07/21/2025
The Apocrypha
There’s a word in the English dictionary that, until about 6 years ago, I had never heard. Or at least I don‘t recall having ever been taught in all my years of going to church. That word is Apocrypha, definition: books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but excluded from the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament (the first writings); early Christian writings not included in the New Testament (2nd writings.) Also excluded from my knowledge on such things were Septuagint and Vulgate, and other words such as Lexham, Cepher, and Masoretic. Now, I grew up in the church, first in a denominational church, then non-denominational for most of my adult life. So, why had I never heard these terms before? Honestly, I don’t know. If nothing else, I should have at least been taught about Bible history by those in authority over my spiritual knowledge just simply for the sake of understanding the Bible in more depth. I take responsibility for my lack, however, Scripture does hold teachers of the Word to a higher standard.
Then, about six years ago, someone had introduced me to the 2009 Scriptures Version Bible. This is a name restoration Bible reading much like the New King James version but with the names of people and places restored and the use of Yahovah and Yahshua in its original format, which excludes simply using the generic term “lord” interchangeably between Yahovah and Yahshua (I highly recommend this version!). As with any new-to-me versions, I was excited to dive into it and actually started taking it to church with me to read along with the Pastor. This is something I never really did before as I just always relied on reading the verses that were put on the big screen above the pulpit. Then, something interesting happened. I started reading the before and after parts of the Pastor’s verse in excitement of reading my new Bible. And, to my surprise, the context of what was being taught regarding the verse on the big screen and the Pastor’s message about it didn’t always line up with the entirety of the passage. “Wait, what?” went through my head on more than one occasion when seeing these passages taken so clearly out of context after reading the whole passage. So, I made the decision to really dive into the Bible on my own, at home, with a cleared head of all my preconceived notions and man-made teachings and doctrines while doing so. And, boy, was I in for a ride! I began to see things I never saw before! Now, I don’t claim to be anything special that Yahovah gave me insight on things He didn’t give to others. Nope, not at all. I just simply took in the Word just as it reads, often making connections from different passages as they read. Nor, do I think we should isolate ourselves in our scripture studies, leaving everyone else out. That would be a bit prideful to think one can examine the Word alone when even the disciples gathered together to examine the Word. For me, I needed a fresh start in the Word, and that meant clearing out all of man’s interpretations and establishing a firm foundation first before allowing them back in to my discussions and before studying their teachings.
But, that certainly didn’t mean I didn’t come across things that I needed to go elsewhere for some answers! Quite the opposite actually. One morning, I was studying the Word on a specific topic in which I was exploring in depth (a topic in which I am chomping at the bit to write, perhaps in next quarter’s newsletter). In this particular study, I was reading Joshua chapter 10. Starting at verse 12, “Then Yehoshua (Joshua) spoke to Yahovah in the day when Yahovah gave the Amorites over to the children of Yisra’el, and he said before the eyes of Yisra’el, sun stand still over Gib’on; and moon, in the Valley of Ayalon. 13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Yashar (Jasher)? Thus the sun stopped in the midst of the heavens, and did not hasten to go down for an entire day.
Now, let’s not glance over the fact that it was the sun and moon that stopped, not the earth. But, that’s for another day. Let’s focus on this portion, “Is this not written in the Book of Yashar (Jasher)?” If you’re like me, having grown up in the church, listening to man’s interpretation of the Word but never truly diving in to it with a blank slate, you may be wondering what I wondered, “what is the book of Yashar?” As I read this, I literally went to the front of my Bible where it lists the books of the canon and scrolled down with my finger looking for this “Yashar” book. To my surprise, it was not there. So, what is the book of Joshua referring when it says, “As it is written in the book of Yashar?”
I picked up my phone and googled, “What is the book of Yashar.” And, aparently, "it is a lost book mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, often interpreted as a lost non-canonical book." A book found in the Apocrypha.
And this was the moment that forever changed my view of the Word.
My google search led to reports of this lost book being a forgery, uninspired, lost, etc. So, I asked my then pastor about it. He responded that he was not aware of a book called Jasher. Which is interesting, since it is literally mentioned twice in the canon, the second being in 2 Samuel 1: 18-27 in which an entire passage of Yashar is quoted. He then went onto say he chooses to believe that the 66 books are what God has chosen for us, and that we should strictly read non-canonical books for historical purposes under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This wasn’t bad advice, but… it sparked more questions than answers. So I asked, “but why would God inspire the writings of Samuel and Daniel to reference these books and then not give us these books?” To which he replied, “much of the book may have been tainted by man’s opinion, somewhat like some of the translations we have today.” I couldn’t help but think: If that’s the case, how do we know if the 66 book canon isn’t tainted by man’s opinion? I mean, take a look at some the adulterated versions in print like The Message Bible and The Passion Translation. These are clearly riddled with man’s opinion. And, it’s not just entire books taken away that is concerning. There are verses added and taken away in different translations. For example, in Matthew 28: 19, the words baptize “in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit” are not in the original text. Those words were added. In the New International Version, in Mark 7: 16 the words “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” are taken out completely. So, aren’t we just taking man’s word for it when we’re told the 66 is all God wants us to have when they’re adding to and taking away from these? I know we’ve been taught that Yah preserves His Word, which I believe to be true. But what if some of that preserved word was left on a separate shelf in the library, so to speak? Or, more conspiratorially, hidden in the Vatican?
In discovering that, at minimum, there is a lost book of the Bible called Yashar; at most, a book of the Bible in print that man excluded from the canon, I necessarily concluded that, while the Bible is the inspired Word of the Most High, it is, in fact, incomplete.
Please don’t clutch your pearls before hearing me out.
This small discovery, led me to come upon some very interesting facts. Did you know that the 1611 King James Bible contains 80 books, including the 14 books of the Apocrypha? Did you know that under Martin Luther, 7 books (Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch) and parts of Daniel and Esther were removed from the Canon? Did you know that the Ethiopian Bible contains 81 books and is considered to be the oldest and most complete Bible, dating back to as early as the late 4th or early 5th century?
So, given that early Bibles had more books in them than our current 66 book canon, having only been recognized in the 16th century, what makes us think we’ve got it right over the earlier versions which were closer to the time in which they were written?
And, it doesn’t stop at Yashar. There other books mentioned in the Canon that are not actually in the Canon:
Numbers 21:14,” Therefore it is said in the Book of the Battles (Wars) of Yah, “Waheb in Suphah, the wadi (ravines) Arnon, and the slope of the wadi that turns aside to the dwelling of Ar, and lies on the border to Mo’ab.”
Chronicles 27:7, “And the rest of the acts of Yotham, and all his battles and his ways, see, they are written in the book of the sovereigns of Yisra’el and Yehudah.
1 Kings 14:19 “And the rest of the acts of Yarob’am how he fought and how he reigned, see, they are written in the book of the annals of the sovereigns of Yisra’el.”
Colossians 4: 16, “And when this letter is read among you, see that it is read also in the assembly of the Laodikeians, and that you likewise read the letter from Laodikeia.” Where is this letter to the Laodicians in which we are to read along with the letter to the Colossians?
1 Chronicles 29:29, “And the acts of Sovereign David, first and last, see, they are written in the book of Shemu’el the seer, in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad, the seer.” What did Nathan prophecy?!
2 Chronicles 9:29, “And the rest of the acts of Shelomoh, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahiyah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Yarob’am son of Neat?”
Jude 1: 14-15, “And Hanok (Enoch), the seventh from Adam, also prophesied of these, saying, ‘See, Yah comes with His myriads of set-apart ones, to execute judgment on all, to punish all who are wicked among them concerning all their wicked works which they have committed in a wicked way, and concerning all the harsh words which wicked sinners have spoken against Him." Jude quotes a prophecy from Enoch which is not found anywhere within the 66 book canon. And we know, prophecy must be given by two witnesses. Where’s the second witness to this prophecy? I’ll tell you, it is found in the book of Enoch.
All this make me wonder: why were these books removed? Some believe it is because we do not have the original versions, but forgeries. Some believe they were taken out by wicked men who want to hide something regarding Yahovah, His nature, His prophecy, and the true nature of His creation. I’m not going to tell you which camp to join, only to ponder the fact that our 66 book canon, whether by design by Yah or design by man, is not the original, complete version.
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!
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