In this lesson I brother Mykah begin to critique the fine lesson that Apostle Reuben created to teach black people that they are not yet in the new covenant of our biblical black God Yahawah. Have a gander or read the critiques below.
Critical Examination: Testing the Preacher's Lesson
A Lesson in Testing Every Preacher
"A fool believeth every word." That is a principle we must never forget. When we listen to any teacher, our first instinct should be skepticism, and in the case of teachings about God, only scripture should remove that skepticism. This is how we can guarantee we are not being deceived. With that in mind, let us examine Apostle Reuben's lesson critically. It was a deep and insightful presentation, but there are a few points that require careful examination.
The Errors We Must Address
Error #1: Is the Sin Offering the Same as the Burnt Offering?
Early in the video, after reading Jeremiah 31, the brother stated that "the sin and the burnt offering are the same." This is something that requires careful scriptural examination.
Let us look at the Law of Moses concerning these offerings.
The burnt offering is described in Leviticus 1. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet savor unto Yahawah. The entire animal, except the skin, is consumed on the altar. It represents complete surrender and dedication.
The sin offering is described in Leviticus 4. It is brought specifically when a person sins through ignorance. The blood is applied differently. The fat is burned on the altar, but the flesh of the sin offering is eaten by the priest in certain cases.
Now consider Leviticus 6:24-25:
"And Yahawah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before Yahawah: it is most holy."
They are killed in the same place, but they are not the same offering. The burnt offering is for consecration and voluntary dedication. The sin offering is for specific transgressions.
Error #2: The She That Will Be Called
Brother Reuben read Jeremiah 33:15-16 and used it to support his time frame argument which is good but he dropped the ball on who the she is. A minor error but an error nonetheless. Let us examine this.
"In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, Yahawah our righteousness."
The brother used this to establish the time frame of Jeremiah 31. But we must ask: who is the "she" that will be called "Yahawah our righteousness"? The brother said "she is Israelites, the true Israelites."
But upon reading the text more carefully and adding some precepts like Rev 12 and Jeremiah 6:2 for example we see clearly that Jerusalem is the "she" being described. The city, not the people. The city will be called "Yahawah our righteousness." This is a reference to the restored Jerusalem in the Messianic age.
Brother Reuben's application was not entirely wrong, but it was imprecise. He used this verse to support a time frame, but he did not correctly explain who "she" refers to in this passage.
Error #3: Is the Blood of Christ Only for Israelites?
The brother made a strong argument that the blood of Christ is shed exclusively for Israelites. He used Luke 2:34 and Isaiah 53 to show that Christ was "set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel."
Let us examine this carefully.
There is no doubt that the primary purpose of Christ's ministry was to Israel. He said in Matthew 15:24:
"I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
The blood of Christ was shed for the remission of sins for those who were under the covenant, who were under the Law. That is true.
But we must ask: what about the sojourners? What about those who are not Israelites by birth but who have cleaved to Israel and taken upon themselves the covenant?
Consider Exodus 12:48-49:
"And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to Yahawah, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you."
The stranger who joins himself to Israel is treated as one born in the land. They are subject to the same law. So it begs the question is the cleaving stranger also forgiven by the blood of Messiah?
If a Gentile sojourner takes hold of the covenant, do they not also partake of the blood? This is a question the brother did not address, and it is both a significant oversight and an interesting study which Yah willing we will pursue.
Error #4: What Does "Putting the Law in the Heart" Actually Mean?
The brother repeatedly emphasized that Jeremiah 31:31 is not happening now. He said:
"We're not under the covenant of Jeremiah 31:31 yet... we have not been saved as Israelites... He's not writing the law in the heart of his people now."
This raises an important question: if we are keeping the law right now, if we are learning it and thinking about it and striving to obey it, what exactly does it mean when the Most High says He will put the law in our inward parts and in our hearts?
Is the law not already in our minds? Do we not already think about it and meditate on it?
The key to understanding this is the phrase "one heart and one way."
"And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever." (Jeremiah 32:39)
Right now, there is division. There is confusion. There are Christians saying the law is done away with, there are Israelites deceiving many people and there are a few Israelites trying to keep the law as intended. Isaiah 52:8 speaks of a time when the watchmen will see eye to eye, and that is when Yahawah brings again Zion.
That is not now.
What Jeremiah 31 describes is a time when there will be no division. No need to teach. No need to say "Know Yahawah" because everyone will know Him perfectly. The law will be written in the heart in a permanent, perfect, inseparable way.
Right now, we struggle. We learn. We have to study and be corrected. We are not yet perfect in knowledge or obedience. That is why the law is not yet written in our hearts. It is in our minds by study, but it is not written in the sense that we cannot forget or depart from it.
That comes later. That comes after deliverance. That comes in the kingdom.
The brother was correct in his time frame, but his explanation of what it actually means left much to be desired.
Error #5: Is Eternal Life Only for Israelites?
The brother stated, or implied strongly, that eternal life is only for Israelites. He said:
"Eternal life wasn't offered to everybody."
This is another area that requires careful examination.
Consider Revelation 22:17:
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
"Whosoever will" is an invitation to anyone who thirsts. Yes, the primary audience is Israel, but is it exclusively Israel?
Consider Ezekiel 47:21-23, where the Most High speaks of the land being divided and strangers who sojourn with Israel receiving inheritance:
"So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel."
If strangers can have inheritance in the land, and if the reward for Israel is eternal life in the land, then it follows that sojourners who cleave to Israel may also share in that inheritance. I explore and clarify this in part 2 of this critique.
Brother Reuben statement was too narrow. There are exceptions. There are sojourners who become as one born in the land. They are not Israelites by birth, but they are grafted in by choice and obedience even unto eternal life.
The Questions We Must Answer
Based on these observations, here are the questions we must investigate as disciples:
- Is the sin offering the same as the burnt offering? The scripture shows they are distinct in purpose, even if killed in the same place.
- What does it mean for the law to be written on the heart? It means perfect understanding and obedience of the law, received after deliverance.
- Can a sojourner receive forgiveness through the blood of Christ? If they take hold of the covenant and become as one born in the land, my gut feeling is yes but we will explore in a later lesson Yah willing.
- Can a sojourner receive eternal life? If they are grafted into Israel and follow the covenant, there is no reason the scripture would exclude them. The inheritance is for Israel and those who join Israel share in it. Part 2 of my critique shows the precepts proving this. I will upload it and share it here as soon as possible.
Conclusion: Be Skeptical
The brother in the video is a good teacher. He brings out many hidden precepts. But as I said at the beginning of this analysis: we must always test what we hear.
"A fool believeth every word." says Yahawah! (Proverbs 14:15)
Your first instinct should be skepticism. Then the scripture should remove your skepticism. If it does not, you need further study, more faith or the teaching is incorrect.
These errors do not invalidate Brother Reuben's entire lesson. The main thesis—that Jeremiah 31:31 is not happening yet and that the blood covenant and the law-in-heart covenant are distinct—is scripturally sound. The time frame he established is correct.
But the details matter. The little points matter. And that is why we study. That is why we test. That is why we do not just accept everything a man says, even if he is generally a good teacher.
Keep your Bibles open. Keep your notebooks ready. And keep testing everything against the Word. This is how we stay on the narrow path and avoid being deceived by the many false prophets Yah said would go out amongst negroes to teach them (1 John 4:1).
All praises to Yahawah. May the Most High grant us wisdom and discernment as we study His Word.
Series: Critiquing The New Covenant by Apostle Reuben
Study Part Two ←
