By Maria Merola
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, November 2007
Rachel was a young Christian girl, (age 21) from a well-respected family in the community. She was actively involved at her church with street evangelism, and missions to third world countries. A young man at her church named Lucas (who was the same age) captured her heart. The two of them fell in love, and within one year they were engaged to be married.
Rachel and Lucas had many fond memories, and special dates they celebrated together. For instance, they celebrated the anniversary of when they first met on October 31st 1990 at a “Hallelujah Party” at church.
It was actually a Halloween party in disguise. Rachel’s church had a costume party, and there were trophies and prizes for the “Best Female Bible Character,” as well as the “Best Male Bible Character.” That year, Rachel dressed up as Delilah, the Philistine woman who enticed Sampson in the book of Judges.
Coincidentally, Lucas dressed up as Sampson, (even though they had never met before), and they had not planned to dress up with matching costumes.
When the votes were tallied, the most votes went to Rachel and Lucas for the best male and female bible character costumes. Thus, they both won trophies and prizes. Many of the church members took videos of the two of them posing together, and acting out parts from the bible story of “Sampson & Delilah.”
They had lots of fun and laughs as Rachel chased Lucas around with a fake pair of scissors, pretending like she was going to cut off his fake hair from his wig.
They had lots of fun and laughs as Rachel chased Lucas around with a fake pair of scissors, pretending like she was going to cut off his fake hair from his wig.
That night Rachel and Lucas went out for coffee at an all-night diner, as they talked and got to know one another. They became best friends from that night moving forward, and were inseparable. At first, it seemed like their relationship was merely a platonic friendship.
After the production was over, the entire congregation went to the basement of the church for refreshments. This was the first time Rachel and Lucas realized their relationship was much more than a platonic friendship. That night, they both proclaimed romantic feelings for each other; and made it official by announcing to the church that they were “Courting for marriage.”
December 25th also happened to be Lucas’s birthday, which made the event doubly meaningful. As they sat for refreshments in the church basement, they formed fond memories, as their friends took photos of the couple together.
They baked heart-shaped cookies together, and had a blast planning for this special event. That night (when Rachel and Lucas danced together on the floor), Lucas asked Rachel to marry him and she said “Yes!”
He told her that he had chosen a ring for her, but he was still making payments on it, therefore, he was not ready to present it her yet. Lucas bought Rachel a dozen long stem red roses, a box of chocolates and a stuffed animal for Valentine’s Day. This also became a memorable occasion that they would never forget.
Later on that same year, Rachel and Lucas were asked by their church to help organize an Easter Production on March 31st 1991. Rachel played the part of Mary Magdalene, while Lucas played the part of Judas. After the Easter Production was over, Lucas and Rachel organized an Easter-Egg hunt.
As they hid plastic colored eggs all over the church, each of the children and adults hunted for plastic eggs. Each of the eggs contained a paper note inside with a number on it.
Later on that same year, Rachel and Lucas were asked by their church to help organize an Easter Production on March 31st 1991. Rachel played the part of Mary Magdalene, while Lucas played the part of Judas. After the Easter Production was over, Lucas and Rachel organized an Easter-Egg hunt.
The number in each egg corresponded to a gift on the table in the church auditorium. Lucas purposely planted an egg with Rachel’s name on it, as he told the others to leave Rachel’s egg alone. When Rachel opened up the egg, there was the diamond ring inside! Lucas got down on bended knee, and proposed marriage to Rachel in front of the entire church. Everyone cheered loudly, and took videos and pictures of Rachel and Lucas together. They had officially become engaged on March 31st Easter Sunday, and this was yet another special time for them to remember.
Lucas and Rachel decided to set their wedding date for Easter Sunday two years into the future on April 11th 1993. They began to plan an Easter Wedding with pastel colors like sea-foam green, lavender, pale yellow, pink, robin-egg blue etc. For the next two years, Lucas and Rachel had more reasons to celebrate the holidays that represented a turning point in their relationship.
They celebrated October 31st (Halloween) with new meaning, for it commemorated when Lucas and Rachel had met for the first time, and had both won the best costume award.
They also celebrated December 25th (Christmas) with new meaning, as it represented the first time Lucas and Rachel began courting. They also celebrated Valentine’s Day (February 14th), because it commemorated when Lucas proposed to Rachel.
They also celebrated Easter Sunday with new meaning, for it is when Lucas presented Rachel with an engagement ring, and proposed to her in front of their church.
As each of these special events arrived, Rachel and Lucas planned a special party to celebrate their love for each other. They invited their family and friends, as Rachel prepared all of Lucas’s favorite foods. They played their favorite holiday-related songs, and displayed holiday symbols, and photos. The food, the music and imagery triggered memories of how their relationship unfolded.
They would recall “The reason for the season,” retelling the story of when they first met, when they first kissed, and when they were engaged, etc.
However, as time went on, their relationship began to experience problems. Lucas did not display his faithfulness towards Rachel as she had done to him. She began to see changes in Lucas as he became addicted to video games and vampire movies which caused him to become withdrawn, and have mood swings. She also noticed that Lucas flirted with other women in her presence, and he would often become short- tempered and angry with her over petty things.
Rachel prayed for Lucas to change his ways, but she realized after two years, that Lucas was not going to change. She loved Lucas very much, but she knew that he was not the one for her.
Finally, (after much heartache), Rachel had to make the decision to break things off with Lucas, just one month before they were scheduled to be married on Easter Sunday 1993. Rachel’s family and friends were devastated, because they loved Lucas, and they enjoyed participating in their holiday celebrations.
After Rachel and Lucas broke up, Rachel no longer felt comfortable attending her old church, so she began attending only occasionally. Her friends began to wonder why she was not in church each week. Rachel felt very sad and depressed about the fact that she had to break up with Lucas, and she knew that she would miss her old church family.
But no matter how sad she felt, she did not want to go back to that dysfunctional relationship with Lucas again. Not too long after Rachel broke up with Lucas, she met a young woman at her job named Sarah who was a Messianic Jew.
Sarah had begun to share the Hebraic Root’s of the Messianic faith with her. Rachel was reluctant at first to attend her Messianic Congregation but a year later, Rachel finally decided to attend a Passover Seder with her friend from work on March 27th 1994.
At this point, Rachel decided to leave her her old church permanently, as she began attending the Hebraic Roots Messianic Congregation.
Rachel and Joshua began getting to know one another by dating, and talking on the phone every night. They studied the Scriptures together every Sabbath day, and after the sun went down, they went out to eat on Saturday nights.
Later on that year, on May 16th 1994 was the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) celebration at their congregation. At this celebration, there was lots of joyous music, dancing and Middle Eastern food, like Lamb Shish Kababs, Couscous, Pita Bread, Tabouli, Hummus, etc.
Rachel and Joshua had a wonderful time together that night, as they became aware of the fact that perhaps Elohiym calling them them together for marriage. That was also the first time they kissed, and Joshua told Rachel that he loved her. Rachel cried, as she felt joy in her heart at her new found love with Joshua.
This was a special time for them, because it was also Joshua’s 30th birthday. The entire congregation went out that night to a campsite where they could watch for the new moon. They sat around a camp fire, and singing worship songs. When they spotted the new moon they all began to sound their shofars. At this precise moment, Joshua slipped an engagement ring on Rachel’s finger as they looked up at the new moon.
As Rachel felt the ring sliding onto her finger, she began crying and laughing at the same time. She and Joshua kissed and he whispered in her ear “Please marry me, Rachel---I love you.”
Rachel accepted, as she replied with excitement “Yes, I will marry you Joshua!” Joshua picked her up off of the ground, and swung her around as they hugged, and shouted for joy in front of the congregation. Everyone in the congregation sounded their shofars again, cheering for the couple. Of course, they recorded videos and pictures of this memorable event.
Rachel and Joshua also celebrated Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles together that year at the same campsite with their congregation. They formed many fond memories and laughs together. On the final night of the Feast of Tabernacles, Joshua told Rachel that he wanted to go away to Israel to study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He said that he would be back in time for Passover in 1995.
He said to her “I am going away to prepare a place for you on my Father’s estate in Yisra’el, and when I return next year on Passover, I want to celebrate our one year anniversary together of when we first met…and then let’s set a date to get married on the Feast of Tabernacles in 1995 in Israel---okay?”
At this point, Rachel and Joshua made plans to be married one year later on the Feast of Tabernacles 1995 in Israel. By the first week of October (after the Fall Feasts in 1994), Joshua went away to Israel to the Hebrew University, while Rachel remained in the United States in their home state in Pennsylvania to plan their future wedding.
Joshua and Rachel talked to one another daily via email, telephone and webcam.
Joshua would periodically send Rachel emails to remind her to send out invitations for their one-year anniversary party on Passover 1995.
He asked her to learn how to cook the lamb and unleavened bread for Passover. He asked her to make all the necessary preparations for their Passover & Unleavened Bread celebration.
Rachel began learning how to cook Joshua’s favorite meals, as he informed her of what he liked and did not like to eat. Joshua’s taste in food was totally different than that of Lucas. But Rachel did not mind learning to cook differently for Joshua, because of her intense love for him.
In the meantime, the anniversary date of when Lucas and Rachel had first met on October 31st was approaching. Rachel’s friends and family missed her very much, and they wanted her to return to their church.
They still loved Lucas, and they were secretly planning to reunite the two of them. They invited Rachel to the Halloween celebration at church, knowing that Joshua was away in Israel. They thought they could capitalize on Joshua’s absence to forge a scheme to bring Rachel and Lucas together again.
Rachel did not know what they were planning, as they also invited Lucas to come to the celebration. Rachel’s friends told her that they were going to be celebrating her new engagement to Joshua, and she believed them.
When Rachel arrived at the Halloween celebration, there was a banner on the wall congratulating Rachel & Joshua. But even though the celebration was under the pretense of celebrating Joshua & Rachel, the music, the food, and decorations were reminders of when Rachel & Lucas were together as a couple. Rachel felt confused, and she was starting to remember the good times she had at her church with Lucas. All the imagery and symbols were meant to trigger the warm and fuzzy feelings she once had.
Rachel felt grieved in her heart, because she realized that Joshua would be hurt if he found out she was attending this celebration. But she also rationalized to herself “Josh will understand, he knows my heart, and besides it’s not the date that matters, what matters is that I am celebrating Joshua from my heart.”
When Lucas showed up to the Halloween celebration, he pretended to be happy about Joshua and Rachel’s engagement. But secretly, Lucas was hoping to win Rachel back, as he schemed together with her friends.
Meanwhile, Joshua had been informed by his friends that Rachel was planning to attend the church Halloween party. Rachel’s church friends purposely tipped-off one of Joshua’s friends that she was attending this celebration. They were hoping to sabotage their relationship, thereby giving Rachel an excuse to return to Lucas.
When Joshua heard the news that Rachel was attending the church party, he quickly booked an airplane flight, and came home. When he arrived, he called Rachel’s cell phone to find out where she was. Rachel answered her cell phone, and told him that she was at a church celebration.
Joshua replied “What kind of celebration?” When she told him she was celebrating their engagement on October 31st, Joshua was very upset. Joshua said “Wait a minute, isn’t that the same date you and Lucas first met at a church Halloween party?”
Rachel hesitated, “Yes, but don’t worry about the date, I am celebrating this date for you and me now.” Joshua showed up at the celebration and saw Lucas there. They were serving all of Lucas’s favorite foods, playing Lucas’ favorite music, and there were photos displayed of Rachel and Lucas together.
Joshua was so upset, that he left the celebration in tears. Rachel went running after him, as she tried to rationalize with him: “But honey, this was all for you....” Joshua replied:
“Rachel, don’t give me that---October 31st means nothing to you and me! This is the anniversary date of when you and Lucas first met, and won a costume contest together! And aside from the date, the food, the music, the photos, all of it reminded me of the fact that you used to be with Lucas!”
Rachel apologized to Joshua “I am so sorry honey, they tricked me, and told me that we were celebrating our engagement, and I believed them. I had no idea that Lucas was coming, or that they were going to have photos of me and Lucas together. I did not realize they were trying to get us back together again.”
Joshua understood that Rachel participated in this celebration out of ignorance, and forgave her. But he warned her not to attend anymore of these celebrations with her old church friends. He and Rachel realized they were trying to break them up, so Rachel agreed not to attend anymore of their nefarious celebrations. Rachel drove Joshua to the airport, and he went back to Israel. He again reminded her “Remember, next Passover we are having a memorial of what Messiah did for us, but also of when we first met---right?”
Rachel agreed to get everything ready for Passover and Unleavened Bread. Joshua’s friends and family from the Messianic congregation helped her learn how to prepare the food. They also helped her out with the decorations, and the Seder Haggadah.
Rachel realized she had to forsake her friends and family, because they were conspiring to get her back together with Lucas. She chided them for being sneaky and deceptive, but she also told them she still loved them, and forgave them for lying to her.
Nevertheless, Rachel took a stand, and told them she was going to celebrate the seven appointed feasts that Scripture commands us to keep, because they commemorate YaHuWaH’s salvation and deliverance for his people.
She told them that she was no longer going to participate in their pagan holidays at church, for they commemorate Baal-worship, as well as her former relationship with Lucas.
In the meantime, Rachel’s friends and family apologized to her for conspiring to get her back together with Lucas. But their apology was not sincere.
They conspired once again to bring Rachel and Lucas together again. After all, Lucas was one of the “Good ole’ boys from church” (they rationalized to themselves), but this Joshua guy who was a Messianic Jew, they thought “He’s just way too legalistic with all of these appointed feast dates he expects her to keep…”
They did not want to give up the celebrations and festivals they had become accustomed to, so they decided to attach Joshua’s name to these dates that were formerly kept for Lucas and Rachel. That way, they could convince Rachel to continue to keep them, thereby making Joshua upset, and this would sabotage their relationship. What a brilliant plan they had!
Each time one of these special dates arrived (that formerly meant something to Lucas), Rachel’s friends and family invited her to the celebrations again. However, this time, they told her they were sorry for trying to interfere with her relationship with Joshua, and that they were now celebrating her engagement to Joshua.
They were going out of their way to convince Rachel that they were truly celebrating Joshua on these appointed dates of Lucas. Rachel decided to attend the Christmas Party at her old church on December 25th, even though she knew this was also Lucas’s birthday. She rationalized to herself “Even though they have the wrong date, God knows their hearts are in the right place.”
She thought to herself “At least they are taking baby steps to show me they are sorry, and that they are truly celebrating my new life with Joshua.”
Little did she realize, they were still holding these celebrations for Lucas, but under the guise that it was about Joshua.
They told her that they would allow her show videos of Joshua’s trip to Israel, and photos of their Fall Feasts together. She rationalized to herself :
“If I go to this party, I can show everyone at my old church videos and pictures of me and Joshua. They will finally realize that I am with Joshua forever, and they will stop conspiring to get me back with Lucas.”
This time, Joshua decided to show up again without her foreknowledge. He had once again been informed by his friends that Rachel was planning to attend one of these appointed feasts of Lucas under the guise of it being for him.
Rachel did this willfully, knowing that Joshua would be upset if he found out. But in her heart she continued to rationalize, “I am doing this for Joshua.” Joshua showed up to the Christmas celebration on December 25th at Rachel’s old church. He saw that her family and friends were treating this as a celebration day for Rachel & Joshua.
Even though Rachel showed them pictures of the the Fall Feast celebrations with Joshua, there were still vestiges of Lucas in the celebration. Once again, there were photos of when Rachel & Lucas dressed up as Mary & Joseph for the live nativity scene two years earlier. Lucas’s favorite food was being served, and his favorite music was playing. The celebration included imagery and symbols that meant something to Lucas but not to Joshua.
After Rachel showed the videos and pictures of Joshua’s trip to Israel, a church member played the video of the Christmas production two years earlier when Rachel and Lucas were dressed up as Mary & Joseph. They also showed video footage of Joshua & Rachel dancing together and kissing on Valentine’s Day. Joshua walked into the celebration just as they were showing these videos of Rachel & Lucas.
After Rachel showed the videos and pictures of Joshua’s trip to Israel, a church member played the video of the Christmas production two years earlier when Rachel and Lucas were dressed up as Mary & Joseph. They also showed video footage of Joshua & Rachel dancing together and kissing on Valentine’s Day. Joshua walked into the celebration just as they were showing these videos of Rachel & Lucas.
This time, Joshua rebuked Rachel harshly, as he was extremely angry. Rachel once again tried to rationalize that she attended the celebration so she could win her friends over to accepting him instead of Lucas.
But Joshua warned her: “I am forbidding you to celebrate anymore of these dates that commemorate Lucas, do you hear me?! If you celebrate one more of these Lucas days under the guise of it being for me, our relationship is over!”
Rachel began crying uncontrollably, as she rationalized to Joshua: “But I was showing them videos of your trip to Israel! I was doing this for you, honey! I wanted them to finally get the hint that I am never going back to Lucas!”
But Joshua said to her: “Rachel, that is not the point! I already warned you last time when you attended that Halloween party back on October 31st, not to attend any more of these celebrations with your friends that are supposed to be about me, but they are secretly about you and Lucas!”
Rachel was now growing bitter towards Joshua, because she did not want to abandon her friends and family. She did not like being backed into a corner, where she to choose between her friends and family, versus Joshua and his friends and family. She felt like she should be able to celebrate both, the appointed times that Joshua asked her to keep, but also the appointed times that her friends and family wanted to keep under the guise of doing it for Joshua.
Rachel told herself “What difference does it make if my friends are celebrating on the wrong date? What really matters is that I love Joshua, right? Why can’t I decide for myself when I want celebrate my love for Joshua? Why does he get to be the one who dictates to me when I am allowed to celebrate our love for each other?”
Joshua gave her one more warning “If you attend any more of these celebrations that commemorate your old relationship with Lucas, our wedding is off---do you hear me?!”
Joshua went back to Israel, but before he left he said to Rachel:
“I am returning on Passover. I want you to bake unleavened bread, and roast lamb. I want us to celebrate our one-year anniversary of when we first met, so please don’t let me down, Rachel. Please invite our friends and family over for Passover & Unleavened Bread---promise?”
Rachel agreed to get everything ready for Passover, but she was secretly harboring resentment in her heart towards Joshua. She felt as if he was being a “legalist.” She began saying to herself:
“…My friends and family are right about him, he is way too legalistic....I should be allowed to go to these Lucas celebrations and take back the day for Joshua.”
Joshua returned to Israel, but while he was away, Rachel attended the Valentine’s Day dance at her former church. They did the same thing they always do. They displayed pictures of Rachel and Lucas dancing together two years earlier. They served the favorite foods of Lucas and played his favorite music.
Rachel had no respect for how Joshua felt. She thought she should be allowed to celebrate these dates that commemorate Lucas, while rationalizing in her heart that she was doing these celebrations with Joshua in mind.
One of Joshua’s friends named Caleb followed Rachel to the church to spy on her for Joshua.
Joshua’s friend Caleb remained “incognito,” and did not let Rachel know he was there. Caleb called Joshua on the phone and told Joshua that Rachel was at her old church celebrating Valentine’s Day. Joshua decided this time to say nothing to her. He decided instead to fast and pray for his beloved, that she would repent. He waited to see if she would confess to him that she dishonored him by going to another one of these Lucas celebrations at church.
Joshua wanted to give her one more chance. He wanted to see if she would prepare for the the Passover & Unleavened Bread celebrations when he came home from Israel. Rachel had plenty of time to go shopping for the feasts, but she neglected to do so, and completely forgot about it. Joshua rationalized to himself:
“I know she is all alone in my absence, therefore, I can understand that she misses her old friends and family. However, once we get married (and we move to Israel), things will be different. Those church people will be out of her life for good, and her heart will be faithful to me at last.”
Rachel had not been attending the Hebraic Root’s Messianic Congregation as regularly as she had been before. She would often sleep in on the Sabbath days, and only attend once-in-awhile. She was beginning to lose touch with Joshua’s friends and family, and she was not even trying to prepare for Passover.
When Passover had arrived that following April, Joshua came home from Israel, fully expecting that Rachel would have everything ready to celebrate the Feasts of YaHuWaH with his beloved.
He was excited that this was also going to be the one-year anniversary of when they had first met. He could not wait to enjoy Rachel’s home-cooking as he thought she would be preparing all his dishes. But instead, Rachel had not prepared at all.
That year in 1995, Easter Sunday fell on April 15th, and Passover fell the next day on April 16th. Rachel’s friends invited her to come to the Easter production at church to celebrate with them. Lucas was going to be signing in the Easter play, and they wanted her to be impressed with Lucas’s performance.
She had been so busy celebrating the pagan holidays that were important to Lucas, that she had no time to prepare the Passover as Joshua had asked her to do. She had completely forgotten to shop for the ingredients to make unleavened bread, roasted lamb, and all the side dishes and desserts.
This was the final blow for Joshua. He was completely devastated that this woman whom he thought was going to be his bride had no respect for him whatsoever.
Not only had she continued to celebrate the appointed times of Lucas (while pretending it was about him); but now she defiantly disobeyed him, and did not prepare for Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrations that he had asked her to prepare.
In this story, Lucas represents Satan (Lucifer), Rachel represents the Christian Church, and Joshua represents Yahuwshuwa (who many know as Jesus). When Rachel continued in the appointed feasts of Lucas, (out of ignorance) Joshua forgave her, and he understood that she did them out of ignorance.
However, when Rachel persisted in celebrating the appointed dates of Lucas (even after she had been warned not to), Joshua gave her fair warning not to do it again, or he would have to call off their relationship and wedding.
But the final blow came when Rachel disregarded the feast dates that Joshua was so looking forward to celebrating with her. She had already attended several of the celebrations of Lucas on the appointed dates that she and Lucas had formerly kept. Rachel’s actions spoke louder than her words.
It was obvious to Joshua that she did not love him enough to obey him and to keep his appointed feasts.
Can anyone blame Joshua if he breaks up with Rachel, now? What do you think?
This story is for all those in the Christian Church who make excuses for continuing in these pagan holidays. Here are a few examples of such compromising statements:
“God is not hung up on dates.”
“God knows my heart.”
“It does’nt matter what date I celebrate Jesus, as long as I celebrate him.”
It It does’nt matter when he was born, what matters is that he was born into the world to be our Savior.
It does’nt matter when he died, what matters is that he died to atone for our sins.
These all sound like reasonable explanations, until we realize that Satan has been trying to counterfeit our Messiah since the beginning in the Garden of Eden.
Since the time of Nimrod at the Tower of Babel, and throughout Scripture, YaHuWaH was constantly warning Yisra’el not to learn the ways of the heathen. But they habitually disobeyed him, and went after the pagan gods of the gentile nations.
Debariym (Deuteronomy) 12:
30 Take heed to yourself that you be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before you; and that you enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
31 You shall not do so unto YHWH your Elohiym: for every abomination to YHWH, which he hates, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
The heathen placed their infants into the arms of a bright red burning statue of “Chemosh,” the god of prosperity! They also placed into his arms a “wish list” and they believed that if they offered up their children to this pagan god, they would receive the items on that wish list!
Christians may not be literally burning their children alive, but if they cause their children to become idolaters by idolizing Santa (which is actually Satan), they could be sending their children to the Lake of Fire in the future!
To read more about the true identity of Santa Claus, see my other article entitled: “Santa Claus or Satan Claus?”
Ma’aseh Shlichiym (Acts) 7:43 Yea, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
Pictured below is what the image of Moloch looks like. It is a bright red burning furnace stoked with wood underneath. The heathen burn their children alive in the arms of this statue at the winter solstice on December 25th!
Ma’aseh Shlichiym (Acts) 7:43 Yea, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
Pictured below is what the image of Moloch looks like. It is a bright red burning furnace stoked with wood underneath. The heathen burn their children alive in the arms of this statue at the winter solstice on December 25th!
Amowc (Amos) 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
Amowc (Amos) 5:22 Though you offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
Amowc (Amos) 5:23 Take you away from me the noise of your songs; for I will not hear the melody of your viols.
Amowc (Amos) 5:24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Amowc (Amos) 5:25 Have you offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Yisra’el?
Amowc (Amos) 5:25 Have you offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Yisra’el?
Amowc (Amos) 5:27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, says YHWH, whose name is The Elohiym of hosts.
Eight Pagan Sabbaths that Commemorate Ba’al Each Year
What were these holidays that YaHuWaH hated in Amos 5:21? What caused him to send them away into captivity? Ever since the Tower of Babel, these same pagan holidays were kept on these specific dates that are shown in the chart below.
We can see that there are eight pagan Sabbaths that the witches and occultists keep for Ba’al or Satan. The Pagan Solar Wheel is sectioned out into eight sections like a pie. At two of the solstices (winter and summer) and at two of the equinoxes (spring and fall) are dates that commemorate the time when the nation of Yisra’el went whoring after the same pagan deities as the surrounding nations did.
These same pagan holidays were later on “repackaged, recycled and renamed” to appear as holidays to celebrate “Jesus Christ” by Rome. In this story, Rachel wanted to celebrate the holidays that commemorated her former lover Lucas (symbolizing Lucifer).
These same pagan holidays were later on “repackaged, recycled and renamed” to appear as holidays to celebrate “Jesus Christ” by Rome. In this story, Rachel wanted to celebrate the holidays that commemorated her former lover Lucas (symbolizing Lucifer).
She tried to rationalize that she was doing all of this for Joshua (symbolizing Jesus), but he was not happy about this at all. This is exactly what the Christian Church has done today and they think that our Messiah Yahuwshuwa (Joshua) does not mind!
They have no idea how much this hurts him when his beloved bride is unfaithful to him and she wants to go back to her former lover’s important feast days!
What are these feast days?
1.) Imbolc: Saint Valentine’s Day; Baalentine’s Day or The Feast of Lupercalia; February 2nd - 15th.
2.) Ostara: Easter; Rome changed it to Passover week to identify her with Messiah’s Resurrection; March 21st -25th.
3.) Beltane: Mayfest; the “Queen of Heaven” Semiramis the goddess of fertility renamed as the Catholic Mary; May 1st.
4.) Midsummer Solstice: First Day of Summer; June 21st (Catholics call it St. John’s Day).
5.) Lugnasad: Catholic Mary’s Ascension; August 1st - August 15th
6.) Mabon: First Day of Autumn; September 21st
7.) Samhain: Halloween; Catholic “All-Saints Day” or “All-Souls Day” October 31st
8.) Yule: Christmas; Birthday of false Christs: December 21st -December 25th
Ancient Yisra’el did the same thing to YaHuWaH Elohiym that Rachel did to Joshua in this story. He was patient with her and gave her many chances to amend her ways. He even went away to Yisra’el to prepare a place for her on his Father’s estate.
But she was ungrateful, unrepentant and rebellious. Finally, in Yirmeyahuw (Jeremiah) 3:8, YaHuWaH wrote Yisra’el a divorce decree and sent her away to the nations for her harlotry and backsliding.
Has anything changed in today’s Christian Church today?
“Obedience is better than sacrifice” (1st Samuel 15:22). While Christians brag on the fact that they “lift up holy hands and worship the Creator with intimacy,” they often times criticize the Jewish people and the other Yisra’elite Tribes who keep the Sabbath days and YaHuWaH’s appointed feasts. They call it “legalism” but who really loves YaHuWaH? Those who obey? Or those who sacrifice?
The Feasts of YaHuWaH are like an “engagement ring” showing the world who we are in covenant with! If you are keeping pagan holidays, you are in covenant with the Papacy and Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of all Harlots! (Revelation 17:5).
The Feasts of YaHuWaH are like an “engagement ring” showing the world who we are in covenant with! If you are keeping pagan holidays, you are in covenant with the Papacy and Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of all Harlots! (Revelation 17:5).
But if you are in Covenant with the Creator of the Universe and the Elohiym of Abraham, Yitzchaq (Isaac) and Ya’aqob (Jacob), then you will wear the “sign” of the covenant on your right hand and upon your forehead!
In other words, our hands represent our “works” or our deeds. The “frontlets between the eyes” are the “forehead” and this means our minds, our will. If we have the “mind of Messiah” we will desire to keep his commandments.
HAND = WORKS, DEEDS
FOREHEAD = OUR THOUGHTS, OUR MIND
Shemoth (Exodus) 31:
13 Speak you also unto the children of Yisra’el, saying,Verily my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am YHWH that does sanctify you.
14 You shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to YHWH: whosoever does any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Yisra’el shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Yisra’el forever: for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 20:12 Moreover also I gave them sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am YHWH that sanctify them.
Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 20:20 And hallow sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am YHWH your Elohiym.
In all of the above verses, the word for “sign” in the Hebrew Concordance is as follows:
On the day of Pentecost (called Shabuoth in Hebrew) the believers received the “seal” of the Holy Spirit which is also called the “Law of the Spirit of Life” (Romans 8:2).
This means that the Torah is written in our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit. The commandments have been transferred from stone tablets into “fleshy tables of the heart” (2nd Corinthians 3:3).
The “seal” of the Holy Spirit that YaHuWaH places on his elect is a “down- payment” or an “engagement ring” if you will. The word for “seal” in the following verses is as follows in the Hebrew:
#2368 chowtham kho-thawm or chotham {kho-thawm}; from 2856; a signature-ring:--seal, signet.
Shir ha’Shiriym (Song of Solomon) 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which has a most vehement flame.
Yeshayahuw (Isaiah) 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah (law) among my disciples.
Also in the Briyth Chadashah (New Testament) there are other recurring themes about the “seal” of the Holy Spirit which can be seen in the following verses:
Yahuwchanon (John) 3:33 He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that Elohiym is true.
Yahuwchanon (John) 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him has Elohiym the Father sealed.
2nd Corinthians 1:22 Who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of Elohiym, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
2nd Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of Elohiym stands sure, having this seal, YHWH knows them that are his. And, let everyone that names the name of Messiah depart from iniquity.
The same meaning to this word “seal” is also seen in the Greek Concordance as meaning the same thing as in the Hebrew. It means “signet ring” or a “mark:”
#4972. sphragizo sfrag-id-zo from 4973; to stamp (with a signet private mark) for security or preservation (literally or figuratively); by implication, to keep secret, to attest:--(set a, set to) seal up, stop.
#4973. sphragis sfrag-ece probably strengthened from 5420; a signet (as fencing in or protecting from misappropriation); by implication, the stamp impressed (as a mark of privacy or genuineness), literally or figuratively:--seal.
The elect have their names written in the right hand of the Lamb who sits on the throne:
Revelation 5:1 And I saw the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
The Seven Seals are the Seven Feasts of YaHuWaH!
