Christian Halloween?

Every year at this time I struggle with Halloween. It's not that my immediate family participates in it nor do we think that we are missing out on anything. Rather, I struggle with Christian family and friends who feel that Halloween can be modified into something acceptable. They insist that by choosing costumes that don't glorify death or by going to their churches' Harvest Party that Halloween has somehow become something a Christian family can participate in.

However, this same kind of attitude ended up by creating a mess in Christianity during its early days. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire there were many, many pagans that were compelled to become Christians. Thinking that the incorporation of some pagan rituals and traditions into Christianity would ease the pagans' transition to their new religion, Christianity became polluted and contained elements that God had not desired. Hence Christmas and Easter came into existence full of pagan rituals and traditions. Even pagan holidays had been co-opted and supposedly sanitized.

But no matter what you do with a pagan holiday it remains a pagan holiday! Another example of this is the new craze of Christian yoga. What? Just ask a Hindu and you will be met with scoffing. The principles behind yoga are not Christian, they are Hindu. Christian yoga is still Hindu!

God's Word says it best.

2 Corinthians 6:15-17 (KJV) 
¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

If we are to remain separate from paganism and pleasing to God we have no business trying to sanitize Halloween into a Harvest Party or its traditions into Christian traditions. There can be no compromises!!

Living on the Edge of Sodom

In our Torah portion for this week (Genesis 12:1-17:27) we are introduced to Lot, Abraham's nephew, who travels with Abraham and Sarah to Canaan. He is called "righteous" Lot in Second Peter.

2 Peter 2:7 (NIV)
⁷ and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men

Yet, as we come to our next Torah portion we will find Lot LIVING in Sodom! How did this righteous man, distressed by the filthy lives of those in Sodom, come to dwell among such lawless men?

In chapter 13 of Genesis, we find that Abraham and Lot had prospered greatly to the point that the two could not live closely together any more because of their large flocks, herds, and tents (13:6). Abraham graciously offered Lot the first choice of land.

Genesis 13:9 (KJV)
⁹ Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

Lot looked around him and saw that the plain of Jordan was well watered, similar to the garden of Eden and the land of Egypt (13:10). Lot chose to go east and to "pitch his tent toward Sodom" (13:12).

From what Lot could see, he chose what he thought would be a good land for his flocks, herds, and family. However, verse 13 confirms that the reputation of Sodom was already known to be wicked. Even so, Lot pitched his tent facing Sodom.

Genesis 13:13 (KJV)
¹³ But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

The goodness of the land tempted Lot into ignoring the wickedness that encroached. This was a serious mistake on Lot's part. Next we read that Lot and many others in and near Sodom get kidnapped by kings from lands beyond Sodom. Abraham and the trained men of his household track them down and rescue the kidnapped people. Perhaps a sensible person, at this point, would have steered clear of Sodom, but not Lot. In chapter 19 God begins his destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 19:1,2 (KJV)
¹ And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
² And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

Not only is Lot not in his tent facing Sodom, but he is sitting in the very gate of that city and lives in Sodom, too!

Eventually, God rescues Lot and his family out of the city before it is destroyed, but at what cost?

James 1:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

The account of Lot demonstrates the insidiousness of sin. We think we can flirt with sin and still stay out of trouble. But this is not what happens! Flirting with sin will only lead into more sin. It is inevitable! And once we take that first step, backing out is very difficult. We must recognize sin immediately and stay as far away as possible. No matter what sin entices us, we must learn to flee!

However, we are not alone in our struggle. The Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, can help us to be alert to sin and to its power. He can strengthen us and help us in our battle against sin. He can help us stay away from living on the edge of Sodom and more!

The Day of Atonements

Today, September 23, 2015, is the traditional day of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonements. Most Christians will bypass this day without a further thought, but Jews and those believers of Yeshua who follow the Lord's calendar, will pay close attention. It is the holiest day of the year. When the Temple was still standing it was the day in which atonement was made:

          For the high priesthood and the priests
          For the holy sanctuary
          For the tabernacle
          For the altar, and
          For the people

Today, without the Temple, we cannot keep the Day of Atonements. However, we are commanded to continually observe that day, partially to prepare for the day when the Temple again exists and we gather to keep the feast with our returned Messiah Yeshua. But we also observe the day as the foreshadowing of the atonement provided by the death and resurrection of Yeshua.

Leviticus 16:29-34 (KJV)
²⁹ And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
³⁰ For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
³¹ It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
³² And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
³³ And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
³⁴ And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Notice that atonement was made not only for people, but for objects that were incapable of sin (the sanctuary, the tabernacle, and the altar. This indicates that the atonements made on Yom Kippur were not really about the removal of sin, but were about covering the people and cleansing the Temple for the coming year in order for God to continue to dwell therein. These atonements worked!

Hebrews 9:13-14 (KJV)
¹³ For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
¹⁴ How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9 is a comparison. Although the atonements of Yom Kippur worked in a temporal, outward sense, the atonement of Yeshua was eternal and internal. Yeshua's death and resurrection actually removed sin from believers!

From Leviticus 16 we learn that the command to observe the Day of Atonements is an everlasting statute (verse 34). It was to be observed by God's people and any strangers that sojourned among them (verse 29). If we claim to be a part of God's people, that command is pertinent to us!

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.

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.

Romans 13:11-14 - Put on Messiah Yeshua

Paul now concluded his thoughts on the believers' behavior.

Romans 13:11-14 (KJV)
¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

In verse 11 Paul reminded his readers that their ultimate salvation was nearer than when they first believed. This conclusion may imply that the first century believers thought that Yeshua's return was imminent. After all He did teach the following:

Matthew 24:42 (KJV)
⁴² Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

However, in close examination of Matthew 24 it is evident that many things had to take place before Yeshua returned.

Matthew 24:29-30 (KJV)
²⁹ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
³⁰ And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

So, although Yeshua was going to return at an unknown time, there were specific things that the believers were told to watch for. In light of this, Paul considered his day to be the beginning of the last days. The writer of Hebrews agreed.

Hebrews 1:2 (KJV)
² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Paul therefore instructed his readers that since they knew Yeshua was coming, it was time for them to awake from sleep and to seriously watch for Him. The night was far spent and the day was at hand (salvation) (verse 12). Paul told the believers to spend their watching time by casting off the works of darkness (sin) and put on the armor of light. They were to walk in honesty and not be engaged in rioting, drunkenness, sexual immorality, strife, or envying (verse 13). They were to put on Messiah Yeshua and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (verse 14).

How do believers put on Messiah Yeshua? As believers come to faith in Yeshua they are clothed in His righteousness. After that they are expected to live holy lives in accordance with the Scripture's teachings. By living in this way, in obedience to God, believers put on Messiah Yeshua. And as the end approaches believers should feel an increased desire to be righteous for when He does appear. That is the only way in which believers will truly be ready!

Romans 12:16-21 - Exhortations 2

Paul continued with his exhortations.

Romans 12:16-21 (KJV)
¹⁶ Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
¹⁷ Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
¹⁸ If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
¹⁹ Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
²⁰ Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
²¹ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Believers are to have the same attitude towards all (verse 16). They are not to look more favorably on the wealthy or prestigious than those of lowly estate. They are not to think themselves wise when that wisdom is based on one's own arrogance. Believers are not to treat those who have treated them poorly in the same poor or evil manner (verse 17). They are to be honest in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as far as it depends on the believer, they are to live peacefully with all men (verse 18). Believers are not to take revenge, but rather to leave room for God's wrath (verse 19).

Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 32:35 (KJV)
³⁵ To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

It is God who will take care of any vengeance. He is the one who will repay. Therefore, believers are to feed hungry enemies and to give drink to their thirsty enemies (verse 20). By doing this it will be as if the believers have heaped coals of fire on the enemy's head.

Proverbs 25:21-22 (KJV)
²¹ If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
²² For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

Finally, believers are not to be overcome by evil, but rather overcome evil with good (verse 21).

Again, Paul gave his readers many good examples of how believers should behave. This has never been an easy way to live, since it is so contrary to human nature, but the indwelling Holy Spirit is available to give assistance. It is possible!

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.

God's Failure. Really?!

The Mosaic Law is often viewed as God's first attempt at creating a holy people for Himself. Unfortunately, it was a failure. The people couldn't keep all those laws and the sacrifices were never able to remove sin. God needed to do something else, so He sent His Son to be the final sacrifice that would actually work. His people would never have to even try to keep all those Laws again because of Grace, and no further sacrifices would ever be needed. God would have His holy people!

This little scenario is nothing more than a fantasy, a creation of anti-Semitic theology of partial truths. For example, it is true that no one can keep all of God's Laws. This situation was true in the Old Testament days as well as in the New. Grace was man's only hope. Grace was given by God when He gave the people the Laws, so that they knew what was required, and grace was given when the people accepted His covenant. Grace was given when the people made the sacrifices that covered them and allowed them to be in God's presence in the Tabernacle or the Temple. Grace was given during Yom Kippur. Grace was given when Yeshua died and rose again. The penalty for sin was paid. But grace doesn't eliminate the Laws. Yeshua's paying for the penalty of sin doesn't give man a license to violate the Laws. He paid too high a price for man to stomp on the Mosaic Law, which He kept so faithfully and perfectly. He is man's example!

Secondly, it is true that the sacrifices could not remove sin. However, that was never their intended goal. They made atonement, or covered the sin of God's people so that they could enter God's presence. Even the book of Hebrews speaks about the success of the sacrifices.

Hebrews 9:13-14 (KJV)
¹³ For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
¹⁴ How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

If the sacrifices sanctified, or made holy, the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Messiah purge the conscience? Hebrews was making a "light to heavy" comparison. Messiah's sacrifice removed sins, but the sacrifices of bulls and goats also succeeded in covering the people, a lighter result!

Also from Leviticus it is evident that the sacrifices worked exactly as God intended.

Leviticus 9:22-24 (KJV)
²² And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
²³ And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.
²⁴ And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

The last part of this fanciful story is the claim that any who insist upon the obedience to the Mosaic Law are legalists. Somehow it is believed that they are acting as modern day Judaizers (which insisted on following all the minutiae of the Oral Law which were traditions not the Law of God). However, obedience out of love for God can never be legalistic. Rather, disobedience (lawlessness) demonstrates a lack of faith. Disobedience can never result in a holy people!

The Parable of the Two Sticks

This morning I was reading the Haftarah portion for Vayigash. It was Ezekiel 37:15-28. In it Ezekiel was told by God to take two sticks. He was to write "For Judah" on one of them and "For Joseph" on the other. These sticks were to represent the divided Kingdom which was made up of Judah (the southern kingdom) and Israel (the northern kingdom that was also known as Ephraim, which came from the name of one of the sons of Joseph). Ezekiel was to put these two sticks together, although it doesn't say how he was to do that. Perhaps he joined them in some way, or perhaps God miraculously joined them. Anyway, in their joined state, this single stick represented that the divided kingdom would one day become one again.

Ezekiel 37:21 (KJV)
²¹ And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

In verse 21 God explained how this joining would take place. He would bring back to the land of Israel his Jewish people from wherever they had been scattered. This prophecy is being fulfilled during our own days. Beginning with the statehood of Israel in 1948, Jews have been going back to their own land.

Ezekiel 37:22-23 (KJV)
²² And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
²³ Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

Verse 22 adds that there will be one king over the reunited Israel. This has not yet been fulfilled, but verse 23 gives us a clue as to the timing of this one king. In this joined Israel, the Jews will no longer defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, nor their transgressions. God will save them and cleanse them, so that He would be their God and they would be His people. This is depicting a time that Paul speaks of in Romans. Eventually, all the Jews will be saved and they will recognize their Messiah.

Romans 11:26 (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:

Ezekiel 37:24 (KJV)
²⁴ And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

Verse 24 of Ezekiel specifies that the king will be David. This is not David in some reincarnated sense, but rather indicates that the Messiah King will be a descendant of David. That King will be Yeshua. This verse also points out that the Jews having been saved will walk in God's judgments, observe His statutes, and will do them. What are God's judgments and statutes? Any Jew will know that God's judgments and statutes are found in the Torah. Since they will be saved, they will have the indwelling Holy Spirit that will enable them to observe the Torah. Let me say this again. After salvation, God's people will observe and obey the Torah.

Ezekiel 37:26 (KJV)
²⁶ Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

Lastly, Ezekiel repeats that God will make an everlasting covenant of peace with the Jewish people. This is not a new covenant that abolishes the old, rather it is the renewed covenant that is spoken of in Jeremiah. Notice, too, that the dwelling place of the Jews will be in the land of Israel, where God will set His sanctuary in the midst of them. This will be their covenant and dwelling place forever.

Jeremiah 31:31 (KJV)
³¹ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

The time that Ezekiel has been speaking of is after Yeshua's return, when He establishes His Milennial Kingdom. However, the covenant that God makes with Israel and their homeland will last forever. This means that the time goes beyond the Milennial kingdom into eternity.

If we Gentiles want to be a part of God's people, we can only participate through the Jews. By grace through faith, God grafts us into Israel. There is no other way. Although God has intended that both Jews and Gentiles are a part of His Kingdom, they are identified only by the term Israel.

Play Church

I was a little hesitant when I picked up this fictional novel about an associate pastor in a megachurch. It was supposed to be an extremely funny book that would keep the reader in stitches, so I decided to take a chance. I needed a little humor in my life anyway!

Well, the book was well written and actually pretty funny, so from that standpoint, it was well worth reading. However, the most important lesson I learned from it would probably have horrified the author! Yet, I'm glad that I read the book.

First off I'm not into megachurches. Members can and do get lost. Many church goers may actually like that so that they never have to take on any responsibility. In fact, after becoming totally exhausted in ministry at very small churches myself, I have many times threatened to go to a church where I could slip in on Sunday morning and slip out at the end where no one knew me or even seemed to care. I understand, but I don't believe that's what church is about.

However, I was appalled by the opulence in which the senior pastor and top people lived. Luxury cars, regular golf times at prestigious golf courses, magnificent offices, vacations in the Caribbean, and staff retreats at expensive spas were the way of life for this bunch. Was this author serious? I kept waiting for the cynical main character to disassociate himself from the church, wondering about the disconnect between the senior pastor and the third world where church and faith mean persecution, poverty, loss, and even death. But, the main character only spoke about how much good the church was doing, how many lives were changed, and how God had placed him in this wonderful church.

Also, I was bothered by the rigid set up of the Sunday morning service. It could only last exactly sixty minutes and the pastor's sermon could run no longer than twenty-five minutes. It was performance and entertainment oriented. The sanctuary was given a circus name.

Surprisingly, the main character seemed to have a personal relationship with God, although it got somewhat lost in all the references to popular rock music, movies and near swearing.

So why did I decide I was glad that I had read the book and what lesson had I learned?

There was a conversation in the book about someone wanting to become a Christian, but he was hesitant because it would mean giving up so many things. The associate pastor's answer blew me away. He said that Christianity was about freedom, even in those bad habits of his. He continued to say that God would change the believer's perspective and those habits just wouldn't seem so important any more. I almost fell off my chair! Most bad habits that we have are just plain sinful! God doesn't give us freedom to live in sin! It was then that I realized that this book was a prime example of where the church is going today. Satan must be ecstatic! There was no talk of sin or repentance. It was the "God accepts us just as we are" line that never gets around to stating how God will not leave us in sin. He demands repentance, the turning away from sin.

Where is the church headed? If we continue to follow in the line of this book, there soon won't be much of a church left, at least not the Church where there is repentance and true change to holy, righteous living. We'll just be playing church.

The Command to Wear Tzitzit

Traditional Christianity has believed that the Torah is no longer applicable to us since Yeshua fulfilled the law. Yet, how is the following fulfilled in the sense that Yeshua did this or that so that we don't have to?

Numbers 15:37-41 (KJV)
³⁷ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
³⁸ Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
³⁹ And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
⁴⁰ That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
⁴¹ I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

In this passage in verse 38, the people of Israel (Traditionally, this has been interpreted to be a command only for men.) were commanded to make fringes on the borders (corners) of their garments. The Hebrew for fringes is "tzitzit." Then there was to be a ribbon of blue (wool) inserted into the fringes. Notice, that this was to be done throughout their generations. (This is another way of saying "forever.")

Yeshua did wear tzitzit. He was faithful to observe all the Lord's commands. The wearing of tzitzit has been fulfilled by Yeshua. Does this mean that we, as believers, don't have to? Aren't we to fulfill the law, as well?

Verse 39 tells us the reason for wearing the tzitzit. It was so that when the people saw them they would remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them. The end of the verse gives us a clue as to why this command was necessary, "(so) that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring." Right before this command is the account of the stoning of the Sabbath breaker.

God had compassion on His people. He gave them a visual aid that would help them to remember and observe His commandments. He cared for their physical safety as well as the condition of their souls. Do we no longer need to be reminded of God's commands? Are we so much more spiritual than the Israelites that we would never go off on our own way and stray from the Lord? We are naive if we think so. And we are foolish to ignore God's gracious command to wear tzitzit, thinking that the need has been done away with by Yeshua's fulfilling the law.

Verse 40 restates why the tzitzit are needed. Added is that by wearing the tzitzit and thereby remembering and doing the commandments we will be holy unto our God, set apart and ready for service to Him.

The benefit of wearing tzitzit is obvious. If we are believers and are committed to Him in relationship, do we dare ignore His commands? If we do, we have already gone our own way and are not following the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

What Does It Mean To Be Holy?

When we are saved and are born again our desires change from being self-centered to God-centered. What does God require? How can we please Him? One such requirement is found in 1 Peter.

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.

We are told here, that because God (the one who calls us) is holy, we need to be holy in all manner of our conduct (KJV = conversation). Peter's rationale comes from the Old Testament. "Be ye holy; for I am holy."

If we have been called by God into a personal relationship with Him and we are trying to do those things that are pleasing to Him, we should desire to follow this command and seek to be holy. But what does it mean to be holy? There are definitions that we can apply to this situation. I personally like the idea that holiness is being set apart for God's service. Yet, that doesn't necessarily point us to the details of how we can be holy. Instead, I think the best way to find out what holiness entails is to go back to the sources of Peter's quote and look at the contexts of those verses.

The first appearance of "Be ye holy as I am holy" is found in Leviticus 11. This is the chapter that outlines what foods are acceptable and what are not.

Leviticus 11:43-45 (KJV)
⁴³ Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
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.
⁴⁵ For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

In verse 43, God told the Israelites not make themselves abominable by eating any of the creeping things that were described in verse 42, because then they would be defiled. Verse 44 relates the defiling of themselves and how instead they were to be sanctified and made holy, in the same way that God is holy. Verse 45 repeats "Be holy for I am holy" and states that this is required because God brought them out of Egypt and He is their God.

The second appearance of "Be ye holy as I am holy" comes from Leviticus 19.

Leviticus 19:1-4 (KJV)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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.
³ Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
⁴ Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.

In this passage God begins by stating the command to be holy and then begins a list of things that the Israelites were to do. Verse 3 speaks about honoring parents and keeping the sabbaths. Verse 4 is a prohibition of turning to and making idols. Again, the reason is that God is the God of the Israelites.

The last appearance of "Be ye holy as I am holy" comes from Leviticus 20.

Leviticus 20:7-8 (KJV)
⁷ Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
⁸ And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

Surrounded by various commands, God inserts His requirement for sanctification and holiness. Verse 8 finishes the thought by saying that the way to fulfill this requirement is by keeping and doing God's statutes.

When Peter wrote his first epistle, he reiterated God's requirement to be holy. However, he didn't give a full explanation. He relied on a quote that he expected his readers to be familiar with. The way of holiness lay in obedience to the Word of God. But what was the Word of God at the time of Peter's writing? It was the Old Testament. It contained all that was needed to know regarding how to be holy.

Do we dare ignore the Old Testament's definition of holiness, in part,  by refusing to acknowledge the Ten Commandments, by eating pork, and  by ignoring the seventh day sabbath? We do so at our own risk. If God truly is our God we need to obey all His commands.