The Inspiring Story of Hanukkah Uncovering the Details from 2 Maccabees

 

Last year, during the time of Hanukkah, I covered the events that led to the creation of the festival of dedication (Hanukkah). The details gathered from 1 Maccabees provided us with an overall view of what transpired: the Greeks invading Jerusalem, the plundering and ransacking of the Temple, the slaughtering of the House of Judah, the Maccabean rebellion that pushed out the Greek army, and the rededication of the Temple that became known as the festival of Hanukkah. This post will cover some of the finer details mentioned in 2 Maccabees, which are as inspirational as they are tear-jerking. As I stated in “The Story of Hanukkah”, many see a connection between what the Greeks did to Judah and what will occur during the time of the great tribulation. So, as you read on, take to heart the courage our ancestors showed in the face of death and how they honored Elohim until the end. 

The Greeks Outlaw the Torah

“Not long after that, the king sent an elderly Athenian to force the Jews to abandon their religion and the customs of their ancestors. He was also to defile their Temple by dedicating it to the Olympian god Zeus.” (2 Maccabees 6:1-2) 

“The oppression was harsh and almost intolerable. Gentiles filled the Temple with drinking parties and all sorts of immorality. They even had intercourse with prostitutes there. Forbidden objects were brought into the Temple, and the altar was covered with detestable sacrifices prohibited by our Torah. It was impossible to observe the Sabbath, to celebrate any of the traditional festivals, or even so much as to admit to being a Jew. Each month when the king's birthday was celebrated, the Jews were compelled by brute force to eat the intestines of sacrificial animals. Then, during the festival in honor of the wine god Dionysus, they were required to wear ivy wreaths on their heads and march in procession. On the advice of Ptolemy, the neighboring Greek cities were also instructed to require Jews to eat the sacrifices; they were told to put to death every Jew who refused to adopt the Greek way of life. It was easy to see that hard times were ahead. For example, two women were arrested for having their babies circumcised. They were paraded around the city with their babies hung from their breasts; then they were thrown down from the city wall. On another occasion, Philip was told that some Jews had gathered in a nearby cave to observe the Sabbath in secret. Philip attacked and burned them all alive. They had such respect for the Sabbath that they would not fight to defend themselves.” (2 Maccabees 6:3-11)

The punishment for keeping Torah was death, and while many Jews acquiesced to the demands of the Greeks to preserve their lives, a great number also remained obedient unto death. If we are ever faced with such atrocities, we must remember what Master Yeshua said. 

“Then יהושע said to His taught ones, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake, and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. “For what is a man profited if he gains all the world, and loses his own life? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Adam is going to come in the esteem of His Father with His messengers, and then He shall reward each according to his works.” (Matthew 16:24-27) 

It is better to die being obedient than it is to live in disobedience. 

“I beg you not to become discouraged as you read about the terrible things that happened. Consider that this was YHWH’s way of punishing his people, not of destroying them. In fact, it is a sign of kindness to punish a person immediately for his sins, rather than to wait a long time. YHWH does not treat us as he does other nations: he waits patiently until they have become deeply involved in sin before he punishes them, but he punishes us before we have sinned too much. So YHWH is always merciful to us, his own people. Although he punishes us with disasters, he never abandons us. I have made these few observations by way of reminder. We will now get on with the story.” (2 Maccabees 6:12-17) 

The House of Judah was being punished for the transgression they had committed before the Greeks arrived. The author of 2 Maccabees points out that YHWH punishes his children promptly instead of allowing them to wallow in sin until utter destruction befalls them. This is in agreement with the rest of the scriptures.

“Thus, you shall know in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so יהוה your Elohim disciplines you,” therefore you shall guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.” (Deuteronomy 8:5-6)

“My son, do not despise the discipline of יהוה, And do not loathe His reproof; For whom יהוה loves He reproves, As a father the son whom he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12)

The following account shows us how important it is to stand up for Yah, not only for ourselves but for those watching around us. 

Death Before Dishonor 

“There was an elderly and highly respected teacher of the Torah by the name of Eleazar, whose mouth was being forced open to make him eat pork. But he preferred an honorable death rather than a life of disgrace. So he spit out the meat and went willingly to the place of torture, showing how people should have courage to refuse unclean food, even if it costs them their lives. Those in charge of the sacrifice had been friends of Eleazar for a long time, and because of this friendship they told him privately to bring meat that was lawful for him to eat. He need only pretend to eat the pork, they said, and in this way he would not be put to death. But Eleazar made a decision worthy of his gray hair and advanced age. All his life he had lived in perfect obedience to YHWH’s holy Torah, so he replied, Kill me, here and now. Such deception is not worthy of a man of my years. Many young people would think that I had denied my faith after I was ninety years old. If I pretended to eat this meat, just to live a little while longer, it would bring shame and disgrace on me and lead many young people astray. For the present I might be able to escape what you could do to me, but whether I live or die, I cannot escape Almighty Elohim. If I die bravely now, it will show that I deserved my long life. It will also set a good example of the way young people should be willing and glad to die for our sacred and respected Torah. As soon as he said these things, he went off to be tortured, and the very people who had treated him kindly a few minutes before, now turned against him, because they thought he had spoken like a madman. When they had beaten him almost to the point of death, he groaned and said, YHWH possesses all holy knowledge. He knows I could have escaped these terrible sufferings and death, yet he also knows that I gladly suffer these things, because I fear him. So Eleazar died. But his courageous death was remembered as a glorious example, not only by young people, but by the entire nation as well.” (2 Maccabees 6:18-31) 

Truly an inspiring example from Eleazar and the next passage will be as emotional as it is rousing.

“On another occasion a Jewish mother and her seven sons were arrested. The king was having them beaten to force them to eat pork. Then one of the young men said, “What do you hope to gain by doing this? We would rather die than abandon the traditions of our ancestors.” This made the king so furious that he gave orders for huge pans and kettles to be heated red hot, and it was done immediately. Then he told his men to cut off the tongue of the one who had spoken and to scalp him and chop off his hands and feet, while his mother and six brothers looked on. After the young man had been reduced to a helpless mass of breathing flesh, the king gave orders for him to be carried over and thrown into one of the pans. As a cloud of smoke streamed up from the pan, the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die bravely, saying, “YHWH Elohim is looking on and understands our suffering. Moses made this clear when he wrote a song condemning those who had abandoned YHWH. He said, YHWH will have mercy on those who serve him.” After the first brother had died in this way, the soldiers started amusing themselves with the second one by tearing the hair and skin from his head. Then they asked him, “Now will you eat this pork, or do you want us to chop off your hands and feet one by one?” He replied in his native language, “I will never eat it!” So the soldiers tortured him, just as they had the first one, but with his dying breath he cried out to the king, “You butcher! You may kill us, but the King of the universe will raise us from the dead and give us eternal life, because we have obeyed his Torah.” The soldiers began entertaining themselves with the third brother. When he was ordered to stick out his tongue, he quickly did so. Then he bravely held out his hands and courageously said, “Elohim gave these to me. But His Torah mean more to me than my hands, and I know Elohim will give them back to me again.” The king and those with him were amazed at his courage and at his willingness to suffer. After he had died, the soldiers tortured the fourth one in the same cruel way, but his final words were, “I am glad to die at your hands, because we have the assurance that Elohim will raise us from death. But there will be no resurrection to life for you, Antiochus!” When the soldiers took the fifth boy and began torturing him, he looked the king squarely in the eye and said, “You have the power to do whatever you want with us, even though you also are mortal. But do not think that Elohim has abandoned our people. Just wait. Elohim will use his great power to torture you and your descendants.” Then the soldiers took the sixth boy, and just before he died he said, “Make no mistake. We are suffering what we deserve, because we have sinned against our Elohim. That's why all these terrible things are happening to us. But don't think for a minute that you will avoid being punished for fighting against Elohim.” The mother was the most amazing one of them all, and she deserves a special place in our memory. Although she saw her seven sons die in a single day, she endured it with great courage because she trusted in YHWH. She combined womanly emotion with manly courage and spoke words of encouragement to each of her sons in their native language. “I do not know how your life began in my womb, she would say, I was not the one who gave you life and breath and put together each part of your body. It was Elohim who did it, Elohim who created the universe, the human race, and all that exists. He is merciful and he will give you back life and breath again, because you love his Torah more than you love yourself.” Antiochus was sure that the mother was making fun of him, so he did his best to convince her youngest son to abandon the traditions of his ancestors. He promised not only to make the boy rich and famous, but to place him in a position of authority and to give him the title ‘Friend of the King’. But the boy paid no attention to him, so Antiochus tried to persuade the boy's mother to talk him into saving his life, and after much persuasion she agreed to do so. Leaning over her son, she fooled the cruel tyrant by saying in her native language, “My son, have pity on me. Remember that I carried you in my womb for nine months and nursed you for three years. I have taken care of you and looked after all your needs up to the present day. So I urge you, my child, to look at the sky and the earth. Consider everything you see there, and realize that Elohim made it all from nothing, just as he made the human race. Don't be afraid of this butcher. Give up your life willingly and prove yourself worthy of your brothers, so that by Elohim's mercy I may receive you back with them at the resurrection.” Before she could finish speaking, the boy said, “King Antiochus, what are you waiting for? I refuse to obey your orders. I only obey the commands in the Torah which Moses gave to our ancestors. You have thought up all kinds of cruel things to do to our people, but you won't escape the punishment that Elohim has in store for you. It is true that our living Elohim is angry with us and is making us suffer because of our sins, in order to correct and discipline us. But this will last only a short while, for we are still his servants, and he will forgive us. But you are the cruelest and most disgusting thing that ever lived. So don't fool yourself with illusions of greatness while you punish Elohim's people. There is no way for you to escape punishment at the hands of the almighty and all-seeing Elohim. My brothers suffered briefly because of our faithfulness to Elohim's covenant, but now they have entered eternal life. But you will fall under Elohim's judgment and be punished as you deserve for your arrogance. I now give up my body and my life for the Torah of our ancestors, just as my brothers did. But I also beg Elohim to show mercy to his people quickly and to torture you until you are forced to acknowledge that he alone is Elohim. May my brothers and I be the last to suffer the anger of Almighty Elohim, which he has justly brought upon our entire nation.” These words of ridicule made Antiochus so furious that he had the boy tortured even more cruelly than his brothers. And so the boy died, with absolute trust in YHWH, never unfaithful for a minute. Last of all, the mother was put to death.” (2 Maccabees 7:1-41) 

Better to Die for Obedience than to Live in Disobedience  

Wow, what a heart-reaching account of a family standing up for Yah and His Torah. To think they would lose their life instead of eating pork, and yet billions of people proclaim to love Elohim while stuffing their faces with pork. The Torah is not a burden; if it were, these people would not have endured the torture they did to honor it. This Hanukkah and the ones that follow, remember what those who came before us went through, and if that time comes, let us prove worthy of remembrance as well. 

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Uncovering the Truth Behind the Mistranslation of Jacob as James in the Bible

 

It comes as a surprise, I know I was certainly shocked, to learn that the Book of James is really the Book of Jacob. I should have caught on sooner than I did, as I use the Scripture Research Institute 2009 version of the Bible. They have the book in English as James, but Hebrew as Ya’aqob, which is properly translated as Jacob. Wherever “James” is mentioned in the Brit Hadasha (New Testament), it is always rendered in Hebrew as Ya’aqob.

His Name is Spelt Ya’aqob

“Is this not the son of the carpenter? Is not His mother called Miryam? And His brothers Ya‛aqoḇ (Jacob) and Yosĕph (Joseph) and Shim‛on (Simeon) and Yehuḏah (Jude)?” (Matthew 13:55) 

Jacob, the one who would become Israel, is spelled the same.

“And afterward his brother came out, with his hand holding on to Ěsaw’s heel, so his name was called Ya‛aqoḇ (Jacob). And Yitsḥaq (Isaac) was sixty years old when she bore them.” (Genesis 25:26)

So why is Jacob, the brother of Yeshua, inaccurately translated as James? It seems to start with John Wycliffe when he translated the New Testament in 1380. Wycliffe was an English philosopher/ theologian and one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation. Some have speculated that the change in Jacob’s name was to create distance from the Christian Church and all things Hebraic. Something my website has covered quite a bit of in my “Torah Related” tab. Others have theorized that Jacob was translated to James to satisfy King James I, or at least he did not wish to fix the error; this King James also being the one who authorized the King James Bible. Either way, the mistranslation is acknowledged among top scholars in the Christian Church and Biblical Historians, yet there has been no push for correction, that I am aware of. 

Discovering errors made in translations is always disheartening, for we want to have an infallible source to study Elohim’s Word. Man, however, is fallible and capable of making mistakes or even purposely making changes to push an agenda. From Yeshua, YHWH, and Jacob, what other names have been changed? Many may object and say it does not matter so long as we know who we are talking about, but names mean something in the context of the Bible. 

Names Have Meanings 

“And the man called his wife’s name Ḥawwah (Eve), because she became the mother of all living.” (Genesis 3:20)

“And no longer is your name called Aḇram, but your name shall be Aḇraham, because I shall make you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:5) 

“And Ya‛aqoḇ (Jacob) was left alone. And a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. And when He saw that He did not overcome him, He touched the socket of his hip. And the socket of Ya‛aqoḇ’s (Jacob’s) hip was dislocated as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I am not letting You go until You have blessed me!” So He asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Ya‛aqoḇ (Jacob).” And He said, “Your name is no longer called Ya‛aqoḇ (Jacob), but Yisra’ĕl (Israel), because you have striven with Elohim and with men, and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:24-28)

“These are the names of the men whom Mosheh (Moses) sent to spy out the land. And Mosheh called Hoshĕa (Hosea) the son of Nun, Yehoshua (Joshua).” (Numbers 13:16) Joshua means “YHWH is salvation,” and it was Joshua who led the Hebrews into the promised land. 

“And she shall give birth to a Son, and you shall call His Name יהושע for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Yeshua’s name means “salvation”. 

These are but a few examples of names that mean something in scripture, and I encourage everyone to research what every name in the Bible means. A translation is one thing; at least in this manner, the meaning of the name can usually be preserved. However, this is lost when a name is completely changed. Continue to test all things, including this, and may the Ruach Hakodesh lead you into all truth. 

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The Importance of Following the Torah Always and Forever

 

When it comes to following Yeshua in Torah obedience, he wants us to give it our all, not 20%, 50%, but 100% of our effort. Likewise, Elohim wants us to keep all of the Torah that applies to us, not just keeping the commands we like or what Christianity or Judaism say we are to keep. In relation to giving Elohim our all and obeying all of the Torah, here are a few verses that instruct us to do so. 

All of the Torah

“Walk in all the ways which יהוה your Elohim has commanded you, so that you live and it be well with you. And you shall prolong your days in the land which you possess.” (Deuteronomy 5:33) 

“Hear, O Yisra’ĕl (Israel): יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one! “And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

“And now, Yisra’ĕl, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being,” (Deuteronomy 10:12)

“And it shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard to do all His commands which I command you today, that יהוה your Elohim shall set you high above all nations of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:1)

“Only, diligently guard to do the command and the Torah which Mosheh the servant of יהוה commanded you, to love יהוה your Elohim, and to walk in all His ways, and to guard His commands, and to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being.” (Joshua 22:5) 

“Only fear יהוה, and you shall serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what marvels He has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:24) 

“Blessed are the perfect in the way, Who walk in the Torah of יהוה! Blessed are those who observe His witnesses, Who seek Him with all the heart!” (Psalms 119:1-2)

“Then you shall call on Me, and shall come and pray to Me, and I shall listen to you. And you shall seek Me, and shall find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

“But the wrong, if he turns from all his sins which he has done, and he shall guard all My laws, and shall do right-ruling and righteousness, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.” (Ezekiel 18:21)

“And יהושע answered him, “The first of all the commands is, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ĕl, יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one. ‘And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first command.” (Mark 12:29-30)

There are more verses I could have pulled, but even from this list, it is evident that we are to keep all the Torah (meaning what we can keep) with all our might. Next, we turn our attention to the Bible’s frequent use of always or forever when describing His Torah.

The Torah is Forever

“Oh, that they had such a heart in them, to fear Me and to guard all My commands always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29) 

“And יהוה commanded us to do all these laws, to fear יהוה our Elohim, for our good always, to keep us alive, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 6:24) 

“He is יהוה our Elohim, His right-rulings are in all the earth. Remember His covenant forever, The Word He commanded for a thousand generations, Which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Yitsḥaq (Isaac), And He established it to Ya‛aqoḇ (Jacob) for a law, To Yisra’ĕl (Israel) as an everlasting covenant,” (1 Chronicles 16:14-17)

“You are near, O יהוה, And all Your commands are truth. Of old I have known Your witnesses, That You have founded them forever.” (Psalms 119:151-152)

In this last verse, I will show details of how, even when the new heavens and new earth are formed, we will still be honoring the new moons and the Sabbath. Further illustrating that the Torah, the instructions of the Most High Elohim, is not simply going to vanish, but is going to be enjoyed for an eternity. 

“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me,” declares יהוה, “so your seed and your name shall stand. “And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” declares יהוה.” (Isaiah 66:22-23) 

I hope the aforementioned scriptures help to show you that Elohim wants us to obey Him fully and He wants us to do so always. If keeping the commandments is a new concept for you, check out my “Torah Related” tab, where you will find numerous posts that may help you on your journey. Continue to test all things, search out matters, and may the Ruach Hakodesh lead you into all truth. 

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The Moral Argument for Living a Torah Lifestyle

 

This is a moral argument I created to show the validity of living a Torah lifestyle. I was inspired by the original moral argument that sets the case for the existence of Elohim. Mine was developed from having numerous conversations with Christians who asserted that the Torah was done away with. I hope you find this syllogism enlightening and that it helps you in future discussions and personal discourse. 

1. Objective morals and values must come from Elohim

Objective means factual, true, and not dependent on anyone’s interpretation. For example, it is a fact that we live on Earth, and personal perceptions cannot change that. It is paramount that we establish that objective morality must come from Elohim, since He is the creator, He gets to set the rules, not his creation. By being El Shaddai, it is only by His authority and power that such principles can manifest themselves in a foundational way. The contrast between objective and subjective is that subjective is relative to the individual. For example: which flavor of ice cream is the best, what’s the best color, the coolest looking animal, and so forth. The Bible teaches that Elohim alone is the foundation for morality. Remember, if something is true, then it is objective.

“You are near, O יהוה, and all Your commands are truth.” (Psalms 119:151)

“The sum of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous right-rulings are forever.” (Psalms 119:160)

“Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17)

 “And now, O Master יהוה, you are Elohim, and Your words are true, and You have spoken this goodness to Your servant.” (2 Samuel 7:28)

For those who have a belief in Elohim, the first premise is usually accepted without much trouble. The second premise is where most of the conflict will take place.

2. Elohim details what is right and what is wrong in His instructions (Torah)

There are several ways to demonstrate that premise two is correct, one is by defining what sin is.

“Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4)

The word "lawlessness" does not refer to man-made laws, but to the Torah given by Elohim. Often, the English translators replace Torah with law, though the word actually means instructions. With what is wrong addressed, we turn our attention to what is right.

“For what great nation is there which has Elohim so near to it, as יהוה our Elohim is to us, whenever we call on Him? And what great nation is there that has such laws and righteous right-rulings like all this Torah which I set before you this day?” (Deuteronomy 4:7-8) 

Deuteronomy likens the Torah to righteous right-rulings, and now, with that in mind, we look at other witnesses to testify to that fact.

“Righteous are You, O יהוה, And Your right-rulings are straight.” (Psalms 119:137)

“So that the Torah truly is set-apart, and the command set-apart, and righteous, and good.” (Romans 7:12)

The Torah teaches followers how to live a life pleasing to the Father, and doing what is right (obeying) and what is wrong (sin/ disobedience) is established in the foundations of the first five books of the Bible. This is made very clear towards the end of the Torah.

“And you shall turn back and obey the voice of יהוה and do all His commands which I command you today. “And יהוה your Elohim shall make you have excess in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground for good. For יהוה turns back to rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah, if you turn back to יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being. “For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off. “It is not in the heavens, to say, ‘Who shall ascend into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, to say, ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’” “For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart – to do it. See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil,” in that I am commanding you today to love יהוה your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to guard His commands, and His laws, and His right-rulings. And you shall live and increase, and יהוה your Elohim shall bless you in the land which you go to possess. “But if your heart turns away, and you do not obey, and shall be drawn away, and shall bow down to other mighty ones and serve them, “I have declared to you today that you shall certainly perish, you shall not prolong your days in the land which you are passing over the Yardĕn (Jordan) to enter and possess.” (Deuteronomy 30:8-18) 

3. Therefore, objective morals and values come from the Torah

With premises one and two shown to be correct, it logically follows that the conclusion must be true as well. Some in religion may think, “Well, do what you think is right.” Or some other version of relativistic morality, but this runs contrary to the scriptures. This is evident with just the little snip bits I’ve shown here. The issue of subjective morality comes into play when humans try to dictate what is right and what is wrong; in a sense, by doing this, they are elevating themselves to the level of Elohim since only the creator can dictate what is righteous and what is unrighteous. In Judaism, they add to the Torah with the Talmud, and they have made flipping on a light switch during the Sabbath a sin when there is no such verse in scripture that could even be used to suggest such a thing. In Christianity, they have taken away from the Torah, making the eating of swine flesh perfectly okay, when the scriptures state that pork is unclean and is not for food. Both religions have sinned by adding and taking away from the Torah. 

“All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:32)

Because Elohim has stated not to add or take away from Torah, making it objectively wrong to do so, we can firmly assess that both religions have broken this command. This is the second objective of the argument, the first being the reasons for following the Torah, that without the Torah, there are no concrete morals or values. It's all dependent on the individual or the particular religion that claims to believe in the Bible. 

Continue to test all things, including this, and search out the matter for yourself. I pray that the Ruach Hakodesh leads you into all truth. 

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Understanding the True Interpretation of Romans 13

 

Understanding Romans 13 may seem simple enough, for we’ve all seen churches use part of that chapter to encourage willing compliance with whatever secular authority is established in that particular country. However, could the conclusion that those who use this chapter, they really only use the first verse, be misapplying and misunderstanding what Paul is talking about? Using the foundation that begins the Bible, Torah, and how the scriptures define words, has led me to a completely different interpretation that is both sound and consistent with the rest of the Bible. 

The verse in question

“Let every being be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from Elohim, and the authorities that exist are appointed by Elohim.” (Romans 13:1)

The crux of the issue is which governing authorities Paul is talking about. When this verse is sectioned off from the previous and the following scriptures, it easily reads as if we are to obey whatever secular government. But this is where we must use the context for this verse and how it aligns with the rest of the Bible. First, is there any command in Torah to obey secular authority? No, there is not. That’s a big red flag that something is amiss with the usual interpretation, because if it’s not found in Torah and Paul is adding to it, then he would be a false prophet. 

“Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it, so as to guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I am commanding you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

What about the rest of the scriptures, do we find examples of people disobeying the secular authority and being blessed for it? Yes, we do, and quite a few actually. 

Terah Disobeys Nimrod 

The first example I will present will be from the book of Jasher, I know some may not accept it as scripture, and I encourage every one of you to test it; even so, what I am quoting is acknowledged as a historical fact in the Jewish community. 

“And it was in the night that Abram was born, that all the servants of Terah, and all the wise men of Nimrod, and his conjurers came and ate and drank in the house of Terah, and they rejoiced with him on that night. And when all the wise men and conjurers went out from the house of Terah, they lifted up their eyes toward heaven that night to look at the stars, and they saw, and behold one very large star came from the east and ran in the heavens, and he swallowed up the four stars from the four sides of the heavens. And all the wise men of the king and his conjurors were astonished at the sight, and the sages understood this matter, and they knew its import. And they said to each other, This only betokens the child that has been born to Terah this night, who will grow up and be fruitful, and multiply, and possess all the earth, he and his children forever, and he and his seed will slay great kings, and inherit their lands.” (Jasher 8:1-4)

“And now our lord and king, behold we have truly acquainted thee with what we have seen concerning this child. If it seemeth good to the king to give his father value for this child, we will slay him before he shall grow up and increase in the land, and his evil increase against us, that we and our children perish through his evil. And the king heard their words and they seemed good in his sight, and he sent and called for Terah, and Terah came before the king. And the king said to Terah, I have been told that a son was yesternight born to thee, and after this manner was observed in the heavens at his birth. And now therefore give me the child, that we may slay him before his evil springs up against us, and I will give thee for his value, thy house full of silver and gold.” (Jasher 8:12-16)

“And Terah answered the king, saying, I beseech thee my lord and king to let thy servant speak a word before thee, and let the king hear the word of his servant, and Terah said, Let my king give me three days' time till I consider this matter within myself, and consult with my family concerning the words of my king; and he pressed the king greatly to agree to this. And the king hearkened to Terah, and he did so and he gave him three days' time, and Terah went out from the king's presence, and he came home to his family and spoke to them all the words of the king; and the people were greatly afraid. And it was in the third day that the king sent to Terah, saying, Send me thy son for a price as I spoke to thee; and shouldst thou not do this, I will send and slay all thou hast in thy house, so that thou shalt not even have a dog remaining. And Terah hastened, (as the thing was urgent from the king), and he took a child from one of his servants, which his handmaid had born to him that day, and Terah brought the child to the king and received value for him. And the Lord was with Terah in this matter, that Nimrod might not cause Abram's death, and the king took the child from Terah and with all his might dashed his head to the ground, for he thought it had been Abram; and this was concealed from him from that day, and it was forgotten by the king, as it was the will of Providence not to suffer Abram's death. And Terah took Abram his son secretly, together with his mother and nurse, and he concealed them in a cave, and he brought them their provisions monthly. And the Lord was with Abram in the cave and he grew up, and Abram was in the cave ten years, and the king and his princes, soothsayers and sages, thought that the king had killed Abram.” (Jasher 8:30-36)

Had Terah obeyed the rule of Nimrod, Abram would have died, and there would not have been Israel with his twelve sons. Yet Terah disobeyed the secular authority, and YHWH was with Abram. 

The Hebrew Midwives Disobeyed Pharaoh  

“Then the sovereign of Mitsrayim (Egypt) spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Pu‛ah, and he said, “When you deliver the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth-stools, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared Elohim, and did not do as the sovereign of Mitsrayim (Egypt) commanded them, and kept the male children alive. So, the sovereign of Mitsrayim (Egypt) called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and kept the male children alive?” And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Mitsrian (Egyptian) women. For they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.” So, Elohim was good to the midwives, and the people increased and became very numerous. And it came to be, because the midwives feared Elohim, that He provided households for them.” (Exodus 1:15-21) 

The Hebrew midwives disobeyed the order of the pharaoh and were blessed by Elohim because the directive that was given was pure evil, it was not good, and that will come up later when we further read Romans chapter 13. 

Moses’ Mother Disobeyed the Pharaoh 

“And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Throw every son who is born into the river, and keep alive every daughter.” (Exodus 1:22)

“And a man of the house of Lĕwi (Levi) went and married a daughter of Lĕwi (Levi). And the woman conceived and bore a son. And she saw that he was a lovely child, and she hid him three months. And when she could hide him no longer, she took an ark of wicker for him, and coated it with tar and pitch, and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the edge of the river. And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river, and her young women were walking by the riverside. And when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her female servant to get it, and opened it and saw the child, and see, the baby wept. So, she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the children of the Hebrews.” (Exodus 2:1-6)

The mother of Moses disobeyed the edict that every male child should be drowned and hid her son. Clearly, this was the proper thing to do as Moses would later go on and then be the person Yah chose to lead the Israelites. 

Rehab Disobeyed the Sovereign of Jericho  

“And Yehoshua (Joshua) son of Nun secretly sent out two men from Shittim to spy, saying, “Go, see the land, and Yeriḥo (Jericho).” And they went, and came to the house of a woman, a whore, and her name was Raḥaḇ, and they lay down there. But it was reported to the sovereign of Yeriḥo (Jericho), saying, “See, men from the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) have come here tonight to search out the land.” And the sovereign of Yeriḥo (Jericho) sent to Raḥaḇ, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hid them. So she said, “The men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. “Then it came to be as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, so that you overtake them.” But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid out on the roof. And the men pursued them by the way to the Yardĕn (Jordan), to the fords. And they shut the gate afterwards as soon as the pursuers had gone out. And before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and she said to the men, “I know that יהוה has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of you. “For we have heard how יהוה dried up the water of the Sea of Reeds for you when you came out of Mitsrayim (Egypt), and what you did to the two sovereigns of the Amorites who were beyond the Yardĕn (Jordan), Siḥon (Seon) and Oḡ, whom you put under the ban. “And when we heard, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in anyone because of you, for יהוה your Elohim, He is Elohim in the heavens above and on earth beneath. “And now, please swear to me by יהוה, since I have shown you loving-commitment, that you also show loving-commitment to my father’s house, and shall give me a true token, and shall spare my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and shall deliver our lives from death.” And the men said to her, “Our lives for yours, if you do not expose this matter of ours, then it shall be, when יהוה has given us the land, that we shall treat you in loving-commitment and truth.” So she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall and she dwelt on the wall. And she said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers come upon you. And you shall hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned, and afterwards go on your way.” And the men said to her, “We are released from this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, and your mother, and your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. “And it shall be that anyone who goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood is on his own head, and we are innocent. And anyone who is with you in the house, his blood is on our head if a hand is laid on him. “And if you expose this matter of ours, then we shall be released from your oath which you made us swear.” And she said, “Let it be according to your words.” And she sent them away, and they went. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. So they left and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. And the pursuers sought them in all the way, but did not find them. Then the two men returned and came down from the mountain, and passed over. And they came to Yehoshua son of Nun, and related to him all that had befallen them.” (Joshua 2: 1-23)

Rehab disobeyed the ruling secular authority and helped the Israelite spies and this went well with her in the end. 

The Maccabean Rebellion

The Maccabean rebellion is our next example, and I believe it’s best to read those books in their entirety, but if you would like, you could read my articles “The Story of Hanukkah” and “Remembering Hanukkah”. From the book of Maccabees, we read how the Jews disobeyed their Greek ruling authorities and revolted against them, and this action was blessed by Elohim. 

We are to Disobey the Beast 

There are numerous other examples but my last one will center around the mark of the beast.

“And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from the heaven on the earth before men. And he leads astray those dwelling on the earth because of those signs which he was given to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword, yet lived. And there was given to him to give spirit to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause to be killed as many as would not worship the image of the beast. And he causes all, both small and great, and rich and poor, and free and slave, to be given a mark upon their right hand or upon their foreheads, and that no one should be able to buy or sell except he that has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelations 13:12-17)

“And a third messenger followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark upon his forehead or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured out undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he shall be tortured with fire and sulphur before the set-apart messengers and before the Lamb. “And the smoke of their torture goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those worshiping the beast and his image, also if anyone receives the mark of his name.” (Revelations 14:9-11)

Will not the beast or Anti-Messiah be the worldly ruling authority? Are we not warned against receiving his mark, that he will issue out as a law for all people? The scriptures speak for themselves, and it stands to reason that the ruling authority that Paul was talking about had nothing to do with leadership that does not follow YHWH.

The Authority We Should Obey 

 As we continue reading Romans chapter 13, you will see that the type of language Paul uses to describe this authority is one that follows Yeshua in Torah obedience. 

“So, he who opposes the authority withstands the institution of Elohim, and those who withstand shall bring judgment on themselves. For those ruling are an object of fear, not to good works, but to evil. Do you wish to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it, for it is a servant of Elohim to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain. For it is a servant of Elohim, a revenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore, it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of the conscience.” (Romans 13:2-5)

Paul states that the rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil; what is good or bad (sin) is defined by the Torah. Was Rome a terror to evil? Hardly. And the same can be said of modern nations, sure they all generally agree that it is wrong to kill (the cultic elites get a pass on this apparently) or steal (unless the government needs it), but these same countries allow for abortions, adultery, perverted scenes to be displayed on television, toxins to be injected into people, and forces draconian measures under the guise of the ‘greater good”. Promotes the biased medical community whose standard operating procedure is to administer the patient medication that will only cover the symptoms, and not the cause, thus becoming a lifetime customer to big pharma. Not to mention idolatry, homosexuality, debauchery, drunkenness, etc. In essence, the countries today are wicked, serving money and idols above all else; they do not care about Yeshua or the Torah. Further on, Paul says if you do not want to be afraid of the authority, do good, who shall we fear if not Elohim? 

“And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the being. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both being and body in GĕHinnom.” (Matthew 10:28)

We fear Elohim alone, and the authorities He has raised up are an extension of His power. In Paul’s day, the followers of Yeshua had a hierarchy of religious leadership. Think about the brother of Yeshua James (whose name is actually Jacob), who was head of the Jerusalem council. That’s the type of authority Paul is talking about, one that promotes good (Torah obedience) and is a terror to evil (sin), for they execute righteous judgment (not bearing the sword in vain). Does this mean we are to be criminals? No, we should be prime examples of what it means to be a child of the living Elohim. Even so, if the nation we find ourselves in issues laws that go against Torah, well, we have Maccabees to look to for an example. Followers of Yeshua obey His decrees, and if the secular world tries to prohibit that, then we must stand up and remain strong in Elohim. 

Continue to test all things, including this, and may the Ruach Hakodesh lead you into all truth.

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