I am writing you in LOVE to extend my greetings in the name of Yahshua Messiah and to share with you my experience in hope that you may find what commission the creator has ordained for us both; That the hope of His calling be perfected in us both and that you know a fellow servant in the mission of the truth. May Yah Veh most high be praised for the freedom that comes from his truth. It is not my intention to make you angry or defensive, but that you would be found worthy at His coming; That your joy may be full for the reward that you shall have at His coming.
Some 3 years back I was a member of the fellowship in Christ at Beth Messiah in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Having been raised in Christianity, I discovered my family roots were Hebrew and had been seeking from the time of my discovery in the 1970's to know the truth. I had prayed for the wisdom of Solomon to know all truth and worship in Spirit and truth my Messiah. Little did I know where that prayer of a 13 year old boy would lead.
In 1975 while attending Chicago Bible College, now Christian Life College, I came across the scripture in Rev. Ch. 2: 6 & 15. Having read these verses before, it had never occurred to me to reference the meaning of the Greek word 'Nicolaitanes'. This time the Holy Spirit moved me to reference Ungers Bible handbook and several other sources that began a Quest that proved to be narrow and revealing. It became the beginning of travailing the path of resistance. After review of the facts of these verses with the Dean, we concluded that the word in question was best translated as clericalism which leads to the abuse of grace. I further concluded from my studies that this was represented in the present Christian system of clergy and laity. The dean encouraged me that this should not keep me from ordination into the denomination of my employ. He also instructed me that I should ignore such matters for the better good of my service as clergy and said "don't listen to this, listen to us". I thereupon departed from that school to begin my quest.
In 1992 I had moved to Pittsburgh and began fellowship with Beth Messiah knowing that I was in fact Jewish. From genealogy and fragmented records, I had found my family descended from European immigrants to Whales and then America in escape from anti-Semitic persecution. And that five generations back my ancestral lineage had converted to Christianity as the result of witness to the Messiahship of Yahshua (Jesus).
Upon entering the fellowship I was handed a tract entitled 'The Star of Fulfillment'. It briefly described the design of crosses in the form of the star of Dawid. My gut seemed to repulse and feel a quenching of the Holy Spirit within me. I could not explain it to my reason at the time. So I began another study as to the origin of this symbol. I found Amos 5:24 and Acts 7:43. My study took me somewhat further into the meaning of the symbols tied to this occult worship. That the two pyramids superimposed were representative of Moloch and Ra (Ammon), symbols of the god of the dead and the sun god. That infact this religion had descended from Babylon and was the reason Israel was banished to Babylon by Yah Veh. It occurred to me that The Heavenly Father was saying 'if you want to worship idols, then go to the land of idols'. As with Stephen in Acts chapter seven, my understanding was not welcomed.
In fact my studies found that the star of David as it has come to be known, was not the symbol of the House of David the King of Israel, but a Zionist politician Moses Ben David. The Encyclopedia Judiaica states that the true shield and symbol of the House of David, king of Israel was the Menorah or seven golden candlesticks. To worship under the symbol of pagan idolatry is and was obviously enough of an offence to Yah Veh that he punished Israel and Judah by sending them "beyond Babylon" in banishment (Acts 7:43).
To read more about this you will want to get the book 'The Six-Pointed Star' by Dr. O.J. Graham, a Messianic Jew. Dr. Graham reveals other revealing information of the occult origin of the symbol on the flag of Israel.
In my studies I also found that the sacrifice of the star-god was held on December 25th in Babylon. Four days after the birth of Tammuz. Believing that the sun was going out the pagans aborted and murdered children on the alter of the star-god, Moloch & Remphan (Chiun), to restore Ankh (life force) through Tammus to the sun. They worshipped the creation above the creator. They killed their children to do this. Today Christians and Messianic Jews with out a clue commemorate this day as the Saviour's birth. My own Jewish brothers and sisters hold to a similar feast practicing Phoenician occult incantations through the Chanukah (CHIUN KAH) replacing the menorah with nine candles. No where in Tenach (BIBLE) (Lev. ch23) are we commanded to keep these feasts. I sigh for the iniquity among us.
Here are some interesting facts about the true story of the Messiah's birth. Lets start at Luke Chapter One: (LUKE 1:26) "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from Yah (God) unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph..." It was in the SIXTH MONTH. Now if we account that these were Hebrew people and that the calendar was the HEBREW calendar then the sixth month falls on the Roman Calendar in December. Even today the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate conception on or about December 10th each year. How can he be conceived and born in the same month? It is impossible! If it was the Sixth Roman month that is June. He would still have been born in March or April. In reality He was born in Tishri on the Hebrew calendar which falls in the end of September or the first part of October during the Hebrew Feast of Tabernacles. This only makes since! The creator TABERNACLED among men, God with us.
Matthew Ch. 2 v. 1 & 2: "...there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying where is he that is born King of the Jews?" And Verse 7:"Then Herod, when he came privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently WHAT TIME THE STAR APPEARED". And verse 16: "...thereof, from TWO YEARS OLD AND UNDER, ACCORDING TO THE TIME WHICH HE HAD DILIGENTLY ENQUIRED...". Herod was not stupid. He unlike many today could count. Yah Shua the Messiah was born about TWO YEAR BEFORE THE WISE MEN EVER SHOWED UP! They came form the east when there were not jets or trains or steamboats. So when we hear or see nice TV type stories of three wise men at the cradle of a baby in a manger, IT JUST ISN'T SO! Sheppard's YES Wise men NO! Later wise men found him after a journey of almost TWO YEARS. That is why Herod killed "ALL CHILDREN two years and under".
It is true that wise men still seek him. But to worship him as the first wise men did "IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH" John 4:23. And now that we are talking about TRUTH what about Santa Cluse (SATAN'S CLAWS)? My Bible says "ALL LIARS SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE OF FIRE". So this Christmas you won't find me telling lies to my children about a magical fat red suited warlock who brings gifts to children. If you want to find me celebrating the TABERNACLEing of YAH WITH US come to the Feast of Tabernacles like millions of Messianic Jews who seek for the day of Rev. 21:3 " And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold THE TABERNACLE OF YAH (GOD) IS WITH MEN..". And there is one more important point I must make here, If I lie to my children about santa, when they grow up and find out I lied about that maybe they will think I lied about Yah Shua (Jesus) and that all those stories about the Saviour were just more stories for children. Then they might think that since dad lies its OK to lie since its all just a big fariy tale anyway.
Some years back YAH VAH The GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob revealed to me this: 'If my people truly want victory over abortion in the courts of the United States of America, Then they must repent and forsake the day of the abortion god moloch, when they stop keeping christmas the abortion shall stop'. As with Holloween and other satanic days, we must become what the will of YAH the creator wants of us, a body perfected, without spot blemish or wrinkle, in robes of white, prepared and adorned, ready for his coming. Keeping these days are not a matter of WHAT DAYS you keep but WHICH GOD you are worshipping? AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE SHALL SERVE YAH VEH!
Deuteronomy Ch. 12:11&13 " ...Take heed to yourself that you not offer your burnt offering (now an offering of praise) in every place that you see.... there shall be a place which Yah Veh your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell; There you shall bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes...."
Now if you want to know what the Times and Seasons are that Yah Vah wants us to keep, The days he established "FOREVER" and "FOR ALL GENERATIONS" which includes now you can find them in Lev. Chapter 23. Seven feasts for the seven lamp stands. Those seven candlesticks or lamp stands are the body of Messiah (Christ) Rev. 1:20 "...The seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches". These seven feast are a type and picture of salvation and the eternal will of Yah Vah. In order the feasts are:1- PASSOVER (The Blood of Messiah keeps us in the time of tribulation and causes us to be PASSED OVER by the plagues of the 7 angels and the 7 bowls as the blood of the lamb kept the angel of death from killing the Israelites in Egypt).2- FEAST OF UNLEVENED BREAD (Through Messiah we remove the Leven or SIN out of our lives and our spiritual house is swept clean in preparation for the next feast).3- PENTECOST ( The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, comes and dwells in us to give us power to do the will of Yah Vah and his son Yahshua).4- FEAST OF TRUMPETS ( At the sound of the last trump 1 Cor. 15:52, We shall meet him in the air at the second coming).5- DAY OF ATONEMENT ( We make atonement through our high priest Yah Shua Messiah [Jesus] and after the rapture, second coming, receive the fulfillment of that atonement by a glorified sinless body "we shall be changed").6- FEAST OF TABERNACLES ( The Messiah was born Tabernacleing among us on this feast and almighty YAH VAH shall tabernacle with men in the New Jerusalem Rev. ch. 21).7- LAST GREAT DAY ( The Day of Judgment when all men both great and small shall give account of all that they have done. Some to receive an eternal reward and some to receive shame and others to be condemned to the lake of fire.)
No where in Lev. Ch 23 do we see Christmas or Chanukah. Had the Creator of the universe, who is all knowing, wanted us to keep either of these feasts DON'T YOU THINK HE WOULD HAVE FIRST REVEALED IT THROUGH HIS PROPHETS???? NO WHERE IN THE ALL THE BIBLE IS EITHER OF THESE WRITTEN OF AS ANYTHING BUT PAGAN IDOL WORSHIP!!! Had Yah Vah God All Mighty wanted men to keep these days I think he would have enough forethought to put it in Lev. chapter 23. If all the other important events to celebrate were in there, and they are, why is no mention of Christmas and Chanukah in there?
I have concluded as many others throughout history, not to keep or celebrate christmas or Chanukah because the body of Christ the true Messiah are not suppose to worship on the days given to idols. Among our number was WILLIAM PENN, one of the founding fathers of this country and the name sake for the state in which I live. In the national records is an account that new colonists objected to working on December 25th. They said "it is a matter of conscience that we not work upon this day" William Penn replied: " If it be a matter of conscience, then I implore you to go home and study the scripture". Upon returning from the woods with the other colonists', Mr. Penn found them playing games in the streets. He Then rebuked them and said " Go home and study the first chapter of Luke and see that this is not the day of the birth of our Saviour". William Penn knew something we as Christians have forgotten, That the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Yah Vah All Mighty, desires Holiness in worship above all that we do. And that means not tainting His worship with false symbols, days, Times, and seasons.
Bibliography: The Paganization of Christianity & Judaism, Daniel W. Merrick Ph.D., Eternal Lt. & Pwr. Co. Publishing , 1994; Two Babylons, Rev. Alexander Hislop, Loizeaux Brothers, Inc.,1959; Mysteries of the Bible, Hearst, 1994; Biblical Archaeological Review, May 1994; Who is a True Jew, Robert Young, 1993; Myth & Mystery, Jack Finegan, Baker Book House, 1989; Groilers Eletronic Encyclopedia, 1994; Encyclopedia Judiaica, 1992; Sacred Name Broadcaster, Jacob O. Myer, April, 1996 & Dec.1995; The Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Vermes,1987; Smiths Bible Dictionary, JOVE/HBJ Book, 1977; Ungers Bible Dictionary, Moody, 1995; Ungers Bible Handbook, Moody, 1967; Hastings Bible Dictionary,Hendricksons, 1989; Strongs Concordance, Nelson,1990; The Ready Research Bible Exegeses, Herb Jahn, World, 1993; Dictionary of Word Origins, John Ayto, Arcade,1990; Baker's Dictionary of Theology, Harrison et al, Baker Books, 1982; Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon, Hendrickson, 1979; Library of Congress National Archive; King James Bible, Thompson, 1611; Vine's Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, Revell/Baker,1981; The Six-Pointed Star, Dr. O.J. Graham,NPL, 1988; The Septuagint with Apocrypha, Brenton, Hendrickson, 1990.
Written by: Daniel Merrick 12-7-96
for more information you can E-mail me at: faith@penn.com