Deut 33:2,4
TOPIC: Choice inevitably requires discernment, and discernment, knowledge; and true knowledge and understanding, the inspiration of the Spirit.
Our greatest need as sons-in-discipleship-by- the-Spirit, to receive the resurrection promise of salvation, by ingrafting by adoption into the “good (natural) olive tree” which is nourished symbiotically, from Y’shua as the Root, by the golden oil of wisdom from BOTH the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament which He affirmed (Matt 5:19), is that we have patience to understand how the “fiery law” (Godly Instruction in holiness) which is “the heritage of the congregation of Jacob” (Deut 33:2,4), fits into the preparation by the Spirit, under grace, of a worthy bride for the eternal House of Jacob (Lk 1:32,33; Rom 2:13,26; 3:31; 8:4,14; 11:1-29; James 1:22-25; 2:12-26).
By the grace of YHVH, these notes will help
Reaching the end of the annual Messianic reading cycle (Deut 33&34) which magnifies Torah (Is 42:21) by proving our dependence upon the wisdom in the Hebrew Scriptures for accurate understanding of “the FULL message (ALL the words) of this new life” (Acts 5:20; 20:26,27,31,32), is like watching the last embers of a warming winter fire in one’s own hearth in the presence of good company, give their final glow. The embers may die, but the memory of the evening is burnt-in to the spirits of those who sat before it, as part of the comforting nostalgia which uniquely shapes the subconscious record of our lives.
So it is for those who habitually sit under Instruction at the Master’s Feet (Lk 10:39-42; Rom 3:31), to ‘Shema’ (Listen/Hear, to treasure and observe/enact and manifest the truth in) His every syllable (Deut 6:4,5; 8:3b; Job 23:12b; Is 66:2; Mk 12:28-34), to receive “the LIGHT of the KNOWLEDGE of the glory of YHVH” and His “Way,” which IS “the Word of His grace” given to “build us up” by WARNING (exhorting, with admonishment), WARMING (encouraging and comforting) and STRENGTHENING the soul, for us to have “the excellency of the power” and “the treasure in earthen vessels,” of discernment (quickness of understanding to make righteous distinctions) and Divine KNOWHOW to perfect the love of God, to be “AS our Master,” entirely conformed to His image, by the sanctifying work of His Spirit which produces pure, true and faithful sons who walk in the light at all costs, because God is Light (Ps 119:96-105; Lk 6:40; 20:21; Jn 1:12; Rom 8:4,14,29; 15:16-18; 2 Thess 2:13-15; Heb 12; 1 Jn 1-3; 4:16,17; 5:2&3).
The wisdom of the Father of the families of heaven and earth SATURATES His EVERLASTING “covenant of life and peace” (Mal 2:5; Heb 13:20,21) which is built upon His perfect, “fiery,” washing, cleansing and sanctifying law of liberty (Deut 33:2,4; Ps 119:45; Rom 3:31; 8:4,14,18-23; Eph 5:26,27; 1 Thess 5:23; James 1:22-25; 2:12) which STRADDLES THE WORD from Gen 1:1 to Rev 22:19 and is found WHEREVER and WHENEVER the Holy Spirit QUICKENS THE LOGOS (to guard us against going beyond what is written) (Jn 6:63) by revealing FACETS of “the paths of righteousness” (Ps 23:3) which comprise the narrow Way of Holiness (Is 35:8), which we need to know for Him to lead and guide us in “ALL truth” to attain the crown of Life (Matt 7:13-27; Phil 2:12-15; 3:10-17; Jn 12-16).
Which is why we need to ‘squeeze out revelation knowledge’ on a wide scale (Alef to Tav, Gen to Rev) by JOINING the “diligent search” by the Spirit of all the Scriptures, ‘old’ and ‘new’ (Matt 13:43-45; 52; 2 Cor 1:10-13), as it were ‘cold-pressing the oil of the two olive trees’ (the Tanakh/Hebrew Scriptures & the New Testament broadly represented by Moses and Elijah as John the Baptist respectively), to draw out the full meaning of the full counsel of YHVH.
If we are submitted, He helps us accomplish this otherwise daunting task by gently urging us to follow His lead to seek the precepts to LEARN the LIBERTY that comes from “continuance” (Is 64:5; Jn 8:31,32,36; Rom 2:6-13) as we “follow after righteousness” to follow on to know the LORD (Hosea 6:1-3) as righteous Abraham did in pursuit of perfection of holiness (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19; 26:5; Ps 119:45; Is 51:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Tim 6:11-14), to lead a GODLY LIFE OF REPENTANCE through to the end, by walking wholeheartedly “in YHVH,” and He in us by His Spirit, to be perfected (1 Cor 8:6; 2 Cor 6:16; Col 1:22;23,28,29; 2:6; 2 Tim 3:17) by producing “fruit (obedience) ‘meet’ for (worthy of) repentance,” to prove worthy of acceptance in the First Resurrection as “the (faithful) blessed and holy,” because though many are invited, relatively few will be unblameable to be chosen as the bride (Matt 3:8-10; Lk 20:35; 26:18,20; Jn 15:2; Acts 26:18,20; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1-3; 5:18; Rev 17:14; 20:6).
Those who will be “delivered from the wrath to come” will be those who have “lived (repentantly, obediently, holily, “crucified to the world” and have thereby lived) FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (1 Peter 1:2b,13-17,24; 1 Jn 3:3-10; 5:18).
THAT is how we are be OCCUPIED WAITING till the spotless Lamb’s return (1 Thess 1:10; Titus 2:11-13).
That’s the meaning of the idiomatic expression, “KEEPING ‘THE WORD OF HIS PATIENCE’ ” (namely, wisely heeding HIS patient waiting for US, to give US more time to fully reject error and unbelief to be sanctified by all the truth in the “clean Fear of YHVH” (Ps 19:7-13; Is 42:14,15; 48:9; 57:11; Jn 17:17 19; Rev 3:10; 14:6,7,12; 2 Peter 3:9-18).
The fruit, for those who humbly respond correctly to the balanced teaching and prophesying of the authentic Gospel of grace, will be confirmed salvation (1 Cor 1:8) and thereby, assurance of eternal life.
Final and full redemption (of our bodies) (Rom 8:23) is conditional upon ‘living clean’ in the Way of holiness, to not be cut off (Is 35:8; Acts 24:14; Jn 15:2-15; ﹰRom 8:4; 11:22).
Never was a wiser word spoken than that ‘the fruit of repentance IS salvation and eternal life,’ because there’s no forgiveness without repentance, and the growing in the knowledge of God and therefore, in ongoing repentance, which Peter describes in 2 Peter 3, is INCOMPLETE if God’s WAYS are NOT KNOWN – the ways of God, obedience to which the Spirit is given to us to WIN us over from unrighteousness to righteousness in word and deed, to “win Christ” (Rom 15:16-18; Phil 2&3).
None of us should underestimate the importance of our baptism of REPENTANCE for the remission of sins.
Our water baptism of repentance is far more than a static, one time event, but instead, both an act of repentance for “sins that were PAST” (Rom 3:25) AND a DYNAMIC COMMITMENT to spending the time CONDITIONALLY allotted to us to continue drawing breath on this earth (Ps 119:17-21,77) on probation as a candidate for inclusion in the bride, to LEARN and PREFER the will of God over carnal reasoning and human tradition, by repenting EACH TIME we come across fresh understanding of His requirements (e.g. Matt 5:19; 1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2) in order to broaden the inclusive scope of our obedience to walking in the light, in order to ATTAIN and REMAIN in His perfect will (Rom 12:1,2).
Sin is “condemned in the flesh” (the corollary of “the law was weak through the flesh”) (Rom 8:3 being the fruit of baptismal circumcision – Rom 6:1-6; Col 2:10-13) when we ALLOW the Holy Spirit to both instruct us in righteousness AND lead us away from sin in PROVEN fire- and faith-tested repentance, by fine-tuning our consciences and BEING the power WITHIN us to overcome the power of sin’s dominion (Rom 6:6-22), SO THAT there’s no longer either HINDRANCE or EXCUSE for NOT allowing “the righteousness of the law to be fulfilled in us,” as it was in Y’shua (Rom 8:4,14; 1 Jn 2:3-6).
This is when we’re ASSURED we’re free of condemnation – not by only making a one-time ‘decision for Christ,’ but when for us individually, Godly law becomes known as “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” BECAUSE we CHOOSE to conscientiously abide in the Vine (remain in Messiah) by being “servants of righteousness” by observing the rules of the race by the Spirit, to be “dead with Christ” to sin (1 Cor 9:24-27; 2 Tim 2:5,11) by walking AFTER the Spirit IN the power of the Spirit, to decisively overcome the sin whose wages are always death (Rom 6:18-23; 8:1-3)
Rom 2:13,26 & Titus 2:11-13 end all debate about grace and law which over the course of a consecrated life are designed to BE the HARMONY that brings us to the blessed state of purity that results from the transfiguring of our souls from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18) through death to self-will by SURRENDER to the will of God.
Titus 2:11-13 reads “For the grace of God that brings salvation…teaches us to SAY NO to UNGODLINESS and worldly passions, to live self-controlled, upright, Godly lives in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope…” Godliness learnt from the laws of God, good for THAT EXPRESS PURPOSE (Rom 3:20; 7:7,12-16,22,25; 1 Tim 1:8-11).
There’s no “white linen” for those who scoff at the OIL OF THE SPIRIT (revelation knowledge of “the Way”) by scoffing at the holy precepts of the covenant given to keep us out of breach of faith and in Y’shua’s love on the narrow path (Matt 25:10-12; Rom 8:4,6,7; Heb 5:11-14; 6:128:8-12; 10:16,26-39; 12:25-29; Rev 3:1-6,16; 2:5,26; 19:7,8).
We don’t EARN righteousness by “working righteousness” (Acts 10:35; Rom 6:1-22; 1 Jn 3:7).
We live-up to our imputed righteousness by faith perfected by works (Eph 2:10; James 2:14-26), to PROVE that the baptismal work of grace (heart circumcision to make repentance outward reality) is having the desired effect to prove our claim that we ARE the righteousness of YHVH by MANIFESTING righteousness, to REFLECT the light of YHVH’s Righteousness to the darkened world.
Either that, or we hypocritically profess to be children of light.
Our walk/race is a Spirit-governed and executed road-test of the genuineness of our faith (Rom 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:1-9; 5:6-12), as those called to be wholly obedient TO the faith (Col 4:12b) according to “the doctrine according to Godliness” (Rom 1:5; 6:17; 15:16-18; 1 Tim 6:3).
“Buying gold refined in fire” is a metaphor for the necessary process of sanctification we have to complete by refinement, for our purification (Dan 11:35; 1 Peter 1:7; 1 Jn 3:3; Rev 3:18).
It goes hand in hand with asking for “eye salve” and “buying oil” (Matt 25:10-12; Rev 3:18).
To be “chaste virgins” (2 Cor 12:2), we can’t do without any one of that metaphorical trio (each critical to examining our own spiritual condition – 1 Cor 11:27-32; 2 Cor 13:5; 2 Peter 1:10,11), if we are to do what Heb 2:1-3 & Heb 12 require of us, to RETAIN the seal of the firstfruits of the Spirit of YHVH (Eph 1:13,14; 4:30) AND have the protective mark of YHVH on our foreheads, only to be given to those who don’t refuse to co-operate with the writing of His precepts on their hearts, for us to serve those instructions with our minds (Prov 7:1-3; Jer 31:33,34; Rom 7:25; 8:4; Heb 8:8-12; 10:16; Rev 22:3,4).
Salvation, after all, is the grace to both RECEIVE and MAINTAIN the ORIGINAL INNOCENCE gifted to us by believing “the Word of faith” which “made us the righteousness of YaH in Y’shua-Jesus” (Jn 15:3; Rom 4; 2 Cor 5:21), to PURIFY OURSELVES to BE righteous (2 Cor 7:1; 2 Tim 2:20,21; 1 Jn 3:3-7,10) to be holy (Rom 6:22), to “remain forever” “in the Messiah,” to “remain forever” WRITTEN in the Book of Life (the one depends on the other) by having SERVED HIM ACCEPTABLY by joyfully serving His precepts, the transformed by renewal of the spirit of our minds (Rom 7:25-8:14; 12:1,2; Eph 4:23,24; Heb 12:28; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29).
So Deut 33 has embedded within it, extremely important counsel to give us if we are to be numbered amongst chaste-virgin Israel of God-“Yeshurun,” the sanctified remnant holy nation from antiquity (Ex 19:4-8; 1 Peter 2:9,10; Heb 12:23; Rev 1:6; 5:9,10), by the election of grace designated heirs of the world as the eternal House of Jacob, YHVH’s Portion, for His glory (Is 46:13; Haggai 2:7,9; Rom 4:13; Lk 1:33), the household of the dynasty of Abraham and David, the household of God (Lk 1:32; Eph 2:11,12,19) in and over which Y’shua will reign FOREVER, as King of Jacob (Deut 32:8,9; Ps 59:13; Is 41:21,27; Rom 9-11; 2 Cor 11:2; Gal 6:16).
To conclude, “the ‘church’ of YHVH” (the kahal/ekklesia/”general assembly [for Appointed Times] and congregations of the fountain of Jacob” the firstborn nation) (Gen 25:23; Ex 4:22,23; Ps 68:26; 74:2; Acts 7:38; Lk 1:33; Heb 12:23; Rev 21:12), was scheduled from ANTIQUITY, to be the commonwealth of heart-circumcised and Spirit-filled Jacob- “Yeshurun” (Deut 10:16; 30:6; 33:5,26; Is 44:1-8; Ezek 36; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6), in which the Holy Spirit (as Counsellor, in HIS ministry of righteousness – 2 Cor 3:8,9) would teach all Whom YHVH gives to His Son, to INTUITIVELY know right from wrong, NOT APART from study of the laws of life, but in conjunction with them (Rom 3:20b; 7:7) TO THE DEGREE that we immerse ourselves in the pursuit of the knowledge of truth and righteousness (Eph 5:26,27), to overwrite our hearts with the higher ways of the Kingdom, to reflect “true holiness” to fulfil the high call in Y’shua, to “glory and virtue” (Eph 4:12-14,23,24; Heb 8:8-12; 2 Peter 1).
Nowhere in Scripture is license given to trade Spirit off against the yoke of the Word (Instruction) (Matt 11:29,30; Jn 8:51,52), or visa versa, for they, like the One Who teaches us, the Godhead Himself, are uniquely and forever One (Jn 6:45,63; 1 Jn 5:7).
How can anyone be CONFIDENT that they’re meeting the test of Titus 2:11-13 (saying NO to unGodliness) unless Torah (“Instruction” as expanded/magnified by Y’shua – Matt 5:17–20; 2 Tim 3:14-17) is being taught (to UNlearn UNrighteousness) as the BENCHMARK FOR REPENTANCE, for grace for salvation “to the uttermost” to be fully appropriated (Jn 1:16; Heb 5:9; 7:25; 12:14,28) for it to be worked out in reverential Fear and trembling, to have run a true race, actually keeping the faith, to be as blameless, as “holy, harmless and undefiled” as the Master Himself? (Phil 2:12,13,15; 2 Tim 4:3-8; Heb 7:26).
May the LORD bless you for considering these revelations
