Understanding the Distinction Between the House of Judah and the House of Israel

 

I believe it is very important for us to know about the distinction between the house of Judah and the house of Israel (Also called the house of Joseph or Ephraim). Today, many people associate all 12 tribes of Israel with Jews, but this is false, for the term Jew does not show up until after Israel became two nations.

Abraham was a Hebrew, not a Jew

 The word Hebrew is also usually associated with only Jewish heritage and culture. However, the first man to be called a Hebrew was:

“And one who had escaped came and informed Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamrĕ the Amorite, brother of Eshkol and brother of Anĕr, and they had a covenant with Aḇram. ” (Genesis 14:13)

Abraham couldn’t have been a Jew, as neither the tribe of Judah nor the house of Judah had been established, so to say only the Jews are Hebrews is false. When in fact all of Israel are Hebrews, Abraham fathered Isaac, who fathered Jacob (who later becomes Israel), who fathered the 12 tribes. If you read my post, “Discovering the Connection Between Israel and the Church in the Bible” then you know those of us who follow Yeshua are Abraham’s seed, thus we are Hebrews. 

Israel Divides into Two

The nation of Israel was split into two, after years of unrest and infighting among the 12 tribes of Israel. The details of this can be found in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Kings. The southern kingdom, made up of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and a portion of Levi (to what extent is unclear), became known as Judah or the house of Judah. The northern kingdom, made up of the other 10 tribes, became known as Israel or the house of Israel. The distinction is seen here: 

“And he mustered them in Bezeq, and the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehuḏah (Judah) thirty thousand.” (1 Samuel 11:8)

Up until Israel divided, the word Jew was never used. 

The Misconception of the Usage of Hebrew and Jew

It is a common misconception to say that the Jews were slaves to the Egyptians when it was all of Israel that was enslaved; that is why YHWH says this.

“Say, therefore, to the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), ‘I am יהוה, and I shall bring you out from under the burdens of the Mitsrites (Egyptians), and shall deliver you from their enslaving, and shall redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments, ” (Exodus 6:6) 

YHWH doesn’t say “tell the Jews”, he tells Moses to inform all of Israel. Since we’re in Exodus, let's look at a verse that supports the notion that all of Israel are Hebrews.

“And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Mitsrian (Egyptians) women. For they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.” (Exodus 1:19) 

The first time the word Jew is brought up is here:

“And in the seventh new moon it came to be that Yishma‛ĕl (Ishmael) son of Nethanyah (Nethaniah), son of Elishama, of the seed of the reign, came with ten men and struck Geḏalyahu (Gedaliah) that he died, and the Yehuḏim (Jews), and the Kasdim (Chaldeans) who were with him at Mitspah (Mizpah).” (2 Kings 25:25)

Remember this takes place after the split, those who come from the house of Judah are called Jews, those who come from the house of Israel are never called Jews in the Bible. 

The House of Israel Divorced 

Now we turn to see when the house of Israel was divorced and sent away.

“And יהוה said to me in the days of Yoshiyahu (Josiah) the sovereign, “Have you seen what backsliding Yisra’ĕl (Israel) has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there committed whoring. “And after she had done all these, I said ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Yehuḏah (Judah) saw it. “And I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Yisra’ĕl (Israel) had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Yehuḏah (Judah) did not fear, but went and committed whoring too.” (Jeremiah 3:6-8) 

Because the house of Israel betrayed YHWH and sought after other gods and forsook the ways (Torah) of the Most High, they were divorced, scattered among the nations. This was hinted at in Genesis when Israel (Jacob) blessed Ephraim. 

“And when Yosĕph (Joseph) saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephrayim (Ephraim), it was evil in his eyes; and he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from the head of Ephrayim (Ephraim) to the head of Menashsheh (Manasseh). And Yosĕph (Joseph) said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the first-born, put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also becomes a people, and he also is great. And yet, his younger brother is greater than he, and his seed is to become the completeness of the nations.”(Genesis 48:17-19) 

Note that “completeness of the nations” can be translated as “Fullness of the Gentiles”, see Strong’s concordance H4393 and H1471. Gentile means “nations” or, more specifically, nations outside of Israel. That means anyone who is not of Israel, as mentioned in Romans:

“For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this secret, brothers, lest you should be wise in your own estimation, that hardening in part has come over Yisra’ĕl (Israel), until the completeness of the nations has come in.” (Romans 11:25)

The Two Sticks 

Now, let me show you how Ephraim and the house of Israel are related. 

“And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Yehuḏah (Judah) and for the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yosĕph (Joseph), the stick of Ephrayim (Ephraim), and for all the house of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), his companions. ” (Ezekiel 37:16)

Here we see that the stick of Ephraim is the house of Israel and is separate from the stick of Judah. This is symbolic of the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah being detached from one another. But a time will come when both sticks are brought back together and made one once more. 

“Then bring them together for yourself into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand. “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’ say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yosĕph (Joseph), which is in the hand of Ephrayim (Ephraim), and the tribes of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), his companions. And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Yehuḏah (Judah), and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.” (Ezekiel 37: 17-19)

“And I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl (Israel). And one sovereign shall be sovereign over them all, and let them no longer be two nations, and let them no longer be divided into two reigns. “And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be My people, and I be their Elohim,” (Ezekiel 37:22-23) 

It should be noted that the house of Judah was brought back to the promised land after their time in Babylonian captivity. You can read about this in the books of Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The house of Israel, however, is not recorded returning to the promised land, for they were scattered before Judah was taken captive. You might have heard of the 10 lost tribes of Israel, or as our Messiah called them, the lost sheep.

“And He answering, said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ĕl (Israel).” (Matthew 15:24) 

Discovering Your Identity 

If you read “Discovering the Connection Between Israel and the Church in the Bible” then you know we have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel. It can be a difficult concept to grasp due to the indoctrination of man doctrine, but I found a series that teaches on the identity of believers. It’s a great teaching and well worth the 9 plus hours it takes to watch the whole series. Rabbi Steve Berkson really takes his time going over the scriptures, so you can know without a doubt that you are Israel. 

I hope this post helps you to see that there is a difference between the house of Israel and the house of Judah, as well as clearing the air about some misconceptions. Test this teaching, as you should everything, and I pray the Rauch Hakodesh guides you into all truths.

Covenant Community 101: Discovering Your Identity - Part 1 

There are 10 parts to this series; you should be able to find the other parts on YouTube when you click on the link. 

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Discovering the Connection Between Israel and the Church in the Bible

 

In another post, I went over my list of grievances against mainstream Christianity (you can read it here), what some of my counterparts call pagan Christianity. One of the topics on my list was the idea that the church and Israel are separate, which comes from the false doctrine of dispensationalism. No matter how many PhDs and Christian leaders claim it to be the truth, the Bible, however, teaches something else entirely. 

Israel and the ‘Church’ are the Same 

I want you to know that if you believe in Yeshua, you have been made part of Israel. I am not saying the church replaced Israel, but that they are the same. This is supported by the following.

“This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:” (Acts 7:38) other translations

“This is the Mosheh (Moses) who said to the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), ‘יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear.’ “This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living Words to give to us,” (Acts 7:38) The Scriptures 

In Hebrew, the word “qahal” means assembly; the Greek word translated from this, “ekklesia” can mean either congregation or assembly. It is from ekklesia that we get the word “church”. So when you read in the “Old” Testament and you see the word assembly, know it means church. Here is an example from scripture:

“There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:3) other translations

“Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה in all your dwellings.” (Leviticus 23:3) The Scriptures

This is a brief explanation of Israel and the church being the same, but demonstrates the validity of the claim. 

Being a Part of Believing Israel is Tied to Belief 

How do I know that being a part of Israel has much less to do with blood than it does with faith? 

“However, it is not as though the word of Elohim has failed. For they are not all Yisra’ĕl (Israel) who are of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham, but, “In Yitsḥaq (Isaac) your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Elohim, but the children of the promise are reckoned as the seed.” (Romans 9:6-8) 

Here, Paul tells us that just because you are an Israelite by blood, that does not make you a part of the true Israel. It doesn’t matter if you can trace your lineage to Abraham; you could still not be a child of Abraham. So then, how do we know who is a true descendant of Abraham?

“For you are all sons of Elohim through belief in Messiah יהושע. For as many of you as were immersed into Messiah have put on Messiah. There is not YehuḏI (Jew) nor Greek, there is not slave nor free, there is not male and female, for you are all one in Messiah יהושע. And if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Abraham, and heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)

You are descendants of Abraham’s seed if you belong to Yeshua, it is a Spiritual family, much like how you and I are brothers and sisters through the Messiah. To further solidify that point, Paul also wrote this at the beginning of Galatians:

“Know, then, that those who are of belief are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, having foreseen that Elohim would declare right the nations by belief, announced the Good News to Abraham beforehand, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you,” so that those who are of belief are blessed with Abraham, the believer.” (Galatians 3:7-9)

So far, we’ve covered how we know that we are Abraham's children, but what about being members of Israel?

“Therefore remember that you, once nations in the flesh, who are called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah יהושע you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. ” (Ephesians 2:11-13) 

“So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim,” (Ephesians 2:19) 

At one time, we were separate from Israel, without the Messiah; we had no hope, but through the work of Yeshua, we have been made part of the commonwealth of Israel. 

Grafted into Israel

Paul writes in Romans about how we have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel. 

“And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. And if you boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you! You shall say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Good! By unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by belief. Do not be arrogant, but fear. For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He might not spare you either. See then the kindness and sharpness of Elohim: on those who fell sharpness, but toward you kindness, if you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also shall be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?” (Romans 11:17:24)

I am neither a Jew (as far as I know, I don’t come from Judah but do have 'Jewish' blood) nor a gentile, for in Yeshua I have become an Israelite. I've also created a syllogism to demonstrate the validity of my argument,

1.  Gentiles are anyone who is outside the nation of Israel.
2. We, followers of Yeshua, have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel.
3. Therefore, those of Messiah are not gentiles. 

 Test all things, even this teaching, and it is my hope, my prayer, that the Rauch Hakodesh will guide you into all truth.  

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Exposing False Teachings in Mainstream Christianity: Separating Truth from Deception

 

Now more than ever, I see false teachings being portrayed as truth and the young in faith being led astray. It’s not new, in fact, it’s been happening for thousands of years, but I didn’t know the magnitude of the lies till my eyes were opened to the Biblical truth. It has been awesome to wake up from the matrix and yet sad at the same time. For it is only when we are fully awake that we see how many are still hooked in, who are still asleep, we see the wolves in sheep's clothing, and we see the lambs being led to the slaughter. Mainstream Christianity would like the young to believe the Torah (YHWH’s instructions) are done away with, that there is a separation of church and Israel, that we live on a planet that is hurtling through an ever-expanding universe, that homosexuality is not a sin, and that Yeshua was a hippie (Peace, love, feeble, and all-inclusive). But these are rooted in man's doctrine and false teachers; woe unto those who knowingly twist the scriptures to fit their lifestyle. This is a survey of the grievances I have with mainstream Christianity.

The Torah is still Applicable Today

I’ve written a few posts on Torah and how it has not been abolished, so for those eager to learn, I encourage you to look at them here. For now, let us examine a quote from a Christian leader and then see what the Bible actually says. 

“A great need of the Christian world today is the clear recognition that we are not under the law, but the gospel; that the law was nailed to the cross and passed out of force when the new will was probated at Pentecost” (R.C. Fosters, Studies in the Life of Christ: Introduction, the Early Period, the Middle Period, the Final Week, pg.469) 

This is just one example, but a quick search on Google or YouTube will show up numerous articles and videos advocating that the Torah is finished. First, R.C. Foster states that we are not under the law but under grace. This is correct and in reference to the writings of Paul. 

“For sin shall not rule over you, for you are not under the law but under favor. ” (Romans 6:14) 

In the next verse, Paul wrote this.

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under Torah but under favor? Let it not be! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, you are servants of the one whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” (Romans 6:15-16) 

Because we are free from the penalty of sin, which is death, should we then use our freedom to continue to sin? 

“What, then, shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, to let favor increase? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) 

Remember the definition of sin?

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)

Paul tells us plainly that we should not continue to sin (violate the Torah), but that we should be obedient. We are not saved by the law, which is legalism, but observe the Torah out of loving obedience. See how easily the lawless teachers can make the Bible say what they want it to say? R.C. Foster then says that the law was nailed to the cross; again, this Bible scholar takes the scripture out of context to support his views.

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2: 13-14) 

Did Yeshua die on the cross to do away with the Torah or to wash away our sins? Clearly, Paul is talking about how we had a debt we could not pay, from breaking the law, and that Yeshua was the sacrifice for those debts. 

The Falsehood of Replacement Theology 

Next, mainstream Christianity teaches that we are separate from Israel, but that is not what the Bible teaches. 

“And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. And if you boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you! You shall say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Good! By unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by belief. Do not be arrogant, but fear. For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He might not spare you either. See then the kindness and sharpness of Elohim: on those who fell sharpness, but toward you kindness, if you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also shall be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? ” (Romans 11:17-24) 

“that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah יהושע you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.” (Ephesians 2:12-13) 

“So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim,” (Ephesians 2:19) 

Here, Paul is telling us that we have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel, and now we are part of the commonwealth of Israel, through the work of our Messiah Yeshua. 

Biblical Cosmology and the Creation Model 

Biblical Cosmology, it’s what I first covered on this website, and I still believe whole heartily what I wrote. If you haven’t read them yet, I highly suggest you do. Here, however, is what mainstream Christianity has to say about some topics related to Biblical Cosmology. 

“To say it all dates back to 6,000 years is just nonsense, and I think [it’s] time we come off of that stuff, and say this isn’t possible.” (Pat Robertson) 

“I don't believe in so-called evolution as it is currently presented, as non-theistic. I believe that God started it all and He is in charge of all of it ... but the fact that you have progressive evolution under His control, that doesn’t hurt my faith at all.” (Pat Robertson)

Pat Robertson is part of the 700 Club and is much respected in the Christian community, but here we have him denying the power of YHWH by saying it’s impossible for the Earth to be created 6,000 years ago. 

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their array. And in the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it He rested from all His work which Elohim in creating had made.” (Genesis 2:1-3)

The Bible teaches a young earth; there’s no way around it. Here, Moses writes that the earth was finished in 6 days, not over the course of 6 trillion years. It is here that we see the Sabbath being set forth; YHWH worked for 6 days and rested on the 7th. It says He blessed the 7th day and made it holy (Sabbath). It seems logical to conclude, then, that yes, it took 6 actual days. Or did he claim the next trillion years a Sabbath?  

Pat Robertson also claims that evolution, in some sense, could be true, and his words are echoed by a large number of Christians. This is false, and in no way, shape, or form does the Bible teach this.

“And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth the living being according to its kind: livestock and creeping creatures and beasts of the earth, according to its kind.” And it came to be so. ”And it was so.” (Genesis 1:24)

After its own kind, that’s what the Bible said. Not a fish into a bird into an ape into a man. There was no evolutionary process; everything was already the way it was meant to be. Then there is the idea that we are floating around in outer space. This Christian song depicts what the majority of Christians think.

“God of wonders, beyond our galaxy.” (Third Day)

Check out my Biblical Cosmology posts here to see why this is just absurd and unbiblical.

The Church’s Acceptance of Homosexuality  

Next on the list is homosexuality; over recent years, the Christian church has become more and more accepting of the sin. Now, I do agree that we shouldn’t shun, make fun of, or treat those brothers and sisters unjustly who are struggling with the sin. I do not, however, agree with the view that homosexuality is not a sin; it most certainly is. 

“Because of this Elohim gave them over to degrading passions. For even their women exchanged natural relations for what is against nature, and likewise, the men also, having left natural relations with woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing indecency, and receiving back the reward which was due for their straying.” (Romans 1:26-27)

“Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the reign of Elohim? Do not be deceived. Neither those who whore, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor greedy of gain, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers shall inherit the reign of Elohim.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) 

New Age Jesus 

Finally, we arrive at hippie Jesus, by which I mean this idea or concept of Yeshua being a person for peace and love, unbiblically speaking. Yeshua corrected those in error, and contrary to popular belief, he did not come to bring peace (in the world's sense of the word). 

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword, for I have come to bring division, a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –and a man’s enemies are those of his own household. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. “And he who does not take up his stake and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he that has lost his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39)

He flat-out says it, that he came not for peace, and those who love their family more than him are not worthy of him. Those who do not carry their cross and follow are not worthy of him. He is our King, our Messiah, not some self-help guru. 

“Afterward יהושע found him in the Set-apart Place, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, so that no worse matter befalls you.” (John 5:14)

Yeshua tells a man he healed not to continue in sin, lest something worse happen. He doesn’t tell him to go on freely doing as he wishes. New Age Jesus wants you to do what makes you feel good and this is an anti-Christ, a false depiction of the one true King Yeshua. Remember when Yeshua drove out all those evildoers from the temple with a whip? 

“And He found in the Set-apart Place those selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers sitting. And having made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Set-apart Place, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the moneychangers’ coins and overturned the tables. And He said to those selling doves, “Take these away! Do not make the house of My Father a house of merchandise!”” (John 2:14-16) 

I hope this post highlighted some of the wrongs being committed by mainstream Christianity and helps you to wake up from the lies being perpetrated by false teachers. I pray you will test all things, including this teaching, and that the Rauch Hakodesh will guide you into all truth. 

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Uncovering the Mysteries of the Tower of Babel: An In-Depth Look at Jasher and Jubilees

 

Many people have speculated on the mysteries of the Tower of Babel, such as why it was created, who was the mastermind behind it, and why YHWH destroyed it and scattered the people. The book of Genesis gives us the story, but fails to answer some pressing questions. To get the full context of the story, we must look to books that were removed from the canon, Jasher and Jubilees, both of which are mentioned in the canonized Bible. I’ll go more in-depth with these two books in a future post, but for now, I would ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. If you feel they are non-inspirational, then by all means stop reading, but if you want to see a glimpse of what is written in them, then continue on. 

“And all the earth had one language and one speech. And it came to be, as they set out from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shin‛ar, and they dwelt there. And they said to each other, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over all the face of the earth.” Then יהוה came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And יהוה said, “Look, they are one people and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do! And now, they are not going to be withheld from doing whatever they plan to do. “Come, let Us go there and confuse their language, so that they do not understand one another’s speech.” And יהוה scattered them from there, over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. That is why its name was called Babel, because there יהוה confused the language of all the earth, and from there יהוה scattered them over the face of all the earth.” (Genesis 11:1-9) 

Picture it, everyone on earth speaking the same language and working together to build a single structure, what a sight that must have been! I’ve heard different theories for why they were building the tower; some say they tried to build a stargate to get into heaven. Others just say they built it out of pride, and that is why YHWH destroyed the tower. If YHWH didn’t want them to build towers, then why does He allow us to have skyscrapers? Based on Biblical Cosmology, we can rule out stargates and just a hatred for tall structures, and conclude that they indeed wanted to build up to the firmament. Why though? 

Just How High was the Tower?

Jasher has the answer, but it is in Jubilees that we see the measurements for the tower. 

“For they departed from the land of Ararat eastward to Shinar; for in his days they built the city and the tower, saying, 'Go to, let us ascend thereby into heaven.' And they began to build, and in the fourth week they made brick with fire, and the bricks served them for stone, and the clay with which they cemented them together was asphalt which comes out of the sea, and out of the fountains of water in the land of Shinar. And they built it: forty and three years [1645-1688 A.M.] were they building it; its breadth was 203 bricks, and the height (of a brick) was the third of one; its height amounted to 5433 cubits and 2 palms, and (the extent of one wall was) thirteen stades (and of the other thirty stades). And the Lord our God said unto us: Behold, they are one people, and (this) they begin to do, and now nothing will be withholden from them. Go to, let us go down and confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech, and they may be dispersed into cities and nations, and one purpose will no longer abide with them till the day of judgment.' And the Lord descended, and we descended with him to see the city and the tower which the children of men had built. And he confounded their language, and they no longer understood one another's speech, and they ceased then to build the city and the tower. For this reason the whole land of Shinar is called Babel, because the Lord did there confound all the language of the children of men, and from thence they were dispersed into their cities, each according to his language and his nation. And the Lord sent a mighty wind against the tower and overthrew it upon the earth, and behold it was between Asshur and Babylon in the land of Shinar, and they called its name 'Overthrow'.” (Jubilees (10:19-26)

A.M. basically means from creation; in fact, the Jews still use that year system. The height of the tower was 5433 cubits, which measures out to 1.5 miles high. To put that into perspective, the tallest building in the world is Burj Khalifa, topping off at 2,717 feet high or half a mile high. I’m not very good with math, so I couldn’t figure out the measurements for the base of the tower, but we know its base is made up of 203 bricks and that the height of the bricks is 1/3 its length. Either way, I know its base must have covered a lot of land. We also see that the people were working on this tower for 43 years before YHWH destroyed the structure and scattered the people. In this little snippet of Jubilees, we see that the earth will not be united for a singular cause till the end of days, the new world order and one-world government seem to fit the bill. 

Why They Built the Tower

Now that we know the tower was massive, but still don’t know who was the overseer of the project, or why they decided to build it in the first place? To learn that, we turn to the book of Jasher.

“And king Nimrod reigned securely, and all the earth was under his control, and all the earth was of one tongue and words of union. And all the princes of Nimrod and his great men took counsel together; Phut, Mitzraim, Cush and Canaan with their families, and they said to each other, Come let us build ourselves a city and in it a strong tower, and its top reaching heaven, and we will make ourselves famed, so that we may reign upon the whole world, in order that the evil of our enemies may cease from us, that we may reign mightily over them, and that we may not become scattered over the earth on account of their wars. And they all went before the king, and they told the king these words, and the king agreed with them in this affair, and he did so. And all the families assembled consisting of about six hundred thousand men, and they went to seek an extensive piece of ground to build the city and the tower, and they sought in the whole earth and they found none like one valley at the east of the land of Shinar, about two days' walk, and they journeyed there and they dwelt there. And they began to make bricks and burn fires to build the city and the tower that they had imagined to complete. And the building of the tower was unto them a transgression and a sin, and they began to build it, and whilst they were building against the Lord God of heaven, they imagined in their hearts to war against him and to ascend into heaven. And all these people and all the families divided themselves in three parts; the first said We will ascend into heaven and fight against him; the second said, We will ascend to heaven and place our own gods there and serve them; and the third part said, We will ascend to heaven and smite him with bows and spears; and God knew all their works and all their evil thoughts, and he saw the city and the tower which they were building. And when they were building they built themselves a great city and a very high and strong tower; and on account of its height the mortar and bricks did not reach the builders in their ascent to it, until those who went up had completed a full year, and after that, they reached to the builders and gave them the mortar and the bricks; thus was it done daily. And behold these ascended and others descended the whole day; and if a brick should fall from their hands and get broken, they would all weep over it, and if a man fell and died, none of them would look at him. And the Lord knew their thoughts, and it came to pass when they were building they cast the arrows toward the heavens, and all the arrows fell upon them filled with blood, and when they saw them they said to each other, Surely we have slain all those that are in heaven. For this was from the Lord in order to cause them to err, and in order; to destroy them from off the face of the ground. And they built the tower and the city, and they did this thing daily until many days and years were elapsed. And God said to the seventy angels who stood foremost before him, to those who were near to him, saying, Come let us descend and confuse their tongues, that one man shall not understand the language of his neighbor, and they did so unto them. And from that day following, they forgot each man his neighbor's tongue, and they could not understand to speak in one tongue, and when the builder took from the hands of his neighbor lime or stone which he did not order, the builder would cast it away and throw it upon his neighbor, that he would die. And they did so many days, and they killed many of them in this manner. And the Lord smote the three divisions that were there, and he punished them according to their works and designs; those who said, We will ascend to heaven and serve our gods, became like apes and elephants; and those who said, We will smite the heaven with arrows, the Lord killed them, one man through the hand of his neighbor; and the third division of those who said, We will ascend to heaven and fight against him, the Lord scattered them throughout the earth. And those who were left amongst them, when they knew and understood the evil which was coming upon them, they forsook the building, and they also became scattered upon the face of the whole earth. And they ceased building the city and the tower; therefore he called that place Babel, for there the Lord confounded the Language of the whole earth; behold it was at the east of the land of Shinar. And as to the tower which the sons of men built, the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up one third part thereof, and a fire also descended from heaven and burned another third, and the other third is left to this day, and it is of that part which was aloft, and its circumference is three days' walk. And many of the sons of men died in that tower, a people without number.” (Jasher 9: 20-39) 

The Overseer of the Tower

The man behind the tower is Nimrod; you may remember that name from here. 

“And Kush brought forth Nimroḏ, he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before יהוה, therefore it is said, “Like Nimroḏ the mighty hunter before יהוה.” And the beginning of his reign was Babel, and Ereḵ, and Akkaḏ, and Kalnĕh, in the land of Shin‛ar.” (Genesis 10:8-10) 

The shocking reality of what the people had intended to do is startling and foolish; the audacity to believe they could kill YHWH and instill their own gods in heaven to worship. It wasn’t even a small number of people who had imagined such evil; it was 600,000! I thought it was a bit comical that YHWH turned their arrows red when they fell back down through the clouds, fooling the wicked into believing they had actually done something. For those unaware, the Tower of Babel takes place after the flood, which was brought on by the great wickedness on the earth. It seems we never learn our lesson, even now, the wicked and lawless try to squeeze YHWH out of the picture with evolution and space. I look forward to the day Yeshua returns to wage war against the evildoers; it will be a glorious day indeed!

I hope this brought new understanding to the Tower of Babel and the significance it plays. Test all things, even this teaching, and I pray the Rauch Hakodesh leads you into all truth. 

P.S.

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What are Leviathan and Behemoth in the Bible?

 

What are Leviathan and Behemoth? I’ve heard many people say they were large African animals like an elephant or a hippo, or that they could have been dinosaurs. Although valiant in their determination to know the truth, I reason Leviathan and Behemoth are neither of the two but are unique to the rest of creation. As with all my teachings, we will delve into the scriptures to explore what they have to say about these two legendary creatures. I will be using three sources not found in your regular canon of scripture, but regarded as canonical in some biblical texts, one of which I have covered in "Ripped from the Bible" (1 Enoch).

How the Bible Defines Both Creatures 

 We’ll start with the passages found in Job, which provide the most detailed description of both creatures. 

“See now, Behĕmoth, which I made along with you – he eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in his stomach muscles. He bends his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are like tubes of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron. He is the beginning of the ways of Ěl. His Maker brings near His sword. For the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there. He lies under the slender trees, under cover of reed and swamp. The slender trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the stream surround him. See, if a river rages, he is not alarmed; he feels safe, even if the Yardĕn (Jordan) gushes into his mouth, Before his eyes, shall he be caught, with snares? Or his nose pierced?” (Job 40:15-24)

Most, in general, will say this is a description of a hippopotamus, but how many hippos do you know of that have tails like a cedar tree? There is one thing in this passage that I do not understand, which is Behemoth being first in the ways of YHWH, maybe he was the first creature created? If you have any thoughts on what this could mean feel free to leave a comment down below. 

“Would you draw out Liwiathan (Leviathan) with a hook, or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Would you put a cord through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook? Would he keep on pleading with you? Would he speak softly to you? Would he make a covenant with you to be taken as a servant forever? Would you play with him as with a bird? Or leash him for your young girls? Would trading partners bargain over him? Would they divide him among the merchants? Fill his skin with harpoons? Or his head with fishing spears? Put your hand on him – think of the struggle! Do not do it again! See, any expectation of him is disappointed – he is laid low even at the sight of him! No one is so foolhardy to wake him up. Who then is able to stand against Me? Who has given to Me first, that I should repay him – under all the heavens that is Mine? I would not keep silent concerning his limbs, or his mighty power, or his fair frame. Who shall take off the surface of his skin? Who approaches him with a double bridle? Who shall open the doors of his face, with his frightening teeth all around? Rows of scales are his pride – closed up, a binding seal. One to the other they fit closely, not even a breath enters between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together and are not separated. His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go firebrands – sparks of fire shoot out. Out of his nostrils comes smoke, like a boiling pot or kettle. His breath sets coals on fire, and a flame goes out of his mouth. Strength dwells in his neck, and fear leaps before him. The folds of his flesh cleave together. They are firm on him, immovable. His heart is as hard as stone, even as hard as the lower millstone. When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. Because of his crashings they are bewildered. No sword that reaches him does prevail, neither spear, dart, or lance. He reckons iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood. The arrow does not make him flee, sling-stones become like stubble to him. Clubs are reckoned as straw, he laughs at the rattle of a lance. His undersides are like sharp potsherds. He sprawls on the mud like a threshing-sledge. He makes the deep boil like a pot, he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. He leaves a shining path behind him. One would think the deep to be grey-haired. No one on earth is like him – one made without fear. He sees all that is haughty. He is sovereign over all the sons of pride.” (Job 41: 1-34)

“Here is the sea, great and wide, In which are innumerable swarms, Living creatures, small with great. There do ships go; That Liwiathan (Leviathan) which You made, to play there.” (Psalm 104:25-26)

The only thing I’m not sure of is the last sentence, where it says he is the king of all the sons of pride. What could this mean? Interesting and worth further research. Again, many will try to rationalize that the Leviathan is a crocodile or something of the like, but I ask, how many crocodiles do you know of that have impenetrable scales, breathe fire, have eyes like the sun, when they sneeze a flash of light comes forth, and when they move the sea becomes choppy? If Leviathan sounds to you like a giant sea dragon, well, you’re right, and Elohim is going to slay the mighty beast.

“You divided the sea by Your might; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. You broke the heads of Liwiathan (Leviathan) in pieces, You made him food for the people Living in the wilderness.” (Psalm 74:13-14) 

It also seems to have multiple heads, as if this dragon wasn’t intimidating enough already.

Separating the Two Beast 

In the book of Enoch, we get a little more information on these two impressive creatures.

“And on that day two monsters will be separated from one another, a female monster whose name is Leviathan, to dwell in the depths of the sea, above the springs of the waters. And the name of the male is Behemoth who occupies with his breast an immense desert named Dendayn on the east of the Garden where the chosen and the righteous dwell. Where my great-grandfather was received, who was seventh from Adam, the first man whom the Lord of Spirits made. And I asked that other Angel to show me the power of those monsters, how they were separated on one day, and thrown, one into the depths of the sea and the other on to the dry ground of the desert. And he said to me: “Son of man, you here wish to know what is secret.” (Enoch 60:7-10)

Why is Leviathan depicted as female here and in other texts as a male? Where is this desert called Dendayn (features of this desert in the next passage)? I’m not sure but maybe we’re not meant to know, just like the angel said it’s a secret. 

The Stature of Leviathan and Behemoth 

To get a better idea of how massive these creatures are we’ll have to look in 2 Esdras.

“On the fifth day you commanded the seventh part, where the water had been gathered together, to bring forth living creatures, birds, and fishes; and so it was done. The dumb and lifeless water produced living creatures, as it was commanded, so that therefore the nations might declare your wondrous works. “Then you kept in existence two living creatures; the one you called Behemoth and the name of the other Leviathan. And you separated one from the other, for the seventh part where the water had been gathered together could not hold them both. And you gave Behemoth one of the parts that had been dried up on the third day, to live in it, where there are a thousand mountains; but to Leviathan you gave the seventh part, the watery part; and you have kept them to be eaten by whom you wish, and when you wish.” (2 Esdras 6:47-52)

Both monsters were created on the 5th day of creation, and they are so ginormous that the oceans cannot contain them both! Imagine that if you can. Where is the place of a thousand mountains that now holds the Behemoth? Perhaps another secret that we will have to wait to find out. 

Food for the Masses?

What’s more shocking, however, is that these beasts have a part to play in the last of days. King David referenced this in Psalms 74:13-14 when he said Leviathan will be made food.

“And He answered and said unto me: 'Whatever will then befall (will befall) the whole earth; therefore, all who live will experience (them). For at that time I will protect only those who are found in those self-same days in this land. And it shall come to pass when all is accomplished that was to come to pass in those parts, that the Messiah shall then begin to be revealed. And Behemoth shall be revealed from his place and Leviathan shall ascend from the sea, those two great monsters which I created on the fifth day of creation, and shall have kept until that time; and then they shall be for food for all that are left.” (2 Burch 29:1-4)

“And the angel of peace who was with me said to me, “These two monsters are prepared for the great day of YHWH when they shall turn into food.” (1 Enoch 60:24)

On the great day of YHWH, both Leviathan and Behemoth will be brought forth from their hiding places and become food for those who are left. Yes, both animals are clean. If you remember in the scriptures from Job, the Behemoth chews the cud like an ox and the Leviathan has scales.

“Whatever has a split hoof completely divided, chewing the cud, among the beasts, that you do eat.” (Leviticus 11:3)

“These you do eat of all that are in the waters: any one that has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas or in the rivers, that you do eat.” (Leviticus 11:9) 

I firmly believe that scripture makes it very clear that Leviathan and Behemoth are not African animals and are not dinosaurs (which may be a hoax), but are special, singular creatures. I know this may sound too fantastical and unbelievable, but given Biblical Cosmology and Nephilim, is it really that hard to believe? 

As always, test all things, including this teaching. I pray the Holy Spirit guides you into truth. 

P.S.

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