Program 154: The “Why” Behind the Lie

Satan’s first lie was that humans are not good enough and people have been “working” to win Yahuwah’s approval ever since. But the Father loves and accepts you just as you are.

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: Have you ever told a lie? How did you feel when you discovered the truth? Hurt? Betrayed? Did you find it hard to again trust the person who had lied to you? Did you wish you’d never learned the truth?

Hi, I’m Miles Robey and you’re listening to World’s Last Chance Radio.

Most of us are taught from childhood that lying is wrong to do. But there is usually a reason behind why a person lies. Today, Dave Wright is going to be revealing the reason behind one of the most widely accepted lies in Christianity. Dave?

Dave Wright: Thanks, Miles. Susan Shapiro Barash authored a book called Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie. In the study she conducted for her book, she found that 80% of the people she interviewed believe that women lie more successfully and are more clever at it than men. More than 75% of women who lie feel justified in their lie, and 75% of women interviewed say they lie about money to their boyfriends or husbands.

Miles: That’s interesting that money is something so many women lie about. I’ve never conducted any studies on it, but based on observation alone, I’ve long held the opinion that most women who lie to their husband, do it as a trained response.

Dave: What do you mean?

Miles: This is something my wife explained to me once that, when I thought about it, I could see what she was saying. When someone is at a disadvantage—any disadvantage—they learn to do what works. If a woman lies about money, for example, it isn’t always because she’s out spending it frivolously. Maybe she lies because she’s afraid of making her significant other angry because she’s more vulnerable—physically, financially—so she does what works. And whether that’s a learned behavior from past experience with her partner or how she saw her father get angry at her mother, it’s still a learned response. Fear of an angry response is itself a learned response.

This actually works both ways. Some women get really angry with their spouses, too. So, if you find your wife (or husband) lying to you, the first thing to do is ask yourself: have I encouraged her (or him) to be dishonest with me by making it not safe to be honest?

Dave: Hm. That’s an interesting perspective. I can certainly see that in some situations. Not all—

Miles: No, not all. But enough for it to be a discernible pattern.

Dave: The thing we’ve all got to remember when it comes to lies is, age will not make error into truth.

Miles: Say that again?

Dave: Age … will not make error … into truth. No matter how long a lie has been around, a lie is still a lie.

There’s one lie that has been around for so long that everyone, of every religious persuasion, has internalized it. We aren’t even aware that this is a lie because it’s been around so long it’s just part of our “normal.” It’s been around since before the Fall.

Miles: Wow. Really? Wow. I knew you wanted to talk about a lie, but … wow. So, what is this lie that’s been around so long.

Dave: The lie that you are not good enough.

Miles: Well, yeah. I mean, we’re all sinners! None of us are good enough.

Dave: Aw, but remember, this lie has been around since before the Fall and it has shaped how we’ve been viewing ourselves, the Creator, and theology ever since.

Miles: Okay. You’re going to have to explain. I’m not seeing where you’re going with this.

Dave: All right. Let’s read it in Scripture. I see you’ve got your Bible ready. Turn to Genesis 3 and read verses 1 to 5. Genesis, chapter 3, verses 1 through 5. What does that say?

Miles: Uhh …

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which Yahuwah Elohim had made. And he said to the woman, “Has Elohim indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, Elohim has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For Elohim knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like Elohim, knowing good and evil.”

Dave: Now, at this point, no one had yet sinned. Temptation is not sin or Yahushua would have sinned since he was tempted beyond anyone else. Right now, at this point in the story, Eve’s just being tempted. But the lie is what laid the foundation for the sin, and it’s the lie that, millennia later, has shaped our view of the very nature of our Saviour himself.

Miles: “You will not surely die”?

Dave: Well, that lie is still hanging around in the doctrines of an immortal soul, or reincarnation: life after death. But what I’m talking about is the lie that was used as the inducement to get Adam and Eve to sin, because Adam was right there hearing this. We get this idea that Eve picked the fruit and took it to Adam.

Huh-uh. He was right there. Verse 6: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave … to her husband with her … and he ate.”

So Adam was there. They were both tempted, they both sinned, but what tempted them was the lie that they weren’t good enough. What did the serpent tell them?

Miles: Uh … if you eat, you’ll become like Elohim, knowing good and evil.

Dave: We don’t know how long this occurred after they were created. The Bible doesn’t say. But what we do know is that humankind was created with the capacity to learn and to grow and to develop.

Adam and Eve were created pure and innocent. Sure, there was a lot they didn’t know. There was a lot the Creator intended them to learn over time, but in their innocence, and yes, even in their ignorance, they were perfect just as they were. And they were loved by Yah, just as they were. We know this because the Bible says so. Read Genesis 1 verse 31 for us. What does that say?

Miles: Uhhh … “Then Elohim saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

Dave: It wasn’t just the earth Yahuwah was pronouncing “very good.” It was the race of beings He had created to populate the earth. To our loving Creator, Adam and Eve themselves were “very good.” They were certainly good enough to be given dominion over the new creation.

Miles: Then the devil comes along and tells them they’re not good enough. If they want to be more, they need to sin.

Dave: Well, he didn’t spell it out in so many words, but it’s definitely implied. He’s pointing out their lack of knowledge and implies that Yah is selfish: He’s withholding something good from them.

So we all know what happened next. Eve ate of the fruit then picked some and handed it to Adam who was also standing there, according to verse 6. But before that, Adam and Eve were content and I think that’s something we don’t take the time to realize. Before the devil’s lies, Adam and Eve were satisfied with the status quo.

Miles: That’s a good point. Adam and Eve didn’t have a problem with how things were. They didn’t feel undeserving or unworthy. As you say, they were content. Listen to this. It’s Genesis 2 verse 25. It says: “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

Dave: Right! Adam and Eve weren’t perfect in the sense of being identical to their Creator, but no one can be identical to the Father! They were perfect in their sphere and that was good enough for the Creator and it was good enough for them. They were His children and He loved them and they were content to accept their status and love Him in return.

Miles: I guess it’s kind of like when you’re a kid. If you’re raised in a loving home, you know your parents are more capable and smarter than you are, but that’s their job as your parents. Your job is to be a kid, which means going to school, helping out around the house: being a kid! You know you’re not as experienced as your parents, and you’re okay with that.

Dave: And a loving parent is okay with that, too. You expect your child to be young and naïve and ignorant. They don’t yet have the life experience that you have. They’re in “growth mode” and that’s right where you expect them to be.

That’s where Adam and Eve were before the fall. They still had a lot to learn, but that was all right. This is an important point that we’ve missed because we’ve been immersed in the belief that we’re not good enough. What did Yahushua say when the rich young ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to be saved?” [See Luke 18:18.] Do you remember what he said?

Miles: Uh … Why do you call me good? There’s only one good and that’s Yahuwah?

Dave: Right! “No one is good but one, that is, Yah.” [Luke 18:19] There is no one that inherently knows right from wrong, good from evil. There is no one that is complete in perfection but Yahuwah.

Now, of course, He never intended Adam and Eve to learn what they needed to learn through sinning and rebelling. He intended them to learn it through loving obedience. But the point I want to make clear, because it has far-reaching ramifications to this very day in every single religion on earth, is that even in their youthful, ignorant innocence, Yahuwah viewed Adam and Eve as “very good.” They were perfect in their sphere.

It was the devil’s lie that they weren’t “good enough” that enticed them to try and improve themselves by disobedience and sin.

Miles: And the result, of course, is guilt! We’ve struggled with guilt ever since.

Dave: And it’s a horrible feeling. With this understanding, let’s see how this lie impacted Adam and Eve. Genesis 3 verse 6: “She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Then what happened? Start at verse 7.

Miles: “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”

Dave: What a difference! In their youthful, innocent ignorance, they had been naked but had not been ashamed. But now, now that they’ve accepted the serpent’s lie that they’re not good enough, they feel differently. They scramble about trying to do what?

Miles: Cover themselves.

Dave: Improve themselves. Read verses 8 to 10.

Miles:

And they heard the sound of Yahuwah Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahuwah Elohim among the trees of the garden.

Then Yahuwah Elohim called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Dave: Here’s a man whom Yahuwah Elohim Himself had declared “very good,” and all of a sudden, he feels so guilty, so unworthy, that he’s hiding himself. And why? Because he embraced the serpent’s lie that he wasn’t good enough just as he was, just as he’d been created.

Miles: Huh! I’ve never really thought about it that way before, but I can see what you’re saying. We all struggle with feeling like we’re not good enough. Maybe we don’t have the level of education we wanted to get. Maybe we don’t have the prestigious job or the level of income we wanted. Maybe we don’t look the way society says is the standard for human beauty. The reasons are as varied as the person. But we all, on one level or another, struggle with not feeling good enough.

The one thing I’m not seeing is how this has ripple effects through the various world religions today. We’ve got to take a quick break, but when we return, could you address that part of it?

Dave: Certainly!

Miles: We’ll be right back.

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: This is an interesting concept to me that, as far back as the temptation before the fall, the idea that we, as humans, just aren’t good enough, was instilled.

Dave: I think, had Adam and Eve remained obedient and resisted temptation, this would not have taken hold on the human psyche the way that it has. But it has grabbed onto us and hasn’t let go. And you can see it across time and worldwide. This is the lie that we’ve all embraced, that we’re not “good enough.”

Miles: So you’ve said. But how is that seen in the various world religions? That’s the connection I’m not seeing.

Dave: Let’s go back to Genesis 3:7: “The eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked.” This means—and you’ll see in a minute how this carries over to the belief systems in today’s religions—this means that they were ashamed of how they were created. They were ashamed of the natural limitations of being human. Yah had pronounced them very good and all of a sudden in their own eyes, they weren’t good enough. So what did they do?

Miles: They sewed fig leaves together.

Dave: They attempted, by their own works, to make themselves better. They were focused on their imperfections and inability to be like Yah even though Yah Himself had planned for them to grow in their understanding. It’s not a bad thing to gain knowledge and experience and understanding, but now, Adam and Eve were filled with self-condemnation and self-recrimination.

And you can see that in every religion. Sure, the requirements to improve oneself differ by belief system, but that sense of not being good enough, of needing to improve oneself through one’s own efforts can be seen in every religion.

Miles: Yeah, I can see that. Some religions are blatant about how their followers are to work their way to nirvana or paradise or whatever. Christians might be more subtle about it, but that sense is still there. And, speaking as someone who has been there/done that, I can say that conservative Christians, in all their sincerity, are the most likely to try to make themselves better.

That sense of knowing how awful you are is very intense among conservative Christians.

Dave: And whether it is by imposing extremely strict, pharisaical human standards of righteousness, or making yourself feel better by all the things you really, secretly, want to do but you abstain from doing, that mindset of not being good enough, of needing to improve yourself, is still there.

Adam and Eve physically ran and hid from Yahuwah and we have been running and hiding ever since. People are ashamed of who they are and the reasons are as varied as the people who hold that view.

Miles: Yeah, but … I think there are a lot of contributing factors, don’t you? I mean, sure! Religion has done its part, but that’s not all. There are plenty of demeaning societal norms. Take women, for example. In some countries, even today! Women who are raped are punished for it, as though it’s their fault. That’s just wrong.

In some parts of India—I don’t know if this still holds true, but up until a few years ago, women in some parts of India were exempted from wearing helmets while riding motorcycles, showing an underlying devaluation of female lives. In Ecuador, women are still asked if they have their husband’s permission to make large purchases. In many Muslim countries as well as in Vatican City, women aren’t allowed to vote.

Dave: Even in my lifetime, married women in the United States were not allowed to open bank accounts without their husband’s permission or get a credit card without his signature.

Miles: Really?!

Dave: Yeah, women were viewed as “incapable” of understanding and handling financial matters.

Miles: I know as recently as 2013, in the state of Washington, a spouse could not be prosecuted for third-degree rape of the other spouse.

Dave: See, all of this tends to devalue the individual. And men aren’t exempt. Men might be judged by other standards, but they’re still judged. Maybe they don’t have as prestigious a job or can’t afford the flashiest vehicle. I have a friend who is extremely well-educated, fluent in a number of languages, earns a good living. But when we first got acquainted, he “admitted” to me rather sheepishly that he was the darkest amongst his siblings. It had nothing to do with his worth as a person, but he felt not “good enough” simply because he had a little more melanin in his skin than his siblings.

For many people, they were raised in a toxic environment in which their parents, due to their own insecurities, instilled insecurity in their kids. Whatever it is, we all labor under this burden of not feeling good enough. And this prevents us from being people who realize our Yahuwah-appointed destinies.

Miles: Which is?

Dave: Being the very pinnacle of His creation! Yah’s plan for our world, from the very beginning, was to populate the earth with people made in His divine image. He continues to encourage us to know our value to Him.

Grab your Bible there and let’s take a look at a couple of assurances. There are many, but we’ll only take the time to look at a few. Turn to Isaiah 43 and read verses 1 to 7. Isaiah 43:1 to 7. This is a particularly interesting passage because here the Father is explaining the lengths He’s willing to go to, to care for His children.

Miles:

But now thus saith Yahuwah that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I am Yahuwah thy eloah, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Dave: Again, Yahuwah knows we are but dust and He still loves us anyway! Even now, after the fall when we all struggle with our inherited, fallen natures, He tells us that we are precious in His sight.

Turn to Jeremiah chapter 31 now and read verses 3 and 4. Jeremiah 31:3 and 4.

Miles:

Yahuwah hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Dave: Yahuwah will do this. Even now, He knows our failings and our struggles, but He still loves us anyway and He does not expect us to do for ourselves what He knows we can’t.

One of the ways He has repeatedly tried to encourage us—and which has largely been hidden from our understanding—is the truth taught repeatedly throughout Scripture that He is God. He is the Almighty. He is our Creator and our Redeemer. Again, He is God. Not us.

Miles: I know we tend to focus on the role of Yahushua, but Isaiah 48:17 actually says Yahuwah is our Redeemer. Here! Listen to this. It says: “Thus saith Yahuwah, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am Yahuwah thy Eloah which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”

Dave: That’s a great verse. Notice that ignorance is not a reason why we aren’t good enough. He’s willing to teach us. And you’re right: Yah is our ultimate Redeemer. Over and over in Scripture He tells us that there is only one God, and that is He.

Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: Yahuwah our God is one.” Not three. Not three-in-one. Just … one.

We don’t have to bear the burden of perfection. He knows we’re just humans and He expects nothing more nor less.

Miles: And humans with fallen natures, at that!

Dave: Right. Again, He knows we are but dust. When Adam and Eve fell, He already had a plan worked out to redeem us. The plan was to create a second Adam. And an integral part the plan that the vast majority of Christianity has lost sight of was that this second Adam was to be fully human. Not some wholly human-wholly divine chimera. Just human. It’s an important part of the plan of salvation. It’s necessary that the one to redeem us where the first Adam fell would himself be fully human. And as a human, prevail and become the first glorified and immortalized human being taken to Heaven.

Miles: Some of our listeners might be saying, “But what about Enoch and Elijah?” Actually, that’s an interesting point. We don’t have time to go into it here, but we have covered that in a previous episode. Scripture itself proves that they didn’t go to Heaven when they were “translated.”

There’s another verse … let me find it really quick … Here we go. John 3:13. It clearly states: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” So prior to Yahushua’s ascension, no human had ever been to heaven.

Dave: Right. Thank you, Miles. So, again, Yah’s plan from the very first was to have a fully human second Adam overcome where the first Adam fell.

I think Paul explains it best. Turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. You know, all of his years of education as a Pharisee actually gave Paul a solid knowledge of what, today, we call the Old Testament. As a Pharisee, his emphasis and focus were wrong, but under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, he was able to make connections and grasp theological insights that were truly advanced.

Miles: Just goes to show that no time in Bible study is ever truly wasted.

Dave: No.

Uh. You have it? Okay, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 20 to 23. Paul here refers to Christ by a new symbol. Go ahead.

Miles:

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at his coming.

Dave: Now, in Scripture, before every harvest, there was a harvest of what they called “first fruits.” This was a thank offering and was always offered to Yah. The Bible actually lists several different “first fruits” offerings, but the point that is important to note is that the “first fruits” offerings were always of the same thing as that for which the people were expressing gratitude.

Miles: Uhhh … That’s kind of a mouthful. Can you say that again?

Dave: All right. For example, if the harvest was grain, let’s say barley, then the offering of first fruits was barley. You wouldn’t offer figs or flowers or … I don’t know. Wine? If the harvest was for barley. Instead, you would give a gift of barley. Later, as the agricultural year progressed, there were other harvests and these harvests had thank offerings, too. Again, the offering of “first fruits” was part of whatever was being harvested.

So, for Yahushua to be the first fruits of those who will be resurrected at his coming, he has to be of the same type: fully human. Not part human and part divine or—even more confusingly—“wholly human and wholly divine.” Just human.

Miles: That’s an interesting correlation.

Dave: It was always the Father’s plan that the Messiah would be of the same type as those he redeemed: fully human. As the second Adam, he would be the new firstborn of the human race. Through his atoning death, people could be redeemed, rescued … salvaged … to live the life Yah had always intended for them to live: as pure holy beings, growing in their physical, mental, and spiritual capacities, rejoicing in holiness, right here on the earth that was created to be their home.

Miles: This concept is really mind-blowing to me. This feeling that we’re never quite “good enough” is so prevalent, so wide-spread, such a part of the human condition, I never really thought about where it came from. But I like your point that simply because we have not yet attained full maturity or full knowledge or full whatever does NOT mean that we’re somehow lacking. If that were so, then Christ himself was lacking. Listen to this. It’s Luke 2 verse 52. Luke had just recounted the story of Yahushua’s first trip to Jerusalem when he was 12. Then the rest of his childhood and youth is summarized in one verse. It says, quote: “And Yahushua increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with [Yah] and men.”

Dave: Perfect case in point: just because you are less than you will be does not mean that you’re not good enough.

This is the message Yahushua was so excited to share. This is the gospel of the kingdom of Yah. Turn to Matthew 4 and read verse 17. This was the full thrust of the Saviour’s message.

Miles: “From that time Yahushua began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Dave: And precisely what is the gospel of the kingdom? It’s the message that Yahuwah has provided a Saviour to return dominion of the earth to the human race. And all who repent will be given the opportunity to live forever in the earth made new, dominion restored. Yah’s original plan in the creation of our world and our race will be fulfilled.

If you search out the gospel message woven throughout Scripture, you’ll discover an incredibly beautiful truth: humans are not the apple of Yah’s eye because we’re perfect. We’re not the apple of His eye because of our perfect obedience to the divine law, because righteousness—right doing—does not come by the works of the law.

Miles: That’s true.

Dave: Yahuwah finds us lovable and do you know why?

Miles: Not really, no!

Dave: See, it’s that “I’m not good enough mentality coming out. Our lovability, our value, is not based upon the works of the law. Instead, Yah loves us for who we are because of who He is.

Miles: Yahuwah loves us for who we are … because of who He is.

Dave: And He is love. Thus, we are justified simply by our active belief in Yah’s promises contained in the Gospel message. That’s all we can do, and that is all Yah expects.

Miles: That’s true. Paul had an excellent explanation of this. Romans 4, verses 1 to 3. Listen to this: “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before [Yah]. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed [Yahuwah], and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’”

Dave: Exactly! Right! It is accepting Yah’s promises by faith that brings the righteousness necessary to inherit the kingdom of Yah. It straightens out our thinking and we realize the incredible value we have to be loved as we are.

Believing the lie that we’re not good enough messes with our thinking which, in turn, messes with our attitudes and beliefs and influences our words and actions. The gospel of the kingdom opens a way out of that trap.

Miles: Wow. You can see why it’s called the “good news” of the gospel, can’t you? And of course we’d want to share this message wherever we can.

Dave: Yes. And an integral part of this good news is that our Creator is one being and our Saviour is fully human. This is the knowledge we need to embrace in order to advance to our full potential as the beloved of Yah.

Miles: Yeah, I can see that. Because without it, we’re going to keep floundering in our attempts to make ourselves better, to promote ourselves to Yah.

Dave: And we’ll never understand true righteousness by faith.

The thing is, none of the world’s religions will ever be able to accept a fully human Messiah because deep at their core is the belief that being human isn’t good enough in the eyes of Yahuwah. That’s why the doctrine of the trinity transforms the son of God into “God the Son.”

Other doctrines, such as the immortality of the soul, also tie into this belief that humans aren’t good enough.

Miles: How so?

Dave: Well, a fundamental part of the immortality of the soul belief is that the physical body itself is corrupt and must be discarded at death. But how can our physical bodies, which were made a living soul with the very breath of Yah and which our Creator Himself pronounced “very good,” how can they be evil?

Miles: That’s a good point.

Dave: Our work as believers is to be Yah’s mouthpiece. We’re to take the good news of the gospel of the Kingdom and share it with those in our sphere of influence. That message is both simple and profound, and that is: you are good enough for Yahuwah. He accepts you just as you are. In fact, a fully true human being has already been granted immortality. He is the first fruits and that same gift will be given to all those who inherit the Kingdom of Yahuwah.

* * *

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Winning believers from other Christian denominations has come to be seen as part of the Great Commission to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” [Matthew 28:19] Frequently, part of this mission involves pointing out errors in the beliefs of other denominations, denouncing them as Babylon. Such a skewed understanding of the Christian’s work is based on a misunderstanding of Revelation 18 verse 4. Most modern versions translate this verse as an invitation: “Come out of her, My People.” The original is actually a command: “Go out of her, My People.”

That’s a command. Not an invitation.

To learn more, look for the previously aired radio program titled “Flee Babylon! Now!” That is “Flee Babylon! Now!” Yah’s will for the final generation is not to invite others to join your church. It is, instead, for all true believers to flee every church because all churches are part of Babylon. There are no exceptions. Look for “Flee Babylon! Now!” on our website or listen to it on YouTube!

* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: So, Dave, what do you know about the state of Kentucky in the United States? That’s where today’s Daily Mailbag question is coming from.

Dave: Uhhhhh … traffic lights were invented in Kentucky?

Miles: Seriously?

Dave: Yep. Garret Morgan from Paris, Kentucky, invented them.

Miles: Huh. I didn’t know that. Well, here’s something you may not know: before taking their oath of office, Kentucky’s governors must still swear an oath that they have never fought a duel with deadly weapons.

Dave: No, I’d never have guessed that. Interesting hold-over from a by-gone era!

Miles: Right? Well, Elisheba of Louisville, Kentucky has a question I think we need to address. The team members that work on our website say they get asked this a lot, too.

Elisheba writes: “I notice you use ‘Yah’ a lot rather than Yahuwah. So casually shortening the sacred name of our Creator sounds disrespectful and makes me very uncomfortable. It takes nothing to say ‘Yahuwah’ every time. I would humbly and respectfully urge you to say the divine name properly every time rather than treat it so casually by shortening it down.”

Dave: Hmmm. So, the team members that work on the website get asked this a lot, too?

Miles: That’s what they tell me. Readers keep raising objections to abbreviating the name of Yahuwah down to Yah. I know I was concerned about that, too, before you shared with me what you knew. But you’ve got the facts, I don’t. Could you share with everyone what you shared with me?

Dave: Be happy to. Well, first, our readers and listeners are right that we want to always treat everything pertaining to the Almighty with respect. Yahuwah is holy and His name is sacred and holy, too, and should always be treated with respect.

Beyond that, though, “Yah” is actually one of the sacred names used in Scripture. The name “Yahuwah” appears 6,519 times in the Bible. “Yah” is used 49 times.

Miles: Doesn’t Yah appear at least once in our modern Bible translations?

Dave: Well, it depends on the translation and on the language. You know, we broadcast in nine different languages, but the pronunciation of Yahuwah is very similar throughout all of them because the original sound is the same. We might write it differently, but we’re going for the same sound.

Now Elisheba is in the United States. In English, in the New King James Version, “Yah” appears once. Let’s read it. Turn to Psalm 68 and read verse 4. What does that say? And for the purposes of this topic today, don’t substitute the sacred name. Read it just as it appears in your translation.

Miles:

Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Extol Him who rides on the clouds,
By His name Yah,
And rejoice before Him.

Dave: The King James Version says basically the same thing, it just spells it with the older spelling of J-A-H. Same pronunciation: Yah. Just a different spelling. We still find that older spelling in Hallelujah which means “Praise ye Yah.” You can hear it: Hallelujah. “Praise ye Yah.”

Now, let’s read the same verse in another translation.

Miles: All right. This is, uh . . . the New International Version. It says:

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.

Dave: This is how the sacred name of Yah is generally covered-up in our modern translations. Like Yahuwah, it’s hidden under the generic title, “Lord.”

Miles: I remember you told me that Yah even has its own entry and reference number in the concordance?

Dave: Yes! Go ahead and grab that concordance on the shelf there. Look up Yah, Y-A-H.

Miles: Uhhh … it says to “see JAH,” J-A-H.

Dave: What does that say?

Miles: Give me just a sec . . .

Okay, it says: “See JEHOVAH. A shortened form of Jehovah.”

Dave: What’s the reference number for JAH?

Miles: Number 3050.

Dave: Concordances are great. They let you look up any word in the Bible and find its original meaning, Now “Jehovah,” or as we know the correct pronunciation, Yahuwah, has its own reference number of 3068. But “Yah” has a reference number, too! It’s number 3050. Why don’t you turn to number 3050 and read what it says?

Miles: All right, it says “Jah; contraction for 3068 and means the same; Jah, the sacred name:–Jah, the Lord, most vehement.”

Dave: So, when you look up #3050, and you look up #3068, you can see that in the Hebrew, Yah and Yahuwah were different words. Similar, but still different. The shortened form of “Yah” is what Israelite parents frequently incorporated into their children’s names.

We know that a lot of the Biblical names referred to Yahuwah or used the title, El.

Miles: Daniel. Michael.

Dave: Ezekiel.

Miles: Samuel. Jael.

Dave: Right. But even more names incorporated “Yah” into them. Jeremiah. Hezekiah.

Miles: Zechariah. Obadiah.

Dave: Zephaniah. Zedekiah. There’s a lot of them. The name, Elijah, even combines “El” and “Yah.” Do you hear it? Elijah? El-ee-Yah?

Miles: Yeah, that’s interesting. It’s a neat name, too. It means, “My El is Yah,” or, as they say with the generic titles, “My God is the Lord.”

Dave: As the concordance explains, “Yah” is simply the abbreviated form of the longer, Yahuwah.

Miles: If “Yah” were in any way disrespectful, Scripture itself wouldn’t repeatedly use it.

Dave: Of course not. Because “Yah” means the same thing as “Yahuwah,” it is typically hidden under the same generic title that’s used to obscure the name, “Yahuwah.” Translators typically stick in “the Lord.”

But what’s interesting is that the word, “Yah,” is really hidden. When you look up #3050 in the Strong’s Concordance, it lists only 1 verse that uses “Yah.” But that’s not accurate. The other times “Yah” is used in Scripture are all listed as being under #3068, or “Yahuwah.”

You’ve got to really dig and do your research to find which verses use “Yah” in the original Hebrew.

Miles: Can you give us some examples?

Dave: All right. Fortunately, there are websites that share this information. Again, read it just as it appears in your translation. I’ll let you know which word says “Yah.”

Let’s see, let’s start with Exodus 15 verse 2. Again, that’s Exodus chapter 15, verse 2.

Miles: “The Lord—"

Dave: Yah.

Miles: “–is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.”

Dave: Sometimes “Yah” is used with “Yahuwah.” It will actually say “Yah Yahuwah.” Let’s look at an example of that. Isaiah 26 verse 4. How does it read in your modern translation?

Miles: “Trust ye in the Lord—"

Dave: Yahuwah.

Miles: “–for ever: for in the Lord—”

Dave: Yah.

Miles: –Jehovah—

Dave: Yahuwah.

Miles: “–is everlasting strength.”

Dave: Okay, now read it again. This time I won’t interrupt you, but put in the sacred names as they appear in the original Hebrew.

Miles: All right: “Trust ye in Yahuwah forever: for in Yah Yahuwah is ever lasting strength.”

Dave: Most uses of “Yah” in the Bible occur in the book of Psalms. We’ll look at just one more. This is Psalm 118, verses 17 to 19. Every single time it says “the Lord” in these three verses, it’s actually “Yah” in the original Hebrew. So why don’t you insert that, every time it says “the Lord.” Could you do that?

Miles: Sure! Uh …

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord [Yah].

The Lord [Yah] hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord [Yah].

Dave: We always want to be respectful of the name of our Creator. But saying “Yah” is a perfectly acceptable form of Yahuwah. Scripture itself repeatedly uses that form of the sacred name.

Miles: Thanks for clarifying that. I know I had a few reservations about that at first, too. Hopefully, this will clear up things for our listeners and readers, too.

If you’ve got a question or comment, simply go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We want to hear from you, too!

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your daily promise from Yah’s word.

Lori and Russ Kennedy had enjoyed living in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California for nearly 30 years. The peaceful countryside, the towering pines scenting the air, the local wildlife, all contributed to a tranquility they really enjoyed. Recently, the life they cherished so much came to a screeching halt early one morning when they received a phone call telling them that they had to evacuate their home. Immediately! A huge fire ravaging the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California had changed course and was headed their way.

Grabbing their pets and a few personal items, Lori and Russ spent the next two weeks camped out in hotels, worrying over what they would find when they were finally cleared to return home. The day finally arrived. Armed with gloves, work boots, shovels and masks to protect their lungs from the ash, Lori and Russ headed home.

When they arrived, the sight that greeted them was devastating. The fire had burned straight across their property and right through their home. The accrued belongings of a lifetime: photographs, mementos, heirlooms, everything … was gone. Sorting through the rubble, Lori repeatedly had to wipe away tears. There was a metal coat stand, a dish her son had made her, blackened but intact, just odds and ends here and there. It felt as though nothing was left of the life they’d worked so hard to build.

Finally, in the late afternoon, they decided they had done all they could for one day. Walking back to the car with a breaking heart, Lori noticed something was stuck to her boot. Pulling it off, she discovered a scrap of paper. It was sooty with heat-singed edges, but the words were still legible. It said: “If life seems difficult, I pause and reflect on the blessing sometimes hidden within every circumstance. With renewed faith and courage, I begin again.”

The words sank into her hurting heart like water into parched ground. Looking back later, Lori said of the words she had read, quote: “Words that must have come from one of my books, a passage I couldn’t recall but now said everything I needed to hear. Words that rose from the ashes. I framed that scrap of paper. I kept it on the nightstand in every hotel and motel we stayed in over the coming months. It now sits in a place of honor in our new home, a reminder that we can begin again.” Unquote.

Matthew, chapter 5 verse 4 says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” We like to believe that nothing truly horrible ever happens to believers. But the truth is, we live in a sinful world. Sometimes horrible, even heart-breaking things do happen. The difference for believers is that we do not walk alone. Second Corinthians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4 says: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Yahushua Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from [Yahuwah].”

No matter what happens in life, you are not alone. Your heavenly Father walks by your side. The hand stretched out to strike you, strikes first the hand of Yah that covers you. That hand weighs the force of the blow and only that part which can be turned for your good is allowed through. When life is overwhelming, or frightening, or heart-breaking, turn to the heavenly Father. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Dave: When you reject the devil’s lie told in Eden, that you aren’t good enough in the eyes of Yah, you will not only feel love and accepted by Yah, but you will, in turn, give that same love and acceptance for others for whom Christ died. The gospel message is a healing message. It’s a message of love and acceptance.

This is why we’re to treat others as Christ did: with love, compassion, and acceptance. Not criticism and judgmentalism.

Miles: Yeah, you know that saying, “Love the sinner but hate the sin”? I can tell you, anyone on the receiving end of that never feels loved. They always feel hated and rejected. That’s not what Christ did. He loved and accepted sinners, just like Yahuwah does.

Dave: Of course! That’s why the sinners, the publicans, the prostitutes, even Roman soldiers—the outcasts of society—they were all drawn to the Saviour. Would you turn to Luke 15 and read the first couple of verses? This shows us, not God in human flesh, but a fully human Messiah revealing the love Yah has, the acceptance Yah feels, for fallen human beings. And this is how we are to act, too. Luke 15.

Miles: It says, um … “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to him to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”

Dave: Once you know that Yahuwah loves you and accepts you just as you are, then you will be prepared to pass on that same love and acceptance to others. You won’t need to draw your robes of self-righteousness around you, telling someone, “I love you, but I hate your sexual orientation, I hate your drinking habit, I hate your language, I hate your …whatever, so I can’t come to dinner at your house and I’m certainly not going to invite you to mine.”

Miles: Yeah, we tend to do that, don’t we? When we feel less-than, or not good enough, the quickest and easiest way to make ourselves feel better about ourselves is to tear someone else down. But building ourselves up at others’ expense is what the Pharisees did, not what the Saviour did.

Dave: No, and if we want to be like him, if we want to cooperate with Yah in spreading the good news of the gospel—that we are loved and accepted—we will live out that love and acceptance.

In closing, let’s read a short parable. It’s found in Luke 18 verses 9 to 14. Go ahead as soon as you’ve found it.

Miles:

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Dave: You, wherever you are, whoever you are, regardless of what you have done or said, or what you have not done or said, are loved and accepted by Yahuwah. If you will but let your faith grasp the promises contained in the good news of the gospel, that will be accounted to you for righteousness, just as it was with Abraham.

You don’t have to keep laboring under this burden of thinking that you’re not good enough. Yahuwah loves you, just as you are. In His eyes, you are good enough. Even with a fallen nature, He understands! He knows we’re but dust but He loves us and He accepts us anyway.

Miles: Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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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.