Tribute to My Father; Bill Shoemaker

My Father, Billy Randolph Shoemaker grew up without a father, and was from a large, dirt poor Kentucky family. As a youth he was a high school basketball rock star, and as a young man served in Germany with Elvis Presley. He ended up marrying my Mom who already had two girls from a previous marriage. Not many men back in the 70’s would do that. But my Dad was not just any man. He loved my sisters as if they were his own and then I came along.

The last decade or so of his life he was very ill.

My Dad was not perfect and he had his faults like everyone else, but he loved the LORD with all his being and served him till his dying day. If he only knew how many lives he touched. I was floored when at the calling hours; the line was out the door and into the street. Over 300 people signed the guest book. And there were some relatives from Kentucky and elsewhere that was not able to attend!

He has been with Yeshua since September 5^th, 2008. Though I miss him as much as ever I would not wish him back for the world, for I know he is well and whole with Yeshua and that I will see him again one day.

The following is a free verse poem I wrote in tribute to my father.

The Leaf

By Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

The Leaf was the color of maze, wilting and buffeted by the wind on the Tree. Canker worms had nibbled the edges and bore holes in the leaf here and there.

The Leaf was tired, its grasp weak and loose, like a fatigued climber hanging on the edge of a cliff with no one to rescue him.

The Leaf fell asleep and rides a spiral vortex to the ground below and what remained of the moist life begins to turn to dry brittle decay.

With a gasp of breath, like one breaking the surface of the water, or breaching the womb, the leaf awakens to find as if it were an all to real bad dream. Its color moist, green, radiant and vibrant; you can almost see the veins in its leaf pulse. It is whole. Even the strong wind that once buffeted feels as if it were a gentle caressing breeze. It’s grip as a stalactite.

The Leaf awakens to see bright, almost glowing Leaves he hasn’t seen since his dream which he only vaguely remembers; Leaves who fell asleep before he did and had been nearly forgotten in the mulch below.

The Tree he had occupied before was fading and sparse. But this Tree is lush, thick boughs and alive; though he cannot find the vibrant leaves that surrounded him before he slept.

The Leaf looks below to see if he can see the vibrant leaves he left upon sleeping and what should he spy, but a dim rippling pool, almost like tinted glass. He sees a pale, yet opposite portrait of the tree he now thrives from.

He sees as a soaring hawk who spies a grey mouse in the thicket of the field and sees those who surrounded him as he fell asleep now droop.

HE begins to see leaves from the faded Tree fall as if up, only to touch the surface of the dark mirror below and make ripples in the sheen of the glass only to disappear and instantly sprout near him, as if a butterfly spreading its wings as it emerges from the cocoon.

Then the Leaf notices that the wind passes through the collective foliage as if a flute. This Tree does not clap, clamor or rustle with complaint, but sings, vibrates like strings on a harp. The sheen of the collective Leaves is iridescent, shimmering a rainbow of color. Then the Leaf rubs its eyes only to wonder if he is not still dreaming. But he says to himself that he has never felt so “real” in all his life! He sees various different species of fruit hanging from the Tree in which he find himself. Even the Leaves are a collage of variety. This never occurred, that he noticed, in the Tree reflected below.

The Leaf then discovers an amazing thing. At will, he could close his eyes and open them to find him self at any point of the tree he desires. From afar it looks as if the Tree had countless dancing flames, for the Leaves traveled as he did at will from branch to branch.

The Leafs eyes began to examine the branch from which it effortlessly held to, and he traced it all the way down the trunk and he was awed at what he saw; a pattern as if black fire on white fire, and intricate design of an ancient holy tongue that weaved itself up and down and around the Tree making the bark look like a royal tapestry. And low and behold it appeared to breathe! As his eyes pierced the murky mirror below and as he continued to trace the Tree to its opposite image, the trunk appeared to be as chiseled, petrified stone, faded and peeling like the parchment of a birch.

Then he noticed the pulsing sensation surge pleasantly through him as if he could “feel” light! Warm serenity and indefinable love radiated through every fiber of his new being.

This he thought is the Tree of Life that Adam should have tasted first. This is the burning bush that was not consumed that Moses saw. This is the Tree that heals the nations in the book of Revelation in the World to Come.

Then my Dad realized he was finally home.

The 1270 Principle 11-12

12 Tribes 12 Apostles 12 Fates

The activities of the 12 Apostles after Acts is surrounded by legend and speculation, so I have scoured several sources including Foxes Book of Martyrs and a several Catholic sources and have used the ones that agree with each other to determine where and how they met their end. Could these things give us a clue to which Tribe of Israel they were sent to find and minister too?

·        Simon Peter – Crucified upside down in Rome

·        Andrew – Said to have ministered in Asia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia, Scythia and Byzantium. He was crucified on an “X” shaped cross, some say, upside down in Rome under Nero’s reign.

·        James son of Zebedee – Was said to have minister in Spain and Ethiopia. He was 1^st to be martyred (Acts 12:2) by the sword, by beheading.

·        John son of Zebedee – Exiled to Patmos and was boiled alive, but miraculously he would not burn and was said to be the only Apostle to die of natural causes in Ephesus.

·        Phillip – Ministered in Turkey and by the Black Sea and was imprisoned, scourged, skinned alive and crucified upside down at Hierapolis Phrygia in 54 AD

·        Bartholomew/Nathanial – Was said to have ministered and was beaten and crucified in India, some say he was skinned alive.

·        Thomas – Ministered in Persia, Parthia, India and Afghanistan and was tortured, speared and thrown in an oven in Calamina India, others say he was martyred in Malta

·        Matthew Levi – Is said to have went to Ethipoia and minister to Candaces’ (Acts 8:27) people and was pinned to the ground and beheaded in Nadaban (Naddayar) Ethiopia in 60 AD

·        James son of Alpheus – It is said he took a Nazarite vow and was killed by Jews.

·        Judah/Thaddeus/Lebbaeus – and was said to traveled and ministered often with Simon the Zealot and was crucified in 72 AD in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Edessa.

·        Simon the Zealot of Canaan – Ministered all over North, East and West Africa as well as Persia, Iberia and even Britain (Lincolnshire) where he was supposedly sawed in half there. Some sources say he was crucified and buried in Africa.

·        Matthias – It is said he ministered in Ethiopia by the Sea of Hyssus (Black Sea) by the River Phasis (Near Turkey) and was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem.

·        Saul/Paul – The Apostle to the Gentiles, the 70 nations, the assimilated 10 Lost Tribes. His missionary journey is well documented in the book of Acts and was beheaded in 66 AD under Nero’s reign.

All Apostles besides John the Revelator (son of Zebedee) is recorded to have died as a martyr. Although legend has it martyrdom was attempted on his life; being boiled alive, but miraculously despite the oil boiling around him this flesh would not burn so they exiled him to the Isle of Patmos where he received his revelation.

Let us try and piece together the legend of these Apostles ministry and their deaths and see if the Tribes they were supposedly assigned to line up according to British Israelite and Black Hebrew scholars among other sources including religious and secular.

·        Simon Peter – Judah (Indeed he was considered the Apostle to the Jews and Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles) – It was clear he reached out to Jews in Israel and in Rome.

·        Andrew – Issachar – The tribe is said to have finally settled in Switzerland and Finland and were likely in the areas Andrews is said to have been in their migration to Switzerland and Finland.

·        James son of Zebedee – Zebulun – There are legends that state a portion of Zebulun did flee to Africa and possibly Spain along with Gad and Judah.

·        John son of Zebedee – Dan and Reuben – Dan and Reuben was said to have finally settled in parts of Africa/Denmark/Europe and France/Germany respectively and it is conceivable John did minister to Danites and Reubenites.

·        Phillip – Asher and Simeon – Phillip being called a warrior was fit to minister to Simeon which was prophesied to be scattered with his brother Levi due to their hastiness with the sword against Shechem. Asher was said to have ended up in Northern Europe and various parts of Africa. If this be correct it is not as stretch to think Phillip ran into Asherites and Simeonites in the places where he is said to have ministered.

·        Bartholomew/Nathanial – Naphtali and Gad – Naphtali and Gad was said to have split and part of them ended up in West Africa and another part of these two tribes went to Norway/Sweden and Germany/Sweden respectively. We do not know all of Bartholomew/Nathanial’s ministerial travels and it is conceivable that he ministered in other places than just India thus running into those from Naphtali and Gad.

·        Thomas – Benjamin and Ephraim – The Pathans in and around the area of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India is said to contain a portion of every tribe of Israel (most of which are Muslims today) and this fits to where Thomas was said to have been ministering.

·        Matthew Levi – Manasseh – many African tribes are said to be sons of Manasseh, so it may be true Matthew did minister to Africans who were descendants of Manasseh.

·        James son of Alpheus – Ephraim and Benjamin – Little is known where this James traveled and ministered, but seeing as Benjamin was scattered among the Jews and James supposedly died at the hands of the Jews, it is probable James did minister to Benjamites. Not knowing much of his travels we can only speculate where he may have gone in order to minister to Ephraim.

·        Judas(Judah)/Thaddeus/Lebbaeus – Gad and Dan – A portion of both Gad and Dan ended in up in African countries, especially in the West and if he did travel with Simon the Zealot of Canaan, it is highly probable that this Apostle did minister to Danites and Gadites.

·        Simon the Zealot of Canaan – Simeon and Asher – Again, Simeon being scattered everywhere and legends about of Asherites making it to various parts of Africa Simon probably did minister unto the tribes of Simeon and Asher. If Simon was a Black Hebrew, it would make sense that Yeshua would send him to people that closely resembled his appearance.

·        Matthias – Reuben and Naphtali – It is not clear whether portions of Reuben made it to Africa, but there are African tribes who claim to be descended from Naphtali, so Matthias likely did minister to Naphtalites. Reuben was said rather to have settled in France and Germany by way of the Black Sea and Naphtali to Norway by way of the Black Sea.

·        Saul/Paul – Gentiles 70 Nations Assimilated 12 Tribes – True, Paul traveled where many Gentiles lived as well as were Jews and Hebrews of the Lost 10 Tribes lived in the Diaspora.

We have to keep in mind that the Apostles caught these tribes in sort of a mid-migratory state, and were on their way to be where they are today. True, much of this evidence is speculator and circumstantial, but we know that all legends, like a pearl are based on a grain of truth. Perhaps in the future we may be able to regain documentation confiscated and locked away by the Roman Catholic Church or confirm and or debunk information found in Apocryphal and Pseudopigraphal literature.  But the information we do have at hand seems to indicate that the 12 Apostles were sent to and did minister unto all the 12 tribes of Israel. 

12 Tribes 12 Apostles 2 Sticks 1 Staff: Concluding Thoughts

I would like to mention again Yeshua’s words regarding the 12 Tribes and 12 Apostles:

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. – Matt. 19:28

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. – Luke 22:30

12 Apostles to Rule 12 Tribes.

But as you have seen, I have given two possible methods, both with equal merit in determining which Apostles is to be over which Tribes. Regardless, each Apostle will have authority over at least 1 Tribe, and I have no problem with an Apostle having a shared authority over 2 Tribes. It’s like a classroom with a teacher; one teacher for one class. But if the teacher in authority over the a class leaves the classroom and another teacher (a colleague of the other teacher not a substitute) comes to temporarily take over, teach or watch over the class, that teacher has the same authority as the first who had to leave. So in similar fashion I see no problem with Apostles sharing authority over more than one Tribe.

Today Believers in Yeshua the Messiah, many discovering they are of Judah, Levi and other Tribes of Israel have taken up the Apostolic mantle and are fervently “fishing” and “hunting” for, finding and ministering to the “12 tribes” that has been “scattered abroad.” We are living in a day when prophecy is being fulfilled right before our very eyes!

I for one have discovered Judean and Gadite linage in my family and am currently involved in ministering to the Igbo people of Nigeria who have been found to be descendants of Gad’s sons Eri, Areli and Arodi. It has also been found that portions of Levi, Judah, Zebulun and other tribes are among the Igbo as well.

I have written a book containing the proofs of the Igbo’s linage in Gad entitled, “Finding Gad: The Quest for the Lost Tribe of Gad” which can be purchased at: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/raybash

I am currently working on a second book outlining in greater detail the Igbos tribal affiliations with the 12 tribes and their cultural exactitudes.

   

You can also find out about the Gadites of Nigeria by going to my website: www.abrahamsdescendants.com and click on the “Tribe of Gad” tabs and sub-tabs as well as visiting www.igbofriendsofisrael.com

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. – Zech. 8:23

This prophetic passage hints about the Jewish Apostles sent to the sent to the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel and each Lost Tribe Finding an Apostle, grabbing his Tzitzit and Begging to be brought back to Torah.

Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. – Hosea 8:8

This passage complements Zech. 8:23 in that it hints about how the 10 Tribes will attach themselves to Judah and return to the Faith after they have settled among or have become assimilated with the Gentile Nations and wake up to who they really are.

We know Messiah will soon be returning and He will return for a full, complete and spotless Bride and this fills me with hope that all the Lost Tribes will be soon be found so the Bride can be complete and the Two Houses of Israel will be reunited again as prophesied by Ezekiel 37.

It is my sincere prayer that the reader was edified and enlightened on truths contained in this book that have been hidden and obscured for nearly 2000 years, and that this has caused a desire for the reader to walk in the Light of Truth, in the footsteps of Yeshua the Messiah, by walking the Torah daily as He did and taught us to do and this will cause us a have a yearning and a boldness to reach the 12 and the 70.

 

Shofar So Good!

Shofar so Good!

By Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Lev. 23:23-25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work [therein]: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Every time I hear that shofar at Rosh Hashanah it’s as if time stands still. Chills run up and down my spine as a sense of holiness cleanses and even stops time for that brief moment. I can easily see why the Rabbi’s and sages say the sound of the shofar actually scares Satan away.

I bask in the echo of that rams horn. I close my eyes and take a deep breath and prepare myself to spiritually meet my G-d. For this starts the 10 Days of Awe leading up to Yom Kippur. A time where I make sure things are right between me and G-d.

Legend has it that the Rams horn was given to Avraham Avinu during the Binding of Isaac. The Ram caught in the thicket had a large horn and a small horn and the smaller one was given to Avraham to use while G-d took the other one to heaven to use to announce the coming of Messiah in the Last Days.

As I hear and see the shofar on Rosh Hashanah I am reminded of who I am to be this and every year.

I am to be like a ram’s horn, I am to be like a shofar.

Once a ram’s horn is cut off from the head of the ram it begins a grueling process to become a shofar. An instrument used for combat becomes a claxon to call one to combat ones self. It becomes a spiritual alarm clock to wake the slumbering soul. It becomes a too one uses to send a message of repentance and salvation to the world!

First, the ram’s horn is gutted of all of the gunk that is inside it. You can’t just cut of a ram’s horn and immediately start blowing and expect to hear a sound; it’s stopped up. It is like us before G-d can use us as His mouth piece. He needs to clean us out of all of the gunk that is inside our lives that stops us from making a sound for Him.

Next, after the ram’s horn is hallowed out, it is buffed and polished. For G-d to use me and get all the glory He has to put the finishing touches on me too.

And when one blows a shofar, what is it filled with to make a sound? Wind! Wind in Hebrew is Ruach, which also means spirit. We need to be filled with the Ruach Ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit of G-d to be able to make a sound.

When G-d created man, didn’t He breath into Adam’s nostrils the “breath”, the “ruach” of life (Gen. 2:7)!? Ruach, breath, wind, in Judaism is also synonymous with and symbolic of wisdom. To be used as His mouth piece, to share His message with mankind for His Glory we need to resound with a clear sound of wisdom for us to truly be heard.

Also there must be focus. You just can’t put your mouth on a shofar and blow and all you’ll get is a sound like when one puts their ear to a conch shell. If I am blowing into a shofar and no sound is coming out, what kind of “ruach” is being heard through me? I’ll tell you, nothing but hot air! And does anyone want to listen to some one who’s blowing of hot air? Does G-d get any glory from a bunch of hot air? No, never!

To make a pure clear sound one must focus ones lips and blow into the shofar a certain way. As a shofar, I must be focused to be able to channel G-d’s “ruach” through me so I can make a pure, clear sound so His message can be heard loud and clear through me for His glory.

The shofar has many uses. Very specific sounds send a very specific message.

I Cor. 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

Shofars were used to call meetings together, to announce war, etc. But on Rosh Hashanah what message does G-d want to sound through me for the people to hear? The sound of Teshuvah (Repentance); for Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, leads to up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the day that’s all about repentance.

The blast of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is very specific and embodies the process of repentance. There is a blast that awakens the soul. Followed by a series of broken wailing, sobbing sounds, topped off with a peaceful mellow steady blast of praise.

Some are confused about the silver trumpets that are mentioned, because they have a similar use. But most of the time (not always) when the word trumpet is mentioned by itself with out the descriptor “silver” it is usually a rams horn, a shofar. The silver trumpets were predominately used within the camp and on Rosh Kodesh (the new month) according to Numbers chapter Ten, not so much on High Holy Days except when one fell on the first of the month. Sometimes they were used in conjunction with the Shofar.

Shalom and Lashanah Tova!

-- Rabbi Yehudah