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Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism…. Which one is God’s true Religion?
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Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism…. Which one is God’s true Religion?
If you carefully read the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible), you'll find God speaking [both directly and indirectly] to many pagan peoples: to king Abimelech, to Pharaoh, to Balaam, to Nebuchadnezzar, etc. But, surprisingly, you’ll never find God asking any of these pagans to abandon their false religious belief, in order to start following God’s own true religion.
Instead, you’ll find Him asking these individuals to start doing what is just, merciful, and humble. How? Well, He demanded that they be just, when He asked Abimelech to return the wife that belonged to his neighbour Abraham (“Now therefore RESTORE THE MAN HIS WIFE…”- Genesis 20: 7);
God demanded that they be merciful, when He asked Pharaoh to stop the cruel enslavement of his fellow human beings (“… LET MY PEOPLE GO [FREE], that they may serve me”- Exodus 9: 13);
The Creator demanded that they fear God, when He asked Balaam to abstain from cursing God’s people (“And God said unto Balaam… THOU SHALT NOT CURSE THE PEOPLE: for they are blessed”- Numbers 22: 12);
He demanded that they be humble, when He asked Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge that it is God who rules, and that no mortal being (prone to foul smelling, and impurity) has the right to be proud (“… there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR… THE KINGDOM IS DEPARTED FROM THEE… UNTIL THOU KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH… NOW I NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISE AND EXTOL AND HONOUR THE KING OF HEAVEN… AND THOSE THAT WALK IN PRIDE HE IS ABLE TO ABASE”)- Daniel 4: 31, 31& 37.
But why did God behave this way? Why not just tell these pagans to follow “God’s true religion”?
Well, the fact is that He actually did. You see, if the Creator asked them to fear Him [being humble, doing justice, and showing mercy] it’s precisely because the latter is “God’s true religion”.
In other words, God isn’t so much interested in us abandoning our flawed theology, as much as He’s interested in us embracing a lifestyle committed with the pursuit of true and impartial Justice; of sincere and life giving mercy; and of godly and character building humility.
As it is written: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God? ”- Micah 6: 8.
And whence we know God allows pagan peoples to follow flawed religions, like star and moon worshiping?
We know it from the verse that goes on to say: “… lest thou lift up thine eyes… when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars… and should be driven to worship them… BECAUSE THE LORD THY GOD HAS CONCEDED THEM [THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE STARS] UNTO ALL THE [GENTILE] PEOPLES UNDER ALL THE HEAVENS. But the LORD has taken you and brought you forth… to be [different] unto Him, the people of His inheritance”- Deut. 4: 19-20.
So, even if your religion seems to include some pagan elements (sun, moon, or star veneration), you can still be pleasing to God, as long as you remain committed to a life of justice, mercy and humility.
And what religions are considered to included pagan elements? Well, most modern religions are. For example, Rabbinical Judaism represents itself with a star (the star of David); Islam represents itself with a moon (the crescent moon); And even Christianity worships Jesus (who claimed to be “the morning star”, when he said: “I AM… THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR”- Revelation 22: 16).
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When the Israelite People (Hebrews, Jews, Samaritans, Karaite, Messianic, etc) live in holiness, both Torah and Canaan belong to them; but when they don’t, the latter are given unto other Peoples
God’s Law (Also known as “Torah”) states the following: “And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: AND THOU SHALT WRITE UPON THEM ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW (“TORAH”)... ”- Deut. 27: 2-3, King James Bible.
What moral lesson is the Creator trying to convey in the former passage? Well, the passage aims to teach no less than two important lessons: In the first place, that just like Torah belonged to God, so did the Holy Land (the Land of Canaan) belong to Him [and not to the Israelite people! ]; As is written-- “... and the people shall go out, and gather that that is sufficient for every day, that I may prove them, WHETHER THEY WILL WALK IN MY LAW OR NO”- Exodus 16: 4 (1599 Geneva Bible). And also says in another place, “The land shall not be sold for ever, FOR THE LAND IS MINE; FOR YE ARE STRANGERS AND SOJOURNERS WITH ME…”- Leviticus 25: 23 (Jubilee Bible 2000).
In the second place, the former passage intimates that the Holy land is to be construed as representing Torah, and Torah is to be construed as representing the Holy Land. In other words, just like Torah refuses to belong to evil people, so will the holy land refuse to belong to evil people. Whence do we know Torah refuses to belong to evil people? We get it from the verse that goes on to say: «BUT TO THE WICKED I SAY: “YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO MENTION MY LAWS OR CLAIM TO KEEP OUR AGREEMENT! You refused correction and rejected my commands- Psalm 50: 16-17, Contemporary English Version.
And whence do we know the Holy Land doesn’t allow itself to belong to wicked people? We know it from the following passage:
“THOU SHALT NOT LIE WITH MALES AS WITH WOMEN; IT IS ABOMINATION… FOR IN ALL THESE THINGS THE GENTILES WHICH I CAST OUT BEFORE YOU HAVE DEFILED THEMSELVES… AND THE LAND ITSELF VOMITED OUT HER INHABITANTS. Ye shall, therefore, keep my statutes and my rights and shall not commit any of these abominations... AND WILL THE LAND NOT VOMIT YOU OUT ALSO FOR HAVING CONTAMINATED IT, AS IT VOMITED OUT THE GENTILES THAT WERE BEFORE YOU? ”- Leviticus 18: 22-28, Jubilees Bible 2000.
In short, both Torah and the Land of Canaan are property of the Holy One (blessed be He). Thus, the Creator “leases” them to him who proves to be worthy [living a lifestyle of Holiness, and moral purity].
This “lease” was initially granted unto the Israelite people. So, as long as Israel properly represents the life of holiness that pleases the Creator, both Torah and the Land of Canaan “belong” to them. But when Israel collectively denies God, embracing a lifestyle of moral corruption, the Holy Land [as well as Torah] is taken away from them, and given instead unto another people.
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Whence do we know possession of the Holy Land is contingent upon Israel living a life of holiness and obedience to God’s commandments? We know it from: “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, YE SHALL BE HOLY: FOR I THE LORD YOUR GOD AM HOLY… YE SHALL DILIGENTLY KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee… THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE, AND THAT THOU MAYEST GO IN AND POSSESS THE GOOD LAND WHICH THE LORD SWARE... ”- Leviticus 19: 2, Deut. 6: 17-18, KJB.
And whence do we know wickedness robs Israel’s right to inhabit the land? We know it from the verse that goes on to say: «Son of man, those that inhabit these wastes in the land of Israel speak, saying, “ABRAHAM WAS ONE, AND HE POSSESSED THE LAND OF CANAAN; BUT WE ARE MANY (THE WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL! (SO HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE CLAIM THAT... ) THE LAND IS GIVEN US FOR A POSSESSION”. Therefore say unto them, “Thus hath the Lord GOD said; ‘Ye eat with the blood and lift up your eyes toward your idols and shed blood, and shall ye possess this Land? ’”»- Ezekiel 33: 24-25 (Jubilee Bible 2000).
Finally, whence do we know secularism and rebellion destroys Israel’s right to claim ownership of Torah? We know it from the passages that goes on to say: «... I will search Jerusalem with lamps AND PUNISH THOSE WHO SETTLE DOWN COMFORTABLY, WHO SAY TO THEMSELVES: “THE LORD WILL DO NOTHING—GOOD OR BAD”»- Zephaniah 1: 12, Christian Standard Bible. And also says elsewhere, «FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH HAVE MADE A FIRM DECISION TO REBEL AGAINST ME, SAITH THE LORD. THEY HAVE DENIED THE LORD AND SAID, “HE IS NOT; AND EVIL SHALL NOT COME UPON US; neither shall we see sword nor famine”… Because ye have spoken this word, behold, I WILL MAKE MY WORDS [OF TORAH] IN THY MOUTH FIRE AND THIS PEOPLE WOOD, AND IT SHALL DEVOUR (OR “DESTROY”) THEM»- Jeremiah 5: 11-14, Jubilee Bible 2000.
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