Christian Synagogue

10/07/2024

Dear followers and likers of Christian Synagogue, God willing, this page is not going to be making any new posts after this, and will eventually be shut down.

You are welcome to follow or like our new page, B'Nai Or Congregation. Here is the link if you wish to like it:

https://www.facebook.com/bnaior1/

B'Nai Or in Hebrew stands for "Those belonging to light". We hold God is good, just, and perfect!

10/07/2024

Peace be with you all. Please consider what I am sharing. I want to point out something important. I listened to Benjamin Netanyahu's speech, where he mentioned that Israel is currently at war on seven fronts. They are facing conflicts with groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and experiencing violent confrontations within their own country.

I decided to conduct some independent research with the help of artificial intelligence and discovered some interesting parallels among these countries. Please note that this research was done using AI, and I have not interviewed individuals from these countries. If you are from one of these regions and feel something is incorrect, please speak up and let your voice be heard by providing a comment. Also, if you are in one of these countries, please stay with me and read my entire post. I am sharing this for you as well.

The first thing to note is that these are all primarily Muslim countries. Here is a summary for you:

Gaza: Predominantly Sunni Muslim.

Lebanon: Majority Muslim, with significant Sunni and Shia populations.

Iraq: Majority Shia Muslim, with a significant Sunni minority.

Syria: Majority Sunni Muslim, with a significant Alawite minority.

Yemen: Majority Sunni Muslim, with a significant Shia minority.

Iran: Predominantly Shia Muslim.

Next, I'd like you to consider how Christians and Jews have been treated in these regions based on the research:

Christians:

Gaza: Christians experience violence and discrimination.

Lebanon: Hezbollah's influence leads to attacks and intimidation against Christians.

Iraq: Christians face severe persecution, especially from ISIS

Syria: Under ISIS control, Christians were forced to convert, pay a religious tax, or face death.

Yemen: Christians face social exclusion, imprisonment, and violence.

Iran: Christians, especially converts, face arrest, imprisonment, and other forms of persecution.

Jews:

Gaza: Jews have faced hostility and violence.

Lebanon: Hezbollah's influence has led to anti-Jewish sentiments and actions.

Iraq: Jews have faced severe persecution, especially during times of political instability.

Syria: Jews have experienced discrimination and violence.

Yemen: Jews have faced social exclusion, violence, and forced conversions.

Iran: Jews have faced restrictions, discrimination, and occasional violence.

This is just a hypothesis, but it is possible that God is allowing Israel to take these actions in these countries because of how many people in these regions have treated Christians and Jews.

But what should you do if you are a Christian or Jewish person in one of these Muslim countries being attacked by Israel, and you don’t agree with your government but feel unsure of what to do? If this is you, here’s what I suggest:

1. Continue to do good: Interact positively with the people in your immediate environment and be good to your government, even if you disagree with them. Why?
* First, if you are truly Christian, remember that Jesus said to pay your taxes and be good to everyone, even those who don’t agree with you.
* Second, being good to your government might create an opportunity for them to listen to you and consider your perspective. In America, I pay property and income taxes, and although I don’t always agree with my government, my respectful approach has allowed me to communicate with leaders, including the President, Senators, and Congressmen. Your good behavior might encourage your government to listen and change how they treat others.
* Third, being good to them contributes to your personal safety.

2. Accept new governance if necessary: If God allows another country to take control of your country, such as Israel in Gaza or Russia in Ukraine, don’t fight against the new government. God has a reason for allowing their success. They might not make all the right decisions, but there is a purpose behind their rise. If you don’t agree with the new government, work hard to be good to them, acknowledging that God has allowed it. In America, we often see a change in government every 4 to 8 years. Despite political differences, peaceful transitions occur because Americans have learned to bear with the elected leaders.

3. Stand firm on God's commandments: If the new government forces you to do something against God’s commandments (e.g., worship idols, offer animal sacrifices, engage in sexual immorality), make your stand. Explain your refusal due to your love for God. In such cases, God will either deliver you as He did with Daniel or allow it for a righteous reason, avenging you at a future time for holding to righteousness.

Pray to the Creator for peace in your life and your country. Pray for the Kingdom of God to come soon and that you might be found worthy to enter it.

This is the best advice I can offer during these challenging times of war and uncertainty, to help bring about peaceful transitions.

10/06/2024

Peace be with you all. Recently my Israeli friend of mine Paz replied to one of my posts with the following comment, and my response to that comment follows. I am posting this because I want you all to be open minded and consider the thoughts of others who might be viewing things from a different perspective than you, and so that in hearing my response, your faith could become stronger in holding to the truth. I hope you enjoy our peaceful debate:

Paz’s Comment:

Jesus's sins:

Lying, using profanities, initiating a pagan rite in his name ergo Idolatry and paganism, changing God's law, giving false testimony and inciting quarrels among brothers. Lying - Jesus asked people not to reveal who he is, but when he got to the high priest he said he kept no secrets.

Profanities - Jesus called gentiles dogs and pigs (yeah, jews only called gentiles that) and he called people fools, and people who didn't believe he was the messiah he named children of the murderous devil, oh and by the way he knew that the jewish law states that anyone who calls people names is as guilty as if he committed murder, because he himself taught that!!

Jesus required that the eucharist which is pagan and has no basis in Judaism, will be held in his honor in his own name - so basically he demanded to be worshiped - ergo Idolatry and paganism.

Jesus changed God's law in a way that they lacked the hedges set to make them applicable in contrary to God's law. All the 'you heard it said.. but I say' are changes he made to the law. God's law can be followed, Jesus's changes made it nearly impossible to keep, making you all feel like sinners and Jesus the only one righteous enough to uphold them.

Jesus blamed the jews for the murder of all innocent blood since the time of Abel till the time of Zechariah. There weren't jews in Abel's time, not for many more generations. That is giving a false testimony.

Jesus said he didn't come to bring peace but to bring division, which he did, resulting in quarrels among the people.

There's plenty more..
He wasn't the rightful messiah, not even close. The true messiah and world peace go together hand in hand, would you like to see the prophecies about that?

Here is my response to Paz:

As an Israeli, you might recall when Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress in the United States a few weeks ago. His speech was kept private until the appointed time when he could deliver it to Congress and the world. Even Israelis didn't hear it beforehand. Was the Prime Minister being hypocritical for keeping the speech private until then? No! There was a specific time and place for the speech to be most effective.
Similarly, there may have been things Jesus refrained from saying because the timing wasn't right. Does that make Jesus a liar or a hypocrite? Absolutely not!

Regarding the next topic, I've explained this before, but for those who are new, I'll respond again. If someone behaves like a dog, are they acting like a dog? Yes! When Jesus refrained from healing certain people, it was because they were living lifestyles similar to dogs and pigs. If you're deathly sick and your doctor tells you to stop eating poison before giving you medicine, it's because the doctor doesn't want people to think the medicine killed the patient when it was actually the poison. First, the patient needs to stop eating the poison, then the doctor can properly administer the medicine for healing. If people continue to kill and eat pigs, chickens, cows, fish, or other animals, or continue their thefts, crimes, murders, or torturing of others, Jesus cannot heal them. Jesus cared for people but wasn't going to be the author of confusion. They need to stop living like wild animals, which likely caused the disease, and start living humanely. Then, Jesus can administer healing. In the case you're referencing, the lady acknowledged she was living like a dog, repented, and changed her lifestyle, so Jesus healed her. Please consider the whole story!

Regarding the Eucharist, I believe I addressed this in my primary message. I don't believe Jesus ever taught that bread or juice became his literal body or blood. It doesn't fit the laws of nature and needs to align with God's laws of nature for truth to be established (Romans 1:20). Paz, I feel your time would be better spent helping Christians see the practices Jesus never taught rather than trying to persuade them that Jesus isn't the Messiah. Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Next, Jesus did not change the laws; rather, He clarified the true laws of God, stating that previous statements were due to the hardness of people's hearts at the time. Paz, if someone weighs 350 pounds, can they run a marathon? No! They need to start by walking and getting their weight under control. With persistence, they can eventually run a marathon. Similarly, when the Israelites left Egypt, they weren't ready for certain things, like being vegetarian or giving up "an eye for an eye." These aspects of the Torah were there because of the people's hardened hearts. Jesus came to show them the true standard and a better way of living for greater peace.

Regarding the passage blaming Jews for the blood of innocent prophets, you're taking it out of context. The people Jesus spoke to were bragging about their righteousness, claiming they wouldn't have killed the prophets. Jesus' message was that a wiser approach would be to ask God to forgive their fathers' sins and help them live better lives. Paz, if your dad had killed many people, would it be better to tell the victims' families, "I never would have killed your family member, I am perfect," or to say, "I am sorry for what my dad did. I couldn't control his actions, but I will try to live a better life and not kill anyone"? The latter approach is what Jesus was teaching.

When Jesus says He is bringing a sword, it actually brings peace. If two people are always fighting and can't get along, they are at war with each other. When they divide, peace comes. Paz, an Israeli friend of mine visited me recently. We met at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and became good friends. However, he is a secular Jew, and I am a religious Jew. Our lifestyles were very different, and we could only bear each other for about a week. This division came because our philosophies and actions didn't align. To remain good friends, we found it necessary to become divided. This is the division of the sword Jesus references. It allows those with faith and good actions to live in peace, separate from those who do not, under the great God and Creator who provides for everyone his air, water, and sunshine, and yet renders justice in time. I love my secular Israeli friend, but remaining together would lead to enmity rather than friendship.

Please consider these points, and I hope you'll gain insight from Paz's perspective while understanding why I continue to hold faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Remember, faith in Jesus means not only believing in Him but also following His teachings: loving God, treating others as yourself, and keeping God's commandments.

10/05/2024

Recently my Egyptian/American friend Camy responded to my Rosh Hashanah post stating, “Doesn't the unleavened bread have to do with getting out of Sinai quickly where the Jews could not wait for the bread to rise? It has nothing to do with Jesus. Right?”

Here is my response to her and for you all to consider:
“Salam Camy! You are partially correct from the Jewish tradition, but all the Jewish spring and fall festivals also have prophetic meanings related to the Messiah.

From a Christian perspective, leaven or yeast in various scripture passages symbolizes sin or corruption. Christians view this festival as representing the righteous way in which Jesus lived, making Him worthy of being the anointed Messiah.

This symbolism can extend to us as well. God sees our efforts to learn the truth and considers our work, rewarding us by opening opportunities or punishing us for evil actions. Jesus was deemed worthy of being the Messiah because of His righteousness, and similarly, we can be rewarded for living rightly. Scripture references Jesus Himself saying that those who come after Him have the potential of doing greater works than even himself (John 14:12).

Whether eating bread with yeast is healthy or not is a topic of debate. While it's often seen as a symbol of corruption in the Bible, some doctors argue that certain types of yeast can be beneficial in moderation. Moderation is given as a standard of truth in Christian tradition.

Jesus symbolically represents the unleavened bread of life. Some Christian denominations, like the Catholic Church, interpret this literally, believing the communion bread becomes Jesus' body and worshiping it. Others erect statues of Jesus or Mary for worship. These practices contradict God's laws, and since these practices in Christianity are not true, they will eventually come to their end at some point.”

10/05/2024

Peace be with you all.

One of the key ways to resist evil and wrongdoing is by constantly remembering that the return of the Messiah is imminent. When He comes, we will be rewarded for patiently enduring and living according to God's expectations.

Every person and kingdom that fails to meet God's standards will eventually face their end, while those who patiently persevere will see their reward.

As we observe the Jewish fall festivals that point to our Messiah, and anticipate the Christian festival of Christmas, one song that helps keep my heart and mind on a righteous path is "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Here is one of my favorite versions performed by The Piano Guys on the Jerusalem set in Goshen, Utah, USA.

Listen to the song and keep in mind that Jesus will indeed return to claim those who have loved God and kept His commandments. This thought will help you live a righteous life.

► Get our albums: https://smarturl.it/TPG_ALBUMS► WE'RE ON TOUR! https://smarturl.it/tpgtour► TPG APPAREL: http://smarturl.it/tpgapparel► SHOP OUR AMAZON STO...

10/03/2024

Shalom! As we remember the Jewish Festival of Rosh Hashanah, it's fascinating and important to see how all the Jewish festivals symbolize Jesus.

These festivals are divided into two categories: spring festivals and fall festivals. The spring festivals represent those that Jesus fulfilled at His first coming, while the fall festivals symbolize those He is expected to fulfill at His second coming.

Rosh Hashanah, the first of the fall festivals, features the blowing of the shofar, symbolizing Jesus' triumphant return as King. Not just King of Israel, but as the ruler of the entire world for a period, after which authority returns to God, the Creator. Here's a summary for you:

Passover (Pesach) - Jesus’ crucifixion is seen as the ultimate Passover sacrifice and ending the sacrificial system.

Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) -
Jesus’ life is symbolized by the unleavened bread.

First Fruits (Bikkurim) - Jesus' resurrection is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. (In other words, He is the first to have been resurrected back to life after death)

Shavuot (Pentecost) - The Holy Spirit descended on the believers, marking the birth of the Church.

Jewish Fall Festivals traditionally expected to be Fulfilled by Jesus:

Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) - Seen as the future return of Jesus, heralded by the sound of trumpets.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) - Judgement in order to atone for sin.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) - Jesus’ future reign during the millennial kingdom.

As we remember this festival, let's commit to living righteous lives, keeping our spiritual garments clean. Let us pray to God the Creator, asking for Jesus' swift return and for the strength to be found worthy of entering His kingdom.

Shalom, Salam, Peace be with you all!!

09/22/2024

Peace be with you all.

People often ask me in multiple discussions, "Hezekiah, what religion are you?" Here is a summary of how I often answer them:

I am of the Judeo-Christian faith, specifically of the sect B’Nai Or, which means “children of light.” I believe that everyone is either a child of light or a child of darkness, based on whether they love God and keep His commandments. The extent to which one practices these determines their degree as a child of light or darkness.

I believe that God’s standard, as Jesus said, is to be perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). However, because God pities those who love Him, He often allows some to suffer here for their sins so that they can still enter life, provided they have lived to a standard of goodness that exceeds their evil. This aligns with Jesus’ teaching: “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

The essential standards that I believe God expects of us to maintain this level of goodness are the ones I often share with you in my messages, which include:

* To worship only our Creator.
* To treat others as we would want to be treated.
* To avoid sexual immorality and forms of idolatry.
* To refrain from consuming meat, blood, and engaging in excess.

I welcome further discussion on this topic for those interested.

09/03/2024

Peace be with you all.

Recently, my Jewish friend, Paz Pinhas Rahamim accurately identified discrepancies and inconsistencies within the Genealogy of Jesus.

First, she mentions Jeconiah, because there is a prophecy in the prophetical book of Jeremiah which states that none of Jeconiah's offspring or descendants will prosper to sit on the throne of David or to rule again in Judah. Jeremiah 22:30. This prediction contradicts Matthew's genealogy, which lists Jeconiah as an ancestor of Jesus.

Additionally, Paz highlights the differing genealogical lines presented by Matthew and Luke. Matthew's Geneology follows David's son Solomon, while Luke's Geneology follows David's son Nathan.

Despite these discrepancies, I want you to consider other numerous Jewish prophecies, accurately fulfilled in the New Testament and historical accounts, reinforcing Jesus' role as the Messiah.

Key prophecies and their fulfillment:

* Resurrection: Predicted in Psalms 16:8-11, fulfilled in the New Testament accounts.

* Suffering and vindication: Foreshadowed in Psalm 22:1-31, realized in Jesus' crucifixion and subsequent resurrection.

* Miraculous Healing: Prophesied in Isaiah 35:5-6, evidenced by Jesus' numerous healings.

* Timing: Predicted in Daniel 9:24-27, aligning with the historical context of Jesus' life.

* Prophetic role: He would be a prophet who would be like Moses. Deuteronomy 18:15-19, fulfilled in Jesus' life and ministry.

* Precursor: Predicted in Malachi 4:5-6, realized in the ministry of John the Baptist.

* Triumphal entry: Foreshadowed in Zechariah 9:9, fulfilled in Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.

* Egyptian raised: Predicted in Hosea 11:1, aligned with the early life of Jesus.

* Called God's son: Predicted in Psalm 2:1-12, affirmed in the New Testament.

* Betrayal: Predicted in Zechariah 11:12-13, fulfilled by Judas Iscariot.

* Birthplace: Predicted in Micah 5:2, fulfilled in Bethlehem.

* Greatness: Predicted in Psalm 110:1-4 to be greater than David, affirmed in Jesus' teachings and authority.

Something to point out in these prophecies concerning the messiah is that He would do miracles that would heal people.

Let me ask you all a question. Which would be a greater sign as evidence of the messiah? Him being born as a descendant of David, or Him performing amazing miracles that would heal the blind, deaf, or the lame? Surely I would hope that you would recognize that healing people would be a much greater sign of the cridentials of the Messiah, right?

Well Jesus did these things, He performed many miracles, and these events were recorded in Christianity throughout the New Testament, and even of historians outside of Christianity. For example, the JEWISH historian Josephus writes about Jesus in his book the Antiquities, stating: "About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he wrought surprising feats. He was the Christ. When Pilate condemned him to be crucified, those who had come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared restored to life And the tribe of Christians has not disappeared.”

Now just because someone does miracles should not be the only indication that they are a true prophet of God. According to Deuteronomy 13, they must also teach the worship of only One God, and the proper keeping of His commandments. Jesus did these things though, showing him to be a true prophet of God.

When Satan tried to get Jesus to bow to Him, He said, "Satan flee from me, for God alone I serve and Him alone I fear." In this example, Jesus taught us to only worship God the Creator, nor did He ever proclaim to be the Creator.

Next, when asked by the rich man how He could obtain eternal life, Jesus pointed him towards keeping the commandments of God. Jesus never taught that simple belief in him was sufficient for salvation. The purpose of his coming was to help the people understand the true laws of God and to perfect the laws of God that they were to be following. He never came to destroy the law. (Matthew 5:17-20)

In conclusion, my hope is that dispite these discrepancies that Paz Pinhas Rahamim accurately points out, you would see the greater reasons to preserve your faith that Jesus is the Messiah, but not just to hold Him to be the Messiah, but that you would observe and practice the things He taught, because Jesus came for the purpose of providing you a most accurate law of God, so that in keeping these laws you could establish peace and happiness in your life here on earth, and also be considered worthy to enter into the Kingdom of God.

Shalom, Salam, Peace be with you all.

08/26/2024

Shalom, Salam, Peace be with you all.

My friend Camy posted this photo on her wall, and I felt the need to respond to it.

I am of the mindset that regardless of the religion we are raised in, we should pull from it the things we learned that are true, based upon if the teaching reflects the goodness and justice of God, and aligns with the natural order made by the Creator.

it is important to remember that we don't throw out the baby with the bath water, but we DO need to get rid of the dirty bathwater and retain the clean baby.

While we may find certain aspects of any of the three Abrahamic religions to be flawed, it's crucial to remember not to discard everything. Instead, we should remove the impurities and retain the valuable truths.

For example, if a man was raised Hindu and taught to be a vegetarian and worship many gods, upon realizing that worshipping many gods is incorrect and that we should only worship the Creator, he should not abandon his vegetarian diet. Instead, he should reject idolatry while retaining the beneficial practice of vegetarianism.

If someone was raised Christian and taught that salvation comes solely through belief in Jesus, and that Jesus is both God and the Messiah, and later understands that Jesus is not the Creator, they should not discard all of Jesus’ teachings. Rather, they should acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, but not equal to the Creator, and recognize that faith in Jesus alone is not sufficient for salvation. Instead, they must love God and keep His commandments as Jesus taught.

If someone was raised Jewish and taught to follow all aspects of the written Torah, and later perceives that Jesus corrected and taught some things more accurately than the Torah, they should not discard everything learned from the Torah. Instead, they should retain the Hebrew language and the truths from the Torah, while understanding how Jesus came to correct or perfect certain traditions that were not true commandments of God but merely traditions of men.

If someone was raised Muslim and taught to memorize every part of the Quran, and later perceives certain teachings of Muhammad to be wrong, such as the killing of infidels or the sacrificing of animals for God on Eid al-Adha, they should not reject everything learned in Islam. There are many beautiful passages in the Quran that honor the Creator, such as describing Him as the giver of form, Almighty, and All-Wise. Arabic is also a beautiful language, and while Hebrew may be considered the original language given by God to man, Arabic has preserved many Hebrew words and, in some ways, improved their pronunciation. One should not reject everything memorized from the Quran due to perceived falsehoods but should hold onto the practices and traditions that are true and enjoyable, while rejecting the false ones.

Now, you might say, “But Hezekiah, you are cherry-picking from all these religions, and you can’t do that!” Why not? Didn’t God give me the free will to choose the cherries I want to put in my bag? Should I put both rotten and good cherries in my bag? If I chose the rotten cherries too, wouldn’t they corrupt the good ones?

Let’s be wise cherry-pickers, so that at the end of the day, we have plenty of good cherries in our bag for the meal.

08/26/2024

Shalom, Salam, Peace be with you all.

As I often share in my teachings, the presence of God can be found throughout the entire earth, and God can be sought and discovered from the remotest parts of the world.

Jerusalem is a city I have visited many times and studied in for several months. The experiences I had there are very special to me, and the city has become dear to my heart. When I am in the USA, I often feel a strong desire to return to Jerusalem. Conversely, after spending several weeks in Jerusalem, I found myself missing the USA. Egypt is another place I have visited multiple times and enjoyed.

Traditionally, Jerusalem holds special significance for many Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Throughout history, these three Abrahamic religions have fought over this land, and the city has been under the control of Muslims, Christians, and Jews at various times.

If your heart’s desire is to see peace in the Middle East, peace in Jerusalem, and peace where you live, it is essential to understand that a living human being is more valuable than any piece of land. Why do I say this? Because humans are made in the image of God. Anyone who claims to love God but harms others does not love God to the fullest extent. How can you love God, whom you cannot see, if you mistreat God’s image, which you can see? The way you treat others reflects your relationship with God because humans are made in God’s image.

Bringing peace starts with you and me. As people grow in their understanding that living human beings are too precious to kill each other over land, this will help establish peace for ourselves and our lands.

For me, America, Israel, and Egypt are special, but for you, it may be different, and that is perfectly fine.

Pray for the peace of where you live and for the areas that are special to you. Pray also for peace throughout the world. While prayer is good, let’s remember to do our part in actions and recognize that other human beings, even when they are not of our same culture, have great value in this world!

Jerusalem takes audiences on an inspiring and breathtaking tour of one of the world's oldest and most enigmatic cities. Destroyed and rebuilt countless times...

08/21/2024

Peace be with you.

As I walked among the thousands of protesters in Chicago, I wore a shirt that said, “Peace be with you! Seeking God’s Will on the Israel-Hamas Conflict. Let’s Talk!”

In my experience, even in large crowds, only a few people are usually interested in discussing God’s will in such situations. This was the case during the protest a few days ago, but one man, Nicholas, a journalist, stepped out of the crowd to talk about my shirt. He asked for my opinion on God’s will.

I shared with him, as I have in previous posts, that I believe God allows Israel to be more successful in its war against Hamas due to the indiscriminate violence against certain groups, such as infidels or Zionist Jews, and because of animal sacrifices like those seen during Eid al-Adha, which are common in some Islamic traditions. However, Israel’s response is often violent and lacks mercy. I believe that because Israel does not practice mercy, God occasionally allows groups like Hamas to act against Israel as a form of punishment for their continued violence.

Nicholas found my view interesting and asked, “Do you think that if the people of Gaza stopped animal sacrifices and indiscriminate violence, God would end the war?” I responded, “Yes.”

While most people may not be interested in discussing God’s will in such situations, those who do seek to understand and establish truth can make a positive impact in our world today.

Consider that Jesus changed the world, yet most of His ministry was around the Galilee area, and according to Christian tradition, He never left the Middle East. The few individuals who understood His message and teachings spread that message worldwide.

Remember, one person can make a difference!