Monday, September 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
To Beard or Not To Beard... To Shave or Not To Shave...
After watching a Youtube video about beards, I have to say that as a man that wears a beard, I have to disagree with what was stated and done in this video. I have decided not to name the person who put this video together, but it can be found on Youtube and has two men trying to teach Biblically why men should have a beard and why they shouldn't shave or trim it. What I saw in this video was men who have turned their beard into an idol. You could see the pride all over their faces and in their talk about it, and this is very wrong. A whole lot of attention given to a beard instead of our Heavenly Father, Yahweh! Concerning the reference to 2 Samuel 10:4 as support for his teaching is really not adequate and doesn't consider what Torah actually says. In 2 Samuel 10:4, David's servants were publicly humiliated by Hanan because he thought that they were spies. These pagans either shaved them with a hairstyle that would have been common for an Ammonite man or shaved them in such a way that made them look rediculous and then cut off their garments to expose their buttocks and genitals. An outrageous act that would humiliate the manliest of men. When David told them to wait till their beard grew back, it was possibly so they wouldn't look like one of the Torahless pagan Ammonites when they went out to battle. The other references didn't add any truth, just a bunch of ear tickling and didn't prove anything.
If we look at the Torah, we find in Lev. 19:9-37 what is called the "Sundry Laws".. Notice the "bookends" inserted periodically within this section of Torah. "I am the Lord" or "I am the Lord your God".. or as I like to render it as "I am Yahweh" or "I am Yahweh your Elohim".. Notice at the end of verse 25 this "bookmark" is inserted and then begins a new discourse in verse 26 concerning not eating blood, practicing divination or soothsaying, rounding off the side growth of your head, the edges of your beard, cuts in the flesh and tattoo marks "for the dead". Then the "bookend" again. So, everything contained within these "bookends" pertains to the same thing. It is all about not being the same as the pagans that they walked amongst. It is about being set-apart or holy in the sight of Yahweh, not as one of the common people of the area which were Torahless Pagans. Some will argue the "bookend" position and say that the trimming of the hair or beard doesn't fall into the "for the dead" designation, however Torah doesn't leave us without a definitive answer. Deuteronomy 14:1 cannot be any clearer about this.. "You are the sons of YAHWEH your Elohim; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead." This verse should end the discussion completely! Let's see why Yahweh tells us this. In verse 2 He tells us... "For you are a holy people to YAHWEH your Elohim, and YAHWEH has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." It seems very clear to me that all of the Instructions in Torah are in opposition to the practices of the pagans. And to be a Son of Yahweh, I should obey and not be in accord with the "peoples who are on the face of the earth". I am to be peculiar and separate, especially in the areas that my Father in Heaven has shown me in His Word. Now, with all of this being said, I will agree with the statement that "if you can grow it, do it", but I think that it is clear that it is only a Sin, if we shave, trim, tattoo, cut our flesh etc. "for the dead". If we look into historical evidence, we find that these pagan practices were practiced then and even now..
Now, to be clear, I am not knocking down the act of growing a beard, because Torah also teaches a man should not be effeminate Deut. 22:5 and Shaul (Paul) speaks against it in 1 Cor. 6:9... A beard quickly delineates between male and female. The act of purposely making yourself effeminate by dressing in womens clothing or wearing your hair like a woman is really what is the problem that Torah and Paul are dealing with. If someone can't grow a beard or chooses to shave is not a sin. My problem is not with a man having a beard or shaving, but with the twisting of Scripture to make it into something that Yah never intended... An object of display, spectacle, or an idol which would draw attention to us instead of Yahweh and His Word... I just think that we shouldn't put so much time into such a potentially vain thing, instead put our energy, effort and attention into study, witness and worship... Maranatha, John Dandridge
If we look at the Torah, we find in Lev. 19:9-37 what is called the "Sundry Laws".. Notice the "bookends" inserted periodically within this section of Torah. "I am the Lord" or "I am the Lord your God".. or as I like to render it as "I am Yahweh" or "I am Yahweh your Elohim".. Notice at the end of verse 25 this "bookmark" is inserted and then begins a new discourse in verse 26 concerning not eating blood, practicing divination or soothsaying, rounding off the side growth of your head, the edges of your beard, cuts in the flesh and tattoo marks "for the dead". Then the "bookend" again. So, everything contained within these "bookends" pertains to the same thing. It is all about not being the same as the pagans that they walked amongst. It is about being set-apart or holy in the sight of Yahweh, not as one of the common people of the area which were Torahless Pagans. Some will argue the "bookend" position and say that the trimming of the hair or beard doesn't fall into the "for the dead" designation, however Torah doesn't leave us without a definitive answer. Deuteronomy 14:1 cannot be any clearer about this.. "You are the sons of YAHWEH your Elohim; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead." This verse should end the discussion completely! Let's see why Yahweh tells us this. In verse 2 He tells us... "For you are a holy people to YAHWEH your Elohim, and YAHWEH has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." It seems very clear to me that all of the Instructions in Torah are in opposition to the practices of the pagans. And to be a Son of Yahweh, I should obey and not be in accord with the "peoples who are on the face of the earth". I am to be peculiar and separate, especially in the areas that my Father in Heaven has shown me in His Word. Now, with all of this being said, I will agree with the statement that "if you can grow it, do it", but I think that it is clear that it is only a Sin, if we shave, trim, tattoo, cut our flesh etc. "for the dead". If we look into historical evidence, we find that these pagan practices were practiced then and even now..
Now, to be clear, I am not knocking down the act of growing a beard, because Torah also teaches a man should not be effeminate Deut. 22:5 and Shaul (Paul) speaks against it in 1 Cor. 6:9... A beard quickly delineates between male and female. The act of purposely making yourself effeminate by dressing in womens clothing or wearing your hair like a woman is really what is the problem that Torah and Paul are dealing with. If someone can't grow a beard or chooses to shave is not a sin. My problem is not with a man having a beard or shaving, but with the twisting of Scripture to make it into something that Yah never intended... An object of display, spectacle, or an idol which would draw attention to us instead of Yahweh and His Word... I just think that we shouldn't put so much time into such a potentially vain thing, instead put our energy, effort and attention into study, witness and worship... Maranatha, John Dandridge
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Another Look at 2 Thessalonians 2
How the anti-netzal (anti-rapture) people like to interpret 2 Thessalonian 2, doesn't make sense as a whole to me. Apostasia can mean "departure". If the believers are to be married to Y'shua, then at the last trump (Yom Teruah), He will gather His bride and depart to their room (Isaiah 26:19-21; Joel 2:16). The Holy Spirit residing within the Bride (those walking in belief and obedience to Y'shua) is what is "restraining" the revealing of the man of Torahlessness. The bride is the believer's who obey NOW and at the time of the last trump. After this, those who didn't believe and obey Torah before the last trump, will have an oportunity to become new followers of Yeshua, and either believe and obey or not. These new saints will go through the Tribulation, some will be killed and some will make it through. These people will be the ones being pursued and hated by the enemy. The "netzal" is not His Second Coming. His second coming is when His feet touch down on the Mount of Olives and He sets up His Kingdom on Earth after the Great Trump (Yom Kippur). There is a huge scripture trail that can be given, but everyone reading this has to ability to research this and put it together if they are given the eyes and ears. The Netzal/Rapture teaching is certainly not something to argue about, so I won't get into any on this one. For arguments sake though, if we are going to be here for the Tribulation., then so be it. Either way it is up to Yahweh and wether we are here on Earth during the Tribulation or in Heaven, we will have to be clothed with garments of Salvation (Y'shua), only given to those who reside in the favor (Grace) of our Heavenly Father, or we won't make it through... Isa. 61:10.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Genie in a Bottle
In my past I got "sucked in" to the Yahwist line of teaching that unless you say Yahweh, you are lost. The people that believe this are basically making our Creator out to be a magic genie in a bottle that will not hear and grant your wish unless you say this "magic" word. I am so glad that my eyes were opened. Paul's writing in Acts 17:22-34 speaks loudly to us concerning YHWH being worshiped even though His Name is unknown.
Torah is His Character and is how He rules. When we live within Torah, we declare His Name! With that said, I must say that His name is most certainly NOT Yehovah or Jehovah. "Hovah" in hebrew is ruin, mischief, iniquity, naughtiness, noisome, or a perverse thing (Strong's #1942 & 1943). Our Creator is Absolutely Not any of those things. On the contrary, haSatan (the adversary) is. This is one of two points of contention that I have concerning the names used in reference to our Father. The other is the fact that Y'shua means Yah is Salvation. In Hebrew this is easy to see and put together, however this is lost in Greek and English. Iesus and Jesus do not contain "Salvation" within them. Y'shua became Iesus because of the lack of letters in Greek with the same sounding to be able to transliterate it correctly, and then the name Jesus came out of that. So truly the translators should have translated Y'shua into Iesoter, Iesoteria, Jesoter or Jesoteria to at least retain the meaning of His Name. The simple point is that we should do our best with the knowledge that we have and if we know that there is a name used to describe our Father or His Messiah that takes away who He truly is and binds Him with haSatan, then we need to not use those names to speak of the One who is Set-Apart (Holy). We should not use any name of this World's ruler, haSatan, and apply it to our Creator. Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that when we are redeemed and all worship Him with one language, He will then take the names of "baal" away. Hosea 2:14-23; Zeph 3:9; Mal 2:6.. Maranatha, John
Torah is His Character and is how He rules. When we live within Torah, we declare His Name! With that said, I must say that His name is most certainly NOT Yehovah or Jehovah. "Hovah" in hebrew is ruin, mischief, iniquity, naughtiness, noisome, or a perverse thing (Strong's #1942 & 1943). Our Creator is Absolutely Not any of those things. On the contrary, haSatan (the adversary) is. This is one of two points of contention that I have concerning the names used in reference to our Father. The other is the fact that Y'shua means Yah is Salvation. In Hebrew this is easy to see and put together, however this is lost in Greek and English. Iesus and Jesus do not contain "Salvation" within them. Y'shua became Iesus because of the lack of letters in Greek with the same sounding to be able to transliterate it correctly, and then the name Jesus came out of that. So truly the translators should have translated Y'shua into Iesoter, Iesoteria, Jesoter or Jesoteria to at least retain the meaning of His Name. The simple point is that we should do our best with the knowledge that we have and if we know that there is a name used to describe our Father or His Messiah that takes away who He truly is and binds Him with haSatan, then we need to not use those names to speak of the One who is Set-Apart (Holy). We should not use any name of this World's ruler, haSatan, and apply it to our Creator. Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that when we are redeemed and all worship Him with one language, He will then take the names of "baal" away. Hosea 2:14-23; Zeph 3:9; Mal 2:6.. Maranatha, John
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Restraint of the Lawless Man
I just want to share my difficulty with the teaching about the restrainer spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2 as being satan. In my reading and study, I don't come up with that understanding. This teaching is being taught by a prominent writer and I don't agree, so I wanted to share a few points.
First, the word "apostasia" can and probably should have been translated "departure". Read 2 Thess. and remember that the context is whether or not the day of the Lord has come. Insert "departure" into it instead of apostasy or falling away and then consider that it is the Holy Spirit that dwells within the elect that has departed. I think that it is the Holy Spirit that dwells within us that is restraining the man of lawlessness (no Torah). notice v7, He restrains until He (Holy Spirit) is taken away, then the lawless man is revealed. Note v10 speaks of a contrast to the elect. It speaks of those who perish because they didn't have a love for the Truth (Torah). The elect is the Bride, that He, Y'shua is coming to take to "their room" of safety (Isa. 26:19-21; Joel 2:16), and since the Holy Spirit's restraining influence is within the Bride and is then removed from the Earth, haSatan is able to go full force against the inhabitants of the Earth.
I also have trouble with his teaching concerning the tares interfering with the growth of the wheat. Anyone who has worked with harvesting wheat knows that this is not true, they grow together and you can't tell what is what until harvest. Matt. 13:30 speaks of the harvesters being instructed to gather the tares (those who perish because they don't have a love for the Torah) to be burned, but the wheat, (the elected saints who believe and obey Y'shua, the Torah made flesh. John 1) having value to the landowner, is seperated from the tares. The landowner tells His workers to gather the wheat into the barn to be protected and preserved in the safety of His barn. Anyway, not really trying to prove anything, just putting an idea out there that (for me) makes more sense. I have left out a lot, but I think that you can get the idea that I am trying to state.
First, the word "apostasia" can and probably should have been translated "departure". Read 2 Thess. and remember that the context is whether or not the day of the Lord has come. Insert "departure" into it instead of apostasy or falling away and then consider that it is the Holy Spirit that dwells within the elect that has departed. I think that it is the Holy Spirit that dwells within us that is restraining the man of lawlessness (no Torah). notice v7, He restrains until He (Holy Spirit) is taken away, then the lawless man is revealed. Note v10 speaks of a contrast to the elect. It speaks of those who perish because they didn't have a love for the Truth (Torah). The elect is the Bride, that He, Y'shua is coming to take to "their room" of safety (Isa. 26:19-21; Joel 2:16), and since the Holy Spirit's restraining influence is within the Bride and is then removed from the Earth, haSatan is able to go full force against the inhabitants of the Earth.
I also have trouble with his teaching concerning the tares interfering with the growth of the wheat. Anyone who has worked with harvesting wheat knows that this is not true, they grow together and you can't tell what is what until harvest. Matt. 13:30 speaks of the harvesters being instructed to gather the tares (those who perish because they don't have a love for the Torah) to be burned, but the wheat, (the elected saints who believe and obey Y'shua, the Torah made flesh. John 1) having value to the landowner, is seperated from the tares. The landowner tells His workers to gather the wheat into the barn to be protected and preserved in the safety of His barn. Anyway, not really trying to prove anything, just putting an idea out there that (for me) makes more sense. I have left out a lot, but I think that you can get the idea that I am trying to state.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Peace, Loving Compassion, Grace, and Mercy
What judgement has been placed upon me, that I might be eternally shunned? Where is the compassion and longsuffering of a Father to His son, though the son be tempted and fall away? Where are the open arms of a Father when His son is humbled and turns back, seeking forgiveness and acceptance? What man has turned away his heart from our Father's example and seated himself as judge of those which he knows not? Who is the man who observes from a distance, thinking he knows the one whom he is passing judgement? Who is the man that passes a verdict of guilty upon the one who is attempting to please His Father? Who is the one finding fault, as his brother tries his best to follow their Father's instruction, howbeit, the flesh is overcome and misses the mark? Who is the man who knows not the frame of mankind, that he is but dust? Praise be to the One and Only Father, who remembers that He made man and holds the intimate knowledge of His creation. Praise be to the One who has pity for His creatures and wants not one to be lost. Praise be to the One who made Himself as dust, to walk among His creatures with mercy and compassion, to be The Living example of His Word, which He created in The Beginning. Praise be to our Abba YAHWEH and His Messiah, Yeshua. Full of Shalom (peace), Chesed (loving compassion), Chen (grace), and Racham (mercy). Psalm 84:11-12; Proverbs 4; Psalm 6; 102; 103; Luke 15:11-32; Matthew 7:3-5; Hebrews 4:12; James 4:11-12, 5:9-11
Remember
People just want to be remembered. Each one of us is more than just a number. We should try to be more in tune with those around us, giving notice if someone hasn't come to work, Bible study, or where ever we would normally see them. Giving a quick text, email or phone call just to check-in. We all have a desire to belong and feel cared for by others. I am going to try and do better at this, I hope you will too.
Tradition vs Torah
Traditions are not a problem unless they negate Torah, cause you to go against Torah, or forget Torah. All christian churches are full of these type of traditions. Xmas, easter, thanksgiving etc., and even their teachings of tithe. If our Father has not placed His Name in the place that tithe is taken, then it is given in error. There is only three times a year that tithe was given and it was only given at the Temple storehouses which only existed when the Temple was in Jerusalem. No Temple in Jerusalem means No Tithe! Also, Tithe was never about money, it was about food and if you weren't a farmer in The Land, you didn't owe it. On the contrary Yahweh told them to sell their Tithe and bind the money in their hand and go to the land that He has placed His Name and then Buy anything your heart desires.. Meat, Wine and even Strong Drink. (Deut. 14:24) Interestingly, these are three primary things that SDA's teach against consuming. You see, the problem is that most in the christian churches don't know the Scripture from a Jewish/Hebrew mindset. They think they know the truth, but they don't know anything other than the traditions that their particular sect (denomination) has taught them. This is all part of Mystery Babylon and the call to come out of her is louder and clearer than ever before. We must ask ourselves which road we are traveling on, the wide road that leads to destruction, which most, if not all of christendom is traveling. Or, are we traveling on the narrow road to enter the narrow door that leads to Eternal Life, which only a few will find? Awake from your slumber, the Last Trump is about to be blown!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Easter / Ishtar
People desperately need to know that Easter has absolutely nothing to do with our Savior and Redeemer Yeshua haMashiach. The word Easter is written only one time in the King James Bible (Acts 12:4) and if people will look up the greek word, they would see the word paschal which is derived from the Hebrew Pesach which means Passover. Easter is truly pagan and a true follower of The Messiah of Israel will not have anything to do with it. Exodus 23:13, 24-25, 33; Deut. 12:30-32; Jeremiah 5:19-31; Joshua 24:23; Exodus 12:24; Leviticus 23; 1 John 2:5-6, 5:2-3.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Going Backwards
Recently a Christian friend found out of my Messianic Jewish (Netzari) beliefs and his response was something like "you are going backwards". He, coming from a replacement theological school of thought, erroneously thinks that Judaism was done away with and Paul's writings teach a "new" anti-Torah, Faith and Grace only religion. I have mulled over his response for a while and it came to me today what the problem is. People with his belief system, don't understand what "Repent" truly means. It means to turn around and go back. Go back to what? Go back to Torah. Without Torah, aka our Heavenly Father's Instructions, we can't know how he wants us to live in righteousness. We are not made righteous by walking in Torah, our righteousness only comes from our Savior Yeshua the Messiah. HIS Instructions are given to show us what HE calls sin and allows us to "obey" him. Obedience is part of "belief". John 3:16, 36. In James 2:19, it says that the demons believe and tremble. Why, because they do not Love Yahweh, shown by their dis-obedience. They tremble because they know their end will be eternal death because of their sin. If dis-obedient christians could only see that they have the same end as the demons unless they repent or "obey" by turning around from sin and observe Torah. Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4. (Note that the word "iniquity" or lawlessness in Greek is "Anomia" which means "no Torah"). If we read all of the examples of Abraham's faith, we see that there was works or obedience combined with his faith. Read Genesis 26:5, it is undeniable that Abraham walked in Torah long before it was given to Moshe at Horeb. Here are a few things to ponder. No where in the writings of Paul does he ever call himself a Christian. He does however call himself a Pharisee and a Jew.(Acts 21:39; 23:6) He says that he is of the sect called "the Way". (Acts 24:14. This was a term coined for those who were of Jewish decent and believed in Yeshua as the Promised Messiah. There is a Scripture trail, that when followed with a 1st century, Jewish/Hebrew/Aramaic line of thinking will challenge those that say the "Law" was done away with at the Cross.(see previous blogs).. This "anti-nomian" teaching happens primarily because people mis-translate Paul's writings. In the writings concerning Paul and by Paul, why did he continue to keep walking in the ways of Torah, if he meant to instruct his readers against the Torah? He kept the 7th day Sabbath, the Appointed Feast days (Lev. 23) and took Nazarite vows as well as offering animal sacrifice 30 years after Yeshua went back to Heaven. (Acts 18:18;21:26) One of the most important things to realize is that the B'rit Chadasha aka the "New" Covenant is our Father's Torah written on our heart. So, those that are truly Born from Above will want to walk in His ways out of Love, not because of fear or force. John 14:15,21; 1 John 5:2-3. Maranatha, John
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Yes, The Sabbath Day is still the 7th day of the Week... And it does still apply to us!
The following is a post that I made after becoming "friends" of the FaceBook group called "Sabbatismos" and www.sabbatismos.com...
Although I am NOT an SDA(Seventh-Day Adventist) any longer, I do however still believe in the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath along with God's Instructions (Torah). I really think that most ex-adventists are so hurt when they come out of the sda church that they throw the baby out with the bath water to make a complete seperation statement to friends and family. I have read your statement about "Sabbatismos" and I believe that we should rest (anapauo) in Yeshua (Jesus) because ONLY He is our security of Salvation and Eternal Life, whereby we can rest from our trials and hardships in Life and live the rest of our Earthly life without worry of our final destiny. However the context of Heb. 4 is about the 7th day "sabbatismos" which is derived from the Hebrew "Shabbat". The only place in the Bible where Jesus tells us to rest in Him is Matthew 11:28 and the word "rest" used here is "anapauo" (meaning refresh, or cease from labor) and if we compare this to all of the times "rest" is used in Heb. 4, except v.9, you will see that "Katapausis" and "Katapauo" is used and are synonymous with "anapauo" in Matt. 11:28. The context of v. 9 is in regards to the 7th day Sabbath and if you read v 8 as it was intended to be read, as a question (KJV), with the understanding that Joshua and Jesus in Hebrew are the same name, then we have to ask ourselves "did Jesus or Joshua ever speak of another day?" They didn't. Jesus, when dealing with the Jews concerning Sabbath had plenty of opportunity to teach of a new day or a changing of the day or the negating of the day, but He didn't. He was contending with the Jews about "their traditions" which made void the commandments of God. This is clear in Matthew 15. It is interesting to me that people quote Paul's writings not realizing that he was a Jew and a Pharisee and never one time in His writings did he ever teach against anything of the Jews, except their traditions that contradicted the Torah. Acts 18:18; 22:3; 23:6; 26:5; 2 Cor. 11:22; Phil. 3:5; Rom. 11:1. The book of Hebrews was written by Paul to the Jews or Hebrews who believed in Yeshua and were getting "beat up" so to speak by the unbelieving Jews, which still happens today. My point to all of this is, just because you come out of the SDA church, doesn't mean that every detail of their belief system was in error. Just to be clear. I do not try to keep the 7th day Sabbath "set-apart" for Salvation's sake, I do it out of Love for my Heavenly Father and if we don't do it out of Love, then it becomes legalistic and that is the error of most SDA's. It is this same reason that I don't murder and cheat on my wife. I also believe that we need to be careful not to fall into following the example of disobedience mentioned in Heb. 3:19; 4:11; by not entering into His Sabbatismos rest, not His Anapauo rest. Peter makes a great point that people like to quote.. 2 Peter 3:16, however if we read v. 17 also, we get a deeper meaning of what he is really trying to say. The untaught and unprincipled man cannot understand Pauls writings because the teaching and principles spoken of are from the Hebrew / Jewish school of thought and a Western, Greek, Marcionic mind-set will never be able grasp it. Please consider 1 John 2:3-6; 3:4; and Matthew 7:21-23 (if your Bible uses the word "iniquity", please look up the Greek to get the true understanding.) Anyway, I know that I am probably gonna get blasted for this comment, however I just couldn't be a part of this group without making it clear of what I believe.. So, I hope that all reading this will consider my thoughts and look up the references and if you don't agree, then we will have to respectfully agree to disagree. Anyway, if someone really wants to understand what the Basar truly is, and wants to learn the Eschatological aspects of the Scriptures, I suggest getting the book "Rosh ha Shanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come" by Joseph Good. It will give you insights into the Scriptures that you never knew were there..
After I wrote the above and posted it on Facebook, I recieved a comment from someone that was basically arguing more of the same "replacement theology" un-biblical non-sense against Torah and Sabbath, so I started writing and three weeks later, I posted the following....
Does a Good Father give His son Instruction ? Prov. 1:8; 4:1; Eph. 6:4; Deut. 21:18,
Should a Good Son obey His Father? Prov. 4:1; Ps 32:8; Ps 25:8.
Did Yeshua (Jesus) obey / or Do the will of His Father? John 8:28-29; 5:19; 4:34.
Are we to walk as Yeshua Did? 1 John 2:6; Col 2:6
The New Covenant (B'rit Chadashah) is what was originally given to us through Moses, but now written on our Hearts. This covenant is the same Torah (Law), however now it is better, because God has made it “do able” because He has given us the Eyes, Ears and Heart to do so when He had not previously. Deut. 29:4 This Covenant is “cut” (karath=made or make. Deut. 29:1) at Mt. Nebo in Moab and can be found in Deut. 29 – 30 and was ratified or put in force by the Blood of Yeshua, whereas the covenant at Horeb was ratified by the blood of an animal. Ex 24:8; Matt 26:28; Heb 9:20; 10:29; 12:24; 13:20. It is not what was written that changed, but where it was/is written and how it was ratified. Also, if we study the word “new”, Chadash (H 2319 derived from H 2318) we find that it can mean renew, repair, or make anew. Just like the “New” Moon ( H 2320) every month is the same, original Moon, however it is made anew or refreshed. Another point that we really need to consider is that the New Covenant is not in full force yet. Notice the wording carefully in Jer 31:31-34 & Heb 8:8-13. Especially v11, not all people on Earth know Him yet, that will happen during the Messiah's reign as King during the Millennium. Notice v13. “obsolete” is G3822 “palaioo” and means to make old, become old, to be worn out, to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated. About to be abrogated, not already abrogated, about to be. The word “ready” is G1451 “eggus”and means to be near, ready, soon to come pass. In other words it is old and will soon come to pass and will become so in the Messianic Kingdom. Also, notice who this New Covenant is made with in v8. We Goy ( Gentiles) become grafted into Israel when we accept Yeshua. Rom 11:17-24. Again, the “New” is Torah written on our Hearts for all to know Him and how it is ratified. The “old” written on stone is growing old and ready to disappear. “Kainos palaioo protos palaioo gerasko eggus aphanismos”. Heb 8:13. We Live in the New Covenant when we are re-born because He puts it into our Heart to follow His Instructions by His Spirit, instead of it written on stone and paper. Stone and Paper is what is old and ready to disappear.
Sabbatismos (G4520) is used only once because this is the only verse (Heb. 4:9) talking about there remaining “a keeping of Sabbath” which is the meaning of the word and it is notable that this word is derived from the word “Sabbaton” (G4521) which always refers to the 7th day Shabbat (H7676). The two verses in Hebrews 4 that witness to the context being about the 7th Day is v. 4 and v 10. This couldn't be any clearer. In v 4, Paul quotes Joshua 22:4, but the question remains, did he speak of another day? No he didn't. God gave the people “rest” through Joshua, but not a Sabbath rest, it is the word “nuwach” which is synonymous to the Greek word for rest, “anapauo”. Rest from war and their enemies, rest from wondering around lost in the desert. Joshua 11:23; 23:1. Joshua giving them “rest” has to do with the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh wanting to stay in the land this side of the Jordan, however they made a deal with Moses that they would go with their brothers across the Jordan to help them obtain the land and after they possess the land and obtain rest, then the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh would be able to go back across the Jordan to possess the land promised to them and rest. Joshua 1:14-15; 18:7; Deut. 3:8-17. Joshua didn't give anyone rest (nuwach), YHVH did. Joshua 21:44; 23:1. They are now able to nuwach because they now possess the land promised to them. In Joshua's farewell address to Israel before his death, he says in Joshua 23:6, “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left”, and in Joshua 24:25-26, He (Joshua) makes a pledge or covenant with them concerning their agreement in not turning away from YHVH to serve other gods. He then writes it in the book of the Torah which Moses wrote after “renewing” the Horeb covenant at Moab. Deut. 29 & 30; 31:24. So, with this, we should be able to understand the question and answer stated in Hebrews 4:8-11; “For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day? There remains therefore a keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God.” Another point that is worth making at this time is that since Yeshua is God and was involved in the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, then He was the one who “rested” on the first 7th day. He was also the God who made the covenants and gave the Torah. We should then, enter into His rest “Sabbath” (“as God did from His”) to be a witness of our belief in His Creatorship. Heb. 4:10-11.
Look at Acts 21:20; 15:20; 18:18. Paul keeps Torah 30 years after Yeshua and never teaches against it even though he has plenty of opportunity, instead he states in Acts 24:14 that he is“believing everything that is in accordance with the Torah and that is written in the Prophets”.. In Galatians 3:10-13, Paul is showing us that Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the Law. What is the curse of the Law? It is Death to those that don't abide! What will happen to the Lawless, those that live without the Torah? What is sin? Who is the man of sin and what does he teach? The Scripture is clear. 1 John 3:4, 2:3-6; Matt. 7:21-23; 13:41; 23:28; 24:12; Rom. 6:19-23; 2 Thess. 2:3-8; Dan 7:25; Heb. 10:26. In Greek there is only one word used for anything concerning a law or decree, it is “nomos” and it is not a true representation of what the word “Torah” means. Therefore the word “Law” derived from “nomos” gives an improper meaning for the word Torah. Torah simply means “instruction” and sin is the word “chet”, meaning “to miss the mark”. Ex. 24:12. The Torah is God's instruction in how to live in Righteousness, not to be Righteous. We have to shift our thinking from “Law” to “Instruction”. Laws are burdensome, however Instruction isn't. Legalism is one of the problems that both Yeshua and Paul were up against, along with man's stoney cold, unbelieving heart, and this is why the New Covenant is better, because no longer was it up to man to circumcise his own heart, God does it for him... Deut. 29:10(Ger/alien/Gentile), 14-15; 30:6, 11-14; Jer. 31:31; 32:40; Eze. 11:19-20, 36:24-27; Heb. 10:16; 2 Cor. 3:3; Rom. 7:14. The letter of the “Law” is of the flesh and brings death, this is the Covenant given to Moses at Horeb that man could not abide in, but the “Brit Chadasha” or New Covenant is of the Spirit and gives us Life. It is Better because it is up to YHVH to write it upon our Heart by His Spirit. The same Torah, different place of writing it. The problem has never been Torah, it has always been Man's unbelief. Romans 7:12, 16; 1Tim 1:8; Neh 9:13-17; Psalms 19:7-11; 119:160; Prov 29:18; Isa 51:7.
Look at Galatians 3:15-17 and note “when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it” and “What I am saying is this: the Law does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.” The New Covenant made at Moab, was not ratified with the blood of an animal, like the covenant at Horeb, it was ratified with the Blood of Yeshua. And Paul is clear that once it is ratified you don't set it aside or negate it, or add conditions to it, and it doesn't nullify the Covenant previous to it. Our Father has never broken any of the covenants, man did, (Jer. 31:32) and the New and Better Way is the Torah written within us and on the heart (“leb”= mind, will, understanding, knowledge, thinking, memory, inclination, desire) and Yeshua's blood given once and for all, for all Sins. Contrast this with the high priest entering yearly with the blood of animals that can never take away sin. Heb. 10. To those who confess His Sonship and claim His blood in their place, then the sins of that person are Passed Over and Eternal Life is the Free Gift given by His unmerited favor, also known as Grace. Rom. 3:25; 10:9-10. We have to try and understand that our Father chose Israel, and was betrothed to them and became a husband to them. The Torah was/is a marriage contract, that they broke, but even though they committed adultery, He Loves them/us and gave a “new” contract written on their/our hearts. Isaiah 54:5; Jer. 31:32; Deut. 29-30; Hosea 2:16,19,20. Notice the word “know” and “knowledge” in Hosea 2:20; 4:6; Jer. 31:34. It is the words “yada`” and “da`ath” (da`ath H 1847 is derived from yada` H3045) and is the same word used in Gen. 4:1,17,25; 38:26; Judges 11:39; 1 Kings 1:4 (relations, knew, know, cohabit) and is always used in the context of intimacy. So in Hosea 4:6 we should see that His people are destroyed for lack of the Yada` or lack of the intimate knowledge of Him, which is gained by Torah, or His personal instructions for His betrothed to be able to yada` Him. 1 John 2:13; 5:3.
If we are going to understand what is happening in the 1st century setting, we have to understand the mindset of the Believing Jews of that time. They thought that they were to go and make Jews of those born outside the land. Gentile (Goy or Ger) is anyone not born in the land of Israel or no Jewish blood in their Genealogy. This is one of the problems dealt with by Yeshua and Paul (Matthew 15:6, Acts 15; Galatians 2:3). The other thing that has to be realized is that the Jew, then and even today, say that the Oral Law or Tradition, supersedes the written Torah of Moses and actually the written and the oral are one in the same in authority. The written Torah is God's instructions and the Oral is the rabbinical “halacha” or how to walk in it and the problem is when the tradition or oral rabbinical halacha is more important or supersedes the Torah. Matt. 15:3, 6; Mark 7:5,9,13. This is what is going on; the struggle of following the Torah given by Moses from our Father or the torah given by man according to the tradition. This is one of the things that Yeshua is addressing in Matthew 5:17, He came to “fulfill” which is the Greek “Pleroo” which means to rightly interpret; teach correctly; carry out; bring to realization. Yeshua is the one we should mimic in “halacha” or how to walk in the Torah, because this is one of the reasons that He came. 1John 2:6: John 13:15; 15:10; 1 Peter 2:21. So in Galatians 2&3 “the works of the law” is the rabbinical traditions or oral Torah and the Jews believing that they achieved salvation by the works (rabbinical halacha) of the Torah. The New Covenant is not what was written, it is where it is written. What was/is written on our Hearts and within us when we are born from above, is His Torah, by His Spirit. Our Father's Instructions written on our Hearts so we will walk in it. How then is Torah a burden to us? It is only a burden because of a cold heart of stone that is after the way of Cain. Jude 11, 1 John 3:12; 5:3. We should do it out of Love for our Father, not for salvation, but because of Salvation...
There are 2 different schools of thought between us. Most Christians are in a Western, Greek, Marcionic, anti-nomian, replacement theological school of thought and the other (which I follow) is from the Eastern / Jewish, Messianic, pro-nomian school of thought and just like the two sects of Pharisees ( Hillel and Shammai) didn't agree on many points, we also don't, and will probably have to agree to disagree and move on. But, I challenge you to step out of the replacement theology box and study the Scriptures from a Messianic Jewish school of thought. I believe that those who teach against the Torah or aspects of it will be left behind when Yeshua comes to get His bride. Matt. 7:21-23; Matt. 25:11-12, however in the last day be redeemed because of their belief in Yeshua, however they will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 5:17-19; 11:25; 18:4. There is a lot more that could be said concerning all of this, however, I believe that enough has been given to allow anyone that really wants to know, the ability to see and understand.
I really hope that you will get the book “Rosh haShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come” by Joseph Good. This book reveals a lot of information that most have never known existed in the Scriptures and is a wonderful resource for those that want to gain deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. I want to leave on this note and suggestion, that all who read this letter follow the example of the Bereans given in Acts 17:11. By “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so”.
Shalom, John
Although I am NOT an SDA(Seventh-Day Adventist) any longer, I do however still believe in the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath along with God's Instructions (Torah). I really think that most ex-adventists are so hurt when they come out of the sda church that they throw the baby out with the bath water to make a complete seperation statement to friends and family. I have read your statement about "Sabbatismos" and I believe that we should rest (anapauo) in Yeshua (Jesus) because ONLY He is our security of Salvation and Eternal Life, whereby we can rest from our trials and hardships in Life and live the rest of our Earthly life without worry of our final destiny. However the context of Heb. 4 is about the 7th day "sabbatismos" which is derived from the Hebrew "Shabbat". The only place in the Bible where Jesus tells us to rest in Him is Matthew 11:28 and the word "rest" used here is "anapauo" (meaning refresh, or cease from labor) and if we compare this to all of the times "rest" is used in Heb. 4, except v.9, you will see that "Katapausis" and "Katapauo" is used and are synonymous with "anapauo" in Matt. 11:28. The context of v. 9 is in regards to the 7th day Sabbath and if you read v 8 as it was intended to be read, as a question (KJV), with the understanding that Joshua and Jesus in Hebrew are the same name, then we have to ask ourselves "did Jesus or Joshua ever speak of another day?" They didn't. Jesus, when dealing with the Jews concerning Sabbath had plenty of opportunity to teach of a new day or a changing of the day or the negating of the day, but He didn't. He was contending with the Jews about "their traditions" which made void the commandments of God. This is clear in Matthew 15. It is interesting to me that people quote Paul's writings not realizing that he was a Jew and a Pharisee and never one time in His writings did he ever teach against anything of the Jews, except their traditions that contradicted the Torah. Acts 18:18; 22:3; 23:6; 26:5; 2 Cor. 11:22; Phil. 3:5; Rom. 11:1. The book of Hebrews was written by Paul to the Jews or Hebrews who believed in Yeshua and were getting "beat up" so to speak by the unbelieving Jews, which still happens today. My point to all of this is, just because you come out of the SDA church, doesn't mean that every detail of their belief system was in error. Just to be clear. I do not try to keep the 7th day Sabbath "set-apart" for Salvation's sake, I do it out of Love for my Heavenly Father and if we don't do it out of Love, then it becomes legalistic and that is the error of most SDA's. It is this same reason that I don't murder and cheat on my wife. I also believe that we need to be careful not to fall into following the example of disobedience mentioned in Heb. 3:19; 4:11; by not entering into His Sabbatismos rest, not His Anapauo rest. Peter makes a great point that people like to quote.. 2 Peter 3:16, however if we read v. 17 also, we get a deeper meaning of what he is really trying to say. The untaught and unprincipled man cannot understand Pauls writings because the teaching and principles spoken of are from the Hebrew / Jewish school of thought and a Western, Greek, Marcionic mind-set will never be able grasp it. Please consider 1 John 2:3-6; 3:4; and Matthew 7:21-23 (if your Bible uses the word "iniquity", please look up the Greek to get the true understanding.) Anyway, I know that I am probably gonna get blasted for this comment, however I just couldn't be a part of this group without making it clear of what I believe.. So, I hope that all reading this will consider my thoughts and look up the references and if you don't agree, then we will have to respectfully agree to disagree. Anyway, if someone really wants to understand what the Basar truly is, and wants to learn the Eschatological aspects of the Scriptures, I suggest getting the book "Rosh ha Shanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come" by Joseph Good. It will give you insights into the Scriptures that you never knew were there..
After I wrote the above and posted it on Facebook, I recieved a comment from someone that was basically arguing more of the same "replacement theology" un-biblical non-sense against Torah and Sabbath, so I started writing and three weeks later, I posted the following....
Does a Good Father give His son Instruction ? Prov. 1:8; 4:1; Eph. 6:4; Deut. 21:18,
Should a Good Son obey His Father? Prov. 4:1; Ps 32:8; Ps 25:8.
Did Yeshua (Jesus) obey / or Do the will of His Father? John 8:28-29; 5:19; 4:34.
Are we to walk as Yeshua Did? 1 John 2:6; Col 2:6
The New Covenant (B'rit Chadashah) is what was originally given to us through Moses, but now written on our Hearts. This covenant is the same Torah (Law), however now it is better, because God has made it “do able” because He has given us the Eyes, Ears and Heart to do so when He had not previously. Deut. 29:4 This Covenant is “cut” (karath=made or make. Deut. 29:1) at Mt. Nebo in Moab and can be found in Deut. 29 – 30 and was ratified or put in force by the Blood of Yeshua, whereas the covenant at Horeb was ratified by the blood of an animal. Ex 24:8; Matt 26:28; Heb 9:20; 10:29; 12:24; 13:20. It is not what was written that changed, but where it was/is written and how it was ratified. Also, if we study the word “new”, Chadash (H 2319 derived from H 2318) we find that it can mean renew, repair, or make anew. Just like the “New” Moon ( H 2320) every month is the same, original Moon, however it is made anew or refreshed. Another point that we really need to consider is that the New Covenant is not in full force yet. Notice the wording carefully in Jer 31:31-34 & Heb 8:8-13. Especially v11, not all people on Earth know Him yet, that will happen during the Messiah's reign as King during the Millennium. Notice v13. “obsolete” is G3822 “palaioo” and means to make old, become old, to be worn out, to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated. About to be abrogated, not already abrogated, about to be. The word “ready” is G1451 “eggus”and means to be near, ready, soon to come pass. In other words it is old and will soon come to pass and will become so in the Messianic Kingdom. Also, notice who this New Covenant is made with in v8. We Goy ( Gentiles) become grafted into Israel when we accept Yeshua. Rom 11:17-24. Again, the “New” is Torah written on our Hearts for all to know Him and how it is ratified. The “old” written on stone is growing old and ready to disappear. “Kainos palaioo protos palaioo gerasko eggus aphanismos”. Heb 8:13. We Live in the New Covenant when we are re-born because He puts it into our Heart to follow His Instructions by His Spirit, instead of it written on stone and paper. Stone and Paper is what is old and ready to disappear.
Sabbatismos (G4520) is used only once because this is the only verse (Heb. 4:9) talking about there remaining “a keeping of Sabbath” which is the meaning of the word and it is notable that this word is derived from the word “Sabbaton” (G4521) which always refers to the 7th day Shabbat (H7676). The two verses in Hebrews 4 that witness to the context being about the 7th Day is v. 4 and v 10. This couldn't be any clearer. In v 4, Paul quotes Joshua 22:4, but the question remains, did he speak of another day? No he didn't. God gave the people “rest” through Joshua, but not a Sabbath rest, it is the word “nuwach” which is synonymous to the Greek word for rest, “anapauo”. Rest from war and their enemies, rest from wondering around lost in the desert. Joshua 11:23; 23:1. Joshua giving them “rest” has to do with the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh wanting to stay in the land this side of the Jordan, however they made a deal with Moses that they would go with their brothers across the Jordan to help them obtain the land and after they possess the land and obtain rest, then the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh would be able to go back across the Jordan to possess the land promised to them and rest. Joshua 1:14-15; 18:7; Deut. 3:8-17. Joshua didn't give anyone rest (nuwach), YHVH did. Joshua 21:44; 23:1. They are now able to nuwach because they now possess the land promised to them. In Joshua's farewell address to Israel before his death, he says in Joshua 23:6, “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left”, and in Joshua 24:25-26, He (Joshua) makes a pledge or covenant with them concerning their agreement in not turning away from YHVH to serve other gods. He then writes it in the book of the Torah which Moses wrote after “renewing” the Horeb covenant at Moab. Deut. 29 & 30; 31:24. So, with this, we should be able to understand the question and answer stated in Hebrews 4:8-11; “For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day? There remains therefore a keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God.” Another point that is worth making at this time is that since Yeshua is God and was involved in the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, then He was the one who “rested” on the first 7th day. He was also the God who made the covenants and gave the Torah. We should then, enter into His rest “Sabbath” (“as God did from His”) to be a witness of our belief in His Creatorship. Heb. 4:10-11.
Look at Acts 21:20; 15:20; 18:18. Paul keeps Torah 30 years after Yeshua and never teaches against it even though he has plenty of opportunity, instead he states in Acts 24:14 that he is“believing everything that is in accordance with the Torah and that is written in the Prophets”.. In Galatians 3:10-13, Paul is showing us that Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the Law. What is the curse of the Law? It is Death to those that don't abide! What will happen to the Lawless, those that live without the Torah? What is sin? Who is the man of sin and what does he teach? The Scripture is clear. 1 John 3:4, 2:3-6; Matt. 7:21-23; 13:41; 23:28; 24:12; Rom. 6:19-23; 2 Thess. 2:3-8; Dan 7:25; Heb. 10:26. In Greek there is only one word used for anything concerning a law or decree, it is “nomos” and it is not a true representation of what the word “Torah” means. Therefore the word “Law” derived from “nomos” gives an improper meaning for the word Torah. Torah simply means “instruction” and sin is the word “chet”, meaning “to miss the mark”. Ex. 24:12. The Torah is God's instruction in how to live in Righteousness, not to be Righteous. We have to shift our thinking from “Law” to “Instruction”. Laws are burdensome, however Instruction isn't. Legalism is one of the problems that both Yeshua and Paul were up against, along with man's stoney cold, unbelieving heart, and this is why the New Covenant is better, because no longer was it up to man to circumcise his own heart, God does it for him... Deut. 29:10(Ger/alien/Gentile), 14-15; 30:6, 11-14; Jer. 31:31; 32:40; Eze. 11:19-20, 36:24-27; Heb. 10:16; 2 Cor. 3:3; Rom. 7:14. The letter of the “Law” is of the flesh and brings death, this is the Covenant given to Moses at Horeb that man could not abide in, but the “Brit Chadasha” or New Covenant is of the Spirit and gives us Life. It is Better because it is up to YHVH to write it upon our Heart by His Spirit. The same Torah, different place of writing it. The problem has never been Torah, it has always been Man's unbelief. Romans 7:12, 16; 1Tim 1:8; Neh 9:13-17; Psalms 19:7-11; 119:160; Prov 29:18; Isa 51:7.
Look at Galatians 3:15-17 and note “when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it” and “What I am saying is this: the Law does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.” The New Covenant made at Moab, was not ratified with the blood of an animal, like the covenant at Horeb, it was ratified with the Blood of Yeshua. And Paul is clear that once it is ratified you don't set it aside or negate it, or add conditions to it, and it doesn't nullify the Covenant previous to it. Our Father has never broken any of the covenants, man did, (Jer. 31:32) and the New and Better Way is the Torah written within us and on the heart (“leb”= mind, will, understanding, knowledge, thinking, memory, inclination, desire) and Yeshua's blood given once and for all, for all Sins. Contrast this with the high priest entering yearly with the blood of animals that can never take away sin. Heb. 10. To those who confess His Sonship and claim His blood in their place, then the sins of that person are Passed Over and Eternal Life is the Free Gift given by His unmerited favor, also known as Grace. Rom. 3:25; 10:9-10. We have to try and understand that our Father chose Israel, and was betrothed to them and became a husband to them. The Torah was/is a marriage contract, that they broke, but even though they committed adultery, He Loves them/us and gave a “new” contract written on their/our hearts. Isaiah 54:5; Jer. 31:32; Deut. 29-30; Hosea 2:16,19,20. Notice the word “know” and “knowledge” in Hosea 2:20; 4:6; Jer. 31:34. It is the words “yada`” and “da`ath” (da`ath H 1847 is derived from yada` H3045) and is the same word used in Gen. 4:1,17,25; 38:26; Judges 11:39; 1 Kings 1:4 (relations, knew, know, cohabit) and is always used in the context of intimacy. So in Hosea 4:6 we should see that His people are destroyed for lack of the Yada` or lack of the intimate knowledge of Him, which is gained by Torah, or His personal instructions for His betrothed to be able to yada` Him. 1 John 2:13; 5:3.
If we are going to understand what is happening in the 1st century setting, we have to understand the mindset of the Believing Jews of that time. They thought that they were to go and make Jews of those born outside the land. Gentile (Goy or Ger) is anyone not born in the land of Israel or no Jewish blood in their Genealogy. This is one of the problems dealt with by Yeshua and Paul (Matthew 15:6, Acts 15; Galatians 2:3). The other thing that has to be realized is that the Jew, then and even today, say that the Oral Law or Tradition, supersedes the written Torah of Moses and actually the written and the oral are one in the same in authority. The written Torah is God's instructions and the Oral is the rabbinical “halacha” or how to walk in it and the problem is when the tradition or oral rabbinical halacha is more important or supersedes the Torah. Matt. 15:3, 6; Mark 7:5,9,13. This is what is going on; the struggle of following the Torah given by Moses from our Father or the torah given by man according to the tradition. This is one of the things that Yeshua is addressing in Matthew 5:17, He came to “fulfill” which is the Greek “Pleroo” which means to rightly interpret; teach correctly; carry out; bring to realization. Yeshua is the one we should mimic in “halacha” or how to walk in the Torah, because this is one of the reasons that He came. 1John 2:6: John 13:15; 15:10; 1 Peter 2:21. So in Galatians 2&3 “the works of the law” is the rabbinical traditions or oral Torah and the Jews believing that they achieved salvation by the works (rabbinical halacha) of the Torah. The New Covenant is not what was written, it is where it is written. What was/is written on our Hearts and within us when we are born from above, is His Torah, by His Spirit. Our Father's Instructions written on our Hearts so we will walk in it. How then is Torah a burden to us? It is only a burden because of a cold heart of stone that is after the way of Cain. Jude 11, 1 John 3:12; 5:3. We should do it out of Love for our Father, not for salvation, but because of Salvation...
There are 2 different schools of thought between us. Most Christians are in a Western, Greek, Marcionic, anti-nomian, replacement theological school of thought and the other (which I follow) is from the Eastern / Jewish, Messianic, pro-nomian school of thought and just like the two sects of Pharisees ( Hillel and Shammai) didn't agree on many points, we also don't, and will probably have to agree to disagree and move on. But, I challenge you to step out of the replacement theology box and study the Scriptures from a Messianic Jewish school of thought. I believe that those who teach against the Torah or aspects of it will be left behind when Yeshua comes to get His bride. Matt. 7:21-23; Matt. 25:11-12, however in the last day be redeemed because of their belief in Yeshua, however they will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 5:17-19; 11:25; 18:4. There is a lot more that could be said concerning all of this, however, I believe that enough has been given to allow anyone that really wants to know, the ability to see and understand.
I really hope that you will get the book “Rosh haShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come” by Joseph Good. This book reveals a lot of information that most have never known existed in the Scriptures and is a wonderful resource for those that want to gain deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. I want to leave on this note and suggestion, that all who read this letter follow the example of the Bereans given in Acts 17:11. By “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so”.
Shalom, John
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Law vs Instruction
Using the term "the Law" in Scripture is actually not correct and gives a wrong meaning. Greek language is limited in words to describe what "Torah" really is. It is God's Instructions. When someone says that they are "not under the Law", what God hears is they are not under His Instructions. If we are His Children, isn't a Good thing to listen to our Father's Instructions? We listen and practice what He instructs out of Love for Him.. It is so simple, yet people make it sooooo hard because they mis-interpret Shaul's (Paul) writings. Notice all of 2 Peter 3:16-17... Paul's writings are NOT hard to understand by someone trained in Torah, it is hard to understand by people that are untaught and not steadfast in their pursuit of learning, so they distort the Scripture to their own destruction. Therefore, we should be on guard of their error and remain in our Steadfastness... So Simple... We must always read more than one verse and we have to consider Context and original language... Paul was a Jew, and a Pharisee, trained by one of the great Torah teachers, Gamaliel. He never renounced Judaism... When he lost the scales from his eyes, the only thing that changed was he became a Jew who Believed in Yeshua as the Promised Messiah... Acts 21:39; 22:3; 24:14... Also, do a study on "the Way".. When you study this, you will see that "the way" and the Way" are two different things and "the Way" is one of the names that the the Believers in Messiah were called... Gotta Love It !
Grace is unmerrited favor. We get that from what Yeshua has done for us. We cannot do anything to deserve His Saving Grace... It is a FREE Gift... Without our Belief / Faith in Him, we stand on our own before Abba YHVH, and Torah Condems us.. John 1 teaches us that Yeshua is the Torah made Flesh, so by trying to follow God's Instructions (Torah) we are striving to walk as He did.. 1 John 2:6... And when we fail to follow, or we make a mistake, HIS Grace Abounds because we are His Children and He Love us, because we Trust in HIS Plan of Salvation... At the Cross, Yeshua only did away with the condemnation aspects of Torah for those who rely on Him for their Salvation... Sorry, I am so wordy... Just at home alone and sick... and my brain is buzzing with scripture right now... Shalom & Chesed, John
Grace is unmerrited favor. We get that from what Yeshua has done for us. We cannot do anything to deserve His Saving Grace... It is a FREE Gift... Without our Belief / Faith in Him, we stand on our own before Abba YHVH, and Torah Condems us.. John 1 teaches us that Yeshua is the Torah made Flesh, so by trying to follow God's Instructions (Torah) we are striving to walk as He did.. 1 John 2:6... And when we fail to follow, or we make a mistake, HIS Grace Abounds because we are His Children and He Love us, because we Trust in HIS Plan of Salvation... At the Cross, Yeshua only did away with the condemnation aspects of Torah for those who rely on Him for their Salvation... Sorry, I am so wordy... Just at home alone and sick... and my brain is buzzing with scripture right now... Shalom & Chesed, John
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