Did Jesus Declare All Foods Clean?

From three different Bible verses, God has instructed mankind not to add to His prophecy or to His commandments. Please see the previous post. Yet, in the Gospel of Mark, there is an egregious example of how translation teams and commentators have ignored these warnings.

Mark 7:1-23 relates an account of a confrontation that Yeshua had with some scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem. The problem stemmed from the fact that some of the disciples ate bread with unwashed hands. The passage is rather long and complicated, but in verse 19, the New International Version states this:

Mark 7:19 (NIV) 
¹⁹ For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")

Similarly, the New American Standard Bible says:

Mark 7:19 (NASB)
¹⁹ because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

The phrase in parentheses looks and sounds an awful lot like a conclusion and even many Bible commentators have used this verse in exactly that same manner. However, the parentheses are an indication that the phrase is not in the Greek. The Greek simply ends with the phrase "purging all the food." 

So what is up with this extra phrase? Obviously, it is an interpretation of what Mark 7:19 supposedly means. So rather than allowing the verse to be translated as it was written, someone, somewhere along the line, decided that Yeshua meant more than what He stated, that the verse by itself wasn't plain enough. The problem with this is two-fold. In the first place, the Bible was violated by having an interpretation forced on it. It also became a kind of conclusion, which makes no sense when the passage is analyzed. The second problem is that the conclusion has resulted in affirming a lie. God has warned Biblical writers, translators, teachers, and pastors not to add to or subtract from His commandments. This extra phrase subtracts from the commandments of God. Therefore, the extra phrase is incorrect. This wrong conclusion has allowed sincere believers to accept that the food laws are no longer applicable, that the law can be changed, and that other passages, particularly in Paul's writings that on the surface appear to negate the law, prove that the law has been abrogated.

Some common sense demonstrates that this line of thought is impossible!

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.

For an understanding of the word "fulfill," please see:

Yeshua had to obey the Torah perfectly in order for Him to be qualified to be man's substitutionary sacrifice. According to Matthew 5, He also could not speak against the Torah. Therefore, it is impossible that Yeshua could have concluded that "all foods were now clean." He couldn't have even hinted at it or said that all foods would be clean after His death. 

Praise God, as Yeshua was obedient to God's commandments and became the Savior, how can we even think that our disobedience is now acceptable!

Next: Mark 7:19 explained.

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!
         

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?

A Lie is a Lie is a Lie?

This week's Torah portion is Exodus 1:1 - 6:1.

Exodus 20:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Proverbs 12:22 (KJV)
²² Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Ephesians 4:25 (KJV)
²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Based on the many verses in the Bible, it seems pretty obvious that God hates lying. Yet, is there ever a time when lying is OK? In this week's Torah portion we are confronted with this very situation.

Exodus 1:15-21 (KJV)

¹⁵ And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
¹⁶ And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
¹⁷ But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
¹⁸ And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
¹⁹ And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
²⁰ Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

²¹ And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives, refused to obey Pharaoah's order to kill all the male Hebrew babies. Because they feared (stood in awe of) God, they would not carry out his heinous request. But when asked about why they allowed the male children to live, they fabricated a story and in essence lied to Pharaoh. Perhaps surprisingly, God treated the midwives well and gave them households of their own. Why?

Matthew 23:23 (KJV)
²³ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

In Matthew we find Yeshua chastising the scribes and Pharisees for observing the law regarding the tithing of one's increase.

Leviticus 27:30 (KJV)
³⁰ And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.

However, His complaint was not that they followed God's command, but rather that they used one law to demonstrate how scrupulously they observed Torah, while yet ignoring the weightier matters of the Torah, specifically judgment, mercy, and faith.

Micah 6:8 (KJV)
⁸ He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Yeshua's conclusion was that both needed to be done.

At another time Yeshua also taught that sometimes the weightier matters can actually take precedence over the lighter.

Mark 3:1-5 (KJV) 

¹ And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
² And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
³ And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
⁴ And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 

⁵ And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 

The Hebrew midwives understood that saving the lives of the male babies was more important than telling the truth and so chose the correct path to take.

What choices are we required to make? How do we know which is the correct path? As always, our guide is the Bible, the whole Bible! It will not lead us astray.

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:   

The Difference Between the Old and New Covenants

I don't believe that I would get any arguments from other believers if I said that Christians today are a part of the New Covenant. However, there are many misunderstandings about this covenant that have caused many wrong assumptions and wrong theologies. Let's look into this issue a little more closely.

Where in the Bible do we learn about the New Covenant? We can read the entire New Testament and not find the details of this New Covenant. In order to "find" it, we must look back to the Old Testament. We can find it in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)
³¹ "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
³² It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.
³³ "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
³⁴ No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

With whom does God make this Covenant? Verse 31 tells us that the New Covenant is made between God and the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Clearly, the New Covenant is not made between God and any entity we would recognize today as the Church. Isn't this surprising, considering what we've been taught? Our theology has been wrong. If we are not a part of Israel there is no covenant.

Verse 32 tells us that the New Covenant will not be like the Old Covenant. No surprises there!

What is different about the New Covenant compared to the Old? Verse 33 explains that in the New Covenant, God's Law will be put in believers' minds and will be written on their hearts. This also is not surprising. However, what Law are we talking about? Since Jeremiah is a part of the Old Testament there can only be one conclusion. There was only one Law of God in existence. It is called the Torah. The Torah of God will be in believers' minds and hearts. Our theology has been wrong.

When does the New Covenant begin? Traditional Christianity says that the New Covenant began when the Holy Spirit descended on the believers at Pentecost. Although it is true that from that time on believers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit and they are able to refrain from sin, verse 34 doesn't sound like anything we are experiencing today. "All will know Yehovah!" Also, in verse 31, both houses of Israel are mentioned, but in verse 33 they are mentioned together as the house of Israel. The New Covenant will not be fully evident until a time future when Israel's two houses are again one, and all Israel will know God!

Traditional Christianity has a long history of distancing itself from Jewishness. Yet, the plain reading of the Bible indicates that God's people are called Israel and it is with her that the New Covenant is made. If you are a believer who has been born again and has the Spirit of God living within, you are a part of Israel. You are a part of the New Covenant. However, if the only difference between the Old and the New Covenant is the location of God's Torah, we believers in Yeshua must embrace that Torah and not make excuses as to why we don't have to obey it. Jeremiah's description makes no mention of a change in the requirements of following the Torah, so let's just do it!

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.    

Fulfilled and Destroyed? or Fulfilled and Obeyed?

Matthew 5:17-20 (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.
²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Like many Christians I read and reread this section of Scripture without really understanding what it was saying. The words themselves are relatively simple, yet because of translation issues and historical theology, the plain meaning of the text has been lost to the majority of Christians today.

Yeshua sat on a hill with his disciples around Him (Matthew 5:1). He began to teach starting with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12). Then He spoke about believers being salt to the Jews and light to the Gentiles (see http://eclecticchristian.blogspot.com/2015/05/salt-and-light.html) Next He told His listeners that they were not to think that He had come to destroy the Torah or the Prophets (the whole Word of God), but that He had come to fulfill them (verse 17). The religious leaders of Yeshua's day constantly accused Yeshua of violating the Torah of God, but if that were really the case and Yeshua had actually violated a single commandment of the Torah, Yeshua would not have been sinless and would not have been qualified to die on mankind's behalf. There would be no salvation nor eternal life for anyone!! What Yeshua objected to was the religious leaders' misinterpretation of the Torah and their elevating the Oral Law to the status of the Word of God. Yeshua was guilty only of violating the man made rules that the religious leaders had, that often conflicted with the Torah.

To strengthen His statement, Yeshua declared that the Torah would not pass away until heaven and earth passed away (verse 18). Since heaven and earth are obviously still present, the Torah cannot have been done away with. However, the last part of verse 18 seems to imply that the Torah would pass away when it was all fulfilled. The conclusion by many is that despite the continued presence of heaven and earth, Yeshua fulfilled the Torah and it has passed away. Logically, this conclusion doesn't make any sense, especially when verse 19 is read. According to traditional Christianity Yeshua fulfilled the Torah, so that believers now are free to worship on Sunday instead of Saturday, ham is permissible as food, and the holy days like Passover and Yom Kippur can be ignored. Yet, verse 19 says that anyone who breaks one of the least commandments or teaches men so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Obviously, the breaking of the Sabbath, food laws, and Holy Days comes with a stiff penalty.

The problem in this section that has led to much misunderstanding is the word fulfill, which is used to translate two different Greek words. In the first occurrence in verse 17, the Greek word behind fulfill is pleroo. This word means "to fill to the full" or "to complete." Therefore, Yeshua completed (or did) (or obeyed) the Torah and showed mankind how to do likewise. The second Greek word that is translated as fulfill in verse 18 is the word ginomai, which means "to occur" or "to happen." In other words the Torah would not pass away until everything (meaning the whole of history stated in Scripture - Genesis to Revelation) had happened.

I have heard commentators try to get around the sensible meaning of this text by saying that verses 17 and 18 refer to the ritual laws, that Yeshua fulfilled them and that they are done away with. Then verses 19 and 20 refer to the moral law, that these should not be violated. However, in verse 19 the word "therefore" connects verse 19 to verse 18 and there is no hint that the subject of the sentence had changed. Also, there is no place in Scripture where God's commands are divided into ritual versus moral law. This is a man made construct that isn't Biblically based.

The religious leaders of Yeshua's day were accusing Yeshua of destroying the Torah. Let's not do the same thing today by saying that the Torah has been fulfilled and has passed away.

Doing What is Right in Your Own Eyes

Although Christians hold to a general body of rights and wrongs or moral code, they seem to have difficulty in identifying what that code exactly is. Some will cling to the Ten Commandments, but others shun the Old Testament completely and believe that the Law of Christ, loving God and one's neighbor, is the only true guideline that we have. Add to this Paul's cryptic "Christian liberty," and you have individual Christians running around, all deciding for themselves, their own code of morals and ethics. We also have the "thou shalt not judge" anyone enthusiasts, leaving true believers without a clue as to how we really are to live, at least in the details.

From Torah portion, "Re'eh - Behold" we read the following:

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (KJV)
²⁶ Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
²⁷ A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
²⁸ And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

From this we see that God had given the Israelites detailed descriptions on how they were to live. They would be blessed if they obeyed God's commandments and would be cursed if they did not. God also said this:

Deuteronomy 12:8 (KJV)
⁸ Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

"Doing what is right in your own eyes" is clearly an idea that God despises. Yet, this is often how Christianity determines what is right and wrong.

"Yes, we got a divorce. God wants us to be in a happier place."

"Yes, I buy lottery tickets. If I win, I'll donate some to my church."

"Yes, we're living together. We're saving money and besides, marriage is just a piece of paper anyway."

"Yes, we go to church on Sunday, or Tuesday. God doesn't care what day we worship."

"Yes, I eat bacon. God doesn't care what we eat."

This fuzzy moral code is really a figment of our imaginations. Christians are living contrary to the Word of God and somehow they believe that God is pleased.

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

What God has commanded, He intended His people to observe and obey. Rather than trying to determine on our own what is right and wrong, He has given us His guidelines in His entire Word, the Bible. It's about time we fully paid attention.

Your Wilderness

Do you ever feel like you are walking through a wilderness? I imagine most of have at some point in our lives. Have you wondered why? Why are things not improving? Where is God?

This week in Torah portion "Ekev", we read:

Deuteronomy 8:5 (KJV)
⁵ Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

When these words were spoken to the people of Israel, God had been recounting to a new generation how their fathers had been freed from bondage in Egypt, how they had sinned greatly in their journey through the wilderness, and how they had been punished by continuing in the wilderness for 40 years. Yet, at that time, they stood on the threshold of crossing into the Promised Land. God explained how the people needed to live as they built new homes and new lives. He explained why their fathers had had to remain in the wilderness for so long, and he gave them instructions on how they were not to forget what had happened to their fathers.

God wanted this new generation to know that their fathers had been chastened. Although this word can carry the negative connotation of punishment, God's intent was reform, or more accurately, discipline. God's Word is the Torah, which means "instruction." It is our instruction to holy living. Yet if we violate God's instructions, there are consequences. Although sometimes God punishes, His intent if for our improvement.

However, we should not think that all wilderness experiences are because of sin. Sometimes, God just needs to teach His people something that can best be learned by hard knocks.

Deuteronomy 8:2-4 (KJV)
² And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
³ And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
⁴ Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

God is a teacher! He provided for the Israelites' every need. They had to learn to rely on Him, because there was no other help for them in the desert. He allowed this wilderness experience to humble them, to test them, and to find out where their hearts were focused. Would they love God with all their hearts, would they follow His commands, and would they trust Him? When they arrived in the Promised Land, food and resources would be in abundance. If they had not learned to follow God, in trust, during the wilderness, they would probably not follow Him during the good times.

If you are going through the wilderness, make sure there is no sin that is responsible for where you are. If there isn't any sin, trust that God has a purpose for your wilderness experience. He could be trying to teach you something. Just continue to live according to the Word of God and trust Him! He will, in His time, lead you through the wilderness safely!

Be Ye Holy

Have your children ever embarrassed you by something that they either said or did? Probably most parents have experienced this, although with growth and maturity, we hope that our children will come to understand what is acceptable behavior. This is a part of growing up and becoming more adult like. As parents we try to model good behavior, and our children respond by emulating what we do.

This process of growth through emulation takes place in the believers' lives as well. Yeshua is our master, our savior, and our God. If we want to grow to be like Him, we must emulate Him. Although we can look to the Gospels for His examples, we also find behavioral advice throughout God's Word.

1 Peter 1:15-16 (KJV)
¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

When Peter penned these two verses, he was talking about our emulating God. Because God is holy, his people, the believers, are to be holy also. Specifically, verse 15 talks about our being holy in our manner of conversation. This is King James' talk for being holy in our conduct. Although our thoughts do matter, it is our behavior that shows what is going on in our minds. His readers had come out of paganism and self-centered ignorant behavior that didn't please God. Instead Peter advised them to be holy as God is holy. But Peter was not the originator of this concept. He was quoting from three separate places in the Old Testament.

Leviticus 11:44 (KJV)
⁴⁴ For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)
² Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Leviticus 20:7 (KJV)
⁷ Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

Although Peter was able to write about behaviors that were considered holy, he used the quotes from the Old Testament to remind his readers about the contexts of the three verses from which he quoted. God had already stated what constituted holy behavior. Let's examine what God said in Leviticus about holy behaviors.

Obviously, from Leviticus 11:44 we can see that holy actions included not defiling oneself by eating creeping things. However, the whole chapter 11 of Leviticus is about what constitutes food and what doesn't. For example, according to God, eating pork is not how believers behave in an holy manner.

Leviticus 19 is about revering one's father and mother, keeping of Sabbaths, and other laws. Apparently, holy behavior consists of reverence for parents and the observance of the seventh day Sabbath.

Leviticus 20 is about maintaining sexual purity. Again, God had already declared what behaviors were holy and what were not. Peter was simply reminding his readers.

Too often as we read the Bible, we see all the wonderful quotes that the New Testament writers have used, but we don't look back to see what God had already said regarding a matter. This has led to misunderstandings and incorrect theologies. Until we begin to follow the threads written through both New and Old Testaments we will continue to call holy behavior unholy, and unholy behavior holy. It is only through correcting this, that we will know how to emulate our master Yeshua, and not be an embarrassment to Him.

Romans 10:14-17 - How Beautiful Are The Feet

Previous:

Whosoever believes in YHVH shall be saved! But...

Romans 10:14-17 (KJV)
¹⁴ How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
¹⁵ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Paul returned to his method of asking leading questions. How can anyone call on YHVH when he or she does not believe (verse 14)? How can anyone believe in someone about whom they have not heard? How can anyone hear without a preacher? How can anyone preach unless he or she is sent (verse 15)? Paul then quoted from Isaiah.

Isaiah 52:7 (KJV)
⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

God claims that the feet of him or her that preaches the gospel of peace and brings glad tidings of good things are beautiful!

Paul digressed here a little by pointing out how important the preaching of the gospel is. Without God sending preachers no one would hear and be saved. Even the most ugly of feet become beautiful when engaged in carrying the preacher to his mission field.

But Paul was also again answering potential questions from his opponents. How could the Jews be responsible for not believing, if God had not sent a preacher? Most of the Jews were very familiar with the Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament, but refused to see Yeshua as their fulfillment. In verse 16 Paul refuted the argument by ultimately saying that the fault of disbelief still lay with the individual Jew, since God had sent a preacher, Yeshua, who some believed. He then quoted Isaiah again.

Isaiah 53:1 (KJV)
¹ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

This verse in Isaiah 53 begins one of the most Messianic passages in Scripture. Upon quoting this verse Paul expected his Jewish readers to understand the full context of his statement. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (verse 17). The Jews had all they needed in the Word of God to reveal to them that Yeshua was the Messiah. God had indeed sent many preachers, the Old Testament prophets, and finally Yeshua himself! They had no excuse.

Although Paul had been primarily dealing with the Jews in this section of Romans, much of the same can be said about the Gentiles. God has sent His prophets and other preachers. God has given His Word. God has given Messiah Yeshua. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God!!

Next:

Lamp and Light

Teaching children in Sunday school has been a part of my life for a long time. Telling the stories in the Bible, helping with memorization, and building foundations of truth, occupied my life during those precious hour slots on Sunday mornings. One of my favorite activities was teaching cute children's songs. Even today I find myself repeating those songs, like the one taken from the following verse.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
¹⁰⁵ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

This simple verse and the song derived from it packs a punch. The Word of God is the lamp and light that guides the believer through life! Yet, there are many Christians who barely open the Word of God. Few routinely memorize or actually engage in study of the Scriptures. Without the Word of God we have no lamp or light, we wander around in darkness, stumbling into things, taking wrong paths, and falling into pits that are hard to climb out of. Is it any wonder that Christianity today seems to be in decline?

The Bible is full of references to lamps and light. Yeshua preached about them, too.

John 8:12 (KJV)
¹² Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

In this verse Yeshua claims to be the light of the world, which makes so much sense since He is the living Word of God (John 1:1-4), while the Bible is the written Word of God.

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)
¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Although Yeshua is the light of the world, believers also become lights that reflect Yeshua. We are commanded not to hide our light under a bushel, but to put it on a candlestick so that we shine light before men. What exactly is our light? What are we to put on the candlestick? According to this passage our light is our good works!

Where do we find out what constitutes good works? We certainly can study Yeshua's life to see the perfect example of good works. We can study the New Testament and take to heart the teachings found therein. However, the teachings in the New Testament are not really new, they are packaged a little differently, but they are not new. They are all found in the Old Testament, particularly in the Torah.

Proverbs 6:23 (KJV)
²³ For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Proverbs tells us that the commandment is a lamp. Which commandment is this referring to? The second phrase tells us that the Torah is light. These are two parallel phrases that mean the same thing. The commandment is not a particular one, but refers to the entire Torah. The last phrase states that the reproofs of instruction are the way of life. While "Torah" means "law", it is more accurately translated as "instruction." Again, the writer of Proverbs was indicating that Torah is the way of life.

Most Christians, however, reject Torah as a way of life. Although we teach our children songs about God's Word being a lamp and light, and read Proverbs 6:23 as if it only pertains to the New Testament, we violate the simple meaning of both of these texts. We also violate the interwoven connections between the Old and New Testaments. We arbitrarily enshrine the New Testament, while lopping off the Old. Yet, the New Testament could not exist without the Old. Try removing all the Old Testament quotes from the New and you'll have nothing left. The New Testament is dependent on the Old. Psalms and Proverbs gives truth. The Torah is our lamp and light. If Christianity is to find its way again, it must pay attention to the whole Word of God.