by Rod Thomas | Apr 1, 2015 | Blog
6 aYour boasting is not good. bDo you not know that ca little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?7 Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our aPassover also has been sacrificed.8 Let us therefore celebrate the feast, a not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1Co 5:6-8 NAS)
Preparation is a key factor in getting the fullest possible spiritual, cognitive and physical benefit from the Feasts. Failure to adequately prepare in every aspect of our being could lead to a less-than optimal experience. That old adage: you only get what you put into a thing certainly applies to the Feasts. You only get what you put into the Feasts and that includes preparation–preparation in advance of the actual Feast day and celebration.
It’s like the parable and analogy of sowing seeds and reaping a harvest. The more we sow into our preparation of and then participation in the Feasts–be it hosting a gathering such as a Passover Seder or attending a gathering such as a service–the more we stand to reap a great spiritual harvest. That great harvest will not only be realized and enjoyed by us as individuals, but also those with whom we share the Feasts; these too will be blessed abundantly. The harvest? Spiritual growth and physical blessings.
Preparations for the Feasts don’t have to be all that elaborate. Simply reading relevant portions of Scripture that pertain to the Feasts is a good start. One thing I’ve learned is that if you’ve read the same passages several times in the past, a new reading may reveal nuggets and spiritual riches that eluded you in past readings of that same passage of Scripture. As we grow from participating in the Feasts year after year, the Ruach Kodesh will provide new insight and revelation–but only when we are ready to receive the new stuff.
Allow me to expound upon the areas that I believe are important in preparing ourselves for the Feasts–especially the Spring Feasts of Yehovah or Passover. I’ve broken these areas into 3-main elements: the mental or cognitive; the physical; and the spiritual.
Mentally
Realizing the time–We must first understand which calendar to reference. There are 3-calendars with 3-different perspectives: the Gregorian (which is secular/of the world/developed by the Romans in the 4th to 5th century). Then there’s the Rabbinc or the calculated Jewish calendar developed by Hillel in the 4th century CE; calculated; not always in proper alignment with the Creator’s reckoning of time. Lastly, there’s the Creator’s calendar–instituted by Yehovah and today has been re-instituted by Karaite Jews; it is Biblically based, agriculturally driven; it requires sighting of the renewed moon to commence each month; it can be estimated but never substantiated before the actual time.
CJBGenesis 1:14 ¶ God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to divide the day from the night; let them be for signs, seasons, days and years; (Gen 1:14 CJB)
CJBPsalm 104:19 You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.(Psa 104:19 CJB)
The Month of the Aviv is the beginning of the Biblical new year, which is contrary to both the Gregorian and Jewish or Rabbinic reckoning of when the new year is to start (i.e., on the Gregorian it is January 1st and on the Jewish/Rabbinic it start on Rosh HaShanah or the Day of Atonement). The term “Aviv” always refers to the state of barley maturity in the land of Israel. When the barley is deemed to be in an Aviv state, that coupled with the sighting of the renewed moon over the land of Israel, signals the beginning of the Creator’s calendar year. Aviv (also spelled Abib in some translations) as used in the Scriptures only refers to mature barley and that is determined each spring in the month of March/April. There are a couple of Karaite-based organizations that make it their mission to search out Aviv barley each year. One group is headed by Nehemiah Gordon–well known Torah scholar and teacher.
CJB Exodus 13:4 You are leaving today, in the month of Aviv. (Exo 13:4 CJB)
NAS Exodus 23:15 “You shall observe a the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the bmonth Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And 1cnone shall appear before Me empty-handed. (Exo 23:15 NAS)
CJB Exodus 34:18 ¶ “Keep the festival of matzah by eating matzah, as I ordered you, for seven days during the month of Aviv; for it was in the month of Aviv that you came out from Egypt. (Exo 34:18 CJB)
CJB Deuteronomy 16:1 ¶ “Observe the month of Aviv, and keep Pesach to ADONAI your God; for in the month of Aviv, ADONAI your God brought you out of Egypt at night. (Deu 16:1 CJB)
For a more detailed explanation on the various calendars and their appropriate places in the Believer’s life, check out my blog posting on this issue at http://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/2015/01/02/happy-new-year-whats-on-your-calendar-for-2015-2/
I personally follow the Creator’s Calendar publish by “A Rood Awakening International– http://www.aroodawakening.tv/biblical-hebrew-calendar/
Are we always going to get it right in terms of determining the exact timing of the Feasts? No. There will be times when we may miss a date entirely or we misjudge when a feast day will occur. If we are convocating with others, there may be times when we inadvertently get flights and travel arrangements mixed and tied in with key feast days when it is commanded that no work is to be done on those days. When these things happen, we can’t beat ourselves up too much. We should repent and try ever so hard not to repeat the mistake or oversight again. Consider:
CJB2 Timothy 2:15Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth. (2Ti 2:15 CJB)
Understanding the meaning of the season and Spring Feasts of Yehovah
The Feasts of Yehovah are “shadow pictures” of good things to come.
16 ¶ mLet no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath.1 17 These are shadows of things to come; the reality belongs to Christ.n (Col 2:16-17 NAB)
In terms of Passover, it is a shadow picture of what Yehovah would accomplish for His people through the agency of Yeshua HaMaschiyach.
Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
This is referring to Yehovah’s “Plan of Redemption”–that plan in which Yehovah would reconcile His creation unto Himself. But in order to do this, Yehovah had to deal with the issue of sin and that is part and parcel of the shadow pictures that are depicted in the Spring Feasts of Yehovah.
These Feasts are holy convocations or “Miqra” or rehearsals. These are Feasts that belong to Yehovah–NOT Feasts of Israel or the Jews.
DBY Leviticus 23:4 ¶ These are the set feasts of Jehovah, holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons: (Lev 23:4 DBY)
The Feasts of Yehovah were meant to be holy assemblies (holy miqra) or rehearsals to be kept by His people.
(Exo 12:16)–NAS Exodus 12:16 ‘And aon the first day you shall have a holy assembly (miqra), and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten 1by every person, that alone may be 2prepared by you. (Exo 12:16 NAS)
Rehearsals because in commemorating each feast we “rehearse” or “depict” our relationship with the Creator as well as our walk with Yeshua Messiah. When we celebrate the feasts we “re-hear” lessons that encourage and build us up in our walk. We are reminded of the sacrifice made by our Lord and Savior. We are reminded of just how much the Father loves us. We are reminded of just how far we are from the “mark” and how much further we need to go in living Torah the way Yeshua showed us.
The feasts portray a 3-phase plan for our lives (reference Batyah Wootten):
-
-
- Passover/Pesach (personal redemption)
- Pentecost/Shavuot (infilling of the Ruach Kodesh)
- Tabernacles/Sukkot (restoration of the Kingdom of Yisra’el)
From there, the 7-annual feasts are broken into 3 clusters (reference Batyah Wootten):
-
-
- Spring Feasts (8-day period) that includes: Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Matzah), and Day of the Wave Sheaf (First Fruits)–collectively referred to as Passover
- Early summer–Shavuot (50-days after First Fruits or Wave Sheaf)–. AKA, Feast of Weeks
- Fall Feeasts–Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot=21-day period or Tabernacles
What exactly are the Feasts as described by the Creator? Levitcus 23 describes them as “mo’edim” or “appointed times” during the Creator’s calendar year. These are “set apart times” in which we are to proclaim the truths depicted in the particular feast being celebrated.
DBYLeviticus 23:2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,Concerningthe set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim as holy convocations — these are my set feasts. (Lev 23:2 DBY)
The act of a believer in Yeshua HaMaschiyach keeping the Feasts as well as keeping and obeying Torah can be best described (in my humble opinion) as “honoring Torah” and “honoring the Feasts.” Ours is a “love-based obedience” as opposed to simple-blind adherence to or obedience to Torah commandments; or simply taking off from work to sit at home in acknowledgment of the Feast day. Recall the depiction of the stony versus fleshy heart in which Yehovah prophecied would happen at some point in the future to His chosen ones? When Torah would no longer be a simple keeping of tasks and commandments. But Torah and Feast-keeping would become a joy and something that profoundly resonates within our being. That we obey Torah and keep His Feast-days because we love and honor Him–the Creator of the universe.
NAS Ezekiel 11:19 “And I shall agive them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within 1them. And I shall take the bheart of stone out of their flesh and give them a cheart of flesh, (Eze 11:19 NAS)
Indeed, we realize that salvation cannot be earned. We realize that salvation is received as a gift; that our eternal life comes through grace which is Yehovah’s unmerited favor. This gift is received by faith in the person and work of Yeshua Messiah. So why then honor or celebrate or keep the Feasts of the Lord? Because of our abiding love for Yehovah and His son, Yeshua HaMaschiyach. No longer do we follow the Father’s ways out of blind fear of being punished; or because the Bible says so. We follow the Father’s ways because “we want to”; because we want to please our Father. We cannot really “keep” the Feasts because the Temple is no longer in existence. Thus, we are inclined to “honor” the Feasts in “spirit and truth.” Blindly keeping the Feasts as many have unfortunately fallen subject to, devoid of spirit and truth only serves to upset Yehovah as mentioned in Isaiah:
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.112 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 113 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 1 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.116 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.1 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isa 1:11-20 KJV)
Having our families and ourselves in a prepared state of mind or mindset that is focused to accept the arrival of the season and Feasts with joy and reverence is key to gaining the tremendous spiritual blessings inherent and available to every Believer in Messiah Yeshua.
I would encourage you to re-read Exo 34 and Lev 23 and parallel the command Yehovah gave His people regarding the keeping of Passover and the Crucifixion story.
We will run into those who insist that the Feasts of the Lord do not belong to those of us who proclaim Yeshua HaMaschiyach as our Redeemer. We must be ready to defend our actions of honoring the Feasts and stand firm in our hearts and minds that the Feasts of Yehovah are for us to honor and celebrate with all joy. One way we can respond to allegations that the Feasts were abolished is that the Feasts were “shadow pictures” of Messiah and His work among His chosen people (Col 2:17; Heb 10:1; 1 Pet 1:1; 2:9,10). Thus, Yeshua is the substance to which the feasts all point. Indeed the Spring Feasts have objectively been “fulfilled” in Yeshua. But then so has Christmas, Easter, the 4th of July, etc. Thus as a race, we do not stop celebrating an event or person per se because the event being commemorated has already occurred. We celebrate because “it occurred.”
Many with righteous zeal will say–the Feasts of Yehovah must become a part of every true believer’ s life. I say no, but stand on a firm conviction that the Feasts of Yehovah must become the true believer’ s life. Only then will compromise be a non-existent option. Only then will we be truly prepared for Passover.
by Rod Thomas | Mar 18, 2015 | Blog
Picking up in Chapter 8, verse 11, we find that we are commanded not to forget Yehovah our Elohim. The passage reads:
11″Beware lest you aforget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; (Deu 8:11 NAS)
The word “forget” actually translates in the Hebrew as “shakach.” The English term “forget,” is suggestive of a lapse in memory about Yehovah in some way. The term “shakach” to me takes us in a slightly different direction that the English term forget would naturally lead a casual Western reader of the Bible. This is one of the many great advantages of having a Hebraic Roots mindset and why we in the HRM value the Word of God so much more than others in various denominations of churchianity.
We find that “shakach” as used in this passage of Torah denotes, not a lapse in memory about Yehovah (as one my reasonably garner from a casual read of the passage through Western glasses so to speak), but to ignore Yehovah’s commandments; to follow other gods (Deut 8:19); to stand in fear of harm and danger such as one having a failure Faith that Yehovah will deliver; to live fretfully and timidly (Isa 51:13); to challenge Yehovah (Psa 106:13).
At this point in Torah, we find Yisra’el preparing to cross the Yarden (aka Jordon) to begin the process of possessing the land that Yehovah had promised His people. The land was rich in natural resources and would be a veritable paradise for the weary Children of Promise who spent a generation wandering in the Sinai wilderness. The nations that would be overcome by the power and might of Yehovah through the onslaught of the Israeli people would leave behind remnants of their culture which could potentially lead the Children of Promise astray. This is why in the previous passage (7:21-26) Yehovah commanded that Yisra’el utterly destroy the nations as He would direct. Canaan was filled to the brim with idol worship and the remnants of such evil could be picked up by the Israeli’s, destroying all that had been accomplished in the Israeli during their years of wandering and preparation. This is why Yehovah pounded into the peoples’ minds over and over that they stay focused on His Torah.
The take away for me in this passage is that it is imperative that I not “forget” Yehovah in my day-to-day interactions with the world. There are so many things throughout the day that could potentially lead me astray and cause me to “shakach” Yehovah: pointless conversations with individuals that could cause me to speak evil about someone; allow situations to upset me and lead me to react or act contrary to my chosen status; lust of the eyes, envying, anger, hatred, etc. These things, although seemingly nebulous in the whole scheme of day-to-day life, would certainly lead one (lead me) to “shakach” Yehovah. That’s why each day I seek to study Yehovah’s Word and fill my mind with His Torah; follow the example of Yeshua who lived Torah perfectly; wear tzit tzits as a visible and tactile reminder of Yehovah; and heavily rely upon the leading of the Ruach Kodesh throughout my daily journey. It’s so easy to “shakach” Yehovah and despite what our carnal mind and nature might say otherwise, we often “shakach” Yehovah. Thus I keep a mental journal about my day-to-day activities and thus identify those incidents where I “forgot” Yehovah. Upon identifying them, I repent and seek Yehovah’s forgiveness. This practice helps keep me centered on Yehovah’s Torah as I grow in grace and live in truth.
Have a non-forgetful day dear Saints. Be blessed in Yeshua Messiah.
by Rod Thomas | Mar 17, 2015 | Blog
Picking up from the previous section of Deuteronomy 7:12-8:10:
7:12–there is a 3-part requirement related to Torah observance: (1) listen (i.e., to shama or to hear); (2) keep (i.e., to watch and preserve); and (3) obey (i.e., to do them). What we have here is a causal clause–because a, b, c…then d, e, f… Thus, as it is implied here, because the Children of Promise listen, keep and obey Torah, then the covenant that was made with Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya’akov will carry on with them.
I’ve been struggling, as many of you know, with the naysayers who rail against our Faith, labelling us as heretics, liars and everything other than Children of the Most High. Their issue is deeper than just a disregard for Torah; their anger and disdain for those of us who embrace Torah as our own is really against Yehovah. To me, taking such a vociferous position against believers in Messiah who’ve elected to keep Torah is not unlike the Islamist who takes and interprets portions of his/her Koran, insisting that one is commanded to murder all who refuse to adopt Islam as their Faith, when in reality no such command is contained in the Koran. The fundamentalist, like the radical Islamist, reads and understands their Scriptures from an entirely extra-contextual perspective (that is, understanding their Bibles without proper context). Both groups have come to accept a form of their respective Faiths that best fits in with their chosen perspectives on the world around them. For the Christian, the onus can never be on one’s world view as the foundation for determining whether or not Torah remains a viable or required thing for every believer. It’s actually the other way around. The believer must develop a world view through the lenses of Torah, imitating Yeshua HaMaschiyach’s example of how to live Torah.
Recall that old saying if you will, that “the proof is in the pudding.” If Torah is (as the fundamentalists contend it is) a curse, why would a loving God foist upon His chosen people such a thing? Why would Shaul suggest such a thing–if in fact he actually wrote it or meant it as many in churchianity have come to accept and teach. Fast forward to today: for those of us who have kept Torah for any length of time, have we personally realized the blessings promised to the Children of Israel as sort of a proof positive that Torah is for us as it was and remains for the nation of Israel and the Jew? I for one have realized such blessings, although not in as powerful a manifestation as I would have liked to be honest. I still struggle, not so much in the living Torah each day, for I love Torah beyond my capacity to describe, but more so it is the faith aspect of living Torah that I’m working hard to correct. The one aspect of living Torah that I believe many of us struggle with is that faith aspect that is inconspicuously tied to obedience to Torah. The Children of Promise did not require a lot of proof that Yehovah would and could do all the things that He promised them in His Torah. Many of the individuals who were listening to Moshe in this passage had first hand knowledge of the power and might of Yehovah as He protected and guided them throughout their 40-year jaunt through the Sinai desert. For us living in the 21st-century (or in the year 6015 F.C. per the Creator’s Calendar), to read these same promises requires us to have true faith. This passage requires us to make a conscious decision whether or not to obey Torah–all the applicable portions–and if we chose to obey Torah, believe that by us remaining resolute and obedient (even in the midst of persecution and ridicule from the fundamentalists) we will realize the same blessings that were afforded and enjoyed and realized by the Children of promise over 3,200-years prior (by some estimations).
I guess it comes down to each of us asking the question of ourselves: why do I; why should I; why must I observe and obey Torah? Today dear brother and sister of the True Faith once delivered, ask yourself, as I ask myself, why obey Torah. And if we come up with a true answer, determine whether or not we believe in the blessings to follow us as we obey Torah.
by Rod Thomas | Mar 16, 2015 | Blog
Because you are Obedient to Torah (Part 1)
Greetings Saints,
My Daily Torah studies took me to D’varim 7 (Deut 7). Beginning at verse 12, we find Moshe speaking to the nation of Israel from a reassuring perspective. He’d already established the need for them to keep Torah. Because Israel had been obedient to Torah, now it was time to speak to the benefits to be had with the keeping of Torah.
Fundamentalists Hate Torah
One of the prevailing admonishments the “fundamentalists” throw at us is this rule that believers in Jesus Christ (aka Christians) must not adhere to Torah. In fact, any Christian who finds themselves observing Torah in any form or fashion is considered back-slidden or completely a non-Christian. The irony in this situation is that those who choose to live without rules or laws (i.e., Christians) are insisting that we (Messianic Believers in Messiah) live by a rule or law that says no Torah. The Christian contends authority to enforce this edict through a denominational understanding of the writings of the Apostle Paul. Sadly, the same Christian who stands by a biased interpretation of the Apostle Shaul on the subject of Torah-Keeping ignores the very teachings of The Living Torah–Yeshua Messiah–who said that He absolutely had not been sent to abolish Torah but to elevate Torah to its greatest potential and that Torah would remain in effect to the end of time (Matt. 5:17-20). The Christian who rails against believers keeping Torah will by default ignore this teaching or outright distort it as he/she has done with the teachings of Shaul.
We, the redeemed of the Most High choose to live Torah for a number of reasons: (1) we realize that we have been grafted in to the heritage of Israel (Romans 11); (2) Yehovah does not change (Mal. 3:6) and since the Creator does not change and has not signaled a termination of Torah in His Word, we have no license to toss it to the side or worse, no license to teach others to disobey or violate Torah; (3) we cannot effectively know sin without Torah; (4) we cannot effectively worship and have a true relationship without Torah, otherwise we presume that we are pleasing Yehovah when we have no true indication that we are. Yehovah has provided a prescription for how He is to be honored and worshiped and obeyed. There are many other reasons. But one other reason the believer in Yeshua Messiah keeps Torah is contained in this passage of Torah which reads:
13 He will love you, bless you and increase your numbers; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground – your grain, wine, olive oil and the young of your cattle and sheep – in the land he swore to your ancestors that he would give you.
14 You will be blessed more than all other peoples; there will not be a sterile male or female among you, and the same with your livestock.
15 ADONAI will remove all illness from you – he will not afflict you with any of Egypt’s dreadful diseases, which you have known; instead, he will lay them on those who hate you. (Deu 7:13-15 CJB)
Many a fundamentalist will say that this promise was specific to the nation of Israel as they wandered the Sinai, preparing to enter the promised land. Indeed, there is absolute credence to such a contention. The true believer in Yeshua Messiah, however, believes that being grafted in affords him/her the same benefits as the children of promise in the day. Shaul expounded upon this best in Romans 11– 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you – a wild olive – were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, (Rom 11:17 CJB) Thus the believer in Yeshua Messiah has become an equal sharer in the rich root of the olive tree and that richness naturally comes from the fertile ground that is Torah–the Word.
Let no one judge you in your walk with Yeshua Messiah nor feel shame, for by keeping Torah we have taken up the mantle that was to be Israel’s greatest purpose and potential–
5 Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine;
6 and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.’ (Exo 19:5-6 CJB)
It’s Not About Being Saved
Sadly, the fundamentalist has completely ignored this fundamental purpose of the Creator’s overall plan for mankind. Why? Because the focus has become that of an idealized Greek-philosophic form of the Faith that was once delivered, and that refocus and intent of the true Faith once delivered now promises eternal life in heaven. That focus is entirely self-serving. We’ve all heard the classic evangelical question posed to potentially new converts: if you were to die tonight, where will you spend eternity. Interestingly, this question was never asked by Yeshua during His earthly ministry. Yet it has become the essential “call to action” for anyone seeking redemption.
The focus of the Messianic on the other hand is indeed future-centric, but also focused on serving the Father and humanity–especially the brotherhood and sisterhood. A convert must always be cognizant as to how he or she will serve the Creator in the here and now, as well as what one’s role will be in the coming Kingdom of Yehovah here on earth. It is not about being “saved” and gaining eternal life. Eternal life is a benefit to becoming His sons and daughters. It’s all about serving the King fellow Saints in Training. Shalom.
by Rod Thomas | Mar 9, 2015 | Blog
Standing Up to the Christian Bullies Part 1
Commentary on “Hebrew Roots Heresy” Facebook Page
One of the posts on this site rails upon Hebraic Roots advocating Christian believers being Torah Observant. This post went out of its way to insist that the New Testament commands that Christians NOT observe Torah, which they site Col. 2:16-17:
16 ¶ So don’t let anyone pass judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a Jewish festival or Rosh–Hodesh or Shabbat. 17 These are a shadow of things that are coming, but the body is of the Messiah. (Col 2:16-17 CJB)
I have a hard time seeing how anyone can derive an abolition of Torah observance by believers in Yeshua Messiah from these two verses. I guess if you are coming at this from a western perspective or mindset and with a twist of pre-existing bias against Torah observance, then Shaul’s admonishment could be taken as an denouncement against Torah Observance.
But let’s do some simple investigation into exactly what was going on in Colossae at the time of Shaul’s writing and what Shaul’s message to the Colossians was. Colosse (aka Colossae in certain MS) was a city in Phrygia. The Colossian assembly was overwhelmingly Gentile in composition–NAS Colossians 2:13 And when you were adead 1in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He bmade you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, (Col 2:13 NAS). All indications are that Shaul did not establish the Colossian assembly as he had established the assemblies of Corinth and Thessalonica, but it was most likely Epaphras–as mentioned by Shaul–NAS Colossians 1:7 just as you learned it from aEpaphras, our bbeloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on 1our behalf, (Col 1:7 NAS). Early in the Colossian epistle we can clearly see that Shaul was counteracting some form of Jewish false teaching. Consequently, fundamentalists stop here and simply assume that the Jewish false teaching is Torah or the Law. Case closed. But is this indeed the case?
The passage in question–as put forth by our friends on Facebook–speaks to festivals (Jewish was added by the author of the CJB), Rosh Hodesh or Shabbat. Now we know that Judaizers were far far from being strict Torah followers. Their focus was on the oral tradition and many sects delved into Jewish mysticism that seems to have made it way into Messianic Judaism even today. Thus, inquiry reveals that Judaizers held to teachings on the new moon (rosh hodesh), sabbath days (not necessarily the weekly Sabbath) and specific practices to be adhered to during the Feasts of Yehovah. As just mentioned, these same Judaizers were adding into the mix what Jameson-Fascet-Brown describe as “…oriental theosophy and angel worship and ascetism.” This crazy mix was being foisted upon the unsuspecting Colossian gentiles as required initiation rites to the true Faith being delivered. Theosophy and theosophists believed that they had “insight into the world of spirits and understood and taught pathways to heavenly purity and intelligence.” (JFB) Some scholars contend that these same Judaizers were teaching the Colossian gentiles Greek philosophy from the Philo School of philosophy and were combining their beliefs and practices with Rabbinical theosophy and angelogy which are simply precursors to Kabbalah.
But wait, there’s more. Remember that Colossae was a city of Phrygia where worship of Cybele was a mainstay of everyday life. Cybele worship was considered one of the Mystery Religions of the Near East. According to Wikipedia–
Cybele is Phrygia‘s only known goddess, and was probably its state deity. Her Phrygian cult was adopted and adapted by Greek colonists of Asia Minor and spread from there to mainland Greece and its more distantwestern colonies from around the 6th century BCE. In Greece, Cybele met with a mixed reception. She was partially assimilated to aspects of the Earth-goddess Gaia, herMinoan equivalent Rhea, and the Harvest-Mother goddess Demeter. Some city-states, notably Athens, evoked her as a protector, but her most celebrated Greek rites and processions show her as an essentially foreign, exotic mystery-goddess who arrives in a lion-drawn chariot to the accompaniment of wild music, wine, and a disorderly, ecstatic following. Uniquely in Greek religion, she had a transgender or eunuch mendicant priesthood. Many of her Greek cults included rites to a divine Phrygian castrate shepherd-consort Attis, who was probably a Greek invention. In Greece, Cybele is associated with mountains, town and city walls, fertile nature, and wild animals, especially lions.So very early on, we can see quite clearly the mess that Shaul was having to clean up in Colossae. We can also conclude this early on that the problems Shaul was addressing was not the Colossian assembly practice Torah and that Torah was an anathema to the true Faith being delivered.
The problem facing Hebraic Roots as well as churchianity is this concept of seeing the writings of Shaul through the lenses of Shaul and the assemblies he is addressing in his various writings. Churchianity only sees a series of colorful sound bites which are then used individually (in most situations) as the basis for doctrine and foundational belief systems and structures. As we can clearly see in this passage of Colossians, verse 16 cannot be taken alone or as a single sound bite. Why? Because Shaul begins verse 16 with the word “so.” So implies that this is a “carry-on” of sorts from a previous set of verses. When you and I are talking with one another, we typically use the term “so” to carry-on the conversation from something that was explained or discussed earlier. Starting any conversation with “so” and then moving on to substantive content would only serve to cause the listener a lot of confusion. I know when I’m at work and someone comes to my office to talk to me about something and they start off the conversation with “so,” it usually means that they are expecting me to be able to make a connection with the content they are about to spill out to me. “So Rod, about the investigators’ schedule…” says to me that the speaker is going to talk to me about the schedule and I should know what it is they are going to be talking to me about prior to them getting too deep into their dissertation on the schedule. Otherwise, by the time they get half-way through their dissertation, I will be totally confused or lost and will have to get them to provide me some background on what they are talking to me about…and believe me, this happens more times than not…they begin telling me about something, starting out with “so,” but I know nothing about what they are talking about. This may prove somewhat embarrassing to the individual trying to talk to me about the issue at hand and they are then required to get me up to speed on what it is they are there to talk to me about.
In the above passage of Colossians, the “so” is a crossover or conjunction for verses 8-15 of that same chapter 2 which speaks to the Colossians avoiding the trap of philosophy (the precursor of Gnosticism that would soon hit the first century Church) and human traditions:
8 ¶ Watch out, so that no one will take you captive by means of philosophy and empty deceit, following human tradition which accords with the elemental spirits of the world but does not accord with the Messiah. 9 For in him, bodily, lives the fullness of all that God is. 10 And it is in union with him that you have been made full – he is the head of every rule and authority. 11 Also it was in union with him that you were circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hands, but accomplished by stripping away the old nature’s control over the body. In this circumcision done by the Messiah, 12 you were buried along with him by being immersed; and in union with him, you were also raised up along with him by God’s faithfulness that worked when he raised Yeshua from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins, that is, because of your “foreskin,” your old nature. But God made you alive along with the Messiah by forgiving you all your sins. 14 He wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us; but he removed it by nailing it to the execution-stake. 15 Stripping the rulers and authorities of their power, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by means of the stake. (Col 2:8-15 CJB)
From what we’ve gathered so far, Shaul was not likely speaking out against the discipline of philosophy per se, but more so, “The Philosophy” and that Philosophy was the likely precursor to Gnosticism. The Philosophy here that is mentioned is NOT Torah and if one is true to heart and soul, they must concede this point and not simply default to anti-Semitic–anti-Torah rhetoric. But we must be called to stick to the facts and not denominational hogbosh.
The Traditions of men in this section seems to apply to Rabbinical traditions as well as the appendages of acetism/gnosticism that we spoke to earlier.
The Rudiments of the World” likely speaks to (adhering to the rules of context) legal ordinances that were taught to Jewish children throughout their childhood. These are Jewish practices that are in many cases contained in the Talmud.
Thus, the traditions of men, the rudiments of the world, and the Philosophy spoken of by Shaul seems to have been focused upon the carnal and worldliness of everyday life while setting aside the focus which should have been on Faith in Yeshua Messiah and being His worthy disciples.
The whole point to Hebraic Roots is that the true Believer in Messiah Yeshua must look at the content contained in our bibles from a Hebraic context. Notice that I did not say from a Jewish context. Simply put, if our Bibles were written in and through a Hebraic context, doesn’t it make perfect sense to read, understand and apply these messages contained therein in the same spirit and vein of being Hebraic based? It’s entirely asinine to think and do otherwise.
Case in point: White America could never understand the plight of Black America unless they themselves saw and understood life from a black perspective. And the same could be said in reverse.
In the case of these folks who are behind this Facebook page who go out of their way to villainize the Hebraic Roots Movement with enough venom and hatred to put the most di-heart racist to shame -they are so entrenched in seeing the Bible from a westernized, Pauline mind set and perspective that anything, any sect, and writing, any thoughts that suggests viewing and understanding the the Bible otherwise is heresy to their ears. I can’t discount either that the enemy has a huge stake in this fight as well; so he no doubt works overtime to further the cause of damaging the reputation of the Hebraic Roots Movement.
The funny thing is: the fundamentalists’ iron grip on understanding and interpreting the Bible from a western-Pauline perspective only leads them to a complete misunderstanding and misinterpretation of many of the passages of the Brit Hadashah (aka the New Testament), including the one I just mentioned. Unless you understand what was going on in Colossae and the Colossian Assembly–truly understand–as much as possible that is–you just might come to the grossly erroneous conclusions that traditionalists have come to with regard to this passage. The simple fact of the matter is that Judaizers (even precursors to Kaballah) had established a foot-hold in the Colossae Assembly and they set upon a mission to inject various mystical Jewish traditions into the Gospel message and into the everyday life of the Christian Colossian. Today, as in first-century Colossae, certain Jewish sects practice a form of Judaism that is built upon man-made practices. Although these practices are framed upon and around Torah, they are far from the intent and beauty that is Torah.
The one thing that I’ve come to appreciate and understand about Hebraic Roots/Messianics is our insatiable hunger and thirst for knowledge and understanding about the contents contained in our Bibles. Churchianity has taught her adherents to be lazy. Lazy in the sense of: don’t search; don’t dig; don’t worry about the true meaning of what you’re reading. That is criminal my friends. Criminal in this day and age because the truth and the information is out there for all to see and possess. But the believer must want to gain that knowledge and understanding. Churchianity has taught its adherents to rely upon its pastors, ministers, evangelists, teachers and the like to provide them all the answers they think they need. Thus, there is no need for the believer to search out the truth for themselves…it’s automatically fed to them from pulpits each and every Sunday.
Picture this: when our bank statements or even our cell phone bills don’t match what we think the charges should be (i.e, we suspect erroneous charges), we will dig and hunt to the point of exhaustion to prove that those charges are invalid–in many cases, simply to save a couple dollars. But when it comes to our eternal life and our walk with Messiah Yeshua, we rather leave that to the experts (i.e., our church leaders). How many times have you tried to share some truth from Hebraic Roots with a family member, friend or acquaintance, only to be told by said family member, friend or acquaintance–I don’t know; let me ask my Pastor first? What?! Why can’t we simply tap the resources that are out there that are right at our finger tips (in many cases) and find out the truth for ourselves? Because we’ve been taught to be lazy and dependent upon those who have assumed authority over our spiritual lives. That laziness has the potential, however, to lead so many millions down a road to destruction.
But back to verses 16 and 17. With all that we’ve covered on this topic, what was Shaul saying to the Colossian assembly? Shaul was admonishing them not to get “caught up in the midst of a spiritual quagmire” and not allow folks to pass judgment upon them in connection to these “optional matters” (practices surrounding feasts and sabbaths and the like)–and I’ll add to the CJB commentary’s treatment on this passage in Colossians–and avoid these Kabbalisitic beliefs and traditions that would naturally supplant the truth of the Gospel message. Shaul did NOT command the Colossians to abandon Torah. Contrary to the Facebook people, Shaul gave the Colossians permission to either observe or not observe the man made rules surrounding dining and feast days as long as they kept everything in proper spiritual perspective and kept first things first–Faith in Yeshua Messiah and being His proper obedient disciples. Shaul did add that there is value in the Feasts of Yehovah for they, according to Shaul, were shadow pictures of good things to come. These Feasts must be looked upon and treated as rehearsals and nothing more. They can not be treated as an end unto themselves as so many in the Messianic and Hebraic Roots communities have done. In other words, avoid at all costs being bound legalistically to the festivals.
Thus, the owners and contributors of the Hebrew Roots Heresy Facebook page (I refuse to post the link to their page–if you are interested simply Google it) have in their post, addressing Colossians 2:16-17, failed to prove their contention that Shaul taught it was heresy to observe and practice Torah. Not only did they fail, have placed themselves in a precarious situation from which they must repent and make right–not only with Yehovah, but with their fellow fundamentalist Christian readers who are trusting them for the truth. The Master said Himself–NAS Matthew 5:19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches 1others, shall be called least ain the kingdom of heaven; but whoever 2keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:19 NAS)
In closing, let me say: let us not grow weary in doing what it is we are compelled to do as disciples of Yeshua Messiah. Let us not be discouraged by the fundamentalists who seek to damage our Faith. Let us remained focused and NAS Philippians 3:14 … apress on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phi 3:14 NAS)
