Good morning bus riders!
Here we are at the fourth Sunday after Pentecost, realizing that the Ordinary after Pentecost season is a reflection of one’s own personal ministry for Yahweh.
All the prior seasons each liturgical year are reflecting upon one’s personal awareness that one must stop serving self and begin serving God. Those season reflect the cocoon state of being, before one emerges as a butterfly for Yahweh.
The A, B, and C cycles repeat this evolution from sinful human being to Saint, such that Year C – where we are now – should reflect when each of us has been prepared totally; so, now is when we have been sent out into the world as graduates of divine ministry.
In the lessons for today (which I hope everyone has read beforehand), they all place focus on this faith that is the foundation of true ministry. Faith is the personal experience of Yahweh and Jesus, which goes far beyond any schooling that has one believe in those figures, without any personal experience.
The Gospel lesson, of Jesus sending out the seventy, is one of faith. The trust each held that Jesus was with them in Spirit was the only way they could go as lambs amid wolves. No sheeple who believes in Jesus would dare to test that belief by willingly walking into a den of wolves.
So, faith is the core lesson of all the readings; and, faith must also be understood as coming only when one has become one with Jesus. Belief is one who has no direct relationship with the Father nor the Son.
With that, let’s look at the well-known story of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria, who was a great warrior that led his army to many victories.
What is easy to overlook is how we are told that Naaman was “the face” of victory “because by him had given Yahweh victory to Syria.”
Now, that relates to 1 Kings 19:15, when Yahweh told Elijah to “anoint Hazael king over Aram.” “Aram” is the Syria when Naaman was a commander of the army; and, Hazael was the king who wore “the face” of Yahweh (anointed by Elijah) that led his commanders of armies “to victory.”
We read nothing in Scripture of Elijah doing this; but the story of Naaman confirms that Elijah did as instructed … as a divine Spirit of Yahweh that appeared only to those who likewise served Yahweh.
The battles won by Naaman were against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, because Ahab was their king. Thus, one of the spoils of victories in war is taking slaves. Naaman had taken an Israelite women as a slave; and, she was the one who told Naaman to go see the holy prophet of Israel, in order to have his leprosy cured.
By then, Elijah had ascended and Elijah had taken his place. So, Naaman made arrangements with the King of Aram to enter deep into Israel (going to Bethel, which is almost bordering the Southern Kingdom of Judah). For this permission, Hazael sent Naaman with a letter to King Jehu (another anointed by Elijah, as also commanded by Yahweh), along with many valuable gifts.
When we read that Jehu “tore his clothes” when he read the letter, which said, “All this stuff is for you to allow my commander to be cured of leprosy by your holy prophet.” The figure of speech “tore his clothes” or “rent his garments” is not to be read literally.
The clothes word designated one’s commitment to Yahweh. It was a union of the physical (clothes) and the spiritual (a soul married to Yahweh). To then tear upon that marriage means to be tempted by worldly things. Jehu was tempted by the valuable gifts of Hazael, but he personally did not believe that anyone could be cured of leprosy, by seeing a holy prophet.
Elisha asked Jehu, why tear at your commitment to Yahweh? Send Naaman to me.
That is the difference between belief and faith.
Now, we all know the story that says Naaman was told to bathe seven times in the Jordan and his leprosy would be cured; so, I will not delve in that part of this reading.
What needs to be realized is where we read, “Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to him.” That gives the impression that Elisha was too holy to physically see a man whose face was covered with leprosy.
That is not what is written.
The Hebrew word for “messenger” is “malak.” That same word means “angel,” which is how this needs to be read.
Keep in mind that this whole scenario is made possible by Yahweh telling Elijah to go anoint Hazael to be king of Aram and Jehu to be king of Israel. Those two men rose to power long after Elijah had ascended. We do not read about Elijah going to do as Yahweh commanded him to do. This means those two men never physically met the holy prophet of Israel. Instead, Elijah sent an “angel” to anoint both, in the same way that Samuel anointed young David many years before he became king.
It says Elisha did as Jesus did with the seventy. He sent his soul – merged with the soul of a disciple of Elisha – to go tell Naaman what Yahweh expected of him, for cure of leprosy.
After initially rejecting this seeming insult, Naaman was told by advisors, “What harm could it do to accept this instruct, as if the holy man himself delivered the message. Naaman then received or welcomed Elisha’s soul into his soul.
The rest of the story says Naaman became a changed man. More than being cured of leprosy, his soul was saved for eternity, because he received faith in Yahweh.
Can you see that lesson emerging?
<Look for nodding heads.>
Good!
The accompanying Psalm 30 echoes this change in Naaman – as well as in Hazael and Jehu – which David personally knew.
David sang of his faith that Yahweh “lifted me up,” so “not my enemies triumph over me.”
The “enemies” are less about the Philistines or any local uprisings by the indigenous people the Israelites lived among and more about the spiritual influences that “tear one’s clothes” of commitment to God.
As victorious as Naaman was in battles between men, his “enemy” was leprosy. He defeated that “enemy” when he found faith in Yahweh and was “lifted up” to that victory.
In the Hebrew written in Psalm 30, David wrote “Yahweh elohay” at the beginning of verse two. We read on the lectionary site, “O Lord my God.”
“Yahweh” is the God of Israel, but He reigns in the souls of true Israelites when their souls have married His Spirit – become “Anointed,” as Messiahs (or Christs) – and received the soul of His Son as the Lord each one of their soul-bodies. The receipt of that divine soul is the meaning of “elohay.” That says not only was Yahweh’s Son resurrected in his soul, but all the souls in Israel that did as David. The collective could claim Adam-Jesus to be “our elohim.”
This is what Naaman realized after bathing in the Jordan seven times and being cured of leprosy. He too could make that claim of “Yahweh elohay” – “Yahweh is our inner Lord, through His Son being reborn in us..”
In the link between verses eight and nine, David wrote, “I pleaded with adonay, saying, What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit?”
The Hebrew word “adonay” is the same as “elohim,” with the difference being “adnonay” is recognition that receipt of a Yahweh elohim makes that inner “elohim” be one’s soul-body Lord.
David then carried on a conversation with his inner soul that was his Lord, saying there was nothing to be gained by rejecting that divine presence. To reject an inner Lord would mean to experience no eternal life in Judgement.
Thus, David prayed, “Yahweh, be my helper.” Yahweh was David’s “helper” through the soul of His Son being David’s Lord. In return, David’s soul-body became Yahweh’s “helper,” as His Son leading David to be sent forth to save the other souls that became true Israelites.
Can you see that?
<Look for nodding heads.>
Good!
In the song of Isaiah, he channeled the voice of Yahweh speaking through him. That voice came forth as a song, in the same way that David was inspired to write his Psalms.
In this selection, we read of Yahweh speaking the name “Jerusalem.” It is confusing to read that and think of the city in Israel. The true intent is to read “Jerusalem” as a word that says “Teaching Peace.”
Yahweh referred to “Teaching Peace” in the feminine, referring to “her.” Because a city has no gender, the reference to “her” is Yahweh speaking of Isaiah’s soul in a body of flesh, which makes that soul-body be a “her.”
The feminine then refers to those souls that will become Yahweh’s wives in Spiritual marriage. Those, such as Isaiah, would become “Teachers of Peace,” where the inner “Teacher of Peace” is the Yahweh elohim that possessed Isaiah’s soul.
By seeing that, verse fourteen makes more sense when we read, “it shall be known that the hand of Yahweh is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.”
Here, again, the defeat of “enemies” are not physical assailants, but demon spirits and worldly influences. The “hand of Yahweh” that is “with his servants” is the Yahweh elohim that Lords over the wife-souls of Yahweh. Those who are led by that most divine “hand” are those who “Teach Peace” so lost souls can be found; and, that brings forth the “indignation” of Satan’s minions.
It is the same song sung again, differently. Can you see this pattern emerging?
<Look for nodding heads.>
Good!
The accompanying Psalm 66 to the Isaiah reading.
Where we are shown David singing, “Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!,” the translation of “God” is once again “elohim.” This means David knew the “awesome deeds” that came forth from his actions were led by his inner divine soul – his Yahweh elohim.
When he then sang, “Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you,” the “enemies must once again be seen as the influencers of evil, rather than Gentile peoples.
David repeated that strength within his soul to resist evil, when he sang, “let the rebellious not exalt themselves.” This is a statement that the forces of Satan try – and succeed – in stealing souls away from Yahweh.
They demonically possess the weak and lost souls, so they become “the rebellious not exalted.” Once possessed by such a demon spirit, one will find that possession is far from the divine possession of Yahweh’s elohim.
When David then sang, “who has kept us among the living and has not let our feet slip,” this rejoices in the divine union of a soul with Yahweh and His Son’s soul, where rather than a known death of the flesh to come, those souls divinely possessed are promised to remain “living,” through Salvation.
One’s “feet” are those which stand upon the sins of the earth, constantly coming in contact with the evil influencers. However, when possessed by the Son of Yahweh, there will be no slips and falls.
This then leads us to the reading from Paul’s letter to the true Christians of Galatia.
Paul began this chapter of his letter by telling those souls who were like his – married to Yahweh (as Christs) and led by the resurrected soul of Jesus (the Lord over each) – that in their mixed-Jewish settlements they would see transgression.
The influencers to do evil would still be at work and still swaying lost souls to sin.
Paul was not warning those who were divinely married and reborn Sons of Yahweh [where men and women were both considered “brothers,” because all were Jesus reborn] to beware being caught up in sins. Once saved, always sin free afterwards.
He was reminding them that they had also been sinners, in the same ways influenced by evil. When Paul said to be “gentle” with transgressors, he meant not to act like the Temple elite and cast the guilt of blame on top of a soul who already knows he or she has sinned.
When Paul wrote, “All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads,” this “test” of “deeds” is what proves one’s soul is married to Yahweh (reborn as Jesus) or not.
Those “works” are those led by the soul of Jesus being one’s Lord. Those who transgress are still lost souls, which need the Good Shepherd to bring them back to the fold.
Paul then wrote, ““for you reap whatever you sow.” That says one’s soul within its body of flesh – earth – must be where the soul of Jesus has been sown, so Jesus can grow outward, from within.
The soul of Jesus must be one with one’s soul, so he can become the Lord of one’s soul-flesh.
To reap salvation, one will have sown the Yahweh elohim of Adam-Jesus into one’s soul, through divine Spiritual marriage (becoming a Christ) of one’s submissive soul to Yahweh.
As to circumcision, that is a physical mark upon male Jews, which was once that which proved one was a Jew. Being a Jew was deemed proof that one was a child of God [Yahweh].
Physical marks are that which Paul said was “If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh.” Flesh cannot be saved for an eternity.
When Paul is shown to write, “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world,” the mistake is to think of a physical “cross.”
Belief in a Roman cross of death as a sign of Jesus as one’s Savior is no different than cutting one’s foreskin to claim that end. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is his soul being married to one’s soul, as the “Lord” of that flesh, having been reborn as “Jesus,” having been “Anointed” divinely by Spiritual marriage to Yahweh.
ONLY THE SPIRITUAL CAN BE SAVED FOR ETERNITY.
The “upright stake” that makes a soul be Baptized from all past sins is Yahweh’s outpouring of Spirit. That allows the “upright stake” of the soul of Jesus to be resurrected within a lost soul and make it stand righteously.
To be “the world crucified” to you and you be “crucified to the world,” one has to die of self and cease longing for material things, seeing those lures to sin as having zero value. Only with Jesus being the Lord of one’s soul-flesh can that crucifixion take place.
These are very important understanding that one must see. Can you see this?
<Look for nodding heads.>
Good!
This takes us to the Gospel reading from Luke 10.
Right off the bat, we read of the number “seventy.”
The number “seventy” becomes a base “seven” times “ten.” The number “seven” reflects “rest, completion” and “ten” reflects a Saint state of being, a saved soul still trapped within its flesh. this makes “seventy” be a reflection of those who have achieved a higher state of being, having put to rest their self-egos, so then can be led by divine inspiration.
Now, some Biblical sources (including the NIV and NRSV) translate this number to say “seventy-two.” That is not the truth. In fact, the number “two” that follows “seventy” is written in parentheses. Those marks not only separate that number “tow” from “seventy,” the parentheses indicates a word to be read spiritually, not physically.
The number “two” indicates “two” souls were present within each of the “seventy.” One was their host soul, with the second being the soul of Jesus being merged with theirs. The soul of Jesus then became the Lord of each.
Later, we find the number “two” written without parentheses; and, this becomes an indication that the “seventy” were divided into thirty-five “pairs.” There, the “two” says no one intern Saint was sent out alone. Each had a partner that was also ‘in Christ, as Jesus reborn.’
We then need to understand why the ‘seventy” were being sent out without things. The lack of a purse, bag, and sandals means the intern Saints were sent out only with the soul of Jesus within their souls. They were not sent out with anything material that could be seen by another Jews and interpreted as them seeing self-sufficient Jews coming towards them. Things being present could be a motivator for rejection.
Also, they were sent to Share the Spirit of Jesus that possessed each of them with those who received (welcomed) their spiritual presence. Seeing stranger Jews without things should open the hearts of good Jews to invite those appearing as being in need into their homes.
Seeing others as being in need then becomes a reflection of one’s own self-needs. To help others means one desires to be helped.
When Jesus said to say “Peace to this house,” to those families that welcomed his Saints, the capitalized word translated as “Peace” actually means “Wholeness.” Jesus told his intern Saints to announce to those welcoming families that the soul of Jesus was to be a joint member of each in that house.
“Wholeness” means a lost soul – a “lamb” or “sheep” – has been reunited with its Good Shepherd [the soul of Jesus resurrected within]. When rejoined, then those souls are promised to be return to the sheepfold of Yahweh, once their souls are released from their bodies at death.
When Jesus instructed his intern Saints to go into the streets in cities that rejected his Spirit, saying “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near,” that is less a condemnation than a statement of fact.
The “dust” reflects the souls of Jews in that place being corrupted by their flesh. By rejecting the intern Saints, they rejected the soul of Jesus coming to save their souls. By rejecting the soul of Jesus, those souls of so-called Jews rejected the One God they professed belief in.
Rejection then means sinners create their own judgments. As such, they will return to “dust,” without earning eternal life.
The “feet” reflects where sin “clings” to their bodies, saying they do not walk a righteous path towards Salvation.
The “seventy” were sent out to wipe the dust off the feet of the wayward, but the wayward rejected the “kingdom of God” – the soul of Jesus in them – which means they condemned themselves (their souls).
I hope this lesson can be seen by everyone. Each of us is called to join with the ranks of true Saints, to welcome the teachings of truth they offer as Jesus resurrected.
To be one of the seventy today, we each have to come to rest and completion with our own waywardness. We need to see how filthy dirty our feet are.
We need to desire salvation, knowing there is much work that must be done, for that goal to be achieved.
We each need to propose marriage to Yahweh and begin putting in serious study of Scripture … more than a few minutes a week.
We each need to become the brides of Yahweh, where the veil of past sins is removed by divine Baptism, when our souls take on the name of Yahweh in marriage – Israel.
We then must receive the Yahweh elohim that is His Son’s soul. It must become one with each of our souls, so each of our soul-bodies calls Jesus our Lord.
As our Lord, Jesus tells us what deeds to accomplish; and, we accomplish those works.
We have to receive the message and find faith replaces our beliefs.
Instead of rejecting divine possession, we say, “What harm can come from being led by Yahweh?”
We must bathe seven times in the waters of the Spirit that washes away our physical marks of sin and removes all self-ego from our faces.
We must walk with the face of Yahweh before us and with the voice of His Son coming from our lips.
I see the bus is pulling up now, so I will end here.
I wish everyone a good week ahead. Please contemplate what I have said here today.
I look forward to meeting with you next Sunday.
Amen