One World Religion
(From Gan Eden to Rome)
In this study the following are to be considered:
- When gods are mentioned, these are of a demonic nature;
- “Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and do not invoke the name of
other gods, neither let them be heard out of your mouth.” (Exod. 23:13). The naming of gods in this and any study should be for a warning and is in no way meant to bring any glory to or used to invoke demonic entities;
- The Serpent p.1;
- The sons of the gods p.3;
- Prophetic Developments p.5;
- Bil`amites/Nicolaitans p.7;
(vii) Izevel p. 13;
(viii) Teachings of Izevel p.13;
(ix) The Cult of Mary p.14;
(x) Ecumenicalism p.15;
(xi) Relativism p.19;
(xii) Babylonian Exile p.21;
(xiii) References and Credits p.23:
The Serpent
“Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which Yahuah `Elohiym had made. It said to the woman, ‘Yes, has `Elohiym said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’’ The serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die for `Elohiym knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like `Elohiym, knowing good and evil.’” (Gen. 3:1, 4, 5). In all the religions that have multiple gods in a large pantheon, there is a serpent-god at the very beginning and is of an evil character.
In the very early Egyptian pantheon, there is a god called Neheb-Kau that is usually depicted as an upright snake with human legs and hands and is considered as the guardian of the underworld (blackdrago.com). This god has a consort called Nehemtawy that is usually shown as a woman holding a child. In early depictions, it has a sistrum (lyre-like) instrument behind its head (reddit.com), that in later times morphs into a solar disc or halo.
A second serpent-god is called Apep (Apophis in Greco-Roman times) and is often referred to as the Evil Lizard, Eater of Souls or the Uncreator and is deemed to be the god of chaos, darkness and destruction. It is usually depicted as a large snake but can also be shown as a crocodile or dragon (Mythology.net). The name means to slither or spit out (as a cobra?).
This entity does not come into prominence until much later than Neheb-Kau, around the end of the Old Kingdom or 1st. Intermediate Period. Apep was the chief of the Egyptian pantheon until vanquished by Ra that cast it into the underworld. It is said that it cannot be destroyed but only slowed down. Even Ra could not kill it. Apep was never worshipped like the other gods in the pantheon, but was feared by all (World History Edu). This would seem to be a consequence of, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring…” (Gen. 3:15).
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The mother of Apep is accepted as Neith, the Creator goddess or the goddess of motherhood and is also known as the Huntress goddess or Mistress of the Bow. Apep siblings were Ra, Sobek and Tutu (see Babylonian gods below).
Of particular notice is that Apep is usually shown as a snake without any human limbs and situated next to what is referred to as the Good Tree. This tree was considered the Tree of Eternal Life, symbolised by the Ankh. Some archaeological commentators have suggested that the early form of this god was Neheb-Kau that was later called Apep and the change of names may be due to religious or Pharaonic dynasty upheavals. This may be alluded to in biblical account, “Yahuah `Elohiym said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above every animal of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.’” (Gen. 3:14). Neheb-Kau may represent the pre-Fall serpent and Apep being the post-Fall serpent.
In Mesopotamia, there is another serpent-god called Ninazu that is depicted as a human body with a snake’s head and tail, holding a trident and standing upright on a lion’s back or occasionally as a snarling dragon. It is known as the god of war, agriculture (and thus fertility) and of the underworld (Ninazu (god) (upenn.edu). Noted primarily as a Sumerian god, this pantheon was shared by Babylonian, Assyrian and Akkadian pantheons. However, Ninazu was particularly worshipped in the region of Ur, where it was known as the god that died and returned, common amongst agricultural communities. This god has two genealogies and three siblings, reminiscent of Neheb-Kau/Apep.
“Terach lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nachor, and Haran… Haran died before his father Terach in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Kasdim… Terach took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went forth from Ur of the Kasdim, to go into the land of Kana`an. They came to Haran, and lived there… Now Yahuah said to Abram, ‘Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.’” (Gen. 11:26-21:1). The significance of this calling-out be shown in the prevalence of demonic worship in Ur and in the family of Nachor (see below).
“Declare you among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and do not conceal: say, ‘Babel is taken, Bel is disappointed, Merodakh is dismayed; her images are disappointed, her idols are dismayed.’” (Jer. 50:2). Probably the most famous Babylonian god would be Merodakh (Marduk), later to be referred to as simply Bel or Ba`al (lord). Although it was part of the Mesopotamian pantheon, it was regarded as the patron god of Babylon and became known as the greatest god (Marduk | Babylonian god | Britannica). Merodakh is usually depicted as or with a forked tongued snake-dragon.
Merodakh’s consort is called Zarapanit (plus various other spellings), also known as Ba`alat (ladyship). It is depicted in the Sumer-Babylonian pantheon as a naked love goddess, holding a suckling baby. It is very typical of a fertility goddess to have sexual immorality as part of its worship rituals, often in conjunction with temple prostitution, and represented by a mother-like figure. Zarapanit later syncretised into Aphrodite, Artemis and Diana of Ephesus (penn.museum).
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Therefore, from Gan Eden to Babel, it can be seen that there is a close relationship between a serpent entity, fertility rites of sexual depravity and a mother figure.
The sons of the gods
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6). Although Chayvah was deceived, it was Adam who wilfully disobeyed Yahuah. This is, in fact, rebellion against Yahuah. Rebellion is the heart of all religion. “Both of their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Gen. 3:7). The first act of rebellion/religion was the couple knew of their nakedness which suggests that lust/sexual immorality first entered the couple’s thoughts.
Much has been speculated upon and written about בְנֵי־ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (bene ha`elohiym – Gen. 6:2). However, if there was active worship of haSatan in the form of the serpent-god and its consorts, this would fit grammatically with this appellation. When אֱלֹהִ֔ים `Elohiym is mentioned (Gen. 1:1, 2, 3), it is without the prefixed definite article. In Gen. 6:2; the definite article is used, so it must be considered as being different from Gen. 1:1, 2, 3 etc.
בְנֵי־ #H1121 *254 bene – usually means children either by birth or by adoption, and may be all male or a mixture of male and female children. It could also be that of grandchildren or future descendants.
However, it could also refer to people belonging to a specific group, usually followers of a charismatic leader. This would be totally in line with the thought that the sons were human followers of the Serpent-god (and other demonic entities), with Kayin probably being the first that went ‘voluntarily’, “As time passed, it happened that Kayin brought an offering to Yahuah from the fruit of the ground.” (Gen. 4:3). Of the first two sons of Chayvah, Kayin was the tiller of the earth and so would be the more likely to be seduced by the sexual practices of fertility rites. Often these rites involve blood sacrifices, “Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.” (Gen. 4:11). (See also the Maxi Bible Study The Seed and the Mini Bible Study Kayin and Hevel).
“From now on, when you till the ground, it will not yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.” (Gen. 4:12). It was necessary for Kayin to be cast out from the righteous community in order for the preservation of the Seed.
“However, “In the name of our Master Yahusha the Messiah, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Master Yahusha the Messiah, are to deliver such a one to haSatan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Master Yahusha.” (1 Cor. 5:4, 5). The exile of Kayin was necessary for his possible repentance and salvation.
“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.” (Gen. 6:4 NIV). The common thought is that the Nefilim and the sons
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of God [sic] were the same entities, and the fallen angels had sexual relationships with women, thus producing children. However, there is no evidence that angelic beings, good or bad, could have any such association.
This would make more sense if, “The Nefilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of the gods came to men’s daughters. They bore children to them: the same were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:4). Instead of the Nefilim being translated as giants or as fallen angels (demons), it may refer to “The demonic-gods were in the earth…when the followers of these demons…(Gen. 6:4).
“Kayin knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Hanokh…To Hanokh was born `Irad. `Irad became the father of Mechuya`el. Mechuya`el became the father of Metusha`el. Metusha`el became the father of Lamekh. Lamekh took two wives: the name of the one was `Adah, and the name of the other Tzillah…Tzillah also gave birth to Tuval-Kayin, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tuval-Kayin’s sister was Na`amah.” (Gen. 4:17-22). In an article, the Biblical Archaeological Society names Noach’s wife as Na`amah, a direct descendant of Kayin (Biblical Archaeology Society quoting Genesis Rabbah). Although the name Emzara has been suggested, this may be more as a result of it being the title of ancestor of Sarai (Answers in Genesis).
The Flood was a great opportunity for the world to be rid of the demonic influenced dynasties. Nevertheless, “Noach began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine, and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent. Kham, the father of Kana`an, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.” (Gen. 4:20-22). If Na`amah was herself, or from a family line that was of the sons of the gods, her post-Flood family may have relapsed into idolatry. This is particularly noticeable in the biblical comment that Noach was uncovered by Kham. This is a Hebraic euphonism for Kham having perverted sexual relations with either his father or his mother. It should also be noted that Scripture records the cursing of Kana`an rather than Kham, which would indicate that when Moshe redacted Genesis, he was aware of the future of the sons of Kana`an.
“The sons of Ham: Kush, Mitzrayim, Put, and Kana`an…Kush became the father of Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.” (Gen. 10:6, 8).
נִמְרֹד #H5248 Nimrod – rebellion (see also below).
Again, it can be seen that from the rebellion in Gan Eden through to Babel, the religion based upon this rebellion instigated by the Serpent, is closely associated with sexual immorality.
“It happened in the days of Amrafel, king of Shin`ar, Aryokh, king of Ellasar, Kedorla`omer, king of `Elam, and Tid`al, king of Goyim… They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sedom, and his goods, and departed… He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.” (Gen. 14:1-18). Traditionally, Amrafel is considered as either being Nimrod or a direct descendant of him (familyofmessiah.org). Having failed to have Terach sacrifice his first-born son in fire, Nimrod was in fear of astrological warnings of Abram’s ascendancy (Chabad.org). Could it be possible that Amrafel was trying to capture or kill Abram? Both Abram through his descendants and Lot through his Moabite descendant, Ruth were both significant ancestors of the Seed and this account may well be part of the then ongoing
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attempts for the Serpent to annihilate the Woman’s Seed (see also the Maxi Bible Study The Seed – First Generation Assembly).
“It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, ‘Behold, Milkah, she also has borne children to your brother Nachor:’ Betu`el became the father of Rivka.” (Gen. 22:20, 23a); “I will make you swear by Yahuah, the `Elohiym of heaven and the `Elohiym of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Kana`anim, among whom I live.” (Gen. 24:3); “Rivka had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.” (Gen. 24:29); “Yitz`chak brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rivka, and she became his wife. He loved her. Yitz`chak was comforted after his mother’s death.” (Gen. 24:67). Abraham took great measures to ensure that Yitz`chak’s wife should not be influenced by demonic worship found in Kana`an. Nevertheless, Laban was traditionally considered a sorcerer and was the father, grand- or great-grandfather of Bil`am (stackexchange.com).
“Yitzchak called Ya`akov, blessed him, and commanded him, ‘You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Kana`an. Arise, go to Paddan-Aram, to the house of Betu`el your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Lavan, your mother’s brother.” (Gen. 28:1, 2); “He said to them, ‘Do you know Lavan, the son of Nachor?’ They said, ‘We know him.’ He said to them, ‘Is it well with him?’ They said, ‘It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.’” (Gen. 29:5, 6). In a similar way, Yitz`chak did not want idolatry in his descendants.
“Laban said to Ya`akov, ‘What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?… Now, you want to be gone, because you sore longed after your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?’” (Gen. 31:26, 30). Neither Laban nor Ya`akov realised that Rachel had stolen Laban’s terrafim (Gen. 31:19), whether through spite, to retain some of Laban’s wealth (Gen. 31:14) or through her own desire to keep and worship the idols is not known. However, what is known is that Ya`akov’s curse (Gen. 31:32) was made manifest in the premature death of Rachel (Gen. 35:19).
Prophetic development
Although the Assemblies above are historic it is widely accepted that each Assembly represents a particular stage in the development of the Church Universal and that throughout time each characteristic will be continuously displayed but with one characteristic being prominent. From the doctrine below the characteristics can now be seen as becoming more and more wide-spread in the various churches today.
It may be said that this scenario is too Euro-centric and does not take into account any other continents (Whittal). However, one must view the development and expansion of the Roman Catholic Church, with the earliest major global exploration (1340), carried out by the strongly
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catholic countries of Spain and Portugal. This was with the dual purpose of spreading Roman Catholicism and acquiring vast new wealth (How Portugal Kicked Off the Age of Exploration – HISTORY). At the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1492 and 1493, Pope Alexander VI issued the papal bull declaring the east/west division of the world; Portugal to have all the lands east and Spain to have all the lands west of the agreed meridian (Treaty of Tordesillas | Summary, Definition, Map, & Facts | Britannica).
Nevertheless, it is vital to realise that this particular danger will come from within the Church. Out of the Seven Assemblies, three are not criticised by the Messiah (Ephesus, Smyrna and Philadelphia) and one is apathetic, although highly toxic (Laodicea). That leaves three Assemblies that were criticised specifically for the traits of the Nicolaitans.
Ephesus was typical of the assemblies from 70 C.E to 170 C.E. (Larkin p.18). The influence of the Nicolaitan heresy, that was to become Roman Catholicism, was developed during this period. Although under increasing difficulties, this Assembly resisted the pressure to embrace the heresy.
What is another word for back-slidden? Apostate.
Where do we come across an apostate church? “Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the apostacy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,” (2 Thess. 2:3). Therefore, from the present to the Snatching Away, the general church will be an Ephesian Assembly.
The Smyrna Assembly was typical of assemblies from Diocletian in 170 C.E. to Constantine in 312 C.E. The early Church Fathers were moving away from the teachings of the Tanakh and the Jewishness of the style of worship. In this period, it can be seen that the ‘Christian’ church wanted to disassociate itself from any connection with the Jews who were seen as being anti-Rome and anti-Caesar (Larkin p.21).
What is another word for tribulation? Smyrna follows Ephesus in this letter. Now, if we consider the Church from the present day until the Snatching Away will be an Ephesian Assembly, can the Smyrna Assembly be typical of another future Church? “I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the set apart ones, and with the blood of the martyrs of Yahusha. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.” “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues,’” (Rev. 17:6; 18:4). After the Snatching Away, Believers will undergo increasingly severe persecution that is typical of the Smyrna Assembly. Even at so late a time, the Risen Messiah calls all Believers to flee the Apostate (Ephesian) Church, lest they too are subject to its judgements.
The Pergamos Assembly was typical of assemblies from Constantine in 312 C.E. to Pope Boniface III in 606 C.E. This was the time of the establishment of Roman Catholicism and the Pope declaring himself the ‘Universal Bishop’. This is the era when the ‘Church’ finally separated from its historic teachings after the Council of Nicea in 325 C.E. and established the man-made primacy of Roman Catholicism.
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The Thyatira Assembly was typical of assemblies from Pope Boniface III in 606 C.E. to the Reformation 1520 C.E. Roman Catholicism became the world’s dominant religion during this period and assumed it peak just prior to the Reformation (Larkin p. 23).
The Sardis Assembly was typical of the assemblies from 1520 C.E. to 1750 C.E. (Larkin p. 25). This can be considered as the Reformation Period Assembly that was distinguished by a ritualistic assembly, “holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.” (2 Tim. 3:5).
The Philadelphia Assembly was typical of the assemblies from 1735 C.E to 1900 C.E. This period typifies the revival church after the near-fatal Sardis Period of the Reformation. This is the period of the great missionaries George Whitefield, John Wesley, Charles G. Finney and D. L. Moody (Larkin p. 26).
The Laodicea Assembly was typical of the assemblies from 1900 C.E to the present. Most of the assemblies of the present era can be seen to be self-deceived in that they are wealthy yet poor (Larkin p. 27) and on the face being apathetic but in reality being highly toxic.
Bil`amites/Nicolaitans
“To the messenger of the Assembly in Ephesus write…‘But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.’” (Rev. 2:1a, 6). Hate #G3404 μισέω mi-say-oh means to detest. The term Nicolaitans may not have been a definite sect of people but rather a description of a type of people (Cross).
“To the messenger of the Assembly in Pergamos write… ‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Bil`am, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Yisra`el, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.’” (Rev. 2:12a, 15, 16). The Renewed Covenant has little to say about
the Nicolaitans, other than these two passages, the former to the Assembly at Ephesus and the latter to the Assembly at Pergamos.
Ephesus was a major city in Asia and was the centre of pagan worship. The Temple of Artemis (Diana) was located there and was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Pergamos was the capital of the region and was the centre of worship of Zeus and the serpent-god Asclepios that was depicted by a serpent entwined around a staff. Temples in the Graeco-Roman world were home to religious prostitutes. Thus, any compromise that would bring in to the Assemblies greater numbers of the upper classes of society would be widely promulgated (Barclay (1)).
However, their beliefs may be considered as Bil`amites of which Shimon Keefa, “having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Bil`am the son of Be`or, who loved the wages of wrong-doing;” (Peter 2:14, 15) and Yahuda, “Woe to them! For they went in the way of Kayin, and ran riotously in the error of Bil`am for hire, and perished in Korach’s rebellion.” (Jude 11)
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both warn against their practices.These passages warn against satisfying the flesh and leading others astray, “that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.” (Acts 5:29). Ya`akob ruled at the Council of Yerushalayim against such practices.
“Yisra`el abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Mo`av: for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. Yisra`el joined himself to Ba`al-Pe`or: and the anger of Yahuah was kindled against Yisra`el.” (Num. 25:1-3). Having failed to bring about the destruction of
the Yisra`elites through curses, Bil`am instructed Balak in other ways to bring down then Yisra`elites. This was done by enticing the people into sexual immorality and idol worship. Yahuah’s commandments were specifically laid down to keep the Yisra`elites separate from the surrounding pagan nations and set apart unto Him. At Pe`or, they failed on all accounts.
“Behold, these caused the children of Yisra`el, through the counsel of Bil`am, to commit trespass against Yahuah in the matter of Pe`or, and so the plague was among the congregation of Yahuah. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.” (Num. 31:16, 17). Bil`am’s error was to cause the Yisra`elites to turn away from Yahuah `Elohiym who had brought them out of Egypt. Not only were the Yisra`elites committing fornication but fell into Ba`al worship. Moshe’s instructions were to destroy the surrounding nations so that they would never again be led astray. These were not fully carried out. The prostitute/whore/harlot is a type of person (male or female) that leads others into sin (see Izevel).
“Also, all that generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who did not know Yahuah, nor yet the work which He had worked for Yisra`el. The children of Yisra`el did that which was evil in the sight of Yahuah, and served the Ba`alim; and they forsook Yahuah, the `Elohiym of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Mitzrayim, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed themselves down to them: and they provoked Yahuah to anger. They forsook Yahuah, and served Ba`al and the `Ashtarot.” (Judges 2.10-13).
The result of disobeying Yahuah commands (rebellion) through Moshe took only a generation to come about. “The children of Yisra`el again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahuah, and served the Ba`alim, and the `Ashtarot, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Tzidon, and the gods of Mo`av, and the gods of the children of `Ammon, and the gods of the Pelishtim; and they forsook Yahuah, and did not serve him.” (Judges 10:6). “In those days there was no king in Yisra`el: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25).
בִּלְעָם Bil`am bil-arm (Hebrew) = בָּלַע bala` – to swallow up (conquer) + עַם `am people
Νικόλαος ni-kol-a-os (Greek) = νῖκος ni-kos to utterly vanquish (conquer) + λαός la-os people.
A further consideration should be בִּלְעָם Bil`am bil-arm (Hebrew) = Bel (Merodakh) is my kinsman (Balaam (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)).
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The name Bil`am had an evil connotation for the Jewish constituent of the early Assemblies from the original account (Num. 22:1-24:25) and the term Nicolaitans would have been more acceptable to its early adherents. Tertullian mentions another sect, the Cainites as ‘alii Nicolaite’ (Barclay(1) quoting Tertullian). These were trying to amalgamate the Person of the Messiah with the false deity of Beliya`al (Fairbairn) even though it was in direct opposition to Sha`ul’s instructions to the Corinthian Assembly, “What agreement has the Messiah with Beliya`al? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:15). The Nicolaitans were also accused of denying Yahuah `Elohiym as Creator. Other early Church Fathers equated the Cainites with the Ophites and Sephites who were opposed to Yahuah, glorified the Serpent and considered the Fall as a progression from ignorance to knowledge (Cross).
There is some early tradition that some Believers were following heretical teaching attributed to Nicolaus, a gentile Yahuah -fearer from Antioch in the process of becoming a Jew (a proselyte). His teaching was that the flesh was totally evil and that severe self-punishment (whipping, fasting, penitence) could bring one closer to Yahuah (to be taken up by the Roman Catholic Church). Whereas Nicolaus’ teaching was that the flesh was bad, his outworking was to punish or mortify his flesh. However, early Church leaders had the Nicolaitans’ doctrine very different from this:
Irenaeus – the Nicolaitans lived a life of unrestrained indulgence.
Hippolytus – the Nicolaitans departed from correct doctrine and encouraged indifference to food and life.
Clement of Alexandria – the Nicolaitans could use or abuse their flesh as shamelessly as they wanted.
The following verses, although probably not available to him, would be the kind of teaching that led to excesses.
“For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I do not find it doing that which is good.” (Rom 7:18).
“deliver such a one to haSatan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Messiah Yahusha.” (1 Cor. 5:5).
“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of Yahuah.” (2 Cor. 7:1).
“Those who belong to the Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.” (Gal. 5:24).
Whether Nicolaus’ teachings had been perverted in later years or that there was no relationship between Nicolaus and the Nicolaitans cannot be definitively proven.
The doctrines of the Nicolaitans can be summarised as follows:
(i) The Law is ended, there are no laws, rules or regulations and so they could do
whatever they wanted:
(ii) Flesh is evil and spirit is good, and as a spirit being, a man could do whatever he liked
to the body as it did not matter:
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(iii) Grace is all-sufficient and would protect them. Antinomianism – if sin is an opportunity for Yahuah to display His Grace, therefore the more a person sins, the more opportunity for Yahuah to display Grace:
(iv) They wanted Believers to compromise the teachings given to them so that the difference between the pagans and themselves would lessen, making it more attractive for non-Believers to join them. This was mostly aimed at the upper levels of society (Barclay(1)):
(v) They wanted to introduce a system of hierarchy in the clergy that was man-inspired and not Yahuah-called. There would be no direct access to Yahuah through the mediation of the Messiah, but had to go through the priest, bishop, Mary or dead saints (see Izevel below).
This last doctrine of the Nicolaitans can be seen in the trend of denominations. The initial founders of the various denominations were true Believers following the teachings of the Master and the Bible. However, over time, the Headship of the Messiah is replaced by an ecclesiastical hierarchy (see below). This was derived from the association of the Nicolaitans with Nimrod.
“He [Balak] sent messengers to Bil`am, the son of Pe`or, to Pethor, which is by the River [Euphrates], to the land of the children of his people, to call him saying, ‘Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt: behold they cover the surface of the land and they abide over against me” (Num. 22:5). Bil`am came from the Hittite/Assyrian city of Pethor (Pitru) where it is said that there was a ‘Tower of Bil`am (bibleatlas.org).
“…‘Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahuah.’ The beginning of his kingdom was Bavel, Erekh, Akkad, and Kalneh, in the land of Shin`ar.” (Gen. 10:9b, 10). #H5248 נִמְרֹד Nim-road means rebellion or valiant depending upon the Masoretic vowel points. This is the first reference to an earthly kingdom and the inference was that Nimrod expanded it through force i.e. to conquer and subjugate the surrounding people (בִּלְעָם Bil`am (Hebrew) = בָּלַע bala` – to swallow up (conquer) + עַם `am people). He was considered to be a tyrant and enlarged and maintained his empire by violent, despotic means (Skinner). He set up a form of government that was hierarchical in structure and his expansionism was to instigate a one-world authoritarian religious government. Nimrod ruled through fear and taught his subjects
to fear and depend upon him and not on Yahuah `Elohiym. As the Flood was still fresh in the memories of the people, Nimrod had contempt for Yahuah and thus started to build the Tower of Bavel so that Man would no longer be under the threat of another deluge (Josephus).
However, this seems most unlikely as the tower was built on a plain and not in the mountains. The building of the Tower was more likely to be as a result of the attempt to become righteous through the effort of Man and excluding any work of Yahuah. This is the first mention of nations and is also the first mention of Man deliberately rebelling against Yahuah and leading a nation into apostasy.
Nimrod is known throughout ancient history by many different names. He appears as the main character in all pantheons (Egyptian – Ra, Greek – Zeus, Roman – Jupiter, Norse – Wodan, etc.) but is commonly called Ba’al (www.bible-history.com).
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“It happened, as they travelled east, that they found a plain in the land of Shin`ar; and they lived there.” (Gen. 11:2). Whenever Scripture mentions the direction east, it is always in relation to sin. In the Tabernacle and later in the Temple, a person went from the eastern direction westwards towards the altar and the Most Set Apart Place.
“They said, ‘Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top reaches unto the sky, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.’” (Gen. 11:4). This first appeared in the account of, “Kayin knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Hanokh. He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Hanokh.” (Gen. 4:17).These are wilful disobedience/rebellion against Yahuah’s commands to multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 1:28; 9:1). The phrase to ‘reaches unto the sky’, is usually indicative of worship. This tower was desired to be a temple and altar unto the gods (israel-a-history-of.com) as it would be visible from a great distance in a low-lying valley. Many non-biblical commentators are in agreement that pantheism and polytheism have their roots in the early Babylonian rites.
Further acts of rebellion can be seen in the nation that raises up an altar to demons was later to destroy the true Temple of Yahuah by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. Also Noach, “He said, ‘Cursed be Kana`an; A servant of servants will he be to his brothers.’ He said, ‘Blessed be Yahuah, the `Elohiym of Shem; Let Kana`an be his servant.’” (Gen. 9:25, 26). The significance of this curse is that Yahuah is called the `Elohiym of Shem but not of Kana`an. This must have sorely wounded Kush and the resentment carried over to all of his descendants. It was the Assyrians who enslaved most of Shem’s descendants from 729 B.C.E. with the rest taken into exile from 586 B.C.E.
Nimrod is known throughout ancient history by many different names. He appears as the main character in all pantheons (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse etc. www.youtube.com/watch) but is commonly called Ba`al (www.bible-history.com).
However, there is no consensus as to the exact meaning of Nimrod. Rather than a name, it is much more likely to be a title. Kraeling suggests that it may be derived from Lugal-Marad-Da (King of Marad) and En-Marad (Nin-Marad, lord of Marad) (jstor.org).
Let us now consider the doctrines above and counter as the Master did by stating what is written:
(i) The Law is ended: “For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass
away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.” (Matt. 5:18). This is not the normal argument between the Written Law (Mosaic) and the Oral Law (Pharisaic) or even Law versus Grace. The Nicolaitans preached that all Law was done away with and with no standard to follow nor any sanctions against them, they could do whatever they wanted.
(ii) Flesh is evil: “Yahuah `Elohiym formed man in His own image. In Yahuah `Elohiym’s image He formed him; male and female He formed them. Yahuah `Elohiym saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” (Gen. 1:27, 31). Yahuah `Elohiym specifically formed Man as opposed to the rest of Creation that Yahuah `Elohiym spoke into existence. Man was the last and pinnacle of Creation to which Yahuah `Elohiym called very good. Therefore, Man
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(ruach, soul and flesh) is not intrinsically evil. It may be argued that the flesh is the only inert part of Man as it operates only under the influence of the spirit and soul. Even physical substance dependency can be attributed to the soul desiring something before the addiction sets in or even in some cases may be caused by demon possession or attack.
(iii) All-sufficient grace: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?” (Rom. 6:1, 2). Sha`ul directly counters this doctrine by asking how is it possible that a Believer would want to consciously sin. This is not to say that a Believer could or would never fall to temptation, but the Nicolaitans wanted to escalate the degree of sinning.
(iv) Compromise: “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You are not able to serve Yahuah and mammon.” (Luke 16:13). The compromise that is facing the Church today is the accommodation of the world’s values when compared to the Word of Yahuah. It is sad to say that this Scripture has proven to be accurate. In order to attract more people into the mainstream churches, there has been an inexorable move away from Yahuah’s standards towards the world’s standards; away from service to one of business.
(v) Hierarchy: “He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the set apart ones, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of the Messiah;” (Eph. 4:11). This is often quoted as proof-text for the basis upon which a hierarchical church is founded. Alternately, the early ministry of the Master consisted of the Master, an inner group of Shimon Keefa, Ya`akob and Yochanan, the outer group comprising of the other Shlichim and finally His followers. These offices are not meant to be in a position of authority but are to serve the Church in instructing the assembly. This can only be accomplished if the teaching is in accordance with the Word of Yahuah (www.messianicjews.com.au ).
“But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. For who is greater, one who sits at
the table, or one who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? But I am in the midst of you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:26, 27). The hierarchical system is designed so that man is
exalted within the fellowship and the leadership can lord it over the congregation. The prime examples of this are those ecclesiastics that display their positions like peacocks using brightly coloured garments and symbols of office. How far away are these examples from that set by the Master? He disrobed and washed the feet of His Shlichim. In the References and Credits section below, there are several websites promoting ecumenicalism – the coming together of various religions. All leaders display the trappings of authority and titles like ‘His All-holiness’. How unlike the Master who instructed His Shlichim not to take two cloaks with them on their travels and who Himself corrected an enquirer who called Him ‘good’.
“But how does Yahuah answer him? ‘I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Ba`al.’ Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day of grace…What then? That which Yisra`el seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened. According as it is written, ‘Yahuah gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
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hear, to this very day.’” (Rom. 11:4-8). Throughout history, many Believers have worshipped Ba`al through ignorance of the Word or not following the leading of HaRuach. However, there has always been a core of true Believers that have not been deceived.
Izevel (Ee-za-vel)
“To the messenger of the Assembly in Thyatira write…But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Izevel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” (Rev. 2:18a, 20). Although the Messiah does not actually name the Nicolaitans in His condemnation of the Assembly at Thyatira, Izebel is said to lead the Church into Bila`am’s doctrine.
There are two differing opinions as to whom ‘Izebel’ refers:
(i) Izevel was a particular woman, probably a prophetess or witch, that was using her
position to corrupt the Thyatiran Assembly. The woman known as or referred to as Izevel would have been well known within the Thyatiran Assembly. She may have been:
- The wife of the leader of the assembly, although this is quite tenuous;
- The oracle Sambathe who would have had great influence in the city but would not be
from within the congregation;
- An un-named but self-proclaimed prophetess and teacher;
- An un-named woman whose character brought to mind the wife of King Ahab, “It
happened, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Yarov`am the son of Nevat, that he took as wife Izevel the daughter of Etba`al king of the Tzidonim, and went and served Ba`al, and worshiped it.” (1 Kgs. 16:31). These would be:
- not native to the city but has quickly gained power and influence;
- from a pagan background;
- ruthless in obtaining her personal ambitions;
- usurps the authority of the leadership by proclaiming her ‘divine’ calling or
her superior lineage or intellect.
(ii) Izevel was symbolic of the Roman Catholic Church (ref. 1&2 Kings):
(a) Idol worship (Mary, dead saints, angels);
(b) Persecution of true Believers;
(c) Refusal to repent, especially considering the doctrine of ‘Papal Infallibility’;
(d) As the dominant doctrine of the End Times One-world Religion.
Teachings of Izevel
(i) These may be considered as the teachings of the Nicolaitans:
(a) Physical fornication:
(ai) the norm for Greco-Roman society;
(aii) antinomianism.
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(b) Spiritual fornication, “Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;” (Exod. 34:15; cf Deut. 31:16):
(bi) drifting or leading others way from the one true `Elohiym;
(bii) Believers not to be exclusive in worship.
(ii) Eating of meat offered to idols:
- guild meals would invariably contain meat sacrificed to idols, “But concerning the
Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality.” (Acts 21:25; cf 1 Cor. 8:1-13);
(b) fellowship meals would buy meat from the market place with the better cuts
that may have originated from meat sacrifices.
“It happened, as if it had been a light thing for him (Ahab) to walk in the sins of Yarov`am the son of Nevat, that he took as wife Izevel the daughter of Etba`al king of the Tzidonim, and went and served Ba`al, and worshiped it.” (1 Kgs. 16:31).
Throughout the Tanakh, Ba`al worship caused the Yisra`elites to turn away from Yahuah and bring about judgement upon themselves. Izevel is the archetypical whore against which Scripture warns, “…She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” (Rev. 2:20b). “And on her forehead a name was written, ‘MYSTERY, BABEL THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE Earth.’” (Rev. 17:5). Babel here is not a person or even a city but rather a system of religion that leads people astray. It can be seen from the above that it started in Gan Eden through the Flood to Babel with Nimrod, carried on through the days of Moshe, the Judges, the kings of Yisra`el and Yehuda. “A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, ‘Thus with violence will Babel, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.’” (Rev. 18:21). However, the city most associated with or the centre of this system is the physical indication of the system and that it has been destroyed. It is active today and will be until its destruction stated in this verse.
“And to the messenger of the assembly in Sardis write…‘Wake up, and keep the things that
remain, which you were about to throw away… Nevertheless, you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.’” (Rev. 3:1-4). Even in the Assembly at Sardis, Believers were turning away from sound doctrine and following false teachings and continuing a lifestyle of sin. The inference is that if a few have not followed this course, many have.
The Cult of Mary
Tradition holds that the Master’s mother, Maryam, accompanied the Apostle Yochanan on his travels, “Therefore when Yahusha saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing there, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the
disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:26, 27). It would be very easy for the congregants to associate and amalgamate the virgin status of Maryam, Semiramis (considered by Bil’amites as the mother of the false
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man-god, Tammuz) and the virgin goddess, Diana/Artemis. Consider the claimed similarities (http://aletheia.consultronix.com/7.html). Couple these characteristics shown above with the various pantheons and it can be seen that syncretism can be claimed.
From the chart below, it can be seen that by amalgamating these into one woman deity, it would be possible to bring about one single religion, acceptable to the Believers, Nicolaitans and pagans of Ephesus. This can be clearly shown by the Roman Catholicism worship of the deity Mary as the Madonna and Child.
| Characteristic | Mary | Semiramis | Diana/Artemis | Neith | Zarapanit |
| Mother with child | X | X | X | X | |
| Mother of a god | X | X | X | X | |
| Queen of heaven | X | X | X | X | |
| Goddess of heavenly body | X | X | |||
| Teenage/virgin prominence | X | X | |||
| Divine conception | X | X | X | ||
| Bow/huntress | X | ||||
| Halos | X | X | X |
Ecumenicalism
Although it is not in the scope of this study to discuss the events, symbolism and typography of Ya`akob’s Trouble, there are certain events that commence well before the Trouble. One such case is that of Yochanan’s fourth beast. The beasts of Rev. 13:1-7, Rev. 17:3-17 have a predominant feature in the leopard’s body. When comparing Yochanan’s fourth beast with
Danyiel’s fourth beast in Dan. 7:7-25 and N’vukhadnetzar’s dream, the beast represents a revived Roman Empire. However, this revived Roman Empire shows traits of the other previous empires (lion = Babylon, bear = medo-Persia, leopard = Greece). Therefore, the overarching trait would be Grecian (Larkin p.120).
The old Roman Empire morphed from a secular/military state into one dominated by the ‘adopted’ religion of ‘Christianity’. After the Eastern/Western religious split in 364 C.E., the Western church grew strong in the Greek and Roman churches. These had a major influence in the subsequent development of nations that are still recognisable in the Judaeo/Christian laws of today. The Greek paradigm was the known world-wide culture from Philip II of Macedon uniting the Greek states until the final defeat by Rome in 31 B.C.E. This is known as the Hellenistic Age. However, Roman society took on the Greek culture to such an extent that some scholars consider Greco-Roman culture as being one continuous civilization (www.timemaps.com).
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One of the most influential aspects of the Greek paradigm is that of the political system known as democracy. This was first formulated as early as 600 B.C.E. (www.bbc.co.uk/history) and was to flourish until a large number of nations today have some form of democratic political government. This democratic system today is being used to pass laws that are satanic in opposition to Yahuah’s commandments.
Another, even more insidious aspect of the Greek culture, probably older than democracy, is the Greek way of thought. This was noticeable in the clash of cultures in Yisra`el between the Greek thought process (based upon abstract conceptions) and the Hebraic thought process (based upon tangible understanding). This can be seen in Scripture, “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Greek Yehudim against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily service.” (Acts 6:1) and the Greek paradigm now is the single most important feature in the vast majority of translations of Scripture. This Greek way of thought is the main reason why Believers struggle with Torah.
“For there will arise false messiahs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt. 24:24). “It led Him to Yerushalayim, and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If you are the Son of Yahuah, cast yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you;’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, Lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’” (Luke 4:9-11). Through the lack of faith, the Church is desperately seeking signs and wonders and holds on to every teaching that offers
them. That is not to say that miracles no longer happen. However, not only the miracle but the method and persons involved must be carefully weighed against Scripture.
“But HaRuach says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1 Tim. 4:1). “The devil said to Him, ‘I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.’” (Luke 4:6, 7). Power has always been a seductive draw and can be seen in the desire of men within the Church to attain to positions of authority. This is made possible by the hierarchical system seen in most religions, faiths and denominations today. There is also the danger of
compromise that substitutes the Word of Yahuah and His Torah with the opinions and false interpretations of the Church leaders.
“Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you. But He answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Yonah the prophet.’” (Matt. 12:38).As in the time of the Master, even today the established religions are seeking signs other than the Messiah having been raised up from the dead.
“desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.” (1 Tim. 1:7). The religious authorities do not want to know Torah and so are content to rely on the traditions, doctrines and creeds propagated in Theology institutions and yeshivas.
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“Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.” (James 3:1). The severest of penalties lie in wait for all who proclaim themselves (as opposed to those who are Yahuah-called) as teachers.
Compromise can also be seen in the ecumenical movement in bringing together all the different religions of the world. The premise is to engage in dialogue in order to remove the causes of enmity between them. Many organisations are currently seeking to bring about this reconciliation. This can only occur when the differences are set aside. These organisations include The Elijah Interfaith Institute, Inter-religion International Meetings, Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Sant’Egido and Freemasonry (especially Royal Arch Masonry).
The New Jerusalem Covenant Project is a theosophic plan of the satanic One World Order to prepare the way and to usher in the Anti-christ. In its 5 Step plan, Step 3 is the spiritually internationalizing of Jerusalem (www.cuttingedge.org). In order to accomplish this strategy, at a minimum, three of the major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam need to come together. In Jerusalem this takes the form of the Elijah Interfaith Institute’s Center of HOPE (House Of Prayer and Education). This is a multi-faith assembly endorsed by the three Abrahamic religions as well as Buddhism and many other religions of India (World Religious Leaders’ Activity – Elijah Interfaith (elijah-interfaith.org).
Isa. 56.7 is cited as the Scriptural justification of this merging, “even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Center of HOPE – Elijah Interfaith (elijah-interfaith.org). As with all Scriptural verses quoted by demonic forces, it tries to justify doctrine by quoting one-off verses or passages. It only takes a glance at the previous verse, “Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahuah, to minister to Him, and to love the name of Yahuah, to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Shabbat from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant;” (Isa. 56:6).Apart from religious Jews, no other religion acknowledges the Shabbat, let alone loves His name and serves the One true Almighty.
There are also other purpose-built buildings in the process of construction in order that the three Abrahamic faiths can come together: Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi (www.newsweek.com/church-mosque-synagogue-abu-dhabi-1461097); House of One in Berlin completed in 2022; (Synagogue, mosque and church to join under one roof in Berlin | Reuters) also completed in 2022. It should be noted that the Seat (or Throne) of haSatan was discovered in Pergamos and drew worshipers of haSatan, sun and Saturn (www.kotipetripaavola.com) and was taken to Berlin in 1901 (www.grandmageri422.me). For further details please refer to the Mini Bible Study Pergamos – First Generation Assembly. Is it a coincidence that Adolf Hitler used theosophy in order to justify the Final Solution culminating in the Holocaust and his capital, Berlin was the location of the Seat of haSatan?
As with all of haSatan’s counterfeits, the use of the word house to describe these buildings is significant. The Third Temple (Hebrew: בית המקדש השלישי, Beit haMikdash haShlishi, literally: The House, the Holy, the Third) is known as The House (endtimesmessages.com). The Master “entered into the Temple, and began to drive out those who bought and sold in
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it, saying to them, ‘It is written, ‘My House is a House of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves!” (Luke 19:45, 46 cf Isa. 56:7; Jer. 7:11).
Step 4 in The New Jerusalem Covenant Project is the visit of the Roman Catholic Pope to Yerushalayim. This took place on 24th. May 2014 (theTrumpet.com).
“Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of Yahuah.” (Gal. 5:19-21). “The devil said to Him, ‘If you are the Son of Yahuah, command this stone to become bread.’” (Luke 4:3). It is human nature to want the easy way of life and any doctrine that can make life easier, more palatable is a popular one. Most people attend church today for what they can get out of it rather than what they can put into it; more like a social club with prayers. Throughout the Master’s ministry, He constantly challenges His followers with a difficult life; one of persecution and service.
“For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only do not use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.” (Gal. 5:13). The Nicolaitans have blatantly ignored Sha`ul’s teachings. Little wonder that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans was hated by the Messiah for perverting liberty for license.
This is most clearly shown in the current politico-social climate (Jan. 2023 – as with all First Generation Assembly Studies, this is a live document, subject to updating and amendments as and when HaRuach leads).
Woke means “having or marked by an active awareness of systemic injustices and prejudices, especially those related to civil and human rights.” (Politics.co.uk). However, this should be called out for what it is: Marxist Conflict Theory. This is where a minority group, usually on the very fringes of society, but may even be illegal, look to be integrated into main stream society. This has been accomplished by the minority group making out that they are victims and that the political, social and judicial environment are prejudicially alienated against them. This is a very old strategy used by minority groups to legitimise their grievances and is where a minority group declares itself as a victim in order to garner sympathy. No one likes to kick someone who is already being ‘picked upon’. The (un)natural progression is from sympathy, to tolerance, to support, to legitimacy, to acceptance to legalisation and finally to normality.
The success of this strategy can be seen in the timescales involved in this process. Ethnic (racial) equality has taken over seventy years, if it has been accomplished. Feminism has taken fifty years; homosexuality taken thirty years; transgenderism probably only five years. During this process, when groups speak out, they are shouted down as being racist, misogynist, homophobic or genderphobic. Traditional terms describing these are declared derogatory and so are considered abusive and making it socially unacceptable. However, there is a cumulative effect. Transgenderism would not have been possible without the success of Gay and Lesbian agenda. As of the completion of this discussion, MAP (Minor Attracted Person – formally paedophilia) are beginning to claim victim status.
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In order to gain re-election, politicians became increasingly amenable to the accelerated changing of legislation. This is usually at the expense of Judaeo-Christian principles. The falling away from Scripture leaves no redress to a Higher Authority or arbiter of truth, other than Man.
Relativism
As there is no single Truth, there cannot be a single arbiter of Truth, “In those days there was no king in Yisra’el: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judg. 21:25). Only a few generations after the Yisra`elites settled in the Promise Land, the people forgot
what Moshe, Aharon and Yehoshua had accomplished and no central figure arose to ensure the standard laid down by Yahuah (Torah) was being upheld. With no authority to enforce Torah, most people did what they felt like doing and was in their best interest. The recent upsurge in Relativism relies on this lack of authority/standard. People are now putting more significance upon how they feel than what they think. (Beck 1977).
Throughout history, Man has sought the ultimate Truth. For most of this time the established
or orthodox religions had been the arbiter of this Truth. Man, being in the most part illiterate,
required the services of a privileged class of ‘interpreter’, known as ‘priests’, ‘vicars’, ‘pastors’ or ‘rabbis’ to explain the meaning of this truth. Religious Man relied upon the veracity of their explanations. These priests had varying degrees of revelation, giving rise to denominations and Truth being according to each interpretation. In the 17th. and 18th. Centuries the Enlightenment Movement gained prominence and Man turned away from
religion to science for Truth (https://www.britannica.com/). This was the great hope for secular humanity as it relied upon empirical truth that seemed to be directly contrary to biblical truth. Science and technology increased in experimental knowledge that was readily viewable and repeatable. Yet, science became more and more theoretical so that it became necessary for a new class of ‘priests’ that was required to interpret their findings. Evolution is a prime example of this, where repeatable scientific fact is being replaced by more and more non-repeatable, scientific theory, well beyond the capability of the common Man to comprehend. Therefore, much of science has it itself become a religious philosophical paradigm (Ham p. 16).
All true scientists look at the results of any experiment with an unbiased view. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the British Government daily rolled out the mantra ‘Follow the science’ when, in fact, it meant ‘Follow the scientists’. It has now come to light that many of the mathematical models were based upon the false assumptions of the scientists and their non-scientific agenda.
Much speculation has been given as to the conditions that must be in place in order to bring about a One-world government inferred in Rev. 13:1-18. This unimaginable scenario became a reality during the Covid-19 pandemic when governments throughout the world gave up their sovereignty to the non-elected officials in W.H.O. In spite of conflicting evidence, most governments issued emergency legislation suspending human rights. This was the first time in history that religious gatherings were made unlawful and places of worship forcibly closed.
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In the absence of any form of critical debate over the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, a polarisation of people has taken place. In February 2022, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, invoked its Emergency Act, encouraging banks to seize control of over 200 bank accounts, without recourse to appeal. This draconian measure was brought into play in order to quash anti-Covid protests (Bloomberg).
This has shown the polarisation of opinion of those who have unquestionably complied fully with the governments requirements and those who have questioned, and in many cases, been vilified over the emergency measures. In all the major countries that have prided themselves in the freedoms gained in a civilised democracy, the local population has been encouraged to informed on those who seem to flout regulations. Not since the likes of the Gestapo in Occupied Europe during World War II or the post-war STASI of East Germany have ordinary people been so willing to notify the authorities of potential breaches in regulations.
The ‘beauty’, of course, with Science becoming the arbiter for truth, is that Science does not consider eternal consequences of action. It only recognises cause, reaction and evolution. Therefore, Man can live with a ‘clear’ conscience on things temporal and not spiritual. If the physics book or biology book can be shown to be the ‘truth’ then such questions of sin, disobedience, judgement and punishment can be ignored as being unscientific i.e. illogical, irrelevant and irrational. There would be no need of a Redeemer as there would be no Yahuah.
Again, there are differing views on what the result of experiments or research proved. Scientific Man relied upon the veracity of the scientists in that the experiments and research were open only to a select, privileged few. Many new ‘truths’ contradicted past ‘truths’ that were held as fact.
In the 20th. Century, science and technology were considered by the secular world to be the saviours of the planet. Nevertheless, science could not produce Truth and by the 21st. Century, science and technology were seen as causing more problems for the planet than they solved. This has given rise to an anti-intellectualism movement. As Man’s quest for truth has remained constant, a vacuum formed by the failings of organised religion and of science and technology. This void is being filled by cults that commonly have tentative ties with orthodox religions, but promise a version of Truth handed down by their founders (Beck 1977).
Increasingly though, a re-awakening of Relativism has caused many people to abandon the search for absolute Truth.They all assert that one thing (e.g. moral values, beauty, knowledge, taste, or meaning) is relative to some particular framework or standpoint (e.g. the individual subject, a culture, an era, a language, or a conceptual scheme) (www.iep.utm.edu/relativi/);
Three main thoughts of Relativism are:
(i) Cognitive relativism (truth) – affirms that all truth is relative. This would mean that no system of truth is more valid than another one, and that there is no objective standard of truth. It would, naturally, deny that there is a God [sic] of absolute truth;
(ii) Moral/ethical relativism – affirms that all morals are relative to the social group which they are constructed;
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(iii) Situational relativism – Ethics (right and wrong) are dependent upon the situation and will change as the situation changes (https://carm.org/what-relativism).
Luke 4:1-13 are the three temptations with which haSatan tested the Master at the very beginning of His ministry. Each time the Master refuted the Adversary’s attempts for Him to by-pass His ministry and to declare Himself the long-awaited Mashiyach Ben Dawid. Little did it know that one day the Master will reveal Himself as Mashiyach ben Dawid, but that would only be possible after He first revealed Himself as the Suffering Servant of Isa. 53.
The birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of the Master are the perfect examples for all Believers to follow and given for Man’s benefit. It is my belief that the Master included these trials so that Man can have the perfect example of how to counter haSatan. The Master could
well have refuted, annihilated, or bound and cast down haSatan in other ways but it was imperative that Man should know that this was done as Man and not `Elohiym. Hence, as only the Master knew the details of the trials (as opposed someone being a witness to the scene), shows the extreme importance of this encounter.
Babylonian Exile
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;” (Rom. 11:17). “Therefore, remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘uncircumcision’ by that which is called ‘circumcision,’ (in the flesh, made by hands); that you were at that time separate from the Messiah, alienated from the Commonwealth of Yisra`el, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without Yahuah in the world. But now in the Messiah Yahusha you who once were far off are made near in the blood of the Messiah.” (Eph. 2:11-13). Both Jewish and Gentile Believers are now united into the Commonwealth of Yisra`el but the lessons of history have not been learnt. Many Believers today have been carried off into a ‘Babylonian Exile’ for their disobedience and presumptive arrogance. King Hizkiyahu was a righteous leader but after witnessing the sundial move backwards, it is my belief that he became proud of his accumulated treasures and presumed that Yahuah would not allow it to be taken away from him. This arrogance led to the sacking of the Yerushalayim and the leading off of the
nobles and leaders (hierarchy) of Yahudah. Only a remnant of vineyard and farm workers was not carried off into the Babylonian Exile (2 Kgs. 20:1-21; 24:10-25:21).
“The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in certain of the children of Yisra`el, even of the seed royal and of the nobles; youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Kasdim…Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Kasdim, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.” (Dan. 1:3, 4; 2:2). During the exile in Babylon, the Jews were subjected to a culture of Ba`al (Marduk) worship and the associated occultic practices, especially during the latter part of the exile under Koresh, King of Persia. It was common practice of the Persians to unify the various displaced people by having them speak the same language. This was in direct opposition to the will of
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Yahuah `Elohiym (Gen. 11: 1-9) where the people were scattered and different languages were instigated (Herrmann).
“You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels: let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you from the things that shall come on you.” (Isa. 47:13). The prophet Yesha`yahu describes the occultic practices of the Babylonians (and thus the Sumerians, Assyrians and Akkadians) and Persians and warns them of the impending judgement to all who are associated with these abominations.
“Hear you this, house of Ya`akob, who are called by the name of Yisra`el, and are come forth out of the waters of Yahudah; who swear by the name of Yahuah, and make mention
of the `Elohiym of Yisra`el, but not in truth, nor in righteousness (for they call themselves of the Set Apart city, and stay themselves on the `Elohiym of Yisra`el; Yahuah of Hosts is His name):” (Isa. 48:1, 2). This terrible indictment is upon those who profess faith but are still held captive by the seductive nature of Babylon/One-world Religion.
“Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then had your shalom been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea…Go you forth from Babel, flee you from the Kasdim; with a voice of singing declare you, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth: say you, Yahuah has redeemed His servant Ya`akob.” (Isa. 48:18, 20). The prophet Yesha`yahu warns the people of Yisra`el of the consequences of being united with the people of Babylon by their refusal to listen to Yahuah. Even today, many Believers are not being obedient to Yahuah through the leading of His Ruach and are thus held captive by the religious system known as Babylon.
It is also my belief that the Babylonian Exile is a type of an End Times Babylonian Exile wherein Yahuah `Elohiym allows the One-world Religion (Izevel) to ‘carry off’ or lead Believers into ‘captivity’. It does not take much scrutiny of modern ‘Christianity’ to realise this.
There are two main areas where this is evident:
(i) in teachings that are in direct contradiction to Scripture i.e. Mary/saints worship, mis-
or non-use of the gifts of HaRuach, dispensationalism (role of Yisra`el), immorality;
(ii) in teachings that are ‘traditions of the elders’ i.e. Christmas, Easter, cessationalism
(termination of Law), Names of Father and Son.
Although the Jews that were carried off originally kept to Yahuah Laws, the lifestyle in
Babylon was not harsh. There were large communities that were allowed to farm, accumulate wealth and to keep their religious observations. However, due to the false prophets (that were partially to blame for the exile), large numbers were content to compromise/assimilate with the pagan population and fell into a comfortable but idolatrous existence. (www.jewishencyclopedia.com).
“He cried with a mighty voice, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babel the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a watch kept by every unclean and hateful bird!’…I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues,’” (Rev. 18:2, 4). Even at the very last opportunity, in His mercy, Yahuah `Elohiym calls out to people.
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Yahuah bless you and keep you,
Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.
All glory be to Yahuah,
Ameyn.
References and Credits
In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors.
NIV – THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved.
Barclay Rev. W.(1)(1960) The Revelation of John Vol.1, St. Andrew Press, Edinburgh.
Beck H.F. (1977) How To Respond To…The Cults, Concordia, St. Louis, Miss.
Cross F.L.(1966) The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, London.
Fairbairn Rev. P. The Imperial Bible Dictionary Vol.I, Blackie & Sons
Ham K. (1998) The LIE – Evolution, Master Books, Green Forest, AR
Harris R.L., Archer G.L., Thoelogical Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody, Chicago, Waltke B.K. (1980) Il. (Denoted by *).
Herrmann S. (1979) A History of Israel in Old Testament Times.
Josephus F. Jewish Antiquities, Clays, St. Ives, 2006
Larkin C. (1919) The Book of the Revelation, Third Edition, Larkin Pub., New Rochelle N.Y.
Sanford W.H (2015) The Messianic Aleph Tav Interlinear Scripture, Vol. One, Torah, CCB Pub., British Columbia, Canada.
Skinner J. (1912) A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Genesis, T&T Clark, Edinburgh.
Strong J. (1994) Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Bible Publishers Inc., Madison (Denoted as #H or #G).
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Strong J. (1996) The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, Thomas Nelson, Nashville. (Denoted as #H or #G).
Whittal S. (2023) Banks Bible Study conversation, 13/03/2023.
http://aletheia.consultronix.com/7.html
Who Was Noah’s Wife? | Answers in Genesis
Nehebkau | Dragons of Fame | The Circle of the Dragon (blackdrago.com)
Canada Truckers: Banks Freeze Millions in Convoy Funds Under Trudeau Edict – Bloomberg
Treaty of Tordesillas | Summary, Definition, Map, & Facts | Britannica
https://carm.org/what-relativism
Nimrod and Abraham – The Two Rivals – Chabad.org
https://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1573.cfm
The Third Temple is Being Built in Jerusalem | End Time Message (endtimesmessages.com)
http://www.elijah-interfaith.org/index.php?id=27
http://www.elijah-interfaith.org/hope-center
http://www.elijah-interfaith.org/world-religious-leaders-activity
Abraham vs. Nimrod: The Battle Continues (familyofmessiah.org)
Kayin and Hevel – First Generation Assembly
Nicolaitans – First Generation Assembly
Pergamos – First Generation Assembly
The Seed – First Generation Assembly
www.https://www.grandmageri422.me
How Portugal Kicked Off the Age of Exploration – HISTORY
http://www.iep.utm.edu/relativi/
Nimrod & The Tower of Babel (israel-a-history-of.com)
Balaam (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)
https://www.kotipetripaavola.com
Apophis – Egyptian God | Mythology.net
https://www.newsweek.com/church-mosque-synagogue-abu-dhabi-1461097
What does woke mean today? – Politics.co.uk
Goddess Nehemtawy : OutoftheTombs (reddit.com)
Reutershttp://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2384/archbishops-meetings-with-religious-leaders-in-jerusalem
Synagogue, mosque and church to join under one roof in Berlin | Reuters
http://www.santegidio.org/en/ecumenismo/uer/
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parashat balak – Was Bilaam the grandson of Laban? – Mi Yodeya (stackexchange.com)
http://www.supremegrandchapter.org.uk/about-royal-arch-masonry/what-is-royal-arch-masonry
The Dark Side of the Pope’s Visit to Jerusalem | theTrumpet.com
Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses – Ninazu (god) (upenn.edu)
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First Generation Assembly 