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Tag: Judea
Ephraim Free At Last! Once Again A Mighty Man! by Angus Wootten
via Ephraim Free At Last! Once Again A Mighty Man! – B'ney Yosef North America
[Editor's note: Here's a provocative thought –
In the first century, Judaism, with its temple, priesthood, and sacrificial system, divided into two major branches: Christianity, with its sacrifice and grace, and Rabbinical Judaism, with its Law, feasts and traditions.
Angus Wootten wrote that in April 1996 as he shared his understanding of the Gospel of the Kingdom. His statement comes in the context of relating the two aspects of redemption: personal/individual, and corporate/national. How do Jews and Christians fit in this context? How do they, or should they, relate to one another? As Angus explains, the answers come in realizing our shared identity in the covenant Kingdom of Israel.]
Ephraim Free At Last! One Again A Mighty Man!
By Angus Wootten – April 1996
When will the Kingdom of Israel be restored to the people of Israel?
What part might we play in this restoration process?
These questions have perplexed Believers, and pleaded for an answer since they were first asked of Yeshua some two thousand years ago.
Because Yeshua"s response to their question included a mystery Yeshua told His disciples that the Father knows the moment, hour, and day when Yeshua is going to restore the Kingdom to Israel. He also said that it was not for them to know this predestined time. Rather. it was their job to be His witnesses. Both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria. and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts l:8).
Fortunately, today it is possible to have greater insight into the answers to these critical questions.[1]
However. our first step in unraveling this "time for the Kingdom" mystery. and in understanding our own personal part in the restoration process, requires that we first fully understand who we are in relationship to Yeshua. and to the historical people and nation of Israel.
Each one of us sees ourselves as having been "born again" into Yahveh's family. But, what is our link to the forefathers of Israel? How are we connected with those who stood in the very presence of Yahveh at the foot of Mount Sinai? (Exodus 19: l6-20). What gives us the credibility to be counted by the Holy One of Israel among the people of Israel? Also, what unites us with Messiah's original group of disciples, or, as David Stern refers to them in his Jewish New Testament, to His 'emissaries"? Just what is our relationship with those chosen few who spent three and a half years in intimate fellowship with the God of Israel when He walked in the form of a man on this earth?
Answers to these questions are found in the Words of the Prophet like unto Moses, and in the Words of that Prophet's original emissaries.
Moses Choosing the Seventy Elders, Jacob de Wit, 1736-37, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
In Torah, Moses declared to the chosen people of Israel that, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him . . . and I will put My Words in his mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command him. And it shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words. which He shall speak in My name. I Myself will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:15-22)
Who is this Prophet through whom the Holy One of Israel promised to speak?
It is none other than Yeshua
Yeshua was fulfilling this prophecy given to Moses when He said to the Father, "The Words which Thou gavest Me l have given to them [His original band of emissaries]; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me. . . I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. . . I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those [Believers down through the ages] who also believe in Me through their Word" (John 17:8-20).
Our concern is that we listen to the Words the Father gave Yeshua, which Words He in turn gave to his emissaries. For, those who do not receive these Words, of them the Father Himself will "require it." The Hebrew word darash[2], which is here translated require,[3] can be best understood in the context of this passage to mean that, Yahveh will require an accounting of each one of us as to how we shama[4] meaning listen, or harken, to these Words.
From this we conclude that the answer to our "Who are we?" question is: "We are included among those in this generation who are following in the footsteps of the original emissaries, by believing in their Words which were given them by Yeshua.[5]
Having made the point that we are required to listen, or harken, to the Words that Yeshua gave to His emissaries, which Words they in turn have given to us, the next question to answer is: To what Words are we to listen or harken? And, what is it that the original emissaries believed that we are required to believe?
Using Abraham as an example, we ask: What Words did the Father require that Abraham believe? He reckoned Abraham's belief in His Word – "That his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven" – as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Therefore, if we have the faith of Abraham, then we will believe what Abraham believed.[6] Likewise, if we are to believe what the original emissaries believed, we must believe what Yeshua told them: That our ultimate mission is the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel.
Restoration of the Kingdom to Israel
The Apostle Luke described a time when Yeshua was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." And Yeshua taught them, "When you pray, say, 'Father, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come . . . on earth as it is in heaven'" (Luke 11:1-4). What is Yeshua telling both His disciples, and us, to pray for? Is He telling them/us to pray that we go to heaven? No, He is instructing them/us to pray that His kingdom come here on the earth!
Some five centuries of silence followed the declaration, "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord." (Malachi 4:5) Then the event that heralded the New Covenant occurred: Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel – for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant." (Luke 1:67)
Fulfilling Zacharias' prophecy, the angel Gabriel visited Mary. He told her about Yeshua, the Son whom she would bear for Yahveh: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and Yahveh will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:32)
Yeshua told us to pray that His Kingdom would come here on the earth. And Gabriel explained that Yeshua's Kingdom is the Kingdom of Jacob/Israel, and that Yeshua would rule over the house of Jacob/Israel forever.
Further, Yeshua said of Himself, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24) And, in John 10:7, "My sheep know My voice and I know them, and they follow Me."
Meditate for a moment on this testimony: "My sheep know My voice and I know them, and they follow Me." This assertion by Yeshua has not applied to great numbers of people over the past two thousand years, and it does not apply to very many people on the face of this earth today. But it does apply to those who are following in the steps of Yeshua's emissaries—they being Those to whom He gave His kingdom.
Yeshua said to His emissaries, "I confer on you a Kingdom just as My Father conferred one on Me." (Luke 22:29) He also said, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom." (Luke 12:32) And, "Truly I say to you. That you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28)
We see that Yeshua gave His Kingdom to His emissaries—the very Kingdom which was given to Him by the Father to rule over forever—the House of Jacob/Israel.
Yeshua said, when He was 12 years old, "I must be about My Father's business." What was His Father's business? Yeshua explains this later, when He sent out His emissaries, telling them to, "Preach the Kingdom." And, He instructed them not to preach this message in the way of (manner of, or like) the Gentiles. And, He gave them the job of taking this message of the Kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel – a job that remains unfinished to this day (Matthew 10:5-7; 10:23, Luke 9: 1-6; John 4:7-42).[7]
What did the emissaries (in whose footsteps we are to follow) understand to be Yahveh's goal and plan concerning them and all Israel?
We begin to see the answer in Luke's description of Yeshua's entrance into Jerusalem, just days before His death: "As He was going, they were spreading their garments in the road. And as He was approaching the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise Yahveh joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, saying, 'Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of Yahveh.'" (Luke 19:36-38)
It was "Kingship" that gave the ruling Pharisees a problem with Yeshua. They feared that the people would crown Yeshua – make Him a King – which would cause war with Rome, and would result in the loss of the temple, and what little authority they did have.
The expectation of virtually all first century Jews was that when the Messiah came, He would deliver Israel from Roman oppression and become King over an Israel that was united, even as it was under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon. This is why the people who recognized Yeshua as the King of Israel were expecting Him to immediately restore the Kingdom to Israel.
Yeshua's Prayer For Us
The Seventeenth Chapter of John contains the prayer of Yeshua before He went to the cross. Yeshua said, at the start of His ministry, "I must be about My Father"s business." In John 17:4, He said, "I have glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do." And in the next four verses, He describes the work He was given to do: manifested Thy name to the men Thou gavest Me out of the world. Thine they were and Thou gavest them to Me and they have kept Thy Word. Now, they have come to know that everything which Thou gavest Me is for them. For the Words which Thou gavest Me I have given to them and they received them [understood them]. And they truly understood that l came from Thee and they believe that Thou didst send Me."
As Yeshua continued His Gethsemane prayer, He said. "I ask on their behalf – I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou gave me, for they are Thine. I have given them Thy Word: and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. . . As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. . . I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their Word." (John 17:14-20)
It is of prime importance that we see that Yeshua prayed not only for His original emissaries, but also for all those emissaries in future generations who would believe in the Words given the original emissaries – which Words they recorded for our benefit.
How Do We Fit Into The Divine Design?
This is where and how we fit into the Divine design. This is how we automatically come under the mantle of prayer and purpose that Yeshua placed over His original emissaries.
Yeshua, having made it evident that His emissaries understood the Word of the Father that He had given them, next went to the cross. Afterwards, one of the first events that took place happened when Yeshua came alongside two of His emissaries, who were on the road to Emmaus. But, they did not recognize Him. As they walked together and talked about Yeshua and His death, one of the emissaries said, "We thought that He was going to restore the Kingdom to Israel." (Luke 24:21)
Where did they get that idea?
They got it from the fact that all Israel was looking forward to the end of pagan oppression, and to establishment of the Kingdom of Israel. And, because Yeshua repeatedly spoke of the Kingdom.
After His resurrection, Yeshua presented Himself alive to His emissaries, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the Kingdom (Acts 1:2). Then came the time for His departure.
"Lord, Is Now The Time That You Are Going To Restore The Kingdom To Israel?"
His emissaries were gathered together with Him on the Mount of Olives. They undoubtedly sensed that they were about to witness a momentous event. And, standing there with the One whom they had for years followed, they had one last question for Him: "Lord, is now the time that You are going to restore the Kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 6)
While we may speculate on the reason for, and the timing of this question, there is no speculation about Yeshua's answer. Because He said: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has already established. (Acts 1:7)
Almost 2,000 years ago, on the Mount of Olives, Yeshua told His emissaries that, the Father already knows the moment, hour, and day, when Yahveh is going to have Yeshua return and restore the Kingdom to Israel. However, it was not for them to know this predestined time.
Had they known that it was some 2,000 years in the future, surely it would have taken away a good bit of their resolve and zeal. After all, how would you feel if you knew today, that the return of Messiah was still some two thousand years in the future?
Yeshua's answer to them also included the command that His emissaries would be witnesses (the actual word is martyrs). Where? In Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and to the remotest corners of the earth.
(It appears that in this day, the Church has forgotten everything but the remotest corners of the earth. As for Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, the United Nations, the United States, the Roman Catholic church, and the World Council of Churches are doing everything they can to take away this area of the promised Kingdom of Israel and to give it to the Palestinians. But, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel did not give this area to Ishmael and his descendants, nor to Esau and his descendants. Rather, by an oath which He swore on His own Name, He gave Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to the descendants of Israel for an everlasting possession! [Hebrews 6: 13-17].)
Requirements For The Return
After revealing that the time of the restoration of Israel's Kingdom was to be an unknown factor, Yeshua was lifted up into the heavens. And, the angels, who also were present, asked of His emissaries, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This Yeshua, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)
Other Scriptures tell us that the fulfillment of this angelic prophecy requires a united people, a people standing on the Mount of Olives, saying, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Yahveh." (Ezekiel 37:1; 15-28; Luke 13:35; Romans 11)
When Will The Kingdom Be Restored To Israel?
How close are we to that glorious day when that united group will witness Yeshua, once again standing on the Mount of Olives? Do we sense that the Messiah could come in our lifetime – in our generation? Earlier in this century, the theme song of the Pentecostals, Charismatics, and Fundamentalists was that by the year 2000, Yeshua would have returned. However, as we get closer to the end of the second millennium since Yeshua's departure, a lot of people seem to be backing away from that expectation.
And yet, though hindsight is a lot more accurate than foresight, it is possible to obtain foresight from Scripture, especially with the leading of the Holy Spirit. So let us now ask the Spirit to guide us, as we seek to better understand the time of Yeshua's return.
It is difficult to interpret the many numbers that are given in the Scriptures. For example, Daniel mentions the 1,235 days, 62 weeks, and 7 weeks. And, we have all seen a lot of theology, doctrines, and predictions built around these numbers. Nonetheless, in speculating as to when Yeshua will return, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: Why the 2000 year wait that we have lived through? Especially when, 2000 years ago Yeshua said, "Yes, I am coming quickly," and, especially considering Peter's proclamation, that we are in the last days (Acts 2:17; Revelation 22:20).
At least we can take comfort in the fact that we are 2000 years later than Peter was! Additionally, we can all agree that we have come to a time in history in which we are now seeing a fulfillment of the command given to Daniel: "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase." (Daniel 12:4)
We have planes, cars, and even space vehicles, which allow us to go back and forth, and we have computers program that allow us to study Scripture and to see things that were not readily available to generations before us. (That does not mean that we are seeing a new extra-biblical revelation. For example, when Luther saw "Justification by Faith" in the fifteenth century, was that something new? No. It was an illumination of principles that had been there in Scripture all the time, but Luther is the one who saw it, and then other people began to see this principle in a way they had not seen it before.)
The Reestablishment Of A Jewish State
David Ben Gurion, flanked by members of his provisional government, reading the Declaration of Independence and establishment of the State of Israel, May 14, 1948 (National Photo Collection, Israel, #D662-054).
There are several events that have happened in the latter portion of this century that point to a likelihood that the time is near at hand when Yahveh will restore His Kingdom to Israel. Event number one is the reestablishment of a Jewish State. We are seeing the fulfillment of prophecies that Judah would return first in unbelief: "Yahveh, our Lord, will save the tents of Judah first." (Zechariah 12:7) "And, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. . . Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. . . On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt." (Ezekiel 36:26-34)
The Messianic Jewish Movement
The second event is the Messianic Jewish Movement.
In the first century, Judaism, with its temple, priesthood, and sacrificial system, divided into two major branches: Christianity, with its sacrifice and grace, and Rabbinical Judaism, with its Law, feasts and traditions. And, for the past nineteen centuries, there have been Rabbinical Jews who have recognized Jesus as their Messiah. Wrongfully, conversion to Christianity required that they give up he observance of Torah, the Feasts of Israel, and Jewish traditions. Then, in the early 1970s, there were several small groups of Jews who, independently of each other, came to the conclusion that, while they would accept Yeshua as their Messiah, they would not give up their Jewish identity. Instead, they would incorporate their observance of Torah, the Feasts of Israel, and many of their Jewish traditions with their newfound faith in the Messiah of Israel.
The Messianic Israel Movement
The third event is the Messianic Israel Movement.
During the past nineteen centuries, there have been some Christians who have recognized the value of observing Torah, the Feasts of Israel (and some Jewish traditions) – and they have. And presently are, even today, giving up their faith in the deity of Yeshua, as was, and still is wrongfully required of all who would convert to Rabbinic Judaism.
However, in the late seventies, there were Christians who began to see their identity as Israelites, and to see that they too are an integral part of the people of Israel. Slowly, they began to realize that they are Ephraim, the other house of Israel. They also recognized the value of observing the principles of Torah, the Feasts of Israel, and of incorporating some of the Jewish traditions into their faith in Yeshua.
These two Movements are struggling, through internal divisions and strife, and sibling rivalry. Yet, slowly, ever so slowly, they are maturing and beginning to walk in the knowledge that both are a part of the United Israel that will soon herald the return of Messiah and ultimately be used of Yahveh to help bring to pass the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel.
One of the most obvious signs of this truth is the fact that you are reading this issue of the House of David Herald, which is subtitled, The Voice of Messianic Israel. And, that you know that you are an Israelite. Thus, you serve as a proof that the prophet Hosea delivered an accurate prophecy concerning the punishment to the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel – that they would not be Yahveh's people any longer because of their idolatry, that the day would come in which Yahveh would turn this judgment around, and that the children of Ephraim/Israel would become the "sons of the Living God."
Yes! We are part of a small number of forerunners who have been granted the unmerited grace of seeing that punishment come to an end.
The Punishment Of Ephraim
The Prophets Hosea and Amos explained why and how Israel would be punished for their iniquity: "Israel is swallowed up; They are now among the nations. Like a vessel in which no one delights." (Hosea 8:8) And, "I will shake the house of Israel among all nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, But not a kernel will fall to the ground." (Amos 9:9)
Bala, the Hebrew word for swallow, which word Hosea uses in his description of Ephraim's punishment, has the connotation of someone eating a piece of food, and having it become a part of their body. For example, today, try to find, or identify in your body, the food you ate last week. Even so, Ephraim was destined to be punished, by being swallowed up by the Gentile nations, and so to become an indistinguishable part of them. This punishment has been in effect until this generation, and during this time of blindness, Ephraim has not known who he is!
From Yahveh's dealings with the Prophet Ezekiel we gain an understanding of the duration of Ephraim's punishment. For Yahveh told Ezekiel to, "Lay on your left side and put the sin of the House of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side for I have assigned to you a number of days corresponding to the number of years of iniquity [of Israel] . . . 390 days. Thus you shall bear the iniquity of the House of Israel."
We know that Yahveh was talking to Ephraim/Israel because He goes on to say, "After you have finished this, lie down again on your right side and bear the sin of the House of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year." (Ezekiel 4:4-6)
Ezekiel lived 135 years after the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) had become "no more." Yet, Yahveh had not forgotten about them, because through Ezekiel, He deals with the length of the punishment for their iniquity. The people of the northern ten tribes would not repent of their paganism, and Yahveh was adamant concerning the fact that He is a jealous God, and that they were to have "no other gods" before Him. Yet, He also was, "a compassionate God; who would not fail them nor destroy them nor forget the covenant which He had sworn to their fathers." (Deuteronomy 4:31; 5:9)
Like father like son, Ephraim still has the problem of allowing pagan, or Gentile ways, to creep into his relationship with his God.
The Punishment Of Judah
We gain a better understanding of the duration of Ephraim's punishment by taking a look at Judah's punishment: Ezekiel was instructed to lie on his right side for 40 days, a day for a year. Thus, we see that Judah was to receive 40 years of punishment. But unfortunately, this forty years is only part of Judah's punishment. We know this from the account of the two sisters, Aholah (Samaria) and Aholibah (Jerusalem and Judah), which account is given in the twenty-third Chapter of Ezekiel. These two sisters engaged in prostitution while they were young and still in Egypt. Additionally, Aholah/Ephraim was engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians. It was this harlotry with their Assyrian neighbors that led to Aholah's downfall.
Dining the century preceding the final destruction of the City of Samaria, the Northern Kingdom was integrated into the Assyrian Empire. Piece by piece, various portions of the Northern Tribes became vassals of Assyria until they were entirely absorbed into the Assyrian Empire. When the City of Samaria fell in 722 B.C., it was just the last little bastion of the Northern Kingdom.[8] It did not take a war for most of Israel to become Assyrian. This fact is confirmed by Yahveh's statement: "I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she had lusted." (Ezekiel 23:9) Since the Ephraimites had lusted for these Gentile ways, Yahveh gave them over to the Assyrians to ultimately be scattered among the Nations, and thus to become Gentiles.
Recalling the demise of Aholah, Yahveh said to Aholibah, "You saw your sister in her lust and prostitution, yet you have been more depraved than your sister. You have gone the way of your sister, so I will put her cup in your hands. You will drink your sister's cup, a cup large and deep and it will bring scorn and derision for it holds so much."
Her sister's cup contained 390 years of punishment! Thus, adding 390 years of punishment to the 40 years which Judah initially received, gives a total of 430 years of punishment for Judah.
When did Judah's punishment start?
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, subdued Judah in 595 B.C.. After this date, they no longer had political or religious control over their own territory, Jerusalem, nor over their temple. Therefore, if we take 596 B.C. as the first year of their punishment, then 430 years later would bring us to 166 B.C.
What happened in 166 B.C.?
The Maccabean's revolted against the Greeks. In coming to 166 B.C., we come to the time of the Maccabean's victory over the Greeks, and to the miracle cleansing of the ternple – the time when they found only enough oil in the temple to last for one day. But, miraculously this one day supply of oil lasted for eight days, giving them time to make a flesh supply of oil. This miracle is celebrated as the Feast of Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication). Judah's punishment was over, and they had regained religious and political control over their temple and a large portion of their territory.[9]
The Length Of Ephraim's Punishment?
Now let us go back to Ephraim, who was assigned 390 years of punishment. Correct?
No. For unfortunately, Ephraim would receive far more than 390 years. Yahveh's fourfold declaration given in the Twenty Sixth Chapter of Leviticus establishes unrepentant Ephraim's fate:
"If also after these things, you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. . . If then, you act with hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins. . . Then I will act with hostility against you; and I, even I, will strike you seven times for your sins. . . Then I will act with wrathful hostility against you; and I, even I, will punish you seven times for your sins." (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28)
When Yahveh declares a punishment, you are going to get it. Regardless. If you sow, you are going to reap. According to Yahveh's rules you are going to get the punishment – even if you repent. And, if you don't repent, you will receive a seven-fold punishment!
Judah received a punishment of 430 years. And, when Judah went to Babylon (that being their punishment), they repented. To this day, the Jewish people (as a whole) do not have idols. Since they repented, their punishment lasted only 430 years.
But, hapless Ephraim has never repented. So, the Northern Kingdom received a seven-fold punishment: 390 years times seven, for a total of 2,730 years of punishment.
Exactly what was Ephraim's punishment?
Yahveh said the Ephraimites would be scattered among the nations, and that they would "lose their identity." They would become, "Lo Ammi," meaning "Not A People." (Hosea 1:9-10; 2:2,23)
But, ill-fated Ephraim, in addition to the 2730 years of punishment, was to receive an additional punishment. For Yahveh said, "I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations." (Jeremiah 16:18)
This punishment does not refer to Judah, because they were not guilty in this regard: Who made the golden calves? Who changed the feast days? Who made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi? It was Ephraim (1 Kings 12:28-32). So Yahveh said He would first doubly repay Ephraim for his iniquity.
Now, using the same 390 years as a basis, we see that Ephraim is given a second punishment, one that consists of 780 years of punishment.
Yahveh addresses Ephraim's double punishment through the Prophet Hosea, who was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom: "I will ransom them from the power of Sheol—l will redeem them from death. Death, where are your thorns? Sheol, where is your sting?" (Hosea 13:4)
There is hope for Ephraim; a time was going to come when Yahveh would ransom him.
So poor misguided Ephraim received a sentence of 2730 years, and a sentence of 780 years. However, he was given a big break, in that the two punishments ran concurrently. Like a child who was grounded for seven weeks and also barred from watching TV for the first two weeks, so Ephraim was destined to be the recipient of two simultaneous punishments. As we will later see, one was to be affected on a corporate, or national level, and the other would be realized on an individual basis.
When Did Ephraim's Punishment Start?
In determining the date of Judah's punishment, we did not pick the year 585 B.C., which was when Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem and destroyed Solomon's temple. Rather, we started from the year, 595 B.C. when Judah no longer had political and religious control over their territories. Therefore, we will apply this same measure to Ephraim. And, while the city of Samaria was finally destroyed in 722 B.C., the majority of the Northern Kingdom had become a vassal state of Assyria by 734 B.C.
Confirmation of these facts is substantiated by the Cuneiform Text of Tiglath-Pileser III, which chronicle his Gaza-Damascus Campaign in 734-33 B.C.
When the armed hordes of Assyrians completed their campaign against Bet-Omri (Israel), Israel was mortally wounded, decimated by deportation, beaten back into a tiny corner of the Northern Kingdom. With the exception of Samaria, all its cities had been annexed, and the country had been divided into provinces over which Assyrian governors and officials exercised strict control.
All that was left of Israel was a dwarf state, a tiny pinpoint on the map: the mountain of Ephraim with the royal city of Samaria.[10]
Thus, if we take the date of 734 B.C., and add 780 years (the double punishment), we come to the year 46 A.D.!
What happened about that time?
End of Ephraim's Double Punishment
It is no coincidence that Yeshua's first declaration of himself as Messiah came not to a Jewish person, but to the Samaritan woman (John 4:26). The Woman of Samaria at the Well, James Tissot, 1886-1894, Brooklyn Museum.
That was when the Gospel began to be preached to the Gentiles. For the first ten to twenty years, the church was all Jewish – it was even called a sect of Judaism (Acts 24:5; 28:22). It was about that time that Paul, who was given the primary mission of going to the Gentiles, began his active ministry. Thus began the end of Ephraim's double punishment.
Those of Ephraim, the lost sheep who came to know Yeshua's voice, received a great blessing. Thus began a time wherein those who had once "filled Yahveh's inheritance with idols" could now themselves be filled with His Holy Spirit. Yeshua began to fulfill Yahveh's promise to ransom them. Paul referred to this promise that Yahveh had made through the Prophet Hosea, saying, "But when this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting?" (II Corinthians 15: 54-55; Hosea 13:4)
What was Paul doing in Corinth? He was going about his ministry to the Gentiles – to the Ephraimites who had been swallowed up by the Nations.
James, in his address to the Council at Jerusalem. makes two very interesting statements regarding the swallowed up Ephraimites who had become Gentiles: "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it. In order that the rest of mankind may seek Me, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says Yahveh, who makes these things known from of old.' Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to Yahveh from among the Gentiles." (Acts 15:15-19)
James uses the word "turning," which indicates a process. Rather than a done deal, or an accomplished fact; and James is referring to Gentiles who are in the process of turning to Yahveh. The Greek word epistrepho, which is translated turning, could just as well be translated as returning! Strong defines "epistrepho (ep-ee-stref'-o) as, "to revert (lit., fig. or mor.): –come (go) again. convert, (re-) turn (about, again)."
Consequently, the Holy Spirit, concerning the "mystery of the Gentiles," is having James say, "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are returning to Yahveh from among the Gentiles."
From this understanding, we, from whom the blindness to our identity has been removed, can see one more proof text of Yahveh fulfilling His promise made in Hosea – the promise to redeem those of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Yeshua said, "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of Yahveh is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel." (Mark 1:15) For the past 2000 years, the manifestation of the Kingdom of Yahveh has been on an individual basis. We have not had a corporate, or national Kingdom of Yahveh on earth. After all, if we had a National Kingdom of Israel – comparable to the Kingdom of David and Solomon, with one altar and one capital city – we would not have splintered into some 5,000 denominations and cults.
Why have we not had a National Kingdom?
Because Ephraim's corporate, or national punishment had not been completed.
When Will Ephraim's Punishment End?
When will Ephraim's corporate punishment be ended?
If we count 2730 years from 734 B.C., we arrive at the year 1996. If we use the year 722 B.C. as a base, we come up with the year 2008.
Please note: This is not to say that Yeshua will return and reestablish His Kingdom in this twelve year time frame! Unlike the now infamous book, 88 Reasons Why Jesus Will Return In 1988, we are not giving 96 Reasons Why Yeshua Will Return In 1996, nor or we giving 208 Reasons Why Yeshua Will Return In 2008. Rather, we are saying that, at the end of Ephraim's punishment, Yeshua is free to restore the corporate Kingdom to Israel.
The reason?
Because the punishment of Israel is at an end, and Ephraim would not be rewarded with the restoration of the Kingdom while he was being punished!
When Yeshua returns, His people will be freed. This demands that He adhere to His own Word, and not return until the punishment He mandated for those of Ephraim is completed. Remember, Yeshua, when He was being asked about the date the Kingdom would be restored, just prior to His accession from the Mount of Olives, knew that the Kingdom would not be restored to Israel until the punishment was completed.
Admittedly, we cannot be absolutely sure as to the exact beginning, nor the exact end, of Yahveh's decreed punishment. However, we do know that: there is a moment in time when it began, and there will be a moment in time when it ends. We also know that Ephraim's punishment could not have started any later than 722 B.C. And that it was only in the last quarter of this century that Messianic non-Jewish Believers began to see that there were two houses of Israel, as described in Scripture (Ephraim and Judah). Further, it is evident that these two houses have not as yet been reunited as one undefiled house. The people of Israel have not yet taken full possession of the land given to their father Abraham. And, the Greater Son of David is not ruling over them. So it is that they began to see that, as Ephraimites, they were full-fledged members of the people of Israel to whom the Holy One of Israel would restore His Kingdom! (Isaiah 8:14; Ezekiel 37:22-25)
We know that the punishment of Ephraim began no later than 722 B.C., and we know from history that his punishment has been in full force until recent years. What we do not know for sure is when Yahveh will deem that it is fully completed. However, there are quite a few events that point to the time frame of 1996-2008:
First we note that Yeshua said the generation that sees the fig tree blossom will see His return (Matthew 24:32-34). We can look at a generation in Scripture as being 25 years, 40 years, 100 years, or even 120 years.
In highlighting a few "generation examples," we start with the meeting of the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland in August 1897. There Theodor Herzl wrote, "At Basel I founded the Jewish state. . . In five years, perhaps, and certainly in fifty, everyone will see it." (His fifty-year prediction was only eight months short of the actual date of the foundation of the Jewish state in May 1948.)
Another meaningful date is 1917, it being the year of the Balfour Declaration – which declaration set in motion the return that would result in the birth of the Jewish State. Further, 1917 was the year in which General Allenby liberated Palestine and Jerusalem from the Gentile (true pagan) rule of the Turkish Empire, and thus made it physically possible for Jews to return in sufficient numbers to found a state.[11]
The year 1948, when the Jewish state was founded, was also a significant year; as was 1967, when the old city of Jerusalem was liberated and the borders of the Jewish state were greatly expanded.
The year 1967 is significant for another reason. It was during this year that a chain of extraordinary events commenced which culminated in the founding of the House of David – the ministry to Messianic Israel. And, Yahveh has been using House of David to inspire an accumulation of insight, from Scripture, which is resulting in the "teaching of the two houses of Israel."
If we use a 100-year generation, then, from Herzl's proclamation, we would come to a 1996-1997 time frame, and using a 120 year generation would carry us well past 2008. With 1917 as a base year, we surely have a hundred year period of time when, not only the punishment will be completed, but the time period which saw the foundation of the Jewish State, the liberation of the old city of Jerusalem, and could very well see the significant return of Ephraimites to the land.
Forty years from 1967 brings us to 2007, one year shy of 2008, which marks 2730 years from 722 B.C., which probably marks the latest date that the punishment of Ephraim will be fully completed.
Also, two thousand years from the birth of Yeshua, which most sources agree was in 4 B.C., brings us to the year 1996. And, in Hosea 6:2, Yahveh says of Ephraim, "He will revive us after two days, he will raise us up on the third day (the millennial Kingdom) that we may live before Him."
Six thousand years from creation (4004 B.C.) brings us again to the year 1996. Additionally, there are going to be some big celebrations in Jerusalem in 1996, to celebrate the 3000-year birthday of the founding of the city of Jerusalem by King David.
A House of David Perspective
Viewing these dates from a House of David perspective, we see that, forty years from 1948 brings us to 1988, the year when Batya's first book, In Search Of Israel, the foundational manual on the teaching of the "two houses," was published. Twenty-five years from 1967 brings us to 1992, when Batya's second book, The Olive Tree Of Israel, was published, and the date from which the House of David Herald has since been published on a monthly basis. All of the above instructional material is being used to fulfill the prophecy: "For after I [Ephraim] turned back, I repented; and after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh; I was ashamed, and also humiliated, because I bore the reproach of my youth." (Jeremiah 31:19)
While it is interesting to contemplate numbers and their meaning, it is far more important that we realize that we who have rediscovered our identity are forerunners called to the cutting edge of what Yahveh is doing in the earth today. We are the scouts going ahead of an invincible army, an army that will be used to accomplish the Father's Messianic Vision. It is unmerited grace that has brought us to this time and place and given each of us the unique opportunity to instruct those Ephraimites who entered the Kingdom on an individual basis to now become part of the corporate Kingdom – the Israel of Yahveh!
If the time period of 1996-2008 is the correct time for the end of the punishment, it also is a time for a glorious new beginning! For it marks the commencement of the tremendous task of instructing millions of Ephraimites as to their identity – that we might also make them aware of the job that lies before us.
We have seen the tents of Judah restored first. Can it be long before we hear the Father roar" like a lion—calling Ephraim to come trembling from the west (where an east wind had scattered him)? And Ephraim, after Yahveh brings him back in such numbers that even the lands of Gilead and Lebanon cannot contain him, will yet be like a mighty man; and together with Judah. they will be victorious over their enemies (Isaiah 11:14; Jeremiah 18:17; Hosea 11:10; Zechariah 10:10,7).
It is imperative that each of us take full advantage of the opportunities Yahveh gives us to witness concerning His Kingdom. It is essential that we keep our eyes on the truth that Yeshua came to give us the hope of life eternal. And that He has a Kingdom which currently is not of this world. However, the day is coming when the kingdoms of this world become His Kingdom. What will it take to accomplish His Messianic Vision? Yeshua said that He is not returning until they say. "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Yahveh. (Luke 13:35) That means Yeshua will find a welcoming party on the Mount of Olives – a party hosted by people who love Him, and know Him. It will be a group representative of the twelve tribes of lsrael, a people who are united in the knowledge of their identity and purpose (Isaiah 56:3).
In regard to His return, Yahveh commands us three times, in Mark 13:33-37, to:
Keep on the alert!
Stay on the alert!
Be on the alert!
Remember the children's story about the horseshoe nail? "For the want of a nail, a shoe was lost. For the want of a shoe, a horse was lost. For the want of a horse, the rider was lost. For the want of a rider, a troop was lost. For the want of a troop, a company was lost. For the want of a company, a battalion. a regiment, a division and an army were lost. For the want of an army, the war was lost."
Why did they lose the war?
Because of the lack of one little horseshoe nail.
Each and every one of us is far more important than a horseshoe nail. We have to do our individual jobs and to man our individual watch post.[12] Just like the horseshoe nail had to keep the shoe on, so we have our job to do. You can have 1000 watchmen. but if one watchman doesn't man his post, there is a hole in the wall. And, we don't want any holes in our wall.
What Are We To Do?
Collectively, the Job we have to do is to be the watchmen that preserve Israel. And, we are the forerunners in the foremost of these watchmen! Therefore, let us take full and timely advantage of all the opportunities the Father gives us to be those watchmen. To this end, let each of us include in our daily prayers; "Father, what can l do today to advance Your kingdom here on earth?"
Remember, our question of the Father is: "What can I do?" It is not: "What should the besieged people of the Jewish State, most of whom do not know the Messiah. do to deliver themselves and the land promised to all lsrael?" Instead, we must ask: "What should we – we who do know the Messiah – do to deliver our besieged brother, and to liberate the land that You promised to all Israel?"
We do not know just how, nor for sure when, Yahveh will accomplish all the details required to restore His people to His land. However. we do know that the events that are transpiring in the Middle East do not come as any surprise to Him. We can be absolutely confident that, even though player tryouts and training operations are still being conducted, all the parts have been determined, and all the lines have been written, for the final act of this six thousand year old human drama being directed by the God of Israel. And, we have the unmerited opportunity to have decisive roles in the final acts of this drama, which are even now being played out.
As players are selected for parts, and then given the opportunity to play them out, we will see the works of Yahveh's hand begin to emerge, and His purposes fulfilled. There will be those whom Yahveh will entrust with the power and authority to carry out His purposes under His step by step guidance.
Let us pray that we may be found among these trusted ones. May each forerunner successfully complete their tryouts, training, and learn their lines, so that when the time comes, and we are called to play our part, that it will be an "Oscar" winning performance.
Let us never forget that it is far, far, better to be prepared and not called upon, than to be unprepared and called upon.
Remain on the alert by being prepared!
[1] See "The Messianic Vision," which outlined our Father's plan to realize His Messianic Vision, that of manifesting His presence – in His earthly Kingdom – in the midst of a united people. The outline included His prerequisites for restoration of His Kingdom to Israel. and His prescription for the reunion of His people.
[2] Strongs #1875. darash, daw-rash'; a prim. root; prop. to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by impl. to seek or ask; spec. to worship:–ask, X at all, care for, X diligently, inquire, make inquisition, [necro-] mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out], X surely. Used 160 times in 152 verses:
[3] Re-quire (r'-kw°r") tr.v. re-quired, re-quir-ing, requires. Ab/Jr. req, 1. To have as a requisite; need. 2. To call for as obligatory or appropriate; demand. 3. To impose an obligation on; compel. –re-quir"a-ble adj –re-quir"er n.
[4] Strongs #8085. shama', shaw-mah'; a prim. root; to hear intelligently (often with inipl. of attention, obedience, etc.; cans. to tell, etc.):– X attentively. call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent. consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear (-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim (-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever [heareth], witness.
[5] It is imperative that we recognize that not only Yeshua is the Prophet like unto Moses, but that we have, and our forefathers before us had, the Word that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob put in His mouth. Unfortunately, many would have you believe that we do not have the true or valid Word in which we can place our hope. These attacks on our basic foundation come in all sizes, shapes and forms, and from many directions.
[6] See Batya Wootten, "Apprehending Abraham's Blessings," House of David Herald 5-8, August 1993.
[7] See Angus and Batya Wootten, "The Way Of The Gentiles," House of David Herald 5-12, December 1993.
[9] See Angus Wootten, "The Price of Peace," House of David Herald 7-11, November 1995; Batya Wootten, "Celebrating Hanukkah," House of David Herald (issue unknown).
[10] See The Bible As History, by Werner Keller 1955, pages 245-249, translated from the German, published by William Morrow and Company, New York, in 1956.
[11] House of David Herald, "A Mandate For Ephraim."
[12] See House of David Herald, "Vow Of A Watchman" (issue unknown).
Author Albert J. McCarnPosted on September 2, 2020 September 15, 2020 Categories B'ney Yosef North America, Commonwealth of IsraelTags Angus Wootten, Batya Wootten, Ephraim, Gospel of the Kingdom, House of David Herald, In Search of Israel, Jewish New Testament, John 17, Judah, Judea, Last Days, Messianic Israel movement, Messianic Jewish movement, prophet like Moses, punishment of Ephraim, punishment of Judah, Samaria, The Olive Tree of Israel, Theodor Herzl, Tiglath-Pileser III
The Dilemma of the Ger, Part 3: Dealing with the Kinslaying
This is the third part of a dialogue with Dr. Rivkah Adler of Breaking Israel News on the question of whether the biblical concept of ger, or foreigner, could be considered as a possible status for Torah-keeping non-Jews. It began with Rivkah's article, "Are We Witnessing the Restoration of an Ancient Biblical Status for Non-Jews?", followed by my commentary, "The Dilemma of the Ger", and her observations in "A Jewish Response to the Dilemma of the Ger".
Dealing with the Kinslaying
Albert J. McCarn
The Kinslaying at Alqualondë, by Ted Nasmith. Used by permission.
A motif running through J.R.R. Tolkien's fiction works is the exile of the Elves from Valinor, the Blessed Realm of the Valar, the gods of Tolkien's world. Those who read The Lord of the Rings first encounter the exiles as the High Elves who aid Frodo and his companions in their flight from the Shire. Readers who venture into The Silmarillion learn that the High Elves are the Noldor, one of three Elven clans who answered the Valar's invitation to leave Middle Earth and live in Valinor. The Vanyar and Teleri – the other two clans – remained in Valinor, but the Noldor rebelled against the Valar and returned to Middle Earth to fight against Morgoth, Tolkien's equivalent of Satan.
The Noldor had justification for their actions. Morgoth had stolen the Silmarils, the matchless jewels fashioned by Fëanor, greatest of the Elven craftsmen, and had killed Finwë, Fëanor's father and king of the Noldor. Nevertheless, their rebellion under Fëanor's leadership incurred a sentence of exile and separation from any help the Valar could offer. Over the next several centuries the Noldor and their allies among the Elves and Men of Middle Earth proved unable to defeat Morgoth, and they suffered a long defeat. At the end of their strength, the humbled remnant repented and begged help from the Valar. When help came, Morgoth was defeated and the Valar granted clemency for the Noldor to return to the Blessed Realm, bringing with them the remaining Elves of Middle Earth who had never seen Valinor.
This is the unseen backdrop for the Elves appearing in Tolkien's later and more popular works. Those who pick up the story with The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings meet wise Elrond, stern yet kindly Thranduil, and gentle Galadriel, but they have no understanding of their history. Galadriel, for example, was Fëanor's niece, and along with his sons and her brothers led the Noldor in rebellion. Upon passing the test of refusing the Ring of Power when Frodo offers it to her, she proves that she, the only surviving rebel leader, is indeed ready to return home as a humble penitent.
In Galadriel's story we see the stunning panorama flowing through the body of Tolkien's works. Yet there is one missing detail: he never tells us what happens when the exiles return. It is a significant omission. We can imagine the scenes of reconciliation as the Noldor made amends with the eternal Valar, but we do not know what happens when they encountered the brethren they had wronged. At the beginning of their flight from Valinor, the Noldor demanded of their kin, the Teleri, use of their ships. The Teleri refused, resulting in a terrible battle known thereafter as the Kinslaying. As Tolkien describes it, "Thus at last the Teleri were overcome, and a great part of their mariners that dwelt in Alqualondë were wickedly slain." If that were not enough, when they arrived on the shores of Middle Earth, Fëanor gave orders to burn the wondrous Telerian ships, craft of great beauty the like of which could never be made again.
What happens when the prodigal Noldor return home is a tale we do not know. We hope they are reconciled with their brethren, but achieving reconciliation requires conscious effort to overcome the debt of blood between them. Until that debt is paid or forgiven, the bliss of the Blessed Realm remains unbearably diminished.
Tolkien's epic thus becomes a parable for us, the returning exiles of the House of Yosef (Joseph). Like the Noldor, we are guilty not only of rebellion against our God and the king He had anointed, but also of an endless Kinslaying of our brethren of Judah.
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Author Albert J. McCarnPosted on April 16, 2017 Categories Commonwealth of Israel, TorahTags Abrahamic Covenant, Absalom, Apostolic Writings, Asher, Benjamin, Breaking Israel News, Christians, Crusaders, Dan, Egypt, Elrond, Ephraim, Fëanor, Finwë, Frodo, Gad, Galadriel, Galilee, Gentile, ger, God fearers, Great Jewish War, haggadah, HaShem, Hebraic Christians, Hebrew Roots Movement, Herodian Dynasty, Hitler, Holy Land, House of Ephraim, House of Israel, House of Joseph, House of Judah, II Samuel, Isaiah 11, Issachar, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jeroboam, Jews, Judah, Judaism, Judea, K, King David, Kinslaying at Alqualondë, Lost Tribes, Manasseh, Martin Luther, Messiah Yeshua, Middle Earth, Mishna, Morgoth, Moses, Naphtali, Nazi Germany, New Testament, Noldor, Oral Law, Passover, Pharaoh, Pharisees, Reformers, Rehoboam, Reuben, Rivah Lambert Adler, Rome, Sadducees, Silmarils, Simeon, Talmud, Teleri, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Thranduil, Torah Awakening, Valar, Valinor, Yosef, Zebulun1 Comment on The Dilemma of the Ger, Part 3: Dealing with the Kinslaying
Knesset Inaugurates Jerusalem Jubilee Celebration – JewishPress.com
The Bible contains so many comforting words of assurance that everything will be all right in the end. It contains a number of frightening words as well, but our preference is to avoid those, thinking that they must apply to someone else. Consider, for example, this familiar passage by the Apostle Paul:
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (I Thessalonians 5:1-6 NKJV)
We like to think of ourselves as those who will not be caught off guard. After all, what would it mean if we are among those caught unaware when sudden destruction comes?
But what if the apostle's words are intended to warn those among God's people who are not paying attention? Paul seems satisfied that his correspondents in Thessalonica are sufficiently alert, but can he say the same about their brethren elsewhere – or perhaps us today, two thousand years removed from his personal instruction? His friends in Thessalonica probably understood that his words about those who say, "Peace and safety!" referred to prophecies Jeremiah and Ezekiel had spoken about the people of God who paid no attention to the signs of the times and refused to repent when YHVH sent them warning (see Jeremiah 6:9-15, 8:8-12, and Ezekiel 13:15-16).
Surely the apostle was also aware of Messiah Yeshua's parable about the Ten Virgins – all of whom went to sleep while waiting on their Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13). The difference between the wise and the foolish was not their degree of vigilance, but their degree of preparation. That, too, is something we should heed.
Consider what happened on December 23, 2016 (23 Kislev 5777 in the Hebrew calendar). That was the day United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 declared illegal anything Israeli that exists beyond the 1967 borders of Israel. That means not just the communities that have grown up on unoccupied and unowned land in Judea and Samaria (commonly called the West Bank), but neighborhoods in the neighborhoods of East Jerusalem where friends of mine live. It means as well the Temple Mount and the Kotel (Western Wall), the holiest sites in Judaism and the places God Himself has established as His own.
Author Albert J. McCarnPosted on December 30, 2016 October 1, 2020 Categories Commonwealth of Israel, End Times, Wars and Rumors of WarsTags Apostle Paul, Australian Light Horse, Balfour Declaration, Battle of Beersheba, Egypt, Ephraim, Ezekiel, Gaza, Golan, Gospel of Matthew, Holy Land, I Thessalonians, Im Tirtzu, Jeremiah, Jerusalem, Jerusalem Now & Forever, Jewish people, John Kerry, Judah, Judea, Knesset Education Committee, Kotel, Malaysia, MK Yehuda Glick, New Zealand, Parable of the Ten Virgins, peace and safety, Samaria, Senegal, Sharon Gabay, Six Day War, Temple Mount, The Jewish Press, United States, UNSC Resolution 2334, Venezuela, Washington Post, West Bank, Western Wall, Zionist Movement
Astronomical Fact Check: A Review of The Bethlehem Star, The Star That Astonished the World, by Earnest L. Martin
Everyone knows when Jesus was not born. Even the most devoted Christians understand that December 25 is not the date their Savior came into the world. But when exactly was He born?
The average person would say that no one knows. That answer is incorrect. It is possible to know when Jesus (Yeshua) of Nazareth was born – at least within a few days of the event, if not the actual day. That is the message of Earnest L. Martin's work, The Star of Bethlehem: The Star That Astonished the World.
If the book considered only the evidence of the Bethlehem Star, it would not be sufficient to establish the case with any degree of certainty. The title, however, does not embrace the comprehensive nature of the work. Martin delves into astronomy and the astrological practices of the ancient world, but that is only the beginning. His quest for truth leads him to investigate multiple avenues of evidence, including Roman, Judean, and Parthian records and historical data, Jewish cultural and religious practices of the era, and clues hidden within the text of the biblical accounts. In the process, he not only establishes with a reasonable degree of certainty when Yeshua was born, but also sheds light on a period that is considered one of the least known in Roman history.
This weight of evidence permits Martin to make this astonishing claim:
[The] historical evidence supports the nativity of Jesus in 3 B.C.E., at the beginning of a Roman census, and (if we use the astronomical indications of the Book of Revelation) his birth would have occurred just after sundown on September 11th, on Rosh ha-Shanah, the Day of Trumpets — the Jewish New Year Day for governmental affairs. There could hardly have been a better day in the ecclesiastical calendar of the Jews to introduce the Messiah to the world from a Jewish point of view; and no doubt this is what the apostle John clearly intended to show by the sign he recorded in Revelation 12.
Author Albert J. McCarnPosted on December 24, 2016 December 20, 2016 Categories Birth of Jesus, Feasts of the Lord, Herod the Great, Yeshua (Jesus) of NazarethTags Amazon.com, Ancient Egypt, Associates for Scriptural Knowledge, Bethlehem Star, Caesar Augustus, Christianity, Christians, Cyrenius, Earnest L. Martin, Exodus, Feasts of the Lord, Gospel of Luke, Greco-Roman, Hebrew, Herod the Great, Israel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jewish, John the Baptist, Judea, Judean, Leviticus 23, Magi, Messiah, Parthian, Pater Patriae, Patterns of Evidence, Qurinius, Roman, Saturninus, Syria, Temple, Tertullian, Timothy Mahoney, Yeshua, Zacharias1 Comment on Astronomical Fact Check: A Review of The Bethlehem Star, The Star That Astonished the World, by Earnest L. Martin
The best video on the Six Day War you will ever see
Forty-nine years ago, as America led the West in the self-indulgent Summer of Love, Israel was fighting for its life in the Six Day War. The outcomes could not have been more distinct: the United States emerged from the summer of 1967 in a downward spiritual, social, economic, political, and military spiral that has yet to hit bottom, while Israel emerged not only victorious over its far more powerful and populous Arab neighbors, but in possession of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the Golan, Gaza, and Sinai. The fortunes of Israel have risen higher ever since, even in the face of mounting opposition from every nation on earth.
This is not to say that the State of Israel is by any means perfect or entirely good, but rather that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has not forgotten the Jewish people, and continues to keep His covenant with them and with all Israel for His Name's sake. That is the point of Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel's video on the Six Day War, released by Israel Video Network on June 5, 2016 to mark the 49th anniversary of the beginning of the greatest military victory in Israel's modern history.
If you don't think miracles are real, then you better watch this and think again. . .
Source: The best video on the Six Day War you will ever see
Author Albert J. McCarnPosted on June 5, 2016 Categories Commonwealth of Israel, Six Day War, Wars and Rumors of WarsTags Gaza, Golan, Israel, Israel Video Network, Jeremy Gimpel, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Sinai, Six Day War, Summer of Love2 Comments on The best video on the Six Day War you will ever see


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Opposition Research: Scouting the Miami (OH) offense
Badgers softball releases full schedule, brutal slate ahead
Posted by Andrew Coppens on Oct 2, 2013 21:37
There's testing yourself and then there's crazy and the 2014 Badger softball schedule is tetering between the two, that's for sure.
On Wednesday afternoon the reigning Big Ten Tournament champions announced their full schedule and it will feature a few perennial powerhouse schools amongst its over dozen games against NCAA tournament qualifiers.
"It is the hardest schedule we have put together at Wisconsin," head coach Yvette Healy told UWBadgers.com. "The fact that we have Florida, Texas A&M, and all of the ranked teams makes this one of the most difficult schedules."
Not only do the Gators and Aggies appear on the schedule, but other headline games include USF, Illinois State, and a slate of really difficult Big Ten games series' with Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern.
However, unlike past seasons where very few home contests were on the schedule the Badgers have 16 games scheduled to be played at home this year.
Iowa and Nebraska highlight the home contets in Big Ten play, with the Hawkeyes playing a three-game series and the Huskers coming to the Goodman Diamond for a double-header.
So, why the tough front of the schedule for this team? According to Healy, it's all part of the plan leading up to the biggest series of the year—Michigan at the end of the season.
"We are playing a tough schedule, and I know we are not there yet, but we will learn by fire," Healy explained to UWBadgers.com. "This schedule will give us a test early of what we need to do to be prepared for Michigan on the road at the end of the season. It provides a tough starting point."
Of course, having just four seniors on the roster could well be another reason for the "growth by fire," if you will.
You can find the full schedule by going here.
Ferrell Takes the Field a funny baseball romp, leaves you wanting moreAwful Announcing
USMNT's 4-1 loss to Brazil showcases just how far this squad has to go32 Flags
College football executives "concerned" over ESPN's "inappropriate" gambling coverageAwful Announcing
JJ Watt nailed a Chris Farley impersonation on 'Hard Knocks' (video)The Sports Daily
Drew Brees wrestles crocodile with Bear Grylls (video)The Sports Daily

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Paes, proposes a transit and a communication between worlds through visual manifestation. There are 4 sets of works that use diverse materials such as Chinese rice paper dyed with ink, bamboo and fiberglass. The series "Os Mortos cantam uma canção" ("The Dead Sing a Song"), "Esquecimentos" ("Forgetfulness"), "Supercondutores sonoros" ("Sound Superconductors") and the polyptych "In memorian" make up the exhibition.


Cape Town – Viewers and TV critics are not impressed with the new logo and on-air look of SABC3 which suddenly started, unannounced to the press, on the SABC's only commercial TV channel, blasting the strange colour combinations, design and look as "ugly", "unimaginative" and "dreadful".
SABC3 has suddenly launched a new channel logo and on-air look without saying a word to the press about it.
The SABC's corporate affairs division has not responded to media enquiries made specifically about SABC3's new on-air look.
Meanwhile viewers and TV critics instantly had a negative reaction, blasting the new SABC3 logo and on-air look as "ugly", "unimaginative" and "dreadful".
The new SABC3 logo and on-air imaging looks flat, blockish, and is awash in cooler tones with muted, pastel colours seemingly rinsed through a blue hue filter. It looks off-putting and strange and comes across as stylistically and design-wise, much less sleek, less sophisticated and much less polished and refined that the smart and classy "spinning 3 in a circle" it replaced.
As the public broadcaster's only commercial TV channel, the ratings-challenged SABC3 is supposed to look smart, high-gloss and glittery as it competes for the same upmarket viewers who watch competitor channels like M-Net.
Notably the last SABC1, and SABC2 channel logos and on-air changes were done with great immediate fanfare, press releases and prior notification to the press. SABC2 even had a on-air imaging media event before its change.
Viewers and TV critics also complain about the moving animation of the massive channel intruding into programming and disrupting viewers' TV watching experience and the big block which is now shown in the corner of the screen – in grey.
Meanwhile multiple fonts used on the programming boards for the new SABC3 makes it look jumbled, unclean and less slick and polished.
Channel logos and imaging in the TV industry are incredibly important – it's how viewers and customers interact, see, and experience the "face" of a TV channel and how it conveys what it stands for and what its specific channel proposition and programming offering entails.
Disclaimer: This is an article written by an independent South African TV critic and journalist covering the TV industry. The views of users published on Channel24 are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Channel24. Channel24 reserves the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.


In a number of our previous articles we have stated that South Africa is actually a dry country with an average rainfall overall of plus minus 495 mm per year.
We have also concluded that droughts are part and parcel of our South African agricultural environment. Therefore it is absolute necessary that we must farm keeping in mind that we will experience drought again. Better to be prepared for it than to be unprepared.
Whether the existing drought will continue or whether we will experience a more moderate summer season is not quite clear yet and reports at this point in time are a bit contradicting. However, it is a fact that the drought will be broken at some stage, but we must accept that the next drought is already on its way. When it will occur we do not know. Whether it will be in a year or two or a couple of years we must prepare ourselves for that.
To manage your business very well the management of all areas – production, marketing, purchasing, administrative, human resources, public relations, assets and stock, general and financial management must be very good.
However, of all the areas of management, financial management is the most important one with regards to preparing yourself for the next drought. To face the challenges of the ever changing business environment the modern farmer, big or small, must be a champion producer but also a superb financial manager – therefore a skilled business manager. In this regard it is found that poor financial management and decision making is the most important cause for some 80% of farmers who lose their farms and not poor production farming conditions.
When financial management comes to mind, one should remember the simple formula: Profit = Income - Expenditure (P = I - E). One should first of all manage your expenditures very well and reduce it as far as possible without impeding your business. Remember you can only manage your costs if you manage your business according to a comprehensive budget. Secondly improve your income to improve your profit.
The financial decisions taken in the good years will determine your fate in the poor years. Therefore one should rather reduce your debt in the good years with the additional profits made. Also consider to rather use additional profits to conserve your resources, such as applying proper conservation farming methods to conserve and improve the fertility of your soil, to conserve soil moisture, to conserve and improve the quality of your grazing or to build up a fodder bank. In the good years, rather invest any surplus funds in productive assets – assets that can generate income – than non-productive assets.
Our South African farmers are mainly dependant on themselves for survival with very little support from government. Therefore your financial management is of the utmost importance during good years and difficult years. You need to stay focused on your farming business by managing as a skilled business manager and take careful and thorough considered financial decisions. This then means you must have the necessary financial information available commencing with a comprehensive budget.
To apply improved financial management the farmer must accept ownership for everything that happens on the farm. The farmer must take the full responsibility and maintain integrity towards himself and all other parties involved in the business. A realistic step in this regard is for instance to improve your credit worthiness with your financiers during the good years. The result will be that they will be more lenient towards you in the difficult times – they know you as a man of your word.
Keep an eye on your cash-flow and manage it according to a cash-flow budget. Consider the profitability of your enterprises regularly. Consider opportunities for value-adding. Also be very mindful of your personal costs during the good times and manage it according to a personal budget.
Interesting, if you consider this article, you will find that we referred to a number of aspects that we have mentioned in more detail in previous articles. This article is a bit of a summary of a number of previous articles. It also indicates again that financial management is not only the link between all aspects of the farm business, it also 'oils the wheels' that allow the business to function more effectively. Without capital to meet the short-, medium- and long term needs of the business everything will grind to a halt.
Therefore apply top class management and especially financial management during the good years and you will survive the difficult years that more easily. Or manage the good years as difficult years and you will find that the really difficult years will then not be that difficult.


Findings from the Best Practices Benchmarking Survey, conducted annually by StevensGouldPincus, found that U.S. PR firm profitability in 2010 surged back to 2008 levels.
The 104 PR firm respondents reported 15.6 percent profitability, the same figure reported in 2008. In 2009, the response showed profitability was at 13.5 percent of revenue, a four-year low.
The figure was brought down by the profitability of firms with net revenues totaling less than $3 million.
Operating profit for this group was 13.1 percent, which is higher than the 10.4 percent reported last year but lower than the overall average. Firms with revenue between $3 million and $10 million reported profitability at 16.2 percent; firms with revenue between $10 million and $25 million reported 17.8 percent profitability; and firms with revenues exceeding $25 million reported 16.5 percent profitability.
The study also found the average monthly minimum fee was down from $9,808 last year to $8,385 this year. And staff turnover averaged 22.9 percent, down a bit from the prior year.
SGP, an M&A consultancy based in New York, has been conducting this benchmarking survey since 2002.


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Spielberg Rumoured To Be Interested In Directing Chris Pratt In 'Indiana Jones' | Film News
22 Feb 2015 — Filed Under: Film, Film News
Chris Pratt's career really has blown up over the last few years with the amazing Guardians of The Galaxy and his up-and-coming role in Jurassic World, and now it appears he might have a job playing the next Indiana Jones with the original director himself, Steven Spielberg in the director's chair.
Last month, we heard that Disney were eyeing Pratt for the role as the next fedora wearing archaeologist and now it appears there's a rush of rumours claiming that Spielberg is keen to direct, should he be happy with the script. The film is in its very early stages so it's difficult to know just how seriously to take these rumours so don't get too excited. Still, how awesome would that be!? Deadline posted the news, getting fans setting up their Indian Jones box-sets ready for the weekend.
I was pretty disappointed with the last Indie film, Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull but would happily give this franchise another chance as the promise of Pratt and some traditional Indiana Jones action is too much to resist.
#Peace.Love.IndianaJones
Elly Jones
Film & Entertainment Journalist.
http://pagetoscreenentertainment.wordpress.com/
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Chloe Collins~ Q&A!!!
April 15, 2020 By Dixiedeeblog
1. Hello Chloe, can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became a country musician? Hello, thank you for having me! I have been singing since before I could talk. I would always be humming a tune on the swings in my backyard or in the school cafeteria. My parents used to play The Beatles and The Beach Boys around the house so I grew up listening to good music. When I was eight years old I started teaching myself chords on the guitar and writing songs. I performed "The Sound of Music" at my school talent show that year and once I heard the applause from the audience I realized music was what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. Now I am a singer-songwriter based in Nashville. One of my songs was featured on the 100th episode of the TV show Nashville, and many of my other songs have been featured on TV shows such as Heartland, The Vineyard, Bellevue, and Hudson & Rex. My music has also been on Spotify editor-curated playlists such as Wild Country and New Music Nashville.
2. What was one of the first country album you ever bought? One of the first country albums I ever bought was "Fearless" by Taylor Swift. I was a big Taylor Swift fan when I was young, and I went to almost all of her concerts.
3. What is the background story behind your latest single "Didn't Want You?" When I was writing this song with Smith Curry and Tiffany Goss, we all had this moment when we came up with the title and we looked at each other and realized all of us—and, probably, everyone else who would listen to this song—had been in a position where you want to love someone but that person's mind is somewhere else. Every time I play "Didn't Want You" at a live show people come up to me and share their stories and express how much they can relate to the song. Though it is a difficult situation to be in, so many people have felt that way and by putting it into a song we are basically saying, "you are not alone."
4. Is there anything new coming up with your music in 2020? I am currently working in the studio to create new music! I am so excited to share these new songs with the world because I feel like they share truths that people can connect with, just like what has already happened with "Didn't Want You." Stay tuned on social media and other platforms to learn about release dates!
5. How would you describe your music in 3 to 5 words? In 3 to 5 words, I would describe my music as edgy modern country. It has a Billie Eilish pop flair with classic country themes. Besides Billie Eilish, one of the artists who has influenced both me and my music the most is Maren Morris. She took the country music scene by storm with her unique sound and honest lyrics. I wish to create songs that are as raw and real as those she has released.
6. What are some of your favorite events or venues to play at? I have performed at such legendary venues as The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Opry City Stage and The Bitter End in New York, and the House of Blues in New Orleans. Whiskey Jam is one of my favorite events to play in Nashville because the crowd is so lively and responsive to the music!
7. What is your recording process like when making new music? Each song I've written has had a different writing and recording process. I want to always write lyrics that are relatable for others, because hearing songs that seemed to be about the exact situations I was going through is the reason I fell in love with country music. I always want to make sure that the sound of the record reflects the mood of the song so it can emphasize the emotional impact of the lyrics.
8. What is one of your favorite quotes? One of my favorite quotes is "Music is the strongest form of magic" (Marilyn Manson). There is nothing more supernatural to me than starting with a blank page and ending with lyrics and a melody.
9. Is there anything else you would like share? If you want to stay up to date with my music, my Instagram, FaceBook, and Twitter are all under Chloe Collins Music! My songs are also available on Spotify and Apple Music!
Q & A' s
← Chloe Collins~ "Artist Spotlight"!!
Chloe Collins~ (Christmas Cookies Recipe) →


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Tele-psychology picks up steam in rural areas
by Sara Jackson |
Mar 31, 2011 5:28pm
Texas A&M University has launched -- and already is planning to expand -- telehealth psychology services.
The school's Department of Educational Psychology, which runs the Counseling and Assessment Clinic (CAC) in Bryan, Tex., offers tele-visits to rural patients via video link three times per week. The counseling visits are conducted by three counseling psychology doctoral students who work under the supervision of university psychology faculty, according to university statements.
Without the telehealth program, patients in Leon County would have to drive 60+ miles each way to access services, university officials say. For that reason, the program is being supported by a local nonprofit community group, the Brazos Valley Health Partnership, which includes seven Brazos Valley counties, two advisory groups and the Center for Community Health Development, to increase access to mental health services for its rural residents.
And this may only be the beginning. The team already has plans to expand into Madisonville, Tex., and possibly partner with Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, Tex., according to university officials.
For more details:
- see the Guidrynews.com release
- view kbtx.com release
Telehealth takes off as evidence grows that it can improve care, save money
Telehealth program for neuropsychology kicks off in Scotland
Penn Medicine launches new telehealth hub
The newly launched Center for Connected Health will be largest telehealth hub in the Philadelphia region, according to Penn Medicine.
by Evan Sweeney Feb 15, 2018 12:40pm
FDA wants to build a Center of Excellence for Digital Health
The FDA commissioner wants to use additional funding under Trump's budget to advance digital health initiatives and integrate real-world data.
by Evan Sweeney Feb 15, 2018 10:18am
FDA approval signals promise for AI-based triage apps
The FDA's approval of an app that uses AI to notify specialists of a potential stroke offers new possibilities for triage software that uses CDS.
Sara Jackson


By law, everyone should drive within the posted speed limit. Failure to do so could result in a speeding charge.
Click here to read up on a successful speeding ticket case.
On conviction for speeding, if you did not receive a driver's licence suspension by the Court, you will receive 3, 4 or 6 demerit points depending on how many km/hr of the posted speed limit you were travelling. Your driver's licence could be suspended by the Registrar if you accumulated enough demerit points. For detailed information about how the demerit point system works, please refer to the Demerit Points s.128.
If you were driving 50 kilometers or more than the posted speed limit, you are not only subject to a fine of $9.75 for each kilometer per hour over the limit you were travelling, you may also face a suspension of your driver's licence for a period of 30 days for a first conviction, up to 60 days for a second conviction, or up to one year for any subsequent conviction within a five-year period.
You also need to be aware that the fines will be doubled if you were speeding in a construction or community safety zone.
* If speeding in construction zones or community safety zones, the fine will be doubled and the suspension could be up to 2 years.
Another important point is, if you drive too fast, you could be charged with racing or stunt driving which are more serious offences and prohibited under s. 172 (1) of the HTA. For detailed information, please refer to "Racing, Contesting or Performing Stunts".
Speeding is one of the few absolute liability offences in the Highway Traffic Act which means that there are almost no statutory defences available. There may be some common law defences available to you with the assistance of experienced legal representation. In order to prove the case, the prosecution is required to prove several key components regarding speeding charges, such as who was driving, the method the officer used to confirmed the speed, etc. Failure to prove these things offers you an opportunity to win your case if you can show that the prosecution has not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more possible general defence, please refer to the section "General Defences for Traffic Tickets".
"I'm a NY driver who was caught for speeding in Ontario as I was unaware of the difference in metric units. I was represented by Mark Cardy and I really want to commend him for his professionalism and approachability when rendering legal assistance to me.
Thanks to him, I managed to have a speeding at over 49km/h of the speed limit traffic offense pleaded down to a "disobey sign" offense. I am more than pleased with the outcome and I would highly recommend their services to any one with a similar predicament as me" – A.C.


According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, Frank is credited with coining the term "doggie bag" – the package that went home with customers containing food served but not eaten by his all-too-full customers. So the next time you leave a restaurant with a "doggie bag," think of the iconic supper club.
Here are three that live up to the moniker.
This supper club was named to honor the hometowns – Delton and Baraboo – of the original owners. Jeff Wimmer currently owns Del-Bar, situated just 2 ½ miles south of the Wisconsin Dells.
It is the prime Angus steak that draws guests to this destination spot. "All our steaks are prime grade from certified Angus beef," Wimmer says.
Entrees that include filet mignon, Midwest walleye, wild salmon and jumbo shrimp are served with freshly baked rolls; a choice of baked, mashed or hash brown potatoes or rice pilaf; and a green or spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. Friday fish fry is served.
A Madison tradition since 1947, the Esquire Club was named "Best Supper Club" of the year by Madison Magazine. Now in its third generation of Kavanaughs, its menu sparkles with great Angus steaks, lobster, seafood and nightly specials.
Their traditional Friday night fish fry is served with all the trimmings, including a terrific homemade coleslaw. Seafood entrees include walleye, catfish, salmon, crab legs and cold-water lobster.
Their luncheon specials always include delicious soup and sandwich combinations as well as heartier fare.
On the shores of Lake Wissota, this supper club offers beautiful surroundings and an extensive menu that includes stuffed filet mignon, tiger shrimp, walleye and barbecue pork ribs.
Entrees come with a trip to the huge soup and salad bar that stocks warm rolls and garlic toast. Dinners also come with a choice of potato – baked, French fries, hash browns, au gratin and a la Dutch.
The dessert tray offers six different kinds of cheesecake. Friday fish fry and a Sunday champagne breakfast buffet are served.
Judith Berger is a freelance writer based in West Allis. Content produced in cooperation with Wisconsin Trails.


We understand how to engage and train employees in this most critical of skills. Improving how well your people can deal with difficult people or situations, will have a positive impact on their confidence and performance.
How much time are 'people or situation problems' costing your business or organisation?
PSL's training will be customised to make it most relevant to the types of situations your people have to deal with.
When your people have a better understanding of themselves and others, you will empower them.
This is a game changer that helps people to manage themselves better in order to influence others more positively.
When your people have a better understanding of effective communication (verbal and non-verbal) again you will empower them.
This enables them to be more focused – people can only do one thing brilliantly and this is why 'customer service' is at risk when people try and rush or multi-task.
When your people know what they need to achieve and can literally see how to do so, they start from the most empowered of positions.
Having structure, a simple road map improves confidence and decision making. This in turn improves outcomes. It also helps to manage risk.


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The owner of the convenience store where Alton Sterling was killed is suing the police
Mark Abadi
Abdullah Muflahi.
Screenshot/Twitter
The convenience-store owner who witnessed the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling last week is alleging in a lawsuit that Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police officers illegally took surveillance footage from his store.
Abdullah Muflahi, who owns the Triple S Food Mart where Sterling was shot, also said the police confiscated his cellphone and detained him in a police car for four hours, according to The Daily Beast.
Muflahi claims in the lawsuit that, after the shooting, officers Howie Lake and Blane Salamoni had two other police officers remove the "entire store security system" despite Muflahi's demands to see a search warrant.
An authorized warrant was filed on Monday, according to the report, but it contradicts Muflahi's version of the timeline. It suggests that Lt. Robert Cook waited five hours after Sterling was shot before applying for the warrant, which was immediately approved by Commissioner Quintillis Lawrence.
"The timeline definitely doesn't add up," Joel Porter, Muflahi's attorney, told The Daily Beast.
Reviewing the security-camera footage could prove what time the police initiated the seizure. But the lawsuit claims that the police took not just the footage but the system's hard drive itself, making it impossible to disprove their timeline. Porter said the seizure of the hard drive exceeded the warrant's authority.
A photo of Alton Sterling and a screenshot of footage from his fatal altercation with Baton Rouge police.
Screenshot via The Advocate
The lawsuit said the police then took Muflahi's cellphone, which Muflahi had used to record the shooting, and detained him in the back of a police car. Muflahi claims that the police prevented him from calling his parents or a lawyer and was let out only to relieve himself.
"The officers would not allow Mr. Muflahi to use the restroom inside of his business establishment and he was escorted to the side of his building and forced to relieve himself right there within arm distance of a BPRD officer and in full view of the public," the lawsuit states, according to the report.
Muflahi has maintained that he didn't see Sterling reach for his gun before he was repeatedly shot. Sterling's death, along with the recent shooting death of Philando Castile at the hands of the police in Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
NOW WATCH: 'Vicious, calculated, and despicable': Obama comments on the attack in Dallas
More: Alton Sterling Police Violence


What do you do when your kid is dirty?
If you've ever bathed an infant, you know it's a messy, physically involved process. Adding the complications that come from being unable to just run water from the tap is not on any parent's wish list.
Compound that with the challenge of being a single parent, of being on a budget below the federal poverty level, of struggling to meet your children's basic needs much less track down enough bottled water to bathe them in it.
That's what Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha told a parent when she first started becoming aware that there may be excess lead in Flint's water. This was before she tried to get the attention of public health (and public works (the distinction is important)) to let them know children were potentially at risk after the city switched its water source from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River.
In Dr. Mona's book, What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, she describes her role in discovering the problem, trying to get the attention of leadership, and advocating for a solution.
It's important to note that she also weaves in her family's history, because their immigration to the United States and their roots in Iraq, including the genocide they witnessed, contribute to her commitment to doing something about environmental injustice.
This book reminded me of the importance of speaking up, and of continuing to ask questions if the first "no" or "that really isn't an issue" just doesn't align with reality. I'm not always a person to fight (okay, that may not be true for things I've written, but it's a skill that (for me) is a work in progress).
Effective advocacy often requires trying more than once and dealing with rejection. It also requires having iron-clad facts, lots of them, but conversely being able to boil them down into a one-pager (or one sentence if needed — time with elected officials or their staffs can be fleeting).
I was struck while reading this book at the toll Dr. Mona's (she prefers being called that, by the way) advocacy took on her personal health and mental well-being, as well as on the life of her family (she has two young children).
Michigan's Sen. Debbie Stabenow was certainly not the only elected official to advocate for a thorough resolution and long-term arrangements for Flint's recovery, but her involvement had a personal meaning for me.
I type Sen. Stabenow's name often, because I have a role in preparing a newsletter about agricultural issues (she's in the most recent issue as a matter of fact). But now I know that she has a background in social work and that she played an active role in the Water Infrastructure Improvements for America Act and other measures to help Flint. It was signed by President Obama in December 2016 — #ThanksObama.
Flint still has challenges: This article details where things stand on the testing of the current water supply, on the entities that are still donating bottled water since the state stopping doing so in April, and the issue of plastic accumulation due to all of the bottles. I recommend reading it to remain informed.
The Flint Child Health and Development Fund, created by Dr. Mona, supports "a myriad of interventions proven to promote children's potential: home visiting services, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, mindfulness programming, literacy efforts, play structures, and much more." Donate here or buy the book, since a portion of the proceeds go to the fund.
We can speak up in our own communities, states, and the nation (the world, too, of course). There are plenty of problems to solve in our world, some of them exacerbated by people who hesitate to speak up for fear of losing their jobs. If you don't know where to start, look into an organization like RESULTS, which as domestic and international outreach and does a great job of helping people learn to advocate in big and small ways.
My incredible advocate friend Yolanda, at the RESULTS conference.
Because, honestly, using dirty water is no way to bathe a baby, much less feed him or her.
**Note — the picture above is alarming, but it's important to note one of Dr. Mona's main points: even "clear" water can (and did, in Flint's case) contain dangerous amounts of lead.
**Note #2 — this isn't so much a review as an attempt on my part to deal with how furious these types of things make me, and to encourage you to join me in the fight(s).
This entry was posted in Causes and tagged Book Review, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Flint Water Crisis by Paula Kiger. Bookmark the permalink.
Excellent. A post I was happy to share to my FB page.
I appreciate that so much, Janet. It's such an incredibly instructive story and (as I noted) inspired me to action.
Super important topic and very well written. Thank you.
So important! I appreciate you reading/commenting!
Behind all the other "ugly" that continues to happen on a daily basis, it's easy for Flint to slip to the back of the mind. But they still don't have clean water and we need to remember that and continue to advocate for them.
Yes yes yes this precisely.
Tweeted. I am interested in one of the Democrats running in the Michigan primary for governor in particular. I need to see where he stands re Flint. So much in the news occupies us; it's hard to keep attention on anything for more than a few seconds.
Amazing that they still have not resolved the Flint water crisis. We can't drink the water where I live but at least we can clean children in it! Amazing that I have better quality water in a coastal Ecuadorian fishing village than they have in Flint, Michigan.
Precisely, Emily. Your comment hits me in the gut, for sure.
The Flint Crisis is SO infuriating. I'm proud of that doctor for speaking up and insisting something be done, but cannot believe how long it is taking them to fix the problem. I wonder if the Flint community will ever recover from the effect of this.
So. infuriating. (And the book goes into great detail about the DC Water Crisis which in many ways went under everyone's radar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_contamination_in_Washington,_D.C._drinking_water ). We have to be so vigilant when it comes to our health and that of our children.
This is a great post! I love your reflections on speaking up- recognising that it's not easy, but that there are times when we have to in order to see things change, and also that we need to support each other in that.
We really do (need to support each other). Thanks for reading/commenting.


Hickman County opened up yesterday two public tornado shelters for people to take advantage of should they need to flee their homes during a tornado warning. Read more about them here and find their locations. These are owned and run by Hickman County Emergency Management Agency.


Due to a low number of responses, we regret to inform you that the Mardi Gras Dance has been canceled. Thank you for your patience as we work on reimbursing all who purchased tickets in advance! Also the basket raffle winners will now be chosen at our Pizza Bingo Event on February 18th.
← This Week at Stony: PTO Meeting, Talent Show Auditions & Important Dance Update!


Noosa's latest yogurt flavors tap into trend of spicy and sweet.
Noosa's latest yogurt flavors feature combinations of spicy and sweet, including mango sweet chili and Mexican chocolate.
Savory flavors are showing up in yogurt and cottage cheese, while whole-milk cultured dairy products and drinkable yogurts are seeing a boost.
The world of cultured dairy is a big one and the shelves are crowded. Health experts continue to tout the many benefits of consuming cultured dairy, including gut health and weight management. This past year some interesting trends have emerged that are poised to help grow and diversify the category even more — bold flavor innovation (including savory flavors), a growing interest in drinkable yogurts and an increase in whole-milk cultured dairy products.