Thoughts On Repentance!!!!

Song of Solomon chapter 2

Psalm chapter 27

Today we are walking in: Thoughts On Repentance!!!




Today we look to the word- RETURN-H7725 shuwb --to restore, refresh, repair, to bring back to mind, brought back, return
The Torah testifies.........……


Genesis 43:18


And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned H7725 in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.




The prophets proclaim..................


Jeremiah 33:7


And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, H7725 and will build them, as at the first.




The writings bear witness............


1Kings 20:9


Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought H7725 ➔ him word again. H7725






Thoughts on Repentance


THE THEME OF THE HEBREW HIGH HOLIDAYS is teshuvah, a word often translated as "repentance," though it's more accurately understood as turning back (shuv) to The Most High Yah. The root of this verb occurs nearly 1,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and first occurs when The Most High Yah told Adam he would "return to the earth" (Gen. 3:19). In spiritual terms, shuv may be regarded as a practical turning away from evil and a turning toward the good, though Hebrew thinking regards turning to The Most High Yah as the means by which we turn away from evil. This act of turning has the power to redirect a person's destiny. It affects the whole life of the soul. As Abraham Heschel wrote, "No word is The Most High Yah's final word. Judgment, far from being absolute, is conditional. A change in man's conduct brings about a change in The Most High Yah's judgment" (Heschel: The Prophets, 194). In the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (i.e., the Septuagint, or LXX), shuv is translated using the word strepho, which means to turn around, or to turn back to The Most High Yah.


A related word in Hebrew is nacham, which is often associated with the emotion of regret (in the old King James Version of the Bible, nacham is sometimes confusingly translated using the word "repent"). Some linguists suggest that the root idea of the verb pictures The Most High Yah "taking a deep breath" (or even sighing) as way of expressing regret or feeling compassion in response to an offense by others. Thus we read, "And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart" (Gen. 6:6). Speaking anthropomorphically, The Most High Yah "consoled himself" (nacham also means to comfort) by changing his thinking and plan. The Most High Yah's "regret" was His "answer" or response to the sinful choices of human beings.


Since it is absurd to say that The Most High Yah needs to repent from sin or that He morally regrets His actions, the meaning of nacham must be qualified when it is applied to man. Regret over sin is a state of sorrow that belongs exclusively to morally free human beings. Therefore the prophet Job uttered, "I aband repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6). In the ancient Greek translation of the Scriptures, the word nacham was usually translated using the word metanoia. Metanoia is a compound word that comes from (after, with) and (to think), which means "changing your thinking," (though it also can mean "going beyond (meta) your thinking" to access the realm of your heart). In other words, the word implies that how we think will affect how we make decisions (judgments), and therefore repentance means acknowledging that we are cognitively mistaken about the nature of reality (i.e., there is a divinely sanctioned moral order, and we are guilty of violating that order and in a state of profound alienation until we are divinely reconciled). Our change of mind - if genuine - will lead to a change of heart.


(As an aside, this implies that there is an "ethic of belief," or a moral imperative to believe the truth and reject error in the realm of the spiritual. The Most High Yah has wired us to be rational beings with a moral conscience and an intuitive perception of His reality. He also has revealed himself with "many proofs" that demonstrate the victory of His salvation (Acts 1:3). The greatest mitzvah is exercising faith in The Most High Yah's redemptive love as revealed in the Messiah Yahashua. The LORD is always "calling" out to you to respond to His Presence...)


The Greek New Testament seems to follow the LXX by using the verb metanao to express the Hebrew idea of nacham (i.e., regret or repentance), and it uses the verb strepho to express the practical idea of shuv (i.e., turning to The Most High Yah and away from evil). Metanao means expressing regret and remorse over the bankruptcy of our personal philosophy of how the world should be run. We surrender to The Most High Yah's truth, forsake the selfish demands of the ego, and "let The Most High Yah be The Most High Yah." Strepho, on the other hand, is a literal or metaphorical turning. When applied to The Most High Yah, it means turning all of your "heart, soul, and strength" back to Him. Indeed, the LXX exclusively uses this word to translate the Hebrew word shuv, from which we get the word teshuvah. For example, "If you return, O Israel" is in the original Hebrew. In a sense, we can say that nacham/metanao concerns the past (regret), whereas shuv/strepho concerns the present...


Traditional Christian theology tends to regard The Most High Yah in Greek, rather than Hebrew, terms. Historically speaking, most Christian theologians relied on the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures rather than the original Hebrew to develop their theology. Indeed, the word "theology" itself is Greek (not Hebrew) and refers to the "study of The Most High Yah", implying that The Most High Yah is an "object" that could be looked at, "analyzed," and known as a "thing" or divine "substance." To the ancient Greeks, the idea of The Most High Yah is disclosed through a process of intellectual abstraction -- through "negative theology", and so on. The danger of regarding "repentance" as simply "changing your thinking" is that this can lead to intellectualism that is devoid of inward, heart transformation. Hence Evangelical Christianity has spawned an entire generation of those who accept "easy believism" and who tend to regard "repentance" as intellectual assent to the truths of the Gospel message (or to some creedal formula). Of course correct doctrine is vitally important, but it is emptiness if it is not passionately lived in one's experience. Ultimately, Christian truth is existential rather than academic. Yahashua's passion in the garden is greater than all the most profound thoughts of theology ever penned by the world's greatest theologians...


The general problem with repentance -- whether we regard it as a change of thinking or as a practical call to return to The Most High Yah - is that most people refuse to do it. In fact, no one can repent unless he or she is given the means to do so from heaven (John 6:44). We are born rebels who naturally hate The Most High Yah and His authority (Rom. 8:7). You can argue until you are "blue in face" with a sinner who needs to repent, but unless he or she is truly touched by The Most High Yah, the best possible outcome will be halfhearted resolutions and an incomplete reformation (Luke 11:24-26). Most parents who have children that have turned away from the LORD to embrace a sinful lifestyle know this to be true.... In this connection, repentance is analogous to spiritual rebirth that comes from The Most High Yah's direct intervention. Like genuine faith, the profound change in direction from the principle of self-centeredness to The Most High Yah-centeredness is a miracle from The Most High Yah.


While it is important that we "regret our thinking" and embrace the authority of The Most High Yah as the first principle in all our reasoning, it is equally important that we exercise our wills by turning to the LORD through acts of repentance (e.g., prayer, confession, turning away from sinful practices, offering tzedakah, and so on). According to Hebrew tradition, genuine teshuvah involves four basic steps:


Four Steps of Teshuvah:


Forsake the sin (Prov. 28:13). "Sincere repentance is demonstrated when the same temptation to sin, under the same conditions, is resolutely resisted"


Regret the breach in your relationship with The Most High Yah and others (Psalm 51).


Confess the truth and make amends with those we have harmed (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16, Matt. 5:23-4). Note that we must ask for mechilah (forgiveness from others) before receiving selichah (forgiveness from The Most High Yah). [shuv/strepho]


Accept your forgiveness and move forward with the LORD through faith (Phil. 3:13-14; 1 John 1:9). Be comforted by the Presence of the LORD in your life: Nachumu: "Comfort ye my people" (Isa. 40:1). [nacham/metanoia].



Finally, it needs to be said that authentic repentance is a lifestyle, not a "one time deal." We never get past it. Although there is certainly spiritual progress as we walk in grace, all genuine progress comes through ongoing teshuvah. We may repent from a certain action at a given point in time, but that does not mean that no longer need to do teshuvah. Teshuvah is perpetual and timeless, since it corresponds to our spiritual rather than our temporal lives (i.e., chayei olam rather than chayei sha'ah). Indeed, a true penitent is called baal teshuvah, a "master of returning," who is always turning away from self and toward The Most High Yah. We never get beyond the call to "repent and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). That is why the season of teshuvah is always timely. The message of Elul and the High Holidays is meant to be carried over throughout the rest of the year.


"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near" (Isa. 55:6)


The passage continues: "Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the perverse man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him, and to our The Most High Yah, for he will abundantly pardon (Isa. 55:7).


Teshuvah and confession go hand in hand. Confession means bringing yourself naked before the Divine Light to agree with the truth about who you are. Indeed, the word homologeo literally means "saying the same thing". In Modern Hebrew teshuvah means an "answer" to a shelah, or a question. The Most High Yah's love for us is the question, and our teshuvah – our turning of the heart toward Him – is the answer. Teshuvah is one of the great gifts The Most High Yah gives each of us – the ability to turn back to Him and seek healing for our brokenness. May we turn to Him now!


May we turn to Him now!

​Forgiveness in the Light of the Hebrew Language

Song of Solomon chapter 1

Psalm chapter 27




Today we are walking in: ​Forgiveness in the Light of the Hebrew Language




Today we look to the word-FORGIVE- H5375- nasa'- a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative:—accept, advance, arise, (able to, suffer to) bear up, bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, honorable, lay, lift (self) up, magnify, needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up),

The Torah testifies.........……




Exodus 32:32




Yet now, if thou wilt forgive H5375 their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.


The prophets proclaim..................


Daniel 9:19


O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive H5375; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.




The writings bear witness............


2 Chronicles 6:21


Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive H5375.






​Forgiveness in the Light of the Hebrew Language


Shabbat

A noun formed from it, answering to the modern Arabic Khephr, is sometimes used to signify a village as a place of shelter, e.g. Caper-naum (The village of Nahum).


In about eighty passages of the 154 instances in the Hebrew Old Testament, kaphar is translated "to atone" or "to make atonement." It is interesting to notice that the cover of the ark, the mercy seat, as it is described in Exodus 25 and Leviticus 16, is the noun kapporeth derived from kaphar.


In nine places in the English Bible kaphar is translated "purge." Psalm '79:9 is an illustration of this: "Help us, O The Most High of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away [kaphar} our sins, for thy name's sake." When the words "purge away" are given as the translation of kaphar, then it is suggested that the "making atonement" is strongly connected with "purging sins." The same is true in these few passages where kaphar is translated "be merciful," "put off," "be pacified," or "pardon."


In the English Bible kaphar is used three times to express the idea "forgive."


Be merciful, O The Most High, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven [kaphar] them."


When the first innocent blood was shed the Most High said to Cain, "Thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" (Gen. 4:10). Literally, it is said to Israel, "The blood shall be covered [kaphar]" and the means of covering is that "the blood shall be atoned [kaphar]." In the Psalms we find the second use of kaphar to express the idea "forgive."


But he, being full of compassion, forgave [kaphar] their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.'


The seventy-eighth psalm describes The Most High's wonders toward Israel both in Egypt and in the desert. It is literally said that The Most High because of His compassion "covered [ka­phar] their iniquity" or "made atonement [kaphar] for their iniquity."


The third passage where we find "for­give" given as the translation of kaphar is in the book of Jeremiah:


Yet, The Most High, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive [kaphar] not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.'


In this verse Jeremiah speaks against those who make devices against him as the Most High's prophet. Literally, he says to the Most High, "Thou shalt not cover [kaphar] their iniquity." The intensive form of kaphar is used in this passage; by the use of kaphar Jeremiah indicates that he has in mind the Most High's atoning covering of sin.


Naga'


Naga' and its derivatives appear in the Hebrew Bible about six hundred and fifty times.' The meaning of this verb is first "the lifting up; secondly, the carrying; and thirdly, the taking away of a burden." "


The three basic ideas of naga' are illustrated by the following verses:


Deut. 32:40. "For I lift up [flak'] my hand unto heaven, and say, I live for ever."


Gen. 46:5. "And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried [nage] Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry [flake] him.


Amos 4:2. "The Most High hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away [nave] with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks."


It is interesting to notice that naga' is one of the Hebrew words used to represent acceptance. This is the case thirteen times. Its use is illustrated from the story of Lot praying for Sodom, where the Most High says to Lot, "See, I have accepted [nagal] thee concerning this thing also" (Gen. 19:21).


In the English Bible we find some fifteen passages " where "forgive" is the translation of naga', and in each instance it implies that the sin is "taken away," as exemplified in Hosea 14:2, "Take away [naga] all iniquity." Naga' means "forgiveness" or "taking away sin" only because it implies that an "atonement" is made. The Levitical law states that if a man transgresses the law then "shall [he] bear [nagal his iniquity" (Lev. 5:17). But each man who has sinned against the Most High will feel like Cain after he had killed his brother, "My punishment [the sin and its consequences] is greater than I can bear [naga] (Gen. 4:13).


In the Levitical law it is taught that the priest made atonement for the congregation by eating "the sin offering in the holy place" and in this way did "bear [nagal the in­iquity of the congregation" (Lev. 10:17). Prophetically it is said of HaMaschiach, "He bare [flak'] the sin of many" (Isa. 53:12).


When the idea "forgiveness" is expressed by naga' then the three basic meanings of this Hebrew word are interpreting in an expressive way one aspect of the doctrine of forgiveness. Naga' stands for the "lifting up" of the burden of sin. HaMaschiach is "bear­ing" it, and in this way it is "taken away."


Salach

Salach and its derivatives appear approximately fifty times. This root is translated thirty-three times "forgive," twice "forgive­ness," once "spare," and fourteen times "pardon." Gesenius says about this word: "The primary idea seems to be that of lightness, lifting up."'


It has been noticed that in each place salach is used it expresses the divine pardon extended to the sinner. No other idea has been assigned to it. In no case has the word been used of human forgiveness be­tween men. The following two passages exemplify the use of salach:


Ex. 34:9. "And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O The Most High, let The Most High, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon [salach] our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance."


1 Kings 8:30. "And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive [salach]."


It has been noticed that salach is given to those who "turn to The Most High," "give sup­plications," or "that seeketh the truth." To the one "whose heart turneth away .. . from the The Most High" it is said, " The Most High will not spare [salach] him" (Deut. 29:20).


The full use and application of salach is summarized:

It appears, on the whole, that the process repre­sented by this word Salach is the Divine restoration of an offender into favor, whether through his own repentance or in the intercession of another. Though not identical with atonement, the two are nearly related. In fact, the covering of the sin and the forgiveness of the sinner can only be understood as two aspects of one truth: for both found their fullness in The Most High's provision of mercy through HaMaschiach.


Conclusion


That the divine pardon extended to the sinner is different from human forgiveness is suggested by the usage of the Hebrew word salach, for in no case has this word been used of human forgiveness between men, but only to express the divine favor and pardon toward a sinner. The divine forgiveness as a gift is portrayed in the following way:

Forgiveness, reconciliation with the Most High, comes to us, not as a reward for our works, it is not bestowed because of the merit of sinful men, but it is a gift unto us, having in the spotless righteousness of HaMaschiach its foundation for bestowal."


When the Old Testament of the English Bible has "to forgive" as the translation of the Hebrew work kaphar, then a close connection and conception is suggested between forgiveness and justification. In the Psalms it is said of the Most High, "But he, being full of compassion, forgave [kaphar] their iniquity, and destroyed them not." Literally this verse says, "But he, being full of compassion, covered their iniquity." The idea that sin can be covered does not seem strange to the writers of the New Testament. The apostle Peter says, "Love covers up a mass of sins." "


HaMaschiach describes in the parable of the wedding garment, in the twenty-second chapter of Matthew, how the Most High covers our sins.


Only the covering which HaMaschiach Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in the Most High's presence. This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, HaMaschiach will put upon every repenting, believing soul. . . . HaMaschiach in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. . . . Then as the The Most High looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the naked­ness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of the Most High."


When a person's sins are forgiven, then it implies that he stands covered by the righteousness of HaMaschiach and is in the eyes of the Most High justified. "From a positive point of view, when this word is used in its deepest meaning, its content is the same as 'forgiveness of sins.' "


Not only does the Hebrew word kaphar point to a synonymous conception of for­giveness and justification, it also suggests a close connection between forgiveness and atonement. The idea "to make an atone­ment," as it is found in the Old Testament of the English Bible, is a translation of kaphar. In the Levitical law the following command was given to the sinner:


And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the The Most High for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atone­ment [kaphar] for him ['alayew] concerning his sin."


Literally it is said, "And the priest cov­ered over him concerning his sin." The death of HaMaschiach has its source in the Most High's de­sire to forgive and its effect in the covering of sin is suggested by kaphar, which describes forgiveness as the atoning covering of sins.


The Hebrew word naga' suggests a broad conception of the doctrine of forgiveness, namely the actual reclaiming from sin.


But forgiveness has a broader meaning than many suppose. When the Most High gives the promise that He "will abundantly pardon," He adds, as if the meaning of that promise exceeded all that we could comprehend: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the The Most High. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:7-9. The Most High's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness for sin, but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart. David had the true conception of forgiveness when he prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 The Most High; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. And again he says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us' Psalm 103:12


In the Psalms, David prays: "Forgive [naal all my sins." The Hebrew word naga' is also one of the words used to con­vey the truth of acceptance by the Most High. This twofold purpose of forgiveness suggested by nas'a':


David's repentance was sincere and deep. There was no effort to palliate his crime. No desire to escape the judgments threatened, inspired his prayer. But he saw the enormity of his transgression against the Most High; he saw the defilement of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart. David did not in despair give over the struggle. In the promises of the Most High to repentant sinners, he saw the evidence of his par­don and acceptance.


David's conception of sin was in the sphere of his perverted will and the evil inclination of his heart. He not only asked for release from the guilt or the punishment of sin, but from the sin itself, and thus revealed the broad concept of forgiveness as expressed by the word maw', or that forgiveness meant reclaiming from sin

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

DISCOVERING THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF MAN PART 4

Exodus chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Discovering the Origin and Purpose of Man PART 4!!!!




Today we look to the word-SPIRIT- H7307- ruwach--wind; by resemblance breath, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions) blast, breath, cool, courage, mind, quarter, side, spiritual, tempest, vain, whirlwind













The Torah testifies.........……



Genesis 6:3



And the LORD said, My spirit H7307 shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.











The prophets proclaim..................

Ezekiel 37:14



And shall put my spirit H7307 in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.






The writings bear witness............



Psalms 31:5



Into thine hand I commit my spirit: H7307 thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.



RULING THE VISIBLE WORLD FROM THE INVISIBLE REALM

The Most High Yah’s simple strategy for extending and establishing His Kingdom on this earth was to rule the visible world of man from the invisible realm of the spirit. The plan meant that man would be His visible representative created specifically to live in the visible realm to represent Him. Let me put it another way. The Most High Yah’s original purpose and intent was to rule that which is seen (the visible world) through that which is unseen (the invisible world). He would do this through the unseen (the Spirit of The Most High Yah in man), living in the unseen (spirit of man) and living in the seen (the physical body) on the scene (the earth).


For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse (Rom. 1:20 NAS).


For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16 NAS).


By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of The Most High Yah, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible (Heb. 11:3 NAS).


How would He accomplish this? The Most High Yah, who is unseen, would put His Spirit into the unseen spirit of man—a spirit inhabiting a visible physical body living on the visible earth. Through man’s spirit a window of the soul is created so that man can communicate with the invisible world of The Most High Yah and also through another window man is able to communicate through his body to the visible world of man. Man is created in such a powerful and unique way that he is exalted above all of The Most High Yah’s creation.


By this means The Most High Yah could communicate from the unseen realm through the unseen spirit man to the seen realm, so that the visible world of man could understand His will. Whatever The Most High Yah desired would be relayed to the unseen, then manifested in the seen on the scene so that the earth would show what heaven was thinking.


KING OF THE INVISIBLE AND VISIBLE WORLDS


The Most High Yah, then, is the King of both the invisible and the visible realms—the spiritual world and the physical universe. He is El Shaddai, The Most High Yah Almighty, the Ruler who sets all the standards in heaven and earth. He lives in and rules the unseen realm and is the Creator and owner of the seen realm, where He also created human beings to rule under His authority as vice-regents of the earth. As King of everything, The Most High Yah is the standard setter, the rule establisher, and the Judge of all things. That’s what it means to be King.


A king cannot be a king unless he has something to rule over. It is impossible to be a king over nothing. Before anything else was, The Most High Yah was. Yet, in the strictest sense of the word, The Most High Yah was not a king until He created a realm over which to rule. Until that time, He was just The Most High Yah— omniscient and omnipotent, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three-in-one, complete, whole, and self-contained— standing on nothing but by the corner of nowhere. Then, in accordance with His nature, He created first a spiritual realm and then a physical realm.


If The Most High Yah was fully complete within Himself, why did He create the universe and everything in it, both seen and unseen? He did it for His own pleasure and because He is by nature a Creator. Creating is His natural expression. Upon completing His creation, the Creator became King of creation because He now had a realm to rule over.


Worthy are You, our Lord and our The Most High Yah, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created (Rev. 4:11 NAS).


THE KING AND HIS DOMAIN


Whatever a king rules over is called his domain. Without a domain, the title “king” has little meaning and carries little weight. There can be no president without a country, no prime minister without a nation; every ruler must have a realm to rule. Unlike human rulers who obtain their domains by election, subterfuge, or conquest, The Most High Yah created His own domain, and He will never be unseated. There will never be a coup d’etat in the Kingdom of heaven.


The word kingdom is derived from the words “king” and “domain.” A kingdom is the “king domain,” the realm over which the king rules with complete sovereignty. The Most High Yah’s “king domain” includes both the seen and unseen. The Bible says that The Most High Yah created all things and without Him “nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). Whatever The Most High Yah created is His property by right of creation.


Since He created everything, everything belongs to Him. Therefore, His domain extends infinitely in every direction because there is nowhere on earth or in the heavens that He does not encompass or where His presence does not dwell.


MAN WAS CREATED FOR DOMINION


The Most High Yah is King over everything that is, whether visible or invisible. From His throne in heaven He reigns in glory and majesty over the invisible spirit realm. His reign over the physical domain takes a different form. Rather than rule directly, The Most High Yah chose from the very beginning to exercise His kingly authority on earth through human envoys created in His image to rule the earth in His name as His representatives.

The Most High Yah’s purpose and plan for mankind are clearly revealed in the first chapter of Genesis:


Then The Most High Yah said, “Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So The Most High Yah created man in His own image, in the image of The Most High Yah He created him; male and female He created them. The Most High Yah blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Gen. 1:26-28).


The Most High Yah created man because He desired someone to rule over the physical realm He had created. The King James Version of the Bible uses the word dominion, which is related to the word domain. Human beings were created to exercise dominion over the earth and all its creatures. Earth is the domain of humanity’s rulership.

May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to man (Ps. 115:15-17).


A KINGDOM OF KINGS


Notice also that these verses say nothing of human beings ruling over other human beings. It was not The Most High Yah’s original design that any man would rule other human beings. He created all of us to rule, not to be ruled. In accordance with His own plan, The Most High Yah needed someone to dominate a piece of real estate called earth, so He created man. The Most High Yah made us to be in charge of this unique territory, to rule over the earth domain. Many of us have either lost sight of this truth or never learned it in the first place. Understanding that we were created for dominion carries truly life-changing ramifications.


The Most High Yah’s purposes never change. He remains committed to His plan for man to dominate this planet on His behalf. Trapped inside every one of us is a dominion spirit crying for release and a dominion mandate waiting to be exercised. It is this natural spirit of dominion that causes us to naturally rebel against any attempt to dominate or control our lives or destiny. Whether the oppression comes from religion or the world systems, humans were not meant to live a life of subjugation and will always resist oppression.


You may note that in every situation where there has been an extended reign of an oppressive regime in any nation, such as apartheid in South Africa, or the oppression of communist ideology, or the repressive government of Iran or Iraq, that when deliverance came, the people rejoiced like steam being released from a pressure cooker. The fall of Saddam Hussein’s oppressive regime in Iraq, for example, was followed by thousands of Iraqis celebrating in the streets and exercising freedoms they had not enjoyed in decades.


Why were they so quick to cast off the restraints of the old government? It was because they hated their oppression. We are all the same —we were not created to be dominated but to dominate in every area of our life.


At the same time, it is truly amazing how many kinds of things we allow to dominate us. We are supposed to have dominion over plants and yet look how we allow plants to run (and ruin) our lives: coca leaves from Colombia, tobacco leaves from Cuba, grape juice and grains used to make wine and liquor. Coffee, cigarettes, liquors—we are subject to all kind of vices that rule over our appetites.


We are supposed to rule our passions and desires—sex, greed, drugs, power, money, and possessions—but instead, they often rule us.


Many people live and work for money, thinking it will bring them freedom, when all along they slowly and seductively become the slaves of the things for which they work. People who properly understand finances understand that they do not work for money. The money works for them. Those who are slaves of money will never truly get ahead.


If you find that you are one of those who are working for money and are poor, you will remain poor and will never be able to get out of the economic hole in which you are living. If you are middle class, that is where you will stay. As long as you go after the money, it will elude you. As soon as you learn to make money work for you, it will come back to you multiplied many times over.


One of the first things that happened to the early Church in the Book of Acts was directly related to the entire issue of dominion.


All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Yahashua, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need (Acts 4:32-35).


The main point I would like to note here is that they brought their monies and laid it at the feet of the apostles. This established the principle that the master of money that once dominated them now had to bow and become a slave to the Kingdom of The Most High Yah. By the very act of sharing their possessions with one another and by selling houses and land and giving the money from the sale to be distributed to others as needed, these early believers were exercising dominion over that which had previously dominated them.


In Hamachiach they found the freedom to rule as they had been created to do, rather than to be ruled by their own uncontrolled desires. Money did not have a hold on them. They had a hold on the money. In his first letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul expressed perfectly what our attitude should be in this regard: “‘Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12b).


THE MOST HIGH YAH’S “MANAGEMENT CONTRACT” WITH MAN


At creation, The Most High Yah gave man dominion over the entire physical realm, making him the de facto king of the earth. To dominate means “to govern, rule, control, manage, lead, or have authority over something.” There is a very important distinction here. The Most High Yah gave us rulership of the earth, not ownership. Someone who gives up ownership to another person also surrenders all responsibility for it. The person who assigns the position of rulership of a place but retains ownership, will retain the ultimate responsibility.


That is why The Most High Yah set up a qualification from the start. He told Adam, “As long as you obey Me and do not eat the fruit of the tree at the center of the garden, you can manage this planet all you want, for as long as you want; it’s yours” (see Gen. 2:16-17).


In the beginning, The Most High Yah gave us a “management contract” or a “lease agreement,” of sorts. The Bible is very clear that the earth belongs to The Most High Yah. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” The Most High Yah owns the earth, but He gave it to us to manage under a lease agreement that we could call a dominion mandate. Under this mandate we must give to The Most High Yah, the owner, an accounting of what we do with that which He has entrusted to us. He will judge us according to how well we manage His assets.


Yahashua taught this principle in His parable about a master who entrusted a sum of money to each of three servants and then went on a long journey. While he was gone, two of the servants invested the money wisely and received a double return. The third servant did nothing except hide his allotment. Upon the master’s return, He commended the two servants who had exercised wise management. He rewarded them with increased privilege and responsibility. However, He cast out the servant who shirked the responsibility of stewardship (see Matt. 25:14- 30).

DISCOVERING THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF MAN PART 3

Exodus chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Discovering the Origin and Purpose of Man PART 3!!!!!!







Today we look to the word-SERVANT- H2896 ebed--slave, servant​, slave, servant, subjects, bondman



The Torah testifies.........……

Genesis
41:12
And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant H5650 to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.


The prophets proclaim..................

Isaiah 49:5
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, H5650 to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.




The writings bear witness............

1Kings 3:9
Give therefore thy servant H5650 an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?






I personally understand the frustration of religion. I know what it is to grow up in religion just like the Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and all the others. I understand the dedication, loyalty and daily preoccupation with the rituals, traditions, forms and activities of religious behavior. From a child I was cultured to embrace religion and not question why we did what we were told or commanded to do. It has become plain to me now that religion preoccupies you in order to distract you—to distract you from your hunger and emptiness for the Kingdom. In essence, religion is designed to keep you too busy to fill your assignment for the Kingdom. Perhaps this is why religion has so many activities related to it. Religion is hard work and its work is its reward.


Perhaps with this understanding now the words of Yahashua Christ can be understood Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matt. 5:3-6).


In His first official presentation of His message to mankind over two thousand years ago, Yahashua unveiled and announced the problem and solution for mankind’s dilemma in these simple statements. He identified the truth that all humanity is spiritually “poor,” which means that they have a natural lack and an inherent need. He declared that the solution is not a religion but “the Kingdom.” He further recognized that the whole family of mankind is in perpetual “mourning” as if something died or was lost, and He saw the coming of the “Kingdom” as the comfort to this mourning. His reference to the hunger of all mankind for “righteousness” was simply a recognition that their right relationship and right positioning, with the authority or government, is guaranteed to be satisfied by the Kingdom.


Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30).


These simple words changed my life again for they fully described what I was seeing with my eyes. Religion is hard work. We will never rest until we find the Kingdom. Religion is the toil of mankind in his search for the Kingdom.


THE MOST HIGH YAH’S ORIGINAL PLAN FOR MAN


To understand the past and future of man and to appreciate the present state of man’s journey through time, it is crucial to consider The Most High Yah’s original purpose and plan for His creation. The Most High Yah’s purpose in the beginning was to:

• Establish a family of spirit sons, not servants;

• Establish a kingdom, not a religious organization;

• Establish a kingdom of kings, not subjects;

• Establish a commonwealth of citizens, not religious members;

• Establish relationship with man, not a religion;

• Extend his heavenly government to earth; and,

• Influence earth from heaven through mankind.


SONS OR SERVANTS


I understand the implications of the word servant and the clear distinction between a servant and a son. Under the colonial system and a product of former slaves, the role of segregation, discrimination and prejudice had detrimental influences on my life. The obstacles were evident and manifested themselves in graphic ways that clearly placed us at a disadvantage when it came to benefits and privileges in the kingdom. As servants of the crown, we were not allowed to share the same opportunities in education, work, leisure, financial prosperity and status in society. This inequity was contrasted by the seemingly unlimited fortunate lifestyles of the sons of the masters in the kingdom. A servant is definitely not the same as a son.


A closer look at The Most High Yah’s original plan will reveal how great a divide exists between religion and relationship. The Most High Yah originally intended to extend His heavenly Kingdom on earth through mankind. In this plan, The Most High Yah’s purpose was to establish a family of sons, not a household of servants.


Just as Scripture shows us that men are Hamachiach’s Bride, so, too, are women The Most High Yah’s sons. In Hamachiach we are all heirs (see Rom. 8:14). In the eighth chapter of John, Yahashua makes a clear distinction between servants and sons:

To the Hebrews who had believed Him, Yahashua said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Yahashua replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:31-36).


Yahashua said that sons are members of the family, but servants are not. From the beginning, The Most High Yah wanted offspring who would relate to Him in love, not slaves or “hired hands” who would obey Him out of obligation. Servants may relate to their master on a superficial level, but no intimacy or sense of family exists. Sons, on the other hand, are part of the family; they are heirs who will inherit everything that belongs to their father.


SONS, NOT SUBJECTS


The Most High Yah’s purpose was to establish a Kingdom of sons, not subjects. This is a difficult concept for us to understand at first because, from the human perspective, the existence of a king automatically implies the existence of subjects. Subjects are people who are “subject” to the king’s rule and are never considered in the same class or status as royalty. However, this is not The Most High Yah’s plan for us. The Most High Yah is indeed a King, but He does not want subjects. He wants sons. He does not want to rule us, but to have a family who shares His rulership.


The Most High Yah’s Kingdom is different from earthly kingdoms in that it has no subjects. There are no peasants in the Kingdom of The Most High Yah, only sons. In the Kingdom of The Most High Yah we are not subjects but members of the royal family. Yahashua Hamachiach, the only begotten Son of The Most High Yah, whom Revelation 19:16 (NLB) refers to as “King of kings and Lord of lords” is our elder Brother. Everyone in The Most High Yah’s Kingdom is a prince or princess. There are no peasants or middle class, and no order of servants. In The Most High Yah’s Kingdom, everyone is related to the King.


CITIZENS, NOT RELIGIOUS MEMBERS


In addition, The Most High Yah’s purpose was to establish a commonwealth of citizens, not members of a religion. This understanding is essential to grasping the concept of the message of Yahashua Hamachiach concerning the Kingdom of heaven. As a kingdom is a government and nation, it would not have members as would a religious organization. As a matter of fact the Lord never intended that those who believe in Yahashua as Messiah and King be referred to as Christians. Now, you are probably stumbling over this sentence and wondering how I could make such a statement. Here’s the problem: The word Christian has too much baggage attached to it. It refers to a whole host of people and some of them have no connection to The Most High Yah’s Kingdom. The word has become a “religious” term devoid of any significant meaning as it relates to the Kingdom of The Most High Yah. Kingdoms are built upon the concept of legalities, which extends to its citizens, offering them the rights and privileges that are guaranteed by the King.


People who adhere to some religion group, including Christians, consider themselves members of the group, which they perceive as a religious and spiritual relationship with the organization or fraternity. For instance, the term Christian refers to an individual who adheres to or sympathizes with the Christian faith, and is identified both inside and outside that faith as a religious entity.


However, the concept of kingdom is completely opposite to the concept of religion. A kingdom consists of a king with citizens. Citizenship is essentially a legal entity with rights and privileges protected by a constitutional commitment of the king and his government. Too many Christians are simply religious people, but citizens of the Kingdom are legal people—legal in the sense that by virtue of a spiritual birth each individual in the Kingdom has the rights and blessings of citizens of this heavenly Kingdom. We must be delivered from our religious mindsets and have our thinking readjusted so that we can take on a regal mindset. Religious people have no rights, but legal people do. The Most High Yah has always desired sons who are citizens of His Kingdom, possessing the legal right to be part of His family. Citizenship is always considered a privilege in all kingdoms and nations and is usually reserved for those born into that nation or kingdom. There are special situations where one can become a citizen through privileges extended by the governing authority, but birthright is the guaranteed form of sonship and the resulting rights of citizenship. In Yahashua these precious rights are conferred to everyone who trusts in Him:

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of The Most High Yah— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of The Most High Yah (John 1:12- 13).

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Yahashua Hamachiach, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body (Phil. 3:20-21, NIV).


The name Christian was originally a derogatory label given by pagans to followers of Hamachiach, even though believers through the centuries have generally accepted the term (which literally means “little Hamachiach”) and borne it with honor. Yet the term Christian occurs only twice in the Scriptures (Acts 26:28-29 and 1 Peter 4:16-17).


Please let me stress that I am not denying the value or the role this identification has played in the life or the history of the Christian religion over the past 2,000 years. But my concern is the restrictive religious connotations that have detracted many people from the original purpose, message, and mission of the Kingdom of The Most High Yah. The term Christian tends to mentally lock a person into a religious mold and limits the reality of the truth about the Kingdom.


The Bible refers to man’s relationship to The Most High Yah with these phrases: servants (which is another word for “representative minister” as a government minister), saints, ambassadors, sons of The Most High Yah, citizens of heaven, kings, The Most High Yah’s workmanship, children of The Most High Yah, and other terms of endearment, but not officially are they referred to as Christians. Christianity was never a term given to us by Yahashua Hamachiach nor the apostles. The term Christian was never to be a title nor label that we wore, but a lifestyle that we lived demonstrating the nature of “Christ- likeness.” In essence, Christian was supposed to be a description of the culture of the Kingdom being exhibited through our lives. Right or wrong, most unbelievers have a definite idea of what they think a Christian should be. If we are not careful, we can identify too strongly with their label and fall into the trap of trying to live up to their expectations. We should stop trying so hard to live like Christians and all of the false assumptions associated with that term, and instead work harder at living like sons and daughters of The Most High Yah, brothers and sisters of Christ, and citizens of the Kingdom of heaven.


RELATIONSHIP OR RELIGION

Finally, The Most High Yah’s purpose was to establish relationship, not religion. As stated earlier, religion is man’s search for The Most High Yah and the Kingdom he lost. The original plan and purpose of The Most High Yah was to have a family of sons that He could relate to as a father to his children. This plan was evident from the beginning and is expressed more fully in the earthly introduction of the Father by Yahashua Christ Himself. A careful review of the principle set forth in the Holy Scripture, which is the constitution of the Kingdom, will reveal this constant desire for personal and intimate relationship and fellowship that The Most High Yah desired with all mankind. All of His actions throughout history were extensions of Himself to us, as He desired to tabernacle or dwell with man. His ultimate goal was always to restore


His original place with mankind. How much more personal can one get?

This is the truth behind Yahashua’ parable of the prodigal son, where a young man took his inheritance early, left home, and wasted his fortune in unThe Most High Yahly living. Later on, destitute and hungry and reduced to feeding pigs in a sty, he decided to return home, hoping to be received by his father simply as a hired servant. Upon his arrival, however, his father greeted him with joy and open arms and restored him to his rightful place in the family (see Luke 15:11-24). The father wanted his son back, not a servant.

That’s the way The Most High Yah is, too. He wants sons, not servants or subjects; He wants citizens, not Christians; and, He wants relationships, not religion.

DISCOVERING THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF MAN PART 2

Exodus chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Discovering the Origin And Purpose Of Man PART 2




Today we look to the word-DOMINION- H7287 radah--to rule, have dominion, dominate, to cause to dominate









The Torah testifies.........……



Genesis 1:28



And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion H7287 over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.





The prophets proclaim..................

Nehemiah 9:28



But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion H7287 over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;





The writings bear witness............



Judges 5:13



Then he made him that remaineth have dominion H7287 over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion H7287 over the mighty.





WHAT IS DOMINION?




In the art of human communication it is understood that successful communication is only possible when the terms and the concepts used between the subject and object of that communication are the same.

Therefore, before we proceed any further in this most important discussion and exploration of the Kingdom concept, it is necessary for us to have a fundamental understanding of the root of this concept of “dominion” as it pertains to the Kingdom concept.




The Creator’s first declaration of man’s purpose for creation is hidden in this word dominion; and for man to understand himself and his purpose, it is imperative that this word be thoroughly understood.




The words dominion or rule are synonymous and derive their meanings from the same root words. The Hebrew words from which the concept of kingdom dominion comes are rendered mashal, mamlakah, malkut; and the Greek derivative is the word basileia. The definition of these words include “to rule,” “sovereignty,” “to reign,” “kingdom,” “to master,” “to be king,” “royal rule,” and “kingly.” The term mamlakah also signifies the area and the people that constitute a “kingdom.” It is important to note that the concept of “king” was also considered the embodiment of kingdom. The king was viewed as the “symbol” of the kingdom proper and personified the glory of the kingdom.

Therefore the definition of dominion can be crafted in the following way:

To be given dominion means to be established as a sovereign, kingly ruler, master, governor, responsible for reigning over a designated territory, with the inherent authority to represent and embody as a symbol, the territory, resources and all that constitutes that kingdom.




This definition should be memorized, understood and embraced by the spirit of every man if we are to understand the original purpose and will of The Most High Yah our Creator for our existence. With that understanding, we can appreciate the gravity of the first proclamation of The Most High Yah, the Creator, concerning mankind. Man was created with a dominion mandate over earth, giving him responsibility for representing the kingdom government of The Most High Yah on earth. Mankind is heaven’s earthly agency for kingdom rulership influence. Mankind is intended to embody the nature of The Most High Yah on earth and serve as His divine representative in the physical world. The creation and commissioning of man was the first introduction and establishment of the Kingdom of heaven on earth.




KINGDOM OF KINGS




It is also vital to apprehend that The Most High Yah’s design for heaven’s earthly kingdom is totally distinct from the structure and ideology of earthly kingdoms established by men. The proclamation by the Creator in Genesis 1:26, for man to have dominion over all the earth, was given to the entire species of mankind, both male and female. This is a fundamental precept as it renders all mankind “rulers” or kings in the earth. In fact, this mandate further establishes the Creator’s intent for mankind to rule not over one another, but to exercise their royal sovereignty as a “corporate kingship,” responsible to master, govern, rule, control and manage the earth and its resources. Therefore all mankind is created rulers and kings; mankind is a kingdom of kings. Perhaps this is why, as we will discuss later in this series, Yahashua is designated “King of kings” in the culmination of His redemptive work.




This concept is also echoed in the word of The Most High Yah to the entire nation of Israel through Moses when they were released from the oppression of the kingdom of Egypt under Pharaoh.




“Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites (Exod. 19:5-6).




THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL KINGDOM




The intent of the establishment of The Most High Yah’s original kingdom of kings was to extend His rulership, will and nature from heaven to earth. His desire was to manifest His glorious character, wisdom, righteous judgments and purposes in the earth realm through the administrative leadership of mankind on earth. Man was created with the gifts and divine nature to execute The Most High Yah’s will in the earth. The ultimate goal of The Most High Yah the Creator was to colonize earth with heaven and establish it as a visible territory of an invisible world. His purpose was to have His will done and the heavenly kingdom come on earth just at it is in heaven.




THE LOSS OF A KINGDOM




When The Most High Yah created man, please note that the first thing He gave him was His image and likeness, but the first mandate and assignment He gave man was “dominion.”




Let’s carefully consider the nature of this dominion mandate as recorded in Genesis 1:26-28 and its implications as to what man’s original rulership did and did not involve.




• The Most High Yah gave man dominion over earth.

• The Most High Yah gave man dominion over creation and earth, not other men.

• The Most High Yah never gave man dominion over heaven.

• The Most High Yah never gave man a religion, but a relationship.

• The Most High Yah never promised man heaven, but earth.




To understand the loss of the Adamic Kingdom mandate, it is important to realize you cannot lose what you never had. Adam, the first royal representative of heaven’s kingdom on earth, was delegated the responsibility of serving as heaven’s earthly ambassador. An ambassadorial representative is only as viable and legal as his relationship with his government. Therefore, the most important relationship the first man, Adam, had on earth was with heaven. This is why the Holy Spirit of The Most High Yah was intimate with mankind from the beginning. His indwelling presence guaranteed constant communication and fellowship with the will, mind, intent, and purposes of The Most High Yah and heaven so that He could execute His government’s will on earth. This relationship made the Holy Spirit of The Most High Yah the most important Person on earth and established Him as the key component of the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The loss or separation of man from the Holy Spirit of The Most High Yah would render mankind a disqualified envoy of heaven on earth, for he would not know the will or mind of the government of heaven for earth.




As we read the Genesis record of the encounter of mankind with the adversary, the devil, in further teachings, we see that the goal of the attack was to drive man from the garden of relationship with The Most High Yah and heaven, resulting in the loss of the Kingdom of heaven on earth.




AN ACT OF TREASON




Perhaps the greatest crime committed in any kingdom or nation, ancient or modern, is the crime of treason. As a matter of fact, it is the only crime to which there is no question of receiving the death penalty. It is the ultimate act of betrayal.




When a government confers on any citizen the authority and right to represent its interests, it has given the greatest form of trust possible and should be esteemed as the highest of honors. The higher the representation, the greater the responsibility and trust, and thus, the greater the influence one can have in one’s nation or kingdom. This is especially critical in the context of kingdoms, where the king not only represents himself, but embodies and symbolizes the entire kingdom and all it constitutes. Adam, in essence, embodied heaven’s government on earth.




Therefore, the fall of man was not just a personal act of disobedience, but was essentially an act of treason. Adam and his descendants committed the ultimate act of betrayal, deserving the penalty of death. In effect, Adam declared independence from his kingdom government, the empire of heaven, and in so doing severed his relationship with the King of heaven, abandoned his position as ambassador, and lost his dominion over earth. Through abdication of his responsibility as king over earth, Adam lost the most important relationship of all— the Holy Spirit. Through violation of The Most High Yah’s word, mankind was rendered a disqualified representative of heaven on earth. When Adam fell through this act of treason, he did not only lose his personal relationship with his heavenly Father, but he lost a kingdom. Adam became an ambassador without portfolio, an envoy without official status, a citizen without a country, a king without a kingdom, a ruler without a domain.




A KINGDOM PROMISED




In understanding kingdoms and the concept of colonization, the success of colonization depends on the direct and uninterrupted relationship with and the submission of the colony to the imperial kingdom. The loss of the Kingdom of heaven on earth was considered rebellion against the eternal imperial Kingdom of heaven and the creating of a vagabond state. Earth became a territory under an illegal government. While Adam committed high treason, the instigator and adversary, the evil one, executed an earthly coup. Remember, Adam did not lose heaven when he fell; rather, he lost earth and dominion over earth. He lost legal representation of heaven on earth. Adam defected.

This is what The Most High Yah meant when he said in Genesis 2:17:

but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.




This death was not referring primarily to physical death, though that would be the ultimate result, but rather to man’s spiritual disconnection from his source and kingdom. This is evidenced by the fact that Adam lived 930 years after the act of disobedience. Therefore, death to the Creator was disconnection and independence from The Most High Yah and the Kingdom of heaven. Adam lost the kingdom. The consequences of this rebellion were numerous:




• Loss of position and disposition;

• Transfer of responsibility;

• Self-consciousness and shame;

• Fear and intimidation of authority;

• The loss of domination over nature;

• Frustrated toil and hatred of labor;

• Pain and discomfort; and,

• The need for human accountability.




However, The Most High Yah’s most significant response to this defection and treacherous act was His promise to the adversary recorded in Genesis 3:15-16:

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

The heart of this promise is the coming of an “offspring” through a woman who would break the power of the adversary over mankind and regain the authority and dominion Adam once held, and through a process of conflict, restore the Kingdom back to mankind. This was the first promise of a messiah-king and the return of the Kingdom. Therefore, the greatest need of man was identified by what he lost; he did not lose a religion or heaven, but rather a kingdom. In The Most High Yah’s restoration and redemptive program, heaven would not be His primary focus or goal for man, but rather the redemption, restoration and re-establishment of His Kingdom on earth. This would be the principle purpose and assignment of the promised Messiah.




Ever since this tragic cosmic calamity of man’s rebellion against his heavenly kingdom government, religion has been his vain attempt to return to The Most High Yah’s presence or to compensate for the loss. Therefore, religion represents every activity of mankind in its self-centered search for The Most High Yah and the kingdom, whether through Scientology, Bahai, Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Shintoism, animism, Unitarianism, atheism, or any other “ism” or philosophy. The principle motivation is to rediscover and receive what he lost, the Kingdom of The Most High Yah. No matter what name they bear, all religions are an exercise in futility because they express man vain frustrating pursuit to recover what he lost.




Humanity faced an insoluble dilemma: no matter how hard we tried, we could never find an infinite The Most High Yah by using finite human resources called religion. Fortunately for us, The Most High Yah solved the problem Himself, because He is the only one who could. Mankind’s problem did not take The Most High Yah by surprise. In His omniscience—His all-knowing nature —The Most High Yah knew before time began that we would never find Him without His help. Therefore, The Most High Yah launched a journey. He set out to find us. The Most High Yah is the chaser and we are the pursued. Instead of allowing us to expend our lives in continual frustration trying to reach up and touch Him, He came down to take hold of us. His desire and purpose were to bring us back into relationship with Himself and return to us the lost Kingdom.

Religion, therefore, is simply man’s search for The Most High Yah. No matter how committed, dedicated, loyal, faithful, zealous, active or complex our religious pursuit may be, as long as man is still searching, dissatisfied and desirous for more, he has not yet found the Kingdom. He is like a fish out of water. No matter what he does, there is only one solution to his problem. This emptiness cannot be substituted with oil, gasoline, orange juice, milk or alcohol. Religion is man’s substitute for the Kingdom and that is why it cannot and will never satisfy him. Only the Kingdom can solve man’s eternal problem.

Discovering The Origin And Purpose Of Man

Exodus chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Discovering The Origin And Purpose Of Man




Today we look to the word BEGINNING- H7225- re'shiyth- the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit):—beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing.




The Torah testifies.........……

Deuteronomy 11:12
A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning H7225 of the year even unto the end of the year.




The prophets proclaim..................

Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, H7225 and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:




The writings bear witness............

Job 8:7
Though thy beginning H7225 was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.




There are over 6 billion people on planet earth and only a few of them know why they exist. What a tragedy! Who is man? Why was man created? Why was he put on this planet? What is he to do? Where did he come from? What can he do? Where is he going? These questions strike at the heart of all human pursuit. All that men want to know are the answers to these questions.




Are humans simply a link in some evolutionary chain, as proclaimed by the theologians of evolution? Are we simply sophisticated primates participating in the drama of the survival of the fittest? Are we simply a freak accident of some cosmic big-bang mishap from which we emerged from the slime of some cosmic soup as the magnificent reasoning self-conscious being to which we have evolved today? I find it impossible to believe that anyone could believe such a theory. This unreasonable, unsubstantiated, unproven theoretical proposition has no foundation in truth and desecrates the truth of man’s origin. It dilutes and diminishes his glorious purpose.




Man is the crowning act of an intentional Creator. He exists as The Most High Yah’s co-regent in a world created for him. In examining mankind we will discover the beauty and the mystery of The Most High Yah’s purpose for the whole of creation.

It seems that the end of all things will be discovered in the beginning of all things. Therefore, we will begin our study by considering The Most High Yah’s original plan for His creation. Quite obviously, if we seek to understand the creation, we must first understand the Creator, because the original purpose of any product is only in the mind of the creator of that product. Therefore, to discover the purpose and reason for mankind’s creation and existence, we must attempt to tap into the mind of his Creator. After all no one knows the product like the manufacturer.




THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRST KINGDOM




First, it is essential to understand that before anything was, The Most High Yah is. The word The Most High Yah denotes “self-existing one or self-sufficient one” and describes a being that needed nothing or no one to exist. Therefore “The Most High Yah” is not a name but rather a description of a character. Because of who and what He is, He alone qualifies for the title of The Most High Yah. This totally independent The Most High Yah existed before all things and began His creative process by first producing the entire invisible world, which we also have come to know as the “supera” or “above” natural world. This act of creation initiated the concept of “ruler” and “rulership” as the Creator became the governor over a created realm. Another word for ruler is “king.” The Most High Yah called this invisible realm or domain “heaven” and thus He became the King over the domain, heaven.

This was the beginning and creation of the first kingdom called “the invisible Kingdom of The Most High Yah.” This was also the introduction of the concept of “kingdom.” This concept of “kingdom” is critical, essential, necessary, required, and imperative in order to understand, appreciate, and comprehend the purpose, intent, goal, and objectives of The Most High Yah and mankind’s relationship to Him and the creation.




DIVINE MOTIVATION FOR CREATION

It is not unreasonable to ask why The Most High Yah, the King of heaven, would want to create sons in His image and a visible universe. Was He not satisfied and pleased with an invisible realm of angels and powers to rule? I believe the answer to these questions lies in understanding the very nature of The Most High Yah Himself. There is much about this great awesome, self-sustaining One that we do not, cannot, and may never know, but He has revealed enough of Himself to mankind to allow us to glimpse some of the magnificence of His nature and character.




One such characteristic is that “The Most High Yah is love” (1 John 4:8,16). Please note that He does not say that He “has” love but that He “is” love. This is an important distinction when it comes to understanding His motivation, because if The Most High Yah is love, then His actions would naturally or supernaturally be the manifestation of the nature of love. One of the obvious qualities of love is that love has to give and share itself. If this be so, then the very nature of The Most High Yah would be to desire to share His rulership and government. In essence, love is fulfilled when it gives and shares itself.




It is this inherent nature of love that motivated the King of heaven to create spirit children (called mankind) to share His Kingdom rulership. In other words, man was created for the purpose of rulership and leadership. This is why in the message of Yahashua, when He described the age of the Kingdom of The Most High Yah and its provision for man, His indication was that this Kingdom belonged to man before earth was created.




Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).




It was The Most High Yah’s idea to share His invisible Kingdom with His offspring, which He called mankind, and give to them His nature and characteristics.




THE CONCEPTION OF COLONIZATION




There is another concept that is crucial to understanding the original purpose and plan of The Most High Yah for man and creation, and that is the thought that has come to be known to man as “colonization.” Colonization is a process whereby a government or ruler determines to extend his kingdom, rulership, or influence to additional territory with the purpose of impacting that territory with his will and desires. The principle of colonization is understood in the process of transforming an extended territory to be just like the center of government from which it extended; that is, to manifest the nature and will of the ruler in the lifestyle, actions, activities, and culture of the territory.




Therefore, the foundation for appreciating The Most High Yah’s creative motivation is to understand that His intent was to share His governing authority with His spirit children by extending His invisible heavenly Kingdom to a visible earthly realm for the purpose of colonizing that domain to be like heaven. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning The Most High Yah created the heavens and the earth” (the physical universe). The Most High Yah ruled as King over a spacious and spectacular spiritual realm that He had already created. It was a world filled with angels who were there to serve Him and worship Him.




The Book of Genesis opens with The Most High Yah’s activity in the creation of the physical world that would be the environment for the manifestation of His eternal purpose. His intention was to establish His Kingdom in that physical world, without having to come visibly into that world Himself. The purposes of the invisible The Most High Yah would be served by a visible creation that was the result of His creative genius. His plan would be carried out by creating from His own Spirit being a family of offspring who would be just like Him, created in His exact image. As His representatives they would release, establish, and implement His invisible Kingdom in the visible, natural world. This is His original purpose for creating man. It was not an accident. It was not a fluke. It came about through the planning and preparation of the great The Most High Yah of heaven who, through His love and wisdom, constructed this awesome plan. Man was right there in the center of the plan.




From the very beginning, The Most High Yah’s plan for mankind centered in the fact that The Most High Yah desired to have a personal relationship with man and vice versa. It was never The Most High Yah’s plan to establish a religion. As stated earlier, religion is a result of man’s response to a deep spiritual vacuum in the recesses of his soul, for something he cannot describe or identify. The word religion denotes belief systems, creeds, and adherence to faith or convictions. These systems are manifested in the development of an array of traditions, rituals and cultural practices that extend from the simple to the very complicated. Every civilization throughout history cultivated forms of religion that sustained their viability as social entities and served as an outlet to address the mystical questions of life and death.




For many, religion has been and continues to be a tireless preoccupation distracting them from the unresolved fears of the human heart. The need for religion in some form is a universal phenomenon and is inherent in the human spirit. All humankind, left to themselves, will inevitably develop some form of religious practice. In many incidences, this can take the shape of systems of philosophies, theories, ideologies, a set of principles or documented convictions. Whatever the form takes, the purpose is the same—the attempt to satisfy the indescribable spiritual craving in the spirit of all mankind.

It is interesting to note that in the ancient writings of the Hebrew prophet and patriarch Moses, who chronicles the creation narrative of the physical universe and mankind, we do not find the establishment of a formal religious system or code of traditions for man to follow or practice.




THE BIRTH OF THE KINGDOM — THE SPIRIT OF DOMINION




The most powerful motivation in the heart of man is the pursuit of power. Why is the desire to control our environment and circumstances so overpowering to humanity? The answer is found in the very nature and heart of the human spirit.




Man was created to exercise power and designed to manage it. The motivating purpose for the creation of the human species was to dominate the earth and its resources, the result of the Creator’s desires to extend His rulership from the supernatural realm to the physical realm. His plan and program was to do this through a family of spirit children He would call His sons. The record of this creative act is found in Genesis 1:26:

Then The Most High Yah said, “Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule (have dominion) over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So The Most High Yah created man in His own image, in the image of The Most High Yah He created him; male and female He created them (Gen. 1:26-27).




This statement is the first declaration of The Most High Yah’s intent for you and me, and encompasses the total purpose, assignment, potential, passion and design of man as an entity. This statement is the key to man’s natural desires, sense of purpose and fulfillment in life. There are a number of critical principles imbedded in this first mission statement of The Most High Yah, concerning man’s creation, that must be carefully examined:




Man was both created and made. Both of these words are important and are distinctively different in the original Hebrew language. The word created is from the Hebrew word bara which means to create from nothing. And the word make is from the Hebrew word asa which means to form from something that is already created. Therefore, man is the integration of parts that were created from nothing and things that were already made. This mystery describes the production of man’s spirit-being directly from the Spirit of The Most High Yah, thus making man a composite of the nature, attributes and characteristics of his source, which is The Most High Yah the Creator Himself. This truth is critical when discussing the spirit of dominion in mankind. It is also noteworthy at this point to understand that the word for “source” in the original Hebrew is the word Abba which we translate as “father”. This is why The Most High Yah is considered the “father” of all mankind. He sourced us all and thus we possess His nature and likeness.




Man was made in The Most High Yah’s image. The word image here is not referring to physical likeness, but is translated from the Hebrew words tselem and demut, both meaning essential nature, copy, characteristics, and essence. This denotes that man as a spirit being is an expression of The Most High Yah’s moral and spiritual nature and his attributes make him “The Most High Yah-like,” and place Him above and beyond all earthly creation. In essence, man was created by The Most High Yah in the The Most High Yah-class and was given the responsibility to exercise that quality as The Most High Yah’s agent on earth.




The Most High Yah created man. This word man is important because it does not refer to gender as in male, but was the name given by the Creator for the species of spirits that came out of His spirit. In essence, man is plural in tense and was the name given to the spirit species. It is also essential to note that spirits have no gender and thus man is neither male nor female but pure spirit.

The Creator said let “them” have dominion over the earth. This statement is most critical and contains the secret to the transfer of power and authority from The Most High Yah to man, from heaven to earth, and from the unseen to the seen world. This is the foundation of divine delegation of responsibility for management and rulership over the earth to man. This is significant because the nature of The Most High Yah’s holiness and integrity does not allow Him to violate His own words. Thus when The Most High Yah spoke these words, He established the conditions of His relationship to earth through mankind. He did not say let “Us” have dominion over the earth, as that would have given Him legitimate access to earth without reference to mankind; but by these words He established mankind as the only legal authority on earth, with the power of attorney to act on His behalf. Perhaps this is why The Most High Yah has never done anything on earth without the cooperation of a human entity and was ultimately the reason for the necessity of His entrance into the human race as a man. Consequently, Yahashua—the man—made Hamachiach—the The Most High Yah—legal on earth.




This is the power mankind has on planet earth.

Let them have dominion. This is the most fundamental principle for understanding the nature and the desires of mankind. Here the Creator expresses clearly, emphatically, why He created man. This statement leaves no doubt as to what motivated His creating man and His expectation man’s behavior. It also establishes man’s assignment and the standard of success for his existence. This word dominion lays the foundation for the Kingdom concept as it relates to The Most High Yah’s purpose and plan for the human species.

Over the fish of the sea, birds of the air, the livestock, earth, and all that creep upon the ground. This statement is crucial as it defines the nature and boundaries of the rulership of mankind. It is essential to note that the human entity is not included in the context of man’s domination. The implication is that The Most High Yah the Creator never intended man to rule over or dominate his own kind, but rather to rule the creation and resources of earth.

https://youtu.be/NaJg6OGUL9g

Introduction To Rediscovering The Kingdom

Exodus Chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Introduction To Rediscovering The Kingdom




Today we look to the word- REMEMBER- H2142- Zakar--a primitive root; to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, recorder, remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, still, think on.




Testifies.............................

Genesis 9:15
And I will remember H2142 my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

The prophets proclaim...............

Malachi 4:4
Remember H2142 ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.




The writings bear witness.............

1 Chronicles 16:12
Remember H2142 his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;




REDISCOVERING THE KINGDOM


PREFACE


The greatest threat to the future of the world is religion. Nuclear weapons, terrorism, SARS, shifting governments, military coups, and AIDS are simply tools used by religion. More wars have been fought in the name of religion than any other influence. Millions have died over the past 2,000 years under the destructive hand of religious zeal. Misplaced and misguided religious passion has produced such historical scars as the Crusades, the Inquisition, ethnic cleansing, and the horror of the Holocaust.


Why is religion so powerful and controlling? Why is it more powerful than politics, military arms, and scientific advancement? Because religion is not just a social, cultural, political, or ideological factor; instead it finds its power in the personal chambers of the soul of the individual. Within the soul we discover the source of the private motivation that forms perceptions and behavior. Man is more willing to die for the sake of his religion than for any political, social, or ideological reason.


Religion is as old as mankind, finding its roots in the private recesses of the human spirit. Every culture, no matter how old or far removed, has developed some form of religious practice that attempts to satisfy an elusive vacuum in the pit of the human soul crying out for reason, purpose, and significance. For mankind, life on planet earth has been nothing more than a long tedious march down the road of time, with each new generation searching for something they cannot define. The long chains of civilizations have left undeniable imprints on the pages of history—evidence for our generation that the search continues. From the secrets etched on the walls of ancient caves to the grand archaeological monuments to the remnants of the great empires, man marches on seeking to find himself and make sense of his world. Man’s travels through this world have produced a tapestry of religious practices and ideologies that only serve to create more problems than they solve.


A brief look at our modern, sophisticated, technocratic, cyberspace age world of today can be the source of fear, depression, discouragement, insecurity, and uncertainty. From the archaic world of the cave men and bush hunters through the progressive succession of agrarian cultures, to the advent of the industrial revolution leading to the scientific age of postmodernism and the computer age, we are still no better than nor different from our ancestors of old.


The only difference seems to be the sophistication of our tools and weapons. We are smarter but not wiser; we live longer but not healthier; we have more but enjoy less; we can go to the moon, but we cannot go home to a good family; we have access to more information but know less about life. Tragically, we protect whales, but kill our children; we improve the quality of our food but produce less healthy strains for our consumption; we have more religion but less love; and we blame others for our choices as we look to ourselves for solutions to the problems we create.


The 21st century seems to be more uncertain than all the previous centuries in history. Planet earth is spinning through the solar system like a spaceship without a compass as it travels on a course to self-destruction. On this long march of humanity, mankind has invented and developed a variety of systems and social structures in its attempt to grapple with the realities of life on our global spaceship. Over the centuries we have watched the creation of a variety of governmental systems including demigods, dictatorships, monarchies, and tyrannies, as well as the theories and practices of socialism, democracy, communism, and imperialism. Each of them has had an opportunity to try to make life better and more “humane” on our great planet. However, wars have increased rather than decreased, weapons of mass destruction are more available than ever before, and fear for safety and security is greater than ever before in history. All governments—even the best form we have developed, democracy—have failed to realize the world we keep searching for.


Two of the greatest tragedies of our modern history were World War I and World War II, when millions lost their lives at the hands of their fellow planet-dwellers. After World War I, various leaders joined together and made a promise that it would never happen again. They created the League of Nations, an organization dedicated to promoting world peace and initiating reasonable solutions to human conflicts. However, this pipe dream ended in the explosion of World War II.


After that conflict ended, world leaders made a second commitment, determining once again to never allow mankind to spiral down into the death-dealing clutches of international war. This commitment gave birth to the United Nations, a world body dedicated to making and keeping the peace around the world. Yet, more wars have been fought since the formation of the United Nations than before its creation. Today, as wars continue to ravage our planet, the United Nations itself, along with its purpose and usefulness, is under serious scrutiny.


I find it ironic that most of the current wars and tensions are products of, or strongly influenced by, religions. Where do we go from here? What do we do? What is the answer? Why can’t we just live together? Why is mankind so frustrated? Why do our cultures keep clashing into each other and why are our children on the streets killing one another?


These are the questions that this series is attempting to answer. The solution to our dilemma is somewhere in the middle of our search. It makes sense to conclude that if our world has no answers to the questions it asks and no solutions to the problems it creates, then it might be wise to look to another world for help. Rediscovering the Kingdom answers this very proposition. I am not talking about some weird, impractical, illusive, metaphysical notion of a pie in the sky, but rather a reasonable, tangible, human-friendly solution that responds not only to our unspoken desires about life here on earth but beyond.


This series is about you and your passion to understand life. It is about your search for control over your circumstances and destiny. It is about living life to its fullest and about reconnecting to your true self. You were created not just to exist but to live a fulfilled and significant life. This series is about that life—your life! Join me as we seek to discover an alternative reality at the end of man’s long search for truth.


HIDDEN TREASURE


The old lady was dressed in what seemed like seven dresses. Her fingers were exposed despite the fact that she wore a pair of life-worn gloves. She pushed an old shopping cart that testified that it was her mobile home, and she lived at the mercy of the elements. Her face showed the wear and tear of years of living. She was bent over, looking in a garbage can, searching for life- sustaining remains discarded by the more fortunate of society.


Suddenly, she shot up out of the barrel and shouted, “I found it. I found it!” There between her thumb and index finger she held the most beautiful pearl.

I ran over to her and asked if I could help her. She smiled and shook her head with a confidence I did not expect from one in her status of life. Then she proceeded to tell me the story of her life that still impacts me today.


She told of how she was born into a wealthy family and that her grandfather had left a treasure for her before she was born. During her infant years a fire had destroyed her family home, which was once on the site where the barrel of garbage now stood. The result was that her family lost everything, including the chest that held the treasure from her grandfather. She came to that spot every day to search for that treasure. Many people who knew her story would give her handouts to wear and leftovers to eat. But she said she believed that if she ever found that one treasure, then she would have all of her needs met and be able to repurchase the property lost by her family and rebuild the family house that was destroyed.


Today was her lucky day—she found the treasure. For many years she had only heard about it and had descriptions of it, but now she actually had it. Her life was changed that day, and her search was over. She regained her status and position in life and gave up all her life’s struggles for the sake of that one treasure.

It was a pearl. May you find your own pearl in these teachings.


MATTHEW 13:44-47


The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.


“An idea is more powerful than an army.”


INTRODUCTION


There is nothing more powerful than an idea. Ideas created and now control the world we live in. When an idea is conceived it is called a thought; when a thought is conceived it is called a concept. Concepts are the material that dreams are made of and they serve as the substance for living and interpreting life. Everything humans have made or invented was first preceded by an idea. As a matter of fact, inventions are often called one’s “brain- child.” In essence, the mind can be impregnated by ideas that develop into concepts that become visions that produce reality.


Concepts are to life what the blood is to the body. Perhaps this is what the great king Solomon meant when he wrote over 3,000 years ago, “As a man thinks so is he.” You are and become your concepts. Psychologists describe our value and estimation of our life by the nature of our “self- concept.”


Concepts rise in value as we consider our perception and interpretation of life. Human communication is solely dependent on concepts. We can only understand life to the degree that our concepts are correct. As a matter of fact, the purpose and goal of communication is to transfer your ideas and concepts from your mind to another mind. Therefore, communication is only successful when the sender’s concepts are received accurately and properly understood by the receiver and vice versa.


If your ideas are wrong then your concepts are wrong, and consequently, your understanding will be inaccurate and incomplete. You can only understand properly if your concepts are in alignment with your ideas and your ideas must be based upon The Most High Yah’s dynamic truth. The original concept is always in the mind of the sender. In this state of the thinking process it is called a “precept.” Simply put, a precept is “an original idea.” Therefore, in order to understand the original concept, you must have a clear grasp of the precepts of the sender of a message. The heart of understanding is precepts and concepts. Error is a product and a result of what is called “misconception.” In reality, the receiver misunderstood the concept of the sender.


This series will fail in its purpose and intent if I do not successfully convey and transfer my precepts, concepts, ideas, and thoughts to you the listener. So let’s proceed in exploring the critical concepts that lead to the answer to man’s search for meaning.


THE LONG SEARCH FOR THE IDEAL


In every generation, since the beginning of time, the dream of a utopian society has motivated and sustained the passion of mankind, producing highly developed cultures and social systems as they moved forward in this pursuit. The driving force and desire for the perfect world finds its way into every civilization and has been the source of inspiration that has led to the invention of philosophical ideas, social infrastructures, and even religions, all having some kind of impact on our contemporary communities. This force is centralized in man’s search for the ideal.


Passion for the ideal produced in many ancient cultures the dream of a messianic vision. This is the belief that somewhere in some distant future from some unknown place a person would come who would provide the answers to all our problems. He would establish the “ideal world” free from pain, hatred, fear, poverty, and other social ills—a world of peace, love, joy, and harmony among all mankind.


This search and desire for an idyllic world is the source of the development of the concept called “ideology.” Ideology is the most powerful energy that has impacted the lives of people over thousands of years and continues its effects to this very day. An ideology is the formulation of ideas and thoughts that have been pondered, developed, refined, defined, and formalized. These ideas are also defined as a philosophy, or “a way of thinking.” Some of these “formalized ideas” have produced “schools of thought,” which became the foundations of theoretical and ideological premises for the creation of systems of governing communities, societies, cities, nations, and the world. On the negative side, some of these ideologies have been the source of injustice, destruction, oppression, mass poverty, depression, and social terror.


These ideologies have carried a variety of labels, and over thousands of years they have emerged, submerged, and then reemerged in succeeding generations. Some of these labels are quite familiar even in our generation: imperialism, socialism, communism, dictatorship, humanism, deism, democracy, monarchy, and communal living. Many of these have been tried, revised, integrated, revived, and have been the source of many social experiments.


Yet, no matter how much man has tried to recreate his world, the fulfillment of his hope and desire for “utopia” still eludes him. Our most recent attempts have led to the advent of the ideology of “individual freedom” and the admirable concept of “self-determination” and “a just society,” which we have termed in our modern civilization as “the democratic ideal.” Despite the fact that this is the most civil form of national governance and social relations within a society, even this has not manifested the utopia its founders dreamed of.


The motivation and inspiration for the pursuit of the civil society and the democratic ideal is the concept of “freedom.” The pursuit of personal freedom is the strongest motivator in Western social consciousness. This desire to be free to pursue one’s personal dreams and to maximize one’s potential is the foundation of the democratic ideal and is embraced as the ultimate standard of a free society. However, the societies and communities that have tried this noble “freedom” experiment are still plagued with the inconsistencies of inequality, racism, prejudice, injustice, corruption, jealousy, suspicion, competition, abuse, neglect, and a clear disparity between the “haves” and “have-nots.” In the end, mankind has become imprisoned by his pursuit of freedom.


THE SOURCE OF THE DESIRE


We are all the same and searching for the same thing. What makes us different is the route and systems we implement and develop to find what we are searching for? Simply put, all people are the same and looking for the same answers to the same questions.


The human search for Ultimate Reality is natural and common to all human cultures—even the self-acclaimed atheist inherently believes that, at the very least, there is someone or something out there not to believe in. Even in the most primitive societies we find this expression of desire to seek, find, and understand a Supreme Being as evidenced in the creation, development, and practice of some form of religion.


However, the question confronts us: from where did this natural desire and need to seek for a higher power originate? This internal soul-searching irritation—that there must be a reason and design for the universe and creation—must have a source. The “long search” for reality obviously implies that something is lost. It is impossible to search for nothing. Therefore it is my contention that the very nature of man’s soul search indicates that something he previously possessed is missing.


It also seems that this need to search is not a choice but a necessity. The search is personal as well as corporate. Perhaps the best way to find what is missing and what we are searching for is to identify what you need or desire. For example, thirst implies the need for water, hunger implies the need for food, and tiredness implies the need for rest.


So, we can identify what we lack by what we naturally desire and thus recognize our need. We will discuss this need of mankind in succeeding teachings. However it is important to at least acknowledge its existence and overpowering control over all mankind and to also appreciate that this deep need controls and dictates man’s behavior, both individually and corporately.


IDENTIFYING THE NEED


I have come to the conclusion that the common pursuit of all humans is the pursuit of power, the desire to possess the ability to control one’s circumstances and destiny. I know this may shock you and perhaps cause you to go into denial. Most of us would not want to admit that we desire something as frightening as power, but the reality is that this is the basic desire in every human heart.


When I use the term power, I am not referring to the tyrannical, oppressive, dictatorial control of people, but rather the ability to control one’s own circumstances and environment. It is this lack of control over our daily lives, situations, and circumstances that makes us feel so helpless and live as victims of life. For most of us life is simply a daily struggle as we try to stay afloat in a sea of uncertainty and pressures of all sorts. At the same time we wrestle with a sense of dignified slavery to the institutions of our societies.


Our desire and passion to gain this power to control our circumstances and environment is the motivation for our behavior. We strive to gain positions of influence in order to accumulate financial wealth. We seek the power that money promises us: political and spiritual power, the accumulation of status symbols, superior knowledge, and many other forms of controlling dispositions. I believe this pursuit for power is simply the pursuit of dominion over life.


This human preoccupation and desire for power and dominion is also the fuel for man’s obsession with progressive development in all disciplines including political science, social science, biological science, technical science, spiritual research, economic research, and all other aspects of the human experience. The result of this power search is found in the long human march toward modernization. Over the past 6,000 years mankind has tried and continues to try to control and tame the environment through the inventions of primitive and modern instruments. For example, in science he tries to stop the aging process, improve the quality and length of life, and produce every type of pill to solve a myriad of problems. Ultimately his greatest challenge is to prevent the reality of death.


Yet no matter how far man thinks he has progressed, the ability to achieve dominion and power over life and death on earth still eludes him. In fact, in light of all the uncontrollable social ills, health epidemics, military conflicts, political unrest, economic uncertainties, religious clashes, and destruction of the environment, it seems as if man’s advancement is an evolution, backward in time.


This human failure to achieve control and mastery over his environment and circumstances has left him with a deep desire for a brand new world. The human spirit longs for a world he can control where circumstances are at the mercy of his will. This is the greatest human desire. This is also the source and motivation of religious and spiritual development and practice. In every religion we discover the component that promises power to control circumstances and even death itself. This explains why the deep dark secret practices of witchcraft and spiritism are so attractive to millions; they promise power over people and circumstances.


The human spirit is possessed by this desire to dominate, rule, and control the personal private world and the environment. Man is in search of the ultimate governing power of dominion. The desire for power is inherent in the human spirit. To understand this desire for power, it is necessary to understand the original purpose and design of mankind and the assignment for which he was created.

https://youtu.be/2B4dZLhRicE