This is one of the most widely recognized images throughout all the world. Who has never seen this portrait in one form or another???

OK, let’s conduct a poll.  Who is this? Here are your choices:
1. Jesus
2. Jesus Christ
3. Son of God
4. Messiah
5. Savior
6. That guy in the Mel Gibson movie

OK, which one did you pick? It doesn’t really matter which one you picked.  We have been told this is the Messiah in scripture, Jesus, for too many centuries to count (over 500 years).

All joking aside, REALLY, who is this guy?
Some will say he is Cesare Borgia. His father was Pope Alexander VI, and Cesare was appointed to prominent positions within the Roman church at an early age.
Cesare befriended Leonardo da Vinci during his life and it is rumoured that Leonardo used Borgia’s likeness as a base for his depiction of a caucasian Jesus.  Apparently it was common place for artists to do such things to please popes and monarchs.
It seems that the image of Jesus that many worship today is based on Cesare Borgia’s likeness.

I can’t say if any of this is true or not, but this idea is quite popular.
While I wasn’t there, in the flesh, 2000 plus years ago, I believe I can say this with some level of confidence:
It is highly likely that the true Messiah was a dark skinned Middle Eastern man.
Call me crazy…

I am not an eye witness to such things, but I think we can say the portrait of ‘Jesus’ that we’ve been indoctrinated with is likely fraudulent…
Does it matter?
White Jesus.
Black Jesus.
Red Jesus.
Brown Jesus.
Yellow Jesus.
Purple Jesus.

As for us putting our faith in the one true Messiah, and trusting Him for forgiveness, it doesn’t matter what color He is.
But here is why this seemingly false image might matter (this thought came from my wife Tracy):

Revelation 13:15
 The second beast was permitted to give life to the image of the first beast, so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause all who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 

Why is this important?
What does it mean to bring an image to life?
We’ve been ‘fed’ this image of Jesus for our entire lives.
We see it in children’s bibles, adult bibles, statues, paintings, sculptures, in movies, on billboards, on crucifixes, some of which are very large and erected in our ‘church buildings’.
We are bombarded with this likeness, this image, of ‘Jesus’ over and over and over again, all throughout our lives.

If you are familiar with my blog posts, you know that I do not believe the “Mainstream Church Jesus” is the same as the Yeshua Messiah described in scripture.
Don’t take my word for it…
If you compare the two, you will see they are vastly different.
But that is not the point of this post…

But why indoctrinate the whole of humanity with a singular image concept of Jesus?
Disclaimer – this is speculation…

What if it is tied to Revelation 13:15?
What if the powers that be are going to produce a man who looks like this image, proclaiming him to be the second coming of Messiah?
What if this is a great deception (that we are promised in scripture)?
How horrible would it be for millions upon millions to worship a man of this image, not realizing it is not Him (the true Messiah)?

Just something to ponder…
Let me know what you think.

 

 

 

 

Having spent over thirty years in the Mainstream Christian Church, I’ve heard lots of catch phrases.
“Rightly Dividing the Word of God” is one of those phrases that gets used, but who really thinks about what it actually means??

I never thought much about it, until this morning.
Now being Torah observant, I spend much of my time trying to reach the mainstream with the truth.
They don’t seem to want the truth, but I keep trying anyway.

There is a woman who posts Mainstream Church doctrine in a Facebook group that I am in…
I’m talking P-R-O-L-I-F-I-C.
As in, post after post after post all day long.
Non-stop.
Does this lady ever go to the bathroom even???

We live in a semi-free country, though, right?
At least that is the illusion.
So I don’t mind and don’t care that she or anyone else posts all day everyday.

But here is the problem I have…
She posts mainstream hyper-grace gobbledy-gook doctrine.
Stuff I used to go along with, until Yahuah lifted my veil so that I could see truth, just as is described in 2Corinthians Chapter 3:12-18
 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—  unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.  But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.  But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.  Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

She teaches hyper-grace without obedience.
She teaches the promise of John 3:16 without the warning of John 3:36.
John 3:16
 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Good stuff, right?
However, the warning of verse 36 needs to fit into the puzzle in order to hear the whole truth (along with all of scripture).
John 3:36
He who trusts in the Son has eternal life. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

She teaches that the foot of the cross is where we go, to set up camp, and to stay there for the rest of our lives.
Where else would you want to be?
Grace just flows from the cross, right down to where you are sitting. Drip, drip, drip —- just like being on an IV.
It is quite the efficient arrangement.
Except for that pesky truth…
John 14:6
Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Do you see the significance here?
Yeshua Messiah is not the destination.
He is merely the path.
Highly important? Yes. Absolutely. Critical.
But the cross is not the destination.
The cross is not the finish line.
It is the beginning.
It is the start of the narrow path.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Anyway, I have been responding to her posts, showing the truth of scripture. Some of her followers are asking me questions, seeing the warnings in scripture, realizing there are both warnings and promises that make up a whole truth.
And she does not like it.
She does not like the fact that her fans are asking hard questions.

Instead of supporting her position with scripture, showing truth, she just keeps telling me I don’t know how to “Rightly Divide the Word of God.”
There’s that catch phrase…
I’ve never cared what it meant.
But now, I had to figure out what it means.
I never reject someone’s ideas without first taking a look at it.
I am always willing to seek truth, and admit I’m wrong if I can see it in scripture.
I didn’t have much to go on, because she didn’t sharpen iron with iron, as it should be done.
She simple said I don’t know how to divide the word.

So, I did what any good researcher would do…
I Googled it.
Many references came up, and I clicked on the very first one.
It was written by Creflo Dollar, of all people.
Well, this isn’t going to go well, is it?

Anyway, I wanted to know if I were missing out on some great understanding.
Here is Creflo Dollar’s summary of Rightly Dividing the Word of God:

A. There is a major difference between the Law in the Old Testament and the grace that Jesus established in the New Testament when He shed His blood.

1. In the Old Testament, God repeatedly told the children of Israel that He would curse those who did not obey the Law, and His punishment would extend to the third and fourth generations (Exodus 34:7; Exodus 20:5; Numbers 14:18).
   1. All these Scriptures were written before Jesus went to the cross. After the cross, everything changed, and God promises us He will remember our sins no more if we accept His Son (Hebrews 8:12; Hebrews 10:17).
2. Studying the Word helps us divide it correctly (2 Timothy 2:15, AMP).
   1. Analyzing it wrong has serious consequences.
3. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John focus on when Jesus walked the earth during which time the old covenant was still valid.
4. We are perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:28).
   1. Read in this way, the Bible is not a book that tells us how bad we are. It reminds us how perfect we are in Jesus, despite what we see.
   2. Christ in us enables us to live a different lifestyle.
5. Although we are now under the new covenant, we should not discount the Old Testament (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
   1. The entire Bible was written so that we may be perfected.
   2. We should respect all Scriptures, whether Old or New Testament (Romans 15:4).

B. There are seven guidelines for interpreting Scripture.

1. Let Scripture interpret Scripture. There is no need to use a dictionary.
   1. We need to put Scriptures in context with other Scriptures, and with the rest of the chapter. In John 12:31, 32, Jesus was referring to the judgment of sin in the world, and the drawing of all sin to Him.
2. Do not read anything into the Scripture that is not there. Read its true meaning. Romans 3:20-23 is one example.
   1. Analyzing verse 23 incorrectly makes it look like a condemning statement from the old covenant. Verse 20 tells us that the Law does not justify us in God’s eyes. Verse 21 refers to the covenant of grace, minus the Law. Verse 22 establishes that we need faith in Jesus to be made righteous—it says nothing about works.
3. Read the meaning out of the Scripture, not into it.
   1. Taking 1 Peter 3:3, 4 out of context makes it seem like the Bible is saying women should not wear makeup or jewelry, or braid their hair. It actually means we should pay more attention to the inward person, not the outward appearance.
4. Be consistent to the selected type of interpretation throughout the Scripture.
   1. If a lamb is a type of redemption in the first part of the Scripture, it should be a type of redemption in the last part.
5. Two or three witnesses are needed to make a doctrine. It cannot be made from a single Biblical verse.
   1. Several Biblical sources are needed to confirm a teaching. Paul wrote about this in 2 Corinthians 13:1.
6. Study to whom a Scripture is written, and what time it is written about.
   1. Hebrews 2:14, 15 was written to the Jews who were still living under the Law and feared death.
   2. Hebrews 10:26 was also written to the Jews, specifically the ones who continued to make animal sacrifices after Jesus made the one perfect sacrifice for all time.
7. Notice how the finished works of Jesus affect the way we interpret the entire Scripture.
   1. We should read 1 John 3:20, 21 in light of what He did on the cross. If our hearts condemn us, we know that we are not operating under the new covenant. There is no condemnation in Christ.

I could spend hours delving into this, but I’ll just summarize instead:
Apparently, dividing the word of God means to throw out everything before the resurrection. Then we can make up new doctrine with what is written after the resurrection.

Oh boy, this causes so many problems.
Yahuah said in Torah that many things are perpetual, never-ending, forever, for all generations…
Apparently, rightly dividing the word of God means that forever doesn’t mean forever.
Apparently, it means that God is a liar.

Anyone who knows truth knows that Yahuah is not a liar.
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Anyone who knows the truth knows that Yahuah does not change.
Malachi 3:6
““For I am the Lord, I change not…”

Anyone who knows the truth realizes that Yeshua’s message is that of the Father, and not His own new stuff.
John 7:16
Yeshua answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. “

Anyone who knows truth knows that Yeshua did not do away with the Torah instruction, the law.
Matthew 5:17-19
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

OK, I could do this all day…
Enough.
Is the reason for my post to beat up on a stranger on the internet?
No, it is not.
Is it to beat up on Creflo Dollar?
No, it is not.

The reason for this post is to show how “Rightly Dividing the Word of God” is just an excuse to ignore what scripture says, and to make up your own doctrine out of the parts you like.
I share this post to serve as a warning.
If you hear someone teaching mainstream [false] doctrine and defending their viewpoint by “dividing the word,” please keep this post in mind.

And pray for all who are still veiled.
They need our prayers and support, not our Facebook debates.

For those who ALWAYS go to the writings of Paul to explain their “grace without obedience” message, be sure to understand the warning giving about Paul’s writings in 2Peter 3:14-18
Therefore, loved ones, while you are looking for these things, make every effort to be found in shalom, spotless and blameless before Him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that the patience of our Lord means salvation—just as our dearly loved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom given to him. ¹⁶ He speaks about these matters in all of his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist (as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures)—to their own destruction.
¹⁷ Since you already know all this, loved ones, be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your sure footing. ¹⁸ Instead, keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity! Amen.

 

Terminal.
Eight letters that strike fear into the hearts of man.

What if your doctor told you today that you are terminal?
What if you found out you had a finite amount of time left on this Earth?
What if you found out you were going to die?

How would this information change your priorities?
What would become more important to you?
What might become important to you, that was never important in the past?

What thoughts would circulate in your mind?
Things you may have never thought about, but now, cannot stop thinking about?

Would you think about spending time with your kids?
Would you think of places you’ve never been?
Would you think of the goals left incomplete, or maybe never started?
Will you consider how you’ll be remembered when you are gone?
Would you fulfill your dreams?
Would you make peace and have better relationships?
Would you want spiritual healing?
Would you ponder eternity?

What changes would you make in this life?

Well…
I’ve got some really bad news. You are terminal, just as I am terminal.
Every single one of us is terminal.
We are not getting out of this physical existence alive!!

We may have years or decades to live, instead of days or months…
Or we could be gone tomorrow.
No matter.
Our days are numbered.

Knowing this, will you start on that list above?
Will you start thinking about the things that matter most?
Will you ponder eternity, and take it seriously?
What are you doing to prepare for your demise?
Are you ready?
What changes will you make, starting today?

I found 73 references to demons in scripture.
I’ll be studying each reference in context, in order to learn whatever it is we should know about this topic. Today I’m looking at references 11-13.

Matthew 9:32-38
³² As they were going out, a mute man plagued by a demon was brought to Him. ³³ After the demon was driven out, the mute man started speaking. The crowds were astounded, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!” ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying, “By the prince of demons He drives out demons.”

³⁵ Now Yeshua was going around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. ³⁶ When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send out workers into His harvest field.”

Again, there is much information in this bit of scripture.
1. We see Yeshua casting out demons, but not others. The terminology in this translation states the demon was driven out. This would indicate something being done against the will of another.
Apparently, demons want to stay, but they cannot disobey the authority of Yeshua.
The Greek word used for ‘driven out’ is ekballo (G1544).
to cast out, drive out, to send out, with notion of violence; to drive out (cast out)

2. We see that demons can inflict physical changes to the individual. In this case, the afflicted man was rendered mute by the demon.  Once cast out, the man was able to speak. Being afflicted with demon(s) affects both the physical body as well as the mind, and obviously the spirit.

3. The Pharisees, instead of seeing the miraculous and the awesome power of Messiah, they discredit Him.  They attribute His abilities to be from Hasatan. Will these guys ever have eyes to see and ears to hear?
Will these guys ever get it?
Well, we know how this plays out.
No, they do not ever ‘get it.’

4. The reaction of the observers would indicate that driving out demons was quite surprising.  In fact, scripture documents the fact that “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!”
Do we view this figuratively as a casual statement?
Or do we take it literally?
Due to the fact that there is no reference in scripture of anyone casting out demons prior to the book of Matthew, then I believe we can take this statement literally.
In all the history of mankind, no one until Yeshua was able to cast out demons.
Do you realize the significance of this?
That means that demons operated in this world unchecked and unfettered for thousands of years!!
Is there evidence this might be true?
Yes, Yeshua Himself says so in verse 36.  He equates the people to having no leader and no protector.  They are harassed and helpless.

4. What does Yeshua intend to do about this?  Is He to cast out whatever demons He is able to, during His ministry?
And then, that’s it?
What about after His ascension?
Then what? Is mankind again to be left to the demons?
We see His plan in verses 37-38:
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send out workers into His harvest field.”
Yeshua is seeking others who can do this work.
Who is the Lord of the harvest?
How can he send out more workers?

The “Lord” of the harvest is Greek word G2962 kyrios.
This word can refer to the owner of property, a political leader, a decision maker, a title of honor and respect (as a servant to his master), and this title is given to Yehova and to Messiah.

Based on the context and the task being discussed (sending out workers to conduct spiritual warfare and/or spiritual harvest), I think we can disregard the definitions that refer to people.  I believe the proper definition in this context is the one identifying Yehova and Messiah.
If so, then we are seeing a hint that He will send other ‘workers’.
We’ll keep studying all these references and see if this comes to pass.
Stay tuned…
 

I found 73 references to demons in scripture.
I’ll be studying each reference in context, in order to learn whatever it is we should know about this topic. Today I’m looking at references 6-10.

REFERENCE 6
Matthew 4:24 
News about Him spread throughout all Syria. And they brought to Him all the sick—those tormented by various diseases and afflictions, those plagued by demons, the epileptics, the paralyzed—and He healed them.

Thus begins the ministry of Yeshua.
We are told that Yeshua healed the sick and cast out demons from those afflicted.
No details are given here, just that He became widely known for this.

REFERENCE 7
Matthew 8:16-17
¹⁶ When evening came, the people brought to Him many who were afflicted by demons. He forced out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. ¹⁷ So was fulfilled what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
“He Himself took our sicknesses
    and carried away our diseases.”

Again we see Yeshua healing and freeing the afflicted from demons.
This time, we get just a bit of detail.
We see that Yeshua ‘forced out the demons with a word’.
Did He speak scripture, or did He just command them with authority?
We know that when Hasatan tempted Him in the desert, He responded three times by quoting Deuteronomy. We have an example where Yeshua defeated Hasatan by quoting Torah. Maybe it applies here as well, with casting out demons. We are not given these details, though.

However, I find the reference to Isaiah interesting.
Mat 8:16 tells us that Yeshua healed the sick and cast out demons.
However, Isaiah says He took our sickness, not just healed us from our sickness.
He carried away our diseases, instead of just ‘healing’.
Are demons/spirits being referred to as a sickness here?
Isaiah does not call it a possession.
This makes my mind go to mental illness again.
What we consider to be mental sickness might just be demons and spirits…
Interesting thoughts…

REFERENCES 8, 9, 10
Matthew 8:28-34
²⁸ When He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-plagued men coming from the graveyard met Him. They were so violent that no one could pass by that way. ²⁹ And they screamed, “What’s between You and us, Ben-Elohim? Have You come here to torment us, before the appointed time?”
³⁰ Now a large herd of pigs was feeding some distance away from them. ³¹ The demons kept begging Him, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
³² And He told them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the cliff into the sea and drowned. ³³ The herdsmen ran away, went into the town, and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-plagued men. ³⁴ The whole town came out to meet Yeshua. And when they saw him, they begged Him to leave their region.

Wow, this story is absolutely packed with information.  Where to even start???
1. Very simply, we see that Yeshua has authority over the demons.  The demons recognized this, and pleaded with Him.
2. Yet again, we see that people plagued by demons existed then, so it is safe to assume this affliction exists today.
3. Demons are violent.
4. The demons knew there is an appointed time for their demise, and they knew that the appointed time had not yet arrived. We can have peace in knowing there is an appointed time when all will be set right.
5. The demons begged to be cast into the herd of pigs, as opposed to just being cast out.  Why is this important?  Apparently, they want to have a host body.  What happens to them if they do not have a host?  I don’t know, but it would seem they don’t like it, preferring pigs over nothing.
6. My whole life, I never understood about the herd of pigs.  Having learned that Torah is true and applicable today, I know that pigs are unclean, and considered to be an abomination with regard to eating them.  I always weighed the loss of a herd of pigs against the value of two men being set free from demons. Obviously, men being free is more important than the value of a herd of pigs.
I now understand that the herd of pigs essentially have no value.  They are not to be raised as a food commodity.  They are scavengers, created to keep the earth clean. They have purpose, but they do not have value as a food to be raised and sold.
The death of the pigs solved two problems at once.
The demons were no longer afflicting two men, and pigs [presumably] being raised for food were destroyed. Killing two spiritual birds with one stone.
7. Now we come to the sad part of the story.  The whole town came out to meet Yeshua, but instead of being grateful for getting rid of demons and unclean food, they were bothered by Him.  They wanted Him to leave their town.
How does this apply to us?
What if we send Yeshua away from our own lives?  What if we reject Him, either by speaking those words, or through our actions of disobedience?
Something to think about…
If we choose to send Yeshua away, He will not argue. He will respect our wishes and go.

 

 

I found 73 references to demons in scripture.
I’ll be studying each reference in context, in order to learn whatever it is we should know about this topic.

REFERENCE 3
Isaiah 13:21
But desert creatures will lie there. Their houses will be full of owls. Ostriches will dwell there, and goat-demons will dance there.

Isaiah 13 speaks of the horrendous destruction of Babylon.  We are told that in the days after the destruction, no people will inhabit this area of complete devastation.  Instead, there will be goat-demons [again, H8163] dancing there.

REFERENCE 4
Isaiah 34:14
Wildcats will meet with wolves, the goat-demon will cry to its kind— yes, the night monster will settle there and find itself a resting place.

Again, another description of the destruction to come…
Babylon, ‘the world,’ is to be destroyed.
A place no longer fit for humans, but demons will reside there.

Are we a part of this destruction? I suppose it depends on if we allow ourselves to be part of the world…

John 18:36
Yeshua answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Judean leaders. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here.”

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of Yahuah—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

REFERENCE 5
Psalm 106:37
They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

Psalm 106 gives us a summary of the disobedience of the people of Israel.
Looking at verses 34-41, we see this:

They did not destroy the peoples,
as Adonai had commanded them.
Instead they mingled with the nations
and learned their practices.
They worshipped their idols,
which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
They shed innocent blood—
the blood of their sons and their daughters,
sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
So the land was desecrated with blood.
So they defiled themselves by their deeds,
and prostituted themselves by their practices.
Therefore the anger of Adonai was kindled against His people,
and He abhorred His inheritance.
He handed them to the nations—
those who hated them ruled over them.

Seeking after gods other than Yahuah resulted in child sacrifices to demons.

Yes, but this was an ancient time, when people were barbaric, right?

There have been nearly 60,000,000 abortions performed in the United States alone since 1973.
Let that sink in…

Are you aware of the shape of the Planned Parenthood headquarters?

Are there ancient, barbaric buildings shaped like this?

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What about this Mayan temple built for human sacrifice?

Do you think it is an accident that the Planned Parenthood headquarters building replicates the architectural structure of a place built for human sacrifices?
These things are not coincidences or accidents.
Human sacrifice is alive and well in 2017.
Although we consider ourselves to be a civilized people, we are still sacrificing children by the millions.
Right now.
Today.

Sorry, but the worship of demons is still happening, and it requires blood sacrifice.
Whether done with full knowledge, or done without full knowledge, these demons and false gods are getting their fill of the blood of our sons and daughters, just as it is written so very long ago in Old Testament writings.

I found 73 references to demons in scripture.
I’ll be studying each reference in context, in order to learn whatever it is we should know about this topic.

REFERENCE #1
Leviticus 17:7
They are no longer to offer their sacrifices to the goat–demons after which they play the prostitute. This will be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.

Leviticus 17 tells us there was an issue, all the way back then, that people were making animal sacrifices to other gods, even in the camps of the Exodus (believe it or not). These people literally saw the miracles of being delivered from Egypt, and yet they were seeking after other gods, making sacrifices to “goat-demons.” [Tree of Life version].

KJV uses the word “devils” instead of goat-demons.
The Hebrew word used is saiyr H8163
Definition:  satyr, may refer to a demon possessed goat like the swine of Gadara

Yahuah commands Israel in Leviticus 17 to no longer do this, offering sacrifices to any other god.
They are allowed to make animal sacrifices for fellowship to Yahuah. They must bring the sacrifice to the entrance to the Tabernacle, and the Kohen must sprinkle the blood on the alter.
Anyone who violates this will be cut off from their people.
To be cut off is the Hebrew word karath (H3772).
It means to be cut off, destroyed, beheaded.
The consequences for this violation are serious.

REFERENCE #2
Deuteronomy 32:17
They sacrificed to demons, a non-god, gods they had not known— to new ones who came in lately, ones your fathers had not dreaded.

Deuteronomy 32:17 mentions (in the song of Moses) that the people sacrificed (or will, if prophecy) to demons, to non-gods.
Subsequent verses speak of Yahuah’s jealousy and anger, and all the horrific consequences for being spiritually unfaithful to Him.

What do we learn from Levitcus and Deuteronomy?
We learn that demons exist and they are associated with other gods.
We learn that people turned away from their Creator and sought after other gods, demons in the sight of Yahuah, and He was not pleased.
Making this choice will cost you everything.
It is unwise beyond imagination to honor demons and false gods.

Bottom line:
Demons exist.
Do not seek after them.
Do not try to honor or worship them, do not make sacrifices to them.

Sometimes difficult topics come up…
Do we shy away from them, or do we explore them?
I say we explore them, but only if we use scripture as our basis for truth.

The concept of demons, and even more so, the concept of casting out demons came up on Shabbat this week.
Some were comfortable discussing this idea, and others were not.

If something shows up in scripture, then it is not something we should avoid. The mainstream church doctrine has set up boundaries between men, religion, and the spiritual realm.
Mainstream doctrine has especially set up a boundary between men and the evil side of the spiritual realm.
It is taboo…
It is superstitious…
It is evil…
We don’t go there.

Well, if it is in scripture, then we do go there.
We need to go there.
We need to understand.
We need to know what we are doing, and we should know what we should not be doing.

I will be studying this idea in the next few days.
Step 1 of study for me is to refer to every occurrence of a topic in scripture. I did a word search for ‘demon’ and this is where I’ll begin my study.

Here is what I came up with, for anyone who wants to join in and study with me [keep in mind, these are just references – be sure to read these scriptures with full context]:

Leviticus 17:7
They are no longer to offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons after which they play the prostitute. This will be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.

Deuteronomy 32:17
They sacrificed to demons, a non-god, gods they had not known— to new ones who came in lately, ones your fathers had not dreaded.

Isaiah 13:21
But desert creatures will lie there. Their houses will be full of owls. Ostriches will dwell there, and goat-demons will dance there.

Isaiah 34:14
Wildcats will meet with wolves, the goat-demon will cry to its kind— yes, the night monster will settle there and find itself a resting place.

Psalm 106:37
They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

Matthew 4:24 
News about Him spread throughout all Syria. And they brought to Him all the sick—those tormented by various diseases and afflictions, those plagued by demons, the epileptics, the paralyzed—and He healed them.

Matthew 8:16
When evening came, the people brought to Him many who were afflicted by demons. He forced out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.

Matthew 8:28
[Freedom from Demons] When He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-plagued men coming from the graveyard met Him. They were so violent that no one could pass by that way.

Matthew 8:31 
The demons kept begging Him, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

Matthew 8:33
The herdsmen ran away, went into the town, and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-plagued men.

Matthew 9:32
As they were going out, a mute man plagued by a demon was brought to Him.

Matthew 9:33
After the demon was driven out, the mute man started speaking. The crowds were astounded, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!”

Matthew 9:34
But the Pharisees were saying, “By the prince of demons He drives out demons.”

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with tzara’at, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

Matthew 11:18
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

Matthew 12:22
[Whose Power Will Rule?] Then a demon-plagued man, who was blind and mute, was brought to Yeshua; and He healed him, so that he spoke and saw.

Matthew 12:24
But hearing this, the Pharisees said, “This fellow drives out demons only by beelzebul, the ruler of demons.”

Matthew 12:27
And if I drive out demons by beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason, they will be your judges.

Matthew 12:28
But if I drive out demons by the Ruach Elohim, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 15:22
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that district came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, O Master, Ben-David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.”

Matthew 15:22
Yeshua rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that very hour.

Mark 1:21
[Demons Flee at His Command ] And they went into Capernaum. Right away, on Shabbat, He entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Mark 1:32
When evening came, at sunset, the people brought to Him all the sick and those who were afflicted by demons.

Mark 1:34
He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. And He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

Mark 1:39
And He went throughout all the Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 3:15
and to have power to drive out demons.

Mark 3:22
The Torah scholars who came down from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by beelzebul,” and, “By the ruler of demons He drives out demons.”

Mark 5:1
[Power Over Demons] They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.

Mark 5:16
Those who had seen it described in detail what had happened to the man plagued by a demon, and they also told about the pigs.

Mark 5:18
As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been infested with demons kept begging to remain with Him.

Mark 6:13
and they were driving out many demons and anointing with oil many who were sick and healing them.

Mark 7:26
The woman was a Greek, from Syrophoenicia. And she kept begging Yeshua to drive the demon out of her daughter.

Mark 7:29
Then He said to her, “Because of this word, go your way! The demon has left your daughter.”

Mark 7:30
She went home and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Mark 9:38
John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”

Mark 16:9
[He Is Risen] After He had risen early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Miriam of Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven demons.

Mark 16:17
These signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak new languages;

Luke 4:33
In the synagogue was a man who had an unclean demonic spirit, and he cried out with a loud voice,

Luke 4:35
Yeshua rebuked him, saying, “Quiet! Come out of him!” And when the demon threw him down in their midst, it came out without hurting him.

Luke 4:41
Even demons were coming out from many, shouting out and saying, “You are Ben-Elohim!” But He was rebuking them and not permitting them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Messiah.

Luke 7:33
“For John the Immerser has come not eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

Luke 8:2
And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Miriam, the one called Magdalene, out of whom seven demons had gone;

Luke 8:27
A demon-plagued man from the town met Yeshua as He was coming out onto the land. The man hadn’t worn any clothing for a long time and was living not in a house but in the tombs.

Luke 8:29
For Yeshua commanded the defiling spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him so that, even though he was restrained and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the chains and be driven by the demons into the desert.

Luke 8:30
Yeshua questioned him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he said, for many demons had entered him.

Luke 8:32
Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on the mountain. The demons urged Yeshua to let them enter these pigs, and He gave them permission.

Luke 8:35
People went out to see what had happened. They came to Yeshua and found the man from whom the demons had gone—clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Yeshua. And they were frightened.

Luke 8:36
Now those who had seen it reported how the demon-plagued man had been restored.

Luke 8:38
The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Yeshua. But Yeshua sent him away, saying,

Luke 9:1
[Sending Out the Twelve] Now when Yeshua called the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.

Luke 9:42
And while the boy was still approaching Yeshua, the demon knocked him down to the ground and threw him into convulsions. But Yeshua rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and restored him to his father.

Luke 9:49
John replied, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he doesn’t follow along with us.”

Luke 10:17
[Returning with a Good Report] Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Master, even the demons submit to us in Your name!”

Luke 11:14
[Crowds Demand a Sign from Heaven] Now Yeshuawas driving out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute one spoke and the crowds were amazed.

Luke 11:15
But some among them said, “By beelzebul, the ruler of demons, He drives out demons.”

Luke 11:18
Now if satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say by beelzebul I drive out the demons.

Luke 11:19
But if by beelzebul I drive out demons, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason, they will be your judges.

Luke 11:20
But if by the finger of God I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Luke 13:32
But Yeshua said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Indeed, I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach My goal.’

John 7:20
The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who’s trying to kill you?”

John 8:48
The Judean leaders responded, “Aren’t we right to say you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

John 8:49
Yeshua answered, “I do not have a demon! I honor My Father, yet you dishonor Me.

John 8:52
“Now we know You have a demon!” the Judean leaders said to Him. “Abraham and the prophets died. Yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste death.’

John 10:20
Many of them were saying, “He has a demon. He’s insane! Why listen to Him?”

John 10:21
Others said, “These are not the sayings of someone who is plagued by a demon. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can it?”

1 Corinthians 10:20
No, I’m saying that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God, and I don’t want you to become partners with demons.

1 Corinthians 10:21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

1 Timothy 4:1
[ Advice to a Young Leader ] Now the Ruach clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, following deceitful spirits and teachings of demons

James 2:19
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder!

James 3:15
This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Revelation 9:20
But the rest of mankind, those not killed by these plagues, did not repent and turn away from the works of their hands—they would not stop worshiping demons and the idols of gold and silver and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.

Revelation 16:14
For they are demonic spirits performing miraculous signs, who go out to the kings of the whole world—to gather them for battle on the great Day of Elohei Tzva’ot.

Revelation 18:2
He cried out with a mighty voice, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a den for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit and for every unclean bird and for every unclean and detestable beast.

Almost daily in online Torah groups, I see posts regarding arguments, division, and bickering over the Word.

I have no problems with discussion of scripture. Iron sharpens iron. We should be discussing scripture among ourselves, as well as reaching out to others with the truth.

The problem (that I see) is how many people seem to be offended.
If someone disagrees with you, so what?
Even if scripture is clear and they disagree, still so what?
If someone insists on believing what they believe, even though you showed them something different using scripture, so what?
If someone gets angry about your position, so what?
If someone insults you, so what?
If someone trolls you, so what?
If someone makes a post about their disagreement with you, so what?
If someone slanders you, so what?
If someone attacks your character, so what?
Are we to be offended?
Are we to retaliate?
No.

Speak truth and leave it at that.
Do we need to defend the truth?
No.
The truth has been around for much longer than we’ve been around.
The truth will be ok, even if there are many who do not believe it.
There are many who will speak against the truth.
Don’t worry about them…
Be the one speaking truth instead.
Let the truth stand upon its own merit.
Do not argue about the truth.
Do not become angry about others’ disregard for the truth.

Did Yeshua give us any advice about this?
Matthew 10:14
“And whoever does not receive you nor hear your words, when you leave that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.”

Ok, ok, ok already…
But why can’t people just see the truth written on the pages before us?
Check out 2 Corinthians chapters 3 and 4.
It describes how people are veiled, and they cannot understand the truth.
It doesn’t matter how simply we break it down for them, and quote verses, and everything else…
They do not see truth.
Their veil prevents them from ‘getting it,’ no matter how much we want them to ‘get it.’

Instead of being upset or offended, just pray for them.
They need our prayers, not our debating skills.