House of Yahweh

Last updated

House of Yaweh
Type New religious movement
Scripture Bible
Region United States
Headquarters Eula, Texas
FounderYisrayl Hawkins
Origin1980

The House of Yahweh (HOY) is a religious group based in Eula, Texas. The assembly has been controversial and is referred to as a cult by former members. [1]

Contents

Founder

Yisrayl Hawkins (also known as "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins) is HOY's founder. [2] In 1974, his brother, J. G. (Yaaqob) Hawkins, returned from a seven-year visit to Israel claiming he had "found proof of Yahweh's name". Shortly after, he formed the "first House of Yahweh" in Odessa, Texas. [3] He preached distinct doctrines that his brother agreed with, such as the necessity of referring to the Creator as Yahweh and the Messiah as Yahshua, as well as following the Torah and the Jewish festivals.

In 1980, Hawkins legally changed his first name to Yisrayl, and began The House of Yahweh Abilene at his home. Hawkins says he and his brother were prophesied in both the Old and New Testaments as the two witnesses, sent by Yahweh to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Yahshua the Messiah. [4]

Hawkins has written numerous books concerning Yahweh's laws and prophecies. Some are The Mark of the Beast Vol. 1 & 2, The Lost Faith of the Apostles and Prophets, Deceptions Concerning Yahweh's Calendar Of Events, Devil Worship: The Shocking Facts!, Unveiling Satan!, The End, In Search of a Savior, There Is Someone Out There, The Two Witnesses, and The Peaceful Solution. Hawkins was the primary editor[ citation needed ] of The Book of Yahweh: The Holy Scriptures, now in its 10th edition, which is, according to the House of Yahweh "the most correct and accurate translation of the Holy Scriptures that is available today." [5] With its use of the name Yahweh throughout the New Testament, it fits into the category of sacred name Bibles.

Hawkins died on 8 October 2021. [6]

Beliefs

The House of Yahweh believes that it is the oldest and only true faith, as instituted by Yahweh, according to the Bible. Many of the groups teachings are similar to those of Herbert W. Armstrong and the Sabbatarian Churches of God. [7]

Similar to Armstrongism, the HOY believes the world will soon experience the Great Tribulation and that the Bible refers to Satan as the god of this world, and that "she" has the entire world deceived.

HOY believes Yahweh is the name of the creator of the world, and that Yahshua is the name of the Son of Yahweh, and that he is their messiah. They teach that any other titles—such as God (El, Elohim), Lord (Ba'al, Adonai), Jehovah, Jesus and Christ—are names or titles of pagan beings or idols, or are mistakes, that have been falsely ascribed to Yahweh. [8]

Its beliefs are also similar to those of Judaism, as the assembly follows the Torah, the 613 laws and rules found in the Pentateuch. They believe the observance of these laws promotes peace and love, and is an answer to many problems in the world.

Members adhere to a kosher diet, strictly following the dietary laws in Leviticus 11, and wear garments similar to the Jewish yarmulke (kippah) and tallit in worship services and private prayer.

Members regularly perform ritual ablutions, and are baptized when they join the assembly.

HOY instructs its members to tithe 10% of all their increases as said in the Bible.

Feasts

Like Judaism and Armstrongism, HOY keeps the seventh-day Sabbath [9] and the annual feasts of the Old Testament, including Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, The Feast of Trumpets, and The Feast of Tabernacles, as well as the fast-day called The Day of Atonement. [10]

Once a year on the evening before Passover, members hold a solemn observance they call "Yahshua's Memorial" in memory of the crucifixion of Jesus. The assembly shares unleavened bread and wine as symbols of the body and blood of Yahshua, and members wash one another's feet. The following evening, the assembly celebrates Passover.

Christmas, Easter and birthdays are not celebrated, as they believe they are pagan rituals and customs in observance of gods.

Unlike Judaism and Armstrongism, HOY believes The House of Yahweh Sanctuary in Eula, Texas is the only place on earth where celebratory feasts are to be observed, and three times a year they make a pilgrimage to Abilene to celebrate Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

Rejection of Trinitarianism

Unlike Trinitarian Christianity, the House of Yahweh teaches that Yahshua (Jesus) was born a man, and became the son of Yahweh, "the firstborn among many brothers", when he was baptized by John the Baptist. They believe that he was framed for insurrection, received an illegal trial, and was then flogged, tormented, nailed to a pole (not a cross) and executed by the civil authorities. Similar to Christianity, they teach that he died for the sins of man as an atonement offering or blood sacrifice, and in so doing he became a Passover Lamb. The House of Yahweh teaches that he was buried at sunset, and three days later, he was resurrected from the dead, subsequently ascending into Heaven 40 days later. They believe that he is waiting until the prophesied end time to return to Earth, establishing Yahweh's Kingdom on Earth and preventing humankind from ultimately destroying themselves. [8]

Yahweh's exclusivity

According to the assembly, Yahweh is the only one who deserves worship or adoration, and is the sovereign and only creator and ruler of the universe. Yahshua is not believed to be a divine being, and is not thought to preexist before his conception. They believe that the Holy Spirit in the original scriptures is "The every word of Yahweh, the Law and the Prophets".

Unlike either Judaism or Christianity, and similarly to Armstrongism, they make no distinction between the Old Testament and the New Testament, claiming the New Testament is a continuation of the Old Testament, reaffirming and reestablishing it. In addition, the House of Yahweh rejects religious customs that conflict with their interpretation of the Torah.

In an attempt to purify their religion of pagan elements, all pagan names, words, and concepts are eschewed. They also publish an edition of the Bible (The Book of Yahweh), which removes any and all words or concepts which they believe are pagan corruptions, including removal of God/Elohim in favor of Yahweh, as well as changing names to remove these influences (e.g. Yliyah for Elijah, Yechetzqyah for Ezekiel, Riyyah for Ruth, and Yahchanan for John).

Failed "end times" predictions

Kenyan followers of the House of Yahweh believe that the end of the world began on or before September 12, 2006, and that members of the House Of Yahweh would have survived the coming nuclear catastrophe. The specific prophecy appeared on the front page of HOY's website prior to the date. It is also addressed in the publication The End by Yisrayl Hawkins. That same year, the leaders of the sect in Kenya were arrested, and subsequently released on bail after giving assurances that they would refrain from inciting fear in the local population. Following the predicted doomsday date predicted by the Kenyan sect, leaders of the group have reportedly fled Kenya. [13]

In October 2006, a former HOY member pleaded guilty to injury to a child by criminal negligence for performing surgery on her seven-year-old daughter, which led to her death, according to authorities.[ where? ][ citation needed ]

On October 16, 2007, Yedidiyah Hawkins, an Elder at HOY, was arrested for sexual assault of his fourteen-year-old stepdaughter. During a forensic interview at the Abilene Police Department's Child Advocacy Center, the child disclosed that the abuse began when she was eight. Documents released by the Callahan County District Attorney's Office following the arrest allege that Hawkins was preparing to marry the unnamed stepdaughter, although the group says that was not true. [17] He was subsequently indicted by a Callahan County, Texas Grand Jury on December 12, 2007. [18] On October 27, 2008, a jury for the 42nd District Court found him guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison. [19] [20] A motion for a new trial was rejected by a 42nd District Court judge on February 18, 2009. Several other charges are pending until all appeals have been exhausted. [21]

On February 12, 2008, Yisrayl Hawkins was arrested and then moved to the Taylor County Jail on four counts of bigamy. His bail was set at $10 million, later reduced to $100,000. [22] On October 29, 2009, bigamy charges against him were dismissed after he, following what he believes is the example of the Savior, pleaded no contest to child labor charges. Hawkins was given a fine and probation. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

Antisemitism and the New Testament is the discussion of how Christian views of Judaism in the New Testament have contributed to discrimination against Jewish people throughout history and in the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yahweh</span> Ancient Levantine deity

Yahweh was an ancient Levantine deity, and national god of the Israelite kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Though no consensus exists regarding the deity's origins, scholars generally contend that Yahweh emerged as a "divine warrior" associated first with Seir, Edom, Paran and Teman, and later with Canaan. The origins of his worship reach at least to the early Iron Age, and likely to the Late Bronze Age, if not somewhat earlier.

The Pharisees were a Jewish social movement and a school of thought in the Levant during the time of Second Temple Judaism. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Pharisaic beliefs became the foundational, liturgical, and ritualistic basis for Rabbinic Judaism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">God the Father</span> Title given to God in various religions

God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity. In mainstream trinitarian Christianity, God the Father is regarded as the first person of the Trinity, followed by the second person, Jesus Christ the Son, and the third person, God the Holy Spirit. Since the second century, Christian creeds included affirmation of belief in "God the Father (Almighty)", primarily in his capacity as "Father and creator of the universe".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armstrongism</span> Religious teachings and doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong

Armstrongism is the teachings and doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong while leader of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). His teachings are professed by him and his followers to be the restored true Gospel of the Bible. Armstrong said they were revealed to him by God during his study of the Bible. The term Armstrongite is sometimes used to refer to those that follow Armstrong's teachings. Armstrongism and Armstrongite are generally considered derogatory by those to whom it is applied, who prefer to be known as members of the Church of God (COG). These doctrines were also espoused by his sons Richard David Armstrong and Garner Ted Armstrong with slight variations.

<i>Jerusalem Bible</i> 1966 Catholic English translation of the Bible

The Jerusalem Bible is an English translation of the Bible published in 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd. As a Catholic Bible, it includes 73 books: the 39 books shared with the Hebrew Bible, along with the seven deuterocanonical books, as the Old Testament, and the 27 books shared by all Christians as the New Testament. It also contains copious footnotes and introductions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Church of God</span> Non-denominational Christian church based in the United States

The United Church of God, an International Association is a nontrinitarian Christian church based in the United States.

Yahshua is a proposed transliteration of יהושוע‎, the original Hebrew name of Jesus. The pronunciation Yahshua is philologically impossible in the original Hebrew and has support neither in archeological findings, such as the Dead Sea scrolls or inscriptions, nor in rabbinical texts as a form of Joshua. Scholarship generally considers the original form of Jesus to be Yeshua, a Hebrew Bible form of Joshua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assemblies of Yahweh</span> Religious denomination headquartered in Bethel, Pennsylvania, United States

The Assemblies of Yahweh is a nonprofit religious organization with its international headquarters in Bethel, Pennsylvania, United States. The organization developed independently out of a radio ministry begun by Jacob O. Meyer in 1966. The Assemblies of Yahweh is the largest sacred name group, but it is not part of the Sacred Name Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jehovah</span> Vocalization of the divine name YHWH

Jehovah is a Latinization of the Hebrew יְהֹוָה‎Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. The Tetragrammaton יהוה is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God's name in Christianity.

The Sacred Name Movement (SNM) is a movement within Adventism concerned with emphasizing the use of the Hebrew name of God. Influenced by Clarence Orvil Dodd, the movement considers the use of God's name as important as the Jewish festivals. SNM believers also generally observe many of the Old Testament laws and ceremonies such as the Seventh-day Sabbath, Torah festivals, and kashrut food laws.

John 7 is the seventh chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It recounts Jesus' visit to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles, the possibility of his arrest and debate as to whether he is the Messiah. The author of the book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that John composed this Gospel. Alfred Plummer, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, describes this chapter as "very important for the estimate of the fourth Gospel. In it the scene of the Messianic crisis shifts from Galilee to Jerusalem; and, as we should naturally expect, the crisis itself becomes hotter. The divisions, the doubts, the hopes, the jealousies, and the casuistry of the Jews are vividly portrayed." John 7:1 to 8:59 is sometimes referred to as the "Tabernacles Discourse". Raymond E. Brown describes the Tabernacles Discourse as "a polemic collection of what Jesus said in replies to attacks by the Jewish authorities on his claims".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hebrew Roots</span> Biblical religious movement

The Hebrew Roots Movement (HRM) is a syncretic religious movement that advocates adherence to the Torah and believe that Jesus, whom they often refer to by the Hebrew name Yeshua, is the Messiah. The movement emphasizes and promotes the belief that the Law of Moses was not abolished by Jesus and is, therefore, still in effect for his followers. Because HRM believes the Mosaic law is still active, it advocates the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath; biblical feasts; laws of Kashrut; and circumcision. Some HRM followers also choose to wear tzitzit and other Jewish religious items. However, HRM followers do not follow Judaism or embrace the Talmud.

Yahweh is a reconstruction of the name of the God mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

This is a glossary of terms used in Christianity.

Angelo Benedetto Traina was a biblical scholar, best known for his emphasis on what he called restoring "Semitic proper names to their Aramaic and Hebrew forms".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition</span> Sacred Name Bible

The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition (SSBE) is a Sacred Name Bible which uses the names Yahweh and Yahshua in both the Old and New Testaments. It was produced by Jacob O. Meyer, based on the American Standard Version of 1901 and it contains over 977 pages. The Assemblies of Yahweh printed 5,500 copies of the first edition in 1981. It is also used by some members of the Sacred Name Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Name Bible</span> Bible translations that use Hebraic forms of Gods personal name (YHWH)

Sacred Name Bibles are Bible translations that consistently use Hebraic forms of the God of Israel's personal name, instead of its English language translation, in both the Old and New Testaments. Some Bible versions, such as the Jerusalem Bible, employ the name Yahweh, a transliteration of the Hebrew tetragrammaton (YHWH), in the English text of the Old Testament, where traditional English versions have LORD.

Elder Jacob O. Meyer was the founder, president and directing elder of the Assemblies of Yahweh. Among his roles he was also a farmer, broadcaster, translator, preacher, counselor and writer and considered by the Assemblies of Yahweh to be a scholar, rabbi and spiritual leader. He taught classes at Dalet School and Obadiah School of the Bible, as well as pioneering and editing two monthly magazines, The Narrow Way and The Sacred Name Broadcaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian observances of Jewish holidays</span>

Some Christian groups incorporate Jewish holidays into their religious practice, typically altering and reinterpreting their observation to suit a supersessionist theology.

References

  1. ↑ "House Of Yahweh: A Darker Sect Than FLDS". CBSNews. Associated Press. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Ross, Brian. "Texas Doomsday Prophet Faces Bigamy Charges". The Blotter. ABC News. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Arnn, Philip. "House of Yahweh". Watchman Fellowship. Watchman Fellowship. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  4. ↑ Hawkins, Yisrayl (7 June 1991). The Prophetic Word: 76.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ The Book of Yahweh: The Holy Scriptures (10th Edition, Ebook Version 1.0: 3-2012 ed.). "Location 526" in the online Kindle e-book reader: The House of Yahweh. 2012. ISBN   978-1-937282-02-8. ... The Book of Yahweh is the most correct and accurate translation of the Holy Scriptures that is available today.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  6. ↑ KTXS Staff (10 October 2021). "Yisrayl Hawkins, the leader of The House of Yahweh has died". KTXS. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "House of Yahweh a Dangerous Cult". Exit and Support Network. Exit and Support Network. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  8. 1 2 Arnn, Philip (1995), "House of Yahweh", The Watchman Expositor, Watchman Fellowship, vol. 12, no. 3, retrieved 2012-03-28
  9. ↑ Hawkins, Yisrayl. "Sermons - Join us for Live Sabbath Services each week". House of Yaweh. House of Yaweh. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  10. ↑ Hawkins, Yisrayl. "Feast Information". House of Yaweh. House of Yaweh. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "Welcome to Armageddon". IDFA . 1999.
  12. ↑ Hawkins, Yisrayl. "Nuclear War Starts 9-12-2006". YouTube. House of Yaweh. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  13. ↑ BBC NEWS | Africa | Kenyan joy as world fails to end
  14. ↑ Hawkins, Yisrayl. "July 14, 2007 sermon". House of Yaweh. House of Yaweh. Retrieved 26 January 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  15. ↑ Ross, Brian. "Texas Sect Leader: Doomsday Begins Next Thursday, June 12". ABC News. ABC. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  16. ↑ Hawkins, Yisrayl. "ARE NUCLEAR WARS REALLY COMING?". House of Yaweh. House of Yaweh. Archived from the original on 28 September 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  17. ↑ "Hawkins arrested on sexual assault charge : Big Country : Abilene Reporter-News". Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  18. ↑ "APD responds to brief standoff : Police & Fire Blotter : Abilene Reporter-News". Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  19. ↑ Schoenewald, Daralyn. "House of Yahweh's Hawkins sentenced to 30 years for sexual assault". Abilene Reporter-News - December 10, 2008. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014.
  20. ↑ Schoenewald, Daralyn. "House of Yahweh's Hawkins sentenced to 30 years for sexual assault". The Abilene Reporter - December 10, 2008.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  21. ↑ Schoenewald, Daralyn. "New trial denied for Yahweh elder Yedidiyah Hawkins". Abilene Reporter-News - February 19, 2009. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014.
  22. ↑ Corpus Christi, TX | KRISTV.COM |Head of religious sect charged with bigamy [ permanent dead link ]
  23. ↑ Emison, Celinda. "Bigamy charges against House of Yahweh leader Yisrayl Hawkins dropped". Your Abilene Online. Reporter News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.