Joined: 10/3/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,191 Location: São Paulo, Brazil Was thanked: 3 time(s) in 2 post(s)
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Nice post kp! Makes sense in the context of Israel's history, especially the part you mention. For interest sake guys, here's Yada's argument for the Benjamin prophecy that he says is referring to Paul. The lengthy quote can be found in chapter 5 of Yada's Questioning Paul: Quote:Yahshua made yet another prediction regarding Paul. It was the last He would make before returning to heaven. But as was His custom, His preamble provided the information we would need to understand it, so let’s begin there.
"This was already the third appearance by Yahushua (ΙΣ) with the Disciples, after rising from lifelessness. Therefore, while they ate breakfast, Yahushua (ΙΣ) said to Shim’own Kephas, ‘Shim’own, of Yahuchanan, do you love Me more than this?’ He said, ‘Yes, You are aware (oieda) that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed (boskomai – tend to and nourish) My sheep.’
He said to him again, a second time, ‘Shim’own, of Yahuchanan, do you love Me?’ He said, ‘Yes, You recognize (oieda) that I love You.’ He said, ‘Shepherd (poimaino – guide, care for, feed, protect, tend to, and assist) My sheep.’
He said to him a third time, ‘Shim’own, of Yahuchanan, do you love Me?’ Grieved, the Rock said to Him, ‘You are aware of (oieda) everything. You know (ginosko) that I love You.’ Yahushua said to him, ‘Tend to (boskomai – feed and nourish) My sheep.’" (Yahuchanan / John 21:14-17)
Yahshua wasn’t talking to Shim’own about grazing, about sheep, or about animal husbandry. The "sheep" are Yahweh’s "children." Their "food" is "God’s Word: the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms." As a "shepherd" Yahshua was asking Shim’own Kephas "to guide and protect," His flock, keeping His sheep out of harm’s way, while keeping the wolves at bay. And never forget, they were and remain "His" sheep, not Peter’s, and especially not Paul’s, a pope’s, nor a pastor’s.
"Tending" to God’s children, requires a shepherd to be "properly prepared," which means Shim’own would have to diligently study God’s Owner’s Manual, so that he would be able to teach the Heavenly Father’s children what they need to know to survive and grow, and to quickly recognize problems and resolve them appropriately. To properly tend sheep, "the Rock" would have to remain "vigilant," which is to say that he must never let his guard down, lest a diseased animal, unfit food, unhealthy behavior, or predator harm God’s flock. And the best way to do that would be to nurture God’s children on the merit of the Torah, so that they would be equipped to care for their children for generations to come.
Cognizant that Yahshua was telling Shim’own Kephas to fend off false prophets by properly feeding, directing, and protecting His children, regardless of place or race, Yahshua provided this final prophecy before returning home...
"‘Truly (amane), truly (amane), I say (lego) to you, when you were young (neos – newly born), you gird yourself (ezonnues – second person singular indicative of zonnymi – tied the belt of your own garments), and walked (peripateo – traveled and directed your life) whenever and wherever (hotan) you desired (thelo – decided, intended, and determined). But (de) when you grow old (gerasko – when you age), you will extend (ekteneis – stretch forth) your hands and another (allos – a different kind of person), he will gird (zosei – third person singular future of zonnymi, he will fasten a strap around the midst of) you (se), and he will move you (oisei – third person singular future of pheromai – he will bring, carry, guide, or drive you) where (hopou) you do not (ou) intend (thelo – want, decide, desire, or propose).’ ...He said (lego) to him, ‘You should follow My path (akoloutheo moi – follow and accompany Me, and be My disciple; from a, be unified and one with, keleuthos, the Way).’" (Yahuchanan / John 21:17-19)
As was the case with much of what Yahshua told His disciples, Yahuchanan may not have understood this prophecy. If he actually wrote the commentary which was added much later, then he incorrectly assumed, with Yahshua’s crucifixion vivid in his mind, that the reference to "you will extend your hands," was a prophetic portrayal of the nature of Shim’own’s death. But the verb "ekteneis – you will extend" was written in the second person singular tense, "you will extend your hands," not in the third person plural—as in "they will extend your hands," which would be required for crucifixion. (Moreover, since we don’t actually know how Shim’own died, it’s likely that the commentary was added much later by a scribe.)
What Yahshua was saying to Shim’own is that in the act of reaching out to feed His flock, someone would tie him up and take him to a place he did not intend to go. The keys to unraveling how this would occur, and to identifying the perpetrator, are zonnymi, pheromai, and akoloutheo. On the surface they mean "gird," "move," and "follow," respectively. But to understand the prophecy, we will have to dig a little deeper.
Zonnymi, translated "gird," is from zygos, which means "to tie together and to yoke, to apply a burden, or to enslave." It was used by Paul to speak of the "yoke of the Torah being an unbearable burden." And he will soon be so bold to declare that the Torah "enslaves." Remember Acts 15:10: "Now therefore, who submits a test and attempts to trap God, placing (epitithemai) a yoke (zygos) upon the neck of the Disciples which neither we nor our fathers had the ability to endure (bastazo – accept, bear, and carry)?" (Acts 15:10) The fact that Yahshua’s statement was delivered in the third person singular, it is describing one particular individual who would place a yoke upon Peter. Only one person did this: Paul.
Similarly, pheromai, "he will move you," was transcribed in the third person singular, as oisei. One individual in Peter’s future was able to drag "the Rock" to a place Peter had not intended. After pushing Shim’own out of Antioch, and driving him back to Yaruwshalaym, Sha’uwl’s rhetoric and force of personality caused Shim’own to cower as he had before, and even retreat, leaving Yahshua’s flock to be devoured by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Even Peter’s comments regarding Paul’s epistles were used in a way "the Rock" never intended. Rather than being used to warn God’s sheep to be on their guard lest Paul’s epistles lead them to their own demise, Christendom twisted what Peter wrote to infer that Paul’s letters were Scripture. Peter had been taken to a place he did not intend to go.
As a compound of a, "signifying unity and being part of," and keleuthos, "the Way," Yahshua used akoloutheo to tell Peter to "Following The Way"—the narrow path to God described by Yahshua as being delineated within the Torah. Written as akolouoei, it was rendered in the second person singular present active imperative tense. Second person singular indicates "you," and thus Yahshua was addressing Shim’own to the exclusion of others. The use of the present active tense indicates that He wanted Peter specifically to follow The Way right now, at this very instant, and never stop. The imperative mood was deployed to express that this was a command, an earnest desire, and supportive advice issued within the context of freewill, and thus in full recognition that Shim’own’s volition was in play.
Yahshua wanted "the Rock" to "Follow His Way" to the Father—not Paul’s way of faith which was different (by his own admission) and led in the opposite direction.
Should you wonder why I referred to Paul as "a wolf in sheep’s clothing," let’s turn our attention to Genesis 49:27, where Yahweh spoke about Sha’uwl, the man who has become the most infamous member of Benjamin’s tribe.
But first, let’s affirm that Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin. The wolf in sheep’s clothing wrote: "I say therefore, that God (ΘΣ) has not (ue) pushed away, rejected, or repudiated (apotheomai) His people (laos – nation or common individuals). May it never be (ue genoito). For indeed (gar), I am an Israelite (Israelites – transliteration of Hebrew Yisra’el), from (ek – out of) the seed (sperma – semen singular) of Abraham (‘Abraam – a transliteration of the Hebrew ‘Abraham), from the tribe (phyle) of Benjamin (Beniamin – a transliteration of the Hebrew Benyamyn)." (Romans 11:1)
While the connection to Benjamin was all we were looking for, I’d be remiss if I didn’t correct Paul’s erroneous statements. God rejected Yisra’el in Hosea, divorcing them for infidelity. And He has repudiated them countless times in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms for their false teachings and observances of pagan rites. While Yahweh and Yahuwdym will be reconciled, Paul’s "may it never be" is in conflict with the Scriptural testimony. Further, Yahuwdym were supposed to be a people set-apart unto Yahweh, making them the antithesis of "laos – common."
So since we know that Paul has once again twisted God’s word, it is incumbent upon us to determine why. And in this case, the reason is obvious. Paul’s theory is: since God has not rejected or repudiated His people (at least according to Paul), it serves to reason that He has not rejected or repudiated "me," "for indeed I am an Israelite." Moreover, there is even a twinge of a messianic complex being revealed here with Paul saying that that he is "from the seed (singular) of Abraham," a distinction that would otherwise be redundant to "Israelite." The Messianic nature of the seed of Abraham will be twisted in the third and fourth chapters of Galatians as Satan’s Messiah strives to separate Yahshua from the Torah.
Now for Yahweh’s prediction: "Benjamin (benyamyn) viciously tears apart, mangles, kills, and devours (tarap – creates his food by tearing and plucking the life out of his victim) like a wolf (za’eb – a yellow predatory animal), in (ba) the morning (boqer – early part of the day) devouring (‘akal – feeding upon) his prey (‘ad), and in the evening (‘ereb – during the dark of night and end of the day) he divides and destroys (halaq – apportions, assigns, distributes that which they have harmed and ruined) that which has been spoiled (salal – possessions of value, plunder, and prey)." (Genesis 49:27)
The experts say that Benyamyn is a compound of ben, meaning son, and yamyn, conveying either "right, right hand, or south." As such, we might see this connotation reflected in Sha’uwl’s attempt to position himself as "God’s right hand man." Or perhaps, this could be a reference to Paul leading his flock—Christians—south, and back into the wilderness. And it has become obvious that Sha’uwl, a man named after She’owl, served as Satan’s right-hand.
But I also see yam in the name’s root. Yam is the Hebrew word for "sea," and it is symbolic of Gowym, as opposed to Yahuwdym, who are associated with the "’erets – land." After all, it is hard to miss Paul’s repetitive and braggadocios claim of dominion over Gentiles.
Tarap is a precisely prophetic portrayal of what Sha’uwl would do to the Torah, and to his victims. He "tore it apart," "mangling" what God actually said, "ripping the life out of" the Torah which ultimately lead to the "death" of countless Christian souls. Paul’s "food" which Christians "devoured," came from the "rotting and neglected carcass" of the Word of God which he had "viciously attacked and torn apart."
And like a za’eb, Paul was cunning as a wolf. He was a "predator" masquerading as the Shepherd’s "right hand," while dressed as one of His sheep, to "pluck" souls away from the flock.
"Boqer – in the morning," meaning "the first part of the day," provides two interesting insights. First, Paul was the first to mangle Yahshua’s message. As Thomas Jefferson wrote: "Paul was the great Coryphaeus (voice and leader of the chorus), and the first corrupter of the doctrines of ‘Jesus.’" (From Jefferson’s letter to W. Short (Published in The Great Thoughts by George Seldes (Ballantine Books, 1985, page 208)))
Second, Paul’s treachery occurred at the very beginning of the fifth day of human history, as measured from the fall of Adam. So this timing is indicative of his timing. And third, the "morning" reference adroitly connects Yahshua’s "breakfast" conversation in which the prophecy warning about Paul’s predatory practices was revealed.
‘Akal, rendered "devouring," and meaning "to eat and feed upon," in addition to "to consume, ruin, and destroy something valuable," is an even more exacting fit for Yahshua’s prediction. It was in the act of feeding God’s sheep that Paul viciously savaged and devoured Peter. Likewise, Yahweh is not speaking of "wolves and their prey" in a literal sense, but instead of "predators" and their "victims," His "sheep."
‘Ereb, translated "evening," is indistinguishable in the text from ‘arab, which means "desolate and lifeless" in addition to "making a pledge which exchanges one thing for another." Paul’s lifeless pledge was that "belief in his Gospel of Grace" replaced "trusting the Torah." And lest we forget, Sha’uwl’s credibility is derived from his mythical journey to Arabia.
Halaq doesn’t just mean "divides and destroys." It also speaks of someone who is a "smooth talker," and a "slick operator," as well as of the "slippery slope" they lead their victims down to their "ruin." Halaq is "flattery, words that reflect illegitimate praise." And it describes the "use of seductive words which are deployed to persuade people in a suggestive manner." Paul was the poster child for halaq.
Additionally, halaq is a "smooth stone used as an impromptu religious altar, and as a stand-in for an imaginary god." Grace, Gratia, and Charis fit this bogus bill.
And that leaves us with "salal – the spoils," the victims and their possessions. At the end of the day, under the cover of darkness, Paul’s legacy, the Christian Church, divvies up what they have been able to confiscate from the lives of those they have destroyed.
So it is hard to miss the connections between Paul and Benjamin, and between Paul and the destructive wolf, as well as between Yahweh’s predictive description and Yahshua’s prophetic warning. Benjamin was not only the last name on Yahweh’s list, and the last prophecy in Genesis, the reference to Sha’uwl was the last prediction Yahshua would make before He returned to heaven.
There is but one man in all of human history who fits Yahweh’s and Yahshua’s prophecies: Sha’uwl.
The reason I said that Yahshua’s prophetic warning was the last He would make before returning home, is that from heaven, Yahshua warned Yahuchanan about the wannabe Apostle. Writing to the Called-Out Assembly in Ephesus, the place where Yahuchanan’s and Sha’uwl’s footsteps and writings crossed paths, the risen Messiyah said:
"I know that you cannot possibly accept, tolerate, or endure (ou dynamai bastazo – haven’t the will, ability, or state of mind to take up with, walk along side of, lift up or carry forward (i.e., advance or promote)) those who think errantly, those who are wrong, injurious, pernicious, destructive, or baneful (kakos – are incorrect, wicked, evil, harmful, noisome, morally corrupt, diseased, culpable, mischievous, demonic, or hurtful). And you have observed and objectively tested (peirazo – scrutinized, examined through enquiry) those who claim and maintain (phasko – say, affirm, profess, declare, promise, or preach) of themselves (eautous) that they are (eimi) Apostles (apostolos – someone who is prepared and sent forth) but are not. And you have found them (heurisko – examined, scrutinized, come to understand them, and discovered through closely observing them that they are) false, deceitful liars (pseudes – are pretending to be something they are not, they are erroneous deceivers)." (Revelation 2:2)
While Revelation is a prophetic book, Yahshua’s commendation was written in the present and past tense. And that is significant because Yahuchanan scribed Revelation in 69CE, seven years after Sha’uwl wrote his letter to the Ephesians, and two years after the wannabe Apostle’s death. And considering the fact that Paul and his traveling companions were the only men who claimed to be Apostles in Ephesus during this short span of time, Yahshua was calling Sha’uwl an "errant, demonic, deceitful, charlatan."
Even Yahshua’s parting comments paralleled things we have read pertaining to Paul. "And you have loyal steadfastness and enduring consistency (hupomone) and have endured (bastazo) through My name. You have worked hard (kopiao) and have not grown tired." (Revelation 2:3)
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