Program 54Paul, Romans & the Sabbath

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Greetings! Welcome to today’s program on WLC Radio. I’m your host, Miles Robey. With me is the ever-smart Dave Wright!

Dave Wright: Sounds like a long-life battery or something: “ever-smart.”

Miles laughs: Well, I was thinking more of a software app: Have a question about the Bible? Type it into Dave Wright, the Ever-Smart.

Dave chuckles: Whatever!

Miles: If you’re joining us for the first time, you’ll quickly discover that at World’s Last Chance we prefer to use the personal name of the Father, which is Yahuwah, or Yah. His Son’s name is very similar: Yahushua, which means Yahuwah saves.

Dave: At some point or other, you’ll probably also hear el, eloah and elohim. These are titles that refer to Yahuwah.

Miles: As you know, Dave, I’ve traveled a bit. I’ve tried to keep up the foreign language I had to study in school, but I’m by no means entirely fluent in it. This has led to some rather … let’s call them interesting miscommunication over the years.

Dave, amused: Care to share a few examples?

Miles laughs: As a matter of fact, I do care! It was embarrassing enough the first time round. I’m not broadcasting it around the world on shortwave!

Dave chuckles: Fair enough.

Miles: Miscommunication just happens sometimes. It’s part of life. In the 1990s, when large companies were expanding into overseas markets, they discovered that the slogans—and even product names—they’d used in their home country, didn’t always translate well.

For example, the caffeinated soft drink, Coca Cola, has gone around the world. When it was first introduced into China, the name was rendered as Ke-kou-ke-la.

Dave: “Ke-kou-ke-la”?

Miles: Yep! Sounds kind of similar. But the problem is, Chinese is a tonal language. English isn’t. It wasn’t until after thousands of signs had been printed up that the company discovered the phrase actually means: “Bite the wax tadpole.”

Dave laughs: That’s crazy! Talk about miscommunication!

Miles: Yeah, so, the company went back to the drawing board. They researched 40,000 Chinese characters and finally came up with a fairly close phonetic equivalent: “ko-kou-ko-le.”

Dave: What does that mean?

Miles: It means: “Happiness in the mouth.”

Dave chuckles: A lot better!

Miles: Speaking of soft drinks, when Pepsi tried to sell their drink in Taiwan, they were using the slogan: “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation.”

The translation came back as: “Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead.”

Dave laughs: That’s hilarious! I can just picture the sort of commercials they could use: zombies offering you a can of Pepsi!

Miles: It’s funny, but it’s a lot more serious when the miscommunication arises on spiritual matters, because then you can have a misunderstanding.

Dave: True. And misunderstandings of spiritual matters can be, well, disastrous.

Miles: It really can be. There’s one passage of Scripture that a lot of people misunderstand and that’s Romans 14. Now, at World’s Last Chance, we believe that the Bible consistently teaches that the 10 commandment law is still binding. The moral law was not somehow “nailed to the cross.”

Dave: Correct. Only the ordinances relating to blood sacrifice were fulfilled at the cross. It’s everything relating to blood sacrifice that is no longer binding.

Miles: All right, but a lot of people believe that in Romans 14, Paul is saying the Sabbath is no longer binding and you can worship on any day you wish, as “all days are the same.” I don’t agree with them, but I do see how it could be interpreted that way. And it’s a fair question, deserving of a logical, Biblical explanation.

So, if, as we believe, the Sabbath is still binding, what was Paul saying in Romans 14 and how does that impact believers today?

Dave: Those are good questions. To begin with, I’d like to set out some ground rules. These are principles that you can trust to never vary.

The truth is, sometimes when you’re studying the Bible, you will come across ideas and even passages that, at first glance, can seem contradictory. Unfortunately, too often when this happens, people just assume the Bible is untrustworthy. They throw it all out, reject the Bible, instead of studying to resolve the conflict.

Miles: So what are the two principles?

Dave: The first is, truth is harmonious. The second is: truth will never contradict itself.

Miles: That sounds good … but what do you do when it does?

Dave: You dig in and you start studying! Because truth is harmonious, it will never, in actuality, contradict itself. If there is a passage that appears to contradict another, that raises a red flag. Not to throw it all out, but it’s a notice that here is a point that requires further study.

Don’t be afraid of these apparent contradictions. When the Holy Spirit brings them to your notice, it’s Yah’s way of saying: “Dig deeper here. There’s a hidden truth that’s buried here you need to uncover.”

Miles: And the contradiction always resolves?

Dave: When you dig deeper, one of two things is going to happen. First, either you will discover that your understanding of what is truth was actually incorrect, or, secondly, you will find a larger truth that will resolve the apparent discrepancy.

But don’t be afraid of the seeming contradictions. Again, they’re only apparent because, in reality, truth never contradicts itself.

Miles: That’s good to know; it’s reassuring.

Dave: All right, let’s get started on Romans 14. If you’ve got it, go ahead and start reading.

Miles: “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for Yah has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Yah is able to make him stand.

“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to Yahuwah; and he who does not observe the day, to Yahuwah he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to Yahuwah, for he gives Yah thanks; and he who does not eat, to Yahuwah he does not eat, and gives Yah thanks.” [Romans 14:1-6]

Dave: That’s far enough. This is the part people stumble over.

Two hundred, three hundred years ago, Christians worshipped on Sunday and they knew why they worshipped then.

Miles: In honor of Christ’s resurrection.

Dave: Exactly. But in the 1800s, an expectation of Yahushua’s soon return led to more diligent study of the Scriptures than had been seen since Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg.

It was when people discovered the Sabbath, when they began agitating it as something still binding, that the Sunday-observant churches had to scramble to come up with some way to try and refute the Biblical evidence that the 10 Commandment law—including the Sabbath commandment, the fourth commandment—was still binding.

Now, take another look at this passage. What do you see missing?

Miles: Uh, well … I’m not sure what you’re getting at.

Dave: People have jumped to the conclusion that this passage is talking about the Sabbath—

Miles: Oh! It doesn’t even mention the Sabbath, does it?

Dave: Nope! At the time Romans was written, no apostle had yet been to Rome, and that’s the reason for this very basic letter. The people to whom Paul was writing would all have been Jews or proselytes—people converted to Judaism—who had learned about Christianity, possibly during visits to Jerusalem for the annual feasts.

Paul was encouraging them to get along and treat each other kindly, and not let differences of opinion drive them apart.

I submit that in this passage, Paul was talking about fasting and their personal preference for when to fast, and possibly how strict of a fast it should be: total abstinence? Just leaving off meat? Whatever.

Miles: So you’re saying the people he was writing to were all of them, already keeping the Sabbath.

Dave: Yes. I am saying that arguing over whether or not to keep the Sabbath was a non-issue because they all were already keeping it! The practice of treating Sunday as the day of worship didn’t come in until much later.

Miles: But you’ve got those verses in the New Testament that talk about believers meeting together on the first day of the week.

Dave: So what? First, during this early period, the Jews were still using the Biblical luni-solar calendar, so the “first day of the week” would not have aligned with Sunday anyway.

Secondly, the early Julian calendar had an eight-day week. When it began to transition to the seven-day planetary week in the last part of the first century, the pagan, planetary week began on Saturday, and ended on Friday. There is still no direct link to Sunday.

Furthermore, Luke writing that they got together on the first day of the week still proves nothing. It would be like my telling you that I went to Wednesday night prayer meeting at a church.

Miles chuckles: I see your point. That wouldn’t automatically prove you had made Wednesday your new day of worship.

Dave: The thing most Christians don’t realize is that Paul and the early Christians all kept the seventh-day Sabbath, calculated by the Biblical luni-solar calendar. It wasn’t until much later that they began worshipping on Sunday of the Julian week. In fact, according to Eviatar Zerubavel, in his fascinating book, The Seven Day Circle, that it was an early church father by the name of Ignatius that “pioneered the movement toward substituting the Sunday observance for the Sabbath observance” at the last part of the first century.

And then, you’ve got Tertullian coming up with all these explanations for why Christians were doing it.

Miles: So, really, Sabbath versus Sunday wasn’t an issue at all at the time of this writing.

Dave: It really wasn’t. Paul always kept the feasts and the seventh-day Sabbath and taught his converts to do the same. Paul never taught that the divine law was no longer binding.

Flip back a few pages and read Romans 7, verse 12. In light of the assumption that Paul taught the law was done away with at the cross, this is a very interesting verse.

Miles: All right. It says: “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”

Dave: Paul always balanced righteousness by faith with recognition that the divine law is still binding and must be kept. Turn back one more chapter. Take a look at Romans 6:14 to 15. This is one of the most widely quoted verses trying to prove the law was nailed to the cross, but it’s saying just the exact opposite!

Miles: “Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”

Dave: “Certainly not!” It was never a question with Paul whether the Sabbath should, or should not be kept. It was simply a given that the law was holy, just and good.

Miles: This is actually reminding me of a verse in 1 John … let me check. Here we go: 1 John 3:4. It actually gives a definition of sin. It says: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

So, if sin is the transgression of the law, and Paul is asking, “Do we get to sin—to break the law—because we’re now under grace” and he answers his own rhetorical question with a resounding NO, clearly, the law was understood as something that was still binding.

Dave, eagerly: Right! That’s it exactly. The fact that we are now under grace simply means that, through faith in Yahushua and the merits of His blood, we are enabled to keep the law through His strength. It doesn’t mean that we can now start sinning with impunity.

Miles: All right. Hold that thought. We’ll be right back and when we return, I’d like to hear explained more of what this passage is saying. If it’s not talking about the Sabbath, then precisely what is Paul saying?

We’ll be right back.

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Okay. Paul clearly was not teaching that anyone could worship on any day they wanted. So what was he saying in Romans 14?

Dave: What you have to understand is the context of this passage.

Paul was referring to pagan practices. Romans 14 opens with Paul instructing the Roman believers to support new converts who are “weak in the faith.” He tells them not to argue over differences of belief that would shake the converts newfound faith.

That’s what he’s saying in verse one when he writes: “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.”

Miles: It’s easy to forget that a lot of these early believers came out of paganism.

Dave: We can’t forget it, because that is the context in which so much of the New Testament was written. Go ahead and read verses 2 and 3 again.

Miles: “For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for Yahuwah has received him.”

Dave: Like we said earlier, this has to do with fasting. The new coverts from paganism tended to still fear the power of their old idols. Many of them were still influenced by old superstitions.

Miles: Wasn’t most of the meat sold in the city ceremonially offered to idols? I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

Dave: It was. So, many of the new converts abstained from eating meat, choosing instead to eat a simple vegetarian diet.

Paul, of course, knew that idols’ power came from demons and that Yah’s power was much stronger. He had no problem eating meat that had been offered to idols because he knew that idols were just carvings. They had no true, inherent power.

I love the next verse. Paul asks, who are you to judge someone else? Let’s all give each other religious liberty to do as we’re individually convicted.

Miles: Okay, but the next verse says: “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to Yahuwah; and he who does not observe the day, to Yahuwah he does not observe it.” [Romans 14:5-6a]

We’ve established he’s not talking about the Sabbath, so what is he talking about?

Dave: Actually, he’s still talking about fasting here. Some of the new converts in Rome were “esteeming” one day above another as a continuation of the old pagan beliefs.

We hear the word “fast” and we tend to think of total abstinence: no food or drink. But there were various kinds of fasts, of differing degrees. In Daniel 10, we learn that Daniel went on a three-week fast. This “fast” was simply eating very, very simply so he could have a clear mind while he prayed and asked for wisdom to understand the vision.

In fact, turn back there and read Daniel 10, verse 3.

Miles: “I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

Well, that makes sense. If he’d gone completely no food or drink, he’d have been dead before the three weeks were up!

Dave: The pagans often went on partial fasts, abstaining from certain foods on particular days.

Miles: Kind of like Roman Catholics eating fish, but not other meats on Fridays.

Dave: Precisely. Not only were some of the new converts afraid to eat food sacrificed to idols, but others were still observing the gods’ various fast days. Others regarded all days alike, giving no particular respect to one day or another by fasting. This was the issue Paul was addressing in Romans 14. He wasn’t referring to seventh-day Sabbaths or annual feast days at all!

Miles: Right. ‘Cause they were already keeping them.

Dave: Idols and the food sacrificed to them were a non-issue to Paul. However, as much as he was a faith warrior, he was also a tender shepherd of the flock. He was well aware that those new to the faith would be troubled by this.

Simply because his faith wasn’t shaken by eating food offered to idols, he knew others didn’t have his level of understanding.

Miles: It’s interesting in verse 1 that it’s the weak members that are the most concerned about these issues. Tolerance obviously doesn’t mean disregarding Yah’s law. But within Yah's Laws we should learn to tolerate the convictions of others and variations of opinions, especially in and regard to food.

Dave: The new converts were “weak” because their faith wasn’t yet strong.

And, if we love our neighbor as our self, we won’t hold that against them. We’ll be patient with their weakness, just as we want others to be patient with our weaknesses and struggles.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul explains his position very clearly. Turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 8, and read verses 7 and 8 for us.

Miles: “However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to Yahuwah; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.”

Dave: I love this. He’s very pragmatic here. He knows that legalism—the works of the law—will never save anyone. It’s only faith in Yahushua that saves us, and when we are surrendered fully to Yah, He writes His law on our hearts, enabling us, through faith in the Saviour’s merits, to then keep the law.

But this was a mature understanding. Paul knew that not everyone was ready to grasp it. So, he determined never to do anything that would weaken the faith of another.

Go on and read verses 9 to 13 of 1 Corinthians 8 for us.

Miles: “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Yahushua died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Yahushua. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

Hm. He didn’t let his “freedom in Yahuwah” create a stumbling block to those weaker in the faith.

Dave: It’s an example we should all emulate. The phrase in Romans 14, verse 5: “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” has been misunderstood by a lot of people. It doesn’t give permission to anyone to break the divine Law and choose their own day of worship.

Miles: So, what’s it saying?

Dave: In context, Paul is saying that each believer needs to be individually convicted of what is right so that he can obey the law! The phrase “fully convinced” or “fully persuaded” comes from the Greek, plerophoreo. The New Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words says that this word means:

“To carry out fully (in evidence), i.e. completely assure (or convince), entirely accomplish . . . This word means 'to bring in full measure, to fulfill,' . . . in Romans 14:5 it is said of the apprehension [or understanding] of the will of . [Yahuwah].”

Miles: Now that’s interesting. If I am understanding correctly, the definition implies that if you are completely convinced, you will “carry out fully” or “accomplish”. Those are actions.

Dave: Paul never taught the law should not be kept. Rather, he is telling the Romans that each person should diligently seek a full understanding of the will of Yahuwah.

Miles: That makes sense. If the Romans truly were “fully persuaded” each in his own mind, there wouldn’t have been problems with some of the new converts still fearing pagan superstitions or observing pagan fast days.

Dave: Paul had an understanding heart. He wasn’t denouncing those whose faith was weaker. Instead, his admonishment was that everyone else should protect these “babes in the faith” and not be stumbling blocks to them. And, in turn, those who were young in the faith had the responsibility to study the law and the will of Yahuwah so that they could each understand the divine will and live in harmony with it.

Miles: Mutual responsibility on both sides to study and know the truth.

Dave: Yahuwah is concerned with the smallest particulars of our lives. But He’s concerned because He loves us and His highest desire is our happiness.

However, He wants us to understand we are not saved by works, either eating or fasting. His concern is the motive of the heart, because it is the motive that prompts the action.

Miles: Well, that makes sense. Only the service that comes from love is going to be acceptable to the Father. Anything else is just a legalistic, works trip.

It sounds like Paul was trying to get the Roman believers to quit judging each other based on nothing more than works: fasting or not fasting; which day to eat; which day to not eat. It was all, ultimately, unimportant.

Dave: You got it. Do you still have Romans 14.

Miles: No, but I can turn there really quickly.

Dave: All right. Go ahead and read verses 10 to 13 and let’s see how Paul sums up his argument.

Miles: Okay, um. Here we go. It says: “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:

“As I live, says Yahuwah,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to Yahuwah.

“So then each of us shall give account of himself to Yah. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

Dave: The full thrust of Paul’s message was obedience to the law through faith because of love for the Father. Paul cautioned the Romans against judging others, because we ourselves will also be judged by Yahuwah.

Miles: It gets back to what Yahushua said in the Sermon on the Mount. Here, listen while I read it. It’s quite comical, but it makes a point. He said:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Dave: Exactly! Micah 6, verse 8, is another text that very simply sums up the whole duty of the believer. You probably have it memorized, or have sung it as a Scripture song. It says: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does Yahuwah require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Eloah?”

Miles: How simple! We’re to be just, merciful, and humble. None of which you can be if you’re arrogantly setting yourself up as judge and jury of your fellow believers.

Dave: If you’re still in Romans, turn to chapter 13 and read verse 10.

Miles: “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Dave: Love—not criticism, not legalism—love is the fulfillment of the law. It is also the pure motive that prompts a desire to obey the Father’s will as expressed in His law.

Miles: Beautifully said.

Okay! Don’t go away folks. When we return, we’ll be answering a question sent in to our Daily Mailbag. Stay tuned.

* * *

Mid-point call letters: (Sharon)

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Megan Davies from Swansea, Wales has sent a question in to our Daily Mailbag. She writes:

“My mum has always been a very devout Christian who has been a big believer in the word of faith. Last year she was diagnosed with a terminal disease. This has led to a real crisis of faith because of her belief that if she just had enough faith, God would heal her. She’s dying and she’s blaming it on herself for not having enough faith. What can I share with her to help her through this and restore her faith?”

Dave: That’s a tough one. Health issues are difficult to deal with anyway, because chronic health issues are depressing! Compound that with a spiritual crisis of faith, and it’s even more difficult.

I do believe, however, that Scripture holds the answer for your mum.

Miles: Before you go on, do you know what Megan meant when she said her mum was a great believer in the “word of faith”?

Dave: The “word of faith” is another name for the “prosperity gospel.”

Miles: Oh, right! The “health and wealth” gospel. It’s the belief that the will of Yahuwah is for all believers to be in health and financially blessed.

Dave: Correct. The prosperity gospel teaches that you can’t “out-give” Yahuwah. So if you give, say, 100 pounds/euros/sucres/yuan/etc. in offerings and donations, He is bound by His honor to return 1000 pounds/euros/yuan/etc. back to you. It’s like a contract that is dependent on your faith.

Miles: So Megan’s mother believes she hasn’t been miraculously healed because she lacks faith.

Dave: That’s what it sounds like, yes. Let’s let Yahushua answer Megan’s question. Could you flip over to John, chapter 9, and read the first three verses.

Miles: “And as Yahushua passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

“Yahushua answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of Yah should be made manifest in him.”

Dave: The Pharisees had the Jews believing that infirmities or illnesses were Yah’s punishment for sin. That’s the flip side of believing that if you just had enough faith, Yah would heal you.

But Yahushua rejected that entire premise. He said, “Neither this man sinned, nor his parents.”

In other words, we live in a sinful world. There is suffering in the world and there will be until He returns. But that doesn’t mean that suffering is Yah’s punishment. Nor does it mean that if you could just somehow conjure up within yourself more faith, you would be healed.

Suffering is going to happen in a sinful world.

Miles: It’s why Yahuwah wanted to preserve us from sin in the first place, isn’t it?

Dave: Yes, but it doesn’t mean it’s Yah’s direct punishment for sin! Look at Yahushua: Isaiah 53 describes Him as “Despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: … oppressed and afflicted … put to grief.” [Isaiah 53:3, 7 & 10]

And clearly, Yahushua’s sufferings weren’t because He had sinned!

Miles: Well, yes, but … it could be argued that it was because He was bearing our sins that He was so afflicted. Are there any other examples of someone who was right with Yah—that you know was right with Yah—and yet who still suffered?

Dave: Absolutely. The apostle Paul had what he termed a “thorn in the flesh.” Some people have speculated that it was poor eyesight, but whatever it was, it was greatly impacting his quality of life.

Miles: Which would impact his ability to minister as an apostle.

Dave: Of course! Anyway, according to Paul himself, he prayed earnestly to be delivered, but he still wasn’t.

Miles: Where’s that found?

Dave: It’s in … uh, let’s see. Oh, 2 Corinthians 12. Go ahead and read it, starting in verse 8.

Miles: “For this thing I besought Yahuwah thrice, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Yahushua may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Yahushua's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” [2 Corinthians 12:8-10]

Dave: Paul learned to glory in his infirmities because, by faith, he could see the power of Yahuwah working in and through him precisely because he was needy.

Probably my most favorite Bible character, though, is that of the Old Testament prophet, Elisha.

Miles: The successor of Prophet Elijah?

Dave: The very same. Now, remember, prophet Elijah was taken up into Heaven by a flaming, fiery chariot. Now, when it came time for Elijah to be taken up into Heaven, he told Elisha to ask for whatever he wanted, before he was taken up into Heaven.

Miles: Sort of like what Yah asked Solomon.

Dave: Right! As a parting gift, what would you like to remember me by? Do you remember what Elisha said?

Miles: Well, he asked that the spirit of Yah that rested on Elijah be given to him, but doubled.

Dave: Correct. I think Elijah was a bit taken aback, quite frankly.

Miles laughs: I think so, too! Elijah even said so. Here, let me read it. It’s found in 2 Kings, verse … well, I’ll read verses 9 and 10.

^“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

“And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”

[Laughs] Even Elijah didn’t know if what Elisha had asked for was possible!

Dave: But what a beautiful, humble request! Elisha came from a wealthy family. He could have had a life of ease. But instead, the focus of his heart was to be given enough of the spirit of Yah that he could do the work before him.

And we know the story. Elisha did see Elijah being taken into Heaven and he was given a double outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Miles: I remember reading once that when you count up the number of miracles Elisha performed as recorded in Scripture, it was exactly double the number of miracles the Bible records Elijah performing. Elisha performed more miracles than anyone but Yahushua Himself.

Dave: That’s beautiful! If anyone wants to work for Yah, He will enable them to do the work.

Now, you would think, wouldn’t you, that if Elijah was taken to Heaven in a fiery chariot, that Elisha would be taken to Heaven in two fiery chariots, right? I mean, it fits. He had double the outpouring of the divine spirit; he performed double the miracles.

Miles: Yeah, but that’s not what happened.

Dave: No. It’s not what happened. You’d think, after receiving a double portion of the Holy Spirit, after everything he’d done, Elisha would have either been given a glorious martyr’s death, or—at the very least—passed painlessly in his sleep. But instead, 2 Kings, chapter 13 tells us that Elisha got sick. And the way it is phrased implies that it was a rather long, lingering illness.

Miles: If anyone could have expected to be healed by the prayer of faith, you would think it would have been Elisha!

Dave: And yet, he wasn’t. There are serious theological errors in the prosperity gospel, and the assumption that if you do not get what you’re praying for, it’s because you lack faith, is one of them.

Miles: Think about it: Yahushua, in Gethsemane, prayed: “Let this cup pass from Me.” Obviously it didn’t.

Dave: Because the Father had a plan and the Saviour trusted that plan, which is why, when He asked that the cup pass from Him, He also added, “Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done.” And that’s what our faith can cling to, as well. We can know that the Father allows nothing to happen in our lives that we wouldn’t choose for ourselves if we could see the glorious plan He is working out.

Miles: Something we can all cling to when we face difficulties and hardships.

Well, that’s all we’ve time for today. If you’ve got questions or comments, send them in! Go to our website at WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We always enjoy hearing from our listeners.

* * *Daily Promise: (Laura Lee)

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your Daily Promise from Yah’s Word.

In the early days of the 19^th century, an elderly Native American wandered into a Western settlement. He was half naked and starving, begging for something to eat. Some of the settlers gave the man some food. While he was wolfing down the food, someone noticed that around his neck was a small, dirty pouch, hanging from a brightly colored ribbon.

They asked the man what it was. He explained it was a charm given to him when he was younger. He let the settlers look at it. After opening the pouch, they found a small, carefully folded piece of paper. It turned out to be an honorable discharge from the Federal Army. Further, it entitled the man to a pension for life from the United States Government and it was signed by General George Washington, himself, who later became first president of the United States.

The elderly Native American man didn’t need to be destitute and starving. Because of his faithful wartime service, he was entitled to a comfortable allotment from the US government! But he didn’t know or understand. He was starving for want of food when he could have been living simply, but comfortably, all his needs provided for.

The same is true for us. We all have needs. They may differ, person to person, but we all have them. The good news is, Yahuwah not only knows what you need, but He is willing and able to supply it! Philippians chapter 4, verse 19 declares: “But my God [Yahuwah] shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Yahushua the Anointed.”

We don’t have to sacrifice animals or our firstborn. We don’t have to go on long pilgrimages, or practice self-mortification. Yahuwah provides for His children because He wants to and He loves us!

In His sermon on the Mount, Yahushua encouraged His listeners to show kindness to not just the friends and family, but to their enemies as well, explaining that Yah “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” [Matthew 5:45]

You don’t have to convince the Father to bless you. He already wants to! Your need is the greatest argument you could make in favor of receiving His blessing.

First John, chapter 5, verses 14 and 15 declare: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

We’ve been given great and precious promises. Go, and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: I like how, when you really look at it, the law of Yah is the law of love. Why would you want to nail it to the cross? It’s the law that gives us a glimpse of Yahuwah’s inner heart. And if we wish to be holy, to be “in agreement with” Him, we’re not going to be out there defiantly breaking the law: “for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Dave: Paul’s message to the Romans is as applicable today as when it was written:

• Let everyone protect those young in the faith, neither judging others nor being a stumbling block to them.
• Let everyone commit to know, to study and understand Yahuwah’s will and live his life in harmony with it.
• May all believers keep the divine law because they love the Law Giver.

That’s the summation of Paul’s message.

You can’t insist that the law was nailed to the cross. It’s completely inconsistent with the rest of Scripture!

In fact, let’s take a look really quickly at Ezekiel 36. We usually quote verses 26 to 27, but I want to read it in context.

Miles, flipping pages: Ezekiel 36 … Okay. I’ve got that.

Dave: Here, Yah is speaking to “the house of Israel.” But as we know from Paul’s writings, this has a reapplication to believers who have been “grafted in” to the parent stock. Start reading at verse 22.

Miles:

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Adonai Yahuwah: ‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

“‘And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am Yahuwah,’ says Adonai Yahuwah, ‘when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.

“‘For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

“‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

“‘Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your Eloah. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. … 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.’”

Dave: These are not words that say, “The law was nailed to the cross; you don’t have to worry about keeping it anymore.”

These are words that say, “I know you’re weak and sinful. But if you will surrender to Me, I will write My law of love on your hearts. Then you will perfectly reflect My image. You will be My witnesses for righteousness, and I will be your Eloah.”

Miles: You’re right.

It’s good to know what Paul really meant in Romans 14 because clearly, the law is still important, it is still binding, or Yah wouldn’t have promised to write it on our hearts!

Dave: The devil knows the Bible better than we do! He’s the one that started the presumptuous lie that the law no longer needs to be kept.

If he can get people believing that, then Yah will not have anyone willing to allow Him to write the law on their hearts. Yahuwah’s demonstration would be incomplete. He needs people—you and me—people willing to fully surrender to Him.

Miles: Hey, check this out. Revelation 20, verse 4 says: “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Yahushua and for the word of Yah, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

Clearly, worship is integral to who is saved and who is lost. The law was obviously not nailed to the cross because it is the law that tells us whom to worship, when, and how.

Dave: There’s another thing to remember: if you surrender your will to Yah and let Him write His law on your hearts, the treasures of the universe are laid open to you! Whatever you need, He will provide.

Miles: We need to remember that in the days ahead.

Dave: Oh, you better believe we do! When your job is on the line, when your life is on the line, will you stay faithful to your Redeemer?

Miles: Our time is up but I want to close with a promise that I think is very applicable here. It’s Psalm 119, verse 165. It says: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” This is a promise that will get us through the days ahead, whether we’re martyred, or whether we live to see Yahushua come.

We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *Pre-recorded Sign off (Sharon)

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.