O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM!

Installment # I

Jerusalem has become an important focal point in the eyes of today's world. This was prophesied to occur. We must keep our eyes focused on her because certain events are soon going to take place which will bring about the Great Tribulation.

I have sat in churches and assemblies that have taught much about the Great Tribulation which is supposed to occur in the latter days. We have been taught much about prophecy and Biblical dates which have failed to come about and which have also done a great deal of damage to the credit of those teaching such things.

I remember the original teaching of the Worldwide Church of God was that the Great Tribulation was going to begin in 1972 culminating with the return of the Messiah in 1975. When that expected event didn't occur, a restudy of the Scriptures led the ministry to advance the date for another 10 years. It still didn't occur. Upon the death of that church's chief apostle, others were ushered into power in that group who have turned them away from the faith once delivered. The WCG group has done much to influence almost all of the Sacred Name Assemblies. Many of the members of the Sacred Name movement were originally members of the WCG. We did learn many important and basic doctrines from that group, but with their continued denial of the importance of the true names along with their backsliding, we must go on to the perfection that YAHWEH called us to and we must do the work that He has entrusted to us.

What about the Great Tribulation? When will it occur? How can we know for sure? Scripture tells us and gives us the guidelines to go by. All we need to do is have our eyes opened to just what YAHWEH is telling us in His word. One of the key factors that will alert us to the end time will be events taking place in Jerusalem. YAHWEH inspired Zechariah to prophesy, "The burden of the word of YAHWEH for Israel, saith YAHWEH, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 'Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it'," 12:1-3.

A CUP OF TREMBLING

The interesting thing about the phrase "a cup of trembling" is that the word "trembling" can also be interpreted as "intoxication." It is translated from the Hebrew word "ra'ah" and also means "reeling" (from intoxication). Isn't that the effect that we are getting from modern day Jerusalem? Isn't it making the inhabitants of the earth drunk with intoxication? Aren't all nations who are burdening themselves with it reeling back and forth, to and fro, like a drunkard? Hasn't Jerusalem become a burdensome stone for all people?

Today's Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt by the Scriptures, "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Sovereign was crucified," Rev. 11:8.

Isn't it interesting that there are currently at least three faiths who consider modern day Jerusalem to be a holy city. These faiths are Judaism, Islam and Christianity. But YAHWEH calls modern day Jerusalem Sodom and Egypt! Man is almost always 180º out of phase with YAHWEH'S proclamations. In other words, whatever YAHWEH proclaims, man usually believes and follows the opposite. Such is the situation with modern day Jerusalem.

Also, in the book of Revelation there is a great whore who sits upon many waters (17:1). This great harlot has a cup in her hand which is full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication (v. 4), "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of YAHshua: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration," (vv. 5-6).

Who is this great harlot? How has she made all nations drink with her intoxicating mixture? Isn't it interesting that YAHWEH prophesies that Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling or intoxication and also that modern day Jerusalem is called Sodom and Egypt? Isn't it also interesting that there is a great harlot who has a cup in her hand which has made the whole earth drunk with her abominable brew?

THE OLD TESTAMENT HARLOT

Who is this harlot? Many people (especially Protestants and non-Catholic Christians) have identified her with the Roman Catholic Church. While the Roman Catholic Church is certainly a part of the harlot system, there is a much more sinister system that is working behind the scenes which calls itself "Mother Council of the World!" This system is much more secret and mysterious than the Roman Catholic Church. As a matter of fact, the three major faiths which are involved with modern day Jerusalem are secretly being manipulated by this system.

That's right! Judaism, Islam and Christianity, the faiths which are currently involved in Jerusalem, calling and looking upon modern day Jerusalem as a holy city, are all being manipulated by this system of mystery. But I mustn't get ahead of myself and identify the system before I lay the groundwork which will reveal it.

The main question presently is, Who is the harlot? Could we possibly allow YAHWEH'S word to lead us to the identity of this prostitute? We will certainly do so even if there are those who will object and there certainly will be objections, but YAHWEH'S word is true. It is sharper that a two edged sword. It will divide the truth out to us.

"The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he says concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 'Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for YAHWEH hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, My People doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken YAHWEH, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except YAHWEH of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of YAHWEH, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our Elohim, ye people of Gomorrah...How is the faithful city become an harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them," Isa. 1:1-10, 21-23.

"Moreover the word of YAHWEH came to me, saying, 'Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith YAHWEH; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto YAHWEH, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them,' saith YAHWEH. Hear ye the word of YAHWEH, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the House of Israel: Thus saith YAHWEH, 'What iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Neither said they, 'Where is YAHWEH that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?' And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled My land, and made Mine heritage an abomination. The priests said not, 'Where is YAHWEH?' and they that handle the law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. Wherefore I will yet plead with you,' saith YAHWEH, and with your children's children will I plead. For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? But My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith YAHWEH. For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he spoiled? The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken YAHWEH thy Elohim, when He led thee by the way? And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken YAHWEH thy Elohim, and that My fear is not in thee, saith YAHWEH Elohim of hosts. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot," Jer. 2:1-20.

"Again the word of YAHWEH came unto me saying, 'Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say, 'Thus saith the Sovereign YAHWEH unto Jerusalem; 'Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite...But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pourdst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of My gold and My silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, and tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set Mine oil and Mine incense before them My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Sovereign YAHWEH. Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto Me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slain My children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, woe unto thee! saith the Sovereign YAHWEH; That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke Me to anger. Behold, therefore I have stretched out My hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith. How weak is thine heart, saith the Sovereign YAHWEH, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary. Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of YAHWEH: Thus saith the Sovereign YAHWEH; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy," Ex. 16:1-3, 15-38.

The three major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all identify that Judah and Jerusalem is the harlot of the Old Testament. Of course, the northern tribes of Israel also fall into this category.

THE NEW TESTAMENT HARLOT

Why is it that Judah and Israel were the harlot of the Old Testament? Because YAHWEH made His marriage covenant with them. They played the harlot by going after the elohim of the nations of the world.

How can we find out who the harlot of the New Testament is then? Simply by reviewing the promise of the New Covenant, "Behold, the days come, saith YAHWEH, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YAHWEH: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith YAHWEH, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be My People," Jer. 31:31-33.

Here is a new marriage covenant that YAHWEH is proposing to Israel and Judah. Israel and Judah are the primary inheritors of the New Covenant based upon a better promise because the promise is based upon YAHWEH'S word and not theirs. Israel and Judah are to be the principal bride of the New Covenant, however, Israel and Judah still have not learned their lesson as yet. They are still going after other elohim, strange elohim. Thus, the harlot of the New Testament is no different from the harlot of the Old Testament. The harlot is Israel and Judah and their chief city is Jerusalem.

Modern day Jerusalem is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt. The great sin of Sodom was that they went after strange flesh. The spiritual sin of Jerusalem is that she is going after strange elohim. Old Testament Egypt imposed slavery, bondage upon the whole House of Israel. Modern day Jerusalem is spiritually called Egypt. This means that Israel and Judah are spiritually in bondage to Egypt.

PROOF OF EGYPT

While you may believe this or not, it is our belief that the United States and many of the countries of Western Europe basically are comprised of the descendants of the house of Israel. There are plenty of proofs for this if one knows how and where to go to look for it. Some works that are written to prove this idea are One Man's Destiny by Dickey, Judah's Scepter and Joseph's Birthright by J. H. Allen, The Tribes by Yair Davidy and Who Is Israel and Why You Need To Know by Batya Wooten.

All one has to do is take the U.S. dollar bill and look on the reverse side. On the left hand side you will see the image of the Great Pyramid of Egypt on it with the all seeing eye of the Egyptian sun-god Osiris (or Horus) descending upon it. The banner underneath the pyramid reads "Novus Ordo Seclorum" which is Latin for "New Order of the Ages" or New World Order. Above the Pyramid is the words "Annuit Coeptis." Some claim that this means "He has prospered our beginnings." However, "Annuit" is quite similar to our word "annuity" which means "payment," and Coeptis is quite similar to the word Copt or Coptic which is simply another way to say Egypt. Since the dollar bill is utilized as legal tender for all debts public and private, then it stands to reason that it has to do with "payment/annunity, does it not? With the Great Pyramid of Egypt being depicted with the all-seeing eye of Osiris descending upon it, Egypt is depicted is it not? Thus, the dollar bill is declaring itself to be the "payment of Egypt." This means that you and I are in Egypt whether we like it or not. Whether we believe it or not. But what about the Jewish people. Haven't they returned to their Elohim and the Torah? Aren't they worshipping the true Elohim today? Haven't many of them returned to the promised land and isn't the way being made for as many as are willing to be able to return? Doesn't this return signal that they have repented and have turned to embrace their Elohim and are in the process of restoring His ways in the earth?

There is ample Scripture proof to reveal that they have not yet returned to their Elohim if one is of a mind to receive it. YAHWEH warned, "Therefore hear ye the word of YAHWEH all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; behold, I have sworn by My great name, saith YAHWEH, that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, 'the Sovereign YAHWEH liveth'," Jer. 44:26.

Has the name of the Great Creator Elohim YAHWEH returned to their mouth? Do the Jewish people speak His name today? Absolutely not. While there may be some few who are brave enough to pronounce His name and restore it to its rightful place, the truth is that to the great preponderance of the Jewish people, it is an abomination and also blasphemy to speak YAHWEH'S name. Modern day Jerusalem, Judah and Israel are still groping around in spiritual Egypt. Modern day Jerusalem, Judah and Israel are still in spiritual bondage. There is yet a great deliverance to take place which will be far greater than the original deliverance from the land of Egypt of old, "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith YAHWEH, that it shall no more be said, YAHWEH liveth, That brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;' But 'YAHWEH liveth, That brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither He had driven them:' and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers," Jer. 16:14-15.

While today's Jewish movement to return to the promised land is a type of vanguard, the simple fact of the matter is that there still has to be some drastic changes in the hearts of the people before YAHWEH will establish them as the dominating factor in the world.

We know that the Jewish people are looking for the Messiah, the Anointed One who will restore their power and kingdom on earth under the throne of King David. Yet, they are still in rejection of the Messiah YAHshua and YAHshua, Himself proclaimed, "For I say unto you, 'Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed is He That cometh in the name YAHWEH'," Mt. 23:39.

YAHshua was quoting Old Testament Scripture which contained the name of the Tetragrammaton, the name of the Creator YAHWEH. The Jewish people still refuse to pronounce the name to this day. There must come the conditions which will bring about a change of heart in them and also in scattered tribes of Israel.

DOUBLE DESTRUCTION

YAHWEH was so displeased with Jerusalem and the Jewish people that He had the prophets prophesy that they would suffer double destruction for their sins. Ezekiel was inspired to prophesy, "Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, 'As is the mother, so is her daughter.' Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite. And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. 'As I live,' saith the Sovereign YAHWEH, 'Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith YAHWEH. For thus saith the Sovereign YAHWEH; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant," 16:44-59.

Sodom and her sisters went after strange flesh. Samaria and her sisters went after strange elohim, especially Ba'al. YAHWEH says that Judah's and Jerusalem's sins were even greater than these! While He does promise restoration in the long run, He also promises punishment and destruction first, "For Mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from My face, neither is their iniquity hid from Mine eyes. And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled My land, they have filled Mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things," Jer. 16:17-18.

"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills. O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders. And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in Mine anger, which shall burn for ever. Thus saith YAHWEH; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from YAHWEH. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in YAHWEH, and whose hope YAHWEH is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I YAHWEH search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O YAHWEH, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken YAHWEH, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, O YAHWEH, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of YAHWEH? Let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow Thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before Thee. Be not a terror unto me: Thou art my hope in the day of evil. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction," Jer. 17:1-18.

Isaiah also warns of this double destruction, "Comfort ye, comfort ye My People,' saith your Elohim. 'Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of YAHWEH'S hand double for all her sins," 40:1-2.

Prophecy has been fulfilled! Jerusalem has been destroyed twice for her abominations and her sins. However, there is another warning of a third destruction which is to come before YAHWEH intervenes to establish His kingdom. We will continue this series in our next newsletter.
JH

Installment # two