Making a Case to be Holy–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections–87
Making a Case to be Holy
A Case for Holiness
As I was conducting my Torah studies week-before-last, I came to Exodus, chapter 19.
This of course, is a well-known passage of Torah to our community, for it is the place that marks that point in our history that we officially received our Creator’s perfect Law.
We had just arrived at the base of Mount Sinai, just three-months prior, having been freed from our Egyptian taskmasters. Upon our arrival, Father summoned Mosheh to the top of the mountain and it was at this point in our history that Abba laid out the terms of the contract to Mosheh that we would either agree to abide by or reject; the option being entirely ours. It was not a one-way contractual agreement such that we were being forced to become Yahovah’s children. Well, Yah has always worked that way has He not? He has always been the God of choice—choose ye today whom you shall serve(Joshua 24:15).
It is certainly easy to recall that when we were in Mitsrayim (i.e., the land of Egypt), we did not have a choice when it came to serving our Egyptian taskmasters, but here, at the foot of Mount Sinai, we were being exposed to a taste of true freedom where we had the option of saying yes to serving the Creator or no to serving Him.
When I think about this whole thing and reflect upon how we must have felt or viewed things collectively and individually as they were transpiring before us. I can not help but think that most of our mixed company coming out of Egypt had no idea what was in store for us.
Abba was not quick to show us His plan but sought to prove us worthy at every step leading up to the revealing of His plan to us.
I would imagine that many of us believed that we would simply be freed from bondage by this mysterious God who would lead us to a land of great opportunities where we could live out our days as we so chose; similar to the mindset that many in churchianity and even our Hebrew Roots community possess today.
Instead, Sinai for us was a precursor of that narrow gate and straight way that Father swore would lead us to a life that just three months prior, was unimaginable. Life would not be easy for us under the terms of the agreement that Abba was laying out before Mosheh and ultimately before us as a nation. Nevertheless, if we could see beyond and live the nuts and bolts of that agreement without compromise (because Abba is a jealous God and He does not share His glory and authority with any other supposed god or power over our set-apart lives), we would reap the unfathomable benefits of being the Creator of the Universe’s chosen, prized possessions in all the earth. Imagine that!
Of the billions of people who have ever lived on this planet, we stand as the Creator’s chosen few. What an amazing truth.
As we proceed through the chapter, we come to two places where Father severely warns Mosheh and ultimately us as a body, that we are not to invade the established boundaries of the mountain, lest we suffer termination with extreme prejudice—that is, execution by stone and or arrow. The verses where this admonishment is found in verses 12 and 13; 21 through 23.
This admonishment by Yahuah has always intrigued me, given that in chapter 20 of Exodus, it was revealed that when we saw the thunder and the lightning and heard that ear-piercing shofar and saw the mountain in such an infernal state, we stood trembling at a distance from the mountain (verse 18). We even told Mosheh to speak to Yahovah on our behalf because we were outright terrified of our Father’s manifested presence before us.
Let us be honest about this thing here: this was the first-time we’d been formally introduced to Yahovah. Yes, we saw His power and might and authority magnificently manifested in Egypt an along our journey to Sinai, but we’d never had a face-to-face, let’s talk and explain the situation, type meeting with Yahuah, our Redeemer until this time in our history. What happens when one goes out to meet someone special for the first-time? Well, he or she puts their best foot forward. Indeed, Abbah instructed us to prepare ourselves for that meeting by washing and purifying ourselves and readying our hearts and minds. We were to put our best foot forward at this meeting. Yahuah came to our meeting in his great splendor; dressed to impress.
I guess this is a far cry from how we view and treat the presence of our Father today. In many cases, that fear that we had towards Father has been replaced with outright irreverence and disregard by so many, but for now I wish to focus on why Father admonished us to not invade the boundaries of the mountain when He obviously knew that we would not.
So I guess I am mystified that our omniscient Father would pose such a stern warning to Mosheh knowing that we would by no stretch of the imagination violate the boundaries of the mountain. My first inclination was that, hey, Father was just making a rule that we, His children, would have to obey and I went with that for a long time. Yet with this latest read, that curiosity once again hit me like a ton of bricks that I just could not dig myself from under. To me, this admonishment by Abba to Mosheh had to be more than a simple “don’t violate the boundaries of My mountain because I said so.” One thing I am certain of is that our Creator does nothing without a reason. Now some of those reasons may not be readily apparent, or for that matter, not available to us for whatever reason and I want to resist engaging in eisigesis (i.e., reading into the text) for purposes of surmising a reason why. Nevertheless, I will take slight liberty and reflect upon a potential reason for Father prohibiting us from broaching the boundaries of the mountain. Hey, this is Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections by the way.
Apart from Yahuah giving the command (twice given) and us simply obeying it because Father said so and because we did not want to die violating the command, I would submit that Father was intending to teach us a lesson here. I believe that Father gave Mosheh this admonishment for purposes of establishing boundaries between the common and the holy. That’s right, I believe that Yahovah wanted to make it perfectly clear to us that He is our God and our Creator and that which He deems holy we are not to treat as we would everything else in our life or within our sphere of existence. I envision Father saying: “Today, I am establishing a clear line of demarcation that I will expect you to respect and observe; and I am going to make that line of demarcation very clear to you; and for that matter, very easy for you to respect and observe. I know that you will be too terrified to cross the boundaries that I am setting up before you, but I also want you to know that wherever My presence rests and wherever I place My Name, you will respect those places and things or face dire consequences. In this case, you cross over and touch the mountain, you die.”
Separating the common from the holy: now that is a concept that has lost a lot of meaning and respect by us humans over the centuries. As it relates to this particular story and situation, we had just arrived in town (i.e., Sinai), having just a couple months ago, beat-feet out of Egypt and trekking across the desert and we were a green, snotty-nosed, mixed-lot of souls who obviously did not know the things of our God. In fact, we came out of pagan-Egypt with all her idols and false gods and we knew nothing of true holiness. Evil (as in paganism) only begets evil and nothing good ever comes out of evil. Thus, we knew nothing apart from that which we were exposed to in Egypt; years spent in abject servitude and bondage.
In the midst of our servitude and bondage, we picked up paganism, whorshipping the gods of our Egyptian over-lords. When we fled Egypt on eagles’ wings, we did not know anything about Yahovah, the Creator of the Universe, apart from Word being handed down about Him being the God of our father’s Avraham, Yitsak and Yaachob. Obviously this was the case because we quickly returned to the worship of the golden calf when Mosheh went up the mountain for an extended period of time soon after this Sinai encounter (Exodus 32).
Definition of Holy
That which was dedicated to God was conceived of as entering the sphere of the “holy.” This included the various elements of Levitical worship called “holy things” in Lev 5:15-16, the produce of the land (Lev 19:24), personal property (Lev 27:28), and spoils obtained in military action (Josh 6:19). The sacrifices that were to be eaten only by the priests were denominated “holy” by virtue of their absolute dedication to the sphere of the sacred as represented by the priesthood (Lev 19:8).
While the realm of the holy was conceptually distinct from the world with its imperfections, it could nevertheless operate within the world as long as its integrity was strictly maintained. The maintenance of the integrity of the “holy” was a function of the Israelite cultus. The holy God came to man in redeeming love within the context of regulations and proscriptions that were designed to maintain the purity of holiness the characterized God’s essential nature. Even before the establishment of the Levitical system, this principle was recognized (see Exo 3:5). (TWOT Lexicon)
Essentially, that which Yahovah/Yahuah/Yahweh, the Creator of the Universe, has declared sacred or holy, special to Him and His operations, is holy. Otherwise, anything not declared sacred or holy or special to Him is man’s mess; in some cases, it is hasatan’s mess and is essentially profane. God knows how much of hasatan’s mess is mixed in with that which Father has set apart as special and holy and that is not only problematic, it is a no-no.
Yet millions hang on to a religion that is a mixture of the profane and that which is supposed to be holy according to our God, out of a fear and respect for their denomination, faith community, culture and traditions. Unfortunately, Yah does not care for such behavior and His Messiah will ultimately put an end to it all.
Holiness According to the Bible
Yahovah established with us “right off the bat” an uncompromising “holiness factor” that He insisted be honored and observed by us at all times. There was no question as to what was holy/sacred/set-apart then, and for all intents and purposes, there should be no confusion on this subject as it relates to our understanding and observance of the holy things of Yahuah our Elohim today.
Yet I would submit to and ask you: have we not forsaken that “holiness factor” in our Faith Community today? I mean: in certain sects of fundamental churchianity, especially in some of the fundamental Christian sects that I was exposed to growing up, holiness was more of a “man-made factor” than a “God-ordained factor” or biblically supported factor. Outside of the Christian sects that I was exposed to growing up, there was always the Catholics who worked the heck of this holiness thing. Virtually everything related to Catholic edifices and houses of worship, their masses and their various relics strewn around the world, was assigned by the powers to be at the Vatican, a holiness factor. In terms of the Christian sects I grew up around, the holiness factor was assigned to pulpits, traditions, doctrines, preachers, pastors and ministers.
Looking back at this stuff from my current station in life and filtering most things through my Netsarim worldview or lenses, I clearly see that none of these things that were deemed holy were deemed holy by Abba or the bible; in fact, everyone of them was deemed holy by men, plain and simple; and who is man to assign a holiness factor to anything without the Father’s permission or direction? Yet, is that not the way things work in the mundane, common world: man determines what is what and who is who and damn God and His Scriptures for man believes he runs the show here? Oh how it must insult the Creator to know and see that man is running the show (running it badly I might add) that He established and set in operation.
Even in some segments of our Hebrew Roots Community, we have crossed that line from God-ordained holiness over into man-made holiness. Case in point: Torah worship; sacred names; the Talmud; and certain practices and traditions that are germane to Judaism; and members of our community who are tied to these sects will almost go to fisticuffs over these things that they and their sects deem as holy. Yet when it comes down to the things that Father has actually deemed as holy, many in our Faith have crossed over those boundaries and profaned the established things of Yahovah that are truly holy such as Sabbath-keeping; the Feast Days; our perfectly lived Torah-observant lives; the ways of Yahovah; our Master Yeshua Messiah (yes, believe it or not, we have many in our Community who are Yeshua-haters); and the list goes on as delineated in Scripture.
What is Holy to Father?
So needless to say, I went on a search through the Word for that which Abba has deemed holy. It would stand to reason that Father would reveal to us that which He considered and demanded that we observe as holy.
Well, I was taken aback to find that Father has set apart unto Himself a rather broad and large number of things that He has deemed holy. Some of those things no longer are in existence and thus the holiness factor would not be applicable in this day and age. Certainly there are other things that remain as holy elements to our Faith and I have come to conclude these things demand that we honor and respect them as holy unto Yahovah our Elohim.
Allow me to mention some of them; and know that this is not an exhaustive list.
- The Mountain of Yahuah (Exodus 3:5; Isaiah 56:7) (Held in abeyance)
- Collectively and individually as a nation of people dedicated and separated unto Yahovah; serving Him as a nation of priests and living holy and righteous lives; we as engrafted Israelites (Exodus 19:6; 22:31; Leviticus 19:2; 20:7; Deuteronomy 7:6; 23:14; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22; 3:12; I Timothy 2:8; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:8; I Peter 1:16; 2:5; 2:9; 2 Peter 3:11) (Active)
- The Sabbath Day (Exodus 20:8) (Active)
- The inner-sanctum of the Tabernacle and Temple (Exodus 26:33,34) (Held in abeyance)
- The garments of the Levitical High Priests (Exodus 28:2; 29:6,29) (Held in abeyance)
- A portion of the atonement sacrifice as food for the Levitical priesthood (Exodus 29:33,34; Leviticus 2:3-10; 6:18; 10:10; 11:44,45) (Held in abeyance yet controversial)
- The sacrificial alter (Exodus 29:37; 30:10) (Held in abeyance)
- The implements of the tabernacle (Exodus 30-40) (Held in abeyance)
- Our heavenly Father (Leviticus 11:44,45; Joshua 24:19; I Samuel 2:2; 6:20; Psalm 99:5; Proverbs 9:10; 30:3) (Active)
- The fourth-year fruit upon our entering the land of promise (Leviticus 19:23)(Held in abeyance)
- The Name of Yahuah our Elohim (Leviticus 20:3; Psalm 103:1) (Active)
- The offerings of fire that we brought to Yahovah (Leviticus 21:6) (Held in abeyance)
- That which has been gifted and dedicated unto the service of Yahuah our Elohim that He has ordained as holy cannot be in the presence, possession of, or consumed by any impure or unclean individual for Abba requires that we be in a state of perpetual purity or cleanness, especially when it comes to our being near, consuming or touching that which He has ordained as holy (Leviticus 22:3-16) (Active but remain controversial)
- The Feasts of Yahweh as convocations and the offerings and tithes that we give during these moedim (Leviticus 23:2-36; Numbers 29:7; Exodus 12:16; Numbers 28:18) (Active)
- The obedient Nazarite (Numbers 6:5-20) (Active)
- The firstling offerings (Numbers 18:17) (Held in abeyance)
- Our tithes (2 Chronicles 31:6) (Active but remain controversial)
- Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:1; Isaiah 52:1) (Held in abeyance but remain controversial)
- The Spirit of Yahovah (Psalm 51:11) (Active)
- The Word of Yahuah/Torah (Psalm 105:42; Romans 7:12) (Active)
- The Works of Yahovah (Psalm 145:17) (Active)
- A remnant of Jerusalem in the end days (Isaiah 4:3) (Future)
- Yahuah’s covenant with us (Daniel 11:28; Romans 7:12) (Active yet remains controversial)
- The angels (Matthew 25:31) (Active yet remain controversial)
- A Tzaddik such as John the Immerser (Mark 6:20) (Active but remain controversial)
- The prophets of old (Luke 1:70) (Active)
- The apostles (Ephesians 3:5) (Active)
- Our faith (Jude 1:20) (Active)
Considerations
Again, this list that I have provided is not intended to be an exhaustive listing of that which Father has deemed holy or that which the writers of the Holy Writ were inspired by the Ruach Kodesh to deem as holy. Instead, I see this list as a primer of sorts, that gave me a sense of the great many things that Father has ordained as holy unto Him.
I also came across some considerations as it relates to this holiness factor that I saw as important to pass on.
To begin with, that which Abba has deemed as holy is not to be worshiped by us as Yahweh’s chosen people. Unfortunately, our Faith community is populated by individuals who have taken on religion to the full extent of the meaning, the most prominent of our lot being those who practice Judaism. Many worship the implements of our Faith that are deemed Holy by Father such as the Torah, the Names of our Creator, tzitzits, the Temple (albeit the temple no longer exists, people worship the land of Israel), and even worship some of our Hebrew Roots leaders. Although Abba set before us a list of the things that He deems as holy, not once did He ever command us to worship these implements. Yet it seems hardwired within man to worship those sacred elements of their chosen religion and Faith. Certainly, there is an inherent temptation to worship that which is set apart, but Yahuah our Elohim is the only being that is to be worshiped by us.
The other thing is our holiness: Father requires that we be holy as He is holy and by far, that delineation is mentioned more times than any other element of our Faith. Over and over we are reminded that we are holy unto Father and that we are to be holy in all our ways.
This issue is driven home a great deal in Leviticus 20: 7,8 where we are reminded that our principles, affections and aims must be holy (Matthew Henry Commentary on the Bible). Matthew Henry continues on as it relates to this passage: “We must then cleanse ourselves from all the pollutions of sin, consecrate ourselves to the service and honour of God, and conform ourselves in everything to His holy will and image…(This is part of the sanctification process). In all our actions and in the whole course of our conversation…” (must be obedient to Torah (i.e., you shall keep my statutes).
It then becomes the criteria by which we are then sanctified when we honour and obey Abba’s Torah. Yet we lack the ability to keep Torah to the extent and manner that Father desires, unless we have the Ruach Kodesh working within us (which we should have)—that His Ruach (i.e., His Spirit) writes His Torah upon our hearts and in our minds (Hebrews 8:10; cf. Jeremiah 31:33). In order for this process to work within us as potentially Abba’s holy people, we must have a cleaned up and purified Temple/Tabernacles that can house the Ruach Kodesh and allow Him to operate within us effectively.
So one reflects: why must we go to such a great extent as it relates to the holiness that Father requires of us? (1) Yahuah our Elohim commands it of us; (2) we want to please our Heavenly Father; and (3) to bring glory to His Holy Name.
Of this concern, Matthew Henry comments: “Yahovah (corrected) sanctifies us through special privileges, laws and favours,” all of which are designed to bring us to that special, “peculiar people” status that Father so desires us to be in this world, as well as bring us to the place where we become Yahovah’s special possession. Henry continues: “ Yahovah’s people are, must be, persons of distinction. Yahovah has distinguished us by His holy covenant” (corrected).
Of this same issue, according to Gill’s Bible Commentary, we are to sanctify ourselves by abstaining from all idolatrous practices and then we are to observe Abba’s Torah. In doing such, we become a holy, set apart people from all others in the world in the manner of our conversation and worship.
Yet many self-professing Netsarim are very open to profane and disgusting converation, even castigating those of us who take exception to their practices and talk. Why are they like that? I have read where some feel that it is just words and that their use of profanity is an organic form of expression that would make no difference to God. Really? The common world freely uses profanity as a means of communicating at all levels and on various things. If we are supposed to be holy in all areas of our existence, why would our conversation (that is our vocabulary) not be included in that holiness factor?
As I have mentioned in prior episodes of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, the holiness factor requires a “dying to self” as alluded to in Matthew 16:24,25; Mark 8:34,35; Luke 14:27. It becomes the critical decision that we all must make of deciding upon which side of this thing we are going to settle upon and if we decide that Yahovah’s way is the way we want to go, it then becomes the very difficult process of letting go of the things of this life that do not mesh with the things of Yahovah and then walk out our Faith and our salvation in “fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12); relying upon Yahovah’s Ruach HaKodesh to empower us to stay within the confines of that narrow way.
Oh how I can attest that this is definitely not an easy thing to pick-up and do. Nevertheless, it absolutely must be done, more sooner than later, by each of us. As we have so clearly seen in the passages discussing the holiness factor, especially those elements of the holiness factor that apply specifically to us as individual Netsarim, Abba requires we be holy as He is holy.
In chapter 20, verse 26 of Leviticus, Father once again reiterates His requirement that we be Holy, more so that that holiness factor will have led to Him actually “setting us apart from the nations of the world to be His special possession.” Despite all the protests and teachings to the contrary, we cannot be His special possession unless we are holy.
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Our God’s Blessings and Promises are Irrevocable — Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 117
Greetings! Shabbat Shalom saints of the Most High. It is the 15th day of the 11th biblical calendar month and the 27th day of the 1st month of the Roman calendar year of 2024. I pray, trust, and hope that this week’s Thoughts and Reflections find you, your families,...
There’s a Little Balaam in All of Us–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 116
Shabbat Shalom saints of the Most High. It is the 8th day of the 11th biblical calendar month and the 20th day of the 1st month of the Roman calendar, 2024. I pray, trust, and hope that this week’s thoughts and reflections find you, your families, and your fellowships...
Nobody Told Me That the Road Would Be Easy, but He Didn’t Bring Me This Far To Leave Me–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 115
Greetings Saint of the Most High. Coming at you on this cold Sabbath morning in the DFW, on the first day of the 11th biblical calendar month, trusting and hoping that these Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 115 find you, your family, and your fellowship is...
The Torah of the Red Heifer—A Foreshadow of Yeshua HaMashiyach–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 114
Shabbat Shalom, saints of the Most High. Coming to you on a cool and cloudy Sabbath in the DFW. I pray you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed. Our Parashah this week is found in Numbers 19:1-20:13. Although it covers Miriam's death and Moshe...
The Inherited Lie of Replacement Theology-Part 3 of Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Series
Greetings This is “Exposing the Lie that is Replacement Theology-Part 3 of Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation.” Recap and Purpose of Post In part one we interpreted Master Yehoshua's statement to the woman at Jacob's well that salvation is of...
Aaron’s Budding Staff and the Responsibilities of the Levites-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 113
These are my Thoughts and Reflections on this week’s reading which is the 113th reading of the 3-year Torah Portion Cycle. It is found in Numbers/Bemidbar 17:1-18:32 (17:16-18:32). Our reading picks up immediately where the Korah incident left off. Remember from our...
Rebellion-Deal Breaker to Making it into the Kingdom-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 112
Shabbat Shalom Saints of the Most High God. These are my thoughts and reflections on this Sabbath's Torah Reading. It is the 112th reading of the 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. (See torahresource.com) Key Elements of this Week's Reading: Korah-Levite of the Kohath clan....
Asarah B’Tevet 10
Jews around the world honor Tevet 10 as a day of fasting, mourning, and repentance, specifically commemorating the siege of Jerusalem and the subsequent destruction of Solomon's Temple. It is an abbreviated, complete fast day (i.e. the observant Jew refrains from...
But Paul Said There is Neither Jew Nor Greek–Part 2 of Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Series
This is “But Paul Said There is Neither Jew nor Greek—Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Part 2 In part 1 of this series, I gave what I hope was a clear explanation of why I was led to explore Israel’s unshakable link to our salvation, which in great part was...
Israel’s Inextricable Link with our Salvation Part 1
This is "Israel's Inextricable Link to our Salvation Part 1." Back on 10/13/2023, I posted a teaching and discussion entitled Ministry Update and My Thoughts and Reflections on Hamas' Invasion of Israel. In the Hamas' Invasion of Israel portion of the post I expressed...
Are God’s People Required to Wear Tzitzit Today and is the Wearing of Them a Salvific Issue?
This is “Are God’s People Required to Wear Tzitzits Today and Is the Wearing of Tzitzits a Salvific Issue?” And just to cut to the chase, beloved, the answer to both questions is yes. I’ll explain why in just a few. Why Discuss Tzitzit Wearing? The reason I was led to...
Invitation to Messianic Discipleship-From the Sinner’s Prayer to True Messianic Discipleship
Welcome to The Messianic Torah Observer. Maybe you’ve been here before and have more questions about our ministry or the Messianic, Hebrew Roots, or Nazarene Israelite faith. And if that’s the case, I’m happy you’re here and I’m happy to answer questions you may have...
The Deep Abiding Mysteries of the Aaronic Blessing-My Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 104
Greetings and Salutations Greetings, Saints of the Most High. This Rod coming to you from the DFW, thanking you for taking the time from your busy schedules to fellowship with me on this glorious Shabbat. As always, I hope, trust, and pray that this installment...
TMTO Ministry Update and My Thoughts and Reflections on Hamas’ Invasion of Israel
There are two things I wish to cover in this installment of TMTO. The first will be an update on this ministry: What's happening and what's ahead. Secondly, I want to share my thoughts and reflections on the terrible, tragic, horrific, heinous events that transpired...
Ten Things God Expects us to do for Sukkot-The Feast of Tabernacles 2023
In today's installment, I will be putting out to you what I have elected to call ten things Yehovah says in His Word that every Netsari, disciple of Yeshua Messiah, must do for Sukkot/Tabernacles. Now, some of you will be acutely aware of many of these things...
The Variegated Shadows of Yom Kippur 2023—Or When Payback is a Bear for the Enemies of God and His Set Apart People
Yom Kippur, the Holiest Day of Yah's Calendar Year Yom haKippurim is considered by many in our Faith and orthodox Judaism as the holiest day of Yah's biblical calendar year. On this holiest of days, Yah mandated His chosen ones to "afflict their...
Thoughts and Reflections on Yom Teruah-The Feast of Tabernacles 2023
This is a special TMTO post that I pray will encourage, and maybe inform you, as it relates to the imminent advent of Yom Teruah, or the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets. As you may, or may not know, we are on the very cusp of receiving this Moedim, this...
Upholding the Utter Holiness of God-My Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 100
Greetings and Shabbat Shalom. It is my hope, trust, and prayer that this posting finds you, your families, and your fellowships well and blessed on this warm but blessed Sabbath in the DFW. A Short Passage with a Big Message This 100th parashah of our three-year...
God’s Priestly Armies Then and Now: Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Portion 99
Greetings on this warm Shabbat in Maryland. May this post find you, your families, and your fellowships well and bless. These are my thoughts and reflections on the 99th reading of the 3-year Torah Reading cycle. I've entitled this post "God's Priestly Army Then and...
The Power From Within-Thoughts and Reflections on Parashah 98
Greetings to you on yet another exceptionally warm Sabbath in the DFW. May this day of rest find you, your families, and your fellowships well and blessed. These are my thoughts and reflections on the 98th Torah or Parashah Reading of our 3-year reading cycle. It is...
God Brings His Children Unto Himself: My Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 97
Greetings on this warm summer Shabbat in the DFW. These are my thoughts and reflections on the 97th reading of our three-year Torah Reading Cycle. It is contained within Numbers 1:1-2:13; the Haftarah in Ezekiel 47:13-23; and the Apostolic in Luke 15:1-7....
The Realities of the Messianic’s Liberty in Messiah–Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 95
These are my thoughts and reflections on the 95th parashah of the 3-year Torah Reading cycle. It is contained in Leviticus/Vayiqra 25:39-26:2. I’ve entitled this discussion: The Realities of the Messianic's Liberty in Messiah--Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading...
TMTO Ministry Update
Greetings I'm back! Well, not quite. But almost. History of Ministry QFC (2012) Blog (2012) Podcast (2014-11/2022) YouTube (2018-11/2022) QFC Affiliates with Feastkeepers (New York) and First Century COG (Baltimore) (2019-2021) Why we ended the podcast...
Shabbat Chazon–Our Hope for Salvation and Redemption–Thoughts and Reflections on Isaiah 1:1-27
Shabbat Shalom Saints of the Most High on this balmy, but sublime Sabbath in the DFW. I'm Rod Thomas. Hoping, trusting, and praying that this teaching finds you well and blessed. As this teaching is being recorded and posted, 7/22/23, the 4th day of our 5th biblical...
God’s Requirements for Holiness in Worship–Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 92
Greetings, Saints of the Most High, on this sizzling but beautiful Sabbath in the DFW. These are my thoughts and reflections on this week's Torah Reading, which happens to be the 92nd reading of our 3-year Torah Reading cycle. Given its contents, I've entitled...
Becoming and Existing as Priests of God-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 91
Greetings beloved of Yehovah on this steamy, but beautiful Sabbath here in the DFW. This week's Torah Reading is the 91st Reading of the 3-year reading cycle. It is contained in the 21st Chapter of the Book of Leviticus and entails the exclusive and exceeding...
Remaining Set-Apart in the Midst of this Evil and Adulterous Generation-Rebooting my Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 90
Shabbat Shalom Greetings beloved, on this glorious set-apart day from the DFW. My sincerest hope, trust, and prayer is that this reboot of Torah Reading 90 will be a tremendous blessing to you in these troublesome times were living. This Week's Reading as a Reboot...
Conforming to God’s Ways in the Midst of Present Day Wokeness: Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 89
Greetings from the DFW on this warm but glorious Shabbat. We commenced the 4th month of Yah's sacred calendar year earlier this week, and we're trusting in His keeping mercies as we progress throughout the month. These are my thoughts and reflections on the 89th...
Oh the Blood of Yeshua-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 88
Greetings, Beloved of the Most High, on this warm but glorious Sabbath in the DFW. I pray that you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed. This is the 88th parashah or reading of the 3-year reading cycle. It is contained in Leviticus/Vayiqra...
Only One Way to God-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 87
This week's reading comes under the General Torah Reading Title of "Acharey Mos," which covers chapters 16 through 28 in the Cepher of Leviticus/Vayiqra. Shabbat Shalom on this warm but otherwise beautiful Sabbath in the DFW. Our reading here today is contained within...
Dwelling in the Presence of God Through Physical and Spiritual Cleanness-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 86
Shabbat Shalom from the DFW on this, what promises to be a warm but beautiful Sabbath. What follows are my thoughts and reflections on this week's Torah Reading, which is the 86th reading of the 3-year Torah Reading cycle. Our portion is found in...
The Leprosy-Sin Connection-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 84
Shabbat Shalom. I pray that this post finds you and your families and fellowships well and blessed on this holy weekend. This is the Leprosy-Sin Connection. It is my thoughts and reflections on the 84th Torah Reading of our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle....
Torah Reading 81–The Ordination of Aaron and Sons–First Steps to Humanity’s Reconciliation
Shalom! I pray that you had a meaningful and blessed Sabbath. What follows are my thoughts and reflections on Torah Reading 81 of our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle on this mild, but peaceful Sabbath in North Texas. Parashah 81 Leviticus 8:1-36--The Ordination of Aharon...
Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 80
Shalom! We pray that you had a restful and meaningful Sabbath this past week. This past Sabbath’s Torah Portion was the 81st parshah of the 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. (If you are so led to participate in reading and studying the weekly Torah Readings, we have put the...
Biblical Rosh Hashanah 2023 and a TMTO Ministry Update
Greetings Saints! May this post find you, your families, and your fellowships well and blessed during these challenging times. I wanted to update you as to what's going on with The Messianic Torah Observer of late, as well as I wanted to encourage you as we enter the...
Shabbat HaChodesh-The Realities of The Sabbath Before the Biblical New Year in 2023
Welcome to Shabbat HaChodesh—The Sabbath Before the Biblical New Year of 2023 Jewish custom holds that the Shabbat that falls on or before the 1st of Aviv is Shabbat HaChodesh--or the Sabbath of the New Moon. Like its two preceding Sabbaths of Shabbat Zachor and...
Shabbat Parah-A Foreshadow of our Perpetual Cleanness Through Yeshua Messiah
Shabbat Shalom, and welcome to Shabbat Parah. Like Shabbat Zachor last week, Shabbat Parah is neither a feast day nor a Jewish holiday. But instead, it may be viewed as somewhat of a themed Sabbath, if you will. And the theme of this Sabbath is brought forth through...
The Silver and Gold of our Service to God-Post Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 73
Shalom and Greetings, Beloved of Yehovah. I trust that you had a mighty and restful Sabbath. The Gist of Torah Reading 73 Yesterday’s Sabbath Reading discussion focused on Shabbat Zachor. If you’ve not had the opportunity to read that post, I would humbly invite and...
Shabbat Zachor 2023-Our Sabbath of Remembrance
Shabbat Shalom Beloved. Our Torah and Haftorah Reading in Light of Where we are on the Calendar This is a special Shabbat, for it is the Shabbat that immediately precedes the Jewish holiday of Purim. According to our observational calendar, Purim will occur at sundown...
The Ordination of the Levitical Priest-A Foreshadow of Good things to Come-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 66
Introduction Shabbat Shalom, beloved of Elohiym. I pray that you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed on this blessed day of rest in Yeshua Messiah. This is “The Ordination of the Levitical Priests: A Foreshadow of Good Things to Come.” It will...
The Renewed Covenant Spiritual Application of the Levitical Priestly Garments-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 65
Introducing Torah Reading 65 This week’s Torah Reading is the 65th reading in our 3-year cycle. It is contained in Exodus 27:20-28:43. I’ve chosen to entitle this synopsis of the reading: The Renewed Covenant Spiritual Application of the Levitical Priestly Garments....
The Connection Between Giving and God Dwelling with His People-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 63
Shabbat Shalom! Warm greetings to you, dear Saint. We hope, trust, and pray that this post finds you, your families, and your fellowships well and blessed on this bitterly cold Sabbath amid Hanukkah 2022. Our Torah Reading Have you ever considered the reality of a...
The Book of the Covenant-What it Means to Modern Day Believers-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 62
Our Torah Reading this Shabbat features the covenant Yah established between Him and Yisra’el at Sinai. It is the 62nd Torah Reading of our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. Our reading is contained in Exodus/Shemot 24:1-18. This is the next iteration of Yehovah’s...
God Prohibits His People from Badmouthing Government Leaders—Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 61
Shabbat Shalom beloved. In this Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 61, we will examine a number of themes and concepts that fall within the realm of loving Yah and loving one’s neighbor as one would love themselves. I’ve taken the liberty of breaking this...
Dealing with Difficult Relationships-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 60
Shabbat Shalom saints of the Most High. May you, your families, and your fellowships be well and blessed in the perilous times we’re living. Central Themes and Life Lessons of Torah Reading 60 I’ve entitled this reading study: Dealing with Difficult...
The Fox in the Hen House–The LGBTQ Infiltration of Judeo-Christianity
Shalom beloved. I pray that this installment of The Messianic Torah Observer Journal finds you, your families, and your fellowships well and blessed. They Say that Curiosity Kills the Cat True to form, Hilary and I canvassed portions of YouTube to augment our worship...
We’re Getting Married in the Morning–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 59
Shabbat Shalom Saints of the Most High. Welcome to the second post of our The Messianic Torah Observer Journal. Today is a special day of sorts. It’s not only the Sabbath, but it is also the start of the 9th Biblical Month. Rosh Chodesh. There are no mandated Feasts...
Learning to Lean on Yeshua Messiah–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 58
Shabbat shalom beloved. We pray that you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed during these perilous times. Despite these being perilous times, beloved, we who are the redeemed of Yah through Yeshua Messiah, can find refuge and shalom in our...
We were Baptized into Moses in the Red Sea
Our Baptism in the Red Sea Was Illustrative of our Transformation into the People of God So, in our departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt, which was representative of a would-be child of Yah coming into a covenant relationship with Yah through the Person and Ministry of...
Walking in God’s Divine Guidance and Protection
Introduction This week’s Torah Portion/Parshah/Reading is the 56th Reading in our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. And it is contained in the Cepher of Exodus/Shemot 13:21-15:18. It is a continuation of last week’s reading which I entitled “The Key to Knowing...
The Key to Knowing God: Remembering and Obeying
In the past two readings, which we did not cover because we were on hiatus for the Fall Feasts, Yisrael experienced or witnessed the inauguration of Pesach in the midst of the final tenth plague that resulted in the death of every Egyptian/Mitsri firstborn and the...
The Thirst-Quenching Waters of Sukkot-The Feast of Tabernacles 2022
Sukkot-The Feast of Tabernacles is the Season of our Joy True joy is an offshoot of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit or the Ruach HaQodesh in each of us. Our joy, especially as expressed through Yah's Feasts, is incomplete without the Ruach HaQodesh's influence....
Getting to the Heart of Yom Kippur–Day of Atonement 2022
Yom Kippur Just a Day of Fasting? What did Yah truly mean by His people afflicting their souls on Yom Kippur? Was He commanded us to engage in just a fast? Turns out that Abba requires more from us on Yom HaKippurim than just a full day of not eating and drinking....
The Realities of Yom Teruah 2022
Introduction to our Discussion Welcome to the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets, or better, the Blowing of Shofars 2022. And with that, we pray that you are earnestly preparing and eagerly awaiting the arrival of Yom Teruah 2022. The title of our...
An Overview of the Fall Feasts of the LORD 2022-Part 1 of the Fall Feasts of the LORD 2022 Series
Resurrection Truth versus Rapture Error-Part 3 of the Death, the Grave, and the Resurrection Series
Introduction This is “Resurrection Truth versus Rapture Error.” This will be the 3rd installment to our Death, the Grave, and Resurrection series which spun off from our Torah Reading 45 which was entitled “And he (Ya’achov) was Gathered Unto His People. ...
Even the Small Things Matter to God-A Messianic Study of Exodus 4:22-26-STAR-48
Introduction This is “Even the Small Things Matter to God.” This is the 48th Reading of our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. It is contained in Exodus/Shemot 4:14-6:1. But we will be focusing just on verses 22 to 26. Looking Back to STAR-47, entitled “God’s Holy...
Rosh Chodesh 6th Month 2022-The Start of the 6th Biblical Month
Chag Sameach Rosh Chodesh beloved. Happy and blessed 6th Month to you all. As I am posting this brief discussion here on The Messianic Torah Observer, the renewed moon will have been sighted by at least two-trained observers in Yisra’el. Thus, wherever we live ...
God’s Holy Character–A Messianic Study of Exodus 3:1-4:13
Introduction This is God’s Holy Character-A Messianic Study of Exodus 3:1-4:13. It is the 47th Torah Portion of our 3-year Torah-reading cycle. Now, despite there being a great many historical and spiritual nuggets that the practical, truth-seeking...
Israel-The Birth of a Nation Through Tribulation-STAR-46
This is Israel: The Birth of a Nation Through Tribulation. It is a study of the 46th Parshah of our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. This week's reading is found in Exodus/Shemot 1:1-2:25. Introduction to the Reading The historical record transitions from that of a focus...
Death-the Grave-the Resurrection-Part 2
Introduction This is part 2 of our discussion on death, the grave, and the resurrection. And we will be picking up where we left off in part 1, which if you haven’t had the opportunity to either read or listen to that post on any of the platforms in which...
He Was Gathered unto His People-Death-The Grave-The Resurrection–Part-1–STAR-45
Introduction This is “He Was Gathered unto His People—Death-The Grave-The Resurrection—Part 1” This will be a discussion on the 45th Torah Reading of our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. Our focus text is Genesis/Beresheit 49:27-50:26. This passage concludes...
The 9th of Av–You Are Called by Name–STAR-44
Tisha B'Av--The 9th of Av--"The Saddest Day of the Jewish Calendar Year." According to Hillel’s Calendar, which I frequently refer to as the Jewish Calculated Calendar, as I am recording and posting this installment of TMTO Sabbath Thoughts and...
“Let No Man Judge You” in Your Keeping of Torah–A Messianic Examination of Colossians 2:16-17
This is "Let No Man Judge You" in Your Keeping of Torah--A Messianic Examination of Colossians 2:16-17. This is sort of a continuation, if you will, to our very last installment which was entitled “Did the Apostle Paul Permit the Eating of all Meats? A...
Did the Apostle Paul Permit the Eating of All Meats? A Messianic Examination of 1 Timothy 4:1-5
Setting the Table for our Discussion Here Today This is “Did the Apostle Paul Sanction/Permit the Eating of all Meats? A Messianic Examination of 1 Timothy 4:1-5.” Our discussion here today will serve as another installment to our massive Paul and Hebrew...
Does Torah Cause Someone to Sin More? A Messianic Examination of Romans 5:20
Goal: This is “Does Torah Cause Someone to Sin More? A Messianic Examination of Romans 5:20.” And so, our survey of the hard-to-understand—those challenging Pauline passages—takes us in today’s installment of TMTO, to Romans 5:20. And the KJV...
Experiencing the Wisdom of God Persists Even in the Midst of Despair–STAR-37
This week's portion is the 37th-Reading of the 3-year Torah Reading Cycle (STAR-37). And it is a familiar passage. For it is the story of Yosef interpreting the dreams of the cupbearer and baker in the Egyptian prison. If we recall STAR-36, Yosef was cast into prison...
Amazing Things Happen When God is with Us–Torah Reading 36–The Story of Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
Our Torah Reading for this Shabbat of 6/11/2022 is found in Genesis 39:1-23. It is The Story of Yosef and Potiphar's Wife. We find in this reading, themes of righteousness; trust; loyalty; prosperity; sexual immorality; favor-favor with man and favor with God; and...
Finding Peace with God-Eternal Life and a Blessed Assurance
This is “Finding Peace with God—Eternal Life and a Blessed Assurance.” This is a continuation of our Paul and Hebrew Roots mega-series where we’ve been discussing some of the more challenging—hard to understand Pauline writings. And we’ve been spending most of our...
The Story of Judah and Tamar: A Reminder that Yah’s Will Shall Already Triumph Over Humanity’s Carnality
This Week's Torah Reading #35--The Judah-Tamar Story This week's Torah Reading, number 35 in our three-year Torah Reading cycle, is found in Genesis/Beresheit 38:1-30. It is the story of Yehudah (aka Judah) and Tamar. It conveys tremendous spiritual lessons that...
Shavuot-Pentecost 2022 in Focus–Netzari-Messianic Perspectives on the Feast of Shavuot
1. An Introductory Primer on Shavuot What is Shavuot? For the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah, Shavuot—The Feast of Weeks—Pentecost is about the giving and receiving of YHVH’s Torah and the establishing of the marriage covenant between YHVH and the Children...
Closing Thoughts and Reflections
Given the extensive treatment of the concept of holiness in the Holy Writ, it is safe to conclude that holiness is not only an important concept to our Father, it must also be an important concept for us—His Children–to understand, discern, guard and of course observe with all the reverence we can muster.
Why? For a few reasons: that which is important to Father must naturally be of importance to us. If we dare call ourselves Children of Yahovah/Yahweh/Yahuah, yet we profane that which Father has deemed holy, we stand the risk of offending Him, marginalizing His Torah and sullying our witness and distinct purpose in this world.
Take for instance the Sabbath, which Father sanctified and separated it as holy and special from the other six-days of the week: when we treat the day as we treat any other day, we have by default violated Abba’s established holiness provision for the day and falsely demonstrated to a profane world that the day is just like any other day. I would submit that the same mindset applies to our observance of Torah, although our observance must be profoundly tempered by the Holy Spirit actively operating in our lives.
I am not in the least advocating Torah worship or any such religiosity that would obviously be a prescription for disaster. What I am advocating, however, is Teshuvah—a heart-felt, zealous, intelligent, uncompromising return to to the ways of our Creator as He originally intended and as our Master taught and modeled for us.
As we grow in the imagine and likeness of our Master, individually and collectively, I look forward, with the greatest of expectations, to being that holy thing that Father has so desperately sought of His people. What an amazing journey we have embarked upon; what an amazing God we serve.
So let us press forward towards that mark of the prize of the high calling of Yahuah in Yeshua HaMashiyach (Philippians 3:14). With the aid of the Ruach Kodesh, bang out and apply this holiness factor in every aspect of our being so that we become that peculiar, holy nation of priests—special possessions of Yah—holy and acceptable to Him—and effectively fulfilling His perfect will in the earth.
Until next time, fellow saints in training, may you be most blessed. Shalom. Shavuatov. Take care.
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