“We investigate what the systems of religion wish to remain buried!”
Shalom and welcome one and all!! This is the debut posting for Torah and Temple Investigations! I am DShalom. I used to be the owner and moderator of ‘Let’s Talk About Torah’ over on the Disqus network, but they announced they are shutting their site down very soon and thus I felt it was time to start fresh.
To give those who are not familiar with me some background, I am a Torah observant follower of HaShem, the Elohim of Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya’akov, the Elohim of Yisra’el. I am also one who acknowledges Yeshua (Not Jesus as I believe they are two different persons) as being the Mashiach HaShem promised throughout the Tanakh. Now let me clarify my statement: I grew up as a child in Christendom, confessing Jesus, celebrating Christmas, Easter, going to church on Sunday’s, etc, throughout the late 70’s, 80’s and mid 90’s. It wasn’t until 2005 that HaShem drew me out of Christendom and put me on this amazing, life changing path. For the first time in my life I know exactly Who the Mashiach truly is and I have an amazing relationship with HaShem, not because of who I am, but solely because of Who He is and His Great Name! Baruch HaShem!
Do I believe that those who call upon ‘Jesus’ are not in the Kingdom of HaShem? No! I am NOT saying this for one simple reason: I do NOT have the authority to declare who is or who is not in the Kingdom of HaShem! Only He can make that determination.
But, I do believe there is a difference between Yeshua and Jesus and it is NOT confined to their names. It is about the doctrines that follow them. For example: Yeshua, is revealed through the Torah of HaShem, through His annual Feasts, through His Shabbat, through His Temple and all its services, through the Korbonot (Offerings), etc. As my teacher so well put it, “It is not that we are putting on Jewish clothing onto Yeshua, it is that we are removing the Gentile clothing put on Yeshua revealing what has always been there.” Yeshua teaches a doctrine of submission to HaShem, to His Torah as the way to walk in service unto Him. To eat only what HaShem declared to be clean for food.
Yeshua is the Mighty Right Arm of HaShem, the Tzemach (Branch) Who will rebuild the Temple of HaShem per Zechariah 6:12-13. The King of Israel, descendant of David and Solomon, the Son of HaShem (A title for the King of Israel) per 2 Samuel 7:10-17.
Further, Paul is seen in a very different light outside of Christendom, in that when the Apostolic Writings along with Paul’s letters are read through the lens of the Torah, THEN they make perfect sense and line up precisely with the Tanakh. Paul is revealed as being who he truly is: pro-Torah, pro-Temple and remained a Pharisee throughout his entire life. I would refer you to read Acts 21 for proof.
The doctrine associated with Jesus, in contrast to Yeshua, is what we call ‘Replacement Theology’ i.e. the doctrine that says HaShem’s Torah has been nullified, removed and rendered obsolete; that HaShem’s annual Feasts have been replaced by Christmas and Easter; that HaShem’s Shabbat has been replaced by Sunday as well as all the dietary requirements are rendered obsolete thus everything is clean to eat. Teaches a doctrine Jesus is HaShem in the flesh and changed everything HaShem said was unchangeable. It also teaches Paul was anti-Torah, anti-Temple, anti-Semitic and taught against anything Jewish. Something which is not true in any way.
With this foundation laid, I believe the following statements from His Word are true and applicable to each of us today:
– 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
So if HaShem is unchanging, His Word is firmly established, He does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets and He reveals the end out of the beginning, then as such we can say with absolute certainty He is in absolute control of everything. Will we know exactly how He will do things? Not a chance! But we can be absolutely assured He WILL do exactly what He said He will do…remember even Yeshua said He didn’t know when the time would be for His return in the end per Matthew 24:36.
Let me answer the question right up front that I get asked a lot…‘Is the Torah the source of our salvation?’ The answer is most definitely NO! Torah is NOT the means of salvation! HaShem says He is our Redeemer, our Savior, our Protector, our Provider, our Shield, our High-tower, etc. This said, Yeshua is the AGENT of HaShem! The One Who completed what HaShem directed Him to do! Does this diminish the relevance and importance of the Torah? Not a chance! Which I hope many will see in the coming Op’s in that Torah is VERY much vital to our relationship with HaShem and knowing His Mashiach i.e. Yeshua and by default able to recognize the sly, subtle, seducing words of the False Mashiach which are consuming the world today!
One last point, I also very firmly believe and support the efforts to rebuild the Third Temple in Jerusalem! I am completely convinced it is HaShem’s will, design and purpose for His House to be rebuilt according to His plans and on His timeline. There are many, many obstacles and problems still in place which need to be solved and by HaShem’s direction they are being solved and they will be solved. Already there are huge advancements in the last few years towards the reality of the functioning Temple in Jerusalem! We are getting very close! And as such, this is a huge portion of this blog, which is to discuss the Temple and HaShem willing help people take the blinders off that the systems of religion have put on them, that the Temple is something to be rejected, shunned, an offense or simply a tool the False Messiah will one day use. It is infinitely much more important than that!
Finally, the source materials I use in my research are varying but they comprise the following:
- The Tanakh (Old Testament)
- The Apostolic Writings (New Testament)
- The Mishnah (Oral Torah)
- The Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud)
- The Talmud Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud)
- The Mishnah Torah by Rambam
- Josephus
May HaShem lead in this endeavor and may we have great discussions and most importantly, may His Great Name be honored and esteemed once more!
Shalom
DShalom