The Earth belongs to HaShem
"The Earth belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof."

The Noahide Nazarene Way

By Jagannatha Prakash © 2003

Welcome! On this page, you will find an introduction to the Noahide Nazarene Way. You may have never heard of this belief before and that's OK, that's why this page was created! Here you will gain a basic understanding of the Noahide Movement in general as well the Noahide Nazarene Way in particular. May HaShem and our teacher Y'shua of Nazareth bless your desire to learn more about His Ways!

The Noahide Nazarene Way
An Overview:

The Noahide Nazarene Way

Genesis 8:15-9:28 presents the Noahide Covenant between HaShem and humanity. To read it, please go here. This Holy Covenant is binding upon all the descendants of Noah.

In addition to this Noahide covenant, HaShem established a separate covenant with the descendants of Abraham who came through his son Isaac's lineage, usually known as the Abrahamic Covenant. This covenant is directly binding only upon those of Isaac's descent and upon those who have converted into it, which is to say the Abrahamic Covenant is applicable only to the Jews to whom the Torah was revealed at Mount Sinai. This is because, as will be discussed below in more detail, to this people a unique task was given: the Jewish people serve as a special priesthood between HaShem and the inhabitants of the earth. For this reason, they are referred to as the Chosen People and the Suffering Servant. Also given to them were the books of the Nevi'im or Prophets and the Kethuvim or Writings. These three libraries combined are known as the Tanakh (T"orah"N"ev'im"KH"ethuvim), the Hebrew Scriptures or Hebrew Bible. To refer to these Holy Scriptures as the "Old Testament" is considered insulting to the Jews, all Noahides and to HaShem Himself as these Holy Scriptures are still in full effect and continue to reveal HaShem's Divine Will. These texts have never been replaced nor will they ever be.

Moshiach

According to the Nevi'im, one day a great and mighty priest/warrior/king will arise and lead the Israeli armies to victory over the entire earth, ushering in an age of peace and security. He will establish theocratic leadership as king of the Jewish people and bring blessings and stability to the entire earth, even as HaShem promised Abraham at Genesis 17:6-8:
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

This prophesied Jewish hero is referred to in Scripture as "The Anointed Leader" or Moshiach or Messiah by way of translation. A few leaders in the Tanakh are called moshiach, however this will be the final and greatest of Israel's warrior kings.

Throughout the centuries many people have risen claiming to be the Moshiach, but in every instance those who placed their hopes in such people were disappointed. To date, the main messianic prophecies of the Tanakh have yet to be fulfilled.

With the passage of time Y'shua ben Miriam was born, taught and then died. According to the Book The Acts of the Apostles, those who followed Master Y'shua were known as "the Sect of the Nazarenes" (Acts 24:5). These people were also called "Christians" (Acts 11:26).
"For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes."

"And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

As Nazarenes they were followers of Y'shua of Nazareth; as Christians they were people who sought to be Christ-like: "christ" being the Greek form of "messiah," or "anointed." In other words, Christians are, by definition; people who believe that Master Y'shua was the Messiah and who seek to follow his example, to be Christ-like. At least, this is what we are taught by the Church.

The term Christian certainly does denote one who is Christ-like and since Acts 11:26 says that Master Y'shua's followers were first called that Antioch; it certain is an appropriate name. However, the term can just as easily mean that Christians are people who seek the anointing of HaShem, as surely Christians are, but not they alone. The point is, referring to Master Y'shua's followers as Christians, does not necessarily indicate their belief that he was the Christ of Messiah. It could just as well indicate that he taught them to live their lives in such a way that they might all be anointed by HaShem. "Be ye Christ like.' That the early Noahide Nazarenes were seeking God's anointing is the point.

So far so good, however here's where it gets a bit tricky! Master Y'shua of Nazareth, as he is depicted in the New Testament and as our common experiences demonstrate, clearly did not fulfill several of the key prophecies required of the Messiah; specifically, he did not take up the Scepter of Judah and begin a theocratic reign of the earth:

Gen. 49:10:

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."
A mere forty years or so after Master Y'shua left the planet, Jerusalem was destroyed. Rather than being gathered together in Jerusalem, the Jews were dispersed throughout the planet and Gentiles continued to rule over them. From 606 BCE when Israel, as an independent nation, fell before Babylon's Nebuchadnezzar, until 1948 when it was again established as a sovereign nation, there were no exceptions to this (other than during the brief Hasmonean Dynasty that ended with Jewish Palestine becoming part of Southern Syria).

Circa 167 BCE the Palestinian Jews were fighting with the Seleucid King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (a successor of Alexander the Great, leader of the third world power foretold by Prophet Daniel) who was intent on destroying Jewish religion and culture. The Hasmonean Dynasty ruled from 129-40 BCE, before being annexed by Rome as part of Southern Syria. The Israel of Jesus' time was an occupied Roman province.

There are those Christians who teach that the Christian Church has replaced the Jews as the Chosen people. This verse (Gen. 49:10 above) and several others clearly reject this notion. Until Messiah comes and gathers the Jewish people together in his theocratic government, the scepter or Shebet of God's authority will remain with the Jews until Shiloh (shiyloh) comes. Shiloh is not a name but a description of a certain person: "he whose it is" or "that which belongs to him." (Strong's #7886). To whom does the authority of the earth rightfully belong? Certainly not to Lucifer, the current ruler!
"The earth is HaShem's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Ps. 24:1)

Obviously then, HaShem is the rightful authority and he gives this authority to whomsoever he pleases (Dan 4:17). HaShem gives the kingdom to Shiloh, the Jewish Messiah. Until it is given to him, and forever afterward, the scepter remains with the Jews.

Establishing the Kingdom of HaShem on earth is the primary function or role of the Messiah in biblical prophecy. If Master Y'shua did not fulfill this essential messianic prophecy, which he obviously didn't, then how can he have been the Messiah or Christ?

The evidence that Master Y'shua of Nazareth did not fulfill the requisite messianic prophecies is as close as your own window! Go, look out or turn on the TV news! What do you see? Crime? War? Violence? Hatred? Racism? Anti-Semitism? Pollution? Global Warming? Perversions of every sort? These conditions will not exist in the Kingdom of the Messiah. The Nevi'im (prophets) are quite clear that the Anointed One of HaShem, when he comes, will end such things. From this we can safely conclude that Master Y'shua of Nazareth, Y'shua ben Miriam, was not the foretold Anointed One or Messiah of HaShem, the Shiloh who would usher in the Kingdom of HaShem 'on earth as it is heaven'.

What is our understanding of Master Y'shua of Nazareth then? Noahides, like Jews, do not accept that Master Y'shua was even a tzaddik or righteous person let alone the Shiloh. This varies, but most seem to view him as a cult leader or an opportunist. For Christians of course, he was the Messiah and the prophecies he did not fulfill will be fulfilled on his return to the planet. That there will be two "comings" of the Messiah is not supported anywhere in the Tanakh however.

While Noahide Nazarenes recognize that Master Y'shua did not fulfill the major messianic prophecies, and hence cannot rightly be called Shiloh, we do believe that he was more than simply a wise rabbi or teacher. He was a tzaddik or holy man and a gifted prophet of HaShem, but he is more than that.

The Master explained his position in the divine timetable himself at Matthew 21:31-46:
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
Here we find the Master's position clearly presented. The 'Householder' in this parable is HaShem. Throughout history, prophets and teachers were sent to the Jews to empower them to fulfill their role as a nation of holy priests unto HaShem. These teachings have been mainly passed on to the world via the Bible. These divine words were not always heeded however. HaShem remained committed to His Chosen People and sent ever more prophets to them pleading with them to heed His voice. In time, Master Y'shua was sent as a unique Son of God. Seeing their lack of faith, he tried to draw them closer to HaShem. Had they accepted his teachings, the Gospel of the Kingdom, he would have fulfilled the role of Shiloh and the thousand-year reign would have begun then. This is clear from the Bible:

Matthew 23:37:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

His warning went unheeded however. The Pharisees and other leaders refused to receive the word of the great prophet and hence the Kingdom would have to wait for a more deserving generation. It was such criticism of the Rabbis (Pharisees), along with his rejection of the Oral Torah that eventually led to his execution.

Master Y'shua says this quite clearly at Matthew 23:
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Master Y'shua was most certainly 'an anointed one', 'a messiah', however he did not fulfill the most important requirements of the Shiloh because at the time of his earthly ministry the Jews of Jerusalem refused to accept Master's Y'shua's teachings. According to standard Orthodox Jewish understanding, there are certain situations that, if they occur, will cause the Messiah to appear. These are based on both the Written and Oral Torah. They are as follows:
  • If Israel repented a single day;
  • If Israel observed a single Shabbat properly;
  • If Israel observed two Shabbats in a row properly;
  • In a generation that is totally innocent or totally guilty;
  • In a generation that loses hope;
  • In a generation where children are totally disrespectful towards their parents and elders;

    • The generation of Jews living during the time of Master Y'shua was one of doubt, with little hope in a better future. They were living in Jerusalem, but the Romans were becoming more offensive and oppressive all the time. Not long before, they had tasted independence during the Hasmonean Dynasty but had failed to give the glory to God. Now their prospects were grim. It was clear that it would only be a matter of time before the city fell before increasingly blasphemous Pagan Romans.

    By all accounts, the Jewish hierarchy of the time were legalistic scholars whose hearts were not right with God. Judaism was Hellenized and intellectualized. These leaders 'strained out the gnats and swallowed the camels' in their religious pretentiousness (Matt 23:24). They gave lip service to HaShem but their hearts were far removed from Him (Luke 16:15). And yet unto these people a prophet arose who was far greater than those who had come before.

    The First Century Jews of Jerusalem met one of the requirements for Shiloh and possibly two. Theirs was a generation that had lost all hope. It may be seen as well that the younger generation did not honor their parents but this is by inference (compare Matt. 23:32). In their desperation many Jews were crying out to HaShem for rescue by the Shiloh (compare Luke:2:2526). During this period, many would-be messiahs arose, proclaiming themselves as deliverers. But Master Y'shua was different:

    Matthew 7:28,29:

    "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
    For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."

    Master Y'shua did not meet their expectations however! He did meet an amazing number of the requirements, others however, he did not meet. This has always been a weakness in the Christian presentation of Y'shua as Messiah. As we look at the prophecies, we find that he was fulfilling them as he went along. The reason he did not fill the later ones was because he was rejected. Here's a few of the prophecies Master Y'shua fulfilled :
  • He was a mortal human being (Gen 3:15).
  • He was a descendant of Abraham (Gen. 12:2,3; 18:18)
  • He was a descendant of Isaac (Gen. 17:19)
  • He was of the House of King David (Is. 9:6,7; 11:1-5; II Sam 7:13)
  • He was from the root of Jesse (Is. 11:1)
  • He was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
  • A the time of his birth there was a massacre of infants (Jer. 31:15)
  • He lived in Egypt as a child (Ho. 11:1)
  • Much of his ministry took place in Galilee (Isa. 9:1,2)
  • He was a prophet (Deut. 18:15)
  • He entered Jerusalem hailed by multitudes and riding on a donkey (Zec. 9:9; Isa 62:11)
  • He was betrayed by a friend (Ps. 41:9)
  • He was betrayed for 40 pieces of silver (Zec. 11:12,13)
  • His hands and feet were pierced (Ps 22:16; Zec 12:10)
  • He was condemned by false testimony (Ps 27:12; 35:11)
  • He remained silent during his trial, offering no defense (Ps 38:13,14)
  • And so on.

    • Yet still, these are not the primary things the Shiloh must accomplish. Without re-establishing the Throne of David, no contender for the position can be accepted, biblically speaking. It is for this reason that Christians expect a Second Coming during which time Jesus will fulfill the more important elements of the messianic prophecies.

    Y'shua of Nazareth is the spiritual leader and guide of the Noahide Nazarenes as we seek to serve and please HaShem. In Master Y'shua we have a great leader who bravely spoke out against the abuses of his day and who uttered great prophecies, including foretelling the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70 C.E. (Matt. 24:1,2). Hence, Noahide Nazarenes are the Noahide followers of Master Y'shua of Nazareth. As Jews and Christians, we await the soon coming of Shiloh.

    Our Study of the Noahide Nazarene Way Continues in Part Two