Were the Hebrew/Greek Scholars Who Translated the Septuagint Lunar Sabbatarians?

by Larry & June Acheson

I hadn't written anything on the topic of lunar sabbaths for over ten years when a friend asked me to deliver a Zoom presentation on "The Lunar Sabbath Theory."  In the course of preparing for my presentation, I remembered a key and often-overlooked fact demonstrating that the Hebrew scholars who translated the Septuagint into Greek during the 3rd century BCE could not have have been lunar sabbatarians. This mini-study is actually chapter 16 of our "Lunar Sabbath" series.  More ...

Tracing the Origin of the Word "God"

This is a brief synopsis highlighting our concerns regarding the title "God."  This word's origin is by etymologists' admissions spurious and even those who defend its use admit that we can't be certain of where this word originated.  On the other hand, we maintain that to find its origin we need to dig through the pages of Scripture, but even then its precise source of original use cannot be confirmed.  Nor can we ascertain a noble origin.  On the contrary. 

With a focus on brevity and an arsenal of self-explanatory information, we take you on a journey that traces "God" from a place called Haran, extending through Russia, Poland and even Ireland.  This study is geared to reach those who don't have the time to read our lengthier treatise God's Identity According to Ancient Hebrew Scholars.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS:  In 2021, a dear friend named Tony Suckla asked me to present this study during a Shavuot (Pentecost) celebration held in Spring Branch, TX.  I delivered Part 1 in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. I later delivered Parts 2-5 as Zoom presentations, two of which were recorded and are available for viewing on YouTube.  In 2022, I began recording the remaining PowerPoint presentations. I hope to have all five parts available for viewing in early 2023.

PART 1  Part 1 of "Tracing the Origin of the Word 'God'" focuses on the fact that only in English are we taught that the name spelled G-a-d is pronounced "Gad as in sad," but when we perform deeper study, we learn that in Hebrew it's pronounced the same as "GOD," and that it's the name of a heathen deity whose worship is condemned by Yahweh.  In Part 1, I demonstrate how many of us were misled into believing the false idol's name is pronounced "Gad," whereas the Creator's name is "God." If the name of the heathen idol is actually pronounced "GOD," then do we honor Yahweh by referring to Him as God?  Is there archaeological evidence that a pagan idol named GOD was worshipped in ancient times?  Uploaded on 01/03/2023.

PART 2  Part 2 of "Tracing the Origin of the Word 'God'" was recorded by Tony Suckla as part of his "New Moon Zoom" meeting on November 25, 2022.  It is currently available for viewing on YouTube at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=CKemtTLIE1U

Part 2 addresses the command to not mention the names of other elohim, as well as how to understand the application of this command when pointing out the names of false idols to others. I also address whether or not we need to purge our vocabulary of words emanating from pagan worship. Finally, I challenge the common etymologists' argument that the "GOD" of our English Bibles is traced to a generic term for deity that translators chose to employ as a translation of the Hebrew title Elohim.

PART 3   Part 3 of Tracing the Origin of the Word 'God'" is subtitled "The Heart of the Matter." Not only is this the heart of my entire presentation, but I focus on the heart of the issue, including the heart that matters most. Here are the primary topics I address:

• How did the Early English Bible translators translate Isaiah 65:11?
• The LXX translation of Isaiah 65:11
• The “Law of First Mention”
• Did the Holy Spirit inspire Leah to name Jacob’s seventh son God?
• How strong was Jacob’s faith?

PART 4 Part 4 of "Tracing the Origin of the Word 'God'" is subtitled "The Gates of the New Jerusalem" because that's the primary focus—a red herring argument the opposition often brings into the mix whenever this topic surfaces.  I also address whether or not believers whose names can be traced to idol worship should change their names upon conversion to faith in Yahweh and His Son Yeshua.

PART 5   Part 5 is subtitled "Connecting the Dots" because this is where I put it all together. If you watch Part 5 before the others, you will likely short-circuit the otherwise methodical and cohesive course I have charted as we trace the origin of the word "GOD."  This finale is so long that I was coerced into splitting it up into two parts. Since everything presented in Part 5 is so tightly connected, it all needs to comprise one complete session, so breaking things up wasn't easy.

In Part 5a, One of the primary connections highlighted is serpent worship as the worship of an idol named God slithers its way northward from Haran to Russia and westward to Poland and Germany. Linguistic clues include the Russian (and Polish) word for "reptile" and "fortune teller."

In Part 5b, I establish a final connection in Ireland, an island where no serpents live, yet serpent worship was once a dominant force.  And what was the name of their chief deity?  Piecing together all the connections establishes a bifurcated course of serpent worship as it trekked across Europe, eventually making its way into our English Bibles, all under the guise that it was "never a name."  Just to be fair, I present a chart comparing the route modern-day scholars teach "GOD" took to make it into our Bibles (and vocabulary) against the path I come up with when tracing the origin of the word "GOD."

CONDENSED PART 5  Part 5 of "Tracing the Origin of the Word 'God'" was recorded by Tony Suckla as part of his "New Moon Zoom" meeting on January 23, 2023.  I cut out some parts and skimmed through others in an attempt to keep the presentation under two hours.  It is currently available for viewing on YouTube at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jkEUDnqnS8

Our Thoughts on LGBTQ, Abortion, Our Divided Nation and the Kingdom

by Larry Acheson

My creed has been that of striving to pursue scholarly inquiry with the respectful sharing of ideas and beliefs. This goal has become increasingly difficult to manage over the years.  My views on the issues pertaining to the LGBTQ movement, the calls for abortion rights, and other hot topics that have divided our nation, regardless of my creed, are and have proven offensive.  I have been reluctant to become involved because I have no desire to offend anyone, plus I uphold the belief that we should hate the sin and love the sinner.  Most importantly, if I tell others I support what Torah says, that, in and of itself, should stop all arguments.

A few years ago, a coworker unabashedly expressed her view that those opposing the gay lifestyle really don't have much to stand on in their defense.  I didn't want to offend her, but I felt compelled to speak up, sharing that, according to Scripture, the gay lifestyle is a sin. She smiled and said, "Well, if that's what you believe, then you must also believe we need to keep the Sabbath on Saturday and we have to abstain from pork!" She then hesitated a moment and stated, "Wait! You already do those things ...."

In spite of her quick acknowledgement that I at least strive to live by Yahweh's Torah, any further communication would most likely have proven unproductive because both "Old" and "New" Testaments abhor the gay lifestyle; if we cannot at least start (and agree) with what the Bible says, there really isn't any point to discussing the matter any further.

In this study, I will prove the following as truths:

1) The LGBTQ movement and lifestyle is built on a false foundation steeped in sin.
2) Abortion is murder and is therefore sin.
3) The above issues weren’t issues until recent history.
4) The above issues and more have sharply divided our nation.
5) The United States is the fifth (and final) world power as depicted in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
6) Yahweh’s Kingdom is coming soon!
7) The Passover has not yet been fulfilled and will not be fulfilled until Yahweh’s Kingdom comes.
8) Yeshua taught that “not a jot nor a tittle” will by any means pass from the Law till ALL be fulfilled.
9) Since Passover hasn’t been fulfilled yet, not ALL has been fulfilled yet, which in turn means nothing has passed from Yahweh’s Law (Torah).
10) Yeshua shed His blood to atone for our sins, but once we recognize what our sins are, we must repent.

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The Name of the Messiah

Once we begin a life of service to the Almighty, one of the first things we focus on is how to pronounce not only His name, but also the name of His Son.  When our journey began, June and I had no idea how divisive this particular issue could be.  We all hopefully want to pronounce the Messiah's name the way the angel who gave it to Joseph pronounced it and if that fits your description, then we are glad to research this very important name together.  Sadly, this one issue has been a divisive one, as I quickly learned after delivering my 2001 Unity Conference presentation on this topic.  This study explores the spiritual intolerance directed against those who don't quite pronounce the Messiah's name the way certain ones do while respectfully presenting our reasons for referring to the Messiah by the name "Yeshua."   More ...

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones...But Names Will Never Hurt Me!

A look at the Name we call our Heavenly Father

by Larry and June Acheson

It is “common courtesy” to address or refer to someone by the name by which they wish to be called.  But let’s go several steps higher.  Let’s consider the case for our Heavenly Father’s Name. Some people say it’s “God.”  Some say it’s “The LORD.”  Some say that it is a different name in each different language.  Still others say that however it is we pronounce His name isn’t even important, so long as we know His character.  They maintain, “It is not merely a certain set of sounds or vocal vibrations that is important, but the meaning and power behind the name.”  Shouldn't our focus be on what our Heavenly Father says instead of what people say?  What does our Heavenly Father have to say?  More ...

The Doctrine of the Sacred Name - In View of Scripture

Internet Version

by Gary W. McDaniel

You may be wondering, “What is this thing about ‘doctrine of the Sacred Name’?” In a nutshell, the “Sacred Name” is the name our Creator gave to Himself, but very few of us have grown up in households where that name is so much as mentioned, let alone called upon in worship.  I have found that many people are under the impression that this topic is inconsequential, and some have even suggested that those who spend their time searching out the truth regarding our Creator’s name are busybodies with nothing better to do.  Is the Creator’s name inconsequential — something we don’t need to “waste our time” investigating? Apparently the prophet Malachi didn’t think so!  Maybe this topic is worth deeper study! More ...

Pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton

by Larry and June Acheson

Although June and I had heard the name Yahweh long before we began referring to the Creator and calling on Him by this name, once we got started, it wasn’t long before we were informed that we weren’t pronouncing His name correctly.  There is no disagreement among scholars regarding how the Tetragrammaton is spelled in either modern or ancient Hebrew.  When it comes to how those four letters are pronounced (or transliterated into English), however, that is a different matter.  In view of the stand put forth by those who support the pronunciation Yahuwah, Yehovah, or other similar forms ending in -ah, and especially considering the fact that some of these same folks regard us as idol worshippers for not following along with their reasoning, we felt compelled to offer our reasoning for supporting the pronunciation Yahweh.   More ...

Click here for the condensed version.

God's Identity

According to Ancient Hebrew Scholars

by Larry and June Acheson

Back in 1997, when a friend sent us a copy of an article whose primary aim was to defend the validity (and honor) of referring to Yahweh as “God,” I dismissed it as a whimsical paper authored by zealous, but unlearned believers.  Persuaded that none of our fellow Yahwist acquaintances would put any stock in what I still regard as the weak arguments it contains, I tucked it away in a file. I held on to it just in case someone might happen to refer to it at a later time. That later time came three years later, when I found, to my surprise, that many fellow Yahwists had accepted and embraced the conclusion drawn by the authors of the study.  If you have a heart bent on honoring our Creator no matter how your neighbors do it or think it should be done – if you are determined to break away from “user-defined” terms of worship and settle for nothing less than the “Yahweh-defined” approach, then we invite you to read this study.  More ...

Thinking About Keeping the Sabbath?

by Larry and June Acheson

Recently some friends, concerned about our spiritual well-being, dropped off a magazine article that they felt would help us to see the error of our ways and get us back on track with the Biblical truth.  They also invited us to visit their place of worship, where they meet on Sunday afternoons.  The article they graciously offered us is titled "Should You Keep the Weekly Sabbath?" and they felt that the information it contains would help us to see that the Sabbath has been "taken away."  More ...

The Sabbath and Holy Days in Galatians

by Larry and June Acheson

Some religious teachers expect us the believe that, according to Galatians 4:10-11, we shouldn’t be “observing” any days, months or seasons at all, but that we should instead set aside each day as special to the Almighty. In theory, this sounds like a wonderful plan, but for those who work for a living, it soon becomes evident that something is amiss. The conundrum is how those who work for a living can truly set aside each and every day as being holy to the Creator.  So what did Paul mean when he blasted the Galatian believers for “observing days, and months, and times, and years”?  More ...

Matthew 5:17-19: Does Fulfilling the Law Mean That It “Hath an End”?

by Larry and June Acheson

We have found that those who teach the abolition of the law, namely the weekly Sabbath, try to evade what the Messiah said in Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Of course, those who claim that Yeshua came to do away with the law struggle in their explanations of what He "really meant" in this verse. Do these sound like the words of a Man who knew that the law was about to be abolished? This mini-study presents our understanding of the Messiah's intent contrasted against the views of nominal Christianity.  More ...

Food Preparation:  On the Sabbath?

by Larry and June Acheson

What seems obvious to some individuals is unfathomable to others.  We've all experienced this on various levels ranging from whether or not there is a creator to whether or not Chevy is better than Ford.  The question of whether or not the Almighty sanctions heavy food preparation, including warming up food, on the Sabbath has such an obvious answer  that it was the catalyst for our decision to abandon Sunday worship and set aside the weekly Sabbath day as a day of rest and worship.  However, once we made the switch, we found that the majority of believers are persuaded that, at the very least, warming up food is sanctioned on the Sabbath and at most, any and all food preparation, including baking from scratch, is permitted.  We know that there are bound to be differing interpretations of Scripture, but what does history have to say?  What was the position of ancient Judaism?  This study addresses our understanding of Scripture, combined with the record of history.  More ...

Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday?

No, it isn't ... er, yes it is ....

by Larry and June Acheson

As Christmas 2014 drew nearer, it occurred to me that someone might ask why we don’t celebrate it. The summary answer is, "It's a pagan holiday." I was curious as to what sort of defense a challenger who believes otherwise might come up with, so I decided to conduct an online search to see what “pro-Christmas” arguments are out there. I read a blog composed by an author who passionately argues that Christmas is not a pagan holiday. He writes, "No, Christmas is not Pagan. Far from it really, but it seems that some people are hell bent on finding something Pagan about it, regardless if it is true or historically accurate. So have a Happy Advent and a Merry Christmas everyone!” Because his arguments are outside the scope of the usual ones we’ve seen, I decided to address them, just in case someone would like a “point-counterpoint.”  More ...

When Does a Scriptural Day Begin?

By Larry & June Acheson

by Larry and June Acheson

One way to serve Yahweh is to set aside the day He commanded in His word, but there is a controversy over when a Scriptural day begins, which in turn brings to the forefront the timing of when the weekly Sabbath begins. My goal in this study is to present what we believe is the correct understanding, based on Scripture and historical understanding.

. More ...

Is It a Sin to Stay Home During Yahweh’s Feasts?

by Larry and June Acheson

An acquaintance made a point of telling others that I lost my job because I chose to work during the non-holy days of the 2009 Feast of Tabernacles instead of attending a feast gathering. Another acquaintance claimed that we are required, in this day and age, to go to “a place” where Yahweh places His name. These two claims are, in various forms, commonly used to promote the belief that true believers today must attend a feast gathering that is away from home. Let's examine these claims under the light of Scripture.  More ...

Evolutionist Exposes Critical Flaw in Hebrew Bible

by Larry and June Acheson

Time to put your thinking cap on!  If you're a Bible believer, you know evolutionists come up with some pretty tough arguments.  One that we had never been faced with involves the fact that if we accept the chronology of the Hebrew Masoretic Text, then we have no choice but to believe the pyramids were built before the Flood.  We've seen answers to the effect that you cannot trust Egyptian chronology, etc., but the bottom line is, even with corrected Egyptian chronology there simply wasn't enough time for Noah's descendants to have built the Tower of Babel and the pyramids after the Flood while simultaneously aligning the Biblical timeline.  Is there a solution?  Yes, but you may not like it!  More ...

Why Does Yahweh Allow the Righteous to Suffer?

by Larry Acheson

The question that many of us ask ourselves after the tragic loss of a loved one is, “WHY?” The answer to that question is not easy to answer, but unless that answer is forthcoming, the faith of many can be shattered. Does the Bible provide any answers? More ...

Baptism:  Changing the Method, Losing the Meaning

by Larry and June Acheson

A Lutheran author, in a magazine whose issue was dedicated to supporting their doctrine of infant baptism, wrote, "To claim that a person must reach the ‘age of reason’ or the ‘age of accountability’ before receiving Baptism is to claim that there is something within the person that is able to cooperate with the grace of [the Almighty]. This is called synergism, a theological perversion that places man into a cooperative relationship with [the Almighty] in the salvation process.” Does the Bible offer support for infant baptism? Does entering into a cooperative relationship with the Almighty in the salvation process constitute a "theological perversion"? More ...

Does Yahweh Forbid Women to Wear Trousers?

by Larry and June Acheson

The security guard in the building where June once worked is Jewish and became curious when he learned that we observed the weekly Sabbath and commemorated the Almighty's festival days. He wanted to find out more about us and cordially invited us into his home one evening. Since it was an informal visit, June and I both wore jeans. Later, this man mailed us a 123-page letter detailing everything about our practices and beliefs that he feels are maligned. One of them was June's attire. He wrote, “When you allowed your wife to wear jeans in my house, you committed an abomination under old testament law!” Is his allegation correct? Did we break the law?  More ...

Thanksgiving:  Yahweh's Way or on Man's Day?

by Larry and June Acheson

When we explain to various individuals our rationale for not observing Halloween, they for the most part understand our reasons and do not typically offer any protests or challenges to our decision. Virtually no one denies the deeply-rooted pagan customs associated with Halloween, yet this does not prevent the majority of people from celebrating the holiday. However, as the following month unravels, another very popular holiday looms on the horizon, and a now-familiar question surfaces: “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Now that’s a toughie for us to answer.  More ...

Should Believers Observe Hanukkah?

by Larry and June Acheson

Since our decision to commemorate Hanukkah, we have been surprised at the number of folks who have expressed disagreement with the choice we made. What is surprisingly missing from their criticism of our decision is the simple question of "Why?" Why do we commemorate Hanukkah? This is a question that we have never once been asked! Instead, we have received letters from people telling us why we shouldn't, and we have received an article authored by a man who explained why his family doesn't. We certainly respect a person's right to express his or her opinion, but at the same time, it seems only fitting that before we tell someone why they shouldn't do something, we should find out why they do it!  More ...

Wearing Fringes:  Are They for Believers Today?

by Larry and June Acheson

Those who understand that the Torah is our Heavenly Father's instruction manual for a righteous lifestyle understand that Yahweh expects us to obey all of His commandments; nevertheless, many believers tend to “draw the line” as to which ones they feel “apply to believers in today’s age.”  One commandment that is often ignored and even taught as being a “sin” to obey is the one pertaining to the wearing of tassels on our garments. The same people who stand by the claim that none of Yahweh’s laws have been “done away with,” either ignore or outright teach against this law. More ...

Balancing the Calendar

by Larry and June Acheson

For many years I managed to avoid and evade the calendar debates that are so prevalent within the Yahwist Movement, but inevitably questions arise, and inevitably some folks end up looking “down their noses” at those who don’t reckon the Scriptural calendar the same way they do. At length, I decided to compile the best available evidence from ancient historical understanding, combining it with my understanding of that which is presented by Scripture, allowing me to offer a cohesive presentation that serves to best explain my own position without ridiculing the opposing view.  More ...

Balancing the Calendar II

by Larry and June Acheson

If your only knowledge about which "Scriptural calendar" June and I use comes from having read our original Balancing the Calendar study, then you do not know what information served as the actual catalyst in our decision-making process to make the change from what is known as the “Green Ears of Barley Calendar” to what is known as the “Equinox Calendar.”  More ...

The Thirteenth Month

by Larry and June Acheson

Yahweh does not tell us in His Word to set our year by a solar calendar of 365 days, nor does He insist that we abide by a luni-solar calendar that will occasionally have years consisting of 13 months.  Since those instructions are missing, it is up to us to search out any Scriptural evidence that can clue us in to the calendar used by Yahweh’s people.  As it turns out, there is a passage of Scripture offering strong evidence that a luni-solar calendar was indeed used by the people of Yahweh. We are given a time frame demonstrating that a certain year had to contain thirteen months.  More ...

Can A Scriptural Month Have Only 28 Days?

by Larry and June Acheson

Rabbinical Judaism mandates that all Scriptural months must consist of either 29 or 30-day months.  No more, no less. There cannot be a 28-day month - ever!  Religious groups everywhere have been brainwashed to accept this ruling without question, even those who strive to begin the new months with the visual sighting of the new moon.  It wasn't all that surprising, then, that when 28 days elapsed from day one of a new month to the subsequent new moon sighting, no one seemed to notice.  Calendars were quietly retrofitted to make the old month begin a day sooner.  Does Scripture make allowance for months to contain fewer than 29 days?  More ...

Facing the Passover Controversy

by Larry and June Acheson

When June and I became persuaded that Yahweh’s children are still commanded to observe the holy days that He ordained in His Word, we were immediately embroiled in the controversy pertaining to the timing of the Passover.  We patiently read one group’s article, then, just so we could demonstrate that we are willing to listen to both sides of any issue, we requested literature from another group promoting the opposite view.  One thing we quickly concluded was that both sides make some excellent points, yet, as it always seems to turn out, we concluded that one view was backed by the most solid evidence.  More ...

Counting to Pentecost

by Larry and June Acheson

Let’s face it, the debate over when to begin the count to Pentecost has been brewing for millennia. What has been gained?  Very little is ever gained when we present our viewpoint from the “I’m right and you’re deceived” perspective.  Sometimes we wonder if Yahweh actually intended for this particular debate to unravel just so He could watch how both sides work things out.  Certainly Yahweh could have inspired the writers of Scripture to have written something like this: “You shall begin your count from the morrow after the weekly Sabbath that occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.”  That would have cleared up a lot! Conversely, Yahweh could have inspired the writers of Scripture to have written something like this:  “You shall begin your count on the sixteenth of Abib.” That would have cleared up a lot, too!  As it is however, we are left with no choice but to study, research and pray that we are guided by Yahweh’s Spirit in this matter. It is in response to those who have presented their position while unfairly dismissing the way June and I count to Pentecost as being “wrong” that we respectfully present our reasoning for believing as we do.  More ...

Should a Man Cover His Head While Praying?

Tracing the history of men's headcoverings

by Larry and June Acheson

Neither June nor I had really given much thought to the growing number of men who wear headcoverings while praying.  It wasn’t until we were directed to a certain website article that we realized the issue of men’s headcoverings is more than a “passing fancy”; to some, it is apparently a salvation issue. More ...

Who Is HaShem?

Examining the Jewish custom of

referring to the Creator as “HaShem”

by Larry and June Acheson

Our children attend a Messianic assembly whose leadership defends referring to the Creator as “HaShem” or “G-d” instead of the name He gave to Himself, which is Yahweh.  A question I frequently ask those of this particular persuasion is, “Can you think of a better name to use in reference to the Creator besides the name He gave to Himself?”  In nearly 30 years of asking this question, no one has offered me a better alternative.  Nevertheless, June and I have encountered seemingly endless explanations defending such terms as “God” and “HaShem.”  When the leader of the Messianic assembly gave our son an article titled “HaShem” as their answer to those who believe we dishonor Yahweh by referring to Him as “God” or “HaShem,” we found that it is presented in such a scholarly fashion, complete with Hebrew text and commentary, that anyone not bent on fully investigating the author’s information might easily be persuaded that his perspective lines up with the position outlined in Scripture.  More ...

Let's Keep the Feast, But Let's Also Keep it Yahweh's Feast

by Larry and June Acheson

Several years ago, we received in the mail an assembly's newsletter that included a report about their recent Feast of Tabernacles experience. The author wrote, "What a joyous Feast of Tabernacles we had this year. It was perfect in so many ways and a small glimpse of the Kingdom." The same author later described one of the many events that took place during their feast: "A brother from Michigan, who was not able to come this year, donated a beautiful Henry Golden Boy 22 caliber long rifle for a 'Turkey Shoot.' Children from the ages of 6 to 16 were eligible to try out for the rifle.  There were 30 very anxious children at the rifle range that day." This particular feast activity raises a question: "Does Yahweh want His people to dedicate any portion of His feast to an activity that involves the firing of a weapon ... even if it's 'just for fun' and no one, not even an animal, is hurt?  Is that the 'glimpse of the Kingdom' He wants us to have?"  More ...

Were the Hebrew/Greek Scholars Who Translated the Septuagint Lunar Sabbatarians?

by Larry & June Acheson

I hadn't written anything on the topic of lunar sabbaths for over ten years when a friend asked me to conduct a Zoom presentation on "The Lunar Sabbath Theory."  In the course of preparing for my presentation, I remembered a key and often-overlooked fact demonstrating that the Hebrew scholars who translated the Septuagint into Greek during the 3rd century BCE could not have have been lunar sabbatarians. This mini-study is actually chapter 16 of our "Lunar Sabbath" series.  More ...

Did Yahweh Suspend the Feasts?

by Larry and June Acheson

A fellow believer sent us the link to a video produced by a Sacred Name Movement pastor who has switched from advocating feast observance to not observing the feasts. I wasn't prepared for the angle that he presents, but I felt his argument merits a response.  More ...

  The Jubilee Cycle

by Larry and June Acheson

The name of this study, The Jubilee Cycle, may be a misnomer.  While we certainly address the Jubilee Cycle, especially the debate as to whether it is 49 or 50 years in length, our motivation for composing it was the issue of "date-setting."  Historically, date-setters have been a source of ridicule, both among believers and especially among non-believers.  Certainly, a prophet of the Almighty would be qualified to be a date-setter.  However, as we all know, hordes of would-be and wannabe prophets have made their presence known, replete with their private interpretations (made public) of when the Messiah's Second Coming will be and/or their versions of when the next millennium will begin.  Such is the case with an acquaintance who switched from a personal idea of when the Millennium might begin to a public declaration of 99% certainty that it will begin in a certain year.

Our original version was reasonably short, but as these discussions tend to go, it eventually ballooned to over 300 pages.  I wouldn't recommend reading all 300 pages in one sitting.  Rather, just review the Table of Contents and find one that may pique your interest and start with that one.

In fact, you may just prefer to read our original study.  What we offer is our perspective, which we are pleased to share with all who are interested.

To learn more about our perspective of the Jubilee cycle, click here.

Those of us who were raised in mainstream Christianity know full well that we were taught the Apostle Paul wrote against obedience to the law.  There are a variety of interpretations as to exactly what he meant by that because certainly no one believes the Apostle Paul taught that it's okay to steal, murder, commit adultery or to dishonor one’s parents.  These are all infractions committed against our fellow man, but what does Torah say about how we treat our Heavenly Father and His Son?  Do those commands matter today?

My presentation was video-recorded, but I went well beyond the prescribed 45-minute time allotment for Unity Conference presentations, so it was divided into three parts. Sadly, the last few minutes of both parts 1 and 2 are cut off, so I apologize for those missing portions. Also, you will need to allow several minutes to download each one. The media player I use to play the videos is VLC media player, which is easily downloadable from the Microsoft Store.

Part 1: Introduction: How to Find Out What Paul DID Mean.

Part 2: What Does "Dying to the Law" Mean?

Part 3: We've Been Given the Pledge—Do We Have the Promise?

Does the Creator Have a Name?

Does the Creator have a name, and is it important for us to use it?  What about the Messiah's name?    And finally, what (if anything) does the popular name of "God" have to do with pagan deities?  We have made a new web page dedicated to examining the truths of Scripture as they relate to these issues.

To learn more about these issues, click here.