Letter from The Editor

reetings, everyone: Our Fourth Sabbath meeting in Harrison, AR, on March 6, was attended by families and individuals from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri, about 50 in all.

Here is a note from Barrie Wittrock, YVR Director:

Meeting of Prison Ministries in Harrison AR

We would like to thank everyone who attended, for helping to make the day a success. Thank you for the many miles you drove. Thank you for the testimonies that you gave. It is inspiring to all involved to see ex –prisoners whose lives have been transformed by the power of Yahweh. That gives hope to all of mankind. Thank you to those who came to worship with us. Thanks to those who came to listen, and to learn, and to offer assistance. That gives hope to those whom Yahweh has called to work this difficult job. Thanks to all those who spoke. Thanks for caring enough to share your thoughts, feelings, and time, with us. Thanks to the Assembly in Harrison who allowed us to invade their town, and their meeting hall, and who helped to make the day possible. Thanks to everyone for all of the great food. Several days later I am still full. Golden Corral has nothing on you guys! Thanks for the wonderful, inspiring music, that sometimes brought tears to my eyes. Thank you very much to the people who cleaned up the mess afterwards. Just think of all the possibilities when we can come together and work together. We would like to thank everyone most of all for a wonderful memory. Heart moving memories make life good and worthwhile. Thank you all for coming together as a family.

Thank you Yahweh for giving me such a wonderful family, just as you told me you would, way back there while I was still a prisoner. Thank you for calling me out and for counting me worthy to work for you. Thank you for holding me safe in your Mighty hand, and thank you for inspiring me to write these things. HALLELUYAH! ~   (Note: To read YVR’s newsletter, go to www.yahwehsvineyard.org)

Barrie Wittrock was ordained to the office of Elder in the Assembly of Yahweh at this meeting. Congratulations, Barrie! (See more details under “Announcements.”)

See a few pictures of the meeting inside this issue.                                                  

On another note, if you read the last issue of the STS newsletter (the March-April edition), you no doubt noticed a strange series of mistakes on page 5. Here is what happened. I use Microsoft Word for all correspondence and the newsletter. It has a “find and replace” feature that allows us to find the false titles used in most Scriptures, and change them to the correct name automatically, without us having to search for them. I told it to find “god” and change it to “Yahweh.” But some things that should have been left “god” got changed. For example, in a reference to Ishtar (Easter or Astarte), being a false “goddess,” it was changed to “Yahwehdess.”  In the rush to get the newsletter out before the March 6 meeting at Harrison, AR, it was not proof-read very carefully before printing, and was not noticed until it was called to my attention by several readers. I promise to do a better job of proof-reading from now on J.

The 13^th and First (Abib) moon will have been seen before you get this. We hope you had a wonderful Passover/UB Feast and are looking forward to Pentecost (Shavuot) on June 20.

In conjunction with this Festival, study the giving of the Covenant, including the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. Yahweh’s “marriage Covenant” with Israel begins with Exodus 19:1 and goes to 24:8. This took place on the Day of Pentecost in the third moon, seven weeks after they left Egypt. The people said “I do,” in verse 8, and again in 24:3. Then, of course, they didn’t do. So what’s new? Not much. We as a nation of stiff-necked Israelites and “strangers among us,” are doing the very same things today that they were doing back then. The nations have a form of religion, but it is not of Yahweh. It is man’s traditions.

Next, study the Evangels (gospels) and Acts 1-2-3-4 with emphasis on chapter 2, where the disciples/Apostles were gathered together in the Temple on the Day of Shavuot (Pentecost). This day the Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) was given on the very same day that the Law was given in Exodus 19:1 – 24:8, and was given so that we can keep the Law with a Spiritual intent. This is the “writing the Law in our hearts” that we read about in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and confirmed in Hebrews 10:16.

Read this whole chapter and see also Romans 2:15. This shows us that no more sacrifice (lamb killing) is necessary. Yahshua died once for all. Anything beyond that could be seen as denying Yahshua’s sacrifice for us, as if His blood was not quite enough.

This issue is going out late. Due to the increased number of requests for literature and answering letters with Scriptural questions, we find ourselves strapped to be timely. Some have inquired if we still publish a newsletter. Yes, we do, so please bear with us. We hope to get back on schedule by the time the next issue is due.

One more thing – How should the tetragrammaton (the four letters, YHWH) be pronounced? In Hebrew they are hwhy, reading from right to left. This is the Father’s Name, and appears 6,823 times in the original Hebrew Scriptures. Man has removed it and inserted pagan names or titles in its place.

Lately certain ones have rejected Hebrew grammar to come up with their own ideas, and are leading many astray. I hope this brief explanation will encourage those who have been deceived to do some further study. The most common mispronunciation lately is Ya-HOO-a. They have replaced the “W” with a “U”, emphasized the HOO, and added an “A.” There is no “U” in the Hebrew alphabet. The four letters are “Yod,” “Hay,” “Waw,” “Hay,” and are commonly pronounced “Yahweh.” The “hay” (H) is silent, as in “HalleluJAH,” Ahh,” or “Bah.” And there is certainly no “A” sound at the end.

If you have become convinced that all the linguistic experts and Hebrew scholars are in error and one man is correct in his assertions, please be open-minded enough to take another look.

For a more complete explanation, please write for a 4-page article by Elder Don Esposito. In it, he gives references to many authoritative works, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc., that show it is almost a certainty that “YAHWEH” is the correct pronunciation. May Yah bless! (Psalm 68:4). Thanks.