Studies

This page will consist of a series of studies from the Scriptures.

It is the opinion of this writer that all of the seven assembles are end-time assemblies and the "messages" to them have yet to be fulfilled. When exactly is the "time" in the  "end time" when they are in existence, I do not know, but YaHuWaH will make it clear to those who need to know.  There are two assemblies that are definitely end-time assemblies and neither one has a reproof written to them. They are: The Assembly of Smurna, and the Assembly of Philadelphia. The wording of the message to each of them identify both as last day assemblies.

Rev. 2:8-11 “To the messenger of the assembly in Smurna write:
“The First and the Last, Who was dead, and has come to life says these things: (this identification of Himself may be a hint that some of them will also have to die) “I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the public vilification of those who say they are Yahuwdim [Jews], and they are not Yahuwdim, but are a synagogue of the adversary. Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the slanderer is about to throw some of you into prison, that you might be pressured; and you shall have oppression for ten days.  Become trustful to death, (You-be-faithful to-the-enduring-of-death-itself. actual Greek) and I shall give you the crown of life.  He who has an ear, let him hear what Ruwach haQadosh  [Set-apart Spirit/Breath] says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death."

YaHuWSHuWaH promised the Philadelphian Assembly that: 3:10 "Because you guarded My Word of endurance,  I also shall guard you from the Hour of Trial (tribulation/oppression), which is to come on the whole Habitable World, to try those who dwell on the earth."  
However, in the message to Smurna, no such promise is given, in fact, from the context it appears that they will see "The Hour of Trial/The Great Oppression - and not only will they "see it" but some will be martyred .... "Become trustful to death ... he who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death." The implication here is that some "will be trustful to death"! Notice these texts: Rev. 14:13 I heard the Voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in YaHuWaH from now on.’” “Yes,” says Ruwach haQadosh [Set-apart Spirit], “that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.” (This verse follows the 3rd messenger's message about not worshiping the Beast.) and in Chp. 6:9  "When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of YaHuWaH, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. 6:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Master, the Set-apart and True, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 6:11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course ...."
And all through the four "Besorah", YaHuWSHuWaH says a number of times that those who follow and obey Him will suffer persecution - even to death.

Even though from the context of the message to Smurna, there will be martyrs, yet not all will die, but some will pass through the Great Tribulation and in the "very last days" of it - they will be delivered/rescued!
The text in verse 2:10 says "ten days",  just as other texts in Revelation say 1260 days, 42 months, time, times, and a half time. There is no reason to believe that all of these time periods are not just as the Word says - literal time periods. Therefore in 2:10 the "ten days" will be dealt with as a literal ten days -  the interval of  time between Yom Teruah (Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

The next thing that has to be done is find the "setting" or "time period" when these ten days occur. From the textual references that will come later, it will become clear that this ten days must come during the very last remnant of time - during the "Great Day of YaHuWaH.
A type of the year long great tribulation - plus the ten days mentioned above which occurs within this "Great Day of YaHuWaH,  is found in Bereshiyth [Genesis] 7:1 - 8:15 concerning the flood of Noah's time. The "flood" of destruction was on the earth for 370 days while YaHuWaH's people (Noah and family) were safe in His ark. ---  This was 370 days after the flood began, or one year and ten days, at that time (a 360 day year)—the same length of time as the interval between one Feast of Trumpets until Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] the following year.   Other texts supporting this year long tribulation are: YashaYahuw [Isaiah] 32:10 For days beyond a year you shall be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage shall fail. The harvest won’t come.  .... YashaYahuw 34:8 For YaHuWaH has a Day of Vengeance, a Year of recompense for the cause of Tsiyown [Zion]. 

The "ten days" of the 370 days must be at the very "end" of the 370 days - at which time YaHuWSHuWaH comes on the cloud with all His Set-apart ones that were resurrected at the "Last Trump" - 10 days earlier - and who will witness the great deliverance of YaHuWaH for those of His who are still alive and are seemingly doomed for destruction!  As various supporting texts are given keep in mind that on Yom Kippur, The Great Shofar is blown.

Now let's look again at the Smurna message:
Revelation 2:8-11    "To the messenger of the assembly in Smurna write:
“The First and the Last, Who was dead, and has come to life says these things: “I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the public vilification of those who say they are Yahuwdim [Jews], and they are not Yahuwdim, but are a synagogue of the adversary. Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the slanderer is about to throw some of you into prison, that you might be pressured; and you shall have oppression for ten days. Become trustful to death, and I shall give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruwach haQadosh says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death." [as noted before, the phrases in blue seem to indicate that some of these will be martyrs for YaHuWSHuWaH - though some of the texts which follow, picture a wonderful deliverance for the living.]

Psalms 31:13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life. [the slanderer is about to throw some of you into prison, that you might be pressured; and you shall have oppression for ten days.]  YashaYahuw [Isaiah] 27:12-13 It shall happen in That Day, that YaHuWaH shall thresh from the flowing stream of the Parath to the brook of Mitsrayim [Egypt/churchanity]; and you shall be gathered one by one, children of Ysra'al. It shall happen in That Day that a Great Shofar shall be blown (Yom Teruah ); and those who were ready to perish in the land of Ashshuwr (Babel), and those who were outcasts in the land of Mitsrayim (churchanity), shall come; and they shall worship YaHuWaH in the Qodesh Mountain at Yahrushalayim. "
 Matt. 24:31 & Mark 13:27   "He (YaHuWSHuWaH) shall send out His messengers with the sound of the Great Shofar [Day of Trumpets], and they shall gather together His chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other."  24:31: Note: The Great Shofar is blown on Yom Teruah). It is also blown at the beginning of a Jubilee year.

Yahuw'al 2:32 '"“And it shall be, everyone who shall have called on the Name of YaHuWaH, he shall be delivered!  For on the Mountain of Tsiyown and in Yahrushalayim shall the escaped remnant be; just as YaHuWaH said, even among the survivors whom YaHuWaH is calling.” 

Yehezqel [Ezekiel] 20:33-39 "As I live, says the Master YaHuWaH, surely with a mighty Hand, and with an outstretched Arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be King over you: and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out; and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face."  [Joseph Good points out that the terminology here fits the season of Yom Kippur, at which time YaHuWaH judges us for the sake of removing our sins from us:]  Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Mitsrayim [Egypt], so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Master YaHuWaH.  I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who disobey against Me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into Eretz-Ysra'al: and then you will know that I AM YaHuWaH."  [Then you will know: To remove so many from lands they had thought were their own will be such a huge undertaking and the outcome (their being separated into those who will go into the Land and those who will not) so unlikely that having this prophecy of it in advance will be enough evidence that it was really He alone that accomplished this. YaHuWSHuWaH will hand-pick His subjects, passing all through a purifying fire which will not consume those who are written in His book. (Dan. 12:1)] SFWHofY

  As to this part of the message: ... "and the public vilification of those who say they are Yahuwdim [Jews], and they are not Yahuwdim, but are a synagogue of the adversary." [beit-ha'keneset of ha'shatan - Zionist Israel of today.]  YashaYahuw [Isaiah] 48:1-2 “Hear this, House of Ya'aqob (impostor/ supplanter), you who are CALLED by the name of Ysra'al, and have come forth out of the waters [unbelievers] of Yahuwdah [Judah]; who swear by the Name of YaHuWaH, and cause the Elohiym of Ysra'al to be remembered, but not reliably or correctly,  (for they call themselves of the Kodesh City (Zionist), and lean on the Aluhiym of Ysra'al; YaHuWaH of hosts is His Name) [Rev. 2:2, 9; 3:9]

To summarize:  The members of the Assembly of Smurna are a "poor" people who are "rich" in belief and trust. It appears that they are not protected from the trials of the "oppression" of the Great Day of YaHuWaH. Some will be martyrs, others will live on into the final "ten days" of the great oppression and as it says in 1 Kepha [Peter] 1:3-5 Blessed be YaHuWaH and Father of our Master YaHuWSHuWaH haMashiyach, Who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living expectation through the resurrection of YaHuWSHuWaH ha Mashiyach from the dead, into an inherited possession that is not liable to decay [Matt. 6:19], unsoiled, and unfading, having been kept under guard for you in heavenly realms  who are protected by the Power of YaHuWaH through belief for a rescue ready to be revealed in the final decisive epoch.  "......  (for a rescue ready to be disclosed during a latter feast season!)  [Yom Kippur  Deuteronomy 32: 42] .... this rescue will be manifested on some future Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement at the end of the "ten days" of intense oppression - at the sounding of the Great Shofar - When YaHuWaH Al Shadai and the Lamb takes His Great Power and Reigns!  O YES!

Study 2 - Thoughts on Immersion:


Immersion is not a ritual in invented by "John the Baptist" as most of churchanity believes. It is not supposed to be a method by which ones becomes a "new member" into a particular church or organization - at least it was not meant to be. Immersion is an act of putting off the "old man" and turning ones heart toward YaHuWaH in worship and praise and obedience to  His Torah! (If you love Me, keep My Commandments.)

Galatians 3:27-29.  For as many of you as were immersed into haMashiyach have put on (labash)haMashiyach.  There is neither Yahuwdite nor Greek, there is not slave nor free, there is not male and female, for you are all one in haMashiyach YaHuWSHuWaH.  And if you are of haMashiyach, then you are seed of Abraham, and heirs according to promise.  (This Ibriy term "labash" is the same one that is use in Bereshityh 3:21: YaHuWaH Aluhiymmade coats of skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed/covered them. ) - (This implies that YaHuWaH performed the very first slaughter in the presence of Adam and Hawah, to typify the necessity to shed blood for the sin of disobedience and to "cover" [labash - H-3847] ones nakedness.  Thus, when one is immersed into haMashiyach, that person's nakedness (sin) is covered "labash" by the blood of the Lamb and we put on - are covered by (labash) Mashiyach!)
 
1. To begin with,  it must be understood that "immersion" is not unique to the Apostolic Writings but was performed in the TaNaK, and is identified in the traditional translations as "washing".  The priesthood washed their flesh with water before, after, and during the means of making atonement, or bringing about the removal for sin, and in the Ibriy language, this is known as "mikbah" or immersion (washing).  Everyone entering into the Temple to worship was required to mikbah/wash before entering, which meant that Priests as well as the common man did mikbah many times in their lifetime. This was also the command of the prophet, Alishua [Elisha], to Na'aman the leper, when he commanded him to "mikbah" or dip seven times and be cleansed.  Again, as Yahuwchanan prepared the way for YaHuWaH (YaHuWSHuWaH haMashiyach), Yahuwchanan, as a rightful "officiator of immersion" - (appointed by YaHuWah for a special task) - commanded the crowds to "mikbah" or immerse for the remission of sins, in accordance with the Torah commands which deal with this. There were a great many "mikbah" pools in Ysra'al and especially in Yahrushalayim and were used frequently by those who felt the need to be immersed other than entering into the temple. However, the Scriptures make plain that Yahuwchanan the Immerser used the Yarden River as his "immersion" pool as did Na'aman the leper. The Yarden in many places had pools sufficient enough to handle the many who came to be immersed .... and of course the water was running which was ideal in that this running water symbolized "the washing away of sin and perversity".  From "The Scriptures for the Whole House of Ysra'al",  We have this: Matt. 3:5-6 "Then people from Yahrushalayim, all of Yahuwdah , and all the region around the Yarden went out to him. They were ritually immersed under his supervision in the Yarden, acknowledging their sins." [The Shem Tob Ibriy text says, “They were immersing because of his word”]
"Under his supervision: Immersion at that time was not something done by another person; that was a practice of Mithraism, a religion common among Roman soldiers. A kosher immersion is done by the person himself, with a witness to assure him that every part of his body, including all of his hair, has gone under the water."

2. Scripture never teaches that a mikbah or immersion must be performed by someone else - rather, the crowds immersed themselves.  In fact, we have the Scriptural evidence that the apostles COMMANDED the crowd to be immersed, and some 3000 were saved in one day, as seen in the following example.   Acts 2:38 "Shimon said to them, 'Repent and be immersed each one of you in the name of Master YaHuWaH-YaHuWSHuWaH for the remission of sins ....'    Shimon was preaching from the steps of the Hekal in Yahrushalayim. Just below him were hundreds of mikbah (immersion) baths. Both the steps he spoke from and the baths are visible today just outside the Western Wall. In Kepha's day immersion wasn't an act of conversion from one religion to another, but an act of purification from sin. A person repented of their sin, prayed, and then entered into the water of the immersion pool to symbolize atonement. [AENT - Aramaic English New Testament pg. 308]

 Yahuwchanan is recorded as being the "officiator" in the immersion of YaHuWSHuWaH haMashiyach, and Philip also was the "officiator" in the immersion of the Ethiopian man (Not physically touching them but being witnesses to their complete immersion.) Yahuwchanan the Immerser according to the Word, chose places where there "was much water" for his  immersion sites. If he "immersed" them one by one as some seem to believe  (see baptism note below) .... why then was "much water" needed? They simply responded to Yahuwchanan's preaching, confessed their sins, prayed, entered into the water and immersed themselves under the watchful eye of the Immersion Officiator.

3.  Scripture never limits the number of times which a person may immerse.  In fact, it was a Scriptural command that every time you become physically unclean (i.e. in contact with a dead body, etc) that you were to "wash", and again be considered clean at evening.  Mikbah was also preformed for physical healing, as we see with the blind man at the pool  (mikbah) of Shalach, in Yahrushalayim. Yahuwchanan (John) 9:6  When YaHuWSHuWaH had said this, He spat on the ground, made clay with the saliva, anointed the blind man's eyes with the clay, and said to him, "Go wash/mikbah (immerse) in the pool of Shalach" (which means "Sent forth"). So he went away, washed (did mikbah), and came back seeing."

4.  Immersion for the remission of sins should be in the Name above all Names, which is "YaHuWaH-YaHuWSHuWaH", and performed for the remission of sins.  "In the Name of..." requires that it be in YaHuWaH's authority, and that the purpose for the immersion be well known and proclaimed.  Apart from complete immersion (preferably in running water, such as a river or stream - but not commanded as such - could be a bathtub if one can completely immerse in it - and, if that is all that is available) in the Name of YaHuWaH-YaHuWSHuWaH haMashiyach, there are no other Scriptural requirements or commands.

5. You can immerse yourself - as did those of Ysra'al - but it would be better to find another believer to attend. Self immersion is the only way that many of  the Ysra'al of today can be immersed. YaHuWaH is calling to Himself "one of a city and two of a clan",  and these newly called ones may never have the opportunity to be a part of a congregation - large or small! Self immersion was done by those of Ysra'al of the past whenever the need arose for an immersion and was acceptable then as it is now.   No particular titled person is required to be present and anyone can assist others with their immersion.  We are all to assist others in their immersion, as a witness, an encouragement, and to welcome the immersed into the community of Ysra'al as a brother - should you be blessed with a "community" of like-minded believers. The act of immersion into the name of YaHuWaH-YaHuWSHuWaH's  is personal, not corporate, and we become identified by our Husband, calling upon His Name for deliverance. We need to be the one saying the words, not a by-stander (like a pastor proclaiming "I immerse you. . . ") It's only about YaHuWaH-YaHuWSHuWaH and the one entering the water.

A  special note about the history of the present day method of "baptism": In Debarim (Deut.) 2:12 it is said that the Chorites who lived in Seir were destroyed by Esaw. Chorites literally means "cave dwellers". Esaw (Edom of today) represents Rome and their adaptation of Constantine's Mithraism which was the religion of the Roman soldiers and Constantine, himself, and which can be traced all the way back to the time of Nimrod. One of its hallmarks of Mithraism is that they most always worshiped in caves. They had an elohiym named "Gad" pronounced exactly like "god" with a major festival on December 24, 25, and January 1. They also had a water baptism in which the priest holds the recipient as he goes underwater. This common form of baptism as practiced by many of "churchanity" today,  stems from them and this practice -  not from the Hebrew form of immersion in which there is merely a witness that one goes completely under water. So the Church (Esaw/Edom) still inhabits the “caves” of Mithraism by practicing these particular means of "baptism".  YaHuWaH says to us - Come out of her my people and touch (practice) no unclean thing!

Study 3 - YaHuWSHuWaH's Resurrection

Important Note: In all the texts below where the phrase "first day of the week" appears - the Greek says "sabbaton" or sabbath. The reason being, that this "first day of the week" was really a set-apart day - the "Feast of First-fruits" one of the mandated Feasts of YaHuWaH (Lev. 23:9-11) that falls on the "first day of the week" immediately after the weekly Sabbath that falls during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And it was this "dawning" into that feast day that this phrase is referring to. The weekly Sabbath was dawning into a specified feast day of YaHuWaH.

The following texts are from various translations - they will differ from what many of the "traditional" translations say. Such translations have a great burden to have our Savior arise on the morning of the first day of the week at dawn - justifying their first day of the week sunrise services. They also do not recognize that His death was on the fourth day of the week - but cling to the sixth day theory, thereby needing Him to be in the grave at least a portion of the first day of the week to get their incorrect counting of "three days and three nights" - counting a portion of a day as a whole day. YaHuWSHuWaH said He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth --- and He was. All the following texts do bear this out and show that He arose just before the Sabbath ended, and the women who came to wrap His body in spices before decay and corruption set in as soon as they possible could - found an empty tomb! They had purchased the spices before the weekly Sabbath and were waiting anxiously to get to the tomb. Remember, the full moon of Passover was still bright so light was no great factor if they hurried.


Matt. Peshita:  Chp. 28
1. And in the evening of the Shabbath, as it dawned toward the first day of the week, came Miriam from the Magdala and the other Miriam to see the sepulcher.
2 And, behold, there had been a great earthquake, for the messenger of YaHuWaH had descended from heaven, <and approached> and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his garments like snow,
4 and for fear of him the guards trembled, and became as dead.
5 And the messenger answered and said to the woman, "Fear you not, I know that you are seeking YaHuWSHuWaH.

Matt. AENT: Chp. 28:1-2  Now in the closing (evening) of the Shabbath, as the first of the week was dawning, came Maryam of Magdla and the other Maryam that they might see the grave. And behold a great earthquake occurred for a  Messenger of Master YaHuWaH descended from heaven came and rolled away the boulder from the entrance, and he was sitting on it. ...
AENT - Aramaic English New Testament

Matt. non-Peshita: Chp. 28
28:1 Now after the Sabbaths [ULB & 7th day Shabbats], as the next day was dawning (at sunset), Miryâm Magdalene and the other Miryâm [His mother] came to see the tomb. 28:2 Behold, there was a great earthquake, for a messenger of YaHuWaH descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. 28:3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 28:4 For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.  28:5 The Messenger answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek YaHuWSHuWaH, Who was hanged on a stake.

Mark 16:
16:1 When the day of repose was past, Miriam Magdalene, and Miriam the mother of Ya'aqob, and Shalom, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb just as the sun was setting [after sundown of the weekly Sabbath]. 16:3 They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 16:4 for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
16:5 Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. 16:6 He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek YaHuWSHuWaH, the Nazarene, Who has been impaled. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid Him! (PureS.)

Yahuwchanan  20:
20:1 Now on the first day of the week, Miryam Magdalene does-come early before darkness yet came, [shortly after Sabbath sunset] unto the sepulcher, and does-see the stone having-been-taken-away from the sepulcher. [actual Greek](He arose just before sunset on that Shabbat - after 3 days and nights in the tomb) 20:2 Therefore she ran and came to Shimown Keph, and to the other disciple whom YaHuWSHuWaH loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Master out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid Him!”

Luke:
23:55 The women, who had come with Him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how His body was laid. 23:56 They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. [on the next day - day 6] On the Shabbath they rested according to the commandment.  [Commanded weekly Sabbath rest]
24:1 But on the first day of the week, after the setting of the sun [after Sabbath sunset], they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. 24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 24:3 They entered in, and didn’t find the Master YaHuWSHuWaH body. 24:4 It happened, while they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 24:5 Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth.
 [He arose on Sabbath - 3 days and 3 nights - 72 hours - after He was placed in the tomb on the 4th day of the week, Passover. He presented Himself according to the types of the Feast, to His Father as the "First-fruit" offering the next day - The Day of First-fruits - that falls on the first day of the week.

The Scriptures are One!

Study 4 - End Time Events and Times

This chart will be better understood if the page "Great Day of Yahuwah" is read first - along with Study # 1 "The Ten Days of Smurna" which is on this page.

This chart is based on how I presently view the various "times" spoken about in the Scriptures - and how they will be fulfilled - in other words this is "speculation" on my part - and what I think or believe does not make it so. There are many things that may happen in the future that will make what I think of no consequence. But for now this is the view to which I hold. There are others that see these events in another setting. They have their reasons for doing so and I have mine. YaHuWaH has given us many "clues" on how to see these time elements. For example: the "1260" days that are mentioned twice in Revelation are "joined" together by their terminology - as are the "42 months" which both refer to the days of the beast power, and the "times, time, and a half-time which points us the same time elements in Dani'al. For those who have eyes to see - let them see.

t.