Yahoshua the Messiah riled up the religionists of His day because the truths of the Holy Spirit negated their traditions of men. They were not at all interested in hearing what the spiritual meanings of their written physical law were, since they thought their salvation was in the actual words of the scriptures, just as so many christians do today (John 5:39).
They refused to see that the Law of Moses was merely a physical foreshadow of a spiritual real substance that was being revealed. They hated Yahoshua so much that they demanded He be killed. And, He was—on Passover. He rose again on the Feast of Firstfruits.
The apostles proclaimed the name Yahoshua (Yah’s salvation) both to the physical Jews and Gentiles. But, it was the physical Jews (those who believed their salvation was in the written words of the scriptures and by performing the mandates of the physical law) who despised the apostles most, and chased them from town to town. Most of the apostles were martyred because they preached Yahoshua the Messiah, and they were hated for it.
Ask yourself this: if what the apostles preached were the teachings of christianity, then why were the Jews so threatened by them—to the point of wanting them dead? There were many religions that co-existed peacefully with the Jews. What was it about the message of the apostles that angered the physical Jews so much that they chased the apostles everywhere trying to silence them?
If what the apostles preached resembled what christianity preaches, the Jews wouldn’t have thought twice about it. The christianity that pervades so much of the world actually doesn’t look much at all like the true Gospel of Yahoshua that the apostles risked their lives to preach.
Even today, there are well over 2 BILLION people on the planet who identify as christians (something neither the Father nor the Son ever call believers), and embrace “jesus;” but when confronted with the truths of the Holy Spirit that negate christianity, christians are usually very combative over His truths. And, when the name Yahoshua is proclaimed, or the Father’s traditions taught, there is usually little else that produces such visible levels of anger in many christians.
In fact, even today, the Jews are not very interested in christianity, nor are they threatened at all by its teachings. But, the first century Jews were highly offended by the preaching of the apostles. What changed between the time of the apostles and now? It was the invention of christianity after the New Testament was written, and its codification in the fourth century.
There is a distinct difference between Messiah’s bride, who are those indwelt by His Spirit and whose name is “Y’isra-el,” and the “church,” who follow the 4th century invention called christianity, and whose name is derived from an ancient goddess—Circe (“church”), the daughter of the sun god.
Moreover, the pagan name “church” is certainly a fitting label for an organization that assembles together on the venerable day of the sun, and which celebrates pagan holydays that are tied to sun worship (SUNday assembling, christ-mass, easter/ishtar, etc.).
The Holy Spirit is calling the Lamb’s bride OUT of the world, and “the world” includes the “church.”
For more information: Messiah’s Bride Is Not the “Church.”