, David, YAHUASHUA, et al; or rather, like unto the Egyptians and Greco-Romans and those today who follow in their denuding practices. And in making this decision; remember, the first and last men in the Bible to shave, Joseph and Paul, were thereby given into bondage and death by both of these.

A POEM BY A BEARD

I'm on, I'm off, I'm sometimes a snare;
For some I'm never seen – I'm the beard of your hair.
For some I'm an offense, for others a joy;
When I'm left to grow, for the baby I'm a toy!
Affectionately held and stroked with the hand, I like my position on the jaw of a man.
In the past I was even regal and wisdom sublime.
But since Alexander and Nero I've changed in time.
Men like to hide me, remove me, and cut me each day;
And if you will listen, I'll tell you what I'd say.
From the beginning I was the Master's plan;
But man thought himself wiser and removed me by hand.
So now I am hidden by man wise in himself;
No longer do I grow but cut by razor on shelf!
I guess in time men will come to see,
That his and my Creator is wiser than thee.
So please let me be the glory of YAHUAH;
And let me adorn you and accent your nod.
Please let me be that mane in the hand,
Of respectful men, of wisdom in land.
And distinguish yourself, young budding lad,
From sister and mother, and grow up like dad.
A hearty "AMEN!" I’ll shout through the land,
When men wise put down razors, and once again stroke me in hand!

LET THERE BE BEARDS

We know Yahuah did not create anything without a purpose. He did not put hair on the man's face just because it was a cute, unfulfilling, or even distracting idea, or just to needlessly cover a face. YAHUAH gave us hands for a purpose. He gave us feet for a purpose. He gave us eyes, ears, taste, feel, everything for a purpose. He does not make mistakes or add to His creation needlessly. When YAHUAH said, ”Let there be ...,” He included a beard on a man. So, “Let there be” a beard on His created man!
YAHUAH has numerous purposes for the beard – to distinguish the sexes, to distinguish from adolescence, to place His image upon the man, and far more, as we will see in the pages yet before us. But when men remove this distinguishing mark, they confuse creation and YAHUAH's order in masculine headship, promoting an unmooring and slipping away from His ways.

Women may try to wear our clothes. They may work at our jobs and join the military. They may teach in seminaries and become pastors and priests. But there is one thing they can never do, no not ever – they can never grow the beard! The beard is clearly and overtly male! But, woe-men shamefully accommodate the woman's inability and cut it off!

I am humored by men's perception that today's trend of a boy, or even now a man, wearing an earring is an unacceptable departure from masculinity and a move toward femininity. Yet those very men who share these remarks and would not follow their example, are often clean-shaven like the appearance of a woman. Actually, men have been desensitized to the more extreme, yet now accepted, marked change in appearance through the feministic removal of the man's beard. In times past it would have been an unthinkable shame for a man to shave his beard. In fact, the removal of a man's beard was so offensive that some crimes were punishable by its humiliating removal. Remember, King David would not even allow his partially shaven men to return until their beards returned (2 Samuel l0:1-5). Where has the beardless stigma gone? It was removed by Satan and fallen worldly man as men accepted feminization.

Shaving a man's beard off is a far greater and more destructive departure from masculinity than any earring in one's ear. There are no specific scriptures denouncing wearing an earring; but there are numerous specific scripture's denouncing shaving the beard (Leviticus 19:27, 21:5-6)! Those same boys who put an earring in their ear(s), would have in other times shaved their beards. "In the beginning man created YAHUAH in His own image!" No! It is time for men to accept the image YAHUAH made a man to be – returning back to "in the beginning YAHUAH" when a man had a beard!

A man growing a beard will not necessarily bring instant results, either in himself or in the world. But it is an important formative, harmonious truth that should be followed. The mind of YAHUAH is expressed in a trinity – first wisdom, then understanding, and then knowledge. Man perverts this by reversing it and saying – first knowledge, which brings understanding, and then comes wisdom. But no – first pursue wisdom! Knowledge without understanding and wisdom is dangerous and erroneous.

In this set apart process, growing the beard that YAHUAH planted is wisdom. One cannot fully understand nor express some truths apart from this harmony with YAHUAH's plan for the man. With this initial wisdom will come understanding – understanding about his role as a man, as a father, and as a husband; understanding his headship and his great responsibilities therewith; and understanding his relationship with his Heavenly Father, who governmentally and purposefully shared His image with him. And to understanding will come knowledge – a true confirmed knowing of his role in all three of these areas, and more. The beard is a marked reminder of his important commitment to and progress in the ways of his Creator. It is a beginning, or a renewed commitment, to pursuing the mind and will of YAHUAH.

YAHUAH gave the man the beard. We need to quit resisting it, establishing ourselves as wiser than our Creator, and let it bear fruit. There are indeed fruits of obedience; and there are valuable and important fruits from growing the beard that YAHUAH has given the man. Let a man thus look to Him to bear these fruits. Let the man rejoice that he has come into harmony with His will and design. YAHUAH will bear the fruit if we look wholly to Him.

And before we move on, let us consider some caution about restoring the beard back to its original place. The beard is not an end in itself, but a means to an end – a beginning for some, a continuation for others. The beard is a reminder, a sign of being a man who sets his heart for the will and design of the Father and for the care and love of his wife and children. This headship that YAHUAH has given the man cannot be in stern harshness, but in firm but caring love. The coarseness of a man's beard should not reflect harshness; but as the mercy seat covers the ark of the covenant which contained the Law, in like manner let the man's facial hair give caring testimony to the need for mercy on the stern and powerful jaw of the man. Let the strength of the hair on a man's face show the strength of mercy and compassion in one's life.

Bearded men should pray that YAHUAH would lead them to be the godly heads that He would have them to be – in submission to Yahuashua's headship, and in true, honorable, responsible, and right headship to one's wife, family, and others. Let him pray that as he has yielded himself to YAHUAH's design for his head, that He will complete that design for his entire self according to His perfect will. Let him yield to YAHUAH in like appearance, that he might be reflective of Him in like purpose and actions – yielding to Him in hope that he might be like Him.
If you are a husband, love your wife. Be the man YAHUAH has called and created you to be.

Lovingly "groom" your wife. As "grooms" we be called, men; then to "groom" let us be about. As Yahuashua is preparing a bride, let us "groom" our brides to be set apart with care – knowing that our prayers are hindered when we fail (1 Peter 3:7). And let us grow our beards as YAHUAH intended it to be. Let the beard be the mark of calling for you to be His intended husband and father in YAHUAH's image. Do not put your confidence in a beard, but put your confidence in Him who purposefully gave you the beard. As YAHUAH gave you a beard as a man, seek Him to likewise provide the grace and fruit to be a man of YAHUAH.

Hope you enjoyed this

Ben