Shifting the Torah Paradigm: Exploring Animal Sacrifice in the Context of Creation - a Defense for Biblical Veganism

By Andrew Michael Denny

To some, the phrase “Biblical Veganism” is an oxymoron. The idea that a modern dietary trend could be considered biblical poses a problem. After all, several instances in the Bible depict men of God eating animal meat. How then can we take this idea seriously? In this detailed exposition, we will explore common misconceptions about veganism in efforts to sever any confusion. After all, most people who reject biblical veganism only do so out of tradition and have never investigated this matter. Rather, most allow their currently held paradigm of Torah to determine what our Creator originally imagined for humanity.
While variation may exist between our definitions of “vegan,” we can all agree on the primary qualification, that vegans abstain from animal meat. Shifting the Torah Paradigm (STP) reinforces the biblical principle that humanity was originally created to consume a garden diet. Among the Torah community, there are some who insist that we must consume the flesh of certain animals to properly obey the commands, namely our instructions for Passover.
At the same time, those who abstain from animal flesh contend otherwise, that our Creator never intended for humanity to kill and eat from the animal kingdom, whether it is deemed “clean” or “unclean” by Mosaic law. STP maintains that meat eaters have neglected the context by which the entire sacrificial system was instituted. Moreover, the purpose of this book is to explore this unseen storyline by investigating how sacrifice entered the picture and to understand why Yeshua neither taught nor observed this aspect of Torah.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Sep 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781489743787

Andrew Michael Denny

Andrew Michael Denny In his previous book, Crushing Conceptualism in Modern Christianity, author Andrew Michael Denny disclosed a hidden narrative of the Bible that commonly goes unnoticed by the mainstream churches. Now, in his newest release, Denny explores yet another unseen storyline that will challenge the core values of Christianity and the Hebrew Roots community.

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Unless otherwise cited, scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible | Public Domain.

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Reference Key

Foreword

Preface

1. Introduction

a. —The Unseen Storyline—

b. —Vegan Trademarks—

c. —Our Epic Journey Begins—

2. Shifting the Torah Paradigm

a. —Intent vs. Letter—

b. —The Purpose—

3. The Observable Contrast: Plants vs. Animals

a. —The Breath of Life—

b. —Distorting Dominion—

c. —Defining Food—

d. —Eaters by Design—

4. The Early Years

a. —Cain & Abel—

b. —Noah—

c. —Abraham—

d. —The Forbidden Fruit—

5. Bloody Exodus

a. —The Passover Paradigm—

b. —Year One—

c. —The Flesh Pots—

d. —Scrutinizing Moshé—

6. The Moral Nature of YHWH

a. —Will vs. Allowance—

b. —Bloody Barbeque—

c. —Accepted vs. Required—

d. —The Flesh Pots (Continued)—

7. Animal Sacrifice Magnified

a. —The Prophets—

b. —The Temple Incident—

c. —Ichthus—

d. —The Flesh Pots (Concluded)—

8. The Community

a. —The Essene Impact—

b. —The Ebionite Imprint—

c. —Scrutinizing Paul—

d. —Spiritual Sacrifice—

e. —Thy Kingdom Come—

9. The Torah of Time

a. —A Composite Work Assignment—

b. —A Single Source Authority—

c. —Staying Grounded—

d. —Conclusion—

The Ten Commandments

Memoir

Index of General Themes

Other Publications

Project Development

Content Review

The original manuscript of Shifting the Torah Paradigm was reviewed by Kristy

Klein for the purpose of critiquing the content itself. Many places that deserved

clarification, revision, or enhancement were made prior to the final submission.

Editorial and Writing Style

The final draft was edited by Renee Mendenhall. Most (not all) suggested changes

were made to the text. The nature of the text, including grammar, vocabulary,

and sentence structure reflects the author’s style and may not adhere to the

Chicago Manual of Style in every case. We apologize for any spelling, punctuation,

and grammar errors that may have been overlooked during this process.

Formatting and Design

Interior formatting was originally completed by the author with minor

reformatting and cleanup by the publisher. Cover design was originally imagined

by the author using existing stock images, font composition, and color scheme (to

appear as the negative contrast of Book 1, Crushing Conceptualism in Modern

Christianity). Final layout was completed by the publisher’s design team.

GettyImages-174854686.jpg

Acknowledgements

Special Thanks

Prior to the final submission of my manuscript, there were a few individuals who expressed interest in beta reading. I would like to thank David Ramirez, Renee Mendenhall, Kristy Klein, Patricia Sewell, and Liz Bailey for their time and feedback. Some had the opportunity to read early fragmented chapters that I shared publicly, while some were able to review later versions of the final draft.

Also, there are a few individuals that have supported my ministry, despite any differences in our biblical views. While we may not agree on the contents of this book, I personally admire these individuals for maintaining respect and always encouraging others with a positive attitude. Edward McFail, Anthony Dickinson, Jason Humphreys, Gary Hodges, and Kevin J. Stoll. Their kindness goes a long way.

Additionally, I would like to thank Tracy Osborne for permission to include references from his website and for opening the door to the Gospel of the Holy Twelve, which can also be accessed at netsarim.com.

Finally, I would like to thank Chris and Liz Bailey of Take on The World for their ministry and sleepless hours of kingdom work. Also, for the opportunity to utilize their platform to share many insights within both book volumes.

Extra Special Thanks

To the one who has supported me more than any other, my wife Casey, who has stuck by my side throughout this journey, while selflessly meeting the needs of our children. She has never desired a spotlight and feels more in her element working behind-the-scenes. Yet together, we are learning and growing in this continual pursuit of truth.

Dedication

For my son, Tobias Freeman, and my daughter, Jubilee Virtue. I pray this information resonates with your spirits and that it follows you all the days of your lives. May the Father bring peace and comfort to you both.

Reference Key

U nderstanding that definitions of words and phrases may develop over time, this book uses terms that are both understood by and foreign to the Christian mainstream, including titles for God/YHWH. We may not all share the same ideas about word usage. After all, many readers have come out of a specific church denomination, while others may be affiliated with underground communities where biblical concepts are understood differently, such as our ideas of church.

Therefore, I have done my best to use a wide range of vocabulary while carefully considering the most appropriate application. Even the title Christian itself is widely disagreed upon by different communities of bible believers. Some believe it has more of a negative connotation, while others have no problem identifying with this label. Depending on what background you have, our ideas of certain labels may be considerably different. Even my own definition of the word Christian has shifted over the years, insomuch that my usage in this book is slightly different than my previous title, Crushing Conceptualism in Modern Christianity.

This is quite the plot twist, considering a book series that began with the word Christianity in the title. But perhaps the claim in the title is enough to capture the essence of the word throughout each volume. If I am to crush the conceptualism of modern Christianity, then naturally my usage of this word suggests that something is lacking among the Christian faith to begin with, including the common definitions of words today. (In this book, chapter 8 explores early Christianity in its purest form and uses this designation to describe what many scholars refer to as the Jesus movement, i.e., followers of the Way.) At any rate, the following points were added for the benefit of the reader, to better understand my position.

• Name Designations: Acknowledgements to God the Father will appear as YHWH, Yah, AHAYAH (or) AHYH,¹ God, God Almighty, Father, or Creator, depending on the application, topic of discussion, or even the grammatical flow of each paragraph. Acknowledgements to the Son of God will appear as Yeshua, Christ, Messiah, Jesus, or Son of God. The purpose for these alternatives is not to establish a doctrinal position necessarily but to allow for diversity, as most believers are aware that God and His Son are known by these names and titles in different theological circles.

• Word Designations: Words and phrases may not be consistent with what is commonly understood by society today. For example, throughout Scripture the word meat is most commonly used as a general reference to food and, in most cases, plant-based food items. Therefore, all references to animal meat will be rendered mostly as flesh, or animal flesh, and sometimes meat. References to those who consume animal flesh will appear as animal consumers, animal eaters, flesh eaters, and sometimes meat eaters.

In reference to those who abstain from animal flesh, some categories might be understood differently. Even among the vegan community, there are different ideas about how we should use the terms vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, fruitarian, etc. References to those who refrain from all animal products will mostly be identified as vegans, despite several other references, such as plant-based advocates, veggie-fruitarians, "pure vegetarians," and consumers of the garden diet (notwithstanding other references not listed here). Moreover, we hope the reader will be able to make sense of the usage as it was intended throughout the text and recognize that nothing in this book promotes ancient pagan religions associated with veganism (which will be discussed further in later chapters).

• Word Study: Greek and Hebrew word searches were sourced from standard lexicons and concordances, such as Strong’s Concordance and Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. These sources are listed in link format of the Bible websites from which they were sourced. Greek and Hebrew words may appear in phonetic form as they were copied and pasted from the website. This is for both pronunciation and emphasis purposes for the reader.

• Scripture: Multiple versions of the Bible were used throughout this book. Scripture will appear in bold occasionally for emphasis purposes. Passages that contain LORD in all caps should be understood as a reference to YHWH (היה), the name of Creator. The use of different Bible versions is not to establish a position for which versions are the most authoritative. Additionally, certain apocryphal books are sourced throughout STP and are considered just as credible as the Bible itself. Also, extra-biblical gospels are sourced throughout this book, as well as early writings of Clement and Josephus, all of which are believed to be just as credible as the Bible itself.

• Footnotes: Most footnotes are for citation purposes, to list the names of books, articles, authors, websites, and other media. Many footnotes were added as personal opinions during the time of writing and were intended to express more of a transparent thinking process, as opposed to the standard content of the formal text.

It is the glory of God to

conceal a thing, but the

honor of kings is to

search out a matter.

-Proverbs 25:2

Foreword

T ammy, the turkey, is an independent gal with a bit of an attitude. She has an extensive language I cannot yet understand, but my buddy, Mike, is familiar with the changes in her tone. He can tell when she is feeling calm and happy or when she is ready to attack. During spring brooding season, she becomes extremely docile and enjoys strokes down her back. Jude, the cow, is incredibly sweet. He was born with a cleft palate and was very sick and weak. Through proper medical attention, however, he recovered and is now thriving. He has quite a collection of friends: fellow cows, goats, sheep, and even an alpaca named Honey. They live in a beautiful barn together and accept each other despite their differences.

Willa and Charlotte, the pigs, love lounging in their home, plopping in the cool mud, and searching for roots in the woods. They get very excited when you approach them with bananas, one of their favorite snacks. The large crew of chickens are hilarious when they run toward you, bouncing back and forth with their little legs across the field. They have great memories and know that there is always a possibility of receiving fresh blueberries when a visitor arrives.

These are just a few of the residents in my care. I volunteer at a local farm cleaning bird coops, ensuring fresh water is available, visiting the various enclosures and fields, and distributing snacks. This isn’t your typical farm, however. This is a sanctuary, a place where farmed animals find refuge, love, and care. A few years ago, I didn’t know a place like this existed. There are no slaughter dates for these creatures, and no one is abused or mistreated for their products. They are allowed to simply be themselves. They eat, sleep, communicate, lounge in the sun, spend time with friends, and even worship the Creator according to Psalm 148. After spending time at the farm sanctuary, I usually feel peaceful and happy, truly knowing in my heart, Wow, I love animals.

Do you love animals too?

I thought I always loved animals. After all, I enjoyed learning about them in school. I drew pictures of animals, and they were the theme of numerous art projects. I sang songs about animals in music class. I took trips to various zoos and aquariums. I had several pets over the years: fish, dogs, cats, a rabbit, and birds. I had a collection of stuffed animals, and I went through various phases where I was obsessed with particular species, such as koalas and dolphins. I remember my mom tried to nurse a baby bird back to health when I was in elementary school. The baby had fallen out of its nest and was very tiny and weak. Unfortunately, the creature did not survive, but this experience taught me to take care of animals who require help.

But there was a certain group of animals that I ignored: the ones on my plate. I never learned about their particular personalities, what they liked to do for fun, or what made them afraid. Did they have names? I imagine most of them were simply known by a number. I have to admit I was quite disconnected from these animals. That all changed about two years ago when, during prayer, I heard an inner voice tell me to stop eating them. A year later, I was shown to also stop consuming their products.

I was a bit confused for a season. At this point, I knew deep in my soul that a shift from killer to caretaker was right for both me and the animals. I had now been made aware of the reality of factory farms and other animal industries and the sentience of these beings. But there were things in my Bible that made me scratch my head. God asked for animals to be killed as sacrifices to Him, right? Death and killing seemed to be a common theme throughout Scriptures. Didn’t Jesus eat fish? What about the clean and unclean food laws?

Something felt off. Surely, I couldn’t be more moral than the One who created these special beings... I know that thought sounds silly, but it really did pass through my mind. This sent me on a journey of deep biblical research. I was determined to find answers and peace on this matter. As I continued to seek, I was connected to others on this journey, found books to read on the topic, and watched many videos. I experienced inner healing and learned what the word love truly meant.

Although there was a time of adjustment as I navigated a world without meat, eggs, and dairy, I came to the conclusion that nothing was lost in this process. My sacrifice was so small considering how many animals had lost their lives over the years on my behalf. I found that I could still enjoy butter, milk, ice cream, burgers, hot dogs etc. in plant-based form. There is currently an explosion of vegan alternatives in grocery stores, and they taste good! Numerous blog sites provide me with fresh ideas, and I have made many new friends (both human and non-human). My vegan lifestyle is quite easy to maintain, and the thought of eating the flesh of an animal now feels strange and unnatural.

I joined a local animal advocacy group and started following farm sanctuaries via social media. These places of hope and refuge are springing up throughout the nation and world. I thoroughly enjoy watching video updates of rescued animals. It is so obvious to me now that ALL creatures have value and a desire to live. I especially love to see the interspecies relationships at these sanctuaries. Just recently, I read a story about a tiny pig, Ivan, who was the runt of his litter and was destined to be killed. He was rescued and sent to a sanctuary where a dog named Atticus stepped up to the responsibility of being Ivan’s new mother. This kind of story reveals that animals are resilient and forgiving.

I have now been vegan for about a year and a half. I hope to one day have a small sanctuary of my own. I believe we were all given an assignment to treat animals with kindness and be caretakers in whatever capacity we are able. I truly believe if more people spent time getting to know cows, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, etc., they would see that these animals have personalities and can feel pain, sadness, and sorrow as well as joy, peace, and contentment. They are no different than a pet dog or cat. In fact, I have heard stories of animals who escaped slaughterhouses and ran around cities seeking safety and shelter. As the news spread, people in the community became emotionally attached to these animals, even asking authorities to send the escapees to sanctuaries. I believe people generally feel compelled to help an animal in need once they become personally connected to the situation.

___________________

I shared my excitement about this lifestyle change with Andrew Denny at the Take on the World Conference in 2021. This was the first time I met Andrew in person. Prior to this, I had seen him active in online chat groups and mutual friend circles. He was surprised to learn about my journey to veganism, having never heard of this concept before in relation to the Scriptures. How did this idea fit with the many Bible verses and themes that appeared to oppose it? I appreciate that Andrew did not insult me, laugh at my passionate delivery, or scoff at this potentially ridiculous idea in our initial exchange. I encouraged him to check out several resources if he was interested in learning more.

I left the conference knowing a tiny seed had been planted. Little did I know how quickly that seed would grow. Within months, Andrew and his family had converted to a plant-based diet, and Andrew began his manuscript. He spent countless hours pouring over the resources I had suggested and finding several others. Andrew does not claim to have all of the answers, but he has done a thorough job at approaching this topic from various possible angles, allowing you to reach your own conclusion. I applaud his willingness to tackle a topic that is fairly unresearched and often ignored.

The information presented in this book may initially feel threatening. Most things do when they challenge our preconceived notions, habits, and traditions. I encourage you to keep an open mind. Ask the Creator to guide you and clear up any confusion that may arise. Don’t automatically dismiss any ideas. Allow the concepts to gradually build. Stay until the end to see it unfold.

If you currently utilize animals for their flesh and products, do not feel condemned. Most of us now living a vegan lifestyle spent the majority of our lives doing the same. But do ask yourself, Is there a better way? I pray you are blessed for reading this book. Perhaps Andrew’s research will cause a seed to be planted in your soul. Maybe you will take this topic even deeper and find new revelations to report back to us. Most of all, may you truly learn what it means to love animals and discover that the Creator loves them, too!

—Renee Mendenhall

Preface

It is my belief, as well as the belief of those who have become awake to this deception, that Satan has blinded the eyes of most professing Christians about our placement in this world. Not in terms of salvation through Christ necessarily. Rather, I speak more in terms of knowing where we fit in to the devil’s agenda.²

I f you are familiar with my previous book, then you are aware that I disclosed multiple endgame strategies of our adversary. It was written for the purpose of identifying methods of indoctrination, to reveal exactly how we have become subjects of deception. In effect, it allowed the reader to tear away those shrouds of tradition that most commonly define mainstream Christianity.

The purpose of this book is similar. But rather than learning how we fit in to the enemy’s agenda, we will learn how we fit into the Father’s plan by understanding our placement in this world through the eyes of our Creator. In 2017, I began to transition from mainstream Christianity into more of a Torah friendly community. Some refer to this as the Messianic or Hebrew Roots movement. Yet I have witnessed just as many stereotypes and have found certain lines of doctrine that I believe are no less erroneous than what we observe from the Christian communities.

For those who persisted through my previous book, we learned how to play Rubik’s Cube with our minds by shifting aside the conventional ideologies that shape our reality. In doing so, we were able to twist and turn different blocks of information, which ultimately allowed us to lock in pieces of truth to their rightful places. Despite that it was inconvenient to our existing reality, we strived to unlearn what is commonly understood in society to make room for new information. Shifting the Torah Paradigm is intended to do the same by continuing our journey but in a different direction. Certain passages that you may have previously assumed to be inapplicable to your spiritual walk will begin to come alive as you advance through the following pages. While this book delivers a completely different message than the former, it fills in so many more pieces of the puzzle.

I described my previous book as the border of a puzzle because it offered pieces of an intricate story, much more surreal than what is commonly perceived. The same could be said about this book. I would even say this book acts as more of the outline, while the former offers more of the interior pieces. Whichever way you look at it, the point is that we are all in the continual pursuit of our Creator by piecing together our story from the beginning. Regardless of which pieces have been laid out first, our desire is to see the most complete picture possible. While this book may not resolve every single dispute, it does offer enough evidence to build a solid case against popular ideology.

You will notice on the front cover that it states: Book 2 in the Ark Builders Series. When I began writing about truther topics, I felt impressed to identify myself with the label Ark Builders. In my previous book, I discussed the role of a modern Ark Builder and how it pertains (in a sense) to the prophets of former generations. Just as men throughout the scriptures delivered eye-opening information to their hearers, I believe there are many Ark Builders today that have answered the call to wake up those who are still asleep. I still believe the first book has its place. It could even qualify as modern apocalyptic literature, or at least apocalyptic awareness (if this were a genre). Although book 1 dealt with the more commonly recognized truther topics, book 2 deals with a more sensitive issue; one regarded as taboo even in the truther community.

After a season of putting different manuscript ideas to rest, I have allowed time for my theology to develop in a fuller capacity, focusing on areas that will broaden my audience appeal. Not that an audience is what I am seeking. Rather, my hope is to bridge gaps between different theological communities. And if there exists a reader-friendly audience with an open mind, then I have a few compelling nuggets to share within both books; the former to crush the conceptual notions of reality, and the present to shift yet another paradigm; one for demolition and one for reconstruction; one to shake us up, and one to bring peace and settle our spirits. I understand that it can be difficult to consider some of the fringe topics that have surfaced in recent years. But if we can come to the realization that mass deception and conspiracy takes place in our world, then some of the ideas presented in this book should not sound strange.

For instance, probably the most bizarre example of a fringe topic is the shape of the earth, which many inquisitive minds have genuinely reconsidered in recent years.³ Like everyone else, I scoffed when I first heard the term flat earth. But regardless of the earth’s true shape, when you begin to honestly consider what the writers of the Bible perceived, it helps to gain a clearer picture of what they believed on a broader scale. We know the public school system has succeeded in convincing the public to think in terms of evolution and the Big Bang.⁴ In this regard, cosmology should also be considered within the realm of possibility for any Bible believer. After all, if the writers of Scripture believed it, then it is at least worth considering.

On another level, we are now dealing with a diabolical scheme to inoculate the entire population with DNA-altering poisons they call the cure.⁵ But then again, if you are familiar with the storyline of Genesis 6, then you are probably aware that this is not the first time the enemy has attempted to corrupt the divine image in which we were created. Additionally, many of us have become awake to the parallel between the ancient Babylon and our circumstances today. It is a realm wherein we are slaves to a system that has survived throughout history.⁶ Yet we remain numb to these forces of evil. Most of the population does not even realize that we were born into the same living conditions as the Israelites in Egypt. Meanwhile, the rulers of this world have succeeded in distracting the population with the very technology on which we rely to exist within society. And this is just the beginning.

Many of us have recognized the effort to conceal information from the world by removing ancient texts that once qualified as Scripture.⁷ The same texts that expose the Watchers and their incursion on humanity, as well as the rise of the Nephilim.⁸ The same blood-thirsty powers that have ruled as gods of this world have continued their sacrificial ceremonies behind closed doors. Among the truther community, we have come to accept the unspeakable as reality because we read about it in the sacred texts that have shaped our religious beliefs. Sadly, it confirms those vicious rumors that we hear more about every day; the secrets kept behind Hollywood’s curtains and the fortified doors of government.⁹

The label Truther has become versatile enough to represent a variety of both secular and religious communities. Those of us who identify as truthers seem to recognize the inevitable stumbling block known as Cognitive Dissonance. And we are not afraid to announce that we are capable of handling more sensitive information than others who submit to the official narrative. Obviously, they are the ones who remain in the matrix of lies that shape our world, while we have broken free from this institutionalized system.

This seems to be the mindset. We are overconfident in our knowledge base, especially when it comes to certain fringe topics that most cannot seem to process. And this does not even include the paradigm shift commonly experienced when coming out of Christianity and into Torah. Nevertheless, considering our willingness to accept the unspeakable as reality, I would ask that my readers have the same open mind about the contents of this book.

Shifting the Torah Paradigm was collectively written during a major transitional phase, from my Ephraim Awakening (embracing Torah), to now finding what I believe to be a closer look at Torah, a purer understanding of Yah’s instructions. Moreover, the contents of this book will again challenge what is commonly accepted among the Christian mainstream, as well as the Hebrew Roots movement. My hope is that you will genuinely consider this information and apply what you conclude to be consistent with our placement in this world.

1

Introduction

Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.      —Proverbs 23:20-21

W hen I first began to connect with others among the Torah community, I was already mindful of some principles that are commonly observed. If you are familiar with my previous book, ¹⁰ then you are aware that I hinted towards those convictions, anything from eating clean and kosher to the Gregorian calendar and Christian holidays. Even though I did not go into detail about these topics, those who read my work could see that I was somewhat observant myself, simply because of my usage of the names YHWH and Yeshua throughout the text.

My Torah awakening was not a typical case of adopting the popular doctrines and behaviors of the people I surrounded myself with. I have seen this tendency in every theological community of which I have been a part. Fortunately, I had already searched out many dynamics in years prior, which I believe led me to connect with others among the Hebrew Roots movement. I was simply unaware that a group of believers existed who shared many of the same convictions that I had developed over the past few years, many of which align with Torah.

Of course, many of my newfound Torah friends would talk about ideas that I was not yet familiar with. My own personal insights were only a drop in the bucket compared to some of the information I would learn from this community. They would share videos and articles that were floating around on social media, which led me to a popular teaching on the identity of Israel. I began piecing together how we are adopted into the family of YHWH by keeping the same covenant that was made thousands of years ago. I learned about the inconsistencies of dispensation theology and how the terms Old Testament and New Testament can be misleading. Even though I believed I was already Torah observant to some extent, I had no idea how relevant some of the information would become to my spiritual journey.

It is funny how you can read through the scriptures for years and not notice certain details, until one day it just comes alive. In 2017, I completed my second title,¹¹ wherein I briefly mentioned the two kingdoms of Northern and Southern Israel. However, at that time it had nothing to do with the lost tribes of Israel. I was more focused on contending against modalism,¹² while expanding on the virgin birth prophecy that occurred prior to this event.¹³ But I knew the story, nonetheless. Little did I know how much of an impact this history lesson would have once reexamined. One of the first videos that someone recommended was called Identity Crisis,¹⁴ which is one of the more popular teachings available today. While I believe there is room for disagreement when it comes to understanding the certificate of divorce, the information pertaining to the identity of Israel and the division of the kingdoms is pertinent to our circumstances even today.

The single most influential writer, who has probably made the most impact on my life as an author, is Rob Skiba.¹⁵ Not only did he open the door for the content of my previous book, but he also helped me understand the fundamental nature of Torah observance.¹⁶ Truly his ministry has contributed to my own personal Ephraim Awakening. Aside from Rob’s content, I began looking into other Torah ministries, including books,¹⁷ websites,¹⁸ and YouTube channels.¹⁹ I became more familiar with concepts such as Commonwealth Theology, otherwise known as Grafted Theology. I learned what Yeshua meant when he said, I did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.²⁰ I sharpened my iron enough to explain how certain concepts made sense in the New Testament, such as clean eating, Shabbat, and celebrating the feasts.

Most importantly, I learned how to interpret the seemingly contradictory statements throughout Paul’s epistles, which of course comes by first recognizing that Peter gave us the disclaimer.²¹ Phrases such as not under the law could now be understood in reference to the penalty of the law and not a license to transgress the law itself. I learned how to respond to all the conflicting buzz words and memorized all the proof texts and catchy phrases. I even completed half a manuscript about Torah observance that I had previously planned on publishing. Everything that someone new to Torah was supposed to know, I had learned, including how to make my own tzitzits. In my eyes, I gained a general knowledge of Hebrew Roots theology and adopted some of the more common characteristics of the typical convert.

Of course, I do understand that my circle of Torah friends represents only a small sect among a larger movement that became widespread long before I was around. Needless to say, there are still some things that I would like to work through in greater depth, such as a definite position on the calendar (a topic on which nobody can seem to agree). The point is that I do possess a fairly seasoned knowledge base when it comes to the highlights of Torah observance. And just to elaborate on what I meant earlier about learning to interpret those seemingly contradictory statements in Paul’s epistles, I will explain. From what I noticed when I began connecting with Torah observant communities online, there are theological principles by which a person converting to Torah must learn to embrace. A doctrinal protocol, so to speak. Here are just a few.

• Torah is a Hebrew word that simply means instruction. Therefore, when we speak of Torah, it is a general reference to the law or commands of YHWH.²²

• When the Bible speaks of the law of Moses, it is the same as YHWH’s Eternal Law.²³ The phrase law of Christ (as seen in the New Testament) is no different. Any reference to law goes back to what YHWH gave to Moses at Mt. Sinai and is a reference to a set of eternal instructions.

• Yeshua did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.²⁴ This means to observe, uphold, keep, do, obey, etc.

• The definition of sin is transgression of the law.²⁵ Therefore, neglecting to obey the law of Moses is a sin.

• Observing the law is not about salvation but about expressing our love for YHWH.²⁶ (I believe this is an admirable motive.)

• As previously mentioned, the phrase not under law²⁷ should be understood in regard to penalty or consequences of the law and not the law itself (along with every other statement that seems to challenge the idea that the law was done away with).

• Learn to recite Peter’s 2nd epistle, which explains that Paul’s epistles are hard to understand.²⁸ Use this as a fix-all for every seemingly anti-Torah passage, such as the previously mentioned statement.

• The church (ekklesia/congregation) should not be understood as a separate entity apart from Israel; the church is Israel. We are grafted in,²⁹ as fellow citizens sharing the commonwealth of Israel.³⁰

While there are more highlights than just these few, this gives us a general idea. These bullet points are introductory. They address what is typically misunderstood by Christians and challenge what is commonly assumed. When coming into Torah, you basically learn how to approach the New Testament as if nothing from the Old Testament changed when Yeshua entered the scene. Instead, consider his ministry to be more of a renewal process or reinstatement of the law of Moses. And if you start out on the right foot by embracing said principles, you will do well.

If you consider yourself Torah observant, then you are probably familiar with the idea that Israel’s history opens the door to a much larger story. And again, this goes back to the Identity Crisis prophecy. The New Testament concept of saving the lost was not just a generalized reference about connecting with your local faith community. The lost refers to the sheep of Israel that scattered among the nations.

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.      —Matthew 15:24

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

      —Luke 19:10 ESV

If you are not familiar with certain details of Israel’s history, then Yeshua’s statements can easily be misunderstood. And since many people have only heard these passages from the pulpits of modern churches, his references to the lost might appear to be more about people in general who need to be saved, which is true to a certain extent. But it can easily be confused with the idea of saved versus unsaved commonly taught in modern churches, where the good people go to heaven and the bad people (or sinners) go to a place called hell.³¹ Ultimately, without understanding the context of the story, we can easily succumb to popular ideology as seen in western Christianity.

It is understood that Yeshua was sent to magnify the instructions of his Father.³² Therefore, many of his statements have a specific application to a storyline that most bible readers today have never imagined. Among the Torah community, we understand that many of Yeshua’s comparisons throughout the gospels reflect his understanding of Israel’s history; stories such as the prodigal son. Truly this parable was intended to represent the lost sheep of Israel returning home. And while this is a good example of a deeper storyline, the following chapters explore the possibility that we have missed something even bigger, a theme so monumental that it sets the foundation for the entire narrative of Scripture. This does not just begin with the Israelites in exile but the beginning of our story overall, from Genesis chapter 1 to Revelation chapter 22.

—The Unseen Storyline—

Many of you are probably familiar with a name that only appears a few times in our bibles yet marks the single-most notorious figure of the entire story.³³ In Crushing Conceptualism, I introduced him as the most infamous character in the entire scope of history, the main character of the storyline previously discussed. We are not going to spend a great deal of time talking about him. In fact, this will probably be the only time I mention his name in this book. However, it is at least worth pointing him out, even if it is for the simple purpose of veering our discussion in the direction of the central topic for this book. As he makes a return to the discussion table, notice a certain characteristic about this antichrist figure.

And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. —Genesis 10:8-9

This Nephilim giant, Nimrod, was a mighty hunter. I have read that he hunted both man and animals. Ancient pictographs and sculptures depict him wrestling lions half his size. And this attribute is what caught my eye recently. We understand that Nimrod represents a character-type as the opposite of what our Creator imagined for humanity. Of course, the only man that lived up to every perfect aspect of design was the Messiah himself. Nevertheless, it is interesting that the one single characteristic emphasized about Nimrod is that he was a hunter. And I do not believe this was a matter of happenstance. By the end of chapter 9, you will realize just how opposite this depiction is. We will be looking at many anti-hunting texts wherein Yeshua actually prevented men from doing so.

As the following chapters illustrate, mankind did not originally possess the instinct—or even the knowledge—to hunt. We were placed in a realm of life, apart from death. Essentially, this is the nature of the entire creation account, that our world was created to bring forth abundantly and to be fruitful and multiply. In this realm of life and abundance, our Creator intended for His citizens to thrive. Death was not a part of this design. Nothing had to die in order for humans or animals to eat. The concept of killing was never imagined in the beginning, and it was never intended for the souls of creation, whether the life of a human or an animal. What may surprise you is how this affects the remainder of the story.

Of course, when you begin to suggest that a hidden storyline exists within the Bible, it has the tendency to daunt others. People do not know how to respond to something so incredible. After all, we are not just talking about a simple idea or interpretation of a given passage but rather an entire theme. Therefore, if a narrative is in fact present within the text, then it would be commonly understood, right? I contend that this is not the first hidden storyline that has been overlooked by the mainstream. Many people in the Torah community are aware that certain storylines do exist in the Bible yet go unnoticed by popular Christianity.

For instance, consider the history of the Israelites and the great divide between the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. While this story is present in every Christian’s Bible, most people are simply unaware of the division or the Assyrian conquest that followed. If you were to ask the average Christian about the ten lost tribes of Israel, they would look at you like a deer in headlights. This story sets the stage for the entire New Testament, although it is a hidden storyline, nonetheless. And most Bible believers completely overlook this piece of the story.

Another example of a hidden storyline (commonly known among certain fringe circles) is the story of the giants, which is briefly mentioned in Genesis 6. Most people do not give any critical thought to the giants. Nobody seems to ask how they came into existence or why their story is significant to the rest of the Bible. The word Nephilim, while it may be recognized by several people, has no relevance to the content of Scripture, as far as most people are concerned. Yet for those who have invested time in this line of study, the timeline from Jared to Noah provides an outline for a narrative that can be seen in several places of Scripture, including the New Testament.³⁴

The purpose for these examples is not to convince you one way or another about the giants. It is simply to demonstrate that hidden storylines do exist within the Bible, whether we are willing to admit it or not. While the Nephilim may not be emphasized throughout the text, the storyline is present. It is no different when searching for the origin of animal sacrifice, veganism, or the abolition of temple ceremony. Just because you may not have seen it before does not mean it is absent from the text. I would argue that most of the Bible revolves around this subject. Our entire story is about the controversy of animal sacrifice and consuming flesh. The problem is that we fail to understand the context of our history, which is laid out in the first chapter of the Bible. If we understood just how relevant the creation account is, we would be empowered to identify and denounce the years of bad doctrine that we have received.

This book discusses the contrast between two paradigms: one contending that animal sacrifice is part of an eternal system or divine behavior, pleasing to the Father and practiced in the heavenly realm; and two, that sacrificial laws were remedial extensions of a higher standard, but they were added to govern the behavior of the people. In essence, sacrificial law shows us what was already practiced among humanity and reveals what is displeasing to the Father. The further you read, the more this will make sense. Generally, there are three methods by which biblical vegans approach the Bible.

• The Allegorical Approach: sacrifice is a symbolic description of spiritual principles.³⁵

• Concession to Human Weakness: animal sacrifice was allowed, but only as a matter of correcting the cultural behaviors of humans. It began as a human practice and was only permitted by Mosaic law to govern, reduce, and potentially eliminate this behavior.

• Textual Denunciation: a scrutiny of scriptures that do not align with a life-giving Creator. The rejection of any text that fails to complement the moral nature of God as depicted in the creation story.³⁶

While some might hold to only one of these methods for interpreting the Bible, I believe we should consider all three. Throughout the first half of this book, we will assume that every detail in the Bible is predominantly accurate and that we can trust the text for what is stated at face value. We will apply the concession method, meaning that we will approach the text under the notion that YHWH established an allowance system for His people who were already practicing animal sacrifice. Towards the latter half of the book, we