Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the seventh article in the series, Yeshua is our Song.

Yah is my strength and my song, and he has become my [Yeshua] (Ps 118:14). 

When we draw close to Yehovah and learn more about Him, we sing because it is a natural expression of our joy and delight.  When Yeshua, the Word of Yehovah, dwells in us, we sing our praises and our joy even in the midst of trials.  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation (Ps 42:5). Singing can help us work through our emotions when we are troubled.

Why should we sing?  Song is a gift from Yehovah. The Bible contains over 400 references to singing and 50 direct commands to sing. When we sing to Yehovah about Yeshua, we are praising and thanking both of them.  When we sing to Yeshua, we not only praise and thank Him, but we extend our praise to our Father for He sent Yeshua to us. e          We have much to sing about when it comes to Yeshua.  In addition to the descriptions of Yeshua in the first six articles of this series, there are so many other things about Yeshua to sing about. When we begin to make a list of all that He is to us and does for us we could go on forever.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16). We sing because Yeshua dwells in us. The more we sing of Him, the more deeply He dwells in us and the more we become rooted and grounded in Him. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,  will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.… (Eph 3:17-19).

When we sing about Yeshua we encourage ourselves and we build up others around us.  Singing unites us.  Even when we can’t agree on every point of theology or when we rub one another the wrong way, we can set aside our differences and unite in singing and praising the One worthy of all praise. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart… (Ephesians 5:18-19)

The angels sing to Yehovah.  Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts! (Ps 148:2).   Angels sang to the shepherds about Yeshua when He was born and came to live among us and be one of us.  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:13-14)

Many of us hesitate to sing, especially around others, because we don’t have good singing voices.  We long to praise Yehovah, but we don’t want to ruin praise sessions for others by adding our imperfect voices to theirs.  Stacy Horn,author of Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing With Others, cites a study conducted in 2005 which states that people can still experience the same feelings of pleasure even when the sound being produced is “of mediocre quality.”  Yehovah is aware that some of us have poor singing voices, yet He has commanded us to sing.  Yehovah is more impressed with our obedience and the love for Him that is in our hearts. 

Yeshua joins us in singing to His Father.  Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So [Yeshua] is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.  He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” (Heb 2:11-12) When we sing praises to Yehovah we are in good company.

Yehovah sings over us.  [Yehovah] your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zeph 3:17) We were created to sing because Yehovah sings and we are created in His image.  Yeshua, the Son of Yehovah and the Son of Man, sings to His Father and over us.  Yeshua, who is everything to us, is also our Song!

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the sixth article in the series, Yeshua is our Provider.

The book of Numbers provides many examples of Yeshua as Yehovah Yireh or Yehovah, our Provider.  In Numbers 9, the Israelites are instructed to observe the second Passover. The lamb they sacrificed represented the true Lamb of Yehovah.  Most likely they wouldn’t have realized this, but were they able to make the connection between the blood of their sacrificed lamb and the lamb that was offered in place of Isaac in Genesis 22? Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Gen 22:8)  Do we recognize and appreciate the wonderful gift that Yeshua has provided for us? 

In Numbers 11, the Israelites complain about lack of meat.  In Exodus 16 that Yehovah had already provided manna from Heaven and quail to sustain them in the wilderness. The problem wasn’t that they desired meat again.  The problem was their attitude and approach.  They simply could have asked Moshe to pray for them, or better still, they could have asked Yehovah to provide meat for them.  Would you rather have someone ask you politely for something or complain that you are a lousy provider?  Were they ever grateful for all that Yehovah provided?  Are we grateful for all that He provides for us?

Yeshua is our Bread from Heaven. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51) Do we gratefully partake of what Yeshua has lovingly offered or are we searching for something in the world to satisfy us?

Yehovah offers the Israelites the land He promised to give them.  He had made this promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and again to the Israelites.  The Lord now said to Moses, “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites (Numbers13:1-2).  In the following chapter, we see that the Israelites were afraid and refused to go into the land.  That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt (Num 14:1-4).

Yeshua offers us the Kingdom of Heaven.  And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:44).  Do we seek His kingdom above all else or will we refuse His offer just as the Israelites did?

In Numbers 19, a perfect red heifer was to be slaughtered and completely burned outside the camp.  The priest was to throw some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool onto the heifer as it was burning.  The ashes would then be mixed with water to purify those who had become unclean through contact or proximity to a dead body.  This is a picture of Yeshua’s death on the cross (represented by the cedar wood).  Our Perfect Lamb was covered by our scarlet sins (Isaiah 1:18) and would also be covered in His own blood.  His sacrifice would be as hyssop, cleansing us from the death of sin. 

In Numbers 20 the Israelites were again complaining about lack of water.  Their complaining upset Moses so much that did not speak to the rock as commanded, but rather struck it instead.  Even so, water gushed out of the rock.  Yeshua was struck on our behalf and out of Him flows living water.  On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’ ”… (John 7:37-38).

In Numbers 21, we encounter another picture of Yeshua providing for us.  [The Israelites] traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So, Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived (Numbers 21:4-9)   The bronze snake on the pole is a shadow picture of Yeshua on the cross.  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life (John 3:14-15). Those who forsake their sins and believe in Him will never die the second death, but will live forever.

Later in chapter 21, we see a picture of Yehovah providing protection against enemies. Then [the Israelites] turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei. The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.” So, they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land (Num 21:33-35).

Yeshua will return as our conquering King and will destroy our enemies. I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory (Rev 6:2). In the midst of ever-increasing darkness, in the midst of our own troubles and trials, do we feel alone and isolated, or do we eagerly wait for our conquering King?

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the fifth article in the series, Yeshua is the Faithful One.

To better understand Yeshua, we must correctly understand Job.  There has been much speculation over what Job did wrong to deserve to lose everything.  After all, he must have done something wrong or Yehovah would not have allowed such losses and horrors in his life.  It reminds me of the gospel story of the man born blind.  The story is recorded in Matthew 9, Mark 8 and John 9.  Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replied: Neither this man nor his parents sinned … but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:1-5) 

Let us look closely at the story of Job.  There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil (Job 1:1).  There is nothing in this passage that would indicate that Job had sinned; in fact, it is quite the opposite.

One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” (Job 1:6-8) Yehovah’s own words confirm that Job had not committed any serious sin; in fact, Yehovah describes him as “blameless”. 

If Job did not sin, then why did Yehovah allow these atrocities to happen to him? Let us read further in chapter one of Job’s story.  Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!  But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”  (Job 1:9-11)

The Accuser claimed that Job was only faithful to Yehovah because Yehovah made him prosper in everything.  Yehovah then responds by allowing the Accuser to test him by taking away all his possessions and even his children.  What was Job’s response to learning that he had lost everything?  He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.  The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God (Job 1:1-22).

Later, Job was struck with boils from head to toe because the Accuser claimed that loss of health would cause Job to curse Yehovah.  At this point, even Job’s wife urged him to curse Yehovah (Job 2:9), but Job refused. 

So, what’s the purpose of the story of Job?  It’s the same purpose as the story of the man born blind:  to glorify Yehovah.  Why did Yeshua suffer loss, humiliation, cursing and death?  So that His Father would be glorified.  When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.…” (John 17:1-2). Yeshua was smitten so that Yehovah would be glorified and His plan to establish His kingdom on earth would be fulfilled. 

In the end, Yehovah restored and even doubled all that Job had lost.  Through Yeshua’s suffering and resurrection, Yehovah is not only glorified but has restored all that we lost through sin.  Not only have we regained what we lost, but Yehovah now offers us much more in His kingdom.  He makes us His sons and daughters. 

Job was severely tested and remained faithful to Yehovah.  Yeshua was severely tested and remained faithful to His Father.  Many of our brothers and sisters in Yeshua are suffering loss of family, home, income, health, freedom and even life.  They are being tested and I pray that they will all have the strength and trust to remain faithful.  Our time will come, too, or for some of us, it may already have arrived.  Will we remain faithful to Yehovah no matter what the cost to us?  And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life (Matt 19:29).

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the fourth article in the series, Yeshua is our Kinsman Redeemer.

In the Gospels, Yeshua identified Himself often as “Son of Man”.  In Hebrew, if you want to refer to a human being you refer to the person as “son of man”, or actually “son of Adam” (ben adam).  Yeshua was pointing out that He was a human being just like the rest of us.  One reason that He became human was so that He would be eligible to redeem us.  Thus, He could identify Himself as our Kinsman.

‘Now if the means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger’s family, then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or if he prospers, he may redeem himself… (Lev 25:47-55)

While it is possible for a person to acquire enough wealth to redeem himself from bondage in the physical realm, in the spiritual realm it is impossible for any of us or all of us collectively to redeem ourselves from bondage to spiritual enemies.  Therefore, we need a kinsman who is qualified to redeem us.  Since none of us qualifies, Yeshua became one of us so that we would have the necessary kinsman to rescue us.

If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold (Lev 25:25).

Yeshua not only redeemed us, but He also restores what we have lost.  Yeshua was wounded so that we could be healed.  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Is 53:3). 

Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden, a paradise free from useless toil, pestilence, death, disease, and so on.  Consequently, as their descendants we have lived with poverty, disease, violence, death, injury and sorrow.  Paradise was lost to us but, through our faith in Yeshua, we are welcome in Yehovah’s heavenly paradise.  And He said to him [the thief on the cross], “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise (Luke 23:43).

In the book of Ruth, Boaz accepts responsibility as Ruth and Naomi’s kinsman redeemer.  Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon.  And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.” (Ruth 4:9-10)

Just as Boaz married Ruth, our Kinsman Redeemer will marry us.  For I am jealous for you with God’s kind of jealousy; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in marriage to your one husband, the Messiah; (2 Cor 11:2).  Why would Yeshua want to do this?  Why not just redeem us and be done with it? Yeshua desires an intimate relationship with us corporately and also individually. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me (Rev 3:20).  Yeshua wants to be involved in our daily lives.  He is aware of all our thoughts, actions, attitudes, dreams and fears.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30). He desires to restore what has been lost to us.  Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore, in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy (Is 61:7). Yeshua wants to protect us and provide for us.  He promises to be with us always.  He does not leave us to the mercy of our enemies.  “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt 28:20)   Just as a husband and wife are meant to share their daily lives, dreams, hopes, frustrations and challenges, we are welcomed and encouraged by Yeshua to share every detail of our daily lives with Him.  We are never alone for He is our constant Companion.  He is our Kinsman Redeemer.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the third article in the series, Yeshua is our Atonement.

In Leviticus 16, we discover the foreshadowing of Yeshua as our Atoning Sacrifice, our High Priest, our Scapegoat and our Covenant.  Yeshua, the perfect Lamb, was sacrificed in our place, to make atonement for our sins.  Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the Lord. He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar.Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy (Lev 16:18-19). This offering was to be made once each year on the 10th day of the appointed month early in autumn, the day known as Yom Kippur (day of covering) or, more accurately, Yom haKippurim (day of the coverings).  Unlike a bull and goat that had to be sacrificed each year, Yeshua was sacrificed one time to make perpetual atonement for our sins, transgressions and iniquities.

Yeshua is also our High Priest, for He offered Himself as our atoning sacrifice. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (John 10 :18)

Yeshua is our Scapegoat.  When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness.  As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land (Lev 16:20-22). Yeshua carries our sin far away so that it no longer has the power to defile. 

Yeshua’s sacrifice reconciles us to His Father.  In order to properly relate to Yehovah, we must understand the idea of covenant, because Yehovah desires a covenant relationship with us.  There are many instances of covenants in the Old Testament: in Genesis, Yehovah’s covenants with Noah (Gen 8-9), with Abraham (Gen 9-17), with Moses (Deut 28 and Ex 31) and with David (2 Sam 7).  Each of these covenants was a step toward progressing Yehovah’s plan for establishing His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.  Our covenant with our Father has the same goal.

Covenants were common in ancient times and were taken very seriously.  Generally, when a covenant was made, the parties would each pledge their promises.  Then one or more animals were cut in two and placed across from each other to make a path.  Those entering into covenant would walk that path as a pledge that they would not break the covenant or they too would be cut in half. Covenants involved blood and the curse of death for the one breaking the covenant.

In ancient times, covenants were used to define social and political relationships.  Often, the covenant was between a greater king and a lesser king.  The greater king offered care and protection from enemies while the lesser king offered loyalty and obedience. The greater king then “adopted” the lesser king and his household into the greater king’s family.  Covenants involved ongoing relationship and partnering with the other party to achieve a desired common goal.  In our case, Yehovah promises to care and provide for us and protect us from our enemies.  We promise our loyalty and obedience to Him.  We partner together to establish His Kingdom on earth.  When we repent of our sins and turn our lives over to Yeshua, it means that we are to trust and obey Him.  We remain loyal and obedient to Yehovah.

An important part of covenant-making included eating a meal together featuring the sacrificed animal or animals.  In our case, we partake of what we call communion or kiddush to commemorate our covenant relationship with Yehovah. As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many (Matt 26:26-28)  

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the second article in the series, Yeshua is the perfect Lamb.

 In Exodus, we learn about the Passover Lamb. 

Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,“This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are, each one, to take a lamb for themselves, according to the fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; in proportion to what each one should eat, you are to divide the lamb.Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.  You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to slaughter it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall completely burn with fire (Ex 12:1-10).

Many of us, at one time or another in our lives, think that we can improve ourselves if we try hard enough.  That may be true to some extent, but the kind of improvement that is most essential to us is not attainable by our efforts.  No matter how well we clean up our act, we still owe an enormous debt, one that we cannot repay on our own.  If all humanity could come into agreement and try to pay the debt collectively for all of us, it would still be impossible.  The kind of debt we owe cannot be paid back with money or good deeds. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb 9:22).  It takes the blood of an innocent person willing to sacrifice himself for us.  None of us fits the bill of “innocent person” no matter how good we think we are.  “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

It is the blood of the lamb that saved the first born in Egypt from death.  It is the blood of our Passover Lamb that saves us from the second death.  The life is in the blood. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life (Lev 17:11).

How do we know for sure that the Passover Lamb in Exodus is a representative of Yeshua?  There are many other Scriptures that explain this to us.  For example, in 1 Corinthians 5:7, we read, “Get rid of the old hametz [leaven], so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened. For our Pesach [Passover] lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed.

In John 1:29, John the Baptist identifies Yeshua as the Lamb of God.  The next day, Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, “Look! God’s lamb! The one who is taking away the sin of the world!  There are many other passages that identify Yeshua as the ultimate Passover Lamb, such as Isaiah 53:7; 1 Pet 1:19, Matt 26:2, and Matt. 26:26.

According to the instructions given in Exodus, the lamb was to be selected from the flock on the 10th day of the first month, Aviv.  The lamb was to be taken into the household much as a family pet becomes part of the household today.  The lamb was being inspected to make sure there were no flaws or imperfections, but the lamb was now a dear part of the family.  This is a foreshadowing of Yeshua being born among and living with His chosen people.  Many embraced Him and loved Him, especially during His ministry. 

When He took upon Himself the sins of the world, He opened Himself up to the rejection and condemnation of His people. They put Him to death as one reviled. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Is 53:3). They did not realize that He was dying in their place, just as the Passover lamb died in their place each year, so that they would be covered. Only this time, they would be more than covered for a year; their sin debt would be permanently removed. Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him (Is 53:4-5) and by his wounds we are healed.

Furthermore, the yearly Passover lamb was put to death and remained dead.  Our true Passover Lamb, Yeshua, was raised from the dead after three days and three nights in the grave!  The Author of life took on a new life, a new body, so that we could do the same! Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live (John 11:25). Not only are our sins forgiven, but our debt is paid and we are given new life, eternal life.  We no longer have to fear when our mortal bodies die, for we will have new bodies that will live forever and have no defects, no blemishes.  Yeshua not only pays a debt we could never pay and removes our condemnation, but He gives us immortality and glory!  A new life forever with Him!  We can now take on immortality because we wear His robe of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.  (Rom 8:11)

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the first article in the series, Yeshua is the Seed.

In Genesis, we learn that Yeshua is the Seed of the Woman. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen 3:15). (See also 1 John 3:8 and Gal 4:4) Why is this important?  It is because we are humans and we have sinned.  It is humankind that owes a tremendous debt, a debt that we cannot pay collectively, let alone individually. Only a human who is totally righteous, takes on the sin and weakness of everyone and who willingly gives up His life can pay the price.  Among all of humankind, there is no one else besides Yeshua who fits the requirements. “Although you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares the Lord God (Jer 2:22).

What would it take to pay this enormous debt and reconcile with Yehovah?  It would take the sacrifice of a human who is totally free from blemish, from any hint of sin.  In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb 9:22).  The animals who were sacrificed in the place of the guilty humans were innocent and were supposed to be without blemish.  Do not present an animal with defects, because the LORD will not accept it on your behalf (Lev 22:20).

A woman was the first to sin, but Yehovah in His infinite mercy and provision, had already provided a way for the woman and all her descendants to be saved.  It would be through the seed of a woman, that Yeshua (salvation) would come and sacrifice Himself so that we could be reunited to Yehovah and so that we could share in all that had been planned for us from the beginning.  What was planned for us?  Each one of us is designed to be an integral part of His kingdom.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer 29:11).  We are part of something much greater than any of us individually, yet as individuals each one of us is loved and valued. 

Yeshua came to establish the Kingdom of Yehovah on earth.  [Yeshua] was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people (Matt 4:23).

How do each of us participate in the Kingdom?  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And truly I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20)   We are called to spread the word of His glorious plan.  When we share this message with others, we are scattering seed, the seed that comes from the Seed.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives (John 12:24)

In the parable of the sower (Matt 13:1-9), Yeshua tells us that when we spread the word (sow the seed) that some of the seed will fall onto poor soil or wither under challenging conditions.  This is not necessarily failure on our part.  After all, Yeshua died for all of us, yet not all of us will accept His precious gift of salvation.  When a farmer sows seeds, only some of the seeds will germinate.  Of the seed that germinates, only some will produce a good crop.  Plants can get too much rain, not enough rain, not enough sun, or pests can come and weaken or kill the plant.  And yet, the farmer continues to sow seed year after year.  It is the same with us.  We must continue to sow seed (the word of Yehovah) even though we cannot control the outcome of each seed.  It will require sacrifice on our part, perhaps even our very lives, to carry out our assignment.

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”  (Matt 13:3-9)

 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds.  The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.  The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Matt 13:18-23) Yeshua is the original Seed as explained in Genesis.  When Yeshua is put to death, new life springs from Him and many seeds are now available.  Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life (John 12:24). The seeds produced by Yeshua’s death were first planted in His followers.  They then produced fruit that bore more seeds which they then sowed in others.  It is that seed which was planted in each of us who are led to accept Him as our Lord and Redeemer.  We are then to bear fruit which produces seed (the good news of the Kingdom) and it is that seed that we are to sow in others in order to increase the Kingdom.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Kingdom Unity

Living Kingdom, Spiritual Maturity,

In the previous article, we discovered the importance of Kingdom focus rather than earthly focus.  While it is true that we live in the world, it is also true that we are first and foremost citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Our assignment is to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.  How do we do that? 

Yeshua told us that if we believe in Him and the One who sent Him, then the Kingdom of Heaven already resides in us. Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the kingdom of God come?” Jesus answered, “God’s kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes. People will not say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ because God’s kingdom is withinyou.” (Luke 17:20-21 NCV) The kingdom of God is within us!  As we grow in His ways, the kingdom of Heaven will radiate through us into the world.  The Spirit works through us to change the atmosphere around us.

Yeshua told us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a bit of yeast in a batch of dough. [Yeshua] also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” (Matt 13:33 NLT) As we interact with the world, the “yeast” of the Kingdom within us will begin to permeate every part of the earth. 

The Kingdom of Heaven grows within us as we interact daily with Yehovah and sit at His feet, eager to learn His ways.  We meditate on His word so that we gain more of His wisdom and knowledge.  As we grow more like Him, our influence (yeast) will be more effective and on a larger scale.  We should live in unity and love with our fellow believers.

So, what happened? The Body of Messiah has multiple fractures due to division and even malice among its members.  Yeshua warned us that a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25).  The Body of Messiah is fractured because we, individually and collectively, have failed to yield to the Holy Spirit. If each of us dies to himself or herself and yields to the Holy Spirit, we will have unity, for the Holy Spirit does not disagree with Himself or with the Father or Yeshua.  Paul writes in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Where we fail to die to ourselves, we introduce death into the Body of Messiah.

The fractured Body of Messiah is the reason why evil has prevailed in this world.  It is only in unity that we have the strength to address the evil that is covering the world in darkness.  Some leaders and other individuals in the Body of Messiah have already recognized this and have begun to work together and pray together. In order to do this effectively, they have to die to themselves. The rest of Yeshua’s followers must follow their example.  How will we stand before the Judge one day and explain that we were too busy fighting among ourselves to carry out our assignments from Him?  Rather than fight the adversary and his followers, we aided and abetted them with our disagreements and divisions.  How will the Judge respond? 

As we ponder these questions, perhaps we should consider 1 John 4:20 (ESV), If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. Another Scripture verse to meditate on are Yeshua’s words in John 13:35, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 

When the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts all the petty disagreements which people have clung to for decades, even centuries, will fall away like so much chaff, and divisions in the Body of Messiah will be healed.  The unity and love that is in us is the yeast that is supposed to permeate throughout the world, just as a little yeast permeates the entire dough as Yeshua explained in Matthew 13:33.  If we want to share the Kingdom with others, we will have to live it as well as preach and teach about it. We can only do this successfully by yielding to the Holy Spirit. 

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven (Matt 6:10).

Kingdom Focus

Living Kingdom, Spiritual Maturity,

We are presently facing numerous challenges on many fronts and fear, unrest, and division are now more prevalent among us.  These reactions are not in keeping with Yehovah’s will for us, for the Holy Spirit brings love, shalom and unity.  How do we handle these challenges without falling into ungodly traps?  We know from Scripture that Yeshua does only what He sees His Father doing (John 5:19).  Therefore, as followers of Yeshua, we must do what we see Yeshua doing, for then we will also be doing what our Father is doing.

Since our challenges are very evident in the physical realm, there is strong temptation to address these issues in the physical realm and to rely on earthly leaders and experts for guidance.  Sadly, many of us are discovering that this is not an effective solution. So, what is a better strategy? 

In response to my cries for help to Abba, the Holy Spirit guided me to pursue the following Bible study: Get a sheet of paper and put a vertical dividing line down the middle. 
Title the left column “Kingdom of Heaven” and the right column “Earthly Governments”.  Now peruse the four Gospels, and record any words or actions of Yeshua that belong to either category.  Below, is a partial listing (the first two gospels) of the results of my own study.  All references were taken from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. Before we begin, however, let us review some of the governments of Yeshua‘s time.  The Jewish government was headed by corrupt leaders who had created their own religion.  The Romans, known for extreme cruelty, had conquered and occupied Israel.  Anyone traveling the main roads was forced to see victims of crucifixion dying slow, tortured deaths.  The victims might even be family members or close friends.  In view of very real threats and horrors, what was Yeshua’s main focus?

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Kingdom of Heaven/Kingdom of God Earthly Governments
Kingdom of Heaven/Kingdom of God  
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”  (Matt 4:17).  
Matthew 5-7: Yeshua talks about living as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  
When Yeshua had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, for he taught with real authority— quite unlike their teachers or religious law (Matt 7 28).  
“And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 8:11).  
“Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matt 10:7).
“And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing and violent people are attacking it” (Matt 11:12).  
“But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (Matt 12:28).  
“You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not” (Matt 13:11).  
Matthew 13 contains several other parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven.  “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven….” (Matt 18:3-11)  
“Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven…  (Matt 19 12)  
Matt 20:1-16 is the Parable of the Vineyard Workers  
“I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do” (Matt 21:31).  
Matthew 33-44 is the Parable of the Evil Farmers   Matthew 22:14 is the Parable of the Great Feast  
Matthew 25 is two parables about the Kingdom of Heaven and teaching on the final judgment when the King returns to reign on the earth.  
“The Kingdom of God is near!  Repent of your sins and believe the Good News (Mark 1:15)  
In Mark 4, Yeshua speaks in various parables concerning the Kingdom of God.  
“I tell you the truth, some standing here  right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in power!” (Mark 9:1)  
“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands….and if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out.  It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.” (Mark 9:43-48)  
“Let the children come to me.  Don’t stop them!  For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.  I tell you the truth anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”   (Mark 10:14-15)  
“How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God.  In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23-25)  
Parable of the Evil Farmers (Mark 12:1-12)  
Realizing how much the man understood, [Yeshua] said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”  (Mark 12:34)  
And [Yeshua] said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people.  It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.  I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:24-25)                      		 “Beware of false prophets…” (Matt 7:15-16)  

“You hypocrites!  Isaiah was and right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote… (Mark 7:6-23)  

Watch out!  Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.” (Mark 8:15)  

Jesus turned around and looked at His disciples, then reprimanded Peter, “Get away from me, Satan!” he said.  You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” (Mark 8:33)  
Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap [Yeshua] into saying something for which he could be arrested…. “Should we pay taxes to Caesar or not?  Should we pay them or shouldn’t we?”  [Yeshua] saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me?  Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” When the handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?’ “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well then,” [Yeshua] said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”  (Mark 12:13-17)  
[Yeshua] also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law!  For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.   And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.  Yet, they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public.  Because of this, they will be more severely punished.” (Mark 12:38-40)    
Kingdom of Heaven vs. Earthly Governments

As we can clearly see, Yeshua’s main focus was on the Kingdom of Heaven.  Did He make a difference in the physical realm?  Of course!  He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry and taught the crowds.  However, He did not try to change the current governments nor did He get caught up in political arguments.  His focus was on the Kingdom of Heaven.  He did and spoke only what He saw His Father doing and saying.  He submitted Himself to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19 NIV). Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. (Luke 4:1 NIV).   “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matt 12:28 NIV):

Yeshua did not get caught up local politics with one exception (Matt. 25-15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26).  He frequently admonished and confronted the Jewish leaders because they were disqualifying themselves from the Kingdom of Heaven and they were leading many others to follow suit.  Still, His focus was on building the Kingdom of Heaven.  Many of His followers turned away from Him because they wanted Him to address the issue of Roman subjection.  Actually, He did address the issues of bondage, oppression, cruelty and many other things in His work on the cross and in His resurrection.  But He was going to the source of the problem and the source had its roots in the spiritual realm.  Although He did something physical when He suffered beatings, mocking, and crucifixion, He was addressing a spiritual matter.  Many followers had left Him because He would not take a stand against the Romans.

Instead, He was taking a stand against the evil behind the Romans’ sinfulness and the sinfulness of the whole world.

Our first response to any threat in the physical realm should be seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  He will show you the spiritual root and help you address the problem at that level.  When we get to the source of the problem, we can truly see everlasting results.  When we address only the physical realm, we apply a bandage to a wound that continues to fester.

The bandage will hide the wound, but the wound will still be around, just under the surface.  When we focus on problems, they are magnified.  When we focus on Yehovah, He is magnified. If we keep our focus on Yehovah and seek His kingdom and His ways, then we have His shalom that passes all understanding. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33).  If we focus on Yehovah and His Kingdom of Heaven, we learn to address the fear, unrest and division that is so prevalent in the physical realm by confronting the source of this ungodliness in the spiritual realm.  We will become peacemakers.  “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt 5:9 NIV).

Which Law?

Living Kingdom, , , , , , ,

Not everyone who says to meThis article is the final of three articles in a series entitled “Living Kingdom”.  We will examine the importance of choosing to abide by YHVH’s commands as we consider the choices of individuals in Scripture.  The Good News (Gospel) is about YHVH’s kingdom.  Salvation is necessary for Kingdom Living, but it is a part of the process, not the goal.  We face the same challenges as the Israelites:  recognizing and obeying our King. 

Yeshua said, “If you love Me, obey My commandments” (John 14:15).  Misinformation abounds among present-day followers of Yeshua concerning what Yeshua meant by “commandments”.  It is time to clear away the cobwebs of lies and confusion that impede us from all that YHVH intends for us.

Sha’ul (Paul) discusses more than one type of law even though many Bible translations speak of all types as just “law”.  Sha’ul is talking mainly to Gentiles who were involved in pagan worship and were heavily influenced by the law of hasatan (Satan).  Sha’ul pointed out that they had been released from the law of sin and death and were now free to pursue the law of YHVH which leads to freedom and life.  It is helpful for us to use a translation that clearly distinguishes the different types of law, so all Scripture quoted in this article will be taken from New Living Translation (NLT).

In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, YHVH clearly points out that we have two choices.  “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!   You can make this choice by loving [YHVH] your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.…”  The Israelites had lived in a pagan culture (Egypt) for over 400 years.  The choices given here were between YHVH’s law or hasatan’s law.  We all live in a world that has been influenced by the values of hasatan’s law which are sometimes called “worldly ways” or “living in the flesh”.

In the first chapter of Romans (1:18-32), we find mention of the two types of law.  First there is the law and order of YHVH expressed through His creation: They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God (v 18-20).  YHVH’s ways are evident throughout creation, but He has also given us His law in written form (Scripture) and has written it on our hearts.  The opposite of YHVH’s law, satanic law, is graphically described in verses 28-32:  Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.…  They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.  If hasatan had his way, this is the only law any of us would know.  Therefore, he has worked throughout history to obscure and misconstrue YHVH’s law.

There has been confusion about the law since the time of the apostles.  First, some Jewish leaders were adding pre-requisites before receiving salvation.  We are rescued (salvation) from the dominion of hasatan through faith and even that faith is a gift from YHVH (Eph. 2:8).   Second, Constantine, in an effort to unite his empire, combined the sacred with the pagan and forbade keeping Torah under pain of death, thus distorting the Sabbaths and replacing the appointed times of YHVH.  Later, in the time of Martin Luther, grace was misconstrued as being the opposite of keeping law.

One dangerous heresy that has resulted today is the widespread belief that Yeshua’s followers are no longer under any type of law.  Grace reconciles us to YHVH and keeps us in relationship with YHVH when we transgress while unlearning hasatan’s ways and learning YHVH’s ways.  Grace is not a replacement for obedience to YHVH’s laws but rather the application of the atonement and covering of Yeshua when we repent of our sin.

Another myth today is that the laws of YHVH are too difficult to keep and therefore YHVH has done away with them.  There are 613 laws in the Torah and no one person is accountable for all of them.  Some are for priests only, others just for men, some for women only, and so on.  There are actually 1,050 commands in the New Testament!

Adam and Eve were influenced by hasatan and sinned against YHVH, subjecting themselves to hasatan.  Until hasatan distracted and confused them, they were capable of keeping YHVH’s law.  Now, we who are born under the dominion and influence of hasatan, struggle to keep YHVH’s law on our own.  Therefore, through Yeshua’s covering and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit we can maintain our relationship with YHVH while we are being perfected.  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Phil 2:13).

Yeshua rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for their false teachings and actions.  Under the guise of keeping Torah, the Pharisees were more often keeping their own man-made laws (Matt 23:15-30).  hhhahasMan-made law is the distortion of YHVH’s law thanks to humans who have disobeyed by adding to or subtracting from YHVH’s law (Deut 4:2).  Man-made law is actually satanic law in another guise.

Salvation is not a one-time event, but a process.  Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear (Phil 2:12).  YHVH has not changed, neither has His law nor His expectations of us.