“Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 16: 21)
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Grace does not Nullify the Law
Faith and works go hand-in-hand. We have confused this simple truth to the point where confusion reigns.
Paul said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2: 8)
The Hebrew word translated as grace is “chen”. The first time it appears in the Bible, we find that mankind had been corrupted beyond hope, and Yahweh was going to destroy every living creature on the planet with a great flood. Then grace was introduced:
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.” (Genesis 6: 8)
That’s the NASB translation. Chen is translated as “favor” because grace means “favor” or “unmerited favor”.
Of all the people alive at that time, only Noah and his family were saved. It was because of Yahweh’s grace.
Yahweh told Noah to build an ark, and he did it. That’s called obedience. If Noah had decided that he was saved by grace so he didn’t need to build an ark, he would have drowned just like everyone else.
It took Noah about 100 years to build the ark. There was no rain on the earth at that time, so flooding was unheard of. For about a century, Noah worked on a huge boat while his neighbors watched. They must have thought that Noah was a fool. You can bet that he was the recipient of scorn and ridicule, but it didn’t stop him.
Obedience is important.
To understand grace properly, it has to be considered in light of righteousness. Explaining the Messiah’s role to Jeremiah, Yahweh said,
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)
Yahweh is our righteousness. Apart from Him, we have none. We receive grace when Yahweh assigns His righteousness to us. Isaiah was making that point when he said,
“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64: 6)
When we place our faith in Yahweh, He covers us with His righteousness. The Messiah’s blood sacrifice paid for our sins and made us as white as snow in Yahweh’s eyes.
Salvation can’t be earned, but it comes with a price. I don’t want to minimize the importance of grace in believers’ lives, but Yahweh didn’t suffer and die so that we can live licentiously. As I said, obedience is important.
How can we know what Yahweh expects from us? It begins by understanding what He said in the Old Testament or the Tanach. In it, He laid out rules for us to live by.
Because of that simple statement, many people who place their faith in grace will tune me out. They shouldn’t. Keep this in mind: our faith is in Yahweh, not grace. Remember what Paul said:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith.”
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not.
The Messiah delivered His Sermon on the Mount to clarify what Yahweh meant in the Old Testament. You’ll find it in Matthew chapters 5 through 7.
Five times in Matthew chapter 5, the Messiah used the phrase “You have heard”. Then He explained what Yahweh really meant:
- Verse 21—“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’”
- Verse 27—“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.’”
- Verse 33—“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO YAHWEH.’”
- Verse 38—“You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’”
- Verse 43—“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’”
In each instance, He was making the same point: all of us are guilty, and we need a Savior. That’s what Isaiah meant when he said, “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.”
For example, if we are angry with someone, we are guilty of murder, and if we look at a woman lustfully, we are guilty of adultery. All of us are guilty. That’s what the Messiah said.
The people had been taught by rabbis who were self-righteous. Their definition of sin focused on the act itself and not the condition of the heart that precipitated the act. Thus, they had distorted the meaning of Yahweh’s commands to the point that He had to intervene to set things straight.
Regrettably, things still aren’t straight. Below are a few examples:
Example 1
Yahweh never told us to celebrate the Messiah’s birth. In the 300s A.D., Constantine made up Christmas (which literally means Christ’s mass) to coincide with sun god (Sol Invictus) worshippers’ celebration of the sun’s birth.
Coincidentally, like Pharaoh, Constantine equated himself with the sun god. Thus, Christmas was a way of worshipping Constantine.
Below is a picture of a Roman coin depicting Constantine and Sol Invictus together:
Yahweh wasn’t born. He is the ever-existent One. The Messiah is Yahweh. Celebrating His “birth” makes no sense.
Yahweh forbids combining worship of Him with pagan practices and rituals. That’s what we have done with Christmas.
Katie and I celebrate Sukkot. It’s one of the mandatory feasts, and the Messiah was born during Sukkot. For several years, we celebrated Sukkot in Texas. I have a preacher friend in Texas who asked me, “Why are you celebrating Sukkot? You don’t have to.”
That was a roundabout way of saying, “Grace covers you in your disobedience.”
I told him that my celebrating Sukkot wasn’t a matter of having to. I told him that I wanted to. This is exactly what I said: “If Yahweh throws a party and I’m invited, I’m going.”
Example 2
I know another preacher who talks a lot about grace. One day I was talking with him about something Solomon wrote in the Book of Wisdom. His response surprised me. He said, “What is the Book of Wisdom?”
The Book of Wisdom is deuterocanonical. That’s a fancy was of saying that religious authorities today think it’s of secondary importance.
When I told him what the Book of Wisdom is, he looked at me with a shocked expression and said, “You have read that?”
The way he said it made it sound like he thought I was talking about a piece of pornographic literature. Little did he know that the Book of Wisdom was considered canonical Scripture until about 285 B.C.
He had never read it, and he had never heard of it. That shocked me because I’m not a preacher, and I didn’t go to seminary.
Example 3
The Sabbath is Saturday, not Sunday. Yahweh commanded us to keep the Sabbath holy. It’s the 4th Commandment.
In the 300s A.D., Constantine decided to combine the sun god sabbath which is Sunday (notice that it’s “sun day”) with Yahweh’s Sabbath, and forbade recognizing Saturday Sabbath. The penalty for violating his decree was death.
If you tell a grace only person that the Sabbath is Saturday, he will tell you in a heartbeat that you are being legalistic and that you have abandoned grace. Neither of those things is true, but that’s the way grace only people think.
If we know what Yahweh expects, we should obey Him. There is no good excuse for rejecting Yahweh’s explicit commands.
Example 4
Passover is not Easter. Yahweh commanded us to celebrate Passover to recognize the Messiah’s blood sacrifice for our redemption.
Easter is a fertility celebration for the Babylonian and Assyrian fertility goddess Ishtar, hence Easter.
What do Easter bunnies and colored eggs have to do with Yahweh? Nothing, but they have everything to do with Ishtar.
In the 300s A.D., Constantine decreed that Christians would celebrate Easter instead of Passover. The penalty for violating his decree was death.
Again, if you tell a grace only person that Easter isn’t Passover, he will tell you that you are being legalistic and that you have abandoned grace. Again, neither of those things is true.
If we know what Yahweh expects, we should obey Him. Again, there is no good excuse for rejecting Yahweh’s explicit commands.
What did the Messiah say?
Grace preachers like to talk about Paul. Most of the ones I’ve heard distort the meaning of what Paul said, but why rely on him to understand the importance of obedience in the lives of believers. Why not look to the Messiah for the answer? This is what He said:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5: 17-20)
Since heaven and earth haven’t passed away yet, it’s safe to assume that the Law is still in effect. Obedience is expected. Grace doesn’t change that.
Below are a few more verses that present what the Messiah said about obedience:
- John 8: 31-32—“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’”
- John 8: 51—“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”
- John 14: 15—“If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
- John 14: 23—“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.’”
- John 15: 14—“You are my friends if you do what I command.”
- John 15: 16—“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you.” “I chose you” is what grace is all about.
- Luke 6: 46—“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
- Luke 11: 28—“He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”
- Matthew 7: 21—“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
There can be no doubt that the Messiah said obedience is important. Grace is not blanket forgiveness for willful disobedience. It’s impossible to interpret the Messiah’s statements any other way.
What about John 3: 16?
John 3: 16 may be the most quoted verse in the New Testament. It says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
You see that verse everywhere. Tim Tibow had it written under his eyes in white with black background when he played football in college and in the NFL. Below is a picture of him in uniform:
I love John 3: 16. It lifts my heart to think about what the Messiah did for me. He covered my sins with His blood and saved me.
What about John 3: 36?
Few people who quote John 3: 16 follow up with John 3: 36. They should. This is what John 3: 36 says:
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Is obedience important? Absolutely.
Is it legalistic to obey Yahweh? Not at all.
Does obedience nullify grace? On the contrary, it is by Yahweh’s grace that we want to obey Him. The desire isn’t in us unless He puts it there.
What did Paul say?
I don’t want to dwell too much on what Paul said, but I have to mention it because what he said has been so distorted. Below are a few of Paul’s statements:
Romans 3: 20—“Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law [is] the knowledge of sin.” That’s what Yahweh said.
Romans 7: 7—“What shall we say then? [Is] the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the Law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the Law had said, ‘You shall not covet.” That’s what Yahweh said.
Romans 3: 31—“Do we then make void the Law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” That’s what Yahweh said.
Romans 6: 15-16—“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” That’s what Yahweh said.
Romans 7: 12—“Therefore the Law [is] holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” That’s what Yahweh said.
There is no doubt in my mind that Paul understood the importance of grace and obedience. He knew that people who have been saved by grace through faith want to obey Yahweh because that’s what the indwelling Holy Spirit leads them to do. That’s exactly what Paul said:
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8: 14)
The Messiah explained the Spirit’s leading this way:
5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper [the Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”
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12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (John 16)
The Spirit leads us to obedience, but we must make a conscious decision to follow Him. Mature believers want to follow Him. Immature Christians and unbelievers don’t.
As I said, Paul has been misunderstood. For example, he said,
“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘Uncircumcision’ by the so-called ‘Circumcision,’ which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in the Messiah you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.” (Ephesians 2: 11-16)
Some have interpreted this passage of Scripture to mean that the Law no longer applies. That’s nonsense. Remember that the Messiah said the Law would apply until heaven and earth pass away. We’re still here, so that hasn’t happened yet.
Paul was writing to Gentiles in Ephesus who had become believers. He said that the blood of the Messiah had broken down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles and abolished the enmity between them. Enmity means hostility, hate, or antagonism.
The Messiah didn’t abolish the Law. He abolished enmity toward the Law. He did it so that all believers, Jews and Gentiles, could be of one mind. That’s what Paul said.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians has been misunderstood as well. He said,
“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in the Messiah, even we have believed in the Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith in the Messiah and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. But if, while seeking to be justified in the Messiah, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is the Messiah then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with the Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but the Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then the Messiah died needlessly.” (Galatians 1: 15-21)
Paul isn’t wrong. Interpretations of what he said are.
Paul didn’t say anything about the Law that Yahweh hadn’t said already. The Messiah is our righteousness, as Yahweh told Jeremiah. Faith in Him is key. And as Isaiah said, no matter how hard we try, we can’t do works that Yahweh calls “good” apart from the Messiah.
The Galatians had fallen into a trap. They were busily trying to do good works thinking that their effort would be rewarded. Paul wanted to set them straight, but he never intended for them to believe that obedience to Yahweh’s Law is unimportant or unnecessary. He was merely pointing out that good works in and of themselves aren’t enough. He was saying that faith in the Messiah is thing that matters most and that faith leads to obedience.
Stated another way, Paul was saying that works Yahweh calls “good” emanate from faith and obedience to the leading of His Spirit. Absent faith and obedience, nothing we do can be called “good”.
What did James say?
There was some contention between James and Paul in the early days of Paul’s ministry, but they straightened out their differences. Below is James’ explanation about faith and obedience. James refers to obedience as “works”:
“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
“But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,’ and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2: 14: 26)
James was stunningly clear. Faith without obedience is dead. I would have said it a little differently: faith without obedience isn’t saving faith. It’s the mere acceptance of the fact that Yahweh exists, and as James said, demons believe that and they shudder. For the record, demons are not saved.
In my book What Will You Do with the Rest of Your Life?, I said that saving faith is faith with legs. By that I mean saving faith results in being obedient to the leading of Yahweh’s Spirit. James calls it works.
It’s Time to Grow Up
I mentioned the friction between James and Paul. Initially, it stemmed from questions about circumcision. Many Jewish believers thought that pagan converts to Christianity had to be circumcised. Paul didn’t agree. James, Paul, and other church leaders met in Jerusalem to iron out their differences. Eventually, James conceded that pagan converts to Christianity were not required to be circumcised. Peter is the one who settled the matter. See Acts chapter 15.
Today’s grace only Christians focus their attention on the things that pagans in the early days of Christianity were not required to do. They were pagan believers, not unbelievers. They believed in false gods. For them, transitioning to faith in Yahweh was difficult. It challenged everything they knew and everything they had been taught. That’s why early church leaders didn’t want to impose any more restrictions on them than were required for new believers.
I call that the minimalist approach. It boils down to doing as little as you have to do and still be saved. For new believers, that’s fine, but for people who have claimed to be Christians for a long time, it’s not.
There are many minimalist Christians today. I don’t want to be one of them.
Growing to maturity in the Messiah means learning to accept things that challenge our long-held beliefs and traditions. Christmas, Easter, and Sunday sabbath are three good examples. There are many others. Over time, we will jettison those practices as we begin to realize how offensive they are to Yahweh.
If we know how offensive they are to Yahweh but we refuse to change our ways, it says a lot about our faith, and it’s not good.
This is something that today’s grace only Christians don’t want to talk about or think about. The church leaders meeting in Jerusalem who agreed that not imposing circumcision on new converts was okay didn’t think that they would remain in that child-like state forever. They believed that over time the Spirit would show pagan converts the error in their ways, and they would change.
It’s time for us to grow up.
The Conclusion
The Law shows us how much we need a Savior/Redeemer. It’s good, but it exposes our sins. It shows us how dependent we are on Yahweh. His shed blood paid the price for our sins (disobedience) and made us holy (set apart) for good works in Him and through Him.
The Law isn’t dead. Grace didn’t kill it. Grace demonstrates the love and compassion that Yahweh has for us, because while we were sinners He died for us. He didn’t endure the agony of the cross and shed His blood so that we would have a license to disobey Him with impunity.
Grace in a Nutshell:
- “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit….” (John 15: 16)
- “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” (John 18: 9)
Grace is not about being lawless with impunity.
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His Name is Yahweh, the website, is a companion of the book His Name is Yahweh. Both of them explain the importance of God’s Name.
The website is loaded with factual information that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Yahweh is our Savior and that the Messiah is Yahweh.
I hope you will take a few minutes and explore the website. I also hope you will share it with your friends and family.
It’s time for believers to tell the world about our God by His Name—Yahweh.
To see videos that explain the importance of Yahweh’s Name, click here.
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Washington Post—International sanctions against Iran lifted: Iran reentered the global economy Saturday as years of crippling international sanctions ended in exchange for the verified disabling of much of its nuclear infrastructure. For Iran, implementation of the landmark deal it finalized with six world powers last summer means immediate access to more than $50 billion in long-frozen assets and freedom to sell its oil and purchase goods in the international marketplace. Tehran has hailed the deal as vindication of its power and influence in the world.
Washington Post—Iran frees Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, 3 others, officials say: The United States and Iran moved into a new era of international relations Saturday, with the implementation of a landmark agreement on Iran’s nuclear program on a drama-filled day that also saw the release of imprisoned Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and four other Americans. U.S. and European officials lifted the harshest economic sanctions against Tehran after the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog certified that the Islamic republic had fully complied with promises to curtail key parts of its nuclear program. Hours before diplomats in the Austrian capital hailed the official activation of the nuclear deal, Iran confirmed the release of Rezaian and the other American detainees, set free in exchange for U.S. clemency offered to seven Iranians charged or imprisoned for sanctions violations and the dismissal of outstanding charges against 14 Iranians outside the United States.
Reuters—Rouhani hails “golden page” in Iran’s history as sanctions lifted: Three Iranian-Americans left Tehran on Sunday under a prisoner swap following the lifting of sanctions on Iran that is likely to thaw ties further with the United States as Tehran emerges from years of international isolation. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the nuclear deal, sealed with world powers last year and paving the way for Saturday’s lifting of most U.S., European, and U.N. sanctions, can be used as a model to resolve regional issues. While the deal brings Iran back into the international fold, Tehran finds itself embroiled in sectarian conflicts in the Middle East and at odds with regional Sunni heavyweight Saudi Arabia, which views the U.S.-Iran thaw with deep suspicion.
Boaz Bismuth—The apple of Obama’s eye: When U.S. President Barack Obama likes you, this is what you get: a shady nuclear deal; 21 of your people are released in a prisoner exchange, among them three Iranian-Americans accused of violating sanctions (leaving us to ponder how unlucky Jonathan Pollard was not to be born an Iranian); ballistic missile tests in blatant violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution; and an apology after you detained 10 American sailors. This is what Iran, the country providing Obama his legacy in exchange for a proper Islamic republic, has received. Welcome to the new American age: Iran is in, the Gulf States are out.
Israel Hayom—PM vows to ‘monitor’ Iran as sanctions officially lifted: Iran emerged from years of economic isolation on Saturday when world powers lifted sanctions against the Islamic Republic in return for it complying with a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions. In a dramatic move scheduled to coincide with the scrapping of the sanctions, Iran also announced the release of five Americans including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian as part of a prisoner swap with the United States.
Lawrence A. Franklin—Iran’s Commitment to Shia in the Region: The West does not seem to appreciate the intensity of Iran’s commitment to its Shi’ite cousins in Syria. The West also seems not to comprehend the depth of Iran’s spiritual ties to its centuries-old role as the champion of Shi’a Islam. Much Western journalistic commentary addresses Iran’s commitment to the Assad regime in Damascus. Left underreported is the profound sense of shared religious identity between the Shia of Iran and the Shi’a Alawi minority of Syria. Iran’s determination to maintain Alawi supremacy in Syria transcends any personal attachment to the Assad administration.
Guy Millière—Palestinian Acts of “Peace”: The Greek Parliament, on December 22, 2015, voted unanimously on a motion calling on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to recognize the “State of Palestine.” Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, who was on an official visit to Athens, took the opportunity to say that the PA would no longer accept being called by any other name, and that passports with “State of Palestine” would be issued with this name. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, Tzipi Hotevely, responded by saying that Mahmoud Abbas was following a “flawed path that will lead him nowhere.” Israel’s former Ambassador to Canada, Alan Baker, in a report for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, noted that this was a “clear and flagrant violation of the Oslo agreements .”
Bassam Tawil—Who Is Betraying the Palestinians?: According to Islamic sources, one of the signs of yawm al-qiyamah (Judgment Day) and redemption is the appearance of the False Messiah, masih dajjal, sent by Satan in the guise of the True Messiah. He is charismatic and powerful, his skin is the color of bronze, his hair is curly and his eyes flash fire. He pretends to do good deeds, drawing people to him and making them blindly follow him.
Washington Post—How women are reshaping the post-9/11 Arab world: The post-9/11 Arab world, a region seemingly defined by crisis reporting, inspires emotional responses from many in the West. Frequently it’s dismissed as one built upon the subjugation of women, who, veiled and hidden from view, are forbidden from traveling, going to school or enjoying many of the “liberties” of women in the West. Rather than define the conversation in such stark terms, Katherine Zoepf’s new book, “Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women Who Are Transforming the Arab World,” (Penguin Press, Jan. 12, 2016) allows Arab women to speak for themselves.
Algemeiner— Antisemitic Student Becomes First Expelled From Major French University Since 1872— A student who posted rabidly antisemitic remarks on Facebook became the first to be expelled from the prestigious Science Po university in Paris since the institution was founded in 1872, the UK’s Jewish Chronicle reported on Friday. During an online debate with an Israeli student, Amira Jumaa, 20, wrote: “You don’t belong anywhere in this world — that’s why you guys are scum and rats and discriminated against wherever you are. Do not blame it on the poor Palestinians.”
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His Name is Yahweh explains why the Name of God, Yahweh, is so important. It’s available in eBook format and in paperback. It’s also available for free in PDF format.
- God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This [Yahweh] is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Exodus 3: 15)
- “Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 16: 21)
- “Behold, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)
- Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8: 58)
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Blessings in the Book of Revelation is a book that you need to read, especially now. There are blessings throughout the Scriptures but Revelation is the only book in the Bible actually containing a specific blessing for reading it. It’s repeated twice, once at the beginning and again at the end. This is the reason that I believe Revelation should be the first step toward studying biblical prophecy. Though not easy to do, Revelation can be broken down and understood by anyone, not just the academic elite. So, Revelation’s blessings are for everyone. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
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Other Books by Neil Snyder
- Stand! is a suspense novel that exposes the lies, corruption, and greed underlying the theory that man-made CO2 emissions are responsible for global warming. Professor Wes Carlyle and Karen Sterling, his research collaborator, carefully scan the audience for their would-be attacker—a member of the enviro-gestapo who has been following them for days. Wes spots his man in the back of the room leaning against the wall. Suddenly, another man in the audience steps forward and moves toward Karen at a menacing pace. With a vicious stroke, he swings a billy club at her head. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
- What Will You Do with the Rest of Your Life? deals with a question that every Christian has to consider: what should I do with my life? Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
- Falsely Accused is a true story about a young woman who was accused of committing a double homicide. It’s about a travesty of justice, and it reveals Yahweh intervening in the life of a believer to rescue her from danger in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Everyone will enjoy the book, but young people in particular need to read it because the mistakes made that led to the problem could have been avoided. They were the kinds of mistakes that young people are prone to make. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
See “His Name is Yahweh”.
