I enjoy listening to several radio programs, especially the ones where Yahuah’s Word is taught.  Recently, I heard you begin teaching on the letter to the Hebrews, and some of your comments ignited passion in me to defend the Word we are constantly being told not to walk in.  To be sure, I have HUGE differences in my walk than every one of the Christian teachers I listen to, but when I heard you state that the author of the letter to the Hebrews taught the believing Yisharal (Israel)ites at Rome they needed to leave behind observing “old” things like “Passover” and all that “religious” stuff, I had to write you this open letter.  We all make mistakes, but when a teacher is openly misleading the people of Yahusha, someone must stand for Truth and correct the error.   (Yahusha is Yisharal (Israel)’s Mashiak, the Maker of all things seen and unseen, and holds the universe together by His will.  He is the Redeemer, Savior, Mighty Alahim, El Shaddai, and Husband of Yisharal (Israel)  -  His “will” is Torah, and He demands obedience  -  Torah is not a suggestion).

At the time I’m writing this, you have not even begun the letter, so when you get to the 4^th chapter and how there “remains a Sabbath for the people of Alahim”, I’m sure there will be a great deal of “allegorizing” going on, learned from the church fathers (especially Augustine).  But for now, your statement that the author of Hebrews would have us neglect the observance of Passover is not going to slip by without a word.  If we are to walk in the Word, yet “repent” of obeying the Word, we are indeed double-minded.  We must reason and give attention to the foundation of the true faith, the worship (obedience) toward the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Yahuah.   We know Him as Yahusha, our Savior, the Mashiak of YYisharal (Israel), and we know that we know Him because we obey His Torah, the Commandments:

1Jn 2:3  And²⁵³² hereby^{1722, 5129} we know¹⁰⁹⁷ that³⁷⁵⁴ we know¹⁰⁹⁷ Him,⁸⁴⁶ if¹⁴³⁷ we keep⁵⁰⁸³ His⁸⁴⁸ Commandments.¹⁷⁸⁵

1Jn 2:4  He that says,³⁰⁰⁴ ‘I know¹⁰⁹⁷ Him’,⁸⁴⁶ and²⁵³² keeps⁵⁰⁸³ not³³⁶¹ His⁸⁴⁸ Commandments,¹⁷⁸⁵ is²⁰⁷⁶ a liar,⁵⁵⁸³ and²⁵³² the³⁵⁸⁸ truth²²⁵ is²⁰⁷⁶ not³⁷⁵⁶ in¹⁷²² him.⁵¹²⁹

Currently it’s true that most “Gentiles” (those not in a Covenant with Yahuah) would prefer to ignore the Ten Commandments, and the 7 appointed festivals which reflect the redemption plan for Yisharal (Israel), because they have been taught to disregard them.  This attitude will change when people receive a love for the Truth, Yahuah’s Word, and begin to walk in it as He calls them to repentance.  It begins with the teachers, like yourself.  Notice that the first-fruits are people who do two important things:

These first-fruits are "obeying" the Commandments as well as holding to the words and belief in Yahusha.  Obeying Torah means they are in the Covenant.  If a person will not obey the Covenant, they are not in a covenant relationship with Yahusha.  Satan is a believer, but will not OBEY.  To get straight to the point, the observance of Passover was still being promoted by the elders of the Natsarim long after Yahusha ascended, contrary to what you stated on the air as millions of deceived people listened.  Yahusha Himself enjoined us to remember Him through the symbols of matsah and wine whenever we observe Pesach, central to the theme of the Renewed Covenant with Yisharal (Israel), in this observance of His death each year in the spring.  What Christians do on Sun-day mornings is derived from the Catholic Church, not the Passover Seder Yahusha observed with His disciples.  Shaul (Paul) instructed us to keep the feast, so your statement is a departure from the clear admonition of this apostle. 

The correction to your teaching comes from 1 Cor. 5:7,8:

“Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast-as you really are.  For Mashiak, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.”   1 Cor 5:7-8

The “festival” mentioned here is the “MO’ED” or appointed time/festival of Yahuah known as “PESACH”, and usually included the actual Passover observance and the following 7 days when we eat no leavened bread.  This is the first of 7 festivals that are the “shadows” (as reflections or shapes that outline) the redemption plan of Yisharal (Israel) by the workmanship of Yahusha Himself.  He is in each of these 7 appointments, but Catholicism rejected them all, and replaced them with “7 sacraments” from the old Mithraic religion of the Romans.  We simply cannot add to Yahuah’s Word by making things up as we go along:

“See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.”  Deut 12:32

The deception used in the garden of Eden has continued to be employed by doctrines of demons, to lead mankind away from Yahuah’s Word.  Men continue to propagate the devil’s lie, saying “you don’t have to obey that, that’s not for you, it’s Judaizing if you obey”.  When we hear this kind of teaching, we are hearing doctrines of demons!  Passover was replaced by “EASTER”, a formerly Pagan practice, named after ISHTAR, or EOSTRE, the spring fertility “goddess”.  The KJV even replaced the word “PASSOVER” with this Pagan name, EASTER, at Acts 12:4.  But, all other translations corrected this error:

“After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”  Acts 12:4

Defenders of the KJV claim that Herod was observing “EASTER”, the Pagan festival of impregnation;  but the word was not EASTER, but Pascha, used 28 other times, and rendered as “Passover” in every case.  It wasn’t Herod that wrote the word, but brother Luke, and Luke did not write EASTER;  he wrote PESACH (subsequently transliterated as PASCHA in the Greek texts).

Brother Luke wrote this book we call “ACTS” about 31 years after Yahusha ascended into the heavens. 

Please do not ignore this letter, but answer from Scripture.  Surely Scripture would not argue with itself, but men bend and twist it to suit their beliefs.  Imagine for a moment, the two of us pleading with one another to come over to the other’s thinking, and then project forward to the day we both stand before Yahusha in His esteemed radiance.  One of us would be an elder in error, and the other correct.  I don’t wish to “win” for myself, but rather I only wish that Yahuah’s Word be taught in its entirety, without excuse.  There is nothing to fear in observing Passover, which Yahusha Himself told us to do in remembrance of Him, whenever we do it. 

The time we observe Yahusha’s death is once each year, at Pesach (Passover).

“For I received from the Master what I also passed on to you: The Master Yahusha, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’  In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Master’s death until He comes.”

1 Cor 11:23-26

This was turned into a weekly “death cookie” ritual every “Sun-day” morning, and called a “celebration” of the Mass.  It is hardly a celebration, but rather it is a solemn reflection we Natsarim observe every year, remembering Yahusha’s body and blood (His death) as He instructed us to do.  He clearly said that He was observing Passover the night before He suffered, and that we should remember His death (in the appointed time), whenever we “do this” (Passover observance).  James, please open your eyes, get mad, but awaken.  The maddening wine (teachings) of the whore of Babylon (Jezebel, Catholicism, Rev. 2:20) has the entire world “drunk”.  The Passover is about death, and redemption to life.   How much trouble would people get into for observing Passover, or resting on the real Sabbath day each week, instead of “SUN-day”, the day Constantine established for Christians to rest?.  Many people await your response.  Here are a few quiz questions based on the teachings of the Scriptures to consider before you respond:  

Choose the correct answer:

Question 1:   At Acts 2, the 120 Natsarim were gathered for which commanded festival of Yahuah?

*Easter    *Christmas Day    *Lent    *Shabuoth     *St. Patrick’s Day     *Earth Day

Question 2:   At Acts 21:20, many thousands of believing Yahudim were zealous for:

*Torah   *Changing their religion    *Eating swineflesh      *The Mass & sacraments

Question 3:   At 1Cor 5:8, Paul told us to observe what feast?

*Mardi Gras    *Passover   *Saturnalia   *Halloween & All Saints Day

Question 4:   At Rev 12:17, the Dragon is enraged at those who hold to the Testimony of Yahusha, and:

*Observe Valentine’s Day      *Obey Yahuah’s Commandments     *Obey 9 Commandments

*Work on Sunday   *Trust in the sacraments     *Baptize babies      *Erect Christmas trees

We await your reply,

Lew White

REPLY FROM DAVID JONES, WALK IN THE WORD:

Dear Lew,

Thanks for your email dated Oct 10.

It is obvious both from your email, and from the "open letter" for which you provided a link, that this issue of Passover observance is important to you.  Frankly, it is not a hot button issue for us.  The Jerusalem Council made it clear that Gentile followers of Christ are not to be burdened with the rituals from the Old Covenant (Acts 15:19-20).  While circumcision was the primary focus there, the decision had broader implications for the rest of the law, including the observances of the feasts.  That is why Paul later wrote: "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Col 2:16-17)**(see comments following).

Elsewhere, Paul rebuked Peter for trying to make Gentiles act like Jews (Gal 2:14).  He later added that all of those who rely on the works of the law are under a curse (3:10).  He asked, "how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?  You observe days and months and seasons and years!  I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain" (Gal 4:9-11). ** (see comments below).

While it is true that Paul kept the Passover, along with other early believers, it must be noted that they were Jews.  The Gentiles were not obligated to keep those customs.  There is no New Testament command for Gentiles to keep the Jewish feasts (you have misread 1 Cor 5:7-8, which is figurative; the context deals with sexual immorality).

Lew, I am concerned for you, lest you violate what Paul said to Timothy: "Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions" (1 Tim 1:6-7).

I know that this is a big issue for you, and you might want to engage us in a debate.  But from our standpoint, the matter is closed.  May the Lord bless you richly and lead you into truth as you continue to study his Word.

Sincerely,

David Jones
Walk in the Word

P.S.  By the way, the supposed connection between the origins of Easter and Ishtar worship have been debunked by biblical scholars, although the myth continues to be perpetuated. 

Lew's reply:

Thank you David.  The feasts of Yahuah are the redemption plan for Yisharal (Israel), and Gentiles need to engraft into the Covenant with Yisharal (Israel) (Mediated by Yahusha).  In Messiah, there is no distinction between a native-born Yisharal (Israel)ite and a foreigner, yet false teachings maintain this wall of division.  Accepting Yahusha without accepting the Covenant has been the primary problem with the religion of Christianity, taught by the "church fathers" of Christianity.  Amazingly, the text which you use at 1 Tim. 1:6-7 is speaking of the goal of the Torah, and the "swerving" away from the Torah produces "teachers of Torah without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions."   If we have anything to be confident in, it should be the Torah of Yahuah, which guides us, and is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path.  Yahusha is the "living Torah".  The future holds shocking adjustments for those who rail against the Torah, as we see the "nations" who do not observe the festival of Sukkoth will receive no rain (Zech. 14).  Someone who is not in the Covenant would naturally be listening to other voices, and searching the Scriptures with "an eye of darkness", looking for any way to interpret them in order to NOT obey the Covenant.  Having an "eye of light", we pant with our love for obeying Commandments!  Saying "I know Him", yet not obeying the Commandments, is evidence that a person is a liar.  The Truth has fallen in the streets, and the Truth is the Word (Torah) of Yahuah.   Now you have been told, and it is up to Yahusha whether or not He will call you to His Covenant.  It is better to trust in Yahuah than to trust in man.

Note:  To say that Acts 15:19,20 endorses a different "walk" for Gentiles is clearly not true.  The context explains that the Gentiles should "begin" with the four essentials to get started, then Ya'aqob (James) compels them to listen to "Mosheh" (TORAH) read in the synagogues every SABBATH:

Clearly, Gentiles departed from hearing "Mosheh" read, and not only rejected what Mosheh had to teach (Torah), but abandoned the Sabbath also, which Ya'aqob clearly mentioned (the Sabbath) in his statement.  Sun-day is NOT the Sabbath, and Christians NEVER teach the Torah (Covenant), but decry it to be "legalism" to obey the 10 Commandments.  Instead, they say "no one can keep them".  Certainly no one can if they are never taught to obey them, and instead are told "THIS IS NOT THE WAY, DON'T WALK IN IT!"  The false teachings and smooth words "sear" their consciences like a branding iron, so their consciences don't not warn them when they are sinning!  The "famine" of the Word (Covenant) remains for them, but for us who obey, we drink deeply in the living waters provided by Yahusha  --  the deep waters of Scripture provide us with nourishing drink.  A man who lives according to the Torah is like a tree planted by the rivers of waters:

For Yahuah knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wrong comes to naught."

With a ministry named "WALK IN THE WORD", it is fantastic that the teachers involved in it would teach people to NOT walk in the Word.  Faith, plus obedience, is absolutely required.  The Commandments are not suggestions, but guide us to know Yahuah, have fellowship with Him through His Son Yahusha, Who writes His Covenant upon our hearts (Jer./YermeYahu 31, Heb. 8).  This Covenant is also the means by which we have fellowship with one another.  Peter (Kepha) tells us that Paul (Shaul) is misunderstood by those "untaught" (Torah), and warns us to beware of such teachers who might cause us to fall from our lawful walk  -  lawlessness is the problem, not lawfulness.  You cannot "repent" of sin and ignore the Torah. (see 2 Pet. 3):