Finding Contentment in our Faith–Torah Reading-Numbers 11:1-35

by | Nov 12, 2020 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

 

 
 

Finding Contentment in our Faith–Torah Reading–Numbers 11:1-35

Verse 1–-The peoples’ complaining or murmuring (complaining about their hardships openly in Taberah or The Place of Burning) displeased Yah which led to His wrath coming down upon the people in the form of fire that consumed those in the extreme parts of the camp. The LXX suggests that the complaining was sinful in nature. Why would complaining be considered sinful in the sight of YHVH? Well, quite simply this: the bitter complaining that can take place within and among smaller disgruntled groups of individuals has the potential of creating and then spreading subversion, uprising, chaos and confusion throughout the whole organization. And if there’s anything our Father hates as much as He hates sin, it’s chaos and confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). And generally speaking, those that initiate such harmful complaints do so with clear ill-intent. In other words, these are often looking to stir up trouble within the organization in the hope of getting their way. Furthermore, when we drill down to the basis of the malcontents’ complaints or murmurs, we find that their problem was not with Moshe as many would conclude from a simple cursory reading of our focus passage, but their issue was actually with YHVH. 

 

We find in Exodus 16: 8 confirmation of this which reads:

 

“Moshe added, ‘What I have said will happen when YHVH gives you meat to eat this evening and your fill of bread tomorrow morning. YHVH has listened to your complaints and grumblings against Him–what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against YHVH'” (CJB).

 

 

Now, in all fairness, it would appear that some of the malcontents brought their complaints of not having meat to eat directly to Moshe and possibly the Levites (which is the right thing to do), while the remaining members grumbled and created contention throughout the fringe areas of the camp. 

 

Verses 2-3–-In response to the fiery wrath that was wrought upon the people residing in the fringe areas of the camp, the people cried out to Moshe for help. Moshe responded to the people’s cry for help by praying unto YHVH for His intervention in this dire situation. And in response to Moshe’s prayer, the fire that broke out upon those residing in the fringe areas of the camp abated. (cf. Num. 21:7) 

 

Father’s Harsh Response to Murmuring

 

Why did Father respond so harshly to the murmurings of the people, especially to the murmurings of those residing in the fringe areas of the camp. Well, Abba does not take well to those that express ungratefulness.  And certainly we have our share of such individuals within and without our community even today. Furthermore I would add, the hearts of those who were behind the murmuring, I would guess in particular those in the fringe areas of the camp, were evil. And the evil that resides in people’s hearts often lead to evil speech. Master addressed this very issue when Prushim (aka Pharisees) out of Yerushalayim accused Him of casting demons out of people by the power of ba’al zevuv, the prince of demons:

 

“You brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the treasure of a good heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out of an evil treasure brings forth evil things. Therefore I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment. By your own words you shall be justified, and by your own words you shall be condemned” (Matthew 12:24; Rood). 

 

And certainly, those who murmured in the outer areas of the camp were condemned to a fiery end were they not?

 

Difference of Opinion

 

Now, at least one commentator that I highly respect somewhat sympathizes with the complainers and their lot, suggesting that we ourselves would likely have complained if faced with the same situation and prospects as the ancients were; and that we must put ourselves in their shoes before casting critical stones at them and their sad story. But I take a little issue with that stance/position. I strongly believe what we have here in this passage is something much greater than just simple whining or complaining over having to eat manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner for an indeterminable amount of time. Rather, I believe Yah was more concerned and upset with the intensity and form of complaints put forth by members of the mixed multitude. Abba clearly recognized that the level and type of complaining that was taking place, especially in the outskirts of the camp, were potentially dangerous and possibly bordering on being subversive (Prov. 6:19). 

 

Could Father Have Been Testing the Mixed Multitude?

 

This is just me: Father has this propensity to test His people. Look for example at the life-walk of Avraham and how YHVH tested him a number of times to see whether Avraham believed Yah or not. And Avraham passed all of Yah’s tests, the most powerful test he passed being Avraham offering up his son Yitchaq to Yah. In that testing Yah said unto Avraham:

 

“…Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest Yah, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me” (Genesis 22:12; KJV).

 

And so it was because of Avraham’s steadfast belief in Yah and passing Yah’s tests that Abba credited his belief–Avraham’s trust in Yah as “righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). 

 

As it relates to our Torah Reading here this evening, I highly suspect this was another iteration of testing that Father was putting the nation through. And certainly forcing folks to eat manna for all three of their daily meals for an indeterminable period of time is a very trying challenging thing for anyone to endure. But it would ultimately come down to how each of those who were being tested responded to the test: Would they endure the test and overcome the challenge, or would they push back at the test and rebel? And I believe that those residing in the outskirts of the camp responded to the testing in a rebellious manner and Father stemmed the rebellion by consuming those who complained the worse with His consuming fire. 

 

Now, I have no proof that this was some form of a test. Nevertheless, how Yah’s people respond to situations that Father places them in is very telling of the state of the people’s heart. For our Elohim (aka our God) does not shy away from testing his peoples’ hearts:

 

Jeremiah 17:10–“I, Yehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (ASV). 

 

Nevertheless, I believe if the members of the mixed multitude were in a proper spiritual place, such that their hearts were right towards YHVH; such that they would have taken to heart the many wonders they’d witnessed in the course of their wilderness journey, knowing that their Elohim (their God) would ultimately be true to His words and promises and provide for all of their needs and concerns. What was it that Shaul wrote to the Messianic Assembly in Philippi concerning this very thing:

 

“Moreover, my God will fill every need of yours according to His glorious wealth, in union with the Messiah Yeshua” (4:19). 

 

I will say, however, that the bigger lesson to draw from this dynamic story is the fact that Yah’s people are not to live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of YHVH (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). This is not saying that Yah’s elect are to ignore their nutritional needs. Humans require food in order to live. But what Father was trying to get across to His people, and by extension us today, is that Yah has sovereignty over the entire universe, especially over His Children. For when one gives their life over to the full control of Yah, Yah takes care of their overall well-being and sustenance. Real life emerges not from the food we desire and crave, but from every Word that proceeds from Yah’s mouth. Thus focusing our efforts and attentions in this life solely upon Yah’s eternal Will and Word leads to life. The life of the elect is effectively sustained by Yah’s Word. Do we still need to eat in order to stay alive in this body? Yes, of course we do. However, when we give ourselves over completely to Yah, He in turn provides for all our needs as Yeshua our Master promised: 

 

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of Yah and His righteousness,” and all these things (every need and care of life) will be given to you” (Matthew 6:33). 

 

And let me just put this out there as it relates to this issue of living by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of YHVH. Yah has the ability to defy all reason and sustain His people physically if He so chooses. Think about Moshe who would go up into the Mount of Yah without any food or water that we know of for 40-days and nights to meet with the Almighty. How was Moshe sustained during those times? Only by the Word of Yah. So I ask you, why couldn’t the Almighty sustain His people today in the same manner as He did Moshe if Yah so willed. He most certainly could and likely would of course. We have no idea what Yah has in store for His people in the days and years ahead do we? Yah’s elect in the End Times for instance, may find themselves being entirely sustained by the Word of YHVH in accordance with His eternal Will.

 

It’s a matter of belief and trust in the Almighty that He will do what He promised He’d do. And obviously, the naysayers in our Torah Reading here today failed to recognize this critical truth.

 

The other important thing I must add to this discussion is that what Moshe did here in his expressing frustrations directly to Yah was not a sin. Murmuring in and of itself is NOT of Yah. Murmuring for all intents and purposes has NO place in the lives of Yah’s people. 

 

Rav Shaul directed the Messianic Assemblies in Corinth and Philippi respectively concerning murmuring:

 

“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:10; KJV).

 

“Do all things without murmurings and disputing…” (Philipiians 2:14).

 

Murmuring is complaining of one’s situation to someone(s) else for the express purposes of getting what one wants. Murmuring is a direct affront to the Almighty. It’s not the way to get Yah to heed and positively respond to your concerns and needs. The proper way to get Yah to positively respond to one’s needs is to go to yah with the right attitude and heart. The writer of Psalms wrote concerning this the following:

 

“Yehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as are of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18; cf. 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; KJV). 

 

 

What Moshe did in response to the situation recorded in our Torah Reading here today was to go directly to Yah with the problem. Moshe did not pour out his frustrations and concerns to Aharon for instance. He went to Yah and pour out his heart to Him. And despite Moshe’s words being somewhat hard hitting; maybe bordering on the disrespectful even. And we see from this outpouring from Moshe that our God is a big Elohim and He can more than take it when His elect express the frustrations they have with Him. Clearly Moshe was being transparent with the Almighty here and Yah saw the purity in Moshe’s heart towards Yah. It’s when Yah’s people hide their concerns from Yah and instead murmur and vent the frustrations they have with Yah to others is when things get a bit dicey. As I’ve mentioned numerous times throughout this post, Yah doesn’t like acts of murmuring and ungratefulness. And this is the contrast that we see between the way the mixed multitude handled their situation and the way Moshe handled the same situation. Abba took to heart the things Moshe was saying and He set out to address Moshe’s problem immediately. That’s the way our Elohim works. 

 

Verses 4-6–The mixed multitude was behind much of the complaining, although the children of Israel are recorded to have also  “wept” about their food situation. This mixed multitude consisted of what I like to refer to as “hangers on” that latched-on to the Hebrews as they departed out of Mitzraim, aka Egypt (Exo. 12:38). These once again started looking back at what they now portrayed as a life of leisure during their time of bitter servitude in Mitzraim. In comparison they described their present situation as them being famished without any hope for the future (cf. Numbers 21:5). But the truth of the matter was that they had grown tired of the manna which Yah provided as food for them. They were not hungry. Yah was true to His Word and He provided them more than enough food (albeit in the form of manna) to live.

 

Verses 7-9-These verses describe the appearance of the manna which Yah used to feed the people. Its appearance was similar to that of the “coriander seed.” Coriander seed is an eastern herb used today in traditional recipes. Furthermore, coriander has natural medicinal benefits. (Assuming the manna that Father provided the ancient was anything thing like coriander, let’s just say, we can safely conclude that their nutritional needs were well taken care of.) 

 

Now, as to how the manna would be consumed, the people upon gathering the manna would routinely grind it and bake it into cakes. It was said to have the sweet taste of oil. It was also described as being round in shape. It fell with the early morning dew each day. It would be gathered each morning before the sun melted it away. Yah’s manna was quite tasty and it must have contained sufficient nutrients to sustain a person throughout their day-to-day activities.

 

What you’ll find as you research manna in scripture is that scholars have gone out of their way to undermine the astoundingly miraculous nature of manna as recorded in Torah. They’ve attempted to tell the world that Yah’s manna was actually derived from the tarfa tree, which is a type of tamarisk, and that manna exudes from the trunks of this tree and forms small, round white grains” (Fausset’s Bible Dictionary). They’ve even gone so far as to suggest time frames in which manna would appear; the amounts of manna that one could expect from a crop of manna; and locations where such manna would be found, all the while ignoring the miraculous nature of this food as recorded in the books of Numbers and in Exodus. 

 

But Genesius (19th century Christian Hebraist, Lutheran theologian, biblical scholar and critic) gave great credence to the miraculous regarding manna:

  • It was not found under any tamarisk but on the surface of the desert.
  • The quantity of manna needed to sustain the multitude cannot be overlooked. (We’re talking upwards of 2 or so million souls by some estimates.)
  • The manna ceased each Shabbat for 40-straight years, ending permanently when Israel conquered Canaan.
  • Yah’s manna could be ground and baked into cakes. The tamarisk droppings were condiment in nature and could not be ground and baked as Yah’s manna could.
  • It sustained Israel throughout their wanderings in whatever place their feet touched.

 

Verses 10-15-Moshe hears the weeping of the families, apparently of those who were killed as a result of Yah’s fiery wrath. This weeping angers both the Almighty and Moshe. And In his ire, Moshe turns to Yah and calls Yah to task for the immense burden the Almighty placed upon Moshe in leading this people. This is not the only time Moshe finds himself at wits’ end regarding the people, as we see a similar complaint from him towards Yah in Exodus 5:22 and Deuteronomy 1:12. 

 

In desperation, Moshe takes Yah to task, questioning and castigating Yah’s unreasonableness in placing oversight of the people on him as if he, Moshe, was their parent or something. And obviously Moshe’s frustration is a reflection of his fearful concerns over what was to happen to him and the people he was leading. He questions where he is going to find meat to feed the hundreds of thousands of people in that desolate desert, all the while overlooking (whether intentionally or not) that Yah had previously provided, miraculously so, for the nation, from their time in Mitzraim till that present time. Moshe felt tremendous pressure from the people and that pressure trumped the belief/faith he should have had that YHVH would provide for the needs, and even the demands of the people. 

 

Yes, it’s quite easy for me to sit here and criticize Moshe’s deportment before Yah when I’ve personally never been in such a dire situation as this. However, looking back in my past as a manager and administrator, I have gone through periods of time of terrible pressure and frustration and fear that I would not be able to deliver the things my employees needed or demanded for various reasons. Unlike Moshe however, during those tense days, I rarely thought to turn those pressing situations over to Yah and let Him take care of it. I’ve since come to terms with my lack of trust in Yah during those years of oversight and have repented for my lack of trust in Yah to take care of my situation. Moshe did what he was supposed to do. Yes, Moshe was not elegant or polished or perfect in terms of how he communicated his concerns to Yah, but He knew which side his spiritual bread (no pun intended) was buttered. He knew that he personally had no ability nor resource to provide the meat that the nation was demanding. The only thing one can say against Moshe in this case is that he did not recognize from the start that it wasn’t his place to provide for the needs of the people: it was entirely YHVH’s responsibility. And I’m not sure that Moshe realized this truth fully. 

 

But in Moshe’s unloading on Yah here, he reveals to Yah a central truth that says it all: 

 

“I can’t carry this entire people by myself alone–it’s too much for me!” (verse 14; CJB). 

 

Boy, no truer words have ever been spoken heh? Moshe realized, although I’m not fully convinced that he fully recognized, that Father never ever put the burden of providing for the mixed multitude’s material and food needs upon Moshe’s shoulders. That was Abba’s concern. Not to mention that Moshe was a mere man and he possessed no ability to provide for the people at a level that they desired. And that’s what each of us must come to terms with whenever faced with difficult and seemingly impossible situations in our lives: Take it to YHVH and let Him take care of our problems. 

 

 

Folks, we don’t possess the wherewithal to change most circumstances that occur in our lives. Oh, many of us believe that we have the smarts and some of us believe that we even have the material resources to affect the changes we believe are necessary to fix many of our life’s problems. But after we fall flat on our faces enough times and see that we really can’t fix many of the problems that crop up in our lives on our own, we are forced to turn to Yah and place the burden upon Him. Sadly many of us, even when faced with this sobering reality, still refuse to take our burdens to Yah and leave them before His Throne of Grace. Why? For many of us, it’s a matter of belief: We most certainly believe in Yah, but we don’t believe Yah. We don’t believe Yah will deliver on our situation. And truth be told, we simply can’t stand the thought that maybe Yah will fix our situation in a way that doesn’t quite match the way we want the problem fixed. We’re afraid to allow Yah to take complete control of our situation just as many of us are afraid to allow Yah to completely take over and rule our lives. 

 

It was during a meal that our Master shared with some friends of His that He commented on this very issue of trusting Yah to take care of our life’s needs:

 

“I say to you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on. The life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; neither do they have storehouse nor barn; and YHVH feeds them. How much more are you better than the birds? Which of you with anxious thought can add to his stature one cubit? If you are not able to do that thing which is least, why be anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they do not toil, they do not spin fabric; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Then if YHVH clothes the grass, which is in the field today, and is cast into the oven tomorrow; how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? Seek not what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be of a doubtful mind. All these things the worldly gentiles pursue: but your Father knows that you need these things. But rather pursue the kingdom of YHVH and all these things  shall be added to you” (Luke 12:22-31; Rood). 

 

Continuing: Moshe pours it on pretty heavy in verse 15 and Stern’s CJB gives what I believe is a very heartfelt interpretation of what Moshe was going through as he aired his grievances to YHVH. Moshe tells Father: 

 

“If you are going to treat me this way, then just kill me outright! Please, if you have any mercy toward me! And don’t let me go on being this miserable.”

 

This verse provides an excellent synopsis of the level of frustration Moshe had over the demands of the people: would you agree? We see this level of internal struggle and agony in other patriarchs of the Faith:

 

Job 7:15—“So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.”

 

Jonah 4:3—“Therefore now, O’ YHVH, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” 

 

Indeed, true service to Yah is not easy. Sometimes I feel as though most of us who are of Faith who reside in the United States, are uber spoiled. Most of us go throughout our day-to-day walk with Mashiyach and the worse thing we have to sort out is what we’re going to tweet or facebook out that day; what are we going to eat for breakfast or dinner; what teaching we’re going to watch on YouTube; and so forth. We aren’t in the trenches enough to find ourselves in difficult positions such as we see here in the story of Moshe, Jonah and even Job. Yes, there are believers throughout the world that are enduring unimaginable challenges and situations that are directly connected to their respective Faith professions and walks, many facing death in the process. But at some point, if Master tarries, most of us will have our Moshe moment, in some form or fashion. And the question that we must ask ourselves in preparation for such a time is: How will we handle it? Are there things in the here and now that I can do to prepare for those difficult times ahead? For folks, difficult times are just around the corner for most of us. The hosts of evil are amassing and preparing to persecute Yah’s people for various and sundry reasons. And we’re going to have to be ready for such times. Thus, Abba in His unfathomable grace has given us these Torah examples to help prepare us for the challenges that are certain to emerge in our lives (Phi. 3:17; 2 Peter 2:6).

 

Verses 16-17–So Abba instructs Moshe to assemble the nation’s 70-elders and officers in front of the Tabernacle. These elders are no doubt the same ones that met with Moshe on the Mount just after the confirmation and ratification of the covenant back in Exodus 24. And Father tells Moshe that the Ruach HaKodesh (aka the Holy Spirit) that rested upon him, He, Abba, would place it upon those assembled leaders. Those assembled leaders would afterwards be tasked with taking some of the oversight burden off the tired shoulders of Moshe. And what we see in these 2-verses is Yah in action, responding decisively to Moshe’s concerns. 

 

Verses 18-20-Furthermore, Abba addressed the concerns of the people that they’d been denied meat and had only been given manna to eat. Thus Father tells Moshe to announce to the nation that Abba heard their murmurings and that He would give them the meat they so desired. The people in anticipation of receiving this meat were instructed to consecrate or sanctify themselves to receive the promised gift of YHVH. 

 

When we are set to receive Abba’s promises, do we set ourselves apart; sanctify ourselves; dedicate ourselves to Father in anticipation of receiving His promises and gifts? Doing so shows forth our gratefulness and appreciation, in advance, for his provisions. It’s a principle and practice that we are wise to imitate in our lives as YHVH’s elect.

 

Father heard their whining and He affirmed that He will give them what they desired. In fact, Father was giving them the meat they craved for a month’s time and to such an extent that they would ultimately loathe it because it was going to be so much of it (verse 20). 

 

 

Verses 21-22–So Moshe still does not understand just how much Abba had his back. Moshe questions how such an immense multitude would be fed meat for an entire month in the middle of a desert. And this is a sobering reality to be grasped here. Despite all that Yah had miraculously done for the nation, Moshe still doubted Yah or he simply hadn’t made the connection that Yah was the nation’s ultimate provider and sustainer. 

 

Moshe goes on to question Yah about how he was supposed to provide meat for the multitude for a month: were they supposed to slaughter the domesticated animals they brought with them out of Mitzraim? You do know that the people were not permitted to eat their domesticated animals? These were to be used solely for sacrifices. Which meant that Yah would have to provide all of the nutritional needs of the nation. But somehow, Moshe did not recognize that providing the food for the nation was not Moshe’s job or problem: but YHVH’s. And this is the lesson that we must learn from this reading: there are some things that we are responsible for such as seeking first the kingdom of Yah and His righteousness, and then there are things that Yah has declared and promised that He would take care of according to His riches in glory (Matthew 6:33-34). We saw a similar thing, on a much smaller scale mind you, in the story and miracle of the fish and barley loaves, recorded in Matthew 15:33. 

 

Verse-23-YHVH responds to Moshe’s expressed frustrations by throwing a concise but profound question back at Moshe: 

 

“Is YHVH’s power limited?” 

 

And then, in the next sentence, Abba extends forth his loving kindness and grace towards Moshe, despite Moshe’s obvious lack of understanding, belief and faith: 

 

“You will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you” (HCSB). 

 

Yes, Yah does not punish Moshe for his lack of faith and belief. Instead, Father steps back and says to Moshe, I know you don’t trust Me to do that which I have promised I’d do. So, I’m going to earn your trust by doing exactly that which I’ve promised I would do.

 

Israel had a sordid history of not believing Yah, as can be said for many of us even today (Isa. 50:2; 59:1). We simply do not believe Yah. Yes, we believe IN Yah, but we don’t believe Yah. Yes, we know Yah exists and so did Moshe and no doubt the multitude. But none of them believed that Yah could or would provide for them. Despite seeing all the great wonders Father wrought on Israel’s behalf up this point in the nation’s history, they saw only that which they saw: manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but NO meat. We had everything our hearts desired back in Mitzraim, but now, we have just manna. This YHVH talked a big talk about taking them to a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22), and certainly He did some amazing stuff that brought them safely to this point in their journey. But what had He done for them lately apart from giving them manna to eat each day? So they belly-ached before Yah, including Moshe.

 

Yah has asserted in His Word that He is not a liar and that He is more than capable to provide and sustain and deliver His people:

 

“YHVH is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good” (Num. 23:19).

 

“I YHVH have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith YHVH Elohim” (Eze. 24:14).

 

Verses 24-25-So Moshe does what he was instructed to do and gathered the leaders of Israel before the Tabernacle as well as prepared the people to receive their meat. And true to Yah’s declaration, His presence descended and Yah spoke to Moshe and then placed His Ruach upon the leaders. And as a result of Yah’s Ruach coming to rest upon the leaders of the nation standing before the Tabernacle, these began to prophesy. I don’t believe these men were foretelling (i.e., the type of prophesying that we see done by certain evangelicals related to End Times events these days), but forth-telling (i.e., extolling the greatness of the Almighty in Words that came from their inner beings) (John 7:38; Acts 2). I certainly could be mistaken and maybe they were forth-telling. But we have no record of the content of these elders’ prophesies. All we know is that their prophesying was spontaneous and organic. But their prophesying occurred only for that moment and then it ceased (verse 25). 

 

Verses 26-29-It turns out that two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, did not join their fellow brethren at the Tabernacle but instead remained within the camp. Despite Eldad and Medad not being among their fellow elders at the Tabernacle, the Ruach HaKodesh also rested upon them and they too prophesied. Interestingly, an unidentified gentleman witnessed Eldad and Medad prophesying within the camp and he took it upon himself to run and tell Moshe about this “travesty” that was taking place in the camp. Yahoshua (aka Joshua), Moshe’s young assistant, upon receiving this news, counseled Moshe to shut Eldad and Medad down. And in response, Moshe calls out Yahoshua’s jealousy and corrects his thinking, suggesting that all of Yah’s people should have Yah’s Spirit resting and operating upon them and they too should prophesy as Yah’s Ruach gives them utterance (verse 29). 

 

But isn’t this petty jealousy still evident in our Faith Community even today? Someone in the Faith sees someone doing something great in the Faith and they, acting out their jealousy, steps up to criticize them in the insane hope of somehow shutting them down. I personally have been challenged by people who question my authority to do what I do with this podcast. And you have to wonder at the time why what you do should matter to the naysayers in the Faith. What business is it of theirs? 

 

But we know what the issue really is: there’s obvious jealousy at work here. And I’ll be honest with you: from time-to-time I have to keep my heart in check of such jealousy as well. I have come across individuals who are doing phenomenal things in our Faith Community and they’re leading great ministries that make this ministry pale in comparison. And there have been times, although just a few, when I find certain things that these leaders are doing that annoys me to the point that I have to question who gave them the authority to do what they are doing. And thank Yah for His convicting Spirit (aka Ruach) that reveals to me that jealousy is behind my criticisms. 

 

Jealousy has no place in the work of the Gospel and of the Kingdom. Yet jealousy runs rampant in our Faith. Just look at some of the conversations and comments that take place on your social media feeds. Instead of going out and doing that which Master Yeshua gave them to do, many brothers and sister make a habit of sitting back and critically attacking those who are doing what they are supposed to be doing in the Faith. 

 

Verses 31-35-And true to Yah’s Word, quail, brought in by a wind, descended around the people and the camp. Unfortunately, the people lost their minds over the quail. They gave in to their greed and lack of faith that Father would keep His Word and provide them the meat they desired for an entire month. Instead, these gathered large sums of quail and stored them throughout the camp. And the peoples’ dark hearts and actions led to another bout of YHVH’s wrath to fall upon the people: this time in the form of a great plague (Verse 33). Verse 34 in the CJB reads that the name of the place where this all occurred was Kivrot-HaTa’avah, otherwise known as the “Graves of Greed.” And it was called this for obvious reasons: “Therefore that place was named Kivrot-HaTa’avah, because there they buried the people who were so greedy.” 

 

Contentment of Faith

The issue at hand here in this spiritually rich Torah Reading is that of contentment and the question surrounding this issue is: Can Yah’s people learn to be content with that which Yah gives them in the midst of them trusting Him to provide for all their needs? For each of us, the issue of contentment affects many areas of our lives: 

  • Material possessions

  • Careers

  • Station in life (i.e., being rich versus being poor; being well-to-do versus just scraping by; etc)

  • Notoriety and fame

  • Family and other social relationships

  • Food

  • Personal health

Here in our Torah Reading, the central thing that the mixed multitude longed for that they strongly felt would bring them contentment at that period of time in their journey, was food: let’s just say something other than manna. As Father fulfilled their craving by granting them an over abundance of quail, the people’s greed could not be contained and they sought to stock up on the quail that was delivered by Yah to the nation by hoarding it in and around the camp. What they thought would make them content turned out to not be the thing that would bring them contentment. In fact, their search to fulfill their cravings and make them content in the form of meat led to a display of greed, which is a sin. And the lesson that this story must convey to any with eyes to see and ears to hear is that true contentment comes only when one gives over their hearts and lives to Yah and His Way of Life. Then and only then can one find true contentment. For desires and cravings cannot truly be fulfilled without Yah being the central focus of one’s life. 

Outside of Yah, in time, one will grow tired of that thing that they thought would bring them contentment. And eventually one who has grown tired of the thing that thought would make them content will seek out something more or even greater to satisfy their cravings or desires. And in the process of searching to fulfill those cravings and desires, they end up violating Yah’s principles and ways–such as we see displayed here in our Reading. 

When one turns their full attention to Yah and His Ways, he or she will find ultimate contentment. And when one finds their contentment in Yah, he or she will in turn glorify and image YHVH in all the earth. 

When we talk about contentment of Faith or contentment in YHVH and His Way of life, we find it to be a heart thing. For when one’s whole heart is given over to YHVH, such that they place their trust in Him, trusting that He will do all that He says he’ll do; and he or she falls in loves YHVH with every fiber of their being, they find true contentment. How you may ask? Because all of their cravings and desires will be overtaken by the things and provisions of Yah. And those once carnal cravings and desires become nothing more than fading memories and passing thoughts in the mind of the elect. 

A well known Jewish prayer captures this idea of contentment in the Ways and Person of Yah quite well:

“Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, Who has given me everything I need” (Hegg). 

Shaul echoed this same sentiment when he wrote to the Philippian Assembly of Messianics:

“My El will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Mashiyach Yeshua” (4:19).

You see, this is the entire point behind Master’s instruction to His disciples that they seek first the Kingdom of Yah and His righteousness; and then while in the midst of doing that very thing, Yah will fulfill all His elects’ needs (Matt. 6:33). Prior to this direct instruction by our Master to his loyal disciples (most believe that Yeshua gave this message to a throng of 1,000’s from a mount or hill, but in reality, Master gave this message only to those disciples of His that were willing to climb to the top of the mount and hear the eternal words of the Son of the Most High), He instructed them to:

“Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on…take no thought, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? for your heavenly Father knows that you  have need of all these things” (verses 25-32). 

And the billion dollar question facing each of us is, can we bring ourselves in this day and age and within our respective life-situations to do this very thing: Trust in Yah to do what He says He will do and be content in Yah?

Had the ancients done that very thing–turning their eyes, hearts, minds and souls to Yah, being fully committed to Yah’s plan for them, Yah’s daily supply of manna would have more than satisfied them as they sojourned in the wilderness. How? Because they would find contentment in Yah and His Ways: their focus in life would shift entirely from that of their stomachs to that of Yah and his Ways. This same principle certainly can and should apply to each of us today: as we give our all to Yah and Walk in Yah’s Ways, all of the stuff we craved in our former lives will have (or should have) no power over us. We will come to the  inevitable conclusion that Abba has attended to all our needs, and thus, we find ourselves in a state of true contentment and peace in Yah’s eternal provision. That contentment and peace must come with thanksgiving and praise from the contented soul. 

The writer of Psalm 37:4 provides us clarity on this issue:

“Delight thyself also in YHVH; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto YHVH; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass” (KJV).

This contentment in Yah is the thing that orders our steps in everyday life. It directs how we deal with challenges in our lives. Thus, we are able to handle the bad things that come along in our lives in such a way that we are not anxious for our own well-being, but our concern is to please and bring glory and honor to YHVH. Father takes over and makes things work the way they’re supposed to work, in accordance with His perfect will. 

 

Closing and Call to Action

 

In closing my friends, I simply want to encourage you to be content in your life through your living by every Word that proceeds from the Mouth of YHVH, our Elohim.

 

This is not an option I’m afraid. As the End Times descend upon us and we begin to face challenges and persecutions because of our Faith, we will not be able to endure to the end unless we are content in the lives that YHVH gives us as a result of our commitment to Him and His Ways. I’m not talking about being content with the terrible or difficult things that life often brings such as caustic relationships and addictions. For these and all the other terrible things that come into our lives and beset us in our walk with Mashiyach must be dealt with. And in all cases, those things must be turned over to YHVH.

 

That means giving up everything to Yah and trusting Him to take care of every aspect and area of our lives as we Walk in Mashiyach. Then and only then will we find contentment in life: that contentment comes as a byproduct of our Faith. 

 

Thus, we’re going to need contentment when our lives are turned upside down. But Yah will provide and deliver as He has so promised in His Word.

 

Until next time, May you be most blessed, fellow saints in Training.

 

Blessings!

 

What Did Paul Mean by Being Under the Law–Part 1

by | Nov 6, 2020 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

Goal of this Post 

“For Yah shows no partiality (that is, Yah shows no favoritism). For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.” 

In this installment of the Messianic Torah Observer we continue with our survey and discussion on some of the Apostle Paul’s (aka Shaul’s) difficult and hard to interpret writings. Today, we are going to delve into the Pauline phrase “under the law”, which is not just found in our focus passage of Romans 2:11-13, but also in some other half-dozen  Pauline passages. 

You don’t want to miss this discussion as it is foundational Truth that will solidify in your mind, heart and soul the role Torah is supposed to play in your life.

 Attention

We are going to discuss what Shaul meant by one being “under the Law/Torah,” which he uses at least a half-dozen times throughout the course of his writings. This is evergreen and foundational information that you want to take to heart. 

Now, because Shaul mentions being under the Law/Torah several times throughout his writings, I’m going to break this discussion into at least two, maybe three posts. There’s simply too much content to present to you within the allotted time we have for today. So for today, we’re going to focus on Romans 2:11-13 as it relates to being under the Law/Torah and then in succeeding posts we’ll break those other mentions of being under the Law/Torah down as well.

Need 

This is: “What Did Paul Mean by Being Under the Law? Part 1.” This is part 26 of our Paul and Hebrew Roots Series. If you’re new to this podcast, I would encourage you to go on over to the Messianic Torah Observer website and check out the previous 25 post in this series so that you can lay a foundation in understanding some of the apostle’s more difficult and challenging writings. 

Folks, this is one of the most important Yeshua-focused Torah living posts we’ve done since beginning our Paul and Hebrew Roots series back in 2018. 

Each of us must accurately understand what Shaul meant by someone being “under Torah.” 

You may be asking why this is so important that I elected to do an entire post on what it means for one to be “under the Law/Torah. It’s not just important my friends; it’s crucially important that each of us understands exactly what Shaul means by the phrase “under the Law/Torah.” There are at least two reasons why it’s important for us to understand what the phrase means:

 

  1. Many fundamentalists erroneously point to the various Pauline passages where the apostle uses the phrase “under the Law/Torah as scriptural proof that Torah has been done away with. Now, these same fundamentalists will also use these same passages to promote their perverted grace doctrines (that being, all you need to do is say the sinners’ prayer, give your heart to Jesus and viola you’re saved…no if ands or bugs…you don’t have to do anything beyond these administrative items: no turning away from your previous sin filled life; no obedience to Yah’s Way of life and His commandments and instructions; simply do what you feel like doing because you are saved by grace). And what we will find as we go through this study is that their understanding of “grace” (grace being the term “karis” in the Greek and which is often described as Yah’s unmerited favor) is exactly that: their understanding of God’s grace is perverted. Which circles back to their dangerous misunderstanding that Yah’s commandments which are contained in His Torah are no longer relevant and applicable to believers in Yeshua Messiah. Misinterpretations of scripture often lead to the creation of false doctrines that in turn lead the many who choose to accept and follow those doctrines down a path towards destruction. We’re here to try and prevent that as much as we possibly can.

 

  1. Misunderstanding of what Shaul meant by one being “under the Law/Torah” further perpetuates the sharp division that exists between Jews and non-Jews. Look, I’m not talking about the sharp doctrinal divisions that exists between us and our cousins in Judaism. I’m talking about the antisemitism that flows from such a misunderstanding of the phrase; I’m talking about the erroneous replacement theology that so many Christians adhere to so tightly; I’m talking about erroneously perpetuating an identity spirituality that says to the world that their simple profession of their Christian faith makes them immune to the wrath of God that is prophesied to be coming for those who reject Yah’s Ways and His Word.

 

  1. It is important for each of us to understand what Shaul meant by one being “under the Law/Torah” because when Christians challenge our keeping of Torah as believers in Yahoshua Messiah using Shaul’s passages where this phrase is used, we must be ready to defend why we believe what we believe and do what we do (1 Peter 3:15; Colossians 4:6). Our testimony to a deceived and disobedient world means everything: it means everything to us because by our testifying to the Truth of the Gospel and Yah’s eternal Word, we image Him on the earth (that is we magnify His Name on the earth: Romans 9:17; Philippians 2:10; Luke 11:2). And more so, we put to shame their lies and misunderstanding and hopefully lay the seeds for their eventual repentance and turning to Yah and His Way of Life for mankind.

 

And lastly, 4., each of us must fully understand the actual role Torah is supposed to play in every disciple of Yeshua’s life. I hate to break it to you my friends, but Torah should not be the focus of our Faith. Our keeping of Torah is not going to get us into the Kingdom. And each of us must fully understand this because so many of us in Hebrew Roots and the Messianic Faith Communities place all of our focus on Torah-keeping. And as much as Torah-keeping is important, we must recognize that Torah is secondary in the life of Yah’s elect. (You heard me, Torah is actually secondary…Torah keeping, as we will see, ain’t going to save anyone.)

 

Understanding What Shaul Meant by Being Under the Law is Withing our Grasp

 

When it comes to understanding some of Shaul’s more difficult and challenging passages, such as the passages where the apostle uses the phrase “under the Law/Torah,” we must resist the urge to rely on the accuracy of the English wording in our bibles. Furthermore, we must push to the side the teachings of the Christian Church on this crucial topic. For both of these concerns will invariably lead one to misinterpret and or misunderstand what the apostle means by the phrase “under the Law/Torah.”

Folks, I’ve repeated myself throughout the many installments of the Messianic Torah Observer I’ve done over the years, in particular the posts in our Paul and Hebrew Roots Series, that in order to accurately interpret Paul’s challenging and hard to understand passages, it is vitally important that we study those passages within their proper context (that is within the chapter, book, testament and whole of bible that they are found in). And that contextual study must include things like history, culture, language, the Holy Spirit’s (I.e., the Ruach HaKodesh’s) guidance and revelation.

Now, as it relates to our arriving at a proper or accurate understanding or interpretation of what being “under the Law/Torah” means, we really need to employ not just biblical context, but also culture/ethnicity, a little bit of history and language (in particular and in this case, ancient Greek). All these play a part in our final understanding of what this phrase means. Because I’ll tell you now, Shaul’s use of the phrase “under the Law/Torah” does not mean the same thing in every verse and passage it’s used. In other words, depending on the context and our understanding of the Greek manuscripts and the history and ANE culture, the meaning of the phrase “under the Law/Torah” in one passage differs from that in another  passage. 

The reason I’m discussing the phrase “under the Law/Torah” with you today is because this happens to be the next challenging or hard to understand Pauline passage in our survey of the Book of Romans. And the first mention of anyone being “under the law/Torah is found in our focus passage of Romans 2:12 which reads: “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law” (ESV). 

So what we’re going to do now is look at each mention of the phrase “under the Law/Torah” using context, language, history and culture as our principle guides, while allowing the Ruach HaKodesh to put it all together for us.

 

Competing Biblical Renderings on “Under the Law”

 

Now, in all fairness, the KJV doesn’t render the phrase as one having sinned “under the law,” but instead, as one having sinned “in the law.” The interesting thing is that while most other English translations (ESV, ASV, CSB, NAB, NAS, NET, NRS and the RSV) all go with the phrase “under the law,” the KJV’s translation of one sinning “in the law” is actually the most accurate rendering of the phrase (believe it or not). The CJB and the NKJV come very close to the KJV’s rendering of being “in the law.” The CJB renders the phrase as “have sinned within the framework of Torah,” which happens to be contextually the best and most accurate interpretation of the phrase “under the Law/Torah.” Let’s look at this thing a little closer. But let’s first step back one verse to verse 11 and then on over one to verse 13 so as to gain a fuller picture of what Shaul is talking about in this passage.

 

Necessary Background to Have Regarding the Roman Church of Shaul’s Day

 

You need to remember that Shaul is writing to Roman Messianics in an assembly that consisted of converted Jews and converted non-Jews. And we also must keep in mind the history that surrounds this passage. The Roman Messianic Assembly was likely founded by Jews who returned from that Great Day of Pentecost 10-days after Yeshua ascended to His Father in heaven from the Mount of Olives. It was on that day that the Ruach HaKodesh fell upon the 120 disciples on the Temple Mount, leading to the conversion of 3,000 Jews from all over the Roman Empire (Acts 2). It seems reasonable to conclude that some of those 3,000 converted Jews were from Rome, and upon their return back to Rome, introduced the True Faith (Yeshua focused Torah living) to their families and fellow Jews and no doubt the synagogue(s) that provided those orthodox Roman Jews their center(s) for worship and study became Messianic Assemblies. Of course in time, non-Jewish Romans came to the knowledge of Yahoshua Messiah and affiliated themselves with their converted Roman Jewish counterparts, meeting, worshiping and learning together in Rome’s Jewish synagogues. Remember, at the earliest history of the True Faith once delivered, there were no Christian Churches or assemblies, at least not in Rome. Converts—believers—fellowshipped, worshiped and learned in Jewish synagogues.

 

Converted Roman Jews and Proselytizing the Converted Roman Gentiles

 

If you recall at the outset of this study of Paul and the Book of Romans, we discussed the fact that Shaul had not founded or establish the Roman Church/Kehila/Assembly. As we just mentioned a moment ago, the so-called Church at Rome was likely founded by those returning Jewish converts. Consequently, it would seem reasonable to conclude, based upon the overall context of the Book of Romans, that many of the converted Jews, despite them being believers in Yahoshua as their Messiah, were still holding on to their ethnicity and heritage as sort of a “badge of honor” and  or pride in the assembly. And many of these converted, yet prideful Jews, believed that in order for one to be a part of the Way Movement (that is, the true Faith once delivered), one had to convert to Judaism. These truly believed that the true Faith once delivered was an exclusive Jewish religion or Faith if you will. So to these converted Jews, if you were a non-Jewish person coming to Faith, you had to first and foremost convert to Judaism (that is, you had to become a proselyte). We won’t go into what the requirements are or were to become a proselyte in this installment, but suffice to say, these converted Jews believed every believer in Yeshua Messiah had to be a Jew above all else. Being Jewish meant you were Yah’s chosen one; that you were guaranteed entry into the Kingdom of Yah; that Yah favored you over the non-Jew, who they saw as being condemned  and destined to destruction. 

Thus, many of these converted Jews sought to proselytize many of the newly converted/incoming non-Jewish converts to the Faith. Needless to say, this created quite a bit of confusion in the assemblies throughout the Roman Empire of Shaul’s day. And Shaul found himself having to put a lid on so-called Jewish proselytizing, especially curbing the influence of those converted Jews who put more faith in their ethnicity and Jewish religion and traditions than faith in Yeshua and His atoning sacrifice. Shaul recognized that these proselytizing Jews were also trying to influence the non-Jewish converts to obey various elements and commandments of Torah (and Torah in context here refers to both Mosaic Torah and the Talmud), while they themselves were personally lawless in their behavior and lifestyles.

So Shaul starts off our focus passage with verse 11 which I believe to be a wake up call to these proselytizing, hypocritical Jews.

 

“For Yah does not show favoritism.”

 

Yah Is No Respecter of Person When It Comes to Judgment

 

“Respect of person,” (as in most English translations), or in the CJB translation, “show favoritism” in the Greek is “prosopolempsia,” which is a compound word made up of the word for “face” and “to receive.” Thus, when we factor the Greek wording back into this verse (verse 11), we get something akin to: “For there is not receiving of face in the presence of Yah.” Or we can look at it from a raw Greek perspective that “Yah does not receive any body’s face.” In other words, we have to look at Yah’s acceptance of people from a legalistic perspective. It’s as if we are in a court setting, let’s say. And we find YHVH acting as the righteous judge He is such that His righteous judgments against every person is based, not upon their individual “intrinsic” merits, but is based on their outward circumstances. Yah does not care which side of the railroad tracks one was born; or whose child you are; whether you’re a Jew or a Gentile, male or female; slave or freeman (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11; Romans 10:12). Every unconverted human is viewed the same: a sinner. Nothing else matters to Yah. And Yah is going to judge all by what is written in certain unnamed books as well as what is written in the Book of life, all based according to each one’s works while they lived on this earth (Revelation 20:12). There will be absolutely no favoritism; no partiality. Only righteous judgment. 

We find that verse 11 here serves as a transition to what follows in succeeding verses. And what follows is a comparing and contrasting between the Jew and Gentile for purposes of revealing the righteousness of Yah in His ultimate judging of both groups of people. When read in context, one does get a sense that Shaul is acknowledging here the advantage the Jew possesses (that is Shaul’s repeated phrase “the Jew first”). That advantage is simply their possession and knowledge of Torah. That being said, the Jew is ultimately held accountable for any squandering of that advantage in their life. 

Romans 2:12—Sin Within the Framework of Torah Versus Sin Under the Law 

Moving on to verse 12:

 

“For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law” (ESV)

 

Young’s Literal Translation renders verse 12 as follows:

 

“…As many as did sin in law, through law shall be judged.”

 

The Greek here is “anomos” for “lacking the law” or “being outside the law.” “En nomo” here means “in law” (YLT) or “within the law” (Lattimore Kingdom NT). You must understand that most English translations incorrectly render “en nomo” as being “under the law.” “Under the law” accurately in the Greek is rendered by “hupo nomon,” which is found in Romans 6:14-15; 1 Corinthians 9:20 [4X]; Galatians 3:23; 4:4-5, 21; 5:18. (Don’t worry, we’ll look at each of these and arrive at an contextually accurate interpretation of “hupo nomon” for each.) 

Now that we established that “en nomo” does not mean “under the law,” but instead “within the law” or “in law,” let’s now attempt to interpret what Shaul meant by “within the law” or “in law.” 

So we have a couple ways to interpret what Shaul means here, neither interpretation excludes the possibility of the other. The terms “anomos” and “en nomo” are used by Shaul to compare two types or groups of individuals: those who sin “without the law” facing condemnation absent or without the law to those who sin being in or within the law facing condemnation by that same law.

I will say here at this point that despite the Greek term “nomo” (law) not having the definite article attached to it (such that “en nomo” does not have “the” attached to it), we can safely interpret “nomo” here to be “Torah.” I personally often refer to Torah in my discussions without attaching a definite article to it. So it’s not difficult for me to rationalize the fact that Shaul is talking about those who do not possess Torah versus those who are somehow within Torah, whatever that means. We’ll get to that in just a moment. 

Clearly, Shaul is attempting to get his Roman readers to understand that “both Jewish and non-Jewish people are equally accountable before Yah because of the propensity of human sin.” And the proof of this is found in verses 9-11 which reads: Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with Yah” (KJV). And he makes the sobering statement that without repentance, no person will escape Yah’s wrath (verses 4-6). 

Because of Yah’s holy and righteous character and nature, YHVH will always deal fairly and justly with each according to his/her deeds. And what we’re seeing laid before us here in verse 12 is a frank discussion on what happens to those individuals (specifically Gentiles/non-Jews) who have not received the Revelation of Torah. And the likely question that the converted Roman Gentiles had for Shaul in this discussion, especially in light of the heavy proselytizing they were going through at the hands of the converted Roman Jews was: Will all Gentile be condemned? 

Now, this hearkens back to the last installment of this program entitled “Paul on the LGBTQ Community.” In that post we discussed that all rational human beings are going to be held accountable for their behavior, regardless whether they possess the Revelation of Torah or not. In that post we learned that Yah’s revelation of Himself to mankind; His Ways and His character extends beyond the framework (to borrow Stern’s keyword in the text) of Torah; for, according to Shaul, Yah is revealed in virtually every aspect of His creation (Romans 1:19) and people intrinsically know Yah exists and they also know right from wrong and so forth (Romans 1:20). That being said, all will have to give an account of their deeds and the life they lived and be judged accordingly. 

Consequently, those who know and have received Torah throughout all of human history (such as were Hebrews, Jews and Christians), but who have rejected Torah’s message on a faith basis (that being a Yeshua-focused Torah lifestyle), will be judged accordingly. Conversely, those who’ve never received Torah will be judged by the revelation which they received through Father’s natural creation and intrinsic (internal, natural) understanding of Yah’s existence and character. Consider as a prime example Matthew 10:15 which reads:

 

”Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town (that town being the one that rejected the Gospel).” 

 

A Discussion About Jews and Gentiles in Light of Torah 

So what Shaul is describing in verse 12 are two distinct groups of individuals: essentially we’re talking about Jews and non-Jews. 

The Jews possessed Yah’s Torah and the historical records of their ancestors’ obedience and disobedience. However, the Gentiles/pagans did not possess Yah’s Torah. Thus, those who possess Torah along with its ancestral history, but reject them will not only be held accountable for their rejection and disobedience, but they will also be held accountable more so than their pagan counterparts who have been given over to their sins because they’ve rejected and ignored their Creator (1:26). 

You should be aware that Jews of Shaul’s day (both orthodox and Messianic) believed that by them being of Jewish ethnicity, they were all but guaranteed a place in Yah’s Kingdom. For to the Jew, all Israelites possess a share in the world to come…” (m. Shanhedrin 10:1; Jacob Neusner, “The Mishnah: A New Translation.” ). Thus, one’s Jewishness, which included possessing (having knowledge of) Torah had become (1) a badge of privilege; (2) a talisman; (3) a sign that Israel or Jews were Yah’s exclusive people; and (4) a get-out-of-jail-free card from Yah’s wrath. 

So Shaul’s position on Jews being exempt from Yah’s wrath on the basis of their ethnicity and possession of Torah would have been absolutely ground-breaking and controversial to any Jewish group at that time, including the converted Roman, proselytizing Jews. Obviously Shaul did not see Torah the same way His kinsmen viewed Torah. In fact, to Shaul, Torah defined sin:

 

Romans 3:20—”For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

 

To Shaul, the nations of this world are “very much accountable to their Creator for violating His law and covenant” because they “do have a conscience and they do have a basic sense of right and wrong impressed upon them” (Isa. 24:5—”The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.” ). 

Shaul, in verses 17-29, challenges the Roman assembly of converted Jews on their relationship with Torah: were they being judgmental and hard on their Gentiles brethren who were not keeping specific Torah (be it either or both written or so-called oral Torah such as circumcision and various purity traditions) commandments while they themselves violated those same Torah commandments? And Shaul had to assert to his readers:

 

Verse 23—”You who boast in the law dishonor Yah by breaking the law.”

 

And the conclusion Shaul arrives at is that Jewish possession of Torah means little if not acted upon in obedience and faith:

 

Verse 17, 28—”But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in Yah…For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.”

 

Scripture is clear: Those who possess Torah, yet do not properly walk it out are to be especially judged on matters of morality such as found in verses 21-24; cf. Isa. 52:5; Eze. 36:20). 

Since “all are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of Yah,” it is foolish for any to boast of their possession of Torah (verse 17). On the contrary, Shaul encourages boasting only in YHVH and the work of His Son (Jer. 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:31; cf. 2 Cor. 10:17). 

“En nomo” today not only involves Jews but also Christians since they possess general knowledge of Torah. Thus, those who sin with an appreciable degree of knowledge of Yah’s Torah will be held righteously accountable by Yah. These will be judged at a higher degree than those who are “anomos”. 

Under Torah Really Means Within the Framework of Torah 

So what is Shaul saying here regarding “en nomo,” those that sin within Torah will be judged by Torah, while those that sin “anomos” or outside Torah will die outside of Torah. 

Stern in his CJB renders this verse best:

 

“All who have sinned outside the framework of Torah will die outside the framework of Torah; and all who have sinned within the framework of Torah will be judged by Torah” (CJB).

 

Shaul here is simply saying that those that have never received the revelation of Torah but who die in their sins will be judged righteously apart from Torah. Their deeds will be judged in light of the natural revelation they’d received of Yah in their lives. Those, on the other hand, who had the advantage of Torah in their lives but transgressed Torah, will be judged within the framework of Torah. This would of course be speaking to those with knowledge of Torah such as Orthodox Jews, Christians, Catholics and even Messianics. Yah expects those that know better to do better in their lives. Thus, those who had any knowledge and or revelation of Torah will face a higher level of judgment than those who will be judged by Yah’s natural revelation. 

I guess the natural question that one would have regarding this verse is this: If all will be judged according to their deeds, be it within the framework of Torah or without the framework of Torah, what good then is Torah? Shaul answers this question by simply stating: “…the function of the Torah was that without it, I would not have known what sin is. For example, I would not have become conscious of what greed is if the Torah had not said, ‘Thou shalt not covet.” (Romans 7:7). 

So Torah serves to enlighten and educate people in the Ways of Yah. It also serves to define what sin is and to describe the penalty for sins. Thus, the one that receives Torah and Yeshua’s sacrifice, along with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh and with a circumcised heart, walk in Torah, they escape the wrath of Yah. In their obedience of Torah, these also please Yah and image Yah here on the earth. 

Father stated:

 

“You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them…” (Leviticus 18:5).

 

Despite all that we have discussed here thus far, most will reject any notion that believers in Yeshua Messiah should keep Torah. Despite all that Shaul has written here, most reject Torah keeping by believers. 

This should not be too hard to understand. Yeshua Himself made it clear that any who would be His disciple would be required to keep Torah:

 

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-20).

 

And from here, Yeshua goes on to expound on the level of Torah His disciples would be required to walk in. That elevated or advanced level of Torah-keeping that Master was teaching His disciples about was not new nor did it originate with Yeshua. In fact, the advanced level of Torah-keeping that Master taught in this chapter of Matthew was the original intention of the Torah that Father passed down to Moshe. The original intent of the Mosaic Torah, when properly walked by Yah’s elect, transcended simple, rote, mechanical obedience to Torah. The proper walking out of Yah’s Torah required the elect having their heart circumcised and their will being entirely given over to the Will of YHVH.

 

The Conclusion of the Matter Regarding Torah Keeping 

In verse 13 Shaul gives us the conclusion of the matter:

 

2:13—”for not the hearers of Torah are just before Yah, but the doers of Torah will be justified.”

 

 What is Shaul truly saying here. Again, he’s comparing and contrasting two groups of people: those “hearing Torah” to those “doing Torah.” And for me, it appears that the apostle is speaking more directly to his Roman Messianic Jewish readers in this passage than to his converted non-Jewish readers. Why? Because he recognized that, like his orthodox rabbinic kinsmen, the Roman Messianic Jews were wearing their Jewishness as a guarantee for salvation and chosen status and they were engaging in proselytizing of their non-Jewish brethren. 

Now, this has to be one of the clearest pro-Torah passages the apostle has ever written. For he clearly certifies the importance of Torah to Yah’s elect: “The Doers of Torah will be justified or rendered righteous before the Holy Creator.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. 

Contextually speaking, the “hearing” that Shaul is writing about here is not the “shema” hearing that Moshe spoke of in Deuteronomy 6:4, which we know takes on a fuller sense that involves “hearing with the intent to obey” (cf. Gen. 3:17; Exo. 15:26; Deu. 4:30; 6:4; Jos. 1:18; Isa. 1:19; Jer. 11:3; 12:17; Mic. 5:15(14)). The Jews that Shaul is alluding to, as I mentioned previously, placed a great deal of attention on simple receiving of Torah that was being taught to them in their synagogues by their rabbinic leaders each Shabbat. And many Jews at that time, and most certainly many orthodox and Messianic Jews today feel it’s sufficient to simply hear Torah read and taught to them each Shabbat and so forth. 

But we find here Shaul contrasting “hearing Torah” with actual “doing Torah”. The hearing of Torah that Shaul is referencing here has no salvific value, since receipt of Torah by hearing does not result in one’s salvation. 

The “Just before Yah” that the apostle mentions here means to be “in right standing before Yah.” To be in right standing before Yah means one is no longer considered “guilty” in Yah’s “court of Law.” Yah thus declares doers of Torah who are reliant upon Yeshua’s sacrifice as just. 

Now, it must be mentioned that none of what Shaul writes here originated with him. In fact, what he wrote was common knowledge among first century Jewish sages (cf. Avot 1.17, Rabban Simeon, son of Gamaliel). So you’re probably wondering, why then did Jews of Shaul’s day ignore the doing aspect of Torah while putting greater emphasis on hearing Torah? 

The Talmud, which reflects ancient rabbinic Jewish thinking regarding all things Torah related, in order to make Torah more practical for everyday Jews, suggested Jewish adherents at the very least “appear” to be Torah observant; that is, give the impression they are Torah observant. Thus the natural emphasis on hearing emerged from Talmudic influence in everyday Jewish life. This, of course, led to the erroneous belief that hearing results in the Jew being justified before Yah. Thus, it can be safely concluded that the Talmud messed with Torah to the point that Torah became of no effect to the Jew (Mark 7:13).  Yahoshua railed against this very fact and He labeled Talmudic tampering with Torah as “traditions of men” (Mark 7:8).  

Shaul is teaching an obedience that flows from one’s Faith (Romans 1:5; 16:26). That faith-based obedience is the expression of sincere trust in Yah which pleases Yah (Hebrews 11:6). Let’s not get confused here: Salvation comes by faith alone as it is a gift of Yah (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9)). So where does Torah-keeping come in to play in a believer’s life  since one is not saved by their works? Well, it comes in to play in the disciple’s life because of their Faith. Because of our Faith, we intentionally do what Yah requires: Yah’s house rules. And we keep Yah’s house rules willingly and joyfully because it is the right thing to do and because it pleases Abba. 

Thus Shaul declares that the doers of Torah (Greek of “poietes” which means one who obeys and or fulfills Torah) are justified (that is, these are being made righteous in Yah’s sight—CJB).

Compare this to what Master Yeshua taught regarding doers of Torah:

 

“…whosoever obeys them (the commandments of Yah) and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19).

 

 It should be clear to all that obedience over knowledge of Torah is what matters most to Yah. 

But what about the places in Paul’s writings where he downplays the role of works in one’s salvation such as Ephesians 2:8-9?:

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of Yah, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (ESV).

 

Folks, I need you to get this, because it is so important that you be able to understand and defend the role Torah-keeping places in lives of Yah’s elect. When 2:13 is studied within its proper context alongside verses 17-28 which reads in abbreviated fashion:

 

“But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God…for as it is written, ‘The Name of Yah is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’ (ref. Isaiah 52:5), for no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical…”

 

We see Shaul taking the Roman Messianic Jews to task here. For those were willfully disobedient to Torah, and their blatant disobedience was bringing shame upon them as a nation among the pagan nations of the known world at that time. It would appear that what it truly meant to be a Jew had become long forgotten by the Jewish people, the Talmud being one of the chief reasons for this falling away and adherence to traditions instead of adherence to Torah. And what Shaul was saying here in verse 2:13 as it relates to Torah-keeping and justification is that proper Torah obedience must reflect the true “character” of the Jew. Torah-keeping does not save one, but instead it legitimizes; it marks; it shows the Hebrew as being right. The doers of Torah are a reflection of their covenant relationship with the Most High. 

Call to Action and Closing Remarks 

Well, we’ll stop here for today and pick up where we’ve left off in our next discussion on being under the Law/Torah.

Folks, there’s no better time than now to get prayed up, studied up, fasted up. With all the chaos that going on around us these days, we really need to become laser focused in our walking out of this Faith. Things are not going to get better. In fact, I truly believe things are going to get significantly worse as we begin, what I believe to be, the end times. 

We don’t have a lot of time to waste. We must work while it is still day for the night cometh when no man may work.

Friends, we have work to do. And Yah is going to use this time to test His elect; to sift His elect. He’s going to separate out the wheat from the chaff. For years now He’s allowed the chaff to grow with the wheat. Now comes a time of winnowing and purging and only the elect will remain.

We must be ready and proactive in everything we do. Our relationship with the Almighty must be spot on at all times. Sin must be purged from our lives. We must be obedient to Yah’s Word. And we must make disciples for Yahoshua Messiah. All this must be done before things get so bad that we can’t do any of it. And I pray that this program will be instrumental in at least pointing us in the right direction and promoting Yeshua-focused Torah Living.

Until next time my brothers and sisters, may you be most blessed, fellow saints in training.

Shalom. Take Care.

Paul and the LGBTQ Community–A Messianic Perspective

by | Oct 30, 2020 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

The Indictment Against Homosexuality

 

In our ongoing quest to untangle and clarify some of the more difficult and challenging Pauline writings, (of late making our way through the Book of Romans), I want to next tackle Romans 1:26-27.

 

Now, most of us should be somewhat familiar with this Pauline passage, of which I will later show is a clear, Torah-based indictment against those who engage in homosexuality and who are in homosexual relationships. And the apostle’s Torah-based opposition and hostility towards those who engage in such behavior is expressed from the perspective of these individual’s actions being a blatant violation of YHVH’s natural creative order and law. This being the case, homosexuals, along with a great number of other reprehensible sinful souls, the apostle Paul condemns in no uncertain terms to the Creator’s wrathful judgment (Romans 1:28-32).

 

The Brush-Off

 

Now, some who will listen to this post will brush it off thinking there’s nothing to see here beyond simply staking one’s position on the issue (I.e., either agreeing or disagreeing with Paul) and simply moving on with their day.

 

But the truth of the matter is that this issue is bigger than simply being “for” or “against” homosexuality or the LGBTQ community as it relates to one’s faith walk. For we are living in times where that which was once deemed evil is now deemed good; and that which was once deemed good, is now deemed evil (Isaiah 5:20).

 

The Influence and Pervasiveness of the LGBTQ Community

 

Folks, do not be taken unaware regarding the LGBTQ community’s influence and pervasiveness in various faith communities today. I’m here to tell you that the LGBTQ community is formidable. And they have been hard at work over the last three or so decades, systematically overturning and erasing the long-held understanding that homosexuality in all its forms is an abominable sin. The Judeo-Christian-based faith communities are supposed to be the primary source of this understanding for the whole of society. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that any faith community that remains steadfast in their rejection of homosexuality are marked targets by the LGBTQ community.

 

Thus, two primary goals of the LGBTQ community are to take away your freedom of speech (I.e., so that you will not be able to speak out against homosexuality) and your God-given right to worship YHVH, our Elohim (https://bereanresearch.org/homosexual-agenda). Why? Because the LGBTQ community clearly knows that they are spiritually on the wrong side of this issue and they refuse to be denied that which they so desperately desire for themselves and their community. And if it takes destroying you and me for them to achieve total freedom to force their abominable lifestyles upon the world and our innocent children, so be it.

 

Western Society Has Given in to the Lie About the Immorality of Homosexuality

 

In recent years western society has, for the most part, done an-about-face on the immorality of homosexuality. In most cases western society favors the LGBTQ community over the Judeo-Christian communities. Thus, people of Faith are finding themselves between “secular and spiritual rocks and hard places” as it relates to how they and their faith community should view the LGBTQ community.

 

Fear seems to be the driving force behind most faith communities’ backtracking on the immorality and sinfulness of homosexuality. And because of the virulence that generally underscores present day western sentiments regarding the LGBTQ community, many people of Faith do not wish to draw unwarranted attention to themselves. Most people of faith just want to live quiet, peaceful and prosperous lives. Many are fearful of being socially “canceled” or politically and legally “bullied” into accepting the LGBTQ community’s terms and lifestyle. So, in response to fears of reprisal from secular society, faith communities have themselves launched systematic processes of doctrinal and biblical compromise on this issue and have deemed homosexuality much less than immoral. (And we’ll touch more upon this later on in this post.)

 

Forced Interactions

 

And don’t diminish the seriousness of what I’m saying here on this topic. For there’s even more at stake than simply our Faith communities taking the path of least resistance and compromising on their doctrinal and scriptural beliefs. Because of the pervasiveness of sanctioned and encouraged, free and open homosexuality in our modern societies, most of us in one form or another are forced to interact firsthand with the LGBTQ community in either our personal, family, career, community or spiritual lives. And in so doing, many of us are forced into making tough decisions on how to deal with or respond to these forced interactions. 

 

Case-in-Point

 

Last year I received an email from a dear sister of our Faith community asking me if I, based on my understanding of the Hebrew scriptures, thought it was acceptable for her to support and attend her sibling’s same-sex wedding ceremony. And despite what she and I both knew to be the scripturally correct answer to her question, she was still struggling with that inevitable answer. She loved her sibling very much. So she did not want to damage in any way what appeared to be a very loving sibling relationship. Naturally, she found herself in what I would surmise to be a rather tortuous relational situation.

 

Now, whether or not she ended up attending her sibling’s ceremony or not, I’ll probably never know. But what that incident clearly showed me was that we are all potential candidates for a similar situation. And that situation doesn’t have to be limited to weddings mind you. It can easily fall within virtually every area of our personal and professional lives, whereby we find ourselves pressured into attending LGBTQ social events or fulfilling professional mandates that may be tied to a LGBTQ social event. And what if our refusal to participate in such an event adversely impacts, let’s say our careers or livelihoods—such as the baker who refused to create a cake for a gay-couple’s wedding a few years ago, which led to loss of business for him?

 

Don’t be snookered my friends. The LGBTQ community is coming for all of us in some form or another. And it’s going to come down to us making the hard decision whether to stand for Truth, or to compromise on that Truth just as so many fundamental Christian Church organizations have done on this issue in recent years. In fact, don’t be surprised if this issue is not one of the driving forces behind much of the persecution that Scripture warns most of us will have to endure in the End Times. Yes, it’s that serious!

 

So I have for you here today a two-part goal for this post. One, I want to establish exegetically and contextually what Paul is saying about homosexuality in our focus-passage. And two, I want to provide you with information regarding the LGBTQ’s tactics and strategies for making Yah’s people second guess what Father’s position—what the Bible’s position is on this issue.

 

Once again, our focus passage for this post is Romans 1:26-27. It reads:

 

Romans 1:26-27-“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections (NAB/NAU-degrading passions; NLT-shameful desires): for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature NAB–natural relations for unnatural; NET–natural sexual relations for unnatural ones).And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman (…gave up natural relations with women (ESV; NAB; RSV); abandoned natural relations with women (NET); instead of having normal sexual relations with women (NLT)), burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet (receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion (CJB); receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error (ESV; NAB; NAS; NET; NRS; RSV)).

 

With respect to Torah, a companion passages to our focus passage would be the following:

 

Gen 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

 

Leviticus 18:22--Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

 

Leviticus 20:13–If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

 

Deu 23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

 

Now, the LGBTQ community has been successful in amassing unto themselves an army of Judeo-Christian Truth-deniers who support the lie that nowhere is homosexuality mentioned in any of these passages, nor in the whole of scripture. According to these, homosexuality-homosexuals-gay-lesbian-bisexuals or any associated title or descripters are expressly mentioned in the bible. And in the community’s loose defense, they are correct: neither homosexuality nor any of its offspring titles and descriptors are to be found in the whole of scripture. In fact, the term homosexual (a Greek-Latin hybrid word by the way) was first coined in 1869, found in a German pamphlet by an Austrian-born novelist, arguing against a Prussian anti-sodomy law (Wikipedia).

So this being the case, I guess we all are to simply pick up our marbles and all go home, right?

Well no. This foolishness of rejecting certain biblical truths because certain modern English words are not found in the original ancient Hebrew, Koine Greek book of writings we know as the bible today is a common ploy of the Enemy and his ilk. And unfortunately, because of the rampant and pervasive biblical illiteracy that has taken hold in our western society today, most believers and non-believers are quick to fall for such trickery and underhanded manipulation of the Word of Yah.

Of course none of our modern terms and titles for the LGBTQ community will not be found in our English translations of the bible today because they were all pretty much translated from centuries’ old Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. So the opposition’s arguments against Paul speaking out against homosexuality, and by extension the LGBTQ community is baseless and evil.

 

Can we for sure conclude that the bible in fact prohibits homosexuality as an act; a lifestyle; and a mindset? Of course we can. If we are true to our understanding of the mind of the bible’s primary author, YHVH Elohim.

In other words, the true Child of the Most High will be filled with the Holy Spirit (I.e., the Ruach haKodesh). And that being the case, we are supposed to possess the Mind of Messiah (1 Cor. 2:16; Rom. 11:34; Phi. 2:5; Isa. 40:13). In possessing the mind of Messiah, which is an exact replication of the Mind of the Eternal—the Creator—YHVH our Elohim—then we will naturally recognize Yah’s Ways and much of His established purposes.

And since Paul emphatically stated that he possessed the mind of Messiah, then his stance/position on the issue of homosexuality should not be a mystery, nor should it defy the Creator’s original creative order, design and purpose for men and women.

 

Setting a Plan to Address This Issue

In order to truly understand where Paul is coming from in Romans 1:26-27, let’s first define homosexuality, cover a little of its history, and see how it is being manifested in modern western society. Then we’ll return to our focus passage and apply biblical reasoning to this issue and make a determination as to what Paul has to say about homosexuality.

Defining Homosexuality

 

In grouping this whole LGBTQ issue into the single term or title of homosexuality, we find that the term expresses sexual interest in and attraction to members of one’s own sex. The term “gay” is frequently used as a synonym for homosexual; female homosexuality is often referred to as “lesbianism.”

 

Secular History of Homosexuality

 

Homosexuality was common to ancient Greece and Rome. Shockingly, we’re coming to understand through recent discoveries made by classical anthropologists and archaeologists that certain affluent men in these ancient nations commonly engaged in disgusting relationships with adolescent males.

 

“Prior to the rise of Christianity, certain sexual practices that we today would classify as “homosexual,” had existed among certain groups, with some degree of social acceptance in ancient Rome and Greece (e.g., pederastic relationship of an adult Greek male with a Greek youth, or of a Roman citizen with a slave).”

 

Historic Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality

 

“Christian leaders have written about homosexual male–male sexual activities since the first decades of Christianity. Female–female sexual behavior was almost entirely ignored (John Shelby Spong, 2005; “The Sins of Scripture: Harper Collins).”

 

And so it has been that throughout most of traditional Christian history, the faith’s leaders and scholars and teachers have taught that homosexuality is immoral and sinful. However, it’s primarily been within the 20th century CE that “some prominent theologians and Christian religious groups have espoused a wide variety of beliefs and practices towards homosexuals, including the establishment of some ‘open and accepting’ congregations that actively support LGBT members, which they consider biblical in light of other rebukes in the New Testament that Christians might gloss over…”

The “Patristic Church Fathers” all supported the traditional understanding of Paul’s writing:

 

Tertullian: “When Paul asserts that males and females changed among themselves the natural use of the creature in that which is unnatural, he validates the natural way” (Roberts, A. and Donaldson, J.; 1885-6–“Ante-Nicene Fathers).

 

Ambrosiaster: “…It is clear that, because they changed the truth of God into a lie, they changed the natural use (of sexuality) into that use by which they are dishonored and condemned” (Vogels, Heinrich Joseph and Ambrosaiaster–1966).

 

And similarly John Chrysostom:

 

“In 342 AD, Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans decreed the death penalty for any male who ‘marries [a man] as a woman…[a situation in which] gender has lost its place” (Theodosian Code 9.7.3). In the year AD 390, the Christian emperors Valentinian II, Theodosius I and Arcardius denounced males ‘acting the part of a woman,’ condemning those who were guilty of such acts to be publicly burned” (Theodosian Code 9.7.6).

 

Historically, Christian churches regarded homosexual acts as sinful. This is apparently based on the Catholic understanding of the phrase “natural law” (i.e., those things intrinsic to human nature) and traditional interpretations of biblical passages. This remains the conventional position of most Christians, “including the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and some Protestant denominations, especially Evangelical churches such as the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church. Restorationist churches such as the LDS Church also view homosexuality as sinful.”

 

 

Opposing Views on Homosexuality

 

Despite what appears to have been consistent and unified historic Christian opposition to homosexuality, there are minority Christian groups today that interpret obvious anti-homosexual biblical passages such as those enumerated in this writing differently. These groups argue that homosexuality is morally acceptable. Interestingly, their pro-homosexual position has been adopted by the “United Church of Canada; the United Church of Christ; the Moravian Church; the Anglican Episcopal Church; the Anglican Church of Canada; the Liberal Catholic Church; Friends General Conference; the Presbyterian Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Many European Christian denominations have also adopted a pro-homosexual stance as well, including: the United, Reformed and Lutheran Churches.

 

Of late, the “metropolitan Community Church, boasting some 40,000 members, came into existence for the purpose of serving the so-called Christian LGBT community. Additionally, in 1989, “The Evangelical Network” –a network of churches, ministries and Christian workers–was formed with LGBT Evangelical Christians (Wikipedia).

 

Modern Judeo-Christian Perceptions on Homosexuality

 

Given all that’s been said here thus far about denominational and religious positions on homosexuality, there still remains the greater aspect of this issue that can’t easily be measured: the varying and often conflicted beliefs and feelings about homosexuality among self-proclaiming peoples of faith. As this Wikipedia article correctly states, “individual Christians maintain a variety of beliefs on this subject that may or may not correspond to their official church doctrines.”

 

Despite the general belief among Christian denominations that homosexuality is a sin that can’t be tolerated within their congregations, there seems to be a growing number of self-professing Christians who lean towards being pro-homosexual; or at the very least, these groups are tolerant of homosexuality within and without their communities. These believe and even teach that the Apostle Paul was simply condemning orgies, male slavery and prostitution in Romans 1:26-27.

 

Seemingly riding on the coat-tails of so-called people of faith who support homosexuality within the paradigm of their Faith, many sectors of modern Judeo-Christian thinking places greater emphasis on the acts of homosexuality over the individuals or the individuals’ inclination or orientation that their religions reject. And of course, a growing number of factions and sects within mainstream Protestantism and Reform Judaism have chosen to advocate the full acceptance of homosexuals and their lifestyles on theology that is completely foreign to orthodoxy and even sound biblical reasoning. Consequently, such departures from sound scriptural authority and teaching has resulted in schisms in and around certain Christian and Jewish denominations and sects (www.gaychurch.org).

 

A Rev. Justin Cannon, author of an article entitled “The Bible, Christianity and Homosexuality” contends homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle for Christians. Mr. Cannon provides his readers with the following defense to his troublesome position and I want you to pay close attention to the points of his defense. Why? Because these are well-established talking points used by some of the more liberal people of faith who tend to advocate for a wholesale acceptance of homosexuality by all Judeo-Christian sects and denominations:

 

  1. The term homosexuality is not found in scripture whatsoever.
  2. The term Sodomite refers only to the citizens of Sodom.
  3. The sins and judgment that befell Sodom was about violence and rape, not homosexuality.
  4. Paul is referring to male prostitutes and slave dealers, not homosexuals in our focus passage.
  5. Furthermore, Paul is condemning orgies, not homosexuality in our focus passage.
  6. The Creation Story in no way excludes or denounces homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. On the contrary, according to the Reverend Cannon, the Creation Story, contextually-speaking, is really a story about the heterosexuals Adam and Eve as opposed to any would-be homosexual couple. (I guess Rev. Canon is saying that the creation story could have just as much been a story about any homosexual couple as much as it was a story about a heterosexual couple.)
  7. Christ did away with the Levitical Purity Laws (as well as the whole of Torah we can safely imagine). Thus, homosexuality falls under the purity law (as well as it falls under the moral laws) that have been done away. Thus, the homosexual lifestyle is biblically acceptable. Today, the name of the game is “love.”

 

Now, I could do a two-hour post rebutting of each of Mr. Canon’s defense points. But for now, we can simply leave our rebuttal at none of what Mr. Canon writes above is true by any stretch of the imagination.

 

 

Christians React to the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage: 9-Key Findings–Barna.com–July1, 2015 and January 29, 2019

 

In a study conducted in 2015 by the Barna Group (a traditional/orthodox/fundamental/evangelical Christian Think-tank and research organization), one’s Christian identity is recognized through the practicing of one’s faith as opposed to the traditional self-profession of one’s faith. In other words, those that practice their faith (I.e., read their bibles on a regular basis; pray on a frequent basis; and those who attend church services on a frequent basis; such as those who are observant of the tenets of their faith) differ from those who are so-called “legacy” or “cultural” believers (I.e., those who verbally or who in writing identify themselves as Christian; who because they were raised Christian or who have officially affiliated with some Christian group or organization). All that said, Barna concluded that practicing or observant Christians tend to be far less likely to agree with same-sex unions than their identity, legacy counterparts–28% versus 43%. Furthermore, Evangelicals, more than any other Christian denominational segment, continues to strongly oppose same-sex marriages.

 

Strangely, adds Barna’s David Kinnaman, “many Christians, including evangelicals, are coming to the conclusion that it’s possible to support legal same-sex marriage and also affirm the church’s traditional definition of marriage.”

 

Here’s something else Mr. Kinnaman wrote on this issue that I found to be interesting: “Some have speculated that many young people have left the church because of the church’s traditional stance on LGBTQ issues. And while this study does not confirm such a contention, it certainly shows that inactive Christians are skeptical about a great deal of the Church’s authority on these kinds of matters.”Thus is seems that Mr. Kinnaman is insinuating that those who hold a pro-homosexual position in Christianity tend to be the ones who are either willfully or unwittingly ignorant of the “church’s” authority to lead and rule on this issue.

 

The problem I have with Mr. Kinnaman’s statement is the same problem I have with our cousins in Churchianity: all authority—period—rest with the Almighty and His eternal Word; not the Church. And I would submit the reason issues such as homosexuality being an acceptable Christian-lifestyle even exists is because the so-called church usurped YHVH’s authority over all things faith related. And when man decides to shove the Almighty to the side and take control of things of the faith, every sin known to Yah and man is in one form or another is allowed to manifest. Why? Because those who have stolen the authority Yah has over people and things of the faith refashion the Faith to reflect man’s sinful nature. Abba was clear that man’s ways are not His Ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts (Isa. 55:8).

 

And then, a 2019 Barna survey reported that 37% of Christian pastors feel pressured to speak out against issues related to the LGBT Community; and 32% same-sex marriage/gay rights. The report suggests that these pastors are afraid of offending some of their congregation, but they feel pressured by the mainstreamers in their congregations to speak up on those very same topics. Barna concluded that these pastors are having to deal with the disparities that exist between the popular laws of the land and God’s Laws. The distinction between these two sides seem clear to these affected pastors. Yet, in other areas, the lines of distinction are blurred. Thus Barna counseled that “when spiritual leaders consider which political issues to speak out on, it is important to be certain those issues are a universal good for human flourishing and not a matter of personal discipline, spiritual transformation or church community.”

 

 

The article goes on to say that “the pressure for faith leaders to satisfy everyone on all sides and to avoid offense, is very real today, especially in the digital era.” And clearly social media increases the stakes. Consequently, the very issues these pastors are feeling pressured to address, are those that they feel limited to address. Thus the article further counsels that pastors “must work to cultivate humility, discernment and courage in the midst of a divided culture…and these must be committed for the long haul, educating their people to respond with love and conviction, in word and deed. For this is the essence of discipleship.”

 

Liberal Judaism’s Strange Detour Towards Favoring Homosexuality

 

 

Judaism and Homosexuality: A Brief History–Haaretz–Zen Read ( https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium.MAGAZINE-judaism-and-homosexuality-a-brief-history-1.5390687)

 

Believe it or not, liberal Jews have over the last several decades on various platforms have cast suspicions that King David was gay or at least bisexual. Now, this so-called suspicion that David was gay or bisexual is supposedly based upon two verses in the first and second Samuel that they say speaks to an alleged relationship David had with Jonathan, King Saul’s son. This relationship is depicted as running deeper than the average friendship that two Hebrew males would generally share (1 Sam. 18:1; 2 Sam. 1:26).

 

Conservative commentators in general reject this line of thinking, citing the fact that such behavior was prohibited by Torah. And my response to that is simply this: I certainly don’t need a commentator, be they conservative or liberal, neither matters to me, to tell me that David would not have engaged or participated in any such homosexual relationship or lifestyle; Jonathan not withstanding.

 

Zen Read, author of an article published in Haaretz entitled, “Judaism and Homosexuality: A Brief History, wrote concerning homosexuality as a lifestyle in Judaism: “Various verses in the Book of Kings and elsewhere in the Bible seem to indicate that not only was homosexuality tolerated during the First Temple period, it was typical cultic behavior among the ancient Israelites at the time.”

 

To support this shocking claim, Read cites 1 Kings 14:24, which reads: “And there were also sodomites in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which YHVH cast out before the children of Israel” (KJV). The author contends that the “sodomites” as mentioned in this passage were actually male and female sacred prostitutes: men and women who resided in pagan temples and had sex with patrons as a form of deity worship. Read goes on to establish that pagan prostitution (NOT SACRED prostitution) was practiced in ancient Israel 2,700-years ago. Furthermore, such practices appear to have been ubiquitous in the Canaanite and Mesopotamia cultures of the ANE.

 

Continuing, the author contends that the pagan practice of pagan prostitution was brought to an end when a copy of Torah was discovered in the Temple under King Josiah. The author extrapolates that it was probably an early version of Deuteronomy that was discovered as opposed to the whole of Torah. And the portion of Deuteronomy that addressed the profane practice of pagan prostitution is Deuteronomy 23:17 which reads: “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.” Interestingly, the author claims that this translation is inaccurate and that the words rendered as “whore” and “sodomite” are the female and male versions of the Hebrew word for sacred prostitute (qedasha and qedosh).And thus, supposedly, it was this verse that led King Josiah to “break down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of YHVH” (2 Kings 23:7). Some suggest, as does this author, that certain men of ancient Judah not only engaged in homosexual acts, but likely practiced these profane acts in the Temple proper. And so the author decides to go full disclosure and contend that such practices would make allegations against David and Jonathan legitimate. (Oh Boy!)

 

And so! The Author now having outed himself emphatically states that the Deutoronomic passage cited above is not a ban on homosexuality, but a ban on pagan (what he calls sacred) prostitution. (Reference Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13) And again we run into someone else making outrageous claims that these prohibitive passages were written not by Moses, but by unnamed individuals during the Babylonian Exile or during the early Second Temple period (between the 6th and 4 centuries BCE).

 

Folks, do you not see what liberal Jews such as Mr. Read are doing to legitimize homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle in all Hebrew connected Faiths? These are launching a multi-front assault on the Peoples of Faith’s: (1) belief that Torah was passed down to Moshe by YHVH; (2) belief that scripture is Truth; and (3) belief and knowledge that homosexuality is condemned by YHVH through His Word. These are desperately trying to create a zest-pool environment of doubt in the minds of People of Faith. And that’s a terrible shame on these such liars and manipulators of Yah’s Word.

 

Concerning folks like Mr. Read, Yochanan the Revelator reported: “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

 

These still have time to repent from their wicked ways before that which is prophesied of in Revelation 21:8 takes place. The same Yochanan wrote in his first epistle that if any would “confess their sins, He (Yah) is faithful and just to forgive them of sins, and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness” (1 Joh. 1:9).

Believe it or not, there’s more: Read goes on to state that the Talmud does not condemn homosexuality. In making such a contention, Read provides the following Talmudic references: Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 13:3; Niddah 13b; Talmud, Yevamot 51b; Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, Binah 1:14. Now, I attempted to verify whether or not Read’s contentions were true by looking up his references. I was not able to find any such support for homosexuality as Read suggests. And even if I were able to find support for homosexuality in the Talmud, it wouldn’t matter one bit. Torah is the only authority on such matters, not the whims and foolish thoughts of a handful of ancient Rabbis on matters of Torah.

 

The one thing that should be common knowledge to all, regardless whichever side one stands on this issue is the fact that Hebrew has no dedicated word for homosexuality; just the words to describe homosexual acts. And the tragedy that we’ve seen played out in our discussion here today is that the pro-homosexuality side of the argument uses the absence of the term homosexual and homosexuality in scripture to support their claims that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle for God’s people. Very disturbing indeed.

 

The Inclusion of Pedophilia Into the Discussion

 

We cannot do just to the subject of homosexuality/LGBTQ in relation to Torah and Paul’s writings without mentioning the abominable, disgusting subject of pedophilia. Recently, abhorrent practice of pedophilia has found a home in the LGBTQ Community. Think I’m lying? Well, just recently California passed what has been labeled as SB (California Senate Bill) 145. SB 145 is a bill that would decriminalize the sexual abuse of children (children under the age of 18-years) and legalize pedophilia in the state. Of course, the authors of this bill vehemently deny this is the case. But the truth of the matter is that this law would make sexual abuse of a minor, in this case ages 14 to 17, by an adult who is within 10-years of age of the minor in question. And the reason this bill was written and introduced in the California Senate in the first place is that members of the LGBTQ community complained that the existing laws that require judges to classify the convicted pedophiles as sex offenders was “more inclusive for the LGBTQ community” (Associated Press; “Bill would not legalize pedophilia in California; 9/10/20). Of course, as you can see in this example, it appears that the mainstream press is supportive of this bill specifically because the LGBTQ Community is in large part behind it.

 

So, if that fact that homosexuality is viewed by the Almighty as abominable sin punishable by death weren’t enough (Lev. 20:13), the LGBTQ Community has of late associated herself with pedophilia. It would appear that there simply are no limits to this community’s depravity. And when the subject of homosexuality being an acceptable lifestyle within and without our Faith Community comes up (and it does come up from time to time), we must be ready to give “every person an answer that asks us why we believe what we believe with meekness and fear; having a good conscience; whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversations in Messiah” (1 Pet. 3:15-16).

 

So now let’s look at the true biblical understanding of homosexuality.

 

 

The Biblical Understanding of Homosexuality

 

Beginning with verse 18 of our focus passage Romans 1:18:

 

 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Rom 1:18-25 KJV)

 

 

The Anger/Wrath of Yah:

 

We learn from this passage that the wrath (I.e., the “anger”) of Yah is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The wrath of God refers to his personal anger against sin. God’s anger is neither selfish or arbitrary. However, Yah’s wrath does in fact represent His holy and loving response to human wickedness. (I know this sounds ludicrous to those who are unfamiliar with the Ways of Yah, but Yah’s wrath is a loving response to human wickedness because He loves His human creation and His human creation’s evil ways provokes Yah to wrath. How so? Yah cannot tolerate sin nor does He tolerate seeing His human creation suffer under the scourge and deleterious effects of sin. Thus, it should be somewhat easy to rationalize that if Yah did nothing to address evil, it would prove that He did not love His human creation. And because He loves His human creation so much, He hates to see anything evil overtaking them. Thus one can say that “love cares” (Amy K. Hall; “God’s Wrath is His Love Reacting to Evil; 2/7/2018). Love cannot be indifferent to evil. And this must be the mind that we, YHVH’s elect and children must have towards sin. We’ve all heard it said that we should love the sinner but hate the sin. And biblically this is a correct position for all of us in the Faith to have. However, the child of Yah must also separate themselves from those who practice sin and petition the Almighty to free their friends and family members from the sins that beset them so that they do not endure Father’s impending wrath.)

 

 

What does scripture tell us about the anger or wrath of the Almighty?

 

  • Averted by Messiah’s blood—Romans 5:9; Joh. 3:14-18; Rom. 5:1.
  • That wrath is averted simply through confession of sin and repentance— 106:43-45; Jer. 3:12,13 18:7,8; Joe. 2:12-14; the parable of the prodigal son: Luk.15:18-20.
  • Yah’s wrath is manifested in terrors—(confusion) 14:24 (earthquakes) Jer. 10:10; (the enemy of the nations kill and destroy) Lam. 2:20-22. Yah’s wrath is manifested in judgments and afflictions—(death angel) Psa. 78:49-51; (by famine) Isa. 9:19; (natural disasters) Jer. 7:20; (life becomes of no value) Eze. 7:19; (wandering in the wilderness) Heb. 3:17.
  • Yah’s wrath is aggravated by continual provocation— 32:14.
  • Yah’s wrath is especially reserved for the Great Tribulation— 1:14-18; Mat. 25:41; Rom. 2:5-9’ 2 The. 1:8; Rev. 6:17; 11:18; 19:15.
  • Yah’s wrath is against:
    • The wicked— 7:11; 21:8,9; Isa. 3:8; 13:9; Nah. 1:2,3; Rom. 1:18; 2:8; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6.
    • Those who forsake Him— 8:22; Isa. 1:4.
    • Those who do not have a trusting Faith in Him— 3:36.
    • The impenitent— 2:5.
    • Continued willful sins— 10:26, 27.
    • Idolatry— 29:20, 27, 28; 32:19-22; Jos. 23:16; 2 Kin. 22:17; Psa. 78:58,59; Jer. 44:3. 

 

It should come as no surprise that homosexuality, along with a host of other sins garner the wrath of Yah. Shaul, in teaching the Assembly Members of Colossae about personal sin, wrote:

 

“We are to be dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, greed/idolatry. Such things are common to the children of disobedience. And because these things are common to the children of disobedience, they will receive the wrath of Yah” (Col. 3:5-6).

 

Immorality, impurity, passions, evil desires, greed and idolatry, according to Shaul, will receive Yah’s Wrath. And because these perversions and sins are common to the “children of disobedience” (disobedience to what? Disobedience to Torah and the teachings of Yeshua our Mashiyach), all punishable by the wrath of YHVH, man has sought to cover-up or suppress Yah’s Truths. In fact, mankind’s natural propensity is to “suppress the Truth” of Yah in order to justify–promote–protect their own godless lifestyles. Haven’t we seen explicit examples of this by those advocating for the acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle within and without Judeo-Christian Communities in our discussion here today? Of course we have.

 

And I of course would be most remiss if I did not point out that each of us is deserving of Yah’s wrath. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of YHVH according to Shaul (Rom. 3:23). The difference is that those of us who profess Yahoshua as our Messiah have repented from our evil ways and we have stopped being children of disobedience. We have instead taken up Yah’s way of life. And because of our Master’s sacrifice and our turning away from sin and turning to Yah and His ways, we are no longer “children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). Instead, we have become children of light (Joh. 12:36).  

 

Many spiritual social justice warriors operating in our world today might argue that we cannot know the Almighty’s ways and position on various social issues. Why? Because according to these, not everything is covered in the Bible, including homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. And the handful of passages in scripture that we may traditionally think or have been taught as being condemnatory towards homosexuality is really not condemnatory at all, but are in fact mistranslations and misinterpretations. (”The droids you’re looking for are not here.”) And the fact that the bible does not condemn homosexuality verbatim is a clear signal that it is an acceptable lifestyle both within and without our Faith Community. Yeah. Good try.

 

But the Apostle Shaul takes a different perspective on those spiritual social justice warriors’ foolish ideas regarding such sinful lifestyles. In verse 19, Shaul argues that the existence of Yah is evident to His human creation. Furthermore, Yah’s attributes, power and divine nature is clearly seen in His creation. And if that’s not enough, scripture teaches that Yah’s breath inhabits every living human being. Therefore, each person has a natural, automated inner sense of Yah’s Person and character. Yet people purposely suppress that internal witness/Truth about Yah that dwells within them in order that they may live lives on their own evil terms. They will thus justify the evil they’re living in order to cover-up and hide that internal, spiritual testimony that every human being naturally possesses.

 

But this covering-up that the workers of iniquity are accustomed to doing will not save them from Yah’s wrath. For no human has an excuse. Each person inherently knows the Truth. We know that at an early age, children naturally know when they’re doing wrong. Regardless, those who refuse to repent and turn from their wicked ways will experience Yah’s wrath.

 

We learn from verse 22 that those who reject Yah’s natural revelation and internal witness turn themselves over to futile reasonings (1:22) which include:

 

  1. Idolatry (1:23)
  2. Sexual immorality (1:24)
  3. Service to the enemy (1:25).

 

And when a person reaches this level of depravity, they’ve fallen outside the authority of Yah in their lives. And the only way some of them can be delivered from this damnable state is by them experiencing Yah’s love and wrath. Ultimately, faith in Messiah is the only solution to this hopeless situation.

 

 

Those who refuse to be convinced otherwise, Yah gives them over (in the lust of their hearts) to impurity and a reprobate mind so that their bodies are dishonored among them (verses 24 and 28).

 

Unfortunately in our day, we see that those who willfully persist on maintaining such ungodly lives receive reinforcement of their perverse lifestyles (verse 25). The media/entertainment industry shove these perverse ideals down the throats of every human being within earshot and eye-shot of their filthy dribble. And they do this on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute basis. And we are told by these evil operators that homosexuality and other perverse lifestyles are indeed honorable and respectful lifestyles that we all must openly embrace, or else…you’re a bigot; you’re not a true believer; you’re the evil one. These then, exchanged the Truth of Yah for the lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator.

 

No truer words have been written: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20)!

 

 

According to Messianic Jewish scholar and commentator J.K. McKee, idolatry is an integral element of the sin of fornication. McKee cites Wisdom 14:12 as a support passage for this contention:

 

”For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them was the corruption of life.”

 

We know this to be a true statement. For the enemy has throughout human history enticed men to worship false gods by employing fornication into pagan temple worship rites. We touched briefly on this earlier when we discussed how certain faith-based homosexual advocates falsely claim scripture does not condemn homosexuality, but instead condemns pagan temple prostitution and the practice of abusing male children as was common among the Greeks and Romans. Another way of looking at this thing is that those who engage in such perverseness and lifestyle are making the conscious decision to worship themselves and their bodies over that of worshiping the Creator of the Universe. The human body becomes the idol to be worshiped through perverse acts and lifestyle.  

 

Although homosexuality as a stand alone term is nowhere to be found in scripture, the sinful act is in fact given a title which is, in the Greek, “para phusin,” which simply means “contrary to nature” (ESV) or “unnatural” (RSV/NASU). Thus, homosexuality is a sin against Yah’s natural creative order and the original intent/purpose for Yah’s human creation. It is perversion against the marital, heterosexual union and act of procreation (Gen. 1:28). It is contrary to nature.

 

 

And let me be clear here: fornication and adultery are also capital sins (I.e., sins punishable by death). So those who get on their high horses and condemn those who are caught in the sinful snare of homosexuality, but they themselves are caught in the sinful snare of fornication and adultery; including pornography; womanizing; spouse swapping; and other such sinful behavior are also destined to received Yah’s wrath. Nevertheless, homosexuality falls within that troublesome class of sins that Abba refers to as abominable. 

 

Sexual relationships that are conducted within the confines of marriage honor Yah. For it is consistent with the original intent of marriage. Yet when man or angelic creatures go about distorting and destroying the natural order of Yah on this earth, these bring dishonor to Yah and His sacred institution of marriage. The writer of Hebrews penned: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers Yah will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

 

Messianic scholar and commentator Tim Hegg notes that “there are passions which honor God and there are those which do not. Here, then, is an important truth, that when our passions align with God’s creative purpose, they are honorable. But when they do not, they are ‘dishonorable’ or ‘degrading.’ They not only dishonor God, but they also dishonor mankind who were created in His image.”

 

The apostle places a great deal of emphasis upon the maintenance of Yah’s natural creative order. And it is within this natural creative order that we may find our eternal purpose. Creation is simply an expression or revelation of its Creator. That being said, every component of creation has a divine purpose. Therefore, when people or angelic beings set out to disrupt the natural creative order (in whatever way their evil minds and hearts devise, in this case through homosexuality let’s say), they have robbed Yah of His brilliance and glory and design.

 

Bottom line, homosexuality is a sin against both Yah and mankind. Yah designed man and woman in such a way that the institution of marriage provides the married couple the wonderful gift of intimacy. This gift is an expression of Yah’s love for his human creation. And although marriage was originally intended, primarily, to bring the man and woman into a single unit for service and worship of Yah, it also provided the means by which children would be brought into this world and increase the imaging of Yah on this planet. Is it not reasonable to conclude, then, that homosexuality is a direct assault on the Creator’s eternal, holy purpose of reflecting His image on this planet? For when homosexuality is practiced physically and within the degraded hearts and minds of the homosexual, the sanctity of marriage is undermined; the physical purpose of man and women are undermined; the commandments of the Almighty are violently transgressed. Consequently, Yah’s image is systematically erased from creation. Is this not then the baseline plan of the enemy—to undermine the Almighty physically and spiritually through every iteration of Yah’s creation?

 

Consequently, those that practice homosexuality and who engage in willful sin of every sort will not enter the Kingdom of Yah. Of this the Apostle Shaul wrote:

 

 

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.(1Co 6:9-10 KJV) 

 

 Call to Action

 

How do we treat the LGBTQ Community as Yah’s elect? Well, we must view homosexuality from YHVH’s holy and righteous perspective and Yah’s perspective is captured in His Torah. Yah sees homosexuality as an abomination. But from a Yeshua-focused Torah-living perspective, we must also view homosexuality as a perversion of Yah’s creative order and Yah’s intended way of life for His human creation. Therefore, homosexuality must be dealt with like any other sin. It must be eliminated.

 

The gospel, as with any other sin and perverted lifestyle, offers a solution to the sin which is homosexuality. The solution to homosexuality is the adoption of a lifestyle that Yah has ordained for those whom He chooses as His children. But it requires one turn over their life to YHVH and abandon their former life of sin for a holy and righteous lifestyle that He has created exclusively for those whom He loves (Deu. 5:33; 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 30:16; 2 Chr. 7:14). Which means after repenting from the sin of homosexuality, the converted one must stop sinning and obey Yah’s Torah and the teachings of Yeshua, His Mashiyach. This change in lifestyle results in freedom, forgiveness, and healing (Luk. 4:18). The thoughts and heart that are behind the homosexual lifestyle must also be dealt with, just as with all heterosexual sins that are associated with lust (Mat. 5:28). The sinner must be shown the error of their ways and be encouraged to confess their sins to Yah and seek Yah’s forgiveness; seek Yah’s transformative Spirit to change them from the inside out. We must be available to provide the counsel and direction the LGBTQ community members need in order to establish a true and substantive relationship with the Almighty so that they may escape the wrath to come. Of this James, the half-brother of our Master Yahoshua wrote:

 

“…he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death (that’s love my friend); and shall hide a multitude of sins (5:20).

 

But we cannot compromise Torah’s stance on this critical issue. In other words, there’s no covering up this sin by the twisting of scripture in favor of a homosexual lifestyle. There’s no turning a blind eye to this sin (or for that matter any ongoing sins) in our midst. The apostle Shaul counseled that we not associate with the LGBTQ community just like we must not associate with those who live pervasively sinful lifestyles (1 Cor.5:11; 2 Cor. 6:14 Psm. 1:1; 1 Cor. 15:33).

 

As I mentioned earlier in this discussion, at some point in our walk with Mashiyach, we will be faced with an LGBTQ situation: be it within our families; our circle of friends; our community; and our jobs. And we’re going to be forced to take a side. And the side we as the elect of Yah must take on the LGBTQ question is definitely not a popular one in 2020. In fact, the side we are required to take as Yah’s beloved may get us in trouble in one form or another: loss of job; loss of freedom (I.e., incarceration); loss of family and friends; loss of respect in the community; and even loss of our life. But we can take Yah’s side in a way that brings glory and honor to Him and that at least (hopefully so) plants the seed for those involved to come into Truth someday and become a true Child of Yah. We just need to do everything we do in love:

 

“Be holy and without blame before Him in love…” (Eph. 1:4).

 

“Speak the truth in love…” (Eph. 4:15).

 

“Walk in love as Messiah also hath loved us…” (Eph. 5:2).

 

Shalom.

Feast of Tabernacles and the Kingdom of God in You

by | Sep 27, 2020 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

The Feast of Tabernacles and the Kingdom of God (of Yah) in You

 

My goal in delivering this discussion to you here today is to communicate to you another way of looking at and understanding the Kingdom of Yah. Another perspective. Another angle. Another Truth.

 

The “church” sees and teaches the Kingdom of Yah from an “End-Game” perspective: For the Churches of God and the many Messianic and Hebrew Roots groups out there, the Kingdom of God is about the coming millennial reign of Yeshua on this planet, followed by the New Heaven, the New Earth and New Jerusalem where God’s elect people look forward to hanging out in a physical place where they never die; they’re happy and at peace; and the best thing is that Yah will be tabernacling with His people for the rest of eternity.

 

And this scenario/understanding of a coming, physical Kingdom coming to this planet, in the process consuming and destroying all other earthly kingdoms, should be a wonderful, blessed hope and desire for all those who call upon the Name of Yeshua as their Messiah.

 

In fact, this ministry spends most of its teaching and preaching time proclaiming and informing about this coming Kingdom and the importance of getting our lives together so that we may get into this glorious kingdom. Indeed, getting into this coming Kingdom is one of the most important things every disciple of Yeshua must work out in their individual lives, or face the prospects of hearing the Master say to him or her: “I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23); “depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…(Matthew 25:41).

 

And as certain as we are that our God is real, we can be equally certain that there is coming a Kingdom that Daniel prophesied as described as follows:

 

“And in the days of these kings (I.e., the End Time nations that oppose Yah’s people), the Eloh of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall crush in pieces and make an end all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44; HRB).

 

The prophet goes on to describe the occupants of this coming Kingdom:

 

“But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever” (Daniel 7:18; HRB).

 

It stands as a firm and sacred belief that we who “keep the commandments of Yah, and have the testimony of Yeshua Messiah” are the saints that Daniel is referencing in his prophecy. And thus we await this glorious Kingdom that is promised to come sometime in the days-years ahead.

 

Was is the Gospel of the Kingdom Truly About?

 

So I’m here to challenge you today by posing to you the following questions: Was the Gospel that Yeshua, John the Baptist/Immerser and the Apostles preached and taught on about this same Kingdom of Yah that Daniel and John the Revelator prophesied about in their writings; this coming, true to life; physical Kingdom where YHVH will dwell forever with His saints?

 

I need you to repeat this statement with me and I also need you to remember this statement throughout the rest of this discussion:

 

THE KINGDOM OF YAHWEH IS WHEREVER YAHWEH CHOOSES TO DWELL!

 

The bible records that John the Immerser preached a message about repentance and baptism (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:2-3) and about a Kingdom of Heaven that he proclaimed was at hand:

 

“Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the deserted places of Judea, and saying, Repent! For the kingdom of Heaven has drawn near” (Matthew 3:1, 2; HRB).

The KJV reads:

 “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Greek=”eggizo”—to bring near, to join one thing to another; to draw or come near to, to approach).

 

And then we find after John’s arrest and imprisonment that John’s biological cousin, our Master Yeshua, picked up where John left off and:

“…came into Galilee proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of YAHWEH, and He said, ‘The time is complete and the Kingdom of YAHWEH has arrived. Repent and believe in the good news’” (Mark 1:14, 15; HRB)

 

The Kingdom of Yah, according to this reliable source, Yeshua Messiah, HAS ARRIVED!

 

What?! When did it arrive? According to Yeshua Himself, the time had been completed and the Kingdom of His Father had arrived.

Imagine that.

Have you seen the Kingdom of Yah? I haven’t. In fact, have we not all been taught from the “Church” that the Kingdom of Yah is this soon to come realm that we described just a moment ago? Yet both John the Immerser and Yeshua our Master declared that it had arrived.

 

And beyond these references, we find strewn throughout the Gospels, record of Yeshua teaching the people about this Kingdom as though it was already there in existence. And strangely enough, Yeshua was teaching the people about this “unseen” Kingdom in code: what the bible refers to as “parables”:

 

 

“And coming near, the disciples said to Him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?’ And answering He said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it has not been given to those.’” (Matthew 13:10-11; HRB; cf. Luke 8:9-18; Mark 4:11).

 

So Yeshua Himself declares that the Kingdom of Yah is “a mystery.” Mystery here in the Greek is ““musterion”, meaning hidden things, secrets.

 

This then leads to my next question: If Yeshua and John the Immerser stated that the Kingdom of Yah (also of Heaven) had arrived, even in their first century-AD time, there in Israel, yet we’ve not to date seen any physical evidence of this Kingdom, and Yeshua describes it as mysterious or hidden or secret, what then are we really talking about regarding this Kingdom of Yah? Is the Kingdom of God one and the same Kingdom that the Church has spent so many years telling us about?

 

Or could it be that the end-game for Yah’s elect—this coming, awesome, grand Kingdom of Yah, the one that Yeshua and John spoke of, is maybe somewhat more than what the Church has been teaching us all these years?

 

We Must Understand What the Kingdom of Yah is All About 

 

Obviously there seems to be somewhat of a disconnect with the Kingdom of Yah that the church teaches and the Kingdom of Yah that Yeshua, John the Immerser and the Apostles taught. And if we’re serious about being citizens and employees of Yah’s coming Kingdom, we need to figure out exactly what the Kingdom of Yah is and how we get plugged into that Kingdom.

 

 Scripture Provides us Clues as to What the Kingdom of Yah is About

 

So for the rest of this discussion I want to see if we can identify exactly what this mysterious Kingdom of Yah really looks like, and what we need to do in order to adjust our perception of the Kingdom to better align with the Kingdom that Yeshua tells us to search out or seek out as He instructed in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:32.

 

And by the end of this discussion, we should all be in better positions to enter this mysterious Kingdom and in the process, bring glory and honor to our heavenly Father. And the great thing we have going for us in working through this finding of the Kingdom of Yah is the promise that Yeshua made to His disciples:

“…To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of YAHWEH. But to these, those outside, all things are being given in parables, that seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand, lest they should be converted, and the sins be forgiven to them” (Mark 4:11-12; HRB; cf. Isaiah 8:6:9-10).

 

 What is the Kingdom of Yah to you?

 

  • The Jewish leaders of Yeshua’s time were all waiting for the Kingdom of Yah to come.
    • Joseph of Arimathaea—sat on the Sanhedrin, waited for the Kingdom of Yah–Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51.
    • Just and devout Simeon who held Yeshua in his arms—waiting for the consolation of Israel–Luke 2:25.
    • Anna, a prophetess, sojourned at the Temple—Luke 2:36-38; 23:51.
    • Paul’s evangelism of Jews involved reasoning with them about the Kingdom—Acts 19:8; 28:23, 31.

 

The People of Israel During Yeshua’s Earthly Ministry Missed the Fact the Kingdom Had Come

 

  • The Kingdom of Yah had come to the ancients and they never realized it—Luke 10:11.

 

  • The ancients had virtually no understanding of the Kingdom of Yah and felt that it’s appearance was imminent because of Yeshua’s ministry:

 

Luke 19:11—”And as they heard those things He added and spake a parable, because He was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the Kingdom of Yah should immediately appear.”

 

  • Yeshua’s apostles, although taught by Yeshua during His ministry, failed to receive the full understanding of the Kingdom of Yah:

 

 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. (Act 1:2-7 KJV)

 

Rabbinic Judaism’s Understanding of the Kingdom of Yah

 

Yah’s kingdom is spoken of in Psalms 22:29 (28), 53:19; 145:11-13; Obidiah 21; Daniel 3:33 (4:3); Tobit 13:1; Sibylines 3:47-48, 767; Pslams of Solomon 27:3; Wisdom 10:10; Enoch 84:2.

 

It speaks to the reign or sovereignty of Yah as contrasted with the kingdom of the worldly powers (Targum; Mishnah; Haggadah).

 

The hope is that Yah will be King over all the earth, when all idolatry will be banished (Exodus 15:18; Zechariah 14:9; Isaiah 24:23, 52:7; Micah 4:7; Psalms 29:10; 93-99).

 

“The Kingdom of God…in order to be established on earth, requires recognition by man; that is, to use the Hasidaean phrase borrowed from Babylonia or Persia, man must “take upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Yah.” This the Jew does daily when he/she recites the Shema (Ber. 2:2), and so do the angels when singing their “Thrice Holy” (Hekalot), and in the future “all men shall take upon themselves the yoke of the Kingdom of Yah when casting away their idols.”

 

The concept of the “yoke of the Kingdom of God” is a contrast with servitude to man: being in servitude to God by taking on the burden of Yah’s Torah—His Laws. But throughout the Psalms we are reminded that Torah is a delight and is not burdensome (Psalms 1:2; 40:8; 119:70, 77, 174; Romans 7:22). The burden or yoke is really the traditions and laws that were put in place by the Pharisees—by religion:

 

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,  2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Mat 23:1-4 KJV)

 

Our Master, the walking talking Torah, in offered the people His yoke which He brilliantly described as follows:

 

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mat 11:29-30 KJV)

 

For the average Jew of Yeshua’s earthly ministry days, it was better to be under the yoke of the Rabbis than under the yoke of Rome.

 

The Midrash says, “when the Kingdom of Rome has ripened enough to be destroyed, the Kingdom of Yah will appear.”

  

The Kingdom of Yah is in You

 

Was the Rabbinic understanding of the Kingdom of Yah consistent with Yeshua’s understanding of Yah?

 

Not at all. And this is part of the overall conflict that Yeshua had with the Pharisees and other religious leaders of His day.

 

Because the religious leaders of Yeshua’s day were blinded to the things and ways of Yah because of this history of being a stiffnecked people (even up to this day), they could not recognize that the Kingdom of Yah had in fact come unto them. And because their hardheadedness prevented them from recognizing that visitation, they along with their followers suffered destruction:

 

“But to you will come the days when your enemies will surround you, and will oppress you from all sides. And will overthrow you, and they will not leave in you a stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:43-44; HRB).

 

How many of us, like the pharisees, caught up in religion and ignorance of who and what we truly are and how we fit into this Kingdom of Yah, are looking for a Kingdom that is not to be found? At least not to be found by us if we don’t figure this thing out. A Kingdom that is right under their noses yet nowhere to be found. Found only in the teachings of the Church that teaches a doctrine of us getting into the Kingdom if we but keep the feast days, the food laws and the weekly Sabbath. In other word, the “Christian” version of the “yoke of the Kingdom of Yah.”

 

While heading to Jerusalem with His disciples, this leading up to His crucifixion, our Master was met by a group of 10-lepers who He healed. And on the heels of that miracle, a group of Pharisees demanded Yeshua tell them when the Kingdom would come. And Master in response made this shocking statement:

 

Luke 17:20, 21—”The Kingdom of YAH cometh not with observation (parateresis): neither shall they say, lo here! Or lo there! For, behold, the Kingdom of Yah is within (entos=within; inside) you.”

 

Many English translations have taken it upon themselves to alter the Greek word “entos” in this passage to mean “in your midst.” But I believe, as do so many others, that “within” is the most accurate, for “entos” does not mean in your midst, and to state that the Kingdom of Yah is in one’s midst limits the point of what the Master teaches about the Kingdom of Yah. Yes, there is coming a physical Kingdom which is the end game for true disciples of Yah. But for this time, it’s that aspect of the Kingdom that cannot be seen or touched that Master is focusing on: this is the aspect of the Kingdom that Yeshua’s Gospel message was based upon.

 

What did Yeshua tell the woman at Jacob’s Well in Samaria:

 

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. Yah is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:23-24; KJV).

 

Yeshua was not offering us an option here as it related to how we are to interact and relate to YAHWEH. He said that “true worshippers SHALL worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth” and “they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.”

 

So when we look at this question about the Kingdom of Yah being something that is not to be seen or discerned with the naked eye, and the statement that Yah’s people can only worship/interact/relate with Him in Spirit and in Truth, we can only conclude that the Kingdom of Yah is an invisible, spiritual reality that is present within the True Child of the Most High.

 

Well, if this is indeed the case, riddle me this Batman: Why is it that the Churches of God and so many Hebraic Roots and Messianic Congregations reject anything having to do with the Spirit? If the true Child of Yah is required to worship Yah in the Spirit, and the Kingdom of Yah exists as a spiritual reality within the Child of Yah, why isn’t the Church equipping her members on matters related to operating in the Spirit and in the Kingdom within? 

 

What the Church will not tell us is that the Kingdom of Yah has been in existence on this earth in one form or another from the beginning of time till now. It’s one continuous chain of wondrous existence that is referred to as a mystery by Yeshua and Paul. 

And we shouldn’t be too hard on the Church about her failure in equipping and training her members on the things of the Spirit. Truth be told, Yeshua’s disciples didn’t understand that there was a spirit link to the Kingdom either. Remember, up to the very day Master ascended up to Father and instructed His disciples to await the gift of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, they still hounded Yeshua as to when the Kingdom of Israel would come. 

And it wasn’t until Pentecost 10-days later that they  finally understand what Master had been teaching them during all those days and months he dwelt with them, teaching and modeling for them the Gospel of the Kingdom of Yah. 

And to a greater or lesser extent, we’re no different than Master’s disciples. 

We have a lot of doctrines and beliefs that we have to rid ourselves of before we truly can embrace the spiritual and physical Kingdom of Yah.

 

One of the first things we have to learn is:

 

 

The Kingdom of Yah is Wherever Yah Chooses as His Dwelling Place

 

Wherever in the world a world leader travels, he or she brings with them or they are representative of the whole of their nation.

 

A nation’s embassy represents their home country in whatever nation the embassy stands. In fact, the embassy structure and soil upon which it is built is deemed the sovereign territory of that embassy’s nation. 

 

The same principle applies here regarding the Kingdom of Yah. The Kingdom of Yah is wherever Yah chooses as His dwelling place. For again, we are pointed back to the teachings of Yeshua in which He states that Yahweh is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

 

Paul taught the Romans the importance of recognizing the Spiritual nature of our calling:

 

 Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom 8:1-14 KJV)

 

So our perceptions of the Kingdom of Yah is something that we must bring into alignment with Yah’s Word so that we do not find ourselves in the same place the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the day found themselves in: looking for a Kingdom that is nothing like that which their religion teaches. Unfortunately, many of us are facing this potential problem because the churches and congregations we attach ourselves to reject pretty much anything and everything associated with the things of the Spirit.

 

Over and over the apostles in their writings put forth teachings that under this New (Renewed) Covenant, Yahweh lives within the Creator’s Elect:

 

 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Eph 2:18-3:1 KJV)

 

 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1Co 6:19-20 KJV)

 

Again, the Kingdom of Yahweh is wherever Yahweh chooses to dwell. And the question we must be able to answer today is: Are our bodies suitable dwelling places for Yahweh?

 

There is to be no transition between the spiritual kingdom and the coming kingdom. For if we aren’t manifesting the spiritual kingdom here and now in our lives, what makes us think we will be welcomed into the physical coming kingdom. What makes us believe we will be prepared to receive the coming physical Kingdom? We have a lot to overcome before we can receive and enter the coming physical Kingdom of Yahweh. 

 

Requirements for Receiving the Kingdom of Yah 

 

  • One must endure many tribulations in order to enter the Kingdom of Yah—Acts 14:22.

 

  • One must be born again in order to “see” the Kingdom; born of Spirit and of water–Acts 8:12; John 3:3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:50.

 

  • Commandment-keeping is essential to entering the Kingdom—Mark 12:34.
  • Those who look back and desire their former lives are not worthy to receive the Kingdom—Luke 9:62.

 

  • The unrighteous cannot inherit the Kingdom—1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:21: Ephesians 5:5.

 

  • We have to learn to die to self and to our own agendas. The Kingdom of Yah will not compete with our own internal kingdoms. We must give way to His Kingdom within us—Galatians 2:20-21; 5:24; Romans 6:6; 8:10.

 

  • To be wholehearted as Caleb was as Father stipulated that he had “another spirit with him and hath followed me fully”—When we have flipflop constitutions, Father’s Kingdom and Spirit cannot operate as it should within us. We have to be wholehearted in all our Ways and give deference to Yah and His Spirit and His Kingdom.–Numbers 14-1-24 ; Joshua 14:6-15.

 

 

  • Yeshua gives us the keys to the Kingdom in the Beatitudes—the Sermon on the Mount—Matthew 5:1-7:29.

 

 

What The Kingdom of Yah Consist Of

 

  • Healing and preaching go hand-in-hand in bring the Kingdom to our midst—Luke 9:2, 11; 10:9.

 

  • The Kingdom is not coming in a way that you can see—Luke 17:20, 21.

 

  • The Kingdom is about righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Spirit—Roman 14:17.
  • The Kingdom is about power—1 Corinthians 4:20.

 

  • The eternal existence of Yah’s Kingdom—Psalms 45:6.

 

  • Luke 10:9—The Kingdom of Yah is come nigh unto you (healings).
  • John 18:36—The Kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
  • 1 Corinthians 4:20—The Kingdom of Yah is not in word, but in power.

 

 

We Have a Lot to Overcome Regarding the Kingdom of Yah

 

There is a power and authority that we are called to walk in. And that authority we have been called to walk in is directly tied to the Kingdom that is supposed to reside in each of us.

 

Yet again, the Kingdom of Yah is Wherever Yah Chooses as His Dwelling Place.

 

Yah can only dwell in us when we’re holy! He won’t dwell in the midst of filth! Thus Yah will send correction and testing for purposes of sanctifying us so that we may be holy and acceptable unto Him as a dwelling place and from where the Kingdom of Yah may operate in this world.

 

Thus in order that Yah’s Kingdom may dwell in us, we must recognize that we are called to holiness:

 

 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1Pe 1:15-16 KJV)

  

The Kingdom is both present and future

 

The Kingdom comes to us in Spirit and power—it comes to dwell within us. Paul wrote:

 

“And may Elohim of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, of r you to abound in hope, in power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13; HRB).

 

This power is that of miracle working power. There is Kingdom work to be done.

 

Paul provided us the example when he wrote:

 

“For I will not dare to speak of anything which Messiah did not work out through me for the obedience of the nations in word and work, in power of miracles and wonders, in power of the Holy Spirit, so as for me to have fulfilled the preaching of the good news of Messiah from Jerusalem and in a circle as far as Illyricum” (Romans 15:18-19; HRB).

 

So in closing, the questions that each of us must be willing to answer today as we close out here in just a moment is:

 

  1. Does Yahweh’s Spirit dwell in us (I.e., are we filled with the Holy Spirit)? If not, why? If not, do we want His Kingdom to even dwell in us?

 

  1. Is Yahweh’s indwelling Spirit and Kingdom in us manifested in powerful workings and signs? Are our prayers effective? Are we able to overcome the evil ones when they come to pay a visit to us? Are healings manifested in our lives? Are we bold in our witness and in our teaching and preaching of Yah’s Word?

 

It comes down to “how we see ourselves.”

 

More importantly, it comes down to how “Yah see us.”

 

And don’t think ladies that this doesn’t apply to you. For centuries the Church has robbed you of your due calling in the work of the Kingdom. Do NOT allow the lie of the Church to stifle the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom that is maybe dormant in you. Step out and allow the Kingdom of Yah to be manifested in your life. Teach-preach-intercede-disciple-exhort-prophesy-lead—whatever the Spirit of Yah is leading you to do in the service of the Kingdom, do it. Follow the leading and call of the Holy Spirit in your life before it’s too late and you miss the visitation.

 

Our calling is indeed precious and holy. When we come to Faith and receive Yah’s Ruach, we also receive the Kingdom of Yah within us. Thus we image the Creator of the Universe and His Kingdom wherever we go throughout the world. However, we are also called to work for the Kingdom while it is still day, for the night comes when no person may work (John 9:4). No kingdom can stand without its subjects working for the furtherance of that kingdom.

 

What an amazing opportunity the Creator of the Universe has given each of us. And all we have to do to receive this opportunity of the Kingdom of Yahweh operating within us is that we allow Yah’s Spirit—His power and authority (die to self) to manifest through us so that He receives the glory and honor He so justly deserves.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)–A Messianic Torah Observer Perspective

by | Sep 25, 2020 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

Introducing Yom HaKippurim (aka, Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement)

Instead of trying to figure out what the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur/Yom HaKippurim is about through hearsay, public discourse or opinion, what do you say we delve into the riches of Torah to get from the Father’s own Words what the day entails?

I would invite you, if you’re new to Faith and you desire to study for yourself what the Day is about in the pages of your Bible, to grab a pen and paper and take notes. Otherwise, you can visit the website at www.themessianictorahobserver.org and reference the transcript of this post.

Yom HaKippurim (aka, Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement) is found in 3 primary passages of Torah: Leviticus 16:20-26; 23:27-32; and Numbers 29:7-11. Yes, there are indeed other scriptural passages that reference the Day of Atonement, but for all intents and purposes, these 3 passages are the go-to-passages for understanding Father’s instructions for Yom Kippur.

What we find when we begin to read the particulars associated with Yom Kippur, especially in these just cited passages, is that this Feast Day is a very unique day in terms of its various elemental parts and the existential relevance to the Hebrew nation (aka, Israel) and ultimately all of humankind.

There are a few moving parts associated with the Day that I will break and group into just two parts for purposes of this discussion: (1) The High Priest making atonement for his, his family’s and the nation’s sins and transgressions; and the purification of the sanctuary and brazen altar; and (2) the Azazel goat (popularly referred to as the “scapegoat”) ceremony. Both of these parts are actually tied into one big worship ceremony, but I elected to tease out the Azazel ceremony from the atonement ceremony because it is rich in symbolism and prophetic relevance and it is somewhat separate from the atoning actions that were performed by the High Priest (i.e., the Cohen Gadol) on this day each year.

So without actually recording or reading out all 3 of these passages for you, I will just summarize the elements of the day contained in them. I would encourage you of course to pull up these passages on your own and study them for yourselves sometime soon.

Timing for Yom HaKippurim/Yom Kippur/Atonement

Father commanded that Yom Kippur take place on the 10th day of the 7th month annually. Many who lean towards Jewish practices and traditions know the 7th month from its Babylonian inspired name of Tishri. If you recall, last week, we celebrated Yom Teruah or the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets. That day the Father commanded be kept on the 1st day of the 7th month (aka, Tishri). Simply put, Yom Kippur will always succeed Trumpets by 10-days. Jewish Tradition titles this 10-day period between Trumpets and Atonement as the 10-Days of Awe.

Now, I won’t get into the 10-Days of Awe simply because it’s not Scriptural, so to speak. Some have made an argument that the 10-days of Awe, a Rabbinic invention, is a prophetic representation of the terrible and harrowing last days that will come upon the modern nation of Israel. Yet, I am hard pressed to conclude from my own studies that this is indeed true. So I’ll just leave the 10-Days of Awe alone for this installment.

Nevertheless, for all intents and purposes, Yom Kippur falls smack in the middle of the Fall Feast Season. Five days after Yom Kippur, the 8-day celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot will commence. So it’s pretty easy to keep track of when each of the Fall Feasts hit if one has a firm understanding of when exactly Yom Teruah or the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets falls.

Yom HaKippurim as a Holy Convocation

Father commanded that a holy convocation be held on Yom Kippur (confirmed by Numbers 29:7). I discussed what a holy convocation is based on Torah in an installment of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections and if you’re interested in learning more about holy convocations as stipulated in Torah, I invite you to check that episode out.

Without belaboring the issue, a holy convocation is a sacred gathering of the assembly. In that sacred assembly gathering, scriptures are read, prayers are offered and Father is worshiped according to His instructions in Torah. Today, a holy convocation may of course take on many forms that include (but are not limited to):

  • online/virtual assembly gatherings and services;
  • brick and mortar worship service gatherings;
  • and home fellowship gatherings.

Of course, many in our Faith Community are challenged to find such convocational opportunities, not just on the Feast Days, but even on weekly Sabbaths. Nevertheless, we are to do the best we can with the resources and know how that Father has given us. There are many Hebrew Roots assemblies and fellowships that broadcast live gatherings online that you can connect to if you are so led. If you are interested in knowing what some of those online fellowship/convocational options are, reach out to me at perceptionwp@gmail.com and I’ll pass those on to you. (Keep in mind, however, that I am not a member of any of these fellowships or organizations, nor do I necessarily agree with everything they teach. However, I have connected with each of them over the years and find that they adhere to the basic tenets of our Faith and they have the resources to to convene a convocation during these set apart days.)

Thus, the Hebrews were commanded to convene a solemn, holy convocation for worship purposes on Yom Kippur (Lev. 23:37).

The Fast of Yom Kippur

Father commanded that the Hebrews humble (also rendered as afflict) their souls on Yom Kippur (i.e., verified Lev. 16:29; Num. 29:7).

Needless to say, this humbling and afflicting of one’s soul without a direct commandment for the Hebrew to fast on the day, has left behind its wake tremendous controversy and engendered some degree of confusion in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic ranks.

Although the general consensus among most Bible scholars and even Jewish Rabbis is that this humbling or inflicting of one’s soul is indeed that of a complete abstinence from food and drink: commonly referred to as a fast. The controversy and confusion seems to come from those who take issue with the allusion to fasting that the words humbling and inflicting obviously references.

Just to put any doubt in one’s mind to rest right now, I invite you to consider the following: the commandment from Yah for the Hebrews to “afflict/humble their souls” is found in Leviticus 16:29, 31 with additional reference passages located in Leviticus 23:27, 29, 32; Numbers 29:7; and Exodus 30:1-10. The Hebrews were commanded to fast (Hebrew of “tzom”), which is to afflict the soul or INulNeFeSH (cf. Psm. 35:13; Ezr. 8:21; Isa. 58:3, 5, 10). Nefesh also means appetite as seen in Proverbs 23:23; 107:9; 27:7; and Isaiah 56:11. Thus the Hebrew afflicts their appetite, this being the full meaning to fasting. According to the Tanach, to fast means to refrain from eating or drinking throughout the entire period of the fast/day (cf. Esther 4:16).

Offerings Were Made By Levitical Priests at the Tabernacle

Offerings by fire were to be made by the Levitical Priests serving at the Tabernacle. The offerings consisted of a bull, a ram, 7-yearling male lambs without defect, a goat for a sin offering; and a grain offering.

These were offerings that were performed exclusively by the Levitical Priests serving at the sanctuary. Every feast and Shabbat, the priests were instructed to provide such offerings. These offerings were not the responsibility of the average Hebrew citizen.

No Work of Any Kind is to be Performed

No work of any kind was to be performed on Yom HaKippurim. Contrary to other days of the sacred calendar, the prohibition against work here extended beyond vocationary work. The work prohibition here extended to acts that were of a domestic nature such as cooking, cleaning, washing, setting up and taking down. Some would argue, then, that one is prohibited from driving or doing anything at all on Yom Kippur. I would beg to differ, however. It stands to reason that if one is to participate in a holy convocation, for instance, and that convocation is convened elsewhere than one’s home or property, then you have to get to that convocation location somehow. Also, doing good for others falls within the spirit of the day, and in doing so, one may have to travel to make that good happen, wouldn’t you say?

Otherwise, one may be led by the Spirit to remain immobile and quiet during the 24-hours of the Day. If that is the case, then certainly do as you are so led I would say, but somehow the convocation would have to be factored in there sometime during the Day.

It goes without saying that Father looked at the prohibition against any form of work so seriously that any who violated this commandment was subject to death (verified Lev. 16:29; Num. 29:7). This commandment affected every member of the nation, not just Hebrews (Lev. 16:29). The Hebrews were commanded to cut themselves off from any who refused to keep the day.

Yom Kippur Was to be a Perpetually Kept Feast Day

Like every other Feast Day, Yom HaKippurim was to be a Feast kept in perpetuity. Since it was not one of the 3-mandated pilgrimage feasts requiring Hebrews to journey to Jerusalem, it was to be kept by every Hebrew regardless their station and location in life and in the world.

Other Salient Elements of the Day

Father instructed the Hebrews to acknowledge the day with the blowing of shofars (Lev. 25:9).

The High Priest Before the Mercy Seat

 

The Levitical High Priest made atonement for the Israel nation once a year by entering the Holy of Holies and sprinkling the blood of the sin offering on the Mercy Seat.

Aharon was to enter the Holy of Holies (located in the inner sanctum of the sanctuary) and make atonement for himself, his family, and the nation once a year only on Yom HaKippurim (Exo. 30:10). Aharon, and his selected direct descendants after him (i.e., who were selected by Yah to be High Priests), would enter the Holy of Holies on Yom HaKippurim with the blood of the bull and goat for sin offerings and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat 7-times on this day (Num. 29:7-11). The purpose of this solemn, sacred ceremony was to make atonement on behalf of himself, his family and the nation of Israel (Exo. 30:10; Lev. 16:11-28).

As stated earlier, Father accepted only the blood of specific sacrifices, administered only by His select, Levitical Priests (Lev. 1:4,5; 23:27, 28).

Most folks of Faith focus on the High Priest going in to the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur each year to offer atonement on behalf of the people of Yehovah. Indeed, a lot went into the Day of Atonement in terms of the atonement element of the Day, but there is another aspect of Atonement that is symbolically and prophetically relevant. That has to do with the famously named “Scapegoat” (more accurately named Azazel or Azazyel) ceremony that is summarized in the 16th chapter of Leviticus. Aharon was to take 2 goats before the sanctuary and cast lots to determine which goat would be sacrificed as a sin offering and which would be the scapegoat (although the descriptor or term scapegoat is not 100% biblically accurate). After sprinkling the blood of a sin offering for himself, his family, the sanctuary, the priests and the nation upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant and around the horns of the altar outside the sanctuary, he would ceremonially confer the sins of the nation upon the scapegoat by placing his hands on the head of the scapegoat (i.e., Azazel). Then the scapegoat would be led out and abandoned in the wilderness by a strong and trustworthy man.

Symbolically and spiritually (in a sense), the sins of the nation were conferred upon the Azazel goat by the High Priest laying his hands upon its head out in front of the tent of meeting or the temple proper. The thing that must be understood by this undeniably strange, yet fascinating ceremony is that first and foremost the sins of the nation of Israel were to be expiated (i.e., atoned for) by the sprinkling of blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant housed within the Holy of Holies by the High Priest (i.e., the Cohen Gadol).

With sin having been expiated by the high priest at the first half of the Day’s ceremony (which we are reminded in Hebrews had to be done every year), the next issue that required attention was the root cause and instigator of sin which still remained and needed to be dealt with (symbolically speaking). So the Azazyel goat symbolically assumes responsibility for the sins of the nation (i.e., the apt name of scapegoat) through the High Priest conferring the responsibility and blame upon the goat. The Azazyel goat obviously represents hasatan and his minions. Azazyel is afterward led and abandoned in the wilderness by a “fit” man, symbolizing a time in the future when hasatan will be bound and sent tucked away in the abyss, ultimately to face eternal torment in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. This is what the Azazyel ceremony is all about.

The wonderful thing about the prophetic shadow pictures we can now see embedded in this amazing Feast is Yeshua’s sacrifice and resurrection defeated hasatan and his minions and made a public spectacle of them (Col. 2:15). Unfortunately, that defeat and humiliation did not eliminate the intense influence the enemy continues to have on the human race (Eph. 2:1-3; we are also encouraged by Paul to put on the whole armor of Yah in Eph. 6:10-17 to contend with the wiles of the enemy).

Every one of the 7-annual Feasts of Yehovah was meant to represent something of vital importance to the Hebrews. As I’ve mentioned many times on this program, the Feasts of Yehovah are, for us at least, shadows of good things to come (Heb. 10:1). At the time the knowledge of the Feasts was rendered to Israel, the shadow pictures that they embodied could not be known to them. It just wasn’t time for our Hebrew forefathers to understand and know the intricate meaning behind and foretold in each of the 7-moedim of Yehovah. We on the other hand, are blessed to live in and during a time when full understanding of these Feasts have been revealed to any who would avail themselves to the Truth of the Creator.

Regardless, the Feasts did teach our Hebrew forefathers essential lessons that would be etched into the nation’s psyche, at least in part, to this very day. In the case of Yom HaKippurim, the day taught the Hebrews the importance of reconciling with the Creator and the vital necessity in having their sins expiated. The day also reminded the Hebrews each year of the root cause of sin in every person’s life: that being hasatan and his minions. Despite the endless cycle of atonement sacrifices performed each year since the command to do so was given to Israel by Yehovah, the reality was evident that hasatan—the deceiver of the world—was still active in the world and would at some point have to be permanently dealt with if mankind was to have a fighting chance of overcoming their sin nature.

Yom Kippur—The Name Says it All

Thus, Yom Kippur points us to a time in Father’s great Plan of Salvation and Redemption when the originator and instigator of sin will be dealt with. Yes, the atonement plays a vital part in the whole Day of Atonement as demonstrated in the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies and sprinkling blood upon the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. Father stipulated to the Hebrews that He would accept this process as atonement for their sins when the ceremony was done precisely as He commanded it be done. This ceremony did not eliminate sin from the Hebrew’s life permanently. The process only appeased or expiated or atoned for the Hebrews’ sins for a set period of time. The process had to be repeated each year on Yom Kippur. However, Father had tucked and hidden away in His Great Plan of Redemption and Salvation provision to permanently eliminate sin from every Hebrew’s life. This would be accomplished a millennia and a half later through the work and agency of Yahoshua Messiah (Hebrews 9 and 10). Although more brilliantly portrayed in the Passover observance, we see a tremendous reiteration and bleed over (absolutely no pun intended as this is extremely serious) of this in the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur ceremony and observance. Yeshua’s sacrifice and His shed blood on Calvary’s execution stake would be sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in Heaven by our resurrected Master. This unbelievable act of sacrifice and grace would once and for all atone for the sins of humankind.

Regarding the Holy of Holies in Heaven, Hebrew Roots teacher and overseer of Christian Biblical Church of God Fred Coulter noted: The Holy of Holies is a type of God’s throne in heaven (Heb. 9:24). Access to the Mercy Seat only on Yom Kippur is allowed by the Cohen Gadol once a year at Yom Kippur. The Mercy Seat sat atop the Ark of the Covenant, which held the commandments written on two tablets of stone. The Cohen Gadol sprinkled the blood of a bullock on the Mercy Seat to make atonement for himself, his family and the family of Levitical Priests. The lot cast between the goats represented the embedded provision for Yehovah selecting the goats; their appointed roles in the ceremony being: one goat to be used as the sin offering for the nation; and the other for Azazel—the popularly named scapegoat. (Note: the Azazel goat was not slaughtered nor its blood spilled. There’s a reason why and I’ll mention it shortly.)

Not only was the sprinkled blood of the bull and the lot-selected goat sin offerings foreshadowing of the blood that Master would shed on our behalf at Calvary, the High Priest that administered the atonement was also portrayed in the resurrected and glorified Person of Yahoshua. The writer of Hebrews described our Master as the mediator of a better covenant (Heb. 8:6).

Thus the name of the Day—Yom HaKippurim—is an important aspect of this day that should be understood. The name carries with it powerful meaning that is multifaceted and vitally relevant to every disciple of Yeshua Messiah.

According to well read and researched Hebrew Roots/Messianic scholar David Rogers (overseer of The Miqra in Rock Hill South Carolina), some Jewish sources define kippurim by breaking the term into its two component parts: Ki which means “as” or “like,” and pur, which means “lot.” When one puts these two components together, the meaning becomes “like Purim” or “like lots.” This naturally takes us to the story of Esther where the Jewish festival/holiday of Purim originated. Recall that lots were cast by Haman for purposes of determining the day and month the Jews of Ahasuerus’ kingdom were to be exterminated (Est. 3:7). This meaning is clearly seen in the ceremony involving the two-goats, each selected for a divine purpose through the casting of a lot (i.e., Yehovah selects each goat for their ultimate purpose).

Yet another interpretation can be derived from Kippurim. The component “caphar or kaphar,” which means “to cover” or “conceal” can be seen. The Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant was called “caporet” which is derived from caphar/kaphar. Caporet then means covering or lid to the ark of the covenant. Thus the other aspect of the Day of Atonement is clearly seen, whereby the sins of humankind are covered, or better, pacified (temporarily) by the Creator’s provision, until such time as the Messiah would permanently cleanse and rid us of the scourge of sin.

Still borrowing from my friend David Roger’s teachings on Yom HaKippurim, yet another aspect of Kippur cannot be overlooked. This aspect of the Day is clearly portrayed in the various sin sacrifices that were offered before and at the time of our Master Yeshua’s sacrifice on Calvary’s execution stake. This meaning is derived from the English term “ransom” which is analogous to the act of “offering a substitute for a thing.” Every Israelite was required to give to the service of the sanctuary the “ransom” money of half a shekel (Exo. 30:12). Egypt was given as a “ransom” for the restoration of Israel as stated by Yehovah (Isa. 43:3). Also tied to this ransom paradigm of Torah and the prophets is the concept of redemption or redeeming one’s life. To redeem means to buy back or to free one from captivity through some payment of a ransom. Thus, Father required offerings and sacrifices be made at various times in the Hebrew’s life, especially when it came to sin, whereby their lives would be ransomed by a sacrificed animal that served to purchase his/her life back from the penalty of “physical” and “imminent” death. The animal sin sacrifices were given as substitutes for the offerers’ life. It wasn’t the animal carcase that provided the substitution per se, but the blood of the animal that satisfied the death penalty, because Father taught us that the life of all flesh is in the blood and is to be given to make atonement for one’s soul on the altar; for it was the blood by reason of the life that makes the atonement (Lev. 17:11).

Indeed, this concept greatly embodies the rich spiritual meaning of Yom HaKippurim, as it is evident in Scripture that every human being must pay the penalty of death for their sins. However, Father in His infinite wisdom, grace and providence provided a means by which the ransom could be paid via substitution. We see this illustrated throughout the Torah and most prevalently in the Gospel records.

Yom-HaKippurim: Addressing the Instigator and Originator of Sin Once and For All

The Azazel Goat

 

The Azazel Goat was selected by lot and the sins of the nation was conferred upon it and it was led and abandoned in the wilderness by a fit man.

So just to quickly review before moving on to the selection of the Azazel goat: two-goats would be brought before the High Priest Aharon. A lot would be cast (again, reminiscent of Purim and the story of Esther) to determine which goat would be the sin offering for the nation and which goat would be the Azazyel goat.

We’ve discussed somewhat extensively in this post about the sin offering goat. That goat was killed and its blood was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat that sat upon the ark of the covenant to atone for the sins of the people.

Now we get into the Azazel goat a little deeper.

In order to better see the significance of the Azazel goat, especially from a historical perspective, I once again refer to the teachings of David Rogers, who’s done extensive study on Yom HaKippurim. About the Azazel goat, David reveals that we actually find Azazel mentioned by name in the Book of Enoch, an Old Testament apocryphal book that Jude acknowledges is relevant to our Faith. We find Azazel mentioned in Enoch 8:1,2 which reads accordingly:

“Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes so that the world became altered. Impiety increased; fornication multiplied, and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.”

Thus we clearly see, through the writings of the author of Enoch, that this fallen or corrupted messenger—better rendered, watcher, “altered the world due to the vanity of physical beauty, the crafting of jewelry (the overuse and abuse of which the Scripture condemns) and the forging and use of war implements (David Rogers; Bibletruth.cc/dayofatonement.htm).

Thus, all manner of evil germane to the human experience can be traced in great part back to this watcher named Azazyel. David Rogers astutely attributes human knowledge of and experiences related to sin to hasatan, the deceiver of all mankind.

Interestingly, the watcher (the name formerly given to those angels who chose to defy the rules of the Almighty and defile the Father’s creation) Azazyel was judged accordingly for his grievous transgressions against Yehovah and the human race, as recorded in Enoch 10:4-10:

“The Lord said to Raphael (an obedient Messenger of Yehovah), bind Azazyel hand and foot, cast him into darkness; and opening the desert which is in Dudael, cast him in there. Throw upon him hurled and pointed stones, covering him with darkness. There shall he remain forever; cover his face, that he may not see the light. And in the great day of judgment let him be cast into the fire. Restore the earth, which the angels have corrupted; and announce life to it, that I may revive it.”

How amazing is this and how wonderfully this passage ties in with what we see embodied in the Yom HaKippurim ceremony involving the two-goats AND the coming of days when hasatan too will be bound and placed into darkness by a strong angel. Could that angel be the same Raphael? Just asking. Ultimately, both hasatan and Azazyel will be cast into the Lake of Fire and brimstone—assuming they are two-separate entities (Revelation 20:3, 10). These get no chance whatsoever for repentance or atonement or forgiveness. Their sins are beyond the provisions of Yehovah’s salvation and grace.

Commensurate with the promise of salvation for mankind, we see in the same Enochian rendering of the story of Azazyel, a promise that all men would not be destroyed in the coming flood:

“All the sons of men shall not perish in consequence of every secret, by which the Watchers have destroyed, and which they have taught their offspring. All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teachings of Azazyel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime (Enoch 10:11,12).

See the rich parallel that is found in this Enochian passage and the fate facing the Azazel goat in the Levitical ceremony: the “whole crime” is ascribed to Azazel. In other words, all the transgressions of the Hebrew nation would to be conferred upon the Azazel goat, that was ultimately led and abandoned in the wilderness by the “fit man.” Azazel is to bear the blame for the whole issue of sin, despite the other sacrificed goat’s blood that was used to atone for the sins of the people of Israel.

Fred Coulter adds what I believe to be an important point to the Azazel goat discussion in that the Azazel goat was not killed, but instead abandoned in the wilderness by the fit man that led him there. Hasatan and his minions cannot die as humans die. Instead they must be contained or banished as illustrated in the Azazel goat. On the eve of the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom here on earth by Yeshua Messiah, a strong, mighty angel will bind hasatan and remand him to the abyss for 1,000-years (Rev. 20:1-3). Hasatan and his minions will be loosed a short time at the tail end of the Millennium to sway the hearts and minds of humankind against the Kingdom of Yah, yet again. However, Yah will defeat them with fire from above and consume the humans who came against the Kingdom (Rev. 20:7-9). Hasatan and his lot will be gathered up one last time, but this time once and for all they will be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone where they will endure eternal torment (Jude 12,13; Rev. 20:10).

Clearly, the ultimate fate of hasatan (presumably along with his minions) are foreshadowed in the Azazel element of Yom Kippur.

One may wonder, however, given that our sins have been permanently atoned for by the sacrifice of our Master Yahoshua Messiah, why should we have any need to concern ourselves with the ongoing activities of hasatan. Indeed, some would reference the teachings of the apostles that hasatan’s influence and power over us was broken by Yeshua’s sacrifice. Indeed, that is a true statement.

Nevertheless, hasatan’s presence in the work continues to wreak havoc upon the entire human race. Why?

According to Shaul, the perceived veiling of the Besorah (i.e., the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom) from the minds and hearts of most of the world’s people is because they have been blinded to the Truth (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4). Even the Jews have been blinded to the Truth, whereby the obvious foreshadowing of Messiah in Torah and the Prophets remains veiled and hidden from them, despite Master effectively having removed that veil from many (2 Corinthians 3:14). Yet Father’s grace shines a light upon those whom He has chosen and has revealed the knowledge of His glory through Yeshua Messiah (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Hasatan’s influence upon the minds, hearts and souls of mankind can never be understated. His all encompassing influence over mankind is ever so prevalent. It is hasatan who has completely rewritten the the way by which mankind walks and lives on this planet. Shaul stated to the Ephesian Assembly, that they once walked according to the ways and influences of the “prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Hasatan has a massive bag of tricks to sway the hearts and minds of men, often masquerading as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14, 15). Indeed, there is little wonder that so many atrocities and evils and wrongs have involved people who claim to have operated in accordance to the ways of God and Jesus Christ and whatever gods they serve.

Hasatan’s primary means of influencing the minds and hearts of people is through deception (Eph. 2:2)

As long as hasatan is permitted to operate in this earthly plane, mankind will continue to be influenced and deceived and in many cases be denied the Truth of the Gospel and the chance for eternal life and to be a child of the Most High Elohim. He must be eliminated at some point so as to level the playing field for mankind. Some may suggest that Father could just miraculously drop the scales from every man, woman and child’s eyes and bypass the deception of the enemy. But that’s not the way Father works. We can never forget that Father wants every soul that comes to Him to come to Him freely. Freewill according to Father is never a negotiable commodity that He would take advantage of or override. Once hasatan is removed from the world scene in the Millennial Kingdom, those that are alive will be given the opportunity to accept the Gospel of the Kingdom without the lies and deceptions of the evil one swaying their thoughts and decision making. And then at the end of the 1,000-years when hasatan is loosed, the human race will be tested to ensure that those who committed themselves to Yehovah are truly Yehovah’s. Hasatan will once again be allowed to work his deceptions and publish his lies. Those that were never truly converted will fall for the lies and give themselves over to the enemy’s control. They will come against Yeshua and the Saints residing and headquartered in Jerusalem. However, these rebelling humans will be destroyed by fire from the throne of Yehovah and hasatan will once again be bound, but this time permanently thrown into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. Thus, the Plan of Redemption and Salvation will have been successfully completed and a New Heaven and New Earth will be installed and we who are Father’s elect will finally face and enjoy a glorious eternity.

The Apostle Paul (i.e., Shaul) wrote to the Assembly of Messianic Disciples in Corinth:

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1Co 2:9-10 KJV)

Nevertheless, in the interim, even we who are Yah’s elect are subject to the wiles of the enemy. Thus, the Apostle Paul (i.e., Shaul) recommended that each of us put on the whole armor of Yah so that we may be able to resist him in the evil day and be more than capable of standing firm against him (Eph. 6:13-18).

Common Jewish Yom Kippur Traditions and Perceptions

Without firm understanding and knowledge, and acceptance of Yeshua HaMashiyach as one’s Master and redeemer, it is impossible for one to understand the significance of Yom HaKippurim. Even for the Jewish mind, the thought of their messiah fulfilling the role that our Master Yeshua fulfilled 2,000-years ago (poetically and prophetically referred to as the suffering Messiah by Isaiah), is for some a foreign concept which most Jews vociferously reject.

The Jewish mind, however, sees Yom Kippur from a less than a biblically-based global perspective. They see the day more from an idealistic point of view, that engenders goodwill, community and future security and prosperity for the Jewish people.

For the Jew, Yom Kippur marks the culmination of the so-called 10-Days of Awe (i.e., the 10-day period of introspection and repentance that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur).

Tradition says Yom Kippur is the day God decides each person’s fate. Jews are encouraged to make amends and seek forgiveness for sins they committed during the past year. A 25-hour fast is observed and special religious services are held. It is considered a High Holy Day or a Sabbath of Sabbaths.

Tradition holds that the incident with the Golden Calf, God’s subsequent forgiveness of the Hebrews for that transgression, and the giving of the Law on the 2nd set of stone tablets took place on or around Yom Kippur.

It is accepted that the only day of the year the High Priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies and atone for the sins of the nation fell on Yom Kippur. The actual Yom Kippur ceremony continued until the destruction of the Temple by Roman legions in 70 C.E. The ceremony was made into a service for rabbis and their congregations through the synagogue system.

Judaism in general believe the 10 Days of Awe denotes judgment of all creatures by God, who decides whether each person lives or dies in the coming year. Those who are to live, they are deemed righteous and their names are said to be inscribed in the “Book of Life.” Those deemed wicked are condemned to die. Then those who are on the fence (i.e., it’s up for grabs whether they will live or die) have till Yom Kippur to “teshuvah” or repent.

Thus the Days of Awe are typified by prayer, good deeds, reflecting on past mistakes and mending damaged relationships, done with the intent of getting one’s name inscribed in the Book of Life for the coming year and escaping imminent death.

Synagogal attendance typically soars during this season. The 25-hour fast on Yom Kippur is for cleansing of the body and spirit, not for punishment as some erroneously surmise. Some heed additional restrictions on bathing, washing, cosmetic wearing, leather shoe wearing and sexual intercourse. The purpose is to detract the member from material possessions and superficial comforts. A single long blast of a shofar is sounded at the end of the final service to mark the conclusion of the fast. Families typically have a bountiful feast on the eve of Yom Kippur that concludes before sundown. Then after the final synagogue service of Yom Kippur, members return home to another festive meal. Typically blintzes, noodle pudding and baked goods are the fare for the day. Members typically dress in white to symbolize purity. Members commonly make financial and material donations to the poor and to the synagogue and do volunteer work during this season which they see as part of seeking God’s forgiveness for sins and offenses committed during the year.

As we saw with Yom Teruah (casting sins in the form of bread onto a stream or river and shaking evil from one’s person), Yom Kippur too has a strange ceremony or tradition that involves the transference of sins and bad karma, so to speak, onto either a live chicken or a package of money. Kapparot, according to chabad.org, is a ceremony that involves the swinging of live chickens and coins over members’ heads while reciting prayers.

According to the article I read regarding Kapparot on chabad.org, observing Jews:

“Ask of G‑d that if we were destined to be the recipients of harsh decrees in the new year, may they be transferred to this chicken in the merit of this mitzvah of charity. It is important to keep in mind that the chicken is not an offering. Neither does performance of the ceremony alone atone for one’s sins. However, the ceremony does shake one up a little.”

I should mention that the money or chickens that the members swing over their heads are then, at the conclusion of the ceremony, given discretely to the poor.

Again, adding to Torah? Seems as such.

This all being said, I am a firm believer that one should be cognizant of such traditions and belief systems so as to avoid falling into traps that only serve to draw one away from the Truth that is Torah and the teachings of Yeshua Messiah.

How to Keep Yom HaKippurim

The fullness of the Fall Feasts could not/would not be realized/understood until Yah’s Spirit, at the fullness of time, revealed their meaning (Gal. 4:1, 2). Father sets the time for the revealing. The revealing is not only universally realized, but individually as well. All we can do is obediently deliver Truth to this spiritually blind and deaf world in obedience to Master’s instructions (Matt. 28:19). The blood of the sin offering (Yah’s goat) symbolized the innocent, sacrificed, shed blood of Yeshua on Calvary’s execution stake (Joh. 10:11-15; see also I Pet. 3:18; Heb. 9:26; Tit. 2:14; Rom. 5:6,7). Yeshua is also represented by the Cohen Gadol (i.e., the High Priest) who administered the atonement procedure.

The prophetic summary of the Day of Atonement is contained in Hebrews 9:11, 12, 26; 10:1, 4, 9, 10, 12-14. This is one of a couple reasons Torah Observant Disciples of Yeshua Messiah must keep the Feasts of Yehovah. They remind us—we humans that are naturally forgetful creatures—of Yah’s goodness and provision so that we do not go a-whoring after other elohim (Exo. 34:15).

We are blessed with the knowledge and understanding of the Feasts, even Yom HaKippurim (at least in part). We cannot keep this Day in the fullness of its Torah rendering. The Temple no longer exists and animal sacrifices have been done away with. Fortunately, Yeshua Messiah took care of atoning for our sins once and for all. All that is now required of us is obedience to Yah’s instructions and the teachings of Master Yeshua.

Thus we keep Yom Kippur as we do the other annual Feasts of Yehovah—in Spirit and in Truth. We keep them to the best of our ability, taking into account the necessary elements of each Feast Day in accordance with the provisions written in Torah that we can reasonably meet today.

So how should we, then, keep the Day of Atonement?

The basic elements associated with keeping Yom HaKippurim are as follows:

  • Begin a full fast starting at sundown the 9th day of the 7th month (i.e., Tishri). Sustain that fast till sundown on the 10th day of Tishri.
  • Observe a complete day of rest whereby we do no servile, convocational or laborious work.
  • Treat the day as holy and sacred.
  • Participate in a holy convocation.
  • Pray and sing songs of praise to our Creator.
  • Read passages of Torah, the Prophets and the Brit HaDashaha (i.e., the New Testament).
  • If we have one available to us, blow the shofar at opportune times throughout the day.
  • If we have the opportunity, do good for others; bless others with whatever resources and talents we may have and as the Spirit leads.

Now, if we fulfill these basic requirements of the Day, the rest is up to the leading of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives. We give ourselves to keeping the day with all the zeal and joy and reverence we can muster. Yes, it’s a solemn day, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a glum day; a sad day; a dreadful day.

We’ve already received the victory in Yeshua Messiah. According to the Apostle John (aka, Yochanan) now are we the sons of Yehovah, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1John 3:2 KJV)

Yeshua’s sacrifice has nullified the requirement for animal sacrifices to atone for our sins. The worship of Yehovah, our Elohim, that once embodied and involved those animal sacrifices which are delineated throughout Torah, have been replaced with sacrifices of praise that come from us individually and collectively. The writer of the Book of Hebrews described this as such:

15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Heb 13:15-16 KJV)

A psalmist wrote:

Psa 116:17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Yehovah.

My friends, have a blessed, and meaningful Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement. Celebrate and keep the Day in the power and might of our Father’s precious Holy Spirit.

Until next time, Shalom and blessings fellow saints.