Anti-Missionary Challenge Questions – Part 2
A Challenge has been sent out to the Body of Yeshua/Jesus to answer supposedly “unanswerable questions” by Anti-Missionaries who say that Yeshua cannot possibly be the Messiah of Israel. If you have not read “Refuting Deceptions Of The Anti-Missionary Movement Pt. 1” please read it before continuing.
An understanding of PaRDeS – the Hermeneutical Process of scriptural interpretation is required, and if you do not understand this concept you will be lost in some of these answers to the “unanswerable” questions below. The Challenge was sent out on a website called torahislight.com, which is owned and administrated by Leland Best. This man has claimed he once worked for 119 Ministries, and that he challenged them to refute these teachings and they could not. The Facts are, he NEVER worked for 119 Ministries, and he was replied to with answers from 119 in private, which he did not accept.
I personally have answered some of these questions and he did the same to me. He would not accept the answers found in the same Hermeneutical Process, and he refused to refute my answers. He has called me ignorant and foolish, unlearned, and then, then he did what all Hirelings do, he fled… twice. What we will see here, is not only do these people not accept the answers, but they also contradict themselves and do not use “equal weights and measures” for the rules of interpretations. So, with that said, here are the Challenge Questions and Answers to the first 10 on the list, line by line.
Give us your thoughts on these in the comments below. This is open discussion on a challenging topic and we welcome your feedback.
Challenge to Messianic Jews & Hebrew Christians
The Challenge: Simply & honestly answer these questions: … WITHOUT taking anything out of context, mistranslating, or imposing a preconceived notion. (All chapter and verse numbers are according to Christian bibles.)
1. Why does the subject of 2 Sam. 7.14 “commit iniquity,” if, according to Hebrews 1.5, this is Jesus?
Answer- 2Sa 7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. (IF) he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
The Word here is H834
אשׁר
‘ăsher
BDB Definition:
1) (relative participle)
1a) which, who
1b) that which
2) (conjunction)
2a) that (in object clause)
2b) when
2c) since
2d) as
2e) conditional if
Part of Speech: relative particle
conjunction
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number)
Same Word by TWOT Number: 184 Strong’s Number H834
We see here that the text says IF he commits iniquity, he will receive stripes and the rod of men. Even though there was no iniquity found in Him, he still received the rod and stripes for us, fulfilling the scriptures,
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
2. Why does the speaker in Psalms 41.4 say, “I have sinned against Thee,” if, according to John 13.18, this is Jesus?
Answer- This is where PaRDeS comes in. There were many Messniaic forerunners that paint us the overall picture of the Final Messianic fulfillments. Moses, Joshua, David, Joshua the High Priest, and Boaz the Redeemer just to name a few. If we are expecting the Messiah to do every act that all these past Annointed leaders did, we would have a Messiah that is a murderer, guilty of lust, and disobedient at times as David when he did the sensus against the Command of YHVH.
To say that Yeshua was saying he Himself would fulfill every single verse in Psalms 41 by stating a phrase from them, we should expect Him to be a sinner. But when PaRDeS is applied, we see he is likening Himself unto David, and paralleling His own betrayal by Judas to the portrayals of the people who betrayed David. This is what we would consider the Remez, or allegorical level of teaching. Just because Moses said a Prophet like Himself would be raised from among the brethren, he most certainly was not saying that the Prophet would walk in the EXACT SAME STEPS as he walked. If this is the case, the Messiah would not be allowed entry into the land. Now, this Leland Best guy says we can not use PaRDeS in Prophecy, but I would love to see anyone interpret Prophecies found in places like Ezekiel 1, or the Book of Daniel without using PaRDeS. Again, when applied to the Messianic Scriptures, they will not accept the PaRDeS interpretations, especially when it points directly to Yehsua.
3. Why does the speaker in Psalms 69.5 mention his “folly” and his “wrongs” if, according to John 15.25, John 2.17, Romans 15.3, and John 19.28, this is Jesus?
Answer- Again, PaRDeS is required. Obviously, the Psalmist is David, speaking of Himself, yet Yeshua is being compared again to a Messianic King, a spotted foreshadow of the Perfected Messiah. The Messiah would have all the Patriarchs strengths and none of their weaknesses and sin.
4. Why is the speaker in Psalms 69.31 (who we have already established is Jesus) declaring that praise and thanksgiving will please God better than a sacrifice? Of all places for Jesus to bring this up (which would be strange enough in any event), isn’t this the strangest, right when he’s on the cross?
Answer- The Text does not say this, it says Psa 69:31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. Yeshua, a MAN was being offered on the cross, not a bull or oxen. This was the PERFECT scripture to use at this time. Why? Because this sacrifice pleased YHVH more than blood of bulls and oxen. Would it please YHVH to Sacrifice 1, a man, and 2, His Son? YES! This fulfills Isaiah 53.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his bruises we were healed.
Isa 53:6 All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his way; and the Lord gave him up for our sins.
Isa 53:7 And he, because of his affliction, opens not his mouth: he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.
Isa 53:8 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death.
Isa 53:9 And I will give the wicked for his burial, and the rich for his death; for he practised no iniquity, nor craft with his mouth.
Isa 53:10 The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke. If ye can give an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed:
Isa 53:11 the Lord also is pleased to take away from the travail of his soul, to shew him light, and to form him with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins.
Isa 53:12 Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; because his soul was delivered to death: and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquities.
Now the Anti-Missionaries will argue this is speaking of Israel. But in the text, NOTHING is stated about Israel. It is also spoken in the singular all throughout the chapter while speaking of the one afflicted, yet plural when speaking of the transgressors. It says he would be cut off from the land of the living, then moves on to say he would inherit MANY, and cut off the Mighty. How can a dead man cut off the mighty? Only if he is raised from the dead. This also says he practiced no iniquity, proving the above interpretations of the Psalms verses to be correct.
5. Why does God, in Jer. 31:29-30, make a point of stressing that “everyone will die for his own iniquity” -immediately before introducing the new covenant, whereby Jesus will die for everyone else’s iniquity? Isn’t that a rather strange way for the “tutor to lead us to Christ?”
Answer-
Jer 31:29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.
Jer 31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
IN CONTEXT, we see that this New Covenant would bring things we have not yet seen, such as “no longer will every man teach his neighbor, for they all will know YHVH”. This is yet FUTURE. The Christians misunderstand this verse also, thinking the New Covenenant was established at the cross. It was OFFERED at the Cross, but it was not fully confirmed. These Jewish Anti-Missionries understand their own wededing customs don’t they? Or the Passover don’t they? So why is it that Messiah says this?
Mat 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”
Mat 26:27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins.
Mat 26:29 I tell you, I will not drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
In Judaism, this is the left over cup that they poor out for Elijah, but they are ignorant that this cup is left out not for Elijah, but for Yeshua. The Wedding custom is that when the Contract/Covenenat is offered to the Bride, she either accepts the cup of wine or rejects it. If she accepts it, the Bridegroom leaves and goes back to His father’s house to build a room for the Bride and he to live in that is added on to the Father’s House. The Bridegroom does NOT drink the cup at this time, but instead drinks it when he returns for His Bride. While he is gone, she is left to prepare for her Bridegroom. Messiah Yeshua says this.
Joh 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going away to prepare a place for you?
Joh 14:3 And if I am going away to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will welcome you into my presence, so that you may be where I am.
Joh 14:4 You know where I am going, and you know the way.”
The New Covenant will not be confirmed until Yeshua returns for His Bride. At this time, we are in the betrothal stage of the wedding customs. So, to answer the question of why does it say “every man will die for His own sin” yet Yeshua dies for the sins of many? Because this New Covenant has not yet been fully established, and will not be established until the Consumation of the Wedding. Obviously, the Torah has not yet been written on Israel nor Judah’s hearts, if it had, we would all know YHVH, and would not have to teach these Anti-Missionaries their own Prophecies – lol.
6. When does the new covenant of Jer. 31:31 come into effect? If it was 2,000 years ago, why hasn’t the first 3/4 of verse 34 happened yet?
Answer- Refer to last statement above. ^
7. Why will there be sin sacrifices when the messiah comes, when the New Testament is adamant that there won’t be? (Hebrews 9:28; Heb. 10:10,12,14,18; Ezekiel 3:18,19,21,22,25; Ezek.44: 27, 29; Ezek. 45:17,20,22,23,25)
Answer- The answer you seek is in Ezekiel 40-45, which describes the Mellinial Temple. In this Temple, two key things are missing from the Temple Services, the High Priest, and Yom Kippur(Day of Atonement). The Book of Hebrews is connected directly to the Ezekiel 40-45 chapters, because it is all concerning the FULFILLMENT of the Yom Kippur(Day of Atonement) sacrifice in which the High Priest would slaughter a goat to atone for the NATIONAL SINS OF ISRAEL. There are other sacrifices for individual sin, many to be honest. Now, since the Book of Hebrews NEVER SAYS that there will not be sacrifices again, here is what it really says.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of MANY(NOT INDIVIDUAL ATONEMENT); and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest(Yom Kippur) by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest(Yom Kippur) over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Why are there still individual offerings for sin in the Mellinial Temple? Chritians misunderstand this as well. First, according to Heb. 10: 11, these sacrifices NEVER took away sin, and these Anti-Missionaries say the same thing. So again, here they are contradicting even themselves. But just to make sure, we need to see what the sacrifices really were for, so we can see why these individual sacrifices will be continued in the Mellinium. We can also see that these oblations did not stop for Christians after the Crucifixion, seeing in how Paul sacrificed in the Temple long afterwards as well(Acts 21:26, Acts 24:17).
Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year(Yom Kippur) continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a REMEMBRANCE again made of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
8. Why is Torah law going forth from Zion in the messianic age, in the sight of all the nations of the world, instead of Jesus, if the law is a curse and Jesus has fulfilled and replaced it? (Isaiah 2.3, Micah 4.2)
Answer- If the Rabbis would read the NT themselves, they would see that Yeshua in no way, shape, or form removed any portion of the law. Although he did fulfill Yom Kippur and the High Priesthood.
Mat 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I didn’t come to destroy them, but to fulfill them.
Mat 5:18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter or one stroke of a letter will disappear from the Law until everything has been accomplished.
Mat 5:19 So whoever sets aside one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
This idea comes from many Christian Pastors ignorantly misunderstanding Paul’s writings. They miss the warnings of Peter, proving their own ignorance. The Rabbis also show their ignorance by this statement and question as well.
2Pe 3:15 Think of our Lord’s patience as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him.
2Pe 3:16 He speaks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort to their own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scriptures.
2Pe 3:17 And so, dear friends, since you already know these things, continually be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of lawless people, lest you fall from your secure position.
The Messiah did not come to abolish any Torah, he came to MAGNIFY it, or fill it full of meaning, or as he himself says, fulfill. In doing so, fulfilling the words of Isaiah.
Isa 42:20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Isa 42:21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
Isa 42:22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
Isa 42:23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Isa 42:24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
Right after Yeshua says he did not come to take away the Torah, but to fulfill it or magnify it, he goes on to do exactly that.
Mat 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not commit adultery.’
Mat 5:28 But I say to you, anyone who stares at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Now, not only will breaking the letter of Moses get you in trouble, but even the thought process that leads to the broken letter will get you in trouble. Sin starts in the Heart, and if gone unchecked in our thoughts it will manifest through our flesh.
9. Why are the Jews keeping (DOING) the Torah law in the messianic age, if it is a curse and Jesus has fulfilled and replaced it? (Ezek. 37.24)
Answer- I already addressed that Yeshua did not come to abolish anything, so now I will deal with the loaded precept that Paul supposedly deems the Torah/law as a curse. Paul NEVER called the Torah a curse, but he did say that the curse of the Torah is removed for them that believe.
Gal 3:10 Certainly all who depend on the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who does not obey everything that is written in the book of the law!”
Paul is quoting the very Torah that so many say he teaches against. In the Torah, you are blessed if you keep it, and cursed if you break it. Since every man sins, if a man relies SOLELY on the Torah, they will receive the curse of the Torah for transgression. But if they believe in Yeshua, accept His blood atonement, the Curse of the Torah is removed but the blessings still stand, that is why it is written,
Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who is hung on a tree!”
Gal 3:14 This happened in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The Torah only brings a curse if you break it. That is what the term “under the law” means. The only time you are “under the law” is when you break it, but if you believe, which these Anti-Missionaries know very well that believe in a Hebrew mindset means Shema, to hear, understand, and do, then why do they have a problem with this statement? May I suggest they are relying on an ignorant Christian men for their interpretation of the NT scriptures instead of looking at it themselves?
10. Why is no one who is uncircumcised IN THE FLESH allowed to enter the temple in the messianic age, if “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything,” according to Paul? (Gal.5.6, Ezek. 44.7) Whose opinion should I trust, Paul’s or God’s?
Answer- I will answer with a question in pure Hebrew form now……..Who are you going to listen to and trust Rabbi? Paul’s actual; words, or a misunderstood interpretation of Paul’s words by an ignorant man? The Topic in Galatians 5:6 is Salvation, NOT sanctification. So, with that understanding, were the mixed multitudes that left Egypt and received the Commandments at the base of Sanai circumcised when they were SAVED out of Egypt by the Blood of the Lamb? Not to mention, in context, you will find that Paul is not teaching against circumcision according to Moses, but of the Rite of Brit-Millah according to the Pharisees. In which even if a man is already circumcised, he still has to draw blood from the foreskin area. Anyone who has any knowledge of covenants understand that there can be no covenant without the shedding of blood. This is why Paul says,
Gal 5:3 Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire law.
Gal 5:4 Those of you who are trying to be justified by the law have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen away from grace.
What Paul? Are you sure? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! By drawing blood to observe this “law” you are cut off from Grace and Yeshua. How is this possible? Well, in the Rite of the Brit Millah for converts, they are acknoweding that the sacrifice of Yeshua’s blood was not sufficient, and by drawing blood in this Rite they are intering covenant to another “law” that they must obey all of. How does this cut people off from Yeshua? This “law” Paul is speaking of is not the Torah of Moses, but the Oral Torah(Talmud) of the Pharisees. There is no English word to differentiate between the two, so we must be careful to look for context. In Gal. 5:7 Paul says this.
Gal 5:7 You were running beautifully! Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth?
They had stopped “obeying the Truth” and by default, started practicing a lie. This can not possibly be speaking of YHVH’s Torah, but of the Talmud. For it is written,
Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
For more info on this, please reference the commentary on Gal. 5 at the Teshuva Blog at:
http://teshuvaministries.net/galatians-5-was-paul-really-teaching-against-circumcision-according-to-moses/
So, these are the “Top 10” of the Anti-Missionaries’ questions I received as a challenge. We see that many of the questions are loaded, and even contradict even their own understandings at times. They are not hard to answer if one knows the Word of Truth. The question remains though, when will this man Leland Best answer just one of my questions? I am not doing this as an attack against Him, to be mean or anything like that. I am doing this because this man, along with many others are preying on deceived and many times ignorant Christians and Messianics; leading them away from Yeshua.
The reason they are successful many times, is because these young believers(Spiritually immature) do not know PaRDeS at all, and can not answer many questions because of this. The Anti-Missionaries do not teach PaRDeS to them either, because if they did, their theology would be proven fraudulent in no time at all. These men are wolves, and here we are screaming WOLF!
So, these are the”Top Ten”, and I will be giving more answers next week. I pray this has been edifying, Shalom to all who receive.