By Maria Merola אריאל
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, June 2015
There are 66 books in the Inspired Scriptures, and YaHuWaH has preserved them all for us. At the creation, we learned that YaHuWaH created Adam & Eve on the 6th day, and by the end of that day, he breathed into Adam the breath of life. Thus, males were created on the 6th day, and females were also created on the 6th day.
In John 2:6, our Messiah commanded the servants at the wedding in Cana to fill “SIX STONE WATER POTS,” as a symbol of humanity (mankind) being filled with his Ruwach (Spirit). Shaul (Paul) expressed this idea in 2nd Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of Elohiym, and not of us.”
When Yahuwshuwa changed the water from these vessels into wine, he was pointing us to the future Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when he will drink of the wine of his covenant with his bride. See Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25 & Luke 22:18).
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Our Messiah told us which books are the Inspired Words of Elohiym in Luke 24:44:
Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that ALL THINGS must be fulfilled, which were WRITTEN IN THE TORAH of Mosheh (Moses), and in the PROPHETS, and in the PSALMS, concerning me.
2nd Timothy 3:16 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION of Elohiym, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
Even the Letters of Shaul (Paul) are referred to as “Scripture” by Keefa (Peter).
2nd Peter 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our YHWH is salvation; even as our beloved brother Shaul (Paul) also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable twist, AS THEY DO ALSO THE OTHER SCRIPTURES, UNTO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION.
17 You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, BEWARE lest you also, BEING LED AWAY WITH THE ERROR OF THE WICKED, fall from your own steadfastness.
The Apostle Keefa (Peter) states here, that to twist Paul’s words is equal to twisting the Scriptures to your own destruction. He also states that to do so, is to be led astray into the error of the wicked.
Extra-biblical books that were canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, (such as the Apocrypha), and books that are only considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (the Book of Enoch & Jubilees) should be taken with “A grain of salt,” and used only in cases where it may agree with the record of Scripture, and only for historical record.
However, these extra-biblical writings should never be deemed as “Inspired by the Ruwach ha’Qodesh” or “The Holy Spirit of Yah.” The Book of Maccabees details the events of the Maccabean Revolt, and is valuable for learning from history.
There are many contradictions in the Book of Jubilees, which tells us that it cannot be inspired by YaHuWaH.
Here are a few examples:
1.) Jubilees claims it’s a sin to go to war on Shabbat, but our Messiah said that we are to “Save life on the Sabbath.” If somebody comes to kill you and your family on Sabbath, you have to defend your family and yourself, because this is the command of our Messiah---to save life. See Mark 3:4 & Luke 6:9.
2.) Jubilees claims it’s a sin to fast on Shabbat, but our Messiah fasted for 40 days, in the wilderness, which means that he fasted for 5 Sabbaths.
3.) Jubilees says it’s a sin for married couples to be intimate on Shabbat, but YaHuWaH commanded Adam & Eve to “Be fruitful and multiply” at the end of the 6th day of the week, going into the 7th day of the week.
Shabbat is the holiest time for couples to be fruitful and multiply, because it is SAVING/PRODUCING LIFE!
To learn more, see my other blog: The Sabbath is Made for Man
The reason why the Sabbath day is most holy, is because the number seven is symbolic of “covenant,” as the word “seven” in Hebrew (sheba), means “To take an oath by repeating seven times.”
In 2nd Peter 3:8, it says that “One day is with YaHuWaH as a thousand years.”
Therefore, the 7th Millennium is the macrocosm of the 7th day of the week, (the weekly Shabbat). This why I agree with Judaism when it comes to the Shabbat being the holiest time for married couples to be intimate with one another. The 7th day of the week, is therefore, a microcosm of the Sabbath Millennium, which is when our Messiah will return to consummate the marriage with his bride.
Not only will Messiah return in the 7th Millennium, but he will consummate with his bride during the seven days that are inside of the “Ten days of Awe,” for Smyrna (Revelation 2:10). The Hebrew word for “awe,” is #7264 “ragaz,” which means “to quiver, to tremble, trouble, provoke, to stand in awe.” This pattern is evident in the account of Jacob & Leah’s seven days in the chuppah (Genesis 29:27-28).
On Yom Kippur, the other half of the bride (who typifies Rachel) are the Yahuwdiym (Jews) who did not have the “oil of his name” (Song of Solomon 1:3) on the Feast of Trumpets at the harpazo. They are the ones who will “go and buy the oil of his name” (Matthew 25:9), and by the time Yom Kippur arrives, they will meet their Messiah at the Mount of Olives, as per Zechariah 12:10. This half of the bride will finally meet him “FACE-TO-FACE,” as the veil will be removed, or in other words---her blindness will be healed! (2nd Corinthians 3:14-16).
Interestingly, the Temple Priests have nick-named the Day of Atonement “FACE-TO-FACE,” because once per year, the High Priest appears in the Holy of Holies in the presence of YaHuWaH, thereby coming face-to-face with him .
The other half of the bride (the foolish virgins made wise by the oil of his name), will then have their seven-day wedding with Messiah during the seven days of the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). It will be at the Feast of Sukkot, that both brides will become “one stick” in his hand, as prophesied by Ezekiel in 37:16-17.
Thus, we can see that both of Jacob’s brides were married to him during these fourteen days, inside of fourteen years. This amounts to two periods of seven days, inside of two periods of seven years. The number “seven” in Hebrew (sheba) means “To take an oath by repeating seven times.” This also explains why our Messiah confirmed the Abrahamic Covenant “In the midst of the last seven years,” of Daniel’s 70th Week. This means after his ministry of 3.5 years.
Luke 4:25-26 tells us that his ministry would last for 3.5 years, just like the ministry of the prophet Eliyahuw (Elijah). During the last seven years of the 490-year prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27, our Messiah died “In the middle of Passover week,” (on the fourth day of the week), and also “In the middle of the seventh Millennium,” from creation.
See my blog entitled: The Jubilee Cycles Reveal the Possible Second Coming of Messiah
Yahuwshuwa began his ministry in the year 4,000 from creation (in the fourth millennium). This is equivalent to “The fourth day of the week,” when “The sun of righteousness” resurrected with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). The fourth day of creation is also when YaHuWaH spoke and said “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years....” (Genesis 1:14-19).
This is why the prophet Malachi referred to our Messiah as “The sun of righteousness,” because he is a prophetic picture of the sun, while the bride is a prophetic picture of the earth. The moon is also prophetic of the bride’s and the earth’s ovulation cycles.
Shaul (Paul) spoke of the marriage between a man and a woman as a mystery, comparing it to the heavenly marriage between Messiah and his bride in Ephesians 5:22-32.
Ephesians 5:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Mashiyach and the assembly.
In 1st Timothy 4, and in Colossians 2, the Apostle Shaul (Paul) warned us about the doctrines of the Essenes, even though he did not call them out by name. These doctrines that Paul listed, are the same things that are taught and practiced by the Essenes to this day.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Messiah.
Colossians 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of malakiym (angels), intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.
*Explanation: The Essenes were a sect of Judaism that taught Gnosticism & Mysticism. They denied that Yahuwshuwa had come in the flesh, and they taught that his crucifixion was a vision, and not reality. In 1st John 4:3, we are warned that anyone who teaches this, is of the Spirit of Anti-Messiah (Antichrist).
To learn more about Gnosticism and the doctrines of the Essenes, please see this blog: What Was Blotted Out in Colossians 2?
The Essenes to this day worship angels, and pray for the dead, and to the dead, which is a violation of Deuteronomy 18:10-11. They also frown upon marriage (which is a violation of Genesis 1:28). They also forbid the eating of clean animals (meats allowed in Leviticus 11). This means that they also violate the commandments to eat lamb for Passover (Exodus 12). They are strict vegetarians, and they judge those who observe the feasts and the Sabbaths of YaHuWaH according to the sighting of the new moon.
The Essenes observe a strictly solar calendar, and they disobey the commandment in the Torah commanding to observe the new moon (Genesis 1:14-16; Deuteronomy 16:1; 1st Chronicles 23:31; 2nd Chronicles 2:4; 8:13; 31:3; Ezra 3:5; Nehemiah 10:33; Ezekiel 45:17; 46:3; Hosea 2:11; Psalm 81:3; 104:19).
Here, Shaul (Paul) warns us about the Doctrines of the Essenes, calling them “Doctrines of Devils.”
1st Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1st Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1st Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which Elohiym has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
*Explanation: the word “meats” is the Greek word “broma,” which means “Foods allowed under the Mosaic Law.” Shaul (Paul) was not condoning the eating of unclean animals that are forbidden in Leviticus 11.
The Demonic Gnostic Gospels:
In some cases the church fathers record which cults wrote which gnostic books, and why they are to be considered heresy. The demonic Gnostic gospels teach reincarnation, and that there are multiple gods, and that humans are divine. They also teach that
the use of sorcery is imperative for salvation. However, the Scriptures clearly teach that there is only one Elohiym, and that the use of sorcery is a sin that will damn people to an eternal hell, and that everyone will die only once, physically resurrect, and be judged.
I see a very frightening trend right now, where people are accepting the Roman Catholic Apocrypha books as being “equal” to Scripture, and they are now descending into what is called “Gnosticism” and “Esoteric Philosophy.”
Rather than being content with the 66 Books given to us “by inspiration of Elohiym,” many are now dabbling in “doctrines of devils,” which directly oppose the doctrines of Moses, the Prophets and our Messiah!
Below, I will share many of the contradictions and heretical doctrines that are in the Roman Catholic Apocrypha Books:
There is a reason why the Apocrypha Books were not included in the Canon of Scripture, neither by the Protestants, nor the Yahuwdiym (Jews). Only the Vatican needs them to fit their Gnosticism beliefs.
*Disclaimer: Some of these books, such as Esdras & Maccabees have historical value, but they are not considered “The inspired word of Elohiym,” because they contain doctrines that are contrary to the Torah & Prophets.
The Apocrypha contains the following verses:
“For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life” (Tobit 12:9).
*Note: if giving to the poor was enough to purge away every sin, and save us from death, Messiah’s death on the cross would have been in vain; and every business owner who gives to charities to shelter their taxes would be considered righteous and saved. But we know this is utterly false.
Other false doctrines in the Apocrypha:
*The command to use magic (Tobit 6:5-7).
*Forgiveness of sins by almsgiving (Tobit 4:11; 12:9).
*The offering of money for the sins of the dead (2 Maccabees 12:43-45).
In another place in Tobit it says the following:
“So now, my children see what almsgiving accomplishes, and what injustice does, it brings death.” (Tobit 14:11).
The Unbiblical Doctrine Of Purgatory Is Taught In The Apocrypha:
The doctrine of purgatory - a place of purging between heaven and hell - is taught in the Apocrypha:
“So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous judge, who reveals the things that are hidden; and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen.
He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.
But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin” (Second Maccabees 12:41-45).
The Apocrypha contains a number of false teachings. See the following link: http://www.newadvent.org/bible
The Apocryphal books do not share many of the characteristics of the Canonical books:, and they are not prophetic; There is no supernatural confirmation of any of the apocryphal writers’ works, and there is no predictive prophecy, there is no new Messianic truth revealed, and they are not cited as authoritative by any prophetic book written after them. They even acknowledge that there were no prophets in Israel at their time.----Sources: Norman Geisler and Ralph E. MacKenzie, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995, pp. 157-75.
According to the Apocrypha, the Dead Pray for the Living.
We find in the book of Baruch, a teaching that Elohiym hears the prayers of unrighteous sinners who have died:
“O Lord, Almighty, God of Israel, hear now the prayers of the dead of Israel, the children of those who sinned before you, who did not heed the voice of the Lord their God, so that calamities have clung to us” (Baruch 3:4).
The dead do not pray for the living, only the living upon the earth pray for other living ones upon the earth.
The Apocrypha Teaches The Pre-existence Of Souls:
“As a child I was naturally gifted, and a good soul fell to my lot; or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body” (Wisdom 8:19,20).
Scripture does not teach that souls have a pre-existence before they are given a mortal body. This notion is taught in the Book of Mormon.
While unfortunately, most people do not realize it, there were many religious books composed between the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.
The Roman Catholic Church made some of these books part of their Bible, but Yahuwdiym (Jews) and Protestants did not.
Ancient books not included in the Bible are called Apocrypha or Pseudepigraphal. The first is based on a Greek word meaning “obscure” or “hide away.”
The second is the name given to books composed by an unknown author but falsely attributed to a famous person, such as “Life of Adam and Eve,” which says it was composed by Adam. The Book of Enoch is also a Pseudepigraphal work of fiction, not written by the Patriarch Enoch, but was a collection of writings written by many different authors between 300 B.C. - 100 A.D.
To learn more about why the Book of Enoch is not Scripture, and should not be counted as such, see this link: The Book of Enoch Debunked
*Disclaimer: This ministry “Refute It Dot Com,” has done a fabulous job illustrating that the Book of Enoch contradicts Scripture in many places. However, I disagree with this ministry, in the fact that they do not believe in the Nephilim described in Genesis 6:3 & Jude 1:6. However, I do believe in the existence of Nephilim.
Also see the YouTube Videos of David Wilbur, where he explains why the Book of Enoch is not inspired by Yah, and is not Scripture.
A Response to Zach Bauer on 1st Enoch 71:14 and the “Son of Man.”
Why the Book of Enoch is NOT Inspired Scripture - David Wilber
Why the Book of Enoch is NOT Inspired Scripture - David Wilber
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