This week’s Torah portion is called “Bamidbar”, which means in Hebrew, “In The Wilderness”. Notice the theme of being in the wilderness in the following passages. How does this apply to you today? How could it apply in the future?
If you have read our testimony found on our home page, ‘Walk His Way’, as to how Abba (Father God) called us out of our very own proverbial Egypt or Babylon to follow His cloud so to speak wherever He leads us, then you know He has incorporated the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ also known as the ‘Feast of In-Gathering’ into our journey. In the beginning of this peculiar quest, my husband and I had an elementary understanding of this prophetic and important feast of Yahweh. I certainly did not know then what I know now and am so grateful His Spirit (Ruach) continues to teach us more and more about Him and His way the more we surrender the lies we once believed and instead embrace His truth.
I must warn you though it is far harder to surrender a lie than it is to embrace the truth.
It is far harder to surrender a lie than it is to embrace the truth.
The Gathering
Did you know what most refer to as “the rapture” is more accurately referred to as the gathering throughout Scriptures? Here are a few examples:
To read more about gathering, study these verses: Deuteronomy 30:3-4; 1 Chronicles 16:35; Nehemiah 1:9; Psalms 106:47; 107:2-3; 147:2; Isaiah 11:11-12; 43:5; 56:8; Jeremiah 29:14; 31:8,10; 32:37; Ezekiel 11:17; 20:34,41; 28:25; 34:13; 37:21; 39:27-28; Hosea 8:10; Micah 2:12; Zephaniah 3:20; Zechariah 10:10.
Now that we have established the more accurate terminology is referred to as the gathering of the saints verses the not once mentioned word of the rapture according to Scripture, we can investigate where believers are gathered to.
All of YHVH’s Feasts are His Holy Holidays and prophetic in nature. The Spring feasts being Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and even Pentecost/Shavuot were already fulfilled in Yeshua/Jesus’s first coming while the Fall feasts of YHVH will be fulfilled at His second coming. It is no coincidence the Bible connects the gathering with the ‘Feast of Ingathering’ for that is when they would rejoice in the gathering of their harvest and celebrate their freedom from sin and a corrupt culture such as their freedom from Egypt (Exodus 23:16; 34:23; Leviticus 23:33-44). Remember, ‘Feast of Ingathering’ is also referred to as ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ or ‘Sukkot’ in Hebrew.
Where Are Believers Gathered To?
Scripture makes it very clear where we are gathered to upon Yeshua’s second coming. At the last trumpet, the graves will open, the sleeping saints or sleeping beauties if you will, shall awake..shall be resurrected when the Prince returns, and the saints who endured the horrible persecutions of the tribulation shall be gathered to a specific location where Yeshua, the Prince, will rule and reign along with His saints (Matthew 24-26; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Peter 3; Revelation 11; 14; 20).
Contrary, to popular modern doctrines of mainstream Christianity, we aren’t whisked away to heaven at Yeshua’s return with the ‘to hell with ya’ll mentality’, although we do meet Yeshua in the air (I Thessalonians 4:17), we are gathered to…
To read more verses about where we are gathered to, study Psalms 2:6; 48:1-2; 74:2; 78:68; 87:1-7; 102:16; 125:1; 132:13-14; Isaiah 2:3; 59:20; Jeremiah 3:14-18; Micah 4:2, as some examples. If you only pick one of these to follow up, read Jeremiah 3:14-18.
So where are we gathered to at Yeshua’s return?
Is it heaven? Where are verses stating we are raptured to heaven? There is none. Instead, Scriptures state very clearly we are gathered to..
MOUNT ZION, JERUSALEM, ISRAEL.
Shalom and Amen.
Carrie R. Turner
The Holy Scriptures give us a few traits or clues to beware of when discerning the Anti-Messiah or Anti-Christ spirit. As we sojourn the halls of various places of worship, carry on conversations with others, or peruse social media, be on the look out for any of these 5 traits:
Learned something new this week. The Ruach (Holy Spirit) continues to blow me away as He reveals more and more particularly about the Feast of Tabernacles. That feast has been a central theme to our journey as He takes us from new land to land.
In the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as Sukkot in Hebrew, a ‘lulav’ was waived while the people rejoiced much like a flag in today’s worship services. The lulav consists of three different tree branches all woven together. Each branch has symbolism and meaning, but more on that to come…
Amazingly, the 1st place Abba (Father in Hebrew) took us to upon calling us to follow Him was Myrtle Beach, which matches the 1st myrtle branch in the ‘lulav’. Then, after 18 months, He led us to Kemah, Texas, which not only means ‘tabernacle’, but has palm trees everywhere matching the 2nd piece of the ‘lulav’. Makes me believe the final destination will be connected with the 3rd piece of the ‘lulav’ which is the willow tree. I wonder where that will be… In His time and His way, He will reveal it. In the meantime, we rejoice where we are at all the while learning and growing more as His servants. It was neat to discover too how the palms used just before Passover is connected to Sukkot (see post below).
Have a great weekend and Shabbat Shalom! 🌴
This upcoming Sunday is Palm Sunday according to Christian tradition. Did you know when the Jewish people used palms shouting, “Hosanna” as Jesus/Yeshua rode the donkey several days before becoming Passover’s sacrificial lamb, that they were recognizing Him as the Messiah (John 12)? They had witnessed many miracles including the resurrection of Lazarus and so they believed Yeshua/Jesus was the Messiah. However, the Pharisees or religious leaders of that day, were blinded by their own religious doctrines and interpretations of the Scriptures and quickly took action to hide the truth from the Jewish and Gentile people.
In the Feast of Tabernacles, the last fall Feast of the LORD (Lev.23), the Israelites would wave the ‘lulav’, which is a branch made up of a myrtle tree, a palm tree, and willow tree bound together. In that feast, also known as ‘Sukkot’, the Israelites are commanded to rejoice and celebrate the arrival/return of Messiah. They would sing praises shouting “Hosanna” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHVH”. Many scholars have notated that Jesus/Yeshua was most likely born during the fall Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot , according to all the Biblical facts provided, and will one fine day return during Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot/FOT also represents the millenial kingdom reign of Yeshua, the Messiah.
Isaiah 53 fortold the Messiah as a gentle, humble servant or lamb in His first coming, while Isaiah 65-66, Zechariah 14, and numerous other passages including the Book of Revelation portray Messiah returning as a fierce and just lion in His second coming.
The religious leaders back then expected the Messiah to be more like a roaring lion making all things right and holy, but instead He was a loving lamb. Today, many religious leaders portray the Messiah as a loving, hyper-grace lamb chop, who doesn’t mind sin, when in reality, according to Scripture, He will return as a roaring lion correcting, judging, and revenging according to what He calls sin verses holiness while making all things right.
May we continue to seek Him and His Word for ourselves so we are also not deceived by these latter days religious leader’s teachings and thereby unable to know our Messiah nor recognize His holy and just judgment at His return to rule and reign.
#Feasts #Passover #Sukkot #FeastofTabernacles #PalmSunday #Easter #palms #Messiah
For some, the topic of prophecy is uncomfortable let alone receiving or learning of specific details to manifest in the near or distant future. In this teaching, Carrie shares some of her experiences in the prophetic while comparing it to Scripture. You’ll want to grab your Bible, a pen and paper for this one! #prophecy #prophets #HearingGod #details #specifics #timeframe #prophecies #tsunami #judgment #abortion #dreams #visions #impressions #word #thussaiththeLORD
From heartache to a heart full of love, Carrie shares her testimony.
(Recorded Jan 9, 2019) In this follow up recording from the previous one (see ‘The Jesus Jackpot 777’), Carrie shares a specific revelation regarding the 3rd Trumpet, Wormwood. #Wormwood #GreatShaking #prophecy #3rdtrumpet
As if all that wasn’t enough, please understand we must refrain from not only taking verses out of context, but from reading them through a Western/Greek perspective when they are written by Messianic Jews for Peter warns many will twist Paul’s word and lead people to lawlessness (2 Peter 3:14-18). Also, ponder the fact that when Yeshua returns to reign on earth, He teaches us the laws of God (see Isaiah 2, Micah 4) and we keep the feasts of the Lord (see Zechariah 14) and God’s laws, even the sacrifices, are reinstated (see Ezekiel 36+). So, knowing all this, why would the majority of Scripture advocate the importance of honoring our Heavenly Father by obeying His Voice, His written word, His Torah, but then say in this era it is no longer relevant, but when He returns it will be?
Over and over again all throughout the books of the prophets, the Spirit of Yah would fall on and cause the prophets to implore the Israelites (both houses, the north and the south), to repent, to turn back to following the way God/Yah instructed. But the Israelites (and “strangers” within their group see Exodus 12:49; Numbers 15:15) refused to obey His Voice -His Word- His Torah; rather, they committed adultery by doing what THEY thought was best – their OWN theology – their OWN doctrines instead of heeding to the Torah, the Word. They continually tweeked their faith or religion or abandoned it all together to fit their own deceived hearts, their own agendas, their own ideologies. Historically, Jews have added to God’s laws while Christians subtract from them (Deut 4:2; 12:32). Consequently and finally, because of their ongoing adulterous ways, Yah/God divorced Israel (Isaiah 50) after many many years of patiently beckoning them to honor Him and their covenant (marriage vows). Per the Torah (Deut 24) once a woman (Israel) is cut off from her Husband (God) through a certificate of divorce, due to having been with another (i.e. adultery – their false doctrines/false gods or remarriage in general), she (Israel) cannot remarry nor go back to her original husband. For as long as the ex-husband lives, then she is bound to his law (Deut 24; Romans 7:1-2). But once he dies, the woman, per the Torah, is free to remarry (Romans 7:3). Having found fault with THEM (meaning Israel – see Hebrews 8:8) not His covenant/Torah/law, the sovereign, but merciful Yah/God provided His Son, God in the flesh, the husband, to die so that the previously divorced adulterer Israel could eventually remarry or come back into covenant with Yah/God. Hence, why Yeshua/Jesus, the Living Word, the Torah in the flesh (John 1), perfectly lived out God’s Instructions/law and and even obeyed the law unto the point of death by dying for the LAWLESS ways (sin – see 1 John 3:4) of His adulterous ex-wife and world in general (John 3:16-21). When Yeshua, the perfect Passover Lamb of God died (lots of metaphors in the Scriptures), Yah/God/Yeshua provided away for Israel to again be in covenant with Yah/God for now upon the former husband dying, the x-wife (so to speak) being Israel could now be engaged/betrothed/eventually marry Yah again and be in a renewed covenant with Him (see Romans 7:1-12)! HalleluYah!
God/Yah, in His all-knowing ways and graciousness, made a way for His bride to remain in covenant with Him by providing the promise, like an spiritual engagement ring, or symbol, that being the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Grace, an empowering Spirit to remind her and counsel her in Yah’s desires, bringing His bride into a deeper, intimate, submissive covenant with Him for the job of the Spirit is to remind and bring His bride into all truth (John 14:15-18; 1 John 2:24-27), into a greater knowing of her beloved by causing her to honor their covenant..causing her to walk in His statutes..His laws…His Torah..His covenant vows (see Ezekiel 36:27; Jeremiah 31:33; John 14:15-21; Romans 7:4-6; Romans 8:1-10; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:17-30; Hebrews 10:26-32; James 1:22-25; 1 John 1:4-7; 3:18, 24, 4:12-13; 5:3). After all, Scripture and Yeshua reveal His ways are not too hard or burdensome, but were designed for their/our own good.. for their own wisdom and righteousness (Deuteronomy 5:29; 6:24-25; 10:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 1 John 5:3). This is why it says there is no fear in love on judgment day (1 John 4:17-19) because the truth, being God’s Torah, His Word (Psalm 119:142; John 17:17), is hopefully being perfected in us, sanctifying us, through our obedience to it as the Spirit highlights more and more intimate truths to us causing us to surrender and cheerfully give of ourselves (2 Corinthians 9:6-15) in obedience. This, dear brothers and sisters, is what Yeshua/Jesus meant when He said the Father is looking for worshippers of Spirit (John 3:3-8) and truth (Psalm 119:142). He made a way for us to live righteously, the way He intended in covenant with Him, but graciously provided a better “promise” (Acts 1:4-8; Hebrews 8:6) to teach us and empower us to do so!
As stated earlier, there will indeed be a great shaking for we fail to “know” (Jeremiah 9:3,13-16; Hosea 4:6) our Messiah, our God, and fail to love Him even after He offered his abundant and amazing grace. Incidentally, notice in Jeremiah 9:15, the Lord reveals He will send forth Wormwood and verses 13-14 tell us why. Where else do we learn about ‘Wormwood’? Revelation 8:10-11.
The Spirit will cause us to grow in an intimate and reproducing relationship with Him..fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5) for the two will become one. The husband/wife, physical/spiritual, heaven/earth, God/His Son, Spirit/Truth, House of Israel/House of Judah, Gentile/Jew, the two olive trees, are one. There are always atleast 2 witnesses, per the Torah, for better or worse. What does the world witness in your life? Are we like the Jews only having the truth/Torah, but no Spirit, or are we like the typical Christian, having a “spirit” without the truth/Torah? The two are one and both will testify against us one day, for better or worse. You cannot add to the law like the Jews nor subtract from it like the Christians (Deut 4:2; 12:32). May we come into a greater depth recognizing we are grafted-in to the Commonwealth of Israel and the fruit as worshippers of spirit and truth is to provoke not just others to want an authentic relationship with Yah through Yeshua, but to provoke our elder brother Judah to also want an intimate and obedient relationship with Yeshua, The Messiah (Romans 11).
So long as some continue to twist Paul’s words, a Messianic Jew, by the way, false teachers pave their own destruction while leading others to the error of the lawless/torah-less (2 Peter 3:14-18), they will never provoke the Jews to be jealous of our relationship with the Father. False teachers and their lawless followers prevent the salvation of our big brother Judah for Scriptures warn to never follow a “god” that teaches them to not obey Yah’s/God’s laws (Deut chapters 13 & 18). Hence, why Jews today see “Jesus” as a false god/prophet/teacher/imposter – not because of Yeshua, but because of false teachers and their followers’ lawlessness.
