The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

According to USA Today’s article entitled, In God’s Name, The Most Mortal Of Combat, "religion” [which is man-made theology] is the most unifying and dividing force on the face of the Earth. All of the world's battles have had religion at their core! Who would have thought that we, in the 21st century, would be fighting battles over ancient religions?" Wars and rumors of war are everywhere and while nations gear up for battle, war protests rage around the world. The March 2003, Miami Herald’s article “God’s Name Invoked By All” indicated “billions of people on the earth claim to know God, have Him, or claim to act in His name, yet move forward at cross purposes. Is He in the midst of this confusion? What makes the question pressing -- and paradoxical – is that there is no shortage of answers, theories and opinions. He is claimed by President Bush, who invoked him in prayer for protection and victory while arguing the morality of invading Iraq. And Bush defends his position that he declared ‘righteous war’. Iraq makes the same claims of Holy War ‘in God’s name’ as well. However, the most amazing thing of all is that while billions of people vehemently profess to know Him, God Himself, is called by everything BUT his [HOLY] name…Allah, GOD, Jehovah, The LORD, even “that Old Testament God of War…”. According to what people think and profess, GOD, it seems, is okay with whatever we say in His name, He’s on everyone's side and backs everything. Or maybe GOD is Sovereign and His will shall be done!! GOD revealed His [personal/Holy] name to Moses and the fact that His name would remain as such forever as a ‘memorial’ unto all generations. Then those of us living in this end-time generation should be amazed that His ‘eternal memorial-name’ is hardly known to persons professing belief in Him. His [HOLY] name is “YHWH” [YAHWEH], The GOD of Israel.

How intimate can a relationship be wherein one party does not know the name of the other? Thus, calling YHWH “Ha Shem” (The Name) is not a name!!

Volume 4, Issue 3 - July 2003

“I have set a watchman upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night. You that make mention of YHWH, keep not silence”. Isaiah 62:6

Jeremiah 16:21 “I will cause them to know mine

hand and my might; and they shall know that My name is

“ .

Exodus 3:14-15 “I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of

Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you… this is My name for ever, and this is My

memorial unto all generations.”

The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

The October 2001 Christianity Today refers to the ‘names’ of God in their article, “How Excellent Are Thy Names”. But YHWH refers repeatedly to his ‘name’ [singular] while the bible denotes multiple ‘titles and personal attributes of YHWH’s character”.

The [four-letter Hebrew] Tetragrammation, , [pronounced YaHWeH] appears in the Bible 6,828 times!!! The name [or Ha Shem], Yahweh, identifies who He is, because His name “I AM’ [or YHWH] means “to exist”. Yahweh appears hundreds of times in the Old Testament; most often in the Psalms in the form of halleu - jah [literally meaning praise Yah – (or Jah as it appears in Psalms 68:4)]. Sadly, believers say ‘halleluyah’ on a regular basis, believing they call upon God, when in fact they inadvertently use the Holy Name of the Most High, the True and Living GOD, Yahweh Elohim, GOD of Israel identified in Genesis 1:1 as “The Creator” of all things, seen and unseen. Thus, mankind calls upon His name in vain – with no real discernment of Who’s name they speak! Elohim (or GOD) is the plural form of El and is one of many titles. Men began to call upon the name of YHWH as early as Genesis 4:26, but He revealed Himself to Moses and his servants at different times in various ways. YHWH referring to Himself as a “strong tower” in Proverbs 18, He revealed himself to King David [1 Kings 8:27] as being One who cannot be contained by the heaven of heavens. [The heavens were recently described by scientists as having “no boundaries and no center”. This is because the True and Living Elohim, Yahweh, is the center of all things, the beginning and the End, and is greater and more infinite than the infinite heavens that He created!!] “Darkness is His secret place; His pavilion round Him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before Him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. YHWH also thundered in the Heavens, and the Highest [YHWH] gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yes…He shot out lightenings, and discomfited them. Then the…foundations of the world were discovered at Thy rebuke, O YHWH, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils (Psa 18:11-16)”

YHWH even compares himself to ‘pagan’ Gods, but reveals himself as the Most High of GOD of all that exists!! He is a jealous GOD who will not share his glory and who deserves to be given praise day and night, but instead of praising Him day and night, He said that His NAME is blasphemed continuously everyday-Isa 52:5. YHWH is a GOD of Peace and patience, but He has also identified Himself as a “Man Of War (Exo 15:3) because with justice he judges and makes war against his enemies - Rev. 19:11. Deut 10:17 “For the LORD [YHWH] your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” May 6, 2003 Christianity Today article entitled “The God of War” addressed this very issue in which a Kansas believer stated: “God seems to sanction raw violence in the Old Testament. Does his character change in the New Testament?” The short answer was, “there is no disconnect between the testaments. From Genesis to Revelations, GOD’s character remains consistent”, but there’s still much to understand.

The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

The article explained, “The Bible records many accounts of fighting and warfare. The providence of God in war is exemplified by His name YHWH Sabaoth ("The LORD of hosts"--Exodus 12:41). YHWH is revealed as the Omnipotent Warrior-Leader of the Israelites who raised up warriors among the Israelites such as Joshua/Yahshua [which means YHWH is Salvation], Samson, Deborah and Gideon who were anointed by the Spirit of Yah to conduct war. The Israelites knew they were headed for war after leaving Egypt (Num 32:6). An entire section of Deuteronomy was composed with instructions on Israel going to war. The priest was to speak to the troops and encourage them to remain courageous: "For the LORD your GOD [YHWH your Elohim] is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory" (Dt 20:4). This is proved through the conquering of Jericho by the Israelites.” As Canaan [Noah’s grandson] was cursed [Gen 9:25], the city was cursed [Josh 9:25] and belonged to YHWH. Things devoted to YHWH [the righteous, as well as the wicked], will fulfill their purpose. This is expressed in Joshua 6:15-19 where things and persons, irrevocably given to YHWH are occasionally destroyed. People sometimes find it hard to accept the idea of GOD allowing people to die in war [or simply die], but traditionally accept the idea of the destruction of GOD's enemies quite easily. The result of Jericho’s destruction was the spread of YHWH’s fame and glory among the nations -- His will. The battle was for YHWH’s glory, a against His enemies" (Josh 2:9-11;4:24;6:1,27). This war was far more than just human conflict. YHWH Himself was waging war against Satan and his hosts! The Canaanites were devoted to idolatry, divination, necromancy, witchcraft, charms, and familiar spirits" (Dt 18:9-14; 1 Cor 10:20-21). These are enemies of YHWH along with all who practice them. Joshua's assignment at Jericho and throughout his military career was to follow YHWH's lead [as His divine instrument] to destroy the systems of false worship (Dt 12:1-3) and punish the sin of the Canaanites which empowered these systems (Gen 15:16). While the Israelites viewed the Canaanites as [holy war] enemies, YHWH viewed them as servants of his enemies!!!. They had refused him and deserved His judgment, not man’s!! But the sword has a double-edged blade and swings both ways. Although Israel was YHWH’s chosen nation of priests, when they began to walk contrary to YHWH’s ways, YHWH used ‘pagan’ nations as a strap to subdue Israel in military defeat and many of our own people died. The story of Achan’s Babylonish garment and the Israelites’ defeat at Ai (Joshua 7), proves this fact -- in that through the sin of one, many are affected and are often influenced. Thus, sometimes “the [so-called] innocent” die!! For, none is righteous, no not one [Rom 3:10], so there is sin among us. As the world shakes off its ‘morality’ and a global community takes shape, there are striking parallels with the past. Think of a sports-crazed culture, deep into Eastern spiritualism and mysticism, political globalism, and ‘religious’ unity where women find child-rearing an inconvenience while alternative sexual lifestyles and repeated divorce and remarriage is the [in]stability of the times. Titus 1:16 “They PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Titus 1:16

Imagine materialism and self-gratification that is encouraged in society and the church so much so that perversion [at every level, including sexual] is running unchecked. This was the culture of the ancient Roman empire and it parallels our generation so closely in these last days, that it’s spooky. In Eurasia, the EU beast, it’s euro and army, have almost become “an equal” of the U.S. Superpower [and one of them has to fall soon]. While in England and France, secular, materialistic and ‘ungodly’ trends are so apparent, that missionaries sent to [so-called] “save” South American and African souls, race home to save their own nations’ souls. Four earthquakes [within one week] rocked Japan causing repeated mini-quakes in California. On our shores, fires rage in the western U.S. while the east cost has experienced so much rain that sea levels are rising rapidly, eroding shores, weakening tree roots, causing trees to fall on people in Florida and Georgia at alarming rates. And the U.S. itself, economically and politically has deteriorated to naught with unemployment

The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

rates at an all-time high. The Supreme Court’s recent shift from the family to the same sex ‘craze’ is reinforcing the influx of gay clergy and plum-meting church attendance. Are we not in the midst of lifestyles and beliefs that “defy the ways, truth, glory and sovereignty of YHWH?? Thus, we blaspheme his name continuously, everyday, just as He said. The very peace people long for may be granted by the Maker of Peace, YHWH Himself when people obey His will, when they fear Him, when their decisions are based upon His laws and definitions of what constitutes “sin” -- and not our own “man-made laws” that men make and break, or change as they will. Vengeance belongs to YHWH, He will repay-(Isa 59:18, Isa 65:6, Jer 51:56, Rom 12:19, Matt 10:28). Holy War is fought by YHWH on behalf of His Holy Name and its magnification rather than by men who say they “have cause and Him” on their side.

“I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle… the LORD shall go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle”- Zechariah 14:2-3

THE SILENCED WORD

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”. 2 Peter 1:21

The Bible is the Word of YHWH and if studied properly, each page proves itself. But not everyone believes this. Johann

Salomo Semler, an 18th century N.Y. School Board Director, called ‘the Scripture and Word of God’ theology's "root of all evil”. And today, when asked if people believe the bible is the infallible Word of YHWH, most theologians worldwide would say “No”, according to Christianity Today Magazine. After a service, in which the bible was never opened, one minister explained this popular trend, ‘Our worship services are designed with “seekers” in mind and “un-churched people have neither the attention span or the interest to read bible passages. You have to give them a contemporary and relevant service’. This authority crisis is a reflection of the authority crisis we experience at home and in our schools when we diminish and dilute His Word. The Barna Research Group reports that 75% of people believe the bible’s accuracy but 67% of them believe that Satan isn’t a being but is a symbol of evil. 60% believe that ‘good people’ can earn salvation simply with good deeds [which were not identified specifically], and 53% believe the Messiah committed sins while he walked the earth…(???) The number of people who don’t know the bible is astonishing!!! “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And

how shall they preach, except they be sent?? Romans 10:15

According to the EU Observer.com (July 14, 2003), the Italian Prime Minister and President of the European Council Silvio Berlusconi has floated the idea of creating a "real European government" composed of the Prime Ministers of Europe–each representing his own country. Sounding much like the prophesied “kings who are to give their loyalty to the Antichrist ruler, are these kings the 10 new nations who will join the EU membership ranks in January 2004? Or, are they a part of the EU’s new military wing? No king is a king without an army to control his kingdom.

Rev 17:12 “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength

unto the beast”.

The Constitution of Rome

“And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or …he that believeth with an infidel?…Wherefore come out from among them, be ye

separate, saith the Lord, touch not the unclean thing; I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my

sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”. 2 Corinthians 6:15-18

The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

Well aware that it must have the military might so that it can out-muscle the U.S., on May 27, the EU signed a $23 billion contract to buy a fleet of 180 Airbus A400 military transport jumbo jets with the capacity to deploy up to 20,000 troops far beyond European shores in a single aircraft. The move was a dream come true for the French President Jaques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who since breaking with Washington over Iraq, have vowed to create “a power” to rival the U.S. Flexing their new-found muscle, the EU deployed a troop of 1,400 to the Congo in their first military act independent of NATO [The North Atlantic Treaty Organization]. But, a member of Germany's Constitutional court [pictured above] was critical of the EU. Judge Siegfried Bross, responsible for European law in Karlsruhe criticized the fact that there was no mention of God in the EU Constitution draft [formed at the Thessaloniki Summit, June 20-21, 2003]. This ‘constitution’ is a focal point in world history, although 55% of ‘sleepy Europeans’ surveyed by EU leaders have never heard of the June summit]. According to the Euobserver.com, Jen-Peter Bonde, an expert on EU political affairs, said, ‘Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has the honor of hosting the summit in December 2003 in Rome’. “There, The Treaty of Rome will be buried and the Constitution of Rome will be born!!” The birth of a constitution means the birth of a Sovereign Nation! It’s the revival of the Roman Empire, the endtime kingdom of the Antichrist ruler.

The 1957 Treaty of Rome, signed by France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - established the European Economic Community. Along with the Paris and Euratom treaties, it is one of the foundation stones of the European Community. Referred to as the Treaty, it has been amended several times to take account of new member states joining the EU. Most recently it has been updated by the Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice Treaties. However, it should not be assumed that just because a country is not a party to a treaty -- or, as it is typically put, a "Member State"--that citizens of such a country [i.e., America] will not be affected by the provisions of that treaty. The recent U.S. Supreme Court (Texas) decision against anti-sodomy laws used “foreign precedent” [for the first time] as a basis for it’s ruling.

“…even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is

the last time.” 1 John 2:18

People worldwide, have had thoughts about the coming tribulation, with much of their focus on survival supplies, possessions of the worldly goods and anxieties of the ages; things of everyday normal life. However, many people foresee these things as normal events far into the

future but, international news (regarding North Korea) may give them a different perspective and provide a real foretaste of what this time will be like for mankind. A group of 17 political and human rights activists have issued a statement urging the Bush administration to include human rights in negotiations in-spite of North Korea’s nuclear threat. One of the signers of his statement firmly believes that North Korea revealed it’s nuclear program to force the United States to negotiate on security and to provide them with economic assistance. Robert A. Seiple is the founder of the Institute for Global Engagement. In a July 8, 2003 article, he and other activists, told the U.S. that it must not allow Pyongyang’s policies of committing atrocities against its own people to be a successful exchange for promises not to make nuclear threats.

The atrocities they speak of have been revealed by several former citizens seeking asylum as early as Jan 2000. A Korean prison guard told the Human Rights Watch how religious practice worsens punishment for those caught

trying to flee the country. “If refugees met with reporters, wrote articles or attended church”, the former guard says, “they would be secretly killed”. Matt 24:10-13 “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

In communist Korea, only one religion is permitted: the worship of the late dictator Kim Sung ıl and his son and successor Kim Jong ıl…before whose statues Koreans are made to bow. Thus, according to Christianity Today, July 2003, an estimated 100,000 political prisoners are in various camps and prisons suffering starvation, torture, or execution for their belief in Christ. [The Wall Street Journal believes the number is closer to 400,000]. In one prison, ac-cording to the HRW Report, authorities hang the captured refugees from the wall by their hands tied behind their backs, for one to seven days. They also employ professional beaters that beat people so harshly that many became disabled, paralyzed or died. Even the extended families of these prisoners go with them into inhumane conditions. Korean officials were quoted as saying, newcomers must be broken in “spirit” this way. A former inmate, Soon Ok Lee, testified before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in January confirming that Christians are singled out for the most extreme punishment such as solitary confinement in cells that are so small they prevent prisoners from standing. The world is rapidly preparing for the worship of a “man” as God. The signs are all around us. The North Korean crisis is evidence that man not only disregards another human life, but he also openly blasphemes the True and Living GOD, YHWH who gave life to all.

“What if God, willing to shew his wrath…to make

his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to

destruction… that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which

he had afore prepared unto glory”. Romans 9:22-24

Patience is a virtue, they say. Well, it wasn’t really ‘they’ who said it in the first place. Only a paraphrase of YHWH’s own wisdom, written thousands of years ago in the bible, “we glory in tribulations”…knowing that tribulation works patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. (Rom 5:4-5). Isn’t this virtuous? But do we even begin to comprehend the uncompromising magnitude of YHWH’s capacity for “longsuffering” toward us? Especially in light of man’s uncompromising tendencies of selfishness towards one another and Him? But, we must be like Him!!

YHWH bears long and is slow to anger. Longsuffering is proof of Yah’s goodness, faithfulness and His desire to grant us salvation. Yah relents from doing harm, restraining His wrath towards those who deserve it. Despite the rebellious condition of the world, He waited patiently for 120 years while Noah built the ark and gathered the animals. Yah’s longsuffering does not overlook anything. Unlike man, He has the end in view. He has true foresight, knows what is best and is not swayed by human emotions – as proved in Luke 18:7:

“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”

The heroes of today’s culture are often portrayed in the media as bold defenders of democracy, wherein others are destroyed, regardless of their potential. The fruit coming from our tree points to an impatient, self-centered world for which we are beginning to “see the hand of Yah” upon us. Through His love and patience, His rebuke teaches us “to be still and see the Salvation of Yah”; for tribulation worketh patience.

Ezek 6:9-10 “I AM broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. ..they shall know that I AM YHWH, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them”.

S tillness causes us to consider our lives and anything that is not descent and in order. YHWH showed his “patience” in His

Anointed, Yahshua Ha Mashiach (the Messiah) through the revelations of the beloved prophet, Isaiah [Isa 44:1-3 & 53]. YHWH also loved Israel so whole-heartedly, even before the 12 tribes were formed, that he formed Yahshua from the womb to be His right arm of Salvation. While deep in the midst of their sin, he made a covenant with our forefathers (Israel) thousands of years

NOTES FROM THE ELDER PRIEST YACHOV BEN ISRAEL (YHWH is pronounced Yahweh; He is The Most High, The True and Living God of Israel)

The Watchman – The United Congregation of Israel

ago that he would save their children, and we would be His nation of priests in whom He would be glorified. This means that in the magnitude of His love and longsuffering, YHWH, for almost 6 thou-sand years, has waited patiently for his HOLY NAME TO BE GLORIFIED beyond the depths of the universe forever! And since He will be glorified in Israel, we know that our change is going to come.