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Questioning Paul

Volume 1: The Great Galatians Debate

Chapter 12 part 4

Here now is the conclusion of Chabaquwq 2:17...

"...as a result of (min) the blood (dam – death) of humankind (‘adam), and also (wa) this grievous injustice against and blatant wrongdoing in opposition to (chamac – this unrighteous and unrestrained campaign of error and towrahlessness in destructive conflict with) the land (‘erets – realm, region, or world), the city (qiryah – to encounter Yah’s foundation, the upright pillar, beams, and furnishings associated with the Word), and all (wa kol) of her inhabitants (ba yashab – who have settled there to meet, to marry, to be restored, to be established, and to live (qal participle))." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 2:17LEB)

Keep in mind that during the Magog War, Satan’s little helpers, motivated by their religion, will annihilate more than half of the world’s population in their failed assault on Israel. Then a couple of years later, politically, militaristically, and economically motivated men and women will return to finish what the Muslims will have failed to achieve. They will raise havoc in the Land, ravaging Jerusalem, killing two-thirds of the remaining Yisra’elite population. So before they are shattered, there will lots of blood shed at the behest of the Adversary.

In this case, either of our two renderings of qiryah apply because the "‘erets – land" is Yisra’el and the "qiryah – city" is Yah’s City, Yaruwshalaim. It is the place where we "encounter Yah" and also the place where we find "the foundation, beams, and furnishings" associated with His Covenant and Word.

"How does he succeed with a caricature (mah ya’al pecel – why does he benefit by valuing an idolatrous image he has shaped (hiphil perfect))? Indeed (ky), he will construct him (pacal – he will shape it), fashioning him (yatsar – he will devise, form, and ordain him (qal perfect)) by offering a veiled form of a pagan god (macekah – by forming an alliance which conceals and an association which hides, covering up the true identity (qal perfect)) and by teaching lies (wa yarah sheqer – and through deceptive, misleading, mistaken, and useless instruction, guidance and direction (with the hiphil stem the subject, Sha’uwl, is putting the lies into action while the participle is a verbal adjective, making Paul a deceiver)), so that (ky) he adds credence and partiality to (batach – he makes credible and believable, even preferable, so that believers stumble and the unsuspecting fall as a result of their penchant and fondness for and partiality to) the one who created the construct of him (yatsar yetser – the one who devised, planned, prepared, fashioned, and formed such thoughts and reasoning regarding him (qal participle)), for him (‘al) to make (‘asah – to act and cause) the shepherds (‘alylym) bound and mute (‘ilem – tied up and negated, appearing dumb)." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 2:18LEB)

There is another discrepancy here between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic text worth noting. Rather than saying "fashioning him by offering a veiled form of a pagan god and "by teaching lies," the Qumran scrolls read: "by making a deceptive appearance," which is an "invalid manifestation."

There are a number of additional clues in this statement, all of which point to Sha’uwl. First, God is "mah – questioning him," a reference to Sha’uwl name and to what we all should be doing.

Second, Sha’uwl created a "pecel – caricature" of Yahowsha’, one which bore very little in common with the Ma’aseyah. Third, Paul’s "Iesou" was not only a "macekah – veiled version of the pagan god" Dionysus, his "Christou" was "yatsar – devised" to "macekah – conceal the true identity" of Yahowsha’ by "covering up" His nature and purpose.

Fourth, each time the Pauline "caricature," "offering," and "construct" is presented, we find the third person masculine singular suffix, making this the image of a man and not a thing. Moreover, there is only one of "him," something wholly incongruous with pagan idolatry.

Fifth, since "yarah – teaching, instruction, direction and guidance" is the verb upon which title Towrah is based, we find Sha’uwl promoting a Torah which is "sheqer – deceptive, misleading, mistaken, and useless." And sixth, the full implications of batach are especially Pauline. It reveals that Paul’s deceptive guidance regarding the caricature he devised "batach – would cause the unsuspecting and naïve to stumble and fall based upon what they were led to believe."

And this leads us to the final phrase which is no less revealing. The combination of yatsar yetser following batach was translated "the one who created the construct of him" because the verb was scribed in the masculine singular (the one) and the noun was written to include the third person masculine singular suffix (him). This is relevant because God’s statement is saying that Sha’uwl’s false characterization of Yahowsha’ was created to make Sha’uwl appear more credible, not Yahowsha’. The phony construct was devised because Sha’uwl wanted readers to believe him. Sha’uwl wanted all those he encountered to show partiality toward the one who conceived the false god, Iesou Christou, causing the unsuspecting to stumble over Him while praising him.

Lastly, ‘alylym can be rendered two very different ways, as "idols" or "shepherds." And while Sha’uwl effectively mooted Yahowsha’s voice, with his letters overriding Him, ‘alylym was written in the plural form, disassociating it from Sha’uwl or his caricature. Further, since this is presented in Yahowah’s voice, He would never refer to Yahowsha’ as an "idol" even if the plural form had not been used. But, we know that Yahowah routinely deployed the shepherd metaphor to convey Yahowsha’s nature and purpose, one Yahowsha’ developed even further. Also, Yahowsha’ specifically asked Shim’own Kephas, the Rock, to shepherd His sheep, explaining the use of the plural form. And in that discussion, Yahowsha’ warned Shim’own that Sha’uwl would attempt to "bind and tie" him, so as to constrain his ability to care for God’s sheep. And in doing so, we are afforded yet another clue linking this prophecy with the plague of death.

Also interesting in this regard, the two most common Hebrew words featuring the yl combination (the letters following "‘el / ‘al – Almighty God" in ‘alylym (noting also that the "ym" suffix denotes plural)) are "yalad – children" and "yalak – walking." And that makes ‘alylym: "children who walk with God."

"Woe to the one who says (howy ‘amar) to the wooden pillar (la ha ‘ets – approaching the upright timber, tree, carpenter, and gallows), return from the dead (quwts – awaken from lifelessness and become alive again after death; from the verbal form which addresses the idea of abruptly starting something after having been asleep), rising up to blind by providing false testimony and precluding further observation (‘uwr – awake in the flesh, ready to blind the observant so that they are unjustly deprived of an accurate recollection of what was witnessed), to the Rock (la ‘eben), he who consistently teaches (huw’ yarah – he who instructs and constantly provides guidance to the Rock (hiphil imperfect)), be silent (duwmam – be silenced and be struck dumb and mute).

Behold (hineh – pay attention), he (huw’) has actually been seized, captured, controlled, and then covered (taphas – has been grasped hold of and wielded skillfully (qal passive – having this actually done to him)), brilliantly shimmering (zahab – splendorous and golden), extremely valuable and desirable (keceph – ornamented and gilded in silver so as to be yearned for and desired), but (wa) without (‘ayn – devoid of) any (kol) spirit (ruwach) in his midst (ba qereb – in his corpse and physical being animating his life)." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 2:19LEB)

Sha’uwl has repeatedly stated that "the wooden pillar," more commonly known as the "Christian Cross," was the means to be "quwts – awakened from the dead," or to be "resurrected" in religious parlance. He even equated "sleep" with death and spoke of those who were sleeping rising up abruptly. So the initial statement is an allusion to the Pauline fixation on the wooden cross, from which he promotes resurrection from the dead.

With quwts scribed in the hiphil stem, imperative mood, and paragogic form, Yahowah is revealing that Sha’uwl will "show his desire to control the Upright Pillar, commanding Him into action, demanding that He abruptly rise from the dead to perform based upon Sha’uwl’s inclinations."

And as bad as that appears, it gets far worse with the addition of ‘uwr, which suggests that Sha’uwl contrived his variation of bodily resurrection following death on the cross to "provide false testimony which would blind, precluding further observation." This trend continues south with the desire to "duwmam – silence" the "‘eben huw’ yarah – the Rock, he who consistently teaches and instructs." While this is yet another reference to Sha’uwl’s desire to moot Shim’own Kephas’, the Disciple (one who learns and thus can teach), the ultimate "yarah – source of teaching and instruction" is the "Rock of our Salvation" – Yahowah manifest as Yahowsha’. And as a result of Sha’uwl’s mischaracterization of Yahowsha’, Christians have been blinded, no longer observing Yahowsha’s message or Yahowah’s Towrah, effectively silencing God.

The contrivance Sha’uwl seized upon and controlled was made to appear valuable, even glorious and desirable, but with this corpse, there was no spirit. And such is the case with the Passover Lamb. The Spirit departed prior to the death of the physical body, and the remaining corpse in accordance with the Towrah’s instructions was destroyed that same night. God was not killed and His body was not resurrected. But, pretending this to be so became the basis of Pauline Christianity.

"And so (wa) Yahowah (efei), in His set-apart (qodesh), brilliant, prevailing, and enduring Temple (heykal – capable, empowering, and enlightening sanctuary; from yakol – enabling and prevailing, powerful and everlasting): Be silent and stop speaking (hacah – hush, hold your tongue, and be quiet and cease all this troubling talk) before His presence and appearance (min paneh – from His face and physical manifestation) all on the earth (kol ha ‘erets)." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 2:20LEB)

We have done more talking than listening, more contriving than observing. So Yahowah is recommending that the likes of Paul "shut up." He has said far too much already. And yet sadly, every time a Christian opens their "New Testament" to one of Paulos’ epistles, and recites it aloud, the hideous voice of the Adversary continues to resonate on earth.

It should be noted that heykal affirms that Yahowah is fully capable of delivering on His promises, and thus not impotent as Sha’uwl has cast him. Moreover, the word following "heykal – brilliant, prevailing, enduring, capable, empowering, and enlightening" in most every Hebrew lexicon and dictionary is "Heylel – the ruler of Babylon, also known as Satan." The Adversary’s name means "Bears Light," confirming that as a spiritual being he would appear to glow – just as Paul saw him. And this is how Satan came to be rendered into Latin as "Lucifer – the Light Bearer."

What follows is a wonderful affirmation of what Yahowah has done for us, of His reliability, and of His willingness to personally and mercifully engage so that we might live. But to understand any of this, we have to stop talking and start listening...

"A request for intervention (taphilah – a plea and petition for justice) concerning (la – for) Chabaquwq (Chabaquwq – Embrace This), the prophet (naby’ – the one who spoke about the future on behalf of God), on behalf of the Almighty’s (‘al) exceedingly great owth (sigynowth – awesome promise; a compound of "sagy – exceedingly great" and "owth – promise")." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 3:2LEB)

"Yahowah (efei), I have actually listened to the entirety of (shama’ – I have literally and completely (from the qal stem and perfect conjugation) heard) Your announced message (shema’ – the testimony You have reported to be recited and thus heard). I respect and revere (yare’ – I am in awe), Yahowah (efei), Your work (po’al – the things You have done) in the midst of the years (ba qereb shanahym – throughout the middle years). You make known that (yada’ – You reveal and acknowledge that (hiphil imperfect)) He will live and restore life (chayah – offering and restoring His life) throughout the middle years (ba qereb shanahym – in the midst of the years) in turmoil (ba rogez – with great hardship, agitated, and intensely anguished), making Your mercy known (racham zakar – making certain that Your genuine love and compassion would continuously be remembered because of Your ongoing promise (qal imperfect))." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 3:2LEB)

According to Yahowah, He worked six days and then He rested on the seventh. These six plus one days represent the seven thousand year history of mankind that have and will transpire from the moment we were expelled from the Garden of Eden to the time we are invited back inside. In year 2000 Yah (1968 BCE), God initiated the Covenant with Abraham. And in year 4000 Yah (33 CE), God did His greatest work, fulfilling and enabling the first four Miqra’ey: Pesach, Matsah, Bikuwrym, and Shabuw’ah. Noting that His work began in 0 Yah and concludes in 6000 Yah, 2000 Yah and 4000 Yah are the middle years.

"From (min) the right hand (tyaman – denominative from "yaman – the right hand") of God (‘elowah), He will actually come (bow’ – He will literally and consistently arrive (qal imperfect)), and (wa) the Set-Apart One (qodesh – the purifying one) from (min) the Mount (har) of Glorification / Pa’ran (Pa’ran – where one is glorified (from pa’ar); denoting the route of the Exodus and the mountain upon which the Towrah was revealed). Pause a moment to weigh the uplifting implications (celah). He adorns (kacah – He decorates and covers) the spiritual realm (shamaym – the heavens) in His splendor and glory (howd – His majestic countenance and vigorous life). So (wa) with His love and renown (tahilah – with His shining brilliance and commendable nature) She fills up and completely satisfies (male’ – She abundantly furnishes and completes (qal perfect)) the earth (‘erets – the material realm or the land)." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 3:3LEB)

Yahowsha’ is "the right hand of God." He is the "Set-Apart One." And He is the living embodiment of the path away from being abused by mankind’s religious and political institutions and to God, so that we can live with Him in the Promised Land. This is the Way of the Miqra’ey. It is the Guidance the Towrah provides.

As such, Pa’ran represents the mountainous desert along both sides of the Gulf of Aqaba, and thus between the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas. The region encompasses most all of the noted encampments during the Exodus on the western side and also Mount Horeb (where the Towrah was revealed) along the eastern shore.

It is in this way that Yahowah’s Set-Apart Spirit supplies God’s love, reveals His glory, adorns us in a Garment of Light, fills our needs, and completely satisfies. She also serves to enlighten us...

"And also (wa) knowledge and enlightenment (nagah – brilliant shining and radiant) consistent with (ka) the Light (‘owr), She exists as (hayah – She was, is, and always will be (qal imperfect)) brilliant shining rays of illumination (qeren – the power, authority and strength symbolized by the ram’s horn, a signaling showphar, or ram’s horn trumpet, conveying brilliant illumination from a supernatural source on the summit of the mount) coming forth from His hand (min yad) on His behalf (la). And here, His name (wa shem) is His fortified and mighty (‘oz – His dependable and empowering, unchanging and necessary) covering of love (chebyown – a veil of power which cherishes and conceals; from a compound of "chabab – in fervent love" and "‘own – being substantially empowered, growing vigorously, while becoming substantially enriched")." (Chabaquwq / Embrace This / Habakkuk 3:4LEB)

It’s a lot to give up just to flirt with Paul.

I have enjoyed this voyage through Yahowah’s prophetic witness. It is always a pleasure and a good idea to check in with God when seeking answers to important questions. His perspective on Paulos matters – and His verdict is in fact conclusive, irrefutable, and damning.

 

In the Towrah, and specifically in Dabarym 13, Yahowah tells us that if a self-proclaimed prophet stands up, establishing himself, as Paulos has done, he is a false prophet. If he claims to have performed miracles as proof of his calling, as Paulos has done, he is a false prophet. If he encourages his audience to accept other gods by other names, like the Roman Gratia or Greek Charis, even the Babylonian Lord, all of whom Paulos sponsored, he is a false prophet. If he encourages religious worship, which is the legacy of Paulos’s letters, he is a false prophet. If his writings don’t affirm our love of Yahowah, the God whose words and plan Paulos has called incompetent, impotent, and enslaving, he is a false prophet. If he directs us to disregard the terms and conditions of the Covenant or the Path Yahowah has provided for our salvation, he is a false prophet. And of such self-proclaimed prophets, God says that they are in opposition to Him, both ruinous and deadly, so we should completely remove their disagreeable, displeasing, and evil corruptions from our midst.

"With regard to (‘eth) every (kol) word (dabar – statement) which beneficially (‘asher) I am (‘any) instructing (tsawah – providing guidance and direction to) you with accordingly (‘eth ‘eth), observe it (shamar – closely examine and carefully consider it, focusing your attention on it) for the purpose of (la) engaging in and acting upon it (‘asah – responding by profiting from and celebrating it), not adding to it (lo’ yacaph ‘al – never increasing it (through a New Testament, for example)) and not subtracting from it (wa lo’ gara’ min – reducing nor diminishing the intent (by suggesting that it can be distilled into a single promise, a single act, a single statement, or a single profession of faith, for example)).

Indeed, if (ky) a prophet (naby’ – a person who professes to proclaim the message of a deity and / or foretell the future) stands up trying to establish himself (quwm – rises up and exalts himself) in your midst (ba qereb) or an interpreter of revelations (chalowm chalam), and provides (wa natan) a sign (‘owth – an omen via a consent decree (thereby claiming to be authorized to speak for God as Sha’uwl did)) or (‘o) miracle (mowpheth – something which appears marvelous or wonderful, inspiring awe (as Sha’uwl claimed as well)) to you (‘el), and the omen or miracle worker (ha ‘owth ‘o ha mowpheth) appears before you (wa bow’) who has spoken thusly (‘asher dabar – who has communicated and promised this) to you (‘el) to say (la ‘amar), ‘Let us go after (halak ‘achar – later let us again walk toward and follow) other (‘acher – different or additional) gods (‘elohym) which (‘asher) you have not known (lo’ yada’ – you do not recognize and are not familiar with (as is the case with Grace, Lord, Iesous, and Christos)) and let us serve and worship them (wa ‘abad – ministering on their behalf), do not listen to (lo’ shama’ ‘el) the words (dabar – statements) of that prophet (ha huw’ naby’) or (‘o) interpreter of revelations (ha huw’ chalowm chalam), because (ky) the test (nacah – the means to learn if something is true) of Yahowah (efei), your God (‘elohym), accordingly (‘eth) for you (la) to know (yada’ – to recognize, acknowledge, and understand) is whether this affirms your (ha yesh) love (‘ahab – relationship with and affection) for Yahowah (efei), your God (‘elohym), with all (ba kol) your heart (leb) and with all (wa ba kol) your soul (nepesh).

After (‘achar – following) Yahowah (efei), your God (‘elohym), you should walk (halak – you should be guided and directed (which means following His Towrah guidance)). And with Him (wa ‘eth), you should always and genuinely be respectful (yare’ – you should actually show admiration, reverence, continually and esteem (qal stem denotes a literal interpretation and genuine response while the imperfect conjugation conveys that this respect should be ongoing throughout time)). And (wa – in addition) in concert with (‘eth – in association with and concerning) His terms and conditions (mitswah – His directions and prescriptions, the codicils of His binding covenant contract and His instructions regarding the relationship), you should continually and actually be observant (shamar – you should consistently focus upon them, closely examining and carefully considering them (qal imperfect)).

Concerning His voice (wa ba qowl – then regarding His proclamations and pronouncements), you should always and literally listen (shama’ – you should make a habit of continually hearing (qal imperfect)) so that (wa), with Him (‘eth), you can consistently serve (‘abad – always engage as a productive associate (qal imperfect)). And (wa) to Him (ba – with Him), you should always choose to cling (dabaq – you should literally and genuinely stay close, actually choosing to join together and be united, tightly holding on (scribed in the literal qal stem, the continuous imperfect conjugation and the paragogic nun ending which serves as an expression of freewill)).

So therefore (wa), that prophet (ha huw’ naby’) or (‘o) interpreter of revelations (ha huw’ chalowm chalam) is deadly (muwth – he is the absence of life, is destructive and damning (with the hophal stem, the subject of the verb, in this case, the false prophet, causes the object of the verb, which is those listening to him, to participate in the action which is to die)). For indeed (ky – because this is reliable and true) he has spoken (dabar – the entirety of what he has communicated is totally (scribed in piel stem whereby the object suffers the effect of the action and the perfect conjugation, collectively communicating that everything the false prophet said should be considered revolting because it totally separates us from God because it is)) rebellious renunciations (carah – of revolt and disassociation, of turning aside and departure, of defection and withdrawal, of being removed) concerning and against (‘al) Yahowah (efei), your God (‘elohym), the One who led you out (ha yatsa’ ‘eth – the One who descended to serve you by extending Himself to lead you out) from (min) the realm (‘erets) of the crucibles of Egypt (mitsraym – human oppression and divine judgment) and the One who redeemed you (wa ha padah – the One who ransomed you) from the house (min beyth) of bondage and slavery (‘ebed – of servitude and worship).

His desire is to seduce and scatter you (la nadach – his purpose is to entice and compel you to be drawn away and thrust aside) from (min) the way (ha derek – the path) which beneficially (‘asher – which fortuitously as a result of the relationship), Yahowah (efei), your God (‘elohym), described, providing you with a complete set of directions (tsawah – He taught, told, and instructed you, totally appointing these prescriptions for you (scribed in the piel stem, these directions guide those who follow them, teaching and instructing them, and in the perfect conjugation, it means that these existing directions are totally complete)) for you to walk in (la halak ba).

And so (wa) you can choose to completely remove (ba’ar – as an expression of freewill, you can totally purge, completely ridding so that it no longer exists (scribed in the piel stem, perfect conjugation, and consecutive mood telling us that all things displeasing to Yahowah are completely removed from us when we choose to follow His Towrah directions, including)) that which is disagreeable, displeasing, and evil (ha ra’ – that which is wicked, no good, counterproductive, immoral, malignant, mischievous, troubling, undesirable, unpleasant, distressing, injurious, and harmful) from your midst (min qereb – from your inner nature and thus from your soul)." (Dabarym / Words / Deuteronomy 13:1-6LEB)

The intent of Galatians wasn’t just to subtract God’s advice on His Covenant and its sign, circumcision, it was also promoted to completely negate the purpose of the Invitations to be Called Out and Meet with God. Paul strove to negate the Towrah’s entire purpose—diminishing its status to the point that it would be considered a liability rather than an asset.

Paul’s condescending and antagonistic dismissal of Yahowah’s Towrah Teaching and its Covenant wouldn’t engender love or respect for the God who authored and offered them. Therefore, the only way to cling to Paul would be to let go of God.

God says that no one has been or will be authorized to add to or subtract from His Towrah. Therefore, if we witness the Towrah’s role in our lives being diminished, or if we find a writer adding something new, like a new covenant, be careful because such a person isn’t speaking for God. This realization alone is game over for Christianity.

Yahowah has reinforced a simple, yet profound, truth: once we take the Towrah seriously, closely examining and carefully considering its guidance, we can no longer take Paul seriously. Paul’s letters are the antithesis of Yahowah’s Towrah, and for that reason alone it would be wholly ignorant and irrational to believe Paul.

Yahowah revealed that the best way to know who isn’t speaking for Him is to closely examine and carefully consider every word the self-proclaimed prophet and God have written. If they differ, the man is a liar. Therefore, knowing and understanding God’s Towrah comes first. Then, compare what Yahowah said to what the prophet is claiming. If they differ, expose and condemn the false prophet and encourage others to disassociate themselves from him.

Simultaneously, it is always a good idea to act upon God’s guidance. So if you haven’t already done so, consider acting upon the terms and conditions of the Covenant Relationship.

Since opinions are to conclusions as faith is to trust, and since we have at our fingertips another way to determine with absolute certainty whether or not Paul was speaking for Yahowah or for himself, there was no reason for us to presume anything. Here is God’s secondary means to determine the veracity of a witness...

"Surely (‘ak – indeed, emphasizing the point), the person who proclaims a message on behalf of a deity (naby’ – a prophet) who (‘asher – relationally) oversteps their bounds and speaks presumptuously and contemptuously (zyd – has an inflated sense of self-worth, demonstrating self-reliance while taking liberties to defy, who arrogantly pretends to know, who insults others and is disrespectful, displaying pride in the pursuit of personal recognition and acclaim while despising rivals, who rebels against that which is established and is prone to rage, who seethes with anger and is often furious, overbearing, rude, and conceited in their plans (here the hiphil stem reveals that the prophet and his statements are one, thereby sharing a similar effect and purpose, while the imperfect conjugation speaks of their continual and ongoing influence)) for the express purpose of conveying (la dabar – for the intent of communicating a verbally or in writing (piel infinitive construct – by design and intent)) a statement (dabar) in (ba) My (‘any) name (shem – proper name, renown, or reputation) which accordingly (‘asher ‘eth – inferring access, relationship, and benefit which) I have not expressly appointed, taught, guided, nor entirely directed him (lo’ tsawah – I have not provided the totality of his instruction, nor assigned, constituted, decreed, prescribed, or ordained for him, deliberately and demonstrably making him My understudy (piel stem and perfect conjugation)) to (la) speak (dabar), and (wa) who (‘asher – relationally) speaks (dabar) in (ba) the name (shem) of other (‘aher – different and additional, even subsequent) gods (‘elohym), indeed, then (wa) that prophet (ha naby’ – that individual who proclaims a message on behalf of that false deity), he (huw’) is deadly (muwth – devoid of life and destructive)." (Dabarym / Words / Deuteronomy 18:20LEB)

Therefore, Yahowah’s second test is a relatively simple one. It contains six elements (with six being the number of man):

Is the person a naby’: someone who claims to speak on behalf of god? This is a screening codicil. If a person admits that they are speaking for themselves, then they would be excluded from this analysis. The evaluation, therefore, does not apply to Obama but would apply to Osama. Paul’s favorite line, "but I say to you," would ordinarily have been sufficient to exclude him from this test (and thereby also exclude his epistles from consideration), because by repeating this phrase, he was admitting that he was speaking for himself and not for God. But since he was duplicitous and often vowed that he had been personally selected and authorized to speak for God, he subjects himself to God’s test. And yet, he has already failed the first codicil. And that is because the preponderance of Paul’s message was delivered under the banner of "but I say," instead of "Yahowah says." That should have been more than sufficient to disqualify Paul as God’s agent. So it is strike one. (Where one strike is deadly.)

Is the person zyd: someone who oversteps their bounds, acting presumptuously with an inflated sense of self-worth, demonstrating self-reliance while taking liberties, someone who arrogantly pretends to know, who insults others and is disrespectful, displaying pride in the pursuit of personal recognition and acclaim while demeaning competitors, someone who rebels against the legitimate authority and is prone to anger, someone who seethes with frustration and is often furious, overbearing, rude, or conceited? Sha’uwl has insulted Shim’own, Ya’aqob, and Yahowchanan, in addition to Yahowah / Yahowsha’. His claim to the world as if it was his personal domain has been overbearing and presumptuous. His assertion that he was incapable of lying and that he was the perfect example to follow were conceited in the extreme. He has been rude to the Galatians and disrespectful of most everyone, consistently misquoting God’s Word and then twisting it. And he has routinely shown great contempt for the Towrah, consistently demeaning it. Strike two.

Does the person la dabar dabar ba ‘any shem: openly and publicly preach to others, communicating their message in the name of God? As was the case with the first codicil, this is also a screening test. If the individual in question has an insignificantly small audience, if their preaching is done in private, if their influence is limited in time and place, then there would be no reason to assess their credentials. But, Paul begins his epistle bragging that he was speaking for God, not men. He claims to have had his own private session with God. This, along with the fact that Paul’s preaching in the book of Acts and his letters comprise half of the "Christian New Testament," and that his words are quoted more often by Christians than God’s, puts a bull’s eye on Paul. Strike three.

Is the person’s message ‘lo tsawah: inconsistent with what God has instructed and directed, does the message conflict with what God appointed, constituted, and decreed, does it vary from His instructions? Galatians, like Romans, is an attack on the Towrah. As such, Paul’s letters represent the most extreme breach of Yahowah’s fourth test. The only thing worse than advocating ideas which are extraneous to God’s witness is to promote things which contradict His testimony. Paul’s repudiation of the Torah, combined with his replacement theology (which is essentially comprised of believing him), is therefore an egregious and deadly violation of God’s fourth test. It is also a direct violation of the Third of Three Statements Yahowah etched upon the First of the Two Stone Tablets, for which there is no forgiveness. Strike four.

Does the person dabar ba shem ‘aher ‘elohym: speak in the name of gods other than Yahowah? Paul’s Gospel of Grace (Charis/Gratia) elevates the Greek and Roman pagan goddesses above Yahowah. And in his parting comment, Paul excludes Yahowah’s name and signs off in the moniker of the Egyptian sun god, "Amen." He also revealed a proclivity for addressing his god as "the Lord." This is strike five in a life and death encounter where one strike is fatal.

Does the person hayah: accurately convey what is happening and what has happened in the past, and do their predictions of the future bow’: materialize and come to exist as they have stated them? Paul’s errant portrayal of the Yaruwshalaim Summit is an undeniable breach of the hayah clause—as was his testimony regarding his contradictory accounts of his conversion experience and his mythical trip to Arabia. The fact that there were no prophecies in Galatians, a false prophecy regarding his personal inclusion in the Trumpets Harvest in his second letter, and no fulfilled predictions in any of his other letters, serve as an undeniable breach of the bow’ clause of this codicil. So since Paul’s demonic source of inspiration was incapable of properly guiding his false prophet, it is: Strike six. Therefore, it is off to She’owl for Sha’uwl. And if you believe him, your soul will be destroyed at the end of your mortal life. That is why this test exists.

Yahowah, as we know, proved that He inspired the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms by punctuating His words with prophetic predictions—all of which came true, or are coming true, just as He had revealed. Since only God has seen the future, He isn’t actually "predicting" it, but instead reporting in advance what He actually knows will occur. That’s why He is always right, and it’s why He uses prophecy to demonstrate that His testimony is reliable.

End of part 4