Some thoughts on Leviticus 25-27 in the seamless context of the full counsel
The need for confirmation of our salvation, to the end (Matt 24:13), by our being kept by YHWH’s power while we’re on probation, until we reveal His righteousness satisfactorily (Actscl 10:35; Rom 1:17; Heb 12:28) to become blameless and holy by submission to sanctification by His commandments, by the Spirit as proof of our love (1 Cor 1:8; Eph 1:4; 4:11-14,23,24; 1 Jn 5:3), is attested to throughout the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.
Lev 26:2-13, which by the way, states the condition for the promise of 2 Chr 7:14, is summed up in the inspiring thumbnail endtime prophecy in Is 56:6-8, which is addressed to US – former Gentiles adopted in the House of Jacob (to be loved by them as they love themselves – Lev 19:34) to keep Shabbat and “take hold of” YHWH’s “everlasting covenant” (timeless precepts) ratified by the New Covenant (Heb 13:20,21), as “one new man” with the remnant of Israel (Lk 1:33; Rom 11; Eph 2:11,12,15,19).
For instance, there is nothing in Lev 17-20 or Deut 27:14-26 offensive to, or incongruent with the New Covenant (Matt 5:19; Rom 3:31)
Lev 25-27 isn’t just a diagnosis of agricultural mediocrity (Lev 25:1-24) and a dissertation on justice and kindness towards those who loyally serve us, but is a call to Israel and to US (unified with them in Christ, in the olive tree by cleaving to Jacob – Is 14:1; 54:3; 55:5), to always remember the covenant-keeping God Who “remembers the (everlasting) covenant of their (the House of Jacob’s) ancestors” (Lev 26:45; Deut 7:9-15), which was entered into unanimously by Israel, on our behalf as the future Messianic remnant of the House of Jacob (Lk 1:33), when at Sinai, Israel was solemnly incorporated under the yoke of heaven as the unique elect nation under YHWH (Deut 4:33-40; 7:6-8) bound by the loving yoke of a supreme code of marriage precepts (the Ten Words given “in comnandmenT’ – Ex 20; 34:27,28,32), as the eternal moral absolutes (the ‘sublime duties of man’ – Eccl 12:13; Lk 17:10) reflecting the Goodness and Sovereignty of the One and only God (Ex 19:5-8; 24:7,8; Deut 4:39; 29:12-15).
We read the Torah weekly to best understand ‘the Thought of Scripture’ as a whole, which refines our discernment of the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16: 2 Tim 3:14-17), because it is God’s promise that Torah study makes one wise because His precepts give us understanding (Ps 119:27-35,96-105,165; Prov 1-4; Is 28:9-12).
Even parts of the first five Books which seemingly have least relevance to us and hold least interest for us, supernaturally impart wisdom for our direction and preservation on the narrow path that leads to life eternal (Matt 7:14)
Bemidbar, BeMidbar, B’midbar, Bamidbar, or Bamidbor (בְּמִדְבַּר — Hebrew for “in the wilderness of” [Sinai], the fifth overall and first distinctive word in the parashah), is the 34th weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the annual Hebrew cycle of Torah reading and the first in the Book of Numbers.
The Parashah tells of 1) the lineage, structure and geography of the layout of “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38) which in Nu 22:41; 23:8-10; 24:5-9,17-23 awed Balaam (and is matched by the 4×3 East,South, West,North format of the Gates and relative Tribal location in the vast cubic New Jerusalem – compare Nu 2 and Rev 21:10-13); 2) the census and the priests’ duties. It constitutes Numbers 1:1–4:20. The parashah is made up of 7,393 Hebrew letters, 1,823 Hebrew words, 159 verses, and 263 lines in a Torah Scroll (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, Sefer Torah). Jews generally read it in May or early June.
Nu 1:52; 2:2-24 Is 11:10-12 Micah 4:4-8
Great treasure is hidden in Nu 1-4, this week’s Portion.
YHWH has made fulfilment of His promises to Abraham, THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE to “the Way of the LORD” which righteous Abraham learned and perfected as father of faith & faithfulness (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19; 26:5; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; James 2:14-26), the CONSUMMATION (completion) OF THE GOSPEL.
Today’s Portion, Bemidmar, PROVES that Israel’s heredity/lineage (expressed as “every man under his vine and under his fig tree;” and as “every man by his own camp; every man by his own [heraldic] standard…with the ensign of their fathers’ house, beneath the Ensign” of “the Shepherd and (Corner)Stone” of the House of JACOB, his/their name “remaining” – Gen 49:24; Is 29:22-24; 49:5-8; 65:9,10,18-25; 66:22; Lk 1:33), is both CONFIRMED by the Blood of the Hebrew New Covenant, by Y’shua-Jesus ratifying “the promises to the fathers” (Ps 105:8-11; Rom 15:8), and CONSUMMATED WITHIN the perpetual DYNASTY of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in Christ (Gen 12:3; 28:14; Rom 9:7; Gal 3:29), within the Twelve Tribal-affiliated (Rom 11) Gates of the New Jerusalem as the Eternal City of the God of “Abram the HEBREW” and his redeemed and adopted “heirs of the world” through the righteousness of God which is by faith (Rom 4:13-16; 11; Rev 21:12)
Namely, the City to which Abraham LOOKED, by “seeing Jesus’ Day and being GLAD” (Jn 8:56-58; Heb 11:9-18)
THIS (Israel’s inheritance of the future through Abraham’s promised inheritance of the New Jerusalem, in order to be given the gates of YaH’s enemies – Gen 22:15-18) is that which is written in Gen 18:18,19, as: “SO THAT the LORD may bring upon Abraham THAT WHICH HE HATH SPOKEN (prophesied) of him,” namely the future world along with Hebrew eternity for all who cleave to the God of Jacob by joining themselves to and as co-heirs and Israel’s inheritance (Is 54:3; 55:5; Rom 11), remaining loyal to the remnant of Israel and to His everlasting covenant as “one new man,” in spirit and in truth (Is 14:1; 56:6-8; Matt 8:11,12; Rom 4:13,16; 11:17-29; Heb 13:20,21).
The physical analogy described above is profound in that both the actual wilderness camp of the House of Jacob, and the “reserved” victorious Messianic “Israel of God” (the heirs of the righteous throughout Israel’s generations, that Balaam previewed/”advertised” in a trance – Nu 24:2-9,14-23) toward the end of the coming millennial age (Rom 11:1-5; Gal 6:16), when Gog and Magog strike out at Israel in vain, have a PARALLEL description (Rev 20:6-10 – “the CAMP of the saints and the beloved City”).
The Camp Arrangement
The set-up of the Israelites’ camp is described in the first three chapters of Numbers. Numbers 1:1-4 describes how God asked Moses to divide up the Israelites and take a census of the Israelites a little over a year after the Exodus.
“1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; 3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. 4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.”
[NOTE: “the first day of the second month, in the second year” was 1st Iyyar, 1444bc, one month after the Tabernacle was set up. The Tabernacle was first set up on 1st Abib, 1444bc—see Exodus 40:2, 17]
The camp was arranged into east, south, west, and north sides as documented in the diagram above.
God arranged that Moses, Aaron, and his sons (the Priests) would camp “in front of” (i.e. closest to) the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 3:38). God also instructed that the Levite camps be adjacent to the tent on the 3 other sides (South, West, and North), while those of the other Israelites were to be “far off” (Numbers 2:2).
Since we are of “the one (and only) sheepfold” of the household of YHWH which is the household of Abraham (Is 56:6-8; Jn 10:16; Gal 3:29; Eph 2:11,12), Gen 18:19 (which is so pivotal we should all know it by heart) is why we are to submit to the Divinely-given Abrahamic injunction to EVERY generation of the seed of Abraham, confirmed by Y’shua the Seed of Abraham, to learn the righteousness of “the Way (of YHWH)” in order to “keep justice and judgment” to be conformed to the Divine Nature by walking in Y’shua, to “remain forever” inscribed for Life, in Him (Ex 19:5-8; Is 26:9,10; 35:8; 51:1-7; Matt 5:19; 23:23; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; Rom 3:31; 7:25-8:14,29; Eph 4:23;24; Col 2:6; 3:9,10; Heb 5:11-14; 1:1-11; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29; 3:3-10)
In the ONLY verse given to explain why the God of heaven and earth chose ABRAM to be a Hebrew (as we’ve become by adoption, to keep ourselves in God’s love by keeping covenant – Jn 15:3-14; Rom 11; Gal 3:29; Heb 13:20,21), by ‘crossing over’ from death, mired in the idolatry of Ur of Chaldea; to life and immortality through the Gospel PRE-ANNOUNCED to him (Gen 14:13; Matt 8:11,12; Jn 8:56; Gal 3:8,9), YHVH says that He chose Abraham
“…SO THAT he will (walk before Me and be perfect, and) command his children and his household after him (the church of Acts 7:38 & Eph 2:11,12,19) to keep the Way of YHVH (later to be called The Way of Holiness – Is 34:8-10; Matt 5:48; 7:13-27; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; Heb 12:14,28), doing righteousness and justice, SO THAT I may fulfil what I have promised him (inheritance of the world)” (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19, 26:5; Rom 4:13).
As the “Begotten Son,” Y’shua-Jesus was sent out of the bosom of YHVH to be Abraham’s Seed (Ps 2:7; Jn 1:18; Gal 3:16; Heb 2:14-16) to lay down His life as Mercy Seat and as the once-and-for-all Appeasement, as Atoning Messiah our Passover, through faith in His Blood for the remission of past sin (Acts 13:39; Rom 3:25,26 Amp; 1 Cor 5:7,8; Heb 8-10), to be raised (to the Glory He had before) for our justification through our repentance and His forgiveness, confirmed by baptism.
That was the only way the Gift of His indwelling Holy Spirit could be sent to “magnify” and “make Torah honourable” (Ps 138;2; Is 42:21; Matt 5:17-19; Jn 17:5; Acts 2:38,39; Rom 3:31; 4:25) by our obedience to be sanctified in righteousness by the commandments given to “make us wise…” to run the race lawfully, striving for masteries of the ABRAHAMIC mandate.
That mandate to the church, both then (as Abraham’s own household and as the House of Jacob on Exodus) and now (as the more glorious remnant House of Jacob (Lk 1:33), has been to diligently “DO righteousness and justice” to BE righteous at all times” – Ps 106:3; 1 Jn 3:7) to win “the crown of righteousness,” to attain final redemption, for resurrection to life (not to damnation – Jn 5:24,28,29), by being AS prepared for selection for the bride, as Abraham Isaac and Jacob (Matt 8:11,12; Acts 10:35; Rom 8:4-14,23; 1 Cor 9:24-27; 2 Tim 3:14-17; 4:3-8).
So much for Torah (Instruction in the righteousness of the Way, for correction of false doctrine) being ALIEN to the Gospel (Hosea 8:1-3,12; Acts 24:14)
Rom 3:31
The father of our faith (whom the Spirit evidently schooled in the Way), would laugh such an insinuation to scorn, and in pity, would shed a tear for the woeful, wilful ignorance that mostly prompts ridicule of the first five Books of the Bible which are our heritage, to help bring clarity to what is written elsewhere. That’s its chief function (Rom 3:20b,31; 1 Tim 1:8-11; 2 Tim 3:14-17).
OUR Exodus trek to perfection of sanctification (2 Cor 7:1) which began with our Justification by faith in the Name above all names through the Lamb of God’s Jerusalem Passover’s Blood of sprinkling, for CONFIRMATION of “EVERLASTING salvation” by our “obedience to righteousness” (Is 45:17-25; Acts 5:32; Rom 2:6-13; 6:12-22; 8:4,23; 1 Cor 1:8; Heb 5:9; 10:35; James 2:12-26; 1 Peter 1:2b; 1 Jn 2:17), is every bit as much a test of the SPIRIT of our response to the inevitable salting by fire (Mk 9:49; 1 Peter 1:1-9) of character-forming trials necessary to conform us to Messiah’s image (Rom 5:3-5; 9:29), as the remnant in the wilderness church (Acts 7:38) that endured to the end (as we are to do according to Matt 24) to be found worthy to cross the Jordan on dry ground to possess and defend their inheritance.
God have mercy on those who DON’T learn the Torah lesson to keep the Word of YHVH’s patience (Rev 3:10; 14:6,7,12), by NOT obeying His Voice, which Abraham NEVER failed to do (Gen 26:5); doubting His Presence; fearfulness and unbelief (Rev 21:8); contradicting Him; questioning His provision and route directions; slandering His promises (as they would the Land of milk and honey itself – Nu 14), and allowing dissatisfaction to become self-inflicted wounds, festering into the treachery of insolence and rebellion (e.g. Ex 14:11-14; 17:1-7; 1 Cor 10:1-12).
God has made Abraham Isaac and Jacob’s realization of His promises to THEM, DEPENDENT on the ’emunah’ (faith & faithfulness) of a remnant worthy to be accounted for as a “wholly sanctified…” remnant of their Messianic Dynasty in fulfilment of Ex 19:5-8/1 Peter 2:9,10 (Is 29:22-24; Lk 1:32,33; 1 Thess 5:23).
It seems that this extraordinary conditional promise to Abraham (Gen 18:18,19) is a great test not only of the sincerity of OUR response to the ‘Shema,’ to love YHVH with our all and our neighbour as Y’shua loved us (Mk 12:28-34; Jn 13:34,35), but of OUR love for the fathers in particular – whether our love FOR THEM expressed as obedience to YHVH (see 1 Jn 5:2&3; 2 Jn vs 5&6) will match the Father’s own unshakeable love for THEM (Deut 4:37; Rom 11:28).
We CAN do it, by the Spirit!
We MUST do it, because that contingent promise places a moral obligation upon us, for Abraham’s sake, to match the zeal for truth and righteousness of the Jewish firstfruits in Acts 21:20 and of Gentile converts in Eph 4:23-32 and Col 3:9,10, to BE the visionary “one new man” schooled by the Spirit to ESTABLISH and not VOID that magnificent body of Instruction and training in righteousness (Lk 20:21; 2 Tim 3:14-17).
So to summarize, WHY did the Almighty choose Abram from amongst his entire generation, to be progenitor of Israel; to become an heir of the righteousness which is of faith in order to be faithful to inherit the world (Rom 4; James 2:14-26); and as Abraham, to be “father of many nations”? (Gen 17)
Answer:
Because knowing the end from the beginning, God foreknew that He’d be able to trust Abraham (“for I KNOW him” – Gen 18:19), to prove (to Israel, the church and the world) by Abraham’s obedience to His Voice and to His righteous precepts which comprise “the Way of the LORD” (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5), that neglecting Torah/Instruction (Rom 3:31) which is neglect of the finer points of holiness, limits His ability to perfect His workmanship (Eph 2:10; Col 1:21-23,28,29) which in turn, is neglect BY US, of “so great a salvation,” which to be “CONFIRMED to the end” (1 Cor 1:8), has to be worked out precept by precept in fear and trembling, under grace (Is 28:9-13; Rom 2:6-13,26; Rom 8:4-14; Phil 2:12,13; Heb 2:1-3; 5:11-14; 6:1-12; 12:28; 1 Peter 1:13-17)
“Let God be true and every man a liar,” if these facts (concealed from so many for so long) are disputed.
By the eye of faith (seeing the way our Father secretes secrets of wisdom in the repository of our hearts), to “see the glory” of the spiritual manna imparted to us daily by a “certain rate” so that we can walk in His counsel in the Messiah, our minds sublimated in His, to be conformed to His image, in character, word and deed in service to others (1 Cor 2:16; Col 2:6; 3:9,10), is the reason we were born again.
May the Spirit of Messiah Who is in you and I, just as He was in the Prophets who searched out truth by grace (1 Peter 1:10,11), “signify” things to us too, for us to know, think, say and do, by the Spirit, whatever is in our purpose in predestination (Eph 1:11), that will help establish the “everlasting covenant” in all its latter-house glory (Haggai 2:7-9; Lk 1:33; 2:32b; Rom 3:31; Heb 13:20,21).
By thereby achieving the goal of the salvation of our souls (minds, wills and emotions – 1 Peter 1:9) by having the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), may the Father walking in us (2 Cor 6:16) produce the elusive “everlasting righteousness” (Dan 9:24) for which the Creation groans, for true and faithful sons who work the righteousness of Torah to be holy (Acts 10:35; Rom 6:12-22), to be revealed in their purity and admirable integrity (Lk 6:40) for the entire Creation to be liberated from its bondage to deterioration by man’s defilement by sin (Is 24:3-6: Rom 8:18-22).
Pray that our Messianic witness will attract others to “the rest and the refreshing” we’ve discovered in Torah study and its skilful application by the Spirit (Is 28:9-13; Rom 2:13,17,18; 3:31), for “THIS is the rest and THIS is the refreshing” that many don’t know that they need.
Each day has the potential to be a glorious “day of His power,” sublimely equipped with revelation knowledge imparted Spirit to spirit to those who engage their hearts to ENQUIRE of God; set their minds to ENCOUNTER God and who stir themselves up to LAY HOLD on Him by diligently practising the Presence of our God and King.
This is “the TREASURE we have in our earthen vessels,” the temples of His Spirit being the clay upon which He exercises His power which is latent within us (Eph 1:19; 3:20), for release by His Spirit through discerning, timely application of the inspired counsel freely received for OUR glory (1 Cor 2:7), in the sweetness of patient, intimate communion and confidential fellowship with Him EARLY in the day (Ps 88:13; 119:45,147; Prov 8:30-36; 2 Cor 4:7)
Not “but” as in “BUT the body is of Christ” (Col 17b), but “now” as in “now (that) the body is of Christ,” because the meaning which THAT time-related construction confers upon the passage is diametrically opposite to the conventional wisdom of most of the church, which is that Passover, for instance, was summarily repealed by the Gospel because it’s possible for a pagan festival to be sanctified in its place and enrolled into the service of the Gospel with impunity.
On the contrary, the “weak and beggarly elements” of the PAGAN patterns and forms of worship (including secular idolatry) to which we former Gentiles were held in bondage, which include pagan memorial days (pseudo “holydays,” not the Hebrew Appointed Times of Col 2:16) and pagan calculation of “…months and times and years,” are to be abhorred and untouched (Gal 4:8-11), because they cannot be cleansed, as Deut 7:5,6; 12:30b-32; Jer 10; 2 Cor 6:17,18 remind us.
In other words, do not serve YHVH in ANY of the manner in which the nations serve their idols.
That means absolutely no adoption of practices foreign to the “everlasting covenant” which is rooted in the Torah and the Prophets (Acts 24:14; Heb 13:20,21).
This INCLUDES pagan naming and pagan formulae for day and date-setting of holydays, as Rome uses for Babylon’s Ishtar observance which they reconstituted as Eastre/Easter, in defiance of Ex 12’s precise stipulations for the annual scheduling of the LORD’s Passover Feast of Unleavened Bread on the 15th day of the 1st month (Nisan/Aviv) of the Biblical calendar year (falling this year on the evening of April 5th to evening of April 13th 2023) which He will keep on His return (Lk 22:1,16-18; 1 Cor 5:7,8), and Ex 23:13’s ban on even mentioning the identity of idolatrous entities.
The correct sense that would be derived from Col 2:16,17 by that simple change from ‘but’ to ‘now’ (quite legitimate according to the Greek), is that the RESIDENT Anointing in our temples of the INDWELLING Holy Spirit now fulfils prophecy by MAGNIFYING the ORIGINAL Shabbat and Feasts under Y’shua-Jesus’ easy yoke to “make (them) honourable” (Is 42:21; Matt 5:19; 11:27,29,30; 1 Jn 5:3), bringing greater clarity to their endless prophetic purpose (as a shadow of what is yet to come), and greater Glory to God the Father through their practice in both His, and in Y’shua’s honour (Is 56:6; Mk 2:27,28; Jn 5:23; 1 Cor 5:7,8) as Heir of all things, as Master with all authority in heaven and on earth, whose unchangeable Passover ordinance is included in Matt 5:19,48; 28:18-20 & 1 Cor 11:1,2.
We need to pay close attention to what the Spirit is communicating in Gal 4:8-11.
In Gal 4:10, not by any stretch of the imagination is Paul disclaiming, disowning and knocking-down the Fourth Commandment (Shabbat) and the classic Hebrew Feasts of YHVH which are the premier teaching platform and conceptual spiritual tools to achieve His unwavering vision and goal of purification of “one new man” (one new quality of humanity) as “the same body” (Lk 1:33; Acts 7:38) now enlarged and augmented by incorporation in Messiah of a remnant from the nations by adoption (Rom 11; 15:10-12; Eph 2:11,12,15; 3:6).
Gal 4:8-10 is a pointed accusation – an indictment of apostasy against naïve, wilful believers who, having “turned to God from the power of satan, from darkness to light to receive forgiveness” for repentance for sin (Acts 26:18) have RELAPSED into sin by renewed preference for PAGAN custom (customs by which they were “in service to them which by nature are non-gods”) (verse 8), and are in danger of being “cut off” for refusing ongoing sanctification by faith by becoming recusants (one who refuses to conform to sound doctrine), in effect renouncing their adoption by grace by rejecting the House of Jacob, God’s adopting nation and house of prayer for all nations whom Shabbat and the Feasts identify as the “one fold,” the Household of YHVH (Is 56:6-8; Jer 10:1-12,16; Lk 1:33; Jn 10:16; Acts 3:22,23; Rom 11:22; Eph 2:11,12,19; 2 Thess 2:13-15).
So great care needs to be exercised in reading Paul, as Peter warns (2 Peter 3:14-18).
Paul’s complaint is with misuse (corruption) of the Word (2 Cor 2:17; 4:1,2) and subservience to commandments and doctrines OF MEN and their traditions (Mk 7:1-13; Col 2:8,22), rather than to the holy yoke of Heaven’s will being done on earth (Matt 5:19; 6:9,10; 11:29,30).
So Gal 4:8-11, Col 2:16,17 & 2 Thess 2:15 are three irrefutable witnesses (AS substantive and conclusive as three corroborating witnesses in a court trial of truth) to the perpetuity of the Biblical Sabbath and Feasts, and all RELATED teachings (which is considerable by any standard), discoverable from Genesis to Revelation by making diligent search, by the Spirit (2 Cor 13:1,5).
The Ten Commandments’ seventh day Sabbath (Shabbat) and the Feasts of Ex 23:12-17 are equally the heritage of Jew and Gentile in the good, natural olive tree, which is defined as the forever House of Jacob (Lk 1:33) which was constituted in Ex 19:5-8 as the holy nation and household of the God of the Hebrews.
There is one law for REDEEMED Jew and Gentile (Rom 2:13; 3:31; James 1:22-25; 2:12).
Who then took the decision to de-commission and re-purpose Sun day (the first working day of the Biblical six day working week) and discard Shabbat; and keep a partial Shavuo’t (‘Pentecost’) but discard the Passover (Lk 22:1,16-18) and Feast of Tabernacles (Zech 14), and why?
Could it be that the Passover and Sukkot (Tabernacles) emphatically endorse Israel’s national and territorial legitimacy according to God’s people’s Biblical boundaries (Ezekiel 47:13-23); and that “hatred for Zion” characterized the compromised priesthood which made a pact with the devil NEVER to agree to Israel’s birthright and which under the umbrella of Imperial Rome usurped the pre-eminence of the House of Jacob?
And where in the New Testament Books is it written that we are urged to follow Paul’s example of his stout defence of the original teaching of the Gospel (Phil 1:6,7; Jude vs 3), to confirm and defend the endowment of these Appointments between Israel and their God, even upon us as our heritage too, as their co-heirs in Messiah and partakers of their promises?
Read on.
Let’s pause a moment to reflect on the power, substance and unique sanctity of Shabbat and the two fundamental Feasts that were ignorantly repudiated.
The “holy solemnities” mentioned in Is 30:29 and 33:20, which are the LORD’s perpetual Feasts which identify Him as Israel’s God and which attest to His majesty, power, mercy and grace, have nothing to do with Gentile substitutes.
The Passover Feast of Unleavened Bread is the foundational Biblical pattern for our salvation-deliverance by “Christ our Passover” (1 Cor 5:7,8) and of our baptism and refinement by sanctification by the Spirit (1 Cor 10:1-11; 2 Thess 2:13,14), as well as being God’s solemn promise to REPATRIATE Israel to possess ALL of Abraham’s landed inheritance, to be saved there (Gen 15:13-16; Ex 6:5-8; 23:13-17; Deut 6:23-25; Ezek 36).
The Feast of Tabernacles is the memorial of YHVH’s faithfulness to Israel on Exodus and to us on OUR probationary wilderness journey to spiritual maturity, to “keep us (through all life’s circumstances) by His power by faith unto salvation (final redemption – Rom 8:23; 1 Peter 1:2-9),” to prepare a “holy and blameless” bride as “one new man” obedient to Is 56:6 (the thumbnail description of the responsibilities of the redeemed) to prove worthy of inheritance of the world and age to come (Lk 20:35; Eph 1:4; 4:11-14,23,24; Col 1:21-23,28,29).
Sukkot (Tabernacles) is also God’s definite promise that as “chief of nations” living “alone” (no two-state abomination), immoveable from their homeland (Gen 12:7; Nu 23:9; Deut 33:28; Amos 9:11-15), the promise to Israel’s fathers confirmed on the Cross (Gen 17:8; Ps 105:8-11; Jer 31:7,10,17,31-36; Rom 15:8), Israel WILL be held in high esteem (Is 60-62,65,66) by the nations who will either serve Israel’s Biblical interests by recognizing Israel’s sovereign kingdom-nation status in the covenant (Ex 19:5-8; Deut 26:16-19; 2 Sam 7:23-29; Is 9:6,7; Jer 31-33; Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32; 2:32; Acts 1:6,7) and its precisely prescribed Biblical borders, or they’ll be desolated, ruined, even destroyed by the curse for rebellion against YHVH’s order-in-election of His Hebrew household as “Israel My son, even My firstborn” (Gen 12:2,3; Ex 4:22,23; Ps 137:5-8; Is 60:12; Is 46:13; Zech 14:16-19; Lk 1:32,33; Eph 2:11,12,19).
The genuine seventh day Sabbath is not only the Memorial of Creation, but is the weekly reinforcement of these Hebrew promises, as the covenant sign (Ex 31:13,16) that the purpose-in-election of Israel as adopting nation (Rom 11) for sanctification of heirs of the world (Acts 26:18,20; Rom 4:13,16; 15:16-18), stands forever.
With that in mind, what we need to recognize, to “awaken to righteousness” from slumber induced by the occult spin of the narcotic which is Replacement Theology (1 Cor 15:34), is that ‘paradosis’ (tradition) in 2 Thess 2:15, encompasses BOTH teachings AND sanctified traditions, and that merely translating paradosis as “teachings” while vehemently defending UNAUTHORIZED, PRESUMPTUOUSLY REVAMPED Roman appointments at the expense of our Father’s PERPETUAL Holy Appointments, which the Son has unequivocably ratified in His Blood, is HYPOCRISY at its worst.
Col 2:16,17 confirms Is 56:6-8 (“the Hebrew house of prayer for all nations” cross-referenced in Jn 10:16 as the “one fold” of Eph 2:11,12) “now (that) ‘the (same) body’ (Acts 7:38; Lk 1:33) is of the Messiah” (Matt 11:37; Col 2:17; Eph 3:6) and becoming increasingly Hebraic (Messianic) as more and more Jews acknowledge Y’shua as Messiah, pending the cutting off of all who deny Him and His sayings (Deut 18:18,19; Acts 3:22,23; Matt 7:13-27; 21:41-44; Jn 5:40-47; 8:51,52; Acts 13:45,46).
Most Christians read Colossians 2:16-17 under a cloud of denominational and doctrinal bias, as supposed validation that the Torah is obsolete (impossible given its rôle according to Matt 5:19; Rom 2:6-13,26; 3:20b,31; 7:22,25; 8:4; 1 Tim 1:8-11; 2 Tim 2:5 & 3:14-17).
Their chief, specific target is customarily the continue observance of the one-and-only Shabbat of Gen 2:2,3 and the related BIBLICAL Hebrew festivals (Holydays/Holy Convocations), followed by clamorous objection to BIBLICAL (not rabbinical) dietary laws, which include the basic table fellowship requirements in Acts 15:19,20.
We’re going to see how great an error can result from the grievous misstep of translator-selection of an INAPPROPRIATE participle as a conjunction.
To crown the revelation awaiting the honest student in Col 2:17 here is the digital Strong’s Concordance entry, comparing “but” (an ‘ADVERSATIVE’ participle, perfectly suiting Rome and her daughters who are implacably ADVERSARIAL to Zion’s moedim/” solemnities”/Holy Convocations – Is 33:20) with “now,” a ‘CONTINUATIVE’ participle, perfectly supporting the perpetuity (present continuous tense) of the LORD’s ordinances confirmed by Paul (1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2) as noteworthy traditions, in 2 Thess 2:15, to help ensure we AVOID falling away (defect from the truth as apostates).
Every one of us is hugely indebted to Strong’s for pointing out that the participle “now” is AS substitutable in the received Greek verse as “but,” in Col 2:17, but is by no means preferable to “now” without twisting Y’shua’s intention, and when the verse is amended accordingly, to rather read “…NOW (that) the body is of Christ (the Messiah),” it instantly exposes the heavy doctrinal bias toward Roman appointments in the King James Version and just about all other translations, and we discover that Col 2:16,17 & 2 Thess 2:15 are PARALLEL verses, both urging the believer NOT to be judged by those who know no better, and not to be shaken by persecution, for having the good sense and backbone NOT to be bewitched by benighted human tradition.
Most translations other than the King James Version are equally misleading (such as “…the SUBSTANCE [or reality] is of [or, belongs to] Christ”), exposing an alarming Protestant bias against SCRIPTURAL Appointments as nothing less than hypocritical apologetics in defence of ROMAN meddling with the faith, to keep pagan converts happy by retaining their former holydays – which Paul alludes to in his remonstrating with the Galatians for backsliding to the observances of idols, in Gal 4:8-11.
As Romans in the Roman colony of Philippi in Macedonia said in response to Paul’s championing of the Godly customs of Torah- and New Covenant-sanctioned Sabbaths and Feasts: “…These men (Paul and Silas), being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, teaching CUSTOMS which are NOT LAWFUL for us to RECEIVE, neither to OBSERVE, being ROMANS” (Acts 16:20,21; 21:20-24; 28:17; Rom 3:31), a lame defence of apostasy if there was ever one, and which has not changed, to this very day.
Rome personifies ‘the decrees of the nations’ and is simply not interested in honouring Zion’s God’s DEEPEST desires, such as Israel’s unquestionable birthright to and sovereignty over HIS Land – Ps 68:29-35; 122:2-9; 132:11-18; Jer 27:5; Ezek 36; 47:13-23; Acts 17:26), and His ‘traditionary law’ stipulations for their everlasting well-being.
Nothing affirms Rome’s fateful identity as endtime Babylon more conclusively, than its peremptory refusal of the God of Israel’s Meeting Times with His set apart congregations, and that’s that.
This resulted in the persecution of Paul and Silas and the amazing ensueing testimony of deliverance for Paul and salvation for the keeper of the prison, described in Acts 16:22-40.
Col 2:16 clearly describes TORAH sabbatical tradition which is the backstory to continuity of the perpetual moedim confirmed by Y’shua and the Apostles – prophetically speaking, Messianic practice of Shabbat and the Feasts casts their shadow BACK over pre-Messianic practice, so great will be the glory of Torah in Messiah (2 Cor 3:8,9) “NOW (THAT) the (same) body (as before) (Acts 7:38) is of Christ (Lk 1:33; Eph 3:6).
Should it surprise us that the Hellenized translators, sincerely deceived in this matter, chose a conjunction that served the assumptions propagated by Replacement Theology, rather than the CONTINUATIVE part of speech, “NOW,” which Strong notes is “OFTEN unexpressed in English,” and which exactly reflects the continuity, forever, of the Lev 23 & Deut 16 Appointments, to the Glory of YHVH, as His irreplaceable, untransferable, indissoluble Personal Testimonies (Ps 119:111).
Word: de
Pronounce: deh
Strongs Number: G1161
Orig: a primary participle (either ADVERSATIVE or CONTINUATIVE) – BUT, also, and, moreover, NOW (often unexpressed in English).
As a put-down of the LORD’s Feasts, “but” in the KJ Version of Colossians 2:17 has worked brilliantly, throwing a spanner in the works of consecration and sanctification of the church, despite the fact that it is one of a FEW alternative options dismissed by scholars prejudiced against Feast teaching traditions they did not fully understand.
The misguided choice of this little part of speech (“but”) under the seductive influence of Replacement Theology, is robbing countless believers of the full measure of the profound blessing offered in the vast promise of Isaiah 58:14 to those who do righteousness at all times (Ps 50:23; 106:3; 1 Jn 2:28,29; 3:7-10) and who keep the SEVENTH day of the week Holy, according to the commandment to treat the Ten Words as INDIVISIBLE (Gen 2:2,3; Ex 20:8-11; 31:13-17; 34:27,28,32; Is 56:6-8; Matt 12:8; Mk 2:27,28; Heb 4:1-11).
The “everlasting covenant” of the seventh day Creation Shabbat, the indelible covenant sign of YHVH’s Sovereignty over His people (Ex 31:13,16), AND the binding factor between Jew and Gentile – the amalgam of the “one new man” in the natural olive tree that represents the grace of Hebrew adoption as seed of Abraham and proves we are set apart in the House of Jacob in Messiah (Lk 1:32,33; Rom 11; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6), is an indispensable Biblical tradition upon which the call to be conformed to the image of the Messiah is based, because it is the first of YHVH’s Appointments as the first of His ways for the sanctification of His bride (Rom 8:4,29).
Colossians 2:16,17 is the New Covenant AFFIRMATION (along with 2 Thess 2:15) of the PERPETUITY of the Ex 23:12-17; Lev 23 and Deut 16 Sabbath and Feasts.
New Moon (new Hebrew month inaugurations as in Exodus 12:2) and the weekly Shabbat from antiquity, will headline the essential continuity of these important traditions during the coming millennial Kingdom of David (Is 9:6,7; 66:24; Lk 1:32,33; Mk 11:10).
Colossians and 2 Thessalonians ENDORSE Is 56:6 & 58:12-14, which are both Messianic prophecies recalling backslidden Israel and the Hellenized church to the tried and proven sanctified and blessed ancient paths, in order to fulfil the duties of honourable covenant-keeping sons, to be fully pleasing to God in obedience to righteousness (Lk 17:10; Rom 2:13,26; 3:31; 6:12-22; 8:4-14; Heb 5:9; 13:20,21).
Anyone referring to Strong’s Concordance will find that its definition of “traditions” (paradosis) in 2 Thess chapter 2:15 in the context of the falling away of the church (verses 3-15), goes beyond the generic word ‘teachings’ deceitfully chosen in many translations which are disrespectful to the full counsel, to define the meaning of the Greek, as the ‘Jewish (Hebraic) traditionary law’ which no-one can abrogate, since the BIBLICAL Hebrew traditions are PERMANENT.
That fact should be written on every true worshipper’s heart.
Let’s wrap up with yet another very important observation in 2 Thess 2.
Notice how Paul is having to deal with dreamers (deluded by the sorcery of the imagination) in 2 Thess 2:1-3 who’ve been sowing discomforting, unsettling confusion about end time events by posing as Paul’s spokesmen (verse 2) – pretended revelation of the Spirit by word or letter ALLEGEDLY from Paul, not denying the second coming and the Scriptural catching away of the bride, as in “the COMING of our LORD Y’shua-Jesus the Messiah and by our GATHERING unto Him” (verse 1), but rashly claiming “that the day of the Messiah is AT HAND” (verse 2).
The Apostolic rebuttal is DECISIVE: “…that day SHALL NOT come, except there come a FALLING AWAY FIRST, and (moreover), that man of sin be REVEALED, (deifying himself in the Third Temple, as) the (anti-Christ) son of perdition” (verse 3&4), AND that THAT circumstance is being restrained (“ye know what WITHHOLDETH”) until the appointed time allows (verses 5-8).
“Let no man deceive you BY ANY MEANS…” says Paul.
This is a life and death issue.
An unprepared fiancé has no future (Rev 19:7-9; 20:6).
Paul seizes on the opportunity to straight-talk the congregations on the NECESSITY to be wise to the need to “occupy” themselves waiting and “looking for the mercy” of resurrection to life for the FAITHFUL (Lk 17:10; 19:13,14 KJV; Jn 5:24,28,29; Rom 2:6,7; 1 Peter 1:13,14; Jude vs 21), by learning to “keep the Word of My patience (conscientiously keep covenant, precept by precept) (Is 28:9-13; Rev 3:10; 14:6,7,12) by mastering sound doctrine (Eph 4:11-17) by “stand(ing) fast” (staying grounded in all truth, unshaken, unmoved by insult and criticism of the narrow path, resisting fear and persevering, at all costs) and “hold(ing)” (seizing, retaining)” the terms of separation (the criteria of virtuous conduct which make Godliness the plumbline) detailed in the covenant, to avoid falling away from the faith, by heeding the reproof, correction and training in the righteousness of sound doctrine verified by the Torah and the Prophets (2 Tim 3:14-17).
Especially, being sure to be in attendance, assembling before the Presence at all the Times APPOINTED by BIBLICAL “tradition,” not human tradition (Ex 23:14; Ps 42:2,4; Is 56:6; 2 Thess 2:15; Heb 10:23-31) in order to be assured of “the crown of righteousness” we need to attain, by “striving for masteries” of the Way to walk before God and be perfect (Gen 17:1; Matt 5:19,48) to be “wholly sanctified…”, acceptable candidates for the bride (Lk 20:21; Acts 10:35; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Phil 3:10-17; 1 Thess 5:23; 1 Tim 6:11-14; 2 Tim 2:5; 3:14-17; 4:3-8).
It follows that 2 Thess 2:3-15 is a condensed end time exhortation on the READINESS of WISE virgins (to receive the spotless Bridegroom), against the background of dreadful apostasy (always triggered by the secret power of iniquity) that will sink the hopes of the lax, complacent “many” who’ve been unconvinced of the need to “find” the narrow path which leads to eternal life (Matt 7:13,14).
Paul knew on the authority of his Saviour that salvation will be CONFIRMED in only a relatively small remnant of professing believers who yield to the Spirit to be sanctified by belief in the truth to obtain one degree of glory to the next (Jn 17:17,19; Acts 5:32; 2 Cor 3:18; 2 Thess 2:13,14), just as “they are not ALL Israel which are OF Israel” due to a raft of flesh related issues that contradicted the Word (Is 1:9; 9:6; Matt 7:13,14,21-24; 25:10-12; Rom 11:5,14; 1 Cor 1:8; 10:5-11), and that deceitful prophesying of a FORESHORTENING of the probationary period mercifully provided for, for sanctification of a SINCERELY repentant, willing and OBEDIENT remnant (Is 1:19,20; Acts 5:31,32; Phil 1:9-11; 2:12,13; Heb 2:10,11; 5:9; 12:28; 1 Peter 1:13-17) will inevitably result in a FAR SMALLER FRACTION of believers meeting the Refiner’s test of purity (Mal 3:3; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Jn 3:3,4,7).
Transformation into chaste virgins is MILITATED AGAINST by one’s soul being far from conformed to the CHARACTER of the WAYS of God which produces the IMAGE and likeness of God in Messiah Y’shua (Lk 20:21; Rom 8:29; 12:1,2; Heb 1:1-3).
So Paul (and Peter) thundered against the voices of anyone used by satan to devalue, debunk or hinder our pursuit of perfection of holiness in “ALL our manner of conversation [life]” (Ps 50:5,23; 1 Cor 7:19; 2 Cor 7:1; Phil 1:27; 2 Peter 3:11-18) which is possible only by full consecration to purification through grateful acceptance of necessary trials of the obedience of our faith and faithfulness, to be established in the righteousness of a perfected walk in all the will of God by “living for righteousness” (1 Jn 3:7; 1 Peter 2:24).
Ideally, doing “nothing against the truth” in order to avoid any charge of being “reprobate” – a tall order on which the indwelling Holy Spirit is WELL ABLE TO DELIVER, leaving no-one with an excuse for their defilement by sin (Mk 9:49; Rom 1:5; 3:31; 5:3-5; 15:16-18; 16:19,26; 1 Cor 3:17; 2 Cor 2:9,10; 10:5; 13:6-8,11; Col 1:28; 4:12; 1 Jn 3:3-10).
We from the nations with whom God did not covenant (the reason to thank Him for His great mercy – Jer 31:31-34; Rom 15:7-12; Eph 2:11,12) would have no opportunity to be groomed by the Holy Spirit to be part of the BRIDE had the God of Jacob, Israel’s Husband, not promised to “betroth Himself…” to a remnant of the House of Judah and the House of Israel FOREVER (Is 54:5-8; Hosea 2:19-23; Lk 1:33) as THEY AND WE the redeemed in the church of YHVH (which belongs to the House of Jacob as “the congregations from the fountain of Israel” – Ps 68:26; Lk 1:33), repair the “great breach(es)” of faith and covenant which have disgraced historic VIRGIN ISRAEL and the church for generations (by profaning the holiness of His everlasting covenant under the sway of every wind of doctrine – Is 58:12-14; Jer 6:16; 14:17; 16:19; Hosea 4:6; 8:1-12; Mal 1:6; 2:5-11; Eph 4:14; Heb 10:26-39; 13:20,21).
Keeping the paramount, stately, sublimely weighty (‘kavod’), founding, spiritual compass setting Gal 4:8-11; Col 2:16,17 & 2 Thess 2:15 time-related precepts (which are Deity’s “Testimonies” lending depth and structure to revelation – Ps 25:10,14; 93:1,5; 119:111,152 – in the form either of commandments or ordinances, tucked into Matt 5:19; Rom 3:31; 1 Cor 7:19 & 11:1,2 for further corroboration) in awe of all the beauty of their Holiness as repositories of treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ, is PIVOTAL to abiding in the Vine in the Father’s PERFECT will (never mind what our parents/forebears were led to believe – Jer 16:19), to be presented to the LORD as the consummate, “chaste virgin” “Israel of God,” “unashamed before Him at His coming” “knowing that everyone who DOETH righteousness, is born of Him” because “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (Lk 1:33; Gal 6:16; Eph 2:10; 5:26,27; Col 1:28; 2 Cor 11:1,2; James 2:14,17; 1 Jn 2:28,29; 3:7,10).
In short, take the Scriptures at face value, always relying on the discipline of the infallible Berean test, of discovery by the Spirit of two or three corroborating or disapproving witnesses from the Torah and the Prophets (Acts 17:11; 24:14; 2 Cor 13:1,5; 2 Tim 3:14-17) to validate or rebut any assumption about what is true, to put paid to conjecture, to eliminate error, to cure unbelief.
As a priority, urgently heed Rev 18:4,5 and in the FIRST instance, return in repentance to the concentrated shalom, unique sanctity and the Glory of the manifest Presence of Father and Son on the Sabbath made for man and decreed for our great blessing by the Fourth Commandment (Ex 20:8-11; Is 58:13,14; Matt 12:8; Mk 2:27,28; Jn 14:21-24); then return to the seven day Passover Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lk 22:1,16-18; 1 Cor 5:7,8); and the genuine, unabridged, undiluted ‘Pentecost’ (that is, Shavuo’t [“weeks”], identified by the ‘omer count’ of seven Biblical seventh day Sabbaths from Passover, plus one day, NOT fifty days counted as seven illegitimate ‘Sunday sabbaths’ – Lev 23:15,16, not a trivial distinction); and finally each Biblical Feast cycle, to the seven plus one mystery “great last day” of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot: “Booths/huts” – Zech 14:16-19; Jn 7:37-39) and stay with the cycle to experience exponential spiritual growth and favour with YHVH your ELOHIM, by glorifying the Son as their Master (e.g. Mk 2:27,28).
Overcomers attain the crown of righteousness by developing a love for nuanced understanding of our magnificent covenant
Final word:
The God of the Hebrews’ deliverance of Israel’s firstborn (males, human and animal) by passing through Egypt and over the sprinkled doorframes of the children of Israel’s homes (Ex 12:12,13), as proof of His Eternal Supremacy and Divine Royal Prerogative to both form and MAKE, BREAK and RANK nations (Deut 7:6-12; 26:16-19; 28:1-14; Rom 32:8,9; Ps 72:11; Is 60:12; Jer 10:25), became the pretext to henceforth define and identify HIS nation, Israel as a whole, as “Israel is My son, even MY firstborn,” thereby establishing Israel’s PERMANENT PRECEDENCE in Christ the only Begotten Son and Firstborn from the dead, as irrevocably His firstfruits and adopting nation by the election of grace, confirming God’s promises to the fathers (Ex 4:21-23; Jer 31:7,10,17,21-36; Lk 1:33; Rom 1:16; 11:1-7,11-29; 15:8; Acts 3:19-26).
Easter has buried this tightly interwoven Passover revelation knowledge from the general view and therefore from the consciousness of the mainstream church, adding to Israel’s distress over the generations, because Easter’s (and Sunday’s) architects have treated the Architect, Builder and Owner of the Universe (El Olam) with contempt through SELECTIVE OMISSION of truth, for which Y’shua’s Feasts are the remedy.
The remedy, because they were conceived in order to INTEGRATE the knowledge of the Atonement by the Lamb of YHVH, with the entire unifying prophetic vision and purpose of God for Israel and the nations, in the Messiah (Eph 1:10; 2:11,12,15,19; Col 1:16-20) in order to raise up a remnant wise to Torah Instruction as righteous Abraham was (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5; 2 Tim 3:14-17), to be inspired curators of Biblical history and prophecy, to be entrusted with a world without end (Is 45:17) under the everlasting Reign of the Monarchy of the House of Jacob under YHVH-Immanu El, “with us” as the Word Incarnate as the Son of David, for all of which purpose the Gospel is defined as “the SURE MERCIES of David” (Is 7:13,14; 9:6-8; 45:17-25; 55:1-5; Lk 1:32,33; Acts 13:32-39; Rom 4:13,16).
The immemorial (because of the Lamb slain before Creation) and “perpetual” Passover AND the one and only Sabbath/’Shabbat’ of “Christ our Passover”) which is linked-in as the ‘Prologue’ to the LORD’s Feasts, by Gen 2:2,3/Deut 5:12-15; Ex 12:12-14,17,24; 1 Cor 5:7,8; Rev 13:8b) demonstrate how important it is for us all (Jew and Gentile in the SAME Hebraic olive tree) to adhere to the FRAMEWORK of our three-fold sanctification (1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13-15) which the Biblical Feasts REPRESENT as milestones in a straight and narrow, WINNING race founded on the Way, in the Messiah (Matt 7:13-27; 1 Cor 9:24-27; 2 Tim 2:5), because YHVH’s inimitable Appointed, or Set Times are demarcated as CHECKPOINTS for us to individually assess the degree of our doctrinal purity to “keep ourselves in the LORD’s love” by being sure we’re consistently walking in the light (Ex 13:3-16; Prov 6:23; Lk 20:21; 2 Cor 13:5; 1 Jn 1-3; Jude vs 3:21-25).
This is the essence of what the Holy Spirit is impressing upon us in Gal 4:8-11, Col 2:16,17 and 2 Thess 2:15.
Let’s learn our lesson well, for only then will we be partaking of the same grace as Paul, for the defence and confirmation of the genuine Gospel of the Kingdom which for the better part of 2000 years, has “suffered violence” (Phil 1:7)
Y’shua-Jesus’ instruction to us through Paul to keep the perpetual ordinance of His Feast of Unleavened Bread which is called the Passover (Ex 12:14,17,24; Lk 22:1,16-18), in the interests of being “wholly sanctified spirit, soul and body” (1 Thess 5:23) in order to avoid falling away (2 Thess 2:13-15), should make us very sensitive to the need to study the lessons of the Passover and the wilderness Exodus which are the pattern for “everlasting salvation” through “Christ (the Messiah) our Passover” (Is 45:17-23; 1 Cor 5:7,8; 11:1,2).
This vital detail has been squandered by the church’s diversion from designated meeting times by human tradition by which false apostles have made merchandise of the seed of Abraham and of the true church (Ekklesia/Kahal) of YHVH, the everlasting House of Jacob amongst whom the believing remnant from the nations is mercifully grafted in, and to which we are to cleave, as their inheritance (Is 14:1; 49:5-8; 54:3; 55:1-5; Lk 1:33; Rom 11; 15:8-15; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6; Gal 3:29).
No Christian should be ignorant of the definition of “traditions” (paradosis) in the core endtime falling away passage in 2 Thess 2:15.
Jesus was sent to CONFIRM these Hebrew Appointments (the answer to “WHEN shall I come and appear before YHVH” in Ps 42:2,4) FOR OUR SANCTIFICATION, as surely as the cutting of the New Covenant in His Blood “confirms the promises to the fathers,” because the covenant promises and the sanctified and blessed weekly seventh day Shabbat (Ex 20:8-11) and its seven related Holy Convocations (what Strong’s confirms as Hebrew traditionary law of which Y’shua is now Master) go hand-in-hand as God’s Personal Testimonies of His love, mercy, faithfulness and vast creative power, and of His purpose and plan for our good (Ps 25:10; 119:111; Is 56:6-8; Matt 12:8; Mk 2:28; Rom 15:8)
This CONFIRMS that the historical Holy Appointments between Israel and their God, are indeed PERPETUAL ordinances and commandments.
Shadows of what is yet to come in the distant future. Now Messianic in stature, now that the remnant of “the same (Hebraic) body” is of Messiah (Acts 7:38; Lk 1:33; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6), hence Shabbat and the Feasts overshadowing the originals with far greater glory in the Messiah (Is 56:6; Mk 2:27,28), just as the latter day redeemed remnant House of Jacob to which Jew and Gentile saved by grace, belong, is on track for the greatest ever glory (Is 46:13; Haggai 2:6,7; Lk 1:33; 2:32).
Let’s now investigate the question of criteria for healing.
Don’t be alarmed by the frequent mention of “Hebrew” in this study, because every seed of “Abram the HEBREW” (Gen 14:13) has become a hebrew by the grace of adoption through baptism into Y’shua-Jesus, the Seed of Abraham and Lion of Judah (Gal 3:16,29)
“The LORD is a man of war…I AM YHVH Who heals you” (Ex 15)
“…there was NOT ONE FEEBLE amongst their Tribes” (Ps 105:37)
Jer 7:22-29 (read in full, see image above)
When, we may well ask, is healing unconditional and when is it conditional, bearing in mind that both covenant remedies are procured by faith because the miraculous is always by “the hearing of faith” (Rom 10:17) if we are to realize the benefits promised in Ex 15:26 and Is 53.
Has anyone reading this seriously pondered 1 Cor 11:27-31, the matter-of-fact itemization of the terrible cost (“eating and drinking damnation [a sentence, a verdict of judgment]…”) of presumption and unworthiness?
The truth is unpacked below.
There are nuances we need to master, to understand the subject of Divine healing, to understand the distinction between the grace (gratuitous healing and rejuvenation) received in Ps 105:37, and the grace for sanctification under which obedience is the only sacrifice by which promises are assured, because holiness is too great a need for integrity and sustained health and well-being of the ENTIRE Creation (Is 24:3-6; Rom 8:4,18-22), for even our most pressing personal needs to be fulfilled AT THE EXPENSE OF HOLINESS (1 Sam 15:22,23; Heb 10:5-8; 12:14,28; 1 Peter 1:13-17).
Our covenant-keeping God requires no less from us (Deut 7:9-12).
The New Covenant does not leave the Torah behind (Rom 3:31; Heb 8:8-12; 10:6) for the purpose of training in righteousness to align us with heaven in sound doctrine (Matt 6:9,10; 2 Tim 3:14-17)
The Universe can’t be renewed without manifestation of a remnant of true and faithful sons weaned from spiritual milk and liberated by the “rest and refreshing” of obedience to the covenant, and glorified by their sanctification in righteousness (Ps 119:45; Is 28:9-13; Jn 17:17,19; Rom 8:4,18-22,29,30; 2 Thess 2:13,14; Heb 2:10,11; 5:11-14; 12:1-29; 1 Jn 3:3-10).
The Gospel (Hebrew Glad Tidings of the King of Jacob – Is 41:21,27) is the Renewed (New) Covenant (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 13:20,21) “enjoined” (prescribed) to Israel (witness-nation-in-chief – Is 44:1-8; Jer 31:7; Rom 11:11-15,23-29) and the nations as YHVH’s final, refined Instructions in the “paths” or “the right ways” (ma’agalei tzedek) of “the Way” of righteousness (Ps 23:3; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14), for the Kingdom it has pleased Him to give us (Lk 17:21) to materialize in full view of all Creation as the glorious millennial Second Kingdom of David (Gen 12:3; Is 9:6,7; Gal 3:8,9; Mk 11:10; Heb 4:1,2; 9:20-23) through the witness of tried and proven sons “accounted worthy” to be heirs of that age and Royal dominion, the beginning of “everlasting righteousness” (Dan 9:24; Lk 20:35; Rom 4:13,16).
To be part of that inheritance, which is the stepping stone to the eternity of eternities, we need to pay attention to the ‘if’s’ in Ex 15:26; 19:5,6 & Deut 28:1,2,9, because just as there are t’s&c’s in the natural, so there are in the spiritual. God will not be mocked by the lawlessness of unrighteous thinking and behaviour plagueing His pristine Creation (Ps 106:3; Gal 6:7-10 Amplified Bible)
I’m
Our God’s chief attributes are His Righteousness Justice and His judicious Judgment (decision making) (Ps 97:2), the mirror of Truth. It’s the reason He is Light, which is the reason He is Love.
It is THAT root of Righteousness (Uprightness or Virtue, the SUM of every attribute of Deity) which is imputed to us by faith, as our “call to glory and virtue,” to make us His heirs (Rom 8:17; 2 Peter 1:3).
No wonder being CONFORMED to the “express image of His Person” in the Messiah, Who as the image of YHVH is “the brightness of His Glory,” by HIS Character being formed in our souls through experience of the crucible of refinement, is “the goal of our faith” (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 4:4; Heb 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:9).
UNTESTED faith cannot redeem us from episodes of relapse into the behaviours of the Adamic nature (Rom 7:22,23).
We are “heirs of the WORLD” by the righteousness of “the law of FAITH” (Rom 3:27), provided we submit to the purification of true sons (Heb 12), to ATTAIN the degree of purity of our MASTER’s Righteousness (the Righteousness of His Father) through suffering for righteousness, necessary to “win the Messiah,” to reign in Him, with and through Him (Phil 1:29; 3:10-17; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 Jn 3:3-10).
Mercy and Justice closely follow Righteousness.
Mercy triumphs over Judgment when we don’t contradict the LORD and ill-treat His Mercy
According to Ps 105:37, Israel was healed in God’s mercy BEFORE that same mercy liberated them from Goshen in Egypt.
Once saved and freed, to be held accountable to be a HOLY nation, by being acquainted with the Torah from His Mouth, to be sanctified (Job 22:21,22; Ex 19:5-8), healing became SUBJECT to their RESPONSE to the merciful gift of their salvation (Deut 7:9-15; Jer 7:22-29).
Plague and death are decreed for Torahlessness (sin) practised by the redeemed who foolishly take the sprinkled Blood for granted (e.g. Nu 16:49; 1 Cor 11:27-32; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Jn 3:3,4).
No wonder there are so many exhortations throughout Scripture, to take learning God’s ways seriously (Rom 2:6-13; 2 Cor 2:9; 1 Cor 7:19; 15:34; 1 Jn 2:28,29; 3:7,10; 1 Peter 1:14-17,22; 4:17; Rev 22:14,15,18,19)
So as a background, consider the sages’ conclusion that the experience of the Passover made Israel READY (willing and obedient) to receive Instruction in the Way of the LORD, to make good on His promise to Abraham that if he instructed his own household to keep the Way of YHVH, at least a remnant of the nation which his household after him would BECOME, would follow his example of faith and faithfulness (Gen 15:13-16; 18:18,19; 26:5; Ex 13:8,9).
Israel’s unanimous acknowledgment of God’s ways at Sinai (Ex 19:5-8; 24:7) was undoubtedly prompted by awe of YHVH for the miracles that secured their manumission (emancipation) from slavery to the iron furnace of the “field of Zoan” (Ps 78:43-53/Mitzrayim/Egypt.
It’s made clear to us through the traditional treatment of the fifty days (the ‘counting of the omer’) from Passover to Shavuo’t (‘Pentecost’), that Passover is INTERLOCKED with Shavuo’t by their being INTERDEPENDENT.
First, salvation by grace, THEN Instruction in “the doctrine according to Godliness” (1 Tim 6:3) to diligently learn application of Torah wisdom from the heart, by the Spirit (Rom 7:22,25; 8:4-14), for masteries of the Way (Lk 20:21; Rom 8:3,4; Eph 2:8-10; 2 Tim 2:5; Heb 5:11-14; 6:1-11; 10:16).
Is there any LESS emphasis in the New Covenant on brushing up on our knowledge of covenant precepts in order to pave the way to enjoy all the benefits of holiness? (Ps 103:1-5,17,18; 119:4,18,27,40,45,63,69,77,78,93,104).
Evidently NOT, according to PAUL and emphatically taught in Hebrews (Rom 2:13; 3:31; 1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2; Heb 8:8-12)
There were no pre-conditions for the immediate benefits of Passover other than the death of the lambs at the appointed time and the sprinkling of their blood and disposal of remains of the sacrifice (Ex 12:10,11) followed by instructions about transportation of unleavened bread for their service to YHVH on their Exodus as is done in commemoration by all Israel today and will be in the millennium (Ex 12:34-39; 13:3-10; Lk 1:22,16-18; 1 Cor 5:7,8); whereas AFTER the first Shavuo’t at Sinai, fulfilment of Israel’s promises were subject to submission to the commandmentS given in commandmenT (Ex 34:27,28,32) as proof of cleaving to YHVH, as is still true today, THOUGH NOT WIDELY ACCEPTED AS FACT (Deut 28:1-15; 30:10-20; 2 Jn vs 5&6).
We’ll see how this impacts conditionality of healing.
The events leading up to the first Passover, and then the various stages of the Exodus when open revolt seemed to be becoming the norm, is all about the difficulties of winning a centuries-long displaced, partly assimilated, emotionally wounded, increasingly oppressed people’s trust (Ex 6:9; 14:12), to actually believe that a hope and a future (a good “expected end”) awaits them (Jer 29:13,14), to establish the knowledge of the goodness of YHVH’s Character in their hearts (Ex 34:6,7), to follow Him alone, as their revered Loadstar, both singlemindedly and wholeheartedly as His witnesses-in-chief to the Way (Deut 4:5-8,39; Is 2:2-4; 44:1-8; Matt 5:19).
Their Sovereign healing (Ps 105:37) was both a practical necessity (to be fit to face the tests of sanctification that would separate the sheep from the goats) and an undeniable proof of their God’s tender mercy, multitude of compassions, loving- kindness and incomparable power, to bring them from initial deliverance through the sprinkled blood and the plague of the firstborn; to salvation from bondage to the reign of their implacable adversary and pursuer, Pharaoh, at the Red Sea; and finally, to acceptance for the entry of a PROVEN, purified remnant into the Abrahamic inheritance (Ps 105:8-11), through His power to transform lives by His workmanship through rigorous wilderness testings, just as He does today (Acts 10:35; Eph 2:10; 5:26,27; 2 Cor 5:9-11).
And then to transfer trust in His supreme power and faithfulness to do us good, to all future generations through the Testimony of the annual service of the Passover Ordinance (Ex 12:14,17,24) encapsulating the wisdom and understanding of the great miracle of Israel’s formation, edification and preservation as a nation through refining baptisms of fire under the covering of the Pillars of Cloud and Fire representing the Glory of the Presence of YHVH (Ex 10:2; 12:26,27; 13:8,9,10,16).
Having said that, let it be clearly understood that unconditional love (Jn 3:16) does not NECESSARILY imply UNCONDITIONAL healing.
Healing of the nation of Israel has always been secondary and subordinate to the healing of their SOULS.
We find that principle stated in John’s thumbnail description of the blessing of Abraham (Gal 3:8,9), in 3 Jn 2
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in (sound) health, EVEN AS THY SOUL PROSPERS”
He should know. He knew Y’shua best. Y’shua made him her son and she his mother as his final spiritual transaction before expiring.
He did so in recognition of John’s unquestionable loyalty; attentiveness to every facet of Y’shua’s ministry; and wholeheartedness towards doing the Word of Life for the love of YHVH (1 Jn 5:2&3) which made him the obvious choice to scribe the Book of Revelation which is the final call to Fear God, worship Him and honour HIS doctrine (Jn 19:25-30; 21:20-25; 2 Jn vs 5&6,9-11; Rev 3:10; 14:6,7,12; 22:14,15).
The notable EXCEPTION to healing being DEPENDENT upon soul- health (which is achievable only through being led in paths of righteousness in obedience to righteousness – Ps 23:3; Lk 21:19; Rom 6:12-22; 1 Peter 1:9), was Israel’s UNIVERSAL physical healing just before or more likely, during the exercise of the obedience of their faith towards the blood of sprinkling of their spotless lambs on “this is THAT night,” the first Passover night (the Eve of their Exodus – Nisan 15, Ex 12:42) prophesied in Gen 15:13-16, 400 years before (Gen 15:13), for them to be led by the Spirit of Messiah on an unfamiliar path by the invisible Messiah Who followed them as the Shepherd and Stone of Israel (Gen 49:24; Is 63:11-14; 1 Cor 10:1-4; Heb 11:26,27) to attain spiritual maturity under trial, for a SANCTIFIED remnant to be accounted worthy to inherit the HOLY Land.
THAT was a singular act of MERCY (Ps 105:37).
The soul is the seat of character.
Transformation of the fallen Adamic nature (by the “putting off of the old man” and its wrong ways – Rom 8:29; Eph 4:23,24; Col 2:6; 3:9,10) to replicate the “Divine Nature,” a task which would be incomplete unless we “walk in Messiah” in the ways COMPRISING “the Way,” by “putting on the new man” in truth and righteousness, to have access to the Everlasting Kingdom (1 Peter 1:1-11), necessitates salvation of the soul – namely, rehabilitation and sanctification of the mind, will and emotions in order to keep the unity of the faith for there to be unity of the Spirit, because once justified by faith, the Spirit will never DIVERT us from the precepts that are given to make us free (Jn 8:31-36; Rom 8:4-14; Eph 4:13,14; 1 Peter 1:9)
Souls cannot be purged, cleansed and sanctified, EXCEPT by purification by obedience to the righteousness of the commandments, by which we become PRACTICALLY and thereby MANIFESTLY righteous (Ps 119:172; Rom 3:31; 8:3-14; 15:16-18; 1 Cor 7:19; 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Jn 3:7,10; 1 Peter 1:13-17,22).
That’s the CONDITION for the renewal of the face of the earth (Ps 104:30; Rom 8:4,18-23)
Attainment of perfection of the SOUL (a third of our necessary three part sanctification – 1 Thess 5:23) is impossible without a consecrated, set apart lifestyle (Ps 50:5) of constant waiting on the LORD, ‘practising His Presence’ for the Light of the Glory of His all-sufficient Presence to BE the grace that performs that astonishing transformational work in us (1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 3:18) as proof of circumcised hearts (Col 2:10-12), by His intimate revelation knowledge and all surpassing power (Eph 1:19; 3:20) impressing His truth upon our spirits (which are the lamp of the LORD which receives the oil of His Presence) as we co-operate with Him to write His “holy, just, good, spiritual” laws of life on our fleshy hearts (Rom 7:12-16,22,25) in order to be taught their skilful application by His Spirit (Prov 7:1-3; 2 Cor 3:3,4; Heb 5:11-14; 8:8-12) in order for His will to be done on earth exactly as it is prescribed in heaven for there to be harmony between “the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer 33:25; Matt 6:9,10).
Paul would not have been unaware of the prayer of the Jewish sages: “LORD please set us aright before the counsel of Your Presence; purify our souls that we may serve You in truth”
That’s the whole purpose of the Gospel – rectification of our having “gone out of (fallen away from) the Way and having become unprofitable to God by our iniquities having separated us from Him (Rom 3:10-12).
In Acts and in each of his letters, Paul clearly demonstrates his awareness that repentance and reconciliation to God are not sufficient without embracing the wisdom of Torah as the apple of our eye, because it is our life, in Messiah – there’s no “remaining forever” inscribed for life, if we treat Instruction in the path of life as superfluous to salvation (Prov 4:5-13; 7:1-3; Rom 3:31; 2 Tim 3:14-17; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17)
Israel’s up-front, all-in physical restoration of young and old in Goshen was a singular act of MERCY (Ps 105:37).
Thereafter, wholeness would hinge on knowing and keeping covenant (Deut 7:9-15).
Nothing has changed.
WORTHINESS of the redeemed must be proved by “showing the Gospel” by producing abundant fruit of righteousness consistent with repentance which leads to sanctification, or our repentance is mere imposture, or sham (Lk 20:35; Acts 10:35; 26:18,20; Phil 1:9-11; 2:12-15; 3:10-17).
God will not be mocked by His precepts being set aside (Gal 6:7-10 Amplified Bible).
The criterion of worthiness has an even more stringent chain of tests under the New Covenant, BECAUSE the Spirit has been given to groom us “from glory to glory” for the pure, chaste-virgin remnant’s privilege of a crown of life, in recognition of perfection of character on the narrow path (Matt 7:13-27; Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 4:1-6).
New believers have great favour with God at the headwaters of their walk, because they aren’t expected to know and do much at the start (except the Ten Words and the Levitical table fellowship safeguards in Acts 15:19,20), their good confession before men in childlike acceptance of the Atonement which makes them clean by the hearing of faith (Jn 15:3), making them uncluttered and particularly receptive to the offer of “saving health” (Ps 67:2,3 KJV).
We don’t always grow in grace and appropriate knowledge on becoming novices. Being weaned off spiritual milk to find the liberty in the rest and refreshing which loving obedience provides (Mk 12:28-34), is usually a mission (Is 28:9-13; Heb 5:11-14).
We tend to become entangled and confused in the cross-droughts of every wind of doctrine; self-righteously disputative and thereby prey for resistance by satan, through all manner of eruption of the flesh. Error and unbelief plague the church just as it did in the wilderness (Ps 106:13,43; Ps 107:11; Acts 7:38; Eph 4:14).
Under the covering of the Blood, we’re not held judicially accountable in the early days of familiarization with the Scriptures, or the church would perish through defilement from sin which is Torahlessness – like a dog returning to its vomit (Gal 2:17-19; 1 Jn 3:3-10).
But once our investiture as children of light and our orientation in the Word is deemed complete, having been freely entered into the race (1 Cor 9:24-27), to make aliyah lawfully on the path of righteousness (the Way) which is “upward,” to final redemption (of our bodies) (Rom 8:23; 2 Tim 2:5), the benefits of salvation-grace become increasingly dependent on our scorecard for “TURNING from (vanities and) disobedience, to the wisdom of the just(ified)” (Ps 106:3; Lk 1:17; Acts 14:15; 10:35).
Every Passover memorial (with which Easter cannot compare) is a solemn reminder (reinforced by the weekly Shabbat – Deut 5:15) that our Sprinkling by the Lamb of YHVH Who is to be continually acknowledged as “the Messiah our Passover” by and through and for Whom we are translated into His Kingdom (1 Cor 5:7,8; Col 1:16) as the equivalent of Israel’s Passover deliverance and miraculous evacuation/extraction from Egypt, is “unto (re-consecration to wholehearted) OBEDIENCE”
“(We are the) elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification by the Spirit UNTO OBEDIENCE (as our response to our cleansing from sin by the) SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD of Y’shua the Messiah…because it is written: ‘Be ye Holy (in all your conduct and manner of living), for I am Holy,’ (as obedient children now knowing the requirements of the Gospel for righteousness and true holiness – Matt 28:20; Lk 17:10; Eph 4:11-14,23,24) pass the time of your sojourning here with reverence and Godly Fear” (1 Peter 1:2,14-13-17; Phil 2:12-15; Heb 12:14,28; Rev 14:6,7,12).
Why?
Because “ye are to be perfect (blameless, absolutely devoted to “doing nothing against the truth”) with your God” (Deut 18:13; Lk 6:40; Rom 2:13,26; 2 Cor 13:8,11; Col 1:21-23,28; 4:12) “for the commandment is a lamp and law (which is truth) is light; and reproofs of Instruction are the Way of life” (Prov 6:23; 7:1-3; Lk 20:21; Jn 12:47-50; 14:21-24; Jer 31:31-34/Heb 8:8-12; 10:16).
Unbeknown to followers of Replacement Theology, Communion is the Sacrament given to hold us ACCOUNTABLE to all the holy requirements of the New Covenant cut in the Blood of Y’shua’s Jerusalem Passover Crucixion, by “showing His death” not just by eating and drinking the symbols of Eternal Life entrance into which depends on FINDING and keeping to the narrow path (Matt 7:13,14), but by showing in point of fact by our sanctification by word and deed (Rom 15:16-18) that WE’RE “dead (with Him) to the law” (which means being lawabiding, in the Vine, not transgressors whom the law justly calls out for condemnation – Rom 3:19; 7:4-16,22,25; 2 Tim 2:5,11), or we are failing dismally to discern “the body of Messiah prepared for Him” through Myriam, to do all His Father’s will, with His Father’s law on His heart, as our perfected, impeccable Rôle-model for us to perfectly imitate (Ps 40:7,8; 1 Cor 11:26-32; Phil 2:12-15; Heb 2:10,11; 5:8,9; 7:26; 10:5-8; 1 Jn 2:3-6).
There’s no doubt that because of Replacement Theology, which dishonours the Blood, Communion has multiplied “weakness, sickness and premature death” (1 Cor 11:30-32) for refusal to accept the call to the holy vocation to learn to make essential distinctions, by prioritizing discerning the narrowness of the Way of Holiness (Is 34:8), to avoid destruction due to defilement of our temples by sin by NOT awakening to the demands of righteousness by not consulting Torah to know sound doctrine (Matt 7:13,14; Rom 2:6-13; 3:20b,31; 1 Cor 3:17; 15:34; 2 Tim 3:14-17).
The reason we’re given the covering of the Blood on probation, and God’s power through faith, is to be guarded while we learn righteousness to be obedient to righteousness (Is 51:1-7; Rom 6:12-22), to learn through trials of the sincerity of our commitment, to walk entirely in the light (1 Jn 1-3) to be eligible to fully inherit the final salvation (the redemption of the purchased possession – Rom 8:23; Eph 1:14) that is ready to be revealed to us on the last day (1 Peter 1:5-7).
WE choose whether Communion becomes a table of JUDGMENT (1 Cor 11:29,30), or LIBERTY (Ps 119:45) by seeking out the precepts of righteousness, to “walk (righteously after the Spirit) even as our Master walked” (Lk 6:40; Rom 8:4-14; 1 Tim 6:11-14; 1 Jn 2:3-6).
Only when we understand the REASON for the gruelling roundabout Exodus, which is the background (Ex 13:17,18; Jer 7:22) toy the CONDITIONAL promise in the Torah and the Prophets, “…that it may be WELL with you” (Jer 7:23b), from the information found in “BUT THIS THING commanded I them…” (Jer 7:23a), will we be more likely to research/search out the deeper meaning and implications of “the everlasting covenant,” to examine ourselves against its unprecedented standard of holiness due to its righteous terms & conditions (Matt 5:48; Lk 6:40; 17:10; Jn 14:21-24; Col 1:21-23,28,29; 1 Jn 3:3,4,7; 4:17).
That’s how we are to establish whether we are actually “in” MESSIAH, to “remain forever” inscribed (1 Jn 2:3-6,17) by still being in THE FAITH as it is was originally taught and defined by God’s Instruction to us in “the Way of YHVH,” like righteous, Torah-wise Abraham, the father of ’emunah’ (faith & faithfulness) who walked before God in all His ways, to be perfect, because Y’shua confirmed that we, Abraham’s seed are likewise to “be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father Who is in Heaven, is perfect” (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19; 26:5; Matt 5:48; 28:20; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; Rom 3:20b,31; 2 Cor 13:1-5; Col 4:12b; 2 Tim 3:14-17; Heb 13:20,21; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:1-11; Jude vs 3)
There’s no doubt from Ex 15 that long term, the LORD our God as the Man of War and Great Physician, wars for our prosperity, health and well-being (3 Jn 2), but there are terms and conditions of SERVICE to consider once we’re translated into the kingdom of His Son through His requirement that we be baptized into His death which offered us repentance and forgiveness for the remission of our sins (Acts 5:31,32; Rom 6:1-6; Col 2:10-15), to set us upon our journey to spiriritual maturity (Eph 4:11-14,23,24).
When the nation of Israel was uniquely birthed out of Egypt (Deut 4:33,34), their healing was UNCONDITIONAL (Ps 105:35).
Thereafter, it was conditional upon repentance, as successive TESTS of obedience were applied to them to prove them, whether they would be willing and obedient to be consecrated to again again being virgin Israel (Ex 15:25,26; 16:4; Deut 28; Ps 50:5,23; Is 1:18-20; Amos 5:2; 2 Cor 11:2; Gal 6:16).
Plague was not kept from Israel when they showed contempt for the truth of God’s counsel and His Presence was driven from them by grieving and limiting Him (Ps 78:40-42; 106:13; 107:11).
Nor will it be from us, if we commit spiritual adultery (2 Cor 6:14-18; James 4:4,5; Rev 3:10; 14:6,7,12; 18:4,5).
There is so much grace (Jn 1:16; 5:17,21; Heb 12:14,28; James 4:6-10) to be as holy and blameless as the Master (Heb 7:26) to retain the well-being in the promise (Jer 7:23), that we’ll have ourselves to blame if we fail to be unashamed when we stand before Him, by having failed to abide (obediently) in the Vine (Jn 15:3-14; Eph 1:4; 1 Jn 2:28,29).
May these notes help convince you that practising the Presence (Is 50:4,5; Jer 23:18; Lk 10:38-42) and studying the covenant in detail to learn our duties in the household of YaH (Matt 5:19; Lk 17:9,10; Rom 3:31; 1 Cor 7:19), are our greatest responsibility to ourselves and to others, for Truth to be in us, to walk in the Truth – the reason CONTINUED HEALTH is promised (Ps 119:17,71-73,77,117,152-145; 1 Jn 5:2,3; 3 Jn 2-4).
Inspired Counsel does not come out of thin air, on a whim.
It’s Wisdom, a Pre-incarnate Person (Prov 8:13-36).
The Living Torah.
The Word Himself (Jn 1:1-4,14).
Counsel is imparted and delivered to us when actively and earnestly sought by asking, seeking and knocking for increased supply of the Spirit to make diligent search of Scripture, consulting the Father by the Spirit of Messiah as the Presence of YHVH, when we are PRESENT in His Presence giving undivided ATTENTION to the Presence. Counsel is fruit of intimate RELATIONSHIP with the Father. It’s generally not received ‘on the fly.’
So we can be “set aright” (our thoughts conformed and steps ordered to perfection) by standing before the COUNSEL OF THE PRESENCE for daily audiences with our invisible King.
This is how we are to live out of the Cloud, by the Spirit.
That’s how our spirits will attain the unity of the KNOWLEDGE of YHVH (uncompromised, sound doctrine) and the full measure of the STATURE (character) of the Messiah, to reflect His Glory to all to whom we’re sent (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 2:14-17; 3:8,9,18; 4:6,7; Eph 4:10-18).
Pray this strategic prayer for Jerusalem and Israel with me, from Is 1:9,25-27; Rom 9:27-29
Our Father, Husband of Israel (Is 54:5; Jer 31:32-36; Lk 1:33)
In Y’shua’s Name, from Is 1:18,19,25-27 we thank You that Jerusalem (Zion) SHALL be redeemed on “the day of Jerusalem” (Ps 137:5-7) (Armageddon|Gog and Magog, both, battles for Jerusalem) by JUDGMENT of all who seek to devour Jacob (Jer 10:10-13,16,25; Zech 14; Lk 1 68-79).
We thank You too that her remnant of converts to the Messianic Way, who will legally inherit the NATION (Matt 21:37-44; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:5,14), will be those redeemed by the dawning upon them of the revelation of the Hebrew Glad Tidings of their New Covenant PROMISE, that it is through the redemption which is in the Blood of the Holy, Divine Messiah (Who was conceived without need for male human procreation as a sign to the house of David that Messiah-Immanu El is a form of Deity – Is 7:13,14; Phil 2:6; Gen 1:26/1 Jn 5:7) that the freely imputed righteousness of God which is of faith (Rom 3:12,20-28; 5:8-11,16-19; 9:30-33; 10:1-3,6-13), will have cleansed and justified them “from ALL things from which you COULD NOT be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:32-39). HalleluYaH
We therefore decree as CERTAINTY, Your promise that The Gift of the Spirit of Messiah WILL seal their hope of inheritance of the world, as chief of nations, in Your mercy to the world which does not yet realize that Israel’s salvation and exaltation will be “like life from the dead” for EVERY nation, as the blessing of Abraham is multiplied across the world as nations bless Israel for their order- and purpose in election (Gen 12:2,3; 27:29; Jer 31:7,10,17,31-36; Rom 4:13-16; 11:11-15,25-29; Eph 1:4; 2:10,11).
That’s why salvation which is of the Jews (Jer 31:31-34; Jn 4:22) is “the SURE MERCIES” of David (Acts 13:34,38,39; Heb 9:15)
Rosh Kodesh (New Moon, the new month inauguration, LIKE THE GENESIS SHABBAT, is a statutory holy tradition and testimony, our joint heritage, FOREVER – Ex 31:13,16; Ps 81:3-5; 119:111; Is 56:6-8; 58:13,14; 66:24; 2 Thess 2:15), is a reminder to take the Biblical calendar New Year seriously, to avoid being complicit in spreading falsehood, which has a bad ending for “all liars” (Rev 21:7,8).
Ex 12 defines the composite Hebrew Lunar-Solar New Year by which Time is sanctified by observance of Shabbat and the Holy Convocations (Is 56:6), the fundamental, perpetual, immutable ‘time-related precepts’ contained in Lev 23; Deut 16; Ps 42:2,4; 119:45; 2 Thess 2:15.
Rome’s calendar is solar only.
Islam’s is lunar only.
Isn’t it astonishing how History has been Divinely recalibrated to showcase the Passover Sacrifice of Messiah (1 Cor 5:7,8; Lk 22:1,9-20), but Rome’s hatred for Zion led them to “change the (perpetual) ordinance” of the Feast of Unleavened Bread called the Passover (Ex 12:17,24; Is 24:5), to disguise Passover as Babylonian ‘Easter’ (Ishtar, Eastre).
Every ‘AD’ as in 2023 AD, stems from the Crucifixion which is grounded in the first Passover in Egypt, which was a new beginning for Israel (Gen 15:13,14; Ex 12:40-42), as the Lamb of God’s Passover salvation is for us (Is 53).
In other words, our years should be reckoned from the 1st of the Passover month, and thereby TRUTHFULLY be called “the year of our LORD” (Anno Domini).
1 AD fell on the first of the Ex 12:1,2 month (Nisan) in the year following Y’shua’s Jerusalem Passover Atonement, when he was a ‘yearling.’
Indirectly, that’s another reinforcement of His Sacrificial identity as Lamb of God, because it was unblemished YEARLINGS that were sacrificed at Passover (Ex 12:5,6,27).
Paul taught the Passover ordinance as a New Covenant Biblical tradition essential to not fall away from the faith (1 Cor 5:7,8; 11:1,2; 2 Thess 2:15)
The world is reaping from the curse, principally because the church is failing to sanctify TIME and is “mentioning the name of other gods” (Easter), by disputing and denigrating the “traditions” (God’s own “Testimonies,” our heritage too – Ps 119:1,111) which Y’shua bulletpointed through Paul in 2 Thess 2:15, just as Moses did in Ex 23:12,13,15,17.
Have you noticed that the Lamb of God’s bones/legs weren’t broken during Crucifixion, not so much because He had already passed (the soldiers might have done so anyway, since that was routine and they refrained on their own initiative, not under orders), but because the Passover ORDINANCE expressly forbade it (Ex 12:46; Matt 19:31-33).
Rome has grossly distorted context to stage manage a false gospel.
So especially for the sake of the unsaved orthodox Jew who has little patience with our descriptions of the Messiah as the Lamb of God (which they’re forbidden to read in Is 53), the new computation of ‘AD’ dating from new year on Nisan 1, and which was inspired by the Spirit, was INTENDED to draw closer attention to infallible proofs of the identity of the Messiah, from the fulfilment of the many, statistically overwhelmingly persuasive PASSOVER Crucifixion prophecies cited in the Gospels, which one by one erase doubt about who the Jewish Torah- magnifying Y’shua really is (Is 42:21; Matt 5:19), including His DEITY which Pilate’s Title above Y’shua’s head reduces to the Tetragrammaton YHVH (spotted in horror by the priests, in the epithet: “Y’shua Ha Notzri Ve’ Melech Ha Yehudim”), as an acronym (Jn 19:19-22).
He’d already been accused of “MAKING HIMSELF the Son of God” (Jn 19:7).
Now, they said, Pilate was advertising that He (Y’shua) claimed that He was King of the Jews (vs 21).
Shifting the Crucifixion to ‘Good Friday’ and ‘Easter Sunday’ to whitewash Passover and de-Judaize the Gospel not only misrepresents the totality of the teaching of the Passover in the full counsel (including the goal of personal sanctification taught from the chapters describing the Exodus journey), but as a result throws most Christians off the scent of the narrow path and makes restoring them to the truth, a mission and a half!
So the sooner the church returns to the teaching pattern of the full counsel (originally kept by the Messianic church according to Acts 24:14) which is based on keeping Hebrew time and Hebrew Appointments, in which the luni-solar calendar is central, the sooner all Israel will be saved by being provoked to emulation by our being led lawfully by the Spirit (Rom 2:13-15,26,27; 8:4-14; 11:11-15), and this age will be brought to an end
Gen 40:14,16,23; 41:1,9, the account of Joseph’s UNFAIR IMPRISONMENT on a fabricated charge of indecent assault on the Captain of the Guard, Potiphar’s, scheming, licentious wife (Gen 39:19,20), being PROTRACTED for TWO YEARS by the forgetfulness of Pharaoh’s chief butler (Gen 40:23; 41:1), is one of the finest illustrations of Rom 8:28, the promise of God which provides the invaluable comfort of knowing that “ALL things WORK TOGETHER for GOOD to them that LOVE God; to them who are the CALLED according to HIS purpose.”
Romans 8:28 should never be separated from verse 29, because the promise in verse 28 is the outcome for those who gratefully co-operate with the purging, purifying, sanctifying work of the Spirit through trials which are necessary to conform us to the Image of the Messiah, as God’s VOLUNTEERING of righteous Job to satan (different from Peter in Lk 22) illustrates.
Job was “kept by the power of God through faith” to be an overcomer, more than a conqueror, to come forth as gold with greater revelation of Deity than ever before (1 Peter 1:2-9).
“Seeing” YHVH (Job 42:5) is perhaps our greatest need (Jn 6:40; 1 Jn 3:6).
Because “His commandmenT (the comprehensive commandmenT for sanctification given by His Father which we “see” Y’shua Himself keeping throughout the storms of His life, to remain undefiled – Matt 12:50; Jn 17:17,19; Heb 5:8,9) is life everlasting” (Jn 12:45-50) and, to be sure we grasp that axiom, eternal life is FURTHER defined as knowing the Godhead by knowing Y’shua-Jesus (Jn 17:3) by ABIDING (continuing with & remaining) in Him as the Vine, by “having and keeping” the commandmenT to keep the commandmentS, to both know and love Him (Jn 12:45-50; 14:21,23,24; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 2 Jn vs 5&6), we conclude that “seeing” Him Who IS eternal life (Jn 6:40; 1 Jn 1:1-3), means we are to VISUALIZE His faithfulness to His Father’s precepts which PORTRAY Him as the Living Torah which He taught as “the Way of Holiness” (Ps 119:1,45; Is 35:8; Matt 5:19; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; Rom 3:31; 1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2), AND then we are to imitate His flawless Sonship, keeping covenant with Him in heaven (Jer 33:25; Matt 6:9,10) by circumspectly (accurately) “walking ‘in’ Him” (Col 2:6; Eph 4:23,24; 5:1,10,15-17) “after the Spirit” (i.e. lawfully – Rom 7:22,25 – 8:4; 2 Tim 2:5), just “as He walked,” in order to “sin no more,” to make our love perfect, our souls purified by obedience, to be “as He is” (Lk 6:40; 1 Jn 3:6,24; 4:17; 1 Peter 1:2,13-17,22; 1 Jn 2:4,6).
Job expresses this “SEEING Him Who is invisible” (as Moses did later – Heb 11:26,27; 1 Cor 10:1-4) as “ACQUAINTING oneself with Him by receiving the Way (the precepts of righteous living) from His Mouth and laying up His Words in thine heart” (Job 22:21,22; Ps 94:12,13; Jn 5:24; 8:51,52), to be able to “approve things that are more excellent (through correction of doctrine and training in righteousness),” to be “sincere and without offence, till the Day of the Messiah,” “being filled with the fruits which are by Jesus the Messiah unto the glory and praise of God” (Jn 15:3-14; Acts 10:35; Rom 2:13,18,26; 3:31; 8:4-14; Phil 1:9-11; 2 Tim 3:14-17).
Even modest, humble, wholehearted, meticulous, God-fearing Job needed greater knowledge and understanding of YHVH, which became the just pretext for testing Job’s INTEGRITY (Job 1:8,9; 2:3; 42:5,6).
Neither Job in Job 2:10 nor his well-wishing relatives and acquaintances in Job 42:7,11 sinned (erred in spirit) by attributing the great trial Job was APPOINTED to endure, to YHVH’s planning and permission.
Paradoxically, it was all deemed necessary to vindicate the reputation of YHVH’s Character (attributes of the Divine Nature) as “very pitiful and of tender mercy,” which should greatly comfort us in our trials (James 5:10,11)
It is the glory of the righteous to “suffer for righteousness” for Messiah’s and His body of believers’ sake, to produce irrefutable testimony of God’s love, power and faithfulness, to “be made evident everywhere” (2 Cor 2:14), as Job’s has been in answer to a prayer (Job 19:23). Satan’s malevolent Jn 10:10 mandate is curbed in all of this, by the deliverances which are commanded for the sons of YHVH (Job 2:6; Ps 44:4; 71:3; Rom 5:3-5; 8:17,18; 2 Cor 1&12; Eph 3:13; Phil 1:28-30; Col 1:24; 1 Peter 1:5-7; 4:1-3,12-18; 5:6-12)
Job 2:3-10; 23:10-12; 42:11; Is 45:7; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 12
I Jn 3:2&3 impress upon us the necessity for purity.
Our cleansing and purification by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of faith, our faith-confession which was our testimony of salvation, when we repented and were baptized for the remission OF sins, to be saved FROM our sins (Mk 16:16; Jn 15:3; Rom 10:8-14), must be MAINTAINED by continuing in the covenant to overcome “the POWER of sin” by ongoing repentance and obedience to the Spirit, IN HIS POWER, as He leads us into all truth to enlarge our understanding of the covenant and its all-important requirements for holiness (Lk 17:10, Jn 15:3; Acts 5:31,32; Ron 3:20,31; Eph 5:26,27; Heb 12:14,28; 13:20,21; 1 Jn 1-3).
We see this principle of “continuance” (Is 64:5; Rom 2:6-13; Col 1:22,23) at work in the lives of Job (Job 22:21,22) and Joseph (Ps 105:19), both men of Godly wisdom and integrity who we are citing here to illustrate YHVH’s long term blessing on those who take being conformed to the image of God, seriously.
2 Cor 3:18 pictures the transparency of a sincere, devoted relationship with Deity; and the miracle of transmutation and transfiguration of HUMAN NATURE (for which we were chosen for salvation) “from one degree of glory to another” through sanctification by the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thess 2:13,14), into a REPLICA of the “Divine Nature” in which, like the Light of the world Himself, “there is no darkness” (Rom 8:29; Eph 4:23,24; Col 3:9,10; 1 Jn 1:5-7; 2 Peter 1:1-11).
As we “see” Him in the ABSOLUTE PURITY of His life and witness (Jn 6:40; 12:45), “We all with unveiled faces (unprejudiced, teachable and with no impediments to revelation knowledge) beholding as in a mirror the Glory of the LORD, are (challenged to be like Him and by submitting to refinement as true sons, are) changed into the SAME Glory” (Heb 12; 1 Jn 3:2,3,4,7,10).
PURITY (satan’s chief object of attack and subversion) is the essence of Holiness and therefore, of the Glory of YHVH (Ps 12:6; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:3; 2 Cor 7:1; 2 Tim 2:19-21; Titus 2:14; Heb 9:14; 10:22; James 4:8).
Visionary Joseph, born to be a type of Messiah, as deliverer of his father Jacob’s house from death by famine (Gen 37:4-8; 41:54-57; 42:1-6), more than met that definition of a predestined called-out servant of the Most High (Gen 37:3-11).
The mystery of Divine election by grace is confirmed in Acts 2:47; 13:48, Rom 9:10-21 & Eph 1:11.
Joseph’s struggles are a fine example of the truths,
1) that in the Kingdom, loving God has obedience as a requirement (1 Jn 5:3); and
2) that provided, as seed of faithful Abraham, we “keep ourselves in His love” by upholding our integrity in the ways of “the Way of the LORD, “holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5; Heb 10:23), our “purpose-in-predestination” is safe in His Hands (Eph 1:11).
“Faithful is He Who called you, and (provided we submit to comprehensive sanctification) He also WILL DO IT” (1 Thess 5:23,24).
The promise in Rom 8:28 depends strongly on demonstration of obedience to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving by accepting His garment of praise, to counteract a spirit of heaviness, to be elated, ebullient, cheerful and and above all, THANKFUL both IN and FOR all circumstances – not in spite of, but FOR the unique, customized, Spirit-supervised trials whereby YHVH enlarges our knowledge and understanding of Him while He creates irrefutable testimony of His love and faithfulness towards us and His all-surpassing power in us (2 Cor 12:5,8-11; Eph 1:19-21; 3:20; 5:20; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Heb 13:15)
The three passages (Eph 5:20; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Heb 13:15) teach us that…
“…for THIS (loving Him through obedience to give thanks at all times and for everything) is THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING YOU”
All things certainly did work together for good for Joseph (beginning with favourable treatment in prison – Gen 39:21-23), despite the chief butler ‘forgetting him.’
So great is the intricacy, meticulousness and compassion of the God of the Hebrews’ micro-management of the Universe as God of history AND of ‘pre-written history’ (prophecy), under His omniscient, omnipresent Sovereignty, that even the chief butler’s dereliction of Joseph when he could have hastened his exaltation, couldn’t cause any disruption to the precision prophecy to Abraham in Gen 15:13-16, about Israel’s future.
Time SERVED Joseph notwithstanding what appeared to be inauspicious digressions from the eternal plan, because true prophecy cannot skip a heartbeat on its trajectory to vesting its harvest, provided we “hold faith” in its promise (Is 55:8-11).
It is the main actor (as Joseph was) in a prophecy who largely determines its outcome.
Ironically, it is partly DUE to the butler’s forgetfulness, that YHVH was able to say to Moses about the Great Sabbath (Rav Shabbat) of the first Passover night (“this is THAT night of the LORD…”) and of the following day (“even the SELFSAME day”), that “THIS (Aviv/Nisan 15) IS THAT” (Ex 12:40-42) Hebrew lunar calendar day which was scheduled before Creation as the precise date to fulfil the 400 year old Abrahamic prophecy by which the House of Jacob would be CONSTITUTED AS A NATION at Sinai, by their release and deliverance from cruel bondage to Pharaoh through faith in Israel’s “God of gods” and His sprinkled Passover sacrifice (Ex 12:27); and which therefore, was the day on which Joseph’s bones would be carried out of Egypt! (Heb 11:22).
What seems to us to be potentially destructive human error and caprice, is ‘baked into’ the prophetic architecture of Divine planning insofar as God knows the end from the beginning and cannot be mocked.
Israel’s unique birthing out of another nation by phenomenal acts of God (Egypt’s faith in idols destroyed by YHVH’s victories over His own plagues – Ex 7-11; 11:12), as an incomparable testimony to the world, of the authenticity of Israeli nationhood and legitimacy of its statehood (Ex 15:3-17; Deut 4:32-40; 6:20-23; 7:6-15; Ps 78:12), to eventually make their God, the One and only God (Deut 4:39), universally acknowledged as God of heaven and earth (Ps 72:8-18; Zech 14:4,9), is due to the grace which abounds through our practice of covenant principles, for the “everlasting covenant” to have the last word, irrespective of what we perceive as human missteps (Heb 13:20,21).
Joseph “possessed his soul” (mastered his mind, will and emotions) and maintained an admirable sanguine outlook, being uncomplaining about the principles of the Word (Torah) that had of necessity to be applied for God to test his loyalty to truth and righteousness through all the twists and turns of ‘fate,’ for him to discover that the safety net of prophecy and the providential faithfulness of His God had assured a perfect, glorious outcome (Ps 105:19-22).
The birth of the Messiah depended on it.
Our vision, our promise from Joseph’s God, is no less trustworthy, because He does not change.
There’s no greater equation in Eternity (1 Jn 4:8).
There’d be no Forgiveness, had He NOT been Love, because He is Light (Acts 5:31; 1 Jn 1:5,7).
Many stop there, thinking that that knowledge of God is sufficient to understand Him and His covenants.
But that’s where understanding of our God and His righteous requirements (Ps 15:1,2; 106:3; Lk 17:10; 1 Jn 3:7,10) and covenants of promise (Eph 2:12) BEGINS.
Because the second greatest equation in eternity is 1 Jn 5:3 – namely, that Love = Obedience
There is no greater demonstration of BOTH equations, than in the trial of the LORD’s Heart at Gethsemane, which through His THREE anguished pleas (“IF it be possible…”), in His intercession for Himself (see Matt 26:39-44) through which He finally became reconciled to His imminent Martyrdom (Matt 26:45,46), sealed His Sacrifice for humanity as Ransom for all, the next day (Matt 26:36-44; Lk 22:39-44).
Covenant obedience is designed to be actuated by faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26) and perfected under grace, by reverence and Godly Fear (Heb 12:28; 1 Peter 1:14-22; Rev 14:6,7,12).
All these elements are displayed in Y’shua’s Gethsemane ordeal.
Let’s be clear about this at the onset. It is hypocrisy to discuss a concept of love removed from its context within the call to glory and virtue through sanctification by obedience (Rom 15:16-18; Heb 5:9; 10:36; 2 Peter 1)
BECAUSE “entering in at the strait gate” (Lk 14:24-30) entails stepping DIRECTLY onto the ‘strait and narrow’ path which is the ONLY “path of life” upon which to “lay hold on eternal life” through “obedience to righteousness,” to fulfil our baptism promise to die to unrighteousness (i.e. cease voiding Torah – Rom 3:31) through “burial with Y’shua into death” (1 Peter 2:24), we JEOPARDIZE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING by following a different spirit on the “broad” path which will destroy “many” (Ps 15; Acts 10:35; Matt 7:14; Rom 6:1-22; 1 Tim 6:11-14).
Hence the centrality of the following three statements of covenant fact:
Y’shua-Jesus is “the DOOR” (Jn 10) which is the grace to be freely entered into the SACRIFICIAL “race” to freedom as rule-takers (Matt 5:19; 10:34-39; 12:50; Lk 14:24-33), through purification of our souls by obedience to the precepts, to be “holy and without blame before Him in love” in order to enter the “Everlasting Kingdom” (Ps 119:45; Jn 8:31,32,36; 1 Cor 9:24-27; Eph 1:4; 4:11-14,23,24; 2 Tim 2:5; 2 Peter 1:1-11; 3:9-18; 1 Jn 3:3-10)
the blessed and Holy Shabbat (the first mention of holiness in the Bible – Gen 2:23; Ex 20:8-11; 31:13-17; 34:27,28,32; Deut 5:6-22; Is 56:6; 58:13,14; 66:22-24; Matt 5:19; Heb 4:1-11) is the THRESHOLD of the Door (our first rash misstep, departing from the narrow Way, would therefore be DISHONOURING the holy SEVENTH day of the Fourth Commandment, so obviously singled out for our attention in Is 56:6, Matt 12:8 & Mk 2:27,28), and
“remaining forever” inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life (1 Jn 2:17; Rev 3:1-6) entails magnifying Y’shua as “the Way” by magnifying “the Way of YHVH” which He Personifies (Gen 18:18,19; Ps 138:2; Is 42:21; Acts 24:14), by being sanctified by the Truth and the righteousness of the commandments (Jn 17:17,10; 1 Thess 4:1-3a; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13,14) by abiding (remaining) in Y’shua as the Vine (Jn 15:3-14) by “walking as HE walked” by being sure to “keep His commandments” in order for the love of God to be perfected in us (1 Jn 2:3-6; 4:17; 5:2&3)
All the LORD’s replies to those who tested Him with questions about access to eternal life (Matt 19:16-19; Lk 10:26-28; Mk 12:28-34) ARE APPLICABLE UNDER THE NEW COVENANT.
Keeping the indivisible Ten Words of the marriage covenant (which we are to allow the Holy Spirit to etch into our hearts – Heb 8:8-12; 10:16) and the four Levitical preparatory table fellowship requirements (Acts 15:20), FOURTEEN IN ALL, are the ENTRY POINT into covenant- keeping, by the Spirit (Rom 2:6-13; 3:31; 8:4,14; James 1:22-25; 2:8-12).
To gain greater understanding of these dynamics of loyal, submitted sonship, let’s continue in this study, using the two propositions (images pictured above) (featuring Ps 130:4 & Jn 17:3), to obtain the clarity we need, to more proficiently identify the narrow path which LEADS to eternal life (Matt 7:13-27).
The pseudo fear of God which YHVH decries and deplores, because it has no power to move a life in the direction of perfection (Matt 5:48; Col 1:28; Eph 4:12-14; 2 Tim 3:17), is a form of fear of God “taught by the precept of MEN” ( Is 29:13; Mk 7:6,7,9,13).
A gospel that doesn’t inspire authentic Fear of God (Is 8:13,14,16,20), conceals the light of the vital truth of 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29, namely, that the obedience of COVENANT- KEEPING in the Fear of God is the condition for KNOWING the Messiah, which is the PURPOSE of eternal life.
If, during the sliver of eternal life we are experiencing in this age, before “sleeping in Messiah,” we make insufficient effort to KNOW Y’shua-Jesus by studying the everlasting covenant to learn the righteousness of His ways, we don’t just show weak faith, but bad faith, and can’t expect to be amongst the jewels of holiness who will be established as His special treasure (Ex 19:5-8; Is 64:5; Mal 3:16-18; Rom 2:6-13; 3:31; 8:4,14; 1 Peter 1:2,13-18).
The “Glad Tidings” of unmerited justification (“…from all things from which you could not be justified by the law given through Moses” – Acts 13:38-41) by FAITH ALONE (as attested to by the Torah and the Prophets – Acts 24:14; Rom 3:20-28) through the redemption which is in the Blood of “the Messiah our Passover (Lamb of God)” (Is 52:13-15; 53; 1 Cor 5:7,8; Heb 8-10; 1 Peter 1:2b), is the grace for reconciliation to the Father (Avinu Malkeinu) and for MESSIANIC ADOPTION of both Jew and Gentile as the remnant House of Jacob (the true “Israel of God”) (Matt 21:38-44; Gal 6:16), to the eternal promise of “the Messiah in US” (“one new man”), AS the hope of Israel’s glory (Is 46:13; Lk 1:33; 2:32; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:1-10; Col 1:27) by baptism (mikveh) of repentance for remission of sins (Is 43:25; 44:22; 45:17-25; Rom 6:1-6; Col 2:9-13), to recover original innocence (return to original Edenic integrity), to be conformed to the Image of God, “under grace” given as a circumcised heart, to “be perfect,” to be “AS our Master” (Matt 5:48; Lk 6:40; Jn 1:16; Col 2:11; Heb 12:14,28; 1 Jn 4:17).
Salvation entails so much more than is generally taught.
“Everlasting Salvation” through the vicarious Sacrifice of the Messiah (Is 45:17-25; 53; Phil 2:5-16) is the Jewish Gift of exculpatory evidence of Golgotha’s victory over sin, death and the grave, to make a way where none seemed to exist, for mankind to regain its lost innocence, for Creation to be restored to perfection, and Israel catapulted to shalom-shalom and to exaltation as exemplary chief of nations, in their homeland (Deut 26:16-19; 28:10-14; Ps 104:30; Jer 31:7,10,17,31-36).
This salvation (offering repentance and forgiveness, for “PLENTEOUS redemption”/”salvation to the UTTERMOST” – Ps 130; Acts 5:31; Heb 7:25) is God’s mercy replying to Persius’ fatalistic Latin lamentation: “Let them look upon virtue and pine, because they have lost her” (“Virtutem videant intabescantone relicta”).
This salvation is the redemption of the Universe from the loss of virtue, by restoring the Divine Nature to the sons of men.
Original innocence (before death entered the world through sin) and the Character of God (the flawless Divine Nature which reflects innocence) are imputed to us AS the righteousness of YHVH, during baptism into the Messiah’s death.
This salvation provides the indwelling Spirit of Holiness to prepare mens’ souls for eternity by giving them the power (Jn 1:12,16; & chapters 12-16) to “say no to unrighteousness,” to “magnify God’s Instruction (command) above even His Name” (Deut 4:5-8; 30:610,11; Ps 138:2; Ezek 36:24-38; Matt 5:17-19; Rom 3:31; 8; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Jn vs 5&6).
This is Galatians’ profound declaration in Gal 3:27
“For as many of you have been baptized into Christ (the Messiah), HAVE PUT ON CHRIST”
That is when the process of MANIFESTING IMPUTED reality, begins in earnest.
Innocence (purity) is regained in a heartbeat, by imputation, on the strength of faith-confession and baptism (Jn 15:3), as the reflection of the inheritance of the righteousness of YHVH which is of faith, which we obtained by unmerited favour.
God Himself is innocent because He is righteous, because He is Light.
For us to RETAIN and MAINTAIN that innocence, is a life’s work of travail in the Spirit, to be sure to be “wholly sanctified spirit, soul and body,” to be brought to perfection, IN REALITY (Matt 5:48; Col 1:22,24,28,29; Rom 15:16-18; Eph 4:11-14; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13,14).
Hence Paul’s description of the goal of his ministry to the Gentiles:
“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, UNTIL THE MESSIAH BE (FULLY) FORMED IN YOU)”
See Rom 15:16-18; Col 1:28,29; Gal 4:19
History proves that meeting and holding to that standard of blameless, holy, purity by faith, to be “chaste virgins” “accounted worthy” of resurrection amongst the “blessed and holy” whose labour for acceptance in the bride will be deemed satisfactory (Lk 20:35; Acts 10:35; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Rev 3:1-6; 14:6&7,12; 20:6), is virtually impossible without the HEALTHY IMPETUS of awesome reverence and Godly Fear of the Holy One Who sent Himself Incarnate “to give us repentance and forgiveness of sins,” to obey and not grieve His Spirit (Acts 5:31,32; 1 Cor 11:1,2; Eph 4:23,24,30; Phil 2:12;13; Jn 3:3,4; Heb 4; 5:9; 12:14,28).
Hence,
“…there is FORGIVENESS with Thee, that Thou mayest be FEARED (in order to be saved to the uttermost)”
Ps 130:4-7
Forgiveness that does NOT present as reverential Awe of YHVH, the distinguishing characteristic of full consecration, is more than likely INSINCERE, in no way a reflection of Phil 1:9-11
Even a cursory (perfunctory) survey of Scripture, as part of a quest to understand the REASON why the Fear of God should be our “treasure” (Ps 119:38; Is 33:6), shows how integral BOTH love AND AWE of God are, to doing “ALL the will of God” (Deut 4:10; 5:29; 6:4,5; 31:12; Mk 12:28-34; Acts 20:25-32; Col 4:12).
Note how Fear of God is interposed between the stages of HEARING & LEARNING (the ways of YHVH), and OBEDIENCE in the above excerpts from Deuteronomy.
When that chain is broken, it is extremely unlikely that an individual will be CLEAVING to God as in Deut 30:10,11,20; 2 Jn vs 5&6,9-11.
If not cleaving, there’ll inevitably be some form of apostasy.
Eternal Life which is both IN the Son (1 Jn 5:11) and IS manifestly the Son (1 Jn 1:1,2; 5:20), is the gift of God, freely given that we might KNOW Him.
Without knowing HIM, by knowing His WAYS, to know “the Way (of YHVH)” (Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14), we can’t be conformed to His Image (the “express image” of the Godhead), and logically, He cannot be “formed in us.”
Scripture is VERY SPECIFIC in its definition of loving and knowing Jesus
“He who HAS My commandments and KEEPS them, it is HE who LOVES Me. And he who loves Me (in this way) will be loved by My Father…” (Jn 14:21; 1 Jn 5:2&3; 2 Jn vs 5&6)
“Now by THIS we KNOW that we KNOW Him, if we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS” (1 Jn 2:3)
“Whomsoever KEEPS YHVH’s Word (of Instruction), in him truly is the love of God perfected: HEREBY KNOW we that we are IN HIM” (1 Jn 2:5).
God have mercy on those who continue distorting Rom 8:1 to suggest a DIFFERENT definition of being “in Christ,” when that verse (which should NEVER be read separately from Rom 7:22,25), is sounding the alarm for those who are walking after the FLESH, that THEY are not in Christ but are under condemnation for refusing the sanctifying work of the Spirit, through the commandments (Rom 8:4-14).
Which is why the Book of John and the summary in 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29 which describes the walk (and its obligations) in full, are critically important for our education in ALL the counsel of YHVH.
So, according to 1 Jn 2:29 & 5:18, “IF you KNOW that He is righteous, you know that everyone who PRACTISES RIGHTEOUSNESS is born of Him (Acts 10:35; 1 Jn 3:2:28,29; 3:7,10). We know that whoever is born of God does not (continue to) sin (knowing, in the Holy Fear of God, that if they do, “worse things will befall them” – Jn 5:14; 1 Peter 1:13-17), but he who has been born of God KEEPS HIMSELF (in Y’shua’s love, on the narrow Way, by keeping God’s Instruction – Matt 7:13-27; 8:51,52; 12:50; Jn 15:3-14; Rom 3:31; Heb 8:8-12; 10:16, for his “obedience to righteousness” to make him holy – Rom 6:19-22; 1 Peter 1:2,13-17), and the wicked one (defeated by a pure witness, and therefore having nothing unrighteous in him to accuse) DOES NOT TOUCH HIM” (Jn 14:30; 1 Jn 3:29; 5:18; Jude vs 21-26)
LACKING wisdom, by lacking knowledge of God as Father, AND God as the Messiah, which shows that the Fear of God is NOT our “treasure,” WEAKENS our salvation (resurrection to life being for the FAITHFUL who are without spot and blameless – Is 33:6; Jn 5:25,28,29; Rom 2:6-13; 6:12-22; 1 Tim 6:11-14; Heb 5:9; Rev 17:14), by our flesh (carnal reasoning) WEAKENING the righteousness of God we are called to be, IN PRACTICE (Rom 8:3,4,6,7; Gal 5:13), because by making us UNSTABLE (which raises questions about whether we are actually IN Christ – 1 Jn 2:5), GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE of “the doctrine according to Godliness” entice us into “walking after the flesh” and defiling ourselves (Is 33:6; 1 Jn 2:3-6).
Only if we observe these covenant principles as the rule of faith, to be found FAITHFUL TO THE FAITH (Rom 1:5; 15:16-18; 16:26; Jude vs 3), “looking (being occupied with being righteous) for the mercy of our LORD Y’shua-Jesus the Messiah to bring us to eternal life” (1 Peter 1:13-15; Jude vs 21 – through necessary trials of the heart, for the sanctification of our souls through purification by obedience – Phil 2:12,13; 1 Peter 1:2-9,22), can the promise of Jude vs 24 be fulfilled.
Our ongoing REPENTANCE, for newly discovered error and unbelief (found as the veil of ignorance is drawn further back by diligently searching the covenant, by the Spirit – Prov 25:2; Rom 3:20; 2 Cor 3:16-18; 1 Tim 1:8-11; 2 Peter 3:9-18); and our active co-operation with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (Prov 7:1-3; Acts 26:18,20; Phil 2:12,13; Heb 10:16; 1 Jn 1-3), is a PREREQUISITE, to be “accounted worthy” of inheritance of the world and age to come, as co-heirs in the House of Jacob to whom the future has been entrusted (Lk 1:33; 20:35; Rom 4:13,16; Rev 21:12)
The KNOWLEDGE of God is a paramount requirement for the selection of the bride.
Appreciation of the gift of eternal life which is both IN Jesus, and IS Jesus as “the Word of (eternal) Life” made flesh (1 Jn 1:1-3; 5:11), is measured by conscientiousness to “learn of Me,” to KNOW Him as HE EXPECTS TO BE KNOWN, through the yoke of His commandments (Matt 11:29,30; 1 Cor 7:19; 1 Jn 2:3-6)
The yoke of the commandments (Matt 5:19,48; 6:9,10), rendered “easy” through the Presence and power of the ministry of righteousness of the Spirit (Jn 1:12; 1 Jn 5:3), always brings rest and refreshing (Is 28:9-13). The Spirit of Holiness uses a feather light touch to draw any defect in our covenant-keeping to our attention, when we choose to submit to His Instruction on Y’shua’s behalf, for us to be purified as vessels of honour (Rom 8:6,7,14; Heb 12).
Our spirits, the seat of conscience, bolstered and fine-tuned by the indwelling Holy Spirit, by “abiding” (continuing in and remaining in the Word – Jn 8:31,32,36; Rom 2:6-13), is the candle of YHVH searching our hearts for any trace of “departure from our heritage,” to help keep us centered in Messiah on the narrow path, to avoid the destruction decreed for all deceived by the broad path, by hearts NOT inscribed with heaven’s precepts (Jer 17:1-4; Heb 10:16).
We can’t be a ‘seal’ of apostleship (product and proof, living evidence authenticating and confirming that the Apostles and the message THEY taught are God’s workmanship in the LORD) (1 Cor 9:1-3; 2 Cor 3:1-3), if our baptismal heart circumcision (done specifically to enable us to reject and overcome Torahlessness, by the Spirit), has not VOLUNTARILY put fleshy hearts into Messiah’s yoke of willing and loving obedience, for us to “stand perfect and complete in ALL the will of God” (Col 4:12) “to be MANIFESTLY declared to be epistles (letters) of Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, and ministered by the Apostles” (2 Cor 3:2,3).
Anything LESS than that would manifestly declare us to be letters of the spirit of ANTICHRIST whose mission is to void Torah (Rom 3:31).
THIS is the scale of attention to detail and conscientiousness, required to be the fully consecrated saints described in Ps 50:5,23 & Mal 3:16-18, two root passages for Matt 22:11-14; Lk 20:35 & Rom 12:1,2; 2 Cor 7:1; Phil 1:9-11 and many others.
Conscientiousness to KNOW Him requires willingness and obedience to submit to and to glory in the fellowship of His sufferings, for our hearts to be tried (as to whether, like Jesus, we’ll learn obedience to the covenant by the things appointed for us to suffer for righteousness – Heb 2:10,11; 5:7-9; 1 Peter 4:1-3) to know the power of His resurrection at work through His faith in us sustaining our endurance and bringing deliverance in due time (Job 23:10; Rom 5:3-5; 2 Cor 1; 12; Phil 3:10-17; 1 Peter 1:2-9; 5:6-12).
The chief fruit of Forgiveness must be the Fear of God (Ps 130:4), which is the BEGINNING of the knowledge of wisdom, or Restoration of original innocence will hang in the balance because we’ll be wavering between the Way of Holiness (Is 35:8), and the broadway to destruction.
Deut 10:12-21; Luke 17:10; Rev 14:6,7,12
So “Let us hear the CONCLUSION of the WHOLE matter,” the matter of who exactly will be most secure on the Day of Jesus (Eccl 12:13; 1 Jn 2:28,29; 3:3,4,7,10).
It will be those who’ll have “SANCTIFIED THEMSELVES” by taking the wisdom of Ecclesiastes’ emphatic final word to heart:
“FEAR God and KEEP His commandments, for THIS is the WHOLE DUTY of man” (Eccl 12:13; Ps 103:17,18).
That is rephrased in Rev 14:6,7,12 as Fear and give glory to Him by worshipping Him [in Spirit AND in truth by keeping the comnandments]
Great effort is spent by the Holy Spirit through John to impress upon us the importance of wholeheartedly yielding to the Spirit, Who is well able to help us meet that otherwise impossible STANDARD OF PURITY (Phil 2:12,13; 1 Jn 3:3,4).
Perhaps the most profound explanation of this holy requirement is found in Jn 6:40 & 1 Jn 3:6
Here, the point that it is impossible to KNOW the Messiah, to LOVE Him, without HAVING and KEEPING His commandments as proof of reverence and Godly Fear, is summed up by the Holy Spirit equating BREAKING THE COVENANT (sin being transgression of God’s Instruction – Rom 3:31) with having NOT SEEN HIM, neither KNOWN HIM” (1 Jn 3:6).
In other words, because it follows that KNOWING Him requires that we closely OBSERVE His life, to know His ways, to ABIDE IN HIM (Jn 15:3-14), 1 Jn 3:6 is an indictment against anyone who spends far too little time in fellowship with the Spirit Who is given to lead us in the Word (which is where we “see” Him acting out Torah to perfection, as our Rôle Model)
Hence,
“And THIS is the will of Him Who sent Me, that everyone who (hears My Word and) SEES the Son, AND believes on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise HIM up at the last day” (Jn 5:24; 6:40).
Just as we are to SEE the righteousness of Messiah in order to know Him and act uprightly like Him, our destiny depends upon what He SEES us doing during the full course of our probation (Heb 12)
“Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you with all your household, for you [alone] I have SEEN as righteous DOING what is right) before Me in this generation’:
Like Moses, to whom pre-incarnate Y’shua Who “followed him,” was his “spiritual Rock from which he drank,” we too can “see Him Who is INVISIBLE,” by visualizing His manner of life from the Word, to walk after the Spirit, in the Word, allowing the righteousness of the law to be fulfilled in us, to keep ourselves in Y’shua’s love (Is 63:11-14; Rom 7:22,25 – 8:14; 1 Cor 10:1-4; Heb 11:26,27).
In this way, as Peter puts it, though having not PHYSICALLY seen Him, we can believe, know and love Him with joy unspeakable and full of glory, having met the test of Jn 14:21 & 1 Jn 2:3-6,28,29, to attain the goal of our faith, which is the perfection of our souls (Lk 6:40; 1 Peter 1:8,9)
As we read in Lk 24:44-47, Jesus was still explaining the finer points of “the promise of life” which is in Him as the fulfilment of the promise to the fathers (Acts 13:32-39; 2 Tim 1:1), AFTER His Glorification and return to earth to manifest Himself to those chosen as witnesses, to be sure they knew that to know the “Glad Tidings” of this new life in the Spirit, we shouldn’t hesitate to seek VERIFICATION of revelation knowledge by consulting the Torah, the Psalms and the Prophets.
Peter and Paul knew to do that, as did the “more noble” Bereans in Acts 17:11
Acts 11:14 “Who shall TELL THEE WORDS whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved”
We might be surprised by the combination of Words (from the ‘Old’ and New Covenants) which were probably used by Peter on that occasion.
He would have been acutely aware that the salvation which is of the Jews (Jn 4:22) is prophetically defined as “the sure mercies of David,” connecting it with YHVH’s salt covenant promise to David, of continuity, in perpetuity, of his dynastic monarchy (2 Sam 7:18-29; 2 Chr 13:5; Is 55:1-5; Mk 11:10; Acts 1:6,7 13:32-39).
Paradoxically, the ‘Old’s’ ultimate purpose is to corroborate the New Covenant which is concealed within it (Matt 13:52; Acts 17:11; 2 Tim 3:14-17)
When we’re examined and evaluated for inclusion in the bride, two related criteria will decide the outcome.
Both are based on honouring the ‘terms of separation’ (holy precepts as in Ps 119:45; Lk 16:9,10; Rom 3:31; 1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2) that distinguish YHVH’s eternal House of Jacob (the dynasty of Abraham and David amongst whom we are grafted in as seed of Abraham – Lk 1:32,33; Rom 11; Gal 3:29) and His Holy covenants, from every human organization and form of manmade legislation (Deut 4:5-8; Rom 3:31):
Works of righteousness (being righteous at all times – Ps 106:3) worthy of repentance (Acts 10:35; 26:18,20)
Fruit of righteousness unto holiness, to lay hold on eternal life (Rom 6:12-22)
As a wise commentator, a Rabbi Jacob (wise to New Covenant truth in the Hebrew Scriptures), noted long ago:
“This world is like an antechamber before the World to come. Prepare yourself in the antechamber, so that you may enter the Banqueting Hall”
The best prepared, to be acknowledged as wise virgins (Matt 25:10-12; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Rev 19:7-9), will be those whose gratefulness for the FORGIVENESS of their history of Ungodliness (Rom 3:25) has instilled a mature love for God refined by the Fear of God which makes Him a true Sanctuary in all the seasons of life, and His Spirit, most welcome to sanctify them through the righteousness of the commandments (Ps 130:4; Is 8:13,14,16,20; 28:9-13; Jn 17:17,19; 2 Thess 2:13,14)
