top of page

Home Page

​

The Beginning

​

   I could be considered the a-typical Boomer, growing up in the 1960's and 1970's. I did not come from a religious family, nor was I raised in any form of Christianity. However, in my late teens I met a Christian that spoke a lot about Jesus, and I became intrigued. Feeling somewhat convicted that I was a sinner, decided to become a Christian. I said all the right words, but there was no real commitment. Honestly, I also had no idea what was required of me, as it was never explained. But one thing was for sure, if was going to be a Christian, I needed to go to Church!

​

   I began attending the same local Baptist Church as the person that was talking to me about Jesus, and got the shock of my new found Christian life. At the time I was a semi-pro drummer; complete with the long hair, lamb chops, still smoking cigarettes, etc. It was the 70's, and my rock and roll attire was still a part of my look. On the second or third Sunday after services, one of the deacons wanted to talk to me. He made it clear, that if I wanted to attend their church; I would have to get a haircut, not show up dressed as I was, and never be seen smoking anywhere near the building. He never inquired how long I had been a Christian, my experiences that brought me to believe, or even why I wanted to attend the church. I was seriously taken aback! Here I was, a brand new believer, and THIS was the most important aspect of being a Christian?

​

  What went through my mind was, "If this is what this Jesus and Christianity is all about, I want nothing to do with any of it!" So I just went back to living as I had been. It was three years before circumstances in my life, including two near death experiences, got me wondering about my choices, and the possibility of an after-life.

​

   Then in early 1979, I encountered a small band of street preachers. There was something completely different about them, more than any other Christians I had ever met. They were sincere, not religious; and they spoke of what it means to have a relationship, not just belief.

 

  In March of 1979, while at home alone, now that I understood the basics of a real commitment; I felt compelled to make that life changing decision to surrender to my Savior, and Follow Him! I let those I had been talking with know of my decision and began fellowshipping with them. I found out they were part of a small non-denominational ministry that held weekly Bible studies at their homes. Their emphasis was on developing your personal realtionship with Jesus, learning the Scriptures, and evangelism. A few months later I was asked to join them and glady accepted.

​

   After 17 years as part of this small group, my life took a different path, and it was time for me to move on. Circumstances quickly arose where I became more involved with people and fellowships of different denominations. Not having a "church going" background, these encounters began giving me an interesting perspective. I had already come to know that different denominations interpret the Bible according to their particular core doctrines; but the effect of this was far greater than I realized.

​

   As time went on, and I became even more familiar with the Bible, I found myself wondering; if people are being taught based on a fixed denominational slant, how is the Truth conveyed in the original texts? So in my studies, I began examining the languages that the scriptures were written in. This was an endevor that began almost 25 years ago. During the last 10 years or so, my interest in the original languages of the Bible has dramatically grown and increased.

​

Why use Hebrew?

​

  Since I was in grade school, I understood that modern English is a conglomeration of many different languages. Although very poetic; it is also somewhat haphazard. In what other tongue could you drive on a parkway, and park on a driveway? 

 

   For decades I leaned on my Thompson Chain Reference King James Version. I have gone through it so many times; it is heavily highlighted, contains pages of handwritten notes, and is tattered and worn. But as I became more familiar with the Word, I found myself turning to other avenues as well to gain a deeper understanding. If I had questions, I could go to my Amplified Bible to see if there might be a better clarification.

 

  Seeking more insight I started consulting Strong's Exhaustive Concordance for the meaning of certain words. I then purchased a Hebrew-Greek-English Interlinear Bible, which contains the Strong's Concordance numbers that accompany the original language manuscripts. I then discovered an almost word for word translation that attempts to maintain the original Hebrew mind-set of the Bible. This is now the primary source that I use for writing, and will be the version most referenced on the pages of this site.

 

  These are just some of the arrows in the quiver of my library that I have access to. So, as you read the different pages on this site, please be aware that I use the Hebrew names for persons, books of the Bible, passages, etc. These, as well as online teachers, have helped assist me in learning basic Biblical Hebrew. One of the main reasons I prefer to use Hebrew, is that when the original languages of the Scriptures were translated and/or transliterated*, especially into English; much of their deeper meaning seems to be obscured. However, since most of my readers are English reading and speaking, I make every effort to reference those names they are familiar with.

​​

​*to represent or spell in the characters of another alphabet

​

   Here are just a few examples of terms and/or names you will find here. The names or terms for the English are in italics.

​

God - Elohim

The Heavenly Father - Yehovah

   Elohim and Yehovah are sometimes written together as Yehovah Elohim

Jesus Christ- Yeshua ha’Mashiach, or Messiah Yeshua

The Holy Spirit - Ruach ha’Kodesh

Jerusalem - Yerushalayim

Israel - Yisra'el

Jeremiah - Yirmeyahu

Matthew - Mattithyahu

The Book of Genesis - Bereshith

The Book of Acts - Ma'asei​

​

  Since the day I made that fateful decision to surrender my life to Yeshua ha’Mashiach, I have had a hunger to know Him, Yehovah, the power of Ruach ha’Kodesh, and the depths of His written Word. I do not believe this drive is something inherently from myself, but was placed within me by Elohim.

​

“And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit

within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh,

and I shall give you a heart of flesh, and put My Spirit within

you. And I shall cause you to walk in My [instructions] and

guard My right-rulings and shall do them."   

Yehezqel (Ezekiel) 36:26-27

​

  Although some might think it necessary, I have never sought what might be considered a formal education in Biblical studies from any religious institution. So over the course of the last 45 years, I have sought the knowledge that is revealed in His Word. Either directly by communication from Ruach ha’Kodesh (the Holy Spirit) through my own reading, or by searching outside sources that offer insight. Firmly believing what Yehovah Elohim and Messiah Yeshua GUARANTEED would come to those who seek.

​

"And you shall seek Me, and shall find Me, when you search

for Me with all your heart." Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 29:13

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

"But seek first the reign of Elohim, and His righteousness, and

all these shall be added to you."  Mattithyahu (Matthew) 6:33​​

​

"And delight yourself in יְחוׇֹח, And let Him

give you the desires of your heart."

Tehillim (Psalms) 37:4 (emphasis mine)

​

​"Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find,

knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who

asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who

knocks it shall be opened." Mattithyahu 7:7

​

"But when He comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He shall

guide you into ALL (not some or partial) truth. For He shall

not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He shall

speak, and He shall announce to you what is to come."

Yohanan (John) 16:13 (emphasis mine)

​

Lost in Translation

​

   As my research has progressed of the knowledge of Hebrew compared to English, it became more difficult reconciling how this Rabbi from Galilee came to be known as "Jesus"; when there is no "J" sound in Hebrew, Latin, or Greek. In all actuality, the letter "J" and its pronunciation is a relatively new addition to the modern English language.

 

"The English letter 'J' did not come into existence

until the end of the Middle Ages..."1

 

   The English Name for the Messiah has been given the innocuous Jesus. In the grand scheme of things, the Name in and of itself is virtually meaningless. One of the English passages concerning the Birth of the Savior reads thus:

 

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus:

for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 KJV

​

   There is not a whole lot of meaning to the Name Jesus, and this is where His Hebrew Name differs. Yeshua means to deliver, or save. The significance of giving the Promised Messiah that particular Name, was apparent even before His Birth.

 

"And she shall give birth to a Son, and you shall call

His Name יֵשׁוּצַ (Yeshua) for He shall save His people

from their sins." Mattithyahu 1:21 (emphasis mine)

​​​​

   This is just one example of the nuance that is lost when transliterating the Hebrew into English.

   

​​​​​ Another question that came to mind, was was how did this Yisra'elite (Israelite) teacher find 12 followers in the Middle East with such European names as Peter, James, John, Matthew, etc.? The fact is - He didn't! Those He called were Torah observant, blue collar Hebrew laborers - mainly fishermen.

​

  When written in Hebrew, Yeshua is יֵשׁוּצַ, and Yehovah is יְחוׇֹח. Unlike English, Hebrew is written and read from right to left. It is not a coincidence that the Names of Yehovah, and Yeshua, both begin with the letter Yod (×™). All Hebrew letters have meaning, and Yod is considered by many to be the element from which all of the other letters begin and end.2 In other words, the letter Yod, could be deemed the beginning and ending.​

 

“‘I am the Aleph and the Tav, Beginning and End,’

says יְחוׇֹח ‘who is and who was and who is to come,

​the Almighty.’” Hazon (Revelation) 1:8
​

   Aleph and Tav are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Compare Hazon 1:8 with these passages that reference Messiah Yeshua.

​

“I came to be in the Spirit on the Day of יְחוׇֹח, and I heard

behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am the

Aleph and the Tav, the First and the Last’...And I turned

to see the voice which spoke with me... And when I saw Him,

I fell at His feet as dead, and He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last, and the

living One. And I became dead, and see, I am living forever

and ever. Amen.’” Hazon 1:10-11a; 12a; 17-18a

​
​

   According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, the Name Yehovah [Strong's #H3068] comes from two root words:

​

Strong's #H1933 - hava'; shall be, may be, occur.

Strong's #H1961 - hayah; to be, to become, to exist.

​

   Hayah (Strong's #H1961), is also where we get the Name of I AM, found in the Book of Shemoth (Exodus).

 

“And Mosheh (Moses) said to Elohim, ‘See, when I come to the children of Yisra’el and say to them, “The Elohim of your fathers

has sent me to you,” and they say to me, “What is His Name?”

what shall I say to them?’ And Elohim said to Mosheh, ‘I AM

that which I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the

children of Yisra’el, “I AM has sent me to you.’”

Shemoth 3:13-14

​

  When you take into account the true meanings of names contained in the scriptures, and understand their purpose; it brings relevance that translations and/or transliterations fail to do.

​

   According to Hebrew tradition when a child is circumcised his name is given. An example of this is when Yohanan the immerser (John the Baptist), was presented to the priests.

 

“And it came to be, on the eighth day, that they came to

circumcise the child. And they were calling him by the name

of his father, Zekaryah (Zacharias). And his mother

answering, said, ‘Not so, but he shall be called

Yohanan (John).’” Luqas (Luke) 1:59-60

 

  The name Yohanan means Yehovah is gracious. An alternate English spelling is Yochanan. So it was with the young Messiah. He was brought to the Temple to be circumcised on the eighth day, and His Name declared.

​

"And when eight days were completed for Him to be

circumcised, His Name was called יֵשׁוּצַ (Yeshua), the Name

given by the [angel] before He was conceived in the womb."

Luqas (Luke) 2:21

 

   Consider what happened on that day.

​

"And see, there was a man in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)

whose name was Shim‛on (Simon), and this man was

righteous and dedicated, looking for the comforting of

Yisra’el (Israel). And the Set-apart Spirit (Holy Spirit) 

was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the

Set-apart Spirit that he would not see death before he

sees the Messiah of יְחוׇֹח." Luqas 2:25-26

​

   Shim'on received the baby in his arms, blessed Yehovah, and declared:

 

"Now let your servant go in peace, O Master, according

to Your word, for my eyes have seen your deliverance."

Luqas 2:29-30 (emphasis mine)

 

  The name Shim'on means he hears, or he receives. He heard the Word from Ruach ha'Kodesh; then saw and received the Promised Messiah. There are other illustrations of how the Hebrew names take on relevant meanings.

 

  One of the 12 original apostles is called Simon Peter in the English versions. His Hebrew name, also Shim'on, was changed by Messiah Yeshua to the Aramaic Kepha (Cephas); meaning a rock. When Yeshua asked His disciples who He was, Shim'on heard the voice of Yehovah revealing the Truth about the Messiah.

​

"(Yeshua) said to them, 'And you, who do say I am?'

And Shim'on Kepha answering, said, 'You are the Messiah,

the Son of the living Elohim.' And יֵשׁוּצַ answering, said to him,

'Blessed are you, Shim'on-Bar-Yonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in the heavens.'"

Mattithyahu 16:15-17

​

   As previously stated, hayah is one of the root words for the Name Yehovah. Some Hebrews considered the Name יְחוׇֹח too Holy to speak aloud. So a shortened version was used; which would be spoken as Yah. There are many Biblical names rooted in the Name Yah; here are just a few examples.

 
  • Mattithyahu (Matthew) which means Gift of Yah.

  • Yeshayah (Isaiah) which means Yah is Salvation; not to be confused with Yeshua - The Salvation of Yah.

  • Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) - Yah has uplifted.

 

   The point is that many of the prominent names mentioned in the Bible, are associated with Yehovah; and linked to the root of His Name - Yah! This is NOT by accident or coincidence.​​​​​

​

It's all Greek to Me!​​​

 

   Scholars of history presume to tell us that the New Testament was written in Greek, and have claimed that it was a common language of the day used by the Hebrews. However, that supposition is false! Greek was NOT a popular language among the Hebrews of First Century Yisra'el, and the writings of the historian Flavius Yosephus (Josephus) verifies that conclusion.

 

  During the siege of Yerushalayim around 70 A.D., the Roman General Titus, was having difficulty subduing the Hebrew patriots. Greek was the common language used by Romans at the time, but Titus was unable to adequately communicate with the resistance fighters in Yehudah (Judea), so he:

 

"...sent [Yosephus] to speak to [the Jews] in their own language..."3

 

   In fact, according to Yosephus, during the time of the Messiah, the learning and speaking of Greek was discouraged among the Hebrews living in the land of Yisra'el.

 

"...I have long accustomed myself to speak in our own tongue,

[as] I cannot pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness, for our

nation (Yisra'el) DOES NOT encourage those that learn the

languages of many nations."4 (emphasis mine)

 

  The Word of Elohim that the disciples had been exposed to all of their lives was written in Hebrew. This was the common spoken and written language of the people of First Century Yisra'el. Also used, but less common, was Aramaic; which is a Galilean dialect of Hebrew.

 

  Since Greek among the Hebrews of Yisra'el was not readily used or practiced, what would justify the assertions that the writings of these early disciples were in Greek?​ The claim that the New Testament was written in Greek is supposedly backed up by the oldest manuscript known to exist. It is a small portion from the Gospel of John, which IS written in Greek. But is believed to be from the 2nd Century; approximately 125 A.D.

 
​
​
​

                                 This scientific perspective is

                                       built on this one small piece

                                       of Papyrus, known as P52.  

​


 
​
​

   However, according to the standards of the United States Library of Congress, without more verifiable evidence, this one piece cannot stand alone as proof! 

​

"No single document can be understood in isolation; it is almost

always part of a larger file, record series, or collection."5

​

  There is alleged to be an older portion from the book of Mark, but it has yet to be verified. This fragment is hardly concrete evidence to prove that Greek was the original language of the New Testament. The Dead Sea Scrolls also seem to refute the belief that Greek was popular among Hebrews of the time. Although there were some written in Greek, these were believed to be copies of translations from the original Hebrew. 

​

"Most of the scrolls were written in Hebrew. 

with a smaller number in Aramaic or Greek."6

 

   It is also worth noting that P-52 does not contain the Greek name for Jesus. Why is it we have found no older fragments? The answer is clear - time. Perhaps the originals were lost to the dust long ago. Which would also explain why it is we have no originals in Hebrew. While I truly desire that we did have the very first original manuscripts, the fact is - we don't, as far as we know. So, all of us must examine and rely on what we do have. Which are mainly copies - possibly copied from other copies, handed down through the centuries.

​

  Another problem I encountered is that the ancient Greek language is rife with references to their gods and goddesses. For example, the root from which we get the name Jesus is Ieso. In Greek mythology, Ieso (alternate spelling Iaso), is the daughter of Asclepius. She is the Greek goddess of medicine, physical rejuvenation, and physicians. Considering the vast healing ministry of the Messiah, it is not a far stretch to see how the name of this goddess would have found its way into the English language. A vivid example of this is found in the New Testament.

​

"And when the crowds saw what Sha’ul had done, they

lifted up their voices, saying in Lukaonian, 'The mighty

ones have become like men and come down to us!' And

they called Barnaba Zeus, and Sha’ul Hermes, since

he was the chief speaker." Ma'asei (Acts) 14:11-12

​

   The full spelling transliterated from Greek to English is Iesous, which became Iesus in Olde English. This is the Name of the Messiah found in the the Authorized 1611 Version of the King James Bible.

​

"The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ, the sonne of Dauid,

the sonne of Abraham." Matthew 1:1 Authorized 1611 KJV

​​

   John 3:16 may be one of the most well known, and quoted passages of the Bible.

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 3:16 KJV

​

   There are a few others that are often recited, which come immediately to mind. Two of them are from the Book of Acts.

 

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the

name of the Lord shall be saved...Neither is there salvation in

any other: for there is none other name under heaven given

among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 2:21; 4:12 KJV​​

​

   Even though I have probably read these very scriptures a few hundred times over the years, and used them myself to witness to others; for the longest time I never really considered the impact, and setting, in its full context. Was this fisherman from Galil (Galilee) really telling his fellow Hebrews that they all must be saved in the Name of Iesous? That is highly unlikely, because like Yosephus, or probably even more so; he would have had a difficult time even pronouncing the Messiah's Name in Greek.

​

   I believe it is also important to take into account that the original disciples of Yeshua were not Hebrew scholars, or philosophers. The religious leaders of the day considered them ignorant!

 

"And seeing the boldness of Kepha and Yohanan, and

perceiving that they were unlearned and ordinary men,

they marvelled. And they recognised that they had been

with יֵשׁוּצַ." Ma'asei (Acts) 4:13 (emphasis mine)​

​

​   The Apostle Sha'ul (Paul) on the other hand was highly trained and skilled, and there is a good possibility that he did speak Greek and other languages needed for his travels to preach the Gospel. The Bible makes it clear that Sha'ul would be sent to the Gentiles, and Kepha would be sent to the Hebrew speaking Yehudim (Jews).

​

"...when [the Council in Yerushalayim]  saw that the [Gospel]

to the uncircumcised (Gentiles) had been entrusted to me

(Sha'ul), even as Kepha to the circumcised (Jews) – for He

who worked in Kepha to make him [an apostle] to the

circumcised also worked in me for the nations."

Galatiyim (Galatians) 2:7b-8 

​​

   That the Apostle Kepha was sent to those that shared his common language, is further reinforced by one of the epistles that bear his name.

​

"Kepha, an emissary (apostle) of יֵשׁוּצַ Messiah, to

the chosen, strangers of the dispersion..."

Kepha Aleph (1 Peter) 1:1a (emphasis mine)

​

   The dispersion is also known as the diaspora! Which includes the years that the people of Yisra'el were scattered throughout the Roman Empire; beginning in 70 A.D. and culminating in 73 A.D.​​​​​​​​​​​

​

Doctrines and Traditions of Man

​

   I have never been a denominational follower of Yeshua, because it seems to me that whenever man gets his hands on something; his pride and arrogance turn it into something it is not. What the scriptures call - Commands, or Doctrines of Men!

​

"But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as

teachings the commands of men." Mattithyahu 15:9​

​

"They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless,

a pretense], Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their

traditions equal weight with the Scriptures]." Mark 7:7 AMP

 

   This was not a problem confined to the religious leaders that confronted the Messiah or His first disciples. The Apostle Sha'ul also ran into the same problem with the Gentile converts in Galatia.​

 

"Sha'ul, an emisary (apostle) - not from men, nor by a

man, but by Messiah (Yeshua) and Elohim the Father

who rasied him from the dead." Galatiyim 1:1

 

"I marvel that you are so readily turning away from

Him who called you in the favour of Messiah to a

different (Gospel), which is not another, only there are

some who are troubling you and wishing to pervert the

(Gospel) of Messiah." Galatiyim 1:6-7

 

   They take away scriptures claiming they don't apply to modern Christianity. Or add man-made traditions, that may include rules and rites not found in Elohim's Word.  Regulations that MUST be followed to secure one's Salvation. Church leaders might - and/or have - incorporated anti-Messianic teachings; then covered them with a "Jesus band-aid", to make them more palatable to the masses.

​

   From what I have discovered in all of my years of trying to follow the Messiah as best I can, is that people like to put others in a box. Especially those like myself that swim upstream, so to speak; against the "accepted" ways of doing things. Which is precisely what Yeshua, and the first disciples did; they were table turners, and considered trouble makers.

 

  Take the term​s Messianic, or Hebrew Roots. These are no different than using the names of a denomination (Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, etc.) to define what someone is, and what they believe.

 

  More specifically, the all encompassing term: Christian! During the first centuries of the Church, to admit to being one, could be and often was, a death sentence from the Roman Empire. Except in certain parts of the world where the Muslims are still warring against the infidel; the implications in the West of bearing the name Christian are far more vague, and extremely less consequential. 

​

   Ask 1,000 people what it means to be a Christian; and you might get 1,000 different answers.​ Of course, one of the basics is supposed to mean; I am follower of Christ!

 

   But WHICH Christ? The one that is still on the cross and subservient to His mother - The Holy Roman Catholic Church? Or the one where the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are all named Jesus - Oneness Pentecostal. Or the one where water baptism is not essential to salvation? Like some of the Baptist Church denominations, which seems like a complete oxymoron!

 

"...some Baptists question whether churches realistically can demand

Christians from other traditions submit to believer’s baptism by

immersion before they are allowed to join a Baptist congregation."6

 

 This is precisely the same dilemma that Sha'ul ran into early on. Denominational splits have been the bane of the Church almost since its inception.

 

"...each of you says, 'I am of Sha'ul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I

of Kepha,' or 'I of Messiah.' Has the Messiah been divided? Was Sha'ul [crucified] for you? Or were you [baptised] in the name of Sha'ul?" Qorintiyim Aleph (1 Corinthians) 3:12-13

Sharing the Gospel of Messiah Yeshua!

​

   I fully comprehend the command to:

 

"...'Go into all the world and proclaim the (Gospel)

to every creature.'" Marqos (Mark) 16:15

 

   Many years ago the small ministry I alluded to earlier, had the opportunity to share the Gospel with many churches, pastors and lay persons; mainly in Africa. We accomplished this through the use of international mail. At the time we developed an exceptional relationship with a Gospel Tract publisher, who would have his materials translated into different languages and dialects, exclusively for us. He had a heart to reach the world with the Gospel as well, and we were able to purchase them at cost so we could freely ship them all over the world. He also donated thousands and thousands of dollars worth of materials to support our efforts. We also established relationships with other publishers as well; so we could get Bibles and other materials, that were exclusive to the different languages and dialects we needed.

​

  Without going into great detail; so as to not rely on the gifts of others, we were led by Ruach ha'Kodesh to start a recycling business that generated the needed funds. The monies were used to meet not only our own needs, but all that was necessary to cover materials, shipping, etc., to share the Gospel, and help others. It was hard, grueling physical labor at times; but helped me to understand why the Apostle Sha'ul admonished the Thessalonians to follow his example.

​

"For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us,

for we were not disorderly among you, nor did we eat

anyone’s bread without paying for it, but worked with

labour and toil night and day, in order not to burden any

of you,not because we do not have authority, but to

make ourselves an example, for you to imitate us."

Tas'loniqim Bet (2 Thessalonians) 3:7-9

​

  Many dialects and languages do not have the same ability of adaptation as modern English; and therefore, the need for translation and transliteration to specific peoples is absolutely crucial. I applaud every effort to do so!

​

  My prayer is that those who do take the time to translate scriptures into the language of those they are trying to reach, would make the same effort to give the true meaning of the original scriptures. It is a completely worthwhile work! As an example, I have no idea how to translate the Name Yeshua into Farsi! NOT the name Jesus, but the way to convey the True meaning of the Messiah's Name - Yeshua!​​

To Prevent Any Misunderstanding

​​​​​

  The result of my research is that quite a few years ago I went through somewhat of reality crisis. Yes, I once called Him Jesus, and prayed in the Name of Jesus. But that ended, because quite simply; Jesus is not His Name.

​​

  In the context of modern Christianity, I freely admit I am not what some might call a Christian. Nor am I a Messianic, Hebrew Roots, or any other label that someone would try to place on me.

 

  I am a follower and disciple of Yeshua ha’Mashiach, the Chosen of Yehovah Elohim. The Word who became flesh! He who lived a sinless life, was crucified on Pesah (Passover) for the sins of the world - including mine - and rose from the grave on the third day. It is ONLY by His blood and sacrifice that I, or anyone else, obtains Eternal Life. Using only the Word of Elohim as my guide - according to the scriptures, His is the ONLY Name by which all must be saved.

​

  To make myself perfectly clear, I am in NO WAY trying to discount the faith, belief, or assurance of Salvation, of any person who asked for forgiveness in the Name of Jesus, no matter the language they used. Or preached the Gospel in the Name of Jesus trying to reach the lost. Anyone that truly believes - no matter the Name they used; I believe can rest assured in their faith. Messiah Yeshua takes us from where we are, and our current knowledge, understanding, and experience.

 

   For many years, based on what I had been taught and read, I called my Savior Jesus. However, by delving into the original languages of the Bible, I have come to a deeper, and clearer understanding.

 

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now

I know in part, but then I shall know, as I also have been known." Qorintiyim Aleph 13:12

​

   Does my current understanding discount everything that I experienced or did "In the Name of Jesus"; trying to help others, sharing the Gospel, etc.? Does it mean I wasn't really "saved" because I used the "wrong Name"? Absolutely not! My relationship with Yehovah and Yeshua, has only grown deeper with the added knowledge I have received through Ruach ha'Kodesh.

 

  Because my birth language is modern English, this transition and adaptation to the original Hebrew Names for Yehovah Elohim and Messiah Yeshua, as well as scripture; though difficult, is not impossible.​ Please keep in mind that this is the unique perspective from which I present this. I pray for the same to all who read and receive this.


In Obedience to Yeshua ha’Mashiach,

Stewart Hoskinson​

Epilogue

​

  In April of 2004, the original website for The Wilderness Cry was launched. It was an avenue to publish Blinded by the Sun, a book which I had written revealing how idolatry and compromise had infiltrated the Church. Plus, I would be able to offer monthly newsletters that contained Biblical teachings and addressed challenges facing Followers of Messiah Yeshua. The Wilderness Cry website had to be put on hiatus for a season, due to changes in technology, and my own life as well.

 

   This new version of The Wilderness Cry will hopefully be an enhancement of the original. When Blinded by the Sun was first made available online, it was offered free of charge for anyone that wanted to read it. Now, after 20 plus years, I am in the process of expanding and revising Blinded by the Sun. When finished, I will follow the same standard of making it absolutely free to read online.​​​

​

Dedication​

​

  This website is dedicated to revealing and communicating the truth of Yehovah Elohim's Word - the entire Bible - as put forth in the Old and New Testaments (the Torah, the Tanak and the Messianic scriptures). By and through the power of Ruach ha'Kodesh, without the influence of denominational doctrines, or the teachings of men that contradict those scriptures.​​

​

​"Because our Good News did not come to you in word only,

but also in power, and in the Set-apart Spirit..."

Tas Loniqim Aleph (1 Thessalonians) 1:5a

​

​

​

End Notes

1.  "The Letter J", Encyclopedia Britannica On Line, https://www.britannica.com/topic/J-letter

2.  "The Mystery of Yod", https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Aleph-Bet/Yod/yod.html

3.  "Josephus, The Complete Works; The Wars of the Jews, 5:9:2", Translation by William Whiston,

     Thomas Nelson Pub. Nashville TN 1998 p. 857

4. "Josephus, The Complete Works; Antiquities of the Jews; Chap. 12, sec. 1"; 

     Translation by William Whiston, Thomas Nelson Pub. Nashville TN 1998 p. 650

5.  "Understanding Manuscripts - A Basic Introduction", Library of Congress Website, 

      https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awmss5/understanding.html

6.  "The Dead Sea Scrolls", Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 

      https://www.imj.org.il/en/wings/shrine-book/dead-sea-scrolls

​

 

Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures on The Wilderness Cry taken from:

"The Scriptures 2009", Copyright© 1993-2015 by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR).

 All rights reserved. Used with permission.

AMP - refers to The Amplified Bible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids Michigan;

13th Printing, March 1985

KJV - King James Version, public domain

​​​

The Wilderness Cry, © 2004 - 2025, Stewart Hoskinson, writer and publisher.

bottom of page