1. What my definition of HHRM is – 2. Popular but highly sketchy names in the movement – 3. Holidays, Shabbat, keeping & eating – 4. Sacred names – 5. Do believers need to keep Torah? – 6. Bad teaching that leads to apostasy – 7. what do real Jewish believers in Jesus think of this movement? – 8. How we can help people in HHRM
NB, I’m a Christian who loves Israel and Jewish people. These posts aren’t criticism of actual Jewish people or Israel or believers in Yeshua/Jesus, only of Christians that may go a bit over the top or get confused over names and language differences. Please see first article to get better idea of what this is about.
How people say most common names for God
Traditional Jews: God is written as יהוה (Yod Hey Vav Hey) phonetically pronounced Yahweh or Jahovah. However traditional Jews will never pronounce this, only pronounce this as Adonai. (Lord) Therefore if Christians pronounce this in public this may offend or seem insensitive to observant Jews. God may also written as G-d, traditional Jews will leave one letter missed out, in a way deemed respectful of not writing his name in full. Elohim, El Shaddai, Eloheunu are allHebrew names for God. In fact anything with -im on the end is a plural (aha! you can spot the trinity!) You will often see words with Yah or El. This words are found inside a few popular names. Hashem literally ‘His name’
Ways of writing Jesus
Correct: Jesus or Yeshua or ישוע (Yod Shin Vav Ayen)
Not right: Other names used by the HHRM, that are not really right; Yahshua, Yahoshua, Ioshua, etc Allah this is the Muslim word for God, and used by Arab Christians, and also Christians in Malta. (they have an Arabic derived language) I prefer not using these for regular western Christians, this is another theological hot potato for another day.
Definitely wrong:-
Yeshu/ישו (insult) This is a Hebrew abbreviation for “may his name by blotted out” used by those against Yeshua.
Issa (used by Muslims who describe Jesus as only a prophet in the Koran)
Arab believers: Correct word for Jesus in Arabic for Arab believers is Yesu
If believers in Jesus/Yeshua someone tells you can ONLY use a certain name and gets finicky about it, they may have issues with legalism. Often HHRM people will tell you can only use THEIR own definition of a name only, and anything else is wrong or ‘Pagan’. I once went to a Messianic congregation in UK, there was a man who was Jamaican who was dressed as a Jew who was speaking, he told us that anyone who used the word Jesus was actually referring to the Greek God Zeus. This was the worse teaching I have heard so I walked out. This was a total embarrassment as this was a congregation of mostly non Jews trying to do Jewish customs in a clumsy insensitive way, in a part of the city with a lot of ultra Orthodox Jews close by. This was such a cringeworthy painful experience that would no way impress anyone in this community.
What they forget is the gospel was spread to all nations, so Jesus died for all people and all races, so his name is going to be written differently as the gospel is translated to every language, tribe and tongue. Today, because of the internet and more affordable travel, its feasible to bring the message of Jesus to every single part of the world.
Philippians 2 : 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Here’s another example. My name is Jonathan. I’m not Jewish. My name is extremely popular among Jews especially in Israel, and ordinary British chaps like me born in the mid 1970s. Actually name is Jonathan is really which is pronounced Yahnatan which is written יונתן (yntn) My name comes from Yah Natan = God’s gift/given.
Over the years this has got changed on its way to a language like English. Yah has become Jah which has become ‘Jo’ I think “J” only pronounced “Jer” in English, French and Arabic. In German, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch and Hebrew its pronounced as a Y.
“natan” has become Nathan (another boy’s name) There is two different types of Ts in Hebrew that look like ט and like ת – so when one is Latinised its written as a “TH”. So among religious hipsters thinking they have the most authentic way of doing religion, please look down on me as I’ve got a Hebrew name that’s been interfered with over a few centuries. Oh well. 🙂 I get annoyed if people call me Jonathon, Johnathan or something else, but that just me 🙂
1. What my definition of HHRM is – 2. Popular but highly sketchy names in the movement – 3. Holidays, Shabbat, keeping & eating – 4. Sacred names – 5. Do believers need to keep Torah? – 6. Bad teaching that leads to apostasy – 7. what do real Jewish believers in Jesus think of this movement? – 8. How we can help people in HHRM
Brit In Jerusalem 
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Hi Jonathan
Just a few points on this four-part series:
– The same scrutiny you have applied to the individuals profiled in the second part of the series should also be applied to well-known characters in ‘mainstream’ Christian Zionism and Evangelicalism such as, for instance, Cindy Jacobs and Bill Johnson. The former will be speaking at the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles this year (see http://feast.icej.org/speakers) and both are on the leadership of Empowered21 (see http://empowered21.com/about/leadership/ and http://www.jerusalem2015.com/leadership/).
– Please remember that, because you are teaching here, you will incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1).
– I do not concur with your views on what the New Testament says about the validity of the Torah (including food and the Feasts) for Gentile believers. I would recommend you study some of the teachings by J.K. McKee. See http://www.tnnonline.net/faq/index.html and http://www.tnnonline.net/articles.html. He is thorough and precise, and I have seen his comments posted on Messianic blogs such as Judah Gabriel Himango’s Kineti L’Tziyon.
Shalom in Yeshua
Ben
HI Ben,
I’m less familiar with those people. I think Rood/Staley have been proved as false teachers, but they are not the worst, I’ve have another article I’ll list soon with a pattern problems which was what motivated these series of articles.
This has been the hardest blog article to write, I do realise this is a sensitive subject to cover.
I’m open to be challenged biblicaly if I feel I’ve missed something.
On Validity of Torah, can be more specific? I had a quick look at those links but not sure where I should be looking.
Judah is a great brother in the Lord who I have met online then he came and visited and stayed with me when I was living in Jerusalem.
The number of patterns of troubling things in the Hebrew Roots movement moved me to write this, and I sincerely want to help Jewish people and Christian who love Israel to stay on the right track biblicaly.
blessings
Jonathan
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Hi Jonathan
Sorry for taking so long to reply.
In your post, ‘Hyper Hebrew Roots movement – 6. Bad teaching that leads to apostasy’, you mentioned in relation to the individuals you were talking about there:
“These are false teachers that need to be avoided at all costs. However some pastors and Christian organisations still work with them not realising their background.”
That was precisely my thinking when I said in my comment before:
“The same scrutiny you have applied to the individuals profiled in the second part of the series should also be applied to well-known characters in ‘mainstream’ Christian Zionism and Evangelicalism such as, for instance, Cindy Jacobs and Bill Johnson. The former will be speaking at the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles this year (see http://feast.icej.org/speakers) and both are on the leadership of Empowered21 (see http://empowered21.com/about/leadership/ and http://www.jerusalem2015.com/leadership/).”
As you are less familiar with these two individuals, you may wish to do some checking on them in the same way that you have done with other teachers, seeing as they are now regarded by many as part of the ‘mainstream’ and not on the fringes.
Regarding what the New Testament says about the validity of the Torah (including food and the Feasts) for Gentile believers, some specific articles by J.K. McKee that I would recommend are as follows:
Click to access What_Does_Under_the_Law_Really_Mean_TORAH.pdf
Click to access What_Does_Under_the_Law_Really_Mean_Further_Study_NTVT.pdf
Click to access Matthew_5_17-19_NTVT.pdf
Click to access Is_Messiah_the_Termination_of_the_Torah_TORAH.pdf
Click to access Law_of_Moses_Binding_on_Christians.pdf
Click to access Paul_Opposed_or_Not_Opposed_to_the_Torah.pdf
Click to access Under_the_Law.pdf
Shalom in Yeshua
Ben
Hi Ben,
I’m not sure of the issue of the people you brought up.
I’ve been to a few Messianic groups in the UK, there seems to be more difference of opinion on many things than regular Christianity. There’s little if any progress on evangelism discipleship of people, which is something that I feel is more of a state of urgency with the Lord giving me a heart to spend time with unbelieving friends and believers not currently working with the Lord. Some that have Jewish background.
I’ve decided this movement is largely not for me, and the ideal model for a modern Jewish congregation for believers is through living in Israel, which several friends of mine are doing Aliyah.
blessings
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan
I know you weren’t aware of the two individuals that I named. That is why I suggested that you do some checking on them in the same way that you have done with other teachers. The reason being that these individuals are now accepted by ‘mainstream’ Christian Zionism and Evangelicalism. To remind you of the context, I was responding to your earlier quote in your post, ‘Hyper Hebrew Roots movement – 6. Bad teaching that leads to apostasy’, where you had said:
“These are false teachers that need to be avoided at all costs. However some pastors and Christian organisations still work with them not realising their background.”
Here are some articles and clips regarding these individuals, for example, that you may wish to peruse:
http://moriel.org/MorielArchive/index.php/discernment/church-issues/warning-bill-johnson-and-bethel-church
http://www.revivalschool.com/second-warning-bill-johnson-and-bethel-church/
https://mkayla.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/the-grandiose-claim-of-a-false-prophet/
https://mkayla.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/cindy-jacobs-promotes-prayer-with-skull-and-bones-pastor/
Given that there are currently around 40,000 Christian denominations, I would say there is, self-evidently, far less difference of opinion in the still-maturing Messianic movement that there is in Christianity. I do agree though that the Messianic movement needs to have a far greater missional focus and people like Judah Gabriel Himango (Kineti L’Tziyon) and J.K. McKee (messianicapologetics.net) are fine examples of those seeking to restore the right emphasis and balance.
Shalom in Yeshua
Ben
Hi Ben,
yeah Judah is a good friend of mine, someone I knew online first and we met up. he stayed in my apartment when I lived in Jerusalem.
Judah’s brother denied Yeshua and started an antimissionary blog. some folks that Judah know also denied Yeshua and joined the antimissionary circuit. Theres a really good but tragic post Judah wrote. I can dig it out if you want.
These tragic events happened as these believers decided to isolate themselves from the wider body of believers. This is a disturbing trend I’ve seen. hence my sense of urgency but the hardest blog article I’ve written.
In the last year I have been worried about a US couple I know who were jewish believers who wanted to make aliyah but first volunteered for a Christian organisation. They’ve cut themselves off from believing friends and congregation, as they were more fascinated by Orthodox Judasim. Now they have made aliyah and changed their names. It troubles me.
I’ll take a look at those articles. I’m trying to steer away from heading towards heresy hunting. Anyone who knows me personally know I’m quite anti different things in the past. Moriel Ministries/Jacob Prasch has spread slander and gossip about dozens of different people with a lot of damage done, hes seems like a clever guy but hes not capable of handling criticism of his own work.
Hi Jonathan
I cannot comment on the cases of believers you mention without knowing the specifics but I would say generally that if believers in Yeshua go into orthodox Judaism and start denying Him or start to flirt with denying Him, then they are absolutely on the wrong track. No question about that.
On the other hand, there is bound to be movement of believers now and in the future. We are living in times of increasing apostasy while simultaneously the Spirit is helping the Bride prepare herself for Yeshua’s coming. And that Bride will be composed of a people who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Yeshua (Revelation 12:17; 14:12).
Regarding the term ‘heresy hunting’, I have heard it bandied about mostly by false prophets and teachers who do not like to be scrutinized. I take the view that if a self-proclaimed prophet/teacher enters the public arena, then I want to know what he/she is about, for my own protection and that of my family and friends. We are warned in Scripture about wolves attacking the sheep and we would be well advised not to forget it in these last days.
Regarding Moriel Ministries/Jacob Prasch, I have found much of his teaching to be very helpful and enlightening. However, I do find him frequently abrasive in speech and manner and there are times when I question if that abrasiveness really is motivated by the Spirit. That is all I care to say really. He will certainly incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1) and that is where I have to leave it.
Shalom in Yeshua
Ben