COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE

Written by: CJ Koster

PREFACE

Those who read the newer translations of the Scriptures are very often robbed of seeing what the original Hebrew text meant because of the modern tendency towards a free translation or to use "dynamic equivalents," as the modern translators call it.

An example of this is the most important prophecy or prophetic promise by the Most High that He "shall turn back the captivity (or captives)" of His people, Israel, in the end-time. This fact is missed by those reading most of the newer translations which render this as "restore the fortunes of Israel (or Judah, or His people)." This prophetic promise is found in almost all the prophetic books, as well as in Deuteronomy and Psalms.

The most profound among these prophecies concerning the captivity of Israel are of course found in Acts 7:42-43, Amos 5:25-27, Micah 4:10 and many places in the book of Jeremiah.

Now what is meant by this "captivity"? First and most important of all is to realize that someone is not in captivity by choice, i.e. of his own free will. He is in captivity because someone (or Someone) higher up has decided that he should be there. Nobody who is in captivity wishes to be there, nevertheless he is held captive.

Secondly, let us see why Israel was sent into captivity. We read in Deut. 28:15, 41, 58 and 64 that Yahuweh said He shall send them, and their sons and daughters (their posterity) into captivity because of them not obeying the voice of Yahuweh, because of them not observing all the words of the Teaching (Law).

This captivity is often called "scattering," which virtually is a synonym for it, or parallels it. The well-known "dispersion" or "diaspora" or "exile" also has the same meaning.

Then we read in Deut. 30:1-8 of the blessed promise that if His people turn back to Him, He shall turn back their captivity and return them to their land, and they shall again obey the voice of Yahuweh and do all His commandments. This prophecy has not come to consummation yet, it has not been completely fulfilled yet!

So they were sent into captivity, they went into exile, they were sent into dispersion, they were scattered among the Gentile nations because they did not obey the voice of Yahuweh, they did not observe to do all the words of the Teaching (Law). Likewise, their return to the land is accompanied by, or preceded by, their return (turning back) to Yahuweh and to obey His voice.

This physical return to the land of Israel is not the important issue at stake. No, the all-important requisite and essential goal is that they turn back to Him and obey His voice and observe to do all the words of the Teaching!

This captivity is generally known as the Babylonian captivity or Assyrio-Babylonian captivity. Although an estimated 25% of those who were captives in Babylonia returned in two stages with Ezra, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah in the year 538 B.C.E. and thereafter, the vast majority of the twelve tribes were still in exile, were still dispersed or scattered or still remained in captivity — until recently, when they started to come back to their land. This return started since the land of Israel became a reality again in the year 1948 C.E., and since then there has been a steady and increasing return to Israel.

However, the Spiritual return (or turning back) is still feeble, almost lacking, up to now. Their Spiritual turning back from Assyrio-Babylonian captivity is still sorely wanting. The great end-time outpouring of the Spirit, the great cleansing, the great reviving of the dead bones is yet to come!

The vast majority of Israelites have still not accepted Yahushua (Yehoshua) as their Saviour. Ever since their partial return from Babylonian captivity we find that they are in apostasy. They adopted the names of the Babylonian months of which many are named after Babylonian deities, e.g. Tammuz. Many synagogues have the Babylonian zodiac on their floors. A few other relics of astral worship are still evident — details of which we do not want to elaborate on at present. The Scriptural Levitical priesthood has also been superseded by laymen, the Sadducees and Pharisees, etc. But let us leave expounding all the details of their apostasy for a moment.

At this stage the born again Gentile believer might ask, "But what have I got to do with it? This is no concern of mine, this pertains to Israel after the flesh!" Our reply to this is:

1. The passage in Rom. 11:17-24 clearly tells us that the believing (born again) Gentile believer is grafted in among the True Israelites.

2. In Eph. 2:19 and in Eph. 3:6 we read that the Gentile believer becomes a fellow citizen and a fellow heir with the faithful Israelites, and becomes a member of the household of Elohim.

3. Rom. 15:27 tells us that the born again Gentiles become partakers of Israel's Spiritual matters.

4. Rom. 2:25-29 makes it very clear: He whose heart is circumcised (he who keeps the Law), he is a Yehudi (Jew)!

5. Gal. 3:29 confirms this: If you belong to Messiah you are Abraham's seed!

6. As we shall prove later on in this book: The early "Church Fathers," as well as the Rabbinical writings, and all the Reformers agreed that Rome is the Second Babylon, Spiritual Babylon! As you continue reading this book we shall prove to you that the astral Babylonian worship deeply infiltrated the Roman Church, and her Daughters continued with this.

7. In Isa. 14:4-17, a special prophetic passage pertaining to the times we are living in, we read that the King of Babylon rules the nations, and that he has made the world a wilderness.

8. In Dan. 2:28-45, another end-time prophecy, we read that the King of Babylon is the head of this image which represents the Gentile nations of the world. All the nations of this world and all the inhabitants of this earth are part of this image of which the King of Babylon is the head, and which will be crushed to pieces, pulverized, when Yahushua (Yehoshua) comes!

9. Jer. 50 and 51 clearly affirm this, as well as the most astounding end-time prophecies in Rev. chapters 13 to 19, clearly revealing to us how all the nations of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication (Jer. 51:7, Rev. 17:2-5), how she has corrupted the earth (Rev. 19:2).

10. The only nation which is excluded from the end-time plagues, and ultimate destruction, is True Israel, the New Covenanted Israel, the Renewed Israel. That is why we read the oft-repeated call by the Most High, "Come out of her, My people." The first one to be called out was Abram in Gen. 12:1, and the final call to come out of Babylon comes to us in Rev. 18:4.

You, my brother and sister, you are in this captivity too, this Babylonian captivity, not by choice, but because Yahuweh has determined it to be so, and He is calling you and me to come out of her, for He is "turning back our captivity"!

Ever since the Reformation began at the beginning of the 16th century, there have been steps taken to "come out of her." This book which you now read is part of the final call, and part of "the restoration of all matters" (Acts 3:21). We do not profess that further Light will not come, for indeed, our Saviour will complete that which He has now started, "He will thoroughly purge His threshing-floor . . . He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12 KJV).

This book serves to unveil the Great Apostasy (as Bible translators like to call it) as it is described in 2 Thess. 2:3-12. It reveals to us the "Mystery of Lawlessness" of 2 Thess. 2:7 RAV. It reveals to us "Mystery Babylon" of Rev. 17:5, of which much is said in the final eleven chapters of the book of Revelation. It unmasks the "Abomination of Desolation" which our Messiah said (in Matt. 24:15 — and Daniel as well in Dan. 9:27, Dan. 11:31, Dan. 12:11), will be found to be set up in the "Set-apart Place."

In fulfillment of Messiah's promise in Luke 8:17, it unseals the important things that were revealed to Daniel in visions and dreams. Daniel was commanded in Dan. 12:4, "But you Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end." This command to Daniel was repeated to him in Dan. 12:9. This sealing of the book was only up to the end-time, "until the time of the end; many shall push forth, and knowledge shall increase" (Dan. 12:4 Hebrew text). The German, Dutch and Afrikaans translations have preferred the figurative meaning of the Hebrew shut (push forth), namely: "do research," and it fits in perfectly with the context of this verse.

The revelation of the "Abomination of Desolation" (Dan. 9:27, Dan. 11:31 and Dan. 12:11) and all the things "what will be in the latter days" (Dan. 2:28, Dan. 7:18 and 27, Dan. 8:17 and 19 and 26, Dan. 10:14, Dan. 11:40, Dan. 12:1-3), are described for us in Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. These visions, revelations, were so shocking that Daniel said. "I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself" (Dan. 7:28 NIV). In Dan. 7:15 he said, "my mind disturbed me" (NIV). In Dan. 8:27 he said he "fainted and was sick for days." In Dan. 10:8 and 16-17, Daniel further recorded the sickening effect these revelations had upon him, "I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless . . . am overcome with anguish . . . I am helpless, my strength is gone and I can hardly breathe" (NIV). That is exactly how we felt too, when the Abomination of Desolation, the Great Apostasy, the Mystery of Lawlessness, and Mystery Babylon were unveiled to us!

The Spirit of Truth was indeed guiding us into all Truth (John 16:13), convicting us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). The Spirit was truly declaring to us our transgression and our sin (Micah 3:8). Our Elohim was verily fulfilling His promise of Eze. 36:27, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." The fire of the Baptism of the Spirit does indeed "burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12).

All the revelations in this book were given to us as we were led by the Spirit, doing diligent research in the Scriptures, as well as in reliable sources of scholars of Scripture, of religious history, or of archaeology. Someone has attempted to criticize us for including non-ecclesiastical historians and archaeologists in our research. However, this criticism can be refuted on the very Scriptural example of the Almighty even speaking through an ass (Numbers 22:28), and even using stones (archaeology), as Messiah has predicted in Luke 19:40.

It is well known that the Church, from the 4th century onwards, had accepted many pagan festivals, images, idol's names etc., into the Church, with the apology that these things of idolatry have been "sanctified." Therefore, much of the frank idolatrous origin of these things became suppressed, ignored, or explained away. However, honest historians and archaeologists recorded these facts for us, for they were unbiased and merely related their findings. Thus, the very stones of archaeology and history also cry out!

The study of the names of pagan idols is greatly impeded by the fact that the pagans diversified the names of their deities, and also disguised their names, and even tried to keep them secret, in order to avoid their opponents getting hold of the name of their idol. Further, Hislop tells us in The Two Babylons, p. 122, that "The Pagans were in the habit of worshipping the same god under different names." And, even worse, with the syncretism that prevailed since the time of Alexander the Great, the deities of the various nations became identified with one another. But, in our research, the Spirit of Truth was blessing us by guiding us and leading us — leading us out of this confusion.

Another important point needs to be mentioned: The Sun-deity had, and still has, many names. This fact soon becomes very obvious to anyone who starts reading on the subject. Some decades after the merger or fusion of Sun-worship with the Messianic Belief had become a reality, Macrobius wrote, "All gods are only different powers of the Sun" (quoted by James Bonwick, Egyptian Belief and Modern Thought, p. 276). The details of this assimilation are fully discussed in the text of this book you now read.

By now the reader would have noticed that we do not accept the Greek names or words Iesous (Jesus) and Christos (Christ), and might ask: But don't you accept the Greek language as being the original inspired language of the "New Testament"? Our reply to that is as follows: we firmly believe and accept the entire message contained in the Greek text of the Messianic Scriptures ("New Testament"), since it is the only complete reliable record we presently have of the time Messiah walked this earth and the period immediately following it, the time of the apostles. We firmly believe that the Messianic Scriptures were inspired in Hebrew, at least most of them, but these documents no longer exist. The Greek text can only be a translation of the original Hebrew Messianic Scriptures. Many serious scholars have, especially lately, taken a stand against the popular belief that the "New Testament was inspired in the Greek language."

Our firm stand against this popular belief is based on the following: In Exod. 23:13 Yahuweh explicitly prohibits His people from uttering the names of other deities (other mighty ones). This is affirmed in no uncertain way in Josh. 23:7 and in Ps. 16:4. The Set-apart Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, did inspire all Scripture, as we all believe. However, when we come to the ordinary language of the Greek text of the Greek Messianic Scriptures we find that the Greek language is riddled with the names of Greek deities, used as ordinary Greek nouns or words!

Here follows a list of these nouns and words, from which Greek deities derived their names, or more likely, the other way round. We have given the English meaning in brackets for those who do not know Greek or do not have access to the Greek text:

Aer (air); Adikos (unrighteous); Anatole (east, rising); Angelos (angel, messenger); Charis (grace, favour, acceptable, pleasure, thanks, gift, joy, benefit); Chronos (years old, time, season, space, while); Dike (judgment, punish, vengeance); Ge (soil, earth, country, land, world); Hades (grave, hell); Ioudaios (Iuadaios) (Jew); Nike (victory, overcoming); Nomos (law, principle); Ouranos (heaven, air, sky); Parthenos (virgin, maiden); Peitho (agree, believe, persuade, obey, trust, yield); Phobos (fear, alarm, fright, be afraid); Psyche, Psuche (soul, mind, life, you); Pur (fiery, fire); Soter (saviour); Tauros (bull, ox); Zelos (zeal, jealousy, envy); as well as many personal names of people and places.

The only language in the world that was protected (by Yahuweh) from incorporating the names of deities into its language, was Hebrew (Exod. 23:13), that it why it is called Leshon ha-Qodesh (the Set-apart Tongue) by the Hebrews! The Set-apart Spirit, inspiring all Scripture, would most certainly not have transgressed the Law of Yahuweh by "inspiring" the Messianic Scriptures in a language riddled with the names of Greek deities and freely using the names of these deities in the text, no way!

This book will greatly help the seeker of Truth to return to the True Worship. The Gift of "discerning of spirits" must be prayed for, in order to discern between the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:6), to discern between the spirit of Yahuweh and "the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2).

Not many accept "all Scripture," and therefore do not accept some vital Scriptures which we bring to the notice of the reader of this book, "for many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14). "For the gate is small, and the Way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it" (Matt. 7:14 NASB). "Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left" (Isa. 24:6). Who are the "few" that are chosen? "Just as HE CHOSE us in Him [Messiah] before the foundation of the world, THAT WE SHOULD BE SET-APART (HOLY) AND WITHOUT BLAME before Him in love" (Eph. 1:4, capitals supplied). Read also 2 Thess. 2:13, 1 Pet. 1:2 and 14-16. We are chosen by Him to be Set-apart (holy), for He is Set-apart (holy). Many are called, but few respond to His requirement, namely His demand for Separateness or Apartness (holiness). Therefore the "few" are described in Rev. 17:14 as "called, chosen and faithful."

How can I know that I am being chosen? Simply by responding to His call "to be Set-apart" from the sins of the world. Take heed: without Separateness or Apartness no one will see Him (Heb. 12:14). Only those who accept His only-begotten Son as Saviour, and then as their only Teacher (Matt. 23:8 and 10), and only Leader, Shepherd and Overseer (1 Pet. 2:25), will endure to the end on the Narrow Way. They are those who truly come into the binding relationship with Yahuweh, even the New Covenant, of which the Law of Yahuweh is still the contents (Heb. 8:10 and 10:16). Only they will escape the end-time plagues and final destruction that is to come upon Mystery Babylon.

By the way, South Africa made itself most hated in the eyes of all the world with its inhuman oppressive system of apartheid based on skin colour, which is totally un-Scriptural, in fact, it is frank transgression of the Second Great Commandment: Love your neighbour (fellow-man) as yourself. It is rather ironic that from this same country should come forth the call to be Set-apart (instead of "holy"), namely the Apartness which is Spiritual and Scriptural, to be set-apart from sin, to obey the voice of Yahuweh. To be set-apart from sin is mandatory for the Messianic believer, it is an essential requisite in the True Worship (Heb. 12:14, Eph. 1:4, Rom. 6:19-22, 1 Pet. 1:14-16, 1 Pet. 2:9 amongst others).
 

This book is meant for those who, out of thankfulness for the Great Redemptive Love shown on Golgotha, can but only respond by loving our Elohim with all their hearts, all their minds and all their souls. They are those who strive to read and obey every Scriptural command, for they delight in doing so. They are those who "live by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of Yahuweh" (Deut. 8:3 and Matt. 4:4). They are those who no longer read and obey the Word in a "pick as you please" way, or in an à la carte fashion.

In one sense, Scripture is the story of the struggle between True Worship and false or apostate or mixed worship. The message of the Three Messengers in Rev. 14:6-12 is a call for turning back to Yahuweh, a restoration, a call for sanity. This book details that call for sanity. It appeals to those who have come to know their Saviour personally, those who, like us, "serve Yahuweh with gladness," who "rejoice in Yahuweh always."

When we have accepted Yahushua as our Saviour, He lives in us, in our hearts, He and His father (John 14:23), working in us "both to will and to work on behalf of His good pleasure" (Philip. 2:13). He is the One who reconciles us with His Father (Rom. 5:10, 2 Cor. 5:18, 1 Peter 3:18). He is the One who motivates us to do the Will of His Father, to bring us to the place where we can truly say, "I delight to do Your will, O my Elohim, and Your Law is within my heart" (Ps. 40:8).

Strictly in accordance with Scripture this book also calls believers to worship the Father not only in Spirit, but in Truth also (John 4:23-24). "Trust and obey, for there is no other Way" should be the song sung from our lips, and also from our hearts.

This book is offered so that the "Truth may set us free." Our Saviour has paid the price for us on the cruel tree on Golgotha, not only to save us but also to "redeem us from all lawlessness." (Titus 2:14 Greek text).

The purpose of this work is to share truth with others. Personal financial gain is not our intent. If you care to order books for study groups or to share with others, we are pleased to invite your participation. Any contributions received will be used for the printing of further copies and distribution.

We are greatly indebted to our Messiah who said, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). We are also greatly indebted to every brother and sister who has supported the preparation and publication of this book, by their tithes, by helping prepare the manuscript, and above all: their prayers.
 

To Proverbs 30:4 THE RIDDLE REVEALED!

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