An examination of "THE PROPHECY OF GOOD AGAINST EVIL": Expose of Maestro Erano M Evangelista 5

Still continuing with our response to Erano on the claims he makes in his articles.

""they will be my people" - Who are they? Who will have the privilege to be called "people of God" and to call God as "Father?"

"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, 

against the man who is close to me!" 

declares the LORD Almighty. 

"Strike the shepherd, 

and the sheep will be scattered, 

and I will turn my hand against the little ones. 

Zechariah 13:7 (NIV)

   The "shepherd" was Jesus, we already know it. 

"sheep" - Jesus' apostles. 

"little ones" - the religions, and the anger of God is great on these people.

In the whole land," declares the LORD, 

"two-thirds will be struck down and perish; 

yet one-third will be left in it. 

Zechariah 13:8 (NIV)

   They will be destroyed in time, who will remain?

This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver 

and test them like gold. They will call on my name 

and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' 

and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' "

Zechariah 13:9 (NIV)

   They will call on the Name of God, and God will answer them and will be called the New People of God. 

   Will the prophecy be fulfilled?

The LORD will be king over the whole earth. 

On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.

Zechariah 14:9 (NIV)

"On that day" - it will surely happen. 

"one" - when the merging of "the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and of animals" is complete - then they will be the New People of God.. 

   Without knowing the true Name of God, any law or covenant that is not signed - is not binding. 

   We are fortunate that the Name of God will be revealed in our time through "the foreigner," Maestro Eraño M. Evangelista, as it was prophesied in the Holy Bible, the Word of God. 

   Let us return to the prophecy again:

At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me. 

Jeremiah 31:26 (NIV)

   This is the condition of the people of the world at present; they are still asleep with the teachings of the religions. We are going to wake them up now... "

Jeremiah is awakening from a dream, it is not speaking about any religion putting people to sleep. With respect to the subject of Zechariah 13, false prophets are mentioned with respect to the subject them realising they shouldn't be doing things, but from verse 7 onwards, we come across a shepherd who struck down by the LORD. Now who does it speak about in verse 7? One commentary called the freebiblecommentary proposes the following:

"13:7 There is an obvious radical break between Zech. 13:6 and 7. As 13:6 refers to false prophets, 13:7 refers to the coming Messiah. Notice in your translation that Zech. 13:1-6 is in prose, while Zech. 13:7-9 is poetry. This poetry is definitely related to Zech. 11:4-14, which describes the godly shepherd.

▣ "Awake" This is a Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 734, KB 802).
▣ "O sword" This is obviously a personification of death (cf. the VOCATIVE is also used in Jer. 47:6-7 in a military sense). Notice that God is the spokesman. God is the One who strikes the Shepherd. The terms "awake" and "sword," in Zech. 13:7a, are both FEMININE, while the word "strike" in Zech. 13:7d is Hiphil IMPERATIVE MASCULINE SINGULAR (BDB 645, KB 697) and refers to God striking the shepherd (i.e., vicarious substitutionary atonement, cf. Isa. 53:10; Acts 2:23; 2 Cor. 5:21).

▣ "My Shepherd" This is an obvious reference to the Davidic king (cf. Zech. 12:10). "Shepherd" originally referred to God (cf. Psalm 23), but it is later used of the leaders of Israel (cf. Ezekiel 34). It is used in the NT to describe the Messiah (cf. John 10).

▣ "And against the man, My Associate" The NIV translates this "and against the man who is close to me." This is obviously a reference to a close associate (BDB 765). This is why identifying this shepherd with the one in Zech. 11:17 is misleading. This term (BDB 765) is used only here and in the book of Leviticus (cf. Lev. 5:21; 18:20; 19:15,17; 24:19; 25:14,15). It obviously means a close friend or covenant neighbor.

▣ "strike the shepherd" This VERB (BDB 645, KB 697) is a Hiphil IMPERATIVE.
▣ "that the sheep may be scattered" The VERB (BDB 806 I, KB 918) is a Qal IMPERFECT used as a JUSSIVE. This is used as a fulfillment of the cursing section of Deut. 28:64. Jesus makes an allusion to this when He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27).

▣ "I will turn My hand against the little ones" The VERB (BDB 996 [top of, p. 999], KB 1427, Hiphil PERFECT) is used especially of God's judgment (cf. Isa. 1:25; Zech. 13:7; Ps. 81:15). The phrase "the little ones" is parallel to "the sheep," which are scattered in the previous verse. This must be a time of testing initiated by God Himself.

13:8 "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it" This seems to refer to some type of punishment by God where two-thirds of the people perish. This is either a reference to a military invasion or to the spiritual rejection of the Messiah by two-thirds of God's people. Again, the time setting is ambiguous.
13:9   "And I will bring the third part through the fire,
Refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested"
This refers to the purpose of refining (BDB 864, cf. Mal. 3:2) for strengthening (cf. Isa. 48:10; Dan. 11:35). YHWH wants a purified people who reflect His character! This use of the metallurgical term is quite common in the Bible to describe God testing His people (i.e., the faithful remnant) for approval (cf. Pro. 17:3; Isa. 1:25; 48:10).

▣ "They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The Lord is my God'" This is a series of covenant phrases (e.g., Hos. 2:19-23) to describe that in the midst of God's judgment on the shepherd and the sheep, His purpose is a stronger covenant relationship (cf. Zech. 8:8).""

Also another thing to consider is this, If Zechariah 13:7 to the end of the chapter is Jesus, what reason is he struck down for? Well you find the answer in Isaiah 53. He is struck down for our sins, not his own, because "he (Jesus) who knew no sin became sin"

Anthony Rogers in an article also makes this observation with respect to this passage:

"A third passage in Zechariah of some significance is found in Zechariah 13 and is closely related to the passage in Zechariah 12. For just as Yahweh said in 12:10 that He would be pierced, so in Zechariah 13 we are told not only that false prophets, by the Lord’s decree, will come to such a fate, i.e. they would be pierced through, but even the Shepherd of Yahweh would experience a terrible fate, no doubt the piercing mentioned in 12:10, and back of it would be the Lord’s own sword. Most significantly for present purposes is the fact that “the Shepherd,” –indeed, “My Shepherd,” – is identified by Yahweh not only as one distinct from Himself, but as “My Associate.” " (http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2012/05/ijaz-ahmad-vs-prophet-zechariah.html Anthony Rogers)

Although Rogers comment is in the context of the Trinity, it speaks on the fate that Jesus suffers, but certainly he doesn't link his death to that of a false prophet. 

Jesus was falsely accused being a deceiver, even though it is clear no guile or deceit was found in his mouth.

I may consider writing on the subject of Zechariah 13 and if it condemns Christ or not in another article if the Lord Wills.

Regarding Zechariah 14:9, it refers to an event in the end times, since Zechariah 14 as a whole functions as an end time prophecy:

"14 A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.

2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake[a] in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.

8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.

9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place. 11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.

12 This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. 14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. 15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.

16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord[b] will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

20 On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite[c] in the house of the Lord Almighty."

I have already spoken on the subject of the feasts so I needn't make that point again, but in verse 9, it refers there being only YHWH God himself, with all the competition eliminated. Jews and Gentiles who have put their trust in Christ will be united as one people, loved by God for eternity and it doesn't refer to a fanatical cult run by Erano. Zechariah 13:9 even refers to the preservation of the Jews, not only at the time of Zechariah, but also those who put their faith in Yeshua after his death and resurrection.

Also regarding the animals offspring and men's offspring, I draw your attention back to what it says again.

"23 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,[c] the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.’ 24 People will live together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks. 25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

27 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord. 29 “In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,

    and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

    “when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel

    and with the people of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant

    I made with their ancestors

when I took them by the hand

    to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

    though I was a husband to[d] them,[e]”

declares the Lord.

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel

    after that time,” declares the Lord.

“I will put my law in their minds

    and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

    and they will be my people.

34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,

    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’

because they will all know me,

    from the least of them to the greatest,”

declares the Lord.

“For I will forgive their wickedness

    and will remember their sins no more.”"

Once again, the animals and humans being planted in the land simply refers to Israel and Judah being repopulated again. It has nothing to do with the merging of the animals and man.

Here are some more objections to address in Erano's article, we have quite a way to go.

"Let us return to the prophecy again:
At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me. 
Jeremiah 31:26 (NIV)
   This is the condition of the people of the world at present; they are still asleep with the teachings of the religions. We are going to wake them up now... 

"pleasant" - because the teachings of the religions regarding miracles, resurrection and the eternal life are deceitful.
"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will plant the house 
of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and of animals.
Jeremiah 31:27 (NIV)
   The people of the "first creation" will be merged with the people of the "second creation."
Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant," declares the LORD. 
Jeremiah 31:28 (NIV)
   This is what the "first creation" had suffered; are we not experiencing them at present? 
Jeremiah is awakening from a dream in the context and those whom YHWH is watching over are the people of Israel and Judah, he is not speaking of a "first" or "second" creation at all. Where is he getting this esoteric babbling from? It is talking about the judgement that the Israelites experienced as a result of their sin and their promised restoration of the people in the future.

   And when the people of the “first creation” are merged with the people the "second creation," what will happen?
"In those days people will no longer say, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, 
and the children's teeth are set on edge.' Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes - his own teeth will be set on edge. 
Jeremiah 31:29 (NIV)
   The deceptive teachings of the religions will be no more.
Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant," declares the LORD. 
Jeremiah 31:28 (NIV)"
Jeremiah 31:29 is talking about a proverb that is spoken by the people which will never be used again. It is not speaking of a future religion that is coming. Also, his point about original sin is addressed here: http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/an-examination-of-prophecy-of-good_26.html

"Let us read God's instruction:
For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the 
day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of 
the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die." 
Deuteronomy 18:16 (NIV)
   This was the request made by the people to Moses regarding God. What was God's answer?
The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. 
Deuteronomy 18:17 (NIV)
   God will not be heard directly by His people anymore. The time of God's direct communication with the people has ended."

In the context, the people are realising who YHWH is and his infinite majesty is also recognised. They demonstrate that they fear God and that God will send prophets on his behalf to deliver a message to them and communicate his word to them. YHWH is talking about a prophetic office that will be established in Israel at the request of the Israelites and of course this prophetic office culminates with the coming of Yeshua or Jesus.

   "Who will speak to the people in behalf of God?
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; 
I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 
Deuteronomy 18:18 (NIV)
   God will send a prophet who is like Moses; where will he come from? 

"from among their brothers" - he will be from among the people of the "first creation" not from the people of Israel, the "second creation." 

"I will put my words in his mouth" - this makes him different from Moses. 

   What will be known from this prophet?
If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.
Deuteronomy 18:19 (NIV)
   He will speak to the people of the world in God's Name."
From among their brothers refers to the ISRAELITES in context, not to Gentiles, be it Arab, European or Philipino. The prophets like Moses would not be Gentiles from the Philippines. The only exceptions would be converts to Judaism, namely Elijah the Tishbite. The words that are put in the prophets mouth refer to the words of God, it doesn't mean the prophets are different from Moses.

   "Why? What happened before that His people need to see His Name?
Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women, "Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah in Egypt. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives have shown by your actions what you promised when you said, 'We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.' 
"Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows! 
Jeremiah 44:24-25 (NIV)
   The people of Moses even in the time of their sojourn in Egypt have worshipped other gods, like the “queen of heaven,” which even in our time is also being worshipped, in the form of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who has the title of Queen of Heaven and Earth."

Actually, it's the apostate Roman Catholic Church that gives hyperdulia to Mary, Not Biblical Christianity. They don't call it worship and they don't believe Mary is a divine being but nevertheless, they are giving her an honour that she didn't consider herself worthy of.

   "But what did God give to them?
But hear the word of the LORD, all Jews living in Egypt: 'I swear by my great name,' says the LORD, 'that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, "As surely as the Sovereign LORD lives."
Jeremiah 44:26 (NIV)
   God gave the people of Judah in Egypt a curse that they may never say or invoke the Name of God. The curse is still in effect at present so that the Jews don't know and can't say the true Name of God. They can only use "Hashem" or “The Name” to substitute for the real Name of God."

Let's correct the misrepresentation of the Jewish position first. The reason they substitute the name YHWH with Ha Shem, is out of respect, and it is out of fear of using his name in vain. That's Erano's first error. Second, the curse in question is only referring to a specific group of Judeans, not all of the people of Judah.

   "And to the people of the world, the religions also never knew the Name of God because they are not the ones sent by God to reveal His True Name. So, we find the religions invoking the names YHWH, Yahweh, Jehovah, El, Elohim, Adonai, until they try to make the people familiar with the name "Yeshua" or "Yashua" the Hebrew name of Jesus, as the other name for God. This is the last deception. 

   There will be only one man, a prophet, who will come, not born from the people of Israel, who will reveal and introduce the Name of God to the people of the world. He can do it because he is not covered by the curse God has given to the people of Judah!"

Let's repeat a statement I have already made in the past regarding this:

"Just because someone may be ignorant of the name YHWH, that doesn't mean they cannot know YHWH, because the New Covenant promises that "they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest". This is hyper-literalism being presented by Erano, though he doesn't mention Jeremiah 31:31. Also, the New Covenant is made with the Jews, not the church, but the church is grafted into that covenant so that they may know the God of Israel, but the subject of who the covenant was made with is another topic neither here nor there.

The point is, regardless of a Christian addressing the God of Israel as YHWH, HaShem or Adonai or God, it doesn't matter, this doesn't prove Christianity false and Erano's unreasonable criteria flies in his face. My question to him or his followers is, to turn the argument around and use it against them, Do YOU and Erano know the name of God? If not, your argument is USELESS, If so, Why are you chastising people for not using his name in prayer or other God glorifying situations?" (http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/the-true-authority-and-true-glory-of.html)

Erano is not the prophet like Moses, the fact he is not even from a Semitic nation automatically disqualifies him for the role.

The next point Erano makes is he tries to misquote 1 Kings 8:41-43 to try and prove his prophetic credentials. The article here addresses what 1 Kings 8:41-43 actually talks about: http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/how-erano-evangelista-deceived-humanity.html. It also addresses his misuse of Jeremiah 1:4-10 to try and say it was about him.

"God spoke to Moses of a prophet "like you" meaning this man will have a mission similar to Moses. 

   What did Moses bring? The Covenant between God and his people. Did it last? No. 

   Was it broken or severed? It was severed. Any covenant entered into should bear the names of both parties. Since the people of God, the people of Israel never knew the Name of God then; the covenant became invalid in time."

The validity of a covenant doesn't depend on Man's faithfulness, it depends on God's, so he is wrong when he said the covenant between God and his people became invalid for a time. God keeps his end of the deal, even if we don't. He promised to bless Israel if they obeyed and curse them if they disobeyed.

   "So “the foreigner" will come to reveal the Name of God and now it is reiterated again in:
The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, 
before you were born I set you apart; 
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 
Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NIV)
   This prophecy was given to Jeremiah so that it may continue on until the appointed time.

“a prophet to the nations” - This is not Jeremiah, it speaks of a prophet that is sent to the nations of the world."

Jeremiah IS subject of the passage in question. HE is made a prophet to the nations. It would be nice if he read the verses beforehand.

   "Jeremiah was sent only to the people of Israel, as with the other prophets. This particular prophet is unique, a prophet to reveal the Word of God to all the nations of the world.
"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
Jeremiah 1:6 (NIV)
   The prophet sent is not knowledgeable in the Holy Bible by the standards of religions, but what did God say?
But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.'
You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.
Jeremiah 1:7 (NIV)
   If we would look at the present condition of the world, it will be the last prophet against the multitude of religions.
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 1:8 (NIV)
   God will not forsake him."

Not knowing how to speak has NOTHING to do with not knowing the Bible, Jeremiah was called for ministry and didn't know what to say to the people of Israel, thus YHWH would assist him and use Jeremiah as his instrument for his good purpose. Nothing about a prophet from the Philippines at all. The section is a PRESENT event in Jeremiah's life, not something that will happen later. The them are the Israelites whom Jeremiah was sent to and told not to be afraid of. It can also be an encouragement to Christians not to be afraid of those who desire to kill and destroy them for giving the Gospel.

"Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me,
"Now, I have put my words in your mouth.
Jeremiah 1:9 (NIV)
   This is the promise given by God to Moses, and is it true that this prophet is the same prophet who will build on what has been brought down?
See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot
and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
Jeremiah 1:10 (NIV)
   He is the prophet sent by God to fulfill the prophecy in:
"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will plant the house
of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and of animals.
Jeremiah 31:27 (NIV)
   There will be a union of the people of the “first creation” and of the people of the “second creation.”
Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 31:28 (NIV)
   This is the mission of “the foreigner” who was promised to Moses."

The subject of Jeremiah 31:28-29 has already been covered as to what it is talking about, the same with the previous articles on those subjects.

http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/an-examination-of-prophecy-of-good.html

http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/an-examination-of-prophecy-of-good_26.html

http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/an-examination-of-prophecy-of-good_6292.html

That's it for this article for now. More arguments in the article "THE PROPHECY OF GOOD AGAINST EVIL" shall be saved for another time.

Answering Judaism.