In this article we will apply the typical common sense approach to YEHOVAH's Truth that we apply elsewhere on this site. This common sense approach should be contrasted with the rampaging fire of Scripturally unsubstantiated mystical mysteries that are being supplied from self-anointed "rabbis" within the counterfeit Messianic and Nazarene groups -- as well as some of the Churches of God. These individuals are among the most profoundly spiritually blind in all the earth. They have chosen to blind themselves to truth as they seek to conform Scripture to what they already are biased to believe from their Constantinian-Christian upbringing instead of conforming their beliefs to the COMMON SENSE teachings from Scripture. May YEHOVAH God have mercy on them for their arrogant self-exaltedness and zealous promotion of idolatrous worship of a false God.

The issue of this short article centers on the definition of an emissary (agent or representative) of YEHOVAH God. One of the more common applications of this principle regards the misunderstanding of how Yeshua, who is NOT God, was able to do things that only YEHOVAH God should be able to do, such as forgive sins. Many people hastily jump to the wrong conclusion that such powerful acts prove Yeshua the Messiah is God incarnate. We cannot count the number of times people have emailed us or spoken to us voicing the question:

"Well, if Messiah is not God how come he was able to forgive sins? Only God can forgive sins."

That question symbolizes a vast ignorance that persists in the minds of those affected by traditional Christian bias and error -- an ignorance born in the standard Christian failure to grasp Hebraic principles. As we often state on this website, since the entire Bible is written from a Hebraic perspective, failure to interpret it from its foundational Hebraic context assures misunderstanding of Scripture. Simply put, there is simply no way to correctly interpret Scripture unless Hebraic concepts are applied. (NOTE: "Hebraic" does NOT necessarily equal "Judaic" -- a fact we elaborate upon elsewhere). In this case, the same faulty thinking by those who assume the Messiah is God because he could forgive sins applies to issues such as how the Messiah was able to heal, resurrect or, in general, perform miracles.

"This," write Bob and Suzanne Hamrick, "is yet another example of western "Christianity's" futherance of its Constantine origins, in its readiness to formulate anti-Torah doctrines based on an incomplete understanding of the Hebraic culture within which all of these events and teachings occurred. Because most of the "New Testament" Bible was written by Jews [Israelites] and about Jews [Israelites], in a Jewish [Israelite] culture dating back several thousand years, the failure to interpret it from its actual, original, Hebraic cultural context absolutely guarantees frequent, and often crucial, misunderstandings of the whole of Scripture. And so today. The only reason that such errors persist is that they reinforce the trinitarian teachings of so-called "Christianity," and most "Christians" have little interest in examining the actual foundations of the faith upon which they are relying for their salvation..." (Yeshua the Messiah -- The Shaliach (Emissary) of God! p. 9.)

Dr. James D. Tabor, Professor of Christian Origins and Ancient Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, points out the crux of the problem:

"The confusion comes when people misunderstand the basic idea of agency. As chief agent of YHVH the Messiah does carry out the Divine Will. In that sense he too can be seen as King, Judge, Shepherd, Redeemer, Savior, Lord, etc. But he is never called YHVH, and all such roles are clearly given to him by YHVH Himself. Shared rulership, task, and mission, do not imply shared identity. For example, according to Revelation 3:21 the Messiah promises his faithful followers that they can "sit with me on my throne, as I sat with my Father (YHVH) on His throne." The idea here is unity of task and mission, not a merging of personal identity.

"The same is the case with the oft quoted statement of Yeshua that "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). Christians, trying to defend the non-biblical doctrine of the Trinity, often rip this verse totally out of context and completely ignore the commentary of Yeshua himself in John 17:21-23. He makes it clear that the "oneness" he has with "the only true God" (see 17:3!), is precisely equivalent to the "oneness" he has with his followers. Such language never implies "ontological identity" but unity of purpose and mission! The problem is that these texts are written in Greek, and particularly in the Gospel of John, have been given a Hellenistic cast. Subsequently, Christians who have totally lost all contact with Judaism and with the basic Biblical, Hebraic, thought-world, read them and make out of them what was never intended by their Jewish [Israelite] authors" (Restoring Abrahamic Faith, Genesis 2000, Charlotte, NC 1993, p. 78).

Likewise, as YEHOVAH's unique emissary (shaliach), Yeshua became a virtual extension of YEHOVAH God. Again, this is what he meant when he said that he was "one" with God. It is also what he prayed for when he prayed that his followers would likewise be "one" with the Father just as he is:

John 17:11: "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are...." (KJV).

John 17:21: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (KJV).

John 17:22: "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:" (KJV).

Yeshua the Messiah was an EMISSARY of YEHOVAH God -- but he was NOT God. Obviously, if one applies common sense, he or she must admit that the emissary of another is NOT the one who commissioned him as an agent. The emissary, and one who commissioned him as an agent, are separate and distinct entities. The very meaning of "emissary" requires this to be the case! When the Messiah says he was "sent," it proves he is NOT God! Why is it so difficult for those who believe the Messiah is God to see this -- and the many other -- SIMPLE, common sense facts?

So, Yeshua, as the agent of YEHOVAH God, cannot possibly be the One from whom he was sent as an agent. Of course, the aforementioned "rabbis" would argue that it is a "Kabbalstic" truth that can only be understood by delving into the mysterious "ein sof," and that it is "hidden" from all but the most wise, which they arrogantly consider themselves to be. It is this egocentric basis that so entices others to believe their gibberish since all that agree with them can join them in their feeling of "specialness" and "divine wisdom" as they elevate themselves over those who rely upon a common sense reasoning approach to Scripture. We accept Yeshua's words instead of theirs when he says,"

Matthew 11:25: "It was at that time that Yeshua said, 'I thank you, Father, LORD of heaven and earth, that you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated and revealed them to ordinary folks'” (JNT).

Luke 10:21: "At that moment he was filled with joy by the Ruach HaKodesh [holy spirit] and said, 'Father, LORD of heaven and earth, I thank you because you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated, yet revealed them to ordinary people. Yes, Father, I thank you that it pleased you to do this'” (JNT).

Of course he said this during prayer to YEHOVAH God, but the kabbalistic Messianic leaders would see that as God praying to God!! Actually, they would give a "mystical" explanation that defies all common sense, as does their entire definition of a man-God Messiah.

Indeed, recognition of the true God and true Messiah are concealed from counterfeit Kabbalistic Messianics and Constantinian-Christians that consider themselves "sophisticated and educated."

The Meaning of "Shaliach"

The Hebrew word for emissary is shaliach (sha-LEE-ock). Below we will quote from an Orthodox Jewish teaching. It comes from ChabadOnline.com, which is an online website promoting Chabad-Lubavitch teachings. Obviously, since it is a thoroughly Judaic organization, they should know Hebrew, and the quote we will show represents the standard Hebraic view, not simply the Orthodox Jewish view. Therefore, since the entire Bible was written by men with a Hebraic view, the quote also represents the Biblical view and is NOT the false Hebraic view counterfeit Messianics would have us to believe. We found this quote quite useful to help us understand the mission of Yeshua the Messiah. It opens up the mind to consider Yeshua as the shaliach of YEHOVAH God and of our responsibility to be shaliachim (emissaries). This Hebraic understanding of an emissary is very illuminating when one considers the mission of the Messiah and our mission to advance the Kingdom. This is an outstanding snippet, which gives insight into the Biblical (Hebraic) concept of an emissary and the emissary's master. Within the quote we have placed our own comments in read brackets [ ... ].

"Shaliach -- the word means 'agent' and 'emissary' -- is a halachic (Torah-legal) term for a person empowered by someone else to act in his stead. [Yeshua was empowered by YHVH (YEHOVAH God) to act in His stead.] The shaliach first appears in the Torah in the person of Eliezer, whom Abraham commissioned to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Rebecca was selected and betrothed as a wife for Isaac by Eliezer -- she was legally Isaac's wife without her actual husband having ever set eyes on her or having exchanged a single word with her. In the words of the Talmud, 'A person's shaliach is as he himself.'"

Consider this in light of Yeshua saying, "I and the Father are one." As YEHOVAH's shaliach, Yeshua was acting in behalf of YEHOVAH God; thus, YEHOVAH's emissary or representative was as YEHOVAH God, since he was fully empowered to legally act as YEHOVAH's chosen agent. However, just as Eliezer was NOT Abraham, Yeshua is NOT YEHOVAH God! This is what Yeshua meant when he said such things as:

John 8:28: "Yeshua therefore said, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught me'" (NASB).

 John 8:42: "Yeshua said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on my own initiative, but He sent me'" (NASB).

John 8:50: "But I do not seek my glory; there is One who seeks and judges" (NASB).

There exists a halachic model (the eved or "slave") for one who has abnegated his will, personality and very identity to that of his "master."

Yeshua was also YEHOVAH God's slave in the sense that he submitted his will to YEHOVAH God, just as we should; however, he did not submit his identity or personality. Recall that prior to Yeshua's death he prayed to his God and Father, "not my will, but thine, be done." (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42). We should submit our will to the same God Yeshua did, which is NOT the God promoted by Trinitarians and all others that promote a Messiah man-God.

There also exists the model of the "employee" (sachir), who assumes the obligation to perform a certain task for someone else, but whose personality and identity remain separate and distinct from the personality and identity of his "employer." The shaliach is unique in that he or she retains a great degree of autonomy in carrying out his mission, yet at the same time becomes a virtual extension of the person who commissioned him (the meshaleiach).

Dr. James D. Tabor also notes that

"There are a few New Testament texts which speak of the Messiah as reflecting the image of YHVH God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Again; this is not to be confused with identity. An image is just what the word implies, representation. The idea here is that YHVH Himself is invisible and unseen, but the Messiah can reflect the image of God. In other words, the Messiah can function as a human representation and manifestation of God.

"One must never confuse the reflection, no matter how functionally important, with the One reflected. The angel of YHVH of whom YHVH speaks at the time of the Exodus, could speak for God and even represent Him with full power and authority. He was a visible manifestation of the Invisible One whom no man can see or behold, but nonetheless, the two are distinguished (Exodus 23:20-21; Exodus 33:12-17). Indeed, Moses is quite concerned that this representative one whom YHVH says He will send is not the actual and direct Presence of YHVH Himself.

"The Messiah is also called "Son of God" as we have seen (Psalm 2:7). This does not make him YHVH God. Rather it implies faithfulness and intimacy (see 2 Samuel 7:14!). The son remains just that, a "son." As such, he carries out the will of his Father, YHVH God. Never are the roles confused (see 1 Corinthians 15:28). The later Christian Church made a subtle but fateful shift in concept here: the Hebrew image of "Son of God" became God the Son, a "Second Person" of the Trinity or "Godhead." Such an idea is blasphemous and is nowhere found in Scripture. The entire God-man idea, as developed in Christianity, is an Hellenistic, pagan, concept, completely foreign to Biblical Hebraic thought" (Restoring Abrahamic Faith, pps. 78-79).

"Next," explain Bob and Suzanne Hamrick, "we need to understand just what 'the Son of God' was expected to be able to do, according to prophecies in the Tanakh [Old Testament] and the Hebraic culture in which he arose. According to our western understanding, Yeshua ("Jesus") was able to do things that only God should be able to do, such as work miracles and forgive sins. Because most of "Christianity" is trinitarian (or "binitarian"), most Christians have been taught that such supernaturally powerful acts PROVE that Yeshua the Messiah is God incarnate. They also believe, because they have been taught it, that "Jesus" MUST be God because ONLY the "death" of God could atone for the sins of mankind [read, Israel]. Unfortunately for this view, it is found NOWHERE in Scripture, and is an entirely pagan concept! It also ignores the simple fact that God cannot die. Moreover, in both the Tanakh and the Renewed Covenant Scriptures ("New Testament") it is the Father, YHVH Elohim alone, Who determines the acceptability of ANY sacrificer" (Yeshua the Messiah -- Shaliach (Emissary) of God! pps. 5-6).

Regarding the term "shaliach," the Hamricks underscore the importance of its meaning:

"Please understand that we are not speaking here of a mere turn of a phrase, or nuances of translation, but of a fundamental lack of understanding of concepts which were described in detail in the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible, what Christians call the "Old Testament"). This particular concept, that of the shaliach (Strong's H7975 -- one sent) or fully empowered AGENT of (what we would call a proxy in Common Law) another person, was absolutely essential to the entire salvation plan of YHVH for mankind [read, Israel]. Without it, that salvation would have been impossible, and the entirety of creation pointless" (ibid., p. 9).

Personal "Style" Important!

The shaliach does not abnegate his intellect, will, desires, feelings, talents and personal "style" to that of the one whom he represents; rather, he enlists them in the fulfillment of his mission. Yeshua DID submit his will to YEHOVAH God, and Hebraic thought clearly teaches we ARE to submit our will to YEHOVAH God; however, Yeshua maintained his "desires, feelings, talents, and personal 'style'" The result of this in not a lesser bond between the two, but the contrary: the meshaleiach is acting through the whole of the shaliach -- not only through the shaliach's physical actions, but also through the shaliach's personality, which has become an extension of the meshaleiach's personality. YEHOVAH God, as the "Meshaleiach," was "acting through the whole" of Yeshua -- He was utilizing the gifts and personality Yeshua the Messiah possessed.

Intrinsic to the role of shaliach is the challenge to bring one's own initiative, resourcefulness and creativity to the task. Additional information useful for understanding a shaliach is found in The Jewish Encyclopedia, page 232. It describes the "Jewish Law of Agency":

"The Law of Agency deals with the status of a person (known as the agent) acting by direction of another (the principal), and thereby legally binding the principal in his connection with a third person. The person who binds a principal in this manner is his agent, known in Jewish law as sheluach or sheliach (one that is sent): the relation of the former to the latter is known as agency (shelichut). The general principle is enunciated thus: A man's agent is like himself ."

Yeshua, as the agent of YEHOVAH, is FULLY empowered to LEGALLY and FULLY represent YEHOVAH. As the agent (shaliach) of YEHOVAH God, Yeshua is "like," or the "likeness" and "image" of YEHOVAH God; however, just as the agent (the one sent) is not the principal (who sent him), Yeshua is NOT God!

Appointment

Under the Jewish law an agent may be appointed without the formality of writing, that is, by spoken words; and witnesses are not needed to give effect to these words, except to prove, in case of dispute, that authority had been given, and the extent of such authority. The standard authorities in Judaism draw this conclusion from the remark in Kiddushin, 65b, that witnesses are needed only to meet denials.

Notes Tabor --

"As one can clearly see in Acts 3:13, 4:24 and 17:24, YHVH God, the One who appoints and exalts the Messiah, is always named as the Creator -- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- the YHVH of the Hebrew Bible (O.T.). To speak of Yeshua as YHVH God, as some have dared to do, is to totally ignore and trample the very language patterns and careful distinctions of the New Testament writers themselves!" (Restoring Abrahamic Faith, p. 78).

Also, an agent may appoint a subagent (the apostles, and WE who continue to spread the "good news" of Yeshua's rule over Israel and the Kingdom of YEHOVAH God, are subagents sent by Yeshua!).

It should also be noted that a shaliach has his emissary status revoked either by failure (such as Israel) or death. Yeshua did NOT fail and HE LIVES!! Therefore, he is STILL the shaliach of YHVH.

So, there you have it. Yeshua is the shaliach (emissary) of YEHOVAH God, but he is NOT God. Since he is the FULLY empowered agent of YEHOVAH God, he has the power to forgive sins, heal, resurrect, etc. But this power does NOT prove him to be God. All it proves is that he is FULLY empowered by YEHOVAH God!

Each true follower of the Messiah is to go forth as a shaliach of THE Shaliach. After reading the Messiah's own words it should be obvious that Yeshua is the shaliach, sent one, AGENT of the Almighty God. Christianity and counterfeit Messianism present John's gospel as their primary alleged "proof" of Messiah's deity. However, they misrepresent the truth (as usual), because what John actually presents is the evidence proving Yeshua to be the shaliach of YEHOVAH God, but NOT as God! The primary purpose of John's gospel was to prove Yeshua to be the "sent one," the shaliach (agent) of YEHOVAH God. John implicitly states that as being his primary purpose for writing his gospel when he quotes Yeshua summarizing his purpose and the way to eternal life:

John 17:3: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (KJV).

Please ponder intently Yeshua as the shaliach of YEHOVAH God. THE key to understanding Yeshua's mission and position lies in an understanding of shaliach!

Write Bob and Suzanne Hamrick --

"Belief in Yeshua as God diminishes BOTH the Father and the Son: the Father, by asserting that He alone is NOT God, contrary to all of Scripture; and the Son, by laying his 100% human accomplishments at the feet of a non-existent "deity" which could theoretically have done anything. And it is bearing witness against the holy spirit of YHVH, the inspiration for the Bible, which is blasphemy and the unforgivable sin! (Matthew 12:31:32) This may well be the legal basis for the "strong delusion" which the apostle Sha'ul ("Paul") states that the Father will send upon those who "did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:12) In other words, all who CHOOSE to go on believing that "Jesus Christ" IS GOD, after they have received such information as we have presented here, are opening themselves up to being deluded by God on that point! If this is the case, what chance do such people have of ever realizing that their very salvation is in deadly peril because of their false beliefs? Very little, from what we see in 2 Peter 2:20-22:

"20 For if they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Yeshua Messiah, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

"21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

"22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (Yeshua the Messiah -- The Shaliach (Emissary) of God! p. 20).

And last, but certainly not least, to continue to regard the Messiah ("Jesus Christ") AS YEHOVAH God when he is NOT YEHOVAH God, is idolatry -- a violation of the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3), and sin (1 John 3:4). James 1:15 and Revelation 21:8 reveal the result of unrepented sin. So please consider the Messiah as the Shaliach of YEHOVAH God. Understanding the Hebraic concept of shaliach is the KEY to understanding both the Father's and the Messiah's actual identities -- apart from the Constantinian deceptions that have been part of so-called Christianity since 325 A.D.!

May YEHOVAH God open minds and spiritually blind eyes to the truth so that others will finally become fellow emissaries with the Messiah.

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Preparing the Way for the Return of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah!

Hope of Israel Ministries P.O. Box 853 Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A. www.hope-of-israel.org

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