“I hate falsehood and I abhor it, but Your Torah I love. Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous judgments. There is abundant peace for the lovers of Your Torah, and there is no stumbling block for them.” Psalms 119:163-165
There is so much debauchery and deception in our world today that it is almost overwhelming! As I have stated many times before, right is now wrong and wrong is now right. Light is becoming dark and dark is growing even darker all under the weight of humanities collective sin, debauchery, rebellion and selfish perversions. Things twenty years ago which would have seem unthinkable are now openly celebrated and embraced while those who reject them are labeled as bigots and intolerant and many shout that they should be shunned from society as a whole.
What is the reason for this descent into darkness and madness? I have heard many say it is the sign the False Messiah is about to appear, and while I would somewhat agree with that statement, there is much more to the False Messiah and his doctrine that has been largely ignored over the centuries, going back to before the time of Yeshua.
The key issues to hold onto when examining what HaShem’s Word says regarding the False Messiah is the following four scriptural facts about HaShem: He never changes, He does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets, there is nothing new under the sun and He reveals the end out of the beginning. Examining these four facts WILL instantly expose the doctrine of the False Messiah which is permeating and consuming the world today!
We must remember when reading the Apostolic Writings that there is absolutely nothing new in these writings!! This means EVERYTHING in the Apostolic Writings MUST be supported in the Tanakh (Old Testament) or it is not accurate! Why is this so important? Because at the time of Yeshua and the time of Shaul’s (Paul’s) letters, there was no Apostolic Writings…everything was Judaism centered and focused on the Tanakh and especially the Torah. Further, the Apostolic Writings were not written to English speaking Americans! They were written to Torah keeping, Temple observing, Judaism centered Israel! It is vitally important to remember this as we proceed!
Before we can jump into this subject, always remember the following:
– HaShem never changes per Num 23:19/Mal 3:6/Hebrews 13:8/James 1:17
– His Word is firmly established per Psalm 119:89
– He reveals the end out of the beginning per Is 46:10
– He does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets per Amos 3:7
– He says there is nothing new under the sun per Ecclesiastes 1:9
– He says His Torah is eternal per Proverbs 3:19 and Psalm 119:160
– He says His Torah is perfect and restores the soul per Psalm 19:7
– He says His Torah makes the simple one wise per Psalm 19:7
– He says His Torah Is freedom and liberty per Psalm Ps 119:45 and James 1:25
– He says His Torah is the only good doctrine there is Proverbs 4:2
– He says His Torah will add length of days and years of life and peace per Proverbs 3:2
– He says all of the ways of His Torah are ways of pleasantness and peace per Proverbs 3:17
– He says His Torah is for our good and well-being per Deuteronomy 6:24
– He says His Torah is health for our lives per Proverbs 3:8
– He says His Torah is life to our soul and a graceful ornament for our neck per Prov 3:22
– He says His Torah is better than pearls and all desires cannot compare to it per Prov 8:11
– He says those who walk with His Torah are praiseworthy per Psalms 119:1
– He says observing His Torah is how we purify our path per Psalms 119:9
– He says His Torah is better than thousands in gold and silver per Psalms 119:72
– He says His Torah brings abundant peace to those who love Him and His Torah per Psalms 119:165
– He says there is one Torah for all per Exodus 12:49/Leviticus 24:22
– He says those who hate His Torah love death per Proverbs 8:36
Hollywood and authors have produced enormous amounts of movies and books discussing this person we know to be the False Messiah. Christendom refers to him as being the ‘Anti-Christ.’ Many of these products show this person to be heavily connected to the number ‘666’ and thus many times showcase a person who is outright evil, with a ‘666’ tattooed to his forehead. In reality, the False Messiah is NOT out in the open like this for if he was even the drunk guy at the bar would know to stay away from such a figure.
The False Messiah and his characteristics in biblical references is shown throughout His Word from beginning to end through countless figures, such as Pharaoh of Egypt, Esau, King Herod, Antiochus Epiphanies, etc. But, the best reference is found in 2 Thessalonians 2 when Shaul (Paul) teaches the following about this man: “Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness is to be revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshiped, so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim (Temple of HaShem), showing himself he is Elohim.”
There is SO much to explore in these verses above from 2 Thessalonians 2! We will quickly go over the highlights as we have much to discuss. The falling away Shaul references has always been interpreted to mean the ‘Rapture’ Christendom teaches, however, this is incorrect. The falling away here is the falling away of the people from the Torah of HaShem and embracing and the mixing of paganism and idolatry into the service of HaShem! Point is, this event has occurred a VERY long time ago and we see the effects of it today in modern Christendom and sects of Judaism. So its the falling away which reveals the False Messiah AKA the Man of Lawlessness. So has this man been revealed? Yes he has for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. I digress.
This term Shaul uses i.e. ‘Lawlessness’ is not referencing running stop lights and shoplifting at the mall type of lawlessness, but a much more destructive and sinister form of lawlessness which is encapsulated in the word itself: ‘Lawlessness’ i.e. Anomia in Greek which means ‘Without the Torah of HaShem!’ Interesting so the False Messiah is all about a doctrine devoid of the Torah! Hmmmm…
Further, Shaul says that this person exalts himself to being equal to HaShem and then sits as HaShem in the Dwelling Place of HaShem and declares himself to be HaShem. Is there a figure head which humanity has acknowledged, accepted and embraced as being equal to HaShem or HaShem in the flesh? Yes there is, which we will address shortly. I digress.
I have a very good book titled ‘The Messiah Texts’ by Raphael Patai and its an outstanding book as the author has compiled all the references from ancient Judaism concerning how they interpreted Scripture and how they understood the aspects of the Messiah and the False Messiah. Remember its how Judaism understood and interpreted the concepts of the Messiah that matters, not what we today in America think.
In this book, the author speaks of ancient texts of Judaism which reference a character named ‘Armilus’. It is this Armilus that is understood to be another name for the end of days False Messiah but that this character has been around for a very long time teaching a doctrine of lawlessness. In the Midrash it speaks of this Armilus and how this Armilus will slay Messiah ben Yosef (Messiah Son of Joseph i.e. the Suffering Messiah) and then later it is Messiah ben David (Messiah son of David i.e. The Conquering and Reigning for eternity King) who will ultimately slay Armilus and save Israel from him.
For the record, the Midrash is not to be interpreted literally…the Midrash is conveying concepts and is teaching us through pictures. This said, the Midrash references this person and says “Satan will descend and go to Rome to the stone statue (These texts speak of a stone statue of a young woman which is erected in Rome) and have connections with it in the manner of the sexual act, and the stone will become pregnant and give birth to Armilus…” The point is, ancient Judaism understood the end of days False Messiah i.e. Armilus will come out of Edom/Esau or otherwise known as Rome/Christendom. Remember the False Messiah is to arise on the world stage from Europe as he seeks to restore the Roman empire.
Its interesting because Shaul tells us the “Mystery of lawlessness is already at work” in his day and time in 2 Thessalonians 2:7! Again supports the fact there is nothing new under the sun!
What needs to be reinforced is this figure i.e. Armilus/False Messiah, will teach the Word of HaShem, but he will insert concepts and remove edicts which means he is ALL about CHANGE! He changes what HaShem has established from the beginning!
Daniel 7:25 is very clear in describing this person: “And he (Armilus/False Messiah) will speak words against the Supreme One, and he will exhaust the high holy ones, and he will plan to CHANGE the seasons and the Torah….” The word for ‘Seasons’ here is the Hebrew word ‘Moedim’ which means the annual Feasts of HaShem! Further, he changes the Torah of HaShem i.e. teaches a doctrine the Torah is no longer relevant, is obsolete for the true believer. He speaks words against HaShem such as words meant to entice people to adopt idolatry, not like bowing down to an idol of Buddha, but doing exactly what happened with the Golden Calf incident just after Israel was rescued from Egyptian bondage……..they took what they learned in pagan Egypt i.e. the image of cow and attributed it to representing HaShem, which is something HaShem absolutely forbids. It cost Israel dearly for this event!
Armilus/False Messiah’s doctrine can be summed up with one word…”CHANGE!” He changes what HaShem has established from the beginning as I said above. How many times have I heard Christian pastors say “The Law had its time and place and now because of Jesus we are free from the bondage of the Law, all we have to do now is just believe!” Or some have said “The Law was something the Father never wanted! It was given to teach Israel they needed a Redeemer, sadly they chose the Law over the Redeemer, so no G-d has established the Church to replace Israel as His chosen people.” Is there any truth to any of these two statements? None whatsoever!
HaShem established in Devarim (Deuteronomy 13) what I like to call the “Deuteronomy 13 Test!” Here He says “If there should stand up in your midst a prophet or a dreamer of a dream, and he will produce to you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes about, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us follow gods of others that you did not know and we shall worship them!’ Do not hearken to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of a dream, for HaShem, your Elohim, is testing you to know whether you love HaShem, your Elohim, with all your heart and with all your soul. HaShem, your Elohim, shall you follow and Him shall you fear; His commandments shall you observe and to His voice shall you hearken; Him shall you serve and to Him shall you cleave. And that prophet and that dreamer of a dream shall be put to death, for he had spoken perversion against HaShem, your Elohim, Who takes you out of the land of Egypt, and Who redeems you from the house of slavery, to make you stray from the path on which HaShem, your Elohim, has commanded you to go; and you shall destroy the evil from your midst.”
Very interesting! So if someone shows up and says they have a message from HaShem and then performs some sort of sign or a wonder and their message is one which is devoid of HaShem or His Torah, then it is a message of deception and idolatry! I can think of several people I have observed and listened too on television over the years who claimed to be either be prophets of HaShem or claim to have been given a word from HaShem and now, when comparing their messages to Devarim 13, they are fully and completely exposed as being frauds and not to be listened too!
So with all this established thus far, how do we know what is or isn’t from HaShem? In a nut shell, the Torah is the key! HaShem says His Torah is the ONLY truth there is per Psalms 119:142, therefore, if the message doesn’t fit within the Torah of HaShem, THEN the message and the messenger is exposed as being false. When you read in the Word of HaShem this word ‘Truth’ insert the word ‘Torah’ in its place because that is how serious HaShem is about this topic!
Yehoshua (Joshua) 24:14-15 says “And now, fear HaShem and serve Him with perfection and truth (Torah); remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve HaShem. If it is evil in your eyes to serve HaShem, choose this day whom you will serve, the gods your forefathers served, who were across the Jordan or the gods of the Emorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my household, we will serve HaShem!”
Consider what Yochanan (John) says in 3:21 “But the one DOING the Truth (Torah) comes to the light, so that his works are clearly seen, that they have been wrought in Elohim.”
Here is the crux of what happens to people who willfully, knowingly reject the Torah of HaShem in relation to the doctrine of Armilus/False Messiah which is referenced in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 which says “The coming of the Lawless one (Armilus/False Messiah/The One Without the Torah of HaShem) is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those perishing, because THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH (TORAH), IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE SAVED. And for this reason HaShem sends them a working of delusion, for them to believe the falsehood, in order that all should be judged who did not believe the truth (Torah), but have delighted in the unrighteousness.”
WOW! So HaShem gives each and every person the opportunity to know the truth, but those who willfully and knowingly reject it He then sends them a working of delusion so they will fall to the lies of Armilus! This is chillingly serious!
Consider what Yeshua Himself says about the End of Days at His return: Yeshua tells us in Mattithyahu (Matthew) 7:21-23 says “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master’ shall enter into the reign (Kingdom) of the heavens, but he who is DOING THE DESIRE of My Father in the heavens. Many shall say to Me in that day (Reference to very end), ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!'”
These are VERY strong words spoken by Yeshua for they clearly show several things which destroys the doctrine of Armilus/False Messiah: Yeshua is subservient to HaShem and is NOT HaShem nor equal to HaShem! He shows in order to enter into the Kingdom of HaShem one must be DOING the will of the Father and what is the will of HaShem? Ecclesiastes 12:13 says “The sum of the matter, when all has been considered: Fear HaShem and keep His commandments, for that is man’s whole duty.”
Then He clearly shows there will be those who have sought Him and did many miracles and wonders in His Name and yet Yeshua declares not only He doesn’t know them but they are to depart from Him! So what has happened? These people whom He rejects have embraced the doctrine of Armilus/False Messiah! Did they know they did so? They will at that moment recognize they chose wrongly because HaShem gives every single person the opportunity in His great mercy and compassion and because of His perfect justice “They have a form of godliness but deny the power (Deny the Torah)” per 2 Timothy 3:5.
In conclusion am I saying it is the Torah which saves and redeems us? Emphatically NO! It is HaShem Who is our Redeemer and Savior, Who sent His Agent, His Mighty Right Arm, Yeshua, to redeem and save Israel out of His love and compassion. Then He gives us His Torah to know Him, to have that relationship with Him, to serve Him out of love devotion and loyalty and to walk in His ways pleasing unto Him. Point is, without the Torah, there is no way to know Him which is precisely why Armilus/False Messiah teaches a Lawless doctrine, in order to separate people from HaShem!
With all the Op’s I have posted on my channel thus far, can you begin to see there are gigantic and vast differences between the Yeshua of Scriptures and the ‘Jesus Christ’ that Replacement Theology presents? Yeshua points to HaShem while Replacement Theology Jesus points to himself. Yeshua teaches the way to love and serve HaShem is through the Torah. Replacement Theology Jesus teaches against the Torah. Yeshua will come and will build Ezekiel’s Temple and offer up sacrifices to HaShem. Replacement Theology Jesus teaches against the Temple of HaShem, calling it an abomination. Yeshua is from Israel while Replacement Theology Jesus is from Rome, on and on the differences could be listed out. So, per the Word of HaShem, which one is the False Messiah who changes what HaShem established that He warns us about? I will let you decide the answer to that question.
Much to consider.
Shalom.
SOURCE MATERIALS:
- The Scriptures by the Institute for Scripture Research
- The Stone Edition Tanakh by Artscroll
- Joshua Artscroll Tanakh Series
- Daniel Artscroll Tanakh Series
- The Stone Edition Chumash by Artscroll