ROSH HASHANA, ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.
Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the Jewish civil, fiscal, and agricultural year. Our fathers view it as the crowning of King Messiah. Synagogue readings for this Levitical festival revolve around the stories of Abraham and Isaac, especially the 'Binding of Isaac' on the altar on the mountain. With the crowning of King Messiah, we also view Rosh Hashana as the onset of the Fall Festivals which also speaks of the final establishment of Messiah's Kingdom on earth.  


ROSH HASHANA AND REPENTANCE
Yochanan the Immerser, Yeshua, the disciples of the Master and their disciples all preached the same Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom is at hand." The idea was to clean our hearts, 'get our act together'; in view of the impending arrival of the Kingdom Of heaven on earth, let’s start leaning our inclination towards obedience to HaShem through living by His toratic instructions, and that, all in preparation for the Kingdom to come. 

THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART
In the previous parashas, Moshe sees Israel's punishment and exile because of its disobedience, but one cannot believe some parts of the prophecies and omit the others. If you believe in Israel's  exile because of its disobedience, you must also believe in its return because of repentance, repentance brought by the circumcision of the heart.
    Since its early beginning, for the most part Israel has been  faithful in the practice of physical circumcision. In Deuteronomy 30, HaShem speaks of the circumcision of the heart, something that the prophets mentioned was lacking. In the world of the Bible, the heart doesn't represent the seat of the emotions, but rather the front lobe of the will. The term 'circumcise your heart ' (Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4) means to yield ourselves to HaShem's leading, will, and way in our lives. It is the opposite of arrogance and stubbornness. 
    The circumcision of the heart is not an event that waits for the revelation of the Messiah as is often taught. Already in Deut 10:16, Moshe was encouraging the second generation of Israelites to "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.", and in Jeremiah 9:25-26 HaShem punishes Israel for its uncircumcised heart, which infers they were already supposed to display the life of a circumcised heart. 
    The circumcision of the flesh is actually an outward sign of the already accomplished circumcision of the heart. One doesn't go without the other. Of course, it is easy to make claims of integrity by virtue of an outward sign, but whereas one can boast of a flesh circumcision, his personal life will be an unfailing witness as to whether he can boast of a circumcised heart or not. It is always easier to demonstrate “religion” through outward elements such as eating kosher, wearing tsitsits, not working on Shabbat, but HaShem is the One who knows if our hearts are truly circumcised or not. We may be able to fool some of the people all the time, or all of the people some time, but never all of the people all the time. HaShem who created us makes sure of that!
    Physical circumcision is done at eight days old. No-one asks for our permission when they do it. But the circumcision of the heart is a personal decision and commitment to HaShem, and the final redemption depends on it,

... But if their uncircumcised hearts will grow humble, and they are paid the punishment for their misdeeds; then I will remember my covenant with Ya`akov, also my covenant with Yitz'chak and my covenant with Avraham; and I will remember the land. (Lev 26:41-42)

Jeremiah speaks of Moshe's promise that HaShem will circumcise Israel's  heart…

 "For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days," says Adonai: "I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
(Jer 31:33)

Jeremiah deplored the people with circumcised flesh and uncircumcised hearts,

"The days are coming," says Adonai, "when I will punish all those who have been circumcised in their uncircumcision --(9:25) Egypt,
Y'hudah, Edom, the people of `Amon and Mo'av, and all those living in the desert who cut the edges [of their beard]: "For although all the Goyim are uncircumcised, all the house of Isra'el have uncircumcised hearts."  (Jer 9:25-26)


GENTILES AND CIRCUMCISION
In the days of Paul, there were some non-Jewish proselytes who wanted to seal their adoption into the covenant of Israel through  their own 'works'. They felt that they needed to go through all the rituals and demands, including circumcision, of the traditional Judaism of the day. Paul's contention was that all that was needed for adoption into Israel was the baptism of repentance in the immersion waters, and the spiritual covering of confession that Yeshua is the Messiah through whom they have access to HaShem. In his contention, Paul borrows from Moshe and Jeremiah's theme of the superior virtue of the circumcision of the heart vs the circumcision of the flesh,

For the real Jew is not merely Jewish outwardly: true circumcision is not only external and physical. On the contrary, the real Jew is one inwardly; and true circumcision is of the heart, spiritual not literal; so that his praise comes not from other people but from God. (Rom 2:28-29)

Whether Jew or grafted-in Gentile, Rosh Hashana is the time when we can imagine ourselves standing before HaShem and hear Him say to us,

"Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil - in that I am ordering you today to love Adonai your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and Adonai your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, if you are drawn away to prostrate yourselves before other gods and serve them; I am announcing to you today that you will certainly perish; you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess. "I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him - for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya`akov." 
(Deu 30:15-20)

ON THIS ROSH HASHANA

• MAY WE YIELD TO HIM, TO HIS WILL, AND TO HIS TORAH. 
• MAY WE ADOPT LIFESTYLES THAT REFLECTS THE TORAH AS TAUGHT BY OUR MASTER YESHUA.
• MAY WE LET HIM CIRCUMCISE OUR HEARTS.
• MAY WE CHOOSE LIFE!

​
L'Shana Tova
​​​ 
לשנה טובה 

HEBREW NOTE:
Whereas most English text translate the title of this parasha: 'When you enter...', the literal Hebrew says: 'When you come...'. It may not make much difference except for this.

In a previous parasha called 'Bo', Hashem tells Moses to 'come' to Egypt. The word 'Bo', meaning 'Come'. (Ex 10:1) usually also translated as 'Go'. The difference is of geography. When we tell someone, 'go', they go away from us as we are staying put. But when we tell someone 'come', we are telling them to come to us to the place where we are waiting for them.

The parasha this week tells us that:
 יקימך יהוה לו לעם קדושׁ כאשׁר נשׁבע־לך כי תשׁמר את־מצות יהוה אלהיך והלכת בדרכיו׃ 

Adonai will establish you as a people separated for himself, as he has sworn to you, "if you will observe the mitzvot of Adonai your God and follow his ways," (Deut 7;12)
Deut 28:9
​

When he says 'come', it means 'follow me; walk in my ways'. We are to follow Him. In Ex 10:1, he tells Moshe, 'Come to Egypt' because he is already there (Ex 3:8). In Deut 26:1, he says, 'When you come to the Land...', because he is already there waiting for them. Its the fact that the Children of the Children of Israel can take all the way 'to the bank'! Taking was a part of walking in His ways.

The messianic Promises are coming to a close. As It turns towards this second Exodus, the Voice of Messiah is heard in the Land and It tells us, 'When you come to the Land ...'.

We are commanded to come in the Land, but this command lies under the same conditions as those given to the Children of Israel who came from the desert. It is disobedience to the Torah that evicted the Children of Israel from the land 2,000 years ago. Part of Yeshua's messianic role was to be the last prophet before the Great Exile, which could have been averted had they listened to His message. In his teaching to the Galatians, Paul speaks of 'The curse of the Torah'. Christian interpretation has understood this as the Torah being cursed but how could that be when, 

The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of Adonai is sure, making wise the thoughtless. The precepts of Adonai are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of Adonai is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Adonai is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of Adonai are true, they are righteous altogether, more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, also sweeter than honey or drippings from the honeycomb. Through them your servant is warned; in obeying them there is great reward. 
(Psa 19:7-11 CJB)
 
What Paul refers to in Gal 3:10, 13, is to the curse upon he who disobeys. Its like a father saying, 'If you do such and such, you'll get a spanking. Same with the law. If we do such and such, we go to jail'. It is not the rule that is the curse. The rule is for our benefit. The curse is the punishment for disobedience to the rule, a punishment that is often self-afflicted as in 'if you eat too much candy, you will have cavities.' Some people's religion these days is one where there should be no retribution for sin, and we see where that leads.

Here is the list of curses from Deut 27:15-26. I will add some applications in between the verses.

• 'A curse on anyone who makes a carved or metal image, something Adonai detests, the handiwork of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret!' IDOLATRY: GIVING THE WORKS OF OUR OWN HANDS A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN OUR DUTY TO HASHEM. 'IN SECRET': WHILE HYPOCRITICALLY MAKING EXCUSES AND PRETENDING TO LOVE HASHEM FIRST.
• 'A curse on anyone who dishonors his father or mother.' SPEAKINGBAD OF OUR PARENTS, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF OTHERS, SUCH AS BEFORE OUR CHILDREN.
• 'A curse on anyone who moves his neighbor's boundary marker.'APPROPRIATING GROUND THAT IS NOT OURS; CHANGING THE ESTABLISHED DIVINE LAW/EXPECTING PEOPLE TO DO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO.
• 'A curse on anyone who causes a blind person to lose his way on the road.' BEING IRRESPONSIBLE IN TEACHING TORAH, THUS LEADING PEOPLE ASTRAY. 
• 'A curse on anyone who interferes with justice for the foreigner, orphan or widow.' HAVING THE SAME AVAILABILITY OF JUSTICE FOR THE RICH, THE POOR, AND THE FOREIGNER WHO TAKES REFUGE IN OUR LAND.
• 'A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his father's wife, because he has violated his father's rights.' NO COMMENT. OBVIOUS
• 'A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with any kind of animal.' NO COMMENT. OBVIOUS
• 'A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his sister, no matter whether she is the daughter of his father or of his mother.' NO COMMENT. OBVIOUS
• 'A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.'NO COMMENT. OBVIOUS
• 'A curse on anyone who secretly attacks a fellow member of the community.' WE ARE NOT TO SPEAK EVIL OF PEOPLE BEHIND THEIR BACK.
• 'A curse on anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.' EITHER PHYSICALLY KILL, OR RECEIVING SOME SORT OF BENEFITS FOR ALLOWING THE CHARACTER ASSASSINATION OF SOMEONE.
• 'A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.' HERE IS THE CURSE OF GALATIANS 3.

What the curse entails is in Deut 28:15-68.


As I was trying to challenge my school Bible students one time, I told them, "I have the solution for all the worlds social and economic problems. It is simple, it doesn't cost any money, and anybody can do it. All you have to do is live by the 10 commandments. Can you imagine a world where no-one lies, cheat, steals, covets your stuff? A world where everyone obeys their parents and love God? It would be Heaven right? SO WHY DON'T WE DO IT?

Our Master Yeshua said that the Kingdom is within us. Why are we therefore waiting for the Kingdom of Heaven to be geographically and politically established on earth in order to follow its social, interpersonal, and spiritual lifestyle? Remember, He waits for us there; He says, "כי תבא  When you come ...'

Let us try to answer this question as we introspect  in preparation for the Fall Festivals.

לא־תראה את־חמור אחיך או שׁורו נפלים בדרך
 והתעלמת מהם הקם תקים עמו


"If you see your brother's donkey or ox collapsed on the road, you may not behave as if you hadn't seen it; you must help him get it up on its feet again.
(Deu 22:4 CJB)


This commandment seems to go along with this other one ...
  If you see the donkey which belongs to someone who hates you lying down helpless under its load, you are not to pass him by but to go and help him free it. (Exo 23:5)

... which is about helping our enemy, not just our countryman or brother

The Hebrew for it is ...  
 כִּי-תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ, רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ, וְחָדַלְתָּ, מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ--עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב, עִמּוֹ. 

The KJV puts it this way, 
 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. 

This implies that though our first reaction is not help that person because it is our enemy, it is wrong in the sight of Hashem.

Here are some examples of how the State of Israel applies this commandment today:

• In '47, though it was a big issue that some did not agree with, Israeli nurses included caring for wounded Palestinians. 
• Today, while Gaza sends deadly rockets on Israel, Israel takes Palestinian children with heart problems into its hospitals. 

Deut 22:4 therefore applies to all, even to those who hate us, even to those who have unjust grievances against us. As the Master said,


"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him. "You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:38-48 CJB)


Our Master used Deut 22:4 to expose the hypocrisy of certain religious leaders of His days. He said that ...:

  They tie heavy loads onto people's shoulders 
but won't lift a finger to help carry them.(Mat 23:4)

In other words, not only do they not help others carry their loads, but they heap heavy burdens on others. The context here is not about actual loads that people have to carry, but midrashically speaking about the fact that they legislated difficult, hard, and complicated halacha which had the effect of discouraging people, especially the hard working common folks with children, from following Torah. They failed to make following Torah something enjoyable. It is amazing how, even when Hashem gives us something beautiful to enjoy and help, we have to make it something hard and complicated. Why do religious leaders have a tendency to do that? 

• Does it feed their pride; and makes them appear more religious in the sight of others?
• Does making big issues of small things give them a sense of control over others? 

Of these sort of people, the Master said, 
 ... Blind guides! 
-- straining out a gnat, meanwhile swallowing a camel!
 (Mat 23:24)

Both gnats and camels are not kosher. Yeshua compares this sort of people to the hypocrisy of those who ate so carefully so as not to incidentally swallow a gnat (which would not be kosher), but who at the same carelessly swallow a camel, which is not kosher either! The message is that they, through pride, make big difficulties of small commandments with small consequences, while all the while breaking the big commandments that carry big consequences. What the Master is saying here is that to incidentally swallow something not kosher has negligible retribution, but to put burdens on your neighbor that are so heavy that he gets discouraged from following Torah is a big sin!

Taking the same principle on a domestic level, let's ask ourselves if we do the same thing to, 

• Our spouses?
• Our children?
• Our students,
• Our co-workers?
• Our employees?

if we do, we must ask ourselves why do we do that. 
The Master had an opposite M.O. He said,
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mat 11:29-30 CJB)


The yoke the Master refers to here is an expression found in the Talmud that refers to our obligation to Torah commandments. In it we are likened to an ox under the yoke of the Torah. Some people would put heavy wooden uncomfortable yokes on their ox, while others would pad them so it would be comfortable for the animal. What Yeshua implies is that instead of doing like some and making the Torah an object of difficulty and complication, he made it something easy and even helpful.  

The disciples followed suit when they were faced with establishing the format of Torah obedience for the many Gentiles who were joining the movement. To those who wanted to put on the shoulders of the new disciples the burden of the complicated and difficult unnecessary style of obedience of certain leaders, the disciple said, 

... Why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear? No, it is through the love and kindness of the Lord Yeshua that we trust and are delivered -- and it's the same with them."
 (Act 15:10-11 CJB)


Paul also followed in the footsteps of Messiah in these things. As he traveled to the different congregations to teach and to exhort, though people would willingly host him, he made sure not to be a financial burden on the people visited. He accepted gifts and donations, but never a payment or salary as some others did. 

Am I not a free man? Am I not an emissary of the Messiah? Haven't I seen Yeshua our Lord? And aren't you yourselves the result of my work for the Lord? Even if to others I am not an emissary, at least I am to you; for you are living proof that I am the Lord's emissary. That is my defense when people put me under examination. Don't we have the right to be given food and drink? Don't we have the right to take along with us a believing wife, as do the other emissaries, also the Lord's brothers and Kefa? Or are Bar-Nabba and I the only ones required to go on working for our living? Did you ever hear of a soldier paying his own expenses? or of a farmer planting a vineyard without eating its grapes? Who shepherds a flock without drinking some of the milk? What I am saying is not based merely on human authority, because the Torah says the same thing --for in the Torah of Moshe it is written, "You are not to put a muzzle on an ox when it is treading out the grain." If God is concerned about cattle, all the more does he say this for our sakes. Yes, it was written for us, meaning that he who plows and he who threshes should work expecting to get a share of the crop. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others are sharing in this right to be supported by you, don't we have a greater claim to it?But we don't make use of this right. Rather, we put up with all kinds of things so as not to impede in any way the Good News about the Messiah. Don't you know that those who work in the Temple get their food from the Temple, and those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrifices offered there? In the same way, the Lord directed that those who proclaim the Good News should get their living from the Good News. But I have not made use of any of these rights. 

(1Co 9:1-14 CJB)


SO THE LESSON HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HELP THOSE WHO CARRY HEAVY BURDENS, FRIENDS OR FOES, TO NOT BE A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON OTHERS, AND COULD WE SAY, TO CHECK OURSELVES, OUR ATTITUDES, CONVERSATIONS AND MANNERS?
 
HOW DO WE SOMETIMES MAKE OURSELVES HEAVY BURDEN ON OTHERS?

• Through an overbearing personality, talking too much or too loud while in company?
• Monopolizing attention, or bringing too much attention to ourselves?
• Sharing too much about our own problems, sickness, and  heavy workload? Maybe by doing so, we are discharging ourselves on someone who is already overloaded, but because they practice not overburdening others, we don't know it. 

If we need help, let's be prayerful who we ask and how we ask. 
Sometimes even, the only person we should unload to is Hashem!

A 14 year old girl from the school where I teach in Oregon came to me one day. She told me that her Mom wanted to take her on a trip to Florida to listen to this self-proclaimed prophet. The daughter was a bit confused and upset about it and as her Bible teacher, she wanted my advice. I looked online for the 'prophet' and saw this man full of tattoos performing what looked like healing miracles, while making prophetic and theological proclamations freely using foul language. It seemed that he was able to gather quite an audience that came from the four corners of the United States.

This was a bit of a complicated situation for me because whereas I feel a certain sense of responsibility for people's spiritual balance and safety, especially for easily manipulated teenagers, I am also dealing in sensitive waters as this concerns a relationship between a Mom and daughter.

The best way I thought of dealing with the situation and answering the desperate teenager's question was to use my Bible class time at the school to teach a generic study about prophecy in the Bible and let her make her own decisions.  Here is the study.

WHAT IS A BIBLICAL PROPHET AND WHAT IS HIS ROLE:
--- The first person ever declared a prophet was Abraham. (Gen 20:7)
--- While speaking to Moshe about his brother's Aaron's role, Hashem defined the role of prophet as a simple mouthpiece for someone else, (Ex 7:1)
--- A prophet of God therefore is one who speaks the Words of God to His people at his time. If the Word happens to relate to future events, that is an effect of the prophecy, not the main goal.

FALSE PROPHETS IN THE BIBLE.
KORAH:
--- Because he was a Levite priest, Korah declared to be a prophet like Moshe or anyone one else. Moshe did not argue with him but brought him before Adonai who consumed him along with those who followed his arrogant, proud rebellion. (Numb 16)

HANANIAH:
---Hananiah, a prophet from within the congregation of Israel challenged Jeremiah's prophecies of impending doom for Jerusalem and gave a prophecy of victory and vindication. Hashem fully vindicated Jeremiah. (Jer 28)

THE LITMUS TEST:
--- Last week, the Torah portion gives us the litmus test for the authenticity of the prophet of Hashem.

(13:2) "If a prophet or someone who gets messages while dreaming arises among you and he gives you a sign or wonder, (13:3) and the sign or wonder comes about as he predicted when he said, 'Let's follow other gods, which you have not known; and let us serve them,' (13:4) you are not to listen to what that prophet or dreamer says. For Adonai your God is testing you, in order to find out whether you really do love Adonai your God with all your heart and being. (13:5) You are to follow Adonai your God, fear him, obey his mitzvot, listen to what he says, serve him and cling to him; (13:61) and that prophet or dreamer is to be put to death; because he urged rebellion against Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from a life of slavery; in order to seduce you away from the path Adonai your God ordered you to follow. This is how you are to rid your community of this wickedness. 
(Deu 13:1-5 CJB)

--- In other words, the litmus test of the authenticity of a true prophet IS NOT PREDICTIONS OF THE FUTURE NOR MIRACLES, but whether THE PROPHECIES PROMOTE ADHERENCE TO HASHEM THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO THE TORAH or not. 

(NOTE: This is why restoring the Jewishness and the Torah obedience of Yeshua is so critical. As long as the Jewish people see Him as someone who went against he Torah and promoted Himself as God,  they consider Him a false prophet and therefore Torah obedience to have had him killed.)

--- This week's parasha tells us more about prophets:

" 'But if a prophet presumptuously speaks a word in my name which I didn't order him to say, or if he speaks in the name of other gods, then that prophet must die.' You may be wondering, 'How are we to know if a word has not been spoken by Adonai?' When a prophet speaks in the name of Adonai, and the prediction does not come true -- that is, the word is not fulfilled -- then Adonai did not speak that word. The prophet who said it spoke presumptuously; you have nothing to fear from him. 
(Deu 18:20-22 CJB)

--- Many prophecies of the prophets of old have been fulfilled but at a later time. How then, under these conditions, can people define if their prophets are authentic prophets of Gd or not?
--- When the prophecy is to be fulfilled at a later time, there may be a partial fulfillment at the time of the prophet, or he is supposed to give a supernatural sign.
EXAMPLE:

1Ki 13:1 Just then, as Yarov`am was standing by the altar to burn incense, a man of God came out of Y'hudah, directed to Beit-El by a word from Adonai. 1Ki 13:2 And by the word from Adonai he cried out against the altar: "Altar, altar, here is what Adonai says: 'A son will be born to the house of David; his name will be Yoshiyahu; and on you he will sacrifice the cohanim of the high places who burn incense on you! They will burn human bones on you!' 
The prophecy in question was not to be fulfilled for about 250 years by King Josiah. (2 Kings 22), so the prophet gave a sign of authentication in:
1Ki 13:3 That same day he also gave a sign: "Here is the sign which Adonai has decreed: " 'The altar will be split apart; the ashes on it will be scattered about.' " 1Ki 13:4 When the king heard what the man of God said, how he denounced the altar in Beit-El, Yarov`am took his hand away from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But his hand, the one he had stretched out against him, shriveled up; so that he could not draw it back to himself. 1Ki 13:5 Also the altar was split apart, and the ashes scattered from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Adonai.

--- Yeshua and all the apostles all told us that in the time of the end we will see many would-be prophets. 
We should test them with the litmus test the Word gives us.--- Every year I hear the same prophets of doom telling us at the approach of Sukkot that this is the last Sukkot. One they were wrong once, why do we listen to them again? Of course one day they will be right because the ancient Jewish prophets suggested that the last battle of the world, the battle of God and magog will happen at Sukkot, but they were wise in not telling us whuch one.

--- Generally, Judaism does not  search for dates of prophetic fulfillment of events. It is viewed as divination. The way biblical prophecy tells us about future is through sequences of events, but not with attached dates to them as Hashem lives in eternity; we are the ones who live in 'time'. 
--- The early community of believers had many problems with false prophets. Corinth had prophets who, having no clue about Torah and its implication in our lives, still claimed the inspiration of the Spirit of God. That goes against the Scriptures we just read about the definition of a true prophet.
--- True Divine Inspiration has to be coupled with Torah education. People say I have a gift for playing guitar, but I still had to take lessons in order to learn to play. Torah learning is the education of the prophetic gift.
--- All the prophets of Israel were Torah educated; in fact most of them came from the priesthood.
--- Paul must have encountered problems with false prophets as he gave us rules on how to use prophecy. He was all for people using the gift. He said
 Don't quench the Spirit, don't despise inspired messages. But do test everything -- hold onto what is good, but keep away from every form of evil. (1Th 5:19-22 CJB)
--- He also advised set rules for would-be congregational prophets in:

Let two or three prophets speak, while the others weigh what is said. And if something is revealed to a prophet who is sitting down, let the first one be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, with the result that all will learn something and all will be encouraged. Also, the prophets' spirits are under the prophets' control; for God is not a God of unruliness but of shalom. As in all the congregations of God's people, (1Co 14:29-33 CJB)

--- In other words, while Paul promoted the use of prophecy, he did not promote it a s a free-for-all 'freedom of speech type of thing. A would-be prophet would need to have his prophecy weighed or vetted by the others in the congregation before being given approval.
--- False prophets within the congregation of Messiah is a sign of the approaching end:
At that time many will be trapped into betraying and hating each other, many false prophets will appear and fool many people; and many people's love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah. 
(Mat 24:10-12 CJB) 
--- Thanks to Hashem, He is the true Prophet like unto Moshe whose Word we must obey:
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him. Whoever doesn't listen to my words, which he will speak in my name, will have to account for himself to me. 
(Deu 18:18-19 CJB)
--- Though today there are rabbis who deny it, in the Second Temple era, this prophecy was understood as being about Messiah. The Sadducees who came to Yochnanan the Immerser knew it (John 1:21); the Samaritan woman knew it (John 4:19, 25), Peter knew it  (Acts 3:22), and Steven also did (Acts 7:37). If people do not believe it is about Messiah, who do they say it is about? They say it is about Joshua and all the other prophets, but how can it be when the Torah itself says,
Since that time there has not arisen in Isra'el a prophet like Moshe, whom Adonai knew face to face. (Deu 34:10 CJB)