Of First Importance

In both ancient and contemporary history, Israel's [1] defiance of her God is ultimately traced to First Commandment transgression. Israel flagrantly broke and continues to break YEHOVAH's other commandments, but this rebellion always finds its root cause in placing other gods before Him.

When man places another god before YEHOVAH, that god becomes his lord or master. These gods exact lordship by imposing laws and requiring obedience. Yeshua [2] explains this relationship at the human level:

"…why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say [command]?" (Luke 6:46).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [lawlessness NASV]" (Matthew 7:21-23).

Whoever is god in a person's life inevitably determines the laws by which he lives. When YEHOVAH God has been made LORD of someone's life, their innermost desire becomes one of obeying His commandments and statutes. There is no such motivation for the person who has rejected YEHOVAH as his God. Thus, out of all of the Ten Commandments, the First Commandment is the most consequential.

Pluralism

At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin urged his fellow participants to call upon the "God [who] governs in the affairs of man." Although he did not refer to Him by His name, YEHOVAH, there was no ambiguity as to which God he was referring. Mr. Franklin went on to advise his compatriots:

"I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business…." [3]

How far we have fallen was vividly evidenced when on June 25, 1991, at the recommendation of Congressman Nick Rahall (Democrat, West Virginia), Congress called upon a Black Muslim to offer prayer to Allah on behalf of American affairs. This was a GIANT STEP in America's departure from YEHOVAH God, a defection that will not go unpunished.

A contrast of America's early history (whose citizens generally served YEHOVAH and observed His commandments) with contemporary America (whose citizens generally serve other gods and transgress YEHOVAH's commandments) reveals that rather than being blessed, America is being cursed as prophesied in Deuteronomy 28.

Many well meaning non-Christians and Christians alike have been brainwashed into believing that a pluralistic society was the intent and aim of America's founding fathers. Such people have fallen prey to intense anti-Christian propaganda. An honest person needs only to read this country's founding charters and documents to ascertain that our nation was established upon the Christian Bible and the laws of YEHOVAH God. The term "freedom of religion," so often employed by America's forefathers, meant something altogether different from how those promoting pluralism today use the same term. To those who founded this great nation, "freedom of religion" meant "freedom of Christianity," with no tolerance for non-Christian religions or their gods. Consider the following declarations from some of America's early pastors quoted by John Wingate Thornton in his introduction to The Pulpit of the American Revolution:

"[Pastor] John Norton, in the Election Sermon of 1661, said that they [America's early settlers] came 'into this wilderness to live under the order of the [Christian] gospel;' 'that our polity [government] may be a gospel polity, and may be compleat according to the Scriptures, answering fully the Word of God: this is the work of our generation, and the very work we engaged for into this wilderness; this is the scope and the end of it...written upon the forehead of New England…the compleat walking in the faith of the gospel, according to the order of the gospel.'"

The venerable [John] Higginson, of Salem, in his Election Sermon of 1663, stated…"It concerneth New England always to remember that they are originally a plantation religious, not a plantation of trade…. Let merchants…remember this: that worldly gain was not the end and design of the people of New England, but [the Christian] religion…."

In the [Harvard University] election Sermon of 1677…"[Pastor] Increase Mather uttered these words; 'It was love to God and to Jesus Christ which brought our fathers into this wilderness….There never was a generation that did so perfectly shake off the dust of Babylon, both as to ecclesiastical and civil constitutions, as the first generation of Christians that came into this land for the gospel's sake….'" [4]

In Magnalia Christi Americana, Cotton Mather, one of Boston's early ministers, testified to the same:

"I WRITE the WONDERS of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION [Mather's capitalization] flying from the [religious] depravations of Europe, to the American Strand…." [5]

"In the year 1643…several colonies of New-England became in fact, as well as name, UNITED COLONIES [Mather's capitalization].…having declared, 'That we all came into these parts of America with the same end and aim -- namely, to advance the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, and enjoy the liberties of the gospel….'" [6]

"The design of these [European] refugees, thus carried into the [North American] wilderness, was, that they might there 'sacrifice unto the Lord their God:' it was, that they might maintain the power of godliness and practice the evangelical worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, in all the parts of it…." [7]

On December 22, 1820 Daniel Webster quoted the Puritans' aim and design upon landing at Plymouth Rock, and in so doing, reminded his audience of this nation's early Christian character and intent:

"…if God prosper us, we shall here begin a work which shall last for ages; we shall plant here a new society, in the principles of the fullest liberty and the purest religion…we shall fill this region of the great [North American] continent…with civilization and Christianity; the temples of the true God [YEHOVAH] shall rise, where now ascends the smoke of [non-Christian] idolatrous sacrifice…." [8]

"Finally, let us not forget the religious character of our origin. Our [European] fathers were brought hither by their high veneration for the Christian religion. They journeyed by its light, and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate its principles with the elements of their society, and to diffuse its influence through all their institutions, civil, political, or literary. Let us cherish these sentiments, and extend this influence still more widely; in the full conviction, that that is the happiest society which partakes in the highest degree of the mild and peaceful spirit of Christianity." [9]

America's Christian foundations and designs could not be affirmed more emphatically than they were by Patrick Henry:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!" [10]

There have been three Supreme Court decisions [Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 U.S. 457 at 471 (1892), Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 307 at 313 (1952), and McGowan v. Maryland, 366 U.S. 420 at 561 (1961)] declaring that the United States of America is a Christian nation. In an address at Harvard University in 1905, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, David J. Brewer, quoted from Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States:

"This Republic is classified among the Christian nations of the world. It was so formally declared by the Supreme Court of the United States. In the case of HOLY TRINITY vs. UNITED STATES…that Court…added, 'these and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation….'" [11]

Justice Brewer went on to further establish this undeniable fact of American history:

"In several colonies and States a profession of the Christian faith was made an indispensable condition to holding office.…of still more significance…there are no contrary declarations. In no charter or constitution is there anything to even suggest that any other than the Christian is the religion of this country. In none of them is Mohammed, or Confucius, or Buddha in any manner noticed.…there is no charter or constitution [in America] that is either infidel, agnostic or anti-Christian." [12]

In the 1811 court case of People v. Ruggles, New York's Chancellor James Kent rendered a similar opinion:

"Nor are we bound…in the [United States] constitution, as some have strangely supposed, either not to punish at all, or to punish indiscriminately the like attacks [of blasphemy] upon the religion of Mohomet [Islam], or of the Grand Lama [Buddhism], and for this plain reason, that the case assumes that we are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply ingrafted upon Christianity and not upon the doctrines or worship of those imposters." [13]

The French Historian Alexis de Tocqueville in his momentous history of America, Democracy in America, testified to just how emphatic early American legislators were in their allegiance to YEHOVAH God and their intolerance of false gods and non-Christian religions:

"The legislators of Connecticut begin with the penal laws, and…borrow their provisions from the text of Holy Writ. 'Whosoever shall worship any other God than the LORD [YEHOVAH],' says the preamble of the Code, 'shall surely be put to death.'" [14]

Had the intent of America's founding fathers been polytheistic it would not have mattered because YEHOVAH's design for America has always been monotheistic. Otherwise, YEHOVAH Himself would have been fostering first commandment transgression. The pluralism being advocated by today's secularists and many Christians alike cannot be found in either the Old or New Testament. Instead, Moses sternly warned the Israelites against polytheism.

"Thou shalt fear YHVH [15] thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For YHVH thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of YHVH thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 6:13-15).

Additionally, the Messiah admonished us:

"…Thou shalt worship YHVH thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" (Matthew 4:10).

"…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

YEHOVAH is indeed a God of love and mercy; but do not be mistaken, YEHOVAH can also be jealous and intolerant. Consider carefully the following admonitions:

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith YHVH. And again, YHVH shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:29-31).

"…our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

YEHOVAH God is uncompromising and intolerant when it comes to the worship of other gods, and He expects His people to be the same. He expects His followers to drive out or eliminate the worship of all false gods from their land:

"…ye [Israel] shall destroy their [the heathen's] altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for YHVH, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:13-14).

"…ye [Israel] shall drive out all the [heathen] inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures [figured stones NASV], and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down [demolish NASV] all their high places" (Numbers 33:52).

"…ye [Israel] shall overthrow their [the heathen's] altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place" (Deuteronomy 12:3).

Consequently, when America, as a nation, returns to YEHOVAH God and His laws, the synagogues, mosques and the temples of other gods found throughout our land will have to come down.

Storming the Gates of Hell

With the previous scriptures readily available, why was it that America's preachers did not storm "the gates of hell" on June 25, 1991 when Congress allowed prayer to be offered to Allah on behalf of this nation? Perhaps, because they have become "dumb dogs unable to bark" in fulfillment of Isaiah 56:10-11 as a consequence of rejecting the laws of YEHOVAH God.

The first mistake made by congress, preachers and Christians in general was in permitting Muslims (and adherents of other non-Christian religions) to reside in our land. That prayer to Allah was simply the consequence of a prior first commandment transgression:

"Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They [non-Israelite heathens -- verses 23-28] shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee" (Exodus 23:32-33).

A natural outgrowth of such first commandment violation is the election of foreigners as rulers over us. YEHOVAH God does not tolerate this aberration either:

"Thou [Israel] shalt…set him king [or ruler] over thee, whom YHVH thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest NOT set a [non-Israelite] stranger over thee, which is not thy brother [Israelite kindred]" (Deuteronomy 17:15).

With this in mind, we have thumbed our noses at YEHOVAH God by electing a non-Israelite President of the United States.

First Commandment Statutes

YEHOVAH's law consists of three integral components:

"…these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which YHVH your God commanded to teach you, that ye [Israel] might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it" (Deuteronomy 6:1).

Consequently, a thorough study of the first commandment requires that its statutes and judgment be examined as well. The following statutes specify and elucidate first commandment transgression.

Fear

"…these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which YHVH your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them…that thou mightest fear YHVH thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments…all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.…Thou shalt fear YHVH thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you….And YHVH commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear YHVH our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day" (Deuteronomy 6:1-24).

Not only is the fear of YEHOVAH God the BEGINNING of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10), but it also determines whether YEHOVAH is our god. Whom a person fears is almost always whom he obeys, and one's obedience is the primary determinant in demonstrating who is his god. Thus, YEHOVAH demands that we fear only Him:

"…therefore fear YHVH, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served…." (Joshua 24:14).

"…I said unto you, I am YHVH your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites…." (Judges 6:10).

"…YHVH commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel; with whom YHVH had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: But YHVH…Him shall ye fear, and Him shall ye worship, and to Him shall ye do sacrifice. And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which He wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. But YHVH your God ye shall fear; and He shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies" (2 Kings 17:34-39).

Additionally, we are not to fear men, men's governments, the media or any other man-made entity:

"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in YHVH shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25).

"YHVH is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? YHVH is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?…Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [in YEHOVAH] will I be confident" (Psalm 27:1-3).

"…YHVH spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, 'You are not to say, "It is a conspiracy!" In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, and you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.' It is YHWH of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread" (Isaiah 8:11-13 NASV).

"Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men [such as from today's media], neither be ye afraid of their revilings" (Isaiah 51:7).

"…fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil [a false accuser] shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

The apostles were admonished to beware of men and their governments; however, they were not to be fearful of them:

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious…." (Matthew 10:16-19 NASV).

King Solomon provided a similar admonition:

"If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses" (Ecclesiastes 10:4 NASV).

Refusing to fear anyone or anything other than YEHOVAH God is a demonstration of faith, and it is our faith that overcomes the world -- 1 John 5:4. Moreover, the apostle Paul described the absence of fear as a "sign of destruction" to our enemies -- Philippians 1:28.

The fear of YEHOVAH is also one of the Biblical prerequisites for both religious and civil leadership -- Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 17:19, 2 Samuel 23:3 and 2 Chronicles 19:6-7. We are, thus, commanded to fear leaders who fear YEHOVAH God:

"My son, fear thou YHVH and the king [or the ruler who fears YEHOVAH]…." (Proverbs 24:21).

The fear of God-fearing leaders, rather than being contrary to the previous passages, is essentially an expansion of fearing YEHOVAH God Himself.

Love

"…Israel, what doth YHVH thy God require of thee, but to fear YHVH thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve YHVH thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul" (Deuteronomy 10:12).

"…thou shalt love YHVH thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always" (Deuteronomy 11:1).

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams…saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for YHVH your God proveth you, to know whether ye love YHVH your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after YHVH your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him" (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)"

"For this is the love [for] God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3).

The fear of YEHOVAH God is where First Commandment observance begins; nevertheless, under the New Covenant love for YEHOVAH should be our primary incentive for keeping not only the First Commandment but all of the other commandments as well.

Worship

"For thou shalt worship no other god: for YHVH, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:14).

"Take heed…that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and…worship them [other gods]; and then YHVH's wrath be kindled against you…." (Deuteronomy 11:16-17).

"Give unto YHVH the glory due unto His Name; worship YHVH in the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2).

"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:7-9).

"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.…For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" (Romans 1:22-25 NASV).

"…we are the true circumcision, who worship in the spirit of God and glory in [the] Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3 NASV).

Love for YEHOVAH God generates worship. Thus, those who hate YEHOVAH worship other gods. Astrologers, evolutionists, humanists and Jews are some of the people who transgress this First Commandment statute by replacing worship of the Creator with worship of His creation. It is obvious how astrologers, evolutionists and humanists transgress this statute, but it may not be so obvious how today's Jews are guilty of this same transgression. The Jews adhere to the Talmud (which perverts the laws of YEHOVAH God) rather than the Torah; therefore most Jews do not worship YEHOVAH as their God. Furthermore, many Jews look to themselves as their own god. Dr. Alfred M. Lilienthal expounded upon the way in which his fellow Jews have replaced the worship of YEHOVAH with the worship of themselves:

"In contemporary Judaism the worship of the state of Israel and its symbols has been gradually and unfortunately crowding out the worship of the One God [YEHOVAH]." [16]

"…the Jews…became abject idolaters of the new polytheism -- nationalism. Their relationship to God was subordinated to their relationship toward one another." [17]

In an address delivered in 1910 before the New York Free Synagogue, Jacob H. Schiff was more pointed:

"'Hear, Oh Israel, the LORD our God is the only God' has a living meaning…the day will come…when the Unity of God and the brotherhood of man will be universally recognized, is a Jew." [18]

It was probably in the Jewish Cabala that the blasphemous idea of Jewish divinity first originated:

"The Jew is the living God, God incarnate: he is the heavenly man. The other men [non-Jews] are earthly, of inferior race. They exist only to serve the Jew. They are the cattle seed." [19]

In his book The Messianic Idea of Israel, Joseph Klausner provided the Jewish concept of the Redeemer:

"…the whole people Israel [the Jews misnamed]…gradually became the Messiah of the world, the redeemer of mankind." [20]

True Christianity recognizes that Yeshua is the appointed and anointed Messiah of YEHOVAH God. Consequently, any person or group claiming to be the Messiah is contradicting Scripture and essentially worshiping the creature rather than the Creator.

Serve and Obey

"Thou shalt make no covenant with them [the heathen non-Israelites -- verses 23-28], nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against Me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee" (Exodus 23:32-33).

"Thou shalt fear YHVH thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you…." (Deuteronomy 6:13-15).

"…Israel, what doth YHVH thy God require of thee, but to fear YHVH thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve YHVH thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of YHVH, and His statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [anything that replaces YEHOVAH]" (Matthew 6:24).

Anyone refusing to serve YEHOVAH God and keep His commandments does NOT love YEHOVAH:

"For this is the love [for] God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3).

No Other Names

"…in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it [them] be heard out of thy mouth" (Exodus 23:13).

In other words, the names of other gods are not to be a part of our everyday language. They certainly should not be employed so as to put them on equal footing with YEHOVAH. Ancient Israel often transgressed this statute even to the point of calling YEHOVAH "Baal":

"…it shall be…saith YHVH, that thou shalt call Me Ishi; and shalt call Me no more Baali" (Hosea 2:16).

The apostle Peter applied this statute when he made the following proclamation:

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other [than Yeshua's] name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

No Covenants With Non-Israelites and/or Non-Christians

"Thou [Israel] shalt make no covenant with them [non-Israelites], nor with their gods" (Exodus 23:32).

"…ye shall make no league with the [non-Israelite heathen] inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars [mosques, synagogues, etc]…." (Judges 2:2).

"Be ye [Christian Israelites] not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).

This statute applies to treaties, pacts, alliances, coalitions, federations, partnerships, marriages, et al. America, as a nation, has no business making treaties such as GATT and NAFTA with heathen nations, and we, as individuals, have no business entering into partnerships with or marrying non-Christians or non-Israelites.

As for miscegenation, that is, marriage to non-Israelites, YEHOVAH's law declares that the descendants of such miscegenators were not to be permitted to abide in the same geographical land area as Israel:

"A bastard [4464 mamzer (mam-zare'); from an unused root meaning to alienate; a mongrel, i.e. born of a (Israelite) father and a heathen mother -- Strong's Exhaustive Concordance] shall not enter into the congregation of YHVH [a term in the Bible primarily applied to Israel's geographical land area]; even to his tenth generation [a Hebrew idiom meaning forever] shall he not enter into the congregation of YHVH" (Deuteronomy 23:2).

"Kind after kind" has been YEHOVAH God's law from the beginning -- see Genesis 1.

No Integration With Non-Israelite Heathen

"They [non-Israelite infidels -- verses 23-28] shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against Me [YEHOVAH]: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee" (Exodus 23:33).

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith YHVH, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith YHVH Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

Christian Israel cannot allow foreigners serving spurious gods to abide in her midst without suffering horrific consequences. The following principle applies as much to nations as it does to individuals:

"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals'" (1 Corinthians 15:33 NASV).

In 1776 there were approximately 2.5 million people in America. Less than one percent of the population was represented by 20,000 Catholics, 3,000 non-Israelite Jews [21], and a few Deists; more than ninety-nine percent were white Christian Israelite [22] Protestants. In light of these demographics, it is an illuminating fact that the more non-Israelite heathen immigrants allowed to remain in this country, the less Christian this nation becomes. Our tolerance for other religions is destroying America. It is undeniable that the more multicultural America has become, the more religiously pluralistic she has become, and the more pluralistic America has become the more heathen and ungodly she has become as well. In a chapter entitled "Most Americans Claim Religious Affiliation" in her book The Official Guide to the American Marketplace, demographics specialist Cheryl Russell confirmed this paganizing of America:

"Immigration will slowly change the nation's [America's predominately Christian] religious affiliation….Because most of the nation's immigrants are from Mexico…the Roman Catholic church is likely to gain adherents. The influx of Asian immigrants should boost the share of Americans who are Buddhist or Hindu." [23]

Martin E. Marty, a nationally acclaimed demographics expert and director of the Public Religion Project has also confirmed this demographic reality:

"No one noticed it at the time, but the biggest event affecting [non-Christian polytheistic] pluralism was in 1965, when immigration quotas that favored Europeans were altered" [24]

YEHOVAH God warned Israel that foreigners allowed to settle in her land would become snares and thorns:

"…YHVH spake unto Moses…saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them…drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land….But if ye will not drive out the [non-Israelite] inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them" (Numbers 33:50-56).

"Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love YHVH your God. Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: Know for a certainty that YHVH your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which YHVH your God hath given you" (Joshua 23:11-13).

Certain non-Israelite Jewish [25] authors have been honest enough to admit that they (among others peoples) are a modern fulfillment of these two passages:

"The Christian nations, you believe, would have perhaps less objection against the restoration of the Jewish State, since they would hope through this to be rid of an alien population which was always a thorn in their side." [26]

"Every synagogue we Jews build in Christian countries is a finger of scorn we point at our hosts, a sore finger we stick into their eyes, like the leering of a senile old woman who does all sorts of foul mischief before you, and feels safe in the knowledge that you will not lay hands on her to remove her, for fear of contamination." [27]

The Israelites who returned with Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem understood that this First Commandment statute must be implemented if the Kingdom of YEHOVAH God was to be restored:

"Now it came to pass, when they [the Israelites] had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude….Thus [were they] cleansed…from all strangers…." (Nehemiah 13:3-30).

First Commandment Judgment

"If there arise among you a prophet [or your brother, son, daughter, wife, friend or neighbor, verses 16-18]…saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them...that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from YHVH your God…to thrust thee out of the way which YHVH thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee" (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).

"If there be found among you…man or woman, that hath…gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven…and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you" (Deuteronomy 17:2-7).

First Commandment trangression requires the death penalty. For the remnant of Christian Israel who love their God, it takes little more than a suggestion from YEHOVAH to get them to do what He desires. However, for the vast majority of people living in America today, those described by Yeshua as walking in the broad way, commandments enforced by their respective judgments are mandatory to secure a more comprehensive adherence to YEHOVAH's laws and to ensure a functioning Christian society. This idea is conveyed by the apostle Paul in the thirteenth chapter of his epistle to the Roman Christians:

"For [Christian] rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath [the judgments of YEHOVAH God] upon him that doeth evil [who breaks one or more of the commandments of YEHOVAH God]. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake" (Romans 13:3-5).

A person is provided three options under this form of government:

(1) Obedience to the laws of YEHOVAH God as an outcome of a good conscience,

(2) Obedience to the laws of YEHOVAH God as a result of fear of the sword, i.e., the judgments of YEHOVAH, or

(3) The judgments of YEHOVAH God as the consequence of disobedience to YEHOVAH's laws.

Paul elaborated upon the latter two options in his first epistle to Timothy:

"…the law [specifically the judgments] is…made for…the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind [homosexuals], for men-stealers [kidnappers], for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:8-10).

The commandments and statutes alone have proved futile for the type of person described in this passage. Consequently, Paul was referring to the judgments of YEHOVAH God. Such criminally-minded people will either keep the commandments and statutes out of fear of "the sword," or they should be put under "the sword" for their disobedience, and thus wickedness would be purged from among us. Under a government that administers the judgments of YEHOVAH God, such wickedness would be the exception rather than the rule.

Our quest toward restoring YEHOVAH's laws begins with the First Commandment. Let us return to YEHOVAH as our God and King and love and serve only Him.

Endnotes

[1] God's Covenant People: Yesterday, Today and Forever, a 465-page book written by Evangelist Ted R. Weiland, provides a documented dissertation regarding the identity of Israel with today's Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian, Celtic and kindred peoples. To obtain a copy, write Mission to Israel Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Suggested donation, hardcover -- $23.00, soft cover -- $14.00.

[2] "Yeshua" is the English transliteration of our Savior's Hebrew name and is preferred by the author.

[3] Benjamin Franklin, quoted by James Madison, The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, Max Farrand, ed. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991) Vol. I, pp. 450-452, June 28, 1987, quoted by David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: Wallbuilder Press, 1992) p. 109.

[4] John Wingate Thornton, Introduction, The Pulpit of the American Revolution: Political Sermons of the Period of 1776, 1860 edition reprinted (Boston, MA: Da Capo Press, 1970) pp. xviii-xix.

[5] Pastor Cotton Mather, D.D., Magnalia Christi Americana; or, The Ecclesiastical History of New-England…, 1702 and subsequent editions reprinted (New York, NY: Russell & Russell, 1967) Vol. I, p. 25.

[6] Mather, Vol. I, p. 160.

[7] Mather, Vol. I, p. 240.

[8] Daniel Webster, discourse at Plymouth Rock on December 22, 1820, The Works of Daniel Webster (Boston, MA: Brown and Company, 1858) Vol. I, p. 10.

[9] Webster, Vol. I, pp. 48-49.

[10] Patrick Henry, quoted by David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: Wall Builder Press, 1992) p. 25.

[11] Associate Justice David Josiah Brewer, address at Harvard University, 1905.

[12] Brewer, address at Harvard University, 1905.

[13] Chancellor James Kent, "People v. Ruggles, 8 Johns (NY) 290 (1811)," quoted by Leo Pfeffer in Church State and Freedom (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1953) p. 665.

[14] Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, translated from French by Henry Reeve (New York, NY: The Colonial Press, 1899) Vol. 1, p. 37.

[15] Where the Tetragrammaton "YHVH" (the four Hebrew characters that represent the personal name of God) has been incorrectly rendered as "the LORD" or "GOD" in Scripture, the author has taken the liberty to correct those passages and insert "YHVH."

[16] Dr. Alfred M. Lilienthal, The Other Side of the Coin (New York, NY: The Devin-Adair Company, 1965) p. 62.

[17] Lilienthal, p. 64.

[18] Jacob Henry Schiff, quoted by Rabbi Stephen Samuel Wise, Free Synagogue Pulpit: Sermons and Addresses (New York, NY: Bloch Publishing Company, 1910) Volume II, p. 127.

[19] "Cabala," quoted by Dr. Edward R. Fields, Judaism: The World's Strangest Religion (Marietta, GA: The Truth at Last, Publishers) p. 8.

[20] Joseph Klausner, Ph.D., The Messianic Idea in Israel (London, England: Bradford & Dickens, 1956) p. 163.

[21] God's Covenant People: Yesterday, Today and Forever not only provides a documented dissertation regarding the identity of Israel with today's Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian, Celtic and kindred peoples, but it also reveals (by the testimony of the Jews themselves) that today's Jews are not Israelites. To obtain a copy, write Mission to Israel Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Suggested donation, hardcover -- $23.00, soft cover -- $14.00.

[22] God's Covenant People: Yesterday, Today and Forever, a 465-page book written by Evangelist Ted R. Weiland, provides a documented dissertation regarding the identity of Israel with today's Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian, Celtic and kindred peoples. To obtain a copy, write Mission to Israel Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Suggested donation, hardcover -- $23.00, soft cover -- $14.00.

[23] Cheryl Russell, "Most Americans Claim Religious Affiliation," The Official Guide to the American Marketplace (Ithaca, NY: New Strategist Publications, Inc., 1995) p. 252.

[24] Martin E. Marty, quoted by Tom Heinen, "Scholar sees strength in abundance of faiths," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Monday, April 26, 1999.

[25] God's Covenant People: Yesterday, Today and Forever not only provides a documented dissertation regarding the identity of Israel with today's Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian, Celtic and kindred peoples, but it also reveals (by the testimony of the Jews themselves) that today's Jews are not Israelites. To obtain a copy, write Mission to Israel Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Suggested donation, hardcover -- $23.00, soft cover -- $14.00.

[26] Moses Hess, Rome and Jerusalem (New York, NY: Philosophical Library, Inc., 1862) p. 77.

[27] Samuel Roth, Jews Must Live (New York, NY: The Golden Hind Press, Inc., 1934) p. 129.