This Do in Remembrance of Me

1 Corinthians 11:25 (KJV)
²⁵ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Christians will recognize that 1 Corinthians is referring to the ordinance of communion. Some churches do this every week during the church worship service, while other churches observe this practice once a month, or twice a year, or even once a year. Needless to say, Christianity has seemed to have gotten the idea down pat.

However, Christianity has forgotten the context of when Yeshua made this statement. Let's go back to Luke to find that context.

Luke 22:13-19 (KJV)
¹³ And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
¹⁴ And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
¹⁵ And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
¹⁶ For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
¹⁷ And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
¹⁸ For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
¹⁹ And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

These verses were uttered at the Passover Seder just before Yeshua's death. When Yeshua commanded His disciples to "remember Him," the disciples would have realized that the next time that they would be in this situation would be a year from then at the next Passover Seder. But why would Yeshua tie communion to Passover? Why can't the churches just decide on their own when and where they want to observe communion?

The annual Passover Seder was instituted by God as a memory device.

Exodus 12:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

What were the Israelites to remember on subsequent Passovers? They were to remember how God delivered them out of Egypt and how He redeemed them and made them His people. The Passover and the Exodus are types of the salvation that Yeshua provided in His own death and resurrection. Our remembering Yeshua and His provision of salvation by observing communion connects us to the Exodus and the Passover. This is how God works!!! The blood of a lamb kept the Israelites from death and the blood of the Lamb of God (Yeshua) keeps believers from eternal judgment and death.

Can churches do their own thing and observe communion as they want? The story of Cain and Abel, the laws in the Torah, and the history of Israel's faithlessness all point to God's desires for correct worship. At the very least we are missing out on the connections that God has provided.

Freed From The Law?

One morning, while I was listening to a Christian radio station, I heard that the hymn "Freed From The Law, Oh Happy Condition" was the next piece that would be played. I was not familiar with this hymn, but I thought the title was bizarre. What!! We're freed from the law!! I guess it is perfectly acceptable to commit murder, theft, adultery, and even idolatry now that Yeshua came and freed us from the law!

Obviously, since I am a born again believer, I know that this was not the intent of the song. I know that "the law" the hymn writer was speaking of was the dreaded Mosaic law? Let's examine this issue a little closer.

This song reminded me of the days when some parenting advice was extremely permissive. Children were left to their own devices and allowed to figure out right from wrong on their own. Obviously, these children grew up to be spoiled and damaged. They didn't respect authority, nor did they even have a sense that anyone cared enough to train and discipline them. Human beings need law and order in their lives for proper development. From this alone, I found fault with the title of the hymn. Without law, no one is in a happy condition!

Oh, but the Mosaic law has been replaced by the "law of Christ," some would say (1 Cor. 9:21). But what is the law of Christ?

Galatians 6:2 (KJV)
² Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

According to Galatians, the law of Christ is to carry one another's burdens. While this sentiment is all well and good, it doesn't give us any concrete definable laws that show us how we are to bear one another's burdens. Gotquestions.org states that "most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28-31, 'Which commandment is the most important of all?' Jesus answered, 'The most important is, "'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these.'" If the law of Christ is indeed the two commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor, these commandments existed in the Old Testament. Gotquestions.org is quoting from Deuteronomy. Therefore, it would seem that the law of Christ is not something new, but rather the same law as the Mosaic law (actually it's God's law, not Moses'). Reducing the entire Mosaic law to two commandments was to convey a summary, not a statement that there were only two commandments. Mark 12:31 even states that there are other commandments (see above).

Well, some would say that the "ceremonial law" (as opposed to the moral law that still exists) has been fulfilled by Yeshua and therefore we don't have to obey that anymore. However, searching through the Bible for a definition of "ceremonial law" is fruitless. When the law is spoken of, there is never any differentiation.

1 John 3:4 (KJV)
⁴ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

We have been conditioned into believing that part of the law is no longer applicable to us. Yet, the verse that is used to show that Yeshua fulfilled the law doesn't even mean what Christianity has come to accept.

Matthew 5:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

If the Mosaic law was fulfilled by Yeshua and no longer needs to be obeyed, then how about Galatians 6:2 (see above)? It says that if we bear one another's burdens we fulfill the law of Christ. If "fulfill" means it has been finished and no longer needs to be done, I guess that once we carry someone's burden, the law of Christ is fulfilled and we don't have to worry about doing it ever again! Oh, happy condition!

No, Yeshua did fulfill God's law. He obeyed it! That's all! That doesn't mean that we don't have to obey the law ourselves. Because otherwise, we ignore the guidance that God gave His people. We would then be a spoiled and damaged people. We would be left to our own devices to try to figure out what God wanted and what was pleasing to Him. To be in a happy condition we need concrete laws and commandments. He didn't leave us unloved; He gave us His laws (all of them)!

Adding and Subtracting

Generally, the terms "adding" and "subtracting" refer to mathematics, but can be used in other contexts as well. These terms can even be found in the Bible as commands from God.

Revelation 22:19 (KJV)
¹⁹ And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

This verse includes a warning that no one should add or subtract from the book of prophecy called Revelation, or there would be some serious consequences to the person doing the adding or subtracting.

Jeremiah 26:2 (KJV)
² Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

In the book of Jeremiah, God counsels His prophet to speak all the words that God had given him to speak. He was not to subtract a single word.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

This verse speaks about God's work and how nothing can be added to or subtracted from it.

Deuteronomy 12:32 (KJV)
³² What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Deuteronomy 4:2 (KJV)
² Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deuteronomy, in these two different places, charges that no one is to add to or subtract from the commands that God has issued His people.

So, what can be concluded from these verses? God's work, whether His plan of salvation by grace through faith, His record of prophecy specifically in Revelation, or His commandments, is complete. There is nothing necessary to add or subtract!

Then why has Christianity found it necessary to add to or subtract from God's work? Some believe that good works must be added for salvation. Wrong! Some believe that we have prophets today speaking further prophecy of God. Wrong! Some believe that the Torah is no longer applicable. Wrong!

More on this next time!

The Parable of the Sower Part 2

Previous post

In this post I would like to refresh our memories on what each of the elements or symbols of the parable represent and I would like to share some applications.

1. The symbols

The sower represents Yeshua (God).
The seed represents the Word of God.
The birds represent Satan.
The soils represent the type of people that hear the Word of God.
     The soil by the wayside represents those who hear the Word, don't understand it, and then have the Word taken away by Satan.
     The stony soil represents those who hear the Word, receive it joyfully, but don't have much root. Although they grow spiritually somewhat, the lack of root combined with tribulation and persecution due to the Word of God, they become offended.
     The thorny soil represents those who hear the Word, but due to the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word and they become unfruitful.
     The good soil represents those who hear the Word of God, understand it, and bear fruit of varying amounts.

2. Application

From this parable we see that God has an interest in mankind's knowing Him. He sent Yeshua to correctly establish the Word of God, its requirements, and how we can be saved. When Yeshua spread the gospel message He came in contact with various people who fell into the four categories we find in this parable. It is interesting to note that most of Yeshua's hearers did not understand His message. Some were unprepared and even though they listened, Satan stole it away before they could believe and be converted. Some of His hearers turned away when they met tribulation and persecution that resulted from committing to God. The life of a believer is not necessarily without danger and trouble. Some of His hearers understood the Word, but were concerned with worldly things more than the things of God. The care of this world could refer to things like poverty, fame, and power, anything that could cause a believer to lose his or her focus on God. The deceitfulness of riches refers to the striving for wealth where God no longer seems necessary because we think wealth can relieve us from our worries. Lastly, a small number of hearers understand the Word, repent, and put their trust in God. These people bear fruit of varying amounts. The fruit can be the changing of one's character as well as turning around and becoming sowers themselves.

It is in this regard that all believers also become sowers. We, too, will run into these four types of people. Only a small number will likely understand and accept the Word. We can't let this discourage us! After all Yeshua had the same issue! Most people need to hear the Word over several times before they are able to understand. Let's keep at it! Do not fall into the trap of teaching that a person's problems will be over, or that his or her life will be so much better, if he or she would only come to Yeshua. We then may cause these believers to fall away, because there will always be some tribulation or persecution that will follow belief. And whether or not we are Billy Grahams that aid in the salvation of many or we only successfully reach a few, God is not grading us on our level of productivity. We only need to be faithful!! We only need to be out there spreading the Word of God.

So what is this parable teaching us about the Kingdom of Heaven?

We hear the Word of God, repent and believe, and then we enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This then becomes our work. We emulate Yeshua and try to grow the Kingdom in much the same way that He did. Let's get to it!
         

The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Kept Secret

Last time we talked about the reasons why Yeshua had begun to teach in parables. Today, we're going to take that a little further and look at how the mysteries that He was going to teach had been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 13:34-35 (KJV)
³⁴ All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
³⁵ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

In verse 34 Matthew confirmed that Yeshua would only be speaking to the multitudes from that point on in parables. This was a fulfillment of prophecy that makes it sound like the things Yeshua would be teaching would be something that had been kept secret for a very long time. But let's look at the actual prophecy from which this quote comes.

Psalm 78:2 (KJV)
² I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

This one verse confirms that Yeshua was speaking from the book of Psalms and that He would be teaching in parables, uttering dark saying of old. However, by using this one verse, His hearers, who were very conversant in the Scriptures, would recognize that Yeshua's intent included more than just the one verse.

Psalm 78:1-8 (KJV)
¹ Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
² I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
³ Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
⁴ We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
⁵ For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
⁶ That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
⁷ That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
⁸ And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

According to Psalm 78 these "dark sayings of old" were not actually kept secret, as if God had kept this information from humanity, but rather that they had been known, but forgotten by man because of stubbornness and rebellion against God. By uttering these teachings, Yeshua would be re-establishing the line of communication, so that His disciples would have right hearts and steadfast spirits with God that they would communicate to others as God had intended.

By Whose Authority?

Matthew 12:48-50 (KJV)
⁴⁸ But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
⁴⁹ And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
⁵⁰ For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

In this brief passage we learn that belonging to the spiritual family of Yeshua means that we do the will of the Father. But how do we know what the will of the Father is? Where can we find what the Father requires? At the time that Yeshua made this comment, there was no New Testament. Therefore, Yeshua's audience could only look to the Old Testament for those answers. They would have searched out the laws and requirements in the Torah.

If we ask ourselves today these same questions do we come up with different answers because we have the New Testament? Many would say, "Yes." Many would say that Yeshua fulfilled the requirements of the Old Testament Torah, so we don't have to. However, doesn't this answer cause a disconnect with Yeshua's audience? Why would Yeshua imply one thing to His audience and something different to His followers throughout the later centuries?

Also, if the requirements of following the Father's will have changed, by whose authority were these changes made? Let's look at some possibilities.

1. Yeshua changed the requirements. In the first place, in order for Yeshua to be qualified to be our Savior, He had to follow the Torah completely and perfectly. If He hadn't, He would have been a sinner and could not have been a qualified substitute for us.  We would not have had a Savior and we would still be held responsible for our own sins. There would be no eternal life! Secondly, if Yeshua had followed the Torah completely, but taught anyone else that the Torah didn't need to be followed, He would then be called, "The least in the kingdom of Heaven," according to Matthew 5:19.

Matthew 5:17-19 (KJV)
¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
¹⁹ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so , he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Italics mine).

 Yeshua will one day reign as King over the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, it is not possible that He would be "least" in the Kingdom and He did not have any authority to change the requirements of God's will as taught in the Torah.

2. Paul or Peter changed the requirements. Most believers would say that the requirements were changed in the New Testament and that there are many verses that indicate this. One such section noted might be Peter's vision of the sheet and the non-Kosher animals that he was instructed to eat. A careful reading of the text shows us that three times Peter indicated what the vision meant. Each time the meaning had to do with the acceptability of Gentiles coming to faith and never once were the food laws in the Torah mentioned.

Paul also makes statements that have been misinterpreted to say that the Torah has been set aside. It could also be said that Paul received this "new" understanding while he was in the desert for three years being instructed by God. However, there are some serious problems with relying on either Peter or Paul as having the authority to change Torah requirements.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (KJV)
¹ If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
² And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
³ Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
⁴ Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
⁵ And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee (Italics mine).

Both Paul and Peter had "visions." If these visions instructed the people to turn away from the way in which God had commanded them to walk in, they were worthy of death. Therefore, if we believe that Paul and Peter wrote parts of the inspired Word of God, it is impossible that they had any authority to change the requirements of God's will either.

So who are we left with? There really is no one. No one has the authority to change what God has required. No one can change what God's written Word has stated.

So, if belonging to the family of Yeshua is determined by the observance of Torah, are you a member of His family?

Trust and Obedience

This week's Torah portion is Exodus 13:17 - 17:16.

Pharaoh had finally decided to let Moses and the Israelite people leave the land of Egypt! It took ten horrific plagues to convince Pharaoh, but they were free! However, shortly after starting out on their journey to the Promised Land, Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army after them. Eventually the Israelites encamped by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. There was no way to move further and the Egyptians blocked them from behind.

Moses said to the people, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace (Exodus 14:13,14, KJV)."

Our powerful God then parted the sea and allowed the Israelites to pass through on dry ground. When the Egyptians attempted to follow, the sea returned to its normal course and drowned all the Egyptians. God had fought for His people and had kept His Word.

After witnessing such an amazing event, it seems impossible that the Israelites would ever doubt God again. Yet, they did. Three days after the parting of the sea, the people murmured against Moses because of a lack of drinkable water. God met their need and then said, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee (Exodus 15:26, KJV)."

But even this second miracle did not keep the people from murmuring. About a month later they complained about their lack of food.

God said, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily (Exodus 16:4,5, KJV)."

Now the Israelites had a dependable source of food. Did they trust God? No. "And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the LORD said unto Moses, 'How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day (Exodus 16 27-29, KJV).'"

Even after all of God's care for His people they continued to complain and to disregard His laws.

But before we cast any disparaging comments on the Israelites' lack of trust and obedience, we need to ask ourselves about our own condition. If we have been saved by the grace of God through faith in Yeshua, God expects us to trust Him no matter what our circumstances may appear to be. He also expects us to obey His commands. He doesn't expect us to obey in order for us to be saved by them, but our obedience is the evidence that we have been saved. Are we obedient to the laws of God? If we are not, we must surely question our salvation.

God Meant it for Good

The Torah portion this week comes from Genesis 47:28 to 50:26.

It seems lately I have been hearing and reading about how God is everything we need. He is our strength, our provider, our shield, our refuge, and so much more. These are true statements, but sometimes in our times of distress, these words don't always help.

Bad things happen to all of us. Loved ones die. Homes and jobs are lost. We sin and create disaster in our lives. But even without any sin on our part we can find ourselves in troubling situations. We can make choices that don't pan out, or they don't provide what we thought they would. We can pray for God's leading, but we still can end up in a place where we don't want to be. Sometimes we feel like we've become little Jobs. We may not have experienced all that Job went through, but find that our small portion pushes us to the end of our resources. We may pray for rescue, but find no answer. "What is God doing?" we may ask.

In Genesis 49 we read about the death of Jacob. Then in chapter 50 his sons and a large contingent from Pharaoh carry his body back to Abraham's burial place in Canaan, to the cave of the field of Machpelah. When the mourners return to Egypt, Jacob's sons are afraid. Now that their father is dead, perhaps Joseph will hate his brothers and take revenge on them for their selling him as a slave so many years earlier.

Genesis 50:16-18 (KJV)
¹⁶ And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
¹⁷ So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
¹⁸ And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

The brothers hoped that because Jacob had commanded Joseph to forgive them, he would. They even fell down in front of him and offered to become his servants. What was Joseph's reply?

Genesis 50:19-20 (KJV)
¹⁹ And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
²⁰ But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Joseph told his brothers not to fear. They had meant to do evil to Joseph, but God, in His infinite wisdom, allowed the evil to occur so that many people would be saved alive. God meant it for good!

Count the blessings that we know God has given us. Then thank Him for the times when He was our shield, our provider, and our refuge and we didn't even know it. Lastly, know that every awful thing that happens to us, God uses for good! We may not see the good, but it is there. It is hard sometimes, but we must trust in God and His working all things together for good!

Romans 8:28 (KJV)
²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Hidden in Plain Sight!

The Torah portion for this week is Genesis 44:18 - 47:27.

It would be hard to find in the Bible a more perfect type of Messiah than Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob. The similarities are amazing! One of these similarities is the 30 pieces of silver which paid for both men's betrayal by their "brothers." Another is that both men were hidden in plain sight. Let me explain.

Paul teaches us in Romans that the Jewish people are currently experiencing a blindness or sleep in regards to recognizing their Messiah.

Romans 11:8 (KJV)
⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. (from Deuteronomy 29:4)

Romans 11:25 (KJV)
²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Now the tendency for Gentile Christians is to say that the Jewish people are foolish not to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. However, we see from Romans that our attitude towards the Jews should not be one of superiority. Rather we should understand that God has allowed this to occur in order for Gentiles to enter into Messiah's Kingdom.

Also, if believers would seriously look at the Old Testament and examine Joseph as a type of Messiah, they would see that Joseph was not recognized by his brothers either. When Jacob's other sons came into Egypt they met the nation's second top man. He had an Egyptian name, He spoke in the Egyptian language. He was dressed as an Egyptian. He was revered by the Egyptians. He did not resemble their brother Joseph at all. It wasn't until after Judah offered to be held as a bondsman in place of Benjamin that Joseph revealed himself.

Genesis 45:4 (KJV)
⁴ And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

In a way, Joseph was hidden in plain sight!

Now let's look at Yeshua. He has a Greek name (Jesus from Iesous). His Hebrew/Aramaic language comes down to us through not only the Greek language, but from a Greek understanding of Scripture. Often artwork portrays Him in Medieval European dress and very European features. Gentiles worship Him while ignoring the Torah and creating a new religion. Is is surprising that most Jewish people can't recognize their own Messiah? Yeshua also seems to be hidden in plain sight!

One day, though, as we  learn from the Old Testament, as well as Paul, that Messiah will reveal Himself to His brothers.

Romans 11:26-27 (KJV)
²⁶ And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
²⁷ For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (from Isaiah 59:20-21)

"Vayigashu......ani Yeshua akhikhem....."   "Please come near to me.....I am Yeshua your brother....."

Perhaps as Gentile and Jewish believers we need to help our brothers of all stripes learn to recognize our very Jewish Messiah by peeling back the Greek and Gentile traditions that have hidden our Messiah so well.

God's Plan for Wealth

Last week's Torah Portion came from Genesis 41:1 - 44:17.

Joseph had asked the chief butler to remember him to Pharaoh when he was released from prison and returned to his court duties, but as we found out at the end of our last Torah portion, the chief butler had totally forgotten about Joseph. Chapter 41 begins with this:

Genesis 41:1 (KJV)
¹ And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

TWO YEARS of waiting! Joseph's discouragement must have been extreme, yet God had not forgotten Joseph. He had plans for His servant!

Pharaoh dreamed two dreams and none of the magicians could tell Pharaoh the dreams, nor interpret them. Finally, the chief butler remembered Joseph and recommended him to Pharaoh. Although Joseph was able to interpret the dreams for Pharaoh, he quickly credited God for the interpretation.

Genesis 41:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Pharaoh took Joseph's suggestion to appoint a vizier, or a high government official, to oversee the collection and distribution of food for the people during the upcoming seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. Pharaoh chose Joseph for this role. With this decree, Joseph permanently left the prison and became second in command over Egypt.

God had certainly rewarded Joseph for his faithfulness, but as Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy food, we see that God was not yet finished. The brothers face Joseph, the brother that they had sold into slavery. They bow down to him without recognizing that he is their brother. They were now to be tested. Had they changed in any way or were they the same self-centered brothers that Joseph had known? More on this next time!

There are some who believe that it is God's will for His people to be wealthy. After all, even though Joseph spent many years as a slave or in prison, he was eventually raised to an almost unbelievable status. Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham all had great wealth, but is this the norm? When we examine the entire Bible we find that Yeshua, His parents, and His disciples were not wealthy. Consequently, there is no reason to automatically assume that wealth is a given for God's people. Some are wealthy and some are not. A person's bank account is only dependent on what God plans. Wealth may be God's will for some, but it is not for all. If wealth would bring glory to God through a believer's life, then wealth may be the result. However, wealth can also bring great sin, often in the form of idolatry.

Are you wealthy? Thank God and use it responsibly for God. Don't let it become a god. Are you poor or somewhere in between? Be thankful for what you do have and be thankful that wealth has not become an added difficulty. Don't yearn for wealth, for that is also idolatry.

God is trustworthy! Trust Him in all the things of your life!

Why, God?

Last week's Torah portion came from  Genesis 37:1 - 40:23.

I have several true born again believer friends who love to tell me about how this or that has happened so perfectly in their lives that they know that God has orchestrated these events. Yet, when terrible or unpleasant things occur, it is Satan that is attacking them. But I think we are too quick to attribute method and motive to both the Lord and our enemy.

Most of the Bible's characters are complex, in that they display both good and bad, but Joseph, who is introduced in this section of Scripture, seems truly to be a type of Messiah, where his sterling good character generally shines continuously. In chapter 37 Joseph is seventeen years old and the favored son of his father Jacob. Because of Jacob's favoritism, Joseph's brothers are jealous. Then through a series of events, a many colored coat, tattling on his brothers, and dreams of supremacy, his brothers decide that Joseph needs to be killed. As the account unfolds Joseph is finally not killed but sold to a caravan of Ishmaelites/Midianites on their way to Egypt. When they reach their destination Joseph is sold to Potipher as a slave.

At this point in Joseph's life, everything must have looked exceptionally bleak. What was God doing? Or were these events an attempt by Satan to "break" Joseph?

Joseph prospered in the house of Potipher. That is until Potipher's wife takes notice of Joseph's good looks. When Joseph refuses to commit adultery with Potipher's wife, she cries that Joseph tried to assault her. Potipher has Joseph thrown into prison. Again, what was God doing?

Next, as Joseph is in prison, he is again prospering. He even interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's butler and baker who had been thrown into prison with Joseph. As the dreams come to pass in reality, Joseph asks the butler to remember him when he is freed from prison and put back in place as Pharaoh's chief butler. Our account ends like this:

Genesis 40:23 (KJV)
²³ Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

From a human perspective, Joseph must have been discouraged. He could not see God's purpose and plan. He could credit God with his prosperity, and he could blame Satan for his difficulties, but would this have been correct? Does this tell the full story?

Too often we forget that God is in ultimate control of everything. This is not to say that God micromanages everything for us, that we have no decisions or choice in our lives. Nor, is it false to say that our enemy is at work here on our fallen world. But everything that we go through has been scrutinized by God and will only be permitted if it is His will. Sometimes, that means that good happens. Sometimes that means that bad happens. Sometimes our own choices are foolish. Sometimes our choices are smart. Sometimes God allows our foolishness. Sometimes He does not. Looking at our lives we have really no way of knowing the whys. We can not see God's ultimate plan and purpose. We can only trust!

Joseph's story continues in the next Torah portion. We will finally get a glimpse of what work God is doing. This will be the same for us. One day, in eternity, we will see how each piece of our lives connected, to mold us and make us into the people that God wants us to be.

Messengers of Peace

Last week's Torah portion comes from Genesis 32:3 - 36:43.

Genesis 32:3 (KJV)
³ And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

When Jacob returned to the land of Canaan, he knew that his brother Esau was likely still angry with him over his deception of their father that resulted in Esau's loss of the blessing of the first born. In fact, Esau had threatened to kill him at one point! What better way to pave the way to peace by sending a gift to Esau!

Yet, what was Esau's response?

Genesis 32:6 (KJV)
⁶ And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

It looked like Jacob had reason to be afraid! But when they actually met, it appeared that Esau's anger had been assuaged.

Genesis 33:8-9 (KJV)
⁸ And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
⁹ And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

But Jacob was still not sure of his brother. When Esau offered to lead Jacob to his destination, Jacob responded with this:

Genesis 33:13-14 (KJV)
¹³ And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
¹⁴ Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

Jacob then went in a different direction and not towards Seir.

Genesis 33:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

This account of Jacob and Esau is the beginning of animosity between the children of Israel and the descendants of Esau. In the book of Obadiah (our week's reading from the prophets) that animosity is reviewed. However, God's response condemns the descendants of Esau.

Obadiah 1:10-13 (KJV)
¹⁰ For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
¹¹ In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
¹² But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.
¹³ Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;

Today, this spirit of Esau continues! Much of the world, even parts of Christianity, are standing against Israel. But God has proclaimed the demise of those with the spirit of Esau.

Obadiah 1:17-18 (KJV)
¹⁷ But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
¹⁸ And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 63:1-4 (KJV)
¹ Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
² Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
³ I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
⁴ For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

Revelation 19:11-16 (KJV)
¹¹ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
¹² His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
¹³ And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
¹⁴ And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
¹⁵ And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
¹⁶ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

How often has Israel sent messengers of peace, only to be met by violence? For those nations, government leaders, and church denominations and leaders that promote the spirit of Esau, these passages are warnings! To be on God's side is to be on Israel's side!

The Torah Before Moses?

This week's Torah portion comes from Genesis 25:19-28:9.

Genesis 26:2-5 (KJV)
² And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
³ Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
⁴ And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
⁵ Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

God appeared to Isaac and told him to live in Canaan and not to go down into Egypt. God would be with him and bless him. God affirmed that the promises made to his father Abraham would be carried out also to Isaac and to his descendants. This was great news not only for Isaac and the Jewish people, but for all the nations of the earth as well, because through Isaac's seed (Messiah Yeshua) the whole world would be able to partake in the relationship between God and His people.

Verse 5 gives the reason for why Isaac would be so blessed. Abraham obeyed God's voice, kept His charge, His commandments, His statutes, and His laws!

But what charge, what commandments, what statutes, and what laws did Abraham obey? Traditional Christianity has long claimed that the Torah was only given to Moses and was somehow fulfilled (meaning set aside) by Yeshua's death and resurrection. However, if Christianity has been wrong about when the Torah was given, couldn't it be wrong about believers being able to set aside the "Mosaic Law?"

The Hebrew words used in verse 5 are: mishmeroti meaning "my charge or safeguards," mitzvotai meaning "my commandments," chukotai meaning "my inscribed statutes," and torotai, meaning "my instructions." This last word translated into English often becomes Law or Torah. Abraham obeyed the Torah! Although it is true that the Torah in its full sense was given to Moses at Mount Sinai, God's people were aware of many of God's desires prior to Moses. The seventh day Sabbath was revealed in Genesis 2. The rules of clean and unclean food were known by Genesis 8. And circumcision began in Genesis 21. So whatever parts of the Torah that Abraham knew about, he obeyed. And God was pleased by his obedience. If God was please by a Saturday Sabbath, the eating of clean foods, and circumcision, why would that change? How could Yeshua's death and resurrection change God's laws, especially those of a God that never changes?

Malachi 3:6a (KJV)
⁶ For I am the LORD, I change not;

May God one day see our obedience in the same way that He saw Abraham's!

A Glimpse of Messiah

This week's Torah portion comes from Genesis 18:1-22:24.

As I was reading about Abraham's command to sacrifice his son Isaac, I reflected on how the Bible truly is all about Messiah. Two thousand years before Yeshua even came to the earth, God was preparing his people to understand what Messiah was all about. Abraham's sacrifice shows us a vivid picture of the sacrifice God would make in order to save His people from their sins.

Genesis 22:2 (KJV)
² And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Isaac was Abraham's son of promise, born late in his parents' life, and loved deeply by his mother and father. Yet, he was to be sacrificed as an elevation offering upon one of the mountains in the land of Moriah. Can you imagine the heartache this command of God must have caused Abraham? He had waited so long to have this son, how could he carry out this command?

Yet, Abraham prepared to do so.

Genesis 22:9, 10 (KJV)
⁹ And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
¹⁰ And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

At this point the angel of the Lord stepped in and stopped Abraham from carrying out the command.

Genesis 22:12 (KJV)
¹² And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Although this was a test about Abraham's faith and obedience to God, we see little hints about its further meaning. Look at the following similarities between Isaac's ordeal and Yeshua's.

Isaac was Abraham's son; Yeshua was God's Son. Isaac was taken to Mount Moriah to be killed as a sacrifice; Yeshua was killed on Mount Moriah.

Next, notice the interesting statement made by Abraham:

Genesis 22:5 (KJV)
⁵ And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

The comment Abraham made to his young men about his and Isaac's returning to the men was either a lie, or Abraham truly believed that Isaac would be coming back with him to the men. The only way that this could have been a true statement was if Abraham believed that Isaac would be raised from the dead. This would also seem to indicate that Abraham had such faith in the promises that God had given him about having descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky that he was willing to do whatever God commanded him even if the command seemed counterintuitive.

The similarity here between Isaac and Yeshua is unmistakable. Although Isaac was actually never killed, Abraham thought that Isaac would be dead. Hence it was as if Isaac had been raised from the dead. Yeshua, of course, was raised.

Notice this as well:

Genesis 22:8 (KJV)
⁸ And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Abraham indicated to Isaac that God would provide the lamb for the sacrifice. This must have been a painful statement for Abraham to make knowing that Isaac would be the "lamb." In the same way, God provided Yeshua as the lamb of sacrifice for mankind's sins. This must have been difficult for Him, as well.

The one noticeable difference between the accounts is that Abraham was finally commanded not to kill Isaac.

Genesis 22:13 (KJV)
¹³ And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

For Yeshua, there was no possible substitute. He was the only one qualified to die in the place of sinful mankind. He was the only one who fully and perfectly satisfied the righteous Law of God.

Lastly, we read in Hebrews that Isaac was to be viewed as a "type" of Messiah, a precursor to help God's people understand what was to come.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (KJV)
¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
¹⁸ Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Despite what it must have cost God emotionally, He actually gave up His Son so that His people could be saved. For those of us who are saved, this gift is beyond comprehension. Our only response can be deep gratitude!

The Link Between Creation and Romans.

As we roll back the scroll and begin our annual reading of the Torah, we begin with Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 6:8. In this post I want to focus on chapter 1 of Genesis. It is in this chapter, of course, where we read about the days of Creation. As Christians we all believe that the overall point of the chapter is to specify that God is the Creator, the One Who spoke all things into existence. However, from this point forward Christians are greatly divided in how chapter 1 is to be read. There are those who take the six days of Creation literally and there are those who believe that chapter 1 is to be read symbolically. Those in this second camp are willing to accept that God is indeed Creator, but that He used long periods of time in his Creation. In other words, they believe that the Hebrew word for "day," which is yom, doesn't have to mean a 24 hour period of time.

Let's examine what we have. Creation through the process of long periods of time seems to be consistent with what we normally hear regarding the fossil record. There are examples of trilobites, dinosaurs, and other living creatures, that in death, ended up by leaving an imprint of their body shapes. Consistent with various dating methods these creatures lived perhaps millions of years ago, long before mankind. Many Christians today stand on this view because this is supposedly science.

However, it is first important to remember that evolution is a theory and not scientific fact. In order for something to be science it must be observable. No one was around during the days of Creation to testify as to how Creation occurred. Therefore, neither a literal six day Creation or evolution (theistic or otherwise) can be considered science. Also, even though the majority of scientists lean towards evolutionary thinking, there are scientists who are in the literal six day camp. (See In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation edited by John F. Ashton, PhD. Master Books, Green Forest, AR. 2000)

But rather than getting into a discussion of the pros and cons of each position, there is one simple fact that Christians who believe in long periods of Creation must consider. When did death enter into Creation? According to Genesis 2:17, death entered into Creation when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

This is corroborated in Romans 5:12 and 17.

Romans 5:12, 17 (KJV)
¹² Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
¹⁷ For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

In this passage of Romans Paul was making an analogy between Adam and Yeshua. He pointed out that just as sin and death entered the world by one man (Adam), grace and eternal life entered by one man (Yeshua). In order for this analogy to "work," death could not have been a part of life prior to Adam's sin. If it was, then Paul's analogy falls apart and Yeshua then is not reliably the only way to eternal life!

Evolution and long periods of Creation require death! The fossil record, as how it is normally interpreted, reveals countless numbers of creatures dying long before Adam. This is NOT what Scripture says! As Christians are we going to stand on a pseudo-science that contradicts Romans 5? Or are we going to believe that the God who supernaturally raised Yeshua from the grave was able to supernaturally speak forth a mature Creation? Is it that difficult to believe that the evolutionists have interpreted the fossil record incorrectly?

One last thing to consider is that my statement about there not being a witness to Creation was not totally accurate. There actually was a witness to Creation. That witness was God and the record that He left tells us about a literal six day Creation. Why would any believer want to believe a pseudo-science over the Creator of the Universe?

Do Not Add or Subtract!

Deuteronomy 4:2 (KJV)
² Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:32 (KJV)
³² What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Proverbs 30:6 (KJV)
⁶ Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Revelation 22:18-19 (KJV)
¹⁸ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
¹⁹ And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The Bible contains several warnings against adding to or subtracting from the Words of God. Yet every time a pastor, teacher, theologian, or others teach that we no longer have to observe the Torah, they are adding to and subtracting from the Word of God.

What reasons could there be to negate the above verses? Some claim that God, Himself, has changed the Word. However, God must hold Himself to the same standard or He is a liar and we would never be able to count on His Word as truth. Some say that the verses are time related. In essence they teach that we aren't to change any wording in the Torah, but it doesn't mean that the rules after the Torah can't change. This makes sense to them since there were books of the Bible written after the Torah. But this logic destroys the context of the warnings. The words themselves, or the time when the warnings were written are not as important as what they simply are telling us. We are not to add to or subtract from the instructions of God. If your theology teaches that the New Testament ends the Old Testament's requirements your theology has misunderstood the New Testament and is adding to and subtracting from the Bible.

This means that whatever God has commanded cannot change. We find this truth stated in another way in the following verses.

Genesis 13:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Israel has been granted their land forever.

Exodus 12:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Passover is to be observed forever by the children of God.

Leviticus 23:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

The feast of First Fruits is to be observed forever by the children of God.

And many more!!!

If we claim to be believers in Yeshua we cannot pick and choose from the Bible. If we do we are violating the warnings of Deuteronomy, Proverbs, and Revelation. We are adding to and subtracting from the very Word of God.    

A Different Gospel?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Yeshua,

I have lately come across many websites and posts that declare that the Messianic and Hebrew Roots movement are heretical in nature and that they teach that we are saved by observing the Law. I am saddened by this message. Those that are condemning this movement are stating broad generalizations that simply are not true for the majority of believers in the Messianic or Hebrew Roots movement.

While there may be some that teach that the observance of the Law is necessary for salvation, most (and certainly this blog) teach that salvation is only by grace through faith in Messiah Yeshua. The only difference is that those in the Messianic and Hebrew Roots movement understand that observing the Law (as expressed in the Torah) is the evidence of salvation. We love God and therefore desire to obey His commandments.

The real shock to me, however, is that there are those who believe that observing the Torah is sinful! This is ludicrous! If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, how can God decide one day that something that was holy and commanded is now sinful? This would make God fickle and capricious. The thoughtful believer knows that God must be consistent or He would not be God. It is time to reexamine the traditions of belief that have come down to us and compare and contrast them to the whole Word of God, the Bible.

Everyone Who Thirsts, Come to The Waters!

This week's portion from the prophets, Isaiah 54:11-55:5, is brimming with wonderful nuggets from the Lord! Here are two examples.

1. Isaiah 54:11-14 (KJV)
¹¹ O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
¹² And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
¹³ And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
¹⁴ In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

The afflicted "one" in this passage is Jerusalem. Although it is tossed with tempest and not comforted, things will change. The description that follows speaks of beauty, peace, and righteousness. It is hard to miss the similarities with the description of Jerusalem in Revelation.

Revelation 21:4,6-7,18-21 (KJV)
⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
⁶ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
¹⁸ And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
¹⁹ And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
²⁰ The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
²¹ And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

This is what God's people have to look forward to!

2. Isaiah 55:1-4 (KJV)
¹ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
² Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
³ Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
⁴ Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Mankind thirsts for God, whether we know it or not. We try all kinds of things in life hoping to find that satisfying "something." We spend money. We labor for it, but everything falls short. However, the answer is easy. We only need to listen and come to God! It is a free gift! Then He will make an everlasting covenant with us and our souls will delight in fatness. Verse 4 also tells us that the gift is a person, one who would be a witness, a leader, and a commander to the people. He is our Messiah. Those who have heard God's message and have come to the satisfying waters, know that that person is Yeshua!

But there are more nuggets! More passages of encouragement and hints at God's essence are there for us to read. Why not partake, today?!

God Isn't Done With Israel!

There is a large part of the church that believes that God is finished with Israel. After all, the Jews failed to uphold the covenant, right? They practiced idolatry and God punished them by exile. When Yeshua came, they failed to recognize Him as Messiah. Now the blessings that were reserved for Israel passed on to the church, right?

WRONG!

In our haftarah portion for this week (Isaiah 40:1-26), God said:

Isaiah 40:1-2 (KJV)
¹ Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
² Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

Although Israel had received double for all her sins, she was to be comforted, her warfare would be ended, and her iniquity would be pardoned.

Isaiah 40:9-11 (KJV)
⁹ O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
¹⁰ Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
¹¹ He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

This promise given to Israel speaks about God's return and His Kingdom. She (Israel) was not to be afraid, for He would come with a strong hand and His arm would rule. He would feed His flock like a shepherd, He would gather the lambs and carry them, and He would gently lead those with young.

This passage is very reminiscent of John 10:14 where Yeshua claims that He is the good shepherd.

John 10:14-16 (KJV)
¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
¹⁵ As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
¹⁶ And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Believers have correctly claimed Yeshua as their shepherd, but Isaiah clearly shows this promise was for Zion. How can both be true? Verse 16 indicates that the original fold must be Israel, but there is another fold that would also be brought in. This second fold is made up of Gentile believers. Yeshua said that the two folds would become one and that He was the one shepherd.

If most of the church believes that Israel has no further place in God's promises, what hope does the church have? Not only has Israel been guilty of idolatry, but the church has as well. If God can remove Israel from His promises, He can also remove the church!

The idea that God is finished with Israel is not Biblical, nor is the idea that God's promises to Israel now belong to the church. Praise God, we Gentiles can be gathered into the sheepfold of Israel and all those who believe in Messiah Yeshua can stand on God's promises! They will not fail!

God's Law is Grace

Most people recognize that law, in general, is good. Justice and order can result when a society is governed by law, but without it, society would be in chaos. However, human nature has a tendency to rebel against law. We also sort law into categories of "necessary", "acceptable", and "stupid", and base our law-abiding behavior on those laws that make sense to us.

The law that man makes is not always just, sometimes it becomes corrupt and perverted, but God's law is always just and good. Still, mankind often desires to rebel or to find reasons why obedience is not necessary.

This seems to be the situation in the church today. An entire theology has been developed in order to explain why the Torah is no longer applicable. Well-meaning and sincere believers in Messiah read the Bible from a Greek perspective, ignore its Jewish base, misunderstand texts that are used to prove the Torah's obsolescence, and then ignore those texts that prove Torah is still necessary. The bottom line is that we want to reduce the law to its smallest number and then become our own determiners of the standards in those areas outside the purview of our whittled down law. We are trying to usurp God's own role!

The Torah portion of this week is called, V'et'chanan, which means "I pleaded." The portion covers Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11.

This title comes from the Hebrew root "chanan," which is often translated as "grace." In traditional Christianity grace and law are seen as opposites, yet this is a very incorrect and skewed view. God has been extending grace to mankind since the very beginning of creation, it did not start with Messiah's human birth or His death and resurrection. The most visible evidence of God's grace to us, besides Messiah's gift of salvation, is His written Word, the Bible. Therefore, the Torah, the law of God, is a gift of grace to us. Each law, each sentence, and each word demonstrates God's love toward us. He has shown us how he wants us to live and how we can please Him.

So why don't we accept His gift? Why do we want to be the deciders of what is right and wrong when God has already told us?

Deuteronomy 4:5-8 (KJV)
⁵ Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
⁶ Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
⁷ For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
⁸ And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

If we decide our own standards, how will we fulfill this passage of Scripture, that says obedience to Torah is to be the reason why the nations take notice?

And how can we fulfill the following in the end times?

Isaiah 2:2-3 (KJV)
² And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
³ And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

If we want to be witnesses and show our neighbors that we are truly different, we need to start practicing Torah living. It cannot save us, but it is the evidence of salvation.