H3478

ישׂראל

yiśrâ'êl

yis-raw-ale'

From H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: - Israel.  (see and compare with keyword s.b.).

I am one for eradicating false theology and getting people to examine their beliefs from the scriptures and history.  Earlier today I heard of some “church fathers”.  This phrase is generally used in reference to “Christian” writers of post 300 A.D. Even up to 1500+ A.D.

   The fact is, if the “Church” is that of Christ and the Apostles, then anyone post 100 A.D. cannot be its “father”. 

They can be of a new false church with self proclaimed inherited theology from “the Church of Rome” as started by Constantine and the like.  This “Church” is commonly used to replace the one and teachings of God’s (Yahweh’s) church as continued by the Apostles. 

The word “Church” appears 80 times in 79 verses and “churches” 36 in the KJV bible and all are in the New Testament section as written in Greek.  Funny how it nor its equivalent does not appear in the Old Testament, God or His prophets’ writings!  Sometimes it is translated assembly as in Acts 19:32, 39, 41 [Act 19:32  Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly¹⁵⁷⁷ was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together].

According to the Strong’s concordance, the Greek word is G1577 ἐκκλησία ekklēsia ek-klay-see'-ah = a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly, church.

[Note the denominational interpretation of its meaning by “or saints in heaven”.  Who says there are any so called saints in heaven (especially dead humans nominated by the Catholic’s) when we are i.e. told Joh 3:13  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.   Act 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.  Act 2:34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.  Also that judgement day is yet to come and comes after Yahoshua’s (Jesus’) second coming.]

The English translators of the 16^th century knowing only of Churches as places of worship under their system, wrongly called the followers of  Yahoshua (Some call  Jesus) the church.  It is wrong because it is the same word used for the Catholic denomination of that time. In previous articles called Jew and Gentile scriptures and Acts 11-19 it was shown what these believers practiced, where and when they met etc.  (for a copy contact me).  Like Andrew and Philip in John 1:41, 45, they were Israelites who believed Yahoshua was the promised Messiah of their scriptures.  They were called “sect of the Nazarenes:” (Act 24:5) or followers of “the way” i.e.  Act 24:14

The literal meaning of ekklesia refers to a called out group.  The assembly that was in the wilderness with Moses.  See Num 14:5   Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.  Num 10:3  And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Just like Yahoshua found and called His disciples (i.e. Mat 4:19; Mar 2:14) and His father Yahweh called out the descendants of Israel from Egypt.  So when we see the word “church” in our bibles it does not refer to a building, today’s Protestant denominations nor the Catholic church who assumed the title they stole from the followers of Yahoshua (Jesus to most).  So let us see what else scriptures says of this called out group. 

1. Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (singular) ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [by the way, in short, Peter’s Hebrew name meant “rock” not that the church would be built on him.  It is built on Christ!]

2. Act 7:35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. Act 7:36  He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. Act 7:37  This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. (Speaking of Yahoshua (Jesus).   Act 7:38  This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:   It is the same church / called out congregation (assembly) started by His father Yahweh God with Moses.  Let us trace this called out to be holy people separate from the unholy of the rest of world.

3. Deu 4:5-14 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as Yahweh God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Deu 4:6  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Deu 4:7  For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as Yahweh our God is in all things that we call upon him for? Deu 4:8  And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Deu 4:9  Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Deu 4:10  Specially the day that thou stoodest before Yahweh God in Horeb, when Yahweh  said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. Deu 4:11  And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. Deu 4:12  And Yahweh spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. Deu 4:13  And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. Deu 4:14  And Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.  Deu 26:18  And Yahweh hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; Deu 26:19  And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto Yahwweh thy God, as he hath spoken.

4. His assembly meet in certain places chosen by Him and carrying His name: Deu 12:5 But unto the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

5. They meet generally at a certain weekly time as a sign of recognition Exo 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Exo 31:14  Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off.

6. After Yahoshua’s death, the apostles in Jerusalem became the elders of the Messiah believing called out people / assembly (Messianic) Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Isa 49:6  And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Isa 60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Luk 2:32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:

7. What God’s people can expect from Him if they obey and keep His instructions to them:

      Exo 33:16  For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.  Lev 26:12  And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

8. Anyone can be His people by choosing to join themselves to and keep His everlasting instructions.

      Act 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Act 10:35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

      Act 3:25  Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Num 9:14  And if a stranger (Gentile) shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land. Num 15:15  One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. Num 15:29  Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

9. Graffed in: Rom 11:24  For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? Rom 11:1  I say then, Hath God cast away his people (Israelites)? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Rom 11:2  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

10. What non birthright individuals did in the initial New Testament, joined the Israelites in their synagogue congregations learning direct from their Torah scriptures. Act 13:42  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Act 13:43  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. Act 13:44  And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. [proselytes⁴³³⁹  G4339 προσήλυτος  prosēlutos  pros-ah'-loo-tosFrom the alternate of G4334; an arriver from a foreign region, that is, (specifically) an acceder (convert) to Judaism (“proselyte”): - proselyte.  [But Paul said and the Apostles at Jerusalem agreed, they did not have to get circumcised Acts 15]

11. The early congregations were therefore Gentiles joining themselves into the olive tree of the Hebrew apostles “Church / assembly” & teachings which consisted of keeping the Torah (Old Testament bible) and accepting Yahoshua as the Messiah. From the 12 apostles the numbers grew first in Acts 2:41 and more later as teachings spread.

      Act 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (at His second coming judgment if the stay in the way Not by mere baptism].

      1Co 4:17  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord,    

      who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every

      church (synagogue as proved in previous articles). The twelve apostles, 3,000 convertees in Acts 2 and    

      Paul were not Christians as named by the heathen in Acts 11:26.  They were and referred to themselves

      by the same name as those in the assembly (Church) in wilderness with Moses, Hebrews.  See 2Co 11:22     

      and Act 6:1  “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a

      murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews....”

So are you in this called out congregation or a Greek or Latin “Church”? You as a believing individual is the church.  You may think you are the only one keeping Yahweh’s true ways as did Elisha in the days of king Ahab and Jezebeel; but likewise as God had a further 7,000 who had not followed the rest of the country’s religious (1king 19:18) He may also have others unknown to you.  Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  So Yahweh’s church may be as small as two or three people assembling in His name following His Torah not necessarily a big denomination.  Since Yahweh God only has ONE church, the origin and theology of denominations of today may be said to be demon nominated!

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I do not know if any or how much of the following copied article is true.  It was sent to me this week and I’m simply sharing for your discernment.  I would add here my view that almost all “churches” are not holy places of Yahweh for one fact.  They all have dead bodies in coffins brought into them for burial services.  God clearly states in His scriptures dead and infectious bodies defile any place making it unholy.  They have to be spiritually cleansed and the practice of bringing coffins into churches stopped.  The cathedrals are worst.  They have dead bodies actually buried in or under the church.  Priests were also not permitted to bury persons except for their immediate family.  The appended article (NOT MINE) may give the impression one should not attend church. I disagree.  One should attend the right church which has God’s name and keeps His commandments.  He instituted the Temple for such a purpose; holy convocations onto Him.

 The Origin of the Word "church" Part 1: The Word that Changed the World

One paragraph: To change the true meaning and function of the Greek word “ekklesia” to our English word “church” strengthened the clergy system and their power over the people. The statement, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” has been the downfall and corruption of body ministry. The original intent was relational and not institutional. For in all the writings of the first and second century we do not find an “institutional” treatment of "ekklesia."

Do you think that the word "church" is in the original scriptures (Bible)? It's not. The name for a group of believers in the Greek New Testament is 'ekklesia'.

Nowhere in the New Testament does the Greek word ekklesia (which our modern translations usually render as "church") ever refer to a building or a denomination of people that we presently call a "church." It simply means a group of people.  The word ekklesia simply means an "assembly" or "congregation" or "group" and this is the way it should always be rendered and understood in English.

What about "church"? What does the word really mean? Satan has actually caused many of the intellectuals who devise our dictionaries to state that the word "church" comes from the Greek word "kyrios" which means "Lord" and that "church" means "Lord’s House." They state it means either a building or the name of the denomination where people will find the "Lord".

The word "church" is derived from "Circe" (or Kirke).

The name "Circe" is well known by classical historians. And what was "circe" or "kirke"?

This is where God gives His people a real clue regarding His opinion of "churches".

In his classical study, "The Myth of Kirke", Robert Brown gives extensive meanings in the ancient Greek world and concludes that Circe's simple meaning is "Circle" or "Circular". But it not only referred to a building or monument that was "circular", but one of its main meanings was its reference to the ancient Goddess "Kirke" or "Circe”.

Circe was the great heathen daughter of the Sun God, who had the power to turn men into animals. She also met Ulysses returning from the Trojan War and had an adulterous relationship with him that produced, as one of the children, Latinus, the supposed founder of the Latin race. Latin is another way of saying 'Satan'.

And how is Circe pictured in the classical accounts? She is shown holding a golden cup in her hand mixed with wine and drugs through which she controlled the kings of the world (among whom was supposed to be Ulysses).

Does this mean we should just sit alone and read the Bible? No! The Bible says, "Do not forsake the Ekklesia". You need fellowship with other true believers. Just make sure that your gathering together is a real Ecclesia, not just an idolatrous "Circe".

Do you know what these "Churches" (that is, these "Circes" named after the Great Whore) have as identifying signs to show they are a "church"? For almost a millennium they have had a steeple or spire placed on top of their buildings of worship. In Europe near the start of the Crusades, the people learned to make such spires and put them on their places of worship to mimic the minarets of the Muslims from which the Musseins (the men in the tower) would call the faithful of Islam to prayer. However, not preferring the human voice to call the faithful as in Islam, the Europeans put bells (that is, Baals) in their newly created spires and called them "belltowers." And why did they come to a point on top? This was to indicate that this was a tower that had the appearance of reaching up to heaven. Such a pointed shape at the top gave the illusion of a tower vanishing into the heavens. It was to give the impression to the people that this is the place that reaches up to heaven and that the people themselves can attain heaven by coming into the place of the tower. In the Bible, however, the first time people on the earth wanted to make such a tower that looked like it reached to heaven, God got angry with them.  (Tower of Babel)

The Deceptions of Satan the Devil

Look at the churches that call themselves "Christian" today. There are presently well over a billion people on earth who denominate themselves as "Christians." That is a great many people. But what did Christ Jesus say about "the many" who would acknowledge Christ as their Lord and Master? He said: "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ [saying that Christ was truly the real Christ]; and shall deceive many" Matthew 24:5). Since Satan’s job is to deceive the world (Revelation 12:9), it looks like he has done his job well because Christ Jesus himself said that "the many" would indeed be deceived. So, one can know for a fact, that the many denominations who make up "the many who claim Christ as their Lord and Savior are "deceived" because Christ said they would be. But a deceived person does not know he or she is deceived. Most people who are deceived are deceived because they consider Satan and his ministers to be like angels of light, like the ministers of righteousness (II Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan has got people to think they are not deceived when Christ said that they are (Matthew 24:5). 

In response to Peter’s confession to Jesus in Matthew 16:16 that, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God". Jesus then says in Matthew 16:18, "On this rock I will build My church." To whom was this church to belong? "My" is possessive, which shows the church belongs to Jesus. How many churches did Jesus say He was going to build? He said He was going to build "My church", which is singular not plural. There is only one true church because the Lord only promised to build His one church. In the Bible the word "church" never refers to a material building, but to the people. (Following His Father’s commandments)

Here are the specific ways that I believe 'church buildings' damage and ruin Christianity: Church buildings completely scramble our concept of what the "church" is. Many of us start to think of it as a BUILDING - instead of actual PEOPLE. We start to talk about "going to church" instead of realizing that "We ARE the church". This often leads to Christians leading two separate lives - their 'church' life and their "rest of the week" life. What a disaster! It also leads to all kinds of foolishness - such as referring to our building as 'The House of God' and treating it as 'holy', etc. No end of confusion and deception revolve around all of this. (4) The building is really the center of an entire mindset of "Religion" and error - dating from the Roman takeover of the church 1700 years ago. It is the CENTERPIECE of the deception. (5) The very concept of separated, walled-off congregations - each in its own little 'box' - lends itself to denominations and divisions and sects. Separate church buildings are a very big factor in DIVIDING the Body of Christ today. If we can get out of the buildings, there will be far more unity. How clever the devil is.