Yeshua: The Lion of Judah

Yeshua

The Lion of Judah

Isaac Levy

Yeshua: The Lion of Judah

By Isaac Levy

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2006 – 2011 Isaac Levy

All rights reserved solely by the author. The author guarantees all contents are original and do not infringe upon the legal rights of any other person or work. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations are taken from the Hebrew Names Version.

Cover photography and image rights provided by Corbis

Cover design by Michael Nicholson

Edited by Carol Hubbard and Chris Harris

For additional information, visit www.houseoflight.org; write to Beit Or, PO Box 1332, Rockwall, TX 75087; or send an email to info@houseoflight.org.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1 - In the Beginning

Chapter 2 - One in Purpose

Chapter 3 - Hierarchy of Heaven

Chapter 4 - Heart to Heart

Chapter 5 - Created to Worship

Chapter 6 - The Hope of Salvation

Chapter 7 - Earthly Priest

Chapter 8 - Choicest Sacrifice

Chapter 9 - Malki-Tzedek

Chapter 10 - The Prophet’s Cry

Appendix A

Appendix B

Foreword

I have been honored to know Isaac Levy for more than 20 years. He has been a teacher, counselor, mentor and trusted friend to me—as he is to many people.

Isaac is also a man of godly character who’s every conversation centers on his desire to serve God. The Holy Scriptures tell us in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV):

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Isaac adheres to these truths and gifts of wisdom. His walk is a reflection of what comes from his mouth. God has truly used this man as a servant for His Kingdom.

In our many hours of fellowship, Isaac has discussed his desire to write a book for all of God’s people: a book inspired by his many prayers to Yeshua . . . a book that would speak the truth based solely on the Holy Scriptures as its foundation and authority . . . a book that would answer questions that Gentiles and Jews are too afraid to have answered or are too uncomfortable to confront.

The biblical answers in this book help verify Paul’s writings in 2 Timothy 4:3-5:

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Isaac’s inspired writing helps redirect us back to the truth. The ten chapters of this book are a powerful testimony to all who would hold to Yeshua’s own words in John 8:31-32:

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

The truth now goes forth . . .

Mark S. Kelldorf

Believer, scientist, friend

Acknowledgements

I want to thank all the people who helped me in the writing of this book. Since this is my first published writing, I have a new appreciation for the level of difficulty that goes into writing. It would have been impossible for me to accomplish this work if weren’t for Adonai and those who were involved in helping me.

Some of the difficulty I experienced in this project is that English is not my first language nor is it a language for which I have a good grasp of the grammar and flow.

Also adding to the complexity of getting my thoughts onto paper is the controversial content that I am tackling that will challenge many people’s traditional thoughts about God and His Son. The material presented here directly challenges the conventional wisdom of theologians, pastors, priests, rabbis, seminaries, and religions.

The ultimate hurdle I faced to accomplish this feat was relying completely on the word of God to make a case that would stand the test of time, logic, and common sense; and would have enough power to subdue the thoughts and traditions of man.

I want to thank the people who were instrumental in the writing and publishing of this book.

My thanks go to:

Mark Kelldorf, who believed in me from the beginning and supported me morally and financially,

Michael Nicholson, who was my fire of inspiration, who was involved with the book from the very beginning and worked tirelessly days and nights editing it—taking material delivered in Hebrew thought and transforming it for an English-speaking audience,

Chris Harris, who never lost faith in me and the message God has given me. Chris was a buffer between me and so many obstacles that arose in the course of putting the material together,

Dudley Irby and Tracy McKinney, who helped with grammar and corrections,

My children—Daliah, Daniella, and Nathan, who encouraged me not to give up,

My wife Sandi, who gave me words of encouragement about how important this book will be for all students of the Bible.

Finally, I owe everything to Adonai, my Lord and Master. For all that I am and all that I will ever know comes only from the Father of Lights. Adonai has been my father, my rabbi, and my God from childhood. He raised me up in the fear and knowledge of His mysterious Word.

Isaac Levy

Introduction

As the son of a survivor of the Nazi era, and the son of a Hebrew from the tribe of Levi with a long background of traditional Hasidic rabbis, I was born and raised in the land God evacuated because of the sins that the nation of Israel committed against their God. But to further demoralize the people, the name for the land of Israel was changed to Palestine.

Who in his right mind would accept the idea that a person’s nationality would be different than the name of his land or country? Can you imagine an American citizen accepting the name of his country as Indonesia, or a British man referring to his country as Egypt?

If that is not acceptable, then why does the world expect the Israeli people living in their God-given land for the last 4,000 years to accept a foreign name (Palestine)—a name that is foreign to their name, a name that has no connection to them as a people or their land?

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. (Psalm 83:3)

It was these kinds of questions that ran through my inquisitive mind that fueled the writing of this book. Why was the land of Israel given a different name from that of its people?

Why is the Jewish messiah rejected by so many of the Jews? Why did the Gentiles take the Hebrew Scriptures (the Bible) and call them their own—and then try to manipulate, extract, and change the valuable information that is critical to relationship with the Maker of the universe?

To add insult to injury, I noticed that the idols—whether they were made of stone, metal, or wood, or were people who have been idolized—have retained their original names.

Consider the names of idols and gods such as Muhammad, Buddha, the Dali Lama, Krishna, and even Satan: They retain their universal names regardless of language and country. But the name of the Messiah—which is a universal name to which every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess—has been marred, changed, confused, and watered down in order to make it common and insignificant.

His name is Yeshua. It is the name that God the Father named his Son. Who or what gives us the right to change the name of God’s Son? The Word of God states, My sheep know my voice and know my name—not names!

In other research, I found that there is a great controversy regarding the position Yeshua holds in heaven. Is he God with three faces, with three personalities, who has different roles at will, thus confusing man so that man will never know who to address and to whom his prayer is going?

Even in baptism, the various Christian denominations are not sure in whose name we should baptize a person. If Jesus (Yeshua) is the fulfillment and embodiment of the trinity (three gods in one), then why do we hear pastors baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Didn’t the scripture say that God is spirit, that Jesus is spirit? And what about the Holy Spirit—isn’t he a spirit? If they are all spirits and Jesus is the fulfillment of the three, is it not sufficient to baptize in the name of Jesus? In whose name did Yochanan the Baptizer (John the Baptist) baptize the people?

It is true that the Bible appears to be a confusing and controversial book with many stories of wars, death, and suffering. But that is where I took hold of the challenge to find the thread of common sense.

Despite the confusion and misunderstandings of this book of mystery (the Bible), and despite the fact that the Bible leaves more questions than answers, it remains today the most-read book of all time.

Is Jesus really one face of a three-faced god? If so, why would he call himself the Son of God? How could he be a son of himself, the first-begotten, the firstborn? And how would he give birth to himself? These are the types of questions that have bothered me as I’ve listened to the many different denominations argue about who Jesus (Yeshua) is.

Many writers and books have been written about the trinity, and the writers have used many sources other than the bible to make their point.

They have used the names, resources, and materials from other writings and points of view to make their point louder and stronger:

Doctor So-and-So in his book said so-and-so.

And so people think, "If Doctor So-and-So said it, then it must be true."

All the while the various denominations hang on the words of doctors and theologians; they ignore the validity and words of the Holy Scriptures.

I want to put order, sanity, and common sense before the reader from one source and one alone—the Bible. I want to give the Word of God the chance to explain itself. Is not the Bible, as we loosely call it, the word of God?

If we believe that it is the Word of God, then why not let it speak on these issues? Why can’t we come to an agreement and a conclusion that God can and is able to explain to us from His Word who Yeshua (Jesus) is and what the nature of the relationship is between Yeshua and the God of the universe?

In this book, I hope to unify man’s relationship between himself and God, by restoring the God-given name of the country that was promised to the Hebrews (Israel). I hope to restore the people of God to a relationship with their Maker, to know and address Him through His Son by his God-given name, Yeshua.

Think for a moment: How would you feel if, in a conversation with another person, that person did not bother to learn your name? How would you feel if, as the conversation progressed, this person not only made no effort to learn your name, but made up a name convenient for them to use, regardless of the absolute disrespect that this showed?

Now consider what God and Yeshua must feel when man has changed the most important name found in the Bible.

I pray this book does not create strife, resentment or confusion over the Word of God, but that this book will bring order, strength, clarity, and shalom (peace) to your understanding of the Word of God.

It is this writer’s plea that the readers will not get discouraged in the first chapter or two when they find out that the contents are so very different from what they have believed—what they have been raised to believe—all their lives.

It is my desire that readers will finish reading the whole book and let the scriptures speak for themselves before making judgments about the content of this book. They will bring stability to your life and to those who are influenced by you.

May God be praised from now through Eternity! May His word shine forth into the hearts of those who seek His truth and His salvation.

CHAPTER 1

In The Beginning

In the beginning, when Adam and Havah (Eve) first sinned, the scriptures record that they saw their nakedness. This would indicate that both Adam and Havah were clothed with something before they sinned.

Clothed With Aura

Psalm 104:1-2

1 Bless the LORD, my soul. The LORD, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.

2 He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.

1 Timothy 6:14-16

14 That you keep the mitzvah [commandments] without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah;

15 which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of Lords;

16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

Psalm 104 shows that Yeshua is clothed with the splendor and majesty of his God’s light. The premise is that man was created in the image and likeness of his God, Yeshua. Shaul (Paul) clarifies what the image and likeness of Yeshua is by stating that only Yeshua dwells in unapproachable light, which no man has seen or can see. With this in mind, the revelation of God’s might, glory, and majesty can only be revealed through his Son.

Thus, Adam and Havah could only have understood God’s unapproachable light through being clothed with the aura of the Son of God. It was their pre-sin clothing that enabled Adam and Havah to be in perfect fellowship with Yeshua and his Father.

Aura, as defined by any good collegiate or unabridged dictionary, is likened to a strong concentrated aroma. It can also be defined as a nimbus or cloud-like atmosphere that surrounds a person or thing. Aura is also understood as a field of energy derived from the life of a living being.

Imagine the sun being stripped of its aura only to become a planet that does not emit light like the moon. Such a vision is parallel with man being stripped of the warm glow of God’s aura. Without the distinctive atmosphere of God’s presence, Adam and Havah were left cold, naked, and afraid.

Before God walked in the garden at the cool of the day, Adam and Havah’s nudity had been exposed and their fear drove them to cover themselves with fig leaves sown together. The cool of the day speaks of the time around 3 p.m. in the afternoon, also known as the evening oblation. This represents the future redemption of man and the designated, appointed time of his salvation. As man and God converse and walk together, man is actually walking in the prophetic future of redemption.

This record speaks to us of the